rjkclarke's Carnival of Diamonds and Rust

[DrBloodmoney]

8 minutes ago, rjkclarke said:

thinking of Quantic Dreams games like John Waters pictures is something I'd never really considered

Oh my God.

 

If they remade Heavy Rain, and everything was exactly the same, but Scott Shelby was replaced with a CG Divine…

 

…I’m in ?

[DrunkenEngineer]

Mankind Divided's attempt at addressing bigotry and racism, while on-the-nose, doesn't sound near as blunt as Become Human's (fumbly) approach.

[YaManSmevz]

6 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

 

I must admit - thinking of Quantic Dreams games like John Waters pictures is something I'd never really considered, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Markus dining out on some dog poo. Well, actually no - that's still gross, but it might make him slightly more interesting than just being a shallow CyberJesus!

 

Maybe it's a twelve to thirteen years old thing, because that was how old I was when I first played Metal Gear 2. I don't think I appreciated the leap from PS1 to N64 as much as I should. I just never played the console as much as I should have, because I got a shiny new next gen Xbox about a year later. I spent practically the majority of my time with my N64 playing about 4 games. Pokemon Stadium 1 and 2, WWF No mercy and Wrestlemania 2000 and Mario 64, although I did play Ocarina of Time as well, I just never finished it - I was another pathetic victim that fell to the water temple haha ...... So I guess more than 4 actually. 

 

Ah, No Mercy?

 

Super Mario 64 was one of the first games I remember that had me like "whoa, what the fuck is this??"

 

....well I probably didn't say 'fuck,' but you get the idea.

 

6 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

Sorry it's taken me a while to reply by the way - I hold you responsible as well. I've gotten really into Beholder and that's taking up most of my spare time right now. It's super addictive. Yet also makes me completely dirty the whole time I've been playing it, such an unusual experience.

 

No worries man. Hell, I'm just happy you're enjoying Beholder!

 

7 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

I think I should probably cut down the amount I'm writing for some of my write ups too, that Deus Ex one went stupidly long. They can't all be like that, or I'll eventually be able to release a book with all of these in, the length they are currently going.

 

I mean if it's something that's bothering you then I guess, but it seems to me that just going about it naturally as you have has been working for you. It'd not like your reviews are long because you're reciting your grocery list or anything like that, you've got a gaming experience to talk about!

 

[rjkclarke]

7 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Oh my God.

 

If they remade Heavy Rain, and everything was exactly the same, but Scott Shelby was replaced with a CG Divine…

 

…I’m in 

You never know - give deepfake technology another couple of years and we could potentially see that. Especially if somehow Divine is also Scott Shelby in the flashback sequence. Y'know just to make it that extra bit more surreal. I'd play it.

 

 

6 hours ago, DrunkenEngineer said:

Mankind Divided's attempt at addressing bigotry and racism, while on-the-nose, doesn't sound near as blunt as Become Human's (fumbly) approach.

 

It's not as blunt - but as you say Mankind Divideds is definitely very deliberate with its message, but in Mankind Divided they doubled down on that being one of the main themes. They really ran with it, instead of just seemingly doing the bare minimum and stereotypes.

Whereas in Detroit it's focused on across the whole game sure. But it gets all it's focus around the less interesting protagonist in Markus - that's my opinion of course, I'm not claiming it to be a statement of fact.

 

 

19 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Ah, No Mercy

 

Super Mario 64 was one of the first games I remember that had me like "whoa, what the fuck is this??"

 

....well I probably didn't say 'fuck,' but you get the idea.

 

I still have No Mercy not too far away in case I wanted to play it. Although it would make my eyes bleed playing it on my 42 inch TV ?....  I do still get the urge every now and then - I remember printing out a sheet of paper that had every possible branch you could take in every Championship in  Championship mode that I wanted to do at some point. That game was fantastic.

 

Weirdly Pokemon Stadium blew my mind more than SM64 - even though SM64 is far better..... Probably a holdover from me being a little fattist, and wondering where skinny Luigi was instead of having to bounce around a castle going BLAHOOOO as a fatass haha

 

24 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

No worries man. Hell, I'm just happy you're enjoying Beholder!

 

Yes!! So much. I've got the DLC portion to do tomorrow (or I guess today now ?)  and then I'm all done. So I'll probably have a review up that night. But I won't say for sure, because I keep saying I will and then not doing it, and - well that just looks bad.

 

If you liked Beholder by the way you might like This War of Mine - I played that off the back of DrBloodmoney's review and it's absolutely fantastic. There's a few similarities between Beholder and that game. Not look wise, just the general tone and feel of certain aspects of it.

 

27 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

I mean if it's something that's bothering you then I guess, but it seems to me that just going about it naturally as you have has been working for you. It'd not like your reviews are long because you're reciting your grocery list or anything like that, you've got a gaming experience to talk about!

 

I think I'm just having a stupid existential crisis about them again - I did before, when I considered shortening them. They aren't going long on purpose either. Sometimes I think it would help if I was just ambivalent towards a lot of my games. I've honestly enjoyed so many of them, for varying different reasons, it feels like it would be a shame to not mention certain things.

 

I stupidly looked at my word count and was like " ohhhhh man, that's so long, that's going to bore people to tears." The next Deus Ex one is going to be a tough one, because it's got loads of DLC too, which I feel like it deserves to get talked about too, especially as it's really good. I guess I'll just carry on unless someone outright calls me out for making them too long or something.

 

I appreciate the feedback though! Every now and then I still need a slap in the face to say, just keep doing what your doing. It's happened before, and I'm sure it'll happen again.

[YaManSmevz]

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

I still have No Mercy not too far away in case I wanted to play it. Although it would make my eyes bleed playing it on my 42 inch TV ....  I do still get the urge every now and then - I remember printing out a sheet of paper that had every possible branch you could take in every Championship in  Championship mode that I wanted to do at some point. That game was fantastic.

 

There was a period where wrestling games just could do no wrong. From No Mercy to SVR'11, damn near everything was a banger.

 

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

If you liked Beholder by the way you might like This War of Mine - I played that off the back of DrBloodmoney's review and it's absolutely fantastic. There's a few similarities between Beholder and that game. Not look wise, just the general tone and feel of certain aspects of it.

 

Well that tears it, looks like I'm getting me some This War of Mine. I read that review too and was intrigued, but you saying something as well is probably the proverbial last straw.

 

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

I think I'm just having a stupid existential crisis about them again - I did before, when I considered shortening them. They aren't going long on purpose either. Sometimes I think it would help if I was just ambivalent towards a lot of my games. I've honestly enjoyed so many of them, for varying different reasons, it feels like it would be a shame to not mention certain things.

