My Type of Gamer

Hello there.

I’m still working on the Turian entry for the Mass Effect Races series that I’m doing at the moment, but little life events like getting married kind of put the brakes on that for now.

Just so you know, I am still here and I do still have plans to continue blogging on computer games, gaming in general, gaming in the news, and when I can more blogs on upcoming games, hardware and events.

But today I got to thinking. What kind of gamer am I?

Well I’m an avid gamer and I feel the need to write about it as much as I can whenever I can. Obviously, the things I write are my own interpretations and my own opinions – whether you agree with them or not is beside the point. This blog is here for me to vent my spleen about gaming. Yeah I’ll post the things I’m sick off, like kids in multiplayer or the media lampooning games because of a nut case who shot a couple of guys. But as far as games go, I just want to write about the games I love, and why I love them. You may have noticed this with Mass Effect.

So am I an “Intelligent Gamer”? I say “intelligent” not in an elitist, “I’m better than you” way – but in that I play games for more than their Michael Bay Stylings. A lot of people will play a lot of CoD or BF and that’s just fine, they do it because they like the challenge, the bright explosions and the Rambo in them wanting to burst out in some form – that’s fine. I play games because I want to be captivated by the gameplay, the story and how tuned out of the real world I can feel. That’s why I have such an affinity for the Mass Effect Series. It’s why I love Red Dead Redemption. It’s why I was so dumbfounded and completely deflated by the ending to LA Noire.

But then I got to thinking more practically. You may have noticed that this isn’t a gaming blog in the normal mould of a gaming blog. Most gaming sites you’d come across would have loads of information about the latest games, the latest trailers, the latest updated, DLC, patches, hardware etc etc, but here on MBG, we don’t. Because instead of “intelligent gamer” I’m starting to think of myself as a casual hardcore gamer.

Toolbox24 - Casual Hardcore

Casual Hardcore? An oxymoron? A contradiction in terms? Well on the face of it yes, but digging deeper – no. I’m not thick. I’m not going to turn around and say “Well I’m kinda skinnily fat.” “I’m shortly tall” No. I’m hardcore in that gaming (apart from my wife and kids) is my whole life. But because of the whole family thing I’ve got going, I cannot let gaming be my whole life. It’s my whole life, when I let it be. When I get stuck into a game, I’m there. I AM John Marston, trekking through the wild west in search of zombies (Undead Nightmare DLC). I AM Commander Shepherd, and you know what? This IS my favourite store on the Citadel. I AM Richard Thompson – Leeds United striker, top goal scorer and all round fans favourite. I am these people, and it’s amazing. BUT when my daughter starts crying because she needs a nappy change, or my lad comes down wanting to show off some of his art work – the games pause and I’m Dad. My wife wants a cup of tea and to have a little break and a chat in the garden – the game pauses and I’m husband.

I’m hardcore in that I do think about gaming an awful lot, I do play as much as I can and to me there is no better entertainment medium.

I’m casual in that I realise that spending £40 on a new game is a bit daft, when that £40 could be spent on groceries or paying for new school uniforms. It’s why I’m not always on the ball so far as new releases go. I’m casual in that I don’t feel like I have a genre that defines me. Some hardcore gamers only play FPS games like CoD, BF, Team Fortress etc other just racing games like Need for Speed, Forza, Gran Turismo and others only play games like World of Warcraft. All hardcore in their own right, but incredibly narrow minded when it comes to playing other games. Some filter through, like Hardcore FPS gamers could have a soft spot for the odd racing game, or sports game for example.

I don’t feel like there is a genre that defines me as a gamer. I love playing RPG games for their story element, and how much more immersive they are. I also love playing management sims like Football Manager or Sim Tower (blast from the past). I love playing FIFA games, and the occasional racer. I love playing RTS games like Command and Conquer or the Age of Empires games. I love playing Turn Based Strategy games like Civilisation and I love playing reality games like The Sims. I love mobile games like Stupid Zombies or Temple Run, and I love all kinds of games which makes me feel like I can write more objectively about any game I play.

A hardcore CoD gamer could play Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and think it’s a load of shit and should be set on fire. Because they detest RPGs. A hardcore sports gamer could play Halo and think it’s a crock of shit and should be set on fire because they detest FPS games. I however could sit playing FIFA for hours, write a review about it’s pro’s and cons, then sit playing Dragon Age for hours and write a similar review. 2 completely different types of game yet fairly easy for me to love them both.

Now I’m not saying I’m a rare breed. I think that most gamers would probably fall into the same or similar category of a lover of many genres. That’s why I hope this blog will appeal to more than just those who like to point and shoot.

In the coming weeks, I’m going to try and post more blogs, thick and fast and attempt to get the website registered onto NewsNow.co.uk. A news sourcing website that I use daily to look up Leeds United news.

If I succeed, then who knows where this blog could go.

That was a fairly pointless blog I think, but I’d like to think that everyone knows what kind of game they like, and if they like multiple genres to be flexible enough to say as much. I know that some people might just like casual games like Farmville or Diner Dash – but that’s alright. Someone made the game, someone thought up the concept and created the game. It’s only right that it’s found a niche with those who might not do “proper” gaming. Just remember: Minesweeper is a game as well.

Coming up on the MonkeyBox – Mass Effect Races: Turians, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Plants vs Zombies, XBOX 720(?) and more.

Toolbox 24