Lately I've been playing Blood and Wine for The Witcher 3, and if there is one thing that can't be stressed enough about the expansion its that its fucking breathtaking. I'm not using that word lightly. I do not fuck about when I play games, I am a hard story/hard action player. Not happy unless I'm learning something relevant or killing something interesting. On at least three occasions in as many days I have stopped dead whatever quest or personal slaughter quota I was engaged in, lined up a specific view, and just had Geralt meditate until the moment when the light would be best to really experience a particular vista. The Witcher is a pretty fucking glorious game just generally, and the whole game is beautiful, but Toussaint is heartbreakingly gorgeous. To the point that just riding along a random coast road is a moving experience worthy of comment.
With the expansion they added a goddamn plethora of tiny UI and graphical improvements, cleaned up the crafting system by adding a badly needed buy option for materials that you don't have but the smith does. Though sadly it appears they didn't carry that into the alchemist shops, which given the the fact that you can do that yourself I can sort of understand. They also added an homage to the mutagen systems in the previous games by opening up the option to modify Geralt's mutation with some skills that almost make me alright with the fact that this is the third game in a contiguous series and you start at level fucking one.
So far Blood and Wine lives up to the hype entirely as far as I'm concerned. It's funny, engaging, vast, and displays an emotional landscape that takes the already vibrant and sympathetic characters that the series does so well and elevates them about as near as you can and still have them be fictional. There are games that I've had more fun playing, there are games that have scratched similar itches better, But I think B&W takes The Witcher 3 pretty handily to the #1 spot on my favorites list. Like ever.
Showing posts with label Cool Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cool Stuff. Show all posts
Monday, June 6, 2016
Monday, May 11, 2015
For We are Many
I've been thinking about what it means to be a geek lately. Unfortunately, there's a hint of truth to the idea that geek culture is one built on compulsive consumption. Games, movies, TV, comics: all the things that identify geek culture are shamelessly and actively exploited by groups that either never cared about the artistry of these media, or have been driven to forget what love they had. This is pretty fucking clear when you look at how many comic book movies have been scheduled and how they've been handled. All of that shit is a big part of our social presence, but I feel like its too easy to assume these things are what make us geeks. They fucking aren't.
Geek culture isn't about Captain America or Batman or Warcraft; its about loving something so much you involve yourself with it. That's a weird thing to say, but bare with me. Geeks aren't just known for playing games and watching movies, we're known for dressing up as those people, writing our own fiction in those worlds, and relentlessly deconstructing and examining seemingly random aspects of those stories. That last one is important because it really is the bit that unifies us. The tricky part is that isn't some random expression of appreciation for a specific genre or medium, that's a personality trait. Geeks can and do geek out over anything they're into. It's not about what you obsess over, its about the passion. Foodies are geeks, ask them about their favorite food and tell me it doesn't feel exactly like talking to a LARPer about their character. The same is true about people who're really into politics, folks who get weird about sports, and pretty much anybody who enjoys their job after ten years.
The reason I'm all fuckered about this is that I've been dragged (largely through my own shitty, comment-reading habits) into some of the more aggressive discussions about how we're all evil, or stupid, or bigoted. I really hope I don't have to point out how fucking absurd that is. The problem is that we are really, really easily led. Once the mode of exploitation is determined (comics, games, and movies for many of us) the immediately popular aspects of that mode are flogged well past the point of meaninglessness. It happened with Batman, it happened with Final Fantasy, and it happened with politics. The trouble arises from the fact that when huge portions of your obsession have been highjacked and refined to the least common denominator for easy marketing; you get defensive about weird things, you stop thinking about what you really believe.
I don't know how we're going to get away from that, its a little too easy to capitalize and monopolize on people's obsessions. But I do know that we can't really afford to be complicit in our own exploitation anymore. So I don't know, boycott EA games, or MCU movies, or whatever evil you feel like you can do without. Better yet, try to create something of your own for other geeks to cling to. Foodies, sports nuts, Gamers; we aren't really different groups, we are one people with many passions.
