Topic: Unpopular Gaming Opinions

@BAMozzy The content filters are for more than younger players, I’m an adult, but I still don’t plan on playing a game if it has excessive profanity or something like that. If you read why Gears of War has a filter for gore/swearing, it’s because he says he knows different players have different preferences/ lees on those those things and he has respect for those different players. It’s not just a think of the children thing. It’s just for different preferences. A lot of games have the option to turn blood on and off so it’s basically that expanded.
I don’t like answer “it’s just not meant for you” either, there plenty of games where everything but something like that is for me in the game.

@Jaz007 Its still for self censorship - whether you do it for streaming, for playing in front of kids or because you don't want to hear/see the swearing/blood gore - kind of like censoring a film for TV broadcasts - that's still very different from the rating of a game and affecting that. The point I was making was from the perspective of 'ratings', kids paying games that are rated above their age and being a parent. Its a separate issue if you, as an adult, want to PG a game for personal reasons for your own gaming. Its nothing new as some games offered the opportunity to turn blood green but that still shouldn't affect the rating or whether kids should be allowed to play these games underage.

@BAMozzy I agree in consistency across all ratings for games.

I think ratings and so in games is a big deal and I feel for parents (like myself) who have to police this kind of thing. It really isn't the same as the early nineties hysteria - a bit of blood or gore or some adult scenes etc. in games. These, I think, can be done via ratings and logic/better education. It is more that technology is moving very quickly and I think it is a struggle to keep up. I bought my young daughter Sing Star Celebrations for her birthday recently (why on earth I did this, I have no freaking idea). As it is on the Playstation, I set it all up. As you go through the process, be default you are set up to share your videos and performances online, you have to opt out as opposed to in. You can opt in with one click of a button. You can also post online really easily and make in game purchases. Now, I'm obviously interested in this kind of thing so got the setup but you would be surprised how many parents probably wouldn't understand these things. So I think education and tools for parents to manage is a good thing.

I don't subscribe to the, parents should do better and it is their fault. That is like saying it is your fault if you get mugged because you have nice clothes. It's not your fault, it is the fault of the person that preys on you. I feel the same and I feel publishers and manufacturers, who profit from predatory behaviour, need to make things as transparent as possible.

@Welkin96
Yes, my wife was quite dissapointed with the end of Persona 5. Some small spoilers ahead. She was very much enjoying the story with me. All was a nice change with a personal story and bringing people to justice, helping people come to terms with their past, etc.

Then at the very last second it turned into a generic, 'Save the world,' job that went completely over the top. Saving the country from corruption was a fun overarching plot but when it was dropped near the end in favour of the usual overused save the universe silliness, it was a shame and seemed to be a wasted opportunity to us. I felt like it had some real potential to be one of the best game plots out there.

This is a very dangerous thread! Most of mine have already been said. Enjoying the love for Sleeping Dogs.

I've never got on with 3D Mario. Granted the last one I played was Super Mario Galaxy, but I've just never enjoyed them. Given the popularity of 3D Mario games though, it seems like this is my problem rather than Mario's, so he can probably relax.

Also, I don't think Lara Croft did anything for female characters in games, and in fact held them back for many years. Only now with the likes of Aloy are we seeing female characters done right, in games that are considered AAA.

I would like most of the games to stick to something like high-end Gamecube graphical standards.
Today there are huge amounts of games that falls into two distinct categories: indie games with ugly 8 bit graphics (I love pixel art but I don't accept anything less good than 16 bit quality) that can be great games but often are painful to look at, and games with graphics so detailed, polished and pushed to the limits that it is often not really sustainable by developers, so either they risk to go bankrupt if their game don't become the absolute best selling out there or they fill the game with loot boxes and other odious means to drain more money from players. Developing times also becomes too long and the quantity of games become smaller. There are not many good games that you can choose, there are only a few absolutely greatest games that either you like or you are screwed because you have no other choice.
I like good graphics but I really feel like pushing this thing so much is not good for the bigger picture. And on the other hand many indie and/or low budget games looks really too bad, so much bad that I can't enjoy them even if they are great in other ways. I really feel like developers, and the gaming world as a whole, has completely lost any healthy sense of proportion and I fear that things will get even worse.

@Rudy_Manchego Couldn't disagree more. Parents should do better and monitor what their kids are playing and watching. Most just don't care to or are too weak to deny their child whatever they want.

My girl is 11; as a good couple of examples - I'd say that 70% of the kids her age in her classes have seen the first Deadpool movie, many are already playing Fortnite. While I think she could probably cope with it just fine, I find both inappropriate for consumption - so she doesn't get to see/play them.

Parents shouldn't need 'educating' - they should have the wherewithal and interest to seek information on what their children are engaging in; and none of the set up stuff is actually difficult to understand - certainly no more than setting up their phone or strolling through settings on Facebook and the like.

Too many are happy to shirk responsibility as if they have no agency in their child's experiences.

While I agree that transparency is important - wilful ignorance on the part of some parents is also just as significant.

Sorry if that's a bit ranty, but I'm in an office at the moment listening to indignant nonsense as someone's just had a "...my 12 year old spent £700 on Fortnite..." story pop us on their phone - as if it's anything other than a case of the parent being a fool and the child being a thief.

@Rudy_Manchego It should be a big thing and not 'questionable' across media either. I do think that to a degree, slapping an 18 certificate on a game almost makes it 'better' where as with movies, if you can knock it down to a 15, you will get better box office. It comes, I think, from those games that achieve notoriety like Mortal Kombat and GTA.

I do think Publishers/Devs have to take a lot more responsibility too. Especially with games aimed at younger or family games to protect them online and with additional purchases - turned off completely for those accounts that are say 12 for example and under, and off by default with the option to turn on for those over that age. Adult games are perhaps less exempt as the Adults 'Should' know better but even then, I do think they need to be more transparent. It may have some indication of these elements but these are often in the (very) small print on the back.

Certain standards though should be consistent across media. Violence is a difficult one as you can have people being shot in a PG (look at Star Wars or some of the War movies) so doesn't necessarily mean its a 15 - Jurassic Park had someone eaten alive and that was only a 12. Bad language seems to have different levels too - not all 'bad' words are equal and context in which they are used to makes a big difference - as does region. Take the word for a female dog that in context is perfectly fine but can be used both negatively and positively in other context and then there is a slang word for cigarette in the UK that has a much more negative meaning in the US (obviously I won't write that here). There is the F-word that is not always 'bad' (not necessarily good/acceptable in polite company or around young children) but generally it warrants a 15 rating - until you go all Samuel L Jackson and put Mother in front and then its an 18. I could go on but the point is language too isn't simple. Nudity - as long as its not genitalia warrants a 15 and sex too can be a 15 in certain scenarios and depending on how much is shown but it seems more defined and easier to categorise. However, these standards - however they are defined and contribute to age ratings, should apply across all media. If you can watch something with some 'nudity, sex, violence, horror and hear quite a bit of profanity in a 15 rated film, then I really don't understand why these end up as an 18 in gaming. Not only would that uniformity be fair across media, parents can use that as a guideline for gaming purchases too.

I do think that games that younger people can play need more information for parents. I don't think its as important for games aimed at adults or even 'young' adults (15+) as they should have more responsibility for their actions and awareness of online, money etc. I don't think it needs more than a mention - especially if legislation comes in surrounding 'loot boxes' and gambling - again that can be used as an extra criteria in the ratings system - any RNG micro-transaction is considered as 'gambling' and automatically rated as 18. If that affects their sales in areas where gambling is banned, so be it - maybe that will stop it entirely!

@KALofKRYPTON I'll agree with you that parental responsibility is always important. Going back to my own youth, there was always those kids whose parents let them do anything and didn't set boundaries etc. then wondered why they went off the rails or didn't behave. Can't disagree that parents need to take an interest in what their children are doing. Clearly 11 year olds shouldn't be watching Deadpool.

I think the Deadpool example is actually a good one. You might not have seen Deadpool but reading the back of a DVD, watching a quick trailer tells you that there are bad things. LIterally just looking at the front of the cover tells you it is a 15 (in the UK).

Games are no longer that simple and if you aren't into gaming, then understanding what is in a game isn't as simple. Sure there is the ESRB or Pegi rating and that relates to content. It doesn't relate though to online components, what users can share, what others can see, what can be bought etc.

I know a few people who have no idea about gaming - they bought consoles or tablets etc. because it was the must have gift. They want their kids to be safe but they have found it hard seeing what they need to protect against. In my example, on Singstar, I had to opt out of sharing personal videos and I had to go into settings etc. Nowhere on the box did it tell me that it would do this, nor did it make it clear that my kid could literally click on a song and buy it. The UI is purposefully designed to make you do this so more revenue can be earned. Now is it my responsibility to check what my kid is doing? Absolutely, you are totally right. That said, if it isn't made obvious to parents (in the same way that seeing a DVD cover that tells me I need to check before showing to someone underage) then it can be harder to enforce it. I feel that games should advertise what online components are used, what can or needs to be purchased, and what form of monetisation this uses. That's my point - I don't feel that many game companies are that transparent.

Also, kids are devious little beggars, I remember going to great lengths to record Pulp Fiction behind my parents back from Sky back in the day.

@Welkin96
Sadly, not yet. I have told her the plot for Persona 4 is a lot more interesting, will definitely replay it with her if it ever gets a remaster. As fun as 5 was, guessing who the villain is was far too easy by comparison.

Might be a controversial opinion itself but I honestly couldn't care less about game ratings and things like that. I get why they're there, but parenting is a lot more than just controlling what your kids watch/play imo.

I grew up playing the likes of Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter and GTA when I legally shouldn't have, and never had a problem with it.

