Zero Punctuation: Borderlands 2
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
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To all the people complaining that he didn't play multiplayer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkXob_0I9Ek
I enjoy the game, and that's good enough for me. Everything else is bollocks.
This is like the people who griped about Diablo III not being any different style-wise from Diablo II. 2K, like Blizzard, never promised anyone that they were going to change the game or the mechanics of the game, just that it would be a new adventure.
It's a good game. Don't blame the developers because your expectations were misplaced.
This is like the people who griped about Diablo III not being any different style-wise from Diablo II. 2K, like Blizzard, never promised anyone that they were going to change the game or the mechanics of the game, just that it would be a new adventure.
It's a good game. Don't blame the developers because your expectations were misplaced.
Thank God. Yahtzee still seems to be the only sane person left on earth when it comes to these absolutely putrid games.
I know looking to find your opinion validated on the internet is pretty lame, but it can sure as hell feel satisfying sometimes, especially when half the internet tried to kick you to death if you so much as mumble that you don't like Borderlands because it's repetitive and boring, and that comparing numbers to more numbers shouldn't be anyone's idea of fun.
I know looking to find your opinion validated on the internet is pretty lame, but it can sure as hell feel satisfying sometimes, especially when half the internet tried to kick you to death if you so much as mumble that you don't like Borderlands because it's repetitive and boring, and that comparing numbers to more numbers shouldn't be anyone's idea of fun.
Basically he just described most of how I felt about Borderlands. So this is Borderlands all over again sans the tentacled vagina-monster (I think)? I'm glad I chose not to bother, but I really don't get the appeal at all. The first game really was boring, pretty much a lot of what he said was very true; The pacing was ass, the vehicles were ass, the quests were ass, the interface was ass, the story was ass, the gun was ass, the shooting was ass, no matter what you did or how hard you tried to like it (and I tried so very hard) it was just a lot of unpleasant ass. I never got why people were so fond of the first one, it was an awful game, yes even in multiplayer since grinding with others is still just grinding.
And speaking of pandering, all the memes they're shoving into games now, as if these things were funny to begin with.
It's a "shooter" in the sense that there are guns and you have to point them, but one of the things I found in the first was no matter how good your aim (and my aim is really really good, pad or mouse) unless your stats are high enough standing right next to something and shooting it point blank will have you miss your target at least 50% of the time. Also the rpg elements seemed more an excuse for more grinding. Adding stats to a game to appeal to rpg players as opposed to a real rpg that uses guns (Mass Effect comes to mind) is just weak-ass pandering.Joriss said:
And speaking of pandering, all the memes they're shoving into games now, as if these things were funny to begin with.
You take ZP seriously? ZP is all about Yahtzee's subjective view of the game and it's supposed flaws taken to an extreme for comedic value.tmande2nd said:
Yeah I was surprised that he didn't get it either but people tend not to closely pay attention to things like that when they are dreading a game. I replayed games i've had negative biases about and found quite a few good things I overlooked cuz I was too busy being negative.Mouse_Crouse said:
Non default game settings, whether use of co-op or multiplayer or fixing a control scheme, are like seasonings included on the side of a restaurant meal. While the food might taste delicious with them, if the meal tastes poor without such seasonings, it brings up the question of why such seasonings need to be added and weren't already added into the food by the chef, reflecting poorly on the food and the skills of the creator. On the other hand, refusing to eat said food when it tastes perfectly fine with salt and you have been told so beforehand is a touch snobbish and wasteful. Thusly, a review that mentions what changes to the settings or which modes to use will improve the perception of quality and functional quality of the game of those who purchase the game because of said review. However, if reviewers look at information before playing the game, then they will have more difficulty being objective, because the reviews and would flavor said reviewer's opinion of the game's quality.
So, while we can mention said reviewer should try the food with salt, pepper, or some precise mixture of honey, vinegar and ranch dressing, and he should mention it in a post review edit so that the reader doesn't suffer as much as the reviewer did, we cannot blame the reviewer for not knowing to try it with such a seasoning, and he has every right and responsibility to have lower opinions of the food as a result.
So, while we can mention said reviewer should try the food with salt, pepper, or some precise mixture of honey, vinegar and ranch dressing, and he should mention it in a post review edit so that the reader doesn't suffer as much as the reviewer did, we cannot blame the reviewer for not knowing to try it with such a seasoning, and he has every right and responsibility to have lower opinions of the food as a result.
Really can't argue with anything that Yahtzee said about the game. In fact, all of those reasons were reasons I was extremely hesitant to buy BL 2 in the first place. I kept hearing people say "It's like the first game, but better" without clearly being able to define what "but better" means.
But god help me, I bought the game...and I really enjoy it. And I have absolutely no fucking clue why for either of those.
But god help me, I bought the game...and I really enjoy it. And I have absolutely no fucking clue why for either of those.
Personally I think the driving is just fine, its awkward at first but once you realise that you don't actually steer the car but rather point in the direction you want to go its pretty easy and effective (based on mouse controls).
Yathzee did not like Borderlands 2?
Well twist my nipples spank my ass and call me tuesday, what a fiddlybonking surprise.
Well twist my nipples spank my ass and call me tuesday, what a fiddlybonking surprise.
I was thoroughly bored by the first game, BL2 adds just enough variety to make it fun. Having a lower drop rate for guns would cut down on the whole comparison stuff and a DPS display would be nice too (especially with elemental weapons that get some unknown damage bonus when used against their optimal targets so you know even less whether gun A kills stuff faster than gun B). Also mentioning E-Tech effects on the weapon in the tooltip would be rather helpful too.
Pretty predictable review honestly.
It might as well have started with the words "I didn't like the first game..." and end with
"...because of that, I don't like this game."
A few points of contention:
1) You do not have to grind to progress or win. At all. I beat the game using solely what I received from the main quests, and random White/Greens I nicked from vending machines.
Any "grind" you encounter is either a different interpretation of the phrase (this is slang after all) or it's self-inflicted.
2) The vehicle controls work perfectly fine for me. I honestly cannot find what his problem was and suspect Mr. Croshaw either missed the part where they mention the hand-brake/drift button, or he just invented a problem for the sake of a joke.
The latter of which is fine for "teh lulz"; not so fine for a review.
3) "...into the unexplored realms of shooting Jason in a scrapyard, and also it's been snowing a bit." (paraphrase)
Oversimplification is easy. Watch.
-Prince of Persia: "A guy who jumps around a lot to stab people and reach far ledges."
-Portal: "You make portals to get from point A to point B while a silly computer spits one-liners at you."
-Silent Hill2 series "Psychotic losers go to spooky town and mostly die."
As for the humor potential in that line, it didn't go anywhere for me.
I could expound upon what was changed and improved from Borderlands 1, but why bother? I've already put more effort into this one part of my post than he put into that part of his review.
4) "Stop and Go gameplay" (paraphrased)
A fairly stupid and meaningless statement, given how many (real time) games have rising action and falling action that works in the same way.
This plays to the nature of gunfights in most FPSs.
Unless it's a "monster mash" shooter, most fights involve taking cover and retaliating.
(though I could make an equally useless, snide comment about how old monster mash shooters were nothing more than circle strafing with various weapons)
Maybe Yahtzee would prefer a shooter without a reload button.
Besides those, I do agree with what he said about the story.
There was another Vault. Plot convenience makes for a shitty plot.
Handsome Jack's motivations to lure Vault Hunters and then kill them is patently stupid; it doesn't eliminate competition, and if you find the backstory ECHOs, most of the characters were going to Pandora in spite of Jack's plan anyway (Salvador is a native of Pandora even).
I also have a problem with the masses calling them "Vault Hunters", like it's some sort of mystical rank. Apart from the Sirens, what specifically distinguishes a Vault Hunter from the regular rank-and-file? What gives them their badass powers?
The post-battle roundup of ammo and loot can become rather tedious, but it isn't that bad. Most generic resources like ammo and money will auto-pickup after fights.
Only on rare occasion did I find myself having to do inventory maintenance (and use that infernal interface), since selling item is a pretty quick and simple process.
It might as well have started with the words "I didn't like the first game..." and end with
"...because of that, I don't like this game."
A few points of contention:
1) You do not have to grind to progress or win. At all. I beat the game using solely what I received from the main quests, and random White/Greens I nicked from vending machines.
Any "grind" you encounter is either a different interpretation of the phrase (this is slang after all) or it's self-inflicted.
