The character of Ben.

[Asteroid]

Full Throttle is my favorite video game. When I heard that a sequel was coming out, I was both excited and scared. Scared that it might not be as epic and cinematic as the first. From the trailers from this year's and last year's E3, and the screenshot and game descriptions, I'm scared that they've lost the essence of Ben's character. The Ben from the first Full Throttle was one of the coolest characters around. He was big and gruff, and he looked sort of like Robert Deniro. His eyes were always squinted and he spoke in a low voice. He almost never smiled, and he didn't talk unless he had to. He was cool and calm, and got rough when he needed to. The Polecats were a band of road nomads, just riding and trying to survive.

Now, with Full Throttle: Hell on wheels, I'm seeing many characteristics that do not remind me of the original Ben. The new Ben looks like Stallone with weird hair. In the new trailer, he's jumping around with a big stupid grin. He seems like a roughneck that just wants to fight all the time. It's not like the calm and cool Ben. I really think they compromised the great characteristics of Ben and reduced to a dumb brawler so there would be enough action. I hope I'm wrong.

[elTee]

Me too. Its a very astute observation, well said.

[Alien426]

Originally posted by Asteroid

I hope I'm wrong.

We all hope you are. After the - dare I say? - disaster that was EMI a lot of people lost a big hunk of faith in LucasArts. The same presentiments about Ben's new aggressive style have been bothering me too. That and the graphics which - in the state they were when the web site first appeared - would have put shame to a PSX. Even adventure gamers need good graphics and let's hope there will be a little (more) adventure in it.

[Ben Whatsisname]

Originally posted by Asteroid

Full Throttle is my favorite video game. When I heard that a sequel was coming out, I was both excited and scared. Scared that it might not be as epic and cinematic as the first.

 

Many of us felt the same way, especially after Roy's passing.

 

From the trailers from this year's and last year's E3, and the screenshot and game descriptions, I'm scared that they've lost the essence of Ben's character. The Ben from the first Full Throttle was one of the coolest characters around. He was big and gruff, and he looked sort of like Robert Deniro. His eyes were always squinted and he spoke in a low voice. He almost never smiled, and he didn't talk unless he had to. He was cool and calm, and got rough when he needed to. The Polecats were a band of road nomads, just riding and trying to survive.

 

... From what we saw. And who says things have really changed? I mean have you ever ridden a motorcycle for an extended period of time? Your butt goes numb. lol In case you didn't notice in the first, we "met" the polecats en-route to wherever as they stopped at a bar. Ben got knocked out, came to, and found out about an ambush he had to stop. The clock was ticking... Not a whole lot of time to stop off at the trailer for a quick booze-n-snooze. Then, after Corley's murder, he was being hunted by the law, having to clear his name, and catch *cough*kill*cough* the real murderer. Again, not a whole lot of time to go back to the first place the cops would look in order to catch the last few minutes of "Friends". The Cavefish had a home base, the Vultures had a home base, and even though they were bit players, I am sure the Rottwheelers had a home base. Why can't the Polecats?

 

Now, with Full Throttle: Hell on wheels, I'm seeing many characteristics that do not remind me of the original Ben. The new Ben looks like Stallone with weird hair.

 

...as opposed to the "hair helmet" that he had in the original...

 

In the new trailer, he's jumping around with a big stupid grin.

 

He grinned a few times in the original, especially after beating the monkey snot out of someone and taking their weapon. And his grin in FT:HOW is no more and no less "goofy" than the one he wears in FT when he pops the wheelie that costs him his front wheel.

 

He seems like a roughneck that just wants to fight all the time.

 

It's an ACTION/adventure. Watch the trailer for a movie like (cliche` alert) Star Wars. Lots of action, lots of excitement. Would it have drawn such an audience back in 1977 if they showed a few seconds of Luke checking the vapor moisturisers (sp), followed by a nice action-packed shot of Obi-wan talking to the alien who points him to Han with a quick snap to Obi-Wan walking down a hallway? Or how about Lord Of The Rings? A nice 30-second trailer featuring the Hobbits discussing breakfast, Gandalf smoking a pipe, and the rest filled with nothing but the mountain hike scenes? Those movies would have been seen as a cure for insomniacs who aren't responding to strong medication.

 

It's not like the calm and cool Ben.

 

He sounds calm and cool in the beginning. I think he will calm down in the adventure portions. I mean, he'd get seriously whipped if he just stood there in a drunken haze and thought during a fight, and would make mistakes out the brown-eye if he rushed through a puzzle.

 

I really think they compromised the great characteristics of Ben and reduced to a dumb brawler so there would be enough action. I hope I'm wrong.

 

Again, pointing to the movie trailers as proof that action sells... According to all the Star Wars series trailers, Jedi are quick to anger and love to fight. Even Yoda.

[ThunderPeel2001]

We shall seeeeee...

[Joshi]

Meh, looks good so far, and yes, action does sell.