BUT...
There's one big gaping hole of a problem with it (and many other games) that not a lot of people have addressed: missables.
A missable is something that is no longer obtainable past a certain point in a game. In The Last Remnant's case there are several pre-requisites on Disc 1 to unlocking side quests on Disc 2. Many of these snowball to where you have to go through an entire chain of missables to get something.
I think missables are a terrible concept. I am playing through this game with a full strategy guide sprawled out on the floor and several tabs in my browser pointed to specific forum posts, gamefaqs etc. just to make sure I can enjoy the full content that I paid for. In no other medium or consumer good would the manufacturer be able to get away with this. Why do game makers get away with it?
Nintendo is working on a system that aims at the exact opposite end of the spectrum. A system to ensure that you can access all of the content you have purchased - http://kotaku.com/5276446/shigeru-miyamoto-spills-beans-on-kind-code-almost
While I applaud Nintendo's approach, it seems like it would take some of the fun and excitement out of the game. On the other hand, having missables in a game can force the player to spend more time reading strategy guides than actually enjoying the game.
Here's the questions:
-Do missables add to the game experience or detract?
-What are some alternatives that could produce the same type of excitement provided by a missable?
Posts
Missables in general have always annoyed me. The most recent major offender was the Zodiac Spear in FFXII. Robin and I were playing the game concurrently, but she was using the strat guide we got (for 10% off when you buy it with the game!!!). I remember distinctly how an hour or two into the game, she explained how I was denied the chance to get it because I opened a specific chest, and would have had to avoided 2 or 3 more at other points in the game.
ReplyDeleteThis flies in the face of everything video games have taught me: TREASURE CHESTS ARE AWESOME AND NEED TO BE OPENED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TREASURE IN THEM AND YOU WANT TREASURE.
You shouldn't be punished for following a simple tennent of gaming. Sure, in some games, trapped chests are a minor inconvenience at the time, but those are few and far between and don't impact my experience of certain sections of the game.
Sure, the Zodiac Spear wasn't that much better than the other weapons and was technically able to be found at a ridiculous rare drop rate elsewhere. But the principle of it still galls me to this day. Definitely detracts from the experience.
I want to point out that my first captcha phrase was vibribi, and it reminded me of Vib-ribon. Which was awesome.
ReplyDeleteYeah I restarted FFXII for that very reason. It's completely annoying because most of the time these missables have nothing to do with skill, it's always stupid stuff like you opened a treasure chest, or didn't talk to somebody etc.
ReplyDeleteI have zero problem with having to work for the reward, that's pretty much the definition of a game. Just don't take the opportunity to do so away from the player.
Mmm, Vib-ribon.
This is a terrible practice that needs to be stopped. I had a similar experience with Tales of the Abyss. There's an optional, yet important side quest that can only be started in a very narrow window of the game. I wouldn't have even realized it was there if I hadn't read about it, but you're right, I paid for this content, it would be like buying a refrigerator with an ice maker sealed up secretly somewhere inside it. Don't make me start a new game for 25 hours to see a small part of the game. I don't mind playing more for it, working hard for it, or if it's harder than the rest of the game, just don't take it away from me!
ReplyDelete"It would be like buying a refrigerator with an ice maker sealed up secretly somewhere inside it."
ReplyDeleteHaha! I'm going to add a couple modifications:
"It would be like buying a refrigerator with an ice maker secretly somewhere inside it, and the second you place a six-pack of beer in there the ice maker blows up in your face."
I'm very very angry with these "missables"! I have just lost the chance to face the Fallen in the Last Remnant and am very angry. Another thing I would like to point out is that the guide for the Last Remnant in some spots does not even follow the game. For example when the guide says that the chance to defeat the fallen is lost when you set out to find the replacement ark, it is actually lost when you go to Undelwalt for the first time. Another example is when you do the "Hearts" quest. It says go to Elysion when really it's in Celepalais. I do not like guides that do not follow the game exactly!
ReplyDeleteOne more thing I would like to point out is: How can you enjoy a game when the the side quests take longer than the actual story?! By the time I finish with the quests that open up in one area I completely forget what is going on in the story because of all the little side stories that I'm working on. I think this greatly takes away from the enjoyment of the game.
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree. By the time I had put all of the energy and time getting to The Fallen, I just didn't really care anymore. I think it's pretty amazing how often "frustrating" is confused with "challenging" - this scenario is definitely the former.
ReplyDelete