I Adam Peter Almond take thee GlaDos...(or...My general feelings on Computer games as we enter the sixth generation of consoles) (Part One)

Those of you that know me will know that I tend to spend my free time watching DVDs, listening to music, playing guitar or fucking around on my computer (be it online or sound editing software). I don't (contrary to my 'geeky' demeanour) play many computer games. There's seemingly nothing on the market for me. Actually I'll be honest, I do play compter games.
Far removed from the award winning grass of Halo, the extreme bloodyness of Gears of War or the gritty realism of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. I enjoy simple, fun, entertaing games.
Technology and society seem to collude to mass produce whatever's popular at the time. May seem like a silly thing to say, but I'm referring to the "well that worked, tlet's have more of the same". When a game can be described as "Well, it's like *INSET VERY COMMERICIALLY POPULAR GAME HERE* but this one has a better graphics engine!" no-one stops to consider whether or not the game is actually as enjoyable as the other.
Now I'm not going to sit here and say that the only games that are worth playing are the ones I play. God no! I read the internet and do not wish to incur the wrath of some 17 year old fat kid in California who's just come out of a twenty eight hour stint on World of Warcraft, who's failed to realise that there's a beach about 20 miles away FULL and I mean FULL of hot 18 year old girls who he could go and meet! Which I'll admit is bloody rich coming from, a single 21 year old who had spent half an hour the other night explaining how Douglas Adams' Starship Titanic worked! But bear with me, I am a self aware critic.
Computer game technology is constantly evolving and making great leaps in quality of graphics, realism of control and (in only some cases) quality of story. Halo won an award for it's extremely realistic graphics...hang on, Halo, a game set a few hundred years in the futue? On an alien world? Wow! About how realistic can you make that? I know that it's considered that Computer games are an art form, and I agree, to a certain extent. Any form of creativity is indeed art, however it is misplaced art. For a game to function as a game, it must, in my opinion, be accessible to anyone, be enjoyable and entertaining.