Although I still enjoy current-gen games, I feel like gaming doesn't have that "drive" anymore. Think back to the good ol' days, for example, with the release of Chrono Trigger on SNES (Greatest Game of All Time, IMO), there was nothing that could stop me from enjoying that game. It would not matter what screen size, what home theatre setup, and what sound system you had. The game would still be enjoyed. Nowadays, I feel gaming has been hijacked by non-gamers so-to-speak. A lot (not all) games nowadays seem to feel like there are nothing but cash-ins (Halo Wars, c'mon, that totally doesn't fit, why do you think Bungie switched the first Halo to FPS?), others incomplete (Red Steel) and others just plain garbage (Cruis’n for Wii). Many companies seem to think about the dollar before the experience. In other words, they are sell-outs. In-game advertisement is a big one. This is one of my most hated things in gaming. The worst feeling I had with my Xbox 360 was when I was playing Crackdown (not a bad game at all) and the first thing I did after leaving the agency was seeing a billboard of "The New 2007 Dodge Caravan." What really pisses me off is how the developers totally ignored the world they created to make an extra buck. How does the new 2007 Dodge Caravan even remotely fit in a world that is literally hundreds of years later?! This definantly wasn't the only time, as Microsoft advertises cars on the Xbox 360 dashboard on every single blade! A video games is not a new medium to put your advertising on! There are a few developing companies that I totally trust to not let me down, and some so far haven't, but I can sense that they will one day. Companies like Rockstar, Square Enix, and Valve are my most adored. There are others that I totally despise with all my heart (See: EA). And it's not like they don't deserve my love or hate. They really do. They brought it upon themselves. To me, it seems that the people call the shots in the industry aren't even gamers and don't understand the type of artwork video games really are.

Thanks for reading, Anyone else agree with me? Or am I alone on this one!

I do not agree with the topic.

Please elaborate, not to have any harsh discussion or anything, but I'm just curious

I agree with you.

I was at GameStop yesterday and there wasn't anything that caught my interest. All the games they had were just mindless Halo and Grand Theft Auto clones. At least during the so-called "Good Old Days" the clones of popular games were good.

Just look at Rare's Nintendo 64 games. Most of them were clones of Mario 64 or Zelda. But ya know something? They were still a lot of fun. To this day I love playing Donkey Kong 64 as much as I love playing Super Mario Galaxy. (I may be alone on that one).

Well I remeber last gen with the GC how fun SPM and SMS was, those mario games were awsome, but I still feel as if gaming is still good, heck even better. Call of duty 4, and games like Assassins creed, and SMG are still amazing.

I don't agree with you, sorry. I can enjoy a game as much today as I did back in the SNES days. In fact, I think games have gotten better. If something as trivial as advertising bothers you, then you'd better get a time machine and travel back a decade.

Just because some games are cash-ins or have unecessary advertising, that doesn't necesseraly mean they deprive everyone of that "drive" you seem to love so much.

You expect video games to be a pure and perfect. However, that is not going to happen--not even in a Utopia. Music, films, television, and pretty much every entertainment medium is subject to the issues you address.

I hope I said something meaningful. =/

love them or hate them get used to the advertising in games it is just going to get worse.

and well I do agree with what you had to say other than the halo wars comment, that will be a good game. it is being built ground up for the 360 its not a port or anything. while yes m$ is thinking about the money i dont think they will just throw out a shitty game and ruin the reputation of the franchise.

By the way, AWESOME name!! =)

Thanks man, it wasn't the first time I was complimented on it :D