Gunslinger
Member
I agree BW has good writing except for swtor. Ruined the Kotor universe IMO.
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Developers that constantly feature bad writing in their games.
- Thread starter Corpsepyre
- Start date
threelights
Member
Not really. David Cage stuff has written horrible stuff all around, from specific scenes to entire plots, it's all bad, or straight up missing stuff.
Good writing is not saying things as quickly as possible though, you can have plenty of pointless dialogues and still be well-written. MGS does that very well. They're never leaving character, they don't have cringe-worthy reactions and/or dialogue, they always say what they need (with plenty of pointless talk in-between sure, but it's not because the writer doesn't know how to get to the point).
This.
Except David Cage really does deserve a stand-out mention. I feel bad for everyone that spent money on Indigo Prophecy. There's just no excuse for that.
Palculator
Unconfirmed Member
Or most of the game straight up lying to you and misrepresenting itself like in Heavy Rain.
Gunslinger
Member
Indigo prophecy was good until the main character started going "neo" mode...seriously?
kungfuian
Member
Agreed! This is like 99% of games the thread
I can only speak for myself but the thing i'm mostly looking forward to in MGSV is the story, because we don't know anything about it and that makes me damn excited.
Succinct Verbosity
Member
I think Quantic Dream is by far the worst, if only because their games are aimed at replicating films and fail terribly at doing so. I think the best is classic Lucasarts tbh.
threelights
Member
My favorite part is how they cut off the part where it explains Ethan's blackouts.
"no, it's fine, just go with it."
Transistor is one the best games of the year, yet that story was nonsense. Gone Home was prosaic garbage. Quantum Conundrum lacked that Valve magic. So many indie games attempt to rely on "charm" or a novel art style, but have no plot whatsoever so there isn't as much to judge (e.g. Limbo).
What are you talking about? There is just so much blatant exposition in MGS it's ridiculous. There is no subtly and every theme or idea is bashed over your head. A lot of exchanges just feel like a vehicle for Kojima's underdeveloped and near incomprehensible drivel. The only criticism you can level at Cage is that there isn't an interesting game underneath the story if the story doesn't grab you (more true of B:TW than HR). Kojima doesn't have that problem.
Dictator93
Member
Gunslinger
Member
I agree classic Lucas arts point and click games had really good writing. From Sam and max to escape from monkey island.
Metal Gear, but this is mostly post-Snake Eater. I think Guns of the Patriots and Peace Walker are unfathomably bad regarding their writing, albeit for different reasons. Rising had a ridiculous plot too, but it can be seen as parody of the series.
Also, Square-Enix. Nomura and Toriyama can't even create a coloring book without it being pretentious and vapid.
Also, Square-Enix. Nomura and Toriyama can't even create a coloring book without it being pretentious and vapid.
MGS has good writing? Are you high? Lol
I'm a fan of the incredibly racist caricature of the Asian book keeper, the detectives, the old lady that's actually a glowing ball of sentient artificial intelligence, the big bad guy who is an ancient Mayan priest... doing... something with children who have psychic powers while playing hide-and-seek on a military base.
That game was going loopy prior to the Matrix stuff but everything after that point is a complete train wreck of "what the fuck?"
cj_iwakura
Member
Their games are basiclly a guilty pleasure for me at this point but...
Yep. Sheesh, at least Quantic Dream and Bungie don't pander.
Stallion Dan
Member
Not played TWAU, but based on everything else, awful.
IndoAssassin
Banned
Beyond's story wasn't bad. Only problem was the corny dialogue and the way it was told. But I thought the premise was good.
Palculator
Unconfirmed Member
It's such a damn shame because on a technical level, Beyond: Two Souls looked amazing. That tech could be used to make some amazing "interactive movies" like The Walking Dead but it's all squandered by that talentless hack Cage.
Dude needs to take a seat. Definitely.
threelights
Member
First, David Cage doesn't even have something to call a "game" underneath the story.
And no, it's not just Beyond, literally EVERYTHING he made has terrible writing.
Remember how in Indigo Prophecy Carla makes out with Lucas after trying to arrest him through the whole game, failing and finding out he is a zombie?
Yeah, Beyond at least has some decent acting for the horrible everything else.
MGS has nothing near this level.
ForsakenLotus
Member
I can't help but question at the people who say BioWare. Their games (not all of them) feature some of the best writing in the industry other than the top tier stuff like The Last of Us. Sure, their games always have some awkward dialogue and at least one character who almost nobody likes; but give them credit, they actually try to craft interesting characters and stories, not to mention tasking the player with tough decisions.
