Angry Gamer Confessional/Help Guide

Destructoid is an awesome gaming blog. I like to think of it as the red-haired stepbrother to elder siblings, Kotaku and Joystiq. While I will often find echoes of the same stories on the "Big Two" blogs, Destructoid dares to offer articles more off the beaten path.

They published an article about Angry Gamers before the weekend which I found relevant, timely and hitting a little too close to home. Frankly, I can relate and I'm none to proud to admit it. I haven't gone as far as punching holes in my wall over a game, but I have a couple broken keyboards and cracked SNES controllers to offer up as proof to my legacy of gaming rage.

I've chilled out in my older age, but you'll still find me muttering to myself or clenching my jaws when I'm being particularly vexed by a video game. Case in point: Crackdown.

First thing's first: I love this game. I've been hopelessly cracked out since last Tuesday's release and have not been able to look at my previous favourites, Gears of War and Vegas quite the same way. As good as it's been, however, Crackdown has reacquainted me with the demon within over the weekend. The game, at its heart, is a platformer and I have a history of frustration with these type of games, as do many other people I'm sure. Missing platforms and falling to your death are par for the course in your typical platformer. My Agent, while hardy enough to survive most falls, is just this much short of perfection when it comes to overall play control. It's so frustrating to be merrily hopping on rooftops and suddenly lose footing and fall several stories below. Sometimes it's not terribly convenient to climb all the way back up. Factor in massive crossfire from enemies, randomly placed propane tanks and the tactical disadvantage of not having the higher ground and repeated falling mishaps become quite maddening.

It's even worse when I've made some effort to climb up to a certain peak and fall back to ground level only because I was trying to avoid a grenade or do a nifty jump shot on someone. The oilrig battle with the Volk kingpin is a good example of this. Man, that was a grueling fight. Sure, it earned me some nice achievements but I was ready to dash my controller against the wall with all my falling, getting back up, falling, getting back up...

So it's a strange paradox with Crackdown. I've been so addicted to it yet I can't remember being so compelled to swear at my TV or break something simply because I made a mistake. Repeating to myself that it's just game does little to quell the rage. So yes, I would say that I am indeed an Angry Gamer.

Well, the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem! (sigh)

Read the Angry Gamer story on Destructoid