Can we really only be wowed by something once? Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Can we really only be wowed by something once? A brain teaser. Feature by Robert Purchese Senior Staff Writer Published on 6 Aug 2022 102 comments There's something I keep thinking about lately. It's this idea that we only have so much space in our minds for formative gaming experiences and it's diminishing returns forever after. I was talking to a guy in a pub about it, who overheard a conversation I was having with someone else and leaped in, delighted to talk to someone, anyone, about games. It was quite endearing. And it was while talking about older games and remakes he said: I don't think anything will ever be as good as the original Deus Ex. On the one hand, that's fair enough - the old Deus Ex was good, and it was a proper moment for games when people realised RPGs and FPSs could work together. It's not that which bothered me. What bothered me was the idea that nothing could ever be as good as the original Deus Ex because, blatantly, that's not true. Put that old Deus Ex next to the new Deus Ex, or next to games like Dishonored and Prey, and I know which ones I'd rather play. And I know that's not a fair comparison because there's more than 20 years between them, but I think it's just as unfair to compete with a formative memory. You see what I really think he was saying, this man, was no other game could affect him like Deus Ex once did. And that, I understand. Hop in our time machine back to 2016 and Overwatch was one of those wow moments for me. It's happened to me too. Once upon a time I played Dark Age of Camelot, and it was the first time I'd really been able to give myself properly to an MMO. And I did, completely, and it blew me away. It blew me away because everything I did there was a new experience to me, a fresh imprint on my mind. I was so absorbed that it felt almost real to me, that virtual world - I can still feel emotions in the memories even now. And nothing - not even my experience of World of Warcraft, which was very strong - has been able to match it since. I don't think that's because DAOC was a better game than WOW - I think history speaks for itself here. I think it's simply because DAOC got there first. I ran home to play Mass Effect 1 when it came out. It seems to be the same with anyone I speak to: their strongest gaming memories always tend to be in the past, often far in the past. And all they've been doing ever since, really, is chasing experiences like it, maybe in the hope they can have an experience as powerful again. But can they - can we? That's the question. What if our brains are like ink stamps and it's always the first press that will leave the strongest mark, regardless of what we do? Every mark ever after will always be one step further faded. I wonder whether it's a psychological quirk of humans that we are powerless to do anything about. And when I hear sayings like "you can only make a first impression once" and "you can only see a magic trick once", it seems to back it up. The whole idea of 'formative experiences' seems to suggest it's a known, accepted and understood thing, too. And I'm not sure I like it. It makes me wistful to think about, because I start thinking I will never have the opportunity to be completely wowed again. But, no, I won't believe it. I don't want to believe it. And when the enthusiastic man in the pub said he couldn't remember the last time he was really excited about a game, I felt a shimmer of hope, because I could. I can remember running home from work to play Mass Effect, a game I'd waited so long for, and I was 25 at the time. I'd never done anything like that before, as a child or an adult. And I'm pretty sure I did the same for Guitar Hero 2. I also remember how head over heels I was about Overwatch, years later, sitting in the dark in the office on my own, way past home time (don't tell anyone) just so I could play it. It's memories like that that pull me back, give me hope, and make me think the best is still to come. Maybe there's plenty of room in our minds to be wowed yet. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More Features Feature What games get wrong about horses And what they could do about it. 27 Feature Shout out to all the Overwatch supports - where would we be without you? Merci. 55 Feature From abandoned board game to birthing a genre: Football Manager at 40 Kick off. 21 Feature How I became an Elden Ring detective It started with a save game... 26 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store