Nah, you got it.
I find Life is Strange's writing and characters a lot more relatable than e.g. Beyond Two Souls'. Doesn't mean good (it's video games after all) but I enjoyed it enough to play all episodes within 2 weeks.
right, sorry.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Giant Bomb #17 | Baby Dan Wyckert
- Thread starter Anjin M
- Start date
- Status
I find Life is Strange's writing and characters a lot more relatable than e.g. Beyond Two Souls'. Doesn't mean good (it's video games after all) but I enjoyed it enough to play all episodes within 2 weeks.
right, sorry.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
I know! It's fantastic. And then you fly around and fight the internet.
That game is amazing.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Yo, I'm not one to bang on about spoilers really, but seeing that the game is pretty new and people are still just joining into the game with gbeast playing now, let's not be so loosely gposey shall we?
Chance Hale
Member
Given the story also tries to make it seem like there's decision making made outside of the
(security cameras), that hardly excuses what would never be allowed in the US and lead to multiple arrests. Remember, the age of drinking is 21 here and every faculty on campus is breaking the law by allowing it to take place. It's a really big deal legally.
In reality everyone would leave school and get fucked up at Nathan's place. And maybe the teachers would know about that and be cool with it.
Prescots
In reality everyone would leave school and get fucked up at Nathan's place. And maybe the teachers would know about that and be cool with it.
Your point is made. The game is unrealistic. Let's all move on.
LiS's poor writing goes way further than just silly dialogue. There are entire sections of the game where the characters' tone is completely at odds with the events that have just taken place, or they're rushed along to a different set piece to avoid the issue entirely.
Usually in video games we give things like this a pass because the nature of interactivity makes it difficult for developers to guarantee exactly what order each player will hear dialogue or story beats, hence the lowered expectations within the medium. Adventure games, especially the Tell Tale style of interactive storybook, don't receive the same luxury as the entire game is heavily scripted and exists to serve the story.
Chance Hale
Member
The grander point is everything in that game follows a similar dream logic of things that wouldn't actually happen.
Also only further went into it given someone made a comment in response to whether it made sense or not.
skLaFarebear
Member
alex retweeted this and it got a laugh out of me
God I remember seeing that. Hilarious.
funkystudent
Member
alex retweeted this and it got a laugh out of me
Which reminds me, I think it was revealed in those Sony hacked emails that Paige took them to court and got a bunch of money after that fully modelled naked model of her that was in Beyond reached the public.
Love it when you're browsing threads and one takes a complete left turn into Giant Bomb which must make no sense without context http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1130525
Reads like a great tourism slogan. "Detroit, become human. Sponsored by the Michigan Tourism Board"
I suspect people's enjoyment of LiS very much depends on the attachement to the characters and the situations they find themselves in. This will supersede any immediate reaction to the minute to minute dialogue used in the game. The concept in LiS is much more down to earth and simple than anything ever shown by David Cage concepts.
I feel that the inherent weirdness in David Cage stories creates a barrier that distances player from both immediate dialogue and attachment to characters across the full story. Hence this barrier makes defects in Quantic Dream games more apparent to people. The stories are simply not as likeable to the average person.
Obviously LiS will not elicit positive feelings from people without any attachment to any particular area in the game, but the game seems more conducive to that than the typical Quantic Dream Game. Some of their demos like the Wizard demo are pretty neat and employ characters and techniques that none of their games use.
I feel that the inherent weirdness in David Cage stories creates a barrier that distances player from both immediate dialogue and attachment to characters across the full story. Hence this barrier makes defects in Quantic Dream games more apparent to people. The stories are simply not as likeable to the average person.
Obviously LiS will not elicit positive feelings from people without any attachment to any particular area in the game, but the game seems more conducive to that than the typical Quantic Dream Game. Some of their demos like the Wizard demo are pretty neat and employ characters and techniques that none of their games use.
NCR Redslayer
NeoGAF's Vegeta
In the David Cage naming convention:
Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit)
Heavy Rain
Beyond: Two Souls.
Heavy Rain is still the best in the series.
Time Travel is also much cooler than Native American Ghosts or whatever Beyond is!
Omikron: The Nomad Soul is the best game he's done by most metrics, including important ones like goofiest name and most David Bowie.
nckillthegrimace
Member
I love stories about AI, but that Pinocchio shit is way overplayed.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
alex retweeted this and it got a laugh out of me
Also this
https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CSWIavhWUAAXAUy.mp4
can't agree with this. in the context of video games, life is strange's setting and narrative themes are way more unusual than the stuff in cage games. i think people enjoy it because it's so different (and, at the same time, familiar since other art forms have dealt with those topics extensively)
Yeah. Time travel also ties in much better to thoughts people have every day. I doubt many people think a lot about having a ghost buddy, but instead often reflect on regrets and wishes that events in their life turned out slightly differently.
Yes. In video games only.
Chance Hale
Member
David Cage touched on American folklore, the homeless population, and the US's military industrial complex and the ways in which the civilians of the countries we wage war in turn against us in Beyond but that doesn't mean it was done well or actually said anything worth thinking about.
Interesting ideas on their own don't add up to an interesting or well put together final product. I mean, I don't hate Life is Strange and enjoyed Beyond but they share a lot of very similar issues.
