# Games that Allow Switching Between 1st- and 3rd-Person?



## Densetsu (Nov 3, 2011)

I just thought I'd look to the infinite collective gaming knowledge of the 'Temp for the answer to the following question:

*Are there any games out there that allow you to switch freely between first-person and third-person views?*

My fiance is in medical school and she's currently doing a rotation in General Surgery. Many surgeries are now done laparoscopically, which is a technique of operating on someone without having to cut huge holes in their bodies. The surgeon uses two thumbstick/trigger controls, one held in each hand, to control the camera, scalpel and/or laser that will be doing the cutting under the skin through a tiny hole.

My fiance's attending physician told her that male surgeons tend to be better at performing laparoscopic surgeries because a lot of them get their hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning from video games. So my fiance asked me if she could try out some of my games, preferably one that requires her to learn how to use two analog thumbsticks at the same time.

She wants to try out _Battlefield 3_, but I think it might be good to start her off on a game in which she can switch between first- and third-person views because first-person can be a little disorienting for someone who's never done it before. It would be nice to have the option to switch to third-person so she can have a focal point (the character onscreen) if she needs to get her bearings. She's not much of a gamer; the only games she's ever played are _UN Squadron_ on the SNES as a little kid, and more recently _New Super Mario Bros._ on my DS.

I know that in FPS's like _Halo_ and _Rage_ it's first-person all the way except for when you're riding a vehicle. If anyone knows any games where you can freely switch views back and forth, I'd appreciate it. I prefer PS3 titles, but I'll take whatever suggestions you have from other consoles. A perfect example of the type of game I'm looking for is _Fallout 3_, where you can play the game almost entirely in either view. But I'm also looking for a game that has quick matches so she spends more time in action rather than just exploring. Bonus if the game has an engaging storyline.

So I implore you, GBAtemp: Help me turn my fiance into a gamer chick, and in turn make her into a better doctor! You'll be doing me and the rest of humanity a great service!


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## emigre (Nov 3, 2011)

First game that comes to mind is MGS: Portable Ops where you switch from a first to third person perspective. RE4's over the camera angle might be worth looking into as well.


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## Guild McCommunist (Nov 3, 2011)

There's of course Fallout 3, New Vegas, Oblivion, and the upcoming Skyrim.

Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, and Portable Ops also have first and third person viewing (first person for shooting, third person for movement). Same goes with like Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, etc, with bows.

There's tons of games (too many to count) that let you go into the first person to look around with the camera.

In Metroid Prime games, you go into the third person from the first person when you do the ball thing.


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## Satangel (Nov 3, 2011)

Oblivion, Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas and the coming Skyrim will all have both FPS and TPS


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## FireGrey (Nov 3, 2011)

Ratchet and Clank has settings to change between free camera, 3rd person and 1st person.


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## Densetsu (Nov 3, 2011)

emigre said:


> First game that comes to mind is MGS: Portable Ops where you switch from a first to third person perspective. RE4's over the camera angle might be worth looking into as well.


Being a big fan of the _RE_ franchise myself, I considered _RE4_/_RE5_ as well, but they don't really allow free 360-degree rotation of the camera which is something suited to her purpose.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far everyone!  Keep 'em coming


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## shadowmanwkp (Nov 3, 2011)

Only game that springs to mind is alone in the dark. It lets you switch through full 1st and 3rd person views frequently to do certain things. Not really a great game, though. I had many frustrations with the controls sometimes (luckily I grabbed the pc version for only €1,-)


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## TheDreamLord (Nov 3, 2011)

most ratchet and clank games


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## Veho (Nov 3, 2011)

MechWarrior 3 and 4 (can't remember about the first two).


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## Densetsu (Nov 3, 2011)

Schweet, thanks guys!


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## prowler (Nov 3, 2011)

Only game that pops into my mind is Deus Ex Human Revolution but that doesn't let you freely switch.
It's 50/50 though, in first and third person.


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## marcus134 (Nov 3, 2011)

The use of games to improve performances in laparoscopy have been studied with Super monkey ball.
http://www.1up.com/news/super-monkey-ball-helps-doctors


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## chyyran (Nov 3, 2011)

Minecraft? And.. Metroid Prime.

That's all I can think of right now.


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## YayMii (Nov 3, 2011)

D: Aww, I lose.
I was about to say "every Elder Scrolls game since Morrowind", but people above have beaten me to the punch.

Something people don't know about is that World of Warcraft is switchable 1st-to-3rd-person though.


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## Satangel (Nov 3, 2011)

And I think both CoD MW2 (maybe BLOPS too) and UT 2004 can be played in TPS too! It's hardly ever done though, but possible.


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## darkreaperofdrea (Nov 3, 2011)

Resident Evil Dead Aim on the PS2 
and Gears of war lol


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## DarkStriker (Nov 3, 2011)

Super Monkey Ball
But doesnt surgeons have those machine where you can practice that?


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## Cyan (Nov 4, 2011)

Metroid prime was already suggested, but there's also Metroid Other M.
Though, other M is a "2D plateformer to First person view", I don't know if it's good for her as it's a completely different angle of view. and it's aiming, not analog.

Zelda Twilight princess on Wii (though, it's not using the analog, so maybe the one on Gamecube), she can switch freely to aim with the bow, look around, etc.


If she wants to learn moving two analog at the same time, I could suggest Katamari Damacy (PS2 or PS3, but the first one on PS2 is easier to start).
Not FPS at all, only third view (though, there's an option to look around freely whenever she wants). The control is like tanks, both analog are used to control the movement :
up+up = move forward, up+down = turn to the right, etc.


Also .. racing games, like Grand turismo ?
not really the game you would think of, but it require precision with analog, can be third view or First Person view.
There's also a control setting where she can use the right analog for speed control, and left for turning. Two different things at the same time.


Same kind as monkeyball, there's Kororinpa on Wii.



Veho said:


> MechWarrior 3 and 4 (can't remember about the first two).


Good choice too, as she can control two different thing at the same time : one analog to move the mecha, and the second one to move the turret/cockpit.


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## Oveneise (Nov 4, 2011)

Serious Sam: The First Encounter
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter

EDIT: And with these games, you can play co-op with her!


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## Gahars (Nov 4, 2011)

The recent Bethesda games, obviously. As for others...

Well, in the Batman: Arkham (Insert Locale Here) series, you can go into first person mode to examine your surroundings, find and solve riddles, etc. It's not quite the same thing, but it's all that comes to mind.


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## DJ91990 (Nov 4, 2011)

Minecraft, f5, 'nuf said.


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## YayMii (Nov 4, 2011)

Satangel said:


> And I think both CoD MW2 (maybe BLOPS too) and UT 2004 can be played in TPS too! It's hardly ever done though, but possible.


Nope, it's only MW2. Blops removed it.
Besides, MW2's third person wasn't that good.


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