Naughty Dog: Reviews saying other games have amazing stories are disheartening to us

[Nirolak]

In the latest issue of Edge, Naughty Dog has made what may be seen as a controversial statement.

Mon, Jan 23, 2012 | 09:42 GMT
Quick quotes: The Last of Us “trying to say something about human beings and how they exist”

“We’re trying to say something about human beings and how they exist. Now necessarily just in this setting, but in every setting. We try so hard at Naughty Dog to push things and then games come out that are fun and exciting and get visceral things right, but to read in reviews that they have an amazing story is disheartening to us because we work so hard at it. We really hope we can raise the bar.” – Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann, speaking in the latest issue of Edge.

New IP The Last of Us is expected to launch next year for PS3.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2012/01/23/qui...ething-about-human-beings-and-how-they-exist/

 

[XBOX HIVES]

GTA4 -> Oscar-worthy

 

[Aeana]

I'm not seeing how someone saying a non-Naughty Dog game has an amazing story says anything about Naughty Dog games, and in that case what are they disheartened about?

 

[Htown]

Don't feel bad because Valve does it better than you do.

 

[revolverjgw]

V I S C E R A L

 

[MuddyDonut]

What do reviewers view as an amazing story?

 

[Rahxephon91]

Naughty Dog: "We're bigger then Jesus"

 

[AwShucks]

Not sure how that is controversial. I take it as either "we feel that we have better stories than those games" or "we want people to think of our stories in that manner".

Neither of which is "controversial".

 

[K.Sabot]

It should make them sad.

 

[Princess Carl]

I agree. Halo Reach's campaign/story was a mess.

Some people can make stories beautiful in a video game, others cannot to the same degree.

 

[MrPliskin]

I'm not seeing how someone saying a non-Naughty Dog game has an amazing story says anything about Naughty Dog games, and in that case what are they disheartened about?

Well, most games that are given kudo's for having a good story definitely don't deserve it.

 

[Castor Krieg]

I'm not seeing how someone saying a non-Naughty Dog game has an amazing story says anything about Naughty Dog games, and in that case what are they disheartened about?

They mean they concentrate hard on developing a story, and then a reviewer comes along and praises MW3 for it's high-octane plot full of explosions, etc.

I agree with ND, majority of games have shit stories. That doesn't mean Uncharted has above-average plot, it doesn't. I would say Uncharted's main strength is making believable female characters.

 

[Imp the Dimp]

They sound surpisingly bitter. What exactly are they on about? Why would ND assume they're the only ones capable of writing decent stories?

 

[Kusagari]

More proof that Naughty Dog cares more about their games being 'cinematic' than actually having good gameplay.

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

Damn they're salty.

 

[EviLore]

Bizarre and ridiculous statement.

 

[charlequin]

I'm not seeing how someone saying a non-Naughty Dog game has an amazing story says anything about Naughty Dog games, and in that case what are they disheartened about?

Uncharted 3's narrative is so self-evidently superior to those of all other games as to actually cause physical pain in Naughty Dog staffers from the level of insult implied by such praise for obviously shoddy riff-raff products.

I mean, if you were da Vinci and you read a review that said a Thomas Kinkade painting had a compelling narrative wouldn't YOU cry

 

[StuBurns]

Sounds bitter to me. They get plenty of praise for their story telling, and I think quite a few developers are notably beyond what they've done so far.

 

[MrPliskin]

Honestly it's probably because people always mention Uncharted's story in passing, and put all of the weight on spectacle, graphics, and the game mechanics. Context would also be important. We have no idea what he is responding to, it's just a quote posted for hits, more or less. What is the context of the article?

 

[dalin80]

Don't feel bad because Valve does it better than you do.

From one game released 6+ years ago?

 

[clashfan]

Wow this sounds really arrogant. Sounds they are really full of themselves.

 

[CadetMahoney]

More proof that Naughty Dog cares more about their games being 'cinematic' than actually having good gameplay.

If we have learnt anything from God of War and Killzones, than cinematics and graphics is the be all and end all.

 

[chubigans]

Anybody who says "Rockstar" and "amazing story" in the same sentence causes me great physical pain as well, so I can understand their feelings.

 

[Aeana]

They mean they concentrate hard on developing a story, and then a reviewer comes along and praises MW3 for it's high-octane plot full of explosions, etc.

I agree with ND, majority of games have shit stories. That doesn't mean Uncharted hs above-average, it isn't.

I still don't think that says anything about ND games. It's like being disheartened because someone says 'strawberries are good' but you like blueberries more than strawberries, and now you've read 'strawberries are good' as 'blueberries suck' and you get upset. Basically: what?

 

[kayos90]

I'm confused at what that quote is saying because of predication issues....

 

[Spiegel]

Controversial thread title != what the article really says

 

[Mafro]

Sounds a bit pathetic.

 

[Gustav]

Why so bitter, Naughty Dogs?

