Retrospectives Nos. 23 + 24 Heavy Rain and LA Noire

Two things to address first: Despite the review that may follow I don’t actually hate either of these two games, I am merely quite indifferent. Secondly, super exciting Christmas treat, I will be covering two games to complete my three part series on how important graphics are to the quality of the gaming experience. With the score two-nil to powerful graphics and my decision to conveniently cover two games this week I’m pretty certain that most of you will have figured out that things aren’t looking good for either of these titles.  Don’t let that put you off though or you’ll never know why.

As usual I’ll begin with the positives and keeping with my theme these games look absolutely stunning. They are comfortably the match of Bioshock or Uncharted. Of special note are the superb character animations that seem truly revolutionary in the level of detail and realism that they replicate. LA Noire in particular really demonstrates the quality of motion-capture with the characters being amongst the best representations of the actors portraying them that I have seen in gaming. Both titles utilise this to the max and the cutscenes show emotions and depth in a fashion that the more action orientated games don’t quite live up to. At times it feels like watching computer generated drama (emphasis on watching).

The decent writing permeates well into the setting and as with the action movie world of Uncharted and Bioshock’s Columbia, Heavy Rain and LA Noire create worlds which should be filled with possibilities. Both take a similar approach going for a grimy, gritty detective ‘noir’ feel and pull it off with a sense of style. They might not be trying for fun and vibrant but the result is every bit as atmospheric as the more action orientated titles. The other thing to note is just how well they make the mundane everyday life aspects of the world (especially Heavy Rain) work. It doesn’t have to be floating cities or tropical forests to make you marvel and many of Heavy Rain’s most intense scenes are set in ordinary suburban houses. Although the setting of 50s LA is slightly more fantastical to a modern audience it’s in the dank motels and the back alley bars that the game really gets its hooks into you.

Sadly, where these games fail to match either of the previous games that I looked at is definitely in the game play section. Missions in both boil down to simple point and click affairs navigating a scene and finding something to interact with. Upon successful interaction the scene progresses often through the use of quick time events or matching motions on the controller. The problem with this is it is boring. Extremely boring. LA Noire at least has a bit of variety as you are required to travel between missions and coasting around 50s Los Angeles is a bit of a laugh but in Heavy Rain all of the scene transitions happen off screen forcing you to stick rigidly to the plot. It is really hard to describe just how dull it is possible to make a car chase, a series of Saw style challenges or any number of horror/thriller staples but Heavy Rain manages it over and over again. The screenshot below is a prime example it should feel like a badass confrontation but even the characters seem bored by what is going on.

It isn’t the fault of the plots of either games, which I actually find quite interesting (if falling slightly short of the lofty goals set out by the designers) but it is so hard to feel any sense of peril or connection with the characters whilst your interactions are so limited. Both games feel like they are so desperate to progress you through the story that your actual impact on anything relating to the game is negligible. You aren’t allowed to mess up the scripted story and any attempts to go slightly off menu lead to near instant failures. Even a slight choose your own adventure element to Heavy Rain doesn’t make the game feel any more engaging and simply leads to a sense of seeing someone else’s interactive story unfold in the most boring fashion possible.

So how do I conclude? Well, firstly a positive development for myself, I don’t appear to be completely shallow. Graphics definitely help immersion and gameplay with more clarity only being a positive thing but they can’t be used by developers to hide behind a flawed premise. It doesn’t matter how many months you spend working on making the tiny little details look perfect if the central core concept is a dud or just doesn’t work properly. Who cares how wonderfully LA Noire captured the feel of 1950s LA and the ‘film noir’ genre when it isn’t that interesting to explore? Why would you care about the hunt for the ‘Origami Killer’ when the story will progress to its conclusion regardless of your input or actions? As ever we should embrace this new generation of consoles with a sense of caution and just remember not to get swept away by pretty graphics (Ryse or Killzone) but look for the stories and mechanics that will make the game memorable for the right reasons.

 

Retrospective No. 22 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

This week is the second in my trilogy of reviews inspired by the new hardware that is now on offer to us all, or at least if you can wait until January for more stock to be supplied. Last week with Bioshock Infinite I put forth the notion that good graphics can bear the brunt of a great game even if the gameplay isn’t quite up to scratch. This week I’m looking at another stunner and will I end up with the same outcome? Will it prove to be another case of beauty over brains? Or is there more to Uncharted 2 Among Thieves than meets the eye?

The original Uncharted was one of these games that really pushed the boundaries of home console quality becoming one of the first defining reasons to buy a PS3. However, as lauded as it was the game suffered from similar issues to Bioshock Infinite, having a well rounded presentation but struggling when it came to the actual gameplay. With such fine pedigree it’s no surprise that on the appearance stakes Uncharted 2 hits all the right notes. Using all the power that the ps3 has under its hood a vast variety of exotic adventure locales are rendered in stunning quality. From snow capped peaks to rich jungle flora, so familiar from the first title, everything is delivered with a crisp sharpness and a refreshingly vibrant colour palette. This coupled with the most beautifully rendered snowstorms in gaming gives an authentic feel that grants the experience the extra bit of immersion that other games might lack.

In fact I’d say this game is considerably more immersive than Bioshock Infinite. I mentioned last week that Columbia was a venue that I felt like strolling around to see the sights and Uncharted 2 is much more restrictive. What you see is much more obviously predetermined and more linear. Despite this what you are offered also manages to make you feel much more exhilaratingly part of the action. No strolling from point to point here even if it is to absorb the view this is a from start to finish sprint in the style of the very best Hollywood blockbuster thrillers. Cutscenes, gameplay and quick time events converge to create some frantic breath-taking moments. This game single-handedly revives the quick time event by plunging you head first into them and letting you sink or swim. I don’t want to spoil these moments by going into too much detail of the death-defying stunts the game has you perform but the story begins with Drake hanging over a cliff in a wrecked train and just ups the ante from there.

