Ben-DutkaI won't be talking about Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII beyond the news. I just can't handle it. On to other topics.
Can a game be too big?
Usually, most people go, "oh yeah, so big, so awesome!" But I'm starting to wonder if it's possible for a virtual game world to be too big. I know how great Skyrim was, but that was a whole lot of emptiness as far as I'm concerned, and something like Grand Theft Auto , while not as environmentally interactive, is a very different beast. And the rumor is that GTAV might be five times the size of GTAIV…? GTAIV wasn't overwhelmingly large; I could get accustomed to it and find my way around, often without the map. But five times ? That's just…insane.
Firstly, I'm not sure that's even possible, not with the level of detail and clarity we're seeing in those screenshots. That would require next-gen hardware, which I still believe is coming; I'm betting GTAV gets announced for both current consoles and possibly both the PlayStation and Xbox, or at least one of them. But still, I'm not sure it should be that big. Honestly, i think it's possible for the size of a virtual world to become simply too large.
Remember Me could be intriguing
The concept behind Capcom's new IP, Remember Me , isn't wholly unique, but it's certainly intriguing. And after seeing that seven minutes of gameplay , I'm convinced the developers are on the right track. That Memory Remix section seemed almost too simplistic from a puzzle-solving standpoint, but the possibilities are almost endless. On top of which, I like the mix of different gameplay elements; stealth, platforming, action, etc. I'm not as impressed with the graphics as I was during that initial teaser trailer, but it still looks pretty damn good. Beyond that, it could be a really engrossing adventure.
I just hope Capcom doesn't trip themselves up by trying to implement too many different styles into one project. That can cause a little in the way of design confusion and can also adversely affect the game's balancing. But Darksiders II did it nicely enough, so…
Personal gaming update
I sort of have to tear myself away from the Ratchet & Clank Trilogy just because I don't have the time. Quite a few games are coming to review and I still haven't finished Sleeping Dogs just yet. Borderlands 2 should be coming soon, and I've got to take a look at Tekken Tag Tournament 2 this week. That Trilogy really is great, though, because those games are absolutely timeless and in truth, we really don't have experiences like that, anymore. That being said, I have to check out the Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault beta this week, too. 🙂
Oh, and if you haven't tried out Sound Shapes yet, you really should. It's one of the more original and addictive games available right now. Tokyo Game Show in a few weeks time, and I can't wait to see what Sony has prepared…any bets on a price drop for the PS3?
