Games with 'power up' mechanics

[Henroid]

Until I learn a better term for what I'm talking about that thread title will remain, temporarily.

 

Basically what I'm after is games that have incremental ability unlocks, like Deus Ex or Prototype. It's a mechanic I like a lot, but I'm not aware of a whole lot of games that make use of such a thing. I'd even include games like Gradius in this, though I'd much prefer something more long-term and in-depth.

 

So here I am asking the Idle Thumbs community what games (new or old) you all know of that fit this criteria. It doesn't have to fit a specific theme (like cyberpunk), it's just the mechanic I'm after.

 

Edit - After some of the initial posts here I should clarify things more.

 

First, I should've noted that I'm after choice-driven things rather than a linear experience. Though don't get me wrong, I love a good Metroid game as good as anyone.

 

Second, games where your movement and momentum are paramount to the gameplay are also what I'm after. I understand that games like Diablo give you choice in skills, but it's far from what I'm seeking, notably because you're not really given options to be sneaky or pop in and out of and around cover during combat.

[SecretAsianMan]

Do you mean something besides skill trees and gaining levels from XP?  Because otherwise I'd say almost every RPG ever made, including stuff like Diablo, beat-em-ups like God of War, shooters like Borderlands, etc.  If you mean something besides this please do tell because that's what it sounds like you're asking to me.

[Zeusthecat]

Not entirely sure if this fits with what you are asking but I would say Batman Arkham Asylum and City both have incremental ability unlocks. Arkham City provided an excellent playground to mess around with all of your gadgets and I found that to be a good longer term game along the lines of what I think you're asking.

[Sno]

Thanks to Fallout, i think he could probably define what he's looking for as a "perks" system.

If i'm understanding his post correctly.

It's certainly not uncommon though, seems like most games are filthy with that style of progression system these days. (CoD4's MP is probably what really set it off.)

[Henroid]

Do you mean something besides skill trees and gaining levels from XP?  Because otherwise I'd say almost every RPG ever made, including stuff like Diablo, beat-em-ups like God of War, shooters like Borderlands, etc.  If you mean something besides this please do tell because that's what it sounds like you're asking to me.

No, not quite that. I know that games like Deus Ex used experience systems, but I don't mean "reach level 20, now you have fire 3" type stuff. I mean reaching a certain threshold of XP and then having a choice of abilities or permanent benefits.

 

Diablo isn't quite what I'm talking about, because that's more of a spell driven system, rather than stuff like jumping higher, or better social skills, gaining the ability to glide in a movement-oriented game, etc. Sno's example of the Perk system from Fallout makes more sense, and again, Deus Ex's augmentation system and Prototype's upgrades / abilities are more of what I'm after.

[Sno]

Ever played any of the Metroid games? (Specifically Super or the Prime trilogy.)

[Reyturner]

Crackdown: you upgrade everything, even your car.

Assassin's Creed.

Borderlands 1/2

[Sno]

Crackdown and Borderlands are both very incremental about their upgrade paths, which he specifically said he wasn't looking for.

Assassin's Creed is just really subdued about it, it's not a very pronounced part of the game.

[Reyturner]

No game takes "upgrade to jump higher" further than Crackdown. You can make your car drive up walls! It totally counts.

[clyde]

Is it that you want the upgrades to have significant impact on gameplay? Instead of choosing between an ice-damage spell and a fire-damage spell, you want run really fast or see through walls?

[Merus]

Is Super Metroid the kind of thing you're talking about, where you find upgrades in the world that open new combat options and allow you to traverse new areas?

[Henroid]

Well, Super Metroid (even though it's my absolute favorite game ever) isn't choice-driven.

[Sno]

It is if you sequence break.

[Henroid]

It is if you sequence break.

38 minutes is my best 100% speedrun time.

[elmuerte]

So.. Dishonored?

[Sno]

38 minutes is my best 100% speedrun time.

In Super? That's goddamned impressive if true, i hope you have a video of this.

[Max Ernst]

I think you might like The Bible because you can level up to heaven.

[Henroid]

In Super? That's goddamned impressive if true, i hope you have a video of this.

Sadly I don't. But keep in mind, the completion times in that game aren't real world time. The clock stops running for all sortsa stuff. Mostly screen transitions and item pickups. But it adds up, a lot.

[Sno]

Yeah, i already assumed you were referring to the in-game clock, that's still a very impressive time.

[melmer]

POWERSTONE ooooosh

 

wait i've just read the OP thats not what power up is

 

Anyway i watched the polygon video review of FarCry 3 Blood Dragon and the game does exactly what you are after

 

wait, just read your other posts.... choice based upgrades. So games with skill trees? Witcher 2, Dark Souls, Darkness 2, Mass effect, infamous, Devil may cry

[Tanukitsune]

Yeah, I came here thinking this thread would be about power ups and it's about upgrades and perks.

 

Aren't real power ups practically extinct? Power ups are non-permanent powers, like Mario's Fire Flower, but the concept evolved to upgrades and perks, probably because games are longer now?

[melmer]

Lets derail this in to a thread actually about power ups!

 

You still get your time based super power ups in action games like God of War, Devil may cry and lord of shadow.

 

I suppose the evolution of the 'power up' would be the gears of war active reload, which somehow amazingly hasn't worked its way in to any other shooter let alone any other genre

[SecretAsianMan]

In at least the multiplayer space, power up analogs seem to come in the form of buffs/debuffs.  Things like quad damage don't really exist, but in a lot of games you can use an ability to boost your team's damage or damage resistance or health regen or whatever.

[Tanukitsune]

I don't think buffs count, since you're you one producing them, power ups are always pick ups. 

[osmosisch]