For the last two months, Why You Shouldn't has focused almost exclusively on hardware. However, it's not just the expensive stuff that deserves some criticism. In fact, even though your software purchases may not be as hard on your wallet at first, if you have a history of buying bad software, you might be surprised how it all adds up. One software category that has a history of giving you less bang for your buck is licensed games. Here's five reasons why you shouldn't buy licensed games.
5. They Capitalize on Your Emotions
I don't think anyone purchases a licensed game because it looks like an amazing game. People purchase licensed games because they want to fight the Dark Lord as Harry Potter or see the world through Captain Jack Sparrow's eyes. Movies, books, and even TV shows capture the imagination of millions of people, and video games try to prolong the experience by providing a more immersive experience. But if you've ever played a game based on something you love, you'll rarely be happy with what you see, as the experience is almost always completely different.
4. Licensed Games Never Follow the Source Material
If you really love something, and you want to play through it as a game, you had better be willing to forgive plenty of plot inconsistencies and weird changes from the source material. A great example of this is the recent series of "Adventure Games" based on the Doctor Who universe. Though the different games were meant to function as standalone "episodes" they didn't work well within the over-arching plot, and actually introduced several continuity errors into what was supposedly "canon." These games were billed as a continuation of the season 5 story, but really, all they ended up being was a mildly entertaining distraction. Paying attention to the story and placing it within the larger narrative would have just made your head hurt.
3. Licensed Games Are Expensive
Sure, games based on a movie rarely top the $50 mark, but when you think about it, you are paying a lot of money to relieve an experience you first had with a $20 DVD, $10 movie, or $8 paperback. Even if a licensed game is budget-priced at $40, you're looking at something that costs at least double what the original media cost, which is hard to justify as you'll probably spend less time with it and come away unsatisfied.