Bizarre says The Club is misunderstood News

I 'got' the game in the demo, I believe. I just didn't like it very much.

I think the speed/style/high-scores thing was done in a way that was much more fun in Total Overdose (which is up there with BG&E as one of the most underrated games of the last generation ifn you ask me). The lack of jumping or any sort of acrobatics made the whole thing feel strangely artificial, and like some kind of Goldeneye throwback.

"The game is all about competing with friends for the highest score possible, and showing off your skills whilst doing it. It's something that's fairly unique in the shooter genre at the moment,"

uh...yeah, sure.

I suppose the idea that some folk scored it lower because they didn't especially like the restrictive and repetitive nature is out of the question, then...?

I like the idea, but personally would never buy a full game on this premise. A a mini-game - like Resi 4's Mercenaries - it's fine, but not as a full-price release.

I'd be interested if it was around the £20-24 mark like defence force but at £39.99 for what seems like a very shallow throw away game is just asking too much.

Well I'm not going to say anything about the game until I've had the chance to play the full thing tomorrow but I will say that despite enjoying the demo, I have my concerns about apparent the lack of depth. Hopefully I'll be so busy enjoying the game it won't matter because the Burnout series has never had any depth but I've always loved those games (Paradise less so but that's not the topic of this discussion).

It's a very arcadey score-based third-person shooter that is all about High Scores, I can understand that if you buy it expecting more than that you could be disappointed - although I am finding it fun.

Having got my hands on an early copy of the game i can say that people shouldnt be worried about lack of depth (it has bucket loads - you just need to play it!) and can confirm that the scoring nature the club kicks ass. I'm furkin well determined to get to the top of leaderboards :)

Another developer telling gamers they are wrong.
Bravo. :)

I wasn't too enamoured with the demo, but I guess the concept is sound.

Some poeple don't really care about improving on a previous high score, and I'm one of them (I'd rather just play new stuff than repeat play). I'm clearly not the whole of the market though. Two of my friends sit on either side of the fence too, one was left cold like me, the other seemed to "get it".

If I think back, a shed load of people were unimpressed with Crackdown the first time around, and then went back to it after the prompting of friends to then discover a work of magic in there. Not saying this is on a par with Crackdown, but I get what Ward is saying.

The only time I was interested in high scores was back in the day I visited the arcades, now however high scores mean nothing whatsoever for myself.

I played the demo of this and thought `is this it ?` and decided upon that to not buy it.

But being a gamer for over 27 years now I appear to be wrong according to Bizarre, how deluded I am...

@espadachin

Well he's not quite saying that is he. I think this is a reasonably polite request that people give it another go with a different set of expectations. Seems reasonable to me (even though it won't convert everyone, me included I fear).

Its a far step from EAs Burnout Paradise comments on lack of restart,

"Some people (in other words, almost everyone) think its a problem but we don't".

Shooting people in the head for sport is, of course, not violent at all.

I quite liked the demo, and it scored quite highly on the Friday-night-mates-on-the-couch-o-meter. Once we'd learnt the course we were having fun steadily upping the high score. I could see it not being such fun as a single player experience though.

Maybe some stranglehold-style acrobatics would have pepped it up a bit though?

"misunderstood" = "shit fuck bollocks we're not going to make enough wonga out of this who's fucking idea was it anyway?"

@espadachin

Well he's not quite saying that is he. I think this is a reasonably polite request that people give it another go with a different set of expectations. Seems reasonable to me (even though it won't convert everyone, me included I fear).

Its a far step from EAs Burnout Paradise comments on lack of restart,

"Some people (in other words, almost everyone) think its a problem but we don't".


^^ agreed

I thought this game was boring, I don't give a flying fuck whether I 'got it' or not. Shove it up your jacksy nerdy boys.

On a side note, I used to recommend this site to people. Now I just find it embarrassing. The reviewers have their heads shoved firmly up their own arses. Geeks with a english degree and small willies I'll bet. And I bet they like Linkin Park and snort when laughing. Tossers.

I am more interested than I was now that I read the review and all. Might get it for the PC or 360 and then see if I get it.

I think it will be the PC version seeing that it is half the price.

theyre definitely more conceited and less funny than tey used to be, they should just stop trying too hard, you dont need a smart ass comment for every bit of news...

I think he's right, I played the demo the first time going in pretty much blind apart from me knowing it was from the guys who did Gotham, and I must admit i really didn't get it. But i did try, playing it like a poor gears of war clone without the cover system, untill I turned it of before finishing the level.

