I came to say this.I'd argue that the overexposure of borderline pedo weeb-bait is hurting the genre more but maybe I'm wrong.
I came to say this.I'd argue that the overexposure of borderline pedo weeb-bait is hurting the genre more but maybe I'm wrong.
to be clear - i'm not talking about otome (i'm very unfamiliar with the subgenre) but games made by queer people about queer peopleThis is the second time I'm seeing a poster imply that the ero stuff for female gratification is in any way less gross.
I mean, let's be real, we can count the EXTREMELY GOOD MASTERPIECES of the genre on two hands, maybe on four hands if we include unlocalized stuff.
A large portion (be it the majority or not) of VNs and especially dating sims (male and female!) deals with various fetishes and fantasies that will never appeal to a wide majority of people - that is on purpose. This is a niche genre.
I feel like this sentiment is applicable for high quality games in general. Just look at all the great PC games that come out, get buzz, and yet you go to their Metacritic page or whatever and there's not a single review from a news outlet. Gaming journalism on the whole just doesn't seem to pay attention unless there's already marketing behind it. Sometimes the word of mouth gets to them, like DDLC, but think of games like Risk of Rain 2, which has literally one unscored review despite being one of the biggest games of this year.There are plenty of examples on twitter If you search for VN.
One of the biggest complaints I noticed, is how VN's such as this will get exposure on all manner of gaming website (regardless if they typically covers VNs).
While other titles will never see an article or a mention, despite being of high quality. I think this is a fair point, even if there's no real input I can share on fixing it.
I think the only one I've played all the way through is Hatoful Boyfriend, and while I kinda liked it, I don't understand why that one is ok for the genre, but the KFC one might be hurting the genre?
They're both parodies, aren't they? Is it just because KFC is a brand?
to be clear - i'm not talking about otome (i'm very unfamiliar with the subgenre) but games made by queer people about queer people
which, yeah, involves sex often
like, heaven will be mine's store blurb includes "sext your enemies". there isn't actually any explicit sexual content in the game! but it's very heavily metaphorical for queer relationships and struggles.
it's a really cool blend of text and subtext because, yes, the protagonists (and some side characters) are explicitly gay, and in some cases trans, but they're also "othered" by society for reasons unrelated to their queerness. mechs fighting are an analogue for intimacy here.
or the other one i eternally shill, heart of the woods. the (optional, downloadable) sex scenes are just sex scenes here, but they're not... it's just a respectful, well-done (and, yes, appealing) depiction of such.
i haven't played it since i have no interest, but i've heard that coming out on top is essentially the same thing for MLM (well, with a lot more emphasis on sex.)
I think the only one I've played all the way through is Hatoful Boyfriend, and while I kinda liked it, I don't understand why that one is ok for the genre, but the KFC one might be hurting the genre?
They're both parodies, aren't they? Is it just because KFC is a brand?
VNs themselves hurt reputation of VNs, not some joke games that happens to be in the same genre
i've heard a lot of bad shit about DM but didn't realize it was vn-first. i'd managed to make myself forget that fujoshi existYou're talking about a very small subset of Dating sims then, and I understand that you feel you are fighting to get a subgenre noticed and better understood, but you're not doing the good games a favor by brushing over the problematic shit in the other games.
BL (Boys Love) games are often cited as a subgenre of Otome Games for example, with stuff like Dramatical Murder having a predominantly female audience that enjoys gay interactions as a way to live out their own erotic fantasies. It's a thin line for some of these games, between actual representation and mere titillation of hetero fetishes.
To argue that "not all games" promote unhealthy power structures in relationships or abusive relationships is fine and well, but when a very large number (and I argue the current number is too large, whether it's 12% or 40%) does this, I think it's fair to criticize the genre for facilitating this just as much as praising it for the times when it goes out of its way to subvert it and be inclusive.
You can't reduce it to the pedo-stuff, yes, but you can't argue that the pedo-stuff isn't there prominently.
Guess I'd better cancel Cthulhu Saves Christmas since I don't want to hurt the VN genre.
(It has a Persona-inspired life sim element that is presented in a VN format, along with the more traditional JRPG dungeon crawling).
Guess I'd better cancel Cthulhu Saves Christmas since I don't want to hurt the VN genre.
(It has a Persona-inspired life sim element that is presented in a VN format, along with the more traditional JRPG dungeon crawling).
That's a gym uniform. I get it is used very often for pervy shit but that's just a school uniformHonestly VNs themselves are what's hurting the VN genre's reputation. If a parody like this ends up being actually funny, it can only help it. VN fans love to act like the good serious VNs are the only true representation of the genre but it doen't take a genius to see how flooded it is with pedobait waifu trash. Hell, even many of the widely recommended "real" VNs can often have creepy shit that deters people from playing them much more than an ironic parody ever will.
Cthulhu Saves the World did irreparable damage to the JRPG genre. Please, western dev rethink your actions and do not sully this proud genre /sGuess I'd better cancel Cthulhu Saves Christmas since I don't want to hurt the VN genre.
(It has a Persona-inspired life sim element that is presented in a VN format, along with the more traditional JRPG dungeon crawling).
i've heard a lot of bad shit about DM but didn't realize it was vn-first. i'd managed to make myself forget that fujoshi exist
so yeah not contesting what you're saying. i just think it would be good for people to have awareness that the genre isn't solely a vehicle for creepy stuff (well, and that there are vns not even remotely about romance/sex)
I would strike VA-11 Hall-A out of that list, given the 10-years-old looking sexbot that appears on it.
Seriously though, this is like the only site I frequent that has no problem with her. I recall reading an abandoned VA-11 Hall-A Let's Play in the Something Awful forum and pretty much everyone was completely disgusted by her inclusion.
i have it! i've been putting off playing it though because i hear it's super long and ADHD makes vns already take a long time for me to readIt doesn't really compare to the games you mentioned, but since it's never good to let a chance slip to recommend this game, you should check out "House in Fata Morgana" if you haven't yet! It's one of the best Visual Novels ever translated into English and one of the high points of the genre for sure. That's absolutely the VN that proves how powerful a way the Visual Novel is in conjunction of art and sound and pacing to convey a story, no smut or trash whatsoever.
i don't think the presence of a problematic element in a work is necessarily an endorsement of suchSeriously though, this is like the only site I frequent that has no problem with her. I recall reading an abandoned VA-11 Hall-A Let's Play in the Something Awful forum and pretty much everyone was completely disgusted by her inclusion.
Regardless of the original point they were trying to get across, her inclusion is still creepy and pandering to me and I'll threat it as such.i don't think the presence of a problematic element in a work is necessarily an endorsement of such
imo it's pretty in line with the rest of the dystopian cyberpunk stuff in that game. it's perhaps a bit masturbatory, but here's a writeup by one of the authors on her
Seriously though, this is like the only site I frequent that has no problem with her. I recall reading an abandoned VA-11 Hall-A Let's Play in the Something Awful forum and pretty much everyone was completely disgusted by her inclusion.
Not really an improvement as far as I'm concerned. Although I must concede it's one of the few times I've seen a sex-positive sex worker depicted in fiction, as bizarre as that may sound.She's not a "sexbot", she's a fully sapient artificial being, who is a sex worker who enjoys her line of work and has found her niche (in creeps).
Not really an improvement as far as I'm concerned. Although I must concede it's one of the few times I've seen a sex-positive sex worker depicted in fiction, as bizarre as that may sound.
She's not a "sexbot", she's a fully sapient artificial being, who is a sex worker who enjoys her line of work and has found her niche (in creeps).
She's not a "sexbot", she's a fully sapient artificial being, who is a sex worker who enjoys her line of work and has found her niche (in creeps).
Yeah, not used no more in modern schools, but for the 90s and below it was the norm, and what many of the artists from those generation experience in their childhoods. It isn't a surprise that they will carried that design into their work, plus doesn't Higurashi takes place in the 80s.That's a gym uniform. I get it is used very often for pervy shit but that's just a school uniform
Been a while but I think it doesYeah, not used no more in modern schools, but for the 90s and below it was the norm, and what many of the artists from those generation experience in their childhoods. It isn't a surprise that they will carried that design into their work, plus doesn't Higurashi takes place in the 80s.
Are reviews out yet for the KFC Visual Novel. It would be humourous if it turned out good.
Even if more likely it's going to turn out like those Burger King games from the Xbox 360 days.
Will do.You are welcome to feel that way, just don't call her a sexbot. It's rude.And yes, this has been mostly tongue in cheek. But seriously, don't call her a sexbot.
Same deal with those blue school swimsuits, am I correct? I think they were also turned into a fetish thing also subsequently replaced.Yeah, not used no more in modern schools, but for the 90s and below it was the norm, and what many of the artists from those generation experience in their childhoods. It isn't a surprise that they will carried that design into their work, plus doesn't Higurashi takes place in the 80s.
Who a writer made the conscious decision to make look 10 years old and be a sex worker. In my eyes there's nothing wrong with a writer making commentary on that kind of stuff but let's not try to handwave it into something it's not.
I..... I don't think that helps put this situation in a positive light my friend.
I just want to know if I can date the fryer or whatever this dude on the right is.
I must've misunderstood you then, I thought you were saying I made up that part about her finding her niche. It's been a while since I played the game but I took that screenshot when I got that conversation because I couldn't believe that they went there.