Too much comedy in video games?

[snowman89]

Am I the only one who thinks video games these days are trying way too hard to be funny? I just tried to play Portal 2 but had to stop after the intro because I just couldn't get past the over the top silly humor. It's a shame because it seems like it could be such a great game and have a good story but the comedy just ruins it for me. Why do so many games have to be parodies of themselves? Take GTA series for example. I finished GTA V about a year ago and what could be a decent plot was ruined buy the "humor" of the game. for me it just completely breaks the immersion. I get that this is GTA's style and all, and has always been, but I feel like so many other games (and movies) are trying to do the same thing. Sleeping Dogs was an awesome GTA like game that didn't overdo the comedy and has a much darker tone to the story and characters, that makes it all feel believable. I wish more games went in this direction. I have no problem with games that are meant to be just comedy, It's games that try to have a deep plot but don't "want to take themselves to seriously" that annoys the crap out of me. Wolfenstein 2 Is the perfect example of this "GTA syndrome". I loved Wolfenstein The New Order, and then with the second game they had to go make it a parody of the original. I want a game world that is believable, not where all characters seems to be on acid or something, lol. Anyone agree?

[Nocte]

9 minutes ago, snowman89 said:

I just tried to play Portal 2 but had to stop after the intro because I just couldn't get past the over the top silly humor.

To be honest when I played Portal 2 I didn't feel like they were trying hard at being funny. On the contrary, they were straight up using cheap jokes to represent the soul-less AI. But I guess everyone interprets it differently.

[minibois]

On the other side of the fence you have games that "take themselves too seriously", so I imagine for the game writers it will be difficult to find a healthy balance between the two.

Personally I can say I enjoyed the silly nature of the Portal series. To be honest, whether it be a story or comedic game, you can only effectively play it for either the humor or story once or twice. After that you have seen most of the story/heard the jokes enough that they are not really funny/intriguing anymore.

[snowman89]

I kind of enjoyed the way they balanced the humor it in Far Cry 5, tbh. They had som silly characters and side quests but didn't over do it.

[minibois]

6 minutes ago, snowman89 said:

I kind of enjoyed the way they balanced the humor it in Far Cry 5, tbh. They had som silly characters and side quests but didn't over do it.

Usually when developers do try to make a more serious story, it helps having a comedic (fourth wall breaking) character.

People that want  a serious story still get their way, the fourth wall breaking is not that intrusive to it (usually.. Not always), but the people playing the game the second time (or those familiar with the lore) can still get some different enjoyment from it.

 

Example of fourth wall breaking characters would be Maiq The Liar in Skyrim (character you can run into in the wild - speaks in weird phrases that are lore-friendly, but points out outside of the game facts) and Harley Quinn from Batman (can only comment on her cartoon appearances, where she did do some fourth wall breaking stuff).

 

 

[TetraSky]

I play games to be entertained. If a bit of comedy in them can manage to get a few chuckle out of me without ruining the atmosphere, it's a good time in my book. Life itself isn't all bleak after all, so why should games be serious all the time?

 

Also, the Portal games were never "serious" games in the first place, the silly humor is the selling point alongside the somewhat challenging puzzles.

[Guest]

I found portal 2’s comedy to be what made its story. 

 

I mostly see comedy in movies killing them & then in games without mechanical depth “jokes” are there to make the game fun. 

Yknow those games that don’t have mechanics? 

[Delicieuxz]

GTA games since after San Andreas have tried to be funny, but failed. GTA IV was so tryhard it was just lame. I haven't noticed much humour in GTA V. I guess that means they're failing at being humourous. The Trevor character is entirely an example of tryhard writing, and I think it shows Rockstar knew their game was lacking interesting writing, characters, and scenarios, so they had to make some character just so far gone in a sleight-of-hand bid to make up for it with and try to get people to not notice how bad the writing is. The humour attempts in GTA V don't succeed, in my opinion.

 

San Andreas has successful humour, and in that case I think it makes the game stronger.

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

7 hours ago, snowman89 said:

GTA series for example. I finished GTA V about a year ago and what could be a decent plot was ruined buy the "humor" of the game. for me it just completely breaks the immersion. I get that this is GTA's style and all, and has always been, but I feel like so many other games (and movies) are trying to do the same thing. Sleeping Dogs was an awesome GTA like game that didn't overdo the comedy and has a much darker tone to the story and characters, that makes it all feel believable. I wish more games went in this direction. I have no problem with games that are meant to be just comedy, It's games that try to have a deep plot but don't "want to take themselves to seriously" that annoys the crap out of me. Wolfenstein 2 Is the perfect example of this "GTA syndrome". I loved Wolfenstein The New Order, and then with the second game they had to go make it a parody of the original. I want a game world that is believable, not where all characters seems to be on acid or something, lol. Anyone agree?

I hardly find humor in these games.

may be because i found ryu ga gotoku (yakuza)/  nier / drag on dragoon 3 and some other (mainly from japan) too good?

[Guest]

humor??? in video games???

you mean with actual situations that makes you smile?

The last time i rolled on the floor laughing my ass off was in this panzer general clone .. though clone might be doin both names shames short!

Let me look up its name 

"Army General"

In this game your either following Rommel through his North Africa campaign or the Brits with their allies wreaking havoc on ze Germans

apparently i didn't live up to the makers expectations and at the end of the first mission i was confronted with a message from headquarters going completely out of their minds..

Something along the way off :

" look obermeister i get that you don't want to listen us, so there is no real point in providing with you with new intel or objectives. Just move to ( city ) and whe'll see what happens there"

Thats silly in scene that is known for its structure ( al weakness )

Other then that particular happening.. No .... Operencia is a another game flowing with humor and i can't say again that is really disturbing or unsettling in any way. I guess i can say i'm glad that i stay away, most of the times, from games you guys mentioned here




 

[Nalgasp3ludas]

13 hours ago, snowman89 said:

Am I the only one who thinks video games these days are trying way too hard to be funny? I just tried to play Portal 2 but had to stop after the intro because I just couldn't get past the over the top silly humor. It's a shame because it seems like it could be such a great game and have a good story but the comedy just ruins it for me. Why do so many games have to be parodies of themselves? Take GTA series for example. I finished GTA V about a year ago and what could be a decent plot was ruined buy the "humor" of the game. for me it just completely breaks the immersion. I get that this is GTA's style and all, and has always been, but I feel like so many other games (and movies) are trying to do the same thing. Sleeping Dogs was an awesome GTA like game that didn't overdo the comedy and has a much darker tone to the story and characters, that makes it all feel believable. I wish more games went in this direction. I have no problem with games that are meant to be just comedy, It's games that try to have a deep plot but don't "want to take themselves to seriously" that annoys the crap out of me. Wolfenstein 2 Is the perfect example of this "GTA syndrome". I loved Wolfenstein The New Order, and then with the second game they had to go make it a parody of the original. I want a game world that is believable, not where all characters seems to be on acid or something, lol. Anyone agree?

GTA game series is all about satire, I really like it