Now that Windows Live is out there, a lot of games will probably start including Windows Live achievements, and it will just snowball from there into being a commonplace thing in PC gamng. I think the PC version of Gears has Windows Live achievements.
They're very easy to implement, and they are definitely well received. At least, I doubt anyone would avoid a game for offering achievements.
Personally, I just don't really like them. It reminds me of old games - points based games, where you find yourself replaying games to get that high score. Only now, you're just unlocking achievements. I really like to think that gaming is getting away from things like that. This to me seems like a step backwards. How long before developers start designing games with the sole purpose of replaying them to earn these points, rather than offering solid original content.
I'm all for replayability, but I don't think it's a fair traidoff if developers start cutting corners and making sacrifices simply because it's assumed that players will want to replay games - or sections of games - for those points. And I think it won't be long before developers start looking at stretching out a five hour game rather than making a seven hour game. Sure, it may work out the same for people who love those points, but what about the rest of us?
I think it's something we can do without, but I think it'll probably end up as a standard feature soon enough.
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