Games That Felt More Like Artwork

Hello and welcome to Plug into Player 4.

I'm your host Mark, followed by Brandon, Ethan and a very

special guest today. We have Shelby here with us

today. Say hi, Shelby.

That's me. What's up guys?

I'm Ethan's GF. Yep, she's mine.

I'm the artist. GF she's a keeper.

I'm. The Nintendo girly.

She's a very good artist. Yeah, she actually made the the

icon that we use for the show. I sure did.

Talk up, talk it up. Talk that shit.

Show your pride. It was a fun process making that

piece with all the different controllers and stuff.

Oh yeah. And I don't know if anyone

noticed, but my favorite part of it is the little detail that's

on like where the logo normally goes because I was told I can't

do like the normal logo. So I put like some little jokes

there. If you really zoom in and look,

little Easter egg for you. Guys there, I noticed that.

Yeah, I that that's just me. I noticed little details make a

giggle. Yes.

As soon as as soon as she sent me it, I was zoomed in on all

the. I knew you would zoom in.

You always zoom in on pictures. My favorite is when I send you a

picture of me and you zoom in on my nose and just send me a

screenshot of that. That makes me feel really good.

I love when. He knows that to be fair.

Your powers are looking extreme today.

Be Fair have slowed down on that.

I'm like, if you're going to do that, can you at least not just

do my nose all the time? I'll do your smile, how about

that? How about just don't do it?

How about just don't do it? Man I wish my wife sent me

photos. She just sends me photos of the

dog or the cats. That's about it.

That's good too though. I'll give me some dog and cat

pictures. Yes.

Anyway, what's the topic today, boys?

Mr. Mark. Our topic today are games that

feel more like artwork. So we're looking at games that

really have much more of an artistic sort of spin on them,

stuff that we find appealing, stuff that looks like that.

A lot of love went in from the design department.

Who wants to start us off? Who's got a Who's got a game

they want to talk about? Sound like brain wants I.

Guess I'll start. Yeah, you said.

Umm, first, you've been chosen. Did say umm tribute.

Fun. I love being tribute.

So one of my games I feel is more like art is the Bioshock

series. I can probably guess that

anybody who listens to this probably knows what Bioshock is

now. There hasn't been a game for

quite some time, but. No.

Still a beautiful game series though, yeah?

I don't know the the art style for Bioshock was just very.

It was unique. Yeah, that's.

Especially at the time that it was originally made.

Yes. So I think it's original release

was in 2008, Yeah. And it was I think ahead of its

time. And then now you got the what?

The remasters of them? Yeah, yeah, I, I think what is

it? We just have one remastered so

far. Is it 2 as well?

Two as well. Two as well.

OK. And I think infinite was also.

I think that was, yeah, I think that was, that was the only one

I actually played. So that's.

One, and it's a good one. That's the only one.

I, I mean, like at the time it was weird.

When it came out, it was like, well, I want to go back down to

Rapture. I don't remember what the sky

place is called, but like just going around all these sky

islands and like they're like basically big.

What ships? Kind of, yeah, just 'cause they

have, they have propellers and everything.

Yeah, they have. They're like on these like kind

of like balloon actually. Just.

Airship, It's weird. Yeah, it's really weird.

I remember there's one part where you fall down onto a

beach, like you take a big fall and you fall down onto they're

like, where is the beach in the sky?

I was so. Confused with it too.

Yeah, it. And then, yeah, then it turns

out it's just another airship. Yeah, it's just another fucking

airship. How big are they?

And how far was that fall? Yeah, Really.

Really. I have to ask, Brandon, do you

prefer Bioshock one and two game design or do you prefer Infinite

game design? Well, I prefer infinite design

for some reason. Divided players back when it

first released. Yeah, 'cause it was so

different, yeah than so I'll, I'll, I'll say that I played the

fuck out of infinite. Yeah, like that was, I remember

vividly playing that be so much in like 2015.

That was when I was graduating high school.

I remember cuz me and my buddy Zach were always playing it.

Yeah, so I played all the time. Hey, here's a coin, Booker,

here's a coin. Oh God man, that shit Booker.

Booker. You're trying to shoot somebody,

Booker. I don't have time for this.

God damn it. How are you not getting shot?

Booker yeah, to be fair, you're not taking damage when that

animation happens, but it's so annoying every battle.

But Elizabeth is nice to have when you're running out of

fucking ammo. Yeah, because she'll find

something and throw it to you. I remember my wife getting soft

locked at one of her first playthroughs of it during the

Lady Comstock mission. Where where you're fighting the

ghost. Oh, I don't.

Remember this? Yeah, it's been a while since I

played. It I, I can't remember the

mechanic, I think there was only a certain damage type you could

use against her and Ahmed was just wielding into her and she

ran out of ammo big fight and just got soft locked because of

it, 'cause I, I, if I remember correctly, I don't think

Elizabeth was with you at this point.

You were going to go find her again.

Yeah, because she got taken. Yeah, I, I remember that fight.

I never got soft locked on it. But yeah, I think there was a

certain, what they call it salt or whatever that's, you know,

move. They're plasmids.

They're basically plasmids. They're just plasmids.

It's plasmids, yeah, but under a different name.

But to go back to your question, I as much as I love Infinite, I

do like the way with the traditional gameplay and

mechanics of Jesus of the first two games.

Yeah. Now I know Bioshock 2 a lot of

people didn't like because it was kind of just more of the

same. And I don't see there's nothing

new that they did, but it was kind of more of the same.

Oh, you're talking about two, right?

Yeah. Well, I mean, it wasn't like the

big appeals at your point. You're playing as one of the

baddest enemies in the One. Yeah, you're playing as the big,

big daddy. Like you're playing as one of

the most fearsome foes, Yeah. I mean to, yes, until you figure

out the big sister and she's better than you.

Oh, that's right, there's a big sister.

I have never seen her. The never the Big Sisters were

meant to replace the Big daddies, if I were correctly.

And that's also when Ken Levine, he was the one that pretty much

brought Bioshock to life. He was not involved in the

second game. And you can tell, 'cause he was

very, very good at storytelling. Yeah, 'cause I mean, we'll look

at look at the way the first Bioshock game opens up.

Plane. Crashes and then you got to go

in this tower that you don't know what the hell it is and as

soon as you walk in. Cinematic opening for the set

entry. We're not even, like, we're not

even just that yet. Like, you just walk in, the door

shuts, it's dark, and you're facing a huge, like, statue of

Andrew Ryan. Yeah.

Looking down at you. Yeah.

It's been so long since I played the I played the first one up up

until I think the first. What are those called?

The power ups you can get. Plasmids.

Yeah, I got the first plasmid. I just stopped, like because I

played Bioshock before it and I immediately went to the set

first game. So I kind of had burnout, but

that's fair. All I remember is just going

down the elevator tube and the first one down to this abandoned

city. And if I.

Feel froggy about it. Go go back and actually play

through them. They're really good.

No, I want to at some point. I physicaled off.

I physically own all the games. Yeah, OK.

My my my perspective on it is a little weird.

I started in two and I enjoyed 2.

Yeah, I mean. I I thought 2 was really really

well done. Yeah, I think 2 was bad.

