What is next-gen? CliffyB asks, Joystiq answers
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 7th 2006 at 5:15PM }
[Click image to enlarge]
What is next-gen, Cliff Bleszinski ponders in his developer's note, a preface to the Gears of War instruction manual. Well CliffyB, we think you are.
This little personalized note sets a new precedent for the industry, where next-generation isn't just about hardware upgrades and "soul," as Bleszinski puts it. It's about celebrity. In this next generation we will begin to see the rise of popular interest in the off-the-job undertakings of the game world's celebs; a new gaming culture that builds up these personalities. We're not far from a time when, for lack of blockbuster franchises, rising development costs will prompt publishers to sell their games using these freshly sculpted celebrities' names -- the games' concepts being just footnotes. And then, wrought with betrayal and jealousy, we will strike down these primmed and pampered figures from their pedestals, greedily hastening their downfalls; and the industry with them.
So, if you find yourself in the line at the EBGames at Universal Citywalk this evening (4pm, PT), waiting to get Mr. Bleszinski's signature emblazoned across your brand-new copy of Gears, just think: man, I'm so 'next-gen' right about now.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Wreckhart @ Nov 7th 2006 5:23PM
I am sick of Cliffy B. He comes off as very arrogant.
Scott Krueger @ Nov 7th 2006 5:25PM
Take Cover ???
I dont want to take cover.
Even a game as old as Deus Ex allowed personal choice of how you play the game, Stealth, Run and Gun, Heck you don't even have to kill anyone in Deus Ex.
Yo Cliff B, Take your Cover (Wuss) System and shove it.
I'm going to have to try this one at a GameStop Kiosk before I buy it. Perfect Dark Zero had Cover and it was stupid, atleast in Perfect Dark you did not Have to use Cover all the time. Of course Perfect Dark should have been UnPerfect Dark.
I'll see the rest of you Wussies from... Oh I guess I wont see ya, cause we'll both be cowering in our Cover.
miguel @ Nov 7th 2006 5:40PM
So essentially, next gen games are simply "better games"... than the previous generation ? Nextgen is just a stupid label created for marketing because there have been plenty of same old same old titles thus far. Somebody really should have patented the term "nextgen".
Mattman @ Nov 7th 2006 5:34PM
Well, when you die, and take your final breath...
You'd wish you had cover. ;)
Dxtrinc @ Nov 7th 2006 5:37PM
Next gen is an interesting concept....i think the Wii is next gen because its different...not just better graphics and more powerful BUT NEXT GEN!!!...but i also think directx10 is next gen cause it allows better graphics but its a new way of doing something....more power doesn't equal next gen...plain and simple
EihBeir @ Nov 7th 2006 5:38PM
Nice, I like it.
Ninx @ Nov 7th 2006 5:43PM
I have to agree with Miguel.
Sounds a bit suck up-ish too :P.
Alexei @ Nov 7th 2006 5:43PM
This little editorial of James' is totally off the mark.
Celebrity has been used to sell games for years, and I do not think that this one particular game with one particular celeb shows any advancing of that trend beyond what is already the standard.
You are making ridiculous claims about current trends and the future of the industry which you cannot (and have not even attempted to!) support with any kind of actual facts or data of any kind.
What you've done here is posted a bunch of nonsense for the sake of nonsense, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's also in part out of both jealously and spite, or at least in an attempt to stir up some kind of personal buzz for yourself for taking on a currently popular figure at the helm of a successful game.
The designer is attempting to reach out and connect to his audience, discussing an issue that is brought up on this very blog time and time again, and you're slighting him and mocking his efforts? There is just no reason for this kind of "journalism."
Thanks, Joystiq, for slipping further and further down the rabbit-hole of childish editorialization and controversy instigation.
And if you take none of my opinions as having merit, know that if Cliff *is* more of a celebrity than past game designers- which I honestly don't think is the case, but if it were- it's blogs like this that are responsible.
punkisnotdedd @ Nov 7th 2006 5:43PM
I am not convinced that celebrity is specific to this new generation. Kojima has been pimping his developer blog for a long time now. Also, remember those old PC game boxes with "Sid Meier Presents!" on them?
And lest we all forget, Dr. Derek Smart, PhD.
aldo @ Nov 7th 2006 5:55PM
"3. Well, when you die, and take your final breath...
