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JimiNutz · Jul 1, 2014

I rarely get time to game anymore.
With work, gym, dog, girlfriend, Muay Thai and other hobbies taking up my time, it's rare that I get to sit down for a day and play through a good game.

I buy things like Forza or Killer Instinct because I can pick them up for an hour, have a few quick games, enjoy it and then not play again for a few days.

I actually can't remember the last single player campaign that I 'completed' from start to finish.

Anyway, I've got a few days off work and see thaf Tomb Raider is going cheap on Amazon.
It's supposed to be a really good game, critics loved it and the amazon reviews are good.

I've just 'played' two hours of this game and can honestly say that I'm left bitterly dissapointed.
Of my two hours of 'gameplay' I'd say that I've spent the majority of my time either watching cutscenes, reading menus, or being funnelled down highly scripted events - basically running down corridors while the scenery shakes and breaks up around me....

Where is the actual gameplay? Why do I feel like I'm simply watching the action unfold around me with minimal input from me?

Is this what modern AAA gaming is?

Sorry if this has been said 100 times before but this has really taken me by surprise. As I said, I don't game much anymore and was really looking forward to this. Now it just seems like I've wasted two hours of my life and my money. Does it get better later on? Have I juat picked the wrong game or is modern gaming simply not for me?

George Oscar Bluth II · Jul 1, 2014

There aren't too many AAA games that drop you right into the action (the ones I've played, which aren't too many). I guess arcade and indie games? Maybe the Batman Arkham series? Doesn't take too long to get started in them.

StuKen · Jul 1, 2014

Welcome to ungaming. It's been like this since about 2006.

Jb · Jul 1, 2014

Tomb Raider is an Uncharted-type game, you kinda should have known what you were getting yourself into.

gngf123 · Jul 1, 2014

Nintendo have been pretty good about gameplay, at least.

Indie devs and very specific larger devs like Platinum also do a decent job. Not to forget the great arcade games that are out there either. Western AAA studios seem to aim at an entirely different audience for the most part.

Magic Mushroom · Jul 1, 2014

There are tons of AAA games that don't fit that mould to be fair. Though I guess some of it has to do with your definiton of AAA. But games like Bayonetta, Street Fighter 4, Souls series, Arkham games, Mario 3D World, Tropical Freeze, Metal Gear Rising and many others are just so good when it comes to gameplay.

Also, there are cutscenes and scripted events in games like Resident Evil 4, but it's still an awesome game to play. Same with The Last of Us in my opinion.

Chozolore · Jul 1, 2014

You did better than me, I managed about 30 mins.

StayDead · Jul 1, 2014

Outside of a few companies people would seemingly rather make movies than games.

Seanspeed · Jul 1, 2014

NutJobJim said:
Is this what modern AAA gaming is?

No, that's what Tomb Raider and a few others are like.

I-hate-u · Jul 1, 2014

Play mechanics-based games like fighting games, platformers, and online shooters.

NewGame · Jul 1, 2014

Gameplay is hard, cutscenes are fairly easy and you'll win as long as you don't have a powerout or pull on the power cable. When game reviewers who are extremely important busy people who don't have time to learn button inputs watch the amazing prerenders and in engine scripted events of GOTY heavy hitters like Bioshock Infinite, The Last Of Us and GTAV they can't help but be blown away that they unlocked that cutscene. To seal the deal achievements are often unlocked shortly after the scene plays out just in case you have the subtle feeling of not getting anywhere.

mcz117chief · Jul 1, 2014

Get TitanFall then, that will be right up your alley, pure action nonstop for 10 minutes at a time

General_Frags · Jul 1, 2014

We left gameplay back in the 90's, get with the times man. Everything must now be a Michael Bay esque QTE big spectacle 3 hour movie.

HORRORSHØW · Jul 1, 2014

there are a myriad of different games. games don't have to follow a template to satisfy a particular group; conversely, you're free to ignore said game.

Fliesen · Jul 1, 2014

Tomb Raider is one of those "games" that are clearly committed to being more like an interactive movie where you do some puzzlesolving between scripted sequences of intense action, which is a stark contrast to its predecessors which was mostly puzzle solving / platforming.

