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Is there a real equivalent for B-movies in gaming?

dskzero

dskzero

Member
Oct 30, 2019
3,368
I recently wrote an article to publish that I ended up not making public because I feel like I kinda don't have a point here:

I'm a B-Movie fan. The Evil Dead, Faust: Love of the Damned, Reanimator, Sharknado and all that crap, Deathgasm, John Dies at the End, all of those movies, well known and obscure are my jam. Naturally, I decided to look into this classification in gaming, as we already have that in books (airport novels) and music (anything that's been produced after 2010 that I deem unlisteanable but I secretly enjoy).

Gaming doesn't seem to have this clear cut.

We have AAA which are the high budget, highly marketed games with high production values. We have AA which are games that dont' really have that high of a budget and are often runaway hits if anything.

And we have shovelware. Which is terrible with very little value. And somewhere in the middle we have indie games which run the gambit of quality and budget.

However B-Movies isn't all that much about budget but about ambition and reach. Movies like Halloween are pillars of cinema yet were made with someone's allowance and Michael Myers mask was bought in a dollar store, while movies like Sharknado were made for 5 millions and are fucking terrible, yet they exactly know what they are, yet there are people like Tarantino making what's essentially big budgeted B-Movies masquerading as tributes.

I'm not sure if games have this. There are several games I'd classify as B if they were movies: E.Y.E. Divine Cybermancy, Bullet Witch, Bayonetta, Goat Simulator, An Untitled Goose Story, Kentucky Route Zero, Kane & Lynch, but some would argue otherwise (Goat Simulator is arguably the Sharknado of gaming).

Do you think this actually applies to gaming or we should stick to the AAA, AA, Indie, shovelware, Pie In The Sky Crap classification?
 
yoonshik

yoonshik

Member
Oct 26, 2017
664
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Deadly Premonition
 
SayemAhmd

SayemAhmd

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Dec 3, 2019
240
Ehh, I'd argue that you saw a lot of "B-Games" last gen. Stuff like Shadows of the Damned, Neverdead, Binary Domain et al. There are probably better examples for current gen stuff. EDF comes to mind, as well as Tokyo Jungle.
 
OP
OP
dskzero

dskzero

Member
Oct 30, 2019
3,368
SayemAhmd said:
Ehh, I'd argue that you saw a lot of "B-Games" last gen. Stuff like Shadows of the Damned, Neverdead, Binary Domain et al. There are probably better examples for current gen stuff. EDF comes to mind, as well as Tokyo Jungle.
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Binary Domain is such a B movie turned into a videogames!
 
APZonerunner

APZonerunner

Features Editor at VG247.com
Verified
Oct 28, 2017
1,726
England
For me the absolute pinnacle of this is 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. A middling Gears of War knock-off with a celebrity name attached that somehow is just ridiculously charming and accidentally funny, just like so many B-Movie action films.
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
AA gaming and the indie scene is delivering such games, it's hard to find triple-A studios bothering with such projects. I don't think they'll ever really get a B-movie-esque titling, most people prefer focusing on the scope and budget to define games. Just playing Zombie Army 4: Dead War these days which is as B-movie as it gets: a post-World War II Europe invaded by nazi zombies. There's even zombie sharks. Other than that games like Saints Row 3-4, Just Cause 3-4 and such have such crazy ass elements, but with some attempts at seriousness here and there.

If there's one triple-A that kinda feels like driving the B-movie point home, it's gonna be Doom Eternal later this year. A fast-paced, acrobatic, over-the-top, ridiculously violent shooter where the main character legitimately enjoys slaughtering demons in the most brutal ways possible. The levels are jack full of hidden power-ups, demon-shaped toys to find, double jumps and air moves to reach extra lives and other giant coloured power-ups. It's like a modern shooter and an old school shooter, with a bit of Super Mario and tons of trashiness mixed in and I think it's an excellent example of wanting to bring campy fun without any attempt at seriousness into the mix. More triple-A studios should try that.

