Transcript
neocharge: What's up, everybody, and welcome to Shapes of Gaming, our weekly conversational podcast usually, but this is a bonus podcast. It's our reflection, if you will, of a very amazing game that we have recently played, Pragmata.
neocharge: I'm one of your hosts, Matt Stenson, NeoCharge on PSN, and joining me for this spoiler cast is, as always, Bob Harriman, Leon Lionheart, Lee on PSN.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Thank you.
neocharge: What's up?
Leon Lionheartly: A lot going on, man. But thankfully, not my blood pressure.
neocharge: Hey, that's good. That's good. And also, you know him. You love him. He's on a lot of our shows. He recently finished Pragmata. Caleb Schiff.
neocharge: Admiral Merps on PSN. Good to have you back, dude.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Hey, thanks. I ah ruined my wife's birthday yesterday with a bad present.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, no.
neocharge: over a
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that's what I've got going. It wasn't really a bad present.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, I fucked up.
neocharge: what is it Was it a dick in a box?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I fucked up.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, it's it's even better than that. So as you guys have heard, both you two and the audience who listens to this podcast, they know that she's a baker and she's a pretty damn good one.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Nobody ever gets to bake her.
neocharge: She is. We've had her cupcakes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Nobody gets to bake her anything, right? So I was like, I'm going to do it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm going to do my best. she wants She's requested in the past ah raspberry lemon cupcakes. So lemon cupcakes, raspberry frosting was the idea i was going with.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And let me tell you, let me tell you, because I'm not a baker. So I didn't expect him to be as good as her, not even close.
neocharge: Yeah. You're a gamer.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): However, what I learned yesterday was that she keeps her flour and her powdered sugar and the exact same shape containers.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And i
neocharge: It's amazing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): stupidly it just i mean i even thought i was like i was putting the what i assumed was the flour in this i mean i knew all the things i knew the wet ingredients dry ingredients you know how to how to mix the butter and the sugar at the beginning to make something like this all the things that i've learned being married to her and also watching endless baking shows and enjoying it myself as a person who eats the things
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Sure.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I was like, man, why does this flour look funny? it just It looks weird. It's not doing what I feel like flour should. Whatever. Buttermilk smells terrible and it makes things delicious. So it's probably fine. So i'm I'm mixing all the shit and it just doesn't look right. I'm like, no, it'll...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Ah, man, did I, did I like overmix the butter? That doesn't make any sense. I didn't scramble the eggs. What the fuck? So I pour them, I pour them into the, uh, cupcake, you know, little fucking things, whatever, little cupcake holders.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'm like, this looks like vomit, like literal vomit, but I got to at least try. So they're in the oven and I start to make the frosting. And I go to reach for the powdered sugar and still didn't figure it out because i they're they're right next to each other.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah And I pull a powdered sugar out and I'm sifting the powdered sugar, which is not something that a person like me does, but I'm trying to make my i'm trying to surprise her when she gets home from her yoga and her dinner with her friends.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And as I'm sifting the powdered sugar, i looked down and I went, Oh no! I just screamed because I realized what I did. And I look in the oven and it's just an absolute fucking disaster.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I texted the wife. She asked me if I needed anything and this isn't going to help the listeners. But here's here's the picture that I took.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't send it to her. i just said, would you go home?
neocharge: Do your best to describe it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): when I will after I show you guys and get your reactions. But I texted her and I said, when you get home, we're going to play a game called What Went Wrong. And she was just like, what? And I said, don't worry about it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So she gets home and i don't she doesn't know that I've tried to make anything. like She has no idea. So I told to close her eyes and walk into the middle of the kitchen and she's like nervous because you know I hid these bitches in the oven.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The oven was off because there was no hope. This is what came out of the oven. I don't know if you could see.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Looks like a massacre.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, they are just a small, what these are, are butter pools that were almost, almost like bad, bad creme brulee mixed with a little bit of, ah I would say dog puke.
neocharge: Yeah. Uh-huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i think that's When you poked them, cause I had to poke them. I was curious when you poke them,
neocharge: Yeah, you gotta poke him.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah they were They were really, really vile. But I did finish the frosting because I was just laughing the whole time like, I'm a fucking moron.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so we have this awesome raspberry frosting with nothing to put it on.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So Lisa said, I'll make something tomorrow to put the frosting on. And i was like, so you have to bake your own birthday gift because I'm a terrible husband. ah
neocharge: Huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But one last offens one last offense to myself.
neocharge: That's amazing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She keeps the flour and the granulated sugar next to each other and the powdered sugar elsewhere. Now, I understand why now because I talked to her about this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's like why would both of the sugars not be next to each other and the flour be on its own?
neocharge: wouldn
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just just you know as a as an not baker, it makes no sense to me why you wouldn't have granulated sugar and powdered sugar on the left and then flour on the right.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she was like, I use flour and granulated sugar way more than powdered sugar. And that's fair.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep. Yep. yep
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I was like, well, fuck me, right? Because that's not what I would have thought.
neocharge: Maybe labels on the fucking jars.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So yeah, I mean, she doesn't need them. You know, that's, she knows what I, as soon as I looked, cause I was like, that's why this flour looked wrong because it wasn't flour.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's on me.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's a thousand percent on me. So I totally own that stupidity.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But in my defense, I never do it that often. And we were watching a baking show with a professional baker just last night who was who was making bread and he he put citric acid in instead of salt because they fucking look the same.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And Lisa just slowly looked over at me and she was like, are you okay?
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, that guy's a pro. So I'm basically as good as that guy. Like, fuck that.
neocharge: Nice.
Leon Lionheartly: It's like, ah there reminds me of time that I went to go make chili for the family.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Anyway.
Leon Lionheartly: And it doesn't, it's not a slow process. And Matt's had it, Caleb, I not to toot my own horn, but I make a damn good thing of chili.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i've heard I've heard lovely things about it.
Leon Lionheartly: And, So i I go ahead and I get everything assembled and then I come back a couple hours later and I go to taste it. and I'm like, what the fuck happened? And I looked at the spices I put in there.
Leon Lionheartly: They're similar in color. They're similar in texture. But I had accidentally used ground coriander instead of ground cumin.
neocharge: Oh, shit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yikes.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): what No, thank you.
neocharge: Dang.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, thanks.
neocharge: Man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yikes.
neocharge: Well, this this is the next episode of the Cooking Podcast, ah brought to you by Shapes of Getting Out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah next next week we're going to talk about Next week, we're going to talk about the the great – what is it?
neocharge: but
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): This is why it took me so long like to beat Greg.
Leon Lionheartly: You guys watch great – what is it? The Great British Baked Cook-Off?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Great British Bake Off or Great British Baking Show.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. All right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: That's funny.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We've watched all of them and they're phenomenal anyway.
neocharge: Oh, amazing. Well, this is why it took you so long to finish fucking Pragmata. Pragmata.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Took me that long to start it and then this long to finish it because I was hanging my head in shame. Oh, the best part of the story, Lisa offered, she was like, when she was out with her friends, she said, I think we're going to go to Dairy Queen.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Do you want anything? And I just wrote back, I don't deserve it.
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and She didn't know. So she she did actually bring me back Dairy Queen and I was telling her what happened while sadly eating this cookie dough ah blizzard.
neocharge: what's your What's your Dairy Queen ice cream go to?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but Cookie dough blizzard is my favorite.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know it's kind of basic, but I love it.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Love it.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Do you like eat cookie dough raw?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What about you?
neocharge: I do the Oreo.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i have Oreos.
neocharge: Oreo Blizzard. That's even more basic.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oreos the next of my, I do like cookies and cream in general, but I just, I don't know.
neocharge: Yeah. Yep. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cookie dough.
neocharge: I get the tiniest one.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's something special. but
neocharge: The tiniest one because like the...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. I can't eat that much fucking sugar and ice cream. I have low sugar intake, so... How about you, Bob?
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, I don't know. I haven't been a dairy queen in a while, but that's because we've got Culver's here, and I am a sucker for turtle Sundays.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um But I'm with you, Matt. Eat eat cookie dough. I do it. um Go look at what they use. I know they say about yada, yada, yada egg, but they don't even really use real egg and that stuff.
Leon Lionheartly: It's all pasteurized.
neocharge: No.
Leon Lionheartly: So eat the cookie dough. Enjoy the bake show and you know cry over your sad powdered sugar cupcakes.
neocharge: Live your life. Live your damn life. Make mistakes baking. It was the the intent that counted.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): if I know, but i like nobody ever gets to do anything really nice for her and because she doesn't really, usually she just does it herself, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I was i gave myself like three hours for an hour project.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then I got behind yesterday for other reasons that were
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know not really worth complaining about but i was like you get one chance buddy and i fucked it all up i even i had lemons that i zested like i don't do that shit uh yeah no i was going for it so oops but here we are yeah
neocharge: Damn.
neocharge: Oh, wow. That's fancy.
neocharge: Damn.
Leon Lionheartly: Oops. oops
neocharge: Well, that's a funny story. I think the listeners are going to enjoy that for sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): they did not expect that for pragmatist spoiler cast i'm sorry
neocharge: Exactly. Right into it. All good. We love it. The Cheez-It story. Love it. It's content. But we are here to talk about Pragmata. We are here with beers. What are we drinking?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'll go first because mine's a basic bitch. a Blue Moon. i I was going to have some more Cloud Chaser for this. ah
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I drank it all the other third day.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just finished it because I love it.
neocharge: That's awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I love it so much. So Blue Moon was on sale. I think I got...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): 18 pack for like $18. It's kind of nuts.
neocharge: Oh, wow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it was a rebate and everything.
neocharge: Dollar a beer. That's awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was it was crazy. i think they overstocked.
neocharge: but you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But anyway, so yeah.
neocharge: Now, do you put you put your little fruit slice in there?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I usually do, but I didn't today because I didn't want to choke on it during the spoiler cast. Because I'm an adult.
neocharge: prag
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I'm an adult who knows how to imbibe.
Leon Lionheartly: one
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Correct.
neocharge: Nice.
Leon Lionheartly: but not fake yeah it uh well I pulled out of my stash since Matt finally paid up uh on his beers yeah
neocharge: Blue Moon's a good wheat. I like it. yeah How about you, Bob? What you drinking?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): sister
neocharge: I did. i did, dude. We have a picture. We should put that on Discord. I'll put that on Discord if you don't mind.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was a nice photo. You shared it with the league, a group, I think, right?
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. Our little private group.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: You got like, what? Four? three
Leon Lionheartly: three or four or something like that.
neocharge: I don't know.
Leon Lionheartly: i don't know.
neocharge: You had a fucking like stack of them, and you were just the happiest of a lark. So, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: I'll put that on Discord.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That was a good one. um But no, I'm going back to living the dream as usual. But this time, it's not the Cremale. Went with their Oktoberfest, which is a German-style Marzen.
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: And ah this is very delicious, surprising. It's out of season because Oktoberfest comes in the fall with the Oktoberfest beers.
neocharge: in
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: But um I actually ah really appreciate this one. I haven't poured it in a glass to check the color. No, correction. I did that yesterday, and it's got a very, very...
neocharge: Just pour it pour it out into your mouth and let's see the color.
Leon Lionheartly: i
neocharge: No, I'm kidding.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Actually pour it onto your chest.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Ooh.
neocharge: And then lap it up.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): All right.
Leon Lionheartly: I'll give you a free car wash with it too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): all right
neocharge: You didn't nail real nice and deep like.
Leon Lionheartly: But yeah, no, this is ah this is a surprisingly good one. um i ah It's stock standard, which you would expect out Oktoberfest with that hoppiness barley kind of going in.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: But it's got nice kind of a It is really an amber beer, an amber ale beer.
neocharge: Beautiful. Very cool. Very cool. Gonna need you to save me one of those so we can trade again.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): mean, you bought it.
neocharge: Basically, yeah, i that's true. But I owed it. I owed it. So for Pocopia, all kinds of shit. ah I too am living the dream over here.
neocharge: And I'm going with our, not the staple, but a variant of the staple that you turned me on to. ah It is Powder Run Cinnamon Swirl.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh. Oh.
neocharge: That's what I'm rocking. So, ah yeah. Horchata style c cream ale with cinnamon and vanilla. It basically just tastes like you're drinking a cinnamon roll.
neocharge: It's fucking amazing. I love it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i mean I mean, were you drinking that during the episode 50?
neocharge: Probably.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that's same right Because it it sounded good then. ah
neocharge: Yeah. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Looks great.
neocharge: It's... Yeah. It's a lighter beer too. Very flavorful and light. Living the Dream is on point out of ah beautiful Colorado. Right in our neck of the woods somewhere west, I believe.
neocharge: if I'm looking. It doesn't.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He says as he struggles to find it on the can very, very quickly.
neocharge: It's always... you're ah you always look for it. and You can never... It says Living the Dream Brewing Company, Colorado. Cinnamon rich vanilla. That's where they're from.
Leon Lionheartly: They're out of Boulder, by the way.
neocharge: Boulder. There we go. It is west. I was right.
Leon Lionheartly: Wait, correction.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There go.
Leon Lionheartly: Not Boulder. what's the what's what's the It's to the east of Denver. um it's where ah you We used to support a ah charter school up there back in the day, if you remember, back in our old work time.
neocharge: East of Denver.
neocharge: Windsor?
Leon Lionheartly: No, I don't remember that.
neocharge: No?
Leon Lionheartly: I don't remember the name of the town, sorry.
neocharge: Oh, okay.
Leon Lionheartly: But i did I did do this for you guys.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The only thing Oh.
neocharge: Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: See, I went and got a glass, so that way I could pour this out on the beer.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: I know it's not going to help the listeners, but but like I said, that is a solid, solid amber.
neocharge: The cast pour. The cast pour.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Heck yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I still think you should have poured it on your chest and caught it in your glass.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But that's just me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just for the fans.
Leon Lionheartly: mean,
neocharge: Caleb just really wanted to see that. I mean...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, i was asking for a friend.
neocharge: yeah ah Let's see.
Leon Lionheartly: I mean... i mean
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: if
neocharge: living Centennial. Centennial.
Leon Lionheartly: That's it. Yep.
neocharge: of Wait, no, that's a Centennial State.
Leon Lionheartly: No, parker of Parker, Parker, Parker, Parker.
neocharge: Highlands Ranch. Highlands Ranch. Parker. Okay. Right in Denver. It's Denver. It's a Denver fucking beer company. So Denver has a lot of good ones.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
neocharge: lot good We got good water here. got good mountain water. So we got good coffee, good beer, good wine, ah good spirits, all kinds of stuff. So, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you have good butts in Colorado? Do people have good butts?
neocharge: Good butts?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): good Yeah, do people have good butts out there?
neocharge: Yeah, I'd say.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or is it just not? is Do you notice it?
Leon Lionheartly: I mean...
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's ah especially like snowboarding. Some good butts up there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah. You get some glutes doing that.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I guess that's true.
neocharge: For sure. So we are the Ah, got it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Also asking for a friend.
neocharge: He must work out.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Yeah. Yes, sir.
neocharge: But yes, we are here. We are drinking good beer. And we're going to talk all about Pragmata. Man, we're going to break it break it wide open.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, sir.
neocharge: This game came out... Fuck, I don't even know. I'm like four games deep. A month ago?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): April 17th, I think.
neocharge: Beautiful. April 17th.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Is that a Friday? I think that was the year.
neocharge: I think. I'm not sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It changed like 10 times.
neocharge: not sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So yeah,
neocharge: I know it did. It moved up a week and then it got delayed. It was announced at one of the events. I think it was a PlayStation State of Play. i think it was the showcase for PS5.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
neocharge: And in 2021.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): With Returnal, right?
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): was it Alongside Returnal? Yeah.
neocharge: yeah So it was announced, what, five years ago? And man, we were all just hooked on it. And we were just like, what is this game?
neocharge: This looks like.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, actually, for as it's interesting as it is to have a conversation about it, I will tell you, i was not sold on it right away.
neocharge: Yeah. Oh, okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i like between Not that it was between that and Returnal, but of the two science fiction-y games when they showed it, I was like, all about Returnal.
neocharge: you he
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, yeah, that game's going great. Part of it was Housemarque.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, Housemarque was kind of a no-brainer.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, just wait till you dive into Saros, my friend.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But with Pragmata, I was like, Capcom does weird shit. They do weird shit good. Not like Kojima weird, but they do sometimes. Sometimes Capcom lays an egg with weird weird stuff.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like sometimes it just doesn't work, right? ah But I respect them for getting back on that horse and trying trying again.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So the first trailer for Pragmata, I was not sold. I thought I will keep an eye on it, but I am not about this game.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It wasn't until trailer number three,
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, oh, fuck, that's going to be awesome. I think i think the third trailer was when they announced the demo. if that's Whatever trailer that was, whatever number, the demo announcement and all that, was like, oh, fuck, that game's going to be really good.
neocharge: Yeah. Sketchbook demo.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): then obviously played the demo and thought, why are you all coming out at the same time, in games? So, yeah.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But but you I know you you were very excited about it right away.
neocharge: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do remember back then you you were just like, that game looks great.
neocharge: you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I said, I don't know. i So i I'm glad that I was ah won over eventually. Sure.
neocharge: Yeah, it will. it It kind of gave me the vibe. And I mean, I know this is a joke online, but Death Stranding, like such mysterious, you don't know what's going on. There's a fucking astronaut here with a little girl.
neocharge: And you're like, what is this? And then Capcom, like, you're like, oh, it it hits all my super exciting ah boxes, right? A well-known developer, AAA, new IP, and on cutting edge technology, too.
neocharge: So That's why I was like, i was just so intrigued with it.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: And I was like, what is this? And when can i play it? So...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Can I tell you my biggest concern in the first trailer was wildly inappropriate. I thought it was going to be some weird like pedo Lolita game. I really did. I just thought, what the fuck is going on? Why is there this little girl? Because using like Last of Us as an example, because it is an older man with a younger woman as like a partnership traveling and doing doing what they need to do.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But even Ellie wasn't that young. i mean, she was still young. But this this girl, Diana, was like, what, six? Six years old, i think, is what she was modeled after.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, I think something like that. um I guess at the end of the day, um you're you're right. But to to back this up, I'm with you, Caleb. like When I first saw this, because this came out and I looked it up, the first trailer, the first reveal was in June 2020 for PlayStation five s reveal. So that that did happen. And I was like, oh, that looks kind of cool, kind of neat. There's some potential there. And then it wasn't like that first trailer when we finally got something last year. i was like, oh, that looks good.
Leon Lionheartly: But that's frame rate looks like ass.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, yeah. Yeah, that's true.
Leon Lionheartly: And then it wasn't like you said until the that that trailer that launched with the demo that I was like, oh, we're now we're cooking. We were finally on something.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um But the more back that you're you're you're right. um ah i I was kind of like, ooh, what's going on here? Because it's Japanese developer. It's a new team, so it means it's a younger cast that's kind of making this game.
Leon Lionheartly: What are they going for here? Because there's ah there's a fine line in that Japanese culture. And sometimes it gets a little weird, folks. Go watch anime.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, but i gotta I gotta tell you, as we will talk about, all of those concerns were invalid by the time playing the game.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, I'm
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They absolutely handled it the right way, and it was better than even I thought it was going to be. So that's that's really cool.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. I mean, I guess when I initially saw it, I was excited. But I was like, what is this? I'm intrigued by the mystery. And then the more I saw, the more excited I got. And I was like, holy shit, this is going to be amazing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Right? I wasn't like, oh, my God, day one by when I saw the teaser trailer.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: it was essentially a teaser trailer.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: And if you want to, ah you know, be entertained, go watch that trailer now after playing the entire game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, really? Yeah, I haven't.
neocharge: it's ah It's a little different.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Mm-hmm.
neocharge: And oh my God, the final game looks so much better than that initial teaser trailer when we were already like, oh wow, this looks amazing. we didn't It wasn't an engine or anything. It was just kind of CG.
neocharge: ah But it was just that intrigue and like new IP, Capcom, sci-fi, the moon. I was just like, what is this? And the more I saw, the more excited I got.
neocharge: And then ah once I finally played the sketchbook demo, I was like, Oh my God. Okay. We got a fucking game of the year contender on our hands.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: So, and then when I played the final game and finish it, I, oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh yeah, we absolutely do.
neocharge: Yeah, we're going to talk all about it. So this game has been was cooking for a while. um We we got Housemarque's sequel to the game that was announced before we got Pragmata or around the time we got Pragmata because Returnal and Pragmata were announced at the same time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're
neocharge: But Seros and Pragmata released around the same time, I think like three days apart.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): <unk>re like,
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): two week I think it was a two-week window after all the things were shuffled. I think Seros was like April 28th-ish and Pragmata was April 17th.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So somewhere around in two weeks.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, it's still the same launch window for all intents purposes. Crazy.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like Just absolutely crazy.
neocharge: yeah Yeah. So they trickled out news. Uh, they delayed it multiple times. Um, Bob, you drafted this, it was your number one draft. So you believed in it as much as I think we all did. ah But you put your money where your mouth is, and it's still sitting at an 89, one of the highest rated games of the year.
Leon Lionheartly: ah it's
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): 87, I think.
Leon Lionheartly: It's 86 or 87, something like that.
neocharge: Oh, gotcha. Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: eighty Thank you, Caleb.
neocharge: Jesus Christ.
Leon Lionheartly: ah ah and And spoiler, I think that's underrated.
neocharge: This isn't the Gen Z podcast. Okay.
neocharge: What?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah I do too.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's underscored.
neocharge: I agree.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: I agree.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's underscored a lot.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: I think we all love this game. i think and we're going to talk about why. ah But I think this is your warning now. This is a fucking spoiler cast. It's in the title.
neocharge: you got the You got the nice thumbnail with Pragmata that says spoiler cast. Okay. We're going to crack this game wide open. We're going to spoil the shit out of it. we're going to talk about everything story based. We're going to talk about the twists and turns. We're going to talk about the ending. We're going to talk about secret ending.
neocharge: This is your warning. going to spoil the shit out of it. Okay? If you haven't played the game, go play it. It's an incredible, amazing game. Got it? Good.
Leon Lionheartly: right. Now on to Hades 2. I mean, wait.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): All right.
neocharge: Exactly. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Wait.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm going to go play Pragmata while you guys talk about Hades, too.
Leon Lionheartly: if yeah
neocharge: So, yeah, ah we we finished this game, Bob, you and I finished it pretty ah in parallel, like, what, three weeks ago?
neocharge: um my time Dude, I'm pretty much time blind.
Leon Lionheartly: so Yeah.
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: So I know I can, so I can tell you this much. I consumed this game like it was my last drink um and finished the first playthrough before you even really got started.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: And then you came back and finished the cleanup and the the completion, if you will, in quotes of this game ah before I even got a chance to go do it.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: So we kind of ended up at the finish line at the same time, but ah there was definitely a pacing.
neocharge: Yes.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah. No, I kind of consume this game like a fine wine, honestly, because Jesus, this game is pretty.
Leon Lionheartly: if
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: every Around every corner, I was like, damn. Capcom cooked and it's the fucking r re engine too. And they, they did some magic with that thing. We all played it on PS five pro.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, which helped a lot, immensely.
neocharge: Uh, yes, absolutely.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, it almost flawless, just wow.
neocharge: I know it's incredible. Uh, every like vista the skyboxes i was like holy shit especially when you go into the new york section just like oh amazing so uh and then caleb you recently finished it uh you got the secret ending you did all the trophy cleanup and you are currently in your lunatic uh nice play on words there difficulty playthrough and you're wrapping that up you're on the the last level it sounds like
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah. yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I am. Yeah. I just, I mean, for this is a spoiler cast, we're jumping ahead for just a second, but so it's fine.
neocharge: We gave the warning.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah I just finished saving Diana, like rescuing, you know, yeah and getting that new ability and going to the communications tower, like the last area.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: and
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I have not started the comm tower yet.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But so the last boss I actually fought was the Luna worm, the Luna digger, which, which was ah pretty, pretty fun on, on lunatic difficulty.
neocharge: Yeah. Yep.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That fight was, was pretty fun. I will say.
neocharge: Heck yeah. Oh, man, I can't wait to talk about the loadouts and the the builds we used, too, if I can remember half the shit I used.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: um But, yeah, ah we haven't really been talking. We haven't talked about a lot. Bob and I have kind of talked about it one-on-one, but we haven't heard any of your thoughts, Caleb. Very excited to hear ah what you thought.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And should we give our overall thoughts before and then break the game wide open? or Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure. Yeah. Why not?
neocharge: Cool. We're going to save you for last, Caleb.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that's fine.
Leon Lionheartly: All right.
neocharge: yeah I can't wait to hear.
Leon Lionheartly: So, yeah. So I guess you're going to just start with me, huh? Right out the gate.
neocharge: Sure, or me. It's up to you. What do you want to do?
Leon Lionheartly: No, I can take this. So, no, you're you're right.
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: I drafted this first um when we were doing our draft. Go back and listen to that that episode. um There was a lot of good early picks ah that were still available. This year's been jam-packed.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um
neocharge: man
Leon Lionheartly: And there was something, just something about Pragmetta that kind of was like, I think there's something here, and I think it's going to be a huge hit. um And from moment one, when I launched this game, I immediately was like, screenshot, because it just looked that beautiful.
neocharge: Yep.
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: ah that that That overview of the moon and just...
neocharge: yep
Leon Lionheartly: I was like, oh, I'm good. And then within the first hour of this game, ah i i was I was sold. um I was a crying little baby. i was my my heart My ice cold heart was melting with warmth and grew three sizes that day. Kind of a joke.
Leon Lionheartly: and Overall, um I really enjoyed this game. I don't believe I'm going to go... I might go back for the Platinum, but the Lunatic difficulty sounds really good, but then when I think about the secret ending and some of the boss fights that I went through, particularly you said the Lunar Worm, Caleb, that's a grind of a fight.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That's like one of the longer fights of the game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yep. Yep.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: I don't want to end up spoiling... how I feel about this game, hunting for a platinum. And it's important to recognize that as a player, you go, okay, am I going to really like, I'm going to have the platinum. Yay. But what's that going to do for my opinion? Dragon Quest seven re-imagine, for example, you had the same, that experience, Caleb, I don't want to taint that. So I'm not going to go back for it because quite frankly, at this point in time, this is the front runner for me.
Leon Lionheartly: when we're talking about where we're at in projections. It's still early. We're only halfway through the year. um But ah this is a this is the type of game where the gameplay is awesome. You've got new mechanics that, quite frankly, haven't been done before. So think Death Stranding.
Leon Lionheartly: the strand verse kind of a or strand genre. This is all doing its own genre, if you will. um There's some awesome themes, great character development, the music, visuals, everything, it checks every one of those boxes that that is a hallmark of a game of the game of the year nominee at the very least.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, for sure.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Without question.
neocharge: Awesome. Awesome. Yeah. i couldn't agree more. And yes, we are midway through the year, but this is currently my game of the year. It could change. We have a lot coming out.
neocharge: ah But this game resonated with me so much. I fell in love with Diana in the first hour. It was like, I will protect you with my life. And you literally do in the game.
neocharge: So ah it was so well made, so well crafted.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Wait, what? Yeah. of
neocharge: This is a spoiler cast. So well crafted. It's a gameass game ass game. It's like ah ah ah a very gamey game, if that makes sense. like it It feels like I'm playing a video game, but the production and the presentation is like amazing quality movie level.
neocharge: But it's still a very game-ass game. You have...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: Right there. Like there's a lot of games out there that you basically watch and play a little and you don't have a lot of interaction.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: ah But in this, you're just constantly being fed new upgrades, new tools. There's so much combat variety. I actually really love the soundtrack.
neocharge: of this game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's great.
neocharge: It was very, yeah, very synth heavy.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's great.
neocharge: ah And the the combat music and the boss music was incredible. And by the end, I was crying like a little baby. And dude, the the the end boss was just a matt like us just a masterpiece of a production sequence.
neocharge: ah And i loved the setting. I loved everything about it. And yeah, it is currently my game of the year. So I adored this game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Good. I'm really glad to hear it. i I mean, I know I talked about it before on our, I think on the 50th, excuse me, 50th episode, the year anniversary. I think I mentioned that I do find it would be way funnier and way better if half of us hated it and half of us loved it to talk about a game.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: That's true. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I cannot. Unfortunately, this is not a game that's going to be that way because Pragmata is so good.
neocharge: Nope.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And much like both of you, It's not even close this year anymore. Like Resident Evil Requiem, I really, really feel like should be in the conversation. But it's it's it's a Capcom game.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Very different style of game while still being true to Capcom's roots.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know and and with Pragmata, I feel like all of the all of the things were ticked. You don't need to know anything going into that game. Now, that's not necessarily a slight against Resident Evil because it is an established IP, but being a brand new IP, Pragmata deserves to have that extra little praise because where the hell did this come from?
neocharge: indeed
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And how did you guys hit it so hard out of the park?
neocharge: Exactly. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like it just they They really did such a great job. with My thing, because I come from the movie background first, even though games are a majority of my life now, I really appreciate what you said about it being a game-ass game, because a lot of times when I make recommendations to friends of mine, they do ask, is this a movie that I'm playing or is it a game?
