Ultimately, it’s the way BT and Cooper communicate with each other (both verbally and physically) that elevates Titanfall 2 from a very good shooter to a genuinely moving experience. In a sense, most human relationships are at least partially defined by this discrepancy, where both parties may share common views and interests, but don’t necessarily experience the world the exact same way. Sure, it’s a boatload of fun to enter the mech and wreck shit, but creating that space makes those sequences all the more satisfying, as the player is forced to view each conflict from multiple perspectives. The way Titanfall 2 has the player complete missions largely on foot and only partially while piloting the titan highlights how the relationship between Cooper and BT is a partnership BT is not simply a tool. Once Jack has fully powered up BT, he can enter the machine and control its movements, thus creating the physical side of the relationship. BT explains to Cooper where to find these batteries and gives him instructions on how to find them from a distance, establishing a verbal connection between the two before a physical one. When the player first meets their new titan, their helmet is synced with the mech’s operating system, and the player doesn’t have the opportunity to actually commandeer the machine until they’ve acquired energy cells to power it. What makes this connection between Jack and BT-7274 flourish, however, is the way in which developer Respawn builds that relationship through gameplay. This kind of friendship isn’t even uncommon in games ( Borderlands, Fallout 3, Ratchet & Clank, Chrono Trigger ). We’ve been telling countless stories about wars involving humans and machines, and having sentient beings develop close personal relationships with robots is fairly well-trodden territory ( The Iron Giant, Terminator 2, Star Wars, WandaVision, Blade Runner ). On paper, Titanfall 2 ’s plot isn’t anything special, nor is it original by any means. Through the course of a roughly five-hour adventure, Jack and his titan, BT-7274, create a strong bond that not only results in more effective combat and problem solving, but also in a humorous and heartwarming friendship between man and machine. Titanfall 2, released in 2016, depicts a futuristic universe beset by war, where a group known as the Frontier Militia fight for independence against the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC), which wants to exploit the Frontier’s resources with no regard for the potential environmental and civilian consequences.įollowing a chaotic and bloody battle, young Frontier Militia rifleman Jack Cooper ends up syncing with his fallen commander’s titan, a giant mech used for battle, and goes on a series of missions to figure out what evil weapon the IMC seeks to use and attempt to stop them. But what does that look like? How do you create a seemingly unique enterprise out of fundamentally unoriginal ideas?įive years ago, Respawn Entertainment answered this question. The title can justify its own existence outside of the player’s desire for games reminiscent of their favorite films. If everything around a game’s tropes is done well enough (and, in some cases, innovates through gameplay), then the whole experience can be truly mesmerizing. What helps a game stand out from the pack isn’t just a combination of tight mechanics, technical execution, and good production value, but also clear narrative through-lines and thematic consistency. And despite many AAA studios targeting more narratively mature and creative experiences, frequently those titles amount to interactive cinema based on clichés rather than truly original works. Whether you’re adventuring through a haunted house, saving the princess from a dragon, or seeking to stave off an impending zombie apocalypse, players often find themselves using a controller to express how they’d navigate scenarios taken from other forms of popular media. Standing Out From the Packįor better or worse, popular video games tend to rely on tropes to tell their stories. After taking a look at Donkey Kong Country 2 and the Xbox 360, The Punished Backlog sets its eyes on a more recent masterpiece: the Titanfall 2 campaign. Welcome to the latest post in our “Punished Hall of Fame” series, where we celebrate our favorite games (and consoles) throughout the history of the medium.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |