Great review. One think I don't understand, both in generally but also specifically in regards to Pathologic 2 is the "its not fun" argument. Fun is a byproduct of engagement, and your whole video is full of reasons how impossibly captivating the game is. When I first got it and started it just to see if it ran etc., I couldn't stop playing it. I literally stayed till 7:30 in the morning (played all night), and then again the next day. It's ludicrous to even suggest that I didn't have fun with the game. Of course I did. And all those things that were intentionally made different compared to traditionally fun games (like lets say Mario games) is exactly what made Pathologic so immersive, engrossing and engaging, and as a result - fun.
13:40 - "You are suffering just as much if not more so than everyone else" I think this is one of the central reasons this game managed to grip me in a way few other games ever did, and why I am sometimes concerned that playing the game on a too easy difficulty is missing the point. I'm usually what one might call a metagamer, so I enjoy analyzing and optimizing the systems in a game. A side effect of that behavior that I never really considered is that it means in games I always exist on a different plane of reality than the game. When my partner in Skyrim dies, it's annoying because I just lost a way to carry items. When a lord in Skyrim acts irrationally it annoys me because how could they be so stupid? But then in Pathologic I didn't metagame the game, mostly because I couldn't. I was thrown into a largely hostile world without information about how to handle it and with plenty of systems to discourage metagaming: Changing market prices meaning preparation is dangerous, penalties even after reloads, quests that lead nowhere and RNG on deathrolls that you can't easily game. Sure you could savescum decisions, but for whatever reason I didn't (and thank god I didn't). So I suffered. I felt how hard it was to survive. I felt how annoying it was to make wrong choices, and how guilty you felt when you chose the wrong one. Even my pride in being "relatively good" in videogames got quickly crushed when I realized I had issues fighting against more than 1 guy at a time. And as a result I felt truly immersed in this world. I felt for the people of the town. Instead of annoyance at their idiotic behavior I felt sympathy or just pity, because after what I had just been through, how could I blame them? And it did something that rarely happens to me: Not only did I sympathize with the characters, I empathized with them. I felt for the kids of the town and wanted to save them. I felt bad whenever I failed one of them. I felt bad for the Kin, and the other people of the town, and the kids, and the inquisitor, and the general, and everyone else. All of that connection in my opinion hinges on the fact that the game is (at times) almost unbearable. Add to that the meta narrative and the sense of wonder at the steppe culture and you've truly got a masterpiece in my eyes.
For sure. This is definitely one of the IP's biggest strengths but probably also why its achieved status more as a cult classic than a really popular franchise. Its never going to be for everyone because it completely removes any notion of 'the power fantasy' from proceedings. Personally, I think that's incredible, but I get also why it would be frustrating for some. You're right, it definitely forces a particular type of immersion through its design and execution and I think it should be commended for even attempting something like that. It makes you re-contextualize what games can do, how they could be approached and what message they can convey to the player, and it does all of this with almost zero care for the player's comfort or for any video game troupes. It remains a masterpiece in my eyes too and also easily one of the most unique and ambitions games of the last decade but I cant imagine it will ever be a game for everyone, even with the updates to difficulty settings that were patched in post launch etc. I look forward to the other characters whenever they come out. I am curious about how they might change the experience.
Great review! My boyfriend and I have been seeking out every analysis we can find on Pathologic after we finished playing and this one was awesome, thanks!
Hi guys, please share this if you enjoyed! Really trying to grow the channel at the moment but its tough to get the coverage so every little helps! :D Thanks!
Great video, it's really cool to see everyone's different perspectives on this game, really feels like the developers pushed beyond the limits of what experiences games can give us
You did great job! Best Pathologic 2 review i seen! BTW, I find this video in Steam on Pathologic 2 official page. Message for others: "Please, play all 12 days, don't drop this game!"
Incredible video, I'm sad that the Dev's had to sacrifice their vision for the players because I know there is someone out there who played the game, found it too difficult, turned down the difficulty, finished the game, went "cool" and forgot about it. I really believe pathologic 2 is a great game, but I don't think many will really understand it because they don't have the resilience required or the want to build it. That is why I think, pathologic 2 is the best game no one will ever play. Thankfully those who do understand it, can enjoy it.
