Games coloured by fandom hyperbole

[dock]

When Inside came out I recall the fans acting like the ending was something absolutely unbelievable and a breakthrough in storytelling. I was sceptical going in, and enjoyed the game just fine, but the ending was... pretty ordinary.

Earthbound never came out in the UK, so it was always this internet fandom thing. I never got around to playing it but the fandom was intense.

Undertale was a game where the fandom felt huge and noisy from day one, and it always felt like a cross section of the Earthbound fandom and the Homestuck (webcomic) fandom. When I played the game and ran into tech problems or gameplay problems I always felt like the fans only referred to the game with a very peculiar revenance.

I sometimes wonder about the games I played fondly, like Katamari Demacy and wonder how people felt about the huge fandom amongst the otherwise sober sensible titles. I love these games but I'm sure they were annoying in their heyday.

Have you ever felt like you were part of the hyperbole for a game? Which fandoms made you excited for a game, and which ones made it more difficult?

 

[Deleted member 1413]

Idk, could just be that the game didn't resonate with you and not that fans are wrong.

Undertale, for example, is a game I adored back when I played it on PC in 2016. Never played earthbound or read Homestruck.

Though I never experienced technical problems so perhaps your experience was worse than mine

 

[KalBalboa]

When Inside came out I recall the fans acting like the ending was something absolutely unbelievable and a breakthrough in storytelling. I was sceptical going in, and enjoyed the game just fine, but the ending was... pretty ordinary.

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Wah?

 

[Exist 2 Inspire]

Isn't this called the "Undertale effect" anyway? lol

 

[Mr.Branding]

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

 

[Lant_War]

Ocarina of Time. I understand what it meant for its time, but it aged terribly imo.

Skyward Sword has pretty much the opposite fanfare, and imo it's the best Zelda game.

 

[sredgrin]

Unless the game is multiplayer focused (and thus you will be playing with them or people like them) I don't really get how anyone can get hung up on this sort of thing.

 

[dock]

Idk, could just be that the game didn't resonate with you and not that fans are wrong.

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I don't think the fans are wrong, but for many games like this it's rare to find a moderate fan.

 

[Raijinto]

Well I've played 3 of the games you mention (Undertale, Earthbound and Inside) and believe that they lived up to the hype (I similarly had not played Earthbound until the Wii U due to being from the UK). But overall yeah things can definitely spiral out of control over time with people saying some ludicrous things at times. It's not a bad thing though really, it's cool that people like things even if I don't and being overly enthusiastic about it is harmless overall. But yeah I can say that I know what you're saying, several games this generation have been a 'victim' of this so to speak, starting even before the game comes out even.

 

[Ocean]

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

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If this is just bait to get me to prove OP is right... then it worked.

Hollow Knight is the only perfect video game ever made, change my mind.

I have never played a Metroid or a Castlevania so I was completely new to the genre but somebody posted a GIF of the Mantis Lords in another thread and I thought damn the art looks good let me give this a try. And my god.

A lot of stuff I had read about Souls games (which I've never tried more than a few minutes each) - about the joy of slowly getting better and beating tough but fair bosses - it all clicked with me.

 

[Aters]

Yeah I take the praise with a grain of salt for any game that is not localized. Importers will always make you think you've missed the best thing in the world.

 

[Pascal]

Hollow Knight is the only perfect video game ever made, change my mind.

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The opening few hours are too slow, and death is too punishing.

Hollow Knight is in my top 3 favorite games btw.

 

[Deleted member 3038]

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

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Yup, for all the praise it gets on ERA, I couldn't be arsed to play through the opening segment of it.

OP, there's always someone who doesn't like something, not everything is universally praised. I think The Witcher 3 is boring for example.

 

[garion333]

Everything from Falcom.

 

[dock]

several games this generation have been a 'victim' of this so to speak, starting even before the game comes out even.

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Which games do you feel like they've been victim of the fandom wave?

I think The Witness might be one such example, especially with something of a cult built around Jon Blow.

 

[Karlinel]

Bioshock and Red dead redemption sagas, to me, epitomize this.

 

[Deleted member 37928]

Mario games. I like them a lot but I don't find them to be such grand experiences as the fanbase makes them out to be. Odyssey was a solid 8/10 for me and that's totally fine.

 

[Toxi]

This reads like "games other people liked but I didn't: the thread".

The opening few hours are too slow, and death is too punishing.

Hollow Knight is in my top 3 favorite games btw.

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Definitely agree with the second. Getting back to your shade can feel tedious, especially if it's a long way from your last bench.

Don't agree with the first though. There's a sense of real wonder in exploring the Crossroads for the first time.

 

[dock]

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

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I wasn't blown away by Symphony of the Night or Super Metroid, so I'm probably not the right audience, but the fandom does make me want to try Hollow Knight.

