The best/worst feeling in the world is seeing a new Ragnar video and deciding a minute and a half in that I can't watch it until I've played the game myself.
I had this exact experience when I discovered Norco on Alpha Beta Gamer's channel. I don't know if I lasted a minute before I realized I had to play it myself. Glad I did, one of my all-time favourite games.
No one of us here, watching videos on youtube, is untangled from the planetery destruction of our biosphere. Your husband not really in a worse way than i or anyone else who lives a modern, western lifestyle.
I grew up in a bayou town not far from Norco. It's surreal to be playing a game set so close to home, but surreal doesn't begin to describe this game. I loved every moment.
"If you can laugh and smile alongside (and sometimes about) characters, the sad and moving moments just hit so much harder". I experienced that playing both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 7. 7 in particular; it's a game about men and women in their 40s and 50s that have lost everything, sometimes on the fringe of giving up, and finding strength in new friends (also in their 40s and 40s who lost everything). Men and women you laugh alongside and about. Men and women who don't much care about your past and quirks, only that you are a loser just like them, but when you are with them, you feel like a winner. Also some lobsters help you kill enemies! In a few days I'm 42, so Yakuza 7 hits harder than any other game in my thirty year gamer career.
The eeriness of loneliness, the creepiness of people who are choosing to suffer a terminal disease, alone in a dark room, devoured by shame. The passive aggressive anger of people who never forgave you for leaving, while wishing that they never stayed. The futility of trying to hate and forget members of your own family, finally letting yourself lose the battle and admit that you feel heartbroken. Then realizing that you did convince them that you hate them and forgot them, but you don't have the energy or will to prove them otherwise. When you visit a weird place where you grew up, it's like every tree remembers you. As if that whole place had an identity crisis when you left, and is completely shocked to see you again. And something bad must have happened, something terrible. Because why would you be back otherwise? It's so bad that you had to come back.
I spent the first 15 years of my life growing up in Southern Louisiana (Plaquemine parish to be specific) which is often referred to as "the end of the world". Mainly because it's as far south as you can go before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. I lived in a town called Port Sulphur around the area called Buras. The presentation of this part of the country showed I this game is SPOT ON (minus the scifi and alt history aspects). The juxtaposition of natural beauty and harsh industrial expansion is scarily real. Well done.
I’ve got a friend that grew up in Port Sulphur. I am literally 6 minutes into the video, Ragnar is just describing the city’s landscape and vibe, and I am already, inexplicably, sad. I can see my friend’s hometown and feeling the whole history of Louisiana
@@macydammen7812 As much as it was home, it really is a shit hole of a place. The VAST economic disparity down there is sickening. My father worked for Georgia Pacific lumber at that time and we lived in a fishing camp near Happy Jack Marina. It was a metal a-frame house with about 3 rooms. And we were doing great compared to some of the kids I went to school with. But that's Louisiana for you. A beautiful place that has been exploited to its own ruin and left to die. I moved to Alabama as a teenager, and when I saw what actual middle class people lived like I thought I had moved to Beverly Hills.
@@weeabootrash4real C'est bon!Good to hear from someone else who knows the area. I remember driving thru Belle Chasse anytime we took our bi monthly trip to the big city (Slidell) and eating at the fanciest restaurant in town (Outback). Yall keep em in line down there my friend.
18:02 "...the role of the only sibling that is considered to have their shit together to handle everything once things are crashing down." Yeah...I know that feeling.
I'm not. And it's not a good feeling to be "unreliable", either. There's literally no way to change that label, unless there's a nuclear war or something and the outside finally matches what's inside my head.
When I landed on its demo a year ago, no day went by without me checking the Steam page for a release day. I waited for NORCO more than I waited for Elden Ring and I'm uberhardcore souls' fan, with thousand of hour in all Souls, BB and Sekiro combined.
@Samuel Anugrah Andre maaaaan.... I know everybody already decided ER is the game of the year.... But NORCO is the indie game of the year, seriously. Let's hope Silksong will be pushed to 2023 so not to take the award from NORCO. Just don't forget to FEEL it man, I'm serious.
I had never heard of this game until I saw this video. I've been a lifelong resident of Louisiana. Even now, I only live about 20 mins away from New Orleans. And it was shocking to me how so many details are spot on. The look of the refineries at night with their giant towers of flames, the pixelated cypress knees, using actual street names. At 16:55, I said to myself "Wow that looks just like Airline Highway." Sure enough, Dialogue box confirmation. Such a cool thing to see.
I'm from the bayou, and seeing this game's visuals is utterly surreal. Growing up, Norco (like most industrial plant towns along the river) always seemed so unremarkable----boring, vague, with a hideous refinery and a monotonous freeway as backdrop. That the designers were able to create something so evocative from this setting is incredible. (Damn it, I hope they port so Switch.)
The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. So unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its ok fire.
YES. I played this game as soon as it came out bc I LOVE Louisiana as a setting (I grew up and live here in south-central Louisiana, an hour or two away from Norco). This game was BEAUTIFUL
NORCO instantly seems like a good fit for me personally - so thank you Ragnar for bringing it into the spotlight! On another note: I am always happy when someone mentions the Harebrained Schemes Shadowrun Trilogy. Seriously folks play those games! Dragonfall in particular is (imho) one of THE best Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy games ever.
Norco is such a gem. The prose is beautiful. Literary. Few games are written as well. A few come to mind - Disco Elysium, Vampire the Masquerade: Shadows of New York, and Necrobarista. Both planescapes, although they are much more bothersome to read, compared to the awesome formatting and tempo of the likes of Disco, Norco, Necrobarista, and Shadows.
This game seems really special, and I am glad someone brought it to mu attention! Now, let me reciprocate: Signalis just released (Steam and ps4), and if there was ever a game that would fit this channel, this is it. Indie game made by two people, that is the perfect mix between horror, sci fi, and emotional storytelling. Imagine the ps1 Resident Evil games, but modern gameplay, and a story reminiscent of the movie Moon mixed with Bladerunner (as far as I can tell, I haven't gotten very far yet!). So far, it is among my absolute favourite games of the year, and my absolute favourite ever in the genre.
My family's from Metairie, grew up in Destrehan. Norco is 5 mins down the road. I see those refineries every day. The sparkle so mysteriously at night. Sometimes they have the giant flame lit and it makes the midnight sky look like armageddon
One thing I wish you had mentioned when discussing which platform to buy on is that Steam and GOG both take a 30% cut for themselves out of every sale. Itch only takes 10%. This is why I prefer Itch for truly indie games.
Splendid video Ragnar! I was looking forward to this analysis, especially that I myself reviewed the game as well. And well I have to say you have elevated and truly grasped the essence of this game. Glad that you cherished this game as much as I did. Cheers!
Born and raised in New Orleans, this is a very great game! I only remember visiting Norco during my kid years. And yeah this story hits home, and me and my friends lost our homes when big companies came and took some of the land. But we bounced back.
