What Gamers Want, and What We Don't Get.

On 02/27/2013 at 12:53 PM by ActivisionStoleMy360

This has been a recurring issue, I think as time has gone on about what we as gamers want and what we don't. I find it interesting that we continue to see games come on to the market that appear to lack depth, story telling or any sort of truly challenging aspect in lieu of a more dumbed down version of pretty much everything.

Looking back at some games that had fantastic puzzles as compared to now, I guess we have no choice but to start with the original Legend of Zelda. I still have my strategy book (ya, book) that has no pictures, only descriptions, and diagrams that roughly look like a cartographers map without any sort of color! While this may seam bland, this guide helped alot, even though the game was still really challenging. I hate to say moving forward we traded challenge for graphics! Only recently (with Skyward Sword) did we see Nintendo truly go through the idea of character development! Its not even the most obvious development of the characters you would expect!

Moving onward, I would argue that the story depth is really starting to disapppear as well, and I say that while looking at YOU Mass Effect trilogy *glares*. The game went from being a truly inspired WRPG in the beginning, to having the RPG elements stripped out in the middle while retaining the story, to completely dumbing down the story in the end to pander to the masses. While I know you can force a round peg through a square hole and argue that it still works, it pains me to know that once EA got a hold of Bioware, the "Anti-creative clause" went into effect and you have what you see before you.

Now, after all my rambling, I know, so I guess I ask, what do gamers want? I ask this because as I sat around last night looking at my game collection I thought..."I want to go on an adventure, something with depth, with all the bells and whistles! something refined, yet unafraid to explore all elements of a hero's tale." I looked blankly at my collection of games that had 2's,3's and 4's in front of them..I couldn't help but wonder if other gamers hit that wall also? Do you ever feel you want to have a great adventure but your EA and Activision games cut out a majority of the depth from story games so that they don't offend the "non thinkers?" What is your opinion?

Aboboisdaman

02/27/2013 at 02:28 PM

Somehow I get the feeling that you don't like EA or Activision lol. They sure do like to play it safe and pump out sequel after sequel. Look at Madden for crying out loud. I wish game companies would take more risks every now and then. I guess they don't because it costs so dang much to make a game. I've been playing a lot of Indie games lately just to have some variety. There's some great stuff out there.

ActivisionStoleMy360

02/27/2013 at 02:41 PM

I can't stand either...to me they are cancer that is slowly choking the life out of the game industry! If you think about it, corporate culture does not harbor an environment to be creative like that! Its why I always tought publicily traded companies and game companies simply do not mix!

I guess I look back at what used to be, and my real issue over Activision came around the time they ruined the CoD communities. WHen CoD was a big deal at the 4th installment, communities built around the PC game were built around servers, clans, and the creativity of the community to make their own maps, govern their own servers etc...They effectively killed that community by changing it...EA on the other hand, there are so many things wrong with what they do! Its a corporation run by bankers to try and sell a product to one of the most tech savy information hungry, instantaneously talkative bunch..and they just don't get it!

I guess I look back and see Bioware as just Bioware, and Blizzard as just Blizzard and I look at their products before and after...its this incredibly blatent difference in product quality, depth and even quantity! I mean hell you got so much more for what you paid, they supported it, gave you free stuff they liked etc...Its just hard making those comparisons.

Travis Hawks Senior Editor

02/27/2013 at 02:34 PM

I want everything from mindless trash like Vanquish to deeply thoughtful experiences like Journey along with completely new things I can't even imagine. It's easy to get negative about the medium with all the games that are the big sellers, but other more nuanced games are out there without too much searching. It's pretty much the same issue all media has, but I wouldn't give up Tom Clancy in order to have more books by David Sedaris either. I think we're in a pretty good place right now.

02/27/2013 at 02:45 PM

I certainly hope so, but I mean I look at games like Fable III for example! there is so much unrealized potential there! Then I look back at the original and it makes me crazy! Same with StarCraft(Broodwar's too) and Starcraft 2...seriously! I got 3 games for the price of 1 back then, and with only a few cinematic scenes the story held my attention!

Games like World of Warcraft have been living off the blood of Warcraft III with their new content really failing because keeping the creative staff at a high price just isn't in activision's model...I guess you can go crazy doing that and looking at things that way, but I can't help it at times.

HEKTR0

02/27/2013 at 02:37 PM

I had that Zelda book as well once. I got stuck in the last dungeon circling the same 8 rooms because I couldn't understand the directions.

02/27/2013 at 02:42 PM

It was hard, and fulfilling, you were like on top of the world though as you progressed! I mean it required a certain level of skill! Stuff just isn't like that anymore as standards for intelligent responses start to go away..it makes me sad really.

BrokenH

02/27/2013 at 02:56 PM

I noticed this between RE 4 and RE 6. RE 4 had interesting puzzles and rewarded you when you backtracked and explored. RE 6 rushes you forward and the puzzles consist of pulling levers or shooting bells. (Though there was one puzzle in Ada's campaign which was more inspired!) I'm looking forward to RE Revelations though. (And I didn't totally hate RE 6. I enjoyed it immensly for what it was yet it has its' faults.)

