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Excuse me, but am I the only one who enjoys playing video games nowadays? I have written some pretty negative things in my time, but that doesn't mean that gaming is going downhill. In my opinion, there's never been a better time for gamers - we have three new and brilliant consoles, 3D graphics have evolved to the point of infinitesimal detail and due to the increasing popularity within 'casual' circles, more and more better games are being released to cater for my needs. I suffered from the gaming drought of the N64 days, not having anything good to play for months. The gaming scene in this day and age is awesome though. There is always at least three or four games being released every week, and at Christmas this count gets ludicrously high. So we may have too many sequels, and not enough originality, but you can't say that gaming isn't fun anymore.
In actual fact, I would have to say we've got more great games now than a few years ago. In an aspect ratio of good original games to sequels, wannabes and duffers, then fair enough, there are fewer good games in relation to bad, but judging by the massive release schedule, there are more good games in total. I doubt you understand what I just said, but let me explain. Four years ago, there may have been 3 great games coming out on October 1, and perhaps 7 okayish/bad games. Tomorrow, there might be 6 great games coming out and 20 bad games. That could be exaggerating a tiny bit, but it shows that despite there being tonnes of worse games, there are still more great games.
But what I'm really trying to crack on about is that gaming is still brilliant, despite all the remakes and sequels. There are only so many new and innovative things you can do with games, and once they've all been implemented then originality will end for good, and 'original' will just be a term for 'derivative'. I have absolutely no problem with all the remakes and sequels out - they always improve upon the original and most importantly, are fun. Games such as Tony Hawks 3, MGS2, Wave Race Blue Storm, Star Wars Rogue Leader, SSX Tricky and Mario games. You just can't complain about these being bad because they're sequels. Why? Because they're still great to play.
Why bother playing video games if they are all bad. I play because I enjoy them, but if there is no fun in gaming any more then you should put down your joypad and play football. In this day and age, media fuelled hype just adds to the cynicism. See what's good about gaming, and compare it to what was great in the supposed 'golden age' of gaming. You'll find there is a lot more to live for nowadays in the way of a crackingly good time.
Games are meant to be fun. And if you don't find them fun, don't play them, and leave us in peace to enjoy the brilliant things which make OUR gaming experiences fun. For the rest of us, be happy with all the sequels, remakes and non-original games we get, because if they're fun, what's wrong. Embrace all the Rez's and Mad Maestro's with open arms, but don't put down games which aren't original because they aren't. Innovation or not, gaming can still be fun.
If the console people hail as the best thing since sliced bread is so great, then why aren't they playing it instead of whinging about everything else?
Our tastes in games have changed somewhat over the years, and we have become greedier in a way. If something is not right in a game we will be very quick to complain, therefore not appreciating over aspects of the game. This is not our fault; magazines, TV, and most articles on games have influenced us to look out for bad aspects of a game. We are starting to complain about games more than say how great they are.
Lately I have been asking myself, has gaming reached its peek? We have seen the legendary games like Metal Gear Solid 2, Mario 64, Shenmue, Gran Turismo3, Tomb Raider and Zelda so it will be very hard to make games even better, right? Wrong! Games are lacking in many areas, ok so they have improved vastly over the years but I think we still have a long way until games reach their peek. I remember playing Fifa 95 and my mate and I were wondering how they could improve the graphics. Sounds crazy hearing that today doesn’t it?
Today I am thinking things like “How can they improve Metal gear Solid 2’s graphics?” It may seem impossible today, but what will we be seeing in a few years down the line?
Character improvement is something that could be improved, and would make a big difference to the game. When you play a game, it is important that you take a liking to the character otherwise it could ruin the entire game. Hard to believe? Well, think about it. You do not want to be playing a shooting game with a little fairy-like character. Game developers seem to think that we want the character to have large muscles, maybe a tattoo or two, tight vest which really shows off the huge biceps and the like. This is not the case as I am sure you will agree. Lets take Lara croft for example. She is young, pretty and a body to die for (apparently). Unless you have been hiding in the Big Brother house for the past 5 years you will know that Tomb Raider has been and still is HUGE!
So, why was Lara such a loveable character? I am pretty sure it is because her movements were so simple and yet so effective. If my memory served me right, she had the basic jump buttons, long jump, hang, cruel, and shimmy. I think the character movement’s can we improved also, but how? In most games all of the buttons on the controller are being used to do something in the game, so what could be done? How about button combos, where if you press the button that would say make the character jump, you could press it twice and you could change your gun (if it was a shooting game).
As time goes on in life, people change in many ways. Could this be done in games? Yes, sure it could. Imagine playing as Snake when one day you have no beard then a week later you have one. It may seem small and somewhat trivial but it could take gaming into bigger and better things. Not many games that I have played changed their characters appearance much, apart from MGS2 when they completely changed the character! In fighting games I think it would be appropriate if the character you was playing had bruises on his/her face after taking a blow to the face. I don’t like it in fighting games when you have the same amount of energy at the end of the fight as you did at the beginning… but that comes under realism more than appearance I guess.
Despite everything I have said about improving games, we need to enjoy the games we are playing right now! Sure, in years time games are going to get better, but the games today are still fantastic so stop fantasising about games in the future and start drooling over the games we are privileged enough o play today!
> Let's hope so!
>
> It seems that every console has had it's big upsets:
>
> Nintendo have had the poor set of Launch Titles and will have to face
> dissapointment with the new Zelda's graphics.
> Microsoft began with the highest priced console, and still have very
> few quality titles out at the moment.
> And Sony appear to be loosing some of their more popular titles to the
> 'pathetic and little' GameCube.
Just got to point out - I got four GameCube games at launch and they're all brilliant. It doesn't have a poor set of launch titles, just a limited range. If you like adventure and FPS games, there isn't anything at all really. As for Zelda, you can't judge a book by its cover. Knowing Nintendo it'll still be absolutely great.
And I agree with the PS2 --> GameCube thing. Loads of people have a GameCube, I've noticed, and they're people who did have PlayStations.
The last one was about 10 years ago, with the SNES and MegaDrive - and that was brilliant enough!
Imagine it in another years time, and another.... what will we be playing!
Could this also mean we're set to get a new 'Golden Age of Gaming' every 10 years or so!!??? If so..... :D
GTA3, Rez, Halo, Max Payne, Ico, Crazy Taxi 2, JSRF, Silent Hill 2, Shenmue II, I could go on and on.
For me, this is a golden age, and I can only see it getting better and better.
It seems that every console has had it's big upsets:
Nintendo have had the poor set of Launch Titles and will have to face dissapointment with the new Zelda's graphics.
Microsoft began with the highest priced console, and still have very few quality titles out at the moment.
And Sony appear to be loosing some of their more popular titles to the 'pathetic and little' GameCube.
I think that we moan about it so much because we're trying to find something new and original to talk about, and maybe because we are noticing the slightest little things in the latest games.
There's nothing wrong with gaming really, it's just changing.
Maybe we're all shocked by the number of sudden chnages we've seen in the games we like??