Digital Foundry: Hellblade II - "A defining moment in the evolution of realtime graphics"

[curl-6]

SvennoJ said:

curl-6 said:

Not necessarily; graphics and gameplay are separate departments, one doesn't have to take away from the other. There are plenty of games that have both great graphics and great gameplay.

Sure they are separate departments, paid out of the same overall budget. Do you allocate more budget to the graphics department, or to the gameplay department. Of course one takes away from the other, budgets are finite.

TotK has great graphics and great gameplay, but not by pushing the evolution of realtime graphics or trying to simulate Hollywood movies.

And there is a big correlation between freedom in gameplay and 'defining graphics'. The better you want the game to look, the more you need to control / reign in what the player can see and do. Better graphics -> less interactivity. It's been like that since the beginning and will still be like that until graphics can't be improved any further.

Anyway as a graphical showcase (mines the CA) Hellblade II looks amazing and feels like a peak into what can be great graphics with great gameplay next generation. Just like the Order 1886 and Rise of Rome were.

Great gameplay doesn't require lots of money though, there are indie games made with barely any money that have great gameplay.

I haven't played Hellblade II yet, but if it's anything like the first game, its tightly controlled nature is more in the service of atmosphere, storytelling, and minimalism. They didn't sacrifice gameplay to make it look better, this is simply the style of game they wanted to make.

I'd also contend that Hellblade 1 at least had excellent gameplay.