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The ending in River City Girls...what the hell? (Open Spoilers)
- Thread starter Dust
- Start date
The english is the original.
If that remains the canon one remains to be seen, but seeing as Japan is the rights holder, probably not.
Even if we accept the twist at face value, I still find the ending very unsatisfying.
The implication is that the whole "kidnapping" was a prank played by Mami and Hasebe. It's not clear that the protagonists ever figured this out; even when you encounter them as the final boss, the dialogue is... pointless. At the end, we explicitly beat the tar out of those two (which itself wasn't very satisfying), and kind of fake-cartoon-beat-up Riki and Kunio, then immediately roll credits. So... OK? Now what? Do the girls just go for ice cream? Did they learn anything from all this, or are we back to the status quo? What happens between the two sets of girls?
In spite of everything, I still like our protagonists. If WayForward made a sequel, I'm not sure how they could salvage this ending. Maybe just let Kyoko and Misako have it as their own spinoff series, and leave the other four characters out of it entirely. Just move on.
The implication is that the whole "kidnapping" was a prank played by Mami and Hasebe. It's not clear that the protagonists ever figured this out; even when you encounter them as the final boss, the dialogue is... pointless. At the end, we explicitly beat the tar out of those two (which itself wasn't very satisfying), and kind of fake-cartoon-beat-up Riki and Kunio, then immediately roll credits. So... OK? Now what? Do the girls just go for ice cream? Did they learn anything from all this, or are we back to the status quo? What happens between the two sets of girls?
In spite of everything, I still like our protagonists. If WayForward made a sequel, I'm not sure how they could salvage this ending. Maybe just let Kyoko and Misako have it as their own spinoff series, and leave the other four characters out of it entirely. Just move on.
It really sucks even if it's a meta joke, mostly because women saving men is such a good idea that almost never happens in the medium.
Or since the game uses the unreliable narrator method the sequel could begin with a here's what really happened intro and twist thing around even further
Conversely, it also shows that we can never have a story about women saving men.
Can't we have a game like that before we start comedically subverting that status quo?
Yes, and I think it's utterly stupid. Making a singular joke doesn't make you anything-phobic. A string of samey jokes is required to expose malicious agenda. The whole punching up/down only results in limiting the breath of humor. And to stay on topic: One twist end that puts the girls in a silly light isn't sexist or whatever you imply here. Do the girls get made fun of for being girls over the entire course of tge game? Most certainly not.
I don't think all developers meet in a room and decide on that :/
I absolutely believe Wayforward just wanted to joke about Kunio lore but at the end of the day they made a game that subverted the sadly novel premise it was putting forth. That's worthy of disappointment, and you're too focused on the idea that it has to come from a malicious agenda.
Do you honestly believe that ArcSystemWorks will actually care about this? I mean, the IP doesn't have that much of a presence in the west, so it's highly unlikely that we will get a sequel to RCG.
Finally got the (First?) ending. Eh, it's a bit of a turn, but... think about the credits.
You see Both our protags wake up in school, and they're alerted by the cellphone ring. Which is pretty much the start of the game. Isn't this basically admitting that the whole story is Kyoko's dream of fighting alongside her besty to get the guys they like?
I don't see the "Crazy ex girlfriend" stalker angle from the ending itself. Kunio and Riki act as if they barely know the 2 when they bust in on spa day. It's not "It's those crazy stalkers!" it's more "Hey, 2 girls are here!"
I'll see if getting the last 2 statues I have missing changes my mind. But this part seems like a decently harmless way to deliver a mini-story with a bunch of characters that have decades of stories behind them. To think it really puts our heroines in a bad light, is taking the narrative too seriously. It's like thinking Ash and Pikachu are murders for blasting Team Rocket 12 city blocks away or something.
They STILL beat all the enemies they defeated to get there. Their skills aren't questioned, neither is their dedication. If anything, I still like our mains more than I thought I would, personality wise. They did a lot better with "ripoff Blossom and Buttercup" than I'd expect going in, and they both shows sides of personality, rather than each being 1 dimensional "angry" and "nice" or "good cop" "bad cop" types.
All that said, if Wayforward wanted to release additional story to clear up the canon ending... I wouldn't complain!
You see Both our protags wake up in school, and they're alerted by the cellphone ring. Which is pretty much the start of the game. Isn't this basically admitting that the whole story is Kyoko's dream of fighting alongside her besty to get the guys they like?
I don't see the "Crazy ex girlfriend" stalker angle from the ending itself. Kunio and Riki act as if they barely know the 2 when they bust in on spa day. It's not "It's those crazy stalkers!" it's more "Hey, 2 girls are here!"
I'll see if getting the last 2 statues I have missing changes my mind. But this part seems like a decently harmless way to deliver a mini-story with a bunch of characters that have decades of stories behind them. To think it really puts our heroines in a bad light, is taking the narrative too seriously. It's like thinking Ash and Pikachu are murders for blasting Team Rocket 12 city blocks away or something.
