Watching a movie and playing a game are two entirely different forms of recreation. Each requires a totally separate mindset - one's for sitting back, planting some roots in the couch and vegging out in front of the screen as images flash through your retinas, while the other demands constant attention and quick reflexes. Some games cross the line into cinema territory and many movies make you sort out all the high-concept details, but by and large the two mediums exist independently of each other. And then there are the games that should demand your attention but for some reason you'd prefer to let someone else do all the button mashing while you kick back and watch the heads roll.
Collected here are the seven best examples this - games that are just more fun to watch than play. Amidst all the flash, the colorful presentation or the engaging, uproarious action lies a title that's not as appealing as it appears to be. Either it's too hard, too simple, too repetitive, whatever, but hot damn is it a blast to see in motion.
Watching a movie and playing a game are two entirely different forms of recreation. Each requires a totally separate mindset - one's for sitting back, planting some roots in the couch and vegging out in front of the screen as images flash through your retinas, while the other demands constant attention and quick reflexes. Some games cross the line into cinema territory and many movies make you sort out all the high-concept details, but by and large the two mediums exist independently of each other. And then there are the games that should demand your attention but for some reason you'd prefer to let someone else do all the button mashing while you kick back and watch the heads roll.
Collected here are the seven best examples this - games that are just more fun to watch than play. Amidst all the flash, the colorful presentation or the engaging, uproarious action lies a title that's not as appealing as it appears to be. Either it's too hard, too simple, too repetitive, whatever, but hot damn is it a blast to see in motion.
Above: Too bad most of this awesomeness is technically unplayable
7 - God of War II - PS2
Whoa hold on there fanboys, we're not calling God of War a crap game. Far from it. It's indisputably one of the finest examples of an aging console getting in a few good licks before it finally croaks. But for a whole hell of a lot of people, watching Kratos eviscerate a monster as he's riding a screaming griffon is more fun than actually doing it. Why is that? Simple - God of War takes the easy way out and employs one-button command prompts instead of finding a way to let you do all these artery-splitting moves yourself.
Here's the thought process when one of these people watches God of War. They see all this nutty, bloody, mind-blowing stuff happening and can't wait to get their hands on it. After seeing an ashen Kratos tear any given monster apart piece by piece, they want to grab that controller, wrap their hands around Medusa's stupid head and yank it off themselves. Or they want to hop in the Hydra's mouth and rip it apart. But they won't get to, because a simple triangle, square, circle press will do it for you. Repeat throughout the entire game, case after case of cool moments handed off to directors instead of designers. Honestly, it's a bit of a letdown.
We never thought the "push a button while the game plays itself" era would ever return (something you'll find out more about later in the list), but now that God of War and Resident Evil 4 have jumpstarted the idea, expect to see it again and again. The latest offender? Spider-Man 3.
Again, this is saying nothing about God of War's outstanding quality. It's a perfectly fine series (check thereviewfor proof), but sometimes it feels like these interactive cutscenes are a lazy answer, a replacement for exciting gameplay. But, questionable as they may be, they're an irresistible draw to anyone with the slightest tinge of bloodlust. Once you see someone playing, you're compelled to watch. Some of us would just prefer to play something that implements a hands-on approach with the climactic finishing moves instead of holding our hand through every brain-bursting punch. Make us line up those amazing shots. Force us to be good enough to take down the Colossus on our own. Until then, we'll just have a jolly old time watching you do it.
Above: Too bad most of this awesomeness is technically unplayable
7 - God of War II - PS2
Whoa hold on there fanboys, we're not calling God of War a crap game. Far from it. It's indisputably one of the finest examples of an aging console getting in a few good licks before it finally croaks. But for a whole hell of a lot of people, watching Kratos eviscerate a monster as he's riding a screaming griffon is more fun than actually doing it. Why is that? Simple - God of War takes the easy way out and employs one-button command prompts instead of finding a way to let you do all these artery-splitting moves yourself.
Here's the thought process when one of these people watches God of War. They see all this nutty, bloody, mind-blowing stuff happening and can't wait to get their hands on it. After seeing an ashen Kratos tear any given monster apart piece by piece, they want to grab that controller, wrap their hands around Medusa's stupid head and yank it off themselves. Or they want to hop in the Hydra's mouth and rip it apart. But they won't get to, because a simple triangle, square, circle press will do it for you. Repeat throughout the entire game, case after case of cool moments handed off to directors instead of designers. Honestly, it's a bit of a letdown.
We never thought the "push a button while the game plays itself" era would ever return (something you'll find out more about later in the list), but now that God of War and Resident Evil 4 have jumpstarted the idea, expect to see it again and again. The latest offender? Spider-Man 3.
Again, this is saying nothing about God of War's outstanding quality. It's a perfectly fine series (check thereviewfor proof), but sometimes it feels like these interactive cutscenes are a lazy answer, a replacement for exciting gameplay. But, questionable as they may be, they're an irresistible draw to anyone with the slightest tinge of bloodlust. Once you see someone playing, you're compelled to watch. Some of us would just prefer to play something that implements a hands-on approach with the climactic finishing moves instead of holding our hand through every brain-bursting punch. Make us line up those amazing shots. Force us to be good enough to take down the Colossus on our own. Until then, we'll just have a jolly old time watching you do it.
