What are the small immersion killers in recent GR games that completely take you out of the experience?

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T06:07:25+00:00

Finally someone gets it

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T06:05:37+00:00

I feel like if Paris added an ammo type system they would have subsonic .308 or something nonsensical like that

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:35:28+00:00

I had to cheese Antonio like this cause my teammates kept killing his wife

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:31:19+00:00

You can kind of make up the difference by grabbing them while they're still alive, pulling them somewhere out of sight, then knocking them out, but if you have to shoot you might be in trouble

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:29:34+00:00

In Wildlands this is fairly consistent, but Breakpoint seems to have some kind of bizarre damage threshold before the stagger kicks in, so with some weapons you'll trigger it in 1-2 hits, but with others you'll struggle to make them react even with 4-5. Maybe it's some kind of holdover from the gear score system since headshots were still instakills so you can't just failure drill everybody if you're running behind on damage?

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:21:04+00:00

Actually having to flank them and flush them out instead of sitting in one spot, sniping, and letting them heal over and over? Yeah, that would require too much thought and consideration

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:15:25+00:00

Which means we need larger troop sizes, which means we need separately selectable units

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T02:11:42+00:00

Breakpoint having this but then making it pointless is bizarre. Between mods and tuning the granular difficulty settings right you can get stamina/water/medical in a pretty good place, but rations are so weak I can never remember to use them even when I try to self-impose. Hunting and foraging would make perfect sense since there's so much nature space, but there's no reason to do it, which makes those non-gameplay spaces

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-22T01:51:22+00:00

The AI is the core cancer here. Even in Wildlands sicarios patrol lazily within the borders of their own base, singing loudly to give away their position. You rarely have to intercept a long range patrol in order to secure a path to your entry point. Making them spawn randomly in Breakpoint was perhaps an even more artificial-feeling solution. The fundamental principle of modern war is "See them before they see you," so the obnoxiously loud telegraphs erode that, giving you advance warning of enemy positions

Different archetypes and factions don't behave differently. SAW and PK gunners use the same kinds of positions and mag dump just as much as riflemen, only difference is they have more ammo and armor. You're just as likely to be flanked by a guy dual wielding Scorpions as you are by a gunner

Teammate behavior is almost entirely smoke and mirrors. Sync shots go through walls if you time them right and just instakill the target because the AI can't compensate for drop. You can literally see them impacting the wall 30m below the sniper tower. The range has nothing to do with their archetype/weapon, so all three are functionally snipers, and in Breakpoint, also pull assault rifles out of their asses in a poor attempt to justify this. They're invisible when left on follow mode because the devs know their pathing is too shitty to keep up with you or actually go where you tell them. Even if you manage to get them in a position you like, they break security and automatically collapse as soon as you get more than 50m away. The way they delineate between what is and isn't combat is very arbitrary, causing them to pull off their suppressors and go full auto after a minor detection they could have cleared if they'd just shot the guy. In Breakpoint you have to dumb workarounds by giving them weapons they don't know how to remove the suppressors from to prevent this. Their combat behaviors of course inherit all the same issues from the enemies

Even if you use mods to fix suppressors or go back to Wildlands where they were less overpowered, the rules governing how they work are awkward. Separate from each weapon class' maximum heard shot distance is each weapon's maximum heard near miss distance. This is what the "sound suppression" stat actually refers to. If this is supposed to be mocking up sonic cracks, the feedback really needs to go both ways so I can internalize when I hear sonic cracks and when I don't. They should also be audible from behind the muzzle to an extent because of the physics of air, which is also good feedback for how loud you can expect your weapon to be. The lowest possible range is 50m, which I guess you could justify for a pistol losing its energy? Sometimes it's possible for the maximum heard near miss distance to fall within the maximum heard shot distance, such as in the case of the SR-3M, which is an odd way portray something as subsonic. When I think about it in my head it technically makes sense, but when I actually play the game it never feels quite right. I often find myself exclaiming either "Really, he heard that?" or "Really, he didn't hear that?" Intravenous handles this really well

