What's so special about Titanfall?

[Adamantium93]

So funny that people defending the game can only defend it with little gimmicks e.g IT HAS BIG ROBOTS!!!! of course its just a generic shooter but its a new generic shooter ip on a new generation of consoles so people are going to flock to it, probably the same type of people who try to insist that call of duty games are different each year.....

I'm not sure what your point is here. People defend it by pointing out the things that make it fun? As someone who hates the CoD franchise and modern military multiplayer shooters in general, I was all set up to extend the hate to Titanfall as well. Yet after reading reviews (such as Jim Sterling's here on the Escapist) and watching people play it on youtube, my opinion has changed and all those little "gimmicks" end up creating something that looks genuinely fun. Of course, it is overhyped and everything it does has been done somewhere else before, but it brings together all of its parts into an entertaining whole. The game is fun. That's the only reason you should need to play it.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I can think of a number of reasons why people are so cynical about this game...

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which has been mocked and ridiculed since day one.
-It has no single-player, which should isolate the reception somewhat.
-As an online-multiplayer FPS, it can and will be shallowly compared to every other shallow online-multiplayer FPS.
-It's been hyped so much, a lot of people think the worst of it.
-I've also seen a number of strips mocking the fact you don't immediately get a mech every time you spawn, so gameplay isssues.

And I can think of a number of reasons why people would love it so much.

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which should finally come as a relief for all its poorly treated fanbase.
-It has mechs and jetpacks, which are instant deal-makers to a lot of people.
-It's the first FPS in a while to come along and shake the formula up a little bit.
-It's carried a pretty good marketing campaign since it's been first announced.

I haven't played the game and I probably will never play it. But if I were to purchase and Xbone then this would probably be a good selling point. What would really wear me out would be the lack of single player eventually. I don't like multiplayer very much.

 

[King of Asgaard]

I can think of a number of reasons why people are so cynical about this game...

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which has been mocked and ridiculed since day one.
-It has no single-player, which should isolate the reception somewhat.
-As an online-multiplayer FPS, it can and will be shallowly compared to every other shallow online-multiplayer FPS.
-It's been hyped so much, a lot of people think the worst of it.
-I've also seen a number of strips mocking the fact you don't immediately get a mech every time you spawn, so gameplay isssues.

And I can think of a number of reasons why people would love it so much.

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which should finally come as a relief for all its poorly treated fanbase.
-It has mechs and jetpacks, which are instant deal-makers to a lot of people.
-It's the first FPS in a while to come along and shake the formula up a little bit.
-It's carried a pretty good marketing campaign since it's been first announced.

I haven't played the game and I probably will never play it. But if I were to purchase and Xbone then this would probably be a good selling point. What would really wear me out would be the lack of single player eventually. I don't like multiplayer very much.

Actually, it's out on PC as well. Granted, it's Origin exclusive, but still it's something.

OT: Quote above pretty much sums up my opinions on the game. I don't think it'll have the longevity it wants, but it seems like it'll be all over Youtube for quite a while. I've not played it, however, so I may be wrong.

 

[hermes]

It is a sci-fi FPS from the makers of Call of Duty 1, 2 and 4. Remember that, before it was cool to hate on Call of Duty for existing, they were some genuinely great games and those people sure know how to make them.

It also has the marketing powerhouse of EA and MS combined, with both betting big chips on its success.

 

[AnthrSolidSnake]

That's what everyone who never plans on buying it says. Then they buy it, then they change their mind. (mostly. If you don't like FPS games in the first place, don't come whining to me when you don't like this one)

I actually thought something similar at first. What makes this so special? Why would I stop playing Battlefield 4 for this?
So I entered for a beta key, and got one. And then HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!

I have NEVER felt the movement in a first person game feel so free. You want to scale that building to get ahead of a guy you just saw run through that building? PARKOUR! Jump up on top, sprint to the edge, and then snipe his head off as he exits the other side.

Jump on a fucking mech, blast the guts of it, and then rocket off of it before it explodes, landing on a nearby tall building, killing 5 grunts, and snapping the neck of some unlucky sniper not facing you. Call down your own Titan, blast away a few more grunts, two pilots, and just before your Titan explodes, you sprint towards an enemy Titan, eject several stories into the air, and watch the thing nuclearly explode in front of the enemy, probably taking him with you.


Let's compare this to Call of Duty of Battlefield.

1. Everyone runs to the middle area of the map.
2. Aim at guy.
3. Shoot guy.
4. Run away a little bit to reload.
5. Repeat.

There's no major verticality, no fast paced, fluid movement, and no mechs. Battlefield 4 is a great game in it's own way, but to say Titanfall is just like any other "generic" shooter is an outright lie.

