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I like and prefer cinematic games over artsy indie titles...

Indies tend to appeal to a specific crowd and aren't as accessible as the big games. They try to do a small set of things and the cream do that small set extremely well. The downside here is that they only appeal to people who like what the game focuses on. Braid and limbo are a perfect example of this, they're raised numerous times in this thread. Of course you aren't going to like them if you don't like platformers or puzzlers but people play them anyway.

There's a huge number of indie devs developing games to their idea of what is good, if you don't find some you like, then unlucky for you I guess.
 
I don`t play much indie games. They are interesting in way how experimental they are and how... artsy they look, but gameplay itself can`t keep my attention.

World Of Goo is awesome though.
 
stuff like Bayonetta and Vanquish > indie titles > linear cinematic hand-holding plot-driven focus on facial animations and cut-scenes as gods gift to gaming
 
Calling Super Meat Boy "artsy" is insane. It's one of the most gameplay driven games I have ever played. The controls are extremely tight and the levels very well designed.
 
Its honestly tiring to debate indie vs. AAA.

I played through the indie game Experiment 12 in a full sitting a couple of weeks ago. I loved every second of it. Frog Fractions and Winnie the Pooh Baseball were phenomenal games that came out of nowhere.

Just now I blazed through The Ballad of Gay Tony and started a new Red Dead Redemption playthrough before the GTA V blitz. I also just beat MGS2 again.

Indie games and small videogame studios have proven themselves, and the bigger studios that have created fantastic games in the past and present continue to do better. I don't want this medium to devolve into one method of development or the other. Both exist and can continue growing artistically and mechanically.
 
I am with you TC. I don't seem to enjoy Indie games. I like them, appreciate them, but playing through them becomes a chore. And I have been gaming since past 16 years.
 
I feel the same as the OP. The only indie game that I've enjoyed so far is the Unfinished Swan, and even with that it was more to the way Move is implemented rather than the game.

I think my problem with a lot of indies is that they want to recreate the games from their childhood which was the NES/SNES era and I grew up on the ps1 and ps2 games. Case in point RCR or Hotline Miami.
 
Kerbal space program is an indie game I believe. The first one I've really connected with as well. It amazes me that none of the big studios never made a realistic space sim with tons of charm
There are a ton of indie games out there, look for more. I think the majority of the good ones are on PC
 
I find that I get WAY more excited for big budget games like Gears/Halo/Uncharted, but by the time they come out and I actually play them I always find them disappointing.

I never really get excited for indie or arcade games, but I always end up actually having more fun with them.
 
I prefer AAA, Indie games are made to appeal a certain culture that I'm not a part of, either by the way they are written or the graphic style.
 
I prefer system-heavy, mechanically-driven games over them both.

CadetMahoney said:
stuff like Bayonetta and Vanquish > indie titles > linear cinematic hand-holding plot-driven focus on facial animations and cut-scenes as gods gift to gaming
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Hear, hear!
 
I don't know about cinematic games, but I do still prefer AAA games and smaller games that still have a budget and some kind of production values behind them over indie games. My complaints about indie stuff has been well known on here for a while but during the Steam sale I bought FTL, Hotline Miami and Fez which are 3 of the most recent notable indie games and my complaints are still the same. They're still mostly shallow games that don't have a lot to them, and one of the weirder trends I've seen is pretending that these games are more complex than AAA games. I get that we're all frustrated with AAA games and that they're factually not as good or deep as they used to be, but holding up simplistic low budget games over them doesn't strike me as being the answer we need.

Now stuff like Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity look great but those are being funded with $3+ million. Way more than most of these indie games ever get.
 
I prefer extravagant and overly expensive productions myself as well.

It usually is a matter of time you know, every hour I can allocate to gaming I want it filled with the most pompous thing the industry has to offer. That's why I hate time vampires like terraria or minecraft.
 
Derrick01 said:
They're still mostly shallow games that don't have a lot to them, and one of the weirder trends I've seen is pretending that these games are more complex than AAA games..
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Most indie games aren't mechanically complex, but they aren't afraid to challenge the player and let them figure things out for themselves. AAA games these days are so terrified that some players might get frustrated, they're designed so lobotomized monkeys can play them. There are markers constantly telling you were to go, the level design is extremely simple and linear, there's almost zero chance of failure, and you can't even open doors for yourself.

