eRe4s3r wrote on Aug 17, 2017, 00:14:

swaaye wrote on Aug 17, 2017, 00:03:
They named it Prey in hopes of selling more copies. You know, mitigate risks a bit by using an established name and the brand power that includes. Unfortunately, it still didn't sell very well from what I've read. Neither did Dishonored 2. Or Deus Ex MD. It's not good for anyone that this game formula doesn't sell well to the masses.

Dishonored 2 is objectively a worse game than Dishonored 1 though (I own and played both), same for Deus EX Mankind Divided, which was objectively a worse game than Deus EX Human Revolution (I own and played both) (And yes, I would say worse already starts when these sequels feel so identical and sometimes even cut-down to their originals that it all just blends together) but for both games it's also because the writing quality took a nose-dive

jdreyer wrote on Aug 6, 2017, 18:17:
@Rilcon: I'm not sure why you say the market isn't growing. We've seen this industry increase from millions to billions over the past few decades. Also EA, Activision, Tencent, and many others are profitable or very profitable companies.

The problem we're complaining about here is that now full price games are adopting the monetization techniques of free to play. We hate it when a game diverges from its primary purpose of providing entertainment to become a cash sucking machine. If done unobtrusively like BL2, you hardly notice. But if intrudes into the core gameplay, then it's a huge problem for a game that people paid full price for.

aka_STEVE wrote on Aug 4, 2017, 08:14:
Otherwise known as "poor man's Portal " ?

Luke wrote on Jul 23, 2017, 16:54:
That list says alot about pc gaming ...sad

It would be better if we could call more than 2 games on that list art. And in case of W3 that's only half-true imo, as a whole package (expansion and game) it's definitely exceptionally good, but art? Nier:A is the only game in that list where you walk away after completing the primary 3 endings with a new collection of thoughts and emotions you never thought about before. And that is the very definition of art.

Rattican wrote on Jun 28, 2017, 21:06:

Jerykk wrote on Jun 28, 2017, 03:16:
I think you're just tired of the setting or overall formula. Dishonored 2 has even better level design than the first game and greatly expanded mechanics. The story wasn't as good as the first game's but everything else was a step up. Many people felt the same way about Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. That was superior to its predecessor in every way except story but was oft criticized as "more of the same."

It's possible that people are just getting bored of the immersive sim formula in general. Dishonored 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Prey all sold below expectations. Maybe people just want more linear, guided and story-driven experiences with lots of spectacle. Uncharted and CoD continue to sell like hotcakes, after all.

I think you're right. It's weird though; we haven't exactly been saturated by immersive sim (*) games for a long time, then we get some within the space of a few years. They do require a greater level of attention compared to many other games though - more reading, more hunting in corners for things to find, thinking about how to manage your resources efficiently, and basically a level of thought that most other games don't require. It gets mentally tiring after a while, but it's also my favorite game genre, so fuck me I guess.

* BTW, when did the term "immersive sim" come about? I can't even recall hearing that genre until it just kinda started getting used a few years ago. How'd that happen? Deus Ex for example was always considered an FPS/RPG hybrid.

ItBurn wrote on Jun 28, 2017, 02:11:

Jerykk wrote on Jun 27, 2017, 23:25:

Acleacius wrote on Jun 27, 2017, 20:30:
Can't be a coincidence, first Dishonored 2 and then prey, under bethesda's thumb. Surely this is exactly why Human Head didn't kneel at the bethesda altar.

Not sure what you mean? Dishonored 2 and Prey are both great games. Before Zenimax bought them, Arkane made Arx Fatalis and Dark Messiah of Might & Magic. Their games under Bethesda have sold significantly more, had much better critical reception and have made the studio a much more established name.

I like Arx and Dark Messiah way more than Dishonored. I didn't play Prey, but from what I saw, I'm not even interested in it. Sure, the new games are selling more, but I'd rather have the old studio back. To me it seems like their new games lack any kind of passion. Like they're just churning AAA games for the money instead of love. They don't evoke much excitement in me, partly because of that.

Rattican wrote on Jun 28, 2017, 02:50:
When playing Dishonored 2 I just didn't get the feeling that the game had any soul. It lacks a creative spark - it's hard to describe, but it just feels as if it existed because Bethesda wanted a sequel of Dishonored, instead of Arkane actually wanting to make one. It's still a decent game, but it feels too similar to its predecessor even with the new ideas. Prey at least is more interesting, feels fresh even, which is probably why I enjoy the game more.

Acleacius wrote on Jun 27, 2017, 20:30:
Can't be a coincidence, first Dishonored 2 and then prey, under bethesda's thumb. Surely this is exactly why Human Head didn't kneel at the bethesda altar.

Kxmode wrote on Jun 22, 2017, 14:12:

Quinn wrote on Jun 22, 2017, 02:36:

Kxmode wrote on Jun 21, 2017, 14:20:
Kinguin is okay, but there are constantly better deals on CDKeys, GreenManGaming, and a handful others. Nevermind the fact that Kinguin has a $3 "buyer protection" tax. CDkeys doesn't charge that. The price you see is the price you pay.

You can decline the protection with the click of a button xP GMG hasn't ever had lower prices than Kinguin. Maybe on a very rare circumstance.

What I'm saying is CDKeys bakes protection into the price. Kenguin provides the opt-out but they don't guarantee protection. That's what I was referring to.

I think charging $3 for key protection is shady. It's the responsibility of the platform to ensure buyer protection. Buying keys is already a gray market. It would behoove Kinguin and G2A to make protection a standard feature, not a premium.

Muscular Beaver wrote on Jun 21, 2017, 09:02:
Previous games had a story, as small as it was. But this one is as non-existent as the Doom one (the original one). Actually even less, because sometimes you dont even know why youre there or why youre doing it.