Mabian
@abstractinggames.bsky.social
Former academic turned bureaucrat. Constantly playing and thinking about games. Very occasionally posting stuff at https://abstractinggames.com/
Aaaaaaand I still messed up the numbering despite going back and checking.
December 25, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Aaaaaaand I still messed up the numbering despite going back and checking.
Leaning into those tropes is fine. Leaning away from them is fine. What matters on that front is how well you do it.
But when you lean away it's worthwhile to think about how your player can be "untaught" the things that they've learned elsewhere. End/
But when you lean away it's worthwhile to think about how your player can be "untaught" the things that they've learned elsewhere. End/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Leaning into those tropes is fine. Leaning away from them is fine. What matters on that front is how well you do it.
But when you lean away it's worthwhile to think about how your player can be "untaught" the things that they've learned elsewhere. End/
But when you lean away it's worthwhile to think about how your player can be "untaught" the things that they've learned elsewhere. End/
But I do think it's valuable to think about what players will do not simply as isolated individuals. Rather to also think about what they will do as people familiar with the tropes of the genre. 13/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
But I do think it's valuable to think about what players will do not simply as isolated individuals. Rather to also think about what they will do as people familiar with the tropes of the genre. 13/
I don't think there's a clear answer to all of this.
And even though I would have preferred to know so I could have moved on to something else, I at least did not feel like the ending was suddenly bad in a quality sense. Which may attest to the fact that it fits. 12/
And even though I would have preferred to know so I could have moved on to something else, I at least did not feel like the ending was suddenly bad in a quality sense. Which may attest to the fact that it fits. 12/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I don't think there's a clear answer to all of this.
And even though I would have preferred to know so I could have moved on to something else, I at least did not feel like the ending was suddenly bad in a quality sense. Which may attest to the fact that it fits. 12/
And even though I would have preferred to know so I could have moved on to something else, I at least did not feel like the ending was suddenly bad in a quality sense. Which may attest to the fact that it fits. 12/
And of course there's a fair argument to make that you want the endings to feel surprising, so maybe you don't want to tell players that the ending they just saw wasn't the "real" ending. It kind of implies that they should disregard what just happened. 11/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
And of course there's a fair argument to make that you want the endings to feel surprising, so maybe you don't want to tell players that the ending they just saw wasn't the "real" ending. It kind of implies that they should disregard what just happened. 11/
That doesn't mean players don't bear some responsibility. I didn't *need* to keep playing. There was nothing that said there *was* a good ending.
But that doesn't mean I was wrong to make the assumption. It merely takes away the edge from any critique. I wasn't actively misled. 10/
But that doesn't mean I was wrong to make the assumption. It merely takes away the edge from any critique. I wasn't actively misled. 10/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
That doesn't mean players don't bear some responsibility. I didn't *need* to keep playing. There was nothing that said there *was* a good ending.
But that doesn't mean I was wrong to make the assumption. It merely takes away the edge from any critique. I wasn't actively misled. 10/
But that doesn't mean I was wrong to make the assumption. It merely takes away the edge from any critique. I wasn't actively misled. 10/
The obvious response is to let players figure that out for themselves. Just keep playing and you'll learn there's no double jump.
But I think that response ignores how that assumption paints how players interact with the game, and the "disappointment" impacts their impression of the game. 9/
But I think that response ignores how that assumption paints how players interact with the game, and the "disappointment" impacts their impression of the game. 9/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
The obvious response is to let players figure that out for themselves. Just keep playing and you'll learn there's no double jump.
But I think that response ignores how that assumption paints how players interact with the game, and the "disappointment" impacts their impression of the game. 9/
But I think that response ignores how that assumption paints how players interact with the game, and the "disappointment" impacts their impression of the game. 9/
But in turn if players are making those kinds of assumptions, how does design account for those assumptions when they're *wrong*? If you don't put in a double jump...how do you effectively tell players there won't be a double jump? 8/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
But in turn if players are making those kinds of assumptions, how does design account for those assumptions when they're *wrong*? If you don't put in a double jump...how do you effectively tell players there won't be a double jump? 8/
This is most obvious in relation to the mechanics of a game. Metroidvanias nowadays almost always give you a double jump, so you assume you'll get one.
So do you see something that looks out of reach? You might assume that's for later - and that assumption might be right or wrong. 7/
So do you see something that looks out of reach? You might assume that's for later - and that assumption might be right or wrong. 7/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
This is most obvious in relation to the mechanics of a game. Metroidvanias nowadays almost always give you a double jump, so you assume you'll get one.
So do you see something that looks out of reach? You might assume that's for later - and that assumption might be right or wrong. 7/
So do you see something that looks out of reach? You might assume that's for later - and that assumption might be right or wrong. 7/
And why I kept going was what I found interesting.
For a while I've been interested in how knowledge of genres impact how we relate to games. 6/
For a while I've been interested in how knowledge of genres impact how we relate to games. 6/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
And why I kept going was what I found interesting.
For a while I've been interested in how knowledge of genres impact how we relate to games. 6/
For a while I've been interested in how knowledge of genres impact how we relate to games. 6/
I came away from that...disappointed? It's hard to find the exact right term.
Because I don't necessarily think the devs should have made an alternative "good ending." Someone could make that argument, but I won't.
But I wouldn't have kept playing if I had known there wasn't one. 5/
Because I don't necessarily think the devs should have made an alternative "good ending." Someone could make that argument, but I won't.
But I wouldn't have kept playing if I had known there wasn't one. 5/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I came away from that...disappointed? It's hard to find the exact right term.
Because I don't necessarily think the devs should have made an alternative "good ending." Someone could make that argument, but I won't.
But I wouldn't have kept playing if I had known there wasn't one. 5/
Because I don't necessarily think the devs should have made an alternative "good ending." Someone could make that argument, but I won't.
But I wouldn't have kept playing if I had known there wasn't one. 5/
So I decided to do the cleanup, presuming that I would find the key to that good ending along the way.
And as I got closer to 100% nothing special seemed to be happening.
And once there was nothing left and I triggered the ending, it was the same. 4/
And as I got closer to 100% nothing special seemed to be happening.
And once there was nothing left and I triggered the ending, it was the same. 4/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
So I decided to do the cleanup, presuming that I would find the key to that good ending along the way.
And as I got closer to 100% nothing special seemed to be happening.
And once there was nothing left and I triggered the ending, it was the same. 4/
And as I got closer to 100% nothing special seemed to be happening.
And once there was nothing left and I triggered the ending, it was the same. 4/
And when there's a "bad ending" in general - and especially a Metroidvania - there is generally an assumption that there must be a "good ending" as well.
Now there was no direct statement that there was a good ending. When I tried searching online the evidence felt at the time like there was one.3/
Now there was no direct statement that there was a good ending. When I tried searching online the evidence felt at the time like there was one.3/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
And when there's a "bad ending" in general - and especially a Metroidvania - there is generally an assumption that there must be a "good ending" as well.
Now there was no direct statement that there was a good ending. When I tried searching online the evidence felt at the time like there was one.3/
Now there was no direct statement that there was a good ending. When I tried searching online the evidence felt at the time like there was one.3/
So I got to the end and the ending gave a particular sense of being "the bad ending." Like it was 100% thematically appropriate and honestly the ending the game needed.
But when I say it feels like "the bad ending" I think people know what that means. 2/
But when I say it feels like "the bad ending" I think people know what that means. 2/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
So I got to the end and the ending gave a particular sense of being "the bad ending." Like it was 100% thematically appropriate and honestly the ending the game needed.
But when I say it feels like "the bad ending" I think people know what that means. 2/
But when I say it feels like "the bad ending" I think people know what that means. 2/
To start, I liked the game. The art was pretty. The music was nice. I did have some minor gripes with the controls and I didn't find the combat that engaging, but I still enjoyed going through the world.
