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[T0minator]

I don't care however the character model is very ugly and I have no idea why anyone would consciously decide on that for the main protagonist.

My problem with Returnal runs much deeper, the lack of a mid run save and resume, artificially extending a short experience by making players restart everytime (it's a rogue lite duhhh!. As if calling a shit idea by a special name makes it stop being shit).

Just patch the game with a continue where I died and an option for three character settings. Heroine, average chick or ageing granny with man's hair.

You can save mid run, there was a patch awhile ago. This game is seriously awesome. It's my game of the year by far.

The main character doesn't affect the gameplay whatsoever. GOTY material right here. I made a tribute trailer to show some parts of the game for those if you that don't know anything about the game.

 

[gioGAF]

Yes, it bothers me.

On a personal level, I prefer games that have protagonists I like to look at. I can see ordinary anywhere, I want my game characters to be extraordinary. I'm not interested in some out-of-shape everyman or everywoman as the in-game avatar. Fat Thor and grandma can stay home.

I get it if the game is going for realism or a specific narrative, however this game certainly isn't. The trend of injecting the unattractive into games seems to be more prevalent with female characters. Most male characters are still generally idealized versions of reality. However, it seems to have become a crime to have beautiful female characters in game. Now we have chiseled jaws and male-like bodies on most of them, almost like estrogen disappeared.

Humans are supposed to enjoy beauty, despite what "the message" is telling people today.

 

[Honey Bunny]

I've never seen her? him? it? until now, but yes I do! That is one boring ass design.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

I've seen a ton of people saying Returnal is the best game of 2021 on another thread and I distinctly remember a lot of GAFers being triggered by this character's lack of sex appeal and karen'ness in the run-up to release. The idea being, I think, that if developers don't offer up something like Tifa in FF7R they're being.. woke?

Do people still feel that way?
Was it a passing reactionary fad?
Were you, are you, one of them?

Are you, like me, free of triggerdness in this case?

Are you prepared to nail your colours to the mast?

She's a not unattractive, middle-aged white woman. There's nothing wrong with her character and it fits with what you realistically expect a female astronaut to look like (I ain't never seen an astronaut looking like Kim Kardashian).

There are far more obtuse and visually offensive characters in modern games today... *caugh*Saint's Row*cough*

At worst, you can argue Returnal's MC hair channels a sorta stereotypical lesbian look. But again, it's still in-keeping with what you'd intuitively expect for an astronaut who intends to wear full space suit.

 

[TheDreadBaron]

I had a forum fight with some prick on here who thought I shouldn't be able to have an opinion on the matter because I hadn't played the game yet, and of course because it was the wrong opinion. Well I have played the game now you prick, and I like the character a lot. I like the fact she's not a perfect doll waifu, she has grit. It helps me enjoy the game because it brings an element of realism that allows me relate to the character as more than a simple avatar. This comes into play even more sharply in the first person segments that allow you to embody her, if it was some big tiddy anime chick it wouldn't be engaging at all. Selene is awesome, and she'll beat you up.

So kick rocks, dude I argued with.

 

[TheGodfather07]

Nobody actually cares about this stuff. It was simply good ammo for trolling. Actually shows how good the game is when your scraping the bottom of the barrel to troll it.

 

[JayK47]

Not having played the game, I do a little. Given the timing, I can't help but think it was done for woke reasons. If it was released 5 years ago I may not have questioned it.

Everybody seems to really like the game. It may be really good, but I do not have a PS5 and can't play it currently. I am guessing it will be a greatest hit at some point and I can play for cheap.

 

[eastcoastkody]

the thing that kept me away was price and i watched someone stream it on Twitch...and didn't like how the gameplay looked

 

[boomcrab]

Now, now Choomy, I'll have you know I've enjoyed all 41 of... *checks notes*... boomcrab 's posts. I think they are well within their rights to criticise the practices of a forum they've been on for 14 minutes and you're

Neo member takin' shots, is there a more nakedly pointless thing in existence?

