Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

[Gibbz]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

There just aren't as many games with gripping single player experiences anymore.

[SoMiss2000]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

We aren't in the same time era though. We have the option now to play multiplayer games against other people across the world. You can only play the single player game so many times until you put it on the shelf. If a game has good single player plus good multiplayer then you will most likely play that game for a longer period of time.

You're missing the point. the point is it seems that many are willing to pass over a game that offers a good single player experience if the multiplayer component is lacking.

[jfsolo]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

I think its a matter of your(the OP) perspective being skewed by gaming tastes of the high volume posters on this board. I visit a lot of gaming boards and if I notice that even if they make up a smaller percentage of the membership, the voices of multiplayer fans are usually quite loud.

I know I'm making a broad generalization, but fans of sports games and FPS's are usually very outgoing and competitive individuals. These types are obviously draw to multiplayer games. This board is filled with fans of those genres so there you go.

I'm sure there are quite a few of us single player gamers here, but with the exception of Oblivion and a few other games, this board usually doesn't warm up to non-sports solo games that often.

Go to another board and you'd get a totally different slant.

[longshadow11]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

I also will be done with gaming if the sp portion ever ceases to exist. Much of my gaming is to get away from life, not to get toasted by some dude who plays the same game 3 or 4 hours a day. I hate trash talk, and it's rampant on the internet. I play for fun, not to get pissed off.

[Dallasin2K3]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

(Let me note that I'm the kind of person that is super competitive, loves real life sports, loves it when someone talks trash and tells me they're going to run me over (before I dominate them), etc.)

Anymore, I think the multiplayer component is a must-have in a lot of ways. IMO, it's inherently superior to compete against another person as opposed to the scripts and codes put into a game to try and SIMULATE another person. In the past, that wasn't possible. Today, it is, and many games do it very well.

That's not to say that no single-player experience is worth playing. A lot of them are. FF7 was the best game I ever played. That said, though, I've spent a lot more time playing other titles online than I ever did with FF7. A lot of it comes down to the fact that you get more bang for your buck if you can play Halo 2 online for a year and a half as opposed to playing through a great singleplayer game and being done in a month... but maybe that's the poor college student speaking out in me. ha.

[seanmac]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

The only two genres of games that I play regularly are sports games and FPS games, and both of them end up being far superior experiences when played as multiplayer games. Even when a game's AI provides for a much more realistic experience than an opponent (NBA 2K7 comes to mind), there is simply a thrill in beating a live person that can't be matched by single-player play. For FPS games, I'll inevitably play through the single player game, but I'll get most of the mileage out of the multiplayer. I've been playing Halo 2 at least once a week since it released- now that's getting your money's worth.

I check out very well-regarded single player games when they are released, but generally my interest in them will fade after a short time. Oblivion is a fantastic game but I'm over it. About the only RPG that I played to completion was KOTR, and that's because I love me some Star Wars.

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

There just aren't as many games with gripping single player experiences anymore.

So how do you account for Oblivion, Resident Evil 4, Bioshock, Mass Effect, KOTOR, Metroid Prime, Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Devil May Cry, God of War...etc...etc..

[Rodster]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

So how do you account for Oblivion, Resident Evil 4, Bioshock, Mass Effect, KOTOR, Metroid Prime, Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Devil May Cry, God of War...etc...etc..

To be fair Bioshock and Mass Effect haven't been released so we don't know how stellar the SP will be though i'm sure it will be fine. I do agree with you that there are plenty of great SP games if you look. Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Jade Empire, Paper Mario NGC, Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Splinter Cell, Half Life, Half Life 2 and i'm sure others can come up with many more.

[Jistic]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

I must be old school....oh wait I am. SP is always the most important to me. If something is great MP but crappy SP I won't bother.

With Lost Planet, I was simply bored with the SP demo. Looks pretty, but got borring really quickly to me.

GOW is an example of a game I loved in SP. MP was ok, but nothing great for me. So now I have a $60 coaster. So I can see the wisdom in NOT buying a game that you only like the SP, especially when it only has 10 gameplay hours in it. Companies charge more now, and I need to make better decisions on the games I do buy.

Now R6? Loved the SP, and the MP to me is superior to GOW. ANd look how any given night we have 5-20 OS'ers online still playing it. You just always seem to go back to it. This is a great purchase for me.

I think a game like Oblivion is a great example of a SP experience that's worth every penny. But you can get 100+ hours of gameplay out of it if you want to.

Now with great sports titles, I still think dynasty play is superior to online play anyway. And you can play countless seasons. Why do we even "upgrade" every year on some of these games?

[ESPNdeportes]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

Outside of Halo 2, all of my favorite games are great single player games. I really don't even play sports online because I don't find them all that fun.

So I really look for great single player games. I mean, multiplayer can be fun, but there is potential for cheating, playing with d-bags, little kids, etc. Give me a solid single player experience like Zelda or Half Life 2 any day.

[Rodster]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

Outside of Halo 2, all of my favorite games are great single player games. I really don't even play sports online because I don't find them all that fun.

So I really look for great single player games. I mean, multiplayer can be fun, but there is potential for cheating, playing with d-bags, little kids, etc. Give me a solid single player experience like Zelda or Half Life 2 any day.

Well said !

[dave360]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

I rent good single player games, but buy games with good multiplayer. I usually only go thru a game once (Gears is the exception, I've beat it on Hardcore, Insane, and am going back thru on Casual just to see how fast I can get thru it) therefore a good single player experience is only worth a rental to me. I haven't bought a single player only game on the 360, and I can't even remember the last singleplayer only game that I bought.

[Spongedaddy]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

I rent good single player games, but buy games with good multiplayer. I usually only go thru a game once (Gears is the exception, I've beat it on Hardcore, Insane, and am going back thru on Casual just to see how fast I can get thru it) therefore a good single player experience is only worth a rental to me. I haven't bought a single player only game on the 360, and I can't even remember the last singleplayer only game that I bought.

Yup. I rent most of my games with a pass from Blockbuster. I get to really enjoy the games without spending $60 on a eight hour game. I am mostly a SP gamer and have found a great selection of SP games.

Rodster: I have a lot of faith in Bioshock and Mass Effect. Those developers are like the Pixar of the gaming industry. They just make a quality product.

[s0ulja714]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

^ same here, on SP games, i rather rent than buy, because once im through beating every mission, it's already at the nearest gamestop ready to be sold =D

plus, i find playing the missions over again to be kinda boring, so why waste?

i think the best a game can do is offer great sp experience, multiplayer experience, and add some f'n bots for those who don't have xbox live, that would def add more replay value =D

[dave360]

Re: Whatever happened to just buying just good games?

Yup. I rent most of my games with a pass from Blockbuster. I get to really enjoy the games without spending $60 on a eight hour game. I am mostly a SP gamer and have found a great selection of SP games.

Rodster: I have a lot of faith in Bioshock and Mass Effect. Those developers are like the Pixar of the gaming industry. They just make a quality product.

I'll rent Bioshock but am definitely buying Mass Effect. A Bioware RPG is one of the best Single player experiences a game can experience IMO.