Gene Park at 2:24:10 gives the most savage takedown of any mainstream reviewer I have ever seen. Absolutely body bagged HB2 and Ninja Theory
@bbajr
4 ай бұрын
that's ballsy. but glad someone pointed it out.
@Bilingsly
4 ай бұрын
Honestly. I kind of agree with Gene on this.
@jimcarrey2866
4 ай бұрын
I had a lot of reasons to laugh watching the studio sink after those DMC slides. However, Heavenly Sword and DMC were good games. Not sure about Enslaved.
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
@@jimcarrey2866 must be a miserable way to live taking pleasure in other peoples failures.
@HerbieChuckNorris
4 ай бұрын
Absolutely based take. It's about time too, the conversation is usually so milquetoast about these games, this is easily the most interesting staking of an opinion on this from a mainstream critic in a while.
@MrQballeo01
4 ай бұрын
Did Cog just praise a crawl through section because it looked good??
@ktrotter11
4 ай бұрын
Xbox problems bro
@jasonhendricks8587
4 ай бұрын
I thought the game was a solid 8...until the crawl thru level. Cave, mountain, crawl thru, cave, mountain........the worse.
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
Beat the game and im struggling to picture what you mean by "crawl through section".
@ktrotter11
4 ай бұрын
@@Donnie_Oculus when she enters the last camp or whatever and is crawling into the area, night time and fire.
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
@@ktrotter11 sounds like you didnt play the game lol. "last camp or whatever"? xD
@sam805236
4 ай бұрын
Nobody is mocapping an entire game because you have to make sacrifices in other places like frame rate, resolution, physics, environment interactivity, production time and more. So while yes NT has made a beautiful looking game, there's a ton of sacrifices in that game
@maddworld3317
4 ай бұрын
@@robf I knew that was going to happen to this game. Most of us play games to PLAY something - I can see a movie anytime
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@maddworld3317Naughty Dog games are basically interactive movies
@maddworld3317
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764I didn't know that, I don't have a Playstation, I'm Xbx.
@drgonzo123
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764not to this extent. TLOU2 has great gameplay. That’s why their roguelike mode worked. You couldn’t do that with this game. There’s just not enough mechanically going on. I’m ok with that too, I love story based walking sim games like Firewalk and Edith Finch, but the issue is that this is a sequel, and the first game had so much more going on. The story didn’t justify its own existence either. I don’t think we really needed a sequel to Hellblade, at least not this one
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@drgonzo123 TLOU2 exposed the weakness of this franchise and that's why it was disappointing. Hellblade 2 does everything Hellblade 1 did but better
@abraham4352
4 ай бұрын
Gene is a savage and im here for it. 🍿
@archonrex5600
4 ай бұрын
Me too
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
I will roast boring Nintendo games like Mario and Zelda if I get to talk to Gene
@haterpro0f
3 ай бұрын
Gene is a clown😂
@redhatter94
4 ай бұрын
I loved when Gene really opened up about HB2, he brings up a lot of good points about Ninja theory being an mediocre studio and hiding behind mental health.
@CharityDiary
4 ай бұрын
So true. For an actual good game about mental struggles, try Omori if you haven't already. About 15 hours of both stellar story AND stellar gameplay, and you'll feel so many different emotions. It's been a year but I still think about it a few times per week. It's just such a textbook move for a woke company to use the mental health thing as a shield, when you could easily take the entire element out of Omori and it would still be a great game. Meanwhile HB2 can't be even be a decent game regardless lmao. Microsoft should shut the studio down just because. We don't have the time or resources to waste on stuff like this.
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
blanket statement, with no substance. What can you expect from a grown man unironically using the word cringe while discussing/criticizing writing/art? xD Where/when did they hide behind mental health? LOL
@TheCybercoco
4 ай бұрын
He was inconsistent and contradictory in his points. Said one point then followed up with a point that contradicted himself. He was all over the place and didn't seem to have a real coherent thought about whatever 'issue' he had with the game. It's clear he didn't think very much about it.
@jynxce
4 ай бұрын
Pretty refreshing, really. It's not often someone comes out that blatant and just puts it out there. He even played H1 to prepare for comparison. Nothing against NT, but their output has always been slightly above mid, yet enjoyable. When thrust into the spotlight to carry Xbox current lineup to the next, they're going to be under heavy scrutiny. Maybe as a side game, and overlooking Cog-like salesman's praise, they're just not capable of a well-rounded gaming experience.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@CharityDiaryAfter flop that was The Last of Us 2 l, Naughty Dog will most likely be shut down before Ninja Theory
@TheTerp97
4 ай бұрын
Matty, not to take away from your point on AC because it still works, but evil G Washington was an alternate timeline DLC. Conner also had super powers in that DLC, so its not necessarily an equal comparison
@MrMattyPlays
4 ай бұрын
Appreciate the correction. Thank you!
@nkw1985
4 ай бұрын
I hope the next Assassin's Creed is set in Africa with the lead character being a Mexican man and see if Cog still loves muh diversity.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@nkw1985Sarah Bond was hired because of diversity
@nkw1985
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 - Yeah it's sad.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@nkw1985 Microsoft has culture of hiring incompetent people and making third rate products
@joshuahan55
4 ай бұрын
matty, you need to get gene on this every episode. he was savage and speaking real talk!
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
I will roast boring kiddy Nintendo games if I get to talk to Gene
@got.a.raging.clue.
4 ай бұрын
Another episode of cog defending everything xbox. He lucky he's likable, and seems like a genuinely good dude
@Dave0zz
4 ай бұрын
He's not lucky. He's an Xbox fan. He PREFERS xbox to Playstation. That's why he's co-hosting an Xbox podcast. A lot of people in the comments seem confused about what show they're watching.
@got.a.raging.clue.
4 ай бұрын
@Dave0zz yes it's a xbox podcast. but for the most part they are neutral. Cog let's his fanboy side out alot recently. But let's not act like they are colteastwood or randal thor levels of fanboys. U can actually watch defining Duke and just get a chill xbox podcast without the microsoft saft stroking. "For the most part"
@Dave0zz
4 ай бұрын
@@got.a.raging.clue. I think Cog legit liked the game. Did you play it? It's not like it bombed. Some people liked it.
