I tend to point to playing Oblivion at a friend's house in high school as my baptism into loving video games, since that was when I *really* got obsessed with them, but in truth my gateway drug into games was real time and turn-based strategy as a wee babe. One of the first non-edutainment games I ever played was the PC version of Lego Rock Raiders, which I spent an ungodly number of hours being bad at as an elementary schooler, before graduating to Civilization, Battle for Middle Earth, and Age of Empires as I aged. Nowadays, two decades and change later, I rarely touch the stuff. I play some Age of Empires multiplayer from time to time with old friends and spend a few weekends obsessed with Civilization every two years or so, but that old pull just isn't there. I blame Crusader Kings 2. After tasting the drug of Paradox grand strategy games in early college and beholding the batshit insane majesty of their capacity as emergent alt-history storytelling engines, the itty-bitty skirmishes and proc-gen nation building of RTSs and Civ-likes feel hollow and clinical in comparison. They just don't hit like they used to.
What are some genres y'all used to love but just don't click with anymore, and what drove you away?
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