Since completing 5 full playthroughs of Disco Elysium over the last 2 years, I knew i had to find something else to satisfy my craving for a story rich experience and the answer was Norco. I have just finished my second playthrough of Norco and it was superb. The best games leave a permanent emotional impression on me and Norco has definitely done that. I am going to install Unavowed next and hope that it will be similarly fulfilling. Thanks for making this video, you are an extremely talented writer with an excellent talent for articulating your thoughts using your vast and diverse vocabulary! Keep up the fantastic work!
as a louisianian it was painful to play, to be reminded of the corruption in our state and not being able to do anything about it (i am a minor). it was awful to see it all so plainly portrayed and nice to play a game set in where i live
I come from a religious/conservative home-school family. I'm pretty sure my family loved me, and the Church meant well. But my family was smothering me, controlling and pressuring me. I understand escaping home. I hope y'alls families understand better than mine.
It's shocking to hear that Ragnar has problems with anhedonia, because his videos are, frankly, one of the biggest sources of joy for me - at least on TH-cam.
I have sit in front of my laptop for 20mins totally in indescribable shock after I played through the game. Just don't know what to say, every lines in the game is hard to follow like a riddle but somehow I can echo something inside the game inside Norco. I can smell oil and smoke. I can feel the wet and sticky air in the swamp. I can see me kneel down in front a electronic Jesus pray for nothing with fear and lost hope. I can feel some electrical pause stirring my brain causing permanent confusion and pain. I don't know what to say. Please if you see this game, buy it and play it, totally worthy.
Word of advice for better viewing experience? (from someone who MAY be hard of hearing but still enjoys video essays like this and doesn't actually want to keep my eyes glued to the bottom half of the screen to read (probably incorrect) subtitles in a beautiful video) The volume of your voice should be louder than the music volume.
Woah. It looks like Disco x Kentucky Route Zero x any Indiana Jones Lucas Arts. I am intrigued and this vid is giving me deja Vu/flashbacks for something I've yet to play. Superb work as always Ragnar!
I grew up in St Rose, a town over from Norco. The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. In real life, its almost unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its on fire. When I was a teen and the road was empty, I would turn my headlights off and let the sky fill my windshield.
Same here. The majority of my bus rides from school usually had stops in Norco, even as early as kindergarten. What stuck out to me was how... unremarkable the town seemed. Like the refinery was more important than the people living there. The fact that there's a game about it now that literally gets that vibe and understands what it was like live there and be around that area is amazing to me. I wouldn't be surprised if I knew some of the developers at some point!
So I just came across your channel as I was looking for videos on Norco after having literally just finished it myself about an hour ago. While it's a bummer that almost no other videos on this game came up on TH-cam, I do want to commend you for this great production. And I see you're also a big Disco Elysium fan. You got yourself a new sub!
We need more games taking place in places we aften ignore or pass our minds but are rich with history and long forgotten conflicts The fact this game takes place in a disheveled cyberpunk Louisiana is astonishing
Norco is the only game I've played that's felt the most qualitatively like a cinematic experience, in that the interactive elements combine to leave an impression on you that feels like you watched a profound film.
I have watched so many of your videos, but to find a game from my favorite genre set in the town i used to live in - I dropped everything to immediately play it. Thank you so much for bringing attention to it! Wonderful video!
I think the game is even better to those of us familiar with the town (born and raised and currently live here). You notice and catch a lot "Easter eggs" in comparison to the standard player.
I don't know why, but I bounced off of Norco hard. It didn't just not grab me, it pushed me away. Edit: To be specific, it sounds exactly up my alley- excellent writing, amazing art, as a point-and-click adventure that does all sorts of new things, but somehow I bounce off anyway. This video (after part 2, during the overview) convinced me to give it another try, though. Wish me luck- I'll be back to watch the rest of the video regardless of if it pulls me in or not.
I just tried it out... it checks a lot of marks that I want in games... but this game really isn't for me. I think it's a very good thing that games like this are being made. But, the writing and the presentation is just not for me.
Since you posted this..., are you worried that it will send you into a spiral of despair and depression? As a GenXer, I don't understand why you post a teaser on social media, and expect no one to push you to say EXACTLY why it's not for you. If you feel the reasons are too personal, why would you post anything? It's like jumping into the middle of a party and saying "I don't want to make any friends here! I don't even want a hookup!" Why wouldn't you stay home then?
4:38 Hmmm... well OK, I'll leave it playing in the background BUT muted! I don't want to spoil it for myself, given the ungodly amount of hype NORCO keeps getting around my tiny bubble. I wonder how much I'll agree (or disagree) with you once I'll finally get around playing it.
I played the demo and it felt so much like going home to some weird alternate version of the place where I grew up, that i had to buy the game immediately..
Ah, shit. That's still on my list. I keep wanting to play it but...so many games, so little time. Bachelor, now Master...all for earning a peace of paper. I really hope I have more time after university.
Yutsi is a beautiful writer, artist and cultural archivist. I'm really excited for your essay, thank you for making this. Some pieces of NORCO made me feel utterly transparent, seen-through-- childhood memories I long-thought were unrelatable, felt not just seen, but accepted and reciprocated. It felt like compassion.
Played this game when it came to GamePass based on screenshots alone and I loved it. The Disco Elysium inspiration was immediately apparent to me and it really is a genius move to display the text in vertical columns. The ending was very strange and I don't remember how I felt about it, I didn't hate it though. But, Ragnar, I feel like picking on Cyberpunk 2077 was unnecessary.
This is slightly irrelevant, but this game's art style reminds me of an author named Simon Stalenhag and a youtuber named PilotRedSun who doesn't post often - curious if anyone else feels the same Also, I used to live in Louisiana and find it curious how little of a shithole it seems here compared to irl
i really implore everyone in these comments to play the game. it’s one of the most memorable gaming experiences i’ve had in my life, and it paints a picture of american life that seldom seen.
Played and enjoyed this after seeing the opening of this video. I think I’ve been spoiled by Disco Elysium, because it didn’t quite meet my hopes - but the writing during the end of Act 3 really impressed me.
Just saying: if you go back to your home town and it's stayed as it is for the most part, like a time capsule, it's infinitely better than coming back after several decades and see that it has changed a lot. I did that recently. Visited the neighbourhood where I lived out the very first years of my life in. The apartment buildings were the same, but they had smacked up this giant university nearby that wasn't there when I was a kid. And the nearby mall had it's interior layout completely changed. Might sound like small changes. But to me, it was a horrible experience, since those early memories were still so vivid in my mind. So having had all of that been completely changed in a way that felt sudden, was an unpleasant mindf*ck to say the least. :S
@@michimatsch5862 Yes... Or rather, not "removed" perhaps, since some parts were still the same. But the changes made them feel "phony" somehow. There was a big disconnect between what I remembered and what I was actually seeing. Makes you feel unsure of your own memory and your grip on reality in an uncomfortable way. Maybe if the whole place had been demolished and replaced with new stuff, it might've been different. Perhaps I could then accept that it was gone, but the memories would be unchanged. But when only half of what you remember has been altered, it's a very "uncanny valley" experience.
I think also something very important that everyone miss to point around the storytelling in this game is the surreal structure around it. It is not simply science fiction, there is a lot of surrealism probably inspired by David Lynch's work. Even the OST sounds very similar to some of the themes on the last season of Twin Peaks.
