Your ending summary reminded me of my favorite quote from the Stormlight Archive. "This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you Kaladin: You will be warm again."
That's one of my favourite quotes from any book ever, and I wish mum didn't have a thing against BS, or fantasy, or worldbuilding, because she would love the SA approach to mental health.
It annoys me so much when people don't respect fiction books. They are absolutely amazing, for example Terry Pratchett's Discworld and the way he explores the topic of death is fantastic@@MrPsyJak
I was driving while listening to the audiobook when I first read that part. I almost had to pull over I was sobbing so much. I read it during a really rough time and it just hit.
@@bibliophilecb I've had experience with anxiety & depression, though I'm quite resilient now, but Kaladin's struggles are something that I really identified with.
Raz, congrats to you and Lady 🎉 Although a second baby is an adjustment, and yes you have to go through the newborn stage again. It comes with the experience of you have done it before and survived. Also, watching the relationship between my two grow has been one of the best things in my life (aside from meeting my husband).
The way you describe Totk is exactly what I feel ( and I’m sure many others feel ) about the game that I was never able to put into words. It’s so accurate
I didn't even process how little of an effect it had on me until he said, "I played over 100 hours and don't remember it." because yeah, 150 hours of my summer last year are just, kind of unmemorable. And I had a life changing event happen during my first playthrough. It's a good game. It deserves the awards it got. I maintain that BOTW and TOTK are not Zelda games but they are very good games.
I feel the same way I've had that game half-finished on my backlog for the past 8 months, and I could easily finish it at any point. I don't hate the game, I loved it, but I just...don't feel the need to
Me too and I’m struggling with how to feel about it. I started replaying BotW last fall with master mode and all the DLC and have now poured in as many hours as I did with TotK. Comparing them now I can better appreciate how much *stuff* TotK added all around the map, yet… it feels hollow. In BotW you explored a broken land with the hope of making it safe again for the people of Hyrule. But the depths and sky islands will never be accessible or habitable to normal people-even the Rito. On the other hand, TotK was the first ever game I bought without spoiling anything for myself beforehand and loved playing it more than anything I’ve ever played before. It’s so confusing. I’ll know more when I come back to it. I just hope I’ll still have fun.
@salty7402i cant speak for them, but the most common explanation ive heard is that BOTW and TOTK have elements that many dont associate with Zelda. Mainly due to the first zelda games many played. So there are a lot of people who want a more linear and less open-world zelda because thats what they think zelda is (even though the first zelda games were open-world and non-linear).
I agree, i might describe it as "disappointing specifically in retrospect." It was very fun to play. I was very engaged. But looking back, I almost feel ripped off somehow. It feels like they took "gameplay first" to "gameplay only" wearing a story/lore hat.
I haven't played rain world in a while, but that game and ESPECIALLY the downpour DLC, really grabbed me in a way that I really didn't expect. No spoilers, but the way the story and map progress through the timeline across the different campaigns is really interesting and unique. That sense of exploration and new discovery isn't something a lot of games replicate for me. Even when I was almost straight up not having fun there was still always that push to find the next cool thing. Sincerely recommend Downpour, it's so good.
I accidentally ate one of the things above the robot character and it didn't seem like I was getting any guidance anymore. It felt like I hit a dead end and the map felt way too confusing to go on. I want to give this game another go some time in the future though.
@@PursuitLuckMe too, I got the point I could not understand how to actually progress. I was living day by day, but wandering around the same two or three places: I lost interest, and I'm sad that happened, because I enjoyed the world and the challenge, but seeing no progress and knowing what I could find in other maps that I wasn't, it was the only realistic outcome.
@@TheMiGger I’ve never been so lost in any game ever. I feel like if I were to boot up Rain World right now, I’d spend hours just wasting my time looking for a new place to go in the same 3-4 areas I’ve been in already.
It's definitely possible to progress from the state of the game you're at, but as you've noticed, Big Sis Moon isn't gonna be helping you any more. Rainworld is an interesting one because you can reset runs pretty much however much you want and not lose much progress except travel. So don't feel bad about resetting if you end up in some corner of the world with nothing to do but run back to the starting area. It also makes it a bit easier to say "have I ever gone left from the start?" Or "every time I've gone to X area, I continue to Y area... Maybe there's another route?". Rainworld can take a lot of time to get your bearings.
@@jamesmaguire9152 It’s been a few weeks since I’ve played but I remember I finally found some place new to go from shoreline, made it to garbage wastes, and then somehow found myself all the way back to industrial complex. It looked different though. I wasn’t sure if it was part of industrial that I haven’t been or if the environment changed.
By the way, I know the Switch noise was mostly just a segway to the ad, but in case you need the info: that harrowing noise is just the fan that ate through its lubricant, if you fix it quickly it's actually really fast and cheap to repair. I had that happen to my D1 Switch and I thought it was dead but it's actually back and healthy now.
I haven’t been having the best time lately, and I don’t comment too often, but thank you for this Raz. You’re probably my favorite youtuber, and your deep dive into your emotions and experiences resonates very deeply with me. Hope you have a great 2024 with lots of games to get you through it!
I watched the video and felt the same way you did, I had to leave a comment and subscribe as well, and am happy to see someone feels/felt the same way as I did when watching this. This is our year, man! Hang in there
Wow, the TOTK section pretty much echoed my exact feelings. I put right about 250 hours in that game over the course of a month or two, and while I expected the more sandboxy design to bring me back over and over again, I haven’t touched it since. It was a spectacular experience, but not a revolutionary one. All it really makes me want to do is go back and play BOTW. Although, if there’s one part of TOTK that was even more memorable than BOTW, it’s the music. Those songs are transcendent. EDIT: Most of the replies to my comment so far are people saying that this doesn't make sense because TOTK is just BOTW with more stuff, or that I'm exaggerating. I've continued to think about this topic a lot since I commented, so allow me to elaborate. I like BOTW more than TOTK, and the reason is pretty simple: BOTW is a perfect game. Now, I'm not saying that BOTW doesn't have flaws. It does. But to me, perfection in a videogame does not mean "flawless", it means "synergistic" or "harmonious". A perfect game is a closed system where every element of its design complements and meshes with some or every other element. BOTW achieved this. It had a beautiful open world with interesting things to do around every corner. It had a simple and satisfying combat system that encouraged exploration through durability. The character-focused, flashback-based story worked no matter what order you experienced it in, making it the perfect fit for an open world game. And the ability to challenge the final boss at any time gave you true freedom in how you decided to play the game. You can see how every major element, from the map to the gameplay to the story to the final boss, was designed to fit in with every other element like cogs in a clock. The problem with perfection is that it's extremely difficult to improve upon. Once you have a closed system of complementary design elements, you can't just add or change anything major because the system was designed from the ground up to work with itself. Some people are confused why you would ever return to BOTW when TOTK is just BOTW with more stuff. But that's exactly the problem. TOTK didn't change the BOTW formula to accommodate all the new stuff it added, it just tacked on more content. The new content is certainly fun, but it doesn't fit as perfectly into the BOTW formula. A great example is the story. TOTKs story uses the same flashback structure as BOTW, but it doesn't work nearly as well. The grander story, with more focus on events than characters, would have been better served by a more linear game. In fact, I restarted my first playthrough dozens of hours in just so I could play through the game in what I felt like was the "right order". I didn't have to do that for BOTW, because BOTW worked hard to make sure any order was the right order. I also want to stress that a huge part of my preference for BOTW over TOTK is that I just don't like the Zonai. The Sheikah were a huge part of Zelda lore already, and BOTW gave them new depth by introducing the Sheikah technology. On the other hand, the Zonai are a brand new Zelda race, yet TOTK told us almost nothing about them, so it's hard to care about them that much. I think I would have liked TOTK much more if the Zonai were an ancient or offshoot tribe of Sheikah instead of just a new aesthetic slapped on the "technologically advanced ancient race" archetype. I have exactly the same issue regarding the Secret Stones vs the Triforce. Finally, I just want to say that I love Tears of the Kingdom. The Zonai devices and new dungeons were very fun and well designed. I just wanted to explain why I prefer Breath of the Wild, and hopefully show people like me why TOTK didn't impact them as much as BOTW.
i feel like botw was the modern representant of the og loz and that totk is like a link to the past. Like botw did have a world and some things in it but not as much story or life if you know what i mean. Where as totk felled like a world filled with dungeons. The sky made me think about skyward sword and the depths about the dark world. I think the difference this time around is the same map. If the map wasn't the same alot of people might have felt it had a bigger impact. Where as totk felt as a revisit to a world in a game as if it was a dlc for botw.
I mean I feel the opposite, TOTK makes it hard to ever go back to BOTW now. They are so similar but TOTK is just a mechanically deeper game with more player options.
@@undergroundhiphopfan6335 my biggest issue with TotK is that I feel like I'm almost required to interact with ultra hand. I just preferred the abilities of BotW
when i first played rain world i hated it but forced myself to finish the game. It so happens that I bought the game together with the downpour dlc, so I started a new game as the artificer and realized how beautiful this game is, and also completed all other campaigns, definitely my favorite game of the year. I'm glad I got through these over 20 hours and had a great time afterwards
Wow, your experience of TOTK was honestly so similar to how I found it. I really enjoyed it and can see that in a lot of ways it’s a much better game, but BOTW made so much more of an impact for me
Yeah it makes sense too cause BOTW was literally a breath of fresh air for zelda fans. We NEVER got a game like this which was so vastly different compared to others and a huge risk from Nintendo to even do, but we all can agree they nailed it successfully and I swear there are more people who played BOTW than they have with the older zelda games, but due to this that initial shock or wow factor is completely dismissed when we play the sequel cause it's still just using the same stuff as the original (granted it's still a really amazing game).
I mean, it's completely understandable. I LOVE TotK. I prefer it to BOTW. But it didn't redefine the series or the open world action adventure genre like BOTW did. It just did what BOTW did, and gave you new sandbox elements to mess around with, some new enemy types, bosses and dungeons and alterations to the map. All that is great and all, but obviously it's not going to leave as big an impact as BOTW did, because it was so different from every zelda title that came before it.
as someone who is currently always drowning, and trying to keep my head above water... it was really nice to hear that you were there, and made it to a place where you're not anymore
rainworld is one of those games thats quite hard to judge its visually stunning, well designed, and could be very rewarding, but it is for sure not for everyone i love seeing people try out this game, but when i tried it for myself i just could not get into it
I like how the ending of this video ended up being kinda the antithesis of the name of this series - the games didn't get you through 2023, you did, and they just helped you realise that. Love your content as always, the way you blend your life (while maintaining your privacy) with how the games impacted you is appreciated as its a much more even split than gaming channels would often have you believe, and that split is the beautiful part where life happens ❤ great vid, have a wonderful 2024!
Your monologue around Rain World & the fear of uncomfortable/challenging situations hit me at the right time in my life. Moving on from a job I was stuck in and having the fear of a new scenario gripped me for years. Today I started a new job, even if temporary, I felt excited after conquering the new and intimidating situation, even if I felt unready. Congrats on your second child, and embracing what we think we're unprepared for.
I am so happy that you feel that you have gotten over your feeling of being overwhelmed. I am very happy for you. I am feeling that I am barely surviving as well. Also I am having a baby soon it's my first so I am a bit scared. But knowing that you got through it gives me hope that I will get over it as well. Thank you
"Home is a weird thing that can be hard to truly find, but when you do you end up seeing the place you live in a way that no one outside of it can really understand. You truly get why it's special and also why it sucks and there's a sort of pride in having that knowledge. No one will ever hate it and love it as much as you do..." I appreciate the lack of pretentiousness in your delivery. In a lot of videos this line would be saved for a final, poignant moment as if to punctuate how smart they are and it would be delivered with the subtlety of an oprah singer in a wind tunnel. But you have it sandwiched in the reasoning for why you like certain games that actually allows me to resonate with what you're saying all on my own. I know the words of an ephemeral internet stranger doesn't really matter, but I just wanted to express why I like your writing and delivery style. Keep doing this youtube thing for as long as you like, it's appreciated.
I'll be honest, BOTW annoyed me so much for a number of reasons, and despite having a number of the same things, TOTK felt like a breath of fresh air, ironically.
It´s cool to see how games can give us a different perspective in many things. I´m in a very dark place rn but knowing how capable we are of changing gives me the strength to move forward. I hope you and everyone here have an awesome 2024. Cheers from Chile.
I have been a rain world fan since my second attempt at it in 2019 and it has been one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. It's been so wonderful to experience its slow rise to cult classic status, the release of Downpour is an absolute triumph of its dedicated community. Eternally overjoyed every time people try it.
Downpour is peak DLC, and to think it started out as just a fan expansion(the more slugcats part at least). I still remember the day the mod development team announced on the MSC discord that they were actually releasing the mod as official dlc for the game.
Funny, I actually had the OPPOSITE experience with Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild is also my favorite game of all time, so I deliberately lowered my excitement for ToTK. I didn’t expect it to change my life, or become my new favorite game of all time. But it did. I feel very lucky, and I’m sad you didn’t love it as much as I did
“…I’ve been carrying myself..” line broke me. I and so many others have been in this. Thank you for sharing. I’m going through some of the hardest things in my life, and this brings me comfort.
This genre that you're in. The heavy analysis of everything. Connecting experiences, accepting the inevitable course of life, it's all perfect. These videos are special and I'm glad you have been able to turn your wonderful mind into such enjoyable content. My second child was born this month and I was terrified but we are thriving, you and your family will do exceptionally :) take care
"which is that for the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I am just surviving" it broke me, it spoke to me in a deeper level, like a knife opening up an old wound, I hope I can proudly say that one day, and I hope video games make me realize it as well! With tears in my eyes i wish you all to stay well my friends
damn. i remember i beat qwop in middle school and it took me a few days. but, still really admirable that you were that determined to beat a silly little game. bet i wouldn't have done that.
I started the year by watching through Albino's playthrough of rainworld and it was one of the most entertaining games I've watched someone play ever. Probably part due to his personally that clashed with the game perfectly. The world building is super interesting, coupled with probably the best AI for the environment/"enemies" ever done in a video game makes for an amazing experience. Would highly recommend. Also: Kayava. For this alone I would give it a 10/10.
Idk what it is about Totk that really clicked with me but I find it left even more of an impact that Botw did on me. Exploring and playing with ultra hand is so fun and it feels like the game always rewards me for exploring where botw felt like there was nothing there a lot of the time. I love both games but totk is definitely gonna be the one I come back to when I’m in the mood
Citizen Sleeper doesn't get enough love. It's getting a bit more well-known, but it truly felt like a very unique experience, different to anything I'd played before, and I think it isn't credited for it too much
Everytime i hear any music from TotK I start crying. Idk why, i think its bc it got me through a really really rough job and a REALLY low low depression. But there were so many good games this year i dont blame you
I really liked that video. Well done sir! and although i hate kids and will never have one myself im wishing you all the best to be a good dad and enjoy them ;)
You always find a way to use games as a tool to analyze and dissect difficult and complex topics. I am glad to hear that you finally feel a better sense of stability in life, and I think it’s a testament to your open-mindedness and compassionate outlook. You are a big inspiration for me, so thank you, and I wish you and your family a wonderful year ❤
Man, this was exactly my experience with TOTK (well maybe not exactly. Sounds like you finished it, whereas I stopped when Armored Core 6 dropped, fully intending to get back into it but then never did). Also, I really appreciate all the old games on this list. As a poor person who doesn't always get to play the newest games when they're new, it's a pet peeve of mine that these sorts of list are often *just* good games that came out in a given year. It's nice to have year-end retrospectives that are a mix of new games and games the creator is *finally* getting to.
