Games

Gaming: A guide for newbs

By Jonathan Mills
February 10, 2006 - 00:34

I have found that Videogames, Comic Books and Anime are all linked in someway, that is, if your interested in one, you could easily become interested in one of the others. It is because of this link that I feel very comfortable writing the games section here at comicbookbin.com. But, because this is primarily a Comic Book website, i'm aware that some of you may not even be gamers at all, or, you may be interested in gaming but not well informed as to what's out their, if your one of these 2, then this guide is for you.

Unless you actually play Videogames, you coulden't possably understand what they really are

First of all, unless you actually play a few games per year to completion, then forget whatever notion you may have of what a Video Game is. That's the first hurdle for people, most people get into gaming by accident, they buy a console with no intention of being serious about it, then once theve played a game or 2, they realize that it's much more then they imagined.

I can not explain to you what a game is, because it's a different thing for each person, you'll have to discover that for yourself, but, I will tell you that for me, it's more about the experience I have rather then the fun i'm having. That is not to say that I don't have fun, I do, but the fun, transcends into the experience, which for me, is a more important thing. Weather that makes any sense, I don't know, but it sounds right, so i'm going with it.

I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is what level of commitment are you willing to give to try out gaming? If your very committed and seriously want to give it a shot, then i'd recommend buying a current generation console, as of this writing that would be a Playstation 2 $149.99, A Gamecube $99.99, an Xbox $149.99 or an Xbox360 $299 - $399. I would recommend a Playstation 2 because of it's huge library of great games or an Xbox360 because it's new and will be around for many more years. Also, make sure and pick up a memory card for your console, this will allow you to save your progress though games (it's a must)

So what if you want to give it a try but are not willing to lay down a few hundred on a console? Then use the PC your reading on right now. Since you already own the Hardware, you have very little to lose. Also, you may want to game on your PC because your simply interested in PC games more, if thats the fact, then go for it.

From: Shadow of the Colossus

Now that that's out of the way, let's get into what's most important, the games. Games come in a variety of genre's and at different prices. You'll usualy pay no more then $50 for a game (though, Xbox360 games cost $59.99 at the moment) and normally not pay less then $10. If you want to forgo buying, then you can rent, though i'd advise against that if your just starting to play games because it would be better for you to buy a great game and stick with it until completion, rather then rent a game you'll most likely not be able to finish in time. If your playing PC games this isn't really an option, because you can not rent PC game's.



Ok, now let's talk about what Genre of game to play. Ask yourself, what interests you? What kind of movies do you like? Do you like sports? All these can help you choose what kind of game to play. Below is a basic list of the main genre's in gaming.

Action - Action games focus mostly on action, this may be hand to hand combat or weapons.

Adventure - Adventure games focus on the progression of a story, this usualy includes action elements as well.

Rpg's - Role Playing Games, like adventure games focus on the progression of a story but also include's character building, which allows you to guide your character's growth, this usualy involves building certain stats, such as strength, agility, intellegence, etc.

Platform - Platform game's are games by which you collect items, jump obstacle's and progress though a story.

Sports

Strategy - Strategy games are games that focus on the Strategy of a certain element, that may be fighting, sports or any number of activities.

Simulations - Simulations are game's that try and simulate a real life activity, such as Flight, sports, or any number of things.

Below i'll list some of my favorite example's of each genre.

Action - Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2) Halo (Xbox) God of War (PS2) Half Life (PC) Half Life 2 (PC)

Adventure - Beyond Good and Evil (All Platforms) Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube/PS2) The Longest Journey (PC) Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

RPG's - Final Fantasy X (PS2) Xenosaga (PS2) Shadow Hearts 2 (PS2) Baldur's Gate 2 (PC) Fallout (PC) Deus Ex (PC)

Platform - Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube) Sly cooper (PS2)

Sports - Madden (All Platforms)

Strategy - Rome Total War (PC)

Simulations - The Sims (PC)

Games like The Longest Journey can offer a very powerfull experance

These are games, that in my opinion represent their's genre beautifully. You may choose to use this list, or venture out on the web and find more examples, but one thing I don't want you to ever do is buy a game blind. The sad fact, is that this is what a lot of people actually do. Does it sound right to spend up to $50 on a game based solely on it's box cover? Their are more bad and mediocre games then good one's, this can be said of any medium of entertainment but the big difference is if you see a bad movie, you lose $7, if you buy a bad game, you lose $50. Before you ever buy a game, scan over it's review scores from multiple sources. If their all good, have fun, if their all bad, run like hell. And don't automatically think a game is great because you saw a commercial for it or it say's on the box cover, RATED 9.0 out of 10 By so & so. The truth about that is that their are so many review sources around the world that even the worst game ever made is bound to hit a good review score somewhere.

Let's talk about the different platforms. Really, the main thing you need to know is Console and PC. By far, the more popular of the 2 are the Consoles. Their are far more games released on the Consoles each year and they usualy have much bigger budgets. Console gaming is also cheaper and less confusing. Now, with all this said, don't get the impression that i'm dismissing PC gaming, because i'm not. Some of the best, most interesting games i've ever played have been on the PC. The kind of games offered on the PC are far different then anything on the consoles, games such as real time strategy, simulation's and Tolkien style RPG's. PC gaming is very American driven as opposed to Consoles where many of the games you'll play are made in Japan. This cultural difference is a big reason the 2 platforms offer different experiences, along with the different interfaces. The biggest downfall you'll face with PC gaming is by far the Price of it, no, you don't need to be rich, but being rich would sure help.

The Consoles differ mainly in 3rd party support. With Sony leading the bunch.

Well, that's about it, I hope if you had any interest in gaming before this, you have a greater interest now with the new knowledge you've picked up.

As always, if you have any question's or comments i'm always open, email me at jonathanmills@comicbookbin.com

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51