160°

15 Single Player Games That Divided Fans

One way or another, these games provoked strong reactions.

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gamingbolt.com
banger8835d ago

I don't think Days Gone divided fans. For the most part, gamers loved it. It was the reviewers who were divided. Self-loathing racist pieces of shit that took exception to the main character being white. This was a fantastic game, one of the best open-world games I ever played, and I've played them all.

Cacabunga35d ago (Edited 35d ago )

Second you on this.. I had absolute blast playing this game!! Memorable!

TLOU 2 I thought was utter s***.. I still haven’t finished it and stopped about halfway (apparently).

It wasn’t fans divided around The Order, it was a period where xbox fanboys were thinking Rise was a more engaging game so they were spreading a lot of hate..
Today they are hibernating with nothing to play
The Order was short, no denying, but a great game with huge potential

shinoff218335d ago

I enjoyed days gone and last of us 2. PeoPke trippin.

I always thought the order was kinda whack seeming so I never tried it. Id like to now though.

Jon6158635d ago

No thr order was a short, clunky mediocre yet visually stunning game. I thoughts so and pretty much every other reviewer did too.

thorstein34d ago

The Order, where length was a criterion for rating a game, but only this particular game and no others.

Demetrius35d ago

I agree on my 2nd playthrough, ps5 this time

RavenWolfx35d ago

While I enjoy what is there in Days Gone, I mourn what was lost. The first trailers for Days Gone showed a morality system that looked interesting. For example, in the beginning when you are chasing down Leon and after you caught him, you could choose to shoot him or leave him for the freaks. You can see hints of it in other places, like if you catch a bandit unaware sometimes they will disarm and it seems like Deacon had the option to shoot them or let them go (he automatically lets them go).

Crows9034d ago

Whatever...those systems unless revolutionary don't add much...they rarely do in games that do have them.

anast35d ago

For the most part, when it comes to Last of Us 2, incels, homophobes, and closet national socialist types didn't like it. I repeat not all, but most.

Days Gone is a great game and it was attacked by the leftist socialist people that are actually closet fascists. As a great poet once said: "Socialism is the mother of fascism."

The Order got hit from anti-Sony Xbox fans.

Out of these 3, Last of Us 2 stands above as being a work of art. It's still generating a ton conversation to this day.

coolbeans35d ago (Edited 35d ago )

-"Last of Us 2, incels, homophobes, and closet national socialist types didn't like it. I repeat not all, but most."

It's so weird & cringe to see other gamers paint this broad brush of *who* didn't like Part II. Why take the "most who disagree with me are Hitler" type of mentality over game tastes?

-"The Order got hit from anti-Sony Xbox fans."

No other community I've dabbled in - be it social media or gaming forums - has built up such a dedicated defense for The Order like N4G. This attitude fundamentally blows my mind, especially in the face of similar older titles (hello Uncharted 1) that already did a marginally better job at storytelling and gameplay. It almost feels like some N4G group chat made this reflexive defense as a meme and a bunch of posters are still playing along with it. No offense to genuine Order fans, but I simply can't shake that feeling.

Yui_Suzumiya34d ago

Well to be fair, I remember being only one of a few people on this site that actually praised The Order when it for came out and got alot of flack for it. Over time it seems opinions have changed about it.

anast34d ago (Edited 34d ago )

saying something is "cringe" doesn't prove me wrong. You just throw words out and hope they stick. Bring some evidence to prove me otherwise.

I got:

Letizi, R., & Norman, C. (2023). “You Took That From Me”: Conspiracism and Online Harassment in the Alt-Fandom of The Last of Us Part II. Games and Culture, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/155...

You're up. Maybe you can change my mind.

Because NG4 defended it doesn't mean NG4 is the gospel of gaming.

thorstein34d ago

Yeah Yui, it was "the game to hate" at the time. What was bizarre was the, as usual, journalists that were lying about the game and their stories were approved.

It was all clickhate all the time for the Order. I defended it too.

coolbeans34d ago

@Yui

-"I remember being only one of a few people on this site that actually praised The Order when it for came out and got alot of flack for it."

