The problem with the "video games as art" argument is that many mainstream media use it as a shortcut for how much video games resemble movies. The idea is that movies are art, therefore a movie-like game must be art. It celebrates easily accessible and presentable games like The Last of Us, Journey or Heavy Rain while avoiding the more obscure games that experiment with their mechanics to create something truly unique. Fortunately there are guys like you, always ready give a lesser-known gem some much needed publicity.
Yes! Instead of embracing video games' unique qualities that actually set them apart as a distinct art form, many people want them to be more like established art. I think part of this problem is that many people don't really have a clear idea or definition for what art actually means. Many people think that something has to be of a certain quality to be art. They consider art as a term to be a measurement for quality, but are unable to somehow actually quantify that degree of quality. By that logic, you can only call something art if it matches the quality of something that is generally accepted to be art. And many people are also unable to understand that objectivity and art are mutually exclusive. I've had people being completely baffled by me calling "Gucci Gang" art simply because it is music, and all music is art. Then they quoted the lyrics and expected me to withdraw from my position because in their head they just proved that shitty lyrics make something not art. I do actually enjoy many of the more accessible video games that are praised for being art. I loved Journey, ABZU and Firewatch and think that they (like all walking sims) are valid artistic expressions and valid video games (an opinion many gamers don't hold). But I'll always appreciate games that try to express something through their mechanics more and those are also the ones that leave a bigger impression on me. And those are also the ones that push the medium forward. The debate if video games are art comes up very rarely in my life. But when it does I'm not trying to make my case by saying "video games are art because game X is like a film and therefore art", but instead I point to Papers Please.
@@McKampfschnitzel97 " Then they quoted the lyrics and expected me to withdraw from my position because in their head they just proved that shitty lyrics make something not art." I went back and forth on that idea (that "shitty music" isn't art, or pop music doesn't deserve to be called "music) when I was younger, and you could say I was a bit of a "music snob." Like my late teen years (which were like... umpteen years ago. oh god did I just say "umpteen?" I hate that word. Fuck, _I guess I am old)._ Eventually I realized that every song doesn't have to be the next Ode to Joy, (or the next TOOL - Schism), in order to have artistic value. But I still kind of go both ways. Yes, music is absolutely art. Yes, even if it's shitty pop music that's made solely for commercial purposes, and the "artist" doesn't write any of the music or the songs. Or if they do write it, they really have nothing to say beyond love/breakup songs, braggadocio, and party songs. And they're not doing it for the sake of creating art, they're doing it for the fame & riches. "Performers" would be a more accurate title for them than "artists," but they still have a hand in producing art. That doesn't mean all art is created equal, however... If you ever have a girlfriend, chances are you'll have to get used to listening to some shitty, poppy, dance party music. Yep, even that chick who you thought wouldn't be into that stuff at all. Chances are also that you'll find yourself tapping your toes to some of that shitty music, and having it stuck in your head. It's okay! You can secretly like that Maroon 5 song, you don't have to tell anybody. What? It's fucking catchy! It's not going to expand your mind or cause you to see things in a different light. You won't be playing it through some headphones on your/your SO's pregnant belly to raise your unborn child's IQ. It's just made to be catchy and upbeat (and god dammit, it is!). Art doesn't *have* to be _anything._ It doesn't have to be ground-breaking, or thought-provoking. It doesn't need to have a message. It doesn't even have to be "original." That's essentially the definition of art. If I draw a smiley face, is that art? Takes no skill whatsoever, and it's basically meaningless. It's not going to blow anybody's mind... unless I happen to draw it in some place where people really don't expect to see a smiley face. TL;DR: Art = Expression. For example, my RUclips comments are artful as fuck. God damn masterpiece every time.
@@TheDrewker I love these comments! I'm an artist (Ijust draw or carve wood, stuff like that), and I still don't know what art is. I'll never know. I don't even know anymore. Most likely has something to do with emotions, but even that isn't clear cut. Where I'd agree with you is that some art "pieces" are better than others, objectively. The rest is going to be up to debate for some more millennia after us.
@@McKampfschnitzel97 Reminds me of something a friend of mine once said: "All movies are art, but it can be shitty art." I am of the opinion that all expression of human creativity is art. In this discussion my mind keeps going back to Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain". It is a perfectly ordinary porcelain urinal turned to its side and signed. The point of this pieces (or at least one point) is to make people question what it means for something to be art. Today it is considered one of the single most important artworks of the century.
THE THEATER EXPANDS Also wow I never made the connection with the “spotlight” on characters in conversations. Man you make me want to replay it again already.
I seem to recall hearing somewhere something that he helped finance the original game through illegal gambling. I could be wrong on that, but I wouldn't put it past the madlad who made Pathologic and The Void to do something like that.
i am so very sad that this game is heading for the "cult classic appreciated 10 years after it put its dev studio into the ground" status. some people were laughing at developers for saying their game is a "life-changing experience" but like, lowkey? if any game at all can be called a life-changing experience, it's this one. it stays with you. the ludonarrative coherence is unmatched and provides a uniquely haunting experience.
Heroes of the story are healers, not soldiers or fighters and atackers are desperate townsfolk, who struggling for survivial just like heroes do. From first game i remember feeling, when Bachelor got his hands on revolver and handfull of bullets. Despite Webley-Fosbery is rather bad as far as game pistol can go, it was very empovering to have real option for self defense. Doom's BFG was not so welcomed as Pathalogic's six shooter with 3-4 rounds in it.
Gather round, take your seats, watch the play unfold once more, give them a round of applause. Mandalore. Grimbeard. Ragnar. Thank you. The signal is growing stronger. The other leads might yet take the central stage in this old-new, restored theatre- after all, the tickets are selling so much better this season!
The three most thoughtful, articulate, bullshit-free game reviewers I know spend 90% of their runtimes gushing about their experience of *just trying to process* the game. If that isn't a compelling argument to check out a video game, I don't know what is.
This game is one of those things that contributes to the "it doesn't have to be fun to be good" argument. Believe it or not some people like disempowerment games, like a good stealth game.
Your comment reminded me of my experience with Thief: the Dark Project. Although you have a variety of weapons and tools your character is no godlike superhero. If you go into missions guns blazing letting yourself be heard or seen you are gonna have a bad time, and you would think that would be a turn off but it made me that much more engaged in my objectives as I strived to become one with the shadows, never even letting my opponents know I was there while robbing them blind.
@@pinheiro... Styx: Shards of Darkness is another great stealth game, you're not built for combat and get messed up pretty quick if you get caught. I'd reccomend it.
"It doesn't have to be fun to be good." Is a sentence that automatically reminds my of my first time playing Silent Hill 4: The Room. Many people called it a bad game, a chore to play through and a simply not fun in general. But i think that was the point. It meant to make you feel that way. It meant to make you NOT want to crawl through that hole again, leaving the safety of your apartment. But then it even took away the safety of your apartment and everything felt shitty and depressing. I think that's what every Horrorgame should be like.
@@iluvatarchemwell tbf the second part is indeed much worse written(although the gameplay is way better then the one Disco has),but the first part could easily compete against Elysium in script,and I would even go as far as saying that Pathologic has every chance to win in it And don’t forget that we still have only 1/3 of the game,so maybe the second part is only about to shine writing-wise
As I said to many others about the game, it's not a fun game at all, or at least barely in some aspects. Despite that, the game is so incredibly interesting that it makes up for the lack of fun ten times over.
@Mateus Miranda Pereira You see, I'm still gonna have to disagree with you there. While much of what you said is objectively true, the fact of the matter is the something being "fun" is not necessarily the same thing as something being "engaging". One could find a movie like Event Horizon engaging, but that doesn't mean that they will find it to be a "fun" experience. Furthermore, I do not mean to say that having fun with any part of the game is an impossibility, just that the parts that have that as a possibility are few in number and pretty insignificant to the game overall. I would also like to say that I hope we can keep this conversation civil. I know that text-based conversations such as this can easily lead to misunderstandings and result in the people involved becoming uncivil, so I'd just like to make sure we avoid that.
Not to mention they're making a Marble Nest free DLC instead of simply being a cash grab and making you pay for the other characters. All of this despite the Russian Economic Crisis. They really deserve to be helped right now.
To be honest I would fully prefer the dlc to be paid, they need it and they need more exposure. I got the game on sale recently before finding out they were struggling and now I feel awful for not buying it full price.
I have panic disorder and in my first 4 hours of playing this game on the 'baby' setting, I got so so so excited by all the scary visuals but didn't feel panicked by any jump scares. I know I would not have been able to play the original. I'm grateful that there has been a lower setting added to the game. Even the pressures of dying were stemmed by my first experience of a death and I found myself actually excited by death. I also am just great at avoiding people in real life so this game worked for me brilliantly as I was told 'It's okay to avoid them'. I just feel almost like this game was made for me. I love psychological horrors but games like Resident Evil are just too technical where you have to be good at fighting. I love how this game makes you think and plan and prepare. I'm best at doing that and the strategizing to survive is something rare in games these days. The beauty of the dark scenes and the magnificently crafted characters are captivating. I absolutely love this game! Thanks for reviewing it in a good light. I've seen too many bad reviews floating around.
i just finished this game, going from starry-eyed doctor that wants to save people into bandit that prowls in the night backstabbing sick people so i can rob their food. I am inadvertently putting my life on pedestal because i thought i could save everyone, that my life is worth more than people in the street for such hope of curing the plague. even with the good ending, 13k people are dead in my playtrough. even the victory feels phyrric, after literal mountain of corpses and sacrifices. either ending require you to sacrifice something, like in the words of Isidor Burakh: "to embrace the past is an act of love, to embrace the future is also an act of love. sadly they are not compatible and it breaks my heart"
I love hidden gems and hard games. I also love the passion with which you talk about this game. I hear about it for years but i just can't get myself to play it, its artstyle is so unbelievably okward. I don't mind graphics, for example i played system shock 2 recently and felt fine. But this..gaah i must try rly hard to follow your advice and try it
@Lark I've been trying to get through the void but like with Ragnarox on the video with the og pathologic, I always find it very hard to get into. Gameplay wise at least, I love everything else about it
In a way, it reminds me of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" with how complex each of the characters are, the feeling of hopelessness, and the intricate details that can be easily missed.
