What are you playing?

[Great Rumbler]

(Image removed from quote.)

10/10 would recommend to any Souls and Final Fantasy fan.

Looks like you got the good ending. Congrats!

[Great Rumbler]

I did? I was playing blind. There was

spoiler (click to show/hide)

another FINAL BOSS after the one above

[close]

but that bitch went down 2nd try, no sweat.

Nice set up for the sequel - no? Open world, Io being the central figure etc.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You have to find all the vestiges of each successor before fighting them and restore their memories post-fight [i.e. don't just walk out the huge doors instead of interacting with them after they turn to stone]. So, yeah, pretty easy to get even if you don't know what you're doing.

[close]

[toku]

so many giant waifus on the top of this page 

[Rufus]

Finished Metro Exodus. Beautiful, but the one thought I was left with at the finale was how over the top stupid

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the blind gorillas were. Sneaking around them is annoying, whatever, but them mumbling "kill" (telepathically even?) is too much. A giant invincible ape that can pull you in two is menacing enough, guys. It's also someting they recycled from the first game. Just came off as thought they had run out of ideas.

[close]

I also didn't enjoy them going down the list of failing post-apocalyptic societies. One trope after another.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

From luddite swamp people, to a Mad Max desert society built on slave labour, to a bunker filled with cannibals, to the forest paradise where a teacher taught a bunch of orphans how to survive...

[close]

Did enjoy the sneaking, the shooting and the visuals but it had no spark. They tried to go for drama right at the end (find the magic cure or your sweetheart dies), but it didn't work for me.

[Nintex]

Finished Metro Exodus. Beautiful, but the one thought I was left with at the finale was how over the top stupid

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the blind gorillas were. Sneaking around them is annoying, whatever, but them mumbling "kill" (telepathically even?) is too much. A giant invincible ape that can pull you in two is menacing enough, guys. It's also someting they recycled from the first game. Just came off as thought they had run out of ideas.

[close]

I also didn't enjoy them going down the list of failing post-apocalyptic societies. One trope after another.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

From luddite swamp people, to a Mad Max desert society built on slave labour, to a bunker filled with cannibals, to the forest paradise where a teacher taught a bunch of orphans how to survive...

[close]

Did enjoy the sneaking, the shooting and the visuals but it had no spark. They tried to go for drama right at the end (find the magic cure or your sweetheart dies), but it didn't work for me.

When I started Metro Exodus I got until the train and then I fell off it and it auto saved so every time I load the game I instantly die.
I haven't touched it since.

[Rufus]

There are three autosave slots. :B

But then I don't think you're missing much, so whatever.

[Mr Gilhaney]

Started RDR2 on PC. It sure isnt that much more responsive control wise here, but it looks quite a bit better on pc, the photo mode is also fairly cummy

[Freyj]

Finished all Routes in Nier Automata.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

That’s it? I’m seriously confused on this one. The twists towards the end of B and during C about the truth behind humanity and the state of the world were...mildly interesting but the C/D/E endings are hyped as this amazing thing that you just HAVE to see and it’s just a considerably less impactful, anime ass version of something Nier 1 already did 1000x better.

And all the talk about how Platinum made “good” Nier gameplay. Nope, still trash and so much more of it. Hacking mini game overload on the back end of the game and that shit sucked.

What a disappointment. Even the use of Nier 1 characters sucked. Gamers have trash ass taste.

[close]

[Rufus]

Tried Crackdown 3, cause why not? It plays just like what I remember of the first Crackdown. Listlessly grabbed some agility orbs, cleared a handful objectives on the map... And that's all I have to say about it, because I already uninstalled it.

What is up with games not having separate language options? I had to switch my OS to English just to hear Terry Crews' dulcet tones.

[demi]

Finished all Routes in Nier Automata.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

That’s it? I’m seriously confused on this one. The twists towards the end of B and during C about the truth behind humanity and the state of the world were...mildly interesting but the C/D/E endings are hyped as this amazing thing that you just HAVE to see and it’s just a considerably less impactful, anime ass version of something Nier 1 already did 1000x better.

And all the talk about how Platinum made “good” Nier gameplay. Nope, still trash and so much more of it. Hacking mini game overload on the back end of the game and that shit sucked.

