Do you get irritated by inconsistencies between gameplay and cutscenes?

[Zhukov]

I should probably explain exactly what I mean by that. I am referring to those instances when a game's cutscenes seem to operate on a different set of rules from those set down by the gameplay.

...

Okay, that didn't explain a damn thing. Allow me to use some examples:

In Uncharted 2, Nathan Drake can recover from injuries by regenerating health. Punches, bullets, shrapnel, explosives... whatever, so long as he can find some cover, all will be well. But then he takes one bullet during a cutscene and suddenly he's in mortal danger, suffering from a wound that takes weeks(?) to recover from. Sure, it worked well from a narrative standpoint, it added drama and tension and all that. But it seems odd that a guy who shrugs off several gunshot wounds per minute can suddenly be laid low by one cutscene-empowered bullet.

For another example, consider Jack's entrance in Mass Effect 2. She hurls herself headlong out of a cryotube and promptly tears apart three of those big security mechs. Sure, it was an effective way to introduce the character. Within seconds of seeing her face you get a fair idea of what sort of person she is. However, later on if you try to send her up against just one of those big ol' mechs within gameplay... yeah, she suddenly doesn't do so well. In fact, she'll go down in a few seconds.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to present this as some sort of big terrible problem. I'm generally happy to accept it as a necessary little idiosyncrasy of game design.

However, I'm curious to see if it irritates other people. Or indeed, if they even take notice of it. So... does it? Do you?

 

[Detective Prince]

Metal Gear Solid 3 is a good example actually. If I jumped from the wooden bridge, I die. Later Big Boss does it and he's fine, it's just a broken arm and he gets to sit near a nuclear explosion. That really annoyed the hell out of me. XD.

Also, the problem with Phoenix Downs and Aeris in FFVII. I won't say anything, I think you know what I mean. XD

 

[Zac Smith]

I just recently played "Wet" and there are perfect examples of that through out, because the game is like a old 80s grindhouse film, every 30min or so, you get a little infomercial thing telling you to go get a drink or pop-corn / hotdog for the film. Funny at 1st but after the like 10th time of it literally happening in the middle of a gun fight, it really pissed me off

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Yeah, like when you die, you have to start over, but when you complete the bit you died on, the cutscene is of you dying, without actually acheiving something from the un-scripted death to the actual death.

 

[Zhukov]

Also, the problem with Phoenix Downs and Aeris in FFVII. I won't say anything, I think you know what I mean. XD

Heh. I was going to mention that.

However, apart from a tiny bit on a friend's console, I haven't actually played FFVII (shocking, I know), so I wasn't sure if the example fits.

 

[MercurySteam]

I just recently played "Wet" and there are perfect examples of that through out, because the game is like a old 80s grindhouse film, every 30min or so, you get a little infomercial thing telling you to go get a drink or pop-corn / hotdog for the film. Funny at 1st but after the like 10th time of it literally happening in the middle of a gun fight, it really pissed me off

Terrible game. I'm not sorry I traded it back in.

 

[Zac Smith]

I just recently played "Wet" and there are perfect examples of that through out, because the game is like a old 80s grindhouse film, every 30min or so, you get a little infomercial thing telling you to go get a drink or pop-corn / hotdog for the film. Funny at 1st but after the like 10th time of it literally happening in the middle of a gun fight, it really pissed me off

Terrible game. I'm not sorry I traded it back in.

I'm not, my friend lent it to me to try, although he will be receiving a swift kick in the balls for wasting my time

 

[Pearwood]

Only if it's as stupid as in Dragon Age where the entire game is spent building up blood magic as a terrible thing and any practitioners are shunned from society then lets you become one with no gameplay effects.

 

[Spacewolf]

DMC usually leads to a few why carnt i do thats

 

[Biosophilogical]

I've been playing Infamous these past few days (finished evil, almost finished good). Anyways, when a cutscene-thingy (the in-game ones, not the graphic-novel-y ones) includes your character ... grrrrr. Honestly, I'll be in a nice, convenient spot (higher ground, some cover, away from the invading bad-guys), then a cut-scene will introduce another wave of enemies and I'll be left out in the open, too far away from my previous spot to get back there alive, and directly in the line of fire of a very angry looking turret truck.

I don't think that's what you meant, but it fits your title.

 

[KafkaOffTheBeach]

I find MGS4 to be the greatest perpetrator of this.
I mean - in the cutscenes Snake monologues the fuck out of everything in his sexy, gritty voice.
So tell me Kojima: Why can't I do that in game?
Why don't I have a meaningful monologue button?
Not good enough.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

It doesn't bother me. Gameplay has to be fun and if you make it realistic, its not going to be that fun.

 

[The Madman]

Depends on the game and how well they're done, obviously.

I like it when they're used properly to forward the games narrative or even serve a functional purpose in displaying abilities or scenario before the player themselves get to experience them, that's good. It's also a way to spice up dialogue options by having them appear during 'cinematic' in a context sensitive way, ensuring the player has some control over what's going on and making them feel less like they're watching a movie and more like they're taking part in something. Also useful when the nature of the game itself isn't very story-compatible but the developers still want to tell a story, take Starcraft 2 and other rts as an example.

I dislike them when they're just there to show pretty visuals so the publishers have something to put into the games trailers and advertising. FPS tend to be particularly guilty of this where the game will directly or, as the new trend tends to be, indirectly take control of the player to display something totally cool going on that serves no real purpose other than to try and make the player go 'whoa'. Alternatively you know all those times you have to wait for the bloody AI to open a door or somesuch and you're left standing ten paces behind, completely taken out of the game to watch this pointless little scenario? That counts too, and it annoys the hell out of me.

 

[Cerrida]

Final Fantasy VII. I think VG Cats explained it best:
http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=176

I can't think of anything else right now because it's early.

 

[AtheistConservative]

Basically all of Assassins Creed 2 but especially at the end, I mean really 2 chances at this guy and Ezio still can't find time in his busy schedule to kill this bastard?

 

[Thyunda]

Games that let you customise your character's armour and such, but then they just reset it to default during cutscenes. I can't name any examples off the top of my head, because it's been a while since I played one, but they definitely exist.
Also ones that remove your helmet for conversations...for absolutely no good reason.

 

[MazdaXR]

THe thing that gets me is on really well done games, they forget to change the damn gun in the cutscenes, i mean mass effect 2 is a prime example. the last mission my shepard cant equip automatic rifles yet in every cutscene he is holding one, yet im pretty sure all the weapons on his back are the ones my character actually has.

The same thing with Leon Kennedy in resi4 no matter if you have original pistol or not he will always have it in every cutscene.