Monday, September 27, 2010

Facebook Games: The Casual Revolution

No, I'm not going to bash Facebook games. I'm a firm believer that casual gaming has it's place in the grand scheme of things. In fact, I've played a few Facebook games in my time, and they're not generally all that bad. Some of them are poorly designed, and the forced social aspects are a bit of a turn-off for me, but generally I've found that they have decent gameplay (what do you expect on Facebook anyways?).

The refuge of the bored housewife.
There are a lot of folks out there who feel that Facebook games are a blight on gaming. Or on society in general. I think all gaming can contribute to the overall world of gaming however. Even the worst games contribute something, even if it's just what not to do in a game.

One thing (two things actually) I don't like about Facebook games are the social aspects and the addictive qualities. I hate having to bug my friends to get stuff done in a game. And as far as addiction goes, it's not as addicting as say WoW, but it can still sucker a person in for quite a while.

I have found that Facebook games are great for wasting time, however, which in Afghanistan is something I find myself needing to do a lot. And I can certainly see the appeal for more social people. What's better than working with your friends to succeed in a game? It's like doing a Kaz run for stay at home moms (pardon the WoW reference, and I've honestly never done been to Kaz'rogal in the game).

And that brings me to my conclusion: Despite the comparatively poor overall quality of Facebook games, they have their place among games as an entertainment medium.

Anyone plan Facebook games regularly? Anyone out there who can't stand them?
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2 comments:

  1. I hate FB games!! Not because I don't think they could get addictive... I do enjoy games every now and then. I just hate having my wall fill up with everyone's requests!! I've had to hide them all because some people play those games 12 hours a day. :P

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  2. You could always filter them to be out of your wall. Well, I have to admit that games are the second reason that I log in to Facebook almost everyday (besides keeping in touch with family and friends). When I'm out a couple of days, I get this "I-have-to-log-in-or-my-crops-will-wither" thing. XD

    With regards to game quality, well it's supposed to be mushed because it's made to be light on the system (they only require a Flash player, no downloads and installation required). It also makes use of the social aspect (like doing stuff together, asking friends for help and such), which makes it both fun and annoying at the same time.

    It's best for casual gamers (that's why it's called casual games right?), kill some time, but not spend all day on it. It just depends on how much you play. My friend once said it's always better to poke or tag your friends and family in real life.

    Great blog by the way.

    Regards
    Rafael Martin
    Credit Cards for Students

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