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cl e t 4 i 1? What in the blue hell is that?!
Well, try squinting, and if you think like me or, heaven forbid, your brain works in the same way, you might read the word 'Detail'.
Have you ever played a game and noticed the smallest thing, that in all fairness, most people will have missed? You've caught on to something and it's just made you smile, or double check what you've seen or just sit in awe.
If you have, you'll have noticed that the game you were playing was, more than likely, a AAA game. Is it these things that make the game an AAA game? Solely... No. But in part, I would agree.
I've just been watching a movie of in-game footage from SCEE's / Team Soho's 'The Getaway'. Quite an ambitious piece, to say the least. Anyhoo, the movie fades in to a behind car view giving you a lovely look at the boot of what I believe is an Alfa Romeo. (It's dark, I may be mistaken.) And just before the car turns right, the left indicator goes on. An Indicator! An INDICATOR! Maybe not such a shocking discovery, had I been talking about a driving game. Granted The Getaway does have quite a number of driving missions, and does share of RockStar's concept of driving anywhere in any car, but the fact that you can put an indicator on is sound.
You may say i'm going over the top, but it's touches like this that really polish a game off, and in my view, warrant the parting of you and your 4 tenners. I believe games should go to a board and be given an RRP by an independant comittee, but that's another matter.
I fear I'm turning into a PS2 Fan-Boy, so I'll plug Nintendo a bit here. Take Mario Sunshine. A Very polished Platformer, and one that 9/10 GameCube owners will no doubt own. If you remember Super Mario 64, you'll be all too familiar with the Long Jump - an essential move that lead to the acquisition of quite a number of the 120 stars. Did you know you could do this in Super Mario Sunshine using the Boost (Not Rocket) attachment for your F.L.U.D Device? Hold down 'R'... Run forward, and press 'A' just before the 'Water' Indicator turns completely red.
There, my friend, you have, in all but name... a Long Jump!
Okay, let's have a look in every camp.
Take Halo. Put a grenade in the sand. Stand to the side, and watch as the swiftly ascending sand particles are swept away in the wind thanks to the coded environment! Special touches to good games are what stop them being good and make them great. Granted, like all interactive entertainment before them, and all the interactive entertainment to come, the above titles aren't perfect, but playing them is a pleasure thanks to the detail and effort put in by the people who make the game. And, while contrary to popular thinkning, Nintendo DON'T make good games because they 'love everyone and like hugs', their fan-base is earned, thanks to the 'Magic' they put into their games.
Just a rant really, but hey, you see my point. Special little things in games that may not be noticed by all, but are included intentionally by few.
Thanks for leisurely scanning through,
Game
Well, try squinting, and if you think like me or, heaven forbid, your brain works in the same way, you might read the word 'Detail'.
Have you ever played a game and noticed the smallest thing, that in all fairness, most people will have missed? You've caught on to something and it's just made you smile, or double check what you've seen or just sit in awe.
If you have, you'll have noticed that the game you were playing was, more than likely, a AAA game. Is it these things that make the game an AAA game? Solely... No. But in part, I would agree.
I've just been watching a movie of in-game footage from SCEE's / Team Soho's 'The Getaway'. Quite an ambitious piece, to say the least. Anyhoo, the movie fades in to a behind car view giving you a lovely look at the boot of what I believe is an Alfa Romeo. (It's dark, I may be mistaken.) And just before the car turns right, the left indicator goes on. An Indicator! An INDICATOR! Maybe not such a shocking discovery, had I been talking about a driving game. Granted The Getaway does have quite a number of driving missions, and does share of RockStar's concept of driving anywhere in any car, but the fact that you can put an indicator on is sound.
You may say i'm going over the top, but it's touches like this that really polish a game off, and in my view, warrant the parting of you and your 4 tenners. I believe games should go to a board and be given an RRP by an independant comittee, but that's another matter.
I fear I'm turning into a PS2 Fan-Boy, so I'll plug Nintendo a bit here. Take Mario Sunshine. A Very polished Platformer, and one that 9/10 GameCube owners will no doubt own. If you remember Super Mario 64, you'll be all too familiar with the Long Jump - an essential move that lead to the acquisition of quite a number of the 120 stars. Did you know you could do this in Super Mario Sunshine using the Boost (Not Rocket) attachment for your F.L.U.D Device? Hold down 'R'... Run forward, and press 'A' just before the 'Water' Indicator turns completely red.
There, my friend, you have, in all but name... a Long Jump!
Okay, let's have a look in every camp.
Take Halo. Put a grenade in the sand. Stand to the side, and watch as the swiftly ascending sand particles are swept away in the wind thanks to the coded environment! Special touches to good games are what stop them being good and make them great. Granted, like all interactive entertainment before them, and all the interactive entertainment to come, the above titles aren't perfect, but playing them is a pleasure thanks to the detail and effort put in by the people who make the game. And, while contrary to popular thinkning, Nintendo DON'T make good games because they 'love everyone and like hugs', their fan-base is earned, thanks to the 'Magic' they put into their games.
Just a rant really, but hey, you see my point. Special little things in games that may not be noticed by all, but are included intentionally by few.
Thanks for leisurely scanning through,
Game
I'll just point out that I don't think "polish" makes a game "AAA".
Tetris on the gameboy was an "AAA" title, and it was as simple as they come.
