How I Rediscovered My Joy For Video Games

[@kreamies6720]

Hey if anyone wants to get the most out of this video, make sure you intro-skip the first 25 seconds, play 2:46 on repeat 4 times for a harsh truth bonus xp multiplier, hit subscribe at 17:00 minutes and drink water at exactly 20:10. Doing all of this will really boost your experience with the video.

[@GhostsHouseOfSmiles]

Oh hey great guide

[@Vr00dvods]

what you forgot to say is that the last sip has to be frame perfect and depending on if you're watching on browser or mobile the frame move at a slightly different fps

[@davidalankaminski]

lol man you had me in the first half ngl

[@loudy]

TOP 5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE WATCHING THIS VIDEO

[@DragonWistArt]

Really recommend this method of playing games. I actually have anxiety and autism and find that they make games very stressful, especially when they're a new, unknown experience. But playing mostly guideless has actually improved my anxiety as I've realised that making 'mistakes' is okay. Playing morrowind vanilla mostly guideless has been a wonderful experience, full of 'aha' moments, as you put it, and getting lost (literally) in a world I otherwise wouldn't have. I think there's something to be said for suspending your disbelief and interacting with a game on its terms.

[@alooseghost7618]

That lines up pretty close to my own experience, I feel the same way

[@breach4135]

This is gonna be a weird comparison, but it's why I love Helldivers 2 so much. Starting the tutorial and being told immediately "you and your teammates are going to die alot, it's a good idea to learn the code to revive your team" made me realize the "mistakes" in the game aren't gonna be very punishing. To this day, I am the only one of my friends to still love the game even when I die a lot, and my friends all have a miserable time and they did not in fact play the tutorial, any of them.

[@Ivcifer]

this is one the reasons why the age of information can be both a blessing and a curse. it's great that sharing experience and lessons worldwide is so accessible, especially for learning things that would otherwise be virtually impossible to learn alone. however, it's not so great when you sacrifice your own experience by constantly seeking that of others, when you have all the tools to figure things out for yourself. hopefully, what I wrote doesn't come across as too bewildering. beautifully done video, mate. being a snes/ps1 kid I completely understand what you're saying, especially the feeling, and I agree with you :)

[@Destiking245]

Ive always heavily relief in guides when i play games, and watching this video, and the last one too, made me realise, that perhaps my reliance on them, is why I only play games for a short while, before i think "i really need a guide" that ive lost my own ability to play and explore games, I'll have to give trusting my own brain with games a try again

[@alooseghost7618]

Might be worth trying a game and just going completely guideless, just to see if you like it better

[@Destiking245]

@alooseghost7618 this is true, I also feel not being able to ask any older siblings to complete levels I'm unable to will help rejuvenate my enjoyment

[@alooseghost7618]

Like with the spiders in Skyward Sword?

[@bilalkhanburki]

Your editing style just blows me away!! I have no idea how you made the part in which you transform the balatro cards to golden together with the sound effects and everything else in that scene. Keep on doing what you do brother you've got so much potential!

[@alooseghost7618]

Thanks so much! I'm working on the next video right this second so this comment came at a great time 😀

[@ThePaulineu]

Oh, this reminds me of my experience playing Zelda Ocarina of time! I was about 12, playing the 3DS remake. When I got to the water temple, I was utterly lost and frustrated, and used a guide to help me in the end. I was happy about that. When I got to the next temple, the shadow one, I immediately took the guide again, because I really did not want to feel as bad as I had with the water temple. As I was going through that shadow temple, I got more and more invested in it, thinking "oh that's cool!", "Aha that's a clever idea!", but I was not really experiencing the game first hand, I was just reading instructions and executing them word-by-word. I often ended up thinking "I could have figured that out!" "That's not so bad..." In the end, I was quite disappointed that I hadn't tried it without a guide first. It felt like I just robbed myself of the joy of figuring it out on my own. Here's what I got from it: games are supposed to be fun. As soon as I stop having fun, I whip out a guide. HOWEVER the guide itself will rob part of the fun out of playing, so I should avoid it if I can!

[@dejajace1793]

This video was kind of exactly what I needed to hear. I had a pretty similar experience with Stardew Valley as you did with New Horizons; I got so sucked up in optimizing making the most money that I burned myself out on the game so hard I haven’t touched it in 2 years. I also recently relied a little too much on a guide while playing Paper Mario: TTYD for the first time, and while the guide helped me not miss any items, I felt like I ruined the story experience for myself. So I needed to hear this, maybe for my next game I’m gonna fight against my fear of missing every little thing. Great video!

[@alooseghost7618]

Funnily enough I almost put a section about TTYD in this video, glad you took something away from the video, thanks for watching!

[@WhalesLoveSmash]

A lot of people saying they lost their joy for videogames are playing them all day and have really lost their joy for life.

[@CGoody564]

I haven't played a game in about two years. I just bought a steam deck to change that (along with a new PC which I haven't had in 10 years besides a crappy laptop). You may be right about the joy of life, but playing too many games certainly isn't why in my case.

[@sumonedum]

no u

[@proggz39]

I play games for most of my free time for the past 22 years. I still like them

[@Artis_OTS]

I always say it's important to have another hobby or expand the genres you play for this very reason. Lot of people have burnt themselves out of the hobby because they're either playing too much or not diversifying the games they play.

[@RicochetForce]

Bingo. It’s too easy to burn yourself out on games. Variety is the spice of life.

[@pig3292]

This is especially true for visual novels. Knowing exactly where the routes go spoils the magic and story. I also do one playthrough guideless and then use a guide to get whatever routes I didn't get with my first playthrough

[@tomleggosaurus1]

Finding a banger channel under 1k subs wasn't on my to-do list today, but I'm glad I did! Fantastic work, and I hope you reach the success you deserve!

[@AWayToExpress]

Great video!, such a good calm way of playing. Im in the process of learning balatro, my next game will be Final Fantasy IX and im playing mostly guideless Dark Souls 1, so i felt pretty identified with the narrative :) What i love about the video its that it shows a more mature way of enjoy gaming, without the fast paced needed to play all of the games, and with a more mindfull sensation of it. Made me reflect a lot about my habits in gaming, plus the feeling of burnout and how to avoid it, at least for a while! Thanks

[@RosenshineRewby]

This reminds me when I used to go to my dad every Zelda boss, at first for real help and then as a bonding experience. But I remember when I first beat a boss without any help or internet guides. I was so excited, feeling I actually overcame something.

[@LuizMoraes-xb7qj]

Damn you really condensed some thoughts I had about games in this video, thank you so much. I am a big defender of throwing the player in the game and letting him explore it and learn it instead of having very descriptive tutorials

[@aceae4210]

thank you for putting the music credits when they show up, it's a small detail but it's nice

[@henrybreadfork]

I can't believe I get to subscribe to this channel when you have 782 subs. Sometimes the algorithm serves you something great! Thanks for the thoughtful video essay!

[@wesleyfreeman5918]

honestly, i find my self only using guides when im a little bit stuck in a game, and honestly, im happy with the way i use them. i hate being stuck in games. its always super annoying.

[@ThePaulineu]

I think that's the best way to use them

[@tyler-xo3rb]

maybe you'd get stuck in games less if you figured out how to get unstuck by yourself and learning something

[@homeyworkey]

@@tyler-xo3rb i mean i guess it depends but usually you've already tried doing that and the confusion is caused from a design oversight that you cant do much about... and you learn from looking at guides aswell, even if its less pronounced

[@vargsvansify]

Fantastic video. I relate so hard. Even though I always enjoy myself more when playing without a guide, I feel I still become addicted to them to an unhealthy degree. I struggle the most with JRPGS like Final Fantasy since I really want to collect everything and some stuff tend to be barred behind arbitrary barriers. Like “Choose this dialogue option for the best result” or “Don’t open this chest because 20 hours later you will get something better if you didn’t”. I also use guides way less when I play with friends. For some reason, I find failing something with friends more fun. When I’m playing a game on my lonesome, I get more afraid and anxious about failing. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you.

[@AT7outof10]

As a kid I totally used guides whenever we had one available. But I don't remember following them religiously; I think I would just flip through them, studying parts before just playing that section of the game. So my nonchalant style kept me from burning out and missing the fun parts.

[@kirbynom-alt]

Another Void Stranger fan here to appreciate the music and share a personal story~! After falling in love with Baba is You years ago despite having watched playthroughs and spoiling myself on the first half of the game, I made the choice to go into every puzzle game as blind as I could, and Void Stranger was truly the height of that for me. I went in only knowing that it had pretty anime looking characters, and many secrets. Didn't even know about the rod or what it could do before opening the game! Now Void Stranger has overtaken Tunic as my favourite game of all time, and I don't think it would have quite reached that peak if I had decided to look anything up, either before or during my playthrough. It truly felt like a journey as much for me as for Gray, and I'll always remember it fondly.

