WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:11.080 Welcome back, everybody to the Game Informer Show, a weekly 2 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.919 podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every week 3 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:17.760 for a discussion of the latest gaming news, reviews, and 4 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:22.239 exclusive reveals, alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from 5 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:25.280 around the industry. I'm one of your hosts today, Alex 6 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:29.839 van Aiken, joined by Marcus Stewart. Hey you knowing, Marcus, 7 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:33.479 I'm doing well. You can insert a witty remark here. 8 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:36.759 I don't have one yet, but I assume them, so 9 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:39.880 just put on yeah. Yeah, Well we'll get Yeah, I've 10 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:43.439 got a ton of AI tools that can implement witty remarks. Well, 11 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:46.960 it'll sound totally natural and only burn two bottles of 12 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.799 water for for one three word sentence, but. 13 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:51.039 It'll be good if. 14 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:56.000 We can. We got that tool too. Don't worry about it, man, 15 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.359 you will. You will sound and look like Woody, but 16 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.200 also you will have your own own corporeal form. Welcome 17 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:05.040 to the show, Eric Van Allen. How you doing, Eric? 18 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:07.519 I think you described one of my nightmares. I think 19 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:10.959 that's that's one of my my terrors that has awoken 20 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:15.480 me in the middle of the night. Snake in my boots. Yeah, yeah, 21 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:18.439 you become Woody like, yes, you become a doll. 22 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:23.560 Rounding out the show this week, Brian Shay, how you doing. 23 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:26.000 Brian, somebody's poison the water hole. 24 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.840 Somebody has We were talking about this right before the 25 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:29.480 show started. 26 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:30.000 Many people. 27 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.079 Is either a gas leak or poison in the water 28 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:36.760 hole or not sure which in Minnesota right now, you 29 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.959 guys gotta yeah, you figure that out. 30 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:40.599 Perfect time for me to move there. 31 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:45.400 Yes, absolutely well. Welcome all to the Game Informer Show 32 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:48.079 at the top. I just want to say this show 33 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:52.799 is brought to you by a Game Informer magazine subscription. 34 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:56.840 Eric has the new one in his video there ready. 35 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:00.959 If you want to support the show, to Gameminformer dot 36 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.959 com slash subscribe and consider picking up a Game Informer 37 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.520 magazine subscription. You can get tent issues a year, either 38 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.199 delivered to your mailbox or delivered to you digitally. There's 39 00:02:12.280 --> 00:02:15.080 also lots of fun goodies that come in with the 40 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:19.400 physical version with no added charge, so that's very cool. 41 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:22.400 We also want to say that we have announced as 42 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:24.800 of today, we aren't going to be getting into it 43 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.000 until next week, but we have announced that The Outer 44 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.680 Worlds two is going to be the next Game and 45 00:02:31.719 --> 00:02:33.960 Former cover story. So you can look forward to that. 46 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:37.240 We're also going to have a ton of online and 47 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:41.639 video content and features for you to check out all 48 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:45.599 that GameInformer dot Com check it out. Let's get into 49 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.039 the show proper, guys. We've been playing. I mean, there's 50 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:50.520 a lot of games that are out that we're talking about. 51 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:55.879 We're going to be getting into Skate, Early Access, Sonic Racing, Crossworlds, 52 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:59.000 Battlefield six. I went hands on with two of the 53 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:03.039 biggest maps in the game, including Operation Firestorm, which is 54 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:08.000 a beloved be A three map, two x KO and Hurdling. 55 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:14.240 But let's get started. Skate, Eric, you and I played skate. 56 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:17.479 We live streamed it. That's another thing. We're now live 57 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:20.240 streaming on Wednesdays and Fridays every week. But if you 58 00:03:20.280 --> 00:03:23.439 missed the stream on Wednesday, Eric and I played Skate, 59 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:26.840 Skate Foard Skate early Access, Skate period. 60 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:29.000 I was gonna say it technically skate period, I think 61 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:29.719 which it is. 62 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:34.680 It is choice, Yeah, yeah, but I'm I'm you know, 63 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.919 we dove into it. We played it for a few hours. 64 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:38.439 I don't know if you've had a chance to play 65 00:03:38.439 --> 00:03:40.719 it anymore, Eric, I have not. 66 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:44.560 I've I've found myself wanting to go back. But I 67 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.039 said this on the stream, and I mean this complimentarily. 68 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:51.879 I promise it's it's kind of a friends slop game 69 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.680 in that it's for for those who aren't aware of 70 00:03:54.680 --> 00:03:57.560 the lingo. Friend slop is a game that you probably 71 00:03:57.639 --> 00:04:00.400 aren't going to play by yourself, but maybe you're going 72 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.479 to play with a group of your friends, and it 73 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:07.520 becomes a social situation, the social medium, and I feel 74 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:12.000 like skate is really aiming for that. It has individual 75 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.279 things that you can do that are challenges that direct 76 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:21.040 you towards doing objectives or you know, hitting different areas 77 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.040 that they kind of give you control, but you really 78 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:28.199 just kind of impress the local skate gangs and you 79 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.360 build your influence and things like that. But it really 80 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:34.199 I kept being reminded of track Mania in a lot 81 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:37.240 of ways because of the number of people on the 82 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:39.240 map at the same time and how you would just 83 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:42.519 kind of follow where people were going. You'd see somebody 84 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.560 doing a really sick line, or building up a cool 85 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:48.839 ramp somewhere, or climbing a tower to get to this 86 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:50.560 really cool spot, and you would kind of go where 87 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:53.120 the people are going. And I think that's the more 88 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:57.120 interesting part in this new Skate is how free form 89 00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:01.079 and open and interesting the city is as opposed to 90 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.920 a lot of this single player, more oriented stuff, which 91 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:06.199 is a as I understand, I've not played the original 92 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.240 Skate games, but I think that's a departure for the 93 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:10.399 Skate series. I know a lot of people in the 94 00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:12.360 chat that day were saying, oh, you know, are there 95 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:14.480 single player things? Are you building your stats up? And 96 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.519 stuff like that? Does not really seem like it, so 97 00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:21.800 no as sight aficionado's like, how do y'all kind of 98 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:23.279 feel about the shift and focus? 99 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:28.560 I you know, I played, I've played every Skate game. 100 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:32.720 The one I played the most is two. Actually, I 101 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:34.040 know a lot of folks are on the same boat. 102 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:37.120 I know, Skate three obviously has lived on, especially like 103 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.920 in online spaces like social media, where like there's a 104 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.279 lot of just ridiculous stuff that people do in that 105 00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:48.040 game that's fun to watch. But it it it does 106 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.639 feel like a bit of a departure, but it feels 107 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:53.240 natural to me. It kind of feels like a natural evolution. 108 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.639 I know, once some games go from you know, there's 109 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:01.120 obviously all these you know, big companies want the next 110 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:08.160 live action, live service game that hits. Yeah, yeah, sorry, 111 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:10.759 everyone wants f m V coward everyone. 112 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:12.680 Back. 113 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:17.800 It's yeah, everyone's kind of chasing these games of service still, 114 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:22.199 and it can often feel soulless, especially when it's a 115 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:26.360 series that you love that's transitioning to those spaces. But 116 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:30.879 I think skate makes the transition pretty naturally it, you know, 117 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.000 I think it does e a well. Uh and what 118 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:39.199 Full Circle Studio. I think to kind of have this 119 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.800 entire city that is designed around skating, right, It's called 120 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:49.120 San Vansterdam. It's an amalgamation different Pacific Northwest. 121 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:51.279 Representation. 122 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:54.199 Guys are the co mayors of. 123 00:06:55.439 --> 00:07:00.560 Alex San Vansterdam Aiken and Eric San Vansterdam Allen as 124 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:02.600 we are. Those are our Christian names. 125 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.879 Yeah yeah, yeah, are given names by the skate God. 126 00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:10.040 I think having this space that feels it still feels 127 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:13.279 like a city that you might stumble upon, you know, 128 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:16.480 there there are still cars driving around roads, and like 129 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:20.240 there is a natural flow to the city that feels 130 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:25.240 I was very quickly kind of finding myself not having 131 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.160 to consult the map as much, kind of knowing where 132 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.560 at least in the first section of the game that 133 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:32.720 they kind of drop you in the cities divided into 134 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:35.639 four sections, and the first section that you put into 135 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:37.600 we spent a lot of time in there, you know, 136 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:42.000 climbing around doing like parkour stuff as well as obviously skateboarding, 137 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:46.639 and you kind of like start to get a familiarity 138 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:49.639 with the space. That is fun and it kind of 139 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:53.319 feels natural. And I think had this come out in 140 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.920 some other form, as like a Games of Service, I 141 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:01.120 think it would have felt a lot more or at 142 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.560 a lot more jarring. But to me, it feels pretty natural. 