Golden Eye
Released for the N64 in 1997, Golden Eye is the video game version of the James Bond film released two years previously and allowed player to become the legendary spy in a first person shooter.
The game follows the movie but fleashes it out in places to lengthen the gameplay, although it still manages to stays true to the characters and storyline. There are three difficulty levels to choose from which gives the game the added option to play through again, making health harder to come by and enemys harder to kill.
The graphics added a sense of realism, not often seen in games at the time and the use of sound helped the player feel involved in the spy adventure. The music was very much in the style of the Bond film and the weapon noises were also very realistic.
The main reason Golden Eye was so enjoyable to play was the weapons and gadgets. Both the menu and health were accessed from James Bonds watch as well as there being several types of mines wich could also be detonated through the watch. There was also the ability to duel wield some weapons which was unique for a first person shooter.
The realism of the game and the well impelmented use of his famous gadgets went a long way to bring the player into James Bonds world, which had never been done before, or in my oppinion, since. Another main feature that will stick in most gamers heads was the multi-player option. Being able to play as several characters over several maps taken from the locations of the movie ment that players could challenge friends at different events such as golden gun or trip mines.
Friday, 24 October 2008
Game analysis # 9
Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart for the n64 is a grand prix style racing game which features many characters from the mario universe. The game allows up to four players to compete against each other and the main fun factor is the ability to fire weapons at your opponants which gives the game a twist and seperates it from the crowd.
The player is given the option of either competing in different levels of race across several ciruits, or entering battle or timed events. The wide variety of game style means that the game can be played again and again.
Each character from the mario universe can be selected when begining a tournament and with four players competing against several computer controled characters, the race can get quite intense. The abbility to pick up crystals, which randomly allocate you a power up or weapon, gives the game an added element of strategy and fun.
The look and sound of Mario Kart stay true to the platform mario games and so are bright and cartoon like, and in 3d it makes the player feel like they are involved in the Mario world. Although the gameplay is fun and frantic enough to captivate players who have never played any of the previous Mario games.
Mario Kart for the n64 is a grand prix style racing game which features many characters from the mario universe. The game allows up to four players to compete against each other and the main fun factor is the ability to fire weapons at your opponants which gives the game a twist and seperates it from the crowd.
The player is given the option of either competing in different levels of race across several ciruits, or entering battle or timed events. The wide variety of game style means that the game can be played again and again.
Each character from the mario universe can be selected when begining a tournament and with four players competing against several computer controled characters, the race can get quite intense. The abbility to pick up crystals, which randomly allocate you a power up or weapon, gives the game an added element of strategy and fun.
The look and sound of Mario Kart stay true to the platform mario games and so are bright and cartoon like, and in 3d it makes the player feel like they are involved in the Mario world. Although the gameplay is fun and frantic enough to captivate players who have never played any of the previous Mario games.
Game analysis # 8
Worms
Worms is a turn based 2d war game and was first released in 1995. The idea is to destroy the opponents team of commando worms with a huge arsenal of usually projectile weapons in a destructible environment. With a cartoon look to the characters and the level design it was a fun new way to play what was effectively a war strategy game.
The game would randomly generate levels, using several basic designs as a basis to work from. Either open aired or closed environments were used and depending on which one is selected would alter the way the game was played, restricting certain weapons or manoeuvres. The player has dozens of weapons to choose from, ranging from the familiar shotgun and pistol to the less familiar concrete donkey. There is also the option of creating your own team of worms, making things more fun when playing against a friend. The game is won when all the opposing team is dead, either from the health reaching zero or from the worms falling in the water at the bottom of the map.
In my opinion the game was best played with a friend as the AI was questionable at times plus it was always good to kill your opponents favourite worm or air strike the whole team in one move. There is a set time limit when taking turns which injects a sense of urgency into the game and its always funny to watch someone try to set the perfect shot up before the time runs out. The ease of the controls and the relatively short games meant it was a perfect game to pick up and play whenever you have a spare 10 mins and the colourful design and look of the game made it the perfect game for a bit of quick fun, as it didn’t take its self too seriously.
