Do Gamers Want Simpler Games?

[Delirium]

I tend to like longer games, but not games that feel stretched out. Best example of this is a movie that's 2.5 hours long but could easily have been 2 hours.
As for gameplay complexity, it really depends. Some games are so unbelievably frustrating that I put them down and never play them again. On the other hand, games like StarCraft are very complex and it is my favorite game ever.

Now I'd say most people like simple games they can play in 30 minute spans. I'm confident more people play solitaire on their windows box over anything else.

[Kibble]

That can't be a list by Famitsu. I don't see Peace Walker on it anywhere.

[liggy 0]

Actually, I wanted to ask this for a long time. How many people here consider playing a video game(s) a learning experience and what exactly do you get out of it (moral lessons, discipline, perseverance, etc)?

As a child the moral lessons from games could never be learned from Barney or Mr. Rogers. Could also add any other positive learn experience you want to it.


In truth though, you gotta keep that pimp thumb strong.

[Ksandra]

I wish they mentioned what is considered "simpler"

Someone mentioned Shadow of Colossus, and I think that's a good example of "simpler but good". The game as a whole is a very simple concept. Fight a boss, run back to your chick, fight a boss, run back to your chick, rinse, repeat. What made the game good was the challenges involving the bosses. It was a game so simple yet challenging that many love it. (And still waiting on the next one!)

Now, I wouldn't say I want ALL games like that. I like variety, but yes I do feel games like that are too few and too far in between. And that many games have added too much fluff instead of focusing more on what the player is actually doing.

[darkepyon]

The Kirby 64 games were bad and I try to forget they took the series in the wrong direction.

Link to the Past was one if not the best game in the Zelda series but this debate will go very much like FFVI vs FFVII where the previous one hit all the points that made the series great but the second one got the benefit of superior graphics and an above-average storyline within the series which overshadowed the previous.

Honestly I dont think there is a bad game in the Zelda series outside Zelda II and the cartoon show which could qualify as a form of torture.

People love nostalgic feelings.... but go watch the Megaman cartoon for a few hours and see if you can stomach it.

On the Tactics debate: It was pretty much the hardest FF game in terms of a steep learning curve and some curveballs the game sent your way. It almost reminds me of THAT FUCKING BARREL from Raen Ryongs avatar.

The three Zelda CDi games would like a word with you.

[Ramor]

OoT wasn't difficult bla bla bla 20th run through rabble rabble rabble

The game was hard the first time through, you can't possibly tell me it wasn't at least a little challenging especially when you got to the water temple and I'm sure you ended up in jail a few times at the gerudo valley event. "Easy" and "not challenging" would have meant you got through those areas probably without having to repeat anything or dying more than say, once or twice? I know as a kid I definitely did those parts more than a few times.

And duh the game was fucking easier your second run through, it's like being given the answer to a bunch of riddles and then going and just saying the answer without having to think about it again.

As for the matter at hand, simpler games maybe, depends what they mean by simpler. You can make a game simple without getting rid of the depth and difficulty of a game. Take TF2, sure it's a fairly simple point and click shooter, but at the same time there's pleeenty of stuff to learn to make you even better at the game without alienating everyone who pops it in for the first time. Simple? yes, also still lots to learn and love about it? sure why not.

I'd imagine it all boils down to what they take 'simpler' to mean.

[Tulun]

The three Zelda CDi games would like a word with you.

:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNpLXo55yfw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4SLj...eature=related

[Antithesis]

That can't be a list by Famitsu. I don't see Peace Walker on it anywhere.

It's an older list.

OVERALL RANKINGS

1 Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (28 out of 38 lists)
2 Super Mario 64 (25 out of 38 )
3 Tetris (appears on 22 out of 38 )
4 Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (20 out of 38 )
5 Street Fighter II (16 out of 38 ), Goldeneye 007 (16 out of 38 )

I think were discussing your personal standard of challenge vs. the majority of gamers and media outlets.

http://www.filibustercartoons.com/games.htm
http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=3742
http://top100.ign.com/2005/001-010.html #2

As I said, it was one Greatest Game of all time list. In addition, Ocarina of Time is another form of nostalgiafags. Ocarina of Time is important in the evolution of video games and, as I stated before, it is a damn fun game. Maybe it does deserve the the top spot in those lists, maybe it does not, but sometimes nostalgiafags just seem to give things too much credit. Each person is entitled to their opinion and of course, it should be respect (Although I don't know how much respect I would actually give any sort of gaming publication.)

As someone mentioned earlier, Majora's Mask built upon Ocarina of Time's engine and made some great adjustments. The overall experience was shorter but it was more streamlined. In addition, Majora's Mask was more challenging than Ocarina of Time.

[Siniroth]

This, pretty much.

Does simpler games mean simpler graphics? If so, also yes.

Graphics don't have to be super complex to be pretty/beautiful, and as long as the game looks somewhat pleasing, that's enough for me in terms of graphics.

Less time doing lots of graphics and videos and whatever, and more time with story and gameplay.

Agree with this, if simpler means back to the epic story games, all for it.

That being said, I like the need to focus on billions of things at once at times

[Eaglestrike]

I discredit that entire Famitsu list because it has FFX as #1. Seriously, fuck that game.

