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[Danjin44]

I mean its well known by most people how Asian approach designing their games vs how western devs does it....it no big secret here.

 

[Loomy]

There is. It is the discussion of eastern values versus western values. What eastern cultures prioritize in developing a game and the player base they think are the priority versus western culture and player base focus.

I get you are a massive Xbox Fanboy, but you don't need to enter a thread because there may be some discussion that may be mildly critical of an exclusive on your favorite plastic box.


Are you the IGN France writer?

Lol, no that was a dumb fucking response.

But the whole 'uglification' argument is stupid. Not every woman looks like Eve, or 2B, or Tifa, etc. In fact, most women do not. And just like there's nothing wrong with developers wanting their characters to look like those ones, there's also nothing wrong with developers wanting their characters to look like average everyday woman they see out and about.

 

[Boss Mog]

Gonna add one: One I'll buy, the other not a chance

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

I can't help but notice how every time a thread title has Hellblade in it, I read Helldivers and get mad first before I realize I can't read.

 

[March Climber]

 

[MaestroMike]

is kinda weird lol yin & yang

 

[TheloniusFabdul]

• Eastern dev vs Western dev
• Future vs Past
• Outer Space vs Earth
• Over-the-top vs grounded
• Attractive protagonist vs huh...okay one
• Heavy emphasis on combat vs heavy emphasis on themes and story
• Fast-paced with loads of enemies vs slow-paced with fewer enemies
• Playstation console exclusive vs Xbox console exclusive
• Three performance modes leaning towards 60fps vs a single one locked to 30
• Bright and colorful vs dark and foreboding
• 20-40 hours vs much less game time (6 hours?)
• Even their names, hell is traditionally believed to be below the Earth, and stellar means stars which are located above

I say this because I realize it represents very well the tug-o-war that is going on with gaming at the moment. On the one hand, you have the more traditional approach we've become accustomed to over the last several decades: an attractive woman with a skintight body suit, breasts, and jiggle physics like in DOA that isn't scared to use fanservice to please the crowd. It doesn't seem like it's looking to explore any modern themes such as mental illness or grief in depth. the game simply looks like it wants to be fun. Cutscenes and exaggerated fights galore with insane movesets and reportedly challenging combat with tons of options and combos. Hellblade couldn't be any more opposite. It's the "new dev" from the West who thinks that games should be more than games and can tell a story and have themes that are just as poignant as in movies or books. The narration is heavily scripted and the game is directed like a dark fantasy in the vein of The Northman. There doesn't seem to be much variety in terms of moves, combos, enemies, or weapon choices and the game is short and sweet. It's clear the dev isn't looking for the player to have "fun" because gaming can be more. It wants to challenge us mentally and emotionally.

Am I just crazy or onto something? Obviously, it's purely a coincidence that they're hitting the scene only one month apart but I do find the juxtaposition fascinating and a great allegory on what is happening in the game industry at the moment. It's almost like Hellblade represents a certain forum and Stellar Blade represents Gaf lol. The fact that their names are Hellblade and Stellar Blade is just too good a coincidence.

Thoughts?

Bro, I'm pretty high right now, and you're blowing my mind with this.

 

[Fredrik]

Friday thread? lol

I plan to enjoy every second of both games. Two obviously well-crafted high quality games focused on different things, good for the hobby but maybe not for platform warriors who scramble to find new arguments to hate on one thing and praise the other. Seems like I’ll need more popcorn when both these games are out to handle the talk online lol

 

[SHA]

I could help you landing if you're too high.

 

[Pejo]

Completely different games and styles of games.

 

[Represent.]

Hellblade 2 is my most anticipated game of the year, I may try Stellarblade after a price drop.

Hellblade 2 is focusing on so many things i've been wanting devs to take to another level forever now. so its a must lay for me.

 

[Kenshin775]

I didn't even think about this stuff. I am sure people will say with two completely different games you can always find things that are on the opposite end of the spectrum thematically, gameplay, structure wise etc. But i agree OP these two games do seem like polar opposites.

 

[Crayon]

so its a must lay for me.

Preserving this sweet typo in case you edit it.

 

[Johnny Concrete]

To me Hellblade already feels like something not from this time, concept-wise that is.
When development started the gaming world was fixated on bringing the most cinematic movie like experience to the table, with minimal player input, but nowadays that shifted (back) to products being more gameplay centered.
And even going further than before: giving players their agency back and letting them figure things out.

A sentiment kickstarted by games like Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate 3 and Helldivers 2.

And thank god for that.

 

[Bartski]

Broke stealth shitting up Hellblade early on this one

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

I know which one I'd rather play....

