tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post2931163691964679235..comments2024-03-25T04:52:02.492-07:00Comments on Fruitless Pursuits: Let's Be Critical About Arkham City and Uncharted 3.Luke Miltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10561782738433501505noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post-73827337836438776922011-11-08T07:49:30.290-08:002011-11-08T07:49:30.290-08:00i loved the fake-out ending with catwoman. The Or...i loved the fake-out ending with catwoman. The Oracle speech near the end was great! And I think you can forgive catwoman for thinking batman'll be fine. I mean, he's batman!! :D<br /><br />Another thing that is kind of bugging me is the "VR simulators" side-quest. Mostly because I can't do the last couple. Luckily I have a buddy who's much more proficient to come over and "shadow-game" for me in these situations..Stryder Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16112472515398868068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post-76953966002366617192011-11-07T06:42:29.135-08:002011-11-07T06:42:29.135-08:00I think it's a problem though with Batman that...I think it's a problem though with Batman that the virus is always a false urgency anyway. There's no real time limit. You can gallivant around on the rooftops as much as you like and you're never in danger of dying. So that plot is there presumably to raise the stakes and create tension, but the game never actually commits to that - because it doesn't affect the outcome either way.<br /><br />What it does do amazingly well is the Catwoman fake-out ending. (Spoilers) In the Catwoman storyline you have to choose to help Batman or leave with the loot, and if you leave with the loot the credits roll and you're convinced for about a minute that you've prematurely ended your game. Then it goes into rewind and you get to choose again. A cool gimmick, but again I guess you're still being channelled down a path where you can't affect much.<br /><br />Tim - I think InFamous is a great example of a games that gives you a good toolbox of abilities, throws you into an amazing playground and lets you approach problems the way you want to. A lot of free will in that game and it's a ton of fun. It barely ever gets bogged down by the sorts of things I'm criticising here.Luke Miltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10561782738433501505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post-5851312738113029662011-11-06T08:40:40.646-08:002011-11-06T08:40:40.646-08:00Whats funny is I've felt more pressure to comp...Whats funny is I've felt more pressure to complete the game from Dr. Strange counting down to when Project Mayhem will commence (or whatever its called) as opposed to the Joker main plot. I've gone off and completed side quests left and right because they seem to come up more often than not and how can the reporter being molested in the alley next door not cause me to stop and assist? <br /><br />What I have found is that if you focus on the main plot before the side quests it gets that much tougher. Trying to complete the Bane and Zaz quests respectively, I am at a point of completing them right as the Joker has armed his men with sniper rifles. So trying to sneak around is that much more difficult since the Titan containers (and Zaz's lair) are under heavy sniper fire.<br /><br />its story comes across as confusing in the sense of "what did I miss" because it'll start referring to things that have happened outside the game and in the graphic novel that was apparently released prior to the game. By no means a game or story breaker, but annoying all the same.<br /><br />Also - Fuck the museum. I am scarred shitless to go in the aquarium everytime because of the damn shark. If they are going to include that in the game, the least they could do is provide you with a can of shark repellant.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04221885555339233675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post-8130230631453868432011-11-05T20:46:49.303-07:002011-11-05T20:46:49.303-07:00I agree with both your criticisms about batman, al...I agree with both your criticisms about batman, although it doesn't really take away from the game too much (well, the pull the raft through water bit gets old pretty quick). I followed the story because I thought I'd die if I didn't and thus finished the main plot at 43% completion. But then batman has some line like "there's still a lot of work to be done here" or whatever and I figure sure NOW I can visit bane or see what those undercover cops were so excited about....I can relax and it's just another weeknight for batman after the main plot, but it's still epic just being batman. It WOULD have helped me if I was a higher level and had more stuff unlocked before "winning" the game though....Stryder Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16112472515398868068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8500397037297156063.post-7591294362634224752011-11-05T19:51:01.157-07:002011-11-05T19:51:01.157-07:00"Quick Batman you must got the formula from t..."Quick Batman you must got the formula from the Joker"<br /><br />"Hang on I've almost got this riddler trophy with my remote batarang... FFFFFFFFFFF, ok one more go"<br /><br />Ha seriously. That's a good point. I'd say that's a lot like film making. Where you fail if the audience disconnects and are reminded that they are in a cinema watching a movie. In this case with a movie game reminding people that they are playing a game.<br /><br />That said there's games like Metal Gear who revel in the meta. Making jokes about how you are playing a game but also using that to tell a story. Like Metal gear 4 where Snake has to crawl down this hallway filled with radiation by you rapidly pushing a button. Snake struggles to not die and you the player are getting super tired as well (clever mr Kojima!). <br /><br />I think my favourite games that balance the movie and game aspect are inFamous, Psychonauts and Heavy Rain. Metal Gear and Earthbound 2 are probably my favourites at balancing story and making fun of you playing a videogame but also engaging you with it.mrmerkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00979216894917693956noreply@blogger.com