In the New York Times' "High Scores for the Games of 2007," the usual suspects like BioShock and Mass Effect were named triumphs of 2007, and even Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction was given some praise. But it seems they don't think as highly of blockbusters Halo 3 and Super Mario Galaxy.
Both games shared the 2007 award for "Best Unambitious Representations of State of the Art." NYT says that both are "fun" and "refined" versions of previous titles in their respective series', but calls them both out for being more of the same.
Galaxy is at some level mostly a reinvention of classic play modes. In Halo that means battling killer aliens. In Mario that means jumping and dodging and collecting stars to free the princess who, as she has been for more than 20 years, is locked away in a cartoon-style castle.
I'd say that not every game has to be an innovation. Sure, I did experience deja vu while playing both titles. But both games brought enough to the table to be entertaining and enjoyable, and neither left me longing for the next new Bungie or Miyamoto property.
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
10:08 AM on 12.26.2007
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I think the only thing that glaxy had in common with sunshine or even mario 64 is the situation... setting, theme, execution, style, mechanics all differ.
Especially SMG...multiplayer though - Halo 3 tore down the walls
As for Halo 3, do they even know about the Theater feature? Or the Forge?! Those are both things never before done in an FPS, and certainly not executed as well. The online interface for Halo 3 is the best of all time, bungie.net keeps track of every stat you could possibly want, as well as allowing you to queue up downloads for the next time you boot up the game. And online 4 player co-op, which has yet to be done by other major titles.
Typical criticisms from a non-gamer publication. Perhaps these innovations aren't as loud as those in Mass Effect or Bioshock, but they're definitely there. True gamers can see and appreciate them.
There is, however, little chance that anyone who actually pays attention to games would read their reviews and say "Gee, these guys are on point - they know exactly what they're talking about. Fuck it - if the times doesn't like it, it isn't worth playing!"
Imagine a four year old trying hold a discussion on the effect of evolution on ocean mammal physiology over the past 10,000 years - that's exactly what it's like for the New York Times to review video games.
Exactly.
Mind you the New York Times reviews literature in the same way. If a book contains a dragon (or anything fantastical) then it's instantly labeled "childish"- but stick a dying aids infected rape victim in its place then the novel becomes "Art".
By their logic not even "Mass Effect" should be innovative, because after all it's only a refinement of what Bioware has been doing since KOTR.
The 'Times equals fail.
Halo 3, easy call.
SMG? Sure the game isn't making me breakfast after I beat a level, but, compared to previous work with regards to at least sound direction, introducing and expanding on different play mechanics, and providing a very new setting to old gameplay, I think it did a phenominal job.
Furthermore, "to free the princess who . . . is locked away in a cartoon-style castle."
Frankly, I don't want to see the Mario game that does not put the Princess in a cartoon style castle. To fault a Mario game for doing what it does and maintaining the integrity of its gameplay an artstyle is hackery.
NYT, you're doing it wrong.
I believe I have made my point
The NYT is clearly staffed by brainless, clueless, souless hacks.
See? I can make baseless remarks on a subject I know nothing about! Can I have a job, New York Times?
Was your opinion biased of SMG because after all it is a mario game? Would you have liked it as much if it was a different title? I say no, but at least it provoked me to think more on it. Also halo3, were you a fanboy that would have loved it even if someone from bungie came to your house and killed your pet? We all know how great the multiplayer is and how short the single player is, but did it really deserve as much praise as it got?
At the very least it provoked me to think about how I judge or pre-judge games that I've been looking forward to. Also, its interesting to see people get so miffed when someone says something that you don't agree with about video games. HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING BAD ABOUT MY HALOS!!! /calmdowntherechief
Even so, I can't give the media credit for knowing what they're talking about, because in my eyes they're just making BS claims to get attention. I hate the mainstream sensationalist media with a passion.
Halo 3 partially deserves this as it is similar to the past games but most people wouldn't want it any other way. But they did innovate on the Videos and Forge and a Kick Ass web site and 4 player Coop.
