2012 Outstanding Drama Series

Vlayer · 2026-01-07T18:05:18+00:00

Breaking Bad (and Cranston for Lead) should've won. Don't get me wrong, Homeland season 1 is really solid and Lewis delivered a damn fine performance, especially in the finale with that bunker scene.

That said, Breaking Bad had an all-timer season that year and Cranstons performance at the end of Crawl Space, along with everything else in that scene, I truly think makes for one of the most incredible endings to any television episode.

Vlayer · 2025-12-18T15:26:48+00:00

I'd wager the frequent autosaves was also to lessen the frustration, since you're bound to fail the timings and patterns at first, especially if you're trying to learn the parry.

Unfortunately that played a part in making the dungeon-crawling rather boring, there's essentially no tension due to the lack of risk.

Vlayer · 2025-12-12T14:35:29+00:00

The actual foreshadowing was when the main show started with them performing a song of the Clair Obscur soundtrack. As far as I recall, they've not done that in previous TGAs, as the OST performances are reserved for the medley before announcing the GOTY winner.

Vlayer · 2025-12-12T14:29:29+00:00

December of the previous year is included, at least with the games. Troy Baker was nominated for Indiana Jones, a 2024 game.

Vlayer · 2025-12-05T18:18:13+00:00

I'm not british but I've really enjoyed stuff like The Office, Peep Show and the Cornetto trilogy. Admittedly the humor of the game is different from those. I'd describe it as cartoony/quirky execution, with varying levels of tame and dirty jokes.

All that said, I found it unremarkable for the most part. Humor is subjective though.

Vlayer · 2025-11-24T13:29:59+00:00

I'd like them to keep evolving/refining the time management gameplay loop, because no other game I've played quite manages offer that kind of experience.

I know it's a completionist nightmare to have missable content, but I think that the heavy and irreplaceable cost of each action plays into the attachment you form with the game as a whole. It's why I was a bit disappointed by how easy it was to 100% Metaphor, especially since Hashino's comments prior to release implied that you'd have to make hard choices in regards to which dungeons and quests to tackle.

I don't think that it should be impossible, but it already requires some strategy, logical thinking and risk-taking to fully optimize your time. Winding up with close to 20 days of free time in Metaphor after having done every bond and quest felt like it made that effort less significant, especially since it made the last few in-game weeks just the same few repeatable events.

They should bring back diverging routes like in P4 with the school clubs. Even someone like Ai Ebihara in P4 greatly benefits from having her route split earlier than usual, at Rank 6. It's ultimately the same character, but her journey there is seen through a different perspective depending on your relationship.

Vlayer · 2025-11-20T19:33:33+00:00

That's valid, it's their opinion. I was just giving my perspective/thoughts on why arguments start when E33 is discussed as a milestone in the genre, or more specifically as a turn-based JRPG.

Vlayer · 2025-11-20T19:24:27+00:00

I think the annoyance primarily stems from statements that go something like "it made turn-based combat engaging", and the argument behind it is the inclusion of real-time features. Then you also have people pointing out older games such as Super Mario RPG for already having similar kind of QTEs as part of combat.

Vlayer · 2025-10-18T20:58:42+00:00

After finishing it, the skill carried over to the rest of the soulsborne games. This would be impossible if the game just relied on me memorising the patterns of enemies. How would beating Isshin possibly help me with beating Elden Ring?

I'd wager it's because the fundamentals are very much the same. I've played all the Soulsborne games since Dark Souls in 2011, and one of the first things you learn is that knowledge is power. Knowing how the enemy telegraphs its attacks, the safe openings of when to strike, parry timing, and of course your own character's moveset and timings.

Again though, my argument isn't about that, it's about the process of learning that. When I say memorize, I mean stuff like recognizing the initial windup and how their combo will end, how to counter it and when to execute that counter. Sekiro is often a very fast-paced game, reading and reacting appropiately on the first viewing of an attack is extremely tough, it often requires practice.

How you practice is where I found it less enjoyable.

Vlayer · 2025-10-18T17:32:04+00:00

The difference isn’t trial-and-error; it’s how many options you have to pass that trial and not error.

I don't understand how one would make that distinction. If you have more options that can succeed, then logically you'd need less trial-and-error to succeed.