 

I stupidly looked at my word count and was like " ohhhhh man, that's so long, that's going to bore people to tears." The next Deus Ex one is going to be a tough one, because it's got loads of DLC too, which I feel like it deserves to get talked about too, especially as it's really good. I guess I'll just carry on unless someone outright calls me out for making them too long or something.

 

I appreciate the feedback though! Every now and then I still need a slap in the face to say, just keep doing what your doing. It's happened before, and I'm sure it'll happen again.

 

Unfortunately that's just something that's gonna happen regularly for some people. I have a long history of getting too much in my own head too, I can definitely relate, but I feel it's important to try to remember that the unsureness is 100% in your head.

 

At least that's what I tell myself when I'm having those moments of clarity!

[The_Kopite]

On 8/31/2021 at 11:14 PM, rjkclarke said:

Thanks!!! Glad to hear it.

 

It's got such a weird placement in the series that's for sure. When I was doing a little bit of extra research for that review I read that they actually considered more and it was called Type 0 to begin like a separate numbering order. So at one point or another they were actually pretty invested in it as a whole. Which to be honest, looking back on that with current day eyes, just seems absolutely barmy doesn't it.

That really does seem barmy. They were gonna carry it on like Type 1, Type 2 or something like that? For me personally, there wasn't anything that grabbed me and made me want a sequel at all.

 

On 8/31/2021 at 11:14 PM, rjkclarke said:

It would be better than the video that exists on YouTube that already has me in it doing some "acting." Which thankfully you aren't ever likely to see. Unless I decide to link to it in here if I have a few too many drinks or something and decide it would be a good idea!!

 

I dug out some of the Heavy Rain voice cast - but I mean, I'm just as bad  I was playing a sleazy informant in a  really hokey Film Noir thing that we had to make as a school project when I was about 18. Whatever my accent was, barely constituted as an accent, it came off sounding like what I imagine Billy Bob Thornton might sound like if he just got lost in a Louisiana bayou for about fifteen years and only retained parts of his own accent, but also tried to pick up the local dialect. Funny times

 

Thanks  - I'm getting there in FFIX, I'm going to start writing the review for that soon, because I doubt I'll have to significantly change much upon getting Excalibur II and the platinum. That way I'll almost be able to post it up straight away. When I'm done

Wow, well there we go then. That is an interesting image haha I think that could be a treat for everyone when you've completed your journey on this thread lol Could be the platinum trophy reward hahaha. I can't act for the life of me, so I can't say anything lol

 

I am definitely looking forward to reading your FFIX review. After all the buildup and it being so rare that you find someone who hasn't played it in the general gaming community (at least in my experience), it is going to be really interesting to read your thoughts on it, and to be able to have a good convo about it.

[rjkclarke]

On 03/09/2021 at 7:08 AM, YaManSmevz said:

There was a period where wrestling games just could do no wrong. From No Mercy to SVR'11, damn near everything was a banger.

 

This is true - and sadly it's no longer the case at all, you're lucky if you get one good one every four or five years. WWE 13' and WWE 2K14 were halfway decent, but they were basically a huge nostalgia fest, without those elements they'd probably be thought of much less fondly.  As I've said before, I'm more or less playing them out of habit these days, sometimes I get a spell playing them when I have a good time and others not so much. I'd just stop if I found they were really starting to bore me senseless.

 

On 03/09/2021 at 7:08 AM, YaManSmevz said:

Well that tears it, looks like I'm getting me some This War of Mine. I read that review too and was intrigued, but you saying something as well is probably the proverbial last straw.

 

Awesome!! Glad to hear it. Just have something that's a little more upbeat to play on standby for afterwards, because it can be a bit emotionally draining that game. I absolutely loved it, but it's definitely one you come away from wanting to go and cry in the shower in black and white ?

 

On 03/09/2021 at 7:08 AM, YaManSmevz said:

Unfortunately that's just something that's gonna happen regularly for some people. I have a long history of getting too much in my own head too, I can definitely relate, but I feel it's important to try to remember that the unsureness is 100% in your head.

 

At least that's what I tell myself when I'm having those moments of clarity!

 

Thanks, I appreciate that.It's not exactly the most fun living inside your own head too much is it? I'm sorry to hear that you've had a bit of a battle with that yourself. You're right though, sometimes I probably just need to take a step back and do exactly that. So I'll try to remember that in future.

 

I had to cut back on the amount of booze I was drinking a while ago, because I started to constantly message people asking if I'd offended anyone after a night out, even if I had full recollection of the events, and I'm the least likely person to get in conflict with anyone, I hate that, I'm far too laid back for that.  I used to get so paranoid about it though, it just wasn't healthy. So now I drink less, I don't seem to have that problem, but maybe it's the fact that I feel more in control of it if I approach it that way, I don't know, my heads a strange place to be sometimes that's for sure haha.

 

In happier news - I just got the platinum for Beholder. So I'll go and do a review for that shortly. Nice to break my one month long platinum drought. I blame my snails pace progress on FFIX ?...... Which I might try and platinum tomorrow. I don't know how viable it is trying to do the speedrun in a day, but I'll give it a go.

 

11 hours ago, The_Kopite said:

That really does seem barmy. They were gonna carry it on like Type 1, Type 2 or something like that? For me personally, there wasn't anything that grabbed me and made me want a sequel at all.

 

That's certainly what was implied from what I read. Even if it wasn't a direct sequel I still think having a separate series called Type (Insert number) seems like an incredibly strange decision. You'd think if they were going to be like that they'd have to all have virtually the same gameplay otherwise it's a bit redundant. There wasn't anything that grabbed me enough to want a sequel either. Square love money these days though right..... Maybe we'll see Final Fantasy VII Remake - Type 0 or something. They can't seem to release anything Final Fantasy related these days without it being Final Fantasy VII related.

 

11 hours ago, The_Kopite said:

Wow, well there we go then. That is an interesting image haha I think that could be a treat for everyone when you've completed your journey on this thread lol Could be the platinum trophy reward hahaha. I can't act for the life of me, so I can't say anything lol

 

I can't really act either, so it's fine. I can do some halfway decent impressions, but I'm far too nervous for acting. I know some actors physically shake their bodies before performing, I guess as a way to shake off nerves and such, but that wouldn't ever be enough for me haha ?...... We'll see, if I eventually review all of my older titles it might be fun to post that. It'd certainly give people a laugh I expect.

 

 

11 hours ago, The_Kopite said:

I am definitely looking forward to reading your FFIX review. After all the buildup and it being so rare that you find someone who hasn't played it in the general gaming community (at least in my experience), it is going to be really interesting to read your thoughts on it, and to be able to have a good convo about it.

 

Well I hope it doesn't disappoint haha -  I don't think it's going to be a short one, there is a lot to unpack with that game, and I think so much of it deserves to get discussed.

