Vermintide: taking the torch of Left4 Dead from its cold, undead hands
《鼠疫》：傳承《惡靈勢力》精神的顛峰之作
《鼠疫》：傳承《惡靈勢力》精神的顛峰之作
By Natalie Clayton on March27th, 2018 奈德莉·凱琳頓 2018年3月27日
本文章引用自此(Rock, Paper, Shotgun)
本文章引用自此(Rock, Paper, Shotgun)
文章內【】屬於自譯詞彙，非官方正式譯名。
文章內出現之斜體字可能有誤譯。
文章內出現之斜體字可能有誤譯。
I’d wager most folk around these parts devoured Left 4 Dead back in the day, just as I did. Valve’s“28 Days Later with your friends” infected my life for a good year, and a bigger, better sequel one year later only strengthened the disease. But as Valve haven’t really been in the business of making games for a good few years – hopefully, that’s about to change – and while it felt like Left 4 Dead was going to change the world back in (oh no) 2008, for a longtime nothing filled the rotten hole where my heart used to be.
我敢說許多玩家過去肯定都很迷《惡靈勢力》，就跟我一樣。
主打著「28天後的末日與友共存」，我被這款遊戲「感染」了整整一年；續作甚至讓我久久無法自拔。然而威爾烏近年來卻未專注於製作出新遊戲–希望他們會作出改變–就好像《惡靈勢力》要把世界變回2008年那時的盛況一樣，好久已不曾有任何遊戲能填補我心中那個缺口。
我敢說許多玩家過去肯定都很迷《惡靈勢力》，就跟我一樣。
主打著「28天後的末日與友共存」，我被這款遊戲「感染」了整整一年；續作甚至讓我久久無法自拔。然而威爾烏近年來卻未專注於製作出新遊戲–希望他們會作出改變–就好像《惡靈勢力》要把世界變回2008年那時的盛況一樣，好久已不曾有任何遊戲能填補我心中那個缺口。
That is, until Fatshark’s rowdy rat-smash, Vermintide. The four vs the world setup and the UI werehighly reminiscent of Left 4 Dead, and what are Gutter Runnersand Pack Masters if not reskinned Hunters and Smokers? But there was much more tothat game than swapping out zombies for skaven. With both series now/still on theirsecond games, let’s look at how Vermintide ran with the legacy of Left 4 Dead, whilemanaging to forge its own identity.
I can think of worse starting pointsfor your new game than Left 4 Dead. With the AI director working overtime behindthe scenes, the action was always pitched at just the right intensity, keeping survivorparties on their toes through lulls in the action, and then signaling onslaughtswith audio cues. Specialist infected types worked hard to separate the party, andlay in wait to punish those straying from the flock. Campaigns ramped up in intensity,leading to all-or-nothing finales. It was tense, it was hectic, and it was bloodyfantastic.
終於，開發商Fatshark【圓鯊】帶來了《鼠疫》。四人合作對抗整個末日世界的設定和讓人聯想起《惡靈勢力》的UI介面；【開鏜鼠】以及【鎖喉鼠】與Hunter以及Smoker簡直如出一轍；原本的殭屍被替換成了【史卡芬鼠人】，兩款都正巧是其系列的當今續作，就來看看《鼠疫》如何傳承《惡靈勢力》的精神，又怎樣與眾不同：新遊戲的起點與《惡靈勢力》相比也不遜色，AI導演在幕後主導著一切，突發狀況來得恰到好處，讓倖存者即便喘一口氣也無法鬆懈，背景音效暗示著敵軍壓境亦或是特殊感染者試圖拆散隊伍；脫隊的玩家就會是待宰羔羊。隨著戰役難度逐漸上升，最終章不是拼個敵死就是我活；劍拔弩張的態勢簡直棒極了。
終於，開發商Fatshark【圓鯊】帶來了《鼠疫》。四人合作對抗整個末日世界的設定和讓人聯想起《惡靈勢力》的UI介面；【開鏜鼠】以及【鎖喉鼠】與Hunter以及Smoker簡直如出一轍；原本的殭屍被替換成了【史卡芬鼠人】，兩款都正巧是其系列的當今續作，就來看看《鼠疫》如何傳承《惡靈勢力》的精神，又怎樣與眾不同：新遊戲的起點與《惡靈勢力》相比也不遜色，AI導演在幕後主導著一切，突發狀況來得恰到好處，讓倖存者即便喘一口氣也無法鬆懈，背景音效暗示著敵軍壓境亦或是特殊感染者試圖拆散隊伍；脫隊的玩家就會是待宰羔羊。隨著戰役難度逐漸上升，最終章不是拼個敵死就是我活；劍拔弩張的態勢簡直棒極了。
But it wasn’t perfect,and Vermintide’s genius is in capitalising on Left 4 Dead’s weakest areas rather than buildingon strengths. There are just so many ways to bash rats and rotters in the Reikland. Axes and swords might have made it into Left 4Dead 2, but Vermintide manages to give them character – blocking values, swing speed,sweeps and smashes, there’s enough to give you that “I get it!” moment when youfigure out a weapon’s strengths. Add to that a full RPG-lite tree of classes, combos,and abilities, and getting a team in sync with each other becomes an absolute joy.
