Alienated With Modern Gaming

[VirtualScot]

I can't help but feel as this long generation go's on, i keep becoming more alienated from modern gaming. The blurring line between a film and a game, leading to most games to just feeling more of the same same. The continuing emphasis of online gaming over a core single player gameplay.

Sure every so often an Elder Scrolls comes along. But it's just not enough for me to care. When you look back at the past, the diversity the creativity that existed.

What happen? Was it the money men, or has everything been done. Im more inclined to believe the former. What do you guys think.

[lostruin]

I love playing on my Xbox 360 and usually play for a couple of hours a day! I play a mixture of gaming genre's that will test my gaming skill! I like the achievements and the sense of pride I get when I can bag a particularly tricky one! The fact is though that since multiplayer gaming got ever more popular, the gaming companies will tailor a game for the online market, if it needed for that particular title. COD is a prime example with more than 10 million players why wouldn't you cash in on this?

I tend to play Gears of War, which has both a cracking campaign and exceptional online play and you can play the campaign with friends.
I so like games like Fallout, where it is nothing more than you and a control pad, sitting there for hours on end, totally engrossed and trying to save the world single handedly!

[hydr0x]

You're apparently playing the wrong games then. Yes, the blockbusters are either streamlined movie-like experiences like Uncharted or Multiplayer oriented like CoD. But there's SO much more available out there. You have traditional blockbusters (Rayman Origins,Super Mario 3D Land...) experimental retail games(L.A. Noire, El Shaddai, Portal 2 and others), fantastic indie games (Minecraft, Orcs Must Die, Jamestown, SpaceChem, Binding of Isaac and many many more) and even more freeware titles and of course all the new iOS/Android stuff aswell. There's something for everyone surely, you just have to be able to discover it.

[Miketendo]

Don't forget about Indie titles. just think of all the titles that have been coming out that fit a classic gaming point of view. So even if you're not a GTA fan, you can still be a fan of modern day gaming, you just have to open your eyes.

[Darkstalker90]

It's far safer for publishers to churn out sequels to already-proven series' these days since game 'failures' seem to be huge disasters for companies. Whether publishers go over the top with those sorts of reactions is another matter altogether.

You just need to keep an eye out for the more obscure and inventive stuff, perhaps take a look at which system offers the most unique experiences. I'd say the Wii and DS have a nice variety of stuff that aren't all necessarily rehashes of old ideas. Games like Catherine on PS3 (can't wait for that one) prove that there are still creative games for the HD machines too.

At the end of the day, if you've been gaming for many years then it's only natural to have the 'been there, seen that' attitude because you will have seen so many games come and go, so many sequels etc.

[gunstarhero]

Unfortunatley, the original games that are being released tend to take a back-seat to the AAA titles. There are so many original and truly inspiring games being released all of the time, but the gaming masses on the whole don't bother with them, preferring the safety of what they know and are told they should be playing through advertising. Couple with that the fact that videogames have much wider mass-market appeal than what was apparent say 15 years ago, games companies are always going to produce what they know makes money and risk taking where a poor sales outcome can cripple a dev studio. Like most things, advertising plays a massive role in massaging our consciousnesses into what Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft et al believe we should be playing to supplement this. Whilst nobody will be able to convince me otherwise that the likes of the quie brilliant Portal 2 and Uncharted 3 are not worth playing, there are some fantastic games out there that got great reviews but were largely ignored, you just need to look for them.

Also, I would rather games did not go the way of digital download, but so many games on XBL, WiiWare and PSN are fantastic and have very retro feels to them that I cannot help but download the likes of Shadow Complex (Super Metroid) and Trials HD (Kickstart 2) but equally very original titles like Flower (PS3) are well worth anyone's time.

I have never felt alienated with modern games. I am a Retro Collector first and foremost, not really a Retro Gamer. I do play retro games all of the time (I've always got something on the go on some system) but I would suggest that 90% of my gaming time is spent playing modern games on modern consoles. I just never have enough time in the day to play everything I want to play!!

[VirtualScot]

Unfortunatley, the original games that are being released tend to take a back-seat to the AAA titles. There are so many original and truly inspiring games being released all of the time, but the gaming masses on the whole don't bother with them, preferring the safety of what they know and are told they should be playing through advertising. Couple with that the fact that videogames have much wider mass-market appeal than what was apparent say 15 years ago, games companies are always going to produce what they know makes money and risk taking where a poor sales outcome can cripple a dev studio. Like most things, advertising plays a massive role in massaging our consciousnesses into what Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft et al believe we should be playing to supplement this. Whilst nobody will be able to convince me otherwise that the likes of the quie brilliant Portal 2 and Uncharted 3 are not worth playing, there are some fantastic games out there that got great reviews but were largely ignored, you just need to look for them.

Also, I would rather games did not go the way of digital download, but so many games on XBL, WiiWare and PSN are fantastic and have very retro feels to them that I cannot help but download the likes of Shadow Complex (Super Metroid) and Trials HD (Kickstart 2) but equally very original titles like Flower (PS3) are well worth anyone's time.

I have never felt alienated with modern games. I am a Retro Collector first and foremost, not really a Retro Gamer. I do play retro games all of the time (I've always got something on the go on some system) but I would suggest that 90% of my gaming time is spent playing modern games on modern consoles. I just never have enough time in the day to play everything I want to play!!

I find it funny say your not much of a retro gamer, considering you own over 3000 games that are retro

[gunstarhero]

Unfortunatley, the original games that are being released tend to take a back-seat to the AAA titles. There are so many original and truly inspiring games being released all of the time, but the gaming masses on the whole don't bother with them, preferring the safety of what they know and are told they should be playing through advertising. Couple with that the fact that videogames have much wider mass-market appeal than what was apparent say 15 years ago, games companies are always going to produce what they know makes money and risk taking where a poor sales outcome can cripple a dev studio. Like most things, advertising plays a massive role in massaging our consciousnesses into what Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft et al believe we should be playing to supplement this. Whilst nobody will be able to convince me otherwise that the likes of the quie brilliant Portal 2 and Uncharted 3 are not worth playing, there are some fantastic games out there that got great reviews but were largely ignored, you just need to look for them.

Also, I would rather games did not go the way of digital download, but so many games on XBL, WiiWare and PSN are fantastic and have very retro feels to them that I cannot help but download the likes of Shadow Complex (Super Metroid) and Trials HD (Kickstart 2) but equally very original titles like Flower (PS3) are well worth anyone's time.

I have never felt alienated with modern games. I am a Retro Collector first and foremost, not really a Retro Gamer. I do play retro games all of the time (I've always got something on the go on some system) but I would suggest that 90% of my gaming time is spent playing modern games on modern consoles. I just never have enough time in the day to play everything I want to play!!

I find it funny say your not much of a retro gamer, considering you own over 3000 games that are retro

I know, I do spend a few hours a week playing older games, but in the main this is nostalgia - I enjoy the collecting and history of videogames probably more than playing most retro games. I think part of this is because I've entered my forties now, so in some respects I don't need to play many of the older games to see what they are like as I played them back in the day (but of course there are still some gems I missed that I enjoy the buzz discovering for the first time just like anyone else). I have been playing Speedball 2 and Thunderforce IV lots recently though

[VirtualScot]

Unfortunatley, the original games that are being released tend to take a back-seat to the AAA titles. There are so many original and truly inspiring games being released all of the time, but the gaming masses on the whole don't bother with them, preferring the safety of what they know and are told they should be playing through advertising. Couple with that the fact that videogames have much wider mass-market appeal than what was apparent say 15 years ago, games companies are always going to produce what they know makes money and risk taking where a poor sales outcome can cripple a dev studio. Like most things, advertising plays a massive role in massaging our consciousnesses into what Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft et al believe we should be playing to supplement this. Whilst nobody will be able to convince me otherwise that the likes of the quie brilliant Portal 2 and Uncharted 3 are not worth playing, there are some fantastic games out there that got great reviews but were largely ignored, you just need to look for them.

Also, I would rather games did not go the way of digital download, but so many games on XBL, WiiWare and PSN are fantastic and have very retro feels to them that I cannot help but download the likes of Shadow Complex (Super Metroid) and Trials HD (Kickstart 2) but equally very original titles like Flower (PS3) are well worth anyone's time.

I have never felt alienated with modern games. I am a Retro Collector first and foremost, not really a Retro Gamer. I do play retro games all of the time (I've always got something on the go on some system) but I would suggest that 90% of my gaming time is spent playing modern games on modern consoles. I just never have enough time in the day to play everything I want to play!!

