SleepingSilence

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

@Dark Cloud I'd have to redownload Rise (and get Sunbreak, if its not free DLC.) So that's its own ask. XD

But it sounded like you enjoyed MHGU?

Though I hope you'll enjoy the experience (of Hollow Knight). As there will be times that frustrate you. But there will almost always be another path/option available to you. More so than any other game I've played in recent memory.

So, have fun getting lost and keep at it.

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I've been so focused on watching other media and social life stuff, that I haven't played much lately. But, I have Tunic installed and ready to go. So I hope its gimmick/mystery gives me a similar feeling of rewarding exploration/discovery. Whenever I'm in the mood to play it.

What shows/movies are you watching?

I watched more well rated movies on IMDB.

"Searching" made me question my life’s decision to watch this. Couldn’t get past the beginning, without wanting to go do anything else.

"The Harder They Fall" is a complete waste of potential. Its plot was hard to follow/get invested in. While also being tone deaf, incredibly predictable and frustratingly dull for most of its run time.

"Fractured" is an unreliable narrator thriller that is horrendously acted, with a twist you see coming the very moment it happens on screen.

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In contrast, the anime season hasn’t started off too bad.

Plus, "Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul" is one of the better/darker anime movies I’ve seen recently. At least in terms of getting exactly what you wanted. Even if the narrative itself feels a bit disjointed.

What shows/movies are you watching?

I watched things. (Mostly dumb action stuff.)

The Terminal List is similar to My Name in terms of quality and problems. Sloppy and slow at times, tropey, flashbacks you probably didn't need, and a final similar twist you can see coming a mile away. But it's 7 out of 10 entertainment. For the right audience. (I'd watch both, if you have nothing else to do.)

I honestly wanted more of The Old Guard, and wish it was a bit better developed/fleshed out. Because it has a surprising amount of character/cheeseball fun in it. (Overly poppy soundtrack aside.) Though its betrayal scene and redemption of a villain character both feel unjustified & needed better set up. Still worthy to watch, in spite of its weaker third act.

You know that terribad Irish PSA where a car crushes a bunch of small screaming children? And the ending line is “SHAME ON YOU.” Well, Triple Frontier has that as its second scene/overall tone. And between Dune and everything else I’ve seen him in, I’m still waiting on Oscar Isaac’s great acting performance. (I honestly didn’t even finish it. And I’m baffled with how much money this apparently took to make.)

Have other things on my watchlist and the new anime season is out too. So I have plenty more to sift through...

Edit: And unsurprisingly, the Boys finale sucked.

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

I'm feeling really conflicted with Everhood. Because I've adored the OST, since I first heard it. But the narrative and gameplay is starting to ware on me a bit. (And I have so long to go too...)

Spoilers? Who cares.

I'm at the point where you're told to kill everyone, for reasons. But it remarkably fails at giving me any actual reason to do so. They're bored and stuff. So euthanize their asses. But, I cannot physically get past the frog boss. Barely even matters what difficulty setting I have it on. Thus, it seems to be forcing me into playing one particular way. (And I really hate that.)

It's dialogue is amusing (when it tries to be.) But its certainly not as comedic as Undertale. (Or even Underhero.)

The control scheme seems to make or break certain challenges. (A thing I've experienced before.) But its still a bit obnoxious to have to unplug my controller (or vice versa) to complete something.

And sure, it's gameplay is a damn challenge. But its beginning to feel like there's only one correct path in these latter fights. Almost regardless of difficulty settings. (That forces me into a trial and error run, over and over again.) Which is not, good game design.

The fake ending trope seems to be in every other indie game now. To the point where its almost more predictable than not having one.

So the various nitpicks I've had, and less-than-fun boss gimmicks that I forced myself through, (the rewinding time boss is an absolute piss take.) I wanted the narrative to make me keep going. But the narrative and gameplay are both starting to irritate me...

What shows/movies are you watching?

I mean I've read and watched a lot of fantasy and I think fantasy is largely all garbage piles so maybe it's just not the genre for you.

@Fabricant451

To be fair fantasy is a lot easier to pull off (and in turn a lot easier to screw up). I know a lot of fantasy works just come down to the whole "it's magic I ain't gotta explain shit" cliché.

@Kuro

Well I'm sure the law of averages suggest that most genres are filled with mediocre works.

But I think you're correct (Kuro). In that, I think the "explaining everything" bit is part of it. Because both of them rely on suspension of disbelief, using largely unbelievable/unlikely concepts. So when Fantasy says "magic and emotion", cliché as it might be, its a lot easier to buy. Versus when not smart people attempt to make up bullshit science jargon on the fly. Because its both so much closer to reality/therefore far less believable.

Also, fantasy is and has been far more broad in its use in media, generally speaking. Where as, a whole lot of scifi shows, do a lot of the very same things. I'm sure if I found some comics or something less soap opera-y. (Got a lot of scifi hand-me-downs from my parents.) I'd find the western Steins:Gate.

But I have to keep trying. If you don't try something based on usual taste, you'll miss the best stuff of its kind.

What shows/movies are you watching?

I've read and watched a lot of science fiction. (Most recently a cancelled show called, Dark Matter. Where it botched the premise and mystery element fairly quickly.)

And I've still struggled to find anything in the genre that I could call "my favorite", aside from a few anime. (Which seems to be the only exception, for how often I find myself feeling indifferent to this genre.)

*shrugs*

Word association Game!

Boat

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

I have almost finished playing "Haiku, The Robot". (Easy Hollow Knight. As it's described.)

And man, I've been waiting for something like this to come out of the metroidvania space for a while now.

I adore its art design, the world connectivity, how it got movement right, the gimmicks that make it stand out, the character interactions and little lore spaces. (Honestly, it only needs a much better soundtrack to make everything else 'pop'.)

However, the biggest objective flaw with the game, is how a majority of these enemies pose no threat to you whatsoever. To the point where you feel kind of sorry for destroying them. Some even seem broken. Like the Jellyfish enemies that shoot no-damage lightning sparks at you. (And a lot of people also say that all the bosses are too easy. And sure, compared to Hollow Knight and its contemporaries, they're all fairly exploitable.) But I think most of the bosses are balanced fine. Due to how slow the healing system is.

Except the final but not really boss that I'm on right now. And how it seems borderline unfair, with how random and unpredictable his movements seem to be throughout his various phases. But I'll keep at it. (After all, I gave Ender Lilies far much more of my time. And yet, I've enjoyed my overall experience with this game, for much longer.) So I'm glad I got this one.

Edit: Finished everything despite the game claiming otherwise. And yes, that boss was still pure nonsense.

What shows/movies are you watching?

@Fabricant451 In action movies and scenes that are supposed to be tense. Completely predictable outcomes do hinder the experience a wee bit. Especially when its a longer "when will they be saved" scene. But I don't have a problem with a story/plot being cliché. If its done well—and the movie does do most of its scenes well.

In fairness to it, I haven't seen anything better in theaters. And there's nothing wrong with a crowd pleaser. (It's almost refreshing to see a movie being made for the audience to enjoy.)

Maybe I'm just too hard to please. :P

What Are You Listening To?

I've heard a bunch of decent/listenable tracks over the past few days. But I keep finding myself listening to music from prior years instead.