但還不至完美，《鼠疫》厲害的地方不在於打造優勢，而是補足並加強《惡靈勢力》不足之處。【瑞克蘭王國】中爆打老鼠的方式有很多種，像是可能會出現在《惡靈勢力2》的斧頭和長劍，但《鼠疫》更進一步讓這些武器有了特性：格檔系數、揮舞速度、斬擊或打擊；等到你摸索出武器的特點時都會不禁說出「我懂了！」。導入RPG式的職業樹，連段和技能；系統還能將玩家配對成四位角色不同的隊伍。
但還不至完美，《鼠疫》厲害的地方不在於打造優勢，而是補足並加強《惡靈勢力》不足之處。【瑞克蘭王國】中爆打老鼠的方式有很多種，像是可能會出現在《惡靈勢力2》的斧頭和長劍，但《鼠疫》更進一步讓這些武器有了特性：格檔系數、揮舞速度、斬擊或打擊；等到你摸索出武器的特點時都會不禁說出「我懂了！」。導入RPG式的職業樹，連段和技能；系統還能將玩家配對成四位角色不同的隊伍。
Granted, the additions make Vermintide a far noisier game than Left 4 Dead ever was. That Valve level of clarity is often sorely missed. Left 4 Dead’s maps rarely allowed you to get lost, and each monster had such distinct silhouettes and barks that players were never in doubt about what was coming to mess them up. Meanwhile, a good chunk of Vermintide’s special monsters fit the “Rat holding a big gun” niche – although Chaos Warriors and full-on Boss fights mix things up at times,I’m largely waiting for a character to call out what we’re dealing with.
無庸置疑，這些特色讓《鼠疫》真的比《惡靈勢力》還要「大聲」好幾倍。能見度非常地不清楚。《惡靈勢力》在地圖中遊走不太可能迷路，每種怪物的輪廓和聲響讓玩家一聽就知道是誰要來搗亂了；另外，《鼠疫》裡面的特殊怪物真的會有「老鼠扛大槍」的表現–儘管【渾沌戰士】和另人緊張的魔王關搞得很混亂。我還是很期待角色來喊出接下來對手的名子。
無庸置疑，這些特色讓《鼠疫》真的比《惡靈勢力》還要「大聲」好幾倍。能見度非常地不清楚。《惡靈勢力》在地圖中遊走不太可能迷路，每種怪物的輪廓和聲響讓玩家一聽就知道是誰要來搗亂了；另外，《鼠疫》裡面的特殊怪物真的會有「老鼠扛大槍」的表現–儘管【渾沌戰士】和另人緊張的魔王關搞得很混亂。我還是很期待角色來喊出接下來對手的名子。
There’s an attachment to your character on a level that I never felt in Left 4 Dead. We all had our favorites among the survivors, and in time they became sufficiently “meme’d” (pills here, anyone?). Gear,talents, and all that good Destiny-esque stuff certainly helps on some level – but even as far as personalities go, I might prefer the Ubersreik Five to our old gang of survivors. Listen, Zoe,I love you and your pals; but I’ll never tire of Kerillian’s passive aggressive derision, or how Satlzpyre’s every line-delivery lands. (Related: I was absolutely not prepared to hear the phrase “glaikit mayflies”in a video game.)
