No Combat Modes Should be a Standard Game Feature

On September 27, the official Ubisoft Blog announced that Assassin’s Creed Origins would include a “discovery mode” that would allow the player to explore the game’s Ancient Egypt without any combat or difficulty.

[Summons75]

Maybe old news but I'm just finding out about this. This Discovery mode is probably the first thing that has me interested in Origins. None of the trailers or demos have really grabbed me and I still have yet to see how it's an Assassin's Creed game.

[leftstick]

It’s something that I really want to get my hands on. I really like Egyptian hystory, so hopefully this is great.

[ziggurcat]

"No Combat Modes Should be a Standard Game Feature"

No, it shouldn't.

[LP-Eleven]

Agreed. Every game is different and this doesn't need to become a trend. It's a nice little addition to Origins, but it shouldn't be contagious.

[BlacKJesu5]

.Thank you....gaming is starting to get wack and this would take it over the top

[yomfweeee]

LOL. Nice feature for those who want, but standard? Ridiculous.

[TheVetOfGaming]

Streetfighter 6: no fighting.

Yes...

[mopground]

game journalist mode

[LeeU]

I think to have it as a mode is fine. It's not forcing you to play that mode so, in my opinion, it does no harm really. Much like discovery tour, those who want that type of experience will appreciate it and those who can care less will avoid it.

[leftstick]

That’s kind of what I was thinking. It’s not going to work for any kind of multiplayer, though.

[LeeU]

yeah like I don't think it works in every instance but at the very least it's something that can be considered, added, and it wouldn't harm base gameplay experience. I personally don't care too much for discovery tour, I 'm in it more so for the action and adventure that surrounds being an assassin. With that said I don't mind that mode being available, let's say, for a younger sibling or even for someone who isn't great at stealthy combat but would love to enjoy the landscape/history of ancient Egypt in this case.

[meka2611]

It's not a game then, it's just a barely interactive movie then. If you don't like gameplay, don't play games. You can always look up let's play's if you don't want to game.

[BenjaMan64]

Huh. I guess this is an evolution of the "No Random Encounters" feature that JRPGs have had for a while now.

Cool for some, I guess. I'll admit there are times when I just want to look for stuff in games, and I have to deal with unwanted enemy attention. Not all games should have it, though... or at least, it shouldn't be unlockable too early in the game.

[leftstick]

I just think it would be good for people who wouldn’t normally play games. More sales is good, right?

[STK026]

I think a no combat mode can be interesting. But obviously it only works with certain games. So to say that it should be a standard feature is pushing it. I can only think of a few games in the last decade where exploring the world with no combat would have been interesting.

[Chaosdreams]

A standard?

*Imagines a Call of Duty match, where everyone just jumps around and converses about politics, wine and fine dining.*

[drunkenspy007]

This concept, and article, is completely idiotic. Just want the cut scenes in a video game? It's called watching a movie or show.

[Darkwatchman]

It's called exploring an environment yourself as opposed to being at the mercy of exactly what a director wants to show you and when

[nitus10]

These type of games are commonly called Walking Simulators which is great for people who like those type of games although they do have a tendency to get very boring unless you need to pick up items and/or solve puzzles.

The problem (IMHO) with Walking Simulators is that they are normally short (a few hours) and once you have finished there is no great incentive to restart the game although there are a few games of this ilk that have some replayability.

At least Walking Simulators get you to interact with the game while movies just require the viewer to passively watch and no matter how many times you watch the same movie nothing will change.

[ILostMyMind]

Combat Mode = DLC
- Ubisoft

[TheTimeDoctor]

Haha

[Princess_Pilfer]

The debate about wether or not games are art is stupid. The answer is yes, if you think otherwise, you're a moron. It's that simple. Is it used to express ideas and is it a creative medium? Yes? Art. Done. Advocating any feature based on "the debate about wether or not games are art" is fundamentally off base.

Also, no, it should not be a standard feature. A feature of some games sure. But just as books and movies use the written language and the language of cinimatography to express ideas, so do games use gameplay and often specifically, conflict or combat. You cannot simply remove them without also removing those ideas, potentially radically altering the ideas of a game or the construction necessary to convey that idea, not to mention the ideas it doesn't convery on it's own, but instead enhances.

