Extra Credits: No Redeeming Value

[Mr. Omega]

I think the only reason I stopped liking Kratos in the middle of GoW2 as a hero was that he was trying to get revenge on Zues, who killed him so that he would stop murdering people! Then I started liking him as a villian.
Then I stopped liking him as a villian in GoW3 because it seemed like he was heading towards redemption with the lines about hope and forgiveness. I'm saying that "Guy driven mad by the gods, so he'll kill them" Worked fine by me. All you had to do was forget that he was SUPPOSED to be the hero. Think of Kratos as a villian, and you can cheer for him.

Honestly, he has pasty white skin, kills innocent people, is only in it for himself, cares little to none about consequences, is a sadistic psychopath, and has brutal ways of murder. ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS FIGHT BATMAN AND HE'S THE GREEK JOKER!

Point of Rant: I liked Kratos as a hero, but they messed it up. I liked him as a villian, but they messed it up.

 

[hermes]

Good video...

And I wholly agree. The first GoW was a great game, and the story was a classic greek tragedy made into a videogame, and also a perfectly stand-alone game... The second and third, while superiors in many respects, were definitely lacking in the storytelling department. I blame the change in direction (by the way, GoW 2 and GoW 3 had, once again, different directors, and the change gets noticed once again)

The two weakest points in the 3rd game were

Spoiler

the sex minigame with Aphrodite (FTW was that), and the death of Hera (which was uncalled, unnecesary and unfulfilling)

Curiously enough, you should try one of the few God of War games not developed by Santa Monica. Chains of Olympus, while not as good narratively as the first one, its far better in that sense than the newer games.

 

[Firmanter]

I love these guys, seriously keep up the excellent work. I don't know if I agree with every point but the fact your sparking debate is excellent. Just like novels I think we will always get the rip-off, shallow, pointless, quick buck games but I think your right. If Games are to be taken seriously as a medium we need to up the storytelling and hard-wire it straight into this truly unique interactive medium.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Wow...people actually play God of War for the storytelling...Seriously?

Every game I play I play for the story. Every single one.

Go watch a movie then, read a book. They tell better stories, 100% of the time. Whenever games try to tell stories, they fail spectacularly or, at the very best of cases, deliver a story that's passable enough to swallow. There ARE exceptions but that's what they are. Exceptions to the RULE. Disagree? Watch out for Other M, soon...very soon.

There are ways games can tell stories that books and movies just cannot match, and while I enjoy all story telling mediums, I've come to crave the ability of videogames to place me directly into the middle of the story.

Every story has already been told, friend. It's not about the plot, it's about how the story is told. And that is where video games excel.

But to each their own.

 

[sooperman]

http://screwattack.com/user/Daniel-Floyd/videos

BOOM!

Ah, that was it. Much thanks.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Wow...people actually play God of War for the storytelling...Seriously?

Every game I play I play for the story. Every single one.

You're missing out on some great games that have no story.

Like Tetris and Pac-man for instance.

I knew someone would bring this up, and truth is I spoke a little too quickly when I made my post. I'm perfectly capable of enjoying games like tetris and pacman (in fact, I fucking LOVE Mrs. Pacman) It's just that...as I've grown older and I find less and less time for my love of gaming I try to fill what little time I do have with thought provoking stories. I want what little I play to really make me think about it when I inevitably have to turn it off and get back to life.

edit

Regardless, let me say once again...as I've said in every Extra Credits thread, this is the best series on the escapist. It really is.

 

[hermes]

you could have mentioned chains of olympus where kratos gives up all his powers only to realize he is a total dick and has to keep killing. He then slaughters inocents in paradise to get his powers back

That is one reading... The other one is that he has to give up his humanity and the chance to be with his daughter in order to save her. Kind of like the first time he became a murderer, but this time was willingly; which can be see as his destiny was to be a god-killer no matter what.

 

[Aptspire]

If it was impossible to continue the story from where GOW 1 left it, then how about NOT making a sequel? Or, if marketing insists, then perhaps make it about Kratos setting things right for once...

 

[MasterV]

Double post

 

[MB202]

r played the God of War games. The first one sounds like its worth a look, though. Too bad I dont' have any PlayStation systems.

 

[MasterV]

Did you pay any attention to the video? That's the point - there is potential for games to tell equal if not better stories than film and literature. I can think of several games off the top of my head whose stories I still remember more vividly than most of the films I've seen this year, with the exception of Scott Pilgrim and Inception. For example, Bioshock, Morrowind, Final Fantasy VI and VII, the first God of War (even before watching this video), Star Ocean II, etc. Because I was involved with the storyline on a more intrinsic level than simply reading or watching it unfold, it was more meaningful to me and has stuck with me.

