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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 26, 2017 5:14:18 GMT
Really curious as to why so many people find this to be one of the greatest games ever. It's super good, no doubt about that, the game play is so fun and where the first game got a bit repetitive, this one kept things fresh as the game went on. But the story is pretty standard action-adventure stuff. The games are certainly something that would make Steven Spielberg proud, but I feel like there's not a whole lot of depth to Nate outside of the heroism factor which kind of makes the games hard to remember even a day after beating them. But again. The game play is really fun, and it makes playing them a total breeze. I loved the opening train wreck sequence, and I loved the landscapes (particularly the Istanbul rooftops, which reminded me strongly of Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief - an apt film to reference). And of course, I love the random detours into supernatural aspects, the same way the first film totally included zombie-vampire-The Descent creatures without making it ridiculous. I own the other two games, so I'll be starting on those soon. Thoughts on this, and the first game? And how do you feel about the quadrilogy without giving anything away?
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Post by DeepArcher on Jun 26, 2017 17:10:19 GMT
I sort of feel the same about it, but it's still one of my favorite games just because of all the varied and fun gameplay, unique level design, etc. Of course it's a standard story, but unless you're playing something on the level of The Last of Us (which, last time I checked, is incredibly rare), that's all you're going to get. I think much of the praise for the storytelling of the Uncharted series is in how cinematic is; as you said, it's very Spielbergian. They truly do feel like action-adventure blockbuster movies, which, I think, was pretty revolutionary for the medium at the time these games came out.
I'm a big fan of the series overall. I'd rank the games: 2 > 4 > 3 > 1. The first is a good entry into the series, though I dislike its repetitive gameplay and am bothered by how dated it looks and feels. The third has some insanely fun gameplay, but isn't as memorable as the second. I really loved the fourth; it does feel a bit dragged out, but they did a nice job of continuing to innovate the gameplay. The fourth also probably has my favorite story of the bunch; nothing mind-blowing or anything, but it's a nice way to finish off the saga.
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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 26, 2017 17:46:20 GMT
DeepArcher (hey, I didn't realize you were StrangeManager! I've always loved your posts, man). Anyway, I suppose all of my favorite games have had stories that leave me thinking about them long after their done. Half-Life 2, The Last of Us, Heavy Rain, and even the Batman: Arkham series. I suppose when I had seen so many rankings of Uncharted 2 above even some of those (if they even listed some of those others I mentioned at all), I expected something better, but the story just wasn't there. Still, I agree about the game play, and perhaps it would have helped to play it back when it was released to understand just how cinematic they were to players then (since, obviously, there have been many games since that literally make themselves into movies, like Heavy Rain or Beyond: Two Souls). Excited to hear that #3 isn't too bad. I was worried, as I always see #1 and #2, and even #4 pop up on best-of lists everywhere, but never #3. I'd obviously play it regardless, but it's nice to know I won't be bored to death
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Post by Ryan_MYeah on Jun 26, 2017 18:46:45 GMT
For me, that's really where the game shines is in its simplicity. I love the fact that it doesn't waste time getting into the adventure and the epic set-pieces, which are some of my favorite action sequences in any game ever. Overall, I think it's a huge step up from the somewhat monotonous Drake's Fortune, adding new locations and new environments to test your skills with tons of variety, integrating puzzle solving much more naturally, gun fights are far less cumbersome and genuinely intense, pushing the system to its limits in the case of the beautiful imagery, and the difficulty curve is much more balanced, making it tough but fair to run through. But yeah, I adore the fact that it lets me live my fantasy of controlling my own Spielberg adventure. The Nazi corpses in the mountain was a tickling tip of the hat. Like Raiders, the story itself may not be anything new or revolutionary, but what peps it up is the game's pure, unabashed enthusiasm and heart. It may just be a standard look for clues and go after the treasure journey, but I think that's really all they needed, and the banter of the cast, endearing character moments, and the thrills and breathing room in between each action scene do their job at keeping me engaged and make me want to keep going. I really love these characters, and I think Nate is actually better defined here than in the last one, his trust in others often seen as just as much a character flaw and a virtue, and that Everyman attitude that grounds him (an Everyman with enviable upper body strength, but never mind). But it's the likes of Chloe, Flynn, and especially Elena (the latter one of my favorite game characters ever) who really steal the show from under him. The Last of Us far outshines it in story, but what it does, it does really, really well. It's in my top ten favorite video games. Im really curious to see how you're gonna take to 3 and 4. 3 has the thrills and the great character moments, but without giving much away, the story itself gets messy with how it picks up and drops certain threads at random, almost as if there were more to them that were cut or drastically modified just before release. And 4 I'd argue is the best of the series technically. It's beautiful, rich in character (it shares the same director as The Last of Us), thrilling (but in a more reserved way), and it also has the best villains. Even if it does drag a bit in the second half, it's still a great finisher. And oh my god, swinging around on a grappling hook like I'm Spider-Man has been out of my life for far too long!
