Jimmer-jammer

As an analogy, you can shoot a film on the most expensive camera in the world and still end up with an amateur result. It’s the people that make all the difference. I love seeing what a passionate, talented, hard working team with a clear vision and incredible work ethic can achieve. You shouldn’t have to spend your way to the best result. Limitation leads to innovation, thus the humanity of the creation becomes manifest.

I’d rather this not be dlc but a smaller scale game to bridge the gap between this saga and the next one could be really cool actually. However I do agree with the general consensus here that focusing entirely on Atreus would be a mistake, not without greatly overhauling/expanding his combat suite at least. I guess we’ll see what truth there is to this in time.

If I’d purchased an S based on the promise of feature parity alone, I’d obviously be disappointed with this outcome. With that said, one has to be wary of such a promise at such a reduced price and this outcome seemed pretty inevitable.

This will be my first foray into the series. I’m very much expecting it to be its own thing, as it should be being a well established franchise. Rapid fire mission structure, deep customization and tight, versatile and challenging combat sounds pretty great though!

The combat system is so good, seems like arcade mode could be expanded on beyond a leaderboard. Excellent game regardless though.

Sounds awesome! I’m one of those who is going to take a chance on this entirely off the back of the trust that FS has built with me over the last number of years. I appreciate the critical review as I’m really not familiar with the franchise. I’m mostly interested in the extensive customization aspects though. Engineering the right mech for the right situation sounds right up my alley.

@Ainu20 Yeah, I still listen to the soundtrack regularly. It’s really great. There’s such a strong identity to it, I’ll honestly be fairly disappointed if he’s not part of it. Here’s hoping!

Ghostrunner is fantastic. Is Daniel Deluxe still handling the soundtrack? Sure hope so.

Despite the hilarious name, the exhaust engine sounds great! Hopefully it’s not tied to zone time alone but to line changes as well.

This looks fantastic, truly. It’s so great to see it pay off when a team pours their collective heart and soul into a project. Wish I had the time to properly invest in this (despite not being head over heels with 5th edition). Congrats to Larian!

Mr. Druckmann is a talented writer and I’m glad to hear something definitive is coming down the pipeline. My money is on TLoU3 but I welcome a surprise.

I likely would have never heard of this so thanks for the review! The premise sounds fascinating. I can relate in many ways and will definitely be picking this up.

Awesome news! It’s no Nioh 2 but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this and could go for more. Really excited to see what this team does with Rise of the Ronin.

I voted for Clive. His arc ties in with the themes of the game so well.

@riceNpea Absolutely. In this instance, there was no set chemistry built yet. On the right set and with the right crew it stands to reason that it might have flown completely differently (though I maintain it was still uncalled for). Anyway, I appreciate the respectful discussion.

@riceNpea I appreciate your thoughtful response. For context, this particular experience was my first short film attempted at a professional level (and first time working with professional actors). Due to the reality of micro budget filmmaking combined with the the lack of resources and general experience, you can understand how this scenario played out the way it did and why it impacted me the way it did. Beyond that, I’m pretty much in agreement with the rest of your points.

@thefourfoldroot1 @riceNpea Though the litigious angle does seemingly and unfortunately permeate every aspect of modern society, I’d like to think that, on some level, it’s about going the extra mile to ensure a safe set built on trust, understanding and communication. Humans can be unpredictable. I once had an actor walk on set and, in reference to a small scene to be shot that day and completely out of left field, the first words out of his mouth were, “So who’s the hot chick I get to bang?” All logistics considered, I immediately cut the scene from the script. Who’s to say things may or may not have been different with a professional intimacy coordinator involved in all aspects of planning the shoot but I do wonder. Surely the cast and crew of Rust would have appreciated some extra checks and balances on their set.

As a truck driver by trade, I really hope they nail the sim angle with constant truck breakdowns and down time due to inept emissions systems tacked on to perfectly good engines, overpriced DEF to run said systems, wiring harness problems from the use of thinner gauge wire, critical supply chain issues for parts, exorbitant carbon taxes on fuel, pricey and non negotiable insurance premiums and unreasonable DOT inspections and audits…could be fun 😄

@NEStalgia Fair enough! Yeah, it’s definitely not an RPG. But it’s very Final Fantasy (can of worms…open😂). Glad to hear you’ve been enjoying PSVR2!

@NEStalgia You should give this game a chance. You never know, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

I see Insomniac’s entire art department is firing on all cylinders. Wow!

Glad to hear it! One of the best Final Fantasy’s in the franchise from where I’m sitting.

This has a lot of potential and I’m definitely going to give it a chance. I’d say I’m cautiously optimistic.

I don’t play Diablo so I don’t know the severity of what’s gone on here. But I can understand how it would be upsetting if, upon returning from the washroom, the steak dinner and mashed potatoes I was enjoying had suddenly turned into a hot dog and fries.

One thing is certain as the sun rising, no business negotiates a $69 billion deal with the ultimate intention of diluting their brand.

