Coelacanth

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a good game and a worthwhile experience but you can absolutely make quite a lot of very valid critiques about it.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Last time a game was in the zeitgeist to this extent was BG3, and we all know how that went. Only thing going against E33 at this point is that the Game Awards are a long time off and recency bias/forgetting about it tends to have an impact.

I sincerely hope it does sweep the awards, not only is the game phenomenal but it would also send a very positive message to the industry.

Who knows though, people love Kojima and if Death Stranding 2 is slightly more approachable than the first it might put up a good fight.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I’m drunk on recency bias myself but I’m tempted to put him in Uematsu tier myself. I know that sounds outrageous but it’s actually that good. Even the lyrics are absolutely amazing. It will probably end up being my favourite OST of all time.

And there’s 8 fucking hours of it and not a single weak track!?

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

It somehow just keeps getting better too. Super strong leitmotif work as well, throughout the game. And like I mentioned, even if you don’t speak french try looking up translations for the lyrics (but after you finished the game). Some really beautiful passages, but steeped in foreshadowing and spoilers.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I wish I hadn’t fumbled my french fluency over the past decade and a half as I still had to go back multiple times and re-listen and read the lyrics to understand them. And also the male singer on the OST sounds like he’s not a native french speaker so that makes it even harder to pick out.

But yeah, maybe it was for the best that I didn’t understand right away in the end!

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a couple of days ago. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing people rave about it at this point. All I can say is: the hype is justified.

It’s a beautiful piece of art, with a wonderful story, gorgeous visuals and absolutely unbelievable music. One of my favourite OSTs of all time, and there’s more than 8 fucking hours of it.

It’s definitely within my top 10 games of all time. Thoroughly recommended, and a game I will still think about for a long time, even after putting it down.

In fact, it’s one of those rare games where I’m seriously considering going immediately back in to a NG+ playthrough right after finishing it. Yes, it’s that good.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

It is definitely in my Top 10 games of all time. I haven’t settled on a final placement yet. It’s a beautiful piece of videogames-as-art, the story and the characters are well written and acted and the plot itself is very compelling. The world building is interesting and engrossing and the music boasts one of the best Video Game OSTs of all time, without a doubt.

There are some minor niggles, sure. It’s not literally perfect. It’s unfortunate that you can easily make yourself so overpowered you miss cutscenes in the final fight if you don’t consciously gimp yourself.

But other than that, none of the minor niggles really detract from the impact of the core experience, which is super super strong.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Isn’t it always?

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I was thinking more in regards to questions of “why is [bad thing] allowed to be [bad in this manner]?”

But you’re right.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Spoiler alert: for an authentic representation of the game the movie will just be two hours straight of:

“I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella and I have never known defeat”

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu (edited miesiąc temu)

Accessibility options are good. Not everyone is a god gamer with the reflexes of a 14-year old hopped up on Adderall and Red Bull. Some people just want to enjoy the story and the atmosphere of a game and it should be normal for us to let them.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

It’s true I haven’t played the Elden Ring expansion, and I guess that’s the most difficult one now so it’s required to have played it to be able to parade around your gamer credentials? Whatever that’s supposed to mean? To me gaming is about enjoying a medium of culture, not a dick measuring contest. I’ve played Dark Souls, I’ve played Elden Ring. I’ve beaten Sister Friede, I’ve beaten Malenia.

I still think accessibility options are good.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I have to be honest here and say I don’t understand where you’re coming from at all.

Why should every single game be changed to suit your specific play style?

Literally nobody is asking for this. Accessibility options, not “permanently and irrevocably reduce the difficulty of all games”. The good thing about options is that they’re option-al. If you want the game to remain challenging, the presence of accessibility options does not affect you in the slightest. You can just ignore them and go on with your day, enjoying the game just as it was.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I mean, I prayed to the nether gods that we’d get a Letho game. He’s the perfect protagonist if they wanted to move away from the books and more firmly into their own OC. Always had huge main character energy, and would be perfectly suited for exploring the morally grey areas of the Witcher world.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

the biggest problem plaguing the STALKER remasters is a strange bug that seems to cause the games to render at a resolution lower than what you set it as and then upscale it improperly, resulting in blurry, muddy visuals that persist even if you turn settings like AMD FSR Super Resolution and depth of field off.

Okay that’s… that’s not great, but should be fixable in a patch surely?

Another highly contentious change that’s drawn the ire of fans is the complete removal of everything Russian or related to the Soviet Union, including all Russian voice acting and localization, the use of Soviet rubles as in-game currency, and even every Soviet sign, statue, and landmark present in the real-world Chernobyl Exclusion Zone that were included in the original titles.

The versimilitude and basis in real world locations was a massive part of what made the originals so great, you can’t just scrub that off. I empathize with them, and I am personally firmly on the side of Ukraine but this sits really poorly with me.

