

Can you imagine if you had all the time back you spent watching attack animations in RPGs over the years? There is definitely an immersion argument to be made, and this is why I just want the option to be available. I tend to be very mechanics focused and I play mostly puzzle games so I’m just here to ‘figure it out’. For visuals and storytelling I’m reaching for different media first, that’s personal preference not a knock on VG.
I just want to illustrate that I kind of still have ‘down time’ where I’m just staring at a screen that isn’t changing, but the difference is that I’m playing the game in my head and thinking through things not being trapped for 2 seconds to watch somebody swing a sword. Especially if I’ve seen it a million times already and fully finished appreciating how cool it looks.
Your argument is really strong when it comes to action games though, but I guess we could also think about how it creates a build up and release of tension if applied mindfully. But that’s usually not the case, it’s just ‘the formula says we need a cut scene here’.
Maybe the convergence of ideas here is to stand up brighter lines between playing and watching?
Try switching to Parry Grip, some of it is OK and the catalogue is big enough they don’t really get stuck.
And just to show solidarity the other day my kid just kept 'teenage mutant ninja turtles’ing for what felt like a half hour without a single ‘heroes in a half shell’ to round it off.