rabidSquirrel
09-30-2010, 12:43 AM
So I just played through the recently released demo of Enslaved and I've come to this conclusion:
This game is trying to be too big for its britches. I didn't know much at all about this game before jumping in, except that there was a bit of buzz about it and so I thought I'd give it a try. It seems like that was exactly what Namco was thinking when they developed this game: let's give it a try.
The main draw that i got from playing the demo, is that its a very cinematic experience, which is undoubtedly what the developers are trying to achieve with this game. And, to their credit, they do a great job of it. Short cutscenes move in and out of the gameplay very smoothly and the way they tie your actions gameplay-wise adds to the effect as well. The only problem is that it's been done before, and as far as I could tell from the demo, it's been done much better.
The easiest and most apparent connection one can make is that this game plays a lot like Uncharted. In fact, there's even a scene in the demo where part of the plane your on blows out and you're left hanging on to metal beams and you have to make your way back into the slave ship. Remind you of anything? The platforming is single button and control stick just like so many games nowadays. Simple? Yes. Compelling? Not anymore. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like it's become more of gimmick more than anything. It was fun and accessible in Assassin's Creed, Infamous, but it's starting to get old. If they end up using it in a way that's cool and refreshing then that's great, but if not then I'll be very disappointed.
Unlike Uncharted, however, the combat is limited to melee. You have a standard and a heavy attack and you can use each interchangeably to string together combos. Sounds familiar as well doesn't it? However, because of the cinematic nature the game has, the camera pans in and out and angles in context of the action, making the combat feel flashier and more intense despite its very simplistic and familiar combat system. It's a simple aesthetic tweak, but it does a good job of carrying the cinematic vibe from the other elements of the game.
Finally, the most appealing and problematic feature of the game, is the presentation. In many cases the game looks fantastic. Character models and faces in particular animate great. Though there are instances in normal gameplay situations and lowres cutscenes where the character models are too jagged. And, for a game that tries to be very cinematic, the visual clues for platforming seem a bit too out of place. There are a lot of instances where they fit in nicely with the environment, but others are way too obvious.
All in all, from the demo it seems like this game is going to be good. Just not uncharted good. That is of course if it's story can play the part as well. I don't know much outside what the demo gives you (which isn't much to go off of at all), but it has an air of mystery enough to at least make you want to continue playing.
But then again, I am nitpicking at a demo. I'll just have to see how the game actually does and how it's offbeat story plays out, when it comes out..when? Oh yeah, next week!
So...what do you guys think? Will it be good or will it suck big time?
This game is trying to be too big for its britches. I didn't know much at all about this game before jumping in, except that there was a bit of buzz about it and so I thought I'd give it a try. It seems like that was exactly what Namco was thinking when they developed this game: let's give it a try.
The main draw that i got from playing the demo, is that its a very cinematic experience, which is undoubtedly what the developers are trying to achieve with this game. And, to their credit, they do a great job of it. Short cutscenes move in and out of the gameplay very smoothly and the way they tie your actions gameplay-wise adds to the effect as well. The only problem is that it's been done before, and as far as I could tell from the demo, it's been done much better.
The easiest and most apparent connection one can make is that this game plays a lot like Uncharted. In fact, there's even a scene in the demo where part of the plane your on blows out and you're left hanging on to metal beams and you have to make your way back into the slave ship. Remind you of anything? The platforming is single button and control stick just like so many games nowadays. Simple? Yes. Compelling? Not anymore. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like it's become more of gimmick more than anything. It was fun and accessible in Assassin's Creed, Infamous, but it's starting to get old. If they end up using it in a way that's cool and refreshing then that's great, but if not then I'll be very disappointed.
Unlike Uncharted, however, the combat is limited to melee. You have a standard and a heavy attack and you can use each interchangeably to string together combos. Sounds familiar as well doesn't it? However, because of the cinematic nature the game has, the camera pans in and out and angles in context of the action, making the combat feel flashier and more intense despite its very simplistic and familiar combat system. It's a simple aesthetic tweak, but it does a good job of carrying the cinematic vibe from the other elements of the game.
Finally, the most appealing and problematic feature of the game, is the presentation. In many cases the game looks fantastic. Character models and faces in particular animate great. Though there are instances in normal gameplay situations and lowres cutscenes where the character models are too jagged. And, for a game that tries to be very cinematic, the visual clues for platforming seem a bit too out of place. There are a lot of instances where they fit in nicely with the environment, but others are way too obvious.
All in all, from the demo it seems like this game is going to be good. Just not uncharted good. That is of course if it's story can play the part as well. I don't know much outside what the demo gives you (which isn't much to go off of at all), but it has an air of mystery enough to at least make you want to continue playing.
But then again, I am nitpicking at a demo. I'll just have to see how the game actually does and how it's offbeat story plays out, when it comes out..when? Oh yeah, next week!
So...what do you guys think? Will it be good or will it suck big time?