Games we wanted to like, but didn't

joetbd · 07-12-2010, 09:45 PM

I think it is kinda nice, when people want to like a game, but can't. These games create the kind of long discussions, and critical observations that over-rated games (that EVERYONE loves) do not.

Games like Heavy Rain, Alpha Protocol, Borderlands, ect... People feel free to openly discuss, what went wrong, and what went right.
With games like Shadow of the Colossus. Its a perfect game... end of discussion. How boring is that?

Im listening to an old 'Big Red Potion' podcast. It is all about Heavy Rain. It is 2 hours long and labeled "part 1". I dont think they ever stop talking about Heavy Rain. The game seems to come up on every episode of BRP. And this is a game they didnt like.

It is that kind of "even games we dont like have value" discussion, that I think is missing on most gaming forums. We are all in such a hurry to label every new game as great or terrible and move on, that we fail to see that every game is a mixture of good and bad.

SparkyClarkson · 07-13-2010, 09:35 AM

I think that in a way it is more difficult to analyze success than it is failure. A game that fails usually fails for a specific reason you can point to, but success is typically holistic. Moreover, in games particularly, a lot of what is meant by success is not being noticed. We like interfaces that are transparent, level design that feels natural, and stories where the authorial shortcuts are hidden from view. It's difficult to discuss the invisible; you're basically stuck saying "You know, they could have done X, which would have sucked, but they did Y, which was awesome." And where did X come from in that counterfactual? A game we could have liked.

joetbd · 07-13-2010, 12:24 PM

But then, its all in the eye of the beholder anyway.
One persons slow and boring, is someone else's deliberate and thorough.

When something works, it doesnt mean it works for everyone.

I like hearing about games, where people have mixed opinions. It makes for much better (more informative and constructive) conversions, rather than just a couple of people waxing on about a game they both loved.

I listened to a podcast, with a couple of guys practically ejaculating all over Uncharted 2. And as someone that doesnt own a PS3, I did not learn anything from that. The same guys talked about Heavy Rain, another PS3 exclusive, and I learned alot about that game.

When people talk about something they really like, AND their audience also likes. It tends to fall into common themes. Things like "you could have pieced the cutscenes together, and gotten a movie that people would pay money to see". Or they just refer to various elements as "perfect" without actually describing them. The pacing was perfect, the balance was perfect, the difficulty was perfect.

But when people disagree, the details come to the surface. "I didnt like that it took 10 bullets to kill one enemy". The person that was irked by something, can spot the area that didnt like, and the other person can say why they thought it did work. When you bring different views to the table, you get a more thorough examination.

And I think its more enjoyable to listen to as well.

hismastersvoice · 07-31-2010, 03:36 AM

I know this has probably been covered a thousand times by now, but I have to mention Dragon Age. I really wanted to like the game (I bought it after all), but Christ was it terrible. Possibly the blandest, most boring experience I've ever had with a game. It actually made me nauseous, a physical reaction to a game I've not had since Enter the Matrix. Another that comes to mind is Dead Space. I love sci-fi, space, Aliens, etc. It seemed like the perfect game for me, and my best friend raved about it. However, I will never understand the acclaim this game received; it absolutely boggles my mind. It's just another vapid, boring shooter. The repetition is staggering: the environments never change, the enemies never change, the characters never evolve, and none of those elements were particularly strong to begin with. What's more, the story is predictable, shallow, and just plain boring. And the scare factor? Nonexistent. "Oh no, I certainly hope more identical looking monstrosities don't burst out of these conspicuous vents." Just an utterly empty slog all the way through.

RandomRob · 07-31-2010, 08:31 AM

I felt that way the first time I tried Dead Space, felt it was really derivative. Later I replayed it and saw it as an honest homage to the handful of classic sci-fi horror films and liked it alot more.

I wanted to mention Little Big Planet. Pretty looking, yet collecting stickers and skins and cutesy costumes and floaty jumping ad infinitum ad nauseum got old in a few hours. Could not fathom what people were raving about.

joetbd · 07-31-2010, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomRob

I wanted to mention Little Big Planet. Pretty looking, yet collecting stickers and skins and cutesy costumes and floaty jumping ad infinitum ad nauseum got old in a few hours. Could not fathom what people were raving about.

