Losing interest, or games blow

I've noticed in the last few years, my interest has been waning for my favorite game genre, the RPG. I've been a huge fan of the genre (especially JRPGs) since I first played Super Mario RPG on the SNES. But these days, I feel like most RPGs aren't worth my time.

In the last year, I've played Mass Effect 1 and 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Final Fantasy 13, Enchanted Arms, Star Ocean: Second Evolution, Pokemon Soul Silver, Record of Agarest War, Disgaea 3, Demon's Souls, Valkyria Chronicles, and a number of PS2 games I hadn't previously played.

Of those titles, only 4 of those games really sucked me in, a handful were "meh" and the rest I couldn't even finish playing through because I was bored to tears. (If you're at all curious, the majority of the games I got sucked into were include the WRPGs on that list.)

So, am I just losing interest in RPGs as a whole, or are the existence of real quality RPGs extremely slim?

One of my favourite genres is RPGs & I have to agree. There have been some decent wRPGs but a severe lack of jRPGs this generation.

JRPGs have been going down hill while WRPGs have been making a name for their self.

WRPG's have been better this gen there is no denying that but I have played a few good jrpg's, Lost Odyssey for example is a great game which takes jrpg's in a more adult direction with some pretty touching stories here and there. Eternal Sonata had a good battle system and a rather unique story, I wouldn't want to have missed that one either. Sadly I haven't been able to find myself a copy of ToV because for some strange reason very few copies were released in the UK and it sold out almost instantly (then they will say it didn't sell many copies....).

MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.dakan45

Agreed. Games are not what they used to be. That goes for all genres but JRPGs seem to be effected even more. Go fetch some classics.

I've been RPG Satisfied.

But it sounds like you need to try Dragon Quest IX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Theres no shortage of good PC RPGs. Maybe you just need to play on smething other than a PS3?

I have to agree with you on this one. RPGs are what got me in to gaming and I love the genre but latley I haven't been able to get in to them like I used to wether it be WRPG or JRPG games. With that said I have palyed and enjoyed some good titles this gen just not as many as I would like.

I think a lot of genres have changed over the last few years, but I'd say RPGs are pretty good on handhelds now, but I prefer playing on consoles.

But it sounds like you need to try Dragon Quest IX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!cprmauldin

Why would I play DQ9 when I absolutely hated DQ8?

Theres no shortage of good PC RPGs. Maybe you just need to play on smething other than a PS3?XaosII

Ah, that's what I forgot, a list of the PC RPGs I've tried for the first time in the last year:

Baldur's Gate, Planescape Torment, King's Bounty: The Legend, Neverwinter Nights, Gothic 3, Morrowind, Oblivion.

I hated all of them.

With all of the negativity, maybe you are just losing interest dude.

[QUOTE="dakan45"]MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.Reptylus

Agreed. Games are not what they used to be. That goes for all genres but JRPGs seem to be effected even more. Go fetch some classics.

This.

I have a general dissatisfaction with games as a whole this gen. Almost nothing sucks me in anymore. I cant tell you how many games I have yet to play still sitting on the shelf. There is a severe lack in quality RPGs this gen too. Everyone is focused on shooters, shooters, shooters; constant regurgitation of the same stuff, and DLC milkage out the wazoo.

RPG as a group have not improved that much this gen. I think only Final Fantasy 13 and Resonance of Fate are truly innovative game play this gen. Most of other just take what came before and add a little. Mass Effect took Gear of War combat. Dragon Age Origin took Final Fantasy 12 gambit system. Fallout 3 is Oblivion just switch the importance of the range and melee weapon and add vats into it. Two Worlds, Dragon Divinity 2 and Risen play some much alike.

For this gen I would pick Final Fantasy 13 as my favorite of this gen so far. It also feel epic something that I find I am not feeling with RPG this gen.

maybe you should let RPGs on the side for now and try another genre like Action/Adventure, Racing, Fighting...whatever. After a while, go back to RPGs and see how it goes.

This.

I have a general dissatisfaction with games as a whole this gen. Almost nothing sucks me in anymore. I cant tell you how many games I have yet to play still sitting on the shelf. There is a severe lack in quality RPGs this gen too. Everyone is focused on shooters, shooters, shooters; constant regurgitation of the same stuff, and DLC milkage out the wazoo.

svaubel

Theres no shortage of good PC RPGs. Maybe you just need to play on smething other than a PS3?

XaosII

Demon souls beat Dragon Age for GOTY so it isnt the system,

i find Jrpg's to be boring. I do really enjoy some though.

