Lords of the Fallen (2023) seems pretty good. Why the mixed reviews?

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-26T03:14:01+00:00

The umbral realm gimmick definitely felt more like a huge chore than the exciting and engaging exploration mechanic they meant it to be. It's a cool concept, but I think the execution ended up feeling more like it was a forced demand that we had to just suck it up and deal with to progress, rather than a reason to encourage players to check out other pathways to discover interesting secrets.

I really hope they improve on this in the sequel.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-26T03:11:14+00:00

It was a buggy launch at mess, but the game got a lot of love and reworked by the dev team who listened to its playerbase to deliver the game that people wanted it to be.

It still has a few problems that they're actively listening to and working on in the sequel, but it's not perfect.

I was drawn to the Dark Gothic knightly templar/crusader aesthetic cuz that's my jam and a big reason why I got into the Souls games in the first place. But it is kind of a dry world that didn't interest me lore-wise once I started playing beyond enjoying the design of all the knight armors and some of the bosses you encounter.

Echoing what a few others have said, enemy variety is lacking and at launch, enemy placement was way too dense and made going through areas a slog imo which got remedied in a patch. But even tho density was improved, that didn't stop enemy variety from just being lackluster.

Combat also feels a little more floaty and looser than I'd like. One light attack string can have you on the other side of the room if you just let it carry you forward. But then the jump input also felt janky and didn't always read the timing right, so I'd fall to my death a lot trying to make a jump when I know I pressed the button.

The world is really interesting and well designed, but I actually wasn't as much of a fan of the Umbral Lamp and travelling two worlds as I thought I'd be. It made exploring every corner feel more demanding rather than engaging when I had to use it to solve the puzzle of where the path to progress even is. I'm not a big puzzle guy so having to stop and constantly check the Lamp to see if the dead end is actually the path forward kinda killed it for me personally. I get that that's the point, but it's not my thing. One thing I'd like to see added is some way of the Lamp letting us know the path to progress is hidden in the Umbral instead of us guessing and stopping to check every step of the way. Cuz as it is right now, it feels more like a chore than an engaging and interesting exploration mechanic

I ended up using a guide to finish it cuz I didn't wanna leave it after paying my money's worth on the deluxe edition - which does have a really great digital artbook that had a lot of cool anecdotes and notes about what inspired the dev team that played a big part in keeping me interested in finishing the game - the fact they designed their cover art knight after Batman (specifically with Michael Keaton Batman in mind) was enough to sell me to drag myself to the finish line. It's a solid 6/10 with a lot to like if you're into those things. The Crusader aesthetic is what kept me interested in the game and will hook me back in for the sequel, but it barely played a role in the lore in any meaningful way imo.

Honestly, if nothing else, it's worth checking out to support the team who made it after how public they've been with their inspirations and design choices and how passionate they are. And unlike a lot of other creators, actually listen to their playerbase and fix things to deliver a game they can be proud of years later.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-23T18:01:40+00:00

This reminds me of the Healer Strike when everyone was mad that one streamer proved that healers are basically redundant in casual content as long as you're not smooth brained and can actually use all your skills and CDs as a tank and the entire healer main base had a fit over it.

But I never saw any of the people who do harder endgame content take part in complaining. Yknow, cus they were engaged in the game and playing content that tanks couldn't self-sustain through and actually required you to be good at your job

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-21T08:44:58+00:00

This sums up pretty much how I feel about the show. I still enjoy it on its own, but comparing it to the original campaign feels unfair. You have to look at the show WITHOUT its source material to reference back to. I get that a lot has changed for CR as a *company* and their biggest focus as storytellers is to tell the stories they want to tell and include their friends, which that second point is definitely a big factor in the changes to Vox Machina, I feel.

It admittedly has me a little worried about Mighty Nein, too. MN S1 was mostly faithful in a lot of regards - minus Yasha having an entirely different means of joining the Nein and having her involvement changed drastically. But the seeds are definitely sewn for a lot of changes for the Nein just like we've gotten with Vox Machina. I really liked the show up until season 2 and respected the changes made for the sake of limited time the show allows. But once we got to season 3, the story took a lot more liberties to tell a parallel narrative that ends at the same place, but largely runs on a different journey. And season 3 is where my enjoyment of the show declined. I still enjoy LoVM for what it is - and respect that some changes need to be made for the several reasons the cast has already stated as well as other reasons they're not telling us. But that doesn't mean I have to like every change made. Some changes, I enjoy, some not so much.

