Are Games getting repeptitive?

#1

I was browsing around today on a few game sites and after hours of just going through here and there, I started thinking [ohhhhhhhhh!].

All the games seem the same. Slash/hack/burn and shoot. That’s all for all of 'em first person shooters. we have those “make base/city, get food, make gold from mine” war-craft type crap.

then we have civilization 3 stuff which is very same.

the more I think about it, the more I say that games are just the same and same. There are some exceptions like Syberia that totally change everything. But ofcourse they never get enough attention. There was splinter cell and/or no one lives forever series which were also different then usual.

But all in all, are games just getting the same? with like…one or two rare gems. Is that really how it is?

#2

yah i think in a broad sence it is, I know that i rarely finish games anymore, i get bored useley half way trhough if not sooner, cause i just get the feeling, been there done that:wip:

its hard to reinvent the wheel though;)

#3

There was a time when games were inovative and exciting. The period from the late seventies through to the mid-nineties is what I lovingly refer to as the “Gaming Renaissance”. That’s when ideas were being pushed (with some repetition along the way, obviously).
Now we’ve settled into a comfort zone of development. Since the emergence of 3d gaming, there’s been a bit of a lapse in the original ideas that really set games out from the crowd, bar a few “diamonds in the rough” that came out of left field.
Once any new idea or technology in the game development industry comes out, it seems to be jumped on by many developers and cloned ad nauseum. Sometime a new gem pops out of this cloning process, but many fall by the wayside as either medicore time-passers, or utter failures.
When it comes down to it, the story has to be engaging, the playability has to be addicitve, and the length has to be beyond a few days hardcore playing.

Most don’t live up to this expectation.

There is such a copius amount of games these days that gamers are VERY picky about what incorporates satisfaction. Gone are the days where you could spend weeks perfecting every platform jump in Mario (Well… for some anyway :p). There are too many options, and a game need to be that extra special something to stand out.
It’s a shame really, because then games that deserve more credit and playing get missed out. Take two examples: Planescape: Torment and Clive Barker’s Undying. Both these games came out at time when there were some really huge games taking the limelight. As a result they didn’t get the attention of the gaming world as they should have. Two amazing games missed acclaim because they were bogged down in marketing and hype from other titles.

It’s a tough world out there.

/Rant:D

#4

good thread…i was just thinking bout this today…and id vote yes!!..its like the old atari days…people are so bored with games and too much of the same thing is being made. pretty soon new and over priced games will be shunned out in favor of many cheaper games that are pretty much the same thing in concept graphics, and gameplay…but thats a good thing cuz then all new and great ideas will spring up out of left field by small time devolpers and make the next big revolution in games…let the sucking begin!!:applause: :applause:

#5

There is so game without EVIL… unless you make a game of 2 smurf huging them self and the more you hug the more you earn points :surprised or educative games such as tetris, word games, math games, society games like monopoly

#6

I seriously don’t get it. The age of reading 45 page manuals and 200 page manuals have come. Don’t you just remember the time where you just played the game?

no BS…just straight to point fun. beating a level meant something. Remember your first time playing mario?

those were the good days…

now, its just all the same.
see fps and we have two categories there

we have the same old ww2 games…and then the unreal type games where players are on every drug imaginable.

there are times I wish I could just play a good ol’ 2d game…I seriously don’t care about graphics.

Unfortunately, people seem to just like that. I go to my school and ask kids there, the first thing that they rate a game is on is graphics.

Hell, I might just buy Gamecube. I don’t have any consoles. and gamecube seems to have some pretty cool games. legend of zelda: windwaker, mario series, pikmin…good stuff…

#7

Originally posted by dpvtank

Hell, I might just buy Gamecube. I don’t have any consoles. and gamecube seems to have some pretty cool games. legend of zelda: windwaker, mario series, pikmin…good stuff…

Zelda: Wind Waker is one of the best games I have played in a long time. As is FF Tactics Advance.

#8

yeah i agree with everything seid but can anyone think of a new idea ?

i remember when i loved games … like snes and n64 i knew heaps and heaps about games i had never even played hehehe

now i have games on my ps2 that ive bought and only played once or twice or watched my brother play its strange

we need something new!!!

#9

I agree with games being too repetitive and new gen kids rating games on graphics which is all pure bs.

Gone are the days of Starflight (anyone remember playing this??), Chrono Trigger, Legend of Zelda, Mario…these some of the revolutionary games at their time. Their graphics counterpart with their good game design and story and intention which is what most new games today lack.

As you guys previously stated, you see these group of FPS games and new ones get added too soon with little or no difference than other games already here though they might claim different story which they dont even take the time to polish and make it at least interesting.

As for FPS games with story, ‘for me’ Half-Life 1 was one of the best. I actually sat through that whole game because of the Story. Now i play these new fps games and like someone said, I too get bored right from the start when I start seeing the cheesy or been there done that plot.

#10

while you can easily say that games are getting repetetive, can you come up with some other game type (not 2d cause thats just going backwards in time and not on to anythin new). Frankly I see a lot of innovative titles coming out, Black and white 2 (I know its not new since its a sequel but still…), savage (yes its an FPS but its got the whole commander thing going), and Im trying to think of others I could classify as innovative but they’ll all be shot down as fps.

