Unfinished: Nidhogg II 12/09/2016

Yayyy recycled content...

Smart to sometimes cut out segments like that for non premium folks.

That's an odd way of doing content... I mean I guess I understand that this outlet is privy to something a lot of other places might not have, and that's why this segment has been copy-pasted out of the editing timeline and uploaded as a separate free video here, but it feels kinda cheap. I guess it's because of the holidays coming up, and everyone is busy doing GOTY stuff.

As an aside, I really don't like the GOTY stuff so much. It feels like it's way too much effort, it completely interrupts the regular operation of this site for some, sure, great sketches, but I dunno if that's worth this damn crawl. Just my personal opinion/observations, I totally support you if you disagree with my feelings on this.

I hated the art style during the reveal but i have to admit it looks better in motion. Also, makes more sense with the new weapons as i dont think the broadsword would work in the old art style.

Get that dick!

@nukleon: I agree with many of your points. @jeff went over it a bit in his last jar-time... basically that they often have to choose between keeping the regular schedule, and doing *anything else*, due to resourcing. GOTY-time is the one particularly bad time of year where the regular schedule will invariably be messed up as a result. Again just a resourcing problem.

He said he hopes to slowly hire more people in the coming while to allow both the regular schedule, and the big-weird-other-stuff to not affect one another.

This game's visual style is fucking cool.

This video being pulled out of UPF is weird. Guess it makes sense if they want to generate some views from non-subscribers.

@nukleon: Man the GOTY podcasts alone are worth it to me. I'm more than willing to have a couple of slower weeks when what we get in return is two regular Bombcasts and Beastcasts with more or less the whole crew, same goes for UPF, and a fucking ton of podcasts and other GOTY content in a period of time when they're not at work to produce stuff. GOTY and E3 are my favourite GB periods every year.

Also I get why a lot of people don't like the art style of this game, but I really like it for some reason.

@amyggen: I dunno... I think they lack the humor of the Bombcast/Beastcast. There's some exceptions to this, but it's so often just people trying to lay out their cases for some games as I feel like I want to punch someone for refusing to back down. Last year was particularly bad with some people standing up for Fallout 4 and Super Mario Maker, the year before Destiny was so bad to listen to. That's mainly just my tastes but it's the kinda feeling I get where I start to think that I actually don't wanna know how the sausage is made if it makes me so infuriated.

My heart goes out to all the people who will suffer from the "recycled" content. It must be rough. I hope you make it through these tough times unscathed...

I think the art style wouldn't be so jarring if the game wasn't called Nidhogg. But then, that still wouldn't explain why they look like apes. I feel like the devs put those sprites in at some point as a goof, then decided to stick with it.

@nukleon: I guess it's just different opinions. I've really loved that stuff every year they've done it, and it's clearly one of the most popular things they do. Sure it gets a bit heated at times, but that's part of the charm to me. Last year was probably the most civil discussion by far. I just really like to hear them talk about games for that long and I love the game of trying to "win" the argument. But if it makes angry then you probably shouldn't listen, heh. I do understand why some people don't like it of course, but that's not me.

@nukleon: The reason the GOTY stuff exists is so that they have content to put up when they all go on holiday.

Glad non-premium folk will get to see this - best showing Nidhogg II has had - can't wait for it now!!

It's cool that this got snipped out for non-premium bombers, but I'll admit I'm a little bummed it's not a new video.

I am still not into the design of the characters. The animation is cool, I like the facial expressions, and the backgrounds are gorgeous, but something about the naked Homer Simpsons doesn't click for me.

Yeah same.

Watching more of this in motion is making me come back around in favor of the artstyle. Still can't get over the Simpsons vibe though

I've grown to really like it. I am a big Genesis fan and this game looks like if they kept that kind of art style some Genesis games had but made it cleaner and more modern.

The artstyle has grown on me a lot more after watching this quicklook, when I was also completely incredulous about it in the trailer.

It definitely causes some visual confusion problems with stages having bright colours in certain areas causing you to lose the characters, but they could just have more then 2 colours to fix that.

What the artstyle mainly feels like to me is an excuse to jar people into thinking, "This is so different" when all they're really done to the core gameplay in this build is made things considerably slower with more recovery frames and added 2 weapons (and a short rapier).

Since the game reads so visually significantly different instead of a balance patch / 1.0 version now people won't balk at paying for the game again

the first fight in particular was a pretty terse one, indeed. 0/10 not enough nidhogg-shouting.

i'd like this game to be played 24 hours straight for extra life just to see how drawn out the battles can get and to test mine and the bombcrew's sanity.

If they play something on UPF for the first time I usually don't end up watching the Quick Look anywho so this doesn't bother me and actually frees up time for me to do other stuff.

Jeff could rob me in the street and I'd be okay with it tbh.

