My taste in games has continually evolved, and as games have become more and more varied, I’ve made a specific point to try out new types of games I don’t expect to like, and try to avoid the trap of developing tastes so rarefied that few games meet my hyper-specific standards.

It’s a philosophy that’s hard to maintain– I need to constantly try things I don’t think I’ll like and push myself out of my gaming comfort zone. For a long time, I motivated myself by thinking this was, essentially, a professional requirement of being a game designer. Now, the habit is so ingrained that I do it automatically. It’s done wonders for my enjoyment of video games, because with so many games coming out, there are plenty that I find I enjoy, and it’s given me a better idea of the kinds of games I’ll enjoy.

That being said, I still have my esoteric tastes that I don’t often expect to see, but would love to see more of. I am an avid fan of the Thief series, every game that’s come out, and the most recent one, while panned by critics, was a joy for me. It specifically triggers my love for ghosting through the darkness in games, NPCs around me totally unaware of my passing. I will cheerfully sit on a rooftop for ten minutes watching guard patrols before making a move, which is a particular bit of fun I fully recognize most people think is crazy.

Occasionally, I’ll talk about games that I really want to see, even if I don’t think they have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever getting made. Every so often I’ll be surprised (Mirror’s Edge 2? What?)