580°

Ninja Theory dev on Hellblade II demo It's all real-time, no tricks

Hellblade II Audio Director David García says that the gameplay demo which the
team showcased at TGA is real gameplay without any tricks.

PrinceOfAnger1294d ago

A lot of people thought it was all CGi, maybe they didn't play the first game.

isarai1294d ago

I thought the reveal trailer wasn't real time, and looks like i was right cause this trailer doesn't look as good. Still looks amazing, but that reveal trailer was misleading, and a lot of people ate it up.

Lightning771294d ago

You should of done research because that's where your wrong.

https://gamingbolt-com.cdn....

The first trailer didn't show any gameplay just the graphics. So no character models running around or advanced physics at play just the world unlike the new trailer. I wouldn't call it any kind of downgrade, when Senua talks her mouth and teeth still have the same sync and detail like the first trailer. The fire has the same detail.

You sound very disappointed this was real in game trailer as you attempted to revert back to the original trailer as being fake in order to downplay. I guess you wanted it
to Be fake or something?

MadLad1293d ago

@lightning

They don't actually care about being right. They just want people to think they're right, so it downplays the showing.

bouzebbal1293d ago

It did look good but felt like a movie the only thing she was doing was throwing arrows

mkis0071293d ago

I mean it wasn't very interactive as far as intertwining gameplay systems go, but not all games need that kind of thing. Some games can just be art with interactive elements.

Babadook71293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

Yes. I agree with you. The character faces and lighting in the first "trailer" were too good to be true. DF agreed as well. This new one is good but no where near the top graphics of today.

gravedigger1292d ago

It is a clearly downgrade, especially in character design, little less in environments. First trailer was a real-time, so, it used a gameplay assets, so, yes, it is a downgrade!

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1292d ago
SeTTriP1293d ago

Why would they? the series x is more then capable of producing this type of fidelity in real time and the game is linear.

Godmars2901293d ago

But so linear and static gameplay can be mistaken as a cutscene?

Old McGroin1293d ago

@ Godmars290

Just started playing the first Hellblade a couple of days ago. It's a very linear, narrative led game, no HUD and looks fantastic. Having played it I had no problem believing the Hellblade 2 trailer was in real time. You should give it a go, it's a great game.

frostypants1293d ago

People apparently missed the Matrix tech demo, too.

Godmars2901292d ago

@frostypants:
And notice there's clear distinction about what is and isn't gameplay.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1292d ago
itsmebryan1293d ago

I think the game looked great even though I couldn't get in to the first one I will give it a try.

Also what happened to all those people that Unreal 5 could only run on PS5 because of it's "super fast SSD" . This game and Matrix awaken proves them wrong again. People really need to stop jumping to conclusions before they get all the facts and stop making things up.

dumahim1293d ago

I don't remember anyone saying UE5 would only run in PS5. That'd be shot down immediately. I don't think anyone thought Epic was going to make UE5 exclusive. Whether or not Xbox could run Lumen in the Land of Nanite could be up for debate though, since no one knows what HD speeds would be needed, especially for the last part when she's flying.

itsmebryan1291d ago

@dum
Look it up. When the first UE5 demo came out on on PS5 fans of PS5 were saying only the PS5's super fast SSD would be able to run UE5 as well. I tried to tell them that that made no sense and the UE5 was for all platforms. But, they told me I was wrong and downvoted me.

Look it up to see how silly fanboys can be.

Flewid6381293d ago

There are a lot of games they clearly haven't played.

FlavorLav011293d ago

It’s a “next-gen” linear walking Sim. It should look that good! Anything less would’ve been a disappointment after this much time.

itsmebryan1293d ago

@Flavor
"Walking sim"? I thought it had alot more going on than just "Walking ". Please explain.

FlavorLav011293d ago

@itsmebryan, based on the 1st game. We all know that combat was more than basic. Ryse son of Rome had “complex” gameplay compared to Hellblade. It’s a plague tale type game. Heavy on atmosphere, super light on actual combat and gameplay mechanics. Therefore, if it weren’t pretty it wouldn’t stand out. Graphics are what this game has going for it, just like the 1st game.

SPEAKxTHExTRUTH1293d ago

Have you played Hellblade 2 yet? You seem to have some inside info about the game.

Atom6661293d ago

That's not what a "walking sim" is though. Why does that get thrown around so much?

And the stand out feature from the first game was the audio more than the graphics. It was pretty, especially for its budget at the time, but that's not what made it special.

The bigger budget, resources, time, and power certainly is helping improve those graphics, though. I'm also excited to see that updated combat they've discussed. We haven't seen what all of this work produces yet:

"Melina Juergens, the actress who plays Senua, has also been training hard with Smiff, the swordmaster for Star Wars and Game of Thrones. The team is capturing every move, Senua and enemy AIs alike, via motion capture which gives the impression that they plan on making combat more complicated and realistic than it was in the last game."

Old McGroin1293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

@ FlavorLav01

Wouldn't say your description is accurate. The combat isn't basic as you say. There's light and heavy attacks as well as kick back/melee which can be mixed and matched for combos as well as dodging, blocking and parrying. You fight multiple foes together and get audio warnings from the voices in your head if an attack is incoming from behind etc. There's also your Focus mode and bosses for each area. So no, the combat isn't basic.

The meat of the game revolves around puzzles, most of which I've come across involve clever audio and visual clues to progress. On top of that, the graphics and voice acting are on another level.

Guessing you haven't played it because even though I'm only about half way through it I can see your description is way off.

Lightning771293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

I guess you hated The Order, Detroit, The Last Of Us, Death Stranding then?The games that Sony is heavily known for or is that different some how?

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1293d ago
CaptainHenry9161293d ago

Going to be waiting for a long time ⌛️ on this one https://www.techradar.com/n...

Godmars2901293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

All I'm hearing is that as a budget title the first Hellbalde was little more than an interactive graphic novel. That this sequel, while having access to more resources and UE5, isn't going to be much more.

And that regardless of that, the Xbox camp will defend it as only being ground breaking. Something that's been imposed upon if not promised by NT but never delivered.

Saranya1292d ago

If it were Sony games, "Oh it's must be realtime."

Godmars2901292d ago

If it were Sony, they'd not only have a reputation behind such claims, but like with the KZ2 demo from back in the day that later proved to be more mock up than actual gameplay, clear suggested indication of what was and wasn't gameplay. A graphical breakdown after the fact that further aimed for representative gameplay. Not just a dev saying it was real.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 1291d ago
darthv721294d ago

I could tell when it would shift from non-player controlled sequence to player controlled. Many expressed how it didnt seem like game play due to the lack of a targeting reticle or any sort of on screen hud / command queues. I figured for this slice, they just turned that off so you could focus more on all the details of the demo.

Obelisk921293d ago

To me it just looks like an in-engine trailer. Yeah it's real time, but I highly doubt it's actual gameplay, the camera is way too scripted.

Still looks very good of course.

Powerhug1293d ago

If you look closely you can see the transition between scripted events and the player taking control over the character. They sort of look like micro stutters.

Neonridr1293d ago

it was reported by one of the people at the studio that it was being played by a dev.

Jericho13371293d ago

We’ll the first game didn’t have a hud either.

jukins1293d ago

Only time that looked player controlled was the the running away from the troll. You could see a little hitch before the running started.

dumahim1293d ago

I think when she aimed to throw the spear was controlled as well since it seemed like the screen was locked to her aim. It was pretty short through since they didn't spend much time aiming.

oldenjon1293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

Wrong, this game is super basic. There is no hud because there is no complexity to the combat system. These games are just a vehicle for story, and the combat is only there for immersion. It's niche AF, first game was priced at $30 sold 1 million.... I don't know why people are getting so hyped or why Microsoft is trying to hype it so much. Also, the trailer is an in-engine story sequence with a few parts where you control movement. I doubt you control spear throwing but as you can see they're totally ineffective against the giant, and just part of the story anyways.

1nsomniac1293d ago

While you’re right about the second half of your comment the first half proves you’ve never actually played the first game.

oldenjon1293d ago

@1nsomniac care to tell me how the first half is wrong or how you would know I didn't play the first game?

wiz71911293d ago

Crazy thing the first game didn’t really have a HUD , unless it’s turned off by default

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1293d ago
ApocalypseShadow1294d ago

It's not impossible to see. Both consoles can display graphics at a level beyond cross gen games. We just need the shift to current consoles by developers a lot sooner. When that happens, graphics like this or better will just be common place just like every gen from first party engines. Even the third party Unreal Engine demos(plural) past and present, proved that.

CS71293d ago

100%. People are highly underestimating how much cross gen games are really holding us back.

The SSD is a complete game changer in video game design and yet we have to wait 2 years for it to be used consistently.

GOW2 and Horizon FW while I’m sure will be great I can help but imagine what it would have been like without cross-gen.

To all who are struggling to get a PS5 at MSRP. Go on Twitter and follow the PS5 supply drop accounts.
Turn on notifications. Immediately as they are posted go to the retailers site and order. You would get one within a week.

Flewid6381293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

Cross gen games holding what back? The Order came out a gazillion years ago and still looks like CGI. Death Stranding has photorealistic characters across all platforms, and it still runs at heightened framerates on stronger hardware.

Literally every modern Quantic Dream game since Beyond 2 Souls on PS3 look like this as well. Law of diminishing returns on visuals started last gen.

Teflon021293d ago

Horizon looks fantastic. GoW looks like the last game with more detail. But Horizon is a pretty big leap. They're just not using the same lense tricks as it's not needed in it. Personally I'd rather the artstyle they're using over photo realism. Hellblades style words for it since it's a mind game

AKS1293d ago

I spent months following supply drops with trackers and was up in the middle of the night for hours before I actually got a PS5, and that was in an expensive bundle. I started trying to grab one essentially the second the supply became available. Often websites just locked up and continuously loaded in the checkout/ shopping cart for 15 minutes, which is long after they were gone. I have a 1 Gbps connection. It wasn't something I was doing wrong. You were just very lucky if you got one within a week.

jukins1293d ago

Cross gen games dont hold back. . . Plenty of examples. . .Spiderman miles, forza horizon 5, horizon forbidden west all look amazing. .

Muigi1293d ago

Exactly and I wish people would stop defending them, just because they can’t get their hands on a next gen console.
Cross gen 100% holds back these consoles. Those old consoles are from 2013 with slow HDDs and cellphone cpu’s. Yes they’re are good looking games from the PS4 era, but its not just about visuals when we talk about the limitations the last gen brings.

CS71292d ago

To all who are saying oh the graphics look great on cross gen games.

YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT.

The SSD allows for exponentially different entire game structures.

For example lets say GG wanted to make a triple -layered city bustling with people in Horizon FW. The city would need to be structured in a way that gives the PS4 HDD enough time to load so they would need to build the city with repeating assets. There would be long elevator rides and winding roads to hide that the PS4 is loading. This seamless city cannot be built on PS4.

In Ragnarok, let’s say there was a 2,000 person army battle, with you flying over the fight and fighting a giant. Sorry! The PS4 can’t load all of that at the same time. So that idea would need to be scaled back to what the PS4 can handle and then just look pretty on PS5.

It is not just the graphics. It is so much more. Last gen is holding back nex gen.

iplay1up21292d ago

Thank you! I didn't know that!! Will give it a try! Luckily we have a temporary roommate. She is playing my Series X, and I am finally getting hands on with PS5. Both consoles are great!

I definitely will miss her PS5 when she is gone. Been looking all year for one. I will gladly take your advice!

Flewid6381287d ago

People will sit there and say cross gen games hold visuals back, while literally nothing next gen looks as good as games like TLOU2. lmao

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 1287d ago
walken71293d ago

Looked neat, but the constant screaming was overkill.

My_Name_is_Earl1293d ago

Right? Whisper when fighting a giant monster who is eating your friend.

Michiel19891293d ago

whisper in a battle? its a battle not a sexual encounter....

