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  1. VGR Forum has just achieved an incredible milestone. We now have more than 100,000 posts! It seems like just yesterday we hit 10,000 posts. Our community truly has grown by leaps and bounds. I want to personally thank each of you for your contributions to our conversations here on the forum. You are what has made VGR the welcoming, thriving community it is today. I can’t wait to see how our forum will continue to grow and flourish over the years ahead. If I could, I would thank every single member individually here. As it is, I know that I cannot possibly get around to everyone. But I want to at least highlight the contributions of some of our core members: @Shagger: You have done a wonderful job as our first moderator on VGR keeping everything running smoothly and creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. And even with all of your hard work as moderator, you still find time to compose detailed replies to threads. Thank you so much. @Crazycrab: For two years now, you’ve offered members in-depth replies, especially on technical topics. Thank you for all of your wonderful posts, and for being our resident crustacean. @The Blackangel Thank you for being one of our core members since 2018, and for taking the time to post thoughtful responses to so many threads over the years. As one of our longest-standing members, we can’t imagine VGR forum without you. @StaceyPowers We know you don’t have as much time as you’d like here since you are busy with articles for VGR, but you still manage to get around to creating regular new threads. Thanks for giving us new topics to delve into. @DylanC You have been with us since 2018, making you one of our most established core members. Over all of this time, you’ve been steady with your topics and posts, always keeping the conversation flowing. @Family sedanNot only are you a prolific commenter, but you follow up on conversations and keep them going with plenty of enjoyable back-and-forth. Thanks for your contributions. @m76 You’ve been a core member of our forum for more than a year now. Thank you for engaging our members with regular posts and compelling, in-depth responses on a range of topics. @Head_Hunter It is hard to believe that you have only been with us for a couple of months now. In that time, you have been incredibly prolific, becoming one of our most active posters. We can count on you to reply to just about every topic—even those that other forum members miss. Thank you for actively engaging with so many threads. @skyfire Since the beginning of 2019, you have shared your thoughts with us on so many gaming topics. You continue to post regularly to Gaming News. Thank you for making sure our members never miss out on the latest updates. @Justin11 You also have only been with us for a couple of months, but already it is easy to forget that it hasn’t been for years. Your frequent posts have done a lot to keep the conversation going. Thank you for that. @Boblee Since joining VGR forum earlier this year, you have become one of our most active and involved members, consistently connecting with everyone on the forum. Thanks for becoming a core member of our community. @Heatman You are a member we can count on to respond to so many threads. I really appreciate your interaction with our members in the more than two and a half years you have now been with us. @Razor1911 You have become a prominent member of our community since you joined earlier this year. Thank you so much for your continued posting and conversation. @Darth For the past two years, you have been a consistent contributor around the forum, discussing systems, games and news. Thanks for being such a reliable and dedicated member. @Empire For more than three years now, you have shared your insights with us and been an engaging conversationalist. Thank you for being one of our longest-standing core members. @killamch89 Since joining up in December 2018, you have been one of the most active regulars around VGR forum. Moreover, you are always happy to help out other members who have a question about a game. Thank you for your part in making VGR such a great place. @kingpotato We really miss you around here—you were one of our first really active members. We hope to see you again soon. It isn’t the same without you. Also, congratulations on being a newlywed. @Reality vs Adventure Your insightful and detailed replies are always compelling to read, and do a lot to fuel conversation. Thank you for all of your contributions in the more than a year you have been a VGR member. @Patrik You’re coming up on one year on VGR forum, and during that time, we’ve all come to appreciate your posts and replies. Thank you for being a core part of our community. @AlexanderYou’ve now been with us for just over three years! Thank you for your post replies as well as your threads asking community members engaging questions. @AndreiMirfi: Thank you for your contributions over the past year and more you’ve been on VGR forum. From welcoming new members to replying regularly to threads, you do a lot for our community. I hope school is treating you well. @mont86 It’s been nearly three years since you joined us, and over that time, you’ve been a boon to our community. Thank you so much for being one of our core members. @WithywarlockYour replies are always thoughtful and in-depth. And true to your name, you can make us laugh with your witty observations. Thank you for that. Thank you all again for everything each of you has done for VGR forum—and to all of our members for being a part of the VGR family. I am so happy with what we have built here together.
    12 points
  2. Full disclosure: I had purchased this bundle with 1,000 points from my VGR points balance, earned with creating threads and posting on existing threads. No money or favours were exchanged for this bundle. I have not received any points for the SNEAK Elite programme for this. I was offered to choose the flavour I would receive in the tub. I have experience with SNEAK (and I am going to capitalise every instance of SNEAK because it's too late to stop now) products, and this will compare to past experiences. Reviewing drinks is not my forte. This disclosure is not part of the minimum required 250 word count. The package that was sent to me, in a well-filled with packing paper box of their own branding consists of the following: one Bit Friday shaker; one tub of Blue Raspberry powder (40 servings); and five sachets of Neon Punch, Stealth, Strawberry Millions, and Strawberry Watermelon flavour powders. This would ordinarily cost £70.20 and there's currently an offer where each order contains five Strawberry Watermelon sachets. Each flavour has been taste-tested and consumed fully in 700ml of cool tap water (the recommended amount of 300-400ml is too sweet for me). Bit Friday Shaker: The Bit Friday Shaker is a tinted, ~80% transparent bottle with an ice catcher should you wish to shake it with ice. It doesn't feel quite as sturdy as the "OG Shaker", but not so fragile that it can't survive anywhere near as many solid drops on hard surfaces. Both are plastic (metal is available at an expected premium), and feature measurements on the side up to 700 millilitres (ml) and 25 ounces (oz). While I do like the transparency to see on the outside how much water you've got left in, it doesn't make the contents look particularly appetising, the tint making the water look murky. Even after being washed out it looks like droplets of mud line the inside. The stopper on the lid isn't as strong as the OG Shaker, as shown by how easily it leaks from all sides of the lid at any slightly tilted angle. It fails its job as a shaker, as when it is shaken water goes everywhere. I had originally criticised the OG Shaker for being too hard to open but it's become a positive in this context. The aesthetic is generally pleasing. The faux 16-bit SNEAK logo and SNEAK bunny evoke images of Hotline Miami and play nicely into its pop-culture marketing. Do you like slurping people? Blue Raspberry: I'll first of all comment on the tub and say that it's very secure with long neck and threading, as well as a thick foil lid. It contains 400 grams (g) of powder, which amounts to 40 10g servings, which at approximately £39.95 is one serving per £1 spent. It also comes with a little spoon to pour in a single serving... somewhere, I had to do some digging for it. Given the fineness of the powder I didn't expect to find it at the top. Blue Raspberry is a generic raspberry-flavoured drink, and tastes much better in its carbonated can form than a powder as that reminded me of energy drink Red Devil, which I can't find anywhere else. It's not as tart as other Sneak flavours (bearing in mind, again, I drink these at 700ml and not the advised 300-400ml) and that works for me. It also has less of the chalky after-effect that Sneak has been widely noted and criticised for. It passes my 'gulp' test, which is four large gulps rather than my usual sipping, as it doesn't overwhelm the tastebuds and doesn't make me feel nauseous or dehydrated afterwards. It also passes my sampling test, wherein I hold it and swill it around the gums for six seconds; again, no battered taste-buds and no dry throat afterwards. Neon Punch: A 10g satchet that strangely doesn't last as long as the plastic tub (these will last until September 2022, meanwhile the tub is fine until 2024), but it seems secure enough. I have had expired sachets before and they seemed fine, but you'd best be safe than sorry. Also don't consume more than two of these per day. This sachet is filled with pear and guava flavour, far more pear than guava. Not exactly the Tropikilla, but a refreshing fruity drink that doesn't overpower the senses in either the gulp or sample test. Stealth: "The mystery flavour. No, we're not telling you what it is," says the webpage. This is something I don't particularly like about SNEAK: if the flavour's name doesn't give it away, nothing else will. The amount of threads I've seen people asking "what flavour is [x]" tells me others have the same problem, and I'm reminded of how glad I am to have received these for free. Moving on, Stealth smells different depending on what it's in. In the sachet it has a strong liquorice smell. I don't like liquorice. When poured into the water and shaken it smelt of raw sewage. I don't like raw sewage either, but I'd probably take that over liquorice. Dreading what it must taste like I put it to my lips and found it tastes of neither. It's quite pleasant, but it's very tart. It's an artificial sour flavour that has enough sweetness to not turn me off it entirely. Easily the strongest flavour I've tried of theirs without feeling the urge to throw up (see below). It's nice but it definitely needed to be in 700ml of water, and does not survive the gulp or sampling test. Like the Strawberry Millions next, it needs to be sipped to be enjoyed fully. I don't know why this one was discontinued from the UK, but I'm going to save these for special occasions as a result of that. I'm rather glad I got these instead of my Grape Punch. Strawberry Millions: I must admit I did buy this one partly for its marketing material. It's an attractive packet in that neon aesthetic, a nice change from the street art SNEAK normally go for. Because I've got five of these I'm going to use them more sparingly than not; the dessert to my dinner. It tastes like Strawberry Millions, go figure, but is still rather tart in 700ml of water. It doesn't pass my gulp or sample test, making it much better to savour with small sips. On a side note, I strongly discourage trying the Bubblegum Millions flavour. When I say it's a bad flavour I don't just mean that I dislike it; I'm not a fan of the next flavour but I can at least drink it. Bubblegum Millions tasted exactly as it should, albeit revolting as a drink. I can eat them, I can eat bubblegum lollipops, but I cannot drink bubblegum-flavoured water. It made me sick to my stomach and I had to keep adding water just to finish it. Their mixologists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. Strawberry Watermelon: Last but not least, the sachet that can't be torn open. For some reason these required scissors as there was nowhere to tear it. This one tastes absolutely as advertised: the strawberry and watermelon flavours alternate with each sip, and even if I'm not fond of eating watermelon it makes for a refreshing drink. With its creamy texture it could be mistaken for juice more than a squash or flavoured water. It passes my gulp test as there's no chalky after-texture, though there is some cloying at the back of my throat which requires another swig to wash it down. The sample test of swilling the gums fails however as it's far too sweet, but at least the bitter feeling it leaves on my teeth washes away quickly. I can easily see this one being my favourite served with ice. How is it as an energy drink? SNEAK Energy is marketed toward trendy young people who wear hoodies and know what 'no cap' means. I'm none of those things. I'm an obese Englishman who would indeed have 'no cap' in a real game of Capture the Flag. That, I believe, is 'no cap'. But does it give me the energy to capture the flag, real or virtual? Not really, no. I will say that I do feel more alert and have a buzz from a single bottle of water laced with SNEAK, but it doesn't make my performance in games measurably better. My awareness has improved but my reflexes see virtually no difference at all, and while I'm more focussed I feel that's because of the water more than the caffeine. Bearing in mind I already drink Diet Coke by default, so having the jolt of energy from changing my drinking habits is more thanks to Yorkshire Water than the ctf_2fort marching powder. The marketing has more energy than the drink itself. It was corny at first but I came to like the appeal of the advertisements, and they probably contribute no small amount of placebo effect to whatever energy gain there is to be had. This drink may well be better in the hands (or throat) of someone who is considerably fitter and healthier. Energy drinks are meant to supplement a healthily balanced lifestyle, not replace one. I don't expect miracles of this, but I'd rather they advertise the flavour than the benefits it claims to have for its target audience. So, is it a Warlock Win? As an energy drink it gets neither a thumb up or down. When I drank this at the gym just over a year ago it was very refreshing and encouraged me to drink my recommended daily intake of water. It was a nice treat and something to look forward to during a long day of exercise. But being sat at my desk it's just a sugar-free drink that's a bit better for my teeth unlike the brown sodas I regularly consume. There is an improvement to alertness and focus, and I do have some get-up-and-go energy, but it isn't a gamechanger quite like replacing a bot with a decent human player in something like SplitGate. As a water flavourer though it's incredible, that aspect easily gets a thumb up. The flavours I've had so far are incredible, and while the ingredients are natural they don't taste it and this is likely due to the intense sweeteners they've added, which is too much even when I'm adding over double the water they recommend. It's done well to encourage me to drink more water, and does a great job of seeing to my sweet tooth thanks to it being sugar free. So all in all, the experience is more positive than negative. If this sounds like something you'd like I recommend picking up a Taster Pack containing six sachets of your choosing.
    9 points
  3. Hey, everyone! I have some big announcements to make today. First of all, we just hit another impressive milestone—15,000 members! I want to give a shout out to all of you who have become a part of the VGR family, especially our frequent contributors. Together, you have made this one of the friendliest and most engaging forums around. Next, I want to welcome @The Blackangel as our second moderator (and thanks again, @Techno, for recommending we get one)! The Blackangel has been with us for more than three years now. During all of that time, I can’t even remember a week where she wasn’t active and involved. We can always count on The Blackangel for detailed, insightful replies to members’ threads—plus she is one of our classic gaming experts. Moreover, her passion for this forum shines through in everything she does, and I know she is going to bring that enthusiasm to her work as a moderator every day. Congratulations, The Blackangel! The Blackangel joins @Shagger, who became our first moderator in August 2020. Like The Blackangel, Shagger has specialized in engaging, in-depth discussion. Since becoming a moderator, he has done an incredible job keeping topics organized, quickly defusing potential conflicts, and keeping everything running smoothly for our community. Thank you so much for all of your ongoing hard work, Shagger! I just know you and The Blackangel are going to do amazing things together. Both our 15,000 member milestone and our second moderator are signs of how much VGR forum has grown over the course of 2021. Thank you all again for the role you have played in making this community the welcoming haven for gamers that it is, and for all you will do to make VGR continue to grow and flourish as we head into 2022.
    9 points
  4. How does 5 days of uninterrupted gaming sound? How about doing it in an amazing luxury retreat in Palm Springs? That’s exactly what Duracell Optimum is giving to one lucky gamer. It gets better! The contest winner will be flown first class to Palm Springs and whisked to the “Duracell Estate” where they will be able to game distraction-free for 5 glorious days. Seriously. No chores - the winner will have their own housekeeper and chef! And who needs to work since they will get $2,000 cash. And no worries about a dead controller, since a stack of Duracell batteries will be ready and waiting. Duracell Optimum batteries are designed with gamers in mind allowing for them to Game Longer with less distractions. Optimum batteries actually deliver longer life in the leading alkaline battery powered wireless controller. You know the pain of getting into the meaty part of a game and then getting distracted. And so does Duracell. That’s why they want to help one gamer to get away from it all, avoid those distractions, and just game. Entries can be submitted through Twitter, Instagram or Reddit. All of the details and official rules can be found at gamelongergetaway.com.
    9 points
  5. Sneak Energy, the unique zero junk, low-calorie, sugar-free formula which is disrupting the energy drink space. Available in powdered form or ready-to-drink cans, Sneak is packed with amino acids, vitamins, electrolytes and minerals and is notorious for offering a powerful, sustained energy boost that keeps you alert, focused and hydrated. Sneak has a wide variety of unique flavours! Some of them are pretty self-explanatory - Sour Apple, or Raspberry Lemonade, for example. Some are less obvious - but they’re all sweet, sharp and fruity. We recommend trying their Starter Pack to find your flavours. - we know you will be back for more... All you have to do is add one scoop or sachet of Sneak to 300-400ml of water and shake. Drop in some ice for extra refreshment, and feel free to experiment with water ratios to find what suits you. Sneak is a clean energy formula - it improves your performance without the junk. We’ve packed Sneak full of amino acids, vitamins and minerals - and with added caffeine, your energy levels will increase, your focus will be sharper, and you’ll feel refreshingly hydrated and know that it will make you king/queen of your game. Click HERE to shop Sneak Energy products. Interested in advertising your brand on VGR Forum? Send us an email - advertise[@]vgr.com
    8 points
  6. I am extremely trypophobic. What that is, is a fear of small holes in large groups. Unfortunately mine also extends to bumps as well. In my case it is also potentially lethal. I would like to ask that if you are going to post an image in a thread you create, to put a tag or something in the title that would let me, (and others like me) know that there is something that would trigger the phobia, so that we know to stay the hell out of the thread. If you want an example of what I'm talking about you can see one in this thread here. There are also tons of images on google, but I'm not going to try to link any, as doing so could possibly stop my heart in the process. I know this is asking a lot, and I don't have the right to have everyone make special accommodations just for me. But if you can at least give a warning on posts like this, it could prolong my life and at least let me die peacefully instead of literally dying of fright. So I would appreciate it more than you could ever know. I'm sorry if this sounds overly dramatic, but on my end it's an extreme situation. My girl often has to come home from work just to "talk me down" so to speak, and get me through it.
    8 points
  7. I nominate @The Blackangel @kingpotato @DylanC @UleTheVee @xXInfectedXx @Alyxx @Executor Akamia @killamch89 @LadyDay All have been very active contributing to conversation this month!
    8 points
  8. The Couchmaster® CYCON² is perfect for gamers that want to take a break from their desk and play from the comfort of their couch without sacrificing convenience The CYCON² is revolutionizing couch gaming, ensuring maximum comfort for prolonged gaming sessions while tackling the common issues found in conventional lapboards. Some of the key features include a larger surface, greater balance, and armrest support cushions that aid your posture and help prevent muscular tensions. The lapdesk has six USB slots, , and only one screw on the back of the lapboard for easy cable storage. There’s also a USB cable with a two-in-one cord for power and USB 3.0 connection that provides ultimate gaming capacities alongside a fast-charging port for gadgets. Get 10% off the Couchmaster CYCON² with this code: VGR22 Limited Time Promo! Visit our online store and select from available colors in black or gray. The first 100 orders will receive a FREE nerdytec Snapback Cap (regular value $24.90).
