12/09/2011

Pro code vs bedroom code


Here is a thought....
I impulse bought a 3D racing game app for ipod and at first in geek like scrutiny I complained to myself about the roughness of the game I just bought. Then after playing this 69p game for well over 3 hours it dawned on me that I had enjoyed the gameplay enough to override the obviously low budget nature of the release. It played better than its £3.99p rival. Much better in fact.
So the first point I want to make is those dodgy looking trees, low poly models and strange inconsistant elements should not always cloud judgement of a very budget but gameplay rich title.... For me the subtle tuning of the difficulty and tactical use of NOS boosting gave this game far more depth than its pretty but rather costly and dumb rivals. Good gameplay programming wins over good graphics is the moral here.
Its not just pro vs indie....
Even between different versions of the same game franchise, you can see it happen when trying to "modernise" and bolt on stuff to the next sequel....
Its like replaying Burnout 3 after Burnout Paradise, 3 was AAA for the time but was full of great player led tactics and raw driving skill. It had the heart and innovative gameplay of great indie games wrapped up in big studio polish. Then games went all totally GTA like and open.....Paradise had great graphics and is still super playable in its own way but now had lots of dull required open map learning and toned down, brainless random brute force in place of the sharp tactical play of 3.
Seems to be a similar pattern in most AAA modern games at the moment, find start point/shoot or win something/repeat.... The finding takes up to many dull hours compared to the exciting shoot or win sections. RPGs have always had this issue but action is not as important as the storylines in those games so it can be forgiven.
So in summary super modern open world gaming still has its flaws too.
Go and play Burnout 3 again....go on......go on...and the original Super Monkey Mall while your at it. The Monkey Target party game is best tonic against open world game fatigue I know of. And the best way to speed through a rainy Sunday afternoon!



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