cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/37932218
Yesterday I played the demo of the new game Dispatch and it is all beautifully written, but at some point, while presenting the team in-game, there was a casual funny line, pronounced by a voice off-screen, so without graphical support and I just burst out laughing (I was alone at home, so not pressed by social influence of any kind).
When I stopped, I realized how uncommon this has become lately. As a kid, I found LucasArts games extremely funny and I laughed more than occasionally, but this aspect of video game entertainment has been dying out.
When was the last time you actually laughed out loud while playing a game for something that was actually designed as funny (no Fortnite or CoD shenanigans stories please)?
Weirdly - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Despite whole game’s emotional atmosphere being pretty heavy, I think it had very good humor moments in it, I actually laughed out loud few times. Maybe a part of it is that it took me by surprise but I appreciate wittiness of these lighter moments.
Great writing overall by the way.
I’m playing it right now.
!When Verso tries to recruit Monoco to go to old Lumière, Monoco is like “No thanks, after last time I made a promise to never follow you again”, to which Verso responds “There’ll be lots of fights…”, and Monoco is like “I’ll follow you anywhere!”. The delivery is a lot better obviously.!<
Monoco: It’s time do defeat her.
to Verso Please help me.
Exactly the scene that came to my mind when responding to this thread, delivery was perfect - especially that you don’t know the dynamic at that point yet. Didn’t play with french voice over but they did a stellar job with english one. They also must’ve had a lot of fun recording these scenes.
Small suggestion though - I’m not sure if I wouldn’t hide this behind a spoiler, you never know which detail might affect someone’s experience.
Good suggestion
I still need to start this.
But I know the feel - games that expand their emotional range often get the best reactions because moving to an extreme of seriousness, sadness, or even humor, can shock the player.
Another thing I loved about the game is how much of unapologetic nerds Lune and Gustave are.
Acts 1 and 2. 3 was sad.
I really want to try it, also because I am studying French and it has full voice over. Problem is, I never managed to play JRPGs, so I am afraid I would be throwing money away.
Witcher 3, which I played like 3 months ago. There was this one goofy quest where you had to save a mage by getting a magic book with a weird name that you could abbreviate to GOG. You needed a spell from it to disable the mage’s tower defence and regulatory management system (something along those lines), or DRM for short.
Portal 2 is a classic and I enjoyed Tales from the Borderlands.
Disco Elysium had me laughing out loud a few times.
Disco Elysium is definitely the most memorable one with the level of absurdity it throws in your face. Thinking about the “Dios Mio, a LIBERAL” still cracks me up.
Portal/portal 2
Baldur’s Gate 3, quite often
I think the loudest and longest laugh I ever got was at the very end of Untitled Goose Game. Not gonna spoil it for anyone, but once I figured out the joke that had been stewing for three straight hours, it had me laughing for the rest of the night.
On a similar theme, “Thank goodness you’re here!” had me creasing at times. Especially at the lawn mowing bit.
Doki Doki Litrure Club. Ending spoilers
Title
There is a big twist about Monica calling you by your actual name. The name you gave when setting up your computer. That’s how I realised I made a typo in my name. So this big impactful moment fell flat on its face
Me loves litrure too.
Hollow Knight Silksong.
Spoiler
The trap bench in Hunters March. After the absolutely grueling effort it took getting there, the relief of finally coming upon a bench, only to see the trap come swinging down. All I could do was laugh.
Cyberpunk 2077, you have to save two of the most incompetent cops that exist. For such a dark and depressing universe, whenever there are hints of humor those always get me.
I think whoever designed the ads in CP2077 deserves a special prize.
I can’t remember the last time a game made me intentionally laugh. I laughed my ass off about situations, bugs, but… scripted comedy?
Maybe a smile, a faint giggle, but actual laughter? I can’t remember.
That’s exactly why I was so surprised by Dispatch! It has stuff at the same level of Sam & Max: Hit the Road whose the next door shop from the office I will never forget: “Bosco’s Guns, Liquors, Baby Needs”
In Borderlands 4, there’s a side quest to cure someone of being a psycho. You need to get a handful of macguffins and plug them into this elaborate machine. There’s a lot of whirring and build-up, and then the machine essentially zaps the psycho and makes him explode. “He’s cured!” It got me, lol.
Or the side quest of the rocket that didn’t blow up and you do all of this grabbing parts, set up, fight Order forces and you finally get to launch the missile which developed a bond with humans but didn’t want to be a dud. They end up being fireworks instead of an actual missile.
Last night, playing PALWORLD. Such a funny and silly game.
Laughed at the humor in a game? High on life had some really good stuff in the opening hour.
Laughed at the situation in a game? My recent play through of the ever chaotic madness that is Far Cry 2.
Just a few days ago, at a local Vampire Savior tournament. Grand Finals ended with me sniping Q-Bee’s bubble super with a callout from B.B. Hood’s gun super. Wish I had a clip, but it wasn’t streamed or recorded.
Also had a few good laughs playing Skullgirls earlier that night at the same local, chaotic shit always happens in that game.
I read this as Vampire Survivors and was so confused
… It took your comment for me to reread the other one and yes, that does make more sense.