I had my time. No, I I can admit it doesn't

have the same sort of narrative weed as one did, especially with

the with the the twist that they pulled like that.

That twist was awesome. That was a great setup.

Would you? Kindly would you kindly just

awesome. But I don't know about you,

Mark, but I could never absorb the Little sisters.

No, I couldn't. I couldn't do it like it was.

So when you get a little sister, that's how you get Adam so you

can get more plasmas. Right Adam is used to purchase

the plasmids as well as upgrade your plasmids which are which

are really core feature of the game.

It helps keep you alive and very right.

It's just the situations, yeah. But The thing is, to get this,

you need a little sister. Right.

Little. Sisters are these little girls

that have been modified to have an Adam producing slug inserted

into them so that when they drink the blood of certain

people they produce this. What would you explain Adam?

Is this kind of like a genetic modifying?

It's a genetic, Yeah. It's a modifier, yeah.

And you have two options. You can rescue her, which then

it cures her of what's going on, or you can kill her, which gives

you the maximum amount of Adam Adam.

Essentially. What you'd be doing is kill the

little sister to harvest the slug entirely.

Yeah, Jesus. And yeah, there's repercussions

for that during the game, and that's where you can get a good

ending or a bad ending. And I think even, well, I won't

say the endings, but I personally could not do it.

No, even though it's just a video game, I could not do it.

Yeah, I, I, I could never bring myself to it.

I just. But the good thing is I'll say

so Ethan can play it. It does help you during the game

though, so doing this and saving them is actually a good

consequence for you. I.

Mean when you said that there was multiple endings been, I had

a feeling that there was. Yes.

Maybe not a gameplay change, but.

Yeah, I think there's a good ending, a kind of neutral ending

and a bad ending. Yeah.

Which the good ending is nice. Good ending.

The good ending. Is nice the bad ending, Dear

God. Yeah.

Oh my fucking God. If you know, you know.

I won't say any more. So that way you think it's a

good chance to experience the game first hand?

Yeah, you'll know. Yeah, but and you'll.

Question yourself. After I I, I personally prefer

the underwater city aspect. Just going back to our topic

here. Just it's gorgeous looking out,

seeing the bottom of the ocean just surrounding your city,

seeing all the the the the fish swimming by, all the giant retro

style 5060 style windows. It's just beautiful.

It's a nice atmosphere. That's what that game's got, is

a nice atmosphere. You know you'd get that in a

crumbling city, yeah. Really.

But I will say with Infinite you do go back to Rapture, but

that's in ADLC. Oh, OK, I was gonna say wait a

minute. I don't remember any.

I remember the lighthouses. Go back to it at the end of the

game for short bid during the story.

No, no, that's the lighthouses. The Lighthouses.

Yeah, so. Technically, yes.

Technically, yes. You're on top.

Of yeah. But you during the DLCS you play

as Elizabeth Booker. Well named Shit, shit I don't

want to. Well, I don't know if you're

going to play the DLCS. For probably not the DLCS now.

OK. Booker gets killed.

How dare you spoil it? There you go.

He which is like it's kind of uncomfortable watching that

happen, but he gets, I think he gets stabbed in the back by a

big daddy. Yeah, it is.

He gets thrilled in the back by a Big Daddy.

Yeah, and it's, it's bad. I mean, it's a giant drill the

size of. The screaming is you're.

Punching doughnuts into people, He.

Turns the drill on too. Yeah.

Oh, I mean, yeah, at that point you're just making a person a

doughnut, like. It was.

It's bad, but then you take control of Elizabeth and her

gameplay is vastly different. Oh, I bet.

You can't just go gung ho. You will not survive.

You have to be a little bit more strategic on what you do because

she doesn't have a shield like how Booker does.

You're pretty vulnerable and you only get a certain amount of

guns and ammo. So, so actually it's kind of

like survival horror in a way, because you're having to

resource manage and and and all that stuff.

It's it's interesting to say the least.

But yeah, that's Bioshock. Yeah, Fun.

Sounds very intriguing. It seems like a pretty artist

full series. Yes, it it is.

It is a really good series. It's one of those that people

hold up there, hold up it. It's just a cherished classic.

A good setting can really make a game too.

And man, Rapture does it, it does.

Man, I, I don't know what it is about it, but that that is

literally the first game I thought of like artwork.

Oh fucking Bioshock, dude. Like hell yeah.

That's why I'm happy they gave the game remasters because I see

the what the original games look like.

And then the remasters. Yeah, there's a difference.

And it, and it's, I think it, it, it brings it to life.

Aren't they in the talks about making another one?

Yes. I think that's been going on for

a while. Yeah, I don't.

Don't know the progressive, yeah.

And if it's even still happening, to be completely

honest, if it doesn't happen, I think I'm fine with that.

Yeah, because I don't know what the hell they're going to do.

Yeah, if they butcher that game they're making, I'm going to be

pissed. You're going to have a whole ton

of people pissed, yeah, if that happens, and it especially

because the gaming industry has changed so much, yes, since

Infinite has launched. Yes.

That you really don't know what you would be getting.

Yeah, I'll check. Good game.

Go play it. That's great.

You want to talk about something?

How about did you want to go to Shelby?

I can try. OK.

All right, Shelby. I got a few ideas while I was

sitting here past the past the Legend of Zelda series, because

when I heard the what they were calling the topic, I'm like,

that's the first thing that popped into my head.

Even growing up the Legend of Zelda series, just the the

visuals are striking to me. Like what sticks out to me most,

and I'll just say this all the bat is I think it's an Ocarina

of time. There's a part where you're

underground and there's like paths around water and the the

Reed deads are standing there and when they look up and light

up and give you that evil smile, it was just chilling.

But if, if it just feels like every Legend of Zelda game in

its own way is like actual artwork, like the kind of thing

you could screenshot it. Oh, yeah.

And it either looks like just a normal piece of artwork or like

something sculpted. It feels like every game was

ahead of its time in graphics, like even Skyward Sword, which

you know, didn't get great reviews.

It is a little hand holdy, but it is visually stunning.

I have to give it that. I mean like even even the the

first Legend of Zelda I played Twilight Princess like it was

more of a grim dark setting but it worked the grim.

Vibe on it it. Really worked.

It got. There, I've seen some stills

from it. It did look really gorgeous.

Yeah, it's. Still one of my favorite legend.

I haven't played much but I still want to make favorite

legend of Zelda's out there. I've watched it be played, but I

haven't played it myself, as with a lot of Legend of Zelda

games. I have a soft spot personally

for Wind Waker. See, that's what that's what I

was gonna bring up. That is the first Legend of

Zelda game that I personally played.

Yeah, I watched. I grew up watching my brother

play Majora's Mask in Ocarina. But then and obviously Wind

Waker. But then I started playing it

myself and it's straight up like a cartoon.

I mean, that's what I call him Tune Link.

But yeah, you could take that same game.

You can animate it and make it a kids show.

Oh yeah, it. Totally could.

Probably could. For sure.

It's adorable, it's chibi, it's totally different from all the

others. The games before like it.

Was brought. Cell.

Animated. I kind of, I think it's.

Like a it's like a mix of 3D cell animation.

