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I don’t know about you lot, but films can have quite an effect on me sometimes. One film series that sticks out for me is the “Alien” trilogy (forget Alien Resurrection, that was a disaster). Poor old Lieutenant Ellen Ripley has the worst of luck. The outcome is allows the same – her closest friends are ripped to shreds by the deadliest creatures in the universe and once again, she is alone. This sad end to each of the films is reinforced with the most sombre of end-credits scores, which makes me reflect on the events of the past two hours or so. For me, the effect a film has on me is what makes it memorable.
Now, back in the wonderful world of videogames, which are constantly compared to films, the same applies. If I had to bite the bullet and come to a decision, I would have to say I prefer the epics (Final Fantasy VII, Ocarina of Time, Shenmue, etc) of the videogame world to the more arcadey, pick-up-and-play affairs, such as Super Monkey Ball and Crazy Taxi.
For me, all memorable games have a few things in common – lots of characters to meet and interact with, loads of places to see and visit, an involving story and in-game music that goes straight to your heart and makes you go all soft from the inside out.
Take Final Fantasy VII, for example. You can devote anywhere from 60 hours of your life playing the game, getting to know the characters, right up to…well, come to think about it, there is no limit! And that is something videogames can boast that films NEVER will – they can become as deep, involving and complex as you want them to become! You could cruise through FF7 in no time at all, taking all the right turns and only fighting in key battles to progress. But at the end of it, what have you gained from the experience?
“Hey, I just completed the game in record time!”
So? Is that all the satisfaction you’ve gained from playing a game like Final Fantasy VII? If so, you are sorely missing the point! Developers add endless depth and character to these games, trying to encourage us to EXPLORE this depth. The real satisfaction to be had from Final Fantasy VII, in my view, is to reach the end of the game and then look back on what you’ve done. As you think of all the characters you met along the way, the places you’ve been to and explored, the actions you’ve taken…it all contributes to the warm, fuzzy feeling I get inside and the tear forming in the corner of my eye.
And it’s all this reminiscing that adds to the longetivity of a game. Think to yourself – how many times have you started thinking about a game you played several years ago and suddenly get the urge to play it one more time? For me, that urge can become so strong that it often results in me having to buy a console again just to play the game in question!
Obviously, I’m not saying every game should take 100+ hours to complete and revolve around a storyline, far from it. After all, if every game were like Ocarina of Time, it would make it harder for particular games to stand out, eradicating the whole memorable experience thing.
What’s worse is when developers try to mix two elements into a game that simply to not blend. The results can be disastrous. In my view, a recent example of this is Toca Race Driver. A racing game revolving around a story? Who ever heard of such a thing?! To make matters worse, the story was shallow, simplistic, uninteresting and merely acted as an obstruction that got in the way of enjoying the racing element. That’s one game that I don’t want to remember for too long!
The point of this thread is not to encourage developers to all go away and add complex stories to their games, it’s for us to appreciate those games that have had a lasting effect on us. For some, this is going to be particular parts of games that they’ve enjoyed. Possibly an action sequence in a first-person shooter, or the constant thrill of getting a bit of slipstream before screaming past a rival car at 150mph+.
Still, a good game in one person’s view can be a pile of rubbish in another’s – it’s all based on opinion. And, in my opinion, a game that’s worth playing through again is one that is one that sticks in my mind and makes me grin at the thought of it.
You have been reading...
Uncle Albert
Now, back in the wonderful world of videogames, which are constantly compared to films, the same applies. If I had to bite the bullet and come to a decision, I would have to say I prefer the epics (Final Fantasy VII, Ocarina of Time, Shenmue, etc) of the videogame world to the more arcadey, pick-up-and-play affairs, such as Super Monkey Ball and Crazy Taxi.
For me, all memorable games have a few things in common – lots of characters to meet and interact with, loads of places to see and visit, an involving story and in-game music that goes straight to your heart and makes you go all soft from the inside out.
Take Final Fantasy VII, for example. You can devote anywhere from 60 hours of your life playing the game, getting to know the characters, right up to…well, come to think about it, there is no limit! And that is something videogames can boast that films NEVER will – they can become as deep, involving and complex as you want them to become! You could cruise through FF7 in no time at all, taking all the right turns and only fighting in key battles to progress. But at the end of it, what have you gained from the experience?
“Hey, I just completed the game in record time!”
