How the new God Of War doesn't seem much of a God of War game

[Sanctuary]

You think the new GoW is a walking and talking simulator?

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Until they start showing trailers that aren't emphasizing that over the gameplay, it has the potential to be. Right now it's a complete unknown. How much of a supposed 35 hour game is going to be you slowly walking and talking with your son or riding a boat, or watching the next actual cutscene? As far as the changes to the combat, that's also TBD. I've more than had my fill of the previous games in that regard, so I'm not salty that they wanted to change it, but I can also understand why many people wouldn't like it, especially when that type of game is a dying breed anymore.

I'll never take anyone who uses the term "walking and talking simulator" seriously.

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You know full well that it's colloquially used for games that have a huge surplus of cutscenes or scripted events. I guess you would take someone more seriously if they instead wrote "A game that has too many exposition dumps where the player is forced to primarily watch, with very little interactivity. Games where the actual gameplay mechanics exist soley to get the player to the next info dump" though?

 

[Jildo Fisterfilly]

Why do the people with the least interest in a game always post the most.

 

[tutomos]

"A game that has too many exposition dumps where the player is forced to primarily watch, with very little interactivity" though?

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I don't see anything wrong with that. In fact we need more of it done at the same quality.

Why do the people with the least interest in a game always post the most.

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Self-righteousness

 

[black070]

You know full well that it's colloquially used for games that have a huge surplus of cutscenes or scripted events. I guess you would take someone more seriously if they instead wrote "A game that has too many exposition dumps where the player is forced to primarily watch, with very little interactivity. Games where the actual gameplay mechanics exist soley to get the player to the next info dump" though?

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Yes, I would take someone atleast attempting to articulate what they don't like about any given narrative driven game more seriously, rather then collectively terming a bunch of them "walking and talking simulators". Though when that explanation is as hyperbolic as the bolded, then I may have to think twice about that.

 

[More_Badass]

Until they start showing trailers that aren't emphasizing that over the gameplay, it has the potential to be. Right now it's a complete unknown. How much of a supposed 35 hour game is going to be you slowly walking and talking with your son or riding a boat, or watching the next actual cutscene? As far as the changes to the combat, that's also TBD. I've more than had my fill of the previous games in that regard, so I'm not salty that they wanted to change it, but I can also understand why many people wouldn't like it, especially when that type of game is a dying breed anymore.



You know full well that it's colloquially used for games that have a huge surplus of cutscenes or scripted events. I guess you would take someone more seriously if they instead wrote "A game that has too many exposition dumps where the player is forced to primarily watch, with very little interactivity. Games where the actual gameplay mechanics exist soley to get the player to the next info dump" though?

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I think it's more than a little hyperbolic to describe stories and how narrative is usually presented as exposition dumps and info dumps. If anything, your description is more akin to the "gameplay + cutscene" structure like Vanquish and other games

And seriously, I'm genuinely curious by what you meant by "loyalties" and line of work. Did you mean like console loyalty? I really have no idea what you were talking about

 

[Sanctuary]

I think it's more than a little hyperbolic to describe the narrative present as exposition dumps and info dumps

And seriously, I'm genuinely curious by what you meant by "loyalities" and line of work. Did you mean like console loyalty? I really have no idea what you were talking about

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You yourself have said that you either work in, or studied to work in the film industry in some fashion. You've also repeatedly seemed to have taken umbrage with those who have issues with modern games adding more and more "filmic" qualities, even if they don't actually enhance the overall package. It's like, because they're there, the game is better for it. No matter what.

Hey, I could be completely wrong, but that's how you've come across.

 

[More_Badass]

You yourself have said that you either work in, or studied to work in the film industry in some fashion. You've also repeatedly seemed to have taken umbrage with those who have issues with modern games adding more and more "filmic" qualities, even if they don't actually enhance the overall package. It's like, because they're there, the game is better for it. No matter what.

Hey, I could be completely wrong, but that's how you've come across.

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You must have me confused with someone else. I write about mobile games and indie games online, and any connection with film is purely in the "I love channels like Every Frame A Painting, I watch stuff like Hard To Be A God, and I post a lot in FilmERA threads" capacity.

