So I got a bug in my butt to install Mortal Kombat 11 last night and was doing the story mode which is basically like a movie with intermittent fights and it occurred to me that I love Mortal Kombat but just the characters, the worldbuilding, and the lore. I’ve never been big on fighting games and as I age, I am finding it harder and harder to pull off special combos quick enough to even do much other than slapping buttons and hoping for the best.
My favorite MK game was one of the ones on PS2 where the story mode was basically God of War gameplay turning it from a fighter into an action adventure game.
If Midway were to make a Mortal Kombat title that was like Dark Souls but set on Outworld or something, that would definitely be my jam.
Another would be Warhammer 40k. I am not at all interested in the PnP gameplay nor a lot of the video games. But I love the lore and the game Rogue Trader is fucking dope, playing more like a traditional CRPG in that setting and not an RTS or straight up shooter.
Do y’a have any games like that? Where you like everything about them except the actual gameplay?
I feel like a lot of third person action adventure games would be better off as turn based RPGs since the action gameplay usually sucks and smashing the action button 100,000 times is not fun after an hour or so.
Witcher 3 needs a turn based mode more than anything.
I’d take it a step further, ditch the combat gameplay entirely. Make Witcher 3 in the style of Disco Elysium. Put the emphasis on storytelling and actual RPG stats. Combat will be less common but can be solved through play by play decision trees making each encounter more memorable.
I feel exactly the opposite.
There are plenty of turn-based RPGs and JRPGs that I fell asleep playing that I probably wouldn’t have if I didn’t have to mostly stare at a static screen and menus most of the game. And dont even get me started on random battles.
Turn-based RPGs have repetitive combat loops to me. Same intro, same enemy lineup, same strategy, same music, same victory jingle. Over and over and over. It least in an action oriented game, I can choose where my character is, how I engage with combat, what terrain features I use, etc.
This is why I like Strategic Turn Based games like Fire Emblem and XCOM way more than standard turn based games.
JRPGs often don’t have good enough stories for me to continue playing and many have grind as part of their design.
My issue with the better JRPGs like Persona is that there are simply too many battles. If they cut 50-70% of the battles the games would have much better pacing and become less monotonous.
FF7 is a good 30-40 hour game. Games going for 80 hours and up are way too long.
Turn base probably won’t save the shallowness of Witcher 3 combat, it need an overhaul for more in depth system. Witcher is introduced in the first one as a methodological monster hunter where he learn, prepare, and hunt the monster, while also deal with politics(which is probably the strongest part of the series). In Witcher 3 Geralt is a ballerina dancing with his blade.
The best witcher combat is in Monster Hunter World.
CDPR gambled for the masses and won with Witcher 3. I agree with you and would prefer the combat to be more methodical, require more preparation and be more visceral. I wish you’d have to actually manually brew the correct potions and oils in preparation, and then see those have a huge impact on whether you win or lose the fight.
At the same time, the super lightweight combat they went with allowed the game to be so approachable by the causal market that it sold millions and millions of copies and singlehandedly catapulted CDPR into a AAA studio. So it’s hard to argue they made a mistake not catering to players like us.
I feels like it’s about time we stop making excuse for how company able to make bank by watering down their product, it actually sound pretty sad, and it kills some of my favorite studio because they thought about doing the same.
At the same time From Soft make bank by making Elden Ring better without having to watering down their product, same stuff happened to Capcom with their Monster Hunter World. It’s about streamlining the clunky gameplay while retaining the identity of what making the predecessor great.
Also we’re in a thread talking about how the game we want could be better if they’re different, so maybe don’t.
I feel similar about the games, but opposite to the solution.
I think the problem is those games (Witcher 3, Skyrim, etc) build complex RPG stats systems and storylines and forget to actually make good combat.
You’d rather they fix this by going all in on the RPG and leaving the combat behind, but for me, I’d rather they’d forsake RPG elements and build an actual competent and fun combat system.
This is why I’d rather play any Zelda over any western action adventure RPG bc Nintendo actually makes a good game first, not a story
I’m the exact opposite, in a different, but similar way that the other commenter is.
I will fall asleep trying to play almost any turn-based/tactical RPG you give me. It’s just too slow for me, and I can’t focus on stats or stacking effects that much. That’s why I like real-time action games. I’ve been playing the hell out of Fallout 4 lately and that is probably the fastest-paced game out of the entire series. There’s snappy gunplay in first- and third-person with a dedicated bash/grenade button, and you can pop out from behind cover when you aim. Also the whole customizing and modification system with the workshop and settlements.