What Happened To Scores in Games

I know I have been doing a lot of game reviews lately on the site, but this time I would like to talk about a design decision that I think is something that has subtly changed in games over the last 5-10 years.

High Scores in games...

Looking back over my game collection, this is one thing that has gradually been removed from games as time has progressed. I think a large part of this is the gamer points and trophy system that the new consoles have provided players. Now it is not so much about high scores, it is about number of gamer points and trophies that you have collected. We have turned into a society of completion gamers, trying to achieve a 100% goal everytime, instead of the society of competitive gamers that we once were, striving for a higher and higher score.

I believe the root cause of this is that the arcade environment is no longer a common meeting place for gamers, where people can come together in a dark, slightly smelly room, and compete head to head for a coveted place on a high score list. To see ones initials displayed in technicolor glory for the world to see on a publicly displayed system was once a grand achievement.

On one hand I think it could be argued that this has improved the design of games and has taught us that not every game needs to be about competition against others, that co-op missions and single player campaigns can provide better entertainment value. However, with the number of multiplayer deathmatch shooter games out there, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 being the most recent in the long chain of these to come to market, that the level of competition is still there. I noticed that even though the game had been out for only 3 weeks, there were those that had been playing the multiplayer aspect of that game for  a total play time of 15 days. That would require you to play for almost every waking minute given an eight hour sleeping cycle each night.

The thing is, games like CoD MW2 still have a point system. Characters have a kill count and a death count. Also, CoD has added a leveling system to multiplayer that allow people to rank against each other. Thus I argue that games like these still require scoring, even if the score is no longer arbitrary. Also by providing these scores available to everyone who owns the game, we still see the display of personal prowess and skill to the greater public. It could almost be said that non-arbitrary point systems, such as experience or leveling has improved game design in a competitive sense.

I think there is still a place for arbitrary scoring though in the game space, the place I see this is with social networking games, or games that provide interfaces for score display to communities such as Facebook and Twitter. Games such as Canabalt and Bejeweled can be used as good examples of this. Bejeweled displaying scores of those in Bejeweled Blitz group being able to compare scores directly on Facebook, or Canabalt, with its option to post your high score (or low score if the case may be) to Twitter directly after dying.

Being that for the most part, I am a single player game type of gamer, I find myself being left out of these situations for the most part. The competition is not a driving factor for me, and as a result I tend to measure completion of games by their storylines. On the other hand, games such as racing games and platformers, I would actually appreciate a score. Regardless of the fact that I am not playing against anyone, I think that by having a score, I am in essence playing against myself. That competition keeps a game more enjoyable for longer. While playing Guitar Hero, the only reason I kept playing that game was because I could physically see myself getting better by the amount of points I would receive for a given song or the percentage I could complete before losing decreasing as I learned the patterns. The same holds true for my self admitting addiction to Dance Dance Revolution when I worked in an arcade for a while. By breaking my previous high score, I am in essence beating a game again that although it has not changed as far as story line or character development, has become more challenging.

Another method that could be said scores game progress is collectables. In platformers especially this holds true. Games such as the Sly Cooper series, or Ratchet and Clank, Jax and Daxter, even Assassin's Creed, has a system in place for tracking your completion progress throughout the game via collectables. Any game that says you have collected 50/100 , whether it be gems, flags, bobble heads, what have you, is indicating a score. This score is the percentage of the game you have completed. Granted, with the new trophy system/achievement system on the modern consoles, these tend to correlate with awards for 100% collection in modern games, but the in game mechanic itself provides the challenge that a player would normally associate with achieving a higher score. 

Overall, I must say that I believe that scores in games are not gone, they have just evolved. We may have become a society of completionists, and in some cases non-completionists when it comes to not having the patience to collect everything in a game, but is this really a bad thing? I would argue that perhaps not. The high score in a game may only be 100%, but 100% still feels good.

