Things That Bother You About Gaming

[Commode]

If I were you I'd hurry up and get the DS Lite, which can be found brand new for 99 bucks(don't like used Lites, they have a high broken hinge rate).  The reason I say hurry up is because while it's not officially discontinued, it's becoming harder to find in stores.  I was at a Wal Mart a while back and they had a few in stock sitting there at the bottom of the case, and I bought one to eventually replace my broken-hinge-yet-still-used Lite, and now it's sitting in my closet for the future.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

It's not just you, starting with last gen I was becoming disenchanted with the direction gaming was taking. Fast, flashy, and with no meat to it. Most games seem to follow that formula now. Basically 6 hour movies for $60.

Well, for me last gen was fine. I didn't feel like there were too many games that were striving to be the next big movie shooter at that time. Games like Ninja Gaiden Black and Resident Evil 4 really proved that if anything, last gen had some of the most "meaty" games out there. Games like those were OVERSTUFFED with content to the point it was almost overwhelming, but I was always compelled to get through all of it because the gameplay felt tight and focused. Not every game was necessarily on that level of quality, but I felt a lot of genuine effort and replayablity packed into most of my favorite games from last-gen. I just feel that its lacking from the modern mentality of game design found this gen. Hell, even the games that I listed I liked quite a bit from this gen are really short on content, including Sonic Generations and NG2 despite being designed as old-school games. That said those games still got by because they had replay value to them, and those are really the only 5 games that I have played this gen that I felt like replaying as soon as I was done with them. That's kind of sad given that I've played a lot more games than that this gen and almost half of them I couldn't even bother to finish all of the way through.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, hopefully the DS Lite will still be available for me to buy during the Summer, because I won't be able to pick it up until then. I'm trying to get a job over the summer, so if everything goes well I should be able to pick one up at some point in time while I'm not bogged down with 3+ exams to study for at one time.

[Spark Of Spirit]

There were meaty games last gen, but I could see the turn towards Hollywood shooters was coming. I'm not exactly sure why or how, but it didn't really surprise me when the COD games became blockbusters.

Also, I still have yet to play NG Black (maybe after I finish my last runthrough of R&C:UYA... if it works on the 360) and am looking to pick up the Wii version of RE4. I missed out on a lot last gen because I was upset that a lot of genres and series I liked were being abandoned.

Also, at the Walmart near me, the Lites are almost gone and it doesn't look like a restock is coming. I think most people are starting to turn to the 3DS, so if you want new you might not have much time.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, in the worst case scenario I can still probably get them online, though they'll probably be a bit more expensive if they are out of stock in stores.

[Foggle]

It's not just you, starting with last gen I was becoming disenchanted with the direction gaming was taking. Fast, flashy, and with no meat to it. Most games seem to follow that formula now. Basically 6 hour movies for $60.

Well, for me last gen was fine. I didn't feel like there were too many games that were striving to be the next big movie shooter at that time. Games like Ninja Gaiden Black and Resident Evil 4 really proved that if anything, last gen had some of the most "meaty" games out there. Games like those were OVERSTUFFED with content to the point it was almost overwhelming, but I was always compelled to get through all of it because the gameplay felt tight and focused. Not every game was necessarily on that level of quality, but I felt a lot of genuine effort and replayablity packed into most of my favorite games from last-gen. I just feel that its lacking from the modern mentality of game design found this gen. Hell, even the games that I listed I liked quite a bit from this gen are really short on content, including Sonic Generations and NG2 despite being designed as old-school games. That said those games still got by because they had replay value to them, and those are really the only 5 games that I have played this gen that I felt like replaying as soon as I was done with them. That's kind of sad given that I've played a lot more games than that this gen and almost half of them I couldn't even bother to finish all of the way through.

Yeah, last gen had some of the best games I've ever played.

