The History of Black (and Mystery of Black 2)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
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A number of Criterion Games’ early projects put players in the driver’s seat of racing titles, high-octane adventures that helped the Guildford, UK-based studio slowly build a reputation for itself. However, it was 2001’s Burnout that launched the development group into true stardom. Burnout most notably served as a response to the simulation racers that dominated the genre at the time, such as Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo series on PlayStation. Instead of simulating refined driving experiences, Criterion focused on delivering an action-based thrill ride from start to finish, complete with the seminal Crash Mode that boasted over-the-top crashing sequences. The studio later decided to inject a similar level of extravagant action into the then PC-oriented first-person shooter genre, introducing console players on PS2 and the original Xbox to Hollywood-style shootouts in the often overlooked yet transformative Black.
According to Producer Jeremy Chubb, Black targeted what should’ve always rested at the core of any shooter-guns and destruction. It accomplished as much and more to great effect, due in large part to a well-crafted blend of detailed gun models and the ruination they caused once fired into deformable environments. Publisher Electronic Arts and the storied Criterion crew had high ambitions for the shooter and let said ambitions spearhead much of the marketing ahead of launch.
Some critics and players later argued that Criterion over-promised with regards to what Black had on offer. Meanwhile, others appreciated the project for what it did provide-a first-person shooter whose graphical detail, destructibility, and blockbuster movie-inspired gameplay attempted to push the genre forward. And since few games have followed Black’s lead, there remains a contingent of fans who remember the chaos and hold out hope for another round.
This is the history of Black.
00:00 Intro
01:59 Sponsorship
03:18 Criterion Shooting Project
06:10 Reinventing the First-Person Shooter
10:15 Better Than a Master of One
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Heh, I read that as Friday Deal for the game Black :D
fuck nord
@Slush We hate being sold sh*t
What game is shown at 3:53? I recognized the other FPS games shown after it, but not that 1.
Is it Chaser?
It still can't believe how good Black looked at the time. How in the world did they make depth of field, reflective materials and volumetric lighting work on PS2.
that's a damned good question...
I’m not too sure how black achieved its effects, but shadow of the colossus was known for pulling off some very cool tricks on the ps2. I’d imagine reflective materials might be achieved in a similar manner to their ‘velvet shader’, where highlights appear if the normal vector is facing the general direction of the light vector. the ‘volume light’ could be with a layered transparency effect… I’m no expert though
Devs were really squeezing water from stone in the late Xbox era. That console was capable of great visuals, for the time, once devs had things optimized. Just look at Halo 2, Ninja Gaiden, and this game for examples :)
@@c.jarmstrong3111 also something i forget the wii basically an overclocked gamecube was running some xbox 360 games like call of duty and dead rising, very paired back versions but still really impressive that generation iw amazing in retrospect
@@theoroinvictus Shadow of the colossus ran at 20fps tops, diping mostly below 10. I was 15 when I first played that game and today I know how they did it, but at that time I had no idea what those visual effects were even called. If you are interested I recomend Selmiak's piece "Making of Shadow of the Colossus".
I remember this game blowing my mind with the graphics and environment damage. Very hard though
it was so fucking hard, I remember getting stuck on multiple spots thourout the game. RPG guys coming out of nowhere where the biggest culprit lmao
Some games just push the limits. Check out Ryse son of Rome, to date looks modern.
Black looks even more stunning on PCSX2 at 1440p, 16x AA, FXAA and with dithering disabled. Check it out if you get the chance. Best way to play it these days. You won't be disappointed.
The game was kinda hard
True. And the payoff was a cliffhanger for a sequel that never came. Worst blue balls ever.
Back in the day, after playing Black, all other FPS games just seemed...lacking. The sound effects are what I remember to be really incredible.
I felt the same! It wasn't until I think bad company 2 did I feel a game attempted such awesome intensity
Every bullet matters
My childhood
I miss my childhood 🥲
What about how fucking hard the game is?
Black was an awesome game. The level of detail of the guns were pretty sick and the amount of chaos you can do was such a blast. The box art was badass looking too.