Super Mario Galixy is a very polished and new unique Mario its really only seems like a repeat in appearance. There is tons of new level design types and it does not play exactly like any Mario's of the past.
Really I dont think that games like Bioshock and Mass Effect are not as much innovaters as great Story tellers.
COME ON.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.
..
lol
Well, you could make the argument that they are the improved and updated versions of their predecessors, i.e. they are sequels. sequels. If they are a re-imagining of the games before them, then they have done a good job because, again, these are sequels.
not broken = don't fix.
Just report the news like I expect you to NYT. Judging, judging, always judging.
SuperMarioGalaxy & SuperSmashBrothersBrawl
I see the videos for these two and I salivate!
I agree with your comments re: NY Times and their reviews of books and games, but their news is top notch :)
Wrong or not (you know what I think of Mass Effect -- a game that certainly innovated no more than Halo 3), the publication did good enough by doing such an article in the first place.
SMG's level design is ambitious and so is Halo's online functions.
Also, NYT is looking forward to WiiFit:
"But now that the Nintendo developer Shigeru Miyamoto hasgotten the Wii incarnations of his Mario and Zelda series outof the way, perhaps he will turn to creating something genuinely new. (Wii Fit, the fitness system coming to North America next year, could just be it.)"
Galaxy is the first Mario game to introduce the concept of mixed and separated traditional and spherical level design, gravity gameplay mechanics and the interactive launch star mechanic that doubles as a navigation device that cleverly connects each stage of a galaxy together. The game is more linear than the other 3D Mario games and there's also the epic, original orchestrated music. There's the new and intuitive starbit shooter mechanic that has not been done in a platformer game before as well as the unconventional co-op mode all thanks to the unique Wii controls.
The game's space theme makes for a refreshing change that feels like a proper Mario game due to the variety of familiar Mushroom Kingdom environments. Heck, Galaxy actually has 2 stories in it. There's the Princess Rosalina story which is optional and what the main story lacks in originality, it makes up for with it's epic and impressive presentation of the cut scenes.
As far as I'm concerned, Nintendo introduced enough new and significant stuff to step outside of their comfort zone. Galaxy still plays out like any other platformer game to get from point A to point B. However, what Nintendo did with Galaxy is it redefined the platformer genre in the process and so it did take a big risk in doing so. Of course, it's not a huge change when compared to the what Super Mario 64 managed to accomplish. Of course, Mario 64 had the advantage of being the first of the 3D games. My point is, while Mario 64 was a big struggle to make it into the success that it is, Galaxy is more of a challenge in that Nintendo has to find new ways to make the platformer genre feel refreshing which is a problem for any franchise that a developer continues to make games when the fundamental game design concepts have already been established in previous titles.
Also, fortnight ;)
http://www.slate.com/id/2179398/entry/2179592/
I guess from that perspective, mario and halo might seem like more of the same thing.
But of course, bioshock was fucking boring, and i love mario galaxy so far.
Now I havent played SMG but for what I have read is a good game at it innovates in many levels.
Anyway, back to Ratchet and Clank. I remember their article about that one, when it was released in October. It was raving, talking all this jive about the games "Pixar-quality graphics" and the "amazing gameplay". Bullshit. Game was fun and pretty, but not quite Pixar. Funny how no Sony games were mentioned as lacking innovation, only praised.
I sometimes seriously think that Sony has the NYT in their pockets or something. I certainly wouldn't put it past the Times. Fucking liberals.
I agree with the New York Times! SMG, other than the no gravity and stick control. It's more mario rescue the princess. Why not a mario game where he's a plumber fixing leaky pipes or he has to discover treasure. Just try different premises with the character. Each new Mario game is, repeat the process only sleaker looking.
Don't get me started on HALO3. It's more Halo, end of story. Nothing else you can really say. I guess there's nothing wrong with that if you like those games, but doesn't it say something about the current state of gaming? We seem to be content with so little. I find it refreshing when a game comes along and changes the rules. It makes things exciting again. IMO.
Hillary is a liberal? Wrong forum though ;o.