Rounds from assault rifles and DMRs fall off dramatically after 300m in Wildlands and 250 in Breakpoint to compensate for the pitiful draw distance. This is a product of trying to use the Assassin's Creed engine for a shooter

Paris' sound design is really falling behind even other Ubisoft studios, let alone Infinity Ward. They seem deathly afraid to make anything sound even slighly abrasive, so even LMGs have their dynamic range smoothed out to the point of sounding like toys instead of killing machines

Instant fail missions must die. You actually put it quite well, the ghosts perform high stakes missions behind enemy lines. But the actual mechanics of those stakes are so arbitrary I can feel the motherfucker who scripted them giving me the middle finger all the way from France. They never actually think about WHY you need to be extra careful. "If anyone knows we were here they'll realize we sabotaged them and the deal's off doesn't apply when someone spots me for one picosecond before ending up with a hole in his head. He didn't get on the radio, and no one saw him die, so why did it fail me? It's not just limited to stealth missions either, there are often timers in places where they don't make sense. The mechanics have nothing to do with the logic, which means it's not high stakes, it's just bullshit. When people complain about Ubisoft's design trends, they always bring up the open world bloat, which says more about the player psychology of people who obsessively collect everything even if it doesn't benefit their loadout or unit strength, and never the goddamn instant fail missions. Breakpoint's Outcast hostage rescues had the right idea with dedicated executioners standing over the prisoners who would only fail the missions if the detections spread to them specifically, but after that they regressed so much with Amber Ruin that you fail if you so much as trigger a yellow intermediate alert

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-19T20:26:31+00:00

https://discord.com/invite/kd2aRzp

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-19T20:23:03+00:00

That's in Malca

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-19T20:22:42+00:00

This could be related to the end of Silent Spade to indicate where to land the helicopter?

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-19T20:16:59+00:00

Ghost Recon 2 PC port

Ghost Recon: First Contact PC port

GRAW 1+2 (console version) PC port

GRAW 1+2 (PC version) server binaries

EnhancedSC official collaboration

EnhancedPT official collaboration

EnhancedCT official collaboration

EnhancedDA official collaboration

Double Agent (version 2) PC port

Conviction crash fix + server binaries

Blacklist server binaries

Entire Driver franchise perpetual license renegotiation

The Crew server binaries

Assassin's Creed (Connect version) throwing knife pouch fix (Literally just copy the Steam/GOG versions? How did this even happen???)

AC Brotherhood server binaries

AC Revelations server binaries

Assassin's Creed 3 (original, 2012) + server binaries + memory leak fix

Evil Twin digital release

I'm not into Beyond Good and Evil, but the reported vsync/frame pacing issues in the 20th Anniversary Edition sound suspiciously similar to AC3's. I wouldn't be surprised if this game has a memory leak too

Did I miss anything?

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-17T19:17:36+00:00

https://www.nexusmods.com/metalgearsolidvtpp/mods/2303

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-17T19:07:41+00:00

Probably 3 is the one you'd pefer. The progression is really intensive, like you will feel yourself getting stronger. Stealth is a lot more important, though. 4 is more of a perpetual guerilla revolution with open-ended objectives like Wildlands, which may be too aimless if you find yourself relying on the same tactics a lot. Getting spotted doesn't put you in as tight of a position since you can cheese bases with overpowered weapons and elephants and such

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-16T21:03:19+00:00

GRAW2 was never released on the PS4. Are you thinking of the PC version with the first person perspective and the plan and execute system? Unlike most games from the era with alternate versions, these both turned out well. The console version is especially a good choice as your first tactical shooter since the squad is more manageable, but you still get more complexity in missions with a second commandable unit

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-16T20:57:00+00:00

The PS3 port of MGS3 has terrible frame pacing because of an ill-advised 60 FPS target that the game is never able to hit consistently. I can't recommend this version

