miffy495 Posted January 31, 2008 Ok, so I managed to find an hour and a half to play before the weekend. As it's the only game I have on PS3, I was really hoping it would be awesome. Turns out, hooray! It is. The game itself is actually nothing special, though it is well executed. Cover and shoot mechanics from Gears, jumping stuff straight out of the newer Tomb Raiders, with just a bit of God of War style environmental interaction to balance it off. All done well, but nothing extraordinary. What makes this game great for me so far is the little details. Things like how Drake's sweater and jeans will get darker and cling to him for a minute or so after he gets out of the water. This actually applied to an in-engine cutscene where he just dips his left arm underwater. Only that part of the sweater showed the dampness. Really nice touch there. Voice acting is great. Story, ok a little predictable. The second I saw the wisecracking grey haired sidekick, I knew he'd be dead or a traitor within an hour. Surprise! Dead. Characters are well done all around so far. The reporter woman actually has a realistic body and wears clothes that a normal person would wear! I realize that this has become slightly more common lately (Alyx Vance, various characters in Bioware games) but it's still nowhere near prominent and very nice to see. So yeah. Very good game. Probably not worth buying a PS3 for all by itself, but it definitely presents a strong case for the system and makes me feel pretty good about the money I spent this morning on the thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted January 31, 2008 Things like how Drake's sweater and jeans will get darker and cling to him for a minute or so after he gets out of the water.That was my favourite feature in Tomb Raider Legend and Anniversary. The [...] woman actually has a realistic body and wears clothes[...]Disappointment! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted February 1, 2008 Also, remember that half-tuck is the new mullet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted February 1, 2008 I know. After reading that post I can't look away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted February 1, 2008 Once you see it, you can't unsee it. Much like how Mario Bros bushes are just green clouds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted February 1, 2008 Once you see it, you can't unsee it.Much like how Mario Bros bushes are just green clouds. You... bastard! :\ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eljay Posted February 1, 2008 You couldn't keep that to yourself, could you Rodi? Ruiner! Now I am almost afraid to ask what the "half-tuck" thing is all about.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted February 1, 2008 It's all about business at the front, party at the back. Much like how Mario Bros bushes are just green clouds :O I can't look away! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted February 1, 2008 It's all about business at the front, party at the back. You have just single-handedly steered this Titanic-of-a-thread into an iceberg-of-a-euphemism. Abandon ship! Could we also update QotM with the above quote, please? At no time during the game does Drake stop and tuck in the loose part of his shirt. Nor does he ever just say, “The hell with it!” and untuck the whole thing. Superb -- I should read this more often. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Posted February 1, 2008 Also note that Tim liked the game... a lot. Which makes sense, since it is actually awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted February 1, 2008 Much like how Mario Bros bushes are just green clouds. Just shit on my childhood why don't you?! Hmm, I'm going out tonight; maychance I'll try the half-tuck... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted February 1, 2008 I find it amazing that you're all so angry at this discovery. It blew my mind when I read it; I thought it was amazing. So elegant, so simple, and yet nobody notices it until you are pointed towards it. Surely it's fantastic that a 20 year old classic can still have secrets to uncover! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted February 1, 2008 I suppose next you're going to say tell people that there is no easter bunny ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted February 1, 2008 Surely it's fantastic that a 20 year old classic can still have secrets to uncover! Well, yes, there's no denying it's clever. But there's no denying you've just wiped your arse on half-a-dozen Thumbs' childhood memories either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted February 1, 2008 I reall fail to see what's so diminishing about this discovery. It only adds to the awesome design of Mario from my viewpoint =] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted February 1, 2008 But the bushes are really clouds! :\ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vimes Posted February 1, 2008 I'd say the clouds are the ghosts of dead bushes. What's nice with this theory is that I think it is coherent with the evil sun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted February 1, 2008 The Cloudbush Fact? Un-fucking-credible! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eljay Posted February 1, 2008 I find it amazing that you're all so angry at this discovery. It blew my mind when I read it; I thought it was amazing. So elegant, so simple, and yet nobody notices it until you are pointed towards it.Surely it's fantastic that a 20 year old classic can still have secrets to uncover! Yes it is very clever, mario was all about elegantly funcitonal design, another example would be yoshi. The only reason he's a dinosaur is because it was an optimal shape for the SNES to utilise (I forget the details, it's somewhere in those "Iwata asks" interviews) The problem is I can no longer see bushes in mario any more. You have taken away the bushes! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roderick Posted February 1, 2008 If it's any better, you can also imagine that the clouds are just white bushes in the sky But isn't it much easier now to imagine that Mario is running through patches of toxic vapour whenever he crosses a bushel? Surely that idea makes up for any damage done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nachimir Posted February 2, 2008 I reall fail to see what's so diminishing about this discovery. It only adds to the awesome design of Mario from my viewpoint =] I am actually mildly delighted with this discovery Rodi, especially because it's impossible not to see now, yet I've never noticed it before To anyone displeased with it, may I suggest not shooting the messenger? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miffy495 Posted February 2, 2008 I'd say the clouds are the ghosts of dead bushes. What's nice with this theory is that I think it is coherent with the evil sun. But the evil sun doesn't show up until Mario 3!!! Yeah, that is actually pretty cool. Although I'm a little weirded out by it, I do enjoy learning things like that occasionally. From the reaction though, might I suggest using spoiler tags and linking to the picture in the future? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanJW Posted February 2, 2008 OH? I thought we were just winding him up. We're not that upset really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestlevania Posted February 2, 2008 No, I confess: palette rotation tricks like this, used to circumvent memory - and therefore asset - limitations, are very clever. But they're rarely this subtle, hence some genuine surprise on my part. It's usually just a previously-seen character suddenly appearing in some dog-awful fluorescent colours, whilst sporting a different (though thematically similar) name to the earlier iteration. Scrolling beat 'em ups are the epitome of this and I'm fairly sure I've played just about every noteworthy scrolling fighting ever made... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Posted February 3, 2008 As this thread was successfully derailed, here's another one we made: http://www.idlethumbs.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5650 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