That could've been the case right at release, but you should see more recent opinion articles on here. There's a pretty substantial cadre who defend it on here as being "unfairly tarnished" that I simply don't see elsewhere.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 34d ago
Skuletor35d ago

Most of the backlash against The Last Of Us 2 was people upset that Joel was killed off, simple as that.

anast34d ago

There is that too, but the other groups pilled on too, which increased the numbers. I really don't see why we have to ignore everything but Joel being killed.

Inverno34d ago

I didn't like Part 2 and I'm not any of. The game sold like crazy, it's just hard for people to understand that most found the story to be arse.

anast34d ago (Edited 34d ago )

Prove what I say is wrong. I will need evidence. I didn't not say all. Your exception rule doesn't work. Find evidence that counters mine. So, we can have a real discussion.

Inverno34d ago

There are plenty of legitimate criticism in hours long analysis videos and reddit posts actually critiquing Part 2. The people you're talking about are such a minority, and they attack just about everything because they see the "wokeness" in the most subliminal ways. They're insignificant because the game still sold pretty well, and reviewed well regardless. Keep in mind the game released world wide, and western politics and views can't be applied to every corner of the world. I can agree that Days Gone was attacked, and unlike Part 2, due to these sites being so heavily political biased it did do some damage.

anast34d ago

I am at least showing the group was large enough of a concern for a journal to publish an article.

Where's your evidence?

Crows9034d ago

He's not looking for evidence. Don't bother with him.

Crows9034d ago

The last of us part 2 was bad story wise. Not some nonsense that you speak of...most of the negative people were random...lots of the critical reception from anything other than mainstream journalism thought that the game had huge problems.

Angry Joe and skill up being prime examples of that...unless of course like most socialists out there you wanna just lable people.

anast34d ago (Edited 34d ago )

Where's your evidence?

Crows9034d ago

@anast

Oh geez...Twitter is full of trolls...common sense.
The YouTube critics I mentioned are innocent till proven guilty. And proven with facts not opinions. I gave you evidence of 2 prominent youtubers and yet you ask for more...either you can't read or you aren't looking for evidence.

As far as groups being "large" for journos to get their panties all tied up...well then again you must be extremely gullible. As if we haven't seen thousands of articles claiming players are offended, angry or backlashing based solely on 1 or 2 posts. They love grabbing very specific individuals and using them to represent a much larger base....whatever is convenient to them making the case that gamers bad and journos good.

coolbeans34d ago (Edited 34d ago )

-"saying something is "cringe" doesn't prove me wrong. You just throw words out and hope they stick. Bring some evidence to prove me otherwise."

It doesn't "prove" it, but I have a solid success rate with the term - which seems to be the case here too. With regards to your article, I should break this down into parts:

1.) For starters, bleating for countering "evidence" after brandishing a media analysis paper (or papers) shouldn't be treated as some kind of trump card. That's not to say these researchers did nothing, mind you. Only that expecting counter-ideologies within this field who'll make this specific kind of work for TLOU Pt. II is absurdly demanding on its face. Nevermind the probability of non-progressive types getting the administrative approval being next to nil, but that's another can of worms.

2.) While I have critiques about x or y (some anecdotes being more flimsy than others, GG speculation, etc.), let's say for this argument that it's a solid piece overall. Having read the whole thing, there is literally *NOTHING* that validates the broad brush with which you painted TLOU2 critics in your first comment (speaking as someone who thinks it's a good game). The discussion about alt-fans, anti-fans, etc. does paint an ugly picture about the TLOU subreddit, Twitter users, certain YouTubers, and more; however, there's no positive declaration about TLOU2's critics ending at these particular clusters either. Even if you say "most, not all" in your first comment, that still seems overly broad compared to the text I read. (EDIT: That's not to disregard the nastiness or modest size in its own right.)

It's also worth noting how much of that paper's material is inspecting a pre-/at-release sort of backlash. But the game's been out for several years now. More and more people who AREN'T incels, homophobes, closet Nazis have played it past 2020 and you don't really see this new broad consensus about its accomplishments; in fact, you see more of a continued split over whether or not it deserves such monumental praise. Here's just a few other sub-communities near its release that don't fit your description:

- https://www.youtube.com/wat...
- https://www.youtube.com/wat...
- https://www.youtube.com/wat...