While indie games tend to be simple, they acknowledge the fact that I have a brain, and that's why I prefer them to AAA games. That said, my favorite games are western games from the late 90's, early 2000's. It's sad to think we'll never see another proper System Shock, Gothic, Thief, Hitman, Bloodlines, or Deus Ex.
 
Nimajneb said:
That said, my favorite games are western games from the late 90's, early 2000's. It's sad to think we'll never see another proper System Shock, Gothic, Thief, Hitman, Bloodlines, or Deus Ex.
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This is what Indies can do if they want to start getting my attention. They can make games like those without a budget in the millions. I'll even take games that look just like Deus Ex if it means it'll play like and have level design like Deus Ex.

But as long as they stick to the NES/SNES/early PC game formula they're never going to get my respect. Those are too simple for me.
 
One of the reasons the "indie" vs "AAA" conversation is pretty bullshit is because it relies on people winging it when it comes to what games are "indie" and "AAA". Games are assigned one or the other or excluded from the conversation entirely based mostly on convenience, allowing people to say stuff like "AAA games are shallow when compared to indie games". Are games like Dragon's Crown and Serious Sam 3 "indie"? Sure, throw 'em in! Are games like XCOM and Civ and Mirror's Edge and Metal Gear Rising and Monster Hunter and Dark Souls "AAA"? Oh no, no no no, that's not right, of course they aren't!

Derrick01 said:
But as long as they stick to the NES/SNES/early PC game formula they're never going to get my respect. Those are too simple for me.
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For the most part, the "indie" games that aim to be like classics from these eras fall short.
 
I love 2D games. Always have and always will. "artsy" doesn't come in as a descriptor for me in indie games because I just consider personal endeavor from people in this medium a form of art. It doesn't always denote something having lofty intent or highbrow ideals.

I have nothing against 3D or big budget games... but I know what I like in terms of gameplay and design.
 
Right now, I like better indies than cinematic games. Most indies games are now made by developers that made cinematic games before.

Most AAA games now disappointed me and don't appeal to me. They are either shooters or are dark adventures games. I don't care on these games anymore. I need my colors and right now only Nintendo and the indies are there for me. If I want a dark cinematic experience, I'll watch a sci-fi or horror movies.
 
Limbo, Flower, Braid, Super Meat Boy, Super Stardust HD, Pap & Yo, etc.
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I demand Super Meat Boy not be mentioned with this indie trash above. It transcends the indie game stereotype and should be classified among the real platformers as opposed to "RETRO INDIE PLATFORMER #4823 XD"

I do agree with you though, if we're talking stuff like Uncharted/TLoU. Can't stand 95% of the indie games I've played.
 
Derrick01 said:
But as long as they stick to the NES/SNES/early PC game formula they're never going to get my respect. Those are too simple for me.
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Guess what most NES/SNES games are maybe simple but most are more difficult than the current AAA games. I think that's where the indies want to bring.
 
I imagine a good portion of GAF agrees with you, OP.

But not me though, I hate cinematic games. Never had a use for 'em. Indie games and retro styled games are where it's at for me.
 
chris3116 said:
Guess what most NES/SNES games are maybe simple but most are more difficult than the current AAA games. I think that's where the indies want to bring.
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Many of them were difficult because they weren't programmed correctly or tested well. Difficulty doesn't necessarily equal more interesting anyway. Super Meat Boy is really difficult, for me anyway, but it's also way more boring and simplistic than most of the AAA games that I bash on here and thus less interesting.
 
Good thing cinematic games and artsy indie titles aren't the only two choices.
Just looking at my Steam library, here's the my favorite games that don't fall into either category:

  • Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed
  • Skullgirls
  • Team Fortress 2
  • Rise of the Triad (2013)
  • Worms Armageddon
  • Dark Souls
  • Jamestown
  • Jet Set Radio
  • Scribblenauts Unlimited
  • XCOM: Enemy Unknown
And that's not even hitting up Nintendo. Most of Nintendo's library doesn't fall into either category.
Not that those categories are bad, but so often the discussion hits extremes like those.
 
