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Surely there are games out there you either went in wanting to like, for any reason, that simply didn't live up. Why and what were they for you?
For me, the best example is a little game called Kane & Lynch Dead Men.
Now, I wasn't totally unaware of its flaws; I had seen reviews saying it wasn't the best third person shooter, but the concept, presentation, characters, overall style just drew me in. Even after giving up halfway through from sheer infuriation, the style and character still almost make me want to try it AGAIN, despite how painful it was before.
Unlike other crime games that are over-the-top, like Saint's Row, or with heavy comedic or satirical elements, like GTA, Yakuza, and the like, the game offered a very mature and dead serious dark, dark, dark story. No charismatic characters here. Kane and Lynch are two extremely dangerous psychopaths with almost no redeeming qualities between them. And scariest yet, both are very grounded in reality; people like this could actually exist. The story of the game itself could actually exist.
You don't play the game to sympathize with them, you play it to experience the lives of two men beyond salvation in the crimimal underworld.
That alone captivated me. I was so interested, and starting it up, yeah, for a PS3 game, it was pretty laughable. It felt like a PS2 game from 2002 and the shooting was pretty wonky, but I soon grew to appreciate its own little unique quirks.
Every game has its own style and I soon grew to actually like it. It just needed more polish. The first couple missions were actually a bit fun too, if not a bit difficult. And already I liked the characters and story; I wanted to see more. Even the music added a really nice atmosphere. Nor was it open world like a sandbox, but more linear. Kane and Lynch go to new locations each mission and it keeps progressing like that.
With these controls, it worked.
And then I began to realize just what the reviews meant by "the game sucks, despite its merit as a story."
Night stages. And wow, did they ever exceed expectations in terms of bad. So bad, they are almost unplayable. Despite how much I wanted to get into it, they were so frustrating, I wanted to quit.
But I pressed on, hoping maybe that was the last night stage.
Nope. Another one. Then another. And then you have to headshot a guy in the dark, and if you fail, you gotta watch the whole cutscene AGAIN each time.
That was the last straw. I couldn't take it.
Funny enough, the guy I sold it too tried to return it to me under the guise it didn't work (it did), because he wound up hating it too. Tough break, resell it like I did. That's the risk.
Even now, I find myself thinking about it again and I want try it again, but I have to force myself not to, because it's not going to be any better.
I think I heard there is going to be a movie coming up, and maybe that will suit these characters and this story better than a game. That... or a better developer. But I doubt that'll happen. These guys got a sequel game to fix all the issues, and it's actually far worse gamewise than the first! Even the great story elements and style aren't there either. Totally wrong direction.
Anyway, that's mine. Share yours.
For me, the best example is a little game called Kane & Lynch Dead Men.
Now, I wasn't totally unaware of its flaws; I had seen reviews saying it wasn't the best third person shooter, but the concept, presentation, characters, overall style just drew me in. Even after giving up halfway through from sheer infuriation, the style and character still almost make me want to try it AGAIN, despite how painful it was before.
Unlike other crime games that are over-the-top, like Saint's Row, or with heavy comedic or satirical elements, like GTA, Yakuza, and the like, the game offered a very mature and dead serious dark, dark, dark story. No charismatic characters here. Kane and Lynch are two extremely dangerous psychopaths with almost no redeeming qualities between them. And scariest yet, both are very grounded in reality; people like this could actually exist. The story of the game itself could actually exist.
You don't play the game to sympathize with them, you play it to experience the lives of two men beyond salvation in the crimimal underworld.
That alone captivated me. I was so interested, and starting it up, yeah, for a PS3 game, it was pretty laughable. It felt like a PS2 game from 2002 and the shooting was pretty wonky, but I soon grew to appreciate its own little unique quirks.
Every game has its own style and I soon grew to actually like it. It just needed more polish. The first couple missions were actually a bit fun too, if not a bit difficult. And already I liked the characters and story; I wanted to see more. Even the music added a really nice atmosphere. Nor was it open world like a sandbox, but more linear. Kane and Lynch go to new locations each mission and it keeps progressing like that.
With these controls, it worked.
And then I began to realize just what the reviews meant by "the game sucks, despite its merit as a story."
Night stages. And wow, did they ever exceed expectations in terms of bad. So bad, they are almost unplayable. Despite how much I wanted to get into it, they were so frustrating, I wanted to quit.
But I pressed on, hoping maybe that was the last night stage.
Nope. Another one. Then another. And then you have to headshot a guy in the dark, and if you fail, you gotta watch the whole cutscene AGAIN each time.
That was the last straw. I couldn't take it.
Funny enough, the guy I sold it too tried to return it to me under the guise it didn't work (it did), because he wound up hating it too. Tough break, resell it like I did. That's the risk.
Even now, I find myself thinking about it again and I want try it again, but I have to force myself not to, because it's not going to be any better.
I think I heard there is going to be a movie coming up, and maybe that will suit these characters and this story better than a game. That... or a better developer. But I doubt that'll happen. These guys got a sequel game to fix all the issues, and it's actually far worse gamewise than the first! Even the great story elements and style aren't there either. Totally wrong direction.
Anyway, that's mine. Share yours.
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