It Doesn’t Matter What You Pick

What makes games so special nowadays? Gaming essay and deep dive into nostalgia and what makes games great in terms of games vs movies and games vs books. I talk about Cyberpunk 2077, Pentiment, Prey Mooncrash, and other big titles like Elder Scrolls and Mass Effect. Inspiring message with gaming talking about choice and consequence in games and does choice in games actually matter. Choice in video games.
Thumbnail character art curtesy of JAZZAJAZZJAZZ (artist)
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[@Invitationalist]

I've just recently found your channel and it's a breath of fresh air in the gaming genre. I love how passionately you talk about your interests and deliver them with such polish. I've really enjoyed what I've watched so far, and am going to go through all of your back catalogue. Thank you for being genuinely entertaining :)

[@FranklyGaming]

Thank you so much for supporting what I do!

[@eddiepuffy]

Awesome stuff, mate. I've been trying to explain to my girlfriend why I find the narratives in videogames much more compelling than other media. It's not just because of the ''game'' aspect, it's about the connections you make and the feelings they portray by making it relatable to you. She found it hard to understand, for her videogames are beat-them-ups, racing games or puzzle games, she found narrative games boring and confusing to the point that they became uninteresting to her. Then I found a video about ''the language of videogames'' and how we as gamers see things differently than non gamers, for us an inventory menu or a dialogue menu are just tools, we don't think much about them other than our goals, we don't think how we interact with those systems because it's second nature. My girlfriend found it annoying and confusing to the point she got distracted from the story (Mass Effect) and ultimately she started equating games based on their systems and not the depth and complexity in how they convey a story and a message (Skyrim is exactly like The Witcher 3 because I was messing with the menus and crafting/using potions and items). But then the magic happened when I had her sit down and play Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, it was beautiful. She was so invested in the game she practically finished it in two sittings, she had the difficulty set to Auto as well so the game adapted to how she played making it very tensed at moments, requiring her to take a little break and have a breather after certain encounters. It was so engaging for her that at the end she felt very sad when she had to let go of Senua. And now back to Mass Effect, I explained a bit of it's ''hows and whys'' and she's willing to give it another go based on the fact that I explained to her that through her investment in the game she will forge similar connections to the story and characters as to how she felt about Senua. Same goes for Cyberpunk, she seen me playing it and found the story infinitely more engaging than something like Skyrim where I was pretty much externally role-playing my character, hopefully she'll give it a go in the future. I'm enjoying these kind of debates and arguments, it's making me realize how different people see things and scenarios, how we find value in different things and at the same time we feel similar emotions through our achievements, be it videogames or life itself. Thank you for the video, I can't wait to sit down with her and re-watch it.

[@FranklyGaming]

Really appreciate the kind words and support! And it’s cool to hear how you and your girlfriend went on that journey

[@copiumkiller]

@@FranklyGamingThis reminds me of SOMEBODY, who refuses to experience the best world building in all gaming (Falcom's "Trails" series), because cannot handle anime. I pity that person not being able to experience a world, which is better made than "Mass effect" or "Witcher".

[@eddiepuffy]

@@copiumkiller Haha, touche. I'm in the same boat when it comes to certain genres as well. I tried my best to get into Nier Automata, heck I think I've put about 20-30 hours in it before I lost interest. It's great, I can see what it's going for but I have to throw in the towel, it doesn't capture me as other games did. In all fairness it's not just Anime (since I like certain Anime series) I found a similar disconnect with God of War as well for example and/or Devil May Cry. Hah, this puts things in perspective I guess. P.S. Best world building in any game has to go to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, runner up Half-Life and Cyberpunk, sorry :b.

[@copiumkiller]

@@eddiepuffyWatch Mother basement's review about "Trails in the sky" and you will get why I claimed that. Playing them feels like traveling to another country. Also 9th game in the series ("Cold steel 4") is like "Avengers", because unites all previous protagonists.

