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Middle-Aged Man Reviews Cute and Girly DS Fashion Game: “This Game Opened My Eyes to Style!”

Philip Kendall Oct 26, 2012
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While browsing online store Amazon, you’ve no doubt stumbled upon a few interesting or downright strange reviews of products written by fellow shoppers. Some of the reviews are both well written and informative, helping us make the best purchasing decisions possible; others, meanwhile, might cause us to wonder how the human race has survived this long, or make us consider contacting the authorities.

One review on Amazon Japan, however, has caught the attention of hundreds of shoppers and has become something of a talking point online.

The review, written by a self-professed middle-aged man, is of a videogame that sees gamers select clothes for, dress and style young women as fashionably as possible, and is intended mainly for the younger female audience.

This male reviewer, however, was incredibly taken with the title, going so far as to say that it has changed the way he sees the world…

Before we get to the crux of this gentleman’s review, it’s perhaps best to familiarise ourselves with the game itself.

Check out this short video to get a sense of what Selfish Fashion GIRLS MODE Greedy Fashion Declaration is all about…

“I’m a middle-aged gamer and have little-to-no idea about fashion”, Amazon reviewer MtO begins. “Up until now, if I ever had any money, I always spent it on games, not clothes! But when I played games, I always found myself paying attention to the style and design of in-game items and clothes. For example, if I picked up a defensive item in a game, if it looked bad I often wouldn’t equip it.”

From the outset, it would seem that this middle-aged gamer had a keen eye for fashion, he just didn’t know it…

Our reviewer then goes on to provide a detailed description of Girls Mode and the role the player takes, telling of how the game allows players to choose from thousands of outfits and accessories, select hairstyles, co-ordinate colours, “and as you continue, more and more brands are added to your store!”

“I’d never heard of ‘preppy’ style until trying this game, but, using the in-game dictionary Mikipedia, I learned that this means ‘school taste’. You learn something new every day! This fashion thing really is kind of fun!”

If only MtO had posted a video review online! We’d love to hear him getting excited about purses and discovering new fashion lingo on-the-fly.

“I love you~ Yes, I do~”

While it’s definitely uncommon for male gamers to take an interest in games akin to Girls Mode, and gun-ho shooters, sports games and online role-playing games are without a doubt the most widely played genres, fashion and style coordination has been featured in a number of recent videogame series mostly aimed at men.

Idol Master, a game based on the premise of building a teen pop idol group, became one of the most successful Xbox 360 games ever in Japan, helped mainly by the millions of online micro-transactions made by men purchasing additional outfits, songs and accessories for their girls. Meanwhile, criminal underworld brawler Ryu ga Gotoku (known as Yakuza in the west), includes entire sections of the game where it’s necessary to dress up hostess workers, choosing everything from their dress and handbag to makeup and colour contact lenses in order to make them a hit with the customers…

Before we can be a gangland boss, we must dress our women beautifully!

“When I was a highschool student, I was completely wrapped up in videogames- not once did I notice the girls in their cute blazers or appreciate their style. When I look back now, I can’t help but feel regret that I never paid attention and made the most of the situation.”

You’d be forgiven for being a little creeped out by that last comment or imaging some balding middle-aged guy in his underwear typing this review, but MtO is more than aware how bad it sounds, interjecting thus:

“Sorry, that sounds a bit weird. Please don’t start throwing stones and calling me an old creep!”

The reviewer than goes on to proclaim that Girls Mode has completely changed his outlook on clothes and fashion, and made him rethink his own style.

“When I’m waiting in line at the convenience store now, I often find myself looking at the girls around me, not in a creepy way- I mean checking out their style. I sometimes look at a girl’s outfit and think ‘that skirt and vest are kinda mismatched’ or ‘that fur scarf looks expensive’.”

Hmmm, we’re not sure that excuse will fly, MtO. This writer’s wife, at least, probably wouldn’t buy “I’m just checking out her outfit” if she caught me looking a girl in a store up and down… Amazon’s shoppers, however, appear to take the reviewer’s word for it and accept that he’s not a complete sukebe (perv), since up until now 1,000 different users have marked MtO’s review as helpful to them during their shopping experience.

Thank goodness for online stores like Amazon- thanks to the safety and anonymity of online shopping, men like MtO are able to discover a side to them that they never knew existed…

Source: Netorabo

YouTube Video by StyleSavvyDS Yakuza image Famitsu Idolmaster image by Japanese Gamespot