Titanfall Review - Mechs and the City

[The Great Fungus]

ONLY 4 STARS FUCK YOU JIM BLARGH

Would be interested to find out if there's any tearing on the pc version - though I won't be getting it until the price goes way down.

Well, there's always tearing when your FPS output doesn't match your screen's refresh rate, no matter the game. V-sync does help there but it also reduces your frame rate.

I'm really glad I got to play the beta because that's actually when I was more-or-less sure I was going to buy this game and the reviews aren't pointing out any downsides yet.

Same here. This game wasn't even on my radar before I signed up for the "open" PC-beta. Now I can't wait for it to be released in my region.

 

[Snotnarok]

Reading it's like Call of Duty bugs me a bit-

The thing that makes Call of Duty what it is- is the killstreaks, these unmanned buffs that players get, with the higher ones being reserved for higher kills meaning the better players/better map remember-ers get to just suck in more and more kills because of their increasingly better unmanned kill machines while they are running around shooting as well at players often distracted by powerful killing machines above.

Yes Titans are giant monsters but they need a pilot to help them either inside or out or they're screwed, and EVERYONE GETS ONE. And they're not battle ruling- you don't just get 2 guns as a pilot, you get your primary, secondary and an anti-titan weapon- as in you have to take one. On top of that you can ride on the back of one, rip off a bit of metal and shoot at the mech's core- allowing you to bypass the regenerating shields and damage the armor directly. You can hack enemy robots or turrets to shoot at them as well, yes they're less effective than a pilot, but they do damage and distract, allowing you to do more damage.

Or hell, just call your titan down...on theirs and it's gone. So you are always involved with them or they'll be destroyed and now you're waiting another 3 minutes or so for another titan to ready up.

CoD you always had to have a class with an alt gun to shoot down killstreaks and even then you needed some form of teamwork...which simply doesn't work out well all the time.

Yes the guns are hitscan, but most games do that anyway as it's easier on server load, so it's nothing new, nothing CoD invented.

I went in expecting to hate it, I got a beta key and was like "ehh...it's gonna be like CoD where I just get annoyed at gunships appearing and shooting my face off every 15 minutes".
But no- I bloody preordered it and played it the second it released it was that convincing.

 

[gorfias]

Even if you list all the game's other qualities, it doesn't help the fact that it's online-only. In other words, something that amounts to a brick once the servers die off... or just flat-out die. Also, I have what's called a "life" wherein I need to pause regularly, so an online title that requires constant, undivided attention for extended periods is impractical and intrusive.

I'll admit that certain aspects do look somewhat enjoyable, but nothing that's worth $60 in my book.

Reminds me of Shadowrun. Me and a buddy were so pissed. $60 and no single player. There's just too many online shooters already for this to make me interested.

Let me know when PS4 gets its first Uncharted game.

I was just wondering. Do you two jump in to threads about inherently single player games and bemoan that there's no multiplayer?
Do you maybe subscribe to the idea that not every game (Second son for eg.) needs multiplayer? (and maybe frown when a publisher shoe-horns multiplayer in to a title that blatantly never needed it)

Do you go in to other multiplayer only games threads such as... dunno, Loadout, Planetside 2, Hearthstone, Guild Wars 2 etc. and bring up the same points?

///

I'm really glad I got to play the beta because that's actually when I was more-or-less sure I was going to buy this game and the reviews aren't pointing out any downsides yet.
Sure when the masses arrive (me amidst them) server might be shaky, but it all seems pretty smooth at the moment.

You're making my point for me. That's a lot of online multi player stuff you list there.

I guess I'm most pissed here, and with Shadowrun is that they came out at a time that platforms needed quality stuff and instead, they're pushing this stuff out.

An interesting question though: why don't I care if a game is single player only? I guess because, I can play it even if no one else is doing so. Multi-player? Not so much.

 

[Elijah Newton]

Jim, kudos for a review which was both favorable and moderated expectations.

Anyone - any word on what the 360 version is going to be like? Is there some NDA expiration date that everyone's beholden to? Because given the hype of the xBone version I'm finding the radio silence regarding the 360's disheartening.