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, its a double edged sword. I am all for making games as inclusive as possible and have no issue with players lowering the difficulty, but with Pathalogic 2 it does lessen or even completely nerf a lot of the games thematic messaging and content. I guess the ultimate irony is that a game this ambitious and original was always destined to be a cult classic rather than a commercial success.
Stellar review , watched it many times .The bits of gameplay made it a whole lot funnier , would love to see an in-depth analysis of the game.Keep it up , i wholeheartedly enjoyed this review.
I like being challenged by games. If a game lets me succeed too easily, I often lose interest. I enjoyed learning and exploring the systems of Pathologic 2. It was fun trying to optimize my routes and tasks. Because of this I didn't find the game difficult or "unbearable". I was over prepared, managed to complete all the quests (pretty much) and no one died to infection. I almost feel like this shouldn't be possible no matter what. It was supposed to be "almost unbearable" after all. The game isn't balanced to be challenging if you have any idea what you should be doing.
It sounds like you did better than I did, almost everyone died in my first playthrough. I think its also challenging for players because of the modern gaming landscape. I guess easy and hard are subjective concepts and it does depend on what the player enjoys, but even so, I think it's kind of a game that is definitely not for everyone but also one that I think everyone should play?! lol
@@FirstOutpost I know what you mean. I’m in the process of writing/researching my own vid about Pathologic 2 (that’s how I found your vid, actually) and nothing feels right. I’m having a hard time deciding what to focus on. You managed to do a brief rundown of all the major themes and go in-depth at the same time, which is kinda incredible. Looking forward to a more story/writing focused video from you! ☺️
Thanks a lot. I'm really trying to grow the channel right now so check out the other content and share it if you can! :) Also, glad to hear that you are making a Pathologic 2 video yourself, more content on this game is always welcomed. Not sure if you have seen them but I have linked some videos by other creators below. I recommend checking them out if you haven't already: th-cam.com/video/_1UnTVbBhLo/w-d-xo.html - GRIM BEARD th-cam.com/video/E7uKUgire7Y/w-d-xo.html - MANDALORE th-cam.com/video/q00T0xxj2o0/w-d-xo.html&t - RAGNARROX
@@FirstOutpost I have, in fact, checked out your other content, and I’ve already seen the videos you linked. I’ve even subbed to you 😄 Feel free to drop by my channel as well and follow me on Twitter, I love connecting with fellow content creators. My stuff is not as comprehensive and well-written as yours, but hey, (I think) they’re funny lmao
So I looked in to this a little bit. Seems that its a little janky at the moment due to to some performance issues. Probably nothing game breaking or anything but not smooth sailing either. Don't think it would ruin the experience too much but will probably improve with some patches down the line :) Hope this helps!
@@FirstOutpost Yes it does, thankyou. I had suspicions it might struggle but I'm willing to buy into it if the devs are proactive in trying to iron out the issues. Thanks again for looking into it. Looking forward to your future content.
Good shit
Thank you!! Glad you liked it! :)
Ayyyyyyy.
Finally, another pathologic review I can watch over and over again.
lol Please do! Glad I'm not the only one!
@@FirstOutpost have you shared this on the subreddit?
@@pwnerofwrlds No :( I am not really reddit savvy and generally don't use it but please share the link on there too if you can :)
THANK YOU!!
@@FirstOutpost no problem man, just glad you put out this vid
Great review. One think I don't understand, both in generally but also specifically in regards to Pathologic 2 is the "its not fun" argument. Fun is a byproduct of engagement, and your whole video is full of reasons how impossibly captivating the game is. When I first got it and started it just to see if it ran etc., I couldn't stop playing it. I literally stayed till 7:30 in the morning (played all night), and then again the next day. It's ludicrous to even suggest that I didn't have fun with the game. Of course I did. And all those things that were intentionally made different compared to traditionally fun games (like lets say Mario games) is exactly what made Pathologic so immersive, engrossing and engaging, and as a result - fun.
Well said! I couldn't agree more.
Great writing and voicework. Hopefully this review gets as many views as Mandalore or HBomberguy.
The more people selling the game, the better.
Thank you! Yeah, I hope so too :)
13:40 - "You are suffering just as much if not more so than everyone else" I think this is one of the central reasons this game managed to grip me in a way few other games ever did, and why I am sometimes concerned that playing the game on a too easy difficulty is missing the point. I'm usually what one might call a metagamer, so I enjoy analyzing and optimizing the systems in a game. A side effect of that behavior that I never really considered is that it means in games I always exist on a different plane of reality than the game. When my partner in Skyrim dies, it's annoying because I just lost a way to carry items. When a lord in Skyrim acts irrationally it annoys me because how could they be so stupid? But then in Pathologic I didn't metagame the game, mostly because I couldn't. I was thrown into a largely hostile world without information about how to handle it and with plenty of systems to discourage metagaming: Changing market prices meaning preparation is dangerous, penalties even after reloads, quests that lead nowhere and RNG on deathrolls that you can't easily game. Sure you could savescum decisions, but for whatever reason I didn't (and thank god I didn't). So I suffered. I felt how hard it was to survive. I felt how annoying it was to make wrong choices, and how guilty you felt when you chose the wrong one. Even my pride in being "relatively good" in videogames got quickly crushed when I realized I had issues fighting against more than 1 guy at a time. And as a result I felt truly immersed in this world. I felt for the people of the town. Instead of annoyance at their idiotic behavior I felt sympathy or just pity, because after what I had just been through, how could I blame them? And it did something that rarely happens to me: Not only did I sympathize with the characters, I empathized with them. I felt for the kids of the town and wanted to save them. I felt bad whenever I failed one of them. I felt bad for the Kin, and the other people of the town, and the kids, and the inquisitor, and the general, and everyone else. All of that connection in my opinion hinges on the fact that the game is (at times) almost unbearable. Add to that the meta narrative and the sense of wonder at the steppe culture and you've truly got a masterpiece in my eyes.
For sure. This is definitely one of the IP's biggest strengths but probably also why its achieved status more as a cult classic than a really popular franchise. Its never going to be for everyone because it completely removes any notion of 'the power fantasy' from proceedings. Personally, I think that's incredible, but I get also why it would be frustrating for some. You're right, it definitely forces a particular type of immersion through its design and execution and I think it should be commended for even attempting something like that. It makes you re-contextualize what games can do, how they could be approached and what message they can convey to the player, and it does all of this with almost zero care for the player's comfort or for any video game troupes. It remains a masterpiece in my eyes too and also easily one of the most unique and ambitions games of the last decade but I cant imagine it will ever be a game for everyone, even with the updates to difficulty settings that were patched in post launch etc. I look forward to the other characters whenever they come out. I am curious about how they might change the experience.
I really appreciate all the detail you put into this review, definitely underrated!! Well done
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Great review! My boyfriend and I have been seeking out every analysis we can find on Pathologic after we finished playing and this one was awesome, thanks!
Thank you! Yeah I know the feeling. It's a game that can be analyzed indefinitely :D
Hi guys, please share this if you enjoyed! Really trying to grow the channel at the moment but its tough to get the coverage so every little helps! :D Thanks!
Also please subscribe! :D
Great video, it's really cool to see everyone's different perspectives on this game, really feels like the developers pushed beyond the limits of what experiences games can give us
Thanks. Yeah, I agree completely. Its a wholly unique experience like nothing else I have played.
You did great job! Best Pathologic 2 review i seen! BTW, I find this video in Steam on Pathologic 2 official page. Message for others: "Please, play all 12 days, don't drop this game!"
Thank you for the kind words! Still can't believe this video is on the Steam store page right now! :D
In August the plague theme is particularly resonate.
After watching this review I think It’s time to play this game. Thanks for giving such a great detailed review👍
Thank you! :) Hope you enjoy it! Hopefully should have more long form reviews on the way soon! :D
Incredible video, I'm sad that the Dev's had to sacrifice their vision for the players because I know there is someone out there who played the game, found it too difficult, turned down the difficulty, finished the game, went "cool" and forgot about it. I really believe pathologic 2 is a great game, but I don't think many will really understand it because they don't have the resilience required or the want to build it. That is why I think, pathologic 2 is the best game no one will ever play. Thankfully those who do understand it, can enjoy it.
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, its a double edged sword. I am all for making games as inclusive as possible and have no issue with players lowering the difficulty, but with Pathalogic 2 it does lessen or even completely nerf a lot of the games thematic messaging and content. I guess the ultimate irony is that a game this ambitious and original was always destined to be a cult classic rather than a commercial success.
