Is this the worst generation ever for games?

[moonwhistle]

It's no different to the people who say they are going to boycott Left 4 Dead 2 based on the little we've heard of it so far.

Hell I ignored that game solely beacuse they spelt the title with a number. Call me a stupid pedant but that **** doesn't wash with me.

[DeathAdder]

I have lost interest in games for the most part this generation. Whether it's just me getting older, or other interests taking priority, I have only bought three games in the last three months - two were from a play asia refund and the other was a trade. I've ditched more than 1000 games from my collection, and the remainder (about 100) are on thin ice.

For the first time since I started, I'd rather do something else in the evenings. When I do play a game, it takes me an age to choose, and not any more because I have too many to be manageable. It's more a can't be arsed with that, don't fancy that, forgotten the controls for that, stuff that, oh, this'll do, I suppose, scenario.

A three month stint away from this place didn't help.

Might not be the fault of the games of this generation specifically, but this is the first time I've felt bored of gaming, so I can remember earlier generations more fondly.

[Legendary Wolf]

I bought Sega Rally, Alone in the Dark and Tomb Raider: Underworld for my 360 last week and had a few hours to sit and play them all. I was pleasantly surprised that they all were really good.

I think today we have so much choice and that the internet has given us more information about these games faster than ever before that we are suffering from over exposure. We can no longer just buy a game without knowing everything about it before we have even played it which probably causes us under appreciate it and/or nit pick.

Sure, every game has it drawbacks as you can't please everyone but I had read that Alone in the Dark was quite an average game, but when I came to play it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The cinematic sequences are awesome and the way they blended the cut scenes and action in the game was excellent.

Sega Rally felt like I was playing an updated version of the original which I loved. And with the wheel made it feel like I was back in the arcades in 1995, awesome.

[Strolls]

I can count loads of quality, new franchises created for the non "casual" audience in this generation:

Gears of War
Uncharted
...

So again, I don't think the evidence stacks up.

Someone else mentioned Assassins' Creed, which I hope will prove itself with the next in the series, but let's not forget Motorstorm. It has inspired a number of of rip-offs (Pure, Fuel) because it's fun to play, challenging and it just has a great feel about it. Maybe it's the bouncy-bouncy physics that I love about it.

[kernow]

Motorstorm is 'alright' but its unfuriating on some races. Oh I hit a pebble. BOOOOM goes my vehicle. Nice graphics though I guess.

[J0e Musashi]

This gen seems just the same as all the others to me. We have more add-ons and non-gaming feature nowadays, but still it seems the same to me. You sift through numerous rubbish games, and occasionally a decent one comes through.

However. I've never had as much fun online as I'm currently having with Killzone 2. So I'd say that online gaming has never been better on consoles, which I guess is a good thing.

[Legendary Wolf]

I know what you mean. Every time a new generation comes along you have all the tech that comes with it. When the Dreamcast was released it promised a new era of online gaming and although it arrived later than it should, playing online on a console was something else, even if it was on 33k dial-up back in the day. The DC era is my favorite as for a short time at least Sega were back on top form producing hit game after hit game and leading the way for online and multiplayer games. The problem was it was ahead of it's time and was really hampered by the limitations of the internet connection and speeds. Once Sega abandoned the DC I got an xbox for Christmas hoping it would continue where Sega left off but was really disappointed. Sure the games looked a little better and had 5.1 audio but it just didn't feel the same. There were poor and disappointing titles and the xbox just never captured what made the Dreamcast fun.

I also have a fondness for the 16-bit era as that's when I really got into games when I bought a Megadrive after a short stint with a Master System II. Back then it was a simpler affair of Nintendo and Sega battling for supremacy.

Today, not only do we have more consoles and other gadgets to play games on we also have a far bigger industry. There has also been a huge shift in games production from primarily Japan, to western Europe and America.

