Here's a debate I've gotten into with quite a few people recently: your favorite way to experience a new game. From what I've gathered, there's 3 predominant ways:
Thoughts?
I prefer the third way, but I can't stop myself from looking into the game.
Good to know the Witcher 2 is good though, I'm giving it a try shortly and don't know anything about it. Had that same experience with Kingdoms of Amalur. And ofcourse Oblivion, although I was 9 then..
I like a mix of both 2nd and third. if someone recommends that i have to try out this game (and I know they have decent taste in games :P) I'm willing to fork out the cash for the game i have also used feature articles and believe it or not web comics are sometimes the basis for my choice.
the third choice however is a bit of a mix bag which is pretty awesome. just to be able to browse the shelves and get a game purely on what the cover art looks like and story outline on the back says. I've found some real gems over the years with this method and quite a few duds but I can always trade them back in for money on my pre-orders :P
I was at work one day and someone asked me what I wanted for Christmas. It couldn't be a gift card but had to be something under 100 bucks. I knew I wanted a game but had no idea what game to get. I hurried up and looked for a RPG sandbox game, googled it. I knew virtually nothing about Skyrim but the cover of the box looked cool so I said I wanted it for Christmas. When I almost got my head chopped off and the dragon appeared I was in shock.
Usually I like to look at the trailers to get a general idea of the game itself or read reviews. See how popular it is before I invest to much money into it. So I guess I am part of 2, but mostly a 3.
I only research some games, like i might see a trailer or hear about it and then look into the game and its story and the mechanics of it what other people thought of it etc etc.(skyrim uncharted and assassin's creed sequels, just to name a few have been found this way) and then sometimes i'll go into the store with no idea what sort of game i'm after or genre or even play style and just pick one off the shelf that catches my eye.
when the xbox 360 came out I spent all my money on the console and didn't have any left for games so I was renting them all the time (remember blockbuster?), my friends brought over Oblivion and I HATED it. I ended up renting it again since that's all my friends would talk about, Oblivion ended up being my first game I purchased for xbox 360 and didn't buy another game until 3 months later. The best game purchase I ever made to this day. (other than steam deals, $170 worth of games for $25 is just crazy awesome)
3rd option works for me pretty much every time. I too bought Witcher 2 based on my experience with the 1st one. I thought it even more immersive and just loved it to bits!! Bought Skyrim for the same reason (TESIV hadn't played Morrowind). I thought Skyrim was worth the money and the hype (some of which I picked up via the trailer(s) only)but a bit disappointed on the poor RPG element and lack of conversational options for quests/guild membership
Personally I wouldn't entertain option 1 at all as for me that would be a major spoiler to my enjoyment and if anything put me off buying it. I much prefer to experience the game myself
Usually I listen to or read reviews on games before I consider buying them but tend to be pre-selective about them. For example I still follow with interest games coming out of Bethseda, Bioware, or Valve based on the enjoyment I have had from playing the products coming out of their studio (eg Oblivion, Baldur's Gate, NWN, or Half Life)
I realise that there is a crossover between options 2 and 3 , but I do not walk into a store and buy a game just because it is the latest one out or because anyone else has recommended it. Another example is WOW . I played Warcraft Tides of Darkness (the single player one), but refuse to multiplay. For me single player will always be the thing - don't like being in a gang
I'm a 2. I don't always research EVERYTHING about a new game, though if it's one I reaaaally want, I may end up crossing over into 1. Some games, especially simulation games, cannot be spoiled by researching them. Usually I approach these with a bit of a plan anyway, so the more I know, the better I'll feel.
RPGs are almost always 2. Before I bought Skyrim, I watched gameplay videos, read up on the lore, checked out screenshots of all the cool locations, basically researched as much about the holds and their environments as I could. I didn't give a flying flip about the quests involved, though. And I usually don't. With RPGs I almost always end up sitting down and going, "Okay, so...where am I gonna spend most of my time wandering around? Where's my super secret fortress of solitude?" and "Who am I gonna be?"
I was option number 3 with this game. I knew nothing about it at all. Didn't even know who made it or nothing.
This guy at my work walked up one day and asked me what I wanted for Christmas. He said the company typically liked to spend around 100 bucks and I said I had no idea what I wanted. He said there is this new game out that is really popular and a lot of fun. I asked him the genre and he said it was a fantasy role playing game and he loved it. I said that sounded like a fun game..count me in.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that I had played Oblivion and that this was similar. I still don't know all the lore. Still learning.
So every minute has been new for me. Every expansion somewhat of a surprise to some extent. I knew more about the DLC's then the original game.
I have found that this is the way I like to find games to play. I don't like knowing too much going in. So far it has been a great gaming experience that is still going. I still have not done all the faction quests or went in most of the caves LOL.
This is not to say I like to blindly buy games as I don't have the money to do that without knowing something so usually I wind up at least seeing a trailer before I decide but I have to say I have had the most fun being an #3 person.