@codewick8985
4 ай бұрын
@@got.a.raging.clue. There's a place in all platforms for fans to be fans of games you might not like or care about or get top reviews. Liking something that a lot of players dislike doesn't mean they're wrong or fanning. I equally lothe players that pile on just bc others are piling on a game to shame. To each their own.
@danvmaul
4 ай бұрын
@@Dave0zz Yep. I loved it. And I loved Starfield. And Hi-Fi Rush. And Pentiment. I've literally been happy with Xbox's output this gen. They've done some awful things over the past few years, but I prefer their games and that's the reason I stick with them. People seem to forget that folks can have different tastes that inform the console they buy and the games they like.
@soarvivalist
4 ай бұрын
The tyranny of king washington is not cannon goddammit.😂
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
I dunno man wikipedia and tiktok said it was true
@wheaty39
4 ай бұрын
Cog is so positive on anything involving Xbox that you’d think he legit worked for them. It’s like he’s their salesman lol
@Coloradocaliber
4 ай бұрын
Maybe he just has a different opinion than yours?
@SamNewman1984
4 ай бұрын
he doesn't work for microsoft but his income does rely on his connections/relationships to xbox leaders
@jimcarrey2866
4 ай бұрын
He's generally a positive man, it's his personality. But I do agree that sometimes he stretches for xbox
@SaxonFaust
4 ай бұрын
Why tf are the ponies going at Cog? Go watch your sacred lame pod.
@ktrotter11
4 ай бұрын
He is protecting his relationships that he thinks exists like the op said. Everything that they are praising in HB2 has been tore down when other games did them.
@KarnageKollectibles
4 ай бұрын
I mean Hellblade 2 isn't BAD by any means but it's really not acceptable for a game that was in development for 4+ years to only be 5-6 hours. I know length isn't everything but it needed to be bigger and better in every way. I was expecting a Uncharted 1 to Uncharted 2 moment. Just something that took the first game and expanded on it in every way. What we got was a side step or even a step back from everything except visuals.
@jarde1989
4 ай бұрын
RE9 has been in development for 6+ years and is probably going to be a 5-8 hour experience… but I’m probably gonna play the hell out of it I think it has much more to do with how fun a game is rather than length Couldn’t care less how much time developers spend on a game if I don’t like it
@pedromartinez-xt7ye
4 ай бұрын
It was too basic
@pedromartinez-xt7ye
4 ай бұрын
@@jarde1989re9 will have way better gameplay
@504Trey
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade 2 is in my top 5 favorite games of all time.
@pedromartinez-xt7ye
4 ай бұрын
@@504Trey I don't even wanna know the other 4
@sam805236
4 ай бұрын
People forget that Ninja Theory also laid a dud with Bleeding Edge in 2020. So commercially that's 2 failures in a row.
@rudedays9379
4 ай бұрын
If u don't like Hellblade 2 that's fine but come on man bleeding edge was redfall level HB2 is not that bad
@AlexN798
4 ай бұрын
@@rudedays9379 Bleeding edge was clearly a game to try and keep the light on and after they got bought was sent out to die I dont think there any point on focusing on it i doubt Xbox cares
@jarde1989
4 ай бұрын
Someone doesn’t understand what “commercial failure” is
@StephenTheZ
4 ай бұрын
I don't know if you actually meant to say commercially, but, if we're looking at it that way I'm pretty sure the only success they've ever had is the original Hellblade. Pretty much everything else they've ever made has been a flop or under performer.
@Mojaveknight17
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade 1 also floped
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
The fact that Matty or Cog hasn't played Stellar Blade yet is puzzling. Both complain about PlayStations style of games, but I've not heard any mention of them interested in Stellar Blade? I'd love a Matty review for Stellar Blade. I just think if Stellar Blade was on Xbox it's a whole other conversation.
@MrMattyPlays
4 ай бұрын
It's so funny reading this and then going to my Twitter to see I'm the hater of Xbox games. You can't win lol. I'll play Stellar Blade this summer when I have more time. Demo didn't impress me, so I'm not in a rush. IT CAN BE THAT SIMPLE AT TIMES!
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
@MrMattyPlays Thank you for replying back! I was hoping you would, I'm glad you'll get to it in the summer, really looking forward to your thoughts on Stellar Blade as I love your videos and your honesty ❤
@thiagoporto8001
4 ай бұрын
I heard the demo’s really bad, though, so I wouldn’t let it keep you from trying Stellar Blade. It’s a fun PS2-era-style game.
@Dave0zz
4 ай бұрын
@@MrMattyPlaysYou and Cog just need to take an L every week and praise Playstation and these "xbox fans" will love you.
@TakaChan569
4 ай бұрын
I mean they focus on Xbox, so of course PS and heck even Nintendo won't get the same kind of attention just how it goes with more platform focused guys.
@siddharthshishulkar8992
4 ай бұрын
Has Cog ever disliked an Xbox first party game that wasn't Redfall? It's interesting because he seems to like everything. I do agree on the visuals front though. I think it's unparalleled but then also it's literally a tech demo after 5 years.
@Minednam
4 ай бұрын
Some people are easier to please. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with liking most things. Just understand the person is easier to please than you or has a difference of opinion.
@siddharthshishulkar8992
4 ай бұрын
@@MinednamYet he calls out similar kinds of games as formulaic when PlayStation or other publishers make them.
@DD-fs9xt
4 ай бұрын
@@siddharthshishulkar8992 He liked the first one too which had nothing to do with Xbox, these types of comments are weird. Let people like what they like
@Mr8T1
4 ай бұрын
@@siddharthshishulkar8992 yeah that's facts.
@hansolo6831
4 ай бұрын
@@DD-fs9xt I highly doubt he played in before ninja theory was acquired to be honest... Someone should check what he had to say about the game when it came out...
@Heat55wade3
4 ай бұрын
Saying the puzzles are better in the sequel is crazy
@Jaycy845
4 ай бұрын
Yeah that was insane lmfao
@504Trey
4 ай бұрын
The puzzles are better in Hellblade but Hellblade 2 still the better game & is in my top 5 favorite games of all times..
