T w e n t y S i d e d

Adding to my commentary on the beartrap scene: I was confused over where everyone was going, but there’s still this problem where the group decides that Lara will go after Roth and they will go after Sam. Lara says okay to this, but once everyone leaves she goes and takes a nap or whatever. I understand why she needed a sit-down, but I couldn’t help thinking, “If you weren’t up to the job, why did you accept it? Why didn’t you say you needed a rest? There were lots of people left to look for Roth.” It’s just that – to a non-player observer – it would kind of make Lara look a bit like an irresponsible jerk. (Imagine if Reyes said she was going to look for Sam and then jumped in a hammock.)

The funny part is that if the cutscene had ended and left you standing there, I would have immediately turned around and returned to the campfire anyway to check my equipment and see if I leveled up, and I wouldn’t have felt like an irresponsible jerk for doing so. Heh. I mean, I’m sure Roth is a nice guy and he might need my help or whatever but OMG LEVEL UP POINTS.

Shamus Young is a programmer, an author, and nearly a composer. He works on this site full time. If you'd like to support him, you can do so via Patreon or PayPal.

It’s new new season of Spoiler Warning! Finally! In glorious 1080p! Which is an awful lot of p. It might even be too much p. Those with extreme p sensitivity may want to use caution when viewing this much p at one time.

At the start of the episode I suggested that we track how many times you’re captured in a cutscene. Then later I suggested that maybe the problem wasn’t “capture” but the way the game poofed in guys from just off camera. But these are both problems with a common source: A storyteller who can’t be arsed to sell things properly. Whenever they need to create a setback, an unlimited number of bad guys can walk in from off-frame and gank you. After a while it starts to feel like a movie character being assaulted by the cameraman and boom operator.

This is terribly lazy. It’s not unforgivable here in the early game, and if the trick had been used sparingly they might have gotten away with it. But this is the only play in the writer’s playbook, and pretty soon the contrivances start to grate. I mean, at least have them ambush you in a dark space, or while you’re fiddling with the radio, or have them spring a clever trap. Anything but having them beam down from the Enterprise in the middle of an open field.

But I liked the game. You’ll see.

Shamus Young is a programmer, an author, and nearly a composer. He works on this site full time. If you'd like to support him, you can do so via Patreon or PayPal.