Nod Krai: just a detour, or the road which matters most? saurusness 2026-09-23 | Nod Krai: just a detour, or the road which matters most?
I know exactly what you think, even though I havent heard a word youve said. saurusness 2025-08-04 | With Nod Krai bringing Genshin back and WuWa making waves, it's time to talk about tribalism.Is this Genshin? youtube.com/watch?v=GoOJoFgE_44&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemThe gacha space is forever filled with rage and divisive takes, with people picking sides and refusing to engage with one another. If my experience is anything to go by, it’s very easy to get caught in the crossfire, and many people will take a simple misunderstanding and extrapolate from there until they think they know everything about your perspective.A lot of this is the fault of content creators — or if not “fault”, at least responsibility — but unfortunately the incentives created by the platforms we use and basic human nature make this whole mess almost inevitable.Fortunately, while the people who revel in all of that are loud, they are a minority. And while it is a little annoying to have to deal with, I do find it fascinating.Rinascita review: youtube.com/watch?v=dFks_sJqY0U&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemPhrolova speculation: youtube.com/watch?v=iH2TsKCY4l0&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemNatlan story: youtube.com/watch?v=fZ2jrQ6fZiU&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemNatlan designs: youtube.com/watch?v=GoOJoFgE_44&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemTLDW: WOMAN Merch:T-shirt: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/products/tldw-woman-teeHoodie: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/products/tldw-woman-hoodieMug: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/products/tldw-woman-mug 00:00 Intro00:46 What is tribalism?01:47 Content creators • Beginnings02:41 Content creators • Hyperbole03:34 Content creators • Reinforcing bias04:10 Content creators • Self-censorship04:57 Content creators • My experience05:36 Content creators • My experience • WuWa 2.006:40 Content creators • My experience • My mistakes07:51 The tribespeople • Impressions08:47 The tribespeople • Assumptions09:40 The tribespeople • Endgame11:02 The tribespeople • No returns12:05 The tribespeople • My experience12:27 The tribespeople • My experience • Phrolova13:59 The tribespeople • My experience • Natlan story14:54 The tribespeople • My experience • Natlan designs16:04 The tribespeople • My experience • Natlan racism16:46 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UKtwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Why does Nod Krai feel like Genshin? saurusness 2025-07-29 | After a year of Natlan, Nod Krai's character designs feel like a return to Genshin.Equipment RNG sucks: youtube.com/watch?v=D05rW_gnPGc&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem00:00 Intro00:40 What's a design language? • In general01:28 What's a design language? • For characters02:28 Genshin's language • Overall themes03:40 Genshin's language • Visuals04:57 Genshin's language • Movement05:59 Genshin's language • Exceptions06:27 Genshin's language06:44 Nations • Mondstadt07:34 Nations • Liyue08:17 Nations • Inazuma09:01 Nations • Sumeru10:13 Nations • Fontaine10:54 Natlan • Themes11:54 Natlan • Characters13:27 Natlan • Consequences14:35 Nod Krai15:00 Nod Krai • 5.8 livestream16:07 Nod Krai • Character teaser17:47 Nod Krai • Ineffa teaser18:19 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UKtwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #ineffa #nodkrai #welkin
Did Septimont live up to expectations? saurusness 2025-07-22 | I hoped Septimont would prove WuWa's storytelling quality, but it wasn't quite what I expected.The gacha villain problem: youtube.com/watch?v=iH2TsKCY4l0&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemRinascita’s quests have been a MASSIVE step up compared to everything that came before — Cartethyia’s story in particular swept me away, with its simple, heartfelt tale told with FAR more skill than I’d ever have expected.I was FINALLY excited to see where Kuro would take things in the future. Would they continue their steady improvement? Could they get it right in a quest with a less intimate focus? And would they take the opportunity to show Cartethyia CONTINUING to grow as a person?In many ways, Septimont DID live up to those high expectations.But there was still something missing.And if the discussions I’ve seen about the quest are anything to go by, I’m not the only one who enjoyed the journey, but ended up slightly confused about the details.00:00 Intro00:45 The positives • Hooks01:54 The positives • Presentation03:23 The positives • Characterisation • Lupa05:31 The positives • Characterisation • Cartethyia06:29 Ambition • Non-linear narratives07:39 Ambition • Complexity08:45 Ambition • Confusion10:30 Isolation11:58 Pacing12:27 Pacing • Gaining trust13:24 Pacing • Confronting power14:26 Pacing • Hanging lanterns15:53 Aftermath16:26 New questions17:01 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk WuWa and other games, streams 3pm UK every Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #ProjectWAVE #Lupa #Cartethyia #Septimont
Phrolovas release could define the future of Wuthering Waves saurusness 2025-07-17 | Nothing kills a villain faster than a gacha banner — but can Phrolova escape her fate?Stop Killing Games: youtube.com/watch?v=fTzayQZqo-M&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemGacha games live and die by the characters they introduce — and their appeal is not just their appearance or their strength, but also how they shape the stories we’re all experiencing together. A new character isn’t just another fighter to drop into your team. They’re a new person to meet, a new story to unravel, sometimes even a herald of a new direction for the game’s main narrative.But what happens when that new recruit was once the villain you loved to hate? Redemption arcs can be compelling, but gacha storytelling rarely has the subtle patience required to make them work. Far too often they’re revealed to be a misunderstood antihero, and the narrative just waves away their crimes.We want strong villains in our stories because they push the heroes to their limits — but at the same time, we crave characters we can love. And when a villain becomes playable, the tension between those two desires can cause serious problems.So what’s the point of villains in a gacha game? Are they doomed to be retconned the moment they become playable? And why do we care either way?00:00 Intro01:01 Phrolova's release01:38 The pattern02:43 Expectations vs standards03:21 Antagonists vs villains • The confusion04:14 Antagonists vs villains • Types of antagonist05:07 Antagonists vs villains • Dualism05:53 Antagonists vs villains • Moral nuance06:58 Evil doesn't sell • Connection08:14 Evil doesn't sell • Roleplay08:59 Evil doesn't sell • Relatability10:30 The Fractsidus11:47 Phrolova • Past encounters12:36 Phrolova • Redemption13:21 Phrolova • The paths forward14:16 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk WuWaand other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #ProjectWAVE #Phrolova
Maybe its about time I did! Which anime series should I try? saurusness 2025-07-11 | While I play many anime-style games, you might be shocked to hear I've never really watched anime.Stop killing games: youtube.com/watch?v=fTzayQZqo-M&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem&index=1It comes up a lot on my streams — someone comes in all excited about their new obsession, or maybe they’re just curious which ones I’ve loved in the past. And considering how much time I spend playing Genshin, WuWa, Star Rail, and several others with similar aesthetics, it always feels a little odd that I have to admit to never getting into it.It’s about time we fixed that — but I’m going to need your help.I have watched two series from start to finish, but that’s the sum total of my exposure to actual anime. If you’ve seen any of my videos about the quests in the games I play, you’ll know just how important stories are to me. I love books, films, TV, and narrative games — and animation is actually one of my favourite mediums. I’m pretty sure there’s tons of anime out there which I’d completely fall in love with.The problem? There’s so much to try that I can’t figure out where to start.So here’s the plan: in this video I’m going to talk briefly about some of the stories I’ve absolutely loved in other mediums and highlight what stands out to me about each of them, and I’ll also share my overall feelings about those two I’ve watched previously.And with that, hopefully, you’ll be able to come in with some suggestions which really deserve to be at the top of my list — and if people are interested, I’ll share my anime journey with you in future videos!00:00 Intro01:15 Favourites02:08 Animation • Western films02:54 Animation • Studio Ghibli03:53 Animation • Eastern films04:37 Animation • Cartoon Saloon05:21 Animation • The new wave06:20 Live-action • Triumph over adversity07:19 Live-action • Dark & twisted07:58 Live-action • Existential puzzles09:09 Live-action • Connection09:56 Live-action • The