[Opinión] The humor and the power of a smile for the next 2021

At this point in the year (and precisely because of the bad year we have been through), I would like to end up writing something pleasant. Something nice and conveying a positive message. And for that, nothing better than to have video games, because if we deal with humor, our hobby is a wonderful way to express it. Because without humor, we are nothing. Not even just anyone. And with any medium, however it may be, we have to prevent this way of expressing our feelings from falling into disuse. Because we’ve never been able to give so much with so little with just a smile.

Don’t underestimate the important feelings

We have a thousand and one ways to connect with a title and make us smile. Many times it seems we ignore it, and it cannot stay that way. We treat fear, suffering and anguish in a holistic way, categorize every negative feeling that gives us a survival-horror in a way that I haven’t seen with humor games. It seems we’re more interested in having a bad time than having a good time, and that can’t be the case. We must focus on laughter, spread the smiles that a title can give us, and for that we are here today.

Laughter with friends, the best therapy

I won’t cheat on you. Although my personality is calm and smiling, it is difficult to make me laugh with a video game. It usually makes me special improvisation, insane events that come out of the depths of feelings and provoke unexpected situations. It’s hard to achieve in a video game, but not impossible. When you go ahead with a cooperative proposition, anything can happen. Every situation is likely to be comedic and one can savor the greatest of drama and suddenly, for a well-released commentary, achieve the greatest laughter.

I had the privilege of passing Hivebusters !, The latest Gears 5 DLC, with my fellow editors Rios and Albert. Beyond the jokes and conversations between the three protagonists (that for me, neither fú nor fa) the most fun was the interaction between us. Talk about what was happening on screen, give another surreal version of events, get involved in talking about nonsense with no set end, dismiss us for ‘screwing up’ and a thousand other events. If we trade in the “serious” proposition that a Gears can offer for a crazier co-op experience like Human fall flat, imagine the great moments that can be scratched with friends. Let’s not lose good customs or local or online dating with our friends.

Long live surprises!

There is another kind of humor that, while not improvised the way I like, you just don’t see it coming. The most recent example I had with Battletoads. At first the jokes may be obvious, but once you meet the characters and connect with the story, everything that goes around these muscular toads is out of the ordinary. Its playable aspect also helps, and thanks to the diversity of situations, all crazier, we will sketch a smile as we divide the faces of some sectarians or we drive a sleigh while fleeing from an enraged crowd of people.

Of this wooden stick too It takes two, the latest work by Josef Fares, which will soon be released on consoles. The crazy, laid-back tone that the trailer can give us hints at a different kind of laughter that will flow from that main premise. Conversations between this “unhappy” marriage, or the phrases of the ledger may be good, but already I assure you that experiencing the number of screens (each with a different occurrence) can be a real discovery and a satisfaction that no one should miss. And also in a cooperative, so that has everything to make us laugh.

Here is the subtle and delicate humor

There are several types of humor suitable for other types of users. Like movies or series, we have a more refined style. No more sybarity. As if it were “English humor”, the Monty Python of video games also exist and they are sponsored under the aegis of the late LucasFilm Games. Works like Monkey Island, The Day of the Tentacle are references that offer a very particular humorous style, with conversations full of references and sarcasm.

Speaking of references, we can not forget the indie titles that have precisely drawn from these timeless jewels. Thimbleweed Park o Nine witches: family breakdown are clear examples that there are formats of humor that continue to work perfectly today. Just by applying more modern jokes, but keeping the subtlety that makes these games so special, you can achieve the most varied and fun situations. And if they put puyitas, they refer to other games, or if they talk to us about breaking what is usually called the fourth wall, the result is impeccable.

Are you telling me a joke directly?

If we mention the fourth wall, another humor that leaves a good taste in the mouth is the one who wants to make us accomplices on the scene. Sunset Overdrive knows a lot about it, and even though its humor “Grindeamos”, We kill beasts or search for collectibles, it’s not that it’s very palpable, the best thing about the Insomniac Games tag is the dialogues that the protagonist has with the player.

There are few games that exploit this resource, and it is not easy to do. Fortunately, we have a recent case which can be compared, and which also finely breaks this fourth wall to which we refer. It is Inmortals: Fenyx Rising. In this Ubisoft game, our adventures and everything that happens on the screen will be told by two deities in a humorous way. Zeus and Prometheus are a perfect duo, and the grace undoubtedly resides in the naturalness of their dialogues.

Let’s move on to the easy and direct joke

Of course, I can’t say goodbye to this “humor festival” without going through the most direct of all. That of silly falls, various absurdities and dialogues that advocate direct and open comedy. It’s the fastest fun, but it also has many possibilities. There are a wide variety of cases and I have a few examples left. I don’t share much of his style or manner, but the truth is that Claptrap has fallen in love with many users in Borders for his ability to do the absurd and for those conversations that escape comprehension.

I understand that there are people who are reluctant about this pewter bucket, as well as the reluctance that another equally bizarre character can produce that has become the watchword of the saga. Saints row. The franchise changed to a more comedic proposition because people demanded it, and in large part that fault was Gat, who literally and figuratively filled the final installments. Of course, in this section of “clowns” wanting to attract attention, for me the undisputed king is Goro Majima. May the Yakuza keep you forever in its memory. And if not, there will always be the memes revolving around him.

We say goodbye to 2020 with a smile

Well it would be. Of course, I’m aware that there are a lot of other games or comedy aspects that I left in the pipeline. If you stop thinking there are not few titles which use the resource of humor as pretension, and it is in itself that this is a very valuable asset that allows us to continue to love all that we have within our reach. Laughter gives us life. We must laugh and know how to laugh at everything that surrounds us in order to progress as people, and thus know how to respect ourselves. Even his doom reboot laughs at itself introduction of little comic “pearls” that subtract prejudices and bring closeness to the game. Let’s use our own “pearls” next year to make it all right, and in this way, We will start 2021 with respect and good intentions.

He loves you and loves you equally,

Mario vadillo