對於角色的喜愛程度甚至是我在《惡靈勢力》沒有感受過的，我們都會有自己特別喜歡的角色，隨著時間推移他們就會被【迷因化】(誰要來點止痛藥呀？)。裝備、天賦，還有一些跟天命有關的道具在某些關卡真的很有用，但不管我怎麼選，我還是偏好【無雙城】五人眾。Zoe，聽著，我是很喜歡妳跟妳的朋友；但我還是比較愛【科芮安】的【被動技：咄咄逼人】，又或【索德派爾】無不幽默的每句話。(備註：我真的完全沒有在任何遊戲中聽到有人會講【無頭蒼蠅】這個詞)
對於角色的喜愛程度甚至是我在《惡靈勢力》沒有感受過的，我們都會有自己特別喜歡的角色，隨著時間推移他們就會被【迷因化】(誰要來點止痛藥呀？)。裝備、天賦，還有一些跟天命有關的道具在某些關卡真的很有用，但不管我怎麼選，我還是偏好【無雙城】五人眾。Zoe，聽著，我是很喜歡妳跟妳的朋友；但我還是比較愛【科芮安】的【被動技：咄咄逼人】，又或【索德派爾】無不幽默的每句話。(備註：我真的完全沒有在任何遊戲中聽到有人會講【無頭蒼蠅】這個詞)
Left 4 Dead’s B-movie horror aesthetic was fantastical – and for all it’s plot exposition, Vermintide’s environments don’t evoke the sort of stories one pictures in the empty hospital corridors of No Mercy. Despite continuity between then,each campaign’s real strength is largely in telling a distinct story of what happened in this particular zombie-ridden corner of America. It’s peak “environmental storytelling”,showered in graffiti and diorama corpses, but it worked.
《惡靈勢力》的B級恐怖片美學很古怪，至於劇情推演而言，《鼠疫》的環境要素並不會單單只讓人想起毫不留情的醫院迴廊單一場景的故事；先不論故事接續性，每個戰役任務真正的優點在於如何以場景來描述美國各地被殭屍給占領後的故事。最到位的「環境敘事」，不管是牆上圖畫或是古老屍骸，都發揮得淋漓盡致。
《惡靈勢力》的B級恐怖片美學很古怪，至於劇情推演而言，《鼠疫》的環境要素並不會單單只讓人想起毫不留情的醫院迴廊單一場景的故事；先不論故事接續性，每個戰役任務真正的優點在於如何以場景來描述美國各地被殭屍給占領後的故事。最到位的「環境敘事」，不管是牆上圖畫或是古老屍骸，都發揮得淋漓盡致。
Vermintide 2 opts for a three-act plot, complete with opening crawls,returning characters, and an overall campaign finale – but it often feels more disconnectedthan tight, 4-mission campaigns. An emphasis on progressionand quick-play means lots of players will be experiencing missions in a scattershot fashion. That said, the build up to ever-harderbosses and a stunning grand-finale makes going through the hoops an incredible experience.
《鼠疫》一共有三章主要劇情，不論角色、敵人還是最終戰役皆是原汁原味。但玩起來卻不只像是單純的四個戰役任務。角色成長以及快速配對的特點意味著更多玩家會以不同的流派來挑戰任務，也就是說，更強的配置對上更難的魔王，一路過關斬將到最終戰鬥的體驗實在是令人拍案叫絕。
《鼠疫》一共有三章主要劇情，不論角色、敵人還是最終戰役皆是原汁原味。但玩起來卻不只像是單純的四個戰役任務。角色成長以及快速配對的特點意味著更多玩家會以不同的流派來挑戰任務，也就是說，更強的配置對上更難的魔王，一路過關斬將到最終戰鬥的體驗實在是令人拍案叫絕。
Outside of beating stock campaigns on ever-harder difficulty, running out of sheer stuff to do was a concern in Left 4 Dead. Those first few hours were an absolute blast, but coming back was a hard sell at first – harder, if your personal apocalypse lacked mates. New campaigns came slowly, and while mutations – week-long challenges that ranged from “only head shots count” to “carry a garden gnome through the campaign” – were great for mixing up replays, Left 4 Dead had an ace up its sleeve.
