Can Sam please commit to getting all the way through Elden Ring, and can we please give Sam a couple minutes each episode to discuss his previous weeks progress? I can’t imagine that not always providing a lot of laughter for all of us 😂
Just want to say that I love this show for the great insights, respectful dialog, and humor. After listening for so many years it feels like home and a safe place to celebrate our gaming passion. Cheers to all the present and past camp counselors and behind the goose curtain crew, it's been a fantastic Scoop! Enjoy your gaming!
Happy Scoop Day! Always nice to see Swaim step in. This is truly the one podcast you need to watch. I feel badly for those who don’t. Seeing Daemon’s expressions alone is worth it. Nicely job!
He's a great host in that he can do both keeping things on track when necessary/when discussion on a topic is dying, but also knows when to let everyone just shoot the shit about everything when it's a fascinating/important topic. Also, yes, his expressions alone make the podcast worth it.
I love how this crew just tells it how it is. I personally love Souls games but to see them not caring about how toxic a lot of the Souls fans are and just saying how they really feel is refreshing. The NVC crew seems almost afraid to criticize anything Nintendo.
The problem is, he was just kind of wrong a few times. There are view points, you absolutely can start as magic use and throw magic around. These games don't have to be for everyone, I don't like games like Horizon Forbidden West and I'm okay with people that do. That type of open world for me is so bland but, again, I get that some people want that. That part is perfectly okay. However, not knowing what you are talking about and then throwing around info like you do, is a problem. Like Sam did.
@@Kmaitland89 and ur the exact type of souls player he was talking about. Not everyone enjoys spending their free time the same way. Some ppl like games to be more relaxing and exploratory and some ppl love brutal, no holding-ur-hand difficulty. Him not liking it has nothing to do with not knowing how to play or being able to play. Some ppl just simple wanna spend their time different and that’s okay.
@@holddamayo7474 I LITERALLY said that. I quite literally said, it's perfectly fine. The part I pointed out was him giving miss information. But you were so excited to jump on something you missed the part where I said "not every game has to be for everyone, and that's okay".
I've tried to listen to so many Nintendo podcast but they all come of the same way. Apologizing for them and trying hard not to criticize them. It's really weird
I will say as a newcomer to this genre I am absolutely loving Elden Ring 10/10👌🏽 and the same thing goes for Horizon forbidden West absolutely amazing 10/10👌🏽
This gives me hope! I loved horizon zero dawn and am loving forbidden west. Also bought elden ring but, as a newcomer, I am apprehensive and afraid of it being too difficult or not liking it for whatever reason.
My first Souls game. I'm an old Ninja Gaiden head so... difficulty is not really an issue. I always overcome any boss any game has ever thrown at me. I don't know if I'm sweaty. But I play games like I work out, I just keep going, I learn from every loss and then I win. I feel the same way about this game that I feel about Blaster Master. It is epic.
There’s just something about Michael Swaim’s delivery that kills me - it’s like deadpan humor meets nicest man you know. Love when he’s on because he’s able to go toe-to-toe with Sam’s absurdist ramblings and witty one-liners, as well as make Justin and Daemon legitimately laugh. Don’t get me wrong though - I adore Tina! One of the absolute best in the industry and love when she does a little “inside baseball” about IGN and the gaming industry as a whole. Great crew overall!
Man, this week I delayed watching Game Scoop, because my mind is kinda stunned, given the current state of the world. But now I'm watching the new episode. And it's a much needed relieve. Gotta keep having fun, too. No matter what happens.
I’m not using a strategy guide for Elden Ring. My pro tip is to read the descriptions of each item that you get to learn what to do with them and for a little bit of lore.
Mikey Swaim... One of the top 3 funniest people working at ign. I am exactly the same way with wanting to not "cheat" with strategy guides but many games are made today assuming that you will. There's no shame in looking something up with a From Software game.
As someone who tried Dark Souls and didn't like it, but is interested in Open World games, I was very interested by this discussion. Most of the reviews I've seen felt (to me) as reviews made by fans mostly for fans and only adressing newcomers in terms of difficulty (which was not my issue with DS). It was a nice change to hear about the game from people who, for their own reasons, aren't much into Soulsborne either.
Yeah I’m exactly the same. I’ve never been able to get in to a Soulsbourne game either but because of the reviews it did make me want to try it out. But hearing what Sam had to say was good to know so I don’t waste my money on it, for now at least. We’ll see how the narrative changes over time. 👍👍
@@sillylittlesheepjax6009 Stop coming to a video game podcast and making fun of people for playing video games. You are the only one here who needs to get a life.
It's so funny hearing you all say you haven't been using the spear much in Horizon. I've been using it a TON. Power attack to knock down small machines, then critical strike and it takes out most anything. Just goes to show how you can play the game so wildly differently.
Dungeon Master, or DM, is for D&D the official game and rule set. Game Master, or GM, is for other non-D&D products made by other developers. Doesn’t have anything to do with actual dungeons or campaign settings. It’s more of a branding thing.
I think Sam just doesn't like soulsborne games - not a criticism and I could be completely wrong but that seems to be the impression. For me, half the wonder of those games is the mystery, wonder and challenge of it all, and not having a tutorial on every element of it. Some people like that, some people don't, either is fine. I'd say that, so far, this one is more accessible than the other soulsborne games - bonfires (equivalent) are a lot more prevalent, flasks can recharge after beating mobs and there's even respawn points that are a lot closer to bosses to save you running time. Plus, you get a double jumping horse steed thing which is amazing.
The whole point I was making is that you can easily miss things, but as someone whose played a character for many hours now with no real obvious upgrades other than those meant for melee combat, that seems off to me, why force hours of melee?
@@samuelclaiborn6365 It is true that once you pick a class, that's your playstyle for about a dozen hours. Guides definitely help, but it's kinda like having others make decisions for you.
