Zero Punctuation: Valkyria Chronicles

[EchoCharlie]

What's with the giant "play" button covering up the screen when you pause the video?

I mean you watch it once then go back an read the bits that flashed up and disappeared too quick later - am I right? But then there's this giant "play" sign bothering my cock?

I mean come on Yahtzee, you pick the shit out of game interfaces etc and you can't get your own crap in order. WTF? Get to work you pommie tit!

Apart from that - good job. Do Red Orchestra! Do Red Orchestra!

 

[Jupsto]

when he says hes a nazi sympathist I hope he doesn't mean racist, especially after all his "I'M NOT RACIST" mindwashing. but then I can't think what else he means... maybe he just likes the trenchcoats (well, who doesn't?).

There's plenty more to Nazis than racism.

like? if someone says they are a nazi I'm pretty sure they mean racist first and foremost.

 

[SimpleReally]

I had a nice laugh at the chest high walls reference

 

[arkblazer]

meh i was joking around, but like i said even though yahtzee might have nitpicked it for lulz. (which if I'm not mistaken the reason of this reviews) it seemed to me like he liked it. after all yahtzee not only hates jrpgs, but doesnt seem to care much for strategy games, yet this jrpg of all things might have just converted him to strategy games. that to me is a pretty big compliment.

 

[Megadanxzero]

Hmm... Interesting... This makes me wonder if Yahtzee would like the Fire Emblem games... It's turn based strategy without shitty over the top story and girly male characters

 

[Max-Vader]

Why does a person have to finish a game in order to form an opinion on it?

I never said that. But you should know what you are talking about, if you make a review.

He dislikes JRPGs, so why harp on him for sharing that opinion, when we already know it?

As I said, my problem is not his opinion, my problem is that he was at some points wrong and ranted about something he had no clue about.

He was just giving us his reasons, and if you can't accept that, then you have no business reading/watching reviews as you are easily swayed by other peoples' opinions.

I'm not swayed by other peoples opinions. Also, who are you to tell me if I should watch/read reviews? If his reasons are wrong, then it seems perfectly valid to me to point them out. Why can't you accept my opinion then? Criticism works both ways you know. I can and will criticise everyone for being incorrect, no matter if it is Yahtzee or not.

 

[atomicmrpelly]

That was a little scary I'll be honest...

 

[Go on]

Micromanaging motherfuckery........

LOL, that was awesome and it was fun to see you do a JRPG

 

[monkyvirus]

yeah that was a good 'un, while i read comments critcising his criticising i was struck by the question does anyone watch yahtzee seriously? like actually take his advice because i figured we all watched for the laughs and then went and bought the game we liked the sound of despite what he said, hell he slags off nearly all of them if you don't take what he says with a pinch of salt then you'll end up owning like 4 games...

anyway no matter how much we point out hes wrong he honestly won't give a crap so really whats the point?

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I doubt he even played half way through the game since he didn't mention how broken the first valkyria is when you "fight" (run away from) her.


Anyways....rpgs are rpgs...you can say i've been conditioned from an early age or that my brain is huge like he said in the TWEWY review but i just love their entirety.


Also, his point that when you move you shouldn't be shot at is proof enough that he didn't get half of the gameplay's intricacies...using that function (your chars fire against moving targets too) it is possible to beat the final boss in 2 turns.

 

[Same River New Water]

Huh. So this would count as a positive ZP review, right? Because I think he nearly said something about not hating some aspect of the game, although my ears blinked at that exact moment so I nearly missed it.

Also, his point that when you move you shouldn't be shot at is proof enough that he didn't get half of the gameplay's intricacies...using that function (your chars fire against moving targets too) it is possible to beat the final boss in 2 turns.

How is the fact that you can beat the final boss of the game quickly and with minimal input from the player a good thing?

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Huh. So this would count as a positive ZP review, right? Because I think he nearly said something about not hating some aspect of the game, although my ears blinked at that exact moment so I nearly missed it.

Also, his point that when you move you shouldn't be shot at is proof enough that he didn't get half of the gameplay's intricacies...using that function (your chars fire against moving targets too) it is possible to beat the final boss in 2 turns.

How is the fact that you can beat the final boss of the game quickly and with minimal input from the player a good thing?

No, i said in 2 turns, quickly yes, input however is integral and extremely important in order for the tactic to work out.

You basically line up three top notch high level troopers that like each-other (which makes them each assist each-other when they attack) and proceed to mow down the boss, then you make it so that your tank is placed in between them and the boss so that it'll act as a shield, then as he moves to attack both the characters and the tank fire at him, then you do the same and he's down fast.

It's simple strategy that i maximized in order to get a good grade against the final boss (usually there's too huge of an area to cover so you rarely move 3 people over the same area at the same time...unless you're defending something)...superior strategy is supposed to be highly rewarding...the trick is to manage your moves so that it'll all be done within the first turn, if you waste even one movement the boss will just kill everyone.

 

[Autocracy]

Huh. So this would count as a positive ZP review, right? Because I think he nearly said something about not hating some aspect of the game, although my ears blinked at that exact moment so I nearly missed it.

Also, his point that when you move you shouldn't be shot at is proof enough that he didn't get half of the gameplay's intricacies...using that function (your chars fire against moving targets too) it is possible to beat the final boss in 2 turns.

How is the fact that you can beat the final boss of the game quickly and with minimal input from the player a good thing?

Some people look at things funny. No, no. The PC thing would be to say they look at it differently. Honestly, I don't care one way or another.

Anyway, he did make mention of some elements he almost kind of enjoyed so maybe.

I really am getting tired of all the people, though, who come on to complain about what Yahtzee says but still watch his stuff on a weekly basis. It's hilarious, sure, but exhausting. I mean, why? If you think he's so horribly biased or that he isn't doing a good job then go somewhere else. It's not as if any of them are giving constructive criticism.

All it boils down to is:

"Lulz, Yahtzee is just a troll"

"awmg, Yahtzee doesn't understand the greatness of this game"

"wtf, yahtzee is t3h bias"

These three exaggerations pretty much sum up their points.

 

[Autocracy]

Thank you Yahtzee, for again verbally crucifying Japan's unnessecary mucking up of the RPG genre.

The game is about as far from an RPG as you can get. Unless you consider something like Heroes of Might and Magic or Fire Emblem to be an RPG, then sure.

AGAIN! AGGG. I want to choke these people. Do you not understand what a tactical RPG is? Have you not played Disgaea or Final Fantasy Tactics? Luminous Arc? None of these names ringing a bell? How about Operation Darkness, that was pretty recent. No? I'm about to start shooting people in a moment.

And seriously. You people need to stop futzing about androgynous male leads. We get it. You don't like it. Move on. Go play Gears of War or, I don't know, Oblivion and make yourself a macho manly man. With rippling muscles and a giant chin.

While I respect your opinions, people, it drives me nuts that people refuse to acknowledge the merits of a genre or sub-genre. Despite what you think about Japanese RPGs, they are still very popular and, actually, some people do enjoy the elaborate stories and vivid cinematics that go with it. I mean, you don't have to like it but you shouldn't write it off because you don't like it.

 

[Autocracy]

Who are you trying to convince? Who? Why? Honestly, the effort isn't worth it. Especially if you don't understand a key element. Taste. It's a matter of taste. What do you like? You like Valkyria Chronicles? Good. Keep liking it. Yahtzee doesn't. Move on.

You'll find that people have different tastes. Some people like chocolate, some people like Vanilla. Some people like Halo, some people like Half-Life. You can't just tell them they are wrong because you liked/hated the thing. They have every right to like whatever they want.

The problem here isn't taste, it is that Yahtzee outright exagerates the bad aspects of games to the point it sounds like he barely played the game at all. While it does enhance comedic effect and rage, and I am always amused by it, he is still not really the best person to use as a barometer for game quality. What people are complaining about is those who after seeing a Yahtzee review decide that it is the end all be all of opinions. People might miss out on a game they like because they take these reviews as srs bsns which they are most certainly not.

Well, it's there loss. Some people are more easily swayed than others and, honestly, I can't say I care one way or the other. I've told people time and time again that reviews are only a guideline and that no one review is above another. That it isn't some competition about scores and that at the end of the day each review really only is a person's opinion which ends up with at least a little bias. I've said it so many times and, well, if they don't want to listen that's their business.

I like Zero Punctuation because it's funny, surprisingly insightful (if you look past the insults and exaggerations), and works well as a contrast to other reviews.

 

[Autocracy]

I have to agree with Yahtzee, but I also LOATHE JRPGs or games that have heavy anime themes. My best friend absolutely loves these games and it seems like every other week he has a new one for me to try. A few weeks ago it was this rubbish game. I sat through 3 hours of play before I absolutely couldn't take it any longer. The thing I agree with Yahtzee the most on is the menu system.

Oh boy. Don't like menus? I hate to tell you this but it's not just Japanese RPGS that have great big menus. Eh, I suggest you not try any MMO. Especially not Eve Online. That gets complicated fast. Witcher? Yeah, don't go there. Some might argue that some of the Resident Evil Games get complicated but that's up for debate.

Well, to be honest....I kind of hate MMOs too...

Clearly it's not the JRPG that is the problem, then. I'm assuming you just don't like micromanagement.

