Is this the generation the end of quality single player games?

[ChromeAlchemist]

I see you really meant quality single player in FPS. To be honest, the campaigns might feel like throwbacks, but it's probably due to the developers knowing that a solid multiplayer experience can greatly enhance their game's longevity. Single player you will only go back so many times to, multiplayer you could be playing that for months to come. It's a shame single player quality has to sometimes be sacrificed.

I do think they should bring back quality single player FPS, but then you have to ask if they need to bring back single player FPS?

James Bond: Goldeneye 2.

The Horror!

Or... the BRILLIANCE

How about Perfect Dar-

Oh wait...

Fuck you, Rare. You made her American and made the game worse than it's predecessor. Fuck you.

 

[UncleOvid]

Tundrawolf, my man. I think you pretty much summed it up perfectly. Particularly this:

Truth be told, my problem with games these days is that not enough of them have multiplayer. I look through my collection of games, looking for a good multiplayer game, and have severe difficulty finding one that I actually have any desire to play. Sure, a lot of FPSes are cashing in on the online gaming scene, but I've always been a fan of couch co-op, or at least same-room multiplayer. It's always more fun to game with others when you know who they are and can have a conversation on the side, which is a trend that has steadily died over the last few years. And I think that's the bigger crime.

Basically exactly how I feel. Best times of my life were sleepovers playing Double Dragon 'til three in the morning, and I got some serious mileage (NPI) out of Mario Kart until I got rid of my N64 (dumb dumb dumb...). Since then, I play games to be anti-social. Playing online just doesn't cut it for me.

My main issue with the increased focus on multiplayer inclusion is that, since I don't like it, I'm not interested in plunking down $60 plus for a game I feel like I'm missing half of. My last "online" game purchase was Spore, and I haven't picked that up in months.

 

[TundraWolf]

Hooray for Metroid Prime! You guys seem to have left out Nintendo, who seem to be coming back ever so slowly to the hardcore gamer. They have always and will always be much more focused on a single-player experience, or otherwise the Wii's online capabilities would be better. Here's hoping the next Zelda is more than just a remake of Ocarina/Twilight!

I also agree with TundraWolf's post above. ^^ Read it.

Cheers, pal! I'm glad the length didn't scare everyone away.

Oh yeah.

On-topic, though, I'm glad you pointed out the Zelda games. They are another example of quality single-player games, which, as you point out, is something that Nintendo is known for. Nintendo is a great example of a developer that can strike a balance between single-player and multi-player games. You have their single-player franchises, such as Zelda, Metroid, Mario, and so on, but you also have their big multiplayer games as well, such as Mario Party, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., and the like. It's a prime example of a company that manages to dip their toes into both pools without letting either deteriorate in quality.

Tundrawolf, my man. I think you pretty much summed it up perfectly. Particularly this:

Truth be told, my problem with games these days is that not enough of them have multiplayer. I look through my collection of games, looking for a good multiplayer game, and have severe difficulty finding one that I actually have any desire to play. Sure, a lot of FPSes are cashing in on the online gaming scene, but I've always been a fan of couch co-op, or at least same-room multiplayer. It's always more fun to game with others when you know who they are and can have a conversation on the side, which is a trend that has steadily died over the last few years. And I think that's the bigger crime.

Basically exactly how I feel. Best times of my life were sleepovers playing Double Dragon 'til three in the morning, and I got some serious mileage (NPI) out of Mario Kart until I got rid of my N64 (dumb dumb dumb...). Since then, I play games to be anti-social. Playing online just doesn't cut it for me.

My main issue with the increased focus on multiplayer inclusion is that, since I don't like it, I'm not interested in plunking down $60 plus for a game I feel like I'm missing half of. My last "online" game purchase was Spore, and I haven't picked that up in months.

Replace Double Dragon with Goldeneye, and I was the exact same. It's a shame that online multiplayer is taking over as completely as it is. I will admit, sometimes it can be a great deal of fun, but it doesn't hold a candle to playing games with friends while lounging on your couch.

