Yeah I mean you are probably right. In my defense, though, without having spoilers, the game is emphatically NOT pro King Arthur and the main likeable factions are the ones I would describe as Irish

I am having a great time. It’s janky, but fun. It is EXTREMELY nostalgic for early Skyrim in terms of its leveling mechanics, character development, sense of humor, and jank. Just swap the tone from Nordic to early Irish dark fantasy.

Fucking good. They are just mad palworld is more fun than their latest pokemon launches

Admittedly I only did the tutorial area and first town after before I lost interest. I did definitely have it pitched to me as a fully open world game which it really isn’t as I would define it. I have been told since that Arthur has a good arc and growth potential but…I guess it just took too long to get to that. It seemed to rely a bit on past game context too that I didn’t have

Witcher 3, rdr3. I know they are popular games and all my friends who also like single player rpgs love them but I just can’t with the fixed personality main characters who act in ways that frustrate me. I mean last of us was good but that was more where the player character being forced to be a dick is the main plot point, instead of a thing we are meant to ignore.

Last of us is an obvious answer I think if you haven’t played either of those games. The exact opposite of your request, when I am feeling as you describe I really recommend wandersong. The game is like therapy, it looks campy and stupid at first but the dialogue has incredible depth and uplifting vibes.

Changing things up seems generous. Palworld already has real time combat in a monster catching sim. This feels like further being a dick to palworld and stealing their mechanics after suing them into oblivion.

It does look fun, but I struggle with Nintendo these days.

Like so many others I finished expedition 33 most recently and it was fantastic for anyone who enjoys story heavy RPGs. I also finished citizen sleeper shortly before that and the last dlc of not for broadcast, also both amazing. Now I am on to palworld, I am judging this to be the right intersection of good features added but no major losses from the ongoing lawsuit yet. Time will tell if that’s a good estimate.

I have loved Nintendo games for a long time but after their behavior lately I am disinclined to support them anymore, and the original switch will likely be my last Nintendo console.

I can be cynical about the game industry at times but the reality is this year we got a lot of great games from smaller studios and it’s a trend that seems like it will continue. With kkd2, expedition 33, and that new survival craft that just came out 2025 is a good year for games as far as I am concerned

Disco Elysium can totally be pacifist

If you like portal you may also like superliminal. It’s the only game I’ve found that scratches the similar itch