As for the other part, it's way more nuanced than that. For one, I think that calling it "filmic elements" is a misjudgment. That would be like saying movies that attempt to have more complex stories are trying to be like books. If anything, games are moving away from you're talking about, by not mimicking film (ie just plopping in cool cutscenes or the Heavy Rain formula) and instead presenting story through and with gameplay. Much like framing and editing are storytelling tools of the film maker, interactivity and controls and when and how you module them are the tools unique to the game developer, and thus devs have been trying and improving on using those tools since games have attempted to tell stories. Developers have been experimenting with this for decades, from Half Life's use of first person to forced camera angles and forced walking to Brothers using the analog sticks and triggers as storytelling tools to Oxenfree and Firewatch presenting dialogue choices while moving around rather than having traversal/puzzles and dialogue be separate

And two, I am certainly not that binary in how I judge games. My perspective isn't "because they're there, the game is better for it. No matter what". It's "the games that do it well are great because of how well-designed they are and how well they blended narrative and gameplay". Plus, as I said above, I feel like the devs experimenting with telling story through gameplay and pushing the limits of how to tell story in games and different genres is a sign of the medium maturing.

 

[nib95]

I feel like I've stepped into bizarro world. If bigger budget single-player games devolve into all style, zero substance like they slowly seem to be, then I guess I'll be done playing anything new other than the random decent indie that appears once every two or three years, and whatever FROM releases every few years as well. All of the other IPs that I used to enjoy are either dead, multiplayer centric now (no thanks), open world (barf), or cover up a lack of new ideas and the inability to create a compelling hook in some tripe, and borederline formulaic "narrative".

Uncharted 2 had outstanding visuals, interesting characters and some standout set pieces, but the actual gameplay was weak as hell. It, just like The Last of Us was interesting enough for a single playthrough, and tolerable simply because at the time there were still very few games that were trying to be some kind of amateur movie other than the David Cage games. Uncharted's platforming was so lame that it may as well have simply been another cutscene too. All you had to do was hold a direction and mash X. They had zero replayability however and may as well have been rentals.

Anyone remember a little game called Final Fantasy XIII?

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You probably hold a single directional button for large portions of countless games, including revered ones like BotW, Witcher 3, RE4, HL2 and so on. Hell you probably spend more time pushing a single direction or bashing a single button in BotW, W3 and other open world games, than you do an entire play through of any Uncharted game.

Platforming is fun in Uncharted for the same reason as general traversing is in many games (despite the simplicity of both), for its sense of discovery, exploration, progression, visual or vista rewards and so on. Not all gameplay has to be challenging to be fun.


Also, of course you're entitled to your opinion, but the notion that Uncharted has weak gameplay seems so misplaced to me. It has some of the best third person shooting mobility and encounter design of any third person shooter out there.

Uncharteds dynamic level design and tactical diversity, especially with more potential for mobility and verticality, better set piece design and thrill factor, plus what were to me, satisfying weapons and solid AI, all made for highly compelling overall gameplay.

Heck, levels like these examples below were just breathtakingly well designed and well beyond anything in most third person shooters. And I'm not even getting in to Uncharted 4 or Lost Legacy, which both improved combat in a big way.

----

1. Despite so many not liking this level, imo it is one of the of the best combat arenas ever designed in a third person shooter. So many amazing things about this. Procedural sea physics based moving platforms that also act as cover and change the inertia of your aiming when stood on, forcing added skill. Non stop pressure from enemies to stay mobile and mix things up. All kinds of cover options, high and low and everything in between (platforms, boats, debris, structures, ship innards, crates, boat masts etc), even diving inside the water itself. Stealth options, all sorts of approach options, clever level design and platforming, excellent AI etc etc.

http://youtu.be/xdNs6FqYHs4

2. Just an insanely well executed entire set piece segment. Lots of gameplay range, a constantly dynamic moving sequence with no apparent scenery repetition, that adds in platforming, stealth, boss fights (with both NPC's and the helicopter), changes in scenery (from jungle to snowy mountains), destruction and all sorts. The entire time there's the added challenge of having to compensate your aim because the train is moving, and so on.

Compare this train segment to that of any other similar segment in any other game (Gears of War, Killzone 2 etc) and it just shows you how much better ND are compared to those other developers.

http://youtu.be/eHMSyVxbOVc

http://youtu.be/TRDTO4heIIM

http://youtu.be/sxLQ4l_fsgY

http://youtu.be/NlAd2XOQdEs

3. Excellent, clever and unique use of changing, vertical airborne cover to add tactical options to the scenario.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Sd3qL26mQ

4. Another good example of excellent tactical diversity, and mobility options, even in a smaller arena.

http://youtu.be/JocFZ3nDSsM

5. Fantastic seamless set piece, exploration and gunplay transition.

http://youtu.be/I6R7dtiwneI

____

Finally, I strongly disagree about Uncharted not being replayable. For me and countless others it has been one of the most replayable games out there.

