Love at first sight: Gaming hooks discussed

[Ady]

It's like meeting a cute girl for the first time. From the point of initial contact, there's no turning back, you've caught the bug and you want more - as much as you can possibly get.

What I'm interested in then is your thoughts on this nebulous attractant we call the "hook". Good pop music is supposed to rely on this but what exactly is it? What is it that draws you to some games and not others? What is it that makes you love one title, but not another?

One classic example for me is the day I got Castlevania: SOTN for the PS1, way back when. It also happened to be the same day I picked up Banjo Kazooie for the N64. Once I got home, I played SOTN for 5 hours solid - the game had me in its grip and refused to let go. When I did get round to trying out BK, I played for only half and hour and went back to Konami's title. Several months later, I sold an unfinished Banjo Kazooie to a second hand shop.

Now, it'd be silly to compare the two games as they have nothing in common whatsoever, but that being said, it's quite obvious that one game was able to draw me in whilst the other failed quite spectacularly. The same thing has no doubt happened to you with certain games, but what I'm interested in is why you think this happens.

In this case, I found SOTN the more compelling of the two games. Something about its immediacy grabbed me from the off and I couldn't stop. Gaming Pringles, if you will. BK, on the other hand seemed to slam doors in my face at every turn - I felt no desire to move deeper into its world. What it lacked in compellling immediacy, it made up for in boundless frustration and annoyance.

So what -for you- is that "hook"? What is it you feel draws you to some titles and not others? Why does one game capture your heart from the off and another completely put you off?

Please discuss here.

[Crisp_Rapper]

doesn't always work for all games, but my example, Jet Set Radio i was drawn in by the new graphical style... then the music hit me, and then the actual gameplay. i stayed with this one for a long ass (and very enjoyable) time.

[chopemon]

some times its the visuals. the opening sequence or the first level will have something that knocks you down

other times its because the game shows promise and might very possibly be a fantastically enjoyable romp

i think that Ady's point about immediacy is really important

for example, burnout 3, once you are past the toss pot dj's tutorial, you are instantly slammed into a balls to the wall racer that amazes you every second

the same goes for medal of honour frontline. straight away you are on the beach in one of the most dramatic opening levels ever.

i didn't have an n64 when they were out and never played mario 64. when i got it for the ds i got instantly bored because it was so inaccessible. all the doors in the castle were locked and you had to stumble round trying to find a door to open and when you did, the controls were horrible. supposedly its a great game but one i will never see much of due to the fact that it didn't grab me straight away

[Ady]

some times its the visuals. the opening sequence or the first level will have something that knocks you down

I had this with Silent Hill. After that whole alleyway bit, I was hooked.

Visuals don't work for me though. I recall being amazed by FF8's opening FMV, but the game was as appealing as salty coffee.

[chopemon]

I had this with Silent Hill. After that whole alleyway bit, I was hooked.

Visuals don't work for me though. I recall being amazed by FF8's opening FMV, but the game was as appealing as salty coffee.

sometimes though its the way the visuals draw you into the world. they make you want to explore the world and soak in it's beauty. cases in point are beyond good and evil, oddworld (any) and the second level of halo.

sometimes the opening fmv can grab you, metal gear solid 2 being an example

[Miguel007]

One game I remember most playing and being instantly hooked to was Donkey Kong Country, I couldn't wait for this game. I even had the free video from NOM with adverts for GameBoy with Brian the Brain or something!

The graphics, the sound. Brilliant variety in levels and ingenious level design. I played this for three days non-stop practically I had blisters on my thumb from the D-Pad and another blister from pressing the B and Y button so much. I still play this today (alot along with Zelda: ALTTP) and whizz through the entire game 101% in under and hour.

I think the great bosses (slightly easy though), luscious landscapes and top tunes kept me hooked - 2D platforming hasn't been bettered since IMO.

[Wools]

doesn't always work for all games, but my example, Jet Set Radio i was drawn in by the new graphical style... then the music hit me, and then the actual gameplay. i stayed with this one for a long ass (and very enjoyable) time.

Excatly, couldent of put it better.

Metal gear solid. It was the cinamatic feel of the game from the orcheristial score to the excellent visual detail. The codec and cut scenes although much derided were the "hook" for me. But as the same as all my favoutrite game it has a excellent story well tolled. And I applaud the games message about anti-nuclear weapons. The final credit's in the remake are haunting and makes you want to do somithing about it.

In general I want gripping games with a good story. From Ico's minamilism to Final Fantasy VII's long winded approach, a good tale told well get's me.

[Paul3704]

Rainbow Islands.

Once i'd worked out that the screed was split into invisible bands of colour, all of a sudden getting the right diamonds was no longer hit or miss but skill.

Allowing me to get all the diamonds in order to see the other three endings.

[superstarbeejay]

ICO gripped me immediately and I don't know why. I just couldn't put it down.

More strangely me and a couple of mates got PGR 2 and NFS:U on the same day. Played PGR 2 for 10 mins, got bored and played NFS:U for about 4 hours. When NFS: U was turned off it never got played again. I have now got all plats on PGR 2 and spent over 100 hours playing it in total, wierd

[Biggs]

Starfox got me instantly hooked. The whole opening sequence, with the take-off, the interaction with your pals and the awesome musical score gripped me immediately.

[anephric]

Seeing MSR on a DC demo pod made me buy one there and then.

[Concept]

ICO. Came home, switched on, escaped to a different world.

It's rare for me. Usually, I sort myself out a coffee, clear some things out of the way, or make sure I won't be disturbed for a few hours if I'm looking to play a game concertedly.

ICO broke this rule though. I simply booted up, dissolved and disappeared.

[Tom Salter]

I suppose what Concept's talking about has only ever happened to me three times. From the most recent....

Half Life 2
Me and my other 2 flatmates all went to the shop, got this in on the Tuesday of release, and played it through non-stop. All finished within 5 minutes of each other, too, heh. I'd recently been spoilt by Doom 3 on my newly upgraded PC, but it was nothing compared to HL2. I could go on...but there's an immense thread a few forums down that can explain far better than I can. :P

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Managed to get this on PAL launch day in a backwater town, amid fears of shortages. I was staying at my Mum's pub over Christmas at the time, Xmas 1998 if I remember. Because my Mum's town is ~20 miles away from my friends, and I was upstairs in a pub, I had perfect peace. With Wind Waker, I knew I had a limited amount of time to finish it in, as it was close to exams. With this, I knew I had a good few weeks to savour it, and I took the most time in examining everything the game had to offer. It's the one game I wish I'd forget about, so I can return to it again afresh.

Final Fantasy VII
My first Final Fantasy game, as a suspect it was for many of you, and it was especially great. I don't even need to go into the reasons why I didn't put this down after booting up.

[Iron Z]

Wipeout - Specifically the demo that came with my PS1. I think i was hooked from first seeing the floating cars ready to race, and hearing the Chemical Brothers kick in. There was no way i was getting a saturn after seeing that.

Interstate '76 - the installation music 8)

Jumping Flash - the first time i pressed jump...then jump...then jump again and saw the whole level below. Like one of those dreams where you are falling / floating...

Sonic Adventure - seeing a friend run through the green hill zone made me want a DC.

[Concept]

Final Fantasy VII
My first Final Fantasy game, as a suspect it was for many of you, and it was especially great. I don't even need to go into the reasons why I didn't put this down after booting up.

Final Fantasy VII is another. It wasn't quite in the same realm in the way ICO sucked me in... but it made me buy a Playstation. A friend brought his over and we played the first couple of hours. At first I disliked it, but something about the atmosphere got in underneath the skin and I kept asking him to come around so we could play it some more. Eventually the muppet traded the game in for Time Crisis, so I was left with the prospect of buying a Playstation to start anew myself and continue the story.

One of the best decisions I ever made.

Yes - it was my first Final Fantasy (and the only one I like). Not only that, it was my first levelling-up J-RPG. To this day, the imagination, diversity and overall feel of the title has been rarely surpassed.

Just as essential to the Playstation as Saga and Super Mario 64 were to the Saturn and N64.

One of those true one-offs that suck you in and spit you out with a changed perception on a genre or what videogames can achieve.