2019-05-01+Official+PlayStation+Magazine+-+UK+Edition

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Jess Kinghorn Aaron Potter

T

hisis 2019 andhere

I ammakingan

argumentforfixed

cameraangles.(Don’t

worry,I’mnottryingto

resurrecttankcontrolstoo.)

Thevisualconceitofmanya

horrortitlefromyesteryear

attemptingtomakethe

mostoflimitedhardwareis

muchmaligned–and

unfairlyso.Thisisn’t 300

wordslambastingother3D

camerasystemsbutmorean

acknowledgementthateach

viewachievessomething

different.Bydiscounting

morefixedanglesfrom

developers’selectionof

tools,we’relimitingwhatwe

canachieveoverall.

That’snottosayI think

gamesshouldbemorelike

films;whatworksforfilm

doesn’talwaysworkforan

interactivemedium.Asthe

adagesgo,‘do,don’tjust

show’and‘whoenjoysQTEs,

really?’Butthere’sa lottobe

saidforhowdeveloperscan

choosetolimityourview–

oratleasttherateatwhich

visualinformationis

conveyed–andhowthat

changesyourrelationship

withwhatyou’replaying.

WhiletheResidentEvil 2

remakeutilisesanover-the-

shoulderviewtogreateffect,

thedeliciousdrip-feedof

informationsuppliedbythe

originalgame’sfixed

perspectivesis worth

revisiting.NotasDLCfor

theremake,mind.That

reimagining,asis,is

completelyunsuitablein

termsofitsdesignforsucha

drasticshiftofview;newResi

2 ain’tgoingtoplaywellwith

oldResi’scameraview.I’m

notaskingResitoreturnto

theoldways–it’sshownit’s

a seriesthatintendsto

continueexperimentingand

mutatingaslongaswekeep

playing.Expectinglong-

runningseriestowalkand

talkliketheydidbackinthe

dayis a subjectfora whole

opinionpieceonitsown.

ANGLEGRINDER

Butimaginea mysterygame

or,yes,anotherhorrortitle

todayusingthesametricks

toampupa senseofdread

beforea revealor,perhaps,a

gamethatswitchesbrieflyto

a morefixedviewforeffect

oreven(howeveron-the-

noseit wouldbein

execution)a flashback

sequence.Whileconsistent

corerulesarekeytoplay,a

changeofpacecanleavea

lastingimpactthatwe’re

currentlymissingouton.

W

hatmakesthe

wildworldof

videogames

uniquelyexciting

• andwhereit’salwayshad
  theadvantageoverTV,
  books,andmovies–isthat
  thewayweinteractwithit
  isconstantlyevolving.
  Whetherit’sinsomething
  assimpleastheanalogue
  stick’sintroductionorthe
  gradualmovetowards
  downloadingourfavourite
  titles,everyconsole
  generationhasdiffered
  greatlyfromthelast.
  Withthisinmind,Sony’s
  decisiontositoutE3 2019
  andre-evaluatehowbestto
  marketitsupcomingfirst-
  partylineupmakesa lotmore
  sense.Manyinitiallytookthis
  newsasa signofweakness,
  wheninfactit’stheopposite.
  Sony’sprovedtimeandagain
  thatit takesa player-first
  attitudewithPS4,sowhoare
  wetojudgethisswiftchange
  ofpace?It’sunderstandableto
  interpretthelackofa
  PlayStationExperienceevent
  coupledwithanE3absenceas
  causeforconcern.However,
  it’salsoanexampleofSony
  settingitself,andtheworld’s
  premierconsole,apart.
  Sonyarguablyhaditsbest
  yearyetin 2018 withsuch

stellarreleasesasGodOf

War,Marvel’sSpider-Man,

andAstroBotallreceiving

criticalacclaim.SIEWorld

StudioschairmanShawn

Ladenis smartenoughto

knowthatit’simportantto

keepthismomentumgoing

• especiallyasweveer
  ever-closertothelaunchof
  PlayStation5. A sub-parE3
  showcasewoulddomore
  harmtothiscausethangood,
  asalsowouldmerely
  providingfurtherupdateson
  gestatingtitleslikeDeath
  StrandingandTheLastOfUs
  PartII ratherthanbringing
  newexperiencestothefore.

CHANGINGTHEGAME

Bybowingoutoftheworld’s

biggestindustrytradeshow,

Sonyis nowabletodolike

it’salwaysdoneandcontrol

themessage,atthesametime

wavinggoodbyetoE3’s

originalpurpose(whichwas

toserveandpromoteproducts

solelytoretailers).WithPS4,

Sonywontheheartsofmany

withitsproconsumer

approachandboldclaimof

being“fortheplayers”.Why

notsecurethenextconsole

generationbyreaffirmingthis

approach,andcontinuingto

settrendsingamingrather

thanfollowingthem?

I AMA FIRMBELIEVER

THAT LIMITATIONSCAN BE

SURPRISINGASSETS, EVEN

YEARSLATER.

SONY’S DECISIONTO

SITOUT E3IS A SIGN

OFFORTITUDE,

NOTCOWARDICE.

WRITER BIO

Jess Kinghorn is a film buff as well as a game nerd and loves all her fictional

children equally – warts and all. Unless you want a multi-thousand word

dissertation on the subject, don’t ask her to pick a favourite.

WRITER BIO

Aaron Potter is the first suited and booted for an industry event, but could do

without Sony trying to top its orchestra of previous years with things like 2018’s

The Last Of Us tent. Though if there were a campfire with marshmallows...

Fixed camera angles have been unfairly

relegated to the retro corner

By controlling the message, Sony now has the

chance to excite people on its own terms

OPINION