Worms is a turn based 2d war game and was first released in 1995. The idea is to destroy the opponents team of commando worms with a huge arsenal of usually projectile weapons in a destructible environment. With a cartoon look to the characters and the level design it was a fun new way to play what was effectively a war strategy game.
The game would randomly generate levels, using several basic designs as a basis to work from. Either open aired or closed environments were used and depending on which one is selected would alter the way the game was played, restricting certain weapons or manoeuvres. The player has dozens of weapons to choose from, ranging from the familiar shotgun and pistol to the less familiar concrete donkey. There is also the option of creating your own team of worms, making things more fun when playing against a friend. The game is won when all the opposing team is dead, either from the health reaching zero or from the worms falling in the water at the bottom of the map.
In my opinion the game was best played with a friend as the AI was questionable at times plus it was always good to kill your opponents favourite worm or air strike the whole team in one move. There is a set time limit when taking turns which injects a sense of urgency into the game and its always funny to watch someone try to set the perfect shot up before the time runs out. The ease of the controls and the relatively short games meant it was a perfect game to pick up and play whenever you have a spare 10 mins and the colourful design and look of the game made it the perfect game for a bit of quick fun, as it didn’t take its self too seriously.
Game analysis # 7
Track and Field
Track and Field is an Olympic themed sports game, also known as Hyper Olympics, and was released as an arcade game in 1983. The game was popular because of its fun and simple gameplay and its obvious competitive element.
The game involved up to four players and used a simple system of pushing two buttons alternately as quickly as possible to run, jump etc. And depending on the event another button would be pushed to set the angle of the jump or the thrown object. The events were the 100m dash, 110m hurdles, hammer throw, javelin throw, high jump and long jump with two players being able to compete at the same time in the race events and then individual turns for the other events.
The players won the game by beating the qualifying criteria such as time or distance. By completing all events, a small award ceremony would be displayed on screen with medals being given and then the events would reset with a harder qualifiers. This allowed players to compete at increasingly challenging levels either with the computer or up to for friends. As well as the medals awarded, there was the chance to achieve bonus points by meeting certain conditions such as player 1 and player 2 finishing races at the exact same time or throwing the javelin off screen to hit a bird. The game was successful the very simple gameplay mechanics and the challenge of going though the events to beat your personal best time or distance.
Track and Field is an Olympic themed sports game, also known as Hyper Olympics, and was released as an arcade game in 1983. The game was popular because of its fun and simple gameplay and its obvious competitive element.
The game involved up to four players and used a simple system of pushing two buttons alternately as quickly as possible to run, jump etc. And depending on the event another button would be pushed to set the angle of the jump or the thrown object. The events were the 100m dash, 110m hurdles, hammer throw, javelin throw, high jump and long jump with two players being able to compete at the same time in the race events and then individual turns for the other events.
The players won the game by beating the qualifying criteria such as time or distance. By completing all events, a small award ceremony would be displayed on screen with medals being given and then the events would reset with a harder qualifiers. This allowed players to compete at increasingly challenging levels either with the computer or up to for friends. As well as the medals awarded, there was the chance to achieve bonus points by meeting certain conditions such as player 1 and player 2 finishing races at the exact same time or throwing the javelin off screen to hit a bird. The game was successful the very simple gameplay mechanics and the challenge of going though the events to beat your personal best time or distance.
Game analysis # 6
Street fighter 2
Street Fighter 2 is a one on one fighting game. The original Street Fighter was first released in 1987 and only gave the player the option of playing as Ryu or Ken but it was the sequel released in 1991 that made the game so popular. It was the first game that really let the player choose between several different characters and spawned several successful remakes such as Street Fighter Turbo.
