I often find myself judging RPGs by the effects of in-game alcohol and drugs.
There are three games I've played that got drunkenness right: Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto IV and Fable: The Lost Chapters.
-Grand Theft Auto IV's drunkenness had the player in what can best be described as a half-ragdoll state, with the character stumbling around drunkenly and making it very hard, if very entertaining, to stay upright. The camera swings back and forth and there is heavy motion blur, confounding the player even more. Drunk driving is near-impossible, with the vehicle swerving back and forth of its own accord. It will also attract the police.
Grand Theft Auto IV is the standard by which I judge all in-game drunkenness.
-Being drunk in Red Dead Redemption is much the same as in GTA, but without the wild camera swinging. This makes it, in my opinion, more fun than confusing to be drunk. Also unique to RDR is that the player will occasionally go unconscious, focusing on a stock-still Marston laying in a heap on the floor for a few minutes before getting up again.
-Being drunk in Fable: The Lost Chapters is an entirely different experience. It takes a few beers, but eventually the screen will begin to go blurry. As the drinks continue (only a Hero could hold 50 skins of beer, I guess) the screen waves and ripples around, causing great disorientation. Movement may or may not be altered.
Red Dead Redemption is probably my favorite game for drunkenness. While not exactly realistic, it's hella fun to mess around stumbling around like a handicap and messing up everyone's day while you fall all over the place.
Some games, while having alcohol, don't employ drunkenness correctly, if at all. These games are mainly Fallout 3, Oblivion, and Skyrim, that I've played.
I just don't know why Bethesda can't grasp this. Instead of getting you drunk, alcohol grants simple effects like any other potion. I wish desperately at the announcement of each new TES game that you can get drunk, and then you can't, and then I'm really, really sad.
What's to enjoy in draining a big flagon of mead over a dead dragon if it'll only "restore 30 stamina"? I don't binge drink all the alcohol in my inventory for some extra stamina. I drink it to get absolutely slammed.
Fallout 3 took a step in the right direction with alcoholism, giving the player negative effects for withdrawals when he didn't drink often enough, but that was only a step.
So that's the end of my rant. What games have you played that did drunkenness really well? Do you like getting drunk in games? Do you like getting drunk in real life? Are you a soccer mom who thinks that getting drunk in video games will make you an alcoholic in real life? I hope not. Discuss being a drunken slobbering fool in video games. What's your favorite pasta? Mine's fettuccine.