My grandfather taught at Montana Tech, in Butte, where millions upon millions of dollars' worth of copper was mined out of the Boulder Batholith - like, at one point Butte's only rival in how much copper they were shipping out was South Africa, that's how much copper we're talking about here. It's also home to the Berkley Pit, a manmade lake so poisonous and acidic because of the toxic elements in the mines that a system for scaring away birds had to be put in place, cuz the birds would die if they went into the water. Gramps was part of the team who helped clean up Silver Bow Creek, also in Butte; he once told me (and I'll never forget this) that when they would take samples from the creek, they'd do it by sucking water up through straws, and when it hit your teeth, the water was so acidic that it would dissolve all of the plaque, and swallowing it would give you the world's worst case of the trots. And that's just Butte; Libby Montana is another sad story of how the extraction industry can screw over people and the environment (TL;DR: company town, they were mining essentially asbestos for insulation, so the entire town was just covered in asbestos. It was, possibly still is, an oncologist's nightmare). And like...often unless you live in the states where these towns exist, you've probably never heard these kinds of stories. Butte was essential to the Industrial Revolution, it was one of the biggest cities in the US in its 19th century heyday, it was the center of the kind of political and corporate machinations that sound like an HBO miniseries, and yet nobody knows about it. Like at all. That's why media like this is important, it shows the kind of damage the extraction industry does to the places where it stakes its claim. I'm really looking forward to playing it when I get the chance.
I wish someday I could finally put all my energy in developing a game so good, well written, and well rounded that you (organically) would want to play and talk about. I hope that day is not too far away, and I will work to make it happen. I really like the work you do (shame on me that I cannot help you monetarily) have a nice day, see you next video! PS: Your analysis of Disco Elysium was the pivotal point that made me play that game... and I love it.
@RagnarRox, Disco have option to change how voice over is played, on the other hand if you really want old style, I think GoG have available old version of disco due to their policy to keep older versions of the games.
This is an absolutely beautiful video you have created on an equally beautiful game from the sounds of it. Every word resonated with me on a very deep level and I cannot wait to experience this game through my own eyes and background.
Omg that single clip from The Longest Journey made me shriek in horror 🤣 some of the puzzles in that game were ridiculous. Norco sounds so interesting and I love the look of it.
Hey, I was looking at Norco on a PS Deals site and your review was recommended on the game’s listing. The amount of detail and care that you put into this review is incredible, pulling from outside sources and inspirations and tying it all together with the game itself. I picked up Norco after watching and can’t wait to explore the world myself. Thank you for turning a review into a piece of art. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your catalogue!
If that's the case, that man's creative light blew out years ago. Because the game uses an idealized, simple version of its basic aesthetic, and its narrative is a processed by-product of popular and predictive storytelling. It uses the wrong idea of what cyberpunk stands for and instead employs the style for its marketing and design. As far as I understood, cyberpunk was both used as a creative technique in storytelling and as a form of prediction of what was to come within the creator's story to make their message more digestible. Isn't the whole reason for having a genre with the suffix -punk supposed to be about fighting against a foreseeable authoritative rule from whatever means it came about within its geographical area, and in this case, alongside the advancement of technology? Cyberpunk is just too basic in that sense because it was a triple-AAA game, thus needed to appeal to the lowest common denominator of gamers, who make up most of the demography. So it needed to toss out anything insightful or interesting that could have existed in its storyline and make it considerable for an in-depth review for "exciting" gameplay, which turned out to be shitty either way. That's what makes a big-budget game more appealing, aside from its graphics. It needs to be simple, which isn't always bad, as it's nice to unwind sometimes. But Cyberpunk '77 isn't groundbreaking either. It just looks fancy. Unless its DLC changes that all up, It doesn't deserve being held up in that high of a regard. I have read Edgerunners is good, however.
I tend to avoid games like these. They are beautiful, yes. But they make me sad about life than I already am. Instead of clarity and closure, it devours me and pushes me to self destruction.
Yeah. I think its fine that games are wisely considered an art form now, but truth be told, I still view them ultimately as a fun escape; I don’t always want to be reminded of how sad and extreme the world gets, I just wanna play a game for a while.
OH PLEASE make a video on Unavowed. Absolutely love that game, even if I am sad about some of the things the devs decided to scrap (like the pictures in your room). Hell I liked this game so much I even replayed it with the Dev commentary. I never do that xD
@@JohanToresson It isssss. The twist was also very well done, it had some small hints, just enough to not let it be out of left field, yet still surprising. But boy does it deserve a sequel with all the cut content added in x3
I'm super surprised that 5 months later, this video hasn't surpassed over 100k views. Sci-fi southern gothic, an interesting mashup of 2 visually different genres? Haunting indie MASTERPIECE? One hell of a very interesting intro. All that alone made me rush to click on the video then buy the game, and honestly, thank you so much for giving me that push. I saw Norco here and there but was like "Eeehhh I'll see about it" but then your video came out and convinced me to get it. God. Norco is such an experience, and I'll be briefly talking about it in a college podcast assignment! Now I want more sci-fi southern gothic stuff. That's a unique flavour I'm craving for. Thank you so much for making this video and I hope it skyrockets soon!!
I cant get over how amazing this game is and I want more but there is just nothing that comes even close to it. Thimbleweed park, Elysium, I have played all that. They are good but this is truly masterful. The writing, the art, the atmosphere, the characters... like a beautiful postmodern movie. I only listen to christmas music from now
8 months ago when you released this video after just 6 minutes I ended up getting the game. But then I was busy with university and I didn't have the time to do much. I got some free time today and I rediscovered the game in my library so I decided to play it and honestly I have no words with the feeling this game filled me with. It was an experience like no other. Thank you for introducing us to this game
I feel like between Cyberpunk 2077 actively defending the police state and Mirror's Edge Catalyst ignoring half of its world, we've REALLY been starved for genuine cyberpunk fiction. They tend to be all cyber and no punk, so it's so incredibly refreshing to hear about a piece of art that does tackle these issues properly and honestly. Will definitely be picking this one up, fantastic video mate!
NORCO is beside the Wadjet Eye games and Oxenfree, the TOP 3 CREATIVE clickNpoint/adventure game in the last 20 years .. or maybe ever!!! A real masterpiece and classic! A lot of RPG games make the failure, or lack the value, to give the user the control, how/who your character(s) really is - psychologically, historically ... this lack is just an outcome of a superficial and imprecise society ... But NORCO - and RagnarRox - proof, we are not lost folks ... keep the revolution going!!! educate - consolidate - reOrganize!!!