The menus were also really cool. The entire game just had this great "style" about it
"every bullet is your baby" i remember always joking about that line on the cover box with my friends. this game was on a whole 'nother level
Do you guys remember when you cleared an entire level and then everything just goes quite. Especially when you had to back track to find secret intell if you didn't find it earlier.
Like the forest level or the last level in the city.
@@blazermettro2059 That forest level... That stupid forest level... I managed to beat Black as a kid, but, oh my God, the forest level was GIGANTIC. That level made me ragequit the game so many times... Starting off in the forest with a suppressed pistol, eliminating sentries, finding the AK-47 suppressor (which made life easier, but still VERY challenging), assaulting the small outpost, entering the cave, going for the checkpoint base... So much stuff, and so few checkpoints in that mission. I remember getting killed a lot in the checkpoint base, then once I got the hang of it, I died by some dude firing RPGs at me in front of the tunnel. Came back, killed the guy at the tunnel, fought through the second tunnel which FINALLY had a checkpoint. Then died a million times trying to cross the river bridge, finally got it, went through the trench part, where dudes with SPAS-12s and body armor came rushing in at you... I was already thinking "Jesus, this has to be the single biggest level in videogame history. When is it ever going to end?", then comes the farm section, and not only do you have to clear out the farm, you also have to defend it against a horde of enemies using AKs, shotguns and RPGs. Then you're off to the third level. Poor me, thinking that the third level was any easier...
@@choppergunner8650
Don't you know it.
It's been so long, i really can't remember a level more frustrating then the forest. There probs is though. But what really made it bad for me was finding the secret Intel. Ya know, those laptops you can find scattered about in each level. Now imagine trying to find those in that damn forest. .
Though it was all worth it after i unlocked the SILVER GUNS!!!
Miss the PS2 era. Truly the golden age of various innovation in gaming industry.
It was the best era in console history ❤
The sound effects on this game blew my mind. I had never heard a video game gun actually sound like a gun before. I vividly remember playing the first level then calling my friend telling him he had to come over right now. Didn't matter what he was doing, he had to see and hear this game.
it's legit the first game I played on a stereo system, completely worth it.
One of the most legendary games of my childhood
Absolutely
I played on my friend's xbox which let you use your own music for the soundtrack. I would play for hours listening to Portishead. Was great
Agreed. Why do I feel old now.
I have ps2
100% ✓✓ I wish time machines existed. 🥲
Black had one fatal flaw: bullet sponge enemies
Goddamn it was an incredible game but these enemies were helluva experience
I remember legitimately thinking that this must be a PS3 game that my PS2 was somehow running because of how amazing the graphics were. 9 year old me wasn't good at drawing logical conclusions
It looks like an early PS3 game. Not many games on the PS2 can say that though, only example I can think of is Gran Turismo 4
@@que4892 Yes
Man did I put hours into this damn game. Zero regrets.
Similarly, I’m stoked to play Bodycount sometime soon. The platinum will be glorious but the playthrough(s) likely moreso with this one.
I loved Bodycount man. If I remember right it wasn't reviewed super well but I had a blast with it. The destruction at the time was ahead of it's time.
Black was fantastic, Bodycount was awful!
Body count isn't great. There's a weird mechanic to the aim trigger. A light touch aims down the sights, all the way down gives you a Wolfenstein lean mechanic. You can't turn it off and it's horrible.
The story is crap and it's visuals are unbelievably ugly.
Not the worst game, but black absolutely slays it.
@@duel2k7 Ya know what grinds my gears about Bodycount? The goddamn crosshair being lower centered. WHY DO GAMES DO THIS?! Is not like the game has jetpacks or anything
"I’m stoked to play Bodycount sometime soon" Oh...oh I'm so sorry.
I remember this game from the PS2 days! Before this video, I couldn't tell you about the story. I couldn't tell you about the setting or locations. I couldn't even tell you about the level design. What I could tell you about, though, was that sweet, sweet G36 model and how beautifully gritty it was and how much fun it was to shoot. For whatever reason, all I can remember is sitting on this catwalk in the dark, with a G36 and SAW, laying on the ground, and shooting into the night at advancing enemies. For whatever reason, that small scene sticks in my head from this game. I don't know when it was in the game, where it was, or why I was doing it. I just remember how visceral and fun it was. I suppose that goes to show that if Criterion's main goal was to make the gun the main character and the gunplay the centerpiece, then their mission was accomplished. I'd love another!
its possible that it can be the second mission when you are trying to rendevouz with your teammates but the g46 and SAW where not in that mission. Maybe on of the last missions
The uzi I remember firing it at a wall and amazed lol
Reminds me of a vivid memory i have from when i was like 8, i was on the night forest mission (mission 2?) Taking a suppressor on and off a glock (or an ak) wondering what it did. And the funny part is that the tv was stuck on mute lmao
I don't know why but I find it absolutely hilarious that Black's senior designer is literally called Stuart Black.
You're right, it's hilarious! I think I may know why too! Is it because they're both named "black?"
@@null_subject Holy shit man I think you got it
@@DancingEngie Hell yeah, dude, we're vibing! Also, nice avatar!
I loved this game. Pumping hundreds of rounds into terrain knowing that your enemy cant hide forever since you will just rip apart their cover. Nothing has ever felt so satisfying to shoot since this game
I can't wait to see GVMERS cover Urban Chaos: Riot Response.
that game has one of the best trailers and trailer songs to date
I totally agree. This game was awesome in the Xbox.
Black was the first FPS I ever played. I have very fond memories of it and without it Id have never played KillZone. Its high time EA dug it out the archives, gave it an HD remaster, with modern shooting controls, and put it back out there.
Aw hell yeah
Such an iconic gem of a game!!
I hope GVMERS covers Area 51 - Blacksite Area 51, Turok or Dino Crisis at some point.
I loved both those Area 51 games.
Holy shit blacksite Area 51… that brings back memories
So hilarious that the US Air Force released "Area 51" as freeware with a recruitment ad when you start the game.
Area 51 was such a great game!
God black was such a amazing game I wish black 2 came out I loved black 1 soo soo soo much.
Will it still play on windows 10 pcs?
@@darkjudge8786 didn't you watch the same video? You came for the same reason because most people at the time didn't play this hard ass game
@@RumblesBettr
With an xbox or ps2 emulator perhaps. But the game itself never was released for PC.
Triple A game's just aren't made like this anymore, proper research, thought and innovation put into the project. It feels like the early 2000's was the golden era of gaming.
2000-2013 was the golden era imo
They didn't have the memory to waste back then though :) . There were very limited resources. It reminds me of the Amiga 500 days and before that the commodore 64. Look what they managed to make on a C64 with about 48k useable memory :) . Games with speech and all.
@@ahyesname5978 it really was. I feel so sorry for the kids growing up over the last 10 yrs and beyond cos what they're getting is honestly disgraceful compared to what I got as a kid. I could get a cheap AA game and have the time of my life. Now they gotta spend loads of money to get the most average-shitty game ever. There's no innovation or even passion anymore. Just corporate greed.
@@TY-km8hj man imahebve no fuckifj idea whast giure saYing, dim drunk ass pkss but ia geree
@@TY-km8hj the fuck you talking about haha? nowadays there are incredible games that achieve greatness on a small piece of hardware.
BLACK: The greatest single player shooter, that no one has ever heard of!
Actually quite a lot of people have heard of it :) . I have the original on Disc and was happy to see it is back compat on Series X.
Unless people had a copy of Need for Speed Most Wanted on console that had a trailer for BLACK. I remember I once had an old copy of that game on PS2 & it came with a trailer for BLACK.
Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal (2020) have depth of field as you pick up a gun, but Black did it first all the way back in 2006. CoD 4 Modern Warfare is considered one of the most influential games of all time, yet Black laid the ground work one year prior with highly detailed guns and an immersive shootout experience. Great game.