Just found your channel through an Atrioc video and gotta say this is one of my favorite videos I have ever watched. I relate really hard to being passionate about games, but lately I had lost that passion. Unraveling why I had and the way I changed how I viewed them helped me a lot. It lead me down a very similar thought process that you had towards the end. Hope your channel continues to grow, and can't wait for more content ❤
Thank you for your videos Raz, I wish we could see your videos more often, but understandably so, completing games + making videos take a long time. You were an inspiration for me to start my own TH-cam thing, to better document the games I play. Tons of games get released every year, and as you said, time moves faster as we age and it feels like we can play less and less. Documenting games this way helps me keep games in my memory and try my best to not "look forward to what comes next" while playing a game. Thanks again!
Another good video with fresh eyes on the way games affect us as a media. Good luck on the new kid, and congratulations Dad. I have 2 under 2 and a preteen right now. It's a journey to say the least, and brain-rattling, but I haven't laughed and smiled as much in the last 2 years as I have in a loooong time.
For what it's worth, I actually feel the opposite towards Tears of the Kingdom as you do, in the sense that I've thought about it frequently since I finished it, and it's absolutely superseded BOTW in my mind... but I think a large part of why you feel that way is probably *because* of your strong inclination towards BOTW. The single biggest issue with Tears, bar none, is that it is, ultimately, Breath of the Wild 2. And for someone like me, who picked up BOTW exactly twice after finishing it in 2017, that meant I got to re-experience all of BOTW's magic all over again, but with hugely-expanded options and overall less tedium. But for other people - folks like you who are strongly attached to BOTW, folks who didn't like BOTW at all and were hoping for the opposite of what we got, etc etc - Tears is just "even more BOTW". To put it another way, Tears of the Kingdom is Super Mario Galaxy 2. SMG2 is (arguably) a much improved, more expansive and more interesting game than SMG1, but SMG1 felt newer, felt fresher, and left a massive impression on people and the industry at large. Galaxy 2 is better in terms of gameplay, but being such a direct sequel means it was always going to be overshadowed by the original. And no matter how much better Tears' story, gameplay and overall design are than BOTW's, it's unfortunately caught in the same situation.
Thanks for your delightful insights into your process of reflection using games as a medium of sorts. Its been a wild and crazy year for myself as well, I got married, my husband got a new job, I graduated college, and we moved into a new house, and it's a comforting reminder that things do get easier to manage the more time goes by. Thanks for that
It's cozy to listen to you and to feel related in my mid 30s. Not a young adult anymore nor a middle age man but trying to fit in the adult society with adult responsibilities. It's so soothing to know other millennials' experience that went through all those analogic and digital eras and trying to find their path in lifes. Because of that, we feel different to play the same video game in different stages of our lives. Thanks for the vid, man! Take care! Best wishes for your family and toddlers!! ❤
"You can't always predict what is going to matter to you." Very true. The only thing we can do is embrace the varied journey and be open to new things. You might not like the thing you were expecting, but you might love something you thought you would not.
Man I resonate so much with you and your experience! We have had kid one and soon kid two around the same time, and I find myself connecting with your thoughts on games, the changes and shifts that come with growing up and experiencing games differently. Just..... man it's just good to know how similar other people feel. Thank you.
Had our first in ‘21 and our second in ‘23 so I resonated with your feelings there. I haven’t played video games regularly for a while, but I’ve found that I crave board games and party games with friends now more than ever.
Congrats to you and Lady, Raz! I always look forward to your yearly videos 😊 Thanks for supplying us with content despite a busy chapter in your life. ❤
Y'know when you're going through something and you watch something that makes you feel a little less alone in how you feel. I did not expect to watch a video like this and realate so much (I have a toddler). Keep up the great work!
botw is my favorite game. it made me realize what i loved in games & allowed me to connect with my uncle before he passed away. it holds such a large place in my heart & i was so excited to play totk. when i did finally get around to playing it so did my gf, who never really plays any zelda games & has never played botw. its so fascinating seeing the way she played it vs me (although we have drastically different playing styles outside of zelda lol). the other day i was comparing botw to totk & she told me she is glad she played totk first. that struck me as odd, but thats only because i already have played botw & it means so much to me already. she has yet to play botw but i am curious to see what she thinks once she does play it.
One of my favorite things about your videos like this is I come away with a BIG list of games I haven't heard of before or didn't know much about that I can add to my wishlist and enjoy in the future.
I feel the same about Zelda too. Really thought it was gonna be my favorite game after being unreasonably hyped for 4 years. It just didn't have the impact for me and I was expecting something different. Its truly a weird feeling.
I admire how well you understand yourself. Life with two kids is tough, real tough, and finding meaningful moments, not just going on auto pilot, is really important.
I have 2 under 2 and it’ll be alright! It’s definitely a roller coaster but with that comes ups, downs, tears and most importantly laughter, congratulations!
If you’re short on games Laika came out last year and I think it’s criminally overlooked. Bleak, pensive, decently challenging, ruthlessly emotional, and the best soundtrack I’ve heard in a game since… well… Bomb Rush Cyberfunk but that’s just a fluke, before that it’d been a while… It’s also great to play mobile which is fitting given the premise. Regardless, best of luck in the new year, my dude. (^_^)b
I always appreciate the optimistic and reflective thoughts about the hobby of gaming and balancing that with life. We have a toddler as well and I never really stopped to think how far I’ve grown from that experience already, versus focusing on the overwhelm. Thanks for elucidating those feelings, and congrats on your growing family!
Always look forward to your videos Raz. I remember watching the video last year where you talked about the games you played while raising a newborn and I am now in the same place trying to juggle my hobby of gaming while being a dad to a 6 month old daughter and taking care of a stay at home wife/mom. I understand those feelings of feeling like at any moment the ground is gonna collapse from underneath, but I will say it has gotten significantly better now that my daughter is adjusting to life a little better. Thanks for these vids! Somehow soothing knowing that my situation isn’t unique I guess.
Man, watching these videos and listening to how you explain different aspects of life, and how you've overcome them while also giving some gameplay for background ambience, it is just so pleasant to watch, and listen. Gives me hope that I too will feel the way you feel right now. Thanks for giving your insight, and making it pleasurable to both watch, and listen to. Hope this year is great for all of us.
Man i just love these videos. You talking about your challenges in life and your changes really helps me somehow. Sometimes im watching these video more for your life talks then the game talks haha. ❤
Not only that the video is extremely well made with the throwbacks at the end to the content you were revisiting during the video, it just feels so natural to listen too the way you think about the things. Although I cannot relate to everything you are saying because of different experiences there is always something intriguing and wholesome about the way you relfect things and shape your view about the world.
It’s so rare that a video about games makes me cry like this one did!! Thanks for making me reflect on how games can be coping mechanisms and can help us prove our own competence and growth to ourselves. This is beautifully edited and has a wonderful emotional throughline to it. Always impressed by the caliber of your commentary and insight. Thanks for all that you do!
This is a great rewatch video, really appreciate your thoughts on Rain World and how it resonated with you personally, along with the other games that had impact in 2023.
I've been really enjoying your monthly gaming video summaries on the other channel, and it was amazing to see them all recontextualized in this video whilst talking about your own personal journey for the year. The Rain World and the closing summary was extremely impactful, and I found myself reflecting on my own life in turn with a little less worry. All the best to you and your wife, and thank you for sharing both your gaming analysis and your personal journey.
Im back on track myself, just barely. Starting something new, hoping it settles all of the risks I've taken... I'm mostly overwhelmed, but that tiny speck of hope is back. Haven't seen it in a long while, it's nice to know I still can.
