I Can't Go For That (Game Series)

[cyrix]

Have you tried messing with the field of view? Whenever I suffer motion sickness I mess with the field of view and that. USUALLY helps.

 

Adjustable FOV should be federal law.

But really if you are at all confused or curious about FOV and why it might help, check out these videos:

to skip the lead in on this first video jump to about 1:13

 

 

 

 

[ihavefivehat]

I will give love to Conker's Bad Fur Day. It's the only Rare game I actually like.

 

I liked that game a lot back when it came out, but I tried playing the game again a few years ago and I have to say the humor did not age well. I'm normally not the sort of person to use the word 'insufferable' but I'm being tempted right now.

[chummer]

ARPGs in the style of Diablo- but really games that use that click to walk control scheme, loot systems, and quest presentation.

 

The real-time click-to-walk controls make me feel disassociated with the character in a way that an RTS like Total War doesn't. Having to hold shift to fire melee and such just doesn't feel good to me.

 

It's not just controls though, as I'm dabbling in some DeathSpank which uses 3rd-person WASD controls. The parts that are keeping me from really enjoying it are mainly the quest presentation and loot system. In regards to the former, I've found myself listening to podcasts while playing the game, as even though there's tons of recorded dialogue, I'm not finding it particularly amusing and I know it'll just boil down to just 'go get this item/defeat this many dudes/ collect this many things.' Since I don't have that problem with something like Skyrim- which is pretty similar in that way- I imagine it's because I'm treading over familiar areas to do different missions. Also, I don't care much for loot systems. People gush over Borderlands and I'm just 'meh.' Borderlands also has that 'go back to this area for another mission' style that I dislike.

 

Feel like I've passed the point of caring about games that use these mechanics/systems. I've got Diablo II and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing sitting on my computer and I don't know if I'll even touch them. 

[syntheticgerbil]

It's not just controls though, as I'm dabbling in some DeathSpank which uses 3rd-person WASD controls. The parts that are keeping me from really enjoying it are mainly the quest presentation and loot system. In regards to the former, I've found myself listening to podcasts while playing the game, as even though there's tons of recorded dialogue, I'm not finding it particularly amusing and I know it'll just boil down to just 'go get this item/defeat this many dudes/ collect this many things.'

Wow, so you are intentionally skipping the single most notable thing in Deathspank? I feel hearing Deathspank both act like the biggest jerk and all of the meta talk is the great reward for just kill dudes over and over (to the point of absolute boredom in some cases). Although, I can't speak for quality the third one which does not include Ron Gilbert, since he probably didn't have one iota of writing duty.

 

Maybe Deathspank is not the ideal game of that type for you to play.

[Tanukitsune]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one to have the same feeling about Final Fantasy, but I used to enjoy them all until FF7, well FF9 is still but the rest? NOPE!

 

-Cover based shooters: They always feel like a slog and they all feel like bullet sponges, I'd rather play more "swarm" styled games like Serious Sam or EDF.

 

-MMOs: Why would I play an RPG that never ends? Specially when it's so grindy, which is also the reason I hate...

 

-Monster Hunter or just "grindy" JRPGs: Disgaea sounds like a nightmare, endless grinding? No way! Any Monster Hunter sytle games seem way to slow and grindy for me, they don't even have a decent story to make me want to deal with the sloggy grind.

 

I guess just saying any genre that feels like a sloggy grind to me sums up my feelings in general.

[chummer]

 I feel hearing Deathspank both act like the biggest jerk and all of the meta talk is the great reward for just kill dudes over and over (to the point of absolute boredom in some cases). 

 

I started out with giving the game my full attention, but about an hour in I switched to podcasts b/c way more actioning than talking was happening. I'll still stop to read what's being said, but I've rarely thought "Glad I stopped to pay attention to this dialogue" (though I can think of at least two instances were it was kind of amusing).

 

 

Maybe Deathspank is not the ideal game of that type for you to play.

 

I'm willing to put DeathSpank down. Which one of these types of games would you recommend?

[thorn]

Are you playing the first or second Deathspank? The second one is far superior, in terms of dialogue, overall plot, and variety of quests.

[chummer]

The first.

[undermind9]

i had the opposite experience. i really enjoyed the first one...cant quite pinpoint why...but then got the second and barely got 6hrs before big uninstall.  perhaps ill have to give another try

[syntheticgerbil]

Which one of these types of games would you recommend?

I actually have no recommendations because unfortunately I'm not really in to the Diablo like games.

 

I guess I just figured in terms of that kind of gameplay, Deathspank was most likely a somewhat shallow clone and used the humor of Ron Gilbert to attract many players who might not have played it otherwise. Maybe I was wrong and I'm selling the game a bit short.