Geek culture isn't about Captain America or Batman or Warcraft; its about loving something so much you involve yourself with it. That's a weird thing to say, but bare with me. Geeks aren't just known for playing games and watching movies, we're known for dressing up as those people, writing our own fiction in those worlds, and relentlessly deconstructing and examining seemingly random aspects of those stories. That last one is important because it really is the bit that unifies us. The tricky part is that isn't some random expression of appreciation for a specific genre or medium, that's a personality trait. Geeks can and do geek out over anything they're into. It's not about what you obsess over, its about the passion. Foodies are geeks, ask them about their favorite food and tell me it doesn't feel exactly like talking to a LARPer about their character. The same is true about people who're really into politics, folks who get weird about sports, and pretty much anybody who enjoys their job after ten years.
The reason I'm all fuckered about this is that I've been dragged (largely through my own shitty, comment-reading habits) into some of the more aggressive discussions about how we're all evil, or stupid, or bigoted. I really hope I don't have to point out how fucking absurd that is. The problem is that we are really, really easily led. Once the mode of exploitation is determined (comics, games, and movies for many of us) the immediately popular aspects of that mode are flogged well past the point of meaninglessness. It happened with Batman, it happened with Final Fantasy, and it happened with politics. The trouble arises from the fact that when huge portions of your obsession have been highjacked and refined to the least common denominator for easy marketing; you get defensive about weird things, you stop thinking about what you really believe.
I don't know how we're going to get away from that, its a little too easy to capitalize and monopolize on people's obsessions. But I do know that we can't really afford to be complicit in our own exploitation anymore. So I don't know, boycott EA games, or MCU movies, or whatever evil you feel like you can do without. Better yet, try to create something of your own for other geeks to cling to. Foodies, sports nuts, Gamers; we aren't really different groups, we are one people with many passions.
Monday, May 4, 2015
You Pass Butter
I binge watched Rick and Morty this weekend. Its goddamn amazing. I fucking love science fiction, and better yet if it doesn't fuck around on the philosophical bits. Rick and Morty comfortably rolls from questions of the futility of existence to the meaning and value of the self in an infinite multiverse, which it handles insanely fucking well.
Rick is raw pragmatism draped over an unmitigated id. He invents technology that allows him to travel between realities and he happily uses it to get space drugs. He shows an insight and forethought that is simultaneously brilliant and dismissive. Meanwhile Morty is intuitive and empathetic, if a little dumb. He acts as both a plot driver and a humanizing influence on Rick.
I know I'm being a little english lit, but this cartoon doesn't fuck around. It's worth deconstructing. That said it handles all of this shit with relentless humor and a brutal simplicity that I can't praise enough. Seriously, watch this fucking show.
Rick is raw pragmatism draped over an unmitigated id. He invents technology that allows him to travel between realities and he happily uses it to get space drugs. He shows an insight and forethought that is simultaneously brilliant and dismissive. Meanwhile Morty is intuitive and empathetic, if a little dumb. He acts as both a plot driver and a humanizing influence on Rick.
I know I'm being a little english lit, but this cartoon doesn't fuck around. It's worth deconstructing. That said it handles all of this shit with relentless humor and a brutal simplicity that I can't praise enough. Seriously, watch this fucking show.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Any Game in Which You can Be Headbutted By A Giant Cthulhian Angel Is Fine By Me
Longtime readers will know that Eshi and I enjoy video games, and lately there has been one game that has been getting a lot of attention from me: Bloodborne. For those of you who don't know, Bloodborne is a game made by From Software, the guys who made Demon Souls and Dark Souls.
The premise is very similar: monsters are vicious and can kill you quick, but by killing them, you get exp (called echos) to level up your character. Bloodborne is slightly easier than its predecessors (the game's director didn't want a game that was only for "hardcore" gamers) but remains a fun and difficult game. I love the lovecraftian vibe throughout the game since the art is inspired by Bram Stoker and Lovecraft in general and it really excels at creating that kind of atmosphere.
Bloodborne also does a few things that I wish other games would do as well. I don't mean that all games should be Bloodborne, that would be terrible, but they could learn something from the way it presents itself. Bloodborne doesn't really hold the players hand at all, it is up to the player to piece together a story and learn how to play. There is a path you can take through the game, but it isn't always completely obvious where to go, so you get to explore, which is nice. Also you can miss huge sections of the game if you don't explore. Out of like 17 bosses only 7 are required.
There are a few cutscenes but they are light on actual exposition. I am not complaining though, I liked having to figure out the mysterious situation my character was thrown in. As a nerd, I love reading into things deeply. Also, there is no real tutorial. When you start the game you are in a fistfight with a big, fuck-off werewolf what wants to eat your face. After being eviscerated the player is transported to a place called "the hunter's dream" where you get two weapons and can read messages that tell you how to play the game. The thing is, you don't have to read them, you can just get the weapons and go straight back to the respawn point like I did my first time through. The game Dragon's Dogma (which we also really liked) did something similar. You are told about the world, and you get a tutorial where you play as a person who was in the same position as you in the past, but then doesn't tell you how to progress the main story, it leaves the exploration up to you. That kind of thing is great.
I love exploring games and finding all the little secrets and story chunks, it's great. That's not to say that linear stories are bad, they are just ubiquitous. Games today have a tendency to assume that the people playing the game have no idea what its all about and try to coddle the player. This seems like a good idea when games are trying to cast as wide a net as possible by making it playable for every person who picks it up, but making that a standard alienates a lot of people who already play games (the bulk of the market). By making a game that makes players explore and learn from experience From made something that melds with subtle storytelling very well and leaves the player wanting more. Speaking of which, I am going to go play more now. =p
The premise is very similar: monsters are vicious and can kill you quick, but by killing them, you get exp (called echos) to level up your character. Bloodborne is slightly easier than its predecessors (the game's director didn't want a game that was only for "hardcore" gamers) but remains a fun and difficult game. I love the lovecraftian vibe throughout the game since the art is inspired by Bram Stoker and Lovecraft in general and it really excels at creating that kind of atmosphere.
Bloodborne also does a few things that I wish other games would do as well. I don't mean that all games should be Bloodborne, that would be terrible, but they could learn something from the way it presents itself. Bloodborne doesn't really hold the players hand at all, it is up to the player to piece together a story and learn how to play. There is a path you can take through the game, but it isn't always completely obvious where to go, so you get to explore, which is nice. Also you can miss huge sections of the game if you don't explore. Out of like 17 bosses only 7 are required.
There are a few cutscenes but they are light on actual exposition. I am not complaining though, I liked having to figure out the mysterious situation my character was thrown in. As a nerd, I love reading into things deeply. Also, there is no real tutorial. When you start the game you are in a fistfight with a big, fuck-off werewolf what wants to eat your face. After being eviscerated the player is transported to a place called "the hunter's dream" where you get two weapons and can read messages that tell you how to play the game. The thing is, you don't have to read them, you can just get the weapons and go straight back to the respawn point like I did my first time through. The game Dragon's Dogma (which we also really liked) did something similar. You are told about the world, and you get a tutorial where you play as a person who was in the same position as you in the past, but then doesn't tell you how to progress the main story, it leaves the exploration up to you. That kind of thing is great.
I love exploring games and finding all the little secrets and story chunks, it's great. That's not to say that linear stories are bad, they are just ubiquitous. Games today have a tendency to assume that the people playing the game have no idea what its all about and try to coddle the player. This seems like a good idea when games are trying to cast as wide a net as possible by making it playable for every person who picks it up, but making that a standard alienates a lot of people who already play games (the bulk of the market). By making a game that makes players explore and learn from experience From made something that melds with subtle storytelling very well and leaves the player wanting more. Speaking of which, I am going to go play more now. =p
Monday, April 27, 2015
His Superpower is Punching!
So a friend recently convinced me to watch the new Daredevil series. It should be stated that I've largely avoided the comic/TV bullshit. I dig the new Constantine but I didn't really go for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D or Arrow or any of that kind of thing. I just don't have any faith in the people who make TV happen and I fucking love comic books, so I tend to ignore TV adaptations. Daredevil is the reason I lack that faith. Not because its bad, but because its made by Netflix.
They don't have to worry about the same standards and practices fuckery that TV producers do. People on Daredevil speak like real people because believe it or not profanity plays an enormous role in human communication. I love this. We've discussed profanity here before, and it holds a dear place in both mine and Brian's lexicon. So a show about people in fucked up situations that allows them to discuss them in those terms is always more enjoyable than you'd expect.
The other big thing about Daredevil for me is the violence. It ought to come as no surprise that I appreciate me some physical aggression, and the clarity and relative honesty of the violence in this show is beautiful. Sure we've still got a guy in a kinda silly outfit throwing down with Russian mobsters and not getting shot repeatedly and dropped in a hole, but that doesn't actually reduce the brutality of the combat.
Now this might sound like an ad spot for this one show, but its not. I like some things about Daredevil. Some of it is ridiculous, of course it is, its a comic book adaptation. But the things I like about it stem from a lack of censorship. They don't have to sugar coat things to placate shitty people. I'm a geek; I love stories, the exploration of ideas, and the building of narrative worlds. When Constantine leaves out the details of what happened in Newcastle we lose a big part of that story and the motivations of the characters. I really don't have an issue with adapting comics or books to the screen but when we have to hobble them to make them suitable to irresponsible parents and ego-maniacal busybodies we've failed to respect what makes a story great.
They don't have to worry about the same standards and practices fuckery that TV producers do. People on Daredevil speak like real people because believe it or not profanity plays an enormous role in human communication. I love this. We've discussed profanity here before, and it holds a dear place in both mine and Brian's lexicon. So a show about people in fucked up situations that allows them to discuss them in those terms is always more enjoyable than you'd expect.
The other big thing about Daredevil for me is the violence. It ought to come as no surprise that I appreciate me some physical aggression, and the clarity and relative honesty of the violence in this show is beautiful. Sure we've still got a guy in a kinda silly outfit throwing down with Russian mobsters and not getting shot repeatedly and dropped in a hole, but that doesn't actually reduce the brutality of the combat.
Now this might sound like an ad spot for this one show, but its not. I like some things about Daredevil. Some of it is ridiculous, of course it is, its a comic book adaptation. But the things I like about it stem from a lack of censorship. They don't have to sugar coat things to placate shitty people. I'm a geek; I love stories, the exploration of ideas, and the building of narrative worlds. When Constantine leaves out the details of what happened in Newcastle we lose a big part of that story and the motivations of the characters. I really don't have an issue with adapting comics or books to the screen but when we have to hobble them to make them suitable to irresponsible parents and ego-maniacal busybodies we've failed to respect what makes a story great.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
YKWFA: The Passage of Time
So apparently today is the first day of 2015. I will admit, 2014 kinda got away from me, what with all the rage and depression and all the goddamn bees. Just... so many bees.
Anyway, there are a few things (other than listening to unpopular music and slowly turning into the horrible old man that is my birthright) that pleased me about this last year. First, after much rigamarole and absurd bullshit, my home state decided to make marijuana at least theoretically available for recreational use. Now don't get me wrong, the way they went about it was childish and insulting and ineffectual to a spectacular degree, but it happened. So now a lot of people who want to utilize their minds for something more pleasurable than trying to contribute to the inevitable heat death of the universe with their hate (like me) have a non-lobotomy option.
Also, both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Zero Theorem were things. Since Andy Serkis is some kind of hero sent from the future to make the present not suck so bad and Terry Gilliam is a Companion of the One True God Returned, these are both things that deserve positive consideration. Christoph Waltz, Nick Offerman, and Alan Tudyk also exist and this is a wonderful thing. Actually, cinema wasn't particularly hopeless in general this year. For the most part. Some stuff was pretty fucking good.
The last thing that really made this last year was the fact that I have a wife. Now I've had a wife for a while now, but having her around goes leagues towards to making life bearable. I'm sure that sounds cheesy and pandering, but if you have an SO and you don't feel that way about them you probably shouldn't be doing that. Having a significant other I mean.
There was a great deal of fuck-that last year, lets all try and get past that this year and actually be people with each other. Good luck out there.
Anyway, there are a few things (other than listening to unpopular music and slowly turning into the horrible old man that is my birthright) that pleased me about this last year. First, after much rigamarole and absurd bullshit, my home state decided to make marijuana at least theoretically available for recreational use. Now don't get me wrong, the way they went about it was childish and insulting and ineffectual to a spectacular degree, but it happened. So now a lot of people who want to utilize their minds for something more pleasurable than trying to contribute to the inevitable heat death of the universe with their hate (like me) have a non-lobotomy option.
Also, both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Zero Theorem were things. Since Andy Serkis is some kind of hero sent from the future to make the present not suck so bad and Terry Gilliam is a Companion of the One True God Returned, these are both things that deserve positive consideration. Christoph Waltz, Nick Offerman, and Alan Tudyk also exist and this is a wonderful thing. Actually, cinema wasn't particularly hopeless in general this year. For the most part. Some stuff was pretty fucking good.
The last thing that really made this last year was the fact that I have a wife. Now I've had a wife for a while now, but having her around goes leagues towards to making life bearable. I'm sure that sounds cheesy and pandering, but if you have an SO and you don't feel that way about them you probably shouldn't be doing that. Having a significant other I mean.
There was a great deal of fuck-that last year, lets all try and get past that this year and actually be people with each other. Good luck out there.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Weakly Cinemeh, Eshi's Top Five
We've been a bit lax on our movie schedule for a while now, so we haven't had much ammo for a Weekly Cinemeh. I've missed the series (or periodical or whatever you'd call it) so today I'm going lay down my top 5. If you haven't seen these movies, do. Like now.
5. The Maltese Falcon. (Bogey version). This film is the template for American noir. The casting is immaculate, the writing is engaging, and the scenery is spectacular. I'm not usually in the mood for older films so I didn't watch this one until relatively recently at Brian's insistence, but this movie transcends that in a pretty pressing fashion.
4. Die Hard. The first one preferably, but really anything before four. I lump the first three die hard movies here because they aren't terribly different in tone and all three are worthy. Four was fun. Five was insulting. Never make five of a movie. No premise is worth five fucking films. Anyway, Die Hard is the platonic action movie. A strong (but believable), charismatic, protagonist prevailing against superior forces. There is a romantic angle that doesn't overshadow the plot and comes off more as a mutual triumph rather than the standard kill baddy->get nookie trope. Die Hard is also the best Christmas story ever told, so if that's a thing for you this also covers that category.
3. The Big Lebowski. I can't say anything about this movie that hasn't been said. It phenomenal. Fucking watch it.
2.Old Boy. The Korean one, not the shitty Spike Lee rip off. Old boy has the best hammer violence I've ever seen. Ever. And I'm a huge fan of hammer violence. Also, while we're on the subject, just watch the whole Vengeance Trilogy, it really is a beautiful, fucked up, journey and it is well worth the taking.
1. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Alan Tudyk is boss as fuck, just in general. In addition to that, Tucker and Dale is a fun exploration of the slasher movie genre and I love it like orgasms. It's not high cinema, its not a blockbuster, but it is delightful in a way few movies can manage.
5. The Maltese Falcon. (Bogey version). This film is the template for American noir. The casting is immaculate, the writing is engaging, and the scenery is spectacular. I'm not usually in the mood for older films so I didn't watch this one until relatively recently at Brian's insistence, but this movie transcends that in a pretty pressing fashion.
4. Die Hard. The first one preferably, but really anything before four. I lump the first three die hard movies here because they aren't terribly different in tone and all three are worthy. Four was fun. Five was insulting. Never make five of a movie. No premise is worth five fucking films. Anyway, Die Hard is the platonic action movie. A strong (but believable), charismatic, protagonist prevailing against superior forces. There is a romantic angle that doesn't overshadow the plot and comes off more as a mutual triumph rather than the standard kill baddy->get nookie trope. Die Hard is also the best Christmas story ever told, so if that's a thing for you this also covers that category.