Dang. I didn’t realize that I was tryna survive day by day until I heard you say it. It’s so stressful and it feels like it’s never going to end, but hearing you doing fine is somehow comforting. I’m glad you’re able to catch a break
New here. Congrats on the baby!🎉 My partner and I just had our first. I have been grappling with finding any time to play video games. Almost 5 month now and have found a couple hours here and there to start gaming again.
you and I play very different games but somehow you give me such clarity on my own opinion of video games. I love your youtube channel and i appreciate your channel, keep up the good work
Hey Raz. I love how your channel, while centered on gaming, tends more towards what makes gaming meaningful. Your thoughtful reviews and retrospectives always make me feel like being more introspective of myself, my own life and those in it. Your channel and content is very unique and I am so happy to see it thriving. Congrats on the new baby, life and everything. Wishing you a great 2024 and beyond.
Thankyou for making this video man. I realized that games have accompanied me throughout my life. I started this year with fire emblem engage and TOTK. In the middle of the year, I was feeling very low, and I thought I need some distractions. I bought a steamdeck, and I discovered the joy of portable PC gaming. I played Elden Ring for the first time (the first souls game I’ve ever finished). I played Elden Ring when my life was at the most stressful point. When I told them what I did, they all laughed because they said games are supposed to make you relaxed. But I felt that hard games make you more confident to tackle things in the real world too.
Rain world was the most important game for me in 2023. I was feeling a little trapped in my job cleaning up and maintaining a gym. I felt very underappreciated, and it really drained me. What helped me get through all that was the immersion and freedom of the world of rainworld. I think that, because the world is uncaring and relentless, the freedom I found never felt fake or handed to me. That, even in a real world that is uncaring and unforgiving at times, I can find a sense of freedom.
It’s hard to express but I feel that any game you recommend, you recommend for not only its quality but the way it makes you feel. I definitely play video games for the ‘experience’ whatever that is.
As a Scottish fan who has been watching your videos for the past three years... I can with confidence say you would love scotland and our beautiful scenery 😎 buy that plane ticket and get yourself to surreal Scotland 🏴🫶🏼
As someone who had there first kid halfway through this year, the flow of time being expressed through what you play has struck an odd emotional core with me, great vid so far :)
Honestly the biggest two things I learned last year were from playing Hi-Fi Rush and Yakuza Like a Dragon. They have decent enough stories (nothing insane), but they reminded me why I love playing games: The characters simply existing and interacting made me happy.
Your TOTK description perfectly matches how I feel about the game. It was fantastic, and it was a ton of fun. But it just hasn’t left the same impact on me
I feel enormous sense of gratitude to you for this video. I am looking for my way back to video games as a father of five, and a someone who loves true art, literature, etc. Not even time/busy schedule-wise but rather in my head. A mean, is it not all just a waste of the only real source (that can never be a re-source), i.e., time?... And your integrated look on life with games in it felt really genuine and approachable at the same time. Also, absolutely loved your selection of games (I think I'm going to muster my courage to face Rain World ;). Thank you, all the best!
Not me watching this on my lunch at work and breaking down feeling similar anxieties. You make me want to play and focus on the games I could be happy with again
If you loved base game rainworld, you’ll love Downpour. The way it builds off of the first game is mind blowing, easily the best thing released last year.
as someone who has only played TOTK because of timing, I didnt have a switch until this year, and many other external reasons outside of video games, it does give me a similar feeling and outlook like how you've talked about BOTW
This made me realize how rarely I try new games. I used to touch on everything when I was younger but nowadays it's GW2 and whatever single player still has me by the short hairs that year (still BG3 tbh).
Awesome to hear you're feeling better in/about life. Congrats on baby #2! The second child is hard, but in different ways. You know what to expect now, and it's just a bit more time management. Or at least accepting that you don't have any time left to manage. You'll do great.
I felt similarly about TotK. It actually released on the day of my wedding. It was a fantastic way to unwind after the stress and busy-ness of planning the wedding, and I played a decent amount of it, but one day I just stopped and never went back.
I fucking love you man. I really admire everything about you. As I watch and listen, it feels like you got your life together. That you understand the complexity about life, and you perceive it as a kind of gift. I know, and you yourself are mentioning it, that your life is as ordinary as the life of a normal person, but still, as I listen to your voice, I kind of drift into it and want to be at least a little bit similar to you. I want to thank you, for being there, because for a year and a half, you are always reminding me, what is life about. I admire you a lot, and I am really, you are the man you are. Stay strong and love your wife as much as you can, mainly for your little fellas, and because she is there for you. Thank you for filling one of my empty spaces in my life 😊😄
hearing you're doing more than just surviving is so encouraging; i'm still trying to find that. love these every year tho and have loved watching your channel grow! congrats on the new baby. if you can beat rain world, you can do anything. 😊
The way you end your videos with something so personal and just heartfelt always gets to me so hard. Sometimes because I relate and sometimes, like with this one, something I hope I can feel one day as well. Thank you so much for your wonderful work.
Dude, Rain World is goated. I bought it in January, because my friend recommended it, and it carried me through the year. I played it before my first ever "real" exams, I played it through getting my first job, and I played it through starting a new school, and finally beat the final campaign of the DLC in December.
Dadbuten arc continues! Congrats! It's weird finally have someone put how I feel about TotK into actual words but it's exactly how I feel about it. I loved it but I haven't thought about it once since.
Thank you for sharing so much through this video Raz! It's openness like this that helps really connect me to the games and stories you share, and that means so much.
You got this dude, I also had kids in 2022. As someone who's raised two, you can totally do it. I know it's scary, it'll always be scary. But you've done that bit before meaning this time it's only gonna be better.
Is there a list somewhere of the games you mentioned in this video? I really liked the look of the top down Zelda like you talked about briefly in the beginning!
I played TOTK first, and I found my self wishing I could finish BOTW so I could get back to the world I love. Instead of TOTK's world being BOTW's with more stuff, BOTW's world was a beta release of TOTK's, with unbalanced boss fights that got fixed in the next game. That's just my opinion though
Thank you for your perspective on life and video games. Its comforting to know others have found lessons and feelings in these forms of media, even if I continually miss them lol
That was a beautiful video! Recognizing games this way is something that I’ve felt, but not thought or talked about nearly as much as you seem to while playing them. Thanks for this
Hearing you talk about baby number two hits home for me. I became a father when I was 20. But we didn’t have our second child until I was 28. It was a huge adjustment having a newborn in the house again, not gonna lie. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Also, Uncharted 4 will always be the game I associate my second child with.
I hope you're well!
You too, man!
You too
I am, thanks
You too, mate
You too!
I'm a simple person, I see something slightly touching on rain world I immediately must consume it
So true 😁
RAIN WORLD GANG
Neuron fly activation
RAIN WORLD SWEEEP
YES
Your ending summary reminded me of my favorite quote from the Stormlight Archive. "This is life, and I will not lie by saying every day will be sunshine. But there will be sunshine again, and that is a very different thing to say. That is truth. I promise you Kaladin: You will be warm again."
That's one of my favourite quotes from any book ever, and I wish mum didn't have a thing against BS, or fantasy, or worldbuilding, because she would love the SA approach to mental health.
It annoys me so much when people don't respect fiction books. They are absolutely amazing, for example Terry Pratchett's Discworld and the way he explores the topic of death is fantastic@@MrPsyJak
I was driving while listening to the audiobook when I first read that part. I almost had to pull over I was sobbing so much. I read it during a really rough time and it just hit.
@@bibliophilecb I've had experience with anxiety & depression, though I'm quite resilient now, but Kaladin's struggles are something that I really identified with.
Raz, congrats to you and Lady 🎉 Although a second baby is an adjustment, and yes you have to go through the newborn stage again. It comes with the experience of you have done it before and survived. Also, watching the relationship between my two grow has been one of the best things in my life (aside from meeting my husband).
