Recently I read an article on the popular gaming news website Gamnesia. It was a discussion about what games was the most overrated game in the industry's history. Since it was a discussion, the comments were filled with various answers. However, the author focused specifically on the 1998 action-adventure title "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." His reasoning was that the popularity of the games rides mainly on nostalgia and set a bar that future Zelda titles have passed. Although this title has been featured on multiple best games of all time lists, many, including the author, feel that the game has lost its mojo so to speak.
Many times those lists are fun to look at, but the listmakers tend to present the list as an objective (or fact-based) ranking based on popular and critical opinion. This is well-meaning but rather flawed. Anytime a "Best of List" is made there is always some amount of subjective (or opinion-based) information. Many of these best video game lists contain titles that people love or hate, but some don't contain them at all.
Sometimes when I am discussing with someone how great a particular game is, they often try to present their favorite game as the best one ever made. It's perfectly normal to have an opinion. Part of what makes us human is having the free will to make opinions. It gets understandably quite unpleasant when people start trying to present their opinion as fact just because they like a particular game.
There are certainly common elements to great games, such as streamlined gameplay, well-developed characters, beautiful music, an interesting story or graphical quality. However, since these are mixed in various ways on different games. For example, take the tactical RPG series "Fire Emblem." The series doesn't necessarily have the greatest music, and the stories tend to be slightly unoriginal. The series tends to make up for it though through its diverse characters and fascinating gameplay mechanics. Some hate this series, some love it and some don't know how to feel about it. That's just how subjective views work.
Additionally, different genres appeal to different people. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of first-person shooters, one of the most popular genres in the market today. Whenever someone tells me how much they love something like "Call of Duty," "Battlefield" and similar titles, I don't care that much. Every time I say this though, the other person is always quick to judge my status as a gamer. That judgement kind of ticks me off sometimes but shouldn't since I have my opinion, and they have theirs.
I say all that just to say this; if something sounds like an opinion, don't attack it right away just because you don't like it. Embrace these differences and bond through the fact that you all love gaming.
I hope you enjoyed this. Game on!
