SlasherJPC
Banned
Criticism is fine. Some of us just have been waiting for this title for a very, very long time. Others are starting to get excited and see the reasons why, thus the avatars started showing up.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Three new Evil Within Videos featuring Adam Sessler
- Thread starter SlasherJPC
- Start date
Criticism is fine. Some of us just have been waiting for this title for a very, very long time. Others are starting to get excited and see the reasons why, thus the avatars started showing up.
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
Aaaaargh, i need to stop watching these new videos. I want to go in blind.
I have a couple questions and thoughts after seeing this thread. First off, I really wanted to watch the videos but fear any spoilers. I really would have enjoyed seeing Sess talk games again. I always thought he tried to be objective and give the best reviews without kowtowing to the publishers and devs (yes I realize he is a paid spokesperson here). That's got to be tough. I really wish Sess had become the "face" of gaming journalism instead of the insipid Doritos Pope.
Second, I have a few questions maybe you guys can help me out with. The game looks amazing and is giving me a Lovecraft or Alone in the Dark (originals) vibe. Am I right to have this feeling? I am NOT a fan of Japanese "weirdness" in games. I don't really like that style of horror. RE 1-4 were enjoyable for me as was the first Silent Hill. I also liked Shadows of the Damned. I haven't enjoyed anything in the RE series since 4 and probably won't ever buy another game in the series without some serious convincing or GotY type praise.
The one thing that gives me pause is the Boxhead stuff. It seems kind of silly and stupid, not scary to me. I guess one of the big problems I have is Japanese horror is too weird and foreign for me to find it very scary,
Also without spoiling it if possible, what horror tropes will this game be using? I get the feeling that there is an unreliable narrator. Is there more as far as horror conventions (not talking about the ones with films) go? Thinking of preordering digital Gaf, help me out!
Second, I have a few questions maybe you guys can help me out with. The game looks amazing and is giving me a Lovecraft or Alone in the Dark (originals) vibe. Am I right to have this feeling? I am NOT a fan of Japanese "weirdness" in games. I don't really like that style of horror. RE 1-4 were enjoyable for me as was the first Silent Hill. I also liked Shadows of the Damned. I haven't enjoyed anything in the RE series since 4 and probably won't ever buy another game in the series without some serious convincing or GotY type praise.
The one thing that gives me pause is the Boxhead stuff. It seems kind of silly and stupid, not scary to me. I guess one of the big problems I have is Japanese horror is too weird and foreign for me to find it very scary,
Also without spoiling it if possible, what horror tropes will this game be using? I get the feeling that there is an unreliable narrator. Is there more as far as horror conventions (not talking about the ones with films) go? Thinking of preordering digital Gaf, help me out!
I have no doubt this will be a good game that will be worth playing. Definitely hype-worthy in that respect. Whether it can ascend to the same plane as RE4, however, remains to be seen.
It doesn't have to be a paradigm shift like RE4's perfection of over-the-shoulder TPS. It's really just a matter of masterful pacing and incredible variety. Also, nailing all of the finer details that add up to make the game more than the sum of its parts. Something we can't really grasp until we play the full game.
It doesn't have to be a paradigm shift like RE4's perfection of over-the-shoulder TPS. It's really just a matter of masterful pacing and incredible variety. Also, nailing all of the finer details that add up to make the game more than the sum of its parts. Something we can't really grasp until we play the full game.
Basketball
Member
You have my attention
Probably going to come up a lot. I had no idea of this, I was sort of thinking the same thing. This is good news.
Gurkenmeister
Member
After watching those videos, all I can say is: Well done, Shinji!
October 14th can't come soon enough!
October 14th can't come soon enough!
SlasherJPC
Banned
I think it really has a bit of everything. Though def get the vibes your refering to. As for the box man. It might look silly from a design perspective but I think the symobolism behind it is what's going to be more important. I could be wrong, just a feeling. I don't think the game will feel to foreign to you. It seems to hit on a lot of various horror tropes.
In terms of horror tropes, there definitely seems to be an unreliable narrator going on, which is intriguing. Mikami says the story is a puzzle in itself, where once you've completed the game, you'll look back on various details and they'll assume new meaning. The world you explore is literally shaped and reshaped by the mind of a psychopath, so his cruel tendencies color the nature of reality there. That being said, it appears to be grounded in a strong sense of realism, so nothing too surreal or dreamlike. As a storytelling device, there appear to be ghosts reenacting moments from the psychopath's past, which you can walk around and observe in real-time as you explore certain levels.
