For all the good that has happened this year, the growing
recognition of the indie scene and expansion in the free-to-play market. Some
developers and publishers still managed completely cock things up. It didn’t
matter what negative feedback from the community the top offenders received
this year. They ploughed on, destined to make a silly amount of money. It’s
fair to say that what annoys one person in a game will no doubt be defended by
another. But my top two worst decisions this year are perfect examples of what
I never what to see in gaming again. So what has managed to earn my scorn this
year?
First up is Mass Effect 3. Surprisingly neither the ending nor
the reworked version are main my complaint. The original was a bit lacklustre
and the revamped version did a lot to turn it into a fitting end. It was a
fantastic game with an excellent multiplayer mode added on. But what annoyed me
about this title was EA’s blatant cash-in on the end of the series.
Taking a page straight out Activison’s Call of Duty book, EA
jacked up the launch price and went straight for the day one DLC. Now day one
DLC by itself is not a problem if it is handled with care. EA’s approach was to
use it as an opportunity to encourage people into buying the overly expensive
Digital Deluxe and Collector’s Editions.
The DLC itself contained Javik, a Prothean team member and
the side mission that introduces him. So why was this such a big deal? Well for
any fan of the series, the Protheans are one of the most interesting pieces of
the backstory. They were the last great civilisation to inhabit the galaxy, and
by the time of the third game, any clues they have left behind could be key to
Commander Shepard’s success. Of course nothing important is withheld from those
without the DLC. But EA’s change in day one DLC attitude was pretty ridiculous.
With previous titles such as Dragon Age series and Mass
Effect 2, EA had been leading the way. Day one DLC was available as a free
pre-order bonus for any customer. You didn’t have to splash out on a special
version or spend extra to have a complete game. And to add insult to injury,
console versions of the game had a bug that could prevent you from carrying
over your Commander Shepard from the previous game. You’d hope EA would learn
from this. Better not wait for miracles though, EA has shown before that is
more corporation than publisher.
My second offender is Diablo 3. Again it managed to sell a
truck load of copies despite its problems. This does send a worrying message as
games which are always online are a pain in the arse. Now I have to hold my hand
up and admit I bought a copy. And now I understand the complaints Ubisoft received for trying this DRM trick with Settlers and Silent Hunter.
Of course Blizzard claimed it would improve the experience.
Everyone would be able to access the auction house. Easily accessible drop-in
and out multiplayer would encourage more people to play in groups. However, it
never really worked. The majority of players played the game exactly how they
always said they would. In single player; as one person against the legions of
Hell.
So Added to their single player experience, they now had the
penalty of playing a game that could lag in single player. Not even a stable
connection can give you a perfect experience. The way the system is set up is
just ridiculous. For myself, it never got to the point of complete frustration.
But a quick Google search on the issue will return plenty of players who have
lost characters in hardcore mode because the game lagged at a critical moment.
The problem could have been mitigated by providing an
offline experience. Just give players the choice to completely remove a
character from any online content. Alternatively, the game could have checked
in with servers periodically, rather than reporting every last click.
In the end, Blizzard’s decisions have no doubt pushed
consumers away into the arms of their completion. I’m sure they’re ruing their
foolishness whilst swimming through a pile of money Scrooge McDuck style.
Hopefully continued pressure from communities will help
persuade publishers and developers into more consumer friendly practices. And the next Sim City is on the horizon,
already in the firing lines for its always online requirements.