You'd wish you had cover. ;)"
yeah we all die from random bullets whizzing through our homes... So when I die from a heart attack I am gonna wish I had a concrete wall to save my life? So when I'm drowning I'm gonna be wishing I had a tree so I could hide behind it? So when I fall off a building im gonna wish I had some crates to cover me? So when I get shot in the face I am gonna wish I had a ... oh nevermind lol, :) anyways enough of that :-P...
Definitely gonna try this out at a friends house.
Shagi @ Nov 7th 2006 5:45PM
A couple things:
1. Joystiq relax this designer letter is not that big of a deal, in fact most games that came out in the early days were accompanied by a letter much like this. I think your mistaking the fact that gaming has gone mainstream for the reason behind this note. If gaming weren't so popular you probably would have said,'Isn't it cool that the deisgner took a little time to give us insight into his thoughts on modern game design while pimping his own."
2. Next gen simply means that your old hardware is no longer going to be supported. Can we put this to rest and move on.
3. Im going to give Cliffy a chance here. I see this as his first attempt at an original title (UTs dont count they were all copy games). After I play it I might decide this is very derivative of (Insert title here) or maybe it will feel like its own unique game. I'm willing to give Cliffy the chance, although I don't think he's earned the title 'Game God' thats always thrown around, but I'm hoping he will eventualy deserve that title.
P.S. Remember Stevie Case
P.P.S. Remember Jim Fix
Cabrill @ Nov 7th 2006 6:00PM
I agree wholeheartedly with Alexei. This post reads like a private journal entry of a tin-foil hat wearing hobo. I thought Cliffy's letter was well-crafted and a nice personal touch that tries to state their objectives, and let's you, the gamer, make a judgement as to whether they met them. Next-gen might be meaningless fluff, but a preface by the game designer in an instruction booklette is NOT a magic mirror showing the apocalyptic downfall of the gaming industry. A gaming system being handed free-of-charge to Diddy or Paris Hilton is far more a sign of that, but even then it's dust in the wind. Calm the frick down, and play some video games, James.
9mmPreacher @ Nov 7th 2006 5:49PM
I thought Next Gen was about Lindsey Lohan playing Gears of War.
http://reviewsblog.sonsofgodclan.net
jesus @ Nov 7th 2006 5:53PM
there is not such thing as next-gen but only stupid people who think they are going to get next-gen by buyin a shiny new box. A good game is a game that you can have fun, and give you that F#$@, kickas experience that the 50$ dollars were well spend. It doesn't get any better than that.
And it can accomplished by any system, very old or the present one.
James @ Nov 7th 2006 6:05PM
Alexei (Comment #7), I fear that satire was lost on you.
Mike Crazy @ Nov 7th 2006 6:08PM
What is Nex-Gen? I don't know but I can Tell you what Nex-Gen isn't. It's not taking cover! Nex-Gen is a combination of Better, Smarter and Faster Proseccors and Graphics. Let's not forget about the all imprtrant controller. At least Sony took a page out of Nintendo play book with the SixAxis. Racing games will feel better on PS3 and Wii then XB360. Why? easy answer because it's something NEW. Some we all wanted but didn't even know.
I'm not taking anything away from 360, Cause Gears of War looks awesome. I didn't play the game but I'm sure it controls Beautifully. Just imagine if Devepolers weren't lazy and decide to work with Wii instead of making fun of it. Gears of War on Wii wouldn't look as good as the 360 version but if the developer gave the Wii a chance the game might play better.
We all know Wii isn't the most powerful system out there. But that's not the reason the system is going to be sold out in a few weeks. It's because it's making a change where it's needed. We all read about developers saying Wii can't be play for a long time cause your hand will hurt and your arms will get tired. Just about everyone listened to them starting saying the same thing. Well guess what many journalist played Zelda Tp for 4 or 5 hour and didn't get tired. With two day of 10 hours of play many of them wanted to play more.
It's not a question of getting tired anymore it's a question of whose lazy?
Just about every developer and gamers are nerds. And we all talk about looking stupid playing the Wii. And sounding stupid saying "Wii". Let's get our fact right Wii who play videogames are nerds. Some more then others. So if you play with Wii or PS360 guess what you still a nerd. No matter what you say. For those of you who think you aren't a nerd if you read this article, Guess what your a NERD.
To everyone say what you want I dont care.
Steve @ Nov 7th 2006 6:10PM
"11. I thought Next Gen was about Lindsey Lohan playing Gears of War"
That's impossible because Sony says the next generation starts when THEY say. Too bad they had their back to the water when they said though because THAT boat sailed ohhhh about a year ago now.