Which isn't bad, per se.
It's much more of an interactive "ride" than a "game", really. Though a great one, imho.

Manu · Jul 1, 2014

Jb said:
Tomb Raider is an Uncharted-type game, you kinda should have known what you were getting yourself into.

Uncharted has much more gameplay than the last Tomb Raider.

JediLink · Jul 1, 2014

There's still gameplay, OP. But to find it, you must journey to the land of ancient lords.

TGO · Jul 1, 2014

Magic Mushroom said:
There are tons of AAA games that don't fit that mould to be fair. Though I guess some of it has to do with your definiton of AAA. But games like Bayonetta, Street Fighter 4, Souls series, Arkham games, Mario 3D World, Tropical Freeze, Metal Gear Rising and many others are just so good when it comes to gameplay.

Also, there are cutscenes and scripted events in games like Resident Evil 4, but it's still an awesome game to play. Same with The Last of Us in my opinion.

Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Manu · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

wat

Bit-Bit · Jul 1, 2014

I had this exact thought last night. Picked up Witcher 2 during the steam sale.

The first two hours of the game has like 30 minutes of gameplay. The rest is cut-scenes that aren't even well directed. Odd camera angles and terrible voice direction.

I don't mind cinematics in games, AS LONG AS THEY'RE DONE WELL.

Game studios who can't direct video for shit, please hire a professional.

Balb · Jul 1, 2014

Not The Droid You're Looking For said:
There aren't too many AAA games that drop you right into the action (the ones I've played, which aren't too many). I guess arcade and indie games? Maybe the Batman Arkham series? Doesn't take too long to get started in them.

gngf123 said:
Nintendo have been pretty good about gameplay, at least.

Indie devs and very specific larger devs like Platinum also do a decent job. Not to forget the great arcade games that are out there either. Western AAA studios seem to aim at an entirely different audience for the most part.

Did I miss the arcade revival?

cacildo · Jul 1, 2014

yeah, its your fault.

What? Do you think you will get "gameplay" when you buy a game? You should inform yourself!

Also, what are you complaining? There´s <2d-indie-game-that-is-nothing-like-you-want> and it has "gameplay" if that´s what you think you want. Its out for PC and Ouya go get it.

As you all may or may not notice, im joking

Blinck · Jul 1, 2014

Jedi Link said:
There's still gameplay, OP. But to find it, you must journey to the land of ancient lords.

Basically this.

If you want pure ( and awesome) gameplay, get something like Dark Souls.

No cutscenes, no long tutorials and no fluff. You simply play.

Or play a Nintendo platformer

KnaveX · Jul 1, 2014

The hate for this trend I feel is warranted, if not a bit overblown in some cases. What I have seen is slowly happening, in cases like TLOU, is that devs are making their cinematic games but putting control back in players hands. Melee confrontations always felt satisfying cause of this, and its a trend that really needs to be picked up if cinematic games want to evolve at all.

Uncle Rupee · Jul 1, 2014

Maybe try playing a Nintendo game for a change.

Raonak · Jul 1, 2014

It's the nature of cinematic games. It's not about gameplay, but rather the overall package. The sound, visuals, presentation, gameplay, narrative, all mixed together to create a very tight overall experience.

I havent played tomb raider, but Uncharted 2, MGS4 and TLOU were some of my favourite games last gen- with DMC4 and Demons souls rounding out my top 5.

ebullientprism · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Jimrpg · Jul 1, 2014

Pick up a wii u like I did. (I haven't played it yet, still waiting for me back home thousands of miles away)

I got

Super mario 3D world
Mario kart
Donkey Kong
New super mario bros u

Or play PC strategy games they haven't changed so much

And demons/dark souls.

gngf123 · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

What

Balb said:
Did I miss the arcade revival?

Sadly not, but games in that style still exist and are still being made (slowly). If you aren't finding the gameplay you want in AAA games it's worth mentioning.

1.21Gigawatts · Jul 1, 2014

There are games that focus only on gameplay mechanics, and then there are games that also focus on story and characters.