 

[AceBandage]

I love the Uncharted games...
But they don't exactly have the greatest stories...

 

[FStop7]

The only two games I can think of in recent memory with stories I cared about were Red Dead Redemption and Portal 2.

I found portions of the storylines in SWTOR and Skyrim to be good but not a lot of overall consistency.

 

[Ricky_R]

Isn't that quote from a video interview released a couple of weeks after the game was revealed?

 

[AgentChris]

Reviewers praise games like Call of Duty, MSG4 and GTAIV for having amazing stories... game reviewers are fools.

 

[chubigans]

The only two games I can think of in recent memory with stories I cared about were Red Dead Redemption and

Gah! Mah heart!

 

[jett]

I'm trying to make sense out of that statement. He is disheartened at the low standards in game criticism regarding storytelling??

 

[StuBurns]

From one game released 6+ years ago?

Portal 2 is way beyond ND's story telling, and it came out last year.

 

[SolidSnakex]

They sound surpisingly bitter. What exactly are they on about? Why would ND assume they're the only ones capable of writing decent stories?

I remember this quote from over a month ago (Eurogamer posted the same thing in their article), but his point is that it's hard to push games forward in terms of storytelling if reviewers are praising stories in games just because the game is story driven. I guess you could look at something like LA Noire, which was highly praised by critics for its story, but it really wasn't that great.

 

[Blue Ninja]

“We’re trying to say something about human beings and how they exist."

So Nathan Drake really is a cold-blooded killer, and Uncharted is about the woes and broken lives caused by relentless treasure seekers.

Yeah, ridiculous statement.

 

[LoftyTheMetroid]

Other Developers: Disheartened When Reviewers Say Uncharted Has Great Gameplay

But seriously, I don't see Naughty Dog as being in a position to feel "disheartened" in comparison to other (decent) game stories, i.e. I think they give themselves a bit too much credit.

(And nor do I seriously think other developers should feel the same about Uncharted's gameplay, although I think most would agree that gameplay innovation isn't the franchise's primary focus...)

 

[I'm an expert]

Hm, I'm a pretty big Uncharted fan but story is definitely not the first thing that pops in my mind when I think of those games. The plots for those games, while very fun, are essentially Indy Jones one-offs that check off every action-adventure movie point as they go along. I'd say presentation is Naughty Dog's forte, and even that unfortunately overshadows the sometimes shallow wave-based gun fights.

 

[Pie and Beans]

They should feel bad after the damp squib 3 turned out to be. If they really want to be known for story telling, perhaps they should move towards actually having a non-linear story and working on that whole interactive storytelling thing. The desert sequence in 3 was one of the biggest missed opportunities I've ever seen a top tier dev just piss away.

 

[MrDanger88]

I love the Uncharted games...
But they don't exactly have the greatest stories...

They don't exactly have the greatest gameplay either

 

[Foffy]

The Uncharted games are interesting, but their stories are usually the placeholder for all of the set-pieces.

They should totally work on that 'amazing' bit for their stories, though!

 

[NBtoaster]

Kinda agree with the second comment on the article.

Why can't you just tell a good, entertaining story without going into philosohpical nonsense?

 

[HamPster PamPster]

I want to go to the bar where Naughty Dog employees hang out and say really loudly "Man this new Final Fantasy game has a FANTASTIC story, why can't western developers tell a good story" just to watch them twitch

 

[Nirolak]

Controversial thread title != what the article really says

I polled other mods for title validity before I made the title and got a general yes, especially given title constraints.

We agreed it made sense because they specify nothing about those other games to the point where we can get no more specific or even assuredly say they meant anything more specific.

 

[Kusagari]

I'm trying to make sense out of that statement. He is disheartened at the low standards in the industry regarding storytelling??

I guess that's what he's getting at, but he seems to imply that he thinks Naughty Dog is beyond others in storytelling.

Which they aren't.

 

[Grisby]

Er, ok. Tons of games have more interesting stories to me then Uncharted. Maybe not better acted or motion captured, by far more interesting premises and overall content.

They need to nail down their gameplay design first and then get on raising the bar for game stories (which in some cases, they have).

 

[alr1ght]

This guy did not work on Uncharted 3. He was the lead on Uncharted 2, and is on The Last Of Us now.

Anyways, he's saying most stories suck but get praise.

 

[Threi]

If i had the type of fanbase they did, i'd be arrogant too.

 

[MrPliskin]

Why is GAF so hateful? Seems like the last 12 months have been getting increasingly negative around here =\

I polled other mods for title validity before I made the title and got a general yes, especially given title constraints.

We agreed it made sense because they specify nothing about those other games to the point where we can get no more specific or even assuredly say they meant anything more specific.

Not that I want to get in trouble with a MOD, but no one thought to find the context of the quote? Is it in response to a question or a topic? Kind of hard to take it at face value with little more than this.