@@samuelclaiborn6365 I guess that comes down to the class you selected at the start - I selected astrologer and that has given me a decent mix of magic and melee combat ( though sadly there is no ability to read enemies' horoscopes 😃), plus the additional summons you get from the wondering noble ashes helps keep the action entertaining (again for me it does). Completely valid point about potentially missing items - again though for me, I just accept that I may miss some things along the way and for me that is fine as it means my overall experience of the game will be completely different to yours or anybody else's. I get that some people aren't fans of that approach, and if they aren't, as you quite rightly say, there's nothing wrong with playing with a guide to help keep you on track. (P.S. "The wondering noble ashes helps keep the action entertaining" is not a sentence I ever thought I would be writing!)
Anyone playing Elden Ring who is scared it's gonna be too hard, I beg you, please pick the Astrologer class. It comes with a decent sword, but more importantly, a couple ranged spells you can use to pick off enemies in a crowd or get some sneaky ranged damage in for a big enemy.
@Sam Claiborn, I finally approached Stormveil castle and climbed to the top of the entrance. I was so focused on finding secrets, that I lost site of the path forward. I became lost and started feeling nostalgia for Goonies 2 where there was a high jump I couldn't reach. You have to defeat the mini-boss knight in the dark room at the top of the stairs one time to get the key. Then you unlock a door, climb further up, and can either jump to the right for a hidden item, or progress forward to the left. Man, I can't remember the last time a game made me feel like this. Blaster Master made me go back to the very start and use the new hover craft ability to rise up in a way that forced me to think outside the box. Believe it or not, Fromsoft is very good at recreating this sort of feeling. I hope this inspires you to persevere a bit more through Elden Ring. Regardless, it is always a joy to watch you on Game Scoop!, NVC, or any show. Edit: I had to change my words because I thought you could run past the very difficult knight in the dark room at the top of the stairs. Turns out you have to defeat him sort of like a Knight in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. That mini-boss is very difficult if you haven't spent 20-30 hours exploring the world. If only there was a guide somewhere ;)
Damn, this is probably the first Game Scoop that let me down. You couldn't get one person on who is actually enjoying the game? Elden Ring comes out to almost universal praise, Sam's the only person playing it, and he's not really feeling it, and then you all go around and talk about how you all hate Souls games.
Yeah they'll spend 10 minutes talking about the next 'amazing sony exclusive' but brush off Elden Ring without even giving it a chance. Sam is only a couple of hours in and is just making fun of it.
5 hours into Elden Ring and I’m enjoying it. It’s tough at points, but I’ve played other Soulsbourne games before, so combat was easy to get used to. People are mostly right when they say it’s just open world Dark Souls. When Dark Souls came out I read how the flow of combat works because I got my ass handed to me by normal enemies over and over again. Once you get “over the hump” of learning how to fight and not die every 5 minutes these games become very enjoyable and you truly feel like a badass. You will still die when you play carelessly, but you learn to take every encounter as a lesson. And then you can actually enjoy the environmental storytelling and the bread crumbs the games give. GET GUD
For the last question, the two that pop quickest into my mind are Jak II and Dark Chronicle. Both are critically acclaimed but they moved too far away from what I loved about the originals. Btw, Justin, I know you love town building and Dark Cloud is the most fun I've ever had exploring that concept so check it out if you feel like revisiting a PS2 classic.
Jak 2 and 3 are painful to play now. No strafing is brutal. The first one is definitely holds up the best in my opinion. I did like the direction they went with them though.
Just based on what I've heard and am hearing Cyber Punk had bigger hype. I was hearing about Cyber Punk be covered by BBC by reporters who had no idea what it was but needed to talk about it because of how big it was.
I was a latecomer but huge fan of Swaim's Kurt Vonnegut podcast. Listened to a bunch then stopped for months. This morning I picked up with the "Slapstick" episode and now here he is again on Game Scoop! Good stuff.
"I haven't been into volcano's in years, Dad." Oh man, that was some brilliant insight and it had me laughing so hard. I don't have kids, but I love introducing my niece and nephew's to things I would love as a kid. Plus, seriously, lava is amazing to watch.
Everything about Elden Ring was "nailed" except for Optimization, which only a few reviewers/outlets have made an effort to point out. Hype is one thing, but Oblivious Hype to glaze over such glaring Performance issues is astonishing. Hopefully, it doesn't take weeks for it to achieve an optimized state & be a locked-60fps on PC or Next-Gen Performance Modes.
90s music is embedded in my mind. I think music now is mostly atmospheric so it's not something you can really hum to and remember easily. But there are plenty of games in the past 20 years that have incredible music like shadow of the colossus, onimusha, mario galaxy, persona 4 golden, and resident evil 4.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a 90s gamer and the OSTs from that era are some of my fav not only VGM but just music in general. But take off the nostalgia goggles for a min and it’s clear Mario Galaxy, Shovel Knight, Undertale, and so many others after are up there with the greats. Follow Supradarky and Insaneintherain (rip) for the best VGM you never heard from all eras. Love you guys. Peace.
For me - it is different enough. I love the game so far. I don’t think Justin should worry too much about “making the build wrong” because it’s not like it’s either perfect/OP or you’re helpless, the stats and items etc are digestible enough to allow most gamers to figure it out along the way. Ofc advice videos exist but it is really fun to go in blind and go at your own pace
Why doesn't IGN promote these sweet ass gaming podcasts. Like i remember I had to look for IGN to get "real" gaming content. When i was tired of youtubers and gamepro nintendo power type content. Then stumbled on IGN youtube a couple years ago. Now I spend 24 hrs a month listening to all these beautiful people spit gaming 🔥
I love that Super mario bros 2 is complete different to Super Mario bros. It is so unique and the mechanics are completely different, 4 playable characters was nice, and I love the boss fights.