    7 points
  9. I know that many of you have been expressing frustration over how "spammy" (for lack of a better word) some sections of the forum are becoming by a handful of people using the threads more like a chat. The forum gets flooded with off-topic posts on threads that really should have long since died but keep getting bummed because some people feel compiled to reply to them with anything. This thread is not about pointing fingers or blame, it is just about how to better organise the forum so that the threads can be more welcoming for the whole community. So people can post, for example, without worrying about there posts getting bummed down by people posting barley relevant, low value replies just to up posts counts. Four possible idea come to me. A "shitposting" sub forum for people to, well, "shitpost". A thread for memes, jokes and other irrelevant dribble to have fun with without impacting other areas of the forum. A re-focus on forum games. Upping post counts is essentially what these types of threads are for, but almost nobody on VGR tends to use them. For this to work, it would necessitate a change of habit that, to be honest, I don't really see happening, so I'm less sure about this one. A chat box added to the forum itself. This works well in theory, but could be difficult and time consuming to implement, not to mention hard to monitor and moderate, which is why I'd personally prefer... Opening a VGR Discord server. As well as a place for live chat, it would also open up the community to the opportunity to group up and actually play games together. Now, @DC, I remember we have had this discussion before and you didn't want to do this because you feared it would move traffic off the website, and I truly understand that, but this CAN be run and moderated in such a way that it would work, and may even attract new people to VGR. Still, that is just one man's thoughts. If you have anything to add or if you want to push one of these ideas, reply below.
    6 points
  10. Shagger Says: Sneak Energy First and foremost, another thank you to @DC and Sneak every for making this possible with the promotion here of VGR through bid for rewards. Even with my appreciation, this review is still gonna offer up nothing but the honest truth. Not that Sneak energy need to be worried as I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by this energy drink powder and everything that it offered. Still, one would have to part with with equivalent of over $90 to buy the same package I received, so is it worth it? Let's snoop around sneak and find out. To set the parameters for this review, let establish what Sneak energy is. This is a caffeinated energy drink make for gaming that is mean increase alertness whilst also providing hydration. Sneak themselves recommend no more than two portions a day and to drink one portion before or during gaming. I was drinking the powder you mix with water in a shaker/drinking bottle that was part of the package. It's easy enough to make, pour either sachet or levelled scoop (10g) into the shaker, pour in 300ml – 400ml of water then shake and drink. However, I personally found much more success in ignoring the recommend 10 second shake time for closer to 20-30 seconds. Despite this, it is easy to prepare with clear instructions, so nobody should be put off by a lack of convenience. In my package: 1 x 400g (40 servings) Blue Raspberry flavour tub 1 x 700ml branded drinking bottle/shaker 5 x Strawberry flavour sachet (10g, single serving) 5 x Sneak flavour sachet (10g, single serving) 5 x Strawberry and Watermelon flavour sachet (10g, single serving) 5 x Neon Punch flavour sachet (10g, single serving) I touched on the price earlier, but to understand what your getting it's important understand how much value you get. Fist step, how much does this actually cost? Well, here it is, blunt and honest (I said it my package would cost the equivalent of around $90 and it would, but 5 of the sachets I received aren't listed here. More on that later.): To really understand this though, we have to break it down to price it per portion. Lucky for you, I've done the math for you and it works out at around £1 per 10g (300ml-400ml once mixed) portion for the tub (around $1.18) and £1.35 per sachet ($1.58). For context, that's pretty good value compared to Red Bull; And I'd say about the same as Monster Energy, give or take. (these prices are form a major supermarket chain that operates here in the UK) So what we have here with Sneak is a something that isn't exactly cheap, but does offer value in the long run. One thing that does need pointing out (and in answer to @Scottypops question) is that Sneak energy contains A LOT more caffeine that the two brands I'm comparing it to here. About twice as much as in that 250ml can of Red Bull and with about the same as that can of Monster Energy, but but Monster is a larger, more diluted mix with a 500ml portion. In a more direct comparison, Red Bull has 30mg of caffeine per 100g, Monster has 36mg per 100g and Sneak (may vary depending on how you mix it) contains 50mg per 100g, so it's a lot stronger. So it's a higher install price for longer term value (and more caffeine), but how does it taste compared to regular energy drinks? Before I offer my thoughts on each flavour, I want to talk about the bottle itself; As you can see from the images I posted, it looks cool. A new one would cost £10 to buy (equivalent to around $12-$13). For that price, you would expect something decent and that is what you get. There are a number of designs to choose from. This particular bottle is the "Bit Friday" design made of a dark grey, translucent plastic printed with very nice Sneak decals, a screw top lid with a nice, rigid drinking cap, an ice catcher that can be easily removed for cleaning and both ml and Fl ounce scales printed on the sides. I like it, it's better quality that I would have expected and feels like it's built to last provide one looks after it. Onto the most important part, the actual drink and the flavours. Now, it's an energy drink, not a magic potion from Gandalf, so don't expect to suddenly go MGL by drinking it, but I would say Sneaks' claims of improving alertness and concentration whilst keeping you hydrated do hold up. It also helps cut out some hunger as it claims to be a food supplement and it does stem off hunger. I know what some of you may be thinking with that and the answer is no, I would not recommend Sneak for people as an aid to dieting as you crash hard and suddenly with hunger when the effect is gone and may in fact encourage you to eat more and outside of regular meal times. A single serving does hit like a strong cup of coffee, but Sneak is more refreshing and easier to prepare. I'll talk more about the actual flavours in a moment, but I do like it. Each flavour is distinctive and overall, they taste nice. Now to rank each flavour. The order that you read these is the same order I tried them, with the numbers ranking them with 1 being my favourite and 5 my least favourite. 5. Strawberry Millions Strong, potent flavour even at maximum recommended 400ml dilution. Tasted nice, not bitter like most every drinks, reminded me of milkshake in the smell and taste. It was a bit gritty, though. I shook if for the recommended 10 seconds, but it still didn't taste like it had mixed right. After this, I started shaking it for longer and never encountered this issue again even after re-trying this flavour. My better half was along for the ride on this taste test and she wasn't a huge fan of this flavour, but even though this was my least favourite, I did still like it. It is refreshing and sweet however this does not taste like the strawberry millions sweets. 4. “Stealth” Flavour Honestly, with such a vague name for this flavour, I wasn't sure what to expect, that became a sense of disappointment when my better half liked this one the most and claimed the remaining sachets for herself. Flavour and aroma of sherbet double dip, interesting given sneak is made with zero sugar. Sweet without being overpowering, this was a well balanced flavour that was very pleasant overall. 2. Neon Punch I was honestly expecting something along the lines of sour candy with this, but it was tasted like fruity bubble-gum and was very refreshing (Bubbaloo tutti-fruity bubble-gum). It's not as sweet nor as bold as the other flavours I had tried up to this point, but one of my favourites. My better half thought this one was OK compared to the others. It was at this point that I started to notice her preference for the sweeter flavours whilst I preferred the more fruity, subtle ones. Knowing how our palettes differ, that does make sense. 1. Strawberry and Watermelon Before I get onto how this one tasted, there is something a little odd about how, or perhaps why, I even got a chance to even try this flavour in the first place. Everything else that was in the package I knew was coming because it was on the invoice I got in my email and was what I had selected. These five sachets of Strawberry Watermelon Flavour, were not; So why was it included? I honestly have no idea. Maybe Sneak gives this flavour out in all thier samples or something, but regardless I won't look a gift horse in the mouth because this ended up being my favourite flavour of the lot. Very refreshing, but still potent and strong in flavour with just enough sweetness to give it a little kick. If Sneak do give this to everyone to try as thier "best foot forward", I can see why. My better half compared it to the American sweets called NERD'S, so if that point of reference helps you, then so be it. 3. Blue Raspberry This is the one I got in the form of the tub, so obviously this was the one I wanted to like the most. I didn't end up being my favourite, but I still really liked this one. The first thought that came to mind when I opened the tub was; And that kind of set the tone really, it tasted like, well, blue. Still a nice balance of refreshing and sweet, but a little more sour than the others, but not to the point it's unpleasant. Perhaps it would be kinder to say it had more of a kick than the others. Not my favourite, but still very good and still refreshing. The best bit though is my better half didn't care for it. Apparently the raspberry flavour is not strong enough for her liking, so I at least have this one all to myself. Maybe she's right and the raspberry part was weak, but the blue held up nicely. Final Verdict 9/10 Overall, very pleasantly surprised. The drinks make you alert, the caffeine certainly works, but was also very refreshing, especially compared to the other every drinks I've tried that are usually either very flat of very bitter and dry you out, it also help hold off hunger for a period of time but be ready for a full meal. Value is to be found in the package, but it's still difficult to recommend to people who don't drink this sort of stuff on a regular basis with the high install price. I was essentially given this, and in that capacity, I love it, I really do and would defend it to the hills, but would I buy it, with money, probably not, but only because I don't drink this stuff regularly. Having said that, this still has a very real chance to convert me as the reason I don't drink this stuff regularly is because most energy taste like salty urine to me. The fact that not only do I like Sneak energy, but actually loved some of these flavours is a testament to how good this is (minus the one that was pinched because I only got to taste it once). Yes, it's not cheap, especially in the beginning with the shaker being an essential buy and how much the tubs cost, but there is value in this is you do drink this kind of thing even on a semi-frequent basis. So yeah, you do need to be prepared to drink Sneak regularly and loyally to get the best out of it, but if you do you won't be sorry.
    6 points
  11. @Withywarlock and @Yaramaki are established and longtime contributors of VGR. They both have been on our watchlist for some time and were vetted extensively by @Shagger. Four moderators is appropriate given VGR's member count and post total and the overall exponential growth the community has seen over the past 4-6 months. Each of the four moderators are well qualified and deserving of their respective role. Furthermore, having a robust and experienced moderation team allows me to direct more time and resources to continuing to attract new members and grow the community.
    6 points
  12. I want to let everyone know that Bid for Rewards is officially back. How it works is that you receive 2 Points for each post reply and 5 Points for each new thread. You can then use your Points to participate in auctions to "Bid for Rewards" for gift cards, cash, video games, and video game consoles. I also want to take time to introduce @Yaramaki as VGR's third moderator. He will be joining @The Blackangel and @Shagger. @Yaramaki has contributed thoughtful and insightful postings since first joining VGR and we're excited to welcome him to the team. Congratulations and we look forward to your continued contributions to VGR.
    6 points
  13. I'm putting this here because everyone needs to read this and this discussion needs to be reignited. This is about the recent conduct of one of our newer members @Jasmin and how it has lead to this post here. After making a comment like that, I was not going to allow @Jasmin continue to post on VGR without rescinding that comment and promising to put effort into her content on VGR. At the time of me typing this, she had not done so, but will update if she does. As most of you are aware, we have had trouble in recent weeks and months with people posting just up the count with little to no care over the quality, forethought and purpose of what they post, just putting up anything at all so long as it's a post. That's why this very thread exists. This behaviour has been going on for some time with many of our members and we have been trying to discourage it on VGR with mixed levels of success. Clearly, there is still work to be done. @Jasmin's attitude with regard to what is expected of people as part of this community and contributing to this forum is obviously wrong, but in her deference, I do not believe she is 100% at fault. The habits of too many people on VGR who post farm is what gave this person the impression that this how we're supposed do it on VGR. @Head_Hunter, @Heatman, @Justin11 and others, this is the fruit of your labour. It's your continued insistence on posting like this despite serval efforts on my part to make it clear posting in these spurts of posts in the dozens with 2-3 minute gaps between posts is harmful to the forum. Not only is it a bad example and a bad impression, but these post end up generic, soulless, badly written and virtually pointless and that's if there're on topic at all. These posts also tend to be made in the wake of little to no effort to actually read threads accurately, which not only leads to inaccurate replies, but is also very unfair to other members who actually put effort into what they post. The bare minimum VGR members deserve is to have thier posts read and understood before someone replies to them. EVERONE deserves at least that on VGR. But because of long term members who continue to post in this unhelpful manner, this is what newcomers to the forum like @Jasmin think they are supposed to do, that this is what is expected. I'd say @Dannyjax, @Aniekwe and @Clasher, like @Jasmin are also newcomers to the forum who are also starting to follow the same path and this is very worrying. Trust me, this is not what we want. This has to stop, now. I'd recommending once again that @DC alter the way points are offered to not reward this behaviour, but what we really need is people to go back through this thread, read what people are saying, take the advice on board and post like you care, unlike @Jasmin. And if you're reading this @Jasmin, I asked only the same of you. All I really wanted you to do is understand your perception of what people are expected to do is wrong. Still, it's you choice to come back or not, but if you do I want to see a new attitude.
    6 points
  14. Shagger Says: It took me a while, but I finally found the time to stitch this review together. This isn't an easy one, not just because I'm keeping it spoiler free, but this game has divided opinion so much since it launched that it's hard to say weather or not you trust yourself and your own views any more. But I thought about it, and decide to go for it as it's impossible to avoid invoking somebody's ire with ones view on this game anyway. So my disclaimer is, take it, or leave it. I also do this on the assumption that whoever's reading this has played the first game, so even though I wish not to spoil The Lust of Us: Part 1 or 2, there may be references to The Last of Us part one that may include spoilers for that game. If anyone is interested, please check out my synapsis and analysis review on the first game here. As usual, I apologise for any typo's and such. I try my best, but it's not easy for me. So let's get to it. What did you see? What did you hear? (Graphics, sound and voice) The developer Naughty Dog is a well funded developer, one the largest and most reputable game studios in the world, working under the banner of Sony Interactive Entertainment, one of the most dominant conglomerates in the entertainment and electronics business with may decades of experience and even more billions of dollars at their disposal. So yeah, it's hardly surprising the game looks like this; (The first two screenshots are from the net as I never thought to take any envirmoental shots while playting, but the last one is my own.) Yeah, you can spend a lot of time gawking at the photo mode. Graphical fidelity and the insane attention to detail really help this game come to life. Everything, the tracks left in the snow and mud, the blemishes and imperfections on people's skin, dirt and marks on clothing, the weather, the discarded bullet canisters flying out guns, blood splatters that appear on the characters when you attack close, the natural and varied ways bodies fall and rest, the way foliage and branches are disturbed as you brush past them, the difference in appearance between wet and dry cloths, I could on forever, but what this building to is a game that pushes the boundaries of graphical fidelity and attention to detail unlike any game I've ever seen. Even by Naught Dog's own impeccable standard, this is impressive. I'm on an original PS4, not the Pro, and I was still blown away. I've played games on $6,000 gaming PC's that don't look half as detailed and rich as this. A great looking game isn't just about graphics, in fact it's not even mostly about graphics. Art style and design also come into it as well. Obviously, The Last of Us is meant to simulate our world... twenty or so years after a cordyceps pandemic that wiped out over half the world's population and forced who was left to abandon society as we know it to survive, but the point is it's not going to be the most unique nor creatively adventurous game in the world. Not to mention it's a sequel, so has a base pattern to follow. Despite that, this does have an instantly recognisable visual identity, and with this identity still intact, I'd say that Naughty Dog have improved the way this game looks a surprisingly large amount from the first game. The environments, especially the cites, feel more overgrown, a greater scene that nature has taken over. Human character models are nicely detailed and look like they belong in the environments they preside with exceptionally well animated faces, especially on the main characters. The infected, especially the Clickers, also look more detailed and less like each other than in the original. They're also naked now, and I thought it was odd for them to be wearing cloths in the first game. Feel free to laugh on you own time, I'm actually being serious, why would someone who's been wondering around pretty much mindlessly for years with fungus growing out their walking remains still be wearing their cloths? Fabric would get worn, torn and ripped over time and it's not like a clicker is self conscious or has the wherewithal to find something else to wear. So I like that change.... … SHUT UP!!! I do NOT enjoy looking at naked clickers! Anyway, this is a visual masterpiece and anyone can appreciate the time and effort put into the fine details. You get you chances to appropriate the beauty of this game and revel in it. There's even a bigger variety of environments to explore in this as well, so the game can look very different from one part to next. The more fundamental things are also well done. I like the new layout of the in game menus, I like how the weapon upgrades now both a cosmetic and visual change (that may have been in the first game, but if it was, it wasn't nearly as noticeable) and the new animations you see as you upgrade them. The death animations are also more numerous, savage and brutal that ever. I just love it. I don't what that says about me, I just appreciate the effort that went into this... NO!!! I DO NOT LIKE LOOKING AT NAKED CLICKERS!!! SHUT THE HELL UP!!! Sound design can also make or break immersion in a game. This was of my favourite things technically about the original. I loved the soundtrack and the sound effects really do their thing to make feel the environments and action like you are really there. This isn't really an improvement as such, like I said the first game was superb with this as well, so what they've really is the same. Nothing wrong with not fixing what isn't broken. The one thing that did annoy was the sound cue that game gives to indicate an enemy is about to see you. They used the same sound cue in the first game (difficult to describe, kinda sounds like a build up of wind) , but this time it felt a lot louder and more, let's say, paranoid than before. I kept hearing it when I knew the enemy in question was miles away and/or not a threat in that moment and that's annoying. One thing that was not gonna go wrong was the acting. Honestly, there isn't even much to say. It's still at same industry changing standard it was in the first game. All the main performers, new and old, offer memorable and pitch perfect performances. I'll talk about the improved AI in a later section (spoiler alert, the AI has improved), but this improvement asks a lot or out of the VA's doing the smallest roles, like your human friends and foes out in the field. Communication, coordinating (in the case of the Seraphites/Scars, that involves of whistling in some some kind of code, an interesting touch) and even getting upset, screaming their friends names when watch them get killed and standard does not drop at all in the voice acting in these moments. You wanna take The Last of Us Part II on? Don't bother. It doesn't matter what systems you have or what games you have played, even by the standards of their own day, when it comes to presentation, this is the best game to date. Beyond any question or shadow of doubt. “You wanna fuck 'em up?” (Gameplay) First off, there's a guitar playing mechanic; Now onto the rest. I need make it clear, gameplay has improved subtly in certain areas, but has not fundamentally changed. Like