So, this week, here's my TOP 10 THINGS WHICH MAKE ME FEEL GOOD IN GAMES. You could argue that these are some of the reasons I actually continue playing games...and you would win that argument.
10. Reloading a gun.
It's just so satisfying to reload a nice gun so you have a full clip before unleashing the pain. Even if I've only fired 2 bullets out of 50, I still reload if there's nothing around. You never know when you need that extra bullet. Honestly, I can't even count the times when that last bullet managed a head-shot, my motto is 'Make every bullet count (Or failing that, just Spray and Pray and hope for the best. In fact, that's a far more accurate motto of mine)'
9. Escaping with a tiny bit of health.
So let me set a scene, there are a lot of bad guys shooting at you and you are certain you are going to die, you have no ammo, so you run, run like there's no tomorrow, bullets or arrows hit you in your back, your health is nearly at ZERO and you turn a corner and reach the end of the level, or find medkits and Ammo galore, Your free! And who said running wasn't a legitimate strategy? As someone once said "We're not retreating! We're just advancing in the other direction!
8. Checkpoint Reached...
Once every so often, I come across a frustrating level which I have to do over and over again, you get a little bit further than usual and [Checkpoint Reached...] OH THANK FUCK FOR THAT!! There's always one level in a game, always ONE which really REALLY annoys the HELL out of me! Some checkpoints are placed well, some in stupid places, in fact I was playing Tomb Raider Anniversary last week and, well, my neighbors heard me screaming "LAAAAARRRRRRRAAAAA! F£$^*$ING HELL!" I assured them that everything was in fact fine.
Playing some games on a laptop is not often a good idea
7. Accidentally pulling of an amazing Combo.
So I start of a simple combo (Mainly because i can't remember the big ones) and you get a little too excited, it half turns into a button mash and randomly pressing buttons, when you realize that you just pulled off an ultimate combo. Holy cow... Anyway, If I'm winning in a fighting game or Action hack 'n' Slash, you can be damn sure I'm being reeeeaaallly lucky.
6. Figuring out a confusing puzzle.
Some adventure games have this so called 'Moon Logic'. Anyway, you're stuck at a really frustrating puzzle, you've pretty much tgried everything, but you're determained to do this on your own. Then it hits you, it all comes together and Voila! "I'm a genious!"
5. Jumping from a really high building (and to a lesser extend, surviving).
So for some reason, I climb the tallest building in the game. Why I do this, even when it is frustrating, i have no Idea. But when I get to the top... well for me, it is so damn satisfying to just jump off it, all the way to the bottom, ages of torturous climbing undone in a few seconds. Feels good man. Notable 'Tallest building Jumping' goes to Assassin's Creed (God bless haystacks), Crackdown (Skills for Kills agent, Skills for Kills) and Prototype (>inFamous).
4. Defeating a really difficulty Boss.
What can I say? Killing that damn bastard before he kills you feels great. Although I hate to say it, the harder, cheaper and more frustrating the boss, the greater the feeling when it's freakin' dead. I'm getting quite good at boss fights now.
3. Completing the Story.
It all comes together, its all over, you've saved the world, you and you alone are responsible for undoing the Evil plans forever. Now you can rest and relax and feel good about that completed quest. Even shooters have basic stories which I enjoy, Maxy Payne and Halo are notable mentions. A lot of people say the Gameplay is greater than Story, I'd like to fucking point them in the direction of adventure games, which have quite shit gameplay, but why do I keep playing and love them? You guessed it, the goddamn story. While on the topic of Adventure games...
2. Clearing my inventory in adventure games.
All those useless items, combined or used and you no longer have to cycle through all that junk, it's so clean and empty, you know you've done a lot to get this far and now you can bask in the one or two items left if there are any at all. The feeling that no more stupid illogical puzzled involving jam jars and hose pipes are coming your way is fantastic!
1. Watching the Credits and reminiscing.
Game completed! This is the time where I watch the credits and reminisce about all my adventures, all the hardships I endured, the love, the loss and the killing. FUCK YEAH! Oh how I makes me feel great, that's why it's number 1 on this list.
So now that's over, does that sound about right? Also (Cocks) Tell me, what makes you feel happy when playing games? (The first person to mention Sexy Beach 3 and their lower regions is beyond help) Enjoy!
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Hell yes for #5. Lighting up a cigarette as the credits start to roll is probably my favorite thing. I also get a lot of satisfaction getting through a level without dying, any given level even the first. Mainly for schmups.
