Video games prefrence: realistic or over the top?

[ClassyWolf]

Pretty basic question, which one do you prefer. A game where the characters are over the top in many ways, like the combat beeing very flashy and, well, over the top, and the character having for example ludicrusly wide shoulders and arms like logs.

Or do you prefer a more down to earth experinse where, most things, are somewhat realistic.

Personaly, it's different for me from game to game. While I do enjoy games that are somewhat reallistic with their characters like Dark Souls (well, realistic with the exeption of the undead thing), and fairly well done, somwhat down to earth combat.

But I'm not really gonna complain about a game like wildstar either, since it makes sense in the kind of world they have created, and a lot of the playable races can be hilarious the way they are described, and the models themself can be very over the top.

[EricaofRenais]

I like realistic normally but over the top is fun as well, like I am going to be buying Bayonetta 2 next month because Bayonetta is just so over the top outrageous.

[Phoenix Wright]

this is a really hard question. i can't say i have a preference.

[Esau of Isaac]

I think either is fun depending on how the rest of the game is built. But personally I like games that begin rather more realistically but become over-the-top. I grew up on playing games where you started off fighting goblins and ended fighting god, so that stuff is kind of endearing to me!

[Excellen Browning]

I prefer realistic gameplay in first person and third person games. I'm fine with fantastic settings or otherwise.

[Loki Laufeyson]

I tend to prefer the more fantastical approach in my games. Even the ones i like that are more realistic tend to be rather cartoonish or whimsical in some way. I like when im playing an RPG, i come across this magic using bamf flying around on wings and like, white hair and stuff. Or mechapeople, or some junk. Or when im like, playing a platformer, all the sudden this bunny guy starts talking to me and goes "You know about them carrots right? Well, they have their own secret society. The Unified Republic of Carrots is very real!" And then later on in the game, you run into Mr. Stalk who is the president of the Unified Republic of Carrots. (and hes also a carrot. And you gotta fight him.)

Shit like that. I love that shit. Realism isnt bad or anything, but its not exactly my cup of tea.

[Integrity]

u dork

TOPIC: i don't prefer either really. there's some degree of stylistic that looks like booty and some stylistic that looks ballin, some realism that looks like booty and some realism that looks ballin.

EDIT: as a perfect example i much prefer wolfenstein: tno's generally realistic style to bioshock infinite's stylistic, uh, style. i much prefer xcom's ACTION FIGURE MAN shape style to xenonaut's realistic style.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Integrity

[Nightmare]

I wanted to post saying I prefer my video game topics in other games, but Integrity beat me to it. :(

ANYWAY if this question is asking what I think it is, then I really like it when my games are realistic while still retaining fantastical elements, but don't have a strong preference either way.

[Icon of Sin]

A good balance of both, going mostly on the realistic side of things.

[Knight]

Both have their merits, over the top games can be really fun, but realistic games have more potential to be immersive. Over the top I guess.

[Roivann]

Immersion, IMO, has nothing to do with how realistic or unrealistic a game is. So long as everything makes sense and flows in-universe, it's fine. For example, KOTOR was a lot more immersive than CoD: Ghosts was.

[NinjaMonkey]

I don't have a preference one way or the other.

[ClassyWolf]

u dork

whops, yeah sorry about that, i'm still getting used to posting the topic in the right place, and I should really start reading the text below the different folders

[Knight]

Immersion, IMO, has nothing to do with how realistic or unrealistic a game is. So long as everything makes sense and flows in-universe, it's fine. For example, KOTOR was a lot more immersive than CoD: Ghosts was.

I guess I was meaning things like game mechanics over setting, like MGS3's survival and stamina elements that enhance the experience of sneaking in enemy territory, or the little shadows of islands you see in the distance of Wind Waker that make the world feel bigger. These are realistic elements that make the games more relatable, as opposed to the cartoony characters, physics and elements of the Mario series which, while very fun, are too fantastic to be relatable by mortals.

This may not have been the intention of the OP though.

[Topazd]

As long as the suspension of disbelief is maintained, I won't have anything to complain. Over-the-top does function too, if the game doesn't take itself too seriously.

[Magical CC]

It's kinda wrong. Being over the top and being unrealistic are two different things.

[Ein]

I prefer immersion for first playthrough. If it doesn't hold there's a problem.

[riariadne]

Mostly realistic with some elements that are clearly not is my favorite. It's a strange balance but I find it very satisfying when done right.

[solrocknroll]

Whatever Earthbound and Kid Icarus are.

Which, is, I'm assuming, over the top.

[IGdood]

I can't vote because it depends on the genre and atmosphere that I'm seeking.

If I'm playing something ridiculous like Saint's Row, I would like for it to push that over-the-top barrier as much as possible.

If I'm playing Total War, I would like for it to adhere to realism and historical accuracy. Or at the very least follow guidelines that make it historically authentic, not necessarily 100% accurate.

[PerfectD]

I can't vote because it depends on the genre and atmosphere that I'm seeking.

If I'm playing something ridiculous like Saint's Row, I would like for it to push that over-the-top barrier as much as possible.

Saints Row is my perfect example of over the top as well..

(The second one to be specific)

Other than that, realistic is the way to go.

Realistic within the laws of the universe you are in though.

If that makes sense..