I find it funny say your not much of a retro gamer, considering you own over 3000 games that are retro

I know, I do spend a few hours a week playing older games, but in the main this is nostalgia - I enjoy the collecting and history of videogames probably more than playing most retro games. I think part of this is because I've entered my forties now, so in some respects I don't need to play many of the older games to see what they are like as I played them back in the day (but of course there are still some gems I missed that I enjoy the buzz discovering for the first time just like anyone else). I have been playing Speedball 2 and Thunderforce IV lots recently though

I have played Speedball 2 on the SMS. Never got into it honestly. It's just a poor sports game with futuristic twist to me. Though perhaps i might find some enjoyment playing it with a mate.

[argan1985]

On some level, I feel as if a lot of developers today are out of ideas. It's like they have a template for a game, and follow it to perfection, but not much more. Just look at games like System Shock, Worms, The Last Express, Dungeon Keeper, Planescape: Torment...hell, even Carmageddon (who would ever think to do such a game today?!)....there was a lot more diversity among games. Yes, I know I am missing all the good indie titles, but the gaming industry on a bigger level simply isn't as fun as it used to be.

I'm sure part of it is nostalgia, but it does feel on some level as if developers put more effort into the games they developed 15-20 years ago. As an example, look at Betrayal in Antara....in the manual, the game lead designer has written two pages of why he got to work with the game, what the team's vision for it is and is enthusiastic about the experience they want to deliver. That's not something you see today.

Even companies that used to release solid, well-developed products 10 years ago are streamlining their development of games to cater to a casual gamers. Just look at Bioware, and compare Knights of the Old Republic with Dragon Age 2 (or for that matter, Mass Effect 3)...such a difference in gameplay, and obviously created to capture a wider audience. This in itself isn't necessarily bad, but the way it has been done in these games is.

Another thing I'm missing are deep games. I play games mainly for their storyline, so Planescape: Torment is probably my favourite game of all time. I could spend the rest of the night describing how good it is in all aspects, but will there ever be such a game again? I doubt it, because the game industry isn't really interested in such products.

FPS are not my favourite genre, but I find this video hilarious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1ZtBCpo0eU

[BuckoA51]

On some level, I feel as if a lot of developers today are out of ideas. It's like they have a template for a game, and follow it to perfection, but not much more.

Possibly true, it could be that all genres have been invented now. Can you think of a new genre?

there was a lot more diversity among games. Yes, I know I am missing all the good indie titles, but the gaming industry on a bigger level simply isn't as fun as it used to be.

Then your argument is invalid. Remember that when the likes of System Shock, Worms etc were made, teams were much smaller anyway. The same sized teams are churning out the indie titles.

For properly deep games you need to really get into PC gaming, things like STALKER, Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander immediately spring to mind. Plus you'll also get access to the best library of Indie games and versions of games like Batman - Arkham City that are leaps and bounds better than the console versions.....

....and really, go play Batman on the Spectrum then go play Arkham City, and tell me that games have got worse

[gamesgaryjp]

We are currently in an online-obsessed COD generation. Too many generic shooters.

But if you look a little deeper, there are still competent gaming experiences to be had. Shooters can be tremendous when mixed with a little of another genre to create something diverse and unique.

Shooters like Borderlands & Dead Island offer RPG elements and an open world to explore, lasting 50 hours plus of pure enjoyment.

Theres also many companies bringing fantastic japanese games to the uk, Rising Star, Ghostlight, NIS America etc....but the trouble with this is they tend to shoot up in price and rarely go cheap so you miss out.

Im disappointed with the Xbox 360 at the minute, no signs of any JRPG's on the horizon. The last ones besides the obvious (FF) were in 2009, Magna Carta 2 and Tales Of Vesperia.

So, after all that waffle, to sum up - i have been impressed with this generation, many different awesome gaming expariences as long as you steer clear of the generic war shooters and online crap. I stick to the games where all effort has been put into the single player, not online.

[argan1985]

On some level, I feel as if a lot of developers today are out of ideas. It's like they have a template for a game, and follow it to perfection, but not much more.

Possibly true, it could be that all genres have been invented now. Can you think of a new genre?

there was a lot more diversity among games. Yes, I know I am missing all the good indie titles, but the gaming industry on a bigger level simply isn't as fun as it used to be.

