Video game cliches that need to die.

CasualGamer

Heading to 2012 and I'm suprised at how many cliche gameplay elements are stil around in today's games. These need to be put to rest:

 

1) Exploding barrels

If any game should put the final nail in the coffin it should be Hydrophobia. Barrels with explosion warnings on them are freakin EVERYWHERE, like people were using them as chairs. It's just so obviously nonsensical. In fact I don't think I've seen a video game that had explosive barrels (or the like) in the game where they weren't completely out of place, maybe Far Cry I dunno. Even worse to see enemies hiding behind them. I mean...C'mon.

 

2)  The ceaselessly charging enemy NPC.

Even with body armor I doubt anyone would logically walk into point blank fire. Even worse to walk stright into you as you are unloading a clip into their  face or groin. Worse than that animals or beasts that have no sense of self preservation and despite being logically wounded by the first x amount of rounds you unloaded into it insist on charging at you still. I've seen this phenomenon even in the yet to be released RAGE and I'm just dumbfounded. This aint the war of 1812 where everyone just marches into each other on an open field. Not just those NPCs that are against you but AI controlled squadmates as well.

3) Painfully stupid AI.

People got so hard sold on graphics that now we've been subject to very pretty games with horrible AI. AI that runs continually against obstacles, or shoots at you even though there is an object in their way (as if the bullets will magically go through a stacked metal crate), AI that (see #2 point above), AI that stands there with their back to an entrance just waiting to die, AI that represents professional race drivers who go ape-shit in the final lap and all of a sudden want to kill you, AI that only knows one form of attack: head on, etc.

4)  MMORPGs that are all about collecting virtual stuff and being an uber level character.

Really, it should be about the journey not the destination. Granted there are a lot of people who are into building characters and amassing virtual stuff but personally I find that makes a game more like a second job, a job where everything I've worked for is virtual. I know this is how game devlopers of MMORPGs make their money, constantly dangling the golden carrot in front of the donkeys, but I really wish we had MMORPGs that focused more on story. Give players a thrill ride nomatter what level of character or armor, etc. Why; if you had a MMORPG that focused more on story, adventure, a dynamic living, breathing world, you'd probably do away with gold farming all together.

5)  Zombies.

It was fun for awhile but now the whole zombie killing spree genre of video games has just gone into overkill. It's like some new money making formula: zombie shooters, but I'm telling you it's gotten old and is starting to stink. Time to lay this genre to rest for awhile. Anyways, I hear Vampires are hot again.

6) Obligatory multiplayer add-on to single player games.

For war games I can understand, but seriously, what does the online deathmatch for Uncharted 2 have anything to do with the single player game? Frankly I'd rather have more development time into the single player experience or at least a co-op experience like in GoW. Nomatter what changes and innovations all online deathmatch games feel and play exactly the same after about 5-10 minutes of gameplay. Run-shoot-kill-die-respawn-repeat. Boring.

7)  Scantily clad female protagonist.

OK well, this is a tough call for me because I do like looking at scantily clad female protagonists but really, in combat...How does going into battle wearing lingerie make any sense whatsoever? I mean guys are armored to hell n back and the females look like they showed up for an FHM photo-shoot. Silly.

8) Horrible dialog in Japanese games.

With a few exceptions of course, but really, dialog that sounds like it was written by a mentally handicapped 10 year old. Is this seriously the kinda chatter that passes for everyday conversation in Japan?

9)  The platform just out of reach.

In regards to 3D platforming. Game devlopers should know by now that 3D graphics on a 2D screen doesn''t make for the best depth perception on the part of the gamer. So, how about making those platforms a little easier to reach so we don't end up falling to our doom 10-12 times a game level?

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