-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Why is climbing so boring in Uncharted 4, yet so fun in Zelda BOTW?
- Thread starter Chao
- Start date
killatopak
Member
Fun? It's an exercise in frustration with the rain.
TheRedSnifit
Member
Uncharted climbing sections are basically the equivalent of forced walking sequences, or those quasi-cutscenes where you're locked in a room while everyone talks.
Zelda climbing segments are actual gameplay segments. And they're optional, whereas in UC4 you have to sit through them no matter how boring you find them.
Zelda climbing segments are actual gameplay segments. And they're optional, whereas in UC4 you have to sit through them no matter how boring you find them.
You know what my favorite thing about these scripted climbing sequences is? Sometimes I'll press up once and they'll jump once and then automatically jump one more time without any input from me. Happened to me a few times in Horizon. And by favorite I mean annoying as fuck. At least pretend it's a real mechanic that you can fail.
lvl99 Pixel
Member
Some people like myself get stimulation out of appreciating the artistic elements, like the textures, animations, scripted events and dialogue that happen in the Uncharted sections just as much as the freedom of choice in Zelda
DeadlyVirus
Member
Lol at saying that climbing is 60% of Uncharted's gameplay...
LukasTaves
Member
Because uncharted requires absolutely no skill, it's meant only for it to be a visual ride, like pretty much every other gameplay aspect of the series.
In Shadow of Colossus, Wander would'nt loose a lot of stamina from regular climbing, only when grabing for dear life to a moving Colossi. In Breath of the Wild Link seems to start sweating bullets the moment you grab a vine.
Uncharted is pleasant for the graphic presentation of the climb.
Uncharted is pleasant for the graphic presentation of the climb.
Git Gud
?
I have a little more than 2 full stamina bars and I still need to search for resting points etc
InfiniteCombo
Banned
LOL, exactly what I was thinking coming into this thread. And given that Zelda is quite likely a lock for GOTY, I still expect some kind of idiotic "Worst to Best GAF GOTY transition?" type of thread next year. Mark my words.
Although, to his credit, the OP does acknowledge that it's somewhat questionable comparing them, given that they're different kind of games. A more apt comparison would be Zelda compared to another open world adventure game that also features a lot of climbing.
Caayn
Member
And why would that be a problem? There was already a thread about which GOTY people liked less not so long ago. And we probably had a similar thread the year before that, etc.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Climbing great heights in Zelda is nothing. Even if your stamina depletes you usually just slide down to the bottom.
Swimming is a whole other thing though. I've died in shallow water because I didn't have enough stamina in the wheel to make it.
Swimming is a whole other thing though. I've died in shallow water because I didn't have enough stamina in the wheel to make it.
You could also compare it to older Zelda games, where climbing itself wasn't interesting at all... the difficulty usually involved finding the climbable area.
You know what my favourite thing about these scripted climbing sequences is? Constantly pulling the bait and switch of my character slipping or objects he clings onto crumbling only for him to save himself somehow anyway every. Single. Time.
It's like the game wants to torture me.
AntiFacebook
Member
Because the name zelda blinds people and make them think the game they are playing is much more fun that it actually is.
I wouldn't go as far as to say it would be idiotic, though it would be a lame thread idea, but it would also be a problem for sure as that kinda thread would implode, explode, collapse and supernova all at the same time within 5 minutes of its creation. Nothing of worth would come out of it.
I didn't say it will get better lol
ScientificPizza
Banned
imagine being this petty
Spiritwalker
Member
Being able to climb anything, anywhere, makes a huge difference. And in Zelda you're forced to play smart due to stamina restrictions. It's definitely a mini-puzzle every time, and I love it.
As has been mentioned climbing is a lot of fun because it subtly blends challenge and micro-rewards. Much like most of the game's overworld obstacles it's an environmental puzzle. You can climb everything - but you have to actually consider how you're going to do that.
The moment you set your sights on climbing something is when you start planning whether or not its a viable exercise - you analyze the mountain to see if there's any clear ledges that allow you to regain your precious stamina, because if you make the climbing too easy it becomes less fun and more braindead to conquer it. You consider whether your inventory has items that allow you to scale it easier or whether you want to equip gear that helps you climb. Environmental elements around the mountain that can be exploited; like creating updrafts by burning grass to create a boost for you, etc.
And you're always rewarded with "something". It can be a shrine, korok seed, enemy camp, tower or even just a really good vantage point that allows you to scout for any of those, or a fun spot to shield surf/paraglide off of. Even just the fact that you got up there feels good. The moment you choose to climb a mountain it creates internal goals and as such it creates anticipation. It's just these really good, small things that add onto the game always having a forward moving flow by making environmental traversal and the journey just as fun as the things you do at the destination, which is important in a Zelda game since it's a series that is mainly about the journey.
