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Beautiful settings wasted on mediocre games
- Thread starter leng jai
- Start date
vainglorious
Member
I don't think FF13 is a mediocre game. There is amazing world building in the 13 trilogy and the setting for Cocoon is fantastic! Phenomenal art direction. But we got a ton of world building and set up and then not much context throughout the rest of the game. We were largely left to fill in the holes for ourselves like... how do fal'Cie's care for the people of Cocoon? Carbuncle is a fal'Cie that manufactures food? How does that work? The fal'Cie Phoenix acts as Cocoon's sun? What?
A lot of wasted opportunity. It could've been Final Fantasy's next Midgar.
Cocoon's Capital - Eden.
Lake Bresha.
The city of Palumpolum.
The Gapra Whitewood.
A lot of wasted opportunity. It could've been Final Fantasy's next Midgar.
Cocoon's Capital - Eden.
Lake Bresha.
The city of Palumpolum.
The Gapra Whitewood.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Assassin's Creed: the thread
And Castlevania Lords of Shadow
And Castlevania Lords of Shadow
FonkyByNature
Member
For me, it's definitely "The Order 1886".
Amazing setting, dark vibe, werewolfs, steampunk... but repetitive gameplay and a short game with zero replay value.
Amazing setting, dark vibe, werewolfs, steampunk... but repetitive gameplay and a short game with zero replay value.
I was thinking the same thing.
This game had a really ambitious and interesting setting, but ultimately they don't do a whole lot with it. It's a shame, it has a lot of potential and it just squandered it all on a really bland and uninteresting RPG. They basically talk about nothing, and explain nothing, and no I don't count the text logs, I'm playing a game not reading a book.
GabeTheGrouch76
Member
That would be a more fair/accurate thread title methinks. Then again, some people are putting reasonable arguments as to why they think the games are mediocre, so eh.
Personally, I cast my vote on Sonic and the Secret Rings and Sonic Unleashed.
The setting and artwork of Secret Rings is some truly nice stuff (especially by Wii standards), in anything I wish that visual inspiration for their art direction was used for future Sonic titles. But unfortunately the gameplay is just an awful waggle fest (because lolWii) and the general game design is too restrictive and limiting to me.
(Unfortunately I can't seem to find any good screenshots.)
Unleashed is even more visually phenomenal with its real-life locations, but the Werehog segments, medal collecting, and to an small extent even the daytime segments (for the same reasons as Secret Rings) just drag the experience down for me.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
I will say Kirby and the Rainbow Curse.
Bioshock infinite is extremely mediocre. The setting is fantastic but can you honestly say that the gameplay is just as fantastic?
It's just a generic shooter...
Gtagentleman
Member
Unity
Teknopathetic
Member
"Well, at least you're no longer pretending you like it while blatantly trolling the OT. 
"
Being critical of Guild Wars 2's many failings isn't trolling. Well, not to well adjusted people.
"Being critical of Guild Wars 2's many failings isn't trolling. Well, not to well adjusted people.
How About No
Member
I can attest for Infinite. I was super interested in the story, characters, and setting but...I just couldn't find the will to continue, dreading the next gameplay segment. I don't know. I felt like I was getting hit all the time and the game seems to expect you to always be moving and not being in cover. Maybe I should just suck it up one day and play it on Easy.
OG Bioshock I can't really comment on. Only played the PC Demo and a little bit of the PS3 version(squick) that came with Infinite. I will say tho the part I played past the demo felt sorta like a DOOM level so that was neat.
ElectricBlanketFire
Member
Bioshock is my second favorite game of all time behind Super Metroid.
Bioshock Infinite is indeed mediocre.
Eh, I'd say "mediocre" is a little generous for the original Uncharted. I thought the whole middle stretch of the game from the point they arrive on the island until the last few hours was genuinely bad
Infernostew
Member
Alice: Madness Returns... beautiful locations and a pretty neat game that should've been 10-12 hours but got stretched to a 20 hour game.
