Zero Punctuation: Ryse: Son of Rome

[Cpt. Slow]

I wish Yahtzee would not have made a reference to Call of Duty. Now everyone wants the game and they won't stop milking it until they reach the space stage.

And another launch title that doesn't stand out of the crowd. Well, maybe in a few months something good will come along.

 

[Midniqht]

Having played it, completed it, and even tried my hand at some of the multiplayer gladiator stuff, I'll actually be in the minority here in these comments and say that I quite enjoyed Ryse. For me, while it wasn't perfect, it was about a solid 7.5-8/10. I'd agree with the Escapist's review of 4/5 stars.

Combat was a bit repetitive, but I honestly never got tired of the executions, especially after unlocking more via skill points. I realize it's not historically accurate, but I never really knock video games for that. I think games are allowed some creative freedom. It was fun to play and certainly had its fair share of epic-feeling moments. I really enjoyed every time you got to do a 300-esque shield wall and spear throw. The kinect integration didn't feel intrusive, and you don't have to literally yell at the TV - you can just speak like a normal human being and it picked it up every time for me. As Yahtzee mentioned, you can alternatively hold the left bumper (it doesn't take 5 seconds - that was an exaggeration).

I'll probably play through at least the campaign one more time on a harder difficulty. It was a worth-while purchase for me. Trying to appropriately break up my time between this and DR3.

I'm gonna wager a guess that most people here haven't played it and are just taking Yahtzee's word for it and considering his opinion to be 100% infallible truth. Since when has ZP ever been considered significant weight in someone's game purchase decision? He'll point out bad things about even super-highly-rated games because it'll get a laugh in the video. Not to say that some of the criticisms are without warrant, but it's still a decent game. It's not, in my opinion, a "shit launch title" as I've seen a few people alluding to. I think people are just getting more and more critical about what makes a "shit game" versus a good one. It's hardly a shit game. It's quite fun if you actually play it.

 

[azriel2422]

The more I hear about how the Xbox one is working, the less I want it.

Seriously it takes that long to install FROM THE DISC!?!? On my ps4, you pop a disc in for the first time and give it a minute and your good to go. I was tempted to try and ask for this system for Christmas but now the more I hear, I think I'll wait till march and wheater to get titanfall for xbox one, pc, or 360.

I have actually felt the same, from the early rumors of DRM to the rumors of incomplete games requiring microtransactions I am liking the Xbox1 less and less. I have always loved Nintendo, but became a Sony fan with the PS2. Then the Xbox/Xbox 360 came and I leaned more towards them for gaming, going to PS3 only for exclusives. I have a Wii U for the kids (and myself lol), but will probably just pick up a PS4

 

[Rad Party God]

Is there any reason to buy an Xbox One or PS4?

Seriously, I would like to know.

I have a working PC that can play anything. It handles Crysis no problem. I have a PS3 that has a lot of good games on it, and a 3DS/Wii for whatever nintendo fix I want.

Is there any reason at all to go in on a PS4 or Xbone?

Have a PC and a PS3?, perfect!, you won't be needing a new console in the next few years.

Otherwise, do you feel nostalgic about the Commodore 64 era, but without the heart and soul of the machine?, then please do get an Xbone and/or a PS4!.

OT: Seriously, the more I hear about next gen consoles (both of them), the less I want them :/

 

[Evonisia]

Since when has ZP ever been considered significant weight in someone's game purchase decision? He'll point out bad things about even super-highly-rated games because it'll get a laugh in the video. Not to say that some of the criticisms are without warrant, but it's still a decent game. It's not, in my opinion, a "shit launch title" as I've seen a few people alluding to. I think people are just getting more and more critical about what makes a "shit game" versus a good one. It's hardly a shit game. It's quite fun if you actually play it.

While I do intend on getting Ryse (like I said the combat at least seems fun), I think Zero Punctuation reviews can generally be trusted to see whether game is worth your time (though perhaps you should consider other sources). I do think people are too quick to jump on the bandwagon of "Yahtzee hates 'x' genre, therefore all games like that will be crap".

 

[Foolery]

Is there any reason at all to go in on a PS4 or Xbone?

Final Fantasy XV, Destiny, and Metal Gear Solid V on the PS4 if you're into those. That's what I'm waiting for. At the moment, no. I've never seen the point of picking a console at launch. There's little to no interesting games and possible hardware issues to put up with. The PS3 is still getting better releases this year.