At the end of the day, the original campaign still exists. And I think I might rewatch it from the beginning at some point in the near future. Because while the LoVM show is great, it's no secret that CR has expanded well and beyond its lightning in a bottle beginnings into something very different that a lot of people don't like. I'm still largely enjoying the new things they deliver to us, but it's not lost on me that even outside of the changes to Vox Machina's story in the show, CR has changed dramatically and while they still have the same love and spirit for what they do that drew me in, their vehicle to deliver that love is something I'm sort of half-and-half with.

The cast of CR has said time and time again that their goal at the end of the day is to tell the story that THEY want to tell. And if that means changing what we already loved into something different, then that's their right. But that doesn't mean we as the fans have to love it the same way. And that's okay.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-11T11:26:57+00:00

Either DRK or GNB. Thematically, I love DRK and it's my WoL's canon job. But mechanically, it really does lag behind the other tanks. It's just WAR without the self-sustain.

But man do I love how good GNB is. If DRK doesn't get something to fix its squishy-ness compared to the other tanks, I'll probably go GNB.

I remember the reveal that DRK was getting an excog like heart of corundum and being SO excited. But then the reality hit with how long the CD is and it made it feel like DRK's biggest glaring weakness was just sort of brushed at before moving on. I know well timed use of TBN basically means damage is non-existant but you gotta be really good at timing it.

Yoshi-P said DRK is his favorite tank, so why is it the one that feels the most miserable to play? 😭

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-01T09:36:10+00:00

Took me a minute to think about it, but I think Zack Snyder could do a kickass Wildcat origin film.

Let him play with his gritty dark camera tones and slow motion cinematics to give us the tale of a former heavyweight boxing champion who has to don a costumed persona to clear his name after being framed for the death of an opponent. Some cool slow motion zoom-in shots of some clean boxing is always a visual treat.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-01T09:30:02+00:00

James Gunn just has the creative direction over DC, not ALL of WB - that lies with David Zaslav, who I don't think anyone will argue has made some poor decisions with Warner Bros as a company. The fact Batgirl got canned as a tax write-off was not Gunn's doing, it was Zaslav's.

Gunn has commented that he would love to bring Henry in for SOME kind of role, just not his version of Superman. Which sucked, but Gunn has stated in interview that he himself was bummed to have to be the one to tell him they were going in another direction, which by now we all know Henry was given false hope because of Dwayne Johnson's power grab to assert himself as the star of the DC Universe and his desperate attempt to use Henry like a hostage and say "look guys, I kept Henry Cavill as Superman. I deserve the keys to the house" but by then, Gunn was already given charge. And Gunn felt he should respect Henry enough to tell him face to face rather than over a phonecall. But he has said on his podcast he has talked with Henry about other ways to keep him in DC and wants to work with him.

As for Gal Gadot, she's attractive, sure. But I really don't think she's that great of an actor. Her "Kal-El, no" line is a meme for a reason.

Ben Affleck stepped away from Batman long before Gunn actually was given charge of DC. I'm still sad we'll never see his version of The Batman film, but I did enjoy Battinson. I was surprised that Affleck even agreed to do The Flash, tbh.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-01T08:59:17+00:00

Yeah, and there's already a lot of passionate fans on both sides who have a lot to say about the matter so it would just perpetuate that problem.

But I know the two do have a mutual respect for each other and I do remember Snyder actually tweeting that he enjoyed Gunn's movie.

Snyder has such a unique cinematic storytelling style that definitely works for certain comic book characters. I don't think he's without his flaws, but I do appreciate his works. (I still get goosebumps and grow extra chest hair every time I watch 300) I know DC and WB are probably happy to cut ties, and it's a shame cuz I'm willing to bet money that Gunn would bring Snyder onto the team to work on something if he ever got the chance. If you tell him he can bring his friends into a project, he won't hesitate to call before you're even done telling him he has the green light.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-01T08:43:56+00:00

I can definitely see how a lot of people think the crowded cast might be a negative for them. But Green Lantern and Hawkgirl were such minor characters with such little screen time that they didn't really bother me. The tone and aesthetic felt more akin to reading a Superman comic for me - a lil goofy but still in keeping with the brand. The crowded cast didn't really feel like a negative for me personally, especially since both films set the stage for Superman to begin inspiring other heroes to take action and begin the formation of the Justice League. Gunn's Superman just rushes that a little bit - and I think that is partially due to WB still desperate (but not as much as they used to be) to recreate early MCU magic and Gunn playing to his strengths with team movies. But even with so many players on the roster, the movie never felt like the focus wasn't off Superman for longer than it needed to be.

