I've been lurking around TMA on and off for years (though infrequently).
I'm a huge TM fan, dating back to TM1 (of course anything after TM2 is blasphemy). Played Black some, but not nearly as much as TM 1 & 2. I've been waiting for this game for years, and can't wait to put my PS3 to good use.
I can't believe Jaffe considered omitting SP! Thank God he came to his senses, because the game just wouldn't be the same without it.
A couple of questions I've been pondering:
I wonder if you'll able to play a MP mode, like deathmatch, against a friend (split-screen) without getting online or being on some kind of server? Just like the old days. Or will it be MP modes where you have a lobby and a minimum amount of other players?
Bottom line, I want to be able to play with a friend at the house, split-screen, and battle one on one. I also hope co-op in SP is included. Having the standard methods to play, ALONG with all the new and expanded online MP, is the direction to go IMO.
One thing I wanted to mention was the levels. The scope and complexity of the maps are f-ing nice. The board with all the skyscrapers, freeways, and rolling hills looks badass. Love the AI traffic and the road layout. Another thing I noticed right away was the sense of speed they created with the vehicles, which is a great addition for a car combat game.
Did Black have oil slicks or anything like that? Can't remember. I hope they bring them back with tire spikes (I loved these things in TM1). ;D
I guess you guys have discussed "ramming" ad nauseum, but if there is indeed some weight put back into ramming, then that is a tactic I would welcome. If I drive a slower, bigger vehicle, I want to deal out some damage when I hit someone and
feel it.
I've seen some people on Gametrailers bitch about graphics in the comments section, but I think they look fantastic. The framerate appears to be really smooth, even when there is a lot of action taking place. Particle effects look pretty tight, and power, homing, and fire missiles are recognizable but have a nice ambient glow (machine guns have the same quality). The vehicles seem to have the same arcadey TM2 handling and that's a good thing.
I kinda dislike the idea of perks, ranks, XP, etc. I guess being in my 30's now, maybe I'm just getting old and stubborn, but sometimes I like the gameplay to be simple, concise in its execution, and straight forward. Then again, I do like some features and aspects of a game to be deep and immersive. I'm also a big PC CoD fan, and I saw the whole perks and ranks thing take over the series. I suppose it depends on how this stuff is implemented and balanced into the game. If we have to unlock anything, I desire a system that rewards at a brisk pace, not something I have to play for 30 hours to obtain all the toys / abilities.
With my initial impressions, I think Jaffe & Campbell have done a great job bringing TM to a next-gen console. I just want ESP to remember the basics and include what any TM fan should expect, epic
local MP and SP. But I will say, the new online MP looks like it will be a blast.
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