Pathologic 2, imo, has one of the best openings I have ever played in a game. Setting you up by having this wacky looking guy talk to you in this theatre setting about trying again, and not screwing things up this time, giving you another chance (a chance at what?) and your character appearing to know what he's referencing even though you the player know absolutely nothing about what's going on but understanding that something bad must have happened. Then the theatre turns into a makeshift hospital and this sense of dread starts to set in. You can hear people suffering somewhere and you can feel and see that this place is full of death. The few characters that are there talk as though all is lost (what is lost?) and you're told you need to go to the cathedral. You look at your map and inventory. You have barely anything and you're hated everywhere, even from just looking at the map you can feel that this is not what it should look like, it looks wrong.
The red light shows you the exit but...whats outside? If this place is full of suffering and death then how could the outside possibly be any better?
You step outside.
'Day 12, The Last One'
Army tents everywhere, armed guards, crying and screaming in the distance, and the start of a foreboding soundtrack greet you, and you have to get to the cathedral. Moving your way through a destroyed, burning town where the dead line the streets and people are shot and burned in front of you. You talk to Aspity who your character is surprised to see and she seems...disappointed in you.
Is this your fault? Did you cause this? But you've never been here before, you don't know this place, don't know what's going on. You the player are placed into a world that has had everything happen without you and now you are told that you have another chance to do things differently, but all you can do is walk to the cathedral where the 'decision' will be made.
You talk to the Commander and the Inquisitor and there is mention of disease, and that you're a doctor, and there's a bombardment about to happen. You only had 12 days. The decision was made without you.
Then you're on a train, on your way to try again. You haven't even started the game yet, but you already know how it could end.
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It truly is a masterpiece of an opening and sets the tone for what is to come very well. I knew what was coming and it still made an impact on me and there are few other games that leave that much of an lasting impression on you the first time you play them.
theres just something about the way that both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom's soundtracks invoke horror in different ways. Breath of the Wild with it's clashing notes and Tears of the Kingdom has that reversed singing and they both give me the chills and i LOVE IT
I will never be over Leo’s 4D chess play in “Many Unhappy Returns”. Like, just in general it is a spectacle to see this character who we’ve seen goofing around time and time again, who’s only sometimes decided to take things seriously, only to show him making a maneuver like that.
And here’s what gets me the most about his plan against Big Mama: he comes up with it on the spot. The second he sees that Big Mama has the solution they need, he’s already in game mode.
It is so satisfying watching the episode back when you realize his plan, because he literally sets the stage entirely for a decisive victory. He sees that the champion is a kraken, and comes up with both the solution to defeating it and a reasonable excuse to get that solution into the battle with them on the fly:
“Like your champ aaand those six guys. In fact, we don’t want this over too quickly. You should armor up those rookies. The whole shebang. Especially with these pointy helmets.”
And this is why giving him teleportation powers is perfect, too. He analyzes the battlefield and makes use of all the assets, moving pieces around to guarantee a win. It is honestly so impressive to witness and one of my favorite parts of his character.
Okay so I hc that classic kirby and dedede have a very tom and jerry like relationship at first, before slowly turning into best friends. Plus I think the voice kinda fits them in a way
The way the first meeting between Neil and Andrew is the most underrated foreshadowing of Andreil is INSANE. Like, just think about it - Neil was running away again, from exy and his future and from being Neil already planning to throw everything behind his back and start over like he always did and then BANG a racquet in the stomack stopped him and GUESS WHO WAS THE ONE HOLDING THE RACQUET YES IT WAS ANDREW AND THE WAY HE MADE NEIL STAY NEIL EVEN BEFORE HE EVEN KNEW HIM IS JUST SO-
So. pretty sure the emperor cusses. just. never had the reason to say out loud. or has a filter on when they talk. Until Greygold happened. You ever try and look with the emperor's perspective when Tav makes decisions and go, 'H-how are you not ceaselessly cussing like a sailor at Tav?'
ANYWAY- HERE'S THE THING. TRULY. Always had my squinty-eyed caution on Emps. Trying to ascertain if they were for real with their words/actions/intentions or not. but. Squid buddy sharing their feelings of caring was the uh snowball that started this avalanche. Can't fake feelings huah, GREYGOLD FINALLY FOUND THOSE MUSHY BITS HUAH.
I ain't gonna let y'all wonder what Greygold's answer was, so uh. Bonus!