How have your tastes changed this year?

[Mexen]

Well 2019 is almost over and it's been one helluva ride!
This year has been great for me, I got to try out games in genres that I normally wouldn't play and I got my girlfriend a Switch which made her appreciate gaming more which brought us closer together.

Some of the new games (to me) representing genres I never touched before but that I tried out and enjoyed
1. Bloodborne
2. DotA 2
3. Downwell
4. Dead Cells
5. Donkey Kong County Tropical Freeze
6. 428: Shibuya Scramble
7. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
8. Watchdogs 2
9. Prey
10. Dragon Quest Builders 2

Sadly, I failed to get into Pokemon and I tried, I really tried.

Bonus
My girlfriend got these games herself, loved them and ended up reviving her blog to express her thoughts on them.
1. Florence
2. Night in the Woods
3. Oxen Free
I introduced her to Journey, Okami, Ori and the Blind Forest, Life is Strange, What Remains of Edith Finch and Stardew Valley, all of which she adored. Currently she's playing Breath of the Wild. We co-op Rayman Legends from time to time. I'm so proud. She thinks Sobble is cute and wants Pokemon Sword but we'll see how that goes. She just might find that spark with Pokémon that I failed to ignite.

How has the year been for you?

 

[Lunaray]

The only game I've been playing consistently all year is a mobile gatcha JRPG. I had never played a gatcha game before this year. Also never spent on a gatcha game before this...

 

[Mesoian]

I'm really really tired of run based games.

 

[Dukie85]

They haven't. I still like what I always liked, and still avoid what I don't.

 

[SturokBGD]

When you get to my age your tastes don't change and you don't even remember what year it is anyway.

 

[Goldenroad]

I don't know if it's me or the games, but I feel like I've been playing a lot less action-oriented games. I've been enjoying games like Disco Elysium, What the Golf?, Outer Wilds, and just wanting to play more strategy games, rpg's, that kind of thing. I think it's just that I've been pretty stressed at work and when I get home not wanting to play games that are going to further stress me out. I did spend like 3 months this year just playing Assassins Creed Odyssey though, but again, so much of that time is just spent roaming around this huge world, conversing with NPC's, and just stealth taking out bases and watching numbers go up.

 

[Kiro]

I've discovered Steam only games (finally got a gaming PC and don't own an Xbox). So Ori, Subnautica (heard it only ran well on PC), Outer Wilds have all been fantastic.

Outer Wilds is probably my GOTY.

 

[Deleted member 49319]

Walking simulator is my new favorite thanks to PSN giving away Edith Finch free.

 

[ghibli99]

I got into MMOs for the first time ever this year with FF14 (which started in a way with SP takes on the formula (Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2)). Ran out of steam shortly after getting through 2.55 though. I'll get back to it at some point.

Everything else was pretty much the same as it's always been (single player focused).

 

[Hu3]

Yes tried destiny even though I can't really play FPS because sensitivity but have tried it a couple of sessions of 20 mins short burst.
Will try to see how I fare with cyberpunk.

 

[Dphex]

saying no to any GaaS style game. have enough of season stuff, monetization and dripfeeding content.

 

[free_bubble]

Strategy/management games are my new obsession thanks to Civilization 6, Fire Emblem 3 Houses, and Football Manager.

 

[Kapote]

For me, it was Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Super Smash Bros Ultimate. Never played a lot of Japanese strategy games or fighting games. Fire Emblem now is one of my GOTY and Smash is one of my fav game ever.

 

[.exe]

Yeah, I've pretty cut all ties with just kinda okay games/time-wasters. Used to buy a lot of these (on sale), but my backlog alone has more than enough must-play games to keep me occupied for years.

 

[Fredrik]

I wouldn't say that it happened this year alone but I'm super sensitive about brutal violence now, it's off-putting enough for me to completely ignore even the highest scoring game if the violence is too realistic and brutal. Don't know if it's because the graphics are too good or the animations are too realistic, it just makes me feeling ill. I hope game devs start to make games for everyone and not just those who enjoy seeing people getting brutally killed.

 

[Motorcycle Dork]

Playing turn-based JRPGs and retrogames has been the thing for me this year.

 

[Kyrios]

They haven't. I still like what I always liked, and still avoid what I don't.

Click to shrink...

.