 

[Ayirek]

Pretty much anything from Kojima. I always hear about how brilliant his games are but I just can't get past how disgustingly melodramatic they are.
EDIT
My bad, not quite the point of the thread.
Fan hype killed GTA V for me. Hailed by so many as the greatest thing ever, when I finally got around to playing it I was deeply underwhelmed.

 

[TinfoilHatsROn]

I mean I thought Undertale was really well made, brilliantly written for the 6 hours that the game has, and interesting as all hell. The music was the best part though.

But the fandom put me off from playing for so long. And I had it fucking spoiled so... Still enjoyed it. Not my GOAT but deserves it's praises and I can definitely see what other people see in it.

Never had any technical problems with it OP so that sucks.

 

[Nintendo]

Kojima games.

 

[Kapryov]

I kinda want to say The Last of Us, but I admit I only got a few hours in. It probably picks up later, but I really didn't enjoy the gameplay at all.
Maybe I'll reinstall and play though on easy to see what the fuss is about one day.

Everything from Falcom.

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You've made the list.

 

[Deleted member 249]

Bloodborne, I guess? Although I'd say the fandom hyperbole is right in that case :P

 

[Lord Vatek]

Weirdly enough I actually wasn't colored by Undertale's fandom. I was into it because I was a fan of Toby Fox's work on Homestuck.

Anyway, Witcher 3 for me. I just find it to be an average WRPG.

 

[Toxi]

I wasn't blown away by Symphony of the Night or Super Metroid, so I'm probably not the right audience, but the fandom does make me want to try Hollow Knight.

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Hollow Knight is very much in the same vein as those games, except way bigger and longer. That said, it's got a wonderful cast of characters that you will grow attached to (Myla ;_;). You just have to be very patient with it.

 

[Raijinto]

Which games do you feel like they've been victim of the fandom wave?

I think The Witness might be one such example, especially with something of a cult built around Jon Blow.

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The first and most recent example that comes to mind would be Spider-Man from last year. It was a great game, and well worth being excited for overall, but like I said above the craze around that game- especially before it came out- was a little beyond the pale I thought. A non insignificant amount of people went in hard on negativity around the game, the 'controversies' of the puddle thingy and that one person who said it'd be niche or something brought out the stupid that's for sure. Heck when I corrected someone on this site that the game's eventual MC score could have been perceived as slightly disappointing (based off of a previous popular poll shortly before reviews came out) with I think it was like 30% or more people who were expecting better I was told that that was because of trolls who sabotaged it despite there being no evidence of that taking place and that not being raised before said reviews came out.

So yeah 'twas a bit crazy yeah.

Solid 8/10 though.

 

[Wumbo64]

I have tried repeatedly to play and understand the hyperbole surrounding any of the SoulsBorne games. Dark Souls in particular seems to cause mass hysteria, but I have never been motivated enough to finish one. I feel like I need to have read a guidebook describing all of it's obfuscated quirks just to make forward progress. Not to mention it is deliberately grueling and long, locking large chunks of innate character building power into a currency that is a liability potentially lost in seconds.

If I wanted to endure that kind of masochism, I would just go play an old NES platformer. At least the suffering isn't protracted over a 40 hour period.

Oh and the fandom perpetuating the hyperbole that it is that good is equally insufferable.

 

[dock]

This reads like "games other people liked but I didn't: the thread".

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Honestly I intended it to be an opportunity to consider how alienating our own effusive engagement in fandom might have been. I have a friend that can't bear Zelda and I'm always careful to rein it in around him.

 

[steviestar3]

Nier: Automata

It's a good game but the insistence that it's some philosophical masterpiece or whatever is annoying to a hipster like me that has played a lot of obscure JRPGs of similar or (IMO) greater quality that didn't receive the same circlejerk from the mainstream. Digital Devil Saga 1/2, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne, Mother 3, Live a Live, Terranigma, etc. I guess I should be happy that people are more receptive of a genre I love these days but I'm too petty for that.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

honestly i never understood this sentiment. usually when i dislike a hyped game i can usually at least identify and understand why other people might like it.

 

[Pascal]

This reads like "games other people liked but I didn't: the thread".

Definitely agree with the second. Getting back to your shade can feel tedious, especially if it's a long way from your last bench.

Don't agree with the first though. There's a sense of real wonder in exploring the Crossroads for the first time.

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I just think that a few more mobility options from the outset would have made it a bit more exciting. I really like the Crossroads as well and that feeling of wonder was with me the entire game. It's why I love it so much.

 

[WestEgg]

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

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This is kind of where I'm at. I think I owe it to myself to keep pushing to the point where the game picks up more, because I've only played a couple of hours, but I just haven't had an interest in continuing yet.

 

[dock]

Everything from Falcom.