I can only hope that developers don't have this same attitude of "let's never even bother with storylines in our games because what's the fucking point". If there's no point in attempting to have decent storytelling in your game, every game in each genre might as well be identical.

I didn't say there isn't potential. There IS. But you can't expect a game designer to come up with a cool idea and excellent storyline. Because you'll end up with shit. As I said there ARE exceptions, and I have enjoyed the stories in many games, but I could hardly call them literary masterpieces, and if you do, you delude yourself.

In order for games to achieve your ideal storytelling the devs will have to pay a professional writer/storyteller to write the script. And that costs money. And thus won't EVER happen, at least in the immediate future. Why? Because that's money they need to make your game graphically superior than the next. See the problem with the industry and it's struggle to pretend that it is mature?

And I'm sorry, but I play games for fun, because no amount of story and excellent script will keep me on my chair if the game itself is a bore. Face it, in gaming what matter is the game, the content. Stories and scripts are secondary, unless you're basing a game just around that concept (e.g. a point&click adventure game)

Regardless, let me say once again...as I've said in every Extra Credits thread, this is the best series on the escapist. It really is.

Erm...no it's not. It's views are too narrow or too elaborate, seemingly made to stroke the ego of the hardcore gamer. In that respect I believe it succeeds, especially judging by the posts I see.

 

[ProjectTrinity]

Wow...people actually play God of War for the storytelling...Seriously?

Every game I play I play for the story. Every single one.

That is just sooo wrong. Every game should be just start it up and let the slaughter begin until you hit the 10 hour mark and then it is over. How could that not be fun?

I'm with the story guy. It is extremely rare for me to pick up a game that lacks an interesting plot. Is it really that scary to think while playing games? That it may not be fun for everyone to just slaughter things for hours on end, most of the time, mindlessly?

 

[ironlordthemad]

OK great video, but I have to ask... why does a story need a part where the character redeems himself... some characters are just irredemable, they aren't like normal people. (btw im not talking about god of war because I don't know a thing about the series)
Some characters just need to be bastards. Its a little one dimensional but in my opinion there is nothing worse than someone who is really one dimensional feigning being three dimensional.
Imagine playing dnd with a guy whose character is a bastard. (He punched that one guy in the face for begging remember?) The guy playing the character could be a great guy, but if he is roleplaying a bastard the whole way through, should you really be surprised if he turns around at the end of the game and turns out to be a bastard at the end?

Just my thoughts.

 

[NKnight]

Thanks for another great episode.

 

[ProjectTrinity]

Wow...people actually play God of War for the storytelling...Seriously?

Every game I play I play for the story. Every single one.

You're missing out on some great games that have no story.

Like Tetris and Pac-man for instance.

I knew someone would bring this up, and truth is I spoke a little too quickly when I made my post. I'm perfectly capable of enjoying games like tetris and pacman (in fact, I fucking LOVE Mrs. Pacman) It's just that...as I've grown older and I find less and less time for my love of gaming I try to fill what little time I do have with thought provoking stories. I want what little I play to really make me think about it when I inevitably have to turn it off and get back to life.

edit

Regardless, let me say once again...as I've said in every Extra Credits thread, this is the best series on the escapist. It really is.

Ah, people love to take things literally sometimes. The reason will forever escape me. lol (Unless the poster talking to you was just being sarcastic.)

 

[Jared]

God of War, story? ...All I can think is it involved eath, alot mroe death...and then blood.

But, good video none the less!

 

[Cat Cloud]

snip

Good characters don't need to be philosophical. Some of the best characters out there are completely clueless. And how can you argue that story isn't a selling point when there are plenty of people, on this website and others, who have said that they prefer or want games with a decent story? It?s just not an as big selling point as game play.

On a different note, the characteristics of a Greek tragedy were a bit off. The character loses his position either by the will of the gods or by hubris or a fatal flaw.

I have a hunch that part of the reason that Kratos was so wonderfully characterized was because he didn't have much of a character behind all of the rage and blood lust. I'm not asking for very deep characters. Just ones that show someone sat down and actually thought about the character's actual personality for more than two minutes.

And to be honest, I feel like they (the writers) missed the point of anti-heroes (in my opinion). Their suppose to despicable, but what makes them interesting isn't just the fact that they are jerks, it?s that they have or had some redeemable or likeable quality. You know you would hate them if you met them in real life, but you can't completely classify them as 'bad' or 'evil'.

 

[Hiphophippo]

Regardless, let me say once again...as I've said in every Extra Credits thread, this is the best series on the escapist. It really is.

Erm...no it's not.

opinion [uh-pin-yuhn]
noun
1.
a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2.
a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3.
the formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second Medical opinion.
4.
Law . the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5.
a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone's good opinion.
6.
a favorable estimate; esteem: I haven't much of an opinion of him.