MasterBlaster

joined 1 month ago
[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Silent Hill 1/2/3 are probably the earliest examples of professionally produced games having genuine theming, properly written and conveyed subtext, as well as taking advantage of the medium and landing as a great psychological horror. Pyramid Head is neither meant to be a foreboding metaphor nor a heart-racing boss fight. He is James' self-punishment made manifest, his belief that he deserves pain for what he has done. But like, not metaphorically. That's literally what the monster is in the story, brought to life by a town that holds a unique but very defined spiritual power.

James killing the monster at the end is him killing the part of him that feels guilty for what he has done, which materially changes how James behaves. Depending on James/player behavior, this why the endings of the game can range from James killing himself or James making peace with his distorted memories of his wife and leaving town.

I'm sure that a game released in 2022 does all of this at least as well if not better, but SH2 was absolutely monumental for the industry and almost every psychological horror game today has some roots in what SH1/2/3 were doing. There's a definite 'Seinfeld effect' with this. But I do reject the idea that you had to play it in its prime to properly 'get it.'

I will say that its exploration of domestic abuse, sexual violence, terminal illness, did not come off as edgy in 2001. It came off as downright shocking that a game dared to explore it and demanded maturity from its audience. Back in 2001, this was unheard of in games.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 days ago

One of the best jobs I've ever had was a trolley collector. It was a company contracted to work for the chain stores, so I didn't work for the stores I collected carts for.

I'd show up, do about 45 minutes of exercise hauling the carts around, then I'd sit in my car and play on my phone or read a book. Or, hell, even just leave. I'd have 6 hour shifts but trust me when I say the trolleys don't need 6 hours of supervision. I'd often get away with one collection in the morning, coming back for a collection in the afternoon, then peace out.

Anyway, best of luck with your new job comrade, I hope the freedom makes the lack of decent pay worthwhile. It definitely did for me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

pan leftism pisses me off. defanged theory, feel-good nonsense that doesn't equal a legible ideology. Also preys on the dumbed down simplistic single axis of political thought. I don't know how they expect communists and anarchists to work together, or communists and soc-dems, or communists and anyone other than marxists. Then again, I'm guessing that's the point - to legitimize every single flare of leftist thought other than the one with actual material history behind it

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

yeah it's crazy how the pandemic put a smart device in front of every school aged child, we overhauled our infrastructure radically within a few years to support this. we demonstrated the technology age we're living in and how adaptable it is

but couple years later and we're trying to ban them from schools because of the addictive design we imposed upon them via usual capitalistic interests

shit like that makes me so depressed - we're living in the future. humans of the past could not comprehend what we live with. and we've designed it in such a fundamentally anti-human way that it's more of a danger to our health, physical and mental, than anything else

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

American work culture scares the shite out of me. We have a type of work called 'casual' work, distinct from permanent part time and full time contracts. 'Casual' work applies a 25% loading on your pay, but in exchange, you can be let go for any reason, without notice, and do not have a guaranteed amount of hours/shifts. It's intended to be offered to teenagers getting their first fast food job or whatever, but it's abused by employers and we have a real problem with too many people working casual.

Anyway, imagine my actual horror when I discovered this 'casual' scheme is just about the standard framework for working in the states - and they don't even get casual loading!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

lamest assassin ever

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 weeks ago

i love that i grew up in a 'post-history' world of peace because of pax americana. was taught from day one that we live in a civilized, elevated society compared to our history. anyway first sign of conflict from any country that isn't the states throws that conception into the dust bin, russian intellectuals can go fuck themselves for the crime of living in a different country, lol get rekt

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Powerful design.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 month ago

Luna Oi is peak tankietuber

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