Thats another common theme I like to bring up with people. "Games that seem to appeal to everyone, except me". I have a whole slew of games, that I would not rate above "decent" but are universally excepted as masterpieces.

I think we all have our own list of games, where we "dont get it". We often put those games in a box as being the product of PR hype, fanboy love, or something along those lines. I think its worth while to mention these titles, from time to time. It annoys the fanboys. And they can get nasty. They can't stand the knowledge that someone somewhere does not like their favorite game. But it is such a good feeling, when you see someone else mention that they "didnt understand why people made such a big fuss over that game" either.

It is so satisfying, when you find out you are not the only one. You always suspected, you weren't alone. But when someone replies "oh god, yes. Exactly. That game annoyed me so much". That feels so good. Like seeing a rescue ship, when your stranded at sea.

RandomRob · 07-31-2010, 10:38 AM

Bayonetta...

joetbd · 07-31-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomRob

Bayonetta...

Bayonetta seems to have inherited Devil May Cry's role of "weirdo beat'em up that everyone loves".

I never got Devil May Cry either. It seems like such a niche game. Its universal appeal baffled me.

RandomRob · 07-31-2010, 10:49 PM

Bioshock...

joetbd · 08-01-2010, 09:56 AM

Braid

- that game breaks my cardinal rule of puzzle games. It exposes you to puzzles, before its possible to solve them.

eaps · 08-04-2010, 12:27 PM

Grand Theft Auto 4. I really really wanted to like it but the more I played it the more irritated I was with the controls. Then I played GTA:Chinatown wars and it was super-duper awesome and I felt like a whole person again.

Li-Ion · 08-08-2010, 10:38 AM

GTA Chinatown Wars - tried to like it, it just didn't click at all. Yes, it's a technical marvel how they fit such a big game into the small cardridge. Unfortunately this big game bored me extremely quick.

Warhammer Online - the WoW-killer. Haha. After playing Warhammer Online I noticed how awesome WoW actually is, since it's competitor just lacked soul. I could also put Age of Conan in the same list.

Braid - it's a cute little puzzle game... I guess... I just didn't see whats so special about it. I really don't see how Braid is 'art'. I didn't really like the game.

Dramund · 08-09-2010, 10:13 AM

Bioshock and Dragon Age, for sure.

I'd also like to mention EVE Online. I really tried to like that game because I had a deep appreciation for the player-driven economy and open world and do-anything-you-want approach. I subscribed for quite a while - long enough to try all the professions - found everything simply too slow paced, not interactive, and not fun.

I think this thread is too similar to "overrated games." I think I tried to like every critically acclaimed game way back before I was wiser.

joetbd · 08-09-2010, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dramund

I think this thread is too similar to "overrated games."

I think their completely different categories.
Overrated (the way I define it) is a game that scored much higher than other similar games, and I just cant see why. Halo is the game many people would put in this category.

While "A game I wanted to like" is a game that did almost everything right, or had one really really good idea. But I just did not enjoy it much.

In many ways the two are opposites. Overrated games, are about the disagreement I have with other people (they "overrated" the game). While a game I wanted to like, that is an internal conflict. Im arguing with myself. Part of me is sees the flaws, but I can also see an enjoyable side to the game.

-

I will add Too Human as a game I wanted to like. As the pre-release chatter went back and forth. I was rooting for the game to be good. And when I played the demo, I wanted to like it. I just didnt

SparkyClarkson · 08-09-2010, 03:34 PM

I'm with eaps. I wanted to like GTA IV, in part because it was so ambitious and the main character was (initially) sympathetic. But the world was less than it seemed and Bellic ultimately disgusted me. Chinatown Wars had more freedom to be ridiculous and was ultimately all the better for it, despite having a few really bad missions.

I need to mull it over more, but I think Limbo (or at least the second half of it) might be in this category for me, too.