A review I read said you'd get about 8 hours of REALLY excellent gameplay out of Heavenly Sword. That's not so bad I guess if you're really compelled to play it again (two more times). But that's still pretty dang short.

But that's supposedly about the same length as Metal Gear Solid, though it took me much longer than that to complete it, and certainly wouldn't be a factor to make me not play it.

I've played the demo. Downloaded it from the Playstation Store.

It was fun. And did seem a lot like God of War, except you couldn't jump. Or throw lightning.

Other than that it was pretty similar.

I think the length is just an excuse used by some reviewers to take the game down a point or two. I've noticed a disturbing trend with reviews lately where sites and magazines seem to be taking the PS3 games down a point or two vs equivalent 360 games just on principle or something. There are actually quite a few games on the 360 with no online component that weigh in at about the same time, yet get better reviews simply because they're on a different system. Hell, I've even seen reviews for the SAME GAME on both systems where the reviewer even comes out and says the PS3 version is better, but it still gets a lower score.

Realistically, it isn't any shorter than other games in the same genre. There are actually quite a few action games which are shorter, yet rated higher and never seemed to get the complaint that they were too short.

all the cool games like kingdom hearts 3 come or will come out on a new console so you're forced to buy the console and the game.

isukun
I think the length is just an excuse used by some reviewers to take the game down a point or two. I've noticed a disturbing trend with reviews lately where sites and magazines seem to be taking the PS3 games down a point or two vs equivalent 360 games just on principle or something. There are actually quite a few games on the 360 with no online component that weigh in at about the same time, yet get better reviews simply because they're on a different system. Hell, I've even seen reviews for the SAME GAME on both systems where the reviewer even comes out and says the PS3 version is better, but it still gets a lower score.

Realistically, it isn't any shorter than other games in the same genre. There are actually quite a few action games which are shorter, yet rated higher and never seemed to get the complaint that they were too short.

So you figure it's an actual conspiracy to make the PS3 look bad or something?

I imagine if a reviewer played through a game in one evening and at the end thought, "What, that's it?" they'd be a bit justified in knocking a little off the score. You want plenty of gameplay for your $60.

Hawk
So you figure it's an actual conspiracy to make the PS3 look bad or something?

I honestly wouldn't be surprised. The PS3 really doesn't deserve all the shit people say about it. I own one. I know for a fact that it's a great system. Possibly the best one I've ever played.

The only reason I can see people not liking it is the price. But that's not what everyone talks about. They make up flaws that don't really exist. Even the "Lol, no gaems n ps3 kthxbai" excuse is unfounded, because it does have good games. Plenty of them. Hell, I could say that the 360 doesn't have any good exclusive games, since the only ones I've really heard of are Halo and Bioshock... and I'm pretty sure they're making a PS3 version of Bioshock eventually. But anyway, it's like people make shit up just so they don't have to admit that they're not getting it because they can't afford it. If someone says "I don't have $500-$600 to shell out for it" when I ask them why they don't have one, then that's a good excuse. But as far as I can tell, that's the only good excuse.

Any way, hows about we stop derailing? Maybe someone should make some kind of thread discussing the merits of various systems...

Lord Shplane
I honestly wouldn't be surprised. The PS3 really doesn't deserve all the shit people say about it. I own one. I know for a fact that it's a great system. Possibly the best one I've ever played.

Does the Zune deserve all the shit people say about it when infact it's actually a pretty good MP3 player compared to the style item that the iPod is?

People love to blindly hate on one product, even if they haven't tried it themselves.

Terminal

Lord Shplane
I honestly wouldn't be surprised. The PS3 really doesn't deserve all the shit people say about it. I own one. I know for a fact that it's a great system. Possibly the best one I've ever played.

Does the Zune deserve all the shit people say about it when infact it's actually a pretty good MP3 player compared to the style item that the iPod is?

People love to blindly hate on one product, even if they haven't tried it themselves.

True. Also, I'm gonna go make that thread thar. You know, the one that I talked about.

Halo I & II: Easiest games I've EVER played.

Metroid Prime Hunters: no storyline advancement.

Metroid prime 3: a copy off of spiderman.

Brothers In Arms DS: Could've had a better multiplayer.

Metroid Prime 1: Too damn perfect.

Super Metroid: FIGHTING RIDLEY.

Here, I'll add a few more.

Monster Hunter Freedom: It gets really hard to get new equipment after a certain point.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: I just played for almost two days straight, and I'm only at level 15.

Lol, thar's sum.

mlai
AFAIC it's a crock of bull. I absolutely hate RPGs where the lead guy is mute and has no personality (or dialog).

Eh. Sometimes that's true. Sometimes a silent protagonist can be amusing. I enjoyed many of Crono's expressions to illustrate what he was trying to say, not to mention Mario's version of telling a story in Mario RPG. Of course, both of those came out back before the silent protagonist thing was the 'cool' thing to do in an RPG.

Lately, Persona 3 did the silent protagonist thing again... but that one doesn't bother me either. I think that's because of all the extra stuff to do aside from the fighting to save the world. He had a personality based on what you did with him, and I think that made him a lot more 'complete', and in that situation, the whole 'assuming the role of the hero' thing can actually be effective. A pity more games don't seem to try that.

That said, could I please /not/ have to turn and talk to the party members individually to equip them/check their status? A common equip/status menu would have been so much less annoying.

IMO the best personality building device ever in a console RPG was the lead boy in Skies of Arcadia. Every time you/him needs to make a story decision, you get a choice of dialog which you select.

It doesn't change the story in any way, and the best choice is always blindingly obvious, but the simple act of having you "say it for him" made him seem so much more complete to me.

I know other games do this, but this is an example of the device accomplishing no other aim other than make you feel a part of this person who has his own personality. I think it's the exact opposite of the 'mute protagonist'.

mlai
I know other games do this, but this is an example of the device accomplishing no other aim other than make you feel a part of this person who has his own personality. I think it's the exact opposite of the 'mute protagonist'.

That's valid. Perhaps I should change what I said earlier. I like games where the 'mute protagonist' still does things. Again, Crono and Mario still communicate, just no words come out. That can be entertaining. I agree, though, games where the hero doesn't ever say anything at all or really do much other than passively observe are boring. It's hard to care about someone like that. The definition of 'mute protagonist' I was using was 'no dialog ever appears with his/her name attached to it', not that he's completely passive altogether.

Persona also has dialog decisions, although they are a bit more important than just establishing character. Well, in a way that is all you're doing is establishing character... but in a game where establishing his character is actually something important mechanically and not just to make him feel more alive, it serves multiple purposes.