0:00

If I could put in a formal

0:02

request? Yep! Can. The next. Game.

0:05

That. We cover on the best

0:07

these. Be. Something.

0:10

You. Know like punch punch gun

0:12

to ninety nine Like some gonna

0:14

think of Strong Guy A strong

0:17

guy Killed killed guy strong I

0:19

kill guy fifteen and just like.

0:22

Be. Able A kind of just. I've been

0:24

doing so many fucking puzzles over the last

0:26

three leagues. Yeah, I feel like I'm in

0:28

school again. I feel like I'm doing my

0:31

A C D S A T prep and

0:33

I'm I'm burning out Live with my parents

0:35

are Jack Thompson are like video games are

0:37

dumb. I. Wanna our white? They're

0:39

actually not that you actually to be

0:41

super smart but video games even were

0:44

like yeah they're so hard I feel

0:46

really really not dub I'm taking notes

0:48

on paying attention of yeah reading for.

0:50

Paragraph. If they could

0:52

do school like this. Yeah

0:54

guys. Would have Every puzzle was actually

0:56

like. An answer on your math.

0:58

Quiz you know me like what

1:00

of learning was fun Mental. What?

1:03

If they came up with like a storyline were two

1:05

trains were driving at each other. Yeah.

1:07

And three days later,

1:09

They. Arrive in Dubuque but you the

1:11

upgrade the trains. Also if you find

1:13

like power course you know me and

1:15

like that would be a Sag rocket

1:18

launchers they should do that. I mean

1:20

in English class you're reading Pride and

1:22

Prejudice and you're falling asleep fucking dying

1:24

of being so bored. But. If you

1:26

could but like if the guys in Pride

1:28

and prejudice could find power course to get

1:31

stronger and are they would have like different

1:33

abilities and shit like i don't think there's

1:35

anything wrong with this idea thing it's actually

1:37

really good. you can unlock like different punctuation.

1:40

Yeah, I get as things up, renovate characters

1:42

have powers, but if I guess it could

1:44

just change the sort of syntaxes. Ah,

1:48

I don't think Russia be charged

1:51

of fail or us. Griffin and

1:53

I have written Fun School. Learning

1:56

Education in a day with an

1:58

unlimited yeah, So you're gonna have

2:01

got ways with you and it is in such

2:03

a dirty together. Thank you so much we can.

2:05

I get it. it makes us were reinvest in

2:07

the money we made on Punched and Ninety Nine

2:09

into what we're calling Cool School. And

2:12

was the bucks can make a purchase his father or

2:14

ascertained to able to complete. A friend of. Mine

2:38

was just a backer at either the best. Gave

2:40

it a week. My name is for from Atlanta

2:42

the best game of the week. My name is

2:44

Ross Russia that foster oh my god I know

2:46

the best of a week that's rest for a

2:49

sticky little of I'm I'm I'm okay I'm a

2:51

little fact that the moment but we're we're doing

2:53

okay. Just. Sick or us a other

2:55

maladies un says. I also thought I

2:57

broke my toe last night. ah but apparently

3:00

I didn't and and it's as bruised and

3:02

hurting all I didn't realize one that you

3:04

didn't break break your tailgated I was I.

3:06

It's wherever you would tell you broke your

3:08

doubts as a not circle back around for

3:11

the same full admitted that it was all

3:13

false flag operation. I thought I updated you

3:15

guys on the tell you there's this morning

3:17

but I spent a whole night playing pretty.

3:19

My family. says. And with disorderly

3:22

channeling that power towards his you also

3:24

sent us a picture of your toes

3:26

which sadly rust I do think I'd

3:28

seen both. Yeah, I had to. added

3:30

to the directories raised on my phone.

3:33

On what game are we doing? Old

3:36

Griffin This week we're going to be

3:38

talking about Lorelei and the laser eyes.

3:40

A new entry from. Ah,

3:43

I would say primarily so mobile developer is

3:45

that is that fair I to the think

3:47

of them as a mobile first developer smoke

3:49

think they're starting to branch out and doing

3:52

more non mobile he stuff and a little

3:54

So what is Laura Line Laser eyes Griffin.

3:56

I'll. Or line a Laser

3:58

Eyes is a plus Adventure

4:01

game set in a big

4:03

hotel where different sort of

4:05

timelines seem to have smashed

4:07

into each other and is

4:10

very atmospheric and cool. And

4:12

it's got. Like. A billion

4:14

fuckin puzzles and wow that's a lot

4:16

of organ. Talk about all of them

4:18

and give you the solutions Wrath of

4:20

this This this is orange Ace of

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Certs merits, but. This

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hardly for sponsoring. This episode. I

5:40

genuinely I do want to table set

5:42

this by saying. I. Did.

5:45

I did find myself wishing. I.

5:48

Had had a little bit more space

5:50

between animal well in this game we

5:52

are not as games fall but all

5:54

obviously am I a string single detail

5:57

That particular muscle? yeah that is like

5:59

right now not. It is weak and

6:01

feeble. an exhaustive whatever puzzled delay and.

6:04

That this of I made think it's

6:06

how the brain I'd say I didn't think

6:08

it's a puzzle gland right? as it's not.

6:11

It's not that I have to do a

6:13

bunch of puzzles assignment for a sees.

6:15

it's the. At there Are

6:17

there are There is a greater logic

6:19

to this world to this puzzle world

6:21

and all of these connections that ah

6:23

because of this connections it requires a

6:25

certain amount of effort seer in the

6:28

like meat space I feel like to

6:30

to begin to to Zola way there

6:32

and there is also a little bit

6:34

of like a ah you what as

6:36

well as games where you walk as

6:38

and nothing makes sense and you're really

6:40

not given any thanks and you're kind

6:42

of when i what's going on around

6:44

here and than than the the. Games

6:47

he's we sang. Are now.

