Poll: Stealth or Combat? Your preference.
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For me, it all depends on if there's a better ending for one certain path. If given the choice between the two, and neither really have any advantages, I'd go for all-out combat. But, when I need to sneak past people and knock them out if I want to get a specific ending to a game, then I will sneak the hell out of those guards.
Wow. There's a lot of stealth on these forums. Can't say I understand why.
Personally, I've never seen the appeal of stealth. It's needlessly complicated when you can just run in and start cleaving skulls. Going straight-up combat simplifies enemy encounters into "introduce sword to face, also don't die". I'm not very patient, either; I'd rather take action by slaughtering my enemies. It's more fun than sitting around and trying to come out unseen.
Basically, I think stealth is boring and over-complicates what can be a very simple situation.
Personally, I've never seen the appeal of stealth. It's needlessly complicated when you can just run in and start cleaving skulls. Going straight-up combat simplifies enemy encounters into "introduce sword to face, also don't die". I'm not very patient, either; I'd rather take action by slaughtering my enemies. It's more fun than sitting around and trying to come out unseen.
Basically, I think stealth is boring and over-complicates what can be a very simple situation.
I prefer the middle ground of stealth killing everyone. I don't like leaving enemies alive, no sneaking past for me.
Which is exactly the style I played in both Dishonored and Deus Ex HR.
Hitman has to be the best game ever for that though, I've spent days on end just trying to stealth kill everyone in the levels without ever getting noticed.
Which is exactly the style I played in both Dishonored and Deus Ex HR.
Hitman has to be the best game ever for that though, I've spent days on end just trying to stealth kill everyone in the levels without ever getting noticed.
I try to mix em both, see how far quiet takedowns and ambushes get me, and go loud when everyone finally realises half the base has been taken out already.
I usually try the stealthy approach and if i fuck up then i'll try my luck in a gun fight. The only game that i tried my very best to complete in stealth mode and without killing anyone was Dishonored, probably because it was different, it wasn't that hard or time consuming to hide a passed out guard and it was quite enjoyable with all these different powers. And i even made 2 playthroughs in skyrim with a stealthy archer, mostly because i found it to be the easiest way to play it.
I prefer stealth. It's just more satisfying to me. Each goon you take out feels like a new victory.
Or, have them run for the hills because you ruined their shit last time so badly.Ghost1800 said:
Unrestrained Violence.
I prefer the middle ground where I stealth-kill as many people as I can in the room (or just silently knock them out and THEN shoot them in the face with a silenced gun in case the stealth-kills are noisy) and in the eventuality chance that I fuck up then I can just go "Fuck it, MINIGUNS MOTHERFUCKAS!". Of course the game needs to have decent stealth in order to that, if the stealth is optional and shit then I'll just go straight to changing the wallpaper in my enemy's gore. Alternatively, if the stealth is great but the action isn't then I'll just go start breaking necks.
I've never really been one for stealth, since when it comes to fantasy I often fall into the "brave warrior, fight for glory and die with honour" sort of jargon. Stealth has always been.. well, dare I say cowardly, to me? Hiding in the shadows, killing unsuspecting people from behind, thieving around. I'll play around with it a little bit in a party-based RPG, but other than that it isn't my thing at all.
Stealth all the way.
I play single player games like I'm the Predator, remain undetected, isolate enemies remove them one at a time wth as little fuss as possible.
I play multi player just the same, most of my Battlefield loadouts include a silenced primary, in BF3 I'm practically welded to the crossbow. Staying away from other player's attention leads longer streaks, more completed objectives and to higher scores!
I play single player games like I'm the Predator, remain undetected, isolate enemies remove them one at a time wth as little fuss as possible.
I play multi player just the same, most of my Battlefield loadouts include a silenced primary, in BF3 I'm practically welded to the crossbow. Staying away from other player's attention leads longer streaks, more completed objectives and to higher scores!
I like to use a combo of stealth and combat to kite and out-maneuver enemies.
Either that, or try sneaking/kiting, fail miserably, and just spray and pray until everything is dead.
Like I'll set up a trap, fire a clip into a group of enemies (trying to kill at least one), then camp and use the trap as a distraction while I kill more guys, It worked best in Killzone 3 as an Engineer.
Either that, or try sneaking/kiting, fail miserably, and just spray and pray until everything is dead.
Like I'll set up a trap, fire a clip into a group of enemies (trying to kill at least one), then camp and use the trap as a distraction while I kill more guys, It worked best in Killzone 3 as an Engineer.
Stealth (unless we are talking skyrim style stealth in which stealth is boring, feels exploitive due to stupid AI and you are probably going to be killing everything you come across anyway)
For a start there are a lot more games that are built completely around combat than stealth so I already play direct combat a lot and have many game choices for when I want to explode some heads.
I generally prefer guile heroes to powerful heroes which fits better with stealth. It's kinda a scalpel vs sledgehammer thing. For the most part I prefer being quiet and getting the job done with minimal collateral where no one even really knows what happened when they discover my work to loudly smashing my way through although being an unstoppable powerhouse is also fun at times. Like with most things related to gaming it depends on my mood. Stealth can also mean you aren't unnecessary killing a whole bunch of people just doing their job and I can buy someone sneaking past 20 armed guards easier than I can buy someone charging in and killing 20 armed guards by themselves. Some games with stealth have dialogue between enemies which is a nice bonus.
Alternatively I like to set up an advantage before engaging in a fight. Getting to high ground or a choke point, setting up traps, locating and luring enemies into environmental weapons ect. In a lot of games this is overcomplicated and takes far more effort than just shooting them in the face but I still like doing it.
For a start there are a lot more games that are built completely around combat than stealth so I already play direct combat a lot and have many game choices for when I want to explode some heads.
I generally prefer guile heroes to powerful heroes which fits better with stealth. It's kinda a scalpel vs sledgehammer thing. For the most part I prefer being quiet and getting the job done with minimal collateral where no one even really knows what happened when they discover my work to loudly smashing my way through although being an unstoppable powerhouse is also fun at times. Like with most things related to gaming it depends on my mood. Stealth can also mean you aren't unnecessary killing a whole bunch of people just doing their job and I can buy someone sneaking past 20 armed guards easier than I can buy someone charging in and killing 20 armed guards by themselves. Some games with stealth have dialogue between enemies which is a nice bonus.
Alternatively I like to set up an advantage before engaging in a fight. Getting to high ground or a choke point, setting up traps, locating and luring enemies into environmental weapons ect. In a lot of games this is overcomplicated and takes far more effort than just shooting them in the face but I still like doing it.
I would say that I prefer stealth when the game is built around it, or rather I should say when the stealth is done well. In games like dishonoured I play it stealthy because it feels good to do it, in games like the elder scrolls series I don't stealth it because the stealth system is abysmal and just doesn't feel right for the game.
I love the feeling of having taken out a whole group of enemies without any of them knowing I had been there at all, but it is somewhat ruined for me when they penalize you for killing people -_- I don't mind being penalized for killing someone noisily or messily or for killing an innocent but when you're punished for killing someone who's clearly a bad guy it just makes me feel like the game is trying to ruin my fun, it also usually means that there is a binary moral choice system which just makes me feel ill.
Having said all that there are some cases of total reversal of that situation, where I will 'rambo' through a stealth game just because I feel like doing it. For instance with MGS 3 on PS2 I would often take off snake's shirt put on the zombie face paint and run around with a shotgun role playing as some crazed lunatic going on a killing spree. I think it all comes down to how you're feeling at the time, I don't think anyone always wants to stealth there way through stuff when they can just go crazy, but by the same token going crazy all the time should really start to just get dull after a while.
Can we all at least agree that poorly implemented, forced stealth segments in games that otherwise do not have stealth game play in them really, really sucks? LIke seriously screw that. *cough*oldharrypotterseries*cough*
I love the feeling of having taken out a whole group of enemies without any of them knowing I had been there at all, but it is somewhat ruined for me when they penalize you for killing people -_- I don't mind being penalized for killing someone noisily or messily or for killing an innocent but when you're punished for killing someone who's clearly a bad guy it just makes me feel like the game is trying to ruin my fun, it also usually means that there is a binary moral choice system which just makes me feel ill.
Having said all that there are some cases of total reversal of that situation, where I will 'rambo' through a stealth game just because I feel like doing it. For instance with MGS 3 on PS2 I would often take off snake's shirt put on the zombie face paint and run around with a shotgun role playing as some crazed lunatic going on a killing spree. I think it all comes down to how you're feeling at the time, I don't think anyone always wants to stealth there way through stuff when they can just go crazy, but by the same token going crazy all the time should really start to just get dull after a while.
Can we all at least agree that poorly implemented, forced stealth segments in games that otherwise do not have stealth game play in them really, really sucks? LIke seriously screw that. *cough*oldharrypotterseries*cough*
I think the closest you get to the open world game with a guerrilla type warfare is the first Crysis game, it's more of a sandbox, but the island is quite big, and with a lot of options in every map. In the first one, the suit was not as powerfull as in the second game, so you need to be more cautious, and plan better.Goliath100 said:
OT: I love stealth, not only because i like the idea of sneaking past the enemies and taking them by surprise, but i really like when a game gives me the choice to go for a pacifist run, withot killing anyone, it usually is harder, but at the same time it's cooler. One of the reasons i like the Hitman games, is because aside from the target, you don't need to go on a killing spree.
But...I have to say, that sometimes there's a lot of satisfaction in going the "kill'em all" route. In Deus Ex: HR, the part when Marida is down and you can rescue her...I remember that my first pacifist run ended there when i started going for the kill and decimated the the guys attacking her plane.
I strongly prefer the silent, stealthy approach. I don't dislike going in with guns blazing but if I'm given the choice I prefer to sneak around guards, steal things...I would rather imagine a scenario in which the main boss character fires a bunch of stooges who failed to notice the handsome protagonist sneak in, steal everything that wasn't bolted down and, spray-paint penises on several walls and doors. Part of why I can't get into Splinter Cell: Black List is because there seem to be unavoidable action sequences which always makes me feel like I screwed up somewhere so I end up re-loading again and again before realizing that this action scene is supposed to happen. This happens in Deus Ex: Human Revolution too but only during the horrible boss fights which makes for a far more enjoyable and, satisfying experience. Then there are Bethesda RPGs in which a truly skilled player can get through 85% - 95% of the game without any enemy knowing there was ever a protagonist to begin with.
I don't dislike running in guns-blazing...I don't want stealth in my action games at all but if I'm playing a game where the stealth is good and encouraged then I go with the silenced weapons and under cover of darkness. Forcing stealth on me while I play Duke Nukem 3D, Punisher, etc is just a no-go for me.
I don't dislike running in guns-blazing...I don't want stealth in my action games at all but if I'm playing a game where the stealth is good and encouraged then I go with the silenced weapons and under cover of darkness. Forcing stealth on me while I play Duke Nukem 3D, Punisher, etc is just a no-go for me.
All combat is boring & all sneaking is slightly unrewarding. I want to sneak up on the enemy & take them by complete surprise, so I'd prefer a combo. Call me a backstabber.
Sometimes I like direct mele, but I find hiding in the shadows & picking off enemies from a distance pleasantly relaxing.
Sometimes I like direct mele, but I find hiding in the shadows & picking off enemies from a distance pleasantly relaxing.
Both. When given the option, I prefer to sneak around, use non-lethal takedowns (or if that's not an option then just take out the bad guys separately one by one), but then stop sneaking when I reach the "boss" or any other big encounter that could be analogous with that so that I can have a climactinc final standoff.
Because of this I personally prefer when games don't force me to do things either way but let me choose my approach. Sadly this usually means Skyrim, Fallout NV and maybe Dishonored and Deus Ex Human Revolution, though the latter two narratively discourages the non-sneaky approach.
Because of this I personally prefer when games don't force me to do things either way but let me choose my approach. Sadly this usually means Skyrim, Fallout NV and maybe Dishonored and Deus Ex Human Revolution, though the latter two narratively discourages the non-sneaky approach.
DAKKA DAKKA, mostly because the stealthy parts in most videogames are pretty awful.
I love old Thief and some rare modern games like Dishonored and DX:HR aren't too terrible at stealth, but take your average action-RPG and stealth becomes the slower, less rewarding(XP) and riskier alternative to just killing all the baddies in the right order. Pick an average shooter and the small, mandatory stealth section is usually a chore.
I love old Thief and some rare modern games like Dishonored and DX:HR aren't too terrible at stealth, but take your average action-RPG and stealth becomes the slower, less rewarding(XP) and riskier alternative to just killing all the baddies in the right order. Pick an average shooter and the small, mandatory stealth section is usually a chore.