The Lost Art of the Tutorial Level | Semi-Ramblomatic
Added 2024-02-22 16:36:43 +0000 UTCA new episode of Semi-Ramblomatic is now available!
Comments
Is there a new Semi-Ramblomatic this week?
WhereInTheWorldIsCarmenSandiego
2024-03-02 14:56:45 +0000 UTCI saw the title and immediately thought 'Lemmings did this so well without being clear that that is what it was doing.'
Pete Spicer
2024-02-22 18:57:27 +0000 UTCThanks again
Chad M Jones
2024-02-22 18:33:16 +0000 UTCHitman (2016) technically goes back to having a standalone tutorial level. The first proper level is set in Paris, but before that there are two cut down "training" levels set in an ICA facility where they do a mockup of a location with props and actors with the setup that they are testing you. Since Hitman lets you do the missions in any order, you can skip them, and since there's a time jump between those missions and the Paris mission, there's not that much essential plot you'll miss (you can even just watch the plot cutscenes but not do the training missions). Hitman 2 does go back to having integrated tutorial for the first (small scale) mission, and Hitman 3 makes a token effort at the same on its first level, but figures that if you're on the 3rd installment of a trilogy, you know the essentials (and by this stage, it usually includes Hitman 1 & 2 anyway so people can just play the orginal missions.
Sofox
2024-02-22 18:30:40 +0000 UTCI quite liked the one in True Crime New York City.
LifeIsStrange
2024-02-22 18:16:25 +0000 UTCThe tutorial level being separate was nice for games that you played multiple times. You didn't have to go through the tutorial on each replay.
Bj Last
2024-02-22 18:09:49 +0000 UTCI'm reminded of "training" Lara Croft in her mansion gym where she could practice her climbing, jumping and shooting skills before the inevitable flight to somewhere else in the world. Then I remembered that was featured in Yahtzee Tries last night.
Ariane Barnes
2024-02-22 18:09:35 +0000 UTCI wonder if Helldivers inspired this. The tutorial level was a very fun and thematic inclusion.
Norman A. Letterman
2024-02-22 17:13:59 +0000 UTCI really do miss this period as well. I suppose the current equivalent (while still technically being integrated) would be the old "go visit the battle simulator" chestnut. Also, a lot of games contrive a reason for the player character to be weak or recently released from jail, the hospital, or whatever, and need to be refreshed on everything. I don't think we'll get any better with tutorial-as-requirement than the original Driver though, lol.
A
2024-02-22 17:00:33 +0000 UTC