CrimsonWing691293d ago

@Michiel1989

I’m pretty sure that was his point…

My_Name_is_Earl1293d ago

My bad Michiel, I forgot some people have a hard time detecting sarcasm.

4Sh0w1293d ago

lol, that was a funny exchange but on another note I really like what their doing cinematically with this game....not every game has to appeal directly to me, I dont want to ruin it for the fans of the last game but I cant help but hope this one has more gameplay action for me. The graphics and story telling is phenomenal tho'.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1293d ago
Magog1293d ago (Edited 1293d ago )

Yeah that's gonna get old fast. If you've played any Ninja Theory game you know overacting is their signature.

HardKnockKid241292d ago

So stop playing their games?

Binarycode1293d ago

Kinda reminds me of The later Tombraiders grunts and such. Overkill. Did my head in.

My_Name_is_Earl1293d ago

Your kin here on N4G. Don't play daft.

MadLad1293d ago

The downplay mob of the usual sorts were really, really playing hard after the game awards.

mkis0071293d ago

How many are people with avatars that you see daily on here though. There are many throwaway accounts that only show up to fanboy for one side or another.

generic-user-name1293d ago

Nothing about this trailer made me think it wasn't gameplay, well 'gameplay'. The first trailer on the other hand, the one that supposedly showed off how strong the XSX is, yeah I'm not surprised that one wasn't real.

Show all comments (139)
60°

Rogue Trader producer reveals his dream project: a CRPG SCP game with an actual budget

Owlcat Games producer Anatoly Shestov reveals his dream project: an SCP game with Owlcat RPG flair and a proper budget.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
190°

While Layoffs Hit the Industry, Nintendo Retains 98% of Staff Including 78 With Disabilities

TNS: Based on its most recent ESG data, Nintendo boasts a remarkably low staff turnover rate of just 1.9%, with virtually no reported layoffs.

Read Full Story >>
thenerdstash.com
Jin_Sakai1d 23h ago

Because Nintendo makes great games.

Yesyes1d 1h ago

It’s unreal that people are downvoting this when they consistently have the best scoring games on metacritic.

1d 21h ago
rlow11d 20h ago

Well it doesn’t surprise me. As much money as they make and how they value their employees. It’s a great company in that regard.

1d 19h ago Replies(1)
drivxr1d 17h ago

Well, when your games remain full price many years after release.

And you make profit off of outdated hardware.

I would be shocked if they couldn't afford to retain their staff.

lodossrage1d 14h ago (Edited 1d 14h ago )

I didn't want to say anything but drivxr is right.

Nintendo always sells at a profit because they purposely use tech that's always 5 or more years behind. And it's also true their games hardly ever get price decreases.

Don't get me wrong, it's great they kept most of their workforce, but making a point to have your tech specs behind everyone else affords that luxury.

Darkegg1d 12h ago

I don’t think it’s their purpose to use old tech. It’s their purpose to make value of software and know their value. Nobody makes games like them that’s for sure. I just don’t appreciate their customer unfriendly policy.

It’s not impossible to take their status. Companies need to have a selection of 8-bit and 16-bit. Now imagine a split screen for 8 player game for SNES Mario kart and selling at $9.99. The problem is that it doesn’t make profit. So many companies won’t invest in “old” technology. Everyone guns for triple AAA modern technology software but honestly we can enjoy modernized 16-bit creative ideas that allows 8-player mayhem. It’s a pipe dream, possible but impossible.

Shane Kim1d 13h ago (Edited 1d 13h ago )

If they ended up kicking people out after all of that stated above, it would be truly shameful.

DivineHand1251d 8h ago

Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Tesla and Meta are all trillion dollar companies yet they are laying people off in large numbers.

I believe the reason Nintendo layoffs off less workers may be a result of their culture. It seems Japanese companies believe in giving their workers long term or life long employment opportunities and will exhaust all options before laying off workers. This is something we don't see much of in the west unfortunately.

Rdeal1d 2h ago

might be something to do with the fact all those companies hire more than 20x the employees than Nintendo

LoveSpuds1d 8h ago (Edited 1d 8h ago )

What the hell are you talking about? It has nothing to do with how profitable they are. Its completely cultural, MS and Sony make stacks of cash and still lay folks off. Nintendo chose not to lay off staff for the same reason their execs took pay cuts to increase staff pay instead; because they value their staff and view them as colleagues, and respect them as such.