I only played the director's cut of Disco Elysium, and the whole time I was wondering which of the voices weren't there before. I read a lot faster than the lines are acted out, but I felt like I would be missing out if I didn't listen to the lines. It was too hard of a decision. Even if I felt like I would probably enjoy the game more if I turn the voice acting off. When I think of playing it a second time, I still don't know if I can bring myself to deafen the voices. My biggest issue is with the voice acted personality aspects. I think that hearing them voice acted makes them feel like too much of a separate entity. If they weren't voice, I think I might have internalized that inner monologue more, and felt more like I was talking to different parts of myself, rather than whoevers physical voice I'm listening to
I wanna be clear that this was really interesting and made me genuinely intrigued about Norco The thing I wanna highlight though is your pronunciation of your supporters at the end I really liked it as a kind of cherry on top of this video and it made me write this comment (which I almost never do)
I have yet to find any place that compares to Southeast Louisiana. The River, the Music, the history. The bayous, lakes and swamp stories of the delta region. The depth of the emotions experienced, expressed individually or collectively over generations that lingers like dark heavy fog. Game looks crazy good. Crazy inaccurate. Don't take me wrong I love it. But do take into consideration the pipelines. Boom Boom outgo the lights. Boom boom any static shock, up and out go the flames. Plus the nuclear meltdown. Waterford III. Bye Bye we all fry. Sure the pumping stations might overflow once off. Won't help the pillars of fire in the air. I live 6.3 miles east Norco now. A block from the Mississippi River trail. 8.1 miles the Bonnet Carre Spillway, 23 miles from 'nawlins (they really do pronounce it thataway) 46.5 miles from Port fourchon to where I lived in Laplace when hurricane IDA made it's 3rd landfall. 150mph sustained winds confirmed. Love this post! You Rock!! So inspiring truly. I wrote pages and pages! Your voice is wonderful! You are fascinating.
Hello. Sorry to bother, but i'd really love to hear your point (a video essay even) on the entire Deus Ex Saga. Deus Ex (as much as Blood Omen / Legacy of Kain) together with PoP Warrior Within and Mass Effect (Souls game ofc) are the games, which set my standard of game story. Ever since I've started watching you, I've found many, MANY more games worth experiencing. I know you probably won't read this, but here's to hoping.
One of the most spiritual P&C games I've played in a while. With laugh out loud humor. Listening to a character tell you about trying to find a place to poop in an absolute panic had me DYING.
31:51 I'm bothered you specify "South" New England. Immediately north of the border is industrialized Montreal. And a bit ironically, the Cajuns of LA descended from a people forcibly removed from settlements in what is now Maine. Most of Connecticut is rural, despite getting the most polluted air in the US, blown from industry in the Midwest. There's no escaping the blight, even if I'm missing your point, a bit.
I grew up in Norco and the surrounding areas, in fact I currently live nearby and see the dystopian landscape day after day. Always thought it resembled Midgard or some cyberpunk forgotten place my whole life. Great to see my hometown getting such a great game that addresses some of our struggles and is essentially a love letter to the place that the economy and time forgot.
I am currently on my second run of Norco. I also loved Disco Elysium. I want to recommend other fans of this kind of game an indie gem I discovered called Roadwarden. I think Roadwarden was not so much a game, but a book with pictures and rolls that I just read three times in a row without much mental exhaustion. I normally have a hard time reading novels (I prefer audiobooks) but games like Roadwarden, DE, and Norco, were surprisingly no-exhaustive for me. This is important for me because I have chronic pain, and so I play games to *escape.*
Lived in NOLA so I was with you for the first half. But when you deride the megacorps for creating these company towns in search for profits at the cost of livelihoods and emissions… what is the alternative? A state-run operation would lead to the same facilities and accompanying towns. Where else will the power/energy come from? Our current needs of that can’t be met with the alternatives we have now.
I live in a small town in Utah. It is a weird area, since if you go West, you get plains that turn into desert. East? Forests and Mountains. North and South? Nothing but industrial area, then farmland, then industrial/city-scapes. Where I am immediately though, if you go a few streets over by the freeway and south, you can find industrial area and railroads with a river that turns into a small swamp. This game hit me hard in so many ways. I had to take a minute to process what I played through and how I related to it. My home has more industrial and business buildings going up that continue to destroy the natural land around here. The cities and counties are starting to no longer care. They only see money and the people in this and surrounding towns see it. There's people being pushed into (if their kids dont want to continue family farm and legacy that is) selling their land/farms to developers for bullshit development. I have seen people struggle to keep their rent up for small businesses that were there for 20+years and close, only to replace it (bulldoze a good building) with commercial stuff we already have a few miles down the road. Modernization isnt all that great all the time. We as society have gone mad with it and need to step back a bit, otherwise we will lose what makes this planet worth living on.
Wait... the main theme of cyberpunk is facing a certain death. (Spoiler) After V got killed and rebooted they will die by the very system that saved her. Yes, it covers the dark themes very well, but beneath the shiny stuff, the killing, the gaming things, it is serious and deep.
Hey, I just finished the game. Although I enjoyed the story, I couldn't shake the discomfort I felt with some narrative lines that led to nowhere (the giant bird virus) and the "battle sections". I went to the extent of thinking Norco wasn't more than one of those "philosophical exposition tools" than a videogame, but after seeing this video I've come to realize how wrong I was. Norco wasn't even meant to be a videogame in the first place! That fact alone striked me like a punch in the face. It allowed me to see the game for what it really is, an examination of the human condition in many kind of places like family relations, childhood trauma, religion, the constant struggle for finding meaning, the disregard of megacorps for those below them and how these people have to learn how to keep living under those conditions, the list goes on. An unforgettable game that will haunt me for a long time. 100% worth the money.
The best/worst feeling in the world is seeing a new Ragnar video and deciding a minute and a half in that I can't watch it until I've played the game myself.
My words exactly!
You feel my pain.
I had this exact experience when I discovered Norco on Alpha Beta Gamer's channel. I don't know if I lasted a minute before I realized I had to play it myself. Glad I did, one of my all-time favourite games.
I have just done this
I had the exact same feeling and had finally the time to play Norco. Now starting the video again.
As someone from New Orleans who's husband works at shell Norco (I know, but we have to eat and survive 😭) I love this story! It's so personal
I didnt know that norco was a real thing. How interesting
*whose
No one of us here, watching videos on youtube, is untangled from the planetery destruction of our biosphere. Your husband not really in a worse way than i or anyone else who lives a modern, western lifestyle.
I grew up in a bayou town not far from Norco. It's surreal to be playing a game set so close to home, but surreal doesn't begin to describe this game. I loved every moment.
I live here in Norco. About to come full circle playing Norco in Norco 😄
My family is all over Norco and Destrehan. It's pretty cool playing a game set so close to home.
"If you can laugh and smile alongside (and sometimes about) characters, the sad and moving moments just hit so much harder". I experienced that playing both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 7. 7 in particular; it's a game about men and women in their 40s and 50s that have lost everything, sometimes on the fringe of giving up, and finding strength in new friends (also in their 40s and 40s who lost everything). Men and women you laugh alongside and about. Men and women who don't much care about your past and quirks, only that you are a loser just like them, but when you are with them, you feel like a winner. Also some lobsters help you kill enemies! In a few days I'm 42, so Yakuza 7 hits harder than any other game in my thirty year gamer career.
Yakuza is an excellent example for this.
The eeriness of loneliness, the creepiness of people who are choosing to suffer a terminal disease, alone in a dark room, devoured by shame. The passive aggressive anger of people who never forgave you for leaving, while wishing that they never stayed. The futility of trying to hate and forget members of your own family, finally letting yourself lose the battle and admit that you feel heartbroken. Then realizing that you did convince them that you hate them and forgot them, but you don't have the energy or will to prove them otherwise. When you visit a weird place where you grew up, it's like every tree remembers you. As if that whole place had an identity crisis when you left, and is completely shocked to see you again. And something bad must have happened, something terrible. Because why would you be back otherwise? It's so bad that you had to come back.
