Free to Play is one category of games that I stay away from. No matter what, I like my games the classic way:

  1. I should be able to play them offline.
  2. They should not stop me from playing unnecessarily.
  3. I should be able to play without an online account requirement.
  4. I should not be banned from a significant portion of game just because I am not paying.

And if you take a look at the games I play, there is no free to play title in there, except one: Injustice: Gods Among Us. It is an iOS game that I downloaded because Batman was in there. And to my surprise, I like it(unlike that Zyanga crap!).

It does break Rule #2 but since it is a mobile title that I play on and off, that is tolerable.

Why I Hate Free To Play:

I am sure every gamer on the planet has already written this or will in future, but if you don’t play regular games, you need to learn why I hate Free to Play. Here are the reasons:

  1. They Treat Me Like A Cash Cow: And I don’t like being treated like a cow. With traditional games, this is what happens: You pay once, then you (and your children and your children’s children) can play them anytime. I own them. But with free to play, I either have to wait or pay to play consistently. Had this been the case with Assassin’s Creed, I would have been bankrupt. Game Developers, I am not this:
  2. They Make Me Play On Their Schedule: When I am playing a Free to Play game, I can’t play on my own schedule. There is a limit on energy or something else that stops me from playing. Solution: Stop playing and wait for energy recharge or pay to get instant recharge! This is irritating.
  3. They Overvalue Themselves: What is affordable in US is not affordable in most other countries. This is one thing that many developers need to understand. Apple did the right thing by making songs Rs. 12 (still a bit much, I think Rs. 5-7 is sweet spot) but they haven’t done it for apps. Just think what Rs. 10 apps can do in India (not that they will eradicate piracy, there are still lazy bums with excuses who will pirate no matter what. More on piracy some other day)!

These are the reasons that make me stay at least 100 meters away from Free to Play titles.

However, Injustice got some of the things right and this is why I have been playing it regularly for last 2 days.

What Injustice Did Right

  1. Offline Play: No social shit. A big relief.
  2. No Account Requirement: While I can make an account to carry my bonus to PS3 and xBox (both of which I do not own), it is not necessary to make one.
  3. Good Energy Limits: The energy limit is quite good and I can have 4-5 fights per sitting. This makes for a good break entertainment. Also, since game is played in 3 vs 3 matches, you can keep on playing with other characters.
  4. Nothing Blocked: Nothing is blocked in the game for players who are not paying. Sure, I will take more time to earn in game currency but I can play it freely.

There are still some annoyances but this game is not doubt the best Free to Play game that I’ve played.

I’m going to play it more now. Enjoy your day, play games!