Drunkard's Walk Forums

Well, we just finished Burnout Paradise (plus the Island DLC), and I'm hunting for a new video game.
First, a bit about Burnout Paradise - this game was awesome. We would pass the controller around - with the open world and the nonlinear event-based gameplay, this worked VERY well. After you got a few attempts or a few events, you would hand the controller over. It was shiny enough that it was fun just watching, so the nonplayers and waiters didn't feel too terribly bad.
Please to be consulting this video.


So what's next?
I'm trying to find a game that meets the following criteria:
Pickupable. I've got 'skate.', and the control scheme is too complicated to just hand off the controller to someone, especially someone who's unfamiliar with the game. Burnout was awesome, you have gas brake boost and e-brake.
Shiny. I have to have a game that can hold interest while _not_ playing, and I don't have any idea of a game other than Burnout that does this.
Depth. Burnout lasted for months as the target of concerted attention from several gamers. There were races, marked man, road rage, stunt run, time rules, showtime rules, smashes, billboards, and just blasting around town.

Driving is fine and all, but I've no real compelling interest in driving vs any other kind of game.
So, suggestions?
And, I highly reccomend Burnout Paradise.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

I have BP on my PC and I love the heck out of it.

My personal suggestions for the PS3:

3D Dot Game Heroes

InFamous

Valkyria Chronicles (although this one's strategy)

If you're into PSN, Pixeljunk Shooter, PJ Monsters and Joe Danger.

I'll second the InFamous Recommendation.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

Eh, I have no PS3.

But for the PSPGo, however, I do highly recomend that new version of Tetris they're sporting, as well as Metal Slug Anthology if you want some good-old side-scrolling action. And for rythm games you can't go wrong with Patapon (better than DDR, IMHO).

Infamous isn't really doing it for me. Storyline is fairly linear, right?
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

More or less. There's some fixed goals, but how you get to them is up to you. For example, to continue int he main storyline you have to complete several missions, but the order is your choice.

Most of the 'pick up and play' is in that the game is fairly open world, there's a lot of side missions to do, and it's got the best 'item collection' system of any open world game around. Also, there's the whole Good/Evil choices you can make.

There's also Uncharted and Uncharted 2, but they're more action movies.

You could try Heavy Rain, but a) depressing, b) like playing a movie.

kinda, the main story line only has two paths: good and evil.

But it is an excellent sandbox game and there are 101 other side things you can do at almost any point.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

Heh, we discovered a problem with Uncharted, in its very linearity - I spent an evening fishing, I come back, and I have no clue whats going on or where the old dude went.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

Prototype is a great pick-up game, although it is VERY gory. Very good as a method of catharsis, and it's just as much fun to watch as to play.

The 2008 Prince of Persia is drop-dead gorgeous and has decently simple controls.

Just Cause 2 is one of my recent favorites: an open-world sandbox game that lives and breathes Refuge in Audacity. There's a demo available on the PSN if you want to check it out, which I highly recommend.

By the way, Wiregeek: is the Island DLC worth it?

I thought so. I really wish I'd picked up the 'megapack' of DLC (all of it!) for $29.99, but the $12.99 is OK for the Island.

The extra cars and areas for stunt runs are nice, too.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

Prototype is not a great pick up game, IMO. I found the diificulty vs. level balance to be weak, and I just didn't find it that fun.

Just Cause 2, OTOH, is great. I also have this on my PC and it's probably perfect for what you're looking for. Pick it up, complete a mission, finish a settlement, do a race, whatever, then put it down.

prototype may be a great cathartic game, but I have to side with jpub when it comes with pick-up-ability.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy

Seconding Just Cause 2.
I have it for 360, and it is massive and nonlinear.  My biggest beef with it is that the locations in it are a bit repetitive, but that's actually an upside for a game that a ton of people are playing.  It means that nobody will miss getting to do anything, and since the real appeal in the game is doing things with style... yeah.
Oh, and the potential for action-movie style AWESOME cannot be overstated.  This is a game where one mission has you fight your way through a military base to get to rocket launch pads, destroy the satellites on them, and then turn around, hijack a jet fighter, and shoot down the satellite that the evil dictator launched from his emergency backup base.  This was my fifth mission, post-tutorial.  In most shooters, something like that is right at the end of the game.  It gets crazier.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

I'll have to take a look at Just Cause II.

LittleBigPlanet is about to earn the Wire Geek Controller Thrower award for 2010.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

God I hated LBP.