Guacamelee

[bVork]

I'm actually not, it's pretty cool how uppercuts and slams and such are both effective in combat and used for exploration.

[MechDeus]

Cool much in the same way that a game uses buttons for control, sure.

I guess I just find it weird that you consider a standard thing of the past like twenty years or so in games to suddenly be impressive.

[bVork]

I can't think of any games that have done it as effectively as Guacamelee. I mean, I guess there's that Mega Man bullshit where you can use certain weapons to break barriers or create stepping stones, but that has nothing on Guacamelee.

[Hero]

I think I get what you mean...

In a game like Metroid, you get stuff that feels like an ability, an attack, but never a strong balance of the two. Missiles are great weapons that are just arbitrary keys. Same with different beams. Super bombs are good at clearing debris, but kinda unintuitive to employ in a fight. In that sense, Guacamelee seems (?) to balance the attack/ability qualities - each one feels equal parts useful in getting to places and smacking dudes around. Something like that?

[bVork]

Exactly! When you get a new ability, your mind wanders off onto two different tangents... "I see how I could integrate this into my combos!" and "I see how I can use this to reach new places by timing it correctly (in addition to the overly obvious colour coded doors)." For instance, the uppercut acts as a launcher in combat, but also works as a sort of double jump - using it mid-air gives you just enough height to reach new platforms.

[Changeling]

BVork is doing a good job explaining things!

This game also does a good job of making you feel like a badass towards the end of the game when you have all your powers. The game isn't about exploring a map as much as it is about the combat and traversal of the world. That's where the game really shines.

[A Robot Bit Me]

Well great now I want to buy this game I was sure I hated yesterday.

[Diff-chan]

Don't listen to bVork.

[MechDeus]

Exactly! When you get a new ability, your mind wanders off onto two different tangents... "I see how I could integrate this into my combos!" and "I see how I can use this to reach new places by timing it correctly (in addition to the overly obvious colour coded doors)." For instance, the uppercut acts as a launcher in combat, but also works as a sort of double jump - using it mid-air gives you just enough height to reach new platforms.

Using uppercuts as a double-jump has been around since forever, not to mention attacks as air control, dashing/sliding attacks being used in the air to explore, the infamous grappling hooks being used to both get around and throw enemies around, and so on. ChainDive is the only thing popping in my head right this minute that did all that stuff forever ago but I know there's older games that had those mechanics as well.

I get that you like how it works in that game, but it's neither remotely new nor impressive to have it.

In a game like Metroid, you get stuff that feels like an ability, an attack, but never a strong balance of the two. Missiles are great weapons that are just arbitrary keys. Same with different beams. Super bombs are good at clearing debris, but kinda unintuitive to employ in a fight. In that sense, Guacamelee seems (?) to balance the attack/ability qualities - each one feels equal parts useful in getting to places and smacking dudes around. Something like that?

Sounds like you've never seen a good player tackle Super Metroid.

[James]

I think you may not be aware of a recently announced strong contender for that title.

I'm actually kind of cautiously optimistic for that. It's by Radiangames, and they've been on the verge of doing something really great for a while now.

James