One of the most disturbing trends I have seen within the gaming community is how gamers are becoming spoiled by features that previously did not exist, and can no longer handle the challenges older games once provied. Some of these features include regenerative health and quick save systems. If a game lacks such a feature in today’s market, consumers log into various forums and vent their rage, claiming a developer is lazy or is using game mechanics from the ’90s. I find it baffling to see how gamers have changed over the years, and now complain when a challenge is presented.
Although this has gone on for years, I am going to use some of the more recent examples. Last month, I continually heard about the game Demon’s Souls for the PS3. Despite being primarily a PC gamer, my interest was piqued due to the surrounding hype. A friend tipped me off to a “quick look” video at Giant Bomb, and thus I decided to check it out. Within 6 minutes, I was already shaking my head at the comments being made.
The reviewer states that health and mana do not regenerate once depleted. The secondary reviewer asks if it regenerates at all through the level, to which he was told it does not and you are required to use items to restore health and mana. The primary reviewer then states the game “uses a lot of mechanics that were crafted in 1990 like not regenerating health and not regenerating mana,” followed by, “this game is hard.” Further comments include suggesting to turn up gamma and ruin the atmosphere, as it is not worth risking death and losing collected souls, and no quick saves exist in this “brutal” game.
I was both amused and disheartened at the comments. The amusing part lies in how many games in the past did not rely on regenerative systems or a quick save option, and achieved great success. Now when games are released similar to those of the past, they are deemed hard, brutal, and only for masochist. The disheartening part lies in how it is a clear indication of gamers becoming spoiled by gimmicks and casual systems that have invaded mainstream titles.
Growing up, I remember one of my favorite games on the NES and SNES was the Zelda series. This game has no regenerative health, nor could you quick save in the middle of a fight in case things go wrong. Gamers played through this game just fine, albeit it provided additional challenges. The Diablo series was even more difficult, as dying meant losing equipped items and gold, and having to run a good distance to retrieve it. Few people complained about these games and they have become famed classics. Why then, are we complaining about games that follow in the footsteps of these titles? Are gamers becoming so incapable they can no longer handle a challenge that requires some planning and actual decision making before charging into a fight?
This is not an issue related solely to Demon’s Souls or Giant Bomb videos. Recent releases, Torchlight and Borderlands, have also received some criticism, as gamers claim these games rely on the ancient Diablo system and do not improve upon the genre. Gamers complain about free-for-all loot systems not being fair, and find the “hardcore” mode of Torchlight pointless without a quick save option. For those who are unaware, hardcore mode refers to character permadeath, something quick saves would nullify. Essentially, if a game provides a challenge, expect a majority to complain about how wrong the game is.
Role-playing games are not the only genre that suffers from casual features spoiling gamers today. My biggest passion within the game world are first person shooters. I enjoy the competition and camaraderie found within this environment. I have spent countless hours in the Counter Strike series as well as the Battlefield series, among many others over the years. Yet, I find myself playing far less shooters these days, as they have become plagued with gimmicks and made far to easy.
The best example I know of is the Call of Duty series. I fell in love with the original game, and played it a great deal upon release. It was a solid shooter with excellent gameplay for its time. However, I have not purchased any further Call of Duty games, as they rely on regenerative health systems that remove the challenge and thrill of battles. Some of my favorite moments in shooters have been when I am low on health, and fighting to survive and outsmart my opponents. If I succeed, a great sense of accomplishment ensues as I was able to win using a crippled character by outsmarting and outshooting opponents. In modern shooters today, this feeling no longer exists, as one can hide behind some cover and restore their health. The only reason I can see these games remaining as popular as they do is it makes first person shooters more accessible to a mainstream, casual gaming audience.
Please not I am not against replenishing health in FPS games, only those that place players in a quasi-realistic setting but add features that are clearly out of place. Health systems in Unreal Tournament or Battlefield I find to be excellent, as they fit the setting of each game very well. The Battlefield series is especially nice, as it promotes teamwork for the sake of survival.
I do understand and appreciate that there is an immense amount of variety among gamers and what they wish to play. However, I find it worrisome that more games are leaning towards the casual side by implementing user friendly mechanics that remove challenges seen within older games. It leads one to believe this is the future of gaming all together, games based on casual mechanics and instant gratification without any skill involved.
I believe the following video is an excellent example of where we are headed in the world of video games. Although this is still a young gamer at only 11 years old, it shows the vast differences between classic games and modern games. He specifically states it is not as easy at Halo or Call of Duty, two of the most popular FPS games on the market today. When asked if he would devote time to such a game, he says no and would rather play Call of Duty.
Do we really want to continue on the path of quick and easy games that require no skill or challenge to complete? Games that promote instant gratification are often the first to be discarded once the novelty has worn off. There is little reason to return to a game when you know exactly what is going to happen, and you are simply running through the motions, not truly interacting and working towards a goal. I for one hope more games with “mechanics from the 1990s” are released, as I am tired of casual features invading my games.