Bioshock *did* have a disposable widget for hacking - the Automated Hack Tool.
The problem is that the game was linear and *boring*. "Kill everything" was the only solution possible, and there were only a few even semi-effective ways to kill enemies. Other ways *worked*, but were slower and required both more work AND often special setups.
When the very first weapon and the very first plasmid are not only the only ones you need, but are significantly better than every other one in the game combined? You've got lousy game design.
All that's true. By 'hacking', though, I meant that in Bioshock you could play the Waterwerks minigame every time and be out no money or widgets. I could be misremembering, but in SS2 and Deus Ex (don't get me started on shitty sequels with that one) you still had to use an item to hack. I went through Bioshock with a couple hacking upgrades and never had to use an autohacker or money for the buyout option, ending up with max cash all the time and a full stock of every random item I could carry. I can't give it all bad marks, though, because it was all kinds of pretty, and the acting was mostly superb - the level that 'artist' guy lived on still gives me the creeps.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-26 03:38 am (UTC)The problem is that the game was linear and *boring*. "Kill everything" was the only solution possible, and there were only a few even semi-effective ways to kill enemies. Other ways *worked*, but were slower and required both more work AND often special setups.
When the very first weapon and the very first plasmid are not only the only ones you need, but are significantly better than every other one in the game combined? You've got lousy game design.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-26 04:38 am (UTC)