Podcast Something a bit different for the next D1Pcast: a God of War roundtable discussion

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

We're planning to do something a little different for the next D1Pcast.  Instead of our usual format, we're going to have a discussion of what is perhaps the most talked-about game of the first half of 2018 not named Fortnite: God of War.

 

If you've got thoughts about God of War -- both positive and negative -- then post in this thread if you'd like to participate.  We use Skype for the show and will provide the details as to when we'll be recording once we get things a bit more locked down.

[TheLeon]

I played this game. I even finished this game, which is something I can’t say about many games recently. You can probably find people more qualified to take about this game and its place in the series as a whole, but I’m here.

[johnny]

Is Fortnite: God of War an expansion 

[Rev]

I loved the game but I don't think I have anything insightful to say about it.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Just now, Rev said:

I loved the game but I don't think I have anything insightful to say about it.

We don't either, but that's never stopped us before!

[SaysWho?]

17 minutes ago, SFLUFAN said:

We don't either, but that's never stopped us before!

 

I always do!

 

Like that one time you asked me what I thought of Spider-Man, and I said it looked really fucking great.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

28 minutes ago, SaysWho? said:

 

I always do!

 

Like that one time you asked me what I thought of Spider-Man, and I said it looked really fucking great.

You must've loved my thoughts on Spider-Man from the last show

[Bacon]

I wish the GoW thread was up now so I could remember everything I said.

 

So, I did give GOW a 10/10. Is it perfect? Fuck no it isn't. One of the biggest issues is the enemy variety. There are only a few enemy types in the game and by the end the only thing you even care to fight are the Valkyries. Most of the bosses are also just re-skinned versions of previous bosses, and by the time you reach the end of the game, even the bosses are just boring to fight. I lost the desire to do combat because it was just hammering the same 5 nails through out the entire game. The only things I liked fighting were the Valkyries, and they started getting a bit samey after fighting 7 or so, but I don't want to hate on them too much as they were the only true bosses in the game, IMO. 13 Val's and so 13 bosses. 

 

I can't remember all the issues I had, but my logic for giving it a 10/10 was that is was one of the best games I have ever played. Zelda and Dark Souls(not DS2) Have always been at the top of my lists. Yet I never gave them a 10/10 cuz they weren't perfect. But after playing GOW I realized that even if shit isn't perfect, it can still be 10/10 because other parts were just that good. GOW, Zelda(not BOTW), Dark Souls, Bloodborne, RDR, are now all 10/10 games for me. Sure they are not perfect, but goddamn are they great games. And GOW sure is great. 

 

I do remember Xbob(i think it was him) saying that there were people who were reading posts from people like me. People who just spout endless praise for the game, and then are disappointed when it isn't as great as I or others have made it out to be. Those people set their expectations too high. It isn't the best game I have ever played. It is just really great. You shouldn't go into this expecting the game of the generation or anything. I went in with no expectations. I just saw the game everywhere so I wanted to join in. I did not like the other GOW games so I rented the game cuz I didn't want to waste money if I didn't like it. I returned it the next day. It was too good to rent. I bought it and took my sweet time with the game and had a blast. At the very least it was good enough to take the extra time to get platinum.

 

If you haven't played the game, and want to, just don't go in with unrealistic expectations. It is a great game, but not the best game ever made. The story, characters, and voice acting are easily the best parts of the game. There was not one character I thought was shit and should be taken out. There was not one bit of dialogue that I felt was bad. At no point did lose interest in the story. The combat was not bad at all, but the lack of enemy variety did weaken the combat as a whole. There were times when I would preferred skipping the combat because I really didn't feel like spending more time on killing draugr. I actually wanted to engage in combat as it is very good combat, but I wanted to fight other enemies. Combat becomes stale when you keep fighting the same shit. 

 

Ah, the other biggest issue, the Nine Realms. Ignoring Midgard, the Nine realms are small as fuck. And you don't actually go to all of the nine realms. There are like 4 where you can actually do shit in. But what makes them really bad is that they are practically straight lines. I do think Open World games are a shitty meme that has gone on for far too long, but I like the idea of open area games, which is what GOW tries to do, but I felt Twilight Princess kinda did it better. The biggest offender of this straight line shit is Helheim. Just look at it.

Here is Alfheim which looks a bit better, but if you have played the game you'd know that it is still linear AF.

 

And all the content of Niflheim happens in this circle

 

 

I don't want super massive empty areas like Dragon Age: Inquisition. Just, when all you have of a realm is a bridge, it really feels kinda shitty. 

 

tl;dr: Story, characters, voice acting are great. Combat is good. Enemies suck. The realms leave much to be desired. Overall a great experience. If I had to put a number on it I'd give it a 10/10. 

[Slug]

I haven't finished it yet (about 3/4 I'm guessing based on the story pacing), but I'd be down.

[Emblazon]

While I enjoyed it, I could definitely take the negative side of the discussion. 

[SaysWho?]

42 minutes ago, Bacon said:

I do remember Xbob(i think it was him) saying that there were people who were reading posts from people like me. People who just spout endless praise for the game, and then are disappointed when it isn't as great as I or others have made it out to be. Those people set their expectations too high. It isn't the best game I have ever played. It is just really great. You shouldn't go into this expecting the game of the generation or anything. I went in with no expectations. I just saw the game everywhere so I wanted to join in. I did not like the other GOW games so I rented the game cuz I didn't want to waste money if I didn't like it. I returned it the next day. It was too good to rent. I bought it and took my sweet time with the game and had a blast. At the very least it was good enough to take the extra time to get platinum.

 

It's honestly one of the best of the generation for me, but I agree with going in not expecting that. It expands its combat gradually throughout the game, its little perks in exploration and density become more and more apparent as you play, its dialogue starts off great but really doesn't smack you with how great it is until after a while when you compare it to many other games and realize it's on a higher tier, etc. etc. 

 

This game's greatness snuck up on me gradually. I played through it twice without NG+ existing yet and am two trophies away from a plat. I'll probably try to get a plat on a NG+.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

48 minutes ago, Emblazon said:

While I enjoyed it, I could definitely take the negative side of the discussion. 

I'll probably be somewhat on that side too as my feelings have "downshifted" as I've had an opportunity to gain some perspective since completing it.

 

I originally would have graded it a 9 in the immediate aftermath, but now feel that it's closer to an 8.

[XxEvil AshxX]

I do feel like it was a great game that just got a bit over-hyped. Like people were on the bandwagon and saying it was the bestest ever just because everyone else said so. I enjoyed it and it was still a solid game (that got patched literally every day for the first two weeks) but I just don't think the story was as amazing as some people were making it out to be. The gradual shift in Kratos's opinion toward Boy was great and natural, but I felt like they leaned a little too heavily on it and that in return some of the other game elements were under-developed (like what Bacon mentioned above.)

 

I did really like the evolving hub world, but I didn't like that the World Serpent was basically just a set piece. I did like the combat, but I didn't like how the depiction of Kratos's strength was wildly inconsistent (like it is in all the God of War games.) You mean to tell me that he and Baldur can literally beat the living piss out of each other, toppling mountains and making cracks in the ground, yet some shitty little skeleton thing is gonna smack him a few times and that's the end?

 

Oh and the ending was the most anti-climactic "that's it?" of an ending I've experienced in a while.

 

Being on the podcast would be fun but I work most nights so scheduling anything is a fucking nightmare.