Collecting stuff in games...good or bad?

Flammy

Flammy

Flammy

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Joined
10 Dec 2003
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526
So I was playing through Psychonauts (scored it for a fiver - nice) and enjoying it, but one thing bothers me about it, and that is the system to collect things - collect a certain (large) amount of various type of item and you get rewarded.

Lots of games do it now, GTA with their secret packages, Lego Star Wars, Crackdown with orbs, GOW with dog tags, in fact just about any console game seems to feature a 'collectible' element.

It annoys me a lot, when I play a game I want to be guided through a good plot and an interesting experience, not repeatedly playing through levels and searching every nook and cranny to collect items which will unlock things. The completist in me feels that I am missing something out if I don't try and collect everything, but I just can't be bothered most of the time!

To me it seems like a cheap and thoughtless way to increase the longevity of a game, but I can understand how it gives some people additional targets to reach in games they enjoy. Any thoughts?
 
It all depends what you get for it.

I love Starbreeze games because each collectable unlock a piec of concept art or a video, that kind of stuff interests me. I enjoy GTA hidden packages and stuff because its a nice challenge and exploring the city is an absolute joy.
 
Hello :D

I do agree with you, and I believe for some people it does give them something extra to do. The games that I have played with things to collect I seem to finish the game, then go back if I have enjoyed it to do things I have missed :p
 
I like it if its done cleverly. Like in the last couple of Tomb Raider games where you collect the hidden relics. They arent really hidden as such - you can see them, its just figuring out how to get to them :)
 
I hate it.

In fact, with a few exceptions (such as the id shrine at the end of Doom3) I don't like 'secrets' in general. Although Serious Sam games do it really well by using a heavy dose of humour! :)

I don't mind so much if they don't affect the gameplay in any way (e.g. unlocking concept art), but I think it really sucks when if you don't collect stuff it hurts your ability to progress in the game (bonuses/weapons etc provided in GTA games).

To me the idea of either running round looking in every dark corner for some stupid package, or diving around in lakes looking for horseshoes doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. Which leaves the other alternative looking at a walkthrough.

It's one of the reasons while why I 'complete' quite a lot of games i.e. finish the storyline, in a lot of them I don't get 100% completion because I don't hunt down all the bonus objectives and console style 'unlocks'.
 
Flammy said:
The completist in me feels that I am missing something out if I don't try and collect everything,
Click to expand...
That is why they do it, they know a lot of people will have the urge to find everything to complete the game.

You should not try Final Fantasy games like XII, I am currently at 201 hours of gameplay and not yet finished
 
I like collecting stuff, but not a lot, I liked collecting cars and especially orbs in crackdown, that was fun, some platformers take it too far though, make you collect 100 of this 50 of that 10 of something else.
 
Can't remember any games where you are forced to go round collecting every last item, so no it doesn't bother me if I don't have to do it.
 
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