I like both. But I like the ones with story focus more. The Last Of Us had some of the best gameplay of last gen combined with a great story, great characters and a great setting.
Thats my type of game.

What I don't like is David Cage games or stuff like The Walking Dead. There has got to be a good gameplay mechanic in my opinion.

Net_Wrecker · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Man I'm reading some crazy stuff on GAF lately.

Marceles · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Nah...you're being funny

MavFan619 · Jul 1, 2014

Just avoid the games you feel might be too cinematic and menu heavy for you. Platinum and From not to mention all fighting games are heavily mechanics driven. Just because technology affords games to tell stories more convincingly doesn't mean the games you just go ahead and play stopped existing. Try those out.

George Oscar Bluth II · Jul 1, 2014

Balb said:
Did I miss the arcade revival?

Well, I was talking about games on Xbox Live Arcade and such. Guess I should be more specific.

Wonko_C · Jul 1, 2014

I was about to make a topic about this. It happens with everything: trends change and us old farts that grew up in a different era will yell at clouds and rant that our times were better (worst thing is that I'm only 34 and I don't think we can call that age "old"). Games were a challenge, they were gameplay-first and the story was just there to provide context.

I guess I'm sad that that style of games is no longer the mainstream, at least Nintendo and some Japanese companies still put gameplay mechanics first, and many independent games are there (Shovel Knight is fantastic!) to fill the void that the big studios left. I just hope they don't start emulating those "filmic" games or all will be lost.

Tekku · Jul 1, 2014

Story-driven games have been like this for quite some time? I don't think it has too much with the production value to do. If you want to tell some kind of story it's hard to do without interrupting the player from time to time.

jacksepticeye · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

This won't end well for you...

knirk · Jul 1, 2014

Tomb Raider got quite a lot cutscenes the first few hours but opens up a lot after that.

But I agree with you, there are too many cutscenes, scripted events and stuff in modern games sadly.

RionaaM · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Yeah, I hate these stupid games where you press a button and a car accelerates. I mean, that's as scripted as it can be, someone coded that shit instead of it happening dynamically by spontaneous programming. Or those annoying QTEs where you click the left mouse button and Duke Nukem shoots his RPG at an octabrain, or you press the down arrow and a cutscene plays of a Tetris block falling down.

Man, gaming is ruined :/

driver116 · Jul 1, 2014

There are a lot of great games out their which focus gameplay well. You need to do research. I can't believe KI and Forza are the only mention-worthy games in your post 0_0

mrklaw · Jul 1, 2014

Blinck said:
Basically this.

If you want pure ( and awesome) gameplay, get something like Dark Souls.

No cutscenes, no long tutorials and no fluff. You simply play.

Or play a Nintendo platformer

While Dark Souls is great for 'just start gaming' - it isn't ideal for someone that can manage an hour once every few days. I'd lose track of where I was.

It isn't as bad as a story heavy RPG, where my lack of gaming time means playing something like P4G is like reading the same paragraph in a book over and over again because I'm distracted.

SaintMadeOfPlaster · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Hahahaha holy shit this is actually the worst thing I've ever read on GAF.

lukeskymac · Jul 1, 2014

NutJobJim said:
Anyway, I've got a few days off work and see thaf Tomb Raider is going cheap on Amazon.
It's supposed to be a really good game, critics loved it and the amazon reviews are good.

First mistake.

I've just 'played' two hours of this game and can honestly say that I'm left bitterly dissapointed.
Of my two hours of 'gameplay' I'd say that I've spent the majority of my time either watching cutscenes, reading menus, or being funnelled down highly scripted events - basically running down corridors while the scenery shakes and breaks up around me....
Where is the actual gameplay? Why do I feel like I'm simply watching the action unfold around me with minimal input from me?

Is this what modern AAA gaming is?

You're taking one, O N E bad, formulaic checklist-to-success game as an example, and using it to draw your conclusion about the entire industry. Congratulations! I hope you realize how ridiculous your rant is in this context.

In fact, your post is so nonsensical, you could even jump into the same conclusion if you by chance picked up an excellent game that happens to have a slow build-up.

