A lot of us have firm dislikes for mechanics, aesthetics, and the overall experience of a game that we either overlook or that just act as outright dealbreakers. Things that grate on our nerves, and maybe we tolerate them. Or maybe we flip the table and trade the game in for something better.
Perhaps it's random battles, or level grinding in an RPG, or memorizing combos in a fighter, or block puzzles in an adventure game.
But sometimes, every once in a while, a game comes along that makes us LIKE those things we hate 99.9% of the time. What are yours?
As an example, I'm lukewarm to turn-based battles, and not keen on ones where I can't see the character. As a rule I hate random encounters and can't stand having to level-grind to get ahead.
And yet, I'm absolutely crazy about the Etrian Odyssey games. I actually LIKE the turn-based battles. The indicator for the approach of a random monster is a great twist on what's otherwise an incredibly frustrating part of the RPG experience. The first-person/Dragon Quest-style battle setup keeps the action quick. And Grinding is pretty fun. There's a nice payoff when you can increase a skill, and know that your character build is somewhat unique based on how you spend those points.
Perhaps it's random battles, or level grinding in an RPG, or memorizing combos in a fighter, or block puzzles in an adventure game.
But sometimes, every once in a while, a game comes along that makes us LIKE those things we hate 99.9% of the time. What are yours?
As an example, I'm lukewarm to turn-based battles, and not keen on ones where I can't see the character. As a rule I hate random encounters and can't stand having to level-grind to get ahead.
And yet, I'm absolutely crazy about the Etrian Odyssey games. I actually LIKE the turn-based battles. The indicator for the approach of a random monster is a great twist on what's otherwise an incredibly frustrating part of the RPG experience. The first-person/Dragon Quest-style battle setup keeps the action quick. And Grinding is pretty fun. There's a nice payoff when you can increase a skill, and know that your character build is somewhat unique based on how you spend those points.