Topic: What Would Your Dream Game Be?

So earlier, in a quest to kill twenty minutes, I booted up Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing on PS2 (don't judge) and it reminded me of a boring lecture I once sat in, during which I entertained myself by coming up with my own idea for a similar big-headed kart racing game, only based on Star Trek. I've subsequently gone and found the notes and, well, it must've been a very boring lecture, as I've written out pages of character ideas, tracks, weapons and items, special moves... heck, even a post-release DLC schedule for stuff I couldn't fit into the core game.

It got me wondering about what my fellow PushSquarians might've come up with in my place. Have you ever thought of an idea for your dream game before and, if so, what would it be?

Consider this less a question along the lines of "Sure, I'd love to see another Uncharted game!" and more "This is what I'd do if I were in charge of making the next Uncharted game." Obviously, if you're working on an original idea and you're hoping to make it fly someday, perhaps don't post it here on this public website!

I think about this from time to time, and I have a few ideas, then I can't get Resident Evil 1 out of my head. I wouldn't say it's my favourite game, but there is a strong argument for it being the best game ever made. It just has everything. And making a game like that really appeals to me.

I like the survival horror aspects, the bold characters, plot twists, small environments that you become familiar with instead of blasting through and never seeing again.

So yeah, I don't know exactly, but I'd like to make something like that. I don't know how I'd stop it being a derivative disaster though 😂

Not an original answer, but true nonetheless: a Pokemon game with the polish, freedom, and scope of something like Breath of the Wild. I would play that game forever.

It'll never happen as long as Game Freak is developing these games, though. Their games on 3DS and Switch aren't really well-optimized for the hardware.

An AC game in the vein of Unity, but with more and better side-quests, difficulty options that will make you be more stealthy and add consequences to getting seen and fighting, as well as make getting chased more intense. And much more smooth and polished if course. But the flow of the game and creativity it encouraged and let you have was incredible. A world even more detailed and alive as well, because as far open-world themselves, regardless of side-quests within, I haven’t played anything with a better designed and vibrant world. It would also be historically accurate.
I’d also add more to social stealth and add ways to crowd blend in addition to groups of people. Just flowing right and having to use the groups more as you close on on the target.
Oh, and if you didn’t guess, it’s not an RPG, you have a hidden-blade, and you actually play an assassin in an AC game. Who would’ve thought the last one was a good idea.
And I’d have a linear story as good as the first AC’s.
I’d have to think more to decide where and when it would take place.

I’m actually amazed at the creativity of developers and the breadth of game experiences that we already have. I think we had a discussion somewhere on here recently about which generation innovated the most and had the most new ideas and it’s just a testament to the genius of gaming companies that they can keep coming up with fresh experiences.
So I don’t know about a dream game. I like so many different genres and settings. I would like to see maybe a mash of different settings cohesively put together in an RPG. How about the story of a family over generations. Maybe it starts in the medieval times, the protagonist family are serfs to a wicked lord or something. Initially it involves sword play, bow and arrow, and some kind of inherent magical component like strength boosts or some superhuman powers that are used for combat. Then plot has a mini-resolution and then transitions to a new chapter and it takes place during progressive time periods until getting to the end where after several generations the protagonist line is in the future and you get a Sci-Fi component as well. The RPG elements will have to carry over from generation to generation, but the gameplay evolves with the changes in settings from chapter to chapter. I think there was a game, Elex I think it was called, that tried the fantasy and Sci-fi mix in the same game and it failed miserably. So maybe that’s why I’m not a game developer.

Other things I’d like to see. An Ant-Man game. Or at least a game that has shrinking and enlarging powers involved. I’m not sure I’ve seen that done before and I think it has enormous potential (haha, pun not intended)

Or, taking it further, how about a game which takes place inside the human body. Maybe you play as a bacteria or microbe traveling through all the different organ systems, fighting off the body’s defense mechanisms. Maybe that’s been done. It seems like it should have been. Or it could be where you play as a nanomachine traveling through the body to save the person’s life. I’d like to see some games grounded in biological science. That would be cool.

I did hear a good idea on Colin’s last podcast of having the vehicular combat game Twisted Metal make a comeback as a Battle Royale. It makes a lot of sense and it seems like a section of the quickly over-saturating BR craze that has yet to be tapped.

I would love a new Star Wars RPG like Knights of the Old Republic.

I have a few ideas.