Saw the thumbnail. Bought the game. Finished the game. Came back to the video! What a gem of a game!
I spent the first 15 years of my life growing up in Southern Louisiana (Plaquemine parish to be specific) which is often referred to as "the end of the world". Mainly because it's as far south as you can go before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. I lived in a town called Port Sulphur around the area called Buras. The presentation of this part of the country showed I this game is SPOT ON (minus the scifi and alt history aspects). The juxtaposition of natural beauty and harsh industrial expansion is scarily real. Well done.
I’ve got a friend that grew up in Port Sulphur. I am literally 6 minutes into the video, Ragnar is just describing the city’s landscape and vibe, and I am already, inexplicably, sad. I can see my friend’s hometown and feeling the whole history of Louisiana
@@macydammen7812 As much as it was home, it really is a shit hole of a place. The VAST economic disparity down there is sickening. My father worked for Georgia Pacific lumber at that time and we lived in a fishing camp near Happy Jack Marina. It was a metal a-frame house with about 3 rooms. And we were doing great compared to some of the kids I went to school with. But that's Louisiana for you. A beautiful place that has been exploited to its own ruin and left to die. I moved to Alabama as a teenager, and when I saw what actual middle class people lived like I thought I had moved to Beverly Hills.
Cheers from belle chasse
@@weeabootrash4real C'est bon!Good to hear from someone else who knows the area. I remember driving thru Belle Chasse anytime we took our bi monthly trip to the big city (Slidell) and eating at the fanciest restaurant in town (Outback). Yall keep em in line down there my friend.
Port SULPHUR? That is such a dystopian name jesus
18:02 "...the role of the only sibling that is considered to have their shit together to handle everything once things are crashing down."
Yeah...I know that feeling.
Dreadful indeed.
I'm that person. I'm not looking forward to it when my mom eventually dies.
I'm not. And it's not a good feeling to be "unreliable", either. There's literally no way to change that label, unless there's a nuclear war or something and the outside finally matches what's inside my head.
When I landed on its demo a year ago, no day went by without me checking the Steam page for a release day. I waited for NORCO more than I waited for Elden Ring and I'm uberhardcore souls' fan, with thousand of hour in all Souls, BB and Sekiro combined.
@Samuel Anugrah Andre maaaaan.... I know everybody already decided ER is the game of the year.... But NORCO is the indie game of the year, seriously. Let's hope Silksong will be pushed to 2023 so not to take the award from NORCO. Just don't forget to FEEL it man, I'm serious.
I'm so glad I only discovered Norco shortly before its release date. I think it was a month before or so. Even that wait was tough, lol.
I had never heard of this game until I saw this video. I've been a lifelong resident of Louisiana. Even now, I only live about 20 mins away from New Orleans. And it was shocking to me how so many details are spot on. The look of the refineries at night with their giant towers of flames, the pixelated cypress knees, using actual street names. At 16:55, I said to myself "Wow that looks just like Airline Highway." Sure enough, Dialogue box confirmation. Such a cool thing to see.
Well hey there neighbor, same same, I live on Jefferson highway that's also in the game 😆
Literally just like driving on Airline past Destrehan, it’s so cool. Local myself, about 30 mins out from the actual Norco lol
I'm from the bayou, and seeing this game's visuals is utterly surreal. Growing up, Norco (like most industrial plant towns along the river) always seemed so unremarkable----boring, vague, with a hideous refinery and a monotonous freeway as backdrop. That the designers were able to create something so evocative from this setting is incredible.
(Damn it, I hope they port so Switch.)
I waited for V'4llhalla(however it's spelled) and it's $80, but sharply reduced on every other platform. 😭
The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. So unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its ok fire.
YES. I played this game as soon as it came out bc I LOVE Louisiana as a setting (I grew up and live here in south-central Louisiana, an hour or two away from Norco). This game was BEAUTIFUL
NORCO instantly seems like a good fit for me personally - so thank you Ragnar for bringing it into the spotlight! On another note: I am always happy when someone mentions the Harebrained Schemes Shadowrun Trilogy. Seriously folks play those games! Dragonfall in particular is (imho) one of THE best Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy games ever.
Norco is such a gem. The prose is beautiful. Literary. Few games are written as well. A few come to mind - Disco Elysium, Vampire the Masquerade: Shadows of New York, and Necrobarista. Both planescapes, although they are much more bothersome to read, compared to the awesome formatting and tempo of the likes of Disco, Norco, Necrobarista, and Shadows.
If you haven't played it yet, you'd love Kentucky Route Zero. It offers a moody narrative experience much like NORCO and Disco Elysium
Also, if you haven't tried it yet, get Night in the Woods. Very much in the same vein as Norco, and a great game in and of itself.
Another Great writen game is lisa: the painful . I love it so much!
My sincerest gratitudefor introducing me to NORCO. What a journey it was.
I’m SO EXCITED that you’re covering this game!!
This game seems really special, and I am glad someone brought it to mu attention!
Now, let me reciprocate: Signalis just released (Steam and ps4), and if there was ever a game that would fit this channel, this is it. Indie game made by two people, that is the perfect mix between horror, sci fi, and emotional storytelling. Imagine the ps1 Resident Evil games, but modern gameplay, and a story reminiscent of the movie Moon mixed with Bladerunner (as far as I can tell, I haven't gotten very far yet!). So far, it is among my absolute favourite games of the year, and my absolute favourite ever in the genre.
That moment you mentioned the dreaded phone calls... That hit home... Thank you for the high quality content.
My family's from Metairie, grew up in Destrehan. Norco is 5 mins down the road. I see those refineries every day. The sparkle so mysteriously at night. Sometimes they have the giant flame lit and it makes the midnight sky look like armageddon
One thing I wish you had mentioned when discussing which platform to buy on is that Steam and GOG both take a 30% cut for themselves out of every sale. Itch only takes 10%. This is why I prefer Itch for truly indie games.
Itch is a wonderful platform
Splendid video Ragnar! I was looking forward to this analysis, especially that I myself reviewed the game as well. And well I have to say you have elevated and truly grasped the essence of this game. Glad that you cherished this game as much as I did. Cheers!
Born and raised in New Orleans, this is a very great game! I only remember visiting Norco during my kid years. And yeah this story hits home, and me and my friends lost our homes when big companies came and took some of the land. But we bounced back.
Since completing 5 full playthroughs of Disco Elysium over the last 2 years, I knew i had to find something else to satisfy my craving for a story rich experience and the answer was Norco. I have just finished my second playthrough of Norco and it was superb. The best games leave a permanent emotional impression on me and Norco has definitely done that. I am going to install Unavowed next and hope that it will be similarly fulfilling. Thanks for making this video, you are an extremely talented writer with an excellent talent for articulating your thoughts using your vast and diverse vocabulary!
Keep up the fantastic work!
as a louisianian it was painful to play, to be reminded of the corruption in our state and not being able to do anything about it (i am a minor). it was awful to see it all so plainly portrayed and nice to play a game set in where i live
I come from a religious/conservative home-school family. I'm pretty sure my family loved me, and the Church meant well. But my family was smothering me, controlling and pressuring me. I understand escaping home. I hope y'alls families understand better than mine.
