Is Bulletstorm's writing satirical?

[Frikasee]

So I played through Bulletstorm the other night and, while the game play created some real mind-melting immersion, the story and dialogue was a verbal barrage on the ears. But after a while, I looked at it all. The over the top violence, the incredibly generic story line and characters, is this satire? Everyone in the game is trying so hard that if you consider the writing to be satirical, it lets you laugh all the way through the game. From Gray being overly hell-bent on revenge and being a totally unlikable dick to the general cramming all of that verbal filth into his mouth, I can't help but think that no one in the writing department was trying to be taken seriously.

Looking for y'all's thoughts.

 

[Shoelip]

I hope so, because otherwise it's just... bad...

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

That was kind of the point. Didn't you see the way it was marketed?

 

[Netrigan]

Pretty much every plot that Epic has done since Gears 1 has had tongue planted firmly in cheek. They play the underlying drama fairly straight, but they're not afraid to have fun with the absurdity of their hyper-masculine power fantasies.

 

[Frikasee]

Hah, sorry, not really. I kinda ignored the game till I saw that little tip of the cap they gave to Yahtzee, bought it out of respect after that. Emailed them letting know that, too. It's a small step, but at least someone is listening, you know? Sorry if I started a pointless thread, but it seems like so many critics are bashing the game over its "horrendous writing". It feels like people are missing the point, you know?

 

[darkcommanderq]

So I played through Bulletstorm the other night and, while the game play created some real mind-melting immersion, the story and dialogue was a verbal barrage on the ears. But after a while, I looked at it all. The over the top violence, the incredibly generic story line and characters, is this satire? Everyone in the game is trying so hard that if you consider the writing to be satirical, it lets you laugh all the way through the game. From Gray being overly hell-bent on revenge and being a totally unlikable dick to the general cramming all of that verbal filth into his mouth, I can't help but think that no one in the writing department was trying to be taken seriously.

Looking for y'all's thoughts.

Yes it is. They said this in interviews about the game. Bulletstorm is pulp Sci-Fi, Over the top etc...

Its not a parody its just supposed to be funny, but to be honestly I actually enjoyed the storyline in bulletstorm. The whole ishi thing was interesting, and the general is just plain hilarious

This all said, you up for some multiplayer?

 

[Gentleman_Reptile]

Yeah they were being intentionally dickish.

But to paraphrase Yahtzee....

"Intentionally annoying is STILL annoying"

 

[Artemicion]

I'm still halfway on Bulletstorm. Yes, it was a lot of fun, and the mechanics are great, but it's got the whole over the top, completely immature writing that I really can't get behind the game completely.

The past few days I've been discussing this with my friends and we're all in an agreement that the ESRB should probably expand it's ratings board for reasons like this game. Sure, Bulletstorm was rated Mature for graphic violence and sailor's tongue, but the game is by no means mature. This kind of content was aimed to please 13-year olds, and there's no two ways about it.

Perhaps something like Mature-L and Mature-H for low culture and high culture.

(For those who are unfamiliar with journalism words: low culture aims to entertain, while high culture aims to enrich. It's a pretty crude idea and would definitely have to be worked on to make better, but it has merit.

Yeah they were being intentionally dickish.

But to paraphrase Yahtzee....

"Intentionally annoying is STILL annoying"

This, 100%.

 

[Zaik]

That was only the whole entire point, yes.

Oversensitive people, militant feminists, and I guess english majors appalled that we don't use Ye Olde English anymore might want to stick to Echo mode, which is the gameplay sections of the game without any of the dialogue or story.