 

[jpd1408]

Applause! Uncharted 2 defines the amazingness that was the PS3!! PS4 will be a way better generation of games. We should all be hyped about GOW, Spiderman,
Last of Us 2 releasing this generation. Regardless on how they turn out im just excited about the fact we can still be excited for Amazing games comeing onto the console.

You probably hold a single directional button for large portions of countless games, including revered ones like BotW, Witcher 3, RE4, HL2 and so on. Hell you probably spend more time pushing a single direction or bashing a single button in BotW, W3 and other open world games, than you do an entire play through of any Uncharted game.

Platforming is fun in Uncharted for the same reason as general traversing is in many games (despite the simplicity of both), for its sense of discovery, exploration, progression, visual or vista rewards and so on. Not all gameplay has to be challenging to be fun.


Also, of course you're entitled to your opinion, but the notion that Uncharted has weak gameplay seems so misplaced to me. It has some of the best third person shooting mobility and encounter design of any third person shooter out there.

Uncharteds dynamic level design and tactical diversity, especially with more potential for mobility and verticality, better set piece design and thrill factor, and what were to me satisfying weapons and solid AI, all made for highly compelling overall gameplay.

Heck, levels like these examples below were just breathtakingly well designed and well beyond anything in most third person shooters. And I'm not even getting in to Uncharted 4 or Lost Legacy, which both improved combat in a big way.

----

1. Despite so many not liking this level, imo it is one of the of the best combat arenas ever designed in a third person shooter. So many amazing things about this. Procedural sea physics based moving platforms that also act as cover and change the inertia of your aiming when stood on, forcing added skill. Non stop pressure from enemies to stay mobile and mix things up. All kinds of cover options, high and low and everything in between (platforms, boats, debris, structures, ship innards, crates, boat masts etc), even diving inside the water itself. Stealth options, all sorts of approach options, clever level design and platforming, excellent AI etc etc.

http://youtu.be/xdNs6FqYHs4

2. Just an insanely well executed entire set piece segment. Lots of gameplay range, a constantly dynamic moving sequence with no apparent scenery repetition, that adds in platforming, stealth, boss fights (with both NPC's and the helicopter), changes in scenery (from jungle to snowy mountains), destruction and all sorts. The entire time there's the added challenge of having to compensate your aim because the train is moving, and so on.

Compare this train segment to that of any other similar segment in any other game (Gears of War, Killzone 2 etc) and it just shows you how much better ND are compared to those other developers.

http://youtu.be/eHMSyVxbOVc

http://youtu.be/TRDTO4heIIM

http://youtu.be/sxLQ4l_fsgY

http://youtu.be/NlAd2XOQdEs

3. Excellent, clever and unique use of changing, vertical airborne cover to add tactical options to the scenario.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Sd3qL26mQ

4. Another good example of excellent tactical diversity, and mobility options, even in a smaller arena.

http://youtu.be/JocFZ3nDSsM

5. Fantastic seamless set piece, exploration and gunplay transition.

http://youtu.be/I6R7dtiwneI

____

Finally, I strongly disagree about Uncharted not being replayable. For me and countless others it has been one of the most replayable games out there.

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[Sanctuary]

You must have me confused with someone else.

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No, and I wish that I could find the post specifically (all I know for sure is that it was around the release of The Surge), but aside from all of the other posts I've seen you write with your objections against not having these heavily scripted sequences, you replied to me with something like "In the film industry, that's what we like to call..." Maybe you didn't mean that you were literally working in film, but that's how it read at the time. So now I know, I guess.

 

[dlauv]

I can't stand thegamingbrit. He's always pedantic or praising/reading too much into awful shit.

Complaining about the purity of a franchise he doesn't even like very much.

Combat looks like it's doing something different, so that's cool. I mean, I wasn't into the old ones very much. This could be neat.

It's a new chapter in the franchise, and a shocking amount of people seem to be on board with it. I'm sure they'll give long-time fans a throwback title when the time is right. Or if this direction doesn't pan out.

 

[wafflebrain]

No, and I wish that I could find the post specifically (all I know for sure is that it was around the release of The Surge), but aside from all of the other posts I've seen you write with your objections against not having these heavily scripted sequences, you replied to me with something like "In the film industry, that's what we like to call..." Maybe you didn't mean that you were literally working in film, but that's how it read at the time. So now I know, I guess.

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Here's a novel idea...address their points they laid out for you in detail rather than drudging up whatever weird baggage/hangups you have towards the poster in question.

 

[StuBurns]

The problem is the perception that the series has historically been a character action franchise, and that's really not the case at all, most notably with GoW2. Cory's not even a big fan of the genre, I remember him saying how he couldn't get through the demo of NGS.

