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As I get older I feel like I am losing interest in most indie games and get excited only for the big AA/AAA games. Does anyone else feel that way?
- Thread starter Toriko
- Start date
OPPOSITE FOR ME.
Most AAA games nowadays are so damn rote and boring. Sure, they're gorgeous (mostly), but who gives a fuck.
Today, indies are way more interesting to me (overall. There are some AAA games that excite me)
Most AAA games nowadays are so damn rote and boring. Sure, they're gorgeous (mostly), but who gives a fuck.
Today, indies are way more interesting to me (overall. There are some AAA games that excite me)
Yea, same for me. I basically only get some big first party nintendo and sony games per year, and occasionally a non sony/nintendo aaa one like res evil. This year just getting re2, days gone, death stranding, doom eternal, and then mario maker 2, lm3, and pokemon. Maybe links awakening later.
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This 100%. I love a good new indie game I can play a few times and be done with it.
Graphics obviously aren't everything, but they're very important. So many modern AAA games have gorgeous worlds to explore, which are incredibly immersive and enjoyable.
I felt the same until I played Hollow Knight. No I am swimming in pixel art indie games and I love it.
LMAO. I wouldn't say it quite as aggressively, but that's basically how I feel.
I only really play the biggest indies. Past few years that's been Undertale, Hollow Knight, Celeste. I'm eyeing Cuphead too when it gets a physical release.
Sure. There are also plenty of 2D games that have gorgeous worlds to explore, while simultaneously being immersive and enjoyable.
It doesn't matter if it's AAA. However, unfortunately, most of these big AAA big-world games nowadays are way too bloated, imo, which is not something that I frequently encounter with indies.
It is of course all just personal opinion, but never in a million years do 2D worlds or the vast majority of indie games feel anywhere NEAR as immersive or awe inspiring graphically as most games in the AAA space...to me. Not even in the same league.
Well, personal preferences I guess. I don't think a game's dimensions (2D or 3D) can preclude it from being 10/10 immersive. But, hey, good thing that there are plenty of 2D and 3D games out there, right?
Indie sales especially on Switch are driven by 20-30 something year old gamers, so I'd venture to guess as people mature and have less time to play everything, and they actually have to spend money on housing, family, and other needs, smaller , cheaper experiences that remind them of their childhood would become more popular. That's borne out by the rise in popularity and sales of indie games.
I personally feel completely disconnected from western AAA these days, especially with the blurring of the lines between traditional AAA and the GaaS type games.
I personally feel completely disconnected from western AAA these days, especially with the blurring of the lines between traditional AAA and the GaaS type games.
AAA games, especially the third party ones are boring most of the time.
Not that all indy games are good are there are many exceptionally good ones in recent years that impressed me more than most AAA third party games. Most 3party AAA games are gaas and microtransaction driven anyway and I despise such games, because they all are made to made people buy something in-game, not to give the best gaming experience.
Not that all indy games are good are there are many exceptionally good ones in recent years that impressed me more than most AAA third party games. Most 3party AAA games are gaas and microtransaction driven anyway and I despise such games, because they all are made to made people buy something in-game, not to give the best gaming experience.
I'm honestly not that excited by either. Most nights I'd rather catch up on my television backlog than play a game. After 35+ years of gaming nothing really gets my blood pumping anymore.
I agree with you OP. Indie games used to really excite me, especially when they first started rising to prominence on the XBLA and such. I feel like we're sort of in the post-Indie Revolution period now, though, they're established as part of the gaming industry/canon but I don't really see the innovation at work anymore.
Everything seems to be either a roguelite, a metroidvania, or a platformer, they bring cool new ideas and aesthetics to the table but nothing has gripped me the way that FTL, Isaac, Hotline Miami, and other games of that wave did. I still buy a ton of them in hopes of finding something that grabs me, but even a neat idea wears thin really quickly for me.
I understand that AAA games aren't exactly blazing new trails either, but their stories, graphics, punch and polish are enough to keep me playing until the credits roll.
Everything seems to be either a roguelite, a metroidvania, or a platformer, they bring cool new ideas and aesthetics to the table but nothing has gripped me the way that FTL, Isaac, Hotline Miami, and other games of that wave did. I still buy a ton of them in hopes of finding something that grabs me, but even a neat idea wears thin really quickly for me.
