Games nowadays...

[Premezilla]

Word up to tha masses,

I've been reading lately in computer magazines (specifically Computer Gaming World) that computer games are on a decline and console games are on the rise. It occurs to me that the reason for this is that computer game developers just aren't coming out with anything NEW. I mean, come on, once the top-down perspective of Diablo came out, most every hack-n-slash, point-and-click action game after that used it. (Baldur's Gate, Arcanum, Dungeon Siege, etc.) Meanwhile, on the flip side, once Goldeneye for the N64 came out and revolutionized the entire first person shooter genre, every other game tried to expand on it, instead of just trying to clone it in hopes of being good.

A prime example of this would Halo for the X Box. It took everything good about Goldeneye (being able to run around and shoot things and blow up stuff) and expanded on that, thus bringing fps gaming to a whole new level. Players could actually use flashlights to see in dark areas, weapons became new and inventive, players could drive around vehicles, but most importantly, people could play cooperatively WITH EACH OTHER. Things like these could help propel the computer gaming industry back on top.
It seems to me that as every new generation of consoles come out, their games keep getting more and more advanced. However, this is not true on the pc side. Take Sid Meier's Civilization 2 for example. It offered people a chance to see what the world would be like if they had a turn at controlling a civilization. And who could forget the treasured, highly-classic Monkey Island series? Curse of Monkey Island still remains of the greatest games I've played ever, because the humor and comedy wasn't just pointless slapstick, it actually contributed to the game and made it more fun. (I mean, come on, who could forget Murray, the Evil Talking Skull?) But, sadly, computer games today just don't seem to have the same *zing* as they used too. I'll grant the occasional gem, such as The Sims, or Roller Coaster Tycoon, but certain games have pushed the limits of tolerance too far.
Take, for instance, Zoo Tycoon. Methinks that genre has been pushed a little too close to edge, and now it's teetering somewhere between "Please, make it stop" and "The horror, the horror. Also, the numerous flight-simulatiobn games seem to be more like sleep-inducing games.
But I applaud companies like Blizzard for trying to refresh and reinvent themselves. Titles like World of Warcraft and Starcraft: Ghost will (hopefully) redefine these series and re-establish them as new and original. Taking a bold step in the right direction is an okay start, but more companies need to follow Blizzard's example and create something new, or at least spice up something old.

I know people will disagree with parts of my argument, and I would love to hear from everybody. What was your favorite game? Funniest memory? Craziest Character? As for me, nothing (prolly) will beat my Civilization 2 and Curse (and Escape) from Monkey Island.

my 2 cents have been collected. Da Preme Team, over and out.