Next Gen Im going Retro

[Ghost]

Hopefully Im not the only one that feels this way. Now that we are near to the next gen machines being released I have to say I am not impressed at all with the direction Sony and Microsoft seem to be heading. DLC exclusives, DRM, social features being shoehorned into every game, cloud gaming, free to play etc. I miss the old days where you just paid for a game and that was it, no hidden costs to unlock extra features and things that are already on the disk, no achievements/trophies that are mostly a chore to do.
I think games nowadays are getting way too complex for their own good, with most games requiring you to invest a lot of hours to get the most out of them which I simply cant do anymore. Recently I have been buying and enjoying more games for my Wii's Virtual Console than I have games for my current gen consoles and I think Im going to go down the retro route instead of buying a PS4 or 720 or whatever Microsoft decide to call their media hub. Ive got a Wii U which I love as it offers a great library of retro games as well as all of the new stuff that Nintendo will release. Will also look into getting back a Dreamcast, Saturn and other retro machines as there are hundreds of great games that I have missed out on over the years and at least I know that I can play these games how they were meant to be played even ten years from now without servers being shut down and being unable to access a game that I have paid for.

[nakamura]

I think games are too simple. Hours of mundane, immersion breaking tutorials. Nothing to find out for yourself. Platforms that flash
to show you can jump in them.

Go retro.

[Sketcz]

Games aren't becoming too complex - they're becoming overly simplified but with massive quantities of padding to increase the playtime, and therefore give the impression of "value for money". Needing to invest a large amount of time doesn't denote complexity, rather quantity.

System Shock 2 was complex, but not very long.

I concur though. Go retro!

[Ghost]

Im talking more about the controls and gaming length rather than difficulty level, plus too much focus on multiplayer and endless grinding and a load of stats, figures and menus being thrown about, Im currently trying to finish off Final Fantasy XIII and Im about 45 hours in, on the last chapter and it still feels like Im just scratching the surface.

Youre both correct about games being too easy and simplified, not much challenge anymore. Games as difficult as Ghouls and Ghosts or Ninja Gaiden simply dont get made anymore.

[Wools]

I love new experiences, to be surprised and entertained and games this generation have lived up to what I expect great games to be.

As I've been a gamer since I could hold a controller, I've played pretty much every well received game released since the 1980's, regularly going back to my favourite classics and that will never change. However, to limit yourself, to only play retro, I find that an odd decision to want to commit to.

DLC, DRM, Online Authorisation, Tacked on Multi-Player, Kinect, Waggle and countless other niggles of the past few years are frustrating and sometimes test my patience. But the raw thrill of seeing the opening of Uncharted 2 for the first time, stepping into the morbid world of Demons Soul's, controlling the life like oversteer of the AMG SLS in Gran Turismo 5, negotiating the beautiful toy box world of Super Mario 3D Land, linking up on a MacBook Pro with your brother on a Windows 7 PC to play Counter Strike GO or perfectly taking out an entire street of thugs in Batman Arkham City, this generation provides just as many thrills as a SNES, Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, PSone or anything else you want to throw at them.

If there's a great game to play, it does not matter how many hoops I have to jump through, I'll play it and have a bloody good time. Still, I cross my fingers it's a controller in my hand and not a bloody camera or touch screen!

[Pikate]

I think it's more an "Other Gamers" thing that puts me off. I don't mind digital-only, DRM, DLC. The only used games I ever buy are N64/SNES because I wasn't around as a gamer then but modern games are great (Bioshock, GTA, Portal, Rayman, Street Fighter 4, the XBLA re-releases like Jet Set Radio, Banjo Kazooie, SFIII:3rd Strike) and "Achievements" add a lot of reply value to games now so I'm excited for the next gen but Xbox Live users are generally the most unpleasant people I come across in my day-to-day life. Miiverse is even more pointless/annoying but alot better than Xbox Live since it's easy to ignore. I just hope there's less emphasis on Online Multiplayer, In-Game Chat, etc Next Gen. You miserable old gaming Hipsters here are the people I want to engage with basically...

[speedlolita]

Why confine yourself?

Play what you like, you don't HAVE to purchase "popular" releases. But if a games comes out that looks interesting why not purchase said console to play it?

I know I'll be playing TERA, Third Strike and whatever else I feel like playing whenever.

[nakamura]

To play retro only could well cover 20+ years of unplayed games depending on your definition.

[MisterBubbles]

As speedy said, just play games, no labels or anything, there's good games from pong onwards, and something for everybody, old, young, male, female, let everybody enjoy gaming and the world will be calmer and happier place.

[nakamura]

I was almost hooked with Wools' comment but he lost me at a positive comment about Gran Turismo 5, what a ****ty game that is!

It's true though, just play anything. I am no current gen fan as is clear but man Forza Horizon is the best racer I have ever played. I hate the fact I will probably not get to play any follow up unless I beg to borrow a console to play it. There are still great games, it's just there is also still EA and Activision.

[Guts]

Why would I willingly give up a huge part of my favourite past time? This generation (like all the previous) has produced some truly great games, both big commercial as well as small indie titles and the next generation will do the same. Why not enjoy BOTH retro and the best of what modern technology has to offer?

Also Pikate, never call anyone a hipster if you don't mean it as an insult.

[dataDave]

I'm sticking with Nintendo and PlatinumGames. Everything else is garbage, apart from stuff by Treasure; they need to do slightly more next gen.

[Brad]

Retro and pc for me. Pc has drm a lot of the time but at least Steam has a good track record for not going wrong. There aren't many upcoming games I'm even interested in. Dark Souls 2 and Metal Gear. Plus a few kickstarters I backed.

[dataDave]

Of course, I'll get my third party fix via PC if need be.

[nakamura]

Retro and pc for me. Pc has drm a lot of the time but at least Steam has a good track record for not going wrong. There aren't many upcoming games I'm even interested in. Dark Souls 2 and Metal Gear. Plus a few kickstarters I backed.

That and you can buy games from Steam for pennies.