 

[DeeDubs]

I'm come to the realization that I'm starting to only like Soulslikes. It has seriously become hard for me to like anything else and not by choice either.

 

[Deleted member 59109]

They haven't. I still like what I always liked, and still avoid what I don't.

Click to shrink...

This

 

[Mexen]

They haven't. I still like what I always liked, and still avoid what I don't.

Click to shrink...

Cool. What kind of games do you like and what kind do you avoid?

 

[Deleted member 56580]

Im slowly starting to hate rpgs whereas they were my most favorite genre before

Everything is a fucking rpg nowadays

 

[Dukie85]

Cool. What kind of games do you like and what kind do you avoid?

Click to shrink...

Honestly, pretty much anything besides anything multiplayer focused and RTS, and things like flight simulators. I'll give everything else a chance, at least once.

 

[Nabbit]

Cool idea for a thread Mexen ! This past year we forayed into story based walking simulator type games a lot more with Life is Strange, its prequel and Oxenfree. We enjoyed all of those a great deal, especially LiS. We're very eager to play the sequel when all of it is on Game Pass in March. We also played a classic PnC style game for the first time in years and having probably only ever played a couple of those before. The game was Broken Age and we absolutely loved it. The puzzles were suitably mind ending and incredibly satisfying to figure out, the story was creative and fun with surprising twists and the characters and settings were unique and compelling.

 

[Sanctuary]

How has the year been for you?

Click to shrink...

Not spectacular. Aside from a very strong Q1. I've only played three new games since then, and those three had simply been "OK", and won't be on any future top ten lists. They would only make it on 2019's, because I haven't even played that many total this year.

Next year though...

When you get to my age your tastes don't change and you don't even remember what year it is anyway.

Click to shrink...

I hope you're way beyond your 30s then.

 

[Iztok]

I'm still on the same multiplayer FPS streak I've been for the past few years.
Don't really enjoy anything else short of trying new stuff out. Racing games, maybe, but I've always like those.

And VR. But then I play multiplayer FPS games and racers on that, too.

 

[Mexen]

Cool idea for a thread Mexen ! This past year we forayed into story based walking simulator type games a lot more with Life is Strange, its prequel and Oxenfree. We enjoyed all of those a great deal, especially LiS. We're very eager to play the sequel when all of it is on Game Pass in March. We also played a classic PnC style game for the first time in years and having probably only ever played a couple of those before. The game was Broken Age and we absolutely loved it. The puzzles were suitably mind ending and incredibly satisfying to figure out, the story was creative and fun with surprising twists and the characters and settings were unique and compelling.

Click to shrink...

This is amazing and thanks for sharing!

 

[Nabbit]

This is amazing and thanks for sharing!

Click to shrink...

Thanks, it was fun to write and think about!

 

[macapes]

Thoroughly bemused by people saying they like what they've always liked and that their tastes never change. I'd find it weird if my tastes hadn't changed over the past 30 something years of gaming. If nothing else, my failing reflexes push me away from some stuff - I'm too slow for competitive Counterstrike.

As to 2019, I'm going through something of a sea change. With next year bringing a new generation, I'm weighing up the move from PS4 (my 2nd Sony console after the original PS) to PS5 and looking back over my PS4 history.

Oddly enough, it's Death Stranding, a game I wasn't planning on touching until it hit PS+, that's really highlighted my increasing disdain for the near copy and paste AAA actioners that have left me cold. Jedi Fallen, God of War, Spiderman, HZD, etc, are all well polished, technically sound games and in places fun - and I'll knock through them - but they aren't hitting any sort of dopamine sweet spot. Then Endless Worlds popped up and annoyed me by failing to improve on the Fallout 3/NV experience (other than the lack of massive game ruining bugs). They could have gone big, instead they duplicated and refined. Hell, BotW doesn't work for me, which annoys the Ocarina/Wind Waker fan in me, because it's all too familiar. And the whole D2 (destiny/division) games as a service thing drives me up the wall - despite it on paper ticking any number of boxes for me.

I'm done with playing the same old systems with a new shiny skin plastered over the top.

So, that brings me back to Death Stranding, a weird mess of a game, with a nonsensical story, but one which just says "whatever" and does it's own thing, doesn't explain itself, doesn't necessarily work - but at least it tries to give me a new experience.

