Busted Buttons

State of Play: The Last of Us Part II - Busted Buttons Ep. 15

June 03, 2020 TGPZ Gaming
Busted Buttons
State of Play: The Last of Us Part II - Busted Buttons Ep. 15
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Red starts off by giving us an update on his opinions for Death Stranding. I quickly talk about Control and then we move onto our main topic, The Last of Us Part II State of Play by Sony's PlayStation.

Afterwards, we discuss confusing maps and fast travel. Can a confusing map make us quit a game? Do we use fast travel a lot while playing our games?

We then have a very interesting conversation on how the little things in video gaming seem to not mean as much these days. It's a great nostalgic trip.

We end by tackling how annoying it is when enemies gang up on you and some great games or genres for the gamer who is mentally exhausted in their lives.

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Hick:

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Busted Buttons video game podcast. Great to be back with you again Miss last week did not want to but work was crazy. I had a lot going on. And then I was just an idiot read because I said, hey, let's do the podcast on my day off knowing that there was no way in hell that was actually going to happen. So right I don't know why I tried to schedule but anyways, just too much work headed finish and project. So here we are don't like saying we're back. But we're kind of back. Okay. We're gonna talk about the last of us, they released The Last of Us part to stay at play recently, we're going to definitely talk about that. We're going to talk about confusing maps and video games and what kind of effect that has on us as players. We've talked a little bit about fast traveling a little things and how they're not as special as they once were for us. Older gamers. We need some more nostalgia about enemies ganging up on you just some hook as bitches. And some gangs really going to get into that. And they're going to talk about lately, I've had a lot of mental exhaustion with these projects. Do you want to talk about gangs that are great for mentally like exhausted people, where you don't have to think a lot. And then we have some time after that, we're going to talk about some working out video games. And that topic I really care for so read, you know, let's try out the first topics that we have. But anyway,

Red:

I don't think that'll be a problem.

Hick:

When we get into any of that read, I gotta ask you, how is death straining treating you?

Red:

Well, I feel a lot better now that I've actually given it more than one or two drunken hours. Yeah, I'm about 1012 hours into it. I'm enjoying it, man, you know, we're gonna talk a little bit about kind of relaxing stuff. But something about just wandering around, picking up stuff to deliver and returning it not even necessarily doing the actual missions. And the you know, the actual main plot is kind of relaxing, you know, until you run into some of the enemies. But that's a whole different story. But no, I'm enjoying it. so far. The world is absolutely beautiful. The characters look unbelievable. And you know, of course, the cast if they got to play the character so far has been rock solid. So I know you said it's a you put about 100 hours into it. So I know I got a long way to go with it. So we'll see. But it has my interest now, in a way that it just didn't quite grab that first time I fired up. I'm blaming alcohol for that. Like I blame alcohol for most of my problems.

Hick:

Kind of going along with that I've been trying to get into control again recently actually just started up yesterday, because you know, I've seen all these Game Awards for the game. Yeah, and I'm just having a hard time getting into it. Um, what's the kind of one of the things is we'll talk about this in the podcast, the confusing maps yet then like, you know, I just saw all these games Awards and like, it's sometimes it's just hard to get into the game, but like, I played other games that were like that, and I said, you know what I'm gonna power through, I want to beat them. And I'm almost always enjoyed them. So I'm gonna give control and our chain has been playing a couple hours. You know, we're gonna go with that. But anyways, let's get away from that. It's not really what was on the agenda or the ads. Okay, let's talk Last of Us. Part Two, stay play. Um, this came out recently. And we're not going to first of all, I don't think there's really any spoilers. It was kind of just more like talking about like, the game setting. And yeah, the game mechanics. First of all, the game looks absolutely gorgeous. Oh, yeah, it does. Like, I mean, they shot in 4k. Well, you know, how do you transfer over 4k through YouTube? But yeah, it looks absolutely amazing. And I'm actually kind of excited because a lot of the game takes place in Seattle, and I've never been to Seattle, but I've always been like infatuated with it for why what reasons? I don't know. I guess it's like we live in a flat city. There's elevation out there. There's ocean seems like there's a lot of cool shit out there in Seattle so I'm kind of excited to get out there but I'll let you talk a little bit about like you know this stuff to read but yeah, they just kind of showed the settings some of the mechanics some of the combat But was there anything in there red that really caught your attention other than the game just looking absolutely gorgeous.

Red:

But I will say it the videos they showed about 20 minutes like you said they had some gameplay in there a couple of little cinematics but not much they focus very much on gameplay which was a nice change of pace from that Xbox series experts look no ship

Hick:

Tom somebody

Red:

right but I it was one of the most brutal looking like gameplays I've seen like the entire 20 minutes is almost just you murdering people murdering infected stuff and getting shot at and I know the first game Yes, I mean, it's rated it's a mature game it very much is it's third person combat oriented game, but man just watching what they do. chose to show off and I get you're trying to show off the weapons, you're trying to show off the combat mechanics. But man, it seemed like every clip was you controlling this 19 year old girl and either shooting somebody stabbing somebody or bashing somebody's head in with a spiked baseball bat. It really it really caught me off guard even though you know the first game, like I said, it's a fairly brutal game. I mean, it's like I said, rated M for Mature for a reason. And just that kind of caught me off guard a little bit, but it did give us a great sense of the combat mechanics in the game. And it does look that they've expanded on the first game quite a bit, just like in the number of weapons you have the different approaches you can have to scenarios. And then like just the crafting of weapons looks like it's gotten a bit of an upgrade as well. So I remember the first one I think all I ever crafted was like Molotov cocktails. So it looks like in this one, they've expanded on that a little bit to make your weapons and everything a little more customizable. So so I get shown off the brutality from that standpoint, they wanted to show what the combat brings. And so I get it, but it just definitely caught me off guard. But one thing else that I kind of noticed, you know, obviously in the world of The Last of Us, you know, there's a bunch of infected out there, they're trying to kill you. But most of this game looks like it's gonna be a little more focused on human to human interactions in combat. Did you kind of get that sense, too?