[lobotomy42]

Pokemon

 

Final Fantasy (though I've tried *several* times)

 

Metal Gear Solid

 

Half-life (kill me, I know)

 

Assassin's Creed

 

Persona

 

Pretty much any famous shooter series - Halo, Gears of War, Call of Duty, Battlefield

 

Pretty much any platformer that is titled "Blank & Blank" (Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Bling, etc)

 

For most of these, the very *fact* of there being a dozen or more installments is enough to keep me from attempting to play.  I generally try to play series chronologically, or at least start with the one that most critics regard as "essential" (or "good") before even deciding if I want to try any more.  But when a series reaches 6 titles in as many years before I've ever even played one, it's off-putting.  It just strikes me as too blatantly capitalistic or something, I dunno.  (And yes, this is exactly what Nintendo is doing with Mario platformers at the moment.  They only get a pass from me by virtue of being grandfathered in - and even so, the frequency of the sequels makes me play them less.)

[eot]

I don't care for almost any of Nintendo's stuff, Mario and Zelda in particular. Zelda is the one I'm most confused by, I have no idea what about it inspires such fandom. Last year I made myself play through Link to the Past and it was a chore. I might try playing OoT but I'm afraid I'll hate that too. I know it's silly, but even the names of things in those games bother me, like the Master Sword. Even Super Metroid, which I love, has that. Space pirates? Mother brain? I can ignore it, but I don't understand how people get invested in those worlds. As for Mario, I've never thought it plays all that well (blasphemy, I know). I've tried playing Super Mario World half a dozen times but I get so bored of it, and I don't like Mario as a character either. The silly sounds he makes that are supposed to be endearing get under my skin and make me annoyed. I don't hate fun or things for kids, it's just something particular about the way Nintendo does their stuff that doesn't click with me. Never liked it as a kid either.

[syntheticgerbil]

Ratchet & Bling

 

Awww, poor Clank. He's pretty much the opposite of Bling forever.

[Twig]

God thanks for reminding me that I've been wanting to play Ratchet & Clank again for a super long time without the means to do so. GOD. THANKS.

[chummer]

 Ratchet & Bling

 

Isn't this a Lil' B album?

[SecretAsianMan]

I don't care for almost any of Nintendo's stuff, Mario and Zelda in particular. Zelda is the one I'm most confused by, I have no idea what about it inspires such fandom. Last year I made myself play through Link to the Past and it was a chore. I might try playing OoT but I'm afraid I'll hate that too. I know it's silly, but even the names of things in those games bother me, like the Master Sword. Even Super Metroid, which I love, has that. Space pirates? Mother brain? I can ignore it, but I don't understand how people get invested in those worlds. As for Mario, I've never thought it plays all that well (blasphemy, I know). I've tried playing Super Mario World half a dozen times but I get so bored of it, and I don't like Mario as a character either. The silly sounds he makes that are supposed to be endearing get under my skin and make me annoyed. I don't hate fun or things for kids, it's just something particular about the way Nintendo does their stuff that doesn't click with me. Never liked it as a kid either.

 

Really it's the legacy of those games.  The names are silly now but back when they were first created it made sense.  At this point it's what they've always been called and how people know them, so just seeing or hearing it is often enough to bring back those feelings.  I suspect that if Nintendo tried to change them today it would upset a significant portion of the internet, but then again what doesn't.

[Twig]

I suspect that if Nintendo tried to change them today it would upset a significant portion of the internet, but then again what doesn't.

The same way that not changing them upsets the internet! Oh, internet!

[chummer]

Feel like I've passed the point of caring about games that use these mechanics/systems. I've got Diablo II and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing sitting on my computer and I don't know if I'll even touch them. 

 

So I've put DeathSpank aside for now, but I still wanted to give the genre a shot, considering that  I remember having fun with Torchlight some 5 years ago. I booted up Diablo II and I'm enjoying it.

 

I think part of my anxiety with these games is making builds; I fear that I'll build a terrible character and end up having to lose progress. I'm following some sorceress build and there's some really neat things about this game. Specifically, there's a really satisfying feeling knowing that I can encounter a huge group of characters and just lay waste with charged bolt. The way the attack lights up dungeons is really cool as well.

 

That said, I'm still not finding the loot grind interesting. I think I've changed my equipment just a handful of times and I'm already level 12. I plan to mess around with a few more of the classes, but I'm not sure if I'll finish the game as I'm planning to play a more modern version. Maybe Torchlight 2?

[SilentBtAmazing]

Personal taste in all of this but I "bounced off" TL2 and Van Helsing both pretty hard, whereas I really like Diablo III and Grim Dawn. YMMV but I feel like for these loot games there is some magical "vibe" that is important (since the stories are kind of all garbage) and I at least haven't found a way to measure it besides just playing these games.

[Badfinger]

So I've put DeathSpank aside for now, but I still wanted to give the genre a shot, considering that  I remember having fun with Torchlight some 5 years ago. I booted up Diablo II and I'm enjoying it.

 

I think part of my anxiety with these games is making builds; I fear that I'll build a terrible character and end up having to lose progress. I'm following some sorceress build and there's some really neat things about this game. Specifically, there's a really satisfying feeling knowing that I can encounter a huge group of characters and just lay waste with charged bolt. The way the attack lights up dungeons is really cool as well.