 

[Autocracy]

You seem like a reasonable chap, you really do, but you reasoning is flawed as is your comparisons. Honestly, I hate the line of thinking and how common sense is abandoned by amateur fans of the genre. Of course, I never was a fan of the way gamers liked to try and classify things. What is Valkyria Chronicles. It's a turn-based Role Playing game that is from Japan, therefore it is a Japanese Role Playing Game. AKA a JRPG. It is very much relevant and I don't know why it wouldn't be ... As I sit here and think about it, I wince at the term "Japanese Role Playing Game". It seems a little, well, racist. I don't know. Maybe that's just me.

What are you talking about? Amateur fans of the genre? "JRPG" is just a phrase used to describe the type of Final Fantasy-style console role-playing games that typically emerge from Japan. It does not mean games-in-which-you-play-a-role-of-some-sort-which-are-made-in-Japan. "TRPG" is a term used to describe grid-based strategy games where you're presented with a map and a bunch of friendly & enemy units and each side takes turns to attack & defend. The gameplay in each couldn't be more different. Valkyria Chronicles is not a JRPG.

Dear lord. I facepalm at thee. No. "JRPG" is a term to collectively categorize the games of this genre that originate from that region and share common elements such as those "anime tropes" you mentioned. Just because it has "tactical" elements doesn't automatically exclude it from being a Japanese Role Playing Game. That just strikes me as silly. To argue that the two things are mutually exclusive is just a pointless exercise in semantics, don't you think?

 

[Xelanath]

when he says hes a nazi sympathist I hope he doesn't mean racist, especially after all his "I'M NOT RACIST" mindwashing. but then I can't think what else he means... maybe he just likes the trenchcoats (well, who doesn't?).

There's plenty more to Nazis than racism.

like? if someone says they are a nazi I'm pretty sure they mean racist first and foremost.

Fascism (and by extension, the right wing in general)
Militarism (German or otherwise)
SA
SS
The Aryan race
Eugenics
WWII
The Holocaust
Concentration camps
Enigma machines
The Reichstag Fire
Nazi Youth
Rapid industrialisation
Volkswagon

 

[Lord_Jaroh]

Why does a person have to finish a game in order to form an opinion on it?

I never said that. But you should know what you are talking about, if you make a review.

He dislikes JRPGs, so why harp on him for sharing that opinion, when we already know it?

As I said, my problem is not his opinion, my problem is that he was at some points wrong and ranted about something he had no clue about.

I saw nothing in his video where his points were wrong. Why don't you point them out to me?

He was just giving us his reasons, and if you can't accept that, then you have no business reading/watching reviews as you are easily swayed by other peoples' opinions.

I'm not swayed by other peoples opinions. Also, who are you to tell me if I should watch/read reviews? If his reasons are wrong, then it seems perfectly valid to me to point them out. Why can't you accept my opinion then? Criticism works both ways you know. I can and will criticise everyone for being incorrect, no matter if it is Yahtzee or not.

[/quote]
I was saying that if you are influenced by Yahtzee's "reviews", then you shouldn't pay attention to them, since they seem to get your goat, or some such. Opinions are fine when they are based on facts. Your opinion is based on someone else's opinion...which means that it can be wrong. As I said, I saw absolutely nothing incorrect about Yahtzee's review, and I ask you to point out these mistakes to me.

 

[Max-Vader]

I saw nothing in his video where his points were wrong. Why don't you point them out to me?

Gladly. I'll give you some examples:
1: The Empire is not the incarnation of ultimate evil (they are still portrayed as normal human beings, which I liked) and they are not only based on Nazis, but also on Prussia and the middle ages.
2: The Federation is just as bad, as shown in one chapter.
3: Let's just say that one case early in the game showed that being a main character with much screentime doesn't make you immortal.
4: The main character is squad leader because he was trained for that, not because he has a tank.
5: The backstory of soldiers is one page, not one sentence.
6: If your sniper hits one out of ten, then "you're doin' it wrong", if you excuse the bad joke.
7: Your own units also fire at enemys while they move, so it's fair.
8: You can also crouch behind other things than just sandbags.
9: Guns can be upgraded in three ways, not in one.
10: You can skip cutscenes.
11: Most of the characters aren't really androgynus.
12: I'm not entirely sure, but I think you can save at least every turn.

I think that were the main points.

I was saying that if you are influenced by Yahtzee's "reviews", then you shouldn't pay attention to them, since they seem to get your goat, or some such. Opinions are fine when they are based on facts. Your opinion is based on someone else's opinion...which means that it can be wrong. As I said, I saw absolutely nothing incorrect about Yahtzee's review, and I ask you to point out these mistakes to me.

I'm not influenced by his reviews, or I wouldn't play JRPGs, would I? And yes, my opinion is based on facts - namely that Yahtzee was wrong at the aforementioned points. I hope I could give you some insight in why I disagreed with him.