Forspoken (Zero Punctuation)

[@theescapist]

This week on Zero Punctuation, Yahtzee reviewed Hi-Fi Rush. www.escapistmagazine.com/hi-fi-rush-zero-punctuation/ Watch it early on KZbin and support the channel via Patreon for $2/month. www.patreon.com/the_escapist

[@Scampcam]

Bongry? Bangry? Borngry?

[@simoneval2619]

@@RP-mp4ow he recommend also Spiritfearer (and I confirm the sentiment because it's very beautiful) in multiple occasion. And Psychonauts as well. For not mentioning Portal as well. And of course Silent Hill.

[@DangerousMuteLunatic]

AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAH MORE LOVE FOR HI-FI RUSH

[@Banedragon]

So low effort isekai in video games is just as paint by numbers as the low effort isekai in anime, /s who would have thunk it

[@pileofcheese5017]

Forspoken's main character has this air of not giving a shit, and the game does a fantastic job of making you indentify with that feeling, by making it's world and story so absolutely flat that you also don't give a shit.

[@VeritabIlIti]

Right? It's almost like an air of total cynicism is bad for engagement. Weird

[@Corusame]

The people who designed this travesty fully embraced the 'not giving a shit' vibe of the main character.

[@eddthehead123]

She goes out of her way on many occasions to make sure you are intimately familiar with how much she does not give a shit. She puts in a lot of effort to not give a shit, and to ensure that you know that.

[@ianwells7916]

Right? That is sort of the issue with that story design. It is totally fine to have a reluctant hero, but if the only character in the entire damned game we are allowed to be and interact with as a player is that character, they better have a damned good reason to be reluctant. Just not giving a shit because its not their world and they are too busy just enjoying all this power they now have, then why should the player care? And if the player does care, why would the player have any affection for the asshole they are supposed to be steering? A better example of this exact troupe working out better comes easily to mind. Indie game that it is, we have "Loren: The Amazon Princess" - which asks the question, 'What if Xena was totally cool with owning slaves and was openly minandric and a bit of a racist to boot?' It does several things better, by having her being the main character in the story, but putting you in the shoes of a slave tasked with protecting her under implicit threat of death. It also gives a wider cast of characters for you to interact with, Dragon Age style, and actually gives Loren actual reasons for her reservations. She doesn't give a damn about the world or the lands outside the Amazon queendom, because she is only interested in finding her mother. She only opens up to the world at large when she does find her mother and learns that she abandoned her duties as Queen to run of with a male slave she fell in love with. Its enough of a shock to her system that she has an existential crisis and requires a good chunk of the game going forward to accept that maybe her own ways aren't the only ways that are acceptable. She is disgusted at her own mother, but conflicted as she always saw her as her distant but motivating role model. Its an actual character arc that resolves in her accepting her role as the chosen savior of all lands, not only her own.

[@garibaldibritann1240]

"What a riveting gameplay" Uricksaladbar (probably)

[@hanniballahr94]

Didn't expect such a strong contender for worst of the year so soon.

[@ng_canadian]

It could easily go in the bland category as well, since it’s both a ghost train ride, and a Jiminy Cockthroat

[@paulrus-keaton439]

It really is a toss up between the two.

[@holdendefrank757]

Most likely worst. His bland list is usually filled with games whose gameplay, while bland, has a story and writing that is at worst just boring, not bad. His worst games are usually encompassed by games that are not fun to play, have terrible writing, and/or stories that are so abysmal you can't defend it and seem sane. Compare his Last of Us 2 review and Ghost Recon Breakpoint. One he never wanted to play again, while the other was merely drab.

[@xcellentcreations3312]

And here I thought fnaf security breach got it rough with yatzhee last February!

[@jmurray1110]

Did you forget his early security breach was reviewed

[@georgesears934]

Bruce Campbell elevates everything he's in because he manages to have the energy of someone who simultaneously does not give a shit about what he's acting in but is giving it his absolute best anyway. That positive nihilism is refreshing.

[@VicStrange9]

I would agree, but also, it felt like he was actually enjoying it during the entirety of the very short-lived Jack of All Trades show. Sheesh, imagine. Bruce Campbell as Harry Flashman.

[@Y2KNW]

Shame we never got to see Bruce Campbell, Brian Blessed, and Bill Shatner on stage together at the same time. Preferably doing a musical number on par with Spamalot.

[@LoganChristianson]

That's not nihilism, then, that's absurdism.

[@georgesears934]

@@LoganChristianson Cool.

[@viljamtheninja]

@@LoganChristianson Nah, I'd disagree. What annoys me about Camus is the fact that he's too obsessed with the meaninglessness of everything to the point of making the battle against it his life's work by trying to find a positive negation of it in absurdism. He completely lacks the NOT CARING AT ALL of what OP brilliantly describes as Campbell's positive nihilism. Campbell in his acting LIVES what Camus seemingly could mostly conceive of as a philosophical idea spawned by his obsession with life's meaning or lack thereof.