Good read. I really like finishing a game and watching credits.
Also Sexy Beach and masturbation is a great combination. Not as good as Dead or Alive and masturbation
Everytime I'm replaying Spider-Man 2 (which features the best physics of any of the games under the Spider-Man name), and I swing upwards, release a web, and just glide over the top of a building and land on the rooftop of one behind it without breaking stride and throw a fist pimp. I've also been enjoying Prototype for much the same reason.
Basically just any time you hit a certain rhythm of momentum that cannot be stopped. It's a great feeling.
I love the credit sequences that do a fly-over past places. Ahh Chrono Trigger, i do love thee so.
@suitcoatavenger: I know exactly what you mean - that feeling of momentum is the best. I haven't played Prototype yet, but I used to love Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (from same devs) for this very reason.
Good list though. I'm with ya on the reloading thing, also finally getting the useless (or, more precisely, exactly one use) crap out of the inventory in an adventure game.
Also, that picture of the Green Ranger cracked me up.
Shooting one bullet or a dozen bullets, I always feel uncomfortable whenever my ammo is not completely filled. Probably an OCD thing, but it makes me feel good, so that's all that matters.
I think Topsauce for you my friend :) Great article made all the more hilarious by little witty remarks and the odd spelling mistakes (I lol'd at "Maxy" Payne hehe)
I really like the quote ""We're not retreating! We're just advancing in the other direction!" :]
As for the Credits, I think Flower and MGS4 get the best award for Credits, amazing.
Great article again, keep it up :)
Great blog! Those are all definitely "feel good" worthy moments!
Some of my own best gaming moments tend to be related to online play. When some guy kills you when you spawn... then has the nerve to tbag you, well, killing him back in a spectacular manner (often a sniper shot) just feels soooo good!
(that and when your tank takes out a plane with one shot in Warhawk... no matter how many times I do it, it still feels great!) ;)
Wow, on retrospect, maybe I should have done a manual spellcheck.
Still, Maxy Payne is kind of funny, heheh.
I'm glad I'm not alone in these 'Feel good' moments!
I love watching those credits, I remember completing Grim Fandango very clearly. It really annoyed me when the Bioshock end cutscene just unceremoniously dumped me back at the main menu.
I forgot about that Bioshock thing, LAME.
@Freefall
Haha, like Garison, I <3 these blog top 10s. Dude, my favorite point, and the one I can relate to the most, is the climbing on buildings thing. If you like jumping off high places, go BUY Jumping Flash 1 or 2, right now. It's the best jumping game you'll ever play where you can survive a giant drop.
Also, you look a bit like a Jewish version Anthony Burch, sans beard!
A brother from another mother?
@Magnalon
Uh okay, I'll take that as a compliment! That picture of me is nearly 3 years old though, and coincidentally, I had been sporting a dodgy beard for the past month, but shaved it yesterday!
I'll take a look into Jumping Flash 1+2
"A brother from another mother?"
Oh lol. That cracked me up!
You forgot "Bustin'".
@Freefall
Watch some movies online, it might be your thing. It's a bit of a weird game, but the jumping aspect is unrivaled. I think the first one is on the PSN store as a classic.
Also, it was a compliment :D
haha, very nice. I'm also a big fan of climbing buildings or other things in games (mushrooms?), and it always makes me angry when there is an invisible wall/ceiling blocking me from doing that because the designers don't want me to have fun outside of there missions and such.
@Sohnvonben
Yes, very few things annoy me more than invisible walls blocking my fun. In fact, that's one of the saving graces of Sandbox games.
"Oh cool, I'll just jump on this rock and... oh... it's an invisible wall...Grrrrr"
This is a bit specific but I fell so damn good when I clear a hard dissapearing blocks section in megaman. Just sooo good.
Good read! The ammo thing also bothers me, I NEED to have a full clip at all time.
I like passing cars on the home stretch in racing games and coming in first by an inch. It's always a good feeling... Gold medals on Kill missions in Prototype also feels very good.
I feel good when I fap while playing games.
Awwwwriiiiighhhhttt.
This is only kind of related, but the title of your article made me remember a specific moment of Bioshock.
I was carrying a splicer around with telekinesis like a meat-shielf, when another splicer popped up out of nowhere. It scared me, so I released the trigger, and the dead splicer slammed into the live one and killed him. It was a total accident, but it was the most badass accident ever -- I just a killed a guy with another dead guy's body WITH MY MIND POWERS.
That's fucking cool.
What a true list. Good work man.