I doubt I will buy this game, since we'll have to pay a subscription fee. As a mostly solitary player there won't be enough incentive to shell out the extra money...
I am actually playing the games I bought for my 360 but didn't take the time to play. Remember Me, Metro Last Light, etc. I'm also revisiting Fallout: New Vegas and Bioshock Infinite...
Very enjoyable piece. One unavoidable limitation of video games is the lack of olfactory (smell) stimulation. Just as blind people maximize their hearing abilities, gamers rely on their remaining senses to fill in the blanks. Music probably enhances/detracts from the experience. Bioshock was remarkable in how it draws the gamer into its world. The music plays no small role in its success...
Nice piece. I would offer the Gamespot staff a few factors to consider:
- There are some things you can't control. When you're a global presence, you can control even fewer. Concentrate on things you have absolute power over and try to parley them into workable strategies.
- YOU have a lot of potential...whether you're rotting our young minds with drivel or saving our souls with wisdom, you can make a difference. WE, as consumers, are also able to lend a hand here and there.
- Keep your reviews real. Although I haven't played GTA V, I am MUCH, MUCH more inclined to believe a 9 out of 10. Consumers rely on your honesty, rather than listening to the rants of fanboys. I thought the review was balanced and commend the reviewer for her effort. Nothing gets me more ticked off than buying a game with fantastic reviews, then discovering it's a pile of steaming...horsefeathers. After all, isn't that why you exist?
Your choice of careers comes with the inherent fact that gamers come from almost every age group...mentally as well as physically. It's also a world of rampant virtual hedonism - people can say pretty much whatever they want without consequence. All I can recommend is try to make the best of your profession and (hopefully) make the gaming world a better place to be.
Very good analysis of the gaming market! However, it's doubtful Microsoft will abandon it's core strategy. I believe they're hoping to expand the market exponentially by making the One into a console version of a Mac - something so easy to use that ANYONE can master it (pertinent comment on the controller complexity BTW). I pre-ordered with games as a secondary consideration...and I've been playing since the Atari 5200. I'm hoping that Microsoft has accomplished and digested its research successfully. This could mean a paradigm shift in the gaming/entertainment market. In the end, this is good news for all gamers. I can hardly wait to see what the coming year holds in store!
This game has a lot of promise. I appreciate the attempts to create something new, although it builds upon the technology/lessons of other great games. I've been waiting for the next GREAT game since Bioshock. I hope Dishonored creates its own successful ambiance - and therefore commercial viability.
CBTDesigner's comments