Nobody likes water levels

[dudeman0001]

Funny, about a year ago I made a water level in littlebigplanet called "The Sea Caves" and it was my best one yet. I got a lot of comments on how bootyful and fun it was. I get what you're saying, though, water levels can be annoying. However, I think they can work great in 3d platformers. (mario64, spyro, tomb raider, ape escape, etc.)

...The "swimming" in OoT was awful, though, and the water temple was, although still fun (provided you had a walkthrough), unnecessarily complex.

Also it's always nice to be able to swim, more games should take advantage of this. Having water in front of us and putting up some sort of barricade or worse, an invisible wall is such a cocktease....damn JRPG's. Also there should be some sort of penalty for letting us jump in the water only to instantly get eaten by a shark or something. Lastly, if you're gonna let us swim go the extra mile and let us dive too! Give us underwater treasures to look for, but dont make us defenseless either! Nobody likes being defenseless! Give us a spinning thrust attack, a harpoon, missles, penis worms, ANYTHING.
/rant over.

 

[subject_87]

Well, the 'water hazard' chapter in HL2 was pretty fun (even if the Combine have no tactical knowledge, rappelling down right in front of speeding vehicles and standing on platforms that collapse at the slightest touch), but the water dungeon in Twilight Princess was admittedly kind of annoying.

 

[TyrantGanado]

Tomb Raider: Underworld does water levels fantastically. The water section at the start of the last level blew my socks off with it's sheer awesome.

 

[Beryl77]

The only water level I don't like is the one ins MGS2 where you have to save Otacon's sister.

 

[mikecoulter]

I loved a submarine water level on 007: Nightfire. It was excellent.

 

[Reveras]

Water Hazard, HL2, fucking awesome ...could be tehnically called a water lvl.

 

[HassEsser]

Water Hazard, HL2, fucking awesome ...could be tehnically called a water lvl.

I was about to bring that up. Half-Life 2's water level is fucking amazing. In fact, every level in that game is amazing. . .

 

[BENZOOKA]

That boat scene in HL2 was awful.

I used to dislike water in strategy games, but that's changed.

The water levels in Donkey Kong Country 3? were just awesome. You could transform into a swordfish and just go through everything. Whee!

 

[Guykild]

Mario 64 made me dread water levels. I think it's a mix of losing the ability to jump, having limited oxygen, and scary eels...

 

[Snotnarok]

Hydro City Zone in Sonic was quite fun, as was Chemical Plant Zone. Water levels done right one might say.

 

[lacktheknack]

But Ahnonay is the best level of Myst Online! And a third of it is swimming!

 

[PureChaos]

water levels are OK, the Lakebed Temple in Twilight Princess was a good level

 

[Weslebear]

Some are good, some are bad but it's just opinion for the most part. For instance OoT water level hated by many was one of my favourite memories of that game :3, and I cannot stand the Water Hazard HL2 section, that I just found bland, worst part of the game for me.

 

[Denamic]

Vashj'ir in WoW Cataclysm is a zone entirely under water, and it is amazing.
I normally hate water levels, but Vashj'ir is one of my favourite zones.
You actually move around faster than you do on land.

 

[Geekosaurus]

I see what you mean. It's usually because of that age-old video game cliche where you can only swim in the sequels.

 

[Ponce Master-General]

This thread should be called "Nobody likes shitty water levels". If you want to theme a level around water, you have to do it right, which if I may add, is no easy task.

 

[oldMcDouche]

i think its because usually youre more vulnurable than during the rest of the game. you speed of movement is slower, you often cant use weapons and very often the controls are horrible because, why put much effort in controls for a small part of a game?

 

[Dexiro]

Water levels suck because developers always do them wrong. It's imprinted in our minds that water is there in games to make your life more difficult.

You have to deal with all of these things:
- Sudden change of controls.
- Awkward, slow and often clunky movement.
- Having to move in all directions.
- Enemies coming at you from all directions.
- Are also harder to aim at.
- And you have a reduced set of abilities.
- And slow movement again for emphasis, so you can't run away from enemies either!
- Sometimes reduced visibility.
- Air meter, reducing the amount of time you can stay underwater and making you panicky as hell when you're running low.
- The theme. Water levels are often cold, blue, uninviting and sometimes downright depressing.

 

[vivalahelvig]

I hate water levels in half-life 1...for one...single...reason....ICTHYSAURS!!!! It doesnt even matter if there isnt those things in there, they have just traumatized me for HL1. And every other game with water.

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

Because if isnt fun. Like God of War, Devil May cry, and man many other levels in water