GoW was an action adventure series, that Jaffe hoped would progress to something more akin to Zelda over time.

Rising 2 didn't happen, NG3 sucked, but the genre hadn't lost a heavy hitter with GoW, it was never one to begin with.

 

[Sanctuary]

The problem is the perception that the series has historically been a character action franchise, and that's really not the case at all, most notably with GoW2. Cory's not even a big fan of the genre, I remember him saying how he couldn't get through the demo of NGS.

GoW was an action adventure series, that Jaffe hoped would progress to something more akin to Zelda over time.

Rising 2 didn't happen, NG3 sucked, but the genre hadn't lost a heavy hitter with GoW, it was never one to begin with.

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"Character Action" was largely made up on internet forums for Action/Adventure games that have a slant towards the combat. Games like Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry were always called an Action/Adventure game by their developers. Look them up elsewhere though and you'll see "hack and slash". God of War was also listed in the same genre upon release, and it too gets called "hack and slash" elsewhere. Resident Evil was always an Action/Adventure game as well, until people randomly started calling it a "Survival Horror" game based off of the in game narrative text.

I don't really know where the idea that Devil May Cry was nothing but incessant wave after wave of enemies came from either, especially the first game. It was very much an exploration based game. You can also clearly see the Resident Evil roots, and it has less in common with something like Bayonetta (which plays more like an arcade game) for the overall design.

 

[StuBurns]

DMC1 is less relentless than the games that followed, but even with that it's hardly comparable to GoW1, let alone 2. Moreover, the chapters aspect, and style meter establish the combat focus.

It also came the same year as Onimusha, so just contextually we'd just had RE with swords.

It's true that character action was made up after the fact, I'd still put DMC, Bayo, NG, MG Rising, etc as one thing, and GoW as another.

 

[More_Badass]

"Character Action" was largely made up on internet forums for Action/Adventure games that have a slant towards the combat. Games like Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry were always called an Action/Adventure game by their developers. Look them up elsewhere though and you'll see "hack and slash". God of War was also listed in the same genre upon release, and it too gets called "hack and slash" elsewhere. Resident Evil was always an Action/Adventure game as well, until people randomly started calling it a "Survival Horror" game based off of the in game narrative text.

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It's not random and it wasn't "always". Capcom coined the term while marketing RE1, which was itself a spiritual successor of sorts to the game Sweet Home

 

[shoemasta]

For one thing, the shooting simply feels better in Vanquish, but you're also not simply limited to ducking behind a wall every few seconds or tossing a grenade. It too also has spectacle, but it's done in a way that's closer to the stuff in games like the earlier God of Wars or something like MGRR. The spectacle is over the top, but typically short and sweet and the player is back into the action, not having the controls unceremoniously yanked away for minutes at a time repeatedly in between very short combat segments. Vanquish is actually almost at the opposite end of the spectrum too. It's really short. Still, I'd rather play a six to eight hour arcade-like experience than a forty hour game that only has half of that (at best) dedicated to actual gameplay.

You know what games have (arguably) poor third-person combat, lots of exposition but are infinitely more replayable? The Mass Effect trilogy. The first game had some of the clunkiest combat around, yet it was still fun enough exploring the universe, and was one of the first games that went for a cinematic presentation that didn't make it seem like you were simply watching a movie. You are living the movie. The followups focused more on refining the gameplay, and the narrative beats were also changed (in some ways vastly for the better, and in others for the worse), and when they did decide to do an exposition dump, it was still moderately short and sweet.

IMO that's how you do a cinematic game. Cinematic game, not interactive movie.

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Interesting. I mean I agree to some extent but I feel like you are oversimplifying Uncharted's gameplay. It is simple, sure, but I think there is more interactivity than you give credit for. Cutscenes are never longer than a few minutes, combat sections are often more complex than simple shooting galleries, and when controls are taken away they are often incredibly short moments.

I think that the hardest thing to reconcile, for me, is that Uncharted is basically treated like a movie whereas games like Vanquish and MGRR are considered otherwise when they do very similar things to Uncharted. For example, MGRR has scripted moments like this compared to this in Uncharted. Both are not player initiated and both demonstrate when the game yanks player control away. Obviously in the MGRR example a little more skill is required but both are fairly easy and both result in death and do-over.

 

[Sanctuary]

It's not random and it wasn't "always". Capcom coined the term while marketing RE1, which was itself a spiritual successor of sorts to the game Sweet Home.