I think nostalgia has a HUGE factor on music. I don't know the music of any of the games mentioned, because I grew up with Sega Genesis. I love the music in Aero the Acrobat 2, Ecco the Dolphin 2, Sonic 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic 3D Blast... But I also loved the NES soundtracks because I did play those games as well, but I never played SNES games until now and... they don't really capture me the same way. I'm sure if I played them as a kid, they would have.
I have to be honest. Some of the guys said they would try it but already sound defeated. I want you to really try this time!! It’s open world so you can always turn around and pick your fights.
Even Daemon took a step back on that Madden comment. I'm not a Souls player but I would like to see more balance on the panel in terms of people who like a game and people who don't. At least for the major releases. I feel like now I have to go listen to Beyond to get the 'pro' side on Elden ring after hearing the 'con' side. I was going to watch Beyond anyways. I love all the IGN podcasts.
I can still hum and sing the FF2 (USA) soundtrack with full joy. I think it’s a good combo of repetition and strong hooks and melody. Also Mega Man 1/2/3
Sam is wrong about Elden Ring, this game is absolutely much more accessible than any Soulsborne game before it. Still difficult and challenging yes but the Breath of the Wild comparisons are fair.
I still struggle to understand THAC0 and second edition.... For older gaming music, today's stuff is arguably better but man you get so absorbed in some of those old songs the more you hear them. My personal favorites are Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, Megaman X, and of course the old Zelda games. I will whistle music from those 3 games all the time without even realizing I'm doing it.
Elden Ring is great but don't be fooled. It's still a Souls game through and through. Not every boss is difficult though, particularly the optional ones. But the main ones I've faced so far have been intense and brutal. Definitely play it coop if you want to avoid frustration. Going solo isn't for everyone.
Elden ring deserves all its praise it's remarkable! I've beat the first big boss godric but his castle the level design is just on another level and a shoutout to Yuzo Koshiro
I try these games all the time and everytime I play a couple of hours and delete it everytime. Not my type of game, but I love watching people playing it!!
I disagree that 90s games had more memorable music. There are games since then that have amazing music, halo, destiny, overwatch, mario oddysey, zelda botw, theres lots of good music in current games that I like listening to every time
Listening to Sam prattle on about systems he knows nothing about and gameplay he knows nothing about and series he’s barely experienced is really boiling my blood, and I’m a big fan. Sam you’re always talking about guides, look up a character build from dark souls 1. That same guide will give you a foundation of how the games progression works. It’s still the same for eldin ring. That’s why I always go a wretch, start level 1 and decide my build based on the weapons I wanna use. Daemon, don’t go into eldin ring with an open mind. It’s a soulsborne, it’s difficult, it’s hard, you’ll die a lot. There is a right way and a wrong way to build your character. If you’re throwing stat points all nilly Willy you’re making the game harder. For those that decide they like the combat and wish to persevere there’s an extremely rewarding and fun experience. Just like every game, it’s not for everyone. Move on but don’t bitch about “I found a weapon a can’t even use yet because I never bothered to learn how to play the game.” 🤦🏽♂️
Can't help but feel like they should have had someone who has put a little more than 2 hours into Elden Ring on the show to give a more balanced discussion on what makes this game a "masterpiece" rather than everyone collectively saying how it isn't their game.
This is the Game Scoop group’s thoughts on it. You can go find the discussions you want elsewhere. Hearing what this group has to say since they are not necessarily the target audience is also valuable.
@@R17759 I'm not saying their contributions weren't valuable, just saying it would have been nice to have someone that could add further i.e. the person that reviewed the game to the discussion to add additional value instead of Swaim. Not saying I dislike him or his contributions.
Refreshing to see a rational conversation about Elden Ring. It’s just like their other games. 5% of people will consider it the best game ever and the other 95% will have absolutely no interest. It’s cool if you love it, but I will never understand.
@@dementedavenger2784 You are right. PS4 sold 117 million units and Bloodborne sold 2 million copies, so it is closer to 1.7%. Thanks for keeping me honest.
@@yankeesplyr23 I think Bloodborne sold a lot more than that. 2 million was by the end of 2015. But you aren’t entirely wrong. Many people who bought it likely did not get very far before putting it down.
On Xbox One X though, which was the best platform to play the game with previous gen consoles. The majority played it on base PS4 and those are also the majority of the people you saw complaining.
Same acts like everyone played their fist souls game and knew everything. Also, a lot of RPGs have gear you’ll get that that has stat or level requirements. Lastly, he literally started that complaint by saying he was essentially in a place he was underleveled for and then is “demoralized” that the reward was more suited for the character that was actually at the level of the area? Make it make sense.
Yup, I just really don’t have the time (or willpower) to need to dedicate 50+ hours to a game in order to “get it.” I’m glad people enjoy it, but I have enough other games I need to play that I can have fun with from the get-go.
I’ve never played a Souls game and had no interest in Elden Ring until I saw the reviews. So I went and bought a physical copy, but, haven’t started it yet.
Hmm I can't help but think if a game *needs* a strategy guide something has gone awry in the mechanics or the storytelling. The high standard example (which might be unfair) is BOTW, all you need is the game. It's an experience, not an assignment that you have to use reference materials to complete, like a lot of AAA games today.
100% agree with Swaim’s need to play games without guides. Elden Ring is not designed to be played as part of the normal game release schedule. You need to stick with it, live in the world and explore to get the most out of it. That won’t happen if you’re trying to get it off your desk as quick as possible by using a guide.
On the sequel that derived too much from the original. Metal Gear Solid 2 is it for me. I wanted to be Snake so bad then we had to cartwheel around as Raiden. I’m so glad they went back to normal in 3.