epic10:46 Games • Red Dead Redemption 211:49 Games • Horizon: Zero Dawn12:31 Games • The gacha games13:08 Books • Robin Hobb13:49 Books • Brandon Sanderson14:37 Books • Chris Wooding15:08 Books • Scott Lynch15:44 TV shows • Inconsistency16:34 TV shows • Mystery & dystopia17:17 TV shows • Arcane17:55 TV shows • Downton Abbey18:30 Anime • The second one19:09 Anime • The first one19:47 Anime • Oops21:11 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk about anime, films, TV, games, and anything else - streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Stop Killing Games is important saurusness 2025-07-02 | Stop Killing Games has rightfully gained some momentum, but is it relevant for gachas?Equipment RNG sucks: youtube.com/watch?v=D05rW_gnPGc&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemPeople often lament the way the modern world leaves us with less and less ownership of the things we buy. In some cases, this has reached absurd levels: cars where you need to pay a subscription in order to enable the heating which is already built into the seats, printers which refuse to print if you buy ink from a different company, or that one time Amazon deleted 1984 from Kindle devices. The Stop Killing Games movement aims to reverse this trend when it comes to games. In a landscape where almost everything is live-service with endless microtransactions, and players seem to have no rights left at all, their initiative requests new laws which put back some ownership into our hands.Let’s talk about what they’re asking for, why you should pay attention, and why something which might sound like it’s aimed at removing DRM from single-player games does apply to live-service gacha games.Stop Killing Games: stopkillinggames.comEU Petition: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/045/public/UK Petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/702074Original video: youtube.com/watch?v=HIfRLujXtUo00:00 Intro00:52 Stop Killing Games • What is it?02:20 Stop Killing Games • Why now?03:46 Stop Killing Games • What is it not?04:52 Stop Killing Games • Why the EU matters05:59 Live service • Ownership07:43 Live service • Multiplayer09:26 Live service • Gachas10:19 Gacha players' perspective • Emotional investment12:09 Gacha players' perspective • What would be left?14:13 Developers' perspective15:50 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin, Wuthering Waves, and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#stopkillinggames #piratesoftware #rossscott #genshinimpact #wutheringwaves
Equipment RNG in gachas is awful, and the “solutions” are a joke. saurusness 2025-06-28 | The devs could easily fix it, but every QoL feature always misses the point.Creators experience games differently: youtube.com/watch?v=qgXEHmBV4jY&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemIt’s a common theme across all these games that if you want your account to be strong, you need to spend a ridiculous amount of time grinding away in the equipment mines, with no guarantee you’ll ever strike gold.Some people claim to enjoy the experience, others argue that it’s a necessary evil to keep people coming back or provide at least SOMETHING to fill the content drought between updates, and it’s pretty clear that the devs themselves want these systems to be central to their games. But from what I’ve seen they’re frustrating at best, and ultimately drive away many who otherwise enjoy playing.And on some level at least, the devs DO acknowledge this is a problem they need to fix. They drag their feet as much as they can, but now that there’s some competition in the space, they’re at least PRETENDING to make it a little less of a pain to deal with — though the way they always kneecap any features they release to “fix” this is just ridiculous.Since a couple of the games I play have done just that in recent updates, it’s a perfect time to talk about it.Duet Night Abyss first impressions: youtu.be/4XkRvtIXwWg00:00 Intro00:58 I hate it all02:26 What is equipment RNG?04:04 The dev's perspective • Progression05:15 The dev's perspective • Psychology05:59 The dev's perspective • Monetisation06:48 The dev's perspective • Engagement08:29 The dev's perspective • Replayability09:21 The mitigations • Strongboxes10:06 The mitigations • Rerolls11:12 The mitigations • Stat selectors12:05 The mitigations • Crafting13:17 The mitigations • Infinite farming14:20 The mitigations • Loadouts16:23 The player's perspective • Progression17:36 The player's perspective • Longevity19:04 The player's perspective • Monetisation19:59 The player's perspective • Disregard21:24 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin, WuWa, and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #wutheringwaves #projectwave
Everything we ever wanted from a gacha game? Duet Night Abyss devs seem to actually be listening! saurusness 2025-06-20 | Pre-register now: bit.ly/45iRmFiNever miss an update on Duet Night Abyss by following their Twitter and YouTube accounts: Official X: bit.ly/3HzLJbMOfficial YouTube:bit.ly/4kztKAMAll footage used is from the 2nd Beta Test, and does not represent the final game quality.Might Duet Night Abyss give us everything we wanted from a gacha game?Pan Studio invited me to take part in their second closed beta test and sponsored this video, and I’m so happy to have had a chance to give it a try — so far, I’m genuinely impressed.DNA is a gacha RPG with hybrid action combat with dizzying scope for player expression, an intriguing story mechanic where your dialogue choices have an actual effect on your interactions with the world, and so many of the quality-of-life features that the wider community have been begging for for years.And they also seem to have a dev team who acknowledge issues, listen to feedback, and quickly change things for the better. The progress they’ve made since the first beta test a mere three months ago is staggering.This will, of course, be my unbiased perspective on my experience with the game — I only had a couple of days to play, so remember these are very much first impressions, and since this is a beta, the in-game footage does not represent the final quality of the game.00:00 Intro01:13 Combat • First impressions02:55 Combat • Weapon types03:39 Combat • Problems & concerns05:01 Build systems • First impressions05:31 Build systems • Weapons & levelling06:17 Build systems • Demon wedges07:46 Build systems • Geniemon08:32 Build systems • Tactical backpack09:45 Build systems10:09 Exploration11:12 Gacha12:34 Story14:46 Characters & customisation16:26 Technical issues17:27 Devs listened18:11 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Duet Night Abyss and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#duetnightabyss #duetnightabyssbeta #duetnightabysscbt #duetnightabysscbt2
Where are the alternatives to Infinity Nikki? This is why people still play. saurusness 2025-06-16 | Infold still won't address the real issues, but there's nothing else like Nikki out there...More thoughts & explorations: youtube.com/watch?v=qgXEHmBV4jY&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemInfinity Nikki’s new update is out, and while Infold have fixed most of the technical issues introduced in version 1.5, they remain silent on the more important complaints that many players really cared about.They even agreed to a brief interview with Pocket Tactics which was absolutely surreal.While it’s possible they’re working on a change of direction and are just waiting until they have everything in place before they share anything — and there have been one or two hints that this might actually be the case — many people who were angry at Infold’s decisions are giving up, and leaving the game behind.Throughout this whole fiasco, many from outside the community could not understand why people struggled to let go in the first place.Since I never got to make that video sharing my thoughts about the game before it all exploded, let’s talk about why I loved it, briefly recap how they broke it in 1.5 and what they’re adding in 1.6, take a look at that super weird interview, and then see why the alternatives people keep suggesting just do not hit the spot.Pocket Tactics x Infinity Nikki interview: pockettactics.com/infinity-nikki/interview00:00 Intro00:55 Why I loved it • Exploration & story02:16 Why I loved it • Dress-up03:27 Why I loved it • Community04:45 Why I loved it05:12 How they broke it05:25 How they broke it • Temporary issues06:09 How they broke it • Permanent decisions07:01 How they broke it • Current status08:43 How they broke it • The interview10:30 Alternatives11:07 Alternatives • Cozy games12:39 Alternatives • Indie exploration13:30 Alternatives • AAA exploration14:25 Alternatives • Open-world gachas15:12 Alternatives • 3D platformers16:07 Alternatives • Upcoming games17:19 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Infinity Nikki, Genshin, Wuwa, and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord
Why creators experience games differently, and why you should care! saurusness 2025-06-09 | My relationship with games has changed so much over the last few years...More thoughts & explorations: youtube.com/watch?v=chECdVJO5CU&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemSo many people want to be a content creator, especially in the gaming industry — for fame, or fortune, or just to escape the mundane horror of the modern working world. Many think that all you do is sit there playing games, which of course sounds like an absolute dream job.If only it really was that simple.For me, it started as a creative outlet, which slowly grew into something more. But while each step along the way has led to some of the best things that have ever happened to me, I can’t help but see the downsides too.And don’t get me wrong — in the grand scheme of things these downsides are small, and this is far better than any of the jobs I’ve had in the past. This video is not a lament about my first-world problems.But even if you’re not one of those who hope to build a community of your own, it’s still important to understand that any content creator will inevitably look at games from a different perspective to you.If you ever listen to what creators say, this should matter to you.00:00 Intro01:02 Immersion01:41 Immersion • Streaming03:11 Immersion • Essaying04:50 Time investment05:12 Time investment • Not enough content07:02 Time investment • Skill issues08:47 Time investment • Knowledge levels10:03 Time investment • Consequences11:06 Preferences11:25 Preferences • My journey12:20 Preferences • Different genres13:39 Preferences • Leaving it late15:17 Preferences • Expectations16:35 Preferences • Influence17:29 Tangents17:52 Tangents • Algorithmic pressure18:47 Tangents • Motivation19:35 Tangents • Burnout20:54 Tangents • Audience capture21:47 Tangents • Dramaturgical theory22:52 Tangents • Parasocial dynamics24:17 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin, WuWa, and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #wutheringwaves #projectwave #infinitynikki #rdr2 #expedition33 #horizonforbiddenwest #ghostoftsushima #thelastofus #stray
Is Genshin still worth it? Some would say no, but I still enjoy it. Lets talk about why! saurusness 2025-05-26 | Why would anyone still play Genshin Impact?More thoughts & explorations: youtube.com/watch?v=qgXEHmBV4jY&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemI get asked this question a lot, most often by people who used to play but eventually dropped it.Many of the game’s most vocal critics enjoyed it at first, and loved it for its sheer potential, but slowly became disillusioned by issues they felt held it back, and a lack of improvement over time.Regardless of how you feel about Genshin, if you step back from the rampant tribalism, a lot of the criticism is valid.But while I understand where they’re coming from, I still genuinely enjoy playing, and I’d argue that the part of the game I care about the most has improved over time, and the problems with others are often overstated.Other mentioned videos:youtube.com/watch?v=dFks_sJqY0Uyoutube.com/watch?v=IwN80aqEE34youtube.com/watch?v=fZ2jrQ6fZiUyoutube.com/watch?v=6eH6QOqevEEyoutube.com/watch?v=NbDXwuUWxhY00:00 Intro00:36 Perspective02:03 Exploration02:50 Exploration • Distribution03:41 Exploration • Traversal07:29 Exploration • Rewards09:27 Exploration • Chaining11:04 Exploration • Natlan13:05 Key positives • Ambience & nostalgia14:04 Key positives • Community & content15:25 Mixed feelings • Storytelling16:43 Mixed feelings • Creativity17:24 Mixed feelings • Habit18:05 Other reasons • Competition18:35 Other reasons • Lore diving19:02 Other reasons • Combat19:45 Other reasons • Completionism20:23 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
The Infinity Nikki devs finally made a statement. Its not very good. saurusness 2025-05-20 | It’s been a long three weeks since the version 1.5 update dropped...More on Infinity Nikki: youtube.com/watch?v=o9zqVT-Fcxw&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem...and two weeks since I made my first video about the issues. It feels like it’s been longer.Infold’s silence has been deafening, especially because as time passed even more widespread issues came to light. It’s been hard to imagine what the company could possibly do to fix this, but at the same time it seemed impossible that they would completely ignore it — that would have been the worst thing they could do.Now that they’ve finally spoken up, let’s see whether they’ve actually addressed any of the problems this time.My previous video: youtube.com/watch?v=jCRiq002enwThe devs response: https://x.com/InfinityNikkiEN/status/1923937697745469653Reddit post explaining the illegal practices: reddit.com/r/InfinityNikki/comments/1kpra2c/a_list_of_the_illegal_practices_of_infold_and00:00 Intro00:34 The situation02:03 Further issues • Spending event03:04 Further issues • Dyeing colours03:55 Further issues • Currency disappearing05:11 Further issues • Promos & bot reviews05:46 Further issues • Missed subscriptions06:47 The apology • The obvious08:25 The apology • The retcon09:19 The apology • The future plans10:43 The apology • The compensation11:28 The apology • The followups12:05 Ignoring the issues12:52 Breaking the law13:46 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Infinity Nikki and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#infinitynikki #boycott #girlcott #update
Why would anyone ever play a gacha game? And whats wrong with them in the first place? saurusness 2025-05-13 | Gacha monetisation is predatory at best, if not outright evil...More thoughts & explorations: youtube.com/watch?v=qgXEHmBV4jY&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJem...the companies which make these games range from problematic to incredibly anti-consumer.So why would anyone ever play a gacha game?Up until a few years ago, I would have never considered giving them a try. After all, there are so many other games to play, ones where you pay a reasonable price up front and then play to your heart’s content. My impression was that gachas were low quality cash grabs, which preyed on people who were essentially gambling addicts, and cost exponentially more than any game ever should.And to be clear, to this day I still dislike gacha monetisation. Yet I now count a couple of gachas amongst my favourite games of the last few years.Have I gone mad?Or, just maybe, might some gacha developers have struck a balance which makes the whole idea just about acceptable? And could there even be some hidden upsides to these games that people who have carefully avoided them are unaware of?Let’s talk about it.00:00 Intro00:54 What is a gacha?01:35 Why accept it?01:51 Why accept it? • Game first, gacha second02:38 Why accept it? • The total price05:04 Why accept it? • The grand scope06:59 Why accept it? • Conclusion07:14 The almost-good07:50 The almost-good • Pity systems08:58 The almost-good • Pay to play10:27 The almost-good • Pay to win11:06 The almost-good • Difficulty spikes11:51 The almost-good • Pay what you want12:26 The almost-good • Consistent comfort13:19 The bad • Acclimatisation14:00 The bad • Appeal14:42 The bad • Powercreep15:38 The bad • Completionism17:05 The bad • Social pressure18:31 The ugly • Conditioning19:15 The ugly • Normalisation19:59 The ugly • Artificial scarcity20:34 The ugly • Obfuscation21:33 How to play gachas without losing your mind23:06 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin, WuWa, and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #wutheringwaves #projectwave
The worst gacha update ever made? What are the Infinity Nikki execs thinking! saurusness 2025-05-05 | One of my favourite games managed to destroy its goodwill in the space of just a few days.More on Infinity Nikki: youtube.com/watch?v=snkIB8xAmEE&list=PL9ZYbPkYPaHPKf8VMpUmv3FwURBFoFJemWhile the rest of the gacha space is forever on fire for various reasons, Infinity Nikki had been an oasis of calm. It was never going to last, since these games tend to start off with a bang to attract new players and then slowly degrade over time, but a mere five-month-long honeymoon period was far shorter than anyone would have guessed.If you think the state of WuWa, Genshin, Star Rail, or any of the others has been bad... Infinity Nikki right now makes all those other situations look kinda chill.Some might argue that it’s bad to highlight this whole thing, but I think that’s short-sighted. I love this game I and want it to thrive — and for that to happen, Infold needs to hear the concerns of their players. The more people who are aware of it, the better.00:00 Intro00:47 Infinity Nikki01:43 Infinity Nikki • My experience03:01 Infinity Nikki • High expectations04:06 What happened? • The wishlist04:43 What happened? • The update05:56 What happened? • The retcon • The tutorial07:42 What happened? • The retcon • The implications09:17 What happened? • The plague11:40 What happened? • The monetisation • Dyeing & palettes12:47 What happened? • The monetisation • Outfits & gacha15:22 What happened? • The monetisation • The bathtub15:57 What happened? • The monetisation • The endgame16:34 The fallout17:37 The cc reaction19:09 The response21:56 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Infinity Nikki and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#infinitynikki
