Finally got the ng+ ending for Dead Space (2023), and... I'm not sure that I like it? It's not bad per se, but at the very least I wish it had been presented a little differently. There's something about it that doesn't sit right with me, and it makes me worried about a remake for 2. I thought about replaying it (again), but I think I'm going to let it simmer for a while so I don't get burnt out on it.
I've been trying to utilize GamePass a lot more lately. Thought Those Who Remain seemed interesting, but the controls were so jank and stiff that I couldn't enjoy it properly. Because of this, I thought it was an older game. Nope, 2020. After I kinda got used to the controls, I got bored. Just when I was thinking of quitting, I died. Which led to the nail in the coffin, the shit save system. I had to start all the way back at the beginning of the level I was on. No, thank you, I'm not running through all those rooms again.
Decided to try out Scorn even though I initially hadn't heard very many good things about it. Honestly it's way more fun than I thought it would be, but in a weirdly abstract way. The graphics are amazing, and the setting is fantastic, but that might be because I'm a fan of H.R. Giger. I'm not sure if it would have benefited more or less if there was a more fleshed out plot than... whatever was going on. Most of the game was me just going around doing "stuff". No other motivation other than to progress in its purest form. It's pretty nice if you dream about existing inside Giger's work, like an interactive art piece first, and then a video game second. The more I think about it, the more I like it lol.
Although I will say in case anyone is thinking about playing it, the last act has a whole lot of what-the-fuckery for a game based off of Giger, plus some. It's definitely not for the faint of heart or those with certain triggers.
Remedy Entertainment. From Max Payne 1 & 2, to Alan Wake 1 & 2, to Quantum Break, to Control, there has not been a game from them that I've played that hasn't been absolutely fantastic. They have not failed to miss so far.
I torrent old out of print books that I can't find anywhere else. The scans are usually pretty good.
There was also a podcast I used to listen to called Caustic Soda. When they ended it, they released all of their episodes through torrenting so the fans could have them.
Funny enough, that's actually how I'm working on getting back into reading too. I really liked Trigun and Trigun Stampede, so right now I'm slowly working my way through the manga. And then after that I have a couple other manga series that I want to check out.
I don't watch movies that much anymore. They just don't seem that interesting nowadays, and I can't bring myself put that time sink in of just sitting. TV shows are kind of the same way. I don't really just sit and watch them unless I'm eating or with my friends.
Books have also gotten away from me, but I'm trying to get back into reading. It's just a little overwhelming when I look at my unread pile lol.
It's been a few years since I've played it, but I remember not being a fan of the female companion. To me it felt like she was just using the main character as a means to get to her goal and nothing more. I know that's an unpopular take (I've gotten into a couple light arguments over it), but I just could not stand her by the end of the game. The way she treated the MC just made the post-credits scene so angering.
Soma - This is such an amazing game, but it made me so mad that I would never play it again.
The Painscreek Killings - A really fun detective/mystery walking sim. You absolutely have to figure everything out yourself, as there is no hand-holding or hints given by the game. At all. But, like Return of the Obra Dinn, once you've figured out the mystery, there really is no sense in replaying it.
I was going to add some others before realizing I had a theme of mystery walking sims. I think that genre of games are pretty one and done kind of plays. They can be really great, but most don't give you a reason to go back and replay them, unless it's for achievements or something.
Expanding a little on your point, I feel like a lot of people miss one of the themes of the book being "does forcing someone to be a good person by stripping them of their free will actually make them a good person?" I don't think Alex ever really regretted what he did, it's just for a short time he couldn't do it anymore. Even after they reverse his treatment, he goes and forms another gang. iirc The only reason he even thinks about stopping is because the violence isn't "fun" anymore.
So yeah, not really a good guy.
Finally got the ng+ ending for Dead Space (2023), and... I'm not sure that I like it? It's not bad per se, but at the very least I wish it had been presented a little differently. There's something about it that doesn't sit right with me, and it makes me worried about a remake for 2. I thought about replaying it (again), but I think I'm going to let it simmer for a while so I don't get burnt out on it.
I've been trying to utilize GamePass a lot more lately. Thought Those Who Remain seemed interesting, but the controls were so jank and stiff that I couldn't enjoy it properly. Because of this, I thought it was an older game. Nope, 2020. After I kinda got used to the controls, I got bored. Just when I was thinking of quitting, I died. Which led to the nail in the coffin, the shit save system. I had to start all the way back at the beginning of the level I was on. No, thank you, I'm not running through all those rooms again.
Decided to try out Scorn even though I initially hadn't heard very many good things about it. Honestly it's way more fun than I thought it would be, but in a weirdly abstract way. The graphics are amazing, and the setting is fantastic, but that might be because I'm a fan of H.R. Giger. I'm not sure if it would have benefited more or less if there was a more fleshed out plot than... whatever was going on. Most of the game was me just going around doing "stuff". No other motivation other than to progress in its purest form. It's pretty nice if you dream about existing inside Giger's work, like an interactive art piece first, and then a video game second. The more I think about it, the more I like it lol. Although I will say in case anyone is thinking about playing it, the last act has a whole lot of what-the-fuckery for a game based off of Giger, plus some. It's definitely not for the faint of heart or those with certain triggers.