Games suck. Its not you, its just that games go from bad to worse. MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.dakan45

it's so true it hurts ...:(

Not only this, i have to say that shooters in this geen and sandbox gamers are not are interesting as last gen. They just dont suck me in. Its like game developers forgot how to do their job.

dakan45

Just Cause 2 alone blows that theory out of the water. JC2 is one of the most divergent and unique sandbox games ever made and it is incredibly polished and well-executed as well. Other sandbox games, like Infamous and Red Dead Redemption, are simply outstanding titles that show far more innovation than the myriad of GTA clones that clogged up retail last generation.

That entire notionthat older is better is an infectious bit of nonsense that is fueled by the cheap cynicism of our contemporary mindset. Luckily, as somebody who's been gaming since the inception of the medium, I know these claims are entirely unsubstantiated as our current generation affords us, collectively, not merely the largest pool of games to choose from but more venues and sources than ever before in which to find our software, including indie development, downloadable software, etc.

Practically every generation that has come before has endured the same criticisms. I remember reading a letter to the editor in a magazine during the 16bit era where a gamer loudly bemoaned how Contra III and Super Castlvania IV were pale iterations when compared to their NES counterparts. Ten or fifteen years from now discussion boards will be filled with gamers who lament the innovative generation we are currently enjoying. This entire mindset is nothing new and it repeats every generation, a banal and redundant cycle of complaints.

Some of the very best software is being developed and released right now and I'll happily debate anyone who suggests anything to the contrary. There was never any golden age of gaming and what so many people forget, assuming they were even present for the generations they venerate, is that each and every generation has suffered from a glut of crap software.

What happens is that as time progresses, the forgettable games become just that while the true classics are retained by the populace. This creates a distorted history where gamers only remember the quality and forget the sludge despite the reality that every generation has suffered torrents of mediocre and derivative games. I would argue that this current generation probably enjoys the highest crap-to-quality ratio, and for good reason.

If you can't find interesting and innovative software, the fault is yours, not the developers. For all of the bravado and swaggering I read and hear from gamers regarding innovation and uniqueness, most of them show very little interest in playing games outside their respective comfort zones. I'm not intending to attack you or your tastes personally, but when you call out developers as lazy and inept, I have to wonder what games are you playing?

[QUOTE="dakan45"]Games suck. Its not you, its just that games go from bad to worse. MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.the-wayward

it's so true it hurts ...:(

Every game genre has fallen into the pit trap of " same old, same old"

Until this is fixed, go back to older generations of games to find stuff worth playing.

maybe your tastes in games are just changing. It can happen.

Did you play Persona 3 & 4, and Tales of Vesperia?

I've noticed in the last few years, my interest has been waning for my favorite game genre, the RPG. I've been a huge fan of the genre (especially JRPGs) since I first played Super Mario RPG on the SNES. But these days, I feel like most RPGs aren't worth my time.

In the last year, I've played Mass Effect 1 and 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Final Fantasy 13, Enchanted Arms, Star Ocean: Second Evolution, Pokemon Soul Silver, Record of Agarest War, Disgaea 3, Demon's Souls, Valkyria Chronicles, and a number of PS2 games I hadn't previously played.

Of those titles, only 4 of those games really sucked me in, a handful were "meh" and the rest I couldn't even finish playing through because I was bored to tears. (If you're at all curious, the majority of the games I got sucked into were include the WRPGs on that list.)

So, am I just losing interest in RPGs as a whole, or are the existence of real quality RPGs extremely slim?

Greyfeld

Hard to tell. Maybe you're simply getting bored with RPGs now, are maybe today's RPGs do suck compared to what you used to play.

But even if you're just getting bored with the genre, that says something about the genre. That sort of implies that the genre isn't evolving enough, isn't advancing enough to stay interesting. Sort of implies that it's just more of the same, and that what's new isn't fresh enough to keep you interested.

Games suck. Its not you, its just that games go from bad to worse. MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.dakan45

Older games? Can you narrow that down a bit?

When was the last time the TC took a break from gaming? Take a year off and then come back. Me? I seem to require a break from FPS games every couple or so years because of burnout. After taking some time off, I'm fine again.

[QUOTE="dakan45"]

Not only this, i have to say that shooters in this geen and sandbox gamers are not are interesting as last gen. They just dont suck me in. Its like game developers forgot how to do their job.

Grammaton-Cleric

Just Cause 2 alone blows that theory out of the water. JC2 is one of the most divergent and unique sandbox games ever made and it is incredibly polished and well-executed as well. Other sandbox games, like Infamous and Red Dead Redemption, are simply outstanding titles that show far more innovation than the myriad of GTA clones that clogged up retail last generation.