And so, that's where I'm at. Looking back over the games that have worked for me on the PS4, looking for genres that I haven't picked up in a while, looking to put in a bit more effort into selecting what to play (something that tailed off with the onset of parenting) and not being entirely sure what to play next.

Probably Endless Wilds though.

 

[Ultron]

This year I got really into automation and supply chain games. So tried a couple of the Anno games, and played various factory style games like Satisfactory, Factorio, and Automation Empire. This also resulted in finding several new Youtube people and got into watching them play similar games. It's just a really calming and relaxing style of game to play or watch.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

Well, after E3 and TGS this year I was pretty convinced that Death Stranding would ultimately not be my thing going off of the gameplay showcases and explanations, but .... I ended up loving it. So that was unexpected and pleasant to discover.

 

[Strike]

I'm continuing to be pushed further and further away from open world games. I've gotten more than my fill this gen.

 

[Gilver]

My taste solidified more with the exception that after I finished What remains of Edith Finch that I now think I will give more walking sims a chance since that game was so good. Also trying to get into fighting games via Guilty Gear since the new GG looks so dope.

 

[iceblade]

Im slowly starting to hate rpgs whereas they were my most favorite genre before

Everything is a fucking rpg nowadays

Click to shrink...

I feel similarly. Not to the point that I hate RPGs, but it feels like everything is incorporating RPG elements, and being set in an open world. It's made me go back to the last gen games for more "one and done" type FPSes, and I've started to play more of those. I'm still a big fan of RPGs, and definitely want to play a bunch of them, but it's a bit tiring to see the mechanics be SO pervasive.

Another change I've made is to jump into MMOs - before I wouldn't have touched them with a 10 foot pole, but I've been playing Final Fantasy XIV and honestly I really really like it. I could see myself trying other MMOs, or simply sticking with it for quite a while. It's especially surprising for me since the sub fee is something I've seen as quite a high barrier, but I'm starting to realize that it's not such a bad deal if you're the kind of person who'd otherwise be buying a lot of games anyways, and I definitely fit that bill.

I'm continuing to be pushed further and further away from open world games. I've gotten more than my fill this gen.

Click to shrink...

Wow. Same, same same. I was considering picking up Mad Max yesterday, since it was cheap, and the thought that popped into my head was "do you REALLY want yet ANOTHER open world game?". I decided not to pick it up lol.

 

[PassiveObserver]

Playing Doom 2016 and having fun. This would be the first first-person game I've played to completion. They're very hit and miss with me because I get motion sickness. I'll give other FP games a chance now.

 

[Alanood]

Getting sick of open world games.

 

[Jonathan Lanza]

I have become increasingly more interested in games that have little to no combat or action in general. Atleast in the traditional sense. Disco Elysium has also cracked open the possibility of enjoying CRPG's but I'm still not sure on that just yet.

 

[Zukuu]

Slay The Spire-esque games are straight up my jam. Tried basically every game out there in that style. Some are bad, some are limited, some are decent but only 2 are stand outs. STS is obviously one of them, the other is Pirates Outlaws, which I played already for a 100h+ or so on mobile. Great for a quick run, can be resumed whenever and has no timer whatsoever. For 1€ + 3€ perma gold/reputation boost it's a steal.

 

[BrutalInsane]

I stopped buying every game that comes out and instead buy them one by one, buying new ones as I beat the old. It definitely helps with the backlog.

 

[SkoomaBlade]

I got more into "gameplay" focused games that are easy to pick up and play whenever. Stuff like Street Fighter V, MK X and 11, Counter Strike, Halo.

I've always played those games but it was always a balanced mix with single player epics. Unfortunately I just don't have as much times to play so it's easier to just jump into for a quick multiplayer match.

 

[Ryuelli]

I now prefer Affinity Designer over Adobe Illustrator.

That's about it.

 

[catpurrcat]

Thoroughly bemused by people saying they like what they've always liked and that their tastes never change. I'd find it weird if my tastes hadn't changed over the past 30 something years of gaming. If nothing else, my failing reflexes push me away from some stuff - I'm too slow for competitive Counterstrike.

As to 2019, I'm going through something of a sea change. With next year bringing a new generation, I'm weighing up the move from PS4 (my 2nd Sony console after the original PS) to PS5 and looking back over my PS4 history.

