Borderlands 2 might be funny, but it's not a comedy

Nightmare Mode writes about Borderlands 2 and how and why it's not really a comedy in the classical sense:

"The more I play Borderlands 2, the more I like it. But the more I think it’s not really a comedy. Borderlands 2 tries to be a comedy, but all it is a funny action movie.

"There are many facets to video games, but boiled down, they’re a series of actions that tell stories. When I say Borderlands 2 isn’t a comedy, I mean exactly that: it is a very capable, if old fashioned, first person shooter with RPG mechanics. It slaps a hundred internet memes, slapstick jokes, and absurd narrative beats onto this to distract you, to convince you it’s a comedy video game. But don’t be fooled: it’s a funny shooter, but no comedy. It’s skinned a funny guy, and it’s wearing him as a suit, but that doesn’t make the product a comedy."

[digitaleraser]

By comparing it to The Room and Rifftrax, you're saying Borderlands 2 was unintentionally funny, when it was very clearly intentional (have you ever seen writer Anthony Burch's webshow Hey Ash Watcha Playin?).

I think the problem you're having is that you're laughing at things that are so dark that you feel they shouldn't be as funny as they are? Take a look at the Wikipedia article on "black comedy." That's what Borderlands 2 is, black comedy / dark comedy.

[Bimkoblerutso]

Well, he CLAIMS he likes dark humor (in the form of Tokyo Jungle), though I really don't see the point of this article, to tell the truth. Even if you didn't particularly like the humor in the game, you're not going to get many people categorizing it as something other than a "comedy action" game.

There are obvious jokes and punchlines, the world is darkly cartoonish, and the characters are all wild caricatures. But even if all those elements didn't convince you...at the end of the day, who really gives a flip? It's a piece of entertainment that made people laugh. Why do we need to trudge through the exhausting world of semantics to deconstruct what particular category a game rests in?

[wallis]

"A comedy makes us think: it proposes a ludicrous situation, and it makes us think about it."

Like say a character who's so ridiculously egotistical that he is incapable of recognizing the fact he's the villain? And then have this villain opposed by a bunch of greedy mercenaries in it for the loot? So in a story of liberation and freedom it's not a tale of heroes against selfish corporate greed it's a tale of selfish corporate greed against false heroism.

What part of borderlands 2 is not ridiculous? And even if not then what's wrong with an action game that's funny? Isn't the whole reason borderlands 2's art style is praised is because it's a break from angsty boring stories? I just don't buy the author's definition of a comedy, and even when I do I don't see why borderlands 2 doesn't qualify.

[KwietStorm]

lol this article is such a strongly obvious attempt to be "that" guy in the room and show how insightful he is by reading in between the lines, that he completely misses the whole point and is wrong in the process. THAT is comedy.

[Sp1d3ynut]

I've finished the game twice now, and have restarted with a new character 4 other times, just to get to the part with Tiny Tina. If that's not comedy (yes, maybe dark, given her background story), I don't know what is. The things she says/does...even when she's not talking directly to you...are comedic genius. And Claptrap's B-day party was painfully funny...and sad.

[RXL]

Comedy...is making someone laugh

period...

however...whenever...where ever

iv made my best friend laugh at his grandmothers funeral..

if you start picking apart comedy/jokes and you actually try to make sense of it...

it becomes unfunny...and you're stepping into the realm of philosophy..

it's VERY hard to get Comedy perfect...everyone finds different things funny...

you might laugh at a cat trying to chase it's tail while your friend stares at you in disbelief with a "really?" look on their face..

i commend Borderlands 2 for their humor..as most gamers have..

i remember not to long ago i was watching "Young Frankenstein" and cracking up while my gf kept a straight face throughout the movie..

different strokes for different folks..

[Sp1d3ynut]

You always buy the wide-ruled notebooks for school, don't you? -_-

[RXL]

jokes on you...i never went to school!

[Sp1d3ynut]

It certainly shows in your grammar and sentence structure...no joke.

[Bimkoblerutso]

Why U mad tho?

[RXL]

English is my second language lol

so excuse me oh great and pretentious one

ill try to bring my A game next time i post on a website about video games just in case a member named "spi1d3ynut" thinks i care about proper grammar and sentence structure on here..

btw..i think you mean more syntax as apposed to grammar..but hey..what do i know.

have a good day nut =)