*taken from a thread I created in my Union, All-Around Gaming, and I thought I'd implement my views in my blog*
Originality in games... it's a difficult thing to explain. But it goes without saying that unoriginal games are usually tosh, as they copy ideas from fresher titles, and use them shamelessly for their own good.
But when I look back, on 2005 in particular, I notice that not many games are truly original. In the Xbox game catalogue, all I see is Halo clones and too many science-fiction shooters. In the PS2 game catalogue, it consists of Japanese-imported RPG's, all with outrageously long names and cliched turn-based gameplay. And in the PC game catalogue, I see Quake 4 (enough said) The GameCube catalogue is filled with nothingness, but at least most of the games are inspired (Geist, Viewtiful Joe, Metroid Prime, even Zelda)
More evident is the genre of WWII shooters. Come on, how can you expect to call one of them original? And how you crown one the best when they're all the same? Call of Duty, Brothers In Arms, Medal of Honor - they are all based on the same concept, and it's becoming increasingly boring playing through a game with a foundation of gunning down Nazis.
The only original game that is coming out, off the top of my head, is Okami - and I don't really play PS2. Okami - just look at it (if you haven't already) you play a wolf who's a Sun god and you're trying to breathe colour back into the world. A new and exciting concept, no?
And, it seems to me, although I'm not a fanboy, or have no intention of becoming one, is that Nintendo are the way forward for originality and fresh experiences. Look at the recent release of the DS - two screens, one of them is a touch screen, an in-built mike, Wi-Fi compatibility, and a stylus for heaven's sake. Did you ever dream of something as downright wacky as that? And then if you put the DS in contrast with the PSP, what do you see? The DS is being awarded with innovative titles such as Animal Crossing and the underappreciated Trace Memory, but the PSP is getting watered-down PS2 ports from lame companies such as EA.
I created this article to get things off my chest, and hopefully create a productive discussion, and if you've skipped to the bottom to read my overview, then read the whole article, regardless of its length. And you might, just might, see my point.
I'm going to give my tired fingers a rest now.
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