Poll: How important is to play a game unspoiled?

[Trunkage]

I used to believe in not getting spoiled. Then I played the first Dark Souls. I had to defeat the first two bosses with using the "trick." I defeated Ornstein and Smough without knowing what Humanity was for, that you could upgrade equipment, that you could summon people or what your stats meant (don't follow what the game says, its useless).

After defeating Quelaag (before going to Sen's), I kept going and almost reached a yellow barrier - going through an area which was way too hard to find out I went the wrong way. I had know idea what to do. Utterly infuriating. The worst part is that everyone said it was hard, so none of this way too difficult enemies told me I was doing anything wrong because I thought I was meant to be hard

I thank the Sun that someone redesigned the latter gamse to flow more linearly and understandable. But it probably wouldn't matter now because I always find out where I should go next when playing a Dark Souls game.

Edit: prefer gameplay to be spoiled, not story

 

[Aeshi]

I honestly really don't care that much. You can still enjoy a story just fine even if you know how it ends.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I typically like to go in about 90% blind.

Even games I'm the most hyped for, I'll only follow trailers or a couple developer interviews or stuff like that but actual streams of the game I'll typically avoid.

Previews of gameplay I like to watch as long as it's not the opening, hence why I haven't watched the hour-long opening of Prey but I watched it's 13-minute gameplay preview.

 

[Fijiman]

I prefer to go into a game as blind as possible. I'll look at reviews and some light info on the game if it's availible, but not much past that. It's mostly because I like to explore and such on my own first time through and will break out the guides for any additional playthroughs.

 

[SweetShark]

I am the kind of guy who have "blind" fate for a game I think I would like.
Even if I read reviews, which in reality I see only the scores they put, I go completely unaware on everything related in the game.

For example lets talk about the game "OneShot".
I went into this game 100% blind thinking it would be just a simple RPG Maker game.
I was REALLY delightful to experience something completely different and pleasant.

However with a lot of regret I must say some people don't share my way of thinking and get really piss when I told to someones to follow my steps. 100% blind. Oh, how I pity them.

Even now waiting to play Persona 5 I only saw some screenshots, videos and ONLY scores. I am ready for an unspoiled wild ride!!!
OH YEAH!!!

 

[Rangaman]

It's complicated. Story spoilers first.

For something like Mother 3 or Undertale, where the story is the central focus, spoilers should be avoided.
For something like DOOM, who gives a shit?

When it comes to game mechanics, spoil away. Unless it's some late-game twist that ties into the plot (e.g. The Dark World in A Link to the Past) there's no reason to hide gameplay mechanics.

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

As most others have said: it depends. On the genre, company, story, gameplay focus, and so on.

With ME:Andromeda I know I'm going to get it eventually, but I avoided most of the later trailers and featurettes. Spoilers can be about anything; visuals, characters, the way certain effects look, and so on. Ideally I want to go in as blind as possible, so I'm discovering the game - as opposed to just recognising elements from trailers, reviews, and/or LP's.

A good example would be Skyrim: I knew I'd get it, and having avoided most of the PR, the first time I crossed paths with a giant I had no idea how it'd react. Two of them loomed out of the darkness and over a verge west of Whiterun, and I simply froze, assuming I'd stand no chance if they attacked. All they did was amble right past/over me...

So knowing how certain NPC's or critters in a game may react is also a potential spoiler, as it denies that unique first encounter moment.

Game trailers and coverage these days almost without exception robs players of truly discovering the game for themselves, which is a shame, particularly as some younger gamers simply won't have known anything else.

Only bad stories are harmed by being spoiled.

The experience is what can often matter most, and so knowing robs you of a one-time revelation. In games much more than just the story matters, too, and so there are all kinds of ways a first experience of a game can be lessened.

 

[SmugFrog]

Morrowind too, my favorite game, is hard for alot of people to get into.

The first time I beat it, I did it without any walkthroughs or internet access to even look up anything. Quite amazing considering the game breaking bugs such as quest items disappearing if left on a body and not looted. Years later when playing through it again I had to use a guide to find out where that 3rd rock is by the northern shore - obscure cave directions. I don't know how I ever found it the first time, and I can't decide if I like that the game requires you to just follow some directions instead of pointing directly to it or I'm frustrated by it since so many of those rocks looked alike and it's easy to get lost.

I prefer to avoid spoilers, generally. There are certain experiences that are shocking or amazing or even gameplay things (Oh wow I get THIS power!?). I spoiled the ending of Half-Life 2 Episode 2 thinking I wouldn't get to play it for a while after its release - and I wish I hadn't. I think that moment would've had more emotional impact if I hadn't known. It is still a sad part, but now it also pisses me off that we're left with a cliffhanger and no conclusion.

 

[CaitSeith]

I used to believe in not getting spoiled. Then I played the first Dark Souls. I had to defeat the first two bosses with using the "trick." I defeated Ornstein and Smough without knowing what Humanity was for, that you could upgrade equipment, that you could summon people or what your stats meant (don't follow what the game says, its useless).

After defeating Quelaag (before going to Sen's), I kept going and almost reached a yellow barrier - going through an area which was way too hard to find out I went the wrong way. I had know idea what to do. Utterly infuriating. The worst part is that everyone said it was hard, so none of this way too difficult enemies told me I was doing anything wrong because I thought I was meant to be hard

I thank the Sun that someone redesigned the latter gamse to flow more linearly and understandable. But it probably wouldn't matter now because I always find out where I should go next when playing a Dark Souls game.

Edit: prefer gameplay to be spoiled, not story

Something similar happened to me. But it was at the very start after the tutorial boss. I didn't notice the path going up, and went into the graveyard instead. Eventually I got pretty good in fighting skeletons, but it took me a while to realize I was going the wrong path.

 

[CaitSeith]

Only bad stories are harmed by being spoiled.

My experience with Mass Effect 3 ending says otherwise. I only knew it was bad, and I regret not knowing anything else about it beforehand.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I take it on a game-by-game basis. I like playing old point-and-click adventure games but I feel like I can't really get into some of them without a cheat-sheet close by. Same goes for NES adventure games like Legend of Zelda and, Metroid: I have jumped in blind but I strongly prefer going in with a map. When it comes to more modern games though, I do like to have an idea of what I'm getting into so I'm not against gameplay spoilers. When it comes to plot though I usually don't care. I recall the best plot moment of Mass Effect 3 being spoiled for me before the game launched and it made me want to play the game a bit more (I speak of course of Reaper vs Thrasher Maw). The one major time when I didn't want a game spoiled for me was Breath of the Wild but for that game, I wanted to avoid gameplay spoilers.

Spoiler: Here's a few things I felt immensely proud of for figuring out on my own

Stand close to fire with your bow/arrow out to make a fire/blue fire arrow
light multiple campfires to melt ice
elemental weapons can cool/heat Link in environmentally hazardous areas
I made Egg Pudding and it was amazing
Bypassing the run-up to Zora's Domain and Yiga Clan's hideout
Finding Link's Lost Memories in general
The three Dragons
The Great Fairies

 

[Elfgore]

I'd say it depends. In games that story and characters matter a shit ton, yeah I don't like spoilers too much. I was mad at myself for spoiling the blonde girl's and the Velvet Room for Persona 5 via a video. I also heard what Gamestop did and that is fucking evil.

If I got a game like Skyrim or something. I don't really care.