Untitled post

By Matthew Wadleigh · May 4, 2006

First, I'd like to thank Janus for his comments on my review.

Second, I want you all to know that Tool's new album rocks my pants. Hard.

Third, Black is five hours long, has respawning enemies, and you can't jump. You also can't climb over shin-high barriers.

Comments 6

dementedhut May 5, 2006

There really isn't any point in having a jump button in Black. And there are only a few instances when enemies respawn endlessly. They stop coming when you have to blow up a certain obstacle in the area.

asherdeus Blogger May 5, 2006

The point of not having a jump button in Black is to keep you artificially penned into the environments. I understand the purpose of not having it.

honestgamer Staff May 5, 2006

I have a hard time faulting a first-person shooter for not having a "jump" button, honestly. It's not like that function is common within the genre (and a "jump" mechanic usually makes such a game worse, not better). And it's not like a first-person shooter--particularly one that looks as detailed as Black--can really give you freedom to wander wherever you like. Endless skyscrapers or penned-in alleys suspend belief just as effectively as a short barricade you can't jump over. It's one of the limitations of playing a game.

asherdeus Blogger May 5, 2006

Since when is jumping not common within the FPS genre? FarCry, F.E.A.R., Half-Life 2, Halo, Unreal Tournament, Quake, Battlefield, Doom III, Call of Duty, and Counter-Strike are some of the biggest, most popular FPS games around and they all have jump buttons. And as for endless skyscrapers and the like, I can admit that I have no problem with that, or even walls and the like. But when my character can't walk over a knee high barricade to get to a health pack that was behind me, I have an issue.

Genj May 5, 2006

I haven't heard 10,000 Days yet (still have to listen to Lateralus), but I can definitely say X&Y rocked my pants hard.

lasthero May 5, 2006

But when my character can't walk over a knee high barricade to get to a health pack that was behind me, I have an issue.

As a lover of RPGs, I feel your pain. Few things are dumber than having to solve a puzzle just because your character can't climb over a stupid log or jump over a short stream.