ES4: Oblivion
Okay, I've been getting kinda peeved because I've been asking about how free-form Oblivion is, and been getting no response, no matter where I ask. I would have to be a fool to say that Morrowind was a bad game... it just wasn't for me. I gave it multiple tries, and each time just couldn't get into it. It was too free-form. You weren't just given choices, you could do ANYTHING. And from my experiences you could go pretty much anywhere... and from what I remember, other than other humanoids you could kill almost anything really early... so the restrictions on what you did were pretty much non-existent from my memory (and I would usually play a mage-fighter, so if something was strong to swords, it would die to my fireball or something like that...)
Now I'm not saying that it should be purely guided, like most Japanese RPGs are, but with either a better method of limiting where you go (much akin to how most MMOs have monsters that are insanely hard if you are not equal or higher level than the creature) or a more solid goal and reward system (like Fable where the rewards aren't just items, but the ability to go to new zones for doing certain story quests). I've found a lot of similarities between myself and Tycho of Penny Arcade fame, and this is one of them... http://www.penny-arcade.com/2006/03/08#1141805940 read his bit about GalCiv 2. One quote sums it up: "What I'm saying is that my own peculiarities turn those features into a kind of mental cul-de-sac, and by the time I've escaped them, I usually don't return." and it's true.
Another thing I just realized that was a fault of Morrowind was the lack of a strong early storyline (or maybe I just missed it). From what I remember, the intro was this dream prophecy thing, that basically said "You're the chosen one" and then you were on your own in a dumpy town. From there you went, either by foot, or by water-strider...thing... to the next major town where you talked to some balding guy who really didn't clear up the storyline, and told you you were kinda a spy type thing, but not really, and to do other stuff, not really relating to the storyline AND BY THE GODS WHY AM I HERE? WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING? ... Yeah that was usually about as far as I got. >.>
So final thing... is Oblivion better? Can someone either describe it or at least direct me to a really good review of this game? My interest is piqued, but I'm not about to go drop 50 bucks for a game that I may totally hate.
Now I'm not saying that it should be purely guided, like most Japanese RPGs are, but with either a better method of limiting where you go (much akin to how most MMOs have monsters that are insanely hard if you are not equal or higher level than the creature) or a more solid goal and reward system (like Fable where the rewards aren't just items, but the ability to go to new zones for doing certain story quests). I've found a lot of similarities between myself and Tycho of Penny Arcade fame, and this is one of them... http://www.penny-arcade.com/2006/03/08#1141805940 read his bit about GalCiv 2. One quote sums it up: "What I'm saying is that my own peculiarities turn those features into a kind of mental cul-de-sac, and by the time I've escaped them, I usually don't return." and it's true.
Another thing I just realized that was a fault of Morrowind was the lack of a strong early storyline (or maybe I just missed it). From what I remember, the intro was this dream prophecy thing, that basically said "You're the chosen one" and then you were on your own in a dumpy town. From there you went, either by foot, or by water-strider...thing... to the next major town where you talked to some balding guy who really didn't clear up the storyline, and told you you were kinda a spy type thing, but not really, and to do other stuff, not really relating to the storyline AND BY THE GODS WHY AM I HERE? WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING? ... Yeah that was usually about as far as I got. >.>
So final thing... is Oblivion better? Can someone either describe it or at least direct me to a really good review of this game? My interest is piqued, but I'm not about to go drop 50 bucks for a game that I may totally hate.