@Mike-sf7ex
4 ай бұрын
The puzzles are better and had more variety in the sequel. HB1 had too many segments with the symbols and it just killed the pacing
@user-dj9iu2et3r
4 ай бұрын
@@504Treythat’s irrelevant…
@InfiniteUmbra
4 ай бұрын
I thought the puzzles in the first game were trash and only served to slow the pacing down. The second game at least had variety even if they weren't that hard to solve.
@ChrisWTube
4 ай бұрын
Ninja Theory need to go back to making games like Enslaved, Heavenly Sword or even DmC
@travisbickle2004
4 ай бұрын
Enslaved was excellent, i would love to see a remaster of that
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
DMC 2013 is best game in the franchise
@codeen66
4 ай бұрын
People need to realize Ninja Theory is NOT the same studio it used to be. Most of those devs left years ago.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@codeen66 Ninja Theory has still so many great talents. Tameem had left a while ago
@Ciki92
4 ай бұрын
Exactly!!! Make action games & make that money, HB2 is a flop. Evil MS is lurking
@jeremyclark3526
4 ай бұрын
Cog has framed photos of Phill on his mantle
@jynxce
4 ай бұрын
In situations like this, I just ask myself if they'd have the same energy if a game in question was on a competitors device. It quickly roots out the console & brand loyalists. Are you a fan of the games or fan of the brand?
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@jynxceNaughty Dog games get so much praise from PlayStation fans despite being mediocre movie wannabe games
@jesuswenceslao4909
4 ай бұрын
@@jynxcethat's my only thing, if Hellblade 2 was a PS5 console exclusive he would almost assuredly have just lumped it in as "another Sony, over the shoulder story heavy game". Not to mention that the Sony exclusive lineup this year has been pretty varied, Helldivers, Ronin, Stellar Blade, Final Fantasy.
@Echo__plex
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 Naughty Dog is a great studio, and Xbox and every Xbox fan would kill to have them making exclusive games for them. Just stop.
@TheLoneGamr
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 They are actual games. WTF are you talking about.
@BLonsdale912
4 ай бұрын
If a person only plays Call of Duty every year, why would they subscribe to game pass instead of just buying the game?
@Echo__plex
4 ай бұрын
Fair point. My guess is they will do some incentives that are tied to GP Ultimate like the battle pass, skins, in game currency to try and sweeten the deal.
@StephenTheZ
4 ай бұрын
lol I've been saying this for years personally. It's the one thing about Game Pass (and other sub services) that has never made any sense to me. They need mainstream numbers to be successful (according to the MS FTC leaks they envisioned 100 mil subs for long term success) but mainstream normie gamers only play like 3 or 4 games a year. So like, huh? Why are they ever gonna subscribe to one of these services? GP caters to more of a hardcore gamer really, especially with all the indie games on the service. But hardcore gamers tend to be more picky about what they play so most of us don't want to sub either. So you create this weird limbo where the only people who really care about GP are people who do play a decent amount of games but also just roll with whatever MS gives them to play. Which clearly isn't that many people.
@BLonsdale912
4 ай бұрын
@@StephenTheZ very well said. I pretty much agree with everything
@MASTERJJ1995
4 ай бұрын
@@Echo__plex Cannot do exclusive stuff as a result of the buyout.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@StephenTheZWho pitched idea of Game pass?
@sugs0377
4 ай бұрын
I'm sorry but RDR2, TLOU2 have good gaming experience while providing stunning visuals. That makes hellblade 2 look worse because they had to sacrifice so much for a grimmsing face.
@TheSlanderousTruth
3 ай бұрын
Tlou2 is pure trash
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
I thought Hellblade 2 was meh. There was such a long wait for this and for it to be in ways less of a game than the first is so fucking disappointing.
@jovi9918
4 ай бұрын
I think it definitely got stuck in development hell and was severely cut down in scope late in development. They need a change of creative leads
@geronimo1595
4 ай бұрын
@@jovi9918100% this, this game definitely is missing a lot of needed content
@davidhotright
4 ай бұрын
I love Matty and Cog, but I also love Gene in the mix where they all don't agree. So good 😆
@504Trey
4 ай бұрын
Gene ain't nothing but a hardcore Pony & Matty ain't nothing but a PonyBot
@waketp420
4 ай бұрын
@@504Trey No. They just don't praise everything under the sun.
@somethingsburning774
4 ай бұрын
@@waketp420 ..just dei content
@waketp420
4 ай бұрын
@@somethingsburning774 You sound soft.
@somethingsburning774
4 ай бұрын
@@waketp420 Don't care, it is what it is
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
The Copium from Cog in this episode is insane.
@jarde1989
4 ай бұрын
The amount of people that show up in these comments every single week just to say “Cog Cope“ is insane lol Y’all really need some friends 😂
@geronimo1595
4 ай бұрын
@@jarde1989He copes every week they aren't wrong lol
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
@@geronimo1595 why do you watch every week? yall do need friends.
@PicklePete69
3 ай бұрын
that fact that there are so many people like you that can't stand when someone has a different opinion is astounding, it is always cope
@Andrew-ln9bw
4 ай бұрын
I'm floored every time new Gene lore drops, this man has lived 😂
@why772
4 ай бұрын
not listened to it all, what he say?
@SleeplessSpecter
4 ай бұрын
What value does a game really have if the only thing that makes it “good” will be expired in 5-10 years?
@tamim3319
4 ай бұрын
You are right these ultra realistic tech pieces age like milk. I think this is something Japanese devs are so ahead of Western devs, they always go for art style. That's why a lot of the older games that hold up visually are from those companies.
@HerbieChuckNorris
4 ай бұрын
THANK YOU.
@Wild_Samurai
4 ай бұрын
The effort put into the cinematography, surreal presentation of the hidden folk aspect of the story, and the story itself will not "expire" in 5-10 years. Sorry but an entire worth of a game cannot be boiled down to "graphics" and then dismissed like it's spoiled food.