[@alooseghost7618]

Void Stranger is so rewarding to work through

[@hoot_645]

Bro there's so many games that are fantastic to play guideless. Like platforming games. The first time i play a sonic title, or hat in time, or mario odyssey i was taking it all in. Soaking the atmosphere, music, exciting movement, its great. It's great even if you suck at the game. But there's some really satisfying moments to be had. And then if i love the game enough to speedrun it, I'll reserve the guides for after I've beaten the game once. You really are doing yourself and the game devs a service by doing this. There's also some games which absolutely suck without a guide. At least to me. Things like Minecraft or stardew valley. You can get so overwhelmed and confused and lose the fun that way until you start bookmarking wikis and other things to help you out. For games like those, you're practically playing a different game, and most of the time, that's ok. There's something really satisfying about engaging with the world and coming out on top and comparing yourself to how dumb and silly you were that first time you played it. That nostalgia is surprisingly wholesome

[@pairot01]

I generally agree, the temptation of looking up the best way to do something is huge. It's sad that we aren't ok with being stuck, to the point that we rob ourself from the feeling of figuring things out on our own. But I also recognize the good side of it. I remember not engaging in the food buff system of Stardew Valley because it seemed daunting, but the game got so much better once I did it.

[@TylerJMacDonald]

When I was a kid I either bought or was bought the guide to wind waker. Thankfully, I was more interested in alk the pictured and maps than actually doing anything with it. Still never finished the game, but I saw the ending in screenshot form in the guide. Great video!

[@alooseghost7618]

Thank you! I loved looking at the maps in guidebooks, always so cool to see it from that perspective

[@ShelbyGT5OO]

What an amazing perspective. Ive been trying to rekindle my love of gaming and fell into the trap of min/maxing guides. I finished GTA3 recently with a 100% guide and felt such hollowness. Ive been trying to start another Fallout:NV play through with a 100% guide and its been miserable. This video reminds me “Its ok to fail”, thank you, ill try the guideless approach 🙏🏻💚

[@hankxcool]

See this is why i love a game called Destiny 2. The raids in that game are like a gauntlet of puzzles and execution. doing them without watching a guide with some of my friends gave me memories i cherish every day. because i know that those moments are pretty hard to come by nowadays due to work and school etc

[@realdbh]

Really good video. I appreciate your perspective on something I've felt for years but never was able to really put to words.

[@alix4256]

Great video! This has definitely changed the way I’ll play video games from here on. I enjoy using guides for Tears of the Kingdom, because there are seemingly endless shrines and quests. I enjoy exploring the world and collecting things rather than just the puzzle solving. I do enjoy the puzzles and try, but my aim is for variety and immersion. Like you said, I think it’s what you want from the game mixed with still giving something your best effort before reaching for a shortcut. I think I’ll reach for it less now. This video, especially the ACNH segment, really made me think about life in general. Like many others have said in the comments, it’s about the journey, as cliche as that is. You could aim for the highest paying job and try to get money fast your only focus, but then what? Job security and money is important to living freely of course, but where is the fun if all you want is to “optimise” every day, rather than feel and experience it? Video games and what achievements are satisfying to me really help to magnify what goals i actually value in my life, and can be used as a lens for reflection for others perhaps.

[@rorikiwi]

The ending message was so sweet, great video!

[@bryonystitch]

The end of the video breaks my heart!

[@Nesreka]

Great video essay. Loved the attention to detail. The idea about the guides resonates with me. Sometimes they can kill the fun.

[@thedembot]

I get it now. I’ve been playing Persona 5 blind and absolutely engaged with it so far. But when I played other stuff I’ve usually primed the experience with a tips and tricks video! Always wondered why I wasn’t getting in to stuff and it’s because I was constantly looking for the best / most optimised May to ‘experience’ the game rather than find out for myself!

[@emma_tm]

I agree with basically everything you've said. Especially the "Aha!" moments when you figure out a synergy or an efficient way of doing things. One thing i experience with guides that made me reconsider using them is the guides just being wrong or not actually the most efficient thing you can do. Which now makes me think a fun thing to do could be to do the content without a guide, and then look at a guide to see if you 'defeated' it

[@louisgodefroid2936]

I clearly experience your FF9 story with Sekiro like i didn't know if i was doing things in good order or did i miss a important item ( i miss and doing things not in right order ) but i got this feeling of i'm not playing the game i'm following a sort of recipe. Also in persona 5 where i check who to lvl up bound first ( mishima for the exp for example ) and i was just following responses to get him on lvl 10 asap but i didn't really focus on his story but in P3R i used a guide at a second playthrough to get platinum trophy which was a greater experencie with the social link. A really good video that reinforce the feeling i had with my gaming experience with sekiro " play without a guide use it if you're really in need of it to progess or you're lost"

[@IowanPunch]

I've come to this same conclusion with guides over the last couple of years, but I've taken it another step further. I quit watching extensive coverage of upcoming games. I watch an official release trailer and maybe check a review or the first 30 minutes of a blind playthrough. I look for just enough info to know if I'll like a game enough to purchase it. I do this to keep as much of the game as possible free to discover myself. My exception is for large complicated games like Stellaris or Caves of Qud. Then I get really selective about what guides I look into. I only want something to help me understand the mechanics. If the guide is telling me META choices, I abandon it immediately and move on. But even in these more complicated games, you foster a stronger connection to a game if you struggle with it a bit before seeking outside help. Using both of these has helped me keep from continuing to bloat my game library as I spend more time with each game purchase. Nice video. Thanks for posting it.

[@trifortay]

perfect example of this... Crystal Project, super fun to explore, the best combat to exist in an RPG. And doing it with a guide dulls the experience if used to a certain extent. For me I just used a guide whenever I gave up and needed to know where to go next. The game has the best exploration of any game I've seen as well. So it's fun just to wander around. Also the demo of the game is 16 hours long. The full game costs only 13 dollars. And that took me well over 60 hours to beat the game for the first time.

[@nordinreecendo512]

A friend loaned me his copy of the Metal Gear Solid HD collection for PS3 recently and I've slowly been making my way through the franchise. Each game feels like a totally different experience from the one before it so far, and I'm currently playing through MGS3. Normally I'm too quick to look stuff up, but this time I'm just playing with my own skills and intuition. The only time I want any input, I ask my friend for his tips, and it feels like when I was a kid, sharing game knowledge on the playground. It's the most fun I've had with a game in quite some time.

[@TheRoguay]

Tunic will change your life. The instruction booklet is the defining in game mechanic and the way it breaks down the relationship of "Game" and "Guide" is incredible

[@alooseghost7618]

Totally agree, loved Tunic

[@kudosbm]

haven't watched the video but playing and beating astro bot has rejuvenated my love for games

[@FullGemer]

i randomly found your video and i really enjoyed it. I totally agree to your idea. I also think in a simliar way. Keep it going and i hope the algorithm will help you progress! :D

[@alooseghost7618]

Thank you! 😊

[@darkwalker19]

I learned this lesson funny enough with the same game! FF9 is one of my favs now and it holds a very special place in my heart

[@ThomasFogle]

I watched this with persona 5 in mind, I am still wonder about the possibility of missing content. I do not want to optimize the fun out of my playthrough but I also don't want to miss any of that missable endgame content. I loved your video as a first time watcher and new subscriber, keep up the great work. And I do agree with the sentiment of going guideless in most cases.

[@TotohliGameplay]

A wonderful job, great video with an important message, you told it calmly and made good use of scenes and examples to explain yourself. Bravo!

[@Frank_42]

Most of these games have so much content and so many random encounters that you can get overwhelmed and not be bothered to finish even if you do miss things.

[@321cheesedude96]

I definitely feel like while we were trying to get good at games that we forgot somewhere along the way that they are supposed to be fun

[@wizcatcheslightning]

Void Stranger music: instant subscribe. Great video, mate

[@Zorvaxecho]

Love this video. I had a similar experience on my first playthrough of BG3 where I would get super invested and play for 4-5 hours every day after work, then not touch the game for two weeks because it was stressing me out lol. I was so obsessed with making sure I made all the right choices and made all the correct optimizations that it kind of ruined it for me. I noticed this about midway through the second act, actually talked my way out of a boss I didn't realize was a boss, and then continued there without a guide. I think BG3 is a little interesting too because if you really want something to happen, you can always save scum, which is a really neat thing they removed in the hardest difficulty, but intentionally left in for the easier ones. I also had a similar experience with Metroid prime 3 growing up. My dad had a guide and I was just not enjoying the game. During covid I went back and completed it with no guide at all and I had such a blast figuring out all the little puzzles.

[@Zorvaxecho]

Also ditto on Balatro, that game is unbelievably addicting

[@DeMisterShaggy]

this might be a sign for me to enjoy video games again, great vid man!

[@edwardbaylon8402]

I started playing like this again with BOTW, and it was the perfect game without a guide, you discover and learn a lot.

[@zeez145]

Cool video dude, hope to see more videos from you in the future!

[@Dreyameir]

Wonderful video 👏 Its something I've slowly realised over the years too, turning cool toys into min-maxy nerd spreadsheets. (At least ones that aren't already nerd spreadsheets, like EU4.)

[@DarckShandom]

I went through pretty much the same journey with my usage of guides. Without them, the anxiety of missing something was taking the fun out of the game, but using the guide, did too. Nowadays, I google before playing if there are missable items, or multiple endings and the such, and kind of write myself a small guide that maked no sense before playing the game, but that (hopefully) will make sense once I reach those points on the progression. Going guideless wasn't the best option for me, but if hadn't tried it, I wouldn't have found the middle ground that makes me enjoy my games the most.

