The Wii U can’t compete with the PS4 and Xbox One as is. Basically a PS3/ Xbox 360, the Wii U came too late, and despite having the best first-party lineup in 2014, has failed to keep up with PS4 and Xbox One. It’s time for Nintendo to get on, or at least close to Sony and Microsoft’s level. The New Wii U could be a game changer with more power, a new elegant design, and the adoption of a more traditional controller. Perhaps it could be enough to draw back third-party publishers. We can’t expect a new console yet, but an update (like the New 3DS) could turn around the Wii U’s fortunes.
It’s safe to say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is easily the most visually-impressive game Rockstar has ever created. While it’s difficult for open world games to compare to more linear, focused experiences due to the amount of content shoved onto screen at once, there were times when I thought I was playing a CG movie. Maybe that’s a little bit of hyperbole as there are still some compromises that are taken, but for the most part this is arguably the best looking game of the year. Character models are remarkably detailed, even with the most insignificant individuals, and the open world is absolutely gorgeous. Not only does it have an incredible amount of variety, from industrial cities to snowy mountains, but the way settings are organized bring the world to life in a sensational way. From a pure visual aspect, the only negative notions are minor ones, namely beards can sometimes look like they’re pulled off a character creator, and the rendering and reflections when moving through water has a strange issue on the sides of the screen. Animation is the only other aspect that can be bothersome at times. Don’t get me wrong, everything is animated meticulous, from faces to actions, but when you need to interact with something in the world, it can put you into an animation that takes a lot longer than you’d hope for. Other than that, I was blown away with what Rockstar was able to accomplish, as the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is simply breathtaking.
The game has a weird dichotomy when it comes to making Arthur seem like a bad man. Even when he does good deeds he always says something along the lines of he isn’t a very good guy. Despite that, he constantly does good things. There’s the morality meter too. Here you are, at the height of the Van der Linde gang, a bad guy through and through, and yet the game sort of pigeonholes you into doing virtuous deeds. It sends a mixed mess
Throughout these two hours with Red Dead Redemption 2 , we certainly got many questions answered about what is arguably the most anticipated game of the year. The story, action, and spectacle that we saw from the game (so far) shows that Rockstar Games is firing on all cylinders to deliver what I’m already confident to say is going to be an unforgettable experience, combined with its world that is full of detail and immersion. The degree to which Rockstar is crafting the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 to its full potential is simply incredible, and I can’t wait to see what more that it has to offer. Thankfully, there’s just a few more weeks left until we can all ride out West and discover it for ourselves.
A bit hypocritical perhaps, but at least two Uncharted games and one Gears of War game could use some serious updating. Both Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007) and Gears of War (2006) are horribly outdated compared to modern standards. It would be cool to see these games redone with modern gameplay and graphics. Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2012) was released on the PS Vita. Seeing it remade for PS4 would be sweet as pie. Personally, I’d love to see the collections bundled together ala Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Gears of War: The Locust War Collection would be so cool to have.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, that scale almost pales in comparison to Rockstar’s dedication to making its world feel just about as real as the turn-of-the-century West can get. This includes everything from Arthur being able to take baths and shave, to being able to customize your guns, down to the metal inlays in the barrel and stock of each weapon. As Rockstar emphasized during our demo, the studio isn’t necessarily aiming to make the game’s world all about physical size and area, Predator Pals Combat but about expanding the ways and methods that players can interact with the game’s excruciatingly-detailed world, and how their actions and decisions will influence it.
„Inventory management” may not be the sexiest two words in the world of gaming, but they are certainly important. When poorly implemented, this one gameplay mechanic can tarnish even the best titles in the genre–looking at you, Breath of the Wi
Getting back on topic, the problem with the controls is that they can be overly finicky. For example, mounting your horse and strangling a nearby pedestrian are assigned to the same button for whatever reason. Same goes with interacting with an item on the ground and say vaulting over a railing to your death. Throwing dynamite while in cover can also be hazardous as more than often it found itself on the cover in front of us. In addition, dealing with a horse is the biggest pain in the ass than anything else in video games and Red Dead Redemption 2 is no exception. The difference between this and Grand Theft Auto is that your vehicle won’t run away when it hears gunfire, ensuring you fail a mission when you need him. The physics can be a little wonky, too, as we had multiple instances where the horse could easily make a small dip or go over a rock, but instead decided to trip over its own feet, dying in the process once in a while. We even had an instance where it ran into another rider while in the cinematic camera angle (which allows you to put the controller down as the horse gallops to a set destination), something the recipient of the crash was not too happy about. Finally, I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to assign the run button (tapping X) to the horse, but there has to be a better way. As you can see, I’m not a big fan of horses in video games, as it consistently feels like you’re fighting with them, which doesn’t help with the already finicky controls.