What a disappointment. Even the use of Nier 1 characters sucked. Gamers have trash ass taste.

[close]

Bruh I been saying automata is buns and nowhere near the original

[Spieler1]

structurally the ending in Nier 2 is a little better, but doesn't have the characters to back it up. Would've been much better with a cast like Nier 1's, not those new lamos. The robots were interesting, but fuck the androids. Combat is fancier in Automata, but there's nothing else than that and the schmups. Nier 1 was Zelda-like, so the inferior combat didn't even matter that much. You had like dungeons, parts that were like Resident Evil, proper text adventure, etc. - and none of it was bad. Most other games suck when they change up genres, but Nier 1 is okay at worst and mostly great. It even got platforming controls right, which most games fuck up if it isn't their focus.

Nier

[Mr Gilhaney]

hard mode on

[Svejk]

SE seems to be taking their time with a Neir remaster.  Seems a bit silly this hasn't been announced yet.  And lol if they do and not include all region variations.

[Freyj]

Nier is still playable give me full remakes of Drakengard 1/2 

[The Sceneman]

Playing Metal Gear Ac!d 2 on PSP. Why is this game so good

[Freyj]

Picking back up the Kiseki series after finishing FC nearly a decade ago with Trails in the Sky SC and man does Turbo mode rule. I enjoyed FC but found the combat to be slower than I’d like and the story to be a little slow going but being able to blaze through trash encounters has completely turned my experience around.

SC and 3rd have been on my backlog for forever now, but I’m a little hesitant to continue on to Cold Steel after given what I’ve seen of it. How do the Cold Steel games hold up to the Sky trilogy?

[Rufus]

Bloodstained
Nothing much to say. It's Igavania through and through and I will inhale it until I inevitably get stuck and grudgingly look up how to proceed.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

That nun is evil, isn't she? I can tell because of my gigantic intellect , but also the tone of her VO.

[close]

Favourite handwave so far: the iconic Alchemist's castle? Sure. It appears suddenly, because, bwuh... - just go make it un-appear, OK? There's demons everywhere. Chop, chop; off you go!

I'm going to be grinding out souls, too, huh? Only to ignore all but five, just as I did in Aria and Dawn of Sorrow.

[kingv]

I started bloodstained last night too.

I can say the switch version seems to be fine now. I haven’t had any problems with it or bad input lag.

[demi]

Is anyone besides you even playing Code Vein? Lol

[demi]

Here's a couple tips I found on TA that might help

https://www.trueachievements.com/a284044/exalted-reputation-achievement

[Purple Filth]

Played some Generation Zero with some friends and its interesting running out in the world to fight killer construction robots and getting phat loot.

Also a method of travel being a bicycle (with a postman "horn") just kills me for some reason.


Otherwise deep in the Destiny 2 mines dealing with this seasonal thing they are pushing plus shadowkeep.

[Don Rumata]

Played some Generation Zero with some friends and its interesting running out in the world to fight killer construction robots and getting phat loot.

Also a method of travel being a bicycle (with a postman "horn") just kills me for some reason.

I was curious about this, how's the gameplay loop, is it like Left4Dead or slower? Also, can you play in private matches?

[BIONIC]

That was my 11th Souls platinum. I platinumed 4 Souls games in the last 3 months: Remnant, The Surge, The Surge 2, Code Vein.

I need a rest.

Or you could just play the games for fun

[HardcoreRetro]

He needs to play Ashen before he can get some rest.

[demi]

No, Borys understands that feeling of achieving your goals and euphoria of popping achievements. Something you all should strive for, you deadbeat bootlickers.

Also this game isn't receiving any more patches and developers make you do bullshit multiplayer tasks due to publisher input (they want people to keep playing your game) so yeah you wasted your time haha get fucked

[MMaRsu]

That was my 11th Souls platinum. I platinumed 4 Souls games in the last 3 months: Remnant, The Surge, The Surge 2, Code Vein.

I need a rest.

Play Red Dead Redemption 2 and unwind man, please

[Akala]

.4% global acquisition rate. 😂

[demi]

I downloaded Contra Rogue Corps since it's free this weekend. I thought it was a "traditional" contra in the sense it had levels and an ending

Turns out it's a twin-stick shooter with a series of sub-missions and has a diablo-esque grinding where you upgrade your gear, weapons, etc

I ain't got time for this shit lmao

[tiesto]

I downloaded Contra Rogue Corps since it's free this weekend. I thought it was a "traditional" contra in the sense it had levels and an ending

Turns out it's a twin-stick shooter with a series of sub-missions and has a diablo-esque grinding where you upgrade your gear, weapons, etc

I ain't got time for this shit lmao

Oh wow, that progression system sounds awful... whatever happened to linear levels? Especially in franchises with arcade origins like Contra?

[Rufus]

Bloodstained
References upon references. Iga-san...

Having to suck a regular monsters' soul to progress is pretty mean. Feels completly busted to use it, too. Like it's an optional path. Progression unlocks should always come from bosses. I wandered around the entire castle thinking I had missed a switch or and item or something (like earlier, with the golden armour).

The second stage of the last boss is just lame. Everything is easy to dodge, but if that weren't enough, the gravity flip power breaks that fight completely. Some demon lord this is...

Never found the recipe for regular spaghetti. Sorry, old lady. :I

[Rman]

Pokemon Shield

It's fun. It's Pokemon.  The rabid fanbase always overreacts. 

[MMaRsu]

Pokemon Shield

It's fun. It's Pokemon.  The rabid fanbase always overreacts.

Yeh lets ignore legitimate complaints and the fact that it looks like an upressed 3ds game under the umbrella of "rabid fanbase"

[Don Rumata]

Shit games can be fun. 
But yeah, hard to argue that the game looks incredibly low effort, especially with all the Pokemon clones made in a basement that look better.

[Rman]

Pokemon Shield

It's fun. It's Pokemon.  The rabid fanbase always overreacts.

Yeh lets ignore legitimate complaints and the fact that it looks like an upressed 3ds game under the umbrella of "rabid fanbase"

It's a JRPG. I don't care.  Give me classic JRPG mechanics and I'm good. 

My favorite JRPG series of late is Etrian Odyssey and it's far from a looker. 

On the other hand, the Final Fantasy series has pushed graphical fidelity since FFVII and I only keep losing interest in them. 

My fave Pokemon game is Black and White. That's a game that is basically a Super NES game in terms of fidelity.  Pushing the graphical edge is not something I care for with this series. 

[Tuckers Law]

Still playing Days Gone and having fun despite its faults.  I gotta say, the devs did not skimp on effort when it comes to character asses in this game.

[bluemax]

Pokemon Shield

It's fun. It's Pokemon.  The rabid fanbase always overreacts.

Yeh lets ignore legitimate complaints and the fact that it looks like an upressed 3ds game under the umbrella of "rabid fanbase"

Let's get stupid angry at Nintendo's annual sports franchise and the fact that it only improves incrementally just like all of EA and 2ks annual sports franchises.

[Spieler1]

Similar to Diablo mobile reactions, no matter how overblown and funny, anything's better than corporate apologists.

[Rufus]

What is this artstyle called? It is one of my favourite artstyles in gaming and surprisingly it is only found in Indie games like: The Witness, Inside, Brothers: Two Sons etc. Does it have a name?

Flat shaded, low-poly, pastel something-or-other? Dunno if there's an accepted name. It looks cool, especially with realistic lighting, but the practical advantages are probably the main driver of this trend.

---

I've been playing Bethesda's Far Cry knock-off, Rage 2.
- It's not nearly as 'wacky' as its trailers would have us believe.
- Frametimes are rock solid, but nonetheless, camera motion appears to stutter. It's most apparent when you move while fixed on a target. It's as though mouse sensitivity is much too high. I tried adjusting it down, but that didn't help. It's not the motion blur, either. Confounding.
- Shooting feels good, not least because of how dramatically the enemies' react. They stumble and fall over and armour flies off in pieces. Rage was good about that as well.
- Combining alternate fire modes with ADS is just clever. Buckshot while hip-firing, slugs while aiming down the sights? Clever. Don't know of another game having done it this way.
- Why are levels and perks not on the same screen? Levels on the left-hand side, perk trees on the right; the way Titan Quest did it. And why can I increase weapon levels on the weapon mod screen, but not skill levels on the skill perk screen? It's like two differnet people designed this.