Leon Lionheartly: It's the most whitest thing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that's very, very fair, because I do tend to like movies that I play as well, coming from the film area. With Pragmata, it is a movie that you play, but you play it a lot.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's not just punch a couple buttons, hit a couple things, walk forward, hit a couple things, walk forward.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, a lot of it is, i don't want to say on rails, is not that's not on rails, but it is more linear than a lot of ah games that are very popular today. But it doesn't matter because the hacking aspect, along with the gunplay, is one of the coolest things new informes that I've ever experienced.
neocharge: It's so cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just, it's such a good idea. And it's also hilarious because my, my sister and my niece were here last weekend and my niece came to stay because she really wanted to see force of horizon six.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, that's, that's a game that we play all the forza horizons ever since she's been old enough. Well, i invited her down.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I said, I get it early because I'm, you know, I bought it early, whatever. But I said, when she got here, I said, there's another game that I want you to try while you're here, though. You love The Last of Us. You love Spider-Man. You love a lot of these action games. But I think you will just shit your pants when you play Pragmata. And she's like, what is that? She hadn't heard of it. And so I knew that she might not like it that much because I don't know how she feels about science fiction.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I thought I do want her to at least try. She started it. We switched over to Forza Horizon 6 later and then a little bit of Street Fighter. And I don't know, a couple matches into Street Fighter. She was like, can I play the hacking game again? That game was awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I said, yes.
neocharge: a
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So we stayed another maybe hour and a half. She got through the first two biome areas, the first two areas.
neocharge: It's incredible.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I will say, i mean, as a person who is very, very good at games and I'm not...
neocharge: Dang.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): shaming her at all there were a couple boss fights or whatever where i'm just like what are you doing you know i didn't say that out loud because i don't want to hurt her feelings but i'm just thinking this could have been over 15 minutes ago i don't know that she understood the hack to open the enemies to make them vulnerable i don't know that that really she doesn't really read when she's playing games and that i pick on her about that all the time
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: okay
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah But regardless, the fact is even without that, she loved it. She loved She just like, I want to play all of this game. And I said, yes, you fuck do.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause it's great. So this, this game is, I am so happy for Capcom yet again. They brought it yet again. And it's just kind of unbelievable.
neocharge: Dude.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So those are mean my overall thoughts there.
neocharge: It really is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Unless you guys have specific questions about Lunatic difficulty and and such, but maybe we could get to that as we discuss the game in the second.
neocharge: Oh, I do. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, i I definitely do. And you and you what I think you alluded, you almost were there, Caleb. And I think what really makes this game special is you look at like last year's ah winner, game of the year winner, right?
Leon Lionheartly: You look at Claire, you look at these other, you look at Team Asobi with Astro Bot, you look at some of these big hitters.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: And these are oftentimes veterans of the industry that have kind of come together as a conglomerate of some kind, um but there's always ah a center pillar there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: This did not really have that from the development team standpoint. ah It was, hey, we have new graduates. We brought them to Capcom.
Leon Lionheartly: We want you to make something different. and they just and instead And when something had to have happened with this game because it came out
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: We got a feed and then we got nothing. And then it went dark. And then it was like, oh, we're coming in 2026. And then we got a release date. Then I got pushed up. All of that comes into two a group of people who are don't have a ah hit in this and industry at all. And they put together a phenomenal game. And you can see that it drives into its DNA when you're playing this game. Because like you said, with the hacking, I was concerned.
Leon Lionheartly: How are you going to integrate hacking and shooting at the same time?
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: And somehow they fucking made it work where yeah anybody can do it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So I'm glad to so hear that about, excuse me, about your family member there, because that was a big concern for me.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, that's awesome. When I saw the hacking element to it, I was like, okay, that's cool. It's a good trope, but are you going to flesh this out? Are you going to like build upon it as I play?
neocharge: And holy holy shit, they did. They gave us builds. They gave us mods. They gave us ah the... I don't know. What what do they call it? like I use the heat build mainly.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: when you when you hack it you have the blue nodes When you hack and you have the blue nodes, ah what is it called?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh yeah, that was that was really good.
neocharge: Like a ah hacking...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Combustion.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Combustion.
neocharge: Oh, you use combustion?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, that isn't that the... I think that's what it is. The the heat nodes, aren't they combustion nodes? Isn't that what it's called?
neocharge: Right, but what's the actual term for the mechanic in the game? though All of that.
Leon Lionheartly: No, it's heat buildup.
neocharge: What are they?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, heat buildup.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay.
neocharge: No, I know. No, I know. What is the term for the when you choose it in the menu? What are those considered? Like, are they hacking systems?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, uh...
neocharge: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like the mode, I think. Boost mode, strike mode, combustion mode.
neocharge: mode. I think it's hacking mode.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. Hacking mode. I love that. And they kept feeding me new ones. They kept feeding me There's so many new mods in this game. There's four categories for each mod. Uh, there's the, the stats you can upgrade each weapon.
neocharge: I w one thing I wanted them to do a little, uh, like improvement. I think that would have been cool is to, to build your ability to upgrade the weapons, you have to use them and get kills on them. And then it like extends that ability to, because sometimes I would find myself just using the shotgun all the time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's because the shotgun might be the best weapon in the game.
neocharge: It's the best fucking weapon.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That that weapon fucking rules.
Leon Lionheartly: interesting really
neocharge: Okay, cool. Cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, I used all of them, but...
neocharge: We have some variants. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know
neocharge: And I would use the the code generator ah that ah fires the wall and gives you more nodes to go through when you hack.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That thing's beefy. I didn't use that for for the longest time.
neocharge: Oh, loved it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I accidentally picked the wrong thing when I was leaving ah to go do some extra bullshit.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i don't know. And I was like, oh, fuck, I grabbed the wrong thing.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i was like, well, let's see what this does. And then the first time I used it, I just murdered something.
neocharge: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i was like, well, I've been making a mistake.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That is an awesome weapon.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the Code generator is so underappreciated, I feel.
neocharge: yes
Leon Lionheartly: Thanks.
neocharge: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Each weapon is so unique, too. And it's such a unique play style if you change the weapon. ah And, man, it gives you so many. I think there's, what, like 16 or 19 different weapons, three different categories.
neocharge: ah Crazy.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's a lot. Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. So, sounds like... We all love this game and loved our experience with it. And man, when I first fired it up, the the title screen was awesome.
neocharge: Just a nice little piano intro with the the moon and everything. And then the cool thing is that's dynamic. So when you start it and you find Diana, the start screen changes to Hugh and Diana sitting there together.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: So that was cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's such a cool little title screen after you start the game.
neocharge: um Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but Like when you come back for your first continue, that was, I just stared at it for a minute.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and i was like, oh, that's sweet. That's so sweet.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I love it. it
neocharge: Yep. ah Yeah, the game just starts out super cinematic and you you see Hugh. He's on a mission to find out what the hell happened on the the lunar base. and like you You meet his crew and you kind of get some back and forth there and then everyone fucking dies.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Leon Lionheartly: i
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I <unk>
Leon Lionheartly: You know, you are right. But i ah if if you may, if you may, well, let me hear. There was something really cool that I, that was the moment that i was like, oh, there's something here in this game.
neocharge: least.
Leon Lionheartly: Because yes, the crew members die. i knew that was going to end up happening. Something was going to happen.
neocharge: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: But even that small five minute dialogue conversation between crew, ah Hugh and the other crew members, ah really set things up and kind of it really resonated because ah yeah as the listeners know, you know I served 21 years in the army.
Leon Lionheartly: um There's something about that squad mentality where they're providing banter. They're nobody going into something. They don't expect anything to happen. So they start bantering and they're talking and they're kind of jabbing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Thank you.
Leon Lionheartly: And then ah you know one one person, there he's just wanting to get back so he can go hang out with his kids. And then you've got Hugh over there who's just like...
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: I don't like kids. I just like doing my job. And I've met every, out of his crew, I've worked served with every type of that individual. So it kind of puts you into that mind space right away where you're like, okay, I know who I'm playing.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: I know what I'm ah when i'm kind of getting into because I've had some of those conversations and they're they're a blast, man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it was it felt authentic.
neocharge: Heck yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was the thing, right right from the get-go, very authentic.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And they even talk about it, ah jumping ahead a little bit, obviously, when Diana and Hugh, throughout the game,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): they they talk to each other just, i don't want to say at random because yeah, some things are scripted obviously for timing, but but sometimes if you're running around a level just for cleanup, Diana will just be like, Hey Hugh, you said you were an orphan, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like she'll just throw that out there.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And he's like, yeah. But one of the things they talk about is when, when Hugh, and don't want to say halfway through the game, but about halfway through the game, he mentioned something like, Oh man, I really got to contact their families once I'm home.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like I, you know, he feels obligated to follow up with his comrades and their families and what was important to do.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But Diana asks him about this. She's just like, like she says, you know, what are your friends? Or I don't remember the exact dialogue because he talks about them giving each other a hard time. And she's like,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): your friends sound mean or whatever she says. And he's like, no, the way we talk to each other is we could just say things and we're just kind of poking fun.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she's like poking fun. You know, she's a, she's a very innocent child.
neocharge: so good yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And the dialogue there is, is perfect because that's exactly like a kid would be confused. Be like, what the fuck? Why?
neocharge: yeah but yeah oh yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, you say, you say mean things and they say mean things. Why are you even friends? But we understand that as adults, Bob, because you served and you actually have dealt with, growing closer to people through thick and thin.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I actually did want to ask you specifically how you felt about that. And you already touched on it, that that it was just from the get-go, you felt like that was pretty understandable and and easy to follow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then they all died. You're just like, well, shit.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah Yeah, that's but that that was you perfect.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Perfectly well said. Because that's it. Through thick and thin. That jabbing of individuals. You want to you want to know the tight group of friends. um Get them into a squad and have them go through traumatic experiences together.
Leon Lionheartly: You will hear some of the most homophobic, racist things in the world. But it's all done in fun.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: nobody Nobody cares. Nobody takes it personal because those things are minor and they're inconsequential to the bigger ah bigger things that are going on. Like, oh, I don't know.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: It's an abandoned space station and I just lost everybody in my squad. I don't know their status. I assume they're dead, but I don't know this. ah So that kind of helps ah temper that edge, if you will.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it was really cool to find out that Hugh, I don't want to say this in a bad way, but was just an engineer.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): he he I didn't know that going into the game.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i mean, ah into the demo, obviously, I figured it out, but you know Most of the time when you have a game like this, this guy has guns and all of a sudden he's the best shooter in the world. And it's like, oh, he's probably like whatever the sci-fi military is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, was just an engineer who needed to learn how to fire a weapon to keep himself safe when he was going on missions and stuff. And that was so cool. It made him more of a person instead of just some random guy, you know?
neocharge: Very dead space.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, that very well said, Matt.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That's that's exactly it. ah Because if you look in the initial cutscenes when they're first porting into the space station, Hugh has the sidearm.
neocharge: you
Leon Lionheartly: He's got a pistol, and a pistol sidearm is used as ah like a last resort self-defense, close range.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um But his other squadmates were the ones that had the long rifles. They were the ones that were carrying the heavier heavier equipment because that's how it goes. You assign those ah those ah ah those weapons, which are resources, based on the roles within that squad.
Leon Lionheartly: So he was just an engineer.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: So yeah, you're going to get a sidearm in case something so ah goes south. But really, ah it's more of a, well, if you have to use it, things are probably fucked anyways. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you Pretty much.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And even Diana comments later, she's like, at least you're good with guns. And I'm like, yeah, you are good with guns, despite the fact that I don't think you should be.
neocharge: Right. and now
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it makes sense. In this world, it's completely legitimate. So that that was a... a neat little thing that they did instead of making him like the next Marcus Phoenix. You know, I i didn't want that because I like Marcus Phoenix, but I didn't want to be like, I'm a tired and gruff man who's got to save humanity on the moon.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like I didn't want that shit. I wanted what we got and I didn't even know that's what I wanted until we got it.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that was a beautiful, beautiful surprise.
Leon Lionheartly: instead of mar ah Instead of Marcus, we got Isaac.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Yeah, pretty much.
neocharge: Yep. Basically, yeah. I resonated and related with you so much. he He's 40. And um so you learn that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, dude. know When he said that later in the game, I was like, praise be.
neocharge: Yeah!
Leon Lionheartly: yeahs
neocharge: An old protagonist!
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): felt steam.
neocharge: Woohoo!
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, yeah. and then, of course, my wife, at first thing she was like, wasn't Joel old?
neocharge: So...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, silence, woman. she was it he He was, but he wasn't. He got way older. and Fuck that.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): This guy's like my age.
Leon Lionheartly: It's like a j ah JRPG where the old person of the party is 27.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: You're like, fuck you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Fuck you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Oh yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was cool 20 years ago, but fuck you today.
neocharge: Oh yeah, dude! I just played one where Raven, they call him Old Man, and he's fucking 29.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah yeah
neocharge: It's like, fuck off. And Yuri's like 21 or something.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: And yeah. But yeah, this protagonist, Hugh, amazing the banter between his ah crew and then they all die.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Freak accident. You know, AI starts coming alive. You're like, what the fuck is happening? What happened here? And now you realize, oh, this this is what we're investigating.
neocharge: Hugh falls and we meet one of the best characters in the game, I'd say. Old
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): One of the best characters in video games, period, I would say.
neocharge: It's really like one of the best companion characters.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's awesome.
neocharge: ah Easily. Yeah. Diana. Or I don't even know that she comes up and she's like, she tells, you know it?
Leon Lionheartly: I have the wiki because reviewing some of the It's DI0336-7.
neocharge: Please say it. Yeah.
neocharge: Yep. And he's like, Jesus Christ.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know. i As soon as that came up, I was like, damn it, that's going to come up.
Leon Lionheartly: and yeah
neocharge: I didn't even think of that. That is out of my orbit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yep.
neocharge: I don't know. But he falls. You meet this little girl, ah which you find out she's AI. And she tells her model number. And he's like, oh why don't we just go with Diana?
neocharge: And she's like, Diana? And <unk>s one of the cutest fucking cut scenes. And she just gets all excited. And she's like, Hugh, Diana, Hugh, Diana, Hugh, Diana.
Leon Lionheartly: ah That was, I love that.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So great.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): man
Leon Lionheartly: they i Because you I've had those interactions with my kids when they're really younger and you teach them something and then they're just like, when they're at that that age and it's like, repeat, repeat, repeat, because they're learning oh how what the context of the word means.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um Like I always tell people, kids start learning to speak when they're two.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And we call it the terrible twos because that's when a ah kid learns the word no
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: The thing that they don't teach you is at the age three is when it gets it goes up to 11. Because not only have they understood what the word no means, or in this case, Diana, she's learned they've learned what that ah how that word impacts. So not only have they learned the word, they've learned the context of that word. So now we've gone from no impacts.
Leon Lionheartly: provides a resonance with that other party and it means something. And that's what I saw with Diana when I was like, Diana?
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: Like she was confused what that word was. And then it was Hugh Diana, Hugh Diana.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: And she understood that Diana was now her name.
neocharge: Yeah. and not only is she modeled off her six-year-old, but she's like... not human. She's learning humanity too. So she's like, she's learning so much and she's just absorbing everything.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And Hugh, uh, kind of sees her as a tool. She's like, Oh yeah, you can help me. Cause he doesn't like kids and he doesn't like robots too. He's basically calls them clankers.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Uh, and like, I know you resonated with that Bob. Cause he's like, Oh yeah, this AI shit. Uh, don't like it. So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i'm Bob and I are are together and in that with Hugh. I think it just, as much as I love technology, fuck that shit.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm dumb tired of that crap.
neocharge: Yeah. I'm in the middle. I can see utility and one day I'll have a robot girlfriend so I can't be too biased.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I can see utility, but I also can see just how horrible everything has gotten.
neocharge: Oh, absolutely.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): mean, the case in point, for every one Diana, there's an entire fucking Edith space station trying to kill you. So, you know, I'll take the Diana, but I don't know if I want to deal with the Ediths.
neocharge: Yeah. That's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I think they're both they're both necessary to happen, but...
neocharge: That's true.
Leon Lionheartly: Wait, two, three.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do i have to ask you boys, just because we've talked about a little bit of the dialogue between Diana and Hugh.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and Do you have a favorite line that Diana said in the game? Because I do. And it's it's kind of silly and dumb, but it is my absolute favorite the way it was delivered. And I was curious if you guys, I didn't actually think about it. I just it just popped into my head the other day. i was like, that was the best line in that game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Do you have one?
neocharge: Let me think on that. Let me think on that. What is yours?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, Bob, do you do you have one?
Leon Lionheartly: ah Yeah, we've already covered it. I love that interaction with the Hugh, Diana, Hugh, Diana, Hugh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay, okay.
neocharge: That's probably mine, too. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: that That just that sold the game for me. um And then probably the second ah the the the second would probably be at the very end, which we'll get there. And you know what I'm talking to.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure. ah Which is very good.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I'm referring to.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, mine mine is way simpler, I guess. It's ah when... Hugh says something about having a house and she just goes, house.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She doesn't know, but she know like she's like just this this idea of whatever the fuck a house is to him.
neocharge: yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): is She was so... i don't even know how to describe her the voice actress when she did this. When she said just those just those two words, it spoke so much meaning to me that both times through when I played it on Lunatic Difficulty,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i I haven't been really skipping cut scenes because they're all great. So i might I might skip when they introduce, if I'm doing another training simulation or something, like i don't need to see that again.
neocharge: ah yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But for the real cut scenes, I've just been enjoying it because it's a great game. But that that one, i heard it again yesterday, I believe. And I was just like, yeah, that's my fucking favorite line.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because the way, what it means to her when he tells her that, and that's all, you don't they don't even have to elaborate.
neocharge: andt
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's just so...
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): a house Like it's a big deal. ah So I just, I felt like I needed to ask because I know that that's simple, but I, I love it.
neocharge: Huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do think all of her dialogue is wonderful though, for for what it's worth.
neocharge: Just incredible.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Her dialogue is perfect. And that was another concern I had years ago with that trailer. Children, especially young children, are so hard to do well ah without being annoying unless they're supposed to be annoying.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I believe we talked about this pre-podcast, not today, but like before you guys ever had Shapes of Gaming, with God of War.
neocharge: yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): When God of War, I mean, sorry, we're going spoil a little bit of God of War just for a second here. This is your warning. Go like 40 seconds in the future. When Atreus is being a fucking asshole, when he's just being an asshole in the first God of War and yeah and Kratos is like, I hate that boy.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like you You feel it.
neocharge: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But then, you know, 40 seconds later, he loves him again.
neocharge: oh yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's what being a parent is. And that's a real child. That's so hard to do well, you know?
neocharge: right Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And with Diana, I thought, how are they going to do that well with a six-year-old or who looks like a six-year-old? I guess she was between six and eight. I wasn't quite sure. They did.
neocharge: Modeled off a six-year-old. Because it's in her serial number.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. No, but I mean, in the trailer, like way back, I didn't know how old she was supposed to be because Ari engine, who knows.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But when, when I found out that she was that young, I thought, how's that going to go? I'm so glad that that voice actor just like, honestly, they need to, they need to be nominated and need to definitely be in the run for winning this year.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Nailed it.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She was so good. So good.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, absolutely.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I agree. And the six-year-old, if you guys look child development and you look at kids as they grow, six ended up becoming... That's a really... Between six and seven years old, and I'm sorry, pardon the pun.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Yeah, it's true.
Leon Lionheartly: Pardon pun.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's true, though. He's being serious.
Leon Lionheartly: But it's true. This is when when they're starting to get into that development of, hey, I know I can do X, Y, Z, and I'm gaining some independence. And that's what you see with Diana throughout the entire entire game.
Leon Lionheartly: like ah rich The very first scene when he was fighting that robot, and he's shooting it, and it's ineffective, and she's trying to help, and he's like, no, back up. And she's like, no, I can do this.
Leon Lionheartly: That's... it's a perfect age because if you'd done a 12 year old, a model of like a 12 year old or something like that, it would have felt weird ah for what they were aiming for in terms of the dynamic of the characters.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Sorry to waylay you there.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just, I needed to know.
neocharge: Oh, love it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I needed to know because we're talking about our dialogue and, uh,
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, no, her her laugh and her excitement at the end when she's like, Diana, i was just like, oh my God, i will fucking and fight everything for you.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: I will die for you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): her laugh and excitement throughout the entire game when you give her r REMs and stuff and she's just, she's giddy.
neocharge: i
neocharge: So good. It's just, oh yeah, oh yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's legitimately giddy.
neocharge: Yep. And her big coat is just like,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's like, ah, so good.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, you, you find her. I saw, i thought it was interesting. He sees her as a tool and he's like, oh like this is the only way I can survive because these fucking ai robots try to kill me and you can open them up so I can shoot them. Uh, and this brings us to the,
neocharge: the puzzle element, the the unique combat element of this game that is kind of the hook, honestly, and what makes this game super unique. And I love the shit out of it.
neocharge: I never really used the auto hack. I always like doing it with the face buttons. I love that they did it on the face buttons instead of the D pad that works so well.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And yeah, it took a little bit of getting used to, but I was just like, going straight through all the nodes eventually throughout the game. But what an incredible combat mechanic. And it was cool when like it's all in-game and engine, and she's like, well, let me see if I can try. And then it brings up the grid, and you're like, this is awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: yes
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Did you, did you use the auto hack at all, Bob?
Leon Lionheartly: No, I was having too much fun.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't either. i I didn't even know. So when it becomes an unlockable thing, I was like, fuck that.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's easy mode. But I didn't actually know that it was it's not necessarily easy mode. I don't know because I've never used it. But after I beat the game, I went back to do the extra stuff and I was like, I'm just going to buy the shit that I never bought.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And auto hack was the last thing that I needed to buy.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I just bought it. And then I i didn't realize there was a trophy for buying all the shit.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, oh, well, okay. And then I went into a battle and I tried to see it one time just to see what it was like. Just just to hit the button. And I was like, that's stupid.
neocharge: Yeah, exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I never touched it again. Didn't unlock it on Lunatic difficulty. That's never going to be paid for. I don't i don't need it.
Leon Lionheartly: but So you actually tested it, huh?
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Because I never even did that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did just once...
neocharge: i did I tested it too. I was curious.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just wanted to know how fast it was. i wanted to know, but you know, did it, would it make the game easier? Cause I actually thought if it if you're supposed to use it, if it's not a crutch, if you're supposed to use it on lunatic difficulty.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And when I saw what it did, i was like, nah, I'm good. I got this. So I have not used it at all in my lunatic playthrough.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I,
Leon Lionheartly: Good to know because i the i I almost wanted to and then I saw that it used your hacking bar ah for your overdrive and I was like, no, I'm not letting you tamper my resources so you can go dink, dink, dink.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: I was like, no no no, no, no, no. Let me fucking do this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah I'm faster than you.
neocharge: Dude, that hacking gauge is so critical, especially when you get deletion protocol. Fucking shit wrecks.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): crazy.
neocharge: So yeah ah yeah, we find Diana, we start killing robots, the and then you go to the big boss, right? Am I missing anything? we can i don't want to go too granular, right?
Leon Lionheartly: You're fine.
neocharge: but we're We're trying to get...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, yeah, you're trying to power back.
neocharge: Yeah, we're trying to get power to the station. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. I mean, you guys play the game. You're on a spoiler cast. You're listening. We're going to share our thoughts. We're not going to like go granularly. ah But this was the the big marquee moment when you're fighting your first boss and you get Overdrive Protocol.
neocharge: I this was an incredible part of game was in the demo ah when I played the demo I was like holy shit okay this is our God of War rage mode right and just gorgeous when it happens and ah is yeah this is before or after the shelter because I want to touch on the shelter this is before
Leon Lionheartly: This is before the shelter.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, the first...
neocharge: Yeah, yeah. Because I played through the game a little bit for a specific trophy for the, yeah I don't know, it's like the the enemy that you have to hack to get it's for one of the trophies. But I played a little bit through, so I remember ah that section. But yeah, this boss fight was awesome.
neocharge: was amazing. It was in the demo too. I played that boss in the demo probably 10 times over. Just an incredible sequence. So detailed, especially when they open, like the enemies open.
neocharge: I just, the production was amazing. And it's just a fun ass boss fight and very varied attacks. And this was like the tank or I don't know what, what it's called in the bestiary.
neocharge: This game has a bestiary.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's like a mech. Yeah, that' that is one thing, and it's not a slight against the game.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't fucking remember what any of the enemies are called.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Any of them.
Leon Lionheartly: Nope.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't. It's just like, and it's not, you I mean, I know their names, but I couldn't tell you which was what.
neocharge: Warden. Warden.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like Walker and Walker 2.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know the Walkers, but i it's not like they're bad names, because what else are you going to call They would have generic-ass bot names, but it does not help for me.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right. Yeah. Especially when Edis is naming him.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Because he he starts creating them and it's just like, oh, this is chaos.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Alright.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, it eventually, i just call the one the fucking samurai asshole. The one with like the round hat.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like That is my most favorite and least favorite enemy in that game. I fucking hate fighting them. They're pieces of shit and they need to go to hell. However, they're awesome. So it's like, you know, those those things are neat.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i don't I couldn't tell you what it's called. I have no idea what its name is.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm.
neocharge: Gotcha. My least favorite were the baby boys.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: The ones that have the red fucking satellite that come out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah a The Demogorgon face?
neocharge: i Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, yeah.
neocharge: I don't even know what they were called.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): My niece's least favorite too. She was like, fuck those. though She didn't say that. She doesn't she doesn't really swear.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But she just looked at me she's like, I don't like those things with the with the faces.
neocharge: Right. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I said the Demogorgon and she's like, that is what it is. So I said, yeah, those are those are a pain in the ass with their little antenna.
neocharge: It is.
