We seem to have reached what most people would consider the pinnicle of Gaming. Flashy graphics that almost look real, game physics that remind us of what it was like to step outside of the door and the ever-expanding range of ‘gun mods’ and customizable content leaves us wondering, “what color suppressor won’t clash with my dress”.
The general theme here is that game developers are trying to replicate reality within a game, relentlessly toying with lighting, graphics and physics to the stage that you may as well go out the front door and use the money you spent buying a console, games and T.V.
on annual subscriptions to paintball. Is this what we really want? Do we need to see what we see every day outside within our games?
Reset
I thought the whole idea behind gaming is escapism, to rid ourselves of the monotony of everyday life, to relax and enjoy a temporary construct of a game designers vision that is brought to life through created physics and imagination. I recall the first time battling Bowser on Mario Bros on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I was three years old; my hands gripped the controller in unbridled fear and anxiety fueled by the notion that if I were to fail I would be cast back four levels to the beginning of the world.
Now if you fail you are cast back to approximately thirty seconds ago where one of the billion checkpoints lay.
No 1ups required, just sit back, point the analogue stick forward and watch how you instantly become a God at completing any game just by walking on your merry way with your infinite lives. Where is the challenge?! Where is the fear of in-game death? It is gone. And I fear it is too late to get it back.
Hey, Listen
Another thing that I truly believe is ruining Modern gaming is hints.
Anyone who played Golden Eye on the N64 will know the joys of actually having to know what you are doing to complete the story. I recall the days of Mario 64 where they would give you a cryptic stage name such as ‘Break the Wall’ and leave you to your own devices, making you consider the games physics and making you problem solve to find a solution.
Now we are met with mini-maps, markers and irritating hints that they felt necessary to include that repeat the same instructions over, and over again. Just look at Cortana from Halo! We should have known that gaming was going to deteriorate into the state that it is now in from the days of Navi from Ocarina of Time.
The End
I would love to see gaming once again become more edgy with less checkpoints, to stop relying upon flashy graphics to sell and to focus on what truly makes a game great; that is the sense of adventure and achievement one gets from fighting to complete it. It feels as though the game kind of just hands you the ending like “here you go… I guess”; making endings with quick-time events or ridiculously Easy boss fights.