Cabrill @ Nov 7th 2006 11:08PM
That was satire? It read more like an insult to people who enjoyed the preface. I honestly don't want to go down the route Alexei is taking and attack your writing skills, but I really saw no hint that it was satire. I swore I could almost taste the bile being fought back in that last sentence.
olanarchangel @ Nov 7th 2006 6:27PM
I get the feeling reading this that CliffyB wrote this whole letter to try and introduce a sort of personal relationship between developer and player, create an atmosphere of reflection upon the direction of the gaming industry, then completely shatter these with "a CHAINSAW attached to a gun." I laughed.
m3mnoch @ Nov 7th 2006 6:29PM
uh. alexei. tard. lemme explain it to you slooooooow.
yeah. celebrity has been used to sell video games for years. ask some dork on the street who case is. they won't know her from eve.
however, going forward, big game makers are chasing mainstreamers (wow or the wii on south park anyone?) and staging huge, mainstream events (six flags, mtv specials) using traditional celebrities and mixing them up with game celebrities. hell will wright has been on the cover of how many non-game magazines and newspapers?
video game celebrities are starting to pierce the public at large's conciousness. this next generation is going to be equivalent of the golden age of movies. where mainstream people start buying games based on who made them, not the content of the game.
"And then, wrought with betrayal and jealousy, we will strike down these primmed and pampered figures from their pedestals, greedily hastening their downfalls; and the industry with them."
did you miss that last bit? the bit about how we, as people, like to build up our underdogs only to tear them down later. you know, we as gamers wanting to be all mainstream and then ripping on the mainstream afterwards?
let's see:
vice? check.
folly? check.
sarcasm? check.
schmuck that missed the point? check.
m3mnoch.
GamerZero @ Nov 7th 2006 6:32PM
GoW would be much better if you could control
the main character with foot and hand controls
because joypads are so last year!
I can't wait to be flapping about gurning at the
TV when Ninty destroys the competition with
Next Gen controls where playability comes first.
GoW obviously fails in terms of control and playability
and is just an empty,pumped up visual candy box that is
devoid of anything resembling a soul.
If this was on Wii or PS3 it would be a 10.
/sarcasm pill worn out!
lets just put the gun down and we go get me those fries @ Nov 7th 2006 6:35PM
cliffy b is dying to be john romero, hes trying to make us warm up to the idea that the future is that these guys will be an ion storm on crack and shit, but the reality is NO ONE GIVES A FUCK ABOUT YOU. if anything kojima deserves it more, he is a true artist and does not come off as arogant as this piece of trash.
Neil @ Nov 7th 2006 6:37PM
ICO is more next gen than Gears of War.
ill trooper @ Nov 7th 2006 6:46PM
•
What is next gen? Well, it seems to be a combination of the following: 1) higher-res graphics, but not enough faith in graphics to let us figure out what we need to do - i.e. weapon descriptions in Condemned, the stupid "Here's what you do now" icons that fade up in white at the center, bottom of the screen in games like Gears of War, Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Rainbow 6 Vegas, etc...
2) Next-gen also seems to be about the 'mass appeal,' as in the Gangstarr hook, 'Brothers selling out for the mass appeal:' making games easier with more HUD and self-healing...and more homgenized by trying to 'get more beginning players involved,' like the multi-player Splinter Cell:DA 'switch-up' and best exemplefied by the entire Nintendo public stragegy for the Wii.
3) Next gen is becoming fixated with the 'contextural' button press, and I'm going to get a little deep here, so bear with me: I just spent all afternoon playing Gears of War: it's fun, far better than I expected, and Cliffy B and his team should be proud - it's delivered. HOWEVER, the lack of jumping, or out-of context climbing or ducking, (which Cliffles Beasly seems to feel are childish, rote, and 'out-of-context' techniques in the next-gen shooter games) are missed by me, and the friend I was playing with, and here's why: There is not as much development of personal technique - you can't leap on to things or even try - you can't leap on top of a friend to do something weird - you can't fall off a cliff or bridge that you shoulda known better to have gone so close to in the first place.
There's little opportunity for weird things like 'OH MAN! I just jumped on top of that dude and lept on the roof, and fell off the bridge," or any sort of random interaction that Cliffy felt sullied his treasured 'experience.'
Compare this game and your interaction with the enviroment in Battlefield 2 and you know what I'm getting at - you can learn to do things like jump on to vehicles or ledges, and it has to do with the physics of the game engine as opposed to "press the 'A' button to enact the 'cover' action." But in reality you don't have much to do with taking cover, like ducking and creeping up on cover.
Before you start, I found Gears of War fun. Like Cliff's tirades, I'm not a fan of 'strafe circles' or 'dolphin-diving' either. But I am a fan of learning your moves and combining them for more random action, rather than a contextural button saving the day.
•
Shagi @ Nov 7th 2006 7:17PM
Hmmmm...You can't jump in some games. Just like you can't do a lot of things in almost every game. I'm sorry you couldn't leapfrog down the road during the alien invasion...maybe you should make a mod.
The game designer decides what mechanics make up his game and what is necessary, the games the thing man. It doesn't matter if you dont get it, if thats the way he meant it, thats the experience he wants you to have. If you don't like it, its not for you. Thinking that all games need to be a perfect sandbox if a great way to homoginize gaming and ultimately make us all bored of playing games.
Robotron sucked cause you couldn't jump.
random @ Nov 7th 2006 7:20PM
God, you're all such a bunch of whiny birches.
Space Butler @ Nov 7th 2006 7:31PM
CliffyB is "arrogant"? How? He's saying he thinks this new generation is going to come down to new and innovative ideas driving the games, not just sequels and licensed crap. Why is that arrogant? He hasn't trash talked other developers by name, or even truly trashed them at all. Plus, above all else, you fucking dolts, he's a figurehead. Remember all the morons who said we should burn Bill Gates for creating the "evil empire of MiKKKro$$oft"? Yeah, there are people under him, you know.
Focusing your hate on one guy for talking about how he wanted to do something new should let you qualify for disability, as you are clearly mentally handicapped.
GD86 @ Nov 7th 2006 7:34PM
And a massive dose of Word to #23.
Ico was next gen because it was an experience that I never had with this medium before. That amount of emotional connection to the charecters which was brough about by a mix of good gameplay, graphics, and story telling. When those three are brought together in a way tht makes people really care about charecters and the story its next gen.
ill trooper @ Nov 7th 2006 8:00PM
Shagi, have you played 'Gears of War' yet? I was trying to avoid someone taking it to the extreme of bringing up 'leapfrogging' by talking about 'dolphinning' and all, but you just went there anyway, like there's nothing in between.
I'm not asking for everything to be 'sandbox,' but there's something to be said about figuring things out for yourself with the tools you're given rather than looking for the next area or pillar where the "A-button command" floats up on screen, telling you what to do. Granted, 'Gears of War' isn't that bad, but things seem to be headed that way with certain games.
And a big 'yeah, agreed, but that's not what I was talking about' for your second paragraph... Obviously a designer can make the game like he wants - but I'm pretty picky and when a dude like Cliffy B wears it on his sleeve that 'he has it all figured out,' I gotta look more critically at what he's shilling. He may be right, he may be wrong, but I'm not taking his opinion for granted.
DosFreak @ Nov 13th 2006 3:38PM
"For example take the use of cover." "How are we going to make hiding behind a wall interesting? Answer: Make it Real."
So which is it Cliff? Cover or Concealmeant? One of the many things you learn in combat training is that there is a world of difference between cover and concealment. Just because you have one doesn't mean that you have the other.
In almost every single game that I have ever played every time I concealed myself behind a wall I always had cover. (Unless there's was a bug in the game where I got shot through a wall). How about we have alot more reality in games Cliff? Make some walls that just conceal but don't have cover. There are some games that do this but it's only a handful. I want to say the Rainbow Six series mabye?
So let's have some next gen games that use the features we've only seen in a handful of games from years past that never took off or were removed in later games. That's the kind of "next gen" games I want to see.
Give me Stars or Give me Death! @ Nov 7th 2006 8:23PM
@ Alexei,
You're the idiot. What kind of intellectual uses Wikipedia as a source? If you seriously think that "the free encyclopedia" is credible then you're not just not an intellectual, you're a fucking moron. Oh by the way, nice link. The funny thing is that when I followed up on my hunch that YOU were the faux intellectual, I decided to google the word "satire" and wonder of wonders, guess what shows up very first? That's right, a link to wikipedia and a discussion about Jonathan Swift. Ten to one you've never even heard about "A Modest Proposal" before looking it up tonight. What a phony bitch. Keep on using wikipedia, you know, the online encyclopedia where people can just make shit up.
