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What makes a game ‘adult’?
Is it a massive amount of blood and gore? Is it the ability to shoot or run down everything in sight? Whilst your perception of ‘adult’ games may fit that profile, I don’t think that it is. Whilst the content may certainly be adult in that it is not suitable for children, I think that even a child can point a control stick in a certain direction and press a button to shoot someone. You think you have to be an adult, or have a certain intellect and intelligence to do that? Think again.
I myself can’t give you an exact definition of what makes a game ‘adult’. I think it may have something to do with ‘feel’ (stop giggling at the back), and what you perceive to be ‘adult’. One thing I am pretty sure of though is that it has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of blood, guts, guns, puke, crap, swearing or naked flesh involved. You know what I think are two games are prime examples of ‘adult’ games?
Mario and Zelda.
You’re probably laughing at me now, thinking ‘but they’re kiddies games’ but hear me out. If you examine the demographics of Mario sales against a game like Soldier of Fortune, you’ll probably find that 18 rated games sell best amongst youngsters (who can show off to their mates about their latest game where you can shoot individual limbs off etc.) whereas games like Mario sell in both. When your’re an adult, you want a little more than just mindless killing. I think that Nintendo more than anyone, and especially though their two flagship titles, understand how to treat a proper gamer They seem to be the only ones who understand what makes a game great, treating players with a healthy respect, and rewarding intelligent, thoughtful play with intelligent (and often ingenious) set pieces. You are required to think – both literally and laterally – and use a large portion of your brain to work out the taxing problems that always seem achievable despite their difficulty.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not criticising FPS of games like GTA3, because they have their own merits and their own particular uses, I just don’t see them as adult games. In the right context, a splash of claret and the chance to fire off a few rounds is fine, but increasingly developers are hiding behind mindless violence and controversial topics as a smokescreen for the fact that, behind the blood and the press outrage, the game isn’t actually that good, its just included in a pitiful attempt to boost sales. Games like Carmageddon have always been unmitigated rubbish, but have always sold stacks of copies off of being controversial. It’s a shame really – games like Ico will probably be undeservedly outsold by trash like that Hooligan game.
With the next generation of games upon us there is a real opportunity to move gameplay forward, but it seems that few developers are content to do that. With skill, dark content can be dealt with effectively, as shown by Metal Gear Solid 2 and Perfect Dark. But to me ‘adult’ games are not ones with blood and guts but contain proper puzzle and gameplay more befitting of an adult.
Thanks for reading
Russell
Is it a massive amount of blood and gore? Is it the ability to shoot or run down everything in sight? Whilst your perception of ‘adult’ games may fit that profile, I don’t think that it is. Whilst the content may certainly be adult in that it is not suitable for children, I think that even a child can point a control stick in a certain direction and press a button to shoot someone. You think you have to be an adult, or have a certain intellect and intelligence to do that? Think again.
I myself can’t give you an exact definition of what makes a game ‘adult’. I think it may have something to do with ‘feel’ (stop giggling at the back), and what you perceive to be ‘adult’. One thing I am pretty sure of though is that it has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of blood, guts, guns, puke, crap, swearing or naked flesh involved. You know what I think are two games are prime examples of ‘adult’ games?
Mario and Zelda.
You’re probably laughing at me now, thinking ‘but they’re kiddies games’ but hear me out. If you examine the demographics of Mario sales against a game like Soldier of Fortune, you’ll probably find that 18 rated games sell best amongst youngsters (who can show off to their mates about their latest game where you can shoot individual limbs off etc.) whereas games like Mario sell in both. When your’re an adult, you want a little more than just mindless killing. I think that Nintendo more than anyone, and especially though their two flagship titles, understand how to treat a proper gamer They seem to be the only ones who understand what makes a game great, treating players with a healthy respect, and rewarding intelligent, thoughtful play with intelligent (and often ingenious) set pieces. You are required to think – both literally and laterally – and use a large portion of your brain to work out the taxing problems that always seem achievable despite their difficulty.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not criticising FPS of games like GTA3, because they have their own merits and their own particular uses, I just don’t see them as adult games. In the right context, a splash of claret and the chance to fire off a few rounds is fine, but increasingly developers are hiding behind mindless violence and controversial topics as a smokescreen for the fact that, behind the blood and the press outrage, the game isn’t actually that good, its just included in a pitiful attempt to boost sales. Games like Carmageddon have always been unmitigated rubbish, but have always sold stacks of copies off of being controversial. It’s a shame really – games like Ico will probably be undeservedly outsold by trash like that Hooligan game.
With the next generation of games upon us there is a real opportunity to move gameplay forward, but it seems that few developers are content to do that. With skill, dark content can be dealt with effectively, as shown by Metal Gear Solid 2 and Perfect Dark. But to me ‘adult’ games are not ones with blood and guts but contain proper puzzle and gameplay more befitting of an adult.
Thanks for reading
Russell
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G®åpô²ºº² wrote:
> AFX you sound a bit of a hypocrit. So your a mature gamer - maybe your being
> immature saying your a mature gamer, as a mature gamer would try and see all
> games for what they are. ie. mario games good clean fun, gta3 mindsless
> violence.
What??? HOw dare you call GTA3 mindless violence?It is strategic destruction a twisted city. Jeez, get it right.
> AFX you sound a bit of a hypocrit. So your a mature gamer - maybe your being
> immature saying your a mature gamer, as a mature gamer would try and see all
> games for what they are. ie. mario games good clean fun, gta3 mindsless
> violence.
What??? HOw dare you call GTA3 mindless violence?It is strategic destruction a twisted city. Jeez, get it right.
ok
ahh i see, what i mean by mature is that im not under the age of 21, not that immature people only play certain games.
AFX wrote:
> WHAT?!?!?! that makes no sense, i read your post, then i read mine, then u read
> yours again and mine again, and now im more confused, whats your point???
Now I'm confused...
> WHAT?!?!?! that makes no sense, i read your post, then i read mine, then u read
> yours again and mine again, and now im more confused, whats your point???
Now I'm confused...
i'm a gamer (not mature not immature) and i just enjoy games and see them for what they are - just games, meant to be played for fun!
WHAT?!?!?! that makes no sense, i read your post, then i read mine, then u read yours again and mine again, and now im more confused, whats your point???
Thank you Grapo, good point
AFX you sound a bit of a hypocrit. So your a mature gamer - maybe your being immature saying your a mature gamer, as a mature gamer would try and see all games for what they are. ie. mario games good clean fun, gta3 mindsless violence.
its a gun when i play time crisis 2, not a real one all be it.
Even if you hold a controller rather than a gun...
:-)
:-)
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