In a way, games like pathologic and pathologic 2, owe their existence to I have no mouth and I must scream. Without it games might have taken another 20 years to get to the idea of having the players navigate ethical conundrums, or even have the players confront their own ethics as a key feature of the game. This is the only reason Ellison had his short story made into a game in the first place, the developers were forced into making the game about ethics and before the good ending was a thing, you couldn't get one. In layman's terms you couldn't win, you could only lose better, fail heroically.
I love the original Pathologic with all its flaws, finished it with all three characters and even started it over again. Waited years for this to come out and I bought it on release day, but I haven't been able to play it yet save for the intro/tutorial and a few minutes of actual gameplay (the combat is as awful as always and I'm getting my butt kicked by every person I come across lol). I'm just not ready yet for the huge emotional drain that I KNOW this will imply, and I probably won't be ready for a very long time. All this simply to say thanks for making this video, unique games like these deserve all the attention and recognition they can get.
The trick to fighting is relying on your hands instead of using knives/scalpels. A strong punch always staggers your opponent so keep hitting them just as they get in range. Opponents aren't stunned by knife attacks so you'll just end up trading shots if you try to stab them.
The best art is often difficult and uncompromising (and even a little alienating), and Pathologic 2 is no exception. Thank you for this in-depth look at one of the most powerful games I've played in the last few years, your passion for this game is positively infectious (see what I did there?). Raise the curtains once more, Mr. Immortell! The show must go on...
I wouldn't say that the best is often difficul and uncompromising, for there are plenty of easy and accesible art objects which are nonetheless fantastic. It's a shame, though, that art which is difficul and uncompromising tends to be disregarded.
I'd never heard about this game; At about 5:00 minutes in, I was convinced that I need to play this game At 17:18 I paused the video and decided that I don't need any more semi-spoiler info about the game (Sorry if I didn't watch it till the end, but I'll leave the video silently running in the background) And yes, I'm gonna play pathologic 1 as well Thanks for making these videos, you are a great creator Sorry for my late comments, I don't visit RUclips every day Edit: I cam back to watch the last 10 minutes :D
@@agentace1476 I played the original (not the remake) but let's say it's a very different experience you will never get in other games. You will definitely never forget the game. The game makes you feel miserable, literally, (took me more than a month to finish) but that's the beauty of this game and the story keeps you very engaged. When I finished the Bachelor's quest (the most boring one) I was done with the game, but somehow I played the other characters as well. And that's the only way to get the whole story. And I'm very glad that I did. I really loved the game and it is one of the best games I've ever played, but I cannot recommend it to anyone. The game is so off putting and alien for new players and you should pay attention to everything. If you want to give it a shot, you should endure some aspects of the game till the end, and one tip that I can give to new players is that play the Bachelor first and when the Changeling gets unlocked, play the two other character's side by side. One day Haruspex and one day Changeling. And also remember to save all the cures and cure all the main NPCs, that's the only way to get the best ending, which is possible by each character. If you consider videogames as a form of art, you will definitely enjoy this game, but if you look at them as mere pastimes, avoid it at all costs. And if it's not to your taste, as RagnarRox said, you can just skip the original and play the remake, which I'm also be doing in the future.
@@Magixxar oooh thank ya for still replying even though it was so late I’ve been watching videos on it I seen the hbomberguy video on pathologic and he said the same thing as you pretty much so I might try it when I get my pc fixed have you tried the second one yet? Also that hbomberguy video is very good
@@agentace1476 No I haven't played it yet (it's still in my backlog) and I'm very eager to play it and relive the same feelings in a newer and harder way. And yes that hbomberguy has some very good contents on his channel.
@@Magixxar imma definitely check out the second one because I don’t think the first one is on Xbox but I’m glad ya replied and I’m ready to get my ass beat by it now
CD Action, quite big and mainstream Polish gaming magazine gave P2 9+/10 score and their Seal of Quality, so maybe not everything is wrong with game journalism.
Been supporting the developers since your review of The Void, this news shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone due to the very little coverage on Pathologic 2 outside of Slavic territories. However, I have kept up to date with all of the information such as the depression in Russia, Ice Pick's heartfelt apology about having to release the game early and talks of either having to divide it into an episodic fashion or wait until later to release the whole with the possibility of the company going under before then; Six months before it's actually release on Steam. Ice Pick has made unique games to date, however the game really isn't for everyone and I recommend everyone to try it out without the expectancy of having an enjoyable experience, it's a great game that will likely never be appreciated to its full extent. Despite that, thanks for making a review on it and introducing Ice Pick to a wider audience, the company deserves some type of recognition. TL;DR Ice Pick is on the verge collapsing, these reviews are falling on deaf ears. Difficulty slider, what am I eight?
Hey, there's good news. Ice Pick Lodge has announced that they found an investor some time ago, and they're making progress with the Bachelor's route. They've released a new game and will launch a couple more soon
"ultimate dad simulator" never in my life did i think id hear this about a plague game and agree. Until one of your list dies early on and you see them when u die urself and cry. What i really appreciate about this game, especially as a neurodivergent person, is that after watching multiple lets plays and videos about the game to kinda feel secure in knowing what i get myself into, and still having a hard time and a completely differnt playthrough myself. I love this game and i love having gotten to play it. Im someone that usually plays everything on easy bc everything else in my life is stressful and i dont need that in my downtime, but still made myself play it on intended in my first playthrough. later on i mainly just tweaked damage dealt and taken from combat because my computer runs the game pretty badly and that makes combat barely doable sometimes and i run from every and all odongs. Still, my favourite death is getting stuck on a trash can and getting stabbed to death in a matter of seconds.
I'm really glad that this game is getting some more recognition lately. Pathologic 2 is one of the best games I've ever played and I will never stop being excited about it. I could write a novel about everything I love about this game. All those different, interesting and engaging mechanics that interplay with each other. That your decisions have real consequences. That you have to prioritise quests and people, because you can't save everyone. That this game really conveys the feeling of fighting an uphill battle against an infinitely stronger foe. The intense stress, dread and anxiety. All those unique "mini stories" that emerge from how you play this game and your decisions. This incredibly realised and fleshed out world with it's mythology and backstory. Its beautiful and unique presentation and atmosphere. Also this really fucking brilliant mind-map. It's a really great way to avoid people following the dreaded dotted line on your minimap. It is one of the most unique and original things ever. It does not try to emulate or evoke anything else, like so many games aim to be cinematic for example. The developer created exactly the kind of experience they wanted to, going against conventions and expectations and succeeding. It is truly art. What I believe hurt the success of the game was propably that it is really difficult to market. The kind of experience it offers won't resonate with most people at first, aside from those who played Pathologic 1. I can however really see the arthouse film and literature crowd to really enjoy this game. The type of person who enjoys exhausting, unrelenting and "difficult" works of art. People who love films like Enter the Void, The Hunt, Antichrist...heck, even the Tarkovsky and Bergman crowd would propably love this game (like you mentioned). I'd say the experience of Pathologic 2 is comparable to that of a Holocaust drama like Schindlers List or Son of Saul. Most people won't be ecstatically looking forward to it, but will recognize its greatness and appreciate the experience more than ________(insert dumb and entertaining film). I really had to force myself through the first Pathologic. One time I legitimately fell asleep while playing. And while I do love that game and it will forever have a special place in my heart (also that main menu theme is burned into my mind), I propably won't ever play it again. Pathologic 2 though was one of the most exciting and nerve-wrecking things I've ever played. I often caught myself playing way longer than intended, which rarely happens these days. And I'm really looking forward to playing the Haruspex campaign again, as well as the other characters. It might still be a bit early to say this, but Pathologic 2 could very well be my favourite game of this decade and is a contender for a spot in my Top 5 of all time. I really urge everyone reading this to give this game a try. It's not for everyone and I can totally understand if certain types of player don't like it, but for the others it might be one of the best things they've ever played.
You words at the end were amazing, kind and truthful i watch a lot of analysis about Pathologic just to see how people experience such example of art. I hope that they'll see your video and maybe even talk to you face to face so you could ask them anything you want to know. Продолжай в том же духе!
Want to say big THANK YOU for attention to the game. Pathologic games (and all Ice-Pick Lodge games actually) take very special place in my heart, so it was really upsetting for me to see that studio is not doing well financially and i was telling about Pathologic 2 to all of my friends until they all bought it lol. Im sorry for my not so good English, but anyway thank you for your video.
It should be noted that the visual component of the game is very similar to the films of Mark Zakharov. Less well known than Torkovsky, but definitely deserves attention.
I agree with you *BUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTT* The game really doesn't sit well for everyone. Unfortunately the action crowd find it boring and the walking sim crowd find it too complex. It sits at such a weird place.
i agree here too, so uh- nice. buut: this being clearly a work of dedication and passion with that sprinkle of elitarism (like dig it or don't) that i find it important that the few chosen noses don't let themselves get spooked off by people sayn its bad, when all that means its not crash bandicoot.
Just because it doesn't pander to the usually-pandered audience doesn't mean it's bad. I also don't think a "walking sim crowd" exists as that's generally a term to describe an emptier/more stretched out experience without enough interaction with the game world.
you have been one of my favorite people on this platform since i discovered you over a year ago. you've got it all... calming, narrator voice, excellent diction and syntax, wonderful and informed opinions..... i literally can't. you are so amazing. i think i will love this. i like games that balance choice instead of making it black and white. like when i play the long dark and my decision to take one hill instead of another might mean there either are or aren't bears and i may or may not die just because of where i walked.
The video was already great. but the decision to include this piece of Stalker's soundtrack at 48:15 just made me appreciate even more the effort you put into these videos (or should I say, video essays). Keep up the good (amazing) work!
Fantastic. I bought this a while ago, but was waiting for your video before digging in. I'm excited to start it up soon now. My video game kink lately has been games that force you to make choices and then live with those decisions. So many games have choices that are perfunctory or let you do everything, because 'player choice' is defined as 'let the players choose to do everything'. Every time I play a game where I'm looking for my child who has been abducted or is being chased by a cavalcade of wraiths; but am able to stop and clear 72 bandit camps, build camps or look for every piece of armor in the game without having any impact on things... that's when part of me withers away and dies. I greatly enjoyed Vampyr because of how it approached choices. You could mean well, but have terrible things happen. You could make a choice that would completely cut off a character's story to you. And you just had to deal with it. A little less serious, I also loved how the timer in Dead Rising meant you had to choose what you wanted to do. You can go play dress up in the mall or you can go save some survivors or fight a psychopath before the next story point, but you usually couldn't do all three.