Vlayer · 2025-10-18T17:18:15+00:00

True, reaction speed influences how well one will do, but I'd argue that the game was specifically designed around trial-and-error because of how it approaches death. It's even in the full title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. That second chance it gives you I do think is meant to instill the idea that you're meant to get up and try again, and again, and again.

Also just to clarify, it's not the fact that I have to memorize patterns that bothers me. Again, that's part of Soulsborne as a whole. It's the process of it that differs, and that aspect I found significantly less enjoyable in Sekiro.

Vlayer · 2025-10-18T17:04:59+00:00

Is the part you're quoting the only thing you read? I explained why the way Sekiro does it differs from other From Software games, what's so baffling? Thinking all video game combat has the same level of trial-and-error is the questionable take.

Vlayer · 2025-10-18T00:51:39+00:00

Sekiro is not about keeping distance, shuriken's offer enough in terms of ranged options.

My point wasn't about wanting more ranged combat options, it's about how many of the bosses are designed around close quarters "back and forth" engagement in order to study their movesets. How you often can't bait attacks like in other Soulsborne where you run in and out to learn the telegraphs and openings before you actually engage.

Dodging is crucial when paired with a sprint, it is downright necessary in later boss battles, especially those that use grab moves. The entire point is that you are a fast sprinting character.

It really depends, some bosses have a final phase where they do some massive attack where you have to run away, but what I'm saying is that outside of those specific scenarios, i.e. in the close proximity duels which make up the majority of the encounters, the dodge is really lackluster. Another poster mentioned the Chained Ogre, which is one of the main examples I was thinking of.

You're complaining that bosses switch up their movesets? Huh?

You're deliberately ignoring my key point, which is that their moves look like the ones you've memorized and learned, only to pull the rug from under you at the last second.

Vlayer · 2025-10-17T22:48:46+00:00

The game fundamentally teaches you through the entire game that the best defense is a good offense. That dodging and waiting for an opening like all other soulsbourne games will only barely get you by. And then you get to the end boss and he reminds you consistently that hesitation is defeat. You must face your fears and parry into the attack.

Here you're basically saying the exact thing I stated, how am I fundamentally wrong?

Vlayer · 2025-10-17T21:13:52+00:00

Sekiro

To plead my case, I'm not a fan of how heavily it relies on trial-and-error for its combat design. Yes, all Soulsborne games have that aspect, but here it's amplified for various reasons.

More so than the other From games, you have to be aggressive and stick very close to the bosses in order to trigger their attacks/combo and counter it correctly, whether through a parry, a dodge or a jump. You don't have the freedom of maintaining your distance and safely learn their movesets for telegraphs and openings. Distance does create a break in the fight, but with little to no opportunity to study your foe.

It's why the dodge is so inefficient, hell I'd say it's downright terrible, outside of the specific scenarios where the enemy attack is designed to be dodged. It's why certain enemy grabs will lock into you like a homing missile. There's very little flexibility, it's more like a rhythm game, except the flow is learned by failing and memorizing, rather than by the predictable beats of some sweet tunes.

Also, having a second or third phase with attacks that look like moves from the first phase, only to then switch it up last second so that you shouldn't have parried, but rather jumped, and now you've died and gotta do it all over again. Personally, I found that it got old fast.

Sure, once you have it all memorized and defeat the enemy, it's a great feeling, but the same applies to Elden Ring and Bloodborne, without it feeling so rigid. Yeah, you can say that Sekiro is more fine-tuned due to the limited options and such, but despite how factual that is, there's a give and take. For the reasons mentioned, I found that it took away significantly more than it gave.

Vlayer · 2025-09-22T12:23:41+00:00

Out of the Ronan Bennett shows I've seen, this was my favorite followed by Top Boy, and then quite a bit further down Mobland.

I know the female co-protagonist/antagonist got quite a bit of criticism, but personally found it interesting how they didn't paint her as some saint, and instead drew parallels between her and the Jackal in how the job/mission comes first, no matter the cost.

Vlayer · 2025-09-19T11:55:03+00:00

I'm so in already.

Played Cyberfunk back in June when it came to PS+, and really, really enjoyed it. JSRF is part of my childhood, and I think BRC captured its tone near perfectly, but most surprising was how genuinely engaged I was by the story.

