Forgot password?  |  Register  |    
User Name:     Password:    
Blog - General Entry   

IGN Complains New Super Luigi U Has No Story


On 06/27/2013 at 07:01 PM by Casey Curran

See More From This User »

I'm not going to link it because despite the horrible review, the title is all you need to know to be on the same page as the rant. I haven't played Luigi U because I still need to finish Mario, but I'm fine with just getting a bunch of new super hard levels. Complaining that there's no story in a video game, especially a $20 piece of DLC, is idiotic beyond words. 

It should be obvious why. Games are something which can tell stories, but these have never been the focus of the medium. There can be games where story is a central part of it, if not the only one, but these are not the rule of the medium. As much as I love Mass Effect and The Last of Us, I also need the games like Pokemon and Mario where the story doesn't mean anything compared to the gameplay.

In fact, the only real issue I had with the Mario Galaxy games were that there was too much story. The whole introduction I felt could have been better done if used by waiting long enough to see it on the press start screen then have nothing until the end of the game. You know, like Super Mario World.

In fact, this is an issue I have had with several games this gen. I enjoyed a few of the cutscenes during Bayonetta, but these were only the ones which focused on Bayonetta doing crazy shit, not the ones where the plot of the game was a part of it. I would have been much happier if they just gave us Bayonetta, her enemies, then said here's a bunch of crazy shit she'll do fighting them.

I enjoy story driven games. I have a hard time getting through mediocre gameplay just because the story's good, but a good story told well in a game can make a good game great. Putting one in however is not something which makes a game better. Hell, my favorite part of The Last of Us (winter, not going to say another word for those haven't played) added nothing to the game's plot. It just gave a small little incident involving Joel and Ellie which has no ultimate effect on the end of it. Any other medium and this would be filler. Since it provided by far the best gameplay, however, it was the best part. 

IGN, once again, you prove yourself to be a group of fucking idiots.

Ask Greenman is still coming too. Would love to get some more questions first before I start it though (hint hint).


 

Comments

asrealasitgets

06/27/2013 at 07:13 PM

I have played Luigi U, and it is not a new game! It is exactly what DLC should be, not for everyone, but a remix of levels and higher difficulty with new mechanics. It's fine for $20. I've seen reviewers complain about it not being fun like mario, and were expecting a direct sequel, which it is not. It's not Mario Bros U 2, it's Mario U with Luigi but harder. It's fine!

 

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:24 PM

Yeah, but it's funny because new physics is something we haven't seen in a NSMB game yet so that alone is enough to interest me. That it's super hard is even better.

Justin Matkowski Staff Alumnus

06/27/2013 at 07:17 PM

In other news, I'm annoyed that Michelangelo's David has no soundtrack, I'm furious that I can't fight crime with Batman in The Dark Knight, and I just threw a temper tantrum because Darkest Hour's latest album didn't show me any pictures.

I agree with you 100% man; I love having game experiences with a great narrative like Red Dead Redemption and Arkham City, but I also love Kirby's Dream Course and Super Mario All Stars for the pure, gameplay driven approach. And the reason that I love all of them is because of how much I actually enjoy the gameplay itself. A game can spin me an epic tale for the ages, but if the gameplay sucks then it really doesn't matter.

What's their next article ? "The New Yoshi's Island has great gameplay, lots of things to do, and is generally a fantastic experience, but features no existential dilemma in it's narrative, so our glasses are all foggy and we are put out about it." Get over yourselves IGN, don't act all high-and-mighty intellectually when you are more or less the Perez Hilton of gaming journalism.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:25 PM

IGN really has been a joke. Especially with reviewing Nintendo games. Skyward Sword 10/10 my ass.

Super Step Contributing Writer

06/27/2013 at 07:32 PM

Yeah, I loved cutscenes when they were new to games, and my favorite medium is arguably film, but I definitely prefer when I can just play a game In most instances. 

You're right, the title is all I needed. Wonder if they come out with an inventive and fun game mechanic for a new Metroid, whoever wrote the review will complain Samus doesn't talk in the cutscenes, even though they've seen Other M ...

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:26 PM

I just want a shiny new 2D Metroid with HD sprites.

transmet2033

06/27/2013 at 07:32 PM

Certain game series need little to no story whatsoever.  Mario is one of them, he has been around so long that if you don't know why you are doing what you are doing, you must be an idiot, or young enough to not have ever played any of the old ones.  Save the princess is all that you need to know.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:27 PM

It's like complaining that you have to shoot things in Halo or pick from menus in Final Fantasy. Just so fucking stupid.

Captain N

06/27/2013 at 07:42 PM

I think anyone expecting a good story in a Mario game is pretty deluded. I mean the gameplay and the levels is what matters the most in a Mario game. I mean yeah Galaxy had a story but it told you why Mario is in space in the first place, but it it will still be the same game without the story. Last time Nintendo tried to tell a story in a Mario game, people didn't like it in Sunshine. But I think it had to do with the gameplay, but it was still more story heavy than Galaxy imo. I wont get NSLU because my brother is getting a retail copy, but I'll play it. Hope you're enjoying Mario.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:27 PM

I am enjoying Mario. My favorite of the NSMB games.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

06/27/2013 at 07:45 PM

Nice Rant.  Just what I was thinking.  How could someone seriously complain about that?  Like, has this guy never played a Mario platformer before?  If it was Paper Mario you can complain about the story, but not for a Mario Bros platformer!!!  Arg!Yell

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:28 PM

Paper Mario would make sense. Those games have really fun and funny stories.

Cary Woodham

06/27/2013 at 07:47 PM

Yeah a lot of games really don't need stories.  And not only that, if I play a game and don't like the story, I just make up my own!  There's no rule that says I can't do that.  Needless to say, Soul Calibur games get a LOT sillier when I play 'em! :)

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:29 PM

I would really like to see Soul Calibur with your story. I'm imagining Pac Man forcing these people to fight each other so he can eat their ghosts.

jgusw

06/27/2013 at 08:09 PM

Yeah, I agree with you.  I rather my Mario games have very little story.  Bowser did something, so now kick Bowser's ass.  Simple.  Unless it's a Mario rpg, I don't see the need.  And even then, I  could do with no story. Cool

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:30 PM

Mario RPGs I could do with less story in the way I described. No real central plot, just Mario and friends roaming around in the Mushroom Kingdom having goofy adventures. There's still character interaction and jokes, but no saving the world.

Aboboisdaman

06/27/2013 at 08:58 PM

I really could care less about the story in games unless it's a rpg. Mario games have never been known for having fantastic stories anyway. As long as the levels are fun I don't see what the problem is.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:31 PM

IGN is the problem.

Machocruz

06/27/2013 at 09:08 PM

Sick of this shit. The media is just trying to prop up story driven games because they think it will validate their hobby via association with cinema and literature. They begrudgingly give high scores to mechanics driven games, while nitpickng superficial flaws that they ignore in their precious movie games.  Get bent, IGN.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:34 PM

I think some story driven games are able to make up for flaws like in Mass Effect 2, but when I see a game like Tomb Raider get that high of scores when it's that god damn generic and boring while a game like Sly 4 which has much better gameplay gets worse reviews because it does nothing to innovate. That bothered me.

SanAndreas

06/27/2013 at 09:47 PM

And this is why I don't take video game reviews seriously anymore. With folks like IGN around, who needed Roger Ebert? These reviewers today are as pathetic as the folks who were gushing over early 90's FMV "interactive movies" as the next step in gaming while dismissing the great console and PC action, adventure, and RPG games as garbage for children. Pathetic.

Look, I like the stories in some of my favorite video games, but not every game needs to have a story. In case IGN forgot, that isn't the point of video gaming.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:42 PM

That only makes me more worried since Quantum Break is basically reintroducing FMV games. Hope that doesn't catch on.

Raised_on_Nintendo

06/27/2013 at 10:22 PM

I'll admit, pointing out the lack of story in Luigi U seems ridiculous.  I guess maybe as a stand alone game not based on NSMB: U it would make sense, but any gamer worth their salt knows Luigi U is a stripped down harder version.  

I never signed up at IGN and never will, but I still go there from time to time to read their take on the day's top news.  I'm surprised by how much web traffic they receive.  Some articles reach over 10,000 comments, which is amazing, yet troubling to me.  Oh well, I guess mainstream is as mainstream does.  

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:43 PM

IGN's good for news, but nothing else.

Alex-C25

06/28/2013 at 12:50 AM

Putting aside the argument of gameplay and story on videogames, i just want to point out  that expecting a Godfather, IIliad or any kind of deep storyline in those Mario games is like expecting that the sun will not burn your skin. Then again, while not too very story driven, I think Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story and I think most of the Mario RPG games atleast try to give justificable story with elements of gameplay enough to balance each aspect.

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:43 PM

I don't think they were expecting that, just some story. Which is still stupid.

TripOpt55

06/29/2013 at 09:24 AM

Luigi U sounds like a really cool piece of DLC. Hoping Nintendo continues with DLC along those lines and don't fall into the trap of other lesser companies' DLC habits (I've decided to ignore the topic at hand in this comment because IGN is being so stupid... haha).

Casey Curran Staff Writer

06/29/2013 at 03:44 PM

I love you Trip.

BrokenH

06/29/2013 at 06:33 PM

Uh, I never played Mario Bros. games for the story. It was all about good gameplay and great level design.

mothman

06/29/2013 at 07:06 PM

Because that's all there was Ben. All there was and all there needed to be.

NSonic79

07/07/2013 at 10:09 PM

Was there even a story in this newer Wii U title? I just played it for the fun and the levels in past mario games.

Log in to your PixlBit account in the bar above or join the site to leave a comment.