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The industry which we all love, we are cherish and we all abide by has been running for quite some years now. During those years we have seen everything that the human mind can think of, running from games as simple as Pac-Man to things like Half-Life.
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and lows of the field of gaming.
If you went back over the years and saw our different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design. The technological advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome gameplay that it has to offer.
Attraction of a Game
When purchasing a game we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are what the games developers use to attract us.
Price is obviously going to play an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and looking for something else.
The name of the game plays an important role in selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing that you will recognize the game for. Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil, the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about. Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
There is the Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will attract us to what the game has to offer, it could be something as simple as how many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most. Graphics.
Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best. As the next generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone will be spending their hard earned cash on. When we come to decide which to buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics. We are now getting to the stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have certificates because they are capable of effect. We have become more indulged with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can offer.
There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to matter.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5 years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more money for the designers.
In basic English, with strategies you get to play the role of ëGodí, to take command of armies, control civilisations, build cities and conquer planets. The games might have started off basic for two reasons and that are as follows. For one we didnít have the possible technology to make any of the ësimpleí games you see today, it wouldnít have been imaginable. The second one being the thought that has went into it. The games need originality, something that seems to be getting more rare in todayís society, it needs to give you more options, more tactics and more thinking then the rest of the other bunch available.
The good thing about strategies is that ability to be able to create successful and memorable sequels. It is perfectly easy to be able to offer us something new, and this is where most add-ons come into play. They are what attract us to either the original game or just wanting extra value from the game. Also the Internet option is something that is vastly popular with strategies, it is one of the best options for any game, but for strategies it puts brain power and skill to the test.
Games like Commandos 2 and Red Alert 2 are prime examples for this topic. Each one is obviously a sequel, but also they are also magnificent games were the developers have learnt from mistakes, and improved in areas required. They have added every thought to detail, with new units being added, new possibilities in each one and of course longer gameplay with Internet options
Sporting Sims
The sport Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill to the test.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Each time a sporting sequel is released, whether it be football or the ever-popular managing sim makes no difference, but we are always expecting something fantastic to come out of it, but it is only after weíve spent our money that we suddenly realise there is not much changed from itís predecessor, and this is all because they can no longer do it. So why do we carry on buying them, why do we live in hope looking forward to a ënewí and invigorating game that is to disappoint?
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the Secret of Mana.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World, everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
But the same can be said for The Legend of Zelda series. You play the character Link, a small boy with magical powers, and a hero to all who know him. These games have massive areas to explore. They have such a good replay value as well, and the amount of things to do after you defeat the final boss is incredible!
These games take up such a large proportion of your life to play. RPGís are noted to be long games, the longest being Final Fantasy or Zelda, each with a playability time of well over 100 hours each. These games do affect the way you see the gaming world, all of these games are epicís in there own rights, and the Zelda and Final Fantasy series stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Shootíem ups
The series of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal Tournament are just a few of the names that will be heard in this section, all of which have spread around the world like the plague, all of which are major successes and all of which are known for their online gaming.
The shootíem ups were set off with games such as Doom and Wolfeinstein, which now have numerous sequels and seem to be available on every console from as far back as my mind, can stretch. The objective was simple, walk around the maps with the vision, as it would be if you were the character, and then blast anything that comes within 50 yards of you into oblivion.
The games require skill, but unlike strategy games with these the action is thick and fast and you havenít got time to choose what your next move will be, you must already know that a second before hand.
You will find that they are also the main games that are played online as they offer the ultimate challenge, competing against friends using all yours wits to stay alive. These are the games that have room for improvement. Graphically they can all be improved, the storyline can be changed and new ones can be thought up in seconds, more weapons are only left to the endless possibilities of the human mind and the games themselves can be made larger, harder and faster paced.
Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí. These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master, you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying to remember all the buttons.
I find with these games that you get to a stage and you wonder how they can possibly carry on, but then something will suddenly come along and change your mind. The Beatíem up genre games have been here since the first Street Fighter and Yie Ar Kung Fu will carry on to live for generations to come, and this all because of new graphics and the new features that are added with every edition.
The games are released time and time again with the same characters, with a few more in there from time to time, extra options and of course more challengers and extra moves available, this is always a genre for the kung fu fan. If there was anyone to thank for these then it would be hard to say but a few of the games that have got us to where we are today are; Tekken, Soul Blade, and, of course, Street Fighter.
They have given Beatíem ups that extra needed boost to make them something that is worth spending cash on and is worth the wait along with the time spent learning everything. Of course thought, like any other genre, a lot of bad examples come along that put us off and it seems that Beatíem ups is one of the most popular regions around for the simple reasons, itís easy to design and even easier to sell and this is what makes them so popular on the high street.
Arcade Adventure
For me Iíd have to say Tomb Raider set the mark and even though after five long and tiring sequels is has finally faded away, our memories will still remain with the game that gave such a satisfaction and challenging time.
Back in 1996 Tomb Raider was released and turned adventure games in another direction; it sent them to another dimension of gaming and made it last for 5 long years. During that time, it never showed sign of dying or sign of ever leaving the Playstation or PC; there was no competition from anyone else as arcade adventure games were near nothing before Tomb Raider came onto the market.
At first everything was a breathe of fresh air, that was until number four came out!!! With this style of game it become harder and harder to give the public something that hasnít been seen before, and with two sequels and in the end 4 sequels it was something that Eidos were incapable of achieving.
Of course, these games stemmed from a cross between the Adventure games of old and the new wave of 3D platform games, their roots can be traced even further back to the 2D platform games of old, like Chuckie Egg and Jet Set Willy.
Adventure.
Starting out as some of the most basic games ever, adventure games were originally text based affairs which allowed you to type ëleftí, ërightí or ëhit troll on head with axeí before describing the next scene. For some reason, despite the lack of graphics, these games were highly popular. These evolved in to graphic adventures, which drew a picture every time you walked in a certain direction, then to the point-and-click style of adventure that made LucusArts famous for Monkey Island and Sam and Max, to name a few.
This genre has changed little over the past 10 years, but is still as popular on the PC today as it was on the 8-bit consoles.
If you took the time to read that, then thank you kindly.
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and lows of the field of gaming.
If you went back over the years and saw our different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design. The technological advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome gameplay that it has to offer.
Attraction of a Game
When purchasing a game we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are what the games developers use to attract us.
Price is obviously going to play an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and looking for something else.
The name of the game plays an important role in selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing that you will recognize the game for. Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil, the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about. Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
There is the Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will attract us to what the game has to offer, it could be something as simple as how many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most. Graphics.
Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best. As the next generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone will be spending their hard earned cash on. When we come to decide which to buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics. We are now getting to the stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have certificates because they are capable of effect. We have become more indulged with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can offer.
There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to matter.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5 years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more money for the designers.
In basic English, with strategies you get to play the role of ëGodí, to take command of armies, control civilisations, build cities and conquer planets. The games might have started off basic for two reasons and that are as follows. For one we didnít have the possible technology to make any of the ësimpleí games you see today, it wouldnít have been imaginable. The second one being the thought that has went into it. The games need originality, something that seems to be getting more rare in todayís society, it needs to give you more options, more tactics and more thinking then the rest of the other bunch available.
The good thing about strategies is that ability to be able to create successful and memorable sequels. It is perfectly easy to be able to offer us something new, and this is where most add-ons come into play. They are what attract us to either the original game or just wanting extra value from the game. Also the Internet option is something that is vastly popular with strategies, it is one of the best options for any game, but for strategies it puts brain power and skill to the test.
Games like Commandos 2 and Red Alert 2 are prime examples for this topic. Each one is obviously a sequel, but also they are also magnificent games were the developers have learnt from mistakes, and improved in areas required. They have added every thought to detail, with new units being added, new possibilities in each one and of course longer gameplay with Internet options
Sporting Sims
The sport Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill to the test.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Each time a sporting sequel is released, whether it be football or the ever-popular managing sim makes no difference, but we are always expecting something fantastic to come out of it, but it is only after weíve spent our money that we suddenly realise there is not much changed from itís predecessor, and this is all because they can no longer do it. So why do we carry on buying them, why do we live in hope looking forward to a ënewí and invigorating game that is to disappoint?
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the Secret of Mana.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World, everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
But the same can be said for The Legend of Zelda series. You play the character Link, a small boy with magical powers, and a hero to all who know him. These games have massive areas to explore. They have such a good replay value as well, and the amount of things to do after you defeat the final boss is incredible!
These games take up such a large proportion of your life to play. RPGís are noted to be long games, the longest being Final Fantasy or Zelda, each with a playability time of well over 100 hours each. These games do affect the way you see the gaming world, all of these games are epicís in there own rights, and the Zelda and Final Fantasy series stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Shootíem ups
The series of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal Tournament are just a few of the names that will be heard in this section, all of which have spread around the world like the plague, all of which are major successes and all of which are known for their online gaming.
The shootíem ups were set off with games such as Doom and Wolfeinstein, which now have numerous sequels and seem to be available on every console from as far back as my mind, can stretch. The objective was simple, walk around the maps with the vision, as it would be if you were the character, and then blast anything that comes within 50 yards of you into oblivion.
The games require skill, but unlike strategy games with these the action is thick and fast and you havenít got time to choose what your next move will be, you must already know that a second before hand.
You will find that they are also the main games that are played online as they offer the ultimate challenge, competing against friends using all yours wits to stay alive. These are the games that have room for improvement. Graphically they can all be improved, the storyline can be changed and new ones can be thought up in seconds, more weapons are only left to the endless possibilities of the human mind and the games themselves can be made larger, harder and faster paced.
Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí. These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master, you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying to remember all the buttons.
I find with these games that you get to a stage and you wonder how they can possibly carry on, but then something will suddenly come along and change your mind. The Beatíem up genre games have been here since the first Street Fighter and Yie Ar Kung Fu will carry on to live for generations to come, and this all because of new graphics and the new features that are added with every edition.
The games are released time and time again with the same characters, with a few more in there from time to time, extra options and of course more challengers and extra moves available, this is always a genre for the kung fu fan. If there was anyone to thank for these then it would be hard to say but a few of the games that have got us to where we are today are; Tekken, Soul Blade, and, of course, Street Fighter.
They have given Beatíem ups that extra needed boost to make them something that is worth spending cash on and is worth the wait along with the time spent learning everything. Of course thought, like any other genre, a lot of bad examples come along that put us off and it seems that Beatíem ups is one of the most popular regions around for the simple reasons, itís easy to design and even easier to sell and this is what makes them so popular on the high street.
Arcade Adventure
For me Iíd have to say Tomb Raider set the mark and even though after five long and tiring sequels is has finally faded away, our memories will still remain with the game that gave such a satisfaction and challenging time.
Back in 1996 Tomb Raider was released and turned adventure games in another direction; it sent them to another dimension of gaming and made it last for 5 long years. During that time, it never showed sign of dying or sign of ever leaving the Playstation or PC; there was no competition from anyone else as arcade adventure games were near nothing before Tomb Raider came onto the market.
At first everything was a breathe of fresh air, that was until number four came out!!! With this style of game it become harder and harder to give the public something that hasnít been seen before, and with two sequels and in the end 4 sequels it was something that Eidos were incapable of achieving.
Of course, these games stemmed from a cross between the Adventure games of old and the new wave of 3D platform games, their roots can be traced even further back to the 2D platform games of old, like Chuckie Egg and Jet Set Willy.
Adventure.
Starting out as some of the most basic games ever, adventure games were originally text based affairs which allowed you to type ëleftí, ërightí or ëhit troll on head with axeí before describing the next scene. For some reason, despite the lack of graphics, these games were highly popular. These evolved in to graphic adventures, which drew a picture every time you walked in a certain direction, then to the point-and-click style of adventure that made LucusArts famous for Monkey Island and Sam and Max, to name a few.
This genre has changed little over the past 10 years, but is still as popular on the PC today as it was on the 8-bit consoles.
If you took the time to read that, then thank you kindly.
Page:
not trying to be nasty stryke but did you really have you quote the whole post.
looks like a wordcount jump to me.
looks like a wordcount jump to me.
Spam! Not the post, that was good.
Mr Nice Guy wrote:
> The industry which we all love, we are cherish and we all abide by has been
> running for quite some years now.
It has indeed! My Dad used to play games when he was young, on things like BBC computers, which suggests it was a few years back :-)
> During those years we have seen everything
> that the human mind can think of, running from games as simple as Pac-Man to
> things like Half-Life.
I loved Pacman! It was kind of addictive, and had that knack of never letting you win, but always bringing you back! Never played Half-life, but may rectify that soon!
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the
> spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special
> tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and
> lows of the field of gaming.
Its a tough subject to cover this one, as the highlights have become much more frequent these days! The advances in technology have been so much more groundbreaking in recent days than back then when computing began.
If you went back over the years and saw our
> different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of
> graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design.
It is true that graphics have become increasingly important, but it is as a result of those changes that gameplay has changed to much more complex and advanced methods. Instead of simple thinking, there is now a much larger scope for control and manipulation.
The technological
> advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are
> automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome
> gameplay that it has to offer.
It does help to look nice doesn`t it! The MGS2 demo starts off with a stunning visual display, but this really just indicates the quality of gameplay to follow!
>Attraction of a Game
>When purchasing a game
> we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are
> what the games developers use to attract us.
Advertising. Clever stuff, and something Sony seem to be masters of. Even the strange 3rd place stuff is really beginning to work nicely!
Price is obviously going to play
> an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at
> £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary
> to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and
> looking for something else.
That is true to some extent, though I feel that 35-40 is to be expected these days! As we get used to prices like this after a time, it should begin to affect sales less. Besides how many times have you seen the latest N64 release with a price tag of 59.99? I`ve seen it a fair bit.
The name of the game plays an important role in
> selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing
> that you will recognize the game for.
Fifa`s main advantage over ISS these days. Name and official stats.
Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil,
> the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about.
Res Evil is certainly a recognisable one, thats for sure, and with the success of Goldeneye on the N64, so is Bond, both as a game and a name!
> Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it
> must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
Nothing to confusing that is unpronouncable!
There is the
> Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will
> attract us to what the game has to offer,
I trust mags more and more these days, as they clearly help avoid any nasty surprises that the shopkeepers wouldn`t tell you about!
it could be something as simple as how
> many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It
> should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating
> down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most.