2) The vehicle controls work perfectly fine for me. I honestly cannot find what his problem was and suspect Mr. Croshaw either missed the part where they mention the hand-brake/drift button, or he just invented a problem for the sake of a joke.
The latter of which is fine for "teh lulz"; not so fine for a review.
3) "...into the unexplored realms of shooting Jason in a scrapyard, and also it's been snowing a bit." (paraphrase)
Oversimplification is easy. Watch.
-Prince of Persia: "A guy who jumps around a lot to stab people and reach far ledges."
-Portal: "You make portals to get from point A to point B while a silly computer spits one-liners at you."
-Silent Hill
As for the humor potential in that line, it didn't go anywhere for me.
I could expound upon what was changed and improved from Borderlands 1, but why bother? I've already put more effort into this one part of my post than he put into that part of his review.
4) "Stop and Go gameplay" (paraphrased)
A fairly stupid and meaningless statement, given how many (real time) games have rising action and falling action that works in the same way.
This plays to the nature of gunfights in most FPSs.
Unless it's a "monster mash" shooter, most fights involve taking cover and retaliating.
(though I could make an equally useless, snide comment about how old monster mash shooters were nothing more than circle strafing with various weapons)
Maybe Yahtzee would prefer a shooter without a reload button.
Besides those, I do agree with what he said about the story.
There was another Vault. Plot convenience makes for a shitty plot.
Handsome Jack's motivations to lure Vault Hunters and then kill them is patently stupid; it doesn't eliminate competition, and if you find the backstory ECHOs, most of the characters were going to Pandora in spite of Jack's plan anyway (Salvador is a native of Pandora even).
I also have a problem with the masses calling them "Vault Hunters", like it's some sort of mystical rank. Apart from the Sirens, what specifically distinguishes a Vault Hunter from the regular rank-and-file? What gives them their badass powers?
The post-battle roundup of ammo and loot can become rather tedious, but it isn't that bad. Most generic resources like ammo and money will auto-pickup after fights.
Only on rare occasion did I find myself having to do inventory maintenance (and use that infernal interface), since selling item is a pretty quick and simple process.
Because clearly, you are the one and only person who gets to dictate how people should have fun.Duffeknol said:
I was just talking to some friends about the game. Apparently there are these things called "badass points", "badass levels", and some more badass shit. I noticed that my friends were all talking about all these "Badass" things like they were doing their taxes.
I asked them if they thought all of this was all still so "badass", when you can end up talking about it the same way as if you're having a chat with your accountant, and while one said yes right away I am not so convinced. The other peson said it was more like a total overuse/misuse of the word badass, but still fun.
I don't really have much interest in this game. From what I have heard about it, it seems to be trying to hard to be (wait for it) "BADASS", and I have seen other games do it's kind of gameplay better. Though those were single player games, but I don't really care that much about this game's co-op.
Oh well, fun review from Yahtzee at least.
I asked them if they thought all of this was all still so "badass", when you can end up talking about it the same way as if you're having a chat with your accountant, and while one said yes right away I am not so convinced. The other peson said it was more like a total overuse/misuse of the word badass, but still fun.
I don't really have much interest in this game. From what I have heard about it, it seems to be trying to hard to be (wait for it) "BADASS", and I have seen other games do it's kind of gameplay better. Though those were single player games, but I don't really care that much about this game's co-op.
Oh well, fun review from Yahtzee at least.
Yeah, I hate to come off as a raging fanboy, but I think Yahtzee just doesn't get this one. The sad part is he usually acknowledges when he knows he doesn't get a game, but I don't think he realizes it this time. BL2 is a good sequel by his own definition, but it sounds like he skipped past everything that would have told him so. The last blurb in the video also shows his lack of understanding of the game's universe. Pandora is a borderland planet. The giant junkyard isn't some frontier of a well-developed world. Maybe he knows that and is just trolling. I don't know.
Eh, pity.
Then again, you have to play game solo when reviewing. It gets much better with buddies. Fights get longer, and more intense and with more buddies, you can loot areas much much faster.
Well, whatever.
Another fun review.
Then again, you have to play game solo when reviewing. It gets much better with buddies. Fights get longer, and more intense and with more buddies, you can loot areas much much faster.
Well, whatever.
Another fun review.
Nope, but I've seen his vids and it's completely baffling that people use his opinion to choose what games they buy.tmande2nd said: