A few months back I witnessed someone playing Mass Effect (when it was new) and I was interested because it was a game I had never seen before. For a minute, I was frozen as I watched the seemingly boring screen with good lighting and so so graphics. I heard a lot of talking. I heard a lot more talking and after that, there was more conversation. Conversation about a girls sister having a bad relationship and having to punch some dude out (who the hell cares) and then lots of options of yes, no, maybe, and undecided type things. I was waiting for boss levels, big fight scenes or some kind of a grand finale. The person I saw playing this game (who will remain nameless) chose a female character. At one point this female character came across another female character that happened to be a blue alien type thing. They were in the middle of a conversation when out of nowhere the blue alien type thing “sensed an attraction” between the two of them and asked if the feeling was mutual. The gamer sat and contemplated (pretending to the watchers that he wasn’t curious as to where this would lead) and then decided that Yes! There was an attraction. The entire situation was comical because it was so predictable. Yeah yeah, you are supposed to form relationships or avoid them, making the game more difficult or real, but it is a game. The blue alien thing isn’t real. Neither is the other girl. Don’t you just want to blow shit up? What’s with all the conversation? It is like a soap opera for gamers. I know everyone likes a different style of game, but this is lame. So sit there and play your game and wait for a blue alien to love you, it’s okay. Leave the bullets for me.



1 User Commented In This Post
5-22-2008 at 17:35:33 from 69.14.20.201
In all fairness, watching another person play any RPG has to be about as interesting as watching grass grow, especially if you just walk into the middle of the story. But yeah, there sure is a lot of talking in that game. So much that I don’t want to buy it. I’m not sure that I want to waste a 100 hours (or more) of my life on a sci-fi soap opera when…well, there’s just so many other things that could be done in that time. I think if I was 10 years old and still living out in the middle of the country, in the middle of winter, then it would be the perfect thing to get me by.
I’ve noticed that a ton of games lately have been focusing too much on all these little details that don’t even matter, while missing out on the one thing that does…fun! Actually, it’s not a new thing. Games with stealth modes, super complicated controller options, and stories that just drag on and on.
I remember wanting to simply play a game a couple years ago, and my brother put in one of the Metal Gear games. I seriously sat there for 20 minutes watching some story unfold, by the time It got to the in game tutorials to learn how to play the game, I was so over it, and no longer in the mood to play anything at all.
I just beat Gears of War. I’m still not convinced that I had fun the entire time I played the game. I just couldn’t wait to get past everything so I wouldn’t have to do it again. It was like the coolest looking pain in the ass you’ve ever seen. And forget trying to explain the controls. “Oh, you know, just pull and hold the left trigger while aiming with the right thumb stick, and actually firing with the right trigger button. But make sure you hit the right bumper button when you have to reload or else your gun will jam… Why can’t you jump? Well, you can, but first you have to walk up to something and crouch down in front of it then press forward and A…” Seriously, wtf?!
I had a long conversation with my brother about all of this the other day, and we agreed that we miss the days of old console games, where the only options were a directional pad, and a jump and fire button. I actually play Xbox Live Arcade games more than I do the games that are actually released for the 360 because they are FUN! Or, maybe we’re just getting old :X
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