I also don't feel any great achievement when I beat a difficult boss or section of a game, now Mr Swaim's comments makes me question if anyone actually does. Modern game music is storyline based whereas older games music was something to be played in the background. I didn't like the gameplay changes to Resistance 2, Insomniac changed the gameplay too much from Fall of Man.
Metroid Dread really gave me a feeling of accomplishment when I beat the bosses. Most were tough but could still be defeated in 15-20 tries, which I thought was a real sweet spot.
It definitely has that vibe. Though Skyrim felt significantly easier to follow and understand. Elden Ring will test you something fierce, not just in difficulty but in what to do. However the feeling of roaming the Lands Between in Elden Ring is the ONLY game that has ever gave me the exact same feeling as Skyrim and BotW did when I played them first. The sense of discovery and ownership of your journey is unmatched. It’s incredible. Once you figure out the nuances of Soulsborne games, Elden Ring knocks it WAAAAAY out of the park.
@@BobaVett Nice to hear! Having zero experience of Soulsborne games but loving Skyrim and BotW, I’m excited for Elden Ring. With this lack of knowledge of the genre, I’m also coming at it with almost no hype, so hopefully that means I’ll be blown away by how good it is! 😆 Btw I have beaten Doom Eternal on ultra violence setting. Would Elden Ring be much harder difficulty wise?
@@RedPanda555 I would say given the skills and reflexes it takes to beat Doom on that difficulty will help, but I would suggest looking up souls combat videos to get an idea as to how it works. For instance your button presses que up, so if you press attack twice and then dodge on accident, you are going to attack twice, dodge and you can’t stop it. So it’s very deliberate. Learn to press your buttons slowly and when there is an opening. Button mashing will get you wrecked. Also, take your time. This game has SOOOO MUCH SHIT in it, and a lot of it will test your patience to another level. Learn to accept defeat and come back later. That’s a thing that other Souls game didn’t have. Elden Ring you can find a boss, be waaaaay under leveled and you can leave and come back when you are prepared. I would also suggest maybe coop with a friend or even a rando to help you kinda learn the ropes. There is nothing wrong with asking for a little help if you’re coming in fresh. Good luck my friend.
@@BobaVett Haha I had no idea that your button presses queue up, I can see how that can be a frustrating combat mechanic but also force you to be more thoughtful. Thanks for the heads up, will jump in soon and see how it goes!
@@RedPanda555 yeah. It think that is something that throws a LOT of newcomers off because they don’t understand what’s happening, and I’ve seen people blame the game as if the character is doing shit you didn’t tell it to do. That is far from the case. It knows EXACTLY what you’re pressing, and it will punish you for being stab happy on your controller.
I still think not everything should convert to open world. I actually liked the linked large zone setup of the old dark souls games. Yet to play elden ring tho, so we'll see.
Funny how cyberpunk had some pretty bad issues and was super hyped, now here we are with elden ring and it being unplayable for some. Also think there was more hype for cyberpunk as the community for souls games is very small
"Fuckin' figure it out!"
Classic Justin quote, or as he would say, just a regular-ass Justin quote
4:26 had to do a few listens, he did swear, I thought they bleep these out?
Can Sam please commit to getting all the way through Elden Ring, and can we please give Sam a couple minutes each episode to discuss his previous weeks progress? I can’t imagine that not always providing a lot of laughter for all of us 😂
The way Sam is talking sounds like he wont make too much longer lol
That would be literal torture for the guy. We’d grow tired of it after the second episode of discussion
That perfect dark music at the start just hits all the nostalgia buttons of the getting it on release day and racing home to play
It was driving me crazy, I was wondering where I heard it
@@shroomkingdom8152 I spent way too many hours playing solo and with friends not to have PD embedded in my memory.
Sam: “I don’t know enough to criticize the game yet”
*proceeds to criticize the game” 🤣🤣🤣
Just want to say that I love this show for the great insights, respectful dialog, and humor. After listening for so many years it feels like home and a safe place to celebrate our gaming passion. Cheers to all the present and past camp counselors and behind the goose curtain crew, it's been a fantastic Scoop!
Enjoy your gaming!
Happy Scoop Day! Always nice to see Swaim step in. This is truly the one podcast you need to watch. I feel badly for those who don’t. Seeing Daemon’s expressions alone is worth it. Nicely job!
He's a great host in that he can do both keeping things on track when necessary/when discussion on a topic is dying, but also knows when to let everyone just shoot the shit about everything when it's a fascinating/important topic. Also, yes, his expressions alone make the podcast worth it.
I love how this crew just tells it how it is. I personally love Souls games but to see them not caring about how toxic a lot of the Souls fans are and just saying how they really feel is refreshing. The NVC crew seems almost afraid to criticize anything Nintendo.
The problem is, he was just kind of wrong a few times. There are view points, you absolutely can start as magic use and throw magic around. These games don't have to be for everyone, I don't like games like Horizon Forbidden West and I'm okay with people that do. That type of open world for me is so bland but, again, I get that some people want that. That part is perfectly okay.
However, not knowing what you are talking about and then throwing around info like you do, is a problem. Like Sam did.
@@Kmaitland89 and ur the exact type of souls player he was talking about. Not everyone enjoys spending their free time the same way. Some ppl like games to be more relaxing and exploratory and some ppl love brutal, no holding-ur-hand difficulty. Him not liking it has nothing to do with not knowing how to play or being able to play. Some ppl just simple wanna spend their time different and that’s okay.
@@holddamayo7474 I LITERALLY said that. I quite literally said, it's perfectly fine. The part I pointed out was him giving miss information. But you were so excited to jump on something you missed the part where I said "not every game has to be for everyone, and that's okay".
I like NVC but they can be almost unbearable at times with their blind fanboyism towards anything Nitnendo.
