Topic: Hot Takes Thread (Gaming and Non-gaming)

@Malaise Hash Browns-likes?

@Malaise Instead of guzzling down Monster energy drinks, Norman Reedus will nibble on various types of hash brown-likes in Death Stranding 2.

This could start so many wars, which is exactly the intention of my original post. Goal achieved. 😂

I don't know if this a hot take or I only heard avg to negative comments on the game I have been playing recently, Immortals of Aveum. I have been really enjoying it. I'm about 25% in so maybe it does take a hit later. So far the magic style shooting, blocking and hovering have been fantastic. It is magic Doom is the closest I can describe it. The protagonist does have some cringe worthy dialog, but the gameplay is where it shines. The lore is interesting so far as well. Hopefully it holds up until the end.

@Elodin seen a lot of people that like it, especially some in the push square game club, you’re probably not alone!

@Yousef- Of course we need to determine what defines a Hash Brown-like. Is it the coating or more down to the filling? 🤔

@JohnnyShoulder is it... kind of not fully mashed or even properly cooked potato wrapped in a crispy greasy coating? Is it semi cooked grated potato? Is it just a rösti that got stuck in another dimension until it was stolen by wandering Americans?

I have never studied under the tutelage of old Hamish 'Hash' McBrown, so I cant be certain of it's origins or exact structure.

I guess I'll add my hot take on the end.

Hash Brown's are sh** 😛😛😛

@Ravix How very dare you.

Does sound like something straight outta Crusader Kings 3 though.

@Ravix I hope Brian eats all your corps and villages

@Elodin I finished Immortals of Aveum a couple months ago and found it to be enjoyable. It does start to fall apart in the latter half, in my opinion, and is mainly hampered by the dialogue that you mention and the awkward storytelling. Pacing was a problem and for me it dragged toward the end and I think part of that is because I spent too much time and effort backtracking in the first half after I would get a new ability, going back to visit the areas and do the puzzles that you have to skip until you get certain abilities. Mainlining the game and then going back at the end to mop up those areas might be a more efficient and less tedious approach.

I posted my final impressions of the game over on the GameClub thread, post #798 , if you’re interested. I didn’t link it here because, although there aren’t overt spoilers in the post, it’s got enough broad discussion of the late game that you may want to steer clear of it until you’re done.

@Th3solution nice! I'll check it out. I do wish there was a a bit more explanation of "can you" or "can't you" do certain puzzles until later. I try for about 15 min. on a puzzle, get frustrated and look it up online to discover I don't have a certain ability yet. Still having fun though and I'll check out what you wrote!

I’ve finished the metaphor demo. Normally I’d drop this in user impressions but it’s more appropriate to say it here. I’ve felt nothing. Didn’t really find anything about it interesting or attractive. Atlus games might actually be not for me anymore.

@Elodin I’ll be curious to hear what you think of the game when it’s all done.

This remaster looks s***

Look how awful that looks. Just smooth it all over 'airbrush' style 😂 I'm sure the whole gameworld overall will look nicer, but at what cost, the cost of our souls, that's what.

Maybe that's why I didn't gel with Horizon FW, if they made all characters look like that. DF mentioned how they added Hero Lighting, but to me it just looks like airbrushing out any facial detail while making some blue string brighter 😅

@Ravix looks like a beard dye 👍 😂 😂
Looks like he hired his cousin to do his role for him like brub what is that 😬😬🫠
You won’t have to “gel” 😂 with horizon cuz everyone already looks covered in gel 😂 😂 😝
Too much time in the sun that’s for sure 🫨

@Yousef- image one: a real person in front of you. Image 2: someone using 6 different filters on a crap phone before posting it to Instagram 😪 I'm genuinely surprised he isn't doing the duckface pose in the remaster 😂😂

I hope when this releases it becomes a massive meme of a game. Terrible 😅

@Ravix when games reach peak with graphics all there is left is to regress i guess . i’ve seen it happen a few times now that i think about it . COD doesn’t even look all that good anymore

People about AC Shadows: everything is wrong. Wrooooong. Historical accuracy blaaaaaaargh! They just hate Japan.

People about Ghost of Yotei: well, a scholar has said they probably got the name of the game wrong on purpose for satire reasons in a non satirical game, because they are so very wise and much clever people 🤪 It doesn't matter that it wasn't called Yotei in the time period the game is set for we like the Ghost series. Yay.

The world is a funny place

@Ravix I must admit, I don’t remember as much angst over historical accuracy with most of the other historical fiction games. Even other AC games. They all take liberties with facts. I understand some people take offense when those artistic liberties are done with the intent to mislead, coerce, or manipulate, but I’m not sure there’s always a fair judgement toward some games. Reading that AC Shadows is being delayed partially because the team is cleaning up the historical aspects makes me wonder why now? Is there really that many more issues than those portrayed about Renaissance Italy, Colonial America, the Caribbean, ancient Egypt, Greece, or the Vikings? And like you mention, Sucker Punch have gone above and beyond to be historically grounded but there’s still going to be little issues. I’m sure the same applies to Rise of the Ronin, Red Dead Redemption, A Plague Tale, KCD, Mafia, etc, etc. I don’t envy these developers with trying to walk that fine line of fiction vs accuracy. Ubisoft has always had a disclaimer that displays at the beginning about it being a work of fiction, but I know that only goes so far.

Honestly, I think often the people who are upset about how a culture is portrayed in a game are people who have not ever played the game. I’m not saying misrepresentation doesn’t happen and isn’t at times offensive, but speaking from experience things often seem worse until one actually plays the game and realizes it’s all clearly fiction and not as egregious as previously imagined.

@Th3solution I just love the polar differences between two sets of assumptions about games. People assume AC made mistakes because of some hateful agenda against Japan, and yet assume Yotei has been named that way for a higher purpose.

I also wonder how reactions will be if the Japanese are the big bads in the game this time, that could be another interesting thread to pull. That will have people doing all kinds of mental gymnastics to work out whether they hate it because it's woke now, or if mentioning all of Japanese history is actually better or worse, because it could paint them in a bad light, or if it glosses over the fact Japan was on the conquest and expansion trail itself, but people still love it because it's Ghost anyway, even if it misses out some serious stuff.

I doubt they will gloss over anything, at least, I hope they won't, but it will be interesting how it all lands with people. I myself will just embrace it, like I will AC Shadows, suspend disbelief and make my own mind up.

This is again why I'm looking forward to Shadows, to see an insular culture from an outsiders persepctive, but a perspective that has fully bought in to living within that culture, before potentially questioning whether all of it is actually for the good of the people is very much the most interesting AC has ever seemed.