What did WuWa do differently to make its latest story work so well? saurusness 2025-04-28 | While many people lower their expectations the moment they load up a gacha game, I’ve always argued that there’s nothing stopping them from creating something memorable. The lore behind the scenes is often interesting enough that it could become a good foundation, and sometimes the stories themselves have some great ideas.And the characters? The entire point of these games is to make you want to spend money on them, so surely it’s in their interests to make them feel compelling. If anything, gachas should have the most incentive to tell stories which really capture your heart and soul.A few months ago I made a video talking about the storytelling in a different game, focusing on some general areas where I found it disappointing. Up until now, WuWa has had a lot of the same problems — after all, many games do.But the latest chapter got almost all of them right.00:00 Intro00:50 Spoiler-free first01:10 Story hooks03:30 Presentation • Too many words04:11 Presentation • Environmental storytelling05:29 Presentation • Subtext & subtlety07:00 Presentation • Cinematography08:04 Depth & breadth • Characterisation09:06 Depth & breadth • Lore & history10:46 Depth & breadth • Themes11:24 Depth & breadth • Consequences11:57 Spoiler-free thoughts12:58 Cantarella • Introduction13:46 Cantarella • Subversion15:26 Cartethyia • Introduction16:41 Cartethyia • Growth17:38 Cartethyia • Finale19:34 Cartethyia • Looking forward20:18 Other characters21:17 Themes23:36 Gameplay24:44 Pacing & infodumps26:27 ConclusionWuthering Waves is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk WuWa and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #wuwa #ProjectWave #cartethyia #cantarella #ciaccona
Why are we expecting any gacha game to be “generous”? Wuthering Waves anniversary analysis! saurusness 2025-04-22 | After the Wuthering Waves anniversary stream announced very underwhelming rewards alongside a whopping twelve limited character banners presented as “player friendly”, there’s been a lot of people loudly expressing their displeasure, and Kuro’s response so far has been underwhelming.They cultivated a reputation for generosity thanks to how they responded to the issues and controversy over the course of the game’s first few patches, and after steadying the ship they took a huge step up in the quality of the game from version 2 onwards.While other prominent gachas have consistently put out very disappointing rewards for their anniversaries, many fans hoped that Kuro would buck the trend and give them something which really celebrated just how far the game has come since the dark days of its launch.And yet, here we are.I think pretty much everyone can agree that the rewards they announced during the stream were at best a little underwhelming, and the presentation was an obvious own goal.But there’s been a little more info since then, and also after thinking through the implications, dare I say it that the outrage over the rerun banners is a little overblown? It’s at least a little more complicated than it seems at first glance.Let’s talk about where people are coming from, why they are still absolutely right to demand more, and why the whole conversation is a weird one in the first place.00:00 Intro01:15 Anniversaries01:53 Expectations03:13 What happened?04:01 What happened? • Rewards04:48 What happened? • Context05:28 What happened? • Presentation06:31 What counts as generous? • Compared to pity07:16 What counts as generous? • The bigger picture08:26 What counts as generous? • Setting expectations09:48 Rerun banners • A minor positive11:20 Rerun banners • Still not great12:18 Was it deliberate?14:09 Psychological anchoring15:28 ConclusionWuthering Waves is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk WuWa and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #wuwa #ProjectWave #anniversary
Challenging battles without timers? This is EXACTLY what weve been asking for. saurusness 2025-04-18 | If Wuthering Waves don’t make their latest combat event into a permanent endgame mode, I’ll actually be upset.And I’m not even that into the game’s combat — I enjoy it, but it’s not my favourite part.After playing countless rounds of all the different types of endgame across several similar gacha games, I had kinda learned to overlook the parts which make each of them annoying, and focus on the few things about each one which made them at least a little fun.Even when an endgame mode has serious problems, there can still be reasons to appreciate it. There’s one in particular which it seems like 90% of people hate, which I still manage to enjoy.And despite there being so many different endgames already, WuWa’s Virtual Crisis event — with a few minor tweaks — would be in a league of its own.To really dig deep into why I feel that way, let’s talk about endgame in general — what it is, why it exists, and the pros and cons of the existing ones in the games I’ve played — so that we can see how this new event bucks the trend in so many ways.00:54 What is an endgame?01:16 Motivation to pull02:08 Guiding players02:42 What makes a good endgame? • Purpose & progress03:36 What makes a good endgame? • Mastery & strategy04:39 What makes a good endgame? • Variety & creativity05:21 What makes a good endgame? • Incentives & rewards06:06 What makes a good endgame? • The most important part06:38 Why do they fall short?07:05 Genshin Impact07:31 Genshin Impact • Spiral Abyss09:13 Genshin Impact • Imaginarium Theater11:20 Honkai Star Rail12:39 Honkai Star Rail • Memory of Chaos13:29 Honkai Star Rail • Pure Fiction14:06 Honkai Star Rail • Apocalyptic Shadow14:48 Wuthering Waves16:08 Wuthering Waves • Tower of Adversity17:17 Wuthering Waves • Tactical Holograms18:41 Wuthering Waves • Illusive Realm20:09 Wuthering Waves • Whimpering Wastes21:04 Virtual Crisis21:30 Virtual Crisis • No timers22:20 Virtual Crisis • Variety23:14 Virtual Crisis • Rewards24:05 Virtual Crisis • Difficulty24:49 ConclusionWuthering Waves is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk WuWa and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #wuwa #ProjectWave #virtualcrisis #endgame #spiralabyss #genshin #hsr
Questioning SAG doesnt make you pro AI. We do not want AI voice acting in Genshin. Heres why! saurusness 2025-04-11 | Many people in the Genshin community are rightfully upset after finding out that much of what we were told about the voice actors’ strike isn’t quite as accurate as we were led to believe.A majority make a point to emphasise that despite everything we’ve learned, we’re still in favour of actors being protected from AI exploitation, we still want everyone to be paid fairly, and we support unions in general, regardless of how distasteful we find some of the practices and policies which are apparently common in America.Nuance is important, and people do not want to be told not to look too deep into things. We’re here because we care, all we ask is a little transparency. It doesn’t matter if it’s complex, many of us would gladly take the time to understand.However, there are some people who have been calling for all the English voice actors to be replaced, preferably with generative AI.Let’s talk about why that’s the last thing most of us want.00:00 Intro00:50 Collective punishment01:32 Transparency02:13 Why do I care?03:23 Emotional connection04:50 Depth & nuance06:14 Creativity07:39 Consistency08:40 Unvoiced quests10:05 AI in other games11:24 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #voiceacting
Xianyun is the best mother. Genshin character review! saurusness 2025-04-08 | If you ask people who they think the best-written characters are in Genshin, few would pick Xianyun. And if you ask who is their favourite to play, she’s even less likely to be mentioned.And yet, I would include her in both lists.She is unique in so many ways. She was present in the game from the start, but for years was just an NPC without any hint that she would become playable. Her personality was abrasive and quirky, and in amongst the sea of side characters she always stood out. Even those who didn’t like her absolutely knew who she was.By the time she was revealed as an upcoming five star I wasn’t all that interested in her story, and while her playstyle looked unusual, it sounded very niche, and I was not excited.I planned to skip her.Instead, she absolutely stole the show.00:00 Intro00:43 An annoying bird01:46 A caring mother02:26 A memorable NPC02:58 Human form04:13 Hidden depths05:31 Mother bird06:19 Kit overview • Elemental burst06:48 Kit overview • 4th ascension passive07:19 Kit overview • Elemental skill08:03 Kit overview • 1st ascension passive08:27 Kit overview • Intended role09:12 Kit overview • Constellations10:10 Build overview • Priorities10:52 Build overview • Weapon11:45 Build overview • Artifact stats12:06 Build overview • Artifact sets12:24 Build overview • Talents12:41 Synergies • Furina13:07 Synergies • Iansan13:44 Synergies • Plunge DPS14:26 Synergies • Other DPS15:44 ConslusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #xianyun
