Sounds like something just didn't click with you, Alexander. Sometimes that happens for me, as well. For instance, I am having to forcefeed myself on Final Fantasy IV on my DS, even though many critics wear out their pompoms praising the damn thing. I try very hard to see what all the fuss is about, but all I see is a game that relies almost exclusively on repetitive random encounters to drag out the gameplay. What should probably take 6-8 hours to complete ends up taking weeks. Any attachment to the characters or interest in the story is diminished (or even forgotten) by the time you finally slog though a hundred (thousands?) random encounters with the same few types of critter just to get to the next save point--and if you don't make it, woe unto you. You get the "added value" of starting over from your last save, which could well have been hours ago. I just don't "get it," I guess, which is fine. I can appreciate the storyline and all, but it literally feels like it takes too much "work" (not play) to get there. I would never recommend this game. Perhaps I'm just cynical, but the only reason I can imagine for its incredible popularity is that folks just don't know any better. Maybe they've missed the boat entirely on computer RPGs and just don't realize what they missed.
I wasn't tracking the hours, but I know it took me at least 20 to get through KOTOR, and I'm fine with that. I don't expect a game to keep me entertained for months, especially if they're dragging out the length with repetition or grinding. As I've said in earlier posts, I don't mind if a game has a bunch of optional content for folks who want to savor it (a la Oblivion/Morrowind), but I want to be through and done with the main quest in 20 hours or less. In fact, I'd much rather have a game that gave me a polished 6 hours of gameplay than one that used various means to drag it out to 50.
All this said, I'm on record for saying Baldur's Gate II is the best CRPG ever made, and I haven't changed my mind on that. I think it's the best for many reasons, but one good reason is that I never felt like I was "working" while playing it. Much like KOTOR for me, the game was nothing but fun from start to finish. It was more complex and difficult in many ways, of course, but nothing like you'd get in something like Wizard's Crown or Pool of Radiance.
I was also bugged by KOTOR's inventory system, and they use the same damn one in Mass Effect. I guess it like it better than having to shuffle the load around all the characters, but it would have benefited from a more PC-centric interface (or at least more sorting options). I felt this especially when searching for datapads and the like. It bears a sickening resemblance to the inventory system in Final Fantasy IV...:)
Sounds like something just didn't click with you, Alexander. Sometimes that happens for me, as well. For instance, I am having to forcefeed myself on Final Fantasy IV on my DS, even though many critics wear out their pompoms praising the damn thing. I try very hard to see what all the fuss is about, but all I see is a game that relies almost exclusively on repetitive random encounters to drag out the gameplay. What should probably take 6-8 hours to complete ends up taking weeks. Any attachment to the characters or interest in the story is diminished (or even forgotten) by the time you finally slog though a hundred (thousands?) random encounters with the same few types of critter just to get to the next save point--and if you don't make it, woe unto you. You get the "added value" of starting over from your last save, which could well have been hours ago. I just don't "get it," I guess, which is fine. I can appreciate the storyline and all, but it literally feels like it takes too much "work" (not play) to get there. I would never recommend this game. Perhaps I'm just cynical, but the only reason I can imagine for its incredible popularity is that folks just don't know any better. Maybe they've missed the boat entirely on computer RPGs and just don't realize what they missed.
I wasn't tracking the hours, but I know it took me at least 20 to get through KOTOR, and I'm fine with that. I don't expect a game to keep me entertained for months, especially if they're dragging out the length with repetition or grinding. As I've said in earlier posts, I don't mind if a game has a bunch of optional content for folks who want to savor it (a la Oblivion/Morrowind), but I want to be through and done with the main quest in 20 hours or less. In fact, I'd much rather have a game that gave me a polished 6 hours of gameplay than one that used various means to drag it out to 50.
All this said, I'm on record for saying Baldur's Gate II is the best CRPG ever made, and I haven't changed my mind on that. I think it's the best for many reasons, but one good reason is that I never felt like I was "working" while playing it. Much like KOTOR for me, the game was nothing but fun from start to finish. It was more complex and difficult in many ways, of course, but nothing like you'd get in something like Wizard's Crown or Pool of Radiance.
I was also bugged by KOTOR's inventory system, and they use the same damn one in Mass Effect. I guess it like it better than having to shuffle the load around all the characters, but it would have benefited from a more PC-centric interface (or at least more sorting options). I felt this especially when searching for datapads and the like. It bears a sickening resemblance to the inventory system in Final Fantasy IV...:)
Matt Barton, Managing Editor
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA
Email: matt@armchairarcade.com