Seriously, BioWare is no where near the worst in the industry. Well, unless you only count their "love scenes."
Seriously, BioWare is no where near the worst in the industry. Well, unless you only count their "love scenes."
Represent.
Represent(ative) of bad opinions
Tbh, pretty much all devs outside of R*, Valve and Naughty Dog have horrendous writers. Obviously I'm missing a few, but yeah, the game industry ... writing isn't one of its strong suits.
Quickly was not the best word to use, concise would be more fitting. You need to get the point to reader/viewer/listener before they get bored. MGS has good, enjoyable characters, most with interesting back stories but this does not mean it's well written. Kojima meanders around a point before boldly stating it encase you didn't get the point. I've seen people skip cutscenes in Metal Gear (particularly 4) because they're either not going anywhere or not going there in a timely enough fashion.
You can have ridiculously amounts of dialogue and have it flow in a way to be enjoyable, Infinite Jest would be an example, but MGS just exhausts people.
Palculator
Unconfirmed Member
Does that happen around the time Lucas finds out about that Mayan prediction about the apocalypse the homeless have been preparing for or after that time he kidnapped that child from an orphanage based on a superstition and then met a dead lady in a wheelchair and got attacked by angels?
Soul Sacrifice has bloody marvellous writing. Best I've ever encountered in a game easily.
It's because it was trying really, really, really, really hard. Yuck.
Wrong, Blizzard has basic ideas stories but it never try to play smart ass by saying BS like in Divinity original sin. I respect their characters. Who the hell tried to show orcs like noble creatures who respect mother nature ?
No, orcs or minautores like creatures are always evils in a lot of games or stories.
I like how they made their human prince Arthas fall into darkness by becoming the most evil thing on earth and killed all Lordaeron. Or Sylvana, damn, that woman. I liked her first beause she freed the undead but nw she became so evil but with a "bad" reason.
Blablabla cliché are wrong but when they're well done, you can't say BS about them. And mostly what I like about Blizzard is they don't make too much drama in their stories unlike in DA serie.
threelights
Member
Wait, so how is this poorly written? If they made good characters with good relationships with good stories with good dialogue, how can it be bad?
Again, the fact that it has too much doesn't mean it is bad. Sure, the lack of actual cutscenes instead of the codex can tire people out, but it's not the writer's fault.
I'll say Platinum because Bayonetta 1 and 2 both have largely insufferable characters. I hate the weird mob guy, the kid, and I guess pretty much everyone who is not Rodin, Jeanne, or Bayonetta.
Most games have something in the story or some character I don't care for, actually.
Most games have something in the story or some character I don't care for, actually.
disastermouse
Banned
Bioware? Mass Effect is awesome in that regard, IMHO. KOTOR was also amazing.
Crossing Eden
Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Oh the premise was just fine, it was just a premise ruined by horrible directing, cringeworthy dialogue and really bad attempts at portraying humans.
Palculator
Unconfirmed Member
I think what frustrates people is the pace, more than the writing itself. I love MGS but there's no denying earlier entries bulkload a lot of dialogue and information, though fully in character and well written. I love all that info but that's just my take on it, I can see why people dislike it. Think back to the B&B explanations given by Drebin after defeating a boss. Sure, the stories themselves were fine, well-written and voice acted, but it was basically a long plot dump about a boss at the worst time: After fighting them.
I thought it was an interesting take on the cliche you don't see often in games so I don't really hold it against it. I mean the last few sections of the game are basically just running away from the island yelling FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK which is a nice change of pace from being the super-powered badass everyone else is running from.
Humans are selfish and greedy creatures which pillage the world and ruin its natural beauty
Pokemon serve humans and are used for selfish and greedy ends by them
All life must be wiped out to preserve the world
That is literally his motivation and plan
Good characters =/= good writing. You could have the Count of Monte Cristo with the plot and characters be the exact same but have it be written by a five year old - see the many MANY horrible adaptations of it. In turn you can also have good writing but boring story/characters. Like, technically The Joker is a pretty poor character in the Dark Knight; he is the low form chaotic evil trope, not personality beyond destruction, but the way he is presented elevates him to the iconic status the role garnered.
It's up to the creators to find a way to present a story in a nicely absorbed way. If they're two bad ways to present something then they need to either get rid of it or go back to drawing board.
disastermouse
Banned
Only the Thieve's Guild and Dark Hand/Morag Tong stories are consistently good in TES. People play for the world and the lore. The main stories are consistently ass.
