Multi Getting yourself out of a gaming slump

[TD]

I'm sure we've all been there. We go through a period of time where we don't play any games. Then you finally fire up whatever you wanna play and you just can't get into it.

As fellow gamers, what do you do to get out of this?

Do you go back to a nostalgic game?
Do you try something new?
Do you just accept you need a break?

I'm genuinely curious how some reinvigorate a hobby.

 

[Jon]

I recently went through this and went the nostalgia route. Final Fantasy and Persona have always been my go to's to pull me back in.

But recently, I was getting bored of CoD, and have to wait a few weeks for something new on GameFly. Was getting bored so I fired up FF8 remaster for shits and giggles. It's been a great time killer for me and triggered my desire to replay them all (which typically happens once a year for me anyway).

But I often find lulls a few times a year, but new games don't have the same pizzaz older ones did for me. I'm really looking forward to Rebirth, but that's still 6 weeks away. Till then, I am waiting for mid January for things like Last of Us Part 2 remaster since I never played it to get me through.

But I find myself losing attention a lot more quickly and giving up on games faster. Which is why I am thankful for GameFly and why I don't really mobile game anymore.

Robocop was my most recent victim. That game's controls and speed sucked, but I had high hoped. Played for a couple hours and sent it back. It wasn't fun and normally I would give a game time to grab my attention, but now? If I can't stand your controls, i'm not giving you a chance unless your story captivates me from the word go.

 

[Smacktard]

I find I can often focus on one thing at a time. I'll dedicate all of my time to writing, or playing guitar, or gaming, or gamedev, and every other hobby will fall to the side.

I've had a few gaming lulls before where my gaming drops off a lot. It hasn't happened for a while, and I think I chalk that up to the variety of games I play. If I get burnt out on JRPGs, I switch to Platformers, etc. I also enjoy challenging games, so I try to space easier games between them so I don't get burnt out on the easy games.

I rarely return to old favourites given my backlog is so big and there are so many great games I've yet to play.

 

[Lunar Kreskents]

I suppose I have gaming slumps where I don't play, but it's never because I don't want to, it's because I'm too busy. I also find it's hard to focus if I'm thinking about other things, so I basically spend 3-7 days a year, usually between Christmas and New Years when everyone else is busy doing other things, doing nothing but playing games, and rarely have time to focus on games the rest of the year, so when I do play games during the year it has to be something easy or familiar and often nostalgic as there just isn't time to spend learning a new game.

So I suppose the strategies there would be:

A) Be so busy all you want to is play games, so when you finally get that 3 days a year to play games, it's great. I spent my 3 days this New Years playing Crisis Core Reunion and the Theatrhythm demo. Last year I had a whole 7 days and played Death Stranding, and it stayed familiar enough I was able to play it from occasionally during the rare free time during the year. The year before that I played FF7 Remake.

B) If you're still in a slump then, it's probably because you're just not engaged by that particular game. This happened to me with the latest (or not sure if there's been a newer one since then?) PS4 God of War. I loved the other ones and just could not easily get engaged by the changes they made. It's okay to play something else. Games should be fun not a job, so play what's fun to you.

 

[TD]

But I often find lulls a few times a year, but new games don't have the same pizzaz older ones did for me.

I think this is one of my big problems. I've tried a lot of games and I just can't get into them. The most recent game I started and finished was Blasphemous which unironically is built like an older game.

But I find myself losing attention a lot more quickly and giving up on games faster.

Yup. The number of games that I see and have played <1 hour is large number.

It hasn't happened for a while, and I think I chalk that up to the variety of games I play. If I get burnt out on JRPGs, I switch to Platformers, etc. I also enjoy challenging games, so I try to space easier games between them so I don't get burnt out on the easy games.

This could be part of my issue. I am very selective with my games and don't have a wide array of game genres I typically dive into. It's hard getting into different genres sometimes.

B) If you're still in a slump then, it's probably because you're just not engaged by that particular game. This happened to me with the latest (or not sure if there's been a newer one since then?) PS4 God of War.

Yeah I couldn't get into that one either. Maybe you're right and I just have to find the right game.

 

[Lunar Kreskents]

The most recent game I started and finished was Blasphemous which unironically is built like an older game.

I too gravitate more towards games that "feel like" older games. The social aspects, free to play, microtransactions, emphasis on visual appeal over creative gameplay, etc aspects of modern games are really unappealing to me. It's going to be a sad day when the older feel is phased out, but to be honest I still have a huge catalog of old games that will be new to me when I get to them and plan to be working through those forever. I don't need amazing futuristic graphics, I just need a fun game to play that isn't constantly hounding me to buy shit or market myself. I'm happy to play something "new" to me that I already own

 

[Benzine]

Read a book.

Do some exercise.

Ten minutes later, the joy will come back and you'll remember what you like.