The way you describe Totk is exactly what I feel ( and I’m sure many others feel ) about the game that I was never able to put into words. It’s so accurate
I didn't even process how little of an effect it had on me until he said, "I played over 100 hours and don't remember it." because yeah, 150 hours of my summer last year are just, kind of unmemorable. And I had a life changing event happen during my first playthrough. It's a good game. It deserves the awards it got. I maintain that BOTW and TOTK are not Zelda games but they are very good games.
I feel the same way
I've had that game half-finished on my backlog for the past 8 months, and I could easily finish it at any point. I don't hate the game, I loved it, but I just...don't feel the need to
Me too and I’m struggling with how to feel about it. I started replaying BotW last fall with master mode and all the DLC and have now poured in as many hours as I did with TotK. Comparing them now I can better appreciate how much *stuff* TotK added all around the map, yet… it feels hollow. In BotW you explored a broken land with the hope of making it safe again for the people of Hyrule. But the depths and sky islands will never be accessible or habitable to normal people-even the Rito. On the other hand, TotK was the first ever game I bought without spoiling anything for myself beforehand and loved playing it more than anything I’ve ever played before. It’s so confusing. I’ll know more when I come back to it. I just hope I’ll still have fun.
@salty7402i cant speak for them, but the most common explanation ive heard is that BOTW and TOTK have elements that many dont associate with Zelda. Mainly due to the first zelda games many played. So there are a lot of people who want a more linear and less open-world zelda because thats what they think zelda is (even though the first zelda games were open-world and non-linear).
I agree, i might describe it as "disappointing specifically in retrospect." It was very fun to play. I was very engaged. But looking back, I almost feel ripped off somehow. It feels like they took "gameplay first" to "gameplay only" wearing a story/lore hat.
I haven't played rain world in a while, but that game and ESPECIALLY the downpour DLC, really grabbed me in a way that I really didn't expect. No spoilers, but the way the story and map progress through the timeline across the different campaigns is really interesting and unique. That sense of exploration and new discovery isn't something a lot of games replicate for me. Even when I was almost straight up not having fun there was still always that push to find the next cool thing. Sincerely recommend Downpour, it's so good.
I accidentally ate one of the things above the robot character and it didn't seem like I was getting any guidance anymore. It felt like I hit a dead end and the map felt way too confusing to go on. I want to give this game another go some time in the future though.
@@PursuitLuckMe too, I got the point I could not understand how to actually progress. I was living day by day, but wandering around the same two or three places: I lost interest, and I'm sad that happened, because I enjoyed the world and the challenge, but seeing no progress and knowing what I could find in other maps that I wasn't, it was the only realistic outcome.
@@TheMiGger I’ve never been so lost in any game ever. I feel like if I were to boot up Rain World right now, I’d spend hours just wasting my time looking for a new place to go in the same 3-4 areas I’ve been in already.
It's definitely possible to progress from the state of the game you're at, but as you've noticed, Big Sis Moon isn't gonna be helping you any more. Rainworld is an interesting one because you can reset runs pretty much however much you want and not lose much progress except travel.
So don't feel bad about resetting if you end up in some corner of the world with nothing to do but run back to the starting area. It also makes it a bit easier to say "have I ever gone left from the start?" Or "every time I've gone to X area, I continue to Y area... Maybe there's another route?". Rainworld can take a lot of time to get your bearings.
@@jamesmaguire9152 It’s been a few weeks since I’ve played but I remember I finally found some place new to go from shoreline, made it to garbage wastes, and then somehow found myself all the way back to industrial complex. It looked different though. I wasn’t sure if it was part of industrial that I haven’t been or if the environment changed.
By the way, I know the Switch noise was mostly just a segway to the ad, but in case you need the info: that harrowing noise is just the fan that ate through its lubricant, if you fix it quickly it's actually really fast and cheap to repair.
I had that happen to my D1 Switch and I thought it was dead but it's actually back and healthy now.
Good info deserves good info: it's "segue" when discussing the literary device and "Segway" for the scootery device.
how did you fix it? My switch currently does the exact same thing and i don't date turn it back on.
@@benwoodman7485 try looking up how to replace the lubricant, or searching up what to do about a Switch making a loud whirring noise.
I haven’t been having the best time lately, and I don’t comment too often, but thank you for this Raz. You’re probably my favorite youtuber, and your deep dive into your emotions and experiences resonates very deeply with me. Hope you have a great 2024 with lots of games to get you through it!
I watched the video and felt the same way you did, I had to leave a comment and subscribe as well, and am happy to see someone feels/felt the same way as I did when watching this. This is our year, man! Hang in there
Hope you folks get to beat your own Rain World, hang in there! 🩵
I’m glad some others experienced the same thing as me with this video. Stay well out there friends ❤
Same here man
Wow, the TOTK section pretty much echoed my exact feelings. I put right about 250 hours in that game over the course of a month or two, and while I expected the more sandboxy design to bring me back over and over again, I haven’t touched it since. It was a spectacular experience, but not a revolutionary one. All it really makes me want to do is go back and play BOTW. Although, if there’s one part of TOTK that was even more memorable than BOTW, it’s the music. Those songs are transcendent.
EDIT: Most of the replies to my comment so far are people saying that this doesn't make sense because TOTK is just BOTW with more stuff, or that I'm exaggerating. I've continued to think about this topic a lot since I commented, so allow me to elaborate. I like BOTW more than TOTK, and the reason is pretty simple: BOTW is a perfect game. Now, I'm not saying that BOTW doesn't have flaws. It does. But to me, perfection in a videogame does not mean "flawless", it means "synergistic" or "harmonious". A perfect game is a closed system where every element of its design complements and meshes with some or every other element. BOTW achieved this. It had a beautiful open world with interesting things to do around every corner. It had a simple and satisfying combat system that encouraged exploration through durability. The character-focused, flashback-based story worked no matter what order you experienced it in, making it the perfect fit for an open world game. And the ability to challenge the final boss at any time gave you true freedom in how you decided to play the game. You can see how every major element, from the map to the gameplay to the story to the final boss, was designed to fit in with every other element like cogs in a clock.
The problem with perfection is that it's extremely difficult to improve upon. Once you have a closed system of complementary design elements, you can't just add or change anything major because the system was designed from the ground up to work with itself. Some people are confused why you would ever return to BOTW when TOTK is just BOTW with more stuff. But that's exactly the problem. TOTK didn't change the BOTW formula to accommodate all the new stuff it added, it just tacked on more content. The new content is certainly fun, but it doesn't fit as perfectly into the BOTW formula. A great example is the story. TOTKs story uses the same flashback structure as BOTW, but it doesn't work nearly as well. The grander story, with more focus on events than characters, would have been better served by a more linear game. In fact, I restarted my first playthrough dozens of hours in just so I could play through the game in what I felt like was the "right order". I didn't have to do that for BOTW, because BOTW worked hard to make sure any order was the right order.
I also want to stress that a huge part of my preference for BOTW over TOTK is that I just don't like the Zonai. The Sheikah were a huge part of Zelda lore already, and BOTW gave them new depth by introducing the Sheikah technology. On the other hand, the Zonai are a brand new Zelda race, yet TOTK told us almost nothing about them, so it's hard to care about them that much. I think I would have liked TOTK much more if the Zonai were an ancient or offshoot tribe of Sheikah instead of just a new aesthetic slapped on the "technologically advanced ancient race" archetype. I have exactly the same issue regarding the Secret Stones vs the Triforce.
Finally, I just want to say that I love Tears of the Kingdom. The Zonai devices and new dungeons were very fun and well designed. I just wanted to explain why I prefer Breath of the Wild, and hopefully show people like me why TOTK didn't impact them as much as BOTW.
i feel like botw was the modern representant of the og loz and that totk is like a link to the past. Like botw did have a world and some things in it but not as much story or life if you know what i mean. Where as totk felled like a world filled with dungeons. The sky made me think about skyward sword and the depths about the dark world. I think the difference this time around is the same map. If the map wasn't the same alot of people might have felt it had a bigger impact. Where as totk felt as a revisit to a world in a game as if it was a dlc for botw.
