Top Ten things I like in video games (Part 1)

       Now that I have talked about the ten things I absolutely hate in video games, I thought it would be nice to be positive and talk about the ten things I like in video games. Sure, there are a lot of annoying things in games but there are far more awesome things you can find in video games. This list is about what I look forward to when I play a game. There's so many things I love in video games but I had to pick ten. I'll try not to copy what is on joshscorcher's list. The rules: they must not be obvious things like good gameplay. I mean, who doesn't like good gameplay? That is what I expect from a game, good gameplay. Without wasting another second, let's start this list with number ten.


10. Flashy moves

        What can I say, flashy moves are pure awesomeness. It is pure eye candy and can be done in so many different ways. Sometimes, just a little sword slash is not enough for me. Sometimes I just want to see my character obliterate my opponent in a "cool" way and also because I want to feed my eyes with pure awesome. One of the reasons I play games is to do things I can't do in real life. If you can't "hadoken" your friend in real life, you can do it in video games. But, flashy moves are pretty much just eye candy which is why they are so low on the list. Nevertheless, destroying your enemies with a Kamehameha is pretty awesome. That is one of the main reasons why I absolutely LOVE Dragon Ball Z games.

9. Open worlds

          Like I said in my Top Ten things I hate in video games list, I love exploring levels. It is something I usually do. I can't help it. When I find a cave, I NEED to explore it. And nothing is better than open worlds when it comes to exploration. The feeling of being so small and having such a huge world to explore is such an overwhelming feeling. It makes you truly feel like you are on a journey... on a journey to save the world! You can spend tons and tons of hours exploring your surroundings and not even realize that you've wasted five whole hours. Some of my favorite open worlds are the Great Sea from The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker because of how colorful and down right gorgeous it is and the one in Xenoblade where you are walking on two giant freaking titans! Two freaking giants! Anyway, open worlds are awesome.

8. Intense difficulty 

         Something I hate is when developers think we're retards and they have to make the game as easy as possible. But there are some developers that understand that we, the players, want some challenge. Challenge is something more important than you think. When a game is too easy, you can breeze through the game without breaking a sweat. But if the is actually difficult, it is a whole other story. Difficulty makes games a lot harder to beat, meaning you have to spent more time practicing and perfecting your skills in order to progress and beat the game. A lot of developers tried to make their games hard back in the 80s so it could last a while. And boy were they right! Some people manage to beat Castlevania after 20 years! Plus, it is so satisfying to beat a hard game. It makes you proud. Developers, if you want me to enjoy your games, make them harder! Come on! Don't be afraid to challenge the player.

7. Art styles 

        I tried not to copy joshscorcher's list. I really tried! But he has a good point, art styles are awesome. It is as simple as that. Some games try to look the more realistic possible but end up looking dated after a few years. This does not apply to games using art styles. Usually, games that use a unique art style tend to age well unlike many games who try to go for a more realistic approach. Also, as someone who absolutely loves drawing, I can't help but respect developers who spend hours upon hours trying to create a different and unique art style. That requires a lot of work. Art styles express a lot more emotion than realistic looking games. Of course, not EVERY game using an art style do that but still. I also LOVE colors. When I draw, I want my drawings to be as colorful as possible. If done right, art styles can be pure eye candy, just like flashy moves. Some of my favorite art styles include Wind Waker's cell shaded looks, Odin Sphere's beautiful anime-like visuals (along with Blazblue and Guilty Gear) and Rayman Origin's cartoon-like art style (which almost made me want to join 2D animation).

6. Creepy levels

          Sometimes, I like getting scared. Not always, sometimes. It's cool when you go from one cheerful, happy place to a horrifying place the next level. I don't really know why I love creepy places, but they're simply just so awesome. Well, if done right, that is. They can come in various different formats and various different styles. Not one looks like another. They don't have to be scary or horrifying, they can just be cool and creepy. Like Hang Castle (as well as Mystic Mansion) from Sonic Heroes or Twinkle Park (Amy) from Sonic Adventure. I found myself enjoying creepy levels pretty much every time there is one in a game. For whatever reason, they sort of have a charm (if you can call it that) that makes you want to come back. Some of my favorites are the Earth Temple from The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker, the Ancient Cistern from The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword, Creepy Steeple from Paper Mario The Thousand Year  Door, Haunted House from Super Mario 64, Submerged Castle from Pikmin 2, the aforementioned Sonic levels, and Ravenholm from Half Life 2 just to name a few. They're just great. I don't think I need to say anything else.

That does is it for Part 1 of the Top Ten things I like in video games. Have a nice a day!