Coffee Talk #387: Games That All Look the Same to You

Are there any game genres that look all the same to you? For example, I have several casual-gamer friends that can’t tell the difference between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Medal of Honor. They see all World War II…

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Are there any game genres that look all the same to you? For example, I have several casual-gamer friends that can’t tell the difference between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Medal of Honor. They see all World War II first-personshooters as the same. The issue isn’t restricted to casual gamers either. I have friends in the videogame business that think all Japanese RPGs are the same. They see some effeminate male protagonist with impossible hair saving the world against some generic evil guy.

As for me, all the tower defense games in the world have blended together into one unidentifiable mess. I’m sure that there are plenty of differences between tower defense games, but aside from South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! I can’t tell these games apart. Part of it is due to a lack of interest and part of it stems from the overwhelming tower defense choices on Android and iOS. There are just too many of them!

Now it’s your turn! Are there any game genres that all look the same to you?

Author: RPadTV

https://rpad.tv

30 thoughts on “Coffee Talk #387: Games That All Look the Same to You”

  1. I would have to go with tower defense games, top down shooters, and games like the Raiden series. I like to play the latter two but only for so long.

  2. The top down or scrolling shooters as BB said above are a great example of the phenomenon.

    For me it's racing games. I feel that if you played one, you played them all (with few exceptions like Burnout). It's not so much that they look the same as much as they all feel the same.

    I like racing minigames in other games because that's the dosage of racing I can handle.

    1. Hey Nate, how's it going? Have you ever tried Split/Second? I usually don't like racing games either, but I thought it was pretty fun. I believe it's the only racing game I own.

      3. You would like Split/Second because its like PURE for cars with explosions. I heard that Disney gave them the ax so don't expect any sequels.

      5. Damn they also at one point made MotoGP and that was my FAVORITE racing game on the original Xbox.

  3. Rhythm games.
    iOS tower defense games.
    WW2 shooters
    JRPGs for the most part.
    Racing games.

      3. My email reply didn't show up.

        Condensed version:
        I love games. Aside from building computers and working out it's my most expensive and favorite hobbies. I think after 25 years lots of genres look the same to me. I do appreciate great sound, art work and story telling though. I'm hooked on LoL and it looks like other tower defense games.

        Am I being too broad for the original subject?

  4. Sports games are the only ones I'm bad about lumping together. Not that there is an actual difference between them.

  5. No disrespect to those of you who own one, but all Wii games look the same to me. Oh, and the top-down, dual-stick shooters as well. (although SuperStardust HD and Everday Shooter were fun)

  6. If I win the lottery on Wednesday then I'm taking everyone to WrestleMania next year. We'll have a luxury box full of food and booze. Let's make this happen!!!

  7. Racing Games. Mind you, I have zero skill with the genre or any interest in cars other than their ability to get me from point A to Pin B, so that probably colors my opinion.

    1. My point is that racing games have been basically the same (with few exceptions) since Pole Position. Even Rad Racer and Outrun were clones.

      Burnout brought the carnage angle and apparently Split Second elaborated on it. Then Mario Kart added cartoon violence and humor. Aside from that… they're all the same, just different tracks.

  8. I will grudgingly agree to a luxury box full of food and booze if my arm was twisted a little bit…ok I'm in.

  9. I see a lot of differences between FPS games, but could understand how some people who aren't familiar with them would think they are "all the same." Racing games mostly feel the same to me unless we are talking about Mario Kart or Diddy Kong racing. I suppose tower defense games feel the same, but there are just so many of them available like Ray mentioned.

  10. Another genre that all blurs together for me:

    Those flight sim/jet fighter/COCKpit games. After After Burner, they all might as well have been After Burner.

    1. Are you still getting a piece of the action from this Amazon link? Because I need to buy some stuff for the house. I figured I could help you out a bit in the process.

      -M

      2. If I could, I would. Good idea though. I can put it right next to my custom PC store!

        I do enjoy watching League of Legends matches. Me and some friends are going to do the new ladder for the 5 million grand prize. 583k after taxes and the 6 way split. I could handle that.

      3. seems like Chicago could use a bar like that, what with them already having SMB and WoW themed burlesque shows. Maybe it's time I took out a business loan…haha.

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