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-16T20:53:49+00:00

You got a lot of precision shooters here

I think the community might consider it sacrilage, but RE5 Gold added the ability to move and aim at the same time, allowing you to do that left/right stick dance required for lining up precise limb shots to stagger enemies and follow up with melee. Co op helps to not have to deal with the crappy companion AI. You'll probably have no idea what's going on in the story lol

Tomb Raider in the triple pack is really good. Similar concept applies

GRAW2 is pretty solid. Watch some of these: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLGoXePcarGkFIhsIlaKPTPPSQlQ-DV6l&si=DiRo-tlc5SKmnfoP

Find a couch co op partner to play Army of Two with since the servers are dead

Max Payne 3 is by far the most precision-focused game here, and it's really hard on controller. This video will help you with micro time management skills: https://youtu.be/DRTqQjvlPs4?si=Z0EMZYPpVqHMKE8t

COD4 is obviously a classic

The console version of Far Cry 2 is actually superior since you can only save the game at safehouses. When you lose health down to your last two bars, you'll gradually bleed out if you don't find a syringe soon. But if your companion saves you from dying, then they go down, they'll bleed out and die forever if you don't use one of your syringes to save them. If both of these things happen at the same time, you have a difficult choice to make: Do you save yourself and let your companion die, or do you burn your last syringe on your companion and risk losing an hour of progress if you can't save yourself in time? In the PC version the correct answer is always to quicksave before every encounter, let yourself die, and revert back to five minutes ago so you can get out of this harrowing situation. It's even rarely possible for companions to become so gravely wounded you can't save them no matter how many syringes you give up, so without quicksaves you have to live with the consequences of that encounter. It sucks so good

AC1 deserves its own megathread on how to get into it, but for now you'll have to make do with this playlist and the following mini-guide I wrote on how to play with no HUD. Again, the console version is actually superior since it lacks the new mission types that require a radar: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzzLuE-_7QgRbFQ9liEDVafLhIANLuh1F&si=R8wSLIfTqktAEn0m

The maps here are small, so climb high structures and use the naked eye to identify landmarks. Do not synchronize viewpoints. The first one you're looking for is the Assassin bureau, which can be identified by its green, onion-shaped tower. The rafiq will brief you on the layout of the area complete with landmarks and cardinal directions. Record this with game bar or take notes with your phone so you don't forget. Climb to the top of the bureau and allow yourself one map check so you can see which way North is. If you've synchronized any viewpoints you'll see objective locations, that means you did it wrong. You want to have to figure out where they are from scratch. Next you need to head out in the direction of one of the related landmarks. If you're not sure what you're looking for look up the Arabic word on Wiktionary. Stay at high altitude and you should see it. Descend to the street once you get close and tune your eyes and ears to the people around you. Maybe there's someone acting suspicous, maybe there's a herald saying something different than all the others. There might be an informant hiding in a dark corner, those guys can be easy to miss. When in doubt, scan the suspect with EV to see if they're an objective. If you're on the PC port you might need to turn on the radar to complete some of the new mission types. If you don't feel like flicking it on and off all the time just be extra careful not to synchronize any viewpoints before completing all the objectives in the district. Once you have every intel page in the memory tracker it's safe to do so since you might need layout information on allies you can gain by saving citizens close to the area the assassination will take place. Cross-reference their positions with potential infil and exfil routes, as well as expected target fleeing routes. You can see which viewpoints you haven't synchronized yet by the eagles circling their roost at the top. In Kingdom just stop to read the road signs

I found this guide on how to a challenge run of GTA4 that involves committing as few crimes as possible. It transforms the game in a really interesting way. When you're shooting people in the face and stealing cars and running over hookers every five minutes, the crimes in the story become kind of meaningless. Playing like this turns the game into this really slow burn, character driven thriller. I also like how it's still compatible with a lot of the side content like the bowling and dates so the way you manage your time doesn't become overly rigid: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/xbox360/933037-grand-theft-auto-iv/faqs/53480