Stellar review , watched it many times .The bits of gameplay made it a whole lot funnier , would love to see an in-depth analysis of the game.Keep it up , i wholeheartedly enjoyed this review.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
i just stumbled upon this game and this is the clearest video on it that ive seen so far. amazing work man
Thank you!! :D
I'm amazed you don't have more subs, this was bloody fantastic man!
Thank you for the kind words! Hopefully the channel will grow at a quicker rate over the next year :)
Great good and Great review! Glad to be one of your early follower!
Thank you for the sub and the kind words. I hope you enjoy the other content on the channel as much! :D
This needs more views. Get to it, algorithm.
Agreed :D
Solid review. Better than others I have seen!
Thank you! :D
this was a very nice analysis thank you for sharing your thoughts
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the other content on the channel too :)
Good review man. Way to give an under-rated gem some love.
Thank you! :)
Shit I'm starving to death.
let me apply some tourniquets.
super well done video
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! :D
I like being challenged by games. If a game lets me succeed too easily, I often lose interest. I enjoyed learning and exploring the systems of Pathologic 2. It was fun trying to optimize my routes and tasks. Because of this I didn't find the game difficult or "unbearable". I was over prepared, managed to complete all the quests (pretty much) and no one died to infection. I almost feel like this shouldn't be possible no matter what. It was supposed to be "almost unbearable" after all. The game isn't balanced to be challenging if you have any idea what you should be doing.
It sounds like you did better than I did, almost everyone died in my first playthrough. I think its also challenging for players because of the modern gaming landscape. I guess easy and hard are subjective concepts and it does depend on what the player enjoys, but even so, I think it's kind of a game that is definitely not for everyone but also one that I think everyone should play?! lol
Fantastic video. Looking forward to seeing more from you
Thank you! Subscribe and share if you can!
Incredible video. It's such a hard game to analyse in just 30 minutes
Thank you. I did my best but I swear the video could have been 10 hours long and I still would have only just scratched the surface :D
@@FirstOutpost I know what you mean. I’m in the process of writing/researching my own vid about Pathologic 2 (that’s how I found your vid, actually) and nothing feels right. I’m having a hard time deciding what to focus on. You managed to do a brief rundown of all the major themes and go in-depth at the same time, which is kinda incredible. Looking forward to a more story/writing focused video from you! ☺️
Thanks a lot. I'm really trying to grow the channel right now so check out the other content and share it if you can! :) Also, glad to hear that you are making a Pathologic 2 video yourself, more content on this game is always welcomed. Not sure if you have seen them but I have linked some videos by other creators below. I recommend checking them out if you haven't already:
th-cam.com/video/_1UnTVbBhLo/w-d-xo.html - GRIM BEARD
th-cam.com/video/E7uKUgire7Y/w-d-xo.html - MANDALORE
th-cam.com/video/q00T0xxj2o0/w-d-xo.html&t - RAGNARROX
@@FirstOutpost I have, in fact, checked out your other content, and I’ve already seen the videos you linked. I’ve even subbed to you 😄 Feel free to drop by my channel as well and follow me on Twitter, I love connecting with fellow content creators. My stuff is not as comprehensive and well-written as yours, but hey, (I think) they’re funny lmao
Thanks a lot :D Will check it out! :)
Thanks.🙂👍
Love the accent and the review! :) Makes me want to replay the game... AGAIN...
Thank you!
You talk too fast for me to follow. So I slowed it down a bit 😅 I really enjoyed it though.
Glad you enjoyed the video :) I have slowed down how fast I speak since then so hopefully the more recent videos will be better :D
Great review. Looks right up Street. Anyone know if the ps4 port is any good?
Not sure. Planning on picking it up at some point but haven't yet.
@@FirstOutpost Cool man. If the port is sound it's a definite buy for me.
So I looked in to this a little bit. Seems that its a little janky at the moment due to to some performance issues. Probably nothing game breaking or anything but not smooth sailing either. Don't think it would ruin the experience too much but will probably improve with some patches down the line :) Hope this helps!
@@FirstOutpost Yes it does, thankyou. I had suspicions it might struggle but I'm willing to buy into it if the devs are proactive in trying to iron out the issues. Thanks again for looking into it. Looking forward to your future content.
nice review, I love it
Thank you!
Can you get butt worms in this game.
This fantastic,
Thanks! :)