-"Because NG4 defended it doesn't mean NG4 is the gospel of gaming."

Correct, but you're just solidifying my point. Even PS fans elsewhere (social media or gaming forums) don't go to bat for The Order with the enthusiasm and consistency they do here in my experience. That's what makes your assessment of "anti-Sony Xbox fans" so fascinating to me.

anast33d ago

1) Speculation and emotion

2) Speculation and emotion

2a) Might be an argument if you gave me something other than your own opinion and emotions over the subject, but it's left as an anecdote without any real research. By the way, we can't negate the at release behavior, because it fits your narrative. It existed and those groups were involved.

The article is not a trump card and the fact that you seem to think so is more troubling on your end than mine. The article was to see if you could find other people that researched this phenomenon and we can have a conversation, but you still refuse to do this. Instead you wrote a sermon, which is a shame because maybe you had something with point "2a: It's also worth..." But this point still tries to side step actual events.

The final point doesn't solidify anything unless you are trying to solidify your own opinion. Albeit, it is passive aggressive, which is strange.

coolbeans33d ago

-"Speculation and emotion"

I mean... okay? Where am I wrong on 2.) though? Asking for a conflicting media studies research paper on this specific topic is already a random ask, given the environment with which these are made.

-"Might be an argument if you gave me something other than your own opinion and emotions over the subject, but it's left as an anecdote without any real research."

Wait. Just so we're clear: a research paper that focuses most of its attention towards a subreddit and social media comments to Neil Druckmann means you get to sustain your overly broad claims while contrary social media sources that don't exhibit the same kind of "alt-fan/anti-fan" rhetoric can't be counted? Now I feel even more confident in my initial assessment b/c all you're after is just whatever can be found with some accreditation behind it - regardless of quality.

-"By the way, we can't negate the at release behavior, because it fits your narrative. It existed and those groups were involved."

That's the thing: I never said they wasn't a sizable contingent of that either. From the start, my response was just how wild it was to paint *MOST* detractors with such a broad brush. I still don't think I'm off-base in saying it's cringe to just say "most people who shit on x game are closet Nazis or bigots of some sort," especially when your research doesn't really validate that.

-"The article is not a trump card and the fact that you seem to think so is more troubling on your end than mine."

Bro, you literally responded with "Bring some evidence to prove me otherwise.... You're up. Maybe you can change my mind." I don't really see how I'm speaking out of turn there given this and your original comment.

-"The article was to see if you could find other people that researched this phenomenon and we can have a conversation, but you still refuse to do this."

If no other people *HAVE* researched this phenomenon, then I don't see how the next best option is highly-popular sources which counter your original claim. Given that all you're promoting is a media studies paper hyper-focusing on a specific cluster of media, why wouldn't other forms of media work as some kind of substitute? That's not side-stepping events in the slightest.

-"The final point doesn't solidify anything unless you are trying to solidify your own opinion. Albeit, it is passive aggressive, which is strange."

I don't know what that first sentence means, honestly.

Look, I'll just put it like this: try to have a frank conversation about The Order on some other non-N4G gaming forum. There isn't going to be this clean split between 'Sony fans' and 'Xbox fans' that love it or hate it. Ask Sony fans how they'd feel about paying full-price for it and you're not going to get the ardent defenses compared to some of its most popular comment sections here.

anast33d ago

Still no evidence. I ask for you to bring contrary evidence, so maybe I might change my mind, all research can be falsifiable. This is what you are missing. We are thinking in two different universes.

You are writing sermons, which is a waste of everyone's time including yours. Bring some research and we will discuss it. As of now you have only brought superstitions.

coolbeans32d ago

-"I ask for you to bring contrary evidence, so maybe I might change my mind, all research can be falsifiable."

But I literally read YOUR evidence and it doesn't support the broader claims you made at the start. I'm not sure where else to go with that.

-"Bring some research and we will discuss it. As of now you have only brought superstitions."

Bro, leveraging this kind of language is so wild in the face of what you've provided. It's like unless those different communities I linked where fused together in a random media studies paper, you'd magically consider it valid. I don't understand how you're leveraging that, especially when it doesn't fortify your initial claim. You're basically retorting to me writing too much, regardless of the content itself. Just the oddest conversation with you thus far and I don't quite get it.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 32d ago
D0nkeyBoi35d ago

Amazing gameplay, but TLOU2 had one of the worst, most convoluted and uneccessary plots I ever seen in a sequel. Terrible story and the characters were forgettable. I didn't give an F about anyone in the story.

Inverno34d ago

I don't think any of these divided fans, other than LoU2. The rest were either victims of biased reviews or just generally agreed that they weren't as good as they could've been or just overall disappointing.

290°

Insider claims Starfield could come to PS5 in 2025 after more Xbox games 'this holiday season'

Well regarded insider, NateTheHate, has said that more Xbox games could be coming to PS5 'this holiday season' followed by Starfield in 2025.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
ThinkThink1d 5h ago

The latest rumor is flight simulator 2024 is heading to PS5 this year.

romulus2317h ago

That would be a great game to go multiplat. I would definitely pick that one up on PS5.

OtterX13h ago(Edited 13h ago)

That would be an absolutely fantastic score for PSVR2 if they have any VR support plans! MS Flight Simulator (2020) is one of my favorite VR experiences over on PC. Not so much a game, but one hell of a VR experience!

M3talDiamond6h ago

Where is this guy I havent seen him on N4G much lately?

OtterX5h ago

@M3talDiamond - I've been around, just not as much. Fam visiting, and been helping an indie team release a game, so that took a lot of focus. Thanks for noticing! haha

Skate-AK4h ago

I think they were talking about fr0sty's link.

OtterX3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

@Skate-AK ah ok, I was confused as heck, didn't even know if I should respond bc I legit just came off of an N4G hiatus. XD

So he just responded to the wrong person, gotcha. I hadn't even seen or clicked on Obscure's link til now!

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3h ago
Ethereal1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

I'd be all over this.

Knightofelemia1d 4h ago

Even if the rumor was true and if that did happen. I still wouldn't play or own a game that is classified as open world just to run into invisible force fields.

Rebel_Scum15h ago

Then what is your solution to open worlds that obviously have to have a point where they must end?

Knightofelemia4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

@Rebel_Scum

Really? Do you even need an answer to your question? The point to open world games is not to run into invisible force fields but to explore ever nook and cranny of the game hence the term open world.

Barlos14h ago

Same here. I won't be buying any Microsoft Games game

Notellin10h ago

Wow you're such a tough and smart guy taking that stance! You're really changing the world Barlos.

helicoptergirl7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

I hope you don't mean any and all Xbox games.

If you do mean all of their games, then why not buy a game you're interested in? MS are a 3 Trillion dollar company. People with your stance are not going to make a dent, so you might as well take advantage and enjoy playing on Playstation (the best place to play) with their games AND Xbox games. Who cares about giving them money? It's killing the hardcore Xbox fan that you even have the opportunity to play Xbox games on playstation. So why not indulge. The more games they sell on Playstation then the more games they will port over in the near future. Certain obscure people will die inside along with many others. I'm laughing all the way to the "Games Bank" and I hope you do too.

4h ago
DaCajun8h ago

Every open world games have invisible walls. So i guess you never play any open world games. If you don't believe me then you've either never played any Open World game or you never explored every corner of an open world game because there is no such thing as a true open world go anywhere game.

Gotta love a troll, just be honest you're a Microsoft hater. It's ok I dislike Microsoft also but at least be honest why you commented.

Neonridr8h ago

remind me of an open world game that went on forever.. I'll wait.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4h ago
isarai1d 3h ago

If it came to ps+ ill try it, but im certainly not spending my money on it. I wanted this game to be awesome and it just seems so incomplete

Barlos14h ago

Exactly. It's fine to rent it on Xbox so why should they expect people to actually buy it on PlayStation? They don't deserve your money.

