Blogs Thoughts on Cutscenes

ME2 had the best cutscenes I've ever seen in a game. The script was good, they always served a purpose, the interaction was never far from the forefront and they were directed with a good sense of pace and drama. I also loved that the parts that were pre-rendered looked similar to the in-game engine, but just more glossy.

One of the only mis-steps in ME2 was where - once or twice - it broke the rule about not showing characters do things they can't do in the rest of the game. When Jack escapes from her shackles, she destroys two heavy assault bots with one giant biotic blast - why couldn't she do that later on, when it would have been useful?

I don't much care for the HL2 approach. It's debatable whether it even uses "cutscenes" at all, since the story moments in HL2 don't cut away from the gameplay. However, they do have a tendency to just lock you in a room while a guy talks at you, even when you're running around and climbing on his furniture. It just looks stupid, and I don't feel like it's keeping me immersed.

 

Dragon Age: Origins - what a ballache.

 

I don't mind cutscenes where they help to elaborate bits of the story that would otherwise be hard to tell. And just after a difficult level, or part of a level, a short cutscene is usually good. But some cutscenes are just badly implemented, and along with everyone else I agree that unskippable cutscenes are AWFUL.

 

soo true.. think half the game was just voice acting- after awhile I was like.. one ear and out the other

 

Moan, moan, moan! Seriously, the cuts scenes were too long? I loved the humour, loved the voice acting, and you only need to look at nolf2 to see one of the reasons it wasn't as good - the cut scenes were crap. Most games have such bad voice acting that it's a rare treat to hear proper, funny dialogue, so stop moaning about it!

 

If the cut scene is helping to tell part of the story and it is well done, then I love cut scenes. True some are badly done...especially the further back through time you go. But personally I hardly ever have issue with them. Maybe that's because I care more for actual story telling, rather than unbroken gaming action.

 

Are we really talking about a game that is 10 years old?!

 

I think one game that did well with the cutscenes, in that they advanced the story, but didn't show the character doing something you couldn't in the game, would be Homeworld.

Yes, the scenes were either done in the style of a graphic novel (mostly black line drawings,) or else they were shots of your ship, with a voice over.

Still worked quite well though, I feel.

 

I liked Metal Gear Solid 2. That should tell you my thoughts.

 

I can't believe nobody have mentioned Dreamfall: The longest journey.

The entire game were more or less an semi-interactive cutscene. The story and locations were pretty good, but it would have been better if they just made a 4hour movie. (I think all the cutscenes from the game are out on Youtube.)

edit: Here it is.

 

I like Final Fantasy games cutscenes... The overlong intro in modernwarfare 2 is pretty damn annoying

 

On balance, I like cutscenes, but in the long ones a pause would be handy. It is annoying to have to skip the scene to go to the loo/answer the phone/... and then have to pick up again from the beginning.

There is one game that came out ~2004-5, published by Atari and that had lots of cutscenes that I really enjoyed. It was a game loosely about oil and terrorism, and I have completely forgotten what it is called!

The opening is in a news studio, with people discussing the environment, rising oil prices... and sets off the whole game really well imo.

edit: it was Act of War

 

When done well they can bring to life a game. All out action for no reason soon gets boring. I loved both Uncharted 1 & 2 - the story telling was immense and they used proper actors who improvised for realism.

I did think Metal Gear Solid 4 had some way too long scenes but is still an awesome game.

Cut-scenes used to be a way for developers to show off their skills. Square Enix have always produced top notch quality.

 

Im pretty sure the ending to 4, is a good two hours?
Although im a massive mgs fanboy so i loved it

 

Still got NOLF installed next to Deus Ex and Open TTD. They run great on a netbook too, which is fantastic for long train journeys.

 

Yes Nolf is old, yes Thief is old as well, but both are classics and there ain't too much that can match them.

 

OpenTTD <3

 

how come in the older games they always had one character with ass * face.. it was like a staple to have someone with a face only a mother could love and he had the all knowing look

 

Surprised no one's mentioned the worst cutscenes ever...

Guild Wars!

The wonderful voices, the "my pet is still in combat and dying, let me move", the "hey that's not even me, why am I watching the party leader?" and my favorite: "I can't even use that ability that many times without running out of energy... thanks combat scene."

 

PAUSING is key for long cutscenes, yet they never let you. It's either skip entirely or sit through it with the cat scratching at the door.