On a side note, even most of the games you or I mentioned don't really come close to the insanity of Sharknado. I mean, we talk about Kojima's "everyone's a clone" storylines, Bayonetta's over-the-top action and violence against angels, Goat Simulator in all kinds of physical contraptions and through all kinds of gaming tropes - but Sharknado goes so fucking far it's hard for me to think of a videogame that even tries those levels of insanity out of the box and not through modded content. Ancient shark prophecies, time travelling, sharknado vs dinosaur, laser chainsaw vs shark in space, teleporting tornados, nuclearnado... I'd love a fairly high budget videogame to go this crazy.

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HBK

HBK

Member
Oct 30, 2017
7,986
I dunno the low tier of the « AA » scene (or the top of the « single-A » scene if you prefer) pretty much fits that bill IMO.
 
TechnicPuppet

TechnicPuppet

Member
Oct 28, 2017
10,835
I'd say something like Crackdown 3 would fall in here as well. I thought it was perfect but they missed out things a lot expect in games these days and concentrated on just the game part.
 
OP
OP
dskzero

dskzero

Member
Oct 30, 2019
3,368
FairyEmpire said:
AA gaming and the indie scene is delivering such games, it's hard to find triple-A studios bothering with such projects. I don't think they'll ever really get a B-movie-esque titling, most people prefer focusing on the scope and budget to define games. Just playing Zombie Army 4: Dead War these days which is as B-movie as it gets: a post-World War II Europe invaded by nazi zombies. There's even zombie sharks.

If there's one triple-A that kinda feels like driving the B-movie point home, it's gonna be Doom Eternal later this year. A fast-paced, acrobatic, over-the-top, ridiculously violent shooter where the main character legitimately enjoys slaughtering demons in the most brutal ways possible. The levels are jack full of hidden power-ups, demon-shaped toys to find, double jumps and air moves to reach extra lives and other giant coloured power-ups. It's like a modern shooter and an old school shooter, with a bit of Super Mario and tons of trashiness mixed in and I think it's an excellent example of wanting to bring campy fun without any attempt at seriousness into the mix. More triple-A studios should try that.

On a side note, even most of the games you or I mentioned don't really come close to the insanity of Sharknado. I mean, we talk about Kojima's "everyone's a clone" storylines, Bayonetta's over-the-top action and violence against angels, Goat Simulator in all kinds of physical contraptions and through all kinds of gaming tropes - but Sharknado goes so fucking far it's hard for me to think of a videogame that even tries those levels of insanity out of the box and not through modded content. Ancient shark prophecies, time travelling, sharknado vs dinosaur, laser chainsaw vs shark in space, teleporting tornados, nuclearnado... I'd love a fairly high budget videogame to go this crazy.

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I think Metal Gear Solid series with the vampires, giant robots, super powered senators, crippled ninjas, round asses, girls that breath through their skins, ancient conspirancies, ghosts, elder snipers, talking arms and more can get close.

But then we also have Dynamite Cop.

Also Legendary. That game put a Krakken in the Thames river. Have to respect that.
 
meph

meph

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
996
dskzero said:
run the gambit
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Since you write to publish: you run a gamut, not a gambit.

B-movies are low-budget affairs that no one goes to see. They're add-ons, and only sometimes gained notoriety or fame for being so-bad-it's-good, or actually good. Movies can exist that way because the audience can still watch it, regardless of watchability. The problem with games is that those in this category frequently end up as buggy messes, and actually prevent or interfere with someone playing the game.
 
OP
OP
dskzero

dskzero

Member
Oct 30, 2019
3,368
meph said:
Since you write to publish: you run a gamut, not a gambit.

B-movies are low-budget affairs that no one goes to see. They're add-ons, and only sometimes gained notoriety or fame for being so-bad-it's-good, or actually good. Movies can exist that way because the audience can still watch it, regardless of watchability. The problem with games is that those in this category frequently end up as buggy messes, and actually prevent or interfere with someone playing the game.
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Thanks for the correction. I wasn't sure which was the correct expression (english is my second language). I try not to use expressions I'm not sure of when I publish!

