Kinda Funny Gamescast: Video Game Podcast - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 vs Pokemon Violet (Greg’s Take)- Kinda Funny Gamescast

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

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What's up and welcome back to the Kind Net Funny Games cast for Tuesday, July 1st, 2025. Of course, I am your host, Tim Gettys. I'm joined today. Bye. Greg Miller. Hello, Timothy. How are you? I'm great.

How are you? I'm good. I'm excited to have this one-on-one games cast with you. I love it. Always a treats, you know? Yeah, we've been talking to more. We should do more, not like, we, you and me, but like in general, we should do more one-on-on-one games cast because there's such great conversations.

Get into the nut of the situation. I don't like that. No, I mean, I know it should be. I'm a big fan of your nut, Greg. Oh, my God. Oh man, here you are with your Nintendo Switch. I'm out there. A month in.

My little profile there. It looks like me, but it's Benny. That's my character, Benny. Oh, okay. You think Ben's going to end up needing glasses? Do you think he's going to want glasses? Yeah, he's got... Yeah, he's going to want him.

He's got him. He already loves his sunglasses so much. Sometimes he can't leave the house. He's like, sonies. I want my sonies. I didn't put that together. I mean, obviously, I do think of you with glasses, obviously. I think of Jen with glasses, obviously.

But I didn't think about Ben until this moment. I mean, Jen's eyes are really bad. So it's like one of those I'd imagine. That'll come over. Maybe my American amazing jeans will dominate and give the freedom to the Canadian genes to have better eyesight. Because again, mine aren't bad. I can still see that too on the camera, no problem. Okay.

I can read the chat, no problem. It's back there. It's a little hazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's more of a fashion type situation. No. You can't go without the glasses at this point. Oh, no, no, no.

I would never take them off. You know what I mean? I want to do that part. Yeah. But no, I need them. But I can get by without them. My friend Danny had glasses in middle school and half of high school. Yeah.

And then he got contacts after that and has never worn glasses since. Okay. Except like sometimes I like sleep over situations. Yeah, of course. But like he still looks wrong to me. Oh, yeah. So this day. Yeah, yeah.

I can believe that. I can believe that for 100%. Oh, it's tough out there. This is the kind of funny games cast to everybody. Each and every weekday, we get together to talk about the biggest reviews, previews and topics and video games live on Twitch, YouTube and podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, please support us with the kind of funny members. on Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, or Apple

podcasts to get all of our shows ad free and a daily exclusive Gregway for a chance to be part of this show. Submit your thoughts and opinions as YouTube super chats as we go. A little housekeeping for you. We are an 11-person business all about live talk shows. Kind of Funny Games Daily was Bless and Andy

absolutely crushing it talking about Outwriters too. And then after this, it is Superman in review. We're doing Superman for The Quest for Peace. I heard it was. bad. Didn't expect this. Didn't expect this, Greg. Oh, it's going to be a good in review. And then following that, it's going to be a peak stream. A lot of people talking about this game peak. It's a big deal. We got a couple of all stars on this one.

I forget who. It's me. It's Nick. I think Bless is on it. Maybe. I think that's it. Yeah, that sounds right. What a great crew. Yeah, that's right. Roger and Mike, uh, taking the day off after the absolute insane marathon stream they did. Do you freak it? You freaked it like no one else. I was out there. I was running in my little short shorts during the day. Runding. Came back in the night and scared him. Yeah.

I didn't see that yet. Okay. That's awesome. Kevin, can we pull that up? If you're a kind of funny member, today's Gregway is going to be a good one. He's bursting at the scenes to talk on games cast,

so we recorded a tiny Gregway part one. And he's going to come back for part two in the afternoon. I started up on the Gregway this morning. And it was that thing where Kevin, I'm tossing just into you. That's not good. Hold on. I don't need too many things.

I'm going to tossing into what in assets, please. Yeah, I'm trying to get to. I can't find it. You know what I mean? It's a weird thing where I just got to pin it all to itself.

Later today, I'm going to watch F1, which is incredibly exciting to me because it's from the director of Top Gun Maverick, my favorite movie of all time. Tom Cruise. Hans Zimmer did the score.

Here we go. A new Han Zimmer score. Are you kidding me? Yeah. I'm seen it in 40X. This is about to rock my fucking world. Okay. Speaking of rocking world.

Before you hit PlayCav, this is them streaming about 10 o'clock last night. I finished a Jurassic Park rebirth. World drastic world rebirth and immediately came here. And when I pulled in the parking lot, I put into the chat. Hey, everybody, I'm going to bed. You know, have a great stream, guys.

Let it play. Crazy. You want some ribs? Man, I need another knife. I appreciate you getting yourself with that. Here's mine. I've got mine. Oh, yeah, it took two seconds. There's only one knife in there besides butter knives.

So that's what we get. Oh, my God. No. Oh, my God. Make some room. He's coming to dinner. that's awesome that was a good time

that was a good time I say it goes a little bit more and he describes it as a CM punk pop I appreciate that yeah so then I freaked it with them until about midnight

yeah made sure I cranked it up on them you know what I mean they were winding down I put some hours on that clock and I left this is almost a rhetorical question but did they order outback

and chilies they ordered out back and that sounds fucking crazy they kind of did like well to their credit I believe if you look at the subreddit there's a little thing

where I think the vote almost was 50-50 between Chili's and outbacks, so he split the difference. But it also to me kind of felt like, you know, when a prisoner gets their last meal, that they were like, we want to go big. But then Mike doesn't understand that six ounces is it big? He was very offended when the steak arrived. It was the tiniest little thing ever.

A medallion, if you will. We eat a lot of steak. Medallians. If you're a kind of funny member today's Greg Way, I already said that. Thank you to our Patreon producers to Lainty, the Somme, Twining. We're adding that? Apparently, that's what he put in this month. Awesome. New month, new producers, but it's still

Delaney the Psalm 20 and I mean like you know a Somali A Oh okay Yeah you know when you're at the wine Or John Wake with the guns Carl Jacobs had to make a buster today We're brought to you by Cash App and Mood But we'll tell you all about that later for now And start with the topic of the show

Tots Tots Tots Tots Tots Tots Tats Greg This episode was scheduled to be The Expedition 33 Greg Miller review That's right Tim This game is my current game of the year Yep I forgot who was on

the original review. I think Andy was there and a couple other people. And then we liked it so much that Blessing and I then reviewed it later. Right. And then we're like, Greg's now playing Greg's going to review. And that was going to be the headline today. But then something changed. Yeah.

What's going on, Greg? What's going on with you? Before we go any further, ladies and gentlemen and NBs, we need to have a heart to heart. And that's what we're having right here on camera. You and me on the 101. if you're an audio listener, I hope it feels intimate as I talk to you. I need you to understand that I'm being as vulnerable as possible. I need you to understand that even though I'm still going to be entertaining on this podcast

are probably the funniest guy you know. I'm not doing a bit and I also need you to know I'm not trying to make you angry. I need you to know that I am wrong. I am the one who is broken. I am sitting in the cone of shame already, but we need to have a conversation. And Tim, this is something you and I take very seriously. Very seriously.

To the point that we rarely have meetings about specific episodes of shows, broad meetings about like planning and like all that stuff, sure. But like a conversation of how do we handle this? How do we handle my feelings about something? How do we make sure that we are as quote unquote professional as we can be being kind of funny games, being Greg Miller, being the people that we are, right? This is one of the rare times where you pulled me into the conference room yesterday and you're like, Tim, I need to talk this out with you because this is serious. This is not a bit. This is not a joke.

Like there needs to be a real conversation about my feelings with certain types of video games. And that's really what it comes down to, ladies and gentlemen and NBs. again, we are not doing characters. We're not doing a bit. We're being vulnerable. You're going to be supportive of me here. You're not going to be mean to be mean. I'm wrong.

I'm wrong. I think one of the things we discussed in the meeting room was what do we headline this show? Because I think it's time for me just to retire from turn-based RPGs except Pokemon. That's the problem. And I know you go wide, go why. It's not a bit. I'm not doing a character. I'm not doing a bit.

I'm not doing a bit. I'm not doing a character. That's what this episode is going to be. You're going to talk it out. We are going to be. With me and with them. We are going to be cathartic. We are going to be cathartic.

We are going to hang out together and have a conversation about what I should do here. Okay, what I should do here. Because Expedition is your game of the year. It's so many people's game of the year. I hear about it all the time. I need to say this quickly. No spoilers for Expedition 33. Yeah.

I think. I feel like that's fine. Can I, can we, is it a spoiler to say that there's a twist? Just keep it. There. Let's go. And there. Because it's key to this story where Expedition dropped. I went, oh, we, I did the preview of it with alongside a bunch of different people when we got our preview code. I was like, oh, man, like the active battling, the dodging. I really like that. Maybe that'll, you know, diffuse some of my criticisms of turn-based games. I'll come back to this. When it came out, I went back to it, but it was in between reviews. I couldn't give it the time it needed. Yada, yada, yada. It became that classic Gregism of, I'll get to this later. I'll go play the other games I need to for review And I'll get back to this Almost with a wink and a nod, right?

That I'll do it but will I ever Because there's always a new thing to review You get to Death Stranding 2 Review that, that's out And it's like cool What's next? And there's this moment here There's this moment of okay wait a second

I don't need to run to another review necessarily I have Expedition I want to finish Pokemon I want to finish Link's Awakening which I had started and got deep into it, Switch 2 launch. And it's the thing, okay, Bonanza is really the next big thing, I think, on the horizon. So I have a chance here, do an indie game, do this. And I'm like, no, this is the moment.

Let's go all in an expedition, right? I've got it on the Xbox. I've got it on the ROG. I'm ready to send the save back and forth. I'm ready to do the goddamn thing. And so, yeah, I, what had happened here is this is this week, obviously, or last week, I guess now technically. But at Memorial Day, when Auntie Loose came over and we went to the parade and we did the

whole shebang. We were out back having a glass of wine and she said something about expedition. I'm like, oh, I hear it's great. She's like, you haven't played it? And I'm like, no. She's like, oh, you would love it. As everyone has said about the story, you're going to love you. I'm like, I'm not a big tournament. But it's not. And then it was that there's this twist. And I was like, I don't want to know. I know I need to play it for game of the year consideration. I know I need to do all these different things. I know how good it is. I'm wrong, everybody. I'm like, I ever. So I covered my ears. She told Jen, Jen, Jen tapped me on the shoulder. my hand and she's like you gotta play this game. I'm like I know you got to let me go downstairs more

often. So I do it and I start it and I'm giving it the full college effort and I'm doing the whole thing and I'm doing it and I know I got to get to but like I think it was Thursday night last yeah last week yeah where I text you and I'm like how much where is I'm here I know that I'm coming up but how close am I you're pretty much there. I get through the twist I get through the thing but and I played all Friday at my desk or whatever and then I I just put the controller down. I'm like, I can't do this. And again, it's not Expedition's problem.

This is a reality we need to look at. I'm Greg Miller, and this isn't a character. I'm Greg Miller. And I've reviewed games for 18 years professionally. And at IGN, especially when I started, it was you played everything. You got assigned reviews. It didn't matter if it was your genre. You didn't matter if you did the damn thing, blah, blah, blah, blah.

And that was fine, not great. Obviously, a lot of games I reviewed. I didn't have any business reviewing. And over time, though, that evolves and changes. And then my, we just did this question on Gregway, my gaming era, what am I in? And it is that thing of, oh, yeah, well, taste change and go and, you know, all these different things. And I'm very much struggling with the reality sitting there with Expedition 33 of I was the persona three guy. I was the persona for golden guy, right?

At IGN. At IGN, yeah, yeah, of course. I've had that much history and lineage to it. But then you go and you look at and this is one of those things I know a lot of people want to throw at me all the time. Well, you're a dad now. You're, you know, blah.

It's not a Ben thing. Because if we, this isn't, this isn't a new thing. Persona 5 and persona 5, what's his face? The Royal couldn't finish him. Got to the same boss and it was like, I'm done. See you stars. Having a great time.

Garo, my boy or whatever, right? Eventually I'm just like, I'm done. Metaphor, refantasio. Almost the mere image of what we're talking about with Claire, obscure exhibition 33. I played it. I can respect it. I like it.

I'm like, I don't want to do this for 100 hours. And I even toss on here with a heartbreaking, it was heartbreaking to write. Octopath 1 and 2. Games I'm very vocal about because I want to say I put 40 hours each on Switch that might be, we'll say between 25 and 40 for each of them, right?

Enjoyed the shit out of them, but eventually was, I put it down because I'm just on to the next thing or it wasn't, I, I don't know what to do about turn-based RPGs with the exception of Pokemon. Because this was my thing on Friday where I'm like, okay, I am ramming my head

into the wall over and over again with this. And I saw somebody shout out early on when I was doing this. And again, thank you so much for, I haven't looked at the chat once, but thank you for giving me the grace here. This is a, come on, this is a safe spot. We're hanging out.

It's the games cast with the kind of funny best friends. I'm not doing a character. We're having a real conversation. Everyone's being great. Everyone's being great. Thank you. I, so anyway, this, somebody in the chat early on

and when I immediately said I wasn't, Greg can't dodge. It's not a dodging thing. It's not a dodging thing at all. It is literally like, I just don't like turn-based stuff. I find myself getting bored. I want to open my phone.

I want to do something. I'm not engaged with it, which then ruins the product around it, I feel, for me. Not that take of it. But again, we're talking about a genre issue here. I just, oh, and the Ben thing, like I said,

it's clearly not that because all these other games, with the exception of metaphor and C stars, but like Persona 5, both of them, Octopath, both of them, we're talking about games that precede Ben by quite a bit. And I just don't know what happened here. And so I'm in this struggle bus, Tim, of, I, I think a lot of this is PTSD from Game of the Year,

where it's like, I never want to stand in the way of kind of Funnies game of the year. and it's that idea of, y'all love metaphor, but I don't even put it on my list, what does that do to the numbers? And this is a stupid argument, I already know,

I already know. We're vulnerable, we're being vulnerable. Because, of course, our top 10 list isn't the 10 best games. The year, they're the 10 kind of funny games. What defined for kind of funny that thing?

But it just, I'm in a really weird spot, I feel. We're back-to-back years. There are 10 out of 10 amazing games that I just cannot get into. Like, you were watching me at the twist. when you, because it happened on Friday or Thursday,

and you were to slack me something like, the thing is happening right now. I can't talk to you. Oh, God. And when it was done, you were like, you're not nearly as upset as you should be for what just happened. And it's like, yeah,

because I'm so fucking annoyed by the game at this point that I can't care about the story. Okay, I have to bench. Except Pokemon. Go. May I? There's a lot to break down here. That's interesting.

Let me just start by saying, I just want to do my job. Obviously, you're allowed to feel this way. And obviously it's your opinion and your experience is your experience with these games. And coming from me particularly, like, there's a lot of genres that I'm like, I just don't like them. I get bored. I'm not invested. And even if the story's good or even if I love the characters or even if XYZ, if it's not grabbing me the way I wanted to, I'm out.

Like that's a very Tim thing and it's always been that way. Metaphor, I actually think is an example of like, despite me not loving that type of traditional JRP, loved the story so much that it was like pulling me along. I ended up not beating it though. I did at some point fall off. The biggest reason for that though is just the sheer length of it. Yeah, yeah. Expedition being so much shorter to me solved that problem.

In addition to that, it being turn-based and I know, oh, it's different. And like there's so many ways you can shake it. There's just something that I am not able to wrap my head around of you, Greg Miller, not liking Expedition 33 with its combat, especially once. you add the Pokemon into it. Adding like, and I feel like the big part of this conversation is going to be asking you what is it you like about Pokemon?

