Malstrom: Mega Man herald of apocalypse (but game won't be all that great)

[Onyxmeth]

bdbdbd said:
@Onyxmeth: The thing that has changed in games is, that you need to master the controls/controller today, when 20 years back the issue was about mastering the game, since the controls were so simple and easy to learn.
And yes, games were indeed harder to beat back then, in general, but the fundamental difference between games back then and games today is, that in games today, you're just supposed to "clear objective", when games like Megaman 2 had the idea of playing for fun. Megaman 2 managed in this case almost as well as Super Mario Bros.
The question isn't about whether the game is hard or not, since it had only one purpose; to aim people who wants to have fun while playing it. Besides, it's mostly a pick-up-and-play type of game.
But why is Megaman 2 "hardcore" today but wasn't "hardcore" back then, is how the audience have changed. When the games have changed, the old audience have disappeared or atleast became minority, the "casual"/non-gaming/blue ocean audience have become the core and since the core is defining the "hardcore", the "hardcore" have changed along. What Malstrom wants to point out, is the "moving" goals and "moving" definition to fit current consensus. Megaman 2 was a blue ocean game back then for it being so easy and Megaman 9 is a blue ocean game today, for it being a game for the lapsed gamer, the gamer that grew up with 2D Megaman, to who the market haven't catered in a decade.

I agree that's what Malstrom was saying, and I totally disagree with it.

1. The reviewer was referring to "hardcore" strictly in terms of difficulty. Malstrom picked up on this, started speaking on it, and then went on a rant in a complete opposite direction on who defines hardcore and how it's strictly in the eyes of the beholder. While I agree with that point, it had nothing to do with the quoted reviewer's comment. Plenty of games that may have been "Blue Ocean" back in the days, are simply niche titles now. Case in point, the new Tecmo Bowl for DS.

2. Mega Man 2 wasn't hardcore back then because nobody coined the term yet. The term "hardcore" in regards to gaming is relatively new, so again, there's no point to be made. Mega Man 2 isn't really considered hardcore by yesturday's standards, but by today's which is something I believe to be true, and Malstrom obviously doesn't by his Brain Age and Wii Fit comment.

3. There is no evidence to support that this new audience the Wii is bringing in is the core/majority audience. One day it may be, but I believe a larger majority of console owners and game players were playing games last generation.

4. Mega Man 9 is no more of a Blue Ocean game than Castlevania, Contra, Galaga Legions, Pac Man Championship Edition, Tecmo Bowl DS, Gauntlet DS, etc. etc. Mega Man 9 also does not speak mainly to the "lapsed gamer" since this board itself, and I'm sure many others, have sung the praises of Mega Man 9. Are we all lapsed gamers here?

Also a lapsed gamer is not necessarily someone that grew up with Mega Man 2. A lapsed gamer would be someone that grew up with Mega Man 2, got out of gaming long ago and is being brought back in by Mega Man 9. That scenario is not very likely. Lapsed has nothing to do with people that enjoy retro gaming, which is the game's audience. Lapsed means no longer active or participating.