4h ago
Neonridr8h ago

kinda like No Man's Sky when it first released.. amazing how updates can change a game, huh? Zero reason why this game couldn't be more fleshed out with updates and add-ons.

mkis00734m ago(Edited 34m ago)

Bethesda doesnt have a history of supporting their games after paid dlc ends for very long...certainly not in the realm of no mans sky's free ( all of them) updates and additions.

Destiny10801d 2h ago

send phil, some more dev kits

we need all xbox exclusives games ported before phil shuts them down

neutralgamer199218h ago(Edited 18h ago)

We were often ridiculed by Xbox enthusiasts, but it’s essential to understand that Microsoft's $100 billion investment was aimed at generating profit, not merely pleasing fans with Day 1 Game Pass releases.

Microsoft should consider releasing all its games, including flagship titles like Halo and Gears of War, on PlayStation. This strategy would maximize revenue while still releasing games day one on GP, money which could then be reinvested into the future of Xbox. While a few loyal fans might be upset, this approach makes the most business sense in the long run. Even put forza on PS5 get the sales. On Xbox gamers get these games day on GP while other platforms pay full price. Win win

nzjono17h ago

Huh? "We were often ridiculed by Xbox enthusiasts" Its the other way around, their ship is sinking, and they have known this for some time.

neutralgamer199216h ago

Once these acquisitions were announced, many Xbox fans felt that the primary aim was to take games away from PlayStation. Any suggestion that Microsoft wanted to maximize its return on their $100 billion investment was often dismissed with claims that Microsoft doesn’t need PlayStation or Nintendo to profit from these acquisitions.

Historically, Xbox operated independently within Microsoft, for better or worse. However, with such a significant financial commitment, Microsoft's goal is clearly to maximize revenue. They can still release these games on Game Pass at launch and also sell them at full price on other platforms. While some Xbox fans might react negatively if Xbox games appear on PlayStation, from a business perspective, it makes sense to leverage a platform with a much larger install base.

Phil Spencer and his team are under pressure to grow revenue and profit. It is becoming increasingly clear that achieving this growth solely within the Xbox ecosystem is challenging. Many Xbox gamers now expect Microsoft to cover the costs of games through Game Pass, rather than purchasing them outright. Considering that Xbox, now in its fourth generation, accounts for only 15-20% of overall software sales while its competitors are setting sales records, it is crucial for Microsoft to explore broader strategies to ensure profitability.

Notellin10h ago

You clowns were never ridiculed by Xbox enthusiasts. They are the underdogs and a massive minority and that statement is made up nonsense.

You guys need to quit playing victim in the fake war of console wars. The loudest fans are PlayStation fans and it's not even close.

neutralgamer19926h ago

The celebration of Activision's acquisition was met with enthusiasm, and any concerns about recouping that investment were dismissed with immature remarks. It's clear that PlayStation has a significantly larger fan base, a fact underscored by the fact that all their home consoles, except for the PS3, have sold over 100 million units. A larger fan base naturally leads to a more substantial online presence.

It’s absurd to label a company that has just spent $100 billion as an underdog.

I don't have a preference for any particular platform (I use a PC), but calling out issues shouldn't label someone a hater or a fanboy. If we can't discuss matters affecting all gamers maturely, we're missing the point.

Publishers are motivated by profit and see us all simply as gamers, regardless of platform. Their goal is to divide us and exploit us, but we often do a better job of dividing ourselves.

In 2024, we should be united to stand against unfair policies from publishers. Instead, we're arguing and failing to acknowledge when our preferred platforms make mistakes. We need to come together for the betterment of the entire gaming community.

Show all comments (59)
120°

Starfield's new Xbox performance modes are thoughtful and comprehensive

Digital Foundry : Bethesda's Starfield was generally a well-regarded RPG, but the game's 30fps target on consoles was the subject of some controversy. The game's massive scope arguably justified that 30fps refresh rate, with only high-end PCs capable of hitting 60fps and higher, but now Bethesda has changed course and opened the floodgates on Xbox Series X consoles following significant optimisation work. Players can now independently select performance and visuals modes at arbitrary frame-rates. How exactly do these new combinations fare, and is 60fps really a possibility after it was explicitly ruled out before?