If you guys think FFT was any bit of difficult you should go play Tactics Ogre. It's the same battle system, same team made it, but it's instant death, not 3 turns to rez something.

I liked 12 more than most previous FF games. The gameplay was better than all the previous ones (imo) but 7 and 9 arguably had a better story. 13 has a shit ton of cutscenes and I can completely agree with anyone desiring less of them, but the gameplay was amazing and so was the tuning. The story wasn't poor, either. I just went through the game again, skipped the occasional annoying mob to chapter 11, did 34 Cie'th missions without any grinding, cheesed mission 55 for the 2x CP egg and am now streamrolling through the rest of the story. We'll see how much grinding I'll need to do when I return to complete the Cie'th missions, or if grinding will just be to finish out achievements/weapons which you don't need for anything. I think the last two FF games have shown some serious evolution that is right in line with what I find interesting in my life. Back in 7/8/9 era I liked stories based on one oddball hero. 12 was a political drama and I might not have been able to grasp it all back when I was younger, 13 was a well-made story and the VAing and such allowed for much more believable characters.

I'm betting nostalgia is really strong for a lot of people here.

[Mayareira]

12 was a political drama and I might not have been able to grasp it all back when I was younger

This is the problem of many here. They say XII doesn't have a story when it actually has the deepest plot and characters in any FF game.

I suppose they just didn't understand it. People are so used to the typical "hero wakes up happy, evil people burns his village and he starts his adventure" type of shallow RPG storylines. Give them anything more serious in terms of gameplay and story and you get...

"This isn't Final Fantasy "

[Antithesis]

Final Fantasy X has, by far the best Non-Active turn based battle system of any RPG I have ever played. Boss battles were strategic and the weapons and armor had various abilities to make the battles even more strategic (Before you hit end-game; then it becomes the usual Final Fantasy grind fest.)

Square did a phenomenal job with the battle system. Everything else? Sure, we can hate on that.

[Mayareira]

Final Fantasy X has, by far the best Non-Active turn based battle system of any RPG I have ever played. Boss battles were strategic and the weapons and armor had various abilities to make the battles even more strategic (Before you hit end-game; then it becomes the usual Final Fantasy grind fest.)

Square did a phenomenal job with the battle system. Everything else? Sure, we can hate on that.

Only problem with X's battle system was that it was very melee-driven. After a point you could just stop using elemental-magic and completely focus on melee attacks/characters.

[Pikarya]

eleven had the best battle system. http://i40.tinypic.com/35me0ep.gif

[Nevex]

Final Fantasy Tactics was hard as balls before you break the game with a Calculator.

Fixed. And that can technically happen in Chapter 1.

[Antithesis]

Only problem with X's battle system was that it was very melee-driven. After a point you could just stop using elemental-magic and completely focus on melee attacks/characters.

Rikku says hi.

[Corrderio]

All this talk about Ocarina of Time when Link to the Past was clearly superior. And whoever mentioned Kirby is correct; it's a shame we haven't a good next gen Kirby released (I heard the 64 games were fairly bad, but I have no first hand experience on those).

QFT. LTTP was my favorite Zelda. 64 was great the but the challenge factor was pretty weak.

I wish they mentioned what is considered "simpler"

Someone mentioned Shadow of Colossus, and I think that's a good example of "simpler but good". The game as a whole is a very simple concept. Fight a boss, run back to your chick, fight a boss, run back to your chick, rinse, repeat. What made the game good was the challenges involving the bosses. It was a game so simple yet challenging that many love it. (And still waiting on the next one!)

Now, I wouldn't say I want ALL games like that. I like variety, but yes I do feel games like that are too few and too far in between. And that many games have added too much fluff instead of focusing more on what the player is actually doing.

This also, simple can mean various terms.

[Xno Kappa]

Maybe when we're talking about a games difficulty we should talk about our first play-through. Calculator was indeed broken as shit in FFT but I admittedly didn't know about it until my second time around.

As far as Zelda games. Zelda II was infinitely harder then Majora's Mask or OoT. That shit was nuts.

[volcanicweather]

I prefer simpler games, mainly for the fact that simpler games -> less technology -> more portability. I don't have the time I once did to sit in front of a TV and beat a RPG in a weekend, but if I can play from wherever it allows me to complete games much quicker.

Also with all these lists - they are all so "title" biased it's ridiculous. There were a ton of great games made which didn't have Final Fantasy/Zelda/Mario in the name. It's just that we all remember playing these games so the people who make these lists cater towards what they've played.

For example, I'm replaying Lunar: Eternal Blue right now on my PSP. I blew through FF7 and FF8 without ever having to stop and grind but I'm really having to bust out all the strategies to avoid it with this game. Plus the story is easily better than at least half of the FF games. Yet it's just one of many titles which isn't even considered for these lists based on obscurity.

[ronin sparthos]

This is the problem of many here. They say XII doesn't have a story when it actually has the deepest plot and characters in any FF game.

I suppose they just didn't understand it. People are so used to the typical "hero wakes up happy, evil people burns his village and he starts his adventure" type of shallow RPG storylines. Give them anything more serious in terms of gameplay and story and you get...

"This isn't Final Fantasy "

I liked FFXII even with all the bashing that it sucked but the game DID have some problems that made it feel disjointed. I think had they stuck with the original idea to make Basch the main avatar that the game would have been alot more successful.