@terencetrajano4591
3 ай бұрын
I personally don't think value is only tied to replayability, or whether it "holds up" as it ages. Some great things are a one-and-done product. I don't think this is one of them, but I just don't feel like that's a good point of argument.
@j_mick69
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade discussion = two serious game critics and one fanboy
@Optic_Darksyde
4 ай бұрын
I did not expect gene to tee up on hellblade like that holy 🤣saying the psychosis aspects are cringe and ninja theory is using mental health as a shield from criticism is some thermonuclear shit and i love it, but i love all the different opinions as always. great stuff dukes. 👏
@The_Claymores
4 ай бұрын
Gene was spot-on with that assessment and I'm happy someone finally said it
@SickRidez4Sale
4 ай бұрын
Cog with the fanboy glasses on.
@stonehorn4641
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade 2 just isn’t that good. Cog seems to care about visuals more than I do. I don’t care how pretty your game is if it isn’t fun.
@Shrewdy1
4 ай бұрын
Let's be real Cog was never gonna NOT praise this game lmao
@tylerstimson
4 ай бұрын
The thing is it's a game that isn't for everyone. And that's ok. I appreciate Xbox's diversity of output. And while fun factor is very important sometimes movies/video games/art can be deep, incredible and meaningful but not "fun" especially when it's tackling the themes Hellblade is.
@Mmachine88
4 ай бұрын
Yeah heavy disagree with the two of you above. As a mental health professional and lifelong player of games. This is trully a unique experience through and through and while the graphics isn't the most important thing, it does certainly add a great deal of immersion, You then add the incredible audio experience, the visceral combat, the puzzles, the interactions Senua has with others, world building and BENDING... Ninja Theory did an incredible job at representing severe mental illnesses and what they are doing here, you simply cannot do in a movie. You just can't. You can't illustrate the level of immersion that you get here through a non interactive medium (movies). I really challenge folks who are quick to label this game as nothing more than a tech demo or say things like "should have been a movie". With peace and love
@stonehorn4641
4 ай бұрын
@@Mmachine88 dude, that’s fine. You enjoyed it. I don’t think it’s good. It’s incredibly short but feels too long. I’ve never had what was advertised as a huge release feel so underwhelming and boring. Not bad, just boring. I beat it, it has some really amazing moments, but those moments don’t save it. They gave up all interactivity to create stunning visuals and sound is a slow and boring game. Gameplay is almost nonexistent. Push up. They should have made a movie, because it is clear they didn’t want to make a game.
@Mmachine88
4 ай бұрын
@@stonehorn4641 literally just explained why movie would not do what Ninja Theory is trying to do. That's fine if you'd rather not try to understand the game and you didn't like it.
@JDVBB8
4 ай бұрын
2:24:52 The way Cog’s face changed when Gene said that 💀
@rdj45
4 ай бұрын
I love Gene keeping it a stack.
@AdamThundercock
4 ай бұрын
Shoutout to Gene for standing on business calling out Ninja Theory 😂
@jeesh2409
4 ай бұрын
Matty is just curled up in his chair
@timlindholm1840
4 ай бұрын
88 % very positive on steam. Cog might be on the extreme scale for loving everything about the game, but I feel Gene is at least on the exact same opposite extreme by calling the studio shit and that telling a story about psychosis is cringe
@PlayLaughLogan
4 ай бұрын
Ive been a fan for years and personally Im happy to see more people hold the Dukes accountable. Cog has definitely become more of a fanboy & while he's of course allowed to voice his opinions regardless, so are listeners too. Feedback isnt hate and negativity shouldnt be dismissed because you (the dukes or other fans) dont like hearing it. Thats how echo chambers are formed and fanboys become even more emboldened. Tldr; Cogs a big boy and can handle some criticism 😅
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
Well said. Too many are so soft nowadays they can't even have an intense debate without taking it personally.
@joerogers7782
4 ай бұрын
Dude Colin is a massive fanboy but I’m sure you agree with every thing he says. I don’t get why the internet thinks you’re not allowed to like Xbox it’s bizarre.
@PlayLaughLogan
4 ай бұрын
@@joerogers7782 You realize it's possible for both of them to be fanboys, right? Do I need to add a "Colin is also a fanboy" footnote on every single comment?
@_Meatball_
4 ай бұрын
A wild Gene appears! Love to see it! ✌ Edit: I cannot allow this Detroit: Become Human blasphemy! Stand down, Gene!
@geronimo1595
4 ай бұрын
Yeah I loved Marcus story in that... Gene is honest tho i rock with him
@TheOff1ceFan
4 ай бұрын
Of course Cog liked Hellblade 2. Dude is so scared to make Phil mad 😂
@504Trey
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade 2 is in my top 5 favorite games of all time & I don't even know Phil.
@TheOff1ceFan
4 ай бұрын
@@504Trey that’s crazy that you’ve only played 5 games in your entire lifetime…
@504Trey
4 ай бұрын
@@TheOff1ceFan That's crazy that u incorrectly assumed that I only played 5 games in my entire lifetime...
@TheOff1ceFan
4 ай бұрын
@@504Trey quit crying, it’s not that deep
@TheCybercoco
4 ай бұрын
Must be 'cool' to jump on bandwagons.
@nothanks514
4 ай бұрын
Gene treating Starfield like Animal Crossing is a really funny but true comparison to make. Helps me understand why people like it when I don't.
@TonyTynebridge
4 ай бұрын
Phil Spencer could sh*t in a brown bag, put an Xbox sticker on the front and Cog would say its a masterpiece
@cardassa
4 ай бұрын
He would open the bag, take big whiff and have this serene look on his face.
@ipgaming7462
4 ай бұрын
He would smear the shit all over his glasses and smile afterwards
@consorte101
4 ай бұрын
OR maybe he actually genuinely likes the game? Is that so unfathomable to you? Yikes some takes and comments here are super cringy.
@cardassa
4 ай бұрын
@@consorte101 what game? We are just making our own fan fiction.
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
"it's real gamer sh*t!"