That entire notionthat older is better is an infectious bit of nonsense that is fueled by the cheap cynicism of our contemporary mindset. Luckily, as somebody who's been gaming since the inception of the medium, I know these claims are entirely unsubstantiated as our current generation affords us, collectively, not merely the largest pool of games to choose from but more venues and sources than ever before in which to find our software, including indie development, downloadable software, etc.

Practically every generation that has come before has endured the same criticisms. I remember reading a letter to the editor in a magazine during the 16bit era where a gamer loudly bemoaned how Contra III and Super Castlvania IV were pale iterations when compared to their NES counterparts. Ten or fifteen years from now discussion boards will be filled with gamers who lament the innovative generation we are currently enjoying. This entire mindset is nothing new and it repeats every generation, a banal and redundant cycle of complaints.

Some of the very best software is being developed and released right now and I'll happily debate anyone who suggests anything to the contrary. There was never any golden age of gaming and what so many people forget, assuming they were even present for the generations they venerate, is that each and every generation has suffered from a glut of crap software.

What happens is that as time progresses, the forgettable games become just that while the true classics are retained by the populace. This creates a distorted history where gamers only remember the quality and forget the sludge despite the reality that every generation has suffered torrents of mediocre and derivative games. I would argue that this current generation probably enjoys the highest crap-to-quality ratio, and for good reason.

If you can't find interesting and innovative software, the fault is yours, not the developers. For all of the bravado and swaggering I read and hear from gamers regarding innovation and uniqueness, most of them show very little interest in playing games outside their respective comfort zones. I'm not intending to attack you or your tastes personally, but when you call out developers as lazy and inept, I have to wonder what games are you playing?

Nicely put!!

Gaming's better than it's ever been!! :)

[QUOTE="dakan45"]Games suck. Its not you, its just that games go from bad to worse. MY reccomendation is trying to play older games.MrGeezer

Older games? Can you narrow that down a bit?

It's not just RPGs, most games today blow. It's not a nostalgia thing either because I'm still discovering new games from the 90s that are more fun than the shiniest games today. And that's really what it's come down to... How pretty can a developer make a game look, and how much hype can the publisher generate.

Oh let me just add that most of the sucky games are on PS3 and 360. I recommend you get yourself a DS if you want a good time. A Wii is fine too but not nearly as good.

Completely agree with the above poster.

i knwo what you mean after since the new next gen consoles came out along with next gen graphics games went down hill. for me i see a lot of new games lack of story and game time even replay value.

i got a PS2 again because i traded it in for the PS3 but then i notice how fun the games for the PS2 is. ill tell you i play the PS2 more then my PS3.

but i mostly game on my PC and i have to say Mass Effect 2 stands out on all the newest games out there. thats why i get the new DLC for Mass Effect 2 because they are fun and have a good game time.

It's not just RPGs, most games today blow. It's not a nostalgia thing either because I'm still discovering new games from the 90s that are more fun than the shiniest games today. And that's really what it's come down to... How pretty can a developer make a game look, and how much hype can the publisher generate.

Oh let me just add that most of the sucky games are on PS3 and 360. I recommend you get yourself a DS if you want a good time. A Wii is fine too but not nearly as good.

istuffedsunny

So...what is it ABOUT today's games that makes them so bad?

It's one thing to say that today's games blow, a completely different thing to say WHY games today blow. What are games today doing wrong, and what are they NOT doing right? If today's games suck and it's not just a nolstalgia thing, then what are the traits of todays games that CAUSES them to suck?

[QUOTE="cprmauldin"]But it sounds like you need to try Dragon Quest IX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Greyfeld

Why would I play DQ9 when I absolutely hated DQ8?

Theres no shortage of good PC RPGs. Maybe you just need to play on smething other than a PS3?XaosII

Ah, that's what I forgot, a list of the PC RPGs I've tried for the first time in the last year:

Baldur's Gate, Planescape Torment, King's Bounty: The Legend, Neverwinter Nights, Gothic 3, Morrowind, Oblivion.

I hated all of them.

rpg's in general havnt advanced at all since last gen (consoles anyway) jrpg's are the same just prettier and smaller, basically the same for wrpg's as well when you compare a game like kotor 1 with say mass effect (i love both btw) kotor is much larger in scale the levels are much bigger the story is a lot longer while mass effect looks brilliant and has some amazing voice work it only gives you a sense of scale as there is only a small few planets that are developed (as well as being small) and the rest that you visit all look the same;

also rpg's seem to be getting a lot simpler these days so that everyone can play them