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Something I've noticed this generation of gaming is that the cost of all games has gone up by a minimum starting price of $20 and ranges between 20-30$. That I can only assume is due to all of these big name titles coming from the powerhouse companies such as EA that spend a ton of money making a game, and have to make up for it with high game prices. Now that's not to horrible, considering it was like that last gen too. The problem that's come up though, is that any game that gets ANY recognition at all is always from these powerhouse companies, and it also almost seems like they're the only ones actually making games now a days.
The reason I loved my Ps2 so much was because of the HUGE variety of games they had. RPG, kids games, movie games, shooters, action, platformers, and all other genres and hybrids of genres you can think of. With the new generation I've seen mainly two things: sports games and shooters.
Now it seems like all the original thought that comes from people who just want to make a game and have fun is being squashed out by the big dogs, and frankly, while I like having the big dog on my team during football, they're not always fun to play with. Sometimes you pick the little guy not because of their size, but because of their merit. I don't want someone telling me the game is going to be good just because it was made by Rockstar or EA or any of these other big companies. I want them telling me the game is good, because it's actually a good game.
Give me my Loco Roco, my Katamari, my Psychonauts, and my Shadow of the Colossus.
I don't care about having my cake and eating it too, but I'd rather have several cakes of different kinds with neat and interesting fillings than three chocolate cakes made by the same person.

Do you think there's going to be room for underdog games in this new generation of gaming? Or are we going to be reduced to a small library of what we're told is good?

Edit: Yeah...I realize I kind of go off on a few things without truly coming to a point. So I'll try to come back to this and fix it up every so often to make it a bit better.

I know, and that's why I'm waiting for a price drop in the PS3 and it's games. There are some brilliant and beautiful looking games for it, but it's just too damned expensive! I'd rather go with a good old game for the PS1 (eg, Crash Bandicoot) than something flashy and expensive which I might not like for the PS3.

Indeed; I never buy new games nowadays, 70$ is too much for me crying

Try $130 and you'll be closer to NZ prices for epic games.

I prefer serious games, but I do LOVE the Harvest Moon series smile

Which is why you love MGS right? wink

yeah i think its silly even if another company would make a different/awesome game because the base price set by the economically consuming game designers thats how much every game comes out to which is silly. I don't mind paying retail but it would be nice if they were only allowed oh i don't know like (just cause i'm clueless) 25 % or something on everything they sell and they can go less if they want ... but i have the same problem i dislike first person shooters and i find the game library for the newer systems to be very limited the only game i'm willing to try for the ps3 right now is god of ... heavenly sword

DS? Nonononooooo.

...

Harvest moon? Nooooope.