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[ScOULaris]

Platform games, RPGs, music games, puzzle games, arcade style games, action games, adventure games, strategies etc. are all out there and are popular. I think COD's popularity clouds your mind in this case.

But have you ever noticed how many kids only play CoD and maybe a small handful of other games throughout the year? Again, this is the new "core gamer" demographic. It's what used to be the "casual" demographic before the Wii and smartphones created an even more "casual" subgroup.

Again, I will return to the issue of impact. When there is one popular genre dominating the market, even the best games within that genre will have a lessened impact due to sameness. It is increasingly rare for a game to provide an experience so new, fresh, and fun that it leaves an immediate, permanent impact. Grand Theft Auto III is a prime example from last generation of what I am talking about. Most people, when they first played GTA3, they new instantly that it was going to change the landscape of games. It went on to do just that, partly thanks to its sales. An example of that same kind of experiential impact without the benefit of sales would be Ico. Most people who have played it had an immediate, lasting sense that it was something special. So much so, that a huge number of developers today cite Ico as an ongoing inspiration. Beyond Good & Evil, Shadow of the Colossus, the first Metal Gear Solid, DMC1, Mario 64, Final Fantasy VII and IX, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and on and on. These are all games that left a deep impression on me from their first playthrough, so much so that they are still a joy to play through despite their controls or graphics not being up to today's standards.

And it's that deep impression that no game this generation--save for maybe Read Dead Redemption and Uncharted 2--has been able to make on me. Whenever I want that feeling, I find a game from a previous generation (or for the DS) that I missed out on. I just played Mother 3, for example. It left an impact. Same goes for Dragon Quest V and even IX to some extent. These games might not be incredibly innovative, but they have that certain heart and charm that keeps them from leaving me numb like many games on HD consoles these days.

 

[szaromir]

Funny that most of the games you listed left little impact on me. My list would look like this: Dune 2, Age of Empires, Company of Heroes, Civilization, Heroes of M&M3, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Combat Mission, Jagged Alliance 2, Silent Storm, Halo CE, Deus Ex, Thief 1, Tomb Raider 1, The Longest Journey, NHL 08 (and some more, but you can catch the drift).

One game you listed, Metal Gear Solid, was my first entry to the stealth genre and scared me away from it for two years (until my friend recommended me Thief).

In general, the younger you are, the bigger impact things make on you. So if you are 25+ years old, it's natural to expect that games left the biggest impression on you when you were 5-15 ears old, ie. over a decade ago. That's why things don't impress you as much anymore. However, to a kid 12 years old Read Dead Redemption might be the best thing on the planet.

 

[ScOULaris]

I was in college when most of the PS2 games that I listed came out. I do follow your point about impact being greater when you're a kid, though. That's a fact of life. Everything is intensified in childhood, both the good and the bad.

I assume you are in your twenties, then, since all of the games you listed were from previous generations as well.

My main point is this: when the demographics changed as gaming went mainstream, people like me essentially got lost in the shuffle, despite how passionate we tend to be about games. There are enough of us to have turned a profit in previous generations, when development costs were much less. As it is now, publishers need to back games that don't appeal to me because they appeal to the much larger mainstream crowd.

But I guess there's no way for that to foreseeably change. Consumers dictate the market's direction, to an extent, and it's not like people will stop expecting hyper-realistic, cinematic gaming experiences.

 

[szaromir]

I was in college when most of the PS2 games that I listed came out. I do follow your point about impact being greater when you're a kid, though. That's a fact of life. Everything is intensified in childhood, both the good and the bad.

I assume you are in your twenties, then, since all of the games you listed were from previous generations as well.

I am. For me the most fascinating part of games has always been the simulation aspect of games (probably even moreso when I was teenager), that's why linear scripted galores never impressed me as much as they seem to impress other people.

Probably the best gaming period was Summer 08 though, when I gathered a bunch of games I wanted to catch up with and spent every morning 3-4 hours on a beach (so I still had some sports and tan), every afternoon and night playing those games for 4 weeks straight and all of the fit my taste.

 

[Concept17]

PS1 still holds the throne for me, but I think by the end of this generation the PS3 will have surpassed it. The only thing I've really been missing was a Twisted Metal proper, as TM2 was one of the defining games for me on the PS1. And now that its coming next year...well, between that and many of the games already released, 1st and 3rd party, I've found more joy in the system than any other console. A lot of this has to do with the larger focus on multiplayer this generation, as well as over-the-top presentations.

Just need a good RPG that actually has a good story AND plays well.

 

[revolverjgw]

So when the kids of today grow up and look back upon their own personal "classics," the vast majority of them will likely be first-person shooters.

How does that not sound like less variety than the classics we look back upon from our youth?

