Blips: A Not So Spooky Halloween Warm Up

[@brycebucher1895]

Hey, thank you for checking out Fatum Betula! I actually grew up on the n64 and have a lot of nostalgia for that era despite being born in 2001, and I can go ahead an confirm that the game was not even a little bit inspired by LSD (although it probably subconsciously influenced me). The influences for the game instead include Lego Island, Anodyne, various n64 titles, and my own lack of sleep. Also, I am really glad you enjoyed the experience!

[@lucas56sdd]

Bryce Bucher Congrutulations on your work!

[@ErrantSignal]

Good to know! I'd seen that circulating around a number of sites, but it's always better to get it straight from the dev.

[@brycebucher1895]

@@ErrantSignal Yeah, I guess one site just made that (admittedly fair) assumption and other sites just ran with it. I found it kind of funny because Neko Yume, which also released on the demo disc, is heavily inspired by LSD. Really enjoyed the video in general by the way, I will be checking some of these games out.

[@xystem4701]

You just had to mention Lego island and get me all nostalgic, didn’t you?

[@RadioactiveMoth]

It reminded me of FromSoftware's PS1 games, myself, which is cool because I love those games.

[@exquisitecorpse4917]

"I don't think I can get you Communism, sorry" - 2020 election

[@timothymclean]

Shame. Some properly-brewed communism would really hit the spot right about now.

[@The_Jovian]

You're a terrible comrade, Kishan

[@jonnil1997]

Lmao

[@comababe]

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I GET TO WATCH THE HALLOWEEN VIDEOS AS THEY COME OUT

[@masterdesattardes1055]

We all feel privileged to partake in this

[@Skullkan6]

The "idol" in post void isn't an idol. It's your own head leaking blood.

[@ErrantSignal]

It kind of plays loose with this idea! The intro says "Your head in your hand" and clearly shows you running with a bloody mess for a head and a bloody head in your hand... but then also when you squeeze the idol it shatters like glass, and is referred to in the upgrade screen as "more liquid for the idol" and even the Steam store page mentions an "idol" rather than your literal head. I wonder if at some point it was straight up your head, and then maybe that was deemed *too* off putting and kind of got abstracted away to be a glass idol? Or if it's intentionally kind of abstract and inconsistent, leaning into the bad trip like quality of everything else?

[@АлександрБагмутов]

ye right what am I playing with then

[@ler74]

I noticed you were struggling a bit to bridge the gap between visual novel style and sensibility and adventure game presentation ala the walking dead. Would it suprise you to learn that if you look through the history of what the west calls the visual novel it becomes rather clear they are a sub category of a much larger super genre? That the visual novel presentation is just one, until recently rather local, expression of how Japan views adventure games? In other words. Visual novels are adventure games in the exact same way JRPGs are RPGs. I mean, just one glance at the famitsu top adventure games shows mostly VNs (a term essentially only used in the English market). ABowlofLentils did a video on the history of VNs and one on the origin of the confusing actual words "visual novel" as it relates to the genisis of what the west calls visual novels today (which is more like a mechanic and it's own sets of subgenres thst aren't used in the west like ADV and Bishoujoge).

[@barryherbers6090]

Cloud Gardens looks sick. I love an "art" game that's not afraid to be game-y

[@ArchiveTheMyth]

Thought you meant cloud meadows for a sec, so that "art" took on a different meaning lol

[@JaesadaSrisuk]

I’ve been waiting for a relaxing gardening game for ages, and the apocalyptic theme is really unique and interesting.

[@kawaiiconcept7479]

it's out in full now and it's really fun. I super enjoy it

[@AlexandraOrlando]

I watched this video for the thumbnail

[@noonehere8416]

I adore these blip episodes, they show me so many short little games i just wouldn't of known about otherwise. Thank you for producing them and putting them out. Like Fantum Batula sounds right up my ally! thank you for recommending it!

[@EggBastion]

_"wouldn't_ --of-- *_have_* _known about otherwise"_ (sorry) You're dead right about these episodes being very useful though.

[@garbage-boitrash-man1489]

I’m 19 and I was raised on the PS1 and N64. I don’t think it would be so far fetched that those low res low poly aesthetics were what was prevalent when he was a kid. For me, a lot of those aesthetics can tap into parts of games that scared me and the comfort of my early gaming memories.

[@ForeverMasterless]

That's sooooooo weird to me. Why are kids a decade younger than me being given the same consoles I had as a kid? Are you parents just super fucking cheap or something? PS1 would've been like eight years old by the time you were born, let alone old enough to play it. Hell, the PS2 came out a year before you were born, why didn't you at least have a PS2? Why weren't you playing Xbox 360, you would've been like four when it came out. Does not compute. Your parents must suck ass or have zero money, that's the only thing that makes sense.