[@reviewman]

2:38 The whole “I want to go back home!” Motivation Only works if there is something worth going back to. Frey has no home; no family; no money; no job; no boy/girlfriend. The only thing that is there is a gang that will kill her if they see her. The cat? She gave that thing away to the Judge. The only reason in game for why she wants to go back is that Athia is full of monsters, but has magic so that should even out.

[@adamloga3788]

Yeah, when your options are homeless, hated, and broke in the modern day or having magic powers in a place that may not have invented toilet paper and occasionally people get attacked by monsters, then absent any major attachments, and sometimes in spite of them, I'd wager that most people would choose to be able to magically parkour around a dragon.

[@Bee_Mavrick]

She had a cat. That's more then enough

[@reviewman]

@@Bee_Mavrick she gave it to the judge

[@MtnNerd]

Reminds me of the first time I watched The Wizard of Oz as a child and couldn't get over Dorothy being an idiot.

[@acomingextinction]

"I know you won't, you f***ing coward." Jesus that was a scathing delivery.

[@meapickle]

It's the simpler things that can be the most offensive. Especially when it's true. The game is a coward, plain and simple

[@dovakiin296]

It'd make more sense if her primary reason for wanting to go back was that this magical world was far worse than where she came from or if she left someone she cared for behind. Otherwise this only comes off as she got exactly what she wanted and shouldn't have any reason to complain.

[@floricel_112]

ah yes, the shield hero dillema: be transported to a fantasy world, turning from an average joe into a r*pist, a criminal, an all around piece of sh-t everyone hates, and all of it because you were falsely accused, framed, incriminated and found guilty in the first place

[@AVoiceForRadio]

She did leave her cat behind

[@staregineer]

@@AVoiceForRadio And it would be much more interesting story if it really shows that the soul reason she wants to go back home is that she scared that nobody will feed her cat but nuh.

[@SoullessOO1]

Well and it is the middle of an ongoing slow apocalypse, so it's also worse.

[@sleepysera]

@@AVoiceForRadio But didn't she leave her cat with the lawyer lady..? So the cat honestly has a better life now than at her place, where she couldn't even afford proper food for it..

[@thedogmaticdirector]

The AAA version of "F you, it's January".

[@lulujones]

ENDLESS TRAAAAASH!!!!

[@iwasakikoji6969]

Gaming has been in "Fuck You, It's Forever" mode for several years now.

[@JohnMBlue1992]

Glad too see RLM Fans are here! idk if but id love to see Yatzee on BoTW!

[@scarletknight1996]

@@JohnMBlue1992 that would never happen. Yahtzee would look at Mike and Jay like oddities, and vice-versa. They wouldnt gel. Yahtzee and Jack barely did.

[@timesnewlogan2032]

@@GCTubaTim KZbin's a bit trigger-happy these days. You can't be too careful.

[@calamaria9221]

I still can't get over the fact that Frey doesn't take the 3 seconds to zip up the bag of money and sling it over her shoulder. Something she can literally do while walking and trying to find her cat.

[@nathanjereb9944]

It would have made more sense if the bag was in the other room or the gang that set her apartment on fire stole it while she was asleep It wouldn't fix everything wrong with the game, but it would make Fey less of a dumbass (not by much, but sertainly better than this crap of a human being)

[@wheatflavoredbread2844]

i don't think common sense was a part of the story board

[@espio87]

So basically the game is what an Isekai designed by committee would be.

[@b3rz3rk3r9]

Very fittingly, it sounds like the most absolutely boring isekai ever made.

[@merrittanimation7721]

It doesn't star a black haired generic boy so it's not quite that bad but everything else is.

[@ShadowMKII]

...Which is what isekais already are, basically. Gj, Square Enix.

[@ludisnemo887]

Actually, it sounds more like what you said, but then implemented by a dev team through maximum malicious compliance.

[@justina2225]

Even the protagonist is the token loser, down on their luck, “don’t know what to do with my life” archetype.

[@theatomiclemon1]

You know, call me a fan of Schadenfreude (please, it would be entirely accurate) but it's nice to hear good old Yahtzee rip something to shreds again because of nice, classical reasons of having terrible design, not because it has microtransations bursting out of its tear ducts.

[@talatos]

you are a fan of schadenfreude!

[@elberethgilthoniel1397]

Just to help anyone who doesn't speak German (that would include me) : "Schaden, which means “harm” or “damage,” and Freude, which means “joy.” By definition, schadenfreude means finding joy in someone else's misfortune."

[@theatomiclemon1]

@@talatos Thanks!

[@theatomiclemon1]

@@elberethgilthoniel1397 Isn't it an adopted English word as well now? Thanks for defining it anyway.

[@elberethgilthoniel1397]

@@theatomiclemon1 Probably. Just like Kindergarten or Gesundeit. It's neat when cultures adopt words from other languages to fill an absence in their own. I just hope we resist the idea this is somehow "cultural appropriation". That path leads to xenophobia and cultural regression. Where would humanity be if everyone on the planet didn't know what Coca Cola is after all? 😋 But, seriously, it would be a shame if Chinese virtuosos couldn't play the piano because it was invented in Italy or Italians were forbidden from enjoying silk sheets because they were invented by the Chinese. We're all one family of semi rational, babbling, bipeds. We should share and enjoy what we all figure out together. Sesame Street closing message done.

[@Foxhood]

Forspoken has one silver-lining. It makes the out of nowhere surprise hit that is Hi-Fi Rush look even better as that one actually understands how comedy works!!

[@laterferaligatr2947]

I been playing HFR on Gamepass. Surprisingly fun combat and funny writing

[@somethingwitty2747]

don't forget pizza tower. that game can be described as completely deranged in the right ways.

[@GretgorPooper]

Yup, the AAA industry still thinks empty quippiness is a suitable substitute for actual personality.

[@xenxander]

that's the entire entertainment industry, today.

[@MARKLAR5]

@@jack-a-lopium Yeah, and that formula was applied to the new Star Wars movies. Still salty about that lol

[@nordicnemo3512]

Brian Blessed booming aloud "IM A SASSY YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN, NOW I WILL CONSUME THIS BABY" had me laughing way more than it should have

[@Rhenor]

Honestly, Yahtzee's wrong on this one. I would play anything voiced by Brian Blessed.

[@TheBrianJ]

The thing about her losing her life savings for "stupid reasons" is not hyperbole. If anything it's understating how bad it is. There's a house fire and her bag that contains her entire wealth is quite literally SITTING AT HER FEET. Less than an inch away from her toes. But you can't pick it up, because if you try then she says "I have to check on my cat first." So you have to walk out of the room and check on your cat, at which point the ceiling collapses and you can't get to the money anymore, and she laments that there was nothing she could do.

[@alex_-yz9to]

this lady has 0 braincells!

[@crapshot321]

Oh wow...what bad writing. Didn't the writers and director realize that she could, you know do both?

[@bustavonnutz]

Should've stacked silver.

[@dragonquest8ftw1]

@@crapshot321 its even more ridiculous because when the fire starts, in the time she takes to say to the player: "gotta find my cat Homer first!" She would exhaust less energy just bending to pick it up.

[@ironviper72]

This is actually realistic writing. This is exactly what cat owners would do and how they would do it because they are dumb!

[@tiresias7231]

Forspoken: Takes hours before sending the protagonist to the other world. Nino Kuni 2: Isekai's president-kun within 30 seconds.

[@SnuSnuDungeon]

With a nuke to the face no less

[@leonkuwata4510]

It literally takes 15 minutes lol. There's plenty of stuff to criticize about this game, and you chose the one thing that isn't true.

[@bigbruno2232]

Feels like hours

[@Bumbleton]

Question for Yahtzee in December: "Will Forspoken be the worst game of 2023?" Yahtzee in December: "That game came out this year?"

[@chrisschirripa5917]

I’m going to take a bet right now. This is going to be his worse game this year.

[@VirradIsHere]

@@chrisschirripa5917Welp…

[@PattheBassist]

The return of pissed and in-top-form Yahtzee! Gotta love it

[@Zayl1016]

I feel like someone getting overly hyped about getting magical powers and being teleported to a magic medieval world would be charming and awesome and endearing if done right, ESPECIALLY with her opening about being homeless. But that sorta needs better build up and MUCH better dialogue.

[@tnecniw]

Hi-fi rush did the "suddenly getting powers" thing so much better.

[@VeritabIlIti]

I mean the entire premise just doesn't fit it. "wow, I'm so hyped about these magic powers! But I can't help you with your dumb problems, I have my dumb problems back home even though I've been dreaming of leaving them behind!" I guess they thought there just wouldn't be anything driving her forward if not a "get home" arc, but it makes no sense with everything else they've set up

[@Evanz111]

Good point! I blame the cuff for most of what ruins that dynamic. It would have been better to have an inner monologue exclusively.

[@VeritabIlIti]

@@nigeltheoutlaw except this is a Japanese company lol, they just tried to appeal to western audiences

[@blockEdragon]

If you want that story and you're cool with kids shows, try The Owl House. It has a similar sense of humor to Gravity Falls, the creator of GF is a voice actor for the show, actually. And the characters are actually good and well written.

[@ianharac5153]

For the record, I would play a game where someone holds up Aslan with a switchblade.

[@mandisaw]

Chronicles of Narnia, set in a modern country under conflict? The not!Pevensie kids could still be siblings, or just kids who are surviving together in the warzone, on the streets, barely. Set it in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Palestine, any of a number of places - or several places, such that the different kids over the 7 books are from different cultures, but linked by their common traumas, and by Narnia.

[@derekquigley5816]

I would read the absolute hell out of that.

[@sir.mannington]

It’s nice to hear Yahtz tear into a game that seems to really deserve it.

[@chillgoblin9103]

That thing deserved so much worse!

[@IceAge70]

Square Enix pulling a Mindjack right at the start of the year.

[@sunlitsonata6853]

It’s like a blood pact; for all the quality stuff they put out, they need at least one game that’s a disaster either commercially or critically. It’s been going for several years now: 2018 The Quiet Man 2019 Left Alive 2020 Marvel’s Avengers 2021 Balan Wonderworld 2022 Babylon’s Fall 2023 Forspoken (so far)

[@5Chaor]

The game is functional and just boring. It's not a complete mess

[@CrystalWings12]

@@5Chaor If only the writing team didn't mess up the entire story...

[@CrystalWings12]

@@sunlitsonata6853 And they killed two games so far as a result of those disastrous results. Despite all of that and everyone's protest, they're still going with their blockchain plan. *_HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO TEACH YOU THIS LESSON, SQUEENIX._*

[@garibaldibritann1240]

@@sunlitsonata6853 "Well, Square Enix trying not to mess with theri original IP's like Disney challenge (impossible)"

[@AcousticProfit]

The mis-aligned spotless grey brick wall textures at 3:29 was perfect.

[@Cpl.Clawhammer]

I imagined the line “I’M A SASSY YOUNG AMERICAN WOMAN NOW I SHALL CONSUME THIS BABY” in Brian Blessed’s voice and cracked up, then I imagined it in Bruce Campbell’s voice and cracked up all over again. I then imagined it in Yahtzee’s voice and had a sensible chuckle.

[@amezzeray2]

Bruce Campbell and worcestershire sauce... the best laugh I've had today

[@randallporter1404]

And that's how you say Worcestershire.

[@Walamonga1313]

He mispronounced it too

[@6Qubed]

Bruce Campbell's fun to watch because I watched all three Evil Dead movies and played one of the tie-in games and I still can't tell you if Ash Williams is actually competent at fighting zombie demons or just really dumb and lucky, and it takes a really skilled actor to sow such confusion

[@meapickle]

That's why the quips work for him. Because he's an idiot who's out of his depth and has no idea what he's doing. So it only makes sense that he screws up and gets his ass kicked. And because of all that, it makes it all the more endearing when he succeeds

[@MARKLAR5]

Agree 100% lmao, though in the TV show he seems legitimately skilled at it most of the time. He still bumbles into anything he would have needed a brain to figure out but that's why he's hilarious lmao

[@DMBLaan]

I like this review of Forspoken the best because it tells me about the actual game, and not hyper focus on the dialog and setting that any anime fan could tell you about in their sleep.

[@Evanz111]

Yeah, so many reviews on this game were clearly catering to the outraged audience who saw all the memed clips. It’s refreshing to see the actual game addressed.

[@MightyManotaur22]

I didn't get the teardown that I wanted for High on Life, but I'm glad that Forspoken stepped up to take the beating

[@mattw99280]

My takeaway is that Army of Darkness is an isekai

[@peterdisabella2156]

And apparently Narnia is the first Issekai

[@FanOfMostEverything]

@@peterdisabella2156 Counterpoint: _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court._

[@healsallwounds]

Kinda?

[@b3rz3rk3r9]

@@FanOfMostEverything Counter-Counterpoint: Dante's Divine Comedy.

[@FanOfMostEverything]

@@b3rz3rk3r9 Ah, touché.

[@LinktheSamoyed]

This is actually the first review I have seen on Forspoken that actually talked about the game... and it was from Yahtzee

[@KeithFraser82]

What did the other reviews talk about?

[@LinktheSamoyed]

@Keith Fraser They just says its terrible and thats it, no details, and then videos like Dunkey just talked about Spiderman 2, instead. Oh just now Angry Joe did a proper review too...

[@lowhp_comic]

Love how none of this game would have taken place if she has the single Braincell to pick up the large bag of money right next to her feet instead of leaving it in the flaming room

[@legomaniac213]

And its so easy to fix too. Just have her grab both, but as she's making her escape the floor collapses under her and she drops them. Then have her have to make a split second decision to grab one or the other before something else falls on them and she snags her cat and leaves the money to burn. Then when they're both outside, have her look sad and frustrated that she left her money, until her cat licks her face. That acts calms her down and she tells her cat; "I think I made the right choice."