In terms of flavor, you have classic Gothic settings (I.E. graveyards, woodlands, lighthouses, villages, castles, mansions, and so on) and more modern ones (ruined cities, etc), all very atmospheric (I.E. wind, rain, a gathering storm). You have enemies who skew more toward slasher horror and torture-porn, very visceral-looking with gaping wounds and lacerations. This is reinforced by all of the Saw-like death-traps integrated into the environment. Speaking of Saw, and Jigsaw in particular, the enemies look a bit carnival-esque, with many enemies sporting doll-like masks. But you also have j-horror elements like the multi-limbed lady with the long hair, which looks like something out of Juon/Ringu, and other monstrosities that hardly look humanoid at all.
Not sure if this answers your question, but it appears to be a "best of everything" approach to horror, Western and Eastern, and miraculously it somehow all comes together in cohesive fashion, perhaps due to the strong attention to detail and the shifting nature of the game's reality, and the oppressive atmosphere throughout. Also, a note about the atmosphere, I like the use of lighting here: The dark, dreary areas look cold, and the lantern's light looks warm and inviting by comparison, which really draws you into the game world.
Novum_Veritas
Member
The story thing reminded me of killer7, the story was also a "mess", you really had to think twice or three times to get the story behind the whole game, and how everything was connected. This is the reason killer7 is still one of my favorites, in regard of story and gameplay. This whole game was so confusing, and I really liked that, I think TEW will be the same.
AsfaeksBR
Member
After watching those videos, all I can say is: Well done, Shinji!
October 14th can't come soon enough!
This reminded me of Twin Peaks
SlasherJPC
Banned
It's really interesting because for some people, they feel tapping into all these horror tropes is looked at upon as a negative, or uncreative. Yet, I feel with everything I've seen it looks to take some classic horror tropes but put its own unique look on it. If they pull it off as well as I'm hoping, it will be one of the best horror games ever created in my mind. Having such high hopes, surely leaves me right open to haviong major dissapointment, but again... I just have a feeling, and I don't get it often. So I'm embracing it fully.
-MD-
Member
I don't know what I can say that I haven't said about the game already, It's just a pleasure to watch it in motion. 2 years is a long time to wait from when it was announced as Zwei but we're only a couple weeks away and that's behind us.
I love Shinji's closing comments about not trying to blaze a trail with his new game but offer a more classic/nostalgic experience to remind players why they love the genre in the first place, that's really satisfying to hear him say. Just really glad we're getting this game in 2014, we desperately need something like this again to shake things up. Saying I'm excited would be an understatement, I'm going to play the shit out of this game come Oct 14th.
I love Shinji's closing comments about not trying to blaze a trail with his new game but offer a more classic/nostalgic experience to remind players why they love the genre in the first place, that's really satisfying to hear him say. Just really glad we're getting this game in 2014, we desperately need something like this again to shake things up. Saying I'm excited would be an understatement, I'm going to play the shit out of this game come Oct 14th.
I'm usually not a fan of torture tropes (I.E. enemies wrapped in barbwire, etc), but Mikami somehow makes them feel fresh. Something to do with their erratic movement, the "texture" of the game world, etc., makes them appealing in a way a Western film could never quite achieve. So yeah, even though some of these elements appear familiar on paper, in execution they feel fresh and unique.It's really interesting because for some people, they feel tapping into all these horror tropes is looked at upon as a negative, or uncreative. Yet, I feel with everything I've seen it looks to take some classic horror tropes but put its own unique look on it. If they pull it off as well as I'm hoping, it will be one of the best horror games ever created in my mind. Having such high hopes, surely leaves me right open to haviong major dissapointment, but again... I just have a feeling, and I don't get it often. So I'm embracing it fully.
The only apprehension I have about the game is the randomized encounters and item placement. I've just never been a fan of randomization as opposed to carefully constructed design. I can see it working brilliantly since anticipation and uncertainty can play so well into survival horror, but considering the difficulty I hope the game doesn't turn into dying a bunch of times until you get a good roll of the dice. That'll be near impossible to say until I get my grubby mitts on the damn thing.