[@sethzard]

First Five really is the equivalent of the comedian's comedian but for people who talk about games (not widely known/followed, but well known amongst people in the industry).

[@xystem4701]

He really doesn’t get enough recognition. His viewpoint on games and time really rings true with me.

[@aquanecromancer5776]

There's a growing movement online amongst young artists to emulate the aesthetics of the internet and computer graphics from before we were born. The aesthetics, scope, and intent of consumer digital products from the before time appear alien and crude compared to having our every movement and desire catalogued and sold by Google. I think we see a lot of naivety in the old internet, but we also desire to return to a time before our crippling social isolation and lack of privacy. Shit looks cool too. High fidelity is lame.

[@racercowan]

Early internet was the Wild West of technology. Not just in the "unregulated and anything is possible sense", but in the way that "westward expansion" and "manifest destiny" became "the wild west".

[@sharkofjoy]

It was absolutely the wild west. I didn't experience trolls for five or six years of being on the internet. It was a beautiful weird place. Weird and pure. And frames oh frames.

[@edoartworks]

YES. Blips is good. Thank you!

[@Lookoutscience]

necrobarista is so good! The devs, if I recall, have said they are working on new episodes to better flesh out the characters that didn't get much light in the full game

[@AlyssaTheHuntress]

It's really sick to see you cover Fatum Betula because I'm actually good friends with the guy that helped the dev do the promotional material and some other art design for the game.

[@meekaboo_]

Just looking at the description I'm already excited. Feels like this October I'm more in the mood for somber/creepy games, especially ones with a message, as opposed to more outright horror games, they just don't really feel the same right now.

[@Small_Leviathan]

I played Spiritfarer last week and loved it to bits, so I might just check Necrobarista out since a lot of people compared the two (and they certainly seem to occupy similar thematic spaces even if they've got radically different tones)

[@DraggyBDragon]

I just bloody love this channel so much.

[@thegustbag]

"Making it stretch" is how I played ALL of Life is Strange. I loved living in that world. It's also how I play a lot of other games that give me unique worlds and interesting characters to inhabit/interact with. It's how I plan on playing Necrobarista even, when I finally get my hands on it! It was on my radar before watching, but now I REALLY wanna get it sometime soon.

[@grammarmaid]

Nice to see someone else who enjoys just _being_ in game worlds, at least for a while. I always say that there are two types of gamers: those who voluntarily move the character at gentle walking speeds when it serves no "gameplay advantage," and those who have the control stick/shift key at full tilt from start to finish.

[@atquinn1975]

This is the first time I've seen Questionable Content referenced on KZbin. Thumbs up!

[@rumos5719]

not to mention Megatokyo!

[@nexra0]

26 minutes of video game goodness... Already can't wait for the next one!

[@jamespicker2686]

The way you described the gameplay of Fatum Betula reminds me a lot of "The Norwood Suite"

[@FortressMagic]

First I've heard of Spirits Abyss. Spooky spelunky with an art style I actually like? Yes please.

[@SmileySuperSam]

i've actually read more horror than ever before during the pandemic, so particularly pumped for this yrs spoopy vids

[@vincentlance]

Thanks as always mate, always look forward to your content

[@JosefTrejbal]

6:07 They are called Moments of Calm and they are amazing!

[@Dialgadude]

Thumbnail gave me a good laugh after you mulled over whether to do it or not.

[@iaminterface0101]

to anybody who cares: necrobarista was worth the money. the dialoge was irritating sometimes (felt too performative) but after it all it stuck in my head and i couldn't stop thinking about it. i used to work as a barista myself, for 7 years. when you have regular shifts clientele would try and build a rapport with you. thats sometimes annoying, but sometimes people would come in who were going through the absolute lowest of lows in their lives. people whose wives and husbands, or family, just suddenly died, and they would be silently begging me for some constantcy, to make the same drink the same way. if you've felt similar losses, the game will stick with you too, i think.

[@Medytacjusz]

what does "performative dialogue" mean?

[@iaminterface0101]

@@Medytacjusz dialogue that is melodramatic or more interested in appearing witty or clever, than actually clearly conveying emotion or communicating ideas.

[@Medytacjusz]

iaminterface0101 i think that’s the definition of poetry :p

[@attilasedon9593]

Cloud Gardens looks like one of my favourite game: Islanders. And Fatum Betula looks really interesting.

[@wusashicat1]

Fatum Betula Is this first time I've seen people have burrowed nostalgia for the '90s. WE've been living with borrowed 80's nostalgia for so long that it's a breath of fresh air.