You're way too hung up on this dudebro thing. Just taking a look at the main metacritic page (a mix of the most popular/recent/highly rated games) right now, I see Pac Man, Super Meat Boy, Epic Mickey, Gran Turismo 5, Rock Band, Plants vs Zombies, Donkey Kong Country, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Nine Hours... click on PS3 or 360 and you the first games you see are Splatterhouse, Fable 3, Fallout New Vegas, Dead Nation, Castlevania- Lords of Shadow, Lara Croft, Red Dead Redemption, Vanquish. All brand new games. All of them are good and relatively popular, none of them are first person shooters. There's tons of other brand new stuff you can go play that don't show up there... I just got finished platinuming all three Sly Cooper games last week, and I beat God of War Ghost of Sparta before that.

I have to actually dig into deeper pages to see more than like two dudebro shooters on there, man. Halo Reach and Black Ops... two WILDLY different games.

 

[LosDaddie]

wait what?
so if i think the dark night is a classic it makes the dark night a classic

Sure, why not? I stopped caring about what critics think is a "classic" long ago.

If I consider a game/movie classic, then it's a classic to me.

 

[ScOULaris]

I will admit that I am exaggerating the Dudebro problem a bit to bolster my rambling argument, but I am not exaggerating when I say that fewer games four years into this console generation have managed to leave a marked impression on me than four years into any generation prior. I'm sure being an adult and less easily impressed has a part in this. I also realize that this phenomenon has occurred because the market has shifted away from what I, personally, deem valuable and worthwhile. As such, I recognize that plenty of people out there enjoy today's Western gaming focus very much, even moreso than the mixed focus of past generations.

Do I think that this generation of console games is terrible? Not by a mile. But seeing as how every other console generation has produced more games that I enjoy, there's no way any of the three main consoles today could be considered "best console ever" in my book. I see this generation of console games as a turning point in global game design, which is good and bad. Foreign developers want to make games that appeal to American consumers--because it's the biggest market now--and a negative consequence of that is diminishing cultural styles being reflected in games from outside developers. They are trying to emulate what American developers are doing. Sadly for me, while I am an American gamer, I don't fit the mold they are trying to fill.

God I wish I could stop rambling. Maybe I'll eventually settle on something resembling a proper thesis if I keep at it.

 

[szaromir]

My main point is this: when the demographics changed as gaming went mainstream, people like me essentially got lost in the shuffle, despite how passionate we tend to be about games. There are enough of us to have turned a profit in previous generations, when development costs were much less. As it is now, publishers need to back games that don't appeal to me because they appeal to the much larger mainstream crowd.

But I guess there's no way for that to foreseeably change. Consumers dictate the market's direction, to an extent, and it's not like people will stop expecting hyper-realistic, cinematic gaming experiences.

Looking how games like RDR and U2 made a big impact on you, I think you're the one who's looking for cinematic gaming experiences. Most of the games you listed from previous generations didn't seem to be leaning heavily on the gameplay side of things either.

 

[ScOULaris]

I do like cinematic games when they're done well, but I don't want every game to mimic summer blockbuster movies.

Uncharted 2 is an exception because it did it better than anybody else, and it had characters that I liked and wanted to see through to the end. That said, I wouldn't put Uncharted 2 up there with something like Ico or GTA3. I was just listing is as one of the games that have impressed me, in one way or another, this generation. It was the best execution and distillation of the modern, Western elements that gamers seem to be looking for this generation. Uncharted 2 is also a rarity. I might play two games a year on modern consoles that offer that kind of quality experience, whereas in previous generations I would be anticipating dozens of titles throughout the year.

I'm not saying that no games are great anymore; I'm saying that they are fewer and further between. This, again, goes back to the economics involved in game production and development this generation.

 

[szaromir]

I do like cinematic games when they're done well, but I don't want every game to mimic summer blockbuster movies.

Uncharted 2 is an exception because it did it better than anybody else, and it had characters that I liked and wanted to see through to the end. That said, I wouldn't put Uncharted 2 up there with something like Ico or GTA3. I was just listing is as one of the games that have impressed me, in one way or another, this generation. It was the best execution and distillation of the modern, Western elements that gamers seem to be looking for this generation. Uncharted 2 is also a rarity. I might play two games a year on modern consoles that offer that kind of quality experience, whereas in previous generations I would be anticipating dozens of titles throughout the year.

I'm not saying that no games are great anymore; I'm saying that they are fewer and further between. This, again, goes back to the economics involved in game production and development this generation.

Gamers are looking for excellent gameplay and games do deliver that. On PS2, maybe 2 games a year would really satisfy me whereas now I can count on at least 12 fantastic games a year. A lot depends on a person's taste.

I honestly don't get what your gripe with modern games is. Gameplay in GTA3 was super clumsy and I never understood what people were going gaga over. Any non-Rockstar operworld game is a huge improvement over Rockstar's formulae...

 

[P90]

The DS and PSP can be discussed as "greatest ever". I'm not thinking it is appropriate for any of the home consoles of this gen.

 

[jkanownik]

There are three possible answers to the greatest console ever. Xbox 360, PC or a tabletop. If you want to discount the online and graphical features of the Xbox 360 and say it's lacking in the game play department that path leads out of video games into board games (i.e. the tabletop console).