And I found the themes of the game really compelling. 1/
And I found the themes of the game really compelling. 1/
December 25, 2025 at 10:07 PM
To start, I liked the game. The art was pretty. The music was nice. I did have some minor gripes with the controls and I didn't find the combat that engaging, but I still enjoyed going through the world.
And I found the themes of the game really compelling. 1/
And I found the themes of the game really compelling. 1/
I have a number of gripes, but one thing that's nice those gripes are all generally minor. A weird thing here, and annoying thing there. I have never stopped a session and felt like I wanted to stop. Indeed, I am always wishing I could play longer.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I have a number of gripes, but one thing that's nice those gripes are all generally minor. A weird thing here, and annoying thing there. I have never stopped a session and felt like I wanted to stop. Indeed, I am always wishing I could play longer.
In fairness I have not needed to do that grinding as long as I made sure to grab as much as I can going from A to B. But it does mean whenever I try to do upgrades after numerous hours of gameplay I wind up completely out of those resources and need to start over again.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In fairness I have not needed to do that grinding as long as I made sure to grab as much as I can going from A to B. But it does mean whenever I try to do upgrades after numerous hours of gameplay I wind up completely out of those resources and need to start over again.
There is a buff you can get to increase the amount of resources you gather, but that buff seems to be random. So if I want to make a conscious effort to gather resources, I either can't, or I have to do it the slow way.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
There is a buff you can get to increase the amount of resources you gather, but that buff seems to be random. So if I want to make a conscious effort to gather resources, I either can't, or I have to do it the slow way.
That's not to say that everything is perfect and thought through. There are puzzle boxes that are absolutely horrendous - not many, but for how bad they are more than zero is an issue.
I also find the resource gathering annoying for some of the items you need. Namely the stuff you find in fields.
I also find the resource gathering annoying for some of the items you need. Namely the stuff you find in fields.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
That's not to say that everything is perfect and thought through. There are puzzle boxes that are absolutely horrendous - not many, but for how bad they are more than zero is an issue.
I also find the resource gathering annoying for some of the items you need. Namely the stuff you find in fields.
I also find the resource gathering annoying for some of the items you need. Namely the stuff you find in fields.
Lo and behold, I get a new ability to play a song that leads me to a certain kind of location (and I get some more later). No need to worry.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Lo and behold, I get a new ability to play a song that leads me to a certain kind of location (and I get some more later). No need to worry.
The problem would be that since I am already filling in the map, I have no incentive to tread that portion of the map again when looking at it later. So if I pass it up, have I just missed it unless I decide to scour every inch of the world again?
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The problem would be that since I am already filling in the map, I have no incentive to tread that portion of the map again when looking at it later. So if I pass it up, have I just missed it unless I decide to scour every inch of the world again?
One of the ways the game helps you find locations is having a bird fly down to lead you to that location. You have to be relatively close to trigger that. So what if I was in the area and ignored the bird because I was headed somewhere else?
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
One of the ways the game helps you find locations is having a bird fly down to lead you to that location. You have to be relatively close to trigger that. So what if I was in the area and ignored the bird because I was headed somewhere else?
One thing that has kind of impressed me as I played is the way in which Sucker Punch has generally felt like they thought things through. Not just in tiny details, but just in how the game plays.
One thing I had wondered to myself was what would happen if I bypassed certain exploration chances.
One thing I had wondered to myself was what would happen if I bypassed certain exploration chances.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
One thing that has kind of impressed me as I played is the way in which Sucker Punch has generally felt like they thought things through. Not just in tiny details, but just in how the game plays.
One thing I had wondered to myself was what would happen if I bypassed certain exploration chances.
One thing I had wondered to myself was what would happen if I bypassed certain exploration chances.
I think one thing I really appreciated from Tsushima and from Yotei was that there was enough variety that no one thing felt boring or overplayed.
October 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I think one thing I really appreciated from Tsushima and from Yotei was that there was enough variety that no one thing felt boring or overplayed.