ZombiU

[Retro_Link]

Also, using items from the environment as weapons is only really being barely looked into. I can't think of a game that uses it as fluidly as people are describing. It would be a real challenge I imagine.

I don't see how it would be any different to picking up and dropping weapons in any First Person game, be it a shooter or something more like Elder Scrolls. Except you're not finding weapons in the environment and picking them up in First person, you're picking up and swinging/throwing chairs, brooms, TV's and the like.

 

If you use the object it breaks and doesn't reappear, or if you choose to drop it, it's there in the environment ready to pick up. Other games have done it haven't they, or if not, this should have been the first. It doesn't have to be every object in the world that's interactable, but they could have given you and placed throughout the world a nice choice.

 

And definately a weapons crafting system seems something that would have been ideally suited to ths game.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Retro_Link

[Serebii]

Hate to be the boy who cried bias, but isn't IGN's ZombiU review written by their Playstation guy?

Edited November 18, 2012 by Serebii

[Aneres11]

The only game I remember using 'weapons' from your surroundings (and doing it rather well) was condemned.

 

That was kind of survival horror too.

 

Have to say it worked brilliantly. I don't think that the lack of using items in your surroundings is the sole / biggest reason for these low reviews though.

But I agree it could have been looked into some more.

 

I just really don't know whether its worth picking up now?

[tapedeck]

Considering this is a launch title and has been put together quickly - with a new system, control ethos and premise, gotta say preps to Ubi for pulling it off and creating something which is dividing a lot of developers.

There are a lot of parallels to Red Steel but reviews already seem higher across the board.

 

There will always be ideas that developers 'could' have integrated so hopefully we will see a sequel. If Red Steel got one, this surely deserves one!

[-Dem0-]

Hate to be the boy who cried bias, but isn't IGN's ZombiU review written by their Playstation guy?

 

I think you're right.

But Kav did make a good point. They hyped it up like crazy, even calling it "WiiU's killer App!"

[Serebii]

I think you're right.

But Kav did make a good point. They hyped it up like crazy, even calling it "WiiU's killer App!"

Which makes me think that them giving it to the Playstation Editor (who like a few others seemingly wanted it to be like Left 4 Dead), was a bad call

[Zechs Merquise]

I can't help but think some reviewers are missing the point. But before I go on - I'll give you my ethos on reviewers: They should be fans of the game type they're reviewing. It's pointless getting an FPS nut to review a turn based JRPG - it might be the best turn based game ever and gaming gold to those who enjoy it, but if the reviewere hates that genre it's going to be a bad match up causing a score that doesn't reflect the game.

 

I feel that fast paced games like COD, COD Zombies, L4D and other modern shooters have totally influenced the way people think about gaming and narrowed the scope of what a lot of people want.

 

I love survival horror, the tension of having two rounds left in one gun and single shotgun shell which you know is super effctive but too valuable to waste. You creep around hoping nothing is there... but you hear a noise and the panic sets in. It's slow, methodical and filled with tension. Hell, I loved Silent Hill on the Wii and there was no combat in that what-so-ever.

 

But it seems a lot of these reviews are complaining about the lack of ammunition and the lack of the ability to plough through zombies with a sub machine gun whilst running to the next check-point. That's not survival horror though, it's L4D - a totally different game.

 

When I played this, I appreciated the slow pace and having to conserve ammo and check every corner before you moved on. It felt like being stuck in a nightmare scenario alone - something games like L4D and COD Zombies don't do in the slightest.

 

I think people who reviewing this should have been people who at least have some love for the survival horror genre (or what's left of it). Picking a guy to review this game who's idea of a Zombie game is running out into the open with an assault rifle, a back pack full of ammo, several health packs and facing off against hundreds of Zombies isn't going to like ZombiU - the two experiences both involve Zombies but actually couldn't be more different!

[Captain Falcon]

I think people are being a bit naive about how easy to implement mechanics such as tipping things over while running down a corridor. What game has done it effectively in the past?

 

Also, using items from the environment as weapons is only really being barely looked into. I can't think of a game that uses it as fluidly as people are describing. It would be a real challenge I imagine.

 

Just because no one has done it like that, it doesn't mean it can't be done. NPC reactions are a more difficult thing to get right but Half Life 2 blew the doors of physics based interactions in games back in 2004, and its potential, yet seemingly few studios have took up the mantle in a meaningful way.

 

Gravity is universal and if something is not supported, you work out how it falls and bingo - it falls. Then the computer's path finding routine will see an item in the way of the zombie and determine whether it can climb over it or not. Doing it and doing it well are two different things of course but if no one is prepared to start then we'll be stuck in a world where physics are only ever used for graphical niceties and not actual gameplay.

 

The beauty with Zombies is that that aren't intelligent so you can get away with stuff that you wouldn't expect with actual human. Logically human behaviour is not applicable to zombies. That both items are very CPU intensive would be the issue for the Wii U on a larger scale but when dealing with half a dozen zombies at once, it should be laughing.