There have been so many fantastic and varied gameplay experiences that the 360 doesn't always get credit for:

Saints Row - putting the fun in open world (plus protect the pimp and big ass chains!)
Viva Pinata - 3D pokemon RTS
Banjo Nuts & Bolts - built your own varied vehicles and throw them at a beautifully realized and varied world
Splinter Cell Double Agent - Sneaking around in Spies vs Mercs is one of the greatest multiplayer experiences ever
GRAW 2 - Twelve player cooperative missions
Gear of War 1 - The awe I felt while exploring the world in coop campaign elevated is permanently etched into my memories
AC series - exploring fully realized historical cities (outside of the core game play)
Burnout Paradise - exploring a full city by car alone or online with a TON of varied challenges
50 Cent Blood in the Sand - ramps, taunts, Tony Yayo. It has as much unintentional comedic value as any movie ever and it has solid unique gameplay
Left 4 Dead - Four player coop that requires teamwork and strategy
Scene It - very well done and easy to play movie trivia

XBLA - people recognize specific games, but the sheer number and breadth of titles available are amazing

And there is also a whole list of often overlooked very good games that offer game play variety but replicate experiences from other systems like Beautiful Katamari, Culdcept Saga, Sims 3, Civilization Revolutions, Halo Wars, Sacred 2 and the Lego Games.

 

[ScOULaris]

Sessler's Soapbox: Black Ops and Sequel Fatigue

Just stumbled upon this video that rewords the point that I am trying to make about this generation's focus on reiteration. Sessler probably does a better job communicating this message inside of a few minutes than I did in all of my rants combined.

 

[Host Samurai]

This generation better last at least 4 more years. It just feel so incomplete compared to previoius. I also think we have made bigger strides in sequels last generation and more risks were taken.

When this generation gets the following as full blown retail games than MAYBE this generation will be as memorable.

Okami
Killer7
Onimusha
Viewtiful Joe
Fire Pro Wrestling
Resident Evil (not that crap that was 5)
Zone of the Enders
God Hand
Psychonauts
Jak and Daxter
Medievil
Snatcher
Metal Gear Solid 5 (Not Rising)
A REAL Devil May Cry 5
Final Fantasy 15 that takes the series back to its roots (pre rendered towns and backgrounds)

I would also like to see some surprises (nice things we dont get anymore) like a new Lunar, Goemon, Crono and a new Earthworm Jim game.

As somebody that has been gaming since the NES era, I think the PS2 era has peaked for gaming. That generation had so many genres that were well represented and seem to be non existant this generation.

Where are my

Survival Horror
JRPG's
Platformers
Wrestling

all seem to be missing on the big budget side of things these days.

 

[Host Samurai]

Sessler's Soapbox: Black Ops and Sequel Fatigue

Just stumbled upon this video that rewords the point that I am trying to make about this generation's focus on reiteration. Sessler probably does a better job communicating this message inside of a few minutes than I did in all of my rants combined.

Agree with what he say's but also find him a hypercrite. Why the hell is he and Morgan ALWAYS pimping out these types of games on his show with inflated scores? G4 is not helping on the issue.

 

[Kard8p3]

This generation better last at least 4 more years. It just feel so incomplete compared to previoius. I also think we have made bigger strides in sequels last generation and more risks were taken.

When this generation gets the following as full blown retail games than MAYBE this generation will be as memorable.

Okami
Killer7
Onimusha
Viewtiful Joe
Fire Pro Wrestling
Resident Evil (not that crap that was 5)
Zone of the Enders
God Hand
Psychonauts
Jak and Daxter
Medievil
Snatcher
Metal Gear Solid 5 (Not Rising)
A REAL Devil May Cry 5
Final Fantasy 15 that takes the series back to its roots (pre rendered towns and backgrounds)

I would also like to see some surprises (nice things we dont get anymore) like a new Lunar, Goemon, Crono and a new Earthworm Jim game.

As somebody that has been gaming since the NES era, I think the PS2 era has peaked for gaming. That generation had so many genres that were well represented and seem to be non existant this generation.

Where are my

Survival Horror
JRPG's
Platformers
Wrestling

all seem to be missing on the big budget side of things these days.

The wii has many great platformers.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

JRPG's
Platformers

PSP and Wii respectively.

Also get Super Meat Boy for whatever console you own(or preferably PC). That is, unless you're a Nazi. You aren't a Nazi are you?

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

As I said before, I don't think any of the three consoles can even individually compete with the greats like the SNES, PS1, PS2 etc.

However, going into 2010, I am beginning to think that this gen is finally taking off into a new stratosphere of gaming excellence. I think that, maybe, there could be a chance of this gen being remembered for greatness for the combined library of all three consoles. I am realising that it's not just one console taking the lion's share anymore - now there is a much fairer dispersal of titles.

Next year looks like the best year I have ever seen. The number of games I will be buying is easily about half of my existing collection. I am beginning to welcome this generation's extended stay if it means we can maintain as much release momentum.