SamPond

SamPond, 10 months ago

This does make sense. The biggest Shanna vulnerability is being targetted by Killmonger before the game ends, though for me particularly I always found the tightness of space to be a large constraint, especially considering a possible Dazzler. That also makes her somewhat Surfer viable, though maybe an odd mix.

SamPond, 10 months ago

Been going through Borderlands 3. The general planet trotting is a weird way to introduce new environments instead of just saying Pandora has more than one climate. Shooting is entertaining, and the twins are somewhat amusing villains - though the story does retread the old trap of “Oh no, the big bad villains just killed [powerful named character], we can’t stop them!” too often for a game where I will only get bigger guns.

Played a little bit of Death’s Door. Its a good isometric action game and the way the world was crafted stands out very well. There’s something about the way everything looks, and how enemies stay dead after you defeated them, which makes the whole landscape eerie and unpleasant, even if overall the game doesn’t seem to be quite depressing.

Picked up Guardians of the Galaxy again, with the intent of finishing it off for real. The game is surprisingly very good, but also quite slow. They clearly wanted to give a lot of time for characters’ back and forth, which isn’t bad given that the game spends a significant amount of effort making them likable and investing in their growth but it also makes the game as chatty as your average RPG but with less interactions. Looks fantastic and has surprisingly good writing.

Considering giving Original Sin 2 a retry given all the current Larian hype.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I see we have reached the point where people are going to start saying “Okay, its time for everyone stop having fun” and writing about how the game isn’t that big of deal.

Point being: let’s not listen to the shrieking streamers and strange subsection of Japanese game defenders, and just calm down about some naked adult bodies standing around in a character creator, shall we? It’s time games got comfortable with the human form.

Let’s be frank: The real point is that the writer wants to feel superior to both of these demographics. Not that I support either, but this is just someone acting smug and superior and wanting a cookie for it. But I gotta say that the more blatant aspect is this ridiculous take that keeps popping up in modern criticism:

But there’s also plain old casual nudity—something that US cinema has historically shied away from (particularly with the male form), but that European cinema has been way more comfortable with for years. The whole gap between how the US and European ratings boards react to nudity is pretty well documented, and well summarised in this piece written at Quartz. Baldur’s Gate 3 is, of course, a European-made game, and we—yep, even us fusty old Brits—are historically a lot more relaxed about that kind of stuff.

Which is just absurd. I’m not North American, but let me tell you, if I see any plain dicks or pussy in a movie or TV series or game, it will be A Thing for me. I won’t just sit there and act like a robot thinking “That’s just a organic human body, much like mine, there’s nothing unusual about that”. There’s no homogenous understanding in Europe, or South America or in any other non-US country where full blown nudity is just a casual happening that anyone would not bat an eye at, adult or not.

Furthermore:

Streamers are “shocked” by the nudity? Well, that’s because they’re either a) sheltered people whose lives are largely based in their bedrooms and/or b) aware of the fact that looking aghast, being shocked, and squealing at the sight of a willy or tuft of pubes counts as entertainment. It’s a tale as old as PewDiePie: overreact on camera to things that happen in a game, and you’ll keep viewers, especially younger ones, engaged.

Whether it’s a performance or genuine shock, or a bit of both, video game streamers exist in a pretty particular bubble whose reactions aren’t exactly a gauge of society at large.

I won’t deny that streamers overact for views and content, but honestly? Fuck this guy. If I were playing by myself and saw a random cock dangling on my screen, I would have a reaction and feel flustered. If I were playing in front of hundreds, maybe thousands of strangers online? You can bet your ass that I would have a mini-anxiety attack. If the average streamer is a "sheltered people whose lives are largely based in their bedrooms " (again, fuck this writer) then that’s even more reason to not make light of a moment of panic. Having a hobby where you get to interact with people beyond your screen instead of face-to-face can be a mirror, but it also opens you to a lot of repercussions and a human, if overblown reaction like this being talked down is genuinely infuriating.

Frankly, this is just a plain asshole of a person, and the fact that every other writing of theirs on BG3 is “Its not that good, everyone” just solidifies my stance.

SamPond, 10 months ago

“Show Nudity” is still very vague. For any other videogame, it’d mean at best some nipples. The instance of full frontal in any media is extremely rare, hence the reactions are still justified. It would be a surprise, yes.

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

For Spider-Man, I guess the easy answer would be Miles Morales, huh? :P

But I know what you meant, its a game with ridiculously fun mobility though its hard to find a good equivalent. There’s few things that feel as good as webslinging. So on that front (Open world + Mobility) I’m going to suggest the Just Cause series. 2 is generally the one people are the most fond of, though I vastly preferred 3. 4 is a mix of both but it didn’t gel well with me. You are not quite Spider-man, but a grappling hook and wingsuit go a long way of providing a similar experience.