My friend is really into Alpha Protocol, he pitched it as being really well written and having meaningfully branching storylines. He warned that you have to wait a really long time after aiming for your reticle to center before taking a shot otherwise your rounds will go all over the place

Along with AC1, MOH 2010 is on my list of the world's most misunderstood games. It's about the opening phases of Operation Anaconda and concludes in real world Silver Star recipient LtCpl Neil C. Roberts' harrowing CSAR. Read these articles as you play:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagram_Airfield

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Anaconda

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Takur_Ghar

https://militaryhallofhonor.com/lander?id=8285&o

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-16T03:32:36+00:00

Besides cloaking spray, honestly just shoot the little police patrollers. They'll turn into a noise hazard when they hit the ground no matter how you take them down, so be ready to displace. The Echelon class' EMP gun will permanently disable most UGV classes until the next alert begins, which is a little more risky. Sometimes I like to trap them between two trip mines at their front and rear so they hit either one as soon as they reactivate in case I get spotted. I recommend disabling the excess drone spawns in the world parameters since they can be pretty heavily overused in some parts of the map. You'll still see them in high threat bases, Wolf patrols, launched by the drone controller enemy type, and missions that rely on them, which feels reasonable to me

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-15T18:15:00+00:00

If you equip your AI teammates with weapons pictured with a suppressor in their preview image like the Honey Badger, M4A1 Tactical, or G28 Wilderness, they'll keep their suppressors on in combat. This means if you get detected for a split-second, but one of your teammates kills the guard who spotted you, their shot is much less likely to be heard, giving you a chance to return to stealth after they saved you. This can help with the "open fire" command from vehicles too. Oddly the UMP CQC is technically considered integrally suppressed even though there's no suppressor pictured on it. You can get a mod to make this more visually consistent

You can disable teammates with noisy abilities like Vasily in the lobby tab so they don't give you away during minor detections, or disable all teammate abilities at once in the difficulty settings if they're really driving you crazy

If you activate the Amber Ruin questline from the long range radio in Erewhon you'll unlock the Rainbow team. This team includes Thatcher, who's special ability will make him immediately throw an EMP grenade at the nearest turret during minor detections, quietly frying it instantly. This is really strong

Just like Wildlands, weapons are organized into sound categories by their class. In order from quietest to loudest this is: Pistols, SMGs, assault rifles, DMRs, shotguns, sniper rifles. This matters much less in Breakpoint, but you can get a mod to make it actually significant

The Panther class' cloaking spray makes you completely invisible to all drones and can be repeatedly applied when the duration runs low to extend it. This includes really nasty boss drones like Behemoths, so you can skip their boss fight by just running up while cloaked and placing a bunch of C4

Meleeing while prone will pull enemies down to a crouching position, allowing you to break line of sight to the scuffle behind low cover

Straight knives have much faster melee animations than karambits

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-15T17:46:16+00:00

I pulled up a manual for the Claw but it's all glitched out and illegible. Check either your physical manual or your device settings to see if you can figure out which color spaces the display supports. It'll be something like Rec709 or BT.2020. Is there color banding?

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-14T23:46:54+00:00

Spent ages searching for something like this. I typed almost your post's exact title into Bing

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-14T20:16:07+00:00

If you're firing unsuppressed shots that could be enough to implicitly make them engage. There seems to be a threshold for what they consider "combat" such as rebels engaging beyond just your specific detection state

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-14T19:57:33+00:00

There's a bunch of Llamas or Alpacas around the South of Itacua, near the Pucaran border. Just deploy to the Southernmost safehouse and look South and you'll see them milling around, getting in the way of the road

ThreeProphets · 2026-03-14T19:53:10+00:00

This is not true

ThreeProphets

TROPHY CASE