I'm actually OK with boss fights. In fact, I even enjoy a lot of them. Among my favorites are the final (real) battle in Final Fantasy VII, the final boss in Divinity: Original Sin, the final battle in Pillars of Eternity, and basically just about anything that doesn't rely on twitchy responses.
I'm actually not bad in really twitchy games. If needed, I can become quite proficient. It's just not how I want to spend my time.
See, I don't allow a huge amount of time in my life for gaming, even though I love it. It's probably my favorite hobby. But I also believe in having a rich, diverse life. I have so many great things, and time is now my most precious resource. I have two amazing children, a fantastic wife, a really cool job, plus I make time three times a week to exercise with a friend and take care of my body, plus I have interests outside of gaming, so I'm basically a weekend warrior. I usually set aside time for maybe one big play session, and I might be able to sneak in a second one. Especially during the summer, time is just tight. During the summer, I actually struggle mightily to hold it together because my days are so dense, and spend all day from 530-2130 going from commitment to commitment to commitment. It's not ideal, but it's where we are in life right now.
OK, let's make a point, shall we?
So, knowing that I don't have a huge amount of time for gaming, but a pretty wicked brain, if I can use my vast intelligence and understanding of the game's systems to 1) over-level myself to ensure minimal enemy resistance, and 2) still be challenged a bit in strategic combat, I'm good.
What I don't like is the final battle in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine. It took me back to the original Ninja Gaiden on NES, and that game's horrendous final boss. It's in three stages, and if you die, you start at the very beginning of the battle. Right there, I was frustrated. On top of that, with imprecise movements, you can die in just a couple hits. And too much healing poisons you.
It was bizarre, too, because nowhere else in the game, or any of its expansions, is there a cheap-shit, cheesedick fucking boss fight like this.
But, I refused to give up, and actually repeated the fight more times than I normally allow myself, because I was so committed to ending the game last weekend.
I think the expected behavior is that I'd experience a sense of relief and accomplishment once I defeated the boss. Instead, when I defeated him, I felt intense annoyance at the shit I'd just had to wade through in an otherwise pristine and wonderful experience. And yeah, I was playing on baby bitch settings. I'd had other fights that were challenging along the way, but I was always able to get them within a few tries, and they allowed some margin of error. This did not. This was, even on baby bitch, stupidly hard.
The Witcher games are an exception for me. I tend to play mostly pause-and-play or turn-based RPGs, but each of the Witcher titles have featured a pretty fun and engaging approach to battle, and I can make it easy enough that it's still fun for me.
Understand, too, that I'm not condemning your love of Dark Souls. I tried it once. Not my cup of tea. But, I get why that's fun for some people. Me? I prefer to chill. I like using my brain and planning moves, as if I'm playing chess. I don't prefer intensity in my down-time. I like to chill. I spend nearly every moment of every day being extremely fired up and intense, and when I game, I wanna experience a story and some light strategy.
It's kinda the same way I feel about obnoxious puzzle-solving in games. Puzzles are fine. Obtuse puzzles that require a web search are a waste of my fucking time.
Side note - you know who does puzzles well? Naughty Dog. You know who does puzzles well and demands that you stop thinking about games like they're games? Larian Studios.
I used to be super-open about gaming experiences. I used to grab whatever the latest hotness was, regardless of genre, because it's what the cats at EGM and CGW were playing. I ended up with a sizable pile of unfinished games. As I got older, I made my interests less horizontal and more vertical. I now play lots and lots of RPGs, from the big AAA stuff to the smaller indie titles, so long as it's an RPG.
Occasionally, I'll succumb to peer pressure and try out one of those cutesy indie platforming games, and I'll enjoy it, but I think that's enhanced by the fact that I rarely play them. And it seems like a lot of the guys that makes those games are pretentious dickbags.
What about you? What's your threshold for feeling like your time is being wasted in a game? What was one of the most rage-inducing moments you've ever had in a game?
Oh, and I played the first hour of I Am Setsuna last night ... check it out ... I have some warm feelings for it, but also some uncomfortable ones. I'm still formulating an opinion on it, and ... well, I need to play more first. I know it's not fashionable, but I'm actually not rushing forward with an opinion.
I'm one year closer to 40 soon. I'm actually not at all upset or worried about it. Each decade I've earned has been better than the one immediately preceding it. My 30s have been better than my 20s which were better than my teens. Let's see how long this can continue.
Alright, chill time over. Back to the grind.
Oh, and Comic-Con is this weekend. We need to talk about that soon.
-Blaine
No comments:
Post a Comment