I Can't Go For That (Game Series)

[Architecture]

Black Flag really is just more of the same, and some of the systems they've bolted on to the franchise just weigh the game down. It feels like an odd half-measure where the studio knew (studios?) they had a great pirate game on their hands and Ubisoft forced it down the hopper of the Creed mold. The combat still feels awful and traversal isn't as fluid as I'd like it to be--there are too many times I find myself ambling up the wrong wall or jumping when I didn't intend to. While I enjoyed my time with Black Flag for the most part, I wouldn't have played it if it hadn't come free with my video card.

[Griddlelol]

I didn't realise that so many people felt that 2 was better than 1. To me 1 was rather innovative, even if it wasn't, I had mostly been playing RPGs and FPSs when it came out, so it at least felt innovative. Plus I found that I could approach the assassinations in a stealthy way which 2 didn't let me. 2 made them feel like set pieces rather than something I could do however I wanted.

I don't really see how 2 improved on 1 at all. I was lured into buying it because the magazine I was reading at the time said in their preview that the combat was no longer waiting for a counter and that the missions were less repetitive. Both were blatant lies in my opinion.

Plus the main character went from a stoic middle eastern man, you know, how you imagine an assassin to a cartoon of an Italian. I'm partially Italian, and while I didn't find it racist, I was rolling my eyes...a lot. I'm kind of glad I got out of it, the series seems to have fallen under the weight of its own bullshit. People praise it for having a female lead (in the vita version no one played), but to me that didn't seem like much when the games as a whole are tedious.

On black flag - game companies really hate the idea of releasing a new IP/whatever, but us as consumers constantly call out for it. The problem is, no one buys it when they don't recognise the name, unless it's hyped to incredible amounts. While I've never been a fan of CoD or "competitive" shooters in general, I bought Titanfall, because it was something new. The team dared to try and make something different. I'm sure they wouldn't have if they didn't split from activision, but hey, they did! I really get disappointed that the moment it was released people were talking about Titanfall 2. God damn it, I hope there's not a Titanfall 2, I hope they come up with something new and interesting in a different way.

Following the same line: I preferred Mass Effect 1 to ME2 (but I love that series so it doesn't really belong in this thread). I felt like I was being introduced into a universe that felt amazingly detailed. 2 had a better story, better mechanics, better everything except the universe didn't really feel like it was important any more. I spent far too long reading the codices of 1 but didn't even need to look in 2. Oh and the face getting cracked and red as you became more evil was dumb.

I guess I prefer interesting ideas in games to perfectly executed games. Which is actually a bit of a sudden realisation for me...

[chummer]

Personal taste in all of this but I "bounced off" TL2 and Van Helsing both pretty hard, whereas I really like Diablo III and Grim Dawn. YMMV but I feel like for these loot games there is some magical "vibe" that is important (since the stories are kind of all garbage) and I at least haven't found a way to measure it besides just playing these games.

 

It's my fault for not stating this more clearly: it's not that I find Diablo II's loot game bad, it is just that I don't find loot particularly interesting. Similar to my dislike/anxiety about stats, spending time trying to figure out which minor increase will increase my DPS, casting rates, etc by a tiny bit isn't something I find enjoyable. Mostly I want new powers to make cool things happen on screen. Borderlands' loot was the most interesting to me b/c guns could have distinctly different visual and combat effects.

 

I think what I want is a Costume Quest-style ARPG.

 

If you're scared of builds, you might consider Diablo 3? It's a very big departure in the character department from D2. There aren't any stat points, and the skills and runes are just locked off by levels. At max level you can instantly have any skill with any mod at any time. That might sound overwhelming, but it's really doled out in manageable chunks while you learn the game.

 

I'll definitely give it a look. That sounds way more approachable.