Zero Punctuation: Evolve - One vs Multiplayer

Xan Krieger

Completely insane
Feb 11, 2009
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Loved that last minute shot at my country's schools, the sad thing being I'm sure there are parents who will genuinely hate the game for having that title. Yes this is the south where I actually got a flyer from a car dealership advertising that I could win two shotguns and they spelled it as "shorguns".
 

Dr. Thrax

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Dec 5, 2011
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Wow, so this is pretty much the Versus Saxton Hale mode in TF2 but with less color, smaller team size, and more face-eating monsters.
I think I'll just stick with VSH.
 

KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime

Lolita Style, The Best Style!
Jan 12, 2010
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Prankman said:
Except he was 100% wrong about the DLC. There isn't $100 at launch, there's $60 worth of optional cosmetics and then the $25 Hunting Season pass, which is for content that isn't created yet. And if people are really going to carry on about day one cosmetics, they need to get a life and read up how game development works. Day One cosmetic DLC is completely and utterly fine, and it doesn't effect anybody at all.
Day one cosmetic DLC? Fine. 60 bucks worth? (That is $100 AUD btw) We're entering bad territory.

It's bad enough games like STO which I barely play charge me 50 bucks for 3 end game starships which all behave differently and have a place in a varied play style. Am I saving 25 bucks buying the trio? Sure. Still I'm getting things that have a function... Cosmetic enhancements... if it were 10 bucks maybe 20 that'd be fine. 60!? That's a pretty blatant cash grab. 60 bucks cosmetic DLC that's as much as the game costs! Heck I'd swallow 120 bucks DLC if it had a gameplay function that could justify the cost...

This is at least as bad as what MWO has been doing with each mech release.
 

vagabondwillsmile

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Aug 20, 2013
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I like Evolve's concept, but I don't think I like it enough to put up with what seems to be all the baggage.

BUT thanks the concept of Evolve, here is an idea:

Dear Capcom,

Monster Hunter Vs. -- One of the players is the monster. Make it happen.
 

Johnny Novgorod

Bebop Man
Legacy
Feb 9, 2012
18,449
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Very good review. I thought Yahtzee found more silver linings than usual, considering his despise for only-multiplayer games.

Atmos Duality said:
Hmm.
Here's a thought experiment: How long it would take for Evolve or any other game like it to become routine and droll if there wasn't any level grind?
Well, I spent years playing Counter Strike before I got bored, though even today I feel like playing sometimes.
The real question is how long before servers are shut down. Because there will always be at least 2 people who want to play a multiplayer game.
 

Atmos Duality

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Mar 3, 2010
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Johnny Novgorod said:
Very good review. I thought Yahtzee found more silver linings than usual, considering his despise for only-multiplayer games.

Atmos Duality said:
Hmm.
Here's a thought experiment: How long it would take for Evolve or any other game like it to become routine and droll if there wasn't any level grind?
Well, I spent years playing Counter Strike before I got bored, though even today I feel like playing sometimes.
The real question is how long before servers are shut down. Because there will always be at least 2 people who want to play a multiplayer game.
It seems some are mistaking my little quip to include ALL multiplayer action games (my fault, and I can see why), so I'll be more specific.

"How long would it take for grindy-action games like Evolve to become droll without the grind to keep them busy?"

The fact that there are match-based multiplayer games that remain interesting for a very long time without mandating grind-mechanics suggests that taking that particular game design shortcut isn't as ironclad as the industry thinks it is.
 

AstaresPanda

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Nov 5, 2009
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Diablo1099 said:
Good point on the progression model and it does leave me to wonder if many people are still playing L4D/L4D2.
I remember getting it for free one Christmas when Valve was literally handing out copies of the game to install, never got the chance to really hop into it with a few friends though.

Still, sounds like he had fun while it lasted, I wager there was a lot of salt in the chat rooms after he got the monster :p
ppl still play L4D2 its realy is not as dead and some would say
 

Xman490

Doctorate in Danger
May 29, 2010
1,186
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The_Darkness said:
"Who is still playing Titanfall?"

*Raises hand*

What? It's a fun game! Sure, I'm not playing it 24/7, but it still gets a dusting off every couple of weeks...

Evolve, on the other hand... Yeah, I might give that a miss.
because one is consistently exciting while the other is a mixed bag. Also, wall-running and blowing up fools never get old. Granted, I've only played 15 hours of the game over the 6 months I had it.

I swear, it's good. It costs no more than $20 and is often down to $10 or even $6 like right now from Amazon.
 

Dansen

Master Lurker
Mar 24, 2010
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Prankman said:
KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime said:
Yahtzee hit the nail on the head with out going on a rant like Jim needed to. A hundred bucks of DLC... On bloody freaking launch.

I've gotten away from the Multi-player options more and more, because the most fun thing about MP is having a group of buddies you can chat with while screwing around, and not caring about the objectives. At least in basically any CS style or modern MP...

The only games that ever did Multi-Player right as a pure concept were Tribes, and Tribes 2. Because you had the vehicles, before anyone else was doing them mind you, you also had jetpacks, before Titan Fall, and everyone doing their own thing still somehow managed to contribute to objectives. Then Tribes: Ascend happened and killed the franchise because Hi-rez had to give up to grind SMITE... But I Digress.

