|
jp's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS4)
|
| [December 21, 2016 06:21:05 PM]
|
I saw Rogue One the day before I started playing this game. I bring this up because I'm amazed at how good the cut-scenes in the game are in terms of graphical fidelity. I wondered at times if I was looking at actors with CG backgrounds... I'd even argue that some of the CG characters look better than the ones in Rogue One. No spoilers, but I think you know which character I'm talking about.
add a comment 
|
| [December 20, 2016 07:10:01 PM]
|
There's a moment in the game where you at a funeral for a friend and you have to push a button to "pay your respects" (which, in terms of what you see on the screen consists of the main character placing his hand on a coffin). It's a moment that many people made fun of (and there's even some academic writing on (https://www.academia.edu/29120941/Press_X_to_Recognize_the_Others_Suffering_Compassion_and_Recognition_in_Games).
The scene is kind of dumb, to be honest. But not really for the reasons I think most people talk about. While there will always be some level of skepticism about pushing a button for an emotionally interesting reflection/moment in a game, the truth is that the scene is dumb and doesn't work because:
a. It occurs early in the game, when you have no real interest/attachment to any of the characters
b. Your best friend died in a dumb bad luck kind of accident during combat (not his fault), rather than a heroic sacrifice kind of moment. So, his death is less meaningful in a narrative sense.
c. After you press the button, the rest of the scene plays out like a cut-scene. So, as a player you're not really invested in what just happened and you had no real say in the matter either. I think that the scene could have been more meaningful if, for example, you could hold the button down for longer - thus leaving the characters' hand on the coffin for longer. Or maybe the character places his hand on the coffin and you choose when to remove it and move on with the scene. I guess the lack of choice/decision here resulted in a less reflective moment than it could have been.
To be fair, I still think the lack of empathy for the characters at this point was the biggest issue...but overall, I actually appreciate the scene despite it being...kind of dumb.
add a comment
|
| [December 19, 2016 06:01:59 PM]
|
I picked this up on Saturday, played it a while, finished it Sunday and here I am writing about it. I think this is the first time I've gone from nothing to "finished" before I even write anything about my experience. Normally that would be a bad thing, but in this case I will state that I REALLY enjoyed my experience playing this. The campaign is fast, thrilling, bombastic, and pretty much defines what a AAA action game should be. Personally, I think it hit a sweet spot in terms of cool-sci-fi stuff as well as not-too-hard action and gameplay (I didn't play on "easy", but the next one up - normal?).
Having played a few of the main Call of Duty Modern Warfare games (maybe all of them? I'm not sure at this point), it's interesting to note some recurring design and presentation elements that, perhaps, define what a CoD shooter is like. Maybe this iteration used them too much, but then again, this isn't a game you'd take TOO seriously? (it's a great action game, with emphasis on the action part). Here goes, off the top of my head:
a. In-game moments that require you to not move and stay concealed. These are specific moments (usually there's another character who tells you to stay quiet) rather than general "stay quiet while you wait for the guard to pass" moments you have in a lot of stealth games. I'm not sure which CoD did this first, but I do remember a moment in one where you lay low in the grass while enemy troops (and maybe a tank?) roll past you...I think it was the CoD with Soap McTavish? Either way, there's a moment like that in this game and it's mostly as effective (emotionally, it's an exciting nerve-wracking moment) as it was before. This seems like a signature CoD thing at this point and I wonder if they've ever mixed it up? (e.g. you're unavoidably discovered!)
b. Cut-scenes where you're on the ground and "big stuff" is happening around you. Like, there was a huge explosion and you're dazed. Or you fell out of a vehicle. Or you got pushed out. Or... CoD:AW has a ton of these which was a bit tiring, but...hey. It's a signature CoD thing. This goes hand in hand with lots of moments where you stare at your hands. Either in front of you, or on the ground...
c. Following an AI who gives you orders like "now kick this door in" or "take out the guard in the front". Again, this happens a ton in this game and I enjoyed those moments when you don't do what they ask and the characters note this and comment appropriately. There were a few moments where I was able to "get ahead" of the action and then had to wait until the game "caught up", but overall it still works.
d. Non-first person shooting moments. In the first CoD : Modern Warfare I think this was the helicopter gunship scene? There's similar stuff in AW where you control a drone - but now that I think about it this time it was in first person camera view...so maybe it's the drone scenes/gunship moments that are CoD?
That's it for now...
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
jp's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS4)
|
|
Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Saturday 17 December, 2016
GameLog closed on: Sunday 18 December, 2016 |
 |
| other GameLogs for this Game |
|
This is the only GameLog for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. |
|
