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[Humdinger]

I saw this earlier today and found it thought-provoking. He covers some of the advantages of slowing down and walking through a game. He talks about how walking, rather than hurrying from point to point, can lead to increased immersion, greater appreciation for the beauty of the environment, feeling more in synch with the world, and have a therapeutic effect. He uses Witcher 3, Ghost of Tsushima, RDR2, and Cyberpunk 2077 as examples.



I get into a hurry in games, sometimes. I want to be "efficient" with my time, and so I zip from here to there, checking things off the to-do list. It tends to happen in big, open world games. I wonder if that's one reason I don't enjoy them as much anymore? By contrast, I remember intentionally deciding to walk through all of Horizon ZD, back when I first played it in 2018. I only used fast travel a few times but otherwise just hoofed it. That approach really helped me appreciate the beauty of the environments and make me feel like I was part of the world rather than just moving through it to get to an objective. It had some other benefits as well (e.g., understanding the layout better, becoming more familiar with the machines and better at combat).

In a broader sense, this reminds me of the slow food and slow travel movements, which emphasize the value of slowing down.

 

[Lorianus]

I get what the video means but all the games OP named are 50-100 hour behemoths and i play them to get the story, if i play it like in the video it would make witcher 3 a 300 hour torture.

 

[cormack12]

Yeah, I try to do this now. It's still hard at times. I think it's tied to mindfulness, like you have so much to play you're keen to kind of get through the game.

Having said that, devs have to take some responsibility for making games ridiculously big and providing poor, slow methods of travel.

 

[panda-zebra]

It's fine when there's actually stuff worth discovering from one place to another. I walked everywhere in Fallout 3 and loved every last minute of it, every single time I played through it. Some open world games... not mentioning any because feels can get hurt... meh, feels ,more like procedurally generated seen-it-all-before around every fucking turn.

 

[mayham2199]

I get what the video means but all the games OP named are 50-100 hour behemoths and i play them to get the story, if i play it like the video wants it would make witcher 3 a 300 hour torture.

Yea I will do this at times espicially when I first start a game but that’s about it.

 

[Crayon]

My friends used to think I was insane for pushing the stick any less than 100%. I use the full range to this day though.

I actually think there's a good amount of people who don't have the muscle memory to be able to hold the stick halfway while changing directions, though. That could feel like walking a tightrope with your thumb.

Fast travel depends on the game but I always try going without it, first.

 

[Represent.]

I do this all the time, I mostly walk in games - Adds to the atmosphere. Much better when. game has great animations, graphics, and ambience

If you just run all the fucking time, to me you arent playing it right - Typicially those people hate stories in games as well.

 

[NeverYouMind]

When games put the brakes on me I get irritated and annoyed as I wait to be able to play freely again. Even during walk and talks it helps if I can jump or roll around like a jackass to kill time.

 

[Danjin44]

 

[Kenneth Haight]

 

[MDSLKTR]

If you're sprinting during your first playthrough of a brand new Resident Evil, you're doing it terribly wrong. Albeit, they are the most fun games to speedrun afterwards.

 

[Punished Miku]

I do this all the time honestly. I like being in the worlds.

 

[Loomy]

Give me the option to walk or run. DO NOT add force walk in a game. FF7 Rebirth has a part where Cloud gets knocked down from an explosion(iirc) and then force walks through a burning Nibelheim. Cloud....the SOLDIER.........

 

[Gamerasi]

I have a high sense of biophilia. Walking gives me pleasure. I especially walked in Red Dead Redemption 1. RDRII, Rockstar did this for me.

 

[Fahdis]

Imagine not immersing yourself in the game by slow walking.

The Game: Hellblade

 

[NeverYouMind]

Imagine not immersing yourself in the game by slow walking.

The Game: Hellblade

Spoiler

 

[Garibaldi]

I do this quite a bit in games where I'm completely immersed in the atmosphere or setting. Love it.

 

[Big Baller]

Nah, I'll take a pause to enjoy the vistas but fuck slow walking. Fast travel for life!

 

[The_Observer]

I think this is obvious for anyone who likes being immersed. But it’s good that more poeple are realizing it.

 

[Humdinger]

It appeals to me more in some games than others. In natural environments (e.g., Witcher), I like slowing down. In urban environments (e.g., Cyberpunk), I'm less likely to do that, because I find those environments unpleasant, sort of claustrophobic.

