Ok, so I love videogames as much as the next person, but lately a lot of video games have been sucking. For example, God of War, Darksiders, and Dante's Inferno...they ALL have the same basic gameplay and battle system. Nothing original about them. Next, I am fed up with all the "grading systems" that they are putting in games. If you beat a level you get a grade right? "Oh, you spent too much time trying to beat this level, you get an F"; "Oh you couldn't beat this boss within 30 seconds? F!" What happened to just being able to play a game just to play it? If you missed something you could just go back later and get it. Lately I feel like the only way to get everything out of a game with complete satisfaction is to glue your face to the stratedgy guide.

Another thing, I love sidequests, but not when there are so many that when you do them you forget completely what the story was about and what you were doing for the main story. FFXII Was like this with the billions of sidequests and hunts.

I also think the achivements for Xbox360/PS3 are getting kind of ridiculous too! "In order to get the final achievment in this game you must aquire every single weapon and item in the entire game" I'm sorry, I just do NOT have to the time to sit for 80 hours trying to find every last weapon and item...JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN ACHIEVMENT! I miss the old ways of video games when the scary ones were scary and the newer ones were something to look foward to with a completely new gaming experience...ugh!

So that is my rant...thanks for viewing.

I agree, the gameplay is getting repetitive, and the storys merge together most times, the achievements take all the fun out, because you want to get them all instead of taking your time and enjoying it. It's a wreck. We live in a gaming wreck.

metal572 : Can you move this to Video Game Controversy?

Why does it matter if a game is using a formula that works? If it works, isn't the copycats saying something? Those games with similar gameplay styles that you mentioned happen to get good review scores. Pokemon is still good, and look at it. Don't go and say the Pokemon designs suck now, because I could find a fun game where you play as a dot. A DOT! How many games did that in the old days? Tons. They were fun to people, too.

Also, those achievement things, you don't have to bother with them. Not all of us are into completing 100%. I'm someone who would die of happiness if I had tons of games for a PS3 that had plenty of achievements. Why? I'm like that.

Now FF12... That game is only good for the sidequesting to me... I'd rather just get a certain hanging scene from that The Mummy remake from 1999 than the cutscenes in that game. Great visuals, but yawn. At least the gameplay was decent.

I know that they get some good reviews, but still. I just wish that so many games weren't using the same style..and I'm sure there are only more of the same style to come. As for Pokemon, I won't say anything...I've never played them.

Games aren't personal anymore. They started as a reclusive hobby, but have since become something everyone does. In response, they are made mass-production style for quick, easy to make games. Quality generally suffers.

ff_freak :
Well, I haven’t been back on PS3 for very long as I just brought a new console to replace my old PS3 phat that went down to the YLOD. I am not really familiar with the newer games as I was unable to play for a couple of months but I will say that the only thing I wish would be done away with other than the YLOD is having to pay for add-ons.

I purchased a game mode for my fight night round 4 last night and it kind of made me wonder why I had to pay for it though I didn’t pay much for it. I am also having trouble installing Hustle Kings on my new console as it was not starting after my file transfer from my old system. I haven’t tried sports champions yet so I don’t know what that experience will be like.

I just hope if I keep paying for add-ons that they will be worth it.

I do agree that there are some games that just use the same systems, but I also think that if they switch it up enough it becomes like a whole new experience, so one system can be reused.

alexanyways : sure *moves*

I agree for the most part. This is why I like the big N! They seem to be keeping it old school, like with New Super Mario Borthers Wii! This game is fun and nothing really has changed it is just mario for a new generation!

billythekidmonster : It's one thing for a games in the same series to use the same style, but it's completely different when they're from entirely different publishers.
That being said, if it's changed up enough it still works. Sonic took Mario's tight platforming and "jump on your enemies' heads" design and swapped it up to the point where it was fresh... isn't that what's supposed to be done?

ff_freak : Yeah that's pretty much video games. The thing is that someone found a system that works great and now every company is using it because that style sells. When they find that people are done buying games, they'll refresh and find a new thing. Maybe theyll keep the same system and add stuff or just change it; maybe theyll create a new system. But as long as sales are high, video game companies wont change the system. And why would they? Shouldn't fix what isn't broken. When it stops selling, you'll see more originality.

Try looking at independent/lesser known companies. My thinking is that they should have serious originality if they want to become a contender in the industry. Of course... they could be sheep who think if they do the same thing it'll work.

I actually love those types of games. Many of them challenge me to use my brain to the best of my ability to solve problems and achieve goals.

I'm just saying that; sure, they find something that sells, but to copy the same format down the the "T" is just over doing it. I agree that it would be better to take it and tweak it a bit such as Mario/Sonic, but when they have to exactly the same just takes the interest out of it. Such as: God of Wars, Darksiders, and Dante's Inferno: All have the same gameplay/fighting format, and even within the story things are the same...for instance, your character obtains wings in all of them...that's a little too copycat for my liking...don't get me wrong. They're all good games, but as I'm playing them before I just think "Wait, didn't I JUST play something like this?"

I didn't think about it until I read your post, but I agree.

Whenever I reach the Daycare or Game Corner in a Pokémon game, I focus on it until I'm done. By the time I'm finally done, I don't really care about the game because I was out of it for so long.

The Conduit did do a good job with a rating system. The game always had a somewhat set path, but there was stuff hidden everywhere. If you find it all, you get a cheat. The cheats are like infinite ammo and other goodies like that. That rating system did a good job.

I think Black Ops tried to distinguish itself by being different from the previous Call of Duty games, but it wasn't good. Just the way the game played felt wrong. It wasn't the energized war game like the previous games in the series. In some ways, your plan of going back to the old gaming can backfire.

Well, I guess you've got a fair point. But the hard thing is... there's only so many ideas. If we got rid of all repetitiveness in games, the market would die pretty quickly :/.

While I do believe you've got a point, I also believe in the phrase, "If it works, stick with it." Think about it. If Mario's running from start to finish while bouncing off of enemies' heads hadn't worked, then Sonic may have never existed. If the motive to collect all these items and use them to beat the boss of the dungeon thing hadn't worked for Zelda, then an excellent game like Darksiders would never have come to be. If the Survival Horror genre hadn't taken root with Resident Evil, then games like Devil May Cry, Dante's Inferno, and Bayonetta would be unheard of. Heck, if the very first Final Fantasy hadn't made the impact it had, then ANY role-playing game after it just wouldn't be the same, Pokemon and Kingdom Hearts included.

God of War predates both those games, just saying! anyway, I specifically remember getting points in Mario as well as Street Fighter. Another thing, achievements/trophies are, ehh, optional. You know that right? plus, think of how many less fun games there would be if every single one was unique . . . just because your unique, doesn't mean your useful (coughKatamari, even though that was strangely fun).

The game companies wouldnt release a game if they thought what they were doing wouldnt make money. games like dantes inferno, god of war, and other all have made mega-$$$, so if its anyones fault for games being so similiar, all we have to do is look in the mirror. I love my rpgs just like the next guy, but grading systems and things have become so popular that they added the crap in FF13 with a star system...im not happy about it, but until gamers get sick of being challenged to get the best score, expect to see more similiar games in the near future

Sephitard9001 : I understand that they are optional, but at the same time, I can't feel that I accomplished anything unless I try to get ALL of them...or as many as I can without having to play it 5 times over to achieve them all.

ff_freak : Yeah, well, you knew what you were signing up for XD As for your need of accomplishment, just avoid overly simplistic games, or ones like Star Ocean that require un-human amounts of time to unlock a measly bronze or silver trophy/achievement. I don't understand why people think God of War is a cash cow though. look at it, does it look like they put minimal effort in just to make a quick buck?

I disagree God of War is a great game, the first one was great back in it's time and all their 5 games are great. If you don't want to worry about trophies or achievements then go buy a Wii and some games for it. If this is how you feel then just play for fun and don't worry about trophies/achievements, a lot of people online rarely comment on trophy progression. In 4 years I was only able to get 1 platinum out of the 11 or so games I own but I myself only play for the fun of it.

If you want mudane, play a modern football video game. Ugh. They expect you to put hours of gameplay into a very unrealistic way of playing the game. I'd rather have a Wii version where you just pick it up and "throw" it.

DarthDub : U mean games like Madden? tell me more.
God of War did come first to all the others, and is a great game. I think all games have an original idea, but can't help to use prevously used formula's & gameplay mechanics/systems. Lol I am subject to being an acheivment and trophy whore. lulz.

UserMike : Yes, I was referring to Madden.

Try lesser known publishers and game companies for refreshing gameplay. Look up Atlus for great and new games.And don't worry about achievements because those are only made for people who like that stuff. The game matters more than some achievement.

And if you have to complain about earning achievements, then don't do it! There's nothing anywhere that says you need to get those.

Bobbynibbles : I think I've tried Atlus before. They seemed ok. The only thing with them is I think they have the battle system for RPGs where it's all grid work and you can only move a certain amount of blocks, and battling takes forever lol.

Not the persona series. That is turn by turn with interesting twists.