10 Upcoming Games With New Environments: Part 2

From XboxOZ360:

"Now that E3 for 2008 is over and we've had a chance to see a bit more, I'd like to add ten more to the list of upcoming games that seem to offer some new gaming environments, or twists on existing ones, that might help make for more interesting gameplay. As I said before, I know there is much more to gaming than gameplay environment, but it is what sets the scene and keeps the visual interest of the gamer. More and more we are also seeing greater interaction with the environment, which means it becomes more than just background eye candy."

Games include: Sonic, The Wheelman, Prince of Persia, Quantum of Solace, Tomb Raider, Pure, Velvet Assassin, To End All Wars, Alpha Protocol, Faith and a 45.

Hit the link for more details:

[Hunter86]

Very intersting article. Good to see some developers straying from the overused environments.

[gaminoz]

I think games have to be good but part of the immersion is 'where' you are as much as who you are and what you are doing. Atmosphere is important and games too often do the same level styles (especially shooters and GTA type games!).

The funny thing is that looking at both articles it seems the independent studios are trying the most to have interesting locations!

[Immortal Kaim]

Some places have been done to death, ie New York :)

Good to see some studios trying different environments.

[Superfragilistic]

Yeah GTAIV killed New York, and any current day US city for me this year.

Thank god for old-school Chicago in Resistance 2 and apocalyptic Fallout 3 to keep "a lil' bit of the good ol ultraviolence" in US cities satisfied. :)

Prince of Persia looks amazing.

[leeeeed]

Excellent read! Innovation is what we need to see more of!

[XboxOZ360]

Environment are crutial for gameplay. They set the tone and the theme for the entire game. There are many more games coming that have used the environment as a major part of the gameplay, rather than just a scene to walk through.

Such as Dead Space, Hydrophobia, Red Faction 3. Games where you can use the environment to your advantage.

[gaminoz]

The Dead Space trailers look freaky....

[XboxOZ360]

I' also thinking Dead Space might not see the light of day in Australia either. It's main focus of beating your foe is "Strategic dismemberment" . .meaning that you can shoot the crap out of them and they'll still keep coming, and you need to dismember them in order to stop them .. And that's not going to sit well with the OLFC here.

Plus re environments, it actually doe s Zero Gravity really well, not only in effects, but in sound. As we all know (?) that in space, there is no sound, so they rely on the sound of your heart beating and the rasping of your breath, as well a background music to set the errie tone . . . The last few dev diaries on XboxLive Movies section show some of the detail they are doing with environments in Dead Space, and it looks great.

With Mercenaries 2, there seems to be something 'wrong' with it insofar as there's a distinct difference between the art for the environment, and the character art. The characters almost SIT on top of the background art, rather than be part of it. The lip synching is terrible and the character movements are also questionable at best. Very robotic.

Brothers In ARms HH has come under some scrutiny of late with regards to its environments as well. With some saying that it seems 'dated' already when compared to recent AAA titles. And after looking at recent footage, there does seem to be a difference to earlier footage in-game to the current in-game footage.

[XboxOZ360]

Personally, I'm rather impressed with Faith and a .45, as well as the previous part 1 articles coverage of Hydrophobia. Where the water plays a significant part in what happens, and HOW it happens. It even has untertow and currents to deal with, rather than just one flow of water.

Red Faction's next game has a huge reliance on HOW a building is damaged as to what actuallyhappens an dthat in turm dictates how you will need to make choices. There' sno two reactions the same as each amount of damage is different an dthus will have a differentout come.

These things are closer to RL than the scripted sequences that exist in many games. After watching NEW footage of Mercenaries @, I'm concerned that the game has taken a turn for the worst and will not be as first planned. It's looking rather dated now and not in par with current games appearing on the shelves.

[gaminoz]

I was thinking the same thing about Mercenaries: now that I've enjoyed Bad Company I wonder if their destructible environments will compete.

Fracture looks like the environments, thought destructible, are very bland, so I hope that improves.

[Godem]

kinda off topic, but if any of you have played the Crimson Room series of flash games, i think a HD official game of something similar would be great, the whole entire game environment in one house. Awesome!

[gaminoz]

The house would have to be pretty interesting....

[Hunter86]

Yeah I dont really think crimson room would work as a retail game ever.

[XboxOZ360]

I'm just tired of the same old environments actually, so new ones add some greater challenges, and also greater immersion, imo anyway.

For some, they want a known environment so they can get through it quickly. But for many, new and exciting environments add a sense of mystic to a game, offering a deeper look into what is going on behind the developers concepts when coming up with the game.

[Godem]

gaminoz, the crimson room game is like a horror/puzzle game its just one massive puzzle! so I think it could work. It could be like a point and click title.

claustrophobia ftw!

[XboxOZ360]

No, give me wide open spaces please.

I spent some time exploring Far Cry the 360 version and found some interesting things hidden well away from the normal routes. Plus found ways of doing the game differently than you would 'normally' do if just following the normal rails of a game.

Lead to some interesting outcomes as well.Which is why I believe gamers should often look deeper into games rather than rushing through them, and just taking the most logical route.

The developers have spent years fashioning a game with heaps in it that do require a greater amount of digging to uncover.

[gaminoz]

I think it must depend on the style of gamer you have: some just want to have a good escape, shoot a bunch of bad guys and move on. Some are looking for an experience they can explore, revisit, and try things in, and some would like a good story. Some want all that.

Far Cry 2 does look fantastic but games like this need to almost force players to explore to enjoy the work they've put into them. Some games have open worlds but you only have the side-quests that many don't do to actually see those worlds. For example I love Assassin's Creed's open worlds but the 'Kingdom' section barely plays a real role in the game, so many would not have explored it, which is too bad.