Overrated features that show up in every game

[Midnight Crossroads]

The topic says it. What are they?

While it may not have started with CoD4, I'm really starting to hate unlocking weapons and other equipment by leveling up. This stuff just needs to go away.

I liked it better when I could just choose which weapon I wanted when I spawned, and didn't have to wait a month or so to gain access to a gun I like. What is the purpose then? Look, I've got my gun that I've been leveling up for, I guess all that time up to now was just a grind to it. Good thing, I certainly wouldn't want to have fun playing this game. And I know it might mean that everyone just chooses weapon A over B, but if everyone is choosing the same weapon, doesn't that just mean there's a balancing issue?

 

[Stoink]

i like it because it gives me a reason to keep playing

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

The topic says it. What are they?

While it may not have started with CoD4, I'm really starting to hate unlocking weapons and other equipment by leveling up. This stuff just needs to go away.

I liked it better when I could just choose which weapon I wanted when I spawned, and didn't have to wait a month or so to gain access to a gun I like. What is the purpose then? Look, I've got my gun that I've been leveling up for, I guess all that time up to now was just a grind to it. Good thing, I certainly wouldn't want to have fun playing this game. And I know it might mean that everyone just chooses weapon A over B, but if everyone is choosing the same weapon, doesn't that just mean there's a balancing issue?

But you see, removing the progression of said game would lower it's replayability a lot. I'm going to say moral choice though. If you're just going to make two possibilities guys, don't bother.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

First, I like unlocking things, it gives me a purpose, something to look forward to.

Second, fucking "unique" guns that are really powerful, impractical, and have no ammo. I would rather have a powerful assault rifle then some shitty "inventive" gun that shoots gerbils.

 

[Limzz]

The topic says it. What are they?

While it may not have started with CoD4, I'm really starting to hate unlocking weapons and other equipment by leveling up. This stuff just needs to go away.

I liked it better when I could just choose which weapon I wanted when I spawned, and didn't have to wait a month or so to gain access to a gun I like. What is the purpose then? Look, I've got my gun that I've been leveling up for, I guess all that time up to now was just a grind to it. Good thing, I certainly wouldn't want to have fun playing this game. And I know it might mean that everyone just chooses weapon A over B, but if everyone is choosing the same weapon, doesn't that just mean there's a balancing issue?

Personally I enjoy unlocking stuff. And in the example of cod4 you get all the best weapons at level 1, just sayin'...

 

[HaraDaya]

I like working towards a goal. In fact I found that Bad Company 2 got rather boring after I had unlocked everything after 40 hours or so. I had my eyes on unlocking the revolver sidearm from the start, and it kept me playing, and kept me playing more when I finally did unlock it.
But I do hate when there's imbalance in the weapons, all weapons need to have their ups and downs. There's a lot of weapons in BC2 that no one uses because they're simply at disadvantage to some of the later ones. Don't care if the weapon specs are realistic, just balanced, please.

 

[Frybird]

"Your every choice affects the world around you!"

You know, I wouldn't mind it so much, but whenever anyone claims this, it never actually works. Biggest, and original, offender was Fable. Now, I liked Fable, but I'm the first to call bullshit on its supposed choice system. The choices are so laughably obvious, and they affect precisely nothing, that it's just pointless to even keep them in.

Sadly, pretty much every RPG since has tried to implement this, and very few have even come close to getting it to work.

I know what you mean. It would be a nice feature to have, but since the expectations that come with it just skyrocket, it's more or less impossible to have.

That said, Fable 1 and 2 are still the worst offenders because there are a lot games that do the whole "Choice and Consequence" Thing so much better. In Fable 2, it wasn't even possible for me to become a thief because i could not break into houses without kicking the door down...

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Sadly, pretty much every RPG since has tried to implement this, and very few have even come close to getting it to work.

Alpha Protocol handled it well... and didn't tie it into some bullshit 'morality system', which was a bonus.

 

[Au Naturel.]

Did nobody say rechargeable life yet? Yeah, that.

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

First, I like unlocking things, it gives me a purpose, something to look forward to.

Fighting games seem to have forgotten this. I want to unlock bone claws Wolverine, not just have both Wolvies given to me. I'd be much better at Marvel vs. Capcom 2 if it gave me something to fight for.

 

[Brainplant]

Most boss battles.

Fine if they're designed so I can use skills I've learnt up to that point, but most are just pattern-recognition, usually combined with hitting a weak spot.

 

[Balaxe]

No Health Bars.
It has been one of the worst ideas ever, how is having your screen looking increasingly fucked up better then a bar that clearly shows how close you are to dying?

 

[Tribalism]

I'll be the first to say it: Games that take themselves too seriously.
Don't get me wrong, I like serious games as much as anyone else does and some of my finer hours gaming have been spent on games like Halo, CoD etc. but there's far too much emphasis on nitty gritty realism and games that take themselves too seriously. I miss shooters like Serious Sam, platformers like Pandemonium or Crash (when the games were good). I've never owned a nintendo console in my life, but right now, the calls of Super Mario Galaxy 2, in all its rehashed nature, sounds like something that would really push my buttons.
A feature I would like returning to consoles is "pick up and play"-ability. A lot of games I simply don't feel like playing because I know that I won't progress past a certain point without a decent amount of play time. There are a lot of offenders for this one, but the biggest offender has to be FFX (outdated though it may be). Going through (I think it was called) Omega Dungeon, reaching the end and trailing all the way back with not a save point in sight.
All.
Of.
My.
Hate.

 

[Proteus214]

No Health Bars.
It has been one of the worst ideas ever, how is having your screen looking increasingly fucked up better then a bar that clearly shows how close you are to dying?

This kind of thing really pisses me off as well. The games I'm thinking of in particular is Infamous and Uncharted, where when you are close to dying, the edges of the screen get a streaky blood pattern, the rest of the screen goes all black and white with excessive bloom, and the sound drowns out so all you can really hear is a heartbeat. In a moment of desperation when you are in the thick of a battle and you're trying to not die, having your sight and sound fucked up doesn't increase your chances of survival.

 

[KwaggaDan]

I'll be the first to say it: Games that take themselves too seriously.
Don't get me wrong, I like serious games as much as anyone else does and some of my finer hours gaming have been spent on games like Halo, CoD etc. but there's far too much emphasis on nitty gritty realism and games that take themselves too seriously. I miss shooters like Serious Sam, platformers like Pandemonium or Crash (when the games were good). I've never owned a nintendo console in my life, but right now, the calls of Super Mario Galaxy 2, in all its rehashed nature, sounds like something that would really push my buttons.
A feature I would like returning to consoles is "pick up and play"-ability. A lot of games I simply don't feel like playing because I know that I won't progress past a certain point without a decent amount of play time. There are a lot of offenders for this one, but the biggest offender has to be FFX (outdated though it may be). Going through (I think it was called) Omega Dungeon, reaching the end and trailing all the way back with not a save point in sight.
All.
Of.
My.
Hate.

This comment is so good I would name my kids after it...

Also what really gets to me is environment engines. I mean, I love good graphics as much as the next guy but it's really annoying when the camera zooms out to show you the environment while you're trying to scale the building or kill creeps or etc.

 

[The Procrastinated End]

i like it because it gives me a reason to keep playing

The fact that a game is fun isn't enough reason to replay it?

 

[icyneesan]

What if health potions had never been invented? You would die, and the evil villian would be free to rampage around, due to your utter lack of health potions. I think that is enough ranting for now.

I believe this happens in Demon Souls