Puzzles In Action Games

[marcus]

Am I the alone in thinking that I wish games that are pure-bred action titles are hampered by the inclusion of trivial puzzles? Whats the industrys obsession with locked doors, finding keys and deciphering crtyptic puzzles. Does anyone actually find these enjoyable and a good addition to a action based game? I usually buy a game for a reason, but few times have I bought a game because of the inclusion of puzzles. Then theres the logistics of the whole thing, surely a don-ninja like that in Ninja Gaiden who can take apart enemies in the blink of an eye shouldnt get stopped by a dodgy looking locked door that even Peach could bust through?

[Saurian]

I dont like them in actions games - the puzzles in Bujingai for example pissed me off. I really love the game but could easily do without stuff like the maze with locked doors on stage 5. Viewtiful Joe has the right balance I feel tho - there are puzzles but they are fast and you can just quickly sort them while kicking someone's head in.

[Papercut]

The combat in Prince of Persia turned me right off, it was such a chore. The puzzles were really enjoyable though. I guess it depends on the game

[Moodmon]

POP is a different case, as the majority of the game is based around the puzzles, even though most of them involve some kind of dexterity to pull off.

Having played through Devil May Cry recently I can see Marcus's point. Why tie the game down with silly fetch-and-carry puzzles when you could just have a linear slash-fest.

Jet Force Gemini is a prime example. Without a walkthrough to tell you where all the tribals are, it is intensly frustrating. With one, you can relax and break out the tri-rocket launcher.

Do bosses count as puzzles? Fire Leo in Viewtiful Joe is invincible until you work out the trick to beating him. Can you honestly say this added anything to the game? Or was it just a cheap way of forcing people to look at walkthroughs to work out how to even begin to deal damage to him?

[Saurian]

It's not hard to work out how to damage fire Leo tho - Viewtiful Joe shows you all the skills and effects early on ennit, like for example if Joe is on fire he is invincible to fire. When you attack Leo he blocks with a shield, so that shield has to be removed - just like Davidson's axe earlier on, they never throw anything at you that you cant work out through past experience.

I dont think bosses count as puzzles....exam is a better description I feel.

[Moodmon]

My point with Leo is that there is nothing earlier in the game to show you that being on fire nulifies fire. In the Alastor level, you don't learn that being on fire lets you walk on lava (can you even do this?). As such, how are you supposed to work out the puzzle?

Some bosses are a straight examination of skill. Others rely on you to work out the trick to beating them, and so should be classed as puzzles. For example, the Psyvariar bosses are a test of skill, while the final boss in ICO is a puzzle.

[Saurian]

My point with Leo is that there is nothing earlier in the game to show you that being on fire nulifies fire. In the Alastor level, you don't learn that being on fire lets you walk on lava (can you even do this?). As such, how are you supposed to work out the puzzle?

I didnt realise this - I knew that fire makes you invincible against fire from an early stage, it's from that bit where you fight the pink hoes underground and can run through lava after you mach speed them to death. Doesnt it explain it to you when you are demonstrated mach speed at the beginning?

I cant remember but anyway - I prefer action games if they keep the puzzles light, it does the game no favours if players who are just looking to kickoff against enemies have to go on missions to pick up an item and take it somewhere. Stage 5 of Bujingai demonstrates everything I hate about puzzles in action games, all I want to do is juggle enemies and rack up huge combos....but no I have to get through a big maze with re-spawning enemies. This totally destroys the combo system aswell it's possible to extend your combo indefinetly on this stage as the enemies just come back after you exit and re-enter a room. Yet on other stages you get a sence of urgency to move through very quickly to keep the combo going.

[Magnakai]

I didnt realise this - I knew that fire makes you invincible against fire from an early stage, it's from that bit where you fight the pink hoes underground and can run through lava after you mach speed them to death. Doesnt it explain it to you when you are demonstrated mach speed at the beginning?

NO!
Time for some VJ, methinks.

[112]

i guess its cos the producers dont want to pigeion hole the game into a brainless affair. And would rather win the extra audience to gain more sale. Also if youjus have a slash fest you end up with chaos legion! and worst still that rockstar game ermm....... state of bloody emergency! the so called puzzles help breakup the intense nature of slash fests. And keeps the pace at a workable level. after all you need these puzzles to help make the other elements of the game more appealing. Take this analogy for example -

You tend to find a hot chick with a not so hot frined. The fact that the friend is not hot makes the hot one even hotter! There fore the better parts seem better! Get the drift? i hope ive made sense.

All in all it aint as bad as it could be. Otherwise That bloody rockstar game wouldbe the order of the day!

112

[Chadruharazzeb]

I'm not a big fan of puzzle-y bits in action titles. I particularly detest the part of Onimusha 1 where you get 4 puzzle rooms in a row - most annoying.

And as for the puzzles in Biohazard/ Res Evil. Please! They are abysmal and contain no logic to them in terms of the actual solution, or their place in the game world. Rubbish.

I thought DMC's "puzzles" were ok, as they were no brainers - just find a key and take it to the appropriate door, Doom stylee.