New Icon Idea: Extensive Reading!

[CaptainCruch]

After playing (or rather: reading) games like Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS) and Virtue's Last Reward (3DS), I thought I'd be a nice idea if you added an icon for "Extensive Reading"... (since the VGC really seems to hate games with heavy text dialogue ).

Some nominees for this icon you reviewed so far:
Super Paper Mario (Wii)
Paper Mario (GameCube)
Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)
Zack & Wiki (Wii)
Professor Layton & the Diabolical Box (DS)
Trauma Center (DS)
Chrono Trigger (SNES/DS)
Breath of Fire (GBA/SNES)
Skies of Arcadia (GameCube)
Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
Heavvy Rain (PS3)
Advance Wars 1&2 (GBA)
Mario & Luigi (GBA)
Fire Emblem (3DS)

Hmm... is seems especially Nintendo likes to make you read .

[VideoGameCritic]

This would have been a good fit for the book icon. Unfortunately I'm currently using that for "excellent literature award" so might be hard to squeeze this one in.

I don't think I'm the only one who dislikes having to wade through pages of text. When I play games with my friends they always page thru that stuff as fast as they can.

[scotland]

I don't think I'm the only one who dislikes having to wade through pages of text. When I play games with my friends they always page thru that stuff as fast as they can.

I like wading through pages of backstory text, if I can do it at my leisure. One example was the mid 90s game Mechwarrior II. I played it on both PC and console, and not only did the PC version have better controls (it came with an impressive joystick), but the PC version has loads of backstory. None of that backstory was needed to enjoy stomping about as a giant mech, but it was interesting to peruse in bits and pieces between raids.

Series like BIoshock, Halo, Aliens, Star Wars, etc may have substantial backstory elements. To have to wade through pages of text before you get to blasting things is annoying, I get it...but I like it when the game has story elements if you want them.

[Tron]

Good idea, but I would limit it to games that force you to read text in order to actually understand or play the game.

For example in Shining Force (SF) (Genesis) 95% of the villagers you talk to say worthless things like, "Nice day today isn't it?" While the remaining 5% actually are essential. Unless you have the game memorized or are using a FAQ you'll have to talk to each one. Regardless SF is an awesome Tactics series you may like Scotland. I know of 1 & 2 on the Genesis & the third one is on the Saturn.

Meanwhile the dialogue in the Advance Wars series is worthless. You can safely skip that & just play the game.

[CaptainCruch]

Some more nominees of text-heavy games you reviewed so far

- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2)
- Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
- Snatcher (Sega CD)
- Rise of the Dragon (Sega CD)
- Willy Beamish (Sega CD)
- Maniac Mansion (Sega CD)

[Herschie]

Haven't really played many of these games, but I'm assuming I can quit my whining about Kaepora Gaebora, the owl in Ocarina of Time.