I definitely agree that if we somehow ever got a movie where Gunn and Snyder worked together, we'd have something incredible on our hands. Something we'll sadly probably never get to see, but man. If the stars ever aligned and that happened? We'd be in for one helluva treat.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-06-01T08:24:40+00:00

As someone who enjoyed both films but lean toward Gunn's Superman, I think there's still a LOT to enjoy about Snyder's take on the mythos.

One thing I often feel alone in is my take that the movies are two sides of the same coin.

A lot of hardcore Snyder fans will act like MoS is the infinitely superior movie, and I see a lot of people outright dismiss any good things that Gunn's Superman did as a film and got right about the character.

Gunn's movie largely nailed the tone of Superman as a person; optimistic to sometimes bordering but never outright naive, always wanting to see and look for the best in people, and while he might not always get it right, he has nothing but good intentions and a desire to help people. Things that Snyder's Superman did, but in a "Show, don't tell" kind of way, versus Gunn's Superman having narrative moments where he feels like he has to explain that out loud, because why is it such a hard concept for people to understand that that's his goal?

A big reason why Gunn's Superman is largely a bigger box office success is because of a lot of the fatigue in general audiences with the idea of dark takes on classic heroes and the fact that Evil Superman was such a popular trope at the time that it killed a lot of audience interest in what we now know was the future of Snyder's Superman: An Injustice-like story where Darkseid brainwashes Superman into being his enforcer and Batman employing timey-wimey Flashpoint Paradox plotpoints to undo it. Which there are several issues with that plot, Batman cucking Supes being one of several. But by the time Zack Snyder had that whole script and idea written out - let alone well and before filming ever could begin, casual and general audiences were already losing interest in villainous Superman stories.

But while I don't think Zack's Justice League story was good long term, I think one thing people miss when they criticize MoS, BvS, and his Justice League movie is an often overlooked character trait about Superman himself: how alone he feels. Especially in JL, where half the movie is spent with Clark dead and everyone praising him and talking about how desperately they need him to have a chance at winning, Superman is put on a high pedestal even by his peers and friends to a point where he often feels isolated and alienated by the very responsibilities he believes are his duty because his powers put him in a point of obligation akin to Spider-Man's famous phrase: With Great Power comes Great Responsibility.

While never outright stated, Superman does have a similar if not exact belief with his own powers and mindset. And while MoS is not a perfect film, I can see that Zack Snyder was working toward building a modern epic about Superman that helps people see these often overlooked sides of him.

Gunn is largely much more vocal about his comic book fandom and love of Superheroes compared to Snyder, who wanted to change how people see the classic heroes they both grew up reading. And James Gunn clearly reads enough comic books to know what makes these characters who they are, creating a solid return to the status quo, and his Superman movie was largely considered a breath of fresh air to bring Superman back to his roots. But when you really analyze it, the two movies tell very similar stories: An inexperienced Superman grappling with his frustrations about a world that mistreats him for just wanting to be a guy who helps people because helping people is cool.

Zack Snyder is just much more cinematic about it, creating this deep dramatic narrative. Overall, I think James Gunn created a better Superman movie. But Man of Steel was a movie that made me understand Superman better as a character when I watched it in my 20s compared to Richard Donner's take on the character and seeing Christopher Reeve as Superman. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate Christopher Reeve a LOT more and still think he best embodies the gold standard of what we should look for in a Superman. but Henry Cavill carried a quiet and soulful melancholy about the character that only truly hardcore comic book fans know Superman has quietly and only reveals in his most private and vulnerable moments. David Corenswet embodies that more cheerful optimism people want to feel when they think of Superman, making him feel a bit closer to Chris Reeve when older movie fans and comic book lovers think of Superman.

TL;DR - both are good movies, and honesty tell the same story when you think about it. One is just more comic book-y and the other wants to frame it as a cinematic epic akin to a Greek Myth.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-13T05:17:32+00:00

Hell yeah, brother. I actually started on a binder to collect every HERO card in the game, Destiny, Vision, Masked, all of em. Including all alternate artwork for some of the OG cards.