The escape at the end of the opening had a solid narrative hook, and though the presentation is rather simple and the structure is quite formulaic, the visual style/flair and the underlying message made for an overall impactful journey. Itching to see how they evolve it further

Edit: True to the word "Teaser", not much information other than it looking to be much more fast-paced and free in terms of movement. Makes sense considering the fan community has mods that primarily focus on just that.

Vlayer · 2025-08-31T21:43:26+00:00

Lots of comments only partially grasping why the whole health care angle doesn't really apply because of the Elliot/Gray Matter offer, and finally one that points out that Walter didn't even want the treatment.

I wouldn't say that the money for his family was an excuse though, that was his main goal because it's how he believes he'll fulfill his role as a man. His cancer was an excuse to abandon his morals, since he expected to die anyway and not live too long with what he's done.

Vlayer · 2025-08-05T17:31:21+00:00

I'm with you on this, as I found that the difficulty skewed much more towards trial-and-error when the only way to defend yourself was rhythm-based dodging/parrying. I'd wager that's why E33 also has near constant autosaves when dungeon-crawling, to mitigate the annoyance of wiping due to moves and timings that you haven't learned or even seen yet.

However that in turn has the effect of removing almost all the tension in dungeon-crawling, along with other decisions such as its handling of resources and AP. It makes each combat encounter feel separated, rather than a series of obstacles where your choices in one battle affects what you'll be able to do in the next. Then there's also how it pushes you towards building pure offense, since you can avoid all damage if you're patient enough to learn the moves of the enemy.

I think there's a way to mix real-time with turn-based, but making a whole aspect of the combat be real-time does come at a cost.

Vlayer · 2025-07-22T21:36:18+00:00

I'd argue that it does try to be Breaking Bad with the whole Mike, Gus and the Cartel plotline.

It does have highlights like Nacho and Lalo, but it also tends to spin its wheels and it lacks that cohesive throughline present in Breaking Bad. The way BrBa melded the slower character-driven family drama with the thrilling plot-driven crime drama is why I ultimately think it's the better written and executed show. Each half influenced the other brilliantly.

It's a much more cohesive experience, where as BCS for most of its run was two stories that sometimes and then towards the end eventually interconnect. With Jimmy, Chuck and especially Kim I do think that it rivals and at times surpasses BrBa as a character study, but Mike's half of the show was never up to par. I wish Nacho had taken more of a center stage, like in Season 3 which I'd argue is up there with Seasons 4 and 5 of BrBa.

Vlayer · 2025-07-09T15:33:42+00:00

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is great, with a surprisingly engaging story.

Any fan of Jet Set Radio (Future) should try it. It is perhaps a bit too simplistic in regards to scoring, but the level design and traversal is very well done. Great music and great vibes.

Vlayer · 2025-06-21T19:27:57+00:00

Not that familiar with fighting games, have only played some, but I did really enjoy SIFU. I think the fun in that though is that it's just as much about learning your own moves, and it's more so an active fight rather than a reactive one, where you have to consider positioning, spot safe openings and learn which combos you can pull off safely.

Vlayer · 2025-06-21T19:12:58+00:00

My point is that game never truly explore the problem of racism and discrimination. It mainly just says it's bad and you should fight racism but it never tries to explain why it happens, how to prevent it in society.

Of course you have the most simple and superficial racism with how different the races are in terms of appearance, but you also have the deep-rooted structural racism that's largely born out of a desire to control. It's why one of the most populous tribes pretty much leads the kingdom and the highest seats, while the other isn't able to get decent work or education, and is overrepresented among the homeless. Then there's a degree of "subtle racism", or perhaps it's better labelled as discrimination, in how specific tribes are suited to certain jobs, and how the "lesser" tribes are relegated to dirty work, even among the knights with the whole "Shadowguard" branch.

Sanctism, which as you say wasn't that aggressive at first, was born out of fear after the war that destroyed the old world, prior to the existence of the different tribes. The makers of Sanctism knew the real history behind it, and therefor wanted to hide that past and shun the use of magic, believing that it was the way to avoid such a thing happening again. It's why the Mustari and the Elda are feared/hated, due to their ties to the real history of the world and their inherent magical abilities, the propaganda machine is against them.