the first game, The Last of Us Part 2 is a linear third person shooter with a strong emphasis on stealth, exploration and survival balanced to offer the player a choice in the moment on how to get past a section based you current resources and play style. So really, this about where it's changed and how it's changed since before, and that gives me an idea. What I'll do quote from the other post I made on the first game about the gameplay and then describe the differences because I think that will be more informative than simply “Telling you what it's like”. “Stealth feels dynamic because of the various ways the enemies in the game react, especially the infected runners and clickers. Runners can see and the can move fast, but take less damage than clickers and can be taken out with your fists. Clickers “see” using sound and if alerted, it’s a one hit kill if they get to you, so use stealth tactics whenever possible. Larger enemies called Bloaters you engage as bosses. They take a beating, attack at range and deadly up close. Avoid them if you can, but big weapons, Molotov cocktails and nail bombs will get the job done.” I mentioned how the AI improved early in human characters. Well, as strange as it is to say, the AI powering the infected has also an upgrade. Runners and Clickers behave pretty much the same, but Bloaters feel more dangerous now. As well as the long ranged acid balls, they can now charge at you, powerfully enough to smash through walls and destroy your cover, forcing you out in the open. I don't think there was ever a point in the first game that ever encountered or fought a bloater alone, you always had a partner in combat, but the enemy AI would definably pick on little old you. Irritating would be the word. Now, though, you can duck out and let your partner (if you have one) take some aggro whilst you find an angle, and the enemy AI does respond. As of course, so does you partner, who feels feels mare capable in this game and save saved my useless ass a few times. It's so much less predictable and fun to do play with than it was in the original. Moltov's have definatlly been nerfed in this game though, I don't think they should have been. There's other things to. In my quote up their I didn't even mention one of the infected types, the Stalker. Why? Because there was no point. They had a different visual design, somewhere in between a Runner and a Clicker, but they behaved pretty much as the same Runners did. Not this time though. They're slightly harder than runners to kill, but more importantly the name “Stalker” has purpose, because these things are silent and can't be detected in the “listening mode”. They silently crawl and clamber around like Gollum on mission to eat, well, your head I suppose. They game also come along with a new infected type, between a Clicker and Bloater called a Shambler and, unfortunatly, I feel this is a miss step. Don't get me wrong, I love the design... … but they suck. All they do charge at you and grab you like most infected do, but then produce a cloud of acid that can drain your health before you have chance to fight free, it feels cheap. They're pretty tough, but not much more than a Clicker, so they're not actually that hard to take down at a distance, the only safe way to fight them because, unlike Bloaters, they can't attract at range, but also can't be taken with stealth. So basically, they exist to bleed you ammo. The “best” thing though is, after you take them down, they explode in a cloud of acid hurting you badly if you are anywhere near them. It's a complete beginners trap and hate it when games do cheap shit like that. I was looking forward to seeing a new form of infected and was very disappointed to see what Naughty Dog came up with here. There is one other new infected in the game, but I'm not gonna say anything, just tease you instead... (That one is also one of my own) “The human enemies are OK to fight with, but are only varied by the weapons they carry and certain very enjoyable set prices the game has to offer and, at times, armour, but the level layout helps make engagements enjoyable enough. The AI is not that sophisticated , but it’s adequate and does offer enough sentient behaviour, opposing tactics and challenge to suit in this game. These sections I’d say weren’t quite as much fun as battling infected, but still very good.” I'd say there's more of an emphasis in combat against people in this game than before. I said that the “AI is not that sophisticated” in The Last of Us Part One, but it's all change here. I touched on it earlier that the AI is more communicative and emotional. They're also much more effective, and you can find yourself out flanked or even surrounded very easily if you don't position yourself well and anticipate their tactics. There's now brutes that can't be stealth killed in one hit, making stealth more risky and less reliable than before. They find a body, they'll behave differently. More cautiously. They will also search more thoughtfully and in areas they wouldn't have in the first game. They tended to just wonder around before, but now they'll look under cars, check buildings, cover each other as they do and even sometimes have dogs to sniff you out. One of things I loved in The Last of Us: Left Behind was the opportunities to pit human enemies and infected against each other. It's such fun, and there's plenty of opportunities to do the same thing in this game. I'm so glad that happens here as well, and it's a more tense dynamic with that improved AI. “Resource management and exploration are critical as you use supply’s, scrap and what I think is medicine you find in the world for crafting items and upgrading weapons and skills. Again, it’s pretty light mechanics, but smart as crafting items use common ingredients and you only find so much medicine and scrap, so your choices really matter in the crafting. There’s also a limit to the ammo capacity, so you need to use your weapons wisely as well.” Pretty much the same, not much to say. You have to find manuals now to unlock new skill tree's to upgrade and there's the aforementioned visual improvement to the weapon crafting, but other that it is a slightly expanded version of the same system. You play as two characters in this game, Abby and Ellie, and what is cool is that they each have different load-outs and access to different crafting recipes the other doesn't. It can be annoying when, for example, have to make shivs as Abby when Ellie has her pocket knife, or if you are Ellie and miss the superior firepower of Abby's crossbow and hunting pistol, but that's the game. I'd say while both characters load-outs are different, they're well balanced and I didn't feel stronger playing as one over the other. The partner AI is also more reliable than before and actually, you know, does stuff. Like I said earlier, it saved me more than once. They still do that thing where enemy AI can't see them even if your parter passes right in front of them, but think about it. How annoying would it be for your cover to get blown because of something you parter AI did? It looks ridiculous, don't get wrong, but it's defiantly the lesser of two evils hear and helps with actual gameplay. “Allot of these games that focus mostly on single player have tacked on multiplayer modes that feel half assed and just not worth it (Dragonage Inquisition multiplayer anyone? What, wanna do something more fun like carve yourself a new, wider path for your bladder to empty? Can’t say I blame you.). The Last of Us actually had a fun and fresh idea that involved linking your Facebook account to import “survivors” from your real life friends list if you wanted the allying yourself to either bandits or the Fireflies to then go out and compete against other players for your clans survival. The crafting, focused hearing mechanics and of course combat were taken from the main game and implemented well in a very tactically focused team death-match. Of course it wasn’t as extensive as other more multiplayer-centric games, but for a side dish it was a very tasty and surprisingly substantial part of the meal.” No Multiplayer in the The Last of Us Part 2. Yeah. I get it, they wanted to focus more on the single player game and that's the real point of the franchise, that's fine, but to see multiplayer disappear is a bit of a shame, especially when it was so unexpectedly good in the first game. There is a number things to talk about in gameplay that I didn't mention before. Movement has improved... in part. There more control options and ways to explore the environment including proning on the ground and using climbing ropes, neither of which you could do before and the natural cover feels a little easier to use. The one problem is sprinting. It feels slower than before and it's use is forced on you make jumps, and in that situation, it just doesn't feel intuitive at all. A lot of your movement is upgradable. This can be a good or a bad thing. It really depends of whether the character feels unnaturally slow and hindered without the upgrade, or it they feel normal without the upgrade and badass with it. In The Last of Us 2, it's a bit of a mix of both. For example, crouching whilst aiming feels terribly crippled until you improve it, whilst proning felt fast enough considering and I didn't feel the need to upgrade it. It's a similar story with the shooting. It's feels good with realistic weapons sway and recoil that can be improved through the crafting an upgrade systems, great sound to. Naughty Dog know how to make a 3PS. But yet, one thing was really annoying. I felt I got knocked down by enemy gunfire very easily, and natural instinct when I get shot is to keep my finger on the aim button to find my target, but when you do that you find yourself laying down on your back in a “reverse prone” position pointing the gun out in front of you completely out of whatever cover you were in. It takes a valuable few seconds to get out of this to get up and into cover and it happened all the time, really grating on my patience. Even got me killed on a few occasions. Overall, it's a very solid 3PS, and the enemy AI in particular makes up for some of the game's minor control issues. Another big part of the game is exploration. Now, people might be surprised to see somebody say this, but exploration is not Naughty Dog's strong suit. Not at all. In Uncharted 4, exploration was nothing more that vanity hunt to let the game laugh at people chasing a platinum trophy, and honestly, the only reason reason you strive to search every thing and look everywhere in The Last of Us is because you have to. You need the training manuals, you need to find the workbenches, you need the crafting resources, you need the pills to upgrade your skills, the parts to upgrade your weapons, but face the facts TLOU fans, it's a padded out chore and, deep down, we all know it. It's only made bearable buy the notes and some of the collectibles that can be interesting at times. I bring this up because I'm about to talk about one of the very real problems I have with the game. I talked about how in the original how the environment was actually a joy to explore because of how the environment itself told a story. This made the exploration mechanics themselves, even though they were a chore, easy to bear with. The Last of Us part 2 has a signifiant downgrade in the quality of this. This time the “environmental