Hick:

Yeah, definitely. did. I mean the overall like you said, like, yeah, it takes place it starts off in Jackson, Wyoming, in like a community where there's a bunch of survivors. So obviously, you have the human interaction right there. But yeah, as they're showing the gameplay, like they're showing dead, you're definitely fighting some infected, but there's also definitely a life human combat combat. Um, yeah, for me, I don't particularly care for the some people call horror some people don't. Zombies, it scares the shit out of me. So I call horde, but the whole zombie and horror friend, genre I don't really care for I'm, I'm the last of us. I loved it. I didn't love that part of it. I love the story of The Last of Us. And, you know, I thought the mechanics were solid, but um, you know, I don't know how I feel about that. Because, yeah, I don't like zombies and all that, you know? Yeah. Do you like kind of fine humans more in my games? Yeah. But being that the last game focus so much on the infected, you know, I kind of feel like the game was going to go that way. But it's one of those things, you know, I'm gonna give it a chance. You know, see if I like it. See if I don't like it.

Red:

I'm sure it's almost a day one purchase for both of us.

Hick:

Definitely say one purchase, but it just shocked me also kind of shocked me like I knew that we played as Ellie, but kind of what is Joe's place? And all this? Because the first game you mostly played is Joe. Am I correct? Yep. Yeah, okay. I can't remember. Yeah, this game looks to be almost all le maybe play Joe here in there. But the thing I didn't like about the stay of play, like in the gameplay they showed is, it doesn't seem like Joe has that big of a part in the game. And I absolutely loved the connection that they have had. So yeah, well, I guess they still do have it. But they had a lot of it in the first game. So you know, yeah, you get some you more human interaction, like, you know, but then Joe looks like he's not playing as big of a part. So yeah, I don't know. But you know, kind of going not kind of go a little bit going along with the whole community and people, the game is also appears to be more open world, like, yeah, like, She's right. Ellie is right on horseback. And then she's also right in a boat. Now, I don't think the game is completely open world. Like it's not going to be straight, linear. And that's something I'm excited about, like, is that something that you're excited about? I'm not really

Red:

like, I mean, I like open world games. Obviously, we spend a lot of time talking about open world versus linear and all that in our preferences. But to me, I thought the first one was so like, the narrative was such an important part of it. Yeah, the things like exploration was generally not needed. And I feel like it would have detracted from the strong story they were telling. So for me, I'm worried that by opening it up a little more, that we start getting into that whole Hey, open world games have a hard time telling a strong story issue that has persisted in gaming for as long as I've been playing. So I'm, I'm all for like, maybe having some bigger areas like arenas for lack of a better word to, to fight your enemies like yeah, okay, maybe you get a couple of buildings. And you can pick whatever approach that works best for you and your equipment, your playstyle. But I don't want to go into the point where it feels like a fully open world game where you're scavenging you're collecting things, you're you've got all kinds of little like points of interest on the map. That's not the last of us, to me, that is not what the first one was. And I get Hey, evolve. And if you can make bigger areas for like the actual encounters and the actual set pieces, that gives you some more different ways you can approach the combat scenarios and everything. Then I'm for it, you know, I'm okay with that. I like having a little bit more variety and bigger sections. It's just I don't want them going overboard and making it fully open world and that's what concerned me when I saw her riding on the horseback or you think you can travel on Boat as well. And I'm just like, I don't want this go in that full direction because I want a nice tight story for the last was part two like the first one was and I think some of that other stuff if you start doing side quests and exploration in there I feel like it can detract from the story which I think is generally considered one of the best stories in all of gaming with the first one so I I'm soaked like bigger areas I'd be okay with for like the combat and the encounters. But other than that, man, keep it keep it a little more linear, keep it focused, so you can tell that strong story about all this without all the

Hick:

fluff, you can't evolve. But don't be silly to like, don't fall into that trap where you completely change the game. And a dog said this is their largest and most ambitious game, but you can be very careful with that. It's like you're saying like yeah, you can add a little bit more you can have a little bit more open world but if you add too much of it like you kind of get away from first of all that franchise and then also the developer gets away from who they are because they also make Uncharted yes is a very similar not similar game, but like you know, it's linear. It has a strong story just like The Last of Us Yeah, they might make some other stuff I don't I actually don't know. Those are definitely their bigger their biggest ones. But like yeah, you just don't wanna get too far away from that because then I said yeah be ambitious like add a little bit but don't get away from that first game because what really made that first game so great was the story and the gaming like said it was more linear and so you can really focus on that story and I think people are expecting a great I know I am I'm expecting a great story with part two so don't get me more and here's one thing I'm worried about not so much the open world because I can handle a little bit of that even though you know what, I do like that linear game break sometimes but the world I can handle but here's my concern is the all like the weapons the mods, the mechanics, when they're going through that gameplay. It seemed like a lot man. You like I hit my levels with all that like, you know control. There's so much crap i correspondence letter. Yeah, you know, modifications and stuff. Yeah, I definitely like a little bit of that. You're in control. Within the first five hours. I've picked up like 500 pieces of mods. Like, I can't handle that shit. Like I'm talking about me being mentally exhausted. Like, don't give me too much, man. I have enough on my plate. I don't need all this. And that's one thing. You know. Yes, I do love complexity in some games. But then Damn it. I like some games to be fucking simple. You know? Right. So that's

Red:

that's all I need.