With the 360 however I feel things are different. I am now purchasing more games than I did before, spending more time on the 360 and using it to it's full potential as a media extender and hub. Games are keeping me interested and have the same wow factor that I had playing DC games. Plus I can play my old xbox games (the few that I have) and play online.

[DeathAdder]

Yeah no game is perfect and criticism is all fine and dandy but some people just moan about the silliest of things.

There's truth in this. I seem to remember the Fable 2 first play thread having someone slating it because the animation of the dog swimming was poor, and going as far as to say that he just couldn't overlook such a glaring fault.

[Ady]

There's truth in this. I seem to remember the Fable 2 first play thread having someone slating it because the animation of the dog swimming was poor, and going as far as to say that he just couldn't overlook such a glaring fault.

Oh, but that's perfectly reasonable. We gamers have to demand quality, right?
If you'll put up with that then you'll put up with anything, after all.

[Spatial]

There's truth in this. I seem to remember the Fable 2 first play thread having someone slating it because the animation of the dog swimming was poor, and going as far as to say that he just couldn't overlook such a glaring fault.

And if you'd bothered to read my whole post in context you'd see why.

And if I could be bothered with this place any more I'd spend the time putting you right.

But do you know what? Life's to short to waste. So instead, all of you can have one of these:

[MisterBubbles]

think its time you played your PS3 as the good games have always been there
MGS4, DMC4 , LBP , uncharted , motorstorm 1 & 2 , COD 4 & 5 , grid, SF4 , fallout 3 , RE5 ,demon's souls, K2 , and new stuff like infamous , prototype , uncharted 2 ,MAG , heavy rain , then you have classic PSN stuff SSD HD , everyday shooter, zen pinball , outrun, flow and to end the sublime flower
plus online could keep you entertained for years

[FelixofMars]

I think that games out now are a lot better than they have been in the past but people seems to expect perfection in all areas, also a lot of games have been consolidated into how they must behave in terms of control and having tutorials etc so I am guessing they feel more samey even though they are just trying to be as easy as possible for anyone to get into. Maybe a sign of the causal times?

[saif]

Personally, I think games today are competent. They do what they are meant to do and they do it well but that is it. The industry is quite stale (imo) with everyone being nicely served in their little niche but not much more - it feels like commercial radio.

[BeyondJumpFish]

Maybe with gaming becoming more commercialised its blocking alot of more experimental ideas from games. Some companies are just trying to be comfortable and just do what is needed to sell the game, and make it cheep enough to get a profit.
However, i don't think this is a bad generation (strange coming from me i know). There are some stinkers out there but think about the level of **** being pumped out on the PS1 and PS2.
I think with downloadable gaming, companies and moreover little 3rd parties can bring out stranger games like Flow and Flower, that may not be worth pressing into a disk, but worth playing none the less.
Like any good writer says "don't think of the reader, when you write a book just write if for your own entertainment" i think some companies can learn from that.

[Leon Retro]

Like any good writer says "don't think of the reader, when you write a book just write if for your own entertainment" i think some companies can learn from that.

Sadly, I think you have to pander to the masses to have huge success. Software publishers want to make ridiculous amounts of cash these days, so they have to focus on games that are pretty safe bets. Even the more indie devs aren't as creative and eccentric as they could be - because they also have to think about making as much money as possible.

The masses have an aversion to things that seem out of the ordinary. Familiarity makes people feel warm and fuzzy inside.


Has this generation been the worst ever? ... Well... for me personally it's been very bleak and boring compared to the last generation. I much preferred the output for the Xbox, PS2, GameCube.
Yes.. visuals are sharper and shinier these days, but.. too many games are dull. Even the more simple indie games haven't enthused me that much.

My collection of games for this gen is pretty slim. I haven't liked much of what I've played this generation. There are a handful of games I enjoy, but.. nothing I couldn't live without.

My favourite generations: 16-bit-128-bit-32/64-bit

I don't have much hope for the next generation. Only something like proper Virtual Reality would get me excited.