This was the first time the was so much demand to replay such an arcade game. The player could choose one of 14 characters each with around 30 moves, grapples and their own special moves. The controls were easy to pick up and use and the difficulty would vary wildly from playing a novice to someone who knew all the characters moves which meant it wouldn’t get boring easily as there would always be a challenge.
The game had well modelled and detailed characters and had bright and colourful backgrounds which also, depending on the stage, have moving elements such as a cheering crowd. The single player game consisted of seven fights with different characters and a final boss fight. A score would also be logged which allowed single player mode to have a competitive element. The most fun to be had with the game though was the multi player option. Playing with a favourite character and pulling off their special move doesn’t get old because of the simple controls, unique looking characters and speed of the gameplay.
Street Fighter 2 is a one on one fighting game. The original Street Fighter was first released in 1987 and only gave the player the option of playing as Ryu or Ken but it was the sequel released in 1991 that made the game so popular. It was the first game that really let the player choose between several different characters and spawned several successful remakes such as Street Fighter Turbo.
This was the first time the was so much demand to replay such an arcade game. The player could choose one of 14 characters each with around 30 moves, grapples and their own special moves. The controls were easy to pick up and use and the difficulty would vary wildly from playing a novice to someone who knew all the characters moves which meant it wouldn’t get boring easily as there would always be a challenge.
The game had well modelled and detailed characters and had bright and colourful backgrounds which also, depending on the stage, have moving elements such as a cheering crowd. The single player game consisted of seven fights with different characters and a final boss fight. A score would also be logged which allowed single player mode to have a competitive element. The most fun to be had with the game though was the multi player option. Playing with a favourite character and pulling off their special move doesn’t get old because of the simple controls, unique looking characters and speed of the gameplay.
Game analysis # 5
Resident Evil 4
Resident evil 4 is the game which rejuvenated the resident evil franchise. Edging away from the survival aspect of the previous games and focusing more on the action element, the game brought in many new gamers who would normally have avoided the series.
The story is fairly thin, a special operative for the government, you are sent to rural Spain to save the presidents daughter and along the way uncovering a sinister plot to turn people into zombie-like creatures. This is simply the premise you need to start shooting creatures but it works well because the action is so enjoyable. It’s a third person action survival horror which involves you solving puzzles, finding treasures and money to upgrade your equipment and of course, saving the day.
The AI is fairly good so the zombies will dodge your attacks and come at you from every possible angle, and the difficulty curve sits well, as your weapons get more powerful so do the enemies. The upgrade system plays a major part in what makes this such a good game. By collecting money, the player can buy dozens of different weapons and upgrade them in several ways, from the clip size to power of each shot. There is also the ability to kick or tackle zombies if they get too close, a totally new feature to the series where the action would previously be quite awkward and robotic.
Another reason I liked this game so much is that it can be played so any times. The option is there to start a new game with your upgraded weapons and equipment and there are also several extra games modes, such as survival and timed missions. Although the game does focus more on the action, the horror element can still clearly be seen and works well enough to have you jump out your seat (especially when the masked chainsaw wielding maniac bursts through a door into a room where you thought you were safe!)
Resident evil 4 is the game which rejuvenated the resident evil franchise. Edging away from the survival aspect of the previous games and focusing more on the action element, the game brought in many new gamers who would normally have avoided the series.
The story is fairly thin, a special operative for the government, you are sent to rural Spain to save the presidents daughter and along the way uncovering a sinister plot to turn people into zombie-like creatures. This is simply the premise you need to start shooting creatures but it works well because the action is so enjoyable. It’s a third person action survival horror which involves you solving puzzles, finding treasures and money to upgrade your equipment and of course, saving the day.
The AI is fairly good so the zombies will dodge your attacks and come at you from every possible angle, and the difficulty curve sits well, as your weapons get more powerful so do the enemies. The upgrade system plays a major part in what makes this such a good game. By collecting money, the player can buy dozens of different weapons and upgrade them in several ways, from the clip size to power of each shot. There is also the ability to kick or tackle zombies if they get too close, a totally new feature to the series where the action would previously be quite awkward and robotic.