The good news is that the game industry has a veritable plethora of single-player games coming out here in the near future. Batman: Arkham Asylum, Heavy Rain, The Last Guardian, Beyond Good and Evil 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Fallout: New Vegas, Modern Warfare 2, Mass Effect 2, Final Fantasy XIII, Dante's Inferno, God of War III, Uncharted 2, Brütal Legend, BioShock 2, Saboteur, even Halo 3: ODST; the list goes on and on and on, and those are just the single-player games that I can list off the top of my head that promise to be quality experiences, whether or not they have multiplayer modes within them.

And people are worried that single-player games are a dying breed... Pfft.

 

[BKtheKITTY]

Stop mentioning Bioshock? If we all conformed to your personal opinion, there wouldn't be a forum here. It's a place to discussion, if I say I liked Bioshock, you can tell me why you didn't, but I'm not going to neglect to mention it because it didn't raise your bridge.

I think anything with a good enough single player becomes timeless, and therefore negates generation differences. I'm still thoroughly enjoying Halo, JSRF, Battlefront 2, KOTOR I and II, all the pre-wii Zelda titles to name but a fraction. Oh, and BIOSHOCK, which I love, for being one of the most athmospheric, visually interesting and well handling. It is a credit to my console, and I take pictures of myself naked, with the disk covering my face, because I wish that was how I look. Because I love it so much. At least I would, if I owned a copy.

 

[danosaurus]

On a sidenote, I hear a new Monkey Island game is on it's way.

WHAT!?!?
LIES!

*secretly peeing his pants with excitement*

 

[danosaurus]

I don't know about you guys but I think the quality of the single player game in the majority of current gen games is slipping dramatically. With the advent of online multiplayer more and more developers are making games with a view to multiplayer quality.

I have no arguments against that but I do have problems with developers making a single player campaign because they "have to". You know the ones, the games with such dramatically bad single player but quite good multiplayer. For example, Halo 3 (My personal opinion, no flaming) had a very lacklustre single player but fairly decent multiplayer. CoD:WaW had a disapointing single player but the multiplayer redeemed it somewhat (albeit only a little, IMO WaW multiplayer is a mess of glitchers) Killzone 2 had a very bland single player but fairly decent, although short in terms of ranking (I was top rank the same day of purchase), multiplayer. Even games like Guitar hero, which are meant to be enjoyed with friends, seems to have the career mode stuck on as an afterthought.

Now apparantly these dev's think they can get away with having a bad/lacking single player if the multiplayer is good. It seems they can. But what about people like me that want an engaging single player experience? What do we get? A few hours of boredom and then a shove towards the multiplayer. Not. Fun. I have to resort to RPG's from the PS1 and PS2 to get anything in the region of "satisfying" single player.

So what of you fellow escapists? Do you even care? Do you think that multiplayer is better? Or do you agree with me?

EDIT: Stop mentioning Bioshock. In my opinion it was the worst, most over rated piece of crap I played this generation.

You need to stop playing mainstream games and do some research. Don't buy the big name titles that are cashing in on multiplayer.

Try some Psychonauts, Okami, Pikmin, Beyond Good & Evil, Gothic 3 etc.
I pretty much only play single player games unless mates are around, I shun online gaming nowadays.

There's heaps out there, you just gotta put in the hard yards and do a little research.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

I don't know about you guys but I think the quality of the single player game in the majority of current gen games is slipping dramatically. With the advent of online multiplayer more and more developers are making games with a view to multiplayer quality.

I have no arguments against that but I do have problems with developers making a single player campaign because they "have to". You know the ones, the games with such dramatically bad single player but quite good multiplayer. For example, Halo 3 (My personal opinion, no flaming) had a very lacklustre single player but fairly decent multiplayer. CoD:WaW had a disapointing single player but the multiplayer redeemed it somewhat (albeit only a little, IMO WaW multiplayer is a mess of glitchers) Killzone 2 had a very bland single player but fairly decent, although short in terms of ranking (I was top rank the same day of purchase), multiplayer. Even games like Guitar hero, which are meant to be enjoyed with friends, seems to have the career mode stuck on as an afterthought.

