These guys get it. Boy do they ever. I’ve been thinking this for a long time now – people don’t play games to go through a progression of increasingly difficult challenges, or to learn some complex combat system, or to hunt for the ‘Enchanted Leggings of Resilience’ or anything else. They play games primarily to have fun, and as much as game developers like to claim that’s how they’re desgining their games, I just dont see it. Playing a good game should be like watching a movie, only you get to control the action and the fighting. Unfortunately, that is frequently translated into ‘you have to accomplish the same series of tasks that was done in the movie, and if you are presented with a task that’s difficult, you’ll just have to try over and over and over untill you get it.’ I can’t stand that model, and I think it’s uncessary. Which is more fun? In option 1, the way everyone does it right now, the hero fights the villian 12 or 13 times, slowly learning the villain’s abilities until the fight becomes a choreaographed dance instead of an impromtu battle, and the hero wins because he knows exactly how the fight’s going to progress, whereas the villian responds the same way each time. In option 2, which is the way I’d like to do it, and maybe these guys see it as well, the hero finds the villain and wins a fast paced, exciting fight, narrowly escaping his own demise. I’ll take option 2 any time, and I’m sure there are plenty of people who agree with me.
Yes, there is a place for competitive games, challenging I’ve had a blast playing united offensive, idiotic teammates aside. Ninja Gaiden was entertaining almost primarily because it could be so horrendously difficult. The thing is, though, the time I have the most fun in my games is when I feel like a badass; Lopping off the heads of bandits in Fable, crushing demons with the massive Dhabilaro in Ninja Gaiden, lurking in the shadows in Splinter Cell, or thowing sand people around like rag dolls in Knights of the Old Republic. Not fighting the same boss over and over again, trying to figure out how to beat him, or running through the same hall over and over again, dying to the same guys because you haven’t figured out the secret path you need to take. That’s just stupid.
I’m going to keep my eye on this ‘Fahrenheit’ game and see what comes of it.