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

To me Hellblade already feels like something not from this time, concept-wise that is.
When development started the gaming world was fixated on bringing the most cinematic movie like experience to the table, with minimal player input, but nowadays that shifted (back) to products being more gameplay centered.
And even going further than before: giving players their agency back and letting them figure things out.

A sentiment kickstarted by games like Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate 3 and Helldivers 2.

And thank god for that.

you mean like those FMV games?

 

[Crayon]

I know which one I'd rather play....

Damn, when this happens, with the music and everything... Idk, I felt feelings.

 

[StueyDuck]

I'm not really into either of these games... it will be Interesring to see who speaks out and what gamers want more... lots of graphics or lots of boobies, at the end of the day that's the main separation in my mind.

One game is a few hours long and a woman screams at the camera as it does a few zooms. The other is a longer game targeting a much older style of game that you would find on previous gens but it's got jigglies

Only time shall tell

 

[Fredrik]

Hellblade 2 is my most anticipated game of the year, I may try Stellarblade after a price drop.

Hellblade 2 is focusing on so many things i've been wanting devs to take to another level forever now. so its a must lay for me.

You’re actually serious with this??
I know you like 30fps and high fidelity visuals but tbh I always thought it was a defending some PS release argument. Sorry for previous joke if this is for real, and props for being consistent I guess.

I’ll go with PC just like I did with Starfield. Can’t stand 30fps tbh. But I do like it if a PC release is there to fix it, then I get better visuals I likely wouldn’t have got otherwise.

 

[Senua]

Senua beats his wife?

 

[nemiroff]

Edit: Oh shit, wrong thread, sorry

 

[Braag]

Hellblade 2 is a sequel, if it was made a new ip in this day and age and fully published by MS, the protagonist would look more like that new Fable """"chick""".

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

• Eastern dev vs Western dev
• Future vs Past
• Outer Space vs Earth
• Over-the-top vs grounded
• Attractive protagonist vs huh...okay one
• Heavy emphasis on combat vs heavy emphasis on themes and story
• Fast-paced with loads of enemies vs slow-paced with fewer enemies
• Playstation console exclusive vs Xbox console exclusive
• Three performance modes leaning towards 60fps vs a single one locked to 30
• Bright and colorful vs dark and foreboding
• 20-40 hours vs much less game time (6 hours?)
• Even their names, hell is traditionally believed to be below the Earth, and stellar means stars which are located above

I say this because I realize it represents very well the tug-o-war that is going on with gaming at the moment. On the one hand, you have the more traditional approach we've become accustomed to over the last several decades: an attractive woman with a skintight body suit, breasts, and jiggle physics like in DOA that isn't scared to use fanservice to please the crowd. It doesn't seem like it's looking to explore any modern themes such as mental illness or grief in depth. the game simply looks like it wants to be fun. Cutscenes and exaggerated fights galore with insane movesets and reportedly challenging combat with tons of options and combos. Hellblade couldn't be any more opposite. It's the "new dev" from the West who thinks that games should be more than games and can tell a story and have themes that are just as poignant as in movies or books. The narration is heavily scripted and the game is directed like a dark fantasy in the vein of The Northman. There doesn't seem to be much variety in terms of moves, combos, enemies, or weapon choices and the game is short and sweet. It's clear the dev isn't looking for the player to have "fun" because gaming can be more. It wants to challenge us mentally and emotionally.

Am I just crazy or onto something? Obviously, it's purely a coincidence that they're hitting the scene only one month apart but I do find the juxtaposition fascinating and a great allegory on what is happening in the game industry at the moment. It's almost like Hellblade represents a certain forum and Stellar Blade represents Gaf lol. The fact that their names are Hellblade and Stellar Blade is just too good a coincidence.

Thoughts?

I'm looking forward to playing both games

 

[GymWolf]

Using a literal movie game with barely any gameplay that is rare even for cinematic western standards to prove something about western devs not being gameplay focused or some shit, so cute.

 

[onQ123]

On the bright side Hellblade 2 can now be confused for 2 games & get some sells

Helldivers 2 & Stellar blade

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Hellblade is basically The Order. A graphical showpiece but extremely superficial and short. Almost no game at all, from what I’ve seen.

Its like a heavily narrated QTE game.

I don’t really want to see games like this, and I don’t really know what will happen to Ninja Theory. They are already discounting the game.

I’d much rather Hellblade be far more action focused like a traditional action game

 

[Banjo64]

you forgot fun vs boring.

 

[Fredrik]

Hellblade 2 is a sequel, if it was made a new ip in this day and age and fully published by MS, the protagonist would look more like that new Fable """"chick""".