I heard Kingdom Come Deliverance is a good game to do this with. I may try it there.

 

[Cakeboxer]

I only walk in Hitman and hate it in other games. Especially forced walking sequences suck ass.

 

[Drifting in a Dream]

Just like taking a walk or hiking in real life, I like taking things slow in games. Especially when I'm drawn to a location's music and visual design. Personally, I don't think it's worth playing an RPG unless I'm willing to take the time to immerse myself in the game's world. I've been thoroughly enjoying going through FFXII's world again, taking my time enjoying traveling through the world.

Unfortunately, the flip side of this is the fact that things like the auto-dash feature in FFXVI or the unavoidable running speed upgrades in the Xenoblade series really bother me. I thought I might get used to the auto-dash feature in FFXVI, but it ended up bothering me through the entire game...

 

[JayK47]

Seen one ruins you've seen them all. I am impressed by the detail in games these days, but also I do not care to sit there and stare at it. If a game even lets you interact with it, it is usually not that beneficial. Besides, the more I stare at the environment, the more I realize I am in a game looking at the most unrealistic environment ever. Like why are there so many explosive barrels everywhere? High quality crafting materials just laying around in the slums? Oh right, I am in a video game.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Nah. Too much to do in games to go any less than full speed, even indoors. That’s why all your fine, painstakingly crafted detail is lost on me, devs. Fuck your grass blades, there’s another shiny trinket at the end of this side trail and I only want to pick it up and go back to the main trail and the other dozen shiny trinkets you scattered along it before the next checkpoint.

 

[Guilty_AI]

While i understand what he's trying to say, that kind of immersion doesn't really work that well. The mere fact you have to force yourself to do it is proof enough.

And please don't compare this with doing it in real life. When you're actually there, moving your leg muscles subconsciously, feeling the weather, the scents, the subtle sounds and traces of history. Games can't reproduce one tenth of that no matter how much they try, not until we get SAO-style full dives.

 

[Gonzito]

I always try to walk as much as I can yeah, it really helps for the immersion. That being said, I hate Witchers 3 walking animation, its so goofy.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Just recently bought Avatar Pandora on Steam, this game has me running jumping sliding climbing at high speeds. I don't know where the hell I am.
I should start a mission.

 

[Davevil]

I tried to walk in FC 25 and I lost all the online matches 0-10

 

[mitch1971]

I think horror games encourage you to use the full gamut of movement speeds.

 

[Humdinger]

Give me the option to walk or run. DO NOT add force walk in a game. FF7 Rebirth has a part where Cloud gets knocked down from an explosion(iirc) and then force walks through a burning Nibelheim. Cloud....the SOLDIER.........

Yeah, forced slow walking is another thing entirely...

While i understand what he's trying to say, that kind of immersion doesn't really work that well. The mere fact you have to force yourself to do it is proof enough.

Well, yeah, if you have to "force" yourself to do it, then it isn't going to be enjoyable. You're going against your own grain.

I don't think about it that way, though. To me, it's just an option for another way to approach the game. No one is "forcing" me to do it. I just try and see if I like it. If I don't, no harm done - back to jetting around from here to there.

 

[Humdinger]

woops, dp

But as long as I'm at it, I'll mention that I don't think the video author's point is that you should walk through the whole game. You can walk some and run some. Just that there are potential advantages to slowing down sometimes, rather than always rushing from objective to objective. In Horizon ZD, I walked plenty but I also ran plenty. Running didn't break immersion, because Aloy is supposed to be athletic.

Some games are more suited to it than others. If you slow down and walk through most Ubisoft games, for instance, I have a boring experience. They seem designed with the assumption that players will race through them.

 

[digital_ghost]

How else am I supposed to get my exercise?

My digital soul is athletic.

 

[Hunter 99]

I think horror games encourage you to use the full gamut of movement speeds.

 

[ChoosableOne]

Nah, sometimes even sprinting doesn't feel fast enough, so I love the fast-forward toggle in emulators. It should be a standard feature in all games(especially in less demanding ones).

 

[Hemingwayoffbase]

Something I enjoy doing is turning off the HUD entirely and then trying to navigate the world based solely on in-game signage. Walking definitely helps you notice paths between locations in a way that feels incredibly immersive.

