Any weird/controversial opinions? I'll start. Before the remake, the best version of Resident Evil 4 was the Wii version. The Wiimote controls old Resi's tank controls better than any other controller at the time. The PC version had a bunch of little bugs and detractors that the Wii version just doesn't have.
I'll extend this by saying that the Wiimote is actually pretty damn good for shooters, and particularly good for accessibility. Not having to cramp up my hands to press buttons is awesome for having arthritis. Aiming with the Wiimote and moving with the nunchuck just feel really natural, you barely have to move your fingers for anything.
Weapons, armor, equipment, upgrades, etc. in single-player games that have effects that have tradeoffs or very niche use-cases are unfun. I can understand it in multiplayer competitive games where balance is important, but effects like “provides 20% more defense versus ” or “increases range, but decreases damage” just deflate me when I get them in games. If I’m spending time playing a game, I want to earn things that make me objectively better as I progress. Developers of modern games seem waaay to preoccupied with holding back and not allowing things to be “broken” in games where it just doesn’t matter.
That is honestly one of my favourite things about Saint Row 3 and 4. If you want to go balls to the wall with an infinite ammo, instant reloaded rocket launcher, while running outside the enemies range. Just get to level 50 and go nuts.
Saints Row is such a fun series because they know exactly what kind of game they are. They're not GTA. They have no business being serious, grounded, or realistic. They embrace the utter bonkers ridiculousness and it works great. I had so much fun in Saints Row 4 with the super powers. And it works great with how the game is written. Utterly hilarious game that I enjoyed every minute of.
Also, killing enemies with a dildo bat never grows old.
This is tangentially related to inventory management, encumbrance, and other mechanics that often come across as tedious. Does it make sense that the character is sitting down and taking a while to decide how much & which stuff to carry, which gems to socket, which items to upgrade? How much is the game supposed to be about resource management vs. about swinging swords at skeletons or solving puzzles?
If you want a game that not only allows you to break it but encourages it and it doesn't ruin the fun, try Noita. Very unforgiving and secretive. It's kinda like a roguelike where the thing you're building up between plays is knowledge of how the game works. Sometimes you'll find an ability combination that makes you a god, other times you'll find one that kills you before you understand the implications of what you're trying to do.
It's fun but just be aware that any specific fun you start to have will be fleeting, but you'll find other kinds of fun while chasing that last one.
I'm okay with those kinda things if they're not limited. Eg, if they're a skill and you can get many skills. But if it's like FFXVI, where you have only 3 accessory slots and most accessories are borderline useless, then I agree that they're just disappointing. I want to feel like equipment (or whatever) is impactful. I want it to be able to wildly change up my strategy.
I love when games have stuff like wildly different weapon types or the likes, such that you can make so many different kinds of builds. Far more fun and replayable than the games where there's basically only one way to play and nothing will significantly change it.