Hands On - Bayonetta : PS3 : Platinum Games

For another demo post, I hit up Bayonetta on the PS3. I saw previews for this game about 8 months ago I think, when the first trailer was posted on the Playstation Network. Being a fan of the original Devil May Cry and hearing that Hideki Kamyia was directing the game, I thought I would check it out. I have to say that I was a bit taken aback by the original trailer. With Bayonetta's outlandish one liners and the speed at which her clothes come off, I thought I was looking at a game with the maturity level of a 7th grader.

Then the demo came out, as well as a few articles that I read in Game Informer and on various review sites. Reviews looked promising and in game screen shots looked really nice.

The first demo that I got to see was actually on a friends XBox 360, which I don't know if it is different than the PS3 version, but it included a fighting sequence that I did not see on the PS3. The scene was of Bayonetta jumping from crumbling block to crumbling block of a very large building as it was falling from a cliff that never seemed to end. All meanwhile fighting a hoard of angel like monsters that never seemed to stop coming. That demo was a bit challenging to follow and left me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I had heard that the game was going to be designed to be extremely difficult, and that demo definitely gave me that impression, not so much from the difficulty of the fights, but just the shear amount of stuff that was going on in the scene.

It was quite cinematic however and transitions from jumping  from one block to the next was well executed in my opinion. It felt fluid and the camera never seemed to get in the way, which is a primary complaint that I tend to have with cinematic transitions like that. The cinematic feel alone would not have given me enough reason to pick up this title, but when I saw the demo was available for the PS3 on the Playstation Network, I decided to give it another chance.

So this is where I think the demos are different, the PS3 version never gives you a scene where you fight while falling down a cliff. Also, on the XBox 360 version, although I didn't play it, I didn't see the tutorial portion that was provided at the beginning of the PS3 version. The levels that were provided beyond the tutorial on the PS3, included a train sequence, followed by fighting some enemies within a futuristic train station. These lead to a boss fight with a large angel like beast with the head of a statue. This fight was entertaining and had some interesting button pressing sequences to avoid being obliterated. Once you survive this, another video sequence plays that shows a bit of Bayonetta's past. Once again, cinematography is good, and Bayonetta talks a bit more during this sequence leading me to hope that her character isn't as shallow as you are first led to believe. Post cut scene leaves you to fight another witch in a head to head fight that shows off the ability to perform "witch walk" which basically lets you walk on walls.

What I saw from the demo, the game was not as challenging as I had originally believed. I was able to beat the demo without dying once, something I was not expecting to be able to accomplish. Controls in standard fights felt comfortable if not a bit repetitive. There are some things about the controls I do like quite a bit. Rotating the analog stick and performing an attack makes Bayonetta pull her guns and fire in an aimed barrage that looks nice and the transformations of her limbs look very clean when this is going on. It feels very organic and realistic (other than the fact she is shooting guns with her feet). I am not a fan of the witch walk ability as this felt cumbersome to cancel when you have to press R3 to release the walk, but only while you are in mid jump. Transitioning from one wall to the next is as simple as running, but trying to transition to the floor is not allowed unless you perform this jump + press R3 action. This was very confusing at first, even provided with the popup instructions on performing the move.

Overall, I am a bit on the fence as to whether or not this game will be worth a purchase. I may have to rent this one for a night to give it a go. Given how short the original Devil May Cry was (I have not played the others so I can say anything for them), if this is anything like it, it may be too short to warrant anything more than a rental (maybe two rentals?)

Hands On - Dante's Inferno : PS3 : Visceral

I got a chance to check out the Dante's Inferno demo, available now from the Playstation Network. I must say, at first I was skeptical for Dante's Inferno, read my "First Look" article for my reasonings as to why. They mostly revolved around my reasonable fear that Dante's Inferno was going to just be a God of War rip off.

I was wrong.

The game is amazingly cinematic. Granted that God of War is similar in its cinematic feel, Dante's goes over the top in cinematography to bring a level of suspense that I do not think any of the God of War games has been able to approach. Levels are constantly shifting and becoming more and more chaotic. In the demo, you play in a church on the approach to the gates of hell. This church is basically crumbling into a giant pit of fire and brimstone, one wrong step or wait to long and you're toast.

