Your video game hot take(s) thread

[BrawlMan]

Since I’m currently hyped for A Wolf Among Us 2, I’ll just throw it out there that while I’m kinda glad it happened the way it did (as the new trailer looks like they stepped up the art design and visual fidelity significantly), it’s too bad the second season was sidelined in favor of all the overrated cash grabs like Tales From the Borderlands, more Walking Dead, Batman, Game of Thrones, etc.

I agree with you, but Walking Dead is pretty much what got them there in the first place. Batman is Batman, so natch. Game of Thrones was just a cash in along with Guardians of the Galaxy (if I remember correctly, a lot of people really love the writing in that one). Tales of Borderlands was at the waning twilight era of Borderlands popularity. You're not going to find many defenders of that one though.

To the professional reviewers ranting and complaining about how every game needs an easy mode; just stop. I know everyone is in a different skill level, but have patience and try. I know you have mandates & deadlines, but if the developer or publisher is giving you time to review the game or a month in advance, then just take your time. Just because you always rush your review out of the door first, doesn't mean it's always going to be a success, nor will all the clicks in the world be worth it, if you look like a total dumbass. Also, those in the reviewing industry, just find some people that actually know their stuff or want to play games. I know alot of these journalists come from different backgrounds and there's nothing wrong with that, but you got ones who are pretty much non-gamers or just dislike the hobby they do. Not every review publication is like this, but even the ones that know what they're doing, seem to do these really weird stances or hot takes for no reason, other than that they can't beat the game on the first freaking stage! That means you IGN.

Also, Sifu's focus is on gameplay; don't get so hung up about the story, or how the story didn't go far enough. I've already seen a couple of publications where the reviewers are complaining about Sifu's "lack of a story". Slocap pretty much admitted that they were gameplay first, story second. Not every story has to be "deep & compelling" that focuses on revenge. Sometimes it's nice just to have things be kept as simple as possible or use minimalism. Would you get Last of Us Part 2 out of your stupid skulls already?!

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Not sure this is really a hot take as I suspect most people will agree with me after giving it some thought.

I don't think we should EVER see a female protagonist in a mainline GTA game. Someone brought the question up on a podcast I listen to and after I thought about it for a minute I concluded it would be a PR disaster because anyone who's played a GTA game and knows what kind of personalities the characters have and the tone of it... There would be a shit storm over how NPC characters would talk to a PC female character or treat them, a whole host of issues that I don't think Rockstar would want to touch with a ten foot pole.

 

[BrawlMan]

I don't think we should EVER see a female protagonist in a mainline GTA game.

Crazy thing, the first GTA game had 3 female playable characters. I think there was a total of six or nine characters total, three of them being female. They were all interchangeable and shared the exact same sprite. Who you started with just had a different picture, but that was it. I personally don't care either way about GTA at this point, but if they did use a female protagonist, so be it. The Boss in Saints Row could be male or female, aside from the first game anyway (where male was the only option). Starting with the second game, you can make your character transgender. Let's just say no matter what race or gender you pick, The Boss ain't exactly a good person. Especially with the second game. They lighten them up with the third and fourth game, but this is still the same person that did some shady crap and and does not have an exact charming personality.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Not sure this is really a hot take as I suspect most people will agree with me after giving it some thought.

I don't think we should EVER see a female protagonist in a mainline GTA game. Someone brought the question up on a podcast I listen to and after I thought about it for a minute I concluded it would be a PR disaster because anyone who's played a GTA game and knows what kind of personalities the characters have and the tone of it... There would be a shit storm over how NPC characters would talk to a PC female character or treat them, a whole host of issues that I don't think Rockstar would want to touch with a ten foot pole.

Not sure that's where the shitstorm would occur. We've been able to drive over prostitutes and steal their money for decades in this franchise, so having a female main/playable character just getting talked to in a disrespectful way by NPCs I don't think would get much buzz. Would there be a shitstorm? Definitely. But I think it would come from the usual crowd that tends to lose its shit once a woman becomes playable in a franchise that typically only ever had men.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Not sure this is really a hot take as I suspect most people will agree with me after giving it some thought.

I don't think we should EVER see a female protagonist in a mainline GTA game. Someone brought the question up on a podcast I listen to and after I thought about it for a minute I concluded it would be a PR disaster because anyone who's played a GTA game and knows what kind of personalities the characters have and the tone of it... There would be a shit storm over how NPC characters would talk to a PC female character or treat them, a whole host of issues that I don't think Rockstar would want to touch with a ten foot pole.

