Drizzlehell
Banned
Pay attention, because what I'm about to say isn't about one game being better than the other. That's not what I'm arguing at all. Whichever game you prefer is entirely up to your personal taste.
What I'm saying is that games like God of War and Ragnarok fall short of being video games first and they usually create this sharp contrast between gameplay and story that became such a cliche that it puts me off of most modern PlayStation style games these days. Jedi Survivor, however, shows how it can be done to create a seamless gaming experience where the story is an integral part, but never overwhelms the gameplay. It manages to successfully balance its elements to create a well-paced adventure and I genuinely think that developers of games such as God of War and Ragnarok should pay attention and take notes on how to do it better. Here's why.
These are the kind of standout moments that usually discourage me from ever replaying any of those games because it's just a bunch of pretentious bullshit that not only takes itself way too seriously, but it also commits the cardinal sin of bringing the momentum of the game to a grinding halt, completely killing my appetite for the rest of the game. In Jedi Survivor, on the other hand, the longest segment where you're forced to slowly walk somewhere and listen to the exposition happens at the very start of the game, and not only does it make sense for it to be there as a semi-interactive introduction to the story, but it's also over within a couple of minutes, after which the game rarely ever wrestles the controls from the player. Not unless it's for a non-interactive cutscene that's usually very purposeful and delivers an important plot point. Nowhere in the game will you be forced to do a completely pointless and self-indulgent action that serves absolutely no purpose or stops everything dead in its tracks just to show off an animation or slowly labor its plot point into a fucking wall with a sledgehammer. With almost everything that you do in the game, it's there to either move the plot forward or to entertain you. Even during those moments of downtime where your journey takes you back to the home base area (like the bar on Koboh) you can have some conversations with the NPCs that hang around there, but you never have to do it. Those moments being optional is the key to making them more compelling because it I just personally feel more incentivized to listen to a bit of extra dialogue if I know that I'm free to turn on my heel at any moment and just fuck off to do some more exploring.
In Jedi Survivor, on the other hand, not only the platforming involves wide variety of moves, but it's also possible to fuck it up. The game even features those special challenge rooms where you have to run and jump through a gauntlet of platforms and hazards, and shockingly enough some of them are actually challenging. Combine that with a puzzle system that also involves a wide variety of gadgets and ideas, and you've got yourself a game that absolutely blows God of War out of the water in terms of creativity, variety, and challenge in gameplay areas that don't involve fighting.
Of course, it's not like the combat in Jedi Survivor is perfect. I do feel that it has its own set of problems, but at least it feels more organic and natural compared to God of War as a third person melee action game.
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I could go on but if I'm gonna write another paragraph then it's gonna turn into a novel, lol.
What I'm saying is that games like God of War and Ragnarok fall short of being video games first and they usually create this sharp contrast between gameplay and story that became such a cliche that it puts me off of most modern PlayStation style games these days. Jedi Survivor, however, shows how it can be done to create a seamless gaming experience where the story is an integral part, but never overwhelms the gameplay. It manages to successfully balance its elements to create a well-paced adventure and I genuinely think that developers of games such as God of War and Ragnarok should pay attention and take notes on how to do it better. Here's why.
1. Story-focused segments never forcibly replace the core gameplay loop for lengthy periods of time.
I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that most players really hated Atreus' segments in GoW:R, with a particular vitriol aimed towards those lengthy sequences where you're forced to ride a yak while talking to diverse female sidekick and collecting plums off the trees. I know that I certainly couldn't wait to get back into Kratos' shoes whenever the game forced you into those segments where you have to play as his dipshit kid. And how about the sections where you row a boat while listening to Mimir's endless stories? Or slowly walking around with a tree or a piggy on your shoulder? Riveting stuff.These are the kind of standout moments that usually discourage me from ever replaying any of those games because it's just a bunch of pretentious bullshit that not only takes itself way too seriously, but it also commits the cardinal sin of bringing the momentum of the game to a grinding halt, completely killing my appetite for the rest of the game. In Jedi Survivor, on the other hand, the longest segment where you're forced to slowly walk somewhere and listen to the exposition happens at the very start of the game, and not only does it make sense for it to be there as a semi-interactive introduction to the story, but it's also over within a couple of minutes, after which the game rarely ever wrestles the controls from the player. Not unless it's for a non-interactive cutscene that's usually very purposeful and delivers an important plot point. Nowhere in the game will you be forced to do a completely pointless and self-indulgent action that serves absolutely no purpose or stops everything dead in its tracks just to show off an animation or slowly labor its plot point into a fucking wall with a sledgehammer. With almost everything that you do in the game, it's there to either move the plot forward or to entertain you. Even during those moments of downtime where your journey takes you back to the home base area (like the bar on Koboh) you can have some conversations with the NPCs that hang around there, but you never have to do it. Those moments being optional is the key to making them more compelling because it I just personally feel more incentivized to listen to a bit of extra dialogue if I know that I'm free to turn on my heel at any moment and just fuck off to do some more exploring.
2. Combat isn't the only thing that makes for a fun challenge in the game.
In many modern third-person action adventure games, platforming is the one element that has been dumbed down to the point of absurdity. And in games like God of War in particular, it requires precisely zero skill because all you gotta do is to push the analog stick in the right direction to continue the pre-baked animation. There's zero effort or dexterity involved with this. It's such a giant waste of time that it honestly boggles my mind as to why would the developer even put that shit in there, unless someone at SMS is really into staring at Kratos' ass for extended periods of time. The same design philosophy extends to puzzle design as well, at least in my opinion. Most of those puzzles can be solved by anyone with a double-digit IQ and it usually only requires you to throw your axe at something. It's mind-numbingly dull and it only makes me wish for the game to go back to fighting.In Jedi Survivor, on the other hand, not only the platforming involves wide variety of moves, but it's also possible to fuck it up. The game even features those special challenge rooms where you have to run and jump through a gauntlet of platforms and hazards, and shockingly enough some of them are actually challenging. Combine that with a puzzle system that also involves a wide variety of gadgets and ideas, and you've got yourself a game that absolutely blows God of War out of the water in terms of creativity, variety, and challenge in gameplay areas that don't involve fighting.
3. Third person melee combat with a camera that stays close to the action and it's actually manageable.
Now, I already harped on this point once when I made a thread in which I said that Ryse: Son of Rome had a better designed camera for this type of melee action game, so it feels especially gratifying when another game like this comes out and it only proves the point I was trying to make back then. Because unlike Ryse, Jedi Survivor features a combat system that's actually fun and has a lot of variety to it, and doesn't rely on shitty quick-time events. But what it also does is that it doesn't stubbornly force you to control your character as if you were playing a third person shooter, even though your primary means of attack involves melee weapons. You're actually allowed to orbit the camera around the action and perform the attacks in the direction of your analog stick movements. What a crazy idea, huh.Of course, it's not like the combat in Jedi Survivor is perfect. I do feel that it has its own set of problems, but at least it feels more organic and natural compared to God of War as a third person melee action game.
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I could go on but if I'm gonna write another paragraph then it's gonna turn into a novel, lol.
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