All games are beginning to look and feel the same

Noticing a lot of this crap lately in pretty much every game:

- Game starts off with huge boss or "setpiece"

- Tons of segments where you're sliding down something or chase scenes

- QTEs during battles AND cutscenes

- Trying to "humanize" classic characters

- Not letting players make multiple saves

That's just off the top of my head, I'm sure I missed many things so feel free to contribute. Is anyone else quickly losing interest in these so-called "AAA" games? The industry is starting to look like Hollywood. I think it's been well over 5 years since I watched a movie (it was around the time every movie started using the teal and orange color scheme)

You maybe victim to playing only AAA or high budget games. 

IMO, frankly, I think that a lot of people like myself are. Developers spend so much resources trying to turn games into movies that they forget how to make actual games. Games should always be all about fun. 

Indie games are where it's at now. 

IMO, frankly, I think that a lot of people like myself are. Developers spend so much resources trying to turn games into movies that they forget how to make actual games. Games should always be all about fun. 

Indie games are where it's at now. 

Shinobi120

Can't disagree with that. The very reason we game is because of interactivity. But the in thing as of the last 5 years is movie like games.

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

No, they aren't. There is a lot more out there that you aren't seeing then

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

whiskeystrike

^

To me the big name games are becoming more and more different while indie games seem to be just traveling over old paths.

No, they aren't. There is a lot more out there that you aren't seeing then

[QUOTE="whiskeystrike"]

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

Legolas_Katarn

^

^ What they said

Time to branch out. Try some indie games, see if they meet your needs.

Try some games in different genres, and some indie titles.  There's plenty of variety out there if you look for it. :)

The most glaring fallacy with this argument is that this medium, at this point in time, offers more variety than it ever has before.

Even among AAA endeavors (which are currently en vogue to slander) I see plenty of variety despite some obvious redundancy.

The problem is people mistake their inability to search for and acquire variety as some inherent deficiency within this medium despite the fact that we as consumers enjoy a copious stream of software from a myriad of sources.

Also, when was this alleged golden age of gaming when such redundancy wasn't prevalent? Because apparently, I missed it despite being a gamer since PONG.

Also, I think blaming cinematic game design is a mistake. While I certainly don't care for those games that sacrifice interactivity for the sake of being filmic, I also think there is nothing inherently wrong with games looking like movies as long as the primary propellant of these endeavors is playability and the malleability that makes this medium so unique.

It's natural for a visual medium like videogames to emulate an older medium, as long as that central and crucial component of game play isn't sacrificed when attempting to make something a more cinematic experience.

That is precisely why I personally loathe Heavy Rain. It was a film masquerading as a game.  

The most glaring fallacy with this argument is that this medium, at this point in time, offers more variety than it ever has before.

Even among AAA endeavors (which are currently en vogue to slander) I see plenty of variety despite some obvious redundancy.

The problem is people mistake their inability to search for and acquire variety as some inherent deficiency within this medium despite the fact that we as consumers enjoy a copious stream of software from a myriad of sources.

Also, when was this alleged golden age of gaming when such redundancy wasn't prevalent? Because apparently, I missed it despite being a gamer since PONG.

Grammaton-Cleric

 I highly agree, people seem to forget games in previous gens actually had more in common than this gen, of course I'm not saying this gen doesn't have them but when they do they are taken from more than one game or takes something from a game and trys to one up it (or fail which does happen).

The most glaring fallacy with this argument is that this medium, at this point in time, offers more variety than it ever has before.

Even among AAA endeavors (which are currently en vogue to slander) I see plenty of variety despite some obvious redundancy.

The problem is people mistake their inability to search for and acquire variety as some inherent deficiency within this medium despite the fact that we as consumers enjoy a copious stream of software from a myriad of sources.

Also, when was this alleged golden age of gaming when such redundancy wasn't prevalent? Because apparently, I missed it despite being a gamer since PONG.

Grammaton-Cleric

That is true.

There many times that

Games with a more stander UI but that is good. It is in the details that games become different.

I would say a large number of indie games are looking more the same to me.

Then there The Journy. The poster boy of graphic over gameplay

me like games from different genres.

 I think it's been well over 5 years since I watched a movie

istuffedsunny

You've been missing out on some great movies.

Time to branch out. Try some indie games, see if they meet your needs.

c_rake

How many pretentious puzzle platformers can someone really play though.

Also, I think blaming cinematic game design is a mistake. While I certainly don't care for those games that sacrifice interactivity for the sake of being filmic, I also think there is nothing inherently wrong with games looking like movies as long as the primary propellant of these endeavors is playability and the malleability that makes this medium so unique.

It's natural for a visual medium like videogames to emulate an older medium, as long as that central and crucial component of game play isn't sacrificed when attempting to make something a more cinematic experience.