Is the strike really JUST about AI any more? (Genshin & SAG-AFTRA) saurusness 2025-04-01 | What is actually going on with Genshin’s english voice actors?This isn’t my usual kind of topic, but after months of being generally supportive of the strike but a little unaware of the details, this week’s events finally pushed me to find the time to dive in.This has now consumed my life for the past several days, as I’ve made a point to go to the original source for everything.The situation has escalated globally, to the point where the playerbase and actors alike are turning on each other, and things are starting to take a really nasty turn. There’s a lot of misinformation being spread, and it can be difficult to get a clear picture of what’s really going on.Like many, for over a year I saw the surface-level discussions and explainers, and understood that the strike was just about protections against the use of generative AI, and the actors demanding to be paid a fair wage for their work. Both, in my opinion, are important topics and reasonable requests.The studio acting as the middleman between Hoyo and the voice actors were painted as the bad guys — after all, they have an awful track record on previous controversies, and were refusing to sign a simple contract which would protect their talent from the end of the voice acting industry as we know it — and Hoyo were seen as avoiding the opportunity to step in and protect the people who do so much to bring their characters to life.Typical, greedy corporations, right?Unfortunately, that was just the beginning.SAG-AFTRA Strike: sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/contracts/interactive-media-video-game-strikeSAG-AFTRA Strike Authorization: sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-members-approve-video-game-strike-authorization-vote-9832-yes-voteSAG-AFTRA IMA Comparison Chart: sagaftra.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/IMA%20Comparison%20Chart.pdfSAG-AFTRA Independent ILA: sagaftra.org/sites/default/files/2024%20Independent%20Interactive%20Localization%20Agreement_0.pdfSide Global: https://www.side.inc/services/audio-productionBeijing Internet Court Ruling: https://english.bjinternetcourt.gov.cn/2024-04/24/c_706.htmTaft-Hartley Act: nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/our-history/1947-taft-hartley-substantive-provisionsSAG-AFTRA Fi-Core Info: sagaftra.org/financial-coreSAG-AFTRA Global Rule One: sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/global-rule-one00:00 Intro01:15 The beginning01:55 The problem02:57 My initial take03:31 Replacing Formosa04:23 The Kinich recast05:34 Why don't Hoyo sign?06:40 The comparison chart07:44 Union security08:13 Union security • Taft-Hartley act09:23 Union security • Long-term waivers10:04 Closed shop unions12:03 Legitimate questions13:04 Why didn't changing studios help?14:06 Why are some VAs returning?14:45 Why are some roles recast?16:15 Crossing the picket lines17:38 An absolute dumpsterfire20:06 Possible outcomes20:43 Possible outcomes • The stalemate continues21:06 Possible outcomes • The strike ends21:37 Possible outcomes • The strike succeeds21:55 Possible outcomes • The union compromises22:14 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #sagaftrastrike
Am I a whale or just a dolphin? And what do those terms mean anyway? saurusness 2025-03-25 | Not too long ago I described myself as a “small dolphin” while scrolling through the list of characters I have on my main account, and multiple people in the comments said there’s no way I’m not a “whale”.I would be totally fine with being called a whale, but I’m a little unconvinced that it really fits.Those comments brought a number of questions to mind. What makes a person a whale? Does my account actually fit the definition? What about the special circumstances which make my situation a little different to a typical player?And what’s the absolute most that one person could spend on Genshin realistically?I find these questions kinda interesting, so let’s let’s take a look at the different levels of spending which I personally think of as the boundaries between the different “types” of Genshin account, and then see where my own account fits into the scale, and why it matters.KeqingMains Gacha analysis: library.keqingmains.com/general-mechanics/gachaReddit post where someone's fiance spent $600 on C6 Furina on their emergency credit card: reddit.com/r/AmIOverreacting/comments/1jem774/aio_my_fiance_spent_600_on_gachaSectoidfodder's Genshin Bookkeeping sheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1l9HPu2cAzTckdXtr7u-7D8NSKzZNUqOuvbmxERFZ_6w/edit?gid=955728278#gid=95572827800:00 Intro00:43 Why are we fishing?01:27 Freemogems02:02 Welkin & battle pass02:39 Leviathan03:00 Leviathan • Characters03:45 Leviathan • Weapons04:14 Leviathan • Resin04:32 Leviathan • Total spent05:00 The main categories • Typical whales05:58 The main categories • Small whales06:40 The main categories • Minnows & dolphins07:55 My account08:33 My account • How much I've spent09:30 My account • Why it's different10:35 My account • Level of investment11:23 How much is too much?12:54 Why does it matter?13:52 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Are these games a mistake, or is there something different about gachas? saurusness 2025-03-20 | Are we heading towards an open world gachapocalypse, or is there just something different about gacha games?If you’re a fan of open-world games and at least tolerate gacha mechanics — or the other way around — the next couple of years look incredible at first glance. There are so many games on their way which have so much potential, that it’s actually been hard to keep track.But as someone who pays as much attention to the western gaming industry as the east, I can’t help but see some troubling similarities.AAA western companies saw the runaway success of several live-service games which had given us something new, and spent years working on their own attempts at the same ideas. Years later, one after another these games were finally ready for release …only to find that their investment crashed and burned in the face of either indifference or outright disdain from their audience.Are we about to see the same happen in the gacha industry, or will they succeed where the western developers failed?I could see arguments either way, but personally think there are reasons to be optimistic.Let’s talk about it.Upcoming gachas mentioned:- Arknights Endfield- Ananta (formerly Project Mugen)- Azur Promilia- Neverness to Everness- Wangyue- Duet Night Abyss- White Shadow- Unending Dawn- Xunjing- Axis of Eternity- Mongil: Star Dive- Project 2/3 Utopia- The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin- Project Crescent- Astaweave Haven- Rumoured open-world Nikke gacha game00:00 Intro00:56 Western live-service • Origins02:22 Western live-service • Oversaturation03:49 Western live-service • Collapse05:46 Open-world gachas • Genshin Impact06:48 Open-world gachas • Tower of Fantasy07:19 Open-world gachas • Wuthering Waves08:03 Open-world gachas • Infinity Nikki08:46 Open-world gachas • Coming soon09:58 Reasons for optimism10:24 Reasons for optimism • Diversity11:27 Reasons for optimism • Narrative12:14 Reasons for optimism • Dedication12:59 Reasons for optimism • Revenue13:41 Reasons for optimism • Competition14:38 ConclusionI'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #endfield #arknights #arknightsendfield #azurpromilia #ananta #projectmugen #nte #nevernestoeverness #wangyue #duetnightabyss #whiteshadow #unendingdawn #xunjing #axisofeternity #mongilstardive #project23utopia #thesevendeadlysinsorigin #projectcrescent #nikke #astaweave haven
People are right to be upset. Realm of Tempered Valor analysis! saurusness 2025-03-14 | I really disliked the Realm of Tempered Valor, and many other people did too.Normally I'm all for fighting events — I actually enjoy Genshin's combat, and these are often the highlight of the patch for me, especially when there isn't a new region or a new Archon Quest.While I’m not a whale and I have zero interest in hyper-investing into powerful characters or even following the meta at all, I’ve completed all the content for years — including the Abyss — and even had fun getting platinum medals on most combat events in the past.So why is this event the first one which really got my hackles up, and why do others agree?Did Hoyo do something which actually crossed a line?Or are the people who dislike it just proving Hoyo right that new endgame content would make players feel anxious?00:00 Intro00:41 Event basics01:25 My perspective02:03 Main account • Level of investment02:56 Main account • Event experience04:34 Main account • Initial thoughts05:35 F2P account • Level of investment06:27 F2P account • Event experience07:35 Friend's account • Level of investment09:14 Friend's account • First attempt11:04 Friend's account • Building Mavuika11:55 Friend's account • Second attempt12:28 Friend's account • Building Citlali13:11 Friend's account • Final attempt14:15 Mavuika bait16:12 Reward structures18:13 The leaderboard18:53 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