I understand that AAA games aren't exactly blazing new trails either, but their stories, graphics, punch and polish are enough to keep me playing until the credits roll.
It is the opposite for me. The older I get the more I see AAA games as high budget affairs designed to bring in loads of mainstream gamers. I find myself gravitating towards AA and indie games - especially those who take some kind of risk in gameplay mechanics, visual style or narrative.
I feel the opposite, honestly.
Stuff like Ion Fury looks way more interesting to me than CoD or whatever.
Stuff like Ion Fury looks way more interesting to me than CoD or whatever.
If your game is an indie 2D platformer or a rouge like. Your game is going to have to REALLY stand out in order for me to catch my interest.
It's the other way around for me.
I certainly cannot go full indies, but my time with indie games nowadays are more or less the same as AAA ones. When I was younger, I tend to avoid indies.
I certainly cannot go full indies, but my time with indie games nowadays are more or less the same as AAA ones. When I was younger, I tend to avoid indies.
I'm just as interested in Monday's Indie World presentation from Nintendo as I am for the next Nintendo Direct.
So, no, I don't feel this way at all.
So, no, I don't feel this way at all.
Im the complete opposite. Indie titles and Switch are pretty much what keeps me going outside of Zelda and Gears.
The opposite happened to me. I used to buy a few games like The Last of Us or Call of Duty every year on release day. Mostly to play with friends. But as I get older (Almost out of my 20s now) I find myself buying AAA games less and less.
Mostly it's just Fighting games which I never play online anymore after the first month and JRPGs. Hell I haven't even bought a Final Fantasy since the PS2 generation so it's like I don't even want to play AAA JRPGs and that's a series I used to love.
I've never been big on Indie games. Wait are Cosmic Star Heroine and Celestian Tales indie games? If they are then yeah I guess I've bought a few of them in the last couple of years and loved them. Maybe I should pop in the indie games threads if there even is one and see if there are any more I might like.
Mostly it's just Fighting games which I never play online anymore after the first month and JRPGs. Hell I haven't even bought a Final Fantasy since the PS2 generation so it's like I don't even want to play AAA JRPGs and that's a series I used to love.
I've never been big on Indie games. Wait are Cosmic Star Heroine and Celestian Tales indie games? If they are then yeah I guess I've bought a few of them in the last couple of years and loved them. Maybe I should pop in the indie games threads if there even is one and see if there are any more I might like.
I agree. The smaller indie games just don't do it for me that much. Not that I was ever a big advocate of them.
I've gone more towards the opposite. Nintendo and indies are my jam as the modern trend of "make things bloated so players keep playing your game and spending" has been offputting in a lot of the big titles. That being said I can totally understand, while I don't share the perspective. I've never written off a game due to budget or "grouping" normally though.
Outside of From Software or Nintendo I basically don't touch AAA games. Indie games have so much more variety.
I'm with you OP.
In a strange turn, I find myself watching other people play (let's plays or steamers) indie titles more as time goes on.
In a strange turn, I find myself watching other people play (let's plays or steamers) indie titles more as time goes on.
I don't buy 2D action platformers, roguelieks and walking simulators as much variety. But games like Pyre and Rocket League made me change my tune on indies.
Funny enough, back in the day it used always be like that. Everyone called Indies "shovelware" and used to write them off almost immediately. It took a long time before Indies were seen as "real games" and not filler until the main AAA games came out.
Man, the early Wii/ps3/360 era was a battleground for this line of thinking. I feel old as hell.
Man, the early Wii/ps3/360 era was a battleground for this line of thinking. I feel old as hell.
I feel literally the exact opposite lol. Sometimes I feel like if I have to play one more first person shooter I'll lose my mind
I'm the opposite. There are a few AAA titles I look forward to each year, but I spend a lot more time with indie games now because they're usually games I can play in short bursts, while an AAA game will take up a good chunk of my free time.