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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 26, 2017 19:58:48 GMT
And oh my god, swinging around on a grappling hook like I'm Spider-Man has been out of my life for far too long! Well, I suppose it helps when Spielberg is one of your favorite directors - as I know he is, and is for a lot of others on this forum as well. I really enjoy his work, but wouldn't call him a top favorite. And I suppose that's my reaction to the games as well. I really enjoy them, but they wouldn't top any list for me. I'm still excited to finish off the series. I had no idea they really... had... directors for these games, but that's cool to know that the guy in charge of The Last of Us is in charge of Uncharted 4. Really excited to play it then. As for the characters, can't say I really cared for any of them - they all just kind of felt like the typical heroine or bad-ass villain type of roles you find littered throughout action movies - but I do really like Elena. She actually has some depth to her that the other characters lack. I love all the banter between she and Nate, so maybe that's why as a story, I potentially enjoyed the first more than the second game (in terms of game play, though, it's the second one for me). Now this makes me wish they would make other games based on films of my favorite directors. A Hitchcock race-against-the-clock thriller game. A Fincher hard-boiled detective story. A Wes Anderson small-town adventure game in the vein of Elder Scrolls meets Life is Strange. Well, so much for a bucket list that'll never happen.
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Post by DeepArcher on Jun 26, 2017 21:47:41 GMT
DeepArcher (hey, I didn't realize you were StrangeManager! I've always loved your posts, man).
Anyway, I suppose all of my favorite games have had stories that leave me thinking about them long after their done. Half-Life 2, The Last of Us, Heavy Rain, and even the Batman: Arkham series. I suppose when I had seen so many rankings of Uncharted 2 above even some of those (if they even listed some of those others I mentioned at all), I expected something better, but the story just wasn't there. Still, I agree about the game play, and perhaps it would have helped to play it back when it was released to understand just how cinematic they were to players then (since, obviously, there have been many games since that literally make themselves into movies, like Heavy Rain or Beyond: Two Souls). Excited to hear that #3 isn't too bad. I was worried, as I always see #1 and #2, and even #4 pop up on best-of lists everywhere, but never #3. I'd obviously play it regardless, but it's nice to know I won't be bored to death Thanks! I know, a lot of people have said they're thrown off by/don't like the name change, I've considered going back to the one most people first knew me by. And I love all of the games you mentioned, though haven't played the Half-Life series yet. Heavy Rain definitely has one of the best stories of a game that I've played, and was surely a huge influence on films like Prisoners which mirror it in similar ways. The Batman: Arkham games, especially City, blew me away with their storytelling quality, which is actually much better than a majority of comic book films. So I can totally relate to being underwhelmed by the storylines in the Uncharted games, as I do feel the same, but it doesn't take away from my enjoyment. And you totally won't be bored to death by the third one! I remember having a ton of fun with it.
