In this November's EDGE (British gaming mag) Koji Aizawa of Famitsu (Japanese gaming mag) writes about what he calls game erectile dysfunction. Basically he is saying that a lot of the excitement is gone from playing games. While games are technically speaking getting better, and are enjoyable, that the addictive, gotta play it qualities are lacking.



I have to agree with him. It started a few years ago for me. I would be very excited about a game coming out and when I got it, it would be good but I wouldn't finish it, I just couldn't bring myself to keep playing it after about halfway through.



The first game I noticed this on was Final Fantasy X. I am a rabid Final Fantasy player and go back to play the older ones again from time to time, however I have never finished X, X-2, or XII. I will not argue against the fact that these games are better than say FFIV. They are definatly better made, balanced, written, translated etc, ect.. However I just don't feel like I have to pick them up again the next day.



As far as RPGs go there have only been a few that have done this for me in recent years. Dragon Quest VIII, FInal Fantasy XI, and Everquest 1.



What the hell is wrong with me? Even the newer MMOs don't do it for me. It is not like I switched to an MMO prefered playing style like I know that many people have. There is something fundementally changed in these games. I know this because I still love to play the old games.



So what games am I playing right now? Let's break it down by system:



PS3:

Calling All Cars

Castlevania SotN

Guitar Hero 3



PS2:

Dragon Quest VIII (still some stuff I haven't finished in game+ mode)



Wii:

Ice Hockey



DS:

Etrian Odyssey



PC:

DoomRL (rogue like)

Ultima 1



So I am using my next gen systems to play ancient, middle aged, or retro styled games or plain old score chasers (GH3). I am using my fairly high end PC to play one of the very first RPGs and an ascii console game. My DS game of choice is a throw back to games that came out a few years after Ultima. And my PS2 choice is from a series that prides itself on making very little change since its original Ultima inspired entry.



I have come to a strange conclusion. I think new games are lacking three things:

1. Exploration elements. These are all but gone from the MMOs at this point. FFXI and EQ1 are the last seriously supported games that don't lead you by the hand from one zone to another. Only Oblivion and DQVIII have had serious free form exploration front and center on the single player RPG front.
2. Play is dead. These games just don't feel like playing a game  anymore. Where is the sheer joy of chasing that high score (other than you GH)? Games have scores but for the most point they are pointless. Most things are carefully tailored entertainment experiences anymore.
3. Difficulty. Put me in real danger. I mean real danger in game of course, let's not have exploding DS carts. Give me permanent death like Rogue. Give me real losses if I die in an MMO, make me scared of dropping a level.  Give me three lives and no continues.  Common wisdom is that these are not player friendly anymore, but I am starting to think that the games aren't game friendly anymore. I cannot loose. It is almost impossible to not finish a game if you keep beating your head against it. No one beats a game anymore, no one 'solves a PS3 tape", they finish an entertainment experience. Oblivion is one of the worst offenders for this, it actually protects you with enemy leveling.

I hate to say it, as I was very much against it in UO, but I miss open kill them all PvP in MMOs. I still think it was poorly thought out in UO but if I was to start an MMO again right now, it would be Lineage 2.