Grand Theft Auto is an overrated franchise, and so are open world games

Since the third Grand Theft Auto installment every one has since been released with a great deal of hype and universal praise, probably unrivaled within the video game industry. Great games from renown franchises such as Super Mario, Zelda, Call of Duty, and to a lesser extent Final Fantasy are always met with critical praise and hype. But a new Grand Theft Auto game takes it to a whole new level, none of these other games get coverage on the same scale, while GTA will be in the newspapers, the radio shows, and the nightly news. And none of these games will be met with bylines such as 'taking video games into mainstream culture'.

I can understand some of this, but a lot of it I don't. Both work hand in hand, the hype is built on high praise, while its universal praise only feeds the hype. The end product is a franchise that sells millions into double figures. The only GTA game I have ever completed was the third one, it was the first full on 3D GTA game, and the one that kicked off the sandbox genre. I have played all of the others, but never completed them, and I have to confess, I have only played GTA 5 for a short spell, but I have watched it enough to make a judgement.

And it hasn't changed my mind on what I think about the series, and neither do I think it actually does anything different in comparison with the others. Let me first say that I have enjoyed every single GTA game, they are extremely enjoyable and entertaining, unlike many games they can tell a narrative, and they are the best of their own genre, and they have helped bring the video game industry into the mainstream. But I do think the whole thing is vastly overrated, 'the jack of all trades but the master of none' is the best way to sum up a GTA game, and never should it be put into any top ten game series of all time list.

GTA is without doubt a technical marvel, its high production value shines through, from the large map(s), to the voice acting, the radio shows and soundtrack, the variety of different gameplay elements, and the graphics (which are the most impressive I have seen of this generation). Like all open world games Its biggest success is that it gives the player the illusion of ultimate freedom within the world that the game exists, in GTAs case this is true, but it comes at a cost.

I have always preferred open world games in terms of online interaction, better known as MMORP (massively multiplayer online roleplaying game). I like building up a character, and using your abilities with other players to get through the game, it's more of social interaction experience more than anything. But back to GTA, its vast openness takes away a core gameplay element. When I play GTA, never do I ever feel a moment of tension, never do I feel like I am being mentally challenged, although the maps of a GTA game are vast as they are, and despite the fact that it all looks good and accessible, for the most part they act as a setting and nothing more. Which is the biggest problem I have with open world games (sandbox). In fact the only open world game I have ever really loved is Ocarina of Time and the Final Fantasy games, and even those are not an out and out open world games in the truest sense.

I like games which are focussed on one kind of gaemplay engine, I also like games which have some linearity in them, I like games which have levels and structures within them, and where the setting isn't just a backdrop, it acts a character within the story. Let's take Ocarina of time again, throughout the setting of Hyrule you have to go through different dungeons to progress into the story, each provided a big challenge and a variety of different puzzles. In all the Tomb Raider games (and to a lesser extent the new reboot) you have levels where you have to use your brain, as well as shooting a lot of enemies to progress further, there was real reward as you progressed. The brilliance of the original games that they made the most simplest of tasks appear impossible.

The problem with open world games is that the content of the game is reduced to endless tasks which feel like mini games.      

Resident Evil: A series overview part 1

As you may already know I am a huge Resident Evil fan, I'm talking about the games, I have mixed feelings about the films. Although the series was not the first survival horror series on the market, it's fair to say it was the first to really perfect it. The series has gone through drastic changes over the years, but the quality has for the most part been reasonably consistent. All of the old games were ported to the Gamecube (of which I bought all of the old games in the series on Amazon, and of which I have been playing quite a bit in my spare time), and I have also played and completed Resident Evil 5 and 6 numerous times on the PS3, both in the last six months. I have not included any side games (outbreak and Dead Aim), as well as Revelations, which I have a review of in another blog, and also because I only ever completed it once, which was over a year ago. I have also left out the original Resident Evil and replaced it with the Gamecube remake, both tell the same sory.

Resident Evil (Gamecube remake):

Unquestionably the scariest game in the series, and in my opinion the scariest video game I have ever played. Although it's ten years old it has dated very well, and is just as enjoyable no matter how many times you play it. Of all the games in the series this is the one which personifies what a survival horror game should be.

Pros

* Two campaigns, make for a very long game
* Genuinely scary, the mansion is a character within itself rather just a backdrop to the game, the puzzles are the hardest in any of the series
* Great graphics, add to the atmosphere, and still hold up well ten years after its release
* The crimson head- a more evolved zombie, in the later stages of infection. They literally run at you when they attack. To add further suspense to the game, they can only be killed by burning them, was a great addiction into the series, which has sadly not been repeated.
* The focus of the game is on survival rather than action. So the game requires genuine skill in utilizing your ammo

Cons:

* There are genuinely not that many, the game's difficulty may put some people off
* Compared with the other games in the series, the enemies aren't that varied, but it doesn't detract from the experience you will get.

Resident Evil 2: (PS1, N64, Gamecube)


A little bit more action focused compared with the original, but still equal in quality. The mansion is gone and replaced with a city and a police station. Overall this is my favourite game in the whole series.

Pros

* Two campaigns
* Wide variety of Arsenal, machine gun, shotgun, grenade launcher, magnum, bow, etc
* Great range of interesting villains, including the final boss. The lickers are a particular favourite in the game
* The story links well with the first game, even if none of the original cast feature
* Numerous settings
* A good range of interesting supporting characters, most important of these are Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin, both of whom will appear again later in the series

Cons:

* Because the game has not been updated, the graphics have dated, but it doesn't detract from the experience
* Compared with the first, it isn't that scary
* The puzzles are relatively easy

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1, Gamecube)



In truth this is more of a side story than an out and out sequel to the previous game, it takes place one day before 2 and ends one day after, its main aim is to bridges some of the gaps between the first and the second. The game also takes a further step towards an action game rather than a survival horror, and with the introduction of Nemesis, it provided one of the most memorable villains in the entire series.

Pros

* The story clears up a few loose ends, and you see the fate of Raccoon city
* You get to explore more of Raccoon city
* You get to play as Jill Valentine
* The introduction of Nemesis, brings a level of intensity to the game as he stalks you. Depending on the chocies you make in the game when you confront him, will have different consequences (good for replay value) for your progress
* Great range of arsenal, with the introduction of mixing powder to create ammo
* Introduction of 180 degrees turn, great for moments when you are in a tight situation

Cons

* The game takes the series sideways in terms of story development
* Shorter than the previous two, even with the choices you get to make. There's only one campaign
* The game is far more action focused
* Even on the most diffcult setting, it is a relatively easy game
* Dated graphics, but doesn't detract from the heart of the game

Resident Evil: Code Veronica (Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube)



Code Veronica is the spiritual successor to the first Resident Evil, and the true sequel to Resident Evil 2. The game is reminiscent of the original in both difficulty and atmosphere. of all the games in the series this is the one I found most difficult, it has the hardest puzzles and the hardest boss fight in the entire series You get to play as Claire and Chris Redfield once again, which is a bonus.

Pros

* A frightening game, the locations (especially the prison) help this
* The puzzles are challenging, as the game is as a whole
* The game is lengthy, although you play as Claire for the majority of the game, there are moments when you switch to others for short periods
* It develops the story even further, as we learn more about Umbrella's history
* Numerous settings, all of which evoke a genuine sense of fear and isolation, like the first
* Pre rendered backgrounds replaced with 3D environments
* Dual Sub machine guns-the character will shoot two different zombies when you're faced with numbers

Cons

* There is a lot of backtracking, and this is mainly due to changing items over to solve certain puzzles. The metal detectors come to mind
* Unless you have a guide or take a look on the internet, many of the puzzles are frustrating and very hard, and unless you have a lot of patience they come across as nigh on impossible on first play through
* One of the boss fights is bloody difficult. It will take a lot of time, effort and lives, especially if you're not stocked up well in terms of ammunition and health items by the time you reach it


To be continued........