I'll admit, it's not my favorite game of all time like I sort of thought it would be, but I'm having so much fucking fun anyway, it doesn't matter.

Also, if you're worried you'll be terrible at aiming with the mouse, don't worry because this game has phenomenal gamepad support. I mean, there's even a very slight aim assist. Not NEARLY as heavy as on actual consoles, but enough to keep you competitive with the M+KB players. I'm only using a gamepad temporarily until I can fix my mouse lag issues with the game, but I've actually been at the top of my team every other match or so.

 

[TomWiley]

I can think of a number of reasons why people are so cynical about this game...

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which has been mocked and ridiculed since day one.
-It has no single-player, which should isolate the reception somewhat.
-As an online-multiplayer FPS, it can and will be shallowly compared to every other shallow online-multiplayer FPS.
-It's been hyped so much, a lot of people think the worst of it.
-I've also seen a number of strips mocking the fact you don't immediately get a mech every time you spawn, so gameplay isssues.

And I can think of a number of reasons why people would love it so much.

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which should finally come as a relief for all its poorly treated fanbase.
-It has mechs and jetpacks, which are instant deal-makers to a lot of people.
-It's the first FPS in a while to come along and shake the formula up a little bit.
-It's carried a pretty good marketing campaign since it's been first announced.

I haven't played the game and I probably will never play it. But if I were to purchase and Xbone then this would probably be a good selling point. What would really wear me out would be the lack of single player eventually. I don't like multiplayer very much.

Actually, it's out on PC as well. Granted, it's Origin exclusive, but still it's something.

OT: Quote above pretty much sums up my opinions on the game. I don't think it'll have the longevity it wants, but it seems like it'll be all over Youtube for quite a while. I've not played it, however, so I may be wrong.

Actually, that's hardly even relevent. To the core console customer segment, PCs don't exist. It's not a factor that even plays in. To these kids, there are two platforms, one of which has Titanfall.

 

[King of Asgaard]

I can think of a number of reasons why people are so cynical about this game...

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which has been mocked and ridiculed since day one.
-It has no single-player, which should isolate the reception somewhat.
-As an online-multiplayer FPS, it can and will be shallowly compared to every other shallow online-multiplayer FPS.
-It's been hyped so much, a lot of people think the worst of it.
-I've also seen a number of strips mocking the fact you don't immediately get a mech every time you spawn, so gameplay isssues.

And I can think of a number of reasons why people would love it so much.

-It's an Xbox exclusive, which should finally come as a relief for all its poorly treated fanbase.
-It has mechs and jetpacks, which are instant deal-makers to a lot of people.
-It's the first FPS in a while to come along and shake the formula up a little bit.
-It's carried a pretty good marketing campaign since it's been first announced.

I haven't played the game and I probably will never play it. But if I were to purchase and Xbone then this would probably be a good selling point. What would really wear me out would be the lack of single player eventually. I don't like multiplayer very much.

Actually, it's out on PC as well. Granted, it's Origin exclusive, but still it's something.

OT: Quote above pretty much sums up my opinions on the game. I don't think it'll have the longevity it wants, but it seems like it'll be all over Youtube for quite a while. I've not played it, however, so I may be wrong.

Actually, that's hardly even relevent. To the core console customer segment, PCs don't exist. It's not a factor that even plays in. To these kids, there are two platforms, one of which has Titanfall.

Excuse my slowness (just came back from work) but what does your comment have to do with what I said? All I did was correct Novgorod, and agree with his list of points.

That's not to say I don't somewhat concur with what you said, the relevance just eludes me at this moment.

 

[vIRL Nightmare]

Well that's just it though, there isn't really anything particularly wrong with titanfall and it is a perfectly sound and I'm sure enjoyable experience. It just didn't bring the wow factor to the table that was needed. It really just felt like call of duty with new killstreaks, which again is a perfectly fine experience if you're into it. My big thing is other than titanfall being first person it really isn't all that different from the multiplayer in Lost planet 1 and 2 so I feel sort of meh about it. Well here's to hoping The Division or Destiny or Watch Dogs is the experience I'm looking for.

 

[Kathinka]

apart from the intense hype it has been receiving..nothing really. it's a pretty good game and an awful lot of fun, yes, but not influential or innovative in any way.

 

[COMaestro]

I don't even plan on picking up this game, but I think it looks like a good deal of fun. I just don't really care that much for MP FPS games anymore. Plus, eventually, the game will just be unplayable when they decide to shut down the servers in 4-5 years, which turns me off it quite a bit. I played MAG for the PS3 for a while, but it's being shut down, so now I just have a small frisbee disc instead of a game. Titanfall is eventually going to go the same way, but I'm sure people will get their money's worth out of it until then.

It appears to shake up the usual FPS quite a bit, even if all the elements are being inspired or borrowed from games that have come before. They are all being combined in a unique way that does make Titanfall stand out. It appears to be designed in a way that will let both hardcore FPS gamers and newcomers or people who just aren't good at these types of games both have fun, and that's just a great design.

 

[klaynexas3]

It's CoD 4. I mean that as a good thing, as it's nothing spectacular or new, but so well polished and not to the point of being stale that it's more than welcomed right now. And also, you know how shooters get hyped. When Ghosts and BF4 are as hyped as they are, something actually worth a damn is going to be praised to death and hyped to all hell. That's how the FPS genre rolls.

 

[Rattja]

I basically just one question, why would I want to pilot a Titan?

In any game I have played where I pilot any kind of mech, it's like fighting off flies on a hot summer day. Sure you have more firepower, and you can take hits like a champ, but you are also slow and 1 vs many, often with severly limmited view.
I don't know about you, but I find flies annoying as hell.

Had a quick look at some gameplay, and it looks like all a player has to do is get on your back, and then you're fucked.

So these things are cool and all, but from a practical standpoint in a FPS setting I just don't know...

 

[sextus the crazy]

It's a multiplayer shooter where you can traverse the map with parkour-ish vaults and wall runs and you can call in big mechs to drive around.

What's to get?

If that's not your thing, fine. But calling it "generic" is pretty questionable and smells slightly of ye olde "stop liking what I don't like."

Personally, I haven't played it. Froom what I've seen it looks pretty fun though. I'd like to give it a go at some point.

This and the fact that it's made by the guys from Infinity Ward who made the first two Modern Warfare games. You know, the ones where the multiplayer didn't shit itself. It probably won't live up to the unnecessary hype, but it still looks like a really solid multiplayer shooter.

 

[Caliostro]

Self-defeating argument. OP asked what made Titanfall so different and the answer is "new assembly of existing components".

To be honest, multiplayer FPS games do not interest me in the slightest. And I've actively worked for the past six years to reduce EA's market share. But like you said, it's all been done before. It just hadn't all been thrown into the same pot.

Not sure that qualifies it as "different".

Would you list some "original" or "different" games according to your standards then?

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

I Wouldent say its Anything New, i seen Shooters, seen shooters where you can Run and Jump, i seen Big Robots you fight with, it Does Combine them all in Ways that i find Very cool to watch, and the fact it Even has AI enemys getting Dropped into the map makes you feel like its a Actual warzone, as well as the fact the Losing Team can Run to a Dropship and hope to escape.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

It is the first multiplayer FPS I've enjoyed playing and wasn't full of a horrendous amount of bugs since CoD 4. It is also made by the people that made CoD what is was when I actually liked it so that's another personal point. As for generality the game is far from generic. While the on foot has a generic feel these are the people that made this a generic feel last gen. HL2 was very similar in this regard to HL so this was expected. As with Halo while it did not invent pretty much any element used in the whole game as far as mechanics go it was the first to mesh them together in such a unique way while keeping it fun and balanced.

 

[DrOswald]

I have read the reviews but I can't bring myself to be interested in this game. It just looks like a generic FPS. What's the hype about it? Or what's so different about it that makes it interesting?

I don't like competitive multiplayer FPS games. Except Titanfall. It is the first competitive multiplayer FPS title I seriously enjoy since the first Halo. I think it boils down to accessibility and simplicity while remaining deep. You don't need to be great to contribute initially and the game is simple enough that you wont get confused in your first hours of play. There are not dozens of weapons, there are a few very well designed and balanced weapons. You don't really need to memorize the maps to be effective, you get a titan after a while no matter what, you can choose a weapon that fits your style and needs. Even if you are not good enough to score kills on players you can gun down NPC's and still contribute to the team.

However, once you get past that first little while you can start getting into the deeper aspects of the game. The high mobility of the pilot lets you get the edge in all sorts of little ways, knowing when and how to use different weapons and knowing how to get around each map helps a bunch and especially knowing how to use your titan correctly makes you a better player.

Basically, the gameplay and learning curve are very well crafted. It is simple enough for casual players but with tons of room for more dedicated players to grow. Everything else about the game is entirely forgettable.

 

[BarkBarker]

I think getting all its parts to mesh together well is what many people like, it coulda have REALLY gone with its own style and made it really stand out, like maybe the titan bottom lands then the rest of the body comes in pieces as the machine starts up, the titan bending and leaning to catch the parts and finally the head snaps on and the visor falls down, but I digress. I think stuff like zone of the enders mechs really skew your view, as mech design is REALLY fucking important if you want anyone not new to them to like them, and I don't see a titan and think these people are good at imagining amazing new things and the like, but the sum of its parts does the job and in the end a decent multi-player FPS has been on many peoples minds since Ghosts flopped.