I realize this comment is old, but can you shoot me some recommendations please? I'm new to modern gaming. The most recently made games I play are bioshock series and the last of us.
Hello RagnarRox, this video has finally convinced me to play Pathologic, when you commented on SulMatuls playthrough to be one of your favourites, because, inbetween many reasons, he drops his big knowledge of the game on them. I instantly thought about LyingFigure he does this great Silent Hill playthroughs with so much lore explained that has made me replay those games many times, if you havent checked em out id recommend you doing so. Thanks for making such detailed and pleasant to watch videos!!!
Oh my god “Trotsky murder weapon lodge”! Incredible. Great video. I’ve played this game more times than I can count and I appreciate you taking the time to review it
Well, I look forward to giving Pathologic 2 a shot. I was leery of the game's difficulty initially as it seemed that it might be such a strong anxiety trigger that I wouldn't be able to play through the game... knowing that there are the adjustable levels and the nature of death and failure as being features rather than 'game-over's, I think I'll actually appreciate it. Something about this game reminds me of Baroque, an old Sega Saturn/ PS1 game with a PS2/Wii remake. Perhaps its the color pallet, melancholic tone, bizarre characters, and experimentation with death as a coda rather than a period. Thank you!
As good as it clearly is, I just can't play it for one simple reason: it does what it's intended to do. Make every waking second a stress filled nightmare. The fact that time is always passing and things are always getting worse the more time you waste, the hardcore gameplay elements, etc. I am, by no means, skilled. I find most games plenty difficult on normal and some even hard on easy. I can't handle the worry of every moment. Too much for me.
yeah I've played until around day 8 and I just couldn't handle it. I'm plenty anxious as it is and the constant apprehension of just walking around was just too much. The constant sense of foreboding and helplessness and failure... while all are very powerful are exactly the things I play games to get away from. Great game but I'm not sure i have the guts to revisit it :-/
@@GreenEyedDazzler A game being less difficult and stress inducing doesn't mean it's shallow. There are plenty of amazing games out there that are not difficult, hell even pathologic 1 was a cakewalk if you knew what to do. Some people not being able to play a game such as this doesn't mean they're at fault for anything. They wanna play a game for relaxation, you want to experience stuff like pathologic. Neither is superior, I enjoy both and although I wish there was more stuff like Pathologic, I know that the audience of these games are small, and shaming others for not being able to play them will not help in the creation of more games such as this, quite the contrary it would scare people away if we stabbed them in the back after they failed. The best you can do is talk about what's good in this game and hope a few people who actually would play it do, so Ice pick lodge can continue creating masterpieces.
The second playthrough becomes easier. I lasted until day 6 in my first play, and yesterday I restarted. I'm amazed at how much better I've become, and I don't consider myself a skilled gamer. As a small advise, bartering with the kids is usually a good idea
I am so happy to see your video on Pathologic. You were the one who showed me the beauty of The Void and now you are taking my hand and guiding me to another masterpiece. Thank you.
Excited I found your channel. Being infatuated with Mandalore's content inspired me to actively try to find another channel to dive into. Several months passed with no luck.. I gave up. More months passed and here I am tonight, haphazardly stumbling upon yours and of course Mandalore's comment is right up at the top. Looking forward to the future, cheers!
39:10 There is a fine line though. When you work full-time and life already leaves you exhausted, the last thing I wanna do is feel like playing a video game is a 2nd job.
I discovered the game on my Steam queue tonight and instantly it struck me as a passion project. I went to RUclips for more information, found your video, and 2 hours later in an hour into my first play through. Thanks for the expertly done video!
I knew this video was going to be good... and yet it still exceeded my expectations. It was really nice to see an in-depth video discussing the mechanics and gameplay, it helps to show just how cleverly the devs used interaction to build the plot and atmosphere. Ice Pick Lodge is my favourite video game development team, and though I haven't had chance to play Pathologic 2 yet (still saving up for a gaming computer so I can actually run it) I thoroughly enjoyed the original and want to see the sequel/remake/reimagining (whatever we're calling it haha) succeed so the team can continue to make incredible experiences. Fantastic video as always Ragnar, I hope you can one day make the video you want about Pathologic's themes and story. Though if you are still struggling to put it together, maybe you could do multiple videos rather than trying to force all your thoughts into one huge project? Don't know if that would help but thought it was worth suggesting. But no matter what you do I'm probably going to watch this video over and over again, so thank you for providing always providing such excellent content :D P.S. What's this about you not tackling everything you could have in The Void video? That is one of my favourite videos of all time so if you've got more to say about this game then I want to hear it!
Thank you An Ma Narrative, that means a lot! About The Void: At the time, I had several scripts outlined to do a ~10-15 minute exploration of each of the characters (both Sisters and Brothers) for instance, which, if I would have written them all, would have had potential for easily 4 hours of video content, and that's just one part of it. I'm convinced you could run an entire channel exclusively covering IPL games and you wouldn't run out of material in years.
@@RagnarRoxShow Not going to lie, that sounds amazing! And I agree, The Void and Pathologic alone would provide content for ages even before looking at Knock-Knock or Cargo! The Quest for Gravity. It's a shame that IPL games don't come up more on analysis channels.
I've been patiently waiting for either you or Michael Saba to make a video on Pathologic. The wait is finally over. What a great game. I'm really grateful that on my first playthrough of Pathologic Classic HD I was too dumb to figure out bandit hunting. The original might have been cheese-able but thank god I never figured it out.
It was yours and @MandaloreGaming 's vids that made me get this game a couple of years ago... Now it stands as one of my favourite pieces of interactive media of all time. Thank you so much.
Thank You so much for this video. You made me appreciate this game so much more. I must admit I was struggling a lot. After playing Pathologic Classic HD, I was kinda used to some of it's patterns, so I went into this one with a strategy, and very gaming mindset. Focus on survival, do most important quest of the day, so nothing bad happens to people from my list, and go, explore more unnatural places, and aspects, and You'll sure be back with a knowledge, and a solution that will make everything better. But then, playing Pathologic 2 I got constantly frustrated. Every death, and lack of time to complete quests felt like an interruption in my perfect plan to "beat this game". When my first person was infected I was more irritated, than anything else, since it was such an inconvenience for me. Then I felt that something is wrong, and I don't play it right. I took a break, a few days later stumbled upon this video, and You really helped me get out of this game-like mindset. Now I came to terms with dying, and being punished for that, and I accepted that I may not be able to complete things, even if I'm really engaged in them. Now, when another person caught the plague I was not frustrated, but honestly scared, and felt bad for him, because I accepted, that I just may not be able to help him. It's so much better now, it stopped being a game, and transformed into something a lot more. I am this person in this situation, and I'm just trying to do my best, while accepting, that I am no hero, but just one cog in this machine, and it takes waaay more than just me, to find the solution. And that truly is the feeling no other game can give You. So thank You for helping me realize that.
well, you also walk in pathologic 2, but you can run now. And I don't think that you walk TOO much in the first game, because walking and exploring the town is one of tthe biggest gameplay elements. It was built with a lot of dead ends and secret paths between houses, so in the beggining I was usually frustrated that the shortest route didnt exist but to the end when you have a full mindmap it is rewarding to know the best routes
@@ZZaGGrrUzz yeah, if you know where to go at what time, the game felt not at all a boring walking simulator. But how many runs it took me to get to that point was.. To many hours.
I may be the only one who really liked those walks and the music that fit each district, it gave me a lot of time to sort things out story wise and gameplay wise planning routes preparing for the worst. I don't know why, but this is the only "walking simulator" or so people call it that i sincerely enjoyed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This game needs more visibility. So thank you for doing this. Plus, I'm always happy to see new videos from you. The love letter to VtM is still one of my favorite videos of all times.
This game sounds fantastic! I'm really into epidemiology (and love the psychological/sociological side) and this whole thing is a fascinating and oddly beautiful way to explore it.
RagnarRox, I just want to thank you for creating this content. I struggle with a bit of anxiety and depression and your videos relax me and keep me productive while I work. It's amazing finding an objective gamer that sees games on a different light and isn't looking what to hate but rather wishes to share what he loves. I gave a steam card as a present to my gf and from all the games she could have bought she got pathologic 2 because I was ultra excited to get it thanks to this review. Keep doing what you do and thanks.
What the heck? I never even heard of this game until I saw this video. And I'm a big fan of these types of games. It's almost as if someone is trying to hide the game or something. Looks great though
I was so thankful for the difficulty sliders! I really just wanted to experience all of the game without needing to pull my hair out in frustration because of the survival game mechanics that I absolutely dislike. Little sad you called it "the baby mode", but I'd rather be called a baby than not experience a good game at all. Great video!
I’m glad you acknowledged that some of us have generalized anxiety disorder and would never be able to play without being triggered. I love watching your videos and walkthroughs by other creators because it allows me to enjoy the game and it’s themes without having an impact on my mental health.
I'm such a scaredy cat, I would never dare to play any of these games myself. Yet, I've watched the entirety of your video essays on both Darkwood and Pathalogic 2 because I found them interesting and well written. I appreciate your discussions on the intents and effects of certain games, why they are made the way they are, and how the developers wanted the players to experience them. Art or not, how each individual can personally experience a game says something about how well the game is made and is a topic worth reflecting on. Hopefully players braver than me will now pick up this game and support the studio. Godt jobbet!
the first one has inspired me so much, from my drawing style to editing and pace, i love Pathologic and it's unique feel to it. Pathologic 2 have been on my wishlist for a while now and i hope i get money sooner or later. ooh damn you student life for not letting me enjoy another masterpiece. great video as always!
27:08 As somebody sometimes struggling with over-meticulousness, I can totally get that a doctor who's not used to load firearms would load it in such a way. _He puts the bullets at the same angle,_ and although it's something usual in video games, in this case I'm thinking "Oh yes. It would bother me SO MUCH to have one bullet out of line."
the settings determining how hard specific aspects of the game is so amazing. sometimes a game is too easy in most aspects and then impossible in one specific way when you turn the difficulty up so i really appreciate that
It genuinely is a treat whenever you upload this coupled with an hour long video about a game i thoroughly enjoyed, this is going to be amazing ! Though not out yet i am patiently awaiting on your video in regards to Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2. Regardless, i can tell already just by the intro this will be a very enjoyable, entertaining and well scripted watch as always, keep up the amazing work Ragnar !