Interesting ideas on their own don't add up to an interesting or well put together final product. I mean, I don't hate Life is Strange and enjoyed Beyond but they share a lot of very similar issues.
They sell well enough for Cage to continue being able to make games with almost limitless creative freedom. And my impression is that there's actually a lot of Cage fans on GAF.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Pretty well I think, especially for the type of game they are.
As I said, I like them too but more in the way I like a shlocky B-Movie.
There is nothing better than somebody who just cannot write characters but thinks he has the deepest thoughts in the world. Nothing.
Like with movies, you can't make a "so bad it's good" game on purpose. It just has to happen. Like magic. And Cage is the Houdini of video games.
Honestly I have little doubt, they're just damn quiet.
Realistic zombie fuckin'
yeah, i said as much in the same post
finding a way to tackle that stuff and bring video game narratives back down to earth is not a light undertaking, though, and life is strange makes a very admirable effort to do just that
not everything can nail it on the first try like gone home did
skLaFarebear
Member
I just think the way David Cage treats some of his female characters is some of the grossest, most disturbing stuff I've seen from a game. Especially when you consider the stuff that was cut from Beyond.
This isn't really a conversation to be having here though and one I've already had a while ago. David Cage games are fun trainwrecks at best and disgusting garbage at worst (which is pretty often in Beyond)
This isn't really a conversation to be having here though and one I've already had a while ago. David Cage games are fun trainwrecks at best and disgusting garbage at worst (which is pretty often in Beyond)
Chance Hale
Member
I love David Cage's perceived arrogance most of all. Speaking with confidence is what you're supposed to do when giving a presentation instead of awkwardly mumbling. He's never come off as pretentious or full of himself in the interviews he's given. The pure vitriol some people have for him is hilarious.
I very specifically said the scene with Lucas's girlfriend, not the horrors that come later
Yeah, absolutely. But the themes in LiS are very familiar to people in general and it helps. Quantic Dream themes and stories are slightly strange in any context (or at least mundane themes that should resonate are tinged with that strangeness).
I think it's what he says compared with his writing abilities that gives people that impression of Cage.
Sleeping Lesson
Member
This thread churned through some pages while I was gone! I wish I could have seen the end of the presser stream, sounds like it was entertaining.
funkystudent
Member
"We may continue Life is Strange in a Playdate. That is a premium piece of content, so I don't want folks to feel like it's a bait-and-switch"
I don't want folks to feel like its a bait-and-switch, but here is the bait and switch
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Whatever, I can't wait for Detroid. From the looks of it Cage is going to tackle racism as well as "Emôtions" this time.
Nothing like a beautiful white lady to show racism. But she's an android. Get it?
The "Wild" segment was pure gold. Game looks good too
Nothing like a beautiful white lady to show racism. But she's an android. Get it?
The "Wild" segment was pure gold. Game looks good too
The Dear Leader
Banned
Lol that's what I thought when I read it too.
I just hope they actually finish Life is Strange, they really don't have that much to go, maybe 3-5 videos left to finish the series I would say.
Chance Hale
Member
His view has always been that games should diversify and strive to tell more interesting stories. I don't think he's ever tried to present himself as someone who is above others or one who practices the only method of doing so. He just makes the games he wants to make and tells others to experiment. Always comes off as relatively humble.
I hope they don't play Phantamagoria 2 for an hour an abandon it although I think that statement he released said games could spin off into further playdates if needed. Really hope they try to start staying away from games that literally just came out. Go play Until Dawn and Life is Strange if you're interested, would much rather see hidden gems like Bioforge or goofy shit like Phantamagoria.
I very specifically said the scene with Lucas's girlfriend, not the horrors that come later
All I remember of that scene was the decision to play a Theory of a Deadman track to it.
Chance Hale
Member
It's hardly high art, but it's the only game prior to the Witcher 2 that I can think of that portrayed sex with nudity in a relatively realistic, straightfaced way instead of dry humping with your battle armor on.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
Is it the one about the girlfriend leaving?
SPOILER:
Every ToaD song is about the girlfriend leaving
But he's a horrible writer, at least that's what many people think. So when he talks about these grand ideas it makes people roll their eyes. Because we've seen his previous games.
Today is the best example of "Stay in the safe confines of the giant bomb thread." On your left, a topic that quickly got to the subject of "Sexy minions costumes." On your right, one out of every 8 people is banned in a 1500 post thread. Keep your hands and legs inside the tram at all times, please.
skLaFarebear
Member
Sorry, but when most people's first introduction to David Cage is this, humble and not pretentious are the last things that come to mind.
Dude was so full of himself and put out shitty game after shitty game with terrible writing. He doesn't deserve any kind of credit for anything other than being one of the worst writers in the industry.
Dude was so full of himself and put out shitty game after shitty game with terrible writing. He doesn't deserve any kind of credit for anything other than being one of the worst writers in the industry.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Well sir, may I introduce you to some lovely games from Japan?
Chance Hale
Member
But he never says he's a great writer, and his games and the stories he tells are very different from the norm. His message is to experiment which he does. None of that is arrogance.
I have to see this. Care to point me in the right direction?
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked