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[jiggles]

leading Drake up through a boxcar dangling off a cliff is no more interactive than selecting Henry's potentially flirtatious dialogue in Firewatch

 

[Loudninja]

yeah, it's a good article. OP made a title up. it's talking about the lack of agency in certain scenes but how it works for ND and praises them for continuing it.

How is this better?

Combat fatigues: How Uncharted is a walking simulator in action game's clothing
.

 

[Rembrandt]

Even if the content of the article was full of praise, it wouldn't make a difference. This is an undeniable clickbait title and Eurogamer used to be better than that.

OP's title isn't the one that's on Eurogamer's site.

Combat fatigues: How Uncharted is a walking simulator in action game's clothing isn't a clickbait title.

 

[Bedameister]

Man I would love an Uncharted game that is more walking simulator than action game. That would be my Uncharted

 

[Zemm]

There's a good discussion to be had about the way UC4 changes up the ratio of platforming/exploration vs combat compared to the previous games, I don't like it, others will. They followed TLoU's template but didn't quite hit that high mark, and I'm now wondering if ND games in the future are going to all be this similar type of game like Ubisoft open world games are. Like people can look at a game and say "yeah that's a ND structured game alright". We'll see.

However, this article's title is not going to help us have it. (Oh, the OP didn't even copy the title correctly)

 

[YianGaruga]

If you completely ignore what people mean when they say walking simulator..

..sure EG, whatever you say

 

[tolkir]

Is Eurogamer more 'click bait' than gaming journalism ?

Did you read the Eurogamer title?

OP made up that one.

Edit: I was wrong.

 

[plasmawave]

Everything is walking simulator with combat now.

 

[FarFromAnyGame]

Is GTA a driving simulator?

 

[mjp2417]

I don't disagree. I occasionally try pushing the other way in UC4, and the limitations are very apparent. But I also don't have anything against walking simulators, so I'm fine with it. I guess some more story interaction would be nice though.

Yeah, I'm genuinely not seeing anything particularly wrong or disagreeable with the article. Its thesis is basically that UC2 in particular had a significant, subterranean impact on the genre currently known as the walking simulator, and that that genre influence reemerges more explicitly in UC4. It is also arguing that Uncharted is actually more varied and interesting than a standard bombastic cover shooter. Not sure why this should provoke any kind of defensiveness unless someone thinks walking simulators aren't real gamez.

 

[Neff]

I haven't played Uncharted 4 (can't stand them), but a lot of the random streams I've dipped into haven't shown combat once, which I thought was pretty unusual considering my experience with 1-3.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd get an equally quiet result with TLoU streams, and that manages to be a fine game.

 

[Markitron]

Combat fatigues: How Uncharted is a walking simulator in action game's clothing isn't a clickbait title.

Yes it absolutely is

Also, see below

 

[YianGaruga]

yeah, it's a good article. OP made a title up. it's talking about the lack of agency in certain scenes but how it works for ND and praises them for continuing it.

Did you read the Eurogamer title?

OP made up that one.

It's what EG posted on their twitter

 

[nelsonroyale]

reducto ad absurdum?

 

[Ushojax]

It's a playable Indiana Jones movie, not a walking simulator.

Uncharted is never going to win any awards for game design but it doesn't pretend otherwise. Calling it a walking simulator is a bit overboard.

 

[Raylan]

Where did your title come from? It's a lot more inflammatory than the article.

nope or else they wouldn't be so offended for no reason.

also OP's title for this thread is basically made up and is setting a negative tone even though the article is praising Uncharted.

Did you read the Eurogamer title?

OP made up that one.

Yup, 'made up' by Eurogamer.

 

[hodgy100]

Hes kinda right though. A lot of uncharted scripted events have very little interactivity. yes thats so they can pull it off and have it be intractable at-all and still be fun but there is very little interactivity as uncharted climbing is pretty much hold direction and mash X. Im glad the rope and piton mixes it up a bit though

nope or else they wouldn't be so offended for no reason.

also OP's title for this thread is basically made up and is setting a negative tone even though the article is praising Uncharted.

its more the selective bolding really.

 

[Hot Coldman]

It's odd how Uncharted 4 actually introduces more interactivity to the platforming through the pick, the rope and the increased amount of block "puzzles", yet non-combat scenes have a far greater presence than in previous games. It's more of a "light adventure" than ever before.

I like it, mind. It's a gorgeous game and the dialogue is better than ever.

 

[tolkir]

It's what EG posted on their twitter

Ok, I didn't say anything. u_u

Clickbait tweet indeed.

 

[Elandyll]

... Genesis of said article:
"We gotta write something, anything, clickbait about the currently most popular title available.
I KNOW! Let's say that Uncharted 4 is a walking simulator, and go from there!"

 

[Rembrandt]

How is this better?

Combat fatigues: How Uncharted is a walking simulator in action game's clothing
.