I tried the firs one couple of times but never managed to finish it. And I'm pretty sure that I will probably fail in finishing this one if I try it. But I decided to buy this game and support these talented people, well a big part of that decision is thx to you and this amazing video.
I found ur channel from the video u did about the Gothic Game which is one of my all time favorites and since then I keep finding good games because of u... not too mention the intellectual challenge that u gives us on the way. Thank u
Bought the game because I support what it's trying to do, but I have yet to play because I'm easily spooked and I don't need a video game reminding me every screen that no one cares about me.
I always thought the trash can symbolism was a metaphor to how ridiculously low are doctors wages in Russia. Anyway, thank you for this video! Love your content and IPL really needs attention and support right now, hope more people pick this game up
Here are some tips if the video didn't mention them already and some ARE spoilery to some extent but not in terms of story: - - - Tip 1: Rummage through trash bins as much as you can. The bottles are needed to restore your stamina which is entirely derivative of your thirst. When the infection starts, you can fill an empty bottle to safely check if the water is safe to drink. If not, then empty the bottle out & go find another source. You will also need a lot of bottles to make a lot of tinctures in order to immunize a lot of key people. - Tip 2: If you're unsure which herbs will make which tinctures, consult the painting on the wall/table or look to Marshall Dyer's playthrough for an in-depth list of recipes. You can find most of your herbs in the marshlands outside of town near your workshop and a CRAP TON of herbs in the steppe villages far away East from town in large batches. - Tip 3: If you ever get infected, like REALLY infected, and you have a lot of health, then walk into one of those bonfires in them infected districts. From what I can gather, fire instantly kills the plague & the health risk is often better than taking a Shmowder. - Tip 4: Lockpicks on the verge of breaking, looking about less than 10% durability, WILL insta-kill people. ^^Trivia: This was hinted at one of the early side-tasks where you operate on one of the thugs which has a lockpick jabbed into his stomache. - Tip 5: If you see a nondescript chest/wooden lock-box, tucked away around a corner, alley, etc, DON'T take anything/everything unless you understand the rules. ^^^Refer to my reply to this comment if you want to spoil yourself further with Tip 5. - Tip 6: Don't be an asshole to the communities. Prices will just get worse & bartering with townsfolk isn't an option anymore. Normal folk WILL eventually attack you on sight. Now, contrary to what's explained, prices will get lower and (maybe?) better items will become available for bartering with folk, IF you are a good-boi. - Tip 7: The first few days of the plague has you running around like a headless chicken between different situations related to you but it's also a good time to prepare yourself. Get your food situated, rummage for bottles to refill your stamina-thirst bar, get yourself some lemons/coffee beans to keep you awake albeit at the cost of your health. Hoard AS MUCH nuts & oddities, like nails, spindles, beetles, etc, as you can because the children are exceptional bartering candidates, holding the most precious of medicines, bandages, bullets, YOU NAME IT! Keep in mind which person sells which item because their stock remains relatively static. There's this adult, for instance, that sells bandages for water bottles.
Okay, so Tip 5... - - - There's this dangerous children's game which eventually turns into a side-questline where you HAVE to put an item, like nuts/nails/beetles (the 'junk' you normally barter with children), in these hidden caches, which gets marked on your map when you find them, in order TO TAKE an item of relatively equal value. Give and take. It's just like normal bartering with people, but instead you're not restricted to the direct hand-on-hand exchange of said items and rather runs on the trust that the other guy/kid won't take everything. So if you want to gain & maintain the trust of the kids in the entirety of the playthrough WHILST gaining top-tiered items like Shmowders & high-end pills, play their game.
i have nothing to add to the discussion, I just wanted to say this video is great edit: no wait i do have something to add. i really appreciate your take on difficulty settings and your acknowledgement that some people just cannot interact with a game in its original state for not only just attention span reasons but actual mental illness reasons i.e. anxiety.
Didn’t need to be sold on this game or series, but your video has...resold me on Pathologic 2. I hope Ice Pick Lodge does get the success try deserve, and manage to get the other two characters out. I may have gift it to some of my friends, because I really want to see this get finished.
This game is the proof that you can make some insane and crazy world that makes you feel small and nothing of a hero, with a trully and really good story, like a certain japanese guy claims to do but doesn't at all.
Pathologic and The Void are two of my favourite games ever. Thanks for making videos about them. Ice-Pick Lodge is very underrated. They should get more recognition for their work... :
Found myself in a web of these videos after watching Hbomberguy's ! I found this very enjoyable - thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this game!
2nd video on RUclips for this game I've seen. Glad Ice Pick Lodge is finally getting much needed attention. I haven't played pathologic 2 but was a fan of the first one. Do plan to get this one.
I never thought I'd watch the full video when I tapped on the thumbnail I was mildly interested in. I've been considering playing this game for a long time. I'm still not sure if I want to play the first game or not either. Your small segway into how this game has been represented through reviews and how the gaming community talks about games as art really struck me. I've been thinking about games as an art form for quite a while now because of how devided the discussion has been and because I've always found myself defending games for this reason without looking really deeply into it. Most games that are considered great artistically are really cinematic, but that doesn't distinguish games as an artform from movies. It's really just combining elements from entirely different mediums, which isn't completely a bad thing, but it's not putting any emphasis on gameplay itself as an artform. The gameplay and interactive activities within the game need to present their own artistic merit to demonstrate an artistic piece. I think this will be one of the next games I play, I may watch that walkthrough for the first game you mentioned too.
I just discovered this game and it really left an impression on me, can only recommend, if only to find out what it's about for yourself. The artbook and OST are amazing, too, so I recommend to get the complete package!
Thx for this! Really great video and you sold me really well. Went straight to SulMatul's let's play and I'm currently watching it and loving it, It's very emersing and feels so real with real stakes and decisions. Even when watching, I'm so in the world. Just really love it! So again, thanks!
I was looking at it during a sale. It told me right out that "You can't save everyone". I don't know why that line made me feel so anxious. Perhaps because I know it's want to save everyone and I won't be able to but I'll keep trying in this futile effort. It sounds silly but thinking of begging stuck in that loop made me sick to my stomach
Definitely going to get this game! I had been on the fence due to anxiety about difficulty, but the mention of the "spotlights" on character turned me around- I deeply love theatre, and that kind of care put into the game makes it so i can't not try it out. (love how you used music from Stalker in the bg too!)
The problem with the "video games as art" argument is that many mainstream media use it as a shortcut for how much video games resemble movies. The idea is that movies are art, therefore a movie-like game must be art. It celebrates easily accessible and presentable games like The Last of Us, Journey or Heavy Rain while avoiding the more obscure games that experiment with their mechanics to create something truly unique. Fortunately there are guys like you, always ready give a lesser-known gem some much needed publicity.
Yes! Instead of embracing video games' unique qualities that actually set them apart as a distinct art form, many people want them to be more like established art.
I think part of this problem is that many people don't really have a clear idea or definition for what art actually means. Many people think that something has to be of a certain quality to be art. They consider art as a term to be a measurement for quality, but are unable to somehow actually quantify that degree of quality. By that logic, you can only call something art if it matches the quality of something that is generally accepted to be art.
And many people are also unable to understand that objectivity and art are mutually exclusive. I've had people being completely baffled by me calling "Gucci Gang" art simply because it is music, and all music is art. Then they quoted the lyrics and expected me to withdraw from my position because in their head they just proved that shitty lyrics make something not art.
I do actually enjoy many of the more accessible video games that are praised for being art. I loved Journey, ABZU and Firewatch and think that they (like all walking sims) are valid artistic expressions and valid video games (an opinion many gamers don't hold). But I'll always appreciate games that try to express something through their mechanics more and those are also the ones that leave a bigger impression on me. And those are also the ones that push the medium forward.
The debate if video games are art comes up very rarely in my life. But when it does I'm not trying to make my case by saying "video games are art because game X is like a film and therefore art", but instead I point to Papers Please.
My most anticipated game 2019 is World of Horror check it out if ye like Junji Ito or lovecraft!
@@McKampfschnitzel97
" Then they quoted the lyrics and expected me to withdraw from my position because in their head they just proved that shitty lyrics make something not art."
I went back and forth on that idea (that "shitty music" isn't art, or pop music doesn't deserve to be called "music) when I was younger, and you could say I was a bit of a "music snob." Like my late teen years (which were like... umpteen years ago. oh god did I just say "umpteen?" I hate that word. Fuck, _I guess I am old)._ Eventually I realized that every song doesn't have to be the next Ode to Joy, (or the next TOOL - Schism), in order to have artistic value.
But I still kind of go both ways. Yes, music is absolutely art. Yes, even if it's shitty pop music that's made solely for commercial purposes, and the "artist" doesn't write any of the music or the songs. Or if they do write it, they really have nothing to say beyond love/breakup songs, braggadocio, and party songs. And they're not doing it for the sake of creating art, they're doing it for the fame & riches. "Performers" would be a more accurate title for them than "artists," but they still have a hand in producing art. That doesn't mean all art is created equal, however...
If you ever have a girlfriend, chances are you'll have to get used to listening to some shitty, poppy, dance party music. Yep, even that chick who you thought wouldn't be into that stuff at all. Chances are also that you'll find yourself tapping your toes to some of that shitty music, and having it stuck in your head. It's okay! You can secretly like that Maroon 5 song, you don't have to tell anybody. What? It's fucking catchy! It's not going to expand your mind or cause you to see things in a different light. You won't be playing it through some headphones on your/your SO's pregnant belly to raise your unborn child's IQ. It's just made to be catchy and upbeat (and god dammit, it is!).
Art doesn't *have* to be _anything._ It doesn't have to be ground-breaking, or thought-provoking. It doesn't need to have a message. It doesn't even have to be "original." That's essentially the definition of art.
If I draw a smiley face, is that art? Takes no skill whatsoever, and it's basically meaningless. It's not going to blow anybody's mind... unless I happen to draw it in some place where people really don't expect to see a smiley face.
TL;DR: Art = Expression. For example, my RUclips comments are artful as fuck. God damn masterpiece every time.
