Ben-DutkaIt's no fun when games take themselves seriously all the time. Gamers need a break every now and then; there is still room for simple, mindless, entertainment.
And while all shooters are often accused of being mindless, there is a difference between something like Killzone 3 and People Can Fly/Epic's upcoming over-the-top FPS, Bulletstorm . Speaking in a recent Qore episode (as cited by Game Sector Network ), Epic boss Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski said he believes most shooters take themselves "so seriously," and the aim of Bulletstorm is "fun" and "pulpy:"
"The biggest challenge with this game was getting to the point where we could develop an IP that was fun, something that was pulpy, but wasn’t really over the line [right], there’s a really fine line there, if you look at where the state of shooters are right now it’s very serious."
He went on to say that one could "put a montage of all these military shooters together and you wouldn't even recognize them." …well, that might be pushing it; even those who aren't too enamored with the genre should be able to tell the difference between Call of Duty and Operation Flashpoint . Still, we certainly understand his meaning. As for People Can Fly and their promising project:
"Bulletstorm’s just like screw that, let’s just put a big boot in peoples face, let’s have crazy lines of dialogue, over the top weapons, just put the fun back in the first person shooter. I think its hands down one of the most fun games I’ve played in years."
While we always like games that force us to think and are progressive or innovative in some way, there will always be a place for the fun Bleszinski references here. It's why I have NBA Jam sitting right next to Gran Turismo 5 . Gaming is now capable of offering such massively diverse experiences, so we might as well take advantage.
Related Game(s): Bulletstorm
I hope that Bulletstorm really is just mindless fun and it is a good game so we might see other new first person shooters that aren't military based. I think we need something new in the FPS genre besides always fighting in wars.
I just picked up Battlefield 2 and Counterstrike Source off Steam. I think I'll be going back to the PC for any FPS fix I want. Don't have the time or money to waste on console shooters anymore unless it's Killzone or Bioshock.
my brother n i are getting a pc this week, n counter-strike along with it.
it wipes the floor with any console shooter in terms of fun and replayablility.
Yea, console online shooters just aren't as fun or as well serviced as most PC shooters. I have never had as much fun playing a console shooter online as I did Counterstrike.
I get what you guys are saying but, for me, the shooter on PC has just gotten too much for me. I agree that CS has always been about as much fun as I've had with shooters and I play a lot of TF2 on both console and PC to this day. However, I think that my PC shooter days are behind me as I don't take it as seriously(winning) as I used to but when I play I like as level a playing field AS POSSIBLE and , sadly, that's not on PC for my mind.
Sure, I'm better with a keyboard and mouse in terms of performance than anyone is, or will be, with a pad but I like the way that almost everyone has the same controller and the exact same tech when I play console shooters online. To me that escapes the need for having the edge the latest K/M set up gives you, takes away the chances that you're at an advantage or disadvantage cos of console mod options(painting out/desaturating environments etc so enemies are easier to spot)on PC or just that your tech's not as good as the rest of those playing and so on.
Personally, I also find a pad more immersive than a mouse even though it's not as effective-I think the aiming on two separate planes allied to the way you're almost TOO superhumanly fast with a mouse does this.
So, yeah, games like L4D are a total shadow of themselves on console because the lack of mods makes them nso and you get more and better service and options nearly every time with a PC shooter over a console one but which you prefer can also, as in my case, hinge on which things are most important to YOUR overall gaming. Much to my teammates annoyance I also play L4D2 with a pad on PC these days!! As I say, it does mean I'm a lot less effective(and I'm not the greatest with a mouse to be honest either!!)but I've had my fun AND been super competitive in the past with CS(mainly)on PC but the longer time goes on(and the less important winning at any cost-fiscal or otherwise gets to me)the more I find myself gaming online on PSN-and I think what happened with UT3 was a shame on PS3. Allowing mods to be imported was a masterstroke and that most PS3 players never botherered was a great slip up on their part-made the game SO much better and is something I'd love to see on other PS3/PC games in the future-why ever not?
IF the consoles were offered more of the usual set of features we love on PC I think a few more people would go the route I have-I just find gaming on console FEELS a lot more fair as a test of skill with fewer gamer effected variables.
Oh, and OT, I think Cliffy has a point but, as ever, overdoes it a bit as Bulletstorm looks, to me, a bit shallow and over reliant on the skill kill thing which clutters the screen with awards and then the commentary which could also grate after a short while. Certainly looks good and different but when I think of games like Painkiller not THAT different or fresh really. In fact it's kind of a cousin to Platinum's flawed Wii blood brawler Madworld, no?
Watch the reviews closely and possibly rent first for me-would be great though, as this is Epic and all if we got mods allowed again too for the PS3 version to make up for the 360 game giving Gears3 beta access. MS won't allow them, that's certain-has they done for L4D I would have a lot more respect for them and I suspect Valve would too-it's possibly one reason why Gabe felt able to turn turtle as he has.