storytelling” as I called it is mostly done through the notes you find, so you have engage in the aforementioned “chore” to even get them, and it's mostly pointless, fairly forgettable stuff with only a few intersting finds along the way. The environments themselves feel larger with more in them than before, and whilst that's good for the gameplay, makes the environment feel more empty and less interesting to be in with less personality. It's not that game doesn't try, and in some sections really does well. The Hospital is Seattle is a fine example of this. Don't worry, I won't spoil, but the point is that's an environment that's fascinating and with a strong indigenous identity with it's story to tell just by being in it. The first game, I can think of several places like that. The Storm Drain where the inhabitants met a tragic fate, the University of Eastern Colorado abandoned by the Fireflies, The Ruins of Salk Lake City where escaped Zoo animals have taken over, Bill's town where he clearly dose everything possible to avoid anyone and everyone, the Hotel set up to host a high school prom, the suburb where the inhabitants clearly turned on each other with the ice cream truck and Ellie doesn't know what it is. In the sequel? Including the hospital, I can think of two, maybe three at push, environments that felt that way, and in a game that's twice as long as the original, that's a problem. Speaking of storytelling, it's time for the big one. “See, they should be terrified of you...” (The Story) Let me make this 100% clear. This is a Spoiler Free review, so I expect a spoiler free response section. I'll soon open up a discussion thread for spoilers, I even invite you do do the same thing if you wish, but please do not post any spoilers here. Update August 19nth 2021 The age of the game and the age of this thread is such that I've decided to open the comments to spoiler talk. Knock yourselves out. You may not know this, but The Last of Us's name has more significance than you might think. The original story was all about finding was left of humanity. Not humanity physically obviously, but our soul, our heart as species, as a people amidst the very worst of circumstances. An inspiring story of hope where it'll all bout finding the light in the darkness, telling us we could be redeemed. Again, if you wish, please go back to my other post on the first game to get the full scope, but this is a bit of I said at the time; “This has meant so much to so many and I for one, learned how important it is to embrace hope even when life is at it’s worst and life is only worth who you choose to share it with. We live in vain, materialistic world and ironically it’s a video game, a impractical indulgence that can only find a home in that world is what helped me see more clearly what is truly valuable. The Last of Us may have impacted you in a different way or even not at all, but whatever the case that experience belongs to you, so treasure it.” So I've been thinking, if this game, with it's tone and it's lesson had actually come first, what would they have named it to suit like the way “The Last of Us” suits the original? I think I've got it. This is not a story of hope, but hatred. Not inspired by redemption and love, but by darkness and revenge. A story of two young woman, corrupted by their own tragic pasts, driven into a new existence of violence and pain. This is, without doubt, the darkest, most shocking, provocative and uncomfortable experiences you can have playing a game. It's brutal, savage, unfeeling, upsetting, unapologetic and, quite frankly... ...Brilliant! Now, very many will disagree, and I completely understand... that they don't understand. It's upset them, pissed them off, but with all due respect, they have been too self centred to realise that's the point. This is not a shining smile meant to make you feel better, it's a dark beauty meant to be evocative and emotional in a very different way from the first game. I'm glad I took a few days before sitting down to write this because to really understand this, you need to reflect and, well, calm down. This game does rattle you, it upsets it makes you angry by design. It does what it set out to, and teaches you what it tries to teach. The story is about hatred and how powerful it is, but in the end only has the power to take, not give. To embrace hate is to embrace your own destruction. There's other things to live for, better things to live for. It's ironic how hatred and prejudice has driven the people who review bombed this because because of the strong LGBTQ themes in it, and of course it's a little sad, because they probably need that lesson more that the rest of us. Even so, this not for everyone this story. A plot this malevolent will not sit comfortable in righteous heart. A presentation this violent has no place in a civilised mind. Then again, maybe you need those things to come through it with anything resembling a positive outlook at all. It also makes the point that we're all the hero's in our story, that's the kind of selfish creatures we are, but it's possible we're the villain in somebody else's story, and who get's to say who's right? Do I like it, though. Well, too say like I like the story would be similar to “liking” somebody's obituary on Twitter or Facebook. You wanna express you sentiment, appreciation and respect, but “liking” it just feels...wrong. Now, dose it have problems? Oh, hell yes it does! Now, I already talked at length about the environmental storytelling has been downgraded, that's the first issue. No point going there again, but it's worth bearing in mind. The story in the original wasn't actually unique, not really, it's the way it was told that made it work. A liner, well paced tale that had it's life berthed into through progress and steady, well timed in game expositions and cut scenes. Now, for the The Last of Us 2, not only did they switch around the tone and message, they also swapped around the strengths and weakness of the storytelling experience. The last of Us 2 has more unique story, but it's not nearly as well told. These aren't spoilers, this right at the start of the game, this is just how it's set up. You start in Jackson, the town where Tommy and his wife Maria have settled. It's been five years since the events at the end of the first game. Ellie has grown up in service to the town, made a few friends and is now part of the teams that patrol outside Jackson to keep up observations on the infected. We also are quickly introduced to a new character Abby (that's the buff lady from the early trailer). Abby is also just outside Jackson with her own motives that, for reasons that become obvious, aren't made clear. One morning, Ellie heads out on patrol with Dina (That's the girl she kisses in the other trailer) and all seems well. That's when REDACTED happens, and the story begins in earnest. Now, you've most likely noticed something already, you play as two different protagonists. Abby and Ellie; Abby Ellie Now, this isn't a problem in itself, but it dose inevitably cause one. You play through the game with your time split between these two playing the same time period occurring after REDACTED. First one, then the other, to then switch again THEN again, for the final part of the game. Each individual story is also laced with flashbacks, that are playable, witch is cool, but fragments the flow of the story. The very fact you switch between the two characters also fragments the story. This does not flow very well and causes it's own pacing issues. So you end with is exposition drip fed to in chunks in whatever flashback or playible character you happen to be at the time. The character might know something that you don't or vice verser, leading limited understanding of the characters motivations or making some of the story after the switch kind of redundant because you already know, at least to some extent, what's going to happen. It feels a padded out as well sometimes because of this. As a result, it's more difficult to connect to the characters, especially the new protagonist Abby and those around her, until the later point of the game. Now, I get it, I totally understand why they did this, and if I'm honest, it dose actually work. You need to spend time with Abby to connect with her, especially after REDACTED and get to know who she is, but it does take some patience to get through to this point, and I'm not surprised to see some people just not have enough of it. So ultimately, that's issue. Not the story, but the way it's told. Like I said I understand, and I mean complexly understand why they told the story the way they did, and in many ways it works, but not without cost. “You really gonna go through with this?” (Conclusion) This is gonna sound like a weird question after all the time like question after you just spend all this time reading this idiots opinion for the last several minutes, but how do you review a game? Do you base it on did whether or not you enjoyed it, how adept it is technically and aesthetically, or whether it met the developers ambitions for it as a creative endeavour? Respectively, is it a Monopoly board, a painting or a book? As a Monopoly Board, there's not enough plastic hotels and a couple of chance cards have gone missing. However, it's still Monopoly damn it and the only reason you wouldn't like it is because you knew you didn't like Monopoly, and if so, why play it? As a painting, it belongs in the Louvre. An eternal and undeniable masterpiece that marks a precious and rare achievement. As a book, this is a novel that had the reader jump paragraphs back and forth, but it's still a good, memorable and evocative story that stays with you. You may be better or worse for it, but you are different. Looking back, despite the frustrations you had trying to get through that book, you did, and you were angry, even furious at times, but you were never, ever bored. My love for the last game made me hold this one to a higher stranded than I would do with most games and that may have helped what problems it undeniably has stand out, but this si still one the very best video games I've every played. Stronger that it's predecessor in so many ways, but also weaker in others, but one way this is better than any game I've played. It has courage. It takes a serious set to make a game like this in these days. The world is so self centred, entitled and opinionated that's impossible now to follow your own vision knowing it's controversial and stick with it, knowing you're about to piss a lot of people off. Love it or loathe it, this game needed to exist even if just to show important it is to stand up for your creative vision. It has it's issues, and they aren't minor, so I have to reflect that in the score, but it's still a masterpiece and well worth considering if you're willing to accept what you are in for. My Final Verdict.
    6 points
  15. That’s one hell of a deal. I would be interested in the trip, but being that I’m a classic gamer with a slight handful of exceptions, the gaming part of the prize would be more or less wasted on me. But my girl might be interested, as she is on FF14 all the time. I’ll give her the link here and have her come to the forum to check it out. She’s not the biggest poster on forums. Including the ones I’ve built and run. But I’m thinking she would see a lot of rewards by joining VGR. I know the returns were immediate for me.
