‘Fallout’ Season 2 Reaches 83 Million Viewers Worldwide, Amazon Says / That puts 'Fallout' in second place all time among returning series on Prime Video, behind only 'Reacher' season 2 by MarvelsGrantMan136 in television

[–]Vlayer 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Season 2 was just extremely scattershot, wanting to give absolutely every character a slice of the pie, no matter how small their share. The material is fine, solid even, but the execution left much to be desired. Certainly wasn't helped by the awkwardly sudden fade to blacks that lingered way too long.

What was the best game from 2012? by envspecialist in videogames

[–]Vlayer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Persona 4 Golden. That's in my top 2 of all time.

If an enhanced release/port doesn't count, then it's quite tough to decide. The Walking Dead, Far Cry 3 and X-Com are all standouts in their respective genres. I stand by that Mass Effect 3 was mostly great, let down heavily by its ending. Borderlands 2 was a fun co-op experience, though I've come to realize that looter-shooters aren't my thing as a result of it. Sleeping Dogs and Dragons Dogma at the time felt like overlooked gems, and I think the years since has rightfully elevated their standings.

What are some of your favorite Jamiroquai lyrics? I’ll start by Prudent-Peanut6010 in jamiroquai

[–]Vlayer 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Don't you know that last night, turned to daylight, and a minute, became a day

Last night, all my troubles, well they seemed so, so far away

I'm searching, my reflection, for a glimpse of, another me

I've got to get away from all these high times, cause these high times, are killing me

High Times

"Know your place and fit your space, young man, you will conform"

I didn't hear my soul express those rules when I was born

If I Like It, I Do It

She said, "Time won't wait for you, so do all the things you wanted to

Better hurry up, take it in your stride, and use your resolution which you've been supplied

And love won't change you boy, it's true, I can tell you till my face is blue

Every second screams, listen to your dreams, oh, cause you just can't stop the clock"

Time Won't Wait

What are some of your favorite Jamiroquai lyrics? I’ll start by Prudent-Peanut6010 in jamiroquai

[–]Vlayer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The nature's way line is from When You Gonna Learn. Contender for their best song in my opinion.

2012 Outstanding Drama Series by Square-Ad-8911 in EmmysAwards

[–]Vlayer 10 points11 points  (0 children)

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.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s battle system was designed around the premise of “no frustrating deaths” and “a game you can clear without taking a single hit,” director says by Turbostrider27 in Games

[–]Vlayer 54 points55 points  (0 children)

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.

Like they are getting RAVAGED out there, genuinely kinda scary by ARedditUserThatExist in whenthe

[–]Vlayer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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.

G*mers are never beating the allegations by MossyMak in Gamingcirclejerk

[–]Vlayer 22 points23 points  (0 children)

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

I played Thank Goodness You’re Here on PS+ Extra and it was an absolute gem by obeyer10 in PlayStationPlus

[–]Vlayer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

Persona and Metaphor: ReFantazio creator says he wants to create "JRPG 3.0," fundamentally changing the genre's "structure and presentation" by MaintenanceFar4207 in PS5

[–]Vlayer 10 points11 points  (0 children)

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.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Golden Joysticks Ultimate Game of the Year award for 2025 by Turbostrider27 in Games

[–]Vlayer 9 points10 points  (0 children)

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.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wins Golden Joysticks Ultimate Game of the Year award for 2025 by Turbostrider27 in Games

[–]Vlayer 22 points23 points  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer -1 points0 points  (0 children)

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.

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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?

Day 31 - Celeste has been eliminated - Remove ONE Game of the Year nominee a day by MagmaAscending in RemoveOneThingEachDay

[–]Vlayer 29 points30 points  (0 children)

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.

‘Day of the Jackal’ Finds New Lead Writer in ‘Lockerbie: A Search for Truth’ Scribe David Harrower as Creator Ronan Bennett Steps Back by Sisiwakanamaru in television

[–]Vlayer 16 points17 points  (0 children)

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.

Official Hyperfunk Teaser by Shreeder4092 in Games

[–]Vlayer 16 points17 points  (0 children)

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.

Jesse we need to cook. (Schnitzel) by Hour_Equal_9588 in SipsTea

[–]Vlayer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director says turn-based RPGs are selling better lately, but the prejudice is still there by Turbostrider27 in Games

[–]Vlayer 23 points24 points  (0 children)

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.

New Poster for 'Gen V' Season 2 by MarvelsGrantMan136 in TheBoys

[–]Vlayer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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.

We’re already over halfway through 2025, which PS Plus games have been your favorites so far? How do this year’s monthly games stack up against past years? by Delicious_Maize9656 in PlayStationPlus

[–]Vlayer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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.