[@eddiepuffy]

@@copiumkiller I watched some of the video you recommended and I agree it seems fantastic, my personal problem is how serious it is compared to the art style it uses, there's a distinct contrast between the seriousness of the story and the way it's portrayed through the art style. It's an acquired taste to say the least. I found myself in the midst of the same dichotomy when it came to Attack on Titan, the story and the interpersonal relationships between the cast is brilliant, it's like a fable, and I can tell what they were going for, except the naked giant people eating the smaller technologically advanced people that were trying to fend them off with their gigantic wall... it just didn't work for me. I finished the first season, I liked the ending and the emotional impact of it but it was just a bit too much for me. Very similar to what I feel when I look at Trails in The Sky, nothing against it to be fair, it's just a bit much when it comes to art style. Another example is Ghost in The Shell, compared to the series Stand Alone Complex, I absolutely loved SAC because it was grounded, both in the narrative and the art style even though it has it's wacky moments with the Tachikomas. I understand what you mean when it comes to world building as well, referring to Trails in the Sky here, the problem for me is the clear disconnect between what it's trying to portray and the way it does it. I suppose there are several subsections when it comes to the Anime genre and, I suppose, by extension Manga in general which appeals to a very specific audience depending on the section in play. I prefer my media in general to be somewhat more grounded and relatable in general than pure ''everything-goes'' high fantasy, it works just the same in the end if one gets invested and that's the beauty of the medium in general. We get very similar messages and narratives throughout the entirety of the medium portrayed in different styles that appeals to each individual in the end. Now if anything does indeed become groundbreaking it breaks through those barriers but it's also few and far between when it comes to that (I'm thinking Lord of The Rings making fantasy mainstream and Star Wars doing just the same for Fantasy Sci-Fi). There's a reason why Elder Scrolls and The Witcher are amazingly popular compared to Trails in the Sky, they are just simply more accessible (debatable when it comes to The Witcher) when it comes to art style and gameplay. I played Divinity for a while ( I mean Divine Divinity, Original Sin and Original Sin 2), but I couldn't bring myself to finish them, the latter two were way too wacky for me and the former was great but it became boring, and I can only do so much turn play strategy games before I'm out. I hope that explains my thoughts about the genres and art styles, and the way they appeal to certain people and not other.

[@franklygamingextra]

superb work on this one me

[@FranklyGaming]

Thanks me

[@thatsubarutho8806]

I'm dead 💀 🤣

[@jcanal0221]

In my opinion, the choices that truly matter on an RPG are not the ones which change the world, but the ones which define your character. Both Cyberpunk 2077 and Kotor 2 have not a lot of variation when it comes to main quests, but they feature a lot of choices that allow me to define the personality and morality of the characters I play, and that's the reason why those are my favourite RPGs

[@KindofBradAtThis]

Pacing in this one way incredible! Felt like you were telling a story more than an essay! Great job man

[@FranklyGaming]

Really appreciate it! Thanks for watching

[@RavenStorm332]

Speaking of choices in games I will say that the best game that actually portrayed consequences would be the game Alpha Protocol made by Obsidian and published by SEGA it gave you choice but it wasn't choices that were "black and white" each choice made you think the first choice would be the arms dealer in the first mission you could arrest him gaining Intel, kill him losing Intel, or let him go which would mean that terrorists are better armed but you also gain more Intel. There a lot of other choices in Alpha Protocol like that but you won't know what your choices consequences are until the next mission or until the end of the game where an audio news report talks about the aftermath of the game

[@tacka02]

I just wanted to say that this is the best video I've come across that actually put words to the way I was feeling after finishing Cyberpunk 2077. I just finished it a couple of days ago and went with Panam into the desert and I just was in awe of what the ending looked like and made me wonder how the world moved on from that point. I also felt that up to that point Fallout New Vegas was the best game I had played because of the choices and impact but it never really made me feel anything. I remember after finishing Bioshock Infinite and how that game had some incredible moments in it. I was trying understand why I liked the story's of Bioshock and Cyberpunk more than fallout's even though I had "more impact" in Fallout. I agree 100% that it doesn't matter what you pick, if you feel disconnected from the subject matter you're dealing with then you'll have a "good" experience in a game and not an "awesome" one.

[@tickledpickle5671]

I'm on my 4th... 5th? Playthrough of CP77. And you know what? I **STILL** do NOT skip dialogue. I find the decisions (However heavy/pointless they may seem) to be powerful. The story, the game speaks to me from it's heart. Despite me knowing how everything would go, the game just felt so alive. At points, it's almost like sitting down and looking at yourself in a mirror, and realizing just what you're capable of. Or the old adage "This too shall pass." I remember in High School, there was a friend of mine who would get overwhelmed easily. And I can't tell you how many times I had to grab him by the shoulders, look him right in the eye can give him a stern pep talk, and help him refocus to come out of it. Slight tangent, I suppose. But parts of CP77 make me realize... I often feel like I'm playing from my friend's perspective, and I'm the "Johnny Silverhand" of the situation. This whole thing probably makes no sense. >.> It's a difficult thing to explain.

[@trevalyan006]

Don't beat yourself up. Cyberpunk 2077 is dominated by secret agendas, and it might take an expansion before some of those agendas are confirmed. They might not be confirmed until a sequel- if at all.

[@tickledpickle5671]

@@trevalyan006 Thank you. A lot has happened since those days in High school. But regardless. I've found, that even with all my mental disorders and inner demons.. The battle never ends. But that's no reason to give up. I nearly completely gave up on life itself about a decade ago now. And, even though I still wrestle with things on a regular basis, I can actually treat people the way they should be treated, rather than taking everything as an offense.

[@SparklingWalrus]

Shill

[@vaminations]

Hey frank! I don’t know if you remember me but my twitch name is alaskadagoat and I used to be one of the OG followers. I’m also the person that designed your KZbin channel banner. It’s been a while since we communicated. I love what’s been happening with your channel and how it’s been growing. I love your videos and they are always a pleasure to watch. Amazing work.

[@FranklyGaming]

No way nice to see you man! I appreciate the kind words and thanks for supporting me the whole way through!

[@beige_projection]

I agree so much to the message of this video. Cyberpunk 2077 spoke so much to me. I finished it a few days ago and got the Arasaka ending and I don't think I've emotionally recovered from that. I haven't experienced the other endings but I know that V dies also in all of them, and that fate makes most people think that all endings are the same, but I don't think so. For example, in my ending, because of my choices, I disappointed people who were dear to me, all to survive, and while being an engram makes you have a sort of open-ended ending where you could think that your V is still alive but is an engram, the game ends with a feeling that your V is still dead, or at least her physical body is, and there's really no certainty that Arasaka will uphold the deal. And that really made me cry while watching the end credits. It made me feel that my decisions really had weight on them and I felt the consequences, especially when V was shown going to the operating chair and she was looking so afraid and regretful. Another good example is the Clouds mission where Judy planned to take over Clouds. I've heard that no matter what choice you make, there would be no "win" situation, and that leads most people to think that their choices wouldn't matter, but I disagree because I chose to go along with Maiko's plan while not accepting her bribe. Because I didn't accept her bribe, Judy didn't become angry at me, and at the end, yes the joytoys are still treated horribly, but later on, you'd see Roxanne's email to Judy saying that at the very least, the Tyger Claws don't come often anymore. In the other choices, the joytoys that came with you in the mission would be killed, or if you take the bribe, Judy will forever hate you. I really think that it's the little things that matters.

[@Shinarock]

funniest thing is that i play 99% of the games ~99% the same way every time like Mass effect series :)

[@SwissFidgeting]

This is an awesome video man. You got a sub keep it up!

[@FranklyGaming]

Thanks so much for the support!

[@DoctorQcumber]

The Nier games are my gold standard for choices in a video game narrative. The stories in the games are very philosophical, and in turn, so are the choices it gives you. There aren't many choices, but they are absolutely some of the most memorable moments. The key thing is, your choices don't actually affect the narrative in any meaningful way. They just affect YOU. It's made pretty clear that regardless of which choice you make, the narrative doesn't really budge. The consequences fall entirely on the player and their psyche rather than on the characters. You made the choice, so you're the one that has to live with it. The A2 and Pascal choice (no spoilers) in Automata is both one of the most interesting and one of the most emotional moments I've ever experienced in a video game. Most of the time when I'm presented with a choice in the narrative of a game, I'm going to try to figure out what the "right" choice is. This could be to make the game easier in the future, or to get the ending I want. I will often just look it up online when I get to an important choice just because the consequences of the choice in-game are more important to me than the immersion of feeling like I'm driving the story with my own free will. The Nier games stripping away the narrative consequences of player choices actually makes them meaningful because there are no strings attached to whatever choice you make. (There are some choices that have strings attached, but it's made very clear what they are, and that's actually part of the choice. Those function a bit differently)