@@TheDrewker I love these comments! I'm an artist (Ijust draw or carve wood, stuff like that), and I still don't know what art is. I'll never know. I don't even know anymore. Most likely has something to do with emotions, but even that isn't clear cut.
Where I'd agree with you is that some art "pieces" are better than others, objectively. The rest is going to be up to debate for some more millennia after us.
@@McKampfschnitzel97 Reminds me of something a friend of mine once said: "All movies are art, but it can be shitty art." I am of the opinion that all expression of human creativity is art. In this discussion my mind keeps going back to Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain". It is a perfectly ordinary porcelain urinal turned to its side and signed. The point of this pieces (or at least one point) is to make people question what it means for something to be art. Today it is considered one of the single most important artworks of the century.
THE THEATER EXPANDS
Also wow I never made the connection with the “spotlight” on characters in conversations. Man you make me want to replay it again already.
Hello there.
In only realized that while making this video and then just *had* to add this part in, it just blew my mind. :)
Ily daddy
MandaloreGaming Hi Sseth
Mandalore make a follow up PLEASE!!!
Ironically, Nikolai Dybowsky (the leader of Ice-Pick Lodge) promoted the idea of "games as art" long before the media began to speak about it.
I find Ice-Pick Lodge games more artish than any other studio games. For me their games are pure art.
I seem to recall hearing somewhere something that he helped finance the original game through illegal gambling. I could be wrong on that, but I wouldn't put it past the madlad who made Pathologic and The Void to do something like that.
@@quantras2673 Man, illegal gambling just to help in financing game development? That's honestly pretty sad.
@@СветльоДрагиев For me there is also Jonathan Blow and his Thekla studio. But Ice-Pick Lodge is up there and is definitely less appreciated.
Kurt Kareem Israel If you have a dream and/or passion, you can do some pretty insane things. It isn’t sad, it’s admirable. (To a point ofc)
i am so very sad that this game is heading for the "cult classic appreciated 10 years after it put its dev studio into the ground" status.
some people were laughing at developers for saying their game is a "life-changing experience" but like, lowkey? if any game at all can be called a life-changing experience, it's this one. it stays with you. the ludonarrative coherence is unmatched and provides a uniquely haunting experience.
not any game at all. i think u are forgetting this war of mine.
most of the time a game or movie isn't considered a cult classic until some time has passed, and the grass roots scenes have gained enough ground.
"ludonarrative coherence" I had to google that.
Well, the developer studio is still around, as far as I can tell.
Nullvektor x
"Pathologic 2 is the beauty of disempowerment" - Perfectly put!
Thank you so much for the shout-out!
Ahh, thank you!
My pleasure! :)
and now you got one sub more ;)
A bit biased statement, but still:
*people ask for easier difficulty*
*devs make them suffer more*
Heroes of the story are healers, not soldiers or fighters and atackers are desperate townsfolk, who struggling for survivial just like heroes do.
From first game i remember feeling, when Bachelor got his hands on revolver and handfull of bullets. Despite Webley-Fosbery is rather bad as far as game pistol can go, it was very empovering to have real option for self defense. Doom's BFG was not so welcomed as Pathalogic's six shooter with 3-4 rounds in it.
Gather round, take your seats, watch the play unfold once more, give them a round of applause.
Mandalore. Grimbeard. Ragnar. Thank you. The signal is growing stronger. The other leads might yet take the central stage in this old-new, restored theatre- after all, the tickets are selling so much better this season!
Mandalore's video on it was fantastic!
@@RagnarRoxShow so nice to see Mandalore mentioned here. Another RUclipsr I greatly respect.
The three most thoughtful, articulate, bullshit-free game reviewers I know spend 90% of their runtimes gushing about their experience of *just trying to process* the game. If that isn't a compelling argument to check out a video game, I don't know what is.
GrimBeard is a fantastic reviewer in this vein as well!! His video on Pathologic 2 was phenomenal!!
Hey, hey people, Sseth isn't here.
This game is one of those things that contributes to the "it doesn't have to be fun to be good" argument. Believe it or not some people like disempowerment games, like a good stealth game.
Your comment reminded me of my experience with Thief: the Dark Project. Although you have a variety of weapons and tools your character is no godlike superhero. If you go into missions guns blazing letting yourself be heard or seen you are gonna have a bad time, and you would think that would be a turn off but it made me that much more engaged in my objectives as I strived to become one with the shadows, never even letting my opponents know I was there while robbing them blind.
@@pinheiro... Styx: Shards of Darkness is another great stealth game, you're not built for combat and get messed up pretty quick if you get caught. I'd reccomend it.
@@TheLukeylala Thank you very much for the recommendation, I've never heard of it but I'll def look into it!
"It doesn't have to be fun to be good." Is a sentence that automatically reminds my of my first time playing Silent Hill 4: The Room. Many people called it a bad game, a chore to play through and a simply not fun in general. But i think that was the point. It meant to make you feel that way. It meant to make you NOT want to crawl through that hole again, leaving the safety of your apartment. But then it even took away the safety of your apartment and everything felt shitty and depressing. I think that's what every Horrorgame should be like.
I ran disempowerment pen and paper rpgs, and everyone loved it.
Pathologic 2 and Disco Elysium made 2019 one of the best years for video games ever. We got 2 absolute masterpieces that will forever stand out.
Can you pls not mention this crap in the same sentence with one of the best written games ever made?
ty
And Sekiro
@@OBEYTHEPYRAMID no it is not crap. It is just much worse than disco. It is not even remotely close
@@iluvatarchemwait what. I haven't played pathologic yet, and I'm halfway through this video
@@iluvatarchemwell tbf the second part is indeed much worse written(although the gameplay is way better then the one Disco has),but the first part could easily compete against Elysium in script,and I would even go as far as saying that Pathologic has every chance to win in it
And don’t forget that we still have only 1/3 of the game,so maybe the second part is only about to shine writing-wise
Yes please give Pathologic 2 more attention! It's a wonderful game and an Experience and y'all are missing out!!
I love the game
But "wonderful" isnt exactly the adjective I'd use XD
More like "painfully enjoyable" haha (by design)
Meanwhile studio that made the game is almost disbanded
As I said to many others about the game, it's not a fun game at all, or at least barely in some aspects. Despite that, the game is so incredibly interesting that it makes up for the lack of fun ten times over.
@Mateus Miranda Pereira You see, I'm still gonna have to disagree with you there. While much of what you said is objectively true, the fact of the matter is the something being "fun" is not necessarily the same thing as something being "engaging". One could find a movie like Event Horizon engaging, but that doesn't mean that they will find it to be a "fun" experience. Furthermore, I do not mean to say that having fun with any part of the game is an impossibility, just that the parts that have that as a possibility are few in number and pretty insignificant to the game overall. I would also like to say that I hope we can keep this conversation civil. I know that text-based conversations such as this can easily lead to misunderstandings and result in the people involved becoming uncivil, so I'd just like to make sure we avoid that.
Not to mention they're making a Marble Nest free DLC instead of simply being a cash grab and making you pay for the other characters. All of this despite the Russian Economic Crisis. They really deserve to be helped right now.
Marble Nest is free to backers; non-backers have to pay up for it.
Marble Nest is $10 for the Xbox One version 😭
It’s a good thing that they charge for it. It’s the only way they’ll stay in business
@@WarMomPT Its actually free for those who bought it before the release of said DLC.
To be honest I would fully prefer the dlc to be paid, they need it and they need more exposure. I got the game on sale recently before finding out they were struggling and now I feel awful for not buying it full price.
In the original game when the camera descended to meet the children at eye level I imagined the player character squatting in front of them.
Dilate
@@basedpuertorican4943 huh?
Dilate
Dilate
Dilate
I have panic disorder and in my first 4 hours of playing this game on the 'baby' setting, I got so so so excited by all the scary visuals but didn't feel panicked by any jump scares. I know I would not have been able to play the original. I'm grateful that there has been a lower setting added to the game. Even the pressures of dying were stemmed by my first experience of a death and I found myself actually excited by death. I also am just great at avoiding people in real life so this game worked for me brilliantly as I was told 'It's okay to avoid them'. I just feel almost like this game was made for me. I love psychological horrors but games like Resident Evil are just too technical where you have to be good at fighting. I love how this game makes you think and plan and prepare. I'm best at doing that and the strategizing to survive is something rare in games these days. The beauty of the dark scenes and the magnificently crafted characters are captivating. I absolutely love this game! Thanks for reviewing it in a good light. I've seen too many bad reviews floating around.
"No one cares about you."
The reminder we all need
i just finished this game, going from starry-eyed doctor that wants to save people into bandit that prowls in the night backstabbing sick people so i can rob their food. I am inadvertently putting my life on pedestal because i thought i could save everyone, that my life is worth more than people in the street for such hope of curing the plague. even with the good ending, 13k people are dead in my playtrough. even the victory feels phyrric, after literal mountain of corpses and sacrifices. either ending require you to sacrifice something, like in the words of Isidor Burakh: "to embrace the past is an act of love, to embrace the future is also an act of love. sadly they are not compatible and it breaks my heart"
Holy crap, that ending melted my heart. Thank you so much.
:)
Thank YOU so much for the amazing work with this game, Alphyna -- and all the best for future endeavors!
I love hidden gems and hard games. I also love the passion with which you talk about this game. I hear about it for years but i just can't get myself to play it, its artstyle is so unbelievably okward. I don't mind graphics, for example i played system shock 2 recently and felt fine. But this..gaah i must try rly hard to follow your advice and try it
This seems like the perfect game to play during a pandemic
Had to slide down too much to find this comment
I played through this at the start if the first lockdown and it was a really unique framing for such a masterpiece
not a pndemic
tyranny lockdown enslavement domestication
I've never been more immersed in a game than I have with Pathologic 2
It's completely mind altering and utterly shaking
@Lark I've been trying to get through the void but like with Ragnarox on the video with the og pathologic, I always find it very hard to get into. Gameplay wise at least, I love everything else about it
Im watching this video and can see why. But the game for me thats like that for you guys is Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Super immersive
мое русское ухо радуется когда я слышу как автор говорит "Бурах "
I have no fucking ideia what he has written but eat my thumbs up
Ахахаха, это действительно прекрасно)
@@Biffshawn he said that he's glad hearing a correct pronunciation of "Burakh" from a not russian-speaking person.
Даааа....