For example, The Last of Us with no combat is half a game. The wobbely aim is specifically intended to communicate the humanity and imperfections of the characters, the encounters with infected specifically intended to highlight the dangers of the world and work in tandem with the narrative pacing and a difficulty curve to provide appropriate senses of tension, the inhumanity of other humans, the progression of Joel and Ellies bond, the paranoia of Bill, both the weakness and competence of Ellie as an individual.

As a very specific example, when people complain that a game is too easy they don't just mean it's not a challenge, often (especially in story focused games) they mean it's too easy *to be tense.* The bossfight with a bloater and zombie hoard pair has narrative, thematic impact undercut if you breeze through it, which actively detracts not just from the gameplay, but *also* from the narrative.

That's not even getting into that not only do books and movies and paintings and music also have languages you have to understand to fully appreciate, but that just like games, some are more difficult than others. Sure sometimes the author is just showing off, but often it's absolutely necessary. If you don't understand that a cut in a movie indicates a different time and place, you're going to be confused pretty quickly in modern movies (and once upon a time, people actually didn't know that sort of thing.) If you don't understand concepts like Newtonian gravity, escape velocity, you don't understand how anything in The Martian works, or why the spaceship is shaped the way it is, or how those people appear to be waling around with full gravity in outer space. Sure the movie tries to explain some of it, but it's not like it has time to cram all the pre-requisite knowledge into it. Just as in these things, some games (Darkest Dungeon, Dark Souls) have pre-requisite knowledge levels to understand and interact with properly. So do ultra hard core 2d platformers, and racing simulators, and space simulators and most every other game. That's all 100% ok. Some people, through no fault of their own, are simply incapable of or are unwilling to put the effort into understanding Newtonian gravity. That doesn't mean we have an opt-out version of a book or movie that doesn't rely on people understanding that concept, because then the core struggles of the thing don't make any sense. It means people learn it, or they don't get as much out of it as they could. That's fine.

[GameReviewGuy]

I really hope this doesn't become a trend in games. I would rather the developers to put the time and effort into modes that are more meaniful especially in a time where so much content is already being cut to add in as DLC later. If you want to watch but not play the game watch it on YouTube instead. Also, there are games out there with no combat modes already and it's called Madden... go play that instead.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

For anyone who has played Assassin's Creed, it already has a 'Discovery Mode.' It's just called 'Start New Game.' I guess this is cool for people who specially want it in this specific game, but calling for this as standard? Please stop. This is just getting silly now. I wouldn't be surprised if there are people who actually support those ideas from a few years ago about buying games in parts and literally paying to unlock the end of the game.

[steven83r]

Damn what's with people taking this as a personal attack. This is actually pretty cool. You are not forced to use it. But i for one would like to explore the Pyramids or some tombs without trespassing or having to fight and hide. Obviously this doesn't work for all games. Quite a few racing games have similar modes called free roam or free drive or whatever. Sometimes you just want to explore.

[Psychotica]

Seems like just adding a "God" mode so you can't die would accomplish the same thing.

[gbsrnctaln]

Every game needs a safespace.

[kevnb]

Sounds boring, but if it makes some people happy...

[rhett]

That is one of the dumbest articles i've ever read.

[NordicRainy]

No. Enough already with this stupidity.

[xtheblackparade]

Not all games allow for such a mode, so it won't become standard. However, it can be a pretty fun mode for games that do allow either combat or no combat approaches. I always had a lot of fun in MGS by tranqing people and sneaking around, granted this is debatable, more like violence without combat.

[Soulrakk]

Actually did NOT know about this. This is fantastic for me as I'm a history nut. Ancient Egypt is one of the most fascinating times in human history. Cannot wait to explore those pyramids.

[OpenGL]

If you don't want to play a video game watch TV or pick up a fucking book.

[Dragonscale]

Sorry but hate walking sims lol.

[FernDiggidy]

Stupid ass article