I have a problem where I was playing through it slowly so I still have so many story questions I need to go back for
I mean I feel the opposite, TOTK makes it hard to ever go back to BOTW now. They are so similar but TOTK is just a mechanically deeper game with more player options.
I don't get how it makes you want to go back to BOTW. TOTK is simply a much more fleshed out game.
@@undergroundhiphopfan6335 my biggest issue with TotK is that I feel like I'm almost required to interact with ultra hand. I just preferred the abilities of BotW
when i first played rain world i hated it but forced myself to finish the game. It so happens that I bought the game together with the downpour dlc, so I started a new game as the artificer and realized how beautiful this game is, and also completed all other campaigns, definitely my favorite game of the year. I'm glad I got through these over 20 hours and had a great time afterwards
Wow, your experience of TOTK was honestly so similar to how I found it. I really enjoyed it and can see that in a lot of ways it’s a much better game, but BOTW made so much more of an impact for me
Same
Yeah it makes sense too cause BOTW was literally a breath of fresh air for zelda fans. We NEVER got a game like this which was so vastly different compared to others and a huge risk from Nintendo to even do, but we all can agree they nailed it successfully and I swear there are more people who played BOTW than they have with the older zelda games, but due to this that initial shock or wow factor is completely dismissed when we play the sequel cause it's still just using the same stuff as the original (granted it's still a really amazing game).
Same
I mean, it's completely understandable. I LOVE TotK. I prefer it to BOTW. But it didn't redefine the series or the open world action adventure genre like BOTW did. It just did what BOTW did, and gave you new sandbox elements to mess around with, some new enemy types, bosses and dungeons and alterations to the map. All that is great and all, but obviously it's not going to leave as big an impact as BOTW did, because it was so different from every zelda title that came before it.
as someone who is currently always drowning, and trying to keep my head above water... it was really nice to hear that you were there, and made it to a place where you're not anymore
rainworld is one of those games thats quite hard to judge
its visually stunning, well designed, and could be very rewarding, but it is for sure not for everyone
i love seeing people try out this game, but when i tried it for myself i just could not get into it
And that's OK
@ghost_of_a_dead_poet it's most likely just your mind set. Not that it's not for you anymore
I like how the ending of this video ended up being kinda the antithesis of the name of this series - the games didn't get you through 2023, you did, and they just helped you realise that. Love your content as always, the way you blend your life (while maintaining your privacy) with how the games impacted you is appreciated as its a much more even split than gaming channels would often have you believe, and that split is the beautiful part where life happens ❤ great vid, have a wonderful 2024!
I do wish, that Silksong would come out this year, but I know that I'm just inhaling a pure COPIUM at this point
We gonn get that drop at 2060 TRUST ME
Hey, it's coming soon. TOMORROW FOR SURE
Your monologue around Rain World & the fear of uncomfortable/challenging situations hit me at the right time in my life. Moving on from a job I was stuck in and having the fear of a new scenario gripped me for years. Today I started a new job, even if temporary, I felt excited after conquering the new and intimidating situation, even if I felt unready. Congrats on your second child, and embracing what we think we're unprepared for.
I am so happy that you feel that you have gotten over your feeling of being overwhelmed. I am very happy for you.
I am feeling that I am barely surviving as well. Also I am having a baby soon it's my first so I am a bit scared. But knowing that you got through it gives me hope that I will get over it as well.
Thank you
"Home is a weird thing that can be hard to truly find, but when you do you end up seeing the place you live in a way that no one outside of it can really understand. You truly get why it's special and also why it sucks and there's a sort of pride in having that knowledge. No one will ever hate it and love it as much as you do..."
I appreciate the lack of pretentiousness in your delivery. In a lot of videos this line would be saved for a final, poignant moment as if to punctuate how smart they are and it would be delivered with the subtlety of an oprah singer in a wind tunnel. But you have it sandwiched in the reasoning for why you like certain games that actually allows me to resonate with what you're saying all on my own. I know the words of an ephemeral internet stranger doesn't really matter, but I just wanted to express why I like your writing and delivery style. Keep doing this youtube thing for as long as you like, it's appreciated.
7:14 Good observation. TotK was my 1st intro to Zelda, & so it left a lasting impression on me. It's not the same for folks who played BotW, though.
I'll be honest, BOTW annoyed me so much for a number of reasons, and despite having a number of the same things, TOTK felt like a breath of fresh air, ironically.
It´s cool to see how games can give us a different perspective in many things. I´m in a very dark place rn but knowing how capable we are of changing gives me the strength to move forward. I hope you and everyone here have an awesome 2024. Cheers from Chile.
I have been a rain world fan since my second attempt at it in 2019 and it has been one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. It's been so wonderful to experience its slow rise to cult classic status, the release of Downpour is an absolute triumph of its dedicated community. Eternally overjoyed every time people try it.
Downpour is peak DLC, and to think it started out as just a fan expansion(the more slugcats part at least). I still remember the day the mod development team announced on the MSC discord that they were actually releasing the mod as official dlc for the game.
I have the same desktop image as the thumbnail of this video🙀
Funny, I actually had the OPPOSITE experience with Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild is also my favorite game of all time, so I deliberately lowered my excitement for ToTK. I didn’t expect it to change my life, or become my new favorite game of all time. But it did. I feel very lucky, and I’m sad you didn’t love it as much as I did
bro even i had the same feeling and now totk is my favorite game of all time
“…I’ve been carrying myself..” line broke me. I and so many others have been in this. Thank you for sharing. I’m going through some of the hardest things in my life, and this brings me comfort.
You got this.
This genre that you're in. The heavy analysis of everything. Connecting experiences, accepting the inevitable course of life, it's all perfect. These videos are special and I'm glad you have been able to turn your wonderful mind into such enjoyable content. My second child was born this month and I was terrified but we are thriving, you and your family will do exceptionally :) take care
Thank you for the kind words, and congratulations!
"which is that for the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I am just surviving" it broke me, it spoke to me in a deeper level, like a knife opening up an old wound, I hope I can proudly say that one day, and I hope video games make me realize it as well! With tears in my eyes i wish you all to stay well my friends
I finished QWOP legitimately. I wanted to do this for years and it took over a month of practice.
Legend
damn. i remember i beat qwop in middle school and it took me a few days. but, still really admirable that you were that determined to beat a silly little game. bet i wouldn't have done that.
I started the year by watching through Albino's playthrough of rainworld and it was one of the most entertaining games I've watched someone play ever. Probably part due to his personally that clashed with the game perfectly.
The world building is super interesting, coupled with probably the best AI for the environment/"enemies" ever done in a video game makes for an amazing experience. Would highly recommend.
Also: Kayava.
For this alone I would give it a 10/10.
Idk what it is about Totk that really clicked with me but I find it left even more of an impact that Botw did on me. Exploring and playing with ultra hand is so fun and it feels like the game always rewards me for exploring where botw felt like there was nothing there a lot of the time. I love both games but totk is definitely gonna be the one I come back to when I’m in the mood
Citizen Sleeper doesn't get enough love. It's getting a bit more well-known, but it truly felt like a very unique experience, different to anything I'd played before, and I think it isn't credited for it too much
Everytime i hear any music from TotK I start crying. Idk why, i think its bc it got me through a really really rough job and a REALLY low low depression. But there were so many good games this year i dont blame you
I really liked that video.
Well done sir!
and although i hate kids and will never have one myself im wishing you all the best to be a good dad and enjoy them ;)
You always find a way to use games as a tool to analyze and dissect difficult and complex topics. I am glad to hear that you finally feel a better sense of stability in life, and I think it’s a testament to your open-mindedness and compassionate outlook. You are a big inspiration for me, so thank you, and I wish you and your family a wonderful year ❤
You should check out La Mulana sometime! Its a cryptic puzzle metroidvania up the alley of Tunic, Rainworld and Outer Wilds. Wild experience.
