Unpopular Gaming Opinions

Joined
Sep 3, 2018
Favourite title
Shenmue
Currently playing
Strider (2014)
As I think we are all adults here, and given that Shenmuedojo is one the most civil forums on the internet I have ever seen, I think a topic like this one can be made with people being mature towards differing opinions. I know that there have been several threads have been made about this in the past, but it would be nice to have an updated version as our opinions on video games change with the ebb and flow of the times.

I hope with this thread that people will provide civil discourse and promote understanding between fellow gamers. Because knowing how polarized our world has become (with the Internet exacerbating the issue), I think having a shining example of the opposite can do wonders. With this preamble out the way, I will list some of my opinions on gaming culture and games in general.

I). THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT - While I understand that you need to make customers happy to turn a profit if you give fans too much power, they can be your downfall as well. You have to realize that it's the silent majority who will determine the success or failure of your business. Also, if you give fans too much power over your product, then it's not your product anymore.

As people's values change across the times, products and services change as well to meet those demands. The problem with this is when it comes to art, I am a firm believer that art should challenge the social orthodoxy, not reinforce it. This is why I detest censorship so much because it's a way to reinforce the prevailing beliefs of the day. You cannot, on one hand, promote independent thought and on the other silence those who do exercise said thoughts.

However, this is where I will turn a one-eighty and say that you listen to your consumers and not underestimate the power they possess when they organize in mass. This power can be used for either benevolent reasons or malevolent ones. For example, legitimate constructive criticism of your product can make it better. Or how sheer passion and determination can make dreams come true as Kickstarter can testify to.

That's why I think there needs to be a balance between listening to fans and doing your own thing. And there is a way to convey this to the general public without coming off as disingenuous. This way, everybody can be happy. Artists can create the art they want, fans will ravenously consume it if it's good, and businesses can pad their bottom line.

II). I ENJOY SHENMUE CHAPTER ONE: YOKOSUKA MORE THAN SHENMUE II - The main reason being that the game feels a little more detailed and 'realistic' than Shenmue II if that makes any sense. It told the entirety of Chapter One without skipping to other chapters, you could inspect more items than in Shenmue II and the combat felt a bit more grounded. This is not to say that Shenmue II is bad, but I enjoy the first game just a little more than the second one.

III). SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2006 IS MY FAVORITE 3D SONIC GAME - After seeing what modders have done with the game, I have come to see it more as wasted potential than just a bad game. If SEGA had not divided up their team midway through development and rush the game out for a Christmas release, then we would have attained a much better product.

I enjoyed the music, the Final Fantasy-Esque narrative, the character and enemy designs, the stages, and the gameplay (much more than the boost games). I know that a remake will probably never happen, but if it's done right this time, I will happily purchase it.


IV). METAL GEAR SOLID V IS MY SECOND FAVORITE GAME IN THE SERIES - While I believe the story was executed poorly (with Kojima telling not showing), I believe the story was solid overall. I will provide a link that elaborates as to why I believe this to be the case. Finally, I think the gameplay is the best in the entire series as you have unparalleled freedom in how you can conduct missions.



V). FINAL FANTASY XV HAS A GREAT STORY - Keep in mind that I am taking the entirety of the media made about Final Fantasy XV into account. In the end, it's a tragic tale of a fallen Messiah and his counterpart resigned to fate. The combat system is complex inspiring the likes of Lost Soul Aside, Lunafreya is one of my favorite female Final Fantasy characters, and this game features my favorite iteration of Gilgamesh and his theme.


VI). I ENJOY METROID OTHER M: While it's not my favorite game in the franchise (that would belong to the first Metroid Prime), the story did not bother me that much. I saw Samus's voice as being stoic rather than bland. While the gameplay was linear, I had fun with it overall, as it was not that different from other Metroid games.

