Coelacanth
@Coelacanth@feddit.nu
- Comment on Any good indie games on steam? Can be any genre. 1 hour ago:
I finally bit the bullet on sale a while back for it as it was cheap and I saw there were a bunch of glowing video essays about it popping up last year when the sequel got announced. A bit trepidatious though as I heard it’s both very hard and also the scariest game ever made.
- Comment on Any good indie games on steam? Can be any genre. 1 hour ago:
How do you feel about Darkwood. I’m probably about to give it a shot this week.
- Comment on Online child safety campaigners call for US inquiry into Roblox 14 hours ago:
You’re a good parent. I don’t envy your position, that was probably not easy.
- Comment on Any good indie games on steam? Can be any genre. 17 hours ago:
And if you still want more there is also Chrono Ark.
- Comment on Online child safety campaigners call for US inquiry into Roblox 22 hours ago:
Also a hellhole filled with predators and groomers.
- Comment on Any good indie games on steam? Can be any genre. 23 hours ago:
Only like… a million of them? I could throw you some suggestions but narrowing it down to a few genres would probably help.
Titanium Court is probably the best game released so far this year, my frontrunner for GOTY and one of the best (or at least most interesting) games I’ve ever played. Don’t look up anything about it, just play it blind. Trust me.
Withering Rooms is a wonderful and unique action/horror roguelike made by a single person with some wonderful world building, story and as RT direction. Lots of different build variety too.
Death Howl is a really cool grid-based strategy/deckbuilder. Really beautiful pixel art, too.
This is just some of what I’ve played recently, any of that strike your fancy? I can probably come up with more if you give me more to work with.
- Comment on What is a game you can’t understand why its so popular ? 1 day ago:
Ah damn I’m so sorry I didn’t pick up on your name! I’m terrible at that, I really should be more mindful. Actually I’m going to tag you “LRR Enjoyer” now. There!
Aldo I have to confess I haven’t kept up with them lately. I used to watch a ton of it years ago, both their sketches and some of their stream stuff. And Desert Bus of course. I really should get back into it, I don’t know why I stopped.
- Comment on What is a game you can’t understand why its so popular ? 3 days ago:
I do enjoy Soulslikes, but I honestly do so despite those things and not because of them. I do think you have a general point.
- Comment on What is a game you can’t understand why its so popular ? 3 days ago:
An LRR reference in the wild? Absolutely mythical.
- Comment on 4 days ago:
It’s definitely interesting but I think for a lot of people it just didn’t feel good to play.
Triple Triad is goated though.
- Comment on 4 days ago:
Yeah that was kind of my vibe. I mean, I don’t think anyone disagrees that 7 has aged the worst. It’s a great game, but visually speaking I think it looks terrible. 8 is better than 7 but still has problems like the pixelated faces. I still think 8 could be well positioned for a proper remake instead of that horrible “remaster” they did. Mechanically it’s kind of an awkward game but gunblades feel like they would be cool inside of the modern action combat framework of the remakes.
- Comment on 4 days ago:
Admittedly it’s been a minute and I might have rose-coloured glasses on FF9. It is a PS1 title and those have historically… not aged all too gracefully, let’s say.
- Comment on How to sexualize males for a female audience? 4 days ago:
Oh my, how he looks at the camera… you present a strong agument tho I do not need convincing, I’m already here for it.
Helps that his face isn’t half bad either right but yeah, that gaze is just piercing isn’t it? And the raspy vibrato just gets me too…
(Also, cool song, I like it)
It’s a great band. I’m not even sure The Letter is their best song, it’s just a great video to showcase Finn’s beauty.
Also you gotta be careful saying things like that, you know. I might take it as an opening to send you a more songs I like.
As an admirer of the physical form it’s hard to not go for the classical examples of beauty in a question about overt sexualization (since op mentioned fan service).
(…)
If we get a little more cerebral than that, yeah I guess you can talk about some more dimensional archetypes like “tortured poet” (and the like) and still answer the og question.
You know, it’s my bad actually. I totally ignored the actual topic of the OP to needle you about Halsin and then started talking about my own preferences like a narcissistic asshole. So uhm, whoops?
I do think there is something there for me in the sense that - at least when it comes to men - I am definitely more drawn to archetypes, faces and “presence” (I refuse to call it aura out of principle). So like, I can appreciate some shirtless washboard abs and everything, it’s nice, but it doesn’t necessarily move the needle for me (figuratively and literally).
But again that is only navel gazing my own preferences and not really answering the OPs question at all. Also now that I’m really sitting down and thinking about it I feel like for some reason if we’re talking about the male musculature then sculpted legs are kind of hotter than arms. Like, they go together obviously because if you just have one and not the other then the body will look awkward and disproportionate. But sculpted thighs are kind of hot. Biceps are overrated.
Maybe a more interesting question would be, “how to better sexualize characters in videogames” and drop the gendered part of it. (Tho the female gaze is definitely an interesting topic to discuss, If one thing is true is that we as an audience are more open to variety.)
Yes, this is an interesting topic for sure. I think the agency of the characters in question within the story and their characterization has a huge influence on the way any physical presentation is perceived. Even though sexualisation and objectification are often interlinked, they don’t have to be by nature and I think this is the key. Someone can be an empowered sexual being without being characterised as an object of desire to be claimed by someone else. It’s the difference between Bayonetta and Eve from Stellar Blade.
So hum… You are into the lanky and tortured? Is being a poet also a strong requirement for you?
Hah, I can be flexible. I do like the archetype and all, but as a wise woman in Disco Elysium said: “never trust a poet”.
- Comment on 4 days ago:
I am so torn on a FF6 3D remake. On the one hand I think it has huge potential - and is way more interesting than an FF9 remake (does anyone seriously think that game actually needs to be remade? It’s fine as it is!). But on the other I think FF6 is so spectacular in its current iteration that I also don’t want to fuck with it. The desire to remake FF7 was obvious - early 3D games have aged horribly and look like ass with modern eyes. But much like Chrono Trigger FF6 is in that peak era of pixel art and as so many indie games keep demonstrating year after year: pixel art is timeless.
- Comment on How to sexualize males for a female audience? 4 days ago:
Tbh I’m not really all that into the way he sounds either, although I don’t know how much of that is related to how he’s written and acted. If we’re just talking about the tone of voice I guess it’s okay. But I’ve never really been one to go for the hunks, you know. A swelling bicep is nice and all but doesn’t really move me much.
Now, a lanky tortured poet on the other hand… Something like Finn Andrews is a bit more my speed.
- Comment on How to sexualize males for a female audience? 5 days ago:
I can’t believe you’re into Halsin haha. I don’t know how you manage to make a sex crazed man-bear insufferably boring but by gods, they did it!
- Comment on Need for Speed: Most Wanted – The game that got me into racing 6 days ago:
Don’t feel and about it it’s a common mistake, all based on the fact that the second game was also just called “Most Wanted” - to every fan’s great chagrin. It’s why I’m always (to the point of annoyance) making sure to spell out Most Wanted (2005) whenever I talk about it.
- Comment on Need for Speed: Most Wanted – The game that got me into racing 6 days ago:
Most Wanted (2005) is a masterpiece for sure. On the one hand it’s one of the games I most want (hah) to see a remake for, but on the other it’s so steeped in early 00s that maybe a remake can’t possibly recreate the magic, regardless of how faithful it is.
Still, playing it with modern graphics instead of that yellow piss filter would be amazing.
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 1 week ago:
Yeah it’s a very funny game, despite also being serious a lot of the time. It’s an impressive balancing act in the writing.
The music is by a band called Sea Power, which Robert Kurvitz managed to convince make the OST! Some. Absolute bangers on that soundtrack, every time those horns hit when you step out of the Whirling…
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 1 week ago:
It’s a wonderful game. It might appear depressing at times, but ultimately I think it’s a game about hope. Take your time with it, and don’t be afraid to be weird. This isn’t a game that punishes you for picking wacky dialogue options very often. And don’t be afraid to fail checks either, failure is a recurring theme of the game and it’s designed with a fail-forward philosophy. Some of my favourite moments actually come from failed checks.
- Comment on Hi everyone, I'm French Fry Noob – a 1999 Chinese gamer 1 week ago:
In China’s Battlefield community, new players are called “French fries.” Fresh, get eaten alive, but always show up in large numbers.
If the battlefield of tomorrow was to be waged through memes, China would wipe the floor with the rest of the world.
