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[Odoul]

What's with the trend of throwing lousy racing section into action or adventure games? It's not cute or original. And the worst part is most of the time they aren't fun, they only piss you off. Jak 2 was already a frustrating enough game. Developers don't stick half assed adventure games into F-Zero or Gran Turismo. I usually hate racing games and don't appreciate some poor facsimile being put into the ones I do enjoy.

The same goes for stealth sections but on the average they're more well done.

 

[Wario64]

I liked it when people stopped playing Mafia because of the racing part (PC version). I was told that in the console version, you can skip the race altogether.

 

[ge-man]

Designers are driven to throw variety at us these days. I would be more up for it if it was done right, however. Just because you can do a good platformer, that doesn't mean you can do a good racer.

This mirrors what is going on now with games being GTAlized. Driv3r is an excellent example of a game where the developers were better off doing what they do best.

 

[Gek54]

The racing part is fun, its the lame turrett gun sections that I hate.

 

[Memles]

I really think that Nintendo could get away with this so easily...stick a Mario Kart minigame in a Mario title. I mean, that's how you do it; when you have a racing engine to use, you can use it.

Found BG&E's wasn't too bad, though.

 

[AirBrian]

I really think that Nintendo could get away with this so easily...stick a Mario Kart minigame in a Mario title. I mean, that's how you do it; when you have a racing engine to use, you can use it.

That would rock, big time.

 

[DSN2K]

race in mafia was easy

but yeah Wind Waker had that horrible stealth level what pissed me off big time.

 

[Goreomedy]

I just remembered, the Racing part was my least favorite section in Conker's Bad Fur Day. I hope they "fun" it up for the Xbox release.

 

[AniHawk]

I just remembered, the Racing part was my least favorite section in Conker's Bad Fur Day. I hope they "fun" it up for the Xbox release.

It must've been so bad (or I'm just so freakin' tired) that I don't remember that at ALL.

 

[Memles]

but yeah Wind Waker had that horrible stealth level what pissed me off big time.

Found BG&E much worse, personally. Wind Waker's was actually pretty easy outside of a few areas.

 

[JasoNsider]

Ubisoft France is really good at this I find. In fact, they are probably one of the few who can pull it off properly IMO. Both Rayman 2 and BG&E did the "variety" thing really well.

 

[SantaC]

T.H.U.G was a good example of this topic.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Yeah, I really hate this. Especially when it's required that you win to progress in the game. What if I'm good at adventure games but shit at racing?

 

[Warm Machine]

The driving in Everything or Nothing was so piss poor and not just because of the bad car physics but the forced hits part.

 

[ge-man]

Found BG&E much worse, personally. Wind Waker's was actually pretty easy outside of a few areas.

I never understood why people get upset with the stealth in Wind Waker--it only lasted through one section. Most of BG&E's dungeons force you to be stealthy.

 

[Wellington]

It must've been so bad (or I'm just so freakin' tired) that I don't remember that at ALL.

LOL! Same here man.

I'll agree with the topic, provided that the race is hard enough for it to take multiple plays. The Jak 2, R&C, and R&C2 races were aggravating (if you didn't find the shortcut in R&C2, at least), and completely stopped the flow of the game.

It's not a knock on variety in games (platformers specifically) because it CAN work. Conker's Bad Fur Day being the perfect example of that... just don't fuck up the flow of the rest of the game.

 

[Mama Smurf]

What pissed me off about the stealth in WW was that it was the first part of the game. How freakin' stupid is that? The whole point of adding levels or areas which don't play like the rest of the game is to break things up a little, add some variety, so players don't get bored.

So don't put it at the start of the game, we're not getting tired of the normal gameplay yet! We've barely had a chance to experience it in fact.

 

[ge-man]

Well, if I remember correctly Miyamoto has said that they wanted to show Link becoming stronger, so the idea is to begin the game handicaping Link.

This is not to say that you're wrong--it does feel awkard. But they also had a rationale for it that went beyond merely variety. Still, I think the fact that it isn't forced down our throats is something to keep in mind.

 

[drohne]

the big race through the city was one of my favorite parts of jak II. but in principle i agree with you.

 

[jenov4]

I think the first time I've encountered a racing game in an RPG was FF7. With Cloud and his motorcycle. I thought it was pretty neat.

 

[Shompola]

Worst racing in any game is in KOTOR. YHHHHHHHHHH

 

[Goreomedy]

To those who don't remember the Conker Race stage, it was after the Rock Solid Club stage. You get mugged, and chase the thieves over a lava pit while riding on a Jet Board. You have to get your money back by hitting them with your frying pan. It was insanely hard, with many one-hit deaths and a path that suddenly changes after you take out two of the three bad guys.

