OnLive has been an interesting system to me. I've always been jealous of my friends and their nice, high-end gaming PCs but with an utter lack of funds, I haven't been able to match up to them. I've been using the same relatively crummy PC for years, which honestly was speced years ago to play Guild Wars, so it hasn't been able to really do any modern gaming. OnLive has been offering a solution to lower end PCs to play higher end games by streaming the game to their computer, kinda like an interactive video. I was a bit nervous to try it but a tested a few demos and here's my thoughts.
First thing I played was Batman: Arkham Asylum, a game I've never played. I clicked it, took a 30 minute demo (OnLive's demos aren't preset levels but simply 30 minutes of the game, which can be a nice touch), and was in the game within seconds. I guess one of OnLive's selling points is the instantaneous access to games. There's nothing to install (outside of OnLive itself) and you can purchase and play a game within seconds. At first I noticed a very minor delay in my inputs and the game, but within a couple of minutes it wasn't noticeable. I played 30 minutes of the game and found it thoroughly enjoyable. The game is the same price on OnLive as it is on Steam, hitting at $30 for the GotY Edition (only one that's available).
Second thing I demoed was Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, another game I haven't played (but I played the second one). It took a few seconds to load and I was in the game. It ran smoothly, graphics were pleasant but, as expected, definitely looked as though it was streaming. However the game played well and I was able to play it without any issues. I decided to end the demo early since I wasn't exactly in an Assassin's Creed mood.
I was pretty sold on the concept with these two so I bought Borderlands for $5 (they apparently have a "$5 Fridays" deal where a game gets chopped to $5 each Friday). I own a copy of Borderlands for the Xbox 360 and played the shit out of it, but I've been feeling out of the loop of my friends who play it on the PC. I bought it and was able to play it pretty much instantly. It booted up and I played it for about an hour and half or so (my character is about a lvl 7 Siren currently, I got past Nine-Toes at least). I had no connection issues, the game never lagged any more than normal, and it was a fulfilling experience.
All the games played well for what it is: a cloud gaming service that works on almost any PC. Compared to any gaming PC that can just install and play the game, however, they're clearly outmatched. There's no customization on the games really, meaning no mods, for instance, and you can't adjust any of the graphical settings (from resolution to details and such). There's also no LAN gaming for any games, so those who enjoy playing some games over LAN won't have that option. The games also have noticeable "artifacts", similar to watching a Youtube video. At times they're quite noticeable, at others they're not. However, as a proof of concept and a gaming experience, it will satisfy those looking for a stab at PC gaming without spending the cash on a good enough computer.
OnLive is kinda structured like most digital download services (Steam, Games for Windows, etc). You get your access to the marketplace where you purchase games, view trailers, see Metascores, etc, a friends list of other OnLive users, achievements, standard service stuff. There's also a few interesting features like Arena, where you can spectate and join games, and a video recording feature called "Brag Clips" that lets you record a session of gameplay to show off. There's also currently voice chat that allows you to chat with other plays across games or while spectating.
OnLive does, however, lack that "always on" and system integration that Steam and such have. You boot up OnLive and have it running or it's off. Some really enjoy Steam's system integration, others hate it, so it's up to you on how you feel.
OnLive is also entirely cloud based, keeping all your saves and other game data tied to an account. You can go to another computer that has OnLive installed, load up your account, and be playing anything you own on OnLive in seconds, which is quite a nice feature. There's also OnLive apps available for smartphones and tablets, but it's unable to play games (currently). However, being entirely cloud based means having to be constantly connected to the internet. You lose connection for a second and you'll have to try and reconnect to the game.
There's also an "OnLive console" for the TV. It costs about $100 for the console and a computer, requires a wired connection, and is basically just OnLive on your TV. I can't attest to how well it works but for $100, it can't be all that bad.
The GUI itself I did find a bit annoying though. It feels fitted for gamepads (obviously because of the OnLive console service), which is good for gamepad users, but feels clunky and impractical for mouse/keyboard users.
There's also a huge emphasis on this whole "PlayPack" thing. Basically it's a monthly service for around $10/month that gives you access to a bunch of games. However, some games are exclusive to this "PlayPack", such as BioShock, Tomb Raider games (Anniversary, Legend, and Underworld), stuff like that, which can be quite irritating to those not interested in a subscription. However, $10/month for unlimited access to all these games isn't bad if you're really enjoying the service that much, but for those who just want a few cheap games for their PC, it limits access to their already small (but growing) library. There's also game rentals, something unique to the service it seems, that allows you to rent a game for 3-5 days for a couple of bucks. It seems like a pretty good deal for some short-but-sweet single player games you've been wanting to play.
Probably OnLive's largest difficulty is the game library. Steam has over 1,300 titles currently, while OnLive has about a tenth of that. It's sorely lacking some key PC games like Call of Duty (haters gonna hate but it still is one of the top played PC games), Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Civilization, etc etc. It's something that may improve as the service grows, but currently it gets thoroughly spanked by Steam in terms of amount of content, although Valve has the most played PC games of all time (TF2, Counterstrike, Counterstrike: Source, etc).
Still, it does feature some good games and full multiplayer. There's (as mentioned before), Batman: Arkham Asylum, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Borderlands. It also has some recent and upcoming titles, such as, most recently, Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Augmented Edition as well). There's also pre-orders available for big upcoming games like Saint's Row: The Third, Warhammer 40k: Space Marines (SPICE MARINES), Batman: Arkham City, and presumably will support games like Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Metro: Last Light, having both their successors available.
To say that OnLive has a good library is a large exaggeration though, but it offers some titles worth looking into.
Overall, OnLive is what it is. Not really a competitor to Steam or other digital distribution services, but an option to enjoy modern computer games on systems that normally wouldn't support them. It's an interesting and unique concept that actually works surprisingly well, despite having some rough spots, namely the library available. However, with the possibility of a growing userbase and more support from publishers (as seen with the Deus Ex: Human Revolution promotion) could lead OnLive to be a viable gaming alternative for computer gamers with less-than-adequate computers or for computer gamers looking for a more portable solution.
Oh, and if any of you happen to have a spare Deus Ex: HR OnLive code that you feel like giving me out of the kindness of your heart, feel free to PM me or something. I'd love you forever.
The Games
First thing I played was Batman: Arkham Asylum, a game I've never played. I clicked it, took a 30 minute demo (OnLive's demos aren't preset levels but simply 30 minutes of the game, which can be a nice touch), and was in the game within seconds. I guess one of OnLive's selling points is the instantaneous access to games. There's nothing to install (outside of OnLive itself) and you can purchase and play a game within seconds. At first I noticed a very minor delay in my inputs and the game, but within a couple of minutes it wasn't noticeable. I played 30 minutes of the game and found it thoroughly enjoyable. The game is the same price on OnLive as it is on Steam, hitting at $30 for the GotY Edition (only one that's available).
Second thing I demoed was Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, another game I haven't played (but I played the second one). It took a few seconds to load and I was in the game. It ran smoothly, graphics were pleasant but, as expected, definitely looked as though it was streaming. However the game played well and I was able to play it without any issues. I decided to end the demo early since I wasn't exactly in an Assassin's Creed mood.
I was pretty sold on the concept with these two so I bought Borderlands for $5 (they apparently have a "$5 Fridays" deal where a game gets chopped to $5 each Friday). I own a copy of Borderlands for the Xbox 360 and played the shit out of it, but I've been feeling out of the loop of my friends who play it on the PC. I bought it and was able to play it pretty much instantly. It booted up and I played it for about an hour and half or so (my character is about a lvl 7 Siren currently, I got past Nine-Toes at least). I had no connection issues, the game never lagged any more than normal, and it was a fulfilling experience.
All the games played well for what it is: a cloud gaming service that works on almost any PC. Compared to any gaming PC that can just install and play the game, however, they're clearly outmatched. There's no customization on the games really, meaning no mods, for instance, and you can't adjust any of the graphical settings (from resolution to details and such). There's also no LAN gaming for any games, so those who enjoy playing some games over LAN won't have that option. The games also have noticeable "artifacts", similar to watching a Youtube video. At times they're quite noticeable, at others they're not. However, as a proof of concept and a gaming experience, it will satisfy those looking for a stab at PC gaming without spending the cash on a good enough computer.
