The Less We Expect the More We Appreciate - 18 eighty 5's Blog

18 eighty 5's Blog

The Less We Expect the More We Appreciate

Posted on November 2, 2012 at 11:05 PM.

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My favourite sport on these forums is NHL. It is also probably the one I am most critical of. But this seems to be a theme across the boards. The sports games (or non sports games) we look forward to the most are prone to receiving lofty praise and scathing criticism by the same posters. I am guilty of this.

When NHL 13 came out I loved the new additions so first impressions were good. Playing the game over and over in BAGM and the cracks appear that get me offside and I post about them. This seems true reading posts across the forums for all sports games. The opening pages of First impressions are usually favourable but check page 15 on the popular titles and the comments start to reverse.

Yet, pick up a sports game or non sports game that isn't your darling or that you know little about and appreciation for what is on offer seems to remain consistently positive. For example, I am not a fan of the Resident Evil series. Hasn't been a series of much interest for me. I am playing through RE 6 and am enjoying it. I don't mind that it has become a tps instead of being a survival horror game like titles of its glory days. I dont mind the qte's or the gameplay. I just like it for what it is to me. A fun tps with a massive single player campaign and great visuals in saying that I am aware that my appreciation of the game may be at odds with die hard fans of the series.

I can get into 2k NBA and just enjoy it without much fuss because it ain't a sport I really get into so my enjoyment of the series is far more tolerable.

I think expectation is influenced by the passion we have for a genre/series. I think this is further added to by the fun/challenge we hope to find. The integration of new features or lack of issues addressed will always be contentious depending on how much we care for the game or series.

Is NHL 13 a good game despite my issues with it, absolutely. Is RE 6 a better game than NHL because I have less problems with it? No way! Am I likely to post largely positive stuff on the NBA 2k boards, XCOM boards, RE 6 boards? Yeah probably. Despite the quality of games my passion and expectations will effect how vociferous and critical my posts are.

There is often a battle between objectivity and passion. There is nothing wrong with critical posts based upon good observations. With games we have less attachment to objectivity comes easier because it ain't tinged by the same emotive cocktail of passion and expectation our favourite series or games will be subject to.