[@meapickle]

​@Legomaniac91 no that doesn't work, it sounds almost believable and that would go against the committee's vision

[@Sorain1]

If ordered at gunpoint to make that plot point work, I would point out to the gunman that the money means nothing in the fantasy land and the main character is a thief. Let her take the money and still grab cuff, then the money doesn't matter in fantasy land. Have the dragon burn it if you really must, that'll make your PC mad at it.

[@15oClock]

This sounds like something that would naturally appear on the blandest list this year, but Yahtzee's so passionate about it, it might end up on the worst.

[@SeanGomesPortfolio]

Seems like it would be a low contender on either list: Too bland to be top Bad, to bad to be top Bland.

[@CBRN-115]

@@SeanGomesPortfolio damn, that deserves its own category. Yhe worst of both worlds

[@williamgreci8219]

Possible. But then again, his personal frustration over "Return to Monkey Island" lacking puzzle depth and ending in a way that seemed to insult anyone invested in the characters and story wasn't enough to get it on either list for the 2022 video.

[@TheBlackSeraph]

@@CBRN-115 Definitely. The same studio that spent 8 years creating the mess that was Final Fantasy 15 spent 5or 6 years on this game making more or less the same poor design choices (that I can tell), and ended up getting shut down not long after this game's release.

[@chrisdaughen5257]

The demo did not sell me on the magic system. You can only cast one set of spells at a time and they’re very contextual (earth is long range, fire is melee, etc). I got tired of constantly switching.

[@karthikkumar6861]

I think Hogwarts legacy does it better or at least makes it work. I have finished Forspoken cos I spent money on it and I am playing through HL right now. Enjoying it way more than Forspoken. I still like the "idea" of forspoken combat but it probably required many iterations to be good.

[@chrisdaughen5257]

@@karthikkumar6861 I had the same thoughts. Having spell sets makes things a lot more accessible without breaking the flow of fights with slowdowns. And the lack of parkour makes it easier to get your bearings in a fight.

[@Bekayvd]

I haven't heard Yahtzee so eloquent in a while, truly a masterpiece of messy game

[@Dyneamaeus]

Saw the Spotify advert again, and suddenly I realized that Yahtzee has something like a national arsenal of self-referential humor in his back pocket. Years worth of highly memorable quips he could just whip out at will, and yet doesn't. That's some restraint right there.

[@risingdawn5259]

The most hilarious part is you have Forspoken at £70 rrp that's utter trash, and then Hi-Fi Rush that came out at a 1/3rd of the price and was absolute gold.

[@sambauman69]

He commented on that in his review of Hi-Fi Rush. Developers always knew what a good game actually is, but publishers refused to let them make good games for so long, as crappy grindy live services were projected to make very slightly more money.

[@TheAssirra]

It's 80 fucking euro's for the cheapest version on Steam. Disgusting

[@blackbirdfrost]

Interviewer: "So, Squeenix, tell us about what happened with Forspoken." Squeenix: "Forspoken failed to meet our sales expectations." Interviewer: "Yes, we know, but why do you think that is?" Squeenix: "It's not our fault. It was because of our child studio." Interviewer: "Um...yes, but, you sold all of them off, so..." [Squeenix used smoke bomb] [Squeenix escapes] [Dropped 30 million gil]

[@matthewmuir8884]

Knowing Square Enix, they probably forbade all their staff from saying "Forspoken", just like how they forbade everyone in the company from mentioning "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" after the game's nightmarish development and ultimately disappointing release as Final Fantasy XV.

[@SakuraAvalon]

@@matthewmuir8884 Fitting, that both games are the only games made on the Lumenous engine.

[@matthewmuir8884]

@@SakuraAvalon Indeed. They were also both made using the same dev team. To be honest, when I first learned about Forspoken, I was surprised that that dev team was willing to make a game that would be published by Square Enix; they left Square Enix after being forced to make FFXV DLC and becoming disillusioned with the company, and I was especially surprised that they were using the luminous engine for it.

[@SakuraAvalon]

@@matthewmuir8884 Perhaps monetary issues came up, and they needed Square to help fund their idea?