Uncharted uses climbing as pacing set pieces. This makes them decent for balancing gameplay but they're not there for challenge, and they do risk becoming overbearing like they did in Uncharted 4.
The moment you set your sights on climbing something is when you start planning whether or not its a viable exercise - you analyze the mountain to see if there's any clear ledges that allow you to regain your precious stamina, because if you make the climbing too easy it becomes less fun and more braindead to conquer it. You consider whether your inventory has items that allow you to scale it easier or whether you want to equip gear that helps you climb. Environmental elements around the mountain that can be exploited; like creating updrafts by burning grass to create a boost for you, etc.
And you're always rewarded with "something". It can be a shrine, korok seed, enemy camp, tower or even just a really good vantage point that allows you to scout for any of those, or a fun spot to shield surf/paraglide off of. Even just the fact that you got up there feels good. The moment you choose to climb a mountain it creates internal goals and as such it creates anticipation. It's just these really good, small things that add onto the game always having a forward moving flow by making environmental traversal and the journey just as fun as the things you do at the destination, which is important in a Zelda game since it's a series that is mainly about the journey.
Uncharted uses climbing as pacing set pieces. This makes them decent for balancing gameplay but they're not there for challenge, and they do risk becoming overbearing like they did in Uncharted 4.
The main difference between the two is that Zelda doesn't force you to climb, and generally the path you choose is one you make for yourself.
I'd argue that climbing is more interesting in Uncharted 4 (since its more of a platforming puzzle) but the reward and freedom of Zelda's climbing negates how boring it is.
If something is boring but highly rewards your creativity or sense of adventure, it can still be satisfying.
I'd argue that climbing is more interesting in Uncharted 4 (since its more of a platforming puzzle) but the reward and freedom of Zelda's climbing negates how boring it is.
If something is boring but highly rewards your creativity or sense of adventure, it can still be satisfying.
lvl99 Pixel
Member
when did scripted events and setpieces become so hated? I feel like im going insane being able to appreciate both kinds of game, like im supposed to like one kind of game.
Did nobody else enjoy the scripted ways Kratos killed bosses and enemies in God of War as well as the rest of the games?
I can respect this response.
Fun doesn't necessarily mean that you're having a pleasant experience.
Case in point: competitive online games
Poimandres
Member
I was going to say this is bunk, but honestly I struggle to think of good climbing mechanics. In the og Tomb Raider games traversal was a puzzle straight up, Zelda doesn't come close to capturing that. Stamina in general is more annoying than anything in BOTW.
Does anyone have any examples of games that have done justice to climbing? It's not Zelda for me and sure as hell not Uncharted.
Perhaps it would've helped if he had played the game.
miller.skippins
Banned
Oh man.....This December will be glorious with the daily 'why is jumping in Mario Odyssey so much fun compared to uc4?'
Sir_Crocodile
Member
Because you can climb everything in the overworld. Just a great sense of freedom.
And this may just be me, but I get an incredible sense of anticipation when I climb up a mountain imagining paragliding off the peak to the next point of interest. Which isn't something to do with climbing per se, but the whole climbing/gliding combo works super well.
And this may just be me, but I get an incredible sense of anticipation when I climb up a mountain imagining paragliding off the peak to the next point of interest. Which isn't something to do with climbing per se, but the whole climbing/gliding combo works super well.
Com Truise
Member
The fact that you can climb everything is what makes it interesting in Zelda, certainly not the act itself. Link climbs very very slowly so it can actually be a rather annoying experience especially combined with the rain. Then you get the climbing gear and stamina upgrades and just jump everywhere. So it's really just a mechanically uninteresting action that gets less annoying through upgrades.
I don't get the premise of your thread OP.
I don't get the premise of your thread OP.
You are so wrong...
I always wondered why they put it in the middle of the screen. Felt weird and annoying to me from the first time I saw it in clips.
miller.skippins
Banned
The point I guess from op and all these threads so far is to praise Zelda till the high heavens while making shit of any other games in existence...
I remember similar reactions when force awakens first came out......
No, its cool to appreciate both. I loved Uncharted 4 for completely different reasons than I am currently loving Breath of the Wild. Theyre two very different games in two very different genres.
First reply etc etc.
Climbing in Uncharted is like the puzzles, it's easily marked, almost impossible to fail and is only really there for pacing between the gunfights. I find the concept of having the path marked in luminous paint when you're supposed to be an adventurer in a place not many people go to be a bit unimaginative when the lead character is an explorer, but it's obviously not meant to be a 'choose your own path forward' kinda game. It's a key mechanic in Zelda, as depicted by plenty of the promotional stuff though. We might as well ask why the voice acting and cut scenes in Uncharted are better, the games focus on different things.
Holy shit. I hope her face was okay after that.
