The Naughty Dog Pass

What started as a humble two-man indie team previously known as Jam Software in the 80’s has blossomed into one of the most critically and commercially successful game studios of all time. They now go by Naughty Dog (ND). So cherished is their name that I surmise some may be persuaded to use it as a synonym for “polished.” Just the mere rumor of their next project excites gamers across every ocean. “Naughty Gods” (sometimes spelt “Godz”) is a term you’ll see bandied across game forums. But such worship can become grating when squawked whilst disregarding legitimate grievances.

To preface this—which bothers me that I feel the need to preemptively consider, know that despite communicating such complaints I’m still a fan. Having not grown up with a Playstation in my household until being gifted a PS2 slim in high school (after PS3’s release), ND games were go-to titles whenever at my friends’ house. I believe their lineup between Crash 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Jak II to be one of the best quality streaks of any studio. I would use the term ‘Midas Touch’ for that period, but settling for gold would do a disservice to my enthusiasm of them during that timeline. Is there a Midas Touch equivalent for platinum?!?! There should be with that kind of a streak! Sadly, I thought they hit a small slump between Jak II and Uncharted 2. Other things worth noting to give myself some self-aggrandizing fan credentials:

-I’ve watched their 30th Anniversary documentary, Grounded: Making of The Last of Us, and their behind-the-scenes videos for the Uncharted games.

-Jak II is currently among one of my all-time favorite games.

-Their games were the final hurdle in convincing me to finally own a PS3; in fact, I just HAD to try out the Uncharted 2 beta back in the day which resulted in me buying one.

-They’re the first developer I dedicated to reviewing all of their core work from a console generation (1) (2) (3) (4) (5).

Seems like there’s not much to muck about, right? Well…consider my last point brought up. Part of my perceived slump with ND included the likes of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune; which did not sit well with some. I stand by how I felt about it at the time—though I wish I went a bit deeper into my critique in some areas; at the same time, I firmly reserve my later opinion of believing myself to be quite forgiving in my scores of both Uncharted 1 and 3, as briefly mentioned in a retrospective blog about UC3’s storytelling flaws (6). And that’s crucial to consider: forgiveness.

It always came off as surprising to see myself so critical of their recent games whilst game critics seemed to eat them up (7) (8) (9), especially when they seemed to be tougher on them before (10) (11). And whenever someone decides to get very critical, it’d be met with childish responses (12) (13) (14). I know we’re in the realm of arguing opinions here—which I hope to see your perspectives shared in the comment section below, but I could never shake the feeling of an overly-compensatory aura ND appeared to have just on brand alone. There’s no doubt they crafted some of the most technically-proficient games of that generation; and in an era when Greg-Miller-esque cheerleaders were so commonplace perhaps that was enough for them. For me: there was a conspicuous design focus that got to me in some of their 7th-gen games few professional critics bothered to discuss, much less decry.

“Big deal,” you may be thinking, “so they got a bunch of panegyrics with many of their recent games.” I get it. Opinions have a habit of not agreeing with you. This was more of a tangential rant that’s been on my mind for some time. But while many reading this may disagree with my personal assessment of how they’ve been treated critically there’s ample justification to criticize how they’ve handled their recent releases from a consumerist perspective.

The best way to start this would be grabbing a quote from an Infinity Ward (IW) employee, Eric Monacelli, on DLC/Micro-transactions:

“A lot of people thought 'Why are they charging for guns?' We did the research and noticed that a lot of players were having trouble jumping into the game for the first time, so we wanted to give people a weapon that was easily accessible and would give them a bit of a leg-up. There were other weapons if they were a more experienced player that they could buy – it's up to them. If you're already kicking a**, you probably don't need these, but if you want 'em, have 'em. It's just a matter of personal preference. There are hot debates around this all the time in the office, because everybody's got their own opinion. For me, the more thought that's put into DLC, the more you should be able to charge for it, because it's one of those things where you're creating another game unto itself.”

Don’t quotes like that make you want to shake your fist at Activision, IW, and Monacelli for this mentality? Well, turns out I wasn’t being completely honest before. The full quote from this guy is actually reminiscing on the Burst Rifle DLC in the The Last of Us when working at Naughty Dog (15). Still frustrated, right? Fact is ND’s had a rocky relationship with handling multiplayer for each of their games released in this decade; not strictly on the basis of map design or modes but rather monetary infiltration.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End would—sadly—be the least flagrant with the implementation of a Season Pass + micro-transaction structure. Fortunately, all future maps and modes were promised to be free of charge, with the only non-cosmetic DLC to be paid, either individually or in Season Pass, would be a standalone single-player expansion now known as “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.” UC4’s lead multiplayer designer has given the tired circumlocution of focusing on how these microtransactions are cosmetic and yada, yada, yada (16). As I’ve said in the past (17), this is a complicated situation. Mentally balancing the trade-off of free maps & modes for insidious F2P tactics is frustrating. I’m not comfortable with the situation either. But can we at least find a balance of being—at least—slightly bothered by this instead of outright defending it (18)? Also: what does it say about ND’s god-like status when they’re following the same kind of insidious AAA trends?

