Good Gaming

Someone asked "What do you think video games should have nowadays?" in a forum I frequent. I found it to be an interesting topic, and am going to blog about it in slightly more detail. :D

For me, the criteria for good games depends on the genre, and when I actually think about it, it is quite hard to pinpoint one thing that is an absolute must have. My conclusion is that I really like games that would keep you thinking "I want to know what will happen next." It could be the story, or next stage, or next unlock, or in the case of MMO, the next patch, or the next get-together. I guess that's what entertainment means. This spreads to other kinds of entertainment as well, such as animes or novals, and is probably one of the reasons why I was never into sports. I don't get the "I want to know more" from it.

Of course, there are other things as well. A good game should probably have nice graphics, good music, and intuitive controls. These things I consider secondary, however. A game that only has nice graphics, good music and intuitive controls will not capture me. An example of this is Crisis Core. It was one of the best sellers and very polished, but I abandoned it mid-game. The plot just didn't create any sort of resonance or fascination in me. The rest isn't really that interesting either. As such, there is nothing to look forward to.

The gloss does hold a place in my heart though. If graphics or control is severely lacking, then playing would become too tedious that I would just lose enthusiasm about the game totally, and quit. A few games that have held my attention till the end includes: Yoshi's Island, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, Rockman Dash. Each in their own special way. I especially like the stage design in Yoshi's Island and Klonoa, on the other hand, Rockman Dash has an evolving story that engages me, and an interesting world to explore.

I guess you can call things I "want to know" content. So if someone asks me what I think a game should have, besides playability and polish, I'd say content that make me want more of it.