Originally posted by -Pr-I beat ME 2 over 5 times in two months. Beating it on insane three times. Numerous Paragon/Renegade playthroughs.
Maybe, but I'd play Mass Effect 2 a dozen times over before touching some of the later Final Fantasy games.ME blew most of those out of the water, imo.
In contrast I played FF13 one time, and tried to finish it a 2nd time but couldn't. Sucks because I have beat FF7 and 8 over 5-6 times each. Square needs to stop being lazy and start bringing their A game instead of what they have given us this gen. Its a shame, really. The gold Snes/PSX days are long gone.
I actually think Final Fantasy XIII's a little underrated. It has imo the best art design by far out of all the big budget games this gen with an absolutely amazing soundtrack, to the point that it's arguably the overall most aesthetically beautiful game ever released. Its linearity was simply an artistic choice and whether or not it makes for good design is a matter of opinion, and its battle system was pretty innovative and personally one of my favorite JRPG battle systems of all time. The storyline wasn't amazing by any means and had its fair share of problems (I personally didn't like Lightning as protagonist, wasn't a fan of the voice acting and found it mostly underwhelming) but it was still pretty solid, certainly better than the vats majority of video game storylines.
But ok, if you want an amazing series that's extremely differentiated among its different installments, try Portal.
That's not totally fair.
Comparing the different between two major releases to Portal is kind of wrong.
First of all, Portal was a 2 hour add-on to the two main events in TF2 and Episode 2, and lastly, Portal 2 was a full on game. Of course it would be different than the first. But it's only difference is that it made the narrative more prevalent and added fluid mechanics. The concept is the same. It plays the same too.
Well, as short, low budget, and low key as Portal may have been it still had far more in the way of meaningful design to offer than the vast majority of 30h+ games and packed those two hours full of innovative puzzles, amazing pacing, absolutely no filler and a number of interesting game mechanics.
Portal 2 on the other hand was as you said more polished and had a more expansive storyline, but on top of that featured a number of new mechanics (the paint, energy bridge, and energy tube) and added an entirely separate and expansive co-op campaign, that all together took the game to the next level. The puzzles in general became much bigger and better. It utilized the core portal concept and most of the elements seen in the original, but it added so much more as to differentiate the two games pretty drastically.
Metal Gear Solid's another great example.
Originally posted by cdtm
PS2 is a last gen console, but had a lot of crossover with current gen games.Basically, I want to put Persona 4 on the list, and am wondering if being on a last gen console disqualifies it, even though it was squarely going head to head with the 360 and ps3 games at the time.. (Thus, you can argue it, along with many PS2 games, were games "of" this generation based on when they were released...)
I've been playing Persona 3 on the PSN lately and I'm absolutely addicted to it. Have you played both? And if so, how much better is Persona 4?
Originally posted by Ben "cA" Risa
Well, as short, low budget, and low key as Portal may have been it still had far more in the way of meaningful design to offer than the vast majority of 30h+ games and packed those two hours full of innovative puzzles, amazing pacing, absolutely no filler and a number of interesting game mechanics.Portal 2 on the other hand was as you said more polished and had a more expansive storyline, but on top of that featured a number of new mechanics (the paint, energy bridge, and energy tube) and added an entirely separate and expansive co-op campaign, that all together took the game to the next level. The puzzles in general became much bigger and better. It utilized the core portal concept and most of the elements seen in the original, but it added so much more as to differentiate the two games pretty drastically.
Metal Gear Solid's another great example.
I'm not disagreeing that Portal wasn't fantastic and innovating.
I'm just saying that you can't really compare a series like Mass Effect to Portal. Of course Portal 2 would be different. The reason is because Portal is 2 hours long and a concept. Can't compare. We could if Portal 3 gets made.
Originally posted by Smasandian
I'm not disagreeing that Portal wasn't fantastic and innovating.I'm just saying that you can't really compare a series like Mass Effect to Portal. Of course Portal 2 would be different. The reason is because Portal is 2 hours long and a concept. Can't compare. We could if Portal 3 gets made.
I personally believe that Portal has more to offer in its two hours of gameplay than the entirety of the Mass Effect trilogy, as far as meaningful design is concerned. Mass Effect basically plays the exact same way the entire trilogy; Portal on the offer hand provides a new intellectual experience with every new puzzle. To add to and improve on the design of Portal is imo far more impressive than any changes made in the Mass Effect trilogy.