[tiesto]

I'm up to the final boss of Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon but I'm going back and getting all the gems before I take him on and beat the game. I haven't had too much time to play games lately so I haven't started anything new, tbh. Just finishing shit up that I've been playing since the summer.

[Don Rumata]

What is this artstyle called? It is one of my favourite artstyles in gaming and surprisingly it is only found in Indie games like: The Witness, Inside, Brothers: Two Sons etc. Does it have a name?

Flat shaded, low-poly, pastel something-or-other? Dunno if there's an accepted name. It looks cool, especially with realistic lighting, but the practical advantages are probably the main driver of this trend.

---

I've been playing Bethesda's Far Cry knock-off, Rage 2.
- It's not nearly as 'wacky' as its trailers would have us believe.
- Frametimes are rock solid, but nonetheless, camera motion appears to stutter. It's most apparent when you move while fixed on a target. It's as though mouse sensitivity is much too high. I tried adjusting it down, but that didn't help. It's not the motion blur, either. Confounding.
- Shooting feels good, not least because of how dramatically the enemies' react. They stumble and fall over and armour flies off in pieces. Rage was good about that as well.
- Combining alternate fire modes with ADS is just clever. Buckshot while hip-firing, slugs while aiming down the sights? Clever. Don't know of another game having done it this way.
- Why are levels and perks not on the same screen? Levels on the left-hand side, perk trees on the right; the way Titan Quest did it. And why can I increase weapon levels on the weapon mod screen, but not skill levels on the skill perk screen? It's like two differnet people designed this.

Dunno if it's the same issue, but i'm trying this too, and there's some where stutter that makes it almost unplayable for me, driving around especially is comical.
It basically looks like it slows down and speeds up over and over, not fluid at all (and does so in cutscenes, too).

I forgot to try in windowed mode, but even at super low res, it doesn't get any better, so i doubt it's got to do with raw performance.

EDIT: Also stutters in windowed mode.
Anyway, uninstalled, i have no patience for this bullshit, since it seems to be a common and un-fixed problem, plus the game seemed fairly mediocre to me.

[I'm a Puppy!]

Currently on Dragon Quest builders 2 the first one was the first game I ever platinumed (I'm not really into that stuff) so obviously I loved it. This took all that and made it so much better.  I'm only on the first chapter but I'm already enjoying it way more than I did the first one.

[Great Rumbler]

What is this artstyle called? It is one of my favourite artstyles in gaming and surprisingly it is only found in Indie games like: The Witness, Inside, Brothers: Two Sons etc. Does it have a name?

Flat shaded, low-poly, pastel something-or-other? Dunno if there's an accepted name. It looks cool, especially with realistic lighting, but the practical advantages are probably the main driver of this trend.

---

I've been playing Bethesda's Far Cry knock-off, Rage 2.
- It's not nearly as 'wacky' as its trailers would have us believe.
- Frametimes are rock solid, but nonetheless, camera motion appears to stutter. It's most apparent when you move while fixed on a target. It's as though mouse sensitivity is much too high. I tried adjusting it down, but that didn't help. It's not the motion blur, either. Confounding.
- Shooting feels good, not least because of how dramatically the enemies' react. They stumble and fall over and armour flies off in pieces. Rage was good about that as well.
- Combining alternate fire modes with ADS is just clever. Buckshot while hip-firing, slugs while aiming down the sights? Clever. Don't know of another game having done it this way.
- Why are levels and perks not on the same screen? Levels on the left-hand side, perk trees on the right; the way Titan Quest did it. And why can I increase weapon levels on the weapon mod screen, but not skill levels on the skill perk screen? It's like two differnet people designed this.

Dunno if it's the same issue, but i'm trying this too, and there's some where stutter that makes it almost unplayable for me, driving around especially is comical.
It basically looks like it slows down and speeds up over and over, not fluid at all (and does so in cutscenes, too).

I forgot to try in windowed mode, but even at super low res, it doesn't get any better, so i doubt it's got to do with raw performance.

EDIT: Also stutters in windowed mode.
Anyway, uninstalled, i have no patience for this bullshit, since it seems to be a common and un-fixed problem, plus the game seemed fairly mediocre to me.

Hmm...man, I don't remember that at all. That sucks.

