Good write up. I'm not *not* having fun with the game. The core loop of gathering materials, crafting and upgrading gear, leveling up, then going back out to do it again is perfect for podcasting or second screening. But the little annoyances add up to make this tough to recommend.
In addition to everything you said, this game needs a map. It's aggravating to gate areas behind new abilities, or those doors that require a certain number of mages, yet not give the player a way to track and get back to those gates.
As far as inventory management, I need to know what I've crafted and what I haven't. A simple display of number held, like in Dark Souls, would save me from wasting resources on crafting an amulet that I already have, buried deep in my backpack.
Combat can be frustrating too. It's too easy to get stun locked, especially by certain mage types who fill the arena with unavoidable spells and summons. Or bounced right off a platform to my death after one hit. I spend more time being juggled than juggling my enemies.
There's a fun experience at the core of this game. But it's just not polished enough in its current state. I'll be interested to see what they can accomplish with some patches.
Loved this stream! Getting Dan who adores Link to the Past together with someone who knows the Randomizer well, plus Zandra's willingness to welcome and teach, and Alex's outsider fascination with the whole thing made for terrific chemistry.
After first hearing about the Randomizer on Giant Bomb, I've watched dozens of matches from Speed Gaming's recent tournament. I'd love to see more content from Giant Bomb from this space of the gaming world.
Just got through the GOTY podcast myself. I agree with everyone who would rather see a format designed to celebrate wonderful games instead of teasing out every single flaw in something another person holds dear. I peruse each and every personal top ten list. When I reflect on my reason for doing so, I find it's because I'm looking to hear from others who share my passion for my favorites games of the past year. I'm looking to celebrate the games I loved, not to hear explanations for why they couldn't "hang".
When I get to the GOTY podcast, the experience is completely the opposite. So much time is spent tearing others down in order to build up your own preferences; it's like being bullied in junior high all over again. I actually enjoy when someone can argue passionately for their pick, and can get someone else who hasn't played that game to confess to being persuaded. I don't mind seeing Dream Daddy crack the top ten, even if I would have much preferred to see Horizon honored, or Yakuza 0, a game I didn't play but loved every moment of Beast in the East. The most painful moments were when the knives came out, as they did for Nier in second place. Hearing Alex argue the merits of this game was the shining moment of this five-hour podcast. I haven't yet touched Nier, but it's absolutely going to be the next game I purchase because of Alex's plea. Let's have a podcast devoted to moments like, where Abby and Vinny can state their passion for Dream Daddy and be done, Dan won't have to bring out the knives, and the discussion won't wear thin as a result.
I also feel there isn't nearly enough variety to the category awards. The same games continue to be nominated and rewarded. Perhaps it's because the categories are so broad, but too often personal favorites to dominate, while games that do one specific thing exceedingly well don't get mentioned because the overall experience wasn't as fondly remembered. I'd love to see some discrimination in the categories in future years, and really set them up specifically to reward games that won't get moments to shine elsewhere in deliberations.
I find it amusing in the lead up to the release of Zelda the crew would mock the Nintendo PR line of "if you see something, you can go there" saying they needed to do more than that because so many games have already done that and now they're gushing over that exact thing.
I don't think I would mind the Zelda talk so much if it was more substantial than I climbed a thing and found/did a thing. It's great they like it but it doesn't make for great content when there's nothing new or interesting to say about it.
I should have read page 2 before posting. You beat me to it, and said it better and more concise than I did.
This episode is such a contrast to a normal bombcast where the guys talk about a game they have/will only ever put ten hours into and the discussion amounts to "I do or don't like it" and is extremely surface level. I am much happier to hear a deep dive into the specifics of one game, especially one that inspires this much passion in the majority of people who play it.
Also the texture of this discussion is very different given that these guys are game developers, so they bring a perspective that the other guys can't.
How deep is the discussion, really? Every week it's the same talk of basic open world tenets, but we're told that this time it's different and meaningful. Before the game came out, the games press snickered when Nintendo said "see that mountain? you can go there". We've been hearing that said of open world games for fifteen years. I played Morrowind in 2002. Then Breath of the Wild comes out and the same press gushes that you can climb every mountain, wander the world at your own pace, and find your own adventure. No shit, I heard Will Smith praise the game because Kakariko Village was full of sidequests you could pick up from the townspeople. I've certainly never played a game with that before!
I haven't played the game. Maybe I just won't get it until I do. But until then, it's hard for me not to believe this game is getting graded on a curve. If this didn't have a Zelda coat of paint, I feel BotW would have been praised as a good one of those and the podcast would have already moved on.
I'm so damn tired of hearing about Zelda. Having a new guest in the studio doesn't make it fresh or interesting to hear Brad gush about the same features of the same game every episode. It's the same damn conversation, for seven weeks in a row now, he just happens to be talking to someone else.
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