Really, this whole discussion about Portal and ME is just going to come down to what you're looking for out of a game and what portions of the game is most important to you.
Yes, Portal is much more innovative in its level design and gameplay mechanics.
However, it's important to remember that the ME series is story/character based and so that's where most of the attention went. It's the characters that are most important in that series. One of the few times where story/characters are the most important aspect of the game. It's how ME1 was able to succeed. Mediocre gameplay with outstanding character writing and a sense that your choices mattered. The ME series is a shining monolithic example of how the video game medium can garner a greater connection to characters than any other medium is capable of.
Its gameplay isn't too innovative, though by the third game I found the strategic element of using the powers to be pretty unique to that style of third person shooter. The gameplay isn't what people will remember about the series, though. They weren't meant to.
Originally posted by Ben "cA" RisaI have other things to do my socking friend than pay attention to your clown-like antics.
I gave you all the opportunity in the world to respond NemeBro; you had your opportunity and you didn't take it. You can't have expected me to keep the response in my sig forever.Back on topic now please.
You made a claim. Back it the **** up.
Originally posted by Quincy
I've been playing Persona 3 on the PSN lately and I'm absolutely addicted to it. Have you played both? And if so, how much better is Persona 4?
Persona 4 has better gameplay mechanics, but I generally preferred 3's characters, storylines and themes, but that's mostly personal preferences.
Both are amazing games though, and you should definitely try 4 after you're done 3, though that means either finding a PS2 copy somewhere or getting Golden on Vita.
Originally posted by NemeBro
I have other things to do my socking friend than pay attention to your clown-like antics.You made a claim. Back it the **** up.
As I've told you numerous times, I had placed a comprehensive and conclusive argument in my sig and given you ample time to read it and respond. You missed your window, and I do not have time to reformulate that argument.
However, I will give you one example, if you ask nicely, and promise to get back on topic after I have given it to you.
I await your response, boy.
Originally posted by BackFire
Really, this whole discussion about Portal and ME is just going to come down to what you're looking for out of a game and what portions of the game is most important to you.Yes, Portal is much more innovative in its level design and gameplay mechanics.
However, it's important to remember that the ME series is story/character based and so that's where most of the attention went. It's the characters that are most important in that series. One of the few times where story/characters are the most important aspect of the game. It's how ME1 was able to succeed. Mediocre gameplay with outstanding character writing and a sense that your choices mattered. The ME series is a shining monolithic example of how the video game medium can garner a greater connection to characters than any other medium is capable of.
Its gameplay isn't too innovative, though by the third game I found the strategic element of using the powers to be pretty unique to that style of third person shooter. The gameplay isn't what people will remember about the series, though. They weren't meant to.
By the same token I wouldn't say its storyline was particularly imaginative, nor was each game highly differentiated in that regard either.
Originally posted by BackFire
The scale of the story was different in each game by quite a significant margin. Also, as I said, it was more the characters that made the series memorable, rather than the plot itself. The characters were imaginative and extremely round and well developed.
Yup. And some even stood out above the others, like Jack.
Originally posted by Ben "cA" Risa
As I've told you numerous times, I had placed a comprehensive and conclusive argument in my sig and given you ample time to read it and respond. You missed your window, and I do not have time to reformulate that argument.However, I will give you one example, if you ask nicely, and promise to get back on topic after I have given it to you.
I await your response, boy.
Make your argument properly in a forum post, or don't bother. For all that you claim that you don't have the time for it, you certainly have plenty of time to tell people that you don't have time.
Also, I've told you once to knock it off with the backseat modding. This is officially a warning, and it will be a ban if you continue.
Originally posted by Peach
Make your argument properly in a forum post, or don't bother. For all that you claim that you don't have the time for it, you certainly have plenty of time to tell people that you don't have time.Also, I've told you once to knock it off with the backseat modding. This is officially a warning, and it will be a ban if you continue.
The guy's trolling is becoming quite obvious now.
Originally posted by BackFire
The scale of the story was different in each game by quite a significant margin. Also, as I said, it was more the characters that made the series memorable, rather than the plot itself. The characters were imaginative and extremely round and well developed.
I don't see how you could possibly consider the characters imaginative. I agree that they were well detailed but they were not in any way original and imo they weren't at all compelling. The characters in something like Zero Escape or Metal Gear were far more interesting and better designed.