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Games

The Joys (and Sorrows) of Getting Hyped for a Video Game

After Patrick’s review, I’m excited for 'God of War.' But the hype from other outlets has me wary.
All images courtesy Sony

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I’m in a slightly unique position with the new God of War. Since I cut the video review, I’ve seen a few hours of the game—a pretty big chunk of the first few hours—but I’ve not, you know, played it. After seeing Patrick’s nuanced, enthusiastic reception to the game, I’m excited for it! I don’t have much history with the series, outside of a mild interest in its general setting, as a mythology nerd. It looks fun, and his comments on the storytelling have me way more excited than I ever thought I would be to be a total dad.

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But I am a little worried, too.

We touched on this a bit in yesterday’s podcast, but the game is garnering rave reviews, especially for its scope, polish, and combat. Those are cool things, but they are rarely the first elements I look for in a satisfying game experience. I worry that a little bit of me will always be a contrarian, going into well-loved, respected AAA games with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I’m not actively looking for things to dislike here, don’t get me wrong, but when the hype gets to a certain level, I can’t deny that it puts me in that place.

I don’t love what that says about me. I’d like to come at a work with context, yes, but to also give everything—large and small—a fair shake.

Am I the only one who does this? I suppose being aware is the first step, so I can consciously go into the game on Friday with a clear head. If I love it, great! If it annoys me, that’s ok. I’m just going to try hard not to let the hype train affect me on this one.

What about you, readers? Are there games where the buzz surrounding them colored the experience for you? What do you do to mitigate that? Let me know on the forums!