The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Have I been playing games too long? Have they moved on, and left me at the proverbial bus stop, looking non-plussed?
I'll explain. In the olden days, before mullets had gone out of fashion, when Microsoft was a glint in Gate's eye and Sony were only making tellies, I began playing Nintendo Game & Watches. It kept me busy and quiet - my old dear must have though it was a blessing sent form heaven. That's where the gaming started, and it's continued through to this day. But games have changed, and maybe my gaming hasn't.
Born and raised on twitch gaming like Game & Watches, the following 10 years or so of gaming pretty much followed track. My fingers were a blur at Daley Thompson's Decatholon, I found the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow Islands, and eventually achieved Elite status. I pretty much kicked booty in those days. But I begin to wonder if I've been going wrong of late.
The problem is this. Games in the past used to be a simple case of getting to the end. A combination of gaming tactics, latent talent and practice, practice, practice would usually do the job, and when 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen, you could sit back with a contented feeling, your videogaming belly swollen with victory. This is no longer the case. Sure I could finish Metal Gear, but did I get all the dog tags? Did I collect all of the boxes? I may well have finished Final Fantasies, but did I get all the Ultimate weapons, summons and have 99,999 hit points on all my characters. Did I booggery. Can I be bothered? No.
I could attribute this to having a job and not enough time, but then again, I probably spend as much time videogaming now as ever. I could attribute it to being in the pleasant position of being able to afford lots of games, so having to split my time between them, which holds more water, but still doesn't make up for it. I lack the desire to explore every corner of a gameworld, preferring instead to finish it off and move on.
I think the main problem is habit, pure and simple. When I pick up a game, my unconscious drive is to succeed at the game. And that's the crux of the matter. Modern day game design is focussing away from challenging the player, and more towards entertaining the player. It's less a virtual sports day, and more a virtual sandbox. They're less games, and more toys. And I don't think my gaming soul can get it's incorporeal head around this.
Maybe this is why driving games and puzzle games appeal to me so much. Clear cut goals and lightning finger movements. But then there's RPGs. I love 'em. See? Confusing innit? At the end of the day, I'm still loving playing the sandbox games as much as the more straightforward ones, so what the heck.
If you've read this far, go buy yourself a lollipop.
I'll explain. In the olden days, before mullets had gone out of fashion, when Microsoft was a glint in Gate's eye and Sony were only making tellies, I began playing Nintendo Game & Watches. It kept me busy and quiet - my old dear must have though it was a blessing sent form heaven. That's where the gaming started, and it's continued through to this day. But games have changed, and maybe my gaming hasn't.
Born and raised on twitch gaming like Game & Watches, the following 10 years or so of gaming pretty much followed track. My fingers were a blur at Daley Thompson's Decatholon, I found the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow Islands, and eventually achieved Elite status. I pretty much kicked booty in those days. But I begin to wonder if I've been going wrong of late.
The problem is this. Games in the past used to be a simple case of getting to the end. A combination of gaming tactics, latent talent and practice, practice, practice would usually do the job, and when 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen, you could sit back with a contented feeling, your videogaming belly swollen with victory. This is no longer the case. Sure I could finish Metal Gear, but did I get all the dog tags? Did I collect all of the boxes? I may well have finished Final Fantasies, but did I get all the Ultimate weapons, summons and have 99,999 hit points on all my characters. Did I booggery. Can I be bothered? No.
I could attribute this to having a job and not enough time, but then again, I probably spend as much time videogaming now as ever. I could attribute it to being in the pleasant position of being able to afford lots of games, so having to split my time between them, which holds more water, but still doesn't make up for it. I lack the desire to explore every corner of a gameworld, preferring instead to finish it off and move on.
I think the main problem is habit, pure and simple. When I pick up a game, my unconscious drive is to succeed at the game. And that's the crux of the matter. Modern day game design is focussing away from challenging the player, and more towards entertaining the player. It's less a virtual sports day, and more a virtual sandbox. They're less games, and more toys. And I don't think my gaming soul can get it's incorporeal head around this.
Maybe this is why driving games and puzzle games appeal to me so much. Clear cut goals and lightning finger movements. But then there's RPGs. I love 'em. See? Confusing innit? At the end of the day, I'm still loving playing the sandbox games as much as the more straightforward ones, so what the heck.
If you've read this far, go buy yourself a lollipop.
action replays are hard to find new codes for so i just stick to narmal(although i cant find my playstation, actually my brother lost it)
But that completely defeats the object (for me). I like to have that sense of satisfaction when completing a game, so using an action replay or whatever would dimish that fun.
It's just that I feel I'm not getting the most out of some games, due to this, due to missing out on some bizarre aspect. I blame Pokemon for the Gotta Catch 'Em All (TM) philosophy which seems to have crept into some games, MGS2 and FFX to name a current couple.
