Are video games getting worse?

Metro - A reader explains why Call Of Duty isn’t as stupid as some pretend, and worries that publishers are become more risk averse with every year.

[PopRocks359]

No, not really. Some gamers are just losing interest. Which isn't a bad thing per se. Markets change and so do the audiences.

[Irishguy95]

The market and audience are changing to something worse/

[PopRocks359]

In your opinion perhaps. You wouldn't be incorrect with it either. Some people just don't agree with it. That's the point I'm making.

[Zuperman]

I see plenty of high scores these days and should be a 5 or below out of 10.

[HarryMasonHerpderp]

They're just getting easier, everything's spoon fed to you. Button prompts everywhere you turn just in case you forgot which button to press to open the doors which you were reminded about 30 seconds earlier with the last door, or chest high wall you jumped over.
Constant checkpoints so you have no fear of dying and can just switch your brain off to shoot things (in most cases).
Regenerating health in case you want to stop the action for five minutes to explore for medkits a bit and end up getting lost on the way.
Everything just wants to appeal to as many people as possible and I understand that but in doing so everything's been dumbed down so anyone can pick up a game and play it through to the end.

[RonaldRaygun]

There are too many cash cow franchises that get away with releasing a slightly updated game each year, I'll give you that. But for every CoD and yearly sports game rehash released, there's a good indie developer making a name for themselves (thatgamecompany, Supergiant, tons on KickStarter). I would almost agree with you that the more mainstream games are getting less creative, but then again there's games like Dishonored, Deus Ex, XCOM, Bioshock Infinite, and AC3 to make me think otherwise.

[Godmars290]

Sorry, but you don't see where you fail in mentioning Bioshock and AC3, both of which are sequels and parts of cash cow franchises, much less that this Xcom is rather a dumbed down rather than built up version of the original? That by all indication the only reason we're seeing it is because there was strong negative reaction to the FPS that wore the Xcom name.

@KwietStorm:
The only reason it exist is because of the prior games, which sold a lot and made money. Don't know how else to describe a "Cash cow."

Nevermind that the game's not even out yet!

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Bioshock is a cash cow franchise? It hasn't even been around that long, nor are there many titles in the franchise. Some people think all sequels are a detriment to the industry, and they want new IPs year round. That just isn't logical or possible.

[RonaldRaygun]

AC3 is way different from the previous ones, and Bioshock Infinite looks almost nothing like the previous games. I never played the original X:COM, but the new one seemed pretty original/creative to me.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Yes, Infinite exists because of 2 prior games over the span of 5-6 years that sold enough to warrant...A SEQUEL. That's basically the only way a sequel to anything is born, and like I said, Bioshock hasn't even been around long or spanned across enough titles to call it a cash cow. They haven't made THAT much money from it, and Infinite actually has a lot to prove after that abysmal Bioshock 2.

[animegamingnerd]

just to many cash cows and dumb down games

[Godmars290]

Yes. Publishers can't afford or don't want to take chances, and everything seems to be more about creating hype or a cult around a title rather than actual substance.

[Whitefox789]

What are your views on long running franchises?

[FlameHawk]

No, Reviewers are expecting way to much out of games.

[bubblebeam]

Agree and Disagree. Some games get passes, some don't.

It all depends on what side of the bed they wake up on sadly. Reviews will always be vulnerable to shoddy human judgement. A lot of reviewers are no more adept at reviewing a game than anyone on just say N4G.

It's just that they have a piece of paper. Whereas doctors need to be precise.

[Whitefox789]

I can't agree with this, with how easy it is for title's to get 9's especially in 2008.

[sly-Famous]

Dont know, one thing I do know is that all the PS3 exclusives I have ever played have never disappointed and the sequels only got better.

[bubblebeam]

Same. Although I thought Killzone 2 was the best, and Uncharted 2 was the best.

It could be argued Resistance 3 is the best, and God Of War 3 the best. As well as GT5. Infamous 2 etc.

I'm just happy that each iteration does something different.

[flappersack]

No. There are some amazing games, and there are some crap games. As always.

[HyperBear]

Quick Answer: No they are not.

Better question to ask: "Are Video Game 'Journalists' Getting Worse?"

Answer: Definitely!

[prototypeknuckles]

no, in fact id argue that some are getting better, my only gripe is that most games are getting to realistic, or are shooters

[DigitalAnalog]

Problem with AAA blockbuster titles is that they relatively play it TOO SAFE and checkmark any tick boxes that they believe would achieve a more positive outcome, such as:

- Better graphics
- Bigger environments
- Inclusive Multiplayer
- Accessibility to casuals

Now even the mainstream media are already exhausted with everyone following the COD path. Whether from Assassin's creed to Uncharted or Halo. Gamers are now clamoring for something "new" because playing the same game having the same expectations for any recurring sequel would only lead to disappointment.

This is why I predict both GTA V and GoW:A will also be met with "polarizing" reviews simply because they may have already overused their IP it becomes tedious. The only games that we are unable to get a proper bearings are the new IP's and the Wii-U games releasing next year.

[Hicken]

These blanket questions are annoying. It's as if it can only be YES or NO for ALL GAMES. There can be no splitting of the generations games into the ones that are BETTER than the past and the ones that are WORSE. There can be no games that are ON PAR.

Either they are ALL worse, or they are ALL better.

On topic, no, games are not getting worse. I haven't heard about anybody burying hundreds of thousands of copies of any recent games in the desert. Nor are we close to a video game crash(I'd argue that the industry is setting itself up for one, but that's neither here nor there, and is largely separate from the QUALITY of the games).

Lots of sequels doesn't mean games are getting worse, especially if those sequels are continually getting better. New IPs- for those developers and publishers not afraid to take the risks- keep things fresh, while established franchises keep things familiar. And yeah, crappy industry policies aren't very fun, but that's not making the games WORSE.

[ShaunCameron]

No. This is just a generation like any other.