Graphics.
Yup, a good set of screenshots, and some pretty pictures are often enough these days. Final Fantasy is an excellent series, but it is guilty of using heavy CG in adverts.
>Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now
> look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect
> more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you
> should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best.
True, there are games like Tetris that seem to manage with dated graphics, but as you say, these days, graphics are very important!
As the next
> generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone
> will be spending their hard earned cash on.
Unless they`ve already spent it. The PS2 head start may be too much.
When we come to decide which to
> buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one
> is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics.
To some extent yes, and rightly so. However, people will also look for the type of games they want as you mentioned above. They may buy the console with the games they enjoy playing the most!
We are now getting to the
> stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have
> certificates because they are capable of effect.
GTA3 anyone? Violence and realism together are quite often in trouble these days!!
We have become more indulged
> with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can
> offer.
True, but the developers can do more for a game if they have a stronger horse beneath them!
>There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the
> emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of
> the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and
I think thats a little unfair, as Sega do release games based more around realism, whilst other companies do also focus on gameplay. Freak Out didn`t care about visuals, anbd just went for new and original gameplay. Kuri Kuri Mix did a similar thing, along with a handful of N64 titles, and other PS titles.
> more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a
> game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem
> to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve
> already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to
> matter.
Tomb Raider, Fifa. The worst culprits if you ask me. Mario is among them also, but has spread across more than one console, which releases it a little, but its still bad.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5
> years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming
> ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human
> species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more
> money for the designers.
I bought C&C Retaliation for PSone, but since then haven`t bothered. Its the kind of game where graphics are important, but not essential, so I`ve stuck with the old :-)
>Sporting Sims
The sport
> Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is
> struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen
> it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long
> Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill
> to the test.
If snowboard games count, then the inclusion of SSX is an exception, as its easily one of the best games around, and on PS2 it could still be the best.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become
> better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that
> we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent
> new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got
> them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Strangely, whilst that comment is very true, SSX has moved a little further away from realism. It states that all moves are possible with sufficient air, but the tracks have a more cartoony feel. Nothing serious, but slightly bizarre. Still, I guess SSX isn`t really a true sports sim.
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of
> games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the
> Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by
> Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the
> Secret of Mana.
Love the FF games! Best series around. Many disagree, but I think 8 is the best, and hope 10 follows along similar lines. Its easily my most eagerly awaited game of 2002.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of
> gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World,
> everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all
> available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are
> truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
Absolutely! FF7 really blew me away with its involving story.
>Shootíem ups
The series
> of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games
> you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal
I`m still a TimeSplitters fanatic myself, but considering half life!
>Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got
> Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up
> generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge
> is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using
> any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí.
Its a little strange that PS2 has so few beat `em ups so far. Personally I`ll always be a tekken man. Love the series, and in particular its artistic, flowing way of fighting.
> These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master,
> you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying
> to remember all the buttons.
Its the really fun part that. Its where DOA2 lost out. Too much emphasis on guessing counters, which led to button bashing randomly at some stages, which never happens in Tekken.
>If you took the time
> to read that, then thank you kindly.
It was a good post, and worth reading. Still, perhaps we could look even further into the past at some point, to find out more about the games such as Space Invaders, Pacman, Canyon, Castle Quest, Repton 3 and more....
> The industry which we all love, we are cherish and we all abide by has been
> running for quite some years now.
It has indeed! My Dad used to play games when he was young, on things like BBC computers, which suggests it was a few years back :-)
> During those years we have seen everything
> that the human mind can think of, running from games as simple as Pac-Man to
> things like Half-Life.
I loved Pacman! It was kind of addictive, and had that knack of never letting you win, but always bringing you back! Never played Half-life, but may rectify that soon!
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the
> spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special
> tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and
> lows of the field of gaming.
Its a tough subject to cover this one, as the highlights have become much more frequent these days! The advances in technology have been so much more groundbreaking in recent days than back then when computing began.
If you went back over the years and saw our
> different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of
> graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design.
It is true that graphics have become increasingly important, but it is as a result of those changes that gameplay has changed to much more complex and advanced methods. Instead of simple thinking, there is now a much larger scope for control and manipulation.
The technological
> advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are
> automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome
> gameplay that it has to offer.
It does help to look nice doesn`t it! The MGS2 demo starts off with a stunning visual display, but this really just indicates the quality of gameplay to follow!
>Attraction of a Game
>When purchasing a game
> we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are
> what the games developers use to attract us.
Advertising. Clever stuff, and something Sony seem to be masters of. Even the strange 3rd place stuff is really beginning to work nicely!
Price is obviously going to play
> an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at
> £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary
> to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and
> looking for something else.
That is true to some extent, though I feel that 35-40 is to be expected these days! As we get used to prices like this after a time, it should begin to affect sales less. Besides how many times have you seen the latest N64 release with a price tag of 59.99? I`ve seen it a fair bit.