[@EggBastion]

*'burrowed'* nostalgia _...cos you really_ *_'dig'_* _it?_

[@moomoomang]

Omg, I nearly skipped, not realising it was one of your videos haha. That thumbnail! So good

[@Dayglodaydreams]

I got excited about games when I was younger when the mere question of whether a console video game system was an artistic medium or not. At first I hesitantly said "no". Later, during what Daniel Floyd and co. called Ludus Florentis occured I was more excited, and answered "yes, definitely"! I cannot however shake the sense that at best gaming has reached full bloom. If we fully play out the metaphor, the bloom wilts come summer or fall...I used to see the less than experimental indie titles, and seemingly derivative art games copying the better original art game as evidence of wilt. Perhaps the game flowers periodically...then wilts.

[@benjaminlefkowitz9463]

I'm really digging these blip episodes

[@morrighanlefaye559]

Extremely over the moon to see someone talking about Necrobarista. I had a fantastic time crying my eyes out at it earlier, and if you want a similar emotional beat I highly recommend Spiritfarer.

[@that1geekychick]

Cloud Gardens is sincerely the most relaxing game I have ever played.. The puzzle mechanics somehow serve to make it more soothing than just a straight creative sandbox would, since they give you a purpose to work towards and help break you of the desire to make everything aesthetically perfect. As the levels get more challenging, you're increasingly nudged to let go of your human need for order and give in to the peaceful chaos of the new, botanical age. And that's just so lovely.

[@levilukeskytrekker]

It's always a good day when Errant Signal uploads. I don't even necessarily agree super frequently with his critiques, but they're always intelligent and fascinating. One of my favorite video game critics of all time, definitely.

[@temporalwolf7054]

Since it was brought up, I don't think the Dorohedoro comparison to Post Void has... really any legs to stand on aside from some surface level comparisons to the "proudly ugly" world design of Dorohedoro. The show is an action packed treatise on social class, those with power routinely victimizing those without power or those with less power, in one of the most oppressive yet fully realized worlds I've seen in... well over a decade if I'm being honest, while still having trippy and surreal imagery that at the same time feels grounded and real. It constantly toes the line of going into The Edge (tm) territory while never really crossing it.

[@benzur3503]

while its not as in your face as post void's combat and movement are, and lacking the much more complex camera positioning portrayed in dorohedoro, its quick splattery combat and a greater interest for the characters to hastly and violently resolve an immediate semi-mystically sourced circumstance than to dwell upon the reasons for them is kinda comparable imo. not that dorohedoro doesnt reflect on its characters motivations, but that those reflections often come long after many viscerally extreme actions.i wouldnt be suprised to see a gunman holding his own shining head running around in many of the scenes in dorohedero. that and the doom inspiration make me think it is an appropriate comparison, even if only in aesthetics and a protagonist lacking a memory of an identity. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIrLoIesdtiiqLM

[@benzur3503]

that and losing heads. losing heads is a pretty core aesthetic theme in both

[@dotanuki3371]

there's a dorohedoro show now?

[@benzur3503]

dotanuki yeah on Netflix. They did skip the best fight scene in the manga (Johnson vs Mushroom man) but other than that it’s a surprisingly good adaptation

[@dotanuki3371]

@@benzur3503 a passable anime huh, sure has been a while

[@mario__265]

The mad lad actually did it

[@pseudo-orfeu]

"next time we won't be so soft..." I don't know why but this line triggered in me a desire to watch Chris' take on Pathologic 2. It would be so fitting this year...

[@Goblincow]

Love some blips!

[@RyanDB]

Wait, there's a part in Life is Strange where you can just hand out listening to Bright Eyes? Damn, I need to play that game

[@NotLegato]

there's also some mogwai in there.

[@TXWatson]

Just bought Necrobarista on your recommendation here, and discovered that they appear to be about 10 days out from a major update! (It's a little confusing, there's an existing news post on the Steam page that says it's "OUT NOW!", but it's dated as an event scheduled to start on Oct. 28.)

[@hish1238]

Comment for engagement but also you should play Umurangi Generation.

[@ErrantSignal]

I have! It is good! I've been experimenting with including some bigger-but-still-small-ish-and-in-need-of-more-eyes games on Blips lately (see this episode), and when spooky season is over it's on a shortlist of bigger indie games to potentially include.

[@alexescalante9810]

I was over with this channel then I saw the new thumbail and was like I will like, view and share the crap out of the video.

[@b0tster]

nice thumb. respect the hustle

[@Donyoku]

Happy to see Necrobarista getting attention

[@arryks]

Hi thanks for the video I want to let you know the clickbait thumbnail totally worked and I'm extremely glad it did.

[@Medytacjusz]

(Post Void) For some reason, the video has really low fps for me, but on steam page it's full 60 FPS and it looks SO MUCH BETTER. Really digging the aesthetic, another wishlisted item. EDIT: bought it, so cheap but SO GOOD! one of the best action roguelites I played, already getting better at it!

[@abiprobably7630]

I nearly missed this video. I didn't recognize the thumbnail as one of yours.

[@Medytacjusz]

(Cloud Gardens) I'm a sucker for pixel art mixed with 3d. It really breaks away pixel art from the nostalgic retreading trap, because this aesthetic is entirely modern, made possible by current tech. The Last Night, Songs of Conquest, Crying Suns, Octopath Traveler...

[@oceansoul1986]

I started playing Necrobarista because of your video and I am already in love with it. Thank you for all your interesting suggestions over the years!

[@notsam7928]

I haven't played necrobarista but I've seen that "jarring" change of music. I kinda like that. Of course just my opinion.

[@christianhelgeson3712]

Just here to support the new thumbnail 👍

[@TheLucanorian]

This is the first time a game I was already interested and got (Cloud Gardens) has showed up on Blips. Usually I'm getting indy game wishlist ideas from you.

[@kennethconnally4356]

Interestingly, two of these games seem to have trouble with the grammar of obsolete languages. At 7:50 Necrobarista has a character correct another's Elizabethan English from "doth thy icy facade crack?" to "dost thy icy facade crack?" But "doth" is correct--that's the third person singular, which agrees with the subject ("thy icy facade"), whereas "dost" is second person and would agree with "thou." Then at 21:35 "Fatum Betula" is explained as "Latin for 'Birch of Fate,'" but that would be "Fati Betula," fati being the genitive singular form of fatum ("fate"). Since both nouns are in the nominative singular form, the title actually translates to something like "Fate, Birch Tree."

[@tsukasa0802]

Some people have visual impairments that make those big chunks where you have text on screen with no voice over difficult. Something that has become fairly common that I feel you could crib with noconsequences would be to see if maybe a friend or family member wouldn't mind reading a couple of lines for narration.

[@xan1455]

I would like to see some multiplayer spooky games

[@dominokos]

Damn, I literally *just* thought "What's Errant Signal up to? There hasn't been a video in along while." I click on the channel and *boom* there's a new video! Lol

[@Donyoku]

I do have to give Dorohedoro a recommendation as well, even if the comparison to Post Void is entirely superficial

[@A_Panthro]

Cloud Gardens reminds me of Islanders

[@divergentclouds]

i'm so happy to ser a new episode of blips!! wonderful way to wake up ^-^

[@GmodPlusWoW]

Oh, Fatum Betula? That one was alright. Very LSD Dream Emulator in a way, though I had to read a walkthrough to get every ending. (except the super-secret one, which was based on RNG and ain't nobody got time for that)

[@KrystianMajewski]

Ignore the haters. That Thumbnail is *chef's kiss*

[@jedediahmyers7495]

Oh my God, an animated intro?

[@willhart2188]

I recommend "Super Benbo Quest Turbo Deluxe" for Halloween. It's about skeletons and anime.

[@waynski1457]

Is there a sub-genre name for Cloud Gardens? I find it astoundingly similar to simplified base-building of Godus and Islanders, and even the more experimental Mountain. I really like how relaxing these type of games tend to be and are some perfect games to unwind with at the end of the day. They kind of seem like they sprung up from the mobile need for a more simplistic design. I'm just wondering what to call them so I can find more. Feng Shui dioramas?

[@EggBastion]

there has to be

[@jdcoffeestreams4333]

I would LOVE a Questionable Content Telltale game. Necrobarista is added to the list

[@TylerJBrown192]

I might be far too in love with the Dreamcast generation of games, but Fatum Betula is breathtakingly gorgeous.

[@Readysetheal]

New Blips!!!

[@yusofplayed]

Wow where do you find so many cool indie games??

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

Oh God, I'm 19 and I'm just making stupid KZbin videos...

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

And Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein when she was a year younger than me.

[@Sonicbananadriver]

​@@Jekyllstein_Gray Yep, your time to do something great has nearly come to an end.

[@brycebucher1895]

Don't go tying your self worth to what you produce

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

@@Sonicbananadriver I assume you're being sarcastic.

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

@@brycebucher1895 Thanks.

[@jarmarmarn4323]

Dying at the new thumbnail

[@TheMaplestrip]

I love these all very much; gorgeous video you put together once again. Hearing you talk about Fatum Betula made me feel emotions, so that's good. Now I just need to figure out what those emotions were. Nectrobarista seems like a game expressly designed for me, so I am *definitely* checking that one out ^_^ I must ask, do you still read Questionable Content today? It's good :3

[@KeruFriendlyGolem]

Isn't Necrobarista getting free story updates? I think those extra characters are going to get expanded upon.

[@nilshagberg7386]

My face lights up everytime I see a new Blips video :)

[@retinas2001]

21:02 While praising the music for this game, you're literally showing on-screen that the music is by two musicians who released their songs into the public domain. That's more like praise for the musicians alone rather than the game, since they had nothing to do with it.

[@ErrantSignal]

Yeah, that's... that's why I did that. To ensure they got credit, since Anthony Case made a great game but he didn't compose the music.

[@retinas2001]

@@ErrantSignal It was just that you didn't mention it, and it sounded more like you were complimenting the game directly rather than the developer's ability to choose some music.

[@timothymclean]

> I already wanted Necrobarista. Now it's even higher on my games-I-want-to-get list...metaphorically, because there aren't that enough other games near the top. > Diorama games like Cloud Gardens are really neat, but also end up low on my priority list. There's always so many more meaty narrative/mechanical experiences to try, you know? > Post Void is everything that makes action games uninteresting and borderline inaccessible to me, tuned up to 11 and covered in neon lights. That said, I love how it goes all the way with its everything. > I could never really get into Spelunky, for much the same reason I wouldn't try to get into Post Void. Spirits Abyss is the parts of Spelunky I like least. But I'm sure other people like those parts, and it seems like a great game for them. > Fatum Betula...I dunno. Bits of it sound neat, but...yeah, it's not for me.

[@dawsonescott8428]

Hey, i’ve been playing demoncrawl ever since you talked about it. One of the best roguelite games mechanically i’ve played in a long time. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

Loved that connection to the Life Is Strange video!

[@steampunkerella]

nice of you to give alex of firstfive a shoutout. nice guy

[@DStecks]

Wow KZbin compression does a fucking number on Post Void, doesn't it

[@ahmedamine24]

That could be a great movie. Like Koyaanisqatsi meets I Am Legend. Hyperintense "pursuit of happyness" juxtaposed with the very spaces now deserted and reclaimed by vegetation and non-sapient life.

[@Olodus]

Haha for once I've actually played something on this list before the video. Take that! Kidding of of course, love these vids. And Cloud Gardens was as you said a relaxing, beautiful and enjoyable experience.

[@MegapiemanPHD]

Nice to see the First 5 mention, people should check that guy's stuff out!

[@Pietreszcz]

I love you for mentioning Questionable Content. It's the only webcomic I haven't stopped reading (started like 6 years ago). Great vid as always!

[@politicalnerdV]

Now I'm just thinking about the crows in Cloud Gardens saying something like "I thought they'd never leave!"

[@TheFrugalVideoGamer]

The premise of Necrobarista sounds a bit like "The Devil Is A Part-Timer!", which was a quirky, enjoyable show.

[@richmcgee434]

Hey, new Errant Signal vid. How timely, I was about to resort to 1960s Ultraman dubs for entertainment. :)

[@spekticat]

Getting a John Allison's 'Scary Go Round' vibe from Necrobarista

[@AshleyParkreiner]

Please watch Dorohedoro it’s so fucking good. Absolute nightmare of a show in the most creative possible ways.

[@elsa_g]

I love these blip reviews

[@xystem4701]

Love first five! Great to see him getting more recognition

[@ProUnderachiever]

Alright that comparison between Necrobarista and Life is Strange convinced me to pause the video and buy it. That scene is one of my absolute favorites in any video game.

[@FeatherWait]

I was thinking about that exact moment in Life Is Strange JUST before you brought it up!

[@Dayglodaydreams]

It's like Ozu's cinematography, holding on the picturesque scene.

[@AverageAlways]

I appreciate the number of skeletons in this video. In future videos, please try to match this ratio of skeleton to video or possibly (o_O) exceed it

[@GeminiTasiri]

Man I really wanna check out Necrobarista when the Switch version is coming out next year but it's getting harder and harder to resist buying the PC version every time I see it being discussed

[@barryherbers6090]

ah yis, spooky time with Christopher Franklin. I have lots of cozy October memories with this channel

[@graefx]

And so the list grows.

[@seeranos]

I cannot believe that in 2020 I'm hearing reference to Questionable Content. I read so much of that damn thing. I think I even owned the book for a while.

[@Spookybluelights]

Consuming constructed nightmares helps me cope with the real ones that exist outside of fantasy. On with the real spooks!