Hick:

Yeah, that's one thing that worried about and there's one thing before we kind of move on them not not happy about at all. And that's the brought back fucking clickers, man. I fucking hate you. Okay, they were the worst enemies before BTS and death training. BTS. a whole different level. But I was upset. They brought back the clickers. Were you upset about any of the infected or anything like that, that they brought back?

Red:

I was thinking the exact same thing when he says, well, then we're going to talk about some of the enemies and he mentions the clickers. I'm like, I hated those fuckers so much. I think everyone hated them. They were just they just locked on you and you just end instant instant debt. I mean, there's literally nothing you could do about it. It's just so i i'm not surprised they brought him back. They're an iconic enemy for this series now. But but it's still I was like, I'm the same way. But I was kind of happy to see that they're going to be more forms affected. They showed like a bigger like kind of more armored one that then like shoots out like a spores or something like that. And they hinted, but they didn't show like an even bigger, like more advanced form of an infected they didn't say what it was they didn't show it or any of its mechanics or anything. But they hinted that there's even more to come. So I am excited that that'll keep yeah, hopefully keep the enemies feeling a little fresh from the first game. So but that that was and nothing else really disappointed me. I was hesitant to even watch the state of play, because I know there's spoilers and all that out there for this game. And I've been trying like trying like hell to avoid them. Because I

Hick:

would have told you to watch it for this podcast. As I said, they're just mostly given details. Yeah, a little bit of gameplay, but it's just basically showing, you know, modifications and stuff like that. So there wasn't really a lot. But there was we're setting here we're talking about the last of us to having a bigger map. But in that, does that mean that the map is going to be more confusing? Because you know, we had a linear game first. And then once you get more advanced, it's not like an open world game because open world games and maps are completely different. Yeah, we're having a game like, you know, that's not open world. The map can become confusing. And like I said early on this or in another podcast. I don't remember if I said this podcast early on, but like some main struggles I have had with control is the map. Like the map is just, I mean, I would say for the most part, it's a linear game, but like, you can go there directions, you know, inside this building. Yeah, where I'm at right now in the game. And like, is just confusing. I'm like, which rooms have I been to? There's different floors, I think the map is shit, which I actually think there's a lot of good stuff in the game. But the way the map is laid out, I don't care for it at all. And to me, like, it can be a really big turnoff to the game, and it can actually make me quit a game. And then like, you know, also Seamus returns on a 3ds is another example of this. A game I've really actually never gotten to the Metroid franchise, just Yeah, one of those things, I just simply have said, not sit down and play. But you know, I want to try when they really Seamus returns on the 3ds. And I didn't even get past the first level man because it was like backtracking going and like, you know, is only a cave. And it was 2d. But I got so lost. I couldn't remember where I went. I had to backtrack a lot. And eventually, I just gave up and like is this I know, it's an issue that I have? Yes. Is this an issue with some of the games that you play? It really is. And part of it is as games have gotten more and more advanced, you're seeing more and more verticality to levels, areas, the world whatever. And it's so hard to represent that on a 2d map control is a perfect example. Like they they try to show like, Okay, if they're on the lower level, it's slightly more shaded, or a slightly darker shade of gray, whatever. And but it's so hard to tell really where you're at in

Red:

there and even Zelda games, the more recent ones that actually you know, had dungeons not like Breath of the Wild. But yeah, yes,

Hick:

lame. Oh, man, silver standard, traditional judge judges my ass.

Red:

But like even some of the more like current Zelda games, where every there's so many levels to the dungeons, it's becoming harder and harder for the map to even be all that useful. So like the control suffered from it the same as returns. I kind of understand that one a little bit. Because the whole Metroid and Castlevania franchise, you know, you hear that you hear the term Metroidvania games, they're all about basically just exploring the map. And they require so much backtracking. You know, you find items that let you get to new areas of the map, like those games have been built upon, like these ever expanding maps that make you explore and make you like, like said, have to do a lot of backtracking. And that's not really our favorite thing. And no, it's not no So to me, but it is something I've run into. And like, I think verticality and complexity, as our technology has gotten better, and our games have gotten bigger is really a driving factor in that, but you think they come up with a way to make a better map to go with it. You know, I mentioned like, because most maps are like 2d, you know, you're looking overhead view of an area. Now, no Breath of the Wild with the divine beasts tried to have a bit of a 3d map. But that confused me just as much like, I was like trying to rotate it around to really get a feel for where you were. And then like, when you're looking through part of it, you can't clearly see like walls or rooms out was all sectioned off. So to me, like, I'm not sure what the solution is. I don't want to just say, oh, make simpler levels make simpler dungeons as that's, you know, I don't want to go that route. But I'm absolutely with you. There have been some games, and that are really a struggle with in terms of the map. Sorry, I totally lost my thread there. But

Hick:

I've never done that before.

