'Real' Next-Gen Games - Your choices

pboreham

pboreham

Kick. Snare. Hat. Ride.
5 August 2002
C*lchester
Southend Utd
I know we have kinda touched on this before, but lets have some names of games you consider next-gen.

Dont have to have the best graphics, cinematics etc. Whats the 'feel' of next-gen for you?

For me, surprising choice probably, but its "MLB 08: The Show". Before everyone canes me, hear me out!

"The Show" to me IS next-gen as it offers over and above what could be done old-gen. The amount that has been crammed onto the BluRay is nothing short of incredible.

* Hours of commentary - which helps keep the game fresh
* Individual commentary for hundreds and hundreds of players. Ditto above
* Crowd chants specific to players
* Superb graphics
* Crowd reactions specific to situation (i.e. if you are losing at home, fans drift away before the end of the game).
* More animations than in any game I've ever seen. Each player virtually has their own (true to them IRL) animation.
* True TV Style presentation
* Massive career modes
* Make your own playlists with MP3s
* Highlight reel of EVERY play ever played - searchable.
* Streaming news, commentary and graphical real-time displays of live MLB games.


Just goes on and on. The little touches in the game are incredible and that to me sums up Next-Gen and what I've been calling out for. Not just improving graphics to match the hardware, but leaving the gameplay as it was in 1995.

For me, Next-Gen is about using that extra horse-power to enhance a gaming experience, not just the audio and visual. And thats what "The Show" does.

Shame it has to be imported as I doubt many people (over here) will ever get to see or play it (I would recommend renting even if you dont like Baseball!), but even if you just hunt it down on YouTube, I recommend experiencing this game!

I'd probably put Gran Turismo 5p in and around this area too. Glad some real next-gen games are beginning to be realised!
 
FIFA 08 The Graphics are awesome yet theres simply no way they could have made the gameplay engine on the oldgen.
 
Great post pboreham i agree completely about the nextgen stuff. Still haven't played the show though. About fifa 08, i dont think it is 'real' next gen.
 
YoungGun_UK said:
FIFA 08 The Graphics are awesome yet theres simply no way they could have made the gameplay engine on the oldgen.
Click to expand...

Think in theory thats true - but for all the talk of the 'new physics engine' which sounded impressive on paper, it doesnt really transfer 100% to the game.

For example, PES6 is more fun and feels more enjoyable as a football match.

Maybe FIFA09.

What would be great is the presentation of The Show in FIFA. You really have to experience how fluid the presentation, commentary, player commentary is etc. Its very, VERY rarely repeated.

I turned FIFA's commentary off in the end as whilst at the start it was good, when you hear the same comment over and over in a match, or about a player it just grates.

I'd even take some organic commentary in FIFA - i.e. if a player is quick (denoted by his stats), then use some generic commentary lines to mix it up -

"Here is the speedy...."

"Now X has the ball, with pace to burn..."

"X are in trouble now, Y has the ball - and he IS quick"

Etc

Its really not that hard to do and it doesnt have to be player (i.e. by name) specific...
 
embraceuk1 said:
Bioshock
COD4
Click to expand...

As good as COD4 is, it hasnt got any innovations. Some levels graphics are stunning, but its not really got the next-gen innovation (i think).

Not really played Bioshock aside from the demo. Again, that looked like a generic FPS - albeit a nice looking one. Anything in that to stand it apart as a next-gen title?
 
NBA 2K8/NBA Live 08 - a true next-gen game.

These games have moved on so much since the PS2/Xbox. The gameplay is so lifelike with signature dunks, lifelike skill moves and seamless dribbling of the ball it all adds to the next-gen experience. They also employ next gen features such as foot-planting and increased player AI e.g. the eyes follow the ball and there's much more awareness of other players on the court.

NBA 2K8 is one of my favourites so far on the PS3.

Here's a video demonstration of how NBA Live 07 has moved on since the PS2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zQSWOTS3Gw

NBA 2K8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxh0V2ZW6w8

NBA2K5 on the Old Xbox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvsIbq4Isio
 
Last edited:
Yup, thats the kinda thing MJ! Using all the next-gen power, not just to delivery great graphics (which is lazy and should be a given nowdays), but to use the power for things like eye-tracking of the ball.

The little details that immerse you in the game!

Gold star :D
 
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue : Graphism are stunning, playability a bit under but still better than gt4, also number of cars on the same tracks (16) make it impossible to do on old system.

Forza2 : Graphism + playability is awesome, management of the 4 different wheel and the different settings are awesome, online + offline multiplayer is nice too, add to that the fact that you can have up to 5 xbox to make a real cockpit connected and you have a perfect next gen game.

Assassin creed : Seize of the city you can visit without loading + the graphic are crazy.



and I'm sure I forgot some games.