The Last of Us is a nastier can of worms. Let’s focus on the PS3 version first. When I got around to playing multiplayer, there was a healthy smattering of cosmetic DLC’s behind a paywall. Since I decided early on I wanted the Season Pass, I specifically remember getting The Enforcer pistol for free. Maybe another weapon as well? I can’t recall for certain. It was definitely grating to see a Season Pass, both map packs behind a paywall, AND a boatload of purchasable cosmetics. “Alright,” I thought to myself, “getting…a bit overwhelmed with all of these micro-payments but I’ll just focus on the gameplay, shank some enemies, and have fun.” So I just dealt with not unlocking some cool cosmetics. Easy to do when it’s my most-enjoyed ND multiplayer yet.

Next thing you know TLOU Remastered is announced and people are going nuts for it. Since I paid for TLOU (PS3) I figured I’d wait for a sale. Sale comes along for…either ten or fifteen dollars and I take the plunge. Haven’t played it yet, but decide to see what DLC they have in stock—hopefully some neat avatars, completely oblivious to all the particulars included in the remastered version: “Alright. Store’s loaded up. Search T-H-E-L…select TLOU Remastered. Now let’s see what little bit of DLC they have in stor- OH MY GOODNESS!

*Cue dramatic music*

https://store.playstation.c...

*Faint*”

Really? So you mean to tell me despite being a commercial smash hit, there being an initial sixty-dollar price point—conveniently lowered to fifty after E3 and…a certain remaster announcement from the competition (19), pre-order bonuses (20), AND a new string of F2P elements in the form of newer weapons and perks (21)? All of this makes me want to just stick with solely replaying the campaign. While I didn’t mind that first batch of DLC weapons in the PS3 version, some in this second batch have been reported by players as being overpowered (22). Heck, according to Monacelli’s rationale quoted above, ALL purchasable weapons should be considered overpowered. ND’s best multiplayer blemished by avarice!

Such tactics could’ve been predicted with the way ND handled competitive MP in Uncharted 3 as time went on. To preface this: I’m stressing the focus on competitive MP in UC3 because I absolutely adored the cooperative stuff, so much to the point where that’s the real reason I kept coming back. As time went on, they kept adding stuff to UC3’s competitive to the point of being fruitless. That bottom was hit when it went free-to-play (23), bringing along a bunch of new DLC with it. I’m sure players who paid were happy to see this infect their game.

I previously said UC4 was the least flagrant of these monetary offenses; however, that’s not technically true. Funnily enough, the least flagrant monetary system in recent ND games is really the only one without any multiplayer: the Uncharted remastered collection. While remastering efforts were handled by a third-party (24), isn’t it a bit telling that the most upfront-in-cost game of this decade ND’s in some way connected to is the one they’re most disconnected from producing?

I know a lot of this language can seem harsh, especially in contrast to how much I venerated their earlier work in the beginning; despite that, I feel convicted in everything written down. Does that make me some apostate now? I’m still pumped to play Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and The Last of Us Part II. I still see the creatives there: the storytellers, visual artists, game designers, and more, capable of pumping out engaging experiences. But I surmise Sony understands ND’s artistic AAA status all too well and utilizes them as a bulwark for some of their most anti-consumer software policies. Our lax attitude to their recent streak could betoken a more costly future.

There’s humor to be found in people using the term “Naughty Gods” so often. It parallels a complaint often tossed against the most ardent evangelists of any God(s); namely, in how said higher power(s) seem to receive all of the praise but none of the blame.

Links:

1. http://n4g.com/channel/unch...
2. http://n4g.com/channel/unch...
3. http://n4g.com/channel/unch...
4. http://n4g.com/channel/the-...
5. http://n4g.com/channel/the-...
6. http://n4g.com/user/blogpos...
7. http://www.metacritic.com/g...
8. http://www.metacritic.com/g...
9. http://www.metacritic.com/g...
10. http://www.metacritic.com/g...
11. http://www.metacritic.com/g...
12. https://www.change.org/p/wa...
13. http://www.ign.com/boards/t...
14. http://www.gamespot.com/for...
15. http://www.mcvuk.com/news/r...
16. https://gamerant.com/unchar...
17. http://n4g.com/user/blogpos...
18. http://n4g.com/news/1924730...
19. http://www.polygon.com/2014...
20. http://www.ign.com/articles...
21. https://www.destructoid.com...
22. https://www.destructoid.com...
23. http://www.playstationlifes...
24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...

[coolbeans]

*Sigh*

Let me be the first to say it: Bethesda, Blizzard, and perhaps a few others that escape me right now. I’m fully aware that the notion of “developer fanboying” isn’t some phenomenon exclusive to Naughty Dog; however, due to some of my previous discussions regarding their games on this site over the years—with just a sliver of them shown in my links above—I don’t think it should be a surprise to anyone as to WHY I’ve been compelled to discuss this more in detail on this site. In a way, it also serves as a more robust explanation as to how I (currently) feel about the studio and the frustrating monetary practices they’ve incorporated as of late.