It's shocking to hear that Ragnar has problems with anhedonia, because his videos are, frankly, one of the biggest sources of joy for me - at least on TH-cam.
I have sit in front of my laptop for 20mins totally in indescribable shock after I played through the game. Just don't know what to say, every lines in the game is hard to follow like a riddle but somehow I can echo something inside the game inside Norco. I can smell oil and smoke. I can feel the wet and sticky air in the swamp. I can see me kneel down in front a electronic Jesus pray for nothing with fear and lost hope. I can feel some electrical pause stirring my brain causing permanent confusion and pain. I don't know what to say. Please if you see this game, buy it and play it, totally worthy.
Word of advice for better viewing experience? (from someone who MAY be hard of hearing but still enjoys video essays like this and doesn't actually want to keep my eyes glued to the bottom half of the screen to read (probably incorrect) subtitles in a beautiful video)
The volume of your voice should be louder than the music volume.
Woah. It looks like Disco x Kentucky Route Zero x any Indiana Jones Lucas Arts. I am intrigued and this vid is giving me deja Vu/flashbacks for something I've yet to play. Superb work as always Ragnar!
I grew up in St Rose, a town over from Norco. The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. In real life, its almost unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its on fire. When I was a teen and the road was empty, I would turn my headlights off and let the sky fill my windshield.
Same here. The majority of my bus rides from school usually had stops in Norco, even as early as kindergarten. What stuck out to me was how... unremarkable the town seemed. Like the refinery was more important than the people living there. The fact that there's a game about it now that literally gets that vibe and understands what it was like live there and be around that area is amazing to me. I wouldn't be surprised if I knew some of the developers at some point!
So I just came across your channel as I was looking for videos on Norco after having literally just finished it myself about an hour ago. While it's a bummer that almost no other videos on this game came up on TH-cam, I do want to commend you for this great production. And I see you're also a big Disco Elysium fan. You got yourself a new sub!
Just finished this game and have to say it's one of the best games I've played. It's one of the experiences that can't be forgotten in time
We need more games taking place in places we aften ignore or pass our minds but are rich with history and long forgotten conflicts
The fact this game takes place in a disheveled cyberpunk Louisiana is astonishing
Norco is the only game I've played that's felt the most qualitatively like a cinematic experience, in that the interactive elements combine to leave an impression on you that feels like you watched a profound film.
As a lifelong resident of bayou country, I am so, so happy you're covering the game my hero, geographyofrobots, has been making for so long. You rule!
I have watched so many of your videos, but to find a game from my favorite genre set in the town i used to live in - I dropped everything to immediately play it. Thank you so much for bringing attention to it! Wonderful video!
@@Tony_Cardoza Yooooo. I've lived in Louisiana my entire life so it's nice to see how the artists incorporated realistc aspects into it.
I think the game is even better to those of us familiar with the town (born and raised and currently live here). You notice and catch a lot "Easter eggs" in comparison to the standard player.
I don't know why, but I bounced off of Norco hard. It didn't just not grab me, it pushed me away.
Edit: To be specific, it sounds exactly up my alley- excellent writing, amazing art, as a point-and-click adventure that does all sorts of new things, but somehow I bounce off anyway. This video (after part 2, during the overview) convinced me to give it another try, though. Wish me luck- I'll be back to watch the rest of the video regardless of if it pulls me in or not.
I just tried it out... it checks a lot of marks that I want in games... but this game really isn't for me. I think it's a very good thing that games like this are being made. But, the writing and the presentation is just not for me.
Since you posted this..., are you worried that it will send you into a spiral of despair and depression? As a GenXer, I don't understand why you post a teaser on social media, and expect no one to push you to say EXACTLY why it's not for you. If you feel the reasons are too personal, why would you post anything? It's like jumping into the middle of a party and saying "I don't want to make any friends here! I don't even want a hookup!" Why wouldn't you stay home then?
I guess you might want the validation of thumbs up, without making any effort? I think the people who upvote your post are even more guilty of this.
Man I was born and raised in norco LA. fun fact: the first season of true detective was mostly filmed here as well!
Same here. Darin did a phenomenal job on this game. We're all extremely proud of him.
4:38 Hmmm... well OK, I'll leave it playing in the background BUT muted!
I don't want to spoil it for myself, given the ungodly amount of hype NORCO keeps getting around my tiny bubble.
I wonder how much I'll agree (or disagree) with you once I'll finally get around playing it.
I am 3 min in and I need to stop the video and go play the game before I continue on.
I played the demo and it felt so much like going home to some weird alternate version of the place where I grew up, that i had to buy the game immediately..
great, another independent gem to discover, thanks to your videos I managed to discover Darkwood and I loved it
Ah, shit. That's still on my list. I keep wanting to play it but...so many games, so little time.
Bachelor, now Master...all for earning a peace of paper. I really hope I have more time after university.
Yutsi is a beautiful writer, artist and cultural archivist. I'm really excited for your essay, thank you for making this. Some pieces of NORCO made me feel utterly transparent, seen-through-- childhood memories I long-thought were unrelatable, felt not just seen, but accepted and reciprocated. It felt like compassion.
Absolutely.
My guy, the Neuromancer reference at the start 👌 Perfection.
Big fan of your channel, loved your Death Stranding vids, and many more. Maybe someday my game will be here🤔
Played this game when it came to GamePass based on screenshots alone and I loved it. The Disco Elysium inspiration was immediately apparent to me and it really is a genius move to display the text in vertical columns. The ending was very strange and I don't remember how I felt about it, I didn't hate it though. But, Ragnar, I feel like picking on Cyberpunk 2077 was unnecessary.
Love this game, bought it last month and found it to be interesting.
This is slightly irrelevant, but this game's art style reminds me of an author named Simon Stalenhag and a youtuber named PilotRedSun who doesn't post often - curious if anyone else feels the same
Also, I used to live in Louisiana and find it curious how little of a shithole it seems here compared to irl
i really implore everyone in these comments to play the game. it’s one of the most memorable gaming experiences i’ve had in my life, and it paints a picture of american life that seldom seen.
a new video already? I am going to enjoy this
Played and enjoyed this after seeing the opening of this video. I think I’ve been spoiled by Disco Elysium, because it didn’t quite meet my hopes - but the writing during the end of Act 3 really impressed me.
Just saying: if you go back to your home town and it's stayed as it is for the most part, like a time capsule, it's infinitely better than coming back after several decades and see that it has changed a lot.
I did that recently. Visited the neighbourhood where I lived out the very first years of my life in. The apartment buildings were the same, but they had smacked up this giant university nearby that wasn't there when I was a kid. And the nearby mall had it's interior layout completely changed.
Might sound like small changes. But to me, it was a horrible experience, since those early memories were still so vivid in my mind. So having had all of that been completely changed in a way that felt sudden, was an unpleasant mindf*ck to say the least. :S
Felt like your childhood memories were changed/removed a bit with all the changes?
I had that experience as well.
@@michimatsch5862 Yes... Or rather, not "removed" perhaps, since some parts were still the same. But the changes made them feel "phony" somehow. There was a big disconnect between what I remembered and what I was actually seeing. Makes you feel unsure of your own memory and your grip on reality in an uncomfortable way.
