A Sequel So Bad, it Ruins the First Book | Ready Player Two Review, Part 1

It's really telling when an author uses 150 pages to stage the worldbuilding, then uses less than half of that setup throughout the story.
Dopamine Fasting 2.0-
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DISCLAIMER: FAIR USE. Title 17, US Code (Sections 107-118 of the copyright law) All media in this video is used for the purpose of review and commentary under the terms of fair use. All footage, music and images used belong to their respective owners.

[@KrimsonRogue]

Sorry about the audio in this video. My microphone was on the wrong setting when I filmed all this, and this take was already my second time recording this review. I didn't have the energy to refilm everything for a third time, and I really liked the energy and delivery that I gave, so putting in another 5-6 hours to reshoot this in one afternoon was daunting. I fixed the audio as best I could, so hopefully the video isn't too grating to listen to. The problem doesn't reoccur in part 2.

[@draconisthewyvern3664]

“who would wanna give birth to themselves...it could be worse...” rouge...rouge...don’t underestimate people...don’t. and maybe people with a breeding fetish (basically a slightly more extreme version of pregnant fetish) would? again don’t underestimate people

[@KrimsonRogue]

I hate that I completely agree with you.

[@claytonmiller3345]

Bro my headphones are not good enough to hear good audio. It sounds just fine to me. I’m excited for part two.

[@macejaso]

Well then... ill just stick with otherland for a story about being stuck in vr

[@grkpektis]

If you need a good book to get this dumb POS off your mind I recommend Daemon by Daniel Suarez. It's like Ready Player Two (came out before RP1) except it's a great horror story, has something to say about technology, has very high stakes, much more likable characters, much scarier and threatening villains. And best of all it doesn't remind me at all of that horrible SAO story because it's written as a horrifying techno thriller not shitty wish fulfillment fan fiction

[@JackedThor-so]

Have I read the first book? No. Have I seen the movie? No. Have I read the sequel? No. Will I watch this entire video? Yes.

[@KrimsonRogue]

Thanks for the support!

[@JackedThor-so]

@@KrimsonRogue You're more than welcome! Its practically a national holiday whenever you upload! 🥰

[@Ramsey276one]

Same, starter

[@MrSasunaru101]

I never finished the first book

[@jordanholt9170]

I'm in the same boat.

[@Indigo_Gaming]

'Wade Got Laid' is a preferable title to 'Ready Player Two'.

[@Saavedren]

If you use sexual innuendo it kind of is. Ready play one is self gratification. Ready player two you have a partner

[@giovannihall3098]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Sarah_H]

Given how many times Wade apparently mentions getting laid in the book it'd probably fit the theme better, too

[@hooded3988]

I somehow misread that as 'Wario Got Laid' for some reason

[@RM_VFX]

If they're into darker stuff, Ready Number Two might be more appropriate...and for the quality of the writing 💩

[@DragobAttack]

The thing that bothers me the most with this world: Where are the furries? A virtual world, where you can be any character you want? This place must swarm with furries.

[@5cents577]

That's why the naughties doing hotel thing planet exist

[@tiajoseph7309]

And 1,000 year old loli demons girls.

[@michaelk-j6123]

Second Life is probably the closest real life analogue to the oasis, even closer than VRchat. SL is absolutely teeming with furries and divorced 50+ year old chainsmokers roleplaying as ripped as fuck bikers (for some reason). Where are they in RP1? What gives? Honestly if Ready Player One and Two were about a virtual world full of sad old people pretending to be tough as fuck bikies I would read and enjoy the hell out of Cline's books.

[@JackedThor-so]

They didn't exist in the eighties, therefore Cline doesn't know they exist, because he wrote a book about a high tech internet-adjacent world without actual internet culture. Because that makes sense.

[@07_danishwistara29]

@@JackedThor-so I think they did, but they weren't as huge as they are now

[@Tytoalba777]

"Cyberstalking my Ex" "50 person orgy" One of these is illegal, and I'll give ya a hint, it ain't the orgy.

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

I dunno man, the more people that are involved, the harder it is to check for consent. :/

[@slevinchannel7589]

KRIMSON-SENSEI!! Do you know the already so-called "Next 'The Last Airbender'-Level"?!? The Powerpuff Girls Life action Show?! If not, check it out!! Its incredible!

[@corruptangel6793]

Depends how old the people in the orgy are lol

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@imveryangryitsnotbutter Well if you have fifty people knowingly and willingly participating in an orgy, it’s reasonable to assume you have consent.

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

@@samuelbarber6177 Except for that one guy that accidentally stumbles into the room and before he has time to process gets sucked into the pile like that flesh-blob from Inside.

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

The prequel should've been called "Press Start." It's still stupid, but there's no such thing as player zero, so it's not as stupid.

[@thenormalpsycho4198]

Or even "Insert Coin" "Insert Credit" "New Game" "The Neckbeard Manifesto"

[@Im__Andy-f6x]

there’s going to be a prequel?

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

@@Im__Andy-f6x I believe Krimson says so near the beginning of the video?

[@JayV949]

I was thinking Player Select.

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

@@JayV949 Good one! That way it sticks with the "player" theme.

[@Jay_76]

Wasn't Halliday's message at the end of "Ready Player One" something along the lines of: Don't waste your life in virtual reality. Make reality a better place to be. So why in the heck would Halliday create an even _more_ immersive version of The OASIS?

[@charliejones5563]

my headcanon was just that Halliday made the ONI then was just like 'dear god, I need to make everyone go outside'

[@dracocrusher]

@@charliejones5563 I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the ONI and the Oasis were made pretty close to eachother because the Oasis already hooks all your nerves and stuff up to a world that can replicate real sensations and experiences. So afterwards he was probably just like "Yeah, I know how people's brains light up to cause these sensations. All I need to do is map that to real people and I can put that data into a VR file." That being said, I genuinely have no idea how he thought this would just work out because by the point you're recording sex experiences to shove on the thing you'd HAVE to realize how dangerous that is, right? You don't just make super porn without realizing people would get addicted to that shit.

[@Mortalitor]

I imagine that's why Halliday never released the ONI himself. Maybe during development, he started to realize that we need to make reality a better place, instead of making virtual reality better. But then idk why he would leave the choice up to the heir?

[@lagspike7763]

Well a lot of RP2 is based around showing you that Halliday was actually a totally sick fuck

[@dracocrusher]

@@lagspike7763 A lot of RP2 in general seems like it's mostly the writer taking feedback from the first book and then twisting his characters super hard to address previous complaints.

[@atinymarble]

"SAO is just fanfiction of dot Hack!" BASED BASED BASED BASED BASED BASED

[@atinymarble]

I'M SO HAPPY FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT

[@Ramsey276one]

I heard that one before... DIGI...?

[@glarfl2680]

based on what?

[@atinymarble]

@@glarfl2680 "based" meaning TRUE

[@atinymarble]

@@Ramsey276one Digi who

[@mvpuppy5396]

The super advanced total immersion tech is used almost exclusively for sex. Be honest, you KNOW that's the most realistic part of the story.

[@keshagriffin3375]

Yes.

[@MrTigracho]

Yes

[@brodericksiz625]

Oh, absolutely. And I would definitely be one of the contributors to that.

[@dodojesus4529]

@Fremen well skydiving is fun but...sex while skydiving

[@MachineMan-mj4gj]

@Fremen Titanfall matches in this super VR would be lit.

[@tonys6620]

The only line I remember from the book is "the game went Sonic.exe on us" and I think it should remain that way

[@KM-hv1jg]

WHAT. Is this true, or are you morbin’ us?

[@imacommentator]

​@@KM-hv1jgit's true. I have just checked it. The quote is "Anorak just went Sonic.exe on us"

[@imacommentator]

I've actually looked for this comment in that comment section, holy shit, referencing a shittypasta game in such a book, I was taken aback

[@Jakepearl13]

What sick timeline is this?!?

[@imacommentator]

@@Jakepearl13 Idk. It's so surprising seeing a reference to a shittypasta in a sequel to the book that was made into A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE. Poor people who don't know. They'll google this thing and will see that horrible being. It's cruel

[@TheLadyLiddell]

"Dopamine fasting" oh, don't worry my brain does that all by itself. It's called clinical depression.