[@FranklyGaming]

I really need to get into the nier games I think they could be some of my favorites ever

[@DoctorQcumber]

@@FranklyGaming I literally cannot recommend them highly enough. They have the best soundtracks in gaming and Automata is an absolute masterpiece. The Replicant remaster is also great. Better to play them in order, but if you're not sure you want to commit to both you can start with Automata and you won't miss out on much

[@TheShowerofSlime]

I could not agree more with this video. Games are such a delicate form of media. I suspect this is what Netflix is trying to do with interactive movies (like the up coming silent hill project whaterthehell). At the same time it feels like movies want to be games and games want to be movies. Maybe that is just me. Great video as always !

[@FranklyGaming]

Thank you for watching and supporting as always slime good to hear from ya

[@Mori_Orion]

I have a lab named Cooper, I feel very called out xD

[@atab6555]

fantastic video

[@FranklyGaming]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@copiumkiller]

What is your CTR on how many impressions. My guess - 5%+, due to how great the thumbnail is.

[@Svafne]

One of the biggest faults with modern RPGs and most games to a lesser degree is that your choices won't have any negative outcome. Fallout 4 is the most obvious example, nothing you say has any meaning. Making bad choices needs to have bad consequences in order for a choice to matter. And the experience is so much more rich when what you choose actually have consequences.

[@vikoz6310]

Neat work my guy

[@FranklyGaming]

Appreciate the support!

[@D3KKN]

These videos be bangin

[@FranklyGaming]

Thank you for watching!

[@copiumkiller]

What do you think about Franky trying to make jokes in this type of videos?

[@FatManThor953]

Nice job

[@FranklyGaming]

Thanks for supporting what I do

[@MikefromTexas1]

Variable choices and viewable consequences are absolutely why I love these games. The more realistic, the better. Crazy that you talk about all this Choice & Consequence, but never mention Witcher 3.

[@FranklyGaming]

Doing my first real playthroughs of Witcher 3 right now actually, it’s so damn amazing

[@MikefromTexas1]

@@FranklyGaming Don't forget the DLCs, of course!

[@FranklyGaming]

@@MikefromTexas1 ya plan on playing them too, taking a long time though game is massive lol

[@MikefromTexas1]

@@FranklyGaming That's alright, take your time, there's a lot to see.

[@huanhoundofthevailinor2374]

Scammer in comments do not reply report if you get message from them it is not Frankly I've been getting these scammers now on every channel i watch don't get scammed guys

[@FranklyGaming]

Ya KZbin has so much of this stuff sad to see, but thanks for watching!

[@thecaptainindia9790]

Stop Everything ... Frankly gaming uploaded a new Video

[@FranklyGaming]

Captain you dog

[@teleportingfatso6089]

What is the b roll footage?

[@jomcbobbinson4457]

AC Valhalla

[@FranklyGaming]

Lots of different stuff which part specifically?

[@teleportingfatso6089]

@@FranklyGaming i was mostly on about all the sceneray. At first I just though it was some unreal engine 5 demos but wasnt sure

[@frankgarcia7548]

great video me

[@princess10]

Like fallout 4?

[@bubiwaan5857]

Yikes a new video... why did it take so long to make the video?

[@FranklyGaming]

Usually do about 2 weeks in between each! Icebergs are majority of thr work tho

[@doomguy676]

Frankly stop mentioning cyberpunk every video challenge (impossible) (This is a joke just thought it was funny)

[@FranklyGaming]

take a shot everytime I mention cyberpunk 😂

[@greedyyawgoo5635]

4k views for simping to CDPR doesn't get u any view huh ...

[@FranklyGaming]

My two most popular are cyberpunk haha

[@CZOM027]

The copium is strong in this channel. You repeat oximorons ad nauseum. If consequences matter, choices matter. Cause and effect. You don't have one without the other. You contradict yourself, rephrase constantly and say nothing in the end.

[@II-wu7mx]

If your choices are all that matter to you in a game, you don’t want to be playing a game. You want a new life where you’re capable of making hard decisions for yourself. Games tell a story. If you want the option to make choices that don’t let that story be told you weren’t interested to begin with.