Poll: "MAN!!, This is some ol' BULLSH*T!"

[Magnumopai]

It's more than obvious that there are major schisms growing amongst gamers as they cling to their respective genres, but I don't really see anyone taking an active role in tearing down such barriers. I'm not saying that having preferenes are wrong or anything I'm just questionion common prejudiciary statements. I myself have no specific genre on which to cling, because truth be told gaming is only a secondary passion when set against the art of literature.

I'm very open minded and have been able to enjoy all of the good aspects of every genre, so I was wandering if I get other people to see the bright side in every product.

So I decided to introduce a friend mine named Jerome to a different genre of gaming, to the good side atleast. My friend Jerome is an avid gamer like myself who adheres to a strictly "western" media diet. What I did was I requested that he play any game I recommended to him to its very end while making entrees into a journal pertaining to his progress through the game as he played. He complied and I gave him his assignment.

Xenogears a well written about videogame that falls under the (locally)INFAMOUS label of JRPG.

after only two days of adapting to the anime themed design and battle system he already had a spirited entry in the journal he was all too proud to show me.

May 25, 2003:

"MAN!!!, This is some ol' BULLSH*T!"


I was expecting that reaction, and took it lightly, asking him to have patience.

the next entry he showed me wasn't much better

May 28, 2003

"this is a clusterfucked cliche'!"

I gave him some more time and he slowly began to thaw to the game as he realized that there was something more to it.

June 9, 2003

"I'm starting to get into this game"

because you see, Xenogears isn't just any dumb old JRPG, despite the anime package and delivery there was an actual brain behind the game.

the underlying plot of the game was originally a book that was an amalgamation based on the thoughts of such men as Frederick Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Jaques Lacan, various religious themes and an overall foray into human nature through storytelling.

My friends comments on the game increased in openess and positivity as he played through the long, arduos and yet alliterate game.

If he could see the bright side of a genre he once shunned why can't anyone else?

I understand that most people won't even be able to like 1/100th of the genre they despise but who's willing to hunt for the exceptions.

 

[Theo Samaritan]

This is going to sound like fanboyism, but recently Yahtzee himself has been trying to play/review games outside his comfort zone. That is pretty high-profile if you ask me.

Personally I try, but I tend to like things for a reason, and dislike things for other reasons.

 

[Altorin]

I play games to have fun, and enjoy myself, not to be enlightened.

In the Fun Vs Art debate, I'm solidly on the fun side.

That being said, I have rather open-minded tastes, but I have to have fun to play a game, or else I won't play it.

 

[Kirra]

For me games are mostly to kill boredom (I get bored easily) so i usually enjoy most games.

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

I play a wide variety of games, and see them all as art... Except for games like Madden Football and other similar sports 'video games'.

Also, Welcome to the Escapist!

I personally must say, that this is one of the best first posts that I have ever seen...

Edit:
Also, The Game.

 

[j0frenzy]

I like to think I am open minded and like music, I chose not by genre but by what I enjoy. That I have genre preferences that rank the kinds of games that I would like to play is true, but if I am looking at a game that comes with recommendation by friends than I will most likely pick it up. I can't even discern a favorite genre at this point, though I still slightly favor the RTS because I haven't had the money to keep up the hobby for a while.
In short, yes, I am willing to break genre fanboy walls.

 

[Smurfy 0151]

Personally, my favorite genres are FPS's, Survival Horror's, and the like, but really for only a few reasons (apart from fun) In survival horrors, you get the knawing fear, that whatever 'it' is, is coming for you. Fear such as this makes (me, at least) feel so alive. Granted, I've played so goddamn many, that now 'it' is not so much 'OH MY GOD!' and more 'Damn, I gotta whip this fool AGAIN.' FPS's, I feel my preference toward them is much more psychological. See, in the real world (that's 'the physical realm' to you The Guild fans out there) I'm nobody. Seriously. I'm a regular nobody schmuck, that you've probably passed in the street a hundred times. In an FPS, like Halo, though, I'm a big badass killing machine. I'm something to be feared, and respected, or called a stupid homo with no life, when someone can't take a loss.

BTW, Theo Samaritan, you are correct. It does sound like fanboy-ism. But that's ok. I'm a Yahtzee fanboy myself.

 

[VoltySquirrel]

I gotta say, I never thought of that. While I do play alot of different genres, I still do keep to a (broad) comfort zone. The games I usually don't play are the ones I will never have any skill at, ever. But you got yourself an A+ experiment there. Anywho, while I myself am still very new, I have to, Welcome. You got a hell of a first post. Better than mine.

 

[VoltySquirrel]

Edit:
Also, The Game.

I hate you.

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

Edit:
Also, The Game.

I hate you.

Aww... Thanks.

But... Sorry.

 

[twistedshadows]

I guess I have an extensive "comfort zone" since I've tried most gaming genres, so your question never really occurred to me.

Some people just don't feel comfortable stepping outside of what they already know and love. This seems to be true in all facets of life, not just gaming.

 

[Pendragon9]

I see games as a work of art, and if they're playable, they're greater works of art.

Now, if they're fun, they should be mounted in a museum and remembered throughout history. Who thinks the same?

Also...

Edit:
Also, The Game.

HA! I already won the game. In your face.

 

[GodsOneMistake]

I play games of all types except shovel ware garbage die cooking mama die

 

[Ibanez887]

As long as the game is good story or playability wise, Ill try it out

 

[sms_117b]

Seeing FPS are clogging the market like hair in the bath plug hole I've had to move from my Strategy (TBS or RTS) games to them, it's very uncomfortable, but I'm getting the hang of it.

 

[Civic]

I play a game primarily to kill time and have fun. I don't have a problem trying out a different genre of game but if the story or gameplay is moving slower than I care for I would move on.
Personally, in the example above I would have probably stopped playing after about a week of trying it. It should not take 2+ weeks of playing a game before you start to actually like it.

 

[scotth266]

Your first post is a thread? Ballsy. But your good writing and topic make me enthused. Welcome to the Escapist.

As for the topic at hand: I try everything. Otherwise I'd have missed out on all the good stuff out there.

 

[hopeneverdies]

I must be a freak for saying this, but FPS is probably one of my least favorite genres, beaten only by casual, MMO, and sports (racing inclusive). However, Valve has done some good work with them though, and I really liked CoD4's online.
Puzzle, adventure, some JRPG's, and strategy are more my taste