When i was around 2 hours into NMH3, after the rank 9 fight and trudging around a chunk of the open world that makes Gravity Rush 1 look like Yakuza, I was getting the feeling of something. Something called... copium. I felt like maybe i was trying too hard, looking too closely at the little things in an attempt to find a nugget of a theme I could latch onto. Nothing actually substantial, but something to rationalise the kinda garbage stuff in NMH3. Why the world is so empty, why it's so discordant, why things weren't flowing right.

And this was my thesis, at the time. "NMH3 is literally a death drive game that travis has put himself in as a form of escapism or something." This would tie in with the mechanics of TSA's story to an extent, it would make sense!

Yeah, that's probably not my finest read. Grasshopper's games aren't really like that. I'm not playing MGS and expecting a twist like that to "redeem" something is always a fools errand in my experience. I still think it's a somewhat valid take on the game, but as I played through the game, that level of trying to rationalise the game into being good gave way into me actually getting it.

Of course this is a GHM game. And this is one of their more out-there ones. Whilst it's perhaps not as "make what you will of it for yourself" as Flower Sun and Rain, I'm not going to pretend my WEEK 2 take on this game that probably wont get a nuanced opinion base for a decade is anything definitive or special - but it makes sense for me.

Essentially, I see NMH3 as an exploration of artifiiality and what can be done without immersion. NMH3 is a game constantly reminding you of it's status of a game. From fourth wall breaks that would make the rest of the series blush, Anime openings and endings every hour or so, a world that is blatantly impossible and occasionally outright ludicrous (why is the border to Mexico in santa destroy now a tunnel over the ocean???), you can barely go a second in this game without it reminding you of it's artificiality. And that's what provides the context for each of the game's vignettes, and revelry in that acknowledgment of fiction and basically fucking about with it without a care - that is the punk in NMH3. In NMH1 travis realises he his a character in a game and stops pretending he isnt. In NMH3, the game itself is done with that. It's indulgent, irreverernt, and abandons any notion of the canon mattering at all, and also doesnt really care about internal logic.

In this framework, we get a couple of great vignettes. Ranks 7 through 5 of this game are the clear highlights, with both the most blatant incorporation of the kill the past theme sneaking its way into this madness, but also genuinely enteraining, somewhat thoughtful, and consistently funny little tales. Not all of them are - i probably legitimately couldn't tell you anything about what happens in Rank 4, the final enconter against Fu is pretty weak and dominated by an awful final "normal" boss, and it's clear that budget and COVID got in the way a few times - some scenes just aren't edited as snappily as they should be which diminishes the impact of certain scenes. Henry cooldown's extremely limited role feels like a bit of a waste even if he's mostly a joke character, and i think neither Bad Girl or Shinoubu really get the day in the sun TSA kinda promises for them.

I would say most of the silly little stories do work though. There's moments of massive catharsis and pathos alike, and some great gags - but even when it's not, there is always one thing going for it - style.

Frankly, regardless of everything else, NMH3 is a remarkable collaborative piece of audiovisual art. Dozens of artistis, musicians, animators, even rights holders, have clearly worked their asses off to make it work, and somehow it absolutely does. The soundtrack is fantastic, the usage of 2D animation both in and out of gameplay is remarkable, and the sheer passion of it all shines so brightly even in the game's weaker moments.

So there is plenty, plenty to criticise here, and ultimately I think I prefer Travis Strikes Again (which this is basically a direct sequel to) for it's more personal, low-key tale than the sheer madness of NMH3. But nontheless it's such a blast, and I havent even touched on how fantastic feeling the core combat is.

Time will reveal NMH3's true place more than any reactionary backloggd review. Maybe in 10 years we'll be looking at this madness in the same way we look at NMH2's stupid 5 hours now. Maybe I will have to kill my past by deleting this review and replacing it with "wow, that was stupid and indulgent and runs like shit" because it is and does, frankly.

But I doubt it. There's too much earnestness, too many good moments, too strong a style, too much heart in it for me to think i'm still on the copium.