Your video game hot take(s) thread

CriticalGaming

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2017
11,227
5,682
118
"Fiscal years" for businesses are all different, though. I've worked in places where the fiscal years is the same as the calendar year. My current and previous job started a fiscal year on July 1.
So are you saying all games companies start their fiscal year April 1? If so, I wonder why?
April 1 is pretty standard for publicly traded companies. Private companies tend to follow the calender year, and maybe some places do other shit too. But as far as i know Wall Street does the April 1st as the first quarter system and any company publicly trades via the stock market follows what they do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrawlMan

Dalisclock

Making lemons combustible again
Legacy
Escapist +
Feb 9, 2008
11,286
7,082
118
A Barrel In the Marketplace
Country
Eagleland
Gender
Male
Ok so what is up with the fact that like everything came out in February so for 3 months it was like "OMG so many games!!!" and now all games media is talking about a draught and how nothing big or important is coming out until Starfield.
Why is it like this?

This seems more like a question than a hot take but the conspiratorial side of my brain is forming like a dozen insane hot takes already.
"Draught"
And then there's me trying to figure out when I'm gonna play all the games that came out in the last few months I'm interested in once I finish Elden Ring.
Cause I have like half a dozen just off the top of my head, and that's after pushing HFW off until it's on sale.

Hey games press, did you know there are more then just AAA games? Because I follow the indie scene and that shit NEVER fucking stops. We are fucking drowning in Indies. My Wish list is pretty much 30 fucking games I'm keeping an eye on for when they come out so I can decide if they're worth a try. I'll probably buy a couple of those and even those are whittled down from everything else that even remotely looks interesting.

That's not directed at you, Old Hunter. That's directed at people who only seem to notice the big boys releasing big games and act like nothing else comes out outside of the holiday season.
 
Last edited:

The Rogue Wolf

Stealthy Carnivore
Legacy
Nov 25, 2007
16,860
9,542
118
Stalking the Digital Tundra
Gender
✅
Hey games press, did you know there are more then just AAA games? Because I follow the indie scene and that shit NEVER fucking stops. We are fucking drowning in Indies. My Wish list is pretty much 30 fucking games I'm keeping an eye on for when they come out so I can decide if they're worth a try. I'll probably buy a couple of those and even those are whittled down from everything else that even remotely looks interesting.
The indie producers aren't slipping game publications tens of thousands of dollars for them to be stealth advertising mouthpieces.
 

Chimpzy

Simian Abomination
Legacy
Escapist +
Apr 3, 2020
12,837
9,268
118
Or when they aren't, review codes and access, which I think probably happens more then bribes.
Maybe it's different now, but about a dozen years ago I did a couple years reviewing professionally as a side gig, and indie companies generally didn't send out review codes, or only just to the biggest outlets like IGN and such. Tho most were quite accommodating if you requested one and could flash some credentials.

Also bribing reviewers doesn't really happen, or is at least so rare as to be negligible. What can (and does) happen tho, is that when AAA publishers are unhappy with whatever an outlet has said, they'll go ***** to the reviewers' boss(es), maybe threaten to stop buying advertising space. Seeing their bottom line threatened, said bosses will then of course lean on the reviewers to 'focus on the positive' or some such bullshit. Most reviewers are freelance, so they end up caving, because they want to keep getting assignments and thus (shitty) income.

Remember that in general, if at any point suits are involved, they're 99% reliably the cause of any fuckery.
 

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,376
12,227
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
Remember that in general, if at any point suits are involved, they're 99% reliably the cause of any fuckery.
Yep.


I ain't exactly big on Jeff (even back then during his GS days), nor Giant Bomb either. He became the monster he claimed to fight, and Giant Bomb became GameSpot 2.0.
 

Drathnoxis

I love the smell of card games in the morning
Legacy
Sep 23, 2010
5,749
2,099
118
Just off-screen
Country
Canada
Gender
Male
"Draught"
And then there's me trying to figure out when I'm gonna play all the games that came out in the last few months I'm interested in once I finish Elden Ring.
Cause I have like half a dozen just off the top of my head, and that's after pushing HFW off until it's on sale.

Hey games press, did you know there are more then just AAA games? Because I follow the indie scene and that shit NEVER fucking stops. We are fucking drowning in Indies. My Wish list is pretty much 30 fucking games I'm keeping an eye on for when they come out so I can decide if they're worth a try. I'll probably buy a couple of those and even those are whittled down from everything else that even remotely looks interesting.

That's not directed at you, Old Hunter. That's directed at people who only seem to notice the big boys releasing big games and act like nothing else comes out outside of the holiday season.
... "Drought"
 

Gordon_4

The Big Engine
Legacy
Apr 3, 2020
6,432
5,691
118
Australia
"Draught"
And then there's me trying to figure out when I'm gonna play all the games that came out in the last few months I'm interested in once I finish Elden Ring.
Cause I have like half a dozen just off the top of my head, and that's after pushing HFW off until it's on sale.