The Zone’s supernatural mysteries are layered over recognizable pieces of Soviet iconography and rusting Soviet technology is a huge part of what gives STALKER its atmospheric vibe, and the absence of beloved voice lines like “Cheeki breeki iv damke!” just feels…wrong

Yeah I’m not touching these abominations. They even removed Cheeki Breeki? The single most recognisable thing in their games, the most prevalent and beloved meme?

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

It’s not finished yet but OpenXray Gunslinger is probably going to be a better STALKER: Call of Pripyat remaster than the official one that just got announced.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I’m just at the beginning of Act 3 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’ve dragged my feet doing a lot of side content and playing slowly because I sort of don’t want this game to end. For once I wish this was a standard 100-hour JRPG fare and not as relatively short as it is at probably half that.

The game is very good. What else can be said at this point. There are minor niggles and nitpicks and occasionally some AA-ness rears its head but it’s overall one of the best games I’ve ever played so far. The story is amazing, the presentation is beautiful and the turn-based combat with QTEs and parries is super fun. The boss fights are cinematic and challenging in an almost Souls-like fashion. All the characters have distinct play styles and fun synergies.

It’s also an unabashedly French game and I’m really enjoying immersing myself in that to the max by using the French VAs.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Blue Prince is such a masterpiece.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Both are absolutely excellent, I ended up preferring some voices in French and some in English. For me French feels more immersive, but I grew up in a country that always used subtitles over dubs so I’m used to reading.

I’ve also just always loved french and speak and read a bit of it still so I was always going to go for that in a french game.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Well needed to be honest. I love the original trilogy but they could do with a fresh coat of paint. I wish they’d touched up the animations too, the gunplay of the originals can feel quite… early 00’s.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Man, reading that old 2005 PC Gamer article really brings me back to older, better and happier times of gaming journalism too. It even mentions the bundled DVD with demos, mods and goodies you’d get each month. Those really were the days.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Not sure this is the ideal long term solution but anything that combats Discord’s status of being an absolute information black hole is good.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Still on an extended break from Blue Prince, hoping my sister and her fiancé catch up to me eventually so we can take a crack at the final(?) puzzle together but they’ve been busy lately and not had much time to play. If you enjoy puzzles and haven’t played it yet you are truly missing out. I still think it will be in GOTY contention even with all the other heavy hitters this year.

In the meantime I’ve been utterly enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m probably over the halfway point now in the story, though I’ve been dragging my feet doing side content and optional bosses to extend my playtime. For once when it comes to a JRPG I wish it was actually longer. I could easily lose myself in this world, story and among these characters for 100+ hours.

Really recommend the game, though with the effusive praise it’s been collecting that’s hardly a surprise. Brilliant music, engaging combat, interesting story and well written dialogue that is superbly acted whether you go for the English or French. And all that for a €50 game?!

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

I get that on Blue Prince. Even with the RNG control you’re afforded late game you’re still heavily affected by the luck of the draw. I still think it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played.

If you’re looking to see the rest of the game through someone else’s eyes to get a glimpse of the remaining puzzles I thoroughly recommend Luckless Lovelocks playthrough on YouTube. It’s still ongoing but I’ve really enjoyed his note taking and puzzle solving.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

All the detail, the world building and the little pieces of narrative, the puzzles within puzzles and the constant feeling of the game just opening up under you and always throwing things at you making you go “wait, how big is this game?” was just so cool.

I might be high on recency bias in my praise but I was thoroughly enamoured with it.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu (edited miesiąc temu)

I’m thinking we’re sticking with games older than this year, as the dust hasn’t settled yet so to speak? Because honestly otherwise some recent entries would qualify for me. I’m thinking of you, Blue Prince and Clair Obscur.

I have a lower opinion of BG3 than most (it’s fine), but I absolutely agree that the Raphael boss fight and music was an absolute gaming highlight, and worth the price of admission alone.

Alan Wake 2 in its entirety would qualify for me, but if one moment has to be singled out then the We Sing chapter was something else. Honorable mention for

spoilerSaga’s corrupted mind place

near the end, that was incredibly memorable.

Finally, and the real standout for me was the Final Dream in Disco Elysium. The most emotional, most impactful and heartbreaking and memorable moment I’ve had in gaming. And the most impressive seeing as Kurvitz (who wrote the scene) managed to distill the pathos and denouement of the entire game into three words to close the dream:

spoilerSee you tomorrow.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

Yeah the payphone is also up there, and honestly, opening the secret compartment in the ledger too. Which when you think about it, all those best moments are so missable. Completely psychotic by the devs.

Coelacanth, miesiąc temu

That’s fair I’ll edit.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Will the Larry games still be up on GOG I wonder? I’ve played the (remake of the) first one and have been curious about Love For Sail as well as it’s apparently the best one (?). For better or worse they are iconic games that are part of the cultural landscape of gaming.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

We had Balatro last year. Blue Prince released a month ago and is a bona fide GOTY contender from a tiny studio and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is possibly the best AA game of all time but sure, the games industry is dead. I’m convinced, back it up boys.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I don’t really think it’s a matter of perspective. These sites all omit the title of whatever thing it is they’re talking about so you have to click through to find out. They do it because research has shown it works to increase clicks. That is well within the definition of clickbait.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

This is the way to go for sure. Actually sounds like a really interesting setup for a game.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I feel like Lost Records: Bloom & Rage that came out recently might be a candidate? I haven’t played it myself because I don’t think I’m the target audience but it seems like sort of what you’re looking for?

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I’m not even a huge platformer guy, but Rayman Legends is absolute peak and a fantastic, chill co-op game. The music levels in particular - where the already great soundtrack is synced in time to your jumps and hits - are incredibly satisfying and so well made.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t suggest Blue Prince. It’s not co-op per se as it’d only be one person at a time “driving”, but the game is about puzzle solving so who holds the controller doesn’t really matter. It’s a fantastic game if you enjoy puzzles and escape rooms. My sister isn’t even a gamer at all but I recommended it to her fiancé and they’ve been playing together and even she’s been enjoying it a lot. From my own experience playing it on my own I also think it would be much more fun if playing alongside someone else. I’ve often missed having someone to bounce ideas off when stuck.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

FF7 was the slam dunk choice because it is not only so iconic, but as the first 3D entry the original is also absolutely god-fucking butt ugly. I can see why FF8 would be logical in a sense, but I’m not sure it has the popularity to capitalise on. It has its charm but it’s hardly most people’s favourite Final Fantasy. It would be a cool choice though.

I don’t necessarily think any of the other entries need remakes as badly. I think FF6 is absolute peak as it is but it would probably be most likely in my opinion. It is also vastly popular and iconic so there is a lot of money to be made there. And I can’t deny that even I would be curious to see what it would be like if given the full remake treatment.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I mean I am all for criticising creatively bankrupt mush like Ubisoft et al pushes out and Call of Duty 420: Black Ops 69 or FIFA or whatever but we can’t pretend there are literally no good games being released nowadays either. Just now we had a month with both Blue Prince and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 being released within weeks of each other. BG3 and Alan Wake 2 releasing in the same year was just two years ago.

There are plenty of not just good but great recent games.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I just spot interesting projects and creations others create and then just write my own thoughts on them

Soo… journalism?

In any case, do whatever makes you happy, whether remaining solely on here or creating your own thing from this like a website or blog. Your content is among the best on the platform and I hope you know how much we all appreciate you.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Story wise though, i’m a bit mixed on. I’m really liking the story, just not as a Max Payne story. The Brazil setting isn’t really doing it for me and it feels a bit more GTA Coded than Noir, at least until i detach it from the first two games.

This is pretty much the general consensus of the game overall I think. Good game, just not a good Max Payne game.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

There are some high performance VA panels that are good for gaming. Samsung Odyssey Neo G7/G8 for example.

Are there really no mini-LED monitors in your country? I’m a really big advocate of them. As close to OLED HDR performance as you can get without burn-in and with better peak brightness. I’m currently using a Cooler Master GP27Q that I got for cheap as an opened box, which has been a really solid monitor for the cheap cheap price I got it for (couple hundred euros).

I think a 27 inch 1440p monitor with 2000+ dimming zones will be the sweet spot between performance and affordability, though none like that are on the market yet.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Look Ubisoft: this is what your devs could be making if you’d let them make what they want to be making. Instead of churning out another cookie cutter “Ubisoft game”.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Mumble is where it’s at.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Ubisoft made a fun game, but it’s way to big for it’s own good.

Well, everyone expected this game to copy Ghost of Tsushima, so maybe it’s not surprising that it ends up copying its biggest flaw as well.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

Yeah GoT quickly turned from a fun game I enjoyed to a game I almost loathed and resented as I had to force myself to finish it.

It really doesn’t have enough variety to support being that long, in my opinion. The mission design is way too bland and samey and the tone of the writing just starts wearing you down. Literally everything is the same serious tone delivered in a dour monotone. A handful of moments with Kenji is not enough to break the tedium. It would be fine if the game was 20 hours long, not 60.

I still think it’s a fine sort of 7.5-8/10 at the end of the day but I consider it one of the most overrated games of all time. It’s just a polished Ubisoft collect-a-thon open world with solid combat at the end of the day. It’s not game of the decade or whatever.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I suppose I will use the same “supporting indie devs is a good deed” justification as when I purchased Blue Prince on launch day for this game.

La Belle Epoque inspired game that is reviewing at 92/100 on OpenCritic with several mentions of it being a GOTY contender? And the themes are about wrestling with hope and optimism in the face of nihilism and hopelessness? (Disco Elysium my beloved)

I never stood a chance.

Coelacanth, 2 miesiące temu

I think even in back 2012 an argument could be made quite easily, but it’s a shame Roger Ebert didn’t live long enough to see some of the games released over the past decade that quite convincingly demonstrate how video games can indeed be art.

I agreed with him very often but that was one instance of him having an inexplicably bad take.