@Rudy_Manchego
I would argue that it's disingenuous on the part of many parents to claim to be oblivious to what modern gaming entails. I'm 36, and have plenty of friends who had children before I did. I would very much place myself in a generation of gamers. While everyone may not have played, we've seen the most radical advances in technology ever witnessed - and with that the impact on everyday life. So those who claim ignorance of what their kids games are doing - while tapping away at CandyCrush, and FaceBook etc really must be living under rocks.
And even in the event that they don't know - why? Why don't they know? It's certainly not hard to find out...anything at all really.

It's toxic cultural development. Many parents are ready to abdicate their role. So long as someone else is to blame should something go wrong.

Kids are devious - I had a pretty free reign as a kid, but I was well aware of where my boundaries were. I mean, think of that Fortnite example - Can you imagine lifting £700 from your parents wallets when you were a kid? Me neither.

But that kid went right on buying on his old man's card. It wasn't vague - there's no ambiguity. But it comes to a head with the dad blaming the bank, then Fortnite - anyone but the thieving kid.

@roe
ratings are important. A parent's knowledge of their child is anther. Also, they type of content is significant.

The controversial Mortal Kombat of the 90s drew headlines for it's depiction of violence. Of course we all played it as kids anyway.
Compare that to the newest trailer for The Last Of Us, broadcast and streamed and advertised by PlayStation from the biggest game show in the world.

There is no comparison.

OH i know i'm going to get it for this one BUT

i think the Old God of Wars had better combat than the new one

hear me out, i love the new game but i think it's combat was better in the older games, more fluid, faster and all round more fun, plus the behind the shoulder camera can make it hard to judge distance at times and as enemies are all around you means you can get blindsided (and no that stupid arrow doesn't really help) where as the old system allowed to to see all the battlefield

Horizon Zero dawn. After reading so many positive posts about the game I was expecting a great game but its seriously let down by basic flaws. The first you have this big open landscape expecting to climb and run free all over the place. Yet even small areas you are unable to climb due to the lack of yellow rope. The 2nd point that seriously lets down the game is the area which enemy can chase/attack you. Once it reaches its limit you can just fire away knowing you will never get hit. Then it returns to its normal area keeping the damage you have done to it. In most games the damage meter would reset once the enemy returns to its starting position but in Horizon zero dawn they do not do that.

@KALofKRYPTON @Rudy_Manchego My son stole my wifes cedit card details when he was younger, maybe 7 or 8 years of age. Used the money to buy Fifa packs. In total he spent over £150.

He knew he shouldnt have taken the card details thats why he didnt ask, when we had a meeting with the cahms team (my sons Autistic) he didnt understand why we never gave him our bank details and viewed our stance as denying him enjoying the game for no fine reason. So he took the details he needed when we were asleep. He didnt understand that it was money we couldnt afford to fritter away and thought of the card details as a conduit to points.

We obviously hit the roof. I complained to EA afterwards as It was the only outlet after my son and they didnt want to know or offer any assistance, even though I explained the situation and the fact he had bought an EA season pass when he had no interest in any other games and the money was taken without consent. Suffice to say we banned him from the game, computer and games with microtransactions.

I know gaming, Im on the Pushsquare forums. I wasnt expecting him to take the card details and we had the settings on the xbox set to protect him as best we could. Its not always parental responsibility if you dont know whats going on in your kids head.

@themcnoisy Just to be completely clear: This is absolutely not intended to cause offence - but we're having a pretty serious conversation, so...

I wouldn't expect EA to refund you.

Your son acted out of a developmental impediment, where at an age that he should know not to act that way, he acted.

Blame and responsibility are different things. Should your son be blamed for acting in way that he was compelled to do so, through a certain inability to properly asses the situation and young age? No, not really. But he, and the situation is your responsibility.

He knew where to get the cards, how to complete the transaction, how to fully operate your Xbox and TV at 7 or 8 without waking anyone? That's absolutely your responsibility - perhaps EA could have cancelled the pass and refunded you as a goodwill gesture - but not from a position of responsibility.

@themcnoisy did you son know your XBL password then, i'll be honest i have never actually brought anything digitally on the XB1 but i know on the PS4 you can set it so you have to input your password in order to make a transaction so i assume that XBL would be the same (and if not it bloody well should be)

@Fullbringlchigo yeah you can set a password before you can buy stuff on Xbox. I know this as I fell foul of my son buying himself the Lego Movie game while I was at work and I found out very quickly where this setting was.

@themcnoisy I was thinking of you when I wrote my comment as I remember you had shared this with the members. I hope I caused no offence.

My feelings are that that publishers and tech companies should put as much protection as possible for young or vulnerable users. I also think there should be an element of consumer protection as well, in the case of EA, while legally they don't have that responsibility, I think it is good customer service to protect that. This doesn't abdicate parental responsibility, but I think it helps parents do the best job possible.