Meat suit
And the problem is shit like this sells so well so this is what companies will continue to put out.Originally Posted by drag
qft
Omg yes.
Oh dear, the big companies must love you.
Super Moderator
As far as multiplayer goes, I vastly prefer the single player experience. I see multiplayer as a way to take what you have and add something really nice to it. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes the multiplayer gets more attention than the single player, resulting in 4 hour single player experiences. Other times the multiplayer becomes pretty intrusive to the single player experience, such as with Resident Evil 5 vs RE4.
I don't think the multiplayer is really a bad thing, just keep it away from the single player. Some people have the right idea by getting one team to handle the single player campaign, and then getting someone else to tackle the multiplayer. That way no time/effort is taken away from the single player, but you still get a decent multiplayer aspect out of it too.
It can certainly be a very positive thing. Uncharted 2's multiplayer is the definition of tacked on. The maps are largely cut down versions of single player areas, the weapons are the same, the skill progression is basic, and there's barely anything truly "new" about it. Does that stop it from being fun? Hell no. I probably spent more time with it than I did the single player modes thanks to certain people around here. In the case of something like Resident Evil 5, it made an otherwise pretty average game extremely entertaining to have someone to drag through the single player campaign (although a large part of the averageness I blame on the multiplayer focus, but that's another story).
In summary, multiplayer is a good thing but I don't usually get behind basing a game solely around multiplayer and I really want a solid and lengthy single player mode. Single player is the food, multiplayer is the sauce that makes it better.
But one thing I will add: Co-op. More games need to do this. I am rather tired of seeing games that would lend themselves well to a co-op campaign or an "altered version of the single player mode with an extra character" opting out of it. Worse still when it has a co-op mode but it's local co-op only. Usually I prefer it when my multiplayer has me siding with other people, instead of fighting against them. Not that I dislike competitive modes, it's just that I tend to like co-op more and feel it's a bit neglected. And, if anything, I want to see some more originality on the multiplayer besides "fuck it, stick in deathmatch and capture the flag and we'll call it a day". Which I think co-op allows some interesting room for, as there's room for stories and some different co-operative gaming mechanics that go beyond "shoot guys in the face" and "take their nice thing to this spot".
Yet the single player feels far from "tacked on" as it's several times the length of the average FPS campaign and features entirely different loadouts/mechanics from the multiplayer.
I'd say it was basically made to earn money moreso than to add multiplayer to the existing game. Not that it makes Bioshock 2 any better (or worse) than it is.
In any case, I'd consider it a case of multiplayer done well. The single player didn't feel like it was neglected at all, it simply suffered from retreading stuff that really didn't need a retread. Yeah, they could've done something more interesting than they did, but I don't feel like the multiplayer is what's to blame. It's more of a case of the really interesting characters all being dead and the great writers having left to work on Infinite.
Would MGS2 be a better game if it had MGS3's online modes or allowed someone to walk in Snake's shoes whilst you played Raiden?
Would Shadow of the Colossus be better if after clearing the game there were a series of bigger 2 player colossi that required you to stab in multiple places/take multiple paths at the same time?
Would DMC3 be better if the multiplayer was permanent and well structured instead of an easter egg?
Can Mercenaries or GTA San Andreas possibly be improved by adding another person to the mix?
Is the world truly ready for a 2 player version of Viewtiful Joe?
...
I'm not really seeing the problem here.
It has a lot of plot. It just doesn't force it on you the way most games do. The plot is told through environment, flavor text, and item descriptions.
Member
You know, that Shadow of Colossus one actually sounds kind of fun. Just saying.
I think the way that the gamer mindset has evolved over the years, for some companies multiplayer is a necessity. I'll use the old tired example of Call of Duty. Today, most people buy Call of Duty not for its single player campaign, but for its multiplayer one. I could say the same thing for the more recent Halo games, as well. Now, what if a Call of Duty game was made where there was no multiplayer, only a single player campaign? I'm not saying no one would buy it, because there are plenty of people who would buy it, but I know for a fact that there would be people who would instantly decide not to buy it just because of its lack of multiplayer. Less people buying it means less money for the companies who create these games, and as we all know, some of these big companies like Activision are out for as much money as they can get. So, I think in a way it's necessary in the minds of the big companies like Activision, because if they don't put it in, it means less money.
