Ok, glad that you see that nothing is inherently wrong with it, which is my main point, and how I feel a lot of the media knee jerk is essentially stating it.Sixcess said:In genre fiction it's usually no more than a lazy excuse for a female character to kill someone or go on a revenge spree or whatever, and video game storytelling being what it is I find it hard to imagine that this game would rise above that level, but I will agree that there is nothing inherently wrong with it.Eyelicker said:Okay, so they're taking it in a different direction and making it a bit more gritty and "real", for better or worse, so what's wrong with including threat of rape as part of this new atmosphere.
However, Crystal Dynamics are handling an established franchise here - not as strong as it once was perhaps, but a recognised brand nonetheless, and some people are going to react badly if they find Pepsi in their Coke can.
The upside of TR being a big name is that they've got an existing fanbase who will talk the game up, give it lots of publicity and buzz, and ideally pre-order it or buy on release day, based entirely on their affection for and/or trust in the brand... and the downside is that said fanbase will flip out if they don't feel that the new direction is appropriate for the character.
This would never have become such a major talking point if it was a new IP.
As for a lazy excuse is it any worse than the reasons in any other (often perfectly good) games for people to kill each other? In the majority of games plot is basically only there to provide a reasonable backdrop for mass slaughter. I reserve my judgement on it's execution until I play it, but I feel everyone is writing it off prematurely, and from what I see in the trailer it looks intense, claustrophobic, desperate, and all kinds of things which aid immersion. Basically, well executed, although of course this is my entirely subjective opinion.
And finally on your last point, every time an IP is taken in a new direction everyone flips out because its not how it "should" be in their minds. Like I said, for better or worse, we'll see how it goes, I'm sure you've been both pleasantly surprised and bitterly disappointed whenever an IP you're familiar with is altered, but everyone should try and avoid braying with the inevitable backlash with overuse of the word "should".