What things did you enjoy that you didn't think that you would?
Jennifer
Moderator
Are there things that you enjoyed that you didn't think that you did?
For me there are a few games that I played because I heard good things about, but that had themes that usually wouldn't interest me.
The first of these was Full Throttle. It was about biker gangs and had a heavy metal soundtrack, two things that I don't really care about (although the latter not as much, since I do like a few songs in the genre). But, the story is what got me. It ended up not really being about a biker gang at all (sort of, Ben was still concerned about his gang, and Mo was concerned about his), but a story about tradition vs innovation, and ultimately about betrayal, greed, and for Ben, redemption. It's what really made me a fan of Tim Schafer's writing, Grim Fandango just cemented it.
Grand Theft Auto III was another. I heard good things about it, but really didn't expect to like it. I don't really like Mafia stories too much, but I did like some (Goodfellas, The Godfather, on the fence about Scarface). I knew it was going to be over-the-top like Scarface (which I'm not sure how I feel about), but I gave it a shot anyway. It definitely was, but somehow controlling the character made me more endeared to his plight than when I was a third party just watching the action when watching a movie. Strangely enough (especially since the player character is mute, or maybe because he is), this is actually the first time I got that feeling when playing a game, feeling like I was actually in the character's shoes rather than just experiencing a story.
The latest is definitely The Walking Dead. I'm not much for zombie stories, but I put this on my try list at first because it was by Telltale, and then later because of all the good things that was said about the comics (and to a lesser extent, the TV show) in the early days of the Telltale Walking Dead forum. I proceeded to watch two episodes of the TV show, kind of liked it, but not enough to want me to continue. That did get me to realize that the story is about the human characters, and not the zombies. That raised my expectations somewhat (although I expected it to be like the show, where I was mildly interested, but not enough to be really immersed in it). I'll admit I really wasn't sure what to think of the pre-release press saying that the main character was a convicted murderer and that he took a little girl into his care. All of my doubts were for nothing by the second episode though, since I actually cared about the characters in a way I hadn't in the TV show. It might be a case of experience vs. watching, like Grand Theft Auto, or the exceptional writing, or probably a combination of the two. I didn't expect that I'd actually be excited and eagerly anticipating the next episode to come out when I first started playing.
For me there are a few games that I played because I heard good things about, but that had themes that usually wouldn't interest me.
The first of these was Full Throttle. It was about biker gangs and had a heavy metal soundtrack, two things that I don't really care about (although the latter not as much, since I do like a few songs in the genre). But, the story is what got me. It ended up not really being about a biker gang at all (sort of, Ben was still concerned about his gang, and Mo was concerned about his), but a story about tradition vs innovation, and ultimately about betrayal, greed, and for Ben, redemption. It's what really made me a fan of Tim Schafer's writing, Grim Fandango just cemented it.
Grand Theft Auto III was another. I heard good things about it, but really didn't expect to like it. I don't really like Mafia stories too much, but I did like some (Goodfellas, The Godfather, on the fence about Scarface). I knew it was going to be over-the-top like Scarface (which I'm not sure how I feel about), but I gave it a shot anyway. It definitely was, but somehow controlling the character made me more endeared to his plight than when I was a third party just watching the action when watching a movie. Strangely enough (especially since the player character is mute, or maybe because he is), this is actually the first time I got that feeling when playing a game, feeling like I was actually in the character's shoes rather than just experiencing a story.
The latest is definitely The Walking Dead. I'm not much for zombie stories, but I put this on my try list at first because it was by Telltale, and then later because of all the good things that was said about the comics (and to a lesser extent, the TV show) in the early days of the Telltale Walking Dead forum. I proceeded to watch two episodes of the TV show, kind of liked it, but not enough to want me to continue. That did get me to realize that the story is about the human characters, and not the zombies. That raised my expectations somewhat (although I expected it to be like the show, where I was mildly interested, but not enough to be really immersed in it). I'll admit I really wasn't sure what to think of the pre-release press saying that the main character was a convicted murderer and that he took a little girl into his care. All of my doubts were for nothing by the second episode though, since I actually cared about the characters in a way I hadn't in the TV show. It might be a case of experience vs. watching, like Grand Theft Auto, or the exceptional writing, or probably a combination of the two. I didn't expect that I'd actually be excited and eagerly anticipating the next episode to come out when I first started playing.
Sign in to comment in this discussion.
Comments
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
Super Paper Mario
Tales of Monkey Island
Space Quest anything
Killzone 2
TEKWAR
Planescape: Torment
Final Fantasy VI
Magicka
Caviar
Escargo
Sushi
Raw beef
Horton Hears a Who
Sashimi
Good Omens
Halo
Iron Man
Dark Knight
Yeah... a lot of my favorite things. I've reached the point where if I think I might dislike something, I remember these examples and then go try it anyways.
Now, I'll admit, I don't like James Bond movies, but as a favour to my little bro I decided to take him to see it, and yeah, it was a pretty great film.
Very well written and acted, with plenty of action to keep it fresh.
I'd give it an 8/10
I did and now I love it...that's pretty much...it.
Fallout 3
Skyrim
The new Citadel paint range
The BBC version of 'The Colour of Magic'
Civilization IV
My iPod Nano (I STILL LOVE YOU CREATIVE ZEN!!!)
one time i made a chicken liver pate then used the leftovers to make dirty rice and oh my god was it the best dirty rice ever you guys have no idea.
rappelling. considering im horribly afraid of falling, i have no idea why i enjoy this so much. i wanna do it again, i just don't have an opportunity.
I can relate to this one. One of the first computers that I ever got came with a Lucasarts demo disc in the box. The disc had the first few levels of Dark Forces and the complete game of Full Throttle. I liked Star Wars so I played Dark Forces over and over but I never bothered with Full Throttle because, meh, a game about bikers. One day I was bored and had run out of things to play so I finally tried it. Not only did it become one of my all-time favorite games but it also introduced me to adventure games, which I'm still completely obsessed with.
I read the first book when I was in second grade because I ran out of Brian Jacques books to read. I didn't really want to read it (I distinctly remember telling my mother that I wasn't interested in magic at all), but there was nothing else so I decided to give it a few chapters.
Yeah... I own all of them now and I think the only book series I've read more times would be Lord of the Rings. Maybe Redwall.
Also, Pan's Labyrinth. A surreal, Spanish-language fantasy/horror? Yeah I really didn't think that was for me. I couldn't have been more wrong.