Are we, as gamers, limiting our ability to enjoy or engage in a good experiences?

Original was posted in wrong board

I know this could be generalized for almost anything, but I find it more apparent in the gaming industry(possibly due to my interests keeping my eyes/mind focused on this industry in particular).

I believe there are some games that take a certain open-mindedness to fully immerse and engage with the experience. When you walk in closed off, looking specifically for flaws or points of expectation, you miss other small details or don't soak in each step of the experience and reflect on what is meant to be conveyed.

I have done this in the past and have ruined some games for myself. For example, I ruined The Surge for myself by comparing it too much to Dark Souls. Expecting the combat and environmental storytelling to be closer to a 1:1 comparison. I was missing key points to the flow of combat and other mechanics of the game. Eventually this caused me to put the game down and never come back to it. Granted, it's not the best game, but I think I made it worse than it was for myself.

I bring this up because last night I bought Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice. The game was on my radar for quite some time and I was really interested in the type of experience this could be. Coming up to it's release, I saw a lot of people writing it off. Then the game released, and the reviews were not mixed to positive, landing to an average of 81 on MC.

I've seen quite a few people saying this game has been given scores higher than it deserves just because it includes topics of mental health or because it is a Sony console exclusive. Granted, this could just be a vocal minority that I've come across, but I still believe there are still gamers, vocal or not, limiting their experience.

I also want to state that not every game is for everyone, but I think one needs to evaluate a game based on the experience the developer was trying to provide and the price they are selling that experience at. At $30(compared to AAA standard $60), this game's visuals, combat, and narrative(at least in the few hours I've played it) are definitely at or above what should be met at this price point.

What do you think, have gamers closed their minds on what a game should/could be, thus lessening the experiences available? Could you have enjoyed a certain gamer to a fuller extent if you did not bring a mindset with you?

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I'd like to provide my experience of the first few hours of the game, just in case anyone is curious on my thoughts:

When I booted this game up, I decided to throw away any expectation and to lock myself into this experience. For example, although I knew that this game included combat, I discarded any thoughts of combo systems, movement mechanics, or health factors. I made sure there were no distractions and that I could get a nice gaming session in.

The game started and recommended I use headphones for the best experience. I immediately grabbed my best pair of headphones and plugged them in. Once the opening sequence started, I was so glad that I put those headphones on. Ninja Theory did an excellent job with the sound dynamics with this game.

Sound Spoiler: You hear the voices in Senua's mind as if they were in your own head. Coming from different directions, feeling like one is whispering over your shoulder in your ear one moment and then another standing beside of you. The omni-directional presence of the voices givens such a sense of immersion and allows you to sympathize with Senua's mental struggles. These voices swirling around you enhance any feelings of panic, confusion, or struggle.

The game has excellent motion capture use. This gives a stronger sense of immersion to believing Senua is a tangible person in this world. Along with the strong voice acting, it makes the character feel alive and like she is really thinking, struggling, or persevering.

The combat in the game is not the best weapon combat I've come across, but it has a flow and feels satisfying if you are pressing the actions you want to perform patiently, rather than massing buttons. The strikes feel impactful and there is a timing to attacking/defending/dodging. There is skill involved in choosing your strikes and your placement amongst enemies.

There are puzzles in this game, which are environment based, convey a sense of how someone without mental clarity could see something that isn't there. They are a little tedious, but straightforward.

The game has runes that provide context to the world's mythology(Norse?), which is a nice learning experience if you take the time to listen to the information provided. These are nicely spread out throughout the environment and give a nice break from the stressful and tense moments.

Overall, I have enjoyed what has been packed in this game and I can't wait to jump back in to join Senua on her journey.

@slimster2309: A lot of people probably consider me negative in games when in general I give every game a chance if I can.

And sometimes to me comparing games to others is a positive note-

• I went into Tearaway thinking "these people made Little Big Planet, I wonder if the jump will be floaty"
• and The Evil Within "set to be mixing concepts from Resident Evil 4 and Remake, interesting"

These comparisons can sometimes open the doors to give the game a chance, and not the negative you seem to feel. And in the long run >most< games clearly have a unique feel and flow to what you originally compared it towards, whether that is better or worse varies on quality and what the player wanted from the experience.

Also got a chance to play Hellblade today, the topics game of focus.

And was relieved that the combat was better than it looked in previews. It's not fantastic but plays far better than marketed. However it does seem a tad too easy, and I know this is because Ninja Theory make games like movies (wants everyone to get to every scene) Yet I was on the hardest difficulty and the combat wasn't that challenging. However at the same time, the combat itself was fun, I liked it so it's a positive in my opinion.

Gave the game a chance; but honestly can't see myself buying the game. My hands on gave me the overall-vibe what was expected in the whole package and it's not catered to my personal taste.

Combat was a very small part of my time in the game, and was the only thing I enjoyed, it's not that I disliked the 'story' aspect. It just consumed more of the game than was necessary for what I want in a game, take that as you will.

@RSM-HQ: I appreciate the response and the insight you provided.

Comparisons have definitely opened doors for me as well, usually in terms of someone explaining a game to make it attractive or seeing a similarity to a game I enjoy in a new game's trailer. I just wanted to explain that over-relying or focusing too much on comparative aspects can have a player lose sight of the product in front of them and end up enjoying it less if you did not bring that mindset going in.

I definitely see what your saying in terms of the ratio of combat to "story". I do wish there was more encounters and a higher level of difficulty(which may increase further in the game), but the originality of the experience as a whole has me hooked.