Mannagg Gesù Crist
In a way, it reminds me of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" with how complex each of the characters are, the feeling of hopelessness, and the intricate details that can be easily missed.
In a way, games like pathologic and pathologic 2, owe their existence to I have no mouth and I must scream. Without it games might have taken another 20 years to get to the idea of having the players navigate ethical conundrums, or even have the players confront their own ethics as a key feature of the game. This is the only reason Ellison had his short story made into a game in the first place, the developers were forced into making the game about ethics and before the good ending was a thing, you couldn't get one. In layman's terms you couldn't win, you could only lose better, fail heroically.
I love the original Pathologic with all its flaws, finished it with all three characters and even started it over again. Waited years for this to come out and I bought it on release day, but I haven't been able to play it yet save for the intro/tutorial and a few minutes of actual gameplay (the combat is as awful as always and I'm getting my butt kicked by every person I come across lol). I'm just not ready yet for the huge emotional drain that I KNOW this will imply, and I probably won't be ready for a very long time. All this simply to say thanks for making this video, unique games like these deserve all the attention and recognition they can get.
The trick to fighting is relying on your hands instead of using knives/scalpels. A strong punch always staggers your opponent so keep hitting them just as they get in range. Opponents aren't stunned by knife attacks so you'll just end up trading shots if you try to stab them.
@@nljacque Thank you, that's really useful to know! (Indeed, I think I was trying to use my crappy rusty scalpel, so fists it is next time!)
I didnt know that either ! Tbh combat is such a hard choice to make, i usually save scum
The best art is often difficult and uncompromising (and even a little alienating), and Pathologic 2 is no exception. Thank you for this in-depth look at one of the most powerful games I've played in the last few years, your passion for this game is positively infectious (see what I did there?).
Raise the curtains once more, Mr. Immortell! The show must go on...
Let's spread awareness for this masterpiece like the sand-pest and stream it! \o/
I wouldn't say that the best is often difficul and uncompromising, for there are plenty of easy and accesible art objects which are nonetheless fantastic. It's a shame, though, that art which is difficul and uncompromising tends to be disregarded.
I'd never heard about this game;
At about 5:00 minutes in, I was convinced that I need to play this game
At 17:18 I paused the video and decided that I don't need any more semi-spoiler info about the game (Sorry if I didn't watch it till the end, but I'll leave the video silently running in the background)
And yes, I'm gonna play pathologic 1 as well
Thanks for making these videos, you are a great creator
Sorry for my late comments, I don't visit RUclips every day
Edit: I cam back to watch the last 10 minutes :D
Really really late but how did you like it?
@@agentace1476 I played the original (not the remake) but let's say it's a very different experience you will never get in other games. You will definitely never forget the game. The game makes you feel miserable, literally, (took me more than a month to finish) but that's the beauty of this game and the story keeps you very engaged.
When I finished the Bachelor's quest (the most boring one) I was done with the game, but somehow I played the other characters as well. And that's the only way to get the whole story. And I'm very glad that I did.
I really loved the game and it is one of the best games I've ever played, but I cannot recommend it to anyone. The game is so off putting and alien for new players and you should pay attention to everything.
If you want to give it a shot, you should endure some aspects of the game till the end, and one tip that I can give to new players is that play the Bachelor first and when the Changeling gets unlocked, play the two other character's side by side. One day Haruspex and one day Changeling.
And also remember to save all the cures and cure all the main NPCs, that's the only way to get the best ending, which is possible by each character.
If you consider videogames as a form of art, you will definitely enjoy this game, but if you look at them as mere pastimes, avoid it at all costs.
And if it's not to your taste, as RagnarRox said, you can just skip the original and play the remake, which I'm also be doing in the future.
@@Magixxar oooh thank ya for still replying even though it was so late I’ve been watching videos on it I seen the hbomberguy video on pathologic and he said the same thing as you pretty much so I might try it when I get my pc fixed have you tried the second one yet? Also that hbomberguy video is very good
@@agentace1476 No I haven't played it yet (it's still in my backlog) and I'm very eager to play it and relive the same feelings in a newer and harder way. And yes that hbomberguy has some very good contents on his channel.
@@Magixxar imma definitely check out the second one because I don’t think the first one is on Xbox but I’m glad ya replied and I’m ready to get my ass beat by it now
CD Action, quite big and mainstream Polish gaming magazine gave P2 9+/10 score and their Seal of Quality, so maybe not everything is wrong with game journalism.
Pathologic 2 is what game as an art form in its most unique & truest way.
Been supporting the developers since your review of The Void, this news shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone due to the very little coverage on Pathologic 2 outside of Slavic territories. However, I have kept up to date with all of the information such as the depression in Russia, Ice Pick's heartfelt apology about having to release the game early and talks of either having to divide it into an episodic fashion or wait until later to release the whole with the possibility of the company going under before then; Six months before it's actually release on Steam. Ice Pick has made unique games to date, however the game really isn't for everyone and I recommend everyone to try it out without the expectancy of having an enjoyable experience, it's a great game that will likely never be appreciated to its full extent. Despite that, thanks for making a review on it and introducing Ice Pick to a wider audience, the company deserves some type of recognition.
TL;DR Ice Pick is on the verge collapsing, these reviews are falling on deaf ears. Difficulty slider, what am I eight?
The void is awesome
Hey, there's good news. Ice Pick Lodge has announced that they found an investor some time ago, and they're making progress with the Bachelor's route. They've released a new game and will launch a couple more soon
the Russian in the end - what a cute accent :)
"ultimate dad simulator" never in my life did i think id hear this about a plague game and agree. Until one of your list dies early on and you see them when u die urself and cry.
What i really appreciate about this game, especially as a neurodivergent person, is that after watching multiple lets plays and videos about the game to kinda feel secure in knowing what i get myself into, and still having a hard time and a completely differnt playthrough myself. I love this game and i love having gotten to play it. Im someone that usually plays everything on easy bc everything else in my life is stressful and i dont need that in my downtime, but still made myself play it on intended in my first playthrough. later on i mainly just tweaked damage dealt and taken from combat because my computer runs the game pretty badly and that makes combat barely doable sometimes and i run from every and all odongs. Still, my favourite death is getting stuck on a trash can and getting stabbed to death in a matter of seconds.
I'm really glad that this game is getting some more recognition lately. Pathologic 2 is one of the best games I've ever played and I will never stop being excited about it.
I could write a novel about everything I love about this game. All those different, interesting and engaging mechanics that interplay with each other. That your decisions have real consequences. That you have to prioritise quests and people, because you can't save everyone. That this game really conveys the feeling of fighting an uphill battle against an infinitely stronger foe. The intense stress, dread and anxiety. All those unique "mini stories" that emerge from how you play this game and your decisions. This incredibly realised and fleshed out world with it's mythology and backstory. Its beautiful and unique presentation and atmosphere. Also this really fucking brilliant mind-map. It's a really great way to avoid people following the dreaded dotted line on your minimap.
It is one of the most unique and original things ever. It does not try to emulate or evoke anything else, like so many games aim to be cinematic for example. The developer created exactly the kind of experience they wanted to, going against conventions and expectations and succeeding. It is truly art.
What I believe hurt the success of the game was propably that it is really difficult to market. The kind of experience it offers won't resonate with most people at first, aside from those who played Pathologic 1. I can however really see the arthouse film and literature crowd to really enjoy this game. The type of person who enjoys exhausting, unrelenting and "difficult" works of art. People who love films like Enter the Void, The Hunt, Antichrist...heck, even the Tarkovsky and Bergman crowd would propably love this game (like you mentioned). I'd say the experience of Pathologic 2 is comparable to that of a Holocaust drama like Schindlers List or Son of Saul. Most people won't be ecstatically looking forward to it, but will recognize its greatness and appreciate the experience more than ________(insert dumb and entertaining film).
I really had to force myself through the first Pathologic. One time I legitimately fell asleep while playing. And while I do love that game and it will forever have a special place in my heart (also that main menu theme is burned into my mind), I propably won't ever play it again. Pathologic 2 though was one of the most exciting and nerve-wrecking things I've ever played. I often caught myself playing way longer than intended, which rarely happens these days. And I'm really looking forward to playing the Haruspex campaign again, as well as the other characters.
It might still be a bit early to say this, but Pathologic 2 could very well be my favourite game of this decade and is a contender for a spot in my Top 5 of all time.
I really urge everyone reading this to give this game a try. It's not for everyone and I can totally understand if certain types of player don't like it, but for the others it might be one of the best things they've ever played.
You words at the end were amazing, kind and truthful i watch a lot of analysis about Pathologic just to see how people experience such example of art. I hope that they'll see your video and maybe even talk to you face to face so you could ask them anything you want to know.
Продолжай в том же духе!
Want to say big THANK YOU for attention to the game. Pathologic games (and all Ice-Pick Lodge games actually) take very special place in my heart, so it was really upsetting for me to see that studio is not doing well financially and i was telling about Pathologic 2 to all of my friends until they all bought it lol. Im sorry for my not so good English, but anyway thank you for your video.
your russian was actually pretty good lol
"Trotsky murder weapon Lodge"
Oh, Ragnar! 😅
"Didn't they ask us to make it easier?"
"Oh... ok..."
It should be noted that the visual component of the game is very similar to the films of Mark Zakharov. Less well known than Torkovsky, but definitely deserves attention.
Oh boy, one hour of Ragnar talking about my one true love
Excellent. First Mandalore, now you. This is my game of the year, so far, and it deserves more attention and better review scores.
Now it's also Chris Davis...
The kids still carry all the ammo. Lmao.
I agree with you
*BUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTT*
The game really doesn't sit well for everyone. Unfortunately the action crowd find it boring and the walking sim crowd find it too complex. It sits at such a weird place.
i agree here too, so uh- nice. buut: this being clearly a work of dedication and passion with that sprinkle of elitarism (like dig it or don't) that i find it important that the few chosen noses don't let themselves get spooked off by people sayn its bad, when all that means its not crash bandicoot.
Just because it doesn't pander to the usually-pandered audience doesn't mean it's bad. I also don't think a "walking sim crowd" exists as that's generally a term to describe an emptier/more stretched out experience without enough interaction with the game world.
you have been one of my favorite people on this platform since i discovered you over a year ago. you've got it all... calming, narrator voice, excellent diction and syntax, wonderful and informed opinions..... i literally can't. you are so amazing. i think i will love this. i like games that balance choice instead of making it black and white. like when i play the long dark and my decision to take one hill instead of another might mean there either are or aren't bears and i may or may not die just because of where i walked.