143 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:09.399 I like Eric said, it's honestly really invigorating to see 144 00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:13.680 other players doing their lines, you know, coming up with 145 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.439 you know, seeing them do tricks, you know, seeing I 146 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.920 saw some folks do tricks. I was like, oh, how 147 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.000 do you I want to know how to do that trick, 148 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:25.079 like the line and going yeah, and that's kind of 149 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:26.680 like a classic skate thing you can do. But I 150 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:29.879 couldn't remember the button sequences, and so like figuring that 151 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:33.840 out through asking folks yea to be clear, texting a 152 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:36.519 friend who was in our lobby. There's not voice chat 153 00:08:36.679 --> 00:08:40.159 to my knowledge or anything like that, but it was 154 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:43.919 still like this, it feels very lively in a really 155 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:48.039 fun way. And while I think there is still a 156 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:55.480 general lack of content and the sense of kondas not 157 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:57.399 even necessarily the right word. There's a lot of things 158 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.600 to do. I just think like they're the like central 159 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:04.799 motivation to continue playing the game really kind of lies 160 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.720 on you as the player, like what do you want 161 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:11.440 to be doing, and less so on a character. Really 162 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.159 kind of like there's not there are like there's a 163 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:16.919 through line. You know, there's like some characters who will 164 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:19.159 have you do challenges and stuff, but there's not really 165 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:21.720 there's not a story really or anything like that kind 166 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:25.559 of propelling you through. It's just kind of like, you know, 167 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:28.759 similar to a game other online games, or similar to 168 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:32.440 like almost like a sandbox game, where like the onus 169 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.519 to progress really is on you as the player, uh 170 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.360 and just purely based on your own enjoyment and fulfilling 171 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:41.440 that like skateboarding Fantasy. 172 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:45.320 Yeah, it's probably worth noting too that this is an 173 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:46.720 early access launch. 174 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:48.840 Like it is, it is early it's. 175 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:51.919 Still very much a big development, so they could certainly, Yeah, 176 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.600 they could certainly add stuff to it and will for 177 00:09:56.559 --> 00:10:00.000 gameplay wise. I I am a big Tony Hawk fan. 178 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:03.200 I never really got into skate like the most Skate 179 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.759 I think I've played was like a demo of the 180 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:08.519 original Skate and I kind of was. I was kind 181 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:11.440 of turned away because of how less arcadie it was, 182 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:14.360 like it it's a lot more technical, And I always 183 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:17.480 got the impression from as a onlooker that Skate was 184 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:20.279 kind of the Grand Turismo of skate games, of like, oh, 185 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:24.759 it takes itself more seriously and maybe like too seriously 186 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:27.759 for me, but watching you guys stream it looked a 187 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.519 lot sillier than I Maybe the impression I ever got 188 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.120 from the Skate series is the gameplay still like the 189 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.600 same level of technicality as the old ones, or have 190 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:38.360 they made it a little more arcadie. 191 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:41.639 Or I was talking to Eric about this on stream, 192 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:46.679 and that Skate One when it first came out felt 193 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:52.039 so much more radically semish, not the sims but. 194 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:54.360 Like simlish, yeah, yeah. 195 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:59.440 Like simlish on like real skateboarding. Yeah. And I think 196 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:02.240 at the time didn't have any other references for that 197 00:11:02.279 --> 00:11:04.759 in the game space. We had, you know, Tony Hawk 198 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:07.120 for the most part, and you know, other sports there 199 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:09.679 was like Kelly Slater and stuff, but those were all 200 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:15.080 very arcadie, you know, And I think by comparison, Skate 201 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:18.679 felt like such a stark contrast, and it felt it 202 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:20.679 kind of