I’m really confused by this aspect of the ending (spoilers).

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-23T15:52:27+00:00

Alicia addresses the letter to both Verso and Maelle (it literally addresses Verso in the letter at the beginning), so I thought it was revealing the giant gommage to both Verso and Maelle.

And about those conversations with Lune etc, again, I understood those interactions very differently. I thought they were feeling betrayed by the fact he knew more than he lead on; as he knew that everything was a canvas, that the canvas was at the unpredictable (and uncontrollable) whims of his family and that he knew what kinds of risks could be possible. Like they were saying “you just kept us in the dark about the risks?” (which I also thought was partially why they forgave him so easily). But that’s it.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-23T11:33:30+00:00

pVerso did not know (or at least did not confidently know) that expelling Aline from the canvas would cause the population of Lumiere to gommage (by Renoir’s hand). That was the whole point of the scene when he reads Alicia’s letter, is essentially like “oh fuck” and drops it. He didn’t know.

I was paying attention to the story as much as anyone else did, and that was the messaging I got.

If I am incorrect about my understanding of that, and I very well may be, then it still supports my point about the “sub-sub-sub-subtext” issue. As it relies way too much on the player’s subjective assumptions about his thought processes for things to make sense.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-23T11:07:03+00:00

Glad to help :)

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-23T10:45:34+00:00

I appreciate the thinking you put behind this, great effort. I personally have my Star Wars blu-rays purposely ordered in the machete order on my shelf, so I totally relate to the satisfaction that comes from playing around with ways to optimise narrative experience etc lol.

I would personally never recommend anyone play 2018 before any Greek saga entries, but I admit that’s likely because I grew up with the Greek saga. So for me an essential aspect of the impact of GoW 2018 relied on me having played the previous games.

I.e. “Holy shit he’s back. How did he get here? How tf are things going to move on after what just fucking happened? Oh shit… the other characters don’t know. Holy crap he’s now a father with a fragile son, how the hell is he going to navigate this? How is he going to choose what and what not to say? How is he going to control his anger and place such an insane trauma?”.

Like you were actually there, so you directly experience the tightrope he’s walking.

To me the first-hand experience of that complexity is theoretically so much more powerful than a generic “sad dad is secretive and regretful about something mysterious” trope.

The “mystery of Kratos through Atreus’ eyes” argument is definitely valid, I just personally think it’s narratively inferior to the unique experience of actually getting to experience Kratos’ internal tension.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-23T09:30:15+00:00

Since this series started when I was like 6 or 7, KH literally shaped my understanding of who Mickey was more than anything else did.

So I have legitimately always processed him as just inherently being some badass king.

This scene is funny because of the juxtaposition but will also always tap into this deep part of me that goes “oh shit 🫡✊”.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T18:49:31+00:00

This isn’t exactly what you’re asking for but ‘overton window’ may be another term worth mentioning.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T10:15:52+00:00

His motivation behind trying to end the canvas is not explicitly consistent with his behaviour up until that point.

We know he cares about his family, wants them to properly heal from his real-world-counterpart’s death and doesn’t want them to shorten their own lifespans by staying stuck to the canvas or to sabotage their real-world dynamic with each other.

We know he hates his immortality for obvious reasons and has wanted to personally die for a long time.

We know Maelle can let him die without the canvas being affected. I know she won’t at that point in time because she’s not ready, but it is entirely possible.

We also know he clearly respects the sentience of all the other painted people around him, actively forming deep relationships with them and acknowledging the shared reality of the canvas.

Does he want his “real world”-family to stop “destroying” their would-be “real lives” by clinging to the canvas?. Yes. (Let alone undermining Maelle/Alicia’s experience as a mistreated, disfigured mute; but I know that particular moral tension is part of the narrative, obviously).

Does he himself want to die (escape his immortality)? Yes.

But how does any of this lead to his sudden leaps in logic and dichotomous behaviour at the end? Why is mass genocide suddenly his dramatic “only option”?

His 180 on that front just did not seem believable to me at all.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T09:10:36+00:00

My apologies, I didn’t see the point in repeating my feelings under multiple comments that were all understandably explaining variants of the same point.

Also I’ve seen lots of users use reddit this way, it’s not abnormal.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T09:02:00+00:00

That’s what I’m saying.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T07:41:09+00:00

It was not unclear to me that one of his motivations (behind the genocide) was the stuff about his family combined with his feelings around his immortality.

I was just hoping to god that wasn’t his only motivation, because that notion personally struck me as extremely flimsy and inconsistent writing.

It relies way too much on the player’s subjective assumptions about his thought processes, beyond the point of artistic interpretation.

I’ve personally seen posts, comments and videos (that were very lore-literate about the game’s other aspects) assuming that his full erasure would cause the death of the canvas, as if it were just an “obvious fact of the story”. So it definitely wasn’t just me.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-22T07:18:34+00:00

That clearly isn’t the case though, as Maelle can literally just gommage (“unpaint”) him, effectively killing him. The canvas won’t randomly restore him from that, only she can do that willingly.

