SleepingSilence

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

Stray is a bit disappointing. In that I enjoyed the vibe, and wanted to see how the narrative would end. But it's pretty obvious that the game was rushed to a conclusion.

The 2nd city has very limited places to jump on top of, and the puzzles are a bit more directionless. (That, on top of having no ability to backtrack, or get 100% completion through no fault of your own.)

One puzzle I found to be the biggest stretch was "find this guy, he's wearing this, this and this." But nobody in the whole city had any of those features. So I assumed you were supposed to share the same logic as the developers did. (In that, you deliberately can't see those features, and you're supposed to infer that. Over every other possible option..) And I did. But talking to the NPC alone wasn't enough. Nor did it provide any further hints. Instead, I actually needed to show them something from my inventory to succeed. (But I didn't think to do this for a while.)

Honestly, Stray had a neat premise (cat pandering aside) and deserved to be better. (But I also shared the same bugged out NPC that Dunkey had, after a whole six months later. So I assume this game isn't getting any more polish...)

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Baba Is You is pretty good and challenging thus far. Perfect for listening to podcasts while puzzle solving. (Since they'll take you a while.) To the point where I'm considering downloading another game to play. So I can turn this into "my daily crosswords" of sorts.

What shows/movies are you watching?

Except I'm not going to bat for Multiverse of Madness. I'm going to bat for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

@Fabricant451

Since we both posted about that movie in this thread. I'll assume you're in on the gag, and already realize that multiple movies had used the multiverse shtick this year.

But I already know that I didn't have the same overwhelming positive reaction that others did with Everything Everywhere All At Once. Though I at least understood the appeal. Unlike other "masterpieces" like 'The Northman'.

Which one do you think a studio cares about when weighing the worth of what it costs to produce.

@Fabricant451

To avoid arguing against the same fallacious 'argumentum ad populum' that I already know won't stay consistent. (Since no one universally believes "well this is popular, well this is profitable, so it can't be criticized/poor in quality" once its something *you* don't like.)

I wouldn't claim all studios are the same. But some don't even seem to care about making money, nor critical and audience reception. (And not only those "we'll get a tax break, if we fail" kind of movies/scam projects.)

Though Illumination Entertainment's goal is obvious from the movies they make. And the reception of their movies (looking at places like IMBD) is on a downward trend. So since it's their studio making the hypothetical movie we were discussing. I want to know if you think they'd actually make a good Legend Of Zelda adaption? Or is the argument that they'd make a profitable movie?

I get that you're trying to make a statement on movies not being new, because sequels.

@Fabricant451

It's almost cliché to point out that Hollywood has no original ideas, and only continues to abuse the same trends. So yeah, I'm not exactly alone in feeling burnt out.

But, I'm human too. John Wick and Spiderverse still have my interest as well. I'm just not expecting much out of them.

And aside from a few long-standing creatives like Christopher Nolan creating Oppenheimer, with a star-studded cast. I don't think I've even heard of most of those movies. (And I'd wager the same is true for most people in general.) Since its seems more and more movies come out with little fanfare. Maybe because fewer people are watching online ads?

All I'm saying, as an admitted cynic, while I'd imagine the quantity has only increased for movies and shows alike. (And perhaps it's not unique for Hollywood that there's more bad products, than good ones.) The decreasing tolerance for (and ability to engage with) basic criticism, is at an all time low on the internet. (But this is more obnoxious in the gaming space. So I'll leave it at that.)

Point being, I'm sure you would not be the only one using The Minions Movie of all things to defend the idea of another video game movie adaption being produced. But for me, that only adds on to this feeling.

What Are You Listening To?

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

@SleepingSilence oh so you played Signalis then?

@Dark Cloud

The list man! I have a list. :P

Honestly, I haven't played much survival horror. (Aside from when I owned a random shitload of them in my teens.) So I don't know how much that game would appeal to me...

Though on a random side note, if I can afford to get a new/better PC this year. I've been thinking about getting into game development (and basic coding) again. So I'd be capable of doing so—without the computer exploding.

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

Finished The Entropy Center and felt relieved that it was over. Couldn't have been a more obvious ending.

Playing Stray now. And honestly, the places you can "be a cat" are strangely limited. Plus, not that it isn't already mentioned in every review, but these trial-and-error chase sequences are simply not enjoyable parts of the game. But they're also a lot more frequent than most reviews make them out to be.

However, I will disagree with most critics when they claim that the game has no sense of direction. Though it is easy to get lost without a map. The game has provided many instances of direction in the world/character dialogue.

But good visual detail and audio aside, I feel like my cat walking simulator could use more freedom and cat pandering mechanics.