Also, according to your cute little definition, satire doesn't mean saying the opposite of what you really mean. It means making something look ridiculous by using a argumentative tool called "reductio ad absurdum", in English that's where you try to reduce someone's argument, or point of view, to the point of absurdity, e.g. obsession with celebrity. Good job, James. Refute me if you dare Alexei.
LordMinogue @ Nov 7th 2006 8:54PM
@Give me Stars:
I'd hate to be the one to say this, but Wikipedia has a higher factual accuracy rating then Encarta, and more articles then Encarta. (a sample of similar articles were taken and extensivly cross referenced with field experts for errors, and Encarta had more).
Faux Inteell.... Intelex.... Intal.... Faux Smart Guy @ Nov 7th 2006 8:51PM
This discussion is Next Gen!
Mark B @ Nov 7th 2006 8:57PM
I for one am SICK of hearing about Gears!!
So what, if it's a great game.
It's going to take more than one game to convince me to buy into the whole over-hyped and over-rated piece of shit that is the 360!!
Faux Inteell.... Intelex.... Intal....Faux Smart Guy @ Nov 7th 2006 9:03PM
:....(
I'm Marky B, I show over aggression towards a gaming system I don't like because I take it as a direct insult to my clubfooted Mom that they have dared to make a gaming system cheaper then Sony's 4.2 Trillion Yen (about $10.50 US) system :(
Mark B @ Nov 7th 2006 9:10PM
Faux Smart Guy,
Hey DUMBASS, if I wanted a 360, I would have one!!
I recently bought about 30 games for my gaming systems to the tune of around 700 dollars. You do the math, JERK.
Fact is, I'm not the least bit interested in a piece of shit system that has only one truly great game!!
Oh, by the way, YOUR mother wanted me to say hello to you. She's waiting for me in my bedroom. LMFAO!!!!
Give me Stars or Give me Death! @ Nov 7th 2006 9:24PM
@ LordMinogue,
That's great. Unfortunately, that's not my point. You simply will not see any "scholarly articles" quoting Wikipedia as a source...ever. I have no real beef with it, however, I do take offense to Alexei looking up the word 'satire' and then trying to imply having read "A Modest Proposal". My real point is that Alexei is an idiot that has reading comprehension problems. Having the internet doesn't make him intelligent.
Faux Inteell.... Intelex.... Intal....Faux Smart Guy... Now Jerk! @ Nov 7th 2006 9:24PM
Hey Retarded mindless cock lick that has all the intelligence of your mothers herpe filled crotch that smells like my breath now (Damn whore!) I didn't say you couldn't afford it (you're Dad charges down at the local gay bar, got plenty of money from his little tight ass!) I said you were mindlessly pissed at microsoft for daring to make a system that cost less then sony's.
Besides I'm probably your Dad so don't talk back, do your home work (I don't know, what to retards do in school?) and when you're done. Get me some meds, your Mom has got me itching!
m3mnoch @ Nov 7th 2006 9:32PM
/sigh
okay. one more time -- slower and simpler.
--part one--
for the bookworm in you, from the american heritage dictionary:
sat·ire n.
1. A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.
2. Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.
notice -- through IRONY (that fancy "opposite" stuff you are blathering about), DERISION (james' piece is absolutely dripping in derision) or wit. even your very own wikipedia definition contains the key word OFTEN.
often? always? i wasn't aware they were synonyms.
doh! that's right! because THEY'RE NOT. tho, you're more than welcome to update wikipedia to change that word "often" to an "always" if you want.
it's the people's encyclopedia, you know....
--part two--
i find it incredibly IRONIC (not satirical, because, i actually mean the opposite in this case) that one person accusing another person of being a "faux-intellectual" tries to quote -- wait, doesn't even quote -- just points to "a modest proposal."
were i a "true-intellectual," i would have cited examples of "irony as satire" from the text. well. that and i probably would have picked a different text than the piece front and center on the same page as my wikipedia quote.
nope. he's not making fun of people like me -- i'm making fun of you.
m3mnoch.