    6 points
  16. The video game awards will be back this December, is anyone excited? I'm more interested in the reveals more than anything, but they will be adding one new category. That new category being best adaptation, as in video games turned into movies, tv shows, comic books and other such media. So you probably won't see the likes of The Last Of Us make the list, but I'm sure they will include the Halo show, that Resident Evil show and I imagine there are a few other game adaptations I'm forgetting. Anyway, feel free to discuss what games you think will also make the Game Awards this year. https://www.ign.com/articles/the-game-awards-returns-in-december-with-a-new-category?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A Trending Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2m5-9UI_yYzXZZyrHagCYvSDPw72xVk0kngiZAT4HNrUsHweM7QVLMY0Y
    5 points
  17. Getting ready to carve your pumpkin? For a chance to win cash or points, enter the VGR pumpkin carving contest. To enter, just carve any gaming-related design you want into your pumpkin together with the letters “VGR.” Then, snap a photo to share with us here in this thread by October 30. All members of the VGR community will then have a chance to vote for the winner. The first place winner will receive $25 via an Amazon gift card. All other participants will receive 1,000 points (which can be redeemed via Bid for Rewards) just for taking part in the contest. If you have any questions about the VGR pumpkin carving contest, you can post them here or PM me. While you are at it, you will want to drop by our Trick or Treat thread where you can participate daily for a chance to win a trick or a treat! Happy Halloween, everyone!
    5 points
  18. Hi everyone. I was looking for a new community to settle down in and found this place via Google. I enjoy RPGs and adventure games, particularly games where your choices affect the story like Mass Effect and Detroit: Become Human. I got into Shin Megami Tensei games recently and I'm currently playing through Devil Survivor: Overclocked on my New 3DS. Aside from gaming, I also like to binge-watch older TV shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, but I haven't had much time to do that ever since I got into the SMT-binge. Oh well. Feel free to ask me any question so that we can know each other better. 🙂 I hope to see you guys around soon.
    5 points
  19. Hey everyone, Today I have a couple of exciting announcements for you. The first is that VGR Forum now has more than 18,000 members! I am deeply grateful to each and every one of you who have contributed to VGR growing into such a tremendously successful community. My second big announcement is that @Withywarlock has been promoted to become our fourth moderator! He joins @Yaramaki, who was recently promoted, along with @The Blackangel and @Shagger. Withywarlock has long contributed thoughtful, detailed comments to VGR forum, keeping conversations going and spurring new ones with his insights. He also does a great job making us laugh with his witty observations. It is a rare privilege to have a forum grow this much while still retaining its loyal core of members and such a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. Each of our moderators has played a huge part in making that happen, and I know Withywarlock will do a phenomenal job in his new role. Congratulations, Withywarlock, and thank you! Thank you to all of our members for being a part of the VGR family. I am so happy with what we have built here together.
    5 points
  20. I've been making Youtube videos for a while now and thought subscribers and viewers would come more naturally but that hasn't been the case,I make gaming videos as I've been playing videogames since i was 5 years old and like to think i'm pretty good at them, I like to do game walkthrough/playthroughs and speedruns (Currently hold world record for Devil May Cry 5 Heaven Or Hell catergory), I really like Devil May Cry,Resident Evil,Tekken and Mortal Kombat. I stream for Macmillan Cancer Research over on Twitch (I just want to do something good for others), come follow me on Twitter as i'm there most days, I'm currently in a bit of a sarcastic joker mood lately,so it should be funny in some way. you can find me over on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PlanetNate1 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PlanetNate Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/planetnategaming
    5 points
  21. I should say that Heatman is correct, and I do thank him for remembering that (though do free up that brain space for something more important 😅). I was going to post but Clasher changed their nomination before I could clarify. I also didn't want to make a post here to say "don't nominate me" as I felt it was meaningless, but I say this now to ease what I perceive to be tensions brewing. But I'll say again as it has been a while: please do not waste your nominations on me. Previously this was because it would be a violation of my code of ethics to potentially receive cash prizes being offered at the time, but my reasoning now is because meaningful conversation is reward enough for being here.
    5 points
  22. @Yaramaki I understand your suggestion. I am going to brainstorm a solution where users who have made X amount of MEANINGFUL posts and/or have been a member at VGR for X amount of time period have the ability to edit posts for more than 10 minutes. Basically this feature would only be available to those who are considered valued contributors of the forum (which I would categorize you in).
    5 points
  23. 5 points
  24. At long last, the title to my Camaro has been found! My best friend came over last night to help clean and search, and she found the god damn thing! After months of being in panic mode, I can finally license my car, and start to enjoy it. (so this is what it's like to breathe again) I was about ready to have both a heart attack and an aneurysm at the same damn time. It has a tiny little bit more work to do in the shop, but after that, I'm going for a ride all over town. But no gravel roads. And she gets premium. None of that lower octane shit. I will be waxing her and using Armor All on her all the time. Under no circumstance whatsoever will food or drink be allowed inside her except for me having a soda or water. Fuck everyone else. BUT I FINALLY HAVE HER BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    5 points
  25. I am back on this forum after 3 years. I seem to have almost forgotten this amazing community. Recently, when I landed on the forum I was surprised to find my account there. If I has not saved my password on my browser, I would have never known I was a member here.
    5 points
  26. DC

    Thank You

    I just want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions to VGR in 2021. I am giving away 1 digital copy of COD Vanguard for Playstation, 3 digital copies of Battlefield 2042 for Playstation, and 2 digital copies of Battlefield 2042 for Xbox. All codes are for the Ultimate Edition for the respective game. If you're interested, simply reply with your desires. When deciding who to award the prices to I take into consideration your overall activity and contributions to the forum and whether you have been given free gifts in the past.
    5 points
  27. Don't most women already have mechanical lovers?
    5 points
  28. DC

    Video Ad on VGR Forum

    I am running a video ad on VGR Forum for the next 2-3 days. I know it's a bit annoying but it helps pay the bill and it is at least video gaming related. Thanks for understanding and thanks for helping make VGR the best gaming community on the net! 🙂
    5 points
  29. The Blackangel

    Will Be Gone

    I don't know if it matters, or if anyone cares, but starting this Friday (10-8-21) I will be gone for several days. We're flying out to Indiana to buy my dream car, and then driving back. We'll be stopping at hotels on the way, So we may not be back until Monday (10-11-21). Hopefully we'll be back sooner, But there's always the chance that we won't be back before the work week starts. We're not going to push ourselves, because I'm not taking the chance of hurting my car. If I get drowsy, we're stopping. And with this car, no one drives it but me. It's my baby, and I'm taking care of it as if it were a human child. I don't know if I've posted a pic of it yet, but either way here she is. 1987 Chevy Camaro Iroc-Z T-top
    5 points
  30. My girl and I are going to be starting a YouTube channel where we are streaming some games. I'm starting out with RDR2, and she's thinking of starting with the Fable series. Obviously these are somewhat older games, but still really popular. We'll be branching out into other games, but those are the starters. I don't know exactly when the channel will be up, we just have to get a good amount of content ready first.
    5 points
  31. One of the developments that's been a serious issue in the gaming industry is having to deal with a toxic community which we have had so much for so long now. Take a look at how toxic Fortnite community is which most people tend to walk away from as it's not a healthy community in terms of having your peace of mind. So, with all that being said, this community Epal ; if it offers what they quote to offer, it's definitely going to run over with lots of gamers looking for where they would have peace of mind and feel at home. Ps. Epal coming with an app of their own, is one sure way to making it very easy and user friendly to access the site/community.
    5 points
  32. I am amazed consistently at how helpful our members are. I can think of multiple times I have asked questions about games and folks here have gone above and beyond with sharing their experiences or even researching answers to troubleshoot. So, I just wanted to say thanks to y’all for being so awesome 🙂
    5 points
  33. There’s no beating around the bush; 2020 has been a tough year for most of us. But while we may be missing our local friends and family, we have a great online community here at VGR that has helped us all to feel connected, to share some laughs, and to get through the hard times. And that is thanks to the contributions of our wonderful members. We appreciate every thoughtful post made by every member here. We cannot recognize everyone, but we want to give special thanks to the following core members for enriching VGR Forum. @StaceyPowers As a VGR staff writer, we know you are busy, but you still find time to swing by and start new topics to keep the conversation going. We appreciate that. @Kane99 You have started a lot of compelling threads since joining us. Your topics and your posts have led to many rich conversations, especially with respect to imagining future possibilities regarding consoles and games. Thank you for your consistent thoughtful posts. @The Blackangel We’ve had the pleasure of having you here with us for more than two years now, making you one of our longest-standing core members. Thank you for adding your point of view and continuing to spark thoughtful dialogue. @skyfireYou’ve been with us for almost two years now, and you have been one of our most consistent posters over all that time. We especially appreciate your regular Gaming News contributions, making sure our members never miss out on any exciting announcements. @m76 Already, it is hard to believe you have only been with us a few months. In just that short span of time, you have become one of the most familiar posters here, always ready to engage your fellow members in thought-provoking conversation. We appreciate you becoming such a consistent poster. @Reality vs Adventure You’re a member that has only been with us a few months, and has already become a core part of our community. Thank you for writing out so many detailed, thoughtful replies. @Shagger You’ve been a fantastic contributor here for over a year, standing out for not only the quality of your posts, but also your fairness. To that end, we have been happy to call you our first moderator here on VGR Forum. Thank you very much for all of your hard work helping out our members and moderating our community! @Crazycrab You’ve been called our resident “tech guru,” and it is a well-earned title. Not only that, but your posts are always detailed and insightful across a range of topics. For more than a year now, you’ve been one of our top contributors, so thank you for everything you bring to our forum. @Withywarlock As one of our newer members, we are just getting to know you. But you have made it easy to do that by being such a solid contributor. We appreciate your eagerness to leap into the conversation, and look forward to getting to know you more. @killamch89 Anytime a member has a question or needs help with something, you always seem to be ready with a response, even going out of your way to conduct research on behalf of other members. Thank you for always being so helpful. Every one of you has been essential in making VGR Forum the welcoming community it is today with deep discussions on games, systems, and everyday life. We look forward to 2021 with you, and can’t wait to see what topics you create next.