Even if you list all the game's other qualities, it doesn't help the fact that it's online-only. In other words, something that amounts to a brick once the servers die off... or just flat-out die.
[snip]

[snip]

I was just wondering. Do you two jump in to threads about inherently single player games and bemoan that there's no multiplayer?
Do you maybe subscribe to the idea that not every game (Second son for eg.) needs multiplayer? (and maybe frown when a publisher shoe-horns multiplayer in to a title that blatantly never needed it)

I like that you bring up the idea that multiplayer gets shoehorned into games that don't need it and, therefore, a multiplayer game shouldn't be criticized for not having a singleplayer game similarly shoehorned in.

That being said, I think these two made some solid points about multiplayer only games which frequently get glossed over : namely, this is a step closer to an extended rental of a game, rather than actually purchasing something you can independently enjoy.

I'm not making a value judgement. I'm not saying that's bad, or a waste of money. That's an individual call.

Personally - and I know this its a bit indirect - I see getting people to casually accept multiplayer only games (without access to server software, natch) as a way to erode opposition to always-on DRM. Because that's my take on it, it is a comfort to hear that other people aren't ok with multiplayer only.

 

[tdylan]

Being an "online only" game with no single player to fall back on, and the striking similarity to "Brink," I'll hold off. Brink held so much promise IMO, but failed in some critical areas (balancing the bots. They became ultra lethal once you leveled up to a certain point), and the horrible lagging/disconnecting.

As much as I love giant fighting robots, and despite all the praise the game is getting, gonna opt to simply watch the forums to see what issues arise, if any.

 

[42]

Recommendation: Does punching a robot with your robot sound like a good time?

Yes, but the Pacific Rim fighting game sucked regardless.

Even if you list all the game's other qualities, it doesn't help the fact that it's online-only. In other words, something that amounts to a brick once the servers die off... or just flat-out die. Also, I have what's called a "life" wherein I need to pause regularly, so an online title that requires constant, undivided attention for extended periods is impractical and intrusive.

I'll admit that certain aspects do look somewhat enjoyable, but nothing that's worth $60 in my book.

jesus christ dude, you make it sound like an MMO. it's not something you have to completely devote your life to. And to me it seems like the game will have a long life-span. And i'm not going to make too big of a thing here, but you are in the wrong hobby set if you play games and expect to have a life. I also think you need to play the game to be able to pass a judgement call like that. Yes i know its EA, and its online, but Respawn have created a top notch game. I have played the Beta, and it was fucking awesome.

Gotta agree with Jim on the map design. it's on Valve level for sure.

 

[MonkeyPunch]

You're making my point for me. That's a lot of online multi player stuff you list there.

I guess I'm most pissed here, and with Shadowrun is that they came out at a time that platforms needed quality stuff and instead, they're pushing this stuff out.

An interesting question though: why don't I care if a game is single player only? I guess because, I can play it even if no one else is doing so. Multi-player? Not so much.

I'm certain I'm not at all making your point. If so, which?
(To be honest I think you're totally missing, or trying to evade my points.)

"...pushing this stuff out."?
"This" as in: quality MP shooters? ;]
You seem to have a problem with multiplayer in general, which still makes it weird that in a thread about a multiplayer game, you're criticising that it's well... multiplayer.
Online multiplayer game is online multiplayer.

And your final "question" isn't really interesting so much as it stating the obvious. Just like you can't play a multiplayer game when no one else is around - you can't play a single player game with other people. Erm, dur.
I think what you're trying to say is that you don't enjoy multiplayer - which is totally fine, but then this game was obviously never going to be for you.
There are however people out there who do enjoy multiplayer games and who don't need a shoddily tacked on single player experience just for the sake of and/or just to add another bullet point.
Respawn is relatively small and it took all their energy to make the game work in MP and there's no way they should have compromised the quality of the final product just to add single player.

 

[sageoftruth]

Sounds great. The only thing standing in my way is that I never think to play online shooters during my free time (well, almost never). It would certainly be a waste of money if I never get around to playing it.

 

[sageoftruth]

Recommendation: Does punching a robot with your robot sound like a good time?

Also, I have what's called a "life" wherein I need to pause regularly, so an online title that requires constant, undivided attention for extended periods is impractical and intrusive.

So, in other words, the only games you have time for are mobile phone games?

 

[The Wooster]

Being an "online only" game with no single player to fall back on, and the striking similarity to "Brink," I'll hold off.

The Bring comparison is apt, it's how I felt about the beta. "This is what Brink would have been if it wasn't terrible."