Because it's not asking the reader a question or worded in a way that would obviously attract negative comments. That's a good title that's followed by a decent article.

especially when they quote the designer's worry about non-action scenes turning away fans after being inspired by indie "walking simulators."

what would you title the article?

Yup, 'made up' by Eurogamer.

That's not the title of the article. That's a tweet.

So OP picked the clickbait tweet instead of the actual article's title.

but who cares, it's funny that people are so upset at this article. it's obvious who read it and who hasn't.

 

[Occam]

I thought we had decided on light adventure instead. Eurogamer what the hell. Stick with the times. Jeez.

I didn't decide that. Games like Everybody's Gone to the Rapture are walking simulators.

 

[hodgy100]

ITT people dont read the article.

Guys we are supposed to be better than this!

 

[YankeeDonB]

Better played as a jogging simulator. Nate's walking animation is bizarre, like he's walking underwater, or really trying to do an alpha male strut. Terminology aside, it's certainly true that most of the game funnels you through linear and hard to fail sequences that were mostly designed for cinematic impact vs providing engaging gameplay.

But of course there is engaging gameplay to be found, it's just the minority portion of the experience.

 

[Flintty]

Another example of how Eurogamer has gone down the drain since Bramwell left.

This is Polygon-level trash.

They write an article you disagree with and they're trash? You should read the Lionhead piece - it shows they still have it, it's the best thing I've read in a loing time.

 

[plasmawave]

Because it's not asking the reader a question or worded in a way that would obviously attract negative comments. That's a good title that's followed by a decent article.

especially when they quote the designer's worry about non-action scenes turning away fans after being inspired by indie "walking simulators."

what would you title the article?

"How ND uses the quiet moments to their advantage to tell a story in UC4"

Something like that.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

It's a playable Indiana Jones movie, not a walking simulator.

Uncharted is never going to win any awards for game design but it doesn't pretend otherwise. Calling it a walking simulator is a bit overboard.

I kind of agree, the topic is worthy of discussion though.

People sure get sensitive about their favorite games though haha

 

[Loudninja]

Hes kinda right though. A lot of uncharted scripted events have very little interactivity. yes thats so they can pull it off and have it be intractable at-all and still be fun but there is very little interactivity as uncharted climbing is pretty much hold direction and mash X. Im glad the rope and piton mixes it up a bit though



its more the selective bolding really.

Uncharted gives you controls of big setpieces that you will normally ave cutscenes or just press one button or so.

 

[wapplew]

There's a good discussion to be had about the way UC4 changes up the ratio of platforming/exploration vs combat compared to the previous games, I don't like it, others will. They followed TLoU's template but didn't quite hit that high mark, and I'm now wondering if ND games in the future are going to all be this similar type of game like Ubisoft open world games are. Like people can look at a game and say "yeah that's a ND structured game alright". We'll see.

However, this article's title is not going to help us have it.

I somewhat agree on that.
The emotional impact just not at the level, not ND fault, I think it's mostly because of the setting.

 

[PsionBolt]

In good faith, I'm gonna assume that this is another one of those misguided efforts to make people stop using the term "walking simulator" -- just that this time, rather than actually decrying the phrase, they're being stealthy by jamming it into a nonsensical context so that you come to hate it by association.

...Or it could be a dumb article.

 

[fabricated backlash]

I wish The Last of us and Uncharted came without combat. They'd be the greatest exploration games ever

The combat itself isn't the Problem, it's the shit encounter Design that ruins those portions for me.
Even UC4 suffered from that in the last sections.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I see Eurogamer has gone in the shitter. A shame, they used to be a decent site.

 

[Palculator]

Did anyone actually read the article?

Probably not. People usually react to the title of the thread. In any case, I find articles like these much more worthwhile than reviews because trying to determine how "good" or "bad" a game is isn't nearly as interesting as actually analysing its design and how it relates to other games -- nice read.

 

[Ocarina_117]

I see Eurogamer has gone in the shitter. A shame, they used to be a decent site.

Read the article maybe. People in this thread are just picking up quotes to be outraged. It's an interesting read.

In a world that's already seen the likes of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, 30 Flights of Loving and Dear Esther, such bold pacing practices aren't quite as shocking as they were back in 2009. Yet Uncharted 4, for all its bombast, often feels more akin to those games than any of its big budget contemporaries. And maybe the widespread popularity of more sedate games can be in some part attributed to the brilliant Uncharted 2 - a game that proved blockbusters could be played at a very different tempo.

ITT reading comprehension is at an all time low ey. Crazy how sensitive people can be over video games.

 

[Greddleok]

So if a one writer on a website says something you disagree with, it's suddenly an awful site.

*sigh*

 

[cm osi]

while uncharted is not a walking simulator, it feels to me way too automatic (and tomb raider too)

 

[Markitron]

They write an article you disagree with and they're trash? You should read the Lionhead piece - it shows they still have it, it's the best thing I've read in a loing time.

