![]() ![]() Octo Expansion’s success reminds me of the last time an expansion or DLC felt like its own game: Blood and Wine, the second major DLC for The Witcher 3. While obviously Octo Expansion would not exist in its present form were it not attached to Splatoon 2, it very much feels like its own game, as most of the challenges and aesthetic choices are not found in the core title. The creative level design, quirky music, and constant references to 1990s hip-hop culture not only make it an excellent overall gaming experience, but largely separate from the core Splatoon 2 package. I wrote briefly last week about the recent Octo Expansion of Splatoon 2, and it’s honestly one of the best games I’ve played all year. State of Decay 2, Bioshock Infinite, Battlefield 1) have tedious or confusing openings. There’s no reason to excuse an underwhelming intro for the prospect that a game eventually gets good, just as there’s no reason to believe a book will eventually get good if the first few pages suck. Conversely, many games I’ve disliked at the outset (e.g. A Link to the Past, Gears of War, Forza Horizon) and get better as the game goes on. But shouldn’t a game’s first hour be indicative of the rest of the experience? Most single player games I’ve enjoyed over the years are compelling right out of the gate (e.g. Now, it may be unfair of me to compare these two games, as I put dozens of hours into Fallout 3 (albeit a long time ago) and have barely touched Fallout 4. The first gun battles in Fallout 3 are definitely clunky and take some getting used to, but they’re 100% worth it, even if only for the experience of looking outside the vault for the first time. Nearly every character you meet in the first few hours has purpose beyond “quest-giver,” and the game gives the player a major, world-altering decision to make as soon as they reach the town of Megaton. Unlike in Fallout 4, Fallout 3 spends more time developing the player’s backstory, teaching the player how to interact with others before learning how to shoot them. hellscape, as it teems with intrigue and mystery. It only took a matter of minutes to immediately become hooked by the obliterated Washington, D.C. The game gives the player virtually nothing to care about in the early hours beyond the superficial “they took my baby” plotline, and even the early interactions with the Minutemen essentially amount to “help these people, or don’t if you’re not feeling it.” The combat is certainly smoother than that of previous Fallout games, but it is by no means good enough to prop up an otherwise bland game.Īs result of my disappointment, I decided to replay Fallout 3, which I hadn’t touched since 2009. The environments lacked character, and all my interactions with NPCs seemed to have little gravity or nuance to them. Why should I forgive a crappy opening?Īs I mentioned last week, the opening hours of Fallout 4 failed to impress me. How much better could it possibly be? Games already demand an absurd amount of time from players. Every now and then I’ll hear something along the lines of “it gets better after the first five hours or so,” which is immediately a red flag for me. In other cases, a game’s first hour or so can be a slog, bogged down by bad tutorials or a lack of focus. Not every game intro is necessarily flashy or exciting, but there’s usually something there to keep the player interested. The same thought process should be applied to video games. “If you’re not compelled to continue reading after one page,” he said, “there’s no reason to believe you’ll want to keep reading after ten pages.” He told the class that whenever he considers purchasing a book, he goes to the bookstore and reads the first page. ![]() I will never forget what my eighth-grade English teacher said to me about the importance of the introduction in any form of writing. Plus, some thoughts on bread!įallout 3’s Intro Blows Fallout 4’s Out of the Water ![]() This week, I’ll be discussing the brilliance of Fallout 3 ’s first hours, whether or not a downloadable expansion should be recognized for Game of the Year honors, and the fun and frustrating experience that is Quake Champions. Welcome to Punished Notes, a series of (hopefully) weekly articles outlining many of my random thoughts on games I’ve been playing, reading about, or even watching on YouTube or Twitch. ![]()
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