[Freyj]

RE: the Ashen lamp requiring a hand I loved how Outward handled this with the backpack system: having your backpack equipped slows your roll to the point where you're likely to get hit trying to dodge attacks but your light source attaches to the backpack so as long as you don't need to roll you can keep your light source OR you can use a single button to drop / equip your backpack on the ground which creates a static source of light for fighting but if you die you need to go retrieve your backpack.

The backpacks are hand placed items similar to any Gothic style game as well with different stats, lights, etc.

Outward is janky as fuck and it's hard to call it a Souls-like because it only has a few similarities in its combat but I love it.

[Don Rumata]

What is this artstyle called? It is one of my favourite artstyles in gaming and surprisingly it is only found in Indie games like: The Witness, Inside, Brothers: Two Sons etc. Does it have a name?

Flat shaded, low-poly, pastel something-or-other? Dunno if there's an accepted name. It looks cool, especially with realistic lighting, but the practical advantages are probably the main driver of this trend.

---

I've been playing Bethesda's Far Cry knock-off, Rage 2.
- It's not nearly as 'wacky' as its trailers would have us believe.
- Frametimes are rock solid, but nonetheless, camera motion appears to stutter. It's most apparent when you move while fixed on a target. It's as though mouse sensitivity is much too high. I tried adjusting it down, but that didn't help. It's not the motion blur, either. Confounding.
- Shooting feels good, not least because of how dramatically the enemies' react. They stumble and fall over and armour flies off in pieces. Rage was good about that as well.
- Combining alternate fire modes with ADS is just clever. Buckshot while hip-firing, slugs while aiming down the sights? Clever. Don't know of another game having done it this way.
- Why are levels and perks not on the same screen? Levels on the left-hand side, perk trees on the right; the way Titan Quest did it. And why can I increase weapon levels on the weapon mod screen, but not skill levels on the skill perk screen? It's like two differnet people designed this.

Dunno if it's the same issue, but i'm trying this too, and there's some where stutter that makes it almost unplayable for me, driving around especially is comical.
It basically looks like it slows down and speeds up over and over, not fluid at all (and does so in cutscenes, too).

I forgot to try in windowed mode, but even at super low res, it doesn't get any better, so i doubt it's got to do with raw performance.

EDIT: Also stutters in windowed mode.
Anyway, uninstalled, i have no patience for this bullshit, since it seems to be a common and un-fixed problem, plus the game seemed fairly mediocre to me.

Hmm...man, I don't remember that at all. That sucks.

I already knew i wasn't gonna play it before i installed it, if we're being honest, but actually the shooting felt rather fun (stuttering aside), though the driving was worse than in MadMax, and the writing already annoyed me in the first few beats.

Maybe i should just go ahead and give DOOM 2016 a try,  .

[Stro]

I think I'm going to try to platty Arkham Knight with all the DLC. I've 3 starred all the freeflow challenges with every character, all the tank missions, about halfway through predator missions, but the racing ones I don't know that I'll ever finish. I've done some of them but the driving of the Batmobile handles and feels terrible (much worse than the tank controls, imo) and is not fun at all. I still have one mission I never unlocked because I've never done the two perfect shots in a row thing and I don't even know how it's possible after all the fucking tank missions I've done in the game itself and the challenges.

I do have to lol at how the Nolan series stages are so nondescript and generic when you compare them to the character and distinct visual styles of the Adam West and Tim Burton stages.

[kingv]

What's with jRPGs and marketing collaborations with food companies ?!?!?

Remember the Cup Noodles FF15 collaboration?

Well Code Vein had another one planned this time for Domino's! People have datamined the character lines when you gift them (?) some Domino's pizza:

