Daryl Talks Games

Today, I want to talk about language barriers… And more specifically, how games and other media can use them to terrify you in some truly gut wrenching ways. Because when it is used in a story like this, it’s rarely as black and white as just “oh this is spooky”, there is a deep tragic sorrow in not understanding another and feeling as though fear or violence is the only answer. Nier Replicant especially, portrays this beautifully. Let’s talk about it.

I have a weird handful of friends that… even if they don’t explicitly say it, are less likely to play a game if it’s too “popular.” And strangely, I get it. I’m like that often as well. So naturally, it was time to dig into the psychology behind this.

Many of the games we play nowadays work because they are bombastic, colorful, endlessly packed with wonder. And generally, all of the things that give them those qualities are placed right before our eyes in the form of big moments, big boss fights, big plot points. But there are a handful of games I played recently that make that wonder in the subtext… games that craft their horror in the little things… that create the Devil in the details.

I wouldn’t call myself a perfectionist, but when I play video games… somehow I really start to feel like one. It’s so tough for me to just… play the damn game without feeling as though I have to do every side quest, get every weapon, and play things as optimally as I can. That gets old real quick, and maybe it does for you as well. Let’s talk about why this is and maybe, how to fix it!

Almost 5 years ago, I uploaded a video called “How Toby Fox Put Sans Over”. I remember being extremely proud of it and it really taking off in views! Unfortunately, a year later, WWE copyright struck it into obscurity and you can no longer watch it on YouTube. Fast forward to now. People are asking me what ever happened to it, why I took it down, etc. So in a world where EVERYTHING is being remade, why not make my own remake? So please, enjoy the only Sans analysis video that uses pro wrestling to make a point!

I might have discovered a new obsession… Space Elevators, Dyson Spheres, Hanging Cities, there are so many larger than life megastructures in games and other media that have captivated me recently. But among all of that wonder… There is something haunting and dreadful about them. A truth hidden in their concept that chills me to my bones. Let’s talk about it.

One thing that has always perplexed me is damage values in video games. Sometimes they’re single digit, sometimes they’re in the millions. But they all do the same thing, describe how devastating an attack is. Let’s talk about why in a lot of cases, less is somehow more.

We’ve all heard it before, maybe because we said it or someone around us said it… The phrase “I wish I could forget this game so I can play it for the first time again” … It’s a lovely thought, albeit an impossible request, to be able to re-experience your favorite game again completely blind. But IF we could… how would it be done? And realistically, what is the closest we could come to it? Let's take a look at a mountain of psych research that might give us as close of an answer as we can get.

Video games go to a great many lengths to subvert our expectations as players. But there is one way games do this that I find to be particularly evil. Let’s talk about it.

It’s that time of year again and surprise surprise! We are BACK with another iteration of the backlog. Turns out, I like doing these... Why not make it an annual thing? Enjoy the 2024 journey and be sure to help me get ready for 2025 by casting your vote for the fan pick games!

We’re all drawn to masterpieces, but I think there is something to say about pieces of non-masterpieces that are, in and of themselves… masterpieces. Today I want to show you some of my favorite flawless sequences in flawed games.