And they're all bald, oddly enough

[taotrooper]

THEWHAT POKÉMON ARE YOU?MEME

In b4 Squirtle family.

It's sort of strange how western games have so many bald (natural or shaved) heads when it comes to main characters. If not, they have military short haircuts. Meanwhile, Japanese games tend to have unreal manes of hair. I guess there's a lot of bald American game designers or something; no idea what that says about the East, though, besides 'maybe they read too much manga'.

It's kind of depressing that the other day, it was confirmed that when it comes to non-quirky video games, my brothers and I couldn't disagree more in genres, especially with Danny. He tried to play Vesperia, the first Tales he ever tried, and he couldn't stand an hour without getting bored. I think it's fair, considering I don't like first person shooters or sandbox games at all, which is why I won't be able to borrow anything from their 360 collection.

But his excuse was pretty lame: he thought the characters were kinda ridiculous. Dude, you just played some minutes and are judging a game on lame minor guys. Then I went and realize that his kind of games (the FPSs and western RPGs) lack characters with defined personalities anyway, so he probably isn't that used to characters with traits and flaws anymore. Ironically, I get bored when characters are cardboard cuts. I tend to get into games with silent protagonists, sure, but the support cast has to be excellent and I don't go around giving the hero my personality/morals. So, two different approaches.

Besides, this is the idiot who dropped Okami because after playing it he was "dizzy and seeing everything pink". If you can call "doodling penises around Kamiki village instead of following the plot" playing, that is. This was two years ago, but I still can't wrap my head around that.

He did admit the Tales gameplay is fun, though.

In other news, apparently I need new shirts/blouses to go with my new trousers. Now I'll have to waste my savings for the 360 in fashionable clothes. EWWWW.

Comments

[jupiterk.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of main characters from western games end up bald because a lot of western based games have military themes, and all military guys are bald.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

It's justified there, but. That still doesn't explain the dude from God of War. Or those hitman mob games who have also bald assassins.

[jupiterk.livejournal.com]

Probably that stereotype that bald = badass or something.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

Was it a stereotype before this explotion of games, though? First time I heard about it, but then again I'm not American and I seldom watch war movies.

[jupiterk.livejournal.com]

I think it's been around beforehand because of the military look and some movies out before video games

[aflyingteapot]

It's because in the west you're not really manly if you have long fabulous hair and games are aimed at a public of male teenagers who need to know what MANLY is XD While in Japan you're popular with the girls if you are bishonen so there's no shame in that :D

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

I'd appreciate something in between. Like, a badass with a normal haircut, and a non-butch and non-skinny body type. I had never heard of the whole shaved/bald = badass Western cliché until seeing these games, so it might be a North American thing.

[aflyingteapot]

Well, I think it's the military look they're aiming for?
Military = badass. For a male player anyway. I don't think thay really have at heart the female public :(

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

I was telling someone before that this makes sense for about 60% of the games out there, but there are games where the bald BAMF isn't even in the military (like Kratos from God of War). And in contrast, Solid Snake (and Big Boss) are considered manly and martial and badass while having good, non-bishounen hair. So I honestly don't get it? And if I were a guy gamer, I'd like non-beefy, non-bald protagonists better anyway.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

PFFFT RAVEN!KERO WTF XDDDD

Es una pena que no pueda disfrutar ni los shooters con buen plot porque el gameplay en sí me pone muy nerviosa.

Es aún más whatthefuckeante el asunto porque lo que le pareció fastidioso ni siquiera fueron Yuri o Repede, sino los knights con los que te enfrentas primero (el flaco y el gordo). WTF, Danny, si ellos ni siquiera son del main cast y sólo salen muuuuuuuy raramente. Ya creo que eran ganas de nitpickear, porque fue muy fuerte.

[outou.livejournal.com]

Besides, this is the idiot who dropped Okami because after playing it he was "dizzy and seeing everything pink".

This is the complaint I read the most when looking at players' thoughts about Ōkami, and it makes me realize just why we can't have nice things. We have here a beautiful game, with lively, well-illustrated, and loveable characters, a remarkable soundtrack, and a plot that manages to be alternately hilarious, heart-rending, and inspiring while being about as scant as most RPG plots--and it gets criticized for being too pink. The meanings attached to cherry blossoms were integral to the game, but it was apparently undone by their pinkness.

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

Huh. I had never seen that one before, and oddly I've seen more male gamers (who would be the ones against a pink palette the most) praising Okami than females. But I'm not sure my brother whined that much about the pink itself, considering most of his gameplay consisted in drooling on the canvas. I guess it was the excess of switching to beige what made him 'seeing pink' everywhere afterwards.

Or he's just a nitpicky idiot.