The name of the game plays an important role in
> selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing
> that you will recognize the game for.
Fifa`s main advantage over ISS these days. Name and official stats.
Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil,
> the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about.
Res Evil is certainly a recognisable one, thats for sure, and with the success of Goldeneye on the N64, so is Bond, both as a game and a name!
> Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it
> must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
Nothing to confusing that is unpronouncable!
There is the
> Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will
> attract us to what the game has to offer,
I trust mags more and more these days, as they clearly help avoid any nasty surprises that the shopkeepers wouldn`t tell you about!
it could be something as simple as how
> many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It
> should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating
> down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most.
Graphics.
Yup, a good set of screenshots, and some pretty pictures are often enough these days. Final Fantasy is an excellent series, but it is guilty of using heavy CG in adverts.
>Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now
> look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect
> more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you
> should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best.
True, there are games like Tetris that seem to manage with dated graphics, but as you say, these days, graphics are very important!
As the next
> generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone
> will be spending their hard earned cash on.
Unless they`ve already spent it. The PS2 head start may be too much.
When we come to decide which to
> buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one
> is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics.
To some extent yes, and rightly so. However, people will also look for the type of games they want as you mentioned above. They may buy the console with the games they enjoy playing the most!
We are now getting to the
> stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have
> certificates because they are capable of effect.
GTA3 anyone? Violence and realism together are quite often in trouble these days!!
We have become more indulged
> with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can
> offer.
True, but the developers can do more for a game if they have a stronger horse beneath them!
>There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the
> emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of
> the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and
I think thats a little unfair, as Sega do release games based more around realism, whilst other companies do also focus on gameplay. Freak Out didn`t care about visuals, anbd just went for new and original gameplay. Kuri Kuri Mix did a similar thing, along with a handful of N64 titles, and other PS titles.
> more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a
> game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem
> to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve
> already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to
> matter.
Tomb Raider, Fifa. The worst culprits if you ask me. Mario is among them also, but has spread across more than one console, which releases it a little, but its still bad.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5
> years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming
> ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human
> species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more
> money for the designers.
I bought C&C Retaliation for PSone, but since then haven`t bothered. Its the kind of game where graphics are important, but not essential, so I`ve stuck with the old :-)
>Sporting Sims
The sport
> Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is
> struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen
> it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long
> Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill
> to the test.
If snowboard games count, then the inclusion of SSX is an exception, as its easily one of the best games around, and on PS2 it could still be the best.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become
> better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that
> we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent
> new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got
> them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Strangely, whilst that comment is very true, SSX has moved a little further away from realism. It states that all moves are possible with sufficient air, but the tracks have a more cartoony feel. Nothing serious, but slightly bizarre. Still, I guess SSX isn`t really a true sports sim.
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of
> games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the
> Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by
> Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the
> Secret of Mana.
Love the FF games! Best series around. Many disagree, but I think 8 is the best, and hope 10 follows along similar lines. Its easily my most eagerly awaited game of 2002.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of
> gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World,
> everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all
> available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are
> truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
Absolutely! FF7 really blew me away with its involving story.
>Shootíem ups
The series
> of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games
> you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal
I`m still a TimeSplitters fanatic myself, but considering half life!
>Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got
> Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up
> generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge
> is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using
> any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí.
Its a little strange that PS2 has so few beat `em ups so far. Personally I`ll always be a tekken man. Love the series, and in particular its artistic, flowing way of fighting.
> These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master,
> you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying
> to remember all the buttons.
Its the really fun part that. Its where DOA2 lost out. Too much emphasis on guessing counters, which led to button bashing randomly at some stages, which never happens in Tekken.
>If you took the time
> to read that, then thank you kindly.
It was a good post, and worth reading. Still, perhaps we could look even further into the past at some point, to find out more about the games such as Space Invaders, Pacman, Canyon, Castle Quest, Repton 3 and more....
The industry which we all love, we are cherish and we all abide by has been running for quite some years now. During those years we have seen everything that the human mind can think of, running from games as simple as Pac-Man to things like Half-Life.
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and lows of the field of gaming.
If you went back over the years and saw our different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design. The technological advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome gameplay that it has to offer.
Attraction of a Game
When purchasing a game we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are what the games developers use to attract us.
Price is obviously going to play an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and looking for something else.
The name of the game plays an important role in selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing that you will recognize the game for. Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil, the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about. Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
There is the Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will attract us to what the game has to offer, it could be something as simple as how many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most. Graphics.
Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best. As the next generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone will be spending their hard earned cash on. When we come to decide which to buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics. We are now getting to the stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have certificates because they are capable of effect. We have become more indulged with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can offer.
There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to matter.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5 years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more money for the designers.