Another reason I liked this game so much is that it can be played so any times. The option is there to start a new game with your upgraded weapons and equipment and there are also several extra games modes, such as survival and timed missions. Although the game does focus more on the action, the horror element can still clearly be seen and works well enough to have you jump out your seat (especially when the masked chainsaw wielding maniac bursts through a door into a room where you thought you were safe!)
Game analysis # 4
Pac-man
Pac-man was developed in Japan by Namco and originally released as Pukk-man although it only became a huge success when introduced to North America. The main reasons attributed to its success are that the game had such a wide range of appeal, not just the standard teenage boy group, and also for its originality compared to its rivals which were mostly space themed.
The game involves navigating Pac-man around a maze, avoiding four ghosts and collecting all of the dots to progress to the next level. This new concept allowed new players to become involved and widened the range groups who would typically play video games.
Pac-man was also the first game to inject humour into games as in between levels there would be funny little interactions between Pac-man and the red ghost, ‘Blinky’. The gameplay was simple and fun, by collecting fruits the gamer could score extra points and the four power pellets placed at the corners of the maze would make the ghosts run away instead of chasing and allowed the player to eat them to gain yet more extra points.
Although there is technically no end to the game, there is a bug in the programming which means that on screen 256 half the screen becomes muddled and unplayable. The game is a cult classic and is still played to this day. There are even competitions running to see who can achieve the highest score and there have even been patterns developed so that player can go round an entire level without encountering any ghosts. The fact that it is still very much in use is evidence of this games lasting fun appeal.
Pac-man was developed in Japan by Namco and originally released as Pukk-man although it only became a huge success when introduced to North America. The main reasons attributed to its success are that the game had such a wide range of appeal, not just the standard teenage boy group, and also for its originality compared to its rivals which were mostly space themed.
The game involves navigating Pac-man around a maze, avoiding four ghosts and collecting all of the dots to progress to the next level. This new concept allowed new players to become involved and widened the range groups who would typically play video games.
Pac-man was also the first game to inject humour into games as in between levels there would be funny little interactions between Pac-man and the red ghost, ‘Blinky’. The gameplay was simple and fun, by collecting fruits the gamer could score extra points and the four power pellets placed at the corners of the maze would make the ghosts run away instead of chasing and allowed the player to eat them to gain yet more extra points.
Although there is technically no end to the game, there is a bug in the programming which means that on screen 256 half the screen becomes muddled and unplayable. The game is a cult classic and is still played to this day. There are even competitions running to see who can achieve the highest score and there have even been patterns developed so that player can go round an entire level without encountering any ghosts. The fact that it is still very much in use is evidence of this games lasting fun appeal.
Game analysis # 3
Gran Turismo
When Gran Turismo was released on the playstation it quickly became the most popular game of its genre. Boasting its real-life like driving system, its detailed car modelling and customisable options, it was the only driving game at the time to offer so much in terms of realism.
The game had such a wide base of followers because the physics and number of licensed cars appealed to the petrol heads and those looking as close to the real thing as possible but with the arcade mode it still allowed novice gamers to play without too many problems. Gran Turismo has hundreds of licensed cars to choose from and any modifications to the vehicle will affect the physics and the way it handles. This meant that by you could customise all aspects of the car from tyre type to engine parts so that the car would perform better on certain tracks or events. At the time of release no other driving game had managed to go into as much detail but still be accessible to casual gamers.
The car models were almost identical to their true life counterparts however due to the license agreements with the car manufactures no damage modelling could be implemented, only the internal parts or tyres could be seen to become damaged. The gameplay was fun and addictive because the player starts with a set amount of credits and then has to buy from a selection of used cars, winning events and sitting tests for new licenses to unlock new events and cars.
