I’ve been an avid gamer for more than 30 years and am lucky enough to have seen the birth and evolution of the gaming genres that exist today. Over three decades my gaming ‘career’ has spanned a comparatively limited number of platforms; Acorn Electron, Amiga 500, PC, PS3, and currently the PS4. I have fond memories of each, but I owned the Electron and Amiga at that sweet-spot time-of-life where everything was new and my mind was an impressionable sponge, all-too-willing to soak up gaming experiences that, at the time, I was unaware would be imprinted into my memory forever.
Having said that, I’m still as excited about the release of a new ‘Fortnite’ season as I was about the release of a new ‘Repton’ game 30 years ago. Some things never change.
Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that when it comes to games, story is not everything. Gameplay is king. For me, story, well developed characters and a convincing world will provide a great foundation on which to build a game, but if the game is lacking beyond this, then at some point, so will my attention. If I’m to be convinced to continue a story to its conclusion in a time when there are ‘must-buy games’ hitting the store shelves seemingly every month, then I’d better enjoy getting there.
I often find myself not only disagreeing, but struggling to accept some of the widely accepted praise given to ‘Game of the Year’ contenders. All too often, I’ll notice a repetitive, frustrating game mechanic that seems to exist only for the sole purpose of ensuring a ’25 hour’ story can be stated as fact, or more commonly, a certain amount of control being taken away from the player to ensure a ‘cinematic experience’. I’ll save specifics for future blog posts, but suffice to say it’s a fine line that developers need to tread.
And so begins this blogging journey. A place for me to occasionally disagree with popular opinion, share insights into some thoughts and beliefs on gaming culture , my obsession with Rocket League, and above all else, whether we should indeed invert the y-axis.
Welcome. There’s a lot to cover.
Currently playing:
- Rocket League
- Fortnite
- Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Rendermonkee's Gaming Blog 