Comment on Making peace with liking very few games?
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
I have a very similar experience to @Zarxrax@lemmy.world. When I was younger, I’d play just about anything I could get my hands on. But now, it’s like you, where 99% of what’s out there doesn’t interest me.
I think this happened for a few reasons for me:
- Games are a pretty big time commitment compared to other media, and my time has only become more valuable as I get older. I’m just not willing to invest it in a game that isn’t really scratching an itch effectively
- There are more games out now than ever before in history. Combined with the previous point, there’s never been a better time to be picky.
- AAA games are stagnating pretty badly due to profit incentive. While there a still some that break the mold and show artistic value, most if them are so commodified and painfully derivative, it’s difficult for an older gamer who has already played things like it to get excited
- I’ve become more attuned to my preferences in genre, and know what I will and will not enjoy, which is something I didn’t have as much when I was younger, since everything was still relatively new and therefore, interesting enough to play.
But this last one is the biggest reason for me: games are not reaching the potential they have locked within them.
I say that as someone who is a massive fan of storytelling, good writing, and immersion in games. Compared to books and movies, writers are still given extremely low priority in the gaming industry, which results in a tremendous amount of cognitive dissonance, simplistic writing, and a lack of innovative gameplay inspired by said writing.
Indies have been the most willing to experiment, but that’s mostly with pure mechanics or themes, and writing is still often neglected.
There have been a few titles that I think reach that potential, but most of them are quite old now. With so few to truly tickle me in that way, I’ll instead opt for arcade type games that manage to create a tight gameplay loop, as it let’s me not lament the lack of a good story so much.
ElectroVagrant@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Don’t leave us hanging! Quality endures the ages, well, mostly.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
Personally, I would say:
All of those games have, IMO, a tremendously good sync between gameplay and story, where everything lines up to the point where you can become fully absorbed into whatever experience the writer/designer crafted. I would say Thief accomplishes it the best, and Mafia’s and Deus Ex’s clunky gameplay do hinder the experience, but I can see what they were trying to achieve, and overall are close enough to my ideal.
ElectroVagrant@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
That’s a fun mix, Gemini Rue was a pleasant surprise to see!
You might also enjoy Primordia given that.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
Oddly enough I actually pre-ordered a phisycal copy of Primordia, and got a ways into it before stopping for some reason, never finished it. I should really go back and finish it!