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Was this worldwide, or simply in Japan? Because I never saw any commercial for it, and the magazine articles and adds weren't shouting the phrase either. It's also a very odd mix of words in general, and more likely said something closer to "Surviving a new horror" or "Can you survive this horror?" in the official advertising as opposed to the corny in game translation we ended up with.

It also wasn't just a spiritual successor to Sweet Home, despite the years of claiming otherwise. Since its release, many were calling it a copy of Alone in the Dark, and for almost two decades Capcom denied any influence from that game, until Mikami finally came out and stated that the game was very much influenced by it, and that he was told to remain quiet about all of these years. This was during one of the interviews about "Survival Horror" in general and his work on The Evil Within while promoting it.

It's true that character action was made up after the fact, I'd still put DMC, Bayo, NG, MG Rising, etc as one thing, and GoW as another.

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Why exactly, because of QTEs and some very high production value spectacle pieces? It was largely just as linear as most of them and had combat that was a slightly simplified, and it had "puzzles"?

Although I feel like the combat simplification gets exaggerated though primarily because you don't have a grade associated with performance, but it still required skill to keep the combos going. On top of that, it's not as if Devil May Cry (even 3) and similar games couldn't be beaten with the few same, basic combos or even moves ad nauseum either.

God of War did similar to the games that came before it. As others have said already though, it offered more as a whole package, regardless of what it did or didn't do better than its precursors.

edit:

This of course is for the second game...

 

[StuBurns]

Because I feel like about half of GoW is combat, where as like 80% of DMC1 was, and as the series progressed, those percentages went in the opposite direction.

 

[More_Badass]

Why exactly, because of QTEs and some very high production value spectacle pieces? It was largely just as linear as most of them and had combat that was a slightly simplified, and it had "puzzles"?

Although I feel like the combat simplification gets exaggerated though primarily because you don't have a grade associated with performance, but it still required skill to keep the combos going. On top of that, it's not as if Devil May Cry (even 3) and similar games couldn't be beaten with the few same, basic combos or even moves ad nauseum either.

God of War did similar to the games that came before it. As others have said already though, it offered more as a whole package, regardless of what it did or didn't do better than its precursors

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As an analogy, if the first group of games are racing sims, then God of War is an arcade racer. The two may have similar core mechanics (ie racing, tracks, drifting, etc) but the designs and reason why someone would play one over the other are very different

DMC, Bayo, etc, like racing sims, are all about that technical thrill. Skillful mastery, unlocking the depth of the combat, improving your ratings.

God of War has combat and a combo counter but the thrills are the violent spectacle and fury of your combat, the sense of adventure, the epic scale. Feeling powerful when you annihilate a group of enemies is given precedence over deep combat mechanics, like how the arcade racer focuses on insane speed or crazy tracks and thrilling races over mastering racing lines and whatnot. Also, the combat is only part of what makes God of War interesting and fun to play. Sometimes the combat would feel like a barrier or slog to get through because the next puzzle or next location or next set piece was more compelling to reach.

Also putting puzzles in quotations? Like half of the first God of War was set in a huge puzzle-filled temple; if anything, the series lost the large focus on puzzles that the first game had

 

[Sanctuary]

Also putting puzzles in quotations? Like half of the first God of War was set in a huge puzzle-filled temple; if anything, the series lost the large focus on puzzles that the first game had

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Yes, because calling them puzzles is a dubious proposition, but the games having puzzles is always used in arguments in an attempt to show another element that they had that separated them from their peers, or essentially all of the other games the original game took all its ideas from. There were very few legitimate puzzles in any of them though. Turning a dial or pushing a block or statue into an obvious place isn't exactly puzzling.

DMC, Bayo, etc, like racing sims, are all about that technical thrill. Skillful mastery, unlocking the depth of the combat, improving your ratings.

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They can be played this way, but they aren't designed in such a way as that playing like that is a requirement, as I already said. Those group of games being held up as "more skillful" is a technicality at best. To get the best rankings, or highest hitting combos, you have to be more skilled. To finish the games though? Not at all, and there's not that much more effort required in them compared to finishing a God of War game, sometimes none at all. Conversely, you can get through God of War by simply "mashing" square, square, triangle if you really want, OR you can go for the biggest combos possible. You can even attempt doing a no upgrade run while doing it also.

IMO, the closest real comparison would be something like a Soul Reaver game, but with way better combat.

