Lately, I’ve been musing over how huge the hardware requirements for video games are. Want to play a game such as Crysis? Then you’ve got to bleed cash for you to enjoy it. How about HD gaming? Surely, you need a high-end console such as the Xbox 360 and the PS3. But some consoles have design problems and are likely to fail. Which means that your investment is not guaranteed for the long haul.

The question then is: is it now all about the graphics? It is such a high priority among developers and end users? Are graphics the end all or be-all of games? Whatever happened to gameplay innovations such as the games of the good-old-days: Zelda, Mario, etc.

And then, whatever happened to good storytelling and gameplay? Is it now second-rate to graphics?

These and more after the jump

Graphics vs Gameplay

We’ve all seen how a lot of hype goes into promoting the graphics features of the game. You see this all the time – marketers and the developers harp on the great graphics, the innovations or “reality” and attention to detail. These go into mediums such as Youtube and are spread virally across the web via other means – blogs, other video channels, trailers, torrent, etc. In fact, eye candy may be the initial “pull” of gaming companies when it comes to sending a message to potential buyers. But more often than not, it’s the gameplay that critics (and true gamers) want at the end of the day. Look at what happened to Hellgate… graphics was good, I liked the trailer but I honestly feel that it was a rushed project and really did not give me the fun I was hoping for. Why? All the levels looked the same and everything was repetitive.

Good thing games such as Guitar Hero, AudioSurf and most games for the Wii focus on the gameplay and the ”fun factor”. 

It’s the Stories that drive the game

Sure, you and your pals will talk about the great graphics of a game over coffee or beer. But the most enjoyable conversations will be the stories behind the games. You all know the classic storylines of such great games as Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, and Onimusha right? It’s these games that make you want to play more. I think that the industry has to return to great storytelling to drive usage (and interest back) in video games. We don’t want to see another “cookie-cutter” game based on a tweaked storyline of zombies and undead.

In the end, sure – graphics are great. Technology is here and we have to use it. Playing a game in HD is an experience I look forward to all the time. But if there’s no compelling reason for me to continue – i.e. the gameplay sucks, the story’s lame… chances are I hit the reset button or just exit.

Game Over!

GM T