I have waited you make a Pathologic video for quite a while. Maybe 2 years by now. I'm so glad
I've waited at least 90 years and I'm not even subscribed
The video was already great. but the decision to include this piece of Stalker's soundtrack at 48:15 just made me appreciate even more the effort you put into these videos (or should I say, video essays). Keep up the good (amazing) work!
Meditation by Edward Artemiev always gives me the chills!
@@RagnarRoxShow It's an unbelievable piece of music, no doubt hahaha
Fantastic. I bought this a while ago, but was waiting for your video before digging in. I'm excited to start it up soon now. My video game kink lately has been games that force you to make choices and then live with those decisions. So many games have choices that are perfunctory or let you do everything, because 'player choice' is defined as 'let the players choose to do everything'. Every time I play a game where I'm looking for my child who has been abducted or is being chased by a cavalcade of wraiths; but am able to stop and clear 72 bandit camps, build camps or look for every piece of armor in the game without having any impact on things... that's when part of me withers away and dies. I greatly enjoyed Vampyr because of how it approached choices. You could mean well, but have terrible things happen. You could make a choice that would completely cut off a character's story to you. And you just had to deal with it. A little less serious, I also loved how the timer in Dead Rising meant you had to choose what you wanted to do. You can go play dress up in the mall or you can go save some survivors or fight a psychopath before the next story point, but you usually couldn't do all three.
Hey if you love character choice you should checkout lisa the painful
I realize this comment is old, but can you shoot me some recommendations please? I'm new to modern gaming. The most recently made games I play are bioshock series and the last of us.
Hello RagnarRox, this video has finally convinced me to play Pathologic, when you commented on SulMatuls playthrough to be one of your favourites, because, inbetween many reasons, he drops his big knowledge of the game on them.
I instantly thought about LyingFigure he does this great Silent Hill playthroughs with so much lore explained that has made me replay those games many times, if you havent checked em out id recommend you doing so.
Thanks for making such detailed and pleasant to watch videos!!!
Oh my god “Trotsky murder weapon lodge”! Incredible. Great video. I’ve played this game more times than I can count and I appreciate you taking the time to review it
Well, I look forward to giving Pathologic 2 a shot. I was leery of the game's difficulty initially as it seemed that it might be such a strong anxiety trigger that I wouldn't be able to play through the game... knowing that there are the adjustable levels and the nature of death and failure as being features rather than 'game-over's, I think I'll actually appreciate it. Something about this game reminds me of Baroque, an old Sega Saturn/ PS1 game with a PS2/Wii remake. Perhaps its the color pallet, melancholic tone, bizarre characters, and experimentation with death as a coda rather than a period. Thank you!
As good as it clearly is, I just can't play it for one simple reason: it does what it's intended to do. Make every waking second a stress filled nightmare. The fact that time is always passing and things are always getting worse the more time you waste, the hardcore gameplay elements, etc. I am, by no means, skilled. I find most games plenty difficult on normal and some even hard on easy. I can't handle the worry of every moment. Too much for me.
yeah I've played until around day 8 and I just couldn't handle it. I'm plenty anxious as it is and the constant apprehension of just walking around was just too much. The constant sense of foreboding and helplessness and failure... while all are very powerful are exactly the things I play games to get away from. Great game but I'm not sure i have the guts to revisit it :-/
Holy shit I found the common denominators that are making games shallower
@@GreenEyedDazzler A game being less difficult and stress inducing doesn't mean it's shallow. There are plenty of amazing games out there that are not difficult, hell even pathologic 1 was a cakewalk if you knew what to do. Some people not being able to play a game such as this doesn't mean they're at fault for anything. They wanna play a game for relaxation, you want to experience stuff like pathologic. Neither is superior, I enjoy both and although I wish there was more stuff like Pathologic, I know that the audience of these games are small, and shaming others for not being able to play them will not help in the creation of more games such as this, quite the contrary it would scare people away if we stabbed them in the back after they failed. The best you can do is talk about what's good in this game and hope a few people who actually would play it do, so Ice pick lodge can continue creating masterpieces.
The second playthrough becomes easier. I lasted until day 6 in my first play, and yesterday I restarted. I'm amazed at how much better I've become, and I don't consider myself a skilled gamer. As a small advise, bartering with the kids is usually a good idea
Found the gaming elitist.
I am so happy to see your video on Pathologic. You were the one who showed me the beauty of The Void and now you are taking my hand and guiding me to another masterpiece. Thank you.
Excited I found your channel. Being infatuated with Mandalore's content inspired me to actively try to find another channel to dive into. Several months passed with no luck.. I gave up. More months passed and here I am tonight, haphazardly stumbling upon yours and of course Mandalore's comment is right up at the top. Looking forward to the future, cheers!
39:10 There is a fine line though. When you work full-time and life already leaves you exhausted, the last thing I wanna do is feel like playing a video game is a 2nd job.
Filthy cas
@@gretasstolendreams2154 :^D
Fortunately, there are difficulty sliders!
I discovered the game on my Steam queue tonight and instantly it struck me as a passion project. I went to RUclips for more information, found your video, and 2 hours later in an hour into my first play through. Thanks for the expertly done video!
I knew this video was going to be good... and yet it still exceeded my expectations.
It was really nice to see an in-depth video discussing the mechanics and gameplay, it helps to show just how cleverly the devs used interaction to build the plot and atmosphere. Ice Pick Lodge is my favourite video game development team, and though I haven't had chance to play Pathologic 2 yet (still saving up for a gaming computer so I can actually run it) I thoroughly enjoyed the original and want to see the sequel/remake/reimagining (whatever we're calling it haha) succeed so the team can continue to make incredible experiences.
Fantastic video as always Ragnar, I hope you can one day make the video you want about Pathologic's themes and story. Though if you are still struggling to put it together, maybe you could do multiple videos rather than trying to force all your thoughts into one huge project? Don't know if that would help but thought it was worth suggesting. But no matter what you do I'm probably going to watch this video over and over again, so thank you for providing always providing such excellent content :D
P.S. What's this about you not tackling everything you could have in The Void video? That is one of my favourite videos of all time so if you've got more to say about this game then I want to hear it!
Thank you An Ma Narrative, that means a lot!
About The Void: At the time, I had several scripts outlined to do a ~10-15 minute exploration of each of the characters (both Sisters and Brothers) for instance, which, if I would have written them all, would have had potential for easily 4 hours of video content, and that's just one part of it. I'm convinced you could run an entire channel exclusively covering IPL games and you wouldn't run out of material in years.
@@RagnarRoxShow Not going to lie, that sounds amazing!
And I agree, The Void and Pathologic alone would provide content for ages even before looking at Knock-Knock or Cargo! The Quest for Gravity. It's a shame that IPL games don't come up more on analysis channels.
I've been patiently waiting for either you or Michael Saba to make a video on Pathologic. The wait is finally over. What a great game. I'm really grateful that on my first playthrough of Pathologic Classic HD I was too dumb to figure out bandit hunting. The original might have been cheese-able but thank god I never figured it out.
It was yours and @MandaloreGaming 's vids that made me get this game a couple of years ago... Now it stands as one of my favourite pieces of interactive media of all time. Thank you so much.
Thank You so much for this video. You made me appreciate this game so much more. I must admit I was struggling a lot. After playing Pathologic Classic HD, I was kinda used to some of it's patterns, so I went into this one with a strategy, and very gaming mindset. Focus on survival, do most important quest of the day, so nothing bad happens to people from my list, and go, explore more unnatural places, and aspects, and You'll sure be back with a knowledge, and a solution that will make everything better. But then, playing Pathologic 2 I got constantly frustrated. Every death, and lack of time to complete quests felt like an interruption in my perfect plan to "beat this game". When my first person was infected I was more irritated, than anything else, since it was such an inconvenience for me. Then I felt that something is wrong, and I don't play it right. I took a break, a few days later stumbled upon this video, and You really helped me get out of this game-like mindset. Now I came to terms with dying, and being punished for that, and I accepted that I may not be able to complete things, even if I'm really engaged in them. Now, when another person caught the plague I was not frustrated, but honestly scared, and felt bad for him, because I accepted, that I just may not be able to help him. It's so much better now, it stopped being a game, and transformed into something a lot more. I am this person in this situation, and I'm just trying to do my best, while accepting, that I am no hero, but just one cog in this machine, and it takes waaay more than just me, to find the solution. And that truly is the feeling no other game can give You. So thank You for helping me realize that.
The irony of time being a valuable thing in the sequel, when in the first you spend WAY to much walking. what a wonderfull game
well, you also walk in pathologic 2, but you can run now. And I don't think that you walk TOO much in the first game, because walking and exploring the town is one of tthe biggest gameplay elements. It was built with a lot of dead ends and secret paths between houses, so in the beggining I was usually frustrated that the shortest route didnt exist but to the end when you have a full mindmap it is rewarding to know the best routes
@@ZZaGGrrUzz yeah, if you know where to go at what time, the game felt not at all a boring walking simulator. But how many runs it took me to get to that point was.. To many hours.
@ is not about speed. Is ammount quantity. Didn't the second day made fun of how much you are an errand boy?
To quote Dankovsky in the original "I have a lot of walking to do today anyway"
I may be the only one who really liked those walks and the music that fit each district, it gave me a lot of time to sort things out story wise and gameplay wise planning routes preparing for the worst. I don't know why, but this is the only "walking simulator" or so people call it that i sincerely enjoyed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This game needs more visibility. So thank you for doing this.
Plus, I'm always happy to see new videos from you. The love letter to VtM is still one of my favorite videos of all times.
This game sounds fantastic! I'm really into epidemiology (and love the psychological/sociological side) and this whole thing is a fascinating and oddly beautiful way to explore it.
Having played through it, I think it's more epistemological than epidemiological.
... but either way, it's about knowing the lines.
the short lil message to the devs in russian at the very end was so cute!
RagnarRox, I just want to thank you for creating this content. I struggle with a bit of anxiety and depression and your videos relax me and keep me productive while I work. It's amazing finding an objective gamer that sees games on a different light and isn't looking what to hate but rather wishes to share what he loves. I gave a steam card as a present to my gf and from all the games she could have bought she got pathologic 2 because I was ultra excited to get it thanks to this review. Keep doing what you do and thanks.