This reminds me how funny it is that cinematic is used as an insult nowadays. I remember when MGS first came out everyone praised how "cinematic" it was.
 
Fortunately the gaming industry is big enough and diverse enough to support both the AAA and the indie scene. It is just a shame people feel the need to nail their colors to the wall and post inflammatory nonsense like this:

rjc571 said:
Do people who like high budget cinematic garbage games also enjoy watching Michael Bay movies?
Click to expand...
 
Well I think one thing needs to be made abundantly clear. Indie games are not inherently 'artsy'. Super Meat Boy or Guacemelee or FTL or Super Hexagons or whatever are not artsy games. If we are talking about your Braid's and Limbo's and your Hotline Miami's, there's an argument that THOSE games are crappy. I'll admit, I found Brain and Limbo boring as fuck. Hotline Miami was good though, but it really had a worst/wannabe storyline compared to Spec Ops: The Line ... a AAA game =P

Though how can you not be interested in say a game like Papers Please and Gone Home? I haven't played either, but the premise' looks interesting. I don't expect gameplay to necessarily blow me away though but the thing is, neither do AAA cinematic games generally. With indie games, I'm definitely getting something different, setting and gameplay wise, that is what is important to me. I will say I don't think the indie scene has that game that is a total must play, I certainly haven't come across it, unless you count Journey which I adore but is sort of not really indie.
 
Variety is the spice of life. It's a great thing that you can enjoy the superb stealth of Mark of the Ninja, the phenomenal design of Spelunky, great storytelling like Gone Home and the wonderful atmosphere and clever puzzles of Year Walk, as well as a a great AAA game like The Last of Us or something with the ambition of GTA V. That and everything in between like the superb strategy of Fire Emblem, the masterful level design of Dark Souls, the incredible depth of Bayonetta and the wonderfully quirky and rich fun of Wonderful 101. Gaming is more than indie or cinematic AAA. They are just labels anyway. A good game is a good game and there are many good games in this day and age.

Oh, and Super Hexagon is a masterpiece.
 
MrVargas said:
I really want to like the artsy/trendy/acclaimed indie titles like Limbo, Flower, Braid, Super Meat Boy, Super Stardust HD, Pap & Yo, etc.

As someone who is engulfed in gaming and gaming culture (listen to podcasts, regular NeoGAF visitor, own all the systems, and of course play as much as I can) I get the impression that someone who doesn't prefer those games over the typical big budget cinematic games has poor taste. I think I've even uttered things to that effect.

However, I have to be honest with myself and the truth is that it feels like a chore when I play those games. Games like Skyrim, and Uncharted, and Gears of War are the games that excite me and make me feel like a little kid. Now those are great games and that is understandable, but I find even 2nd and 3rd tier big budget games like Singularity, Enslaved, and the Darkness are much more fun and exciting for me than any of those indie titles.

Am I alone in this? Does anyone else feel like this? Or do I just have poor taste (as decided by the connoisseurs of gaming culture aka GAF)?
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I prefer a cinematic experience as well and enjoy the big AAA games over the indies, but that's fine, it's not one or the other, it's whatever you enjoy, I do sometimes buy indie titles but I
usually stick with the AAA's.
 
Derrick01 said:
I don't know about cinematic games, but I do still prefer AAA games and smaller games that still have a budget and some kind of production values behind them over indie games. My complaints about indie stuff has been well known on here for a while but during the Steam sale I bought FTL, Hotline Miami and Fez which are 3 of the most recent notable indie games and my complaints are still the same. They're still mostly shallow games that don't have a lot to them, and one of the weirder trends I've seen is pretending that these games are more complex than AAA games. I get that we're all frustrated with AAA games and that they're factually not as good or deep as they used to be, but holding up simplistic low budget games over them doesn't strike me as being the answer we need.

Now stuff like Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity look great but those are being funded with $3+ million. Way more than most of these indie games ever get.
Click to expand...

This is just me, but Hotline Miami was my favorite shooter of 2012, period.
 
I like The Last of Us
I like Dark Souls
I like Journey
I kickstarted Project Eternity

Help me find my identity, GAF, I can't do it by myself, it is just too hard.
 
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