Uh-oh...

[ProjectPat2280]

while I'll be playing Uncharted

Yea, i think ima use some of my student loan money to get a PS3 so i can grab this game.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

It blends the intense 3rd person shooting of games like Gears, with the great platforming that Naughty Dog has made its name on, and an intriguing hand-to-hand fighting system.

Add to that the simply stunning visuals, and original story, and you've got a great product.

The game looks like Stranglehold. Which didn't get good reviews.

 

[ProjectPat2280]

The game looks like Stranglehold. Which didn't get good reviews.

But SH didnt have any hand to hand ass kickery.

 

[Jerry!]

But it had a dog.

 

[GFreeman]

Yea, i think ima use some of my student loan money to get a PS3 so i can grab this game.

That's a damn good, flawless plan.

 

[Havok83]

The game looks like Stranglehold. Which didn't get good reviews.

Strangehold? Have you seen the BTS videos that were released on the PSN?

 

[ProjectPat2280]

That's a damn good, flawless plan.

I thought so too, i mean its fool prof.

 

[Zenien]

The game looks like Stranglehold. Which didn't get good reviews.

Uncharted is the best looking next gen game so far

 

[Electro UK]

Ha, good one WHF! But Uncharted is going to kick the crap out of Stranglehold and is the best graphical game on this gen.

 

[Fenrir]

Ha, good one WHF! But Uncharted is going to kick the crap out of Stranglehold and is the best graphical game on this gen.

Pffft, both Crysis and Alan Wake rape Uncharted in the graphics department.

 

[Electro UK]

Pffft, both Crysis and Alan Wake rape Uncharted in the graphics department.

I meant on console, but I don't think Alan Wake looks as good.

 

[Fenrir]

I meant on console, but I don't think Alan Wake looks as good.

Try telling me that with a straight face after you see this. And I just finished playing the Crysis Single Player demo and not only it pretty much creams every game we've seen to date visually speaking, but it also plays amazingly well.

As for Uncharted, I don't know what looks so great about that game that you guys are drooling over. From what I've seen in the gameplay vids, I'd easily put it a notch below Mass Effect.

 

[Jerry!]

I'd put it a lot more than a notch below Mass Effect. Theres already one review saying that Mass Effect is one of the best games, if not the best, of the year. I see where people are talking about graphics, and I will give the game that, visually, it looks great. But the gameplay just looks boring. Someone said it had the intensity of a 3rd person shooting title like Gears of War. I have yet to see a video of that game that comes anywhere close to that. Doesn't matter how good it looks if its just uninspired repetitive game play. Thats what I mean when I say it looks generic.

 

[Zenien]

Well it's probably less repeditive then Gears, considering it's Platforming, puzzle solving and shooting.

That Alan Wake video looks great, but it's not running on a 360, but a top of the line quad core PC, so the fidelity you see isn't representative of the game, it was in debug mode. They have an amazing lighting engine though. We'll see what the final game looks like, but the 2D bitmap shell layer trees are lol. That's not to say it ISN'T one of the shinning examples of technology, but it doesn't crush Drakes Fortune or anything.

As for Mass Effect, it looks nice enough, the detail on the faces are good, but beyond that it's pretty stiff and generic, the environments are bland, spartan, and blocky, but that doesn't stop it from having good colors and texture maps, but beyond that there's not much happening with it. For all the hoopla they made about the faces and emotion, they all look and speak like robots. Granted it will probably still be awesome but the graphics aren't worth getting worked up about.

Uncharted is this total package of insane poly counts, animation, textures, activity on screen, scope, so on. It's the Ultimate showpiece so far for what a console is capable of, and looks like it will be one of the best games of the year and even the generation. It doesn't have Bald Space Marines, but I guess if you deem that a better setting it all comes down to what your tastes are. Relative to each consoles life, Uncharted is coming out at the same time as Gears did and it's a full step over Gears of War, easy, and above anything else this christmas.

 

[Jerry!]

I can't remember who posted it, but he said the shooting elements of Uncharted had the kind intensity that Gears of War's action did, not the entire game. I have not seen that in the least from the videos. But I did not come up with that comparison and I'm not arguing that Gears is a better game.

I think you misunderstood me when I said a few notches below Mass Effect right now. I meant overall, not visually. It seems thats all you are arguing for, the graphics. It won't matter if its boring to play. And right now you are pretty much the minority who thinks that about Mass Effect's voice acting. Seeing as the dialogue and how the characters interact and speak with each other are one of the bigger drawing points in the game and one of the most important components of it, I'd say they did a hell of a job with it just coming out of the several previews and review of the game so far. Shepard is a military man, not a zany, spiky-haired savior, don't expect him to act like one.