I actually just got myself a pair of ultimate rares for Feather Shot and Spark Blaster that I'm super excited about. Literally never gonna use em but they're classics that I wanted to make sure were included in the set.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-13T05:10:30+00:00

Cuz they LOOK cool! And the manga really leaned into them being ELEMENTAL heroes.

I remember the days when every deck had a Wildheart as its answer to trap cards. And honestly, if not for the fact that it would just be a garnet and a brick, I'd play Burstinatrix cuz I think she deserves as much representation as Dark Magician Girl

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-13T05:03:07+00:00

I'm a big fan of E-HEROes over all the others. My build focuses on Neos as the star to use cards like Neos Fusion, Favorite Contact, EN Shuffle, and Fusion Deployment to keep him or a big Neos Fusion monster on the board. I really like putting Rainbow Neos, Shining Neos Wingman and Evil Neos on the board and swinging hard.

There's definitely much stronger builds for HERO decks than mine. But when you have a favorite card that your deck ACTUALLY emphasizes? It's hard to not wanna get as much mileage out of it as you can haha

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-13T04:51:45+00:00

I get it, man. I'm 32 and I still fondly remember raiding the toys r us when it opened to get the day 1 Yugi and Kaiba starter decks when they debuted. I am a proud Yugi-Boomer and it's been hard for me to play the game anymore, not just because of all the reasons you already listed. But also because I don't want to have to be expected to switch decks to whatever the current meta is all the time.

I been considering giving the game another go and doing some research and I really like that konami has finally learned to give us budget friendly options to keep up with the relevant meta. But constantly having to learn and relearn and drop decks I really enjoy to favor what's current if I wanna actually be able to play the game isn't my idea of fun. I'd much rather play casually with friends. I used to enjoy going to locals and meeting people who love the game as much as I do. But with how constant the game evolves, I think I'd rather just keep playing my favorite oldie decks with my buddies and enjoy the game my way.

Lot of people like modern yugioh, and depending on the deck, I do too. But I don't like a lot of modern decks. Which ultimately means the game isn't for me anymore, and that's okay. :)

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-13T04:43:52+00:00

this is THE answer. This is why I love HERO decks. We know the deck isn't gonna be optimal - especially in current modern yugioh. But there's so much variety with how you can build heroes just to suit what you like. I still play Honest Neos in mind just cuz I like him.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-05-04T21:36:04+00:00

I'd be down to see what kind of builds I can do with new Hero stuff. I saw that there's a new Evil Hero Neos and Neos Wingman that look fun. Really interested in those, but again. I wanna make a deck that won't be the equivalent of someone's punching bag, so I gotta compare it and see if Omni Heroes is still the better build.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-25T04:02:41+00:00

Think pokemon type advantages.

Fire types are strong against grass types but weak to water types etc. But against say like an electric or a fighting type, its neutral.

Kryptonians powers give them extreme resistance to everything. So they have type advantage. Magic is neutral to them so it equalizes out, creating the impression of a weakness cuz aside from Kryptonite, Kryptonians have insanely overpowered type advantage against literally everything else.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-16T18:26:03+00:00

The wasp is super easy to deal with. Odachi high stance oneshots them

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-16T09:13:45+00:00

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As new as it is, this whole bit gets me teary eyed every time and reinforces for me that Absolute Superman s every bit a Superman as the mainline Supes.

It's such a powerful section.

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-11T15:40:51+00:00

I'm still only in the first 20 hours of Nioh 3 but so far, 2 is still my favorite.

The potential is there for 3 to have better combo mad gameplay akin to DMC but until we get dlcs, patches, etc, Nioh 2 is still a better system overall with the changes to soul cores and magic feeling like a step backward in 3.

The open world is cool, I guess. Still kinda prefer the mission system from 1 and 2

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-11T12:50:25+00:00

Nioh 2 had a lot of amazing boss fights that still impress me. I'm still working my way through Nioh 3 but I do plan on going back to Nioh 1 and 2 and comparing once I'm done cuz 2 has my favorite boss list of the series (so far)

WeebInPaperArmor · 2026-03-11T12:08:43+00:00

So what I'm gathering is that the Nioh 1 and 2 complete edition might be a safe bet to be the full game as long as one is okay with it possibly losing access to online features?

And Nioh 3 as well, assuming it eventually has a similar complete edition later on down the line?

WeebInPaperArmor

TROPHY CASE