Ninja Gaiden
Ratchet & Clank trilogy
Jak trilogy
Sly 1 & 2
Deus Ex
God Hand
Resident Evil 4 & REmake
Max Payne 1 & 2
Devil May Cry 1 & 3
Half-Life 1 & 2
F.E.A.R. (PC version was released during the previous era)
Fatal Frame 1-3
Silent Hill 2 & 3
Killer7
Metal Gear Solid 3
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Hitman: Blood Money
Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
Yakuza 1 & 2
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Metroid Prime 1 & 2
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
Serious Sam: First & Second Encounter
Painkiller

Might be my favorite console generation, actually. And this list isn't even counting all the PC exclusives that were released during the same time period. And I'm sure there are quite a few games I missed, including the entirety of the Dreamcast's line-up.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It's not just you, starting with last gen I was becoming disenchanted with the direction gaming was taking. Fast, flashy, and with no meat to it. Most games seem to follow that formula now. Basically 6 hour movies for $60.

Well, for me last gen was fine. I didn't feel like there were too many games that were striving to be the next big movie shooter at that time. Games like Ninja Gaiden Black and Resident Evil 4 really proved that if anything, last gen had some of the most "meaty" games out there. Games like those were OVERSTUFFED with content to the point it was almost overwhelming, but I was always compelled to get through all of it because the gameplay felt tight and focused. Not every game was necessarily on that level of quality, but I felt a lot of genuine effort and replayablity packed into most of my favorite games from last-gen. I just feel that its lacking from the modern mentality of game design found this gen. Hell, even the games that I listed I liked quite a bit from this gen are really short on content, including Sonic Generations and NG2 despite being designed as old-school games. That said those games still got by because they had replay value to them, and those are really the only 5 games that I have played this gen that I felt like replaying as soon as I was done with them. That's kind of sad given that I've played a lot more games than that this gen and almost half of them I couldn't even bother to finish all of the way through.

Yeah, last gen had some of the best games I've ever played.

Ninja Gaiden
Ratchet & Clank trilogy
Jak trilogy
Sly 1 & 2
Deus Ex
God Hand
Resident Evil 4 & REmake
Max Payne 1 & 2
Devil May Cry 1 & 3
Half-Life 1 & 2
F.E.A.R. (PC version was released during the previous era)
Fatal Frame 1-3
Silent Hill 2 & 3
Killer7
Metal Gear Solid 3
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Hitman: Blood Money
Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
Yakuza 1 & 2
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Metroid Prime 1 & 2
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
Serious Sam: First & Second Encounter
Painkiller

Might be my favorite console generation, actually. And this list isn't even counting all the PC exclusives that were released during the same time period. And I'm sure there are quite a few games I missed, including the entirety of the Dreamcast's line-up.

Yeah, those are all great games. To be honest, EVERY gen has tons of great games, it was just that last gen they were mostly 3D. You all know I love my 2D fix!

Also, you forgot Timesplitters like I did the other day. Man, do I want another Timesplitters.

[Foggle]

Also, you forgot Timesplitters like I did the other day. Man, do I want another Timesplitters.

I love TimeSplitters! I just always forget about it because I don't actually own it. Been holding out for PC versions that sadly never came...

Oh yeah, I also forgot Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath, KOTOR, Contra: Shattered Soldier, and Halo 1! Only reason my list has no Dreamcast games is because I've never owned a Dreamcast.

Yeah, those are all great games. To be honest, EVERY gen has tons of great games, it was just that last gen they were mostly 3D. You all know I love my 2D fix!

Yeah, it was pretty light on 2D games. Even lighter than this gen! The Wii and digital download services (XBLA, PSN, Steam, etc.) have really helped bring that style back.

[gunswordfist]

So, Foggle's post about anime kind of reminded me about something I wanted to say about gaming for quite a while now.

To be quite blunt, modern gaming....just isn't doing it for me anymore. I mean, there are some exceptions: I liked Halo: Reach, F.E.A.R. 2, Alan Wake, Sonic Generations, and Ninja Gaiden II....And that's it. The thing is, 2 of those 3 games (Sonic and Ninja Gaiden) were much more old-school in design and ironically felt fresh compared to most of the stuff we get today. The other 3 games are just those rare exceptions I suppose.

The main problem I have is that with everything else I try, I get bored, and can never bother to finish it. In fact its getting to the point where I can't even get into most games anymore.