Also, regarding Alone in the Dark:

When development begins, Shinji Mikami sets out on a simple model, that of a game where the action is represented from the point of view of the hero, in subjective view, as in the fights of Sweet Home. "When Sony announced the technical features and the number of 3D elements that could be displayed on the screen, we were skeptical, he recalls. I redesigned the game on the assumption that the console would be 50% less powerful than advertised. So I opted for a shooter in subjective view, because it allowed to save a character on the screen. There was only to display the decorations and enemies in 3D. But once a first prototype made, Mikami is not satisfied.

"That's when I played Alone in the Dark, which consisted of sets. It was very interesting because there was more expressiveness. The next step was to adapt Resident Evil to this model. The horror game of Capcom is transformed into a zombie reinterpretation of the lovecraftian investigation game by Frédéric Raynal. "Without him, Mikami recognizes, Resident Evil would probably have become a first-person shooter."

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http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/articl...urce=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#xtor=RSS-3208

 

[Adamska]

I guess some of the warped perception regarding the new GOW is due to Sony deciding not to show how the gameplay evolved in clear ways, focusing mostly on the narrative shift of the game. This, of course, is not a problem for people who have actually played GOW games, as every past game's reveal were mostly focused on the new setpieces each installment brought and the fans simply expected the gameplay to follow what the other games did before, which is very much going to be the case with this one as well, even if combat was radically changed as well. The glimpses of combat we've had, while not in-depth, clearly show that Kratos still has plenty of moves and tricks to one-up enemies, not to mention showing that you'll be fighting plenty of them as well.

That said, some people are being dismissive of it without rhyme or reason, spouting the word "cinematic" over and over and not actually thinking that, like the games before, this new GOW game will present ample opportunity for combat, exploration, puzzles and story. Heck, some people went as fat as saying that the plot in previous GOW games was downplayed, which is the most revisionist statement one could ever devise regarding the GOW series.

 

[SavoyPrime]

I'm a fan of the series, but I like the change in tone that has been shown in the trailers. Not sure if it will live up to the hype or not, but I expect to at least enjoy it.

 

[black070]

Yes, because calling them puzzles is a dubious proposition, but the games having puzzles is always used in arguments in an attempt to show another element that they had that separated them from their peers, or essentially all of the other games the original game took all its ideas from. There were very few legitimate puzzles in any of them though. Turning a dial or pushing a block or statue into an obvious place isn't exactly puzzling.

Click to shrink...

Um, what a disingenuous post. Have you really played these games ? I replayed all 6 very recentely and I can tell you that the puzzles are much more elobarate and involving then you claim, making use of new weapons and items you gain throughout the game. Over half of each entry's runtime is made up of puzzles, its a main pillar of the franchise and to say otherwise is an outright lie.

 

[DGS]

Can someone explain to me why God Of War shouldn't follow the vision of the creators, but only correspond to the tight corset of the predecessors or the narrow-minded thinking of the true players?

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the game. The Viking setting, the continuous camera shot without a cut, the magic ax with similarities to Mjölnir, the phenomenal look, ... . Count me in!

 

[Sanctuary]

Um, what a disingenuous post, have you really played these games ? I replayed all 6 over the past 2-3 months and I can tell you that the puzzles are much more elobarate and involving then you claim, making use of new weapons and items you gain throughout the game. Over half of each entry is made up of puzzles, its a main pillar of the franchise and to say otherwise is an outright lie.

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Yep, raising a pillar to jump onto to reach the next area, pushing a block to avoid spikes and to reach a higher level, hitting a switch to open a grate, freezing an enemy on a pressure plate, grabbing a necklace (a key) or draining a pool are really puzzles. The only thing that came close to resembling an actual puzzle in the first game was the the stones in the Cliffs of Madness that you had to rotate...to get a necklace.

The only other puzzle that was memorable was the garden puzzle in God of War 3, and not because of how good it was. And the first game is apparently the one with the most puzzles. Most of the supposed puzzles are too simple to actually be called puzzles in the first place.

But OK, I'm wrong. All that stuff would stump the average player, and I guess the most basic alignments in a 3D space are considered puzzles.

Just so there's no confusion:
/s

 

[daninthemix]

I do feel this appears to adhere strictly to the current zeitgeist of camera swoopy, director's hand on your shoulder, you have control for a bit, then it's my (director's) turn again. That's great for some people.

Then again, I was also one-and-done after GOW2, so this new style makes much more sense to me.

 

[black070]

Yep, raising a pillar to jump onto to reach the next area, pushing a block to avoid spikes and to reach a higher level, hitting a switch to open a grate, freezing an enemy on a pressure plate, grabbing a necklace (a key) or draining a pool are really puzzles. The only thing that came close to resembling an actual puzzle in the first game was the the stones in the Cliffs of Madness that you had to rotate...to get a necklace.