The Software/Features
OnLive is kinda structured like most digital download services (Steam, Games for Windows, etc). You get your access to the marketplace where you purchase games, view trailers, see Metascores, etc, a friends list of other OnLive users, achievements, standard service stuff. There's also a few interesting features like Arena, where you can spectate and join games, and a video recording feature called "Brag Clips" that lets you record a session of gameplay to show off. There's also currently voice chat that allows you to chat with other plays across games or while spectating.
OnLive does, however, lack that "always on" and system integration that Steam and such have. You boot up OnLive and have it running or it's off. Some really enjoy Steam's system integration, others hate it, so it's up to you on how you feel.
OnLive is also entirely cloud based, keeping all your saves and other game data tied to an account. You can go to another computer that has OnLive installed, load up your account, and be playing anything you own on OnLive in seconds, which is quite a nice feature. There's also OnLive apps available for smartphones and tablets, but it's unable to play games (currently). However, being entirely cloud based means having to be constantly connected to the internet. You lose connection for a second and you'll have to try and reconnect to the game.
There's also an "OnLive console" for the TV. It costs about $100 for the console and a computer, requires a wired connection, and is basically just OnLive on your TV. I can't attest to how well it works but for $100, it can't be all that bad.
The GUI itself I did find a bit annoying though. It feels fitted for gamepads (obviously because of the OnLive console service), which is good for gamepad users, but feels clunky and impractical for mouse/keyboard users.
There's also a huge emphasis on this whole "PlayPack" thing. Basically it's a monthly service for around $10/month that gives you access to a bunch of games. However, some games are exclusive to this "PlayPack", such as BioShock, Tomb Raider games (Anniversary, Legend, and Underworld), stuff like that, which can be quite irritating to those not interested in a subscription. However, $10/month for unlimited access to all these games isn't bad if you're really enjoying the service that much, but for those who just want a few cheap games for their PC, it limits access to their already small (but growing) library. There's also game rentals, something unique to the service it seems, that allows you to rent a game for 3-5 days for a couple of bucks. It seems like a pretty good deal for some short-but-sweet single player games you've been wanting to play.
The Library
Probably OnLive's largest difficulty is the game library. Steam has over 1,300 titles currently, while OnLive has about a tenth of that. It's sorely lacking some key PC games like Call of Duty (haters gonna hate but it still is one of the top played PC games), Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Civilization, etc etc. It's something that may improve as the service grows, but currently it gets thoroughly spanked by Steam in terms of amount of content, although Valve has the most played PC games of all time (TF2, Counterstrike, Counterstrike: Source, etc).
Still, it does feature some good games and full multiplayer. There's (as mentioned before), Batman: Arkham Asylum, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Borderlands. It also has some recent and upcoming titles, such as, most recently, Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Augmented Edition as well). There's also pre-orders available for big upcoming games like Saint's Row: The Third, Warhammer 40k: Space Marines (SPICE MARINES), Batman: Arkham City, and presumably will support games like Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Metro: Last Light, having both their successors available.
To say that OnLive has a good library is a large exaggeration though, but it offers some titles worth looking into.
Overall
Overall, OnLive is what it is. Not really a competitor to Steam or other digital distribution services, but an option to enjoy modern computer games on systems that normally wouldn't support them. It's an interesting and unique concept that actually works surprisingly well, despite having some rough spots, namely the library available. However, with the possibility of a growing userbase and more support from publishers (as seen with the Deus Ex: Human Revolution promotion) could lead OnLive to be a viable gaming alternative for computer gamers with less-than-adequate computers or for computer gamers looking for a more portable solution.
Oh, and if any of you happen to have a spare Deus Ex: HR OnLive code that you feel like giving me out of the kindness of your heart, feel free to PM me or something. I'd love you forever.
