NewGenderPlus
4 reviews liked by NewGenderPlus
Spec Ops: The Line
2012
This review contains spoilers
you know what? fuck it. spec ops: the line is worth five stars and then some. for a long time i sat on the fence about it, and had it collecting dust, uncommentated, at 4.5 stars - no more.
the fact this game was shuffled out-of-sight by 2k games, that an attempt is being made to erase its existence from the public under dubious pretenses at worst, or that it's been dropped in a double-whammy of corporate greed and convenient timing at best, shows us that this game is just as sorely needed now as it was 12 years ago.
many like to do a little joking about its "look what i made you do"-narrative, but those people are unaware that this precise portrayal of leadership at the hands of a vague authority is part of the point. this is taking down not merely the modern military shooter alone, but the entirety of the military industrial complex and its implications. the game design here is a direct analogue of the military chain of command, and the way it attempts to dissuade individuals and society as a whole from seeking blame in the hands of the actor.
on february 25th 2024, united states airforce member aaron bushnell self-immolated rather than continuing to maintain part in the u.s. military's support of yet another genocide - a genocide funded and fueled by this global force for despicable violence, a genocide committed, in part, with white phosphorous used against a civilian population.
the timing is just a bit TOO on-the-nose. we are supposed to forget that the same thing fuels this propaganda as fuels the systematic dehumanisation and killing of several peoples in asia and africa. spec ops, unlike every single other "modern military shooter", didnt flinch, and didnt lie. and for that, it had to disappear.
this is the only game that had the guts to give the player a gun, and let them shoot at a peaceful civilian population - then stand there with the implications of their actions. no fade-out. no game over. only you and the simulacrum of a dead body.
from the river to the sea, palestine will be free.
the fact this game was shuffled out-of-sight by 2k games, that an attempt is being made to erase its existence from the public under dubious pretenses at worst, or that it's been dropped in a double-whammy of corporate greed and convenient timing at best, shows us that this game is just as sorely needed now as it was 12 years ago.
many like to do a little joking about its "look what i made you do"-narrative, but those people are unaware that this precise portrayal of leadership at the hands of a vague authority is part of the point. this is taking down not merely the modern military shooter alone, but the entirety of the military industrial complex and its implications. the game design here is a direct analogue of the military chain of command, and the way it attempts to dissuade individuals and society as a whole from seeking blame in the hands of the actor.
on february 25th 2024, united states airforce member aaron bushnell self-immolated rather than continuing to maintain part in the u.s. military's support of yet another genocide - a genocide funded and fueled by this global force for despicable violence, a genocide committed, in part, with white phosphorous used against a civilian population.
the timing is just a bit TOO on-the-nose. we are supposed to forget that the same thing fuels this propaganda as fuels the systematic dehumanisation and killing of several peoples in asia and africa. spec ops, unlike every single other "modern military shooter", didnt flinch, and didnt lie. and for that, it had to disappear.
this is the only game that had the guts to give the player a gun, and let them shoot at a peaceful civilian population - then stand there with the implications of their actions. no fade-out. no game over. only you and the simulacrum of a dead body.
from the river to the sea, palestine will be free.
Sonic Frontiers
2022
I'm very conflicted with this game because I think everything about this game is peak but the middle portion of it (worlds 2 & 3) is some of the most obnoxious stuff ever, worse than most of the problems of older 3d Sonic games. The vibes are immaculate though and the more serious writing was definitely the direction Sonic needed to go in so I'm happy this game exists. I'm happy I pulled through and finished this game, I think it was worth it in the end.
Angel at Dusk
2019
This might be the coolest a game has ever looked.
This review is brought to you by the GLENN GANG.
sadly, i did not finish ever crisis. not that you can really finish the game in the first place atm, cuz you know, episodic. But i was planning to at least finish all the story the game currently has.
Got most of the way there, but yeah nah. The game is just
so
fucking
grindy.
So, you need to be 40.000 power level for the next story mission.
First, lets do some xp grinding missions to grind levels.
Wanna upgrade ur stats? Sure, lets do another type of grinding mission to get materials to upgrade those.
Oh, you should level up ur weapon. heres another type of grind quest for materials.
whoops, weapon hit the level cap. here u can uncap it with materials from ANOTHER type of quests.
uh
yeah
I havent even mentioned the materia upgrade materials, mostly cuz i ignored those.
Now, if you get bored by the combat, which i wouldnt blame you, you can just put on auto battle and make the game play itself with more skill then a human ever could. U can just put ur phone down, do the dishes, maybe check phone to activate a limit break or 2, and ur grinding is done for you!
....which begs the question what you are doing this for in the first place.
I never really played a gacha before, and uh, yeah, i dont think i will in the future, lol
THE GOOD PARTS
Game is cute! its a neat lil (very) abridged recreation of the start of ff7 and crisis core, and i think the idea of putting the entire compilation into 1 game is cool! The models are cute, backgrounds are cozy, and the character portraits look great.
GLENN GANG GLENN GANG GLENN GANG
and also theres the FIRST SOLDIER story, a story that, unlike the title suggests, wasnt actually in the game the first soldier (rip), but actually is entirely new. It stars glenn, who is like jack from stranger of paradise if jack was more like zack, and his lil gang of shinra soldiers. Also heavily features the backstory of sephiroth, tho i havent gotten to that part yet.
Its defo the beefiest part of the game rn, but sadly, i think i will have to experience it by watching the cutscenes on youtube.
maybe one day when the games finished they will port over the game to consoles and take out the grind. prolly not, but who knows?
sadly, i did not finish ever crisis. not that you can really finish the game in the first place atm, cuz you know, episodic. But i was planning to at least finish all the story the game currently has.
Got most of the way there, but yeah nah. The game is just
so
fucking
grindy.
So, you need to be 40.000 power level for the next story mission.
First, lets do some xp grinding missions to grind levels.
Wanna upgrade ur stats? Sure, lets do another type of grinding mission to get materials to upgrade those.
Oh, you should level up ur weapon. heres another type of grind quest for materials.
whoops, weapon hit the level cap. here u can uncap it with materials from ANOTHER type of quests.
uh
yeah
I havent even mentioned the materia upgrade materials, mostly cuz i ignored those.
Now, if you get bored by the combat, which i wouldnt blame you, you can just put on auto battle and make the game play itself with more skill then a human ever could. U can just put ur phone down, do the dishes, maybe check phone to activate a limit break or 2, and ur grinding is done for you!
....which begs the question what you are doing this for in the first place.
I never really played a gacha before, and uh, yeah, i dont think i will in the future, lol
THE GOOD PARTS
Game is cute! its a neat lil (very) abridged recreation of the start of ff7 and crisis core, and i think the idea of putting the entire compilation into 1 game is cool! The models are cute, backgrounds are cozy, and the character portraits look great.
GLENN GANG GLENN GANG GLENN GANG
and also theres the FIRST SOLDIER story, a story that, unlike the title suggests, wasnt actually in the game the first soldier (rip), but actually is entirely new. It stars glenn, who is like jack from stranger of paradise if jack was more like zack, and his lil gang of shinra soldiers. Also heavily features the backstory of sephiroth, tho i havent gotten to that part yet.
Its defo the beefiest part of the game rn, but sadly, i think i will have to experience it by watching the cutscenes on youtube.
maybe one day when the games finished they will port over the game to consoles and take out the grind. prolly not, but who knows?
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