They STILL beat all the enemies they defeated to get there. Their skills aren't questioned, neither is their dedication. If anything, I still like our mains more than I thought I would, personality wise. They did a lot better with "ripoff Blossom and Buttercup" than I'd expect going in, and they both shows sides of personality, rather than each being 1 dimensional "angry" and "nice" or "good cop" "bad cop" types.
All that said, if Wayforward wanted to release additional story to clear up the canon ending... I wouldn't complain!
I also kinda like it to be honest
I mean as other said not only was hinted at throughout the game, the fact that we're seeing it through their lens explains why Mami and Hasebe are out of character and even then as "Lunatics" don't they kinda help point you the right way a couple of times?
I mean as other said not only was hinted at throughout the game, the fact that we're seeing it through their lens explains why Mami and Hasebe are out of character and even then as "Lunatics" don't they kinda help point you the right way a couple of times?
I think that's just because it'll make even less sense to act like they don't know each other in japan, which was the only region where the game that introduced these two as playable characters actually came out
Eh I dunno. The secret boss's dialog actually brings it up so I think it makes more sense than straight up assuming Arcsystemworks would rather potray the actual main character of the franchise as a remorseless asshole for whatever reason
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I really don't see what the problem is. Yeah, they're delinquent female stalkers. That only makes them more interesting and funny and badass.
There's really zero need to read into this as anything other than a funny twist. You play as a pair of badass, deliinquent girls and in the end it turns out the guys they were chasing after aren't into them. It's a twist on old cartoon trope.
There's really zero need to read into this as anything other than a funny twist. You play as a pair of badass, deliinquent girls and in the end it turns out the guys they were chasing after aren't into them. It's a twist on old cartoon trope.
You don't see what the problem is when a story undermines itself for an unfunny joke?
Also, nobody needs to read anything into it. The twist sucks and people are explaining why the twist sucks. Accusing people who are explaining why the ending is terrible as reading too much into it is a lazy, lazy defense. I'm also not sure what twist on an old cartoon trope this is supposed to be and why that would make the ending good.
I don't see the problem when a game that doesn't take itself seriously at all continues not to take itself seriously and does silly things.
Also, nobody's "accusing" anyone of anything or "defending" anything, so don't turn it into an "you vs. me" situation. People have different reads on things, and that's fine. There are games out there that are genuinely sexist or misogynistic. I don't think this is one of them.
As for the cartoon trope -- there are tons of old Loony Tunes cartoons or even Tom & Jerry cartoons, where one of the male characters would go out of their way to rescue or impress a female character. They'd get hit by anvils along the way, run over by trains, chased by dogs etc. etc. only to realize at the very end that she doesn't care for them. It's an age-old twist and that's how I see this.
Oh, okay, because I do actually see the problem. Because when a story doesn't take itself seriously a lot of the time the story ends up being bad. And would you look at that, this game that prioritized having a joke ending over a satisfying one ended up having a bad ending.
It's almost like "not taking itself seriously" isn't a get out of jail free card from criticism.
Can someone explain or tell the story of the series? Or point me to a website or page where I could find information about it?
I only played river city ransom on nes when I was a kid (who didn't even speak English at the time) so I would have never thought that there would be a plot!
Are there other episodes? Do they focus more on the story?
I only played river city ransom on nes when I was a kid (who didn't even speak English at the time) so I would have never thought that there would be a plot!
Are there other episodes? Do they focus more on the story?
ITT: People disappointed that their simplistic head canon didnt happened.
I think is great that they tried to cater to the long time fans, they deserve it.
I think is great that they tried to cater to the long time fans, they deserve it.
The context missing from a lot of the debate here is that it isn't just the protagonists who are psychotic assholes, it's a lot of the characters, including the other pair of girls and the boyfriends, and also most of the entire city.
Not just because we, the player, observe that we're playing a brawler where we are getting in non-stop street-fights for 10 hours straight, with people who are attacking us on sight for no discernible reason, but because that's actually addressed explicitly in the dialogue. Before you get to the third boss, Ryoko straight-up asks Misako what's up with this town, where everyone is a psychopath that can't have an interaction with another person without it turning violent.
The whole game is written about a giant clusterfuck of a city, filled with terrible, violent people.
Some people in this thread are talking about the protagonist like they were virtuous heroes up until one plot twist at the very end, but at no point in the game are they characterized as good people. Play it again, and actually take the story in.
Every 10 minutes you're getting one of the girls making some comment about destroying property without justification, or escalating simple situations straight to violence.
Before you even get to the second boss, you meet a character Misako doesn't recognize at first, then she remembers she used to beat him up and take his lunch money. That's very early in the game.
Were people paying attention to any of the writing before the ending?
The game even opens with the girls in detention. The very first thing the game tells you about them, before you even take control of a character, is that these girls are trouble.
Not just because we, the player, observe that we're playing a brawler where we are getting in non-stop street-fights for 10 hours straight, with people who are attacking us on sight for no discernible reason, but because that's actually addressed explicitly in the dialogue. Before you get to the third boss, Ryoko straight-up asks Misako what's up with this town, where everyone is a psychopath that can't have an interaction with another person without it turning violent.