At least the Juggernaught style game can be fun when the monster is a really big threat. But I am not paying for a full game and then a ton of launch DLC just so I can have fun.
Except he was 100% wrong about the DLC. There isn't $100 at launch, there's $60 worth of optional cosmetics and then the $25 Hunting Season pass, which is for content that isn't created yet. And if people are really going to carry on about day one cosmetics, they need to get a life and read up how game development works. Day One cosmetic DLC is completely and utterly fine, and it doesn't effect anybody at all.
To be fair, most of the cosmetic stuff is painfully lazy. In different review they pointed out that they were charging two dollars for a blue gun. Yeah, I imagine it took them a month to do that one/sarcasm. Others are just generic textures draped over the different gun meshes. Nothing "wrong" with this practice, its just stupid when they are so half assed.
 

zumbledum

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Nov 13, 2011
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Bindal said:
Diablo1099 said:
Good point on the progression model and it does leave me to wonder if many people are still playing L4D/L4D2.
Nope, barely anyone. L4D lost its players because Valve didn't give a damn about the game
right now theres 4k people playing evolve, theres 6.6k playing left for dead 2. make if that what you will
 

punipunipyo

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Jan 20, 2011
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".. No sh#&% Shear-lock.." I was laughing my ass off with that one~ nice vid like usual,

PS: What happened to Bob? no BigPic, and no Movie review? vacation?
 

QuadFish

God Damn Sorcerer
Dec 25, 2010
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Diablo1099 said:
Blizzard's Overwatch seems to have a good thing going, but for other game companies that don't get their income from WoW and COD, I don't think they would have the time or resources to put in THAT many different classes for multiplayer modes.
My point was not really about the amount of characters, but how they're kept away from players. It makes sense in some games to restrict people from trying certain playstyles/characters too early (especially linear or narrative games where everything else progresses with it), but in a co-op multi game that puts so much emphasis on finding the role that's right for you it seems silly to cut out certain monsters from the start. Admittedly that's not the worst offence seeing as you still get all the hunter roles from the get go (at least until the DLC comes out), but I like being spoiled for choice.

Overwatch may only have 12 heroes but that's not a problem unless they arbitrarily cut half of them off from beginners.
 

008Zulu_v1legacy

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Sep 6, 2009
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This is what happens when you sacrifice single player for multiplayer. Didn't help that the Evolve devs admitted that the game is a DLC delivery platform. Was basically them saying "F you, give us your damn money and shut the hell up."

Latest Steam report; 5,893 favourable reviews and 2,770 negative. Currently ranked 14th on their top seller list. Beaten out by about half a dozen or so indie games.

I'm happy the game is doing poorly.
 

Do4600

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Oct 16, 2007
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Bindal said:
Diablo1099 said:
Good point on the progression model and it does leave me to wonder if many people are still playing L4D/L4D2.
Nope, barely anyone. L4D lost its players because Valve didn't give a damn about the game (there are still bugs that had been fixed in the sequel - despite said bugs being added with the same update! And let's not mention the broken mapping tool, where Valve needed EIGHTEEN MONTHS to fix - but only one week for the sequel - and then claimed they didn't know. Despite the forum bringing that up basically on a daily basis) and the sequel doesn't have any players anymore because it's still the same broken mess it originally was in terms of gameplay.
Actually on all of steam it has the 19th highest daily peak population, more than Far Cry 4, Borderlands 2, Payday 2 , Call of Duty multiplayer, and Planetside 2. Despite the bugs, Valve at least knows how to develop for longevity.
 

Pirate Of PC Master race

Rambles about half of the time
Jun 14, 2013
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punipunipyo said:
".. No sh#&% Shear-lock.." I was laughing my ass off with that one~ nice vid like usual,

PS: What happened to Bob? no BigPic, and no Movie review? vacation?
Permanent vacation, yes.
 

JCAll

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Oct 12, 2011
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You know that bit in Monster Hunter where the monster flies off just as your paintball runs out and you spend the next 20 minutes running around the whole map trying to figure out where it went so you can get back the the game part of the game? That's basically Evolve.
 

C14N

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May 28, 2008
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I wonder why it is that some multiplayer games succeed where others fail? It seems that these multiplayer-only games often have a pretty limited shelf life but TF2 is a multiplayer-only game that's still being played 8 years later. Similarly, you can get a game like Smash Bros Melee or Civilization that still have sizeable cult followings, even though they have none of the grind or experience points that many of these modern games have to keep you coming back.

Multiplayer only seemed like a great idea. I mean honestly, the majority of people I know who bought the latest Call of Duty or Battlefield every year never touched the single player campaign, it seemed almost sad that they kept including it. I was quite happy at the concept that multiplayer would be its own thing that I could easily ignore without fear of missing out and that would stop taking away from my single-player fun but nobody seems to want to play these big budget games.
 

Jburton9

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Aug 21, 2012
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Great review Yahtzee thank you. Now I can pronounce Narkto, uhm , Nartha, Narthflaps ah crap...

Thank goodness for Indie stuff vs soulless corps continued release of AAA "product" a Simon Says strapped on top of a cash register. Boop beep boop, now give us money, this cash register can't run by itself you know!

Honestly, I held initial excitement for the game but the more that was revealed about it the more the ah bummer effect starting happening. Like many have said other than playing the monster, who wants to waste 10 min searching for the baddie or chasing the tracker hound? They really need to give the hunters something to do : )

It will be interesting to see if Evolve has a drop off like Titanfall. If so, I might pick it up on steam for a heavily discounted sale provided I am not already busy with my library backlog. *looks off into the distance* One day I will have the time to play them all.... lol