Hey games press, did you know there are more then just AAA games? Because I follow the indie scene and that shit NEVER fucking stops. We are fucking drowning in Indies. My Wish list is pretty much 30 fucking games I'm keeping an eye on for when they come out so I can decide if they're worth a try. I'll probably buy a couple of those and even those are whittled down from everything else that even remotely looks interesting.

That's not directed at you, Old Hunter. That's directed at people who only seem to notice the big boys releasing big games and act like nothing else comes out outside of the holiday season.
You remember the old episode of South Park, like season 1, where the independent film festival comes to town and Cartman says all independent films about “Gay Cowboys eating Pudding”? I think the Indie Game scene suffers - unfairly - from a similar reputational issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dalisclock

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,376
12,227
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
I think the Indie Game scene suffers - unfairly - from a similar reputational issue.
From who? Shallow jackasses that play 1-3 the same games and nothing else? When I last checked, these "professional reviewers", nor certain types of casuals don't represent all of gamers view as a whole on indie. Most people I've met either know what indie games are, or don't have that much of a problem with them. I've met just as many that are not interested, but not to the equivalent of "Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding". Unless you got some people that are still stuck on "All Indie Games are Walking Simulators or Weird Artsy Platformers". Those who have that problem might as well be the fools who enjoy "those type of indie games", considering many AAA games have forced walking sections to be "immersive". When they usually add little to the overall experience, waste the player's time, and become repetitive on repeat playthroughs. Then again, most people won't play a game multiple times, or won't even finish it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

Gordon_4

The Big Engine
Legacy
Apr 3, 2020
6,432
5,691
118
Australia
From who? Shallow jackasses that play 1-3 the same games and nothing else? When I last checked, these "professional reviewers", nor certain types of casuals don't represent all of gamers view as a whole on indie. Most people I've met either know what indie games are, or don't have that much of a problem with them. I've met just as many that are nor interested, but to the equivalent of "Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding". Unless you got some people that are still stuck on "All Indie Games are Walking Simulators or Weird Artsy Platformers". Those who have that problem might as well be the fools who enjoy "those type of indie games", considering many AAA games have forced walking sections to be "immersive". When they usually add little to the overall experience, waste the player's time, and become repetitive on repeat playthroughs. Then again, most people won't play a game multiple times, or won't even finish it.
To the people who aren't plugged into this shit from the past twenty years, which as tough a pill to swallow is probably far more of us than are.
 

Specter Von Baren

Annoying Green Gadfly
Legacy
Aug 25, 2013
5,637
2,856
118
I don't know, send help!
Country
USA
Gender
Cuttlefish
From who? Shallow jackasses that play 1-3 the same games and nothing else? When I last checked, these "professional reviewers", nor certain types of casuals don't represent all of gamers view as a whole on indie. Most people I've met either know what indie games are, or don't have that much of a problem with them. I've met just as many that are nor interested, but to the equivalent of "Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding". Unless you got some people that are still stuck on "All Indie Games are Walking Simulators or Weird Artsy Platformers". Those who have that problem might as well be the fools who enjoy "those type of indie games", considering many AAA games have forced walking sections to be "immersive". When they usually add little to the overall experience, waste the player's time, and become repetitive on repeat playthroughs. Then again, most people won't play a game multiple times, or won't even finish it.
I blame that perception on that indie dev movie from years back where they interviewed pretentious types like the creator of Braid.

Otherwise I don't see how one can come to that conclusion either. Indie game creators come in all shapes and sizes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dalisclock

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,376
12,227
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
To the people who aren't plugged into this shit from the past twenty years, which as tough a pill to swallow is probably far more of us than are.
So people who don't play games at all, or stopped playing games around the 4th, 5th, or 6th generation of consoles. Sounds more like people who don't game at all, than people who do game. They might as well not even bother, and I am sure most of the them don't, with AAA games while they're at it with that attitude.

I know there are people who are not plugged that deep in to gaming, but if they can't bother to look, than they can expect the same "drought" over and over again.

I blame that perception on that indie dev movie from years back where they interviewed pretentious types like the creator of Braid.
I don't even remember that movie. Then again I never watched it. I know Phil Fish caused controversy with his high attitude with his game, Fez. That I do remember, but when I last checked, he did not ruin nor represent the entire indie scene. Even many other indie developers called him out on his shit. If public opinion has a perception of pretentiousness on indie games, than they might as well look in the mirror for the AAA games like Last of Us Part II and Red Dead 2. Especially all of the marketing build up and the hype surrounding them. Or those in gaming articles that claimed "This is the first female gaming protagonist to get it right!", with Aloy recently. Apparently, all of the other female characters in gaming don't count cuz fan-service, or from a time when gaming was still consider geeky. Talk about moving the goal post and setting archaic arbitrary limits. That is not true feminism either.


