Console RPGs and Epic Heroes
So, I've been playing FF7 off and on a bit. And in thinking on it, I've come to approve of the limited upgrade stuff for people, there's really no reason I should have to worry about micromanaging armor and weapons and all that crap. Sometimes, detail gets in the way. "Hey, better sword!" works fine.
But there's a fundamental problem with it and most other console RPGs, from a dramatic and gameplay standpoint. To get all the characters and nifty stuff, you have to spend far too much time wandering around and beating up the local wildlife for money. That's not epic. That's not heroic. I'm wandering around fighting weird plant things that spit fire, or robotic motorcycles that drive themselves. Over and over.
Obviously, combat is one of the main elements of the game, and much of the fun. But it's fun when it's a challenge, or to show off spiffy new skills. Fighting purple birds for the fourteenth time is old. At least for me. It's another reason for me to stay away from MMORPGs, because most of those involve hunting and slaying the local wildlife and taking their money, so you can get to the meat of the game, leveling up and getting the nifty new toys.
The random combats only act to draw out the game. Afterwards, what do you remember? The storyline and the boss fights, not beating up rats. The random fights are just filler. And it'd be nice to have an RPG experience without all the filler.
But there's a fundamental problem with it and most other console RPGs, from a dramatic and gameplay standpoint. To get all the characters and nifty stuff, you have to spend far too much time wandering around and beating up the local wildlife for money. That's not epic. That's not heroic. I'm wandering around fighting weird plant things that spit fire, or robotic motorcycles that drive themselves. Over and over.
Obviously, combat is one of the main elements of the game, and much of the fun. But it's fun when it's a challenge, or to show off spiffy new skills. Fighting purple birds for the fourteenth time is old. At least for me. It's another reason for me to stay away from MMORPGs, because most of those involve hunting and slaying the local wildlife and taking their money, so you can get to the meat of the game, leveling up and getting the nifty new toys.
The random combats only act to draw out the game. Afterwards, what do you remember? The storyline and the boss fights, not beating up rats. The random fights are just filler. And it'd be nice to have an RPG experience without all the filler.