 

That said, I'm still not finding the loot grind interesting. I think I've changed my equipment just a handful of times and I'm already level 12. I plan to mess around with a few more of the classes, but I'm not sure if I'll finish the game as I'm planning to play a more modern version. Maybe Torchlight 2?

 

If you're scared of builds, you might consider Diablo 3? It's a very big departure in the character department from D2. There aren't any stat points, and the skills and runes are just locked off by levels. At max level you can instantly have any skill with any mod at any time. That might sound overwhelming, but it's really doled out in manageable chunks while you learn the game.

[Griddlelol]

Assassin's creed. I really liked the first one. Pretty much any open world game that I can run around the environment so fluidly captures my imagination, but then I played the next one. As it was no longer new I saw all the horrible flaws and noticed how incredibly boring that game was.

Really can't get back into them now. It's a shame, I've heard good things about black flag.

I read on gaf that the AC games are popular among women. Is that true?

[Twig]

I'm impressed! Most people fucking detest the first Assassin's Creed and only come around on the second. People love the second game! Kudos to you for being different!

 

(I stand on appreciating all the great things AC1 did while acknowledging the immense flaws, and then appreciating how much AC2 improved on the first one's good things while ridding itself of many flaws (though not all).)

[Sno]

I really admired the first game and felt AC2 built on it tremendously. I love that series, but that is an example of one that is just being bled out, i can't keep up with them.
 

Pretty much any famous shooter series - Halo, Gears of War, Call of Duty, Battlefield

 

For most of these, the very *fact* of there being a dozen or more installments is enough to keep me from attempting to play.  I generally try to play series chronologically, or at least start with the one that most critics regard as "essential" (or "good") before even deciding if I want to try any more.  But when a series reaches 6 titles in as many years before I've ever even played one, it's off-putting.  It just strikes me as too blatantly capitalistic or something, I dunno.  (And yes, this is exactly what Nintendo is doing with Mario platformers at the moment.  They only get a pass from me by virtue of being grandfathered in - and even so, the frequency of the sequels makes me play them less.)

ODST is worth looking at if you want to play a Halo game that just completely stands alone narratively and does a great job showcasing the dynamic combat the series is known for. (It takes those mechanics and transplants them to a large and open-ended environment.) It's also something of a Firefly mini-reunion, with Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin all voicing main characters.

Also, just to add some perspective here, Halo's been around for 13 years now and there's six of those. (Not counting the RTS.) Admittedly, still a lot, but Call of Duty has seen in the vicinity of two games a year for around eleven years.

 

I don't care for almost any of Nintendo's stuff, Mario and Zelda in particular. Zelda is the one I'm most confused by, I have no idea what about it inspires such fandom. Last year I made myself play through Link to the Past and it was a chore. I might try playing OoT but I'm afraid I'll hate that too. I know it's silly, but even the names of things in those games bother me, like the Master Sword. Even Super Metroid, which I love, has that. Space pirates? Mother brain? I can ignore it, but I don't understand how people get invested in those worlds. As for Mario, I've never thought it plays all that well (blasphemy, I know). I've tried playing Super Mario World half a dozen times but I get so bored of it, and I don't like Mario as a character either. The silly sounds he makes that are supposed to be endearing get under my skin and make me annoyed. I don't hate fun or things for kids, it's just something particular about the way Nintendo does their stuff that doesn't click with me. Never liked it as a kid either.

I find it strange that you would feel that LTTP was a chore, especially if you like Super Metroid. There's so much overlap between those two series.

It's certainly a mistake to assume that people are really into those "worlds" for their stories. For the vast majority of players, i would confidently say that Metroid is just a series of cool visuals providing the loosest context for an exploration-based game system. (The Metroid games where Nintendo decided that they really needed to tell a story? Those are widely regarded as the worst ones.) Zelda is the same, i feel. It's all tonal context for the player's adventure, it's not really about whatever the game's actual narrative is.

[brkl]

Sweet baby Jesus, there are twenty two Call of Duty games?

 

Also, just to add some perspective here, Halo's been around for 13 years now and there's six of those. (Not counting the RTS.) Admittedly, still a lot, but Call of Duty has seen in the vicinity of two games a year for around eleven years.

[Merus]

I'm impressed! Most people fucking detest the first Assassin's Creed and only come around on the second. People love the second game! Kudos to you for being different!

 

(I stand on appreciating all the great things AC1 did while acknowledging the immense flaws, and then appreciating how much AC2 improved on the first one's good things while ridding itself of many flaws (though not all).)

 

I have a lot of fondness for AC1 because most AC games are basically collectathons, and in AC1 the collectathon part was collecting progress to unlock the assassinations. I still think the assassinations in AC1 are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the series because they pull double duty showing why the people you kill deserve to die. The later games basically put your targets in some random place, pacing back and forth, not really doing anything.