2012 - Video Game Resolutions

So 2012 is upon us and you’ve no doubt already broken those New Year’s Resolutions. This year I decided I would skip away from those, ‘eat more healthy’, ‘do more exercise’, ‘quit smoking’ options and instead gone with the ‘what didn’t I do in 2011 approach?’

Here’s the idea – why not this year do all the things you really want to do and finish those things you didn’t get sorted in the last 12 months.

Try a New Genre

I’ve always been interest in strategy games on the Xbox but have never really played them. I gave Viva Piñata a go and thoroughly enjoyed it (for a time) but beyond this my experiences have been fairly limited. My friends love a bit of Halo Wars but I can’t work out why you would ever want to play it without a keyboard and mouse. There are loads of great games out there for us all to play even if they aren’t the specific genre you usually play.

If you like a shooter play a sports game? If you like RPG’s go out into the real world?

Complete the Games I Did Not Finish

In a manner of speaking my shelf is full of unfinished 360 classics. I’ve finished most through the main story but I’ve never taken on the side quests or realty bumped up the difficult. Dragon Age: Awakening is my biggest disappointment. Coming out at a time when a lot of great games were release it took a bit of a back seat and hasn’t ever ventured into my box. It’s on the shelf, it’s still wrapped and I know one day I will play it. That and I need to do 4 of the Origin stories from the main game.

Bulk up the difficulty on one of your favourites like Halo Reach with a single player Legendary run or try to get 100% of the achievements in all your most played games.

Try a Game that got a Lower Score

Some of the major website and magazines give great scores to developers based on their general relationships. This can sometimes blur the line between a generally good game that maybe got a below par score. It’s also a shame that most gamers will no play anything that didn’t get at least 8 out of 10 or 80% overall. Just because a game gets a high score doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy it and alternatively just because a game got a low score doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it either. Leave your score snobbery at the door and try a game because ‘you’ think it looks entertaining. Game of course end up cheap if they don’t get their billion sales so try something released last year or even the year before.

Earth Defence Force is a great series for the arcade feel. Yes its’ clear the visuals aren’t great and of course not everyone will like it but for £5.00 who’s complaining?

Become an XBLA Gamer

Paying £40.00 or £50.00 for each new release is more than just a little pricey so why no join the online age and pick up some XBLA games. These range from the brilliant to the downright unplayable but if you pick a good one it can eat as many hours as any full retail game. Castle Crashers is a prime example and is great fun singularly or with friends – it’s got the ‘one more level’ addiction and some colourful and interesting styles.

If you don’t play XBLA then my question is, why not? It really has something for everyone. Try Trine 2 if you love an RPG or Trials if you love a pick up and play title with a decent amount of challenge.

Now is the time to break your old habits and with the New Year behind us really try to give yourself something new. Do you avoid certain genres? Do you hate low scoring games? If you answered yes to either question then you’re probably a game snob like me… the only difference is that I’m changing my ways. Have you tried anything new recently and enjoyed the experience? Or do you have a good reason to disagree with this post? Sound off in the comments below.