[@matthewmuir8884]

@@SakuraAvalon Perhaps. Maybe Square Enix's desperation gave them more leverage at the negotiating table. I don't know. I just find it surprising. Hopefully, we'll learn more about what happened with Forspoken's development. With FF15, enough research shows that the fault clearly lies with Square Enix and goes all the way back to when the game was Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Hopefully, we will learn how much of this game was luminous and how much of it was square enix. Incidentally, luminous wasn't the only dev team that became fed up with square enix as a result of FF15's development; the original dev team, led by Nomura, was forced through seven years of pre-production as a result of the engine that Square Enix was forcing them to use, as well as the team repeatedly getting siphoned off to work on other projects. After the game was rebranded as FF15, Nomura was forced off the project to focus on KH3 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and this pretty much destroyed him, since he wanted Versus XIII to be his magnum opus. However, Nomura can't leave Square Enix because all the IPs he loves working on; namely Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, are owned by Square Enix. If you saw any similarities between "Verum Rex" and early footage of Versus XIII/FF15, that was not a coincidence; Nomura has pretty much resolved to bring the original Versus XIII to life in one form or another, especially if it's in a way that points a big middle finger at Square Enix at the same time.

[@diptyapinakaherringcandrad2930]

Genuinely surprised that Yahtzee didnt make a Foreskin joke

[@bandicootsauce4569]

Yeah, I was waiting for that. It's literally the first thing that comes to mind for me every time the title of this game is brought to my attention.

[@legateelizabeth]

I appreciate that Brian Blessed ‘speaks’ in bold all caps with a larger font. Because of course he does.

[@Brian-tn4cd]

Only time ive heard him proper was The Brigadier from Cod BO4 and he does always talk extra boisterous and loud all the time, its great

[@danielhenington9476]

Its funny, as I played the demo I thought to myself that this is the most Anti-Yahtzee game ever.

[@cha0sniper]

Yeah, I actually enjoyed it for what it is (as someone who adores shitty isekai anime xD), but I just *knew* that Yahtzee would absolutely despise it lol

[@nvfury13]

2:29 Holy crap, the Ultima 5 cloth map…still have that. Very appropriate to use with this as well, since the game series all (at least to that point) has the player character transported from the regular world to the magic world. Btw: There is an Easter egg island where the compass rose is on the map.

[@bangormc3rd562]

If Brian Blessed were transported to a fantasy world, he'd immediately be made king. Frankly, I'm surprised he's not a king in THIS world.

[@luketfer]

Considering he's one of the few people to actually fucking deck a Polar bear right in the face and still be alive to talk about...I too am surprised (yes really, it was even confirmed by the other people on the Expedition, the bear tore into the tent and surprised Brian who seems to only have 'fight' on the 'fight or flight' response and he panicked and just punched it as hard as he could square in the muzzle...which confused the Polar bear and caused it to back off).

[@Things_n_Stuff]

Army of Darkness also worked because of the hard left turn from R-rated physical & psychological terror, to lighthearted comical fantasy… not where I would’ve expected a horror character to go

[@cman8995]

0:38 I like how Yahtzee doesn't know the oversatureted genre called "Isekai"

[@tedneweb]

He knew it in his Pokemon Legends: Arceus review

[@nicklager1666]

The yahtzee dictionary has a new entry hangr-ennui. The yahtzee following can soon speak a secret language with eachother that only they know the meaning of.

[@MarkusNapp]

Ouch, Yahtzee really isn't one to hold back but this one was just brutal. I like it.

[@longdongsilver3267]

Never thought I'd hear director Ken Loach's name in a video game review.

[@HazardGoat]

I'm only here for the Ken Loach jokes.

[@evlofenn]

@@HazardGoat Can't wait for LoachSofts "Up the Junction- the game"

[@bloonface]

@@evlofenn "This is the first Kes-type game"

[@GallowglassVT]

I'd love a kitchen-sink drams game tbh.

[@euanduthie2333]

I'm strangely on board for the concept of Socialist-realist Isekai, though. Perhaps in "Asland and Freedom" you're supposed to stage a revolt against both the white witch (who is somehow now Margaret Thatcher) and creepy jesus metaphor lion.

[@BarkingCur]

Bruce Campbell and Brian Blessed in the same movie? Impossible! The projector would have melted from all the awesome.

[@mandisaw]

LOL But at least we got Brian Blessed in an isekai - Flash Gordon

[@knowledgeistheremedy5400]

Sometimes I come for the nuance and conversations about video games as art... And sometimes I come for the blood bath 😂... You did not disappoint.

[@andrewlawrence6176]

I don't know what kind of portmanteau I was expecting, but 37 seconds was apparently not enough time for me to mentally prepare for "HANGR-ENNUI" 😂 keep 'em coming!

[@Secret72062]

I don’t play a lot of the games Yahtzee does. But when I do, he generally nails it on the head. Our old man is probably the best gaming barometer out there. He’ll list things that he enjoys and can’t stand. That’ll generally give you a good idea what to expect. Absolute legend

[@LadyHestia101]

Please lower the volume of the intro and outro or increase the Yahtzee's volume I always have to turn it up to hear the review but then I get blasted by the outro

[@estefencosta1835]

It warms my nearly dead heart to see Yahtzee still bringing it. Lord knows we need someone to call this shit out.

[@thetopcats.9154]

This whole thing just makes me think there should be more video games where you play as Bruce Campbell.

[@GallowglassVT]

Still feels weird that Amy Hennig, who wrote the vast majority of the story and dialogue in the Legacy of Kain series, was involved in this. I know it was only the initial concept, but I can't see it turning out as mid as it did with her bringing her full skill as a writer to bear.

[@Ashurman666]

Really? The one who wrote one of the best(IMO) gothic vampire stories and worlds in videogame history shat out this turd?

[@GallowglassVT]

@Ashuraman she just came up with the original concept. The actual writing was done by three others (two dudes and a girl).

[@AttentionDeficitGuy]

In fairness, I do think this game is *conceptually* good - a classic hero's journey portal fantasy about an asshole from the real world going to a fantasy world and learning that with badass magical powers comes great responsibility sounds like a lot of fun, if not particularly original Unfortunately, the devil is in the annoying, unlikable details

[@GallowglassVT]

@AttentionDeficitGuy exactly. It's a fairly simple premise that has the potential to be genuinely great, but they decided to turn it into a generic bore with a protagonist that apes the worst of Whedonesque dialogue. Like, Yahtzee has said it already, but I wish that latter aspect would die already.

[@applesmith9137]

Omg the Spotify compilation is exactly what I wanted for a sleep aid. Thanks!

[@Agent789_0]

It's weird how this game feels both designed by committee and designed to appeal to as few people as humanly possible.

[@armelior4610]

Now I want to see a version of Blackadder where Bruce Campbell is Brian Blessed's other son (and brother of the titular character)

[@davidgreen9911]

Yahtzee usually goes easy on universally hated game. Him tearing this one apart means it must be devoid of redeemable qualities

[@xxTICxxTOCxx]

Worst trend for me is the one where in a few years we'll see a plethora of videos talking about how 'Forespoken isn't as bad as we thought it was !'

[@cdm966]

"An original IP from the studio that brought you Final Fantasy XV" was always a funny concept to me, because truth be told if FF15 was not part of a series I like I would not have bought it. It was really nice of them to develop this game as a new IP so I knew I could safely skip it.

[@matthewmuir8884]

To be fair to that studio (Luminous), when it came to Final Fantasy XV, they were abruptly assigned to a game that already had seven years of horrific development under a different name (the original name was Final Fantasy Versus XIII) and they were told to change basically everything about the game and finish it within two years using the Luminous Engine which, at the time, hadn't even been finished yet. When they were then forced to make DLC for the game, the luminous team were completely disillusioned with Square Enix and left. That said, the only other FF game I can find that luminous also made was Type-0. I've never played Type-0 and I know very little about it, and I've heard different statements about the game's quality.

[@Jagunco]

After well over a decade and I still get a chuckle out of these

[@ystacalden]

Hearing that the transversal was the only decent-ish thing - something I didnt find sufficiently engaging in the demo, confirms that despite whatever changes they made because of reactions to the demo arent worth looking for for me.

[@karthikkumar6861]

The combat and the parkour belong in a different game. Squenix should use that in something else.

[@Corusame]

Saddest thing is this is the direction a lot of AAA games are going today. As long as the suits see certain boxes are getting ticked they couldn't care less about whether the game is actually fun and well made.

[@thePalindromeLady]

I'm so glad they released a demo. I was this close to buying it. Then I tried the demo and NOPE I COULD NOT.

[@awordabout...3061]

I think the visual gag with the oversized chihuahua is one of the best Mr.Crowshaw has done, and that's a long record of excellence to top.

[@Penrose517]

Anyone know why Yahtzee is still with The Escapist? He coulda gotten rich off his very own platform but he's still chosen to carry the entire Escapist brand on his own, feels like the other people are leeching off his success at this point

[@BunkerFox]

I believe it's down to two things. Loyalty, they were there helping him at the start so he'll stay and help them now. The other thing is probably just why bother switching? He seems to enjoy sticking with them and changing things would just be a bother

[@glossblack2045]

Its fun to imagine him doing wild flailing arm motions while hes recording these just like the animation

[@VulpisLazuli]

After playing the demo, I'm not really surprised by any of this. Also, thank you for "hangr-ennui" Yahtzee. It perfectly encapsulates how I've been feeling for the past several years.

[@alwayswrite2011]

4:04 - THANK YOU! I played the demo and my immediate complaint was every opponent blending into the scenery. "Don't worry. We'll help you see them with a marker." You mean that microscopic triangle over them? Next you'll try to tell me that I can find a singular drop of water in the Atlantic Ocean. 😡

[@Tyler-gg6xt]

Wow... I heard this one was going to be bad, but holy shit 😳

[@drustan17]

Was looking forward to this ZP because I was hoping to find the answer of: "Why is this prized at 80€?" Needless to say, I'm more confused now.

[@Okada_Caelun]

I'm suprised the basic "Isekai" narrative structure of person from our world goes to fantasy land didn't set off Yahtzee's anime-alarm bells. I suppose that's the result of Persona 5 worming it's way through his brain.

[@Sorain1]

Well the is both Narnia and Alice in Wonderland to prove that's not an anime native structure, I think that keeps him grounded.

[@CyrusBluebird]

Brian Blessed as the narrator going full ham, there, that's the idea.

[@xyzero1682]

"I just fucking killed my fucking development studio! With my fucking game!!!"

[@justcommenting4981]

Jesus. He's really turning phrases on the torture rack for this one. I audibly shouted "NOOoooo" twice.

[@TheGmodkilla]

Now I'm thinking about a game where you actually jump between two modestly sized open worlds using the neat bits from one to augment the other. Go to New York, sell off some golden coins you found to a collector, buy a pistol and return to narnia to gun down some fantasy looking guy to steal his boots that then let you traverse more of New York faster.

[@TheRoguePenguin]

When you realize Yahtzee can pronounce Worcestershire sauce: "Mother of God, the legends were true....."

[@scaper12123]

Let’s all now take a moment to consider the fact that the dev studio behind this has already been shut down. And then let’s laugh, because it’s better than banging our head against a wall.

[@Denizu]

That's a tough one. If Brian Blessed had been in Army of Darkness I genuinely don't know if it would have been better or not. Campbell just sells it so perfectly. It would have been a rather different movie for sure.

[@friendlyspacedragon7250]

I see Forspoken has taken up on the isekai fad down to the point where the writers are picked from one of those "my first novel" sites regurgitating the same cliches over and over just like 99% of actual isekai.

[@dorongrossman-naples9207]

"Hangrennui" is a work of genius.

[@jordanj809]

I was really hoping Yatzhee would call the game a pussy at 4:37 but coward works too

[@hahaha10001]

I don't think I heard Foreskin in this review?

[@JDLaney-zk4wb]

Spoilers for the newest ZP, but I’m so glad that Yahtzee loved Hi-Fi Rush. That game deserves all the love it’s gotten since it came out, and it might be the best day 1 Game Pass game ever.

[@Medusa_plays]

"There needs to be a word that means bored and angry, and hungry. Because that's what ___ brings out in me. Hangr-ennui perhaps." Is the single best thing I've ever heard anyone say and sums up my life perfectly lol.

[@ultgamercw6759]

Having seen some of the writing and problems this game this is gonna be a good one.

[@nolanwolf1828]

Not gonna lie, that bit with the heavy marijuana user in safeway almost made me choke on my drink. Big props

[@tairyu2574]

How can someone mess up an isekai after a few decades of them? They didn’t even give a harem.

[@karthikkumar6861]

I honestly can't tell if it would have made it worse or better and that's saying something.

[@meapickle]

Would've been a reverse harem and the committee thinking would likely decide that wouldn't appeal to the male demographic. You can probably find holes and contradictions in that, but that's more my point about the decision making

[@hitotsudaketsukinoko]

Oh, so it has at least one thing going for it, then. Wow. I'm shocked.

[@JohnDoe-vm5rb]

O god, a main character voices by Brian blessed. That would be amazing.

[@Lucios1995]

Ivan in Evil Genius 2?

[@qwicy]

Army of Darkness has a lot of potential as a game.

[@Flood520]

It's always interesting when a clear contender for Worst Game of the Year comes out so early in the calendar. It really keep you on edge waiting to see if anyone else can sink to even lower depths. Also I can remember a time in my life when I was actually excited for a new Square game. It was the SNES through PS2 eras. Nowadays, I mainly greet their efforts with contempt.

[@gloweye]

The moment the lion got out of the wardrobe, I knew what was going to happen in the last frame of the end credits.

[@MaztRPwn]

I totally called that this would end up on your Blandest or Worst of the year lost really fast.

[@Violaphobia]

Yahtzee, a word you shout when an unlikely combination of factors align, for ex: a game Yahtzee likes :P

[@alexwesson8703]

I love the reference to a long since defunct UK supermarket chain.

[@haikuheroism6495]

I could just tell from the one trailer I saw that it was going to be like this.

[@JittottiJ]

Glad to know I'm not the only one to want a fantasy story directed by Ken Loach

[@ExplodingPiggy]

"Gimme Turkish Delight Bruv" 😂😂😂

[@muffinpoots]

as a resident of colorado that lives near a safeway i must say my wig has been snatched.

[@emilybarclay8831]

Did you ever get it back?