Leon Lionheartly: but
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Those things are terrifying and awful and I hated them.
neocharge: The samurai ones are so cool. And that dude, the little spinners, the slicers, and he's like, stop stop scurrying around.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Stop skittering around. i love when he said that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: He's so good. He's so afraid. That's like his his most fearful of all the enemies.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And you can tell he's like, stop, stop it. I'm going to go away. So cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's true.
neocharge: Yeah. ah Yeah. So that boss fight, Very great. The overdrive protocol sequence. Amazing. And we get the the power on. It's got the gorgeous skybox of of Earth from the moon, especially on OLED.
neocharge: We all played on OLED.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh man, unbelievable.
neocharge: Oh, man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Very cool.
neocharge: Just awesome vistas and so detailed. You got PSSR 2.0 and it really shined. And then um as we were playing, as Bob and I were playing, we got an update to make PSSR 2.0 even better.
neocharge: I didn't see a difference, but it's crazy. like I was like, holy shit, there's an update that makes it better. Very cool.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, that was one of those. I'm not entirely sure what they did, and it could be just my old age eyes getting to me, but the game looked phenomenal from the very from the very beginning.
neocharge: I couldn't see a difference. difference
Leon Lionheartly: like Okay, I take your word for it, Capcom.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the only The only guess I would have, and this is I have not confirmed this in any way, shape, or form, but there is a slight amount of shimmer that happens when closing, like if you pause the game or if you turn really fast and it's a really bright color onto a neutral or a darker color.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: in
neocharge: me
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So this happens a lot with the floors being a silver, like a metallic gray, and then you're looking at
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): earth or lights or whatever if you turn really fast there is ever so slightly a bit of shimmer that shows up floor and I think they made it less noticeable I think i think that's what it is but that's like if you're looking for it and I almost feel like I don't know if that's confirmation bias because I noticed it and I thought that's got to be what it is but it it's not like it's a bad thing I just that's my guess I think that's the one thing that they did ah to reduce shimmer and make things load just a little bit faster
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay.
neocharge: Love that.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah. Okay.
neocharge: Gotcha. Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it doesn't matter because this game is damn near flawless.
neocharge: Huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's so
neocharge: Oh, it's
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so pretty. i
neocharge: It really is. All the yeah the, yeah, like you're on the moon, you're looking at earth and you're just like, holy shit, this is amazing. and Then you see that tower being printed by another fucking printer.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's so cool.
neocharge: It's crazy.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just...
neocharge: Everything's printed in this game. Where'd we heard that? No. Uh,
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, yeah, it's 3D printed. A little timely there, bud.
neocharge: Mm-hmm. So ah after the boss, we finally get to the shelter. And this was awesome. ah I thought it was really cool that you can like go back to the shelter pretty frequently.
neocharge: And they actually encourage you to return to the shelter through each sequence.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: These are kind of like your ah checkpoints, right? And you can go back to the specific checkpoint whenever you want. No penalty. ah And you can...
neocharge: basically fast travel to your home base whenever you want. And the shelter sequence was cool. It's so bare bones when you get there. But, I mean, a fully upgraded shelter and a shelter that you discover, two very different things.
neocharge: So I love the evolution of that and everything opened up. And, ah yeah, it was really cool getting to the shelter. And then you see all these, like, locked lockers and you're like, that's how many fucking weapons and shit are in this game?
neocharge: Holy shit. So...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that was exciting. I will say we we technically got to the shelter before this.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): this Beating the boss is when you get your first license. like ah You level up to from zero to one and you meet Cabin and he does the stamp shit.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and and the I don't know if the training missions, I think they're the next key.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But yeah, the first time you get to the shelter, it's very, very bare bones.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then when we get back with this, they're like, oh, here's some more shit you can do.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that was cool.
neocharge: That's right.
Leon Lionheartly: and So I got to ask, gentlemen, because you mentioned it a little bit there, Caleb, with Cabin, um the bingo cards.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Oh yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: how did you feel How did you fill them out?
neocharge: Love that.
Leon Lionheartly: Because I did it a very specific neurotic way to get like that little dopamine hit. And I'm just curious if you had like a method methodology to completing them.
neocharge: It honestly depended on the node I wanted to unlock, but I would usually go in an L shape and then diagonal.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay. All right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, so on the, all right. So the first time through, obviously I, on lunatic, it's very different, but the first time through, i didn't know because sometimes Capcom does the shit where there's a finite amount of things and maybe, maybe you can't play all the bingo cards.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: hmm
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't know. i wasn't sure how it was going to work. So The first one, I only got the first bingo by doing top to bottom, you know like like one, four, and seven, let's say, if it was like ah on a phone.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So left row, one one, two, three, down. ah And then I hoarded, thinking there's got to be a better stamp. thing There's going to be like a better reward, right?
Leon Lionheartly: Ah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I thought, ah if I don't need to use them for anything, I won't. It's when I hit it. Well, usually the way I play games is I will do as much as I possibly can until I realize I either don't have all the tools or I need to get a little boost, whatever that boost is, ah which is probably stupid because a lot of players would say, why don't you just play the game as it is? And I do that too. But with games like this, I'm just like, there's always another little fucking thing around the corner.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So when the second stamp card came out, I was like, aha, I have like 10 coins. So I'm going to just get all these. And then I was like, wait, there's going to be at least a third one, right? So I just just kept waiting.
Leon Lionheartly: but
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And then I noticed when with the red keys for the red zones, I decided to prioritize that.
Leon Lionheartly: Bye.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Once I saw there was a red key to unlock on, I think it's the second stamp card that you can actually see. It's not a question mark. I just, I bought those right away because I thought every time I see a red zone, I want to try to conquer that so I don't forget where it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And also so I can unlock the rest of the stamp since they block off some of that, which was a very smart thing to do, by the way.
neocharge: no
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But generally, when I was when i was done hoarding and I got over my weirdness, I went around the outside and tried to fall into the middle to get as many bingos in one go as possible.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: That's why I i did the same thing.
neocharge: yes we
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I'm like, ooh, this is going to be really cool. I'm going to fill everything except for that center. So that way, when I hit the center one, it just goes ding, ding, ding, ding.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: a
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's that endorphin rush, man, which is so stupid. I admit that's so stupid, but I don't care.
neocharge: I love that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did it anyway because it's great.
Leon Lionheartly: okay
neocharge: I think I did that on one and it was very satisfying, I gotta say.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's very satisfying. And then, of course, Cabin's like, you know, triple bingo, quadruple, whatever.
Leon Lionheartly: so
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He's just saying shit. He's just like, congratulations. I'm like, yeah, give me my free outfit. Thank you.
neocharge: Yep. Yeah. ah Yeah, dude, the bingo cards, the ah upgrade tree, the three upgrades, you got ah Hughes defense, Hughes attack with his pistol, and then Diana's hacking.
neocharge: I prioritized hacking immediately.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Diana, thousand percent.
neocharge: i i was like, yeah, hacking, and then probably his damage output for his pistol. And I was i was rocking like base defense for a while. I usually play games as a glass cannon.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Uh, so I prioritize that. I love when you change the different sections that it like goes to, like when it goes to Diana, Hugh in the background, he like puts his hand on his hip and he's like, it just looks at her.
neocharge: yeah Just those little things. i was like, Oh my God, that's fucking funny. So it's so good.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The animations are very cool for even for the stuff, the minor stuff like that. It's a, it's just the little things. It's the details that really set it apart.
neocharge: know Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: so you So you both prioritized hacking first?
neocharge: Oh yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah i was
Leon Lionheartly: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i was i tried to At first I was building hacking and his pistol almost evenly. And then after the second area, I said, fuck that. I'm going all hacking.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like she She's so good. I hacked with her so much.
neocharge: Yeah. Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I mean, not to toot my own horn, but I got really, really good and really fast with it. So I was just doing more damage with that than I was with the pistol anyway.
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, okay. No, i was I did weapon first.
neocharge: okay
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you will I mean, that doesn't surprise me for you.
Leon Lionheartly: Max.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And I don't say that as a, like, to make fun.
Leon Lionheartly: Thanks.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That that checks out.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You are a military guy, so, duh.
Leon Lionheartly: it was It was great.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, look, you're vulnerable. Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. pop they Just watch the health bar. but Also, because i I could be my dummy, like the heat mechanic, I figured it out later.
Leon Lionheartly: But initially, it didn't seem... like I must have missed a tutorial or something because it didn't seem well explained to me. So I was like, well, what's with the heat? And then I realized later what he did.
Leon Lionheartly: And I was like, oh... this is where the game sings. So then i kind of figured it out. It was around the same time that I got the the assault rifle. the one out Because it says it generates heat.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. A pulse.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, the pulse rifle and it generates heat.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: and And then I really started going, what's going on here? And then I kind of figured it out eventually.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was actually when I started to upgrade the weapon more because of the heat.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, oh, once I got that pulse rifle, I said, okay, well, I'm just going to get criticals more often. Like, fuck this. i Yes, let's do it.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's right.
Leon Lionheartly: ah it It was super helpful because but that weapon was at like level seven or something when I got the pulse rifle because it shares ah both of them. So I just started blasting and it was like that heat bar went, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, i I focused on the hacking, but then I'd say I was maybe two nodes behind on the gun too, because I was i was building them pretty evenly. The defense I just didn't touch until probably like stage 5.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: ah and and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but
neocharge: As soon as I learned about the heat, I had a heat crit build like Throughout the fucking game, I was heating them up and just popping headshots left and right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: It was so fun. just And then you would get them to a critical state where they'd overheat. And then I had the mod where if you finish them, it does damage and AOE with everyone else.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, the 30% crit, yeah. Yeah,
neocharge: And that opens them. ah da Fucking game over.
Leon Lionheartly: oh Especially when you added though because i added the pulse rifle and then I had the mod that refilled your pulse ammo, your primary weapon whenever you completed a hack.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So I would unload an entire magazine, do a quick hack, unload an entire magazine, Ritz, Slather, repeat.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Yep. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's great.
neocharge: I actually ran the heat build with the pistol. I thought the pistol hit like a fucking truck.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, it does, it's great.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah it does.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): going Going to Lunatic and being forced to use the pistol again. i mean, I switched back to the pistol for the second time when I unlocked the secret ending because I thought the pistol actually was better in that fight for me ah because it's that's insane.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: It racks.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um But going back to Lunatic difficulty or going to Lunatic difficulty and not having the pulse rifle, I was like, man, I missed my heat, but... This thing's still, I mean, it it does work.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's not as much work as i as it should, I think, in Lunatic, which we can get to later, but it's a noticeable difference for sure.
neocharge: Okay. Okay. Yeah. Just seeing all these upgrade sections and seeing the, the pods, uh, my outfit pod was immediately open because I got the digital deluxe, uh, mainly, mainly for the low fly beats in the the shelter.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Oh, cool.
neocharge: It's like, Oh, there's like low five versions.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cool.
neocharge: And I was like, I want to throw this. I want to throw money to this IP and this developer. So they make more shit. So you know what? Here's my 10 bucks. I'll get some cute outfits. I didn't really care about the outfits.
neocharge: Uh, the But the lo-fi beats, I would usually change it ah in the shelter. And it was cool. You could change the music. And then, oh man, let's talk about the REMs, the REM section.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
neocharge: So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Which REM song?
neocharge: So...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, you mean the Earth Memories. Never mind.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
neocharge: yeah ah That sequence, well, I guess we can go into the the next section. The next section is turning on the power. ah That's a small one, but then the one after that is the comms tower, right?
Leon Lionheartly: yeah uh well
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The Combs Tower is technically the last thing you do.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah the comm server is technically the last thing um
neocharge: Sorry, no in the comms tower in the New York section?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You see it in the New York section, but you don't actually get to go to it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like you go to it. That's five, area five, but I don't remember what the second one is called.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Well, no, it's the comms tower there. I think you're thinking of ah the actual, like, Edis tower.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or is it Central Tower? Maybe that's.
neocharge: Central tower, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: The comms tower you get to, and that's where you the boss comes down from.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that boss was so cool.
neocharge: um That fucking... so
neocharge: ah It's so cool. But that that sequence when you're... cool And you you see all this printed taxi, like this half-printed taxi of all this shit that looks like it's like in the walls and you're like, what is going on? And we saw the New York section ah in like some marketing and we were like, oh, you go back to Earth and it's all fucked. But nope, it's a printed New York on the moon.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that was a cool a little i' it surprise isn't the right word because obviously we got to see some of it in the trailer. And like you said, I thought, oh, we're going to go back to Earth at some point because it's in the fucking trailer.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then when we got there, it's like, oh, no, we don't. This is cool. like Yeah, it was a neat neat little section.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Also, it's called the mass production array. that's That's yeah.
neocharge: Ah, okay.
Leon Lionheartly: That's it. Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Okay. Gotcha. Okay. Mass production array.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah because Which makes sense because that's they go there and the thing starts to try to make make more shit out of the ground you know when it's when you're fighting it.
neocharge: ah
neocharge: That's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like that Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. i
neocharge: That's true.
Leon Lionheartly: and that And that was really cool is that what really sold the the New York part is um I've heard people who mentioned and like from New York is like some of those areas were pretty spot on and you're like, oh, this really has the feel of the city. And then when you look at the, you listen to the like the audio logs ah of the workers that are there, not the audio logs, I apologize, but the that the'll documents you pick up and you read them, ah you realize that like there's more it tells a ah better story and kind of really levels it um with some some of the the the crew members are like, yeah, I don't really like being here, but this landscape actually makes me feel like I'm but truly back on Earth.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do have to say, oh, go ahead.
neocharge: dude uh oh uh speaking of i so i read the or listen to audio logs and read the uh like emails and stuff like that and when they were saying oh yeah we print in new york and we're printing like japan and printing europe i thought those were going to be the next levels um yeah right like a uh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Go ahead. Sorry.
Leon Lionheartly: Ahhhh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh man, that would have been crazy. That would have been really crazy.
neocharge: freaked out printed Japan. i was like, ooh, are they foreshadowing?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, that like samurai bot is the closest thing.
neocharge: i I thought it would be that.
neocharge: Right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And they talked about Hinami in that level.
neocharge: That's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's jumping ahead a little bit with the cherry blossoms and and all that.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But no, I wanted to ask, because the first time through here, going back a little bit, when he names Diana,
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know he just He says, I'm not going to call you by D1, 0, whatever the hell.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): How about Diana? And I thought, it's because the goddess of the moon is named Diana. And that's why that's just where they came up with the name, I would assume, right?
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't think I'm wrong about that. But not that Hugh would have thought, this little girl is a goddess of the moon. But it still works that way. And I'm not mad about it. But then when we're going through this this section, in the New York section, if you guys remember, it's like...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think it's the second area you go to. There's a place called Diana's. There's a big billboard that says Diana's.
neocharge: Yes. The donut. Diana's donuts.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah. And I thought at that, honestly, because I didn't really know what to expect. It's science fiction. And there's this girl who I very much like, but she is, an android pragmata uh and edis is a prick so i was like oh no why why is this called diana's is she like in the system and just kind of fucking with him to become his friend is she gonna like like betray him later like i was so i saw that name because i thought why is this called diana's when he named her diana an hour ago you know like that wasn't her name and then later when we learn about daisy
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Oh. ah
Leon Lionheartly: oh
neocharge: little
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, well, why wasn't it fucking called Daisy's? That doesn't make any sense.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I do think it was just a weird coincidence, a happy coincidence.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I would like to know if people from New York know like, oh no, Diana's Donuts is up on 45th. Like that would be cool to know just because why was it Diana and why was that place called Diana's?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I wanted to know if you guys noticed that when you were playing, that it it was the same name and was that weird to you?
neocharge: Oh.
neocharge: I know. i definitely...
neocharge: Yeah, but I thought it was just a coincidence. um I know like the the writers obviously intended Diana to be the goddess, of the or to to reference the goddess of the moon.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: But Hugh, yeah in in the game, was he's like, oh yeah, D-I-A-O, Diana.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Which makes perfect sense.
neocharge: um
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's fine.
neocharge: Right, but ah Diana's donuts, maybe it's a famous chain in in New York?
Leon Lionheartly: um who ah I'm looking because you guys got me curious now. Sorry, I gotta go.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: ah So there's a Yelp. The closest thing is a Yelp reveal for ah Diane's Bakery Cafe um in New York, but there's no chain. So I think it was just a it was a ah quick selfaent ah rule self-referential thing, which is funny because they speaking of, like there are Easter eggs left and right if you look in this game.
neocharge: Resident Devil.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Capcom's Easter eggs, man.
Leon Lionheartly: Everything...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They were so well done. so i was i just like grinned every time I saw one. i'm like, fuck you, buddy.
neocharge: Did you guys see a Mega Man Easter egg?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Other than the fact that she is is love a busterless, mega busterless child.
neocharge: Basically, it was Mega Man. don't know.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, I did not see a direct Mega Man Easter egg.
neocharge: Yeah. Neither did I. Saw Resident Evil.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh yeah. Resident Evil was the first one I came across, I think.
neocharge: us Well, kind of it's kind of a Devil May Cry and Resident Evil hybrid. Resident Devil.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: So, kind of cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Which was, was cool. Smart.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: All right, looked it up again.
neocharge: What?
Leon Lionheartly: I'm going to send this guy to you guys. Apparently, there is an Easter egg, and I didn't notice.
neocharge: I want donuts.
Leon Lionheartly: look Look at this. You guys are going to get this live reaction. I think this is the coolest thing in the world, and I'm sad I didn't see it on my playthrough.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Let's find out.
Leon Lionheartly: It's a quick 30-second, but it is Man Easter egg.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): 30 seconds. All right.
Leon Lionheartly: it is a mega man eastbreak
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, what?
neocharge: Wait, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What? it
neocharge: Oh, shit, I saw that. It doesn't look like Mega Man, but it has the animation.
Leon Lionheartly: It's the animation, like the drop down and then the movement and the walk.
neocharge: Yeah. I did see that, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And the jump? i Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: Yeah, it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): How do you get it to do that?
neocharge: That's a Mega Man jump. I think it's just scripted. I did see this because I heard the retro sounds. was like, what the fuck? what Who's doing that? And I look at cabin and it was doing this and I didn't put two and two together, but that's the animation for sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's really cool.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's, that's really cool.
neocharge: um The little mini cabins, I thought it was kind of ah maybe a little bit of a missed opportunity to make those off of Capcom's IPs because I thought that's what they might have been doing, ah but it was more like, oh, this one has a silly hat.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. This one has a fun little hat and a dumb umbrella.
Leon Lionheartly: kind of
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): was like, okay, sure.
neocharge: Yeah. When I, when I first, when he first was like, oh, shoot this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Why not?
neocharge: I was like, all right, I'm not going to shoot it yet. What's that audio cue?
Leon Lionheartly: mm-hmm
neocharge: What's that?
Leon Lionheartly: and
neocharge: i And I was like, okay, that's, that's a pretty easy tell. Caleb, I have a question for you. ah Bob, I think I know your answer, but you might have too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: We got all the cabins, the mini cabins, pretty much. We shot them until the last level where they were just out of in fucking nowhere and you can't hear them. Right.
Leon Lionheartly: So I didn't get them all because I couldn't hear them all. So i have to i have to go back and clear because I know what you're referring to where I'm like, I listen for that audio cue every time.
neocharge: Oh, okay.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: ah A very good callback to to the Resident Evil remake and the current iteration of Resident Evil with like Mr.
neocharge: Yes.
neocharge: Yep. Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: Raccoon figures where you hear that and you go, uh-oh, and you stop anything you're doing and you start searching.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm. Remember the one in the library from,
Leon Lionheartly: Yes. Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. that one
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That one was an asshole.
neocharge: Uh-huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I only missed one mini cabin the whole way through.
neocharge: ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause I, I will say I heard all the others.
neocharge: Yeah, no, I missed three, and they were all in the last level.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): This one.
neocharge: And they were, like, fucking 50 meters away where you can't even hear them, and you have to scope them.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): a Well, okay. So to be fair, I couldn't always hear them from where I could shoot them in the last level.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like I would hear them and look around and not see anything and be like, I know you're here somewhere.
Leon Lionheartly: Hmm. Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then I would run back a little bit and then I'd run forward a little bit and then I'd run around and I would just go crazy trying to find it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And eventually i did actually get out the charging... piercer, like the essentially charged up sniper rifle thing.
neocharge: Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and Not that that really helped because it's not like you get a zoom scope, but I just felt like that let me focus better.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the ironic thing is the one that I missed was just in a fucking hallway that was like the easiest one.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't hear it.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't see it. And I went back to clean up for unknown signal and I was just lumen farming you know and or limb farming. And I ran down this corridor and I was like, what the fuck?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): How did i miss that one? Because he was just like right there. I felt very stupid. But yeah, i I actually did much better on this one than I do with the Mr.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Raccoons typically and in the Resident Evil movies.
neocharge: Right. I love that they brought this mechanic back. It's just another way that this is a game-ass game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: and just I'm a sucker for collectibles.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: You put a ton of collectibles in the game, I'm there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, especially if they're fun to collect.
neocharge: right Lego games, I'm like a cracked-out hummingbird with collectibles.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it Because in in the first Assassin's Creed game, the very first one, which, love to hate it, you had to collect feathers at some point.
neocharge: Yeah. The worst one.
neocharge: No, that was two.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or that was too. What was the thing you collected in one?
neocharge: You collected flags.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Plags.
neocharge: Flags.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, and I remember hating it, even though I usually like collecting things as long as it's interesting and fun.
neocharge: Ugh.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And for some reason, an Assassin's Creed game...
neocharge: that game just wasn't fun to play, and it wasn't fun to traverse. That's why.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's That's true. But with, with a game like this games, like resident, the whole resident evil series, it is awesome to do that. They just, they, I don't think they overdid it in this. I don't think there were too many, many cabins.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think there were just enough, just the right amount.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Aren't like 20 or 30 or something like that?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And yeah, Yeah, probably. I don't even know. But but not so many that I thought, ugh, I'm going to have to do this out of obligation.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, it was like, cool. And a thing that i really appreciated in this, jumping ahead a little bit more, you didn't need to get all of them to get all of the fucking rewards.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, it's a trophy. It's just a trophy to get all of them. You get a little extra limb.
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cool. Let me have fun and let me not agonize over getting all of them unless I want to, you know? And in this game, I didn't feel like I was missing out by the one that I missed.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I actually didn't even know if there was one left. I, I just, I went back to the, to the little hub where you could see all their little things. And i was like, Oh, I'm missing one.
neocharge: Right? Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then I was like, no, where did I miss it?
neocharge: I love the visual.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I went through every level again, just for fun. And,
neocharge: Oh, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Yeah, I was planning to get them.
neocharge: Just for fun, huh?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, oh, why not?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know And I was doing Unknown Signal anyway for the for the bosses ah to do the bosses again.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yep. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I thought, oh, I'll just go through the whole level again because this game rules. Like, why not? that's that's And I could maybe find things that I had missed out on, like ah removing the buildup shit, the corruption and all that.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I thought, what why not just do that?
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And fun fact video I sent you guys ah where I melted the boss. The first three bosses I did the the first try and I did not get hit by any of them and just murdered them on the unknown signal.
neocharge: Dude, crazy.
neocharge: Jesus.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then the fourth one, the the Luna Digger, hit me at the very end when I had stunned it and I was going to kill it and it fell on me and hit me. And I was like, no, it's not a perfect run.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Damn it.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I didn't record it because I was like, nobody cares.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I only sent you number three. I didn't send you two.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but But yeah, like that was a really fun thing to do with those mini cabins. And I didn't have to do it out of obligation. I did it because I want it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that was cool.
neocharge: Yeah. They were just fun to hunt down. So yeah, lot of collectibles. um Yeah, dude, so many guns. You just keep drip feeding and they they give you probably the best one first, which is I forget what it's called in game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I think so.
neocharge: It's essentially your shotgun. And I was like, well, I'm upgrading the shit out of this one.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Was it Shockwave? Is that what it's called?
neocharge: i Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, that's it. Chalkwave.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. See, this is fresh in your brain.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, I also have a stupid memory for useless information like that. So when is that when's that ever going to help me in life except for literally right now?
neocharge: Yeah. It's all Pokemon up here.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): a Yeah, right.
neocharge: It's just nothing but Pokemon.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Charmander is number six in the book right now.
Leon Lionheartly: Who's that Pokemon?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But so, Bob, you you started to talk about a little bit, and then I probably waylaid us.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: It's Pikachu.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What was your favorite non-main weapon in the game?
Leon Lionheartly: ah The rail gun, actually.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The charge piercer, I think?
neocharge: Piercer.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, the charge piercer.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: The shotgun was good, and it's a great backup, but the charge piercer, if you get them, and then like, so the way I built it is it was unlock and then stun. So it was multi, stun, and then heat generation.
Leon Lionheartly: Or are not generation, but ah the other yellow node was the, I want to say it was the, oh, the exposure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I suppose, yeah, for crits.
Leon Lionheartly: So do that, and then you just expose everybody, charge the railgun, hit a crit, and you watch the health bar go, bye.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, it's great. when when it It has its utility, for sure. I really liked it. I just felt like I needed the shockwave more often than the charge piercer.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, like that that was the thing.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's all.
Leon Lionheartly: And that that's for the weapon. That was for the time that I just didn't feel like using my primary weapon because let's be real, gentlemen, for for us, it was all about your primary weapon and the green weapons, the support weapons.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Those made the game, at least for me, anyways.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): we
neocharge: Codebreaker.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. you saw my video. What weapon did I use when I was just murdering that the it was the the main ah primary?
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because it was just so good once you figured out how to hack and fire and buff at the same time. That was the key in that game.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Okay.
neocharge: using We're using the hacking method ah or the the mode where the more you hack, the more gun damage you get. Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, I was using boost mode. So and in boost mode, I'll be honest, the first time when I unlocked it, I used it a few times and I was like, this mode kind of sucks comparatively. It boosts you're your hacks that you you input. So confuse will be boosted if you go over boost and confuse. Crit or expose will be boosted. Defense drop will be boosted. So I used Diana's chain hacking.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because then you could just hack hack, hack, hack, hack in boost mode with the defense dropper and the exposed node. And then I would just, I mean, you saw what it was just firing nonstop going but a little but but but with the hacking constantly and no auto hack use.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was all manual, by the way. But that that was why, because boost mode just makes it sick. It's just like disgusting.
neocharge: Oh yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Also, I would like to, if I had a time machine, I would go back to right before i started playing this game and I would show my slightly younger self, like, this is what you're going to do in a week.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then when, when he starts, he's just going go, how? Because the first couple of times you hack, it's like brain break up. Oh, what?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just, it's not quite, don't want to say it's not intuitive because it it does eventually become very intuitive.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the first couple times it's just a little like, Oh, Oh, like you you you stumble and then you get real good.
neocharge: Yes.
neocharge: There's a learning curve for sure, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and yeah there is. I did get very good at it very quickly, but when it started, I thought I'm not going to be able to do this whole game. And then two hours later, i was like, what the fuck was he worried about?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but yeah Never mind.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's fine. But yeah, that that that was that's such a cool...
neocharge: This guy, I tell you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But yeah, so that's the boost mode was what I used most of the time just because I did the chain hacking. Early in the game, though, it was almost always incendiary for heat. The combustion, like that that was just good. I never really liked the gunfire increasing the hacking excuse me hacking damage one.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I can't tell you why. I'm not saying it's bad. I just, I did it and I didn't like it as much as I liked the other ones. The other ones seemed to flow better for me. So, no.
neocharge: Hmm. Okay. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Strike mode, I think, was that, that one was that what called? I don't remember.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Yes, that's it. No, you got it right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: It was strike mode.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: See, I don't remember these, but yeah I don't remember by name, but when you say them, I go, oh, I know what you're talking about because that's how my brain works, folks.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Told you, useless, useless information.
neocharge: and
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's offense mode as well.
neocharge: and at won Okay,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and That's the one. I couldn't remember which was, was which, but.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: gotcha. And then what nodes did you use? Like the the pickups, what are they called? The enhancements? No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. I think that's that sounds correct. The enhancements.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I would believe that.
neocharge: when i found the When I found the health one, I used the shit out that vampire build all day.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did not.
Leon Lionheartly: hmm
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i did I think I used it one time.
neocharge: No, of course you didn't.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I i i used it once in Lunatic ah because it was on the ground and I had a slot open and I was like, fuck it, I'll just heal little bit.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was great. um
neocharge: Multi-hack was my sta staple. That was there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Multi was so good.
neocharge: Boom. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: depended on the Depended on the situation. Because multi-hack really didn't do me any yeah didn't do shit for bosses.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yep.
neocharge: Right. For bosses, it wasn't good.
Leon Lionheartly: ah and Need to swap it out.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: But you're right. Multi-hack, confuse and expose. Just, okay.
neocharge: Confuse, so good.
Leon Lionheartly: Confuse slash para paralysis, depending on my, really, quite frankly, the mood.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Those fucking babies with the Demogorgon face, the the stun was very good for them.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and
neocharge: I used the shit out stun.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But i usually i was multi-hack, confuse, and defense drop, not expose, because then they would just beat the shit out of each other with lower defense.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but That was cool.