@Fonzflicks
3 ай бұрын
I find it kind of funny that Cog is the authoritative voice in the AC Shadows drama when he doesn't even play AC. AC is historical fiction, so Ubisoft can make whatever game they want imo. Why do a black male instead of a white male when both would be the outsider during this time? I think this game should have as much right to exist as RE5 to be frankly honest. Cog also mentions that he has never seen a person like him in video games. I'm calling bs on that. I could argue there are more black males in video games and movies than Asian or Hispanic. The biggest franchise in video games features two games with African American males. Also I agree that more diversity is good. I'm just not sure about the method and the means. I'm for let the market speak for itself. For example this Concord game seems to be made for a "modern' audience. Let's see if they're a real player base. Why is it so important for people to see themselves represented by someone else I wonder. I don't ever like a character because they look like me. It's more of the traits and action they take in the story. If Cog, for example, wants to see more black people in games. Maybe there should be a push to encourage more black people to pursue making video games than depend on people who do it because it's mandated by their corporate overlords or want some virtue signal points. Sorry for the long comment.
@StephenTheZ
4 ай бұрын
This is the first LSM podcast I've actually heard Gene on and haha it was great. Finally someone channeling my inner rage when he was ranting about the biggest problem in the industry. Preach on man, there is nothing more I hate than developers who treat gameplay as a secondary aspect of the game. And this has nothing to do with the fact that Hellblade is a walking simulator, I love stuff like Ace Attorney for example. But a game like Ace Attorney still stimulates and challenges you with its simple mechanics. Hellblade simply does not (and I am talking about the first game, haven't played the second.) And this isn't a Ninja Theory problem exclusively really, most modern AAA games (at least from western devs) are just so watered down in terms of gameplay mechanics. Thank god for the return of AA games.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
Naughty Dog is the worst offender
@MrKreisKlinge
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 Maybe in terms of exploration and movement, but the combat in Last of Us Part 2 is very deep.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@MrKreisKlinge The game as a overall package is above average not masterpiece. Gameplay has never been forte of Naughty Dog
@Zlatan32289
4 ай бұрын
Keep holding the line cog 😆
@EastyyBlogspot
4 ай бұрын
A game has to have the level of interactivity I need, if I can watch a commentary free playthrough of the game and get pretty much the same experience there is an issue. To me its like having a music video but the song is terrible...the video is a bonus but what's the point if the song is bad
@waketp420
4 ай бұрын
Just wanna remind everyone that just because a game is greenlit doesn't mean they're safe from closure. History has shown that studios and games get shut down ALL the time. Now more than ever. Whether its in a few months, a year or even 3 years. No studio is safe. Not trying to be negative, just reading the room.
@Tones753311
4 ай бұрын
Gotta agree with Matty on this one. Hellblade2 is majorly disappointing. Sure the rocks look great. It easier to make a game look great when it’s on the rails walking sim. A step down from hellblade 1 which I didn’t think was possible.
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
Majority seem to disagree with you.
@The_Claymores
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 only in your weird Xbox cult
@memes3751
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764u on every comment. This game sucks ass
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@The_Claymores PlayStation games will never reach to the quality of Hellblade 2
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@memes3751 This game is way better than anything you're playing on your PS5 right now.
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
Matty's comparison of Naughty Dog to Hellblade is laughable 💀
@bretttheillustrator
4 ай бұрын
its not laughable, Naughty dog was the king of graphics for a long time. This game looks better, they still gotta work on gameplay and stuff like that and we know from their past they can do it. Not sure what happened here but the graphics are no joke
@creese16
4 ай бұрын
@@bretttheillustratorI don’t disagree with you, but look at the PS4 version of The Last of Us Part II and then compare that to Hellblade II. Hellblade II does look better, but not by that much in my opinion. That’s how impressive Naughty Dog is to me.
@bretttheillustrator
4 ай бұрын
@@creese16 but it looks better. Digital foundry is gushing over it
@Loopez2284
4 ай бұрын
I think it's somewhat impressive on a technical level. However, a 5-10 hour experience that's taken 5-7 years to make with this being 30fps isn't that impressive to me.
@DD-fs9xt
4 ай бұрын
@@Loopez2284 To be fair, if Ninja Theory were to compare to current Naughty Dog, they would have 0 new games this gen due to a major cancellation & Senua would probably be a lesbian too, but that's another conversation
@IfYouSeekCaveman
4 ай бұрын
Call me strange, but when I want a cinematic experience with realistic visuals, I watch a movie.
@19RoFlMao19
4 ай бұрын
100%
@geronimo1595
4 ай бұрын
Truth is Hellblade 2 would have been much better as a tv series lol
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
It is Strange to think the world revolves around you and your tastes/preferences. Having options is a good thing, people may like different things than you do.
@somethingsburning774
4 ай бұрын
@@Donnie_Oculus So true! I haven't played Starfield yet but I know many who have and call it their GOTY. Then I see ppl trashing it like it's a joke of a game - *players have different tastes and preferences*
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
That means you have never played Naughty Dog games and other PlayStation studios that use Naughty Dog formula
@xbree_
4 ай бұрын
Kinda in love with Gene’s honesty lol would love him on all the time.
@mihailatanasov6598
4 ай бұрын
I want my $50 back and for Ninja Theory to cover my medical expenses for my left thumb injury after i finished the game yesterday.
@d8l835
4 ай бұрын
You didn't buy it. You played it on gamepass like the rest of us
@Tones753311
4 ай бұрын
I feel bad for anyone that paid 50 bucks for this.
@ScottyDo3sntKnow
4 ай бұрын
@@d8l835believe it or not some people actually still buy their games and they haven’t been brainwashed into thinking game pass is good
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@Tones753311I wasted my money on Horizon forbidden west
@Joe_159
4 ай бұрын
Really enjoyable podcast, especially Hellblade stuff, thanks gents! Gene came so well prepared for this, he was great
@desertgsrider1
4 ай бұрын
Oh Lost Odyssey would be awesome!! I vividly remember my girlfriend at the time walking into the spare bedroom quietly and noticed I was crying. I never lived that down!
@diegocasillas404
4 ай бұрын
my wife and I (we were dating then) were playing certain story segments together and she didn't care to watch but was definitely crying in that special scene.