If Sony weren't so US centric I fancy they'd fare better too, they should get shot of US and European leadership and go back to when Japanese execs were running the show if you ask me!

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170°

It Shouldn't Take Expedition 33's Success to Remind Square Enix That Turn-Based Still Sells

TNS: Expedition 33 was the wake-up call Square Enix needed, telling it turn-based RPGs are still popular, but that shouldn't have been the case.

Read Full Story >>
thenerdstash.com
Relientk774d ago

True, but if it does get it through their thick skulls, then that works.

Although, the Dragon Quest 1 + 2 HD remakes will be turn-based and (the worst kept secret) Final Fantasy IX remake should be turn-based I would imagine. Let's see if any newer games go turn-based too.

thorstein4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

DQIII HD Remake was turned based and very successful. Then there was a really obscure turn based game came Balder's Gate 3. I heard it might have done well.

Profchaos4d ago

I wouldn't be shocked if they switched ff to the vii remake combat system

PapaBop3d ago

It won't get through to them though, despite E33's success, they still won't risk going fully turn based for their big budget projects simply because they are still in the mindset that it needs to be action combat to appeal to the mainstream audience. I hope I'm wrong but don't underestimate just how stubborn Japanese execs can be

barom3d ago

Ya'll are hyping up Expedition 33 too much. Reminder that FF XVI sold 3 million in a week and it took Expedition 33 approximately a month to get to that (33 days to reach 3.3 million).

barom3d ago

1 platform vs 3 platforms
1 week vs 1 month

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3d ago
DivineHand1254d ago

While it is true that Sqaure Enix has moved away from turn based games compared to how they were in the past, there is a good reason for it.

Older gamers will know this but during the ps2 era, we were flooded with turned based games from Japanese studios and this created a form of fatigue back then going into the next generation.

When Square released FF13, they received heavy criticism for making the game turned based like every other FF game and not doing enough to innovate. This is why they made FF15, FF7 Remake and FF16 have real time combat. It gave the series a fresh spin and has brought in new fans to the series.

I personally would be happy with either turned based FF or the real-time combat version we see today.

Shane Kim4d ago

Remake and Rebirth have "turn based" if you set it in the settings.

Lexreborn24d ago

Dang wish I saw your post before I made mine because we definitely feel the same way lol

Profchaos4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Yeah hit the nail on the head but its like ww2 games we get hundreds of them then a decade of nothing and people start missing them i think we're going to start seeing them return

Claire, dragon quest even yakuza have seen turn based return

Runechaz3d ago

Every Pokémon game is also a Turn Base RPG.. and selling millions

andy854d ago

Only need to look at their own game DQ 11 approaching 10 million to show there's a market. And that's not as big of a name as FF

Runechaz3d ago

you can also look at the Pokemon game number

Tacoboto4d ago

Another article about Expedition 33 and Square Enix and turn-based games? This is starting to sound like propaganda.

The game didn't sell because it's a turn-based game; it sold and is enjoyed because it's a really freaking good game that released completed at a good price without gamer drama attached to it. No Mtx, no wait-until-it's-patched, minimal bloat, a self-contained story, no multiplatform BS. Just a solid original game that absolutely nails what it intended to do.

Redemption-644d ago

I was just about to say the same thing.

anast4d ago

This comment should have a 100 upvotes, at least.

CrimsonWing694d ago

Maybe try actually listening to the fans who have supported the series for decades. This habit of ignoring your core audience just to chase people who were never interested in Final Fantasy in the first place makes no sense. And when that approach fails, doubling down on it is beyond baffling.

The battle system has never been the main reason non-FF or non-JRPG players stayed away. Gutting the series’ identity to chase a broader market doesn’t attract new players. It just alienates the loyal ones.

Keep going down this road and we’ll end up with Final Fantasy Fortnite abomination or a F2P Battle Royale game.. Oh wait…

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