Anyway, I've got a few days off work and see thaf Earthbound is going cheap on the eShop.
It's supposed to be a really good game, critics loved it and I read some really good impressions from GAF.

I've just 'played' two hours of this game and can honestly say that I'm left bitterly dissapointed.
Of my two hours of 'gameplay' I'd say that I've spent the majority of my time either "in combat", where you practically only press a button to make the dice roll and hope you get a high number, or wandering aimlessly on an open map trying to find some... sanctuaries I guess? And entering "combat" with basically anything that moves or crawls on the map

Where is the gameplay? Yadda yadda is Chrono Cross also this bad, yadda

zXe · Jul 1, 2014

I only have issues if scripted sequences go on too long and you can't skip them. Often in games you get long winded introduction sequences that drag on too long and I get bored really quickly. But if they're done well and I like the characters like I do in the The Last of Us for example, then I'm engrossed in the story. Sometimes you have scripted gameplay where you're doing nothing but kind of milling around waiting for characters to finish dialogue that is really dull and you just want to move past it so you can start properly playing again. I really hate that stuff in modern games.

I recall playing Metro last Light a while back and it takes it's time to get going and you're doing nothing but walking around a base listening to generic uninspiring characters talking before you finally get to go outside and do stuff.

Bit-Bit · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Not sure if you're a genius or just really unaware.

Atraveller · Jul 1, 2014

TGO said:
Not being funny but isn't street fighter "input button combination for awesome"
And your not exactly performing a kick for each kick that lands with a hurricane kick
Street Fighter is very scripted, although the gameplay is there, but it's how done thats the difference, this actually applies to all games.
Just wanted to point that out.

Everything is scripted, we have no real control, wake up sheeple!

Kenshin001 · Jul 1, 2014

Yes, that is what AAA gaming is these days. Every single game plays exactly the same and there is absolutely no difference between say Wolfenstein, Dark Souls 2, Titanfall and Tomb Raider. If only there were a website where gamers from around the world posted their impressions of a variety of AAA games outlining their experiences with said games so one could get an idea before buying a game. That would be dandy.

U-R · Jul 1, 2014

I think the golden rule is: "if during those cutscene the player character is executing something that the player expects being able to execute by himself, the game is a fucking ****".

If i'm in a stealth action game, and the game stops because it wants to show me interaction between two characters, like Joel talking with Ellie... well fine, i don't expect to press X for Jason in The Last of Us. But if i enter an abandoned building in a survival horror, i expect to experience the exploration, the unfolding of dark corridors and walls: after all there is a full character-movement system that i mastered during the game itself that is there just to allow me to experience that.In such a case the game switching to a cutscene of my scared hero entering the place is basically the developer being a piece of shit and janking the controller out of my hands.

I won't even go on to the zero of game design aka QTEs. Gamers should not accept to degrade themselves to performing tasks designed for lab rats and other critters.

lukeskymac · Jul 1, 2014

Manu said:
Uncharted has much more gameplay than the last Tomb Raider.

This. I'm replaying Uncharted 2 now that I've noticed I never beat it on Crushing (how dare I!). There are so many combat-platforming-combat-platforming quick 1-2s in the monastery in Tibet that quickly destroy the "QQ Uncharted haz no gaemplay" bullshit.

Edit: The verticality that was largely absent on UC3 is everywhere in UC2. Level/combat design is simply superior. Of course, UC3 made some improvements in puzzle design, cover responsiveness (the amount of times I died in UC2 because drake rolled around instead of entering cover... thank god for ND's soft cover system in TLoU) and the amount of setpieces you can actually control nearly completely - LastNac's plane vs train example comes to mind here, though the train level itself was superior.

Klocker · Jul 1, 2014

It's the main reason I'm such a fan of open world sandbox games now. The story is secondary to me and the trend to "cinematize" games now just turns me off.

Yes your graphics can be higher fidelity with a narrower focus and yes you can lead the gamer on a journey but after a while I'm usually bored. I want to control my experience. Otherwise I'd rather just watch a movie.

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