When immersion saves the day

[ShyWinter]

When, if ever, have you found yourself immersed in a gaming experience and actually overlooking the title's obvious flaws? Likewise, when has a lack of immersion been the kiss of death? The same goes for movies.

To name a few...
Immersion has saved: The Getaway, Brothers in Arms, Legend of Zelda: Windwaker.

Immersion non-existent in: Kane&Lynch, Narc, 25 to Life.

In case I'm unclear, by "Immersion" I mean the ability to get genuinely interested in the game to the point that you really want to see it to the end.

 

[Omnidum]

Hellgate: London, Oh how it could save itself.

 

[plastic_window]

Oblivion. I saw the Zero Punctuation review and he obviously saw a lot wrong with it, but I was totally immersed in it. Maybe it's because I'm a fan of RPGs or something, but it's one of my favourite games ever.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

Interested in the game to the point that I want to see the end? Wouldn't that mean the plot sucked me in?

I played Kane & Lynch because I liked the story. You don't see many games that aren't giant "You're so awesome" fests these days, despite how it putters out. Or the imperfect script. I tend to give a salute to any game that opts for moral complexity, particularly ones that address all the violence your character is typically doing in a game.

Eternal Darkness...pretty much any JRPG...

I dunno, not trying to rag on you I just hear like 9 different definitions of immersion floating around the interweb these days.

 

[Nerples]

Mass Effect. Lots of things wrong with that game but it kept me playing. every time i turned off the 360 i'd find my self saying "man, this game is awesome" each time.

 

[minignu]

Probably the Final Fantasy series. The combat generally isn't great and there are plenty of flaws, but it's just so damn playable and interesting I can't NOT complete it.

 

[ShyWinter]

Okay, you may hate me for this, but I want to redefine immersion. "Immersion" is more or less when you really get into the game that you think about it all day, especially when you're not playing. Moreover it's when you want to continue playing after you've seen the end. I'm having a hard time explaining it, but you know it when you feel it.

Kane&Lynch, for example, felt like a bit of a chore despite a set of protagonists who are...refreshingly interesting to say the least, and some bitchin' sound design. But after I saw both endings, it was time to move on.

Upon reflection though, it seems strange that I like The Getaway and dislike Kane&Lynch. I guess it's just something that has to clique with you personally.

 

[N-Sef]

Gungrave. I really felt like I was in that seedy (don't mind the pun) world. Despite the fact that the game was pretty darn easy, and the gameplay extremely simple. Still I had a blast playing the game because of how it was presented, plus because you barely ever die and bullets don't even seem to faze the main character, it made you feel like a total anime badarse. Mobster Zombie Cowboys are awesome.

 

[Silver]

UFO. Yes, I mention that game in every singe thread I post in. I'm a fangirl, now shut up.

But seriously, I have never played a buggier game and I'd be hard pressed to find a more tenious, repetetive and boring one (thought GTA comes close, frighteningly close, and it didn't even have a good story). Despite that, the setting, the few bits of story you got, and the fact that it really had me rooting for the humans. I usually blow humans to smithereens in games (and laugh, loudly, while doing it) but this game had me make darned sure none of my troops were killed, and I really wanted the humans to come out on top (granted, if I was playing the invaders, I would still have laughed when I blew up humans. And the alien races were totally awesome as well, especially the "good" or semi-good ones).

 

[Phowks]

Half-Life 2 (and the episodes). Stayed up all night playing it the first time I ever played it, still can't get the story out of my head.

Shadow of the Colossus also.

 

[plastic_window]

Oblivion. I saw the Zero Punctuation review and he obviously saw a lot wrong with it, but I was totally immersed in it. Maybe it's because I'm a fan of RPGs or something, but it's one of my favourite games ever.

Have you played Morrowind? Oblivion lacked substance and forgot the intentions it had in Morrowind. Oblivion is completely toned down, leaving a lot of Elder Scrolls disappointed. I'm writing a "review" by which I mean a rant-come-informative article of unrivaled lengths on Oblivion right now. I'll post it in the user reviews section or something. I'm sure Yahtzee would have a lot more to say on the reasons for the lack of Immersion, but let's not forget that he has to stick to roughly a four minute programme.

I have Morrowind on this desk, but I've not played any of the Elder Scrolls series at all (bar Oblivion), since up until recently I was much more of a casual gamer. Personally, I loved the game because the levelling up of the character and the customization, along with the constant first-person perspective, really allowed me to become the person I was playing as. Every time I put it down I had to think about the world I'd left behind, how I'd made people love and hate me and how the world reacted to me as I became stronger. If Peter Molyneux is not talking out his arse, I am going to love Fable 2.

 

[Johnn Johnston]

Immersion killers - those who have heard my rants know what I'm gonna say : Bioshock and The Darkness on the 360. The experience was far less impressive than it could have been.

Personally, I found BioShock really immersive.

(Pun alert) And not just because it's at the bottom of the ocean.

 

[laikenf]

Mass Effect. Lots of things wrong with that game but it kept me playing. every time i turned off the 360 i'd find my self saying "man, this game is awesome" each time.

Same here...

 

[HSIAMetalKing]

Personally, I found BioShock really immersive.

(Pun alert) And not just because it's at the bottom of the ocean.

...

Oh, haha, I see what you did there!

Love me a good pun!

 

[Johnn Johnston]

I am the pun king, my friend. I am the pun king.

 

[mshcherbatskaya]

Knights of the Old Republic II. What a mess, but I love it anyway. It actually really reminds me of the TV series "Firefly" and how I loved it even though Fox mangled and strangled the whole thing.

The immersion in Half-Life 2, though, backfires. I get so freaked out by the zombies (I don't know what it is about zombies, they are worse than clowns for me) I have to put down the controller and walk away.

 

[LilMissEvil]

If Peter Molyneux is not talking out his arse, I am going to love Fable 2.

I'm hoping for the same, but seeing as the man tends to suffer from extreme verbal diarrhea, I'm not holding too much hope in it.

Anyway, Morrowind is the one that did it for me. I did find it a little boring and tedious at first, maybe for the first hour. But once I levelled up a little and got over the fact that rats were kicking my arse, I started really getting into it. Six months later I was still playing it.

Oh and Dungeon Keeper 2. Though that goes without saying.

 

[Silver]

The immersion in Half-Life 2, though, backfires. I get so freaked out by the zombies (I don't know what it is about zombies, they are worse than clowns for me) I have to put down the controller and walk away.

Hehe, that happened to me in Penumbra and Bloodlines a bit. I just swear a bit, shake and walk around in circles for a while, then force myself to continue

 

[mshcherbatskaya]

Literally, I have had to stop playing until I can afford the chiropractor again. My neck is really jacked up and I hunch up so hard that I wake up the next morning unable to turn my head. I wish I were exaggerating. But then again, I've kicked out my neck with a good head-snapping sneeze. Oh, the joys of whiplash...