William Striker @ Nov 7th 2006 9:36PM
Whoa whoa, you all need to settle down just a bit. And good catch on the Wiki thing, that was hilarious. And Wiki is a good place to start research but should by no means be a final say all on fact. And if you want to be intellectual read something good like Sun-Tsu that you can actually use.
rrenna @ Nov 7th 2006 10:56PM
Ok I don't feel like bashing anyone personally here, all I can contribute is what the letter means to me:
I got gears of war today and rummaged through the manual on the way home. I found the note from Cliffy a kind of personal "shout out" to all the fans, maby its manipulative but actually seeing alot of the guy makes me like him and appriciate his efforts. Guys the game is amazing, honestly I was giggling with sheer joy at how amazingly fun it was, I was playing with my dad, co-op over live and as the fantastic cinimatic near the end of chapter One was playing all you could hear was us go "whoooaah" for a solid 3 minutes.
I don't know what else to say, my heart is still pumping.
yellowoystercult @ Nov 7th 2006 10:50PM
Hey, everyone! I have an easy answer to all of this hatred and meaningless back-and-forthery: Cliffy B's comments are interesting to consider in the face of the "What is Next Gen?" question, and the commentary in the post is horseshit.
See? It's all sorted out.
In the future, if anyone has any questions about content on this website, remember to take all Joystiq editorial content with a big ol' grain of salt! It doesn't take any talent or upper-level thinking to amass news items about video games -- so learn to expect neither from the people who do it, and you'll never be disappointed!
AssemblyLineHuman @ Nov 7th 2006 10:55PM
Mark B: Just so you know, your excessive rage toward some random moron on the Internet doesn't really say much for you either. ;]
FreQ @ Nov 7th 2006 11:17PM
James Wiley, you are the definition of hater.
Dave @ Nov 8th 2006 2:39AM
What might also work is if, rather than allowing the player to travel at full speed and jump as many times as they like, allow for exhaustion. That way, the player can only run full speed or jump around so long before they are forced to slow down.
Ikthog @ Nov 8th 2006 12:43AM
Ah, it's refreshing to see the Internet still brings out the best in people. What happened to the good old days, when these sorts of arguments were settled with bar fights?
I'm not sure why this little note merited mention in the first place, let alone this bizarre post, but I guess they gotta post something if they're going to keep up with Kotaku.
ProfessorJay @ Nov 8th 2006 3:29AM
It's an interesting dichotomy that apocalyptic shooters like Gears and fantasy RPGs like Oblivion are really effective at conveying "realism" in as many ways as possible by sticking to simple gameplay concepts.
"Real World" game genres like many of the GTA/sandbox games and most of the current sports titles are giving you as many "real-world" scenarios as possible, yet they seem to be getting more unrealistic.
The real issue for a next-gen games depends on whether it lies in the technical achievements and capabilities of title or in its execution. For Gears, I'd go with its execution.
Jdoki @ Nov 8th 2006 6:35AM
I'm getting sick of this whole 'is this game next-gen enough' crap that's being thrown around.
A good game is a good game regardless of how 'next-gen' it is.
It seems a lot of people are holding their breath waiting for The Next Big Innovation. Like FMV cut-scenes pushed the PS1 in to the limelight and established Square/Final Fantasy in the West, and how Mario 64 redefining how we play games in 3D.
Why does almost every review of new games have to grade them against some indefineable 'next-gen' criteria?
We have more powerful hardware which allows better graphics, more complex AI and physics and so on - but there's room for those games which are just bloody good fun as much as those that try and push the gaming envelope.
You could argue that the Wii is the only tru 'next-gen' console because it attempts to do something different with the way we interact with games. You could also argue that only the power of PS3 and Xbox360 allow developers to create truly emotional, immersive situations.
Is the new trick system in Tony Hawk Project 8 'next-gen' or just an evolution and rethink of a franchise?
Should Saints Row be criticised because it basically rips off Vice City rather than pushing past San Andreas?
If people keep holding their breath for these indefinable next-gen qualities there's going to be a lot of asphyxiated gamers!
-=Stitched=- @ Nov 8th 2006 6:37AM
Let's face it - Gears is derivative crap.
How many times have badass marines/generic soldiers been used? With big guns? An alien/zombie like enemy?
That all said, it's derivative crap executed REALLY well - just the sources are not hidden very well.
The "Chainsaw on a Gun" comment made me chuckle since, well, there is the whole Games Workshop back catalog of Space Marines...well, you get the idea.
Mr BoomStick XL @ Nov 8th 2006 7:47AM
This is for #2....ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Dude, try playing the game before making an A$$ of yourself on this thread!! Hell if you want to run into a fire fight, YOU can. Play the game anyway you want but it fells totally right when you are taking cover and being shot at from everywhere!!! You must be some sort of a Sony Suck-Boy to make silly comments like that!! Game of the YEAR!!!!!!!