The player is shown a map with different events and car dealerships to choose from, with hundreds of events for specific cars and tracks there was always an incentive to keep playing. Although the physics was sensitive to modifications to each car it was not punishing enough for many die hard driving sim fans. This failing was for other players the reason it was so enjoyable. When cars collided with each other or against barriers there wasn’t much of a speed penalty and could be quite forgiving at times. Also there were no rules as such, tyres could wear out too quickly and the racing flags were totally ignored. For me this game combined the best of both worlds, the in depth realism of a driving sim but still the ability to be played as an arcade driving game.
When Gran Turismo was released on the playstation it quickly became the most popular game of its genre. Boasting its real-life like driving system, its detailed car modelling and customisable options, it was the only driving game at the time to offer so much in terms of realism.
The game had such a wide base of followers because the physics and number of licensed cars appealed to the petrol heads and those looking as close to the real thing as possible but with the arcade mode it still allowed novice gamers to play without too many problems. Gran Turismo has hundreds of licensed cars to choose from and any modifications to the vehicle will affect the physics and the way it handles. This meant that by you could customise all aspects of the car from tyre type to engine parts so that the car would perform better on certain tracks or events. At the time of release no other driving game had managed to go into as much detail but still be accessible to casual gamers.
The car models were almost identical to their true life counterparts however due to the license agreements with the car manufactures no damage modelling could be implemented, only the internal parts or tyres could be seen to become damaged. The gameplay was fun and addictive because the player starts with a set amount of credits and then has to buy from a selection of used cars, winning events and sitting tests for new licenses to unlock new events and cars.
The player is shown a map with different events and car dealerships to choose from, with hundreds of events for specific cars and tracks there was always an incentive to keep playing. Although the physics was sensitive to modifications to each car it was not punishing enough for many die hard driving sim fans. This failing was for other players the reason it was so enjoyable. When cars collided with each other or against barriers there wasn’t much of a speed penalty and could be quite forgiving at times. Also there were no rules as such, tyres could wear out too quickly and the racing flags were totally ignored. For me this game combined the best of both worlds, the in depth realism of a driving sim but still the ability to be played as an arcade driving game.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Game analysis # 2
Oblivion
Oblivion is an action RPG which takes the player into a massive open kingdom which they can explore. The game can be played in either 1st or 3rd person perspective, and follows the story of an entirely customisable character as the rise from rags in a prison cell, to rich and powerful adveturer.
The game has been released on multiple platforms since its release in 2006 and its popularity is no surprise to anyone thats played it. The game area is huge, over 16 square miles of cities, forrests, mountains and coast and is of course scatterd with numerous caves, temples and ruins to explore. The shear size of the game allows hours of gameplay without any repitition of backdrops, scenery or monsters and the player has the freedom to deviate from the main quest at any time. This allows the gamer to wander or take up side missions where they often have several choices, to be good, bad, greedy or to ignore theese quests all together. The player can also progress through several guilds and can became wealthy and famous, making the player feel they have achieved somthing and spurs them on to become yet more powerful. Being able to lead several guilds, giving orders and reaping the rewards never gets old.
The graphics are of a very high quality, considering it was one of the first games released for the xbox 360, then later on the ps3. This is apparent from the outset of the game as straight away the player is allowed to totally edit the main character, from sex and race, down to eye colour and shaoe of the mouth. This idea of a personalised and evolvong character is then furtherd by the ability to choose the skills the player will poses. The leveling up process follows the same way, by allowing the gamer t allocate skill points to certain attributes, if feels like you hav total control over how your character develops as you progress through the game.