Red:

Yeah, but I do like that you mentioned the open worlds are kind of a different beast, because those things are made for exploring, and it's on such a different scale. Then your games like control, Samus returns even a Zelda game outside of Breath of the Wild. Like, I'm fine with a huge map that you maybe have to you know, unveil certain areas of it as you travel for an open world because that exploration of the world is the point. What What I

Hick:

mean by that being flat is there's no vertical. Yes, there's verticality, like in mountains and stuff, but the map is just flat. There's no levels to it. Exactly. That's why open world gaming is different. And here's the thing like you brought Zelda, which some of you know, we do two guys playing Zelda. So a lot of times, that's why we bring up Zelda but at the same time, we try to keep our Zilla talk over there. So you know, yeah, you know, it sells a video game. So we could talk about it if we want to, but it's pretty iconic

Red:

franchise. Talk about it.

Hick:

But the thing with Zelda is Okay, first of all, we've been doing these maps and different levels for the longest time. But with Zelda it's not the whole gang. Yeah, like you go around an open world like you know, or big world. And then we get to the dungeons. That's when you have like, you know, these maps with different levels. Again, like control that is the game the whole world, at least from what I've played so far. The whole game is going around this map in like for the last of us like, yeah, it's all linear, but like, there's really there's actually I don't know if there's ever a map in The Last of Us, but I'm saying is there like if there was a map, the whole game is not a map. Yeah. And so it's just something that I don't know, just it can really turn me off to the game. Like I just hate backtracking. I hate to find out where I went in when you get away from a game for a while. That is the hardest thing to come back to is like if you don't know exactly where to go. You don't want to backtrack. Like that makes it so hard to get back to gang. I'm pretty sure I call it Seamus instead of us. How do you say it? Samus?

Red:

I always say same Samus, another wrestler named Seamus, there's a wrestler named Shane.

Hick:

You know, that's never played Metroid. So I don't know the names.

Red:

Always just call her the metro chick.

Hick:

Yeah. But you know, kind of talking about, like, you know, how confusing makin? Because out loud, like what the fuck is the transition, but kind of talking about confusing map. One of the ways that we kind of get past that is by fast traveling. But really something like that traveling is something that you don't want to use too much. I know this is something with Skyrim that I fell to a big trap of, but kind of what's your whole opinions? on fast travel? Do you use them a lot? Do you use them here and there like had they ruin games for you if you do too much, just talked about the whole thing.

Red:

I would say for me fast travel, I use it more, the further I get into a game like I as you all know for if you listen to this, I just finished Assassin's Creed origins not too long ago. And once I'd kind of explored most of the world and I was just kind of going through and checking the boxes to finish it up. Then I was using fast travel a lot. Like just because I'm like I'm getting near the end of the game, I just want to check off these last couple things to do and then finish the game. I don't I've already wandered around in it for 18 hours, I don't need to do a whole lot more. So for me, I mean, I am thankful I got into open world gaming. One of my very first experiences was with Mara wind, which as you know, I'm one of my all time favorite games absolutely outstanding game mechanics have aged a little bit but anyway, in their fast travel was very naturally integrated into the world. Like you had to actually go rent a boat, or another form of trip or use like go to like a mages guild where they had someone there that teleported you. So it wasn't quite like you know games now where once you activate like a tower or a point, you can just walk there from anywhere. So for me marwin being one of the first open world games I played, it forced me to explore the world naturally before I could even start taking advantage of the fast travel. So I thought because of that anytime now like oblivion Skyrim, or the newer Assassin's Creed games, Breath of the Wild, like it's just ingrained in me that especially early on in a game, I really would rather just be exploring on foot and not fast traveling. So like I said, once I've got 100 hours into a game, and I'm just kind of trying to knock out the last couple things. At that point, I pretty much start fast traveling everywhere, just because I didn't finish it. So for me, it just it's one of those things that ramps up, the more I play the game, but like you said, when you first jump in, you want to experience that world, you'd be apt to wander around in that world. So it is a huge quality of life thing though. I know especially as people get older and have more responsibilities, you don't have a lot of time to just sit down and walk from point A to point B you want to jump in, get something done and jump back out. And we talked about that a little bit in one of our previous podcasts, you know, jump in play for 10 minutes feel like you accomplished something. You can't do that if you're just wandering from point A to point B.

Hick:

And there's different types of gamers like there's some gamers, they won't take an open world game and beat it like in 30 to 40 hours like it's Yes, they can. Like you know, I don't I kind of used to be like that. Like I said with Skyrim with Skyrim I got into I just fast traveled everywhere. And I beat I was like damn, I really missed the whole point of this game it was about but there are those gamers out there that just want to fast travel Bang, bang, bang knock it out. Yeah, I feel like you complicate something. I understand that. In those there's always going to be those gamers out there. So I think it's something that you had to offer. because like you said there are people that have we have lives but their lives are like screw walking around everywhere. me. I think it's peaceful as hell now I get away from my kids at least in a video game. You know, they might be screaming beside me. I can just take a nice stroll down a creek and you know in relax so I don't play that way but other gamers do. So you can't go have it in there. One reason that I don't like fast traveling, especially early in the games, I kind of like you do do it later in the game. Yeah, but like you get more items, like you need stuff to upgrade your like your weapons, your gear, you know everything. You get that stuff from walking the world, you also come across quest that you wouldn't come across. If you're a warrior, you talk to people you get all these different, you know, I wouldn't call them quests, but like, you know, he's like a little task like I know in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, like they had these little things have timers on them like where it's like you just go through delivery, and you get an experience points for that.