Lol fair enough
I mean, I used neogaf for like a decade but never made an account. I dont usually like to take part in the discussion online. Maybe that makes me weird idk. I do the same thing with youtube, Twitter, etc.
I guess that just makes what I eventually say worthless in the end.

 

[NickFire]

Only thing I have against the game is the save mechanic. But that's more of a me not having time / skill for this genre thing, and not really an issue with the game.

 

[TransTrender]

Don't care at all.
The game is still on my 'to buy' list.

 

[kyoji]

Selene is representative of what a real female astronaut would look like about to embark on a space expedition and she looks fine

 

[Portugeezer]

It felt fucking refreshing to play as Selene who looks like an actual female astronaut instead of a waifu in space. Thing is, no one would be talking about what Selene looks like 10 years ago but somehow her looking normal triggers all the incels who complain about the “agenda”.

Selene looks and feels real and her tragedy hits harder because of it.

I agree. Normally the incel name calling is cringy, but it seems appropriate here.

 

[tommib]

I agree. Normally the incel name calling is cringy, but it seems appropriate here.

I cringe typing incel but it applies here.

 

[Banjo64]

A bizarre hill to die on - she always reminded me of classic 80s heroines like Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley (from films I absolutely loved growing up) and given how strong an influence the Aliens universe has on the game, this should come as a shock to no-one.

Nah fam those 2 would get it in the bum hole all night long.

Brienne of Tarth on the other hand would put it in your bum hole all night long.

 

[PuppetMaster]

I went from playing a dozen hours of Death Stranding to Returnal to try to finish it. And my god! Those two games are such polar opposites in how a 3rd person character can move and feel!

I love both games in their own way. Both games are 60fps and silky smooth now. Both have superb animation systems. So it is striking to me how differently they feel!

Death Stranding's character, even when not carrying anything, moves like a bag of rocks! He has such a weight and inertia to his movements. So when I went back to Returnal, it felt like training weights came off! And now I was light as a feather, gliding around making super snappy moves. It was really kind of refreshing.

And despite her plain face, she has a fit body and her animations and moves are damn hot!

 

[Pejo]

I don't like face scanned characters and don't like ugly characters in fantasy situations (like video games). I also don't like 70 dollar rogue lites/roguelikes. The perfect storm some might say.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

I enjoy biased shitty bad faith polls. When the body of your OP is "Does it bother you that she doesn't look like Tifa?" it says more about the frame of mind of the person asking the question than any poll option could.

I voted yes, it bugs me, but not because I can't fap to it and upload my R34 to an incel website. My issue comes more from a chick who looks like she's 50 and would actively ream waitresses if her food wasn't prepared correctly being a space marine.

This isn't one sided criticism, either, as I'd find it equally preposterous if a teeny bopper thick lipped, large chested Spring breaker chick was there, too.

There's gotta be something, even in the woke playbook, that falls between the two points of Jenna fucking Jameson and Mrs. Doubtfire.

 

[Dust-by-Monday]

No, but I'd hold her against me.

 

[yurinka]

I would have prefered a slightly younger, prettier, more femenine woman. And not only me, if you look at the best performing movies, tv shows, games, musicians, etc targeted to a average 25-35 years old audiences there's a prototype that typically works best: a good looking young person.

Or a male, now that Sony is removing all their white male protagonists from their games.

I understand Sony didn't want to make her look too similar to Samus Aran, and that for them is more important to appeal the SWJ marking another check in their diversity representation quota tokenism checklist to be politically correct than to appeal the biggest amount possible of potential customers.

I think she (or whatever pronoun she has if doesn't consider herself a woman) is unappealing and uncharismatic to me. Not a fan of the character, but that's all. It doesn't change the opinion of the game or influences my opinion regarding to buy it or not, the difference is minimal. I can enjoy the game independently of that since most of the time you watch the back of the character.

 

[DeepSpace5D]

I appreciated that Selene looked around the age I would expect an astronaut to be as an ASTRA Corporation explorer. That role seems to require a level of experience that I wouldn’t think a young person would be likely to have acquired yet.

 

[NewYork214]

This is fucking stupid.

 

[KingGhidorah]

to be honest, I'd be more eager, more incentivized if I were playing an attractive female with lots of skin shown

 

[Lethal01]

I'm not triggered, just find her boring, would have probably like her more if she were cooler or more unique looking.

 

[Orpheum]

Fuck no. I don't give two shits about how a character looks like. I care about how a game plays and whether it's fun. Returnal is a great game and you're seriously missing out if you're skipping due to the protagonists looks

A lot of people shat on Control too because of the same thing and that game too is fucking amazing

 

[Tschumi]

This is fucking stupid.

Why? It was something a lot of people complained about, I'm seeing if they still hold those views, I'm pretty stoked that this thread is overwhelmingly against those views, I'm glad to gather voices to say good things about a game that got bullshit attacks based on this before release.

 

[Reallink]

Sexy characters are a lose lose scenario for publishers. They're a unanimous crucifixion and boycott among Era, Twitter, and the press. Meanwhile noted "Alt Right Neo Nazi Forums" like Neogaf largely don't care one way or the other. Makes for a very easy design choice.

 

[JayK47]

Having done some research, I would say I no longer have any interest in this game. Sure, the main character looks boring and bland, but the worst for me is that you reset after each death. No interest in playing Majora's Mask. I hate games that send you back to square one after dying. No thanks.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Nah, not for a new character. If it was sequel and in the previous game the character was sexy, then it might have bothered me.

 

[rofif]

What’s wrong with my girl Selene

 

[Corndog]

It felt fucking refreshing to play as Selene who looks like an actual female astronaut instead of a waifu in space. Thing is, no one would be talking about what Selene looks like 10 years ago but somehow her looking normal triggers all the incels who complain about the “agenda”.

Selene looks and feels real and her tragedy hits harder because of it.

If you want reality does that also extend to the physical abilities of the character?

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Porn exist...I don't go to my video games for sex appeal. I go for a good story. If a character not having sex appeal stops one from enjoying a story/gameplay driven game, I feel bad for them. Maaaaaybe in a game like Catherine I would understand since sex is a driving theme.

 

[Rest]

No. People who masturbate to video games are weirdos and their stupid internet tantrums should not affect gaming in any way shape or form.

 

[Tschumi]

noted "Alt Right Neo Nazi Forums" like Neogaf

We absolutely were that until cryptoadam and co got nuked from orbit earlier this year, another moment of quiet thanks

 

[Tschumi]

I understand Sony didn't want to make her look too similar to Samus Aran, and that for them is more important to appeal the SWJ marking another check in their diversity representation quota tokenism checklist to be politically correct than to appeal the biggest amount possible of potential customers.

I think she (or whatever pronoun she has if doesn't consider herself a woman) is unappealing and uncharismatic to me.

Ps. Glad you enjoyed the game

 

[Kiddo Cabbusses]

Why is this thread acting like this game has the world's first-ever "non-attractive woman in a video game" in it?

Like seriously, women have looked ugly in video games for years. Ms. Pac-Man is literally Pac-Man wearing a bow. Princess Peach in SMB1 has a mouth as big as Bowser's. Many girls from non-Japanese devved fighting games have butterfaces (allegedly done on purpose, from what I recall hearing). And that's just some of the ones where the designs were intentional.

 

[Ryohazuki282]

Yes, I absolutely do. It definitely made me lose interest in the game right from the initial reveal and I haven't been bothered to play it since.

 

[Ryohazuki282]

I should clarify that it was not specifically her looks that turned me off the game - it was the certainty that they purposefully made her appearance that way to push a Woke, liberal, Sarkeesian-loving agenda.

 

[BbMajor7th]

"Average-looking middle-age women aren't really what I want in games."

"How about a average-looking middle age white dude?"

"Now you're talking!"

"With a beard?"

"Yeah!"

"And some gnarly scars? A brooding dark side? A cool storyline where he hurts other guys cause they hurt a woman he cared about?"

 

[NewYork214]

Why? It was something a lot of people complained about, I'm seeing if they still hold those views, I'm pretty stoked that this thread is overwhelmingly against those views, I'm glad to gather voices to say good things about a game that got bullshit attacks based on this before release.

I didn't mean the thread or you specifically. Just the overall idea and complaining about it. Such a non issue

 

[Tschumi]

I didn't mean the thread or you specifically. Just the overall idea and complaining about it. Such a non issue

I see i see, totally with you, i just.. let's be honest it's just a stealth dig at the muppets who do have a problem with her design, and it has been fun to see that most of us feel contempt for that take.

 

[Fare thee well]

There should only be hot anime waifus. No other female characters can fulfill a 40y/o virgin's dreams.

 

[twilo99]

Selene is representative of what a real female astronaut would look like about to embark on a space expedition and she looks fine

According to what authority is that look representative of anything? Are you saying that a sexy looking female can't possible embark on a space expedition? How presumptuous... its rather offensive to be honest.

she was in Gravity.

 

[TheDreadBaron]

I should clarify that it was not specifically her looks that turned me off the game - it was the certainty that they purposefully made her appearance that way to push a Woke, liberal, Sarkeesian-loving agenda.

I hate that woke sarkeesian crap too, but that’s not what this is, and if you start seeing the ghost of anita in every female lead character and letting it effect your enjoyment of good video games then you’re really letting her live rent free in your head.

 

[tommib]

According to what authority is that look representative of anything? Are you saying that a sexy looking female can't possible embark on a space expedition? How presumptuous... its rather offensive to be honest.

she was in Gravity.

Maybe just maybe their reference is real NASA astronauts and not blockbuster Hollywood megastars from the last 10 years.

 

[KingGhidorah]

WTF….GAF turned into ERA all of a sudden

we know the most popular PC mods are bikini mods, so please ….

 

[Vaelka]

No?
Altho I rly think that most characters where the aim is photorealism look weird.
Like they look too real but also not and it makes me a bit uncomfortable.
TLOU2 is probably one of the best I've seen in this regard and I still think that they look odd.
They look really really good and realistic but there's still that thing at the back of my mind that think they look unnatural but are meant to look natural.
It's like those human looking androids even if they look really realistic they still are odd.

My take on characters like these are simply that if attractive and/ or sexualized characters should be allowed to exist then so should these.
The industry is massive and there is a place for everything and everyone.
With that said it does irritate the fucking shit out of me that a lot of people praising characters like these do not return the favor and pester people about characters they don't like.
And what bothers me about it especially is that it's a lot of industry people virtue-signaling about it which makes it more irritating than some random person on a forum.

But I also think that people who act like characters like these or obsess about characters like Abby in TLOU2 need to relax.
I view it about the same as that dude from Digital Foundry who acted like a moron about the Project EVE trailer.

With that said it does irritate me too how predictable and monotonous big Western titles are about this.
It does bother me that we don't get games like Bayonetta or sexualized characters anymore basically at all from Western titles.
And it's not because there isn't a market for it...

Basically.
It feels as if instead of actual diversity all that really happened was that the industry did a complete 180.
It's very annoying how the game industry seems to only be capable of dealing with one thing at a time, it's like we just swing from trend to trend and there's like no room for anything else.

 

[Iced Arcade]

No I don't mind that she looks like unhappy Ellen DeGeneres.

For real people really perv over this stuff?

 

[BlvckFox]

I, for one, refuse to control a character in third person that doesn’t make my pp grow.

 

[Nocturno999]

I usually don't care but this design smells like Woke cult influence plus she looks pissed and not in a good way.