Game Philosophy: Fanboys

Oh my god! An update?!
Yeah, I’m turning into VG Cats, aren’t I?

Here’s another:

Today’s topic:
Fanboys

Ever had this happen to you? You play a new game and you say “huh, it’s a nice game. I wonder if there are other people who like this game.”
You then go to a forum and you get this response from some guy living in his basement:
“OMFG! HOW U LIEK DIS GAME?! IT WORSE OF DA SERIES!!! DAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAHAH!!!!”

No? Then maybe has this happened to you? You play a new game and you say “geez, this game wasn’t very good. I wonder if there are other people who don’t like this game.”
You then go to a forum and you get this response from the same guy, probably while combing his Twilight Sparkle Pony:
“OMFG! DIS GAME DA BEST EVUR!! U ARE DA WORSE HOOMAN BEEING IN DA WOOOOOORLD!!!!! RARARARARARAAAAAAH!!!”

Well whether it happens or not, they exist. And man are they annoying.
Mind you, not the bronies specifically, I’m sure there are some who actually love and tolerate, but My Little Ponies isn’t a serious game franchise as far as I know, so I’ll shut up about them.

Either way, what pattern do you see in them?

Well I don’t know what pattern you see, but I see quite a black and white opinion.
This is the mentality of fanboys. Things can only be the best or the worst, no inbetween.

Let me start off by showing how I give my opinion of a game I actually don’t like:

Alright, this game is the latest installment of one of my most favorite franchises in the history of games.
And to say the least, it’s a disappointment.

However, as much as I hate it, it is still a good game to me. Just not a good NINJA GAIDEN game.

For what it’s worth, it’s story actually is pretty good.
It gives you emotional depth and for once I actually found the story to be somewhat mature.
Ryu’s mystique has been sacrificed a bit, but he is still the Ryu I know and love, while still having an interesting story behind it.

I just don’t like the changes to the gameplay, not because they are changes in general but because it’s a severe downgrade to every Ninja Gaiden game out there, yes even the NES Ninja Gaiden game. And that’s kinda sad for a game which used to be for the hardcore.

However, at least the toned down gameplay makes the Multiplayer pretty enjoyable, so I guess it’s just a shift of priorities from the creators. It’s not that good an excuse to me, but I admire their motivation at least.

That and the Quick Time Events, my god.
Granted at least the buttons make sense, but still, they weren’t NEEDED. For god’s sake!

But yeah, that’s my opinion of Ninja Gaiden 3, probably my least favorite of the series.

Now look at that little mini-review. What did you see?
Well, okay maybe it’s too big a quiz for you, I’ll just say it. I told you it’s bad parts, but I also tell it’s GOOD parts. Even though I’m supposed to be hating this game.

This is what you call balance. You have good and bad opinions on stuff, and each can be different for any person.

And that’s the problem with fanboys. They can’t accept that. They can only accept it when you specifically go with their opinions.
But what’s also the problem is how people go along with the fanboys thinking it’ll make them more accepted in the fanbase.

What I’m trying to say is, there is no TRUE fan of a series. I’m not more of a fan of Ninja Gaiden as some guy who actually likes Ninja Gaiden 3.
I got my opinion, so has he.
But if there WAS such a thing as a “True” Fan, making people adopt YOUR opinion is NOT how to be one.

I got inspired to write this when I saw the reaction of some people on a certain reviewer where they literally change their whole opinion on the REVIEWER because he didn’t give the reaction THEY wanted to hear when they REQUESTED the thing to be reviewed by him in the first place.

I’m not calling any names, but that is just wrong.

I’m a fan of Sonic, if people couldn’t tell, but I KNEW, let’s say that again, I KNEW that reviewers would tear Sonic Unleashed apart.
It’s in fact one of my most favorite game I’ve ever played, but I KNEW that reviewers would tear it apart, simply because I KNEW that the game is way too specific in its core audience.
But that however didn’t make me hate the people who had that opinion. It’s THEIR opinion.

Fanboys on the other hand, let’s say for example some fans of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, they ORDER people to review their most favorite game, and suddenly buy torches when said reviewer gives an OPINION on the game which doesn’t fit with theirs.

I don’t want to pop any bubbles, but wake the hell up. NO game is perfect!

Look, let me put a list of things which I would consider a perfect game:
– Great Action Adventure gameplay
– Awesome story which is told through gameplay and minimal cutscenes
– A Combat System which gives players tools to do creative things
– Graphics which are full of fantasy
– Characters I care about thanks to gameplay
– Bosses which are exciting to fight thanks to their epic sense of morality

Now look closely.
How can the game be the perfect game for everybody if it’s Action and Adventure? What about the big fans of shooters or RPGs?
How is it perfect to the people who LIKE long cutscenes and like lots of dialogue?
How would the people who aren’t interested in combat feel about a way too deep Combat System?
How can it be for everyone if the graphics are specifically full of fantasy while they instead like it to be realistic?
And so on and so forth.

See, everyone has their own opinion, and preferences by themselves makes it impossible to have a “Perfect” game.
Because of that, don’t be so butthurt that a game you suggest to someone isn’t their cup of tea.

And here I am, thinking I’d make a difference in the mentality of fanboys. But hey, David tried and beat Goliath.