yakumo_talk_collabo01_01_0020,"Alright, it's here! Been looking forward to this. Especially that crust... Fluffy, chewy... perfect."
louis_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"They must have experimented with a lot of different flavors before they settled on these..."
jack_talk_collabo01_01_0020,"The flavor, the thickness of the crust, even the way the sauce was spread..."
louis_talk_collabo01_01_0040,"What we have now is the result of a lot of hard work and care. We should enjoy it."
murasame_talk_collabo01_01_0040,"It doesn't always turn out that great, but it's a good way to discover new flavors, so I'm gonna keep trying!"
yakumo_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"Go on, grab a slice. Dig in while it's still piping hot!"
mia_talk_collabo01_01_0040,"Oof. All this talking is making me hungry... Let's dig in, shall we?"
coco_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"Amazing... And they still manage to turn a profit. That's quite a business."
coco_talk_collabo01_01_0040,I wonder if they have a book I can study.
davis_talk_collabo01_01_0050,"If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. One bite is sure to convince you."
louis_talk_collabo01_01_0020,"We've got pizza? I'm always surprised by how many options they have at this place. "
eva_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"They're the perfect size for eating on your own, and easy to pack up and travel with too."
jack_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"You can see the soul of an uncompromising artisan in this pizza.",
davis_talk_collabo01_01_0040,"I suggest trying the phyllo crust. Biting through all those layers is really satisfying."
davis_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"Pizza really depends on the crust. The type you choose changes it entirely."
eva_talk_collabo01_01_0040,"They might be good to take on explorations. I just hope the aroma doesn't draw the Lost like it does me."
io_talk_collabo01_01_0040,Let's hurry up and eat while it's hot.
io_talk_collabo01_01_0030,"My stomach is growling... I cannot hold back."
io_talk_collabo01_01_0020,"That aroma... I've never smelled anything so tasty. This world is full of surprises."

Disgusting Product placement in a Soulslike... what in the world?!? I wonder if other japanese games follow shitty marketing deals i.e. does Death Stranding has it?

Breh, half the game is Norman Reedus pounding Monster a Energy drink.

Your canteen has monster Energy in it even.

I think there are frame arms and Smart Dolls as collectibles too.

[demi]

I wonder if other japanese games follow shitty marketing deals i.e. does Death Stranding has it?

Have you followed [any] news on Death Stranding? LOL

The game has cameos from celebrities (Conan o Brien), journalists (Geoff Keighley), magazine outlets (Famitsu) and one of the mechanics of the game involves stamina. How do you get more stamina? By drinking MONSTER ENERGY DRINK (tm)

https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/14/20955496/death-stranding-monster-energy-product-placement-kojima

[Great Rumbler]

Maybe i should just go ahead and give DOOM 2016 a try,  .

DOOM 2016 is actually great, no qualifiers needed.

[kingv]

I wonder if other japanese games follow shitty marketing deals i.e. does Death Stranding has it?

Have you followed [any] news on Death Stranding? LOL

The game has cameos from celebrities (Conan o Brien), journalists (Geoff Keighley), magazine outlets (Famitsu) and one of the mechanics of the game involves stamina. How do you get more stamina? By drinking MONSTER ENERGY DRINK (tm)

https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/14/20955496/death-stranding-monster-energy-product-placement-kojima

I feel like the monster energy thing was last minute though, it really just seems to be the cans in the room and the text on the menu. But when he’s thirsty he talks about needing to drink some water.

[Stro]

Maybe i should just go ahead and give DOOM 2016 a try,  .

DOOM 2016 is actually great, no qualifiers needed.

Yeah Doom 2016 is awesome and I hate FPS.

[eleuin]

Shadowrun: Dragonfall

Knowing nothing about the setting coming in this was short & sweet. Writing was really good, ended up reading all the extra shit I could find. On normal it wasn't very challenging though I did run into problems twice that wouldn't have been if I knew you could reload and use medkits outside of combat earlier Also some bugs that required closing the program and restarting. Don't know when or if I'll ever get around to Returns & Hong Kong, I'm pretty satisfied with the setting already.

[kingv]

Yeah, I thought Dragonfall was pretty lit too.

[Great Rumbler]

Dragonfall was my favorite of the three, though Hong Kong was still pretty good. Returns felt a bit flat overall, not great but not terrible.

[benjipwns]

I feel like the monster energy thing was last minute though, it really just seems to be the cans in the room and the text on the menu. But when he’s thirsty he talks about needing to drink some water.

I think Kojima actually legitimately likes energy drinks.

[benjipwns]

lol searching for that I found this masterpiece:

Death Stranding’s product placement is an act of vandalism

...

This is a caffeine-spiked energy drink manufactured since 2002 by Monster Beverage, a marketing-led company with a somewhat unsavory history of trademark bullying and employee sexual harassment. The company’s main target audience is young men.

