Taking it seriously. Do you need to?

[Pink Gregory]

This isn't so much about dedication to playing, skill or practice, but more about one's ability (or preference) in enjoying knowing silliness.

I bring it up having just finished MGR Revengeance and honestly having the time of my LIFE. Yet, I can understand the criticisms inevitably levelled at it, possibly for being a spin-off from an equally silly (but perhaps not so overt) series; and quite simply, I've started to understand that I take for granted the ability to unironically enjoy camp, knowingly over-the-top experiences like MGR, Bayonetta, even MGS in many ways.

As such, I've never really had a problem with inconsistencies or game logic in games such as these. But enough about me, I'd like to hear what you think.

Do you enjoy camp silliness, or can it be a bit much for you?

Also, Sundowner is the most magnificent bastard since Father Balder.

 

[King Billi]

Very often yes but even if I don't like something for being too silly I'll still accept the intentions behind it as good or at the very least harmless and hold back from being overly critical of it.

I don't consider such things to be insulting to my intelligence or anything like that as some people seem to think. To me I just see it as creators not letting facts or logic get in the way of something they consider cool or interesting and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Foolery]

It's too much for me. Never liked Raiden as a cyborg ninja. I thought he was more interesting in Metal Gear Solid 2. I prefer a serious tone, but not overly so. Maybe some odd humour here or there. But not as a main focus. A balance is best.

I suppose you could find a bit of camp in this.

Spoiler

Or this.

Spoiler

 

[DoPo]

Having recently played through Saints Row the Third (hadn't played any other SR games) - yes, yes indeed I do. The game is just silly to the extreme and I loved it. Here is the exact moment where it hit me - very minor maybe spoiler but I realised how much I liked the athmosphere of the game when I had to parachute jump through the chimney of a nuclear power plant, in order to infiltrate the gang of futuristic hackers who used it as a base, and steal their chair to enter the matrix-dash-tron virtual reality. Yeah, that happened. At a different point in the game I released the zombie apocalypse. By mistake but whatever - that also happened. Probably the crowning moment was when I met the mayor.

Spoiler

It's Burt Raynolds. Because apparently, who else can run the city? I dunno, but I buy it.

 

[Ninmecu]

Having recently played through Saints Row the Third (hadn't played any other SR games) - yes, yes indeed I do. The game is just silly to the extreme and I loved it. Here is the exact moment where it hit me - very minor maybe spoiler but I realised how much I liked the athmosphere of the game when I had to parachute jump through the chimney of a nuclear power plant, in order to infiltrate the gang of futuristic hackers who used it as a base, and steal their chair to enter the matrix-dash-tron virtual reality. Yeah, that happened. At a different point in the game I released the zombie apocalypse. By mistake but whatever - that also happened. Probably the crowning moment was when I met the mayor.

Spoiler

It's Burt Raynolds. Because apparently, who else can run the city? I dunno, but I buy it.

SR3 is what killed the series for me. Sr2 had a nice OTT feel while still being somewhat grounded in normality. Had actual character growth and a storyline that made sense. Sr3...Well, SR3 is the only game I've given to gamestop for an exchange. I was so pissed at that game, can't believe I forked over 60 bucks on Day 1. That being said, I know a lot of people praise it for it's overt OTT nature. I just find a lot of the decisions they made for it to be retarded when compared to 2, never mind 1 which was basically a GTA clone at it's core. 2 had it right imo.

OT:I enjoy OTT games from time to time, Conker is my usual "Go to" guy when I'm in that mood. But I'm a "games are art fag" to quote Yahtzee, I believe in a good story backed by interesting visuals and actual dilemna's as a character that grows and evolves as part of the world he's in. Not just "Zany Fun Dildo Bat to the face! Wahoo Wahay! Fart Bombs! Exploding(Slightly) Racist Kalamari that make you go Karaoke Boogie! WOOO!

But, I'll freely admit, I do enjoy them from time to time. I'm the guy who plays Prototype just to see how much Damage he can dish out by climbing as high as he can and just dropping right down. I'm the guy that has a little too much fun with the Plasmids in Bioshock. But as I said, I favor a good story and reason for my actions...Even if my actions don't really follow suit with what the story portrays my character as being.

 

[Pink Gregory]

I 'unno, MGR I could take seriously in context (at times), I cared about Raiden because he's completely camp and silly in MGR, and that endeared him to me (then again, I'm in the minority who liked him in MGS2). There's nothing to say that you have to enjoy camp ironically.

As for SR3, I never played it (did play SR2 and 1), but I can see the criticisms, it's all in the balance I guess. There's such a thing as being TOO knowingly silly, sure. Perhaps I personally find it easier to swallow in the context of CYBORG NINJAS or PUNCH GOD INTO THE SUN WITH YOUR HAIR-DEMON than in the context of urban crime. I 'unno, it never seems as amusing or captivating when it's based on vulgarity (even if it makes sense in context).