It all really started with Oblivion, which was my first current-gen game. For a while, I was into it....and then I found the quests to get stale and repetitive and the game just started feeling really slow. I couldn't bother to go any further in it. I had a similar experience with the first Mass Effect, a game which I was really anticipating, but it just felt so boring and sluggish that I had to force myself to finish it. I actually felt that it was almost painful to play through Assassin's Creed, and by far I feel its the worst game that I happen to actually still own (only because I couldn't sell it for more than $5, anywhere). Most other stuff I play this gen is just flat out boring. I'm starting to fail to see how some of these games are as highly praised as they are, or how they stack up to games from the previous gen.

Maybe I'm just a snob and too used to older games (which isn't entirely true since I still love games from all the way up to last gen). That said, I'm starting to realize now that what most people currently consider good games is just completely the opposite of what I look for in games.

I was really into Arkham Asylum when it first came out....and then I beat it....and then that was it. It has no replay value for me whatsoever, and the challenge maps are pitiful attempts at adding longevity to the game, because the combat and stealth mechanics are so shallow. The same goes for Arkham City. It was OK for one play through, but its just flat-out boring for me now.

I played Dead Space for a while and kind of liked it, then I got to the 6th chapter and stopped. I still haven't picked it up again because it just got so monotonous that I got tired of it all (Alan Wake was really repetitive too, but IDK, something about that game was solid enough to keep me playing it, so I guess its just the charm Remedy inexplicably adds to their games, or something to that effect).

BioShock was a great experience....and then I never felt like picking it up again. The sequel was entertaining enough, but once again, it had no replay value for me.

I'm starting to realize that a ton of shooters, action games, and RPGs from this gen just fail to be any sort of fun for me, and for the longest time I was wondering if I was just too out of the loop or if games were just becoming stale.

Then I played Resident Evil 4. It was like a wave of nostalgia of sorts, in that it was a feeling I got from a game which I hadn't gotten in a long time, and by long time I mean since Ninja Gaiden Black from last-gen. That is to say, I was actually compelled to keep playing. It was addicting. I had to keep playing and come back for more (and I still want to replay it and do a bunch more stuff in it....except college gets in the way of that ). That's when I realized what that game and other games that I like had going for them (both retro and stuff from last-gen as well), and what most modern games lack for me. To be blunt, modern games are shallow. They have gorgeous visuals and great voice-acting and sound and whatnot, but their actual gameplay and their actual design honestly come off as so lazy and generic to me. Gameplay seems to become secondary to how a game looks these days. I feel like games just falsely throw extra modes in them which don't really amount to anything to make up for a lack of content. Higher difficulty settings are just a matter of switching from Normal to Hard whenever you want and all that happens is that enemies become sponges that soak up more damage and all of a sudden you can go down in just 2 hits. Also, since Gears of War, 90% of all TPS games have just cloned that formula, and now it feels like something incredibly generic. Call of Duty did the same thing for FPS games (at least on consoles).

As for Hack n' Slash games, most of them are just cheap God of War rip-offs. Every genre seems like it takes a popular game and then just falls into that game's formula. For me its just flat-out boring. The worst offender is adventure games all following the lead of Uncharted. That is to say that they are more concerned with being cinematic than actually being games.

So, to sum it all up, if I were to be brutally honest, I personally think that modern gaming in general just sucks.

Now, keep in mind that I'm only referring to the majority of popular genres in games. I don't consider old-school style platformers (even if they are new games) such as what's found on the Wii or handheld consoles, or any retro-style games of any sort to be so lacking. Its the main reason, in fact, that I really want to get a Wii, now. The XBOX360's library barely has any  value for me anymore, and aside from Yakzuza games and maybe a couple of other titles of interest, the PS3 is even worse.

Like I said, I know I'm coming off as a snob, and this is just my opinion, but this is how I honestly feel about games these days that are designed with "modern" sensibilities. I have REALLY tried my best to get into these games, but they just aren't doing it for me. Ninja Gaiden succumbing to these trends was pretty much the final straw for me. Honestly, Ninja Gaiden 3 now looks like yet another cheap God of War knock-off.

