Your video game hot take(s) thread

[BrawlMan]

But if it takes her destroying hope to do so, then clearly it was worthwhile and useful before she got in the way. Perhaps the more tactical way forward in that world would be to simply remove her from the equation.

Here's the thing though, the character straight up admits that she finds hope boring and that she has a fetish for despair. She literally does all this because one part of her is bored, and she finds hope meaningless unless she's crushing it. That's all there is to it. It's pointed out that that she has another talent other than fashion, and that she has a highly analytical brain (which is where part of her boredom comes from). The character, the story, and a couple of other characters point this out about Junko.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Here's the thing though, the character straight up admits that she finds hope boring and that she has a fetish for despair. She literally does all this because one part of her is bored, and she finds hope meaningless unless she's crushing it. That's all there is to it. It's pointed out that that she has another talent other than fashion, and that she has a highly analytical brain (which is where part of her boredom comes from). The character, the story, and a couple of other characters point this out about Junko.

She seems like a sadomasochist more than anything, if she’s basically just pursuing a state of misery for herself and everyone else. It’s also kinda funny that she’s a working example of how her sexiness is vital to the effectiveness of her character.

"I wanted to create a character who is bad because she is evil, who only desires outright desperation. With no possibility of redemption, [and that] the idea that absolute evil is something desirable and pleasant. As bad as she is, she is so powerful and charming that she draws you in. So one way I thought of showing that was to make a very cutecharacter that was visually appealing to look at." — Kazutaka Kodaka

 

[BrawlMan]

She seems like a sadomasochist more than anything, if she’s basically just pursuing a state of misery for herself and everyone else.

Some versions of the Joker are sadomasochistist too. One doesn't have to be exclusive to the other. Junko fits both profiles, for me, either way.

 

[Gyrobot]

Honestly to break the pace, I think if we want an interesting villain that got kicked off by games like Dragon Age and League of Legends on the subject of mage oppression, we should get a mage fighting for the local oppressors that isn't part of the anti mage stasi

 

[BrawlMan]

How Kane and Lynch got that far as a dulogy is beyond me. I'll admit Dead Men has some unique squad mechanics, but that was it. Other than the stupid, shaky, camera filter, there is not much else the series stand on. The only thing the game has going for it, and anyone bothers to remember now, is Jeff got fired from GameSpot. Oh, and the series put the Hitman series on ice for the near first half of the decade. Kane and Lynch has nothing else otherwise, and I/O Interactive clearly are glad not to make anymore.

Eidos had an obsession with Kane and Lynch and thought it would be their best selling franchise. So they forced I/O to make another. We all see how that went. Some theorize I/O made the game bad on purpose, and it would not surprise me. Thankfully, they can make Hitman all they want to now. I know there are still some fans that exist of the dead franchise, but honestly they diminishing by the year.

 

[Gordon_4]

I don't know if this is considered a hot take or perhaps merely an observation in hypothetical thought, but I can't help but wonder that once all the dust has settled and the papers put in order, if the events and aftermath of Blizzard's bullshit aren't going to become if not a chapter then a small book of its own as required reading at business schools.

You know, in the same way hotels use Fawlty Towers as convenient shorthand training material for how NOT to run a hotel.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I don't know if this is considered a hot take or perhaps merely an observation in hypothetical thought, but I can't help but wonder that once all the dust has settled and the papers put in order, if the events and aftermath of Blizzard's bullshit aren't going to become if not a chapter then a small book of its own as required reading at business schools.

Maybe, but I kind of doubt it since their shenanigans led to not much more than slightly less than the infinite money they earn and a couple of scathing articles. As opposed to the companies that were named and shamed in my accounting books, who no longer exist.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I liked the first game but I have no urge to play the 2nd due to just how fucking miserable it comes across(not to mention the big structural storytelling problem) so I can't blame you at all there.

TLoU2 is like having an amazing meal, but you hate everyone at the dinner table.

 

[thebobmaster]

Maybe, but I kind of doubt it since their shenanigans led to not much more than slightly less than the infinite money they earn and a couple of scathing articles. As opposed to the companies that were named and shamed in my accounting books, who no longer exist.

It also led to Activision-Blizzard getting bought out by another company, something unthinkable even two years ago, and led to the first video game developer union. Let's not downplay that.

 

[BrawlMan]

Devil May Cry 4/SE is one of the best Jojo games ever made. Astral Chain still takes top spot. DMC4 is also the best Bleach game ever made. DMC4/SE (LDK mode was in vanilla PC version before SE consoles) & 5:SE are the best Dynasty Warriors games ever made.

Streets of Rage 4 is the beat'em up equivalent of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. In terms of graphical overall, deeply detailed arts style, animations, and advanced, high level play. Obviously, there is no parrying, but you can catch and return weapons thrown at you. Oh, and revolutionizing their respectives genres further and to greater heights.

Way of the Passive Fist is too gimmicky of a brawler and has not much else going for the game. Other than, it's 3rd Strike as beat'em up. Problem is that all you can do is parry, there is only one character, and you can't use weapons. Makes things too boring and gets stale real fast. Glad I did not buy the game.

 

[Fallen Soldier]

Rdr2 is not even what I consider a game. It’s a boring simulator.

 

[BrawlMan]

I find Metal Gear Rising better than all of the Ninja Gaiden games. Yes, even better than Black or Sigma.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

The current "hot take" thing I been thinking about is: graphics DO matter.

The reason I like places like the Escapist is the idea that gameplay, story, innovation and "auteurism" are respected, and this idea that the latest graphics aren't as important as interesting, fun, innovative gameplay. I totally agree that graphics aren't the most important thing, and Undertale is great and whatever.

But graphics also matter to some degree and it is better when stuff looks cool. Games looking cool is why we play more video games than board games, to a large degree, I mean if we're being honest.

This whole "how important are graphics" idea has come to me from the perspective of sometimes certain game journalists and reviewers and people going TOO far the other way against the grain of dudebro gamur idiots.

Like the whole thing with Elden Ring looking potentially a bit disappointing that the graphics essentially look like Dark Souls 3, and its defenders are like "it doesn't matter, you're stupid for caring about that."
Well, no, I am a little disappointed by that, even though I preordered the game and still look forward to it as a FromSoftware fanboy. But still a new big game- it would be nice if it looked hella cool now on the new hardware.

And I recently tried to play Spelunky 2 and the combination of its brutal difficulty and the fact that it looks like from 1987 just turned me off. I don't feel like going back to NES when I can play anything from like 5 years ago that looks and feels amazing. But that is also just a mood I was in because I also just beat the similar luddite Nobody Saves the World by spending 30 hours reliving 12 yr old me brain. Or a few months ago when I play Stardew Valley so much I bought a clock for 10 million game dollars.

My point is that graphics were A factor- not THE factor- in deciding how I feel about a game I'm playing, buying, reacting to, whatever. I just think it became this cool/intellectual pretense to act like we're not gonna care if a game actually looks good, new, pretty, whatever.

And straight up I avoid most post-apocalypse games like Fallout because dirty broken buildings is just... ugly (contrast with Dark Souls where the wear and tear of the world is sort of its own beauty). Am I shallow or am I just reacting to the reality that video games is an intensely immersively visual medium

 

[BrawlMan]

My point is that graphics were A factor- not THE factor- in deciding how I feel about a game I'm playing, buying, reacting to, whatever. I just think it became this cool/intellectual pretense to act like we're not gonna care if a game actually looks good, new, pretty, whatever.

And straight up I avoid most post-apocalypse games like Fallout because dirty broken buildings is just... ugly (contrast with Dark Souls where the wear and tear of the world is sort of its own beauty). Am I shallow or am I just reacting to the reality that video games is an intensely immersively visual medium

I agree with you. Graphics do matter to an extent, but you also need great and distinct art style, gameplay, and lighting to hold it up. If the game looks ugly, or if the graphics aren't going to hold up well within the next year or two, and the gameplay is mediocre or garbage, then people are going to forget about it just as quickly. Remember The Order 1886? That crappy Gears of War clone nobody cares about.

Plus, you are not alone. Matt Simmons from YoVideoGames has been advocating this for years. Ever since he and the other crew started getting more recognition in 2011 and further. Max Dood has more or less said the same thing multiple times. You just get some people who want to act surprised, or get overly defensive when it's a game they care about.

 

[Old_Hunter_77]

Remember The Order 1886?

Oh that is a great example because it is certainly a game I've looked at, seriously considered buying, then deciding not to, without being able to explain why but I think you just did. Thank you for helping me from 3 years ago.

I am somewhat new to "serioius" video game criticism so I don't know those other dudes you're talking about but I will check them out, thx

 

[BrawlMan]

I am somewhat new to "serioius" video game criticism so I don't know those other dudes you're talking about but I will check them out, thx

They're all cool dudes. Max's channel mainly consist of fighting game content, but he and a crew have done plenty of classic and new games of all variety. They are all big Capcom fans. So am I. Sega fans too. Simmons can be cool too, but he does have some contentious opinions. It doesn't come up too often, but it is noticeable.

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[Fallen Soldier]

They're all cool dudes. Max's channel mainly consist of fighting game content, but he and a crew have done plenty of classic and new games of all variety. They are all big Capcom fans. So am I. Sega fans too. Simmons can be cool too, but he does have some contentious opinions. It doesn't come up too often, but it is noticeable.

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Sony was always arrogant. They never changed. It’s just that their competition like Microsoft got worse and they looked good in comparison.

 

[BrawlMan]

Sony was always arrogant. They never changed. It’s just that their competition like Microsoft got worse and they looked good in comparison.

Simmons mentions this a few minutes into the video. He said it started in the late PS1 days and early PS2 days. But most of the gaming public didn't start taking notice until the late PS2 days, and during the early years of the PS3.

 

[Fallen Soldier]

Simmons mentions this a few minutes into the video. He said it started in the late PS1 days and early PS2 days. But most of the gaming public didn't start taking notice until the late PS2 days, and during the early years of the PS3.

Yeah 600” you need two jobs” to afford our ridiculously expensive console. I haven’t forgotten Sony.

 

[Schadrach]

it would be nice if it looked hella cool now on the new hardware.

That's the hardware you have to sell a kidney to be able to afford to buy used from a scalper, but only after they're done using it to mine crypto, right?