What's wrong with the human body? Square and 'sluttiness'

You know, I've never actually played FFX-2. I haven't finished FFX either, so I won't be doing that for a lil' while yet. Stlll, now and then I've heard reviews of the game here.

The usual verdict: bad?
The usual reason: Rikku and Yuna are dressed like sluts, whores, etc, etc...

Okay... of all the reasons a game may be bad, that seems like a pretty bad one. In fact, IF at least it meshes with the characters (it could signify a change in Yuna's attitude, as I could see the X-1 Yuna wouldn't go dressed in a risque manner, mind you NOT to tell me anything about it) I would say it's a pro... A small one, and DEFINATELY NOT enough to make a good game, but a pro nonetheless.

WHAT?

You heard me... a pro.

Let's be... totally honest with ourselves here. Most of the people here are, if not adult, at least of that age where there is an interest in the opposite sex (or the same sex, orboth) in a more 'physical' way. We enjoy looking at people, and I don't know about the other people, but straight males generally can approve of women that are dressed; for lack of better word, sexy, which involved tight clothing and sparse clothing. I don't know how it is for gay males and females of all sexual prefernces, but I suspect they too LIKE to look at good looking characters, dressed in ways to stimulate the libidos.

Square panders to this. And I ask you. What is wrong with that? It IS wrong to disregard plot, it IS wrong to disregard characterization, it IS wrong to disregard music and zounds of other stuff. But why on earth would it be wrong for Square to ADD something that pleases us? If you say "FF X-2 has a bad plot, thus it is a bad game" that makes sense. A good plot is necessary for a good game. But "FF X-2 has charactes dressed in a titilating garb' then I wonder why having characters wear a non-titilating garb is a requirement for you to enjoy the game.

Oh yeah. The fact that females don't get their part. Well, I think SS has given the females (and gays) some fanservice as well, and you have my word I shall not complain if the next FF-hero will be dressed as 'scandaleously' as female characters. Of all gaming companies though, I think SS has a pretty good track record in giving women what they want. After all, there's plenty of female FF fans, no?


On another note, I wouldn't say this whole thing is a RECENT thing. It becomes more obvious through better graphics, but if you ask me, Square has ALWAYS been pleasing our libido as well as our imagination and thirst for plot and characters as well as technology allowed. Let's check

IX: Females: Granet and Beate: Granet has tight clothing, Beate has cleavage. STill, one can say that this is one of the chasest FF's xconsideirng females.
Males: A lot less sure, Zidane and Talesk (the redhaired guy) show a relative high amount fo flesh, and Kuja is pretty high on the pretty boy scale. (well, he used to be femalein the Japanese version) I heard, so he's a bit of a question mark

VIII: Females: Oka...hands up who was checking for Selphie panty shots now and then... thought so. Rinoa's tight shorts were also pretty attractive. Quistis might be DRESSED conservatively, but she carried a whip.
Males: Not much flesh to see, granted. Squall and Seifer constantly wear gloves. Still, fro what I've heard of some female fans, the VIII characters are usually considered attractive. (Zell and Rajin, the males with the least clothing are lagging behind but hey...) and then I won't even START talking about Laguna.

VII: Females: Breasts. Tifa. I think that's a pretty good argment for the fact that SS has been aiming for our 'lower' instincs as well as the 'higher' ones for a looong time. Yuffie too shows as much leg as Rikku ever did.. Aeris is dressed neatly fo course, but she's supposed to be the nice flower girl.
Males: Sephiroth. Don't even TRY to deny it girls. I've seen too many girls go star eyed over Sephi-sama, and I will be very sceptic if people are gonna tell me that all the citscenes depicting him with that black suit showing off his chest, not to mention the scenes where he isn't wearing much AT ALL, have nothing to do with this.

FFVI: Female: Okay...we don't actually SEE much. But unless I am very much mistaken, Terra and Celes are wearing PRETTY DAMN SKIMPY outfits. Sure, these days, that means pretty little, but in the days of yore, I am willing to bet that people DID like that. Oh...and when Terra becomes an Esper...she's as good as naked. Sure... nobody will... euh... start activities because of that, but it IS pleasant to look at isn't it?
Male: Once again, except Sabin (who isn't the main target for female eyes probably) most people are dressed pretty modestly. Of course, female gaming was even LESS popular in those days then these.

FFV: Two main females, Faris and the princess (way too long since I played that game) and a third one I've barely seen. Technology is yet older, so less chances of good fanservice. Still, most sprites show the curves rather nicely eh? Then there are the 'dancers' that you encounter now and then. Can you imagine the outrageif they'd have Squall make an 'exotic dancer' do a dance for him. (without taking off anything even)
Females: Again, in the old days of yore, females gamers were a rarer sight. Still, if people were a monk, you could see their chest eh?

FFIV: Males: Good gravy we've gone back far. Rydia is modestly clothed when she's a little girl (good thing too) but once she's adult she starts to show cleavage. And Rosa's clothing is pretty much like Celes. White cape with green 'bathing suit' underneath.
Females: Euh... well... I guess they'll have to satisfy themselves with the pretty faces this time.

I always thought it was ridiculous when people complained about that. I mean they aren't even dressed slutty, they're fairly over dressed considering Yuna lives on an Island Paradise, and Rikku spends so much time underwater.
I won't give much plot away, but it would have been stupid for Yuna to dress and act in the same way she does in X. By the end of X and the beginning of X-2 she should have been a completely different person, not just changed her clothes once in two years.
I also think it's funny that people decided Square were selling out on the first game in the series that was obviously aimed at people who already played the games.

True, then again i'm a "horny teenaer" so i can't really say anything

Quote:

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Originally posted by PhoenixAsh
I always thought it was ridiculous when people complained about that. I mean they aren't even dressed slutty, they're fairly over dressed considering Yuna lives on an Island Paradise, and Rikku spends so much time underwater.
I won't give much plot away, but it would have been stupid for Yuna to dress and act in the same way she does in X. By the end of X and the beginning of X-2 she should have been a completely different person, not just changed her clothes once in two years.
I also think it's funny that people decided Square were selling out on the first game in the series that was obviously aimed at people who already played the games.

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Exactly.

I can totally understand if people play the game and decide it sucks. That's fine. But freaking out about a game you havent played because the characters are dressed a certain way? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Hate a game because the storyline, play, battles, whatever suck... but hating a game because of the way characters are dressed is even worse than refusing to play NES games because the graphics suck, as if it had anything to do with the storyline.

Great speech. I'd like to add a few things, though. Most of those who think FFX-2 sucks because the girls look too revealing live outside Japan, so they haven't even played the game yet. Instead, they say it sucks because they've seen girls with little clothes in Square's promotional art and other pictures. IMHO, they don't even look that revealing or "slutty" in the game from gameplay video footage and FMVs.

Now for female characters in some of the earlier FFs.

FF4 - There's this girl who strips and dances in Baron Town. There's also a programmer room where Hentai magazines could be found. I don't think anyone complained about those things, really.

FF3j - Shiva first appeared here. She has hardly any clothes. She's always like that in FFs. And I don't see people complaining about Shiva. And the final boss... well, I wouldn't like to spoil too much, but she takes half of the screen and her breasts are showing.

FF2 - (SPOILER)Queen Lamia tries to seduce Frionel, the main character, to go to bed with her. I think one of the pirates also wanted to hit on Maria, in a dirty way, and Maria ended up yelling: "Eww, leave me alone!"

In older FF games sluttiness is very modest and is only noticable with focused attention. FFX-2 puts it in your face, forcing you to take notice. If I want to get turned on, I'll utilize different forms of media of which contain REAL PEOPLE. Many people play FF games for the story, the gameplay, the music, and the heart filled characters... that's right, heart filled characters, not lust filled characters. There is a big difference.

Games that hint at such themes in a comical manner are fine, but when it brings this stuff center stage, it just gets to be too much. It just shows what the development team really has on their minds. Because of this, a stupid game is turned out.

Do they lack a heart suddenly because they lack clothes? Have Rikku and Yuna become cold, personality lacking characters since X, because they changed clothing?

In real life, yes. In a game, maybe not. What a distortion that would be. It takes a lot to dress slutty, and usually involves cold intentions.

In real life, yes? No. Just because someone dresses a certain way does not make them a different person. If I went out right now and put on a halter top that said '4:20, tyme to blaze it up, yo.', a pair of daisy dukes, and started strolling the street, does that make me a pot smoking prostitute? No, I'm still a straight-edge virgin. Yes, many girls who dress slutty are slutty. Many girls who dress in turtle necks and sweatpants are virginal. However, not all are, and clothes do not make a person. Thinking so is very shallow. People are complex and different, not defined by hair, clothes, or labels.

Well obviously. I'm talking in general terms. What makes a person dress a certain way? Usually they dress a certain way to portray who they are or who they want to be.

Lets see... the climate, the current fashions, what sorts of activities you'll be doing, your financial status, your religion should it dictate such things, your government should it dictate such things, society, etc... and in the case of Yuna, not wanting to be recognized.

Yes and that's exactly what I said, except I don't understand about the part of Yuna not wanting to be noticed.

Um... I didnt see you say that, but okay. Anyway, you'd have to watch 'Another Story' which was included in the FFX International version and can be downloaded in various places. Yuna is now a celebrity, as are all summoners. But of course she's moreso now, because she (SPOILER)actually defeated Sin once and for all. People come up to her all the time, asking for advice, Wakka has to keep them at bay quite often. As such, whatever mission she's going on, if she were to go in her original clothes, she'd be harassed constantly. Everyone in Spira knows what she looks like, but a bit of a wardrobe change can keep her from being hounded every five seconds by her fans.

Well that kinda shows how little your judging the game on.

Your surroundings and interactions shape who you are, correct?

Work is over, it's time to go home. I'll read the rest of your post later. Peace.