I didn't call it trash because I disagreed with the content of the article, I called it trash because they resorted to polygon-level cynicism to genereate clicks. I read the Lionead article yesterday and loved it, it reminded of what EG used to be, this clickbait title reminded of what they are now.

 

[wapplew]

I see Eurogamer has gone in the shitter. A shame, they used to be a decent site.

Maybe read the article?
The writer praise ND for taking risk and give UC4 lots of slow and character building moment.

 

[YianGaruga]

I skimmed the article, it may have a point, but bringing up "walking simulators" at all is dumb. t would be better (and less controversial) if it didn't.

The first Uncharted wasn't particularly revolutionary, though it did feature some snappy dialogue and stunning visuals for its day. It was really 2009's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves where Naughty Dog really went off the rails (literally in the case of its seminal train sequence) and managed to subtly provide a proof of concept for a type of video game that was still in its embryonic stage. The genre has since come to be labelled somewhat derisively as "walking simulators" - a video game with precious little interactivity and no game-over state.

The author doesn't know what walking siumlators are

 

[entremet]

The actual article is quite good from a game design analysis perspective.

But of course partisans are gonna dismiss it and put their preconceived notions into it without reading it.

Here's a particular section that stood out:

Of course, what was revolutionary for 2009 isn't so groundbreaking now. Uncharted 4 pulls all the same tricks with even greater craftsmanship. In many ways it's gone even further in this experimental direction with roughly only a third of its opening eight hours dedicated to anything that could even remotely resemble an action game (though its first few minutes are appropriately rousing). And yet it's never boring. The jokes land. The story beats are appropriately moving. The dialogue sings. And it all looks glorious thanks to some of the best art direction and tech wizardry in the business.

In a world that's already seen the likes of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, 30 Flights of Loving and Dear Esther, such bold pacing practices aren't quite as shocking as they were back in 2009. Yet Uncharted 4, for all its bombast, often feels more akin to those games than any of its big budget contemporaries. And maybe the widespread popularity of more sedate games can be in some part attributed to the brilliant Uncharted 2 - a game that proved blockbusters could be played at a very different tempo.

Are we reading the same article, guys?

 

[Ocarina_117]

I didn't call it trash because I disagreed with the content of the article, I called it trash because they resorted to polygon-level cynicism to genereate clicks. I read the Lionead article yesterday and loved it, it reminded of what EG used to be, this clickbait title reminded of what they are now.

Just read the article, it praises Naughty Dog for going against action genre tropes - slowing down the game for characterization and how UC2 influenced later games that are of slower pace.

 

[hodgy100]

Uncharted gives you controls of big setpieces that you will normally ave cutscenes or just press one button or so.

Yeah and as i state I get why its still largely on rails for those sections (avoiding frustration) abd yes uncharted does to it better than most games. but it is still limited interactivity.

Not going to even dignify this with a click.

EG has gone really downhill this year, both amount and quality of content.

so you literally didnt read the article. yet pass judgement on it.

wow

 

[Diamond]

Some people in here are taking the "walking simulator" comparison as a bad thing. It isn't necessarily so. We had some great "walking simulators" in the last few years.

Some of the points of the article are absolutely valid. Hell, even Naughty Dog apparently took inspiration from an extremely dry walking simulator (The Graveyard, which i personally liked) for the village scene in Uncharted 2.

EG has gone really downhill this year, both amount and quality of content.

You should read their Lionhead feature.

And their Bungie/Marty O'Donnell one

 

[Markitron]

Just read the article, it praises Naughty Dog for going against action genre tropes - slowing down the game for characterization and how UC2 influenced later games that are of slower pace.

I read the article when they tweeted it, I can't say I agree with it but I don't have a problem with the content.

The article itself isn't an issue.

 

[benny_a]

It's at least a strenuous exercise simulator!

 

[entremet]

Some people in here are taking the "walking simulator" comparison as a bad thing. It isn't necessarily so. We had some great "walking simulators" in the last few years.

Some of the points of the article are absolutely valid. Hell, even Naughty Dog apparently took inspiration from an extremely dry walking simulator (The Graveyard, which i personally liked) for the village scene in Uncharted 2.

Exactly.

People are reading "walking simulator" as a perforative when it's a descriptive here.

 

[flipswitch]

 

[Necro900]

It's at least a strenuous exercise simulator!

It's a third person exotic parkour simulator with the occasional shootout and a bonus jeep.
Also features waterfalls.

 

[GHG]

No, it's a story driven TPS.

It's not vanquish and never set out to be that type of game either.

 

[YianGaruga]

Exactly.

People are reading "walking simulator" as a perforative when it's a descriptive here.

Walking simulator IS a pejorative, they picked that "descriptive" term for a reason. There are plenty of better ways to praise Uncharted's slow and character building parts, but they used that one for clicks and controversy. That's the issue.