Support NeoGAF

[Dice]

I notice that these days that if I play an action game, I play for like half an hour then I'm all "that's enough excitement for now" and need to chill. If it's a particularly intense game like Left 4 Dead 2 or Jamestown then I may just play one level and be done. I noticed this as a pattern as I have been going back to play a bunch of old FPS games. I've actually ended up putting the most time into Hexen, which is mostly exploration and puzzle based.

Overall, that's where my tastes are headed. Some of my favorite games in recent times have been Tomb Raider games. They're pretty comfortable with enough going on in level design to be interesting and just a touch of action to spice things up. RPGs are good if I can stick with them, but if I take a break for too long I forget how everything works and what I was doing.

I know in many ways game design has gone down the shitter, but I try to select only the best games for purchase so I don't think that's it. It's just that in general, my tastes seems to be settling into geezer mode. I'm not much for things too intense or complex, and totally not into competition anymore. Anyone else feel like this?

 

[ScreenSplitter]

My taste has certainly developed, I play a wider range of games now.

However, I can still buy the new Pokemon game and party like it's 1999. So either way works for me.

 

[Gui_PT]

I feel like I'm getting older alright. Not in playtime but in my ability to just play whatever is out there. I take my time to know if a game is worth playing before getting it as opposed to when I was younger where I'd just play whatever.

 

[michaelius]

Taste evolves as you get older

Nothing new nothing suprising

/thread

 

[Longshot]

It seems the older I get the more complexity and depth I crave, I just can't come home from work and just play any old game these days, it's really gotta suck me in; probably why I can't stand CoD/BF anymore.

 

[sinseers]

As I have aged, my tastes have become more refined. I find myself gravitating to more games akin to Portal, Limbo and Fez. Now don't get me wrong, I will still get into an occasional shootout session. Its just that I'm getting close to the point where I've gotten my fill of mindless violence and gorefests in my games.

 

[RooMHM]

It seems the older I get the more complexity and depth I crave, I just can't come home from work and just play any old game these days, it's really gotta suck me in; probably why I can't stand CoD/BF anymore.

I'm only 23 ;_; I'm too demanding in terms of innovation and complexity, ingenuity. Arena shooters what have you done to me?!

 

[speedpop]

I play nothing but glorified spreadsheet simulators now.

 

[bomma_man]

Aside from Nintendo games I see myself gravitating towards smaller experimental games on eShop/iOS/PSN rather than bloated epics. Although I'll probably snap up a heap of PS3 games I missed when they go on fire sale at the end of the gen. I also haven't bought a FPS since like Stranger's Wrath and Half-Life 2 Xbox in 2006 (unless Portal counts) but I think that's the genre changing, not me.

 

[nel e nel]

Curious how folks' sentiments in this thread compare/contrast with the Gameplay vs. Experience thread.

Alot of posts in that thread were about wishing that 90s style gameplay was more in vogue nowadays, but threads like this seem like the antithesis to that.

Does having a 20 hour Super Meat Boy type of game conflict with more 'bite size' gaming sessions?

But back on topic: after playing catchup the first couple of years I had my Xbox (last console I had was an N64), I've found myself only buying 1 or 2 games at a time and focusing my attention on those before moving on to something else. I always have a couple of my go to games for MP sessions (Gears, L4D), but I'm constantly rotating my flavor of the month. That way I don't get stressed out about having a pile, and I can really get into a game and appreciate all it has to offer. I try to alternate game styles too so I don't get bored with one genre.

 

[specialguy]

i notice it abjectly in my movie tastes. just cant get excited for most big budget summer blockbusters in years. transformers? eh. superhero movie of the summer? bleh. gi joe, the movie? nah. when you're 12 all those are awesome.

couldn't even must much enthusiasm for avengers and that had critics raving apparently.

i would say to me the protypical game that a 16 year old loves is call of duty multiplayer, and i'm not interested in that or competitive multiplayer much in general, so yeah, that is probably a function of age.

 

[LiK]

I'm getting into games that focus on story more than pure gameplay. while I still enjoy games that have no story, they don't resonate with me as much anymore. I want to care about what I'm doing.

 

[H3xum]

As I've matured as an individual I feel like my games have gone the opposite direction.

Used to love RPGs and the like, but now I don't even bother with them because I can't commit myself to investing the amount of time it would take me to play. I play a lot of xbla games and things I can just jump in and out of.

Posting this has depressed me. Thanks

 

[MrCunningham]

It seems the older I get the more complexity and depth I crave, I just can't come home from work and just play any old game these days, it's really gotta suck me in; probably why I can't stand CoD/BF anymore.

I don't know, I feel the complete opposite to this. The older I get the more my tastes regress back to when I was a child. All I seem to want to play these days are hard as nails score based arcade games, 2D platformers, and such. I'm so tired of the whole "cinematic experience", and would rather go back to games that actually play like games without all the story driven dialogue and cutscenes. I really just want to go back to the old "pick up and play" experience.

 

[Kabouter]

I was born 50 in terms of gaming tastes. I play almost nothing that requires any fast reactions. And even when I do play an action-esque title, it's rare for me to play more than half an hour at once. It's not something that's changed, it's always been that way really. Also never really cared much for competitive multiplayer.

I do like a reasonable amount of complexity though, I love playing Hearts of Iron III: For the Motherland for instance, see below:

Also really like games like Football Manager more and more.

 

[nel e nel]

I know in many ways game design has gone down the shitter, but I try to select only the best games for purchase so I don't think that's it. It's just that in general, my tastes seems to be settling into geezer mode. I'm not much for things too intense or complex, and totally not into competition anymore. Anyone else feel like this?

There have always been shitty games. I think that it's more a reflection of the market than anything else. All of these studies about the average age of a gamer pretty much agree that it's in the mid-30s. Now, if you assume that means that by that age most folks have a full time job and perhaps a wife and kid(s), that means less time for gaming. Which means your time is more valuable and so you have to be more selective about what you play.

Having to replay an entire 2 hour platforming level because you missed the last jump to the exit isn't really attractive to gamers whose time is limited.

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

My tastes haven't actually changed much, but then I was an older gamer when I was kid. I was playing a wide variety of genre's, would put countless hours into SimCity, Civ and rpg's at age 10-12, liked epic games, small quirky games, and so forth. The first video game I recall figuring out and playing was Risk, along with Turrican. The only thing that has changed is the amount of time I have to play games these days.

 

[nel e nel]

I don't know, I feel the complete opposite to this. The older I get the more my tastes regress back to when I was a child. All I seem to want to play these days are hard as nails score based arcade games, 2D platformers, and such. I'm so tired of the whole "cinematic experience", and would rather go back to games that actually play like games without all the story driven dialogue and cutscenes. I really just want to go back to the old "pick up and play" experience.

What's the saying? People who are anxious live in the future, and people who are depressed/angry live in the past?

Are you an angry person?

 

[Baron_Calamity]

At 42, I still like action games but my joints aren't up for long play sessions anymore.

 

[Coolwhip]

I went loving games like OoT and alttp to not having patience to play them anymore. World of Warcraft (before it turned to shit) has ruined single player games for me. Every time I play a singleplayer game I feel so alone :/

 

[AHA-Lambda]

I used to have quite bad OCD with games when I was younger, even a year or 2 ago, but as I've got older I have at least found myself playing and buying less games just because I felt I had to.

I know it sounds stupid in a way, but yeah that's the biggest habit change for me along with mostly renting games nowadays than buying them.

Admittedly my tastes haven't really changed that much but obviously the variety in the AAA space is much less, so I am more partial to smaller indie games I guess. Never could get into strategy or racing games though. Certainly from when I was a kid I don't play fighting games really anymore or hack and slash action games a la DMC.

 

[StuBurns]

I have less tolerance for repetition and mediocrity. I would say I pay a lot less attention to games for storytelling, so my tastes shifted accordingly.

I don't know that it's a result of being older, or more informed about games, or more informed about other media. No idea. My tastes could easily revert I imagine.

