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  • 12 Comments
Joined 30 days ago
Cake day: September 14th, 2024
  • MasterBlaster@lemmygrad.mltogames@hexbear.net•What is the deal with silent hill 2?English
    12·
    3 days ago

    Silent Hill 1/2/3 are probably the earliest examples of professionally produced games having genuine theming, properly written and conveyed subtext, as well as taking advantage of the medium and landing as a great psychological horror. Pyramid Head is neither meant to be a foreboding metaphor nor a heart-racing boss fight. He is James’ self-punishment made manifest, his belief that he deserves pain for what he has done. But like, not metaphorically. That’s literally what the monster is in the story, brought to life by a town that holds a unique but very defined spiritual power.

    James killing the monster at the end is him killing the part of him that feels guilty for what he has done, which materially changes how James behaves. Depending on James/player behavior, this why the endings of the game can range from James killing himself or James making peace with his distorted memories of his wife and leaving town.

    I’m sure that a game released in 2022 does all of this at least as well if not better, but SH2 was absolutely monumental for the industry and almost every psychological horror game today has some roots in what SH1/2/3 were doing. There’s a definite ‘Seinfeld effect’ with this. But I do reject the idea that you had to play it in its prime to properly ‘get it.’

    I will say that its exploration of domestic abuse, sexual violence, terminal illness, did not come off as edgy in 2001. It came off as downright shocking that a game dared to explore it and demanded maturity from its audience. Back in 2001, this was unheard of in games.

  • MasterBlaster@lemmygrad.mltoComradeship // Freechat@lemmygrad.ml•Recently fell into a new job (tragic) and it's comically easyEnglish
    14·
    3 days ago

    One of the best jobs I’ve ever had was a trolley collector. It was a company contracted to work for the chain stores, so I didn’t work for the stores I collected carts for.

    I’d show up, do about 45 minutes of exercise hauling the carts around, then I’d sit in my car and play on my phone or read a book. Or, hell, even just leave. I’d have 6 hour shifts but trust me when I say the trolleys don’t need 6 hours of supervision. I’d often get away with one collection in the morning, coming back for a collection in the afternoon, then peace out.

    Anyway, best of luck with your new job comrade, I hope the freedom makes the lack of decent pay worthwhile. It definitely did for me.

  • MasterBlaster@lemmygrad.mltoComradeship // Freechat@lemmygrad.ml•Pan-Leftism; An Infantile DisorderEnglish
    2·
    7 days ago

    pan leftism pisses me off. defanged theory, feel-good nonsense that doesn’t equal a legible ideology. Also preys on the dumbed down simplistic single axis of political thought. I don’t know how they expect communists and anarchists to work together, or communists and soc-dems, or communists and anyone other than marxists. Then again, I’m guessing that’s the point - to legitimize every single flare of leftist thought other than the one with actual material history behind it

  • MasterBlaster@lemmygrad.mltoFunny@lemmygrad.ml•French work culture vs USA work cultureEnglish
    9·
    8 days ago

    American work culture scares the shite out of me. We have a type of work called ‘casual’ work, distinct from permanent part time and full time contracts. ‘Casual’ work applies a 25% loading on your pay, but in exchange, you can be let go for any reason, without notice, and do not have a guaranteed amount of hours/shifts. It’s intended to be offered to teenagers getting their first fast food job or whatever, but it’s abused by employers and we have a real problem with too many people working casual.

    Anyway, imagine my actual horror when I discovered this ‘casual’ scheme is just about the standard framework for working in the states - and they don’t even get casual loading!