6:49

It's a really big mystery as and they

6:51

have to figure it all and that exists

6:53

Anything am coming from an oil I could

6:55

you. Can. You just tell me. Where.

6:58

Is it? Just tell me what to do. I

7:00

do actually want to do that. Last, I don't want

7:02

to do that. I. I do

7:04

say it is obvious a much different games

7:06

is that table settings that was go hero

7:08

I always I ah I have not actually

7:10

done too deeply into some other game so

7:12

maybe you guys can sort of like explain

7:14

how it is a like or are different

7:16

to the the rest of their well i'm

7:18

in his it's they've they've made their I

7:21

mean they're gay and I do I six

7:23

right that we write on seem as bad

7:25

as White Blouse. I mean I think we're

7:27

it. For. That on

7:29

a time be like twisted likes images. Been

7:31

been out for low but I think their

7:33

most recent with sign or a wild hearts

7:36

were just like as different as he possibly

7:38

get my from his ass or content very

7:40

cold. much more action. This is like closer

7:42

I would say to some of their early

7:44

more like sailor Stream or. Year

7:47

Walk is secretly made One of

7:49

the best puzzle games ever called

7:51

split. Arm. Which if you

7:53

haven't played it, it's the most simple.

7:56

As. One that I'll return to after like a

7:58

year of not touching it. It's. Get it

8:00

if it's capital S P L. Hyphen

8:03

T and I know that has been on

8:05

my phone for how many years. But

8:08

their games are almost divine, defined

8:10

by the variety you know, animated

8:12

like as there's not a ton

8:14

of karma Now they other than

8:16

ah really every game feels very

8:18

unique. know device Six, for example

8:20

as a game as primarily played

8:22

through like. Interactive. Text

8:24

it's amazing by wave Yemen play they've

8:26

noticed thought what tenure only one of

8:29

yeah the I'm not confident you could

8:31

find it like other app absorbed by

8:33

the nature of ah but this is

8:35

a ah This looks like if you're

8:37

looking at it you would think it

8:40

is ah. It's like deadly premonition. Resident.

8:43

Evil. It's like Feals com like that

8:45

were like with angles that are almost

8:47

a little bit more akin to like

8:49

I'm. Like

8:51

early Silent Hill stuff, the air without

8:53

the depths of sex I get needed

8:55

to be a lot more stark and

8:57

like really dramatic, like low pits, angles

8:59

and stuff like that of kind of

9:01

askew and and surreal. And

9:04

in black and white like we as with

9:06

with some you know pops color but epic

9:08

occasional car. I would also say from a

9:10

gameplay same point is basically like good missed.

9:12

Is. The Best Interests. And yeah, that sucks.

9:14

I like that that comparison a lot.

9:16

Not obvious he's not a first person

9:18

ah of a first person experience, but

9:21

the nature of the puzzles is ah.

9:23

As I said, there's a lot of

9:25

like. Symbols and ah

9:27

and and numbers and rules set things that

9:29

ah feel much like miss. You walk and

9:31

you have no fucking clue what's going on.

9:33

but then find a thread you start to

9:35

pull out your at. Oh so that's how

9:37

that's how that kind of puzzle works. Are

9:40

all these have the puzzles refer back to

9:42

this thing that I found a while ago.

9:44

Now I know that. go back to them

9:46

and take another swing at those and then

9:48

it. Just get. On keeps

9:50

on unfurling but the my nag on

9:52

messed with that I thought. I

9:54

think miss does not age well. I can

9:56

be tried to pronounce today because that puzzles

9:59

are so okay. And so

10:01

vague about how everything connects. Where is?

10:03

This is pretty opaque. I mean, don't

10:05

get me wrong, I mean Cf by

10:08

it does I see it felt. Like.

10:11

There were instances where I like immediately knew

10:13

what I had to do it. whereas when

10:15

you walk into a room in miss it's

10:17

like years three blue and green marbles. So

10:19

that is actually a gripe that I i

10:21

have a little bit with this game. We

10:23

some of the puzzles are. So.

10:26

Suddenly obvious that the i'm like yeah

10:28

like that like is that the kind

10:30

of thing that you're expecting me to

10:32

do. You find a lot of letters

10:34

with ah like numbers underlined with Arnold

10:36

say like a hundred years later he

10:38

and and I'll have a year underlying

10:40

as I just to add a hundred

10:42

have Outlander A and that it like

10:45

it and it's weird because I don't

10:47

know. It's like when you're when you're

10:49

solving puzzles and games, it's like this

10:51

abstract. There has to be a level

10:53

of like if if you're not going

10:55

tell. Me the mechanics easily so lead

10:57

Let me know what you're expecting of

10:59

me. Like the expectations of that right

11:01

next? Door you think that's what

11:03

they're doing by giving you those early apple's

11:05

that are like very stupid, like incredibly obvious,

11:07

like kind of teachers he the language of

11:10

what to look out for. Yeah.

11:12

I guess in terms of like a

11:14

basic fundamental building blocks of it I

11:16

i but like ah ah I would

11:18

say that. The. Prom with that is

11:20

it took a while before I even

11:22

ran into one of those like really

11:25

obvious puzzles so like a lot of

11:27

my initial like exploration it's a lot

11:29

of like modern already. The says okay

11:31

next room yeah that's her I I

11:34

I do think ah I do think

11:36

this game has a case will sort

11:38

of pick ups and in terms of

11:41

momentum but when the momentum is working

11:43

and you have just found some new

11:45

rosetta stone. That. you are all

11:47

the sun the pieces click and places like

11:49

oh shit actually oh god i gotta go

11:52

back and find all those you know posters

11:54

now sit yeah okay and and you start

11:56

just blasting through it and a whole new

11:58

floodgate opens up it's it's genuinely very

12:01

very very compelling. I found

12:04

myself playing it late into the night because I

12:06

would have some discovery at 11 o'clock and be

12:08

like oh well shit I got through with all

12:10

this. Yeah, and and unlike well, I'm not gonna

12:12

keep talking about it. I will say it does

12:14

a really good job also of

12:16

like making the world that you're in

12:19

dynamic by which I mean that like

12:22

different events happen, rooms change, like things are

12:24

different. So like even a standard like well

12:26

oh god now I have to run all

12:28

the way back to this room because I

12:30

have to do this thing. You don't actually

12:32

know if you're gonna make it to that

12:34

room. Something else might happen, something might change.