Oddly enough, it's Death Stranding, a game I wasn't planning on touching until it hit PS+, that's really highlighted my increasing disdain for the near copy and paste AAA actioners that have left me cold. Jedi Fallen, God of War, Spiderman, HZD, etc, are all well polished, technically sound games and in places fun - and I'll knock through them - but they aren't hitting any sort of dopamine sweet spot. Then Endless Worlds popped up and annoyed me by failing to improve on the Fallout 3/NV experience (other than the lack of massive game ruining bugs). They could have gone big, instead they duplicated and refined. Hell, BotW doesn't work for me, which annoys the Ocarina/Wind Waker fan in me, because it's all too familiar. And the whole D2 (destiny/division) games as a service thing drives me up the wall - despite it on paper ticking any number of boxes for me.

I'm done with playing the same old systems with a new shiny skin plastered over the top.

So, that brings me back to Death Stranding, a weird mess of a game, with a nonsensical story, but one which just says "whatever" and does it's own thing, doesn't explain itself, doesn't necessarily work - but at least it tries to give me a new experience.

And so, that's where I'm at. Looking back over the games that have worked for me on the PS4, looking for genres that I haven't picked up in a while, looking to put in a bit more effort into selecting what to play (something that tailed off with the onset of parenting) and not being entirely sure what to play next.

Probably Endless Wilds though.

Click to shrink...

I read stuff like this and I really want a Death Stranding demo. Haven't seen a game so divisive since...Mario 2? Lol.

Want to try before buy. Maybe a Youtube video...

 

[Pyro]

I picked up USFIV on sale and I worry I'm gonna get sucked back in and get SFV: Champion Edition next year.

Other than that I played my first Ace Combat game (7) this year and desperately need more of it, really wished I had played them back in the day too.

 

[Sesha]

Not a bit. Nothing excites me and I don't have money to throw around on games willy nilly.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

My dumb ass got into final fantasy 14

Edit: and I have a current Nintendo console for the first time since the DS.

 

[names2hard4you]

I used to play these long Japanese RPGs all the time. Now I barely touch them, unless it's a big name like Fire Emblem. All those middle tier Japanese RPGs I just don't have time for anymore. Or even just "okay" games in general, a game has to be really good or really peak my interest for me to buy it

 

[NeroPaige]

Only really play shooters, platformers and action games.

I tried walking simulators, semi-walking simulators like Silver Chains and The Conjuring House, isometric strategy like that Surviving Mars game but none of them hooked me. The Conjuring house was a good game though.

I did like Parkitect, but got sick of it. Glad I played it though.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

I've tried out (and enjoyed) quite a few open world games this year. I'm surprised.

Didn't finish any, but I'm enjoying FF14, BotW and even the start of The Witcher 3.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

Two games, Resident Evil 2 and Death Stranding.

1. I never understood the appeal of old school survival horror games since I only touched RE4 and above. But after playing RE2 remake I get it now. Clearing rooms is fun, making progress is fun, doing things more efficiently is fun.

2. Like many others I was sure that Death Stranding wasn't going to be a game for me. But I took a leap of faith and went in with the appropriate expectations. DS is fun- traversing the land is fun, encountering unexpected obstacles are fun, planning your journey is fun, building roads is satisfying. Delivering massive cargo in one shot is awesome

 

[Deleted member 543]

It was the year that confirmed that Kingdom Hearts is no longer for me. I bounced off KH3 very quickly. Most JRPGs haven't been for me for a while now and I think SE's big franchises (the final holdouts) may have slipped away too. I'm excited for FFVII but not sure what to expect. It's not really reasonable to expect a massive corporation that bears little resemblance to the one pumping games out during my mid-to-late teens to still meet my tastes anyway.

But Resident Evil 2 did prove that this can sometimes happen. It managed to give me the exact same feeling that RE: director's Cut gave me when I first played it way back in 1998.

Outer Wilds meanwhile was a reminder that the best experiences often come out of left field. Feels like something entirely new—something I've only really felt with Bloodborne and BotW this gen. The exploration and emergent gameplay are wonderful, while everything feels like it's there for a reason: to build my own deep space adventure.

 

[Deleted member 8196]

My taste didn't change, i still like the same shit and despite the same shit.