In any case, I truly hope you still found some useful information from this blog and enjoyed the read. Feel free to leave any comments and/or questions below. Any omissions or details I’d missed out on in this critical blog? Please let me know. And don’t be shy about disagreements with blog’s message either. If incorrect on something please let me know.

Also, that “OH MY GOODNESS” bit towards the end of the blog was inspired by this: https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[UCForce]

I understand your point, my friend. But again, people have their choice to pick their favorite.

[oasdada]

I personally think blizzard is more over rated than any other studio out there. Sure over watch had grest balance but no innovation, rocket league was a more innovative and balanced mp game than overwatch and even though it was also appreciated, over watch has been kind of blown out of proportion in that regard

[UCForce]

Uncharted 4 MP might not be the best, but it is very good. The Last of Us MP was fun, but the problem was Microtransactions. It was way too ridiculous on TLOU MP. Uncharted 4 have microtransactions, but it is less ridiculous. UC 4 MP have daily challenges that you can get relic faster including survival mode. I can buy cosmetics and weapon without using real life money.

[MyDietEqualsGames]

The problem with Blizzard is they put a game out and the fans do the rest of the work. They make solid games, most of which I don't care for anymore. (big fan in the 90's and half of the 2000's)

Definitely a fan of ND and Kojima though. I'll be fanboying it up in the coming months, all the way till Death Stranding hits gold and after I forge that platinum trophy. Death Stranding!

Edit: and GG too. Horizon!

[rainslacker]

I had a hard time reading this blog, because it seemed to be all over the place, despite being rather singular in it's scope. But some of the "free pass" issues you seem to have seem to come down to generalizing the community to make a point, rather than calling out specific instances of hypocrisy...although you did do some of that as well.

I dunno, I think it's hard to cite reviews, because unless you look at patterns, it's hard to call out this kind of thing for a specific reviewer, and I believe that most of us on here don't really follow individual reviewers.

There is also the fact that with TLOU, and UC, in particular, that you cite your grievances with MP, yet both games are essentially marketed as SP games, so the crappy micro-transactions that a lot of people complain about don't apply, since it won't apply to a lot of them.

I think these kinds of "free pass" complaints are ultimately pointless. You as well as anyone know that anything that can be criticized will be, and anything that can be praised will be regardless of it's quality. It all depends on what side of the console fence one lies on.

Also, as an aside, I do feel that the more criticially received a game is, the more likely it is that something that is usually not that appreciated is often accepted. It's kind of one of those things where the good outweighs the bad, whereas in lesser received games, the unacceptable things just compound the disappointment.

[coolbeans]

Well...I appreciate the criticism. I had an intuitive feeling the review part didn't congeal really well but I'm not seeing it for the rest. On to points:

-"But some of the "free pass" issues you seem to have seem to come down to generalizing the community to make a point, rather than calling out specific instances of hypocrisy...although you did do some of that as well."

Wouldn't that be inherently contradictory? My examples showcase that it exists, but I don't see anything in my language painting such a broad brush as you're suggesting. My intention was this exists to some measurable degree within the gaming community and, however big/small the size, I felt the need to point it out.

-I'm a bit confused by the review bit.

-"You as well as anyone know that anything that can be criticized will be, and anything that can be praised will be regardless of it's quality. It all depends on what side of the console fence one lies on."

But that's part of what drove this blog: not worrying about a fence and considering principle. When there's bothersome ideas (esp. ones affecting your bottom line) lets at least come to the point of acknowledging and criticizing them.

-I can see that, I guess.

[rainslacker]

I believe it exists. Didn't mean to imply it didn't. In fact, it exists for a lot of games and developers. I think ND is more prevalent on this site due to the console war nature of the forums on this site, but you go look at Bethesda, and they get plenty of free passes without all the cynicism of fan boy discussion. Or Blizzard pretty much gets a free pass on everything, despite their games having flaws as well, but most of their criticism is kept within their own forums.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you are singling out ND in this, when in fact, I could probably change the name of the dev, any cited game, and update your citations, and it'd be the exact same article.

Anyhow, as far as generalizing, I always feel issues such as this are always generalized, because it's easy to find people on the internet who feel a certain way, or criticize(or defend) any and every thing. I do believe that some free pass scenarios happen based on the weight with which it's an actual problem within the game itself. The MP stuff for instance you have a point about segmenting the market. But realistically, the games aren't marketed heavily for their MP compared to their SP, so the people that care are fewer.

While I appreciate what you're trying to accomplish, and don't discourage you from fighting the good fight, I just think that such articles are inherently flame bait in nature. Since I know you well enough to know that wasn't your intent, I was willing to address it without cynical sarcasm as I usually do. I think both you and I have railed against the double standards that exist within the community several times over the years, and I know it's frustrating that it's like what we say never really sinks in with the overall community. There's no simple solution, at least not without just getting rid of every troll and expecting more...but that has it's own pitfalls, and I think most of the more astute community members don't really partake in discussion around here.

[Why o why]

From the links it just seems like you never liked the uncharted franchise. Jack of all trades, Master of none. . . Yep. . The first uncharted was definitely flawed but luckily more enjoyed it than the opposite. . . I think some expect too much from naughty dog kojima and others on those levels. . Some people just want to enjoy a game. . . Others, especially the haters expect perfect perfection YET will claim they enjoyed games that aren't as good on most of the levels uncharted does well. People will often point to parts that other games do better but fall apart when it comes to the total package. Sometimes we should celebrate the Jack of all trades or at least just take it for what they are, single player focused games or multiplayer focused games. . ND produce enjoyable flawed games that rate higher than other enjoyable flawed games. As i think rainslacker said, ND games are marketed as single player games not the opposite so its weird to judge it any differently. Of course multiplayer isn't exempt from critique but using it as a beating stick against ND is a little forced. If those in line with your opinion care so much maybe they should join the betas and send feedback. Its easy to critique from where we sit especially when free pass is a term leveled at the fans not the developer. Show me the guys doing it better ...guys releasing better jack of all trades games.....? I never understood people spending so much energy criticising the entity at the top to get better when that energy is probably better spent on those trying to get to the top.

[coolbeans]

@rainslacker

-"I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you are singling out ND in this, when in fact, I could probably change the name of the dev, any cited game, and update your citations, and it'd be the exact same article."

Well, as I initially stated in the comment section, I acknowledge such favoritism can be extended to specific developers too. But it's a relatively small collection of big studios that seem to get away with it. Do you think anything owned by EA, Activision, Ubisoft, gets the kid gloves by a perceptible group within the game community? In my experience, I think they seem to hammer on them pretty hard.

-"Anyhow, as far as generalizing...that care are fewer."

Perhaps it's inescapable to avoid such feelings of generalizing, then. Just for the sake of others who may be questioning my intent: #NotAllNDFans. I'll never have any quantifiable measurement of the pool of fanboys who this blog directly applies to, but my limited experiences with this in the past inspired me nonetheless. Anyways, I do believe there's some validity to fans' more quiet attitude could be based on not caring about MP too. But as one of those who'd often partake in ND's MP offerings, I think it's important to be beating my drum here b/c who's to say insidious monetary methods can't occur to ND's campaigns in the future, even if in very small ways? I'm not saying it's likely, but when I'm running into people saying "what? so they shouldn't get paid for hard work?!?!" while defending some of ND's more questionable policies who can deny such enthusiasm CAN be exploited?

In any case, I appreciate you dropping in providing your thoughts + criticism. Perhaps we can extend convo. here or via PM (would like to reply to couple of others here).

@Why o why

-"From the links it just seems like you never liked the uncharted franchise"

I feel like you're poisoning the well starting off with this. I certainly like the franchise, just have a more of a rocky fondness of it than most others. I'm pretty adamant about my praise for the storytelling, gameplay, etc. in my Uncharted 2 review. And I came away enjoying UC4; I believe it makes the cut of being considered a great game.

It's a bit tough to dive into the rest of your comment and respond atm, partially b/c of it jumping from point to point so often. I think some of what I've stated previously overlaps with it and perhaps I'll expand my thoughts later on, when granted the time.

[Why o why]

@Coolbeans .....lol

Yeah, my comments all over the place, I did try to make you proof read it prior to posting. I typed half before I slept and half after....forgive me

In a nutshell

Naughty Dog are not above criticism

Why go after them in particular when others need to improve their games more

Single player is their focus as multiplayer is cod makers focus and that was never a secret

Articles and opinions like this are loved by the type of n4g members that cling onto anything negative about ND games

[coolbeans]

@Why o why

-It's cool. I was also running on fumes last night typing up these responses so I know that feel. Thanks for clarifying.

-Anyways, I think what's interesting about your appeals is that's actually part of why I felt the need to blog about this. Those studios lower in quality, that you're thinking of, have probably gotten their lion's share of anger across gaming sites when they have annoying DLC policies. But because ND is in a higher regard to most other studios, it doesn't seem to get as much of a spotlight when insidious DLC policies are implemented. As mentioned towards the end of the blog:

"But I surmise Sony understands ND’s artistic AAA status all too well and utilizes them as a bulwark for some of their most anti-consumer software policies."

Who's to say Sony might not continue to look for ways to capitalize of this developer's goodwill? I'm all for joining in on frustration with AAA industry BS from uninspired studios, as I've shared a plethora of times in the past, but I'm not going to shy away from the more inspired game devs as well (when applicable). In a way, I feel like openly expressing these criticisms could be of decent utility in ensuring they contentiously improve their community relations.

-Regardless of where the focus lies, the principle remains that they've continuously implemented insidious monetary policies as of late. It's still in their games and ought to--at least--be acknowledged.

-"Articles and opinions like this are loved by the type of n4g members that cling onto anything negative about ND games"

C'mon...you know I can't help what other people will do with my written thoughts. I believe I did a decent job of being firm but fair in what I've written.

EDIT: I'd like to also thank everyone who's read, commented, and perhaps shared this to help me reach 500+ degrees. This would be considered my first official "HOT" blog on n4g! :D

[Silly gameAr]

Some pretty good points, but sadly, remember how you used to be back n the day.

[coolbeans]

You mean when I was so hip and fun? :P

Yeah, I vaguely recall being more of a smarmy reactionary back then. Hopefully seeing my expanded arguments can provide some context as to my thought processes back then on this topic, even when they weren't eloquently stated. Not sure if I ever insulted you, directly or indirectly, but if I did I sincerely apologize.

[dannyolfc]

I agree completely last of us singer player probably my goat but online micros just got so bad it was offensive, I don't get why it got a pass.

[Overload]

I agree about getting the pass for micro-transactions as do others.

I think you are way, way off on them as developers though. The games are top class in many aspects.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I don't think people hate all mirco-transactions. I think people merely hate how they are implemented. If anything, look at how people look at DLC....they openly state how much they hate it....yet...Witcher 3.

THUS, I don't think everyone hates it, I simply think they hate how its been implemented. If done correctly and with a game users like, I've found that most don't really care about such things.

How many people are saying Witcher 3 has cut content? How many are saying the content was stripped from the final game? Consider, we have no more proof that the content on Witcher 3's DLC was stripped anymore then we do on any other game.

[coolbeans]

"I agree about getting the pass for micro-transactions as do others."

That's good. But my experiences with others isn't exactly what I'd call consistent, as brought up in the blog.

http://n4g.com/news/1924730...

Follow this comment section down to where I begin making replies and you'll see a part of what inspired me to--eventually--make a blog about this.

"I think you are way, way off on them as developers though. The games are top class in many aspects."

I get that. I certainly agree in respects to polish, technical wizardy, and whatnot. But I hold the Jak series' gameplay, and oftentimes the story (until the middle-end of Jak 3), in higher regard than Uncharted series; then again, TLOU series has great potential to topple Jak in both those regards.

[TFJWM]

This really seems "Entitled gamer feeling entitled".

Take away all the DLC from ND games do you feel they are full games or are they missing something?

If you took away the MP part of all their games are they still worth full price?

Is extra work on a great game not worth paying for?

[coolbeans]

@TFJWM

Based upon presenting some underhanded methods incorporated within their recent games' MP modes? If that's considered totes entitled then fine.

Sure, I guess.

Well...Uncharted 3 is that outlier in the group of ND games w/ MP I find a bit lacking the more I look back in hindsight. I'm 50/50 on whether or not strictly the campaign can carry it for full price.

That's a vague question in today's age so I'm hesitant to say. If talking about DLC like UC: Lost Legacy or TLOU: Left Behind then I understand the $15 price threshold. But placing OP weapons and perks behind a $1 paywall? I do believe the implications of fleecing your fans for a few extra dollars in way that fundamentally tarnishes the multiplayer is unfair. If you've made a premium-priced product, why ever consider adding pay-2-win elements to MP?

[Overload]

I'm completely on board with The Last Of Us, I enjoy it much more than Uncharted. Naughty is so good at so many things I don't even want to list them all I'll just list a few. Animation, Writing, Setting, Tech, Voice Acting, Character Design, Art Direction, Pacing and much more. Naughty Dog and Rockstar (specifically) out do a lot of studios in a lot of areas by a very wide margin. Both of the studios attention to detail is unmatched, Kojima is in the conversation too.

[Thatguy-310]

NAUGHTY GOD!

[rivaldoo777]

They have a new name
"GOTY DOG"!!!!!

[Razzer]

Edit: I apologize for this rant. I was way out of line.

[coolbeans]

-"ok....don't buy any of it."

This strikes me as confusing considering the full context of the blog here. This is generally aimed at "developer fanboying" and disregard--sometimes even defense--of certain practices by fans. I'm not sure how the "don't like it don't buy it" argument really advances the discussion forward.

-"And why is your blog post promoted like this?"

Blogs/User reviews now operate under the Heat system like news submissions here. This got out of pending early and is currently garnering a lot of attention. Also, this is not limited to me. Other Contributors are just as capable of climbing the ranks. See here: http://n4g.com/user/blogpos...

EDIT:

-"The 'I'm a Mod' pass"

What? You're free to check out my profile, filled with user blogs and reviews since our site update, that shows this kind of popularity as a rarity for me thus far.

[Razzer]

-

[coolbeans]

@Razzer

Doesn't really do that either so okay. Again, this blog's intention is framed around fans' lenient, sometimes defensive, behavior of questionable practices. Cliched objections don't cover that when considering the full context here. It's also important to note it's possible to both criticize and enjoy a game, which is implicitly stressed at one part of the blog.

I don't care about your personal experience regarding blog posts posted above actual articles. The fact remains it's happened before and will continue to happen should other blogs get considerable heat. This may surprise you, but I have habit of checking out new comments when I see them. Suddenly? Using f*** (in full) is prohibited here and mods are tasked with handling things accordingly (EDIT: there's a reason I'm focusing specifically on that word).

...What? This blog isn't pinned like Christopher's GOTY nomination blogs, nor do I have the power to do that.

[Christopher]

*** Cuz we suddenly don't like the f-word here? lol....ok. Keep telling yourself that, pal. ***

Yeah, that's been a long-time rule. Please don't do it.

***edit: Ah....I get it. You used the same mechanism that was used for n4g GOTY nominations to advance your blog post. Guess what? Your opinion IS NOT a community function.***

That would be impossible. Only person with that ability is me and the owners of the site who don't do it at all because they entrust me to manage those sort of things. Mods have no ability to do it nor do they ask me to do it for their content.

---

I think you are lacking in an argument worth debating here and are lashing out solely because a blog is getting attention unlike others without realizing that the reason it is getting said attention is because it is attracting a lot of people who disagree with the author's opinion. Not because it's better, just because it presents an opinion that the author specifically outlined would go against the normal grain of N4G that tends to prop up Naughty Dog similar to the fanatacism around Kojima, Zelda games, CD Projekt Red, and oftentimes other developers depending on the title (Bethesda and Blizzard being two others).

[343_Guilty_Spark]

This would have been better as a podcast not a Dissertation.

[Christopher]

This comment would have been better if it discussed the actual topic at hand rather than criticizing the user for writing something instead of saying it.

[InTheLab]

I generally give and acknowledge they get a pass as I could.care less about the mp in ND titles. I totally see why this is a problem.

It's not fair that I bash the hell out of CoD for their scam packs but that is the mp I do play. Well..
Blogs 3 and not the current trash IW/MWR.

DLC in general is a scam as well as the season pass which will have a a.batch of content release within the season that is somehow not attached to the pass! So I don't bother with micro transactions, op weapons, or cosmetics as it is all a rip off.

I should.be annoyed and NDs take on dlc but I in it for the single player and I have yet to be screwed with their solo content.

Does this make sense? Maybe not. I'm tired

[Razzer]

-

[Petebloodyonion]

Unfortunately, fanboyism in media will always exist
It's like the wine test where we put a bad wine in a known brand bottle and the good one into the cheap bottle.
in the end, the expectations clouds our judgment and the horrible wine taste good.

The same apply to gaming, expect Zelda to score a 10 and potentially be named game of the year with the critics claiming finally the Zelda we have been waiting for, same comment apply for all previous game.

The opposite is also true, Sega can't seem to have a winner from media even if they create wonderful game (Alien Isolation comes to mind)
Yakuza 0 scored great but did we see 1 piece of a preview?

[The 10th Rider]

You're spot on with SEGA, but I don't Zelda is the best comparison. There's definitely a lot of fans out there who will herald it regardless, but look at Skyward Sword. That's wasn't considered much of a GOTY contender and in many places was met with meh feelings.

[Petebloodyonion]

And that's exactly my point, everybody seems to remember that Skyward Sword was met with meh feeling but the game is still one of the highest game on meta critic with a 91 score.
http://www.metacritic.com/g...
IGN gave a 100 for Zelda
They gave a 59 for Alien Isolation

[The 10th Rider]

Just because it was met with meh feelings doesn't mean it was a bad game. The game was well polished and deserved a 9/10. If you look at review they were very divisive. Personally, I enjoyed the game but it wasn't what I wanted out of Zelda. On the flipside, it was exactly the type of game with Wii was made for. I can see where the 10/10's were coming from and I can see where the 8/10's were coming from. However, the game was far from universally acclaimed.

[VersusDMC]

Naughty Dog's treatment of multiplayer can't effect their reputation because NOBODY fanboys over their multiplayer. You wasted so much time complaining about a portion of the game Naughty Dog (or Sony mandated) put in there just to the delay the trade/craigslist sale of the game for 1 or 2 weeks.

It's like you're trying to open the eyes of people who overpraise Wendy's (or whatever) burgers by pointing out how much Wendy's veggie/soy burger sucks. That's not why they go there.

[Deadpooled]

'because NOBODY fanboys over their multiplayer'

*cough* Overwatch *cough*

[VersusDMC]

I mean nobody fanboys over naughty dog's MP.

[Deadpooled]

Fair enough, yeah I get ND games solely for the single player experience (been getting them since Crash 2 on wards) and rarely touch the multiplayer part unless there is a chance for trophies (eg Uncharted 4 offline Multiplayer trophies). Uncharted 2 was a superb multiplayer, but with Uncharted 3 I only got the standard edition version not the GOTY edition which meant that I needed to get the season pass to play that multiplayer (which i didn't get because I heard bad things about how it was CODified compared to the Uncharted 2 multiplayer). The Last of Us I know about how unbalanced it got because of the microtransactions so haven't touched it at all.

[coolbeans]

"Naughty Dog's treatment of multiplayer can't effect their reputation because NOBODY fanboys over their multiplayer."

Not the case, from my experience. Naughty Dog earned a lot of praise with UC2's MP and TLOU had a very dedicated following since people could first get their hands on it. The dynamics with TLOU in particular felt refreshing in regards to mechanics and meta. That one had more of a following than people give it credit for back on PS3. I saw a similar kind of enthusiasm and hardcore playerbase (watching tips on YouTube and such) to that of Rainbow Six: Siege today.

But I think the rub you and others bring up is that wall of separation between campaign/multiplayer when I just don't consider it. When I'm reviewing, or just talking on here, I'm going to consider how well *x developer* did with on everything I'm presented with, modes included. Plus, in regards to monetary infiltration I see a clearer connective tissue between campaign + MP then what's otherwise argued; namely, if everyone's quiet as a church mouse regarding microtransactions and more in ND's MP portions (for whatever reason) who's to say this exploitative attitude can't stealthily make it's way over to their campaigns in the future?

Anyways, I think this will be my tenth comment on here so I may continue conversations with others via PM. Thanks again for the responses, everyone. I appreciate how much thought and time went into some of these comments. Quite impressive.

[ChronoJoe]

I see your point regarding TLOU, but the games DLC is a relic of a bygone age. On the PS3 it was common that games would segregate their user base with paid DLC map maps, and often feature relatively extortionate DLC prices. The weapon DLC is often criticised as giving players an unfair advantage, yet this really isn't true and for the most part (there are exceptions) it's harder to find uses for the DLC weapons when compared to the default set.

Uncharted 4 remedies many of these issues with its content. It still features gameplay DLC, but you can earn this DLC without paying real cash, and while you can also purchase a vast array of cosmetics, you can also earn all of these in-game. I think they haven't quite hit the nail on the head regarding the structure of this microtransactional system. It feels like a bit of a grind and there isn't enough incentive to keep playing (only one new challenge per day). Yet at the same time it has quite a few perks that other games don't offer. All maps are free, and there has been a continual stream of content to the game, in the form of new cosmetics, weapons and maps.

My largest criticism doesn't regard the structure of this content but their unwillingness to truly invest in their multiplayer. The game lacks dedicated servers and various game types are missing from the previous games. Although Uncharted 4's number of maps isn't paltry, it's not especially generous either. The game currently has around 12 maps (if I recall) which doesn't quite meet standards set by other titles, like Call of Duty, Gears of War or Halo. It's not an appalling amount of content, yet it's not especially remarkable either.

Perhaps the biggest issue with their multiplayer, is unlike the singleplayer, it's not industry leading. It isn't creative, interesting or beyond the expectations set by the rest of the industry. Naughty Dog are pushing out the bare minimum to peddle their multiplayer as a platform for DLC, yet it doesn't meet the quality expectations pioneered by the studio. Both TLOU and Uncharted 4's multiplayer have great gameplay, but long matchmaking times, a lack of game types, the failure to deliver co-operative content at launch, the general lack of new ideas. It doesn't represent the quality that tends to get associated with Naughy Dog.

A big part of the issue is that reviewers don't tend to judge these games based on this content. They see Uncharted and TLOU as singleplayer experiences and skim over their online offerings.

[Christopher]

I think you somewhat make some points about ND getting a pass, but I don't honestly believe it's mostly about their handling of micro-transactions. To be honest, since MS has made it a staple of almost every single first-party game, they've been slowly ignored for that practice as well since it is just 'a common thing in all those games' now.

I think micro-transactions have become a norm in today's market and that's the leading reason why they've been given a pass more so than it's just because it's ND. Sure, it might be a bit because of that, but I don't think it's the leading factor.

If you want to talk about a 'pass' for ND, I think we need to focus more on storytelling, design choices, and the like. While U4 was a step up from U2, U3 was a lot of steps back but received a ton of overlooking for what was a really poorly presented game that didn't really improve gameplay either (and, for many, had worse aiming until it was patched in). TLoU, while having what is deemed a critically acclaimed story, I just could never finish because I got tired of how often control was taken away from me as well as how the stealth felt half-arsed and AI felt, at times, either extremely stupid or just impossible to deal with but one way.

I think, overall, ND deserves criticism and I see people who protect it as if it was impossible to ever criticize them. But, those aren't the only people who do as such, it's just that ND games to tend to score above average and so it continues to be a source that fanboys can utilize to promote whatever they want to promote.

TBH, I don't worry about the idiocy of NaughtGods or the like. It in fact helps me to know who I can't typically take seriously in conversation.

[RabbitFly]

Here is an interesting question. Did you ever try to replay the games in sucession? I am just asking because I personally found Uncharted 3 to be a better experience than Uncharted 2 when I did. Suprisingly so did my friend that hated it (Uncharted 3) when it came out.

Anecdotal and all that, I am just curious to see if anyone else has had the same experience.

Then again I am one of those that think Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is the best in the series.

[Christopher]

I think you might enjoy it better going in knowing that the story has huge flaws in it that aren't supported by writing (Uncharted 4 handled the huge change in narrative really well by having solid writing to support a brother who was thrown in and defied previous story elements). I don't think it excuses the poor storytelling, only you now know what it is and aren't being critical like you might the first time through. Kind of like how you know, going into a Michael Bay movie, that you're not going to get good writing but there will be some nice action scenes with explosions or the like.

[RabbitFly]

Perhaps. I was trying to look at it more as to which experience as a whole was the better experience and I believe more than the story would account for that.

I mean if we are going to be nit picky about flaws in the story that isn't really supported by the writing Uncharted 2 and 3 stand on similar legs. They both feature similar stories with similar flaws. Like how f. ex how both feature a Elena-less Nate that seemingly by chance gets involved with her again. Or how they both feature a con-like set up with a new likeable side character.