Cell shaded, yeah. Yeah, I was.

Gonna say yeah sound. Right.

I'm not an animation guy, OK? I'm just a subject.

Yeah, you're. Just three idiots doing a

podcast. Yeah.

And my girlfriend. And as an artist, I have to

acknowledge the diversity in character design.

Like even looking through the concept art that I have in my

big Zelda book that I got, it's got like all a bunch of lore and

art in it. They just put so much effort

into making every character like, so distinguishable and

like eye popping. Some of them are creepy, some of

them are cute. Some like that.

What's that old lady with that likes the butterfly necklaces.

And that she, she always stuck out to me.

You give her the butterfly necklaces.

I took the teacher. Yeah, I don't know.

I just the diversity of characters in that game is

awesome. I don't remember who she is, but

no, yeah. Remember the pirates with

opposing body proportions? No one got like small to big

going up and 1 was like the opposite.

Yeah, this little pirate queen, and she's pretty much, it seems

like every character in that game, like is literally its own

unique character, like especially in Wind Waker.

Really. And the bird, the bird, the

demon Gannon bird, that thing was magical.

I loved every scene with that thing in it.

Is that the thing that flies down and swoops to pick you up

on Steals young? Girls.

No. It just steals young girls.

OK. It's a petal bird.

I. I I.

I don't have a type 2 blondies. I don't have a good grasp,

right? God, I don't.

I don't have a good grasp of what happens on that game

because I don't know how my parents got a hold of a demo

disc of a bunch of different Zelda games for the GameCube.

I know what you're. Talking about, and my only

experience with Zelda was playing through those demo demo

games. So I only had like an hour

starting to get random points in the game trying to piece

together what's going on and trying to learn how to play it.

Yeah. I mean, I just remember going on

to an island and I guess it's the it's an island that you can

climb up and there's bird people at the top or something.

It's like a bunch of tall clouds around, like a giant volcano

thing. Yeah, I was walking along on the

beach trying to figure out what was going on.

He was just the sun descending from the skies is some bird

thing trying to snatch me off the ground.

I just started freaking out as an 8 year old kid being like

what the Hell's going on? Yeah, Gannon sent out his pet

bird to try and catch Zelda, but the bird was dumb and didn't

know exactly what Zelda looked like, so he pretty much just

started grabbing any anyone with like, blonde hair, any small

person blonde hair. And that's how Link's sister in

the beginning of the game gets snatched up.

She's mistaken for for Zelda who who news flash turns out to be

that pirate chick. OK, but yeah.

And that's like the whole game trying to get the sister back

and take Gannon down. Well.

I want to have some context to close that area of my life down.

Now. Now you know why.

Now I know why. What's happening?

A childhood body cannot rest. But childhood's period is

nothing. Don't worry, you are not in

danger of being snatched by this bird.

I just see you jump. You're not this time.

What do I do? Yeah, I don't think you have

anything to worry about. It probably take one look and

just keep going. It probably go faster actually.

I started running away and started moving faster, like

what's going on? Jesus Christ, I was so freaked

out. I had I did not know what these

games were about, so I just powered down the GameCube.

My brain couldn't comprehend what was happening.

It was like, I'm going to die. Oh my God, this.

Is my cut reactions? No, I'm done.

The water I like the water and bouncing over the waves and.

Stuff. Oh yeah, I, I really like, I

really enjoyed the sailing that, that was so fun.

Very enjoyable, except trying to get the treasure chest that

always made me so mad. But yeah, so then there's Win

Waker. One game I'm currently playing

through with Ethan right now is Linked to the Past on my SNES,

and I just want to call that game out because I think every,

like I said, every zeal of the game is ahead of its time.

And the pixel art in this game, not even just the shades of

colors they use, but like the way that they use depth.

It really felt like you were like when you go down in a lower

hallway, you can tell you're in a lower hallway than the one

that's like on the screen, it's like an inch away, but the depth

of the pixels, it's just gorgeous.

Like all the different like maps and areas you can go through.

They're all unique. They all have their own depth.

And I don't know, I just felt really impressed with it.

But the main star of the show that I want to bring up because

this, I mean, I feel like everyone can agree.

And it's actually inspired art out of me.

Like I've drawn King Raru from Tears of the Kingdom.

I mean, Brother of the Wild too. I guess I'm kind of lumping them

together, but more Tears of the Kingdom because that's what I

was most recently obsessed with is like just every shot, every

angle, anywhere you look, it's like a piece of art.

And like with all the other games, the diversity of the

character design, the concept are just the ideas behind all

the abilities. And there's almost like this

ingrained spirituality in it is like you discover more about

high rule and the and the people that used to rule it and all the

the history. Lauren The art on the walls and

in the caves and just the sunsets and the textures of the

grass and the lighting. I think the lighting is one of

my favorite aspects about it. It's just such a stunning game

no matter where you look at it. Even the monsters all have cool

designs and there's like different types of the same

monster and I don't know, that game was just really impressive

and I spent so much time just wandering, just enjoying the

world, just sucking it up. Stop like on the Cliff edge and

just like it's a good, that's a good view right there.

It's always so impressive how just good, solid artwork design

really goes to just set you into immersion no matter what the art

style is, as long as it's really thought out and it makes sense

and it fits with all the themes, it's just incredible how it

really pulls ideas and concepts together pretty well.

Ties it all together perfectly. It's like the whole world.

It's like a balance, like the Rito and the Zora.

And in tears it came to the Zoni.

That's what I was trying. I don't know how I forgot what

the my name was for it, but the Zonai King Rahu has been one of

the most inspiring characters I've encountered in a long time.

Like I have a good couple sketches and paintings I made of

him. You.

Made a really good painting too. Yeah, and his face, it's just

stunning with the, the gold and the jewelry and the, the outfit.

Though it did take me a long time to realize how short his

legs were. Because I think I thought

because he was a ghost, he was just like floating and there's

like a little wisp at the bottom or something.

But no, look, this is look how small his little legs are.

Oh, they're so tired. He's he's nothing but torso and

like neck. If you look at a picture of him

on your phone, his his legs are like an inch and then his body's

like 3 inches. Yeah, and I mean, it's a little

weird, but I don't know how, but they made it flow.

Plus with his long hair, dragon behind and the big ears, he's

just so visually stunning. I don't know, maybe his short

legs make him more interesting. But yeah, I just, I've spent so

much time just sitting here just looking at art of him and

drawing him. I was very impressed with this

game and just every little aspect of it was so gorgeous.

And I'm like, how are they going to keep making more Zelda games

and keep out doing themselves? I don't know how they're going

to keep topping it. His little third eye with the

gold eyelashes. I like the little hair pieces he

has in his hair. He's just so gorgeous.

I cannot hype up King Romer enough.

And Queen Sonia was a, I mean, she was a queen, man.

She was. Is that the one in the?

Lord. Is that the one in the?

Jesus, yeah, no Queen Sonia. She looks like a Helian.

Yeah, the village of Woman. Or no, no, Queen Sonia is King

Rauer's first wife. They were the first king and

queen of Hyrule. I don't think I've seen her.

And he was the last of the Zonai, so he was like him and

his sister were like the last of the that whole species pretty

much. Gotcha.

