Zero Punctuation: Lollipop Chainsaw

[FantomOmega]

Just what the hell is "fucked" about wanting to protect Lara in the new Tomb Raider?

I'm sorry Croshaw, but you really jumped the shark with your contrarian bullshit on that one.

Well she "was" a cocky confident explorer in the previous games, now in the recent videos it seems that man "and" nature wants to see who can beat and manhandle her into submission first!

That's like saying you want a game that only focus is so you can "protect and comfort" Kratos or Master Chief cause apparently they're too "helpless" to defend themselves from the scary monsters, what? did that sound ridiculous cause they're "men"? If so then that's a contradiction

It's bad enough that Samus was given a apron and basically told to stay in the kitchen in Metroid the other M is not helping our defense as gamers objectifying women as weak wiled sex objects that are only there to look pretty on the box art and to be saved by the burly self-assured hero.

You can practically hear the feminists growling in the distance...

 

[Keith K]

You know, the beginning/ending of this show is consistently WAY TOO FUCKING LOUD.

 

[Michael Ellis]

Just what the hell is "fucked" about wanting to protect Lara in the new Tomb Raider?

I'm sorry Croshaw, but you really jumped the shark with your contrarian bullshit on that one.

The fact you're taking one of the strongest females in gaming and being told by the director that you should "Protect her and nurture her" like she's a Barbie doll or something. It's unneeded, and bloody stupid to boot.

That wasn't said by the director, and that wasn't even what was meant. The idea is that you'll REALLY want to see Lara succeed, that they want to make you feel as thought if you were there, you'd want to do everything in your power to protect her. It's called building empathy for a character.

The difference is, a game doing this to Nathan Drake as a young teenager would not even get close to being approved. Because males in gaming aren't allowed to be "weak". Same exact genre, practically the same gameplay (Uncharted took more than a few pieces from Tomb Raider), yet one character has to be made "weak" to advance a story.

Nathan Drake is nothing but a modern day Indiana Jones. A pulp character. Someone who has the same enthusiastic reaction to a bunch of people attempting to kill him as to getting a parking ticket (oooh boy). Don't get me wrong, he's funny, but he's not a particularly deep character.

This new Tomb Raider game is a reboot. Crystal Dynamics are creating a new, better, more believable, more human Lara Croft, and like it or not, that involves portraying her just like any unexperienced person would be portrayed, male or female, in her situation.

Nuaghty Dog could very well pull off the same thing with Nathan Drake, but he and his games are too popular right now for Naughty Dog to want to make him a deeper character.

Besides, if they'd ever do that, they'd have to put effort into rationalising Drake being a mercyless career criminal.

 

[Tilakai]

Why did Tara Strong have to do her voice. I don't want to hear Twilight Sparkle say some of these things. lol

 

[MaximillionMiles]

Pity Suda 51 couldn't save this game. Zombies have already been done comically in quite a few games, yeah. It's a pity they're not used seriously in a horror context though. It's either "look at the funny zombies" or "zombie killing bonanza".

Except for Dead State. That game is looking pretty good, even if so far all I've seen is it's kickstarter video. Still, zombies in an ACTUAL horror game? Sign me up for that!

 

[Shiro No Uma]

It's funny when Yahtzee has to talk about someone who has to try too hard because of what the public expects of him.

Well put. In fairness, I think that if I had a following of people who expect me to be grizzle all the time for their enjoyment I might have missed that point. However, Yahtzee might be able to see the irony of it.

 

[maninahat]

Question: are there actually any enemies besides zombies? Or are they just using the standard trick of throwing in the odd "elite, specialist zombie" every now and then?

The whole thing sounds like a Buffy parody, and it would be a huge waste of an opportunity to not features loads of other goofy monsters.

 

[daxterx2005]

I wish this game was on the wii.

 

[Nurb]

So she's Buffy the Zombie Slayer?

 

[Semudara]

Yahtzee? Are you doing actual REVIEWS again?

No, I'm seriously glad. You're the funniest when you're actually being smart. It suits you. I'll just forgive that Ocarina of Time 3D review where you forgot what an "Options Menu" is for...

Anyway, thanks for the good work. Keep it up!

 

[Kahunaburger]

I'm shocked, shocked that a game marketed as "herp derp, it's a cheerleader! fightan zombies! what more could you want" turned out to be using its style to cover shortcomings in the gameplay department.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Is it just me, or did Yahtzee sound a bit slower in his oration than usual, like he has a cold or something? I mention because him taking it slow, even if it's only a bit slower than usual, really does stand out and kind of ruin the whole rapid-fire comedy schtick.

He talked about this I think in an Extra Punctuation last year, where he said that he always get a cold around this time in the summer.

Well it is Winter here.

 

[Trishbot]

Yahtzee, really...I am VERY disappointed in you. The Other M characterization dead horse has been stripped of it's skin by now.

In fact, I'm calling a new rule. Anyone who talks about Other M's characterizations in ANY light are now required to watch this video [http://www.screwattack.com/shows/partners/game-overthinker/game-overthinker-episode-40-heavens-metroid] before commenting further.

I disagree with Movie Bob SO much on that video. Props for trying.

The entire argument that "some personality is better than none" is one I utterly reject, and I counter your Other M video rant with Extra Credit's Other M video rant. [http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/learning-from-other-m/]

 

[Jerkules]

It's disappointing to see even Yahtzee fall in line behind the "video games are sexist"-crowd. Then again, he did the same thing with the "RE5 is racist"-people. Video games and gamers still have a lot of growing up to do.