Leon Lionheartly: but That's so mean.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): To watch them all just hit each other's face, it was great.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: I love that. Tell me you played a Necro in Diablo 4.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah ah Not this time, but yes, I did before.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I have had all the classes except for Warlock.
neocharge: Amazing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: Yeah. ah Yeah, so the little bot, he showed up once for me, but you you shoot him, and then starts running away, and you got to hack him in New York.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, the scan scanner, I think.
neocharge: this Scan, I don't know what called.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or scanner, something like that. Yeah, the blue thing that just...
neocharge: There's a trophy for it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So,
neocharge: Did you guys get it on the first try?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I... did
Leon Lionheartly: I still don't even have it.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah so i
neocharge: It's a random, it's a rare spawn. But it it script spawns when you go through the actual story in New York.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Or, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: There's like four or five locations throughout the game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I didn't know it was a trophy until I had done it eventually, like when I just got it the second time I saw one.
neocharge: Oh, yeah, same here.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the first time I got it all the way to the end and I was chasing it around and it was dropping limbs. So I was like, well, I'm not going to fucking kill it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm just going to let it do its thing. And then it disappeared. And I was like, but that was stupid. And then the next time I just, i was like, fuck this thing. And I killed it and it dropped a shitload of limb. And then the trophy popped.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and i was like, oh, I should have just killed the other one
neocharge: yep
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I assumed that I could just follow it around.
neocharge: um mean
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so that was kind of a dumb, dumb me thing.
neocharge: Gotcha.
neocharge: yes
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But yeah, you know, the second time I had sticky bombs or sticky grenades. And was just like, was easy.
neocharge: Oh, dude, the net. Gotta use the net on it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, the networks on that. I didn't even think about that for that.
neocharge: Stasis. Yeah, sweeper.
Leon Lionheartly: a So...
neocharge: It's a so it's called a sweeper.
Leon Lionheartly: ah so
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sweeper. That's right. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: i I tried it. I don't know. Maybe I did something wrong. I tried that because I was like, I'm going to get this fucker. And I hit it with the so with the stasis.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: Maxed out, by the way. I maxed that as the support weapon first. um And it was like, I'm stunned. No, I'm not. Fuck you. I'm gone.
neocharge: Yeah, it's ah it's got a small stun animation, but it's still, it's just that little amount that you need to hack it before it goes away.
Leon Lionheartly: No, that's fair. I guess it's a skill issue for me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That's okay.
neocharge: Oh, I'm a walking skill issue, sir. It's fine.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you'll You'll be fine.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, can I, I do have a quick interjection that has nothing to do with pragmata and I'm sorry because I listened to the last episode you guys did earlier this week, like this weekend.
neocharge: I use, yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. ah yeah Matt, you're going to be so mad at me, and I'm sorry. This was an honest this was an honest thing. You guys were talking about Hades 1, Hades 2 and Hades 1, and you said God Mode, and I was listening, and I said, there's a God Mode in Hades?
neocharge: God mode.
neocharge: God damn it.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I never did that. So, of course, my ass goes to the computer and look it up, and I was like, oh, Well, that would have made the game a lot easier. no I mean, i I didn't need it. I had a great time. It was really fun. But I sincerely didn't know that, that there was a god mode.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i i didn't know you used... I mean, good for you, whatever. Have fun with the game the way you want to. No shade at all. But when you said that, I was like, I have to tell him. I have to tell him this. And I have to tell him on the cast, just because it is cast-related.
neocharge: Yeah, have to tell them.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm sorry.
neocharge: Yeah, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But, yeah.
neocharge: And there's one in Hades 2 as well. And I'm fucking using it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Are you?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
neocharge: And so is Bob.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Are you, Bob?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, but I haven't... Alright, sorry. I know it's not related to Pragmata. Basically, the the the damage reduction on it goes up by 2% every due time you die, and it starts at like 34 or something, right?
neocharge: Every day, yeah.
neocharge: No, it starts it it starts at like or
Leon Lionheartly: Something silly like that.
Leon Lionheartly: No, it's at like 30, I promise.
neocharge: I use it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, that's an...
neocharge: And i'm at I'm already at 32 and I've died probably 10 times.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, I know.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): egg
Leon Lionheartly: Are you sure about that, champ?
neocharge: I don't know.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm not going to use it at all, so I don't care.
neocharge: I'll look. Let me look it up.
Leon Lionheartly: but the The point is I've only died like five times, so it's only at like 40% right now.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Does it cap at 100? Oh,
Leon Lionheartly: I know, it caps it it caps at 80, and the difference is in Hades 2, you can set the cap.
neocharge: I think.
neocharge: Oh.
neocharge: Oh, okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): interesting.
neocharge: I'm not going to do that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No cap. and Yeah, cap.
Leon Lionheartly: but
neocharge: No cap.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No cap for Matt.
Leon Lionheartly: well
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cap. ah Sorry, that was completely obvious.
neocharge: It is...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, for listeners, they do know that it is not scripted because that had nothing to do with Pragmata.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry.
neocharge: It starts at 20%.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just...
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Huh. Interesting.
neocharge: yeah I knew I wasn't crazy, Bob.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, I can't confirm that.
neocharge: So...
Leon Lionheartly: I don't have that kind of training. You know what?
neocharge: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know what's going to be for me? Zero percent.
Leon Lionheartly: yes
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because I ain't no bitch.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: e
Leon Lionheartly: you know what
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Although, no, watch. Two weeks from now, three weeks from now, when I'm playing it, I'm just like, fuck, I gotta use it.
Leon Lionheartly: agree
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's hard. I will let you guys rip me apart.
neocharge: Oh, just wait.
Leon Lionheartly: you say that You say that now until you fight. Oh, wait. I can't say it because Matt hasn't even even fought it yet.
neocharge: What? Damn. I'm like 25 hours in, bro. I'm all the way there.
Leon Lionheartly: I'm pretty sure you haven't gotten to that fight. and I want to see the stream because I'm going to hear Matt go, what the fuck? God damn it. but i sorry Sorry, folks. We'll get back to Prague, man.
neocharge: Yes. well we'll We'll probably talk about a little 80s too, spoiler free, on episode 52. Are we on 52? We're 53.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think it's 52 tomorrow.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah Yeah, something like that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): think you guys were recording.
Leon Lionheartly: don't know.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the
neocharge: Nice.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But, but yeah, anyway, back to pragmata.
Leon Lionheartly: Still here.
neocharge: Yep. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We are with the, you said it was called the the scanner or the skimmer sweeper.
neocharge: Sweeper. Sweeper bot.
Leon Lionheartly: Sweeper.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): See, see, I can remember other shit, but for some reason, not the fucking bots in this game.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, but yeah, you're talking about that guy.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um
neocharge: i was just curious.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Which was, yeah, but that's that's a that was a cool little section too in the in the second area.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Did you guys like the design of the second area and the navigation overall, by the way?
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: It was all right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's different than all the other places.
neocharge: It was...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i I got lost there more than I got lost anywhere else.
neocharge: Yeah, it was. Oh, me too. Me too. For sure.
Leon Lionheartly: I got lost until I got the upgrade to ping sweep or whatever you want to call that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah, yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, oh yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Dude, pinging... When I first pinged, I was like, okay, well, show me collectibles. That's stupid. And then I got an upgrade for it. I'm like, yay!
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I like to think that every time you use it in the game, Hugh pokes Diana, and that's how the ping works.
neocharge: oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He's just like, hey, hey, hey, because she's the one doing it, so...
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Hi. That's true. Huh. Yeah. um Every time I would hack an enemy and Hugh was like, good job, Diana. I was like, oh yeah, I didn't do that. Diana did that.
neocharge: is It was kind of like, oh, weird. um But yeah, the New York section was fun. I liked the kill rooms. The enemy variety was cool. ah You open up the big gate, you find the satellite towers, you open up the sections of the gate, and then you get to the boss.
neocharge: The boss fucking huge. We saw the boss in the marketing and we were like, what is that?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's a big
neocharge: Uh, yeah, apparently it's the second boss. I'd say the first main big, uh, arena boss of the game. Um, and yeah, super cool. Two phases.
neocharge: Uh, and just, I think like the, the dynamic loading of assets was really cool. I'm just like, he's printing fucking towers, like left and right.
neocharge: Then they disappear.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was super cool. And the fact that you could interact with them as well.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They weren't just there to be an impede impeding force.
neocharge: Mm hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like you could, you could scale the the thing if you needed to.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was really just how Capcom, how the fuck it was such a cool design choice.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Utility. It was great.
neocharge: Yeah. I wonder how this runs on the Switch, too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah From what I hear, I have no idea actually.
Leon Lionheartly: I actually can tell you because i looked it i I went and looked at this and I still got it up up here.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I have,
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um for Like you're talking about the performance, right?
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: The Switch 2 version in docked mode runs at 540p upscaled using DLSS to a 1080p output resolution. In handheld mode, it is rendered at 360p internally with three times upscale to 1080p output.
Leon Lionheartly: The game's frame rate is unlocked in Switch 2 with fluctuating between 30 and 60 frames per second, depending on the scene.
neocharge: o
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): absolutely not
neocharge: Nope.
Leon Lionheartly: Among the cutbacks, ambient inclusion is excluded altogether on Switch 2 with lower global illumination quality, giving darker indirect lightning lighting.
neocharge: that' what all
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): See, in that that's a shame.
Leon Lionheartly: Basically, you're that's a shame.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i i i think it's a shame because this game, and it's you know nothing against Switch 2 users. It's their only way to play. I get it.
neocharge: Yeah, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I feel like this game would be, it's a disservice to not play it the way that we've played it.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I know that's easy to say because we've played it almost the best way you probably can outside of an Alex spends $12,000 on a PC rig.
neocharge: Absolutely.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But even then, i would argue that this game is probably more stable than than a lot of your average PC builds could handle. But if you're playing it on the Switch 2 and you're, I mean, imagine you guys have played it.
neocharge: Oh, probably.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you You're doing the hacking and there's an explosion. All of a sudden it drops from 60 to 44 frames per second. And then it bounces up to 55 when you try to dodge or or turn around real fast.
neocharge: Oh, hell no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just, I feel like it wouldn't, feel right. it doesn't it It takes away that special something about the game just being as polished as it is.
neocharge: hidden
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't know. Maybe that's elitist.
neocharge: This is a high-reaction game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but Yeah.
neocharge: No, I mean, i think it benefits this game heavily, running in pretty much lock 60.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it
neocharge: ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And the performance is pretty important and crucial for this high-octane, high-reaction combat.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I can even say if if the Switch 2 users... you know could do 1080 with 60 frames per second. lot Like, okay, that your your your system is not going to be a PS5 Pro. I totally get that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the fact that they also they're low res and it's having frame issues, and or maybe not issues.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Some people wouldn't consider that issues. I would because of what this game can do.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that's just that just sucks.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It makes me sad for the people that that can't do it.
neocharge: It's stinky.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know that they just they don't Whether they don't have the money, they don't have the... the space for it or whatever that's just that's a bummer I kind of wish that I'm going invite if I have a friend who wants to play Pragmata and he only has a Switch 2 I'm going to tell him to come over just play it at my house and just here you go you can make an account because this is how this game needs to be played
neocharge: Yeah, sure.
neocharge: Yes, absolutely.
Leon Lionheartly: No, you're right. It's important because I also learned while I was doing the research on this gentleman. So you meant you keep mentioning, like you mentioned during the, I think back to the RE9 trailer, Matt, immediately you're like, that's a RE engine because of the hair.
Leon Lionheartly: all of All of that, the the hair tech that we see now with with Grace and RE9 and everything, it all stems back from Pragmata. So the development team wanted to make it make it better, and they were trying to flush it out.
neocharge: does Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So they had to go to Capcom's internal team that develops the engine and say, hey, this is what we're looking for so they could modify the RE engine to handle the hair physics for Diana.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Hmm.
neocharge: yeah And dude, those hair physics. Amazing. I would just jump and watch her hair. She's like, Jesus. It's awesome.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Any other engine, any other game, the hair would have been like sticking up like she's some kind of siren at certain points.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Here, it's zero issues.
neocharge: Exactly. Exactly. So yeah, this boss, very fun. Uh, very cool. We get licensed to go back to shelter and it it was cool and unlocked a lot of luck.
neocharge: The combat, uh, sequences caught. Thank God. Thank God. I know you did Caleb. I know you did, but thank God you don't have to get fucking a hundred percent gold on each combat challenge.
neocharge: I know you did Caleb. You don't have to, did you, did you?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and i Okay, no, i'm goingnna I'm going to make you proud of me and also not proud of me. i so like i did I will say, because there are other 30 of them total, is that right?
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I think I had trouble with maybe two of them, honestly, like two of them on the later where I was like, Oh damn, either the timing was just so tight or in the first time you don't really know what the fuck you're doing.
neocharge: you
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So the first time, sometimes if it was a race to the finish and collect all this bullshit, I might just not try that hard the first time and just look around be like, okay, let me make a plan, you know, and then retry and there's bo and and nail it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I will tell you that last mission, last fucking mission.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): can eat an entire bag of dicks because I was two seconds off of getting all three, two seconds off.
neocharge: Did you gold?
Leon Lionheartly: ah
neocharge: all Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, I just, I didn't even, i just finished it. Right. I just did it. and i was like, and then a trophy popped. I was like, Oh, Did I actually get it by mistake?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like I assumed, and didn't even know, again, assumed there was a trophy associated with just all of them, but I was doing them for the rewards.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was doing them for the Lunum. I was doing them for the, you know, skill points and just all the shit that you get, or LIM, whatever the hell it's called.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But when the trophy popped, I was like, huh. So I went back and I looked at it and it, you know, it had my time and I don't remember the time exactly, but it was two seconds off of the, the third thing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I tried it again and I was like four seconds off.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, you know what? I don't really give a fuck about this. I don't care about this. Cause I think the reward is 5,000 currency. I was like, I don't need it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I, and I,
neocharge: Well, i think it's, yeah, seven skill points too.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Oh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but I think seven skill points you get just for completing it. I think the third like the timed part of it, I think it's just the currency that you spend on shit.
neocharge: okay. Yeah. Gotcha. Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I was like, I don't care that much. Maybe I'll try to get on the Lunatic difficulty.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i I actually think I will try to get on the Lunatic, now that I've done Lunatic.
neocharge: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't think the training missions are scaled up for Lunatic difficulty.
neocharge: ah Oh, okay.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because when I've been doing it in Lunatic, it's it's been like, oh, it's over. Like I've just obliterated all of my other times.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like one of the things that said finish it in 80 seconds or less. And I think I did it in 24. It's just like, oh, but that's because Lunatic has trained me to be so much more ridiculous.
neocharge: Wow. Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I'll probably do it on Lunatic.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't. intentionally not do it but after i finished the game and then i got the secret ending and then i was like oh i'm gonna do my lunatic run maybe i'll just do it on that i honestly haven't even cared about doing i just like ah i'll try it once to get the the things that i want to get and i won't give a fuck if i make it or not
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. So I was struggling on one of these challenges for a while. Bo was watching and, uh, fuck, I don't even remember.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): which one
neocharge: I think it was like midway, like maybe like in the twenties, early twenties, uh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Was it like a laser challenge or a combat challenge? Like what what kind?
neocharge: Combat.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): OK.
neocharge: It's combat one. And Bo, like, hit up my stream. He doesn't usually comment because he knows I'm, like, immersed, but he's like, do you want a mild trophy spoiler? And I go on Mike, and I'm like, you don't have to fucking 100% every one of these, do you?
neocharge: And he's like, no. And I'm like, thank God.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: yeah. so
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: yeah um I had it spoiled willingly. i you know He said, hey, do you want a mild trophy spoiler?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that's...
neocharge: I was like, yeah. because Dude, i I think I was trying one for an hour, and I was like, I just can't fucking do this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): wow.
neocharge: Yeah, I suck.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, well, I would like to know which one because I could probably give you... Like, there's one...
neocharge: I'll have to i have to go back and look, but it was it was that I think a challenge where was just waves of enemies that you had to do in a specific time that I just wasn't wasn't clicking.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, there are two that I could see that might be a little confusing.
Leon Lionheartly: Medic.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): One would be the one called Medic, I believe, where you have to get the enemy.
neocharge: you It was, that's what it was.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
neocharge: That's what it was.
Leon Lionheartly: Fuck Medic.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Fuck Medic.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, medic Medic is so easy once you learn the mechanic.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so fucking simple.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Do you want just tell you right now?
neocharge: Don't you have to hack the medic bot and then it damages the bot underneath?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but you have to hack it when it's going to heal, not before. if you do it before, it's just fucking...
neocharge: Oh, fuck.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that's the problem because the first time I did the same thing, I killed it right away.
neocharge: ah Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, how hell am I supposed to get them to fight each other when I don't have Confuse?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was so... I just didn't understand it. So I ran around for a second and I shot all of them one time, except for the little medic.
neocharge: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And as soon as it like went and started to, you know, hump the thing's head, then you hack it and it does a shit ton of damage.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So what you want to do is leave that bastard alive while you're clearing out the rest.
neocharge: Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then you can do so much damage so much faster.
neocharge: Wow. Okay. When the grid puts all the red nodes in it, that's when you you hack it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the other. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, and you can see it'll like spin and it'll do almost like a UFO type thing on on the bot.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's when you want to hack it.
neocharge: Yeah, starts healing it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, you you want to hack it then and it'll just blow it up for a second and either kill it or do a bunch of damage and then you can you can kill it that way because I think all you have to do is...
neocharge: Okay. Okay.
neocharge: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Damage another bot with that thing. So the first time I three started, it I did it with only using the medic hack one time. And then I manually killed the other things. And it was by the hair, by the skin of my teeth.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then doing, i did it again today, actually on Lunatic Difficulty.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it was a joke. I just, I mean, it was, it was over before it started.
neocharge: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it was just like, oh, this is easy now.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the other one is the one where you have to kill the baby face Demogorgon thing without letting the Demogorgon things show up.
neocharge: Yup. Yup.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No antenna.
neocharge: Yup.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That one I could see being a pain in the ass.
neocharge: o
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But so if you need help with that one, three starring it, I will, I'll give you my hints later, but we don't have to talk more about that on the spoiler cast.
neocharge: Okay.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm sorry. I just, that that was very exciting that I knew exactly the one that you were having problems with.
neocharge: Okay. You did. And apparently Bob's like, fuck that challenge.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yep. yeah
neocharge: So you, you struggle with the too, Bob?
Leon Lionheartly: did That was the one that like I was like, eh. That's the one that took me out of what really like diving into the training missions.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: and that was a it kind of That's when I was like, I'm going to pull up because I'm not going to really... If I stress about it too much, I'm going to learn to hate this game. And I don't want to hate this game.
neocharge: I was the same exact way. I started, I was like, I unlocked them at the end of a play session.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's fair. Yeah.
neocharge: I was like, oh, cool. I'll, I'll jump into these. The first, uh, first thing on the next play session. And I did. And that's when Bo was on the stream. And I was like, he's like, play the fucking game.
neocharge: Stop, stop doing this. And I was like, yeah, you're right. This is just pissing me off. So. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): could I could see that, though, because I just did them as they all became available.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I three-starred all of them until that very last one, a again, because I just don't really give a shit, honestly.
neocharge: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I do, if I was struggling on one, I would not have stayed with it. I would have just been fucked up.
neocharge: Now, if there if there was a trophy associated with it, you'd do it, just like all of us would.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, I would do it because of how the rest of the game has gone. Like I only have this lunatic one and I thought, Oh, that sounds like it's actually going be kind of a pain in the ass and hard.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't know that I want to do that for the reasons Bob mentioned. Like, do I want to hate this game? um But I was like, that's the only one I have left. And I actually kind of want to play the story again. So I'll just try it on lunatic.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): If I can do it, great. If I can't, no big deal. I just, I won't stress about it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so far the most stressful thing, I will say, i'll just I'll just say it now, I think the balance is really bad because all they did was give enemies a stupid amount of health and a stupid amount of defense.
neocharge: Oh. Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So you're doing the same thing. Instead of doing it three or four times and getting that, oh, I succeeded, you have to do it like 40 to 60 times. And it's like, this is not...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): a good design choice. You know, I mean, once you unlock more stuff, it's not as bad.
neocharge: ah Oh, sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But in the first bit, when all you have is a fucking pea shooter and the hacking doesn't do that much damage, it doesn't matter how fast you can hack, they move faster, they hit stronger, whatever.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Not to say that's easy to deal with, but for all intents and purposes, that's easy to deal with. It's just the small corridors, I think, were damn near perfectly, annoyingly small for the first time through the game on the normal difficulty.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): On Lunatic difficulty, I'm just like, there's just not enough room to deal with this bullshit. I just i mean, it's like it's just it's a battle of attrition instead of a mechanically fun thing to do.
neocharge: Damn.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And that was my concern, was you're going to just bullet sponge everything.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Yeah, and that's what they did.
Leon Lionheartly: So is it like the Mark II versions, or do the enemies just literally have more health?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They just literally have more health. All of them.
neocharge: damn
Leon Lionheartly: Fuck.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So even the Mark II versions, like once you get to the Mark II versions, it's like, really?
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Now, again, I've upgraded everything that I wanted to, and I've like figured out a good path through the game. Once I got ah the very first license and I could upgrade some things, it was like, oh, okay, now that I can play my way, it's a little bit better. One, if just a word of advice for anybody who wants to try it, though.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I will tell you the way that I played.
neocharge: I do want to try it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, do you not want me to say anything then? want me just keep it to myself now?
neocharge: ah No, I want to hear tips and tricks.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: I considered like going back and playing through it again, but my only caveat was, um I'm moving. I'm going to get my theater back. I think this game deserves a ah theater experience rather than headphones.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It does. And I would agree. Even the second time through the third time through, for sure.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the the one thing, the way that I play games, which is not always the smartest way to play games, I admit, but it does work for me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I tend to hoard instead of using the tools, because I'm like, there's always going to be a bigger boss around the next corner or something.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then by the time I get to the boss, I'm like, oh, I don't need this multi-hack. I don't need this confusion because it's a boss fight. These are fucking useless now. Why didn't I use it on this last fight?
neocharge: isn' it
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was stupid. Now that I know the layout of the entire game, I know what to expect. And and you know there's not really that many surprises as far as a battle being different.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just bullet spongy.
neocharge: Except those invisible fucking spider bots.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): hit ah I actually really like those on Lunatic Difficulty a lot. But i i have been using everything that they give me as they give it to me and not really caring.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it has made it a lot easier and a lot more fun just because, oh, you get a shockwave and you get a charge piercer and you're in ah you're in one red room.
neocharge: Okay.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Fuck it. I'm just going to burn all of them and survive.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The whole point is survival.
neocharge: I love that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that was that's something that I would recommend. don't Don't hold your stuff. If it's there, use it. i mean, unless it's useless.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Don't use a multi against one thing, obviously.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But, know.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, OK.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's just the way...
neocharge: And that's a testament to the game mechanics too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): go ahead.
neocharge: like These are kind of throwaway upgrades and you can reprint whenever you want if you have a a print station.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: But it's kind of cool. It it encourages variety of combat, which I love.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. yeah And I will say on the Lunatic difficulty, you also get almost all of the weapons available earlier.
Leon Lionheartly: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So first area of the game...
neocharge: um Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, and you get that fucking rock digger thing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, the jackhammer.
neocharge: Jackhammer.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. ah
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I used it twice and I didn't really like it that much, even though on on Lunatic difficulty, I have a few uses of it, but now I don't want to tell you my exact Lunatic build yet because I i you know i want you to do to explore and and have fun with it yourself at first, but you know where I live.
neocharge: Sure.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know my number if you need ah if you want some pointers on that.
neocharge: I'm going to show up at your house, knock on your door, and be like, what bill did you use, Caleb?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. yes Do this.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Do this for me right now.
neocharge: I want some cupcakes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah But no, like you get ah the smart bomb, which I didn't really use that much. The smart bomb, I use them a few times, but just more of a utility.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Yeah, no, I didn't use it a lot.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): When I found one in the first level of the game, i was like, I need that for the boss.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): look I'm going to need that for for his fight. So I kept it and it was great.
neocharge: Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah But yeah, it it does, because of the way I play games, it doesn't make the game sour for me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I absolutely understand that it would do that for a lot of people.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It would...
neocharge: Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it Like, Bob, I feel like if you're on the fence anyway, maybe don't... eat Like, but give it a chance. And if you're just like, this is stupid, just just walk away from it and remember how great the game is. But for a gamer like me, it's really more of I want to play it again. Let me just try it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know I probably can. If it gets so fucking stupid, I'll walk away and not care.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's been just on that cusp where I've been like, this is... um But for every time there's dumb, it's like, oh, but it's so good. So that's what's been keeping me go going through it on Lunatic again.
neocharge: Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah That's good to know. because though And I'm glad you said that because now I really am in awe of board. I was kind of thinking, okay, maybe Lunatic difficulty be fun because I'd like to see how are they going to change up like enemy spawns and, you know, oh, now it's this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And, oh, instead of one crawler, it's two crawl ah three crawlers or something like it. But if it's the same enemy patterns and they just got better defense and health, that's kind of cheating in it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And they are faster. That's true. They are faster.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay, alright.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But still.
Leon Lionheartly: But it's still it's still a little cheating.
neocharge: Oh, man.
Leon Lionheartly: I want to see some of that variety and ah be like, hey, it's a remix of the combat, not just the same thing with extra stats. Because if I want to do that, i'm going to go play an Yep.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that's have the When I started, I thought, oh the first fight I'm going to do is a fucking samurai mob because I hate those.
neocharge: Like...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it wasn't. And I was like, oh, it's just going to be the exact same thing. But hard like just just more of
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): more time consuming. That's really what the problem is, is that it just takes more time.
Leon Lionheartly: yup
neocharge: Okay. Okay. Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'm probably still going to finish the Lunatic playthrough faster than I did the first time through the game.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): just because I am better at it now, but it's still just like, man, I could have done like a two and a half hour run. If these things weren't just bullet sponges, this this is crazy.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): How, how just why am I shooting you 600 fucking times when, you know, I can do it. Just, just get out, just die, get out of the way.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that, that, I don't know. It's not as interesting as I wanted it to be, but that is me being very, very picky because as we know, the game itself is just outstanding.
neocharge: Hmm.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It is outstanding.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
neocharge: Incredible.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It is perfectly done on the normal difficulty.
neocharge: Yeah. Yes. Yeah, it really is very well balanced.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Uh, where, where do we go next? we go to the tree.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. We go to the tree with the samurai mob, fucker.
neocharge: Uh, With the samurai. And this is when you get the ping to show collectibles on the map. Because I remember vividly, I was just pinging left and right. And I was like, ooh, Biscandy. Ooh, Biscandy. And I love the checklist for the collectibles on the the map sections and the entirety of the map. Love my checklist. Love my little percentages.
neocharge: just fucking scratches an itch in my brain. Uh, love that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: But yeah, this sequence was cool. Uh, kind of a very different variety of level, uh, because you, it's more organic and you see just foliage everywhere.
neocharge: ah it's gorgeous. And then the tree is like half printed and the roots coming out half printed and it's got really cool mechanics. So it's the trope where like, Oh, central elevator, gotta get rid of the roots and we're, in this case, print more routes to go up there.
neocharge: So yeah, this level was cool. And this is where we, ah well well, what'd you guys think of the level? Did you like this one? Like level three, what was it called? It's called, i don't even know.
neocharge: and you Something like that.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, I think it was environmental control. I i mean, not to not to be too generic, but it it was something like that.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. i thought it was a cool change of pace.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, I very, I very much liked it. I really liked, I mean, again, the dialogue between Hugh, excuse me, Hugh and Diana, the entire game was awesome. But this one in particular where she's like, wow, so beautiful.
neocharge: Like,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And he's explaining certain things about earth to her. And and I mean, he's doing that for the whole game.
neocharge: like oh, you should see Earth.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. you like, oh, you think this is beautiful? Like, I mean, he didn't say let's go to Central Park, but he might as well have.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And and so she's just in awe as a child as they're going around. And i I did think that some of the level design was a little more confusing than it needed to be. And part of that could have been my own problem.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like you're going the A route or the B route. I didn't really understand it until about the third choice. Because I was thinking, am I going to a different place? Or am I going the same place a different way? And I didn't know...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): because I went the wrong direction and then i was locked behind lasers. i was like, well, fuck, I didn't mean to do that. Can I ever go back?
neocharge: Mm, yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just didn't know. And when I did it again later, i realized that I was just being an idiot. So I feel like maybe that was a me problem.
neocharge: Mm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But eventually when it got to be slightly more linear again, I was like, this is really cool. And then you get to this little open area where you to build the trees up with those little chips.
neocharge: Mm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was a neat little area.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i really liked that area quite a bit.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because I kept, like you said, ooh, piece of candy. I kept ADHD and i'd I'd go up part of the tree and be like, wait, what's that over there? And I would try to hover and then I would fall and be like, fuck, how do I get up there?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was really fun. I thought that was a neat game game choice and that like cap i did not let Capcom just just flex a little bit with what they could do.
neocharge: Yeah. And the there were, i'll go ahead. Sorry.
neocharge: Oh yeah. Yeah. There were, there were audio cues from Diana too. She's like, Oh, I, then I sense an REM or, Oh, I sense a mod. i wonder what it is. So that was kind of cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's close by. yeah
neocharge: Yeah. There's a mod close by. Wonder what it does.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think we should do it.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What about you, Bob?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): do You like this level?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, Terra Dome, by the way.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Pterodon.
neocharge: Terra dome.