Maybe if the whole place had been demolished and replaced with new stuff, it might've been different. Perhaps I could then accept that it was gone, but the memories would be unchanged.
But when only half of what you remember has been altered, it's a very "uncanny valley" experience.
@@sevenproxies4255 Yeah, I get what you mean.
I think also something very important that everyone miss to point around the storytelling in this game is the surreal structure around it. It is not simply science fiction, there is a lot of surrealism probably inspired by David Lynch's work. Even the OST sounds very similar to some of the themes on the last season of Twin Peaks.
My grandfather taught at Montana Tech, in Butte, where millions upon millions of dollars' worth of copper was mined out of the Boulder Batholith - like, at one point Butte's only rival in how much copper they were shipping out was South Africa, that's how much copper we're talking about here. It's also home to the Berkley Pit, a manmade lake so poisonous and acidic because of the toxic elements in the mines that a system for scaring away birds had to be put in place, cuz the birds would die if they went into the water. Gramps was part of the team who helped clean up Silver Bow Creek, also in Butte; he once told me (and I'll never forget this) that when they would take samples from the creek, they'd do it by sucking water up through straws, and when it hit your teeth, the water was so acidic that it would dissolve all of the plaque, and swallowing it would give you the world's worst case of the trots. And that's just Butte; Libby Montana is another sad story of how the extraction industry can screw over people and the environment (TL;DR: company town, they were mining essentially asbestos for insulation, so the entire town was just covered in asbestos. It was, possibly still is, an oncologist's nightmare).
And like...often unless you live in the states where these towns exist, you've probably never heard these kinds of stories. Butte was essential to the Industrial Revolution, it was one of the biggest cities in the US in its 19th century heyday, it was the center of the kind of political and corporate machinations that sound like an HBO miniseries, and yet nobody knows about it. Like at all. That's why media like this is important, it shows the kind of damage the extraction industry does to the places where it stakes its claim. I'm really looking forward to playing it when I get the chance.
Finally beat the game after it got released on PS4 and immediately came here to hear your thoughts. Fantastic video.
I am not sure if I found this video... or if this video found me. :') the relevancy hurts
I wish someday I could finally put all my energy in developing a game so good, well written, and well rounded that you (organically) would want to play and talk about.
I hope that day is not too far away, and I will work to make it happen. I really like the work you do (shame on me that I cannot help you monetarily) have a nice day, see you next video!
PS: Your analysis of Disco Elysium was the pivotal point that made me play that game... and I love it.
@RagnarRox, Disco have option to change how voice over is played, on the other hand if you really want old style, I think GoG have available old version of disco due to their policy to keep older versions of the games.
This is an absolutely beautiful video you have created on an equally beautiful game from the sounds of it. Every word resonated with me on a very deep level and I cannot wait to experience this game through my own eyes and background.
Any chance of you producing a video on Swedish current political or cultural landscape?
None whatsoever.
Damn, I’m not even a PC gamer but your narrative has me sold… bravo 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Omg that single clip from The Longest Journey made me shriek in horror 🤣 some of the puzzles in that game were ridiculous. Norco sounds so interesting and I love the look of it.
Hey, I was looking at Norco on a PS Deals site and your review was recommended on the game’s listing. The amount of detail and care that you put into this review is incredible, pulling from outside sources and inspirations and tying it all together with the game itself.
I picked up Norco after watching and can’t wait to explore the world myself. Thank you for turning a review into a piece of art. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your catalogue!
You know cyberpunk 2077 was a partnership with the man who wrote the original Cyberpunk, right?
If that's the case, that man's creative light blew out years ago. Because the game uses an idealized, simple version of its basic aesthetic, and its narrative is a processed by-product of popular and predictive storytelling. It uses the wrong idea of what cyberpunk stands for and instead employs the style for its marketing and design. As far as I understood, cyberpunk was both used as a creative technique in storytelling and as a form of prediction of what was to come within the creator's story to make their message more digestible. Isn't the whole reason for having a genre with the suffix -punk supposed to be about fighting against a foreseeable authoritative rule from whatever means it came about within its geographical area, and in this case, alongside the advancement of technology?
Cyberpunk is just too basic in that sense because it was a triple-AAA game, thus needed to appeal to the lowest common denominator of gamers, who make up most of the demography. So it needed to toss out anything insightful or interesting that could have existed in its storyline and make it considerable for an in-depth review for "exciting" gameplay, which turned out to be shitty either way. That's what makes a big-budget game more appealing, aside from its graphics. It needs to be simple, which isn't always bad, as it's nice to unwind sometimes.
But Cyberpunk '77 isn't groundbreaking either. It just looks fancy. Unless its DLC changes that all up, It doesn't deserve being held up in that high of a regard. I have read Edgerunners is good, however.
I tend to avoid games like these. They are beautiful, yes. But they make me sad about life than I already am. Instead of clarity and closure, it devours me and pushes me to self destruction.
Yeah. I think its fine that games are wisely considered an art form now, but truth be told, I still view them ultimately as a fun escape; I don’t always want to be reminded of how sad and extreme the world gets, I just wanna play a game for a while.
Not a game, not a book - an experience. An amazing experience.
It is seriously unbelievable how underrated you are.
playing right now because of you and my god best storytelling experience since disco elisyum!
OH PLEASE make a video on Unavowed. Absolutely love that game, even if I am sad about some of the things the devs decided to scrap (like the pictures in your room). Hell I liked this game so much I even replayed it with the Dev commentary. I never do that xD
Unavowed is fucking fantastic
@@JohanToresson It isssss.
The twist was also very well done, it had some small hints, just enough to not let it be out of left field, yet still surprising.
But boy does it deserve a sequel with all the cut content added in x3
I love Stalker to death so please, continue referencing it forever XD
thought this was about to be a game about painkillers
I'm super surprised that 5 months later, this video hasn't surpassed over 100k views. Sci-fi southern gothic, an interesting mashup of 2 visually different genres? Haunting indie MASTERPIECE? One hell of a very interesting intro.
All that alone made me rush to click on the video then buy the game, and honestly, thank you so much for giving me that push. I saw Norco here and there but was like "Eeehhh I'll see about it" but then your video came out and convinced me to get it. God. Norco is such an experience, and I'll be briefly talking about it in a college podcast assignment!
Now I want more sci-fi southern gothic stuff. That's a unique flavour I'm craving for.
Thank you so much for making this video and I hope it skyrockets soon!!
I love the Neuromancer reference in the beginning♡
I live not far away from Norco. We all would call the vent tower "The Match".
Always burning.
I cant get over how amazing this game is and I want more but there is just nothing that comes even close to it. Thimbleweed park, Elysium, I have played all that. They are good but this is truly masterful. The writing, the art, the atmosphere, the characters... like a beautiful postmodern movie. I only listen to christmas music from now
8 months ago when you released this video after just 6 minutes I ended up getting the game. But then I was busy with university and I didn't have the time to do much. I got some free time today and I rediscovered the game in my library so I decided to play it and honestly I have no words with the feeling this game filled me with. It was an experience like no other. Thank you for introducing us to this game
Just finished the game. It is amazing
I feel like between Cyberpunk 2077 actively defending the police state and Mirror's Edge Catalyst ignoring half of its world, we've REALLY been starved for genuine cyberpunk fiction. They tend to be all cyber and no punk, so it's so incredibly refreshing to hear about a piece of art that does tackle these issues properly and honestly. Will definitely be picking this one up, fantastic video mate!
"...That person is buried underneath the relentless march of time..." Poetry.
Thanks for the CC. Always striking when small-timers add CCs when the rich career TH-camrs claim they don't have the time or money.
Absolutely beautiful discussion on this gem. Finished it last night and it's stuck in my mind very much so. Great stuff man
NORCO is beside the Wadjet Eye games and Oxenfree, the TOP 3 CREATIVE clickNpoint/adventure game in the last 20 years .. or maybe ever!!!
A real masterpiece and classic!
A lot of RPG games make the failure, or lack the value, to give the user the control, how/who your character(s) really is - psychologically, historically ... this lack is just an outcome of a superficial and imprecise society ...
But NORCO - and RagnarRox - proof, we are not lost folks ... keep the revolution going!!!
educate - consolidate - reOrganize!!!
I only played the director's cut of Disco Elysium, and the whole time I was wondering which of the voices weren't there before. I read a lot faster than the lines are acted out, but I felt like I would be missing out if I didn't listen to the lines.
It was too hard of a decision. Even if I felt like I would probably enjoy the game more if I turn the voice acting off. When I think of playing it a second time, I still don't know if I can bring myself to deafen the voices.
My biggest issue is with the voice acted personality aspects. I think that hearing them voice acted makes them feel like too much of a separate entity. If they weren't voice, I think I might have internalized that inner monologue more, and felt more like I was talking to different parts of myself, rather than whoevers physical voice I'm listening to
First! And I’m excited for this new episode!!! :D
found you from twitter, and this game looks great, and really enjoyed your presentation!
If you want real enui the depression of escaping then having to come back and getting stuck is worse
Preach, been there myself
@@RagnarRoxShow senpai noticed me. Love your work man
I wanna be clear that this was really interesting and made me genuinely intrigued about Norco
The thing I wanna highlight though is your pronunciation of your supporters at the end
I really liked it as a kind of cherry on top of this video and it made me write this comment (which I almost never do)
I have yet to find any place that compares to Southeast Louisiana. The River, the Music, the history. The bayous, lakes and swamp stories of the delta region. The depth of the emotions experienced, expressed individually or collectively over generations that lingers like dark heavy fog. Game looks crazy good. Crazy inaccurate. Don't take me wrong I love it. But do take into consideration the pipelines. Boom Boom outgo the lights. Boom boom any static shock, up and out go the flames. Plus the nuclear meltdown. Waterford III. Bye Bye we all fry. Sure the pumping stations might overflow once off. Won't help the pillars of fire in the air.
I live 6.3 miles east Norco now.
A block from the Mississippi River trail.
8.1 miles the Bonnet Carre Spillway, 23 miles from 'nawlins (they really do pronounce it thataway)
46.5 miles from Port fourchon to where I lived in Laplace when hurricane IDA made it's 3rd landfall. 150mph sustained winds confirmed.
Love this post! You Rock!! So inspiring truly. I wrote pages and pages! Your voice is wonderful! You are fascinating.
Hello.
Sorry to bother, but i'd really love to hear your point (a video essay even) on the entire Deus Ex Saga.
Deus Ex (as much as Blood Omen / Legacy of Kain) together with PoP Warrior Within and Mass Effect (Souls game ofc) are the games, which set my standard of game story.
Ever since I've started watching you, I've found many, MANY more games worth experiencing.
I know you probably won't read this, but here's to hoping.
One of the most spiritual P&C games I've played in a while. With laugh out loud humor. Listening to a character tell you about trying to find a place to poop in an absolute panic had me DYING.
Look i loved the video, but the moment you pronounced New Orleans CORRECTLY at 5:30 was what sold me on binging your content tonight.
31:51 I'm bothered you specify "South" New England. Immediately north of the border is industrialized Montreal. And a bit ironically, the Cajuns of LA descended from a people forcibly removed from settlements in what is now Maine. Most of Connecticut is rural, despite getting the most polluted air in the US, blown from industry in the Midwest. There's no escaping the blight, even if I'm missing your point, a bit.
My cousin's addicted to norco
I grew up in Norco and the surrounding areas, in fact I currently live nearby and see the dystopian landscape day after day. Always thought it resembled Midgard or some cyberpunk forgotten place my whole life. Great to see my hometown getting such a great game that addresses some of our struggles and is essentially a love letter to the place that the economy and time forgot.
I am currently on my second run of Norco. I also loved Disco Elysium. I want to recommend other fans of this kind of game an indie gem I discovered called Roadwarden. I think Roadwarden was not so much a game, but a book with pictures and rolls that I just read three times in a row without much mental exhaustion. I normally have a hard time reading novels (I prefer audiobooks) but games like Roadwarden, DE, and Norco, were surprisingly no-exhaustive for me. This is important for me because I have chronic pain, and so I play games to *escape.*
Lived in NOLA so I was with you for the first half. But when you deride the megacorps for creating these company towns in search for profits at the cost of livelihoods and emissions… what is the alternative?
A state-run operation would lead to the same facilities and accompanying towns.
Where else will the power/energy come from? Our current needs of that can’t be met with the alternatives we have now.
I live in a small town in Utah. It is a weird area, since if you go West, you get plains that turn into desert. East? Forests and Mountains. North and South? Nothing but industrial area, then farmland, then industrial/city-scapes.
Where I am immediately though, if you go a few streets over by the freeway and south, you can find industrial area and railroads with a river that turns into a small swamp.
This game hit me hard in so many ways. I had to take a minute to process what I played through and how I related to it. My home has more industrial and business buildings going up that continue to destroy the natural land around here.
The cities and counties are starting to no longer care. They only see money and the people in this and surrounding towns see it. There's people being pushed into (if their kids dont want to continue family farm and legacy that is) selling their land/farms to developers for bullshit development.
I have seen people struggle to keep their rent up for small businesses that were there for 20+years and close, only to replace it (bulldoze a good building) with commercial stuff we already have a few miles down the road.
Modernization isnt all that great all the time. We as society have gone mad with it and need to step back a bit, otherwise we will lose what makes this planet worth living on.
Wait... the main theme of cyberpunk is facing a certain death. (Spoiler) After V got killed and rebooted they will die by the very system that saved her. Yes, it covers the dark themes very well, but beneath the shiny stuff, the killing, the gaming things, it is serious and deep.
Hey, I just finished the game. Although I enjoyed the story, I couldn't shake the discomfort I felt with some narrative lines that led to nowhere (the giant bird virus) and the "battle sections". I went to the extent of thinking Norco wasn't more than one of those "philosophical exposition tools" than a videogame, but after seeing this video I've come to realize how wrong I was. Norco wasn't even meant to be a videogame in the first place! That fact alone striked me like a punch in the face. It allowed me to see the game for what it really is, an examination of the human condition in many kind of places like family relations, childhood trauma, religion, the constant struggle for finding meaning, the disregard of megacorps for those below them and how these people have to learn how to keep living under those conditions, the list goes on.
An unforgettable game that will haunt me for a long time. 100% worth the money.
Action sequences in point and click adventure games are so retro that people think it's innovative.