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
darthv721d 18h ago

900p in performance mode for SX.... I'd assume a 5pro would at least hit 1080p if not more.

jwillj2k41d 18h ago

It’s a point, click and load game. Stop with all the massive scale bullshit. Only thing massive is the number of junk items they decided to throw in the game.

Armaggedon1d 12h ago

Its not BS. This games running more systems than virtually any AAA game. Why else do you think it has loading screens? Besides, the clutter has been apart of their DNA for decades at this point. There are other games out there for people that dont care about that kind of stuff.

Mr_cheese1d 8h ago

Probably because it's been created on a very outdated engine that isn't designed to fully utilise current gen abilities.

You've only got to look at what rockstar games achieve with their releases.

Armaggedon1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

@Mr_Cheese People keep saying the engine is outdated, even though other engines have built upon past iterations. I think it would be more accurate to say that the engine does not do what you expect to see from a “current gen” game. Red Dead 2 was cool, but its not packing as many systems and permutations as Starfield. People make flimsy comparisons too often: “Look what this open world game can do with its visuals and presentation. Whats Bethesdas excuse?”

Yes, look at what this open world game can do that has no skills or attributes, no building potential and minimal crafting potential, coupled with all of the other variables packed in a Bethesda game. Not mentioning all of the other systems in place, you already have an unbelievable amount of potential variables to calculate. No wonder starfield has loading screens.lol
Heck, I would say that even Fallout 4 in 2015 had more systemic depth than Red Dead 2. It amazes me how much people underestimate Bethesda. Keep sleeping on them.

Mr_cheese22h ago(Edited 22h ago)

RDR2 is a living, breathing world with dynamic weather, full interiors, changing landscape with unscripted encounters, multiple onscreen npcs, wildlife, all with their own functions, animations, skins.

I wouldn't disregard one for the other.

Bethesda is notorious for operating on an outdated engine.

We could even use cyberpunk as an example of a fully open world game with multiple levels of variants.

Edit

Played the majority of Bethesda titles, not sleeping on them, just noticing a pattern

Armaggedon14h ago(Edited 14h ago)

@Mr Cheese

Rant inbound. Dont blame you for not reading.

I honestly think their notoriety with the engine is here-say sprinkled with a bit of confirmation bias over the years. For example from a typical naysayer: “Bethesda games have lousy performance and their gameplay is outdated, therefore their engine must be outdated.”

There was one journalist/Youtuber that mentioned something interesting. He was breaking down the negativity behind Bethesda, and mentioned that if there is an issue, its not Bethesda’s engine….its Bethesda.

If there is an issue, it is that Bethesda are very ambitious and seek to prioritize testing themselves to see how much stuff they can put into a game and still have it function without crashing. This ambition can cause them to forget their core audience, and pay attention specifically to what they want. I think thats one of the key reasons why BG3 is so beloved by people, its because the game was in a form of early access for years, and is literally built on the feedback of those that were able to access it. People who play Bethesda games are looking mostly for “meaningful” exploration, cool loot, and environmental storytelling, but Bethesda has honestly been shifting gears recently. It seems they want to focus on terraforming the open world rpg further via building and crafting.

I think Starfield is an example of a solid game, alienating the expectations of the core audience. Bethesda wanted to make this game for years, and they sought out to achieve their ambitions, rather than service their audience. The “problem “ with Starfield is that it is a clash of design philosophy, ery similar to Fallout 76. You just dont try to fit a Bethesda game with all of its variables into a multi world, multi landing zone game space. But they tried it anyway, hence the loading screens and othe supposed issues. I admire their ambition, and I love Starfield, ut I can understand where people that dont like the game are coming from. I just wish naysayers understood the true nature of this game.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 14h ago
120°

Starfield Update 1.11.36 - May 15, 2024

Starfield’s latest update is here and it’s bringing several new features with it!

Read Full Story >>
bethesda.net
Silly Mammo1d 21h ago

Is that Laszlo Cravensworth aka Jackie Daytona, the human bartender?

CobraKai1d 19h ago

He looks like modern day Jason Lee Scott