Comments on: Hellgate London sucks http://www.groupsofwords.com/2008/04/08/hellgate-london-sucks/ in a wide variety of arrangements Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:23:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: gowwriter http://www.groupsofwords.com/2008/04/08/hellgate-london-sucks/#comment-5 gowwriter Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:43:14 +0000 http://www.groupsofwords.com/?p=11#comment-5 I forgot about the failed attempts at humor. Damn you. I forgot about the failed attempts at humor. Damn you.

]]> By: Dave http://www.groupsofwords.com/2008/04/08/hellgate-london-sucks/#comment-4 Dave Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:56:17 +0000 http://www.groupsofwords.com/?p=11#comment-4 Part of what I disliked with HGL was that the game felt like a game engine, not a game (and, well, a buggy engine at that). I really wasn't that upset about the no-respec rule (no respecs in D2 either, but since equipment isn't "soulbound" the pain is drastically lessened). But there were plenty of other things that bugged me. Since it's supposed to be a spiritual successor to D2, I feel no guilt in comparing it that way. D2 slowly introduced you to new environments and monsters. When you left one area for another it felt epic and amazing. Everything changed. You grew to love whatever Act you were in, and when you left it, you felt both a sense of regret and wonder as you started the new Act. In HGL, every "base" felt the same, even if the story was supposedly advancing. And let's not forget the story. Story doesn't keep you playing D2 for years after it comes out, but it gets you through the first moth, doesn't it? D2 took itself just seriously enough to get you hooked (until the true addictive nature of playing the numbers took hold). HGL made no illusions about the story being a thin veneer atop the mechanics. Every single NPC was full of in-jokes and self-referential humor. You were constantly torn out of your immersion and reminded that you were playing a game written by the folks who made Diablo. We get it. Now make a new game. Part of what I disliked with HGL was that the game felt like a game engine, not a game (and, well, a buggy engine at that). I really wasn’t that upset about the no-respec rule (no respecs in D2 either, but since equipment isn’t “soulbound” the pain is drastically lessened). But there were plenty of other things that bugged me.

Since it’s supposed to be a spiritual successor to D2, I feel no guilt in comparing it that way.

D2 slowly introduced you to new environments and monsters. When you left one area for another it felt epic and amazing. Everything changed. You grew to love whatever Act you were in, and when you left it, you felt both a sense of regret and wonder as you started the new Act. In HGL, every “base” felt the same, even if the story was supposedly advancing.

And let’s not forget the story. Story doesn’t keep you playing D2 for years after it comes out, but it gets you through the first moth, doesn’t it? D2 took itself just seriously enough to get you hooked (until the true addictive nature of playing the numbers took hold). HGL made no illusions about the story being a thin veneer atop the mechanics. Every single NPC was full of in-jokes and self-referential humor. You were constantly torn out of your immersion and reminded that you were playing a game written by the folks who made Diablo.

We get it.

Now make a new game.

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