Red:

You simple stuff. Yeah,

Hick:

yeah, you only get that if you're walking around the world. Now here's the thing. Like if I'm like, in the Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, so people don't think I'm talking about Mario or being smart. So about Mario cuz a couple of people have done that. Like there's a lot of islands obviously because is Greece. So if I'm on one island, and like I don't have a Boat. I'm not swimming like 1000 yards or feet or whatever. Yeah, to get to the next Island. I'm going to fast travel. So that's Yep, is April right there were okay, I don't mind walking. But if I got swim across a bunch of water, no thanks. I'm good. And then also, and this is definitely when you get towards the end of the game, like if you got travel from one side of the map all the way over, over to the other side of the map. I'm fast traveling there, like so. Yeah, I don't use it a lot. I like to explore the world. I think that's the best way to level up both on experience points and also level up, upgrade your gear. You think walking around like I don't even like Ryan on horseback walking around because the horse mechanics expecially on PC, I didn't try a lot of it. But on PC, I was like, oh god, I cannot do this. Yeah, but I'm like, I just think cuz we do it on horse. Like, I guess we could kind of kiss their horse, horseback riding a little bit of a fast travel mechanic, it kind of goes in. But when you do that, like I always found myself staying on a path. Yeah, like, you know, avoiding trees and all this stuff. Whereas if you're walking, you're going through all these trees, you go over these hills. Yeah, cross Creek. So that's why, you know, kind of do it out. I'm kind of wrapped up with that whole point. Is there anything else you kind of want to say on it?

Red:

No, but I think that that's a good spot to kind of like move to our next thing. Because you mentioned like the sites you get to see when you're walking you have beautiful things especially like these fantasy setting games or, or historical setting games like Assassin's Creed, you know, you get the beautiful landscape, you get rivers, waterfalls, sunrise sets, all that stuff. And it's funny, because I know how many times when you and I've been playing games, and we've been like that waterfall over there, it looks awesome. You know, it's like, breathtaking. But now I feel like this is something I experienced, and I'm sure you do as well. That feeling of specialist has kind of just diminished over time, like little things that we used to really love and just stop and admire. Now we just kind of see it and keep on moving because it's kind of really become the norm. Is that something that you're experiencing as well the more and more we play these like advanced beautiful video games?

Hick:

Hell yes, man. I mean, I that's one thing that I don't necessarily hate about video game. But it does make me mad because, you know, it's that whole nostalgia thing. Like back in the day, something simple like, you know, I know Zelda once again, dumbbells, Kevin like you go across that wooded bridge on the top in that main room. And like when I was younger, like I thought that was the most amazing thing ever. And same thing with like, you know, getting water in waterfalls in game I remember the first time and offering a time that we got like a sunrise and a sunset because I believe that was one of the first games to do it. And it did time and it was just mind blowing. Like, I was just absolutely gorgeous. Which is crazy to even think about because if you go back and play it nowadays, it honestly doesn't even look that real because you know play ons and weird shapes. But like it just it's sad. But like you know that it's the norm now like we expected it. We expect great waterfalls, we expect great water scenery. We expect great sunrises and sunsets, you know, in particular games, like you know, linear games. They don't have to have this element that much. And I would say even the hub games like I think got a vor I don't remember really a change a day in that one. Do you know No, not really. Okay. So, I mean, yeah, yes, it sucks, man. Yes, it's all nostalgia based. I mean, but just there's so many like I'm playing. This happens the most for me. In open world games. I think it definitely has to do with the scenery. Like I was playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey like I've been playing. And I was going through a little part of the village that had just like little Woodbridge that went over like a little creek. It was absolutely gorgeous man. And like, I didn't even really think about it. Like I just walked across. And I was on my way in like, yes, we can keep on advancing games. And so these are going to feel more more like the norm is not going to feel especially more but damn it at the same time. I still miss it.

Red:

I do too. And it's funny you mentioned ocher at a time I remember one of the first things that jumps in my mind when you talk about like just stopping and trying to look around the very beginning of the game when you're leaving the Kyrie woods and going into the Hyrule field for the very first time in years. That's that little transition area. It's just a little bridge over part of the loss over part of the forest. You stop you talk to Siri and all that good stuff. Sirius ariah however you say it. And it's just it's a simple little area that you still stop and try to look at like the forest in the background and things like that. And I remember playing a game and this is probably I think this is back on the original Xbox. It was a game called baldurs Gate dark Alliance, the water effects so you jump in a puddle and just like the ripples of water blew my mind. I mean, just I would sit there and stand in a puddle for five minutes. Just making little rings because they nailed the water effects so well in that game. And it just it was one of the first times I really seen that. And so to me part of it, yes, the advance of the graphics has meant that we just kind of take it for granted now. And it's harder and harder for something to catch our attention as truly beautiful like that. And I do miss it too. I'm 100% with you that it's just when we're first seeing those technological advances as younger people like weather routines, however old wouldn't depend on when these systems came out for everyone. Like you're like, Oh my god, the littlest things blew our minds you know, we still it cracks me up even when we did our Mario Kart eight track ranking, not all that long ago for our YouTube channel, we tell how many times we stop and talk about waterfalls a

Hick:

lot a lot.

Red:

We just love like just they always look beautiful. And now and but it's, it's great when we still have those moments where something truly catches your eye. Don't just stop and appreciate it. But it's it seems to be happening less and less. For me personally, part of it is now you've got these giant open world games that are almost photorealistic in terms of their environments that it's just you see so many waterfalls, bridges sunrises, sunsets, as you're playing 100 hour game, you know, little villages in the hills, that it just it does you become desensitized to it. And it truly takes something extraordinary now to really stop and be like, Whoa, okay, that is breathtaking, you know, and it's just yeah, it's getting harder and harder to find those moments. I mean, part of that, of course, is just the nature of, you know, you sink 100 hours into all these giant open world games. You see it so many times. But I'm 100% with you. And it's just, it is funny to think back on the moments in gaming that we were like, Wow, that is beautiful, or that is seems so special compared to now where it's all almost routine. When we talk

Hick:

about going through these big cities like I'm in or back in the day, like, you know, you go these little towns like Zelda again, kakariko village, and like, you know, I had like, I don't know, six or seven houses, like Oh, man, this village is cool. But like, I want to go to a town. Like I want to go to this huge town. And then you get to something like Nova grad. And what's your and you're like, I'm not going to all these places. This is just too much stuff. So it's like, you know, here you are, you want this. And then you get it and you're like, oh man, that's way too much. I don't want all that stuff cuz I did not do near as much as you could probably do a nova grad you can spend almost probably, I'm not gonna say 100 hours, you can spend a lot of time no regret in Witcher three. By the way, if y'all not play Witcher three, go out play. It's one of the best games ever made. It's my favorite game. We are going to talk about it one day, like we're going to talk about all these other games and franchises. We just haven't had time to sit down and do it, but we are going to do it. But anyways, can you talk about like, you know, being photorealistic and stuff. Here's the one thing I do love about gaming nowadays. And that's that it feels like you can't escape more. Like it feels like be more realistic. It feels like you're actually in a world that is more human like or if you're playing some other game that doesn't involve humans, like you know, it still feels real, like, you know, ocher any time all these early games like you know, in the early PS, Xbox, and Nintendo days, like, okay, it look cool, but I wouldn't necessarily say it felt real because the graphics just weren't there. Yeah, nowadays, when you walk around and send these games, I mean, you can literally escape and that's a lot that's one of the main reasons that I love video games because you know, you got work, you got kids, you got all this stress, you got all like, you know, I'm mentally exhausted, I got all these things going on. Like I can go into the game world and it's almost like you know, it's not real real life, but it's getting there. It is next gen we're gonna get even closer to that. So it offers that escape in like, it's just awesome. And like, yo, these big win. Okay, they're little details that we're talking about. But there's still like you can see them with their eyes with your eyes. They're big they add up Yeah, I think nowadays we can look at is the little details. But this is what means the most to us in games. Like it kind of talked about Mario Kart looking in the background and seeing those little things kind of going through these games. Like we start looking more for these little details. And those stand out more to us. Do you feel the same way on that?

Red:

I really do. And I remember the first time I fired up god of war on the PlayStation probe is really my first foray into you know, quote unquote 4k gaming and just his hut his little his camera. It just look I just stood there took a picture of him next to his cabinet. I'm like the detail on just the wood was mind blowing and of course you know that games got some amazing scenes and yeah, amazing scenery in it. But just like narrowing in on something like the wood paneling on the side of his house. Like blew my mind. I'm like that Okay, yeah, I'm glad I'm fine. I'm glad I'm playing this game. But you're absolutely right. It is those little details. Now I feel like then I guess you know, you talk about bridges, water, waterfalls, things like that. It's always kind of been the little stuff but man It's It's getting harder and harder to have those aha moments but I do have to circle back around one thing real quick. You mentioned not exploring everything to do and no regret. I can say I did explore every bar and whorehouse in Nova

Hick:

Scotia check out the Broncos, I posted something on Facebook the other day is like talking about all the dialogue options that get you to sex. It was like mathematical equations and stuff as garrel It's like going through all these equations to try to figure out which dialogue option to choose. So yeah, definitely went to all the bars went to all the brothels. Actually, the bars in that game, were one of my favorite places because like a lot of them have like a music element. Sometimes there's people on stage playing music, or there was like, you know, actors doing a play. And that's, we'll talk about that more detail on a podcast, but that's one of the very many things that makes that game so great. But here's another concept that's sometimes expected, but it's not always welcome. And that's all these punk ass bitch enemies ganging up on you and Damn it Am I experiencing this and Assassin's Creed Odyssey? And it's not making me as mad as it was like because early on in the game, like you don't have a lot of like, you know health and you can't do a lot damage. Yeah, but man early on, I was getting my butt kicked by like you know, cuz I would fight one person. And then like two or three more would come in like, you know, attack me now this is where the element of stealth comes in. You know, knock a couple out. None for like, you know, you go in there, which, you know, is what I did. Because we talked about this. I am getting better at stealth. I do use it. But still Assassin's Creed Odyssey. I'll kill three or four of them. And they'll be like, okay, there's only one or two left. And then I'll you know, come out. I fight that dude. And then now nowhere. There's like three or four of his closest pals. Like Where the hell did you come from dude. And then there's this punk mercenary that comes out of frickin nowhere. These guys level 25 I'm a little 27 my ass. These guys are kicking my butt. Yes is something that like, as I've got more skills, better weapons, better moves, it has gone down a little bit. But man, it can really piss you off in gaming because you get one time. And like 10 people find me honestly, I'm like, Tim, this is too much, especially considering that I took out some enemies before this. So that's another thing. It will make me rage quit again. But I mean, there are times when I go into somewhere, I get my butt kicked. Like, you know, if I'm using stealth. And then like, you know, talk about an open world game. I might not go back to that point of interest the rest of the game. So I understand it understand why it's there. But it can be upsetting. How do you feel about

Red:

it? It can be and I experienced something similar with Assassin's Creed origins they had, once you hit a certain point in the game, there started to be bounty hunters that that kind of wandered the map and you could mostly avoid them. Because you know, they showed where they were on the map. But they were like you said the level 25 to level 40 type characters. Yeah, those

Hick:

were the mercenaries that was talking about? Yeah, honestly, it's the same concept.

Red:

Yeah, and it sucks whenever you're like clear now a fort or something or doing one of your missions. And you hear the music that means one of them is close. You're like God dammit, is there a way I can get him to fight someone else that in which I will say there is it is nice that at least in origins, you could sometimes like you would see one of those mercenaries fighting a different group. And they would kind of like you know, obviously usually the mercenary would win because there's a higher level characters, but at least they would whittle down a little bit yeah, of its health. So I did enjoy that you can kind of sometimes play them off against each other. But man getting ganged up like that, it seems like that's something that really did start in like the Assassin's Creed origins with having those mercenaries like you mentioned, but then just anytime that you're clear and out of place, and one fucker spots you in sins, the alert, yeah, and reinforcements arrive and you're like, Yeah, I'd cleared out like 80% of this area. And I couldn't quite get that one fucker with my bow before he set off the

Hick:

you know, make it honestly be mentally exhausting. Like a like, you know, taking on all these enemies, because there is a like, you know, an element of strategy that you had to use to defeat all them. And if you keep on dying, like you just keep on getting more and more frustrated. Yeah. Which kind of brings me to my next point. Like, because I've been mentally exhausted lately. It kind of makes me think about games that like, you know, are great for mental exhaustion because, you know, my job, like, you know, I've been in busy season and when it gets going, like I do a lot analytics. And so when it gets going, like Dude, I will just wear my brain out. And like, you know, it's hard for me to come back. You know, like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, I can play similar ways, like, you know, going to a point of interest, like, you know, taking on a bunch of enemies or doing a quest or stuff. It's just too much and so I kind of have a conversation on this. You know, you can't give your games out if you have any. Okay, what are some great games that you play that you think are great for mental exhaustion?

Red:

Well, just in general, you mentioned like Assassin's Creed if you're playing it that particular way, like open world games, where you can kind of sometimes just wander Yeah. The Wild is absolutely perfect for this country three if you're not trying to like set or Assassin's Creed, if you're not trying to do objectives, you're just kind of, you're kind of wanting to space out for a little while, let your brain reset, you know, open world games just wandering like that are so good for that. But then, you know, I think even though they're competitive, like some sports games, you know, he's talked racing games where it's kind of something repetitive, something repetitive. Any of the Tiger Woods golf games, even when you hit bad shots, you're still it's like real golf. If I'm on the golf course. I'm having fun I don't care how bad I'm playing it means I'm not at work. Yeah, like drinking a beer smoking a cigar and having fun. So Tiger Woods golf has always been you know, dice go to rely

Hick:

it's just too bad. They made the last game like 10 years ago, but just the tour whatever the hell you see Rory McIlroy. And then I guess like, you know, he didn't pan out the way I want to. I think he like he said, it's like just PGA Tour or something. Now, bring back tiger. We're past the scandal. Bring back Tiger Woods PGA Tour, please. But go ahead read.

Red:

But yeah, and then just, you know, some of it's a couple of games I've played recently, within the last like six months or so are some of these indie, just kind of walking simulator games where there's a good narrative, but really, it's just the whole game is about just go here, go here, go here. There are objectives, but there's not so much like it's not action. It's not you know, strategy, or stealth or anything like that. They're just, they're all about experiencing whatever story that they're trying to tell the game creators are trying to tell in like a little four to six hour game like I played through Firewatch recently, and it was a blast. It was a very relaxing experience. You don't have to worry about dying, you don't have to worry about you know, killing enemies. This it wasn't that kind of game and you hear the term like they're called walking simulators. Because really, a huge part of the game is just going from point A to point B to trigger the next part of the of the narrative. So those are perfect for for we use, you know, you're not looking for the stress. Yeah, the gameplay gone home is one of the ones that's considered one of the most popular and most famous ones. Just those kind of games are great for unwinding. So

Hick:

is there a lot of text in those games?

Red:

Some? It just depends. Firewatch was all voice acting. So it's

Hick:

because like you're talking about this, I've actually not heard about this concept of walking simulators. Yeah, like I actually kind of really liked the idea because there are those games where I just like walking from point like, you know, point A to point B, you don't find anybody don't have any quest I just like doing something a good example that is actually an odyssey like there's these certain quests where you just deliver something I Oh, man, this is a nice refresher right here like all I have to do is go deliver something so ya know, I kind of like I like to look into this whole Firewatch and walking simulators ready. Like this is

Red:

a few that I that I've really enjoyed or they're either I've enjoyed them or they're really well reviewed. So and they're like I said they're just perfect for when you need to you don't want the intensity you don't want your heart rate racing because you're trying to kill that last enemy you know without dying it's just you get to experience a short simple net plus most of them are like really seriously four to six hour games like yeah Firewatch I think I got through in about six there's one called Kentucky Route Zero that it says basically takes about eight hours gone home I knows relatively short and they're cheap though too. They're all indie games they're like 1015 bucks a pop so they're they're nice brain cleanse you know from

Hick:

other I've heard about Kentucky Route Zero so I might check that out sometime. You know me and you've all heard me talk about it like numerous times. Forza. Absolutely love playing Forza it is fantastic for mental exhaustion and was thinking about this topic I thought about almost with Mario Kart. The Mario Kart has the items and everything so there's not a lot of thinking but there is some thinking there is some strategy but with Forza man and this is why I love it. Like just put me in a great car and just let me go Yep. And like for me when I get mentally exhausted I just had to push on a like the gas and just go for me it's like great therapy and like I'm really big into cars like I don't know a lot about cars and how to fix them how to repair them I don't know is that crap? I kind of like looking at them like you know know what models are work you know just you know I kind of fascination in that way so for me it's kind of cool to get like you know, in the 70s 80s muscle cars were like you know, an exotic car like a Ferrari so Ferrari the other day by the way, it was awesome. Hell it was living in this town. It was at the golf course that we play at.

Red:

Oh, that makes sense. Yeah, well,

Hick:

golf course Isn't that nice? But like I was shocked that was there but it's so cool to be able to like you know get like you know, like I said in the 70 cars or in a present day exotic car like there's a wide range of cars. Obviously it's the biggest you know racing franchise in video gaming I think right there's not be shocked what is Yeah, so for me like that's my go to, like you know, on game I can just get going like just released some of the mental exam. I don't know if he could actually relieve mental exhaustion, but just get a battery. it recharges your battery and then another game that like I think is great for his platform. rumors that aren't too fucking difficult. Ori unravel was the other one Celeste. Like y'all heard me bitch make your damn platforms easier. I love 2d platforms, but can't plan because you don't make them so damn hard. Why do they have to be so hard? Mario games are hard, and we still enjoy them. So quit thinking that because you have a 2d platformer you got to make it the most fucking difficult game in the world. You do not assholes

Red:

in it. But anyway, I've heard you go off like that here in a little while. I

Hick:

love platformers I love 2d platformers and don't play enough because they're too damn hard. But anyway, never finished Donkey Kong Country Tropical

Red:

Freeze.

Hick:

Yeah, I got to the file boss I experienced that game will call you know, I didn't experience the other games because I couldn't get through the first lesser that's what you know, kind of kind of ended up here. Like, you know, platformers like Mario and a these 2d platformers I think are great for things like that. Um, did you have any other games that you kind of want to throw out there read?

Red:

No, those were really it. I mean, at the end of the day, any game that you're just comfortable with and familiar with, like, I know, we you mentioned or we mentioned like, you know, maybe the ones that really got get your heart rate going aren't the best for this. But yeah, I can still pick up Halo. I could Yeah, Halo and just play a little bit of the campaign. It's just like, it's like putting on an old glove. Because we've played so many hundreds of hours of Halo in our lives. Like, that's a game that yes, even though it's an action violent game that you would think would not be great for mental exhaustion. It's just it's so familiar. We can slide back into a game like that. And it's just like, it's like coming home you know, I mean, it is. So it's anything that is that familiar for you. I think it's just you know, you don't have to think about the controls. You don't have to learn new things you just like pick up the controller and that muscle memory comes right back so

Hick:

well read we did a great job man. We talked long enough to skip the workout video game so we're just gonna take that off the wall. I wrote that down the ally we're not gonna talk about working out video games. Hopefully. I'm not gonna throw it completely off the play, but it just seems like a stupid ass topic. I know.

Red:

People getting into quarantine when people couldn't go to the key

Hick:

Yeah, it works for some people but talking about it. I don't know. But let's go ahead let's wrap up once again. Fantastic show good to get away a little bit like no I missed it last week so we got to talk into video gaming too. But all these links will be in the description you can support us on Patreon or PayPal you can support us financially Feel free to leave a review or a re that five stars is very easy to click if you don't like this ad don't think we're five stars it's very easy to lie in hit that five star so yeah, please help us out there we have merchandise on our websites to guys playing Zelda and T GPC gaming we may earn commission if you go through our links it's affiliate marking people that's what it is make a little bit of money you help us out a little bit if you buy some stuff on our websites and you go to third party websites so you're still going to a good trusted website as in red Do you want to talk about our Facebook groups YouTube discord blah blah Yeah, absolutely.

Red:

We're all over social media and we've got our Facebook groups we got gaming realm where we talk about just all types of video gaming anything video gaming related you want to talk about we got Zelda realm we're Of course we focus specifically on Zelda as we mentioned earlier, we are also two guys playing Zelda so check us out on Facebook. We were on YouTube we actually got a new video up not too long ago on are you guys playing Zelda channel. So definitely check that out. discord a great place for all kinds of video game discussion. We took Zelda we took all Nintendo PlayStation, Xbox, we got sports and alcohol channels on there. We talked about everything on our Discord server. And just always as always, we're on Twitter. We're on Instagram, we're on Facebook. So go find us. And hopefully everyone as we're getting kind of closer to you know, hopefully Fingers crossed the end of this stay at home shelter and play stuff. I hope everyone stay safe, stays responsible and keeps on playing video games. And thank you guys very much

Red Death Stranding Update
Hick Control Update
The Last of Us Part II State of Play
Confusing Maps
Fast Travel
How Little Details Don't Mean as Much
Enemy Gang Ups
Games for the Mentally Exhausted
Wrap Up