 

Someone posted in here about two or three weeks ago in this thread about having not played Final Fantasy IX but having wanted to for a while, which surprised me. I still think we're in the minority of people that haven't played it before. It sort of blew my mind how much I enjoyed it, as I've probably mentioned I expected to like it, I just didn't expect to like it quite so much.  I'm looking forward to our eventual discussion of it though, should be really enjoyable.

[YaManSmevz]

1 hour ago, rjkclarke said:

Thanks, I appreciate that.It's not exactly the most fun living inside your own head too much is it? I'm sorry to hear that you've had a bit of a battle with that yourself. You're right though, sometimes I probably just need to take a step back and do exactly that. So I'll try to remember that in future.

 

I had to cut back on the amount of booze I was drinking a while ago, because I started to constantly message people asking if I'd offended anyone after a night out, even if I had full recollection of the events, and I'm the least likely person to get in conflict with anyone, I hate that, I'm far too laid back for that.  I used to get so paranoid about it though, it just wasn't healthy. So now I drink less, I don't seem to have that problem, but maybe it's the fact that I feel more in control of it if I approach it that way, I don't know, my heads a strange place to be sometimes that's for sure haha.

 

I've been trying to cut back myself. It's easy to get into an unhealthy cycle with drinking, startlingly so - trips me out how THAT drug got to be the legal one! The line between "wahoo this is all good charming fun!" and "hmmm, I don't know that i would've thought that was a good idea under normal circumstances" is a blurry one, and the older you get the less cute it is if you find yourself on the wrong side of it! Same as you, I'm very fortunate in that I'm not the type to get aggressively unpleasant or anything like that, but dwelling about whatever dumb thing you said is still a pretty shitty consequence!

 

1 hour ago, rjkclarke said:

In happier news - I just got the platinum for Beholder. So I'll go and do a review for that shortly. Nice to break my one month long platinum drought. I blame my snails pace progress on FFIX ...... Which I might try and platinum tomorrow. I don't know how viable it is trying to do the speedrun in a day, but I'll give it a go.

 

Yeah, back to the games!!

 

Hell yes! I'm super excited to read your thoughts on that one, same as your FFIX review! If you've got the day, I say tackle that fool! The great thing about the last playthrough is you ain't gotta mess around with any side shit, or even care about cutscenes. Just plow on through!

 

Speaking of which, I'm finally on the hook for FFIX - got the first trophy and now it's there on my profile, no longer a hidden F grade. Tried my first attempt with the jump rope and I can't get higher than 12 yet... fuck. me. Also, I've re-fired Yakuza 0 and I already see what you mean - I felt the need to take a picture when I saw "This jerk from a street gang busted out his dagger of stealing"??? Almost took screen shot of the glorious Miracle Johnson as well! Oi. It's gonna be a long few months. Fun, but long!

[rjkclarke]

A Shadowy New Platinum!

Platinum #326

Beholder: Complete Edition (PS4)

 

 

Government Elite
Unlock all the Trophies in Beholder!

 

A Few Trophy Stats

 

Platinum Earned - 4 September 2021 - 8:08:57PM

Time taken to Platinum - 3 days, 56 minutes, 3 seconds

Platinum Rarity   - 13.42%

Trophy Number - # 15,766

 

 

I’m having a hard time really defining exactly what Beholder is – and I’ve just played it. Hopefully I’ll have a better idea once we get to the end of this.  The thing is, that’s part of the beauty of the game itself. Even watching videos or looking at screenshots, in a game like this you never truly know what you’re going to get until you actually play it. There aren’t a whole lot of direct comparisons either in the video game department – which again, is nothing but a good thing, meaning it stands out on that basis alone.

 

 

I suppose, if I had a gun to my head and I had to compare this game to anything, I’d probably compare it to This War of Mine: The Little Ones and from everything I’ve heard about it Papers Please (Beholder references that game very heavily in one of its tasks in the base game story) They do share a few similarities. However, I’d have to say they probably share fewer similarities on a tonal and artistic level. In that department they are wholeheartedly different.

Bearing all of the above in mind though – I do have to at least try and quantify exactly what this game is. I’ll try and do this as best I can without actually putting anyone off playing it. I’ve seen Beholders genre defined as an Adventure before, which in a way is correct. It isn’t a point- and – click adventure that’s for sure, nor is it a game that is driven forward by its narrative or solely on gameplay.

It has a narrative of course, but it’s directly affected by your choices via gameplay. So I guess it wouldn’t be incorrect to call it an interactive Adventure. I have to commend the game in this department too though; I like the fact that I’m still not entirely sure what it was. What I do know is that I had an incredibly interesting experience getting here.

I keep mentioning it – but I think it’s about time I actually discuss what you should expect from the game itself. Beholder: Complete edition, essentially exists as a game in two parts.  The base game and the DLC story. The game takes place in a totalitarian police state – the base game itself sees you take the role of Carl Stein, a government employed landlord who is tasked with spying on the tenants who live within his building.

 

Part of your job includes profiling the tenants to make sure they keep within the letter of the law. This is where the Beholders gameplay presents itself. You have control over what Carl does so you can choose to put cameras up in all of the apartments, steal from the tenants, blackmail the tenants and perform various tasks to help them – in the pursuit of monetary and reputation gain. It should also be noted that many of the tasks are on a timer, which adds a deeper level of tension to proceedings. As usual in a game like this, the game contains many potential endings, which I think I’d have been interested to see even if trophies hadn’t been involved. The DLC story Blissful Sleep, which coincidentally is my favourite thing about this game – probably maximises the use of the in game timer. It’s also worth mentioning that the DLC is a prequel to the main story. You play as Hector Medina – who (and these aren’t spoilers) has been accidentally processed for a euthanasia program, due to a government mistake – who is now in a race against time to save his own life. It really adds a fascinating sense of urgency to the story found within the DLC, due to some of the much stricter time restrictions.

 

The gameplay itself might on the surface seem standardised, yet it’s anything but. It’s simplistic – yes, but part of that simplicity is also why it is so effective. It’s incredibly easy to pick up without having to really learn how it all works, you essentially learn as you play. The element of choice is one of the most impressive things on offer in Beholder.  Beholder’s events can take many different forks, depending on the choices you make within the story. Some ways of resolving tasks will end up having a much greater implication to the end of the game than perhaps you’d expect them to. Due to the nature of the gameplay, to profile or blackmail people ends up being a constant moral dilemma, aspects of this are really well realised when you are tasked with having to find a vast amount of money in a short amount of time – so you are often forced to turn to more nefarious means, even in the pursuit of doing the right thing.

One of the things I really appreciated was the heightened sense of tension the game sometimes puts upon you. You often get tasked with finding something specific in a tenant’s room, which means rummaging through their belongings – which often-times means you need to be extra vigilant, having a constant eye on the camera to see where that tenant is. Sometimes you basically have to learn when specific tenants end up going to work, or eating food – just to sneak in with greater ease. It was an element of the gameplay that made me feel quite disgusted with myself at times. That’s why I compared it to This War of Mine earlier, because that game made me feel similar levels of shame for my in game actions. I think This War of Mine does it slightly more effectively, but Beholder also shares that in common with This War of Mine, that the element of control you as a player have, ends up making your own specific reaction to it, that much more visceral.

 

I think the DLC really illustrates how well structured the developers have actually crafted their story, it’s subtle too, it makes perfect sense why some of the characters that appear in both story sections act the way that they do – once you’ve experienced all outcomes. In this regard, I absolutely commend an incredibly deep and well structured story that on the surface might seem fairly simple. Carl’s story in the base game, is very good itself I just ever so slightly prefer the DLC story out of the two of them. When you combine the two into one narrative though, it’s very impressive how well realised it all is. However, that tight structure is probably why I ended up preferring the DLC overall – add to that, the fact that the premise itself of a man facing a state enforced euthanasia before his time seems incredibly relatable. It ends up injecting a tangible pace into the DLC that might not have been their otherwise. It’s also got some incredibly dark humour peppered into it too, once you move in the character Khan, who I think would be best described as a Witch Doctor - if you choose to, some absolute hilarity will ensue with some of the various potions and remedies you can give to the buildings tenants.

 

Beholder’s visual style is probably the thing that sets it apart the most from a game like This War of Mine. In some ways that is to its detriment, in others not so much. It’s very deliberate art style is visually incredibly interesting. I’m going to paraphrase Matt Groening, but he once mentioned that for characters to really stand out they have to be identifiable by silhouette, which surprisingly in the case of Beholder they actually do. I can’t help but appreciate the effort that went into this. I can definitely understand why the characters look the way they do – it very clearly imbibes the point the developers wanted to make about ordinary citizens essentially just being faceless cogs in the machine. Unfortunately - I think perhaps unfairly from my perspective, with my comparison to This War of Mine, the use of indistinguishable faces makes some of the characters feel much less relatable, which in my case at least lead to having much less pathos for some characters compared with This War of Mine. In that title, it used real life photographs of people, which to me ended up making them feel very much more real than they do in Beholder.

I’d love to go in depth about the sound design and the soundtrack. To be perfectly honest though, there isn’t really enough of it to warrant much more than a few sentences. What there is - is at least quite effective. Especially the musical cues as something significant happens, in that regard it does a really effective job of heightening the situation. Beholder doesn’t contain any voice acting outside of the narrator, who does an interesting job. As a side note -  I’d love to know what their accent is, because it’s an interesting one for sure.

 

When thinking about the trophies for Beholder – I’d absolutely implore anyone that ends up playing this to use a guide. You won’t really be spoiled on story events either. Don’t make the mistake I did either and get overzealous and deviate from the guides. You’ll almost certainly regret it haha. Thankfully the game is mercifully short though, and the gameplay loop is very satisfying so I didn’t really mind.  I ended up having to replay a significant amount of the DLC because I ended up just winging it and thinking I’d be alright – when in reality I’d messed up and had to replay some sections multiple times as I didn’t have the required reputation points to get all of the games endings. It does make the use of a guide pretty much a necessity though, and the various roadmaps available look like a veritable spider’s web. It’s the type of trophy list I personally really enjoy, where it essentially tasks you with seeing almost everything there is to see in the game. It really makes it feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.

 

I think I’d definitely recommend playing Beholder – it’s not very long, it’s an astonishingly unique experience, which will pretty much be unlike anything you’ve played before. It seems to go on sale very often too, so I’d recommend picking up the bundle of the first and second Beholder. I got it for well under £5 I believe.   I’ve yet to play Beholder 2 – which I’ve heard very much changes up the gameplay quite substantially, but I’m very much looking forward to it now.

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

@YaManSmevz and @realm722 - I've got to thank you both for some excellent reviews of this game, that made me want to jump head first into it. I'm glad I did too, it was a hell of an interesting experience. I'm really looking forward to playing the second one at some point soon.

 

I'm happy you're diving into Final Fantasy IX and Yakuza 0 Smevz I'm really looking forward to reading about your progress with both of those - awesome to see you are taking the plunge with these. I can't promise that jump rope thing will suddenly get easy, but I was failing at that stage for a while as well. I'd recommend using your PS4 wireless headset that comes with the console to get rid of one of the bits of lag and if you can, change your controller settings so it's just wired which will cut down the lag even further, and just listen to Vivi's footsteps.

If not there's a good thread in the Final Fantasy IX forum on here that has plenty of tips for it. I posted some myself, just in case it would help anyone. If not, you could always use the remote play script if it starts to bother you too much. There's a good chance it will all just click for you though, and then you'll get it eventually.

Edited February 2, 2022 by rjkclarke

[realm722]

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

@YaManSmevz and @realm722 - I've got to thank you both for some excellent reviews of this game, that made me want to jump head first into it. I'm glad I did too, it was a hell of an interesting experience. I'm really looking forward to playing the second one at some point soon.

 

Wow, your playthrough comes as a complete surprise to me!  It's so cool that a game that's never talked about in the mainstream has gotten so much love here as of late. I think you really captured what's at the essence of Beholder's experience which is - you likely haven't played a game quite like this - and that fact alone will make it memorable in the future when you reflect upon games you've platinumed. Def good advice on following a guide ?, I remember playing and being scared of being on the clock that I absolutely followed it to the letter. I am VERY curious to see what you think about Beholder 2. Based on everything I read I'm almost positive you'll enjoy it, but I'd be curious to see which one you prefer between the two. It isn't on sale at the moment but goes on sale for $3.74 very frequently so I'll be patient until then

[YaManSmevz]

10 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

A Shiny New Platinum!

 

 

Platinum #326

Beholder: Complete Edition (PS4)

 

 

I can't tell you how happy this alone made me! Your review is exceptional, and reminds me of things that I didn't think to talk about in mine. I'm often guilty of the same thing, tellin the guide "I got this bro, back off already" only to find that no, I didn't know the game better than the person who wrote all about how to get through it as fast as possible! Regardless, I too am excited to hear your thoughts on the second one. I'm fairly certain you'll love it as well!

[Shrooba]

Nice work on the latest completion @rjkclarke! It's always cool to hear opinions on these somewhat obscure games that PlayStation has to offer. The overall aesthetic of Beholder actually in a way reminds me of Fallout Shelter with the whole camera that lets you peek through each room in a building from a side angle. It's really interesting to see how some games can be so similar and yet so different at the same time! ? But anyway, great work and I look forward to what you'll tackle next!

[rjkclarke]

18 hours ago, realm722 said:

 

Wow, your playthrough comes as a complete surprise to me!  It's so cool that a game that's never talked about in the mainstream has gotten so much love here as of late. I think you really captured what's at the essence of Beholder's experience which is - you likely haven't played a game quite like this - and that fact alone will make it memorable in the future when you reflect upon games you've platinumed. Def good advice on following a guide , I remember playing and being scared of being on the clock that I absolutely followed it to the letter. I am VERY curious to see what you think about Beholder 2. Based on everything I read I'm almost positive you'll enjoy it, but I'd be curious to see which one you prefer between the two. It isn't on sale at the moment but goes on sale for $3.74 very frequently so I'll be patient until then

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

I'm so glad it is getting a bit more attention - it certainly deserves it that's for sure. That's so true, I couldn't agree more about the game being so unique, ending up being one of the things you'll absolutely remember the most about it.

 

I was following a guide, and then I was going too slow so I decided on trying to wing it - got to the end of the DLC where the guide would have told you to do things a specific way so you can have enough reputation points - I didn't so I had to replay all the way from the stuff with finding Zlata Schimmers biological family. It did mean I saw some very different outcomes from doing that part differently - it's really interesting to see how Jacob Manishek ends up by himself at the start of the base game, if you basically skip over finding Zlata's parents. So I guess I should be thankful for seeing that bit that I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

 

I do have Beholder 2 - thankfully I bought the bundle with both of them in. So I think once I'm done with Final Fantasy IX. Which should be later on actually (I'm in the process of writing a review of it right now, because getting the final trophy won't change my opinion either way, so thought I'd get it done now so I can pretty much post it straight away after getting the platinum). I'll probably download Beholder 2 and have that ready to go next - despite the changes I'm very much looking forward to playing it. We'll have to see which one I prefer. I'll probably ask you and Smevz which ones you prefer once I'm done, because I'm curious about that one myself. I can't remember exactly  if either of you said in your respective reviews.

 

9 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

I can't tell you how happy this alone made me! Your review is exceptional, and reminds me of things that I didn't think to talk about in mine. I'm often guilty of the same thing, tellin the guide "I got this bro, back off already" only to find that no, I didn't know the game better than the person who wrote all about how to get through it as fast as possible! Regardless, I too am excited to hear your thoughts on the second one. I'm fairly certain you'll love it as well!

 

Thanks man - I really appreciate that. I tried to pretty much cover everything I could think of. It always really bugs me when I've missed something so patently obvious in a review and then I immediately feel the need to go back and amend it - like I did with that ICO review a couple of weeks back.

 

That's kind of a necessary slap in the face when that happens - if you deviate from a guide. It's just too easy to do isn't it, when you get really into something and as you rightly say think "I got this" then you have to go crawling back going "I'm sorry I should have listened."  I guess it could have been worse, it could have been in a JRPG where you'd lose literally tens of hours of progress - that almost happened to me in Yakuza 5 where I'm pretty sure I sequence broke the game (by doing loads of things way before I should have done)  and it kept leading me to a black screen whatever I did (I've seen one other person online who had the same problem, but they didn't find a solution) I had an earlier save thankfully or I would have lost about 150 hours of progress which would have been devastating ? - so I should have been more mindful of that and not tried to do my own thing haha.

 

I'm looking forward to the second Beholder - I looked at some gameplay of it and it certainly seems like quite the evolution and overhaul compared to the scale of the first one. So I'm looking forward to seeing what that has to offer.

 

7 hours ago, Shrooba said:

Nice work on the latest completion @rjkclarke! It's always cool to hear opinions on these somewhat obscure games that PlayStation has to offer. The overall aesthetic of Beholder actually in a way reminds me of Fallout Shelter with the whole camera that lets you peek through each room in a building from a side angle. It's really interesting to see how some games can be so similar and yet so different at the same time! But anyway, great work and I look forward to what you'll tackle next!

 

Thanks! Obscure games are one of my favourite things about the explosion of indie developers over the last couple of years. I really appreciate the fact, that almost any idea that can be thought of, even if it doesn't on paper seem like a viable one for a video game - can in the right hands become something truly special.

 

I definitely see what you mean about the visual similarities between Beholder and Fallout Shelter. I've yet to play Fallout Shelter - and to be honest it's doubtful I ever will. I guess I could if I really felt the need for a bit more Fallout on my profile, but now that I've recently picked up Fallout 4 GOTY I'll be able to go back and get the DLC finished on that at some point in the near future.

 

So yeah - Final Fantasy IX is next for my final trip through the game for that pesky Excalibur II -  I'm genuinely sad to be saying goodbye to that game. Although I think I'll keep it installed, because I suspect I'll want to play it again at some point in the future.

Edited September 5, 2021 by rjkclarke

[KindaSabbath]

On 03/09/2021 at 4:33 AM, rjkclarke said:

I appreciate the feedback though! Every now and then I still need a slap in the face to say, just keep doing what your doing. It's happened before, and I'm sure it'll happen again.

 

Hope you don't mind me popping in to give you another quick slap. There's a few people on this site that have a lot to say about the games they play, so naturally, they have a lot to write about. I, like many others, thoroughly enjoy reading these more thought out write ups. It offers a unique perspective on games I've already played or insight to games I might play. This is another plus 1 vote to say keep up the great work dude! If anything - I look to posts from you boys for inspiration on how I can improve my ability to put down my own experiences. I have mild learning difficulties.. so like I've mentioned in my own thread, I struggle with some things when it comes to writing and wording what I want to say. You're reaching people in ways you may not even be aware of. 

 

Congrats on your recent completion; Beholder. Another fantastic write up!

[rjkclarke]

50 minutes ago, KindaSabbath said:

Hope you don't mind me popping in to give you another quick slap. There's a few people on this site that have a lot to say about the games they play, so naturally, they have a lot to write about. I, like many others, thoroughly enjoy reading these more thought out write ups. It offers a unique perspective on games I've already played or insight to games I might play. This is another plus 1 vote to say keep up the great work dude! If anything - I look to posts from you boys for inspiration on how I can improve my ability to put down my own experiences. I have mild learning difficulties.. so like I've mentioned in my own thread, I struggle with some things when it comes to writing and wording what I want to say. You're reaching people in ways you may not even be aware of. 

 

Congrats on your recent completion; Beholder. Another fantastic write up!

 

That's probably the best slap I've ever received - thank you so much. That's so nice of you to say.  I really mean that too. I'm glad you're enjoying reading them, even if they are very long.

It does seem like the length of them is a problem in my own head more than anything. I know not everyone has the time or the patience to sit down and read something for a long time, especially as I pretty much barely talk about trophies unless they seem relevant - talking about the games themselves and different peoples interpretations of them is one of the things I really enjoy the most.

 

I think you write incredibly naturally by the way. It's very anecdotal, and very conversational. Which ends up reading really pleasantly.  Which is not always the easiest thing to achieve, I  think. But - I think at least, that it makes for really interesting reading. When you write like that it really helps to get a better sense of YOU. I think that's really important in an environment like this. We could all write reams and reams of text, I guess - but if you don't sound like yourself what's the point. I pretty much wouldn't say anything on here, that I wouldn't happily say to anyone in the non  internet world y'know the one with photo realistic graphics, and annoying seagull sound effects everywhere you go! ? Although to be honest, I manage to curb my language a little better on here. If my house ever contained a swear jar, I'd be filling that up very quick - I even had my mouth washed out with soap, when I was quite young....... I thought my parents were bluffing - alas NO. So Radox for dinner that night! ?

Edited September 5, 2021 by rjkclarke

[KindaSabbath]

12 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

I think you write incredibly naturally by the way. It's very anecdotal, and very conversational. Which ends up reading really pleasantly.  Which is not always the easiest thing to achieve, I  think. But - I think at least, that it makes for really interesting reading. When you write like that it really helps to get a better sense of YOU. I think that's really important in an environment like this.

 

Appreciate that bud. It's difficult because the thing I struggle with the moat is not knowing whether I come off as a dooooosh bag, or even worse, accidentally offend somebody. That little complement right there has given me a nice little confidence boost, so thank you. I've found it intimidating at times to post, especially in other people's threads for these reasons.

 

12 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

talking about the games themselves and different peoples interpretations of them is one of the things I really enjoy the most.

 

That is the most important thing mate. Always do the things you enjoy the most. It's when you will be at your most passionate. Sure, maybe some will switch off from it, but you will draw in more people who share similar passion and enthusiasm, which in my opinion is only going to lead to more positivity and productivity.

 

When I see you, Smevz, Arc or Doc + a few others have posted - I know I won't be reading on the go. That shit deserves a coffee. Nothing but respect from me.

[Devildalli]

okay Thx    

[rjkclarke]

5 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

Appreciate that bud. It's difficult because the thing I struggle with the moat is not knowing whether I come off as a dooooosh bag, or even worse, accidentally offend somebody. That little complement right there has given me a nice little confidence boost, so thank you. I've found it intimidating at times to post, especially in other people's threads for these reasons.

 

I think I said a similar thing In Cassy's thread about anecdotal and conversational writing too - I think it makes for incredibly enjoyable reading so absolutely crack on with how you're approaching it I'd say. That bit that I put in bold, wow - yeah I can absolutely identify with that one. That's been a constant battle  myself ever since the beginning - that's probably why I try and provide context for everything, just in case someone takes it completely the wrong way, and I end up offending someone or really hacking them off for some reason. 

 

I know what you mean about it feeling intimidating at times to post in other peoples threads, I'd say I've only really been actively doing it for the last month or so myself. I think I probably had similar reservations to you, where I was just a bit concerned I'd offend someone or come across like a prize dick head (which I'm sure I do on occasion).  Up to that point I'd comment on Doc's thread and that'd be about it. Thankfully everyone in this corner of the forum appears to be incredibly welcoming and supportive, so it's a nice place to be.  I'm certainly very glad you've decided to pop in and say hello. 

 

5 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

That is the most important thing mate. Always do the things you enjoy the most. It's when you will be at your most passionate. Sure, maybe some will switch off from it, but you will draw in more people who share similar passion and enthusiasm, which in my opinion is only going to lead to more positivity and productivity.

 

When I see you, Smevz, Arc or Doc + a few others have posted - I know I won't be reading on the go. That shit deserves a coffee. Nothing but respect from me.

 

That's a great point yeah - I'm passionate about trophies don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be here otherwise, I don't think. I just try to approach them in a more relaxed way, I'd never want going for trophies to feel workmanlike - so I always just try and treat them like the icing on the cake. As long as I'm playing decent or interesting games I tend to be quite happy with just that aspect of it. A platinum at the end just happens to be a nice little thing to help cherish that experience that little bit more. See, that's why I still worry about sounding like a dick head - because I probably just did.

 

Thanks by the way, that's so nice to hear.  I'm glad I'm not the only one that usually grabs a coffee to read some of these posts. I'm the same with yours, especially if there's a video attached, can't help but appreciate that skill on display.  I think they deserve my fullest attention. So it always ends up being a highlight to relax and read away sometimes.

 

5 hours ago, Devildalli said:

okay Thx  

 

Sorry if this seems abrupt - or strange. But what for? I mean thanks for stopping by and saying that I guess.

Edited September 6, 2021 by rjkclarke

[DrunkenEngineer]

Conversational writing is something I struggle with.  I'm an engineer by trade (couldn't you tell?) and I've been trained to write succinctly and deliberately.  Often my quick reviews I post have had multiple, multiple passes in order to pare it down.  Maybe I should loosen up a bit with them as they do get intimidating for me to write.

 

8 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

When I see you, Smevz, Arc or Doc + a few others have posted - I know I won't be reading on the go. That shit deserves a coffee. Nothing but respect from me.

 

Truth!  When the prophets speak I need to absorb that shit with coffee in hand!

[rjkclarke]

44 minutes ago, DrunkenEngineer said:

Conversational writing is something I struggle with.  I'm an engineer by trade (couldn't you tell?) and I've been trained to write succinctly and deliberately.  Often my quick reviews I post have had multiple, multiple passes in order to pare it down.  Maybe I should loosen up a bit with them as they do get intimidating for me to write.

 

That certainly explains the username. If you want to loosen up a bit and write more, I'd say go for it. You could at least experiment with it and see if you like it. If you don't, just go back to what you were doing. I'm sure we'd all be interested to hear what you had to say in a bit more depth.  It depends on if you end up spending as much time writing something longer - than the amount of time it would take to go through multiple edits to get it down to the size you want it to be. I could certainly do with editing my stuff a little more myself. Sometimes my sentence structure gets so unusual it probably reads as if a bookcase just fell on my head in the middle of making a point ?.... 

 

I like your concise reviews a lot. It's something I just can't seem to do any more. So I really appreciate the fact you can. Especially how informative they can be - about what to actually expect from playing the game. That really does help in making someone decide whether or not they actually want to play something or not. 

 

44 minutes ago, DrunkenEngineer said:

I need to absorb that shit with coffee in hand!

 

That reminds me - I need to read our good Doctors latest scientific rankings..... ? I'm looking forward to those.  I'll hopefully be able to read them later. I'm in the midst of ploughing through Final Fantasy IX at the moment. So once that's done I'll post the review as I finished writing it yesterday, apart from maybe a tweaked sentence here and there it's good to go.