Like what is it that works there? Because maybe it isn't even the turn-based battles. Maybe it is the other stuff around it. I think so. Um, but even that, I'm like that, that's interesting and I get it and that's fine. But it's a spot everybody. The stuff surrounding an expedition is just so high quality and

engaging and Greg Miller. Like that's the thing to me that I, I'm struggling. here because last class gaming is saying what even is a great-ass game anymore and I would, playing Expedition 33 is such a, you can say it's this person game, that person game, whatever, but the elements

of it, so many of them, I'm like, this is a great-ass game. And that's obviously story and characters and the way it's presented and all of that. But gameplay-wise, just how about the turn-based combat with how active it is, focusing on the paris and focusing on just all the gameplay itself.

It is so, I would say, as close to turn-based combat as it is to God of War ragd rock in terms of them coming to you impairing. The only difference is you moving around with the analog stick. Like, it is so active of you need to be paying attention and like dodging and stuff that I,

I'm not saying it has to click with everybody, but I'm surprised it doesn't click with you, knowing you. And at the very least, starting here, let me ask you like are you engaged in the story no uh i wish i was i think it starts so strong can we can we spoil the opening very very very open right I'm very sensitive about this game 100%

uh I think the opening is incredibly incredibly strong as it was in the preview period as it is here I think one of my problems with it is that when we get to the island the continent right and we get going we get away from the serious nature of it so quickly where now it is about gesturals and this uh this brushhead and this guy and these weird little creatures that don't even have faces that I got to do I got to go in the arena and fight all these I'm like dude the main story is so good I want to why am I not in that I understand that this is almost wizard of Ozzy of like wizard of Oz like where I have to come in and be like okay to get to point B means or I'm sorry to get to point C means I have to go to

B and do their little side task to get whatever information or help or boat I need to get to but it's just like I feel like there's a juxtaposition there I don't appreciate of how serious it is, how heavy the subject matter is, and then how light it is all of a sudden. And then we get a little bit dark, but then it's still like, I feel it should be like, we are fucking PTSD and we need to go and we just saw this fucking thing. Why are we talking about anything but this fucking thing? Why are you okay following the little crete? What are we doing with the fucking thing over here?

Like that's, so like, if they were giving me the fucking thing and we were like that, like, eyes on the prize, this is what we're doing, I feel like I'd be, I got to see this through. I got to do it. But again, when we're just like, oh, my God, right, everybody. All right. I don't need to be a part of this. I'm just, I'm so surprised. And I think that's the, I think that might be one of my, the killing blow things to it.

And clearly not. I don't like turn-based RPGs. I can't do them. Even when the combat is more active is whatever. But I think it's the fact that this has this injection of fantasy in it into the fantasy kind that I don't like. We're like when it was just one more people and we're doing the people thing, awesome, cool. Let's have these relationships in. conversations, blah, blah, blah. And then when we get into this more fantasy stuff that I'm trying

to stay away from, you know, for spoilers or whatever. It just waters the experience down to a point of like, and especially where I'm just like, I'm literally to the point of just like, how does it end? Like I don't care anymore about the journey. I don't care about getting to the thing. Well, I'm just going to read a Wikipedia, but I'll enjoy that more than I would enjoy going through the rest of it. Because again, the gameplay of it, to me, I am wrong. I am wrong. It's just grating. It's like, I just don't enjoy it. I think the game also, I do. have a problem with it from someone, you know, back to the, Greg just can't dodge. No, I can dodge sometimes. I do, I do wish this game had a god of war. They're going and there's a flash,

and I know that's when I need to be hitting. A good parallel, I think of, hey, I'm getting outside of my comfort of a genre, right? Look at hell as us. I came back singing that game's praises, right? My most anticipated game now for 2025. And it's just definitively not a traditional Greg game. It is about Perry's. Is it about dodging? It is about, you know, hitting the button at the right time to suck in the white stuff around you to get your health back, right? And I feel that game does such a good job of showing you like, this is when you should be doing this. And it's getting the timing. Sure, I'm getting it. Whereas with, you know, Claire, I was very much like, okay, I'm clearly not getting something about the dodging or the pairing. What am I not

getting about pairing? Did a Google. And I find like a subreddit thread of just some person being like, I don't know how people don't get it. Right before it hits, do it. And I'm like, but I'm doing that and it's not worth it's like that's the advice people can give you about this thing and it's like well that when that advice doesn't work for me and then i gotta go through and again this is the dodging and the pairing are not one of my issues it's not an issue of like what's stopping me from enjoying the game it is just the monotony of doing it and again this is a genre problem that it apparently repels me from the genre it is that idea of getting into a battle okay the dude is weak to ice i also think i miss from my persona days right a riset or whoever to sit there and

say, oh, remember, or a teddy, right? Of like, you fought this guy before. He's vulnerable to the fire. He's vulnerable to die. You know, hit the button, see their weaknesses if I've engaged with them before where I wasn't getting that in expedition unless it's buried somewhere. Anyways, get into a battle, realize they're vulnerable dice. And then it's like, okay, well, now I've got it cracked. And so even if I'm going to have to just go through the motions of this and block or parry here, sure. But like, I need to, the guy's beat.

I know what I need to do. Now I just need to sit here for a few minutes and do that. Like that's what I think on a matrix see the code, what gameplay is in these games gets me. I'm just like, okay, I feel like I've, it's when I, when I'm playing, this is a very weird comparison, but this is a safe spot everybody.

We're not trying to fight. I'm not trying to fight you. I'm glad you enjoy this game and I will not stand in its way to its being crowned game of the year. We'll see. Uh, but it's the idea of like I just came off of playing Escape Academy right back to school or whatever it's called.

but Escape Academy in general, Tim. These puzzles and rooms and, you know, crack the code to do the thing to open the door to get the thing. And it's that idea of when I finally figure out the solution and I run back and I put the solution in and then I go, that's that instant. I guess not even instant. It's the payoff to the gratification where I feel like

if I had the code in the first step of what I'm doing or second step of what I'm doing, but then I had to do four or more steps, I'd be a, I'd be, eh, why am I, you know what I mean? Like, there's the buildup to it. I get the answer and I go. Whereas with these kind of games, I feel like I get the answer,

and then I have to go through these motions of a dance I don't want to do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I feel where you're coming from. I do not agree whatsoever. Yeah, absolutely.

It's just, yeah, it's, it is funny to me because the turn-based side. Let's start talking a little bit about Pokemon. Like what? Let's talk about the turn-based aspect of that. Does it work for you? Yes, but I think it's because it's so frictionless. Like,

because it is literally the most turn-based. Like that, you cannot get more. actually turn-based RPG. Animations are quick. I feel like that's great. I'm into the fight. I'm doing the thing.

I'm beating them or getting my ass kick. Which doesn't happen to me. But you know, you go through. I think you hop in. Here are your moves. It's effective. It's super effective.

It's whatever. Like, I feel like it's such a streamlined experience to get the thing done. And I also think to bring it back and give kudos to Octopath Traveler, a game, both games,

that again, I've played way more than most the turn-based RPGs that I'm talking about, right? I think Octopat does that two to a degree where again Octopath I never remember being

bored to tears with the combat I remember enjoying the combat enough but eventually just having my fill because it's so much of the same again any game can overstay it's welcome I feel and so it's that thing of I don't even know if Octavit ever overstayed it's welcome I just got what I wanted out of both of them right

would have loved to have seen the stories completed but it's not like that I was so connected I digress for Pokemon it's the fact that I think it's streamlined I think there's something interesting to Pokemon of coming in and being a tourist. Like this is something obviously you could never experience because you've been with Pokemon your whole life. I haven't, right?

Where it's like Michael Bryan's kid brother like Pokemon in high school. So I saw Pokemon Snap a few times. And then it wasn't until being at IG and hearing, okay, whatever. And playing the Soul Silver one for a little bit with the pedometer. I was like, okay, not my jam, right? Jen and I played the...

You don't even like the good ones. I don't just talk about that. I hear you. Jen and I would even then it was like that so I think that's one of the reasons Violet works so differently though and even the let's go Pikachu let's go Evie right that was that was the one Jen and I played in our flight from France and yeah that was the first Pokemon I ever rolled credits on but I know it's not a real Pokemon game right again frictionless seamless you're just going you're kind of clowning everybody out Violet works in a way that even Arceus didn't even though I enjoyed Arceus Violet is the closest it's been and I really think that Zah is going to be the evolution of that no pun intended of like, I like the world so much here. RCS, I didn't enjoy being in a, hey, medieval times Pokemon, whatever you want to call it. I don't fucking know. This one, I really don't like always being locked in my fucking school uniform. I hate that shit. You know what I mean? But for Zah to be like, you're in Paris and like you have cool outfits it looks like and shit,

I'm like, okay, an open world and all this stuff. Like, I think Pokemon has this thing to it of like, and again, Pokemon's not a story to me. That's not what I'm playing Violet for, right? But I do enjoy again being the tourists. They're like, what is this Pokemon? I've never seen this before. Have I caught him yet? I haven't. Cool. Let's catch. I think it's telling that the game, you know, asks you multiple times in Violet, right? Of like, well, what do you what do you hear? I guess it's actually the opening and then your test at the end, right? Of like, well, what do you, why do you want to be a Pokemon, right? And it's like, I want to just, I just want to collect Pokemon. I want to battle. I want to just see the world. Like, I enjoy that there's like these three like pillars to this game that

leave it up to you what to do. So again, it's one of those weird ones of I never feel like I'm wasting my time in Pokemon even though I feel like I can be quite aimless in Pokemon. Where it is, I'm gonna get to Northeast Zone 2 or wherever the fuck they're called. You know what I mean? To go get that thing and start this mission

that I've never done. But then it's like on the way there, I do get stopped and I'm like, oh, wait, I haven't caught this. Oh, I've never caught any of these Pokemon. Let's sit here and do this. Oh shit, I'm killing them too fast. Give me a lower level Pokemon to fight them

to catch them to do that kind of thing. I don't know. There's something about that aspect too that I like a lot. And it is about living in that world. Again, this is, I'm wrong, everybody. I'm wrong. I'm not telling you how to enjoy video games at all.

We're going to talk about mechanics here and things that are as stupid in the games I love as they are in any game, but whatever. Something about Expedition 33 and something about all these, we'll toss persona in there, right? Because as a big persona fan, persona four and persona three, obviously. In persona five, you know how to finish it. There's something about running through the halls of something or an area in these games that are like, it's real. It's not real. But you know what I mean? I'm a person and I'm doing this thing.

And then there's just a glowing dot over there that I get there. In Expedition, it's a new Luna or whatever the file. I'm like, it's weird. Now, I literally stick with me. Stick with me. That's what I'm talking about if I'm wrong. Yeah. But for me, it is about seeing.

the Matrix of cruel there's this fucking thing just glowing there I'd much rather it be Assassin's Creed whatever other game on Charter we have to break a crate smash something move something to see that thing there though these worlds don't feel real because there's things just sitting there right

to me in these instances no one's dressing the set in a way that's making me buy into the picture it's interesting because like at the end of the day I just think this always goes out to you just you don't like the game then which is like that's fair and that's fine but like yeah it's I feel like trying to even Like trying to even

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Now, a lot of people not being respectful in the chat anymore. All right, you're starting to try to do it. we were very clear. This was safe. I'm wrong. And I see people in there going, oh, Greg's doing all this stuff, trying to say Pokemon's better.

I did not fucking say that. Those words have never come out of my mouth. And I said, Pokemon, it's a better game than Expedition 33. I did not say that. That is not the point of my argument here. My argument is that I am broken

and we are trying to figure out why I like this very traditional turn-based RPG, but a more modern turn-based RPGs and work for me. Shout out to the people who are understanding me, even if they don't agree with me. And shout-out-out. That's a blessing who said he feels me on my stupid thing before.

Like, because if we're actually... I'm trying to figure out why. We're actually trying to figure it out. Why does this one turn base RPG work? Because it's mindless. I think the answer is because you don't need to actually care. There's no, you don't need to be active. And it's like you literally, it is a time waste.

It is just like looking at nice little things and having fun little moments of, of, shock and no, no, not shock it off. Surprise and surprise and delight. Surprise and delight. You know what I mean? I think I think that's kind of where this is at. It's like for you to jump into to Pokemon violence. of all things.

I should have had Scarlet, but Jayne took it from me. Again, coming from kind of funny, Meg, Bless and I, I think, are on the higher end

of the world when it comes to our opinion on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, I think me, even more so. Yeah. Like being able to see past that game's flaws,

it's many, many flaws that a lot are solved with the Switch 2, but not all of them. Yeah. There's still something very special about that gameplay, and it really is a,

from very different perspectives than you, like for me, specifically growing up, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are what I thought Pokemon Stadium was going to be. The first Nintendo 64 Pokemon game. It is about to be Pokemon, but in 3D.

Pokemon Scarlet Violet is that. And I think because it is 2025 and when the game came out, 2022 or whatever it was, like it's a little too late for that. But still, it's a dream realized. It is like, oh my God, it's actually this gameplay just translated to a Super Mario, 64 looking worlds in 2022.

But there's still something about that that I'm like, hell yeah, I'm finally getting something I wanted for so long. So yeah, you're talking about the tourist angle and coming into it like. And being my first real Pokemon game. Yeah. I mean, let's go. I mean, it's real is weird, especially with Pokemon. Where how about this, hear me on this thing. It being my first real Pokemon experience. And what I mean by that is that with let's go, I was playing with Jen. Okay. And it was very much. is a big Pokemon fan. And so I was playing with her in a way to humor her.

Like, I can't tell you what the gameplay of Let's Go was anymore. I know it is in a full-fledged Pokemon is what people said back in the day. But let me just say this because I want to, I'm a Let's Go, Pikachu 2ndy be Defender in many ways. I think that, undeniably,

it is the greatest art style that a Pokemon game has had so far. It's beautiful. Can I see a trailer for Pokemon? The characters just look right. And I love it. The game, at the end of the day, the biggest problem with it and why it's not a core Pokemon game is the catching is you're just, like, it's just throw the ball at the raw wild Pokemon.

You're not fighting the wild Pokemon, which is a pretty big change. But the trainer battles, their Pokemon trainer battles. Okay, okay. And it is, it's a remake of red and blue, like again. Okay, okay. So I feel like it's easy mode for a game that I feel most people would say doesn't need an easy mode. Got it. But easy mode is a good way to put it, I guess.

But the reality is, it's like, these games are awesome. Like I have 100% of them multiple times. I'm both Pikachu and Evie. Completed the Pokedex. Like these are so fun to shiny hunting. But yeah, like this art style. It's like this is great for Pokemon. Compare this to definitely brilliant diamond shining pearl.

But then also even Scarlet and Violin and all of those. Like there's someone about this that I'm like, I wish we can go back to some of the style that feels more Pokemon anime-esque. But I would argue that you playing through, if you played with Jen, that is a little bit different. But like this is a, this is a Pokemon. game. Okay. Um, but, especially with the gyms of the lead four and all that stuff, you're getting the core experience.

Um, but yeah, you're playing through, I think that's interesting and I mean to cut you off, sorry, but I want to keep justifying what I'm saying about let's go versus Violet is that I think, I don't know if I really understood gym leaders. I don't know if I really cared about gym leaders. I don't care. I don't know if, I don't know how much you talk about a time wester. I don't know how much mental bandwidth on the plane ride to and from France playing this thing and going out and getting a baguette and having a cup of coffee playing with Jen. I was really like thinking about.

Whereas like here I'm coming into Violet. The whole reason I restarted Violet because I played at launch a little bit and then fell off. It's that Ben started watching the Pokemon show, the original one. And I was watching that with him and I was like, oh, like this is an interesting context to the world that I've never given. The games can't replicate the energy of the show I feel and the whimsical nature of it and the announcer telling me every time what Ash and Pikachu were up to. And I was like, oh, fuck, this is actually kind of cool. I liked that. That's when I restarted Violet from scratch and felt like I had a jumpstart to it.

And I understood as I watched that a little bit more of what the fuck I'm trying to do as a character in this world that I think I didn't get before. And so that's the idea here where it's like, okay, the headmaster's there. Getting to the bottom of this team star and what the fuck's up with them and these bullies and shit. I'm like, okay, okay. Like, I'm with you on this in a way that I can't tell you anything about what I did in Let's Go. Yeah. This is my, and I'm playing this alone. Like Jen is not playing.

Well, Ben's been throwing some balls lately. But you know what I mean, Jen's not playing it alongside me, right? Yeah. I don't know. It's my first solo. Yeah, I know. It's very, God, everything you say, again, very interesting. And everyone has different experiences, especially when you don't have a frame of reference

necessarily for what a quote, Pokemon game is. Real quick, Biggs in the chat said something I really like. Let's go is less easy mode. And it's more like playing chess, but you only have pawns. Like, that's kind of what it is. It's just very paired down, but it is the game still. Yeah. Um, so yeah, with what you're saying, it is funny because I would think that most people would argue with it.

It's like all the stuff you're taught about is like the extra fluff stuff of the game. Like that's not even the core game stuff. But whatever. That's the way you're enjoying the game. Cool. Yeah. Um, and Scarlet and Violet do, I think, to your point earlier, kind of have the three different routes or not routes, but three different, um, things you're doing. Yeah.

The things the, the game's asking you to do to do. And it does ask you to do all of them. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. Yeah. You can't just do one of the, the paths. But, um, I'm, um, I do think that that is a pretty major difference than we've seen in the previous games,

but also this is the first open one, right? This is the first go wherever you want in this world, a game, core game, as opposed to a generational game, as opposed to the Legends games. But yeah, it's just, I think that really a lot of this comes down to the headline of this of Pokemon versus Clairefier Expedition 33, for Greg Miller. Greg's take on it. I think Greg's take is you're enjoying your time with Pokemon for what that time is. Yeah.

And I just think that that's what you're doing with it. I don't mean this is shaded anyway, but it's just, you're not playing the Pokemon game. You're like, you are playing it, but like the gym leaders and all that stuff, it's like, for you not to just be over your head.

It's like it is. No, no, that was let's go. Oh, here I'm doing that. I beat the shit out of them. I'm, I'm to my final exam.

I just need to beef up some of my Pokemon to take on this and become a master and then go for the DLC. No, no, I, I don't know why you misunderstand my point. No, I'm invested in this one.

Like, I know what's happening in this world. Like I don't think the story is like fucking the story. Not that it's meant to be, right? Like it's Pokemon, whatever. Battle and fucking do the thing and become the champion or whatever. I don't know what the fuck Pokemon guys do. But it's like that's what I'm doing and I'm enjoying that.

It was let's go where I was just through the motions, capturing, fighting your, I'm fighting you. I don't know why I'm fighting you that much. Whereas here it's like running around and like, oh man, I'm in a newish area. Have I fought the people in those streets here? Because I got that guy who's going to be around the Pokemon center that'll tell me and give me some stuff if I go do that. Yeah.

You need to teach me about TMs and stuff of what I'm doing. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, I mean, again, this all makes sense. Like, we're talking about games that have a lot of fun and a lot of different ways to have fun in them.

So I'm not surprised that, actually, I take that back. I am surprised that you're like Pokemon Violet. Like, just knowing you and knowing everything that we just talked about here and knowing that about you, knowing that you're not into the turn-based stuff. And also, you're not into collecting stuff. And really, when I think about it, there's not much about Pokemon that I'd think Greg Miller would like. Yeah.

You know? I like the collecting. I like collecting stuff. But I mean, are you trying to complete the Pokedex? I go out of hearing. Well, I mean, this is all right now just warming me up for Zah. Yeah. Like so am I all in and Zara?

You know, I'm going to do this. And again, this is also like, this is just keeping the switch warm until Donkey Kong gets here. How far will I be into Pokemon by then? You know what I mean? I got a couple plane rides with Ben this weekend. So it's like maybe I'll get more in there and do that. Yeah.

Because, yeah, it is, it's interesting thinking about going back to me thinking of Greg Miller, would he like Pokemon in general, but Scarlet. and violent. And I would say no because not knowing that you're playing, not knowing anything I know about you before you've ever touched this game. No, because the turn base, no because the story is paper thin at best.

You don't care that much about the technical aspects and all that stuff, but it's pretty damn bad at this, right? So it's like there's a lot of things that are like, all right, cool, I don't think of you as somebody that like has that completionist tick for this type of thing. Like trophies, yes. Like wanting to platinum certain Assassin's Creed's that you're super into like sure all that stuff but that is stuff that's wrapped around characters and story that

you care about and that's why on expedition side and you explained so far what you're not loving about it with the juxtaposition and i totally understand where you're coming from from that yeah i think that when you know the whole of how it all happens it's like well that goes away but with where you're at and what you've experienced totally understand where you are um but i can look at expedition be like oh great this is a great thing it's a story driven character driven well-performed narrative adventure, right? And so the gameplay stuff, that is more of a question if Gray doesn't traditionally like turn-based.

This runs me in Final Fantasy 7, Rebirth a lot. We had a very similar, I won't call it a problem, but roadblock last year or whatever year that was, right? Where that is a very, very, very active battle system. Yeah. Like, not really turn-based at all. It's more just a menu-based action system. Yeah.

And that didn't work for you either. And that's another one that I would say I can see you pushing past the things you don't like about it because there's a lot of other elements that I think of you loving characters, story, worlds, all that. So that's the thing that I

struggle to understand the most, but some things you just, it's just gut stuff and it's just like, I don't have a good time with this. So it's interesting, you bring up Final Fantasy Rebirth because I'd also toss in Final Fantasy 16, which not a term, game at all. A game that's all about

being story and stuff, and it just didn't work for me. Like I just, and I don't know, and this is an interesting angle, and I'm wondering. Because earlier I was saying that Expedition 33, I don't want to be clear about what I'm saying here, because I'm not saying it's one to one. Yeah. I'm saying that like there are similarities between

the God of War style gameplay, like the Perry, like the, you know, like the combat and Expedition 33. I think it's way more similar to a Final Fantasy 10 or something like that. But it's somewhere in the middle because it is very reflex and action-focused and all of that. The Final Fantasy side, for 16, that is straight up. It's not turned-based at all.

It has nothing to do with Final Fantasy battle systems except for, like, the type of magic you're using and the summons and things like that. The gameplay is straight up, God of War, straight up, devil may cry. Right. Right. Yeah. And that's where we get interesting, where I think if you were to ask me right now off top of my dome, why did I walk away from Final Fantasy 16, right? My problem there was, I didn't, and I know this is so weird

because we're back to this question from Last Glass Gaming of what is a Gregass game anymore, which I still would tell you is story, but maybe it's Western storytelling. And maybe that's an issue we're running into, again, with the exception of Pokemon. Or of course, we're talking about expedition being from France.

We're talking about Final Fantasy from Japan, right? I guess Kajima would get in the way of this argument as I try to figure out what's going on. But I remember Final Fantasy 16, like, I just was like, I don't, it's the same thing with Final Fantasy 15 when we did the event. And they were like, we're trying to bring in people like Greg. And obviously super fans like Tamu, when I sat down and played it, I'm like, I don't believe in these characters.

I don't believe in this world. And so even if you're telling me the story's great and the performances are great, I get all that. It was, I don't want to say there's a jean sequa about it. It was something I can't put my finger on it. But it was like, I feel like when I look at Kingdom Hearts, there's a plastic shine to these characters, right? That I'm like, well, this just isn't that. And I feel like that was on 15.

And I feel to some regard, it was with Final Fantasy 16, too. See, I mean, that's the thing is like, I can't, I can't fathom you saying that. Like, Kingdom Hearts and 15, Kingdom Hearts is, I think, a great example of the point you're trying to make. Because I understand what you're saying. 15, yes, I can see that. It's more realistic, sure, but like, it does have the way the characters act, the way they're written. Yes. Final Fantasy 16, I think, is very, I mean, again, we, during the review periods and like the conversation around 16, it's Game of Thrones.

It is very Western. I was never a fan of. Yeah. But it's Western, you know what I mean? I would say that like Farland 16th's, the writing and story and characters are more similar to Western storytelling than they are to the Kingdom Hearts style of storytelling. Or even the Final Fantasy 15 style of storytelling. Yeah. Bringing in something like Dragon Age Vailgard, which you loved.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I wonder what it is there. Because you love those characters. You love that world, right? And like, that is a action RPG. Yeah. What is it about those elements, though?

Like, what is the difference is there? I mean, right, I would jump in here, though. I think combat for me, let's dial all that. I was about to put good or bad or whatever. Dragon Age Vale guards, action-based combat felt better to me than Final Fantasy 16s and Final Fantasy 7 rebirths. action straight up gameplay. Back in the day, I never liked Devil May Cry.

I just did not like that. We're flying through the air, spinning, attacking, doing that, like, that's just not going. When you're talking about an action game like that, when you're talking about Pragmat, no, no, fuck. Stellar Blade. When you're talking about like that kind of action game, that is not me.

And I would never, I can see you made the reference earlier, which I don't agree with, but I understand, of like you saying it was more like God of War, more like Devil May Cry, whereas God of War, and you're talking about 2018, got a war right now. Yeah, and God of War 2018, to me, doesn't feel like devil may cry or an action game that way. I feel, I feel planted, and I feel heavy,

and I feel like this feels more like Kingdoms of Amelor, Assassin's Creed, like, I feel like I'm in that character's shoes, boots, the way it feels, whereas when I'm doing something crazy in most Capcom action games, I'm grabbing Beautiful Joe, which is not the example I'm looking for, Like I feel, oh, Bionetta, when you're doing the crazy ass shit and it doesn't feel like there's any weight to you, I don't like that. Yeah, I, it's, I just, Final Fantasy 16 is, I think, as similar to God of War gameplay as it is to double make cry.

Like, that, that's, I, it's, and again, whatever, different people, different feel like, just different, whatever it is. But I just, there's the, there's so many more similarities than different. and I understand the devil may cry like the flying around being in the air shooting the guns all that stuff like bayonetta like the pace of it all and like there there is a slick stylish action to it whereas like I do feel like that grounded more having the different loadouts with the different weapons like in god of war and in final fantasy 16 like there there's a lot of similarities there and I didn't play any dragon age fail guard but from seeing you guys play it it's not that like how similar would you say Dragon Age, Vailgard combat, and God of War combat is. It's a question I've ever asked. Blessing, I think I can't find where you're just slacked if you want to come in, come in, come in, hang out. I'm trying to find it in Slack where I can.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because he's got something to relay this conversation. Um, it gets hard because in Vailgard you do that thing where you bring up the, you know, overlay and you control both your superpowers and the magic powers of the other people you're with. So, like, that's where that breaks away. and then to think about what it was like just to be matching my buttons and stabbing people with my swords and stuff, I guess it was similar.

I'm forgetting what parrying felt like and dodging felt like in Vailgard to make a worthwhile comparison here. But I'll see, they're not completely foreign by any stretch of imagination. Yeah. Plus it's popping here.

I'm very excited. He's getting a microphone to hear what he has to add to this conversation because I think we're getting somewhere, but I also just think that a lot of this comes down to just there isn't innate game. feel that feels a certain way to each player. And you're either in it or you're not. Here he comes.

Hey, Bless. How you doing? I'm doing good. I've just been listening to the conversation. I've been really enjoying the conversation. Safe spot, don't hurt me. I like me to talk about how we don't like games. No, as you talked about it, right?

Like, one of the things that keeps coming in mind is this thing. There's a video I watched. I know I brought it up before, like, I think in the last years of, like, there's a YouTube channel called Extra Credits that does a lot of video essays. Yeah. One of the video essays I watched was about this thing called Bartle's taxonomy of player types that breaks players down

into different categories regarding what they like to get out of video games and why they play video games. So the four categories they have are achievers, explorers, socializers, and killers. And they have like reasonings for those things within like single player games

and multiplayer games. So can I just jump? I mean, not knowing anything about what you're to say. I would say off the page. Sorry, bless you can stand normally. This shot is wider. Okay. Off the top of the dome,

I'm not knowing, I would say I'm an explorer. Like, that's usually where I'm drawn at. If I want to run to, go down the path that's least trod in, do this thing, get more out of the game, explore the map, do that jazz. Again, maybe why Pokemon's working in a way, right? Because where the fuck is the goddamn mini map in Expedition, but I think.

So I think multiple of these would appeal to you, because jumping into it, right, for Achiever, this is the one that I thought of you with, right? Every game is for single player games. Every game that can be beaten in some way caters to the achiever play style by giving them something to accomplish. Games that offer a 100% completion rating appeal

to achievers. So for me, that makes me think of you as regarding trophies, but also regarding things like Assassin's Creed and like these games that are made to like do everything, complete everything, like the checklist style games. And then for multiplayer, they go on to talk about, I guess similar things as far as like achievement systems. But then you have Explorers, which I think also appeals to you in some regards. Those single player games, combat and gaining levels or points is secondary to the Explorer. So they traditionally flocked games such as Mist. in these games as one example, right?

But in these games, the player finds themselves in a strange place and the objective is to find their way out by paying close attention to detail and solving puzzles. For me, the thing that comes to mind has gone home regarding like, you're in this place and you want to discover more, you want to see what the mystery is. Killer, you're definitely not a killer, right?

Like, for me, when I think of killer, you know, this is like talking about speed running or hitting the high score. For me, I think of like Souls games as far as like why I would call myself a killer for this kind of category. And then the last one to be socializers, which I think would be maybe in the case of you playing Monster Hunter

or Fortnite or something, where it's hanging out with people. Or I guess in regard to narrative games, right, what they write here for single player, since their objective is not much so to win or explore as it is to be social, there are a few games that the socializer enjoy based on their merits. Instead, they play some of the more popular games so that they can use multiplayer features.

However, there are some games designed with their play style in mind, with socializers may in particular, joy, they go on to then site, like Mass Effect or Fable, and Knights of the Old Republic. I think the thing where it's like, you're building a party. Maybe it's the persona thing for you where it is like, oh, I love Chia, I love these characters and I like social.

I do love Shia. So, okay. As I listen, I was like, maybe that that's helpful, yeah, that's helpful. That's helpful. Where your taste lies. Well, it's just, I think it's an interesting deep dive. You know what I mean? Especially for somebody who audience knows so well, I'd imagine. Most people have been around a long time to hear me talk about games. But for me to be in this thing, I was just like,

two years in a row, I'm just like, can't make this work and I don't know why. Yeah. I mean, Blast Glass Gaming says, thank you so much, Bless. Thank you, boys. Blast, that's gaming going back to this says, what even is a great-ass game anymore? And I feel that has changed over the years. And I feel like we've talked about it a lot. Like, I don't even think we need to retread that necessarily here because, yeah, we have seen you a couple years ago.

It was a surprise. It's not anymore. You really like multiplayer kind of division. Division-type experiences, right? So. Which I think back when we launched this company, that would have been an insane thing to bring up. That was like the opposite of a great game. I think even if you look at my fantasy critic,

kind of funny.com slash KF League 2025, like you see, and I don't know if this is a difference, but me skewing more indie, right? Where I have stuff like Wheelworld and hurtling on there. I got burned onto a T. We'll see how the other ones pan out. But like, what is your great game?

Like quirky different game that's doing something. Little small things too. Yeah, Caravan sandwich last time around last year and stuff like that on top of the big stuff and the big narratives. Obviously, you're at Death Strandings and Kajima's and all that jazz and whatever, you know, Neil and team have up their sleeves with

Interstellar and whatever PlayStation put out, Ghost of Yote, of course. We got a bunch of super chats. I'm sure we do. And I want to get to each and every one of them. Thank you. They better be respectful. Well, the first one says, Greg, this L is for you. See, there is.

I don't understand what you didn't understand that I'm being vulnerable. You can't sit like the L on it. I can't. No, I don't think that's. I hate that. Well, then just stop saying you're wrong with that. Greg's got shitty opinions. in games. But what I'm doing there is trying

to defuse the situation. Because when the comments in the chat gets really angry is when I'm like, ah, this game's dumb. I'm not saying this game's dumb. I'm saying it doesn't work for me. Here's why. I think that's respectful. I think there's a level. I throw the O back out of Tim. We fund his money. All right, man. Michelle says, he just doesn't like turn base.

I was afraid he'd say Expedition 33 is poo-poo. You get a pass on this, Greg. Voice acting is great. Music is great. Again, the overall story is interesting. And so it is that thing of, I want to know. And people have, I know,

while we've been live, someone emailed me with a mod to put on where you go into God mode and you can just kill everything in one hit. That also, I mean, that sounds mind numbing, right? Like,

when you think about video games and you think about sitting down to play a video game, you want to enjoy your time thoroughly, right? Like, this is, I always, I bristle, I admit, of like when people are like,

well, Greg's a dad now. So his opinion, you know, it's not an opinion about games that have changed. It's not even that, like, yes,

I have less time. to play than when I was single and could sit there a marathon DC you owe for 18 hours a day right but it's that idea of like for the I'm still playing the games I need to play for work and for fun to make the content I need to make for my job right whether it's at my desk here being better about budgeting my time or when I go home and I play whether on a portal or on a rug or downstairs late at night but it's that idea of like the idea of sitting down and putting it on one hit kill to go through expedition 33 to see the end cutscene or whatever or the cutscenes along the way sounds like that idea of like the idea of sitting down and putting it's a lot of the way sounds like as worthless a use of my time as sitting down in. All I'm going to do tonight with four hours of game time is play all the platy birds and get more platinum trophies. I completely disagree with you. Really? Yeah.

Okay. Because I think that, and this is coming again from somebody that is a major fan of this game and I have major criticisms with it. Like I, for a very different reason, really wish the game had a mini map. I talked about that in my review.

There's a lot of things. I'm like, this game has things that I wish were different, right? but I feel like the if the combat's sorry let me let me say this straight if we're just talking about the combat being a problem for you it'd be all right cool the solution is well the story's so great and everything else in the game is so great then yeah just turn on in god mode whatever and you'll get through the stuff you don't like quicker so if you're not liking the story you're not viving with all

the stuff then there's no saving this like that just is what it is I think that this game has so much amazing story beats and character moments and worlds to see and worlds to explore and the differences in seeing each different kind of area that you're in and how it all adds one to the next to the next to the next where it does seem a little bit Wizard of Ozzy and kind of one note for a while. Yeah. But then when you get towards the end, the way that it's so hard to ask you all things. I know, I know, I know.

Just to say this, knowing the entire story and the world and then looking back at the world, I think is such an amazing experience. And getting there, because the performances are so good, and because the music is so amazing, and because so much of this game is fucking awesome that, like, just watching a stream of it, I think would be an amazing time. Like, just watching the game,

watching someone else play the game, would be amazing. But even then, some of the combat is story, like the boss fights you'd want to watch for sure, because there's story beats interwoven, but just all the general combat stuff, you could just straight up skip. So if there was, like, a God mode,

mod to just skip through that stuff. I just think there's so much worthwhile stuff of literally exploring and getting a story, which are things that you love. But if you're not liking the story and you're not like the characters, then it's like, all right, well, then it's not, I like the characters. I mean, again,

this opening and Sophie, and I mean, come on now. That's a fucking awesome. I think one of the things that's interesting, and this is, I didn't go over this, I'm 11 hours in, right? I'm through the twist like we talked about. Like, I'm not enjoying exploring, and it's back to the mini map thing, but also the fact that I just feel like

I'm running down, you know, is like there's this purple grass and I'm not insulting the direction. I'm just giving an example. There's purple grass and this and the other. And then I run down and I get the thing and I run back and I turn and then I wait, now I'm turned around.

Where did I come in? Where did I leave? I know to look for the lights or whatever, but it's like the world doesn't seem interesting to explore. It seems interesting to explore to get another lunae or whatever the pictos to put them in my, like, but again, I'm not, and I'm not,

This is not me tooting my horn of how great I am. I'm not struggling in combat where I feel like I need to change my build yet. Yeah, I need to upgrade weapons when I can or this, that the other. But I've been pouring it into defense. Okay, let's cut all that. Like, because I feel like, like, you're focusing on the combat still of, like, finding the things for the combat. And cool.

Like, that's, if you're not viving with that, that's fine. All of the story beats, like, that you find in the world. You're exploring and you find the notes from Expeditions past and all that stuff. That stuff's so good. Yeah, that's cool. Like, how, but, like, that seems so great. That seems so ridiculously Greg. Yeah, but when I find it after five minutes

of being turned around and running back to the start of the fucking place and I go back the other way and then I finally find that that's where it's like, I can't appreciate it when I'm annoyed by something else in the game. That's my problem, not you. Yeah. Okay. Casper says, Greg, sometimes it's better to move on and spend time with something you enjoy. You don't have to force it.

If you know, you know, but it needs to be said. Much love. No, thank you for that. And again, that's the whole point of this is like, and why I wanted to do this while I know it will make people mad at me even more. But it is that idea of like, I don't want it to be that I didn't try. Like, I'm trying to do this because I think, you know, we get to these conversations then and then I'm quiet on Game of the Year when we got to the top three or five or whatever. You know what I mean? Because they're not Greg games. But again, I can't force it's not working. I want to be surprised. I want the term-based RPG to come through. That's going to be the one that's going to be the one that's going to be the one that's going to be the one that's going to be the one that's going to be the one that's going to be the one. And she was like, oh, yeah, you know, my friend is this guy's been. But I think it's interesting. I think it's interesting. I was doing the hell's us demo up in Montreal. I was talking to a friend up there. And she was like, oh, yeah, you know playing this and he loves him. I'm like, I'm not a turn base. He's not either. And it's like, well,

I don't know what's broken inside me then. I can't I can't find love in these games. Yeah. I mean, dude, straight up, like, as I'm sure everyone watching this knows, I will not force my way to play through a game if I'm not liking it. Sure. And again, this is something I've been open about on Gregway and here and whatever. I'm just trying to figure out like, what is

my responsibility as a video game, pundit critic, whatever you want to call this chucklehead, right, to games. Like, when there's this kind of, like, I'm just used to, I'm just trained of like, there's a game that's the conversation. You play the game so you can have the conversation. And so to get here and be like,

I can't play, I can't make it through this game, then we make our own conversation around it, but I think it's worthwhile so that it's not just, oh, Greg, only plays shit games. He doesn't, he loves Starfield. It's like, well, I'm, I, when we were talking,

when I did the Gregoy about your era in gaming, I was like, my era is Western RPGs. Like, clearly that's where I'm at, where it's like, can't fucking wait for Outer Worlds two, right? I didn't love avowed, but I love to avowed. Like I put, you know what I mean? I talk your ear off about all these different systems than this and why I think Outer Worlds

Two is going to be so much better than Outer Worlds One. It's like that's where I'm living right now. And again, I totally 1,000% understand the other side of this conversation in the car. You're listening to it or at home washing on the computer where you're like, I am so fucking bored in a fallout to go through and pick up another lock pick and another med pack. And I'm like, I get that. But that's what I fucking love of having that built out.

kit and I'm doing it and my choices in the moment are going and like but then you get into battles with and this is me arguing myself obviously you get into battles and you're doing the same thing whether it's an old school one of using vats or now just shooting down sites or using the same power you've used for 30 and it's like of course I am but I'm actively engaging in that moment and I'm choosing how the battle plays out in a way that I don't feel in a turn based RPG I do if that makes sense where I feel like I'm limited to what I have and granted yeah you I have a plethora of different moves to learn and slot in in Expedition 33, in persona, in whatever,

but it still isn't as active in the moment that I want to do this and I want to change that. Pokemon is also very much the same, right? You come in with the moves you got, but I feel like I have that laundry list of Pokemon to swap in, swap out, take a hit, no big deal, still get the move done and be on my way again in 30 seconds versus sitting there for two minutes and doing something.