Man, this was exactly my experience with TOTK (well maybe not exactly. Sounds like you finished it, whereas I stopped when Armored Core 6 dropped, fully intending to get back into it but then never did).
Also, I really appreciate all the old games on this list. As a poor person who doesn't always get to play the newest games when they're new, it's a pet peeve of mine that these sorts of list are often *just* good games that came out in a given year. It's nice to have year-end retrospectives that are a mix of new games and games the creator is *finally* getting to.
Just found your channel through an Atrioc video and gotta say this is one of my favorite videos I have ever watched. I relate really hard to being passionate about games, but lately I had lost that passion. Unraveling why I had and the way I changed how I viewed them helped me a lot. It lead me down a very similar thought process that you had towards the end. Hope your channel continues to grow, and can't wait for more content ❤
Thank you for your videos Raz, I wish we could see your videos more often, but understandably so, completing games + making videos take a long time. You were an inspiration for me to start my own TH-cam thing, to better document the games I play. Tons of games get released every year, and as you said, time moves faster as we age and it feels like we can play less and less. Documenting games this way helps me keep games in my memory and try my best to not "look forward to what comes next" while playing a game. Thanks again!
Another good video with fresh eyes on the way games affect us as a media. Good luck on the new kid, and congratulations Dad. I have 2 under 2 and a preteen right now. It's a journey to say the least, and brain-rattling, but I haven't laughed and smiled as much in the last 2 years as I have in a loooong time.
For what it's worth, I actually feel the opposite towards Tears of the Kingdom as you do, in the sense that I've thought about it frequently since I finished it, and it's absolutely superseded BOTW in my mind... but I think a large part of why you feel that way is probably *because* of your strong inclination towards BOTW.
The single biggest issue with Tears, bar none, is that it is, ultimately, Breath of the Wild 2. And for someone like me, who picked up BOTW exactly twice after finishing it in 2017, that meant I got to re-experience all of BOTW's magic all over again, but with hugely-expanded options and overall less tedium. But for other people - folks like you who are strongly attached to BOTW, folks who didn't like BOTW at all and were hoping for the opposite of what we got, etc etc - Tears is just "even more BOTW".
To put it another way, Tears of the Kingdom is Super Mario Galaxy 2. SMG2 is (arguably) a much improved, more expansive and more interesting game than SMG1, but SMG1 felt newer, felt fresher, and left a massive impression on people and the industry at large. Galaxy 2 is better in terms of gameplay, but being such a direct sequel means it was always going to be overshadowed by the original. And no matter how much better Tears' story, gameplay and overall design are than BOTW's, it's unfortunately caught in the same situation.
Thanks for your delightful insights into your process of reflection using games as a medium of sorts. Its been a wild and crazy year for myself as well, I got married, my husband got a new job, I graduated college, and we moved into a new house, and it's a comforting reminder that things do get easier to manage the more time goes by. Thanks for that
It's cozy to listen to you and to feel related in my mid 30s. Not a young adult anymore nor a middle age man but trying to fit in the adult society with adult responsibilities. It's so soothing to know other millennials' experience that went through all those analogic and digital eras and trying to find their path in lifes. Because of that, we feel different to play the same video game in different stages of our lives. Thanks for the vid, man! Take care! Best wishes for your family and toddlers!! ❤
"You can't always predict what is going to matter to you." Very true. The only thing we can do is embrace the varied journey and be open to new things. You might not like the thing you were expecting, but you might love something you thought you would not.
I’ve been waiting for this, reminds me of all the good memories I’ve had in the last year, I’m sure you can relate watching your child grow Raz ❤
Man I resonate so much with you and your experience! We have had kid one and soon kid two around the same time, and I find myself connecting with your thoughts on games, the changes and shifts that come with growing up and experiencing games differently. Just..... man it's just good to know how similar other people feel. Thank you.
Had our first in ‘21 and our second in ‘23 so I resonated with your feelings there. I haven’t played video games regularly for a while, but I’ve found that I crave board games and party games with friends now more than ever.
Congrats to you and Lady, Raz! I always look forward to your yearly videos 😊
Thanks for supplying us with content despite a busy chapter in your life. ❤
Y'know when you're going through something and you watch something that makes you feel a little less alone in how you feel. I did not expect to watch a video like this and realate so much (I have a toddler). Keep up the great work!
botw is my favorite game. it made me realize what i loved in games & allowed me to connect with my uncle before he passed away. it holds such a large place in my heart & i was so excited to play totk.
when i did finally get around to playing it so did my gf, who never really plays any zelda games & has never played botw. its so fascinating seeing the way she played it vs me (although we have drastically different playing styles outside of zelda lol). the other day i was comparing botw to totk & she told me she is glad she played totk first. that struck me as odd, but thats only because i already have played botw & it means so much to me already. she has yet to play botw but i am curious to see what she thinks once she does play it.
One of my favorite things about your videos like this is I come away with a BIG list of games I haven't heard of before or didn't know much about that I can add to my wishlist and enjoy in the future.
I feel the same about Zelda too. Really thought it was gonna be my favorite game after being unreasonably hyped for 4 years. It just didn't have the impact for me and I was expecting something different. Its truly a weird feeling.
I admire how well you understand yourself. Life with two kids is tough, real tough, and finding meaningful moments, not just going on auto pilot, is really important.
I have 2 under 2 and it’ll be alright! It’s definitely a roller coaster but with that comes ups, downs, tears and most importantly laughter, congratulations!
If you’re short on games Laika came out last year and I think it’s criminally overlooked.
Bleak, pensive, decently challenging, ruthlessly emotional, and the best soundtrack I’ve heard in a game since… well… Bomb Rush Cyberfunk but that’s just a fluke, before that it’d been a while…
It’s also great to play mobile which is fitting given the premise. Regardless, best of luck in the new year, my dude. (^_^)b
I always appreciate the optimistic and reflective thoughts about the hobby of gaming and balancing that with life. We have a toddler as well and I never really stopped to think how far I’ve grown from that experience already, versus focusing on the overwhelm. Thanks for elucidating those feelings, and congrats on your growing family!
Always look forward to your videos Raz. I remember watching the video last year where you talked about the games you played while raising a newborn and I am now in the same place trying to juggle my hobby of gaming while being a dad to a 6 month old daughter and taking care of a stay at home wife/mom. I understand those feelings of feeling like at any moment the ground is gonna collapse from underneath, but I will say it has gotten significantly better now that my daughter is adjusting to life a little better. Thanks for these vids! Somehow soothing knowing that my situation isn’t unique I guess.
Man, watching these videos and listening to how you explain different aspects of life, and how you've overcome them while also giving some gameplay for background ambience, it is just so pleasant to watch, and listen. Gives me hope that I too will feel the way you feel right now. Thanks for giving your insight, and making it pleasurable to both watch, and listen to. Hope this year is great for all of us.
Man i just love these videos. You talking about your challenges in life and your changes really helps me somehow. Sometimes im watching these video more for your life talks then the game talks haha. ❤
Not only that the video is extremely well made with the throwbacks at the end to the content you were revisiting during the video, it just feels so natural to listen too the way you think about the things. Although I cannot relate to everything you are saying because of different experiences there is always something intriguing and wholesome about the way you relfect things and shape your view about the world.
It’s so rare that a video about games makes me cry like this one did!! Thanks for making me reflect on how games can be coping mechanisms and can help us prove our own competence and growth to ourselves. This is beautifully edited and has a wonderful emotional throughline to it. Always impressed by the caliber of your commentary and insight. Thanks for all that you do!
This is a great rewatch video, really appreciate your thoughts on Rain World and how it resonated with you personally, along with the other games that had impact in 2023.
