The best/worst feeling in the world is seeing a new Ragnar video and deciding a minute and a half in that I can't watch it until I've played the game myself.
I had this exact experience when I discovered Norco on Alpha Beta Gamer's channel. I don't know if I lasted a minute before I realized I had to play it myself. Glad I did, one of my all-time favourite games.
I grew up in a bayou town not far from Norco. It's surreal to be playing a game set so close to home, but surreal doesn't begin to describe this game. I loved every moment.
The eeriness of loneliness, the creepiness of people who are choosing to suffer a terminal disease, alone in a dark room, devoured by shame. The passive aggressive anger of people who never forgave you for leaving, while wishing that they never stayed. The futility of trying to hate and forget members of your own family, finally letting yourself lose the battle and admit that you feel heartbroken. Then realizing that you did convince them that you hate them and forgot them, but you don't have the energy or will to prove them otherwise. When you visit a weird place where you grew up, it's like every tree remembers you. As if that whole place had an identity crisis when you left, and is completely shocked to see you again. And something bad must have happened, something terrible. Because why would you be back otherwise? It's so bad that you had to come back.
No one of us here, watching videos on youtube, is untangled from the planetery destruction of our biosphere. Your husband not really in a worse way than i or anyone else who lives a modern, western lifestyle.
I spent the first 15 years of my life growing up in Southern Louisiana (Plaquemine parish to be specific) which is often referred to as "the end of the world". Mainly because it's as far south as you can go before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. I lived in a town called Port Sulphur around the area called Buras. The presentation of this part of the country showed I this game is SPOT ON (minus the scifi and alt history aspects). The juxtaposition of natural beauty and harsh industrial expansion is scarily real. Well done.
I’ve got a friend that grew up in Port Sulphur. I am literally 6 minutes into the video, Ragnar is just describing the city’s landscape and vibe, and I am already, inexplicably, sad. I can see my friend’s hometown and feeling the whole history of Louisiana
@@ymca_unscrambled As much as it was home, it really is a shit hole of a place. The VAST economic disparity down there is sickening. My father worked for Georgia Pacific lumber at that time and we lived in a fishing camp near Happy Jack Marina. It was a metal a-frame house with about 3 rooms. And we were doing great compared to some of the kids I went to school with. But that's Louisiana for you. A beautiful place that has been exploited to its own ruin and left to die. I moved to Alabama as a teenager, and when I saw what actual middle class people lived like I thought I had moved to Beverly Hills.
@@weeabootrash4real C'est bon!Good to hear from someone else who knows the area. I remember driving thru Belle Chasse anytime we took our bi monthly trip to the big city (Slidell) and eating at the fanciest restaurant in town (Outback). Yall keep em in line down there my friend.
"If you can laugh and smile alongside (and sometimes about) characters, the sad and moving moments just hit so much harder". I experienced that playing both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 7. 7 in particular; it's a game about men and women in their 40s and 50s that have lost everything, sometimes on the fringe of giving up, and finding strength in new friends (also in their 40s and 40s who lost everything). Men and women you laugh alongside and about. Men and women who don't much care about your past and quirks, only that you are a loser just like them, but when you are with them, you feel like a winner. Also some lobsters help you kill enemies! In a few days I'm 42, so Yakuza 7 hits harder than any other game in my thirty year gamer career.
I had never heard of this game until I saw this video. I've been a lifelong resident of Louisiana. Even now, I only live about 20 mins away from New Orleans. And it was shocking to me how so many details are spot on. The look of the refineries at night with their giant towers of flames, the pixelated cypress knees, using actual street names. At 16:55, I said to myself "Wow that looks just like Airline Highway." Sure enough, Dialogue box confirmation. Such a cool thing to see.
My family's from Metairie, grew up in Destrehan. Norco is 5 mins down the road. I see those refineries every day. The sparkle so mysteriously at night. Sometimes they have the giant flame lit and it makes the midnight sky look like armageddon
I grew up in St Rose, a town over from Norco. The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. In real life, its almost unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its on fire. When I was a teen and the road was empty, I would turn my headlights off and let the sky fill my windshield.
Same here. The majority of my bus rides from school usually had stops in Norco, even as early as kindergarten. What stuck out to me was how... unremarkable the town seemed. Like the refinery was more important than the people living there. The fact that there's a game about it now that literally gets that vibe and understands what it was like live there and be around that area is amazing to me. I wouldn't be surprised if I knew some of the developers at some point!
18:02 "...the role of the only sibling that is considered to have their shit together to handle everything once things are crashing down." Yeah...I know that feeling.
I'm not. And it's not a good feeling to be "unreliable", either. There's literally no way to change that label, unless there's a nuclear war or something and the outside finally matches what's inside my head.
When I landed on its demo a year ago, no day went by without me checking the Steam page for a release day. I waited for NORCO more than I waited for Elden Ring and I'm uberhardcore souls' fan, with thousand of hour in all Souls, BB and Sekiro combined.
@Samuel Anugrah Andre maaaaan.... I know everybody already decided ER is the game of the year.... But NORCO is the indie game of the year, seriously. Let's hope Silksong will be pushed to 2023 so not to take the award from NORCO. Just don't forget to FEEL it man, I'm serious.
Born and raised in New Orleans, this is a very great game! I only remember visiting Norco during my kid years. And yeah this story hits home, and me and my friends lost our homes when big companies came and took some of the land. But we bounced back.
YES. I played this game as soon as it came out bc I LOVE Louisiana as a setting (I grew up and live here in south-central Louisiana, an hour or two away from Norco). This game was BEAUTIFUL
This game seems really special, and I am glad someone brought it to mu attention! Now, let me reciprocate: Signalis just released (Steam and ps4), and if there was ever a game that would fit this channel, this is it. Indie game made by two people, that is the perfect mix between horror, sci fi, and emotional storytelling. Imagine the ps1 Resident Evil games, but modern gameplay, and a story reminiscent of the movie Moon mixed with Bladerunner (as far as I can tell, I haven't gotten very far yet!). So far, it is among my absolute favourite games of the year, and my absolute favourite ever in the genre.
Norco is such a gem. The prose is beautiful. Literary. Few games are written as well. A few come to mind - Disco Elysium, Vampire the Masquerade: Shadows of New York, and Necrobarista. Both planescapes, although they are much more bothersome to read, compared to the awesome formatting and tempo of the likes of Disco, Norco, Necrobarista, and Shadows.
I have watched so many of your videos, but to find a game from my favorite genre set in the town i used to live in - I dropped everything to immediately play it. Thank you so much for bringing attention to it! Wonderful video!
I think the game is even better to those of us familiar with the town (born and raised and currently live here). You notice and catch a lot "Easter eggs" in comparison to the standard player.
NORCO instantly seems like a good fit for me personally - so thank you Ragnar for bringing it into the spotlight! On another note: I am always happy when someone mentions the Harebrained Schemes Shadowrun Trilogy. Seriously folks play those games! Dragonfall in particular is (imho) one of THE best Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy games ever.
Yutsi is a beautiful writer, artist and cultural archivist. I'm really excited for your essay, thank you for making this. Some pieces of NORCO made me feel utterly transparent, seen-through-- childhood memories I long-thought were unrelatable, felt not just seen, but accepted and reciprocated. It felt like compassion.
We need more games taking place in places we aften ignore or pass our minds but are rich with history and long forgotten conflicts The fact this game takes place in a disheveled cyberpunk Louisiana is astonishing
It's so nice to watch a video about my favorite game! Since I played NORCO, something in my gaming (and personal) life has changed. I say that NORCO IS my favorite adventure game without a doubt, the writting is so good, the art is fabulous and the soundtrack is still in my mind even months after finishing it. I didn't knew your channel till today and i gotta say: Congratulations for this analysis! The lore in NORCO is fascinating, the characters really hit hard (especially for we who are back in our home town after years) and the social commentary is really on point. Thank you so much for bringing light to this gem, looking forward to watch more videos from you!
Since completing 5 full playthroughs of Disco Elysium over the last 2 years, I knew i had to find something else to satisfy my craving for a story rich experience and the answer was Norco. I have just finished my second playthrough of Norco and it was superb. The best games leave a permanent emotional impression on me and Norco has definitely done that. I am going to install Unavowed next and hope that it will be similarly fulfilling. Thanks for making this video, you are an extremely talented writer with an excellent talent for articulating your thoughts using your vast and diverse vocabulary! Keep up the fantastic work!
I'm super surprised that 5 months later, this video hasn't surpassed over 100k views. Sci-fi southern gothic, an interesting mashup of 2 visually different genres? Haunting indie MASTERPIECE? One hell of a very interesting intro. All that alone made me rush to click on the video then buy the game, and honestly, thank you so much for giving me that push. I saw Norco here and there but was like "Eeehhh I'll see about it" but then your video came out and convinced me to get it. God. Norco is such an experience, and I'll be briefly talking about it in a college podcast assignment! Now I want more sci-fi southern gothic stuff. That's a unique flavour I'm craving for. Thank you so much for making this video and I hope it skyrockets soon!!
Splendid video Ragnar! I was looking forward to this analysis, especially that I myself reviewed the game as well. And well I have to say you have elevated and truly grasped the essence of this game. Glad that you cherished this game as much as I did. Cheers!
So I just came across your channel as I was looking for videos on Norco after having literally just finished it myself about an hour ago. While it's a bummer that almost no other videos on this game came up on UA-cam, I do want to commend you for this great production. And I see you're also a big Disco Elysium fan. You got yourself a new sub!
Norco is the only game I've played that's felt the most qualitatively like a cinematic experience, in that the interactive elements combine to leave an impression on you that feels like you watched a profound film.
8 months ago when you released this video after just 6 minutes I ended up getting the game. But then I was busy with university and I didn't have the time to do much. I got some free time today and I rediscovered the game in my library so I decided to play it and honestly I have no words with the feeling this game filled me with. It was an experience like no other. Thank you for introducing us to this game
Hey, I was looking at Norco on a PS Deals site and your review was recommended on the game’s listing. The amount of detail and care that you put into this review is incredible, pulling from outside sources and inspirations and tying it all together with the game itself. I picked up Norco after watching and can’t wait to explore the world myself. Thank you for turning a review into a piece of art. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your catalogue!
I'm from the bayou, and seeing this game's visuals is utterly surreal. Growing up, Norco (like most industrial plant towns along the river) always seemed so unremarkable----boring, vague, with a hideous refinery and a monotonous freeway as backdrop. That the designers were able to create something so evocative from this setting is incredible. (Damn it, I hope they port so Switch.)
The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. So unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its ok fire.
Woah. It looks like Disco x Kentucky Route Zero x any Indiana Jones Lucas Arts. I am intrigued and this vid is giving me deja Vu/flashbacks for something I've yet to play. Superb work as always Ragnar!
Ah, shit. That's still on my list. I keep wanting to play it but...so many games, so little time. Bachelor, now Master...all for earning a peace of paper. I really hope I have more time after university.
This is an absolutely beautiful video you have created on an equally beautiful game from the sounds of it. Every word resonated with me on a very deep level and I cannot wait to experience this game through my own eyes and background.
its a great game, i stopped the video at the beggining because I trusted you in the recommendation and I don't regret playing it, it's so atmospheric, moving, emotional, it reminds me of my hometown, also a town by an oil refinery, and even the beats I couldn't relate to touched me deeply
I wanna be clear that this was really interesting and made me genuinely intrigued about Norco The thing I wanna highlight though is your pronunciation of your supporters at the end I really liked it as a kind of cherry on top of this video and it made me write this comment (which I almost never do)
The time capsule analogy you made reminds me of my Snow globe analogy for my old home town. Sometimes things happen like construction or a single new business crops up temporarily but eventually it all settled back down to what I grew up with.