For Genshin, the one game with open-world and exploration I’ve swapped around with it before is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Large world, fair number of sidequests (I’ve actually never finished the game from how big it is) and a lot of climbing - with no stamina bars. The loot quality feeds the same endorphins as a good gacha roll, and its free.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I’ve recently played a bit of FarCry 6 since its on PS+ Extra and…honestly, I don’t get who these games are made for these days. There’s a veneer of absurdity and seriousness but it doesn’t fully commit to either, while having the typical overstuffed Ubisoft open-world. Ends up not going into either the military shooter direction or the goofy, zany shooter direction or in any other direction. It just kinda is, like a fatty, filling but ultimately bland fast food.

So yea, a reinvention would be good, but I at this point I believe Ubisoft games are their own genre, for better or for worse.

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Girthyanki

SamPond, 10 months ago

there’s no far left in the US

SamPond, 10 months ago

Frankly, it depends on how micro or macro you’re willing to think, and how much that personally bothers you. At the end of the day we live in multiple systems of oppression and exploitation that make it very hard - and sometimes outright impossible - to properly consume something without being unethical. From The Good Place:

“Life now is so complicated, it’s impossible for anyone to be good enough for the Good Place. These days, just buying a tomato at a grocery store means that you are unwittingly supporting toxic pesticides, exploiting labor, contributing to global warming. Humans think that they’re making one choice, but they’re actually making dozens of choices they don’t even know they’re making!”

From my personal point of view, there’s a few choices. The first is, you can just not consume. There’s more than enough indie games, as well as plenty of old-AAA games that won’t directly benefit their companies anymore. You can also pirate, if that’s not an online game.

From a more cynical point of view, your individual purchase (and, frankly, even a organized boycott) won’t make a difference to these companies. Modern capitalism doesn’t rely on genuine profit, just on the idea that an IP or corporation is profitable, and that’s enough to attract investors and investments, and inflate its share price as well as its value in the eyes of capitalists. This is a gross oversimplification, and generally only applies to the largest names, but still sadly relevant.

So at the end of the day, you have to think to yourself: Does it bother you to consume something? I won’t buy or play anything related to Harry Potter media because JKR disgusts me, but I see no issue with indirectly supporting WotC. Likewise, while the decision to not support Blizzard products is very easy (they don’t really make that many), I can’t say their scandals forced me to stop playing any more than their lack of dedicated support to their products.

There’s rarely an absolute moral good when it comes to consuming products, even indie ones; Publishers like Chucklefish and Dangen had their own share of abuse and neglect, and sometimes individual creators are just, well, assholes.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I haven’t found/heard of a good, meaty new game in a while. Recetly I’ve dug back into Leaf Blower Revolution but like a lot of incremental games it eventually devolves into having very specific strategies or goals.

I have quite enjoyed Synergism in the past, as well as Wizard and Minion Idle and NGU.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I don’t play games at release so my lists are often varied anyway. Only one of these truly blew my mind, but I think the others stood out well enough:

Paradise Killer: The detective and investigation genre has been well fed these past years. When Obra Dinn came out I felt sated. It was everything I ever wanted from a mystery game. The recent release of The Case of the Golden Idol struck a similar vein, even if far shorter and (IMO) easier. There’s a thing about those however, as well as most games of the genre: They’re often tied down to vignettes, select scenes laid down by the developers with clues that are obligatory to find or stand out blatantly. Games like Ace Attorney or DanganRonpa straight up won’t let you progress until you’ve found everything that you need to beat your case. And while that is not exactly stale, it feels somewhat constrained.

Paradise Killer flips that metaphorical table and throws you into a wild, vibrant world with little to no aid. I’ll spare the plot details, as its somewhat complicated to talk about them, but you are an investigator sent to crack the “Crime to end all crimes”, a bloodbath that is going to send this - supposedly - paradise into a chaotic fate unless its stopped. And after a brief explanation of what happened, you’re sent on your merry way, expected to meet and interrogate every NPC, as well as comb through the scenario.

The dialogues are typical from what you expect, some friendly back and forth, some very unfriendly back and forth, characters with deep dark secrets that aren’t always related to the current case but might turn up unexpected surprises. The real standout of the game, however, is the freedom and expectations you have for this world. You’re not chained to the murder scene (which you can’t even access for most of the game) or a few select areas. Instead you’re supposed to walk and climb and jump and look into every named area, learn about this world, dig up secrets, compare and pick apart testimonies, comb up random pieces of evidency as well as solve a few minor puzzles along the way. Its a mystery game with a single case - in a way - that runs far, far deeper than any other detective adventure I’ve ever played. Its a story that starts deep and dark, then plunges far further with every single new information you learn about this deranged place and its citizens. I don’t think I’ll ever be as sated as when I finally sat down and put everything together, getting ready for the final trial (which you can start at any point, the sword of Damocles of having enough evidence always hanging over your head) and proceeded to build and tear down every remark I’ve heard along the way. But then again, I thought I’d never find a games as satisfying as Obra Dinn as well.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin: A mix of farming sim and character action game filled with so much heart it overflows. Sakuna takes several elements from games I’m used to play - the asshole main character who finds herself taking care of an unwanted group, crop growing mechanics, 2D stylish combat - and breaths fresh air in all of those.

The characterization and growth that these people go through is nothing short of stellar. I’ve gotten somewhat tired of redemption arcs or bonding that happens through a traumatic event or crushing defeat, or simply is forced by the narrative. In Sakuna there’s no sudden moment where the characters start to band together. Instead, slowly, they start relying on each other’s talents, realizing what they can do for each other - and for themselves. Its about learning their value, honing their abilities, and sharing the kindness they get with others. It something that’s hard to put in words - how to properly describe people growing fond of each other? - but the narrative is genuinely heartwarming, and most of all it feels organic.

The Rice growing also stands out, in a more grueling light. This isn’t a farming game where you tile a field, randomly throw seeds, water them and call it a day. Every action that you take is exhausting, from preparing the soil, to planting - every individual seedling, one by one - to measuring the proper flow of water, considering the fertilizer ingredients, thinking about the proper temperature, and that’s not to mention the harvesting. You’ll separate the rice stalk by stalk, and manually hull the rice until its fully white (or leave it brown, if you’re okay with a lesser quality). Its a repetitive, arduous job, but it makes complete sense both mechanically and narratively. First, Sakuna is a harvest goddess, meaning her levelling up happens entirely through a proper harvest. This is her literally growing as a goddess. Secondly, that backbreaking labour gets slowly easier, both by her learning new planting skills and by being helped by her soon-to-be friends. Its how she grows as a person. Little by little those tasks get easier, faster, as she gets stronger and starts valuing other’s labour more, as well as her own. Its a slow process, but briliantly laid out by the developers.

Dragon Quest Builders 2: This one is simple. This game is basically a drug. The DQB series follow the formula of block crafting games, but with a fantasy setting and a storyline. Rather than having a sandbox to do as you wish, you’ll be guided through a world in need of saving, not by a hero but by a Builder. And not only does DQB stand out on its presentation and satisfying mechanics, but it simply oozes charm and is a ridiculously sweet adventure, almost to the point of being saccharine.

And it has so many puns you’ll want to walk into the sea.

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

The last few years of remasters have amazed me in how they’re just blatantly adding emulator features. jRPGs like the Atelier and Legend Of Heroes series have speed up buttons, the Megaman Z/X collection has save states, Battle Networked boosted the basic damage attack. Its fairly interesting to see developers looking at amateur apps and going “Yea, okay, you had a point.”

SamPond, 10 months ago

I have cracked my Steam copy of Alice: Madness Returns in the past because I’ve lost my EA account and am unable to play the game I’ve paid for.

(but I also have zero morality qualms on pirating in general)

SamPond, 10 months ago

Don’t see a lot of plain fast paced arena shooters these days. There’s The Master Chief Collection which kinda works but also isn’t, you know, new.

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Do you have thoughts on the WadjetEye games? I’ve found a few of them quite engaging, particularly the later Blackwell games though I’ve heard good things of Unavowed.

The Cat Lady is also a gem but terribly dark.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I’m sorry, I should’ve been more specific: Multiplayer Arena Shooters. I’m a Ultrakill evangelist.

SamPond, 10 months ago

I would also like some class based hero shooters that aren’t Blizzard or Paladins TBH. I enjoy being the healer/support more than getting kills (though shooting stuff is also fun) and Valorant or Apex don’t quite scratch that itch

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Hi there! I saw someone mentioning this game on Cohost and was reminded of this old-ass post of yours

store.steampowered.com/app/…/Path_of_the_Abyss/

I’m not sure if there’s an english version yet (Its still in Early Access) but I think that’s your type of game?

SamPond, 10 months ago

A lot of things can cause “the mind to wander” and, frankly, I’m not a health professional but as a person who sometimes has trouble focusing I somewhat sympathize. There are times when I simply can’t sit down and enjoy myself, and there’s nothing that can be done about that. Usually times of high stress and anxiety.

But outside of those extreme cases, there’s generally a few things here and there that can help alleviate. The first, and maybe almost stupidly obvious one, is to do some of those tasks beforehand. I don’t have to stress about doing the dishes or paying the bills or returning a call if I just do it beforehand. Logging into the bank app is just 5 minutes, why worry about it otherwise.

Another is to get comfortable and shut yourself off. Leave your phone in a place you can’t reach from wherever you’re gaming (or watching a movie, or reading or studying. Your phone should actually be in a different room every time you don’t immediately need it) as well as any other electronic devices. Close the windows and doors, turn off your PC. Make it a bother to stop enjoying yourself.