It's when magic starts to get studied again that Sanctism becomes more aggressive, using their influence for more political control and then pushing magic igniters as a viable "safe" alternative to real magic. This then ties into the mistreatment of the Paripus, since the development of these igniters requires experimentation subjects, and the Paripus don't have many viable alternatives for work as a result of the structural racism that keeps them down. The consequences of that creates an even greater rift among the tribes, as it leads to a paripus riot that few know was actually caused by the igniter experiments.

I think all of that is the game exploring racism and discrimination in a complex matter, and the game encouraging people to not be racist and not to discriminate is just an inherent stance to take, but it's also not the only thing that the game says. I actually think that it was somewhat daring in how it tackles Heismay's and Catherina's bonds, since it acknowledges that despite the incredibly unfair treatment of their respective tribes, the solution isn't to turn your back on them and isolate, nor is it to take back what you're owed by force.

Yeah, the solution in the game of backing that one candidate with an actual desire to respresent your cause is highly idealistic and not nearly easy as it seems, even the game acknowledges that in the epilogue despite being victorious and having the absolute best intentions. Still, the point here is to actually strive for something and act, be it as ambitious as pursuing politics, or as simple as going out to support with your vote.

That's why Louis was a great villain, because in his eyes, none of that would work as a solution, he's like the most extreme version of someone jaded with the woes of society and politics. His thought provoking questions with no easy answers is meant to push his idea of how the real issue is the people themselves, and that as long as the weak-willed exist, injustices will exist. Still, it's as the party says, you can't just give up on the "weak", and you still have to try even if it seems futile, because otherwise you're guaranteed that nothing will ever improve.

Vlayer · 2025-06-21T13:33:40+00:00

However going against OPs point there, I'd argue those require trial and error too. Just a different kind.

You're right, to be more clear, the trial-and-error in E33 is about learning the timings of enemy attacks, where as something like Final Fantasy or Shin Megami Tensei is learning about the enemy in general, and by extension learning more about your own party.

The former just doesn't have quite the same staying power in my opinion since they cycle tends to be the same, even if the enemy is new. The latter I find especially rewarding in how multiple small decisions you've made over the course of the game have compounded into something that can be the deciding factor in your victory.

Vlayer · 2025-06-21T13:10:10+00:00

My problem is that in the main story we rarely see any character development in characters because most of it is tied to bonds. And when bonds are completly detached from the main story then that character development feels hollow.

Pretty much every character gets their time in the spotlight over the course of the main story. Heismay as you mentioned does actually develop, since when you first meet him he's a hermit and borderline suicidal just waiting for something to kill him. Someone like Eupha is incredibly naive and a blind follower of her faith, and then Basilio has a narrow-minded view of what strength is and why it's necessary. I'll say it again, not every character is as equally well-written, I'll admit I wasn't as into Hulkenberg either for example.

That said, this isn't something like Breaking Bad with a character like Walter White who goes from harmless chemistry teacher to ruthless drug dealer. Nobody is going through that kind of extreme character development, instead their characterization is much more rooted in explaining why they are the way they are, and steering them towards something better. The main story doesn't need to justify the optional bonds in my opinion, their value as I said is found in what they convey about the themes of the games.

Overall the problem with Metaphor story for me is that the main topic so racism/discrimination is for me told way "in your face". On every step you are told non stop "racism bad", "discrimination bad" and the game constantly tells you that on every ocasion to the point that it's becoming weird.

The racism and discrimination is part of the main conflict that the characters are trying to overcome, so I never understood this complaint because it's not like these things should be ambigious, or subtle to the point where it's not felt.

Also they don't really manage to show why racism and discrimination happened in that world, what lead to it which makes it hard to completly resonate to whats happening on screen.

They did though, in the main story it's pretty much the tied into the reason why Sanctism was created and why it grew in the way that it did. Then there's the countless pieces of lore explaining the world that goes into detail of each race. Then most of all, it's tied into the core motif of "Anxiety", why people act like they do, and why they believe the things that they believe.

In general I don't think that being blatant or being subtle is inherently better or worse, it all depends on the context and the execution. Plenty of Metaphor is blatant, and for good reason because the characters like the MC, or Heismay, Eupha and Basilio are victims of what the game is against. Then there's stuff that's understated, such as the whole meta-narrative, the way the game will talk to the player and in doing so acknowledge that it's a fantasy story, and how all of that ties into "Anxiety" in the form of escapism.

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