Aren’t you making your own character in Fable?

Anyhow Senua is scanned Melina Juergens, can’t do much to ruin her besides put dirt on her face and put her in costumes that hide curves, which they’ve done.

 

[GymWolf]

Aren’t you making your own character in Fable?

Anyhow Senua is scanned Melina Juergens, can’t do much to ruin her besides put dirt on her face and put her in costumes that hide curves, which they’ve done.

Oh you sweet summer child, you think that devs can't ruin good looking face scanned models?

You may want to check the female real life model of me andromeda, or basically any latest sony game...

 

[Crayon]

Inverse hype trajectories?

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Hellblade is basically The Order. A graphical showpiece but extremely superficial and short. Almost no game at all, from what I’ve seen.

Its like a heavily narrated QTE game.

There are no QTEs in Hellblade.

And puzzles and boss fights can be brutal.

 

[Fredrik]

Oh you sweet summer child, you think that devs can't ruin good looking face scanned models?

You may want to check the female real life model of me andromeda, or basically any latest sony game...

True, you’re right, just don’t think they would’ve done much different with this game. Melina is a gorgeous lady irl, they’re not trying to make her look gorgeous as Senua. Current look fits the narrative so I think it’s fine. A pretty lady with nice hair and makeup would not fit into this world.

 

[Banjo64]

Aren’t you making your own character in Fable?

People keep saying this but you’ve never made your own character in Fable.

 

[GymWolf]

True, you’re right, just don’t think they would’ve done much different with this game. Melina is a gorgeous lady irl, they’re not trying to make her look gorgeous as Senua. Current look fits the narrative so I think it’s fine. A pretty lady with nice hair and makeup would not fit into this world.

They made her kinda uncanny valley territory, especially when she emote a lot, the model not being an actress in the slightest is pretty noticeable, she over-act a lot or their mocap tech\editing is not as good as ND.

 

[Fredrik]

People keep saying this but you’ve never made your own character in Fable.

Never played Fable
But you can choose to play as a male character at least?

 

[Fredrik]

They made her kinda uncanny valley territory, especially when she emote a lot, the model not being an actress in the slightest is pretty noticeable, she over-act a lot or their mocap tech\editing is not as good as ND.

I think she’s fantastic and she’s awarded for it. She says the current tech picks up smaller emotions so it should be more subtle this time.

 

[T-0800]

I could help you landing if you're too high.

Someone's too high that's for sure.

 

[Ribi]

Ones probably gnna be good and the other will be mediocre

 

[Banjo64]

Never played Fable
But you can choose to play as a male character at least?

In Fable 1 you had no choice, you could only play as a male. Fable 2 and 3 you could choose genders.

 

[Zathalus]

I'm looking forward to both. Glad the games are massively different from each other.

 

[Fredrik]

In Fable 1 you had no choice, you could only play as a male. Fable 2 and 3 you could choose genders.

Hoping for a gender choice then. Going in with less hype until confirmed.

 

[Fredrik]

I'm looking forward to both. Glad the games are massively different from each other.

Yeah same here. Just wish SB was there on PC from the start instead of assumed 1-4 years later. Definitely like Microsoft’s approach more these days. Selfish opinion of course, I understand why they do delays.

 

[Little Chicken]

Yeah one game is good, the other is Stellar Blade.

 

[Ozriel]

Wait , I thought that Sony 3rd person movie-games® sucked either way due to their non-gameplay® ?

At least, that's what people have been saying in here !

That’s a statement I’ve personally never made, and this is a really inane response to “diversity is good and it would suck if every game played the same”.
But it’s you, so…

How things change, amazing !

Not you, though. Still rent free

 

[Banjo64]

Hoping for a gender choice then. Going in with less hype until confirmed.

Let’s be honest, if there’s a male character he’s going to be straight up Soylent personified.

 

[GymWolf]

Let’s be honest, if there’s a male character he’s going to be straight up Soylent personified.

Maybe it's the same character because it looks both like a dude and an ugly woman.

 

[Banjo64]

Maybe it's the same character because it looks both like a dude and an ugly woman.

I was going to leave a laughing emoji but that sounds depressingly like it could be true

 

[lughnasadh123]

Really looking for that Dave the Diver vs Helldivers 2 comparison next.

 

[Bkdk]

The only difference that matters is that stellar babes would be super successful while hellblade 2 will flop big time like red fall and lead to layoffs in ninja theory or ms selling them off. Perhaps Ms might finally get on the right track and go grab lollipop chainsaw ip to make a sequel with a hot Juliet starling!