Er, no. The reason GOTY stuff exists is so the GB Crew can state what their favorite games of the year were, and why.

Cool that non-premium users can get a look at the game. Like a few others in here, seeing it in non-trailer form turned me around on the artstyle. The levels themselves look pretty great, and the characters make more sense.

same

I feel the exact same way. Also, even though the environments look cool, they're made on an artstyle that is so overused to the point it doesn't show anything new by now. The original overall artstyle on the first Nidhogg was way cooler and different than the rest, it stood out in a good way.

You win the game by getting eaten by a giant Worm. If compared to the general weirdness of the game I believe that character designs fit the tone of the game. Maybe it would be funnier if its posh gentlemen or something.

Maybe as an extra skin.

@dray2k: Top hat DLC?

Er, yes. Jeff has outright said many a time that they do it so that they have content for the holidays.

I think the only reason they cut this out is because, unless I'm mistaken, this is the first hands on they've had with the game. It seems silly to keep that locked behind a paywall, even if it did originally take place on UPF. Giving a first look to their full audience makes sense.

Stop encouraging him. I'm still waiting for my replacement credit cards to arrive.

:(

Some sort of reptiles? Or are they worm spawn? I don't know if I want the answer or not.

e: I think the music in the first game was better (the cloud level is awesome). Although this is an early build and we didn't get to see everything.

I like that this is out there for non premium duders now.

I'm all for this "recycled content." Nidhogg II was questioned early on, but I thought this was a good showing of the game, so why not let everyone see it.

Yeah :(

I don't think there would have been anything to gain from recording a separate quick look for this one. The UPF segment was great, showed off plenty of the game, and the whole crew was there. A followup with just Brad and Jason or something like seems pretty unnecessary.

The environments look really good but I just can't get behind the character art.

I'm super into this, I wasn't sold on the artstyle but I'm slowly coming around on it now. The different weapons are a super cool touch - you gotta mix things up a little from the original game to justify a sequel, after all. I'm sure there's plenty of tweaks and balancing to be done on that, but as an initial idea I think it works really well.

I actually think pulling out the UPF segment works well here too, because Nidhogg is best showcased with a roomful of people watching and getting excited about a showdown between two players. As a premium member I've already seen what I'd need to for an unfinished, so I wouldn't have benefited hugely from a new video, and now regular users can see it as well.

I am totally with you on that. The GotY podcasts are some of my very favourite GB content every year. I'm keeping up my (increasingly large) yearly tradition of listening to every past set of GotY podcasts during December in the run-up to this year's offering. Occasionally one or two arguments get strung out a little longer than needed, but it's all in good fun ultimately. Plus there aren't a ton of big games releasing right now that need covering anyway.

It's nice that they put this up for everyone, including non-premium people. If anything, they most likely did this by request from the developer.

@frymillstrum: well it's now free for people who can't watch the entire upf. I think it's great!

Frankly, I'm surprised by how strongly people feel about this video's existence.

Also, I love the art style. It fits the weird, absurd desperation of the fights: that these two people will do anything in their power to get gobbled up by a flying worm. It amplifies the tone of the setting that was never really present during the fights themselves in the previous game. It was all about the swordplay, and then suddenly you're getting eaten, seemingly as an afterthought. Now the whole fight, to me, feels very clearly rooted in that motivation.

Not as negative on the style as I was, still don't like it but it has some charm.

Backgrounds are real nice.

Characters, not a fan but that's subject to taste.

Animation is straight up bad.

@frymillstrum: yea they need more staff I been paying for a membership for 5 years now and it kinda sucks when they go 3-4 days and nothing new is added to the site

Someone would have ripped it and put it on youtube, so it's kills two birds with one stone.

I'm enjoying reading the reactions to this game's look.

The first one jived so well with the Daedalus soundtrack, and the implied yellow/orange blood & gore. Less really was more.

The only way I can really process the jump to this look is if the conceit is this: It's a retro style game, and this is the kind of jump sequels made back in the era it's referencing. (Maybe a much bigger jump than was historically accurate.)

For me, I just don't get why they have to look like ugly, naked, Homer-meets-Stimpy boys. It's off-putting and I hate looking at it. But I'm interested in seeing where they go with it, because Nidhogg was fun as hell. Hopefully we will get a proper online matchmaking that works this time around.

Played around 30 hours of this in my first year of uni. If this feels the way it looks, very excited.

@amyggen: Totally agree. GoTY is how I got into GB, it's so freaking sick.

My thoughts.
They've done quick looks or unfinished in the past after previously playing them on UPF or where-ever, and it has felt a little weird, but this feels much weirder.

GOTY always feels like a big event. i think i would take that over watching 10 more quicklooks of which 2-3 i might be interested in.