Take it away Knuckles.

 
Last edited:

Specter Von Baren

Annoying Green Gadfly
Legacy
Aug 25, 2013
5,637
2,856
118
I don't know, send help!
Country
USA
Gender
Cuttlefish
So people who don't play games at all, or stopped playing games around the 4th, 5th, or 6th generation of consoles. Sounds more like people who don't game at all, than people who do game. They might as well not even bother, and I am sure most of the them don't, with AAA games while they're at it with that attitude.

I know there are people who are not plugged that deep in to gaming, but if they can't bother to look, than they can expect the same "drought" over and over again.


I don't even remember that movie. Then again I never watched it. I know Phil Fish caused controversy with his high attitude with his game, Fez. That I do remember, but when I last checked, he did not ruin nor represent the entire Indie scene. Even many other indie developers called him out on his shit. If public opinion has a perception of pretentiousness on indie games, than they might as well look in the mirror for the AAA games like Last of Us Part II and Red Dead 2. Especially all of the build and the hype surrounding them. Or those in gaming articles that claim "this is the first female gaming protagonist to get it right" with Aloy recently. Apparently, all of the other female characters in gaming don't count cuz fan-service, or from a time when gaming was still consider geeky. Talk about moving the goal post and setting archaic arbitrary limits. That is not true feminism either.

Take it away Knuckles.
Ya ya. But people will be people and people tend to be dumb.

Side note: Damnit Brawlman, I wish we had grown up in the same place. I would've loved having someone like you to talk to in school.
 

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,376
12,227
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
Ya ya. But people will be people and people tend to be dumb.
It's a good thing the high sales, great reputation, and notoriety of a majority of these indie games show how full of shit certain people can be. These indie games are getting better reception than most of your bog standard AAA games, so not all is completely lost.

Side note: Damnit Brawlman, I wish we had grown up in the same place. I would've loved having someone like you to talk to in school.
Much appreciated; same to you. I was not perfect either, but I was at least willing to give most games a try.
 
Last edited:

BrawlMan

Lover of beat'em ups.
Legacy
Mar 10, 2016
29,376
12,227
118
Detroit, Michigan
Country
United States of America
Gender
Male
Double Dragon IV is not bad game. In fact, I and most other fans find the game decent fun. Coming after Neon, IV does seem disappointing. What does not help is IV seems like a fan game thrown on to official stores. The good news is that you get the game at a cheap price of $7 on digital stores. Even for less whenever there is a sale. Though if you happened to find a physical copy at a Best Buy, expect to play $30.

IV several advantages over Neon and it's older NES sequels. IV has a good amount of bonus content. Neon only has difficulty options and a gallery you unlock after beating the game. That is it. This kills the replay value, unless you like grinding for mixtapes and mithril. Gets old really fast, if you already beaten the game before on a different console or played so much of the game. The past DD games on NES have little to no replay value; especially nowadays. IV has a versus mode, unlockable characters you can play in VS. or the main campaign, and Tower mode. Tower mode is survival mode and the further you get, the more characters you can unlock.

DDIV has many accessibilities options. You get customizable controls and no longer limited at two buttons, unlike the NES Trilogy (the modern ports on Switch and PS4 fix this issue). You get at least 4 3 lives and 10 5 continues. Even when you lose all of your lives and credits. You can immediately start at the last stage you died at. There is even a level select. The only flaw is the platforming, but it is nowhere near as obnoxious as the NES trilogy, nor as tedious. Otherwise, a fun game that is the best of the NES Double Dragon Trilogy. Certainly better and more of DD game than the shitty 2.5D remake of DDII on the 360. Anyone remember that disaster coming out after Neon?
 
Last edited:

Worgen

Follower of the Glorious Sun Butt.
Legacy
Apr 1, 2009
14,981
3,843
118
Gender
Whatever, just wash your hands.
Undertale is not only one of the best games ever created, but also the best game at justifying the existence of games. Although, I'm not sure that's really a hot take.
 

Worgen

Follower of the Glorious Sun Butt.
Legacy
Apr 1, 2009
14,981
3,843
118
Gender
Whatever, just wash your hands.
It's a hot take somewhere, depending on the group of people that hate the game or its fans.
Probably, depending on how much someone can get emotionally involved with, what are ultimately fictitious characters. Like, if someone can't connect of empathize then I would imagine that the game might either fall flat or not have the same impact.