Sho_Nuff82

Member
Nov 14, 2017
18,592
I wish MGS5 had more imitators in terms of gameplay. I think I'm getting too old for stiff controls, animations that can't be cancelled, and cameras that fight me every step of the way.
 

Y2Kev

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,994
No, rather that people are unafraid to hit a Ubisoft game with an honest assessment. Now back to my question, do you really think that Death Stranding is the time in gaming history that marks when "Games are finally things that mean something and say something" as you put it? I won't deny that DS is pushing boundaries, but that quote is bananas.
So it's not that people are too critical about Ubisoft, it's that people are uncritical about Hideo Kojima (the "Beath Stranding" argument). I believe this game has already revolutionized games discourse.
 

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever™
Member
Sep 24, 2019
34,715
Words that don't address
"Games are finally things that mean something and say something". This indicates that no game prior to Death Stranding was able to do this. It spits in the face of decades of hard work, creativity, and the creation of countless games that HAVE meant something and HAVE said something. This is less about DS and more about what an absurd statement that is to make.
 

Semfry

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,981
Haven't played DS yet, but if complicating base movement mechanics results in developers accidentally stumbling upon engaging 3D action-adventure platforming again I'm all for it.
 

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
"The new game that has opened the eyes to millions of designers is Death Stranding."

Citation needed lol. I can't wait for new open world games having a more free approach to traversal and world design that accomodates that, and Death Stranding fans completely ignoring BotW even being a thing. Having to constantly press button to balance yourself is more tedious than engaging imo.
 

Y2Kev

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,994
"Games are finally things that mean something and say something". This indicates that no game prior to Death Stranding was able to do this. It spits in the face of decades of hard work, creativity, and the creation of countless games that HAVE meant something and HAVE said something. This is less about DS and more about what an absurd statement that is to make.
I'm not spitting in anyone's face. As you might say, I am just unafraid to remark about the special genius of this one particular piece.
 

Lobster Roll

signature-less, now and forever™
Member
Sep 24, 2019
34,715
I'm not spitting in anyone's face. As you might say, I am just unafraid to remark about the special genius of this one particular piece.
Fair enough. This game, to you, is Day 0 of "games are finally things that mean something and say something". I don't think we'll agree on that, though. I'll meet in you the middle though and concede that it's pushing boundaries.
 

Mr Punished

Member
Oct 27, 2017
614
OUTER HEAVEN
Death Stranding is a game if it was released by any other developer then it would be universally slated and instantly forgotten.

/come at me!
I think if Death Stranding was made by some indie studio then it'd be universally praised and recognised as a monumental technical achievement on such a small budget. Assuming it kept the same level of production values which are kinda important to the overall experience.

I really think that this game would probably be slightly less polarising if the marketing wasn't so Kojima. AAA production, especially big open worlds games, are quite homogenised, I think there's a reality where Death Stranding came out 10-15 years ago when things were a little more experimental and the game wouldn't have been such a culture shock. However, I don't think there is anyway anybody not be remembering Death Stranding. You play as Norman Reedus with a baby strapped to your chest in an artificial womb connected through an umbilical cord to a damn robot arm on your back. Even if someone other than Koji Pro came up with such ludicrous concepts there's no way in hell people aren't talking about it.
 

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
I'm not spitting in anyone's face. As you might say, I am just unafraid to remark about the special genius of this one particular piece.
How bold of you lmao. It's always hilarious to see how people try to prop up their own tastes by propping up this mess of a game. Liking Komija's stuff doesn't make you look more sophisticated folks.
 

Y2Kev

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,994
Fair enough. This game, to you, is Day 0 of "games are finally things that mean something and say something". I don't think we'll agree on that, though. I'll meet in you the middle though and concede that it's pushing boundaries.
i dunno i haven't unwrapped my copy yet
How bold of you lmao. It's always hilarious to see how people try to prop up their own tastes by propping up this mess of a game. Liking Komija's stuff doesn't make you look more sophisticated folks.
I think Kojima's fanbase is the worst. He shits on them and they wonder if the shit contains some hidden DNA message to decode. I enjoy his games (except The Phantom Pain, which I just thought was poorly designed) and think he understands how to tell a good story. I think he's also disgusting. You know, the normal run of the mill stuff. Not to say some of his games don't actually have some cool thematic stuff that really resonates. I'm not going into this expecting to be taught the meaning of life.

BUT I think the reaction to this game is bizarre and I am fatigued by the negativity. I think all open world games made by Bethesda are tedious because they're so poorly designed (won't even speak to Ubisoft) but I get why they're not for me. :)
 

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
I wish MGS5 had more imitators in terms of gameplay. I think I'm getting too old for stiff controls, animations that can't be cancelled, and cameras that fight me every step of the way.
The thing is, even MGS5 itself suffers in a lot of aspects because of it's (great) focus on gameplay. I doubt most AAA devs will go "yeah let's sacrifice characters, story and like the last part of the game to focus on the sublime gameplay".
 