 

[Bry0]

While i understand what he's trying to say, that kind of immersion doesn't really work that well. The mere fact you have to force yourself to do it is proof enough.

Yeah, certain game I do it subconsciously because the sound and atmosphere is so good, I am already immersed so I naturally move through things slower. If I need to force myself, then I’m probably not into the game enough in the first place to care.

 

[Diddy X]

Whatever gives you the most fun

 

[Represent.]

Nah, sometimes even sprinting doesn't feel fast enough

So you're literally just sprinting throughout the game? Never stopping to take in the scenery, atmosphere, ambience, graphics?

 

[ChoosableOne]

So you're literally just sprinting throughout the game? Never stopping to take in the scenery, atmosphere, ambience, graphics?

 

[Stitch]

Ain't nobody got time for that

 

[chakadave]

Was expecting to see a bunch of this and jiggle in the theead

 

[EverydayBeast]

Honest truth open world games are meant to be played at players choice of pace.

 

[Larxia]

For me it really depends on the game, on what's happening, on my mood etc etc...
I do really like immersion, and I for example absolutely loved the simulation aspect of RDR2, even if I know a lot of people didn't like that.
I like taking my time, and my play time is usually higher than my friends when finishing games. So in general, I do go slow and really appreciate the worlds I'm in.

Sometimes however I will play in a more "rush" mode if what I'm doing is repetitive or boring, so it just really depends on the game, the context and the atmosphere.

An example these days for me is No Man's Sky. Given how the gameplay loop can be repetitive, with grind etc... I often play in a more "rush" way. Sometimes though, if I land on a particularly pretty planet, if there is a nice calm music playing etc... I might "slow down" and just appreciate the moment.

I'm a mouse and keyboard gamer in many games though, so sometimes I might not be able to "walk" if there isn't a toggle for it, it depends, so sometimes "slowing down" for me doesn't really mean just "walking", it's more about stopping, looking around, appreciating the world and the atmosphere, without directly running to the next objective.
Controllers are nice to be able to adjust the movement speed with more precision, but I find playing with a controller a lot less immersive, particularly in first person games, where I really need to play with mouse and keyboard. Not sure how to explain it, but playing a first person game with a controller immediatly breaks my immersion, I feel less connected to the world, I don't have the same control on the camera, it feels like there is an obstacle between me and the game.

 

[T-0800]

I walk often in games. Especially Bloodborne.

 

[SlicedBread3]

The mere fact you have to force yourself to do it is proof enough.

Not really. It's not about forcing yourself because it doesn't feel natural. It's forcing yourself to ignore the external pressures to complete games fast (so you can get through your backlog faster or keep up with your friends or whatever) so that you can play the game in the way that feels better.

 

[saintjules]

I get it and like the idea, but my time is limited these days. If I was walking everywhere in a game like Horizon, I'd never finish.

I walk in games here and there but can't do it in it's entirety.

 

[jason10mm]

Red Dead Redemption and Breath of the Wind were some of the only games what I really cared about just enjoying environments. You gotta have the right amount of density, atmosphere, novelty, and "living world" activity to really pull it off.

That Matrix demo from a few years back was pretty close as well. I'm sure some AI powered "Barista simulator" type game will have a fully lived world to experience at some point.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

I am currently playing Witcher 3 and I find that the analog stick is too sensitive. I just want to walk and I have to barely tilt the stick. Anything more and it’s a full run.

Now that I type this out, I wonder if there is a related adjustment for this in the settings.

 

[Come On Tars]

I feel like he has it backwards. You know a game is good when you choose to walk organically. You don’t need to force it IMO for immersion. Certain game environments demand respect and attention. Rdr2, Witcher 3 are recent ones

 

[Fbh]

I'll do this sometimes in games that have nice environments. Specially in cities and places like that when they take the extra effort to have NPCs doing unique things instead of just walking around (Hogwarts Legacy, for example, was great at this).

But walking constantly? nah, there is too much stuff to do in most modern games to spend even more time slowly getting to where you need to go.
I also don't agree with some of his points. He is like "In uncharted I do this because that's what someone exploring an ancient temple would do"... yeah because in the real world there might actually be stuff to find in an ancient temple. In Uncharted I know it's a linear game with specific design philisophy and there will be nothing to find except maybe a shiny spot on the ground with some useless collectible.