The thing that has me really excited in Dante's Inferno is the choices you can make between good and evil. When destroying enemies, if you grab them you have the choice of "Punish" or "Absolve", doing either will gain you experience points, however whether for good or evil is the question. Now, leveling up the good through absolving allows you to level up your cross attacks. Cross attacks are ranged attacks using the power of holy light. Punishing the undead will allow you to level your scythe abilities for the scythe you take (forcefully I might add) from the grim reaper at the beginning of the demo.

The premise of the game (at least as far as the demo explains) is that you play Dante, a crusader who is returning from Jerusalem after taking part in the atrocities that take place there. However the difference is that you should have never had the chance to return home. After being stabbed in the back, the Grim Reaper comes to take you to hell. Dante wants no part of this, so instead decides to kick the Grim Reapers ass and take his weapon. After some painful self mutilation where Dante sows a moving piece of flesh to his chest (which they don't discuss much of in the demo, but my hope is that they will explain that part in the main game), he arrives home to find his lover murdered. After releasing her spirit from her half naked corpse, her fully naked soul is ripped from Dante by some dark spirit with her message "I must go, I promised." Thus we begin our play through of the standard level that we hope to experience in the main game.

Mechanics for the game are enjoyable, easy to use, and quite graphic. I am looking forward to seeing the higher level attacks that can be performed by Dante. Enemies are not simply for killing either apparently, as the end of the level shows the ability to mount a giant minotaur looking demon, controlling it to stomp, smash, eat and scorch the other various smaller enemies around it. In true God of War style, mounting the beast involves a series of timed button presses, of which I did not fail to meet the first time. Either I am getting better at these types of sequences, or the timing is not that strict. We shall see if this changes in the actual game.

I was surprised as to how much nudity there is in the game. This will definitely not be a game you let your kids play or even watch. I am hoping that with the creative level design I have seen thus far, that the remaining game will continue to bring the level of dramatic flare that they have shown thus far. I am also hoping that the game will provide a level of horror that I have not seen since Silent Hill and the early days of Resident Evil. I am guessing in that department I will be out of luck, however, as stated, there will be no shortage of gratuitous digital nudity.

I have definitely changed my opinion of Dante's Inferno after getting some hands on play time with the game. I am looking forward to its release. I am hoping that the game will have enough content to keep me busy for a while to make it worth the money. I don't think I will be waiting a year for the price to drop on this one. As a result it is going to be pricy, so a short game would be disappointing.

Game Review - Mirror's Edge : PS3 : Dice

It's been a while since I posted, I have been super busy. Actually by super busy I mean I have been working and playing video games. I have not been on my computer much as a result. I have quite a bit of material for reviews now though so I should be able to catch up on my posts in the next week or so.

The first game I would like to review is Mirror's Edge. I picked up Mirror's Edge at Walmart for twenty bucks. A good deal in my opinion, I really do love Walmart's discount bins.  Mirror's Edge was released on  November 14th, 2008. The game is a first person shooter type game with a twist, instead of your standard military guy carrying lots of guns, blasting away anything that moves. Mirror's Edge you play the role of Faith, an appropriate name given that she is a "Runner", or a person who is an avid parkour messenger. For those who are not familiar with this sport, it involves jumping from roof top to roof top and performing death defying stunts. There are many times in the game where it feels like you just have to take a leap of faith and thus why I believe Dice chose that name for the character. Dice has definitely done a good job with Mirror's Edge in simulating the parkour experience. The gameplay experience of running and jumping and climbing twenty stories high is an adrenalin building experience definitely worth twenty bucks. 

The Good:

As I first mentioned, the parkour engine is extremely well done in my opinion. Mechanics controlling Faith's climbing, running and jumping are easy to pick up and are surprisingly versatile. Once you get used to the control scheme, making Faith do what you want is mostly just point and press with the majority of your moves being done via the R1 and R2 buttons. 