02/27/2013 at 03:04 PM

Exactly, it takes away to much, it makes the game good, but removes the elements that make it unforgetable. I say that as I look at Mass Effect...I stood inline at mid night during mid-terms week outside of BestBuy to get Mass Effect 2...I played it through and picked up EVERY (52 of 52 of the original achievements) achievement there was...I enjoyed it immensely, but it took away the level of customization I really got into during the original...then 3 came along, and it made the series forgettable. sadly.

02/27/2013 at 03:27 PM

I still want to get ME 3 just to complete the story. Still, I think EA should reevaluate how it handles its' games in the near future!

02/27/2013 at 03:38 PM

I have been saying and hope that for to long. A lot of these companies are run by bankers and hard numbers people! I can't say I blame them, because they are publically traded companies, and the shareholders demand such knowledge! I do think that they believe they are acting in their shareholders best interest, but these "cash scams," because thats what they are, just don't do it, and show a severe lack of understanding of those that they sell to. You need only look at www.barrons.com to see their stock prices dropping constantly...Until a real gamers gets in their, is the CEO and shows a promising direction, I think that problem will persist in both EA and Activision....I also think the shrinking landscape of companies releasing high quality products (i.e capitalism) is starting to crumble, leaving very few, meaning quality has dropped and there isn't a really suitable alternative to drive either of these companies to improve...

02/27/2013 at 09:02 PM

True. I don't like the monopolies that seem to be popping up. It's gotten to a point either a game is AAA and succeeds or it's overlooked and fails. Some of my favorite games this generation have been rather B-budget and quirky. Everything from Nier to Deadly Premonition had lackluster visuals but a lot of heart and personality. Alan Wake and Enslaved are two other titles I wish did better. It seems "originality" is punished these days. Almost makes me want to blame the new "dude/bro demographic" but I know the problem is deeper than that!

Matt Snee Staff Writer

02/27/2013 at 05:04 PM

There's always hope in the indie gaming scene. More indie games are being made now than ever, so there's always hope that new stuff will come out. The big AAA are bound to get lame, but there's always the occassional Bioshock 1, or HAlf-Life 2, and even though Mass Effect was EA, it was an inspired series, despite its faults. Now Dragon Age 2 -- that makes me want to pull my hair out.

02/27/2013 at 05:40 PM

Actually, the original Mass Effect was a Microsoft published title by an independant Bioware...Mass Effect 2 & 3 were EA :-/

angelfaceband42

02/27/2013 at 05:09 PM

I agree with the shortage of creativity in creating puzzling/challenging experiences. This really didn't begin to hit me until 2 nights ago. I went by Redbox for the first time in a while and saw Crysis 3 was available so I got it. The game has great reviews and metascore but I was bored by it. It's still more of the same. Added onto that, look at the new tomb raider reviews. It's supposedly a good game, but obviously with references to RE6 and Uncharted the puzzle elements are gone.

02/27/2013 at 05:42 PM

The problem is that they are pandering to the lowest level of intelligence. Not to say those games aren't fun, but I mean games used to challenge your mind, inspire you with their story and really make it a great adventure with as many choices as humanly possible in terms of customization of gear/looks and even different endings...I just crave that because I guess I see that potential and its just...not...reached!

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/27/2013 at 06:27 PM

I care more about character development in books and movies than in games. I'm not saying that because I don't think games can be art, or I don't like it when games have grat storylines, it's just that in those cases, the story is the entire experience, whereas for a game to be fun, it doesn't necessarily have to be part of the experience at all; it just has to be fun.

Now a dumb, long, boring story I can't skip through? That can be annoying.

SanAndreas

02/27/2013 at 08:36 PM

I know what I'd like: a game with an indie spirit and an AAA budget. :)

That said, most indie games are as derivative of other works as the AAA games, while not all big-budget games are bad. Ni no Kuni, a big-budget RPG, has been quite wonderful.

Justin Matkowski Staff Alumnus

02/27/2013 at 10:14 PM

At the end of the day, for me it comes down to two things: gameplay and some x-factor that the game possesses that you can't quite put your finger on. In terms of story and character development, I find myself sharing Joe Step's opinion; I truly appreciate a great story and fleshed-out characters, but I don't want the gameplay to suffer in favor of chasing a cinematic presentation. I think aping the film industry by bogging down the game with massive set pieces and QTE's is a mistep for the medium. I can honestly say I have only played a handful of games that, in my opinion, struck that perfect balance between an engrossing narrative and enjoyable gameplay.

I guess you could call my philosophy and priorities for what I want out of gaming to be THE EXACT OPPOSITE of David Cage's; to me, technology should support a strong foundation concept, and I find this generation's (and the way it's shaping up, next generation as well) striving for realism to be more of a hindrence than a contribution to gaming.

PixlBit