So? Is that all the satisfaction you’ve gained from playing a game like Final Fantasy VII? If so, you are sorely missing the point! Developers add endless depth and character to these games, trying to encourage us to EXPLORE this depth. The real satisfaction to be had from Final Fantasy VII, in my view, is to reach the end of the game and then look back on what you’ve done. As you think of all the characters you met along the way, the places you’ve been to and explored, the actions you’ve taken…it all contributes to the warm, fuzzy feeling I get inside and the tear forming in the corner of my eye.
And it’s all this reminiscing that adds to the longetivity of a game. Think to yourself – how many times have you started thinking about a game you played several years ago and suddenly get the urge to play it one more time? For me, that urge can become so strong that it often results in me having to buy a console again just to play the game in question!
Obviously, I’m not saying every game should take 100+ hours to complete and revolve around a storyline, far from it. After all, if every game were like Ocarina of Time, it would make it harder for particular games to stand out, eradicating the whole memorable experience thing.
What’s worse is when developers try to mix two elements into a game that simply to not blend. The results can be disastrous. In my view, a recent example of this is Toca Race Driver. A racing game revolving around a story? Who ever heard of such a thing?! To make matters worse, the story was shallow, simplistic, uninteresting and merely acted as an obstruction that got in the way of enjoying the racing element. That’s one game that I don’t want to remember for too long!
The point of this thread is not to encourage developers to all go away and add complex stories to their games, it’s for us to appreciate those games that have had a lasting effect on us. For some, this is going to be particular parts of games that they’ve enjoyed. Possibly an action sequence in a first-person shooter, or the constant thrill of getting a bit of slipstream before screaming past a rival car at 150mph+.
Still, a good game in one person’s view can be a pile of rubbish in another’s – it’s all based on opinion. And, in my opinion, a game that’s worth playing through again is one that is one that sticks in my mind and makes me grin at the thought of it.
You have been reading...
Uncle Albert
<- Pappa Lazarou -> wrote:
> oooh, isn't it eh? Jumper for goalposts, little boys, football in the
> park, one of them falls, scrapes his knee, smiles, but secretly
> longing for warm bosom of mummy. oooh marvellous..... ;)
What does this mean?
> oooh, isn't it eh? Jumper for goalposts, little boys, football in the
> park, one of them falls, scrapes his knee, smiles, but secretly
> longing for warm bosom of mummy. oooh marvellous..... ;)
What does this mean?
Cheers Microchips, the thought of such a topic came to me as I lay in my bed one night struggling to get to sleep! And, ummm, I haven't got a clue what you're on about Pappa!
oooh, isn't it eh? Jumper for goalposts, little boys, football in the park, one of them falls, scrapes his knee, smiles, but secretly longing for warm bosom of mummy. oooh marvellous..... ;)
Great post AA. I always smile when I think of the time when I first completed Zelda: A link to the past on the SNES, I had tried for months to do it, but Ganon was too powerful. I still go back and play it now, well, I would do, except my SNES was sold. :( Good job it's coming out on the GAB though...
:)
Again, great post.
:)
Again, great post.
I don’t know about you lot, but films can have quite an effect on me sometimes. One film series that sticks out for me is the “Alien” trilogy (forget Alien Resurrection, that was a disaster). Poor old Lieutenant Ellen Ripley has the worst of luck. The outcome is allows the same – her closest friends are ripped to shreds by the deadliest creatures in the universe and once again, she is alone. This sad end to each of the films is reinforced with the most sombre of end-credits scores, which makes me reflect on the events of the past two hours or so. For me, the effect a film has on me is what makes it memorable.
Now, back in the wonderful world of videogames, which are constantly compared to films, the same applies. If I had to bite the bullet and come to a decision, I would have to say I prefer the epics (Final Fantasy VII, Ocarina of Time, Shenmue, etc) of the videogame world to the more arcadey, pick-up-and-play affairs, such as Super Monkey Ball and Crazy Taxi.
For me, all memorable games have a few things in common – lots of characters to meet and interact with, loads of places to see and visit, an involving story and in-game music that goes straight to your heart and makes you go all soft from the inside out.
Take Final Fantasy VII, for example. You can devote anywhere from 60 hours of your life playing the game, getting to know the characters, right up to…well, come to think about it, there is no limit! And that is something videogames can boast that films NEVER will – they can become as deep, involving and complex as you want them to become! You could cruise through FF7 in no time at all, taking all the right turns and only fighting in key battles to progress. But at the end of it, what have you gained from the experience?
“Hey, I just completed the game in record time!”