用更高的難度不斷通關以前的戰役關卡，玩到沒東西玩就是《惡靈勢力》的罩門。就算剛玩的幾個小時很新鮮，要讓玩家回頭實在不容易，加上如果你沒朋友的話會更難。全新的戰役關卡更新久久一次，多虧有突變模式–各種可以玩上幾週的挑戰，從「只限爆頭」到「帶著小矮人玩偶通過關卡」，重覆遊玩也不失樂趣，這點《惡靈勢力》作得算相當到位。
用更高的難度不斷通關以前的戰役關卡，玩到沒東西玩就是《惡靈勢力》的罩門。就算剛玩的幾個小時很新鮮，要讓玩家回頭實在不容易，加上如果你沒朋友的話會更難。全新的戰役關卡更新久久一次，多虧有突變模式–各種可以玩上幾週的挑戰，從「只限爆頭」到「帶著小矮人玩偶通過關卡」，重覆遊玩也不失樂趣，這點《惡靈勢力》作得算相當到位。
It was incredibly easy to mod. The benefits of a community already a decade deep into Hammer, Valve’s proprietary level design software, can’t be understated. Finding new campaigns to push through with your pals extended Left 4 Dead’s life-cycle for years – particularly if you weren’t fussy about visual polish. And, as is usually the case when modders get involved, things got wild – Left 4 Dead 2 was a game where you can be a crack team of velociraptors taking down Shrek.
更換遊戲模組也出奇地簡單。社群玩家所帶來的效益影響甚遠，威爾烏特有的關卡設計軟體實在不容小覷。找到新戰役，與好友一同闖關得以讓《惡靈勢力》的遊戲壽命不斷延長–特別是對耳目一新的感受不買單的你。還有，當模組創作人踏入《惡靈勢力2》後，一切就開始狂起來了– 好比組一隊迅猛龍來對抗史瑞克。
更換遊戲模組也出奇地簡單。社群玩家所帶來的效益影響甚遠，威爾烏特有的關卡設計軟體實在不容小覷。找到新戰役，與好友一同闖關得以讓《惡靈勢力》的遊戲壽命不斷延長–特別是對耳目一新的感受不買單的你。還有，當模組創作人踏入《惡靈勢力2》後，一切就開始狂起來了– 好比組一隊迅猛龍來對抗史瑞克。
Vermintide doesn’t compete on that front, but the sequel in particular is very much a video game of the late-2010s, complete with progression systems, loot, and the boxes that contain loot. Again, it’s all a bit Destiny. I can’t argue that it doesn’t work (I’m an MMO child, numbers going up is my weakness), but it’s obviously a tool to pull you back for more.
《鼠疫》前作不足以批敵，但是續作在2010年後期來說實屬佳作。有著升級系統和戰利品箱。沒錯，雖然有點《天命》，但我實在不敢下定論說玩家不買單(我是玩MMORPG長大的，我就怕買不起)，但這款遊戲肯定有理由讓你回鍋同樂。
Rumours of Left 4 Dead 3 crop up once or twice a year, and have done for the best part of a decade. But for as long as Valve aren’t exploring this particular avenue of cooperative play anymore, it’s great to see Fatshark picking up the slack. Vermintide has grown a strong identity all of its own – one that honours its roots in Valve’s zombie survival epic without being entirely beholdento the past.
《惡靈勢力3》的流言每一兩年就會冒出來，也就這樣過了十年。儘管目前威爾烏沒有打算再推出新的合作遊戲，但我非常高興看到【圓鯊】能讓老遊戲死灰復燃。《鼠疫》不但打出了知名度，也不忘讓威爾烏的殭屍末日經典之作再現光明。
----分隔線，個人文章後記---
施工時間：約3hrs
困難卡頓：遊戲內各項名稱(角色、敵軍、城鎮)，部份口語用詞(Ramp up、Full-on)。
心得：實在沒事幹只好找東西來翻譯個，但碰太艱澀的新聞內容(BBC etc.)又怕半途而廢，於是隨手挑了個RPS上的文章作翻譯。過程幾近想放棄，但我還是把這當成是工作來翻，深怕東摸西摸的陋習真的帶到以後的工作上。
----分隔線，個人文章後記---
施工時間：約3hrs
困難卡頓：遊戲內各項名稱(角色、敵軍、城鎮)，部份口語用詞(Ramp up、Full-on)。
心得：實在沒事幹只好找東西來翻譯個，但碰太艱澀的新聞內容(BBC etc.)又怕半途而廢，於是隨手挑了個RPS上的文章作翻譯。過程幾近想放棄，但我還是把這當成是工作來翻，深怕東摸西摸的陋習真的帶到以後的工作上。