Also one things I hate in most next gen game is that there isnt any possiblity to play at 2 player at the same place, like burnout is totaly no fun for me now because I used to do it with a friend and we had lots of fun, now we can't even play together unless he buy a ps3 or xbox and go online, that's freaking stupid.
 
Last edited:
You missing the point with graphics.
Next Gen is always about graphics and the power to allow these graphics to allow for movement and regeneration without glitching or Lag.

COD4 and Bioshock have amazing Next Gen graphics but its not just a pretty picture that doesnt move, they allow the player to interact with them.
Every COD in essence is the same game idea for the PS2-PS3-PS4
 
embraceuk1 said:
You missing the point with graphics.
Next Gen is always about graphics and the power to allow these graphics to allow for movement and regeneration without glitching or Lag.

COD4 and Bioshock have amazing Next Gen graphics but its not just a pretty picture that doesnt move, they allow the player to interact with them.
Every COD in essence is the same game idea for the PS2-PS3-PS4
Click to expand...

...which is why there is no 'next-gen' innovation for COD4. Its the same game as all the old generic FPS's.

What feature in COD4 beside the graphics (which whilst excellent in places - "All Ghillied Up" is breathtaking, quite bland in others) couldnt be done in other CODs?

I'd say the helicopter mission would struggle on any oldgen system (the black & white one where you are shooting people by heat signal) - but apart from that, it is a very generic FPS.

I'm not bashing COD4 - I love it and play it alot, but it does nothing 'outside' the box.
 
Good comments guys but as pboreham says it's not just about graphics. Fair enough there is added realism to your gameplay, but games like GT5 and COD4 have yet to really revolutionise the genre. Don't get me wrong they are great games and have fantastic multi-player modes but we've seen it all before, it just now looks a bit sweeter. Also COD4 single-player was a joke really I completed it the day it came out. What did they do with the rest of the disc?

At it's core it has to be next-gen. Next-gen for me means a total overhaul in gameplay, something revolutionary. For example, games like The Show and NBA Live 08 have completely overhauled the game physics. Players behave in their own independent ways, there is depth to gameplay with added realism and simulation and an abundance of modes/achievements setting them apart from other games. I feel that these games have really utilised the potential of next gen gaming.

I believe FIFA has the ability to be a great next gen game. Like the two games above FIFA is working on a completely different system at it's core for next-gen, but things still need to be honed for it to be truly realistic and revolutionary. UEFA Euro 2008 has improved the game quite a bit, lets just hope FIFA 09 builds on this and brings us a truly next-gen game revolutionising the football genre.

My two cents
 
IMO COD4 is not remotely close to real next gen, still has same old design of last gen games, narrow corridor gameplay, scripted AI, forced choke points, spawning AI, all last gen, only the graphics and sound could be called next gen.

Of the games I've played I'd have to say Fifa08 and Assassins Creed (despite their flaws) are the closest to real next gen, GTA4 could be the first real next gen game I own as it seems to have really built on from the last gen versions and includes things such as the Euphoria physics engine that should make a big difference to the look and feel of the game :)
 
Placebo said:
IMO COD4 is not remotely close to real next gen, still has same old design of last gen games, narrow corridor gameplay, scripted AI, forced choke points, spawning AI, all last gen, only the graphics and sound could be called next gen.

Of the games I've played I'd have to say Fifa08 and Assassins Creed (despite their flaws) are the closest to real next gen, GTA4 could be the first real next gen game I own as it seems to have really built on from the last gen versions and includes things such as the Euphoria physics engine that should make a big difference to the look and feel of the game :)
Click to expand...

Totally agree about COD4.

GTA IV will be next gen on gameplay im pretty sure Euphoria engine going to take it to whole new level.
 
Yea, it will come down to the Euphoria engine.

If its just graphical enhancements again, then sure it will be great, but the core gameplay will be the same as GTA on PS2 and even PSP.

Hopefuly Euphoria will lift next-gen games to the next level and with GTA and Backbreaker in particular, this could start the revolution of more lifelike AI - and hence, "Nextgen" gaming - not just a 'pretty-face', but the personality to match!
 
Big generational leaps, which it sounds like people are trying to find, are pretty much a thing of the past. Everything in general looks fantastic on consoles these days, I would actually struggle to find a game which looked "bad".

Pretty graphics are great, but for me the absolute biggest improvement in gaming is....sound design. Not only with the quality and clarity of the audio, but the way's in which it is implemented. An example would be the sound design in Halo 3. Hearing gunfire from a distant battle is an absolutely awesome way to pull you into the environment.

Which brings me to my point. The technology under the covers to drive the cutting edge graphics or sound is truly what deserves to be labeled as next-gen, not the games themselves as they are a product of that technology.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom