Are games getting dumber?

[J-Man]

Is it just me, or is the gaming industry going in a steep intelligence decline regarding the content of their games? Let's have a look at some of the most recent commercially successful games:

1.Call of Duty: World at War
2.Crysis
3.Far Cry 2
4.Left 4 Dead


1.In which you run around shooting everything that moves. No brains, only skill is required.
2.As above.
3.Some of the worst story I've seen in a game, and you kill literally everybody in the end.
4.In which you run around shooting infinite amounts of zombies.

While these games can be undeniably fun, what happened to the games that required brains, or prioritised story higher than gameplay or graphics?

What about Psychonauts, which had the best story and central idea of any game I've ever played. What happened to Deus Ex, which consistenly comes in the top 5 of PC Gamer UK's top 100? What about Monkey Island?

These are the games I talk about when I discuss the best games I've played, and how come I can't think of any recent releases that are just as good as them in story or style?

By the way, feel free to disagree with me.

 

[Prons]

Games are for fun, dawg.

And to answer your question, no. Because well, when I was a kid I played Earth Worm Jim.

 

[Theo Samaritan]

I would like you to remove Left 4 Dead from that comparison as being the only multiplayer-central game in that list it is also the only game where the lack of brains is more to do with the players than the game itself.

However I agree with your point.

 

[J-Man]

Games are for fun, dawg.

And to answer your question, no. Because well, when I was a kid I played Earth Worm Jim.

I know games are purely for entertainment, but does that mean they can't have a good story or be intelligent?

 

[Jursa]

You're looking for intellect in FPSs? The games you mentioned that were good were all RPGs or atleast had RPG elements. There are many other successful games for example any popular RTS game or Fallout 3.

 

[Prons]

I know games are purely for entertainment, but does that mean they can't have a good story or be intelligent?

They could, but why do they need to?

Just sayin', I play shooters and mmorpgs, as such it seems I prefer it when there's no story

 

[curlycrouton]

1.Call of Duty: World at War
2.Crysis
3.Far Cry 2
4.Left 4 Dead

1. I agree with you on that.
2. Hmmm, it did have a lot of interesting side elements as well, and the size of the landscape and scope given to the player by that, as well as those suit customisations, did require some thought.
3. Not at all. While there is tons of violence and explosions, it does a great job of depicting the brutal society in the country in which it is set. But you are right about the everything getting killed part.
4.Now, it's a zombie game. It's to be expected that the game focuses on "shooting up tons of zombie shit". That's what I love about zombie games (my favourite genre, by the way).


However, you missed out Gears of War (and it's bastard child sequel), two of the most idiotic, simple, retard-fests to disgrace our screens in recent years.

 

[J-Man]

I know games are purely for entertainment, but does that mean they can't have a good story or be intelligent?

They could, but why do they need to?

Just sayin', I play shooters and mmorpgs, as such it seems I prefer it when there's no story

Would you rather play Halo, or an FPS with a beautiful, deep story with human characters and an incredible art design?

What I'm getting at is that the games I mentioned are definitely fun, but surely they would be enhanced with a good story.

 

[curlycrouton]

You're looking for intellect in FPSs?

Half Life (1&2)
Portal (shooter?)
Deus Ex
Bioshock

and many more.....

 

[J-Man]

However, you missed out Gears of War (and it's bastard child sequel), two of the most idiotic, simple, retard-fests to disgrace our screens in recent years.

I play only on PC, and I knew not to buy GOW, as I read reviews.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Yes, because Robotron and Rampage had such deep storylines and involved intellectual puzzles...

(I see plenty of idiocy in the games industry these days, admittedly, but a notable chunk comes from fans beating their chests about how games are "dumbed down" these days while ignoring the vast majority of older titles with even less "smartened up" play than basic titles today.)

-- Steve

 

[J-Man]

Yes, because Robotron and Rampage had such deep storylines and involved intellectual puzzles...

(I see plenty of idiocy in the games industry these days, admittedly, but a notable chunk comes from fans beating their chests about how games are "dumbed down" these days while ignoring the vast majority of older titles with even less "smartened up" play than basic titles today.)

-- Steve

I'm not saying all old games are brilliant, I'm simply mentioning the fact that older games tended to have a stronger focus on story and design, rather than gameplay.

 

[curlycrouton]

Yes, because Robotron and Rampage had such deep storylines and involved intellectual puzzles...

(I see plenty of idiocy in the games industry these days, admittedly, but a notable chunk comes from fans beating their chests about how games are "dumbed down" these days while ignoring the vast majority of older titles with even less "smartened up" play than basic titles today.)

-- Steve

I'm not saying all old games are brilliant, I'm simply mentioning the fact that older games tended to have a stronger focus on story and design, rather than gameplay.

Ever played Mario?

 

[J-Man]

Ever played Mario?

Ahem... PC....

 

[curlycrouton]

Ever played Mario?

Ahem... PC....

http://www.invalidmob.com/Flash_Games/65/Mario/Flash_Mario.html

Sorry, I'm just being awkward, I know what you mean, my mistake.

But still, a lot of old games were remarkably simple, with occasionaly a complete lack of story.

 

[TerraMGP]

Yes they are, and its sad. See the problem is that it used to be us gamers were the kinds of people looking to get our nightly D&D/other tabletop of choice kick on nights other than game night. Then the 'converted jock' gamers and others who feel that the high point of a game is beating someone else rather than the experience you get from it started to come into the mix, and games had to be dumbed down to appeal to them. Why? because they don't want to sit around though 'story' and actually put 'thought' into a game. They want to start, blow everything up and then finish. The game industry is made up of people who want to make money and if they can get paid for putting in less real work all the better.

Also I am sorry to anyone who feels they fit this template. I know it is a gross generalization but sadly that is the history. Thats also why so many people now are obsessed with being known as 'hardcore' gamers, because apparenlty being a gamer has to be turned into something competitive as well.

 

[Deegh]

Unfortunately the games are getting worse, but it's nothing we can really change. And as many people have pointed out they are fun so why change it?

 

[J-Man]

Unfortunately the games are getting worse, but it's nothing we can really change. And as many people have pointed out they are fun so why change it?

Is that the most we gamers can aspire to? Fun? Are we not intelligent enough to demand a proper story or a beautiful game, without yelling about how awesome 'last stand or martyrdom' is?