On the flip side, for some games the multiplayer is hardly a necessity. As has already been stated, Uncharted 2's multiplayer is completely unnecessary. Dead Space 2 didn't really gain anything from having multiplayer (although I think it's fun, it was definitely not necessary). Some games simply don't need multiplayer at all to be considered a good game or to sell.
That's just what I think, though.
not actually a catgirl
This bit reminded me of the surprisingly pleasant co-op experience of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, which I played through with my brother. Some of the puzzles where you had to rely on each other were pretty neat and while the game isn't a 10/10 masterpiece, I had loads of fun with it. I mostly mention it because, hilariously enough, it's a game where the single player mode is the one that feels tacked on.
And although I've only seen Portal 2's MP campaign via LP videos, it seems like it's doing the same thing, which I can only approve of. The co-op campaign is almost like a separate game if I'm not mistaken.
Rank of Master achieved
I miss the days of playing Metal Gear Online right after the release of MGS4. To me, that is a very innovative online multiplayer game. It was definitely tacked on, and I hated having to have a Konami ID and such to play. But it was by far, the most enjoyable online experience for me. It was pure strategy in a lot of ways. You actually had to take it slow instead of running through the middle of the map guns blazing.
July 2013 - I got greens
multiplayer is perfectly fine with me. as long as it doesnt take away from what the designers wanted. for example. resident evil 5. beautiful. the co op online. i loved it. the other online factors about it. also loved it. the actual game. fantastic, loved it. i find it great when the game doesnt release online until after the game has been out for a month or so. mgs4 and re5 both did just that and the game and online asect of them are great. i try to buy games both ways when i want a game. ill buy games that are pretty much made for the online, but have a solid story. also, ill buy games that are made for story and not online, but have a solid online aspect. for example: i bought mgs4 for the game not the online. i didnt even know it had online for the longest time. and to counter that i bought mag for the online. because i enjoy playing online, but i enjoy a good story too.
"Life is what you make of it. Don't make excuses. Make it happen."
This my World.--- Chamillionaire
Cookie Thief
It depends on the game. I don't have anything against multiplayer in particular. Though I'm more of a solo gamer. If it's done right, multiplayer can be great fun. Twisted Metal 2 for example is fun single player as well as multiplayer. The 16/32bit era had many good multiplayer games. The DKC games for example have different options for multiplayer. You can either two competitive multiplayer or cooperative multiplayer in the DKC series. It was well balanced. As for todays, I usually play single player, so I have no need for Xbox Live Gold. Though it has its benefits. Anyways for the most part, I think multiplayer was good back then, now its so-so.
Cyber Husky!
I Normally buy games for the Single Player unless its a Pure Multiplayer (Say Team Fortress 2) or more made for Online Co-op (Left 4 Dead)
Some games these days feel like the Single Player is an after thought and the multiplayer is the main feature (see COD MW2 or COD BO) and I think thats a backwards way of putting it
Just my 2 cent
Vagrant Wizard
The kind of plot you have to seek out to find, isn't really plot. Even considering it plot, it's of minimal interest.
Robot Spaghetti
It's probably been said already, but I feel that gmaes should be able to stand on single player alone with multiplayer being a secondary feature.
Because if you can't fully enjoy a game with out internet connectivity than something is wrong.
Cookie Thief
Honestly, I've come to expect shitty single player in place of multiplayer in most FPS games now. For games such as Battlefield, this is expected, and exactly what people buy the game for. But for other games, I was really interested in the single player and instead got a 5 hour run and gun with no imagination, and a mediocre multiplayer that had tons of emphasis. Sometimes I just want a singleplayer campaign, to sort of show me the imagination of the devs, and walk me through a bit of a storyline, and hell, I'll admit it, for the lowered difficulty. The AI for the most part won't abuse the game's engine, and it's usually slanted in your favor, and just less stressful/frustrating to play. Lately I find myself enjoying the single player more.
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Agreed. But today MGO is so different. I tried playing again a couple of months ago (after a 1 year absence) and it was brutal. People are just too good at it nowadays. I'm not going back again. >__>
C is for Cookie.
And I thought you was brutal the first time we played the beta together :O
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Then nothing can prepare you for what MGO is today!We should set up an EP-only game someday! Would be loads of fun! :O
knowitman|