Tetris on the gameboy was an "AAA" title, and it was as simple as they come.
cl e t 4 i 1? What in the blue hell is that?!
Well, try squinting, and if you think like me or, heaven forbid, your brain works in the same way, you might read the word 'Detail'.
Have you ever played a game and noticed the smallest thing, that in all fairness, most people will have missed? You've caught on to something and it's just made you smile, or double check what you've seen or just sit in awe.
If you have, you'll have noticed that the game you were playing was, more than likely, a AAA game. Is it these things that make the game an AAA game? Solely... No. But in part, I would agree.
I've just been watching a movie of in-game footage from SCEE's / Team Soho's 'The Getaway'. Quite an ambitious piece, to say the least. Anyhoo, the movie fades in to a behind car view giving you a lovely look at the boot of what I believe is an Alfa Romeo. (It's dark, I may be mistaken.) And just before the car turns right, the left indicator goes on. An Indicator! An INDICATOR! Maybe not such a shocking discovery, had I been talking about a driving game. Granted The Getaway does have quite a number of driving missions, and does share of RockStar's concept of driving anywhere in any car, but the fact that you can put an indicator on is sound.
You may say i'm going over the top, but it's touches like this that really polish a game off, and in my view, warrant the parting of you and your 4 tenners. I believe games should go to a board and be given an RRP by an independant comittee, but that's another matter.
I fear I'm turning into a PS2 Fan-Boy, so I'll plug Nintendo a bit here. Take Mario Sunshine. A Very polished Platformer, and one that 9/10 GameCube owners will no doubt own. If you remember Super Mario 64, you'll be all too familiar with the Long Jump - an essential move that lead to the acquisition of quite a number of the 120 stars. Did you know you could do this in Super Mario Sunshine using the Boost (Not Rocket) attachment for your F.L.U.D Device? Hold down 'R'... Run forward, and press 'A' just before the 'Water' Indicator turns completely red.
There, my friend, you have, in all but name... a Long Jump!
Okay, let's have a look in every camp.
Take Halo. Put a grenade in the sand. Stand to the side, and watch as the swiftly ascending sand particles are swept away in the wind thanks to the coded environment! Special touches to good games are what stop them being good and make them great. Granted, like all interactive entertainment before them, and all the interactive entertainment to come, the above titles aren't perfect, but playing them is a pleasure thanks to the detail and effort put in by the people who make the game. And, while contrary to popular thinkning, Nintendo DON'T make good games because they 'love everyone and like hugs', their fan-base is earned, thanks to the 'Magic' they put into their games.
Just a rant really, but hey, you see my point. Special little things in games that may not be noticed by all, but are included intentionally by few.
Thanks for leisurely scanning through,
Game
Well, try squinting, and if you think like me or, heaven forbid, your brain works in the same way, you might read the word 'Detail'.
Have you ever played a game and noticed the smallest thing, that in all fairness, most people will have missed? You've caught on to something and it's just made you smile, or double check what you've seen or just sit in awe.
If you have, you'll have noticed that the game you were playing was, more than likely, a AAA game. Is it these things that make the game an AAA game? Solely... No. But in part, I would agree.
I've just been watching a movie of in-game footage from SCEE's / Team Soho's 'The Getaway'. Quite an ambitious piece, to say the least. Anyhoo, the movie fades in to a behind car view giving you a lovely look at the boot of what I believe is an Alfa Romeo. (It's dark, I may be mistaken.) And just before the car turns right, the left indicator goes on. An Indicator! An INDICATOR! Maybe not such a shocking discovery, had I been talking about a driving game. Granted The Getaway does have quite a number of driving missions, and does share of RockStar's concept of driving anywhere in any car, but the fact that you can put an indicator on is sound.
You may say i'm going over the top, but it's touches like this that really polish a game off, and in my view, warrant the parting of you and your 4 tenners. I believe games should go to a board and be given an RRP by an independant comittee, but that's another matter.
I fear I'm turning into a PS2 Fan-Boy, so I'll plug Nintendo a bit here. Take Mario Sunshine. A Very polished Platformer, and one that 9/10 GameCube owners will no doubt own. If you remember Super Mario 64, you'll be all too familiar with the Long Jump - an essential move that lead to the acquisition of quite a number of the 120 stars. Did you know you could do this in Super Mario Sunshine using the Boost (Not Rocket) attachment for your F.L.U.D Device? Hold down 'R'... Run forward, and press 'A' just before the 'Water' Indicator turns completely red.
There, my friend, you have, in all but name... a Long Jump!
Okay, let's have a look in every camp.
Take Halo. Put a grenade in the sand. Stand to the side, and watch as the swiftly ascending sand particles are swept away in the wind thanks to the coded environment! Special touches to good games are what stop them being good and make them great. Granted, like all interactive entertainment before them, and all the interactive entertainment to come, the above titles aren't perfect, but playing them is a pleasure thanks to the detail and effort put in by the people who make the game. And, while contrary to popular thinkning, Nintendo DON'T make good games because they 'love everyone and like hugs', their fan-base is earned, thanks to the 'Magic' they put into their games.
Just a rant really, but hey, you see my point. Special little things in games that may not be noticed by all, but are included intentionally by few.
Thanks for leisurely scanning through,
Game