Ninja Blade is doomed due to quick-time events? – Xbox 360
Ninja Blade is the Xbox 360 exclusive title coming out early next month. The game has been described to be similar to that of Ninja Gaiden with a few twists. Apparently the similarity between the two games ends where the quick-time events start. The question stands – will reliance on quick-time events ruin a promising game?
Recently, I talked a bit about Ninja Blade and even noted that the story seemed interesting. Ninja Blade is like a mix between Ninja Gaiden and Resident Evil, with zombies and ninjas. The game not only looks good but it also seems to have an interesting story premise. However, the one thing that could ruin the game is if it relies too heavily on quick-time events.
The guys over at Ars Technica had a chance to play an early demo of the game. Apparently, Ninja Blade uses a lot of quick-time events (QTE) in the game. It seems that the number of QTEs parallel to the actual live action gameplay in the demo.
I actually don’t mind the mix of QTEs with live action considering great games such as God of War made excellent use of it. I would say that it is the way Ninja Blade utilizes QTE that is concerning more than its use. In a game such as Ninja Blade the main character will jump, fly and flip like Sonic on caffeine. However, considering that it is a fast paced action game the one thing that could hinder this experience is mandatory QTEs.
Apparently, you cannot bypass QTEs if you don’t feel like messing with them. The game will rewind you back a few seconds Prince of Persia style, to repeat the QTE until you have mastered the timing. I do fear that forcing mandatory QTEs into the game will break up the game flow and ruin the experience.
Considering that even the boss battles have a good deal of QTEs, I can see players getting frustrated with the game. Hopefully developers will change their minds on making QTEs mandatory to progress throughout the game before it hits the store shelves.
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25 Responses to “Ninja Blade is doomed due to quick-time events? – Xbox 360”
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March 5th, 2009
Ninja Blade i just saw the videos on IGN for it and the game doesn’t look good. Graphically it looks nice not jaw dropping but fair. The controls are way too quick in the demonstration from the developers. Also Tokyo is not that fun for a game like this.
March 5th, 2009
This was one of the games are was excited for. It totally bombed in Japan though. I’d put down QTE but Dragons Lair, 2, and Space Ace were some of my favorite games when I was growing up.
March 5th, 2009
*I was excited for*
March 5th, 2009
Isn’t Heavy Rain meant to be a game that’s full of QTE’s? Is that game doomed too Mike?
March 5th, 2009
QTE’s are alright as long as you know when they’re going to happen….in God of War you can virtually predict when they’re going to happen.
It’s when they happen out of the blue is when they’re bad.
March 5th, 2009
Never played Indigo Prophecy. It does have a nice metacritic score though. Would be willing to give Heavy Rain the benefit of the doubt.
March 5th, 2009
I read this exact article (ARS) yesterday also. I thought this seemed like it was going to be a really cool game, but from the first impression it seems like the game is more than half cinematics and quick time events.
I missed Indigo Prophecy also… it seems like this sort of game play mechanic would maybe be best suited for a game which relies very heavily on story driven progression. I’m not sure it would work as well in a Ninja Gaiden type game.
Yes the God of War series used quick time events, but there was a far greater ratio of live action to QTEs. The QTEs were used sparingly to add cinematic flair.
March 5th, 2009
If done right QTE could be good. There has to be a happy medium. The GOW QTE is kind of like a finishing move. A lot of times you already beat the enemy, and the QTE is used to extract for red or green orbs, in a fashionable kill sequence.
QTE is in lieu of certain aspects of a game that could have been in the game could be annoying. Heavenly sword did this to jump up in certain areas. Of course the game lacked a jump button so you needed it…but then make it an option to be able to jump.
RE4 did a bunch of these as well. With more flexibility with a character they wouldn’t need them to add to the mobility.
March 5th, 2009
I think the only game I’ve played recently that miss-used QTEs was the new Price of Persia. Not sure if you played it, but the boss battles over used QTEs to drag out the boss battles. If you miss-entered one of the events, the boss regained health. It seemed like a really cheap way to drag out the fight. And if that was annoying enough, you had to fight each boss a total of three separate times.
March 5th, 2009
Since you had no health in the game, in order to penalize you for screwing up and getting hit they award the character you fight back their health. I enjoyed POP. Each fight with the same boss was more difficult than the last. I hated getting the “ink in eye” effect. Always annoyed me.
March 5th, 2009
Over all, I really enjoyed it. I found myself getting annoyed at the boss battles though. Yeah, the ink was a pain.
March 5th, 2009
harry thats different.. because heavy rain is like the old school adventure games… whereas Ninja Blade is an action game… MOAR ACTION PREEEEZE!!!
March 5th, 2009
Ninja blade feels a little like a cheap rip off of DMC/God of War to me.
The QTE stuff doesn’t bother me in game, but there is alot of ‘cut scene QTE’ crap, and if you miss one you just have to do it again.
March 5th, 2009
I don’t know what the big deal is about QTEs. I like their cinematic nature, so this is by no means a dealbreaker for me.
It being a 360 exclusive… now THAT is a dealbreaker.
-Arvis
March 5th, 2009
QTEs are bullshit. I hate them.
Nothing destroys immersion like a BIG FUCKING SQUARE flashing at you on the screen, then it laughs at you like a retard because you couldn’t predict the future.
March 5th, 2009
*cracks up at Royzy*
Hard to argue with logic like that, honestly.
However, I enjoyed the QTEs in RE4 and Indigo Prophecy… maybe they were just balanced better than in other games.
-Arvis
March 5th, 2009
I don’t know, comparing this game to Heavy Rain. I would prefer a mix of action and QTE’s rather than just a game full of QTE’s.
March 5th, 2009
Roy’s got the right idea. I think they’re good when you know they’re going to happen.
From what I’ve seen from Heavy Rain, it’s pretty clear when they’re going to happen, so that’s cool.
I don’t know what harry’s got against Heavy Rain…I think it looks like wicked….proper dark and disturbing…I like stuff like that.
So watch it now go and get rated Teen or something
March 5th, 2009
i understand QTE’s… i rather liked them in mgs4, but… that was a rather slow game, in an action game when im always running, dunno how much i could put up with?
March 6th, 2009
“So watch it now go and get rated Teen or something”
Would that really be so horrible, lock_down? Why does “disgusting” = “good” these days?
-Arvis
March 6th, 2009
It’s just my desire for the final game to be as is described: Psychological Mystery/Dark Thriller.
Psychological dark thrillers typically aren’t for kids, so if it gets rated anything other than mature, then by definition it’s not a “mature” game.
That’s not to say that if it’s rated anything lower than mature that it’s a bad game; it just means that it won’t be as dark, disturbing or psychological as I want the game to be if it is for an audience other than a mature one i.e. a young audience.
March 6th, 2009
Dismemberment = immersion
March 6th, 2009
Exactly
March 6th, 2009
*punches all of you*
See!? Look what M-rated games have done to me!!
-Arvis
March 6th, 2009
You best get on the line to Jack Thompson then Arvis