So? Is that all the satisfaction you’ve gained from playing a game like Final Fantasy VII? If so, you are sorely missing the point! Developers add endless depth and character to these games, trying to encourage us to EXPLORE this depth. The real satisfaction to be had from Final Fantasy VII, in my view, is to reach the end of the game and then look back on what you’ve done. As you think of all the characters you met along the way, the places you’ve been to and explored, the actions you’ve taken…it all contributes to the warm, fuzzy feeling I get inside and the tear forming in the corner of my eye.
And it’s all this reminiscing that adds to the longetivity of a game. Think to yourself – how many times have you started thinking about a game you played several years ago and suddenly get the urge to play it one more time? For me, that urge can become so strong that it often results in me having to buy a console again just to play the game in question!
Obviously, I’m not saying every game should take 100+ hours to complete and revolve around a storyline, far from it. After all, if every game were like Ocarina of Time, it would make it harder for particular games to stand out, eradicating the whole memorable experience thing.
What’s worse is when developers try to mix two elements into a game that simply to not blend. The results can be disastrous. In my view, a recent example of this is Toca Race Driver. A racing game revolving around a story? Who ever heard of such a thing?! To make matters worse, the story was shallow, simplistic, uninteresting and merely acted as an obstruction that got in the way of enjoying the racing element. That’s one game that I don’t want to remember for too long!
The point of this thread is not to encourage developers to all go away and add complex stories to their games, it’s for us to appreciate those games that have had a lasting effect on us. For some, this is going to be particular parts of games that they’ve enjoyed. Possibly an action sequence in a first-person shooter, or the constant thrill of getting a bit of slipstream before screaming past a rival car at 150mph+.
Still, a good game in one person’s view can be a pile of rubbish in another’s – it’s all based on opinion. And, in my opinion, a game that’s worth playing through again is one that is one that sticks in my mind and makes me grin at the thought of it.
You have been reading...
Uncle Albert
Now, back in the wonderful world of videogames, which are constantly compared to films, the same applies. If I had to bite the bullet and come to a decision, I would have to say I prefer the epics (Final Fantasy VII, Ocarina of Time, Shenmue, etc) of the videogame world to the more arcadey, pick-up-and-play affairs, such as Super Monkey Ball and Crazy Taxi.
For me, all memorable games have a few things in common – lots of characters to meet and interact with, loads of places to see and visit, an involving story and in-game music that goes straight to your heart and makes you go all soft from the inside out.
Take Final Fantasy VII, for example. You can devote anywhere from 60 hours of your life playing the game, getting to know the characters, right up to…well, come to think about it, there is no limit! And that is something videogames can boast that films NEVER will – they can become as deep, involving and complex as you want them to become! You could cruise through FF7 in no time at all, taking all the right turns and only fighting in key battles to progress. But at the end of it, what have you gained from the experience?
“Hey, I just completed the game in record time!”
So? Is that all the satisfaction you’ve gained from playing a game like Final Fantasy VII? If so, you are sorely missing the point! Developers add endless depth and character to these games, trying to encourage us to EXPLORE this depth. The real satisfaction to be had from Final Fantasy VII, in my view, is to reach the end of the game and then look back on what you’ve done. As you think of all the characters you met along the way, the places you’ve been to and explored, the actions you’ve taken…it all contributes to the warm, fuzzy feeling I get inside and the tear forming in the corner of my eye.
And it’s all this reminiscing that adds to the longetivity of a game. Think to yourself – how many times have you started thinking about a game you played several years ago and suddenly get the urge to play it one more time? For me, that urge can become so strong that it often results in me having to buy a console again just to play the game in question!
Obviously, I’m not saying every game should take 100+ hours to complete and revolve around a storyline, far from it. After all, if every game were like Ocarina of Time, it would make it harder for particular games to stand out, eradicating the whole memorable experience thing.
What’s worse is when developers try to mix two elements into a game that simply to not blend. The results can be disastrous. In my view, a recent example of this is Toca Race Driver. A racing game revolving around a story? Who ever heard of such a thing?! To make matters worse, the story was shallow, simplistic, uninteresting and merely acted as an obstruction that got in the way of enjoying the racing element. That’s one game that I don’t want to remember for too long!
The point of this thread is not to encourage developers to all go away and add complex stories to their games, it’s for us to appreciate those games that have had a lasting effect on us. For some, this is going to be particular parts of games that they’ve enjoyed. Possibly an action sequence in a first-person shooter, or the constant thrill of getting a bit of slipstream before screaming past a rival car at 150mph+.
Still, a good game in one person’s view can be a pile of rubbish in another’s – it’s all based on opinion. And, in my opinion, a game that’s worth playing through again is one that is one that sticks in my mind and makes me grin at the thought of it.
You have been reading...
Uncle Albert