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
i dunno i haven't unwrapped my copy yet

I think Kojima's fanbase is the worst. He shits on them and they wonder if the shit contains some hidden DNA message to decode. I enjoy his games (except The Phantom Pain, which I just thought was poorly designed) and think he understands how to tell a good story. I think he's also disgusting. You know, the normal run of the mill stuff. Not to say some of his games don't actually have some cool thematic stuff that really resonates. I'm not going into this expecting to be taught the meaning of life.
Oooh you were trolling before, got you.
 

Fisty

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,466
I really do hope they bring the traversal mechanics forward, they are great and make getting around more than just holding a stick and waiting. I am scouting for efficient pathing and using tools to get around the map, much more engaging! Maybe Horizon 2 can get some of them
 

Ruisu

Banned
Aug 1, 2019
5,535
Brasil
People always say shit like this about Kojima's games and they're always wrong. Marketing uses Kojima's stories to sell the game but what's always kept me coming back time after time, even when the story disappoints or Metal Gear's story jumps the shark, is the game design. Kojima and his team have such a tremendous eye for detail and understanding of game design that they successfully made an engaging and fun gameplay loop out of delivering packages.
"KOJimA shOulD jUst MAkE moVIEs"

People like that don't understand how much, how very very much of what Kojima does is essential to a game experience be it in Death Stranding or in his MGS games before. This is a guy that LOVES the medium of videogames and it baffles me how much people seem to ignore it just because he also makes self indulgent cinematics.
 

Miya Moto

Member
Jun 4, 2018
275
I wonder how many Death Stranding fans put up with the gameplay to experience the story. The story is the reason Death Stranding is popular. So I don't see the mechanics catching on

Literally exactly the opposite for me. I waded through the story to get back to its incredibly engaging and satisfying gameplay loop.
 
Oct 29, 2017
2,600
Someone in the OT mentioned a Lord of the Rings adventure game using traversal mechanics similar to death stranding and now I'm sad that will never happen
 

Prine

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
15,724
It's not setting any trends. Also you whole opening statement is faulty, LoU set the trend of being a grumpy old man throwing bricks? Desaturated mature? Not sure what that even means. Its highly selective and tenuous in every respect.

I definitely hope more games base their mechanics around the concept of pointless tedium.

Pretty much. Game doesn't look like it's been a commercial hit, critically it disappointed, and its fanbase are utterly blinkered.
 
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shaneo632

Weekend Planner
Member
Oct 29, 2017
29,158
Wrexham, Wales
Not sure I really see most publishers being prepared to roll the dice on copying Death Stranding's formula. The game had a commercial advantage because it is an auteur-driven title and I don't think a generic Ubisoft/EA version would necessarily sell well.
 

ohitsluca

Member
Oct 29, 2017
731
I wonder how many Death Stranding fans put up with the gameplay to experience the story. The story is the reason Death Stranding is popular. So I don't see the mechanics catching on

I actively enjoyed the gameplay, and spent the majority of the game with the story on hold just exploring, and building roads and zip lines in the open world. I admit the game is not for everyone, but I also think it's a shitty thing to say that people who like the game only "put up with it". I have only played 2 Kojima games prior to this, one of them I did not like. I didn't hate, but also didn't love the story in Death Stranding. The gameplay is what kept me coming back to the point of almost getting the platinum trophy.

I also genuinely think this game was mischaracterized a bit in reviews/promotional materials. A large majority of the footage I saw in reviews only shows the very beginning of the game where literally all you do is walk. EZA said in their spoiler mode video that Sony/Kojipro told them they couldn't show anything beyond that. But the problem is, this is only for a few hours and it is very much a tutorial area (think white orchard from W3). Beyond that section, the world gets larger, the gameplay possibilities expand (more sandbox-y), the online functionality gets more robust, and the game gets more fun honestly. I'm not saying that this would change the minds of people who have played the game and didn't enjoy it, but I do think some people were actively turned away from the game by the review footage. Multiple friends of mine were like "you're playing DS? Don't you just walk around and deliver shit the entire game?" I'm like no.... you drive, you zip line, you explore, you build, you work with others using the online system, there's combat, there's stealth, etc.

But yeah, if anything about DS has influence on future games I think it will be the way it connected players. It took the sign concept from Souls and went to the next level with it. There is still a lot of things devs can do with a system like this in future singleplayer games, IMO.
 

monmagman

Member
Dec 6, 2018
4,126
England,UK
I wouldn't attribute that to Death Stranding though, considering it is merely an evolution of the asynchronous multiplayer introduced in Demon's Souls and popularised by Dark Souls. The Souls games are the real trendsetters that paved the way for Death Stranding and many other games and their souls like multiplayer systems. I do think Death Stranding however is the most unique and expanded upon execution of that type of game design.