Oblivion is also the first game to effectivly impliment a 1st person view for a mele based action game, flawlessly letting you switch between a sword and shield to bow and arrow or even to magic. Aside from this new way of percieving this genre of game, the main point that makes this game so enjoyable to play is the number of options available at almost every point. Joining certain guilds or factions, creating new potions or weapons, buying property or simply exploring the wilderness, the player always has somthing to achieve, some goal to reach. Each combat situation could be delt with in totally different way depending on how your character has developed, stealth could be used, summoning monsters with magic or even just slashing through hoardsof enemys means that no fight will play out thesame way twice.
For me this game still had me gripped after more than 50 hours of gameplay, and even then downloadable content is avalible to introduce new quests equipment and monsters which adds even more enjoyable hours of gameplay. And althought ther is no multiplayer facility, the hundreds of NPCs in the various towns and cities keep the gamer involved in the imersive world the game manages to create.
Oblivion is an action RPG which takes the player into a massive open kingdom which they can explore. The game can be played in either 1st or 3rd person perspective, and follows the story of an entirely customisable character as the rise from rags in a prison cell, to rich and powerful adveturer.
The game has been released on multiple platforms since its release in 2006 and its popularity is no surprise to anyone thats played it. The game area is huge, over 16 square miles of cities, forrests, mountains and coast and is of course scatterd with numerous caves, temples and ruins to explore. The shear size of the game allows hours of gameplay without any repitition of backdrops, scenery or monsters and the player has the freedom to deviate from the main quest at any time. This allows the gamer to wander or take up side missions where they often have several choices, to be good, bad, greedy or to ignore theese quests all together. The player can also progress through several guilds and can became wealthy and famous, making the player feel they have achieved somthing and spurs them on to become yet more powerful. Being able to lead several guilds, giving orders and reaping the rewards never gets old.
The graphics are of a very high quality, considering it was one of the first games released for the xbox 360, then later on the ps3. This is apparent from the outset of the game as straight away the player is allowed to totally edit the main character, from sex and race, down to eye colour and shaoe of the mouth. This idea of a personalised and evolvong character is then furtherd by the ability to choose the skills the player will poses. The leveling up process follows the same way, by allowing the gamer t allocate skill points to certain attributes, if feels like you hav total control over how your character develops as you progress through the game.
Oblivion is also the first game to effectivly impliment a 1st person view for a mele based action game, flawlessly letting you switch between a sword and shield to bow and arrow or even to magic. Aside from this new way of percieving this genre of game, the main point that makes this game so enjoyable to play is the number of options available at almost every point. Joining certain guilds or factions, creating new potions or weapons, buying property or simply exploring the wilderness, the player always has somthing to achieve, some goal to reach. Each combat situation could be delt with in totally different way depending on how your character has developed, stealth could be used, summoning monsters with magic or even just slashing through hoardsof enemys means that no fight will play out thesame way twice.
For me this game still had me gripped after more than 50 hours of gameplay, and even then downloadable content is avalible to introduce new quests equipment and monsters which adds even more enjoyable hours of gameplay. And althought ther is no multiplayer facility, the hundreds of NPCs in the various towns and cities keep the gamer involved in the imersive world the game manages to create.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Game analysis # 1
Tomb Raider
For many people Tomb Raider changed the way they thought about games as in many ways it revolutionised the 3d genre. Released by Eidos interactive in 1996, it has sold over 7 million copies to date and is regarded by many as a classic. It is my opinion that Tomb Raider is a defining moment in the evolution of gaming for several significant reasons.
The main reason I chose to Analise this game is that for the first time it allowed the gamer to feel a real sense of scale when playing, drawing them in and allowing them to explore vast areas. It was described by one games reviewer as being " like throwing an extra dimension at Prince of Persia". I think this is the true reason behind its massive success, it managed to combine the elements of a platform game but extend this into the realms of 3d. By allowing the player to run, jump, roll, dive, swim and grab their way through several massive tombs around the world the player feels like they are part of the action. In short I believe it to be the first cinematic style game. With stunning graphics for the time, an involving story and several high quality cut scenes, it was a new gaming experience for those that played it and may even have helped shape games developed from that point on, raising the bar for all 3d adventures.
