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Not long after I'd finished playing Stray, someone asked me if it was any good, with the implication being that this was nothing more than a meme. It's no surprise that any game featuring a cat as its main character would garner a lot of internet attention, but I tend to stay away from those kinds of things and hadn't seen a single meme during my time with the game. Thankfully I was able to respond with the clarification that this is indeed, more than just a meme.
These days, whenever I load up a game like Call Of Duty, I find myself a little taken back by the longevity of such a franchise. After all, series like this and Battlefield have been a point of derision among gamers, as they represent the big money of the gaming industry. For a while it even seemed like there was a genuine revolt against the yearly releases and expensive DLC. The surprising thing is that despite the trajectory of popular opinion, this is a series that has managed to maintain its position as one of the most consistent and reliable triple-A titles on the market.
It's been quite a while since I posted about any games, but it's probably because I've spent most of that time playing Factorio. Remember when we were younger and spend hours and hours playing Sim City, because the time seemed to vanish without realising? This is a time vampire if ever there was one, and it's not even finished yet.
I often try and think about trends in gaming and attempt to figure them out as they're happening. It's an impossible gamble that results in nothing more than a bit of a fun thought process, but I find it interesting either way. Spotting past trends is easy with hindsight; the real challenge is figuring them out as they happen.
There's a short list somewhere of super hype crazes that I completely missed out growing up. I never knew what a Pokémon was until recently, I've never played a Metal Gear game, and I've never played either a Metroid, or Castlevania game. It's funny how even though I've been playing games since the 80s, there are some major mainstream holes in my experience.
Following up a huge indie success must be like trying to write a novel after publishing a best-seller. All that expectation and affection gained from success can often be a recipe for disaster, as a sequel rarely lives up to its predecessor. Of course, we remember the ones that do, but have a look at movies in particular, and you'll find that there are a hell of a lot of sequels that you've probably never heard of.
