Sunset Overdrive - The First 2 hours

[purbeast0]

Got the SO bundle today. Like the white system... but this download thing is really bad.

This instant play download feature really needs to be re-worked. In the case of SO, it downloaded maybe 35% and told me I could play!

So I start the game and then it tells me it has to install... sit there for a while. Yay, something installed.

I got to play the "intro" portion of the game (which I thought was pretty dang good) and I wanted to play more! Nope... the intro ends (5 mins of gameplay maybe) and then I get to ANOTHER installing screen. This time, it never ended. Got tired of waiting so I just turned the system off.

Pretty bad implementation IMO. This all digital stuff is really painful if you want to start playing any time remotely close after buying the game. The physical game I bought Shadow of Mordor at least installed really fast.

if you don't like it, then don't use it. your other option is to wait until the game is fully downloaded before you play it.

i mean what do you want it to do - play portions of the game that you don't have data for?

 

[Lil Frier]

If it is a digital download for a themed console set instead of a packed-in disc, why wouldn't Microsoft simply load the game on the hard drive and make an Xbox Live registration process part of "enabling" the pre-loaded game?

My guess would be issues with:

1. Their incessant bundling of consoles would probably mean the wrong game got put on some hard drives.
2. Properly tying a game to an account upon boot for the first time.
3. Taking the time with each console they shipped to load the game, which would probably just be extra time in the process they'd rather not spend.

I'd bet it could be done, but it's not worth the trouble to them.

 

[Lil Frier]

I finished the game Saturday night/Sunday morning. The story's not all that meaningful, but the characters make the campaign entertaining enough. The traversal's fantastic, and most of the weapons are pretty cool. There's some legitimate difficulty with some of the Traversal Challenges, Points Challenges, and the Buck National things as well. I think this is right there with Mordor, in terms of quality. I think this was shorter than Mordor, and its story was lacking, but it has a lot more entertaining mayhem, the replayability level is probably higher, and there is some actual challenge in parts (unlike Mordor, which is a cakewalk almost from the beginning).

 

[Tweak155]

if you don't like it, then don't use it. your other option is to wait until the game is fully downloaded before you play it.

i mean what do you want it to do - play portions of the game that you don't have data for?

Ok and how was I supposed to know I didn't like it without trying it? I don't plan on using it anymore, it's a heads up to anyone else.

They just shouldn't have advertised it.

 

[sze5003]

Ok and how was I supposed to know I didn't like it without trying it? I don't plan on using it anymore, it's a heads up to anyone else.

They just shouldn't have advertised it.

The ps4 does the same thing. In mlb 14 install takes forever and it lets you play a full inning game while it installs everything.

 

[Wingznut]

Ok and how was I supposed to know I didn't like it without trying it? I don't plan on using it anymore, it's a heads up to anyone else.

They just shouldn't have advertised it.

The ps4 does the same thing. In mlb 14 install takes forever and it lets you play a full inning game while it installs everything.

The PC does the same thing. Obviously, you can only play a portion of what has been downloaded.
And then, of course, that will depend on your download speeds.

 

[Tweak155]

The PC does the same thing. Obviously, you can only play a portion of what has been downloaded.
And then, of course, that will depend on your download speeds.

If it wasn't literally 5 mins or so of gameplay (I'm not exaggerating) I wouldn't mind... if it was a good 30min - 60min then I could see it being useful.

Although I guess it's possible some people could take way longer to make their character appearance choices. I don't really care so I sped through it.

I liked what little bit I got to play though. In that short period of time they had some really good humor and some action tossed in. I expected to like it, but now I have greater expectations 🙂

I'll play more later today as the download finished last night.

 

[cmdrdredd]

After really digging into this game I've found some things I find annoying. The game literally requires you to platform around. Wall running, parkour stuff, grinding rails, if you don't do this you will die. The game forces you into a fast pace and never lets you just absorb the design of the city. The characters are annoying. I mean very annoying. Nobody is likeable to me. They all irritate me because they try hard to be funny when they aren't. I also very much dislike the game breaking the fourth wall so much. I don't think it was necessary that many times. Maybe for the tutorial but beyond that it really tries too hard to get you to pay attention, and the game lacks real substance anyway so it feels off. It feels to me that Insomniac shoved all these cultural references and crude humor in there to appeal to as many demographics as possible. I'm also still trying to figure out what Sunset TV is for. It again pulls you out of the game world. I do not need to be reminded I'm playing a video game.

Don't get me wrong there are many things I do like. The animation is great even when there's a lot of complex stuff happening at once, the art is fantastic, the world is full of color and is bright and vibrant. I appreciate this over the greys and browns we are used to. I haven't seen any slowdown or stutter at all, and almost no loading even with the city as large as this. Granted it isn't as packed full of things as GTA, and the graphics aren't pushing boundaries on a technical level but the game flows nicely.

It's just that as a game, this offers very little IMO. It's fun, but just when I start getting into the fun an annoyingly written character comes in or they break the fourth wall yet again and try to remind me I'm playing a game. IMO the game lacks any real difficulty. Some parts are frustrating because you get overwhelmed but I've always found a wire I can grind on and just go back and forth or in a big circle around the area and pick off the enemies without much more than a scratch. I think it's because of the game's reliance on you traversing the city via parkour and grinding wires and rails, that the combat is overly simple. Hop on a rail, turn around behind you, aim and fire. Switch direction and repeat.

 

[SAWYER]

The game literally requires you to platform around. Wall running, parkour stuff, grinding rails, if you don't do this you will die. The game forces you into a fast pace and never lets you just absorb the design of the city.

