Smells Gamey

Since starting this blog, more and more of the games I've been talking about have broken the mold of moldy old computer game genres, or at least vary the formulae noticeably. Sure I may just be noticing my own shifting bias, but they also seem to be getting more traction with the market at large.

As the post-Y2K WoW and Counterstrike-fueled craze died down last decade, consoles have once again been overtaking the braindead l33t-d00d multiplayer scene, leaving more PC game developers to resign themselves to being the artsy, low-budget, low-fidelity, niche market fringe of the industry. RPGs have been making a comeback along with (unfortunately) gratuitously pixelated "neo-retro" junk. But the back to basics trend has also thankfully included some effort to re-emphasize gameplay, to offer players new things to do and not just new scenery to do them in. Into the Breach or The Last Federation may not be topping the charts, but they are at least being created and receiving positive press, which is more than could be said about new ideas in the first fifteen years of the new millennium. Good Old Games has certainly helped bring attention to otherwise ignored options, as has Paradox's willingness to take chances.

... But dare I hope this also represents a change in the preferences of up-and-coming gamers? Might the current crop of tweens just developing their tastes be marginally more interested in embracing novel experiences instead of just demanding to be patted on the back for repeating formulaic actions? Might Doom and Warcraft have finally become uncool by dint of representing my own generation's preferences? Do they reek of dad funk? Yes, please let that be the case. Hate us. We suck. FPS, RTS, that crap's for old fogeys. Get off my lawn you crazy kids! In fact, get your own damn lawn so I can play on it, because we seriously need some fresh lawns around here. Ours are all wilted and gone to seed. Old lawns are for squares, daddy-o.

Huh, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah: Tetris!
Wait, no...