Peer to peer can work when the game has a large population (and therefore you do not need to be connecting to some man in a shack in the Urals) but when you have a smaller game like Space Marine, you start to run into problems. This is the first and most blatant issue with the game’s multiplayer. Indeed, a general criticism of the game was its repetition (Space Marine, not DOOM) and I think this factor certainly contributes to it. I also think the execution system needed a lot more animations in it to keep things relatively fresh. In Space Marine, you have to physically stun them with a special attack – I often feel somewhat clumsy flinging myself around trying to stun stuff at times. The way you initiate the execution is also much smoother in DOOM – all you have to do is wound the demon in order to brutally execute it. Of course, DOOM (2016) is a much more modern game, but you get the idea. You also will notice that the video showcasing DOOM’s executions is far longer than Space Marine’s. DOOM utilised an execution system with different kills depending on what enemy type, body part, angle, and even environment you were in. If we compare to a recent game that implemented the execution system to a much better reception, you will see what I mean with variety being necessary. But as time wears on, the animations become boresome because they tend to repeat. At first, you will be enamoured by the brutality with which you murder these tiny green creatures. If you look at the video above you will see a great deal of repetition, even there. Unfortunately, these choices led to the singleplayer becoming, well, repetitive. Another choice of the game was to forgo any kind of cover system – Space Marines do not need cover. They are cool, yes, and they certainly do add to the badass factor of the game. You could stun enemies and perform cool and bloody execution animations of them. At the time of its release, one of the big draws of the game’s singleplayer was the execution system (I believe it was similar to Gears of War). The first problem I wish to discuss is with the game’s singleplayer. Repetitive Nature of The Singleplayer (namely the execution system).Now, let’s get going with the problems with Space Marine. My intention is to get a bit of productivity going, where we can discuss what the the problems with the game were, and how a prospective developer could in future negate these problems to create a truly great game. I am not here to list the things that I like about the game because that is not productive – so if the post sounds like I am just relentlessly dissing everything, well then just know that I do it out of love. Just like my post about another certain game, I use these posts to list problems and solutions. I should also note a couple of other things. Some have even reached states of ‘immortality’ – that is, they seem to always have high player counts (games with server browsers and good modding tools seem to achieve this feat very commonly by way of fostering strong communities).Īnyway, I’m here to talk about the game’s problems – not necessarily if or why the game should have more players. Perhaps it is only natural that a multiplayer game dies after such a period – but if you look at other popular titles, there are many that thrive even after seven or eight years. Of course, Space Marine is a slightly old game. The problems that, I believe, caused it to bleed players and eventually fade into obscurity. I still dream that one day, a good quality sequel will happen.Īt any rate, the purpose of this post is to discuss some of Space Marine’s underlying issues. It saddened me because I knew it had great potential. It always saddened me to think of the cancelled sequel the game had planned. However, due to licensing and that hoo-hah, I do not think a sequel to the game is likely. Problems that I believe are easy to remedy in a possible sequel. So why is that the case? Why can’t Space Marine keep its players? Well, I have triangulated a few of the problems why. It may take time, but I believe it will inevitably happen. Unfortunately, the free weekend (in my opinion) will not prevent this good game from once again fading into dust. Prior to the free weekend, the game had on average 50-100 players. As you can see, the numbers have dropped off sharply since then. Steam Charts shows the explosion of players the game had after it became free for a bit. For the first time in a while, Space Marine multiplayer was bustling with players, and finding an Exterminatus match without ridiculously poor connection was a possibility. Recently, the game became free on the Humble store for a brief period, sparking a large yet brief revival. It is a game that I genuinely like because of its sound design, and the satisfying manner in which they captured playing as Space Marines. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a game I have mentioned in brief passing in some of my previous posts.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |