Ninja Theory's new game: Enslaved

[Sigfried1977]

Samsung PS50 b850 (or something like that) It has a built-in DD5.1 decoder. Since it works fine with every other game it's pretty safe to blame the one game where it doesn't.

 

[Rotmm]

Ok, now I'm confused. Let me just confirm that I understand correctly how you have your system set up.

(1) PS3 connected to TV via HDMI.
(2) Optical Cable (what Arwin called Toslink) going from TV to Receiver.
(3) TV Set to output audio to Optical
(4) No audio feed going directly from PS3 to Receiver

Is that right? If so, then there is no native 5.1 feed for any game, DVD or Blu Ray being delivered to your receiver from your PS3... or indeed any other device that you may have connected to the TV via HDMI, like a Satellite Box, and are feeding audio from the TV to receiver for.

Your TV, like the vast majority of TV's out there, only outputs stereo from the optical out port, no matter what feed comes in. What's likely happening is that your receiver is switching to Dolby ProLogic mode (or similar) and creating a faux-5.1 surround from the stereo source that your TV is feeding it.

I've no idea why the Enslaved demo is any different, but can only assume that it doesn't sound so good because the mix is originally stereo anyway?

However, that's beside the point. The only way to get true 5.1 from your PS3 is to connect the optical cable directly to the receiver. Please trust me on this, try it with a decent Blu Ray or game and you'll notice the difference immediately.

If you're concerned that you'll not be able to hear audio from your receiver for a satellite box, for example, then you can pick up optical switchers pretty cheaply.

Hope this helps.

 

[Arwin]

Samsung PS50 b850 (or something like that) It has a built-in DD5.1 decoder. Since it works fine with every other game it's pretty safe to blame the one game where it doesn't.

It all depends on whether or not your Samsung can accept an uncompressed 5.1 input. If that's the case, then you shoud simply enable your PS3 to output all sound as uncompressed LPCM 5.1 over HDMI to your TV.

If your TV can't handle that, and can only handle the default DD 5.1 and pass that over the optical (toslink) to the receiver, then you have a problem.

Regardless of all this of course, it's sad that either QA missed it (even surprising that Sony accepted it), or they were desperate enough to get the game out to push it through anyway.

 

[Sigfried1977]

It all depends on whether or not your Samsung can accept an uncompressed 5.1 input. If that's the case, then you shoud simply enable your PS3 to output all sound as uncompressed LPCM 5.1 over HDMI to your TV.

Pretty sure it can't, but I haven't actually tested it yet. Considering how it doesn't support DTS, the likelyhood of LPCM-multichannel-support is slim and none I'd wager.

 

[patsu]

I use optical link in my office PS3 and didn't notice any sound problem, apart from it being stereo.

Agree that Heavenly Sword can hold its own against Enslaved. Monkey's control gets more dodgy in later stages (may be because the upgraded moves are not tuned). I still like the game though, hope NT can improve their methods and techs further, but find a non-gamey theme to try next time.

 

[Rotmm]

Pretty sure it can't, but I haven't actually tested it yet. Considering how it doesn't support DTS, the likelyhood of LPCM-multichannel-support is slim and none I'd wager.

At the end of the day, your Sammy cannot accept any form of surround sound via HDMI and output it as anything other than plain stereo via optical. It's right there in the manual.

 

[Sigfried1977]

^Seems like you are right. PS3 is now directly connected to the decoder (which suffers from a broken display so I can never be absolutely sure what goes in and what comes out) again. This obviously doesn't change that NT screwed up royally here, because right now the game sounds like ass when you compare it to other games. Supposedly NT is working on a patch, but it won't be available before the first dlc comes out (whenever that will be). Way to treat your customers, assholes.

 

[Rotmm]

Ah, but have you now noticed other games sounding better, with proper seperation and all that?

 

[Sigfried1977]

I only started using the tv's optical outlet a couple of weeks ago (to reduce the mess with cables), so I played most of the surround showcase games the proper way anyway. I guess I'll check out if Lords of Shadow sounds any different. Naruto UNS2 certainly doesn't (at least it's very similar to before)

The problem with Enslaved isn't just the lacking multi-channel anyway. The audio mix is just piss-poor at the moment. Dialogue is barely audible at times and I'm not quite sure if I ever heard any music to be honest.

 

[Sigfried1977]

Finished it this weekend. Pretty underwhelming. I liked the lead characters, but that's just about the game's only aspect I really enjoyed. Both the performance capture and the Garland script have paid off handsomely. Sadly every other aspect, from the gameplay to the visuals, was either utterly forgettable or just plain bad.
The fighting in Heavenly Sword wasn't spectacular, but it was at least responsive and enjoyable once you figured out the nuances. I was kinda hoping they'd improve upon their first efforts, but what they came up with instead in Enslaved is a sluggish, button-mashy mess, framed by an exeptionally poor camera.
Traversing the environment is even worse than combat: click x to perform acrobatic feats and try not to fall asleep while you are doing it. I thought traversal couldn't get any more scripted and less skill-dependant than in Uncharted (which is why I think the Tomb Raider comparison is bs), but boy, was I wrong.
Visually the game isn't bad, but it isn't particularly good either. Cut-scene animation was pretty good, but apparently the attention to detail that brought the faces of the characters to life wasn't applied to the remainung body parts. As far as the actual in game animation is concerned, Monkey is well done, Trip on the other hand, is not. Especially her spastic climbing animation looks almost like glitch.
Textures are all over the place. Some are great (characters, not including enemies), some are decent and some are piss poor. Sadly they didn't really hide the poor ones well. Since this is UE3, they also have their fair share of trouble streaming in on time. Not since the first Mass Effect have I seen so much texture swapping. Performace, at least on the PS3, is rather poor as well. This has me really worried for the upcoming DMC game. A franchise that's traditionally running at 60 fps, handled by a company that barely manages 20 fps wth just 2 or 3 characters on screen while emphasizing every aspect of a game except the gameplay.

 

[patsu]

Played this back to back with Vanquish. The latter is a much more entertaining game by far.

 

[Sigfried1977]

Played it back to back with Naruto, which I also thought was far and away the more entertaining (not to mention polished) game. I was especially impressed with the story: a fighting game manages to make me tear up a little at one point. How weird is that? I definitely want to check out the anime now.

 

[Pugger]

This is probably me, but I found the game to be a clone, in more ways than one. It has a very Unchartered feel about it with regards to the platforming sections. There is no real skill required bar making sure your quick enough on the collapsable sections and so much of the atmosphere is lost for me, the same can be said of both unchartered games also. The combat sections to tie everything in are okay, there's enough to keep you entertained just. It's playable enough and looks pretty good to me, but as with unchartered is too constricted and scripted.

 

[RobertR1]

I think it's pretty clean by now that NT need to focus less on style and more on substance, if they plan on making more action games. At some point people actually want to play the game. If you want to focus on style alone, then make a FPS. The controls there are basic and people will be vowed by the sytle as long as the shooting mechanics hold up fine.

 

[patsu]

This is probably me, but I found the game to be a clone, in more ways than one. It has a very Unchartered feel about it with regards to the platforming sections. There is no real skill required bar making sure your quick enough on the collapsable sections and so much of the atmosphere is lost for me, the same can be said of both unchartered games also. The combat sections to tie everything in are okay, there's enough to keep you entertained just. It's playable enough and looks pretty good to me, but as with unchartered is too constricted and scripted.

I don't mind Uncharted style platforming in a story heavy game. I'd hate it if the platforming inhibits the pacing. It's like Heavy Rain where your actions help to appreciate the game world or character better, but failures in these actions *usually* do not end the game. The other extreme is inFamous. It turns the world into one giant platforming level, but it can get tedious later, especially in an open world game. I lost interest in the game even though I heard the story is good.

I like the "dog fight" and cloud, but I think the game can use more enemy variety. The advanced combat moves should be more polished.

In Vanquish, I think they nailed both. The actions are more intense and flowery too, hence a more entertaining experience.

 

[Mobius1aic]

This is probably me, but I found the game to be a clone, in more ways than one. It has a very Unchartered feel about it with regards to the platforming sections. There is no real skill required bar making sure your quick enough on the collapsable sections and so much of the atmosphere is lost for me, the same can be said of both unchartered games also. The combat sections to tie everything in are okay, there's enough to keep you entertained just. It's playable enough and looks pretty good to me, but as with unchartered is too constricted and scripted.

I don't mind that aspect too much, especially in games that really push the more interactive movie side of gaming. The Uncharted like gameplay just made it easier to jump into. Sure it's unoriginal, but if the audience likes that sort of thing, I don't see it in too much of a negative light. The real strength of Enslaved is it's characters, their interaction, and their story. It drew me in much like the Uncharted titles, Heavenly Sword, Prince of Persia 2008 and Mafia II. It's kind of how I define my console experience now (though I played Prince of Persia and Mafia II on PC, as I always do if a PC version is available). These games are clearly putting much of the effort into high quality story and quality production in the cutscenes, with some decent but not too brain dead gameplay. Much like the RPGs of old did, you play the games hoping soon for another cutscene to fill you in on story and some enjoyable character interactions. For these games, I don't mind the shorter game lengths, in the 10 hour areas, as they entertain me highly, though I certainly wouldn't consider them the apex of the medium. They are like good summer popcorn flicks. You don't mind paying the same money to see it as you would to see that 3 hour Oscar winner that is getting all the rave reviews, just like you wouldn't mind paying $60 for the game that is only 10 or so hours long in comparison to something like Lost Odyssey or Mass Effect where clearly you'll spend much more time playing.

 

[Pugger]

I don't mind Uncharted style platforming in a story heavy game. I'd hate it if the platforming inhibits the pacing. It's like Heavy Rain where your actions help to appreciate the game world or character better, but failures in these actions *usually* do not end the game. The other extreme is inFamous. It turns the world into one giant platforming level, but it can get tedious later, especially in an open world game. I lost interest in the game even though I heard the story is good.

I like the "dog fight" and cloud, but I think the game can use more enemy variety. The advanced combat moves should be more polished.

In Vanquish, I think they nailed both. The actions are more intense and flowery too, hence a more entertaining experience.

I haven't played Vanquish bar the demo and that put me off buying the game, as I have a heavy distaste for Boss fights. I think your point regading pacing is interetsing and one I still don't think has been resolved for me in games such as Enslaved/Unchartered.
Yes both are heavily script driven and that's what really dissapoints me, the modern way of driving these stories is basically an exercise in page turning, the inetraction is that basic. I can't fathom how anyone can really enjoy jumping from one hand hold to another in a linear context and to boot with no skill required.
I would like to think there are developers out there with both the vision and forsight to tie a plot driven game together in a far more interactive way. I just wish I could think of a way it could be done!

Sorry Mobius1aic I missed your post. Yes lots of studio appear to be putting huge amounts of time and money into scripts and production, but I maintain that many are losing the sight of the fact that they are game developers and not motion film production studio's. Its seems to me that games of this type and now worringly other genres also seem to be driven from the bottom up by the story, with the aim of fitting a game play structure around it. Maybe I'm old school but gameplay should be the starting point and everything follows from that.

 

[Sigfried1977]

^I kinda agree with you. Platforming that doesn't involve skill is rather pointless. At least Uncharted masked this rather well (and unlike in Enslaved you can still fall to your death if you are careless) and also didn't separate the traversal mechanics from the gun-play. Having the ability to climb a nearby structure and pepper bad-guys with bullets from above made it a worthwhile addition despite the simplicity. Snappy, responsive controls, coupled with clever level layouts capable of highlighting the proper path without the need for blinking structures were another reason why I didn't particularly mind the traversal mechanics.
Still, I hope that Crystal Dynamics goes back to the drawing board for the next Tomb Raider once more and comes up with a system that brings back the adrenaline rush and the sweaty palms when you perform tricky acrobatics. The last couple of TR required a bit of timing, but hardly any finesse.

 

[PhilB]

Maybe I'm old school but gameplay should be the starting point and everything follows from that.

It could be equally as big of a disaster building a game then trying to fit some kind of story in. I generally agree with having an idea then building around that. Having one doesn't necessarily mean not having the other.

 

[Sigfried1977]

It could be equally as big of a disaster building a game then trying to fit some kind of story in.

Well, most stories in games are borderline disastrous. Still, if the underlying gameplay is good and fun that tends to be forgiven. (I have basically no clue what any of the Castlevania games are really about for example)
It's still better than the other way around.