Firstly, I've always wanted another Donkey Kong Country game in exactly the same style as the original trilogy. I just want more of what Rare were doing back then on the Super Nintendo because I absolutely adore those games (particularly 2, but they're all good). Fan groups have tried (and I believe still are) working on making something like this, so perhaps it won't be too long until this one actually happens.

I'd also like another new Crash Bandicoot game, again in the style of the original trilogy and the remakes did an excellent job of staying true to them while also modernising them enough to look right at home on the PS4. I'd like the game to be huge, with a mix of levels including larger open-worldy environments and the classic 2D-esque linear ones. New mechanics could include things like swinging on ropes.

Now here's my main idea..

I've always been gutted The Getaway 3 was cancelled, so we'll use that as a template but really the idea could apply to a new IP and follows the general mould of a Rockstar or Naughty Dog game. The main thing I'd like it to do different though, is that I want shootouts/enemy encounters to actually matter and feel weighty. I don't want to be killing a dozen "baddies" after every other cutscene, or have waves of bullet-sponge enemies come out of nowhere to attack me. What if the AI was smarter? What if every bullet actually did realistic damage to both the enemy AND my character? It'd make cover shooting matter, it'd feel genuinely tense, and yeah sure it'd be difficult but there'd be a Souls-like learning curve that would teach players that this isn't yet another AAA blockbuster where you're killing hundreds of randoms.

What if you could play the whole of Red Dead Redemption 2 and only kill a handful of people in it? Each kill would stick with you as a defining moment for your character. I reckon it'd be really impactful, and I'd love it if a big publisher finally released a game like this.

I want a Nintendo themed Kingdom Hearts style JRPG with all of the best Nintendo characters and worlds!

A space sci-fi RPG with the exploration of Elite Dangerous but each planet you land on had the scale and detail of games like RDR2/The Witcher 3. Star Citizen looks to be on the right track.

Thanks to everybody who's replied thusfar! There are some awesome-sounding games up there. It's also quite interesting to see where everybody's ideas come from and / or lead to, especially in terms of genre. Lots of love for RPGs and the opportunities for immersive storytelling, which is great.

@kyleforrester87 You're worried about dreaming up a "derivative disaster" in a topic which started with an idea for a licenced big-headed kart racing game?!

@Jaz007 What you're describing sounds a lot like the new Hitman games on PS4. I find it interesting that as soon as they were released, Assassin's Creed started pitching more towards action-RPG gameplay and moving away from stealth assassinations. Multiple opportunities, self-contained storylines within the worlds, crowd blending... it's all possible because it's being done at the moment, just in Hitman rather than AC. I don't think you're alone in your dream there!

@Th3solution I love all your ideas! Particularly the one where you're basically advocating for a game adaptation of the films Fantastic Voyage and Innerspace. I'd play the heck out of that.

@roe Realistic bullet damage is something that I've come to respect. At first, when I played games like the old PSone Rainbow Six (which is almost one-shot death) I was pretty frustrated with it, because I was trying to play it like a traditional FPS. Now that I'm a little older, I've come to appreciate the tactical gameplay challenge inherent in the idea. Successfully pulling that off, particularly in something as stylised as a Getaway game, could be incredible. Great idea!

We could start up some kind of Push Square pitch to developers with these.

An obvious one for me would be Half Life 3. I'd be perfectly happy with it retaining the level-based structure of 2. The succes of Doom has proven that there remains an appetite for a more traditionally structured FPS games. Strong level design is key. The gravity gun would have to remain as I loved that, but maybe there could be other innovative weapons too. Y'know what, why not have the portal gun too. Ooh or just make Portal 3.

For an original idea, I'd make a game with a gay character as the protagonist, as we don't get many. He'd be a private detective and become embroiled in something far bigger. He's a good guy and likes to help people. The gameplay would be primarily investigations, with a lot of character interactions, but as the protagonist is also quite strong and unafraid to get into a scrape if he has to, there could be some combat here and there as the story dictates. I guess this element would be beat-em-uppish like Yakuza. The game world would be primarily based on the real world (though not necessarily set in the real world), and also have some very surreal elements.
The music would be composed by Masashi Hamauzu who did the music for the FFXIII trilogy. I'd veer towards the style from XIII-2 because it's great.

@Th3solution That's a pretty cool idea for an RPG. The bacteria one made me think of Bart Simpson's immune system fighting back the virus in "Marge in Chains".

@RogerRoger They should have looked at Hitman instead of Witcher for how to “evolve.” Because identdy is a huge reason Witcher is so good, and AC has none anymore. It’s not set in current times. That’s the identity.

