I’m trying it now, and it’s tough. Karlach is one of my all time favorite characters so being on her bad side in particular is rough. The main incentive is just seeing a fresher side to events the game overall after two nobler playthrough.

I think that’s a neat idea, but we could instead, collectively, just do better at following other cars at a safe distance. I know it’s impractical to expect all drivers on the road everywhere to change their behavior, but it’s also persistently frustrating as someone who has for years frequently been stuck in traffic to see 95% of drivers insist on following less than a car-length behind. Following too closely to enable decision-making or accommodate other drivers is the cause of like 98% of both traffic accidents and congestion, according to my completely anecdotal and made up research.

Love a new youtube rec.

This is a really cool idea though. I’m actually playing F.I.S.T. right now and I’ve absentmindedly noticed some neat details in the environment backgrounds. Might slow myself down to a stroll in one of the city areas and take a closer look.

Been thinking about this type of thing a lot, especially as my older child is reaching an age where his friends are being allowed to play things like Roblox. Finding myself needing to explain gambling-adjacent risks, design patterns intended to capture rather than entertain or delight, and general digital citizenship.

Because he doesn’t have a ton of experience, I think he finds it unnatural to believe people like game makers might act deceptively or even maliciously. And I imagine he’s skeptical that his attention could even be manipulated the way games try.

Even “educational” games like Prodigy, endorsed by and used in his school, are lousy with operant conditioning and flow state design (and by some credible accounts are not even educationally valuable). I drew a line immediately against spending money within games and he’s so far been accepting of it. But the temptation is all over the place.

There are multiple sources referenced to weave a new commentary about the relationship between video games and labor for both players and creators 🤷.

I fear Matthew Vaughn has just lost his grip on the humanity that so brilliantly balanced the silly stories he likes to tell. Stardust is one of my all-time favorite movies, and Kick-Ass, X-Men First Class, and Kingsman are some of the most entertaining blockbuster flicks available, where the action is satisfyingly contextualized through excellent character work.

But his last three movies just don’t have the right equation. From what I remember, Argyle started out really strongly but seriously devolved after the halfway point. I think he’s indulging too much in the overwrought spectacle that he first toed the line of at the end of the first Kingsman.

Lincoln was a great biopic. Hyperfocusing on one pivotal moment in the man’s illustrious life, and using the complexity of those circumstances to explore his intelligence and charisma from all angles was so much more effective than the whole-life-in-fast-forward approach so many other biopics follow.

Plus Daniel Day Lewis in peak form. Just an indescribably good performance.

I think the remake addresses these issues as well.

What’s truly bizarre and off-putting though is how this game switches between several different types of cutscenes, ranging from completely fleshed out and animated (those look great) over less well-animated (but serviceable), to nearly completely static (but still voiced)= cutscenes with barely any movement.

If I remember correctly, 0 might be the only game to do this. 0 was my first game too and I remember being taken back by this (the static scene talking to some guy in a car smoking a cigarette or something is what sticks out in my memory). It’s possible other games did this too and I just forgot, but I’m not sure.

As for 0 being a good starting point, I do disagree. Having played all of them, I think 0 would land better if it was played after 1, 2, and 3. Kiryu’s and especially Majima’s stories in 0 heavily reference things that occur or are at least revealed in 1 and 3.

I started with 0 and worked my way chronologically from there (with the remakes for 1 and 2), and 0 is my pick for best if the series. I think the thing to know about the real estate sub-game, and others of its ilk like the host club in the same game (I think), is that they are completely parallel, non-consequential, optional content.

I personally feel that you could go through every single Yakuza game playing only the main story and side stories without missing anything of value. I would frequently force myself to play batting cages or karaoke or dancing because fans talk a lot about that stuff, but there’s really very little there to compel your attention unless you enjoy it. You can totally skip all that.

You could probably also skip the side stories if you just want to follow the main path, but those I do think are more crucial to Yakuza’s experience and identity - the outrageously silly flip side of the coin to the main story’s soap-opera-esque melodrama.

Glad to see a publication pushing back on the recent asinine comments and behaviors from CI.

Some teams put a little more effort into these than others lol (looking at you Polyphony). Housemarque’s is delightfully twisted in context. ZA/UM’s is really cool but spoiled by…that whole thing. My favorite just on pure aesthetics might be Sucker Punch.

Fair enough. I love the 80s vibe otherwise, but the brands have the awkward blocking and lingering-too-long-shot quality of bad product placement. Maybe in the final product it will make more sense if it’s supposed to be thematic and not just paid sponsorship.

Really impressed with how distinct a direction they went for this, it looks really promising.

I’m not tapped into the conversation over the show last night but I assume I’m not the only one who thinks the advertisements in this 4-minute video were fucking horrendous though.

“We’ve never been the party that was about checking boxes or identity politics, but the difference is we have women that are qualified to be chairs, and I don’t know why there wasn’t one who was able to become a chairperson of a committee," she added.

They’ve created this cartoonish simulacrum of diversity that they treat like some rabid, overzealous movement so they can ignore it.

Nicole, this thing you’re disappointed about is what that thing you dismiss as “identity politics” is actually all about, you weiner.

Best month I can remember in a long time.

• Forspoken: never planned on paying for it but I’m excited to play it for free.

• Sonic Frontiers: I actually already own this on Switch but we’ve been saving it to give as a Xmas present. Solid addition to the catalog though.

• F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch: never heard of it but I’ve been devouring metroidvanias this year, and apparently this scored well so I’m pumped.

• A Space for the Unbound: looks great, love the art style.

• PHOGS & Biped: two coop puzzle games that sound great to play with the family.

Agreed, and I’m really impressed by how much more appears to have been built on it for the sequel.

I never played them myself and I’m doubtful I have it in me to enjoy ps1-era gameplay at this point, but I’ll try to keep an open mind. I’ve always liked the idea of the series at least.

Absently curious who this is for. I haven’t felt like Legacy of Kain’s relevance persisted long past the PS2 era (where it was already waning) and it’s not exactly like Crystal Dynamics’ reputation is gleaming right now.

Been looking forward to this myself. There’s a demo on the PS Store that I had forgotten failed to download from the app when I tried a bit back. Gonna get that going now.

It also appears to be on sale with PS plus for those who are ready to go all in.