Gotta disagree here. It’s all fair game, and besides it’s just a game. If people can’t handle that then it’s their own fault. It’s already rumored the next game will have at least one playable female lead and they’d be stupid not to considering the last game had three males. Any female from that game world will be able to hold their own anyways.

Micah’s always talking sleazy to a couple female characters in RDR2 and they basically tell him to fuck off.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Not sure that's where the shitstorm would occur. We've been able to drive over prostitutes and steal their money for decades in this franchise, so having a female main/playable character just getting talked to in a disrespectful way by NPCs I don't think would get much buzz. Would there be a shitstorm? Definitely. But I think it would come from the usual crowd that tends to lose its shit once a woman becomes playable in a franchise that typically only ever had men.

We had a shitstorm over that but eventually people got bored of getting mad about it, the people most offended lost political power, and the series strength (in other words, it's popularity and money) meant it wasn't going to be going down any time soon.

Gotta disagree here. It’s all fair game, and besides it’s just a game. If people can’t handle that then it’s their own fault. It’s already rumored the next game will have at least one playable female lead and they’d be stupid not to considering the last game had three males. Any female from that game world will be able to hold their own anyways.

Micah’s always talking sleazy to a couple female characters in RDR2 and they basically tell him to fuck off.

Oh I'm well aware there are plenty of females in GTA that are tough. This isn't based on my feelings, I don't think the reaction would be rational, just that I see how it's play out. But maybe I'm wrong. I dunno.

 

[thebobmaster]

I don't remember any fuss over being able to make The Boss female from Saint's Row 2 onward, other than wondering about the implications given that The Boss was only male in the original. Certainly nothing along the lines of "women can't be gangsters" or anything like that.

 

[Gyrobot]

We had a shitstorm over that but eventually people got bored of getting mad about it, the people most offended lost political power, and the series strength (in other words, it's popularity and money) meant it wasn't going to be going down any time soon.



Oh I'm well aware there are plenty of females in GTA that are tough. This isn't based on my feelings, I don't think the reaction would be rational, just that I see how it's play out. But maybe I'm wrong. I dunno.

The biggest issue is people would think it would be the unfun kind of female protag where you can't dress her like a slutty character and all her outfits are masculine outfits which minimize the fact you are playing a female protag.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

The biggest issue is people would think it would be the unfun kind of female protag where you can't dress her like a slutty character and all her outfits are masculine outfits which minimize the fact you are playing a female protag.

If Rockstar was smart about it they’d just switch to a full-fledged character creator format. They certainly should have the tech to do it well (I mean, look at what FROM is doing with Elden Ring on a fraction of a budget), and then people can only blame themselves if they don’t like something. Hell, they could probably even pull off decent equalization function for voicing.

 

[Dalisclock]

If Rockstar was smart about it they’d just switch to a full-fledged character creator format. They certainly should have the tech to do it well (I mean, look at what FROM is doing with Elden Ring on a fraction of a budget), and then people can only blame themselves if they don’t like something. Hell, they could probably even pull off decent equalization function for voicing.

Not to mention saints row has been doing this for years

 

[Gergar12]

If Rockstar was smart about it they’d just switch to a full-fledged character creator format. They certainly should have the tech to do it well (I mean, look at what FROM is doing with Elden Ring on a fraction of a budget), and then people can only blame themselves if they don’t like something. Hell, they could probably even pull off decent equalization function for voicing.

In my opinion, you should be able to create anywhere from an ugly character to a 10/10 character, but nowadays every so often I look at gaming news articles and forums, and it's basically we don't want to create supermodels because we think it makes female gamers feel bad, whereas creating beautiful male characters won't do that.

Case in point look at GTA5, the characters, and hairstyles look awful. In red dead 2 online, and Mass Effect Andromeda, there was a backlash against the character creation, which is why they are much better today for the female characters. Nioh 2 for example has one of the best character creators, in my opinion, and I would have played it, but it was too hard as a game.

Saints Row 2 and above, Black Desert Online are examples of good character creation. Destiny Games, The Divison 1 and 2, Mass Effect A, in the beginning, Dragon's Age Inquisition, Far Cry 5 had bad ones.

I look at GTA5, and I look at the posters, and I wonder why I can't just play the characters on the posters. It's bullshit, and part of me wishes China, and South Korea are going to make interesting-looking female characters to make up for the fact that Europe and the US generally won't.