The only part of the game that gave me trouble.

 

[Ghost]

It must've been so bad (or I'm just so freakin' tired) that I don't remember that at ALL.

How can you not remember racing cave children over molten lava on rocket skateboards?

 

[Goreomedy]

How can you not remember racing cave children over molten lava on rocket skateboards?

Ugh! There it be! Die, stage! Die!

 

[8bit]

The driving in Everything or Nothing was so piss poor and not just because of the bad car physics but the forced hits part.

I found the big overlay map the worst part of that. What good is a map if it hinders the rest of the screen?

 

[Goreomedy]

For the record, I liked the driving stages in EoN. The motorbike and tank levels were the stand-outs, though.

 

[Mama Smurf]

If they want to add variety, they should do it like in Halo. Have a vehicle (or a few) which you can use in normal levels if you want to, and it'll certainly make it fun and easier for those who are good at racing, but if you're just really, really bad at games with vehicles, you can still go through it on foot.

 

[Goreomedy]

If they want to add variety, they should do it like in Halo. Have a vehicle (or a few) which you can use in normal levels if you want to, and it'll certainly make it fun and easier for those who are good at racing, but if you're just really, really bad at games with vehicles, you can still go through it on foot.

I think what makes driving stages so poor, is the fact that this mode, which controls nothing like the rest of the game, just suddenly shows up to block progress. It often is nothing but filler, and that can quickly frustrate. Just ask anyone who ever played The Adventures of Bayou Billy.

Also, it's funny that a game like Rebel Strike, which tries to make the action portion control like the "driving" portion, doesn't work either.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

This is part of a larger problem of the platforming genre becoming heavily diluted since its move into 3D. I have to blame Super Mario 64, which moved the series from strictly action to having a lot of "adventure" elements. It's a great game, but most of its imitators have not even approached the right balance to do this kind of game well. Now we even have 2D platformers on GBA throwing in all sorts of stealth, racing, strategy, collecting, etc. elements. I was so happy when Sunshine shifted back towards pure action, and I hope the next Mario game takes it even further.

 

[Gek54]

Oh come on, even Earthworm Jim back on the snes had racing and dont tell me that wasnt fun.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

I think the first time I've encountered a racing game in an RPG was FF7. With Cloud and his motorcycle. I thought it was pretty neat.

Chrono Trigger's race is better.

 

[otheranthony-ns]

you'd be hardpressed trying to think of a RAREWARE adventure title without a racing section dedicated to it.

BEAT THE KRINGICOAKA'S TO THE FINISH LINE!

 

[JasoNsider]

Water skiing and riding the rocket in Rayman 2 was probably the best example of variety that is well-done.

Shadows of the Empire was one gigantic mistake in this regard.

 

[ge-man]

you'd be hardpressed trying to think of a RAREWARE adventure title without a racing sections dedicted to it.

BEAT THE KRINGICOAKA'S TO THE FINISH LINE!

Yeah, no shit. I'm surprised that Battletoads hasn't been mentioned yet. Half the challenge was dealing with the gameplay variety.

 

[Drinky Crow]

I blame Battletoads.

The only really weak point in Metal Arms was the stupid turret sequence -- come ON, I'm having fun blowing up robots FPS-style, why the hell do you stick me in a turret to shoot generic tanks for five minutes? BOO.

 

[Goreomedy]

Wow, Battletoads. I remember having to MAP OUT those sections, to memorize obstacle locations, before I was able to pass. It also didn't help that the speed was ten times too fast.

This thread is digging up painful memories.

 

[FoneBone]

Battletoads is easily one of the most ludicrously difficult games ever made.

 

[Jill Sandwich]

The motorbike part in Shenmue was a shitstain

 

[AniHawk]

How can you not remember racing cave children over molten lava on rocket skateboards?

Now I remember. Damn. I completely had no memories of that part until I saw that picture.

 

[Ranger X]

All kinds of game are melting together more and more and i'm also tired of this. This is another fucking illusion from game makers... "variety sells more" doesn't mean you have to mix genres. Look at the movie industry, you don't have a movie with a comedie part, an horror part and a psycho-drama part. Films have genre and they can sell so does games.
This fucking trend is like i said another illusion made up by publishers and game makers just like the "we have to release our game in the holiday only" trend.

 

[AniHawk]

Look at the movie industry, you don't have a movie with a comedie part, an horror part

 

[Ranger X]

Well, this looks like a comedie to me...