Contest Stats and Discussion - Part 1376

I guess when people got to know Snake they decided to keep liking him ever after his games fell out of favor. Perhaps they went back to play the MGS games people still like.

I always felt Snake was the type of character, at least before the N64/PSX era hit the nostalgia zone for the site's demographic, that did best when his games were actually out and actively drawing his fans to the site. Snake Eater was coming soon for the 2004 holiday season, but no one is coming to the site for Snake Eater FAQs that don't exist yet, and I felt like that could be the difference between low end of the Noble Nine and middle of the NN.

Snake was probably at his strongest in 2013 and Metal Gear's peak had already ended by then. Even in 2018 where he seemed somewhat weaker, he was still strong enough to get 57% on Sonic. People who become Snake fans stay Snake fans.

The dynamic certainly changes once MGS1 and eventually 2 and 3 hit the nostalgia zone, but I think my line of thinking is correct for Snake circa 2004.

Also, I'm pretty sure this is the year where CJayC keeps using Naked Snake pictures for what is supposed to be Solid Snake, and it's possible that's undercutting his support too. Not enough to where it influences the outcome, but again, it may be the difference between middle and low Noble Nine status.

By now the strong characters rise and fall off less because of people no longer liking them specifically and more certain character types entering and falling out of style.

For example, GameFAQs moving away from edgier characters hurting Sephiroth/Vincent/Squall, and I credit games with customizable main characters becoming the well-regarded norm with the general boost for women.

WarThaNemesis2 posted...

and I credit games with customizable main characters becoming the well-regarded norm with the general boost for women.

An interesting theory, but I would honestly attribute it moreso to our largely male populace maturing enough to start considering female perspectives as valid, rather than defining them solely by appearance. And despite the gamergate-style backlash, I think the continual push for inclusivity in games has helped people see female characters as more than a token role to be filled. Back in the day, Samus was an anomaly and Lara Croft was 90% known for her jugs. That isn't really the case anymore.

GameFAQs just...grew up. So did gaming, to an extent.

I repeat: to an extent.

I remember Naughty Dog's leaders saying they faced major pushback from Sony for wanting to put Ellie prominently on the cover of TLOU1 in 2013. That would suggest the change in attitude in big western publishers probably came no earlier than the mid-2010s. I'd suggest Horizon selling as well as it did probably helped.

Although I'd say the best female characters in gaming from many of the biggest Japanese publishers were mostly introduced decades ago (Square have Terra / Aerith / Tifa / Yuna; Capcom have Claire and Jill; Nintendo have Samus and Zelda...). Be nice to see them introduce some major new characters.

It's probably not a coincidence that the Zelda game where Zelda has the most characterization is the one that caused her to go berserk in her next contest appearance.

The most characterization and the most focus on her butt

Kotetsu534 posted...

Although I'd say the best female characters in gaming from many of the biggest Japanese publishers were mostly introduced decades ago (Square have Terra / Aerith / Tifa / Yuna; Capcom have Claire and Jill; Nintendo have Samus and Zelda...). Be nice to see them introduce some major new characters.

She’s clearly not strong in the grand scheme of things, but Lightning probably beats any other post-FFX Square character at this point. Maybe there could be an argument for Roxas but he’d probably be well below his peak if he ever came back again. And Square certainly tried hard for Lightning!

Do 2B and Bayonetta count?

Sora is post-FFX if we're counting Roxas...!

...right.

Post-KH1 or Post-merger then!

So strongest character in the Squeenix era?

...I might already take Clive over Lightning

Lightning, 2B and Bayonetta definitely count (especially Lightning, even if her last big game was 11 years ago).

Axel was probably the strongest Enix character for a good while, but I'd assume it's Clive now.

...have enough people played FFXVI for him to really have strength?

Because it's only context that told me that Clive is from that game. And game I haven't yet played, fyi.

I feel like it’s 2B unless you think Clive or Ysh post north of 40 on Bowser

I don't think Clive is necessarily super strong. I just don't think much of Lightning.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/3738-chaos-division-round-1-sonic-vs-lightning
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/7302-division-1-round-2-dante-vs-lightning

What happens when people actually play your game.

I'm not confident in even taking Clive over Noctis!

WarThaNemesis2 posted...

I'm not confident in even taking Clive over Noctis!

Nah, Clive would easily beat Noctis. People don't have fond memories of the game or of him, and that game is (somehow) eight years old now. He got crushed by Master Hand when his game was relatively new.