That is precisely why I personally loathe Heavy Rain. It was a film masquerading as a game.

Grammaton-Cleric

Agreed. Sure games like Halo 4 and Gears of War have those filmic elements thrust inbetween gameplay but there are plenty of AAA games that do not. So to say that all games are starting to look the same is a real fallacy.

[QUOTE="c_rake"]

Time to branch out. Try some indie games, see if they meet your needs.

Pffrbt

How many pretentious puzzle platformers can someone really play though.

Stupid post. There are indie games in every genre, and indie games are the only constituents of many genres (racing sim, space sim, adventure, shumps, etc.)

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

whiskeystrike

[QUOTE="whiskeystrike"]

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

burgeg

Especially when those games often end up being incredibly good.

[QUOTE="whiskeystrike"]

Well yeah, when you play games made for the lowest common denominator that tends to happen.

burgeg

You maybe victim to playing only AAA or high budget games. 

Pedro

This^^^ lol.

Go play other games like Disgaea 4, Journey, 3D Dot Game Hero's, Sly 4, Portal 2, heavy Rain, ect. You will go nuts if you don't add variety to your gaming life.

You aren't looking hard enough

I've probably pumped more hours into War3/SC2/Civ5 combined than all other games put together.

these games make me feel like I'm in full control. I devise strategies and test them out against other players.

SP games, mass effect is a pretty good example, feel more like...I'm being dragged through it. It's as if every 5 minutes while watching Indiana Jones on screen, you were forced to like solve a 4th grade math problem in order to watch the next segment of the movie. gameplay simply doesn't matter as much. you don't really get to make your own decisions in the game. 

That is precisely why I personally loathe Heavy Rain. It was a film masquerading as a game.  Grammaton-Cleric

Agreed. A gaming crash is what this industry needs right now.

no, no, no. we have a variety of crap. yeah, some things like "grittiness" sell and so lots of developers try to emulate it, but it effects different games in different ways. so games that were previously gritty become cartoonishly so and games that were previously idealistic become incongruously balanced. then there is how games approach being "cinematic" or how they work in shooter elements. it all combines together so you can potentially get served your sh*t in many different ways.

still, that's not to say that there aren't new ideas in big games. dragon's dogma last year had the pawn system and really that whole game world was pretty cool. there were even some nods to previous designs like with dishonored. and, you know, sometimes ideas brought in from trends end up working well too. like i was playing deus ex: human revolution recently and, as a fan of the original, i thought some of the changes were for the best. the first deus ex was centered around being able to play it any way you want, including as a shooter. it was welcome to see it actually play like a pretty good shooter if that's what i wanted.

anyway, all this stuff is nothing new. when duke nukem was popular, the trend followed. same with platformers and a bunch of other trends.

Well my friend, I feel the urge to tell you to broaden your horizons a bit, because gaming for me has been pretty damn diversified and spectacular these past few years.

Agreed. A gaming crash is what this industry needs right now.

YosemiteSam400

???????

What it really needs are better authoring tools so that one guy can make detailed FPS games instead of being stuck with side scrollers.

Agreed. A gaming crash is what this industry needs right now.

YosemiteSam400

You know the gaming crash happen because of too many game companies and the lack of information, right?

Yes. Recently I played Minecraft, Mark of the Ninja, Dear Esther, and The Walking Dead, and they're all totally the same.PannicAtack

You aren't looking hard enough

Blueresident87

[QUOTE="PannicAtack"]Yes. Recently I played Minecraft, Mark of the Ninja, Dear Esther, and The Walking Dead, and they're all totally the same.The_Last_Ride

IMO, frankly, I think that a lot of people like myself are. Developers spend so much resources trying to turn games into movies that they forget how to make actual games. Games should always be all about fun. 

Indie games are where it's at now. 

Shinobi120

[QUOTE="The_Last_Ride"][QUOTE="PannicAtack"]Yes. Recently I played Minecraft, Mark of the Ninja, Dear Esther, and The Walking Dead, and they're all totally the same.LoG-Sacrament

[QUOTE="YosemiteSam400"]

Agreed. A gaming crash is what this industry needs right now.

MLBknights58

???????

[QUOTE="YosemiteSam400"]

Agreed. A gaming crash is what this industry needs right now.

wiouds

You know the gaming crash happen because of too many game companies and the lack of information, right?

[QUOTE="Shinobi120"]

IMO, frankly, I think that a lot of people like myself are. Developers spend so much resources trying to turn games into movies that they forget how to make actual games. Games should always be all about fun. 

Indie games are where it's at now. 

JustPlainLucas

Also, we'd see no more military FPS games being released. (Thank god). We'd have more amazing beat em ups like Streets of Rage 2 and Final Fight 3