Getting into gaming, it's tough!!!

 I've been a serious gamer for about 3 years. Before that I used play games, of course, but not seriously. I got into gaming really fast, and there was a lot information to soak up. To think, 3 Years ago I had no idea what the abbreviation GoW meant. Now it defines my life :) My point is this. When a game with good reviews, and good feedback comes out, I would buy it. I bought oblivion, to find I disliked it. Mass Effect had the same effect (No pun intended) and the same thing with Fallout three. That's how much it cost me to find out I don't like American RPGs, and I haven't even started to wade through JRPGs yet!!!! My point is this. In gaming, it's important to have your own style. I used to go let other peoples opinions guide me to what games to buy, it's important what other people think about the games but in the end, what it comes down to, is what you like. Becoming a "generic" gamer who buys every game that gets over 8/10 on IGN deeply scares me. Although, slowly but surly, I've started forming my own opinions now. This took me a while to get used to, for whatever reason. Finally I've found out that I like action adventures are third person shooters. The world of gaming is a gigantic and confusing place, and for newcomers, it can be very, very intimidating. So take it easy on the newcomers!
 
For the record I still don't know what FTW (For the World???) means. I'm too ashamed to ask :)

FTW= For the win.

Nice post. Everyone is free to play what they like, and stick with their favourite styles.
 
But I find that a game that gets consistently high-scores usually has something of merit at its core. Even when the genre might be quite alien. There are very few 90+ metacritic games that I have actively disliked - I can't think of one off-hand. So I think scores and reviews serve their purpose for me.
 
I'm also suspicious of this idea that certain genres just do not work for you. I think that's a rule that is bound to be broken at some point. You are going to miss out on some brilliant games and brilliant experiences if you have a closed mind to them.

I definitely agree, you gotta know what you as a person prefer in games without just assuming because everyone is saying "dude! this game is great!" that it actually is. I definitely do like western RPGs, however, I entirely hate Oblivion and Fallout 3 both for the most part. I like Mass Effect though, and I love Dragon Age, and I loved the original Fallouts and Baldurs Gates and Diablo.
 
I would say the best thing for someone to do, because it doesnt always just come down to "well since I like this genre I like this game as well", would be if there is a game getting a lot of attention or you are just curious about it, take the time to find more about it. All the information you want on it, some gameplay videos of what it is like. It is definitely possible for even after that for you to dislike a game, but thats probably the closest you can get to playing it yourself ahead of time. Another thing is renting games, or Gameflying them. A sure way to not waste money ahead of time on a game you may purchase and find not that great.

"For the record I still don't know what FTW (For the World???) means. I'm too ashamed to ask :) "

Your tastes will evolve. A few years ago I really couldn't play RPGs whatsoever, found them too slowly paced for my tastes. But I've been slowly getting into them ever since Fallout 3. When genres you really enjoy (FPS in my case) merge with others like that, it helps you stay familiar with the gameplay while still experiencing the RPG elements.   
Maybe you should try some third person action RPG's. 
 
And games will evolve, too. I mean, I've been a gamer for twenty-something years. When I was a kid, my favorite genres didn't even exist. 

" FTW= For the win. "

" @IzzyGraze said:

" FTW= For the win. "

welll.. it meant something else before that. "

I ACTIVELY hate Little Big Planet, that is the 1 game with Meta over 90 that I think is just terrible.  It was literally unplayable for me.  I cant really really justify anyones opinion of that game being good, say what you want about the level editor, but what little game is there is just terrible.

Sounds like you're taking your new hobby pretty seriously. I think find what you like and what you don't like is very important. For instance, I have no patience for RTS. So even though I know that games like Starcraft are supposed to be really fantastic I just can't grok what's so enjoyable about it. Which isn't to say it isn't enjoyable for SOME people, just not for me. That is a very mature and important realization to have: certain genres of games just won't appeal to me, which doesn't necessarily say anything about their quality, just speaks to my interest as a player. Slight suspicion, I doubt that JRPGs will be much kinder to you than Western ones: they're quite a bit slower as far as actual gameplay goes, and much more number crunching I find. Especially compared to something like Mass Effect.
 
Random side question, how did you find this website/community? 
 
@thecleric said:

" @IzzyGraze said:

" FTW= For the win. "

welll.. it meant something else before that. "

I'm sure the world of gaming (outside of casual Wii and DS titles) can seem like an intimidating place for an outsider but people shouldn't view gaming as something that is "tough" to get into. When was the last time you heard someone talk about how tough it was for them to get into movies? Getting into gaming is just about sitting down and playing games and finding out what games you do and don't like. We've all done it and I think we can all say it's been an awesome experience and I'd encourage anybody with the smallest bit of interest to try it.