I've tried to listen to so many Nintendo podcast but they all come of the same way. Apologizing for them and trying hard not to criticize them. It's really weird
I will say as a newcomer to this genre I am absolutely loving Elden Ring 10/10👌🏽 and the same thing goes for Horizon forbidden West absolutely amazing 10/10👌🏽
This gives me hope! I loved horizon zero dawn and am loving forbidden west. Also bought elden ring but, as a newcomer, I am apprehensive and afraid of it being too difficult or not liking it for whatever reason.
I have quit multiple souls games in the past, and this one is NOT "just the same."
@@tonys_write it is
My first Souls game. I'm an old Ninja Gaiden head so... difficulty is not really an issue. I always overcome any boss any game has ever thrown at me. I don't know if I'm sweaty. But I play games like I work out, I just keep going, I learn from every loss and then I win. I feel the same way about this game that I feel about Blaster Master. It is epic.
There’s just something about Michael Swaim’s delivery that kills me - it’s like deadpan humor meets nicest man you know. Love when he’s on because he’s able to go toe-to-toe with Sam’s absurdist ramblings and witty one-liners, as well as make Justin and Daemon legitimately laugh. Don’t get me wrong though - I adore Tina! One of the absolute best in the industry and love when she does a little “inside baseball” about IGN and the gaming industry as a whole. Great crew overall!
Man, this week I delayed watching Game Scoop, because my mind is kinda stunned, given the current state of the world. But now I'm watching the new episode. And it's a much needed relieve. Gotta keep having fun, too. No matter what happens.
I’m not using a strategy guide for Elden Ring. My pro tip is to read the descriptions of each item that you get to learn what to do with them and for a little bit of lore.
Mikey Swaim...
One of the top 3 funniest people working at ign.
I am exactly the same way with wanting to not "cheat" with strategy guides but many games are made today assuming that you will. There's no shame in looking something up with a From Software game.
As someone who tried Dark Souls and didn't like it, but is interested in Open World games, I was very interested by this discussion.
Most of the reviews I've seen felt (to me) as reviews made by fans mostly for fans and only adressing newcomers in terms of difficulty (which was not my issue with DS). It was a nice change to hear about the game from people who, for their own reasons, aren't much into Soulsborne either.
Yeah I’m exactly the same. I’ve never been able to get in to a Soulsbourne game either but because of the reviews it did make me want to try it out. But hearing what Sam had to say was good to know so I don’t waste my money on it, for now at least. We’ll see how the narrative changes over time. 👍👍
“…Anything can be a dungeon if you put your mind to it….” 😂 *chefs kiss*
I have a single quest left in Forbidden West. I'll definitely beat it tomorrow. Today is Elden Ring all day.
no life
@@sillylittlesheepjax6009 Stop coming to a video game podcast and making fun of people for playing video games. You are the only one here who needs to get a life.
@@sillylittlesheepjax6009 quest to finish the story, not 100% the game, you fool.
Maybe one episode you could have guest that is a Dark Souls fan? Just a thought…love the show for many years now!
It's so funny hearing you all say you haven't been using the spear much in Horizon. I've been using it a TON. Power attack to knock down small machines, then critical strike and it takes out most anything. Just goes to show how you can play the game so wildly differently.
Dungeon Master, or DM, is for D&D the official game and rule set.
Game Master, or GM, is for other non-D&D products made by other developers.
Doesn’t have anything to do with actual dungeons or campaign settings. It’s more of a branding thing.
I think Sam might be missing something. You can totally start as a magic user and be badass pretty quickly.
I think Sam just doesn't like soulsborne games - not a criticism and I could be completely wrong but that seems to be the impression. For me, half the wonder of those games is the mystery, wonder and challenge of it all, and not having a tutorial on every element of it. Some people like that, some people don't, either is fine. I'd say that, so far, this one is more accessible than the other soulsborne games - bonfires (equivalent) are a lot more prevalent, flasks can recharge after beating mobs and there's even respawn points that are a lot closer to bosses to save you running time. Plus, you get a double jumping horse steed thing which is amazing.
The whole point I was making is that you can easily miss things, but as someone whose played a character for many hours now with no real obvious upgrades other than those meant for melee combat, that seems off to me, why force hours of melee?
@@samuelclaiborn6365 It is true that once you pick a class, that's your playstyle for about a dozen hours. Guides definitely help, but it's kinda like having others make decisions for you.
@@samuelclaiborn6365 seems to me that the souls games have never wanted to truly embrace ranged combat
@@samuelclaiborn6365 I guess that comes down to the class you selected at the start - I selected astrologer and that has given me a decent mix of magic and melee combat ( though sadly there is no ability to read enemies' horoscopes 😃), plus the additional summons you get from the wondering noble ashes helps keep the action entertaining (again for me it does).
Completely valid point about potentially missing items - again though for me, I just accept that I may miss some things along the way and for me that is fine as it means my overall experience of the game will be completely different to yours or anybody else's. I get that some people aren't fans of that approach, and if they aren't, as you quite rightly say, there's nothing wrong with playing with a guide to help keep you on track.
(P.S. "The wondering noble ashes helps keep the action entertaining" is not a sentence I ever thought I would be writing!)
I absolutely love you guys! Hope everyone has a great week.
Anyone playing Elden Ring who is scared it's gonna be too hard, I beg you, please pick the Astrologer class. It comes with a decent sword, but more importantly, a couple ranged spells you can use to pick off enemies in a crowd or get some sneaky ranged damage in for a big enemy.
@Sam Claiborn, I finally approached Stormveil castle and climbed to the top of the entrance. I was so focused on finding secrets, that I lost site of the path forward. I became lost and started feeling nostalgia for Goonies 2 where there was a high jump I couldn't reach. You have to defeat the mini-boss knight in the dark room at the top of the stairs one time to get the key. Then you unlock a door, climb further up, and can either jump to the right for a hidden item, or progress forward to the left.
Man, I can't remember the last time a game made me feel like this. Blaster Master made me go back to the very start and use the new hover craft ability to rise up in a way that forced me to think outside the box. Believe it or not, Fromsoft is very good at recreating this sort of feeling.
I hope this inspires you to persevere a bit more through Elden Ring. Regardless, it is always a joy to watch you on Game Scoop!, NVC, or any show.
Edit: I had to change my words because I thought you could run past the very difficult knight in the dark room at the top of the stairs. Turns out you have to defeat him sort of like a Knight in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. That mini-boss is very difficult if you haven't spent 20-30 hours exploring the world. If only there was a guide somewhere ;)
Damn, this is probably the first Game Scoop that let me down. You couldn't get one person on who is actually enjoying the game? Elden Ring comes out to almost universal praise, Sam's the only person playing it, and he's not really feeling it, and then you all go around and talk about how you all hate Souls games.
Yeah they'll spend 10 minutes talking about the next 'amazing sony exclusive' but brush off Elden Ring without even giving it a chance. Sam is only a couple of hours in and is just making fun of it.
Swaim said he was playing
5 hours into Elden Ring and I’m enjoying it. It’s tough at points, but I’ve played other Soulsbourne games before, so combat was easy to get used to. People are mostly right when they say it’s just open world Dark Souls. When Dark Souls came out I read how the flow of combat works because I got my ass handed to me by normal enemies over and over again. Once you get “over the hump” of learning how to fight and not die every 5 minutes these games become very enjoyable and you truly feel like a badass. You will still die when you play carelessly, but you learn to take every encounter as a lesson. And then you can actually enjoy the environmental storytelling and the bread crumbs the games give.
GET GUD
Really good group dynamic 👌🏻 always love havin swaim on
For the last question, the two that pop quickest into my mind are Jak II and Dark Chronicle. Both are critically acclaimed but they moved too far away from what I loved about the originals. Btw, Justin, I know you love town building and Dark Cloud is the most fun I've ever had exploring that concept so check it out if you feel like revisiting a PS2 classic.
Jak 2 and 3 are painful to play now. No strafing is brutal. The first one is definitely holds up the best in my opinion. I did like the direction they went with them though.
Michael Swaim = instant thumbs up
What game is the intro tune from?
For that final question, Toejam and Earl changed radically with Panic on Funkatron. Most people would say it was a change for the worse
Just based on what I've heard and am hearing Cyber Punk had bigger hype. I was hearing about Cyber Punk be covered by BBC by reporters who had no idea what it was but needed to talk about it because of how big it was.
I was also going to say Cyber Punk had at least as my hype, if not slightly more.
@@jamesdayton2598 of course it was more hyped. CDPR makes mainstream titles and they had Keanu promoting it. Front is more for hardcore gamers,
I was a latecomer but huge fan of Swaim's Kurt Vonnegut podcast. Listened to a bunch then stopped for months. This morning I picked up with the "Slapstick" episode and now here he is again on Game Scoop! Good stuff.
The only thing I remember about metal gear survive was that you had to pay for extra save slots
As usual, love the Perfect Dark music.
Also: Bonus Scene!
The mustache guy nailed it.
"I haven't been into volcano's in years, Dad."
Oh man, that was some brilliant insight and it had me laughing so hard. I don't have kids, but I love introducing my niece and nephew's to things I would love as a kid. Plus, seriously, lava is amazing to watch.
Everything about Elden Ring was "nailed" except for Optimization, which only a few reviewers/outlets have made an effort to point out. Hype is one thing, but Oblivious Hype to glaze over such glaring Performance issues is astonishing.
Hopefully, it doesn't take weeks for it to achieve an optimized state & be a locked-60fps on PC or Next-Gen Performance Modes.
When you have to buy the PlayStation 4 version to get a stable frame rate it is worrying.
Thanks for including the Daemon wiggle at the end!
90s music is embedded in my mind. I think music now is mostly atmospheric so it's not something you can really hum to and remember easily. But there are plenty of games in the past 20 years that have incredible music like shadow of the colossus, onimusha, mario galaxy, persona 4 golden, and resident evil 4.
Omg what is that opening music from? It’s killin me, I recognize it but can’t place it.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a 90s gamer and the OSTs from that era are some of my fav not only VGM but just music in general. But take off the nostalgia goggles for a min and it’s clear Mario Galaxy, Shovel Knight, Undertale, and so many others after are up there with the greats. Follow Supradarky and Insaneintherain (rip) for the best VGM you never heard from all eras. Love you guys. Peace.
I am glad I stayed for the post credit Daemon Wiggle.
Housemarque is the oldest active videogame developer in Finland, so definitely not swedish company.
For me - it is different enough. I love the game so far. I don’t think Justin should worry too much about “making the build wrong” because it’s not like it’s either perfect/OP or you’re helpless, the stats and items etc are digestible enough to allow most gamers to figure it out along the way. Ofc advice videos exist but it is really fun to go in blind and go at your own pace
Why doesn't IGN promote these sweet ass gaming podcasts. Like i remember I had to look for IGN to get "real" gaming content. When i was tired of youtubers and gamepro nintendo power type content. Then stumbled on IGN youtube a couple years ago. Now I spend 24 hrs a month listening to all these beautiful people spit gaming 🔥
The podcasts are definitely my favorite thing IGN has to offer. I enjoy all their other content as well, but man the podcasts are great.
I love that Super mario bros 2 is complete different to Super Mario bros. It is so unique and the mechanics are completely different, 4 playable characters was nice, and I love the boss fights.