It's shocking to hear that Ragnar has problems with anhedonia, because his videos are, frankly, one of the biggest sources of joy for me - at least on UA-cam.
I think also something very important that everyone miss to point around the storytelling in this game is the surreal structure around it. It is not simply science fiction, there is a lot of surrealism probably inspired by David Lynch's work. Even the OST sounds very similar to some of the themes on the last season of Twin Peaks.
Great video Ragnar. Man, you really hit the nail on the head with the dynamic between people and the hometowns they leave behind. I left right after graduating from college. I realized that there was nothing left for me there, and that I had to make the leap and leave that stagnant and recession-hit place if I hoped to make something of myself. Even though I don’t live that far away from my hometown, every time I visit I feel like a stranger in a place that’s fundamentally the same as when I left, but just different enough to make things seem a bit off - my teenage hangouts (mostly bars) demolished and turned into new housing, old mom and pop shops either closed down or converted into food delivery centers, stuff like that. Even the friends who stuck around feel the same but changed in subtle ways. When I’m where I live I am happy to have moved but when I’m back in my hometown I’m sad that I have to leave. You were absolutely on point when you described it as a “gravitational pull. It’s fuckin weird man
One of the most spiritual P&C games I've played in a while. With laugh out loud humor. Listening to a character tell you about trying to find a place to poop in an absolute panic had me DYING.
I was actually listening to your video rather than watching it when I was at work, the themes of these game really hit close to home for me. As soon as I got home I bought it. I have always loved the cyberpunk genre, it really does feel like it might be our future. It makes me sad, but there seems to be little that can be done. Best enjoy the short time we have left, before you know it its gone. Anyway great video :) excited to play this on my limited free time.
Played this game when it came to GamePass based on screenshots alone and I loved it. The Disco Elysium inspiration was immediately apparent to me and it really is a genius move to display the text in vertical columns. The ending was very strange and I don't remember how I felt about it, I didn't hate it though. But, Ragnar, I feel like picking on Cyberpunk 2077 was unnecessary.
This video, and game, hit me really close to home. I came from a small town in the middle of fuckall nowhere and as glad as i am to have left, i also appreciate the little beauty and appreciation of art that's focused on these kinds of places.
Ok. A fifteen minute drive from a metropolitan center does not make that location itself a metropolitan center. The feeling of being in my meat packing hometown and how Norco presents itself are very familiar. That's all I'm saying my dude.
Omg that single clip from The Longest Journey made me shriek in horror 🤣 some of the puzzles in that game were ridiculous. Norco sounds so interesting and I love the look of it.
One thing I wish you had mentioned when discussing which platform to buy on is that Steam and GOG both take a 30% cut for themselves out of every sale. Itch only takes 10%. This is why I prefer Itch for truly indie games.
My grandfather taught at Montana Tech, in Butte, where millions upon millions of dollars' worth of copper was mined out of the Boulder Batholith - like, at one point Butte's only rival in how much copper they were shipping out was South Africa, that's how much copper we're talking about here. It's also home to the Berkley Pit, a manmade lake so poisonous and acidic because of the toxic elements in the mines that a system for scaring away birds had to be put in place, cuz the birds would die if they went into the water. Gramps was part of the team who helped clean up Silver Bow Creek, also in Butte; he once told me (and I'll never forget this) that when they would take samples from the creek, they'd do it by sucking water up through straws, and when it hit your teeth, the water was so acidic that it would dissolve all of the plaque, and swallowing it would give you the world's worst case of the trots. And that's just Butte; Libby Montana is another sad story of how the extraction industry can screw over people and the environment (TL;DR: company town, they were mining essentially asbestos for insulation, so the entire town was just covered in asbestos. It was, possibly still is, an oncologist's nightmare). And like...often unless you live in the states where these towns exist, you've probably never heard these kinds of stories. Butte was essential to the Industrial Revolution, it was one of the biggest cities in the US in its 19th century heyday, it was the center of the kind of political and corporate machinations that sound like an HBO miniseries, and yet nobody knows about it. Like at all. That's why media like this is important, it shows the kind of damage the extraction industry does to the places where it stakes its claim. I'm really looking forward to playing it when I get the chance.
I really related to the decaying hometown. Just glad I finally realised & moved when I did if not sooner. Zero desire to go back except seeing family members who are on the outskirts.
I have sit in front of my laptop for 20mins totally in indescribable shock after I played through the game. Just don't know what to say, every lines in the game is hard to follow like a riddle but somehow I can echo something inside the game inside Norco. I can smell oil and smoke. I can feel the wet and sticky air in the swamp. I can see me kneel down in front a electronic Jesus pray for nothing with fear and lost hope. I can feel some electrical pause stirring my brain causing permanent confusion and pain. I don't know what to say. Please if you see this game, buy it and play it, totally worthy.
I wish someday I could finally put all my energy in developing a game so good, well written, and well rounded that you (organically) would want to play and talk about. I hope that day is not too far away, and I will work to make it happen. I really like the work you do (shame on me that I cannot help you monetarily) have a nice day, see you next video! PS: Your analysis of Disco Elysium was the pivotal point that made me play that game... and I love it.
Unfortunately I haven't had the spare cash to fix up my busted PCs lying around and I'm glad that there's creators like you that can thoroughly describe the world's that I'm missing out on exploring.
I played the demo and it felt so much like going home to some weird alternate version of the place where I grew up, that i had to buy the game immediately..
i really implore everyone in these comments to play the game. it’s one of the most memorable gaming experiences i’ve had in my life, and it paints a picture of american life that seldom seen.
Playing through Norco was so tangibly special, so intimate and one of the funniest(!) games I played in the past year. Sits comfortably in the same space as Disco Elysium.
I cant get over how amazing this game is and I want more but there is just nothing that comes even close to it. Thimbleweed park, Elysium, I have played all that. They are good but this is truly masterful. The writing, the art, the atmosphere, the characters... like a beautiful postmodern movie. I only listen to christmas music from now
Thank you, I've been contemplative of getting this game as it seemed to hit on themes that I'd appreciate. I'll definitely be getting it and giving it a go.
Hey, I just finished the game. Although I enjoyed the story, I couldn't shake the discomfort I felt with some narrative lines that led to nowhere (the giant bird virus) and the "battle sections". I went to the extent of thinking Norco wasn't more than one of those "philosophical exposition tools" than a videogame, but after seeing this video I've come to realize how wrong I was. Norco wasn't even meant to be a videogame in the first place! That fact alone striked me like a punch in the face. It allowed me to see the game for what it really is, an examination of the human condition in many kind of places like family relations, childhood trauma, religion, the constant struggle for finding meaning, the disregard of megacorps for those below them and how these people have to learn how to keep living under those conditions, the list goes on. An unforgettable game that will haunt me for a long time. 100% worth the money.
Thank you for spreading the word about this game. I loved that you mentioned referencing this to non video game players because my partner is very much enthralled with near future climate/society focused fiction, but is not so much into "video games" in the more commonly accepted idea of them due to reaction and coordination barriers, so the entire time hearing your accolades of Norco I couldn't stop thinking "I need to show them this game"
I feel like between Cyberpunk 2077 actively defending the police state and Mirror's Edge Catalyst ignoring half of its world, we've REALLY been starved for genuine cyberpunk fiction. They tend to be all cyber and no punk, so it's so incredibly refreshing to hear about a piece of art that does tackle these issues properly and honestly. Will definitely be picking this one up, fantastic video mate!
I grew up in Norco and the surrounding areas, in fact I currently live nearby and see the dystopian landscape day after day. Always thought it resembled Midgard or some cyberpunk forgotten place my whole life. Great to see my hometown getting such a great game that addresses some of our struggles and is essentially a love letter to the place that the economy and time forgot.
I don't know why, but I bounced off of Norco hard. It didn't just not grab me, it pushed me away. Edit: To be specific, it sounds exactly up my alley- excellent writing, amazing art, as a point-and-click adventure that does all sorts of new things, but somehow I bounce off anyway. This video (after part 2, during the overview) convinced me to give it another try, though. Wish me luck- I'll be back to watch the rest of the video regardless of if it pulls me in or not.
I just tried it out... it checks a lot of marks that I want in games... but this game really isn't for me. I think it's a very good thing that games like this are being made. But, the writing and the presentation is just not for me.
Since you posted this..., are you worried that it will send you into a spiral of despair and depression? As a GenXer, I don't understand why you post a teaser on social media, and expect no one to push you to say EXACTLY why it's not for you. If you feel the reasons are too personal, why would you post anything? It's like jumping into the middle of a party and saying "I don't want to make any friends here! I don't even want a hookup!" Why wouldn't you stay home then?
The best/worst feeling in the world is seeing a new Ragnar video and deciding a minute and a half in that I can't watch it until I've played the game myself.
My words exactly!
You feel my pain.
I had this exact experience when I discovered Norco on Alpha Beta Gamer's channel. I don't know if I lasted a minute before I realized I had to play it myself. Glad I did, one of my all-time favourite games.
I have just done this
I had the exact same feeling and had finally the time to play Norco. Now starting the video again.
I grew up in a bayou town not far from Norco. It's surreal to be playing a game set so close to home, but surreal doesn't begin to describe this game. I loved every moment.
I live here in Norco. About to come full circle playing Norco in Norco 😄
My family is all over Norco and Destrehan. It's pretty cool playing a game set so close to home.
Saw the thumbnail. Bought the game. Finished the game. Came back to the video! What a gem of a game!
The eeriness of loneliness, the creepiness of people who are choosing to suffer a terminal disease, alone in a dark room, devoured by shame. The passive aggressive anger of people who never forgave you for leaving, while wishing that they never stayed. The futility of trying to hate and forget members of your own family, finally letting yourself lose the battle and admit that you feel heartbroken. Then realizing that you did convince them that you hate them and forgot them, but you don't have the energy or will to prove them otherwise. When you visit a weird place where you grew up, it's like every tree remembers you. As if that whole place had an identity crisis when you left, and is completely shocked to see you again. And something bad must have happened, something terrible. Because why would you be back otherwise? It's so bad that you had to come back.
As someone from New Orleans who's husband works at shell Norco (I know, but we have to eat and survive 😭) I love this story! It's so personal
I didnt know that norco was a real thing. How interesting
*whose
No one of us here, watching videos on youtube, is untangled from the planetery destruction of our biosphere. Your husband not really in a worse way than i or anyone else who lives a modern, western lifestyle.
I spent the first 15 years of my life growing up in Southern Louisiana (Plaquemine parish to be specific) which is often referred to as "the end of the world". Mainly because it's as far south as you can go before hitting the Gulf of Mexico. I lived in a town called Port Sulphur around the area called Buras. The presentation of this part of the country showed I this game is SPOT ON (minus the scifi and alt history aspects). The juxtaposition of natural beauty and harsh industrial expansion is scarily real. Well done.
I’ve got a friend that grew up in Port Sulphur. I am literally 6 minutes into the video, Ragnar is just describing the city’s landscape and vibe, and I am already, inexplicably, sad. I can see my friend’s hometown and feeling the whole history of Louisiana
@@ymca_unscrambled As much as it was home, it really is a shit hole of a place. The VAST economic disparity down there is sickening. My father worked for Georgia Pacific lumber at that time and we lived in a fishing camp near Happy Jack Marina. It was a metal a-frame house with about 3 rooms. And we were doing great compared to some of the kids I went to school with. But that's Louisiana for you. A beautiful place that has been exploited to its own ruin and left to die. I moved to Alabama as a teenager, and when I saw what actual middle class people lived like I thought I had moved to Beverly Hills.
Cheers from belle chasse
@@weeabootrash4real C'est bon!Good to hear from someone else who knows the area. I remember driving thru Belle Chasse anytime we took our bi monthly trip to the big city (Slidell) and eating at the fanciest restaurant in town (Outback). Yall keep em in line down there my friend.
"If you can laugh and smile alongside (and sometimes about) characters, the sad and moving moments just hit so much harder". I experienced that playing both Yakuza 0 and Yakuza 7. 7 in particular; it's a game about men and women in their 40s and 50s that have lost everything, sometimes on the fringe of giving up, and finding strength in new friends (also in their 40s and 40s who lost everything). Men and women you laugh alongside and about. Men and women who don't much care about your past and quirks, only that you are a loser just like them, but when you are with them, you feel like a winner. Also some lobsters help you kill enemies! In a few days I'm 42, so Yakuza 7 hits harder than any other game in my thirty year gamer career.
Yakuza is an excellent example for this.
I had never heard of this game until I saw this video. I've been a lifelong resident of Louisiana. Even now, I only live about 20 mins away from New Orleans. And it was shocking to me how so many details are spot on. The look of the refineries at night with their giant towers of flames, the pixelated cypress knees, using actual street names. At 16:55, I said to myself "Wow that looks just like Airline Highway." Sure enough, Dialogue box confirmation. Such a cool thing to see.
Well hey there neighbor, same same, I live on Jefferson highway that's also in the game 😆
Literally just like driving on Airline past Destrehan, it’s so cool. Local myself, about 30 mins out from the actual Norco lol
My guy, the Neuromancer reference at the start 👌 Perfection.
My family's from Metairie, grew up in Destrehan. Norco is 5 mins down the road. I see those refineries every day. The sparkle so mysteriously at night. Sometimes they have the giant flame lit and it makes the midnight sky look like armageddon
My sincerest gratitudefor introducing me to NORCO. What a journey it was.
I grew up in St Rose, a town over from Norco. The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. In real life, its almost unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its on fire. When I was a teen and the road was empty, I would turn my headlights off and let the sky fill my windshield.
Same here. The majority of my bus rides from school usually had stops in Norco, even as early as kindergarten. What stuck out to me was how... unremarkable the town seemed. Like the refinery was more important than the people living there. The fact that there's a game about it now that literally gets that vibe and understands what it was like live there and be around that area is amazing to me. I wouldn't be surprised if I knew some of the developers at some point!
That moment you mentioned the dreaded phone calls... That hit home... Thank you for the high quality content.
18:02 "...the role of the only sibling that is considered to have their shit together to handle everything once things are crashing down."
Yeah...I know that feeling.
Dreadful indeed.
I'm that person. I'm not looking forward to it when my mom eventually dies.
I'm not. And it's not a good feeling to be "unreliable", either. There's literally no way to change that label, unless there's a nuclear war or something and the outside finally matches what's inside my head.
When I landed on its demo a year ago, no day went by without me checking the Steam page for a release day. I waited for NORCO more than I waited for Elden Ring and I'm uberhardcore souls' fan, with thousand of hour in all Souls, BB and Sekiro combined.
@Samuel Anugrah Andre maaaaan.... I know everybody already decided ER is the game of the year.... But NORCO is the indie game of the year, seriously. Let's hope Silksong will be pushed to 2023 so not to take the award from NORCO. Just don't forget to FEEL it man, I'm serious.
I'm so glad I only discovered Norco shortly before its release date. I think it was a month before or so. Even that wait was tough, lol.
Born and raised in New Orleans, this is a very great game! I only remember visiting Norco during my kid years. And yeah this story hits home, and me and my friends lost our homes when big companies came and took some of the land. But we bounced back.
YES. I played this game as soon as it came out bc I LOVE Louisiana as a setting (I grew up and live here in south-central Louisiana, an hour or two away from Norco). This game was BEAUTIFUL
This game seems really special, and I am glad someone brought it to mu attention!
Now, let me reciprocate: Signalis just released (Steam and ps4), and if there was ever a game that would fit this channel, this is it. Indie game made by two people, that is the perfect mix between horror, sci fi, and emotional storytelling. Imagine the ps1 Resident Evil games, but modern gameplay, and a story reminiscent of the movie Moon mixed with Bladerunner (as far as I can tell, I haven't gotten very far yet!). So far, it is among my absolute favourite games of the year, and my absolute favourite ever in the genre.
I’m SO EXCITED that you’re covering this game!!
As a lifelong resident of bayou country, I am so, so happy you're covering the game my hero, geographyofrobots, has been making for so long. You rule!
Norco is such a gem. The prose is beautiful. Literary. Few games are written as well. A few come to mind - Disco Elysium, Vampire the Masquerade: Shadows of New York, and Necrobarista. Both planescapes, although they are much more bothersome to read, compared to the awesome formatting and tempo of the likes of Disco, Norco, Necrobarista, and Shadows.
If you haven't played it yet, you'd love Kentucky Route Zero. It offers a moody narrative experience much like NORCO and Disco Elysium
Also, if you haven't tried it yet, get Night in the Woods. Very much in the same vein as Norco, and a great game in and of itself.
Another Great writen game is lisa: the painful . I love it so much!
I have watched so many of your videos, but to find a game from my favorite genre set in the town i used to live in - I dropped everything to immediately play it. Thank you so much for bringing attention to it! Wonderful video!
@@Tony_Cardoza Yooooo. I've lived in Louisiana my entire life so it's nice to see how the artists incorporated realistc aspects into it.
I think the game is even better to those of us familiar with the town (born and raised and currently live here). You notice and catch a lot "Easter eggs" in comparison to the standard player.
NORCO instantly seems like a good fit for me personally - so thank you Ragnar for bringing it into the spotlight! On another note: I am always happy when someone mentions the Harebrained Schemes Shadowrun Trilogy. Seriously folks play those games! Dragonfall in particular is (imho) one of THE best Cyberpunk/Urban Fantasy games ever.
Yutsi is a beautiful writer, artist and cultural archivist. I'm really excited for your essay, thank you for making this. Some pieces of NORCO made me feel utterly transparent, seen-through-- childhood memories I long-thought were unrelatable, felt not just seen, but accepted and reciprocated. It felt like compassion.
Absolutely.
Just finished this game and have to say it's one of the best games I've played. It's one of the experiences that can't be forgotten in time
We need more games taking place in places we aften ignore or pass our minds but are rich with history and long forgotten conflicts
The fact this game takes place in a disheveled cyberpunk Louisiana is astonishing
EXACTLY
It's so nice to watch a video about my favorite game!
Since I played NORCO, something in my gaming (and personal) life has changed. I say that NORCO IS my favorite adventure game without a doubt, the writting is so good, the art is fabulous and the soundtrack is still in my mind even months after finishing it.
I didn't knew your channel till today and i gotta say: Congratulations for this analysis! The lore in NORCO is fascinating, the characters really hit hard (especially for we who are back in our home town after years) and the social commentary is really on point.
Thank you so much for bringing light to this gem, looking forward to watch more videos from you!
It is seriously unbelievable how underrated you are.
Since completing 5 full playthroughs of Disco Elysium over the last 2 years, I knew i had to find something else to satisfy my craving for a story rich experience and the answer was Norco. I have just finished my second playthrough of Norco and it was superb. The best games leave a permanent emotional impression on me and Norco has definitely done that. I am going to install Unavowed next and hope that it will be similarly fulfilling. Thanks for making this video, you are an extremely talented writer with an excellent talent for articulating your thoughts using your vast and diverse vocabulary!
Keep up the fantastic work!
I'm super surprised that 5 months later, this video hasn't surpassed over 100k views. Sci-fi southern gothic, an interesting mashup of 2 visually different genres? Haunting indie MASTERPIECE? One hell of a very interesting intro.
All that alone made me rush to click on the video then buy the game, and honestly, thank you so much for giving me that push. I saw Norco here and there but was like "Eeehhh I'll see about it" but then your video came out and convinced me to get it. God. Norco is such an experience, and I'll be briefly talking about it in a college podcast assignment!
Now I want more sci-fi southern gothic stuff. That's a unique flavour I'm craving for.
Thank you so much for making this video and I hope it skyrockets soon!!
Splendid video Ragnar! I was looking forward to this analysis, especially that I myself reviewed the game as well. And well I have to say you have elevated and truly grasped the essence of this game. Glad that you cherished this game as much as I did. Cheers!
So I just came across your channel as I was looking for videos on Norco after having literally just finished it myself about an hour ago. While it's a bummer that almost no other videos on this game came up on UA-cam, I do want to commend you for this great production. And I see you're also a big Disco Elysium fan. You got yourself a new sub!
Norco is the only game I've played that's felt the most qualitatively like a cinematic experience, in that the interactive elements combine to leave an impression on you that feels like you watched a profound film.
8 months ago when you released this video after just 6 minutes I ended up getting the game. But then I was busy with university and I didn't have the time to do much. I got some free time today and I rediscovered the game in my library so I decided to play it and honestly I have no words with the feeling this game filled me with. It was an experience like no other. Thank you for introducing us to this game
Hey, I was looking at Norco on a PS Deals site and your review was recommended on the game’s listing. The amount of detail and care that you put into this review is incredible, pulling from outside sources and inspirations and tying it all together with the game itself.
I picked up Norco after watching and can’t wait to explore the world myself. Thank you for turning a review into a piece of art. Looking forward to checking out the rest of your catalogue!
I'm from the bayou, and seeing this game's visuals is utterly surreal. Growing up, Norco (like most industrial plant towns along the river) always seemed so unremarkable----boring, vague, with a hideous refinery and a monotonous freeway as backdrop. That the designers were able to create something so evocative from this setting is incredible.
(Damn it, I hope they port so Switch.)
I waited for V'4llhalla(however it's spelled) and it's $80, but sharply reduced on every other platform. 😭
The opening shot where they’re riding the bike on airline highway is so surreal. So unremarkable, but if you’ve ever been down that way, you know that’s exactly how the sky looks. Like its ok fire.
I love the Neuromancer reference in the beginning♡
Not a game, not a book - an experience. An amazing experience.
Absolutely beautiful discussion on this gem. Finished it last night and it's stuck in my mind very much so. Great stuff man
Woah. It looks like Disco x Kentucky Route Zero x any Indiana Jones Lucas Arts. I am intrigued and this vid is giving me deja Vu/flashbacks for something I've yet to play. Superb work as always Ragnar!
great, another independent gem to discover, thanks to your videos I managed to discover Darkwood and I loved it
Ah, shit. That's still on my list. I keep wanting to play it but...so many games, so little time.
Bachelor, now Master...all for earning a peace of paper. I really hope I have more time after university.
a new video already? I am going to enjoy this
This is an absolutely beautiful video you have created on an equally beautiful game from the sounds of it. Every word resonated with me on a very deep level and I cannot wait to experience this game through my own eyes and background.
its a great game, i stopped the video at the beggining because I trusted you in the recommendation and I don't regret playing it, it's so atmospheric, moving, emotional, it reminds me of my hometown, also a town by an oil refinery, and even the beats I couldn't relate to touched me deeply
Man I was born and raised in norco LA. fun fact: the first season of true detective was mostly filmed here as well!
Same here. Darin did a phenomenal job on this game. We're all extremely proud of him.
The vibe of the music is so perfect for the game. Haven't noticed anyone mentioning this.
No way! What a prefect way to end my day, such a surprise and so much entertainment with your work. Thank you for this
I wanna be clear that this was really interesting and made me genuinely intrigued about Norco
The thing I wanna highlight though is your pronunciation of your supporters at the end
I really liked it as a kind of cherry on top of this video and it made me write this comment (which I almost never do)
The time capsule analogy you made reminds me of my Snow globe analogy for my old home town. Sometimes things happen like construction or a single new business crops up temporarily but eventually it all settled back down to what I grew up with.
playing right now because of you and my god best storytelling experience since disco elisyum!
Bought it the same day l watched your video! Thank you for your work in spreading the knowledge of this hidden gems!
It's shocking to hear that Ragnar has problems with anhedonia, because his videos are, frankly, one of the biggest sources of joy for me - at least on UA-cam.
I love this series of yours the best. I know it doesn’t garner a lot of views, but I def wish you did it more often
Your reviews are as captivating and entertaining as the games you talk about. Sometimes more.
I think also something very important that everyone miss to point around the storytelling in this game is the surreal structure around it. It is not simply science fiction, there is a lot of surrealism probably inspired by David Lynch's work. Even the OST sounds very similar to some of the themes on the last season of Twin Peaks.
Finally beat the game after it got released on PS4 and immediately came here to hear your thoughts. Fantastic video.
Okay, I'll pause this now. Keen to check it out, your description hits the spot for me and it seems like this is right down my alley
found you from twitter, and this game looks great, and really enjoyed your presentation!
Great video Ragnar. Man, you really hit the nail on the head with the dynamic between people and the hometowns they leave behind. I left right after graduating from college. I realized that there was nothing left for me there, and that I had to make the leap and leave that stagnant and recession-hit place if I hoped to make something of myself. Even though I don’t live that far away from my hometown, every time I visit I feel like a stranger in a place that’s fundamentally the same as when I left, but just different enough to make things seem a bit off - my teenage hangouts (mostly bars) demolished and turned into new housing, old mom and pop shops either closed down or converted into food delivery centers, stuff like that. Even the friends who stuck around feel the same but changed in subtle ways. When I’m where I live I am happy to have moved but when I’m back in my hometown I’m sad that I have to leave. You were absolutely on point when you described it as a “gravitational pull. It’s fuckin weird man
Damn, I’m not even a PC gamer but your narrative has me sold… bravo 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
One of the most spiritual P&C games I've played in a while. With laugh out loud humor. Listening to a character tell you about trying to find a place to poop in an absolute panic had me DYING.
*Thank you for the effort you always put into it.*
I was actually listening to your video rather than watching it when I was at work, the themes of these game really hit close to home for me. As soon as I got home I bought it. I have always loved the cyberpunk genre, it really does feel like it might be our future. It makes me sad, but there seems to be little that can be done. Best enjoy the short time we have left, before you know it its gone. Anyway great video :) excited to play this on my limited free time.
Played this game when it came to GamePass based on screenshots alone and I loved it. The Disco Elysium inspiration was immediately apparent to me and it really is a genius move to display the text in vertical columns. The ending was very strange and I don't remember how I felt about it, I didn't hate it though. But, Ragnar, I feel like picking on Cyberpunk 2077 was unnecessary.
This video, and game, hit me really close to home. I came from a small town in the middle of fuckall nowhere and as glad as i am to have left, i also appreciate the little beauty and appreciation of art that's focused on these kinds of places.
Ok. A fifteen minute drive from a metropolitan center does not make that location itself a metropolitan center. The feeling of being in my meat packing hometown and how Norco presents itself are very familiar. That's all I'm saying my dude.
Omg that single clip from The Longest Journey made me shriek in horror 🤣 some of the puzzles in that game were ridiculous. Norco sounds so interesting and I love the look of it.
Love this game, bought it last month and found it to be interesting.
An absolute masterpiece. Both the game and this review of it. Thank You.
Cheers.
One thing I wish you had mentioned when discussing which platform to buy on is that Steam and GOG both take a 30% cut for themselves out of every sale. Itch only takes 10%. This is why I prefer Itch for truly indie games.
Itch is a wonderful platform
My grandfather taught at Montana Tech, in Butte, where millions upon millions of dollars' worth of copper was mined out of the Boulder Batholith - like, at one point Butte's only rival in how much copper they were shipping out was South Africa, that's how much copper we're talking about here. It's also home to the Berkley Pit, a manmade lake so poisonous and acidic because of the toxic elements in the mines that a system for scaring away birds had to be put in place, cuz the birds would die if they went into the water. Gramps was part of the team who helped clean up Silver Bow Creek, also in Butte; he once told me (and I'll never forget this) that when they would take samples from the creek, they'd do it by sucking water up through straws, and when it hit your teeth, the water was so acidic that it would dissolve all of the plaque, and swallowing it would give you the world's worst case of the trots. And that's just Butte; Libby Montana is another sad story of how the extraction industry can screw over people and the environment (TL;DR: company town, they were mining essentially asbestos for insulation, so the entire town was just covered in asbestos. It was, possibly still is, an oncologist's nightmare).
And like...often unless you live in the states where these towns exist, you've probably never heard these kinds of stories. Butte was essential to the Industrial Revolution, it was one of the biggest cities in the US in its 19th century heyday, it was the center of the kind of political and corporate machinations that sound like an HBO miniseries, and yet nobody knows about it. Like at all. That's why media like this is important, it shows the kind of damage the extraction industry does to the places where it stakes its claim. I'm really looking forward to playing it when I get the chance.
I finally played through this game, so at last I can watch this video! Hooray!
Just finished the game. It is amazing
I really related to the decaying hometown. Just glad I finally realised & moved when I did if not sooner. Zero desire to go back except seeing family members who are on the outskirts.
Thanks for the CC. Always striking when small-timers add CCs when the rich career UA-camrs claim they don't have the time or money.
Returning here after PAUSING the video to play this, finally completed and with all ending, what a trip
I have sit in front of my laptop for 20mins totally in indescribable shock after I played through the game. Just don't know what to say, every lines in the game is hard to follow like a riddle but somehow I can echo something inside the game inside Norco. I can smell oil and smoke. I can feel the wet and sticky air in the swamp. I can see me kneel down in front a electronic Jesus pray for nothing with fear and lost hope. I can feel some electrical pause stirring my brain causing permanent confusion and pain. I don't know what to say. Please if you see this game, buy it and play it, totally worthy.
just finished this game tonight and it was genuinely so good it drove me up a wall
I wish someday I could finally put all my energy in developing a game so good, well written, and well rounded that you (organically) would want to play and talk about.
I hope that day is not too far away, and I will work to make it happen. I really like the work you do (shame on me that I cannot help you monetarily) have a nice day, see you next video!
PS: Your analysis of Disco Elysium was the pivotal point that made me play that game... and I love it.
Unfortunately I haven't had the spare cash to fix up my busted PCs lying around and I'm glad that there's creators like you that can thoroughly describe the world's that I'm missing out on exploring.
Yass, a new Ragnarrox video is always a welcome sight.
I played the demo and it felt so much like going home to some weird alternate version of the place where I grew up, that i had to buy the game immediately..
i really implore everyone in these comments to play the game. it’s one of the most memorable gaming experiences i’ve had in my life, and it paints a picture of american life that seldom seen.
Ok not five minutes in and I'm stopping the video to do as you suggest. Will play this, I'm sold on it
Playing through Norco was so tangibly special, so intimate and one of the funniest(!) games I played in the past year. Sits comfortably in the same space as Disco Elysium.
I feel you about fearing That Call from elderly parents 💜
4 mins in and already know I would love it.
Cya playing game.
I cant get over how amazing this game is and I want more but there is just nothing that comes even close to it. Thimbleweed park, Elysium, I have played all that. They are good but this is truly masterful. The writing, the art, the atmosphere, the characters... like a beautiful postmodern movie. I only listen to christmas music from now
Thank you, I've been contemplative of getting this game as it seemed to hit on themes that I'd appreciate. I'll definitely be getting it and giving it a go.
I didn't know this game, it looks gorgeous! I'll add it to my wishlist right now. Thanks! :)
I recenty had that feeling of your old home town changing when a soda machine i always used to get sodas from was now gone. Sad!
Yaaay~ 50 minute vid with one of my fave game essayists 😁
Hey, I just finished the game. Although I enjoyed the story, I couldn't shake the discomfort I felt with some narrative lines that led to nowhere (the giant bird virus) and the "battle sections". I went to the extent of thinking Norco wasn't more than one of those "philosophical exposition tools" than a videogame, but after seeing this video I've come to realize how wrong I was. Norco wasn't even meant to be a videogame in the first place! That fact alone striked me like a punch in the face. It allowed me to see the game for what it really is, an examination of the human condition in many kind of places like family relations, childhood trauma, religion, the constant struggle for finding meaning, the disregard of megacorps for those below them and how these people have to learn how to keep living under those conditions, the list goes on.
An unforgettable game that will haunt me for a long time. 100% worth the money.
Just finished this game on game pass. The setting hits so well even as a Northerner with the mundane futurism. My favorite parts of cyberpunk media
Thank you for spreading the word about this game.
I loved that you mentioned referencing this to non video game players because my partner is very much enthralled with near future climate/society focused fiction, but is not so much into "video games" in the more commonly accepted idea of them due to reaction and coordination barriers, so the entire time hearing your accolades of Norco I couldn't stop thinking "I need to show them this game"
I feel like between Cyberpunk 2077 actively defending the police state and Mirror's Edge Catalyst ignoring half of its world, we've REALLY been starved for genuine cyberpunk fiction. They tend to be all cyber and no punk, so it's so incredibly refreshing to hear about a piece of art that does tackle these issues properly and honestly. Will definitely be picking this one up, fantastic video mate!
Played it a few weeks ago and reeeally loved it, couldn't stop playing it. Not something easy for a game to make me feel.
I grew up in Norco and the surrounding areas, in fact I currently live nearby and see the dystopian landscape day after day. Always thought it resembled Midgard or some cyberpunk forgotten place my whole life. Great to see my hometown getting such a great game that addresses some of our struggles and is essentially a love letter to the place that the economy and time forgot.
I swear the occasional very good French in ur vids absolutely fucks with my brain every time ejejeje
Another banger of a video for a banger of a game. Thank you for doing Norco, dude.
I don't know why, but I bounced off of Norco hard. It didn't just not grab me, it pushed me away.
Edit: To be specific, it sounds exactly up my alley- excellent writing, amazing art, as a point-and-click adventure that does all sorts of new things, but somehow I bounce off anyway. This video (after part 2, during the overview) convinced me to give it another try, though. Wish me luck- I'll be back to watch the rest of the video regardless of if it pulls me in or not.
I just tried it out... it checks a lot of marks that I want in games... but this game really isn't for me. I think it's a very good thing that games like this are being made. But, the writing and the presentation is just not for me.
Since you posted this..., are you worried that it will send you into a spiral of despair and depression? As a GenXer, I don't understand why you post a teaser on social media, and expect no one to push you to say EXACTLY why it's not for you. If you feel the reasons are too personal, why would you post anything? It's like jumping into the middle of a party and saying "I don't want to make any friends here! I don't even want a hookup!" Why wouldn't you stay home then?
I guess you might want the validation of thumbs up, without making any effort? I think the people who upvote your post are even more guilty of this.