Journal of Other Forum Analysis (Volume II, Issue 2)

[HaughtyFrank]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/in-a-new-preview-for-his-upcoming-game-judas-ken-levine-claims-it-spent-five-years-in-r-d-because-of-its-intricate-choice-and-consequence-systems.1417993/

https://gameinformer.com/preview/2026/01/27/just-a-holy-fool

Further context, courtesy of Jason Schreier:

https://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3lifpygjkbk2p

For a refresher on who Ken Levine is as a human:

Another pathetic doops thread

Bioshock Infinite has some of the most lukewarm and uninteresting political commentary in media. “Both the oppressors and the oppressed are bad in their own way!” is one of THE most well trodden tropes ever. I can’t imagine being this fucking mad unless you’ve never watched a movie/read a book/seen a play/experienced literally any fiction before.

I'm still not entirely sure if they're mad that the game has the revolutionaries commit child murder or if they're mad that murdering the child is portrayed as an evil deed.

Post October 7 I lean towards the latter

[benji]

You might say to yourself, "Wait, HighGuard is a free game and there are a million other games I could be playing.  I can just get up and move on to a new game." but no, no matter where you go on earth and what game you play, HighGuard will be there, sneaking, conniving, and influencing game design.   Universalized evil.  The f2p focus-tested slop model will always subvert any other model no matter what and make everything else economically nonviable and unable to thrive.  No matter where.  There's no escape.  Unparalleled opulence of the f2p model at the expense of novel, innovative gameplay.....unless we make a new game system that completely gets rid of the mouse and keyboard to escape it.  Until then, I'm going to play HighGuard for 8 hours a day and talk shit about it.



LAND
BACK

Nah, this ain't it chief. The game requires TPM2.0 and Secure Boot. That shit's not supported on Red Star OS or other Global South operating systems. Not to mention how none of y'all are organizing to provide hardware that meets those standards to those in need of mutual aid. Like y'all falling for the Zionist land grabbing doctrine here. This is exactly why capitalism doesn't work and necessitates imperialism and exploitation of Black bodies. Nobody would be secure booting if it wasn't for centuries upon centuries of uncompensated Black labor. But ya'll look the other way and never credit us for what we done for y'all to this day, instead y'all literally burning the planet to generate more slop instead of PAYING ARTISTS.

[Alpacx]

it's base defense only, you escort a big shieldbreaker to the enemy fort and use it to break in and blow up their generators, that's it, that's the whole game

Should have been an Ancients Melee + Archer + Calvary siege warfare game.

Attackers escorting siege engines, foraging the countryside for supplies, mining the walls. Defenders up on the walls firing projectiles and dumping boiling oil, sallying out to destroy siege engines, counter mining.

Have pressure from disease and dwindling supplies act as time pressure on both sides.

[Potato]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/in-a-new-preview-for-his-upcoming-game-judas-ken-levine-claims-it-spent-five-years-in-r-d-because-of-its-intricate-choice-and-consequence-systems.1417993/

Another pathetic doops thread

Bioshock Infinite has some of the most lukewarm and uninteresting political commentary in media. “Both the oppressors and the oppressed are bad in their own way!” is one of THE most well trodden tropes ever. I can’t imagine being this fucking mad unless you’ve never watched a movie/read a book/seen a play/experienced literally any fiction before.

I'm still not entirely sure if they're mad that the game has the revolutionaries commit child murder or if they're mad that murdering the child is portrayed as an evil deed.

Post October 7 I lean towards the latter

You're missing the point. What's important to the Reeeees is what colour skin does the child have?

[Uncle]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/minnesota-rep-ilhan-omar-assaulted-at-town-hall-sprayed-with-substance.1418128/

Thoughts and prayers

I don't like her but that's a pretty scary situation

so...I mean...you're not ok because you "don't let bullies win" or you're "strong" or whatever, you're ok because he splashed you with something innocuous rather than acid

[Uncle]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/in-a-new-preview-for-his-upcoming-game-judas-ken-levine-claims-it-spent-five-years-in-r-d-because-of-its-intricate-choice-and-consequence-systems.1417993/

https://gameinformer.com/preview/2026/01/27/just-a-holy-fool

Further context, courtesy of Jason Schreier:

https://bsky.app/profile/jasonschreier.bsky.social/post/3lifpygjkbk2p

For a refresher on who Ken Levine is as a human:

Another pathetic doops thread

Bioshock Infinite has some of the most lukewarm and uninteresting political commentary in media. “Both the oppressors and the oppressed are bad in their own way!” is one of THE most well trodden tropes ever. I can’t imagine being this fucking mad unless you’ve never watched a movie/read a book/seen a play/experienced literally any fiction before.

super cool how benicio del toro taught us this in the last jedi

did you know that BOTH sides buy weapons from shady arms dealers??

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/parents-prepare-your-wallets-mattel-reveals-first-set-of-k-pop-demon-hunters-dolls.1347205/page-3#post-150593083

These are so cursed

Why do they look so white

MFW Gameboy Nostalgia/Gamegirl Nostalgia not responding to this post 

[Besticus Maximus]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/intent-on-continuing-his-campaign-to-torpedo-his-and-larian’s-reputation-swen-vincke-has-a-hot-take-about-reviewers.1418209/

The last and most truly oppressed of all, the video game journalists 

[Alpacx]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/minnesota-rep-ilhan-omar-assaulted-at-town-hall-sprayed-with-substance.1418128/

Thoughts and prayers

I don't like her but that's a pretty scary situation

so...I mean...you're not ok because you "don't let bullies win" or you're "strong" or whatever, you're ok because he splashed you with something innocuous rather than acid

I thought chucking milkshakes at political figures was just good progressive activism?

[filler]

[HaughtyFrank]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/intent-on-continuing-his-campaign-to-torpedo-his-and-larian’s-reputation-swen-vincke-has-a-hot-take-about-reviewers.1418209/

The last and most truly oppressed of all, the video game journalists 

Wow, they're all truly offended

[Taco Bell Tower]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/intent-on-continuing-his-campaign-to-torpedo-his-and-larian’s-reputation-swen-vincke-has-a-hot-take-about-reviewers.1418209/

The last and most truly oppressed of all, the video game journalists 

Of course it's a doops thread.

[DavidCroquet]

These goofballs are teeing up a sitewide Larian ban. Delicious.

[clockwork5]

Nep is an absolute retard. The cops blow away far more white people year after year. Not by per-capita, but in raw numbers. 

It’s never reported. Nobody gives a shit at all.

When they kill a black person at least there is a chance the media will hyper focus on race wars and ignite protests. I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, I don’t think cops should be shooting people, but be real Nep. 

By and large we do care about racism and people of color. It’s just that your world view is completely fabricated to assume we don’t. 

Your not doing yourself or anyone of color any favors with your hyperbole and myopic paradigm. It’s called racism Nep, do better.

[clockwork5]

Trump gets shot 
ERA: Good, he has been asking for it. This is the kind of political action we need. 

Omar gets splashed with water
ERA: That one scene in Marvel Civil War has me pretty scared right now.

[Besticus Maximus]

Ken Levine hate thread delivers. Come get your hate! Why do we hate him? Reasons! Don’t use your lying eyes! Jewish man bad

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/a-viral-reddit-post-mocked-this-marin-sandwich-shops-prices-now-its-closed.1418119/page-4#post-150608659

It's a real problem with the Internet and current Internet culture. It affects business owners, artists, YouTubers, recipe bloggers, new parents - the list goes on and on. There's this syndrome - IMO primarily from people who aren't fulfilled in their lives - to go and shit on things they don't like, or people they simply disagree with. Review bombing, cancel culture, swatting, death threats, hate mail - all of these are symptoms of a truly desperate populace. They're ways to take control of an infanticimal aspect of your life, and inevitably they'll see some kind of change in the world (typically at the expense of someone else, but they've convinced themselves that their target *deserves* it).

