I like structure. I hate hand-holding.
I like direction. I hate tutorials.

Also, I like the concept of games like Minecraftwherein you can build whatever you want, but I hate the execution of games like Minecraft where you BUILD WHATEVER including yourself and enemies. It's just too weird.

I like games that have a set course but allow you take a break from the action to do hobbyist things: throw darts, shoot hoops, race, build, collect, etc.

I like to be able to build things but I don't like being told what to build, unless it's by an NPC who is going to be using it. In Dragon Quest Builders, you build "rooms" for your residents. Three walls, roof, door, bed, torch. Done. Unless they ask for something specific like a window or a second bed. Putting a bed in the room doesn't make much sense as usually the person using the room would provide their furniture unless you're running a hotel which is what is feels like in DQB despite that it's suposed to be a town.

I don't play simulators because they are usually relegated to one aspect of reality (i.e. farming, construction, etc) and it did doesn't feel as if the story is engaging. I'm greedy to want a game whose story interests me but also provides a realistic approach to side-ventures and real-life escapism.

I like the meta-experience of playing a videk game within a video game. It can be as simple as pinball or a Atari-era dungeon crawl. Observer (which featured Rutger Hauer) had a good one which you had to play on every computer you came across in-game in order to see the next level. And it was ultimately pointless. Just simple dumb fun.


As for character development, I've never liked games where you create your character. The initial amusement you get from creating a self-insert (which even if you're NOT creating a version of you, you're still ALWAYS creating a version of you) fades with the realization that your character is just not that important to the plot. The downside to "anyone can be a hero" is that your role feels kinda superfluous. If you could literally be anyone, why are you even here? Just let someone else do it. I've got more important things to do.

I appreciate games where the main character's form is predetermined. I liked Fable's method of letting you have multiple names while still having those names spoken aloud by NPCs. All the names are descriptive rather than personal. Still that just revives that feeling that I could literally be anyone as none of these NPCs knows my real name ('cause I don't have one).... Of course, that's just how I feel about RPGs.