[@АлександрБочкарев-ъ5м]

That is one the greatest gaming videos I've seen in years. It is so true.

[@DevieMelody]

“The allure of raising number”… that cuts deep 😅

[@ekurisona663]

the journey is the destination...

[@CGoody564]

This is true for life in general.

[@otielcraft]

The thing i enjoy about guides is that as a kid i used to get stuck on games without a way to advance in the story. It's bizarre to think how many times i replayed the intro of many games when i was a kid and got so much enjoyment out of them and now as an adult im rediscovering them and enjoying them in an entirely new way

[@MattHorton]

I made the opposite point in a video a few months ago. 😅 My point was that it's ok and if it makes it more fun, go for it! Use the guide!To each their own!

[@alooseghost7618]

I do agree with you there, it's just about understanding how guides can effect the way you play games and using them in a way that enhances them

[@MattHorton]

@@alooseghost7618 absolutely. Great video! Can't wait to see more

[@zpkspiano]

I had a similar experience with Stardew Valley, I was really stressed looking for the best crops and stuff and ended up burning out. A few years layer I tried again without a wiki tab open and it was actually relaxing lol Also the Void Stranger music makes me thing that game is a great example for a game better played blind

[@alooseghost7618]

I wholeheartedly agree with you on both points. It's actually why I put the music there, I like to try and give other examples through the music I choose

[@AquaticIdealist]

It's extremely ironic that I find Stardew very relaxing, especially after returning to the game when I quit (due to thinking it would eat all my free time, which it does), for precisely the reasons you describe in the vid. That guides are just there to let you know, say, what gifts villagers like or what items are needed for bundles. Unlike some live service games you can take all the time in the world, even though it's inefficient or you might need to wait another season (the Traveling Card and Night Market are godsends for randomly making items available when you need them, same with the Greenhouse to a lesser extent where you can plant fruit trees and all kinds of crops in it), but just treating guides as references and playing at your own pace is wonderful. Playing a live service game (Arknights in my case) was extremely stressful because events disappear after a week or two and achievements (medals) similarly disappear. I hated that, I hated the need to clear a mission with perfect accuracy or I die and fail to get the achievement. Just sitting back and playing at your own pace is sorely needed in gaming at times. I noticed your earlier video is the exact opposite mindset but, as you point out, it's precisely because you set those time limits on yourself or aimed for optimization, and yes when you fail to optimize you can feel like a failure. Doesn't have to be that way though. Good video!

[@sbda]

another killer video bud. i think this is a problem i have been having recently. wanting to get 100% out of everything i play (mostly because i dont have as much time to just mess around anymore) has just made it kinda stressful lmao. gotta put down the gamefaqs for a bit and breathe in the mystique x

[@alooseghost7618]

Thanks! And yeah, not having time to get things wrong is a big issue I have myself

[@EDgarAltar]

Gotta appreciate you reminding me to get back to Balatro

[@nyxmugen]

This reminds me of the first time I played Portal probably around 2010 (late, I know). I didn't know anything about it story wise, I thought it was just a puzzle game and thought I would give it a go. Little did I know that the story and premise were deeper and darker than initially seemed. I got sucked in and became the protagonist fighting for my life trying to escape, not even sure if there is a way out. There were tons of tense and "Aha!" moments that this became one of my best gaming experiences just by not knowing anything about the game.

[@bigTHULU]

This is more or less the thought process that made me fall in love with, and platinum bloodborne, and get hooked to anything from the soul series. For a lot of folks, the games are too hard and frustrating and it dulls the experience. they don't want the aha moment of getting stuck and getting out of that stuck, or softlocked by a boss/area. They want to complete the game, and that's perfectly valid. When my friends told me to play it blind as possible (My homie definitely walked me through the forbidden woods, so not 100% blind), I wondered why they were so insistent, up until those Aha moments started kicking in. The first rush of being a boss that stomped me for months. The wait what? ayeeeee moment of finding a whole new area, and more gameplay to fight with off the beaten path. The sense of discovery of finding a weapon or strategy that I took with me the rest of the playthrough. Up until the soulsgames, I was a fighting game player/cheat code guide lover who wanted to find out what the community found, how to use and abuse it, and how to win. Soulsborne taught me how to immerse myself in a game again like my childhood, play around with my own thoughts and ideas vs a top ten's tricks and tips video. As an adult, I find a healthy medium (No not really I spent three days stuck on a puzzle in Signalis instead of finding a guide) of actually playing the game but not being scared to ask for help. Overall, tldr: I like this video. Screw guides, discover yourself and your game so you can connect with it more

[@ziljin]

Now that there are so many old and new games that can be bought for cheap during sales or even free claims. And no more free time to play them all so i just play games on easy mode and only use the guide when i am stuck and ignore trying to do every sidequest and unlock every item.