And this isn't precluding enjoying games as art or more serious games. Just some people seem to treat it as an insult to their intelligence, which just kinda misses the point, I think.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

As an avid fan of the Kingdom Hearts series, I'm no stranger to camp silliness and cheese. And I love it, especially if done well. I understand why some people have problems with it, but it doesn't affect me in the least.

 

[Little Gray]

I would have to say yes and no. I dont mind a little bit of humor in my games like in Fallout 3, New Vegas or the Katamari games but when thats the only thing in the entire game such as saints row 3 I cant stand it. A game needs more then fart jokes to keep me interested.

 

[Terminate421]

I take things seriously, but other times I take the Bungie approach to how I play things:

 

[Guffe]

I can take plot holes and silly games as long a the overall enjoyment is good.
That basically means too much silliness or a plot/story that sucks makes a game bad, huh go figure
But I think I don't care as much as others do on this point, or then I just am stupid and don't notice these things.

 

[Machocruz]

With play mechanics and control as good as MGR, I'll accept any tone.

 

[Bestival]

I'm usually well up for it. Especially in shows like That Mitchell and Webb look, or Armstrong and Miller. In games it can work as well, but it really has to be dedicated imo. I don't like it when a game is normal, or even overly serious, and then suddenly there's this super wack joke in the middle of all the drama.

Good dedicated silly games are fun though. Saints Row 2/3 and Magicka spring to mind.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

I'll just point out that these are the same people that made Resident Evil 4, a game well known for going "Fuck It!" in relation to the series canon and even in some cases it's own plot (How did a cult in rural spain manage to get a battleship?) and turning out all the better for it.
A lot of people seemed to like this game and we can all admit that the series has been going apeshit for years since 4.

 

[The Wykydtron]

Hey the more needlessly camp and melodramatic something is, the more I will love it. There's a reason why Code Geass is one of my favourite anime series ever.

I still attempt to play Makoto in BlazBlue even though I am so bad with her just because she's the most melodramatic thing ever. Just look at her supers! Just look!

"My soul burns with the heat of a thousand suns! Behold the power of YOUUUUTH!" *mega punch*

I hate how she has no range whatsoever. It's literally my one crushing complaint about her. Anyone like Jin or Ragna can fuck her up and it's BULLSHIT.

Fighting games in general are just cool, especially BB and P4A. ArcSys has fucking style yo'

 

[scorptatious]

Depends on the game really. So long as it stays somewhat consistent with it's tone I don't mind how silly or serious a game acts.

I will say though, with Disgaea, it does feel somewhat weird going through a difficult and long battle and to be rewarded with a silly and light hearted cutscene.

Gameplay: HOLY SHIT! I just fought an epic battle against Mid Boss who had two lv. 40 dragons with him!

Cutscene: Darn! He ate all of the contents of the picnic basket.

Not that I mind. I've come to accept and embrace Disgaea's wackiness.

 

[Naeras]

I decided to pretend that everything dumb and over-the-top in Gears of War 2 was meant to be satirical.
Suddenly, the game got a lot better. Or, well, it got a lot funnier. The gameplay was still the same -- that is, largely uninteresting for someone who doesn't like cover-based shooting -- but at least I and my co-op partner burst out laughing whenever any of the characters opened their mouth to say something. It didn't last throughout the entire game, but at least I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have otherwise.

So, no, sometimes things get better if you just stop taking it seriously. In fact, if it's badly written, then it usually gets a LOT better if you stop taking it seriously. =p

 

[SonofaJohannes]

I love silly things, if a game is sufficiently silly it may even be a selling point. I loved Saints Row 3 for it's silliness, but sometimes even I looked at Professor Genki and said "No, stop it. You're being exceedingly silly."

 

[TehCookie]

Nothing makes a game better than a nice coating a cheese. It makes me smile and makes it more fun over a games are serious business. I love Bayo, the campy DMCs and MGR. Even terrible JRPGs that don't intentionally try to be campy make me laugh at the stereotypes and tropes.

Games are meant to be an escape from the real world, and I like my virtual world to be a b-action movie or powered by friendship.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Hate mgs games, tone and gameplay, saints row 3 was good....... for 1 hour then turned shit
However I did like the wild wasteland trait on new vegas and saints row 2
So in conclusion to this I don't have a clue what I like and dislike.

 

[Abomination]

I find sillyness to be more enjoyable when it's surrounded by seriousness. If everything is silly all the time it just becomes droll. I did not enjoy Saints Row games but I enjoy GTA games.

I do not begrudge people for enjoying games like Saints Row but it's just not my cup of tea.

I enjoyed MG1 & REALLY enjoyed Snake Eater but I never played Metal Gear II. I don't really fancy Japanese storytelling.