It is a blessing and a curse when you find a game you really love.
As a sequel to the last n00b News, I’ve decided to explore the other point of view when it comes to glitchy games. Looking back on my favorite titles and gaming habits, I’ve realized some of my favorites are famous for not being perfectly polished. As long as the glitches weren’t game-breaking, they’ve supplied a little bit of humor and charm to the experience.
An example that immediately comes to mind is “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim” by Bethesda Game Studios. This is by far one of my favorite games. It is, however, a little rough around the edges. I’ve gotten stuck in the map, taken advantage of leveling glitches, and had minor issues with dragon soul absorption. These bugs haven’t ruined the game for me, and it’s because these problems are isolated, and Bethesda does a remarkable job in other areas.
My life and responsibilities have been put on the backburner this week since the “Fallout 4” release. The game’s reviews have been vastly positive so far. Although there are reports of the game being buggy for some players, I have not experienced anything that has hindered my deep enjoyment of it after days of gameplay.
A niche Bethesda fills in a unique way is creating an awesome first-person RPG experience with games like “Fallout 4” and “Skyrim.” No other game studio has done it as well as Bethesda in this area. With massive open worlds, yet an acute attention to the finer details, I find myself falling in love with Bethesda titles more often than any other.
So, to celebrate “Fallout 4” and studios that focus on making their games not suck, here is a list of reasons why Bethesda gets it right.
No game-breakers at launch
Nothing is more frustrating than buying a game, running home excitedly, playing for several hours, and then finding a glitch that makes it impossible to move forward in the storyline. To my knowledge, Bethesda has never released a game with any serious issues.
Except for one non-playable character in my “Fallout 4” game who continued to walk into a car instead of finding a path around it, I haven’t found a bug that has hindered my storyline progression.
Immersive gameplay
A big factor I judge a game on is my ability to get completely immersed in it. The purpose of my gaming habit is to be able to temporarily forget the stress and worries of real life. If hours of gaming go by before I snap back to reality and realize how much time has passed, I call it a successful game.
I was elated to find out virtually everything I could ever want to customize in “Fallout 4” is customizeable. Weapons, face, clothing, surroundings and power armor all have deep customization possibilities, creating a truly unique experience for each player.
Bethesda does a great job of creating side missions. In an interview with GamesRadar, one of the producers of “Fallout 4” admitted to playing about 400 hours and still finding things he hadn’t seen yet. One thing that makes these titles special to me are the side missions that can keep you busy for months, maybe years. The opportunities for deep customization and endless exploration are just more perks.
The feels
It takes a special combination of elements to create a game that inspires genuine childlike excitement and curiosity. I am struck with nostalgia every time I hear the “Skyrim” theme song. Although I am a newcomer to the “Fallout” series, the musical score really complements the game. Parts of “Fallout 4” are definitely challenging, and I’ll admit to yelling in rage on several occasions. I’m particularly fond of the way I feel like I’m in control of the story when I play Bethesda games. The combination of a good story, art style, musical score and challenge are just a few of the factors that make a memorable game.
As humans living in a world where the media is always trying to capitalize on negative emotions, I feel like bugs in video games sometimes get blown out of proportion. If something goes wrong for one person, it will be put on the Internet and shared around. The public might eventually get the notion the bug is not just an isolated event because of the mass distribution of gamer misfortune.
Game developers are people too. People aren’t perfect. Considering the depth and vast amount of possibilities in the above mentioned games, Bethesda consistently releases quality gaming experiences.