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If you didn't catch the reference, it's what was typically said at the end of every Scooby Doo episode. The faces changed, but the mouths always cursed "those pesky kids". And you know what? It's that moment, that very momeny that Fred pulls of the mask, that's missing in gaming.
On holiday, I read a book by Lawrence Block called A Line of Dead Man. It was your everyday ex-alcoholic private detective whodunnit, but with, what I tohught anyway, incredible stryle. In fact, I grew so attached to the characters I have since read two other books in the Matt Scudder series...but back to the book. From start to almost finish I was thinking. Looking at the clues, wondering who the killer was. I did happen to think the motive was incredibly weak, and the whole ending was a bit of a cop-out, but that doesn't take away the fact that Mr Block kept me turning the pages, kept me driving to the final chapter in order to discover the murderer.
When I play games, I just don't get that feeling. Apart from a select few with who-dunnit type things (like Syphon Filter), most games have plots totally devoid of this one true goal of finding out who's behind it all. Sure, Metal Gear Solid has twists and turns...but when you saw the final ccredits roll, you felt more like the game was complete, and everything had come together gradually. Games that have character turns and plot twists may boats extravagant stories, but really they just keep moving. What I'd like to see is a game that sets out to keep me guessing, and finally reveals the answer with the last set-piece, or cut-scene.
Some titles have had shocking things happen at the end (a good recent example is FFX) but really, since there is not often a huge build-up, it feels like a cheap trick. A gimmick of sorts, if you will. In Cold Blood was a game in which you woke up, not knowing what the hell has happened and who the hell you are...as you went through the game, everything came together. This is more like what I want...but unfortunately, the game was utterly terrible. Hows about a game like this - you play a detective, and have to find a mass murderer. It could be a point and click, like Broken Sword. Perhaps more action orientated, like Grand Theft Auto. You could take a first person view, as we'll see in cop game Ecks vs Sever. Perhaps an RPG, like Zelda. The posibilities are endless - you could meet tonnes of people, suspects, witnesses...any of which could be a criminal mastermind. Throughout the game you'd be examining every single detail...perhaps a red-herring here, a possible lead there. Midsommer Murders was on just last night, and shows of a similar sort are ten to the pound. Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Silent Witness, CSI...bookshops and libraries have whole sections devoted to crime novels, where YOU get to be the detective, and YOU get to see if you can solve the mystery.
With a wonderfully interactive medium that allows you to step into the shoes of a sports star, an assassin, a mobster, a dinosaur, a mech, a boy wizard, a rally driver, and even a theme park owner...why can't we be detectives??
Thanks for reading.
-swander87
On holiday, I read a book by Lawrence Block called A Line of Dead Man. It was your everyday ex-alcoholic private detective whodunnit, but with, what I tohught anyway, incredible stryle. In fact, I grew so attached to the characters I have since read two other books in the Matt Scudder series...but back to the book. From start to almost finish I was thinking. Looking at the clues, wondering who the killer was. I did happen to think the motive was incredibly weak, and the whole ending was a bit of a cop-out, but that doesn't take away the fact that Mr Block kept me turning the pages, kept me driving to the final chapter in order to discover the murderer.
When I play games, I just don't get that feeling. Apart from a select few with who-dunnit type things (like Syphon Filter), most games have plots totally devoid of this one true goal of finding out who's behind it all. Sure, Metal Gear Solid has twists and turns...but when you saw the final ccredits roll, you felt more like the game was complete, and everything had come together gradually. Games that have character turns and plot twists may boats extravagant stories, but really they just keep moving. What I'd like to see is a game that sets out to keep me guessing, and finally reveals the answer with the last set-piece, or cut-scene.
Some titles have had shocking things happen at the end (a good recent example is FFX) but really, since there is not often a huge build-up, it feels like a cheap trick. A gimmick of sorts, if you will. In Cold Blood was a game in which you woke up, not knowing what the hell has happened and who the hell you are...as you went through the game, everything came together. This is more like what I want...but unfortunately, the game was utterly terrible. Hows about a game like this - you play a detective, and have to find a mass murderer. It could be a point and click, like Broken Sword. Perhaps more action orientated, like Grand Theft Auto. You could take a first person view, as we'll see in cop game Ecks vs Sever. Perhaps an RPG, like Zelda. The posibilities are endless - you could meet tonnes of people, suspects, witnesses...any of which could be a criminal mastermind. Throughout the game you'd be examining every single detail...perhaps a red-herring here, a possible lead there. Midsommer Murders was on just last night, and shows of a similar sort are ten to the pound. Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Silent Witness, CSI...bookshops and libraries have whole sections devoted to crime novels, where YOU get to be the detective, and YOU get to see if you can solve the mystery.
With a wonderfully interactive medium that allows you to step into the shoes of a sports star, an assassin, a mobster, a dinosaur, a mech, a boy wizard, a rally driver, and even a theme park owner...why can't we be detectives??
Thanks for reading.
-swander87
You should get Discworld Noir if you want a detective game...
Haha.
I never do this stuff in Word, just bung it in notepad and rely on my own brilliance.
