What defines a "gamer" these days is a tricky question.
Games have become universally celebrated in society—and with the easier access to games on mobile, iPad, and Facebook—the term "gamer" can be applied to virtually anyone. So the question becomes who are the "true gamers," the hardcore that live and breath the industry news.
Those who have stared at their screens for countless hours, and have the impression of the controller buttons on their fingertips, are the only ones that know.
Years of gaming have provided a very specific skill set. Gamers have been conditioned to expect and anticipate certain triggers in a game. Here's what we're talking about.
What defines a "gamer" these days is a tricky question.
Games have become universally celebrated in society—and with the easier access to games on mobile, iPad, and Facebook—the term "gamer" can be applied to virtually anyone. So the question becomes who are the "true gamers," the hardcore that live and breath the industry news.
Those who have stared at their screens for countless hours, and have the impression of the controller buttons on their fingertips, are the only ones that know.
Years of gaming have provided a very specific skill set. Gamers have been conditioned to expect and anticipate certain triggers in a game. Here's what we're talking about.
5. If a corridor looks safe, it's not.
Resident Evil is the master of reminding you that looks can be deceiving.
If a room looks safe and inviting, 9 times out of 10 it's going to be one of the most challenging altercations you'll encounter. That, or you'll be spooked by a jump scare.
Even Final Fantasy games have moments where it looks like you're walking into an empty room only to encounter one of the bigger boss fights.
4. Hoarding items is valuable.
Current games also do a great job of spoiling us.
There's usually not much of an incentive to save items for use later if you're going to see 4 more medical kits in the next level.
That's where games like DmC come in, which actually punishes you for not hoarding items for emergencies. For those unfamiliar with the series: every purchase you make in the Devil May Cry games raises the value of that item, so purchasing too much too early means paying a hefty price towards the end of the game when you really need consumable items the most.
Newcomers to the series are likely to be overwhelmed by this setup, while old school players snicker in the background with all their vital stars.
3. Going off the beaten path is rewarding.
Those new to gaming are used to very linear gameplay-go from point A to point B and, surprisingly, point C follows right after!
But veterans know that straying away from the main road is usually pretty rewarding. If you followed directions in the Mario series, you'd never find the flutes, hidden warp pipes, or Star World!
2. If the music keeps playing there are still enemies.
Facing waves of enemies (and feeling all-powerful) is a staple of good action games, but if you don't play close enough attention, you can easily be killed by that one enemy off to the side of the screen you didn't see during your killing spree.
That's why in games like God of War it's good to listen to the music playing in the background. If the enemy theme is still amping up, there's probably some enemies hiding or glitching elsewhere before you can move forward.
1. You can avoid damage during transitions and animations.
We've all been there.
Those moments of sheer frustration when everything seems to be going wrong. After several attempts, the boss is on that last bit of health, but so are you... but wait! You perform an action that prompts an animation that saves you from death!
You can use that to your advantage. Donkey Kong Country was a great example of this: After spinning around in a barrel, waiting for that perfect moment to shoot to the next platform while three bees stood in your way, you miscalculate and miss the landing! But it's okay, because you were playing as Diddy, so now DK can come in and land the jump.
