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Returnal Review Thread (PS5)

ethomaz

Banned
Apologies if i have misinterpreted your statement , but are you suggesting that critics should consider a developers opportunity to receive " bonuses" and potential sequels into their reviews/critique? Do they hold back on critisicms to facilitate that? Always give a score that does not fall below the "bonuses"/sequel threshold?
He is just saying to the Journo be honest and not try to make console war with something that influence fates inside the industry.

Grubb scores are made to make Xbox fans and MS happy.
 
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DonJorginho

Banned
Still haven't played this ffs! Need this work day to be over with! Am hearing that binding dash to the shoulder buttons could be worth it?
 
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SLB1904

Banned

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


I can go on and on about how much Returnal has impressed me. Honestly, I’m a little surprised at how good it is. I always expected it to be good – it was always very likely that it would be, given Housemarque’s knack for creating great games – but this exceeds expectations.

Returnal is a swelling success on nearly every front- it’s got a captivating story that it tells very well, it’s got excellent combat that keeps you constantly engaged and on your toes, it’s got thoughtfully designed and smartly implemented mechanics that lend it oodles of depth and variety, it’s got engaging exploration that’s always rewarding, and it’s a visual and technical showcase that shows what the PS5 is capable of on multiple fronts. Frankly, it does more than anyone could have asked for.

Returnal is an excellent game. Play it.
 
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Not progressive enough!
I mean, the article is pure clown show Kotaku and a prime example of why they're a joke.

But in a sense, I've basically had this position since 2012 when all this bullshit really started in full swing with Anita Sarkeesian, and it seems it took Kotaku 10 years to realize it. White women have always been extremely privileged, and starred in tons of games lol. This is basically what I said 10 years ago when all this bullshit started painting them as some massively underrepresented demographic. I would never say "sorry your cis white woman isn't progressive," since that's massively racist and inflammatory. But white women have been the leads in tons of stuff for a very long time, and this was common knowledge to anyone with eyes and a functioning brain.
 
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cormack12

Gold Member

Not progressive enough!

FxhqWl.jpg


White woman, are now white men..........fucking hell the takes of these people.
 

nowhat

Member
While I disagree with her hyperbolic tone etc... that point isn't exactly wrong.
Here's a novel thought. What if... a company based in Finland (where identity politics are still not so much of an issue - they exist for sure, but not to the extreme as in the US) found a suitable facial model/VA for a character, and just went with it? It fit their original vision? It was never going to be anything progressive, the main focus is in the game/gameplay?

I know this is a radical and probably inconceivable thought, but it just may be the case.

I mean. I think both "ugly old granny!" and "not woke enough!" camps are retards. Just play the game FFS, it's great.
 
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KingT731

Member
Here's a novel thought. What if... a company based in Finland (where identity politics are still not so much of an issue - they exist for sure, but not to the extreme as in the US) found a suitable facial model/VA for a character, and just went with it? It fit their original vision? It was never going to be anything progressive, the main focus is in the game/gameplay?

I know this is a radical and probably inconceivable thought, but it just may be the case.
Here's the thing. I don't particularly care. I don't have a problem with the race of video game characters. Save your bluster for someone else.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
While I disagree with her hyperbolic tone etc... that point isn't exactly wrong.

Make an assertion, provide the data. And not the manipulated, grade school level of data something like femfreq would give. What data caused you to agree with her?

I didn't originally frame my point around the accuracy of the claim for info. Just the pure stupidity. Where does it naturally lead if tomorrow every new game had a PoC VA. Do we then expect to see 'PoC cis females are just as default as the white women they replace'. Just shit tier takes from unadventurous people with nothing original to say who lean on social media pop culture to conflate support for opinion with respect for craft.
 
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SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes

Not progressive enough!
We all know that you are only progressive if your lead character is a black trans pansexual holocaust survivor with manic depression and some kind of disability. I say if they speak English instead of using sign language, it isnt good enough.

The funny thing is that article fails to mention that the biggest IP right now, the Avengers, made an AAA game last year with a female Pakistani muslim protagonist. A demographic that makes up less than than 1% of the u.s population. This industry is literally bending over backwards to have diversity in games, and its still not good enough for these people.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
In terms of like MCU and the house of the mouse, sure. But the game... have you seen the Steam stats?
the game flopped. But the IP is the biggest. And it was amazing to see them take such a huge risk with the biggest IP in show business right now.
 

Loope

Member
So what is the point you're agreeing with?
He can agree to a statement and still don't care enough to raise an point about it. Hence, he has a point. That is, most games still have a white male/female protagonist. It's no reason to attack this game in particular or any other games, it's just something you notice, mention and someone can agree or not to it. This kind of issues don't always need barricades where you can take cover, sometimes is just something you can aknowledge and move on.

Kotaku's way of going about it is wrong, but their statment isn't.
 

nowhat

Member
He can agree to a statement and still don't care enough to raise an point about it. Hence, he has a point. That is, most games still have a white male/female protagonist. It's no reason to attack this game in particular or any other games, it's just something you notice, mention and someone can agree or not to it. This kind of issues don't always need barricades where you can take cover, sometimes is just something you can aknowledge and move on.
You can either google Housemarque studio photos, or demographics in Finland. Should we (not speaking as a Housemarque employee, just a regular Finn) accommodate for other countries? Especially since in this instance, the race, gender or sexual orientation of the protagonist is not really relevant at all. And given that, why does the race/gender/sexual orientation of the protagonist matter?