@AlekTrev006
4 ай бұрын
I’ll always remember the final battle… “Here, bathed in the Light of The Mirrors, you CAN die !!!” 💥 Epic… ☺️
@The_Death_Owl
4 ай бұрын
A remaster with the "dreams" segments narrated would be a must play!
@bri4498
4 ай бұрын
How many people have you heard complain about Senua being a female lead? About Lara Croft being a female lead? About Nadine in uncharted 4 being a black woman? about the main character in the walking dead telltale series being a black man? etc. Remember any complaints about the diversity there? No right? Guess what? No one complains because they are original characters, for their original stories. Nothing is being shoehorned or forced with them. That's the problem. Sweet baby inc is literally there to FORCE something. and this is happening in all media, not just gaming. The term "go woke go broke" isn't wrong, it's one of the MANY reasons Disney etc is failing. there are black characters everywhere now, in everything. movies, shows, games. Cool. So enough with the "i dont feel represented enough" thing
@MisterMarsona
4 ай бұрын
So glad to hear Matty loved DmC. I understand some of the hate for DmC, but i really really loved it 😂❤. I agree some things with the story were...interestingly baffling lol, but the "origin" story approach was fun to me, and loved the combat!
@Tones753311
4 ай бұрын
I’m not sure what game Cog played.
@RumPenguin
4 ай бұрын
Let 'em know Matty! Battleborn was FIRE
@MistahKurtz1979
4 ай бұрын
2:26:30 finest moment in Duke history?
@johnnynometer
4 ай бұрын
Damn, cog was seriously ball washing Hellblade 2? I love this show but this dude is shameless lol. Nothing personal just borderline shocking.
@DanXcel
4 ай бұрын
Cog, a lot of us appreciate you and love listening to you. You're an essential part of the show (along with Matty). Keep it up man and ignore the negative comments!
@NelsonMandela1million
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade 2 is 5 hours long with 3 hours of cutscenes.
@DribbleP
4 ай бұрын
Hellblade was just a 5 hour QTE all that game was made for was to show how pretty graphics can look but with MAJOR SACRIFICES to everything else if hellbalde was open world like horizon or on the scale off a god of war or last of us 2 it wouldn't look anywhere near what it does now so can people stop comparing it to those games graphics wise
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
The Last of Us 2 and God of war are linear corridor games and still they can never touch Hellblade in graphics
@The_Claymores
4 ай бұрын
@@daksans6764 TLOU2 has deep stealth action gameplay with a crafting system in large areas that allow for many different approaches while having stunning graphics. Hellblade 2 is a QTE hallway simulator
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
@@The_Claymores So basically The last of Us 2 is third person Far Cry. Also you'll never find deep gameplay mechanics in any Naughty Dog game. The Last of Us exposed the weakness of Naughty Dog formula and it sold poorly. They are trying to survive through unnecessary remakes and remasters.
@eddyspeddy
4 ай бұрын
In my eyes Starfield has no hope. To use Cyberpunk 2077 as an example, while it launched badly, the interesting content and groundwork was there. Starfield is just an average game by all metrics. Bethesda forgot what made them good, handcrafted content. I've hated them since they released Fallout 4, it's completely the wrong direction of what made them good.
@Kasual7
4 ай бұрын
54:10 wholeheartedly disagree with this Assassin Creed take. The general expectation from an AC in Japan was to play as a Japanese man in Japan as much as we played an Egyptian in Origins, Native American in AC3 and French in AC Unity. Also the argument that there is a female Japanese still isn't very valid cause we all know Ubisoft has always pushed their male lead in AC.
@jesuswenceslao4909
4 ай бұрын
Kassandra in Odyssey.....
@thenewterrorbilly727
4 ай бұрын
2:11:11 that one game was Hi-Fi Rush.
@sprinter1boy
4 ай бұрын
Cogs to far gone to be saved
@Ratchetfan321
4 ай бұрын
Cog still kissing feet it seems
@tiago_muller
4 ай бұрын
Cog raving about the graphics, fair enough, but saying nothing comes close to it this generation, has he already forgotten about Alan Wake 2?
@daksans6764
4 ай бұрын
Alan Wake 2 is great but still Hellblade 2 will be unmatched unless maybe there is new Gears game
@KAOTICUPRISE
4 ай бұрын
A new Lost Odyssey that's not only turn based and has action combat like Rebirth... Heck Yes!!!
@quezcatol
4 ай бұрын
imagine being hyped about "call of duty" in 2024. I started with console gaming back in 1990, but to keep playing the same shooter on a console year after year... I dont get it. get a gaming pc then.
@Echo__plex
4 ай бұрын
Who gives a shit? People can play and enjoy whatever they want, whether its console or not.
@TroubleshootGamingMeds
4 ай бұрын
I've got to agree with Gene. Ninja Theory is mid
@elblah9721
4 ай бұрын
Props Cog on defending HellBlade 2. My psychologist introduced me to HellBlade 1 due to Senua hearing voices the way I do. It's an accurate depiction, makes me feel less alone in experiencing voices. Hope others do, too.
@WAR904
4 ай бұрын
Man I sure hope All these people capping for AC don’t pull a suicide squad and actually buy and play the game this time
@poondo
4 ай бұрын
Love you boys! Keep up the great work 👍
@Evamaster456
4 ай бұрын
41:12 - AC has never been super historically accurate, I’d say it has been pretty historically authentic (at most 75% of the time 🤷♂️), and likes to play fast and loose with history. This works really well with the sci-fi narrative that tends to run along side the historical sections of the games. Add in that Yasuke was a real historical figure that only really appears in history in this short period of time and then basically disappears, which makes him a perfect pick for an AC character since we know next to nothing specific about his past or what happens to him after his Japan escapades. Should be interesting to see how they weave him into the game’s narrative and interpret his historical accounts.
@SWOTHDRA
4 ай бұрын
not playing a japanese man in a game that takes place in japan, is cultural appropriation and racist.
