There are some games I know I won’t like, but still buy and play. I feel it’s part of being a good game designer. Here’s my short list and reasons.
I recently discussed how a lot of “bad” games merit a right to exist, and previously mentioned numerous inspirations for Postmortem that I did not in fact enjoy. So why do I play them? Because many games have some gameplay mechanic or narrative technique deserving recognition regardless of my personal preferences.
| Why I hate it | Why I play it | |
| Lone Survivor | Dislike the SurvivorHorror genre for its limited gameplay and “forced” sense of weakness and vulnerability. | Shows that a 2D, pixel-art game can be moody, scary and tackle adult subjects well. Interesting narrative too. |
| FarmVille | Pointless time waster designed to be as addictive and exploitative as possible. | The de-facto role model for a highly popular and successful social game. The addictive game mechanics, as evil as they might be, are brilliant in their design. Great study case for gamer’s psychology. |
| The Last Express | Hate point & clicks for often arbitrary and illogical puzzles always leading me to using a walkthrough | Addition of a real-time component was very unique – one of few games which story and outcome may change solely based on being in the right place at the right time! |
| AntiChamber | Not a fan of puzzle games in general (don’t have the patience). | Some very unique and mind-bending trick with the first-person perspective often making you feel you’re genuinely part of the puzzle. |
| Binding of Isaac | Roguelikes tend to bore me quickly with their repetitive nature | Good example of a simple but polished game that knows what it’s best at and just focuses on it. Interesting premise and story as well that appeals to my own twisted sense of humor. |
| Tiny and Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers | Platformers, again, are not my genre. | The “cutting giant stones” mechanic + real-time physics lead to some great gameplay scenarios. First genuinely unique use of physics since Half Life 2. |
| The Path | (Deliberately) terrible controls and overly ambiguous story. | One of the first indie experimental/artistic titles trying to show games can be more than just games. The controls, as much as I disliked them, also showed how gameplay can be a part of the game’s message. |
Just as a writer should read a lot or a filmmaker should watch a lot, I feel a game designer should play a lot of games, and never stop educating him or herself.