Edit: If anyone complains to me that geometrically symmetrical look people aren't popular, go look at Tik-Tok, and Instagram, who are the top creators; people who are fit, and are geometrically symmetrical good looking people.

Edit: Outriders is another example.

 

[BrawlMan]

In my opinion, you should be able to create anywhere from an ugly character to a 10/10 character, but nowadays every so often I look at gaming news articles and forums, and it's basically we don't want to create supermodels because we think it makes female gamers feel bad, whereas creating beautiful male characters won't do that.

I noticed it being a problem with most Western AAA games, but most Japanese games don't have a problem with super model character. Though Japan has the opposite problem as the lead designer of the Yakuza games pointed out. I know many indie and AA Western games don't mind having pretty characters be girls or guys, with zero complaints. So certain people in the AAA Western side are over thinking it, and trying not to "offend" anyone.

It's bullshit, and part of me wishes China, and South Korea are going to make interesting-looking female characters to make up for the fact that Europe and the US generally won't.

You'll get you pretty women, but similar to Japan, it will be to a fault. Though China is usually far worse about it than even Japan. South Korea usually knows what they're doing. Speaking SK, there's Dungeon Fighter and its spin-off games, if you are interested.

 

[Gergar12]

I noticed it being a problem with most Western AAA games, but most Japanese games don't have a problem with super model character. Though Japan has the opposite problem as the lead designer of the Yakuza games pointed out. I know many indie and AA Western games don't mind having pretty characters be girls or guys, with zero complaints. So certain people in the AAA Western side are over thinking it, and trying not to "offend" anyone.


You'll get you pretty women, but similar to Japan, it will be to a fault. Though China is usually far worse about it than even Japan. South Korea usually knows what they're doing. Speaking SK, there's Dungeon Fighter and its spin-off games, if you are interested.

The problem is that Chinese and SK devs don't create feature-rich games that have good endgames, and hook you for a long time. Black Desert Online is a shallow game with no endgame, and Vindictus gets boring after playing it long enough, It's all MMOs for South Korean games. The Chinese devs other than Genshin don't have the financial capital to create a GTA 5, or Red Dead 2. I played a game called Bloody Spell, and it was the perfect game for me, but it ends too quickly, and there is no endgame.

Also, Final Fantasy 7 while being a good game isn't long enough. Same with Genshin Impact, cool I beat X region, and did all the events, and spend all my resin, and grinded materials; what do I do now that is different; nothing. Meanwhile in Destiny 2, and The Divison or Skyrim or Fallout or Far Cry I have a large map to explore, and lots of things to do.

I wished Genshin copied Red Dead 2 vs Zelda. Also FF14 looks very bad.

 

[BrawlMan]

Also, Final Fantasy 7 while being a good game isn't long enough

I was not referring to Square when I was talking about Japanese games. I have no interests in them at all. Aside from maybe FF XVI, but I am not that amped and super cautious.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

I think the only reason we think male characters are more "attractive" in video games is because we have lower standards for male attractiveness.

Like, we aren't exactly making Fabio in these games we're whining about not being able to make attractive ladies.

 

[BrawlMan]

Sloclap can make the next Batman game. It does not have to be part of the Arkham/Gotham Knights Rocksteady universe. I'd prefer the game to be in its own pocket universe.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Sloclap can make the next Batman game. It does not have to be part of the Arkham/Gotham Knights Rocksteady universe. I'd prefer the game to be in its own pocket universe.

Now Platinum is going down the ominous "games as a service" dark path, maybe Sloclap can be the new Platinum! The void hungers for new fleshy blood.

 

[BrawlMan]

Now Platinum is going down the ominous "games as a service" dark path, maybe Sloclap can be the new Platinum! The void hungers for new fleshy blood.

I don't want Sloclap to be "the new Platinum". The former is better off as its own thing, and cannot replace the possible void, no matter how much I would want. All I can say is Babylon's Fall is owned by Squeenix, and not Platinum. Best case scenario, this game bombs so hard, that Platinum actually takes a step back, and drops their GaaS fever and work on what they do best. If they don't learn a damn thing, I'll have no choice but to drop them. Save for Bayonetta 3 and maybe Sol Cresta, I won't be buying anything else from them, should they continue the unholy path.

 

[Gergar12]

I feel like in 20 years VR and or AR will be king, and gaming on consoles will be viewed like VHS.

 

[BrawlMan]

How is it "full" voice acting if the playable character doesn't talk? Especially when it's not some build-your-own Fallout-style character.

To add to this....

Time stamped to the argument @ 8:20-11:30.

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