I have to say using Hollow Knight is a weird example because that game is immersive and atmospheric as fuck, which is what you say you're looking for. It rivals or surpasses big budget AAA games in that regard thanks to the art and music
My favorite games of the last few years have been stuff like The Beginner's Guide, Gone Home/Tacoma, Jazzpunk, Night in the Woods, Edith Finch... I think as I've gotten older I prefer shorter games with a tight narrative. Particularly with like Beginner's Guide where I can relate to the narrator's mental state. That game got me real emotional in a way few AAA games will dare to try.
*edit* Also while I like what I've played of God of War, I do find games like this that are so huge they feel the need to add more and more stuff to do is kind of a detriment for me. Like ringing the bells in quick succession and shit, I just don't need that stuff.
*edit* Also while I like what I've played of God of War, I do find games like this that are so huge they feel the need to add more and more stuff to do is kind of a detriment for me. Like ringing the bells in quick succession and shit, I just don't need that stuff.
Games with excessive budget tend to have excessive bloat, or try to appeal to as many people as possible and come off as interesting as oatmeal.
Honestly, the best games I've ever played are the ones that have had to compensate for their lack of budget in certain ways. It requires more creative ideas, or mechanical innovation. Even if they're not traditionally "great", there's a sense of best-effort that comes through from a small team.
AAA is mostly vacuous, designed by committee, focus-tested, and honestly not what I want out of video games. It leads the way in introducing practices that just damage the medium as a whole. Shiny graphics aren't worth it.
Honestly, the best games I've ever played are the ones that have had to compensate for their lack of budget in certain ways. It requires more creative ideas, or mechanical innovation. Even if they're not traditionally "great", there's a sense of best-effort that comes through from a small team.
AAA is mostly vacuous, designed by committee, focus-tested, and honestly not what I want out of video games. It leads the way in introducing practices that just damage the medium as a whole. Shiny graphics aren't worth it.
For me as I get older I don't really divide games anymore with being AAA or indie. I mean sure you can tell one game from another in terms of how much money and development has gone into it.
But a games a game. If I'm enoying it or like the sound of it, regardless of indie or not, I'll play it.
Like I play many older games from 16bit era which you could say are much smaller based productions compared to games today, and if they came out today exactly how they are, they would be indie titles.
I also play many more modern games too. I just pick what I like the sound of, gameplay wise.
Story normally I put secondary simply because the story, lore etc is never that great in videogames even when it thinks it is. For example, Dark Souls is an amazing game but the story is shit. I don't have a clue what's going on in it as it's so minimalistic but wants you to figure out the story, which just leaves you with more questions than answers if you do. It doesn't make any sense and I grow tired of this type of lore building where it's still confusing and hard to understand trying to piece it together. I personally think why bother? Either explain it to you properly or not. Stop veiling it up with words and riddle speak. Sekiro had a crap story too. So did Dragon Age Inquisition, and Dishonored. Most games do imo.
They spend a lot of money these days on narrative when it's not even very good to begin with.
Personally if you're gonna tell a story tell it like God of War or Horizon. More focused, to the point but plenty of stuff to discover in game which adds to it and it's not something where you have to look at the internet and theories to understand it. Unlike Souls games and many others, like Hollow Knight.
But a games a game. If I'm enoying it or like the sound of it, regardless of indie or not, I'll play it.
Like I play many older games from 16bit era which you could say are much smaller based productions compared to games today, and if they came out today exactly how they are, they would be indie titles.
I also play many more modern games too. I just pick what I like the sound of, gameplay wise.
Story normally I put secondary simply because the story, lore etc is never that great in videogames even when it thinks it is. For example, Dark Souls is an amazing game but the story is shit. I don't have a clue what's going on in it as it's so minimalistic but wants you to figure out the story, which just leaves you with more questions than answers if you do. It doesn't make any sense and I grow tired of this type of lore building where it's still confusing and hard to understand trying to piece it together. I personally think why bother? Either explain it to you properly or not. Stop veiling it up with words and riddle speak. Sekiro had a crap story too. So did Dragon Age Inquisition, and Dishonored. Most games do imo.
They spend a lot of money these days on narrative when it's not even very good to begin with.
Personally if you're gonna tell a story tell it like God of War or Horizon. More focused, to the point but plenty of stuff to discover in game which adds to it and it's not something where you have to look at the internet and theories to understand it. Unlike Souls games and many others, like Hollow Knight.
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