 

[Crystal]

I'm in one of these slumps right now, been away from games for a good while and been trying to get into a couple of games that some friends bought me as Christmas gifts on Steam, but...I can't. I tried going back to an old favourite in CoD4 and nope, no love there, either. Tried BioShock, Civ 6, Fable Anniversary. Nothing. Just can't get into games right now.

Have to figure out where the passion is and go down that route, but right now it's not there.

 

[Tubby23]

Read a book.

Do some exercise.

Ten minutes later, the joy will come back and you'll remember what you like.

Hey mate 420.

My other trick is I watch someone play a game I want to play on Twitch and usually end up excited to play again

 

[Benzine]

won't work right now as i have none

 

[Tubby23]

won't work right now as i have none

Bummer

 

[TD]

I too gravitate more towards games that "feel like" older games. The social aspects, free to play, microtransactions, emphasis on visual appeal over creative gameplay, etc aspects of modern games are really unappealing to me.

Yeah - a lot of modern games I'm just not a fan of. It sounds like we have very similar qualms with modern games. My other problem is game length. I only have so much time and games nowadays are so long.

Read a book.

Do some exercise.

The exercise part has definitely helped before - not currently.

I'm in one of these slumps right now, been away from games for a good while and been trying to get into a couple of games that some friends bought me as Christmas gifts on Steam, but...I can't.

Yeah this is close to where I'm at. It's not even like I have a lack of games I'd be curious to try.

My other trick is I watch someone play a game I want to play on Twitch and usually end up excited to play again

Hmmm this is an interesting idea. I used to do this for games I was curious of but too broke to buy but maybe it'll reinvigorate me.

 

[Mark]

I’ll be honest… I haven’t played a single player game in months beyond games I can pass the controller to Kristina on. I’ve wanted to get into a game, and have no shortage of a backlog, but I just haven’t even started one.

This isn’t uncommon for me. I went several years without even touching a system, fired up the PS3, got sucked into it for a while during the pandemic, and then eventually bought a PS4 after the PS5 was released and played catch-up on a bunch of games. After I got through a bunch of games, I got busier again and ultimately ended up moving at the end of last year… so I’ve yet to get back into it.

 

[VashTheStampede]

I set goals for myself. Last year I told myself I was going to play through the Assassin's Creed franchise. As long as I made roughly a chapter's progress a day, I was content. Tricked myself into enjoying it that way, with bite-sized goals like that. Get that dopamine hit any way you can. Made it through like 5 games before I got bored with it but by then there was other stuff I wanted to mess with.

This year I have deemed the Year of the RPG so I'm trying to play only RPGs this year. I'm almost halfway through the first Octopath Traveler which is PERFECT for my "bite-sized goals" approach. Finish a chapter for a character in a day and anything more is a bonus.

 

[TD]

Lots of good and different ideas coming in - I like it.

 

[Kat]

I don't think I've ever experienced this. I've probably played games every week unless something really crazy was going on which prevented me from doing so.

I do sometimes struggle to get into a complex or long or difficult game, and in those cases I'll look for a simple indie game. There are a whole bunch and they're usually free or cheap, so I can always find something interesting.

 

[Jawneh]

I got a couple fall back games I can get on if nothing else sparks me. Or something new is out that I might be interested in. Any content updates tend to help too to get back on other games inused to play.

Then maybe I'll feel like playing the other ones I was before. Like BG3 currently, or FFX.

 

[MrDawn]

I'm sure we've all been there. We go through a period of time where we don't play any games. Then you finally fire up whatever you wanna play and you just can't get into it.

I went on a hiatus for 9 months and completely walled myself off from gaming of any kind. I just didn't have it in me to play anymore.

 

[TD]

Still working on getting out of that slump or maybe find that right game.

Tried 3 today - 30 minutes each and don't have the desire to get back to them.

 

[Raine]

Considering I've been on and off with MMOs for over a decade now, slumps are... I don't know, kind of a constant? Like I'll log in, putz around for a couple of minutes, peruse a list of goals and then either choose something at random or log out. I spend a lot more time thinking about and talking about games than I do actually playing them.

Like last year, with Armored Core 6? Took like "3 months" to play entirely through that, but it was only something like 65 total hours. Which works out to something like 45 minutes a day average? Though realistically several long(er) days with complete radio silence in the meantime, occasionally interspersed with a round of daily or weekly MMO chores that take ~60 minutes. Otherwise, just posting here, watching YouTube videos, or staring listlessly at walls at my back of my eyelids.

And I hate-played/spite-finished a handful of games that I just wasn't gelling with over the last couple of years, which obviously I don't recommend doing. There's some small sense of "yay that's done," but there's like an endless list of those and it doesn't jumpstart the engine or anything like I feel it should.

Option paralysis is a super real thing too, especially with limited time to play. Sometimes I'll grab a handful of things on what would be a short list, pull one of those at random, and just take it for what it is. Usually best with games that are only like 5~10 hours long if possible, or of a very specific type. Like if you're in the mood for stories, TellTale stuff or Visual Novels/Escape Rooms. If it's gameplay, something quick and snappy like an N+ or a Meat Boy - though those are both difficult, so the idea should be more having a laugh than trying to finish.

