This is like, a really good game. Only remember hearing bad things about it when it launched; how it was broken and glitchy, but also that it wasn't a very good game besides. but I had also heard it held in very high regard elsewhere. so had uncertain expectations. but its pretty awesome. smooth 60fps and nearly technically flawless on PS5 -- save for one area: was driving along and fell right through a bridge as if it didn't exist. tested it 4 times and the same thing happened. it was just kinda funny. when I got around to the area I needed just past that point, though, nothing really loaded in right. cars looked like blue, oblong blobs. very strange. but this didn't hinder anything game wise, so who cares. Game looks good, sounds good, runs good, feels good to play.

I really enjoyed the story as it moved along and got pretty invested in it and the characters. Deacon, Boozer, Sarah, Iron Mike, Rikki, et al. Good characters all around throughout the game and very well acted (though, unfortunately, Deacon does not scream "KENOBIIIIII").

great gameplay loop. enjoyed the open world, mission and progression systems. just really fun riding through the wasteland clearing side missions, especially as you continue upgrading Deacon, your weapons, and your bike.

I was not looking forward to hordes at all. running into them early game just bugged me out and I didn't know what to do and got so overwhelmed. and then to learn that those were actually the tiny ones, and I took out a hundreds strong one before even getting to the one you do for a story mission. obviously having the right weapons and upgrades help. you are faster than the horde, you just need enough stamina to stay faster than the horde. and you need the Chicago chopper. it is really a cool learning curve, that feels parallel to Deacon's own progression, getting used to the feeling of having a horde after you, and being calm enough to know what to do. Also just pretty technically impressive having that much going on.

And finally, yeah, I now understand the outrage over the supposed sequel getting canned. cause I was right there with Deek saying "what the fuck?" during that very final cutscene of the game with O'Brian. The story and lore were built so well and there is so much room for more, especially with that ending. Gotta have it, Sony.

pretty great - not really a review, just a thought journal.

Ending of episode 1 was great/wild, even though I spoiled the very end of it for myself. Episode 4 was even better though.

very spoilery


Minerva's arrival at the bridge is the single best thing that ever happened in the game series. I know I'm fresh off it, but it might be one of the coolest things in the entire TWDU. RIP my boy Tennessee, though, hated losing him like that. was considering going back through and not trusting AJ so the outcome would have been violet and clem both dying but at least AJ has his buddy Tenn....even though he hilariously called him stupid so many times. BUT I was absolutely shocked when Clem showed up at the end, like dear god that twist was so well done. I thought it was some kind of dream sequence. I've always regretted choosing to tell Clem not to shoot Lee, so I went with telling AJ to kill clem. it was rough watching AJ swing that axe down on her. no thought whatsoever that he went for the leg. heck I was worried Violet would be upset with him for shooting Tenn to save her; and then I thought it was her calling him goofball, and was like oh that's nice, but then it was Clementine (plus Violet not holding grudge over Tenn)! So I was happy to keep my gals Clementine and Violet together. Don't remember much from the previous games, but that feels like the toughest choice/consequence in the games, ending up with Tenn or Violet getting killed, at least for me personally. I think they nailed the landing, great ending to the game and the series. at least for my play through, guess I don't know all the other possible outcomes. Oh and the song during the episode 4 credits was beautiful.


p.s. if your grandma is dying, stop watching cartoons.

this game..well it just didn't work out as I'd hoped. I'd enjoyed the other Arkham games to varying degrees, and expected this would follow suit, but alas. it feels handicapped, especially in traversal-- like why in the hell can't I grapple anywhere? that batclaw ought to be grabbing anything I want. just awful traversing the map. I thought I liked the combat and gameplay in these games, but I just could not jive with it in this. maybe its from another time, or maybe this game just doesn't do it as well as the others. and seemed like the gameplay loop was take a few steps, stop, pull out a gadget, use gadget, walk a few steps, repeat. combat just didn't feel fun or smooth or rewarding at all. and the story, just weird and bad pacing; felt like it was over but then it wasn't and it went on including fighting bane twice more for some reason. and are you shitting me with that whole firefly bridge incident/fight? some of the story was good, I guess. I liked the stuff with the joker and his funhouse bit, and the Harleen Quinzel meeting.

I had wanted to fill this blindspot for a long time, but perhaps I should have listened to the crowd saying it's shit, rather than the crowd saying it's underrated.