Getting back into Player vs Player games is something I never thought I would experience. I've been on a Player vs Environment streak with games such as Helldivers 2, Monster Hunter: Wilds, Valheim, and other open world RPG type games.
To play more intense PVP games requires a certain 'drive' that involves actively hunting other players before they can get a shot off on me. It's something I have managed by playing Heroes of the Storm and Dota 2 because they are more Player vs environment vs Player and skirmishes can occur without any intense feelings.
But since I've begun my journey back into more active PVP games I have noticed that I am having to play more aggressively than those two games could afford.
I do not like when players involve personal feelings into games(Party games, co-op games, PvE centered) because the players usually lash out for seemingly silly reasons. But playing a PVP game, where the objective is to defeat the other player/team, can get quite personal because it is a skill test between me vs them.
Their skill, their position, their loadout, their experience vs mine. I almost always falter in this comparison but that is usually because I play a variety of other games while they have spent time honing their skills to a deadly edge in a singular game.
So sure of his position but nobody expects me hiding in the bush
Planetside 2
The thing is though, they are stuck in a monotony of the game while I am (re)approaching it with a sense of vigor that can sometimes outplay their time invested.
It's silly but it almost seems like I need to tap into a battle frenzy to engage with these players instead of playing the patient game.
Our score was frozen at 998 for a minute and a half and the enemy team was about to 3 cap us
New World
I also have to care about my mouse sensitivity more than ever as many of these games require quick camera work, precise targeting, and generally being able to swing my mouse around while still being in control to swivel to engage an enemy player or assist a friend in need. Mouse DPI is a thing that is supposed to help switching between games easier but I still find myself having to mess with the ingame mouse sensitivity options because my camera is too slow or too fast.
It's a rush though hearing the timer count down and there is just a slight chance we could win against the other team if we make our attack in unison instead of rushing in one by one like lemmings.
Overwatch Stadium players suffer from 1 by 1 marches a lot
I had to try out a few games though to figure out what I really wanted from a game. I reinstalled War Thunder, which was a great mistake. The players there are ruthless and the gameplay is unforgiving in higher tiers. I downloaded Counter-Strike 2 and ran into a swarm of aimbots in my first few matches instantly turning around and headshotting me. Others may say 'Skill issue' and they are probably right but I was not having fun.
I was coerced into (re)downloading Overwatch because of the competitive stadium mode and I had some fun playing it. I also redownloaded Planetside 2 due to a resurgence of its player base. I also returned to New Worlds PVP scene and after running a few games with my current build I decided to go and try out another build which I will be sharing details about in a future post.
Electricity zipping across the weapon
New World: Aeternum
I forgot how much fun it was outplaying or maneuvering other players. There is a thrill that PvE games, to me, cannot replicate. Many PvE Games have an expected result that can be replicated over and over again until seeing 'victory' on the screen means nothing. PvP has the added randomness that means any player could make a difference if they make the right move at the right time but the odds of that play ever happening again are next to zero. It's spontaneous and to witness players come together to figure out a play that will eke out a win is an amazing feeling.
The player vs player stories I am retelling to others also have more emotion in them because it is no longer just another day in the life but instead a moment that brings a smile to my face as I remember the triumph or an encouraged grimace as I recount how the play all fell apart. Player vs Player games, in my point of view, usually improve a players ability to determine what they can and cannot do while also showing them other options to balance the playing field.
Player vs player games can get 'meta' but trying to figure out the puzzle in breaking a meta build while maintaining the competitiveness in my build gives me the drive to dust myself off and get right back in queue for another match. Not always for victory but to improve MY gameplay.
I've had my fun in PVE but it was time to get back into PVP and I've enjoyed my journey so far.
Thank you for reading!
Happy Gaming!