Leon Lionheartly: i had to go look. i had to go look ah now this I really liked, like you said, the change of pace that comes in because you're in a space station. We went to New York and it's like, okay, how else how what else can we do to like really flex that day that muscle?
Leon Lionheartly: um And it was a little, the map design and layout was a little Dark Souls-y for me where it's like, This way it goes this way, but in order to get there, you've got to go this way.
neocharge: e
Leon Lionheartly: And then, like you said, Caleb, when when I eventually did figure it out, and I was like, oh, ah son of a bitch, I'm locked by lasers.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: How do I go back?
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Because that was my my cue for whether I was on the golden path or whether I missed something was when I got to the shortcuts, the checkpoints, if you will, to go back to the shelter.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: And there's a couple of spots, particularly in the Terra Dome, where you get there and it's like, oh, there's the checkpoint. Oh, okay, I need to go back and get this. and you turn around and the door is locked. Or there's lasers or whatever. And it's like, well, fuck me.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah which i do appreciate because it does i guess enforce going back and re-exploring an older area to see with new abilities or new features like, oh, I missed this the first time through because I didn't really know what the fuck was going on.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That happened a lot. When I went back to the first level, I felt like Jesus Christ because I was like, I'm finding all this shit. And how did I not find it the first time?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And it was like not stuff locked behind new skills.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was just dumb Caleb the first time through the area. ah But i I like that they want you to replay it again.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: i
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that That's a cool thing.
neocharge: Yes. That's the me Metroid design element where i was like, oh, I'm coming back to this level with a new tool. Metroid.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But there were times, what Bob was talking about, where you get the shelter shortcut and you're like okay, I'm going to turn around and you can't.
Leon Lionheartly: yes
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did think, why can't you just open the fucking door? I know the thing is right on the other side. Why? Why? Why? And then I'm going to forget about this ah later on.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But to your point, Matt, earlier when you said the checklists, that was very helpful to know where I needed to revisit.
neocharge: me
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Minus the mini cabins.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't realize the mini cabins weren't on there.
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I felt stupid. And then when I found that last one and the trophy popped, was like, oh, well, good. I don't need to look. Suck it. So I don't need to use the internet.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yay.
Leon Lionheartly: But correct me if I'm wrong. The Terra Dome was the area where you come around as you're coming out of the woods and you go around the corner and there's like the beach there.
neocharge: Yeah, that sequence.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That was fucking awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was a cool scene.
neocharge: Woo!
Leon Lionheartly: I love the beautiful gorgeous 10 out of 10.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yep. Yeah. Uh-huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Great cutscene, great visuals, great just overall feeling when you were doing It was it was really, really cool.
neocharge: Yep.
neocharge: Yeah. ah It was awesome. And it was when you found out, you know, Diana has a a love for the beach and she's like, this is where I want to go ah And just the the HDR, everything sings in that sequence. So, yeah, it was like a section that was mimicking the beach on earth.
neocharge: ah It was just gorgeous. Gorgeous. and
Leon Lionheartly: with with the sunset and everything or the sunrise or one of the two and the way they did that lighting and it got orange and like if you listen to the audio before you go into the tunnel that takes you to the beach you've got the the typical synth wave kind of going on and then you as you come out and you hit that beach it got really calm like it fit the mood and it was dynamic and it was so well appreciated
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You could hear the footsteps and that was it.
neocharge: Audio design. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, the...
Leon Lionheartly: huh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And it was just, at first I was nervous. I thought, oh God, what's he what what bad thing is about to go down?
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because this is gorgeous. And I played Death Stranding. Fuck, what's going to happen? So I was very pleasantly surprised when it wasn't a nightmare.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was just a nice moment.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It actually, it reminded me a lot of the giraffes in Last of Us.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): When Joel and Ellie stopped for the giraffes and it's like the calm before the storm where they're like, this is a moment of peace.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Uh-huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're all about to get fucked.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like ah it reminded me of that very much. Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Not quite as bad, you know, not not quite as in your face getting steamrolled, but I was i was nervous and then very, very pleasantly surprised.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
neocharge: Yeah. So the pitter-patter, the sound design of ah in the shelter where you always know where Diana is because you can hear her little fucking footsteps. That's so funny and cute.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): With the surround sound, it's amazing.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It really is just amazing.
neocharge: I can't wait.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's amazing.
neocharge: i played I played this mate mostly with my Astros, ah so I'm excited to play on my Sonos 9.2 system.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's awesome.
neocharge: So, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: this is This is that game, by the way, Matt, where when you hand me your soundbar, that Sonos, you're like, oh, the little low roar, there's something wrong. And I was like, no, there isn't. This game, I was like, especially in the beginning with the spaceship, I was like, oh, there it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Really?
neocharge: You hear it. You hear it. Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: But it's only under very specific situations.
neocharge: There's a blown driver.
Leon Lionheartly: Like I played Hades 2.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I played Dragon Quest 7. I played a lot of these and no issues.
neocharge: PADES 2 is not surround sound. It is stereo.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay. All right.
neocharge: Yeah. So, yeah, there's a blown driver.
Leon Lionheartly: But this was the game where I was like, oh.
neocharge: There's a blown driver in that sound bar. I warned you ah that when you hit a specific frequency, it just rattles. And I couldn't take it. i was like, ugh. So, but you needed one and it's working out. So that's cool.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. a I've played like five games since Pragmata and i haven't noticed it since.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: We're good.
neocharge: Cool. All right Good deal. ah Speaking of getting fucked by a boss, this ah this was the first one of the first deaths, I think, was this fucking scorpion boss.
neocharge: But it's the coolest boss in the game, in my opinion.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so cool, right?
neocharge: It's so fucking cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so cool.
neocharge: The design is amazing. like All the hands on the tail and everything. And then when you drop in and it like crawls from the ceiling, I'm like, oh, fuck yeah.
neocharge: So, the laser tails.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: it it was It felt like a Metroid boss fight.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. i could I could definitely see that.
Leon Lionheartly: Like a Metroid Prime kind of boss fight.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It did. Like a really good one. A really good Metroid boss fight.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes. yeah Yes, a good one.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Not a beyond.
neocharge: One of the good ones. There are many.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): this
Leon Lionheartly: ah There it is.
neocharge: the
Leon Lionheartly: Keep baiting him.
neocharge: Beyond had some pretty good ones. Okay. Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Yeah.
neocharge: But yeah. No, I hear you.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But not like this. This one was so good.
Leon Lionheartly: Not like...
neocharge: I like this.
Leon Lionheartly: not like
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Why do you think I sent you that video instead of the second boss?
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, everybody, this is the one.
neocharge: right
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That boss is awesome. So watch me murder it very quickly.
neocharge: yeah oh yeah immediately after that boss i went to the bc area and i was like i gotta look at this fucking thing and i like just inspected it and i love how in the bc area you can hit triangle and it opens and it shows the opening animation for it uh which is really cool but this boss is wicked looking
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's some catharsis.
neocharge: So you can tell the the robots or the AI designed by the humans and then the AI designed by Edis. It's just like some nightmare.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: ah Like nightmare fuel.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: So yeah. It was awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did love wood when it got on the ceiling when it was crawling on the wall and it had its tail lasers going across sweeping the, that was really neat.
neocharge: I love this boss. think Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And of course, you know, Diana the whole time, she's like, watch out, it's up on the walls.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, she's just saying shit.
neocharge: um Dude, I love the audio cues in combat.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'm like, thank you for helping me because I don't know where the fuck it is.
neocharge: eat Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like that helped a lot on the lunatic fight, if I'm being honest.
neocharge: Oh, I bet.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): running around because it had six billion fucking hell.
neocharge: I bet.
neocharge: Oh, shit.
Leon Lionheartly: oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and Actually, I killed it pretty fast, but still.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh! gentlemen reminded me. Sorry. i I know we you guys covered it. I can tell you now. I know what my least favorite like general enemy was in the entire game.
neocharge: What?
Leon Lionheartly: Those stealth guys can eat a bag of dicks.
neocharge: Yeah, the stealth spiders.
Leon Lionheartly: A whole bag of dicks.
neocharge: Yeah, yeah. Especially in that challenge.
Leon Lionheartly: Especially when you got to do the... I was about to say that.
neocharge: When it grabs you and just like, failed.
Leon Lionheartly: but Failed. And I'm like, what? No. And then it felt like so like I'm screaming because I'm like, is it me? Is it the game? Because there'll be times where I see it and I'm like, cool. I go to dodge and it still hits me and grab me and I'm like...
neocharge: Yep. Yep. Dude, I used the riot gun on those like crazy. It was like, yeah, you're down. You're down. And they were glass cannons. So very cool designs.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): All right, Matt, i did this I did this to you earlier, so now i'm going to do it to Bob.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah They can grab you.
neocharge: Oh, Jesus.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but
Leon Lionheartly: yeah love
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah I just needed to see what he would say.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes. If you don't dodge the right direction, it's still in your hitbox, so you'll dodge, but then you're still in that hitbox, and then it grabs you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know the the shield impact, whatever the fuck that it's called, the the support thing?
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or the down, yeah, the defense thing.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think I just got lucky the first time I ever ran into one. Cause I threw one down. I saw this like a chameleon looking thing. I didn't know what the fuck it was. I shot at it. And then, you know, and like a number one and a two popped up and it didn't appear.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I just just chucked a thing down, like, what's it going to do? And then it came up and was like, kuk and like, you know, flew back. And I thought never going to get near those motherfuckers. So I did not get grabbed and I did not know that.
Leon Lionheartly: um
neocharge: Damn.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, Until Lunatic Difficulty because i just I mean one just snuck up behind me I was like oh my god So ah just today actually that happened just today But for my first playthrough Nope didn't know they could grab you at all Had no idea Just just melted those bitches But that was that again I think that was a kind of dumb luck Because of my over panicking Like what is it going to do
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Dang.
neocharge: Crazy. Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and Yeah. But with those the design of those is really cool. like I really like how they open up, I guess, i for lack better description, when you don't break them and then they have their weak spot on their back is that big round fucking, I don't know, whatever the hell it is.
neocharge: Yeah. I agree.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Yes. It's not the battery. Who knows?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, sure. And then, like you said, Matt, I did use the riot gun on them a lot.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like After the first, yeah, when I'd see them being invisible, I'd be like, fuck this.
neocharge: Knock those fuckers down.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just watch them all fly.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was great.
neocharge: Yep. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): poor pop
neocharge: Yeah. So many different.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): or ba
neocharge: I know. Caleb will do that to you, buddy.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah sorry Yeah, you will.
neocharge: It's fine.
Leon Lionheartly: I'm going to get them one day.
neocharge: One day. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you will
Leon Lionheartly: ah There's a trophy associated with it.
neocharge: Yeah, ah the enemy ride in this game was awesome. um Those ones that have a shield that when you hack them, you gain the shield. So cool.
neocharge: So cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah. I don't remember what they're called, but those things were really neat.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They were ah shield flingers. Whatever the fucking bot is.
neocharge: Yeah. There is a trophy.
Leon Lionheartly: if i'm not mistake If I'm not mistaken, I'd have to go look at it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And I got it by complete accident because it wasn't that I...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): what
Leon Lionheartly: ah I wasn't aiming for it, but that I just so happened to hit him with a confuse when he had the shield out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then I was like, pop, and I was like, oh, hey, there you go.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Is it, can I borrow that? I think that's the trophy again, dumb memory for shit.
Leon Lionheartly: I think that's what it is.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. think it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I can't remember the bots fucking name, but I remember the trophies name because it it popped up when I did it again. It's kind of like you. It just happened. I didn't, I didn't plan for it.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh,
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, oh, cool.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Uh, dude, I was fine. I would always find those hollow walls, those fake walls. I was pretty good and fine in finding those. I'm bummed. There wasn't a trophy associated with finding all that stuff.
neocharge: Cause that little, uh, like storyline for fuck. I forget her name was pretty cool. Every time you would find the fake walls.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sharon?
neocharge: Yeah. How the fuck do you remember that?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. i Again, i can why do I remember that? And I can't even remember the bot. Yeah. I mean, it was cool reading, reading all those and finding her ultimate story.
neocharge: Shit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I thought that was neat.
neocharge: The trophy description is confuse a certain enemy and borrow its shield. Cool. ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Barrier bot, whatever we're going to call it.
Leon Lionheartly: ah therere
neocharge: ah
Leon Lionheartly: There was also those documents, Caleb, because you mentioned the hollow walls, like your your experience and throughout that. um First, i've well, first I'll say it reminded me of, yeah and you wouldn't know this, Matt, you might, Caleb.
Leon Lionheartly: It reminded me of the cake is a lie documents.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah.
neocharge: I play Portal.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: All right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: All right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, I didn't know if you would have played Portal either.
Leon Lionheartly: but Sorry.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, I wasn't sure. But yeah, the the cake is a lie kind of stuff. that That's what it reminded me of. ah Because I don't remember the name of the character, but it was always hiding in the walls, writing weird shit and in descriptions.
neocharge: Yeah. Those walls were...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Environmental storytelling is what I consider that.
neocharge: were
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, think.
neocharge: Tech, yeah. ah Let's see. Yeah, after that, boss, we go back to shelter. ah Let's talk about the REMs. ah So, first of all, when you first find one, you're like, what the fuck is this thing? They they show it in, like, behind a glass wall, and like as it's a holographic picture of Earth, and you're like, oh, that's a collectible.
neocharge: Well, the fuck is it? I need to know. And then it's like a scripted story sequence that you get your first one, and you're like, oh, okay. go back the shelter, then you start building them up and then you realize, oh, there's sections.
neocharge: And then like when you get all of them in a specific section, it creates a whole fucking like printable house or yeah, a scene, a house or playroom or beach or sandbox or out outside.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like a scene. it was really cool.
neocharge: It's so cool. And I loved him.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Whatever the theme was, it was, it was, know,
neocharge: And yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and Diana could ah interact with all of them. It was just cute as hell. Sometimes I'd just like go up and view, and then she'd pitter-pad and be like, oh, Diana's coming over to check it out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: What's she going to do now?
Leon Lionheartly: ah
neocharge: So, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I want to catch it. I want to catch it. You just look over and she's fucking trying to catch a butterfly.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, oh, I want you to catch it.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're just watching her the whole time.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so good.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: The water gun? Hands down.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: One of my favorites.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: One of my favorites. Just like, bang, bang!
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: And he's like, rawr! Goes in first person.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I laughed out loud for a majority of them.
neocharge: So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): One, you know, she, she's got the basketball and she says, you catch.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yes
neocharge: They were great.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She just hits you and knocks you over. And she just runs over and she's nervous.
Leon Lionheartly: I don't know.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like, are you okay? yeah then Great shot kiddo or whatever.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Great pass kiddo. It was just a neat little thing.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I love the one with the skateboard. If you, if you talk to her when she's on the skateboard and she gets up and kicks them away, the, the,
neocharge: It's one of my favorites. Oh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): slow look towards the camera towards you after you hear the crash sound of her that was one of the funniest visual gags in that game every time I go back to the shelter and she's on a skateboard I will watch that scene again I will do it every time because it's wonderful I yeah
neocharge: yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. a Yeah. And I wonder if they were scripted or what triggered them, but her drawings, ah she would give you little drawings and then put them.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): oh man
neocharge: I know it's just like, oh my God, sketchbook, the demo, like gave you a specific drawing depending how you played the game. And I think there were like nine different drawings. They didn't carry over to the, the base game, which is a bummer, but I wonder what scripted that. I think there were there were four in total and I ended up getting all of them. And I think they're scripted, maybe throughout the game, like in sequence. I don't know, but they were cute as hell.
neocharge: So.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I know I got four.
Leon Lionheartly: I think,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i think I think you're right. I think four is it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah, I think because they depict like certain scenes throughout the storyline.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: um So that would make sense after a certain point and be like, here you go, Hugh.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Leon Lionheartly: But yeah, the first, here, I made this for you.
neocharge: Just adorable.
Leon Lionheartly: i was like, oh, God damn it.
neocharge: Oh, my God.
Leon Lionheartly: I will burn the world for you.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. And then her her little eyes are like looking over the the pictures. thing i mean it's for you I'm just like, oh, Why?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): so
neocharge: are you doing this to be Capcom?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): One of the best compliments I can give this game, I think, again, on ah on a much earlier cast, I think I told you guys, some of my friends, when they ask for different recommendations or whatever, one of my friends who doesn't really like action games that much, I had recommended God of War, the PS4 God of War, and then... ah Horizon Zero Dawn.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I said, you love science fiction. Horizon Zero Dawn is is a game that you will love, but please try God of War out. And and I had told him that it was my favorite ah first party for that console generation was God of War, the PS4 God of War, which might surprise people.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But Horizon Zero Dawn, I believe, was in a close second in my mind.
neocharge: Oh,
neocharge: yeah yeah yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But when I was talking to him and giving him...
neocharge: That's my favorite.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah the reasons that I loved it. I said, you know, Kratos, whatever the story, whatever, it's great. But the reason that I loved the original, the the new God of War is because it made me want to have a son, which is so weird to say this game, the biggest compliment I can give it as this game made me want to have a daughter like a thousand percent.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Yep. Same here.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, I want to experience that, that he was experiencing.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That is such a good,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah And I mean, maybe that's horseshit because obviously in this game you get most of the good stuff. And in God of War, Atreus was a little shit, so you got to see some of the bad stuff.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it didn't matter because the pure unbridled joy and curiosity of a child that she depicts in this game was just perfect.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And, and the, just the reason I'm saying this now is because you're talking about the drawings.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're talking about her when she says, thanks for always talking to me and and sharing stuff.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then she hands you this fucking picture and you're like, Oh my God.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it's like, Oh my God. yeah You just feel so it it moved, I guess is the best word that I could use to describe it.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I kind of hope if people are on the fence about playing this game,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and they're listening to the spoiler cast because they don't care about spoilers, I hope that that doesn't dissuade you. If you say, oh, fuck that, I don't want kids, don't let that dissuade you because, I mean, the good news is if you don't want kids and you really hate it, you can always turn it off.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Can't do that with real children. But with this, um I really felt that way when I was done and still on the second playthrough.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm just like, that's that's one of the best things that they have ever been able to do Capcom, when I say they, they just, how?
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because I was never really interested in kids. And then God of War made me interested, weirdly, in a fucking, I don't know why that would do it, but it did.
neocharge: Same here.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then this one was the same thing. like, damn, that is so, and I know, Matt, you and I don't have kids, so I wanted to ask Bob
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Is that a little bit of of the truth? Like when you're when you when you were when your kids were really little and they would piss you off, but then they would do this one awesome thing that made you like, a man, I'm so glad that I have this child in my life. is it Did they get really close to that or did they nail it with Pragmata?
Leon Lionheartly: They 100% that they like it is a nailing because when you're dealing with small children, you're dealing with that early development.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Awesome.
neocharge: Nice.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: You're you know, you want to beat your head against the wall, but you can't. So it's like there's a source of frustration in my life.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um And you're like, why the why the ever living fuck am I doing this? And then there's that moment. And that one moment makes it just completely, you forget every reason why you even have are frustrated, why you're tired, why you're, why you're worn out.
neocharge: Sure.
Leon Lionheartly: So when she brings you here, I made you something. Thanks. It's just like really proud of this and is giving gen, like giving something that's truly genuine. It, it,
Leon Lionheartly: It's a picture that literally has no monetary value, but it has such a personal connection and meaning of that truth, truthness that kids are honest and they want it in there and they're generous, even though sometimes they can be little shits.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: They're really at at time, especially during that early era. That's those are the moments that really get you through it.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because you also, you know that they're telling the truth because they like they don't really have an ulterior motive or a filter.
Leon Lionheartly: And that's one of those. Oh, yeah.
neocharge: A filter.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They don't, I mean, maybe some sociopathic child might, like a Damien or some shit, but but no, ah generally speaking, they don't. That's why, because they're being when they're being shits, it's because no filter.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They don't give a fuck.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They're just going to pout because I'm not getting my way. But when they do that really sweet thing. it means something and in this game i i was really surprised because again we know in the very beginning she's an android it wasn't like we found that out at the end and it was a surprise you know that going in and so you might be like i'm not going to get emotionally attached to this oh look what she did for me you do somehow very very quickly and that to me is is just how did capcom do that that's such a cool uh
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right. Now.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): those monsters how did they make me feel yeah yeah
neocharge: I know. Right?
Leon Lionheartly: And that's the hallmark of the true hallmark of this game. It's like the gameplay and the uniqueness is great.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: But when you think about God of like you said, God of War 2016, 2018, 2016. Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah I thought it was 16 but that might be doom 2016 whatever the fucking god of war first one on the ps4
Leon Lionheartly: twenty sixteen um yeah
Leon Lionheartly: yeah And and like like I'm glad you you liked you you really appreciated Atreus. Personally, fucking hated him ah throughout the entire series.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's fair. That's totally fair.
Leon Lionheartly: ah he just yeah He was so self-serving. just It was like he was there to try to break open the cold-heartedness of Kratos, right?
Leon Lionheartly: You turn around and he was not necessarily a cold hearted individual. He's just literally an individual who's like, I never really wanted kids. And you find out because he was an orphan. And then you go you're kind of like, oh, I get it.
neocharge: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: It makes sense. He just really didn't want kids of himself because of his own past.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, yeah, totally makes sense.
Leon Lionheartly: So this wasn't, This wasn't a character that was a piece, a set piece to try to drive so a different character's emotional growth. This was naturally, felt natural.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And that, is there's a big distinction there um that I think elevates Pragmata's storytelling, at least when you're talking about this parent-child dynamic, better than any other game I've played, period, hands down.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah, no, this is like, I mean, not being a parent, this takes the cake for me by far. So I was very curious as a parent, if it was the same for you.
neocharge: Easily. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'm glad to hear that it is because.
Leon Lionheartly: There's only one other parent-child dynamic that I think...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's for anything too. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes. And they only and then the the second, the third one, neither one of you know this one, but go fucking play Metaphor Re-Fantasio.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: That's all I gotta say.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know you guys are going to kill me for this. It's digitally on sale right now for like 50% off. I thought about actually buying it, but I mean, I'm not going to put it before Hades 2 or Saros, no way, but i I'm going to play it.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I absolutely want to play that game.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just saw it on sale. I was like, fuck, I kind of need that at 50%. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, there's there's a character in there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: It's a parent thing, and I'll leave it like that. And it's goingnna it's easily my favorite storyline. But yes, all of that say Pragmata tops them all. Death Stranding 2 was short behind, and that's why I'm i'm sitting here going in June going, Pragmata is fucking game of the year right now.
neocharge: Yeah, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, with these kids, like, you're their entire world, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, it's.
neocharge: And Hugh is Diana's entire world. And i I just love the dynamic and the growth between them because Hugh sees Diana as a tool from the get-go. So he's like, oh, this is AI.
neocharge: She can open these bots. All right, jump on my back. I need you to survive. But then he actually starts really ah getting attached to her like ah like a daughter, which was a really cool dynamic to see evolve.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it's it's ah not not to be too...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, and it's.
Leon Lionheartly: I got to say this, but not to be too personal because I got to set this up, is the thing between Hugh and Diana, and this will be relatable to any other parents out there under a very specific set of circumstances.
Leon Lionheartly: Like you said, Caleb, you're... and you Oh, I'm interested in kids. That'd be something that would I know you would discuss. It would be planned out, things like that, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
Leon Lionheartly: um
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Hopefully.
Leon Lionheartly: Spoiler, not all of my kids were in that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Hopefully.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: that bucket, a particularly the first one. And this is a, oh shit, this is not something that I wanted, but I've got a fucking tackle it. Hugh's character growth in the ah that relationship with diama Diana felt very natural and paralleled and parallelled a lot of my first children's upbringing as an early kid.
neocharge: Wow.
Leon Lionheartly: it It's unreal what they did. like There's being parent, and then there's being parent when you weren't expecting to be parent. And Hugh nailed it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: fucking 100%. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Cause it, it really, I mean, it wasn't quite the same as you were this, the next day, a kid just showed up at your house and was like, Hey, I'm, I'm yours now, but very similar to Hugh where he wakes up and he's like, who the fuck was this?
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): what What is this? Not even, you know, I didn't, I didn't make this child, like, you know, you, you at least knew a little bit going in, but, but it's still very, very surprising. And I, mean I mean, I, didn't know you then, so I'm not going to assume that you weren't ready, but who really is ready?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Nobody's ever ready for kids.
Leon Lionheartly: Nobody is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You just never... That's something you can prepare all you want, and it's just never going to be what you expect it to be. That's part of the magic. As an outsider, as an observer, I can say that. but But in this game, it felt very natural. Like you said, very organic. They just...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): clicked when they weren't supposed to click. And then all of a sudden you can tell that he is doing right by her because she's picking up some of his habits and which we can talk about at the end of the next level, because it's my second favorite quote of the game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I love when you beat the, the worm, the Luna digger.
neocharge: Nice.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So yeah, when we, when we get to that point, but it's really, really neat to hear from a parent, how accurate, this was as far as raising the child or being you know ah just a bite-sized version of it.
neocharge: Yeah, it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's not like you go through 20 years of this child, but but still it's it's enough to to latch onto.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, there's there there's it gives you the best parts, those heartwarming moments.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: It doesn't give you to the under and underneath, the little really crappy days that you do have, the Atreus issues, if you will.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that little fucker.
Leon Lionheartly: But though those high those highlight moments, those peaks that hit the mountain, 100% felt it every time.
neocharge: Yeah, that's awesome. Awesome. Well, we're basically there. We're at my favorite level in the game because it was.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yep this is so this was your favorite okay the luna mines is that right yeah
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: ah Because Luna Mines. Yeah, ah because we get some some callbacks to Dead Space. We go zero grab. And ah just the sound design, everything goes into a vacuum.
neocharge: ah the The platforming changes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): oh so cool
neocharge: ah you You're basically floating around. This is like, you're like, Oh, we're on the moon. This is how it's going to act on the moon. So yeah, my favorite level for sure.
neocharge: cause it goes real like a dead space. You're out in the vacuum of space. All the things are muffled. They just did an incredible job. You go out and you can actually see earth, not through a window. And you're just like, Oh,
neocharge: This was probably my one of my favorite vistas because you can actually see like Earth. I mean, yeah, you're seeing through your visor, but you can just, holy shit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But still.
neocharge: They really nailed like, I got a little cold because I was in space. i was like, o they nailed the feeling.
Leon Lionheartly: You what?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So it's so funny you say that. So I did the Luna Mines on my Lunatic playthrough today.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I mean, it's a little colder here today in in Ohio than it has been the last week, but I put on a blanket when I was out because I was out.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but I felt the same thing. It's just, there's something about the way it felt.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was raining today. So it probably was legitimately a little colder down in the basement, but I was like, I'm in space.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I could just snuggle up and just do my thing. That was nice.
Leon Lionheartly: that's That's really funny. ah And this is my, because it's my brain, is, and I don't want to ruin the experience for you guys.
neocharge: mean Right.
