I love this little game industry, but it's far from perfect. Developers are constantly shoving the same types of games and features into our faces, and this influx of overused content has forced myself and some of my coworkers to drop our controllers and partake in other forms of entertainment such as going outside! But instead of discussing all of the new exercises and plants we've discovered, here's a list of features and themes that have got to go.

World War II

It's hard to forget about the horrors of World War II when so many gaming companies are relying on them to make first-person shooters and strategy games. What's next, WWII kart racers? Or how about a WWII-based fighting game where the Americans have fireball attacks? Actually, those sound pretty enjoyable.

Great games are fine. Call of Duty 2 is still a memorable achievement for the Xbox 360, and the next Medal of Honor, dare I say it, looks promising. But the theme has been overdone in games for some time now and it's time to move on before we drudge up more unplayable garbage like World War II: Iwo Jima. My suggestion: war games in the FUTURE. Battlefield 2142 appears to be leading in this category, and hopefully other developers will follow the example and stop reliving the past over and over again. I know the Brothers In Arms people probably won't be thrilled by such a suggestion, but let's face it. The industry has taken this time period as far as it can go. That goes for Vietnam, too.

Crappy Licensed Games

When Acclaim was put to rest a few years ago, I assumed that there'd be less licensed crap, but I was very wrong. Over the past few months, I've seen such forgettable titles as The Ant Bully and And 1 Basketball. It seems movie and brand licenses aren't getting the respect they deserve, and the trend shows no signs of slowing. Desperate Housewives the game? Was this even necessary?

So with that, I'd like to heed a battle cry to the developers and publishers out there- a license isn't everything. Take Star Trek: Legacy, for example. For years, Star Trek games have been so bad that even juggling stuffed Tribbles looks like fun in comparison. But with Bethesda putting care and devotion into the game, they're actually turning it into a title that many are looking forward to. And with a number of original cast members on board to voice characters (I can hear William Shatner screaming "KHAAAAN!" now), it's bound to only get better. Follow by example, guys. Don't always go for the quick cash-in. Add substance and make your games worthwhile! I'm sure the public will thank you for it by picking up your titles and not returning them three days later.

Mindless Beat-Em-Ups

These types of games were fun in the late 80s and early 90s. Going around with your friends and fighting off a number of mindless minions with ninja turtles, members of the Simpsons family, and superheroes couldn't be beat back in the day. But during the transition to the next-generation, beat-em-ups became less enjoyable. Games like Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance and Urban Reign are plagued by atrocious voice acting and poor fighting tactics.

Beat-em-ups can still be fun, but the classics are where all the action's at. Stuff like Streets of Rage 2 and Captain America and the Avengers are fine, but most of the current ones suck. Publishers should abandon them or reinvent the system entirely, like what Secret Level is doing with the forthcoming Golden Axe for the next-gen machines. This is a genre that needs a good smack to the head. Or two.

Continue...