I spun up and knocked out the Xbone version of Bastion that way. Granted I already knew I liked it because I had played it on X360 years and years ago, but still - could have just as easily landed on Transistor/Pyre/Hades and probably had a good time, if the PS3/4 were unpacked at the time.

And, y'know, you can choose something at random and see if any of us want to do an asymmetrical playthrough and share thoughts/notes as we go. Actually get that gaming book club idea off the ground or something. Besides Persona 3 and Like a Dragon, not sure what all is due out between now and FF7 Rebirth off-hand.

 

[TD]

I pretty much don't buy games anymore - aside from being gifted Lords of the Fallen and Dragons Dogma 2.

Aside from that - I try to find something from PS Plus / Catalog but that's a never ending backlog which does indeed border option paralysis.

 

[Raine]

Aside from that - I try to find something from PS Plus / Catalog but that's a never ending backlog which does indeed border option paralysis.

Same with GamePass, aye. I pop my head into TrueAchievements beyond the confines of my own profile every now and again, and it's just a sea of fire and everyone fretting about what games they "need" to work on ASAP before they come off of the service. It's... not great. I don't think that's a particularly great way to go about the hobby!

I did a scroll through the Catalog just now and, yeah, I find myself kind of whelmed. Aside from maybe Ys VIII/IX, I don't know that there's anything on there I saw where I would 1) want to immediately fire it up and 2) expect any amount of fun with in under an hour. Games are too chatty and lethargic these days, wanting to explain all the buttons and systems and crap.

 

[TD]

Aside from maybe Ys VIII/IX

I haven't played a Ys game since SNES. Are they good?

Games are too chatty and lethargic these days, wanting to explain all the buttons and systems and crap.

Yeah I think the root of one of my biggest issues with modern games comes down to this. I want to play my games. It's a big reason I've always been into Souls and Soulslike games. Minimal tutorial and chattiness then you get tossed in.

 

[Raine]

I haven't played a Ys game since SNES. Are they good?

Generally? Yeah. These two in particular? No idea, unfortunately! Part of the reason I would fire them up. It's Falcom so I assume there haven't been any revolutionary changes, but that doesn't mean things haven't been bogged down.

Hopping around a long Let's Play of Ys IX keeps winding up with the video being in a cutscene so that's probably not super encouraging...

Yeah I think the root of one of my biggest issues with modern games comes down to this. I want to play my games. It's a big reason I've always been into Souls and Soulslike games. Minimal tutorial and chattiness then you get tossed in.

Yup. Couple that with installation and update times, and... yeah I very much miss just grabbing a cart, putting it in the console, and being off to the races in ~2 minutes.

 

[TD]

Hopping around a long Let's Play of Ys IX keeps winding up with the video being in a cutscene so that's probably not super encouraging...

Well yeah that's not encouraging at all but I appreciate the research.

Yup. Couple that with installation and update times, and... yeah I very much miss just grabbing a cart, putting it in the console, and being off to the races in ~2 minutes.

I'm fortunate enough that download, install, and update times aren't much of an issue.

My bigger problem is finding a game that'll suck me in early and that's something that I feel like modern games don't excel at.

I could wait until Tuesday and give Secret of Mana a whirl I suppose.

 

[Raine]

I could wait until Tuesday and give Secret of Mana a whirl I suppose.

Yesss, remain on the indecisive crazy train.

I meant to do all kinds of things today, including maybe playing video games, but I've just sat around gabbing instead. Online and off.

 

[TD]

Yesss, remain on the indecisive crazy train.

Me?
Indecisive?
Crazy?

Why I never.

I meant to do all kinds of things today, including maybe playing video games, but I've just sat around gabbing instead. Online and off.

More or less the same for me.. except my gabbing offline is with my cats.

 

[Smacktard]

Games are too chatty and lethargic these days, wanting to explain all the buttons and systems and crap.

See, this was a problem that was solved like back in the 2010s -- hell, maybe earlier -- and game companies are STILL making this mistake.

Dead Space 2 approaches this so well. The game starts you in action immediately and you're only given one control: run. So you run.

Eventually you unlock healing items, the ability to aim, then use kinesis, stasis, weapons, etc. Every function unlocks slowly and gives you time to get used to them, instead of trying to teach you how to use 10 different commands in like a 3 minute window. I don't know why more games don't take the DS2 approach.

 

[Raine]

See, this was a problem that was solved like back in the 2010s -- hell, maybe earlier -- and game companies are STILL making this mistake.

Exactly! Can't believe this fucking video is 12 years old already. And the game is... 30? 30 years old!? Are you kidding me, time?




Edit: Fucking age gates 'cause of fucking swearing! Most relevant portion is 7:30 (450s) in.