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I find frustration a real barrier in enjoying gaming. One of the reasons I love Metal Gear Solid so much was that it wasn't too hard. Nothing too tricky or really frustrating. The bosses could take 2 or 3 goes, but that was fine, and I steadily got through the game, loving every minute of it.
Now lets take a couple of games for example. Now, most of you know my opinion on Mario games *COUGH* rubbish *COUGH*, and it was not improved by Super Mario Advance on, would you believe it, GameBoy Advance. Apart from being a complete rip-off, in which Nintendo have taken 2 old games and stuck them into one, it's also intensely annoying. Why?? Well, just to add to pain of the amazingly repetive music, this game is unbelievably frustrating!! If I hear Luigi or his fat brother cry "MUM-AM-MIA!!" one more time while seemingly falling under the screen, I reckon I'll put the GBA into an incinarator, or something to that effect.
Frustrating = boring, you see? Going through the same environment, with the same character, against the same enemies with the same weapons and items just gets dull after a while, and in the end I just can't be bothered to get through to the next stage! Why cause myself the trouble, when I could just go and play something like SSX Tricky or This Is Football 2002, where I can get into the action and hopefully the fun straight away??
Max Payne on the PS2 is a much more recent example. There is now a large dent in my lovely (well, formerly) wooden desk, and it is thanks to Max Payne. No, he didn't jump out of the game shoot madly at me like he seemingly does to everyone else, nor was it because I'd become so addicted to it that my brother, who wanted a go, tried to hit me with the TV Remote and missed (that's happened before by the way, and he doesn't always miss).
This dent happened during the 8th Chapter of the first part. After shooting some more people (massive surprise), I found myself slowly walking across some roof rafters. As I teetered along, I knew that a fall would lead me to my death. Now, it took a fair while getting there thanks to a large amount of men with Ingrams and Shotguns. So, it was rather annoying when I fell halfway across.
On my second go I got a little further, and then, my thumb gave a little spasm. I was taking the slow approach, and due to the camera angle I couldn't tell whether I was walking in a straight line or not/ So every few centimetres I moved to my left a little, desperately trying to stay on my feet. As I said, my thumb gave a little, unintentional jump and I fell right off, and Max Payne fell very calmly to his untimely death.
Lets fast-forward to my 5th go, where I was extremely close to the small doorway which led me to the next stage. It looked as though I just had to walk in a straight line, although I was a little worried about the size of the doorway. In the end I plucked up courage and just ran forward. I reached the door and breathed a sigh of relief. However, Max Payne appeared to be walking into the wall just next to the door, and I was soon falling feet-first to the harsh ground beneath.
At this point I screeched loudly, and threw my controller at the desk. I was supposed to be enjoying this game, not raving and ranting over some stupid rafters on a roof!! I want to have fun playing games, or at least be interested in what I'm doing, not just getting plain frustrated! If I wanted to get frustrated, I'd support Chelsea!
But, on a calmer note, Max Payne is actually an excellent game up to and past that point, so I recommend it to everyone.
Also on a calmer, but a little more louder than the last note, I think developers need to know that some games are just too frustrating. Platformers are especially good at it, as I explained with Mario and all his little, colourful friends.
But then again, maybe I'm just completely bonkers. Who knows, eh?
Thanks for reading, Ant.
Thanks for reading
You'd think that wouldnt you...
I find frustration a real barrier in enjoying gaming. One of the reasons I love Metal Gear Solid so much was that it wasn't too hard. Nothing too tricky or really frustrating. The bosses could take 2 or 3 goes, but that was fine, and I steadily got through the game, loving every minute of it.
Now lets take a couple of games for example. Now, most of you know my opinion on Mario games *COUGH* rubbish *COUGH*, and it was not improved by Super Mario Advance on, would you believe it, GameBoy Advance. Apart from being a complete rip-off, in which Nintendo have taken 2 old games and stuck them into one, it's also intensely annoying. Why?? Well, just to add to pain of the amazingly repetive music, this game is unbelievably frustrating!! If I hear Luigi or his fat brother cry "MUM-AM-MIA!!" one more time while seemingly falling under the screen, I reckon I'll put the GBA into an incinarator, or something to that effect.
Frustrating = boring, you see? Going through the same environment, with the same character, against the same enemies with the same weapons and items just gets dull after a while, and in the end I just can't be bothered to get through to the next stage! Why cause myself the trouble, when I could just go and play something like SSX Tricky or This Is Football 2002, where I can get into the action and hopefully the fun straight away??
Max Payne on the PS2 is a much more recent example. There is now a large dent in my lovely (well, formerly) wooden desk, and it is thanks to Max Payne. No, he didn't jump out of the game shoot madly at me like he seemingly does to everyone else, nor was it because I'd become so addicted to it that my brother, who wanted a go, tried to hit me with the TV Remote and missed (that's happened before by the way, and he doesn't always miss).
This dent happened during the 8th Chapter of the first part. After shooting some more people (massive surprise), I found myself slowly walking across some roof rafters. As I teetered along, I knew that a fall would lead me to my death. Now, it took a fair while getting there thanks to a large amount of men with Ingrams and Shotguns. So, it was rather annoying when I fell halfway across.
On my second go I got a little further, and then, my thumb gave a little spasm. I was taking the slow approach, and due to the camera angle I couldn't tell whether I was walking in a straight line or not/ So every few centimetres I moved to my left a little, desperately trying to stay on my feet. As I said, my thumb gave a little, unintentional jump and I fell right off, and Max Payne fell very calmly to his untimely death.
Lets fast-forward to my 5th go, where I was extremely close to the small doorway which led me to the next stage. It looked as though I just had to walk in a straight line, although I was a little worried about the size of the doorway. In the end I plucked up courage and just ran forward. I reached the door and breathed a sigh of relief. However, Max Payne appeared to be walking into the wall just next to the door, and I was soon falling feet-first to the harsh ground beneath.
At this point I screeched loudly, and threw my controller at the desk. I was supposed to be enjoying this game, not raving and ranting over some stupid rafters on a roof!! I want to have fun playing games, or at least be interested in what I'm doing, not just getting plain frustrated! If I wanted to get frustrated, I'd support Chelsea!
But, on a calmer note, Max Payne is actually an excellent game up to and past that point, so I recommend it to everyone.
Also on a calmer, but a little more louder than the last note, I think developers need to know that some games are just too frustrating. Platformers are especially good at it, as I explained with Mario and all his little, colourful friends.
But then again, maybe I'm just completely bonkers. Who knows, eh?
Thanks for reading, Ant.