Managing the Hype

So, I think most people know about how I feel about hype. I'm pretty notorious about managing hype and I've been turned off many a time due to over-hyped crap. When I was younger I didn't know any better and honestly probably didn't care. But now, I'm at a point in my video game "career" where I want my games to mean something and really move me. So when I come across a game I'm excited about, I go into sleep mode. I don't look at screenshots. I don't read about it. I don't watch trailers. And especially I don't play the demo. At the purest level, one should just play the game. They should have no other forms of distractions, even box art or advertisements. I can easily think of a few games that were maybe not spoiled or ruined, but just a little less powerful than their potential due to me just trying to dig up a little too much information.

So why am trying to prove my point? I recently listened to the 1-Up yours podcast for 4.4.2008. Shane was invited to Konami to play through all of MGS4. He's very limited about what he is allowed to say about the game, but still I heard things I didn't want to. Nothing spoiling or anything, but he did say enough about his impressions of the game to make me not want to hear anymore, so I cut off the podcast halfway through. I going to finish the next two games in the next two months and then go into the final chapter as hype free as possible. The way I see it. I know I'm going to pick it up. I'm excited, but is this really a game that I need more persuading in order to purchase? So from now until June, you probably won't hear me say anything about MGS4.

David