...

I contacted Sony and Monster Beverage to ask about the terms of the deal, but only received replies that they’d look into into it. Nothing came back. As best I can tell, this was an arrangement undertaken in Japan. At Tokyo Game Show in September, Monster Energy hosted a large, garish booth where Death Stranding was showcased. Co-branded goodies like t-shirts were given away as contest prizes. In the past, Monster Energy has allied itself at TGS with big game brands like Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty.

With its ever-present triple-claw branding, Monster Energy, is is not some culturally niche product. Monster Beverage has a market capitalization value of around $30 billion. In 2018, the company reported annual revenues of $3.8 billion.

The company is also no stranger to controversy. In 2018, Huffington Post posted a story about how five women were suing Monster Beverage for sexual harassment by senior executives. In the face of calls for a boycott, one of the accused execs, John Kenneally resigned soon after the report. Another, Brent Hamilton, was fired by the company earlier this year. He is still awaiting trial for allegedly strangling a former girlfriend, who worked as a contractor for Monster Beverages. Another manager named in the lawsuit, Phillip Deitrich, is still at the company, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Monster Beverage is notoriously litigious regarding its trademarks. In the last decade, it has filed multiple cease-and-desist orders and lawsuits against small companies that use the word “monster” in their own branding. These include companies that sell books, cakes, trucks, and even aquariums.

In 2017, the company sued a small soda company called Thunder Beast, which makes root beer. Its lawsuit argued that the word “beast” infringed on its own slogan. (As seen on the cans in Death Stranding, Monster uses the slogan “Unleash the Beast.”). Thunder Beast founder Stephen Norberg told The Washingtonian: “I did some research and found out [Monster] is a corporate bully when it comes to small businesses and trademarks, so I hired an attorney who had dealt with them before. For a long time we did this dance where they would suggest fairly ridiculous terms. For example, they wanted me to agree that we would never use the color green again in any capacity.” The legal battle remains unresolved.

Monster Beverage has also faced negative publicity surrounding lawsuits about the health risks associated with heavily caffeinated drinks. Litigants claimed the drinks were responsible for “heart attacks, stroke, and renal failure.” Many of the suits were dropped or beaten in court, but media scrutiny on energy drinks has intensified.

Polygon contacted Sony Interactive Entertainment to ask about its choice of sponsorship partner, but had not received a reply at press time.

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Even so, the partnership with Monster Energy looks like a grotesque commercial imposition on an otherwise beautifully crafted game, seemingly motivated more by profit than by aesthetic considerations.

[Svejk]

It sucks because Monster tastes like ass compared to RedBull. ..... Actually, I haven't had an energy drink in over 10 years... I'm willing to bet they ALL taste like ass to me now. 

[Trent Dole]

Taste isn't the point of energy drinks. That said there's some decent ones out there nowadays.

[Great Rumbler]

Monster Ultra Red

[Freyj]

Dragonfall was my favorite of the three, though Hong Kong was still pretty good. Returns felt a bit flat overall, not great but not terrible.

I still need to play Hong Kong but as ambitious as the combat is in the Divinity: Original Sin games I think I preferred the combat in the Shadowrun reboots. Great, succinct 20h games.

[TVC15]

I wonder if other japanese games follow shitty marketing deals i.e. does Death Stranding has it?

Have you followed [any] news on Death Stranding? LOL

The game has cameos from celebrities (Conan o Brien), journalists (Geoff Keighley), magazine outlets (Famitsu) and one of the mechanics of the game involves stamina. How do you get more stamina? By drinking MONSTER ENERGY DRINK (tm)

https://www.polygon.com/2019/11/14/20955496/death-stranding-monster-energy-product-placement-kojima

I feel like the monster energy thing was last minute though, it really just seems to be the cans in the room and the text on the menu. But when he’s thirsty he talks about needing to drink some water.

You really think gaming's Kanye would let Monster Energy fuck with his game's mechanics at the last minute? The game encourages you to pound at least 3 Monsters every time you stop by your room. And your canteen is filled with it. And while the whole game looks great, those Monster cans are the most lovingly crafted objects in the game. I was holding a can up to the screen and you can barely tell the difference, even in how it reacts to light.