3. The Big Lebowski. I can't say anything about this movie that hasn't been said. It phenomenal. Fucking watch it.
2.Old Boy. The Korean one, not the shitty Spike Lee rip off. Old boy has the best hammer violence I've ever seen. Ever. And I'm a huge fan of hammer violence. Also, while we're on the subject, just watch the whole Vengeance Trilogy, it really is a beautiful, fucked up, journey and it is well worth the taking.
1. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Alan Tudyk is boss as fuck, just in general. In addition to that, Tucker and Dale is a fun exploration of the slasher movie genre and I love it like orgasms. It's not high cinema, its not a blockbuster, but it is delightful in a way few movies can manage.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
A couple things that made the last week slightly better than normal.
So I want to talk about two things today, The finale of The Legend of Korra and Miracle Berries. I don't have a lot to say on either front, but together they could make a full post, so lets do this.
If you have not seen Korra, Spoilers be ahead. Also, watch it, its great.
Korra ended this last week and the finale was great. It had everything. Giant robot fights, badass bending fights, giant badger-mole musicals and two great couples finally getting together for reals. Varrick and Zhu Li do the thing, and Korra and Asami get together at the very end. Good stuff. People still got up in arms about it, but that's OK, because they are wrong, and we don't have to listen to them. Its nice to see a romance that was sort of there be confirmed to be 100% true. I say sort of, because it was obvious by the fourth season that Korrasami was a thing but I didn't know if Nickelodeon would have the guts to green-light something that would have made an unfortunately large amount of people upset. But hey, they did, so good on them. It was a beautiful scene that showed genuine love between two people, and I am sure that we can all agree that this is good thing, and if not, fuck you trollpants.
The Second thing I wanted to talk about was Miracle Berries. Eshi got some in the mail from the Cards Against Humanity people's annual Holiday gift package. For the past couple of years you can have given them like $10 and they send you a bunch of random stuff and holiday themed cards. This year one of the gifts was a package of pills made from the Miracle Berry. So you take the pill, and mull it around in your mouth for a few minutes, coating your tounge, and when it is dissolved you eat limes or some other similarly sour/bitter food. We ended up trying some stuff we had around the house like limes, lemons, dark chocolate, orange juice and coffee. Its fucking awesome. These aptly named berries made limes and lemons taste like candy. Seriously, candy. I legitimately thought that lemons are too sweet. Of the stuff we tried, Limes were the best. Its amazing, I would suggest that people try them out at least once just for the experience.
If you have not seen Korra, Spoilers be ahead. Also, watch it, its great.
Korra ended this last week and the finale was great. It had everything. Giant robot fights, badass bending fights, giant badger-mole musicals and two great couples finally getting together for reals. Varrick and Zhu Li do the thing, and Korra and Asami get together at the very end. Good stuff. People still got up in arms about it, but that's OK, because they are wrong, and we don't have to listen to them. Its nice to see a romance that was sort of there be confirmed to be 100% true. I say sort of, because it was obvious by the fourth season that Korrasami was a thing but I didn't know if Nickelodeon would have the guts to green-light something that would have made an unfortunately large amount of people upset. But hey, they did, so good on them. It was a beautiful scene that showed genuine love between two people, and I am sure that we can all agree that this is good thing, and if not, fuck you trollpants.
The Second thing I wanted to talk about was Miracle Berries. Eshi got some in the mail from the Cards Against Humanity people's annual Holiday gift package. For the past couple of years you can have given them like $10 and they send you a bunch of random stuff and holiday themed cards. This year one of the gifts was a package of pills made from the Miracle Berry. So you take the pill, and mull it around in your mouth for a few minutes, coating your tounge, and when it is dissolved you eat limes or some other similarly sour/bitter food. We ended up trying some stuff we had around the house like limes, lemons, dark chocolate, orange juice and coffee. Its fucking awesome. These aptly named berries made limes and lemons taste like candy. Seriously, candy. I legitimately thought that lemons are too sweet. Of the stuff we tried, Limes were the best. Its amazing, I would suggest that people try them out at least once just for the experience.
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