My gaming habits are changing…
I have noticed that over the years my gaming habits have dramatically changed. It could be that perhaps I am getting older and I am more busy that I just don’t have time for such epic and long games anymore… Burning away hours or days playing just one game, and taking in one long intense experience. It seems that I am more into really short games that catch my attention quickly with some sort of unique game mechanic and satisfy my needs with in a couple minutes or hours worth of game play. Perhaps this is why I am enjoying the flash gaming scene so much, it seems that the nature of flash games have always been something quick, appealing and unique. A lot of Flash games get right to the point, it’s like “okay buddy here you go, use this and go!!!”. While a lot of more bigger budget games, although fun tend to feel the need to stretch things way out and fill in the gaps with pointless filler… Making for long agonizing, repetitive, same old game play. They do what works.
I have also come to realize that I am caring less and less about graphics, if you can give me a good story or unique/addictive experience, I am good to go! When I play a lot of the console games it’s all about “how pretty can we make this” and less about “how fun can we make this”. It’s not to say I don’t love good graphics, there are plenty of games that I have played where I would spend hours just exploring and looking around the landscape in amazement… But then really after that I just turn the game off… Because once again the game does nothing more then look so amazing but lack actual fun (with a few exceptions).
Also this huge, HUGE push for multi-player gaming really, really bugs me. I don’t hate other people, but it is seeming that when I game I am wanting for it to be more of a personal experience then a social one. I don’t have time nor do I want to deal with following or giving orders. All I want to do is just sit back relax and have an amazing experience without worrying about anyone else. I really don’t find co-op, or any of that sort fun anymore, it’s just pointless stress I don’t really need, I play a game to relieve stress not to create it.
It’s seeming more and more that if I play a game for the first time if it doesn’t pull me in with something simple and fun with in the first couple of seconds I won’t play the game (thank god for demos!). Really when I think about it I really wish for the type of games that were made back in the 80′s early 90′s… Back in the Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis era. Because they were unable to really put so much focus into graphics they focused on what would made the games fun. They even seem to put a lot more focus into story, back then seem like almost every single game tried to have a story of some sort, for better or worse. I have also begin to noticed that I am being drawn more to “experimental” types of games. The type of games that focus entirely not on pushing the limits of the tech, but giving you a completely new and different way to experience a “game”. Anyone else with me on this sort or am I the minority?
