Print

[STICKY_BUD]

i think the mgs trailer looked pretty good and i hopefully will have the chance to play it someday, but if i have to pay $700+ for 1 game experience(console + game + tax), i will most likely never play it.

has sony released a list for "what's included" with each *configuration* yet?



topical link...
IGN review of Grandia II(found it on gamefly.com)

"...

 Graphics
It's a little depressing to observe that the same thing has happened, visually speaking, to two Grandias in a row now. First, the Saturn original was introduced to an American audience through a substantially inferior PlayStation version. Now we have the PlayStation 2 version of the sequel, and it can't hang with its Dreamcast counterpart. It's not as bad as what happened to the original Grandia, which lost great wodges of sprite detail and every beautiful Mode 7 effect, but maybe all those Sega-loving pit-fiends had a point after all...

I kid, but the fact remains that Grandia II looked better in its original form. The PS2 port takes a mild hit in terms of texture quality, especially in less conspicuous background areas, and it's a good deal rougher around the edges, with a bit more aliasing and a lot more interlace flicker in certain areas. It's still a pretty game to look at, though, with the excellent character designs and vivid colors that have become a series trademark by now.

The battle graphics are a trade-off between great monster designs and character animations, shown off by a constantly-moving cinematic camera, and the shortcut Game Arts took for rendering many of the special attack and spell effects. Spells are split between realtime animations, some of which come with excellent lighting effects in tow, and pre-rendered MPEG videos superimposed over the battlefield. The former leave no room for complaint, but the latter feel like they were implemented to overcome weaknesses in the 3D engine. The compression artifacting in most of the videos is terrible, akin to what you get if you stretch a low-res MPEG out to full screen on your computer, which makes for a very disconcerting contrast to the sharp realtime effects. I didn't mind this technique when it was put to use in Valkyrie Profile, but in that instance it was used much more sparingly, and with better compression as a consequence.

What's most unfortunate about Grandia II's graphical issues is that there's so much excellent visual raw material here. The character designs, Yushi Kanoe's first effort after popping up in a Game Arts talent search, include a few personal favorites (Roan's a gimp, but Elena and Millenia have plenty going for them), and the world around them has the same blend of freshness and traditionalism as the first Grandia and the Lunar series. It manages to be familiar without being cliched. The glitches, however, mar the artwork that went into creating the game, especially since the DC version did it better justice.

..."

This post has been edited by STICKY_BUD: Aug 24 2006, 06:24 PM

[DragoNs]

Post all the facts of the game as you wish, it means nothing to me as i would play the PS2 version over the DC version, and before you post because your a sony zombie, if i was i dont think i would own, DC, 360, Xbox, and i doubt I would be using windows on my PC, i have nothing agnest any of the companies, sure sony is my favorite but that really doesnt say someones a Sony Zombie, i could easily call you a MS Zombie...

[twistedsymphony]

QUOTE(DragoNs @ Aug 24 2006, 10:37 AM)

...oh and lets all remember which system got the kick-ass Grandia 3.

That's true, really that's what most consoles come down to though... THE GAMES... all the horsepower and good graphics in the world don't matter if the console doesn't offer the games you want to play.

Of course looking at this MGS game it the posted screen shots look to me like an early build of GRAW before they added FSAA and cleaned up the textures.

I don't think MGS was ever reveared for it's gameplay though, Script and storyline yes... gameplay I'm not so sure.

I played through MGS2 and I really enjoyed it... down the road I played through Splinter Cell and LOVED it, After playing through Splinter Cell, going back to an MGS game is next to impossible the gameplay flaws all stick out like beacons in the night the most notable being the fixed camera positions. Splinter Cell (and some other games) play like you'd expect a Spy Action game to play, if the MGS series is the only spy game you've ever really sat down and played through the gameplay seems fine but after playing something like Splinter Cell and going back to MGS you'll quickly see how clumsy and difficult the MGS gameplay really is.

Even still I thing the MGS series has a more entertaining script, Splinter Cell, while well written can be dry at times... random political figure was kidnapped... take out the terrorist leader... etc. it's more realistic but I think MGS is more entertaining, comedic in some ways and the story really unfolds as you play it, sure it's a whole lot of anime style post-apocoliptic fantasy but just because something is real doesn't make it better.

Given that the latest build of MGS4 looks similar to GRAW and SCDA will probably be better looking then GRAW considering it's also made by Ubi and they've had some time with the console now I'd say SCDA on the 360 and MGS4 on the PS3 will be about even graphically. The premise of the new Splinter Cell (Doube Agent) sounds like it might be the best SC script yet. We know MGS has good scripts, we wont know how the two will compaire until they're released but I think there's still a big question mark over the head of MGS4's gameplay. I've seen HK quoted in the past saying that he locks the camera down because a free moving camera gives him headaches. IMO they have a lot of areas they can hopefull improve on gamplay wise, and I really hope they do.

Good graphics and a good script are important factors in making a good game but both are wasted if the gameplay isn't there as well. People always argue graphics vs gamplay, but really IMO it's about the whole package not just one or two elements.

[ikecomp]

Graphics wise, the game has definitely been toned down but the scene still manages to entertain in traditional MGS fashion.

[Foe-hammer]

Ya, i love all 4 colors in the game; would it have killed the devs to use more colors (i know it's an artistic decision, but come on).  Game still looks good, though.

[nickthegreat]

QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Aug 24 2006, 06:35 PM)

Of course looking at this MGS game it the posted screen shots look to me like an early build of GRAW before they added FSAA and cleaned up the textures.

You bastard - I just read 3 pages of this thread with the intention of making that comment, and right near the end you beat me to it.  

It does look pretty good to be fair, but it also looks almost identical in standard to the GRAW video (the one with the plane flying over the squad of men, and that opens looking over the slums of mexico. - kind of this one ) If someone could find good quality versions of each it would be a good comparison i reckon.