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

I was born 50 in terms of gaming tastes. I play almost nothing that requires any fast reactions. And even when I do play an action-esque title, it's rare for me to play more than half an hour at once. It's not something that's changed, it's always been that way really. Also never really cared much for competitive multiplayer.

I do like a reasonable amount of complexity though, I love playing Hearts of Iron III: For the Motherland for instance, see below:


Also really like games like Football Manager more and more.

I love the Paradox series of games (well when they work 2 years of patches, expansions, and mods after release) but I've had to cull the herd due to time constraints and it's either Hearts of Iron III or about 10 other games. That was a hard day when I finally took Hearts of Iron III out back and pushed the uninstall button.

 

[andymcc]

i only play vintage/retro stuff anymore because i can't get into modern games. does that count?

 

[flyinpiranha]

My taste has certainly developed, I play a wider range of games now.

However, I can still buy the new Pokemon game and party like it's 1999. So either way works for me.

My sentiments exactly. I enjoy games I hadn't before and I enjoy the new iterations of ones I had.

Although, I will say my patience for difficulty has been changed. I can no longer "try to beat a level" for hours like I used to. If a game comes to some stupid roadblock I will usually just not finish the game. I don't mind difficulty, but sometimes it's out of hand (I'm looking at you Trials HD/Evo!).

Otherwise I just like playing, challenge and such can be fun but I really like a game that I can change the difficulty on in case I just want to relax and not have to play the same level over and over for 2 hours.

 

[Cheesecakebobby]

Now that I am in my mid-20s I am more likely to play and enjoy games like Kirby's Epic Yarn and the Lego games, compared to when I was around 16 (and only partly because they are perfect to play with girlfriends). On the other hand, I look at most "mature" games, or at least games rated for over 18s, as being pretty pathetic. A game that just tries to be entertaining can appeal to all ages, but a game that sets out to be 'mature' almost inevitably ends up appealing to a demographic which is narrow in age, but who happen to buy the most videogames.

 

[Clear]

Main change for me has been a massive decrease in tolerance for genres and elements I find to be overly familiar.

I need to be surprised, in some way, by a game to be really taken with it.

I pretty much fully subscribe to Jenova Chen's argument that we need new experiences, things that access different emotions and ideas, and that they should be meaningful or at least somewhat relevant to my life and worldview.

 

[Pejo]

I'm not sure if my tastes have matured, I still love RPGs, Action, and Fighting games, and 2D platformers just like i used to.

I definitely like to pick/use protagonists that aren't teens anymore though. Also for some reason i prefer characters with beards now, and often times scars or eye patches.

 

[clemenx]

I'm only 22 but I feel I've always liked pretty much everything.

Still not much of a fan of strategy games :X I do play some sometimes.

Oh, I don't really like fighters but that probably has to do with lack of gaming friends but even if I had I don't see myself getting competitive or even half serious in those

 

[Haunted]

I was immediately thinking "Final Fantasy" when I read the thread title, haha.


But yeah, tastes (and priorities, and time management, and life circumstances) etc etc change over time, nothing new or special here, nothing unique to gaming.

I play nothing but glorified spreadsheet simulators now.

That basically means you've attained a higher plane of gaming consciousness, brother.

 

[Derrick01]

As I get older I crave more complex stuff and longer games which is a problem, because the industry is moving in the completely opposite direction.

 

[Alrix]

Not really. The only difference between the 9-year-old me that fell for Pokemon Red and Super Mario RPG and the 22-year-old me today is today I wouldn't play doa beach volleyball, which i thought was totally awesome when I was 14. still play rpgs, have pokemon white, etc etc.

 

[boiled goose]

I am a casual gamer except for 2-3 selectively chosen games a year

I think my tastes are the same as they have always been pretty broad. I simply don't have the time.