@mookysam how good was HL2 though. A real flowing journey. It didn't feel half as linear as it was. An absolute gem of a game.

@kyleforrester87 Yep, it's one of the best games ever made. I like how you are always moving forward. It's so excellently paced. Individual levels like Ravenholm change things up nicely, like it's suddenly a survival horror, but it works brilliantly.

@mookysam Your detective game sounds like quite a comprehensive pitch! I like it; primarily because the protagonist being gay isn't the point of the game. I've often wondered if Uncharted would've been quite so successful if it were exactly the same, only Nate fell for an Alan instead of an Elena. Because other than that, you're basically describing L.A. Noire mixed with Yakuza, and a dash of Twin Peaks, and I'm sure everybody would devour that kinda game in a heartbeat.

Thinking about my own question, I did dream up another game which I think would be cool. Maybe it could be in a pre-existing universe, like Mass Effect, or maybe be a totally new IP but it'd basically be a "find your way home" sci-fi game.

Your ship would be stranded on the other side of the galaxy at the beginning of the story and as captain, you'd have to lead your crew safely back (why yes, I did watch an episode of Star Trek: Voyager the other day). It'd be up to you which course to chart, though, and there'd be different regions of space between you and your goal; enter Sector A and make friends with the locals, and maybe the inhabitants of Sector B wouldn't like you, but if you decided to oppose Sector A, then Sector B would view you differently, perhaps. Kinda like a 'choose your own adventure' book; did you annoy this alien race? Turn to page 10. "You arrive in the next sector and are greeted warmly for your previous actions."

You and your crew would be fixed characters, but you'd have downtime between sectors and systems during which you could chat to them, or maybe even add to your crew depending on your actions in certain systems. You could also fly the ship properly, maybe even in combat, and planetfall would feature actually boarding, flying and landing shuttles, rather than just watching a cutscene or a loading screen (although you could also teleport to speed things up).

It's basically what I'd hoped Mass Effect Andromeda would be; less to do with settling down and more to do with being on a journey, to give the story a drive and focus. The choices and outcomes aren't character-based, they impact the world around you, and the moral decisions would focus on how your attempt to get home will improve and / or ruin the people you meet. You could make a messy dash for home in about eight, maybe ten hours of gameplay, but equally striving for peace and co-operation might lead to a twenty-hour storyline. There'd be tons of replay value to check out all the branching paths, and multiple endings for whether you get home or not, and if so, in what state.

I think we've moved beyond the incredibly limited choices and outcomes of BioWare RPGs. The next choice-based games need to have this level of possibility, and I reckon the technology is finally here, or at least will be when the PS5 arrives.

i want a Star Trek game done like Mass Effect and a Dissidia Final Fantasy game done with the Dynasty Warriors game play, i think that type would perfectly suit a FF game, it worked for Dragon Quest and Zelda after all

A good Superman game...

@KALofKRYPTON i'll be honest i don't think Supes will transition well into games, this is a guy who can't be hurt and has enough power to lift a book of infinite pages so unless he was stuck in a place full of Kryptonite or all the enemy have it in some form there wouldn't be any way to weaken the character enough to make the game fun while still making you believe your playing as Superman

@RogerRoger Brilliant idea. Funny you say that your idea was what you hoped ME Andromeda would be, because you kinda describe what I hoped No Man’s Sky to have been, except trying to find the center of the Universe instead of your way home. (But I like the emotional investment of feeling like you are trying to get home, a concept we all can relate to). I think you’re right that the technology should be able to marry the two now, the endlessness of space exploration, along with cause and effect of your journey on the galaxy and the individuals and cultures that you encounter in order to make for branching story and end points.

@FullbringIchigo @KALofKRYPTON I do think a good Superman game can be done. The wide range of Superman’s powers and the ability to fly should make for very fun gameplay. It doesn’t have to depend upon your own death or destruction, game failure could include the death of those you’re trying to save. There is potential there if it’s done right.

An Airport game. You are air traffic control.

There's a big head up display and you guide everything in. But then you throw in things like planes breaking, hippies standing on the runway, drunk pilots and UFOs. Then a big missile attack, then it's over run by the armed forces. Then Richard Branson comes along and smashes everything with his wallet.

I've also thought about an Athletics game, just in the sense of a semi adventure game were you are offered bad things like taking performance enhancing drugs, bribes and the mandatory commentary position at the bbc. You have to manage your day to day activities to become the best discus thrower in the world.