And why did I never play him? Genshin character review! saurusness 2025-03-11 | Just who is Wriothesley?I loved most of the Fontaine characters’ designs from the moment Hoyo released the trailer, but there was something about Wriothesley which really caught my eye.I couldn’t wait to meet him. But while I enjoyed some of his scenes in the archon quests, he left almost no lasting impression on me, aside from his love for tea.His playstyle, too, felt absolutely fantastic in his trial, so I pulled and built him straight away, and enjoyed him a ton. But unlike the rest of my Fontaine characters, after the first few weeks I pretty much entirely forgot that he existed. I’ve barely touched him since.I feel like he deserves better than that.So. Time to think back to the Fontaine Archon Quests, and to finally play his story quest, and find out who he really is. And, of course, it’s time to punch some robots!00:00 Intro00:44 First impressions01:34 Archon quests • Act III02:40 Archon quests • Act IV03:51 Archon quests • Act V04:20 Story quest05:25 Who is Wriothesley? • Justice & redemption06:17 Who is Wriothesley? • Intelligence06:53 Who is Wriothesley? • Compassion07:22 Who is Wriothesley?07:55 Kit overview08:35 Kit overview • Normal attacks08:50 Kit overview • Elemental skill09:16 Kit overview • A1 passive09:43 Kit overview • A4 passive09:58 Kit overview • Elemental burst10:12 Build • Priorities10:31 Build • Weapon11:09 Build • Artifact stats11:30 Build • Artifact sets12:08 Build • Talents12:19 Why I never used him13:33 Team archetypes • Melt14:32 Team archetypes • Freeze15:29 Team archetypes • Mono cryo15:56 Team archetypes • Double geo16:19 Team archetypes • Burgeon16:50 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #wriothesley
Genshin superstitions are fun saurusness 2025-03-07 | I know it doesn't actually work like this, but you can't stop me from pretending that it doesGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Whats wrong with Genshin’s standard five stars? And how could they fix them? saurusness 2025-03-04 | With the release of Mizuki in version 5.4, Hoyo finally added a new standard five star — almost two years since they added Dehya — and it got me thinking about the older ones, and how they compare to the rest of the characters.Now that we’ll be getting a standard five star selector with every major update, these characters are genuinely free-to-play friendly — even more so than many four stars, especially the ones who improve a lot with higher constellations — yet they barely ever get mentioned in any discussions.Are we right to ignore them? Let’s take a look.00:00 Intro00:32 What we'll cover00:55 Jean • Intended role01:49 Jean • Flaws & drawbacks02:30 Jean • Constellations02:52 Jean • Verdict03:48 Tighnari • Intended role04:10 Tighnari • Flaws & drawbacks04:37 Tighnari • Constellations04:51 Tighnari • Verdict05:46 Keqing • Intended role06:06 Keqing • Flaws & drawbacks06:47 Keqing • Constellations07:08 Keqing • Verdict07:39 Mona • Intended role08:06 Mona • Flaws & drawbacks08:44 Mona • Constellations09:09 Mona • Verdict09:50 Diluc • Intended role10:06 Diluc • Flaws & drawbacks10:47 Diluc • Constellations11:09 Diluc • Verdict11:55 Qiqi • Intended role12:13 Qiqi • Flaws & drawbacks12:52 Qiqi • Constellations13:08 Qiqi • Verdict13:47 Dehya • Intended role14:22 Dehya • Flaws & drawbacks15:52 Dehya • Constellations16:13 Dehya • Verdict17:29 Mizuki18:04 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #mizuki
EM Kachina rocks saurusness 2025-02-28 | Legit feels like her best build!Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #kachina
Lan Yan feels like Genshin again saurusness 2025-02-27 | Love her so much!Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #lanyan
what saurusness 2025-02-26 | This Kachina build made me rather confused!Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
How did Lantern Rite succeed where Natlan Act V failed, even though the stories are so similar? saurusness 2025-02-25 | This year’s story echoes so many of the same beats as Natlan’s Archon Quests that the similarities really stood out, but even though I was disappointed with Act V, I found myself thoroughly enjoying almost the exact same story a mere three weeks later.While some might assume this is just prejudice against Natlan, the fact is that I had really enjoyed the archon quests up to Act IV. I don’t expect perfection. I’d love for Hoyo to up their storytelling game, but I would have been satisfied with just a solid conclusion. Instead, it left me feeling let down.I went into Lantern Rite a little wary because of the lingering disappointment, and ended up thoroughly impressed.Was it really that much better, or did the contrast with my low expectations just make it feel like it was? After all, nothing is perfect. But the closer I look, the more I see it as a legitimately good story.Let’s talk about it!00:00 Intro00:51 Disclaimer01:09 Lantern Rite • The Eight Adepts02:20 Lantern Rite • Rescuing Qiqi04:19 Lantern Rite • The Rite of Homa06:25 Lantern Rite • The party06:42 Verdict08:41 Similarities09:47 Lack of risk10:28 Differences10:59 Differences • Pacing12:29 Differences • Use of subtext13:58 Differences • Rules & solutions16:58 Differences • Characterisation19:23 Differences • Power of friendship21:17 Differences • Overdue payoffs24:06 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
My favourite Genshin character is... saurusness 2025-02-20 | Everyone's favourite question! Klee, Yaoyao, Alhaitham, Yelan... so many favourites, but Nahida wins the crown.Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Do I hate freedom and QoL? Explaining my perspective on Wuthering Waves Lootmapper. saurusness 2025-02-18 | I recently posted a video exploring my perspective on Wuthering Waves version 2, and through some combination of me not getting my point across clearly and some people consuming content by pausing the video every few seconds, for many the video failed to land the points I was trying to make.I’d like to correct that.Going through every single point with enough clarity for people to understand would make this far too long, so let’s narrow the focus for now. This video will focus on just one of my most contentious points, and explore what people thought I was trying to say, what I actually said, and what I really meant.The first section of the video covered exploration, which had started off as a high point of the game to me, but which eventually lost its shine. Rinascita fixed all of my issues with exploration. Which led to my main point: what did Kuro change?A smaller part of that section focused even closer on one difference I had noticed, which affected my experience: how they used the Lootmapper.00:00 Intro00:55 What is a "Lootmapper"?01:12 What people thought I said01:44 People who play for gacha02:50 What I actually said • It's all subjective04:13 What I actually said • Preferences are a spectrum05:08 What I actually said • The Lootmapper section06:31 What I actually meant • How it affects development08:29 What I actually meant • How it affects gameplay10:16 What I actually meant • How Rinascita differs12:43 Comparison to Genshin14:34 ConclusionWuthering Waves is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk WuWa and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #wuwa #rinascita #ProjectWave
I swear, its for medical research... Sigewinne character review! saurusness 2025-02-14 | Sigewinne is, without a doubt, hands down the best character in Genshin.k…okay not really, but I love her so much!She has a reputation as one of the least valuable five stars in the game, and on that point I do disagree. Mostly. Healers are generally very underrated, and Sigewinne in particular seems to largely be dismissed by a large percentage of the players.Despite poor reviews from the moment she was released, nothing was going to stop me from pulling. From day one I have been very happy with her, and surprised by how valuable she has been for my teams, even though only a few really let her shine.Am I just hopelessly biased, and blinded by how much I adore her? Or is there more to her than meets the eye?Let’s talk about it!00:00 Intro00:39 First impressions01:40 Wishing02:57 Story quest • Overview04:20 Story quest • Criticism05:43 Kit overview • Normal attacks06:11 Kit overview • Elemental skill06:45 Kit overview • Elemental burst07:10 Kit overview • Passives07:45 Role & competition08:31 Constellations09:15 Build • Priorities09:44 Build • Weapon10:29 Build • Artifact stats10:43 Build • Artifact sets11:02 Build • Talents11:29 Is she a good healer?12:13 Is healing worth it?13:06 How good is her buff? • How it works13:45 How good is her buff? • Off field skill damage14:17 How good is her buff? • Stack restriction14:44 How good is her buff? • Conclusion15:35 Furina teams16:37 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #sigewinne
The Kachina Incident saurusness 2025-02-10 | Fishing for four stars? Success!Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #kachina
