The "What are you playing now?" Thread

[Chris]

Well, I personally don't think every game needs to serve as a vehicle of social commentary, but if you don't want to make a statement, you should pick a suitable setting. For example, a game set in a zombie apocalypse doesn't necessarily need to say anything. Like in Dead Rising, it can just be fun. Or, like The Walking Dead Telltale games, it can make you think about the choices you might have to make to survive in such a world, and the consequences those choices can and will have on you.

But picking a deliberately controversial setting and then refusing to offer any commentary just feels lazy.



Has this happened in more than like one instance, though? The game is sitting in the 80-85 range on Metacritic, and given the previous installments, that's not surprising to me. They've never been 9 or 10 games. They belong in the 7-8 range. Fun, but ultimately not terribly memorable. They're the type of games you enjoy while you're playing, but then forget entirely when you're done.

I've seen it in a couple reviews, only one that actually gave a score though.

Never claimed otherwise, though. Simply commented on something you mentioned that I saw complained about by several other people.

 

[gourimoko]

Cheap shot...

Cheap shot .. at who?? I definitely wasn't referring to you if that's what you're thinking, I'm talking, broadly, about people in the general public...

I am annoyed that a game will be given a low score when the game is very good but doesn't make a political statement the reviewer wanted to see. That is silly. You are reviewing a VIDEO GAME. If the game is great otherwise, why is it getting a D-quality score?

When you're using "VIDEO GAME" in all caps, are you saying that they shouldn't really care about the story or characters in a Triple A title?

 

[Chris]

Let me ask you this: again, I'm assuming you've played the game; do you think Far Cry 5's story is compelling in it's own right?



Of course, there's an infinite number of ways they could have gone with the story. I just think given the setting, people's expectations got set that this would be a Bioshock like satirical take on extremism; and it turned out, it wasn't that at all. I think that left many reviewers disappointed.

I do own the game and I am actually playing it, believe it or not. Is it a compelling story? I'd say it's on par with the other Far Cry games. It definitely gives me enough to be invested, but it isn't the main draw of the game by any means.

 

[Chris]

Cheap shot .. at who?? I definitely wasn't referring to you if that's what you're thinking, I'm talking, broadly, about people in the general public...



When you're using "VIDEO GAME" in all caps, are you saying that they shouldn't really care about the story or characters in a Triple A title?

No? I'm saying you're reviewing a game, that has great gameplay, as is praised throughout said review. And then the game is given a bad score because it didn't get all political.

Can't think of many more ways to make the same post again and again.

 

[Jack Brickman]

When you're using "VIDEO GAME" in all caps, are you saying that they shouldn't really care about the story or characters in a Triple A title?

I've always found it somewhat ironic that Gordon Freeman is one of the better-realized characters in gaming despite not really existing in the games he's in at all.

Says a lot about the character quality of most games.

 

[gourimoko]

I do own the game and I am actually playing it, believe it or not. Is it a compelling story? I'd say it's on par with the other Far Cry games. It definitely gives me enough to be invested, but it isn't the main draw of the game by any means.

Right... FWIW, I've played all the other Far Cry games.. I've also played all the Bioshocks and Fallout games. This game just came out, so I'm basing my understanding on the synopsis and reviews that have been written.

The bolded in your post, suggests, again, that they again missed an obvious opportunity to make the story a draw to the game -- so if it's just Far Cry in Montana, so fucking what, right?

 

[Jack Brickman]

I do own the game and I am actually playing it, believe it or not. Is it a compelling story? I'd say it's on par with the other Far Cry games. It definitely gives me enough to be invested, but it isn't the main draw of the game by any means.

That's a very polite way of saying no.

No? I'm saying you're reviewing a game, that has great gameplay, as is praised throughout said review. And then the game is given a bad score because it didn't get all political.

Can't think of many more ways to make the same post again and again.

The previous two main entries in Far Cry have had great gameplay, but I'd still say they are more like 7/10 games than 9/10 games because they tend to get boring quickly. They're fun for about ten hours before the tedium starts to set in, and unlike, say, GTA, they don't have a wildly entertaining story or the compelling characters to make me want to power through that tedium.

 

[gourimoko]

No? I'm saying you're reviewing a game, that has great gameplay, as is praised throughout said review. And then the game is given a bad score because it didn't get all political.

Can't think of many more ways to make the same post again and again.

Right, and FWIW, I'm saying the reason the game is being rightfully criticized (to various degrees) is because of the generalities made to avoid controversy and avoid political commentary.

You're effectively saying Ubisoft should get a pass ... others reviewing the game disagree, and see this as a flaw in the story/characters/setting. It's really just that simple.

 

[Chris]

That's a very polite way of saying no.



The previous two main entries in Far Cry have had great gameplay, but I'd still say they are more like 7/10 games than 9/10 games because they tend to get boring quickly. They're fun for about ten hours before the tedium starts to set in, and unlike, say, GTA, they don't have a wildly entertaining story or the compelling characters to make me want to power through that tedium.

Yeah, I mean no shit? We talked about this. It's a Far Cry game. If you like Far Cry, you'll love it. It makes some meaningful improvements to the formula. If you don't like Far Cry...I cannot in good will recommend it. If you need a compelling story in your games, it won't supply that, although it DOES have some moments in its story that are very very well done.

 

[gourimoko]

That's a very polite way of saying no.

That's how I read that too...

The previous two main entries in Far Cry have had great gameplay, but I'd still say they are more like 7/10 games than 9/10 games because they tend to get boring quickly. They're fun for about ten hours before the tedium starts to set in, and unlike, say, GTA, they don't have a wildly entertaining story or the compelling characters to make me want to power through that tedium.

I agree completely.

I actually enjoyed GTA V so much because the main characters were interesting and compelling. I thought the staff at Rockstar did a fantastic job realizing these different personalities in the setting of Los Angeles. Same with L.A. Noire... Tedious missions and running around became worth it because you wanted to see what was happening in the world, and with these characters you've invested hours in.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Yeah, I mean no shit? We talked about this. It's a Far Cry game. If you like Far Cry, you'll love it. It makes some meaningful improvements to the formula. If you don't like Far Cry...I cannot in good will recommend it. If you need a compelling story in your games, it won't supply that, although it DOES have some moments in its story that are very very well done.

That's why I'm waiting for the price drop before I buy it. I liked the previous games, but always lost interest in them fast.

 

[Chris]

Right, and FWIW, I'm saying the reason the game is being rightfully criticized (to various degrees) is because of the generalities made to avoid controversy and avoid political commentary.

You're effectively saying Ubisoft should get a pass ... others reviewing the game disagree, and see this as a flaw in the story/characters/setting. It's really just that simple.

No, I'm saying a story that you don't like shouldn't drop a game 3.5 points. But that's up to the reviewer and I am free to critique their review

 

[Chris]

I don't like being ganged up on and I think I've made my opinion clear so, good talk folks.

 

[gourimoko]

No, I'm saying a story that you don't like shouldn't drop a game 3.5 points. But that's up to the reviewer and I am free to critique their review

How many points should it drop then? And FWIW Chris, I'm in no way saying you aren't free to critique their review. Of course you are.

 

[gourimoko]

I don't like being ganged up on and I think I've made my opinion clear so, good talk folks.

Definitely didn't want to come off as ganging up, bro.. FWIW, I appreciate your opinion...