I played the hell out of that demo disc back in the day. Would love to see this come back someday
Yeah me too and then I played the hell out of the game once I got it on xbox. Tough but rewarding game
It’s playable on XBSX and XB1. I think even on 360. ^^
Each time I play a gun game, I try to be as sneaky as possible and use as low ammo as possible. I grew up playing with Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter too much. So when I played Black, I was a sneaking and tried not to waste ammo as much as possible. Looks like it needs a revisit with me going batshit crazy :D
I wrote a pilot and made a tonal concept reel (on my channel) for this game, I want to turn it into a TV show so badly. Would be grounded but so insane.
Oh yes, Criterion, another studio destroyed... absorbed by EA.
Ah yes more people that don't grasp how REALITY works and IF a company has a studio that costs money, however doesn't make money they generally do the intelligent thing and close down that studio.....Its almost like companies want to make money because they can't produce goods or pay employees with hearts and minds....Weird how reality works.
@@lutherheggs451 Wait, did you just defended EA, one of the worst corporations out there?
Ok so here is how it works. Because you don't seem to understand how reality works :)
1. EA buys a studio: Maxis, Origin, Westwood, DICE, Bullfrog, Bioware, etc.
2. EA is forcing that studio to make carbon copy of their previous games (without innovations and attention to detail) or a changed version that include trendy things that probably won't work with the franchise (or are just disgrace to the series): lootboxes, battle royale, simplified combat, etc. all with an unrealistic deadline.*
3. Game is selling bad because: it's rushed, underdeveloped, has lootboxes, is too simplified, has tons of DLC, is not faithfull to the series core, etc
4. EA has unrealistic expectations for selling numbers.
5. EA is SURPRISED that game is not selling good (who would predict?) and is closing the studio because, as you said "company has a studio that costs money, however doesn't make money". People are transfeered to other projects and can't work as an original team anymore :(
6. Good EA just wanted to pay that poor studio, but the studio don't make money... how dare they!
*or they just straigh disband the studio and transfer people to some soulless projects like Sims or Fifa
You can change "EA" with other companies: "Activision", "Square Enix", "Microsoft"... they destroyed many studios and franchises as well.
@@lutherheggs451
You are a prime example for the fact that ignorance seems to be bliss.🤦🏻♂️
Isn't criterion still around, they were involved in battlefront 2 mostly for air combat?
@@Mayonez86 Don't forget Visceral Games. I'll never forgive EA for what they did to Dead Space
This game, wow, just holds a very special place in my heart. When it was added to the EA play, I just cried of joy and so much nostalgia. A masterpiece.
I like how some of the weapons have arbitrarily placed pi-rails and metallic scratches on polymer parts.
Bought the game on release day, was able to go into town from the base where I was doing my conscription service.
Great looking and very fun game.
I think if this game had been released for PC at the time, it would have been a huge success.
Now this is a story I have always wanted to hear about. I wondered what had happened with BLACK as a series, because it felt like a strong initial game, but of course, EA always has to have their say.
no one ever talks about psi ops. that game was fucking awesome. but black was also so 👌👍😍🤌
I’ll dish on Psi-Ops any time.
I remember entering a cheat code to play as scorpion lol
@@xXSupahXFlyXx thats badass lol
@@Ryno_757 such a underrated game
@@poopagore yeah it was, it didn't add anything to gameplay. it was just a skin lol.
Im glad you guys have a sponsor, you guys do an amazing work!
This channels production value is next level. Like DVD special features level good.
The Cutting Room Floor has footage of a very, very early build of Black 2 and even in its bare bones state, the concept looked good. Man I wish we got a sequel.
That ending montage made me want to go and play Black so bad
This game is still very unique. I loved the switching from single, burst and full auto. The only other fps I had played was Halo. This was revolutionary.
Awesome work. Love your videos. Please make an episode about sim city and how city skylines with one game and a small team killed such classic city building game.
Again thank you for the great content, this channel is unique and deserves a tv show on its own. 🙏
Black is such an awesome game. I remember at the time just how close some of the lighting came to 360 titles yet it was an original Xbox game. Amazing. That console was underestimated so often with the brilliance of Splinter Cell Chaos theory with the lighting and shadows in that game and Mercenaries which actually ran at 60 fps on Xbox but only 30 fps on PS2.
I remember playing this around the same time I got a xbox 360 and it looked better than all my next gen games. Hope they bring this franchise back soon!
I remember this game. Hell, i still have it sitting somewhere at home in a box. It really was a good game.
I liked that there was a infinite ammo mode if you beat the game on hard. Man, i was a demon with a rocket launcher and shotgun.
Platinum guns for the win.
OMG the 2 second clip of SOF: Double Helix. What a throwback.
One of my top favorite shooters of all time. The gameplay was thrilling. The graphics were beautiful. It's still my favorite real world fps of all time.
One of my favorite levels was the graveyard in the early morning or at dusk not sure but the fog and the silence just really set the mood, I was spooked creeping around trying to get the drop on the bad guys before all hell let loose lol, great stuff.
These videos have to be incredibly difficult to make, always impressed by the depth.
I remember playing this game when I was 10 and there wasn't gaming headsets yet so I would play this game at max volume on my tv for "immersion".
This game was my favourite PS2 title of all time, I can still remember 7 year old me playing this game over and over again.
I also love the customization and suppressor mechanics.
I remember getting home from elementary school, inviting my friend over by calling at their house phones (which were a thing back then) and then play black and killzone on the ps2 all day along, they were both hard as fuck and we used to get excited like crazy for finishing one level
I remember playing this in my friend house because my family can't afford a playstation. The enemy with shield is a fuckery.
Man I wanted Black so bad as a kid but couldn't afford it. I would play the demo all the time at Wal-Mart 😅
I had this game on PS2 slim back in the day, good memories!
Watching this made me want to play the game again!! Such a joy to play at the time. Great video thank you
Always excited to see new content from your channel
the audio of that game
was man, ptsd Everytime i played it back in my childhood days
So happy someone covered this Iconic title. Black remains one of the best First person shooter games thus far.
Feel like playing it again.
i recently played this game again after many years, goddamn the memories. Such an amazing game!
This brought so many memories from my teenage years. Thank you!
Black was legendary. The kinetic nature of the guns was incredible. Every shot had weight to it and the explosions were things you could really feel. It was fun as hell and full of adrenaline.
That two toned Glock was my favorite firearm that I had ever seen. This game was epic, I played it many times through only wishing it was more dynamic but for its time it was unlike anything I had played before. The effects and destruction were top notch.
I had this game on my old PS2, and I LOVED it! To me, it was just a good'ol fashioned run & gun big explosions good time! Despite its simplicity, to me it still had plenty of re-playability. I remember thoroughly enjoying the sound of this game. From the reloading, to the firing and the explosions it was just all wonderful stuff.
Amazing Documentary 😀👏🏻
Everytimes the producer says something, Im like YES,
concentrating efforts on the gunfights and also making one thing as best as it can,
he knows how to FPS
Their appointed "gun guy" only had ever seen toy and airsoft guns. The M16 has two forward assists and the G36 fires out of the gas tube, because they couldn't tell it apart from the barrel.
Loved it back in the day and come back from time to time. For me one of the very few FPS with really memorable Levels, still remember the Forge, the Harbour, actually almost all of them.
Thank you for all the history in your video, don't understand why you don't have more subs but you earned 1 from me. Black was, & still is a technical marvel for the hardware that it ran on at the time. Was an amazing PS2 & Xbox title. I've yet to try the enhanced version, I'm sure it's nothing short of amazing. I still hope that Black 2 will be announced soon, though more than likely Bodycount will be Black's spiritual successor.
I played that demo, when those came with magazines as a disc, at least 50 times. 1,000 after i got the game. I memorized where all the enemies spawned in. So sick even to todays graphics. I want to play it again!
this was my favorite game on xbox. Great video as always! Gracias!!
Absolutely adore this game!! And i Still have the demo disc for the ps2, the graphics, FOV, gunplay, level design are all amazing. Now I want to find my ps2 and play this all the way through again!
i remember getting a demo for this from a magazine and my mind was literally blown
I’ve played A LOT of games. But I still remember my time with Black.
I also had a meeting with Criterion & Acclaim at E3 where I was shown Burnout 1 before that was it’s official name!