 

 

As for the items/weapson idea. A real simple way is to categorize items into what they could possibly be - is it a blade, is it a handle, is a light, is it fire, can it be set fire too, etc and then build up a system whereby you can combine certain parts. I'm not expecting absolutely everything to be useable in everyway it possible could be - I don't expect to be able to pick up a chair and swing it like a bat or anything after strapping knives to each leg. Just some simple things that would inject some variety.

[Jamba]

I've been reading some of the comments on IGN and some of the readers are actually calling Greggy out on the fact that the previews were super hyped and everything. His reply is basically that they only get small snippets and short clips for previews blah blah blah. Such bullshit especially considering how they've been hyping it previously.

 

I want to pick this up so I'm going to but some of the comments in the reviews are just ridiculous.

[Serebii]

I've been reading some of the comments on IGN and some of the readers are actually calling Greggy out on the fact that the previews were super hyped and everything. His reply is basically that they only get small snippets and short clips for previews blah blah blah. Such bullshit especially considering how they've been hyping it previously.

 

I want to pick this up so I'm going to but some of the comments in the reviews are just ridiculous.

Would be fine if they hadn't had extended hands ons...

[Retro_Link]

They do make a point of saying in their review that over the course of the entire game things just got a bit tiresome.

 

Not wanting to alert anything, combined with very low ammo that you want to conserve, means that you're going to use your cricket bat a lot. That's the approach the developers and this game want you to take with this genre. And I have to say using the bat for the duration of a game, would get tiresome. Hence they should have mixed it up.

[bryanee]

Another review

 

Polygon - 8.0/10

 

http://www.polygon.com/game/zombiu/2678

 

Kotaku impressions

 

http://kotaku.com/5961593/zombiu-is-like-an-fps-demons-souls-with-zombies

Edited November 18, 2012 by bryanee

[Diageo]

Just because no one has done it like that, it doesn't mean it can't be done. NPC reactions are a more difficult thing to get right but Half Life 2 blew the doors of physics based interactions in games back in 2004, and its potential, yet seemingly few studios have took up the mantle in a meaningful way.

 

Gravity is universal and if something is not supported, you work out how it falls and bingo - it falls. Then the computer's path finding routine will see an item in the way of the zombie and determine whether it can climb over it or not. Doing it and doing it well are two different things of course but if no one is prepared to start then we'll be stuck in a world where physics are only ever used for graphical niceties and not actual gameplay.

 

The beauty with Zombies is that that aren't intelligent so you can get away with stuff that you wouldn't expect with actual human. Logically human behaviour is not applicable to zombies. That both items are very CPU intensive would be the issue for the Wii U on a larger scale but when dealing with half a dozen zombies at once, it should be laughing.

 

 

As for the items/weapson idea. A real simple way is to categorize items into what they could possibly be - is it a blade, is it a handle, is a light, is it fire, can it be set fire too, etc and then build up a system whereby you can combine certain parts. I'm not expecting absolutely everything to be useable in everyway it possible could be - I don't expect to be able to pick up a chair and swing it like a bat or anything after strapping knives to each leg. Just some simple things that would inject some variety.

 

So basically, they should just do it. I can't believe they never thought of that before, so simple.

 

I think if it was as simple as you seem to believe, then all the games would be doing it.

[Retro_Link]

So basically, they should just do it. I can't believe they never thought of that before, so simple.

 

I think if it was as simple as you seem to believe, then all the games would be doing it.

No because the concept itself applies to so few games and genres currently out their on the market, if any. That's the point! You're not going to swing a lamp at an enemy in COD are you!

 

I can't even think of a series currently out there that would utilise such a device. Half Life isn't around any more, Resident Evil has moved on to Action... the only game I can think of that could currenty look at implementing it would be The Last of Us... and to an extent that game does use it's environment in context senstive way, but not objects as weapons I don't think. Dishonoured maybe could have looked at it.

 

Thus it would be up to Ubisoft to decide they wanted to run with the idea and develop it themselves. Just like any game looking to innovate and move the industry forward.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Retro_Link

[Mokong]

Just watched the IGN vid review, I can understand where they are coming from when they talk about the Cricket bat... but this doesn't bother me as I was already planning on getting through most of the game mainly with the bat and conserving ammo until such point as I think I really really need it.

 

Actually I can't wait to get the crossbow in this game cause I will so be tracking down and picking up every arrow I fire from that while I pretend to be Daryl from Walking Dead

 

It would have been nice (brilliant even) to have other melee weapons to use (I want a samurai sword damns it) and for things like the criket bat to get damaged during use. With any luck we'll get a ZombiU 2 where Ubisoft have more time to implement these things and create an even more polished game.