 

[mrpug]

Soon you will be looking forward to Bingo nights

 

[ShaneB]

Turning 30 on Sunday. I'm not sure my gaming tastes have changed, but perhaps what I'm looking to get out of a gaming experience. I don't have the time for competitive gaming, or really want to dedicate much time to get good at them I should say. I can still get sucked into a game and have a rare marathon weekend session, but with all my other interests and responsibilities, gaming is turning into just a small part of my hobbies. I guess it always has been, but you realize it more when you get older.

With that being said though, I wouldn't change a thing. I still find games to love, my Steam list still seems to grow, so there will always be games to play, and heck, I'm planning on eventually finally building a gaming pc, so I guess it's not all bad news.

GamersWithJobs is certainly a favourite podcast of mine, so I can understand the idea of getting older and balancing it all with gaming time.

 

[Effect]

I still like the genres I enjoyed when I was younger. RTS, RPG, Action, etc. However what I have noticed is my patience for what I consider to be juvenile experiences has all but disappeared. It's why I didn't care for and had no interest in buying No More Heroes or Mad World when they came out on the Wii. While it looks very nice Lollipop Chainsaw does nothing for me at all. I'll even go so far as adding God of War on that list. Others likely won't see these games or others like that in the same way I do and that's fine. I just don't have patience for games like this. It could be the over the top gore or the the vulgarity of the dialogue, or the pure objectification of women or all of the above that bothers me. When I was in high school I would have been all over them I think. That's fine though as I'm sure younger gamers think they are great.

I rather be playing something else. My taste are more for games like Super Mario, Zelda, Xenoblade, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Radient Historia, The Sims, Starcraft 2, Skyrim, Anno 2070, Fallout 3/NV, Dragon's Dogma, and Uncharted to name a few.

 

[Kem0sabe]

The older i get the more complexity i crave in my games. These days i focus almost exclusively on RPG´s and Strategy games (not RTS´s mind you).

 

[we.are.the.armada]

I know in many ways game design has gone down the shitter, but I try to select only the best games for purchase so I don't think that's it. It's just that in general, my tastes seems to be settling into geezer mode. I'm not much for things too intense or complex, and totally not into competition anymore. Anyone else feel like this?

I tend to avoid generalized, subjective perspectives like this as I get older. The older I become, the more I enjoy gaming through the same sort of analytical reasoning approach that I have during my professional hours. Especially the intense and/or complex ones.

 

[MrCunningham]

What's the saying? People who are anxious live in the future, and people who are depressed/angry live in the past?

Are you an angry person?

Nah, I can't say it's bitterness . I'm 31, and at this point in time I feel the need to narrow down and simplify my tastes. I also don't feel like I have a lot of time to invest in larger games anymore, I bought SkyRim recently, and I can never find the time to play it for long intervals. I just feel an urge to go back to twitch gaming.

 

[HueyFreeman]

I tend to avoid generalized, subjective perspectives like this as I get older. The older I become, the more I enjoy gaming through the same sort of analytical reasoning approach that I have during my professional hours. Especially the intense and/or complex ones.

Maybe it should be specificed "big budget" or "blockbuster" game design, which I totally agree is getting homogenized by market demands. But I think in many ways, game design has opened up in a way no one would have thought possible ten years ago, with XBLA/PSN/Steam and indie development.

Still very much a medium in it's pre-teens, but I think we're starting to see some signs of maturity. Gaming pubes if you will.

 

[CarbonatedFalcon]

Maybe it was just 2007 being a crazy year for shooters, but I was more into them then and a year or two after than I am now. I've gravitated back towards RPGs a lot, though I still have fairly broad tastes.

Never been a fan of sports or realistic racing games though.

It is interesting to reflect on what games I actually buy though, compared to games I may want, but don't end up getting. You could sort of derive a pattern from that I suppose.

 

[RdN]

Kinda..

