Idle Thumbs 45: Episode Forty-Five

[Chris]

Hey it's Nick

"Episode Forty-Five"

Bred in a top secret government lab, or maybe an orphan or a robot or something, this episode hopes to punch you in the face and call you a bitch. Our marketing research shows that this appeals to you. Really, though, we talk about some games.

Games Discussed: Mass Effect 2, Halo 3: ODST, Left 4 Dead: Crash Course, The Shivah, Majesty II: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim, Blaster Master, Perfect Dark

[Sombre]

Hello bus journey extravaganza

[toblix]

Jesus, you're almost at fifty episodes. That's incredible, especially since you've maintained such a high level of goodness and frequentness throughout the entire run. Are you planning something special for ep. 50? Maybe... a video cast?

[miffy495]

I kinda hope not. I listen to idle thumbs on the bus. If there were a video cast, I'd have to be sitting at my computer for the entire time, and it would likely just be the same as the audio cast except that we also get to look at Chris, Nick, and Jake for the hour-plus. Radio is just a straight-up better format for what they deliver. Unless it's something really weird and new that can only be done by video, not really interested.

On the other hand, maybe Chris has been preparing an album's worth of new songs over the past few months and will be putting up a full-length bonanza of music to coincide with the release of episode 50? I'm pretty sure not, but now I've got a bunch of people thinking it and getting their hopes up, which at least gives me a bit of cruel joy.

Edited September 30, 2009 by miffy495
added title

[toblix]

I was thinking they could play some games, do something like the RE5 video, only with actual voice-over while, I don't know. Maybe it's a horrible idea. Yeah, just watching them sitting there talking would only be fun for, like, an hour.

[SignorSuperdouche]

I bought The Shivah a while ago when there was a sale on at Wadjet Eye. I really enjoyed but it definitely felt like someone's first game; it lacked focus and was full of ideas that were never really explored (for instance there's a mechanic where you can combine clues in your clue inventory to reach a conclusion about them but you only ever do this once in the whole game). It's certainly well worth buying but you shouldn't expect a masterpiece.

[toblix]

They did the clue-combining thing in the two first Blackwell games too. They didn't do it enough, though, because it's an awesome game mechanic that really feels like the trials in Phoenix Wright, in that it's not based on basic understanding of physical properties (tying rope to crowbar, inserting gem in gem-shaped socket, etc) that everyone has, but forces you to understand the game's domain, which is far more interesting. Discworld Noir did this excellently, I seem to remember.

[Kos Luftar]

Downloading.

I wonder if your tittle has some significance.

[Shakesbeard]

The beginning of this 'cast made me sad. I really hope there's a dialogue option in ME2 to tell the generic 90's in-your-face experiment girl to fuck off. Or perhaps I can shoot her in the face? Ugh, just thinking about the things she says makes me angry and kinda sick feeling.

"NOW who's the badass biotic...bitch"

"Joined a cult...kept the haircut"

"and some of them are for *bleep* YOU"

*fingers crossed for Susan Greene, well-mannered experiment gone horribly right, with whom I can chill on our spaceship between missions and sip tea*

[Kos Luftar]

Nick,

Were you playing Shatter?

[SoulChicken]

I am furious. "Chris" Remo misrepresented the Bioware Mass Effect trailer in this podcast. He repeatedly misquoted the character Patient Zero as saying "Who is the badass biotic bitch now?"

What she actually said was "Now who is the badass biotic, bitch?"

COMMA bitch

Way to shit on the subtle feminist subtext beardy. Do you have to suppose that a strong woman/cyborg character would have to have an underlying self loathing and flawed self esteem that she would refer to herself as a biotic bitch?

She was clearly calling someone else bitch, who apparently used to be the badass biotic. A fine example of a confident powerful woman/cyborg that apparently threatens and terrifies Mr Remo. This on top of the disgust expressed at an image of a woman with babies coming out of her nipples (can you get more maternal than that??) last week. I weep in anticipation of that "editor at large"'s review of Bayonetta.

Finally, the new episode of Monkey Island is badass Jake.

