Monday 28 February 2011

Love Loathe Games by David

What makes a game instantly enjoyable?

What makes someone want to keep going back to it again and again? Is it classic gameplay? Something that grabs the player in and doesn't let go?

Lets face it, I could go on all day listing different reasons as to why people like games. But for me I'd say its an encapsulating storyline that grabs you in, taking you along for the ride with some good game mechanics and pretty visuals thrown in. Give me a game that lets me develop relationships, and choose my own path, and I'll no doubt be found days later cooped up in my room, unable to put the controller down, only dishing out the odd grunt to those brave enough to enter.

But what is it exactly about the game that pulls me in? Obviously the above reasons are a factor, but they're not the only ones. The other factors seem elusive to me, I can't quite put my fingers on what they are; they dont even seem to be consistent.

For example, take Oblivion. I'd probably say, despite the obvious glitches (sometimes infuriatingly game breaking), poor animation and annoying Oblivion gates, it is probably my favorite game of all time, closely run by the Mass Effect and Gears series. When I first played the game, however, I hated it. The game appeared to me to have no direction, and I felt as if all my time was spent walking around from town to town. I easily pumped about four hours into the game before giving up, so it definitely got a fair chance.

Disappointed with the title, it went back on my shelf and wasn't looked at for about two years. Until one day I saw one of my friends playing it and decided to give it another bash. I was blown away. The sheer expanse that had initially turned me off had me hungrily exploring the landscape, absorbing every mission and view the game had to offer. It was the first game I got all the achievements for and I think I've put about 150-200 hours of play time in. If it wasnt for the fact that games I want to play keep coming out, I'd probably still be there wandering around Cyrodiil.

So what was it that changed? Some would probably say I matured as a gamer over those two years and my tastes changed as a result. However this is not an isolated incident. Mass Effect also had the same effect on me; more recently Dragon age and, only days ago, Dead Space. Each of these titles now among my all time favourites. Perhaps my tastes differ greatly from month to month. Is this normal? Does anyone else have these experiences?

Then there are exceptions to the rule. I really didnt, and still to this date, don't like Fallout New Vegas. This is not common accross all games either. Gears was a game I love the instant I picked up the controller, and still do to this day.

So what is it that causes this? Do really great games need time to ferment and grow on me, or is it a random occurence depending on the day? Maybe, but I can't tell.

In fear that this has descended into a rant, I will just urge you to think back - have you ever expierienced this? Maybe you should dust off that game sitting on its own in the corner and give it another try.