[@dalekthal9569]

Your discussion around money in games really resonated with me, and I think it's related to something Mark Darrah once spoke about in his Dragon Age docos called "player hugs". The concept is this: when you're playing Skyrim, you encounter a little bit of content at least once a minute. The thing about this is, the world design means no matter what, there's something cool to see. A lot of games (Animal Crossing New Horizons and No Mans Sky come to mind) hide their coolest and most exciting mechanics and gear behind having a lot of money. As a result, you have to "get through" a period of not having much money to get to the good part of the game. This results in the game not being engaging anymore, because the player ceases to be engaging with what content is there in the meantime, instead pushing for the "cool stuff" at the end. This, I suspect, is the reason I like Skyrim and Dragon Age, but don't like ESO (as much) or Starfield. The former two games, the cool stuff is tied to story progress. The latter two games, the cool stuff is tied to your character's (and your real world) finances. Starfield has its best mechanic (ship building) locked behind gathering money. ESO has so much content that either costs cash, or massive amounts of ingame gold to access. I believe that games ought to divvy "cool" (or perhaps "chase", as in chase cards from Magic the Gathering) content across the game, rather tying it to having a certain amount of ingame money. Particularly where there are other players whom can show off that cool stuff they got after they made massive amounts of ingame money. As a result, this would encourage players to engage moreso with a plot or earlier content in general, rather than try to rush to wealth (usually relying on guides to do so). Apologies for the rant that only addresses a small portion over your video. It came out of a wonder if reliance on guides is influenced by the factor you mentioned at the start of the video (the need for money in games) moreso than any other reason, like missing story content. Ultimately "chase" content is problematic, because it pushes players to not engage with the game itself, but instead everything outside the game to access the chase content faster. /endrant

[@alooseghost7618]

Brilliant rant honestly, I think you're right on the money, pardon the pun

[@watagashi_mitai]

Great video, man! You deserve more subs.

[@Roaringbearkitties]

I am having this issue with persona 4 right now. I want to enjoy the story fully so I don’t want to miss stuff but then following a guide every 5 minutes is a serious chore

[@Golipillas]

One problem I've found when becoming a dad is that I've got less time to tinker around and experiment, so I'm resorting to guides a bit more to compensate for this lack of time. That, and some old games, particularly CRPGs and point and click adventures which i don't know how they would be beatable without some guidance, some gameplay aspects are just super cryptic.

[@ItssHexx]

The ending was really nice and sweet, I wish I could reconnect with my dad

[@parsley7]

Recently I started playing Fields of Mistria, and even though a farming game isn't necessarily the type of game you'd think of 'avoiding spoilers' for, I decided to make a point of avoiding videos/info for it as much as I can to go into it fresh. As a result there've been many little details or unexpected features I've stumbled on by myself that I've been pleasantly surprised by. Little "aha" moments I got excited about because I hadn't already known they existed. I've definitely dampened my experience of my fair share of games by watching too many videos, looking up too many guides, or having every bit of novelty revealed via social media. So I've been trying to limit how much info I expose myself to for games I intend to play. And I've already been noticing a change for the better.

[@aVataR_ehyeh]

Man, I've rediscovered some joy in games myself simply because I started treating games as something that should be fun! And for me, specifically right now, that means to cheat and warp the games I play to better fit me. Like, instead of hitting my head over very difficult games, I make them easier by tweaking some aspect of it, like giving myself more lifes in shmups, and instead of minmaxing and using overpowered strategies I decide on using aspects and tactics in the games that lead to more enjoyable gameplay. And I love me playing roleplaying games these days with mods that make it so that I can respec my characters, because that takes the pressure off of making a good build at the very start, and instead makes me more open to just rolling with the punches, and experimenting. :) So freeing to allow myself to enjoy games more now and not thinking about how games are SUPPOSED to be played, even if I do enjoy a good challenge so to some degree I am still in tune with the "supposedness" of games.

[@soulfulfakealligator]

I appreciated the Void Stranger music ❤

[@dizzykitteh]

I've noticed lately, I am NOT trying hard enough at things. The second I feel the cogs in my brain turning... I take the easy route. It's embarrassing, really!

[@BigmanDogs]

This is so true, I have been trying to avoid guides too. It got to a point that I exclusively started playing games so complex that it's impossible to write a guide for it because basically nobody full comprehends all mechanics. Such as grand strategy games like hearts of iron and europa universalis. You only get to play a game for the first time once. Why deprive yourself from that experience?

[@DevieMelody]

Love your narration

[@dreioo8759]

I play many games following online builds and strategy guides. But never Titan Quest. I made a decision to never follow an optimum build to beat the game. I wanted to explore the skill trees and loot by myself even if it meant that I'd probably be playing it very poorly. The result? I play Titan Quest to this day with the same desire to explore and experient. I have yet to beat it but I love coming back to it and trying something new. It's special to me!

[@pogonisimo]

I wasn't planning to watch this video but those FF9 footage in the beginning got me. Always got time for FF9.

[@prosetheus]

Will just chime in by adding that guides can complement gameplay quite well. Not as a step by step thing , but to ensure that we enter the game with some idea of how to avoid major mistakes. This is the case especially for older games. Fallout 1 is a nightmare dor current gamers if we dont stick to build guides for the first playthrough.

[@skipthewave]

I think it really depends on the genre. When you were talking about Balatro, I thought to myself "I could never use a guide on a deckbuilder".

[@caitlyn2580]

Just wanted to encourage you to keep going with your video-making journey. I would've guessed you had a lot more subs if I hadn't looked :)

[@alooseghost7618]

Thank you! That's really nice of you to say

[@paz1830]

We played FF9 in the 2000s without a guide. So, i got stuck in the part of Gizamaluke boss for 6 months, without knowing what i had to do...until decided to go training around, and found Quina. that was the great change: ended the boss and was more easy the rest of the game.But take me other 6 months end that game, because without the guides, i didn´t knew the best strategies for do certain things and anything was a surprise, for example when i killed a zombie with a Phoenix Dawn accidentally XD, or forgot an important item in a place who was lost in the last part of the story...but wow, the experience of finally end the last boss...was unique and memorable...then my little brother played the game too, but was more careful and, with the things learned from the first try, did a better game than me XD

[@Xeinok]

Even as quite a degen achievement hunter I very much agree with this video!

[@Sheepy765.]

Personally I have my first playthrough be a normal playthrough, then if i like the game enough I’ll go back and look for things I missed using guides when I get really stuck trying to find the last few collectibles.

[@ThePaulineu]

I wonder if there's something about trust between a player and the developers that ties into the fear of the player for making mistakes. For example, if the player is sometimes without warning taken out of an area without them being able to go back, even if they've missed treasure chests, that trust becomes more brittle, and the player will seek out guides to make sure they know when this will happen and where the treasure chests are. Another example of breaking that trust is if for example a dialogue option you choose leads you down the "bad ending" story path without warning, and that the bad ending is significantly lacking in content compared to other endings. This incentivises players to think "oh, never this again! Next time I'll look up a guide to make sure I go down the right path" This trust I'm thinking about is kind of the trust that making mistakes is okay, missing some things is okay. If players feel punished too harshly for missing things (important items lost forever) or making the wrong decision (whole swathes of the best part of the game becoming unavailable after one choice), they will loose that trust. There's really a lot more that could be said here I think, about the fear of making mistakes and how games are designed to accommodate or amplify this natural fear

[@alooseghost7618]

Great point, totally agree

[@anastasiolabropoulos]

I agree with you. Half the time nowadays, the first thing I search for when wanting to use a guide is "Missables". That is it. I do not want to lose out on part of the experience because it is impossible to get it after a certain point in the story. If the story has branching paths then I understand losing out on content on a branch you are not doing, but losing content on the branch you are in because you advanced too far feels cheap. If the content is missable because of story progression, then either link it to the story or not have it at all.

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

I've always been one to view guide use as cheating. My main exceptions are being hopelessly stuck for hours and being blatantly made to grind to proceed, both of which I consider bad game design. It's so deflating to be told of a passage I couldn't see or a puzzle solution that still doesn't make sense when revealed. Balatro hits the sweet spot most of the time, with only a handful of cases where I'd never understand a card without an external explanation like Matador. Just today I put a machine together that allowed me to earn the trophy for having an 80 card deck. Conversely, upon reflection on a loss an hour prior, I realized the easiest path to get down to 20 cards and to play 5 wild cards at once. The fact that I regularly have an epiphany while not even playing is pretty incredible.

[@FiggsNeughton]

There’s a little known law in gaming that says players will do whatever they can to remove the fun from a game and make the experience more “streamlined”. Gamers like me who know this and make a conscious effort to enjoy games rather than turn them into an excel sheet or list of chores are basically gods compared to most gamers. Our ways simply can’t be understood by your typical gamer, who is basically a natural slave who turns his hobby into a chore. If you guys knew how much I have gaming, you would be sick with envy.