A very wise school teacher once told me, “There is no such thing as original thought, only original perspective.” The most liberating words for any creative mind out there. Also the most humbling, Mr. Straley, as if Uncharted completely originated this concept…

I’m definitely in camp Oppenheimer. Nothing against Barbie, just have no nostalgic connection whatsoever. Haven’t seen Lego Ninjago yet for the same reason despite loving Lego. In fact, I can’t say I understand this rivalry at all. How did this happen? 😂

If this reflects overall sales accurately, it’ll surely be a corporate disappointment. For me, I couldn’t be happier with what we got. I haven’t had this great of a time with Final Fantasy in years and is up there with Ghost of Tsushima and Elden Ring for most memorable gaming experiences in recent memory.

Considering this iterations subtitle, if Ubisoft does walk back this pre-release rhetoric, the headlines practically write themselves.

For those who buy physical games, I guess everyone but the Tesco loyalists will now be taking their video game business elsewhere. Mission accomplished?

I’m so glad to hear this has turned out well. It’s a really great concept. Thanks for the review!

@GreatAuk I see. With all due respect, I believe my comment has been grossly misinterpreted here, to the point I’m not sure where to begin recalibrating our discussion. Perhaps I’ll start here: I’m a passionate advocate for capitalism (and have always been so on this platform) and believe in a free market economy, albeit with some necessary government regulation. However, this does not mean that I am blind to the pitfalls, shortcomings or points of exploitation that exist within such a system (hence the necessary gov reg). Checks and balances are an integral part of any healthy, functioning economy and it is my very belief in such a system that compels me to call out a point of concern within it, though truthfully I was less making a direct point and more lamenting the exorbitant price tag of this deal in an attempt to maintain a grounded level of awareness amongst the discussion of just how much money this is 😳 Hopefully you can now understand my confusion with your initial response.

@GreatAuk Aggressive sarcasm noted, I’m just not entirely sure why…?

@thefourfoldroot1 I get your point - this ain’t a lemonade stand we’re talking about. I just think that, amongst all of the discourse and discussion, there’s value to that tiny voice in the corner reminding everyone just how obscene a $69 billion buyout of anything is.

@Sekijo To be fair, any true capitalist injects profits back into the economy and prioritizes philanthropy. To your point, considering the size of this buyout, we’re putting that much more economic trust in that much fewer people, and yeah, I’m not convinced this will be for any greater good.

Even in this day and age, that $69 billion price tag is so unfathomable, it’s nearly impossible for me to see anything outside of all the people that could be fed, watered, clothed and sheltered instead. It’s just so much money. What a world.

Alpha-getti wants its X back.

@fromjtov I have all the patience in the world for Naughty Dog, hence my silly, well intentioned analogy expressing what is still a legitimate concern. You’re right, the numbers paint a sound business model but there is a threshold where growth becomes a moot point if you’re no longer keeping your existing consumer base invested. At that point, you’ve sprung a leak. Granted, with interest in the I.P. at an all time high, there’s little worry of draining the reservoir but as part of that long time existing consumer base, it would sure be nice to hear of, in plain terms, something on the horizon that isn’t a remaster/remake/reiteration/reinterpretation… Huge Last of Us fan here, but I do patiently look forward to that day 😄

Even for the most impassioned cookie lover, too many cookies inevitably leads to a stomach ache. Naughty Dog, we love your cookies, but please, at some point, we need a carrot.

DLC would be very welcome in my world. My favourite game I’ve played this year and overall one of my favourite Final Fantasy’s.

It needs to be said that shaming others for their interests is akin to schoolyard bullying. Anyway, I’m looking forward to playing this and will hopefully pick it up today. The Harry Potter universe is rich and filled with wonder.

@Feena Right!? I see my kids playing Astro’s Playroom, remember myself playing Burger Time on the ol’ Coleco and think to myself, “you have no idea…”

PlayStation has prioritized building a relational ecosystem of developers, like a family, who support each other in consistently developing titles of the highest quality. They value their I.P., believe in the creative process and understand the benefits of collaboration. I believe this is the unsung bread and butter of their success. As Stadia has proven, you can’t buy your way into games.

With this and a good wheel, I fear I’d never leave the house!

Frictional are a talented developer and I like the sound of this. Hopefully I’ll be giving it a go come May!

Some pretty bold decisions here, especially as the interactions between Bill and Ellie are pretty memorable, and I was looking forward to the banter. But then, watching Bill and Frank grow old and die together on their own terms was an emotional ride I won’t soon forget. Good stuff!

I’ve been slowly picking my way through OlliOlli World and it’s been pretty fun! Training myself not to press X to ollie has been a task though.

I think adapting to tv might actually smooth out a lot of the rough edges Part II had for me, mostly around pacing and underdeveloped characters that resulted in a tonal and thematic mess at times. Congrats to the team!

@Th3solution I think the brilliance of The Last of Us though is in its deep exploration of what love is. You’re right, the “power of love” is a well trodden trope, but neither game makes this purely its focus. If anything, it seems much less concerned with the exploration of love’s power, and more with its cost.

I like the tendrils! Cinematically, it’s so much more interesting than spores. Another tasteful change that doesn’t lose sight of what The Last of Us is about.

I thought this was another excellent episode. Some narrative changes are actually pretty drastic, yet they haven’t lost the plot at all…it really is an impressive adaptation thus far.