When I'm playing a very competitive game, like Halo or Fifa 12 Head to Head Seasons, I tend to not play so much anymore since this games can really stress me out, switching to a more calm game, like ME3 Coop or Skyrim.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Definitely. Busy with a family, and now a second job, I don't have the time to play games for long periods of time, and as much as I still love them, they fail to hold my interest.
I can pop a game in, play for forty five minutes, and be satisfied for the night. I guess due to the lack of time, I also don't mind a little handholding. For instance if I'm in some big overworld and I set a waypoint, I want the game clearly showing me the course I'm to take, so if I do feel like wandering, I won't be wasting time getting back on course.
Also, while I have always enjoyed fighting games, I enjoy them casually. I like to take in a well made stage, and cool characters, and hav zero interest in "maining" someone, or learning a character's every move. So going online is like a huge no-no for me, as I get destroyed. Can't say I enjoy it.
In terms of taste nothing's really changed, but Game of Thrones has gotten me in the mood for some western made rpgs.

 

[jmdajr]

Yup. I just play Bingo now.

 

[Humdinger]

Yeah, as I've gotten older I've noticed several trends in my preferences. I have lost all interest in competitive online multiplayer shooters. My taste has narrowed, so that I tend to play only RPGs and action-adventure games. I spend a lot less time gaming, so I am much more selective about what I play. And like the OP, I don't feel the need for lots of adrenalin and excitement; I prefer games that have a more relaxed pace.

 

[Felix Lighter]

I have certainly lost my competitive drive in the past few years and it was kind of all of the sudden. I realized that instead of having fun when I succeeded, I was only becoming angry when I was failing. Now I enjoy coop and single player games far more than competitive multiplayer.

Also, there is a sweet spot for depth and complexity that I can't put into words. There are games that are way too shallow and there are also games that are deeper than I'm looking to go. The ultra-linear cinematic games that lead you from one set piece to another, turn me off but I'll never have the commitment to get into complex simulators or strategy games.

 

[redcrayon]

I was just born a miserable old git.

Even in my teens and twenties I preferred slower, turn-based strategy, puzzle and role-playing games to anything requiring reactions and competitive multiplayer stuff.

More recently I've started to experiment a bit though, spent huge amounts of time with Monster Hunter Tri, and then started playing the single-player campaign of Operation Flashpoint after watching Generation Kill. To my surprise am actually enjoying running around as some US bloke shooting at foreigners. Makes a change and all that.

Still couldn't care less about competitive online multiplayer deathmatches though. When I beat someone in a game, I want them sitting on the same sofa so I can tell them that the loser has to put the kettle on. ;-)

 

[rollingstart]

Sort of. I still like the games I've always liked, but am increasingly finding myself disinterested towards some sequels. New Super Mario Bros 2, Halo 4, and God of War are series that I've been really into. Now I don't really care. (obviously I'm speaking too soon as we haven't really seen much on those three games. I'm just saying the announcements fall flat.)

Also, I care less about playing most games or finishing the ones I do play. Don't care about completing or "beating" games, and I don't think there are games I need to play anymore. I play what I enjoy, and if I don't, I don't. I'm happy either way.

 

[JORMBO]

I used to play a lot of JRPGs. The stories seem lame to me now. So I play Western RPGs like Mass Effect and Skyrim. They take me forever to beat as opposed to beating them in a week like when I was a kid. It's cool though.

I used to play FPS a lot, but I can't keep up with the kids that play all day everyday. Don't really play many of these games anymore. I thought they were a lot more fun before every game had to have a leveling up system.

I like games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider where I get a decent paced adventure that isn't overly long. It's nice and relaxing. I'm also liking Diablo 3 because I can pop in and just kill shit for a short period of time. It's fun and I make some progress.

 

[Genesis Knight]

Used to be interested in JRPGS, quirky import platformers and action games and such; can't stand the characters from those games so I play almost exclusively Western games at this point. So as I've aged, I've moved from Japanese games to Western ones.

That's in terms of current-gen stuff. I'll still break out my 90s Japanese shmups and fighters all the time.

But I would never play Final Fantasy or whatever at this point over something like Deus Ex or Max Payne 3.

I still play competitive multiplayer, but for fewer games - BF3 and Halo Reach now, whereas I used to run in those + Gears + CoD + a few others. Don't have time/interest for so many MP games any more.