VII). SONIC MANIA IS OVERRATED - While I don't think it's a bad game per se, I don't understand why this game is touted as the best Sonic the Hedgehog game since 3 & Kunckles. Its gameplay, for the most part, is just an updated version of the said game with the addition of a drop dash. It comes across to me as the "Sonic the Hedgehog Best Hits" collection if anything else. Especially considering that the majority of the stages are just rehashes of prior games. I still like the game, but I don't think it's the bee's knees either. Maybe people feel they have been deprived of a 'good' Sonic game for so long that they shower this one with interminable praise.

Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, what are some of yours?
 
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Oh man this is gonna be a fun one haha.

I'll bite. I really dislike the word "Gamer" and I can't help but cringe a little whenever somebody unironically refers to themself as one. I don't mean to be judgemental or anything, but it's just something I would never do myself.
 
Oh man this is gonna be a fun one haha.

I'll bite. I really dislike the word "Gamer" and I can't help but cringe a little whenever somebody unironically refers to themself as one. I don't mean to be judgemental or anything, but it's just something I would never do myself.
While I'm not big on the word myself, what alternative is there to describe those who enjoy playing video games? You have "reader" for those who enjoy reading; "hiker" for those who enjoy hiking; "collector" for those who enjoy collecting something in particular; and so on. Then again, words such as "cook," "gardener," and "painter" stray into occupational territory, so there's a conflict.

By rights, "gamer" should be the word to describe those who enjoy playing video games, but there is certainly something iffy about it. I put it down to the association between gaming and the ginormous mainstreaming of "nerd culture" that has tainted the word.

"Ludophile" might not be the best replacement, though, especially if you're talking to someone who is hard of hearing 😄
 
While I'm not big on the word myself, what alternative is there to describe those who enjoy playing video games? You have "reader" for those who enjoy reading; "hiker" for those who enjoy hiking; "collector" for those who enjoy collecting something in particular; and so on. Then again, words such as "cook," "gardener," and "painter" stray into occupational territory, so there's a conflict.

By rights, "gamer" should be the word to describe those who enjoy playing video games, but there is certainly something iffy about it. I put it down to the association between gaming and the ginormous mainstreaming of "nerd culture" that has tainted the word.

"Ludophile" might not be the best replacement, though, especially if you're talking to someone who is hard of hearing 😄
I just say 'people who like video games' usually.

I think you're probably on to something about it being down to associations. A lot of the people I've seen who unironically call themselves 'Gamers' act like video games are literally their entire personality. And whilst I do think it's fine for gaming to be part of your personality, I don't think it's good to base your entire personality around it (or any hobby for that matter).

That's how you get people like Ninja who write disgraceful tweets like this:



I can't help but think about behaviour like that whenever I hear the word 'Gamer'. Like how can you let yourself take a video game that seriously? It's just... eugh.

I get that it's a pretty shallow point of view and that obviously not everyone is like this, but it's hard to break that kind of negative association.
 
I prefer old 3d graphics of the ps1 days over new 3d graphics

I would not say I prefer them over new ones but the old ones had a certain Appeal that new ones do not have. Today all games look the same because they are using the same engine. Back then devs bothered writting their own engines so each games look different and unique.

They old 3d engines were also more interactive then the new ones. The new engines make the Levels bigger at the expense of Details.

No Foot prints in sand or snow for example. Some ps1 games did that already but today these Details are often omitted.

and now own take on that Topic.

Modern game design is horrible.

Not every game especially the Story driven games Need to be open world and have their own crafting System. Devs these days seem to think that evey game and genre need that stuff.

But that is not true. It just makes the game longer without any real gain.
 
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Loving this thread so far, I'd like to think anyone in the Shenmue fanbase is going to have a different take then the mainstream with how things ended up for the industry post-Dreamcast. Just because Sega lost the console wars doesn't mean I have to accept the Big Three's vision(s) for gaming.

Still, I've got a hot take for all of you - I think that virtual reality should replace normal gaming. The sooner the better.

Now I know this might sound strange coming from someone who only a paragraph ago was waxing lyrically about the good old days. But thanks to Sega I've always had a certain iconoclastic streak, a desire to see the industry move forward with cutting-edge technology, if the paradigm shift destroys the Big Three as a result then so much the better.

Besides, Sega sold me on the Sega VR addon for the Mega Drive in the 90s, even if the thing was never released due to health risks. I would like to see that dream fulfilled just the same. Sometimes I feel that I don't use VR as often as I could and Facebook's recent nonsense with Oculus has me deeply concerned. Still, my ambition is to one day be gaming 100% in VR with the exception of my retro Sega consoles.
 
I have a few to toss in here as well,

~ FFX is wayyyy better than FFVII.

~I was bored of Dragon age Origin despite its critical acclaim narrative.

~ I didn't think it was as bad to the point of being triggered over Mass effect 3's ending.

~Dark souls 2 and 3 wasn't needed sequels. Dark Souls one was more than enough complete as stand alone title.

~I hate the marriage/dating/partnering pairing system of Fire Emblem awakening and post entries.

~Tales of legendia is better than every tales entry I've played since.

~Romancing Saga One is the gold standard all Saga esque game+its two sequels needs to be measure up to.

~KOF99 was the last truly good KOF and a send off of the era(90's) of 2D fighters.

~I hate sex scenes portrayed in video games.

~Classic Resident evil(pre 4+) is still more spooky and true to theme than modern resident evil(post 4+). Even Re2's remake didn't really deliver on that same vibe I was hoping for tbh.
 
~Dark souls 2 and 3 wasn't needed sequels. Dark Souls one was more than enough complete as stand alone title.
Totally agree. I actually like Dark Souls 3 as a game quite a bit, but both sequels kind of take away from the mystique of the first game.
 
I just say 'people who like video games' usually.

I think you're probably on to something about it being down to associations. A lot of the people I've seen who unironically call themselves 'Gamers' act like video games are their entire personality. And whilst I do think it's fine for gaming to be part of your personality, I don't think it's good to base your entire personality around it (or any hobby for that matter).

That's how you get people like Ninja who write disgraceful tweets like this:



I can't help but think about behavior like that whenever I hear the word 'Gamer'. Like how can you let yourself take a video game that seriously? It's just... ugh.

I get that it's a pretty shallow point of view and that not everyone is like this, but it's hard to break that kind of negative association.
Ironically, I simply interpret this as someone who is just passionate about their interests. I am a firm believer that no matter what you strive for in life there is always room to improve. This is why I like characters like Ryu from Street Fighter or Akira Yuki from Virtua Fighter.

I simply see this Ninja person as someone who is just very passionate about his hobby. If everyone had this type of passion towards task mastery in every aspect of life, imagine the great things we could accomplish. After all, it's those who strive for improvement who end up innovating despite their critics.
 
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As I think we are all adults here, and given that Shenmuedojo is one the most civil forums on the internet I have ever seen, I think a topic like this one can be made with people being mature towards differing opinions. I know that there have been several threads have been made about this in the past, but it would be nice to have an updated version as our opinions on video games change with the ebb and flow of the times.

I hope with this thread that people will provide civil discourse and promote understanding between fellow gamers. Because knowing how polarized our world has become (with the Internet exacerbating the issue), I think having a shining example of the opposite can do wonders. With this preamble out the way, I will list some of my opinions on gaming culture and games in general.

I). THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT - While I understand that you need to make customers happy to turn a profit if you give fans too much power, they can be your downfall as well. You have to realize that it's the silent majority who will determine the success or failure of your business. Also, if you give fans too much power over your product, then it's not your product anymore.

As people's values change across the times, products and services change as well to meet those demands. The problem with this is when it comes to art, I am a firm believer that art should challenge the social orthodoxy, not reinforce it. This is why I detest censorship so much because it's a way to reinforce the prevailing beliefs of the day. You cannot, on one hand, promote independent thought and on the other silence those who do exercise said thoughts.

However, this is where I will turn a one-eighty and say that you listen to your consumers and not underestimate the power they possess when they organize in mass. This power can be used for either benevolent reasons or malevolent ones. For example, legitimate constructive criticism of your product can make it better. Or how sheer passion and determination can make dreams come true as Kickstarter can testify to.

That's why I think there needs to be a balance between listening to fans and doing your own thing. And there is a way to convey this to the general public without coming off as disingenuous. This way, everybody can be happy. Artists can create the art they want, fans will ravenously consume it if it's good, and businesses can pad their bottom line.

II). I ENJOY SHENMUE CHAPTER ONE: YOKOSUKA MORE THAN SHENMUE II - The main reason being that the game feels a little more detailed and 'realistic' than Shenmue II if that makes any sense. It told the entirety of Chapter One without skipping to other chapters, you could inspect more items than in Shenmue II and the combat felt a bit more grounded. This is not to say that Shenmue II is bad, but I enjoy the first game just a little more than the second one.

III). SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2006 IS MY FAVORITE 3D SONIC GAME - After seeing what modders have done with the game, I have come to see it more as wasted potential than just a bad game. If SEGA had not divided up their team midway through development and rush the game out for a Christmas release, then we would have attained a much better product.

I enjoyed the music, the Final Fantasy-Esque narrative, the stages, and the gameplay (much more than the boost games). I know that a remake will probably never happen, but if it's done right this time, I will happily purchase it.


IV). METAL GEAR SOLID V IS MY SECOND FAVORITE GAME IN THE SERIES - While I believe the story was executed poorly (with Kojima telling not showing), I believe the story was solid overall. I will provide a link that elaborates as to why I believe this to be the case. Finally, I think the gameplay is the best in the entire series as you have unparalleled freedom in how you can conduct missions.



V). FINAL FANTASY XV HAS A GREAT STORY - Keep in mind that I am taking the entirety of the media made about Final Fantasy XV into account. In the end, it's a tragic tale of a fallen Messiah and his counterpart resigned to fate. The combat system is complex inspiring the likes of Lost Soul Aside, Lunafreya is one of my favorite female Final Fantasy characters, and this game features my favorite iteration of Gilgamesh and his theme.


VI). I ENJOY METROID OTHER M: While it's not my favorite game in the franchise (that would belong to the first Metroid Prime), the story did not bother me that much. I saw Samus's voice as being stoic rather than bland. While the gameplay was linear, I had fun with it overall, as it was not that different from other Metroid games.

VII). SONIC MANIA IS OVERRATED - While I don't think it's a bad game per se, I don't understand why this game is touted as the best Sonic the Hedgehog game since 3 & Kunckles. Its gameplay, for the most part, is just an updated version of the said game with the addition of a drop dash. It comes across to me as the "Sonic the Hedgehog Best Hits" collection if anything else. Especially considering that the majority of the stages are just rehashes of prior games. I still like the game, but I don't think it's the bee's knees either. Maybe people feel they have been deprived of a 'good' Sonic game for so long that they shower this one with interminable praise.

Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, what are some of yours?
The thing is with Shenmue 2 is that the beta version of it looked a lot better in my opinion. Like Kowloon for example looked way more run down and grimy and there was smog in the air in the original beta version of Shenmue 2 which made it more realistic as well. Now I have no idea why all this wasn't included in the end product but my guess would be either limitations of the time or creative differences. Overall though Shenmue 2 is still my favorite but I still think it could of been better.
 
I have a few to toss in here as well,

~ FFX is wayyyy better than FFVII.

~I was bored of Dragon age Origin despite its critical acclaim narrative.

~ I didn't think it was as bad to the point of being triggered over Mass effect 3's ending.

~Dark souls 2 and 3 weren't needed sequels. Dark Souls, one was more than enough complete as a stand-alone title.

~I hate the marriage/dating/partnering pairing system of Fire Emblem Awakening and post entries.

~Tales of legendia is better than every tales entry I've played since.

~Romancing Saga One is the gold standard all Saga Esque game+its two sequels needs to measure up to.

~KOF99 was the last truly good KOF and a send-off of the era(90's) of 2D fighters.

~I hate sex scenes portrayed in video games.

~Classic Resident evil(pre 4+) is still more spooky and true to the theme than modern resident evil(post 4+). Even Re2's remake didn't deliver on that same vibe I was hoping for tbh.
Ironically, some of your opinions aren't that unpopular. Most people who are not fans of Final Fantasy VII tend to be fans of Final Fantasy IV, VI, IX, or X. If you had stated something like Final Fantasy I, II, III, V, VIII, X-2, XI, XII, XIII, XIII-2, Lightning Returns, XIV, Tactics, or XV I would be surprised. Not knocking your opinion, but it's a pretty common one within the Final Fantasy fanbase.

The same could be said of your view on the Biohazard franchise. I remember how divided the fanbase was after IV was released. The common complaint is that it was less survival horror and more action-packed. Also, a lot of Fire Emblem fans who played the original games, tend not to be fans of the contemporary generation. Common criticism seems to be that the games have become 'too anime' the lack of perma-death, or the watering down of difficulty.

That being said, this is a great post, and thank you for sharing.
 
I too hate the term "gamer". Unless in reference to a homosexual elf.

All the Metal Gear Solid games are poorly written and utterly shite. The dialogue is eye-gougingly bad, and I can't for the life of me figure out why everyone reckons Kojima's a genius. All I see is a creepy cunt that's had one or two decent ideas down the years, but that shouldn't prevent the police from searching his hard drives. Though the two V entries were pretty good stealth games.

The Mega Drive wasn't all that. Outside the Sonic entries, the SNES would've been the wiser purchase for just about anyone. Master System was the don though.

People who use the term "CoD fanboys" are virgins. Not a controversial opinion though considering the overwhelming truth to it.

Video games are made to be played, not watched. End streaming, e-sports, and all that other bollocks now. It's like judging a painting by its Google Images result. Mongs.

It's okay for Shenmue fans to dislike, hate, and/or be annoyed with how Shenmue III turned out. "You just don't get it" isn't really a valid argument when it comes to video games.

The Xbox One was/still is a good console, and Microsoft are doing digital copies justice. And achievements are mint.

Jet Set Radio Future was boring. The colour scheme was drab, and the soundtrack was like an Aldi version of the original.

Loot boxes are not gambling, and have more in common with capsule toy machines, football stickers, and Pokemon cards. People call them overpriced (which they are) then turn round and pre-order a video game that costs ÂŖ100. Lunacy.

Oblivion was boring, Morrowind is unplayable, Skyrim is the undisputed don.

GTA V is one of the most overrated games released, and IV was much better than people (not early reviewers) give it credit for.

SEGA were to blame for their own downfall.

Developers and publishers owe you nothing. Unless of course they've actually scammed you, in which case all they owe you is a refund.

Blacklist and the 360 version of Double Agent are two of the best Splinter Cell games.

Keyboard & Mouse players do have an unfair advantage over controller players and there should always be an option to separate the two.

Arkham Origins is better than Arkham Asylum.

Sonic the Hedgehog for Master System is better than Sonic the Hedgehog on Mega Drive. Also Sonic Adventure 2 is wank. As is Generations.

MK64 is the worst Mario Kart. It was even bad at the time.

Turtle Beach headsets and all those other monstrosities you put over your Barnets? They really do make you look like a gimp.

Video games rarely - if ever - have good endings. MGS 3 in particular had the worst one I've ever had to sit through.

Light gun games and arcades in general are the greatest losses in the industry's history.

Unless an online shooter is made specifically with aerial combat in mind, jumping whilst attacking should be stamped out. Nowt worse than playing some annoying game of "snipe the freakish mutant frog".

Minesweeper is the greatest game of all time.
 
@Tsukuyomimagi99 I prefer FF 8 over 7. Although 7 was my first FF it did not resonate with me as well as did 8. FF X and 8 are going to be my favorite Final Fantasy games of all time.