By the way, that stealth knife kill, very reminiscent of Manhunt.
By the way, that stealth knife kill, very reminiscent of Manhunt.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Exactly, he taps in on things horror fans are very familiar with, but looks to totally change them up as well. This is a good thing. A bit of the familair and a bit of the new.
Well I believe on easier settings the enemys stay the same throughout, also I think not all encounters are scripted regardless of difficulty. In the game informer, they said they replayed and tweaked the balance of the game so many times they lost count. They know balance is important.
-MD-
Member
I'm not too worried about the randomization, I'll be playing it on hard so i'll be sure to mention if I feel the game is giving me bad dice rolls during my playthrough but hopefully that's not the case. If I respawn and I'm not finding as much ammo as I previously did I'll switch up my approach to that section accordingly.
And Manhunt vibes are a beautiful thing, the outdoor sections in this game are overflowing with atmosphere and just look fantastic.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
It's not 100% randomized, at least with enemies. There's set enemies that either will or will not be there, with some far more likey than others. It seems random at first but as I played the same segment so many times I did figure out it was random if they're there or not but their placement and purpose for being there was not random.
I haven't played the whole game, but in the demo it was not a problem. I think it seems more like a problem if you think about it rather than in action, at least from the demo. As there's multiple ways to tackle a situation, it becomes sort of... Natural to try and work with what you've got.
More enemies isn't always a bad thing. If certain enemies spawned carrying an axe, for example, I could then pick up that axe and use it to melee an enemy efficiently (axe is a one hit kill on a Haunted, but it also breaks after you use it), and the enemies can distract each other I think (I noticed some doing motions to each other, or bumping into each other and groaning), so their preoccupation can make it actually easier to sneak past them.
The game sort of sent an inner challenge freak in myself, I think because the game is fairly challenging even on normal and and has a lot of attention to detail, but it sort of... Promotes a feeling of judging survival rates against uncertain odds, but giving you enough to work with and you gain enough knowledge of the game and it's world that you ask yourself if something is worth a gamble, or if this scenario would be best to use limited ammo or to try and sneak/run past, or you get this idea to wait for these three enemies to be next to each other and then use an explosive bolt and let the magic happen.
If I think about it, it seems problematic, but while playing I never found it a problem, at least. The enemies seem to have well thought-out points that, whether they're there or not, provide new possible challenges in an area.
These interviews are so fascinating. Some great questions from Sess regarding freedom of movement, and some great responses from Mikami involving changing the tempo of the game and having more open environments.
This game, my god, it'll be a perfect Halloween. There's so much insight into how Mikami crafts his brand of survival horror- utilizing panic, and scarcity of resources. He compares TEW to wine, after laying this gem about development of the first RE title:
This will be so boss!
This game, my god, it'll be a perfect Halloween. There's so much insight into how Mikami crafts his brand of survival horror- utilizing panic, and scarcity of resources. He compares TEW to wine, after laying this gem about development of the first RE title:
This will be so boss!
Bl@de
Member
Don't watch the third video. Too much spoilers. The second one is fine. And I really LOVE what I see. Maybe that 35€ preorder will pay off^^
Evil Within aka the Sake of Modern Horror
Not puny Kirin Lager ... like Resident Evil ...
So that's how Mikami plans Games. Drinking Alcohol. Pure Genius.
Evil Within aka the Sake of Modern Horror
Not puny Kirin Lager ... like Resident Evil ...
So that's how Mikami plans Games. Drinking Alcohol. Pure Genius.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Yeah I hear you guys, it's the only potential downside with all this amazing potential so I'm real anxious to just play it and see how it all shakes out. Horror(film and otherwise) always comes down to execution, probably more than any other genre. Originality can certainly vault an already great horror film into legendary territory, but without great execution it's nothing. Whereas great execution paired with cliche can still be great.
ClaptoVaughn
Member
There's no way I'm watching any more footage of this. I want to go in fresh.
I accidentally saw a screen of some freakish enemy and i knew it would have been so much more satisfying to see the 1st time ingame myself with all of the (presumably) freakish sound effects to go with it.
I accidentally saw a screen of some freakish enemy and i knew it would have been so much more satisfying to see the 1st time ingame myself with all of the (presumably) freakish sound effects to go with it.
SweetTeddie
Member
Mikami sure is fond of metaphors. I really like what I'm seeing, especially the more open areas of the game. I think this could be one of the surprises of the year.
-MD-
Member
SlasherJPC
Banned
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
God bless him.
It's remarkable once certain things get remembered. Even I could get a little teary-eyed.
FoxnHurley
Member
Looks really promising! My impression on this game has been polarized because all the criticism and luke warm reviews that the preview received from the media, but the final product looks to be a huge improvement from where it was several months ago.
I honestly hope that this game sells well, because it looks to be an artistic masterpiece rather than just a 3rd person shooter. Such creativity should be rewarded and appreciated!
I honestly hope that this game sells well, because it looks to be an artistic masterpiece rather than just a 3rd person shooter. Such creativity should be rewarded and appreciated!
Riposte
Member
People are acting like his name is My Kami.
Why do people on GAF have to make getting hyped look so lame and fanatical? Everything has to be like a meme, a club, or a hype trainnn or something. Stop making me not want to be a Mikami fanboy.
At the very least his "Why are you so amazing?" questions were masked in questions about the creative process. If anything, the interview gave us his alcohol metaphors so he did a-ok in my book.
NecromorphTX
Member
Lucent
Member
It had an initial negative reaction because the initial viewing was nothing more than that. They got a snippet of the game that was totally out of context and they couldn't even play it.
There's nothing wrong with getting excited about a game. This is not the first game where people have incorporated the game they're anticipating into their avatars. We did it for Luigi's Mansion 2, The Wonderful 101, and others. It's a fun thing to do.
And while I agree that defending every criticism comes off as a bit fanboy, it's just sort of a natural thing to do for something you're excited for. There are always going to be the people that do that for a game. They just aren't as bothered by the criticisms as other people. A lot of people are disappointed with and don't like Destiny, but there are those who still defend the crap out of it and think it's very fun while others think it's a monotonous grind-fest with shallow PvP.
-MD-
Member
So you're complaining because people are excited about the game?
SlasherJPC
Banned
Your not supposed to show such excitement. Next thing you know, they will be into us and our Shinj Mikami shrine and hair dolls
Lucent
Member
Your not supposed to show such excitement. Next thing you know, they will be into us and our Shinj Mikami shrine and hair dolls
-contemplates leaving all TEW threads-
Shogun1337
Junior Member
You are the cleverest troll I've ever come across on Gaf to be honest (and ironically here comes my ban). I love it, though!
Carry onpedr0theli0n
Neo Member
evil within = fine wine of gaming confirmed.
Fancy Clown
Member
It's not like people are mindlessly saying the game is going to be amazing simply because Mikami is involved (although, really, that should be enough to at least get people interested in it if they enjoyed his past games). I am enthusiastic about the game because almost everything I've seen (which amounts to a pretty substantial amount of gameplay by this point), and read from hands on impressions, makes it seem like this is going to be a fantastic game.
I was skeptical of the game at first too, but actually seeing more of the game for myself helped sway me into anticipating it.
It's not too much different from making Gordon Freeman your avatar (although Half-Life 2 is actually out and its brilliance is confirmed). We are just expressing enthusiasm for a game that seemingly encapsulates a lot of our interests and preferences.
There's also the added dimension that true survival horror is not something that is really seen as all the marketable (or for whatever other reason is pretty rare) so in some ways the future of the genre could potentially depend somewhat on the awareness and success of this game.
Fancy Clown
Member
All the clips are pretty brief, but they show off a couple new environments, enemies, weapons and set-pieces. Although everything they've shown is something that has previously been talked about in some preview or interview, and considering how lengthy and varied the game will likely end up being, I don't think anything too major is spoiled. There are no story spoilers.
Krusenstern
Banned
It makes a pretty good soup as well.
Albeit a bit chunky.
I like soup with big chunks.
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
First video contains some new footage but really no spoilers.
Second video contains a lot of new footage, and a lot of new areas in footage, but no story spoilers, all the talk and scenes are of gameplay.
Third video contains some new footage, they talk a lot about story so there's some mild spoilers. They'd be big if you want to know nothing about the game's story going in, though.