Mean old PC brigade ruining your day?

While "video games are sexist" makes no sense as a universal claim, the industry clearly has issues with sexism and, to a lesser extent, racism. If you can't (or more likely won't) see that, you're the one that has some growing up to do.

 

[TheOrb]

Well, a "Meh." from Yahtzee can't be bad...
But ya, bargain bin in a year's time.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I wonder if Yahtzee can go an entire episode without talking about food?

 

[Kermi]

Lollipop Chainsaw: GOTY 2012.

If you didn't enjoy it, please give my regards to your ability to have fun if you ever see it again.

I like how the main argument from people in this thread is "repetitive". Because you chainsaw zombies in every level? I'm sorry if Lollipop Chainsaw failed to step out of the shadow cast by EVERY GAME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING.

Never mind the minigames scattered all over the place - placing Nick's head on a body to pass certain obstacles, the levels that involve using your chainsaw dash to run a gauntlet of obstacles, the railshooter/tower defence. Did you people even make it to the arcade level?

Never mind the fun and interesting boss battles. Never mind the awesome music selection and direction. Never mind the fact that out of this utterly stupid game about a 18 year old cheerleader killing zombies there was a genuinely moving moment

Spoiler

where Juliet's father suicidally rides a motorcycle loaded with dynamite into the mouth of a 500ft tall zombie Elvis.

 

[Kermi]

Question: are there actually any enemies besides zombies? Or are they just using the standard trick of throwing in the odd "elite, specialist zombie" every now and then?

The whole thing sounds like a Buffy parody, and it would be a huge waste of an opportunity to not features loads of other goofy monsters.

While there's a fair amount of variety in the design, they're pretty much all zombies. Sometimes you get footballer or firefighter zombies who are just more annoying to kill. Sometimes you get "named" zombies which have distinct attack patterns and are almost like semi-minibosses.

The main bosses themselves are five spirits called "Dark Purveyors" from a hell dimenstion called "rotten world". They're also basically zombies, but awesome ones that represent styles of music.

Zed (voiced by Little Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence, who also did the boss music), represents punk/industrial. He can hurt you with words. Literally.
Vikke, a giant viking, represents metal. In the third stage of the boss battle after you decapitate him, he grows in size and eats his own body.
Mariska (voiced by Shawnee Smith) represents psychedelic/funk. The entire level is basically a bad shroom trip where you also fight, as Nick puts it "mecha-chicken-zilla".
Josey (voiced by T-Pain) represents disco/electronica. His battle takes place in a video game arcade.
Lewis, who rides a motorcycle that turns into a mecha-elephant, represents rock 'n' roll.

But you know, I guess they're all basically zombies, so whatevs.

 

[Roman Monaghan]

Question: are there actually any enemies besides zombies? Or are they just using the standard trick of throwing in the odd "elite, specialist zombie" every now and then?

The whole thing sounds like a Buffy parody, and it would be a huge waste of an opportunity to not features loads of other goofy monsters.

No, but they do get mentioned. Apparently Frankenberries are real, and their cereal is just propaganda to get you to trust them.

I'm not kidding, that is almost word for word a line of dialog from the game. The game itself only has zombies to fight in it, but Juliet is pretty blatantly a Buffy parody.

Lollipop Chainsaw: GOTY 2012.

If you didn't enjoy it, please give my regards to your ability to have fun if you ever see it again.

I like how the main argument from people in this thread is "repetitive". Because you chainsaw zombies in every level? I'm sorry if Lollipop Chainsaw failed to step out of the shadow cast by EVERY GAME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING.

Never mind the minigames scattered all over the place - placing Nick's head on a body to pass certain obstacles, the levels that involve using your chainsaw dash to run a gauntlet of obstacles, the railshooter/tower defence. Did you people even make it to the arcade level?

Never mind the fun and interesting boss battles. Never mind the awesome music selection and direction.

Spoiler

Never mind the fact that out of this utterly stupid game about a 18 year old cheerleader killing zombies there was a genuinely moving moment where Juliet's father suicidally rides a motorcycle loaded with dynamite into the mouth of a 500ft tall zombie Elvis

.

First of all, dude, spoilers. Second of all: holy shit, a Nintendo fanboy! I know this game isn't on a Nintendo system and has in no way been touched by that company, but come on. Browse the comment section of ANY video done for a Mario/Zelda/Metroid/Pokemon game and it's this argument. It's so paint by numbers at this point it's starting to branch out.

 

[Roman Monaghan]

Yahtzee, really...I am VERY disappointed in you. The Other M characterization dead horse has been stripped of it's skin by now.

In fact, I'm calling a new rule. Anyone who talks about Other M's characterizations in ANY light are now required to watch this video [http://www.screwattack.com/shows/partners/game-overthinker/game-overthinker-episode-40-heavens-metroid] before commenting further.

I disagree with Movie Bob SO much on that video. Props for trying.

The entire argument that "some personality is better than none" is one I utterly reject, and I counter your Other M video rant with Extra Credit's Other M video rant. [http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/learning-from-other-m/]

I add to this counter with THIS VIDEO. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4mhp-8sOc]

Cuz seriously, it will only be out of style to rage at Other M when Other M pulls a Back To The Future and erases itself from existence. When every single disc of that game has been fired into the sun. When Yoshio Sakamoto is banished to Siberia for life. When a new Metroid game comes out where Samus explicitly states that all that shit on the Bottle Ship never god damn happened. As long as that travesty of a game exists, it will continue to be fair game to rag on it.