Gtagentleman
Member
The Crew
Stormblessed
Member
Fix the colours a bit, put the dumb-as-shit story in the trash next to the gameplay, and you could say Enslaved. Nice to have a post-apocalypse that doesn't owe a massive creative debt to Mad Max. A better studio could do it justice, I don't doubt.
Its combat is trash, it's platforming is unengaging, and its coolest idea is restricted to three or four uses throughout the game.
It's the definition of mediocre.
DarkChronic
Member
My head is absolutely spinning at the amount of people who think Bioshock Infinite is a mediocre game. It was my second favorite game of the generation behind Mass Effect 2.
I'm enjoying this thread, though. I really need to check out Remember Me. I hear such mixed things but wow, that game really does look beautiful. I think I actually have it on Steam, I just never got around to it. Might have to dig in once I beat The Witness and Firewatch.
I'm enjoying this thread, though. I really need to check out Remember Me. I hear such mixed things but wow, that game really does look beautiful. I think I actually have it on Steam, I just never got around to it. Might have to dig in once I beat The Witness and Firewatch.
It's in there for me because of lack of single player campaign and matchmaking on PC is barren. The sequel will rectify both of this I think.
ScatheZombie
Member
Bethesda has consistently wasted the potential of Tamriel since Morrowind.
disappeared
Banned
Alice: Madness Returns... beautiful locations and a pretty neat game that should've been 10-12 hours but got stretched to a 20 hour game.
Damn shame we'll never see another Alice game like that.
JuanLatino
Member
oh man....just imagine what could have been
Lion Heart
Banned
Ryse of course. Biggest offender ever.
oh man....just imagine what could have been
I was one of the few people that actually enjoyed The Order. It's definitely a "mediocre" game though. AC Syndicate is a much better game set in Victorian London thankfully.
Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!
Member
I like the setting of the Gothic games but the gameplay is pretty rough (haven't played the newest one though).
Also - do the PSP GTA games count here? I say they do.
Also - do the PSP GTA games count here? I say they do.
Ryse: Son of Rome.
There are so few games set in that era, and until the strange bullshit at the end it really felt like you were running around in ancient Britain and Rome. It's such a shame the gameplay was shallow and repitive and the story was incredibly generic.
Rapid fire catapults (not sure what they're called) and the entirety of Briton consisting of three variants on "bald man" really did ruin the setting somewhat though.
There are so few games set in that era, and until the strange bullshit at the end it really felt like you were running around in ancient Britain and Rome. It's such a shame the gameplay was shallow and repitive and the story was incredibly generic.
Rapid fire catapults (not sure what they're called) and the entirety of Briton consisting of three variants on "bald man" really did ruin the setting somewhat though.
Hipster Cthulhu
Banned
Red Steel 2
Hissing Sid
Member
Yeah I'll go with Remember Me.
A gorgeous looking game that never lives up to its potential.
Oooh pretty city! I wonder what's down that street over there? Oh, I can't go down there.
Well I guess I'll just pop into one of these cool looking shops to see what they have for sale. Oh, I can't go in there.
Hmmmm, well at least I can check out what the inhabitants of the city have to say. Oh, they don't have jack shit to say to me.
So I guess I'll just mosey on down this pretty corridor disguised as a futuristic city to get to the next combat encounter then...
Here we go, get ready to have your asses kicked naughty peeps! Have at thee! Oh, combat consists of mash mash mash mash mash... With an extra side helping of mash.
But wait, all is not lost! At least I've got plenty of gameplay involving rewinding memories to look forwards to. Cos I really enjoyed the memory rewind mechanic. And with the game being called 'Remember Me', this mechanic is obviously going to be a central pillar of the entire game right? Right?.... Oh, um, well that's disappointing then.
I got this with ps+ If I'd paid for it I'd have felt robbed.
Stunning artwork though.
A gorgeous looking game that never lives up to its potential.
Oooh pretty city! I wonder what's down that street over there? Oh, I can't go down there.
Well I guess I'll just pop into one of these cool looking shops to see what they have for sale. Oh, I can't go in there.