" Sounds like you're taking your new hobby pretty seriously. I think find what you like and what you don't like is very important. For instance, I have no patience for RTS. So even though I know that games like Starcraft are supposed to be really fantastic I just can't grok what's so enjoyable about it. Which isn't to say it isn't enjoyable for SOME people, just not for me. That is a very mature and important realization to have: certain genres of games just won't appeal to me, which doesn't necessarily say anything about their quality, just speaks to my interest as a player. Slight suspicion, I doubt that JRPGs will be much kinder to you than Western ones: they're quite a bit slower as far as actual gameplay goes, and much more number crunching I find. Especially compared to something like Mass Effect.
 
Random side question, how did you find this website/community? 
 
@thecleric said:

" @IzzyGraze said:

" FTW= For the win. "

welll.. it meant something else before that. "

Really? That's all I've ever known it to mean. And while we're on the subject, FTW really needs to be retired, even in ironic usage. "

used to mean fuck the world, in certain circles

Ah. So sort of a proto-FML?

"When a game with good reviews, and good feedback comes out, I would buy it. I bought oblivion, to find I disliked it. Mass Effect had the same effect (No pun intended) and the same thing with Fallout three. That's how much it cost me to find out I don't like American RPGs, and I haven't even started to wade through JRPGs yet!!!!"

you don't like action/adventure 3rd person shooters? but your user pic is Nathan Drake. Uncharted comes under that category surely?
 
you make a interesting point though. now i think about it i used to play games without any thought of their design or even their gameplay. i just played them. of course i could tell a extra special game when i found one (Ocarina of Time) but after i got my Nintendo Gamecube i started following what was happening in the gaming world. so thats 4 years of solid gaming and being aware of the industry. but about 15 years of playing games.

" I ACTIVELY hate Little Big Planet, that is the 1 game with Meta over 90 that I think is just terrible.  It was literally unplayable for me.  I cant really really justify anyones opinion of that game being good, say what you want about the level editor, but what little game is there is just terrible. "

"I ACTIVELY hate Little Big Planet, that is the 1 game with Meta over 90 that I think is just terrible.  It was literally unplayable for me.  I cant really really justify anyones opinion of that game being good, say what you want about the level editor, but what little game is there is just terrible. "

If you don't like to eat raw fish, you won't like sushi - even if it is the best sushi in the world.
 
Knowing yourself is half the battle. The other half is not forgetting about it.

nice post there. i agree man, i don't like fallout 3 or mass effect. i tried playing it but i didn't like it to much. i do like oblivion it is a cool game. i try and get a jest of how the game is going to be by reading, watching reviews.

" you don't like action/adventure 3rd person shooters? but your user pic is Nathan Drake. Uncharted comes under that category surely?  you make a interesting point though. now i think about it i used to play games without any thought of their design or even their gameplay. i just played them. of course i could tell a extra special game when i found one (Ocarina of Time) but after i got my Nintendo Gamecube i started following what was happening in the gaming world. so thats 4 years of solid gaming and being aware of the industry. but about 15 years of playing games. "

You didn't like Mass Effect or Fallout 3 but you like third person shooters?  The combat is basically 3PS in those two games.
 
The way I see it anyone that doesn't like those two games must be idiots.  Fallout 3 is a like a city or a chunk of country on a DVD.  I still can't wrap my head around how large & detailed the scope of that game is & how you can immerse yourself into its world.  It has a lot of depth.  Mass Effect was like that too but perhaps not as big.  When I wandered around the post-nuclear devastation of the DC area, I almost cried.  This is something that could really happen in our world.  These RPGs are virtual worlds & it's like running through an interactive novel.  I played Fallout 3 for a year to get through it all & played through it twice.
 
JRPGs on the other hand are shitty.  I bought 3 or 4 of them so far & I just can't get into them.  The worlds don't seem to make sense & they keep the story a bit of a mystery.  After a lengthy video sequence it just dumps you off in the middle of nowhere & it's like: what the fuck do I do now??  No way to get started!  So maybe you should buy a few of those games & apply your inexperience to it & see if you like that, considering that it's even more confusing than a Western RPG. And since you say American RPGs, what the fuck has Europe done?  None. They don't even make games as far as I can tell, except for Ubisoft & their games seem kind of shitty too.  But maybe Europeans like them.
 
