My take Into Shooting Games

There was a time not long ago when I used to like shooting games more than most other videogame genres, and it’s not that I stopped enjoy them; at heart I still like them very much, and that’s pretty much the impression I give whenever I talk, whenever I write, or whenever anyone watches my Xbox Live’s Avatar (pictured left).

I enjoy the sheer excitement current shooting bring to the table: they’re usually fast-paced, and franctic fun the moment you start playing; while some people might consider them dumb or brainless, knowledgeable players know that overcoming in shooting games require strategy and mental prowess processed so damn fast that can’t be seen with bare eyes; also shooting games offer some of the most replayable experiences out there, one playthrough will rarely go the same way as another.

But I noticed a trend in my latest articles for CultureMass, I tend to talk as much about shooting games, as I complain about current games and the state of the videogame industry.

This is what I'm talking about?

I think (either first-person or third-person) shooting games have collapsed under its own weight. We’ve seeing the videogame industry going amok in later years, always looking forward to milk more money from its core audience, so it’s no surprise that the most popular videogame genre would be used for this same purpose.

Without noticing, my last year’s writing reflexes my own disappointment toward the videogame industry and shooting games alike.

I started off talking about how during the old days, sequels used to be an opportunity to reinvent or try something new and radical with a franchise, instead of today’s sequelization affairs. Then I talked about how disappointed I am about Halo –which used to be one of my favorite franchises– due to its sequelization, hype, and overly pretentious ads and trailers. And at some point later I finally made clear that I was stepping down the multiplayer wagon, and I would be no longer considering multiplayer modes or online interaction whenever I’m buying a new game.

All of that (as well as other articles I’ve been writing) are the complete opposite from my thoughts from three years ago, when my top ten list of this videogame generation was half comprised by shooting games of any kind.

Luckily, I’m not a genre specialist, so I keep finding so much joy in other genres, as well as the always surprising indie landscape.

I just can’t help but feel bad about the shooting genre, and how it has dragged some of my favorites franchises down its marketing hell; I wish I could see some of them in the eyes once again.