The whole game is written about a giant clusterfuck of a city, filled with terrible, violent people.
Some people in this thread are talking about the protagonist like they were virtuous heroes up until one plot twist at the very end, but at no point in the game are they characterized as good people. Play it again, and actually take the story in.
Every 10 minutes you're getting one of the girls making some comment about destroying property without justification, or escalating simple situations straight to violence.
Before you even get to the second boss, you meet a character Misako doesn't recognize at first, then she remembers she used to beat him up and take his lunch money. That's very early in the game.
Were people paying attention to any of the writing before the ending?
The game even opens with the girls in detention. The very first thing the game tells you about them, before you even take control of a character, is that these girls are trouble.
Yup, they're wild, violent punks. I wanted to rescue my wild violent punk's boyfriend. Failing that, I wanted a more satisfying ending than this abbreviated joke. I don't see the dissonance there.
I thought it was kinda funny.
I'd say the lunatics are the two girls running around town beating up everyone they see. :P
They're just beat 'em up games.
Except we have no reason to believe they act any different when not around the girls.
There the ones who attack you in the secret ending and we have flashbacks of them always being bullies.
The fuck is this even supposed to mean?
So why did they change the ending in Japan? I'd say those are even more long time fans.
But yeah I guess a stupid joke is worth underwing what would have been a fun subversion of a tired trend.
The entire game is a non-stop string of stupid jokes, so why wouldn't the ending be the same?
Because unlike the other times the joke didn't make me laugh. Just annoyed at the people I'm supposed to be happy about unlocking for some reason.
Give there the series usual heroes I'm guessing that was't the reaction they were going for.
I read about this and it really bums me out. How often do you get to play a game where you can play as a girl trying to save her male partner? The trailers and OP sequence went all in on that so it kind of sucks that they went with the Braid approach in the end.
They can be the butt of a joke, but context matters. In this case the joke is just "ha actually these cool women in a beat em up, a genre where usually they're the victim or a sex object, turn out to just be a lazily used sexist trope. also we're meta!" It's not that hard to see how that can be incredibly disappointing to people who finally saw some decent female representation in a genre where the way they're represented is usually incredibly sexist. It doesn't help that Wayforward has a history of really badly designing/writing female characters, and this looked like it might have been a change from their usual bullshit.
On top of that, it's just a really bad joke.
See what happened with Metroid: Other M. I love Samus' portrayal as this quiet, introvert, thoughtful person. Befitting someone who saw her parents eaten by a space dragon and growing up amongst aliens.
But here comes people with their self-made headcanon and they start shitting on Other M, because Samus wasn't the Master Chief-like badass they wanted her to be.
How is an actual advertised premise "headcanon"? Nobody had any reason to think Kyoko and Misako weren't really Kunio and Riki's GFs until the game released.
That's.........a really gross simplification of the problems people have with Other M, and I say that as someone who doesn't even hate the game that much.
Also I'd say wanting the game to keep the very basic premise it was announced with is pretty reasonable, especially when it originally looked to be a subversion of a trope a lot of people are tired of.
I can't speak for everyone but my main problem with Other M is the way Samus let Adam walk all over her to the point of nearly being killed on multiple occasions.
When a male hero would obey his commander's orders like that he'd be called loyal, honorable, true to his principles, brave. Kinda sexist to assume Samus let herself be 'walked all over'.
Btw ofc Other M has other flaws. I only mentioned the popular issue that related to this ongoing debate.
He literally shot her in the back and left her alone with a Metroid nearby and she still has a positive impression of him afterward.
Yeah, really silly that people expected a game to not have its protagonist be a a bunch of badly written sexist tropes.
The fact that the reveal of Samus being a woman back in the day is one of the most famous wtf moments in gaming shows perfectly how underrepresented strong women are. Nobody was able to imagine a woman doing all that shit.
No wonder people weren't happy when that rare strong female protag was softened. It's the same with her zero suit, that opened the door for the usual sexualization. Hooray.
No wonder people weren't happy when that rare strong female protag was softened. It's the same with her zero suit, that opened the door for the usual sexualization. Hooray.
I love Other M for my own reasons, but naw she was ridiculous in that game. And if a male character acted as she did, I'd think of him just as ridiculous.
That's an interesting take considering they nearly completely ignored the original personalities of almost all the existing characters when making the game and their ending twist was apparently so potentially offensive to "long time fans" that Arc literally changed it. The entire game itself is basically an exercise in officially licensed head canon. I mean that's not necessarily bad, it's still enjoyable. But criticizing players of head canon is hillariously silly in this context.
The scene aside from the text is still identical and it ends with the girls punching them away. They need a legit reason in the narrative for that to happen so they're kind of stuck since they have to make Kunio do something assholely enough to justify their anger
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I think you guys are reading too much into it. I'm not a fan of River City/Kunio and don't know that much about its lore. But obviously, the game wasn't taking itself seriously and the ending suits how not-serious the game is.