Viewing entries tagged
gameplay
We're back again with the gruff sniper series that keeps on giving, or something like that. It's actually been a while since I played through a game series in fairly rapid succession, which says a lot about how much fun I had sniping Nazis with my trusty rifle. After the welcomed improvements we saw in Sniper Elite 3, can this entry live up to the high standards already established?
Every now and then I read some article on some gaming web site that attempts to go in-depth on the notion that video games and movies have something in common. There's an ongoing discussion about whether the two mediums are able to be combined, or if they should ever cross paths at all. At the very least, I think many of us will have played a game that straddles the line between video game, and movie.
Finding a truly original game is often like finding an original movie. These days they're mostly remakes and reboots of stories and actions that have already been proven to work. Turns out we're a simple kind of animal and seeing the same thing we always expect to see is a good way to sell products. Although, sometimes we need to leave those expectations at the door if we're to experience something truly special.
Oh how I love a good twin-stick shooter. The simplicity of the mechanics, the awe of the aesthetics, and the challenge of the moment-to-moment gameplay. All of these things make up one of the purest and most satisfying gaming experiences you can get, so why do people keep insisting on adding lore into the mix?!
I think I might be able to pinpoint the moment when I lost all interest in online multiplayer. Well, maybe not the exact moment, but it would be whenever voice chat became the norm. Back when I played Team Fortress, Counter-Strike, and Quake III religiously, voice chat was the exception and text chat was the rule. Turns out hearing strangers yelling into their low-quality microphone didn't add much to the online gaming experience.
Lately it might seem as though the only innovations made in narrative game design, have been from the so-called 'walking simulator' end of town. A lot of games enhance their narrative side by removing gameplay elements, which sometimes works, but often ends in boredom. However, keeping in gameplay doesn't automatically fix the problem.
It's safe to say that most games we play are inspired and influenced by the ones that preceded them. Look into any genre and it's easy to start drawing lines between games that share mechanics, systems, themes, and design. Iteration is naturally fond of replications, but every now and then a game does something truly original an unique.
Sometimes I wish I didn't love narrative heavy games as much as I do, because they're super difficult to talk about without spoiling anything. Even though I try, there's always that feeling that you're not doing it justice, because you couldn't reveal something amazing. Although, I really feel like this genre is one of the most interesting and innovated genres in gaming right now, so let's have a little think about why.
It's hard not to start this post by saying something like "what a year it's been", because 2017 turned out to be one of the most packed years of gaming we've seen for a while. There were so many different experiences available for every type of gamer, which really excites me for what's to come. For now though, let's have a little look back on the last year of games and try and figure out the cream of the crop.
