What's this got to do with Valentine's Day?
Well I have got a love for football and football games, whatever they may be, Subbuteo to PES. For me there is nothing better than striking a ball true and seeing it bend into the goal before the keeper can react, playing a perfectly weighted pass that only requires a poke passed the keeper, or sending in an inch perfect cross for an easy header into an open net.
At the moment I get none of these joys from playing computer games, I know that as I press a button a randomiser is working out if I score or not, whether my pass is good or not, or whether my cross is just right. Yes, it all looks pretty, and if you squint, you might think you were watching a real match, but watching and taking part are totally different things.
I want to go back to the days when I could have a few mates 'round, open the crisps, and have a good laugh, cheering when goals are scored, getting tense and having sweaty palms when things are tight, and chucking the joypad/stick across the room because I lost. Crucially, not because the computer decided I lost, but because I wasn't good enough.
If you take the randomiser to its logical conclusion, what have I got to do to win? Have as many shots as possible and reduce the averages? Have a higher skilled team? And if everything is randomised, so is the ultimate result, I might as well play dice.
This may be slightly unfair to some games but I don't want to contort my fingers to make my player do something that should be simple, or remember reams of moves that I might just need in X situation.
The rest of the team share this vision, a fast, simple game that brings the joy and fun of playing football into your living room/bedroom/study*.
Oh, and have a good St Valentine's day.
* Delete as appropriate
