Have you ever known a time with more great games available?

[IcePak]

I think you're right. Now is a great time to be a gamer, because there is such a huge range of games available, and the quality of these titles is reasonably high.

The problem, however, lies in the fact that most people aren't willing to buy every great game available. This then leads to a game's retail performance suffering, only because the market is becoming oversaturated with good games. Obviously most people are going to go with the most hyped/advertised titles rather than something they are unsure about, simply because they would rather spend their money on games that are a sure thing. Thus plenty of original titles, which the industry relies on for it's routine of sequels, fail dismally.

It is good to have such a huge selection of good games, but when original titles, and even formulamatic titles that are really good, suffer at retail because people can't afford all of these games, then the industry needs to take look at itself, and restructure itself so that something like this doesn't happen at the same level as it is now.

[Brats]

That's a very valid point. What always surprises me about games software is how people generally want to buy something just released.

At the moment, there is a glut of great software. You can guarantee that as we approach the next generation, things will start to ease off and there will be more droughts. But will people go back and buy the games they missed this time round? Often not.

[JRMacumber]

But will people go back and buy the games they missed this time round? Often not.

I keep a list. It's on a small piece of notepad paper, stuffed in my wallet. On it is the name of all the games I've considered getting. I'll put stars next to the ones I really want. And, as time and money permit, I'll buy 'em and check 'em off. Sometimes from places like eBay, sometimes if I see them in a store, used or new. That way I never forget.

[Max M]

I think you might just be getting caught up in the fact that publishers release all their decent games at Christmas, maybe moreso than ever this year. Hence the fact that high profile games like Prince of Persia and EyeToy: Groove didn't set the charts alight. Not to say it hasn't been a great year, but I wouldn't go as far as to say we've never had it so good!

Personally 2000 was my favourite year for gaming when we got MSR, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Ecco The Dolphin and others... Sega was at their all time peak in that year and their creativity was amazing.

[H-Man]

Yup - it's great to be a gamer these days ... so many quality titles about.

I do remember a time when there were less, but better games about tho

//shuffles off to play Golden Eye and Mario 64

[Alf-Life]

Oh man, don't start... I love GoldenEye... I played it non-stop for 5 or 6 months since it's November 97 release in the UK. In those days I didn't have a disposable income and so could only get like a few games every year or something crazy like that, and so I was so glad when I discovered the greatness of GoldenEye. If all games were to be erased from existence but one, I'd pick to save GoldenEye and happily play that until the end of days. Or something. And there're still people playing it now... and (go look at www.the-elite.net) getting crazy times... sub 2 mins 00 Agent Aztec.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Off the top of my head.
MUST have games out this year:
F-Zero
Wind Waker
Winning Eleven 7
KOTOR? (Never Played it)

In fact you could argue that non of them are AAA titles.

Cant think how anyone can think this has been a great year for games.
Its been allright
Maybe you are young, and innocent?.
The SNES years had 9 or 10 must have games every year, same with Late 90's PS, SAT and N64

Games like:
Prince of Persia
PGR2
Top Spin
Rainbow 6 3
Amped 2
Counterstrike

are to me, not even A games, in fact i would never consider buying any of them. Amped 2?????WTF????
Some of them are just generic american, Gen X fodder.

Whoever said 98 was a great year, was absolutley bang on, it was superb

[bungle]

The problems however are: If you can afford them, you don't have the time to play them.

and

If you have the time to play them, you don't have the money to buy them.

I am definatley the latter. Laziness does have its advantages I suppose.....but how I want those games.

The only one I have out of the current crop is Amped 2, and I have almost finished it 100%.

[Valiant]

I prefer 91-92 and 92 -93.

[Salsa Party Animal]

There is too many quality games for me to buy but again it is nice to have the choice

I mean I bought

Tiger Woods, Viewiful Joe, Splinter Cell, KOTR, F-Zero X, Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario and Luigi, Advance Wars II, Mario Bros 3, PGR II, Winning Eleven 7, Rez, Prince of Persia, Top Spin, ESPN NBA 2K4, ESPN NFL 2K4, VF4 Evolution, Soul Calibur 2 and more.

If I stop buying game today I probably got enough to last for a year or two. It is absouteley madness. I will only buy 1 game a month after Christmas until Autumn.

[Brats]

Amped 2?????WTF????
Some of them are just generic american, Gen X fodder.

If you only like Japanese orientated games (which from your list I presume that you do) then you might well think that. Personally, I could never, ever understand the reason for dismissing a whole geographical region of games.

Those of us with open minds seem more than happy with the games released and see the games you dismiss not as generic Western stuff but as finely crafted games that can hold a candle to any other releases this year (especially PoP and PGR2).

Have you even played Amped 2 for any length of time?

[Concept]

I will only buy 1 game a month after Christmas until Autumn.

Halo 2?

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Amped 2?????WTF????
Some of them are just generic american, Gen X fodder.

If you only like Japanese orientated games (which from your list I presume that you do) then you might well think that. Personally, I could never, ever understand the reason for dismissing a whole geographical region of games.

Those of us with open minds seem more than happy with the games released and see the games you dismiss not as generic Western stuff but as finely crafted games that can hold a candle to any other releases this year (especially PoP and PGR2).

Have you even played Amped 2 for any length of time?

Listen you little ****, don't tell me what i like and don't like. How do you know i only like Jap games?.
Because i dont rate Amped 2 and Rainbow 6, a much as say GoldenEye or Yoshi's Island.
Your litle rant about having an open mind really pisses me off, dont start f**k*ng telling me i haven't got an open mind, because i don't agree with you.
Just because I think Amped2 is shameless, generic Gen-X pandering doesnt mean i hate american games. It really p*ss*s me off when i come accross little kids like you telling me what i think.
If the mods think my language is harsh, then sorry, but im not having this guy telling me i don't have an open mind about games beacuse i am not in love with, say Rainbow f**k*ng 6.

[Brats]

Get a grip!

I made an assumption based on the choices you made (which were fairly one sided). So sue me. If you read my post carefully, I never directly said you didn't have any open mind, but if I impied it then it was because of your pathetic comment like "Maybe you are young, and innocent?."

Jesus, when did they let cretins like this in here?

[Concept]

Amped 2?????WTF????
Some of them are just generic american, Gen X fodder.

If you only like Japanese orientated games (which from your list I presume that you do) then you might well think that. Personally, I could never, ever understand the reason for dismissing a whole geographical region of games.

Well indeed. However, I'm not sure if Jushin-Thunder-Liger was dismissing the entire Western scene, but rather he was perhaps picking examples of ultra-personified conservatism. Which does happen amongst companies like EA, Eidos et al, and even the likes of Microsoft Game Studios or UbiSoft to a certain extent. But it also occurs to Japanese companies like Capcom, who for all their fresh IP need to release heavy-duty sequel after heavy-duty sequel to simply fund their more experimental ventures. In other words, conservatism within the videogame industry can happen anywhere, regardless of country. It's the pure fundamental basics of running a business within a time of economic hardship, which is currently what the industry is going through as it gears up for the next transition.

Yet, having said that...

All these (and more) have been released by Western developers this generation, and while some might argue over their respective qualities, there's no denying that this side of the world have produced significant and imaginative releases.

Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
Halo
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Splinter Cell
Amped 2
Burnout 2
Eternal Darkness
Jak & Daxter
Metroid Prime
Frequency
Amplitude
XIII
Max Payne
LeMans 24 Hours
Project Gotham Racing 2
Beyond Good & Evil
Eyetoy
Moto GP
Neverwinter Nights
Operation Flashpoint

Now, it's down to personal opinion, but these titles in some way have been considered by many to have had an impact on their respective genres. And while personally I don't agree with the following sentiment, it could be argued that the most significant games released this generation on all three consoles have come from this side of the world.

PS2 = Grand Theft Auto III
GC = Metroid Prime
Xbox = Halo

And then there's the future...

Half-Life 2, Doom 3, Halo 2, Sudeki, Fable, BC, The Movies, Splinter Cell: Pandora's Tomorrow, I-Ninja, Full Spectrum Warriors, STALKER: Oblivion Lost, Jade Empire, Killzone, The Sims 2, Thief III etc.

... Are generating as much interest as any of their Eastern counterparts in the gaming press and public. And there's a healthy mix of fresh IP and heavy duty sequels sitting together in that list too.

It's no secret that the Japanese game industry has been suffering over the past few years, especially compared to it's heyday of the late 80's/90's. This isn't to say I don't love a lot of the videogames which come out of that country, because to put it bluntly: I do. I know it's a generalisation, but I often find most Japanese games to show an outstanding level of polish, intelligence and imagination. There's usually a very delicate balance between those three aspects amongst the very best videogames which Japan offers.

What I've found with the best recent Western titles is that ability to take a risk in perhaps providing a substantial evolution. For example, in my opinion I've yet to see a Japanese game of this generation deliver the freedom and variety of say, GTA: Vice City. Or the sophistication and wit of Halo's AI. Yet, likewise, I've not seen a Western console game of this generation deliver the emotional impact of a game such as ICO. Or the mechanical and strategic depth of Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution.

So again, objectively speaking, (from within my own viewpoint of course), I really do think that during this generation, the quality of the East and West has been very, very close in terms of a consistent quality level.

As for the recent glut of good games during the winter, I've found most of the ones I've been hooked on have happened to appear from this side of the world. Although I've just started Gregory Horror Show, so I'm loving that too.

Again. The fact different regions each have something to offer sets the development community in good stead. I just wish the cream of each crop would do a little mixing and perhaps produce something together. Not work on a port or a remake, but a brand new, exciting and original title.

Now that would be interesting.