Yesterday I read the review, watched a couple of gameplay vids and gave it another go, and it all started to make sense!

And you know what, it's one of the best things i've played in ages and i'll be picking it up tomorrow, everyone give it another go! it's so different to what were all used to, it really does take some time to get the feel of whats going on!

This really doesn't deserve to bomb the way i feel it might do!

I don't think it's so much a case of misunderstood, as understood but disliked ;)

I dont think it's fair to be that cynical. Even on here.

Some people have complained about the lack of a cover button, but personally what those people dont understand is that you'll never get a top score if you hide - the game is about sprinting through a level mowing the enemies down as fast as you can and as accurately as you can.

That's not going to appeal to everyone, granted, but people shouldnt dismiss it for reasons like this, after all the developer purposefully left out a cover button.

basically, it's marmite innit

yeah get that $$$

Oh I got it, I just did'nt like it.

Having an awful gritty "mature" theme only harmed what I thought of the game. It wants to be taken seriously, but with such a hacneyed approach and a horrible atmosphere (really a prison? How interesting), I just can't be bothered running through multiple grimy places shoot the same guys.

Upcoming The Club DLC = Sewer Map Pack!

Uwe? Is that you?

Agree with SlackMaster - is this was a downloadable £20 game I'd be interested. Surely a High Score game like this is at home online.

Play it again!

Watch a couple of vid's first, then try and beat you first score, then beat it again!

I liked the idea I just found the execution a bit clunky. I felt it should have been far more acrobatic and stylish. For a points and speed based game it just felt a bit wooden. Maybe the demo only having the slowest person in it was the problem and some of the faster characters are better.

another Total Overdose fan here.

If I wanted this type of gameplay i'll play Space Invaders thank you very much!

In a nutshell, what most of you would like was a "normal" shooter, to complain about it because they never inovate.

@ SlackMaster:

It's £24.99 online at Gamestation you know, and that's on the 360.

I played the demo, 'got' it, loved it. It's basically Stuntman: Ignition with guns, and I'm sure it will divide opinion equally, but good luck to it

"basically, it's marmite innit"

Exactly. I love it. Other people will love it, just not everyone. Then we can all enjoy it in peace beating each other's top scores and shooting each other online.

What Bizarre are saying is so obvious that them saying it is rather pointless, but I'm not going to criticise them because it's not like they're saying anything untrue.

This is not a "bad" game, though. It's just not, just because it's different doesn't make it bad. Some people won't like it, that's fine, no game is made for everybody, after all, some of us really don't care for Halo and Call of Duty after all.

I get the idea but I don't like it. I think pretty much everyone that's that played it gets the idea. If they don't like it, it's not because they don't 'get' it. It's because they don't 'like' it.

Defensive devs are boring.

Didn't even bother with the demo because the videos looked so drab. I guess I'll give it a go since it's getting decent scores, but I'm not expecting much.

Demo was rubbish. In most respects. It felt like a re-skinned Unreal Tournament not something 'new'.

I defintely 'get' the game. It's a score-based cross between a racing game and a typical third-person shooter where you have to memorise where the enemies (targets) are in order to get a high score and finish quickly. Am I right Bizarre?

In that case I 'get' the game, but I just don't think it's either very good, or works very well.

Combining aspects from two drastically different genres won't necessarily work as a decent full priced game. Saying people just 'don't get it' also doesn't make it work as a decent full price game.

it is like a lightgun game where you memorize the targets and play it over and over again to get a better score. There's gamers out there who will love it but even more gamers will be bored by it I suspect. Eurogamer over-rated the game imho.

I agree with Bizarre. I normally don't like the prolongued shooting but I can see a new / revived subgenre here. I can see a free-running game based on this with sk8te like controls and various other variations on taking the 2d highscore genre into a much more interesting environment. It takes the focus off the killing and more towards the game aspect of it all, it has basic rules, an definate start / end point, the sessions don't last long and within the rules you're free to do anything to get the best score. I can see this being a hit in professional gaming too as it is very much an e-sport kinda game.

Well done Bizarre for daring to make a unique game.

This game was always going to have a hard time because it's a new idea and it seems some gamers want every game in a genre to be the same. This games crap, back to COD4 repeat ad infinitum......

@absolutezero

The theme's not serious at all, you can tell from the characters that it doesn't take itself seriously, just tries to be fun. But yes, marmite. Did you know that you either like marmite or westerns? Never both.

Didn't really think that much of this the first couple of times I tried the demo. As there appears to be a bit of a gaming drought at the moment, I thought I'd go back and give it a second try. Glad I did.

I see what they mean about 'getting it'. Once you move away from your preconceptions of what a shooter should be like, it becomes clear this is meant to be played and appreciated very differently.

I'm certainly not one for chasing high scores in games. Normally I can't think of anything worse as a driving principle of a game. Geometry Wars and it's ilk really don't appeal. Neither did the high kudos/score chasing in PGR.

Yet this reminds me more of something like SSX or Tony Hawk. The compulsion to better your last score, time or combo is really quite 'moreish'. The lack of deep back story or graphical flare isn't really an issue. It's very reminiscent(sp) of the Time Cop and those style of games. They are repetative, but the satisfaction comes from memorising and perfecting a level. I read in another review that it's a very much for the gratification of the player, as opposed to those who may be watching you play - although I'm sure a fast and clean run through would be impressive to watch for anyone else who plays and knows the game.

Ok, so it's probably not amongst the best games I've ever played, however it's much better than I was expecting and I for one will definately be picking it up tomorrow. It's fun, engrossing and easy to pick up, with plenty of replay value - ticks a lot of boxes that many other (so called) 'Triple A' titles have sorely missed over the last few months (Kane and Lynch or Assassins Creed anyone?).

what's "new" about the gameplay exactly?

I understand the concept, I was excited about it because of the concept. After playing it however I don't feel you have delivered that concept. It's not anything like I expected, it's far to restrictive. It was described as a TPS meets Tony Hawks meets PGR. It isn't. Where is the speed? Where are all the so called skill combos? I expected jumping through windows/over crates etc, somersault, headshot, twist, headshot, land and roll, headshot ULTRA COMBO!!! shit going on. What we got was, plod, plod, shoot, shoot, run, shoot, run, run, run, run, headshot, roll, wait a little.......now shoot, run etc.

I was looking forward to this and was totally let down by a by the numbers shooter with restricted levels, a timer and a "combo" bar.

Yeah... I tried the demo and it just wasn't for me.

" Primarily the game is a gameplay-driven skill-based title, and we are hoping that anti-videogame groups will see this shine through."

Surely not! There I was expecting to be slave driven by a burly bloke with a whip and some gimp with bongos.

'Some' didn't think you went far enough with your game. I wanted to see combo moves, I wanted to see acrobatics, I wanted to see special take down animations for good playing. I wanted to see more style but all I got was a time limited shooter. Extremely disappointed.

Very bare-bones, too bare for me.


In fact I would say that it the style in the shooting should look so good that you could record the entire 'run' and show it off to friends. Something similar to 'skate'. In fact that's exactly how I would have wanted it, you are pulling off tricky acrobatics and shooting at the same time.

And no I'm not talking Stranglehold, Max Payne or the Matrix.

This game played more like Lumines, keeping up a combo counter to keep your score going higher. Which is a bloody shame when you are making a character based game.


For next time: Watch Samurai Champloo. Do it with style. Please? Because I'd love to play that kind of game.

Why aren't people "getting it"? There's a very good video at the start of every game mode. Watch it and it tells you how to play. DUH!! :p

It's brilliant. It works for the same reason that Project Gotham et al work. Clear your mind before you play it because if you get this expecting Unreal Tournament or some plot heavy shooter you won't be impressed. Personally I think it's one of the best things I've played for ages. Well done BC.

The only way this game is not gratuitous is if someone mods the PC version to have your character leaping around doling sweets out to children and pensioners.

Developers SHOULD be allowed to tell gamers that they are wrong

In the case where people are asking for a Gears of War cover button, clearly they have the wrong impression of the game. To keep moving and rack up kills in quick succession is clearly the point of the game, and they drill that into you in the tutorial videos. To reiterate it in a publicty statement on the internet is somewhat redundant.

However, it would seem that significant numbers of people here understand what they did with the game, but are disappointed that they did not go far enough. The fun thing about MSR/PGR is that they reward you for doing stylish things in cars, like you see in the movies, principally big drifts in the first game. The difference with The Club is that cool, stylish things from the movies involving men firing guns usually involves more than just standard (in fact, given the lack of jump, some would say crippled) FPS mechanics. The likes of Max Payne, Total Overdose, Stranglehold and the Matrix games have already shown plenty of the sort of thing people expect from 'style' in shoot-em ups. Total Overdose even attached scores and a combo mechanism to it.

Having a demo that plays (and looks) like the first level of Gears of War on fast-forward just isn't enough to make me interested in replaying it to memorise routes and enemy positions.