What shows/movies are you watching?

Things not even trying to be about games.

Careful, your mask is slipping

@Fabricant451

Why did you make a separate post just to add this?

Your excellent sense of humor is showing as always.

What are you talking about, one of the most acclaimed movies of the last year involved multiverse and had rules and explained itself without any complication or convolutions while also telling a story that resonated with people.

@Fabricant451

Going to bat for Multiverse of Madness are we? Man, you'll argue contrarian for just about anything, won't ya?

Hollywood is no stranger to complicated movies, and your opinion on the Minions aside those movies are still well received.

@Fabricant451

That's nice. But I want good movies.

And whatever one considers "well received", doesn't exactly make it good, nor worth the multi-millions that it cost to produce.

Hollywood doesn't even do "it was all a dream" stuff anymore. And they're likely to produce a solid 3/5 movie about a plumber with no real personality.

@Fabricant451

I don't rate movies above average, let alone highly, when their characters have no personality. But different strokes.

And there's modern movies that still have that trope/pointless dream sequences in them. So...

Just because you think Hollywood is some monolithic thing producing bad content, doesn't make it so, and that just says you're not seeking out movies.

@Fabricant451

Yes, I alone think this.

And the way you described how they'd make the movie (by making a few random references with '''an elf''' guy) already sounds terrible enough. Though I'd bet all the money imaginable, that it wouldn't even be *that* well versed in the end product.

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@Fabricant451 What fun new movies are you looking forward to this year? John Wick 4, Trolls 3, Insidious 5, Spiderman 2, Another f*cking internet found footage movie, The Nun 2, The Meg 2, Insert every marvel and DC movie here, Mission Impossible, Hunger Games, Indiana Jones, Transformers...(I could keep going.)

But more seriously, is there anything you're actually expecting to be of excellent quality?

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

@SleepingSilence Twilight Princess would be the most marketable game to base a movie on.

@Dark Cloud

Maybe I could imagine an anime movie (made by a studio that has a track record for making anything other than cynical products) that could be passable? Maybe an animated series? But I feel like constantly trying to turn games into other mediums is already a mistake to begin with. (Just see all the shitty 'cinematic' games, for proof of that.)

But I'd imagine Ocarina Of Time would be the one they'd adapt. For being the most well known of the series. Even if that one has so much going on in it - that trying to turn it into a single ninety-minute movie - would be a grave mistake. Now with Beyoncé as Zelda. And all new music by Pharrell Williams!

The director of the Mario movie is the writer of an upcoming live action Naruto. And the writer made the Minions Sequel. This movie is going to suck.

Now to go back on topic, how is The Surge treating ya? Have not heard many good things about that one.

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread Number Two

The Entropy Center's physics engine, Does. Not. Work. I'm repeating the same puzzles dozens of times, because the engine can't repeat results, and the jump/jumppads often don't work correctly.

That, on top of the minimal story, and it's becoming a frustrating pain to get through.

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The lore in any given Zelda game is hardly complicated or convoluted at all

@Fabricant451

*Too complicated and convoluted⁠ — for Hollywood. Especially from the folks that made the Minion/Dr.Seuss movies.

Mind, aside from the many inconsistences in the timeline. I enjoy most of Zelda's stories, items, worlds and characters (the latter two being where most of the "effort" is placed. Something they'd also almost certainly fuck up.)

You could easily make any given Zelda game into the foundation for a movie, because they all follow the same basic premise.

@Fabricant451

The idea that each game could be just as easily adapted as the other, is something I can't agree with. Especially because the quality of the Legend Of Zelda games tend to go beyond the bare bones that Hollywood would imitate.

But maybe Link's Awakening could have an Oldboy-style "reinterpretation", since Hollywood's so used to producing the "and it was all a dream" cliché. Though I'm trying to imagine how fucking awful a Majora’s Mask movie would be.

Anime & Manga! Oh my! (Anime/Manga Thread)

@Dark Cloud It depends on what you're looking for (and what you've already watched/enjoyed.) Give me a few things you've seen already. So I know your general tastes.

Anime & Manga! Oh my! (Anime/Manga Thread)

@Dark Cloud You'll hear contradictory things about the show and its spin-offs. But as someone who watched it, when it first came out. (Before everything had been overanalyzed into oblivion.) I quickly stopped watching around when the little girl was introduced. Because the pacing had already slowed to a crawl at that point. And the plot itself had become so obvious, that I stopped watching before most of the really bad stuff had even happened yet.

And honestly, there's so much better "mainstream appeal" anime that do the exact same thing as SAO. So if you need old or current anime recommendations, I can give you far better options.