I've come to realize that over my years of playing video-games I have become gradually more fussy about the games I play. Any old "good" game will simply not cut if for me anymore, I need a GREAT game to keep me interested. It must have fantastic gameplay or an engrossing story or something that really catches my eye, or else I'll never play it again or even, in the most severe cases, uninstall it out of frustration. I get the feeling that if I become too picky someday somebody is going to slap me about the face and give me a "there are children in Africa who don't have any food!" speech albeit applied to electronics and video-games.
It's actually become rather frustrating just how picky I am. A little while ago I picked up Mirror's Edge, definitely a very average sort of game. It kept my interest for a little bit but after a few hours of playing it I became immensely bored and couldn't continue on leaping from rooftop to rooftop and watching the Esurance-style cutscenes. Some people seem to have enjoyed the game quite a lot....
I wish I could be one of those people!
I know I sound like an obese man blaming his blubber-covered belly on genetic defect instead of his own personality failings but I truly CANNOT help it. Perhaps I played too many fantastic games in a row and my standards were raised too high? I recall fondly the days when I could pick up virtually any decent game and have an absolute blast with it.
Games that are recommended to me by others often fail to meet my unreasonable standards and I usually stop playing them very quickly. Things that other people see as great, I see as rather 'meh' products. Does anybody else have this problem? Am I the only one who is too picky for his own good when it comes to video-games?
Oh woe is me who can only enjoy the finest of games!
Interesting predicament. I have a question, though. Has this attitude change flowed over into other aspects of your life? Are you constantly disappointed in movies or well-regarded TV shows? Do you send back meals you've ordered from restaurants? Do you find fault in the relationships you're having? I'm not trying to make light of your situation, it's just that I'm trying to see if there is a larger reason for this change in your expectations. It's true that as people grow and mature, their opinions change, as well. Having a greater resource to draw on and form impressions from leads to more complex tastes...sometimes. It's been my experience that it can also work in reverse, wherein it's just easier to let go of your high standards, let something stand for just what it is, and have fun with it on that level. Perhaps you haven't reached that pinnacle, yet. Maybe, someday, you can enjoy games on the level they were intended without placing exaggerated expectations on them.
Until then, I suggest you focus only on games of poor quality and shoddy design...that way, "mediocre" games will fit your high standards.
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