Leon Lionheartly: I'm sorry, but I got to say it anyways, is we associate space with cold. Like, when you see that in other characters, like usually but that's actually not the biggest threat when you're in space.
neocharge: It's less air, no air, or? or
Leon Lionheartly: Because the lack of air means you don't have the molecules to move, which means you actually are in threat of overheating.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): we I mean, we assume...
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We are closer to the sun sometimes when we're on the moon, right? You can't really be in the direct sun on the moon, or I think it's a huge radiation problem.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i Scientifically, i believe I believe that is true.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Even if you have the right suit, I think you would probably develop horrible cancer very, very quickly because of the amount of radiation.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I am not an official scientist. i just I'm pretty sure that's correct. But when we think of things like space, outer space, it's not necessarily right next to the sun or or surrounding Earth.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): When I think of space, I'm thinking of like The Expanse. You know, they're out in the middle of fucking nowhere on some crashed moon mining shit. And it is very potentially cold out there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But Bob is absolutely right where you are more at a risk of overheating because of the way things work. Again, weird science, but
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Laws of thermodynamics. My fucking science brain.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah void you know void of everything.
neocharge: Ah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And that makes you feel cold
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Okay. Yeah. And well, when you get your space suit off and you're, you have bare skin, you like, You freeze, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): crystal Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, unless you're, depends where the sun is.
neocharge: Ah, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): thats It really depends where the sun is.
neocharge: It's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Most of the, most of the crystallization and freezing is not because of cold.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it really depends.
neocharge: Hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's, I don't know the proper terms. And I'm sure if you ever had a real scientist listen to this, they would tell me how wrong I am, but I'm pretty sure it's like the vacuum is just sucking all of the whatever out of your body.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause your body, your body's, your body's always trying to maintain some form of equilibrium.
neocharge: Ah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and unless like when it's got a virus, a bacteria, whatever, uh, we vomit because it's trying to expel whatever the problem is.
neocharge: Sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We shiver because when we fever, because we want to, you know, when you're cold, you shiver to try to warm up, to heat, to make those molecules move faster.
neocharge: Or we heat up
Leon Lionheartly: Bye.
neocharge: up.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, so when your bare skin is exposed in outer space, I believe it's a form of equilibrium where the body's trying to do something and it just fails because it can't, I don't know the proper terms for it, but, uh,
neocharge: Whoa.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it's it's not pleasant. its I don't like thinking about it because when our ozone goes, we're all fucked.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We're all going to die that way.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's not great.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: We'll all go to the moon and live with you and Diana.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Okay.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: and yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: I'd be down for that. Uh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's goddess of the moon. Let's do it.
neocharge: and That's true. That's true. Selene is also goddess of the moon um in Greek.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: But yeah, we get ah we get introduced to the Luna digger and it's space or Luna diggers, I'd say. and we're at the we're at the mine because they've been mining lunum, which is is the raw form of limb, which is the material used to basically create and print all this shit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And that's why we're on, yeah, Luna filament.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The Luna filament, right? Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: So that's why we're, yeah, it's a Luna filament and then limb. And then that's, they print with that. And that's why we're on the moon because we found a substance that can basically mimic any sort of material if it's put into a specific state. And that's why we're mining this and we're in the mines and there's a AI machines that are basically tremor worms.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, when ah earlier when I had started Pragmata and you guys were asking how far I got and I was trying to be very, very nondescript cryptic with my react, my responses.
neocharge: So,
neocharge: i
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was expecting you guys to ask me after after I beat that level, how far are you? And I was just going to say Dune.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: Ha ha ha ha ha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because they wouldn't have a fucking clue until you got there.
neocharge: Got it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They'd be like, oh that's what he meant. But you never asked, so I never got to use that.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But still, such a cool ah mechanic and design.
neocharge: Oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just...
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, the first time you run into it, you're just like, what the fuck am I supposed to do about this thing?
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and And you find out that that was what would cause the earthquake earlier in the in the beginning of the game.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And one of the things I should say, but that design was so cool.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And the fact that they could make it work,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): flawlessly isn't the right word, but when it pops out of the ground and it's not causing horrible frame issues, it's not just clipping into a bunch of shit.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just just like, like there's this giant fucking metal bot worm on the moon and it's after you. Like this is not great.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's awesome, but it's not great.
neocharge: Yep. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: You would have said Dune, but I would have said Tremors.
neocharge: That's right. Tremor worm. Yeah. ah As soon as I.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, Tremors made me think of the earthquake in the beginning of the game, like the or the the moonquake in the beginning of the game.
Leon Lionheartly: aa
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that's why I was going to go Dune. But yeah, you're right.
neocharge: Moonquake.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Moonquake. As soon as I saw these, I went into the bestiary again. I'm i'm a bestiary whore. I go in and I read all the things and i'm like, what's this enemy?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Uh, it's probably one of the most detailed enemies, uh, designs I've ever seen ever. And I've seen horizon enemies, uh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: It's just crazy. I looked at it and I had to look twice. I was like, holy shit, what is going on here? All the gears moving and incredible. ah Very, very cool level too. And it's a pretty linear level and you grow in and out and in and outside of the moon.
neocharge: So lot of cool collectibles here. And yeah, this was my favorite level. So just cause it's a, it's such a change and dynamic and this is what I feel like a moon game needed.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that's fair.
neocharge: oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I would agree. did The little grab, really, that like the ability to like... So even when you first get in and then Diana's like, oh, we're going to the surface.
Leon Lionheartly: And Hugh, if you listen to the dialogue, he says, yeah, I'll be able to ah basically propel farther with my ah jets, but we're not going to be be able to control as much.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And you're like, oh, they're kind of eluding that environmental storytelling, as Caleb said.
neocharge: Yeah. yeah
neocharge: isn't
Leon Lionheartly: um
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I could see... Yeah, I'd say this probably, I probably agree with you, Matt. This was, when it comes to pure level design, this was probably my favorite as well.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's It's another thing, again, all props to Capcom, because it's so hard in ah in a lot of video games. You want to be given the tools to succeed, but you don't also want to feel like, oh, man, I can't do this thing because don't have the tool, with the exception of some of the Metroid stuff like, oh, I can't get behind this wall cause i don't have the tool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's totally different.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it Feeling like I can't play the game because I don't have the tool. That's not a good feeling, right? It's just a terrible, that's a bad design choice.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But what I think is harder to do is to keep the player engaged almost as though they're learning something new throughout the game without making them feel...
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like, oh, I haven't been able to play the game until the last boss. That's so hard to balance. I don't i don't know how how developers can really do that well. and And actually, one of the games that I give props for, even though I do have my problems, Final Fantasy Remake.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it's not just because of Final Fantasy.
neocharge: didn
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But when you play through the game the first time, that's the tutorial. The real game is when you play it on hard mode because you now have all the tools you need.
neocharge: It's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You have your materia, you have your weapons, you have your slots.
neocharge: It's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And now, yeah.
neocharge: Is rebirth the same?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Your weapons level up in Rebirth when you beat bosses or when you when you do new things on hard mode.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But for really, you've learned how to play the game.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Now you can just fucking play it. that's I think Rebirth and Remake did a really good job with that.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But what Capcom did even better here, I will say even better, they took a mechanic that they had that you learned.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You learned how to platform. You learned how to use your your hover, your thrusters, and... They made it tight enough and loose enough early in the game where, I mean, nobody platformed perfectly the first time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you You jump and you might float a little too far and be like, oh, I got to used to these fucking things, right?
neocharge: No.
neocharge: Great.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): By the time you're through level three, through stage three, the Terra Dome, you're pretty fucking great at it.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Stage four, instead of introducing a new combat mechanic, they introduce a whole new, like, well, now your traversal is fucking different and it's going to go back and forth when you're inside and outside because fuck you.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But they do it in such a way that you're not mad about it.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And now when when I got here there today, when I got to the to stage four again, the Luna Mines,
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I just, I immediately clicked. I was like, oh, I'm outside. Now I have to do it this way. Now I'm inside. Now I got to do it this way. You just get a feel for it very, very quickly.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And i I really, really can't praise Capcom enough for making it easy and difficult at the same time, because it's it's just adding a new element to learn without making you feel like you're doing homework.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that is so cool.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did like, how?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): when they When it was happening, I thought the first time through, it was like how did you guys do this and make me not hate you for it?
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, because nobody when you finally master platforming in a game, you don't want to learn new platforming.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That sounds terrible.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But in this you did.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're like, yes, I'm on the surface now and I can float a little further, jump a little higher here
neocharge: Exactly. Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And Diana says, sounds like an upgrade to me. Like that was just all of them.
Leon Lionheartly: but
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was so clever.
neocharge: Yep. And they just, they, oh yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then, of course, the vistas. Duh. You already said that. So good.
neocharge: Yeah. And they hit collectibles. Like they tuck collectibles away everywhere where you're like, I got to go across the surface, but I'm going to get fucking mutilated by this mechanical worm.
neocharge: But I really wanted that chest.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Did we all, the first time, did we all just hop every time when you're jumping where the worm is to hope that he didn't hear you?
Leon Lionheartly: I never
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He was just hopping across the moon.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like that was just such a cool, you're not really scared, but you, you do have your butt puckered a little bit.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The whole time he's just like, ah, he's coming.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Tight butthole for sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it was ah it was a run as fast as you can. And then you like you get to a small platform section, you're like, oh, there's a collectible there, but I've got to ah battle through these different robots. And then you're trying to balance that combat and being able, I'm a dodge guy, so I was dodging left and right while trying to avoid getting back onto of the surface because then the worm's going to come out and eat your ass.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Me too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Me too.
neocharge: i
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, it was crazy. We forgot to touch on one critical story point in the last level.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Eight.
neocharge: Meeting eight.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I figured we'd talk about it after this, just because we could talk about her all at once because of what happens after this stage.
neocharge: So.
neocharge: Okay.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: one Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I thought you did it on purpose.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So you shouldn't have said anything. Yeah.
neocharge: I did. i don't know what you're talking about.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. ah Yeah, this stage was so fun. Pretty linear. Very... Vertical, too. There's a lot of verticality to it. But, yeah, we get to the end and we finally fight this bitch.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): For sure.
neocharge: And ah it's a long fight, but it's gorgeous.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And the set piece is... Stellar. So ah speaking of, I got some very big vibes on Stellar Blade on this game, of Stellar Blade on this game, honestly. Like I just, I kept getting the vibes of Stellar Blade and Death Stranding, of course, but yeah, just a side note, but this boss was fun.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was very fun. did you Did you guys do all of the mechanics the way you were supposed to?
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Or did you just keep trying to hack it?
neocharge: Like hacking the bots where they go back and they damage them?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Bob?
neocharge: Tried. Tried.
Leon Lionheartly: I did it when they were available, but like I was just hack, hack, hack the whole time.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um But you're you're right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: When I finally did it on accident because I was trying to hack the worm, and then I accidentally hit the one thing, and i just it was a complete press circle or something like that at instinct.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, boom, boom, like done. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then it was like, oh boom. And I'm like, oh, hey, this bike got a little easier at least.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I figured that out later.
neocharge: yeah If they were in my line of sight, I would get them.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i didn't, I think I hit one because I just, I just was avoiding them.
neocharge: Oh, okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't really know. i mean, she even tells you like, oh, I could try to hack them or whatever. And I was like, but I'm hacking this thing. Like I just didn't bother. And then eventually I did it once. And was like, oh, that would have made it so much easier.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm an asshole.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So on Lunatic difficulty, I believe I shot about 40 of those back at that motherfucker.
neocharge: man ah
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was just like, give me your children so I can kill you with them.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But yeah, that made it a lot easier, actually.
neocharge: Yeah. This is where I loved and used the hell out of the piercer. I would open them up and just hold that charge and be like, and just, oh, big number gober.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that was cool. Big number, Dougal Burr.
neocharge: yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, this, uh, just a huge boss and it pretty, I don't know. It was a pretty big arena. It was a circular arena, but it was, it felt pretty tight. So yeah, loved it.
neocharge: Um, bob did you like this boss?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but So when you beat... Oh, yeah, go ahead.
Leon Lionheartly: Me?
neocharge: Yeah. Cause you love the piercer and the piercer.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. one
neocharge: I mean, the piercer is pretty much crucial for this boss.
Leon Lionheartly: See, I didn't try it with the piercer, but this was the one where I was just constantly doing the the primary. This was at the point in the game where I was primary weapon and then defense and ah a utility.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: like When I say I didn't use the didn't use the red weapons, I did not fucking use the red weapons. I played this game on hard mode.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Self-induced, by the way. So I hated this fight because it takes... forever to bring it down unless you're using, like you said, the charge cannon, right?
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Do it naturally. This is a 5-10 minute battle, easily.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, yeah. it It took a lot longer when I did it.
neocharge: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It it took me longer on on my normal playthrough than it did on my Lunatic playthrough because because I didn't use the thing.
neocharge: Oh, wow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't i mean, when i when I went back and fought the Mark II version, well that bitch died so fast. It was a joke.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But but the... probably fastest and then Lunatic was second fastest and first time was a battle of attrition I mean I used the charge piercer but not that much because I preferred to hack it and get it to overheat and falls for me to you know crit it
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: That's how I played the entire game. was like Just hack it, overheat it, and then go hit it with a crit, which is why I also hated those fat those fat things.
neocharge: Same here.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): oh yeah yeah right yeah
Leon Lionheartly: and Because a crit, they had so much health, a crit was like, oh, that's cute.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Great.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did like the idea of uppercutting them, but yeah.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah No, so when when you beat the boss, my second favorite interaction in the game, but or it might be my favorite interaction, I don't know, was just Hugh goes, hell yeah!
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she goes, Hell yeah!
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was just so awesome.
neocharge: Yeah. Good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So adorable.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it was, you know, not, I wasn't mad that a six-year-old swore.
neocharge: Hell yeah!
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, yes! You learned from your dad.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Your pseudo-dad.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was just so proud of her when she said that. it was and it was due another genuine moment of she was learning from Hugh. She was not just an android, like a like a child learning from a parent.
neocharge: Yeah, and parroting.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was just a really, really, in a simple interaction. Just, yes. And every time.
neocharge: that's That's probably my favorite. That's my favorite line.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it's so good.
neocharge: The hell yeah. Hell yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I forgot about that one. That's a good one. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: So.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So do you want to touch on eight since we're done with Luna Minds and then, yeah.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. ah after we go up the central elevator in the Terra Dome area, we meet what is basically a twin of Diana.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): they look She's she's like flayed on this this tree, has pinned her against this thing, and she's just like, oh, help me.
neocharge: Yep.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, she was a cat earlier. She was taking over a cat to talk to you, which was weird Capcom, but whatever, it's fine, like because video games.
Leon Lionheartly: you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and
neocharge: Because video game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But she is basically telling you guys to do this thing because she wanted to go back to earth. but She, she needed to go to earth. She didn't tell us why. And he was just like, I wonder what she needed to go to earth for. And Diana basically tells you in the, in the third stage,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): she she asks you very nicely we have to rescue eight right and Hugh earlier in the game would have said fuck that shit I'm going to just call Earth home and be like yo dog Delphi is an asshole and shit went wild save me but he's gotten attached to Diana so much that he says all right we'll do this let's we'll help eight and they're talking a little bit like why do you guys look like twins why why is why are you the same but you're not the same why is her name eight why and
neocharge: and
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah. you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Anyway, so we're introduced to this character that I don't want to call her a MacGuffin, but at that point in the game, it's like, oh, okay, it's just a way to maybe get us to play a little bit more, to go to areas that Hugh would never not never really naturally go to.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah So i will I will kick it over to you, Matt, as to why she's so important, especially after the Loon of Mines.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. ah Who's the scientist? What's his name? Who created him? The Pragmata.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Was it Higgins?
Leon Lionheartly: oh uh that sounds correct
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It sounds wrong, but it also sounds right. It's Dr.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: higgins it is higgins yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Higgins?
neocharge: Higgins.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Okay.
neocharge: Yeah. Higgins. Yeah. um He modeled two of these Pragmata after his daughter, Daphne, d Daisy ah and eight is the newer model because Daisy was older.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Daisy.
neocharge: And ah the reason, well, so Daisy.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And Diana was a failure, but not really. like She wasn't doing what she was supposed to, according to the doctor.
neocharge: Exactly. Right. And that's kind of touched and Diana's like, oh, I'm a failure. And he's like, no, you no, you're awesome. ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm useless. and' She keeps saying she's useless, which broke my fucking heart, by the way.
neocharge: Yeah. Useless. Right. oh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i was just like, you're not useless.
neocharge: ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): God damn, I'm going to kill that doctor. was so mad.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Anyway, sorry.
neocharge: Exactly. But yeah, his, his daughter gets cancer on earth and he wants to save her. So he looks into, uh, creating these pragmata to find a cure.
neocharge: And Diana was the first pragmata modeled off of Daisy, who was six years old and eight is the, the second pragmata modeled off a Daisy when she was eight years old, shortly before she died. Right. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yep yep
neocharge: And Delphi.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that's, Higgins was on the moon doing that research. That's why he was on the moon for most of this day.
neocharge: Yes, exactly. Exactly. And ah Delphi, the corporation, killed Daisy, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. They were, it was a test ah to serum or whatever, whatever it was, a test application.
neocharge: ah
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it was supposed, I mean, actually, so when we learned this, when we learned that it was supposed to be tested on a different subject, I was like, so that you were okay with just like killing somebody else?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's a little fucked up.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I kind of get it for your your own daughter or whatever.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like i i But I did think, I was like, this guy is kind of an asshole anyway, Dr.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Higgins. But Delphi ended up giving that test administration it's a serum or whatever to Daisy. And didn't fucking tell Dr.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Higgins that and it killed her or she died because it just didn't work.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We don't really know because he kind of went bonkers after that.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And.
neocharge: and incredible Yeah, he had incredible guilt from it that he wasn't there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: I think wife was a similar situation and he wasn't there. He was on the moon when she died too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Mm hmm.
neocharge: ah So dude, super smart dude, incredible guilt. And he basically creates the anti-Luna film, which creates the corruption. So...
neocharge: Yeah. And then i he kind of goes crazy and he's like, fuck everyone. Fuck everything. i want to destroy Earth. So eight, your new objective is to take this.
neocharge: What's it called in the game?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, I was going to just say the corruption, the black yeah yeah
neocharge: The corruption, the black corruption. The black, the black.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): black goo is all Hugh keeps calling it so but There is one thing that that made me... you know It's hard to to have a villain that's not just meh and is also interesting.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's really hard to do. One of the things that some of the subtext I got out of it with Higgins was not necessarily like murder everybody on Earth, but they didn't want to fund trying to figure out how to so how to fix the problem, what what killed his daughter and what is killing a lot of people.
neocharge: e
Leon Lionheartly: It's good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So he thought, if I send it to Earth and it's a problem, then they'll have to fucking fix it.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They'll have to figure it out.
neocharge: only Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So it's not just that he's like... ah you know, Hitler. He's not space Hitler. He's not moon Hitler. But he did. I mean, he wasn't a good guy either at the end.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He just, he looked at it a little bit more like a scientist would where he said, okay, they're not going to spend money on this.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, fuck them. They're going to have to if if I take it home. And
Leon Lionheartly: See, and maybe there was a document that I'm forgetting because that's not the way I remember it.
neocharge: Ah, okay.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Higgins... So Higgins learned about his daughter, um but by that point, he was just angry with the world, um and he was angry with Delphi.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: But what actually ended up killing him was the the the dead filament. Like, he...
neocharge: Dead filament.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Dead filament.
neocharge: That's what it is.
Leon Lionheartly: Dead filament.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's it. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: He was contaminated with the dead filament as part of the experimentation.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: So he died in the lab as a bitter man and a interpreted that as,
neocharge: And it eats humans. Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're right. I think, I think it is eight that in my mind, but but yeah, it was because of the way his actions influenced eight that I think you're right.
neocharge: Okay, okay.
Leon Lionheartly: Eight, his, a' and this is what's key to the subtext of the game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Diana, she finds out, oh, I was a failure. But Diana's a sweet girl because at that point, Higgins still had a lot of love in his heart and was still fighting and was fighting for something.
neocharge: Yes, and she was in cold storage.
Leon Lionheartly: Eight saw, which is a direct reflection. It's something you hear all the time. your Your kids are a reflection of you. So if you have a lot of anger in your heart and you have contempt for the world, so were your kids.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Wow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. But then also he I mean, he couldn't bring himself to destroy Diana, which is why he put her in cold storage.
neocharge: That's awesome.
Leon Lionheartly: Exactly.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): because just, it's almost like a protection. ah And with eight, there's a, when, when eight shares part of her memories with Diana in, in the tarot dome in chapter three, when we, meet when we, before we know she's a bag of shit, um Diana mentions to Hugh throughout a ah various, the series of conversations in in chapter five, or excuse me, in in chapter four and five, where there was a lot of sadness in her heart.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like there's just so much sadness in, in eight that she felt and she just, she felt bad for her
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): shes like, I don't, I want to make her happy.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I want her to see that there's like good things about, and I don't remember exactly the dialogue that Diana says, but cause it was from a child and you're like, that's really sweet. um But, and and it's, it's really, really well reflected because Hugh is trying his very best not to be like, we're going to kill that bitch.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like he doesn't say that, but he's just like,
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, Diana, things might not go the way that we want them to.
neocharge: correct
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that's exactly how you have to handle it with a child. Because you're not going to just lay like, welcome to the real world, you six-year-old bitch.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, he's not going to do that, you know, and unless he's unless he's heartless, but he's not.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, not with a young kid.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so we know as the players, like, yeah. What's going to happen? Like, cause we, we just know it's not going end well, um, one way or another, who's going to sacrifice, what is going to happen, who's going to die.
neocharge: m
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Somebody like not, everybody's getting out alive, uh, one way or another.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it was, I thought that was really well handled too, because they tried eventually as we'll talk about with eight and you got to witness your kid,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): grow up a little bit and also not be ah a butthole.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like it it was just ah another one of those proud parent moments.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So you're like, all yeah, it worked. And I didn't even have to tell her the bad news. You did, but you did.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So yeah, Bob, I'm sorry.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You are right. It wasn't Higgins that did that. It was the influence he did that made eight think I'm going to take this shit to earth and, you know, but she's thinking about Yeah.
neocharge: Yes. Misinterpreted motivat but motivation.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Which was very smart.
neocharge: That's right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It made a lot of sense.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Leon Lionheartly: It's actually the one thing that kind of saved the story because I had ah i had problems with the Delphi. Like, oh, Delphi, ah you know daughter, tragic story. I was like, fuck, don't give me Resident Evil storyline.
Leon Lionheartly: Like, just don't do that, please.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then they kind of and then they kind of skirted around it very well. And I was like, okay, I can say i can live with this.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Capcom definitely likes that narrative point for some reason. And.
Leon Lionheartly: And that was my concern was they were going to just hit that same trope and I'm going to like, oh Capcom doing Capcom things. You hit, you were all the way up and then you tripped ah at the, the, the, uh, at the end of the race.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah Tripped over your dicks again. come on.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, they did not.
Leon Lionheartly: Your fucking ego got in the way.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: ah We're on our way to the EDIS chamber, right? Or this is the next section.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: i don't even remember where we left off, but I assume so.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, it was after after the Luna Mines, you go in to get to retrieve a thing when at the end of that sequence, Diana gets corrupted.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: yep Yeah, and so does you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She gets corrupt. And yeah, but like she doesn't know that at this point. And so he's he's ah strong enough to get her back to the shelter to try to fix her.
neocharge: Right, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then we go to the secret
neocharge: Yes, and then you go to the lab, the pragmatolab.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. The secret area. I mean, it's not a secret.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Everybody has to do it if they get that far in the game, but secret for the lab, you, you aren't able to go back there, uh, to try to fix her.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah, it was a closed off section for the trams. And it was just a they opened it because Diana was basically failing and dying.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: ah So this is your sequence where Diana is dying and you're trying to save her. You're trying to get this ah dead filament out of her.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: So.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And when, when you arrive in the, in the secret area, you you sort of half heal her.
neocharge: who
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's not even healing, really. She comes to, she's she's a little bit better, but she's corrupted.
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So now the gameplay mechanic that changes, which is everybody's least favorite or favorite part of Resident Evil games, when you have almost like an escort mission or you're neutered from a lot of the powers you had before in some way that is more annoying than fun.
neocharge: Yes. Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's a lot of people, when you replay, we talk about in Requiem, the... the not section, the section where you're not playing as either of the two protagonists where it's just like, i don't want to do this a second time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, that was what I was worried this section was going to be.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um And I will say on Lunatic Difficulty, I was a lot more, not frustrated, more annoyed where was like, this is taking way too long because her hacking is slowed down.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There are corrupted nodes for people that haven't played it.
neocharge: o Yes, right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There are corrupted nodes that she just, it's like, ow, like you can't, you can't keep going.
neocharge: Yeah, it hurts you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's like a cool down when you're hacking and it's fucking awful when the enemies have 6 billion percent health pool and you have to hack slower and your weapon sucks a bag of dicks that it just took a lot longer than I expected to.
Leon Lionheartly: right.
neocharge: Dang.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i didn't die. i wasn't in any, do you know, worry of dying. I just like, man, I've kited this guy around for like 20 minutes. Just why? Why the fuck do i have to this again?
neocharge: Dang.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's the only time in this hard playthrough that I've been like, okay, this is starting to get on my nerves.
neocharge: Okay.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it's it's really cool in then in the normal playthrough because you are you're worried about her as a dad.
neocharge: and what
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're worried about her. And then also youre you can't play the game as well. And you're just like, I'm just trying to save her. then she ultimately like straight up passes out again. And you have to get, i think it's a core, a power core, to fix her.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): To fix her the right way.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And, you know, you get there.
neocharge: right The Sentinel.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're worried. You throw her the machine. You get the power core. You're just like a worried parent. And you're just on the edge of the bed. Like, oh my god, please be safe. And then this motherfucking giant bot comes in and tries to kill you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you can't do anything about it. Is that the Sentinel? The one that's got like double blades and shit?
neocharge: I think. Y'all my favorite.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh my God.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Like
neocharge: So good. The enemy design is incredible.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): not fun to fight though. I got to tell you, i mean like fun to fight, but a pain in the dick.
neocharge: No. Not at all. Especially when you fight them both in one of the challenges.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, yeah, that's a, That's ah ah a bit of a bitch. Although now I probably would go, yeah but the lunatic was just like, yeah ah but you can't hack it.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You're defending her while the machine is trying to fix her up. And this thing's trying to kill you.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And all you can do is really shoot it with your little pea shooter and run around and realize how much you miss Diana.
neocharge: Yeah. Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Not just because she's a daughter, but like, she's so helpful.
neocharge: How crucial she is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Um,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and then So you're you're just surviving long enough for this thing. And then eventually she she wakes up and and it's fucking awesome because it's an upgrade to your overdrive.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she can destroy all the corruption.
neocharge: Deletion Protocol.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she just deletes this bitch. And you're just like, oh my god, I love you, daughter.
neocharge: ah Oh, so good. yeah Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and then she's back and she's stronger and she better. But this the sad part is Hugh is corrupted.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And he he even, she talks about, she's like, oh, good news.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I can i can get rid of this corruption now. So we get another new move, not just deletion protocol, but you can hold L1 and charge this little thing that gets rid of another Metroid impedance that we had a little earlier.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Yep. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And they give you a small small little tutorial to to clear it.
neocharge: Indeed.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it also introduces a mechanic in the combat where you can have corrupted enemies that can't be hacked until you clear the corruption.
neocharge: Yes.
neocharge: ah I use the shit out of it because you have to charge it up and then if you charge it up fully it's just like an AOE fucking crazy attack. I would just run around charging that shit up.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it's it was such a cool thing because it took the corruption that bothered us in that earlier section that hindered us from being able to hack with Diana quickly and basically transported it onto the enemy in a way that, like an android would figure out and a smart child ah with proper teachings.
neocharge: All the time.
neocharge: Yes. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She just has a whole lexicon of math behind her that makes her lot faster figuring it out.
neocharge: Right. 0-1-1-0-0-0-1-1-0. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, she learns how to break the corruption and then she can hack it so you got rid of the problem that she had and essentially created another gameplay mechanic that was another layer to this already very layered series of combat choices decisions and things that you could do of but during during the next section hugh asks her like hey about this corruption you know can you
neocharge: Yeah, you just keep evolving it. I love it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): what does it work on organics? I don't remember exactly how he says it because it's very layman's terms, but he's basically asking about himself without telling her, hey I'm going to die by the way.
neocharge: e
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause he doesn't want to say that to ah the child.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And she's like, no, unfortunately it only works on this.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but And she gives a very scientific reason. And he's like, Oh, and she's like, why? He's like, I just wondered. And she's like, okay.
neocharge: I'm just curious.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And your heart fucking breaks because you know, again, as the gamer, you know,
neocharge: yeah
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know. You're just like, oh, goddammit.
neocharge: Yep. Right.
Leon Lionheartly: laughter
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You just know, and it fucking sucks.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): so There's nothing you can do about it.
neocharge: And the crazy part is there's no visual representation of this because he's in his suit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And at the end when Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, it's on his face, but he hides his face from her because she would know.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's so smart, and it breaks your heart every time she asks him another question.
neocharge: It's so good. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, or hey, when we get back to Earth, you're going to take me to sea mountains, right?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And he's just like...
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah You bet, kiddo. like He just gives this sigh.
neocharge: I know.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's It's just like, oh I was so worried for obvious reasons.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah but so i I sort of took over there because I did remember.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, I did just do that section, so it was a little easier for me to say it.
neocharge: Yeah. Please do.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But we get back to the shelter because she's is a badass bitch again.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And now we're entering the final level. The final real level.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: So cool. The Tower of Edis?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I will turn it back over.
neocharge: Or the the elevator? No, the the elevator.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, not yet. you're you're going You're trying to get to the central elevator, but you have to go the long way. The tram can't get you any closer. So you have to go through a lot of...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't say bullshit like in a bad way. just it It makes a lot of sense.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, it is the culmination of everything you've learned in this game. So there's black...
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah The corruption is everywhere. the what did you call it?
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The dead filament? Dead filament, black goo.
neocharge: Dead filament.
Leon Lionheartly: Dead element, yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So if you step on it, you take damage and Diana's is like, I don't like that stuff. Like we, you know, she's trying to keep away and she can deal with it, but it's also not good for you either.
neocharge: yeah Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it messes with your suit.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So it's another traversal mechanic during fighting and combat. You can't necessarily go over there. You can glide over there for a second, but it it makes, it keeps the game interesting while you're fighting those baby face Demogorgon bitches who can also be corrupted.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Those fuck. ah And so it's a way to introduce, things that you already knew and make them harder.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And, and again, just adding another layer, another element. ah But while you're going through this whole section, you're just getting more and more heartbreak between questions that she's going to ask you about going back to earth.
neocharge: Yeah. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And, and, and some of the things are like, Oh, do you really think we can stop eight? And what I alluded to earlier when I said, she, he, you know, he was like, Hey, things might not go the way we want kiddo, but he's,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): basically foreshadowing something's going to happen uh but they get closer than ever before and and as though you didn't think they could get any closer that they'd somehow do and you are you get up to the final little bit and you can basically see the elevator in front of you and you know i mean it's a game it's a capcom game game ass game so we know there's going to be a fight boss fight there's an arena and you're just like
neocharge: right
neocharge: Yes. Right. Yeah. False fight.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): here we go. And you think what's going to happen during this fight.
neocharge: Uh-huh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um Well, eight shows up, obviously.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, duh. And she turned she turns into, I don't remember her name, but I was just like, what is this design?
neocharge: Fucking awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): This boss design was so cool.
neocharge: Oh, it's so good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it it fit really well into the Pragmata world with the, ah you know, the Luna filament making stuff and and her just just being an android who's like, I'm going to stop you because I i need to do this for...
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): what would essentially be her dad, you know, Dr.
neocharge: My creator. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Higgins. Um, and it, it does give a little bit of a, a mirror of what Bob was saying earlier with his darkness was her darkness.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Hugh's light is Diana's light. And you, you know, that you're on the good side, at least you think you are, and and you have a pretty good feeling that you are.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, And I half expected her to drop some bombshell like, everybody on Earth is dead, by the way. like i just I didn't know.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't know where this was going to go, which I love in ah in a game, especially that far into a game where you think you know where it's going to go.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Certain things you do know, and we already foreshadowed that ourselves. But this one, I really didn't know how this fight was going to go. i didn't know if it was going to be so on rails, because Capcom does like to do that. Was it?
neocharge: That's the next section.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Asura's Wrath. Yeah, but we didn't know. that was that That's the beauty of it.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): is You didn't know that. And I thought, give me a fun mechanic, but don't interrupt me with 45 cut scenes in the middle of the thing.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like that That's annoying to me in a final fight.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'll tell you what, they did not disappoint.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That fight was awesome.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was very epic.
neocharge: Two phases.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was very, very...
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah I will say, and this is not a humble brag, but did you did you beat her the first time, Matt?
neocharge: yeah I think so. I think this fight, yeah, because it was manageable.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Bob, did you?
Leon Lionheartly: ah No, this is not the humble brag, but this is the first death I had in the game was this fight. um
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: Wow.
Leon Lionheartly: And then I don't know, yeah I'm assuming you've ah you've had to do a respawn, but when you respawn for this fight, they make ah Diana makes comments. So like when I went back, I think like a second or third time, because I got it by the third try, um she goes, we'll get him this time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but no
Leon Lionheartly: So, like there's yeah, it's a little interesting like callback to to that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Interesting.
Leon Lionheartly: And um i will say, Matt, because you mentioned it earlier, this fight is where I was like, oh, there's Stellar Blade.
neocharge: Yeah, okay.
Leon Lionheartly: It's a very specific fight out of Stellar Blade.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, that yeah that that does feel right.
Leon Lionheartly: I was like, oh, there it is.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I will tell you, I did not die against this boss the first time, but it was a limp to the finish line because I just didn't... I don't i mean, i i the first phase was actually a little harder than the second, and I don't know if I was just tired because the second phase, she really turns it up, turns up the heat.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And when you do the hacking matrix and like the red...
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): got corrupted nodes like show up, they move. i Yeah, I got right through that.
neocharge: They start blinking, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was i was like in it by that point in the fight, and I had no healing, and I had maybe 200 health left, and I was like, I will not die to this hoe. And when I limped across the finish, I'm not kidding, I limped.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: Wow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I will say, ah when you have to beat her again in the harder version for the secret ending, I did die against her.
neocharge: Ugh.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i'd like she just She hit me in the...
neocharge: Yeah. Tank.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): fucking mouth and it was it was not pleasant.
neocharge: Tank.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was just like, ooh, that was hard because the other bosses that I redid were kind of a joke. I expected them to be really hard and they weren't. She was hard. I mean, I beat her the second time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): When I went back and Diana...
neocharge: Yeah, she changed it up, man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, she's like, you know, you have to watch out for those spikes or whatever the hell she says.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, I know that, child, daughter, thank you.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i was I was so upset because I felt like, like what who are you now? But limping across the finish line and hearing eights you know death dialogue and diana i mean the end of the fight when she comes at you with everything she has and then diana just fucking straight up deletion protocols it was so cool to see her be able to do that awesome cut scene uh and very like short and sweet right but diana and eight they just have a quick moment and not tropey because it wasn't like oh if only you were good it wasn't that she was just like
neocharge: Oh, yeah. mr Incredible.
neocharge: Yes. Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry. like whatever I don't remember what she says, but it's just like, ah, but, ah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then she just fucking fades away. It's great.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I'm thinking, man, what an ending. Well, then if we go through what I'm going to assume might be Matt. Was this your favorite sequence of the game?
neocharge: Holy shit. Easily.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Okay, so I'm going to turn it over to you after they walk on the elevator.
neocharge: Easily. It's so fucking me cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And again, mind you, Hugh is like straight up fucking dying this whole time. And he can't, he's just trying to save Diana at this point.
neocharge: Yeah. It's like the slow walk. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, hes he's he's breathing heavily. He's panning heavily. and And part of it, she's an android. She knows he's human. So she knows that he like gets tired and stuff.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But she's really sad that eight had to be stopped and destroyed.
neocharge: right
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so they're on this elevator and
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: yep yep
neocharge: But she's still also excited to get to Earth.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, but she's she's like, melancholy I think is the the word I would use to describe it because she's just like, I really wish that eight could have come with us.
neocharge: Yes.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And very much like ah the way a child would think and and he was like, you know we did what we had to do. And she's like, I know, but it would have been nice if she could understand.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then she's like, what? We're going to Earth, right? So so you your next thing, you think you're going to go up this like stellar blade-esque orbital elevator, you know the 3D printer that is an elevator.
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And and Then will...
neocharge: Just the big bitch comes out of nowhere.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yes
neocharge: Just Ouroboros comes out of nowhere. The dead filament, just tentacle monster.
Leon Lionheartly: but
neocharge: And you're riding the elevator. or Well, you you get attacked and you're just like flung. Uh, Or no, you go into the storage and you find, you, you, you see like a little silhouette of a mech suit and you're like, it is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's basically armored core.
Leon Lionheartly: her
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): For people who know armored core, it's a fucking armored core suit that works in space.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. And I saw it, I saw it and was like, oh, thought I'm going to get in that thing some, some way, somehow.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's
neocharge: And lo and behold, uh,
Leon Lionheartly: How Resident Evil of you.
neocharge: right. Oh yeah. The rail gun.
Leon Lionheartly: hey
neocharge: Uh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But this was done right.
neocharge: So you're on that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, it was done right.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Continue.
neocharge: No, you're good. So you you get attacked, and you get in this mech suit, and you're like going ah toward Earth, away from the moon, on the elevator, and in this mech suit, fighting this just amalgamation nightmare creature of dead filament.
neocharge: And you have a big old railgun on your right. You have thrusters that you can dodge left and right. Diana's still being a little badass, hacking stuff. i And dude, the vista, like with the moon getting smaller and smaller, and you're like, oh, it's looking like the moon more and more.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's so cool
neocharge: And just, God, this entire sequence.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the background was so cool because also you're i mean you feel that that just i know scary isn't the right word that fear of like
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): this can't go on forever. Like, well, you know, I'm going to just float away and die.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): What the fuck am I supposed to do against this thing?
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah It's a very Capcom moment. It's what they do better than just about anybody in the business where it's, I mean, if you just describing this to somebody is ridiculous.
neocharge: e more
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The thing is like one eighth, the size of the moon climbing this fucking tower, trying to just eat your face.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you're flying around in a a mini Evangelion armored core suit with a rail gun, very Capcom.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you're not mad about it. You're just like, oh, yeah. Like you feel very, very badass and strong, which is cool.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it's it's very on rails because the real fight just happened.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But this was the moment of of like the power ah that you just like, yeah, let's go.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Let's let's fucking go is is how I felt when I was doing it the whole time.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right. Yeah. It was the the magnum opus ah you know production piece of putting a cap on the story. Right. But I mean, it doesn't end there.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): No, it surely does not.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I
neocharge: But yeah, you're you're shooting the weak spots with the rail cannon and just the haptic triggers are just singing, man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): wonder how that feels on the Switch, too.
neocharge: And then...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry.
neocharge: Right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry.
Leon Lionheartly: a
neocharge: Oh, no.
Leon Lionheartly: ah ah That's just low.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know. I'm so sorry.
Leon Lionheartly: ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): apologize. I apologize.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: right is it
neocharge: Stinky, stinky. ah But eventually, Diana's like, i think I have an idea. And she fucking hacks your cannon and makes it God mode for some, I don't know, it's crazy.
neocharge: ah And then, yes, yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, the thing hits you and destroys like part of your your're suit. And so Hugh's just like, what the fuck else can we do He doesn't actually say that, but he might as well. And then Diana's like, let me try.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you're just like, yes, you try.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You you do it.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You do it, girl.
neocharge: the gun like grows in size. And now you have this, don't know, it's a light cannon crazy thing that you hold. And it's like almost,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Mega Man. That's a Mega Man in space.
neocharge: Yep. And it's almost at you. And then you just like, you let go and just blows a fucking hole through it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah he gone basically is is the point uh during that fight the thing destroyed the top of basically where the shuttles were housed and stuff so
neocharge: It's so, and it pans out and like you see the earth in the background and this just, I don't know, tentacle creature gets split in half.
neocharge: Fucking awesome.
neocharge: Yes, destroys the the shuttles that take you home.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, so Hugh's very worried about that during the fight.
neocharge: so
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He's just like, the shuttles!
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, you know, but you're trying to survive.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So very epic sequence.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I recommend if you do not want to play this game,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): At the very least, do yourself a favor and look up the sequence on online because it's very, very cool.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Yeah, please do it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And for anybody who played Capcom's earlier renditions, I think it was called Asura's Wrath. I wasn't a big fan of the game myself. This was what that game wanted to do really well, really well, at this sequence.
neocharge: o Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Much tighter, much shorter, but oh man, the epic nature of it was just, it really was.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Just a set piece, dude. A set piece. I think he...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's way to show off things again, you know?
neocharge: he Oh my God. Just show off next gen for sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And the fidelity of it, it ran blistering 60 on PS five pro.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: It was just chef's kiss. But I think Hugh mentions, he's like, if we, if we keep getting closer, he's going to destroy the elevator because the elevator stops at the, and then there's the escape shuttles, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Uh, for regular crew. So, uh, once he shoots it, Diana had put so much power into the rail cannon that she kind of like passes out and she passes out in zero gravity and she just starts floating away.
neocharge: And you're like, no. And he was like, oh no, no. And he goes to her with his thrusters and like grabs her, brings her back.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: And it's just a really, really cool moment after a crazy fucking chaotic set piece to where they're just like floating in space and you see the contrast of the moon and earth.
neocharge: And yeah, just Bob, you loved this sequence too, didn't you?
Leon Lionheartly: i I really enjoyed it ah for what it was.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: for what it was like It was a great capstone.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: because the whole
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes. That's a good word for it, for sure.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah the whole yeah the The boss fight with 8, it was like, oh, this is cool.
neocharge: Tapstone.
Leon Lionheartly: But like you said, it did it didn't really feel well to end on.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So to to get this whole doing the rail cannon scene going up, and like you said, the the scale of it, because if you're watching during the fight, it's it's slowly the base that you've been on and exploring is getting smaller and smaller.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And you realize you're getting that much fucking higher off the ground.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: um I'd say the only thing that, and this is just to me, i I still think it's entirely perfect the way it is. But for me, I think yeah it would have been really cool to have some more stakes into that fight because it was very scripted and on the rails.
neocharge: It was scripted. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, you kind of knew because I think the way that Capcom thinks about it is like the eight fight was the high stakes. This is the now the fun part. Let's just show off, you know, ah but I do agree.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i think I knew I wasn't going to fail. I wasn't worried about that in that point.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: i'm so I'm still waiting for the... and I'm going to say it this way, folks. Old, traditional RE2.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: 25-year-old game, all right? I'm about to minor spoil that. 25-year-old game. I wanted this to be the secret boss fight that you got with Claire on her side B from Resident Evil 2, where you've exhausted all of your options and resources, and then all of a sudden you're like, here oh, by the way, here's one more.
Leon Lionheartly: And like, that's when it really kicks in. Cause I remember as a, as a teenager playing that and you, that blob comes in onto the train and you're like, oh fuck shit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah yeah
Leon Lionheartly: I used everything.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: was, I was, I was,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I have a knife.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Is that going to work?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, that was my hope. um or That would be my hope. But at the end of the day, not to take it away, that would have just been my preference. I still think it was amazing. It was very well done.
Leon Lionheartly: And it led really well into the next sequence here.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): None of us want to talk about it.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um
neocharge: No. No.
Leon Lionheartly: Oh, I'll decide. i look This was my favorite part of the game. Perfect.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was perfect.
neocharge: They did it so well. And i i was I was wondering how they were going to do this.
Leon Lionheartly: Perfect.
neocharge: I was like, okay, well, Hugh's not going to make it and he's got to send Diana away to Earth. But how are they going to do that? And how is how how is this going to play out? And they find this cargo shuttle. He's like, oh, awesome. We can do this. And he's like, okay, get in there, Diana. And she's like, okay, cool. You coming in? He's like, sorry, sorry kiddo. I got to kickstart it from the the back. I got to manually push it because something's broke on it. and i was just like, Oh God.
neocharge: And. oh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was like when't when you, if your kid has, like if a kid's dog is dying and you want to take it to put it down and you don't have the heart to tell your kid, like, well, the dog's running in a field where it can run forever now.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It felt like you were doing that to yourself.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, it's not funny, but it is because I was just, i was heartbroken the whole time.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like ah this the whole time i was like, I don't want to do it though.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't want to push.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't want to, i don't want to, I, but it was handled with such grace.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I, like you said, I didn't know how Capcom was going to do it and not make it stupid or, or just kind of easy.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And man, they just, they picked that fine line and they, they, ah they tight roped it. It was, it was just, and it was, it didn't go on too long.
neocharge: nailed it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it wasn't too quick.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was just right.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): of of And her reaction.
neocharge: Just right. And I think my my favorite screenshot of the entire game, I think the beach one when they're in level three, that's one of my favorites. But one of my favorites is when ah he tells Diana, hey, kiddo, I can't go with you.
neocharge: And she's like, well, why not? And he opens up suit and it's all fucking corrupted.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Half of his face is just wrecked.
neocharge: And he's like. all And then he puts his hand on and you see the moon in the back or the the earth in the background. I got a screenshot. I'll send it to both of you.
neocharge: That's my favorite. Cause the contrast is like, Oh, and she's just freaking the fuck out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's great.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, the look on her face is so and Again, I mean, I've used this word a lot for this game, but it's authentic.
neocharge: She's like, no, no, no, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It just, like, this is exactly what would happen if this situation were real, right?
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, it's it's a game.
neocharge: Right. And then,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But she just couldn't handle it.
neocharge: Yeah. And then it's like, oh, this is heartbreaking. And then it's like, oh, this cargo ship needs a battery.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, it's the same battery as my fucking suit.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Well, okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah
neocharge: And so,
Leon Lionheartly: Give me a plot point.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: I mean, they're both printed by the same manufacturer.
Leon Lionheartly: I...
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, that's that's true. I will say there was ah one piece, though, as he's pushing pushing it up and getting ready to push it that you alluded to it, Caleb, the authenticity, um because he puts her in there.
Leon Lionheartly: um And then ah if you notice, che the other one thing is read on it. It says not for human beings.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: the cargo only on it because it's a cargo trip.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. Oh,
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then her insistence as he's getting ready to push it, she's like, let me help. And he's like, sorry, kiddo.
neocharge: yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Some things just have to be ah done manually.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That's the exact line out of there. And I fucking love that because it's it loops all the way back to the beginning.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it's it's a great line.
Leon Lionheartly: He hates AI. he said He doesn't like robots. He likes mechanical manual things.
neocharge: oh yanna
Leon Lionheartly: So it leans back and he's protecting Diana from from from that truth because when they first met, let me help.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then she kind of was like, yeah, I'm going to let... She forced her way in. And this is one of those times where telling her, sorry, you can't help on this one. and to And to have to do that as a parent for your children and be like, sorry, I want i want i enjoy your your ability to help, but you can't is fucking heartbreaking.
neocharge: no
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the And the best part is that she listened to him this time because they have that relationship now where she's like, like i mean, she doesn't say this, but again, subtext where he wouldn't be telling me this and as insistently if it wasn't important.
Leon Lionheartly: Uh-huh.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I'm just going to sit here. Like he asked, I'm going to do the thing that Hugh asks me to do. And ah did you just like, God damn it. Cause you know, you know where it's going, but
Leon Lionheartly: with
neocharge: All right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i think I think my favorite part of that whole sequence was actually after he, you know, when when the thing is launching and he's outside and and you can tell the battery, the suit's dying, he's dying. And it shows her very upset as the ship is like taking off, but you don't get to hear what she's screaming. It's just like her mouth's moving and she's like pounding a thing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But the sound design in the game just I don't know if I'm using the right term, but it they do this in movies a lot when you're supposed to feel hollow, right?
Leon Lionheartly: you
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You just feel hollow. the The sound is hollow. like you can't You don't hear all the things that you're seeing. Your mind is actually hearing it for you. You don't have to hear it. You don't have to hear her pounding on the glass or shouting like, no, Hugh, no, whatever. You can see it and your mind does the rest.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And the sound design just nailed that while she's basically being you know shot to earth. separated from Hugh and he just floats off away and dies.
neocharge: And the the the beeping is life support systems beeping and that's all you hear.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just like,
neocharge: And then it just keeps slowing down, slowing down.
Leon Lionheartly: All
neocharge: And yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and you think you see the life just like leave his eyes, you know, when, when he's, cause he, he doesn't, there's no life support and the corruption isn't great.
Leon Lionheartly: right.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, that's yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, he did.
Leon Lionheartly: from from from a theme standpoint, I will say, or thematics, like subtext, as you said, Caleb, the this was that entire ending was hands down the crystal like favorite part of the game.
Leon Lionheartly: Because if you think about and you call back to when he first met Diana and they did the Hugh Diana, Hugh Diana, Hugh Diana scene, what did he do?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: He closed the visor. He closed off to Diana.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then by the end, he opened up the visor.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: and the The subtext on that, holy shit, I cried like a baby.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, my God.
neocharge: The parallels.
Leon Lionheartly: you know When he opened that up, I was like, oh, you just did it. You went full circle. And i didn't even realize you went full circle without actually telling me. It's the show, don't tell me.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: man.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i'm not I'm not above admitting that I bawled. I did. And actually, so I could have actually finished the game, the playthrough, the first playthrough the night before. But I mean, I assumed I didn't know exactly how much was left.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, I'm pretty much near the end. I should I could do this tonight. But I just had a feeling based on all the other stuff. And I was like, I don't know that I want to do this and then go up to bed and just be really, really sad.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Right. So the next day, Lisa was working from home.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and i told her i was like i'm gonna try to go down i think i i have some time i think i'm gonna go out and try to finish that game and she's like okay and she said why do you look why do you look sad about it and i was like i'll just tell you later and so i went upstairs afterwards and she was like oh my god she thought somebody died for me like like that i got a phone call and i was like i'm i'm a fucking wreck from that ending and she was like was it good and i was like it's one of the best endings that i've seen in a long
neocharge: yeah They did.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): was It was just really, really good. I did not expect, yeah.
neocharge: Since Claire, I'd say.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I didn't expect Capcom to be able to do that to me.
neocharge: No, no.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just like, that's not really what they do in their game. I mean, I feel stuff, but it's more like, oh, you know okay, great. Like, i I mean, I didn't cry at the end of Resident Evil 8, all right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Resident Evil 8 doesn't have the happiest ending in the world, but it's it's also not this.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like, I just, I didn't expect them to deliver this.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And when they did, i was just like, oh my God. And I actually am a little bit nervous about doing it again tomorrow when I when i do the final.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah i don't I don't know if I want to go through that again, but man, is it it it was perfect.
neocharge: All right. Ripped my heart out.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But we should go to the to the happy part.
neocharge: Yeah. Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Diana makes it to Earth, right?
neocharge: ah Yeah, and where she land? The beach.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the beach and you see her little footprints leaving the shuttle in the sand.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: And now, you know, little footprints. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And did you, a fun fact, did you know that her footprints actually changed depending on her her outfit?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): of the night and So the first time that I beat it, I just had everybody in their normal costumes, their regular looks.
neocharge: Oh, very cool.
Leon Lionheartly: oh
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then when I went back and did the the secret ending,
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know, doing the unknown signal and then and doing that. I had her in a different outfit where it wasn't just her bare feet.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was shoes. And on the beach, it was shoe prints.
neocharge: Gotcha.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I was like, what the fuck?
neocharge: Oh, attention to detail.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause I remember the footprint.
neocharge: That's awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was such a cool little thing that I just didn't expect.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I thought, well, that's fun.
Leon Lionheartly: You didn't have to, but it's appreciated.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, Yeah, I just, I loved that.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank
neocharge: Uh-huh. Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And at all it just lets you feel like your decision actually mattered.
neocharge: Yeah. So.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): If she's wearing a space suit, once you send her out, she's going to be there in a space suit.
neocharge: That was my favorite, the spacesuit with their little pigtails.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: um So you guys are the same when you play through an entire ah game for the first time. You keep the default suits for the, a like, the ah to keep it canon?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. Well... It really depends if I super hate it.
neocharge: No? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like if I just really hate the design, i might find one that's similar that I don't hate.
neocharge: yeah
neocharge: know
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But generally speaking, I do keep, if it's a visual thing only. Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, to keep it consistent.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, me too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like Like one of the things that I would say, i don't want to spoil other games, but let's say there's a huge power creep in another action game where they get a suit unlocked that makes them bigger, better, faster, stronger.
neocharge: Sure.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it's a story a story element.
neocharge: Oh, sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like this happens, hey, all of a sudden, now you now you wear all black because you you've changed.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's a character development.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Then I will wear that one. I won't i won't keep the old one on. i just It depends on where the story takes me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And in this one, it was sort of a take it or leave it because it was part of the game.
neocharge: Right. If it's...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I also just really liked her default costume, her her big jacket.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I loved it.
neocharge: Brilliant.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I thought, why not?
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah. The character models, I think, were awesome. And I just kept them the same. Now, for my second ah partial playthrough in the cleanup and stuff, I did use that blue suit.
neocharge: That blue suit was sick.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. That's my favorite.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah well it It absolutely was, but no, I don't keep to the default.
neocharge: Okay.
Leon Lionheartly: ah but Well, depends on the game.
neocharge: Keep changing it
Leon Lionheartly: Depends on the game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So this was one where, like you, Matt, I gave him the extra $10 because I'm like, fuck it, you can have my money.
neocharge: up.
Leon Lionheartly: This game's amazing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: um
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: And then I looked at the ah the the the alt ah outfits you get for the digital deluxe version. And i was like, eh, they're not that great.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: Okay, you know what? Never mind. And then I started getting... And then I got another set. And I was like, oh, that's kind of cool. And then by the time I got the fifth or sixth cosmetic set, and there was an entire dedicated thing.
Leon Lionheartly: And it said, new outfit, new outfit. It made me realize something about that game's design, which is they encourage you to change it. They're not saying, hey, stick to the default.
Leon Lionheartly: Like I get the the truth saying true to form, but this game was literally screaming, customize this experience.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: It's not going to hurt anything. And I said, screw it.
neocharge: Nice.
Leon Lionheartly: And i was I was trying all different kinds of outfits the entire playthrough.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I did when, when there's a conversation at one point with Diana where she's like, you know, I wonder, wonder what I could wear or whatever.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I don't remember exactly how she says it, but I gave her a new outfit and she's like, I just love changing clothes.
Leon Lionheartly: hu
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's something so fun about it or whatever. whatever I did that the first playthrough. And so I, I, during the game would change their outfits, but for the last, the last stretch, I went back to the defaults.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that's,
Leon Lionheartly: Yes, yes, I'm with you on that one.
neocharge: For the screenshots. For the screenshots.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, and I was like, you started this way.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): there There hasn't been a character development that's been like, yo, Diana, now you're a grown ass woman or something like that didn't happen. So she doesn't doesn't get to have the new suit because I just thought she was perfect the way I met her.
neocharge: Right. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I thought, let's go out the same way. a
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then.
neocharge: I would always talk to Diana in the shelter. Always just straight to Diana.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, my God. Every time.
neocharge: What do you have to say? I'm so interested in some games. I'm like, i don't give a fuck. I just want to like, I usually explore and want to hear out people, but like side do dialogue, I'm like, I don't need to do it every time.
neocharge: Every fucking time I'd be like, I want, what do you have to say now?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They made her so perfectly likable and lovable.
Leon Lionheartly: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: yeah Yeah. And engaging.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): the Yeah. and And for kids to be that way is rare. It just, usually kids aren't that interesting.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes, she's an Android. So there's that science fiction layer. And also she gets to cheat by being much smarter. But again, when I said earlier, the innocence was there and the pure just,
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah the joy that she showed when, when she would see a new thing or experience something or have a conversation with you was unbridled.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): This unbridled joy is the way that described it when I was doing it.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep. yep
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that was something else that like Capcom just, I don't know what the fuck they were,
neocharge: whoo incredible
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): drinking and eating when they made this game and when they designed her character.
neocharge: none
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think, I do think she's one of the coolest characters in a video game in a long time. Do you like a new brand new character? was like, where did you come from? Where, how, how did they make this so well?
neocharge: right right voice acting was on point mocap was on point just yeah the the actions and everything awesome uh
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, perfect. Perfect.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I want that voice actress seriously to be, if she is not in the conversation at the end of the year, then I'm going to fly to Jeff Keighley's house and tell him that he fucking high guarded Diana and I'm going to be pissed.
neocharge: Oh, yeah. She's getting my boat. Hype.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): because
Leon Lionheartly: i you're You're right, because I've heard discourse or I've read discourse where people are like, oh, it's ah it' some an adult that was trying to forcefully be a kid. And I'm like, no, you want to hear that?
Leon Lionheartly: And Matt's going to scream at the second I say this name. Go play Genshin and listen to Paimon. that character who's supposed to be a little fairy girl her voice the original voice actor was like fucking nails on a chalkboard i'm like there's your comparison uh where it's it you're right this voice actress is amazing um she a thousand percent needs to be nominated and at the end of the day i don't know how they did the mocap for diana Uh, but however they did it, they need an award too, because it's the little subtle movements of the character model that really sell it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh yeah, okay.
neocharge: Oh, wow.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): have this perfect.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: Like when she's showing you the picture and then she like crosses her, ah she's ah kind of like hopping a little bit and really proud of it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: And then she crosses her, uh, her feet to point inward.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: It's a fucking natural thing.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: How did this team do that?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's, yeah I feel like, I mean, this is not what happened just for the listeners, but I feel like whoever was in charge of that like went home, has a child, has a daughter, and handed her a piece of paper and was like, draw me something and then show me how proud you are.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: the
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): they just did that and he's like, that's what it is. Because I don't know how else you come up with that. I have no fucking idea.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It was so natural and good.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But here's another thing. All the little pieces of dialogue that Diana had
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Did not to me sound like somebody over acting and trying to be a child. Like when you play hide seek, if you find her, when you find her and she's like, Oh, I was sure you wouldn't find me there.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like she's really disappointed, but she's not sad or crying about it.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just like, yeah, kid would totally say that they're just, they're just like defeated in that moment.
neocharge: Right. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then immediately she goes and plays with water gun.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She just like, doesn't, she cares. And then she doesn't give a shit because it's not that important.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um Just perfect.
neocharge: An emotional range.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. And going back to my favorite line of just a house, just that's all she had to say.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Not a house.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and it was perfect. And I'm not even doing it justice. I kind of want to record the clip and post it on our, on the discord for people that don't have any interest to be like, this is the line I'm talking about.
neocharge: and Do it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's fucking perfect.
neocharge: Do it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I don't, I will die on this hill, but I want people to just play it instead.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And if yeah if if action games aren't your thing, there's no shame in playing it on casual and turning on auto hack, whatever.
neocharge: Yep.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just play it for the for the for the experience.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Because it is, mean, play it for the games.
Leon Lionheartly: Yep.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The game's awesome. But if you aren't that good at games and you just don't have the interest in and being very challenged, because it can be challenging at times, just just do yourself a favor. Casual auto hack when you unlock it you'll be fine.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it's It's such a good game.
neocharge: Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And it's not, I didn't think it was too long. ah When you told me 12 to 15 hours, I was like, wow, that seems really short.
neocharge: No.
neocharge: Yep. so
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I had a hell of a time with Resident Evil in like 10 and a half. And then it's made to play through again and again. I'm i'm not kidding you. i got to that final save area or the final checkpoint.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
neocharge: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And when I decided not to finish it that night, I saved it back in the shelter. And I was 11 hours and... I think like 32 minutes or something.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I thought, well, he did say 12 to 15. So, okay. When I went back in the next day, I decided because I did not want to be sad for the rest of the day, that I ran around and I just, I went back through all the levels one more time for like three hours.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so even though I could have done it in 12 hours, I was like, no, I'm going to just, I'm going to push this to 15.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Beautiful.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Damn it.
neocharge: thats
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think I beat it like 14, 45 or something that. But yeah,
neocharge: Yeah, I think I was like 14 or something.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But yeah, it really is not, yeah, it's not that long. And I mean, don't blitz right through it unless you really just want to, but just enjoy the ride.
neocharge: No.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It is, you're not signing up for a hundred hour Death Stranding.
neocharge: Exactly. No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i mean, Death Stranding is great, but this game somehow packed a lot of magic in 12 to 15 hours. It was well worth it.
neocharge: Yes. Yes. Yep. We roll credits. dude, the credit sequence, the the track. Oh, so good. And then ah then we get...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was so sad. This is so sad, man.
neocharge: I know, dude. i was I sent you guys a picture of me. You can look at it after the cast. ah
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: But it rolls credits and then it's like, oh, there's some sort unknown signal. And so you're like, what's this? And it... ah More gameplay. And just gauntlets of shit.
neocharge: So... And a secret ending. So ah what's canon? Is Hugh alive or dead? Regardless, he sacrificed himself for Diana, but...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Does he live?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I,
neocharge: Do we want a sequel? No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I would like something like maybe not. I mean, I want a sequel because the game was awesome. Like that, just like the game part of me, but, but, but it's perfect way it is.
neocharge: Yeah, but, oh man, it's so tough.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's hard.
neocharge: I don't. I don't want a sequel. I don't.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's, I, I'd like to think that it is canon that he's fine with the black box.
neocharge: Nope. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, treat. I mean, it's a spoiler cast.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): where am i Why am I avoiding it?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Basically, you go through this this gauntlet of shit that Matt was talking about. that is It is fun.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um it's
neocharge: It is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): They ramp up the difficulty a little bit, especially on the very last one where i was like, Jesus Christ.
neocharge: Oh, man. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): just It went on for a while.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, not a humble brag, no real issues. I was just like, there's more? like It just kept going. like, fuck, this is a lot.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But you unlock a mod that I believe it was called Black Box with a question mark, right?
neocharge: It is, yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, that's it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah And they don't really tell you what to do with it, but it says that it can suppress the...
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: The dead film, mate.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so I equipped it, not knowing what it was going to do, and just ran around and killed stuff. And I was like, well, nothing's stronger. I mean, I wonder... And then it just clicked in my, I was like, wait a minute.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So I beat the game again.
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i go through and find that fucking eight, eight is a bitch that time when you have the black box. equipped She's like real jacked up, uh, Jesus Christ mode.
neocharge: Ah.
neocharge: yup
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Um, she was hard. I I'll be on. I mean, that was hard. that was actually a hard fight. Uh, that was, that was the hardest fight in the game for me.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Uh, you know, when I, when I did it now, who knows, I'd probably go back and be like, whatever, lunatic, fuck this.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But I, um, i was, i will, I'm not going to say disappointed until that last little, cause it's not really a secret ending. It's more like a, eight extra seconds you know it's like it just it's just a tagged on to the original ending so i had to be sad and watch the whole fucking thing again because i was just waiting i was waiting for his like his helmet to go up and have the the thing just like start to go away and i'd be like what yeah now what are you gonna just like hold on and rock it towards here like what's gonna happen and then no he just floats away and fucking dies and was like what do we know that's not but then
neocharge: Alternate? Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: o I know.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I believe it's after the credits.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think it's after the credits.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You just hear, you know, it's a black screen and you just hear cabin say one line of dialogue where he's like, welcome back, sir, alone this time or by yourself this time or just you or something.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you're just like, oh, he lied.
neocharge: Yup.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like he lied.
neocharge: Yup.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And so that part of me wants there to be more just because I think it would be, here's, here's why. Let me sell it to you because I agree.
neocharge: Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The game is is pretty fucking perfect as it is. And you don't mess with perfection. We got Death Stranding 2, which I didn't think could be not much better of ah of a Death Stranding 1 experience. But here's the reason that I want more.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I want Diana's and Hugh's I guess I want them to re reconnect. I want to see what Capcom does with that scene because you could you could even make it super interesting. I don't know if Pragmata grow. i don't think they do. I think they stay and that like she's not going to eat.
neocharge: Yeah, no, I don't think she does.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, no, she's an android, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): um
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So it'd be cool if she could, just because that would make, you know, for another gameplay experience, it would keep the first game separate from the second, but I would love because she just, she's going to have all these experiences on earth without him.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So the utter elation she's going to have that he's not only alive, but that she can share all of this stuff with him.
neocharge: Yeah, that's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then she's going to be excited that maybe, maybe they can do stuff together and they could be, re-acclimated and have to get back in the fight for some fucking reason. that who knows Who knows? Capcom because games. I don't care.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do want more, but I understand your apprehension.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i just i The way that Capcom nailed both of them so well, I want to see them reconnect.
neocharge: DLC?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I would even you know i would even take like a 15-minute short that I don't even play.
neocharge: Who
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Just a video where... she goes back to the moon for some fucking reason.
neocharge: knows? Interesting.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I don't know, but I, I would actually like that. And I can't believe I'm saying that. Cause I didn't, I didn't want Claire DLC story.
neocharge: Interesting.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I didn't, I was like, the story is perfect. Leave it alone.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But for this, I think it's just because Diana was so perfect and Hugh did sacrifice himself either way.
neocharge: Yeah. I think it ended perfectly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it did.
neocharge: i think i think it ended perfectly when you died, unfortunately.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, it really did.
neocharge: I love when the main protagonist sacrifices themselves.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: Other games do this. I'm not going to spoil the shit out of other games.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh my God, what? yeah
neocharge: Yeah, but I love when the main protagonist sacrifices themself and dies.
Leon Lionheartly: yeah
neocharge: And because I mean, life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. We all die at the end. ah And I think that was the perfect ending.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): See, i and I agree. I think it's overused, but I think Capcom used it perfectly.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It has to make sense in the story.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It can't be like, well, I'm going to die because that's how people are going to be sad. No, fuck that. This this was it was earned.
neocharge: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): it was It was like, no, this is the only way that this can happen.
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He is protecting her.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He's getting her home. He is doing what he set out to do, like come hell or high water.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that was the perfect way for Hugh to go out.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So if they never did it, never touched it again,
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Great. I just, you know, guilty pleasure.
neocharge: Another...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I'm just like, I want more because they're great. Like that's the only reason.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that's It's a childish, selfish version of me.
neocharge: ah A specific game I played, it was foreshadowed that the main character was going to die. And I'm talking, this is like a main, very, very prominent main character of a very prominent IP. And I was actually excited. I was like, holy shit, that's awesome. And they never did it. And I was kind of bummed. So I don't know.
Leon Lionheartly: as long like caleb said As long as it makes sense from the storyline perspective and they don't do it just because, and ah as long as they make it to where the death actually means something.
neocharge: Yeah, no, a sacrifice.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it actually has to truly mean something as part of it. And they did it here.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: I but i agree. The game's perfect. Leave it alone.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
Leon Lionheartly: It's like Claire.
neocharge: Yep.
Leon Lionheartly: Just leave it the fuck alone and walk away and go do something else.
neocharge: Exactly.
Leon Lionheartly: But I also am with you, Caleb.
neocharge: Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: You kind of like half sold me.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I know that's the problem.
Leon Lionheartly: I wouldn't argue. I wouldn't argue with a closure between Hugh and Diana. And like, now you got me wargaming it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: And I'm like, no, no, because it's going to ruin the image of this game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: No.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): because Well, that's the thing.
neocharge: a
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Cause then the problem therein lies what happens after that? You know, like why like, is she going to go back there for what reason?
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Is he going to get home for what reason? Just because he can? And then what? Like, what's the game?
neocharge: Well, my question...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So...
Leon Lionheartly: What's the point Delphi? And then it's like, eh, but then you've kind of done a jump.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, actually...
Leon Lionheartly: But then if they do that, you've kind of done a jump the shark moment in my opinion.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i don't know.
neocharge: My question is...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): She's a hacker. You could do some espionage and be like, we're going to take this bitch down from inside. I'm taking all their money. And now it's Fight Club. Like, it's just... I don't know.
neocharge: Jesus Christ.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I... Yeah.
neocharge: My question is, what happens to Diana on Earth now? And is anyone there?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's well, that was my other question is Hugh came from earth or so we think, I mean, I'm a city wouldn't lie about that.
neocharge: there I mean, right?
neocharge: Like, what's going on?
neocharge: Yeah, right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's stupid, but I did. i wondered it because Delphi does exist on earth, maybe in his absence.
neocharge: And are they going to capture Diana? Diana?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Right. So I could see him being like,
Leon Lionheartly: Thank you.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): called back into action or what yeah what have you and having to rescue her once again i just i'm just thinking there are so many ways they could go should they no they absolutely should not but the selfish part of me that wants more of this perfect game ah says yes it's just it it's
neocharge: Yeah. o Some sequels are better than originals.
neocharge: There's many. i mean, DS2, Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2. So many.
Leon Lionheartly: I'd say r e two
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i do I do think another reason that I would lean towards the yes category, and again, this is purely selfish, we don't get great science fiction that often. And the fact that we got a really great one now is like, keep it up, you know?
neocharge: oh
Leon Lionheartly: har
neocharge: Stellar Blade. Stellar Blade was pretty damn good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it's rare. Most of the time with science fiction, it's just like, what the fuck are you doing?
neocharge: It is.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): you know And in in this, it worked really, really well.
neocharge: yeah Calypso Protocol.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, no, you've got what?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: you You said it's Stellar Blade, Dead Space, Mass Effect.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Mass Effect, Stellar Blade, duh, yeah. I wouldn't...
neocharge: Death Stranding?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That is science fiction. Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: I guess you could see that as science fiction, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's sci-fi.
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But there's... Too often, so science fiction's like fucking mind's eye. I mean, i'm sorry, mind's eye, that you're the butt of every joke, but a lot of times that's what happens.
neocharge: Yeah. Right. Right. I'm hopeful for Exodus.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. i'm I'm actually hopeful for the Expanse game.
neocharge: Hopeful for, us yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But it is like the Expanse is already an established IP that not game wise necessarily, but the world they built is awesome in the books and the, in the show.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So not that that's cheating, but yeah, a lot of the heavy lifting was already done for you.
neocharge: loss
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You know, lost planet.
neocharge: a Lost Planet.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That was, that was science.
neocharge: Not bad.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Oh yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: That is a good one. Um, to be, um,
neocharge: Mm-hmm. Fucking Kronos. That you, both of you, still need to play.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I do. I need to play.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it's ah it's on the list. i almost start I almost started it.
neocharge: Oh, so good.
Leon Lionheartly: And we'll talk about that tomorrow on tomorrow's episode.
neocharge: all
Leon Lionheartly: I almost started it.
neocharge: Oh.
Leon Lionheartly: But then I got... There was something else. And I was like, I got to do this. And then I'm going, do I have enough time to finish Kronos before ah First Light?
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: You do not.
Leon Lionheartly: And I assumed to not.
neocharge: Nope.
Leon Lionheartly: So unless I want to sleep, you know, unless I don't want to sleep. um But I...
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Then you want your wife to hate you for her birthday weekend, right?
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah. Can I get can i do my humble...
neocharge: so Sorry, babe.
Leon Lionheartly: Right? Can I get my humble brag in there ah now, Caleb?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Let's do it.
neocharge: Please.
Leon Lionheartly: The second fight with eight, piece of piece of fucking cake.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah? Nice. Very what very nice.
Leon Lionheartly: Because they gave me the most overpowered fucking mod in the game.
neocharge: Which one?
Leon Lionheartly: Auto charge your ah ah delete protocol. All you have to do is do that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh, jeez.
Leon Lionheartly: Do your dodge expand window. And then you just get to hack. And then when you can't hack, you just dodge. And then all of a sudden, deletion protocol activated. And then it's like, all right, cool. Now I'm going teabag the fuck out of you.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): See, I think my problem was because I, not that I was overconfident, but I was with all the other bosses that were like Mark to
Leon Lionheartly: if
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I was like, ain't no thing. And I ran in there and I just was like full guns blazing. And then she hit me twice and I was like, where did that come from? And I just like, it just, it surprised me because it's like, I don't get hit by this dumb.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): bitch and then she was just doing extra shit that I didn't expect and I didn't play it safe I was like i just got mad I was like no I'm gonna get you no I'm ow ow ow that's that that's that's what happened yeah
Leon Lionheartly: She hits you one time and you feel it. You see your bar health bar go down and you're like, oh, oh, never mind. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah no I I I uh overstepped I did I extended myself and then I mean when I went back second time I was like okay
neocharge: got to be tactful. Yeah. Indeed.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that will not happen again. And it did not.
neocharge: Indeed.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So it was fine, but good for you, man.
neocharge: indeed
Leon Lionheartly: ah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We're doing it the first time.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, because that's how that's how I did my build.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's that's awesome.
neocharge: yeah
Leon Lionheartly: When they when they gave me that, it was like, that was the that was the perfect item for my build. Because I know you said you did the heat, Matt, and I liked the heat for hacking.
neocharge: Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: But for me, it was all about doing hacks sequentially to build up your overdrive bar. Like ah Anything that said get more overdrive or this creates more overdrive, I was fucking doing it because it's like, oh, cool.
neocharge: Oh,
Leon Lionheartly: You could use that as an iframe if you're about to get hit and then hit everybody in in a vicinity. And it's like, all right, cool. Now you're stunned. Cool. Now I'm going to shoot you and do whatever I want to you. And then right before you're unstunned, I'm going to hit you with a stasis net.
neocharge: yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: So like it was like ah fighting a certain boss ah in Claire as a tactic.
neocharge: oh yeah
neocharge: m Ah, yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sure.
neocharge: I stunlocked the shit out of it.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah, it was a stun lock build. Just you and that.
neocharge: Beautiful. Beautiful. Cool. Well, any other final thoughts on this wonderful, wonderful game, Pragmata?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Play it.
Leon Lionheartly: Play it.
neocharge: Yeah, you gotta play it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): For real, play it. I mean...
neocharge: If you're listening to this and you didn't play it, you've you've you've fucked up.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but even But I will say, as much as I agree with Matt on that, if you've listened to this because you were like, I'm probably not going to play it, and we've made you even remotely interested in playing it, don't not play it just because you know what happens.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It is still worth the experience.
neocharge: It's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It really is.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, the things we've ruined for you won't hit as hard.
neocharge: Yeah, it's the journey.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Maybe they will.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): i Maybe they will. But I do think that it is worth playing, especially because it's not a 60-plus hour requirement.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: yes
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's...
neocharge: It's a digestible game.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: I think, dude, perfect length of a game is like 2025.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Honestly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, it does depend on the genre for me, but you yes. I mean, you don't want a story, a narrative, like a God of War.
neocharge: Sure. Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You don't want that to go on for 80 hours.
neocharge: yeah
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's just much.
neocharge: Right. Exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So yeah, this this game was, a it's it's made to be played. it it it's And it's a game.
neocharge: So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We talked about this a lot in the beginning and a little bit in the middle. It is a lot of game packed into such a tiny and smaller period of time.
neocharge: It is. It's a rollercoaster.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah. The gunplay the hacking and all the things you can do.
neocharge: A rollercoaster for sure.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's it's just, I actually joked with my wife. I said, I think our niece is going to love this game because I feel like you have to be like the short attention span, the instant gratification of always hitting a button or doing something.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And that's not a slight against the game because I normally would hate that, not letting it have time to breathe.
neocharge: Mm-mm. Right. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But that's what the cut scenes are for. And that's what the dialogue is for. But the actual gameplay, you are if you are not always doing something, you're fucking playing the game wrong.
neocharge: yeah Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And I normally tell people to play games however they want.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That game is meant to be played that way. Like you got to be hacking and shooting and moving and watching and looking, being aware of all your surroundings all at once. And it could be overwhelming at first, but once you do it and it clicks, you're like, oh man, I feel like a fucking badass.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You really do. You feel, you feel that gamer strength when you're playing this game.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
neocharge: Yeah, the power gain is awesome.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's, it's hard to explain, but yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: yep
neocharge: And from where you start to where you finish, it's completely different. And I love the evolution of gameplay and your character in a video game and gaining that power, right?
neocharge: So the power level ah evolution is, and Metroid does it really well.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: So
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, and the fact that it's a unique gameplay experience, it's it's hard to find unique gameplay experiences anymore.
neocharge: yeah, it is. Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I mean, we talked about Claire before. Claire's an excellent RPG. It is the love letter to all the best parts of RPGs that we liked, but all the parts and pieces minus the narrative and the music were perfect.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): basically from other games that existed. So they just took what existed and and did them really, really well.
neocharge: Yes. Yes.
Leon Lionheartly: yes Death Stranding.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Whereas if you could name another game that's like Pragmata right now off the top of your head, I would be impressed.
neocharge: Right.
neocharge: Dead Space is probably the closest.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Gameplay, gameplay wise, specifically gameplay.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): then Well, Death Stranding isn't that fast paced.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think, I think, oh yeah, sure.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Leon Lionheartly: so I'm talking about like a unique when you're talking about the uniqueness of a game.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: You've got Pragmata. You've got Death Stranding. And then I dare you to push me to a game that's like you truly, truly unique. And I'm not like Dead Space is an amazing game, but Dead Space is survival horror at the end of the day.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah
neocharge: Sure.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): yeah but that's what i mean when you say pragmata like we're going to be using this game to describe others that come after it to say oh it's very much like pragmat it's not oh pragmat is like this thing i played in 1997 it's the prag prag genre but that's the thing it's it's its own thing i mean the science fiction is obviously science fiction and there are certain tropes whatever with androids and all that but The gameplay, the core gameplay itself is so unique and so new and innovative and just really, really fun.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Oh, yeah.
neocharge: Drag-like. Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: So good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like even when you fail, you're like, ah, you know, you hit a but corrupted node and you're just like, ah shit. And you want to do better. So you just do it again immediately. It's, it's ah yeah. I can't praise it enough for that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I just, that I think is the best part of the experience.
neocharge: so good
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And then you have the rest of it as far as the game is concerned. And then the rest of it, I said, Diana is absolutely my favorite new character in a lot of things.
neocharge: Yeah, the production, all of it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But she, yeah, they just, the gameplay, even if you fucking hate stories, the gameplay itself is worth it. So you should, game ass game, yes.
neocharge: Exactly. A game-ass game. Yep. Is this all of our current... ah not Not permanent yet. We're still halfway through the year.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
neocharge: Current GOATI game of the year.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think it for me, yes. I personally think, like Bob, you said you thought it was underscored.
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I agree. I think this game deserves at least a 93. And I only give it one point lower than Resident Evil, not for any real valid reason.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's just that I love Leon and I love Resident Evil and I didn't think that they were going to make 9 as good as they did, honestly.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah, that's true.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): mean, I did think they were. That's why I i picked up on it early on and and was like, yep, going to get it. But with Pragmata being a new IP, I did have a couple issues with it that are very, very minor and it's not...
neocharge: Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Like Resident Evil on its hardest difficulty, 9.0. nine is more fun than this lunatic playthrough.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Now, that's not because of the Platinum Trophy.
neocharge: Oh, okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That has nothing to do with with that.
neocharge: The insane default.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): The trophies are out of it when I review a game. It is simply because they took something and just turned the numbers up. Whereas in Resident Evil, they at least gave you...
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): like There was new shit, new mobs in the Heart of Difficulty.
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): there were There were things that were just different.
Leon Lionheartly: first travel, go away time.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): And you could also break it with your special stuff so you got to play the game while also experiencing it fresh. And with Pragmata, that's really the only reason I give it one point under Resident Evil Requiem.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's it. Because it's it's awesome. I think it's underscored.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think it's criminally underscored.
neocharge: Yeah, me too. Me too. Bob, you're goatee.
Leon Lionheartly: ah Yeah. i you know i I understand Caleb's argument for like one point lower, but I could also flip that and say yeah it could go ah it could go higher.
Leon Lionheartly: um we could I could reverse that and say Pragmata is actually better because like this the I watched Matt's stream. Go listen to our spoiler cast on RE9. RE9 can hit really well the way Pragmata did, but you have to...
neocharge: No.
Leon Lionheartly: you have they're like it can, but it's not guaranteed, right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: um And RE9, for as good as it is, at the end of the day, still played it safe in some regards that I'm like, ah, you know, you yeah you did a lot of good callbacks, but what's what's the cool thing?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I think.
Leon Lionheartly: with like What's the the thing that's going to push the boundary? um And i didn't I don't think it was there for me. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): That's fair.
neocharge: I hate picking favorites just because each game offers a unique experience, really.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): But that's that's also part of it because they are technically different genres, right? Like Resident Evil is action-adventure and survival horror, whereas Pragmata is...
neocharge: They are.
neocharge: Mm-hmm.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): action hacking sci-fi like you know it's just a different thing so even though i might give it a little like a point less it doesn't mean it's not a better game it's just like the way that resident evil did both survival horror and action adventure and kind of hit both of those pretty well that's the only reason i i try to keep it in its bucket and say for what you set out to do you did this and with pragmata being a new ip fresh ip i guess i could i probably should give it bonus points for having
neocharge: Sci-fi action adventure.
Leon Lionheartly: They're
neocharge: Sure.
neocharge: Yeah.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): a really good sci-fi story that just hit. Like that that would would still, I mean, I'm still not technically done with it yet.
neocharge: Oh, it's so good.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): So that score could change in my mind.
neocharge: Right?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): but But Pragmata is my game of the year. It has topped Resident Evil 9 for game of the year for me, even if the score isn't quite where I think it should be.
neocharge: Same here.
Leon Lionheartly: Yes.
neocharge: But who who knows if it sticks? We've got a long year ahead still and a lot of stuff releasing. so
Leon Lionheartly: What talking about?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah.
Leon Lionheartly: There's no more any no more games are coming out.
neocharge: Right.
Leon Lionheartly: This is it.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yeah, we're we're done.
Leon Lionheartly: Game.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We're done.
Leon Lionheartly: and
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): that The game game's over.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's no Summer Game Fest this year.
neocharge: Yeah, exactly.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): There's no state of play in like a week or whenever the hell.
Leon Lionheartly: but
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): haded toive Or June 2nd, right?
neocharge: Right.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Tuesday, June 2nd.
neocharge: yeah ah
Leon Lionheartly: Yes. Yep.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Sorry, I'm...
neocharge: There's a state of play actually announced?
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Yes, Wolverine-centric.
Leon Lionheartly: Do you not see that this morning? It's Wolverine centric. It's an hour on June 2nd.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): It's a little...
neocharge: Okay. Okay.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): ah Jeff Keighley said it was just a little over...
neocharge: Let's talk more about that.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and He said it was over an hour. So it's focused on Wolverine, but other games.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
neocharge: well
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): June 2nd.
neocharge: Oh, shit. All right, cool.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): 5 p.m. Eastern. Sorry if I ruin that news for tomorrow's cast.
Leon Lionheartly: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): I i apologize.
neocharge: Oh, no worries.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Oh,
neocharge: this ah I'll go all'll post this after, maybe.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): okay.
neocharge: I don't know. But, so yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): Well, whatever. it is
neocharge: If you haven't played Pragmata, go play it. It's a gem. We loved it. And we broke it open for you all. So, I think...
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): We hope we did justice for you, Bo, because I know Bo really wanted to be on this.
neocharge: i think
neocharge: Yes.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): and and He loves Pragmata.
neocharge: Yeah.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): He thought the game was really, really good. So hopefully we touched yeah hopefully we touched on the stuff that
neocharge: Yep. It's his current goatee too.
Caleb (AdmiralMerps): You wanted us to, and we represented, but, um you know, hope all's going well with you and all that.
neocharge: Yeah. Yeah.
neocharge: Definitely. So ah thanks so much for listening and thanks for being part of our community. And yeah, this a bonus episode, so we're not really going to do all the plugs and everything, but we will tomorrow when we record episode 52 for you all. So ah yeah.
neocharge: Thanks so much for listening. Have a great night. Go play Pragmata if you haven't. If you have, tell us what you think about it on Discord. Why you loved it or or hated it. Who knows? Art is subjective. That's why we have this podcast. So let us know what you think. If you haven't played it, go fucking play it.
Leon Lionheartly: A house?