Alex Jay Sandoval says, taste change. Don't force yourself through experience. you don't enjoy. What about the South of Midnight route? Put it on easy for story regardless, do you? We kind of just address that. Well, no, it's a different thing where I did, you know,

when I was like, okay, cool, I don't like the combat here in Expedition, right? This is a turnoff for me. I did drop it to story hoping I could clown it out. And it goes faster, but you still got to go through. It's really you're not taking that much damage, which not toot my own horn here, but just to give myself some credit. Damage wasn't the problem. It wasn't that I was getting killed all the time.

It was just like, all right, I figured it out. Let's kill him faster. And this is to me, like, I had been putting so much into defense. I wasn't putting it into might. So I went and respect the characters and put it back into might. But even that, I wasn't killing them fast enough. South of Midnight, props to them, which I know some people hate, was that, all right, you can walk in now. You can hit start.

You can hit a button. Everybody's dead. Like, if I could do that in Expedition, yeah, I'd probably may, I'd give it a shot. Let's go. Well, there's a God Mode mod. That's what, like. But I'm playing on, I'm playing on Xbox. I don't know.

That seems like too many hoops for Greg Miller anti-PC gamer to go 50. figure out. All right. Kobe, Arndt says, this just shows everyone enjoys different types of art and that's okay.

It's like watching a movie that everyone loves, but you don't click with it but appreciate, happy you gave it a fair shot. Absolutely. Alex Frazier says, I made the Perry window easier

and it fixed the game for me than I beat it. MeloFello says, did Greg do the end game? I feel like that's the best part of the game. No, you don't.

Well, how long is Expedition 2? Because I thought it was 20 and how long to be put it at 28 hours? I was like, it was like 20. It was like,

four, five. If you're skipping all the combat, it'll be a lot quicker. Joshua Moreno says, I like the older Pokemon games and abhor all the Final Fantasy's, clear structure, simple lore and quick battles. RNG's done in a clear way. Benu diving sucks and it should never prevent you from continuing. That's my two cents.

Ed Reed fan says, Greg, speaking of term-based games, have you introduced or will you introduce Costume Quest to Ben? Oh, what a great question. Yeah, we'll definitely do that. Costum quest, another turn-based RPG I do love. Yeah. And then we talked about this a bit, but Snow 13 says, just curious, Greg, what drew you to finish something like the Vail Guard but struggle with Final Fantasy 16 or Expedition 33?

Yeah, I mean, Vailgard, I loved across the board. The characters, the story, the combat, the moves, the power set, the world, exploring the world. I mean, you name it. I thought that game was great for it. Again, if you're new around here, I never gave a shit about a Dragon Age before. So many people's problem with Vailgard was. It doesn't feel like, oh, Dragon Age, there's this that they ruin this character. I didn't know shit about any of that.

I just got in there and enjoyed a fun, colorful action RPG. Jay says my favorite feeling in Expedition is finding a mechanic from a character and then crafting a unique build around it. I'm not sure if that's Greg's thing. I don't think it is. That's the whole thing of like,

you know, when we play the division or when we even play Monster Hunter, right, when you get to that, usually, you know, the end game level of any of these multiplayer, that's when it really kicks in of like, what's your build, Fran, in his spreadsheets, and Google.

And I'm like, no. I have enjoyed this and I will do this. And when it gets to a part of a raid where it's like, no, no, you need to go respect. I'll be like, I am good on that. That's not what I want to do. Initially, AW says, sorry this has already been said,

but I agree with Greg, Pokemon makes turn-based combat click. I'm a trainer giving commands. In other RPGs, I'm the character. So picking moves feels weird and slow. Ah, that is true. I have thought about that. And I missed that here.

You're right. That does make a lot of sense. Sierra Whiskey says, sometimes there's no logical explanation to why we just bounce off of games. I play Death Stranding in 22 and bounced off of it, but came back to the beginning. ending in 2025 and fell in love.

Yeltsin says, you're not wrong, it's a taste thing. It could also be a timing thing. For the past few months, the only thing I could play was Monster Hunter and now rematch. Thwarted junk says, Tim, without spoilers, would you consider using the fifth party member in battle to unlock things as almost Pokemon collecting? Absolutely. I actually, a bunch of my friends described it that exact way.

So, yes. I don't think that'll change Greg's mind whatsoever, though, about this. A little amazing character. You're right. That's also something I was thinking about. how I really enjoy collecting Pokemon here. And then in persona, you're collecting personas, right? But it's like, that's never been the draw for me with persona of getting the persona.

Whereas with Pokemon, I am super stoked when I get a new Pokemon. And then it's like, all right, cool, am I going to use them. I'm not going to use them. Here's my thing with Pokemon. I wish they didn't evolve. I, I, I, dude, I start violent. I start violent. You know what?

Everyone be mean to him. Okay. What are you talking about? You wish the goddamn Pokemon wouldn't evolve. What? They're so cute when they start. I picked fucking quacksley. I named him quackers.

Adorable duck. Now he's this weird grown dancing duck. I'm like, I don't like this outfit. Let me transmog them to look like the original one. Oh my God,

everybody. They should tell me when I go to pick them, they should give me a mirror. Let me know this is what this is going to grow up to look like. Yeah. Yeah. And Pikachu's perfect.

I don't want Pikachu to ever grow up. Well, Greg, this has been cathartic. It's been fun. This has been a fun. Thank you for being respectful in the chat. And I'm sure in the comments as well, you are the best. And I think it's really cool that we can't have fun conversations like this.

Let's take fun out of it. Conversations like that are able to like really think about video games and like, why do we enjoy them? Why don't we enjoy them? And that's the thing about it. When I pulled you in the conference room, we're like, we're going to have a cathartic games cast tomorrow.

And then I had to pitch you on it and sell you on it and talk about it. You're like, oh, man. It's like, I know the internet wants to fight about everything. I know our audience doesn't. And I think that like part of games criticism needs to be that like the game of the year doesn't work for me and here's why. And it's not me saying it's not game of the year. It's not going to be my game of the year. But who fucking cares? Greg's game of the year. You know what I mean? Like I love the that's what I've always envisioned here and at IGN to be great podcasting and game criticism and yada yada. So I'm thrilled to be able to do it. Yeah. I mean, part of the conversation we had yesterday was and we had a bunch of headlines. We looked at them and we're trying to figure out like what is the conversation? Like what's actually the conversation here. And in fact, I might even want to change it after this to something more akin to, like, why turn base doesn't work for Greg or something like that.

Like just, because I feel like that is the conversation that we ended up getting to even more than Expedition and Pokemon specifically. But either way, it still, I think, reflects what we're talking about here. But I was very clear. I was like, I don't want to just have a full episode just be like, I don't like this thing. I don't like this thing. You know what I mean? Like this thing everyone else likes.

Here's a hot take. It's like that is just not constructive or productive for anything involving games criticism or entertainment. Like that was the thing. The word entertainment came up of like, will this be entertainment? Like will this have value to people watching and listening? And I think that it does. I think that there's, we found the angle to come out this with that isn't just I'm going to shit on a game. Yeah.

Well, I think that's the biggest thing about it when I keep saying, you know, the L thing. But you said you were wrong. and it's like, well, I'm setting it up to let you know. There's a thing here of like, I really, after 18 years of doing this, after 40-some years of playing video games, it's crazy that I'm here. And I'm like, I don't have the concrete reason why this doesn't work for me except for this. Yeah. And then it gets exciting of what other turn-based RPGs are going to work like this. That's why I'm always going to take the shot.

Well, C of Stars. I'm going to try it. I'm going to enjoy it. I enjoy it. I enjoy C of Stars for what I play. but what is the next new turn-based RPG that I'm gonna play

and I'm actually gonna roll credits on. I'm so interested in what you're gonna say about Zah. I'm so interesting. That's why I should review it. Maybe you should. Well, everybody, thank you so much for hanging out with us.

Thank you so much for being respectful and thank you so much for being a fan of kind of funny and the type of conversations that we have. If you like those, I look over the chat blessing. I'm not even hating on Vigans, LMAO. What the fuck is going on?

What is going on in the YouTube chat? Oh, I love that. But please stay tuned. We're about to do Superman for the Quest for Peace in review. Jesus Christ, it's going to be a good one. So love you. Until next time, goodbye. I like Pokemon.