Of course it helped that the protagonist was, for many, pleasing to the eye (despite the ridiculously large polygons) but when the novelty of the hero being of the female persuasion wore off, we were left with a character that entered the Guiness world record as " most recognisable female video game character of all time" and has since become the unofficial spokeswoman for Eidos.
The movement system also went a long way to contributing to its success and place in the gaming history books. By keeping the controls simple ( one button for most actions such as grabbing, pulling switches ect.) it allowed the player to pull off some impressive and realistic looking maneuvers. This opened up the gameplay so much that puzzles that were previously unthinkable to implement now could be pulled off with style, e.g backfliping from one switch to another the diving through a gate. This would often take alot of trial and error but this is where most of the enjoyment would be found, when you finally get that puzzle thats had you pulling your hair out for 30 mins it gives you the rush that compels you to continue through the story.
Tomb Raider was far from perfect though as the controls didn't feel like you were controlling a nimble young woman, but more an old soviet tank. Also the sparse encounters with enemies and repetitive shooting styles combined with overly awkward puzzles could put some gamers off, but the fact remains that the totally new style of gameplay, with its ability to draw the gamer into the adventure with its looks, size and acrobatic moves was enough to change the way gamers saw action adventures and even games in general.
This was the first game I can remember being truly enthralled with, and as such I may be looking at it slightly rose tinted but for me it brought me into 3d gaming, away from the likes of Super Mario and into games which have evolved to become the games I play today.
For many people Tomb Raider changed the way they thought about games as in many ways it revolutionised the 3d genre. Released by Eidos interactive in 1996, it has sold over 7 million copies to date and is regarded by many as a classic. It is my opinion that Tomb Raider is a defining moment in the evolution of gaming for several significant reasons.
The main reason I chose to Analise this game is that for the first time it allowed the gamer to feel a real sense of scale when playing, drawing them in and allowing them to explore vast areas. It was described by one games reviewer as being " like throwing an extra dimension at Prince of Persia". I think this is the true reason behind its massive success, it managed to combine the elements of a platform game but extend this into the realms of 3d. By allowing the player to run, jump, roll, dive, swim and grab their way through several massive tombs around the world the player feels like they are part of the action. In short I believe it to be the first cinematic style game. With stunning graphics for the time, an involving story and several high quality cut scenes, it was a new gaming experience for those that played it and may even have helped shape games developed from that point on, raising the bar for all 3d adventures.
Of course it helped that the protagonist was, for many, pleasing to the eye (despite the ridiculously large polygons) but when the novelty of the hero being of the female persuasion wore off, we were left with a character that entered the Guiness world record as " most recognisable female video game character of all time" and has since become the unofficial spokeswoman for Eidos.
The movement system also went a long way to contributing to its success and place in the gaming history books. By keeping the controls simple ( one button for most actions such as grabbing, pulling switches ect.) it allowed the player to pull off some impressive and realistic looking maneuvers. This opened up the gameplay so much that puzzles that were previously unthinkable to implement now could be pulled off with style, e.g backfliping from one switch to another the diving through a gate. This would often take alot of trial and error but this is where most of the enjoyment would be found, when you finally get that puzzle thats had you pulling your hair out for 30 mins it gives you the rush that compels you to continue through the story.
Tomb Raider was far from perfect though as the controls didn't feel like you were controlling a nimble young woman, but more an old soviet tank. Also the sparse encounters with enemies and repetitive shooting styles combined with overly awkward puzzles could put some gamers off, but the fact remains that the totally new style of gameplay, with its ability to draw the gamer into the adventure with its looks, size and acrobatic moves was enough to change the way gamers saw action adventures and even games in general.
This was the first game I can remember being truly enthralled with, and as such I may be looking at it slightly rose tinted but for me it brought me into 3d gaming, away from the likes of Super Mario and into games which have evolved to become the games I play today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)