Gamer Culture, World of WarCraft
Going and Going and Going…
Some games never seem to end. In the case of the wildly popular World of Warcraft or any other MMO, this is by design; it keeps the money flowing and the subscribers owing. An informal poll of three of my own WoW guildmates turned up the following times played: 75 Days, 22 Hours, 12 Minutes, 36 Seconds. 111 Days, 11 Hours, 56 Minutes, 31 Seconds. 35 Days, 6 Hours, 57 Minutes, 31 Seconds. Yikes. But what about those games that go on and on but promise an ending in sight? Which non-MMO games flat-out consume the most time without seeming to get the player anywhere near an ending? Here’s a look at mine.
Tales of Symphonia was a game that separated itself from the typical RPG fare through its quirky art direction, incorporation of unique game elements like a cooking system, and the use of a live-action “Linear Motion System” as opposed to familiar turn-based gameplay. Now that the sequel, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World is out in Japan, we’re piecing together the details ourselves, and discovering a game which looks to be a promising installment for the series and a great fit for the Wii.