Now apparantly these dev's think they can get away with having a bad/lacking single player if the multiplayer is good. It seems they can. But what about people like me that want an engaging single player experience? What do we get? A few hours of boredom and then a shove towards the multiplayer. Not. Fun. I have to resort to RPG's from the PS1 and PS2 to get anything in the region of "satisfying" single player.

So what of you fellow escapists? Do you even care? Do you think that multiplayer is better? Or do you agree with me?

EDIT: Stop mentioning Bioshock. In my opinion it was the worst, most over rated piece of crap I played this generation.

The only place where they're suffering is in length. CoD4 was a pretty big offender here- it was over before I knew it. Halo 3's campaign was the best I've seen in an FPS, and CoD:WaW was the "B" team. Quite frankly, I think this generation is kicking last generation's ass.

 

[Kraze]

I'm sorry but I'm a long time gamer myself and will have to respectfully disagree. With games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Dragon Age and Brutal Legends on the way, its never been better.

 

[sln333]

No, this really isn't the end of great single player. Keep in mind that games with a multiplayer focus won't have amazing single player. Halo and CoD have good single player stories, but not great. You should look for single player only experiences to get the best single player has to offer.

 

[Altorin]

there are still plenty of good singleplayer games, and I don't think that will ever totally go away.

Multiplayer games are just easier to make these days, as the home consoles have built in multiplayer networks

 

[Zand88]

EDIT: Stop mentioning Bioshock. In my opinion it was the worst, most over rated piece of crap I played this generation.

Ahahaha. Ok, Armond White.

Anyway, FPS games have always been cursed with crap quality since they came on to the scene. There are a few gems, of course, that you need to filter through for.

 

[Piotr621]

If anything, this generation is the slow killing off of the good ole' split screen local multiplayer. Less and less games are incorporating this, and it has be depressed somewhat. Too bad games for PC don't come with the option of plugging in a second mouse and keyboard for split screen multiplayer...

 

[MiracleOfSound]

If anything, this generation is the slow killing off of the good ole' split screen local multiplayer. Less and less games are incorporating this, and it has be depressed somewhat. Too bad games for PC don't come with the option of plugging in a second mouse and keyboard for split screen multiplayer...

What bugs me is that the games getting split screen are getting some bizarrely divided stylistic shifest that leaves a huge portion of the screen unused.

Examples: Resi 5, COD WAW

 

[Stcb]

EDIT: Stop mentioning Bioshock. In my opinion it was the worst, most over rated piece of crap I played this generation.

That might be your problem.

EDIT: Also, no.

 

[Daedalus1942]

EDIT: Stop mentioning Bioshock. In my opinion it was the worst, most over rated piece of crap I played this generation.

System shock2, apart from the levels towards the end of the game feeling like they'd been a tad rushed, IMO was a far superiour gaming experience.

 

[Daedalus1942]

And to the guy who said God of War III..... No, just.... no.
Beyond good and evil 2 FTW!

 

[bushwhacker2k]

I have kind of a parallel view (i guess :O), I think multiplayer games are all crap and no quality is being made. MMOs are a prime example, I haven't seen a good(by good, I mean something I'd want to play) MMO in years... I think the MMOFPS genre is underused, when it has potential.

But from what I see, a LOT of games are crap these days... I don't understand how it is happening, it is like everything wants to make a game, but no one bothers to pay attention to what makes games good... I swear >_>

 

[burgbrand22]

If anything, this generation is the slow killing off of the good ole' split screen local multiplayer. Less and less games are incorporating this, and it has be depressed somewhat. Too bad games for PC don't come with the option of plugging in a second mouse and keyboard for split screen multiplayer...

Agreed. L4D series needs local 4 player co-op.

 

[danosaurus]

On a sidenote, I hear a new Monkey Island game is on it's way.

WHAT!?!?
LIES!

*secretly peeing his pants with excitement*

It's already out... Called Tales of Monkey Island, and is episode based (5 episodes, 1st one available now) and apparently only on Steam.

Telltale games (Sam & Max) made it, so I wouldn't expect too much, but hey, they might surprise me.

Whaaat? Hmmm I don't know if I trust that!

edit - I don't trust the different developers - not you