These quick time events are where the incredible graphical output of this game is essential. The first one I played I died straight away because I didn’t realise it had happened. The game transitioned so smoothly into the interactive sequence that I simply didn’t pick up my controller. From that point onwards I never put my controller down and I never stopped trying to interact. I was hooked. Most importantly I always felt fully in control of my own actions rather than the usual press ‘x’ to not die and it was thrilling.

As ever with such a continuous stream of positive outpouring there are some negatives to be noted with this game. Sadly, it is exactly the same critique as I had last week. The game plays as another series of survival modes with the main distinction being a 3^rd person viewpoint rather than as a first-person shooter. The mechanics are perfectly workable and a decent cover fire system makes it slightly less frustrating but for a game that is so full of highlights the combat once again feels like a bit of a hard slog. As before the effort that has gone into crafting such a stunning game was also not extended to your enemies with even less variety as essentially all your opponents are mercenaries.

Uncharted 2 Among Thieves is a better balanced game than Bioshock Infinite although it is somewhat lacking the unique charm and flourishes that makes Bioshock so interesting. However, this doesn’t mean it is a just a derivative third-person shooter without its own extraordinary stand-out moments. Like the very best action movies this is a thrill ride from start to finish and as a result the momentum never drops even as you mow your way through hundreds of enemies. Graphics once again couldn’t bring the most engrossing gameplay but they are a significant factor is the stunning graphics produced making this one of the most immersive games I have ever played. Unlike with Bioshock where beautiful moments were shown to you to observe, here you play your way through astonishing set-pieces and hold on for dear life. Round two is also going to graphics, if Uncharted 4 produces anything like this we are in for a treat.

Retrospective No. 21 Bioshock Infinite

In the build-up to Christmas I have decided to do a series of reviews linked roughly by a common theme inspired in part by the new console launches that we have had in the last few weeks. Every hardware upgrade comes with a litany of games promising to offer graphics the likes of which have never been seen, and including features and experiences that were never before possible before these latest innovations in technology. Does this matter to you? Is it pure hardware power that makes games memorable and engrossing? The first game I am going to look at is Bioshock Infinite, one of the greatest spectacles I have ever experienced but possibly not one of the greatest games.

So what do I mean by that? Well, graphically the game is stunning but lots of games have pretty graphics and that’s not necessarily enough to stand out on its own. It helps that it has an imaginative, vibrant setting that really gives the artists something incredible to work with. Columbia (not the country) is an early 20^th Century city in the sky elevated by vast engines. As a result the map design is an expertly weighted jumble of early 1900s townhouses, fountains and plazas, retro amusement arcades, the industrial revolution and more all to the background of the clearest, cleanest blue skies. The effect of this is dazzling. The opening sequence juxtaposes this splendour with the stormy greys of the Earth below to create one of the greatest introductions in gaming. Imagine the first time you see a brontosaurus in Jurassic Park or the setting of the two suns of Tatooine and you have something close to the wonder I felt as I took my first steps in that city. It was so involving I took a leisurely stroll from plot marker to plot marker actively seeking out NPCs to interact with just so I could enjoy the city.

A great setting is not enough on its own and a world as wonderful as Columbia would be nothing without a good story to back it up. You play as Booker Dewitt a private detective with a troubled past, seeking to rescue a mysterious girl, Elizabeth, from Columbia the religious enclave in the sky. So far, so generic right? That’s where you’d be wrong. Whilst their tropes fall into traditional archetypes the story does not. The simple rescue mission transcends time, space and even the boundaries of the conventions of video gaming. Elizabeth meanwhile is possibly the greatest side kick in all of gaming. What should be essentially one long nightmarish escort mission and all the stresses and frustration that would entail is lightened by her wonderful characterisation and also her usefulness in combat. In fact several reviewers noted how at times it feels like she is escorting you (sometimes literally) but this never feels intrusive and she always feels like a real character not some overpowered AI monster. The greatest achievement of Bioshock Infinite is to take really over played ideas and give them a fresh look making them interesting again.

So having created a vibrant, wonderful setting and an interesting multi-layered plot how did the developers have you actually play the game? Well it appears that somebody decided the best way to properly appreciate the plotting and setting was essentially a series of survival modes. You enter an area, various anonymous enemies appear and you must dispatch them. Once they are all cleared the plot marker/obstruction/previously blocked exit becomes accessible and you can continue on your merry quest. This isn’t to suggest the game play is entirely bland. Combat is spiced up by the use of Elizabeth’s powers to drag items or defences or allies into maps to change the course of a battle. While this is happening Booker has a wide variety of weapons, the usual supply of powers (now known as vigors) as well as the brutal sky-hook to use in combat or to make a quick escape and change altitude. There is lots to do here its just it feels somewhat by the numbers and doesn’t contribute well to the story progression at all. Everything that is interesting, unique and memorable gradually fades away over the course of the game.

Never have I played such a schizophrenic game in my life. As you trudge through the later levels carving through hordes of repetitive drones desperately seeking the next plot progression you may find yourself pining for happier times when you strolled the vibrant streets looking for the next surprise. This is a game that is all about concepts and appearances but didn’t pay quite so much attention to the actual ‘game’ part. The odd thing is that all of this is fine. I might not remember killing the 1000^th faceless drone that has been released into my arena but I will always remember Bioshock Infinite. It has a bold plot that promises something more mature for mainstream gaming and whilst it might not be the second coming it is still quite remarkable. In the battle between game play and graphics round one goes to graphics, with a slight assist from some tremendous plotting. Of course it might just be that I’m really shallow. Maybe I’ll find out next week.