Hmmmm, well at least I can check out what the inhabitants of the city have to say. Oh, they don't have jack shit to say to me.
So I guess I'll just mosey on down this pretty corridor disguised as a futuristic city to get to the next combat encounter then...
Here we go, get ready to have your asses kicked naughty peeps! Have at thee! Oh, combat consists of mash mash mash mash mash... With an extra side helping of mash.
But wait, all is not lost! At least I've got plenty of gameplay involving rewinding memories to look forwards to. Cos I really enjoyed the memory rewind mechanic. And with the game being called 'Remember Me', this mechanic is obviously going to be a central pillar of the entire game right? Right?.... Oh, um, well that's disappointing then.
I got this with ps+ If I'd paid for it I'd have felt robbed.
Stunning artwork though.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Meh, would you have liked the game more if you could have gone into those areas to pick collectibles?
Game wasn't that good, but it wasn't as bad as people say. At least it had impressive art, a cool protagonist, a nice setting and decent writing. I liked it a lot more than truly mediocre games like Shadow of Mordor or Tomb Raider, which had the illusion of exploration/gameplay and trash-tier writing.
CertifiedFP
Member
We've had people list Bloodborne, Jet Set Radio Future, and Xenoblade (and X) in this thread.
May I suggest a renaming of this thread to "NeoGAF's struggle with the definition of mediocre."?
A real example, on the other hand, would be Final Fantasy 13.
The environments and details in that game are ART.
May I suggest a renaming of this thread to "NeoGAF's struggle with the definition of mediocre."?
A real example, on the other hand, would be Final Fantasy 13.
The environments and details in that game are ART.
slavesnyder
Member
Ni no Kuni
Hissing Sid
Member
Sorry, not into collectathons so no, that wouldn't have helped. Some level of interactivity other than mashing my way through yet another horde of enemies would have been nice though.
The game made me feel like an observer instead of a participant. Window shopping, the game. A whole lot of look but don't touch.
And the rewind mechanic was woefully underused.
Frustrating really because the game oozed potential.
I wouldn't call the game bad I suppose, just frustratingly banal.
Alice: Madness Returns... beautiful locations and a pretty neat game that should've been 10-12 hours but got stretched to a 20 hour game.
The setting is not wasted on Alice.
Its a strongly linking to the identity of the game.I think Alice utilizes its setting pretty well,actually.
disappeared
Banned
Henry's apartment building in Silent Hill 4.
While many of the rooms become explorable later in the game, I felt like there was some wasted potential between the narrative and the building itself. The key tones of the game, being trapped and completely cut off from help, are there to greet you every time you get back to Henry's room and look at the front door. The exterior locations were interesting and not without some good set pieces and narrative-building, but when I think about it, the haunted apartment building, and its occupants, are the real scare.
While many of the rooms become explorable later in the game, I felt like there was some wasted potential between the narrative and the building itself. The key tones of the game, being trapped and completely cut off from help, are there to greet you every time you get back to Henry's room and look at the front door. The exterior locations were interesting and not without some good set pieces and narrative-building, but when I think about it, the haunted apartment building, and its occupants, are the real scare.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Yeah, I don't really disagree. I just think the game gets shat on a bit unfairly compared to similarly banal games that get 9/10 because they're "open-world" with "so many things to do", I guess.
CreeperBlocks
Banned
Agreed with Eternal Sonata. I really enjoyed the visuals and the characters, but that storyline. Especially the ending was a bit heart wrenching.
FFXIII especially, as I yet to play the next 2 in the trilogy. I enjoyed the combat system and even got 100% in that game. But some of the characters and storyline/areas got to me.
Alice Returns was another good vote. Wonderful visuals, but some of the gameplay really got to me. I may try to finish it one day.
FFXIII especially, as I yet to play the next 2 in the trilogy. I enjoyed the combat system and even got 100% in that game. But some of the characters and storyline/areas got to me.
Alice Returns was another good vote. Wonderful visuals, but some of the gameplay really got to me. I may try to finish it one day.