The environment is also well executed for the genera of the title. It is great to see a game that takes a different direction in the first person genera other than dark dingy dungeons and desert cities. The world of Mirror's Edge is a clean sparkling city that well suits its dark underlying story of betrayal. Clean rooftops which are mostly white except for the occasional red or yellow which is designed to guide you through the level towards where your next objective is. This is what Dice has labeled as "Runner Vision" and is only available in the easy and normal difficulty settings. This is useful to get used to the levels as the game is extremely difficult on the first run through. Some would say that this difficulty that requires you to attempt the same section of a level 10 to 20 times before being successful as a deficiency in the level design or pacing of the levels, however in Mirror's Edge it is very satisfying when you are finally able to perform some jump or defeat some set of enemy challenges that the designers have placed in your path after about 45 minutes of attempting it. Generally deaths in the game I found did not feel cheap as some deaths in difficult games can. 

I think that one of the reasons for the difficulty of the game is that Mirror's Edge, although could be placed in the first person shooter genera due to its inclusion of guns, is really not your typical shooter. Your character does not carry weapons standard, and the only weapons that you can get are those that you take from your enemies. The use of the weapons also have a debilitating effect on Faith's ability to run or jump, which given her size as a eurasian female, makes a reasonable amount of sense. 

Story in the game was quite enjoyable in my opinion, if not a bit predictable. The cut scenes art style was interesting, done in a 2d vector art style. I actually think that those were done in 3d with cell shading to make them look cartooned. 

Finally, I also think that the music that they chose was very modern and appropriate, and it provided a great ambience to the setting. I am actually considering buying the soundtrack if I can find it. 

The Bad:

For everything in Mirror's Edge that I thought they did well, I think there is equally something that they could have improved. For starters, the mechanic of taking weapons away from the enemy is a bit rough around the edges to say the least. The time given when the weapon turns red in which you can attempt to take their weapon is a bit to short in my opinion. You can however slow down time but if you grab to early, it is basically lights out for Faith. 

It was brought to my attention by a friend of mine that was playing my copy of Mirror's Edge right after I beat it myself, that sometimes when you miss grabbing someone's weapon, if you mash the triangle button (the one used to grab), about half the time Faith will take the weapon anyways. It is usually really amusing to see this happen as it messes up the "smooth" animation change from a swing to a grab. 

The fighting engine in general seems a bit rough around the edges in my opinion. I did like the fact that weapons were not Faith's primary skill, but it seems that sometimes it was just impossible to not fight people. I think that the level designs should have given more options to avoid fighting as this seems like a primary feature of the game, almost an ethical choice that sometimes is unavoidable. 

I would have liked to see the levels that didn't have enemies be a part of the original game instead of downloadable content. It seems a bit ridiculous that you would need to spend additional money to remove content from levels. In this age of micro-transactions in games, it does not surprise me that a company such as Dice, backed by big time publisher EA would go this route to make additional sales from the game.  I still feel that this is a disservice to the fans and consumers and that if they had provided truly additional content, then it would have been worth the money.

Predictability in the story line was also a bit of a let down for me. I enjoyed the world that the developers constructed, but I felt that plot twists were a bit telegraphed and that left them a bit anticlimactic. I would love to see a sequel to this title as I felt the end was also quite anticlimactic and felt too much like a cliff hanger without trying to be one. A lack of a wrap up to the "lose ends" in the conspiracy left me feeling like the game should not have ended the way it did.  As of the time of this writing, it is the case that EA has announced the future development of a sequel to the title. 

Overall:

In overall, for a while i was not sure if I liked Mirror's Edge. I did immediately enjoy the mechanics of the parkour, but was unsure of the fighting in the game as well as the quickly ramped difficulty level. However, once I started getting past areas that I found extremely difficult, the satisfaction of beating it was, in my opinion, worth the effort. On a second play through of some of the levels, I felt that the game was much easier since I knew the right paths and the right methods of getting through the obstacles. I was also much better at the fighting. I think this improved my impression of the title as a whole. I think once you are familiar with all the levels, it might even be possible to complete a run through of the title in about 2-3 hours. It would be interesting to see what the fastest speed run of this title is. 

Overall, I think I would have to give this game a favorable review, not perfect by any means, but for the twenty bucks I paid for it, well worth its value. I would say that the replay value is also high, which I think helps the games review in my opinion. I will probably play the sequel when it comes out, and I hope that they are able to improve on the game without corrupting its original vision with feature creep.