seinen-core

one for the dudes. the guys. games that seem to target an older male audience. they can certainly be just as violent as any other game, but depictions are more gritty or realistic than they are in more juvenile games, or games aimed at teens. psychological problems and trauma are more acutely explored. humor may be a bit edgier than expected. character drama is much more of a focus than beat-to-beat action and the characters in question tend to be older and less idealized. this isn't to say that seinen stuff isn't corny - it's just less chuuni, maybe.

this isn't to say only adult men like these games, just that something about them was clearly considered for the game in question. it can really be anything from the avant-garde to the lowbrow. bizarro sexual politics are often an aspect here too. they do, i think, need to have some sort of manga-esque narrative or storytelling style. kind of vaguely defined but otherwise nothing really separates it from just any other game. there's certainly a level of camp involved at times when the grittiness and cool factor and dialed up to their extremes. they're manly games, and as such can be exaggerated in unexpected or queer ways

this is inspired by ludzu's josei-core list and hopefully he accepts it as a companion of sorts!

https://www.backloggd.com/u/ludzu/list/josei-core/

specifically papa nier
i would say mostly the witcher 1 and 2 - the third is a bit more wide appealing, which is a major contributor to its success. it's still a cusp though
as ludzu points out on his list, inquisition is josei. dragon age 2 is for bbc sherlock fans.
this is almost too cartoonish but i think the humor really brings it back to that seinen place
whole series
whole series
the original has shades, but they lean in harder here

8 Comments


2 years ago

Laughing at Hellblade being on here. Great pick.

2 years ago

that was my little joke to like 2 people lol

2 years ago

now THIS is my kind of list. love when stuff is for "The Fellas"

2 years ago

this is inspired me to put mgs2 on my list

2 years ago

as for recs i can think of right now: cryostasis, arrest of a stone buddha if ringo can get on here, robert yang's games

2 years ago

you already have two berserk games, but let's make it a trilogy by adding this: https://www.backloggd.com/games/berserk-millennium-empire-arc-chapter-of-the-holy-demon-war/

2 years ago

@ludzu thank you i knew i could count on your suggestions, robert yang is a brilliant addition

@tauranoro didn't even know there was a third... thank you!!

2 years ago

I'd recommend Left Alive, Siren, and Call of Juarez: Gunslinger. Maybe Dead Rising?


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