Best new gameplay mechanics this year?

#1 Posted by BeachThunder (8911 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Personally, I loved being able to 'feed' items to other items in order to improve them in Darksiders 2 - A nice alternative to picking up loads of crappy weapons just to immediately sell them off.

I also really liked the ability to set my own checkpoints after gaining enough points in They Bleed Pixels - a good way to encourage high-scoring combos, as well as a happy medium between having rigid checkpoints and allowing constant quicksaving.

So, what say you? Any new gameplay mechanics from this year that you thought were particularly clever/fun/interesting/etc...?

#2 Posted by Maajin (868 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Didin't the feed mechanic show up first in Phantasy Star Online? And probably other games before it, I would guess.

I don't know about mechanics, but a trend in gameplay this year that I loved was using gameplay itself and our expectations of games to make statements, like Spec Ops: The Line, Hotline Miami and Little Inferno.

#3 Posted by Atlas (2140 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

The multiplayer mechanics in Journey. Such a brilliant idea, and a great thought exercise to boot.

#4 Posted by Nottle (1879 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

As far as interesting goes the first thing that comes to mind is the chirp in Journey for several reasons.

First the chirp just seems like the only way to communicate with your partner (other than positioning your avatars body a certain way). It's simple but when you are able to get your point across with a few quick bleeps or a more drawn out yell it feels very special.

Second this way of communication, that seems so much more convoluted actually makes things less frustrating. The sounds the journey characters make are cute, where normally communication in games is through some filthy text someone pounded out on a keyboard or the stereotypical Call of duty lobby with a bro/stoner/12 year old yelling at you.

Third is that the singing serve a whole other purpose. Your ability to fly is recharged if your in range of someones communication. It seem just like a small but neat bonus if used poorly, however, if used correctly two people singing to each other midair over and over lets both players fly pretty much forever. I made it across the 2nd open desert area pretty much without touching the ground because me and the other player were so in tune with each other. It felt majestic, the simple songs coming from our simple characters while sailing across the sands...

#5 Posted by Hizang (8536 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

No game has new mechanics, everything has been done, video games are finished.

#6 Posted by mosespippy (2610 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

I can't think of very many new gameplay mechanics this year. Bad ass ranks from Borderlands 2 are the first one to come to mind. Having stat boosts for all your characters (past and present) from completing objectives with any of the characters encourages multiple play throughs and encouraged players to do a wide variety of things including stuff they otherwise would not do.

#7 Posted by Video_Game_King (29340 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

@Hizang said:

No game has new mechanics, everything has been done, video games are finished.

Pretty much.

#8 Posted by ikilledthedj (85 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

"Shark skinning" best new mechanic of 2012

#9 Posted by Fredchuckdave (1721 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

FTL easily has the best new mechanics for any game this year, shame it doesn't have a huge shelf life.

#10 Posted by FancySoapsMan (5416 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

using doors to murder people in Hotline Miami

#11 Posted by JohnstonThistle (42 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

I liked the mechanic in TWD of not actually playing or doing anything and still classing the thing as a video game. It's super.

#12 Posted by BoomBlasta (46 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

BURST!

#13 Posted by GeekDown (1077 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Mark of the Ninja didn't come up with all of their mechanics, but they used it to perfection. Especially the sound indicator which they might have been the first with.

#14 Posted by Rasmoss (330 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Super Hexagon!

That is all.

#15 Posted by TheHBK (4884 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Being able to use a bow in real time.

#16 Posted by ShaggE (4460 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

TWD's "press X to sad" mechanic.

#17 Posted by ShadowConqueror (2571 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

RAT MAGIC

#18 Posted by GunstarRed (4036 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

I dunno if it's in another game, but the sound ripples in Mark of the Ninja are brilliant.

#19 Posted by Christoffer (1251 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Breaching in Syndicate. Hack everything, disarm grenades and heal, all in one. You can't get a better deal.

#20 Posted by JackG100 (358 posts) - 5 months, 21 days ago

Games have done sounds for ages, wouldnt consider it a new mechanic just because it was visualised in a different manner?

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