As for the topic: some games like these do turn out good, like Binary Domain, or Bayonetta. Still, a good point, and curiously one I've often mentioned when discussed why a gaming has such a high barrier of entry to be considered art.
 
Javier23

Javier23

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,904
If we're strictly talking about low budget but ambitious videogames (not exactly the way I'd describe B movies), you have plenty of really good examples over the last few years. Not an expert on the topic, but I'd point out to Unity as the main cause. Disco Elysium was just released by a piss poor team in Estonia, with completely novel ideas, and that game is arguably the pinnacle of writing in RPGs, not to say videogames in general. Kinda by design.

Plenty of other much more unknown but just as exciting indie games out there already, big and small, but going for things no one else is. Just check out itch.io.
 
Krvavi Abadas

Krvavi Abadas

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
1,254
Videoland
You should try Roundabout, OP.


It's a super charming B-styled game from some former Twisted Pixel (Once notable for making similar campy and goofy titles such as 'Splosion Man, they now make some pretty good VR stuff that mostly lacks the style they previously had.) devs.

Same team also made


Which focuses on a different sort of camp, specfically old early-80s through mid-90s Anime.

Dr. Doom said:
There is that God of War rip off that was popular on PC - can't recall the name.
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This, most likely.


It's genuinely great, and is probably the exact sort of game OP is looking for.
 

Deleted member 59126

Banned
Aug 10, 2019
2,053
Films have experienced several generations of appreciation and refinement. The B-Movie is an artistic deviation stemming from almost a century of cinematic evolution and propagated from the prosperity of arguably the most entitled and spoiled generation of humans within the last recorded 7,000 years. The B-Movie, by its design, is created with the intent to be appreciated by the masses in a manner insuring that's its success is both easily repeatable and increasingly desirable while offering a diminishing return on both artistic and philosophical achievement. I see no greater parallel of pandering to the witless masses than within mobile gaming. It's easy and cheap to make, and marketable without the social stigma of being branded an actual "gamer". Everyone gets fucking addicted for 1/2 the effort and nobody cares about the actual quality of the product.

Mobile Gaming isn't trying to be the next big "gambling" craze, it's trying to be the next McDonalds. By the time you understand the trash you're consuming, you care more about tasting that sweet sweet trash than cleaning your body out.
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
Krvavi Abadas said:
You should try Roundabout, OP.


It's a super charming B-styled game from some former Twisted Pixel (Once notable for making similar campy and goofy titles such as 'Splosion Man, they now make some pretty good VR stuff that mostly lacks the style they previously had.) devs.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


Yeah, Roundabout is so damn good. I've had a grin for most of the time I played it. Only didn't at some more frustrating section.
 
Galactor

Galactor

Banned
Nov 11, 2017
619
Resident evil felt like playing a b movie (including the low budget feeling) when it was released on psx
 
Mr.Deadshot

Mr.Deadshot

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,285
I think it's more about the tone and vibes a game gives instead about the budget. For example the Gears games, DOOM, Rage 2, Borderlands, some Call of Duty games (especially Black Ops) or pretty much any old FPS game feel like playable B-movies despite being AAA games. Of course there are a lot of A- and B-budget games that feel like B-movies as well.
 
deftones r cool

deftones r cool

Member
Oct 28, 2017
5,050
Honestly, I'd equate those lower budget obscure JRPGs to B-Movies. They're very niche, cheap to produce, largely unpolished, and beloved by niche enthusiasts.

Yeah, it's games like that
 
Iztok

Iztok

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,138
Weird, I think most games are B-tier equivalent if expressed in movie jargon.
I guess I don't really know what most people mean when they say that.
 
Bomblord

Bomblord

Self-requested ban
Banned
Jan 11, 2018
6,390
Basically games that are campy and "so bad they're enjoyable" right? I don't know if there's a strict classification in gaming but several individual examples come to mind.