It's...really sad, and indicative of a broader social issue we've yet to address.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/that-scene-from-the-civil-war-seems-at-the-moment-1000-scarier-than-before.1418266/

Era seem to coming around on Civil War.

[Straight Edge]

Remember how mad they were that California and Texas are on the same side in this fictional story. It proved that Alex Garland was a both sides centrist.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/highguard-official-reveal-trailer-f2p-pvp-raid-shooter-from-the-creators-of-apex-legends-and-titanfall-xbox-pc-ps5-january-26-2026.1381102/page-34#post-150549709

True that. It's impossible and worthless to relitigate Concord's qualities since it is never coming back.

I'll just say the revolver in this game is a pale comparison to the one in Concord when you played as Lennox. That was the best gun in a multiplayer shooter in a very long time to me. Also the heroes in this are not better designed than Concord in any way but that was supposedly the death knell there. I guess they're slightly sexier here.

I'll never get over it dude. It sucks! :( I've been trying to let it go, but what happened with Concord is like a crystalized locus of how I feel about broader culture-at-large, video games or otherwise. That shit's going sideways; that we are absolutely in a "war = peace" and "chocolate = shit, shit = chocolate" kind of culture now. That hatred is cultural cachet.

I wish I could be playing it right now. And it's pretty much been the only real game I've wanted to sink really serious time in in the last year+, aside from Donkey Kong Bananza.

Lennox and his two pistols were incredible yeah. All the characters were. I'd know, cause I played them all/hit all the trophies for each before they killed the servers.

~RUB SOME DIRT IN IT~

Did you take the time to actually read through their lore they'd built out for the game before they killed it? I did, and I captured it all for posterity in 3+ hour long footage. Reading through it, it definitely seemed like Firewalk knew that they had a lightning rod piece of art on their hands; that they were actually gunning for the vitriol. Because the larger lore of the Concord universe was that the galaxy was being wholly engulfed by a tempest-like cosmic radiation/force and that there was seemingly no real way to stop or push back against it. That the "freegunners" of the galaxy knew that their time in life was very limited; that they were more or less dancing on the deck of the Titanic, but to live life up now while you had the chance.

I saw it, and the game itself, as a larger metaphor about broader culture. That they'd made a video game that in effect served as a mirror just like any truly excellent piece of art; that how people reacted to and perceived it revealed quite a bit about a person's internal nature.

Super brilliant game. Super brilliant art in a time of deep dullness.

If Highguard could capture even a tenth of Concord's greatness in my eyes, I'd be pretty happy.

Won't get a chance to try this out for a bit yet.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/trump-you-cant-have-guns-you-cant-walk-in-with-guns.1417858/page-5#post-150618997

🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
BUYING ALL THE GUNS I CAN GET MY HANDS ON. FUCK YOU TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. SUCK MY FAT COCK!!!!!!!!!!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑

https://www.resetera.com/threads/south-carolina-measles-outbreak-is-largest-in-us-since-measles-was-declared-eliminated.1418620/#post-150621613

The people have the power, speak out. Fuck these fucking fascist companies and these fucking fascist people out of government. They're all the fucking problem and they're all fucking pieces of fucking shit!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑

Just start fucking speaking out, just start fucking saying in public to Republicans Fuck ice. Shit like that I'm doing it I don't give a fuck anymore. Fuck this fucking goddamn fucking country.

