Getting Back into Video Games?

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Any former gamers who want to go back to playing video games? I haven’t played since middle school so I can’t remember how to use a controller. I miss video games and I want to learn how to play again.

Hey!

The industry is really starting to flourish lately, with the steady flow of games rolling in. Pretty much anything you like is available in a variety of budgets.

If you're looking into console gaming, I'd recommend either a handheld Nintendo platform like the 3DS or a PlayStation 4. You could also try tracking down a Nintendo Switch, it has an amazing lineup of games already.

If you don't mind investing a little bit of money into a decent gaming computer, PC gaming is going as strong as ever. from triple A titles to indie games, you'll have a huge variety of games to play. Cuphead is currently taking the world by storm right now.

Yep, it all just depends on just what kinds of games you're after.

It doesnt matter which genre it is: They are all doing fine right now. Even genres that used to be super obscure and rare? Not so much anymore.

My own favorite genres are roguelikes and shmups. There was a time when these were rare. Now they're both darned common.

That's on PC though: Be aware that if you're on consoles it's almost entirelky about the AAA games. 99% of indie games never appear on consoles. Which is a shame, as there's some seriously amazing stuff out there.

I personally just use both PC and one of the consoles. Nintendo's specifically. I do have a PS4 but I never use it.

XBox 360 - you can pick up a slim model with 250GB hard drive for about £60 and games for as little as £3. I particularly recommend the GTA games (IV, V and Episodes from Liberty City), Red Dead Redemption, Ghostbusters: the Video Game, Blur and Split/Second: Velocity.

I wouldn't recommend an Xbox to be honest, unless you're really invested in Halo. Many of Xbox's games are also on PC and you'd be missing out on a lot of console exclusives from Nintendo or PlayStation.

The 3ds is a good way to go

The one thing I'd like to add here: RESEARCH what you buy. Research it alot. The companies that make these things? Many of them arent exactly trustworthy. Some are shady or outright nasty. The last thing you want to do is buy something, and get exactly what you DIDNT want. Which is, unfortunately, happening alot recently, particularly in the AAA side of the market.

Like the whole "loot box" thing. One of the worst things to come out of the industry, it effectively corrupts any game it gets into, and the Big Guys want it to be in as many products as they can manage. It takes games and makes them DRAMATICALLY more expensive than the original buying price. You end up needing to pay MORE, beyond that initial purpose, to keep playing them. More and more and more as they do everything they can to addict you to the process.

Or other times, you might get games that, well... the people that make them kinda lie, or skew the hell out of the truth. Maybe you get something that promises a bazillion features, an epic adventure... and it proves to be exactly 2 hours long, with zero replay value. Or maybe it's a hideous buggy disaster that barely even functions. Or perhaps it's horribly unbalanced, complete with terribly frustrating sections that cause you to wonder why you ever wasted your money on it. All bad games will always be portrayed, by those selling them, as GOOD games. Great games.

And really, only you, the consumer, can counter any of this. Dont make the mistake that so very, very many gamers (and consumers in general) make: Dont just buy things blindly. Take the time to truly research your purchase. Read some reviews, watch some gameplay videos (not just review videos), see what the game is REALLY like, before you decide to purchase it.

Just trust me on this one: This makes a HUGE difference.... and in the end, is much less damaging to your funds. No matter what type of game you're after or what platform it's on, all of these things apply.