[@WheelerPro2000]

Hahahah😂

[@rooracleaf561]

😐

[@themolerat4911]

"The Art of War" just standing ominously in the background... Is that a threat?

[@FonVegen]

I choose to believe it is a promise.

[@Star-vf8vz]

@@FonVegen *What is a threat, but a promise of violence?*

[@nicholasleclerc1583]

@Star Quite *brilliant* of you, my fellow thinker

[@Tytoalba777]

It's a really big copy of Art of War too. I really, _really_ want to know how many pages of that are editor's notes

[@kabob0077]

Does this mean Krimson is subtly declaring war on Cline?

[@narusferree6506]

The 12-hour time limit is actually misleading. It's not "in twelve hours, half a billion people will die", it's "within twelve hours, all half billion people will be dead." Consider: I'm 11h50m into my gaming session when the update goes out. I'm dead in ten minutes, not twelve hours. In fact, that will be the case for the majority of players-the only ones who have the full twelve hours will be the ones who logged in just as the update goes out. In other words, ever single second Wade spends screwing around, hundreds of people are actively dying.

[@kat7215]

Oh sh-t. that's terrifying.

[@enzodasilvazani9969]

Normally I'd point out that it having an upper limit of time you can spend on it doesn't mean most people are gonna be hitting it every time they log in, but the book keeps on hammering in how the ONI is so addicting and everyone wants to use it all the time, that it actually is more plausible everyone is gonna be hitting the limit or coming close to it. So uh, yeah, what the fuck Cline.

[@backtoearth1983]

You have to log out to install the headset update. I checked

[@1r0zz]

then the question is. does the book follow up on that? I mean, is anyone ever bothered for hundreds of thousands victims of homicide? because it is not a "lawsuit". it's homicide...

[@KaiKrimson56]

Plot twist: Wade is the son of the guy that trapped everyone in the VR game in Sword Art Online Season 1.

[@viakurari596]

Everytime I hear "a good christian boy/girl", I have Empress Theresa flashback.

[@coledibiase1777]

People say it in the real world, just recently I heard a mother say it to her child, telling her to be a "Good Christian girl.

[@KM-hv1jg]

Remember, a good Christian girl always dons armor, saves France, and gets burned at the stake 🙏

[@3353080]

@@KM-hv1jg Amém!

[@TravisBroski]

@@KM-hv1jg *saves and hates France*

[@TheBonkleFox]

@@KM-hv1jg and revives to oversee a mass-scale grail war

[@maxthepaladin2147]

"I'm going to call it ONI" Me: Oh, like that japanese demon, right? Video: Onii-chan~ Me: ...nvm

[@Rabbit-uc5kg]

That was my exact thought process.

[@theeyesofryan]

For me it was like: "I'm going to call it ONI" Me: Oh, like the Office of Naval Intelligence, got it Video: Onii-chan~ Me: ... okay then

[@Wired_User]

@@theeyesofryan Jokes on you the office of naval intelligence is full of ahegao girls saying Onii-chan

[@kalebtewodros]

Same

[@crowdemon_archives]

@@Wired_User and a very concerned Oni in uniform wondering wtf is going on lol

[@eaglebound2120]

This book honestly feels like it was written by that one kid in third grade who would make up outrageous lies about what his family owns. "My dad is the president of Microsoft he gave me the Xbox 20!"

[@DJSockmonkeyMusic]

Funny, Armada reminder me of the shit I wrote when I was 11.

[@nataschavisser573]

And I joined a gang in my previous school and have a girl friend in the next town over.

[@yikesyourchunkyhostilityha2321]

@@nataschavisser573 you can't meet her though. She lives in Tokyo because her mom owns Sega Japan!

[@sxatcychan1988]

My uncle works at Nintendo.

[@srbrant5391]

"MY DAD WORKS AT NINTENDO!"

[@perciusmandate]

Cline is the master of Tell don't Show. His idea of descriptive storytelling across both books is spouting a list of nerd pop-culture references without really describing what those things look like, assuming the reader knows what they are so they can have some sort of frame of reference, and then TELLING us that his super cool OC (do not steal), who is totally not a Gary Stu, did cool stuff with them.

[@KrimsonRogue]

I feel like I should label this as a spoiler for the second part of my review. XD

[@perciusmandate]

@@KrimsonRogue Whoops! I guess critics think alike, haha!

[@andrewollmann304]

@@KrimsonRogue I-I think you have to at least make a reference to this comment in your next video now (assuming Nextralife is okay with it.)

[@wannabehistorian371]

So basically like fanfiction. I’ve heard advice that describing characters in a fanfic is pointless and often tedious because people already know who these people are. Well when you’ve got so many references like this, yeah, not describing at least some things would probably be tedious and/or confusing.

[@perciusmandate]

@@andrewollmann304 Fine by me!

[@humanstandssans2484]

"If you're going to steal a plot line from an anime, why not steal a good one?!" Shots fired, and thank you Book Jesus!

[@lordglitch4266]

Sword art online has an interesting plot line, it's just entirely shit in execution

[@skyblade7438]

Ironic, seeing this book also uses an interesting plot exclusively for sex.

[@caidpitman3845]

Kirito may be the worst Mary sue I've ever seen

[@Surikoazimaet]

@@caidpitman3845 Oh, wait until you experience the isekai with the smartphone dude...

[@johannesseyfried7933]

@@Surikoazimaet Is it the one where he constantly respawns upon Death?

[@YowLife]

I have to say, if someone says something bad about you, responding with violence (even digital game violence) doesn't make you look better. Especially if you had an unfair advantage, like visibility, invulnerability, and teleportation. It just sounds like Wade was acting like a spoiled child wanting to "punish those who crossed him even a little."

[@blankadams3120]

Good stand in for Cline, if you think about how he reacted to negative reviews.

[@chalibard3826]

Wade has the mental maturity of a 12yo moderator on a garry's mod server.

[@NapaCat]

@@blankadams3120 The thing between someone like Norman Boutin and Ernest Cline is skill at writing, I suppose.

[@hichewies]

@@chalibard3826 i think ernest cline was trying to make you hate what wade had become in the first portions of the book

[@omnidragon2260]

Someone: Steven Spielberg are you going to do ready player two? Steven Spielberg: *laugh* No.

[@WTFisTingispingis]

Not without a lot of changes, no.

[@justin2308]

The fact I read that in Alastor’s voice tells me I’ve been thinking too much about Hazbin Hotel.

[@merrybright5732]

@@justin2308 did they make more episodes?? I thought they only ever made the pilot

[@myname9130]

@@merrybright5732 It got picked up by a studio and Vivzie is working on new episodes, they want it to release all at once when every episode is done

[@thats4thebirds]

I felt like I read somewhere that the idea for this book came out of convos with him during the first movie.

[@YuzuruA]

To me, the best review of RP1 is from Mike Stoklasa "I was reading it in the bus, but I was so ashamed I hide it inside a porn magazine"

[@dannylamb456]

The Glass Toilet

[@_0______00__________0_______0]

I read a couple pages over my friends shoulder while he was reading it and didn't feel like I could go further than that.

[@faithgoga3983]

I struggled to read RP1, I was so glad to be done with it. I had an issue with the page structure or don't, the paragraphs were too blocked and long. I've never heard of RP2

[@machiavelli612]

Based RLM

[@vedritmathias9193]

Damn, a story about Wade's kid trying to... well... wade through the political and corporate hellscape that is being the child of perhaps the richest and most powerful person on the planet in both reality and virtual reality, would have had so much potential.

[@ellielevy9086]

This would be an actually interesting novel, so obviously Cline won't write about it. It might become a fanfiction one day though

[@alexjewett7455]

Cline still would have found a way to fuck it up.

[@SrslyTony]

Wade having a child would've been the cleanest way to make this specific sequel title work, unless he didn't want to write about a kid, in which case the title could also work had the MC simply been Sam/Artemis and this be a story about their soon-to-be-married relationship...oh well 😂

[@amesstarline5482]

A possibly good fix-fanfic about the title of a book that acts as bad fanfiction of a bad fanfiction. Now that's neat.

[@regularshowman3208]

It's borderline disturbing how much of a dystopian Hellscape the world of Ready Player One and Two is, but with the author being extremely oblivious to just how bad a lot of the elements in that world are due to his blind nostalgia worship of nerd culture. Not to mention the main character being really horrible to the point of just being unpleasant to follow, as well as really messed up shit like what happened to unprotected ONI users... It just paints a really bleak picture without actually being willing to confront that bleakness, it's bizarre.

[@dr.anderson1847]

It's like when old Chris Chan went on genocidal rampages against gays and anyone he didn't like but still acted like it was fine

[@blueraine8705]

OMG yes

[@talloncusack]

@@dr.anderson1847 why is everyone in the comments talking about Chris Chan? 🤔

[@talloncusack]

25:38 this part is so weird- like sure, poor people experiencing those things using the oni is great and all, but it's not a substitute because it's not their actual experience. It's not how they as individuals would have felt their own unique sensations and thoughts while dining in Paris or whatever the fuck scenarios Cline listed. It can only give the user those sensations from the original recorded person's point of view. So the oni user still isn't experiencing it for themselves from their own point of view in the way they themselves would have experienced whatever event if they'd been there irl. That doesn't seem to be an important distinction to Cline, which is...disturbing.

[@LucasDeziderio]

I think he's fully aware of how dystopic it is. In the first book Wade says out loud that the planet has gone to shit and his dream is to build a spaceship with a bunch of nerd paraphernalia and escape from it. His girlfriend wants to use the money from the reward to actually help people and make the world a better place. The book even ends with Wade saying they were going to save the world with all of their money.

[@BuckNuttage]

An unironic "teleports behind you" holy shit.

[@tysonq7131]

Nothin personal

[@pmester228]

@@tysonq7131 Except it's all personal.

[@jackhazardous4008]

My favorite moment is the power fantasy of superhacking a griefer to kill him without lifting a finger

[@stephanreiken9912]

Teleports behind you can be done right though. Its one of Skeleton Knight's biggest powers in Skeleton Knight Isekai.

[@foxfirelives6677]

I love that Cline has only his own three books on the shelves behind him in that interview. For someone who is supposedly obsessed with 80's nerd culture, he's apparently only interested in his own books about 80's nerd culture. Would've looked way cooler to have a bunch of 80's nerd stuff behind you, just sayin. Also, your gray cat has the meow of a lifelong smoker and it's the cutest thing ever.

[@LucasDeziderio]

Okay, I have an idea of how you could “fix" the story. When Halliday discovered he was about to die he tried to send his mind to the Oasis as a super advanced AI, Anorak, but this failed. The AI could never behave exactly like the real Halliday. So he decided to create the first book's contest instead and put Anorak as a “hidden judge" to manage it and assure the egg hunt would be won fairly. But after Wade won, Anorak had nothing else to do, Halliday forgot to program it to be deleted. After years alone this super advanced AI ended up getting corrupt and mad. In search of a new purpose, it used its ultra moderator powers to create a new egg hunt for Wade. But, as it is a mad AI, the riddles and challenges don't all make sense. They're either way too easy or too random and complex. And Wade isn't able to finish them. He decides to just go into the Oasis' mainframe and delete Anorak, but the AI discovers this and pulls his SAO scheme, promising to kill all of the users if Wade deletes him.

[@KrimsonRogue]

That is already a vast improvement over the actual plot. I'm curious how it would play out.

[@defaulted9485]

To add tension, a rogue AI in this scenario acts like the beginning of a new Morris Worm. The out of control virus during the early days of internet flooding as many data as it could in order to make as many easter eggs as possible. This data overload slowly glitches the players inside the OASIS like a beta release of a buggy game, similar to Cyberpunk 2077. With how advanced the ONI system is, people in the game are subjected to impairments similar to body disfiguration in real life which forces Wade to be physically empathetic in order to connect and amass human resources in game to solve the mad AI riddles collectively. Alternatively, Wade is forced to amass human resources to force log out or safely crash as many client of the account as possible using a similar method to bug in Minecraft Server Hypixel. This works because the kill switch must be manually executed by Anorak, and he only disables regular log out interface. By using multiple books filled with corrupt gibberish String to the maximum memory limit, stacked in a Backpack/Shulker Box which overloads the character data limit, immediately crashes the session effectively logging out the receiver of the data stack. This also creates opportunity for heroic sacrifice as this method doesn't work for the griefer/account crasher because they have to slowly input the data to overload while the other receiving account crashes from the data burst in addition to their own stacked corrupt data.

[@GlareanLiebertine]

@@defaulted9485 baller

[@LucasDeziderio]

@@KrimsonRogue Oh my god, senpai noticed me!!

[@LucasDeziderio]

@@defaulted9485 Oh, I love this idea! Didn't understand the technobabble, but I think I love all of it!

[@skyblade7438]

"It is used almost exclusively for sex" I mean...it's the internet. What were you expecting?

[@jackhazardous4008]

TBH I'm surprised porn companies aren't leading in VR tech yet, maybe they're just waiting for the tech to get gud

[@bioticjedi3864]

I was going to like this comment but it's already at 69

[@patrickfrost9405]

@@jackhazardous4008 They're mostly afraid of failure. Big rewards for success, right across this massive chasm filled with hungry dragons.

[@defaulted9485]

@@jackhazardous4008 No, it's because of cost. Big tech needs big money. Why invest in realistic 3D ultra HD interactive mocap tech while people pay bazillion of cash just to pay an illustrator to draw their unique fetish in photoshop, hire actors, or just Source Filmmaker those crap? People want unique model, scenario, and character before a fleshlight.

[@vannalaws1692]

Honestly my first thought when reading about ONI was about all the amazing food or drink I could taste that I will never be able to experience in real life.

[@benjaminshinar9509]

actually, recording the birth to make the child experience it is probably the best idea. I can totally see mothers using it a to guilttrip kids: "see how much I suffered for you!"

[@ML-tr1hz]

It would be an interesting method to show anyone who hasn't given birth what it's actually like. Both for pregnant people to prepare and to give an extra level of respect for anyone who actually goes through childbirth. Not sure why you would do it for fun though.

[@Smallestpenis]

I’m just picturing some mom forcing her kid to watch a recording of her giving birth being like “ Look at it! Look at it! You look at it!” Then once it’s done she goes “ Now go do the fucking dishes!”

[@sxatcychan1988]

@@ML-tr1hz Think of the funny videos where bros would try out period simulators.

[@funbro99]

​@@sxatcychan1988the old question debate of...periods vs nutkicks

[@AshleyWilliams-xq7lj]

​@@ML-tr1hz I would have been institutionalized if I knew the pain that was coming when I was pregnant lol. No way in hell would I watch that.

[@caz1764]

"Kangaroo babies, or whatever the hell Australia uses" We call them "dollarydoos", thank you very much!

[@KrimsonRogue]

I've gotten that comment so many times that I'm almost convinced that's the official name for it. XD

[@caz1764]

@@KrimsonRogue I think there have been official petitions to our government to rename our dollar to the "dollarydoo". Clearly has never gone anywhere as it's the more fun and logical choice imo. side note: I really love that episode of the Simpsons, but some people here really hate it too. It depends on who you ask

[@olivierluisin1790]

Really?

[@asianjackass237]

Your government will have to pay royalties for the dollarydoos money. Dont forget, the mouse owns Simpsons nowp

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

@@asianjackass237 I'd put myself in debt just so my remaining money was called "dollarydoos"

[@SpoonieCreates]

“Did you die?” The amount of times I’ve asked one of my cats that after hearing a loud thud are too numerous to count lol. Thanks for the long form review Krim

[@bioticjedi3864]

I ask that when my 15 yo dog is asleep for a long time lol

[@SuperNuclearUnicorn]

Lol I just sit there in fear for a moment before I hear a loud "MMMMMMMEOWWWWWWWW" and go "oh ok she's just being dopey again"

[@Verydeadbarbie]

A thing all pet owners have asked their pet at least once

[@aidanmills6136]

"Sadly, yes. But I LIVED!"

[@princessmanitari4993]

@@aidanmills6136 and now i have 8 lives!

[@magencrisis1682]

I had to pause the video to laugh when it got to the "troll-hunting" description. The protag is a fucking Reddit mod's wet fantasy lmfao

[@thegreatstoneddragon9432]

Krimson: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to make a grown man cry." Me: 🍿🥤

[@spud13y]

At this point in his career, he might be referring to himself as a double entendre.

[@extinctoart]

As if he didn't absolutely make Norman Boutin cry

[@leothebackgroundsheep3010]

@@extinctoart I doubt Norman would've watched multiple videos dissing his waifu.

[@thegreatstoneddragon9432]

@@leothebackgroundsheep3010 Agreed. It would disrupt the integrity of the echo chamber he's built himself.

[@cam4636]

The Internet: Umm it's actually really unhealthy to focus on negativity, especially negative criticism of things people are allowed to unironically enjoy :/ Me: 🍿🍿🍿🥤🥤🥤

[@Mobysimo]

As someone who loves worldbuilding, this book is hurting me. Especially that Sonic thing We don't need an explanation of Sonic the hedgehog! We just need "I checked the world based on favorite game series. No sign of the Shards. So they might be hidden in less obvious places" just.... Learn when to stop writing!

[@multilad816]

Or stop shilling frequent references

[@skyblade7438]

This implies he actually wrote any of that instead of just copying and pasting everything from the Wiki.

[@SorowFame]

If you are at all interested in gaming you know what Sonic the Hedgehog is. And if you aren’t interested in gaming why are you reading this book?

[@Tridd666]

Did none of you read the first book?

[@vanroyal244]

@@SorowFame I think everyone knows who sonic the hedgehog is anyway...

[@ThePereubu1710]

I like your differentiation between "stupid" and "bad" stories. I have enjoyed many "stupid" stories but no "bad" stories!

[@ecyor0]

When I heard the line about "Halliday secretly had a SECOND easter egg hunt embedded in the game code!" I thought it was going to turn into the main character becoming afraid of losing all his power and wealth to some random schmuck and it would be a bit of forced introspection about power corrupting.... ..and then you mentioned the "oh and only Wade can actually interact with the easter eggs" bit and I remembered which author we were talking about. >_

[@KrimsonRogue]

That right there would have been a much better story. The premise alone has more character than Wade does in the rest of this story. The "lesson" he has to learn by the end falls flatter than most after school specials.

[@Wendy_O._Koopa]

You know what? That would be a much better story (the bar's so low, it's easier to list things that aren't), but it would also justify the title. With everybody scrambling to find the bargain bin Chaos Emeralds, everyone is wondering who will become "Player Two" with some sort of elimination match between however many people it takes to find seven not-Dragonballs. I mean, he still finds them all himself and becomes both Player One and Two and ends up having to give the company to himself and learns nothing, because he's a no-talent hack. I mean, the writer is... because they are totally separate people, wink.

[@DrewLSsix]

I like the idea that nobody in this world even with vast wealth on the line seems to even consider..... parsing the code to access the relevant data. I mean you don't have to wait a month after the release of a major title today before the molders have gutted it and strung the guts out like a serial killer so it seems a bit odd that with millions upon millions of active users and vastly powerful corporations interested in the thing there would still be surprise messages and hidden secrets.

[@Wendy_O._Koopa]

Or like going backwards at the start, how that is the first thing many people would try when looking for Easter Eggs. Just add this critical research failure to the list of general incompetence and Big Bang Theory-level 'jokes.'

[@g.holmes9930]

Not only is that a sick idea, that would also take care of the “Why is this book called Ready Player Two” problem

[@goodnaturedgamer8181]

How did Sam survive jumping out of the plane? Well, she got these coke bottles and a bin bag...

[@nac9880]

underwater

[@abigailc8829]

*war flashbacks*

[@Latronibus]

That thing about addiction is hilarious. The calories/consequences line is quite legit; you could use tech like this to indulge in an unhealthy amount of gluttony without weight gain for example. But there's no avoiding the addiction without just completely wiping your memory of the entire experience.

[@happy99soup82]

Well, so you just log back in and do it again in the game. Unless you get so totally addicted you cannot wait 12 hours.

[@markbunst5961]

​@happy99soup82 that'd happen really quick. Doesn't matter how much virtual food you eat if irl you haven't had anything. Eventually, you'd just waste away to nothing while gorging yourself on virtual food in flavortown.

[@kenshiro1075]

The protagonist's actions causing a literal crime wave should never be a footnote of your story. That isn't really something you can just gloss over.

[@lemonworm]

its like how super hero movies try and make their characters "relatable" by giving them minor personality annoyances and making egregious mistakes while still framing them as fundamentally virtuous people who just made a widdle boo boo and will still be praised as messiah figures at the end of the day

[@TheGallantDrake]

And here I was having conniptions over my characters deciding to wreck a space station’s water supply as a diversion. Turns out I was worried over nothing! If they’re the protagonists, it’s okay!!!!! /s

[@DeadwingDork]

Shoutouts to the 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back podcast, who named their entire podcast after the page length of RP1 and recently slogged through all of the sequel. As well as Armada. Dear god.

[@King_of_Fools]

Well this is a rare sight.

[@SergeantSarge]

And in today’s Unexpected Crossover news…

[@CityofButterfly]

Hearing Mike and Connor talk about these books is so much fun.

[@dannylamb456]

@@CityofButterfly The fact that they also did the second book is the cherry on top. Being able to flip to some page and always getting a dumb sentence that may or may not be something a viewer sent in is a testament to how utterly low the standards are for anything Cline writes.

[@A.Clifton]

Been listening to it at work and I'm so glad to have been introduced to their show

[@hammerbeam]

When I read the first book I was really worried wether Wade would get laid. I am glad this book confirms that and continuously reminds me of that.

[@sydneyyates3256]

lolll right

[@rabidrobot4004]

Dominic Noble and Krimson Rouge know each other! All I need is a crossover and my life will be complete!

[@hope-cat4894]

Bandgeek8408 was the first book reviewer I watched, then it was Dom, then Krimson. I honestly wish I could see all three do a review together.

[@wajmgirl]

And have Generally Phooky illustrate

[@ragzaugustus]

Just a reminder, the author absolutely lost his mind when everyone started reading random bits of his book out loud while endless mocking it. It was hilarious.

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

Where can I see this?

[@lalehiandeity1649]

Less hilarious and more pitiable.

[@jackhazardous4008]

I love a good lolcow, where is he

[@TheFoolishSamurai]

I am also interested

[@nitrogon6561]

Now i'm interested. Where can i find this?

[@sg-yo4kp]

This world is unintentionally so sad- multiple generations just spending their entire life trying to learn everything about this weird old guy to win money and power, obsessing over movies, games and shows He loved, never developing any sense of self except 'i can recite an entire movie word for word' like big woop

[@beneil2]

show how fake this world is I say.

[@clydefrosch]

I mean, he ends up making his own derivative fanfiction movies so, he's working on himself

[@owenprior7106]

THE LONG HAIRED LORD OF LITERATURE HAS BLESSED US!!!

[@KrimsonRogue]

I appreciate the alliteration. XD

[@debzykvids]

All Hail Krim, Lord of Long Hair & Literature Rants!

[@surprisedchar2458]

You know, the fact that a guy can just cram a shitload of 80’s nostalgia into nearly 400 pages and still sell so much he gets a movie deal and a sequel makes me feel better about my own writing abilities.

[@Grim_Sister]

Don’t forget EL James and Meyer. If these two can get a book deal, so can you

[@cam4636]

It's all about knowing your audience and marketing it right

[@KaiKrimson56]

@@cam4636 And getting New York Times to call your book "a #1 bestseller".

[@cam4636]

@@KaiKrimson56 Well, that didn't quite work out for Lani Sarem...yet

[@sinuhezarzuelero6054]

Eventually, people will recognize good writing. It might take some time; but know this: it's never a matter of if, simply when.

[@fixedG]

Cline's vision for how Wade becomes a "benevolent" monopolist perfectly and unironically illustrates HL Mencken's great line, “The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.” The people who feel strongly that the world should fit their vision, and Cline himself fits this mold, are almost always willing to accomplish it by force, disregarding differing opinions.

[@IAmTheEagleHTM]

Exactly. I completely agree, the world is filled with "Messiahs" who tell everyone that their ideas can save the world. We're back at aristocracy again.

[@tiredorchid5629]

I love the whole shtick through out the first book of wade wanting to help the needy, until he gets rich, your so damn righy

[@hothstorm]

Considering the amount of time he spends murdering his detractors in pvp im inclined to agree that it barely qualifies as making a attempt at face value.

