People tend to downplay innovation. But truthfully, ideas are what leads to success. Not only in the business world, but also in the gaming world. But innovation has also brought on another thing: Nostalgia. Once something revolutionary comes about and blows our minds, giving us some insane feeling of excitement, we tend to want that feeling once again. But once again, we have failed to understand the point.
People say, "If you've got a great idea, don't screw with it." That may work in the first instance, but that does not mean to use the same idea over and over again without any kind of change. Once again, I bring in the topic of MMORPGs. When it comes to free MMORPGs there is no innovation. They played a game and thought, "Oh, Let's make alot of money this way." And they are not wrong about that because they do make money. But what is wrong is that they do not even bother with new ideas. They force feed us crap. Like:"NEW PARTY SYSTEM,or AWESOME SKILL SYSTEM, or NEVER BEFORE DONE SETTING, FIRST OF IT'S KIND." The more they say, the crappier it sounds. It's all the same, don't act like you got something new because you don't!
It doesn't take alot to innovate, yet everyone is still scared to do something about. For example, the stats system. MMORPGs are horrible in this department. There is no customization whatsoever. Say they have 3 classes: Warrior, Mage and Archer. So they think:"Oh let's give each class a stat!" Strength, Intelligence, and Dex. Then they allow us to put points into it without any kind of balance. That's crap. Warriors will mainly put strength, Mages only put Int and Archers only get dex. Why can't they have more stats? Why can't a warrior use intelligence in another way? Now, if I had my way, I would implement a larger variety of stats that ALL have a use. But that's besides the point, maybe I'll talk about that another day.
Time for the conclusion. Basically speaking, a great game comes out with INNOVATION. Then they start making tons of games based around the idea with little change. Why do we continue to play the game? Because we think it's that game that will only give us that feeling of nostalgia and we continue to long for that kind of game. But that thinking is flawed. Instead of holding on to the same game we should look for a new game with innovation that will excite us once again.
On a final note, I have not played Twilight Princess. For the most part the reception it is getting is good. But someone will complain that while it's a good game it doesn't hold the same feeling as when they played the first one. Of course it doesn't. You asked for a sequel and you got one. But what you don't realize is you don't really want a sequel. You want something new and different that excites you in the same way. Playing rehashes will not excite you in the same way.
This is why Nintendo's saying goes something like this: "We give people what they do not know they want yet."
That is true. What you people think you want and what you really want are two different things. Instead of embracing the same crap over and over again. It's time to welcome any innovation that stops by. It is through this that you may find what you are originally looking for.
