One of my favorite things about Zero Punctuation/Fully Ramblomatic is when Yahtzee invents new gaming terms, especially because they almost always catch on. Ever heard of the PC Master Race? That was him. He also invented Spectacle Fighter to refer to flashy action games like Devil May Cry and Ghost Train Ride for games that force you down a linear path with no freedom or interactivity, as well as a few not so nice ones, like *****gargleweewee for mindless military shooters and Jiminy****throat for copy/paste Ubisoft-style open world games. But in his latest Semi Ramblomatic video, he took some time to go into detail about a particular genre that he has dubbed "Dad Games." According to him, they started as dry simulator titles that could hardly be called "games" that appealed to people who had no interest in actual gaming but wanted to experiment with careers that they had no access to, like driving trains or flying planes. IE, "Dads." But since the 80s and 90s were when gaming really became a part of kids lives growing up, and those kids have since grown up and become Dads themselves, the Dad Game genre has evolved accordingly:
1. Dad Games: simulations.
2. Post Dad Games: simulations of less realistic, more wish fulfilling scenarios and with traditional gameplay mechanics, like Hardspace Shipbreaker or Viscera Cleanup Detail.
3. Sad Dad Games: games where you actually play as a Dad but your family is somehow absent, giving the hero the depth of a father figure without tying them down with actual family obligation. Oftentimes, they're motivated by either saving or getting revenge for the deaths of their families. Examples are God of War and Silent Hill 2 (yeah, James wasn't a Dad, but he was a husband, which covers a lot of the same bases even if "Husband Games" doesn't have quite the same ring to it).
4. Hairy Dad Games: games where you play as a character who both is a Dad, and them being a Dad actively influences the story and gameplay, named such because the Dad in question always seems to have a beard. If they didn't have a beard in previous games, they will grow one for this game. Examples are God of War 4, Evil Within 2, and The Last of Us.
5. Post Hairy Dad Games: Games where you play as a young person (usually a girl) who was raised by a Hairy Dad Figure, and strikes out on their own after being separated from their Hairy Dad, like Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us 2, and A Plague Tale: Innocence.
I don't know why, but I found Yahtzee's whole spiel to be really interesting. I saw someone in the comments saying that the next step in Dad Game evolution might be another type of Post Hairy Dad Game where the Hairy Dad struggles to move on or find a place in the world after their child grows up and moves out, like what happens at the end of God of War: Ragnarok.
What do you think of all this? Was Yahtzee right on the mark, or is he just making random connections where there really are none?
Here's the video if you want to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZGjJbw2NwE
Dad Games?
- pacman000
- Posts: 1240
- Joined: December 30th, 2015, 9:04 am
Re: Dad Games?
Well, categories 1 & 2 already existed in table top games, back in the 60's & 70's.
The others seem to be about narrative focus. Type 3 would describe The Odyssey, for example. As games become more focused on narrative, they're bound to pick up story points from other art forms.
It's an Interesting observation, but I'm not sure how significant it is. To me, it just seems like the natural progression of things. More resources let developers create more complex games, both in terms of gameplay & in terms of story.
The others seem to be about narrative focus. Type 3 would describe The Odyssey, for example. As games become more focused on narrative, they're bound to pick up story points from other art forms.
It's an Interesting observation, but I'm not sure how significant it is. To me, it just seems like the natural progression of things. More resources let developers create more complex games, both in terms of gameplay & in terms of story.
- Stalvern
- Posts: 2165
- Joined: June 18th, 2016, 7:15 pm
Re: Dad Games?
I think strategy games, especially turn-based ones, are a very dad genre that is unfairly neglected in category 1.
- BlasteroidAli
- Posts: 1850
- Joined: April 9th, 2015, 7:50 pm
Re: Dad Games?
Dad games, well Doom, Starfield Sniper Elite 2 currently.
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- Posts: 591
- Joined: November 15th, 2016, 6:46 pm
Re: Dad Games?
Dad games? I would have to say River Raid because that's one game my dad would sit down and play with me when I was a kid..
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- Posts: 74
- Joined: May 1st, 2020, 4:32 am
Re: Dad Games?
1. Turn that light off.
2. Turn the thermostat down.
3. Put a coat on.
4. I’m not paying that for that.
5. You’re not leaving the house dressed like that.
2. Turn the thermostat down.
3. Put a coat on.
4. I’m not paying that for that.
5. You’re not leaving the house dressed like that.
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- Posts: 406
- Joined: July 30th, 2023, 2:28 pm
Re: Dad Games?
6. THAT ISN'T MUSIC!
Honestly, if simulations count as dad games, I guess I've been a dad since I was like 7 and getting addicted to Gran Turismo 3 and 4...
Honestly, if simulations count as dad games, I guess I've been a dad since I was like 7 and getting addicted to Gran Turismo 3 and 4...
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- Posts: 2281
- Joined: April 9th, 2015, 1:41 pm
Re: Dad Games?
I don't think anyone is actually reading my post, just reacting to the thread title...
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- Posts: 406
- Joined: July 30th, 2023, 2:28 pm
Re: Dad Games?
It's really because Yahtzee in general is known for just making up nonsense terms. Entertaining, yes, but relatively nonsense.
I mean, just Google "SGWW Yahtzee", and before doing that, notice I had to abbriviate it because it's too vulgar to post here lol.
I mean, just Google "SGWW Yahtzee", and before doing that, notice I had to abbriviate it because it's too vulgar to post here lol.
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