In search of a unique video game

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I have been searching very hard for a game that will give me a unique play experience. Something that will create a dynamic in entirely it's own way. I have played many major commercial releases and been extremely disappointed and depressed by their utter formulaicness. Can any show me a game where there is not something trying to kill you every five seconds? Where there is more to do than wander around and blow things up? Can anyone show me a game with a truly unique premise? I want a game with a world I can explore and create in at my own leisure. A game which will entertain me through the sheer joy of exploring its world. Can anyone show me a game like that? Please, I really want to find one.

Myst, I hate Myst.

Myst was very original and creative for its time. It was one of many, may, original, creative, new games released during the 90s. What the hell has happened since then?

Its called the current generation of gamers that only buy over-cliched FPSes and the like.

Well yeah, the gaming industry used to be run by aspies. Now it caters to the NT mass market just want to kill things and not want to tax the brain too heavily demographic. There must be some exceptions though. Can anyone tell me them?

groovylime.com releases:

Gliderman
Fat head
Janitor Dan The Spaceman!

Mario Ports for Mac, Linux & Win:
SuperTux
SuperTuxKart

Others:

Hover!
Galaxian
Arena Runner?
(yeh these are all circa windows 95-ish)



seriously, Janitor dan the Spaceman rocks

You've got to be kidding me. What the hell do you think Final Fantasy 12 is? I still haven't beat that game and I've had it for 3 years. RTS games are selling EXTREMELY well lately Starcraft 2, Supreme Commander, Command and Conquer, etc.

All very slight modifications of formulae developed 20+ years ago. The basic gameplay model of Final Fantasy XII predates Final Fantasy I. The model for Starcraft II was Dune II, which came out in 1992. When was the last time anyone came out with a truly original premise that wasn't simply a tweaking and reworking of an existing idea?

Ico and Shadow of Collosus are two pretty unique games on PS2 and to get out on PS3 soon.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMsGiJ_Fc3g&feature=fvst[/youtube]


If still not unique enough for you there is Katamari Damacy on PS2


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygFH6Ob4RRc[/youtube]

It's the current generation of gamers who ruin everything. Too many gamers cry when something is too challenging whether it is too tough or requires too much gray matter... so now game companies try to make games for the general public which seems to be full of people who think they are hardcore gamers now. I also see award systems as the ruination of challenge for consoles. Too many people shriek when a game is too hard or requires immersion because now they want easy achievements/ trophies. This usually affects a games overall challenge since in marketing it's easy to see people will buy a game they can leach points out of. This is very evident with Xbox 360 games like Avatar the last air bender TBE which people would pay $30 for 1000 gamerscore that only required 5 minutes of play. I like a developer that doesn't cater to the whiners... like Capcom or Tecmo.

Funnily enough, I am playing Katamari Damacy right now, as that is the closest thing I have found to uniqueness among my current game collection. I was hoping to find something newer though. I have been gravely disappointed by all I have seen. The last game I really enjoyed was Aquaria. A big giant world to explore at a nice leisurely pace. It was a welcome breath of fresh air from the usual round of "let's see how many ways we can find to kill things" mentality of game design.

You're hopeless, video games can't be original thanks to games like space war and pong! Halo:Reach is just a tweak of those games. However, there is some newish s**t out



Seriously, tell me how someone could make a "unique" game because my best idea on how to improve on the existing selection of games is to have games with actual realistic relationships where people cheat, abuse each other, etc. That doesn't make a game, it would work best on an RPG format which can't possibly be unique because of dungeons and dragons.

So tell me, what do you consider unique?

Last edited by AnAlias on 11 Oct 2010, 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Different. Like the gambit system and license board in FFXII.

Yes, I will admit you can add extra layers of complication to an existing game model, add new difficulties and it will appear new, but what have you really added? Is it anything interesting? Anything fun? Anything worth the effort of trying to understand? It all seems very hollow and artificial to me.

Wurm online?