@éĢ˜é‡Žå’Œæŗ‰ Got to agree. The old RE games pre RE 4 are way better then the new modern stuff.

I would even go so far and say that Re 4 killed the old RE vibe and it never came back. I am fan of 7 which managed to the RE spirit back partially and also the Remakes were decent and I am also looking forward to Village it is still not the same as the old RE games were.

The art style of these old games is unique. Same goes for the music and the atmosphere.




 
I too hate the term "gamer". Unless in reference to a homosexual elf.

All the Metal Gear Solid games are poorly written and utterly shite. The dialogue is eye-gougingly bad, and I can't for the life of me figure out why everyone reckons Kojima's a genius. All I see is a creepy cunt that's had one or two decent ideas down the years, but that shouldn't prevent the police from searching his hard drives. Though the two V entries were pretty good stealth games.

The Mega Drive wasn't all that. Outside the Sonic entries, the SNES would've been the wiser purchase for just about anyone. Master System was the don though.

People who use the term "CoD fanboys" are virgins. Not a controversial opinion though considering the overwhelming truth to it.

Video games are made to be played, not watched. End streaming, e-sports, and all that other bollocks now. It's like judging a painting by its Google Images result. Mongs.

It's okay for Shenmue fans to dislike, hate, and/or be annoyed with how Shenmue III turned out. "You just don't get it" isn't really a valid argument when it comes to video games.

The Xbox One was/still is a good console, and Microsoft are doing digital copies justice. And achievements are mint.

Jet Set Radio Future was boring. The colour scheme was drab, and the soundtrack was like an Aldi version of the original.

Loot boxes are not gambling, and have more in common with capsule toy machines, football stickers, and Pokemon cards. People call them overpriced (which they are) then turn round and pre-order a video game that costs ÂŖ100. Lunacy.

Oblivion was boring, Morrowind is unplayable, Skyrim is the undisputed don.

GTA V is one of the most overrated games released, and IV was much better than people (not early reviewers) give it credit for.

SEGA were to blame for their own downfall.

Developers and publishers owe you nothing. Unless of course they've actually scammed you, in which case all they owe you is a refund.

Blacklist and the 360 version of Double Agent are two of the best Splinter Cell games.

Keyboard & Mouse players do have an unfair advantage over controller players and there should always be an option to separate the two.

Arkham Origins is better than Arkham Asylum.

Sonic the Hedgehog for Master System is better than Sonic the Hedgehog on Mega Drive. Also Sonic Adventure 2 is wank. As is Generations.

MK64 is the worst Mario Kart. It was even bad at the time.

Turtle Beach headsets and all those other monstrosities you put over your Barnets? They really do make you look like a gimp.

Video games rarely - if ever - have good endings. MGS 3 in particular had the worst one I've ever had to sit through.

Light gun games and arcades in general are the greatest losses in the industry's history.

Unless an online shooter is made specifically with aerial combat in mind, jumping whilst attacking should be stamped out. Nowt worse than playing some annoying game of "snipe the freakish mutant frog".

Minesweeper is the greatest game of all time.
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While I'm not big on the word myself, what alternative is there to describe those who enjoy playing video games? You have "reader" for those who enjoy reading; "hiker" for those who enjoy hiking; "collector" for those who enjoy collecting something in particular; and so on.
I vote for "joystick handler" 🕹ī¸ 😏
 
- Cyberpunk 2077 its a really good game.
- Death Stranding prooved that Konami was right, and it was always necessary to maintain Kojima focused.
- Animal crossing should've won the GOTY but nobody cares because graphics are silly and doesnt look real and Nintendo it's for kidz
 
- Cyberpunk 2077 its a really good game.
Yeah, I also really enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077. My only main gripe with it was that the story just seemed to end as soon as it felt like things were really starting to heat up.

Other than that, I was pretty happy with the experience I got out of it!
 
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