Attention Gamers
Is the trend for epic games leaving gamers who just want a quick five minute hit high and dry?
This was supposed to be an article about reassessing the Grand Theft Auto franchise in light of the latest addition to its line but I’m leaving that to Bubbaray now because while playing GTA4 something far more alarming came up which prevented me from playing the game at all – my attention span.
This is something I’ve never had a problem with before, I made it through both Shenmue games in their entirety which include large periods of time when you have nothing at all to do but wait. In other areas of my life it still isn’t a problem, I’m still able to watch long black and white films in foreign languages without getting bored. But now, when it comes to games, my attention span has vanished.
Long cut scenes, no matter how well acted or animated, just bore me; “Get on with it!” I cry. Maybe it’s my age but all I seem to want from a game now is five minutes of quick action. Strangely, the games industry today doesn’t seem to cater to this need anymore. Even the arcade style racing games of today often have cut scenes or overly complex menu systems that take minutes to get through. Happily there is an answer: retro-gaming. Yes, I know this is pretty obvious considering this is essentially a retro-gaming website but my point is that playing old games isn’t just a nostalgia trip for geeks, games have changed so much since the adoption of 3D that old games actually fill a gap in the market no longer met by modern games. And you don’t even have to mess about with emulators to play them anymore, with the XBox Live Arcade, the Wii’s Virtual Console, retro remakes for the PC not to mention online Flash or Java versions of thousands of classics it has never been easier.
So the next time you feel the need for some gaming action but don’t have the time or inclination to get into a big game, take a step back in time, try Stop the Express available online here or rediscover Tetris with this radical reinterpretation. The funny thing about instant action is, although you only wanted five minutes, once you start playing you can find yourself at it for hours.
I do hope that my gaming attention span hasn’t gone for good because I do love big epic adventures and detailed simulators but I’m just glad I can still be enjoying great games in the mean time.