It’s a shame I can’t appreciate more of them because of language and the fact that even translated and explained memes only very rarely makes it out here.
- Comment on Single player, open world, fantasy, RPG games 1 week ago:
I had missed Lantern of the Laughless Fool but it does look somewhat interesting. Didn’t really find the brainrot trailer too funny though except for the line
Everybody’s making a Soulslike? We’re making a Scrolls-like!
which I thought was pretty good. But at the same time I understand you gotta stand out in today’s climate and that trailer will probably get them more attention than a regular bland reveal trailer.
- Comment on 60% of PC gamers have no plans to build a new PC in the next two years — AI pricing crunch on RAM and other components paralyze enthusiast market 1 week ago:
That’s fair. I have personally not bought a physical PC game in like two decades so I could just go for aesthetics. And luckily the airflow is great too.
- Comment on 60% of PC gamers have no plans to build a new PC in the next two years — AI pricing crunch on RAM and other components paralyze enthusiast market 1 week ago:
Fractal North is still the prettiest PC case I’ve ever seen. I’m very happy with mine.
- Comment on So Lemmy, what are your thoughts on Mixtape? 1 week ago:
I haven’t played it, just seen footage of it. So not sure I can really voice my opinion. And the game clearly isn’t for me anyway, regardless. I’m not American, and I don’t really enjoy other teenage simulators like Life is Strange.
I have nothing against walking simulators or interactive movies if it’s done well, so for me that part of the criticism falls flat. And the culture war bullshit is also just ridiculous. What I didn’t like from what I’ve seen was dialogue that sounds off, like teenagers not talking like actual teenagers talk. And also like, the game feels more like presenting an idealised picture of the concept of being a teenager inside a 90s Americana movie, rather than explore the struggles of being an actual teenager in actual real life.
But I don’t know, maybe this is what everyone’s teenage years looked like in the US and I just don’t get it. Which is fine. Like I said, I’m not the target audience.
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 1 week ago:
Errr… Court, right? This one. Anyway, I hope it’ll resonate with you, for my it’s likely to be a personal GOTY contender.
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 1 week ago:
Ooh I loved INMOST. Played it on PC though. Great art, great music, great vibes. Story was also good although the ending could have been more subtle.
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 2 weeks ago:
Played Titanium Court. Its great. You should play it. Don’t look up anything about it, just put your trust in the Steam refund window. You will know if it is for you or not within the first 2hrs. I am still struggling to describe it in an enticing way without spoiling anything, because this is a game that delights in constantly surprising you. Disregarding the gameplay (which is completely different) you could say Titanium Court is a little bit like Undertale for adults? That’s what I felt, at least. If you want a little bit more thenthis short sort of captures it.
After finally tearing myself away from Titanium Court I began playing AI Limit. It’s an anime-styled Soulslike, and while I’m not huge on anime I’d heard a lot of good things about it. So far it’s been pretty solid. It has its flaws, but it was made by a small team after all. I wish the art direction was a little stronger and more distinctive - anime post-apocalyptic modern sceneries seem like they’re dime a dozen, especially paired with mutated fleshy alien matter. There are plenty of sceneries here that may be competently designed in isolation, but just feels like I’ve seen before. The graphics are also very uneven and some textures look terrible - again, small team I guess.
Combat is pretty decent though. There is no stamina, instead there is a combined stamina/mana bar called Sync that also depletes when you get hit and recharges when you hit enemies (or parry them). Normal attacks and dodges don’t cost any Sync, so combat had a distinctly different feel from most Soulslikes. You also deal more damage at maximum Sync, but your special attacks stop working at lower Sync. If your Sync is totally deleted you get into a vulnerable state that often means death. It’s an interesting twist that makes combat feel a bit different.
- Comment on Weekly “What are you playing” Thread || Week of May 10th 2 weeks ago:
Is there a new one or the Melody of Moominvalley? That’s actually been on my wishlist for a bit, I grew up on Tova Jansson and it has great reviews too.
- Comment on What was the last physical retail store game purchase you've made? 2 weeks ago:
I honestly can’t remember. I bought a couple of physical 3DS games semi-recently, but those were ordered online. I bought Rayman Legends on the PS4 for my sister from a physical game store like 12 years ago? Might genuinely be that.