Well that is very disappointing to read

 

[sze5003]

That does sound kind of annoying. But I wish they had more bundles available. I can't be bothered to play Assasin's creed anymore and I don't want to pay extra for the COD bundle either.

 

[Lil Frier]

I disagree with the "have to platform" part. I mean, it's definitely a benefit to use it when fighting large groups, but I've managed to hang on a single rooftop and take down several enemies. You don't have to go full speed while on a rail, LT will slow you down. There are also plenty of empty/low-population patches between groups of enemies, and I found myself able to "take in the city" just fine, if I wanted.

 

[Lil Frier]

IMO the game lacks any real difficulty.

Try to get the Gold in every challenge. Several of those Traversal, Points, and Buck National challenges will give you a heck of a time.

I mean, if you're not interested in playing the entirety of a game, and you just want to burn through a story or something, it's going to be a lot easier. There are hard and easy aspects of it, same as any other game.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Try to get the Gold in every challenge. Several of those Traversal, Points, and Buck National challenges will give you a heck of a time.

I mean, if you're not interested in playing the entirety of a game, and you just want to burn through a story or something, it's going to be a lot easier. There are hard and easy aspects of it, same as any other game.

Those extras and trying to perfect them aren't the actual game to me. Neither are the "collect all 100 of these" types of quests they throw in. I'm not going to sit there and tediously repeat challenges just because they put them there. If you have to do that to get something out of a game, the game just isn't that good to begin with. I never did all the extras in Shadow of Mordor, nor any GTA game, or even Assassin's Creed. I felt those games were fine to play through without doing all the side stuff. Even in Forza Horizon 2 with all the stuff there is to do, I never feel like I have to perfect my time or get the fastest speed trap.

Also yes you do have to platform and grind around. Sure maybe you can sit on one roof somewhere at some times, but the point is you can't cruise the street at your leisure and just explore. You'll die that way. That's sad in a game with so much art to look at. This is all just one person't perspective on it. I still find fun through the annoyances I have.

 

[Lil Frier]

I disagree with all you just said, to be honest. I like the added parts of most games (not crazy about the collection, but LOVE the challenges in Sunset Overdrive). I didn't need the challenges to enjoy the game, but they added a new layer of difficulty that was good, to me. I mean, Shadow of Mordor was easier than Sunset Overdrive, and it didn't have the extra stuff to added difficulty with the pure fun of the campaign. In fact, an absolute lack of challenge with Mordor was my only real gameplay knock.

As for that last part, I don't know what you expect. I mean, the game's a shooter, not a walking simulator. Even then, you can pretty easily clear an area, and the enemies don't respawn quickly at all (might not be until you get so far away from the area, can't remember). I had no issue with getting around and enjoying the world, but like I said, I wasn't expecting a "no enemies mode" where you can just walk around freely. I'd liken that to complaining about Forza Motorsport because I can't stop dead in my tracks and just stare at the landscapes because a race is going on.

 

[cmdrdredd]

As for that last part, I don't know what you expect. I mean, the game's a shooter, not a walking simulator. Even then, you can pretty easily clear an area, and the enemies don't respawn quickly at all (might not be until you get so far away from the area, can't remember). I had no issue with getting around and enjoying the world, but like I said, I wasn't expecting a "no enemies mode" where you can just walk around freely. I'd liken that to complaining about Forza Motorsport because I can't stop dead in my tracks and just stare at the landscapes because a race is going on.

No, you're going way off point. I never said a no enemies mode or a walking simulator. I have no clue where you pulled that from but it's whatever. The game does not allow you to really take in the city design and all the work put into the posters and stuff. You have very limited opportunity to really see the world. Some reviews have said this as well. There are little details all over the place that are easily missed because of the frantic firefights. Every other Open World game has given you the opportunity to see these details if you wanted to. GTA didn't bombard you all the time and you could examine the environment, Infamous too where you could expel the enemy from a zone and explore around. I kind of feel the art style used in the city deserves more attention than it gets.

 

[Lil Frier]

Like I said, the respawn rate of enemies in there is really low, or doesn't kick in until you leave the area (though not the whole section of the city you're in). There is plenty of chance to look around, if you want it. I don't know what else to say, because I've done it.

As for the comparisons, never played Infamous and hate everything about GTA, so I can't really compare. Assassin's Creed and Mordor let you climb tall things, and you can get away with that in Sunset if you really want.

 

[futurefields]

and hate everything about GTA

Really? You hate open world games? And third person games? And games involving driving? And shooting?

Interesting.... 🙄

 

[purbeast0]

Really? You hate open world games? And third person games? And games involving driving? And shooting?

Interesting.... 🙄

way to try to troll. i too hate gta and don't think it's been a good franchise in like a decade.

SO still interests me a lot though. i'm glad that this game seems to be nothing like GTA.

 

[Lil Frier]

Really? You hate open world games? And third person games? And games involving driving? And shooting?

Interesting.... 🙄

Things I specifically hate about GTA, since its premier jock-rider opened his mouth:

--The story in GTA V specifically is moronic, time and time again.
--The shooting is sub-par.
--The driving is crap.
--The "dirty" jokes and crap are Family Guy-quality, and that's not a compliment.

GTA takes a million things, doesn't do even an average job at any of them, then throws that stuff into a game. Nothing impresses me about GTA, except their ability to sell games. It's like the gaming equivalent of Two and a Half Men.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Yeah I can see that...I still play GTA though even though I agree. I guess it is the freedom to explore

 

[sze5003]

I've always liked gta better than saints row by far. You are always some random criminal in gta with a subpar story that somewhat makes sense. Saints row is too arcade like for me and I can't take it seriously. The ability to explore in gta at your own pace is nice.