But the thing is, there is nothing wrong with fps games. Its just an advanced mario which you seem to like. Take mario, dodge jump, burn things. Take Quake and you get the same thing, just 3d and harder.

There are only a few types of games. RPG, FPS, RTS, puzzle, turn based one of the previously stated, etc. You can’t just create a new gametype cause there arent anymore to create. You can just cary the ones you have and make them more realistic, which is why many people look at graphicas first.

Im tired and confused, so I hope I got my point across somewhat

#11

I don’t know what you guys are talking about. Games have only changed graphicly and sometimes in complexity, but only when said complexity is a +

So no, games are just better than ever to me.

#12

mm mmm… they don’t make games… wheeze… like they did in my day hmmmm… remember old… mmmm… elite it was mmmmm… these young un’s… all playing mmmm games that look the same mmmmm…

[gesticulates with walking stick and zimmer frame]

#13

i still play my SNES, but no way can i play Street Fighter 2 for hours, give me Tekken any day. The old 8 bit games seem so “wonderful and new” because many game types that we know today were created for the first time back then. To compare any current games to there 8 or 16 bit rivals is ridiculous, the newer versions have more options and more depth.

But

I think in the past 3-4 years, some games are getting repetitive. Tomb Raider is a good example of something new and exciting getting over used. Same with the Resident Evil and the Tony Hawk franchise 1 and 2 [which I loved and played both a lot]. These are games that have over 4-5 sequels out and the game play has stayed the same, just new rounds and new goals. How many more run and gun FPS do we need?

It comes down to money. Why would a company spend more money on an experimental game when they can just make a sequel to a high selling game? Change up the levels and add some new effects, and you got a game. Sure, might be good from 1 sequel, but better stop after that.

#14

I’ll probally get kicked in the head for saying this, but I’m really liking Deus Ex 2: Invisible War. Not as good as the original, but its really fun. PLUS theres games like Half Life 2, Doom 3, World of Warcraft, Everquest 2, and Farcry that look like their going to push the envelope. not to mention S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost which looks totally bitchen full of open ended gameplay and a really strange twist on the AI. Personally I’m really excited about the new games, although I’m not old enough to remember the “good ol’ days” lol :).

#15

ndat - I can’t really agree with you. Deus Ex invisible War is a clean copy out of the first Deus Ex, which this thread is all about. And did you notice that every title you said (Except Farcry and stalker) are sequels or franchise-games?
I mean, right there there is a repetetive pattern. Developers can’t risk failing so they can’t risk making new ideas. There are more innovation on the console than on PC though, especially gamecube where I frankly found it comfortable not using violence ALL THE TIME :slight_smile:

#16

I actually found Metal Gear and Splintercell pretty inovative in terms of gameplay.

really is there ANYTHING that hasn’t been done before in terms of genre . . .

altho the Sneak genre has yet to be overdone. still like sneaking around trying to keep myself unnoticed by opponents.

#17

I definately agree how games are, well unoriginal.
Like mentioned before, I havent spent the time to beat a game in sooooo long. I just dont care anymore. That and I dont have the time.

I remember on 8bit how cool it was to beat a game.

Speaking of unoriginal… I saw the Doom3 trailer the other day. I’m no impressed, the way it moved and sounded, reminded me of a typical first person shooter. And the story didn’t keep me interested… but I’m sure the stuff I did see wasnt the final production stuff. So I’ll give that to them.

Half-Life 2 is another story… I enjoyed the first game, the story was damn good (actually half-life was the last game I actually spent time trying to finish, haha). I’d like to see what happens this time and after seeing a video of a demo conference in which the shaders and game physics were shown-off, well… damn good stuff.

But back to unoriginal repetitive games… its yet another reason I havent bought a new game system in over 5 years. I’ll just play the stuff at a friends.

#18

We were fortunate to live in the era that computer games were born, and watched all the different types of genre being formed. Eventually all games fall into a category. I mean they have to be Adventure, or Strategy, or Shoot em Up, or Platform or R.P.G e.t.c.
Just like films have their categories for Action, Romance, Comedy, Drama, e.t.c. That doesn’t mean that there is no room for innovation. Eventually Game production companies will realise that there is no way to grab a bigger piece of the pie, except to innovate. Sure it was easier in the early years, but thats the way to draw attention.
Anyway, i always loved adventure games, so i never had a problem with repetittion. :slight_smile:

#19

At least there is a little bit of innovation concering Mods… although I just can’t understand why so many (sometimes even highly skilled) people do yet another CS/WW2 clone MOD :surprised

Nintendo is one of the last companys that at least trys to do some good and innovative games… but obviously that isn’t what the customer wants (the situation has recently a bit improved due to $99 for the gamecube).

Really the worst is GTA and all its clones… and most of the Xbox games and PS2 games are sooo bad, it is hard to believe.

But isn’t it the same with Hollywood movies today? It seems like by trying to please the main-stream, you loose all innovation :hmm:

#20

lol now thats just a whole new thing… they make movies like scary movie which is of all the other movies… wat about if they do that in a game? that would be hard now that i think about it :shrug: