Mon, Jun 23, 2008 | 14:49 BST
Jaffe: Make Spider-Man: Web of Shadows more interesting
David Jaffe, ex-director of God of War, has told Shaba Games, the firm behind upcoming Spider-Man game, Web of Shadows, to add variety to the title’s missions. As you do.
Speaking on his blog, Jaffe asked for developer to ditch the “open sandbox” system, saying that the variations of the basic mission types on offer were “pretty dull”, broken up only by the occasional boss battle or unique mission.
In an accurate piece of criticism about the recent games, he opined that Spider-Man should be all about the powers, and that Shaba should concentrate more on the story and characters.
The full blog entry can be read here.
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Posted in: Action, Activision Blizzard, Development
Tags: david jaffe, shaba games, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
12 comments
#1
pjmaybe
23/06/08, 2:54 pm
Couldn’t agree with him more. As I’ve said in 2 Marvel game reviews now, the problem is the “generic sandbox” approach to the games – not the actual material therein.
The Hulk (the most recent Marvel game example) is reasonably promising while the main mission stuff’s going on, but because of the scope of New York and the sheer size of the place, it soon becomes a tired gaming experience because in between bouts of main mission madness (repetitive main missions at that) you’ve got really pissy crap side missions that are supposed to give you more to play with.
Same went for the last few Spidey titles. I’m with Jaffe. Ditch the sandbox for sandbox’s sake, and get on with constructing a decent level-based single player narrative led game.
#2
patlike
23/06/08, 2:58 pm
I find it quite amazing that no one’s made a proper triple-A game based on a Marvel license. The material’s gold, surely?
#3
Blerk
23/06/08, 3:02 pm
Well, they don’t seem to be able to make a triple-A movie based on a Marvel license, so I guess gaming’s got no chance!
#4
pjmaybe
23/06/08, 3:03 pm
X-Men 1 almost says you’re wrong Blerk. Almost.
#5
Psychotext
23/06/08, 3:06 pm
You spend all the money on the license… f’all left for the game. Besides that, it doesn’t matter – they’ll sell like hotcakes anyway and even if it was good the hardcore gamers would assume it’s shit anyway.
#6
pjmaybe
23/06/08, 3:11 pm
He’s right.
On a related note, I wonder if Jaffe bakes little orangey-chocolate cakey biscuit type things and puts his name to ‘em.
Y’know, calls them David cakes…
#7
Psychotext
23/06/08, 3:17 pm
/groans
#8
pjmaybe
23/06/08, 3:38 pm
You can tell it’s a slow afternoon
#9
Enkeixpress
23/06/08, 5:10 pm
What the fuck…?
Hell no. Keep it Open-world. This is Next-gen people.. Not PS1 age.
#10
pjmaybe
23/06/08, 5:13 pm
Yes but devs still fill their “this gen” open worlds with PS1 levels of content!
#11
wz
23/06/08, 5:52 pm
Hmm, I really liked the “old days” (as opposed to “next-gen”) when games had to be fun first.
As someone said, fuck a concept which is used just for it’s own sake.
#12
ecu
23/06/08, 5:53 pm
I like the sandbox, they just need to fill it with better content. Swinging around New York in Spiderman 2 on the PS2 was sublime, but there wasn’t much else in way of a game there. They just need to fill it with better content.