[@Smallestpenis]

Which makes his whole empathy stance even more horse shit

[@TheGallantDrake]

To quote Pratchett, he’s decided how people should be, when he should be looking at how people *are*.

[@Sancyria]

That "experiencing to give birth to yourself"- part....... My mom had a c-section. I would LOVE to feel my stomach being opened up.............

[@lunabearsong2043]

It's not fun. I would go into detail, but it's not pretty. I hope your mom is okay and that you're doing well also!

[@Sancyria]

@@lunabearsong2043 don't worry, me and my mom are fine :D

[@SorowFame]

Isn’t childbirth extremely painful anyways? Why would anyone want to experience that if they have a choice and they aren’t even getting a child out of it?

[@vanroyal244]

C-sections are painless tho. You get morphine to the spine, which numbs everything below that point. Plus, it ain't your stomach.

[@keeysOST]

Sometimes I wonder why there's women that want to have children. Just imagining it hurts me.

[@MimiRAM0NE]

"Heard you were criticizing my addiction based corporate monopoly on some forum, troll." **teleports behind you** **BANG!** "Nothing personal, kid."

[@Silburific]

"Nothing _personel..."_

[@zeesolstice6526]

When I first read this comment I had no idea how accurate it was... My god

[@MisterZimbabwe]

*personnel The misspelling is important

[@EPWillard]

He writes about it so triumphantly too, like no mate you got hacks.

[@anthonykeller1957]

The truth is, the game was rigged from the start.

[@alisonczech9327]

*goes to buy a drink in Australia* Bartender: “That will be three kangaroo babies.”

[@wooloosus6866]

15:51 It would've been really cool if Cline put the scene where he shoots himself in the foot and feels no pain, only to do a 180 and have an antagonist remove the pain dullers so that Wade suddenly feels everything in full force. It would be a real shock to both Wade and the reader, and add a lot of tension to a first encounter.

[@anacromacia]

To be honest, if he did do that, it would feel even more like a bad fanfiction of SAO, since in the second arc, the protagonist does the exact same thing

[@JackedThor-so]

Now, now, we can't have something like that! Wade is the big balled badass on campus! He's the Mary Sue, remember! Mary Sues can't be bothered by "petty" stuff like that!

[@rizkyanandita8227]

@@anacromacia at least it still be a shocking moment.

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

@@anacromacia DOKTOR TURN OFF MY PAIN INHIBITORS

[@TOO2150]

Yes, this is literally what happens in Sword Art Online.

[@digitalwanderer6809]

"Also she's trans, we'll get to that." I felt a chill run down my spine at that one. I'm terrified.

[@unexpected2475]

I have no hopes for that either. God why does this exist.

[@Im__Andy-f6x]

i’ve never read the book or watched and reviews of it, what’s the deal with her? does wade treat her like shit or something

[@baalgodofrain]

Everytime I hear someone mention a character that’s a POC/LGBTQ+/Neurodiververgent and follow up with “We’ll get to that” it’s always something awful

[@digitalwanderer6809]

@@baalgodofrain something tells me that its gonna be nice and awful now, given the authors characters through this book -_-

[@alexpurdy673]

@@digitalwanderer6809 it’s either that or it’s gonna be terribly mishandled to the point of being worse than not including her or just a fully irrelevant and pointless addition for some of that sweet wokeness

[@p0k3f4n7]

I just want to point out that Wade's protection coffin thing sounds an awful lot like Porky Minch's Spider Mech from Mother 3.

[@TheBonkleFox]

Hell it even contains a psychotic tyrant manchild, also like in mother 3! We can only hope someone creates an Absolutely Safe Capsule to lock him in, both in the oasis and out

[@williammerwin1850]

And their both bratty man-children playing God

[@MetaFanWing]

That’s what I was thinking, just a Porky tank.

[@themoocow7718]

Thought it sounded familiar.

[@None-Trick_Pony]

That was my first thought as well.

[@jackhazardous4008]

Ready Player 2 reads like a dystopian novel, that thinks its a utopia

[@feritperliare2890]

So the reverse of the feeling you get from watching psycho pass?

[@BlueLizardKing]

No, no, it's a dystopia from the perspective of the dictator

[@jackhazardous4008]

@@BlueLizardKing isn't that what i said?

[@coledibiase1777]

@@jackhazardous4008 They said it better.

[@llewelynshingler2173]

Oh Hai Theresa...

[@thorin1045]

For the micrometer headband stuff: Your skin can shift almost a centimeter (10'000 micrometer) on your head, even if that is somehow eliminated with the tight headband stuff, you skull can flex almost a millimeter (1'000 micrometer) and even if that somehow solved, you brain is not fixed to your skull, it floats in a liquid with quite a space between the bones and the brain itself, it is part of its protective system, since that liquid acts as a suspension in case of sudden head movement and it allows for more than a centimeter (10'000 micrometer) movement for the brain without any issue, so if a micrometer dislocation can cause any issue, than it is a nonviable product.

[@dannylamb456]

Especially egregious because of the spider mech. Pretty sure if it's running around, the liquid in your skull is probably going to move a good bit more than a micrometer

[@TheGallantDrake]

This is what happens when you write a books without doing research.

[@ryanwillingham]

not to mention, like, what if your cat jumps on you? or a sibling shoves your shoulder to get your attention? or all those headset criminals cline mentions make a tiny mistake? no way a headset like that isn't a fuckin death trap.

[@tamalito97]

"This entire video is just an excuse to show up my library" he says, while sitting in a thone made of books from his library in every video he posts.

[@AntediluvianRomance]

But that's only what can fit into the frame!

[@RK-iq9uh]

This feels like a story written from the perspective of the CEO of a giant, evil Megacorp in a dystopian novel, except neither the characters nor the author ever realize it.

[@dannylamb456]

Alternatively, it's a totalitarian state but written by the dictator

[@xanderthecommander7491]

I paid $30 dollars for this book the day it came out and then as soon as I saw it was destroying all the progress the characters made in the first book, I realized I should have just paid for phone sex.

[@darragholeary8653]

Is 30 dollars the norm? Cause that sounds like a lot for one book. I usually pay €10 for a book, which would be what, like 15 dollars?

[@MiraMotou]

Even the kitty realizes he just picked up a shit book and no longer wanted pets lol

[@multilad816]

When you're owned by a critic, you tend to sense a bad piece of entertainment

[@lgbtqiarights]

@@multilad816 are you speaking from personal experience?

[@EclipsePheniox]

Every time I hear ONI, I keep thinking of the Office of Naval Intelligence from Halo.

[@KrimsonRogue]

You and me both. I was halfway through the book before I stopped getting Halo flashbacks.

[@TayDoesStuff]

same

[@greekgeek9145]

@@KrimsonRogue that is a bad thing? what do you what in your story a god that can do anything and can not be killed or a person that can never conquer anything!

[@prizefighter7607]

Would have been neat if the story started with things going great in the Oasis, then there’s like this huge corruption that either damages the landscape or deletes player’s avatars. And when Wade looks into what’s going on, sees a recording of the Halliday AI talking to an avatar of static, like Missing No. and calls it player two. So the book would be a mystery of who is player two and how do they stop the corruption

[@TheGallantDrake]

You just put more thought into the premise than Cline ever did.

[@Godzillakingofkaiju1]

This is why I prefer the worldbuilding of Godzilla since the franchise is so lenient that you could have an entire MULTIVERSE of different Godzilla storylines.

[@CrissCHG]

Why You like the worldbuilding of Godzilla?

[@Godzillakingofkaiju1]

@@CrissCHG Yes. Also, it depends on which Godzilla you're referring to.

[@GodOfOrphans]

A common trap a lot of new writers fall into (and some old ones too, looking at you Rowling) I've observed is that they feel the need to overexplain EVERYTHING, when in many cases it's best to just leave a topic alone and trust the audience to fill in the gaps, rather than trip over one'self trying to explain all the minutia of how something works.

[@myname9130]

@@GodOfOrphans See: JK Rowling

[@GodOfOrphans]

@@myname9130 I know I mentioned Rowling in the brackets.

[@henrideveroux8690]

Interesting bit about the thing with Credits, I once tried to determine how much Harry Potter's Wand (7 Galleons) Would have cost in real money by taking a known item, that is a Newspaper, which Hagrid paid 5 knuts and at the time cost $0.35. That made a Knut worth about $0.07. 7 Galleons is equal to 3451 knuts and at $0.07 per knut Harry's wand cost a whopping $241.57 ... Not really that bad when you consider it's a tool most wizards will use daily for the rest of their lives.

[@verycasul]

That's... actually not bad enough considering that's an required items used by every single new students for years and probably only get replaced if it's broken (unless you're Ron). Quite good world building.

[@verycasul]

Or just compare it with phone or smartphone

[@trequor]

Okay but let's not pretend that Harry Potter doesn't have insane worldbuilding. Like every adult (virtually) can teleport instantly, but they use the world's slowest bird to send MAIL

[@haroldd7178]

@@trequor OK but colleges still send acceptance letters IRL when email exists.

[@trequor]

@@haroldd7178 Some colleges do. Lots dont bother anymore. Email is not the same as magic or teleportation either.

[@apogeecreativitee7596]

While he was describing the story, I was sitting here like “Is just Sword Art Online?” and then he said the same thing. Incredible. So glad we have SAO in written form for me to burn.

[@onetrickponysona2613]

isn't SAO based on a novel? pretty sure it's already written

[@stephennootens916]

When he mentioned it I couldn't help but think isn't there a incest storyline in that series

[@opalyasu7159]

@@onetrickponysona2613 yeah i have some of the light novels for some reason i need to clean out my bookshelves

[@zebragoboom]

​@@onetrickponysona2613 not only is it written, but it's being written again from the start.

[@MistbornTaylor]

“You could relive uncut real-life experiences” for some reason this line bugs me. Is it coming from memories? Because oh boy those aren’t very reliable.

[@jackhazardous4008]

Reminds me of Tell Me Why where the main characters are twins with the power of telepathy and use it to misremember their childhood

[@glitchingecho3082]

I would guess that you wear the ONI while doing real life things and it takes a “recording” of the events and that allows other people to relive it using their own ONIs. But this is never even so much as mentioned in the book as far as I recall

[@MistbornTaylor]

@@glitchingecho3082 Does that only account for what you see or is it like wearing a go-pro on your head? If you don't notice something in this experience does the "recording" also not remember it? Or can you use it as an instant rewind? I'm sure Cline didn't even think about these questions but god he's like on the cusp of having an interesting world.

[@glitchingecho3082]

@@MistbornTaylor Cline does such little work on *how* the ONI functions that we can’t even fill in the gaps. Like it’d be fine if the technology was mostly unexplained, I don’t expect him to be an expert on neuroscience to the point where he could actually properly explain how fully immersive VR recordings would work in real life or anything. But he doesn’t even give enough information on how the stuff works for us to fill in the gaps. To answer your questions I assume that if you’re recording with the ONI on it records all the sensory data, so I’d say it would probably “remember” things that you didn’t immediately notice, like things in your peripheral vision, or vaguely heard noises, but it wouldn’t “remember” things that you didn’t notice until too late, since it “records” the sensory data sent through the brain, it “records” those specific brain signals. Of course that’s the answer *I* would give if *I* were writing this, unfortunately Cline never bothered to ask or listen to these sorts of questions, so we’re stuck not really knowing for sure how this works.

[@raynethescribe2772]

Me: lets see if it can actually show me my memories, bc i can't remember jack from before i was like, 15 The "real-life experience" it gives me: heres a super blurry, very vague grocery store. Which store? I dunno, i just know it was stuff a grocery store does. Layout? Specific products? Nah, all you're getting is colors blending together like you're squinting super hard, and thats it

[@LoveTrueMusic1]

"You can barely scratch the surface of what makes this a bad story in 30 minutes" And that's why we love you Krim

[@ToaOfFusion]

"ONI allows one to fully immerse themselves into the digital space" Well the Office of Naval Intelligence is going to have a field day with this technology

[@ethicalcheeze1407]

Ah, another individual of culture, welcome friend

[@MetaFanWing]

They’d probably use it to train a new batch of Spartans.

[@teifan6674]

The author saying his intention with the book was showing how the problem is that we're not empathetic enough single handedly makes Paul Bloom's Against Empathy the only valid book in existance

[@GodOfOrphans]

Empathy is the Noob's Trap and dump stat in the game of life, anything past a certain early treshold is not only unhelpful but in fact detrimental as it makes people exponentially more open to abuse and manipulation and just being made a sucker in general. The modern age in particular practically deifies empathy yet people who claim to be proponents of it display downright abusive behaviour to others on a regular basis and are caught in scandal after scandal after scandal, all the while people become less and less empathetic to their neighbors not more, and those who rise above the admittedly justified mire of distrust paranoia and hatred are routinely abused for their willingness to see the good in others, not rewarded. Empathy is kinda like one's willingness to beleive player messages in Dark Souls, you might occasionally find a hidden wall or some treasure but 9 times out of 10 it'll just get you killed.

[@bettyunicorn6132]

@@GodOfOrphans your so cynical it’s funny

[@CamelotGaming]

There wasn't really anything to ruin when Player One was ALSO shit Edit: I wanna pet that cat. Edit 2: EVEN SAO HAD THE PAIN FEEL AS REAL AS POSSIBLE

[@skyblade7438]

Don't we all?

[@Lelmao33]

We all need emotional support from cats

[@galvanizeddreamer2051]

Actually, not entirely. From my understanding (that being the anime, not the manga or LN), pain was dulled, but not muted. Unpopular opinion, but I liked the Alfheim ark of the anime, the end fight most notably, both in-game and in the parking lot.

[@CamelotGaming]

@@galvanizeddreamer2051 It was turned up once the whole "you're stuck here" thing happened. Also > Actually liking the worst part of the entire story, for an already terrible story Jesus Christ how do you have taste this bad?

[@galvanizeddreamer2051]

@@CamelotGaming Easy. I watched it when i was 14, and haven't since.

[@velvetsparrow]

“Prequels are tricky to write because you know how they end” You could always go the KotOR route and have a prequel set in the distant past of the story’s universe where things are lesser off

[@kitmakin289]

What on earth is Ernest whittering on about concerning empathy? Emotional empathy? Cognitive Empathy? Does he know the difference? Is he even aware there ARE more than just one form of empathy? As someone who is autistic I have had to study the theories related to empathy quite a bit- I can assure him that "lack of empathy" is not the issue for humanity. It's a lot of things although a big step in the right direction would be cementing stronger bonds within local communities; get to know your neighbours etc- which doesn't require new technology to be invented to happen.

[@KrimsonRogue]

It gets much worse in Part 2 of the review. I'm not convinced that Cline knows what it's like to experience empathy.

[@unexpected2475]

Also, what bloody empathy is in the book? It's one of the most unrelatable story I've ever sat through so far, and that's coming from someone's who's seen every longform book review here.

[@Lucifersfursona]

These are the takes, these are the opinions 🔥

[@wannabehistorian371]

I think it’s obvious that he’s referring to empathy as in sympathy; understanding other people and the like. Not that he conveys any.

[@woolfieMcP]

I bet he's gonna make 7 books with names like 'Press start", "Press select", "Choose your character", "Choose your difficulty"

[@johannesseyfried7933]

"Your Health is low." 😆

[@yosukehanamura3507]

"The Batteries In Your Controller Are Low"

[@Ivebeenbleak]

LMAO HE REALLY THINKS HE'S DOING SOMETHING

[@Nukestarmaster]

No, they will be "Ready Player Three", "Ready Player Four", "Ready Player Five" and "Ready Player Six".

[@ZevonPrice]

Don't forget the final book in the series: "Press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A and Start"

[@MotiviqueStudio]

I get so tired of the "lack of empathy" line. We don't suffer from a *lack* of empathy. We suffer from the weaponization of empathy. Con-artists and sadists are *only* successful because they understand their mark - this is true from the street corner to the federal office.

[@rizkyanandita8227]

"lack" is a good word to use. Because it make you feel the need to have it. "You lack proper clothes" "You lack education"

[@CodytheVictorian]

It's about time someone said it, Evil doesn't prey on apathy, it preys on love and hope.

[@helloill672]

Thanks for that. I don't lack empathy, but a part of me always wonder if the person I'm feeling sorry for is in the wrong and is just lying to everyone.

[@dannylamb456]

It's even gotten to the point where one might even argue that perhaps the over-empathetic nature of some people have caused the problems of today. "Oh no, look at all the homeless people! We should be empathetic and just hand them free money because they're homeless!" without realizing that all that's going to do is encourage more homelessness. That is just one example. The idea that a *lack* of empathy is what's causing these problems is either very naive or malicious.

[@Physbrkr]

@@dannylamb456 s'a bit of a bad faith argument at that- the real issue is the fact that the minimum wage is currently long overdue for an increase because there was a collective realization of "well, we don't legally *have* to raise this, right?", and so they didn't. When the "payment to pay homeless people enough to survive" is higher than actual wages, that shouldn't be taken as an indication that the survival payment is too high, that should be an indication that wages are below what's needed to survive. Not "pay you comfortably", survive. That's not a good state of things.

[@PsycoAxeFairy]

Krim showing off his book collection was the one and only thing that got me through this nightmare of a book review.

[@thedarkone6851]

This is my own idea for how I would have written Ready player two: Similarly to the Original, The Oni Is released and people begin to buy it all over the world however the announcement is that whoever gains the Shards will be able to share (Or maybe Gain a part of Halliday's Fortune, Perhaps Being able to run their own server create their own game to be apart of the Oasis) The Story Follows Someone else from the Stacks that possibly Looks up to Wade as an Idol or role model and sets off on Their own Journey to find the Shards perhaps even Having Wade as a potential Antagonist to try and win the Reward for himself.

[@Broken__Bee]

Wow. What an infinitely more unique and interesting idea which managed to expand the world, open up new themes, and even work as a better realization of the title! I genuinely would love to see a book series that did something like that. Too bad we got this junk instead.

[@TheFLAMEXD]

Dude, write this as a fanfic!!!

[@AspiringCrybaby2018]

That would be so interesting.

[@thedarkone6851]

@@TheFLAMEXD The real Ready player one sequal lmao

[@TheFLAMEXD]

@@thedarkone6851 Hey, if you're gonna write it, you have my full support

[@royalnobody7703]

35:17 there's no alternate accounts in the oasis because the gear scans your retina or whatever. so you can only troll on main. which also means Wade is ruining people's lives over people being mean to him every time.

[@joeytansey8466]

The making you experience giving birth to yourself sounds 100% like something a mom in the future would use to win an argument

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

You know, the sad thing is that I think that a sequel for Ready Player Two could have been fascinating. I mean, imagining Wade trying to run this company and keep control of these rabid fanbases must be nightmarish. Can you imagine a Ready Player Two where the story is about Wade having to deal with hackers of the Oasis, cheaters in the game, doxxers- cottage industries based around virtual goods, etc? There could be a series of little stories based on each of these very real issues, and in the world where the Oasis is a more real world than reality, getting hacked or faced with a cheater must be a very genuinely terrifying experience. Facing a cheater in the Oasis must be akin to facing a supervillain in reality. Idk, I just think how glad I am that my invested life is based in reality every time I encounter these issues in online games, and considering the world in RPT, I think it could be great.

[@KrimsonRogue]

That's a cool idea. It would have made a much better story.

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

@@KrimsonRogue Aw, thank you.

[@rizkyanandita8227]

The saddest think about KR doing all the review, it just how many good story can be done with the same bullet point (I'm looking at you tyrant Theresa)

[@christopherderocher8057]

I like how during his interview with Trevor Noah, Cline's bookshelf only has books by himself. Hes got at least 4 copies of Armada 🤣🤣

[@TessuDraws]

That rant about "there's a time an author must stop" made me think about the Ginga series, manga by Yoshihiro Takahashi. It started out as dogs gathering an army to defeat a bear that had grown giant after a bullet lodged in its brain and damaged it, making it not stop growing in size. It was dumb fun. Now, years later, we're following the original protagonist's grand children as they fight aliens. No, I am not kidding.

[@peppridgefarmremembers7137]

I have never heard of this series and looked it up and now I know what to make time for, so thank you.

[@TessuDraws]

@@peppridgefarmremembers7137 The first series, Ginga Nagareboshi Gin, is legit good! And the sequel Ginga Densetsu Weed is, too, but just the manga. Sadly it hasn't been translated into English (other than the first three volumes). The anime of GDW is trash lol. But I do recommend GNG, anime or manga!

[@peppridgefarmremembers7137]

@@TessuDraws OH! I'm thinking of buying it, so thank u again.

[@brittanynicole7431]

I believe the author has stated he has a goal of maintaining the longest continuously published manga ever? At least the man has a goal!

[@TessuDraws]

@@brittanynicole7431 Yes, at some point he stated that. But now he would like to retire but his publishers won't let him. It's sad, really..

[@steelungol4373]

Me: Oh I heard about this, how bad can it be? KrimsonRogue: 8:35 The Plot is a rip off of Sword Art Online Me: Oh Crap.

[@calliope_x3]

i like how after that first riddle, Wade says that any Gunter would recognize that it had the same rhyme scheme as the first riddle from the previous egg hunt. The rhyme scheme in question is AAAA. You know, the most basic pattern humanly possible, the exact same thing repeated over and over? Yeah, that one.

[@geoffreyhughes1]

I'm convinced that Ready Player One was a fluke based on the other books that Ernest has written. His other books are not good.

[@cam4636]

"You can't become an addict" in a story that clearly proves the opposite _would_ be a meaningful statement about how people justify their own actions vs. "REAL addictions"...if it was intentional, which...it very clearly is not Edit: "I knew it was pathetic, which made it even more pathetic, but what am I supposed to do, watch consensual pr0n instead of cyberstalking my ex? Don't be stupid!" IIIIIINCEL Edit 2: Honestly I would love "tactical robot armed to the teeth to guard their comatose human occupant who is completely unaware of anything outside their fantasy world" as like a monster in a story from the perspective of someone in the real world trying to keep themselves alive, especially in a world that had organ harvesters attacking poorer ONI users who are just passed out on the ground because they couldn't go for another second without hooking up their brain. Like, _that's_ a dystopia! That's some good shit! Edit 3: "chili COTH-ee" Edit 4: "LO-hengrin" Edit 5: In-universe economy in a story where there's a life-or-death difference between the Haves and the Have Nots? Pshhh, why would we need that? Edit 6: This has all the elements I look for in a video essay or review: Schadenfreude, and cats

[@anthonythompson6053]

On edit 2, that’s honestly what I was thinking at that part. This is my life, reading bad books and crying that they’re SO CLOSE to being interesting

[@rorrim0]

Ready player 2 is just earthbound.

[@DragobAttack]

1:09:23 As a software developer I'm offended, because if you can determine if the object is, or is not within a defined volume, why didn't the just use some kind of binary search algorithm? Like, split the whole oasis is like 8 quadrants. Now you know in which of the eight it is, so you split that again and repeat the process, reducing the search area by 7/8, with each iteration.

[@dannylamb456]

Keep in mind that this is Cline we're talking about. The same guy who thinks computers are actual magic as Anorak's lockout was "in a totally different language". Because surely you can just compile new code in a totally different language without crashing the program. The author thinks that software is actual magic and its just computer wizards casting stronger programming spells than the other.

[@maddieb.4282]

I think this shows that the author has exactly zero knowledge of computers, coding, or the digital world lol

[@mvpuppy5396]

17:08 I think the book "How Not to Write a Novel" summed this up well. The gist is that if a character's sexual desires are among the first things we see, that is going to color our opinion of them. Yes we all know that everyone has those thoughts but, to paraphrase the book, "we also know that everybody poops, but if the first thing a character does is poo in front of the reader then he will be known as the pooing character forevermore."

[@Imagigirl]

That book is amazing; I’m so happy to have found someone else who’s read it. 😄

[@SHDW-nf2ki]

I always assumed that the title "Ready Player Two" would be about a new character, like Wade's successor or something.

[@commandercat10]

That’s what I thought

[@guldmattbb473]

There’s actually a really interesting play we did at my college my freshman year that sorta touched on some of the ideas of this book. Ironically enough, I also had to read Ready Player One for my English class the semester we did the play. It’s called The Nether, and the entire point is pretty much the same. There’s a VR world people go to while the real world is dying and bland. You can feel and experience basically whatever you want without any consequences. However, there’s this one server on the Nether called ‘The Hideaway’ that’s run by this guy named Sims. The Hideaway is this beautiful Victorian home where guests are able to come to the house and engage in sexual/violent activity with virtual children, with the virtual children being Roleplayed by consenting adults that work with Sims and assume the identity of the ‘children’. So there’s this investigation going on and an agent is trying to figure out where the code/server is, and a good portion of the play is an interrogation between her and Sims where they debate the ethics of being able to do whatever you want in a virtual setting. It’s a very intriguing play and I highly recommend reading it

[@RogueAstro85]

That does sound interesting. It's very relatable to the modern internet considering ageplay, loli art, and ai chat bots can be used to roleplay child abuse and SA without actually involving children. It's in such a weird area where it's very clearly fucked up that people have these fantasies and it shouldn't be normalized, but is it morally wrong if no one is harmed? Should society criminalize an act with no victim? Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out!

[@Oceanblue_Art_]

Every time a weeaboo conflates "oni" with "onii-chan" a white tourist in Tokyo gets their soul eaten by a demon.

[@glitchingecho3082]

So I should do more often, that’s what I’m getting from this anyway.

[@llewelynshingler2173]

The demons are missing out on Tourist Souls these days, let them feast.

[@Brindlebrother]

The holy trifecta: oni, onii-chan, and onision

[@TheDanishGuyReviews]

Will it be the Public Restroom Necktie Woman? I hope so.

[@jazwhoaskedforthis]

Don’t tempt me with a good time

[@xfronwenzyoucamex]

This is a nit-pick that I just noticed at 49:00. It really annoys me that every one else is also obsessed with the things Wade is obsessed with. Like, no one in this world has seen a movie he hasn't or liked a game he didn't care for?

[@chloemarlowe3817]

To be fair, there is an explanation. Well, kinda, it was in the first book. The first book revolved around finding the "easter egg" left behind by James Halliday, the developer of the OASIS. The clues to find it were so well hidden and the hunt went on for so long that most players, including Wade, became obsessed with every little franchise that Halliday ever had a vague interest in. There's a reason that despite first book taking place in 2045, the world is obsessed with 1970's to 2000's properties: everyone is competing for the cash associated with winning the easter egg hunt so everyone is analyzing everything Halliday did in his life.

[@ML-tr1hz]

Wade comes off as such an insufferable elitist at times that I'm honestly shocked the books never have him go on tirades about whatever type of media he hates and try to shame people for liking them. You know, like a real insufferable self-important nerd would.

[@benjaminloosen2694]

you could feel the effects of a drug,even simulated, you can still get addictive the very additive feelings of drugs. It's implied that it effects the same part of the brain meaning it's effectively the same as taking the drug.

[@inthemarrr7745]

rp1: teenager gloats about knowing stuff from the 80s rp2: teenager gloats about knowing stuff from the 80s, except now he's a class traitor

[@bloodyhell8201]

Worse than a class traitor, an industrialist AND monopolist

[@dannylamb456]

RP1: Dystopia from a pseudo-elite who think's he's oppressed RP2: Dystopia from the same pseudo-elite, who is now dictator.

[@dawey8897]

He gots laid too

[@leeverguy]

@@scparker6893 people can dislike multiple things about a book and aren't obligated to list every single one in their comments

[@olookslike0]

Have you ever heard of the old genre called "Utopian romances?" For awhile in the 1800s, authors would write books about a future Utopia for humanity and spend most of the book just describing their vision of the best possible society for man; like that was the bulk of the content. That genre is essentially dead now, but do you think this is like the modern version of that? Cause the first part of the book sounds like Ernest Klein is just inscribing his own kind of Utopian fiction but through the guise of a nostalgia-indulgent VR reality. And the Utopian Romance genre died once "dystopian fiction" genre took hold; a direct response to the former. So maybe the good news is that someday we'll get a dystopian re-imagining of this story. Cause I think the idea of a doomed world where everyone's only choice is escapism through digitally recreating a better time is still an idea ripe for exploration. Just without the insinuation that this is a good thing to happen to humanity.

[@edgarallenhoe3518]

My friend, the book you are looking for is Heir Apparent.

[@olookslike0]

@@edgarallenhoe3518 Sure, I'll check it out.

[@amimm7776]

That's most of the plot for SMT NINE

[@olookslike0]

@@amimm7776Haven't heard of it; I'll check it out

[@amimm7776]

@@olookslike0 Unless you can get behind some cooky crazy emulation glitches and can read japanese, it's kinda hard to do

[@pizzajoke3561]

Holy cow, the Lord of the Rings flower thing that kicks off the plot is absolutely a reference to the flower quest from hollow knight. Kline just can’t leave anything be, can he

[@kitkitkatkit]

I’ve beaten that exact quest and still didn’t make the connection… now all we need is a bunch of unrelated interaction by just shoving the flower in other people’s faces :)

[@TheGallantDrake]

no. Noooooo, that… no… Cline, what the fuck.

[@perciusmandate]

"I'd imagine you don't want to really know what it's like to have your legs cut off and your intestines spilled out over the ground." (Has Re:Zero flashbacks and shudders.)

[@ohshit4860]

This book is like the opposite of Les Miserables. In that book, You spend the first 10 chapters with a random bishop and don't even know the main character's name, but said bishop is such a wonderful person and interesting character that none of that feels wasted, even though he is barely in the story afterwards. I think you know what that says about RP2.

[@purplehaze2358]

“Isn’t giving birth supposed to be insanely painful and really uncomfortable?” Giving birth is second only to being lit on fire in terms of how intense the pain is.

[@nancyjay790]

And yet some folk try to scold women who choose pain relief during childbirth, claiming that they will not be able to bond with their child. Because pain creates love? I mean, for some people, yeah, but... How is this a thing preached as a virtue?

[@rebeccamartens4192]

@@nancyjay790 drug me up and cut it out of me. I'll bond when I'm awake and healing. Nothing but respect for however a woman decides to give birth.

[@FizzieWebb]

Speaking from experience, Dr. Bright?

[@Grayvorn]

I've been on fire, it really sucks

[@amaalmohamed4450]

@@Grayvorn same but i have also given birth,I cant tell which is Worse.

[@TayRayReads]

I will say this about my memory of the first book is that I remember the things that annoyed me better than the things I actually liked. And in case you were wondering these are my annoyances 1. The cliche when the author chooses to tell you the outcome of the story in the first chapter or prologue. "Here's how I won the contest." I find that this works for me when there is some sort of subversion (like Conker becoming the King in the end of Conker's Bad Fur Day or Flynn Ryder saying that he will die at the end of Tangled). It takes away some tension like gee... maybe Artemis could have won? 2. That awkward drop in the book's pace after Wade and Artemis split up. This was where I had to put the book down and not pick it up for a few months. Edit: I may have to check out .Hack now.

[@Ramsey276one]

The number 1 thing can work if there’s plenty of room. “And I got first place. TECHNICALLY. So, here’s how it happened...” First thought I came up with. K-sensei is getting started! XD

[@deyedrah]

As a big fan of .hack, I feel that I should warn you that the entire series is cringey as hell. The books, anime, manga, and games.

[@marwapranata5698]

.Hack is good, and you would appreciate it better if you understand the context of 90s-2000s Japanese internet and society

[@theencolony5595]

On the whole "12 hour thing or you're in a coma" thing: that assumes everyone all joined at the same time. If people are coming and leaving at all times, that means 10s of millions are dying every hour once the lockdown starts

[@Falxifer95]

Ernest Cline basically Sword Art Online'd his own book. At least given the critical failure it's not gonna spiral into a franchise. I hope.

[@Ramsey276one]

Get Ready for Gun Gale Alicization! XD

[@TheCrusaders13]

I’m not done with video but I just got to the part of ‘giving birth to yourself’. That’s a form of narcissism. This dude is a narcissist. So that’s how you explain you’re a narcissist without explaining your a narcissist.

[@ALIEN-DUDE]

That sounds like a very narcissistic form of narcissism that a narcissist would do

[@unexpected2475]

Narcissism plus a fetish?

[@TheBonkleFox]

I mean onision managed to do that too

[@lillieampurra]

wow, cline's best example of show don't tell!

[@unexpected2475]

@@lillieampurra goddamn