@SleeplessSpecter
4 ай бұрын
Brad or Gene should be a permanent 3rd chair. Makes the pod way better and I like both Matty and Cog
@jean-alexandrethibault3892
4 ай бұрын
HB2 is actually a bad videogame. Would be interesting as a 20$ VR project though… I tried going back 4 times now and just couldn’t
@addicted2crowds
4 ай бұрын
Glad it’s becoming clearer and clearer how biased cog is 😂
@ChaseIrons
4 ай бұрын
My expectation was just another high quality emotional story that hit me on another level like hellblade 1 with some entertaining combat and less boring puzzles. I got none of that. I was fine with it being short. Loved the visuals.
@cherryboi7734
3 ай бұрын
Respect all opinions but Cog…he’s gonna wake up just like the rest did and realize what the fuck did I do this for? I watched Nxtgen720, Mooch, Crap and now Tim all finally call out the bullshit. Don’t jockey for Xbox or PS for that matter
@kp9869
4 ай бұрын
On the AC shadows topic it feels like the dukes intentionally left out all the points on why people both from japan and not from japan don't like yasuke as one of the main characters and it's not just because he's black. I'm kind of disappointed of the dukes not fully represent the whole thing honestly.
@victory7763
4 ай бұрын
You're speaking for all people from Japan as if they are a monolith. By the way, it's the top pre-order on Japan's Amazon website, so certainly Japanese people are not a hive mind. Honestly, it seems conveniently that dissenting opinion ment to represent Japanese, are all anonymous, including the bots that use Google translate with no other account history. While on the other hand some of the positive opinions I've seen from Japanese people, I can actually see their face in video and they aren't conveniently anonymous. Seems more disrespectful to try to speak for another group of people and virtue signal for them, then to actually just support your own opinions by their own merits
@kp9869
4 ай бұрын
@@victory7763 1st, i didn't say that ALL people from japan don't like it i'm aware of that so don't put words in my mouth i didn't say. 2nd, it is possible to both pre order a game and also have something a person may not like about but not enough to not play it. 3th, about the accounts being bots i have to do my own research to find out if that's true or a lie. 4th, i'm not trying to virtue signal anything here it's just that what the dukes said around AC shadows was one sided that's all. For example there is 3 people here yet no one brought up that some people on wikipedia tried to change what was said there after the trailer released to fit the narative that a black man at that time period was given the title of samurai when in fact we know very very little about him.
@victory7763
4 ай бұрын
@kp9869 If you aren't trying to virtue signal then why aren't you simply speaking for yourself? Why are you trying to be some sort of representative ambassador of other groups of people. Can you not make an argument and make it valid with its own merits? Whether he was a Samurai or not doesn't matter. Madusas and gods don't exist either, and yet we've had those too; but a black human being a samurai is a more unbelievable what if for you than creatures and flying humans? Oh please.
@sugs0377
4 ай бұрын
I prefer games that enhance the story through gameplay i.e. when the Square button didn't work in God of War 2018 during the portion where Atreus is being rebellious.
@ThatGamingGuyfromthe70s
4 ай бұрын
I've always liked Gene and seeing ATCQ Midnight Marauders only solidifies my respect.
@micdoses1
4 ай бұрын
The order 1886 was 👍
@johnguymer8063
4 ай бұрын
Hanger watched yet but let me guess....cog likes it😂
@scottieb2943
4 ай бұрын
O damn. Come Sunday when the free loaders come in Gene and Matty gonna get big time hate. Dont pay attention to it fellas. Keep be honest. We appreciate all 3 of you.
@persies4397
4 ай бұрын
HB2 made me unsub from gamepass ngl. I'll just use my X for Fallout 4.
@sombrerosamurai
4 ай бұрын
If they raise the price to 25 ill cancel my subscription. I get 0 value from CoD
@fffx2
4 ай бұрын
50$ for a 5 hour film is insane
@Donnie_Oculus
4 ай бұрын
lol its only 5 hours if you rush like matty. $50 for 7.5hours (film) is a steal wym LOL.. you deff dont go to the movies. xD
@Echo__plex
4 ай бұрын
@Donnie_Oculus if you rush? Haha. There's hardly any side content. It's a walking sim. You're literally holding a button most of the game or watching cut scenes.
@spriteg51st
4 ай бұрын
Starfield Hellblade 2 Gears collection Doom #PS5
@captainziggy82
4 ай бұрын
COG is beyond compromised man, just came back to finally finish the show and holy. Hard to take his opinion serious these days. Great show otherwise.
@VariantAEC
3 ай бұрын
Me too. Watched a few days ago and couldn't finish. Came back and Cog just looks even worse.
@deez8060
4 ай бұрын
Y’all gotta stop hating on Cog he can like a game damn!
@nuruddinpeters9491
4 ай бұрын
Yep, another hellblade 2 comment. The game is objectively a worse game in terms gameplay. Gene Park. I dont agree with the story criticism and main actor harsh comments, i think shes a phenomenal actor, and i honestly think shes still the best part of this game. I didnt have any issues at all hearing the voices over main dialog. Especially when wearing headphones, i think it worked as intended, sometimes a voice would repeat a name or thing youre aware of for emphasis during main dialog which is probably exactly folks suffer in real life. Incredible. I was able to follow with the minor overlapping, felt intentional, and while your attention is undivided, this is incredible. (Razer Nari Ultimate.) Now, onto the bad... Really, wheres the gameplay?! As you mentioned. (As Gene and Matty mentioned a billion times.) The lack of dash attack and melee button removed all combat nuance. (Zero custom combos, and critical attacks.) Not to mention, the lack of getting flanked because everything is 1v1. Parry, when it works because precision feels weird in this, can be a 1shot on weaker enemies, its OP but weirdly unreliable with timing. I would prefer the visuals and from hellblade 2, get slapped onto hellblade 1... This game made hellblade 1 play better by a longshot. I dont want the studio closed, but i really hope they read and hear these criticisms. Dont remove gameplay for your sequels and mislead folks... I felt hellblade 2 mislead folks from hellblade 1. No one expected godofwarz but at minimum, we should have received the same experienced on every mechanic enhanced. (This has nothing to do with game length.) Instead, they only enhanced audio, and visuals, story, and stripped all else to barebones. Its weird. Folks got jipped. Last thing, i think Cog genuinely enjoys this game. I disagree with this as a proper sequel on Gameplay alone, but its cool.