But yeah, and then you you have all these new characters and

species like the Zonai and then the lomei, which are like a

subspecies of the Zonai. And they were more like

animalistic and warrior like. And they lived like underground

whilst the zone I lived up in the sky.

And eventually they stuff happened and they drifted away

from high roll. And then the high really

Hillians were like, Oh no, our gods.

And it became like a whole spiritual thing for them.

But Oh my God, I could ramble all day about Zelda, man.

It's just one of my favorite things ever, but I suppose.

Good problem to have. Like literally like we could

talk a little bit about every single game.

Every game is gorgeous. It's like artwork like you can

freeze frame any scene of it. I mean, I have a game that I can

piggyback off the Zelda. What you got, Mr. Ethan?

Yeah, what you got? So there's this game called

Tunic, in which you're just a little fox, well, wearing a

tunic just like Linkwood, a green tunic A.

Sword and a shield. And yeah, no, literally, I mean,

you start, you start off with a stick and you go and find a, a

sword and it's kind of like it's an isometric top down.

But this game has is beautiful. There's like a bunch of green

bushes and trees and grass around.

And then soon you'll find yourself in like the Forbidden

Forest, I think not maybe not Forbidden Forest, but there

there's an area where you go to to get your sword and you know,

you fight through that area with a stick.

You know, you, you, you. And here's here's something

really cool about this game is that there's pages you can pick

up as you play, as you play through this game.

And these pages are basically like the little pamphlets that

you get or you used to get in video game boxes or the sorry

disc cases like you, you, you pick up pages and you, you fill

out your manual, your pamphlet, and you can look through the

pages and you know nothing about this game.

As you pick up these pages and you find certain things, it

starts to explain how the game works.

Like for example, if you press A, you can, you can dodge.

And if you press A and hold, you'll dodge into a Sprint.

And as you as you hold a you still Sprint.

But you wouldn't know that until you either just pressed random

buttons and figured it out, or you found the page, which in

itself is really cool. Yeah, that's a really

interesting way of world building.

And you pick up two pages at a time.

More importantly, what's your favorite aspect of the game's

design and look, and what's the energy?

It goes off like the mood. I mean.

We're we're here to talk about the art.

I think you guys are hard wired to just get into games and talk

about the games and the mechanics, but we're here to.

Talk about that. I mean, I was.

I was. That's a big problem of ours I.

Mean I was kind of getting through that because I want to

like, you know, get because like the the four because you start

off on like a a beach, which, you know, it's just like perfect

sunshine, whatever, really pretty.

But then you get into the forest.

It's a little shady, but you have some sunshine getting

through and that can be really pretty.

But then you can also go, I think to the to the West and

it's it's less land and more water.

It's kind of like the first area where it's just a bunch of

sunshine that can that's really nice.

But then you can find the quarry and that's that's where things

start to get darker and more like just gross looking and

that. And also, once you get done far

enough into the quarry, you have, I think, miasma, and that

starts to mess with the screen. And like, that's your cue to be

like, OK, something's going on here, something's wrong.

And this game doesn't tell a story.

And even when you pick up the pages of the pamphlet, it

doesn't explain anything. It's mainly pages and sometimes

English letters and words. But so you're really just using

the environment to really tell yourself what's going on.

Yeah, because if you find a, well, you'll press A on the,

It'll say, hey, you want to press A on the wall, you press A

and then it's like, and you can't even tell what it says.

Oh, I remember seeing that watching you play it, Yeah.

So this game, it's it's story comes off in and that can be

enough form itself as a story because a really good story can

go a long way. Oh yeah.

So that's I mean. That's art, too.

Right, that's what I was saying like that's.

An art form. And like, the fact that it says

nothing but it does a lot to tell you about this game.

It's just, that's another really good thing cuz you're going

through all these areas and eventually you find a library

and like, OK, well, something's clearly going on here and you're

finding all these mysterious pillars and you have to power

these pillars. You'll figure that out again as

you collect the pages. But like you just you start off

with more questions than answers.

Then as you continue you still you answer some of your

questions but then you're like what the hell is now what is

going on? Like this is deeper than I

initially thought. Yeah, I'm looking at just

pictures of the game online, so I want to get a better idea of

it. And the first thing that struck

me is that with how it's topped down, it kind of looks like a

miniature, little miniature town, a little setup and little

toys, but with the pretty lighting, which I see what you

mean, like how it changes the vibe of each situation.

Yeah, and it can change dramatically from area to area.

It's like a digital miniature. I really like it.

It's cute. The characters are chibi.

And, and what's really cool is that you may go through an area

and you're like, Oh well, OK, like that's that, you know, I

found the entrance to this area, but then the exit hidden in

plain sight. Like that's an artistic

decision. And there's so many secrets in

like so many secret, like just how many secrets they put into

small areas of the map. This like you'll go behind a

waterfall classic, but you'll find a chest.

You'll go behind a rock, you'll find a chest that was hidden

there. Or you'll find you'll go around

like a mountain or something. And you'll like you'll find a

hidden path that takes you to somewhere that you've have to go

through trial and tribulations to get to.

And it's just even that just speaks volumes to me.

Like there's. Just the whole world designed.

It's for you. To want to go out and look into.

There's so much for you to get to find and discover and just to

look at and just take in about this game.

And it I, I find it really does flow with kind of the Zelda

formula, you know, just based off how the character looks.

And it's not exactly a Zelda story, but it really plays off

that fact of just the the mystery of maybe.

It's like a parallel universe where Link is a fox.

Maybe, you know, like Twilight Princess, but fox.

That's funny. And this game kind of kind of

kind of hard. Yeah.

I've fought some boss fights, even mini bosses that are just

difficult. They're relentless and this is

one of those games where you find a campfire and as soon as

you go at the campfire, every enemy that you've killed comes

back. Yep.

Oh, it kind of does that like Dark Souls mechanic.

Yes. Everything responds.

Yep. And if you die, everything

responds, obviously. Yeah, yeah.

I'm just saying. But you go, you go around

collecting these items and you start off with just HP and

stamina, and then eventually you find a magic item.

What's that? Now you have a magic bar, like

there's just the more you look around, the more you find and

it's just, it's beautiful for that.

So does it have like an exploration aspect to?

It oh, very much so Like you want to go, you want to go to

all these areas and find all these things and just figure out

how many secrets. It doesn't tell you how many

secrets. It's not like one of those kind

of games like, oh, this area is 100% completed.

No, it's just you go around and if you miss something, you miss

something. Yeah, that is that leads me to

my next point. Like one of my favorite things

about games, like probably one of my favorite types of games is

just the simple exploration survival collection type game

with that's beautifully set up. Like I mean, just for instance,

I'm not gonna get into it, but I just started playing Path of

Titans. It's that dinosaur game and

there is a lot of fighting in it, but it's mostly just

wandering around collecting flowers and mushrooms and

growing your little dinosaur. And it's really cute exploring

the map and you can try out different dinosaurs and grow

them and it's really fun. One the next game I wanted to

bring up and you know, I'm torn cuz I had, I was thinking about

it and I thought of a few options.

