SometingStupid

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Recommended Posts

The PS3 version is EXTREMELY framey. I've been thinking about playing this... I own the PS3 version but I never really got moving on it. I might give it another try this weekend as I am about to give up on Dark Souls for the 3rd time. 

He's right, I played it recently, and there's a lot of distracting instances of frame rate dropping. I was glad that a lot of major cutscenes were prerendered, because I didn't want the story screwed up by it dropping to 15 fps. The weird thing is the frame rate didn't really mess up too much during the actual gameplay, just more during cutscenes. It happened enough to where it bugged me, but didn't make the game unplayable. I heard 360 is a lot smoother but that the textures load in the correct resolution very slow, so you get a lot of blotchy textures up close.

 

The PC version is newer and I bet most can run it fast enough by now, so I'd recommend PC.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, it is bad in the very first cutscene already, but something I can live with. 3D is a bit weird too, but not too much. Probably should've gone with PC version.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well if it's any consolation, probably the first chapter is the worst you'll ever see on frame rate. The rest seems to all center around the large dog robot you'll encounter later on.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well if it's any consolation, probably the first chapter is the worst you'll ever see on frame rate. The rest seems to all center around the large dog robot you'll encounter later on.

 

There are big dogs?!?!?!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, it is bad in the very first cutscene already, but something I can live with. 3D is a bit weird too, but not too much. Probably should've gone with PC version.

The PC version is now 25% extra cheaper, just so you know :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The PC version is now 25% extra cheaper, just so you know :)

Now you're just taunting me :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Finished this today.  In general, it was quite good. I loved the character dynamic, and the gameplay was "fine." Nothing memorable, but nothing ruinous, either.  For all this game does well, though, there is one thing about Enslaved that gets my goat.

 

Enslaved should be the textbook example of How Not To End a Video Game.

 

After 13 chapters that essentially did everything they needed to, chapter 14 shows up and is just sort of there. "We need some kind of dramatic ending sequence," you can hear some producer say five weeks this game is supposed to be finished.  "How about a second giant robot shows up and fights the giant robot you're in!"

 

"Well, ok," says the imaginary game designer, "I guess we can do that. Can it at least be a giant scorpion, though? We've kind of been going for an animal theme."

 

"Yeah, yeah, sure, as long as that Monkey dude says 'I will end you' right before the finish or something like that.  They kids, they love that.  Oh, and make sure you squeeze in a Dramatic Sacrifice by Beloved Secondary Character.  People go apeshit for that. And it really drives home the gravitas, you know?"

 

Then, after a mostly-meaningless fight between you and the scorpion robot, the Epilogue pops up and suddenly control of the game seems to have been wrenched away and given to Very Pleased With Himself Lead Writer.

 

"You see, " begins the Lead Writer, "I've been very restrained about explaining the context behind my post-apolocalyptic setting here, wouldn't you agree? Sure, an Empire State Building here, some Images of Life Before there, etc., but I've resisted the urge to write reams and reams of exposition where I detail everything that has ever happened.  Isn't that clever of me?"

 

"I suppose so," I say out loud, while my wife wonders who I'm talking to.

 

"And now that you've admired all my careful restraint and finished the game, wouldn't you like me to unleash all that exposition I've been holding back?" continues the Lead Writer.

 

"Actually, I'd be much more interested in seeing what Trip and Monk--" is as much as I'm able to get out before my imaginary writer takes the reins again.

 

"YOU SEE," says Lead Writer, "the slaves weren't really slaves at all! Because it's a simulation! The mechs force the humans to live fake 20th century lives in a computer simulation! What a clever twist, don't you think?"

 

"Isn't that just...I mean, you've seen the movie The Matrix, right?"

 

There is no reply.  The epilogue ends, a Frenchie song plays over the credit sequence and I am unceremoniously dumped back at the main menu.

 

</scene>

 

But seriously folks, aside from that bit of the game, Enslaved was great.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Considering lots of people like the end of Enslaved (myself included), I really don't think it'd make a good textbook example.

 

Also the Lead Writer was Alex Garland, for whatever that is worth.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What lobotomy is describing is exactly the reason I can't play that game.  The story is based on an existing story, namely the classic Chinese novel Journey To The West.  It's a reimagining obviously and of course anyone is allowed to tell the story and put their spin on things.  But in general I can't take reimagining's of that story because it has special significance to me (something I've mentioned before in this thread).  I really had no idea how the game ended and now I'm glad I didn't finish it because I have a feeling it would have been extremely disappointing to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I also was very disappointed with the ending. Given the content of the original story, I struggled mightily with the question of whether the ending was trying to be some sort of Buddhism analog, commentary on enlightenment or the cycle of rebirth, or something. But, I wasn't ever able to find an interpretation that I felt satisfied with.

 

However, I admit that I've never gotten around to reading the non-abridged version of Journey to the West, so I wondered if I was missing something.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am only familiar with the wikipedia article on Journey to the West, but from what I can tell, the game's relationship to that story is mostly just borrowing a few of the more well-known motifs.  Which is fine.  I have no problem with that.  I was just disappointed that a game that had done such a good job of being understated and letting things be implied rather than explicitly spoken suddenly decided to go into FULL EXPOSITION MODE at the last moment and explain away the universe in an incredibly uninteresting way.  Honestly, the ending could have been stuck on any Standard Sci-fi Video Game, it had so little to do with what came before it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now