And lastly, Uncharted hasn't been reviewed yet, so lets put a hold on the talk of "best game of the generation" for a bit. Those videos are underwhelming if anything as far as action goes.

 

[Fenrir]

Well it's probably less repeditive then Gears, considering it's Platforming, puzzle solving and shooting.

That Alan Wake video looks great, but it's not running on a 360, but a top of the line quad core PC, so the fidelity you see isn't representative of the game, it was in debug mode. They have an amazing lighting engine though. We'll see what the final game looks like, but the 2D bitmap shell layer trees are lol. That's not to say it ISN'T one of the shinning examples of technology, but it doesn't crush Drakes Fortune or anything.

As for Mass Effect, it looks nice enough, the detail on the faces are good, but beyond that it's pretty stiff and generic, the environments are bland, spartan, and blocky, but that doesn't stop it from having good colors and texture maps, but beyond that there's not much happening with it. For all the hoopla they made about the faces and emotion, they all look and speak like robots. Granted it will probably still be awesome but the graphics aren't worth getting worked up about.

Uncharted is this total package of insane poly counts, animation, textures, activity on screen, scope, so on. It's the Ultimate showpiece so far for what a console is capable of, and looks like it will be one of the best games of the year and even the generation. It doesn't have Bald Space Marines, but I guess if you deem that a better setting it all comes down to what your tastes are. Relative to each consoles life, Uncharted is coming out at the same time as Gears did and it's a full step over Gears of War, easy, and above anything else this christmas.

Drake's Fortune looks nowhere near as good as Alan Wake. Just compare the outdoor visuals of both games and you can easily see the considerable difference of quality.

And Mass Effect may not be pushing as many polys as Uncharted, but you can see that it is the more visually classier and sophisticated game. The complaint about environments, well, it IS a futuristic action/RPG set in the space age the conventional design philosophy of which is heavily centered around clean and bright backgrounds without heavily stylized textures ala 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien. As for the characters speaking like robots, LOL. Watch this video - it is arguably one of the most realistic looking conversations ever between two videogame characters, the subtle variations in body language and facial expressions are just amazing. I dare you to show me an RPG or comparable title as heavilty dialogue-centric that looks this believable. Sure, there may be a little bit inconsistency here and there but that doesn't mean Bioware didn't achieve what it promised. I also dig the cold, detached and professional manner in which the characters interact with each other. It's a refreshing departure from the existing overkill cutscenes in certain games that are just trying WAY too hard to be "emotional" (the MGS series is often the worst offender).

And epic LOLZ at your statement of Uncharted being a full step over Gears, considering the characters in Gears are undeniably better-looking than the sloppy job in Uncharted. Not to mention that if you compare the Gears' style "action" gameplay moments in Uncharted (and it is as direct and appropriate comparison as humanly possible), it is immediately obvious that the animation in Gears kicks that crap out of Drake's Fortune's, same goes for the quality of action special effects, quite astonishing for a game that as you so conveniently put it, is a full year ahead of Gears. As for the animation in other segments of the game, Assassin's Creed has already effortlessly surpassed that as well. Basically, Uncharted is a classic gaming example of the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none."

 

[ProjectPat2280]

As for the animation in other segments of the game, Assassin's Creed has already effortlessly surpassed that as well. Basically, Uncharted is a classic gaming example of the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none."

I dont think you can make those conclusions and have them be accurate. Neither game is out yet and im sure you havent played either in their final build.

 

[Zenien]

Drake's Fortune looks nowhere near as good as Alan Wake. Just compare the outdoor visuals of both games and you can easily see the considerable difference of quality.

With Uncharted looking better you mean. Enjoy your 2D bit map shells for branches in Alan Wake. It doesn't look better. The game looks great, especially because of the scope, but that's it. Alan Wake is more comparable to the engine of GT5, except with an amazing lighting engine that they fully deserve props for.

And Mass Effect may not be pushing as many polys as Uncharted, but you can see that it is the more visually classier and sophisticated game. The complaint about environments, well, it IS a futuristic action/RPG set in the space age the conventional design philosophy of which is heavily centered around clean and bright backgrounds without heavily stylized textures ala 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien. As for the characters speaking like robots, LOL. Watch this video - it is arguably one of the most realistic looking conversations ever between two videogame characters, the subtle variations in body language and facial expressions are just amazing. I dare you to show me an RPG or comparable title as heavilty dialogue-centric that looks this believable. Sure, there may be a little bit inconsistency here and there but that doesn't mean Bioware didn't achieve what it promised. I also dig the cold, detached and professional manner in which the characters interact with each other. It's a refreshing departure from the existing overkill cutscenes in certain games that are just trying WAY too hard to be "emotional" (the MGS series is often the worst offender).

