Thread: I hate puzzles.
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Old 05-09-2009, 08:13 AM   #44
WeeJee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gonzosports View Post
I am a fan of good games - in ANY GENRE (desite hating genres), and loathe bad games - in ANY GENRE. I feel the same way about movies, I don't give a flying ykw what genre a film is in, as long as it's good and explores its thematic content responsibly.
Hear, hear!

Just wanted to say, Gonzosports, that I agree wholeheartedly with your view. This is how I see it: I love adventure games the most also because they are (usually) more concerned with story than any other genre. BUT, I love games in ANY genre that have excellent stories and gameplay that support them, like Mass Effect (RPG), the Half-Life series (FPS), StarCraft (RTS), Beyond Good & Evil (Action/Adventure), and so on. (And heck, if I find that some elements make my life difficult, like combat, I just put it on easy.)

I recently played the latest Sherlock Holmes game and Dracula: Origin. Everything goes well until they plunge me into a frustrating mess of weight and measuring puzzles. If I wanted to do math, I'd go to work or get another degree. When a puzzle destroys my progression in the story like that, I have no problem reaching for a walkthrough (gasp!).

I think it may be safe to differentiate between "quests" and "puzzles". A QUEST has a goal, requires more information to solve, and has STORY PROGRESSION or A NEW LOCATION as a reward. A PUZZLE is a "mini-game" element such as a slider or a crossword or a bloody weight-measuring bonanza, the reward of which is mostly just the feeling: "Thank goodness it's over." Given these definitions, I love QUESTS, but PUZZLES can take a hike.

Example of a quest: Discover where all the aliens went (The Dig). Example of a puzzle: Slide a bunch of crappy tiles around to open up a stupid keyhole to unlock a ridiculous fireplace (Still Life).

I believe the Telltale games do things right (Sam & Max, Strong Bad, Wallace & Gromit). They focus intensely on story, while still managing to make the games challenging (they don't need to be difficult, just not "click-to-continue" style), very questy, and I have yet to see a ridiculous cookie-baking session using a needlessly cryptic recipe.

However, you also get the other extreme of TOO MANY CUTSCENES instead of a liberal dose of interaction to go with it, which was my gripe with Dreamfall (even though I still think it was an awesome game).

Anyway, there I go talking for hours on end. Just wanted to add my support to the "games can be art" side of this boxing ring

(Oh, and RIVEN ROCKS!!!!!)
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