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Downloaded the game late last night before bed from Amazon/Origin. Can't wait to get home and fire it up. I had a blast with the beta so needless to say I'm excited to see the rest of the content.

Didn't this review have a different title late last night? Something about Titan's Balls?

 

[balladbird]

inb4 accusations of Xbox fanboyism for giving a good score to an Xbox game and how giving 4/5 stars = "a bad score".

I was thinking the same thing as I read it. XD Managed to piss off both extremes of fan-dumb, the people who can't see past the exclusive sticker on a game, and the blowhards who spam hate on any review that lowers their beloved metacritic rating.

Ah well, the former may be somewhat assuaged by the fact that there is no competitive game on the other system to be ranked as well. Sort of like how his review of Deadly Premonition was lambasted for being higher than his rating of Heavy Rain. What the one game had to do with the other? fuck all if I know.

Good to see that some of the hype is merited, though this one doesn't sound interesting to me. Online multiplayer exclusive + first person is a formula that sounds tailor made for the kind of gamer I'm not. It'll be fun to see what the fans do with it, though.

 

[themilo504]

I think that 60 bucks is too much for a multiplayer only game so I probably won?t get it until it becomes cheaper, still nice to know its good like I hoped.

 

[DikkieDik]

I tried the beta and decided its not for me, i was bored after 5 minutes. I played for 2 hours because i really wanted to like this game, but theres too much going on for me. bots where u get almost nothing for are barely distinguishable with real players. I guess I have to wait longer before i can use my xbox one. I really liked ESO Beta on pc so maybe ill go for that on my one.

 

[shadowstriker86]

Recommendation: Does punching a robot with your robot sound like a good time?

Yes, but the Pacific Rim fighting game sucked regardless.

Even if you list all the game's other qualities, it doesn't help the fact that it's online-only. In other words, something that amounts to a brick once the servers die off... or just flat-out die. Also, I have what's called a "life" wherein I need to pause regularly, so an online title that requires constant, undivided attention for extended periods is impractical and intrusive.

I'll admit that certain aspects do look somewhat enjoyable, but nothing that's worth $60 in my book.

Pretty much these reasons are why i haven't bought it. Dont get me wrong it's a fun game, but not worth 60$, 40 maybe but 30 is what i'd pay for something like this. I played the beta and had fun but got bored of it after a few hours because there was really nothing else to do. That's why TF2 is still my favorite FPS because of all the modes, classes and custom maps. Of course that's just me.

 

[bjj hero]

Has anyone any idea what the 360 version is like? Im not ready to upgrade to a xbox one or a gaming rig.

 

[Evonisia]

Recommendation: Does punching a robot with your robot sound like a good time?

Yes, but the Pacific Rim fighting game sucked regardless.

Even if you list all the game's other qualities, it doesn't help the fact that it's online-only. In other words, something that amounts to a brick once the servers die off... or just flat-out die. Also, I have what's called a "life" wherein I need to pause regularly, so an online title that requires constant, undivided attention for extended periods is impractical and intrusive.

I'll admit that certain aspects do look somewhat enjoyable, but nothing that's worth $60 in my book.

jesus christ dude, you make it sound like an MMO. it's not something you have to completely devote your life to. And to me it seems like the game will have a long life-span. And i'm not going to make too big of a thing here, but you are in the wrong hobby set if you play games and expect to have a life. I also think you need to play the game to be able to pass a judgement call like that. Yes i know its EA, and its online, but Respawn have created a top notch game. I have played the Beta, and it was fucking awesome.

Gotta agree with Jim on the map design. it's on Valve level for sure.

these are the people that made CoD. You are not expecting a yearly release cycle?

Titanfall: Ghost Ops 2 confirmed summer 2017.


no, seriously. I fully expect it to end up like CoD. It already plays just like it.

None of the Call of Duty games have less than a year's worth of development. Titanfall won't become yearly unless EA gets desperate or they bring in a second company to work on the series (like how Activision hired Treyarch to make CoD 3).

 

[Vivi22]

I guess I'm most pissed here, and with Shadowrun is that they came out at a time that platforms needed quality stuff and instead, they're pushing this stuff out.

Implying that something multiplayer only can't be a quality product. Utterly absurd. Just because something isn't made to your tastes does not mean it has no value.