You'd have an excuse in the architecture, but it's obvious the game is cutting technical corners when you see shots like this:

Now the 'set piece' conversation sections look a lot better. And the cope of the game is pretty big, but even the inside environments are pretty spartan. You don't havea case here. Even scenes where Shepard is in pain like in one of the last trailers, has this goofy not realistic at all facial expression.

And epic LOLZ at your statement of Uncharted being a full step over Gears, considering the characters in Gears are undeniably better-looking than the sloppy job in Uncharted.

Sloppy job in Uncharted.

That must be why Drakes model is higher poly then any model of the other games you've mentioned. Or why his shirt dynamically wrinkles and stretches and gets dirty, or how his model haseverythign from the harness to the gun holster using physics, or how they have seperate shaders for his hair skin, teeth, eyes, or how his face changes dynamically with the situation, or how it's rigged to use an AI to grab and move dynamically based upon the situation with different animations all layered on top of one another. That's really 'sloppy' compared to Gears "normal map an average model and call it a day".

Not to mention that if you compare the Gears' style "action" gameplay moments in Uncharted (and it is as direct and appropriate comparison as humanly possible), it is immediately obvious that the animation in Gears kicks that crap out of Drake's Fortune's

Prove it, get your gif animator ready.

same goes for the quality of action special effects, quite astonishing for a game that as you so conveniently put it, is a full year ahead of Gears.

Ummmmm...

As for the animation in other segments of the game, Assassin's Creed has already effortlessly surpassed that as well. Basically, Uncharted is a classic gaming example of the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none."

That hilarious considering Uncharted has animations that are far more advanced then Asassins Creed which is just endless canned animations. Uncharted Animations are dynamic and the AI will actually ajust the animations for Drake to stretch and flex and strain to reach a ledge, or stumble as he's running.

 

[Fenrir]

With Uncharted looking better you mean. Enjoy your 2D bit map shells for branches in Alan Wake. It doesn't look better. The game looks great, especially because of the scope, but that's it. Alan Wake is more comparable to the engine of GT5, except with an amazing lighting engine that they fully deserve props for.

Actually, Uncharted looks like a freakin' cartoon compared to Alan Wake. :

You'd have an excuse in the architecture, but it's obvious the game is cutting technical corners when you see shots like this:

Spoiler

IMG]http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/820/820400/mass-effect-20070917001948073.jpg[/IMG]

Now the 'set piece' conversation sections look a lot better. And the cope of the game is pretty big, but even the inside environments are pretty spartan. You don't havea case here. Even scenes where Shepard is in pain like in one of the last trailers, has this goofy not realistic at all facial expression.

Umm, the same way Uncharted is "cutting corners" with it's sloppy characters models and mediocre wannabe "Gears" styled-action sequences?

 

[Fenrir]

I dont think you can make those conclusions and have them be accurate. Neither game is out yet and im sure you havent played either in their final build.

I'm talking strictly about animation. I believe the gameplay videos from both games are sufficient evidence enough for making that statement.

 

[Zenien]

You honestly haven't been keeping up with Uncharted then. The character models aren't half asses at all.

Uncharted is suppose to look cartoony, they deliberately did that when making the game, and all the textures are done by hand.

 

[Fenrir]

You honestly haven't been keeping up with Uncharted then.

Is it my problem that the game looks so bland and "meh"? Lord knows how many times I've yawned while seeing the gameplay footage. I haven't had a single "Holy s**t!" moment in Uncharted like I did in the case of Gears (the intensity of the combat sequences), Mass Effect (the conversations between Rex and Shepard) and Assassin's Creed (the chase scenes). And I sure as hell would appreciate it if you could post something that made the collective jaws of all you Sony fanboys hit the floor, because I'm sitting here scratching my head unable to figure it out. And really, I'm serious here. It's an understandable argument if you people say Killzone 2 is the best looking console game but THIS? I just don't see it.

 

[Jerry!]

Graphics won't matter if the game play is like what I've seen in the videos so far.

 

[Zenien]

Great third person shooting and assuredly having the best platforming out of any game this year outside of Super Mario Galaxy?

 

[Fenrir]

Unless you could dynamically duck and avoid that punch in real-time it's nothing impressive really, just another standard animation routine that has been done even by games as old as Batman Vengeance.