It's just that I feel I'm not getting the most out of some games, due to this, due to missing out on some bizarre aspect. I blame Pokemon for the Gotta Catch 'Em All (TM) philosophy which seems to have crept into some games, MGS2 and FFX to name a current couple.
The trouble is, the games which offer you freedom of movement, usually have some crappy "look for 50 of the same item for an extra 10 points" or something like that which, although can lengthen the game if the player can be bothered, is pointless to the game, and is usually more of a thing to do if you're bored with the main objectives of the game.
Most people nowadays usually enter a cheat or use an Action Replay to get all the items without looking.
Most people nowadays usually enter a cheat or use an Action Replay to get all the items without looking.
Have I been playing games too long? Have they moved on, and left me at the proverbial bus stop, looking non-plussed?
I'll explain. In the olden days, before mullets had gone out of fashion, when Microsoft was a glint in Gate's eye and Sony were only making tellies, I began playing Nintendo Game & Watches. It kept me busy and quiet - my old dear must have though it was a blessing sent form heaven. That's where the gaming started, and it's continued through to this day. But games have changed, and maybe my gaming hasn't.
Born and raised on twitch gaming like Game & Watches, the following 10 years or so of gaming pretty much followed track. My fingers were a blur at Daley Thompson's Decatholon, I found the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow Islands, and eventually achieved Elite status. I pretty much kicked booty in those days. But I begin to wonder if I've been going wrong of late.
The problem is this. Games in the past used to be a simple case of getting to the end. A combination of gaming tactics, latent talent and practice, practice, practice would usually do the job, and when 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen, you could sit back with a contented feeling, your videogaming belly swollen with victory. This is no longer the case. Sure I could finish Metal Gear, but did I get all the dog tags? Did I collect all of the boxes? I may well have finished Final Fantasies, but did I get all the Ultimate weapons, summons and have 99,999 hit points on all my characters. Did I booggery. Can I be bothered? No.
I could attribute this to having a job and not enough time, but then again, I probably spend as much time videogaming now as ever. I could attribute it to being in the pleasant position of being able to afford lots of games, so having to split my time between them, which holds more water, but still doesn't make up for it. I lack the desire to explore every corner of a gameworld, preferring instead to finish it off and move on.
I think the main problem is habit, pure and simple. When I pick up a game, my unconscious drive is to succeed at the game. And that's the crux of the matter. Modern day game design is focussing away from challenging the player, and more towards entertaining the player. It's less a virtual sports day, and more a virtual sandbox. They're less games, and more toys. And I don't think my gaming soul can get it's incorporeal head around this.
Maybe this is why driving games and puzzle games appeal to me so much. Clear cut goals and lightning finger movements. But then there's RPGs. I love 'em. See? Confusing innit? At the end of the day, I'm still loving playing the sandbox games as much as the more straightforward ones, so what the heck.
If you've read this far, go buy yourself a lollipop.
I'll explain. In the olden days, before mullets had gone out of fashion, when Microsoft was a glint in Gate's eye and Sony were only making tellies, I began playing Nintendo Game & Watches. It kept me busy and quiet - my old dear must have though it was a blessing sent form heaven. That's where the gaming started, and it's continued through to this day. But games have changed, and maybe my gaming hasn't.
Born and raised on twitch gaming like Game & Watches, the following 10 years or so of gaming pretty much followed track. My fingers were a blur at Daley Thompson's Decatholon, I found the pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow Islands, and eventually achieved Elite status. I pretty much kicked booty in those days. But I begin to wonder if I've been going wrong of late.
The problem is this. Games in the past used to be a simple case of getting to the end. A combination of gaming tactics, latent talent and practice, practice, practice would usually do the job, and when 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen, you could sit back with a contented feeling, your videogaming belly swollen with victory. This is no longer the case. Sure I could finish Metal Gear, but did I get all the dog tags? Did I collect all of the boxes? I may well have finished Final Fantasies, but did I get all the Ultimate weapons, summons and have 99,999 hit points on all my characters. Did I booggery. Can I be bothered? No.
I could attribute this to having a job and not enough time, but then again, I probably spend as much time videogaming now as ever. I could attribute it to being in the pleasant position of being able to afford lots of games, so having to split my time between them, which holds more water, but still doesn't make up for it. I lack the desire to explore every corner of a gameworld, preferring instead to finish it off and move on.
I think the main problem is habit, pure and simple. When I pick up a game, my unconscious drive is to succeed at the game. And that's the crux of the matter. Modern day game design is focussing away from challenging the player, and more towards entertaining the player. It's less a virtual sports day, and more a virtual sandbox. They're less games, and more toys. And I don't think my gaming soul can get it's incorporeal head around this.
Maybe this is why driving games and puzzle games appeal to me so much. Clear cut goals and lightning finger movements. But then there's RPGs. I love 'em. See? Confusing innit? At the end of the day, I'm still loving playing the sandbox games as much as the more straightforward ones, so what the heck.
If you've read this far, go buy yourself a lollipop.