I like the idea of bringing fun back to games, instead of a grind. Vanquish felt like fun (at least what I have played of it). I do think that there is a lot to be said for a game that is fun in single player, and even more fun in co-op. It doesn't always have to be about the KDR in death match. Of course, the more fun and quirky the single-player, the more fun the multi-player will be. I can remember playing various multi-player shooters in the 90's with local head to head play, and that was a lot of fun. Even LAN party based multi-player on PC shooters in those days brought the fun element, it wasn't about cold, calculating, teenage killing machines. It was more like a casual game of laser tag in those days, and I think that bringing that level of fun back would do gaming a great service.
When CliffyB says this: "Bulletstorm’s just like screw that, let’s just put a big boot in peoples face, let’s have crazy lines of dialogue, over the top weapons, just put the fun back in the first person shooter. I think its hands down one of the most fun games I’ve played in years."; it almost sounds like he's talking about the kind of over the top FPS lunacy you used to find in games like Duke Nukem. That could be a very good thing for Bulletstorm.
cool, sounds like something I may enjoy.. I'm not the sharpest with analog controls nor do I have an urge to sharp shoot everything in sight. For what it's worth, I treasure games that incorporate "auto aim" that'll get you in the right region with room for a precise shot. All this lagging analog stuff makes me miss a mouse and keyboard.. On any console.
That said, I don't take shooters very seriously and can have fun with them when devs know what the meaning of fun is…
modern warfare 2- 1st was so sucessful, they traded authenticity(somewhat) for corny hollywood dialogue(especially shepherd) and a full of itself plot.
bad company 2- removed the fun sense of humor the first one had in favor of a modern warfare 2 style plot because people don't want humor in their military shooter. i miss the old haggard!
killzone 2- not funny at all. "Where the FUCK is Garza when you need him?" "FUCK this!" "SHIT!"
not kool man
I take this as Developer running his mouth to generate a buzz for a product that will only sell exceptionally well on the 360.
Plus, speaking of serious, Epic is sure serious when it comes to the 360 version of this game. I read that the "Epic Edition" is exclusive to the 360, IE – the Home of the Shooter.
When this guy makes a game using another engine other than Unreal, I'll listen. Until then…pass.
I don't know if they can.
I'd love it if they allowed, like with UT3, mods on the PS3 version to make up for the 360 version with the gears beta keys. Only fair, no? Why make it more appealing on one console over the other as a new IP Makes little sense to me so they should offer PS3 something too.
The 'not so serious' Vanquish was great fun. I enjoyed multiple play throughs and wished there was more – I'm hoping for Vanquish 2. Keep it single player please.
And lighten up on the challenges …..jeesh!
That is the beauty of gaming. You can get all kinds of entertainment from it no matter who you are and what you like.
Not sure I'm fond of Bleszinski's Boasting though.
Oh hell yeah!
I'm looking forward to this, BodyCount & Brink!
(not to mention R3, Killzone, & quite a few others).
Oh screw it, who am I kidding…..I'm looking forward to "EVERY" game!!!!!!!
Last edited by BikerSaint on 12/27/2010 1:59:07 PM
I'm going with Duke Nukem for my FPS fun. I'll still read any review this site does but I remain skeptical on Poopstorm.
"Put a montage of these shooters together and you won't even recognize them" is spot on people. It's like doing a coca-cola/pepsi drink test and have the majority of clueless people not know which one is their "favorite" cola. Do a First-Person Shooter test and watch the majority of people not know which is which. I said people not die-hard FPS gamers.
Coke leaves a really bad taste in my mouth, and I have tried blind tests… Mix it with rum though, and it ain't so bad. 😛
RebelJD,
Even blindfolded, I'll bet my super-sweet tooth can pick Pepsi over Coke, LOL
BTW, for all you Move shooters out there, I just found this over at "Daily Steals"….
New PlayStation 3 Move Pistol and Rifle – Compatible with All Move Games
your price: $14.99
retail price: $79.99
you save: $65.00(81%)
Please note: There's only 8 hours left on this deal
http://toys.dailysteals.com/?utm_source=DailySteals.com+-+Deal+of+the+Day&utm_campaign=d3c202d761-12_27_2010_monday_5_deals_12_24_2010&utm_medium=email
Well, good to know that they're trying to make it fun, but I'm yet to see the FPS that can make me sit there with a smile on my face. But then, I don't generally enjoy the genre at all, so I stick to only a few series, as I know they are sufficiently different enough to keep whatever interest I have in the games up. To me, Bulletstorm seems too OTT. It doesn't look like they've got the balance between compellingness (is that a word?) and insanity right.
Peace.
So far so good, I know I'll be getting this but if there's a demo and it impresses me then it's a D1P.
For me this is where games like Red Faction Guerrilla or Burn Out Paradise come into play. There good for venting 🙂
Check out Bulletstorm's crazy over-the-top "Merry Christmas" video card….
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/merry-christmas-bulletstorm/708890
and this is why epic games are always so much fun to play, and sell so dam well!
they dont care about mind blowing graphics, realistic physics or any of that boring BS!
all there worried about is making the funnest, coolest, most bad a$$ game possible!
tis why i love epic so much, and tis why i enjoyed gears 2 so much.
i mean come on, how often is it that you get eaten by a giant worm and have to slice its arteries with the chainsaw on the end of your gun to kill it!?
honestly, whoever thought of that deserves the Nobel prize!