JonB wrote:

Minnesänger wrote:

It's fascinating going back to this video Cinty linked to a couple of pages back in light of playing this now. This level design by metrics is always going to give you good, solid, logical results, but very rarely will it surprise you or deliver anything truly brilliant. You can see it in the layout of every scene of the sequel.

Yeah, that was my takeaway too - I get why they do it like that, probably super useful when balancing work output for hundreds of people on a 4-5 year project. But it also breaks down games into a series of dependable design principles - this is how dialogue works. This is how areas are set apart.

Seen devs talk about the design of GoW2 and apparently the director laid out an entire spreadsheet covering the whole game e.g. Kratos and Boi enter this area, they talk for x seconds, puzzle here is x type, should take x minutes to solve, character dialogue after puzzle etc. 

From a game dev standpoint I get it - GoW development was brutal and they seemingly managed to turn this one round quickly without heavy crunch. Having a clear path helps. But it also has a real danger of making the game feel over-designed and focus tested - a by the book piece of media, rather than a surprising work of art. 

Also, think I fixed the vid finally. I was an idiot and see my mistake now.

Im not getting the ubi bloat feeling either and other than the squeezing (!!) I’m thoroughly enjoying the game.

Combat feels great as always, the story has gripped me and the relationship between father and son is still as interesting as it was in the first game.

It’s been a while since I’ve been looking forward to getting all my stuff done and diving back into the game on a daily basis.

Got to the first big area after a couple of hours. So far, very by the numbers and the combat feels slow and clunky after having played some Bayo 3, but that’s standard. Not a criticism, just that it’s not easy coming from one to the other. 

Anyway. I’m sure it’ll slowly get better and better. I’m looking forward to more skills, upgraded weapons, and harder bosses. And different bosses. BRING IT.

It’s a bit of a series staple though, isn’t it? The first games had floating orbs all over the shop. This - and 2018 - took a different path and had them as floor collectables and also the chest, which have always been in the game.

I think it’s a balancing tool. There’s lots of regular chests that you can open for resources and cash, but the hard lot get chests, behind environmental puzzles, have tended to give me more challenge and also better rewards. However, the moment you give the player choice, you need to balance the game. I think they’ve done it really well.

TheBoyRoberts wrote:

Im not getting the ubi bloat feeling either and other than the squeezing (!!) I’m thoroughly enjoying the game. Combat feels great as always, the story has gripped me and the relationship between father and son is still as interesting as it was in the first game. It’s been a while since I’ve been looking forward to getting all my stuff done and diving back into the game on a daily basis.

I wish they'd do away with all the crafting and upgrades and move unlocks.. Just give it to me straight like a pear cider.

Bob wrote:

TheBoyRoberts wrote:

Im not getting the ubi bloat feeling either and other than the squeezing (!!) I’m thoroughly enjoying the game. Combat feels great as always, the story has gripped me and the relationship between father and son is still as interesting as it was in the first game. It’s been a while since I’ve been looking forward to getting all my stuff done and diving back into the game on a daily basis.

I wish they'd do away with all the crafting and upgrades and move unlocks.. Just give it to me straight like a pear cider.

The crafting menu is a little overwhelming….must be my old brain!

Kernowgaz wrote:

So do you have to have played the first one till the end? I played the first for a few hours but didn’t carry on (I seem to do that way too much) I enjoyed it but I’m always attracted to the new shiny all the time.

There is a catch-up you can watch from the menu which explains what’s gone on in the previous game.

But, if you’ve bounced of the first, this is more of the same, so you may bounce again.

HE ISNT THERE? SPOILERS!!!

yourfavouriteuncle wrote:

I have no fucking idea what the story is other than go here for this man oh he’s not here so let’s go there. There’s probably a gig for this tbh.

Your princess is in another castle!

TheBoyRoberts wrote:

Kernowgaz wrote:

So do you have to have played the first one till the end? I played the first for a few hours but didn’t carry on (I seem to do that way too much) I enjoyed it but I’m always attracted to the new shiny all the time.

There is a catch-up you can watch from the menu which explains what’s gone on in the previous game.

But, if you’ve bounced of the first, this is more of the same, so you may bounce again.

I enjoyed it but started playing something else and don’t go back that’s all.

Dayum, didn’t know that. That’s me changing the setting then.

hylian_elf wrote:

Dayum, didn’t know that. That’s me changing the setting then.

Me too.
I also changed my roll/evade around from x to o because I had been playing elden previously and was more used to that.

I like the way I’m a big tank god man who sometimes gets killed by tiny little snake things whilst my computer son who isn’t a big god tank prances around being all invincible. There’s something I find oddly amusing about this massive slab of god who is meant to be almost indestructible getting revived by a little kid who survived the same amount of danger and can now make me better.

Everyone is better than me at games.  That wasn’t actually a criticism really.  There’s no way around it from a design pov but I just think it looks quite funny that this massive lunk of a god is being revived by a child who finds himself in the same situation.  It’s more amusing when it’s a tiny standard enemy that’s brought me down too.

Bob wrote:

When does this revival take place ? I keep dying

It's a tough game, especially later on.
About revivals..
I just hit the credits.
Game of the year!