had a lot of those labels as being 203 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:24.960 you know, more realistic, you know, more more semi and 204 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:27.200 you know, and and for folks who aren't aware, you 205 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:34.480 are really performing your tricks on the analog sticks on 206 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:37.559 your on your controller and so like an ali is 207 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.240 down on on the right stick and then up on 208 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:42.559 the right stick, and yeah, and so you're kind of 209 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:46.679 and there's a lot more complicated ones and there. I 210 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:49.120 think that naturally was like a barrier to entry for 211 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:54.240 some people. I always it kind of really captured my 212 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:56.960 attention when that mechanic first came out. I think it 213 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:00.960 feels really good, But I wouldn't say these days that 214 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:04.799 it necessarily feels like a sim skateboarding game. I think 215 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.919 like there's so many other games now like Session skate sim. 216 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.279 There's others I'm forgetting the name of, but that have 217 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:15.879 really kind of dialed in the very grounded I mean, 218 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:19.039 some games are even like cutting skate tapes together and 219 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.559 it's all very grounded, whereas Skate has some of those 220 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:28.559 elements with its mechanics, but the world and the activities 221 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:36.480 and and all of that are much more what's the 222 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:41.840 right word, you know, surreal and kind of arcadie. I 223 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.000 guess right, it's in the lack of a better. 224 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:46.639 Term, it's in a fantasy world essentially. You know, it's 225 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:49.200 in this magical city where everybody skates. I was going 226 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.519 to mention earlier. That's why I didn't think about it 227 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.080 until now. But it's kind of weird that there are 228 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:56.159 cars there. Like, we made a city where people are 229 00:12:56.200 --> 00:12:58.320 going to be riding around on their skateboards all the time, 230 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.240 but we made sure there were still cars that do 231 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:02.600 not break for pedestrians. 232 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:06.799 I think they do that so that I imagine when the 233 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:11.799 servers are emptier it might feel a little isolating or 234 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:16.039 lonely without those cars. I think that would be core personally. 235 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:19.320 But yeah, yeah, one big player. I do think it 236 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:23.120 gives it like a real city feel, having actual cars there, right, 237 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:27.960 And I imagine you can kind of grab onto the 238 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.720 back of them and ride. I don't know. 239 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:31.679 I was sitting on the back of one of the 240 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:34.759 flatbed trucks for a while, just riding it around town, 241 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:37.960 using the city emote and just kind of observing the 242 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.080 town as it went by, and that was kind of neat, 243 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:43.960 but I think this game does do a lot of 244 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:45.960 really interesting stuff in that way. Like you were saying, 245 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.120 to take the what would normally feel kind of semi 246 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:55.039 kind of hardcore, you're doing all these precise stick inputs 247 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:57.200 to do certain tricks and things like that, and instead 248 00:13:57.240 --> 00:14:01.159 it puts it against this very open, freeform world that 249 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:05.639 wants you to just find really interesting lines, find cool things. 250 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:07.600 I think they give you a really good example early 251 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:10.639 on with that hedge jump that you do, because it's 252 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:14.360 just a couple hedges on a slight elevation, but you 253 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:18.039 can see the visual language of oh, I bet I 254 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:20.200 could do a really cool looking trick off that, and 255 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.320 the game encourages you to look for more of that. 256 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:27.840 I think my biggest frustration and the thing that I 257 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:33.240 think they need to address in Early Access is the 258 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:37.480 ways in which the structures of monetization and free to 259 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:41.759 play are actively inhibiting the fun of the skating. And 260 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:45.200 by that I mean there's a lot of I mean 261 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:48.720 there's like a pseudo loot box. I couldn't really tell 262 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:50.440 what it was, but there's some sort of thing in 263 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.759 there that's got cosmetics that you can put money into 264 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:57.080 or currency and of course, there's different kinds of currency 265 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:00.200 that are accrued in different manners, and there's all that 266 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.279 kind of stuff. You can buy an additional pack for 267 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.000 this game that is out there as well. There's a 268 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:07.639 