Like I guess you could argue XVI's low playrate would be a problem, but less so against two characters from the same series who aren't particularly popular here to begin with.

I mean, do you think Clive is even competitive with Master Hand? I don't.

WarThaNemesis2 posted...

I mean, do you think Clive is even competitive with Master Hand? I don't.

He doesn't have to be able to beat Master Hand to beat Noctis.

Noctis/Master Hand would be even uglier now than it was in 2018!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/7248-division-2-round-1-noctis-vs-master-hand

Noctis wasn't competitive either. Pre-SSBU Master Hand at that. Although, Smash hype was in full swing by the time their match rolled around.

How would Emet-Selch do? Probably asking too much out of FF14...

Idk I could still see lightning sweeping those guys.

But maybe I'm underestimating how specific ff13 hate is

…what about the DQXI hero, could he beat these FF protagonists?

he has the smash vote!

also the V guy is stronger than Rinoa

pjbasis posted...

Idk I could still see lightning sweeping those guys.

But maybe I'm underestimating how specific ff13 hate is

I could be wrong! I'm probably overestimating Clive here. Not like we'll ever find out.

Maybe we could get an FF protagonist poll again someday.

FF13's reputation had been sour for a while by the time Lightning's 2018 match rolled around so she probably hasn't declined that much since then. Noctis likely fell harder since 2018 and I probably wouldn't pick him to win even in 2018. He just got slapped by Master Hand to badly too take seriously.

Look, I love 16. Played it two times in a row to get the platinum, which you have to do to get the plat because FF difficulty isn't available at the beginning. I've never once played a Final Fantasy game twice in a row at launch. And I love the cast and the writing.

Master Hand would completely kill Clive Rosfield. I don't want to see that match because it would actually make me upset.

UltimaterializerX posted...

Master Hand would completely kill Clive Rosfield

Nobody is arguing Clive would beat Master Hand

lol I'm blind

He eeeeeasily beats Noctis.

I'd pick DQXI's Luminary over any other new S-E character these days. DQXI did really well in the GOTD contest.

Games =/= Characters

Man we never get to say that anymore

You're crazy if you think Luminary stands a chance against 2B. Do DQXI fans even particularly like Luminary?

2B is legit. A much higher bar than going after Noctis or Clive.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/poll/1776-midgar-division-final-cloud-strife-vs-sephiroth

Most people expected a tight match like their championship showdown the year before. Instead Cloud won relatively uneventfully.

Also I think this is the first time CJayC just straight up used a screenshot from a video game for the match pic.

Sephiroth would be able to dodge 1v1s with Cloud from here on out. Not really possible in 4 ways, though.

It's kinda weird to think how close Seph came to winning in 2003. Wonder how that changes the course of contests if he manages it. For instance, the entire reason the Villains Contest existed was to give Seph a contest to win so CJayC could pull him out and put him in the Tournament of Champions in SC2K5 (retrospective coming soon...!).

What gimme contest could you give Cloud to win that Link wouldn't qualify for?

Leonhart4 posted...

What gimme contest could you give Cloud to win that Link wouldn't qualify for?

Best RPG character, of course. But then we'd get the old "Is Zelda a RPG" debate...

I still remember that I thought Sephiroth would win the very first tournament.

DaZettaiRyouiki posted...

But then we'd get the old "Is Zelda a RPG" debate...

BotW really settles this today I think.

"Best Playstation Hero"

Basically, only protagonists of PS1/PS2 games qualify. Though, that would be a bit of a mess, because people would nominate Snake, and they would also wonder if Crono was eligible since CT was ported to the system...

A playstation contest would be incredible. It's basically just a normal contest but with no Nintendo characters. Except Banjo

Just removing Nintendo in general would make it more fun.

Leonhart4 posted...

What gimme contest could you give Cloud to win that Link wouldn't qualify for?

Best Final Fantasy Character can probably be done without attracting too much suspicion.

CJayC would probably consider that too narrow of a contest idea

So much SFF too

Tag

I don't think Cloud would have really warranted or needed a special contest to give him a win like the Villains contest. It would probably have just been what we got in 2005, but with only Link and Seph excluded until the end.

Granted, CJayC didn't need to do that for Seph either, but it was an opportunity for an experiment I suppose.

Well, Sephiroth would've been the obvious winner without Link and Cloud, the most obvious we've ever had for a main contest, except maybe 2018.

At one point my bracket had Cloud/Sephiroth final in 2003. Doh!

To 500!