Is Genshin critique unfair? Or should we have higher expectations? saurusness 2025-02-07 | Every time I critique Genshin’s storytelling or gameplay, there will be people in the comments saying the same thing: “it’s just a gacha game, what do you expect?”While some say it’s best to ignore the comments, in my experience people often make good points. Even when I disagree with their premise, the discussions they spark can be fascinating, and it’s always important to be open to having your mind changed.But while I am, of course, open to being persuaded on this, I absolutely think that this perspective is objectively a bad thing.So why do some people engage in critique, while others try to make a stand against it? Does one side have unrealistically high expectations? Are the other side giving huge corporations a pass even at their own expense?Is there even a point in having these discussions in the first place?00:00 Intro00:43 Self importance01:32 The plan01:57 Should critique exist?04:07 It's a gacha game04:18 It's a gacha game • Unfair comparisons05:47 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar06:13 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • They can't afford it07:25 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • The character treadmill08:23 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • Character marketing10:07 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • The content treadmill11:25 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • Long term development12:31 It's a gacha game • The gacha quality bar • Conclusion13:04 It's a gacha game • It isn't finished14:23 Limitations14:31 Limitations • The game engine15:46 Limitations • Mobile gamers17:22 Limitations • Censorship laws18:21 Limitations • Lost in translation19:19 Justifications19:27 Justifications • The lore exists20:48 Justifications • Consequences exist21:23 Justifications • Depth is elsewhere22:31 Justifications • Target audience23:07 Justifications • Playtime metrics23:51 Dismissals23:57 Dismissals • Thes are just opinions24:33 Dismissals • You're just a hater25:14 Dismissals • The game is free25:42 Dismissals • Devs don't care26:18 Dismissals • Cultural perspectives26:57 Dismissals • You go write then27:37 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Does Rinascita fix WuWas issues? A returning players perspective! saurusness 2025-02-04 | Does Wuthering Waves version 2 live up to the hype?I feel like I have a different perspective on it than most of the takes I’ve seen.I played WuWa from day one and loved it, but while I kept playing for the first six months, over time I enjoyed it less and less, and ended up taking a break for a few weeks after the release of version 1.4.When version 2 dropped a month later, I was tempted to try it again, but was a bit too preoccupied with figuring out why I was so disappointed by the final act of Natlan to give it any attention.But some friends who still played kept saying it was a fantastic update and a huge step up which really deserved a second chance, and many people online were raving about it.So, over a week after the update dropped, it was time for me to discover Rinascita.00:00 Intro00:41 Outline01:26 Exploration • First impressions02:11 Exploration • Friction vs freedom03:31 Exploration • Freedom's consequences04:33 Exploration • The lootmapper06:09 Exploration • Taking flight07:39 Exploration • Rinascita08:54 Combat • First impressions09:28 Combat • Mechanical complexity11:54 Combat • Build complexity13:56 Combat • Team complexity15:04 Combat • Endgame16:49 Combat • Overall thoughts17:33 Story • Early game18:24 Story • The characters20:20 Story • The skip button21:18 Story • Rinascita22:55 ConclusionWuthering Waves is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#WutheringWaves #wuwa #rinascita #ProjectWave#WutheringWaves
RIP Timmy 2 #genshin #genshinimpact saurusness 2025-01-28 | Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Shut up, Chasca #genshinimpact #chasca saurusness 2025-01-27 | That feeling when character idles kill the vibes...Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Clorinde: how Hoyo should be writing characters. Genshin character review! saurusness 2025-01-21 | Gacha games struggle to balance the requirements of the marketing side of things with the needs of the narrative.Marketing is at its best when the character is iconic and unchanging. It wants to say “this is the defining characteristic of this person”. This is who they are, and what makes them compelling, why you should give them your love — and spend your money to have them in your roster.Narrative, on the other hand, is at its best when the character is dynamic. They don’t necessarily need major flaws — though of course flaws are a shortcut to this goal. What they do need is some kind of movement. Characters are at their most compelling when their core identity is challenged, since it’s in those moments that their essence is revealed.As covered in my recent Mavuika review, in my opinion Hoyo sometimes get this balance badly wrong.Clorinde, on the other hand, is one of the best examples of what I’d have liked to see from Mavuika: a strong, competent, mostly unchanging character, who still feels human, and whose relationship dynamics add depth and soul to an already compelling narrative.00:00 Intro00:56 Character • First impressions01:28 Character • Personality02:04 Character • Friendship with Navia03:43 Character • Why it works05:03 Wishing06:08 Kit overview • Normal attacks06:25 Kit overview • Elemental skill06:38 Kit overview • Bond of Life • What does it do?07:13 Kit overview • Bond of Life • How does it work?07:55 Kit overview • Bond of Life • What about healing?08:41 Kit overview • Burst09:19 Kit overview • Passives09:50 Build overview • Priorities10:10 Build overview • Weapon • 5 stars10:48 Build overview • Weapon • 4 stars11:18 Build overview • Weapon • Dendro specific11:34 Build overview • Artifact stats12:14 Build overview • Artifact sets12:52 Build overview • Talents13:11 Team archetypes • Quickbloom14:24 Team archetypes • Catalyse15:03 Team archetypes • Overloaded15:43 Team archetypes • Taser16:15 Team archetypes • Hyperbloom16:45 Is she actually good?17:36 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Lantern Rite in Chenyu Vale might just have been my favourite Genshin version ever saurusness 2025-01-17 | Chenyu Vale might just be peak Genshin for me.With Lantern Rite just around the corner, I found myself thinking back to previous festivals, and how much of a highlight this time of year can be.When people reminisce about their favourite memories of the game, usually the finale of an Archon Quest sticks out the most, or maybe one of the summer events — Golden Apple Archipelago, Nahida’s sacrifice, Furina’s revelation… there are a lot of fantastic moments.And yet, for me there was just something special about version 4.4.Let’s dive back through memory lane, and see if we can pinpoint what brought it to the top of my list!00:00 Intro00:32 Early Fontaine01:13 Chenyu Vale • Aesthetics02:34 Chenyu Vale • World design03:56 Chenyu Vale • Music04:16 Chenyu Vale • World quests04:33 Lantern Rite04:52 Lantern Rite • Gaming's story06:11 Lantern Rite • Impermanence06:59 Lantern Rite • Gameplay07:35 Playable characters08:43 Xianyun's story09:47 New outfits10:28 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #StandWithMavuika #genshinvideo
What’s wrong with Mavuika? Genshin character review! saurusness 2025-01-13 | So, what’s wrong with Mavuika?Absolutely nothing.And that, for me, is the problem.From what I’ve seen online, the reaction to her release has been mostly positive, with a few small sections of the community feeling differently. And a lot of the discussion in those spaces in particular seems to be people just not understanding where others are coming from.I don’t begrudge anyone who does like her, but I, unfortunately, do not.Normally, when a character is not for me, I end up just skipping them and that’s that. A few times someone has asked me whether I ever have anything negative to say about characters — and while the answer is yes, I generally only review characters I have, and since I only pull for ones I like, I end up never creating content about characters that I don’t like.In Mavuika’s case, many people seem confused why anyone would dislike her in the first place, and several have asked me why I'm skipping her. Since I don’t see much content which chimes with my perspective, for once it feels worthwhile for me to share my thoughts even though I don’t have her in-game.00:00 Intro00:53 Disclaimer01:27 First impressions02:44 Early thoughts03:39 Confusing lore04:56 Playstyle • Anachronism07:29 Playstyle • Does it matter?08:05 Playstyle • Normal attacks08:19 Playstyle • Elemental skill09:38 Playstyle • Elemental burst10:29 Playstyle • Power scaling11:18 Playstyle • Conclusion11:42 Characterisation11:52 Characterisation • Character arcs13:15 Characterisation • Mary Sue14:02 Characterisation • Infallible characters15:32 Characterisation • Idealised characters18:25 Characterisation • Flawed gods20:01 Characterisation • Conclusion20:41 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Why it didnt work for me: Natlan archon quest review & analysis saurusness 2025-01-06 | Natlan’s archon quests are over, and I have to admit that I’m disappointed.This whole region has been a rollercoaster for me. Even before 5.0 dropped I had gone from excited by our first glimpse of the saurians, to underwhelmed by the character reveal trailer, then to even more excited after the livestream blew me away.And while I have my complaints about some aspects of the story leading up to the finale — especially the interlude quest — for me the first four acts as a whole did a pretty good job at delivering on the promise of the new region. The world quests were fantastic, and I loved the ambient quests.I was so excited for the finale — it felt like it was poised to be one of the best Archon Quests so far.Instead, Act V left me feeling even more frustrated than Meropide.How did it all go so wrong?00:00 Intro00:42 Disclaimer01:16 Acts I & II02:43 Act III03:32 Act IV • The side quest04:21 Act IV • The invasion05:27 Act IV • The aftermath06:23 Interlude07:08 Act V • Time to party07:52 Act V • Helping lost souls08:56 Act V • Once more into the Abyss10:46 Act V • The final battle12:53 Act V • The parade13:41 Act V • The sacrifice14:58 My verdict16:41 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