@iwatchDVDsonXbox360
4 ай бұрын
My only problem with AC Shadows at this point is the fact that it requires internet connection.
@victory7763
4 ай бұрын
Actually you don't have to stay connected, you just have to download the day 1 patch; after that you can stay offline
@radrobb3530
4 ай бұрын
#DDHellblade the cast cooked 🍚 🍲 🔥
@Xbox4949
4 ай бұрын
Cog to Matty every show “I see your point” “I agree with you Matty” “yea Matty is right” just a Matty fluffer show a spine
@zer0thesilenthero
4 ай бұрын
Didn't even know about the ninja theory gdc thing. Went from having no opinion on them to a less than favorable one 💀
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
Let's get real about yasuke in the new ac game. The negativity is a response to the shoe-horning in of black and gay/trans characters for the sole purpose of those groups being represented. This is another case where it doesn't make sense and just looks like racism to the casual. It seems forced. No one cares that he's black. People care that hes out of place. The historical justification doesn't make sense because he was no great samurai. Hes not a revered historical/public figure. If he was like the Hank Aaron of black samurai I'd shut up.
@victory7763
4 ай бұрын
You can choose who you wish to romance. It's easy to just choose to be straight just like in the last 3 Assassin's Creeds, not sure why you think that's so hard. You can also choose not to romance anyone.
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
@@victory7763 in what other way do you have poor reading comprehension skills?
@victory7763
4 ай бұрын
@Calladim you're the one who doesn't have any "do your own research" skills. You've allowed people to spoon feed you that the characters are LGBT, and that's simply not true (unless you make it true.) The game simply has romance options like the last 3
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
@@victory7763 you're confusing my broad statement with your specific viewpoint. I don't know or care about any characters in AC shadows being gay or trans. I was referencing the dozens of examples of the shoe-horning in of those types of characters as a reason why people are against a shoehorned character here. Representation for the sake of representation in art is silly and a waste of everyone's time. Maybe I'm wrong and the story justification and character arc of a black samurai in historical Japan will be original and thought provoking. Recent evidence has me expecting woke bs. You read and responded to my comments as if you were searching for an argument. What you're trying to argue and what I'm saying are not the same.
@ZafVirex
4 ай бұрын
I actually enjoyed playing HB2 more than 1 but preferred the story of 1 overall. Wasn't a big fan of the original because of how many rune puzzles there are. NT cut down a bit on the number of puzzles in 2 it seems, which was welcomed. I liked too there are other characters you meet and interact with. The voices in 1 were annoying and remain so here. It's the one thing I wished was cut down like the puzzles were. This game being 10 hrs or more would not be fun and would feel bloated. It's the perfect length. Not every game needs to be or should be 20 hrs or more.
@shawngaetz8161
4 ай бұрын
Flucking XBoTs will never change. And you'll never get good first party games.
@stormer9952
4 ай бұрын
Rent free in your head
@Calladim
4 ай бұрын
"but but but we're getting a new fable and perfect dark!" "When?" "Uh...um...soooon....?" The answer depends which side of his mouth Phil is talking out of 😂
@shawngaetz8161
4 ай бұрын
@@stormer9952 the only and I mean ONLY time I think of xbox is when these videos pop up in my feed because of the algorithm suggesting game shit to me. Then I'm never surprised to hear the black dude licking green nuts no matter what is going on with them. Microsoft deserves to be abandoned by their die hards. Their subscription model is going to DESTROY gaming.
@23Amadeus92
4 ай бұрын
Cog.. . HB2s graphics are great but its a 4-5h game. And it is an on rails game not open world or sth like that. Would HB2 have such great graphics if it was at a scale like spider man 2 or forza horizon?
@Falvarezpr7
4 ай бұрын
I keep seeing people change the runtime for this game. Did you play it?? I see some saying 5 hours and now you even going down to 4. When I beat the game I was at 8 1/2 hours 🤷♂️. If Matty really did finish at 5, he must've been just rushing through it, and thats just not how many people are going to play this game.
@23Amadeus92
4 ай бұрын
@@Falvarezpr7let s say 7 hours then... after 5 or more years in development? and the graphics are outstanding but its just backgrounds and a few characters facial expressions. If this was a demo to show the potential of the Series X I would be happy. But we already had the Matrix interactive demo to show what is possible. This "game" is mediocre..IMO
@Falvarezpr7
4 ай бұрын
@@23Amadeus92 did you play it? I can say if you didn't like the first game , you definitely won't like this one, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that. But I definitely would not call what this studio achieved "mediocre". And how long has this been in active development? Seems like its only been about 4 years, since they were focusing more on Project Mara after Hellblade 1 came out.
@dLifeHD
4 ай бұрын
@@Falvarezpr7I took a little over 10 hours and didn’t even use the photo mode. I still don’t understand how people are beating this in 5 hours…
@kroth92
4 ай бұрын
Why people are coming in to Cog, let him like the game, many people did it. Its 80+ on metacritic its not garbage.
@darkdragonite1419
4 ай бұрын
It has a 71 user score ? Hell TLOU2 has 90+ metacritic but it's a trash game.
@gustavohuehue7460
4 ай бұрын
Time to bash cog for enjoying things 😎
@ipgaming7462
4 ай бұрын
It’s the fact he “enjoys everything” and yet talks down on PlayStation games. If he’s pleased with games of this caliber and alike, then he would praise PlayStation games but of course, he’s a fanboy and we all can see thru it. Me personally I’m sick of his takes while he’s critical about it but still enjoys everything Xbox first party or not, yet doesn’t play PlayStation games. He’s an old time gamer who’s stuck in his own ways and won’t change, that much is psychologically obvious but damn, atleast try out PS games. I don’t take him seriously anymore. Dudes a fanboy cut plain and simple. Enough beating around the bush.
@gustavohuehue7460
4 ай бұрын
@@ipgaming7462 he literally only makes fun of how formulaic sony's first party games got, which is true lol, dude was playing ff16 some time ago, you're a little too defensive for no reason
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