 

The negetive reviews don't worry me at all, this is the return of true survival horror, I fully expect to be very very very limited on gun ammo and non melee weapons... hell I'm already planning for it and planning on taking my time as much as possible in every room. Trying to scout ahead see where zombies are and try to weigh up options if there might be a way around them or if I'll be forced to take them on... how would be the best way to take on a group in certain situations... is it inside a room, can I position myself to attack one and slow down others who might be blocked by tables if I keep aware of my surroundings....

 

DAMNIT I WANT THIS GAME NOW

 

 

And I have a good feeling after I beat it I will be doing it again on the Survivor mode (one life, one character)...assuming I fail to get through the normal mode with just the one character.... I will be very VERY upset if I lose my first character early on, haha.

[Diageo]

You'd need a third person game for that type of combat to work. Combat in first person is already awkward, throw in very context sensitive one use weapons and you've got a mess. It already takes 4 cricket bat smacks to fall a zombie, a lamp would only push them away.

[Retro_Link]

You'd need a third person game for that type of combat to work. Combat in first person is already awkward, throw in very context sensitive one use weapons and you've got a mess. It already takes 4 cricket bat smacks to fall a zombie, a lamp would only push them away.

I genuinely don't see how it's awkward. I don't see how holding and throwing an environmental object would look any different to holding and throwing explosive objects you currently get in games (albeit depending on their weight you can't throw them as far, or hold them and throw them with two hands). Or how swinging a lamp (I was thinking of a tall freestanding corner lamp), would look any different to swinging a baseball bat (albeit, it's longer so has more reach, which adds an additional layer of diversity and tactics your weapons).

 

Games like Half Life and Eledees, did this sort of things years ago with their gravity guns, except this time round things wouldn't look as clunky because you're holding the objects just like any other weapon, not having them floating infront of you. And it wouldn't be any object, just those Ubisoft have planned for and designed for you to use.

 

How about just being able to pick up and use a bin lid as a shield, which you can throw at zombie's to unbalance them/knock them back, before shooting them/hitting them with your bat. Just add some variety.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Retro_Link

[Captain Falcon]

So basically, they should just do it. I can't believe they never thought of that before, so simple.

 

I think if it was as simple as you seem to believe, then all the games would be doing it.

 

OK, now you're just being awkward.

 

As Retro says, there aren't that many games around these days where it would be even worth while considering and implementing as it would take away from the core experience. Here, it would heighten that expencience so much more.

 

And I'm not trying to suggest it's a five minute job but it's not the monumental task you seem to think it would be either. Content sensitive actions and interactive items are hardly new concepts in games are they?

 

Essentially, all you need to do is make sure every item isn't glued to the floor and you're already halfway there. Walk into any room in Skyrim and you will see dozens of items that can be picked up and thrown around at will - this stuff exists already but it's never really been tied to actual gameplay outside the obvious example of Half Life 2.

 

And again, wepaon crafting is simply about making a bunch of items that have certain level of compatability with others to combine them. Think Borderlands 2 but with less items yet more variety.

[Diageo]

Given it's a launch title, I think that kind of work would have taken too much time.

[tapedeck]

Log the way hell is kicking off and reviews keep pouring in with positive impressions. It's gonna be a new experience and a great way to experience a zombie invasion. At least it's a new spin on things. I'd rather mixed reviews to this than a middle of the road FPS. Looking forward to you all playing it and commenting on it.

[Dcubed]

Trying to find any solid owner impressions is like getting blood from a stone, but at least these guys on GFaqs seem to like it

 

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/673013-zombiu/64664889

[Retro_Link]

Well maybe it shouldn't have been a launch title and instead a better game.

 

But anyway, I'm not trying to beat down on the game, it's just in light in these reviews I've suddenly recognised all the missed opportunities.

 

Chances are I'll get it at some point and I hope I have fun with it.

[Captain Falcon]

Given it's a launch title, I think that kind of work would have taken too much time.

 

Finally, something we can agree on

 

I can't imagine that game making launch either but now we'll be left wondering what could have been... especially if they never do a sequel.

 

I know they needed to have the unique "Mature" title there on launch to stand out but it definitely feels like a missed opportunity. To be fair, I don't think it would affect sales too much. I think the earlier adopters will be picking this up anyway in a way you won't see with people 6 or 12 months down the line when it would have hit with more features - even with better reviews. At best it would still sell the same total but undoubtedly will have cost more to make.

[Jamba]

Well maybe it shouldn't have been a launch title and instead a better game.

 

But anyway, I'm not trying to beat down on the game, it's just in light in these reviews I've suddenly recognised all the missed opportunities.

 

Chances are I'll get it at some point and I hope I have fun with it.

 

Cmon dude, this is Ubisoft we're talking about. The original is always the test run for the sequel next year

[gaggle64]

Great Giantbomb quicklook, left a pretty good impression on me - a few technical jankies but looking like a tight, challenging horror title (in spite of it's terrible title)