Should Soma be more like Penumbra or The Walking Dead?

[eliasfrost]

What counts as a masterpiece is highly subjective.

For me, Amnesia felt like a rehash of Penumbra with a few new ideas (albeit great ones). I still prefer the two Penumbra games over all of their other products. Not because it's better, not at all. Amnesia is undoubtedly a great game but for someone who played Penumbra, Amnesia was highly predictable (at least that's how I felt), it used the same gameplay, the same story-telling techniques, the same enemy patterns and type etc. The reason is that it was far too much like their previous games that it didn't entirely stand on its own feet following the shadow of Penumbra (no pun). At least not for veterans (and I don't mean this in an elitist way, see below).

You could say it's nostalgia talking, or "the virgin effect" as Superbunnyhop calls it. The thing is, if they truly do something new with the formula, I will probably get it, but if this ends up like Amnesia did (in comparison to penumbra) then I probably won't get it because it won't engage me the way I'd like it (and expect) it to.

I just think it's important to cover new ground instead of gaining new unsuspecting audiences while at the same time losing an old one. There's nothing wrong with that but hey, maybe I just think too highly of game developers than I should, who knows.

EDIT: Also, take note that I've never said that it's a requirement or that they "should" make different games, I said it would do them good to try new things and branching out. To avoid misunderstandings.

[victorkim890(KimmyChimmy)]

penumbra is just campaign and has harder puzzles than amnesia and amnesia has more features than penumbra since it has custom story so amnesia is more fun

[eliasfrost]

penumbra is just campaign and has harder puzzles than amnesia and amnesia has more features than penumbra since it has custom story so amnesia is more fun

Oh alrighty then

[SHODANFreeman]

Also, take note that I've never said that it's a requirement or that they "should" make different games, I said it would do them good to try new things and branching out. To avoid misunderstandings.

I guess I don't understand how evolving their style isn't considered trying new things. It's not like they copy pasted everything from Penumbra straight into Amnesia. There are a lot of similarities, but it's certainly much different in execution.

[eliasfrost]

As I said, Amnesia is a great game, but it's far too similar to Penumbra. Heck I would love to see Frictional's take on an RTS, or an RPG. I mean why not? I don't understand how trying new things is a bad thing. They haven't left their comfort zone since 2006 when they made the Penumbra tech demo, I think they've evolved their style well enough, that is almost nothing considering they've made 4 fundamentally identical games already with mostly stylistic changes.

[SHODANFreeman]

As I said, Amnesia is a great game, but it's far too similar to Penumbra. Heck I would love to see Frictional's take on an RTS, or an RPG. I mean why not? I don't understand how trying new things is a bad thing. They haven't left their comfort zone since 2006 when they made the Penumbra tech demo, I think they've evolved their style well enough, that is almost nothing considering they've made 4 fundamentally identical games already with mostly stylistic changes.

The way you put it makes it sound like the games are somehow inherently bad for being similar. Niche developers almost always produce constant consistent greatness.

id Software has made exclusively shooters for decades and they still make great shooters.

Bethesda, BioWare, and Obsidian have made very little outside of the realm of RPGs in the last 10-20 years, doesn't diminish their games or their legacy in any way.

I just think it's beyond illogical to write off a game because the developer has worked in the genre for a long time. It's basically the same thing as buying a band's new album, and being mad that it sounds like the same band.

[veraziul]

Yeah, I love games that induce and compliment thinking in the players. So I'd like some really good puzzles, but also nice scare moments, and since it's a sci-fi horror, why not implement some combat? You can have horror with combat - I'm sure you guys can manage that. I mean - knowing that your weapon is somewhat useless against a metal-welded robotic monster like that Vivarius Big Daddy-sort Monstrosity can bring up a nice amount of horror, but also knowing that you can get rid of lesser lobotomite-type-thingies adds to the more survival-kinda theme.

Also - replacing throw-things-at-em-to-stun-em with some hi-tech tazer weapon - like giving you just that split of a second to outrun 'em. And why not some kinda upgrade system - to bolster the duration of the effect and such.

I mean - yeah, for Penumbra it was a good thing taking out the combat element, but some of us just get tired of stealthing all the time Especially when Necrologue mod brought back The Hunter. Man this thing had like supersonic speed, x-ray vision and who-knows-what... which kinda made running and hiding from it a bit useless. But that's a different development, outside of Frictional's capable hands. Still THE best epilogue to Penumbra series.

And I totally bring both thumbs up for the RPG element suggestion. Needs more of that. Not heavy rules and boring scripted combat... but more like Stalker, Dead Space and Deus Ex(The old Games - like Invisible War RPG elements). Even Fallout 3/New Vegas without the stupid VATS

And to be perfectly clear - i absolutely LOVE Penumbra Series and Amnesia. The horrid atmosphere, the creatures, the "lore" - everything was full of death, misery and despair. Made me shit my pants just walking in a dark hallway hearing random ambient sounds. But I think it's also time for a new blockbuster to have something (not so) new (to be frank) integrated - in a better way than most money-making companies do it. I put my trust in Frictional - so far they never disappointed.

[baelmont3leet]

Do you want a game with a lot of good and satisfying puzzles to solve, or one that is just a story on rails with some scares?

Personally, I thought Penumbra was better than Amnesia solely because I enjoyed solving the puzzles a lot more. I'm hoping Soma doesn't dumb the puzzles down to cater to a wider audience.

I'm hoping for some combat or its going to be a game I pass up I cant find any redeemable quality to a game that just has the player run and hide its not scary to me if thats all you do... puzzles seem like a filler or waste of time its ok to have a few but with no combat and all puzzles and running and hiding playing tag in the dark is a headache at best Im sure there are a few out there that find that type of gameplay enjoyable and if this is indeed the route they go good for them but I will not participate in this game if its only quality is scare tactics and running and hiding with no combat even a simple shove or push would give it a +1

[Slanderous]

No. Combat. In. Frictional Games. Horror. Games. Never.
Never.
<NEVER>

[i3670]

No. Combat. In. Horror. Games. Never.
Never.
<NEVER>

I guess the Silent Hill series aren't horror games then (referring to the first 4)