Immersive adventures that change how you see things and what you expect
Immersive adventures that change how you see things and what you expect
Hey there! I used to enjoy Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect a lot. When others pointed out the poor animations and lifeless expressions (the Bioware face, for example), I just rolled my eyes and said I didn’t care. The voice acting was strong, the characters felt real, and the story was solid. These aspects still matter to me. But after watching StarField’s gameplay and trailers, I noticed the NPCs looked so blank it changed how I saw them. Maybe Cyberpunk did more work on facial animations, but Baldur’s Gate 3 really improved that side. I’m a bit disappointed because I still love those series, but now I know what to expect. Anyone else have similar memories of a great experience turning into a letdown?
I faced my issues starting in November 2004 when World of Warcraft launched. Prior to that, I was focused on everyday survival, and now I feel indifferent about it all.
Argh, yes. Mass Effect. Lol. I tried WoW once and decided never to do that again. Not that I didn't like it. But I knew myself well enough to see myself get addicted if I didn't get out in time.
One absolute masterpiece you might really enjoy would be Enderal: Forgotten Stories. It is a fan made game based on Skyrim. But the quality of it easily surpasses Skyrim and reminds me more of Bioware titles of way back when. I'd look for some of the mod packs for it as well, to improve the experience a bit. But as for your question, this game has really changed my perspective on what fan games can be. The Ori series just kinda blew my mind with how smooth the game play was and how beautiful it all looks. Any new Pokemon game that releases completely changes my perspective for how little effort needs to go into a game that sells 20+ million copies :c Factorio/Satisfactory showed me how much fun programing can be, if you just get tricked into programing by a fun game. Beat Saber change my perspective for VR games not really having to be all that deep to be really fun and engaging for a prolonged time. Some short ones: Slay the Spire, first rouge lite deck builder that showed what the whole genre is capable of Vampire Survivor, kinda invented its own genre DoTA Auto Chess: Also (re-)invented its own genre Divinity Original Sin, for showing how fun classical RPGs can be, even in the modern era. And last but not least, CrossCode. It didn't really change my perspective all that much about anything. But I love that game to pieces, so I wanted to include it.
GTA 4 changed how I view games for me. I never grasped why I couldn't enjoy GTA 5 until I watched Crowbcat’s comparison video. Also Red Faction Guerilla seemed to diminish the impact of destruction, making it feel less intense and less engaging. In the AAA space, indie titles don’t really matter much. The Finals kept me hooked because they encouraged creativity, though it still didn’t match the experience. I miss seeing developers aim to recreate real life, which was a big goal for many games in the 2010s. Emotional investment was strong with Witcher 3—it kept me engaged until the credits ended. The game made me feel deeply, almost as if I’d gone through seven stages of grief in half an hour. Plague’s Tale: Requiem moved me to tears. Trying to become a game developer had its pros and cons; it both broke some magic and showed how much modern games rely on illusions. Still, it amazed me with its programming, like Viewfinder, though I find it mostly vector-based.
I actually played Enderal. It was well-made with a tense atmosphere. I got stuck on a mission where I had to battle enemies in a burning mine, which distracted me. Maybe it's time to put it down—after finishing Phantom Liberty and my 2. BG3 run. Divinity is huge! I own it on Steam, but I was a bit overwhelmed during the initial character setup. I’m not sure about multiple-choice decisions. My usual favorites are 4X or grand strategy games, or colony builders like Rimworld and Manorlords.
After finishing CP 2077, I took some time to really absorb it before diving back in. It really resonated with me and the ending had to feel complete before I started looking at other paths. I’m inspired by game developers, though I understand your concern about losing that special touch. I’ve been brainstorming indie projects and even installed Unity, but as a parent, I don’t have the time to master it right now. I tend to play games during my limited free moments.
I also didn't mention how impressive CP77 was. The ending I created made me think for a moment too, though I dislike how everything vanishes behind your back in that game—less bad in 2.0, but still breaks the illusion of a lived-in world. Still, starting Phantom Liberty is something I'm really excited about after pre-ordering. Forgot about the Witcher 3 DLC and Witcher 2; I'm really looking forward to their upcoming titles.
If you like big stories, I'd really recommend giving it another try. If you have trouble, you can always try cheesing with a range weapon. The combat isn't the the best part of this game, but everything else is amazing! Short as in I'm not writing much about it. Is isn't as refined as BG3, so if you've played that one already, you played the culmination of all of their efforts already. But it is still fun playing it with a friend or a group, as long as you don't mind just talking a bit as someone tries to figure out what their next turn should be.