[@rossedwardmiller]

For me, it truly depends on the game and the time of my life I’m playing it. I played dragon quest 11 guideless and loved it. I tried persona 5 without a guide and hated it. When I used a guide, I did everything - my only platinum trophy. I tried elden ring blind and got frustrated. When I used a guide,I played 140 hours and loved it until I got stuck. It’s all case by case

[@hibbs1712]

Yes. Ive been pretty much solo playing Monster Hunter and replaying old pokemon Cartridges and breeding competitive teams. Havent purchased anything from the game economy in years. Unnecessary. Animal Crossing New Leaf keeps me busy on off-days.

[@JosephCox-yx4ds]

Playing soulsilver right now!

[@guyrheuark3445]

When I played final fantasy 9 for the first time, I too used a guide. The Brady games book, and it led us to have very different play experiences. It's funny that you used the final fantasy 9 guide book as a reference point, without mentioning how useless the original guide book was, as its infamous lack of content would have let you explore more of the game on your own.

[@Lennoxrenol]

Enjoyed spending my time with you on a video you worked so hard on! Subbing for more of your future content :)

[@alooseghost7618]

Thank you! I really appreciate it!

[@ThePaulineu]

This video reminds me of the sentence "gamers will optimise the fun out of a game". I'm only halfway through watching the video so I'll see if you mention it!

[@ThePaulineu]

Haha, there you go, you mention it!

[@memechef6065]

This is my current thinking with Minecraft. I game that I have played so much through my childhood and now into my adolescence. I’m thinking that maybe the purpose of the game isn’t to have a farm for every resource and a rush to kill the ender dragon. Why not just explore and make a big house? The things I did before I saw KZbin tutorials. Maybe that means that other people would see my play style as “inefficient” but for me it is multitudes more engaging.

[@shizuwolf]

Reminds me of my experience with the business management mini game in Yakuza: like a dragon. I kept getting into so much debt and hiring characters I couldn't afford 😅. Now, I have a better understanding of the mechanics and can make easy money

[@kriativs7374]

I finish the game once without a guida and later on if I plan to get achievements or play it again I will use a guide. The only exception to me was Stardew Valley, that I beat first with a guide and my second and third playthrough were without a guide.

[@alooseghost7618]

Stardew Valley without at least three tabs open on another monitor, couldn't do it

[@SpacedogD]

The animal crossing story was basically the saying, "gamers will min max the fun out of the game".

[@via3600]

The unyielding siren call of balatro joker tier lists calls me every moment I'm playing that game but I KNOW it'll ruin it for me. I KNOW it'll stop my fun knowing what I'm doing is sub optimal. Somebody save me

[@sebastianpvn]

i guess i’m the complete opposite, i usually never use a guide, unless i’m literally stuck. xenoblade 2 players would usually tell you you should use a guide before playing since the tutorials are terrible and while they are indeed terrible, i never felt the need to use the guide and i feel like my enjoyment of the game was higher because of it. there’s some games that challenge me and make me wanna look up solutions so bad but i have pretty good self control not to.

[@sonnitude]

For me it really depends on what I’m trying to achieve. I see you used persona as an example, and there, I can’t explain why, but I get a weird enjoyment of following a guide to max out every social link. I still have to plan out the battle half myself, and doing that wrong can mess up the social half, and that kinda adds a fun challenge run like aspect where both halves are equally important despite the use of a guide for one half. The only other exception I can think of for that game is the super bosses, I will look up how to best defeat them, since they never tell you the hidden rules. That never sat well with me…

[@breamaykaitlin]

I recently played through Majora's Mask for the first time (it was too daunting for me as a kid) and I fell victim to the guides and it definitely robbed me of some of the atmosphere and story in the end. Oh well, next time!

[@hotworlds]

Then there's the common problem where a 'meta' develops and becomes an echo chamber but it's just wrong. Then years later people find out something everyone thought was bad because somebody on youtube said it was is actually OP. Like how in smash everyone has some kind of vendetta against heavies and say characters are good or bad 'on paper' but it is totally disconnected from results. Like recently all of a sudden we're in the "DK meta" of smash after a guy wins a major tournament with DK who everyone said was a bottom tier character for literally two decades. Or in SSBU everyone was in agreement that pikachu is the best character in the game leagues above the others but only one pro guy plays him and he gets washed constantly by 'mid tiers' then blames the matchup.

[@panamajack5972]

I keep feeling old as fuck when the new youtubers start saying stuff like, "...my DAD gave me some of HIS old ps1 games..."

[@alooseghost7618]

To be fair I grew up with the PS1, he just kept them for himself until I was a teenager

[@andrewmccoy1524]

For me, No Man's Sky is a game I can't go back to because I spoiled it for myself chasing every tip to earn so much money it all became pointless.

[@alooseghost7618]

I had a hard time continuing with No Man's Sky once I learned the best way to make money