I am so angry when I missed the Kickstart for pathologic 2, but I was able to grab the supporter pack. The game is amazing, loved it so much.
What the heck? I never even heard of this game until I saw this video. And I'm a big fan of these types of games. It's almost as if someone is trying to hide the game or something. Looks great though
Dog I doubt you’re into surreal, independent survival horror games if you didn’t know about Pathological 1
@@GreenEyedDazzler blah blah I'm a bigger fan than you are blah blah gatekeeping
I legit thought this was a Grimbeard video at first. You and him have basically the same tastes and it's great.
25:24 maxpayne randomly walking by meanwhile you punch fight a drunkguy
5 years later! Pathologic 2 announced for next year release!!!!
I was so thankful for the difficulty sliders! I really just wanted to experience all of the game without needing to pull my hair out in frustration because of the survival game mechanics that I absolutely dislike. Little sad you called it "the baby mode", but I'd rather be called a baby than not experience a good game at all. Great video!
I literally play everything on easy. I only like stories basically. And thats fine.
I’m glad you acknowledged that some of us have generalized anxiety disorder and would never be able to play without being triggered. I love watching your videos and walkthroughs by other creators because it allows me to enjoy the game and it’s themes without having an impact on my mental health.
I dont like difficulty much anymore. Im a damn casual. So ill use the sliders but this game looks too interesting to ignore.
I'm such a scaredy cat, I would never dare to play any of these games myself. Yet, I've watched the entirety of your video essays on both Darkwood and Pathalogic 2 because I found them interesting and well written. I appreciate your discussions on the intents and effects of certain games, why they are made the way they are, and how the developers wanted the players to experience them. Art or not, how each individual can personally experience a game says something about how well the game is made and is a topic worth reflecting on. Hopefully players braver than me will now pick up this game and support the studio. Godt jobbet!
the first one has inspired me so much, from my drawing style to editing and pace, i love Pathologic and it's unique feel to it. Pathologic 2 have been on my wishlist for a while now and i hope i get money sooner or later. ooh damn you student life for not letting me enjoy another masterpiece. great video as always!
great video even though i'm not done with the video 😭
27:08 As somebody sometimes struggling with over-meticulousness, I can totally get that a doctor who's not used to load firearms would load it in such a way. _He puts the bullets at the same angle,_ and although it's something usual in video games, in this case I'm thinking "Oh yes. It would bother me SO MUCH to have one bullet out of line."
Комментарий, полный восторга. Да-да, на русском.
Кто к нам с русским придёт, тот русского и получит =)
the settings determining how hard specific aspects of the game is so amazing. sometimes a game is too easy in most aspects and then impossible in one specific way when you turn the difficulty up so i really appreciate that
It genuinely is a treat whenever you upload this coupled with an hour long video about a game i thoroughly enjoyed, this is going to be amazing ! Though not out yet i am patiently awaiting on your video in regards to Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines 2.
Regardless, i can tell already just by the intro this will be a very enjoyable, entertaining and well scripted watch as always, keep up the amazing work Ragnar !
I appreciated the Trotsky Murder reference. Clever.
I tried the firs one couple of times but never managed to finish it.
And I'm pretty sure that I will probably fail in finishing this one if I try it.
But I decided to buy this game and support these talented people, well a big part of that decision is thx to you and this amazing video.
I found ur channel from the video u did about the Gothic Game which is one of my all time favorites and since then I keep finding good games because of u... not too mention the intellectual challenge that u gives us on the way. Thank u
I've only played Pathologic Classic HD. Obsessed with that game.
There's just something unique about this game's atmosphere and feel. I need to try it soon.
I'm definitely gonna get this game! Thanks for the video, btw.
Bought the game because I support what it's trying to do, but I have yet to play because I'm easily spooked
and I don't need a video game reminding me every screen that no one cares about me.
I always thought the trash can symbolism was a metaphor to how ridiculously low are doctors wages in Russia. Anyway, thank you for this video! Love your content and IPL really needs attention and support right now, hope more people pick this game up
Here are some tips if the video didn't mention them already and some ARE spoilery to some extent but not in terms of story:
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Tip 1: Rummage through trash bins as much as you can. The bottles are needed to restore your stamina which is entirely derivative of your thirst.
When the infection starts, you can fill an empty bottle to safely check if the water is safe to drink. If not, then empty the bottle out & go find another source.
You will also need a lot of bottles to make a lot of tinctures in order to immunize a lot of key people.
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Tip 2: If you're unsure which herbs will make which tinctures, consult the painting on the wall/table or look to Marshall Dyer's playthrough for an in-depth list of recipes.
You can find most of your herbs in the marshlands outside of town near your workshop and a CRAP TON of herbs in the steppe villages far away East from town in large batches.
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Tip 3: If you ever get infected, like REALLY infected, and you have a lot of health, then walk into one of those bonfires in them infected districts.
From what I can gather, fire instantly kills the plague & the health risk is often better than taking a Shmowder.
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Tip 4: Lockpicks on the verge of breaking, looking about less than 10% durability, WILL insta-kill people.
^^Trivia: This was hinted at one of the early side-tasks where you operate on one of the thugs which has a lockpick jabbed into his stomache.
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Tip 5: If you see a nondescript chest/wooden lock-box, tucked away around a corner, alley, etc, DON'T take anything/everything unless you understand the rules.
^^^Refer to my reply to this comment if you want to spoil yourself further with Tip 5.
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Tip 6: Don't be an asshole to the communities. Prices will just get worse & bartering with townsfolk isn't an option anymore. Normal folk WILL eventually attack you on sight.
Now, contrary to what's explained, prices will get lower and (maybe?) better items will become available for bartering with folk, IF you are a good-boi.
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Tip 7: The first few days of the plague has you running around like a headless chicken between different situations related to you but it's also a good time to prepare yourself.
Get your food situated, rummage for bottles to refill your stamina-thirst bar, get yourself some lemons/coffee beans to keep you awake albeit at the cost of your health.
Hoard AS MUCH nuts & oddities, like nails, spindles, beetles, etc, as you can because the children are exceptional bartering candidates, holding the most precious of medicines, bandages, bullets, YOU NAME IT! Keep in mind which person sells which item because their stock remains relatively static. There's this adult, for instance, that sells bandages for water bottles.
Okay, so Tip 5...
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There's this dangerous children's game which eventually turns into a side-questline where you HAVE to put an item, like nuts/nails/beetles (the 'junk' you normally barter with children), in these hidden caches, which gets marked on your map when you find them, in order TO TAKE an item of relatively equal value. Give and take.
It's just like normal bartering with people, but instead you're not restricted to the direct hand-on-hand exchange of said items and rather runs on the trust that the other guy/kid won't take everything. So if you want to gain & maintain the trust of the kids in the entirety of the playthrough WHILST gaining top-tiered items like Shmowders & high-end pills, play their game.
FIRST MANDALORE NOW YOU, WOW! JUST STOP SPOILING ME
i have nothing to add to the discussion, I just wanted to say this video is great
edit: no wait i do have something to add. i really appreciate your take on difficulty settings and your acknowledgement that some people just cannot interact with a game in its original state for not only just attention span reasons but actual mental illness reasons i.e. anxiety.
I often close 3 minute youtube videos out of boredom. 36 minutes in and I feel no boredom at all.
Didn’t need to be sold on this game or series, but your video has...resold me on Pathologic 2. I hope Ice Pick Lodge does get the success try deserve, and manage to get the other two characters out. I may have gift it to some of my friends, because I really want to see this get finished.
This game is the proof that you can make some insane and crazy world that makes you feel small and nothing of a hero, with a trully and really good story, like a certain japanese guy claims to do but doesn't at all.
I really love the efforts you put in at the end of your video at reading russian text and patreon names with the correct accent
Played this back in the first British Lockdown was in full swing because of Covid and I don't think I've had a more immersive experience.
Just 15 minutes ago I was thinking "Its been some time since Ragnar uploaded a video, I aire miss him" and here it is!
Pathologic and The Void are two of my favourite games ever. Thanks for making videos about them. Ice-Pick Lodge is very underrated. They should get more recognition for their work... :
Found myself in a web of these videos after watching Hbomberguy's ! I found this very enjoyable - thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this game!
IT S HAPPENING, BOYS. PATHOLOGIC 3
2nd video on RUclips for this game I've seen. Glad Ice Pick Lodge is finally getting much needed attention. I haven't played pathologic 2 but was a fan of the first one. Do plan to get this one.
Studio from my country. I love their games. Спасибо большое.
I never thought I'd watch the full video when I tapped on the thumbnail I was mildly interested in. I've been considering playing this game for a long time. I'm still not sure if I want to play the first game or not either.
Your small segway into how this game has been represented through reviews and how the gaming community talks about games as art really struck me. I've been thinking about games as an art form for quite a while now because of how devided the discussion has been and because I've always found myself defending games for this reason without looking really deeply into it. Most games that are considered great artistically are really cinematic, but that doesn't distinguish games as an artform from movies. It's really just combining elements from entirely different mediums, which isn't completely a bad thing, but it's not putting any emphasis on gameplay itself as an artform. The gameplay and interactive activities within the game need to present their own artistic merit to demonstrate an artistic piece.
I think this will be one of the next games I play, I may watch that walkthrough for the first game you mentioned too.
I just discovered this game and it really left an impression on me, can only recommend, if only to find out what it's about for yourself. The artbook and OST are amazing, too, so I recommend to get the complete package!
Thx for this! Really great video and you sold me really well. Went straight to SulMatul's let's play and I'm currently watching it and loving it, It's very emersing and feels so real with real stakes and decisions. Even when watching, I'm so in the world. Just really love it! So again, thanks!
I was looking at it during a sale. It told me right out that "You can't save everyone". I don't know why that line made me feel so anxious. Perhaps because I know it's want to save everyone and I won't be able to but I'll keep trying in this futile effort. It sounds silly but thinking of begging stuck in that loop made me sick to my stomach
Definitely going to get this game! I had been on the fence due to anxiety about difficulty, but the mention of the "spotlights" on character turned me around- I deeply love theatre, and that kind of care put into the game makes it so i can't not try it out. (love how you used music from Stalker in the bg too!)