Justin's "hey listeners" was just prefect, had me lmao 🤣
I think nostalgia has a HUGE factor on music. I don't know the music of any of the games mentioned, because I grew up with Sega Genesis. I love the music in Aero the Acrobat 2, Ecco the Dolphin 2, Sonic 3, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic 3D Blast... But I also loved the NES soundtracks because I did play those games as well, but I never played SNES games until now and... they don't really capture me the same way. I'm sure if I played them as a kid, they would have.
I have to be honest. Some of the guys said they would try it but already sound defeated. I want you to really try this time!! It’s open world so you can always turn around and pick your fights.
Exactly 💯
Ok great video and I haven't even seen it yet that's how entertaining and informative you guys are 😄😆😎👍👍👍
I cannot agree that 90s video game music is better than modern stuff when soundtracks like NieR: Automata and Xenoblade Chronicles exist.
Even Daemon took a step back on that Madden comment. I'm not a Souls player but I would like to see more balance on the panel in terms of people who like a game and people who don't. At least for the major releases. I feel like now I have to go listen to Beyond to get the 'pro' side on Elden ring after hearing the 'con' side. I was going to watch Beyond anyways. I love all the IGN podcasts.
I can still hum and sing the FF2 (USA) soundtrack with full joy. I think it’s a good combo of repetition and strong hooks and melody. Also Mega Man 1/2/3
Figure out to get Swaim every week. Can there be 5 on the podcast?
2 more episodes until the end of days!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lol it seems like Justin is always the 1 to drop the f bomb. Love it.
Sam is wrong about Elden Ring, this game is absolutely much more accessible than any Soulsborne game before it. Still difficult and challenging yes but the Breath of the Wild comparisons are fair.
no they are not
I still struggle to understand THAC0 and second edition....
For older gaming music, today's stuff is arguably better but man you get so absorbed in some of those old songs the more you hear them. My personal favorites are Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, Megaman X, and of course the old Zelda games.
I will whistle music from those 3 games all the time without even realizing I'm doing it.
Love the perfect dark into hope they have that in the new one
What the 20 questions least number of questions asked record before getting the answer?
Going to watch this before going back in, and losing my whole weekend otherwise to Elden Ring.
Enjoying Elden Ring but I really hope they fix the frame rate
Elden Rings is exactly the perfection..of a game I have no fun at all playing
Elden Ring is great but don't be fooled. It's still a Souls game through and through. Not every boss is difficult though, particularly the optional ones. But the main ones I've faced so far have been intense and brutal. Definitely play it coop if you want to avoid frustration. Going solo isn't for everyone.
Yes. Boss fights are challenging. As they have been throughout the history of video games.
@@n2nother Uhh... okay. That was a pointless comment.
Watching Sam listen to Justin's rants is so awesome! Scoop!
LMAO! I want Sam's "Take that Williams" on loop.
Where was the "Swaim Scoop" in the beginning?
Nice, he said it at the end.
Elden ring deserves all its praise it's remarkable! I've beat the first big boss godric but his castle the level design is just on another level and a shoutout to Yuzo Koshiro
best episode this year so far...👏😃
Great episode. Gonna go listen to the Ori soundtrack now :)
I try these games all the time and everytime I play a couple of hours and delete it everytime. Not my type of game, but I love watching people playing it!!
Swaim stood out as a good guest
I disagree that 90s games had more memorable music. There are games since then that have amazing music, halo, destiny, overwatch, mario oddysey, zelda botw, theres lots of good music in current games that I like listening to every time
I think episode 666 should just be a discussion of the Doom franchise.
Listening to Sam prattle on about systems he knows nothing about and gameplay he knows nothing about and series he’s barely experienced is really boiling my blood, and I’m a big fan.
Sam you’re always talking about guides, look up a character build from dark souls 1. That same guide will give you a foundation of how the games progression works. It’s still the same for eldin ring. That’s why I always go a wretch, start level 1 and decide my build based on the weapons I wanna use.
Daemon, don’t go into eldin ring with an open mind. It’s a soulsborne, it’s difficult, it’s hard, you’ll die a lot. There is a right way and a wrong way to build your character. If you’re throwing stat points all nilly Willy you’re making the game harder.
For those that decide they like the combat and wish to persevere there’s an extremely rewarding and fun experience.
Just like every game, it’s not for everyone. Move on but don’t bitch about “I found a weapon a can’t even use yet because I never bothered to learn how to play the game.” 🤦🏽♂️
This guys triggered
Daemon: Justin how do you sit in a chair?
Justin: I don't know how Damon, please tell me?
Daemon: Butt first!
Swaim Scoop! Make him a permanent part of the Goose Camp (sorry Justin… we need to talk)
Can't help but feel like they should have had someone who has put a little more than 2 hours into Elden Ring on the show to give a more balanced discussion on what makes this game a "masterpiece" rather than everyone collectively saying how it isn't their game.
Maybe it’s hard to find game journalist that really love these types of games. They are very niche so I completely understand
@@bmorejamaican If that was true, I don't think it would be the highest rated game of modern history on metacritic according to Daemon.
This is the Game Scoop group’s thoughts on it. You can go find the discussions you want elsewhere. Hearing what this group has to say since they are not necessarily the target audience is also valuable.
@@R17759 I'm not saying their contributions weren't valuable, just saying it would have been nice to have someone that could add further i.e. the person that reviewed the game to the discussion to add additional value instead of Swaim. Not saying I dislike him or his contributions.
Refreshing to see a rational conversation about Elden Ring. It’s just like their other games. 5% of people will consider it the best game ever and the other 95% will have absolutely no interest. It’s cool if you love it, but I will never understand.
5% is a bit disingenuous
@@dementedavenger2784 You are right. PS4 sold 117 million units and Bloodborne sold 2 million copies, so it is closer to 1.7%. Thanks for keeping me honest.
@@yankeesplyr23 you're welcome
@@yankeesplyr23 I think Bloodborne sold a lot more than that. 2 million was by the end of 2015. But you aren’t entirely wrong. Many people who bought it likely did not get very far before putting it down.