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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 26, 2017 22:32:53 GMT
DeepArcherHa, well I've had the same user name for over a decade now for no reason other than it's easy to remember that way, but I don't care much if others change theirs. Though StrangeManager with the Blade Runner gif was cool. Don't know why. Half-Life 2 is my favorite game ever. Nothing has even come close. The first one is okay, but I played the second one (and it's two Episodes) before I ever played the first one, and there wasn't much I was missing. Almost like how you could watch Aliens without having seen Alien as they're almost two entirely different worlds, and any necessary back story is told to you. Heavy Rain is so good, and even though a lot of people don't like the ending, I didn't mind. What bothered me was that it was labeled as a game with "choice" but by the end, you practically get the same results. Still, the story is amazing and the atmosphere is haunting. Glad to see we agree on Batman. I love Nolan's Batman films, but the games are so far superior in every way. Even Hamill's Joker is one-of-a-kind, though Ledger's Joker is impeccable as well (hard to say whose is better, really). I heard a lot of critical backlash against Arkham Knight, but I still had as much of a blast playing it as I did the others, but City definitely has the best story and I think that's all credit to how they handled the Joker. Glad to hear it! I've rarely been bored by a video game anyway
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Post by DeepArcher on Jun 26, 2017 23:02:15 GMT
DeepArcher Glad to see we agree on Batman. I love Nolan's Batman films, but the games are so far superior in every way. Even Hamill's Joker is one-of-a-kind, though Ledger's Joker is impeccable as well (hard to say whose is better, really). I heard a lot of critical backlash against Arkham Knight, but I still had as much of a blast playing it as I did the others, but City definitely has the best story and I think that's all credit to how they handled the Joker. Oh yeah, Hamill makes the series. You can't really compare him to Ledger, just because a voiceover performance isn't really comparable to a full-body one, but they're both perfect at nailing their respective interpretations of the character. The Joker's last scene in City in particular is easily some of the finest acting I've seen in a video game. Hamill's work is so haunting and bizarrely heartbreaking in that moment; City was one of the first things I played when I finally got into gaming, and that scene totally opened up my eyes as to what the medium could achieve. And yeah, I dug the hell out of Arkham Knight. The ending was something of a letdown, but I had a ton of fun with it. The story was strong, and I really appreciated the way they worked Hamill's Joker back in, in a very comic relief-y way. I also personally think Arkham Origins is underrated; despite its glitchy-ness, I had so much fun with it.
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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 27, 2017 1:44:31 GMT
DeepArcherOh yeah, I kind of forgot about Origins just because it was so long ago that I played it, but I loved that one as well. Still mad that I let a friend borrow it (and subsequently "lose" it) before I got a chance to finish all the side quests, but it was a lot of fun. Those games always are. Agreed 100% on Hamill, and what a game to really kick-start your love of video games. I'm pretty hazy on the ending of City outside of the big battle with the Joker, but I have no doubt Hamill achieves great heights in that finale. Also agreed that I thought the inclusion of Joker in Knight was going to be so cheesy, but it worked so well. On a side note (and I love how we hi-jacked this thread into a Batman post), I love the Batman: Arkham vibes I'm getting from that Spider-Man game slated for next year. I was thinking "man, if they can do so well with four different Batman games, I'd love to see how the handle other superheroes" and now we get just that (even if it's by a different company).
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Post by DeepArcher on Jun 27, 2017 1:48:31 GMT
On a side note (and I love how we hi-jacked this thread into a Batman post), I love the Batman: Arkham vibes I'm getting from that Spider-Man game slated for next year. I was thinking "man, if they can do so well with four different Batman games, I'd love to see how the handle other superheroes" and now we get just that (even if it's by a different company). Oh yeah, I heard about that Spider-Man picking up a lot of buzz at E3, but I still need to make it a point to look into it more. It'd be awesome to get more Arkham series-esque games that focus on other characters.
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Post by idioticbunny on Jun 27, 2017 15:11:01 GMT
DeepArcher The game play trailer out of E3 was pretty sweet. I used to play the old Spider-Man games a lot when I was younger, and I really miss being able to just swing all around New York City. Half the time I'd skip the story or any side quests and just climb to the very top of the Empire State Building or Chrysler Building and just stare out at the landscapes. Really weird, I know, but I'm a huge fan of city views and it was the closest I'd been to a big city as a kid. It was the equivalent to my "tropical island" postcard. So I'm excited to be able to do that again, but in HD! Haha. EDIT: Oh, and now I finally get your avatar having finally gotten around to Episode 8. Can't believe I didn't notice that gross little creature in your picture before. Thought it was just hair.
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