Hype vs common sense (and our wallets)

[Skull Commander]

Thats not true! You know i'll always play fighters with you as we're so evenly matched!! I was waiting for you to appear on Soul Calibur V and you never did

You are one of the few that actually do play. To be fair that game is gonna be half price by Easter if not before. I'd bet my left bollock on it!

[Geoff D]

I have more or less given up on buying games on release now due to having enough to play already, the inevitable price reduction a couple of months in, and the fact that over the last couple of years my financial priories have changed.

I've been on the common sense end of the scale for a long time now, mostly for the above reasons. 'Hype' doesn't get to me any more - the younger me that pored over every screenshot of OoT I could get my mitts on is long gone - though at least that game was something to get hyped about.

So much of what's hyped these days (i.e. nearly everything) fails to deliver, that it renders the whole experience false and untrustworthy anyway. I'm super-selective about what I play these days & my wallet & gaming inner-voices thank me for that.

[J0e Musashi]

I only buy stellar "must-have" titles new nowadays, otherwise I just wait until games come along on forums or eBay. This way the games I buy are random, and there are no set dates or whatever. I just got Brink t'other day for example.

[Guts]

Games like the latest GTA are sure to have poor gameplay, becuase every game in the series has, but if you were to follow the hype, as many of us do, then you would buy it anyway.

First of all, GTA V is not "sure" to have anything when nobody knows anything about the game, so please don't make stupid statements like that.

Second, I'm not buying GTA V or any game for that matter really, because of "hype". I'm buying GTA V because I'm a fan of GTA/Rockstar games and want more of that.

As for hoarding piles of new games at launch price, then playing them three months later is, I'm sorry to say this, simply stupid and a waste of money especially when prices drop as fast as they do these days.

[rmoxon]

First of all, GTA V is not "sure" to have anything when nobody knows anything about the game, so please don't make stupid statements like that.

Second, I'm not buying GTA V or any game for that matter really, because of "hype". I'm buying GTA V because I'm a fan of GTA/Rockstar games and want more of that.

As for hoarding piles of new games at launch price, then playing them three months later is, I'm sorry to say this, simply stupid and a waste of money especially when prices drop as fast as they do these days.

Id be very shocked if GTA V had gameplay I personally considered good, the 4th game was a massive improvmemnt over the previous titles in regards to things like shooting mechanics but thats not really saying much. At the end of the day people forgive GTA for its poor core mechanics becuase its an open world game and does alot of different things, its basically a Jack of all trades and no where near being a master of any of them, and I really cannot see any new game in the series being any different.

But thats all just my opinion, so theres no reason to get bent out of shape about it.

[Charlie]

It is indeed mere opinion. You don't believe the GTA franchise has good gameplay, and if I'm honest I can partly understand where you base that argument, but tearing around the streets in the vehicles and causing mayhem is, in my opinion, incredibly good fun. At the end of the day a lot of people enjoy fun gameplay like that just as much as the meticulous, clever and rewarding gameplay in games like Dark Souls.

[rmoxon]

It is indeed mere opinion. You don't believe the GTA franchise has good gameplay, and if I'm honest I can partly understand where you base that argument, but tearing around the streets in the vehicles and causing mayhem is, in my opinion, incredibly good fun. At the end of the day a lot of people enjoy fun gameplay like that just as much as the meticulous, clever and rewarding gameplay in games like Dark Souls.

Well yeah, I can understand that driving around the streets running people over is good fun, its prue escapism. Though I do feel it gets boring very quickly and isnt enough to sustain a GTA games long length, particuarly since alot of the missions are nothing more than the equivilant of fetch quests which are bookended by monotonous driving from point a to b. When I play GTA I find 75% of my play time has me staring at the mini map following an arrow about, which doesnt particuarly excite me.

If people like GTA then thats cool, but I honestly still cant understand why they do.

[nakamura]

It's a different type of good gameplay, a case of being more than the sum of its parts. GTA is a perfect example of that, it doesn't control that well but the overall experience makes it work.
I have recently completed Clock Tower 3 and that is the same. It doesn't 'play' very well at all, clunky, slow and awkward. The overall experiences makes it work though.

I don't get sucked into the hype myself. Party due to playing a bit of catch up on huge hits I missed and partly because I think games this gen are good but wickedly overrated.

[QualityChimp]

I saw a talk by the author of Consumer Detox and I found it fascinating.

I couldn't believe how many companies were advertising by selling the experience you get from their products, rather than the products themselves.

I've just counted the number of unplayed games on my shelf for that thread, Kung-Fu films I want to see in that thread and I keep on adding to my LoveFilm list!
I still keep popping into the Dark Souls thread and getting tempted to get that too!

As schoolkids, we probably got our money's worth out of games because after saving up for them and going to the effort of loading them up line-by-line from tape, we were going to make the effort to play them.

Now we find the thrill of buying new games, being part of a console launch, searching out second-hand bargains and collecting retro titles is probably greater than playing the actual games.

I'm struggling to change my attitude to enjoying what I have and not focussing on what I don't.

...because I'm worth it.

[EvilBoris]

I think there is genuine enjoyment to be had from being "caught up" in the hype of a new console or a new game you want.
It might only be a temporary feeling , but it's still a good one.

I guess there are some things that don't match your built up excitement or your expectations, but hey, you can't win them all.

My biggest problem is that my disposable income allows me to buy numerous games that far exceed the hours in the day, let alone hours I get alone time with the TV and I find myself having to be a little more selective with what I purchase. I guess that is the common sense bit.

[charlesr]

Speaking of hype, SYNDICATE IS OUT VERY SOON AND I'M SUPER PUMPED FOR THAT GAME TO THE EXTENT WHERE YOU MIGHT THINK I'M IN THE EMPLOY OF THE CORPORATION BUT I'M NOT.

I've no idea if the single player will be any good or not, but from the hype, I need to find out. Common sense says it'll be just another FPS. Hope the hype wins.

[EvilBoris]

Starbreeze are gooduns, the SP will be the best bit

[Neon Ignition]

The only review I've seen so far was in todays Metro. They're hardly officiados on the subject but they scored it 3/5 saying the 4 player co-op is the highlight but the rest of the package is all in all very average.

I'll wait for the main sites but that's largely what I'm expecting. I enjoy Starbreezes games but for me Syndicate isn't a strong enough licence for a studio like Starbreeze. It's all too Blade Runner knock off which is largely how the final game looks too. An example for me of a no-hype release