Founder's pack if you want that. And that's that's one 269 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.279 thing set that to one side is like, okay, that's 270 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:13.960 that's the free to play. It's it's it's that we 271 00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:17.480 we did this really cool section uh in skate where 272 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:20.240 I'd found this tower that just went straight up into 273 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.919 the sky, higher than any other tower in skate Van 274 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:29.559 Francisco or whatever, and we spent so long climbing it, 275 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.799 and it's a really cool climb. It's a really fun 276 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.080 puzzle that there's there's a climbing ability that feels like 277 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:37.120 Assassin's creed when you're going up the sides of the 278 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:39.080 Basilica's and Assassin Assassin. 279 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:40.720 That was really weird to watch, you guys, like I 280 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.200 didn't know this game had like straight up parkour your 281 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:43.960 characters or just. 282 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:48.440 It's it's cool. It's fun because you get to see 283 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:50.759 yourself go further and further up and you keep thinking, 284 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:53.000 as you get up there, there's gonna be something cool 285 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:55.679 up here. There's gonna be something so sick up here. 286 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.600 And when we get to the top, there's a fast 287 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:04.039 travel point and it says locked, get a higher level 288 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.759 to unlock this fast travel point. And I just felt 289 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:10.759 my stomach sink into my feet because. 290 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.919 It was like a twenty minute climb. 291 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:14.759 It was a really long climb. I did it twice 292 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.919 because I did it once before the stream it was like, 293 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:19.679 we should do this on stream, it's sick, And then 294 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:22.519 we did it on stream and both times it was like, right, 295 00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:24.919 I did this whole thing. We get all the way 296 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.480 up here. We had such a fun time trying to 297 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.840 raise each other up it and stuff like that. And 298 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.720 you get to the top and the game is like, 299 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.759 you could fast travel here again if you'd like to, 300 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.240 once you're high enough level. We're not going to tell 301 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:40.240 you what that level is though, come back later. Maybe 302 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:41.200 Who's just because you. 303 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.279 Had leveled up and you were thinking, oh now we. 304 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:46.799 Can maybe now we can unlock it. No no, yeah, no. 305 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:50.639 You can you buy progression? Is there? 306 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:54.879 Not? To my knowledge, I couldn't see a way to 307 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:57.480 do it. In my end, I feel like all this 308 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:02.279 stuff surely cosmetic. Yeah okay, yeah, but that's the thing is. 309 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.920 I understand that if it's a free to play game, 310 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.880 you need to find your way to get your revenue 311 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.559 stream to pay everybody. That that is just a base 312 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:16.039 level of making games and publishing them. But some of 313 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:19.319 the progression stuff, I think, especially if it gets in 314 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:23.359 the way of people actively wanting to explore the zones 315 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:26.079 and spend time playing your game. I think it's cool 316 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.960 to have the structured challenges if you want to go 317 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:30.960 chase those, if you need something to kind of guide 318 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:33.359 and signpost you along and say here, go do this, 319 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:35.799 go do this, we have cool things here, go do this. 320 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:39.839 But then also let people just explore and get rewarded 321 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:43.240 for that exploring, you know, find things, and don't feel 322 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:46.599 like you're approaching it in the wrong way if you 323 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:47.400 go off the beat. 324 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:51.880 Not all the rewards have to tie into the microtransaction. 325 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:53.559 System like that. That's something that like, you know, the 326 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:56.160 best open world games, it's like, Okay, I'm gonna go 327 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.279 over there and there's gonna be something cool waiting for me, 328 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:00.640 and like it sucks that, Like you do all that 329 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:03.119 effort and you get there and it's like come back 330 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:04.519 when you don't suck Lol. 331 00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:09.240 Yeah, yeah, gain gain or story quests, like that's that's 332 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.960 a weird thing to do in a game. At least 333 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.480 it would normally let you just plant your flag but 334 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:16.240 then be like, oh, hey, you're like not supposed to 335 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:18.000 be here yet, like maybe go do some stuff, but 336 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:20.839 we'll let you. Like you got the point you got here. 337 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:23.599 But it's weird to know that I'm going to have 338 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:28.000 to eventually hit some unknown level and then go climb 339 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:30.240 that tower again just to get that fast travel point. 