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I actually really love hearing people gush about Falcom games. There's something very precious and earnest about them. I have never made it more than three hours into any Falcom title but I'm fond of the fans.

 

[Zhukov]

Dark Souls

Doncha know, it's the hardest game ever made? Oh yes, it's a hard, manly game for hard manly gamers. It Doesn't Hold Your Hand unlike all those other soft games for diaper babies. It marks a return to the Good Old Days when Real Gamers roamed the earth. Indeed, it's the True Test for Real Gamers.

Hell, even when I got around to buying it the guy in the store was like, "Phwaor, I hope you're ready for this one."

So I played it to find... a pretty cool action-RPG that really likes wasting the player's time with its checkpoint placement and eternally respawning enemies.

 

[dock]

honestly i never understood this sentiment. usually when i dislike a hyped game i can usually at least identify and understand why other people might like it.

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I can fully understand why people like these games. I can't understand why so few fans are moderate with their fandom.

 

[Deleted member 1476]

Breath of the Wild is one of the major ones recently, good but not the be all end all of videogames. Nier Automata also massively overrated and defended by the fans.

Edit: how could I forget Dark Souls, that is a massive one. People turn into even bigger assholes because of this game.


Indies, too many. Anything from Blow or Fish, Limbo, Inside, Undertale (even though this one is good, it is not THE masterpiece).

 

[Nashira]

Mass Effect 2 fans glorifying a shootbang reduction of the previous game.

 

[Kromeo]

Yeah I take the praise with a grain of salt for any game that is not localized. Importers will always make you think you've missed the best thing in the world.

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FF Type 0: The Post

 

[WestEgg]

I'll probably catch flack for this, because like Hollow Knight this may just be a matter of me not giving the game the amount of time it deserves yet, but after playing a few hours of Dark Souls I just haven't seen the appeal yet. The combat is punishing but I got it down well enough to fight through a few bosses, then I remember dying and was just "Am I really having fun with this game? Do I really want to take the time to retrace my steps and get my souls back, and then wander around until I hit the next thing?" Like, I get it's a metroidvania and the fun should be in the exploration itself, but I just haven't found the world all that interesting yet, and slowly but surely, the desire to play other games overtook it and I haven't gone back yet.

 

[Arklite]

Bioshock Infinite is the poster boy for this.

Game of the forever, forgotten by years end, recieving barely any awards or nods by journalists.

 

[Jombie]

Breath of the Wild..

 

[StreamedHams]

Which games do you feel like they've been victim of the fandom wave?

I think The Witness might be one such example, especially with something of a cult built around Jon Blow.

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I think Jon Blow is too pretentious for my taste, but The Witness is amazing. Easily in my top ten of all time. If only I could do it again for the first time.

 

[theotherMittens]

Souls games are my favorite games but it's Souls games and I am guilty.

 

[Gnorman]

When it comes to a game that has a massively vocal fanbase that love it I tend to take more notice of the negative opinions. There are a few very highly rated games in genres I enjoy that I'll more than likely never play because I know the flaws would bother me.

 

[Syril]

I don't think the fans are wrong, but for many games like this it's rare to find a moderate fan.

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Yeah it's like no need to get so fucking defensive just because someone out there doesn't love your favorite game as much as you do. And you're really putting yourself out there getting all defensive about a game that people love already. And I'm not saying this as someone who disliked it in any way either. I mean I'm the one with a Susie avatar here.

I never really mind people gushing about Monster Hunter though. Probably because outside of Japan it was just a cult following until very recently, so there's less outrageous defensiveness and shitting on everything else than I see with other stuff.

 

[Phendrift]

Can this be in a bad way too?

Metroid: Other M is just an average to good game that's painted as the worst thing ever by the fanbase to the point that it tanked the series

 

[Weiss]

I pretty much understand why any popular game can amass its fanbase despite my own personal feelings, but for the life of me I cannot understand how anyone who has ever watched a movie in their lives could look at The Last Of Us as a significant cornerstone in gaming. If it were a film it'd get laughed into the Walmart bargain bin.

Hollow Knight. It's just a metroidvania with a unique art style and sub-par combat.

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"Cash me outside let's thrown hands" is what I want to say, but Hollow Knight is the game I straight up believe to be the very best like no one ever was because it ticks every single important box for me.To someone else I am absolutely going to the hyperbolic fanboy turning people off from some okay game that would be fine if not for the obnoxious fanbase.

 

[signal]

I wasn't blown away by Symphony of the Night or Super Metroid, so I'm probably not the right audience, but the fandom does make me want to try Hollow Knight.

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I don't think it's the same audience. I love sotn and really dislike hollow knight.

 

[Tappin Brews]

oh man, the ending to inside STILL brings up so many emotions. any game that has you wondering if youre supposed to stuff yourself into a furnace to end it tends to stick with you. it was anything but ordinary, lol.