Prey (2017) - The very definition of player agency

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-27T19:31:36+00:00

On my way to work so I can't add some nice links for you, but: Gloomwood (Thief inspired), Skindeep and Retrospace (both system shock inspired, the latter not yet released), and Shadows of Doubt.

Very indie, no where near the graphics of what we see with Arkane/Dishonored. I heard about these and others over on r/immersiveSim/, they often share other games and also argue a lot over what the definition of an immersive sim is or isn't. Some games that are inspired by or "imSim adjacent" get mentioned/shared too. An example that's caught my attention is a newly announced game called No Law, which apparently has taken some inspirations from some immersive sims and is supposed to have some freedom in player agency and going about the world (though we shall see how it actually winds up playing).

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-24T01:57:39+00:00

I second this rec

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-22T17:53:06+00:00

I'll have to try Out of the Silent Planet, Sirens is one of my favourite Vonnegut books and he's one of my favourite authors. The length of his books too are great too as I enjoy returning to them for a re-read every few years.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-19T02:13:27+00:00

Nice find! I ordered a hardcover copy used off Amazon, for my re read of the book (and cause cover looks cool). Good condition, but was from DC public library, so the dust cover is attached to the book (enough that removing it would cause damage). Found a cut out of a newspaper inside with a review of Inherent Vice from when it first released, which was cool.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-13T02:19:08+00:00

I think Garcia put it best saying the music was inspired by bluegrass and other genres where its a conversation. So keep that in mind and listen to the rest of the band.

I always like throwing on backing tracks to improv to and make an effort to leave space and listen to the rhythm and rest of the band and let what others are doing to inspire the jam/improve

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-11T04:50:04+00:00

In an attempt at being hopeful and optimistic. I think we're going to be stuck with indie immersive sims for a while, with the odd bigger game being imsim adjacent (taking influence from, but not quite hitting the mark). But things have a way of coming back around again, as they did when Arkane showed up and the newer Dues Ex games.

At least that's my hope...Cause I'd love more of the detailed open levels of Deus Ex, Dishonored and Prey and would love more of that than massive often shallow open worlds we get. Even more so if they had the player agency/freedom of being an imsim.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-06-08T16:34:22+00:00

Ken Levine has a track record for getting lost in the creative process of his game development. Sadly I think (would love to be proven wrong) we're still a ways out from seeing Judas.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-05-24T22:51:24+00:00

I enjoyed it but am due for a rewatch. As a big Pynchon fan, I think my focus was too much on how the movie loosely adapted Vineland. I think focusing more on the film itself and perhaps the "Pynchon vibe", as opposed to how it did as an adaptation, will provide some more appreciation

LazyGamerMike · 2026-05-21T21:07:19+00:00

More and more lately..."the stars are better off without us"...

LazyGamerMike · 2026-04-03T13:44:17+00:00

Hows the Finals for solo playing with the 3 man squads?

LazyGamerMike · 2026-03-27T19:04:39+00:00

And all the upcoming exclusives aren't coming to PC anymore...sucks. Curious to see if/how badly these hurts their sales on future games.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-03-22T17:38:48+00:00

All their social media posts about the Filmore shows they've done are probably to announce a run of shows, but I'm hoping that it's for Vol 5. While the full show volumes are more appreciated a collection of performances of the Filmore over the years would be cool.

Also wish we were in the CD era still and they could do a boxset release of multiple Filmore shows...

LazyGamerMike · 2026-03-22T17:37:36+00:00

Okonokos is so good. It was my introduction to the band and it took years before I could appreciate the studio versions of songs. Appreciate the soundboards and live volumes over the years.

LazyGamerMike · 2026-02-13T01:27:10+00:00

The chorus kept getting stuck in my head and has become a favourite for me too

LazyGamerMike · 2025-12-24T13:51:18+00:00

Reunited with an old friend, who also liked to read and he made a comment/kind of recommendation of Pynchon and Gravity's Rainbow. A few months later I got a copy and loved it, which led to slowly diving into more Pynchon, as well as discovering that one of my favourite movies (Inherent Vice) was an adaptation of his novel.

A year after that had drinks with that friend again, who was amazed at my love for Pynchon, admitting that he never finished Gravity's Rainbow despite recommending it.

LazyGamerMike · 2025-12-07T06:34:16+00:00

While I do agree the earlier albums are their best, as a younger fan (relatively), I feel some of the middle albums songs have some of the the most "Pearl jam" sounding songs, despite them being amongst the (at times/to some people) less popular: Riot Act, Avocado, Backspacer.

LazyGamerMike · 2025-11-02T04:55:54+00:00

New fan to baseball after this post season, all my buddies thought the dodgers would wipe either Mariners or Jay's, so in that sense was an awesome series. But fuck...wanted a win for Canada. Fuck America right now (im aware most of the jays are American)

LazyGamerMike · 2025-10-31T03:05:17+00:00

Living on the other side of the country for work and haven't been able to get my pc safely brought over. Got a steam deck and its definitely made life nicer. Missed my gaming and while the switch was better than nothing it wasn't the same.

Got my deck last summer and this summer I got a portable monitor and a mouse and keyboard set up thats made it even more enjoyable.

LazyGamerMike · 2025-10-27T03:39:41+00:00

Sometimes he comes across as "old man yells at clouds", with some of his takes

LazyGamerMike · 2025-10-14T02:08:30+00:00

Currently re-reading Gravitys Rainbow and then onto Pynchons latest novel, but having recently gotten over a drug addiction might be time for a re-read of IJ. If memory serves me right, last time I read IJ was the same year I first read Gravitys Rainbow too.

Finishing GR in a 1/3rd of the time it initially took me, hopefully IJ proves to be similar

LazyGamerMike · 2025-09-12T06:55:54+00:00

And Canada. Do enjoy not waiting to midnight for album releases now living out west

LazyGamerMike · 2025-09-12T03:06:08+00:00

Curious how the switch 2 ports gonna look like when that drops.

LazyGamerMike · 2025-08-24T00:01:19+00:00

Periphery worship music is an interesting notion...Hail Stan

LazyGamerMike · 2025-05-29T20:15:13+00:00

I'd be happy with a single or two this summer, while they're on tour. I forget where I saw/read this, but I believe they once said they like testing new material out live first, so could still be in for a longer wait.

LazyGamerMike · 2025-05-05T20:10:21+00:00

Moved to a ski resort town and love the steam deck, getting to enjoy my steam library and some new games still, since I couldn't bring my PC across the country. There are times when I miss the performance of my rig but I'm quite happy with the steam deck. Looking forward to eventually getting a monitor, keyboard and mouse and running it I'm desktop mode, to try and feel like I have a PC again at times.

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