"Love it or hate it" games

[Yoshi]

I'd rather have a game that does something completely new or great and falls flat in other areas than a game that treads mostly old ground flawlessly. Almost always.

I'm completely the opposite.

Typically "innovative" is a euphamism for "gimmick." What were the best games of 2005? Resident Evil 4, Ninja Gaiden Black, God of War, Devil May Cry 3, and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow are certainly near the top of list. None of those do anything completely new, and they kick the shit out of every game that does. The only 2005 game I can think of that I would label as both great and "innovative" is Guitar Hero. That's it. I couldn't possibly be less interested in a non-game like Electroplankton.

This isn't to say that I don't want developers to take some risks with tried and true formulas. Stuff like Xbox Live integration or utilizing the Revolution's controller functions in some creative but non-gimmicky way are evolutions. Evolution is good. Hell, I would even call Shenmue an evolution, as it just borrowed from a handful of existing gameplay ideas and threw them in a blender.

I think the DS is a great polarizing agent here. I have no use for stylus control. I own a DS because it appears to be the last place I am likely to get a 2D Castlevania. If Igarashi would have left out the touch screen shit in Castlevania, it would have been an even better game. I enjoyed Phoenix Wright and Advance Wars as well. Neither of those require the stylus. I played Kirby for about an hour. That game could have been better in every way if it didn't have the option of relying on a gimmick.

I think I'm off the original topic a bit, so I'll try to tie this back. Typically love it or hate it games are ones that stray pretty far from what has worked in the past. They please people who want variety over quality. They piss off people who want the opposite.

Of the games NZE listed, I love Shenmue and Morrowind and have not played PN03 or Killer 7. Killer 7 interests me, because I enjoy a good story, but the reports of its gameplay have scared me away thus far. I wouldn't call Shenmue or Morrowind overly "innovative," nor would I call Morrowing a "love it or hate it" game. If you hate Morrowind, you're a fucking retarded f-chan, as there are no legitimate reasons to not find that particular game worthy.

The ones that I would list as "love or hate" games are...

I hate Ico/Shadow of the Collossus
I love MMORPGs in general
I love Horizontal shooters but hate Vertical shooters
I love Arcade racers but hate Simulation racers
I love strategic fighters but hate "casual" fighters

edit: Another thread reminded me of Rez. That's a total piece of shit that belongs on the list.

[EvilMog]

wow, I actually agree with Yoshi on a lot of stuff. WTF!?
Yoshi, will you be my new best friend?

[elfneedsfood]

I think Breakdown is another game that would be on this list. I love Breakdown. Of the games listed, I love PN03, REZ, and Disaster Report. I hate Morrowind and Shenmue. Killer 7 is just ok.

[dakidski]

I haven't really played Killer 7 because it looks like japanese weirdness for the sake of weirdness with no gameplay

Correct. I loathe that game to hell and back. I can't believe that reading messageboards made me buy this pile of crap at full price. Returned the first week. As for love: shenmue.

[Rocca]

I'm completely the opposite.

Typically "innovative" is a euphamism for "gimmick." What were the best games of 2005? Resident Evil 4, Ninja Gaiden Black, God of War, Devil May Cry 3, and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow are certainly near the top of list. None of those do anything completely new, and they kick the shit out of every game that does. The only 2005 game I can think of that I would label as both great and "innovative" is Guitar Hero. That's it. I couldn't possibly be less interested in a non-game like Electroplankton.

Precisely. And with that said, I will side with the 'Love It' demographic.

[SpoDaddy]

I agree that the DS is absolutely a polarizing agent. Stuff like Kirby, Nintendogs, Trauma Center, all love it or hate it games. People that love them consider their innovations fun, people that hate them consider their innovations gimmicks.

For the record, lots of people were calling the analog stick on the N64 a gimmick in 1996.

[Yoshi]

wow, I actually agree with Yoshi on a lot of stuff. WTF!?
Yoshi, will you be my new best friend?

Would you believe that once upon a time Final Fantasy was my favorite game? Granted, that was 1990, but...

For the record, lots of people were calling the analog stick on the N64 a gimmick in 1996.

Those must have been your crackhead, Yankee-fan friends.

I think Breakdown is another game that would be on this list. I love Breakdown.

I'm glad you posted that. I never got around to playing it and had forgotten all about it.

[NeoZeedeater]

The only 2005 game I can think of that I would label as both great and "innovative" is Guitar Hero. That's it.

Have you played Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Darwinia, or Indigo Prophecy? They're all great and innovative games from 2005. I'm not sure if they're "love it or hate it" games though.

[Salsashark]

I don't get where this gimmick thing is coming from. None of the games Neozeed listed are gimmicky and neither are any of the ones that popped into my head, with the probable exception of Stretch Panic. That seems to be more of a hate it or hate it type game though.

[Yoshi]

Have you played Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, Darwinia, or Indigo Prophecy? They're all great and innovative games from 2005. I'm not sure if they're "love it or hate it" games though.

I played Jungle Beat on an in-store demo but have not played the other two - though I still need to order the Euro PC version of Indigo Prophecy.