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Game Originality: Any Left?
Kamalot writes "In a world where 85% of games are solved with a gun, where are the original and innovative ideas? Adrenaline Vault has a telling editorial about the state of creativity in the game industry, the constant re-hashing of sequels, and a look into the future when technical achievements are no longer the driving force. What happens when every game follows a tried and true formula? Where do the new ideas go if we can't have games like Viewtiful Joe, Shenmue, and Jet Grind Radio? Did innovative, rather than mainstream, games send the Dreamcast to an early grave rather than the PS2's more bland, yet conforming, lineup of titles?"
Why does he feel the need to credit a specific individual with the coining of the phrase "Counter-Strike on steroids"?? Jeez, anyone could come up with that. There's enough namedropping in the article as it is. The reader will also notice this piece is shot through with jargon about established games. In addition, the author merely uses his bully pulpit to complain and offers no solutions, a cardinal no-no in my book. If you complain, offer an alternative, or else it's just bitching so you can hear yourself. All we get from this is he likes to watch independent films. Big deal.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
You could also use the mouse to control your weapon arm and the keyboard to run around... However, this usually didn't result in spectacular looking swordplay. You had to move the mouse fast to get in a really hard hit, so you basically just went crazy sliding the mouse around the desk until the enemy got cut down by your crazy windmilling sword. This game also had some other really cool features. You could cut off parts of your enemies and pick them up. It didn't do as much damage as a sword, but it was sure fun to pummel an orc to death with it's own arm. Or watch enemies somehow stay balanced and able to fight after you cut off one of their legs. 'Tis only a flesh wound!
Obviously, you weren't playing on expert level... You could only sneak around them, or sneak up behind them and whack 'em unconcious with the blackjack. If even one person died, you lost and had to restart the level. This was kind of annoying when the death wasn't necessarily your fault, like when a guard misses you with an arrow and it hits and kills another guard, or when you blackjack someone on a bridge and they fall unconcious into the river and drown.
Thief 3 is coming out pretty soon... I'll have to take a look at that...