First person shooters are usually pretty mindless. Just running around & killing stuff. It's addictive in its own way. I get a lot of enjoyment in games like Left 4 Dead running around killing slow moving zombies & doing Versus.
 
Another fun hobby is achievement hunting. Where you take one of your games, look up the achievements & try to get all of them, which is a lot tougher than it would first appear. Even for Fallout 3 on the Xbox it took a great deal of time to get them all.  And I have games I can go back & play, like Dead Rising, which has these insane achievements where you play 14 hours straight to get a 7 day survivor achievement.  You get more out of the game when you hunt for achievements because even when you've read the achievement or watching how it's done on youtube or read a hint, it still doesn't mean it'll be easy for you to get it!  And it's nice to get the fabled S-rank on some games to show to folks on Giantbomb as well as your friends.
 
I basically try to play everything but find myself gravitating to RPGs first & Shooters second.  RPGs tend to have a beginning, a middle, & an end.  Whereas Shooters just go on forever in multiplayer. I've got friends that have played nothing but COD4 for the past 2 years & they bought MW2 yesterday & even took the day off from work so they could play it.  I wish I could do the same, but I like to spread myself around to other games & not dedicate myself to one game forever.

woops i read wrong. ignore the first part of my comment :)

. And since you say American RPGs, what the fuck has Europe done?  None. They don't even make games as far as I can tell, except for Ubisoft & their games seem kind of shitty too.  

" @Andheez said:

"I ACTIVELY hate Little Big Planet, that is the 1 game with Meta over 90 that I think is just terrible.  It was literally unplayable for me.  I cant really really justify anyones opinion of that game being good, say what you want about the level editor, but what little game is there is just terrible. "

I also don't like LBP but not to the extent of your hatred, I WANT to like the game, I love the art style and the premise of the game, but I just have no desire to make my own levels. The gameplay just isn't satisfactory enough for me to continue playing, 3/5 in my book. What good is bringing in a new era of digital content if the game to play them isn't that fun? "

" And since you say American RPGs, what the fuck has Europe done?  None. They don't even make games as far as I can tell, except for Ubisoft & their games seem kind of shitty too.  But maybe Europeans like them."

Mass Effect is made in Canada.

• Batman Arkham Asylum
  
• GTAIV
• Tomb Raider Series
  
• Little Big Planet
• Fable Series
  
• Burnout Paradise
• Lego Series
• AVP
• Operation Flashpoint Series
  
• Colin McRae Dirt Series
• Overlord Series
• Total War Series
• Banjo Kazooie Series
• Perfect Dark
• Viva Pinata
• Goldeneye 64
• PGR Series
• Geometry Wars
• Motorstorm Series
• Worms Series
• Lost Winds

" Your tastes will evolve. A few years ago I really couldn't play RPGs whatsoever, found them too slowly paced for my tastes. But I've been slowly getting into them ever since Fallout 3. When genres you really enjoy (FPS in my case) merge with others like that, it helps you stay familiar with the gameplay while still experiencing the RPG elements.   Maybe you should try some third person action RPG's.  And games will evolve, too. I mean, I've been a gamer for twenty-something years. When I was a kid, my favorite genres didn't even exist.  "

" Your tastes will evolve. A few years ago I really couldn't play RPGs whatsoever, found them too slowly paced for my tastes. But I've been slowly getting into them ever since Fallout 3. "

" To think, 3 Years ago I had no idea what the abbreviation GoW meant. " 

" @Eric_Buck said:

"When a game with good reviews, and good feedback comes out, I would buy it. I bought oblivion, to find I disliked it. Mass Effect had the same effect (No pun intended) and the same thing with Fallout three. That's how much it cost me to find out I don't like American RPGs, and I haven't even started to wade through JRPGs yet!!!!"

Uh...you do know you can RENT these games, right? So instead of blowing $65 to come to the stirring conclusion you "don't like it" you can instead blow $7 to rent it for a week.  Seriously. "

" @Ujio said:

" @Eric_Buck said:

"When a game with good reviews, and good feedback comes out, I would buy it. I bought oblivion, to find I disliked it. Mass Effect had the same effect (No pun intended) and the same thing with Fallout three. That's how much it cost me to find out I don't like American RPGs, and I haven't even started to wade through JRPGs yet!!!!"

Uh...you do know you can RENT these games, right? So instead of blowing $65 to come to the stirring conclusion you "don't like it" you can instead blow $7 to rent it for a week.  Seriously. "

 Uh...you do know you CAN'T rent games in every country, right?  "

 For the record I still don't know what FTW (For the World???) means. I'm too ashamed to ask :)  
 
lol I spit out some gatorade on that one! :-P

The moment someone says "serious gamer", I stop reading. 
 
There's no such thing as a serious game, or a serious gamer.  Saying that you are one makes you sound like some fat 20 year old living in his mothers basement, raging because some little kid used the noob combo on you in T3H HALOZ. 
 
I am very into gaming, and it's a very big part of my life.  In fact, it's most likely going to be a part of my future career.  But I don't take them seriously...  It's just entertainment.

I don't trust reviews too much. For example, I hated Assassin's Creed but liked Sonic Unleashed.

" @nrain said:

" @Andheez said:

"I ACTIVELY hate Little Big Planet, that is the 1 game with Meta over 90 that I think is just terrible.  It was literally unplayable for me.  I cant really really justify anyones opinion of that game being good, say what you want about the level editor, but what little game is there is just terrible. "

I also don't like LBP but not to the extent of your hatred, I WANT to like the game, I love the art style and the premise of the game, but I just have no desire to make my own levels. The gameplay just isn't satisfactory enough for me to continue playing, 3/5 in my book. What good is bringing in a new era of digital content if the game to play them isn't that fun? "

I'm in the same boat here.  I still download all the free costumes that go up on the PSN and occasionally load the game up to see if I can get into it this time.  But no.  Again, I don't hate it to any kind of ridiculous degree, I just find the gameplay to be woefully clunky and as you said.. unsatisfactory.  Was never even able to get into the level editing stuff because of it.
 
@Lind_L_Taylor said:

" And since you say American RPGs, what the fuck has Europe done?  None. They don't even make games as far as I can tell, except for Ubisoft & their games seem kind of shitty too.  But maybe Europeans like them."

What...? 

I can name several very iconic game series' that were created in the city I live in Scotland alone. Perhaps you've heard of Worms.. Lemmnings.. Tomb Raider.. Crackdown.. Grand Theft Auto..? "

" @Lind_L_Taylor: Wow. Are you ignorant? Or just fucking stupid....
Games just from the UK:

• Batman Arkham Asylum
  
• GTAIV
• Tomb Raider Series
  
• Little Big Planet
• Fable Series
  
• Burnout Paradise
• Lego Series
• AVP
• Operation Flashpoint Series
  
• Colin McRae Dirt Series
• Overlord Series
• Total War Series
• Banjo Kazooie Series
• Perfect Dark
• Viva Pinata
• Goldeneye 64
• PGR Series
• Geometry Wars
• Motorstorm Series
• Worms Series
• Lost Winds

 The list goes on and on.. And I didn't even go into games made in the rest of Europe... So get your head out your arse yeah? "

Games come and go, but what never goes is your true inner gamer. Once a gamer , Always a Gamer.

" @spankingaddict:   There is just no reason to play the game, like Nrain said a couple posts later, the art style is great, but the platforming is subpar, and there is no hook, there is no story, or goal, or incentive to beating the game, or even a level.  If you do not have any interest in creating a level, what is there?  Even if you do create a level its no fun to play so who cares?  When I traded my game into Gamestop (could not find anyone to buy it off me) the cashier agreed, he said, why play this when you could play ANY Mario and have a better time. "

O_O 
 
An...INTELLIGENT thread?  OMG, SWEET! 
 
Very nice topic, sir.  I've never really thought about how confusing it could be to people who only see abbreviations like MW2 and GoW and SMB being thrown around all the time, and yet there are people out there trying to get into gaming that are going "what the fuck?" rather than "WTF?".  This definitely makes me put a different perspective on things, and I appreciate that you've brought up a good point.

" O_O  An...INTELLIGENT thread?  OMG, SWEET!  Very nice topic, sir.  I've never really thought about how confusing it could be to people who only see abbreviations like MW2 and GoW and SMB being thrown around all the time, and yet there are people out there trying to get into gaming that are going "what the fuck?" rather than "WTF?".  This definitely makes me put a different perspective on things, and I appreciate that you've brought up a good point. "

" @Lind_L_Taylor: I quote 'They don't even make games as far as I can tell'.. And I think you'll find that Fable is an RPG. "

" @Lind_L_Taylor:  GTA IV can easily be classified as an RPG... "

" @Lind_L_Taylor:   Hahaha ,lol, dude, I'm sorry. But your such an idiot. "