Edited September 6, 2021 by rjkclarke

[The_Kopite]

On 9/4/2021 at 8:39 PM, rjkclarke said:

That's certainly what was implied from what I read. Even if it wasn't a direct sequel I still think having a separate series called Type (Insert number) seems like an incredibly strange decision. You'd think if they were going to be like that they'd have to all have virtually the same gameplay otherwise it's a bit redundant. There wasn't anything that grabbed me enough to want a sequel either. Square love money these days though right..... Maybe we'll see Final Fantasy VII Remake - Type 0 or something. They can't seem to release anything Final Fantasy related these days without it being Final Fantasy VII related.

That would have been odd to see, and yes and when they do release games that aren't FFVII related such as the Pixel Remasters, they don't put them on consoles. I'm hoping once they have released all 6, then they will put them on Playstation. Surely they'll listen to the feedback from fans? Anyway, went off on a bit of a tangent there lol

 

On 9/4/2021 at 8:39 PM, rjkclarke said:

I can't really act either, so it's fine. I can do some halfway decent impressions, but I'm far too nervous for acting. I know some actors physically shake their bodies before performing, I guess as a way to shake off nerves and such, but that wouldn't ever be enough for me haha ...... We'll see, if I eventually review all of my older titles it might be fun to post that. It'd certainly give people a laugh I expect.

Laughter is the best medicine.

 

On 9/4/2021 at 8:39 PM, rjkclarke said:

Well I hope it doesn't disappoint haha -  I don't think it's going to be a short one, there is a lot to unpack with that game, and I think so much of it deserves to get discussed.

 

Someone posted in here about two or three weeks ago in this thread about having not played Final Fantasy IX but having wanted to for a while, which surprised me. I still think we're in the minority of people that haven't played it before. It sort of blew my mind how much I enjoyed it, as I've probably mentioned I expected to like it, I just didn't expect to like it quite so much.  I'm looking forward to our eventual discussion of it though, should be really enjoyable.

I'm looking forward to your in depth review and discussion ? Oh wow, I must have missed that someone else hadn't played it either. Sounds like we have got more people to get playing it. 

[YaManSmevz]

On 9/5/2021 at 0:52 PM, rjkclarke said:

Thanks man - I really appreciate that. I tried to pretty much cover everything I could think of. It always really bugs me when I've missed something so patently obvious in a review and then I immediately feel the need to go back and amend it - like I did with that ICO review a couple of weeks back.

 

That's kind of a necessary slap in the face when that happens - if you deviate from a guide. It's just too easy to do isn't it, when you get really into something and as you rightly say think "I got this" then you have to go crawling back going "I'm sorry I should have listened."  I guess it could have been worse, it could have been in a JRPG where you'd lose literally tens of hours of progress - that almost happened to me in Yakuza 5 where I'm pretty sure I sequence broke the game (by doing loads of things way before I should have done)  and it kept leading me to a black screen whatever I did (I've seen one other person online who had the same problem, but they didn't find a solution) I had an earlier save thankfully or I would have lost about 150 hours of progress which would have been devastating - so I should have been more mindful of that and not tried to do my own thing haha.

 

I'm looking forward to the second Beholder - I looked at some gameplay of it and it certainly seems like quite the evolution and overhaul compared to the scale of the first one. So I'm looking forward to seeing what that has to offer.

 

Ugh, I hate feeling like that about something I've written too. The masochist in me doesn't let me go back and edit it though; I just kinda figure 'I wrote it, I'm just gonna have to stand by it.'

 

Following a guide can get.. dare I say.. boring! Like I wanna live, bro! I wanna just dive in and tackle this game, and not have to... oh wait, I wasn't supposed to do that yet? ...hey guide, I'm sorry babe, you know I didn't mean it..." And yes, sometimes the consequences are pretty rough. I've lost maybe ten or twenty hours or at most, but 150?? Dear lord I may have just packed up the console and picked up a new hobby altogether?

 

15 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

When I see you, Smevz, Arc or Doc + a few others have posted - I know I won't be reading on the go. That shit deserves a coffee. Nothing but respect from me.

 

Thanks for the shout, my dude! And allow me to second rjk's compliment - the way you write has that quality where it just feels like you're kickin back and talkin shop with your friends. And after all, that's pretty much what we're essentially doing anyway?

 

And likewise! There's a big handful of folks here where when I see they've gotten something to say, I wanna be able to relax and be able to give my full attention. Present company included, naturally!

[KindaSabbath]

19 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

wow - yeah I can absolutely identify with that one. That's been a constant battle  myself ever since the beginning - that's probably why I try and provide context for everything, just in case someone takes it completely the wrong way, and I end up offending someone or really hacking them off for some reason. 

 

Glad I'm not alone on that front. It's very difficult to convey emotion through writing, or atleast I find it very difficult. So I worry that its easy for somebody to read something and take it completely the wrong way from which it was intended. That compiled with my personal difficulties makes writing the most challenging form of communication for me. Kind of makes me want to keep doing it though, because it's out of my comfort zone and will only push me to improve my communication skills through written format. - I genuinely have no idea if that even makes any sense ?

 

19 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

That's a great point yeah - I'm passionate about trophies don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be here otherwise, I don't think. I just try to approach them in a more relaxed way, I'd never want going for trophies to feel workmanlike - so I always just try and treat them like the icing on the cake. As long as I'm playing decent or interesting games I tend to be quite happy with just that aspect of it. A platinum at the end just happens to be a nice little thing to help cherish that experience that little bit more. See, that's why I still worry about sounding like a dick head - because I probably just did.

 

Not at all. You've just put into writing exactly how I feel about games and trophies in general, far better than I could. Totally agree.

 

19 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

Thanks by the way, that's so nice to hear.  I'm glad I'm not the only one that usually grabs a coffee to read some of these posts. I'm the same with yours, especially if there's a video attached, can't help but appreciate that skill on display.  I think they deserve my fullest attention. So it always ends up being a highlight to relax and read away sometimes.

 

Thanks man. I've just highlighted one word, though. I'm going to sub it out for Stubbornness ?

 

I really enjoy uploading captures of my gameplay for my thread. I'm never sure how people receive that, though. I don't want people to think its a "look at me" kinda thing. When you look up guide videos and top runs for some of these more challenging games, you will see flawless runs by top level players. I'm just a regular gaming dad with an incredibly stubborn nature. If anything - I hope they encourage others to have a go at things they might otherwise avoid. I mean, if I can do it, it's on the cards for anyone with two thumbs and a fully functional controller ?

 

9 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

Thanks for the shout, my dude! And allow me to second rjk's compliment - the way you write has that quality where it just feels like you're kickin back and talkin shop with your friends. And after all, that's pretty much what we're essentially doing anyway

 

And likewise! There's a big handful of folks here where when I see they've gotten something to say, I wanna be able to relax and be able to give my full attention. Present company included, naturally!

 

Appreciate that dude! That vibe of kicking back and talking shit with the boys, is exactly why I've started posting more regularly. Honestly bro, you had me at that Cuphead review - trippin' balls and slaying through the game. I knew from that moment forward, when you speak, I'm listening.

 

@rjkclarke - Eagerly waiting for that Final Fantasy write up. 

[The_Kopite]

2 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

@rjkclarke - Eagerly waiting for that Final Fantasy write up. 

You're not the only one! lol Feel like we are gonna start doing the classic Sonic impatient foot tap soon lol jokes

Edited September 7, 2021 by The_Kopite
Spelling error

[rjkclarke]

18 hours ago, The_Kopite said:

That would have been odd to see, and yes and when they do release games that aren't FFVII related such as the Pixel Remasters, they don't put them on consoles. I'm hoping once they have released all 6, then they will put them on Playstation. Surely they'll listen to the feedback from fans? Anyway, went off on a bit of a tangent there lol

 

Well I dunno - they might listen to the feedback from fans a little more if every fan was Moneybags from Spyro the Dragon... Then it might happen... They seem to like money more than anything else these days. Which - yes, as a business I understand, but I don't have to like it, if I think it hinders them creatively, which I do.

 

18 hours ago, The_Kopite said:

I'm looking forward to your in depth review and discussion  Oh wow, I must have missed that someone else hadn't played it either. Sounds like we have got more people to get playing it. 

 

Well it's coming today - for real this time. I didn't actually get the platinum till late-ish last night and it was my Dads birthday so it felt right to spend a bit of time with him, instead of editing a review a little bit so I could post it. We must covert everyone to zeeeee ways of Final Fantasy IX!!!

 

12 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

Ugh, I hate feeling like that about something I've written too. The masochist in me doesn't let me go back and edit it though; I just kinda figure 'I wrote it, I'm just gonna have to stand by it.'

 

Following a guide can get.. dare I say.. boring! Like I wanna live, bro! I wanna just dive in and tackle this game, and not have to... oh wait, I wasn't supposed to do that yet? ...hey guide, I'm sorry babe, you know I didn't mean it..." And yes, sometimes the consequences are pretty rough. I've lost maybe ten or twenty hours or at most, but 150?? Dear lord I may have just packed up the console and picked up a new hobby altogether?

 

I just get far too hung up on what I didn't say. I never expect people to go back and read whatever amendments I've made. I just do it for my own peace of mind. I thought about doing that with my Vampyr review - which I think you might have read recently. I was in a little bit of a negative haze after my last playthrough of that game despite really really wanting to like it - and I do like it, I just think from a mechanical perspective it's atrocious ?

 

Thankfully I didn't lose 150 hours to it - that would of really hurt.... At one point I thought if I had, I might still go back and do it all again. I did like Yakuza 5 that much..... I've got no illusions about the fact that game is far from the best entry in the series. God - writing a review about that game is going to be tough, because I love it so much - yet it's littered with so many glaring issues that I just can't ignore. I'll do them in order though (despite already breaking that rule by reviewing Judgment first ?).. So it'll be a while before I even get to that.

 

12 hours ago, YaManSmevz said:

the way you write has that quality where it just feels like you're kickin back and talkin shop with your friends. And after all, that's pretty much what we're essentially doing anyway

 

I second this seconding - Secondception? That's the thing I like the most out of all of this... It just feels like you're shooting the breeze with some friends and I love that.

 

3 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

Glad I'm not alone on that front. It's very difficult to convey emotion through writing, or atleast I find it very difficult. So I worry that its easy for somebody to read something and take it completely the wrong way from which it was intended. That compiled with my personal difficulties makes writing the most challenging form of communication for me. Kind of makes me want to keep doing it though, because it's out of my comfort zone and will only push me to improve my communication skills through written format. - I genuinely have no idea if that even makes any sense

 

 

That's so true that bit in bold - something said in jest for example, someone could take completely the wrong way and just end up with completely crossed wires, through no real fault of either person... That's the nature of not being able to use our actual voices - although. I've been told my voice is like Moss from the I.T Crowd if he had a drug problem (which I don't, but I definitely could be accused of sounding like a very stereotypical stoner. Like, almost Jay from Clerks levels at times ?).... So perhaps in this case it's better you can't hear it.

 

and yes - to address that comment out of order, that bit at the bottom does make perfect sense.

 

As I've said - and you're probably sick of hearing at this point... I think you're doing great in the communication department. Hopefully it's something that will become more and more natural for you, if it isn't already. If it's something you're finding challenging, then you're definitely doing a hell of a good job of overcoming it I think.

 

3 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

Thanks man. I've just highlighted one word, though. I'm going to sub it out for Stubbornness ?

 

I really enjoy uploading captures of my gameplay for my thread. I'm never sure how people receive that, though. I don't want people to think its a "look at me" kinda thing. When you look up guide videos and top runs for some of these more challenging games, you will see flawless runs by top level players. I'm just a regular gaming dad with an incredibly stubborn nature. If anything - I hope they encourage others to have a go at things they might otherwise avoid. I mean, if I can do it, it's on the cards for anyone with two thumbs and a fully functional controller

 

I Can definitely identify with this one - Stubbornness and patience is the key I think...Although you're probably doing yourself a slight disservice those Trials game look like no joke - so I think there's more skill involved than you'd like us to think ?.... 

When people ask me for advice on Pure Pool, which I've had a few times in PM's I always say to just relax and don't put any pressure on yourself. If I can do it you can, too. The lack of a decent camera is half the battle in that game. Most games with Pool and Snooker at least give you an overhead camera to switch to, that one doesn't for some reason.

 

I love those videos of your Trials gameplay... The thing that sets them apart from some of the others out there, is you keep in some of the times you are unsuccessful. Which is important. Most of those "flawless runs" by top level players will have loads of editing to cut out all the times they didn't nail it all at once..... So I think the fact you include some of the times you've not quite nailed the tracks, really goes a long way in showing the actual progression you're making. So I'd definitely not worry about people thinking you're doing a "look at me" thing. If they do - well that's their problem isn't it. Nobody needs negativity like that, it doesn't really help anyone. So hopefully they'd keep it to themselves. 

 

3 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

Eagerly waiting for that Final Fantasy write up. 

 

I don't think you and Kopite will have too long to wait... I've got a few things I need to do today - and I still need to make one or two minor edits and then up it goes - and then you'll find the wait wasn't worth it at all haha, but hopefully not.  

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by rjkclarke