Oh, should add age to that list as well. All you granny-haters, Selene would kick your ass any day.
 

TTOOLL

Member

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
She wants to see some games w/ black women w/ "non-European" features... it's been a thing in Hollywood, music, modelling for ages that it's mostly black women with what she'd call "white features" who find success/get representation. When that's actually not what the majority of black women look like. Kind of like fat dudes in Hollywood, "black looking" black women are mostly used as comedic bit characters. And they generally don't exist in videogames.

It's a perspective.. one I'm not up in arms about, but try to have some empathy for a group of people who don't get a lot of respect in media.

But yes, they are a Finnish studio.. not a bad point, but it's a product for Playstation.. and at this point, Playstation is American lol
 
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Loope

Member
You can either google Housemarque studio photos, or demographics in Finland. Should we (not speaking as a Housemarque employee, just a regular Finn) accommodate for other countries? Especially since in this instance, the race, gender or sexual orientation of the protagonist is not really relevant at all. And given that, why does the race/gender/sexual orientation of the protagonist matter?

Oh, should add age to that list as well. All you granny-haters, Selene would kick your ass any day.
Fucking hell, did you see me criticize Housemarque? i said i understand their point in today's games. I'm not talking about a particular game and i even said Kotaku is wrong in criticizing the game for it. In your fucking mission to defend an exclusive at all costs you didn't even read what people write. The granny shit, i don't even know what you're on about.
 

KingT731

Member
So what is the point you're agreeing with?
Okay let's break it down. What does the sentence say. I made no mention of anything beyond exactly what was clipped.

Make an assertion, provide the data. And not the manipulated, grade school level of data something like femfreq would give. What data caused you to agree with her?

I didn't originally frame my point around the accuracy of the claim for info. Just the pure stupidity. Where does it naturally lead if tomorrow every new game had a PoC VA. Do we then expect to see 'PoC cis females are just as default as the white women they replace'. Just shit tier takes from unadventurous people with nothing original to say who lean on social media pop culture to conflate support for opinion with respect for craft.
I have eyes and I already said I don't care about the race or orientation of characters. If it's not important to the story or history of the character(behavioral motivations etc) I don't care. You can observe something and not be bothered by it at the same time.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
This has been an issue with games journalists for a long time. It's pretty obvious once you read the reviews that they didn't do much in the game at all...being clueless about the story/game mechanics outside the first 2-3 hours(Death Stranding got nailed HARD for things that aren't available at the start of the game like the mechanical legs, floating carriers etc...hell some of them didn't even mention there were guns in the game). I would think that's doing a disservice to any potential reader.
I think the idea that you must complete a game in order to review it is stupid. If the game is not engaging enough to complete, that should inform the review.
 

JeloSWE

Member
I want to buy and try the game but I only have a digital PS5 and it cost an insane $100 (incl. tax) PSN Store here in Sweden. This is ridiculous as It's possible to get it for $60 disk version. It's quite a big preimium Sony takes for the convenience of digital. I'm not happy I can tell you. Including my machine having Coil Whine and a loud fan. Not happy.
 

tommib

Member

Not progressive enough!
That’s just gross but also clickbait. They know the article will bring clicks because it easily upsets people with common sense. Don’t fall for the Kotaku tricks, guys.
 

Ogbert

Member
How are people finding it?

Got to be honest, not a fan of the light touch aim. It’s interesting for about five minutes, but now I’m just conscious of the fact I’m having to unlearn 25 years worth of aiming muscle memory.
 

KingT731

Member
I think the idea that you must complete a game in order to review it is stupid. If the game is not engaging enough to complete, that should inform the review.
Nobody is saying you need to finish the entire game. You should play enough to get a grasp of the gameplay and story if applicable. I'm talking in particular about reviewers who complained about things in a game that ARE there but they clearly didn't play enough to get them. At the very least make note that you either didn't finish the game or only played for × amount of time. At the end of the day they're being paid to review the product.
 
I think the idea that you must complete a game in order to review it is stupid. If the game is not engaging enough to complete, that should inform the review.
If you were a movie reviewer you would be expected to see the whole movie. If you were a music reviewer then you need to listen to the whole album not stop halfway through.

I mean if you are unable to complete a video game and doing so is your job then you should find another job.
 
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nowhat

Member
Got to be honest, not a fan of the light touch aim.
I basically run-and-gun most of the time. The aiming doesn't need to be so precise*), it's your movement that is more important. So hip fire is a completely valid alternative.

*) but if you have the shotgun, you really need to be up close and personal, it's worthless if there's any range
 
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reksveks

Member
Nobody is saying you need to finish the entire game. You should play enough to get a grasp of the gameplay and story if applicable. I'm talking in particular about reviewers who complained about things in a game that ARE there but they clearly didn't play enough to get them. At the very least make note that you either didn't finish the game or only played for × amount of time. At the end of the day they're being paid to review the product.
The one reviewer that everyone seems to dislike did seem to finish the game
 
I basically run-and-gun most of the time. The aiming doesn't need to be so precise, it's your movement that is more important. So hip fire is a completely valid alternative.
Or gyro aiming so people can actually aim accurately and quickly enough without auto-aim.
 

Ogbert

Member
I basically run-and-gun most of the time. The aiming doesn't need to be so precise, it's your movement that is more important. So hip fire is a completely valid alternative.
Yep, that’s what I’m doing too.

Really enjoying the game but that particular mechanic feels like change for the sake of
change.
 

Hezekiah

Banned
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