340 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.039 Yeah, whereas like that would have been a great reward 341 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:36.720 that's not tied to monetization, like just let me have 342 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.640 this fast turble point and that's like more of it. 343 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:44.079 It's like it's it's a game design flaw, but it 344 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:47.079 does tie. It does relate to the micro transactions, because 345 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:50.160 the only way that you are getting rewarded in the 346 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:54.039 game for completing things is you're getting points to spend 347 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:57.200 in in the shop or getting loot boxes, where it'd 348 00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:59.880 be great to have these more natural rewards like cli 349 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:01.319 to the top of the tower and get in the 350 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:02.119 fast trouble point. 351 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:06.680 I just think that weirdly enough progression in this game. 352 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:10.720 If it's going to be an open world, free explore 353 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:14.200 Go do things. Maybe it's being updated over time, and 354 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.599 they add kind of it'd be cool if they did 355 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.720 some rotations and oh, you know, kind of like what 356 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:21.720 Fordye does with their map, where they change it out 357 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:23.920 every once in a while and the city changes and 358 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:27.960 new things pop up and new lines uppear. Having any 359 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:31.799 part of that be gated by a metagame progression where 360 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:34.440 you have to be a certain level to access certain things, 361 00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:36.359 or you can get there, but it's going to be 362 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.920 actively detrimental if you get there before the game things 363 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:42.000 you're supposed to. Is that that's going to get in 364 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.680 the way of the free form nature of skates, of 365 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:47.519 finding these cool lines, of doing these cool things and 366 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:52.200 feeling really awesome about discovering this fun way to explore 367 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.720 the world with, you know, this piece of board under 368 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:58.680 your feet and yeah, or rolling, you know, we should 369 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:00.839 talk about the rolling. Yeah, the roll. 370 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.799 The rolling is super fun. Is ridiculous. Yeah, you can 371 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:07.680 essentially roll up into a ball off of your board 372 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.000 and you can Eric calls the Blanca roll. 373 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:15.039 Shade would like it to be called the Sonic role. 374 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:18.440 I say, Blot in the comments below. 375 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:22.559 No, listen, listen. Blanca does not use his role for transportation. 376 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:26.720 He uses it to attack opponents. Sonic uses it for both. 377 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.079 He used it to attack opponents and to get places. 378 00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:32.519 What is an attack but transportation closer to your opponent. 379 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:35.720 That's what I was saying about when when I get 380 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.440 in a car, I'm like, this is an attack if 381 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:39.400 somebody is in the wrong place at the wrong time. 382 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.200 But it is primarily a form of transportation, which is 383 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:44.440 how Sonic uses it. He goes places fast. But then 384 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:46.519 he can also attack enemies using the. 385 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.000 Role when I'm playing for it, so I attack that pavement, 386 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:53.039 I attack that asphalt. I'm on there, attack that assphalt. 387 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:57.039 Skateboarders are rolling up into ball. Is this a real 388 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:58.240 skateboard move? 389 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:01.240 Do people do this in real I've not seen Tony 390 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:06.240 Hawk comporting itself this way. No, No, it's it is. 391 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:18.079 Rolled up in a ball, going much faster than anybody 392 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:21.039 can actually skate, Like you are going faster. 393 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:24.680 Speaking goes faster than skating. It's it's kind of funny, 394 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:27.160 and I hope they never change it. I hope it 395 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:29.720 just stays that way forever because it rules. 396 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:33.839 Yeah, but I mean, we haven't really talked about like 397 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.599 the actual like act of skateboarding We've talked a lot 398 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.640 about the world and all of that, but I I 399 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:45.079 think skate and this game, this game definitely holds onto 400 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:50.640 this element of past games where the best moments, the 401 00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:52.559