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I realize that by posting this, I will be incurring the wrath of numerous (meaning zero) readers. But I despise online video games. There. It's all out on the table now.
From World of Warcraft to Red Dead Redemption, the saturation of online gaming is nearing the 100 percent mark. Many people purchase games based solely on the multiplayer portion. And now, I call on you, my dear readers. That's right. I'm breaking the wall. What is so damn appealing about online gaming?
I've tried it. Hell, I enjoyed it once or twice. But what I don't understand is why it's now tacked on to almost every single game, regardless of whether it benefits as a whole or not. WoW, Everquest, and others like these are not part of this. That's all that they're about. But why Assassin's Creed? Why Red Dead Redemption? RDR is among the greatest games I've played. The atmosphere, the music, the world; it all works. And it works in conjunction with one of the most powerful and moving stories of all video game time. But where does the multiplayer fit in? What does it add to the story of John Marston? I posit absolutely nothing. It was put there solely to pander to the desires of the masses. At least in my opinion.
I've been proud of Mass Effect for not giving in to the demands for multiplayer. Mass Effect 2 is an amazing game, and I don't see that it needs multiplayer. I've heard some disconcerting rumours, though. As we all know, Mass Effect 3 has been pushed back. Not a big deal. I'm not going to the top of a clock tower with a sniper rifle. But I've heard (through the grapevine, even) that it's possibly to put in multiplayer. NOOOOO!!! Why? What does it do to make the story of John Shepard and his crew any better? Nothing. I liked the idea of Bioware making a separate MMORPG for the Mass Effect universe. It would allow for the developers to optimize both games in a separate time frame, making the consumer the winner. But maybe it's not meant to be.
I play video games to escape the real world. When I have a bad day, I come home and I pop in a game, and I'm in a different world for a little bit. I don't need to socialize. I'm happily married. I have friends that live down the street. If I wanted to play a game with somebody, I'd break out my SNES and go see my buddies. I play video games when I want to get away from everybody. But maybe that's just me.
