Default Prime writer Tom Peeters is back in action after a wrist injury that left him unable to write or even play games. His first column this year takes a look at empty game worlds, with specific focus on Los Angeles. Are they all soulless wastelands, no matter how bustling they look?
"I began playing a game yesterday, a game lauded by many, so I decided that I should have a go at it as well: LA Noire. Now, truth be told, open world games have stopped captivating my interest these last few years (yes, I’m counting Skyrim as well). The problem is that this kind of game tends to sacrifice storytelling for freedom. After playing New Vegas a while back, I said to myself that I’d rather play a completely linear story that at least has more depth than 50 square miles that are as empty as my bank account. New Vegas is a barren wasteland, in more than one sense. GTA IV, a few years back, gave me the same sense of senselessness."
"It was so offensive to me"
Amazon Prime subscribers can claim more than a dozen games to keep this month.
GTA IV turned GTA into a more grounded franchise where storytelling and immersion became just as engrossing as wrecking up open-world sandboxes.
