Are computer games too Bland? {Article}

[Tharros]

I think their is quite a lot of cliche in games and generally the 'story' in games is shallow at best. But that could be said about any form of media. There are exceptions however, many which have been mentioned. But, then again, we must remember that the games industry is young. Developers are still learning how to tell stories in their games via various methods. Cliche is the prelude to innovation.

I believe it is indie developers that are actually better at innovation and evolving gaming than the actual industry is. Take these games for instance:
Minecraft
Mount and Blade
Magicka

All three games are completely different, yet bring unique styles of gameplay not seen in other titles (and they all start with 'M'). If you have not played all three of those game, do yourself a favor

I don't think games necessarily need a story, however. They have another dimension, when compared to movies, for example - interactivity/gameplay. This is why games with solely good gameplay and/or good multiplayer can be effective - obviously a lot of FPS games fit into this category. While this aspect, just like a storyline, can also be prone to cliche, which can lead to an over saturated market, there is still room for and a need for innovation.

 

[Billy]

yeah there are still some out there, but when you look back at what games used to be like, particularly on the PC, you can see the number has dropped, but in fairness the ones that are still pushing it tend to be pretty standout

Yeah I agree with that. I rarely get as much enjoyment out of games nowadays as I did way back when.

The '90s were incredible for gaming.

 

[Vanjagl]

CoD is like Counter Strike. I cant see any difference ( without graphics and ****). I only played CS cuz i liked idea to chat with ppl. But I got bored and quit after some time. This is why I dont like CoD. 8/10 RPG games are the same.
Only games I played with enjoying were FM, Mafia 1 and Mafia 2. IMO, Mafia 1 is best game ever ( I dont care about graphics, I love the story and freedom given to you).

 

[Shay Given]

I dont have time to sit and play through a story anymore :S
So I prefer to invest in a game that I can play for an hour every few days I enjoy it. Such as Fifa & COD.
The likes of GTA are the best games ever, they gave you a great storyline that would take quite while to complete and then after that you would be temped to try and achieve 100% completion which is barely possible and now they have added in multilayer, which makes the game last even longer.

 

[Nixon]

Yeah I agree with that. I rarely get as much enjoyment out of games nowadays as I did way back when.

The '90s were incredible for gaming.

That may be partly an age issue, as the games may have been more appealing to someone aged <11. And now everyone is older they expect more from a game. Younger players need less of a storyline to keep them hooked I guess.

 

[Deovoultcha]

This is why I think Half Life 2 is an amazing game from outside the boundary of fighting

 

[RyanoLFC]

Well, if you look at Gears of War, a very recent series... They have an amazing story line, and many little storys in it like Dominic and his now dead girlfriend...

I do agree there are some story lines in games that need a kick up the **** tbh... But games like Assasians Creed 2/Brotherhood, in particular, which are based around a true Family in the Brogia family makes it feel amazing. I think if you make a futuristic game or something outragous you need to get a good backstory to it, which is why I love Gears of War and im liking the look of Homefront becouse they spend 1 1/2 years on JUST THE STORY LINE! Thats what I like to hear 8)

YouTube - Homefront E3 2010 Backstory Trailer [HD]

 

[Craven]

I still enjoy modern games, and there are a few diamonds in the rough, such as Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Heavy Rain, Fahrenheit, Mass Effect, etc.

Fahrenheit was brilliant, one of the best games on the PS2/XBOX but was a bit ahead of its time.

Other than LA Noire, there is nothing coming out I'd consider fresh, all games feel the same these days and I get more fun out of Plants vs. Zombies than I ever would with some MW2/BOps rip off.

 

[Mike.]

That may be partly an age issue, as the games may have been more appealing to someone aged <11. And now everyone is older they expect more from a game. Younger players need less of a storyline to keep them hooked I guess.

i can kinda see this, but i look back the storylines and the complexity/sheer individuality of games was much higher then

RyanLFC i have high hopes for homefront, even though its a"shooter" from what ive seem its very story driven and much about the tale than the blood

 

[Kris]

I dont have time to sit and play through a story anymore :S
So I prefer to invest in a game that I can play for an hour every few days I enjoy it. Such as Fifa & COD.
The likes of GTA are the best games ever, they gave you a great storyline that would take quite while to complete and then after that you would be temped to try and achieve 100% completion which is barely possible and now they have added in multilayer, which makes the game last even longer.

See, why can't you sit and play a game that has a story for an hour? That's what I do, that way I get plenty of enjoyment out of it.