I never do this stuff in Word, just bung it in notepad and rely on my own brilliance.
Your spelling is almost as bad as mine!
No offence...
No offence...
If you didn't catch the reference, it's what was typically said at the end of every Scooby Doo episode. The faces changed, but the mouths always cursed "those pesky kids". And you know what? It's that moment, that very momeny that Fred pulls of the mask, that's missing in gaming.
On holiday, I read a book by Lawrence Block called A Line of Dead Man. It was your everyday ex-alcoholic private detective whodunnit, but with, what I tohught anyway, incredible stryle. In fact, I grew so attached to the characters I have since read two other books in the Matt Scudder series...but back to the book. From start to almost finish I was thinking. Looking at the clues, wondering who the killer was. I did happen to think the motive was incredibly weak, and the whole ending was a bit of a cop-out, but that doesn't take away the fact that Mr Block kept me turning the pages, kept me driving to the final chapter in order to discover the murderer.
When I play games, I just don't get that feeling. Apart from a select few with who-dunnit type things (like Syphon Filter), most games have plots totally devoid of this one true goal of finding out who's behind it all. Sure, Metal Gear Solid has twists and turns...but when you saw the final ccredits roll, you felt more like the game was complete, and everything had come together gradually. Games that have character turns and plot twists may boats extravagant stories, but really they just keep moving. What I'd like to see is a game that sets out to keep me guessing, and finally reveals the answer with the last set-piece, or cut-scene.
Some titles have had shocking things happen at the end (a good recent example is FFX) but really, since there is not often a huge build-up, it feels like a cheap trick. A gimmick of sorts, if you will. In Cold Blood was a game in which you woke up, not knowing what the hell has happened and who the hell you are...as you went through the game, everything came together. This is more like what I want...but unfortunately, the game was utterly terrible. Hows about a game like this - you play a detective, and have to find a mass murderer. It could be a point and click, like Broken Sword. Perhaps more action orientated, like Grand Theft Auto. You could take a first person view, as we'll see in cop game Ecks vs Sever. Perhaps an RPG, like Zelda. The posibilities are endless - you could meet tonnes of people, suspects, witnesses...any of which could be a criminal mastermind. Throughout the game you'd be examining every single detail...perhaps a red-herring here, a possible lead there. Midsommer Murders was on just last night, and shows of a similar sort are ten to the pound. Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Silent Witness, CSI...bookshops and libraries have whole sections devoted to crime novels, where YOU get to be the detective, and YOU get to see if you can solve the mystery.
With a wonderfully interactive medium that allows you to step into the shoes of a sports star, an assassin, a mobster, a dinosaur, a mech, a boy wizard, a rally driver, and even a theme park owner...why can't we be detectives??
Thanks for reading.
-swander87
On holiday, I read a book by Lawrence Block called A Line of Dead Man. It was your everyday ex-alcoholic private detective whodunnit, but with, what I tohught anyway, incredible stryle. In fact, I grew so attached to the characters I have since read two other books in the Matt Scudder series...but back to the book. From start to almost finish I was thinking. Looking at the clues, wondering who the killer was. I did happen to think the motive was incredibly weak, and the whole ending was a bit of a cop-out, but that doesn't take away the fact that Mr Block kept me turning the pages, kept me driving to the final chapter in order to discover the murderer.
When I play games, I just don't get that feeling. Apart from a select few with who-dunnit type things (like Syphon Filter), most games have plots totally devoid of this one true goal of finding out who's behind it all. Sure, Metal Gear Solid has twists and turns...but when you saw the final ccredits roll, you felt more like the game was complete, and everything had come together gradually. Games that have character turns and plot twists may boats extravagant stories, but really they just keep moving. What I'd like to see is a game that sets out to keep me guessing, and finally reveals the answer with the last set-piece, or cut-scene.
Some titles have had shocking things happen at the end (a good recent example is FFX) but really, since there is not often a huge build-up, it feels like a cheap trick. A gimmick of sorts, if you will. In Cold Blood was a game in which you woke up, not knowing what the hell has happened and who the hell you are...as you went through the game, everything came together. This is more like what I want...but unfortunately, the game was utterly terrible. Hows about a game like this - you play a detective, and have to find a mass murderer. It could be a point and click, like Broken Sword. Perhaps more action orientated, like Grand Theft Auto. You could take a first person view, as we'll see in cop game Ecks vs Sever. Perhaps an RPG, like Zelda. The posibilities are endless - you could meet tonnes of people, suspects, witnesses...any of which could be a criminal mastermind. Throughout the game you'd be examining every single detail...perhaps a red-herring here, a possible lead there. Midsommer Murders was on just last night, and shows of a similar sort are ten to the pound. Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Silent Witness, CSI...bookshops and libraries have whole sections devoted to crime novels, where YOU get to be the detective, and YOU get to see if you can solve the mystery.
With a wonderfully interactive medium that allows you to step into the shoes of a sports star, an assassin, a mobster, a dinosaur, a mech, a boy wizard, a rally driver, and even a theme park owner...why can't we be detectives??
Thanks for reading.
-swander87