A radish a day keeps the hilichurls away! • Yaoyao character review saurusness 2024-12-27 | I looked forward to Yaoyao for eighteen months, but in the end, I almost never use her anymore.And it’s not because she’s bad — far from it. Healers often get overlooked, but Yaoyao is without doubt one of the strongest of all, despite being a mere four-star character.And it’s not because I don’t love her. I’m always a sucker for the cute chibi characters, and Yaoyao is easily one of the most adorable in the game, both in terms of design and personality. She’s absolutely become one of my favourites.Let’s talk about why she’s so great, what holds her back, and how a character who came out not much later ended up usurping her from every one of the teams I had built for her.00:00 Intro00:35 First impressions01:40 Wishing02:16 Kit overview • Normal attacks02:28 Kit overview • Skill03:07 Kit overview • Burst03:31 Kit overview • Passives03:57 Kit overview • Constellations05:15 Role & strengths06:01 Recommended build • Priorities06:40 Recommended build • Weapon07:52 Recommended build • Artifact stats08:02 Recommended build • Artifact sets09:00 Recommended build • Talents09:10 Team archetypes • Catalyse09:52 Team archetypes • Hyperbloom10:32 Team archetypes • Burgeon11:19 Team archetypes • Bloom12:00 What holds her back?12:47 Why it doesn't matter13:47 Why I almost never use her14:45 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
What if the archons’ elements actually matched the characters from that region? saurusness 2024-12-17 | There’s this odd little quirk about Genshin’s character balancing that has always felt out of place to me, and I’ve seen a ton of people mention it too.Each nation is explicitly associated with one of the elements. Mondstadt is the nation of Anemo, Liyue is the nation of Geo, Inazuma is Electro, and so on. This association touches almost everything: the culture of the people who live there, the themes and emotions that each archon quest is intended to explore, even the landscape itself and the emotions it’s designed to evoke.But one detail doesn’t match the nation’s element, and it always trips me up: which visions are given to the characters from that region.This happens almost every time. When we went to Fontaine, I couldn’t help but imagine all the unique and interesting hydro characters we were going to get. When Natlan came around, everyone was so excited to finally have a new pyro off-fielder who would free us from Xiangling. I couldn’t help it, even though Mondstadt and Liyue should have shown us that this was not the way it worked.But this got me wondering.What would each archon bring to the table if we kept their kit the same, but changed their element to match the most common in their nation?00:00 Intro01:04 Mondstadt characters01:35 Venti • Cryo crowd control02:17 Venti • Cryo support03:09 Venti • Constellations, build, & team example04:10 Venti • Verdict04:37 Liyue characters05:12 Zhongli • Pyro shielder06:14 Zhongli • Constellations, build, & team example07:10 Zhongli • Verdict07:33 Inazuma characters08:03 Raiden • Geo DPS08:27 Raiden • Anemo DPS09:02 Raiden • Constellations, build, & team example09:57 Raiden • Verdict10:20 Sumeru characters10:46 Nahida • Electro support11:28 Nahida • Constellations, build, & team example12:33 Nahida • Verdict12:48 Fontaine characters13:13 Furina • Cryo support14:07 Furina • Constellations, build, & team example14:56 Furina • Verdict15:10 Natlan15:33 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Is she underrated or overrated? Or both? Sucrose character review saurusness 2024-12-10 | Sucrose deserves much more love and attention.It might seem a little odd to say that about about a character who is consistently amongst the top rated supports in the game, but despite that she so often gets overlooked. She’s forever in the shadow of Kazuha and Venti, and for many she’s an afterthought.She should not be so neglected.Despite being a mere four star competing with an archon and one of the best characters in the game, she is legitimately just as good as them. In some teams she’s the better choice.She’s not without her flaws, and over time Hoyo have dramatically nerfed the value of crowd control, but for me, she still belongs up there with the other “broken” early four stars who all get far more praise.00:00 Intro00:37 Personality01:41 Kit overview • Normal attacks01:52 Kit overview • Skill02:05 Kit overview • Burst02:42 Kit overview • Passives03:21 Kit overview • Constellations04:01 Flaws and caveats • Energy requirements05:43 Flaws and caveats • Consistency06:52 Flaws and caveats • C6 conflict07:53 Recommended build • Priorities08:19 Recommended build • Weapon09:16 Recommended build • Artifact stats09:46 Recommended build • Artifact sets10:23 Recommended build • Talents10:51 Playstyles • Off-field support11:31 Playstyles • On-field driver12:01 Team archetypes • Vapourise12:40 Team archetypes • Melt13:21 Team archetypes • Freeze13:49 Team archetypes • Mono-elemental14:24 Team archetypes • Taser15:08 Team archetypes • Soup16:00 Team archetypes • Aggravate16:31 Team archetypes • Hyperbloom17:04 Why she's overlooked18:18 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Chasca: Showdown at High Noon #genshin #genshinimpact #chasca saurusness 2024-12-05 | Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin #chasca
RIP Timmy #genshin #genshinimpact saurusness 2024-11-28 | Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Genshins storytelling has SO many problems... saurusness 2024-11-25 | What makes a good story, and why does Genshin fall short?One point that pretty much everyone can agree on is that people have wildly different perspectives on Genshin’s narrative.Many love it, and there’s a thriving community of people who dive deep into the lore, explore its hidden web of references and tantalising hints, and speculate about what happened in Teyvat’s past, and what we might see in its future.But many loathe it too, with constant complaints about bloated dialogue, lack of depth to its conflict, lack of nuance to the characters, and so much more.I actually find myself agreeing with both perspectives.How does that work?00:00 Intro00:32 Why it matters01:22 Story hooks02:46 Presentation • Too many words04:15 Presentation • Environmental storytelling06:10 Presentation • Subtext & subtlety08:20 Presentation • Cinematography10:10 Depth & breadth • Characterisation11:45 Depth & breadth • Lore & history13:40 Depth & breadth • Themes15:40 Depth & breadth • Consequences19:21 Other complaints • Time-limited stories20:27 Other complaints • External content21:34 Why I'm hopeful23:16 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
Sethos is seriously underrated... Genshin character review! saurusness 2024-11-18 | Since his release, Sethos seems to have been completely forgotten by pretty much everyone …myself included.There was a little interest during his first banner, but despite his unique kit, he was overshadowed by a certain other character who was released at the same time, and then Natlan came around and completely took over everyone’s attention.Now that he’s back on another banner, I’ve finally taken the time to give him a proper build and test him out.And when it comes to playstyle, he’s been so different from what I expected — four stars are often a little rough around the edges, and one character having two playstyles could easily have gone badly wrong.Thankfully, in this case, it didn’t.00:00 Intro00:34 First impressions01:29 Kit explanation • Normal attacks01:51 Kit explanation • Skill02:11 Kit explanation • Charged attacks03:36 Kit explanation • Burst04:01 Kit explanation • Constellations04:44 Dual playstyles05:43 Wishing06:46 Build • Priorities07:46 Build • Weapon08:46 Build • Artifact stats09:18 Build • Artifact sets10:02 Build • Talents10:15 Burst playstyle problems11:22 Team archetypes • Catalyse12:28 Team archetypes • Hyperbloom12:54 Team archetypes • Quickbloom13:16 Team archetypes • Hyperfridge13:43 Team archetypes • Electrocharged & Overloaded14:05 Favourite teams • Premium supports14:27 Favourite teams • Maximum damage14:49 Favourite teams • F2P friendly15:13 ConclusionGenshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
They DO move in herds #genshinimpact saurusness 2024-11-15 | Genshin Impact is an open-world action/exploration game, available on PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile devices (iOS & Android).I'm always happy to talk Genshin and other games, streams 3pm UK every Wed/Fri/Sat/Suntwitch.tv/saurusnessGenshin rotation app: genshin-rotation.comTwitch: twitch.tv/saurusnessMerch: saurusness-shop.fourthwall.comTwitter: twitter.com/saurusnessDiscord: thatsaurus.com/discord#genshinimpact #hoyocreators #genshin