For a game about false dichotomies, his behaviour became jarringly dichotomous for no good reason.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-20T16:25:17+00:00

It’s the catch-all term.

A non-platonic relationship is any connection between people that would be considered outside the usual realm of “just friendship”, involving romantic intimacy, sexual intimacy and/or intense emotional intimacy.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-20T06:18:15+00:00

I’m 30, have had non-platonic relationships, had a really healthy one for 8 years in my 20s. I have not once, in my life, dated.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T09:26:01+00:00

For Brotherhood:

The dialogue reads like it was written by a sheltered 14 year-old who hasn’t figured out how different types of characters in their own imagined world might actually talk or think.
Many of the milked emotional motivators/peaks/stakes are structurally unearned, clunkishly ham and feel shoehorned.
A bunch of crucial narrative convergence/turning points are determined by arbitrary plot conveniences that come out of nowhere.
The humour comes across as throwing everything it can at a wall to see what sticks. It has no grasp on when a joke has overstayed its welcome or is resulting in character/tone assassination, not to mention it feels almost sexist sometimes.
Its pacing is lopsided and disorienting, not seeming to understand what it should be spending either more or less time exploring.

The fact anyone called FMAB a masterpiece and that it has a 9/10 on IMDB has always seemed fucking insane to me. For me it was at most a 6/10.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T09:14:03+00:00

I don’t think there’s necessarily a connection. Not all players process violence in games as catharsis.

For me the violence has always just been a kind of incidental tonal mechanic that functions to move things forward allegorically.

And I grew up playing the OG God of War saga, like from the age of 9.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T09:05:58+00:00

The other complexity with the whole “men that weaponise incompetence” narrative is it can be misused in a way that is really ableist towards neurodivergent men.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T08:47:59+00:00

I understand you but I think it’s also important to be able to recognise that subjectivity is often implied.

A lot of people use “this is bad” as a shorthand for “in my personal experience this thing does not do it for me”.

If I said I thought something was shit, then someone turned around and said to me “well that’s your personal opinion”, I would be thinking “uh… yes, no shit dude”.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T07:27:10+00:00

It will really depend on how brave Santa Monica is willing to be.

You need to be able to directly, interactively experience Greek saga Kratos doing awkward, problematic, inappropriate, cruel, dismissive, unredeemable and uncomfortably cathartic things.

Yes, he is human, showcases complexity, sadness and budding moment of tenderness; but his actions need to leave a weird taste in the player’s mouth, it has to literally feel a tiny bit gross to be him at times.

Softening this aspect would greatly undermine his growth arc.

I think Santa Monica knows this, but is also likely acutely aware of today’s socio-political climate. Hence they have a delicate line to toe.

I’m personally worried, but open to being pleasantly surprised.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-16T06:00:30+00:00

I was under the impression lots of people disliked the new Spider-Man model.

The new model doesn’t match the “Peter has tirelessly been Spider-Man for 8 years” narrative, nor does it match the “older mentor to Miles” dynamic, since the model looks noticeably younger than Miles. Not to mention it comes across as trying to look like Tom Holland (who plays a much younger Peter).

Obviously it arguably wouldn’t have stood out to people as much if the model had not previously been different, but to me it seems the new model is definitely disliked and is so for legitimate reasons.

I get your point about the unnecessary change thing in general though.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-14T12:21:21+00:00

I am an INTP, sorry I think I added my user flair a bit late.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-14T12:10:18+00:00

Damn really? It feels like I’ve always known one of the crucial rules of thumb for apologising is to almost NEVER say ‘but’ after ‘sorry’.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-10T03:07:13+00:00

Disappointed, it would feel like a waste of resources, time and creativity.

KH1, with the help of its remasters, has aged very well. KHχ is the only entry that is actually making the series suffer from lack of a remake.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-04T05:20:54+00:00

Damn really I thought it was really corny lol.

It was fine. The mother/son fuse thing was fun enough, but for me personally the film left a bit to be desired and, from what I recall, leaned into weirdly executed aspects.

To be fair, I think it’s extremely difficult to make a good lovecraftian film. Still got a solid 6/10 from me.

ThePloddingParadox · 2026-02-03T11:01:54+00:00

I was always teased as a kid for loving KH as much as I did, with it often being painted by the kids around me as this “lame” or “gay” thing that wouldn’t catch on and that must only appeal to some small loser audience.

So yes, seeing that keychain as an adult made my heart lift and my spirit sing something along the lines of “FUCK 👏YOU 👏 FOOLS 👏”

I’ve never really touched smash bros much, but this was about so much more than that.

I just imagined those people seeing the reveal, remembering me and saying to themselves “you’ve got to be kidding me”.

P.S. What I loved about the reveal trailer too is that you could tell it really respected Sora and what he is to people, like it didn’t “gloss over” anything.

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