There’s a degree of debate surrounding linear games and their truest definition. For this feature, we’re thinking along the lines of games that have a set beginning, middle, and end, with progress shared somewhat identically between every playthrough. Open worlds, Metroidvanias, back-tracking, games centred on exploration, these don’t tend to fit. There is wiggle room in this ruleset though, as you’ll find out in the feature.

The Last of Us Part II

We speculated on our 2023 linear games list that in terms of gameplay experience The Last of Us Part II is probably better than Part I, so it’d be remiss to exclude Naughty Dog’s masterful sequel to their much-loved (and much-hated) apocalyptic adventure series. Ellie’s a litter older although still hot-headed, plus there’re more characters, denser locations, and a gut-wrenching, if controversial, story which will stir emotion whether you agree with the narrative decisions Naughty Dog made.

]]> 605160 https://gamingbolt.com/15-dead-video-game-series-that-should-come-back-as-shorter-experiences Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:46:43 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=569674 While the triple-A games industry still very much cares about bigger games that last hundreds of hours, it’s also warming up to the idea of shorter experiences. Whether they’re standalone follow-ups expanding on established titles or just small but dense titles, there are several franchises out there which could do with the same treatment. Let’s look at 15 of them here.

Deus Ex

It may sound counter-intuitive considering the scope of Mankind Divided and Human Revolution, but Deus Ex has always thrived on the number of choices it gives players. The different play styles, dialogues and approaches would fit well within the context of a tighter narrative and maybe encourage multiple playthroughs. As for what kind of story it would tell, given all the factions, conspiracies and whatnot, and whether it should feature Adam Jensen or a brand new character remains to be seen.

Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 Remake is an excellent re-imagining of the survival horror classic, and it stands tall as one of the best remakes of recent memory. The game presents a striking rendition of the familiar Raccoon City, complete with new puzzles and third-person shooting mechanics that make this experience a lot different than the original. While the campaign is definitely on the shorter side, plenty of side content, including but not limited to Ghost Survivors, should keep you occupied for a long time.

The Evil Within

Tango Gameworks made a splashing debut with The Evil Within back in 2014, which went down as one of the best horror games of the generation. While the game is still playable by modern standards, the graphics and gameplay have started to show some noticeable cracks. As such, a modern remake with updated graphics and smoothed-out gameplay mechanics would really make fans want to re-experience the classic all over again.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Ghost of Tsushima is many things. A great action-adventure title with stellar sword combat. A well-told story with strong characterization and memorable events. And to top it all off, the stealth is incredibly on point, whether assassinating enemies from above, poisoning them from afar, or using smoke bombs to slit their throats at close range. While stealth helps trivialize the game as one gets further in, it helps reinforce the legend of Jin as the Ghost, becoming a fiercer foe as his skills improve.

PREDATOR: HUNTING GROUNDS

Illfonic’s asymmetrical multiplayer title Predator: Hunting Grounds was a flawed game in more ways than one, but for fans of the property, there was some fun to be had in getting to play as a Predator. With multiple different Predator types to play as and unique abilities to make use of with each of them, the game certainly had some interesting mechanics up its sleeve- even though not all of them were as well executed as they should have been.

DEUS EX

The Embracer Group will soon finalize the acquisition of the vast majority of Square Enix’s North American business, which will include the Deus Ex IP and the studio responsible for it as well. And while that acquisition is, of course, going to lead to a new Deus Ex game down the line, the Embracer Group has made it clear that it might develop remakes in its newly acquired franchises as well. And a remake of the original Deus Ex would, honestly, be perfect at this point in time. The game was absolutely legendary when it came out and remains an all-time classic to this day, but like any game from that period, it hasn’t aged particularly well. Remaking it from scratch with modern-day visuals, a large world to explore, and gameplay mechanics that are more in line with Human Revolution and Mankind Divided, would be an exciting prospect.

Silent Hill 2

Konami struck gold with Silent Hill when it was released in 1999 for the PlayStation One. However it would be the sequel, released a mere 19 months later, that cemented itself in the halls of horror gaming. Silent Hill 2 didn’t just give us iconic horrors like Pyramid Head – it explored the consequences of one’s actions, the confrontation of deep-seated trauma, and the manifestation of one’s inner nightmares. That it was impeccably paced, well-written and atmospheric as a whole also helped distinguish it among other classics.

Additionally, players in Saudi Arabia also noticed the addition of Max Payne 3 to the list, as shared in multiple Twitter posts. Dead or Alive 3 is dated November 15th for availability, while all others (excluding Max Payne 3) have been dated 10th November.

With Xbox’s 20th anniversary drawing closer. speculation suggests that these games could be added to the Xbox Backward Compatibility program. Another important point worth noting is that some of these games don’t even have proper box arts right now, and none can be purchased or downloaded as of now, so it might be best to keep expectations in check. However, those interested in checking out the full list of games can look below – courtesy of Xbox Era:

• Dead or Alive
• Dead or Alive 2
• Dead or Alive 3
• Manhunt
• Max Payne
• Max Payne 2
• Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee
• Red Dead Revolver
• Star Wars: Clone Wars
• Star Wars: Episode III
• Thrillville

https://twitter.com/IdleSloth84/status/1459138732838240259

Shinobi

Nioh’s “masocore” description actually describes Sega’s Shinobi way better. While it starts out relatively fine, things quickly spiral into the deepest depths of hell. Are you constantly killing enemies? If not, you’ll die from the cursed sword which is slowly draining your health. Died from the insane platforming challenges? Have fun restarting the entire level because there are no checkpoints in between. The bosses are similarly torturous. You can unlock Joe Musashi from the original Shinobi, who doesn’t suffer from constantly health loss and has unlimited shurikens that deal more damage, but only after making significant progress.