    5 points
  34. There's one person who wasn't mentioned in the list. @DC Thank you for creating and running a forum for gamers to come together and discuss all areas of gaming. From retro/classic gaming to current gen, mobile, and PC gaming. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. So many of us would be completely out of the loop on things if it wasn't for VGR and the work you do. Hell I personally wouldn't even know what the PS5 and Xbox X/S look like. Assuming I knew that they had been released. So many of us have been introduced to games we otherwise wouldn't have known about. We have been able to broaden our horizons here at VGR. And it's thanks to you.
    5 points
  35. Posting Guidelines Please use common sense when you participate on our forum. If your posts violate our guidelines or we feel they are unsuitable in some way, we may edit, move, or remove your post. If we do this, we will usually send you a private message to notify you. If you do not hear from us, feel free to inquire, but you may assume that your violation was minor in these situations and that we have forgone contacting you because we are swamped in other moderating duties. If you do hear from us, please do not assume that means that your violation is serious; we will let you know if it is directly. Please post grammatically. While we do not expect perfection as far as your spelling and grammar is concerned, we ask that you do your best and post readably in English. At the same time, we ask that you do not make posts or replies simply to correct the grammar or spelling of another forum member. This behavior is a form of trolling and will not be tolerated. Spammy or rude posts do not belong on this forum. If your post does not contribute to the topic in a positive, useful, or supportive manner, please defer posting. Comments which are negative and do not contribute to discussions on the forum will be removed. If you bump a topic (such as a recruitment thread for clan members), please provide some kind of new information, and do not simply write “Bump” in your post. You may bump your topics once every 48 hours in any section of the forum. Do not attempt to maneuver around this rule by “tag-team” bumping. Posting links is acceptable so long as the links are relevant to the topic. No affiliate links please. Do not post misleading links or images, including links or images that lead to shocking content. Likewise, we do not accept posts that promote hatred or intolerance of any groups or which link to hate sites. Try not swear or use any vulgarities on our forum. Some users are under the age of 18. Make your posts appropriate to a 13-18 age group. Use good judgment. Please do not discuss torrent sites or pirating software or any related topics on this site. Do not post private information concerning yourself or anyone else on this forum. For more information, read our guidelines on staying safe online. If you have suggestions for improving the VGR forum, we welcome you to contact us. You may send your suggestions via private message or post them publicly here, however we do not permit posts made solely to damage the community. Please refrain from posting only to insult or complain; post with a positive, constructive purpose. Posts which do not conform to these guidelines will be removed.
    5 points
  36. Hey all, i hope you are all well and doing good! 🙂 Im sorry ive not been on chatting with you all for a few months, but as i stated back in February, i had just separated from my partner of 20+ years, so was in a weird place back then and was unsure of what i would do going forward, as i had not been on my own for as long as i could remember! So yeah it was a shock to my system to say the least, and as im sure you can appreciate, i was not in a very chatty mood! 😞 Anyway what i did do was lock myself away from the world, and did a bit of soul searching and finding me again, as when you have been in a relationship for that length of time, you tend to lose your own individuality, which i did massively, as my ex was a massive control freak. So what i did is focus on getting me back to me and also learning a lot more about having a YouTube channel and video editing etc etc etc, as i started my channel in about October last year, but by the time i split with my ex in February, i still had no clue what i was doing, as i was learning everything from scratch. Anyway as i said, i took that time out to do a lot of reading and watching tutorial vids, to build up my experience, which im still doing as we speak, but im also getting back out of the flat now too and having a life again, instead of just solely focusing on my channel. So yeah life is better now and hopefully my vids have improved as well, due to all the tricks ive learned along the way lol, although my confidence on screen is still a huge obstacle to overcome, but all in good time, Rome wasn't built in a day was it! 🙂 So yeah, i just wanted to let you guys know why i disappeared for a while, and that im back and will hopefully be chatting everything gaming with you all going forward! 🙂 Speak soon! Woody! 🙂
    4 points
  37. When i first came here it was to talk about videogames, one thing that was immediately clear to me this is the messageboard i have been looking for years, fellow posters welcomed me when i first joined up like i have been here for years. Everybody is so open and genuine there is no hate and jealousy towards eachother wheter or not somebody has a different oppinion it doesen't end up in a flame war. I may consider myself more video game collector then gamer these days but being part of vgr has worked miracles like getting stoked again on current gen gaming and actually being encouraged to play games that are way out of my zone. I also want to thank @DC, @Shagger and @The Blackangel for their faith and trusting me with this task, i'll try my utmost best to be the best mod i possible can, so if there is ever anything you possibly think i could help out with wheter it's board related or not, do not hestitate to send me a pm. Also thanks to all of you guys the entire community for being the way you are, we may not always agree with eachother but let's keep doing what we do best and make vgr the best place it possible can be. Damn i almost sound like a politician.
    4 points
  38. Most of you probably have checked out our post about MetaRace, the decentralized app (dapp) you can use to race NFT horses in the metaverse. As we mentioned in that post, one of the goals of the MetaRace community was to purchase a real, flesh-and-blood race horse. Well, it happened! The MetaRace community now collectively own a two-year-old colt in the real world named MetaRace. This horse will be running at Windsor tomorrow, June 13th, 2022. This is a first not only for the MetaRace community, but for the horse as well, who has never started on a racetrack before. If you join MetaRace and meet certain requirements, you to can own a percentage stake in this horse. Good luck tomorrow, MetaRace! Join the MetaRace Discord for updates and send any other thoughts: https://discord.gg/metarace Interested in advertising your brand on VGR Forum? Send us an email - advertise[@]vgr.com
    4 points
  39. I am waiting for this thread to be copied. 😅
    4 points
  40. 4 points
  41. @Candy Stick I would regard the truth that you only ever talk an out Resident Evil and haven't little to nothing on any other thread to be a little concerning, but that doesn't change the fact doing so is well within the rules. So @Crazycrab, please lay off him. If that is what he want to talk about then that's what he wants to talk about, it's not up to you, me or anyone else where his interests lie. Beside, it's not like @Candy Stick is bumping the topic all on his own, there are several people who post on it. I get what your saying and I do agree that @Candy Stick should branch out a little more, but I'm not going to lock this topic just because you feel it's run it's course.
    4 points
  42. You should be actually kind of encouraged by this deal. With Activision-Blizzard owned by Microsoft it's only a matter of time untill the Call of Duty games are piled into Gamepass.
    4 points
  43. Congratulations to you @The Blackangel. I knew spot on that you were going to be the likely selected member. More grease to your elbow @DC.. Good job!!
    4 points
  44. Shagger

    Best 2021 Games?

    Okay, okay, please @Heatman and @Justin11. I appreciate the compliments, I really do, but can you please climb out of my ass now? It's starting to hurt.
    4 points
  45. The shortest answer. The companies that make consoles lose money on the console themselves and make money on software and peripherals.
    4 points
  46. It's very rough since the model was created through 3D reconstruction aka. photogrammetry using screenshots from the model viewer. If I could get my hands on the actual models from the game it would be much better.
    4 points
  47. I nominate @Shagger @Crazycrab @StaceyPowers @skyfire @killamch89 @Alyxx
    4 points
  48. Welcome to the VGR Forum, and thank you for taking a few minutes to read up on our guidelines. We provide this resource to you for free so that you can meet other members of the VGR community, exchange news, join clans, and participate in our giveaways. There are a lot of fantastic people here, and I feel sure that you’ll make a lot of friends and enjoy what we have to offer. Our goal is to make that experience enjoyable for everyone here in our community. To that end, we are posting these guidelines and rules for you to review. While we offer you membership on this forum for free, it is a privilege and not a right. If you do not follow our guidelines and rules, you will forfeit that privilege. Please check each of our forum sections for additional individual rules which may apply only to those particular sections. These forum-wide guidelines apply to the entire website. We regularly update these rules, so check back regularly; it is your responsibility to be up-to-date. And should you have any questions or concerns about the rules or guidelines, please ask for clarification instead of suffering in silence. Posting Guidelines Account and Miscellaneous Guidelines Moderation Policy
    4 points
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