Intelligent, spoilerific conversation recorded at GDC:

http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/2/4174386/reviewers-roundtable-bioshock-infinite

this is rad, good group of dudes to talk about this stuff. They seem to have it together more than the GB guys

It was pretty interesting how they focused on parts that the internet is mostly ignoring. I myself am more interesting in the multiverse side of the game and the forum count seems to point to that as the main focus for a bunch of people.

Oh, Kuchera and Gies. Two of the most obnoxious people in this business. Awesome. I'll probably still listen because I fkkn adore this game.

Is it bad that I read "Sessler" as "Kessler"?

some really scraggly bit of facial hair going on here. Especially Kuchera's mess and sad mess of receeding hairline, which makes me realize how much smarter Sess was to just let it go.

More together?

Yeah y'know. Their thoughts are much more concise and clearly expressed, or at least I feel that way.

Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, some might call it more pretentious, and I'd accept that, but listening to people like Sessler talk about games or Jeff Cannatta talk about games makes the Giant Bomb people sound like "durr durr fart fart durr..."

Well I definitely don't agree, but hey, they have sites, go seek them out.

Besides Gies (who does wear on me pretty frequently) and Sessler, not a fan of any of these guys really. Gies has done similar good work with Game Club on Rebel FM in the past, got some memories from that watching this (although this was more broad).

But hey, why don't you listen to the GB spoilercast to come and see if all they say is "durr" and "farts"? You'll have a chance.

EDIT: yeah watching this reaffirming my thoughts. Gies continues to be both insightful and very close minded and PC. Sessler brings a lot of his English background into reading this game which I love.

I mean, I clealry enjoy giant bomb or I wouldn't be here. And I wouldn't be here if I didn't leave gamespot just because Jeff got fired (even though I wasn't supposed to do that, apparently). I've listened to these guys almost every week for like 10 years.

That being said, Giant Bomb has a hipster mentality that doesn't go over well if you want intelligent discussion about games. Things like Jeff's top praise of games being "that game's pretty okay", or their constantly wanting all games to end with some character getting out of the Animus or having the whole game be a dream. I think Jeff just wants games to be impressive in an engaging and different way, and I totally agree with him on that. I just don't think he's ever particularly eloquent on what that is.

And dear lord, if a spoilercast does come out, and I hope it does, I will turn it off as soon as patrick says the phrase "interesting mechanics" or "gameplay systems". Ugh. He must use those phrases more than any other group of words in the english language.

I think we have different definitions of "hipster" because Polygon IS the hipster game site by the popular definition.

Giantbomb is just the.... I don't know... weird one? Funny one? It's hard to categorize and that's part of why I love it. I'm not sure what discussion about games they have ever stifled, I think they have very good ones on the Bombcast or otherwise.

The spoilercast is coming for sure. Sounds like it's already been recorded. Any not the biggest Pat fan so I'm going to be with you on that.

Frankly, I think you are cutting the Giant Bomb guys short. They could sound just as insightful if not more so in this kind of format, it's just this kind of "full on game breakdown" isn't one you see often, because most games don't warrant it and it's not really in vogue. I hope it does become in vogue at some point, because I find it very compelling. As I said in my previous post, it reminds me of the Rebel FM game clubs, which someone needs to make into a full on podcast.

Really? I feel like Jeff, Ryan, and Brad are the absolute embodyment of hipster. They frequently hate on almost everything, and sometimes it's clear they haven't even played/done what it is that they're hating on. When something is bad, it's "fuckin terrible" or "the fucking worst", if it's good it's "okay", if it's really good it's "pretty okay" and if it's excellent it's "pretty good".

And that's not even mentioning all the "ironic" love for bad games like "50 cents blood on the sand" or "Need For Speed Most Wanted". Or all the "ironic" desire for games to have ridiculous plot twists.

That being said, I think Jeff is funny and at times hilarious, I think Brad is really smart, I think Ryan has a great sense of presence and delivery on camera, I think Vinny is awesome in every way and I think Drew is fantastic and needs to be on camera more. And Patrick... as much as it pains me to admit, seems like a really cool guy if he would just not ever talk about videogames.

Not even Sessler with all his awesomeness will make me watch anything that involves Polygon and Kuchera. I mean not everyone at Polygon is terrible but i can't stand any of those in this particular video.

Posted this in the main spoiler topic. It was a fun listen. Wish this would happen more often across the board.

I find it fascinating how people's personal opinion of what's "right" colors their perceptions. Around the 16:00 mark they start talking about how awesome it is that the game makers really shove this ugly look at early 1900s American racism in your face, and how the only people who won't understand it's a critique are morons. They then IMMEDIATELY talk about how disappointed they are that the Vox Populi are also portrayed as evil, and how it was "a little too 'on the nose' for my liking". They actually justify the actions of the Vox, saying "Well in Daisy's defense, the Booker in her reality HAD been killed, so you can see where she's coming from".

News flash, fellas- all the Marxist imagery with the huge Booker posters and Daisy murdering Fink were intended to condemn extreme Communism and Marxism, just as the caricature of Comstock was a critique of racist Nationalism. Both sides took a belief in what they felt was right and became monsters by living it to the extreme- showing this was literally the WHOLE POINT of those two factions existing.

Highly ironic how they're totally behind the tearing down of one group and claim anyone not understanding those dangers is a moron, then let a very pointed attack on what's wrong with their own beliefs whiff right over their head.

I watched about 5 minutes of this, it feels like watching Top Chef.

I enjoy watching Sessler talk, but everyone else at that table has that "climbed up my own ass" feel to them. I'm being overly harsh I realize. I'm okay with that though.

I'm sure most of these guys would be fine if the video had a dirtier, seat of your pants feel to it, not like someone put out little place cards so people knew where they were supposed to sit. That's my general problem with Polygon most of the time though, it feels like videogame coverage through the filter of a hospital waiting room.

I've never thought Sessler has anything credible to say about anything specific, just general sweeping comments about whatever the subject may be.