Still and always a standout gaming memory. Love it.
Great work as usual.
The history of Time Splitters, if it hasn't been made yet..?
Black is my favourite shooter from 6th gen I absolutely loved it when I played it as a kid as I was never into 1st person shooters(still not into them) but Black made me realise how much the genre can be btw after this video I'll give Bodycount a try.
That little *dink* when you landed a headshot used to warm my heart
Especially when the guy were shooting his gun during the dead animation
If someone told you this was a PS3 game you'd believe it, Black was so far ahead of what else was available at the time
Ohhhhh.... and I thought I was happy when I stumbled across this channels Deus Ex video. I can't wait to see what they dug up about the history of Black. I remembered being astonished that a game looking that good was on the ps2! I've been wanting to replay it for a while, I hope it holds up. I wonder if there is a PC version?
I still have this game on my shelf. Black Ops mode was incredibly difficult...never could beat the last mission.
Burnout series and Black on the PS2, then Burnout Paradise running at a perfect 60fps on the PS3. Seriously, the Criterion Graphic engine was pretty amazing for the time
I loved this game as a kid. Thanks G-vee-mers.
Black is such an criminally underrated game. I played this game over and over when I had it.
Black. The game I was way to young to be playing. My brothers dad bought this right when it came out. He had the perfect surround sound set up for this game. Man I played this game so many times. It was intense
I loved Black so much that I unlocked all of the in-game stuff on it which I almost never do for a game. In fact, if it were possible to ADS in Black I'd be playing it to this day, I'm certain. It's incredible and worth picking up the remastered version.
been waiting for this video, loved this game
Great title, i played it on EA World (press event) in Utrecht the Netherlands way back for the release. i walked into the wrong behind close doors presentation (wanned to check NFS Underground) where the nice people of Criterion showed and a few others in the room the PS2 version on a big beamer with a big surround set and i was blown away. This game was his time ahead and still holds a nostalgic feeling for me and got it afcourse in my collection, wel the Xbox version it is.
I played this game and Burnout with my uncle (he was 14 and i was 10) back then and till this day, i can say that this game have special place in my heart. And because that mission with silencer pistol, i still play sneaky like that in every game i play until now xD
Wait.....
Never mind. I'm out.
Really enjoyed this game back in the day. It was also pretty hard at times.
Black is such a hidden gem, and it's a shame it never got a proper successor.
This was one of my favorite games ever.
To this day the sounds of the guns in this game were some of the best, if not the best I have ever heard
Black is an eye candy. No other game has managed create guns that feel powerful and punchy even though enemies are bullet sponges. Guns have great sound, animation, destructible environment that react to your every shot combined with PS vibration it's a joy to play.
I remember being absolutely blown away by this game.
Fun fact: the main guy behind No Man's Sky, Sean Murray, was also a technical director on the creation of the engine for Criterion's games, including Black and Burnout 3
This was such a good game, with rather large levels.
One that sits happily in my collection.
Never imagined i would see a 2021 video of my fav ps2 game
Ahhh nothing beats shouldering an M60-E3... LIKE A TRUE CLASSIC IT WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE
I really wish there were more modern games out there that focused on super over the top Hollywood style shootouts. They are pure dopamine, tons of fun.
It's been tried numerous times, and they just don't sell.
Sleeping dogs, True Crime,Stranglehold, ect.
@@Orcawhale1
A shame, I loved sleeping dogs and stranglehold.
Sound was amazing in this game!
Good memories especially on my 5.1 sound system :) Lovely game!
Burnout 1, 2 and 3.. wow great memories
I played it 1000s of times till I got all master weapons and all objectives loved it and still love especially the sound of guns
Funny how guns were a focus point for the design team along with them getting a bunch of replicas to model the in game weapons off of, yet some of the guns are inaccurately designed. Example: The AKM, G56, and Uzi all are seemingly mirrored. The ejection port on those are shown to be on the left side, when in reality they're on the right side.
Yeah yeah, unplayable
it's a game
These videos remind me of ahoy very very well made and one of my favorite games of all time so hard but fun