12:38

There is a really when you are locked

12:41

in with this game, it

12:43

feels kind of magical because there is so

12:45

little to

12:48

hang on to that when you really do

12:50

grasp something it feels like it

12:54

makes you feel very very smart. I mean

12:56

you feel really clever. There's also like such

12:58

a mix of like

13:02

I don't know vibes and historical

13:05

time periods like you're in this hotel

13:07

that looks like it's from you know, maybe like the

13:11

1920s and it's filled with relics

13:13

from the 1800s but also

13:16

computers and video games and shit like there

13:18

is no shit will happen. You will meet

13:20

characters of this game and be like well,

13:22

I that's crazy. I didn't know that that

13:24

guy was gonna be here. That's a that's

13:26

a wild wild twist for this thing to

13:28

take. Yeah,

13:30

I also like the there's

13:32

an there's a phone in the game. It's not always bother but

13:34

there's a phone in the game and at

13:37

one point you get a phone number that you can call and someone

13:39

will pick up and like a scene will play out and then

13:42

you realize like oh all the numbers that

13:44

I keep getting seem to keep working on

13:47

the phone. So suddenly I'm calling

13:49

someone completely different because I found this random

13:51

set of numbers in a totally different spot

13:53

and then that unlocks like a whole string of

13:55

other things. Yeah,

13:58

it I Find it. Really

14:00

really? When it? when it's doing that thing where

14:03

you're in the flow and like you're making a

14:05

ton of progress and it feels great. I'm like

14:07

so into it. And. Then I'll hit walls

14:09

and I'll be like I have no idea where

14:11

to go and I don't know what to do

14:13

and get around. This world is not a blast.

14:15

Now that is one thing I will call back

14:17

animal well and say like even when you're stumped

14:19

an animal on you have no idea what to

14:21

do. Just. Running through that world

14:23

is pretty fun. My yeah have saw

14:25

game I you might feel differently had spotlight

14:28

in I bought a to it is

14:30

fun more times then how would I lie?

14:32

The thirtieth time of the zero to

14:34

eat out by like get our i know

14:36

what you're somewhere them stops being fun to

14:38

walk from Ruth closer though has a lot

14:41

takes a lot less time to get around.

14:43

It was as I mean yeah running back

14:45

right my bigger is at. There's a

14:47

lot about us as harbor and will that

14:50

I guess it's an island. Ah I

14:52

I find a bewildering. Like. Amount

14:54

of stuff about this game to be like

14:56

so weirdly player hostile. Yes in a way

14:58

where it's just like I don't like as

15:00

a game critic be like bullies should have

15:02

done it this way they should to. Next

15:04

is it is limitations and artistic vision but

15:06

I could not escape this feeling of like.

15:09

There's. A way better game.

15:11

In. Here that is accessible.

15:14

Through. Just. Get. You in the same

15:16

you can move around and then you have button.

15:19

Just one button the by when opens

15:21

up your menu you can go into

15:23

options and the menu with buttons ah

15:25

there is no back button, there's no

15:27

like map button when you go and

15:29

your menu you have a few different

15:31

easy going to check your inventory, you

15:33

can play with a little gameboy or

15:35

which is great and then you have

15:37

photographic memory. Every clue you find, every

15:40

like pertinent thing that you find it's

15:42

going to be useful to you at

15:44

some point gets added to this huge

15:46

index ah that you could refer back

15:48

to whenever you want. Ah so to

15:50

do that. i you'd press menu buttons

15:52

go down a photographic memory go down the

15:54

sub had a you want to go to

15:56

the i might press press it to go

15:58

and there's no back button There's just

16:00

button and so you have to then close it go back

16:02

up to X Go to the other side go back up

16:05

to X and then go back up to X to close it when you do that

16:07

for the 500 sounds

16:09

like a nitpick what we're saying But it is

16:11

a constant impediment to playing the game like the

16:13

fact that you want to open your menu But

16:16

instead you interact with the thing in front of you I

16:19

missed stuff like I missed an item once like

16:21

I left a room before I was ready to

16:24

Because like the like it was just so

16:26

weird to Like I was

16:28

turning a little bit to the left and

16:30

that made me interact with somebody it sucks If you

16:32

find you find maps in the game that gets stored

16:34

in your photographic memory So if you ever want to

16:36

refer back to the map I

16:38

mean not a joke it it it takes a

16:41

long fucking time to like scroll through this index

16:43

to get to the map you Want to open

16:45

it and then there's no back button You'd have

16:47

to close it manually to go back and close

16:49

that menu manually close that menu is on mobile

16:51

That was my big question I

16:53

also had that problem and it even impacts our puzzles

16:56

were like if you don't know the answer to the

16:58

puzzle the only way to Back out of the puzzle

17:00

is to answer it incorrectly, which

17:02

is it's that's in crazy

17:04

to me It's so hot that's what it made

17:07

me think was like was this whole thing which

17:09

would make sense given their design pedigree Was this

17:11

whole thing designed for touch and then they backed

17:13

their way into? Non-touch

17:15

because I played on Steam Deck and as far

17:17

as I could tell there was some weird

17:19

mouse stuff going on But well on

17:21

the trackpads, but otherwise I couldn't get

17:24

any touch stuff working I don't know

17:26

if it's like more touch-friendly on on

17:28

switch I don't know when it just

17:30

felt there very odd there were puzzles that

17:33

and like I didn't keep making this I

17:36

don't see it on on the App Store if it's on there.

17:38

Yeah, I don't think it's There

17:40

there were puzzles that I like didn't

17:42

realize I could interact with Because

17:45

there was no Like I

17:47

would just look at them right and I it

17:49

wouldn't occur and I press the button the button

17:51

didn't do anything It's really really weird. It's really

17:53

really very very straight because that's just

17:56

like add A couple had a couple inputs

17:58

in there. Like I Maybe it's not the easiest. The

18:00

world to do but just gimme gimme a

18:02

button to access my my wonder already be

18:04

a button that backs out of the whole

18:07

menu without me having to like go through

18:09

three different certain human beings in the world

18:11

right? They've played a lot of video games.

18:13

you have to imagine that this is that

18:16

has in the present by surprise that feels

18:18

bad. I'm wondering if it's like a and

18:20

intentional toys to help keep you off balance

18:22

or off kilter. like you don't get too

18:24

comfortable but like that's a strict that's me

18:27

if I'd my most generous I I just

18:29

feel like they. Couldn't have. You.

18:31

Can't miss how annoying this has to

18:34

play. and am I less pleasant image

18:36

as like. Doing. It that

18:38

said me. The hard part, I don't I

18:40

don't know if I'm in a menace this

18:42

this one person because I'm also at sort

18:44

of a wall right and health. I have

18:46

like thirty leads and yeah oh fuck an idea

18:48

where to take them or who do anything with

18:51

them to touch on that and or for

18:53

free that the animal well at least had

18:55

the or any other big game like this.

18:57

I. Think if you're gonna make things really a

18:59

pig, I think you at least have to have

19:02

some. Saying. Some.

19:04

Some. Saying that you're telling like this is

19:07

progress to they were talking about that. The

19:09

since of progress saves really quickly because when

19:11

you don't know what your says be doing

19:13

next. You. Don't really feel like you

19:16

progressed. I am I gonna no idea where

19:18

I don't know if I'm moving forward or

19:20

not like that cigarette are happening. but why

19:22

yeah I don't feel like I'm make it

19:24

like getting. I. Don't know. There's a very

19:26

clear counter like on the screen like the percentage

19:28

of your memory you've recovered. I'm not all in

19:30

my far along for work. however I thought I

19:33

was a the get yeah I I. I don't

19:35

know if I'll finish as dame. I definitely think

19:37

I would if it's felt better to play it

19:39

straight up if it. if it was a little

19:41

bit less annoying to just play with the game

19:43

and interact with the game and maybe they'll be

19:45

able to like interface that I bit but I

19:47

don't have coming back to the game after a

19:49

while would be ah last. Like Brightest Starts are

19:51

completely of it. It it's Very. It's a bummer

19:53

because I think of this game is. very cool

19:56

the ascetic is very and like incredibly

19:58

unique it's like of I

20:00

don't know retro cyberpunk lynching and

20:02

mystery like it's got it's got

20:04

vibes for days that it kick

20:06

ass You don't think so no.

20:08

No I do I agree I

20:11

was thinking about other weird another

20:13

weird thing that I wanted to mention real quick

20:15

that I Really turned me

20:18

off is that there are like fail states

20:21

True that you and the game tells

20:23

you like if you mess up in

20:26

a fail state You will

20:28

lose you will die and you will lose your

20:30

progress since your last save Which

20:32

is manual which is manual only that's

20:34

the only way you can save is

20:37

like is Being manual only

20:39

like that that again, especially

20:41

with navigation is such a pain. That's

20:44

stinks Yeah, that's like really like what

20:46

a weird energy to put into the

20:48

game Like that's I don't know that

20:50

like I I finally got

20:52

to one of those situations like

20:55

one of those things and it was

20:58

Not it's cool. It was cool. It was well

21:00

done It was neat But like I don't understand

21:03

why it has to be the the threat of

21:05

the loss of progress because you don't know when

21:07

those Situations are gonna happen. Yeah, like a really

21:09

weird player hostile thing to do Yeah,

21:13

it's hard to really get into the head

21:15

of these developers to know

21:17

like what they were going for But

21:19

it's really like I think from a puzzle

21:22

design standpoint like predominantly speaking like there's some

21:24

really Great interesting thought-provoking puzzles in here and

21:26

I think our design wise 100% the interaction

21:29

stuff Yeah,

21:31

I just I can't did you understand

21:33

instruction manual? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah

21:36

It's not I don't feel like it's hard to

21:38

get into their heads like that. Yeah weirdest things

21:40

I've ever read on it Yeah, they're like here's

21:42

how we want you to play it in the

21:44

dark with headphones with a pin and pad. Hey,

21:46

thanks It's pretty dark in here. I'm

21:49

still supposed to write. Okay, this is fun I'm

21:51

having a good time with this. How about

21:53

this counter offer? I play for five minutes.

21:55

Why my toddler shit. How would that be?

21:58

Can I Do that? The day

22:00

like rather like with a muted try out

22:02

me I said we caught a mere it

22:04

is as without said. Yeah,

22:07

I don't know who I recommend as game

22:10

to. I'm enjoying your ideas. Very cool. Ah,

22:12

I do wish I'd played it may be

22:14

a month later and media would. Be.

22:16

Even more into it And I hope they can six some

22:18

of the interaction stuff because. It's it's it's.

22:20

really. Detracts a lot from what is

22:23

otherwise a very unique experience. I think there are

22:25

a lot of people out there that like like

22:27

the Mist saying and don't get a lot of

22:29

fodder in that genre at all. Salute they would

22:32

be my billie Been to play with somebody else

22:34

to as as yeah you play with a non

22:36

gamer. The duplex puzzle the yeah for their said

22:38

that you begin to be gives his that there

22:41

are moments where I was like Omri this whole

22:43

book. I guess they have like a large really

22:45

deep into the lore of more line away their

22:47

know really good said the story of Fed Her

22:50

writing is very good as yes. Yep, I

22:52

wish it was voice acted. I will say

22:54

that Also, I feel the loss of it

22:56

and I would be nice of that. You

22:58

are missing regularly about what what my he's

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Squarespace for sponsoring this episode. Hey,

24:10

it's Tuesday, brief fun, good. Okay, that's

24:12

our segment, thank you so much. Any letter,

24:14

any reader mail? How

24:18

deep did you go, Russ? So,

24:20

Brendan joined me in a

24:23

very special episode of The Besties, and

24:25

we mostly touched on the first five

24:28

hours of, so

24:30

we didn't go that deep. I

24:33

know a lot of people were curious what you guys thought of it,

24:36

given that y'all were such diehard fans of

24:38

the first game. So

24:41

I'm kind of curious, where did it strike

24:43

you in terms of where it's at in early access right

24:45

now? I

24:47

held off starting Hades II until I

24:49

finished Animal Well, and like really, really,

24:51

really finished Animal Well. And I'm glad

24:53

I did, because basically I started playing

24:55

Hades II on this most

24:57

recent tour that we went on. And

25:00

once I got in there, it did not, I

25:02

did not get out of there until I had

25:04

finished basically everything that the early access has to

25:06

offer. It's

25:08

fucking great. I

25:10

don't regret playing the early access version, even

25:13

though I played the shit out of it,

25:16

because I do think I

25:18

will be champing at the bit for

25:21

any new stuff that they

25:23

put on this. Obviously I was looking

25:25

forward to Hades II, playing all the early access in the

25:27

way that it did, has me just

25:29

absolutely out of my mind with excitement

25:31

for the full release. This

25:34

game is going to, this game

25:36

is going to kick a lot of ass, because

25:38

the early access version already does. That's my

25:40

opinion. Yeah, it's

25:43

extremely good. And I

25:45

don't have a ton to add to it that I think

25:47

is very useful. I

25:50

will say though, that I think the

25:53

biggest thing for me about, That

25:56

I am learning with Hades II, that I

25:58

think is the, maybe the. The

26:00

biggest improvement is that. The.

26:03

Way the different combat mechanics

26:05

and the the way the

26:07

different like evolutions like your

26:10

abilities. To. Interact with each other

26:12

is actually like a lot. I feel

26:14

like I'm learning more about those just

26:16

to playing organically that are making me

26:18

more powerful like I'm less reliant on

26:20

or yeah I'm I'm reliant on obviously

26:22

of the upgrades in the booze to

26:24

whatever but like learning how to use

26:27

the different tools because there are will

26:29

really specific like learning how to use

26:31

the different weapons really well I think

26:33

takes longer maybe than the last than

26:35

than Hades one. I feel like to

26:37

get really competent and to really learn

26:39

how to best use. The weapons and

26:41

there's some and I still don't like the

26:43

the axe for example that has the counter

26:46

ability as it's special attack it can counter.

26:48

I don't really. I. Really gotten a

26:50

good feel for that one for exams. Yeah,

26:52

I actually like that one was so yeah

26:54

it's It's interesting to wear white. Certain weapons

26:56

jump out that it wasn't for weapons. It

26:59

felt like more direct for me. The things

27:01

that like. Took me a

27:03

lot longer to start taking advantage of

27:05

where the like gameplay mechanics like the

27:07

Heck's Thing where you have disliked super

27:10

powerful magic ability that you can only

27:12

use if you've burned a lot of

27:14

manner in that round that you're an

27:16

Iranian the urine friends so. My.

27:20

Are or are you know my default

27:22

setting Some Haiti's one was. I.

27:24

Like barely use magic or at least I'd

27:26

only use it occasionally when the builders i

27:29

really calling for it. And so it I

27:31

was just like never being able to activate

27:33

my hex power right. And then eventually I

27:35

got to a point where. I

27:38

was able to have a build with

27:40

the cards whenever the Tarot cards that

27:42

like regenerated my nana much faster way

27:44

to write facilitated using the heck says

27:47

just that one set of there's other

27:49

seven as I think that's the biggest

27:51

sort of like mechanical combat wise like

27:53

thing that it adds, but it is

27:55

a huge pillar that amplifies the other

27:57

sit that Hades one already had going

27:59

online. log rhythmically the way the hacks

28:02

is or the. Just. A Heck's

28:04

isn't the use of magic in the

28:06

way that magic works in the whether

28:08

you have to kind of I treated

28:10

as a resource near ah it. It

28:12

adds so much to the bill like

28:14

consideration process ah that I I I

28:16

feel like I am so much deeper

28:18

into than and eighty one to like

28:20

you disagree. Ah I think there needs

28:22

to be a little bit more. Work

28:26

done on like the resources there

28:28

a lot more in Hades to

28:30

this ally resources and. At

28:33

first it was it made the

28:35

delves into the like the either

28:37

the actual. Combat

28:40

Encounter A made the the Dell's more interesting

28:42

because I was going and like finding these

28:44

have the resources and Mrs adding a you

28:46

know don't mean spice to the blend but.

28:50

Now. That I'm not really hurting for

28:52

some of those those cheaper resources. They

28:54

can make some of the runs like

28:56

early on in each run feel kind

28:58

of on of them for or cried

29:00

dull because I'm dating is like stuff

29:02

that I need. A hundred have

29:04

to do anything and it's like do you want fire

29:07

this thing we have a hundred of or five of

29:09

this thing at one hundred of and as like are

29:11

really care he on where the other does know these

29:13

help me on this run or in the meadow are

29:15

because have pushed the matter to a point where they're

29:18

not really meaningful far as I love for them the

29:20

to a just that I'm not really sure how to

29:22

me yeah I've been. I've been looking

29:24

at the patch notes updates. I guess I

29:26

don't know if they've released like a full

29:28

suit patch yet. But. They have

29:30

release notes and the areas that they're

29:33

looking to adjust. One of them is.

29:36

A resource gathering So you know you have

29:38

to bring a tool to gather resources as

29:40

typically and if your brain right tool you

29:42

to so I can't pick up that resource

29:44

biya and they come to realize that like

29:46

oh that doesn't feel great and maybe there

29:48

are ways around that that would be a

29:50

little more. Appealing. The

29:53

other thing that they mentioned was mobility

29:55

and they said that be. Sprint.

29:57

mechanic which is new to this game fucking

29:59

wild So so the how it works

30:01

is basically you have a dash which works pretty

30:03

much like the dash in Hades one But

30:06

if you keep holding that button the dash

30:08

button you will enter a sprint which is

30:10

like a very fast run as You'd

30:13

expect you don't have a second dash Or

30:16

even a third dash or whatever. However many you could get

30:18

as zagreous, so

30:21

In my experience like that doesn't feel great.

30:24

It kind of depends on what your build

30:26

is But like even builds

30:28

built around sprinting didn't feel great I got

30:30

it to go to one time I stack

30:32

buffs I got it up to like a

30:34

hundred and eighty percent sprint boot like it

30:36

was literally it was almost unplayable because I

30:38

couldn't Like position myself correctly because I just

30:40

fucking fly across the screen like a bullet,

30:42

right? How do you all

30:45

feel about melan away as the the

30:47

main character? I like her a lot.

30:49

Yeah I I

30:51

was more immediately drawn to her as

30:53

a character than zagreous Which I'm

30:55

not sure why that is I think I think

30:58

I think zagreous you jump

31:00

in and it's like very mysterious And

31:03

then it kind of like uncovers

31:05

itself over the first five

31:07

to ten hours Whereas here you kind

31:09

of know exactly what you're trying to

31:11

do very early on. Yeah, and you

31:13

have a power structure you understand Oh,

31:16

I'm working for hekate and I have

31:18

to you know rescue people and there's

31:21

it just felt like a more direct Connection

31:23

to this character. I yeah, I think that the character

31:25

I guess is maybe not what I have as much

31:27

of a problem with I it's and it's not a

31:29

problem It's just feel differently but like the

31:32

the the world that zagreous returned

31:34

to After he

31:37

got killed. Yeah, it seems like

31:40

so sort of like full of life and like Every

31:43

kind of sexy and like you

31:45

know what I mean? It's like a different vibe

31:47

her like whole thing like everybody's like the the

31:49

creepy skeleton guy You know it's like everybody's kind

31:52

of dark and twisted and everybody's

31:54

kind of bummed out and seems pretty hard

31:56

down there It doesn't seem yeah fun and

31:58

sexy as as Haiti as Haiti's was Eighties

32:00

was yeah yeah. a tone of this game is

32:02

much darker that is yeah, true and that that

32:04

is a fair point. I mean there's still plenty

32:06

of like. Sexy. Folks to appreciate

32:08

having the scarce they're not upstairs. Hot tubs

32:10

up. Yeah so I'm a guy. don't know

32:13

how old this characters supposed to be? The

32:15

Ira how to engage in hot tub activities

32:17

of literally anybody in the world's I have

32:19

like my teacher and it's I do as

32:22

years he says you're hot tub like I

32:24

don't think I'd do it So I that's

32:26

feals in a proud of my nephews. I

32:29

don't know m I a hundred and eighty

32:31

thousand years old and sixteen. I have no

32:33

idea ah either either. I think it's great.

32:35

I see. I feel like for. Me the

32:38

big question wasn't like his his game going

32:40

to be good for me it was like

32:42

do I want to. Play. The early access

32:44

because like I know it's going to be good, I know

32:46

I'm gonna wanna play the full version. But

32:49

I genuinely I think in this case and this

32:51

isn't just like coping like I do, I do.

32:53

I am glad I played it because I forgot.

32:55

It's been awhile since I played Hades one. This

32:58

has only kind of like

33:00

kindled my interest in excitement

33:02

for Cds to. Ah, While

33:04

still, I think leaving enough to the imagination,

33:06

is there any way to to sort of

33:08

like signpost? How much is here? Like maybe

33:11

and compare Bolland Griffin you center E L,

33:13

ask a question. Griffin, you said, you put

33:15

you played. What's. In the early access

33:17

of when I when I was I would. I.

33:20

Would swear on a stack of

33:22

bibles. I think there's more seer

33:24

in the early access of Haiti's

33:26

to then there was in Hades

33:28

one.saturday my said that is my

33:30

friend know how many hours I

33:32

spent playing these I'll get my

33:34

what I know that I.there's there's

33:36

certain I would say on the

33:38

economy side of things, on the

33:40

progression side of things, on the

33:42

story side of things. maybe there's

33:44

not as much by on the.

33:47

The know label content side of

33:49

things like it's a fuckin semi

33:51

hours with the say, "The you

33:53

spend to get to the point

33:55

zero cause" Thirty.

33:59

is Thirty to forty.

34:01

Yeah, I think the big differentiator here and

34:03

I'm not gonna go into details because it

34:05

does get pretty spoilery is Hades

34:08

one your runs will differ

34:10

in Hades one based on the

34:13

things that you pick up The you

34:15

know your boons whatever Here

34:17

I get the sense

34:19

and Griffin is further along than I

34:22

am but I get the sense that you can Deviate

34:25

your runs in different ways

34:27

to make them feel more Than

34:31

a normal run There's

34:33

like yeah, there's little more like more flexibility

34:35

in the in the build Well

34:37

in the not just builds, but like level the

34:39

route. Yeah, yeah the ramp Yes,

34:44

I don't want to go into that because

34:46

it is genuinely a pretty big spoiler I

34:48

feel like but it's it it's it does

34:50

a lot of that stuff It doesn't it

34:53

does a lot of stuff to make the

34:55

runs feel very very very fresh I will

34:57

say another cool thing that I liked is

34:59

they've made the environments like there was always

35:01

like interactivity but I feel like They're

35:04

the environmental activity is very

35:07

meaningful like yeah the trees especially

35:09

like if you hit a tree It'll

35:11

sort of blast out like a really powerful

35:13

attack especially for like early On

35:16

when you can't make really damaging hits using

35:18

those to your advantage like there's circles that

35:20

appear that are like shields Basically that is

35:23

neat because you get a couple of seconds

35:25

of free free hits on stuff You

35:27

know time out what to use those I

35:29

thought all that stuff was really neat and helped to keep it feeling

35:32

dynamic Yeah, I do

35:34

I am stopping though. Yeah, I

35:36

don't want to play it anymore now I'm

35:38

ready to like begin the the the middle

35:41

purge You get no getting so they've said

35:43

that the saves will carry over to 1.0.

35:46

Do you think you would start from scratch? Yeah,

35:49

probably I mean you certainly wouldn't remember Most

35:52

of the story elements by the time they hit 1.0. I

35:54

mean maybe I don't know my memory is not great But

35:56

I also like there are parts of this game that of

35:59

this early action that don't feel finished, that like

36:01

very, very, very clearly. And

36:05

I don't know, I would be too paranoid

36:07

the whole time. I'm gonna play Hades II

36:09

for hundreds of hours.

36:11

So like, what's a restarting,

36:14

the progress I had made here

36:16

in the early access version, but that's

36:19

just me. It's sad. It's sad. It's the

36:21

answer. It's a sad thing to do. Are

36:23

you not going to do that, Justin? No, I'll be

36:25

reading the great books. Oh, okay. I

36:29

mean, yeah, I sort of am of a mind

36:31

that there's a lot of tools that

36:33

you unlock in those first, let's

36:35

say five to 10 hours that

36:38

kind of make ones way more interesting. That is

36:40

what I would have a hard time going and

36:42

doing that without. Yeah, I get that. A

36:45

little chimp of ash and stuff. Hey,

36:48

can we jump ahead to honorable mentions? Cause I had a game I really

36:50

want to talk about and I don't want us to run out of time.

36:53

Sure. I played

36:55

a really fucking cool game on the

36:57

flight out to Vancouver, which is like

36:59

six hours here from DC called

37:02

Crow Country. Oh, do you

37:04

know about that one? I do. I haven't played it,

37:06

but I'm eager to hear about it. It is

37:09

a very PS1 retro inspired

37:12

survival horror game very

37:14

much in the vein of Resident Evil with

37:16

a sort of aesthetic that is, I

37:19

saw someone describe it as if the

37:22

ghost square from Final Fantasy

37:24

seven had like a full video game

37:27

that is very, very unique and very, I would

37:29

say nostalgic for me personally. Sorry, what is the

37:32

ghost square? I don't even remember that. Oh, it's

37:34

like in the gold saucer. The

37:36

ghost square is like the haunted theme park. The

37:39

haunted mansion. Yeah. Got it. This

37:42

is a survival horror game set in

37:44

a fictional theme park called Crow Country.

37:47

And you are an investigator who

37:49

has come here to

37:52

investigate some calamity

37:55

that has occurred. And

37:58

It is a pretty straight over. The

38:00

plate like survival horror game very much

38:02

like a Resident Evil with like I

38:04

don't know in a way. that series

38:06

has kind of evolved to be a

38:08

little bit a little bit friendlier to

38:11

the player and offer you know more

38:13

sort of clues and and secrets and

38:15

upgrades. Three to hunt down if you

38:17

really want to go after that stuff

38:19

like this this game to the lot

38:21

of that to ah but just thought

38:23

that the setting is super duper unique

38:26

and very senior only. very creepy. Ah

38:28

and I I just burned this. Thing

38:30

down. I almost finished it. Just enough flight.

38:32

sides. Not that the longest game in

38:34

the world, but since I was so good.

38:36

Ah, as far as it I know,

38:38

like the controls. Obviously that's the thing that

38:41

people throw a wrench. Oh yeah there

38:43

are two types of controls. He didn't go

38:45

with tank controls if you want to.

38:47

but then there is a modern control scheme

38:49

days. but much much much much much

38:51

much much much better team. but even then

38:54

you're still, are you still aiming with

38:56

like a weird isometric Terrorists? I sort of.

38:58

Basically whenever you go into like. You

39:00

know, weapon ready mode. A radical appears on

39:02

screen. Ah our got the the prospective shift.

39:04

Just like a little bit us in a

39:06

free to can get over your shoulder to

39:09

to aim and and get shots off. I'd

39:11

have any trouble. I don't think it's a

39:13

very hard game, I'd I'd ah I. I

39:15

don't know if I died ever while while

39:18

playing it by. Definitely had that. Didn't stop

39:20

me from having of like a few generally

39:22

pretty good jump scares. ah in in the

39:24

mix and if you like in I'm moments

39:27

of feeling pressure. Ah yeah I'd Anna I

39:29

think it's just a very if you like

39:31

survival horror games I I think you'll like

39:33

Crow Country that it's just a very very

39:36

good. No. Nonsense. One of

39:38

those. Yeah,

39:40

let's go on. I really like. It. Just.

39:43

As you poisoning yeah I did. ah I

39:45

played some in in in order to cleanse

39:48

my brain to free my brain I play

39:50

this a Mini Suit adventures or you her

39:52

yeah how about this talked about on reading

39:54

about as a yeah I have both of

39:57

you guys as as rest of seen as

39:59

Apple Tree in there in the and the

40:01

slack channel but it's a. My.

40:04

Guys Zelda. Format.

40:07

Of a game I go over world looks

40:09

like Zelda specifically. I'd say it's like an.

40:12

Upscale. The linked to the past like

40:14

that's very much the ascetic, but it

40:17

plays like a bullet. Hell. Game.

40:19

So that you are in an over

40:21

world, you're collecting power ups that improve

40:23

your shooting. and you know, have these

40:26

maps were a bajillion things are trying

40:28

to kill. You are at a very

40:30

bullet hell style but there's also. Things.

40:33

In the universe the you can't react

40:35

to you can't solve like Ed in

40:38

a you need certain items. for example

40:40

there's like a boost in get that

40:42

with the hit ramps and access areas

40:44

you couldn't before. it's a very like.

40:46

The title is very bad. I don't

40:48

know why it's called many Suit. The

40:51

actual name is Many Suit. Possessive.

40:53

Apostrophe. Adventures.

40:56

Many. Salute Short of my speculation is

40:59

short for many shooter. A

41:01

you're a mini shooter like outside her met

41:03

people now I don't know I don't what

41:06

made you play this game her to I

41:08

had and Jefferson so how are ya? It

41:10

isn't here that the of the his a

41:12

great day I we we both love Plant

41:14

my both loved it and A I think

41:17

aesthetically the had some critics but like as

41:19

a gameplay game it's fantastic Griffin you would

41:21

absolutely Janna Dad were brought our seemed at.

41:24

Yeah, I great on to Perfect for some. Of

41:28

the thing that I want to

41:30

call out his and will include

41:32

instructions in be newsletter on how

41:35

to do this but if you

41:37

own me you many plus. You.

41:39

Can get pluto eight. Installed

41:42

on it such that you can play all

41:44

of the p go eight games for enough

41:46

no pico, eight. It. Is an

41:48

indie. Game Platform

41:50

that people basically create These games think

41:52

of the my class games, but it's

41:55

in a different design as Games On

41:57

Celeste was originally designed for Peek Away.

42:00

And then eventually was released as a full

42:02

game. but there are. Hundreds

42:04

if not thousands of games that people

42:06

have made of like very bite sized

42:08

approaches to. Here's a Golf Sam or

42:11

here's an Rpg or he's a Rogue

42:13

Lights but in like really bite sized

42:15

format. With. Cool about it

42:17

is all these are recently made so they

42:20

all use modern design sensibilities even if they

42:22

might look like they were. Games came

42:24

out in the eighties. On.

42:26

And there's a way to set it

42:28

up on the meal. Many Plus where

42:30

you basically download a rapper for Pico

42:33

Eight and you can then download any

42:35

game over. Why Fi. That. Is

42:37

on the Pico Eight Library Concerts

42:39

by Creator you can search like

42:41

featured, newly updated whatever. So I

42:43

was just downloading like whatever came.

42:46

Into my mind I I played some truly

42:48

great stuff. Oh God gives them a recommendations.

42:51

In the yard. In. The

42:53

newsletter but ah what is the same

42:55

the you're saying. Me: You.

42:58

Mean. Many plus it's there for the

43:00

me. Many pies is assessed. ah one of

43:02

the more popular like those many handheld sick

43:04

or I obsess over not that popular in

43:07

there about it I have Why I fucking

43:09

love it is my say they're They're basically

43:11

like hand held. A lot of people might

43:13

go to recommendation for like if you want

43:15

to get into this shit like get them

43:18

you minibus it's got a ton of support,

43:20

a ton of people developing for it. I'm

43:22

and it allows obviously emulate years and things

43:24

like that but it also allows for things

43:26

like pico eight and playing like. That whole

43:29

library. and so I yeah, I tuck

43:31

probably twenty minutes to set up and

43:33

it's incredibly cool and I just a

43:36

nice alternate use case for this device.

43:39

Of. I'll get that. Ah,

43:41

Games discuss this episode obviously Lore line

43:43

the laser eyes hades to ah and

43:45

we we did not buy and a

43:47

while I'll a lot act like we

43:50

did warn people that that was going

43:52

to happen. Ah I talked about crow

43:54

country doesn't talk about many shoot adventures

43:56

recipe going on them you many plus.

43:59

Ah, a have a Patreon and

44:01

it sure would be dope if you

44:03

would go and you know become a

44:05

patron over there patreon.com/the besties there's episodes

44:07

of the resties on there there's monthly

44:09

bracket episodes and it's a it's

44:12

a damn good time thank you

44:14

all so much for for

44:17

joining up there special shout out to the

44:19

following patrons we have JC Grover we have

44:21

Red Baron we have Groove Wizard and Splinter

44:23

Cat thank you for supporting us

44:25

along with everyone else that supports us on the

44:27

patreon what are we doing next week next

44:30

week you're gonna be playing Paper Mario and the

44:32

Thousand Year Door coming out on Nintendo switch I'm

44:35

excited I've never played that one even though boy

44:37

so they should great well that

44:39

sounds fantastic be sure to join us

44:41

again for that and so much more

44:43

next week on the besties because shouldn't

44:45

the world's best friends pick the world's

44:47

best games you

45:15

best bees