Goat Simulator
giphy.gif


Big Rigs
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Sonic Boom
WellmadeBossyAfricanfisheagle.gif
 
HBK

HBK

Member
Oct 30, 2017
7,986
Regis said:
If thats the case, then RE1-RE4 would be the B movies, right?
This would actually make sense.
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I'm not sure those comparisons are relevant, but RE1 (and 2-3-CV to a lesser degree) are definitely inspired by Carpenter movies (and Alone in the Dark, duh)

Mouthful, charismatic "action" characters, lots of weird-placed humor, so-dumb-they're-good plot twists, heavy use of camerawork to work on suggestion rather than exposition, cheap special effects, etc.
 
Titik

Titik

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,490
FairyEmpire said:
AA gaming and the indie scene is delivering such games, it's hard to find triple-A studios bothering with such projects. I don't think they'll ever really get a B-movie-esque titling, most people prefer focusing on the scope and budget to define games. Just playing Zombie Army 4: Dead War these days which is as B-movie as it gets: a post-World War II Europe invaded by nazi zombies. There's even zombie sharks. Other than that games like Saints Row 3-4, Just Cause 3-4 and such have such crazy ass elements, but with some attempts at seriousness here and there.

If there's one triple-A that kinda feels like driving the B-movie point home, it's gonna be Doom Eternal later this year. A fast-paced, acrobatic, over-the-top, ridiculously violent shooter where the main character legitimately enjoys slaughtering demons in the most brutal ways possible. The levels are jack full of hidden power-ups, demon-shaped toys to find, double jumps and air moves to reach extra lives and other giant coloured power-ups. It's like a modern shooter and an old school shooter, with a bit of Super Mario and tons of trashiness mixed in and I think it's an excellent example of wanting to bring campy fun without any attempt at seriousness into the mix. More triple-A studios should try that.

On a side note, even most of the games you or I mentioned don't really come close to the insanity of Sharknado. I mean, we talk about Kojima's "everyone's a clone" storylines, Bayonetta's over-the-top action and violence against angels, Goat Simulator in all kinds of physical contraptions and through all kinds of gaming tropes - but Sharknado goes so fucking far it's hard for me to think of a videogame that even tries those levels of insanity out of the box and not through modded content. Ancient shark prophecies, time travelling, sharknado vs dinosaur, laser chainsaw vs shark in space, teleporting tornados, nuclearnado... I'd love a fairly high budget videogame to go this crazy.

tumblr_pdvaz2Au721s2jfn0o1_500.gifv


tumblr_inline_oualsm6HIK1t4624j_540.gif



giphy.gif
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Total War Warhammer has you fielding armies of your typical medieval knights, dragons, helicopters, dinosaurs, mummies, vampires, reanimated shipwrecks with arm cannons and rat men assassins with nuclear bombs. And tanks, forgot about the tanks.

Soul stealing elves on sharks might come in a future dlc too lol.
 
JED BARTLETT

JED BARTLETT

Member
Oct 27, 2017
212
Belfast
I've just started Zombie Army 4, which is pretty much the definition of a B movie/game.
its also pretty upfront about its inspirations and limitations.
The movie poster chapter selects are a thing of beauty.
 
Platy

Platy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,703
Brazil
The wii was FULL of games with not much budget but lots of big ideas like MadWorld, Deadly Creatures, The Conduit, Mushrom Man, Cursed Mountain ...

hell even the lightgun resident evil and the silent hill one still fits
 
supkid

supkid

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,760
Dublin, Ireland
Yakuza Series, specifically the side missions, totally feels like B-Movie shit to me. Especially in 0, when you're fighting against the Real Estate Mob and have to engage in dance off's, karaoke battles etc to beat them.
 
theaface

theaface

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,149
Surely it's got to be Metal Wolf Chaos...



Also, the House of the Dead games are totally B-movie stuff.
 
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