I've been really enjoying your monthly gaming video summaries on the other channel, and it was amazing to see them all recontextualized in this video whilst talking about your own personal journey for the year. The Rain World and the closing summary was extremely impactful, and I found myself reflecting on my own life in turn with a little less worry. All the best to you and your wife, and thank you for sharing both your gaming analysis and your personal journey.
Im back on track myself, just barely. Starting something new, hoping it settles all of the risks I've taken...
I'm mostly overwhelmed, but that tiny speck of hope is back. Haven't seen it in a long while, it's nice to know I still can.
Dang. I didn’t realize that I was tryna survive day by day until I heard you say it. It’s so stressful and it feels like it’s never going to end, but hearing you doing fine is somehow comforting. I’m glad you’re able to catch a break
New here. Congrats on the baby!🎉 My partner and I just had our first. I have been grappling with finding any time to play video games. Almost 5 month now and have found a couple hours here and there to start gaming again.
you and I play very different games but somehow you give me such clarity on my own opinion of video games. I love your youtube channel and i appreciate your channel, keep up the good work
Hey Raz. I love how your channel, while centered on gaming, tends more towards what makes gaming meaningful. Your thoughtful reviews and retrospectives always make me feel like being more introspective of myself, my own life and those in it. Your channel and content is very unique and I am so happy to see it thriving. Congrats on the new baby, life and everything. Wishing you a great 2024 and beyond.
Thankyou for making this video man. I realized that games have accompanied me throughout my life. I started this year with fire emblem engage and TOTK. In the middle of the year, I was feeling very low, and I thought I need some distractions. I bought a steamdeck, and I discovered the joy of portable PC gaming. I played Elden Ring for the first time (the first souls game I’ve ever finished). I played Elden Ring when my life was at the most stressful point. When I told them what I did, they all laughed because they said games are supposed to make you relaxed. But I felt that hard games make you more confident to tackle things in the real world too.
Rain world was the most important game for me in 2023. I was feeling a little trapped in my job cleaning up and maintaining a gym. I felt very underappreciated, and it really drained me. What helped me get through all that was the immersion and freedom of the world of rainworld. I think that, because the world is uncaring and relentless, the freedom I found never felt fake or handed to me. That, even in a real world that is uncaring and unforgiving at times, I can find a sense of freedom.
It’s hard to express but I feel that any game you recommend, you recommend for not only its quality but the way it makes you feel. I definitely play video games for the ‘experience’ whatever that is.
As a Scottish fan who has been watching your videos for the past three years... I can with confidence say you would love scotland and our beautiful scenery 😎 buy that plane ticket and get yourself to surreal Scotland 🏴🫶🏼
As someone who had there first kid halfway through this year, the flow of time being expressed through what you play has struck an odd emotional core with me, great vid so far :)
One of the best things about watching Raz’s videos and especially these ones is I get introduced to a bunch of interesting new games to try.
Honestly the biggest two things I learned last year were from playing Hi-Fi Rush and Yakuza Like a Dragon. They have decent enough stories (nothing insane), but they reminded me why I love playing games:
The characters simply existing and interacting made me happy.
That final talk was so impactful, I never realised thats how I felt, but its good to hear that it can get better
Your TOTK description perfectly matches how I feel about the game. It was fantastic, and it was a ton of fun. But it just hasn’t left the same impact on me
I feel enormous sense of gratitude to you for this video. I am looking for my way back to video games as a father of five, and a someone who loves true art, literature, etc. Not even time/busy schedule-wise but rather in my head. A mean, is it not all just a waste of the only real source (that can never be a re-source), i.e., time?... And your integrated look on life with games in it felt really genuine and approachable at the same time. Also, absolutely loved your selection of games (I think I'm going to muster my courage to face Rain World ;). Thank you, all the best!
Not me watching this on my lunch at work and breaking down feeling similar anxieties. You make me want to play and focus on the games I could be happy with again
If you loved base game rainworld, you’ll love Downpour. The way it builds off of the first game is mind blowing, easily the best thing released last year.
as someone who has only played TOTK because of timing, I didnt have a switch until this year, and many other external reasons outside of video games, it does give me a similar feeling and outlook like how you've talked about BOTW
This made me realize how rarely I try new games. I used to touch on everything when I was younger but nowadays it's GW2 and whatever single player still has me by the short hairs that year (still BG3 tbh).
Awesome to hear you're feeling better in/about life.
Congrats on baby #2! The second child is hard, but in different ways. You know what to expect now, and it's just a bit more time management. Or at least accepting that you don't have any time left to manage.
You'll do great.
I felt similarly about TotK. It actually released on the day of my wedding. It was a fantastic way to unwind after the stress and busy-ness of planning the wedding, and I played a decent amount of it, but one day I just stopped and never went back.
I fucking love you man. I really admire everything about you. As I watch and listen, it feels like you got your life together. That you understand the complexity about life, and you perceive it as a kind of gift. I know, and you yourself are mentioning it, that your life is as ordinary as the life of a normal person, but still, as I listen to your voice, I kind of drift into it and want to be at least a little bit similar to you.
I want to thank you, for being there, because for a year and a half, you are always reminding me, what is life about. I admire you a lot, and I am really, you are the man you are. Stay strong and love your wife as much as you can, mainly for your little fellas, and because she is there for you. Thank you for filling one of my empty spaces in my life 😊😄
hearing you're doing more than just surviving is so encouraging; i'm still trying to find that. love these every year tho and have loved watching your channel grow! congrats on the new baby. if you can beat rain world, you can do anything. 😊
I love u Raz, it's insane how close I feel to your experiences. Thanks for everything
The way you end your videos with something so personal and just heartfelt always gets to me so hard.
Sometimes because I relate and sometimes, like with this one, something I hope I can feel one day as well.
Thank you so much for your wonderful work.
i love that this channel has evolved from game dissections into relatable stories about growing up as a gamer. keep on keeping on
Dude, Rain World is goated.
I bought it in January, because my friend recommended it, and it carried me through the year. I played it before my first ever "real" exams, I played it through getting my first job, and I played it through starting a new school, and finally beat the final campaign of the DLC in December.
Jesus the whole back half of this video hit in all of the feels. The eloquence of the writing…immense. Thanks for this vid 🙌🏻
Dadbuten arc continues! Congrats! It's weird finally have someone put how I feel about TotK into actual words but it's exactly how I feel about it. I loved it but I haven't thought about it once since.
Glad to see you enjoyed rain world
Yes, Rain World is incredible, but hard to get into for most people
Thank you for sharing so much through this video Raz! It's openness like this that helps really connect me to the games and stories you share, and that means so much.
You got this dude, I also had kids in 2022. As someone who's raised two, you can totally do it. I know it's scary, it'll always be scary. But you've done that bit before meaning this time it's only gonna be better.
Incredibly good content, I love the candidness. Thankyou for being vulnerable, genuine, and wise
"Overwhelmed is no longer the way I expect to fell when I wake up". Damn...that hit
Is there a list somewhere of the games you mentioned in this video? I really liked the look of the top down Zelda like you talked about briefly in the beginning!
I played TOTK first, and I found my self wishing I could finish BOTW so I could get back to the world I love. Instead of TOTK's world being BOTW's with more stuff, BOTW's world was a beta release of TOTK's, with unbalanced boss fights that got fixed in the next game. That's just my opinion though
Thank you for your perspective on life and video games. Its comforting to know others have found lessons and feelings in these forms of media, even if I continually miss them lol
That was a beautiful video! Recognizing games this way is something that I’ve felt, but not thought or talked about nearly as much as you seem to while playing them. Thanks for this
Hearing you talk about baby number two hits home for me. I became a father when I was 20. But we didn’t have our second child until I was 28. It was a huge adjustment having a newborn in the house again, not gonna lie. But I wouldn’t change a thing.
Also, Uncharted 4 will always be the game I associate my second child with.