I was thinking about Undertales, thinking about Stray, which I

haven't played but I've watched and it's gorgeous.

But the game I want to give some attention because it's a very

small little indie game. I think it was like 3 or $5 off.

The Nintendo Shop is a game called the First Tree and it is

pretty much this ethereal like dreamlike sequence.

You're a fox and it's like a third person game where you're

exploring is this fox collecting the lights.

And there's like, almost like a conversation going on in the

background. I, I believe what I remember

right between this guy and this girl and it, or maybe just this

guy and it kind of, as the game goes on, you learn a little bit

more about the story and what led this guy to his like where

he's at now. And it's almost melancholy, but

it's like a dream sequence running around.

And I just remember all the visuals being very pretty.

The, the fox is cute. It's kind of like a platformer.

Like you got to hop around and get to different places to

collect lights. And I, I actually think I played

that a couple times because it's kind of like a short game and I

just really enjoyed the playthrough And I can't, I got

to replay it honestly, because I can't remember too much of the

story, but I remember feeling pretty moved by the end.

I was a little bored at first, you know, I was just kind of

running around as a fox. But towards the end I'm like,

wow, I'm, I'm invested. Like it's the kind of game.

Like I said, it's kind of feels melancholy and like hopeful and

I don't know, just this quiet, like just existing atmosphere.

And I, I really enjoyed playing it.

I think it's, it's a good, good game for a few bucks.

You know what I mean? Like you can tell someone just

made out of love. Like they had an idea, they made

some artwork and they put it into game format.

It's it's really cute. I mean, it kind of reminds.

Me. I know you all aren't really

into those type of games though. I mean, kind of boring.

I I'll, I'll get into a little bit and I know, Mark, you want

to get to some of your games, but really quickly there was a

game kind of like the first tree, at least how you described

it, called Fey Fe, like that's that's it Fe.

I've heard of that. It was on.

My dumb ass sort of company that's desired or something.

It was on game pass I think it was like an EA play game maybe?

Something like that, yeah. Which is weird because it's

mainly sports anyway. It was kind of the same thing

where you run around as AI, can't remember a little

creature. And I think you even get I love

being animals. I think you even get like other

critter abilities, I think as the game goes on, but also

there's something wrong because you you see these enemies that

are basically spotlights and if you get caught, you get caught.

But I don't remember too much. It's been so long.

But yeah, it kind of reminded me of that where it should.

It's just no again, no words, just like Tunic, no words.

It's purely atmosphere, storytelling.

I don't play. Any game where I get to run

around as any type of creature. Like I love running around as a

dinosaur. I remember I used to play Spyro

just to run around as a dragon and Clyde a little bit.

I didn't even end up beating that game.

Smash Bros, I used to put like a dead MPC on there and just kind

of run around as Pikachu and almost like role play.

I think that's why I'm so obsessed with Path of Titans.

It's everything I could have wanted as a kid in a game.

Like I just want to be a fucking dinosaur.

You can just be a fucking dinosaur in this game.

Like no more, no less. Dinosaur.

You can be cool and like cordial in chat and ask people like,

hey, you want A1V1, or you can just, you know, get a big

dinosaur, grow it real big and just start hunting people.

If you're good enough at it, you can do whatever that you know,

dinosaurs each other. It's just what happens.

You got to eat food, you got to drink water.

Trying not to get eaten by bigger dinosaurs.

Sorry pleb, it's just the circle of life.

It is. I mean it is annoying that there

are a lot of online groups that do what what are called mega

packs, mega mixed packs or whatever.

So you kind of do like herds. Yeah, it's almost, it's pretty

much just like a bullying thing, you know, like a bunch of a

bunch of sweats get on there, like Call of Duty kids get on

there and like, let's ruin people's days.

Like someone could just be in the field enjoying looking at

their stegosaurus and just a big group of Raptors, Stegosauruses,

spy nose, T rex's, yeah, just freaking hats.

The flying ones, they all just attack you, I don't know where

and run around is a huge group. Oh God.

And you know, there's limits against making official groups

in the game where you can cheat each other's names, but people

just make discord groups and just get together in the game,

you know what I mean? So you can't.

Yeah, there's work around. You can't really avoid it.

And I mean, it's an early access game.

So also the balance between the dinosaurs isn't perfect yet.

So if you're not playing the right game style for the

dinosaur, like a lot of dinosaurs are not so low.

Like you can't, you can't solo a Raptor, Raptors or gangs.

You got to be in the gang with them to survive.

But yeah, and I don't even know where I was going with this.

I just love being animals in games, you know?

Like, I just want to run around as a little dude, just go feral,

you know? Yeah, especially if you'd like

be mad at me. Yeah, you get to glide like

Spiral. I used to like glide around in

his little wings. Like I'm like I, I wish there's

a level you could just glide, like just continuously because

you had to jump from a high spot, I think, and then you

collide. There's one in three, but yeah.

Like, I don't think he can just take off, you know what I mean?

He has to glide off something except for that one racing

level, but. Yeah, Marky, got any?

What you got? I have an oldie and I'm not sure

how many people are going to be be able to remember this one

because this is back during the Xbox One.

It's called Bastion and it was a small I I, I want to say it was

an indie title. I don't remember how big the

studio was, but essentially the premise is that the major

empires of the world made a machine that just broke apart

the world. The whole world is now

consisting of just floating islands that are slowly

deteriorating away as whatever people are left or just trying

to eke out an existence. And you managed to stumble upon

this island that actually holds itself together and can actually

grow if you feed it more power. And the what's cool about it is

that they take the premise of this and they build it into the

game itself. Now it's, it's a, I'm hitting

the microphone. It's a, it's an isometric sort

of dungeon crawler game. I know you said I was explaining

it to you before we started the podcast today.

I was saying it was more like wizard with a gun needs

Minecraft dungeons. But I, I wouldn't say it's not a

rogue like. It's definitely not a rogue like

I'd say it's more like was it with a gun meets Diablo or

something like that spot. Are you talking like dungeon

collar? Yes.

OK. Yes.

So essentially each area you go into is like its own Dungenesque

area, but it's like a linear story game too.

But it, it, it is beautiful. As you move around the map, you

see chunks of land fly up to fill in the spots in front of

you as you're going. And as you leave an area, you

see the land fall back down into the void and you're piercing

together the environment as you're walking through it,

trying to figure out where you're at.

And the the environments are so dynamic.

You have like city and town escapes, ruins.

You have kind of like a bad land areas or I think there's like a

Bayou in the game at some point and sort of like a mountainous

area with like hill tribes attacking you and stuff.

It it it the the the color choices and the shapes that they

use are so beautiful too. It, it just kind of works itself

together. It's very vibrant At some

points. I can also change to be kind of

dull and Gray depending on the environment you find yourself

in. And then it it ties itself

really neatly into the narrative too, because you'll have the

narrative, you'll have the narrator just kind of narrating

what's happening, giving you sort of cues on where you're at

or what you're doing. It is just a very gorgeous game

that I don't think a lot enough people have really played.

Sounds very interesting. I love a game that has different

terrains and like, changing light settings.

Yeah, you know what I mean? That I feel like that really

immerses you. And it's like, right when you

think you get used to like a vibe it was giving off.

It's like this, the clouds part and the sun comes out and it's

like a new day. You know, I love that kind of

thing. It's.

Very, very artsy. It really sets the mood.

Especially like when night time falls, you're like oh God it can

be peaceful or it can be scary depending on the game you're

playing. Yeah.

And like in even in even within the game itself, it can be like

day or something and be just fine at that.

As soon as it becomes night. Now it's just terrifying.

Because yeah. Maybe like other creatures come

out right, different status effects, you know what I mean?

Like depends on the game. Like when night time falls in

Path of Titans, you want to watch out because I feel like

people get into a lot of trouble at night.

They like to sneak around and jump you.

Under the veil of darkness. Under the veil of darkness.

Yeah, I watched a little bit. Someone played The Aisle today,

which is like a similar game to Path of Titans but like I guess

it's more survivally and more realistic.

Like a lot more realism and fewer dinosaurs.

And this guy was a Raptor and he was actually stalking A

stegosaurus at night and you couldn't even see him in the

grass because he was dark. The only reason you could see

him is because from his perspective he can see an

outline of his dinosaur and you can literally hunt by senses in

this game. Like you can't see him but your

Raptors got a smell ability or a sound ability.

You can see the little wave. So he haunted this stegosaurus

by like sound or some shit in the darkness.

I'm like that game sounds path I feel like is more beginner

friendly and just more fun goofing around.

Isle is like you better be ready it's.

Intense. Yeah, that sounds like it's

beautiful, though. That sounds like the equivalent

of. It's very pretty.

Color of the Wild where it's a hunting game and it kind of

takes itself pretty seriously where like at you can during the

day you can find tracks and follow them, but at night you

have to like you have to turn your flashlight on in order to

continue following the tracks. Yep because I was doing that I

was following tracks of some animal that I shot and then all

of a sudden it disappeared until I turned on my flashlight and

I'm like oh because I was so confused for like 5 minutes.

That reminds me of the dark areas and length of the past you

have. You have that little circle

around you have to keep lighting the torches and running is

actually pitch black. Yeah, no, it's very pitch black

and you hear like squeak, squeak or something, like just in the

darkness or like or spiders or something.

You're like, yeah, I don't know where they're.

I don't know where they were kind.

Of scary man it is. How we darkness that burns.

About the dark. I'm personally super hyped.

I'll I'll still talk about after this.

I'm just, I'm super freaking hyped to see where Path of

Titans goes because it's still early access, which is like

they're still making the game and I can't wait to see the end

product. I mean, it's probably going to

be years down the line, but it's going to be huge.

I bet the graphics are going to be even more insane than they

already are. And I feel like it's going to be

a phenomenon, especially once they balance out all the

dinosaurs like, properly and like get the formula just right.

It's, it's going to be amazing. More abilities and stuff.

Hey, you can say that you were a part of it.

Yeah. And I think, I think that people

who bought it and started playing it Early access, I think

when it releases, I heard on the Grapevine that you're going to

get like a little special something, something on top.

That's usually how. Maybe like a little skin pack or

you know, buffs or something. You get something.

So I'm really excited. Plus, I've never played an early

access game before and it's super cool to like to, to

listen, read about the in the community, like listen to people

talk about the differences, the changes, what they think they

should do better, what they like, what they don't like.

Like I'm watching this game be built like Legos from the ground

up. Like I'm I'm watching the team

balance out the kinks like, oh, that last update.

Maybe we should lower this guy's speed and up his strength or.

Place for you know. And it's just, it's so cool.

It's so cool. I feel like I'm almost helping

them develop the game cuz they're getting all this

feedback and they're getting funding.

You're pretty much helping them, yeah.

And it's just, it's just an awesome experience.

I can't put the game down. I literally can't.

The last week I have chose video games over cleaning and like you

know, just doing so many other things like I would eat, shower,

work and come home and just dinosaurs.

That's. The same dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs. And I bought some dinosaur

gummies, like from the gas stations.

I'm going to be eating them tonight.

I want dinosaur gummies. I'll wear my dinosaur bandana.

Dinosaurs. I almost bought a dinosaur.

Figurine the other. Day and.

It's in Jurassic Park, one of those cool wrapped, and I'm

like, I shouldn't have spent $7.00 on this.

Oh. God.

They had a Spinosaurus too though.

Damn. I want more dinosaur toys.

Well, Brandon, do you got any anymore?

So it's so while we were sitting here talking, I actually thought

of something. It's not on the list.

OK, Oh no. Uncharted territory.

Not that. Bad I don't have a friend.

My brain, it's melting. This.

Is too crazy. That's too.

Damn bad getting out of hand. Heart attack.

So a game that felt like art and this shocker Resident Evil 8.

Oh boy, here he goes again. How many times has he brought?

Resident. Evil or Sonic?

It's or Sonic. It's at least once an episode.

Yes, Sir. You don't like it?

He's like scratching at his neck talking about Sonic or.

He's like a crack addict just scratching the Starbucks.

Damn Leon. Leon or do?

You just crush up the game. Damn this resonant.

Really is evil. And just put it straight into

your vein and just get it over with.

I'd rather snort it one more fun.

Yeah, there you go. Snort it straight to your brain.

Not even in your blood, just straight to your brain.

Yeah, but a particular part of the game is when you get to.

There's this really tall girl. Yeah, very tall woman.

Yeah, this was so. Weird 30 minutes just talking

about this tall lady. She's cool her.

Marker Flyer was pretty obsessed with.

Something I don't know. Much about Resident Evil, but I

do know who you're talking about.

Yeah, lady I. Think I saw her in VR chat.

You probably did. Yeah.

Lady Dematrix. She's cool, but her castle?

Oh, her castle's nice. Yeah.

But what the specific part I think of is the main, like the

main hall with the chandelier and there's a staircase that

goes up. Can't say I recall seeing it.

That's fucking gorgeous 'cause that's the first thing that you

you see when you walk into this place and with everybody.

If you play resident Will 8, it's in first person, but they

have added like third person if you wanted it.

But yeah, you walk through these two doors.

This is before you see Lady D You go through these two doors

and like I said, there's a chandelier, a fireplace, there's

another I think 2 double doors in front of you that go to a

kitchen and then there's a staircase that goes up.

A lot of that room is etched with gold.

There's like there's specific etching around everywhere in

this room and even down the hallways of this room that took

me back. Like holy shit.

Like even the 1st 5 minutes of the game where Mia, who's your

character's wife, is reading this book to her, to your

daughter, it looked real as hell.

Like everybody was kind of like what the fuck this looks?

This looks great. Yeah, right.

And it's the way that this game is, it's like gothic horror

related. There's a lot of like, different

things that are kind of bunched together in this different,

like, series like, yeah, werewolves and a bunch of other

shit. Just gothic stuff.

While you're talking about the house, I just want to point out

it feels like sometimes we forget how much information and

research it takes into architecture to, to make these,

these scenes in these homes. Like you need to hire

specialists to, to get references on like how old style

Gothic homes were set up and like what would make sense in a

big mansion like that. Like I, I think that's beautiful

that something like architecture is so incorporating the video

games. And I think that's, that's not

really spoken on a lot like a lot of people talk about just

like the graphics and characters.

But I mean, you got to think who's designing all, all the

shrubs and the, the bricks and the, the pillars and where the

pillars are placed. You know what I mean?

And leading up to the castle, you're outside in like this

village, OK, it's snowing and what not.

That was all so beautiful. What kind of village is it?

Is it like a little stone building like?

So they're mostly wooden. Yeah, it's like cabins.

Cabins. But then there's that big

mansion. And then there's the.

Castle Mansion, yes. I will say what you said kind of

reminded me of Mark's Cathedral, because at first you built it

like going north-south as like just a basic city of Minecraft.

Yeah, yeah, Minecraft. You know, in real life he's

built he's he's building a mega I.

Don't know. If you're talking about

different game, OK, yeah, I've had to affect many families for

this. Yeah, on the on our Minecraft

server, Mark is building a cathedral and it started off as

like a north to South like cross basically building Yep.

And then he's like, no, wait, no, I've done my research, take

it all down. And he was, he was a couple

probably maybe 1000 blocks into this.

He took it all down, put it all back up.

But then, Oh my God. You got stained glass in it?

That's my. Favorite point?

It's about to and how are you going?

To do stained glass in it. Well, he he.

Make a huge ass window. It's like pixel light with the

blocks. Yeah, and he actually had a

question for you. Yeah, funny enough, I'm not sure

if you want to do a sitting hour after.

We'll do it after the show. OK, but as long as you.

Don't forget because I probably. Will.

But yeah, he's he. He went from this building that

looking across to this wood to this stuff, this giant stone

building with twin like with two towers and then.

There's three towers actually. I was gonna get to that with a

third tower that goes even taller.

You're like, we can't actually can't have twin towers we're

gonna have. Another one.

Jesus Christ. Oh.

I I mean I I took inspiration from real life cathedrals.

Never mind. I took inspiration from

Minecraft Cathedral. No, I thought you.

I don't. I'm still on the towers there.

Oh. My God.

I took of inspiration from Roll Out One.

Time. Oh no.

And. What's actually funny about that

is taking inspiration from real life is that made me want to try

harder on my boat that I'm making because I, I started off

with like a, it was, it was going to be, it's gone through

so many different ideas, but it was like a first a pirate boat,

then it was going to be like a cruise ship, and then now it's

like a, like a giant cargo ship, but it's still a pirate ship at

the same time. It's it's weird.

It's a merchant vessel. Yeah.

Yeah. My, my work on redesigning the

cathedral from something that. Oh, I'm just gonna throwing

together something haphazardly into, oh, I'm actually going to

take this seriously and research and put in the effort to

actually make design choices that make sense for this

building. Reinvigorated Ethan to actually

do the same. It's just so nice to be able to

got to inspire. The Bros.

It inspired people like that. I still got to.

Get It is inspiring. I still got to get on try and

finish that boat. I think I'm just stuck on

waiting for Jack to get that mega torch in.

I think so. Because I'm tired of all these

mobs appearing at night and I just want to build.

No, it's all on stasis because we're waiting on fucking Fabric

mod to we're waiting at create the create mod to get updated

for fabric. We've been waiting for like 4

months. Yeah, maybe more.

We've been waiting for close to a year for the fabric version.

Oh really? It's been.

Really annoying. Yeah, my reality has warped.

Like Kabul mods already like 2 updates ahead of us.

Yep. All of our support mods are

waiting for Fabric for Create to get updated, so we're really

just kind of sitting in a stasis waiting for this to happen and

it's just still radio silent from the Fabric team for Create.

But I think we should get back to airplane Brandon about.

Yeah, didn't we like spiral off? You talking about Resident Yule?

That's usually how it happens. That's usually how it happens.

That's a normal thing. So.

So there's so there's the village.

Yes, Mansion and so that castle just the way, like I said, the

architecture is like you'd have to to really understand it.

You might want to look at pictures of it or watch gameplay

or even play it yourself, but there's that piece of art there.

And then another thing with Resident Wolf 4 Remake, what

they did, again, this is part of the castle section of the game.

That's another castle. She's in another council.

You're Princess. That's the words, but resident

will Forest Castle and the remake.

They did something different with the again, it's, I don't

want to call it a man hall, but I guess it kind of is where you

meet Salazar for the first time. Yeah.

Well, the way they did this, it's Moody, the way the lighting

is. And my favorite thing is what

they did with the floor. There's like fog on the floor,

OK, that you see and the way that the mood is, the way that

how this room looks. Again, architecture wise, it's a

little etching again, but it's more of the lighting that they

achieved with this and the lighting with the fog on the

floor, because you always see it because in this section of the

game you actually fight enemies. And being able to fight enemies

in this room with the fog and everything and the lighting, it

was fucking gorgeous. I love fog and video games.

I love it. If you do it right, it can make

it survivey. And it it makes it, like I said,

Moody. I think that's the thing that

you. Have to do it right.

But it yeah, and just the atmosphere that it it gives you

because you go from that to AI guess boss fight.

But just really how they completely remade Resin Wolf 4

because I've played the original how many fucking times and the

remake how many fucking times they really did it well with its

atmosphere this time around. Because even the village

section, when you just get out of the car don't die.

You're the first section of the village.

We're you know, Leon gets out of the car complaining and shit

because that's what he does. He.

Always looks to complain, don't he?

Yeah, he does. And make jokes.

Really bad jokes. I.

Know, though, watch out. We're actually this Rizzo's good

and good. Evil.

Hi my name is Leon and I like the Leon however it goes.

But the again, the atmosphere of just literally the 1st 5

minutes, great graphically great the art, just how much they

updated and how much better the game feels from its OG

counterpart. It's like night and fucking day.

What's? The lighting like in that game.

So. I haven't really played in much

Resident Evil, if you can't tell.

No, that's fine. So it's it can be, like I said,

Moody dark lighting. It can also be bright.

Pretty typical of a survival horror.

Yeah. Well, when it's bright, is it

like bright as in like white or bright isn't colorful?

So it's I guess it could. Be kind of pale bright.

I would say pale, muted, kind of, yeah.

The colors are muted, but that's what I remember of Resident

Evil. Is it looking a little muted and

kind of eerie? Yeah, I would say probably the

the OG is more muted, but I mean we're talking a game from 2005.

Yeah, you know, but with the remake, there is definitely more

color in it. It's more it can be more

colorful, but there is still muted sections.

Like there are there certain colors that pop like blood or

something? So blood, yes.

Oh God, there's. 4 right? Yes.

Four. I mean, it's a lot of like stone

and wood. Yeah, Stonewood mud, but at

least with the. So a lot of a lot of neutral

colors, I mean, yeah, I mean. Ashley's dress kind of stands

out, being quite. Orange, the way Ashley's

dressed, she pops, which helps with the environments.

It helps. To dedicate her when she's in

fucking barrel. That's why she's God.

That's why thank. God.

That's probably why she's always in peril.

Like reflective? She's all I did.

For shit. Not to go on a a side tangent,

but do. It the do it.

Remake Ashley fucking far better than OG.

Dear fucking God in the OG you could breathe on her die.

Look at her fucking die. Didn't you?

Can't you give her a knight armor?

Yes, you make her knight armor. You can give her knight armor in

both the OG and the remake. She's completely impervious to

everything. I have shot this motherfucker

with a rocket launcher. And.

She's fine like it, but the the remake wise she's a lot more

helpful because she actually does stuff for you.

Right, because before she would follow you.

Do they help? Me, yeah.

She. She could still be picked up and

and what not but the the the biggest thing with her is no

fucking health bar. Yep.

You know how much it sucks when you have to not just heal

yourself, but heal her? That does nothing and just gets

in the way and you have to tell her to hide.

Yes, which thank God for some of the dumpsters in the later

portions of the village, because dear Jesus Christ, Oh my God.

How many times do you plan to just leave here in the dumpster?

Well, The thing is you can't leave her.

Like if you try to go into a next room, it'll tell you you

can't leave Ashley behind. OK.

Like it can't clear out this whole mansion and then or this

whole like building and then be like, hey, come on, let's go.

There are some sections that you can do that, yes, but there's

others where she's just there with you.

Like the fucking water. Water hall Jesus.

If you like. I'm sorry but I'd play remake

over the original. I know, I know, there's

differences. Yes, but there there's

definitely quality of life improvements.

Yes, that's that. In this day and age, that's

priceless. Yes, cuz the water hole

especially, it's kind of the, it's not a halfway point, but

it's a, it's a part where if you cannot get past this room,

you're probably not going to be able to get through the rest of

the game. OK but isn't it an actual hall

of water like the Moses part to see?

Are you telling you more like Zelda underwater temple?

No. OK, There's literally water

around you, OK? And you have to boost Ashley up

so she can do these cranks. But while she's doing that,

there's enemies that spawn on top of her, like where she's at.

So you have to keep an eye on her.

But it's not just that you got to keep an eye on yourself too,

because there's enemies that are coming after you.

If Ashley gets picked up and goes and an enemy goes to a door

with her, it's game over. Sucks.

It's, it reminds me of how frustrating it was in a Dead

Space. There's a section where you meet

back up with Nicole and you're both on like these elevators

that move across the side and at some point they get stuck by

doors. And she's on the part where all

the controls are. But there's necromorphs swarming

her and you, and you have to defend both you when you're

herself and yourself. And it's just chaotic and

frustrating and. Yeah, that's basically.

What another of you die? But even with the castle, I

would say is where you really see a lot of just great just

detail in the environments and the way that they've been built

now. So the I would say the castle is

probably the best representation of what the art is.

OK. Now the and the island last

section of the game has some nice areas, but it's not unless

it's not noteworthy, but it's yeah, you know, but yeah, fun,

fun, good stuff. Lots of games can be lots of art

in several different ways. Yes, not just the way it looks.

But just design you. Got the narrative, you got the

design, you got the characters and you got the movement and

gameplay and lighting. I think lighting plays a huge.

Part even sound. Like even sound can be

underrated. Yeah, I was watching a video,

but I'm not going to go too into it, but I was watching a video

about Five Nights at Freddy's Sound and sound can add a lot to

it, Like even the smallest sound.

I think I know what video you're talking about.

But yeah, like just there's so many different ways to

incorporate art. Yes.

Into a game. And sound I've noticed over the

years really makes or breaks a game.

Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. Just like a Path of Titans.

I like how every dinosaur has its own sounds and roars and

different things. Like the Killer Raptor.

When you do the little heart emote, it's like a little whoop,

whoop, whoop, like a little laugh, little laugh, Yelp.

And it's really cute. And, you know, that's one reason

I love video games in general, because it's just yet another

way I can inject art into my life.

And I am an artist and a big fan of art, and I am very inspired

by video games. You know, Pokémon games are

always very inspiring. I remember drawing a lot of

Pokémon. I drew a lot of Legend of Zelda.

Yeah. I just, I don't know.

I am getting ready to head out here so if it's chill with you

guys I'd like to drop a couple plugs in case someone wants to

check out my art and my shit. Sure, go ahead.

You can always put these in the in the description too.

Yeah, we'll put them in the description as well.

We'll check out Shelby. Yeah, I mean, she did her, she

did her podcast art. Podcast Art.

Yeah, so I post, I post all my exclusively just my art on

Twitter X, whatever the fuck you call it.

I feel like that should just be the whole name now.

Twitter X, whatever the fuck you call it.

Yeah, because that's what everybody says.

You can find me at Kuno Woods. I think my screen name is Kuno

Beans, but it says at Kuno Woods under it.

I think that's how it works. Yeah.

And yeah, I just, I just post all my artwork there.

I do mostly digital, but I also post like some old traditional

and stuff and you know, and I'd like to take commissions, but I

don't have any type of following.

And then I am on Tiktok at Kuno Kuno under score cool beans with

AZ and you can see some of my art and some vlogs and my dogs

and I repost a lot of dumb stuff.

And that's pretty much all I'm on.

I mean I got Facebook but I read it but now and I would just like

to say if anyone out there plays Path of Titans, my Alderaan name

is Kuno under score. Cool beans.

I wish I had my number written down 'cause I think that's what

you need to add a friend. But maybe I can send that to

Ethan later. You guys can put it in the

description. Same.

I'm genuinely desperate for friends to play at the Titans

with. Like someone I can call on

Discord, you know, like I want, I want, I want a gang, I want a

pack, you know what I mean? We all play the same dinosaur

and. Shit and she plays on switch.

But I will play on PC as soon as physically possible.

I'm trying to get APC by the end of the year, which I'm super

hyped for because guess what? That means guys, More video

games. I'll actually be able to know a

little bit more what you're talking about, and you best

believe I'll be hopping in on some of your game sessions.

I would love to play some fucking lethal.

I was going. To say.

That shit's so funny and I always, I just wanted to be part

of that. Lethal repo.

I wanna play what's that one that Emma was playing?

He did the compilation on a birthday.

Alphasmo. Alphasmo.

Phobia. That looks fun as heck.

But yeah, I mean, I appreciate you guys having me here.

It was. It was a it was a pleasure

having you on the show. It was very fun discussing the

ways of my God, I cannot speak, I'm tired discussing the

artistic side of games in the design and the games that struck

us. I hope that it.

Took us to the double digit. You guys found it interesting.

Sorry, I talked about dinosaurs for like half the time.

It's kind. Of no, no worries.

It's like my whole personality right now.

By the way, dinosaurs. Yeah, please tell us in a

comments what your favorite dinosaur is and what games are

very artistic and moving to you. We would love to hear it.

And yeah, I appreciate you guys have him here.

Mike, you said you had something you wanted to ask me before I

leave. Yeah, I'll like I said, I'll do

it after the show. I'll like literally after, yeah,

OK, yeah. We're about at the end now.

All right. So, Mark?

Send this off. Thank you so much for having me.

I hope you'll have me back again.

Maybe some time in the future. Hello you on again it.

Was a lot of fun. Yeah, super cool.

Thank you for joining us. Yeah.

Thank you. Yeah.

All right, Mark, send us off. All right.

We have been plugging for player four with Mark, Brandon, Ethan

and our guest Shelby. Feel free to unplug and goodbye

everybody.

The Story