Would it not be better to ask how many women find his depiction sexualized or objectified? This seems like red herring research.
Poll: Male Gamers: Do you consider Kratos aspirational?
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A big hell no. Fictional characters are always FICTIONAL. They are a jumble of unrealistic stereotypes thrown together to sate the wants for the unachievable for those of us in the really real world. If at any time you feel you should somehow measure up to a fictional character who has zero attachment to reality, it's seriously time for you to reevaluate your priorities.
As soon as we can break away from this pretentious horseshit that our fantasies are somehow our realities, the sooner we can start having mature and rational conversations. Until then the talking points will stay firmly in the hands of self aggrandizing mountebanks such as Anita Sarkessian.
As soon as we can break away from this pretentious horseshit that our fantasies are somehow our realities, the sooner we can start having mature and rational conversations. Until then the talking points will stay firmly in the hands of self aggrandizing mountebanks such as Anita Sarkessian.
Some point and click adventure game protagonists are the most aspirational for me, since they are clever and resourceful. For whatever reason though, the female game protagonists in this genre are quite a bit better on average than the male ones, with the recent Deponia series with it's highly irritating male protagonist a typical case.
The primary purpose of substantial muscles is the application of physical force. This generally is not useful in modern life (with some exceptions), so for the most part muscles are not a fantasy of men, but rather a vanity.
Gamers, gaming analysts, and certainly the game industry often tell us that modern men are vain and love the idea of being heavily muscled, but there's little reason to believe that's true. The rare AAA game with a "normal" game protagonist such as the Half-Life series sell just fine. Unfortunately, so few AAA games feature normal male protagonists that it's difficult to determine the overall effect of the physique of the protagonist on sales. Minecraft is another game with a normal (for the graphics involved) protagonist which doesn't bother gamers.
In contrast, very few indie games feature an overly muscled male protagonist. Countless successful indie games, with Fez, Super Meat Boy, Braid, and Limbo just a few, have a normal or even under-muscled male protagonist.
Consider that 80% of AAA games feature killing as a primary mode of gameplay, with the killing often done by guns or melee weapons, and the conclusion is that the aggressive militant nature of the AAA game industry means that game protagonists range from brutal sociopaths to trained soldiers, all of whom logically have very good physiques in order to accommodate the physical murder the game requires of them.
The primary purpose of substantial muscles is the application of physical force. This generally is not useful in modern life (with some exceptions), so for the most part muscles are not a fantasy of men, but rather a vanity.
Gamers, gaming analysts, and certainly the game industry often tell us that modern men are vain and love the idea of being heavily muscled, but there's little reason to believe that's true. The rare AAA game with a "normal" game protagonist such as the Half-Life series sell just fine. Unfortunately, so few AAA games feature normal male protagonists that it's difficult to determine the overall effect of the physique of the protagonist on sales. Minecraft is another game with a normal (for the graphics involved) protagonist which doesn't bother gamers.
In contrast, very few indie games feature an overly muscled male protagonist. Countless successful indie games, with Fez, Super Meat Boy, Braid, and Limbo just a few, have a normal or even under-muscled male protagonist.
Consider that 80% of AAA games feature killing as a primary mode of gameplay, with the killing often done by guns or melee weapons, and the conclusion is that the aggressive militant nature of the AAA game industry means that game protagonists range from brutal sociopaths to trained soldiers, all of whom logically have very good physiques in order to accommodate the physical murder the game requires of them.
If someone told me that I was the anti-Kratos, an opposite to him in every meaningful way, I'd take it as high praise.
The physique would be nice I suppose, but everything else about him, his actions, attitude, mental approach, etc. are incredibly disgusting to me.
The physique would be nice I suppose, but everything else about him, his actions, attitude, mental approach, etc. are incredibly disgusting to me.
He's fun to play as for sure, but when it comes to being like him, nope nope NOPE! At least from the personality perspective, saying Kratos has issues is a criminal understatement. Even having all those muscles would not make me perfectly happy with my appearance. I worked hard enough to become thin and fit, I don't feel like adding lots of unnecessary, bulky muscles, even if his body type isn't too ridiculous.
Again, I like his games, but there are so many better male video game characters to emulate to make yourself an ideal man. Whatever that means in the first place.
Again, I like his games, but there are so many better male video game characters to emulate to make yourself an ideal man. Whatever that means in the first place.
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Every time I played Uncharted 2 I had the uncanny urge to go work out immediately afterward because watching Nathan Drake scaling cliff faces and buildings always made me think "man, I don't have the strength or stamina to do that, better go do some more pull-ups."Psychobabble said:
I played sports in high school, and during that time I worked out really regularly, but in college I got lazy and didn't work out for years. Then I started playing Uncharted 2 and seeing what Nathan Drake could do inspired to me start working out on a regular basis again. Despite the fact that he is a fictional character, and doesn't really have much attachment to reality the idea of achieving the ideal that he represents got me motivated to better myself.
Just because a character is unrealistic doesn't mean that you shouldn't compare yourself to them. The point of fiction is to entertain and inspire us, and to make us think about what our reality could be rather than what it is.
How could anyone aspire to look like that ugly bastard?
I find these overly-muscled guys that show up in so much of the crap I don't buy rather unpleasant to look at. I find they look better as enemies, not the protagonist.
I find these overly-muscled guys that show up in so much of the crap I don't buy rather unpleasant to look at. I find they look better as enemies, not the protagonist.
Hear, hear! Smart protagonists are much more inspirational for me, too.briankoontz said:
He kind of screwed over innocent civilians by killing the Gods thus causing natural disasters which sort of killed them. Did he show remorse, no. He throws away all forms of logic and ethics for unstoppable anger that ends up favoring his own personal vendetta instead of using it to help others. He's also kind of a huge sex freak. He'd rather get boned 24/7 then save the innocent he's putting in harms way... what a hero...
He shows little to no mercy or compassion, something a real man would have the strength to do. This guy is far from an aspiration, guy needs a damn intervention, no one should gawk over him as the ultimate power fantasy.
Cause we already have someone better, nicer, and sexier for that anyways... *sweats vigorously*
As for Kratos, I like his core. You can grind meat on those things.
He shows little to no mercy or compassion, something a real man would have the strength to do. This guy is far from an aspiration, guy needs a damn intervention, no one should gawk over him as the ultimate power fantasy.
Cause we already have someone better, nicer, and sexier for that anyways... *sweats vigorously*
As for Kratos, I like his core. You can grind meat on those things.
I must admit, it had roughly the same effect on me. And the same goes for the Assassin's Creed games. After an hour or so of acrobatics, I'd look at myself in the mirror and go "You pudgy bastard", and then go have a cardiac arrest on the treadmill.Dirty Hipsters said:
OT: No, I don't find a brutish killing machine a good role model. That said, he does have impressive pectorals.
Seriously? Not even a little bit. But it is fun to vicariously express his bafflingly stupid rage. You want an actual male hero we could aspire towards? Go for Link. Or Cole McGrath.
Kratos really isn't a power fantasy at all. He's a REVENGE fantasy. He's angry at the world and life. A power fantasy is more like The Boss of Saints Row.
1st game, he was a monster of a human being who's violent actions cost him his family. Driven by revenge against the God that killed them, he has one goal. Kill Aries.
The thing is, Aries death and his ascension to God hood gives him no peace. No catharsis. Kratos' wife and kid might of been the only thing about him that gave him any humanity. So what's he to do? Of course he's going to try and take over the world, he's angry and has nothing to do with all his rage.
Then enter Zeus, and suddenly Kratos has a new revenge quest for his rage.
It's basically an inverse of Batman.
I think he's understandable the whole way through.Vale said:
1st game, he was a monster of a human being who's violent actions cost him his family. Driven by revenge against the God that killed them, he has one goal. Kill Aries.
The thing is, Aries death and his ascension to God hood gives him no peace. No catharsis. Kratos' wife and kid might of been the only thing about him that gave him any humanity. So what's he to do? Of course he's going to try and take over the world, he's angry and has nothing to do with all his rage.
Then enter Zeus, and suddenly Kratos has a new revenge quest for his rage.
It's basically an inverse of Batman.
Well I'm a trans woman so I know my vote doesn't count but Kratos is a psychopath. He destroys the world because some dude pissed him off. I consider him to be the villain of the series and would be legitimately frightened of anyone who had aspirations to be more like him. I could see some men wanting to have his physique, though personally I find him to be rather grotesque looking, even if he wasn't covered with scars
In a strange, twisted sense, sure. He's a testosterone-filled fantasy that I don't mind slipping into once in a while. When speaking purely of reality: no. There's unfortunately very little useful in Kratos when applied to any current aspirations by me personally. The only thing that would even be worth mentioning is physique, and that's still a huge maybe. For the purposes of his particular gaming franchise? Sure, I can see some aspiration in him in that sometimes you just want to mow down no-one-cares-which-enemy-type-this-is and be represented by a rage-yelling psychopath, but that's more often than not not true.
EDIT:
Also, unrelated, but to people who keep bringing the villain bit up about Kratos:
You have to consider where humanity is in this game in terms of these Gods. This is the literal transformation of the world as being dominated by petty pagan figures of worship to something a bit more faith-based. The ending of 3 pretty much brought about the Biblical plagues, and 2 heavily hinted at, you know, that stuff.
Something to ponder over anyhow.
EDIT:
Also, unrelated, but to people who keep bringing the villain bit up about Kratos:
You have to consider where humanity is in this game in terms of these Gods. This is the literal transformation of the world as being dominated by petty pagan figures of worship to something a bit more faith-based. The ending of 3 pretty much brought about the Biblical plagues, and 2 heavily hinted at, you know, that stuff.
Something to ponder over anyhow.
Sorta. I have the basic proportions and would more or less resemble him if I lost a few kilograms of fat but ultimately the exercises I do tend to blur the line between bodybuilding and powerlifting so in the end I could easily look like him in a few months of intense dieting as I already have the muscle but with the direction I am going I tend to square out rather than V taper.
I've never cared much about him. I think the games are good games but I dislike them and Kratos himself is a little dull. Have met a lot of men and women who'd love to jump his bones though