Isn't the music from the GoldenEye on the N64? I love figuring out the music at the begining.
Perfect Dark. Close
@@jamesdayton2598 no wonder I played that too alot as a kid. Got all mixed up haha
@@karateffekt1106 Very easy to do, both great games. I played them both a lot too.
I played Cyberpunk 2077 on my Xbox One X when it launched and it was nowhere near as broken as people said it was.
On Xbox One X though, which was the best platform to play the game with previous gen consoles. The majority played it on base PS4 and those are also the majority of the people you saw complaining.
I tried to get into Bloodborne so many times. Just can't. I just can't handle the stamina mechanic.
perfect dark!
they need to keep that 3rd guy as a permanent host on the show
As long as Tina is still a full-time panel member as well I can fully back this idea
Same acts like everyone played their fist souls game and knew everything.
Also, a lot of RPGs have gear you’ll get that that has stat or level requirements.
Lastly, he literally started that complaint by saying he was essentially in a place he was underleveled for and then is “demoralized” that the reward was more suited for the character that was actually at the level of the area? Make it make sense.
Souls games are brutal rpgs with a lot of lore and most ppl won’t ever be into them. I accept that they are not for me
Yup, I just really don’t have the time (or willpower) to need to dedicate 50+ hours to a game in order to “get it.” I’m glad people enjoy it, but I have enough other games I need to play that I can have fun with from the get-go.
intro music brought back some memories
53:29 "forwent" or "forgone" I believe works
I’ve never played a Souls game and had no interest in Elden Ring until I saw the reviews. So I went and bought a physical copy, but, haven’t started it yet.
Did you like it?
49:28 Ninja Gaiden
They should do a video game show where you name the game that the music is from
Hmm I can't help but think if a game *needs* a strategy guide something has gone awry in the mechanics or the storytelling. The high standard example (which might be unfair) is BOTW, all you need is the game. It's an experience, not an assignment that you have to use reference materials to complete, like a lot of AAA games today.
100% agree with Swaim’s need to play games without guides. Elden Ring is not designed to be played as part of the normal game release schedule. You need to stick with it, live in the world and explore to get the most out of it. That won’t happen if you’re trying to get it off your desk as quick as possible by using a guide.
On the sequel that derived too much from the original. Metal Gear Solid 2 is it for me. I wanted to be Snake so bad then we had to cartwheel around as Raiden. I’m so glad they went back to normal in 3.
Ugh, you’ve messed it up so many times. It’s ‘Wetrix’, and it was incredible. This needs to be addressed.
I also don't feel any great achievement when I beat a difficult boss or section of a game, now Mr Swaim's comments makes me question if anyone actually does.
Modern game music is storyline based whereas older games music was something to be played in the background.
I didn't like the gameplay changes to Resistance 2, Insomniac changed the gameplay too much from Fall of Man.
Metroid Dread really gave me a feeling of accomplishment when I beat the bosses. Most were tough but could still be defeated in 15-20 tries, which I thought was a real sweet spot.
I’ve never played a From Software game but loved Skyrim. Can you say Elden Ring is like a super hard Skyrim type game?
It definitely has that vibe. Though Skyrim felt significantly easier to follow and understand. Elden Ring will test you something fierce, not just in difficulty but in what to do. However the feeling of roaming the Lands Between in Elden Ring is the ONLY game that has ever gave me the exact same feeling as Skyrim and BotW did when I played them first. The sense of discovery and ownership of your journey is unmatched. It’s incredible. Once you figure out the nuances of Soulsborne games, Elden Ring knocks it WAAAAAY out of the park.
@@BobaVett Nice to hear! Having zero experience of Soulsborne games but loving Skyrim and BotW, I’m excited for Elden Ring. With this lack of knowledge of the genre, I’m also coming at it with almost no hype, so hopefully that means I’ll be blown away by how good it is! 😆 Btw I have beaten Doom Eternal on ultra violence setting. Would Elden Ring be much harder difficulty wise?
@@RedPanda555 I would say given the skills and reflexes it takes to beat Doom on that difficulty will help, but I would suggest looking up souls combat videos to get an idea as to how it works. For instance your button presses que up, so if you press attack twice and then dodge on accident, you are going to attack twice, dodge and you can’t stop it. So it’s very deliberate. Learn to press your buttons slowly and when there is an opening. Button mashing will get you wrecked. Also, take your time. This game has SOOOO MUCH SHIT in it, and a lot of it will test your patience to another level. Learn to accept defeat and come back later. That’s a thing that other Souls game didn’t have. Elden Ring you can find a boss, be waaaaay under leveled and you can leave and come back when you are prepared. I would also suggest maybe coop with a friend or even a rando to help you kinda learn the ropes. There is nothing wrong with asking for a little help if you’re coming in fresh. Good luck my friend.
@@BobaVett Haha I had no idea that your button presses queue up, I can see how that can be a frustrating combat mechanic but also force you to be more thoughtful. Thanks for the heads up, will jump in soon and see how it goes!
@@RedPanda555 yeah. It think that is something that throws a LOT of newcomers off because they don’t understand what’s happening, and I’ve seen people blame the game as if the character is doing shit you didn’t tell it to do. That is far from the case. It knows EXACTLY what you’re pressing, and it will punish you for being stab happy on your controller.
Wetted was awesome. The original levelution!
It's the Mario Galaxy of Souls Games
This is my first soul game ever
I still think not everything should convert to open world. I actually liked the linked large zone setup of the old dark souls games. Yet to play elden ring tho, so we'll see.
Funny how cyberpunk had some pretty bad issues and was super hyped, now here we are with elden ring and it being unplayable for some. Also think there was more hype for cyberpunk as the community for souls games is very small
they are small but very hardcore and like a cult when they defend their games