In basic English, with strategies you get to play the role of ëGodí, to take command of armies, control civilisations, build cities and conquer planets. The games might have started off basic for two reasons and that are as follows. For one we didnít have the possible technology to make any of the ësimpleí games you see today, it wouldnít have been imaginable. The second one being the thought that has went into it. The games need originality, something that seems to be getting more rare in todayís society, it needs to give you more options, more tactics and more thinking then the rest of the other bunch available.
The good thing about strategies is that ability to be able to create successful and memorable sequels. It is perfectly easy to be able to offer us something new, and this is where most add-ons come into play. They are what attract us to either the original game or just wanting extra value from the game. Also the Internet option is something that is vastly popular with strategies, it is one of the best options for any game, but for strategies it puts brain power and skill to the test.
Games like Commandos 2 and Red Alert 2 are prime examples for this topic. Each one is obviously a sequel, but also they are also magnificent games were the developers have learnt from mistakes, and improved in areas required. They have added every thought to detail, with new units being added, new possibilities in each one and of course longer gameplay with Internet options
Sporting Sims
The sport Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill to the test.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Each time a sporting sequel is released, whether it be football or the ever-popular managing sim makes no difference, but we are always expecting something fantastic to come out of it, but it is only after weíve spent our money that we suddenly realise there is not much changed from itís predecessor, and this is all because they can no longer do it. So why do we carry on buying them, why do we live in hope looking forward to a ënewí and invigorating game that is to disappoint?
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the Secret of Mana.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World, everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
But the same can be said for The Legend of Zelda series. You play the character Link, a small boy with magical powers, and a hero to all who know him. These games have massive areas to explore. They have such a good replay value as well, and the amount of things to do after you defeat the final boss is incredible!
These games take up such a large proportion of your life to play. RPGís are noted to be long games, the longest being Final Fantasy or Zelda, each with a playability time of well over 100 hours each. These games do affect the way you see the gaming world, all of these games are epicís in there own rights, and the Zelda and Final Fantasy series stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Shootíem ups
The series of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal Tournament are just a few of the names that will be heard in this section, all of which have spread around the world like the plague, all of which are major successes and all of which are known for their online gaming.
The shootíem ups were set off with games such as Doom and Wolfeinstein, which now have numerous sequels and seem to be available on every console from as far back as my mind, can stretch. The objective was simple, walk around the maps with the vision, as it would be if you were the character, and then blast anything that comes within 50 yards of you into oblivion.
The games require skill, but unlike strategy games with these the action is thick and fast and you havenít got time to choose what your next move will be, you must already know that a second before hand.
You will find that they are also the main games that are played online as they offer the ultimate challenge, competing against friends using all yours wits to stay alive. These are the games that have room for improvement. Graphically they can all be improved, the storyline can be changed and new ones can be thought up in seconds, more weapons are only left to the endless possibilities of the human mind and the games themselves can be made larger, harder and faster paced.
Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí. These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master, you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying to remember all the buttons.
I find with these games that you get to a stage and you wonder how they can possibly carry on, but then something will suddenly come along and change your mind. The Beatíem up genre games have been here since the first Street Fighter and Yie Ar Kung Fu will carry on to live for generations to come, and this all because of new graphics and the new features that are added with every edition.
The games are released time and time again with the same characters, with a few more in there from time to time, extra options and of course more challengers and extra moves available, this is always a genre for the kung fu fan. If there was anyone to thank for these then it would be hard to say but a few of the games that have got us to where we are today are; Tekken, Soul Blade, and, of course, Street Fighter.
They have given Beatíem ups that extra needed boost to make them something that is worth spending cash on and is worth the wait along with the time spent learning everything. Of course thought, like any other genre, a lot of bad examples come along that put us off and it seems that Beatíem ups is one of the most popular regions around for the simple reasons, itís easy to design and even easier to sell and this is what makes them so popular on the high street.
Arcade Adventure
For me Iíd have to say Tomb Raider set the mark and even though after five long and tiring sequels is has finally faded away, our memories will still remain with the game that gave such a satisfaction and challenging time.
Back in 1996 Tomb Raider was released and turned adventure games in another direction; it sent them to another dimension of gaming and made it last for 5 long years. During that time, it never showed sign of dying or sign of ever leaving the Playstation or PC; there was no competition from anyone else as arcade adventure games were near nothing before Tomb Raider came onto the market.
At first everything was a breathe of fresh air, that was until number four came out!!! With this style of game it become harder and harder to give the public something that hasnít been seen before, and with two sequels and in the end 4 sequels it was something that Eidos were incapable of achieving.
Of course, these games stemmed from a cross between the Adventure games of old and the new wave of 3D platform games, their roots can be traced even further back to the 2D platform games of old, like Chuckie Egg and Jet Set Willy.
Adventure.
