Are Today’s Games TOO Hard to Play?

I know what you are thinking. "Of course you're going to think that, you're a GIRL!" That is true. I am a girl. But I am not just any old girl; I have grown up on video games. I played with Atari, I had an original Nintendo (not to mention every version that came after), and was bound and determined to beat every game that I played and for the most part I did. Now with that in mind, I want you to consider this fact: I got 007 Nightfire for Christmas and couldn't beat the INTRO.

I love a good challenge as much as the next person, but I should never pick up a controller and sit there and play the same level over and over again, never to beat it. Nightfire, Blood Rayne, Splinter Cell, The Getaway, the list goes on and on. The control styles too difficult to master, your life meter just a tad too realistic, the attention to tiny detail just too much; all problems that I am running into more and more as I try to play this new generation games. I can't help but wonder what are the kids playing? How many parents spent their good money on an X-Box and it just sits there collecting dust? The problem is this: the games of today are aimed at an audience of 18-24 year old boys, well men really. I know that the Gamecube has games that are geared for kids. So that is fine for them, but I can only play Animal Crossing and Mario Sunshine for so long. Like I said, I do like a challenge. So here I am (and I am sure that I am not alone) stuck in the middle.

Now, I realize that there is nothing that I can do. I am not the target audience, I probably never was. I know that not all games are like this and there are plenty that I do enjoy playing and can in fact play. I still can't help but notice where the trend is going though. I guess it really just leaves me with a few options: just sit back and watch or learn to play tougher. For now, I think I'll just sit back and watch my husband play - if he can.

May 12, 2003 - 10:00 am | 22 comments
Lauren Rasco