I mean I don't think the Uncharted series themselves itself can claim any high brow storytelling. Their strength in storytelling (to me at least) is how compelling their characters are.

Anyways one would have take a good hard look at level design and pacing as well to judge which game comes out on top.

[Mr Marvel]

I generally don't pre-order games, but I usually make an exception for games by Naughty Dog or Blizzard because I think I've owned and loved just about every one of their games (apart from Crash series). As for Microtransactions... I don't touch them for anyone.

Uncharted 1-4, The Last of Us, Diablo III: RoS and Overwatch are all some of my favourite games of all time.

[Knushwood Butt]

I've been playing the UC4 multiplayer since the beta.

You don't have to pay a penny for any of the additional content and new maps are free to all so the player base is not split.

95% of the additional items are aesthetic and do not affect gameplay.

[DarXter]

Nice read. Although I personally do not mind the microtransactions (since I refuse to buy them in any game) I agree that the backlash is not equal between developers. I think, as someone else mentioned, this is because of A) the quality of the game and B) these are SP focused games, so people see the extra mode as something optional. I am pretty sure that most peopled that played TLOU have never touched the MP, which also means its less of an issue.

One reviewer I know is stern in this regard is Jim Sterling (from the Jimquisition). I remember he will never review a game is it has microtransactions, regardless of quality.

[MasterCornholio]

You make some nice points but I don't really agree with NaughtyDog always being given a free pass. In my opinion I believe they make very good games and although they have flaws that doesn't detract from the experience.

Anyways I would like to thank you for a very civilized blog.

[RabbitFly]

You are probably right. Naughty Dog is probably one of those developers that gets a lot of free passes.

I am not sure how much control Naugthy Dog as a developer have over the planning and pricing of dlc though. I am sure they have differing opinions about it within the studio and I am sure their word carries weight, but I would bet that the decision ultimately lies with the publisher.

Anyways I am much more interested in why you find Uncharted 2 to be better than 1. You glossed over it in the opening statement. Which is fair as it wasn't the focus of this post. It is also not the unpopular opinion. I am just more curious to see if you can mount an arguement based on mechanical analysis than feeling on this.

Mostly because you seemed to indiciate mechanical reasoning behind your opinion, and because I enjoy a civil discussion.

[DragonDDark]

Great read

[fraserw]

Crash Bandicoot 2 is called 'Cortex Strikes Back', not 'Wrath of Cortex'...

[BigGamersSmallTalk]

Naughty Dog get a pass on everything they do, same with Kojima. I mean, Metal Gear Solid V scores prove that. Reviewers felt bad for his situation at Konami and scored a game with no story almost perfectly. Nobody called out the repetition of The Last Of Us, hide, throw a bottle, throw a rock, help a girl across some water on the same plank.
Same with Uncharted 4, nobody mentioned the lack of continuity with the other Uncharted games, even the fact that it's explicitly mentioned that Nathan is an only child, they shoehorn a brother into the game from out of nowhere.
Then completely use the crate on wheels like 15 times in the game...really repetitive stuff that breaks immersion.

[WickedLester]

"Nobody called out the repetition of The Last Of Us, hide, throw a bottle, throw a rock, help a girl across some water on the same plank"

You just described every game ever made. Every video game is repetitive. EVERY video game!

[BigC6391]

When you break things down to the level you just broke down The Last Of Us, any game is gonna sound like crap. No one would consider the Mario series to be iconic if we said it was just a pattern of jumping on things over and over again.

[Christopher]

***Nobody called out the repetition of The Last Of Us, hide, throw a bottle, throw a rock, help a girl across some water on the same plank. ***

This is cringe-worthy. Sorry, but every game has repetition if you distill it down to this. If you're going to have an opinion, at least have one that makes sense. Otherwise you're going to continue to just come off as someone who hates something because it's related to Sony.

***Same with Uncharted 4, nobody mentioned the lack of continuity with the other Uncharted games, even the fact that it's explicitly mentioned that Nathan is an only child, they shoehorn a brother into the game from out of nowhere. ***

Actually, it was brought up a lot here on N4G and has been one of my biggest complaints with the game. But, even then, the writing around them is still very well done. I can't deny that even though I spent at least half the game trying to personally rebel against the whole concept that his brother just suddenly shows up and this is the first we've ever heard of him. Ever.

[theshredded]

Wholeheartedly agree, Naughty Dog, Blizzard and Bethesda are top when it comes to free passes meanwhile you still see people sh*tting on Capcom and Konami...

[WickedLester]

Microtransactions suck but If you're playing Naughty Dog games for the multiplayer....you're doing it wrong. ND could never include MP in any of their games I wouldn't give a rat's ass. What sets ND apart from other developers is their impeccable story telling and characters. I don't even think ND"s play mechanics are anything special. They're fine. But they're simply a vehicle to move the story along. I enjoyed ROTR's gameplay mechanics more than I did Uncharted 4's. But I think Uncharted 4 had a better story, voice acting, character development, etc.

[InTheZoneAC]

TLDR