Hello fellow gamers and welcome to another week of ranting from the PC Department's pet Brit. Some of you may have read a feature this week on games that sit on our shelf and never get played, if not check it out. My game chosen was a Settlers game, but it got me thinking about the original and how much fun I had with that game, even though the graphics where appalling by today’s standards. So my question is how important are the graphics?
Though I could never actually say what my ten favourite games are, or put them in order, I do know a few which would definitely be included: The original Command and Conquer: Red Alert, StarCraft (including Broodwar) and Monkey Island 1 and 2 for example. The hours I spent on these games are far larger than the time I have spent on any other game (though maybe not World of WarCraft). My point is that even though these games had graphics that can be replicated in flash games now, they were still awesome. The game play was great, the storyline fantastic and the mechanics brilliant.
I think, as computers became more powerful we saw the emphasis on many games change from great stories and game play to concentrate on awesome graphics. Don’t get me wrong I love awesome graphics, but they don’t keep you playing a game just because it’s pretty. I’m thinking that maybe games designers aren’t going to have the advance in graphics like there has been for the past ten years and hopefully that mean the emphasis will be on the other aspects of gaming.
Now I don’t want you to think that I think all modern games have rubbish game play, because I don’t, there are some pretty amazing games coming out. It should be agreed though that there is a lot of chaff amongst the wheat. I think we are beginning to see a return to these other aspects over fancy realistic graphics. Take Team Fortress 2, instead of going for the most realistic graphics possible they went for a more cartoonish feel, and the game is awesome. Same with Borderlands, a graphic novel feel to the graphics but still an awesome game.
Not only that but with the rise of downloadable content games like Plants vs. Zombies become hugely popular, and their graphics aren’t out of this world. Do we need amazing graphics for a good game? I don’t think so. If you had asked me 5 years ago I would have said definitely but, with the majority of my favourite games being 2D I guess that’s not the case. If anyone agrees or disagrees with what I have said post below and tell me. As for me I’m off to dust of my Acorn Electron for a bit of Frogger. Who needs a third dimension?