Starting out as some of the most basic games ever, adventure games were originally text based affairs which allowed you to type ëleftí, ërightí or ëhit troll on head with axeí before describing the next scene. For some reason, despite the lack of graphics, these games were highly popular. These evolved in to graphic adventures, which drew a picture every time you walked in a certain direction, then to the point-and-click style of adventure that made LucusArts famous for Monkey Island and Sam and Max, to name a few.
This genre has changed little over the past 10 years, but is still as popular on the PC today as it was on the 8-bit consoles.
If you took the time to read that, then thank you kindly.
In the past 20 years, there has been no stopping the spree and wrath of the almighty computer game companies and now in a special tribute to them I will go back over the last 20 years to find all the highs and lows of the field of gaming.
If you went back over the years and saw our different taste in games then it will have been changed by the overuse of graphics over gameplay and far more marketing based design. The technological advances over the years have made us forget what seems important anymore, we are automatically drove into a game by the inspiring graphics instead of the awesome gameplay that it has to offer.
Attraction of a Game
When purchasing a game we can only judge it from several factors that are put across to us. These are what the games developers use to attract us.
Price is obviously going to play an important part in the success of the game. You release a PS2 game at £40 and people will moan, riot and do whatever else they feel is necessary to get their own way. It maybe the difference between obtaining the game and looking for something else.
The name of the game plays an important role in selling the product, for the simple reasons of it being the most immediate thing that you will recognize the game for. Whether it being Bond or Resident Evil, the name has to give you a firm impression of what the game might be about. Itís the thing you will call it and speak about and to be able to do this, it must be memorable and clear to what it is really saying.
There is the Information that is given to us from either websites or magazines. This will attract us to what the game has to offer, it could be something as simple as how many players, who designed it, the genre or the basic game information. It should be one of the most important factors into buying a game, but itís beating down by the thing that we all seem to take notice of the most. Graphics.
Graphical Flare
The graphics are the main aspect that we now look for. It seems that as the consoles have got better, weíve come to expect more from them and this may have caused a problem. When purchasing a game, you should look for what you enjoy, instead of what looks the best. As the next generation ëConsole Warsí gets closer, the more thought goes into what everyone will be spending their hard earned cash on. When we come to decide which to buy, there are only several things to judge this on and the most important one is power, which leads to over-emphasis on graphics. We are now getting to the stage where games are become more and more realistic, where games have to have certificates because they are capable of effect. We have become more indulged with the ability the consoles have to offer rather then what games they can offer.
There are companies that still create original and fun games, with the emphasis on fun whilst others try to specialize with graphics. Sega are one of the few remaining companies that create these fun games, but it seems more and more companies are turning to easy money tactics, like licensing and selling a game based on its graphical content. Games that have been done many a time seem to be released with a few updates and sharper graphics, but as long as theyíve already got a reputation behind them it doesnít seem to matter.
Strategy
These games seem to really have taken off in the last 5 years and seem to be getting ever more popular as the possibilities are becoming ever more possible. It seems with this genre, as the intellect of the human species evolves the games become all that better to play and that means more money for the designers.
In basic English, with strategies you get to play the role of ëGodí, to take command of armies, control civilisations, build cities and conquer planets. The games might have started off basic for two reasons and that are as follows. For one we didnít have the possible technology to make any of the ësimpleí games you see today, it wouldnít have been imaginable. The second one being the thought that has went into it. The games need originality, something that seems to be getting more rare in todayís society, it needs to give you more options, more tactics and more thinking then the rest of the other bunch available.
The good thing about strategies is that ability to be able to create successful and memorable sequels. It is perfectly easy to be able to offer us something new, and this is where most add-ons come into play. They are what attract us to either the original game or just wanting extra value from the game. Also the Internet option is something that is vastly popular with strategies, it is one of the best options for any game, but for strategies it puts brain power and skill to the test.
Games like Commandos 2 and Red Alert 2 are prime examples for this topic. Each one is obviously a sequel, but also they are also magnificent games were the developers have learnt from mistakes, and improved in areas required. They have added every thought to detail, with new units being added, new possibilities in each one and of course longer gameplay with Internet options
Sporting Sims
The sport Sims that are now available is now one of the fields of gaming that is struggling to find improvement. Since the Playstation was released weíve seen it all, Football, Rugby, American Football, Basketball, Running, Cycling, Long Jump, Javelin, Shot Put, Swimming and many more are available to put your skill to the test.
There is only one way in which sport sims can go to become better and that is the track, which leads to realism. Itís the one thing that we want and itís the only extra ability they can offer to us, you canít invent new rules and regulations, you canít add extra teams when youíve already got them all and you canít create a new form of sport to sell to the public.
Each time a sporting sequel is released, whether it be football or the ever-popular managing sim makes no difference, but we are always expecting something fantastic to come out of it, but it is only after weíve spent our money that we suddenly realise there is not much changed from itís predecessor, and this is all because they can no longer do it. So why do we carry on buying them, why do we live in hope looking forward to a ënewí and invigorating game that is to disappoint?
Role-Playing-Games
The biggest selling genre of games. These games sell out in minutes. Leading the way in this genre is the Final Fantasy series. Now in itís 10th stage, this epic series is produced by Square, the creators of many RPG games such as the Final Fantasy games and the Secret of Mana.
This series of games have brought a whole new generation of gamers, a generation where Japanese culture seems normal in the Western World, everything from weird haircuts to defeating evil seems quite real, and itës all available on your console. The gaming quality is second to none. The games are truly fantasy; there is no faulting that.
But the same can be said for The Legend of Zelda series. You play the character Link, a small boy with magical powers, and a hero to all who know him. These games have massive areas to explore. They have such a good replay value as well, and the amount of things to do after you defeat the final boss is incredible!
These games take up such a large proportion of your life to play. RPGís are noted to be long games, the longest being Final Fantasy or Zelda, each with a playability time of well over 100 hours each. These games do affect the way you see the gaming world, all of these games are epicís in there own rights, and the Zelda and Final Fantasy series stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Shootíem ups
The series of guns and gore consists of some of the most famous and darn right gory games you will have heard of. Half-Life, Alien Versus Predator and Unreal Tournament are just a few of the names that will be heard in this section, all of which have spread around the world like the plague, all of which are major successes and all of which are known for their online gaming.
The shootíem ups were set off with games such as Doom and Wolfeinstein, which now have numerous sequels and seem to be available on every console from as far back as my mind, can stretch. The objective was simple, walk around the maps with the vision, as it would be if you were the character, and then blast anything that comes within 50 yards of you into oblivion.
The games require skill, but unlike strategy games with these the action is thick and fast and you havenít got time to choose what your next move will be, you must already know that a second before hand.
You will find that they are also the main games that are played online as they offer the ultimate challenge, competing against friends using all yours wits to stay alive. These are the games that have room for improvement. Graphically they can all be improved, the storyline can be changed and new ones can be thought up in seconds, more weapons are only left to the endless possibilities of the human mind and the games themselves can be made larger, harder and faster paced.
Beatíem Up
The original arcade games that got Sega and Namco into real business are now slowly dying, but the Beatíem up generation will always live on. Set in any region of the world your challenge is to crush your opponentís skull, legs, limbs and basically batter them using any means necessary to get through to the next stage until youíre the ëDaddyí. These games are the fastest around and take a lot of memory and skill to master, you must predict your enemies moves and know your own next moves whilst trying to remember all the buttons.
I find with these games that you get to a stage and you wonder how they can possibly carry on, but then something will suddenly come along and change your mind. The Beatíem up genre games have been here since the first Street Fighter and Yie Ar Kung Fu will carry on to live for generations to come, and this all because of new graphics and the new features that are added with every edition.
The games are released time and time again with the same characters, with a few more in there from time to time, extra options and of course more challengers and extra moves available, this is always a genre for the kung fu fan. If there was anyone to thank for these then it would be hard to say but a few of the games that have got us to where we are today are; Tekken, Soul Blade, and, of course, Street Fighter.
They have given Beatíem ups that extra needed boost to make them something that is worth spending cash on and is worth the wait along with the time spent learning everything. Of course thought, like any other genre, a lot of bad examples come along that put us off and it seems that Beatíem ups is one of the most popular regions around for the simple reasons, itís easy to design and even easier to sell and this is what makes them so popular on the high street.
Arcade Adventure
For me Iíd have to say Tomb Raider set the mark and even though after five long and tiring sequels is has finally faded away, our memories will still remain with the game that gave such a satisfaction and challenging time.
Back in 1996 Tomb Raider was released and turned adventure games in another direction; it sent them to another dimension of gaming and made it last for 5 long years. During that time, it never showed sign of dying or sign of ever leaving the Playstation or PC; there was no competition from anyone else as arcade adventure games were near nothing before Tomb Raider came onto the market.
At first everything was a breathe of fresh air, that was until number four came out!!! With this style of game it become harder and harder to give the public something that hasnít been seen before, and with two sequels and in the end 4 sequels it was something that Eidos were incapable of achieving.
Of course, these games stemmed from a cross between the Adventure games of old and the new wave of 3D platform games, their roots can be traced even further back to the 2D platform games of old, like Chuckie Egg and Jet Set Willy.
Adventure.
Starting out as some of the most basic games ever, adventure games were originally text based affairs which allowed you to type ëleftí, ërightí or ëhit troll on head with axeí before describing the next scene. For some reason, despite the lack of graphics, these games were highly popular. These evolved in to graphic adventures, which drew a picture every time you walked in a certain direction, then to the point-and-click style of adventure that made LucusArts famous for Monkey Island and Sam and Max, to name a few.
This genre has changed little over the past 10 years, but is still as popular on the PC today as it was on the 8-bit consoles.
If you took the time to read that, then thank you kindly.
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