The only other puzzle that was memorable was the garden puzzle in God of War 3, and not because of how good it was. And the first game is apparently the one with the most puzzles. Most of the supposed puzzles are too simple to actually be called puzzles in the first place.

But OK, I'm wrong. All that stuff would stump the average player, and I guess the most basic alignments in a 3D space are considered puzzles.

Just so there's no confusion:
/s

Click to shrink...

Alright, good for you. I began compiling a list of puzzles from each entry to give as examples but then I saw your edit and thought why bother. You can keep shouting at the clouds, I'll enjoy the new entry and all the other "walking and talking simulators".

 

[Malovis]

Seems like a boring cinematic experience so far. I could appreciate it more if games were better than movies at this stuff... But they are not and worse yet developers seem to sacrifice all the other aspects for mediocre results.

 

[VaporSnake]

As someone who always felt the older games were a poor man's version of much better games I'm all for this direction.

Click to shrink...

Yeah and where exactly are those "better games" it was imitating today? Oh right, they don't even friggin exist anymore outside of Bayonetta. I'd take old God of War over whatever the hell new god of war is 'trying' to be. Even a sequel that was just like the old games it would seem more "fresh" in 2018 than just blindly chasing the critical darlings of the past 5 years.

God of War 2018 is like the equivalent of Oscar bait in gaming.

 

[Arx]

I do believe that his "rant" is a bit premature. I do agree with a lot he has to say, the camera being way to close, walking and talking intermixed with bits of gameplay that do not look very exciting for example.

But we need to consider that this is based upon a presentation which almost always focus on creating an engaging looking slice of gameplay. The E3 presentation is supposed to be watched and not played, i.e. experienced in a way that games are experienced as an interactive medium. Once the game is out, we can judge it properly.

 

[Smash-It Stan]

Seems like a boring cinematic experience so far. I could appreciate it more if games were better than movies at this stuff... But they are not and worse yet developers seem to sacrifice all the other aspects for mediocre results.

Click to shrink...

Yeah and where exactly are those "better games" it was imitating today? Oh right, they don't even exist anymore outside of Bayonetta. I'd take old God of War over whatever the hell new god of war is 'trying' to be.

Click to shrink...

Agreed with these two. We've gotten the souls games this gen and the copy cats(surge,code vein, lords of the fallen,nioh) but the only game to give me my fix of actual character action were ports of GoW3 and DMC4/DmC. I'd settle for a port of Bayonetta at this point.

The very fact that the game doesn't have a combo counter anymore just should scream at you what kind of game this is gonna be.

 

[A New Beginning]

Wow, Cory's decision to not spoil the game before release results in people making dumb assumptions. Surprising.

 

[adit]

i never like GOW series, even though i managed to force myself to finish GOW 3 (remaster version)

that pure action mechanic while awesome to see, it's too repetitive and boring for me and i never enjoy mashing button because i have to remember every moves which is too tedious for me

that being said, if they changed the new GOW to be similar to horizon in term on gameplay and open world thing, i might consider to play it

 

[Magoo]

The old games don't disappear because of this one, they still can be played. It wasn't an either or situation where they chose this over the old style. If this one didn't exist there wouldn't be a new one at all. Weirdly it sounds like some would prefer that.

I would have thought with the amount of games released now that everyone would have something to play rather than what seems to be hate playing games they don't like just so they have something to occupy them.

The genre was on its knees before this game was even revealed. So it taking the blame for there hardly being any more games doing it feels more like another case of damned if you do damned if you don't from gamers.

 

[John Bender]

The old games don't disappear because of this one, they still can be played.

Click to shrink...

Indeed. SSM is going in the right direction with the new God of War game. The combat looks great so far and the story seems to be interesting. 30+ hours, new direction, Norse mythology, a bit more cinematic? Exactly my thing.
For those who don't like stuff like this. Well, there are other games on the market for you.

 

[VanDoughnut]

Seems like a boring cinematic experience so far. I could appreciate it more if games were better than movies at this stuff... But they are not and worse yet developers seem to sacrifice all the other aspects for mediocre results.

Click to shrink...

MEH. I love movies but I don't see any movie coming out soon that looks like it has the potential to deliver on epic adventure like this game does. Have you seen the recent mythological adventure movies?? (Hercules with the Rock) They're not great and I'd take GOW over them easy.

I'm just hyped that SSM is going to show us what they can do with PS4 tech.

 

[ThisThingIsUseful]

I do believe that his "rant" is a bit premature. I do agree with a lot he has to say, the camera being way to close, walking and talking intermixed with bits of gameplay that do not look very exciting for example.