Take a bathroom break (or if its in the evening, a shower+grooming) and maybe have a snack or a full meal. Have a bottle of water nearby. That crosses out basic biologic annoyances (until you need a pee break but that’s at least a healthy obstacle).

Exercise a bit. Sounds out there, but exhausting yourself physically isn’t only healthy, it also takes your mind off a lot of things. Since that’s a relatively boring activity that can also have your mind wander, have some podcasts handy, but something light and preferably with 2+ hosts so you can have several voices in your head that aren’t yours but also don’t need to follow a story or anything heavy. Going on a walk while listening to a 1 hour episode should be good enough (and something we all should do regardless of attention issues)

On the subject of podcasts, I’ve found that some games aren’t gripping enough to draw my attention or are repetitive enough that I don’t need to dedicate all of my attention to them, so I’ve dubbed them Podcast Games and do both at the same time. Roguelikes do very well in this regard, as well as management games, or anything that isn’t story heavy (or if the story blows) and where the sound isn’t exactly necessary.

And sometimes, ultimately, maybe you just aren’t really in the mood for a game. There are hobbies of mine that I enjoy, but don’t do much because I’m not “in the zone” as often, like reading or watching a TV series. So if gaming is like that for you, swap around and enjoy yourself, time spent doing something you like isn’t time wasted.

Optional: I’ve found that I’m much better at sitting down and watching a movie or a show when I have someone alongside me to chat up. Maybe having someone along to play/watch together, or simply streaming through Discord for a friend might be a solution. You’d be surprised at how many other people are also bored and would accept an invite to watch you play while chatting about their day.

SamPond, 10 months ago

The usage of “content” and “engagement” in this post is genuinely depressing. People clearly want to have conversations and discussions, not feed an algorithm machine.

SamPond, 10 months ago

You’re in luck because 7 just happens to be a reboot (of sorts) with an entirely new protagonist, cast of secondary characters as well as gameplay. Even its setting and crime organizations steer away (mostly) from the previous conflicts of the Kamurocho red light district.

Yakuza also has the an advantage (IMO) that its “how anime bullshit is this anime?” is fairly low. The characters are actual adults, dealing with (mostly) relatable to real life issues, and even the stories that are far out there (such as fighting a giant roomba) are not very egregious.

I certainly prefer the series as a whole than Persona, which I admit is an unpopular take. If you’re ever curious about doing a deep dive, 0 is also very welcoming and its the (now canon) beginning of the previous series.

SamPond, 10 months ago

her mother: gluck gluck gluck gluck gluck gluck gluck

SamPond, 10 months ago

“Bro Explaining” is a meme format where a guy is enthusiastically preaching about a subject to a clearly uninterested woman, in this case transposed to a Space Marine spreading Codex Astartes lore

https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/p7bwc9xkrp7.jpg

SamPond, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Its literally quoted in my post

SamPond, 10 months ago

The thought of a competitive Pokemon Sleep scenario just filled me with the most precious mental image. The Reverse Gamer™ Room, no leds, no table full of monitors, a mega comfy bed, relaxing music or white noise machine, guides on how to have a healthy diet and regular workout sessions.

SamPond, 10 months ago

If you’re really looking for not-catch-all systems

I’m not, but don’t let that get in your way of reccomending good stuff that you enjoy playing. There’s nothing wrong with taking a free opportunity to talk about games you like.

SamPond, 11 months ago

I had taken a break from Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin and picked it back again. Genuinly amazing game, some nice character action style combat that flows greatly, intricate rice farming that makes you struggle but reap satisfying rewards, unexpected character development that feels organic and well earned in its joy.

I also got my first Infinite rank in Marvel Snap, but that’s hardly a “week” playing and more like a constant habit I’ve been doing since October or so.

SamPond, 11 months ago

God, Niji is bleeding talents lately. I didn’t watch much of Nina or Mysta but they both caught me by surprise from being streamers that did mostly their own thing rather than big projects, and still couldn’t keep up with the flow.

At this point they really need to start focusing on some re-structuring (I imagine the recent wave being smaller was part of this) and better management unless all their biggest names start dropping out.

SamPond, 11 months ago

Even a bit later, sometimes. From “Snow Crash”:

Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest motherfucker in the world. If I moved to a martial arts monastery in China and studied real hard for ten years. If my family was wiped out by Columbian drug dealers and I swore myself to revenge. If I got a fatal disease, had one year to live, devoted it to wiping out street crime. If I just dropped out and devoted my life to being bad.

Hiro used to feel that way, too, but then he ran into Raven. In a way, this is liberating. He no longer has to worry about trying to be the baddest motherfucker in the world. That position is taken.