The intense focus on traversal however I do think is absolutely what I identify as most uniquely Death Stranding and I would be greatly pleased if that element became a trend. One common thing I seen amongst critics which after playing Death Stranding I completely disagree with is that the game isn't 'fun'. Well 100 hours later for me and it's the most fun I've had in a game this year, the game is damn addictive which is sadly a rare experience for me.
Yea,game is the most addictive I've played in a long time....I'm 100hrs in and on chapter 5,lol.
The way the gameplay systems mesh together is pure brilliance,best designed game I've played all gen tbh.
 

Mr.Deadshot

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,285
I wonder how many Death Stranding fans put up with the gameplay to experience the story. The story is the reason Death Stranding is popular. So I don't see the mechanics catching on
Both story and gameplay are brilliant. And was totally expecting to not like the gameplay before buying it. I bought the game for the story, cutscenes and setting and was super surprised how addictive the gameplay is.
 

Bundy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
20,931
Incredible game. Soon I will have finished it. So yeah, give me more of that. Hope Death Stranding 2 is already in the works.
 

TheClaw7667

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,758
I wonder how many Death Stranding fans put up with the gameplay to experience the story. The story is the reason Death Stranding is popular. So I don't see the mechanics catching on
It was the complete opposite for me. The story was getting in the way of what I enjoyed most from the game which was the gameplay loop of delivering packages and navigating the terrain with all the tools available to overcome obstacles.

The last couple hours of the game are by far the worse parts of it because of how much it deviates from its core gameplay loop.
 

Manta_Breh

Member
May 16, 2018
2,582
The only thing I like about Death Stranding is the community/online aspect. I think a lot of developers will get creative and improve on that design.
 
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Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
What games did The Last of Us even influence?
Resident Evil Revelations 2
The Evil Within 1 & 2.
Days Gone (aesthetically)
God of War (Thematically, aesthetically)

You can thank TLoU for making japanese AAA companies dare to create horror games within their horror licenses again. I'm pretty sure that without TLoU Capcom wouldn't have attempted to create another horror-focused Resident Evil, and once they saw Revelations 2 do well with a slower pacing than RE5/6 they saw an opportunity to go full horror with the main series again.
 

Wamb0wneD

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
18,735
Yeah, game is the most addictive I've played in a long time....I'm 100hrs in and on chapter 5, lol.
The way the gameplay systems mesh together is pure brilliance,best designed game I've played all gen tbh.
You mean mechanics like bad combat, even worse bossfights, tredious balancing mechanics, jack shit to do in the open world whatsoever...(Like, this might be the most barren open world all gen). And none of it meshes with the actual story or cutscenes either.

It's not a bad game, but I'll never get statements like this. I love having a great scenerex and beautiful music kicking in at the right moment. That's pretty much it.
 

monmagman

Member
Dec 6, 2018
4,126
England,UK
You mean mechanics like bad combat, even worse bossfights, tredious balancing mechanics, jack shit to do in the open world whatsoever...(Like, this might be the most barren open world all gen). And none of it meshes with the actual story or cutscenes either.

It's not a bad game, but I'll never get statements like this. I love having a great scenerex and beautiful music kicking in at the right moment. That's pretty much it.
I guess we see things differently then....lol.
 

Belvedere

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,688
Like many have said Death Stranding is easily one of, if not the most memorable gaming experiences this generation. It's something refreshing and special that I'd be happy to see emulated.
 

TheClaw7667

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,758
The only thing I like about Death Stranding is the community/online aspect. I think a lot of developers will get creative and improve on that design.
The whole time playing I kept thinking how cool this kind of community design could work in a game where you are terraforming planets and have to traverse alien landscapes to set up the infrastructure. I would love to explore an alien world using the gameplay mechanics like the rope, ladders, building bridges etc.

A lot of the gameplay mechanics remind me of early access survival games where you start out being bad at everything and every upgrade improves your ability to do what you were doing at the beginning of the game faster and less cumbersome.
 
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Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
I wish MGS5 had more imitators in terms of gameplay. I think I'm getting too old for stiff controls, animations that can't be cancelled, and cameras that fight me every step of the way.
I felt like Uncharted 4 directly lifted design aspects of its stealth and visibility mechanics. The problem is that its imitators are pretty bound to make an inferior recreation, kinda like the way fans keep remaking P.T. and calling it faithful.
 

benzopil

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,158
A game this unique will be remembered for decades, like it or not it'll be one of the highlights of this gen when looking back.
Judging by its sales the word of mouth is weak and it was already forgotten. Or do you mean it will be remembered like The Last Guardian, by Era members, a couple indie devs and nobody else?
 

Deleted member 5322

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
1,523
I would say the influential games from this year will probably be Outer Wilds and (more likely) Disco Elysium.