But we need to consider that this is based upon a presentation which almost always focus on creating an engaging looking slice of gameplay. The E3 presentation is supposed to be watched and not played, i.e. experienced in a way that games are experienced as an interactive medium. Once the game is out, we can judge it properly.

Click to shrink...

Of course it's premature. He made this rant shortly after its unveil after having played nothing. It's very strange we have a 19-page thread over an observation made two years ago after its E3 showing.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

i never like GOW series, even though i managed to force myself to finish GOW 3 (remaster version)

that pure action mechanic while awesome to see, it's too repetitive and boring for me and i never enjoy mashing button because i have to remember every moves which is too tedious for me

that being said, if they changed the new GOW to be similar to horizon in term on gameplay and open world thing, i might consider to play it

Click to shrink...

Uh, the game isn't open world nor is it like Horizon.

 

[Jawbreaker]

At least get it right: It's rowing and talking, not walking and talking. Jesus.

 

[Bishop89]

Some of us prefer to play games and not bad movies that make you press buttons to get to the bad movie.

Click to shrink...

 

[Adamska]

Yep, raising a pillar to jump onto to reach the next area, pushing a block to avoid spikes and to reach a higher level, hitting a switch to open a grate, freezing an enemy on a pressure plate, grabbing a necklace (a key) or draining a pool are really puzzles. The only thing that came close to resembling an actual puzzle in the first game was the the stones in the Cliffs of Madness that you had to rotate...to get a necklace.

The only other puzzle that was memorable was the garden puzzle in God of War 3, and not because of how good it was. And the first game is apparently the one with the most puzzles. Most of the supposed puzzles are too simple to actually be called puzzles in the first place.

But OK, I'm wrong. All that stuff would stump the average player, and I guess the most basic alignments in a 3D space are considered puzzles.

Just so there's no confusion:
/s

Click to shrink...

http://godofwar.neoseeker.com/wiki/Puzzles
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/932295-god-of-war-ii/faqs/47832
http://gameranx.com/features/id/13380/article/god-of-war-ascension-puzzle-solving-guide/

Yes, certainly these games have no puzzles at all. And just so there's no confusion: /s

Indeed. SSM is going in the right direction with the new God of War game. The combat looks great so far and the story seems to be interesting. 30+ hours, new direction, Norse mythology, a bit more cinematic? Exactly my thing.
For those who don't like stuff like this. Well, there are other games on the market for you.

Click to shrink...

But it's going to be 30+ hours of listening to your son, so what's the point? I mean, surely the people who made all the past GOW games made sure that the new one is a talk-to-your-son-and-eventually-row-simulator, because of reasons.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

At least get it right: It's rowing and talking, not walking and talking. Jesus.

Click to shrink...

I want Kratos to sing the "Row Row Row your boat" while rowing the boat.

 

[2112]

Click to shrink...

Is he talking about unfarted?

 

[StuBurns]

I don't want a bad movie either, but I also don't want a bad game, which is what Santa Monica have shipped since GoW2 anyway.

The first entry was an amazing game that was very heavy on story for the time. Not anything like Metal Gear, but in terms the importance it placed on it, it was huge.

The second game, less so really, but it was still far from a DMC or its kin. It was the most adventure the series ever got.

If anything, this is the natural evolution of the franchise. It just took TLoU doing RE4 with Children of Men in it before others felt confident they could do it too.

People talk as if every game is this now, but it's really not. UC4 and The Order are the only examples this generation. We're had W101, Bayo 2, are getting 3 and DMCV. Character action isn't dead, and GoW was barely one of them to begin with.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

Is he talking about unfarted?

Click to shrink...

 

[John Bender]

But it's going to be 30+ hours of listening to your son, so what's the point? I mean, surely the people who made all the past GOW games made sure that the new one is a talk-to-your-son-and-eventually-row-simulator, because of reasons.

Click to shrink...

LMAO. Sounds awesome. My favourite genre now =P

 

[SolidSnakex]

The press have gotten their hands on it



So we'll probably get impressions either some time later this week or next.

 

[Salty Rice]

The press have gotten their hands on it



So we'll probably get impressions either some time later this week or next.

Click to shrink...

Oh nice. Cant wait to hear first impressions of it.

Cant believe its just a couple of weeks away.

 

[Papacheeks]

I have an idea about how Sony could try to show GoW's combat system being good and better than prior games.

... Show any of the combat system with explanations.

Click to shrink...

Looks like you got your wish and all your fear trolling hopefully will be squashed.