At this point I'm considering just selling off my XBOX360 and saving up some money for a Wii and a Nintendo DS. To be specific I mean the original DS, that is, since I can't currently afford a 3DS, unless I got that by itself and forgot about the Wii, which isn't happening since the Wii currently has a much bigger and stronger library of games since its much older than the 3DS. To me those are honestly the only gaming devices worth owning anymore (well that and the PC, but I'd be able to afford both of those AND a 3DS before I could afford a good PC to run games on).

It's not just you, starting with last gen I was becoming disenchanted with the direction gaming was taking. Fast, flashy, and with no meat to it. Most games seem to follow that formula now. Basically 6 hour movies for $60.

I WISH games were like that this gen. Seems like the ones I like are brown and slow.

[Rynnec]

I think the problem with most of the games of today is that they're always striving to be a "Franchise Killer". Every FPS has to be a Call of Duty-killer, every TPS game has to be a Gears of War-killer, every adventure game an Uncharted-killer, and so on. Usually this means copying the aesthetics of those games, while adding little to no of their own flair, instead of doing their own thing with the genre, causing them to be even more shallow than the games they're copying.  Developers of these genre's are just too afraid to take risks.

I WISH games were like that this gen. Seems like the ones I like are brown and slow.

That's another problem I have with this gen. It seems that every company these days is going out of their way to make games slower and more dull realistic looking, in order to pander to the casual crowd or something.

[gunswordfist]

Wii and PC are your best bets for quality games these days. Both have tons of great exclusives with a mix of old-school design mentality and modern production values. Plus, the Virtual Console and GOG.com/Steam make it easier than ever to discover "new" old games.

You should pick up Deus Ex 3 sometime. Best game of this gen by far, IMO.

Well looks like I need to get a better PC.

[gunswordfist]

It's not just you, starting with last gen I was becoming disenchanted with the direction gaming was taking. Fast, flashy, and with no meat to it. Most games seem to follow that formula now. Basically 6 hour movies for $60.

Well, for me last gen was fine. I didn't feel like there were too many games that were striving to be the next big movie shooter at that time. Games like Ninja Gaiden Black and Resident Evil 4 really proved that if anything, last gen had some of the most "meaty" games out there. Games like those were OVERSTUFFED with content to the point it was almost overwhelming, but I was always compelled to get through all of it because the gameplay felt tight and focused. Not every game was necessarily on that level of quality, but I felt a lot of genuine effort and replayablity packed into most of my favorite games from last-gen. I just feel that its lacking from the modern mentality of game design found this gen. Hell, even the games that I listed I liked quite a bit from this gen are really short on content, including Sonic Generations and NG2 despite being designed as old-school games. That said those games still got by because they had replay value to them, and those are really the only 5 games that I have played this gen that I felt like replaying as soon as I was done with them. That's kind of sad given that I've played a lot more games than that this gen and almost half of them I couldn't even bother to finish all of the way through.

Yeah, last gen had some of the best games I've ever played.

Ninja Gaiden
Ratchet & Clank trilogy
Jak trilogy
Sly 1 & 2
Deus Ex
God Hand
Resident Evil 4 & REmake
Max Payne 1 & 2
Devil May Cry 1 & 3
Half-Life 1 & 2
F.E.A.R. (PC version was released during the previous era)
Fatal Frame 1-3
Silent Hill 2 & 3
Killer7
Metal Gear Solid 3
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Hitman: Blood Money
Viewtiful Joe 1 & 2
Yakuza 1 & 2
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Metroid Prime 1 & 2
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay
Serious Sam: First & Second Encounter
Painkiller

Might be my favorite console generation, actually. And this list isn't even counting all the PC exclusives that were released during the same time period. And I'm sure there are quite a few games I missed, including the entirety of the Dreamcast's line-up.

PS2 was the best. Last gen was my 2nd favorite generation.

[Rosalinas Spare Wand]

Three words: Project Ten Dollars

[gunswordfist]

Three words: Project Ten Dollars

I was expecting something even worse.

[Foggle]

That shit doesn't even stop people from buying used, either. During the period where I very briefly worked at GameStop, I discovered that online passes and stuff rarely ever affect sales in any way.