[Korax]

I don't know, I've always liked 90's action movie cheesiness. But never fear: writer Patrick Weekes has shown up on a few different sites talking about how the squad-recruiting aspect of the story means that there are quite a few different characters to choose from, so if you don't like Subject Zero, there will be another strong biotic character who might be more likable.

Oh, and SoulChicken, you're right. A huge, demonic woman shooting demon babies out of her nipples is completely normal. No well-adjusted person would ever find anything disturbing about that. I suppose their disgust at a semen lake means they also have daddy (or maybe impotence) issues?

[soupface]

I've enjoyed all your previous 'casts, but forty-five is particularly good, solid. Its ratio of criticism to humour is nice, the topics fresh (enough) and interesting (and the opinions expressed—of The Shivah, BioWare's "new shit," &c.—very much like my own). Well done; thanks for sharing.

[mikemariano]

It's actually a bit heartbreaking to listen to Chris's disillusionment with Mass Effect 2.

Like Chris, I find space fascinating, and I was captivated by the visuals and galaxy map for the first Mass Effect. But then I

featuring the game's combat. I became hesitant. "Aw, I kinda just want to fly around in space. I don't have much interest in fighting dudes on planets." I never played or purchased the first Mass Effect, but I could see how it appealed to people that liked the gameplay.

An announcement about the sequel made me feel a little more comfortable with this. Kotaku featured the headline: "Mass Effect 2 Is A 'Shooter RPG'", so hopefully that means even better gameplay. (And fewer of the frustrating combat situations Chris has described on the podcast.)

But as Mass Effect 2 improves its combat, it really seems to be losing the wonder of space. But hey, they put that in the first game and people like me didn't buy it. Bring on the uncouth biotic women!

PS: The best Kotaku comment about Subject Zero? "Some men are just uncomfortable with a woman able to go toe to toe with a man." My fragile masculinity!

[George B]

Hot scoops re: the new shit being dropped... I sure am glad my studio bathroom poo story got a callback!?

Great show, as always

[SoulChicken]

PS: The best Kotaku comment about Subject Zero? "Some men are just uncomfortable with a woman able to go toe to toe with a man." My fragile masculinity!

Oh man someone made my post for serious. video games.

[SignorSuperdouche]

So I just watched the Subject Zero trailer and the one thing that really struck me was that half the sound effects sound like vocal imitations of sound effects. I used to make shooting sounds exactly like that when I was 8.

[Erkki]

Why didn't anyone tell me how good Shivah was when it was free? Damn you all. I might buy it after I've cleared my backlog, though.

[syntheticgerbil]

Aw weird! Remo mentioned Tank Girl too! Ahhhh, our brains are aligned!

I didn't want to mention this before but I like this Goldfrapp remix of the This is the New Shit song. It's kind of fun, but I've never been a fan of Marilyn Manson, nor do I find him to be a genius as some of my real life friends do. For the record, I'm not sure the two that comprise Goldfrapp are into Manson either.

Back to the podcast, since I have this bad habit of just commenting while listening if I'm at work.

[Moelman]

So I just watched the Subject Zero trailer and the one thing that really struck me was that half the sound effects sound like vocal imitations of sound effects. I used to make shooting sounds exactly like that when I was 8.

That's interesting you mention that. I didn't notice it when I actually saw the trailer for the first time, but when they overlaid sound clips from the trailer into the episode, I almost thought they were adding in made up sound effects that they just did themselves, but convinced myself otherwise.

[Sombre]

A further version was launched in the UK in 2002with a green wrapper: this contained guarana; was marketed alongside the biscuit Boost; and advertised with the slogan "Boost Guarana: One Step Ahead".

I had one for lunch. They're good.

[spindrift]

half the sound effects sound like vocal imitations of sound effects. I used to make shooting sounds exactly like that when I was 8.

suddenly my interest in this game has picked up again

[supaLink]

totally agree w/ the craptastic direction Bioware has been in marketing their games... but I'd still play/buy ME2 :X

since the mailbag is heavily screened, what's the chances of actually getting an email through?

[eclipt1c]

I had my first email read the podcast after I sent it. It seems that keeping it short and simple is a good rule of thumb (pun intended).

[subbes]

Avoiding in-jokes is probably helpful too; I'd assume there's only so many times Chris wants to say "wizard."