Then your argument is invalid. Remember that when the likes of System Shock, Worms etc were made, teams were much smaller anyway. The same sized teams are churning out the indie titles.

For properly deep games you need to really get into PC gaming, things like STALKER, Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander immediately spring to mind. Plus you'll also get access to the best library of Indie games and versions of games like Batman - Arkham City that are leaps and bounds better than the console versions.....

....and really, go play Batman on the Spectrum then go play Arkham City, and tell me that games have got worse

Hm, maybe you're somewhat right. I'm probably just bitter that my type of game (RPGs like Arcanum and Planescape: Torment) aren't made anymore.

[BuckoA51]

You could try Magika or Recettear. First one's sort of more diablo-ish but not with random levels, second is more JRPG style but well worth a look.

[Collz69]

Ive got to agree, im feeling pretty bored with the current gen atm.

Im bored to death of all the multi-format releases of COD & the COD clones & all the boring Fifa releases etc, I hate what EA have done to the games market.

The only current gen games ive been playing lately are Super Mario Galaxy 2, NSMB wii & Super Mario 3D land, (really enjoying these at the moment) hopefully with the release of Wii U & the New super mario bros 2 game on 3DS things should be looking up.
As far as most current gen stuff is concerened I would agree that a lot of its about graphics now & most games, although different seem to follow the same story.

Retro games im playing at the minute are Yoshi's Island, Mario Picross & turtles in time (they just dont make them like this anymore)

[EvilTheHuman]

[
....and really, go play Batman on the Spectrum then go play Arkham City, and tell me that games have got worse

That may be true but go play Batman on NES or Adventures of Batman and Robin on MD/SNES and then play any other any superhero game on current gen without Arkham in the title and tell me games have got better.

Best game released this year for me is Metal Gear HD. Says it all.

[argan1985]

You could try Magika or Recettear. First one's sort of more diablo-ish but not with random levels, second is more JRPG style but well worth a look.

Hm, I'm not too fond of Japanese-style games, but thanks for the tip. I might try it.

[Videopac]

I feel a little alienated from modern gaming but I think it might be my rose tinted glasses…
My life and priorities have changed; disposable income went a long time ago. Gone are the days when I’d take 10 decent games into town and come back with 10 replacements to play in the coming week. Partially it’s because I think paying over £20 for a game is theft. I can only justify one brand new game a year tbh.
I enjoy COD and Fallout but they are so in depth/good that I just have no need to buy other games. I have a real lack of time for getting into anything new. (I will be playing boring 1st person shooters online in many years time even if it is the same old song and dance.)
In some ways perhaps I am getting what I want from modern gaming, confusing feeling alienated with my love for the nostalgia? I love being able to throw in a tape/cart/disc and playing 10 levels of a fairly simple but robust platform game for 30 mins.
………10 levels in 30mins!! When did you last get that from a mainstream modern game?
Nathan.

[BuckoA51]

That may be true but go play Batman on NES or Adventures of Batman and Robin on MD/SNES and then play any other any superhero game on current gen without Arkham in the title and tell me games have got better.

Okay, so by cherry picking good retro games and bad modern games we can prove conclusively that retro games are the best, thanks for clearing that up

[Miketendo]

At times, it can be frustrating to be a retro gamer in the current age of gaming. Games are never "complete works," now they take a "fix it post-launch" situation. It's great that they can launch it then fix it, but why not launch it until it works?

Also, the DLC can be frustrating on the wallet. I've been working for a VERY long time on an article for Hot Button Topics about Physical v.s. Virtual, and have just been too busy between my actual full time job, writing for Pixel Nation and Retro Collect, plus my new youtube show, to finish the article.

However, the feelings I get from some games are still there. Playing Arkham City was just so awesome and felt so good, We finally got a GOOD Wolverine game this generation in Origins, and Saints Row 3 had me sink more hours into a game than I've done since (probably) Final Fantasy VII. On the Wii front, Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, New Super Mario Bros, No More Heroes 2, the Metroid games, Muramasa, Trauma Center games, and the slew of downloadable titles for both these systems have been incredible. I guess it's all in how you go about exploring for new games. If you want everything to be 8-bit, you're going to get left in the dust. But there are some excellent homebrew and indie developers that are pumping out quality work like Super Meat Boy, La Mulana, Cave Story and that new 8-bit GTA type game that are all excellent future classics.