From:
Matt Godlaski
To: randy@justadventure.com
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2001
3:31 PM
Subject: Undying Review
From a hard-core action gamer,
Thanks
for the honest review of Undying ... a quote of yours, which was a pretend
quote of a typical reviewer:
"It is not innovative, nor does it add
anything to the first-person shooter genre."
really hit the mark with
me ... After reading dozens of reviews of this particular game (and many other
games as well) I grow very weary of the typical reviewer. I imagine them wrapped
in togas in a decadent Roman setting, swilling down goblets of wine as they idly
shoo away game developers with whimpers of "ohhh ... must you bore me so
with your silly games ... they are all so similar, so unimaginative, so boooooring ..."
It makes me sick. I used to run a website that reviewed single player Quake2 add-on
maps. I reviewed over 180 maps, and I never got bored. I praised each for its
own particular qualities, and tried to never, ever, ridicule--or hold any map
up to the standards set by other games/maps. Sure, I gave it a score based on
how well I liked it--but in the written review, I tried to hit on what was good
about it.
I think what reviewers need to remember is that most of
us who play these games do not do so for a living. Nor do we play games 8 hours
a day.
Now allow me to answer some of your questions:
Q: "Some
gamers are in awe because you can shoot a gun with you left hand and cast a spell
with the right. What's the big deal?"
A: A typical action gamer wants
simplicity. Run faster, shoot more powerful weapons, kill easily, jump higher
... and for goodness sake--no thinking!!
Q: "And what's the deal with
the arm holding the weapon constantly thrust in front of you as you walk down
a corridor"
A: LOL ... it's just so that you can see what weapon you
are currently using ... although if a game has the option to turn this off--I
always do.
Q: "Seldom does he want to exercise his husbandly right
towards me." Excuse me? Taking into accord the early twentieth century definition,
I still cannot image a daughter writing to her mother and complaining that her
husband won't do the 'dirty deed' with her. To a girlfriend, yes, to a sister,
yes, but to your mother?"
A: Have you forgotten that you are reading
the words of Mr. Barker? If you expect his writing to follow convention--then
you certainly do not own all of his books as you claim. I'm reading Galilee right
now, and the main character has already expressed lust for his sister and his
step-mother.
Q: "Another difficulty with the gameplay is that all
movement is controlled via a keyboard/mouse combination. What is this, a LucasArts
adventure game? Haven't these action gamers heard of a new invention called the
gamepad?"
A: If you are playing an action game--there is no better
way to play that with a mouse/keyboard combo. And--you don't have to go buy a
darn $30 controller either.
Q: "Are you action gamers so lonely and
insecure that you can't play a game by yourself?"
A: Unfortunately,
most of them are. I gave up on multiplayer action games long ago. The horrid attitudes
of most of the kids playing multiplayer out there is really depressing. Give me
single player any day.
Q: "Usually, I would never write a review before
finishing the game, but this is an action game--does anyone still play these?"
A:
Hell yeah!
I for one want less realism in games not more. I live in reality
every day. I play games to escape reality. Why oh why do so many
people want more realism in games. The health-pack argument is best. I once got
into it with some people who wanted health packs replaced with a more realistic
approach. What? How about a segment of the game where you have to sit and
read medical journals and then take out the old Burn Kit and Suture Kit and got
to work on yourself ... oh yeah, and now that we've repaired the injury--it needs
to heal. So, how about a portion of gameplay where we sit and wait for, oh, say,
2 days. After that time the character should be sufficiently healed enough to
go back to running 30 miles an hour while holding 10 weapons and hundreds of pounds
of ammunition. I rant ...
Your final thoughts are what I fully believe.
Games are about fun. Also the tip to set the game on easy and just enjoy
the atmosphere ... of course--what a brilliant idea! It's so nice to hear someone
else echo my own sentiment!
Anyway, thanks for the refreshing review ...
it's always nice to hear someone sound mostly rational.
Matt Godlaski
