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Why are so many video games so depressing?

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Jaden
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12 Oct 2012, 10:11 pm

I think in order to answer the question of "why are games so depressing?", one has to look at human nature.
It's human nature to always see the bad before the good. People don't want things to ultimately work out, people want excuses, they want things to end. That's why there was so much hype on the whole 2012 "end of the world" thing. People are waiting for the world to end so that the massive crap that goes on in today's world doesn't have to go on anymore. In short, people want escape.

This reflects into video games for the same reason, except in a video game, you get to make your own fate happen without ultimate consequence (such as the world blowing up, or someone dying). And the grim fate of the characters in games is left in the hands of the player, or the person wanting escape from reality. The reason they're so grim is because that's just part of today's society, people want to get as close to reality as possible without actually making it reality, because in reality there's consequence, and in games, there isn't.
So one could see the end of all creation and not have to worry about it actually happening.

In the end, it's partly due to morbid curiosity, partly due to society, partly due to how the world is percieved by the masses, even partly due to artistic views of how the world is today and how it could be in the future if things stay on their path (The Matrix being an example, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is another example). And that seems to fascinate people.


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BlueElephantKing
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13 Oct 2012, 7:28 am

Just play Animal Crossing, it's the most cheerful video game I have ever played!



guitarman2010
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13 Oct 2012, 12:43 pm

Maybe it's a reflection of society.


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iggy64
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13 Oct 2012, 6:38 pm

I agree that it is worth playing xenoblade chronicles just for the graphics, even though it's on a wii and not HD, it still looks HD to me (well, maybe not the people but the landscapes are gorgeous). Xenoblade chronicles is the most beautiful game of this generation. And it has very fun gameplay to go with it :)


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Magnus_Rex
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13 Oct 2012, 6:46 pm

iggy64 wrote:
I agree that it is worth playing xenoblade chronicles just for the graphics, even though it's on a wii and not HD, it still looks HD to me (well, maybe not the people but the landscapes are gorgeous). Xenoblade chronicles is the most beautiful game of this generation. And it has very fun gameplay to go with it :)


Indeed. It is probably the best J-RPG since Final Fantasy IX. Eryth Sea, Makna Forest and Bionis' Leg are the three places I sometimes go just to walk around while listening to the amazing soundtrack. It is very relaxing.


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Jaden
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13 Oct 2012, 7:34 pm

iggy64 wrote:
I agree that it is worth playing xenoblade chronicles just for the graphics, even though it's on a wii and not HD, it still looks HD to me (well, maybe not the people but the landscapes are gorgeous). Xenoblade chronicles is the most beautiful game of this generation. And it has very fun gameplay to go with it :)


Prince Of Persia (2008) was a great game as well, they need to make it's sequal, especially after leaving everyone hanging at the end like that. The landscapes and open gameplay were amazing. It will always be one of my favs.


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Sickpuppies124
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13 Oct 2012, 11:30 pm

lostonearth35 wrote:
...Especially when the real world is depressing enough as it is? When the SNES first came out it was a huge deal that it had more colors than any other console at that time and the games always looked brighter and more fun to look at. Now consoles can use virtually every color their is and yet they mostly only use shades of dark, gritty grey and brown and occasionally dark green. I guess its because most game player are guys ages 18 and up and therefore will supposedly only like games that are dark, gritty, and gory. Any game that isn't is considered a "kiddy" game and not for "serious" gamers. But it IS a game! You PLAY a game, therefore it is NOT supposed to be serious! The plots and stories revolve around nuclear war and holocaust and pandemics and the protagonist usually has a dark past and dies at the end of the games. Even newer versions of games that are normally lighthearted and colorful have some pretty depressing characters or plot twists: Count Bleck and Tippi in Super Paper Mario, Rosalina in Super Mario Galaxy (you know, because she left her whole world behind when she was a little girl to help a Luma find its mother and couldn't get back) and Klonoa for the Playstation and the Wii remake where at the end Klonoa finds out his whole life has been a lie and he doesn't really exist in the world he loves and gets sucked into a black hole, which was like a smack in the face after playing such a cute and enjoyable game. I don't know if these games are being influenced by the way the world is now or this is what the average gamer wants now or what, BUT I WISH THEY'D LIGHTEN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT! And I believe that's the end of my rant. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to try and beat Epic Mickey... the irony... :roll:


Because it gives people something to relate to. Most try to present Warzones or Post-apocalyptia because war is the most relatable human instinct. Sorry but most people just don't enjoy Mario. I'd rather Shoot and kill people than jump on their heads all day. They may have a good story but the fact of the matter is, in my personal opinion, War is easy to relate to. It affects us directly everyday whether we realize it or not. It shows the Good, bad and ugly of humanity and gives us hope for our own lives when we play these games and realize our own lives aren't so lame.



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14 Oct 2012, 12:34 am

Sickpuppies124 wrote:
Because it gives people something to relate to. Most try to present Warzones or Post-apocalyptia because war is the most relatable human instinct. Sorry but most people just don't enjoy Mario. I'd rather Shoot and kill people than jump on their heads all day. They may have a good story but the fact of the matter is, in my personal opinion, War is easy to relate to. It affects us directly everyday whether we realize it or not. It shows the Good, bad and ugly of humanity and gives us hope for our own lives when we play these games and realize our own lives aren't so lame.

Speak for yourself:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_be ... franchises

The best selling franchises are all uplifting games like Mario, The Sims, Tetris (OK, Tetris is not uplifting; it is just really random), Pokémon and the Wii series. In fact, Wii Sports is the best selling video game ever, while The Sims 2 is the top selling PC game and Super Mario Bros. is the second best selling video game. In fact, the only consoles whose best selling game was depressing were the Xbox (Halo 2), the PlayStation 2 (GTA: San Andreas) and the PSP (Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, which admittedly, is not even a depressing game):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_be ... ideo_games


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iggy64
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14 Oct 2012, 5:59 am

found this article on the top 10 video games of the author. If you scroll down relatively fast, it looks like they all use the same/similar colour palette.

http://www.gamingclimax.com/mmorpg-arti ... -graphics/
hehe.


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Curlywurly
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14 Oct 2012, 6:33 am

I was recently playing a lot of PS1 games, really reminded me of what fun games can actually be. I think nowadays you have to look to indie titles and oldskool type games for more fun and colour and general craziness. I think the problem is related to making games look "realistic" which normally equates to greys and earthy colours for scenery and buildings. For me the whole point of games is that you can create something unearthly with your own rules..



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31 Oct 2012, 7:43 pm

You'll be suicidal if you played this game : Russian a wonderful language to get depressed in :

www.wrongplanet.net/postt214137.html


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31 Oct 2012, 7:49 pm

Play Eternal Sonata it's like having Elton John (when his not having roid rage) in your room blowing perfumed musical rainbow farts, it's so camp and lovely :)


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