I recently, and finally, picked up a copy of Grand Theft Auto 4 for my PC. I decided that I'd enjoy it, despite it's flaws and this proved true. I just like the screwing around aspect of the GTA games, and this is still quite intact. It's a bit hindered by the cars all being built out of lead, a criticism I had heard of. Having to take people out on the town is annoying, another criticism I was aware of. But there's one thing that really bugs me that no one had yet pointed out, every time I'm sent to kill someone I walk right up to them and tell them so.
I like avoiding messy fights. A nice clean head shot can settle an assassination mission quickly and quietly. I certainly don't like finding myself in the middle of a room full of people who I just told I'm going to kill. But no, I always have to watch a cut scene and get planted in the middle of the room with everyone shooting at me. Arresting control from the player is something that should always be done sparingly. But to consistently put the player in danger? Maybe sometimes, but it is happening quite frequently. Kill the player? Rarely, and only as part of the story. Players get tired of getting automatically killed very fast. But punish the player for dying when you threw them in the middle of danger? Now that's just not nice.
Letting the player strategize and plan their attack is an important factor in games. It gives the player more control, something they often like. Forcing them around makes the game more linear, and robs them of control. As I said, doing this sometimes can be great as a sudden switch in circumstances can really throw the player for a loop and add challenge to the game. You don't want things to get predictable. But when the player predicts they will need full health and armor before a mission because they're going to lose half of it before they can move, it's getting bad.
Always be careful about stealing control from the player. When done right and rarely, it is amazing. When done wrong and too often, it can cloud an otherwise great game.
This is the last guy I killed. And, despite starting this close to him, it took me ten minutes to chase him down. All because Niko opened his mouth.
It sounds like they force you to pretend to play the part of a computer-controlled drone at the start of each confrontation. Odd. And stupid.
ReplyDeleteOh -- and does he have a wet spot in his crotch, or what?
ReplyDeleteYes it does feel that way, which is part of my annoyance.
ReplyDeleteOh, as for the wet spot, I'd never noticed that before. Apparently, Niko can feel the impending pain as he sets himself up to get shot a lot. And in case you can't tell from what I've said already, Mr. Wet Pants is me. The guy in the red sweater was the guy I went after.