 

[Psychobabble]

Well I'm sure this game is making Xbone buyers feel really good about their shinny new expensive ...er .. doorstop.

 

[cefm]

Can anyone translate the Latin in the credits?

1. In wine there's truth
2. Slander boldly, something always sticks
3. As you are, I was; as I am so you shall also be.

Not sure about the first two, but the last one is a Silent Hill reference so far as I remember.

For #2 "audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeret" = "slander boldly, something always sticks" - it's a "modern" quote from Francis Bacon, in De Augmentis Scientiarum, from 1623. Wikipedia to the rescue!

 

[Ixal]

Was it so necessary that they arbitrarily invent a new war for Rome to fight? Were there not enough REAL ones?

Boudica -> Boobs
Hanibal -> No boobs

 

[Whispering Death]

I love that a Ryse commercial played in the post-roll.

 

[rayen020]

I have nothing to say about Ryse. However i do want to ask because it happened during this video; Has anyone else noticed a very sharp rise in XBox 360 advertising? Ryse and that NFL thing that i can do on my PC and smart TV (and cable box if i felt like giving DirecTV an extra $50 a month) are the only tings i see getting pushed for the XBox One (do we use the number or the word? god that's confusing). But after this very video I got an ad telling me how great and affordable the XBox 360 is. It's just strange is all.

 

[Hades]

I love history and I especially love Roman history so the story of this game is a bit of a disappointment. Throughout all the cynicism about this game I believed that Ryse would be a step in the right direction in at least one aspect. Its the first AAA/reasonably hyped game about the Romans that isn't an RTS. The Roman empire is the perfect setting for a historical game but up till now it has seen little attention, Ryse would give the era that much needed attention so that was enough for me to look past the quick time garbage.

And then they screwed it up with a story that's complete nonsense.

I'm fine with settings not being historical accurate, I really am. If an exaggerated or blatantly fictionalised version of History makes for a better story I'd even say I'm all in for that. Its only when moving away from history makes something worse that I see the missed potential and get very annoyed and that is clearly the case here.

Your handling ancient ROME! You don't need one of the least threatening barbarians the Romans have ever faced to sack Rome when you got Hannibal marching across the Alps with Elephants to slaughter the Romans again and again or when you have Caesar conquering Gaul and the entire roman empire, and countless other events throughout Roman history. And yet they chose the Brits to sack Rome? That's quite a waste.

Even if they had to use barbarians as the enemies they could at least have used ones that mattered and where an actual threat. Why not use the Vandals or the Goth's or the most dangerous of all, the Hun's

 

[EyeReaper]

I want to play a game about Roman soldiers fighting shark people on the planet outlandish. That sounds at least 5-10x better than this piece of drivel. While we're at it, lets make them Shark Nazis. because goddamn, could there be anything more evil or horrifying than an alien shark nazi?

 

[MonkeyPunch]

I also remember reading that Crytek were thinking of taking out the QTEs... yet they didn't. They just replaced the button prompts with colour prompts. tsk tsk

From what I've heard, the game was originally nothing but QTEs, and when people complained, they reduced it to just the finishing moves.

That's my point though. They are still QTEs just that instead of button icons they make the character flash the colour of the button you're meant to press instead. I don't think the mechanics were changed at all, or much from the early showings. They just took out the button prompt icons so that it looks less QTE-ish but in essence it's still the same - the mechanics are still there, if you know what I mean.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

If they really wanted an 'epic' war story, why not set it during the Punic wars? Carthage was actually one of the few real military threats Rome ever faced. And the bulk of the Carthaginian military was made of mercenaries from all over Africa and the Mediterranean, which gives you quite a large variety of enemy types to choose from for your badguys. Also, Carthage actually had, and used, war elephants. Since any game about Rome has to have them.

And they could've had Cato the Elder saying "Carthago delenda est" every five minutes. Talk about saving on voice acting!

A launch title is shit? WHO COULD HAVE SEEN THAT COMING!?


Honestly I don't know why anyone even buys a console until at least a year after it's come out. It's expensive and it has basically no games. Wait till it gets cheaper and has shit worth playing.

Do you know many publishers who'll produce "shit worth playing" for a console that nobody's been buying for a year?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Is it just me or have video games seem to have lost their way?

 

[proghead]

So, in other words, the verdict is: business as usual? Move along, there's nothing to see here?

Fine, will do.