what are somethings you like or dislike about modern games

[speedlolita]

Well, I have a launch 60GB now so I'd be fine, probably.

But that's their fault. Stupid idiots.

[HalcyonDaze00]

I like the fact that home consoles are multi-functional, I don't have to use all the options but its great they are there. I like the fact that I can stream music and films directly from my PC to my 360 meaning I can sit in the bedroom with the X-Box and still access all my media. I like the Indy games store with lots of creative games available for less than a pound, many of which are updates of classic titles, many more of which are completely original, its like the App store for the big screen. I like the fact that updated arcade games, re-released games, remakes, and original properties are all available for very little outlay, and at the touch of a button. I like DLC, its great that I can complete a game then for a small outlay add new content to it, extending its life even further. Yes some DLC is a waste of money, but a lot of it is brilliant value.

I like the fact that I can have a list of friends to compare my high scores against, and play with and against.
I'm completely oblivious to achievements (as anyone who checks my gamerscore can attest). The thing is, all these options are there if you want them, but none of them are a condition of entry.
You can pick and choose what you like and ignore the rest. I personally don't use the Sky Player, or Zune, BBC Iplayer or any of the extra's, but they don't intrude, you're not interrupted with banners and pop-ups demanding you take notice.

Overall I think this gens consoles offer a far richer experience than previous generations. With regard to the games its hardly something specific to this gen. As is the case with any system there's plenty to yawn about, there's generic toss, there's all sorts of interesting ways to waste your money, but there's also Mass Effect, there's Red Dead Redemption, there's Borderlands, Forza, Fallout, Oblivion, RezHD, Ikaruga, OutrunC2C and Afterburner Climax, there's Pinball, there's original Arcade games, there are Indy titles aplenty, there are X-Box classics, and new 360 games on demand, there are re-released titles from the Dreamcast, there's updated remakes of classics like Perfect Dark, and Banjo, and Pacman. And if I'm honest that's off the top of my head in 60 seconds without going into any detail and just on the 360. The PS3 has plenty of its own gems to shout about. There are top echelon titles available for just about every taste genre and persuasion. You could own a PS3 or 360 and buy a new game every week and not once add a FPS or driving game to your collection.

And all of it, every single bit of it, is available to play today. No need to visit the shops, or trawl ebay and bootsales. You want it, you choose it, you play it.....you don't even have to pay to try it, everything has a demo that allows you to play with a game before you decide wether or not to buy.
You don't need to make and break arrangments for weeks on end trying to get a gaming session together with your mates, you can see instantly whose online and be playing, chatting and generally mocking at any time of the day or night. As an adult gamer its a real chance to get back into the social side of gaming that gets lost when responsibility, geography and sproglings intervene in your ability to socialize and have your mates round at a moments notice.

I've loved gaming more or less since it was invented. I've no interest in the brand of the platform, just the quality of the service and the game experiences I find on it. In that respect the current gen is king IMO.

Excellent post. You are absolutely right.

[Gabe]

and on the dislike part of things

other then publishers selling us broken games that need patches ( fallout new vegas)

or selling half a game at full price and the dripfeeding us dlc's and mini expansion packs ( that would be bethesda's schtick )

Patches may not be great, but that's better than games never getting fixed.

And I'd *really* love to know what Bethesda titles you rank as only being 'half a game at full price'.

[snowkatt]

and on the dislike part of things

other then publishers selling us broken games that need patches ( fallout new vegas)

or selling half a game at full price and the dripfeeding us dlc's and mini expansion packs ( that would be bethesda's schtick )

Patches may not be great, but that's better than games never getting fixed.

And I'd *really* love to know what Bethesda titles you rank as only being 'half a game at full price'.

actually testing the games and fixing them instead of shipping them so broken they need to be patched in the first place would be even better
( never been bethesda's strong point daggerfall is buggy morrowind is buggy oblivion is buggy )

fallout 3
the main story has a censored poor ending and the game is continued in broken steel
which should have been there in the first place
least said about new vegas the better

[Gabe]

actually testing the games and fixing them instead of shipping them so broken they need to be patched in the first place would be even better
( never been bethesda's strong point daggerfall is buggy morrowind is buggy oblivion is buggy )

fallout 3
the main story has a censored poor ending and the game is continued in broken steel
which should have been there in the first place
least said about new vegas the better

Yes, that would be better, and yet games have always been buggy and/or broken; at least now there is a chance they may get fixed.

With regards to you Bethesda criticism - of all the things you could accuse them of, providing only half a game is certainly not one of them, irrelevant of whether you hated the ending or not.