Delete all your social media. Start fucking talking to people in public in real life Tell them what a fucking piece of shit Donald Trump is and his whole fucking garbage administration. Fuck these people tell him the fucking do something or they can fucking eat shit!!!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑

https://www.resetera.com/threads/immigrant-children-lead-uprising-at-texas-detention-center-on-saturday-01-24-26-truthout.1417105/#post-150619648

FUCK THESE GODDAMN FASCIST FUCKING PIECES OF SHIT




DAMN THEM TO FUCKING HELL!!!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑





I WANT THESE FUCKERS TO BURN FOREVER FOR ETERNITY FUCK THEM!!!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑



CUT OFF LOVED ONES FRIENDS ANY FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT THAT VOTED FOR THESE FUCKING FASCIST PIECES OF GARBAGE FUCK THEM,



GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!!🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑

https://www.resetera.com/threads/its-really-hard-to-go-about-every-day-life-right-now.1417177/#post-150579289

I'm struggling. Pets help. No kids (I am so glad). Hug your family if you got any.

[Propagandhim]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/january-24th-2026-ice-officer-murders-a-second-us-citizen-in-minneapolis-graphic-content-warning.1415095/page-72#post-150604696

We need a leader

You'll be waiting forever.

Figure out your place in the struggle and then get to work instead.

Get to work.

Start organizing.

Do the thing.

Push the needle.

Shift the paradigm.

Make it happen.

Eyes on the prize.





WHAT DO I DO NEPENTHE? WHAT DO I DO, EXACTLY?!?!

[benji]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/highguard-official-reveal-trailer-f2p-pvp-raid-shooter-from-the-creators-of-apex-legends-and-titanfall-xbox-pc-ps5-january-26-2026.1381102/page-34#post-150549709

I'll never get over it dude. It sucks! :( I've been trying to let it go, but what happened with Concord is like a crystalized locus of how I feel about broader culture-at-large, video games or otherwise. That shit's going sideways; that we are absolutely in a "war = peace" and "chocolate = shit, shit = chocolate" kind of culture now. That hatred is cultural cachet.

...

Reading through it, it definitely seemed like Firewalk knew that they had a lightning rod piece of art on their hands; that they were actually gunning for the vitriol. Because the larger lore of the Concord universe was that the galaxy was being wholly engulfed by a tempest-like cosmic radiation/force and that there was seemingly no real way to stop or push back against it. That the "freegunners" of the galaxy knew that their time in life was very limited; that they were more or less dancing on the deck of the Titanic, but to live life up now while you had the chance.

I saw it, and the game itself, as a larger metaphor about broader culture. That they'd made a video game that in effect served as a mirror just like any truly excellent piece of art; that how people reacted to and perceived it revealed quite a bit about a person's internal nature.

You don't say.

[Straight Edge]

Why can't Nepenthe lead? not smart enough? too much to lose?

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/south-koreas-cabinet-approves-military-intel-sharing-pact-with-canada.1418476/#post-150622624

Dear Canada, please adopt me.

Signed BWoog.

No.

[Propagandhim]

Why can't Nepenthe lead? not smart enough? too much to lose?

step 1. organize
step 2. get to work
step 3. ????
step 4. universal abundance for all sentient beings


"How do we get to step 3?  We need a leader."

No, you need to start doing the thing.  If the thing isn't being done then the thing doesn't happen, so please, spare me with this brutal infighting.  Can't stand y'all sometimes.

[benji]

I couldn't find the original I made years ago in a minute of searching, this is the remastered edition I made later:

[Besticus Maximus]

Nepenthe can’t lead because she is a shelf stacking dickhead who cannot tolerate humanity

[DavidCroquet]

I do think there's one coherent theory of Nep's praxis here:

She thinks some future where we all live in communal harmony and do copeira dances to boomboxes on a new york city street while giggling children play in the fire hydrant and no one answers to anyone is theoretically attainable.

So it's somewhat natural and expected that she would think the movement to create this extremely narrowly defined utopia wouldn't have leaders.

I mean, she's obviously wrong both in her fantasizing and how to get there but I think I have found maybe the single consistent belief across her many fevered ramblings.

[saltygeneraltso]

I think her most consistent belief is that everyone on earth is a virulent racist. (Because she is)