Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Sites | Writers | Advertise | My Orble | Login

Tech Game Art

Too Human Sure Looks Pretty, So Why Does It Play So Badly?

August 19th 2008 17:17


I know I was really excited for this when I played the demo on Xbox Live. But wow, just wow, the demo didn't illustrate how bad the gameplay mechanics are when you actually play the full length game. Unless all you care about doing is Diablo-ish looting with an endless amount of customization to help you through crappy combat scenarios, then maybe you'll love this game. But if you like to have fun during the combat, and want to do something more than stare at menus for hours looking at the idiotic options for customizing everything, you'll be bored to tears.


Too Human looks great, and when you only play it for a few minutes it plays great as well, so what happened? The story isn't that bad, but does make the fact that the game has been in development for over a decade, very very evident. The ideas behind the overall structure make sense as well, the combat isn't that bad to start off, so why does everything fall apart after a while.



I mean, I was a few hours in, and then I just couldn't be bothered to care anymore. I got tired of not being able to target the enemies I was intending to target, or not being able to dodge properly, or not being able to play a good game. So I ditched this and started playing Crackdown again, because at least that has some fun, straight forward gameplay with no story notwithstanding, nothing's better than playing with a friend online and causing as much havoc as possible.




So I guess I'm saying, instead of paying full price for Too Human, go pick up Crackdown for less than half the price, go online and play with a friend, and blow some stuff up. That at least will be fun and rewarding, unlike any of the utterly utterly utterly utterly unredeemable qualities of Too Human.
38
Vote
Shared on
Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Bioware A Little Predictable?

August 18th 2008 21:12


So I was playing Jade Empire for the first time the other day, and was disappointed. And am now disappointed to some degree in the story of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, Mass Effect and Jade Empire. As they all have the same design hook, as a driving gameplay mechanic. The element being a common RPG element, but I'm starting to get bored of the way Bioware uses it so such an obvious effect so that you know most of the story before it unfolds.

The hook being that you start out as a much lesser being, something happens where you discover your true potential, and then the game really begins. Usually with only a small area available to you at the beginning, then you travel all around where you want to go with your newly discovered power. And to me it's starting to get tired.



In Star Wars, you get a glimpse of what you can do, then it turns out you are a Jedi and then the real game begins. In Jade Empire you discover about your spiritual energy/magic potential, then you leave your small familiar island and the game really begins. In Mass Effect, you do a few missions under command of another officer, become a Spectre and gain freedom, and then the game really begins.

Maybe I'm being too picky, but it's almost as though the same writer is producing these, and he's out of ideas after having created KOTOR. So how about something different, I guess?

49
Vote
Shared on
Comments (1)Comments (1) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Too Human Xbox Live Demo

July 17th 2008 17:41


Wow, awesome looking game. I was incredibly unsure about Too Human at first, apprehensive as to whether the game could deliver on the new approach to melee combat. But so far at the demo stage, Too Human delivers. Using combat control on the right joystick is often attempted but almost never properly executed, but you feel like a badass with the control scheme in Too Human.

Too often when a game maps melee to the right stick, you never feel in control of the combat, as if the motions are happening on screen, but you're not really controlling them, but only pointing your character in the right direction. Not true of Too Human, you have so many different options for slaying your enemies violently, and with complete control.



Nothing is more thrilling than when you're surrounded by an incredible amount of enemies, and you can take them all out in a few timed slashes of your sword. Not to mention the combat still offers plenty of jaw drop awesome moments while you rip your way through crowds of robotic enemies.



Not to mention the graphics and frame-rate look awesome, even at this stage. The unique techno-raver-cybernetic style of the futuristic world is beautiful to look at. Unlike other previous radiant looking games on 360, like Gears Of War, Too Human has a grasp of the concept of color transition, and usuing vibrant hues to emphasize the clarity between human and machine. Opposed to Gears Of War's use of the color brown, on just about every surface and character.

Which I think is funny, and I draw the reference from Too Human developer Silicon Knights is suing developer Epic Games (Gears Of War) for having not delivered the Unreal 3 engine on schedule. Which caused development delays on Too Human, because Silicon Knights was forced to create their own engine from scratch to try and keep the game on track. Which has worked for the best, because the engine Silicon Knights has developed, in my opinion, looks and plays better.

And did I mention Too Human looks this awesome, and it's only in the demo stage.

This holiday season, they've got my cash. Go play the demo, you'll see what I'm talking about.

45
Vote
Shared on
Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


The Greatest Game You'll Ever Play

July 17th 2008 16:50


Well, maybe not the best, but certainly one of. Especially if you were as myself, oblivious to the Max Payne experience before playing the game. I remember looking at the box insert back in the day, and knew I needed to play this game. What an awesome experience it was


[ Click here to read more ]
75
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Comments (4)Comments (4) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Wacky Portable Snowboarding? Yes Please!

July 14th 2008 18:47


Greatest concept in the portable market right? right


[ Click here to read more ]
53
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Brilliance In Simplicity

July 3rd 2008 01:44


Wow, I've just had an amazing amount of fun playing a game I probably should have known about ages ago. That being Xbox Live Arcade's N . Normally I try not to waste my time on Xbox Live Arcade because real quality is sometimes hard to find. Disappointment is abundant in the obvious quick cash-in's Microsoft churns out, leaving very little to be found that's actually worth your precious Microsoft points


[ Click here to read more ]
58
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


WHOO HOO New Call Of Duty Trailer

June 23rd 2008 20:11


Normally I would write a post here, to comment on the artistic side of gaming, and to defend specific titles and their artistic merit. However I felt for the need to post this, and make sure absolutely everyone is aware that they released the new Call Of Duty trailer. As Call Of Duty 4 was one of the prettiest games in the history of pretty games, I cannot wait to see an updated version


[ Click here to read more ]
55
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


A Short Bit On The Importance Of Music

June 23rd 2008 20:04


Music can be an extraordinarily emotive resource for a game, and some of the most amazing moments you’ve had playing a game can be remembered largely in part by the music that accompanied them. But music games can be just as amazing, or involving as something that is supposed to pull at your heart strings. Games like Rock Band, and the Guitar Hero series are fast becoming some of the most memorable experiences in gaming because of their unique ability to let gamers that don’t play instruments, experience a small part of the passion involved in actually creating music from one


[ Click here to read more ]
56
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Great Characters As Art (LINK)

June 12th 2008 20:20
Solid Snake, Greatest Character Ever


A big portion of interacting with some form of art, such as a book or a film, is a vulnerable protagonist that you can really feel for. Someone that you can relate to, no matter what the environment or back drop for the story. Developing that protagonist’s vulnerability into something the public can feel for, especially to send a message about the character through their experiences, is the very essence of artistic expression


[ Click here to read more ]
64
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


Some Things Are Sadly Forgotten

June 11th 2008 18:59
Hopefully Oblivion Hasn't Been Forgotten


Trying a new thing can pay off amazingly, like in the case of the open world titles like The Elder Scrolls series, and Grand Theft Auto. But it can also fail, in the eyes of the general public, even if the game has a ton of value in being a noteworthy gaming experience. My case in point today, PS2’s The Bouncer


[ Click here to read more ]
75
Vote
Shared on
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: SamO - Category: No Category
   


More Posts
August 2008
2 Posts
July 2008
4 Posts
June 2008
9 Posts
Older Posts
15 Posts dating from June 2008
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
[ View Blog Summary ] [ Create A New Post ]

SamO's Blogs

3580 Vote(s)
22 Comment(s)
70 Post(s)
0 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
0 Post(s)
Moderated by SamO
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]