The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 Amazingly, Godrick the Grafted is the winner of the last poll. The first W of his life. I left Rellana out of this poll so best character Godefroy doesn’t have to feel alone in his absence. 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 Day 2 of the Owl bowl begins now! Another amazing design. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 I haven’t been able to play today but I’ve got the Pappa Owl fight damn near perfected and can deal with pretty much his entire moveset without getting hit… … Until I mess up get hit anyway. His attacks are so fast and so hard that even on a perfect run, one mistake is all it takes for him to kill or completely throw me off. I know I can beat him; probably will next time I have time to try, but last night I had three "excellent" fights in a row where I was doing everything right, got him to low health on phase 2… only to do something stupid like try to jump instead of dodge his firecrackers and get my full health bar nuked by a single combo. And then I get tilted and play worse on my second life. I love this fight. It is a great challenge that forces you to get good. No shortcuts, no optimal builds that trivialize it, just a hard skill check. 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 11 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: I haven’t been able to play today but I’ve got the Pappa Owl fight damn near perfected and can deal with pretty much his entire moveset without getting hit… … Until I mess up get hit anyway. His attacks are so fast and so hard that even on a perfect run, one mistake is all it takes for him to kill or completely throw me off. I know I can beat him; probably will next time I have time to try, but last night I had three "excellent" fights in a row where I was doing everything right, got him to low health on phase 2… only to do something stupid like try to jump instead of dodge his firecrackers and get my full health bar nuked by a single combo. And then I get tilted and play worse on my second life. I love this fight. It is a great challenge that forces you to get good. No shortcuts, no optimal builds that trivialize it, just a hard skill check. I'd meme and say there's better bosses, but Owl (Father) is one of the best. There's two more of similar amazing quality (whichever you prefer depends on your preferences), and a gimmick fight's that's fun and amazing presentation wise, if easy. After this, there's still two major areas to beat! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 12 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: Another amazing design. Possibly the best in the game, and suits him so well. Shinobi are always depicted as these slim, agile little athletes, so this hulking barrel of a man is the last thing you’d expect. But then taking it a step further, his size is totally deceptive, because instead of being a heavy bruiser like he appears, he is extremely quick, quiet, and light on his feet. He appears cumbersome until he’s ready to strike, and then he takes his target completely by surprise. I can’t think of a more perfect way to portray an assassin who is inspired by owls. Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 Oh and no AoE spams and delayed hit spam. All the fakeouts are deliberate and used only for certain bosses (Like the trickster Owl) 8 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: Possibly the best in the game, and suits him so well. Shinobi are always depicted as these slim, agile little athletes, so this hulking barrel of a man is the last thing you’d expect. But then taking it a step further, his size is totally deceptive, because instead of being a heavy bruiser like he appears, he is extremely quick, quiet, and light on his feet. He appears cumbersome until he’s ready to strike, and then he takes his target completely by surprise. I can’t think of a more perfect way to portray an assassin who is inspired by owls. Also hides the fact he's so sinister. Game fakes you out with his fake death, and you have the impression he's a noble shinobi. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 24 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: Oh and no AoE spams and delayed hit spam. All the fakeouts are deliberate and used only for certain bosses (Like the trickster Owl) Also hides the fact he's so sinister. Game fakes you out with his fake death, and you have the impression he's a noble shinobi. Indeed it is very deliberate and fitting. He’s got an unpredictable moveset but eventually you learn how to read even the fakeouts. The game tries to trick you into thinking you’re done with Owl twice. Even in death, the guy tries to catch you off-guard. I think the only time he’s ever honest is when gets proud of Wolf for beating him. He failed to attain immortality, but having his son grow into an even bigger badass and carry forward his legacy is the next best thing. 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 4 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: Indeed it is very deliberate and fitting. He’s got an unpredictable moveset but eventually you learn how to read even the fakeouts. The game tries to trick you into thinking you’re done with Owl twice. Even in death, the guy tries to catch you off-guard. I think the only time he’s ever honest is when gets proud of Wolf for beating him. He failed to attain immortality, but having his son grow into an even bigger badass and carry forward his legacy is the next best thing. I think it's mentioned he had so much fun training Wolf, he was secretly hoping for a day they could have a death-match; and it was the "best couple of minutes" of his life Everyone in Sekiro is like fucking psychologically damaged 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 24 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: Everyone in Sekiro is like fucking psychologically damaged Honestly? I think this might be the most stable cast of characters in a FromSoft game by far. Kuro, Emma, and Isshin are quite healthy mentally. So are most of the lesser NPCs. Gyoubu Oniwa is just a man living his best life. Wolf is well-adjusted… for a child soldier. His service to Kuro gives him purpose and he seems to handle the role quite well considering the torment he’s endured for it. I don’t get the impression that Owl is insane or even psychologically damaged. He’s just an utter bastard. The Divine Child is undoubtedly damaged, but handles herself well given the crazy traumas she has endured. The Sculptor apparently lost his shit and went on a killing spree long ago, so he’s safely in the crazy corner, but at least he is doing well in rehab. Genichiro held out well enough until the prospect of Ashina’s fall made him desperate, but yeah, by the end of his boss fight he is totally lost and probably, tragically, the most unhinged character at this point. 1 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 Radahn about to sweep this poll just like he did everything else in life. Scarlet Rot notwithstanding. Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 4 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: Honestly? I think this might be the most stable cast of characters in a FromSoft game by far. Hide contents Kuro, Emma, and Isshin are quite healthy mentally. So are most of the lesser NPCs. Gyoubu Oniwa is just a man living his best life. Wolf is well-adjusted… for a child soldier. His service to Kuro gives him purpose and he seems to handle the role quite well considering the torment he’s endured for it. I don’t think Owl is insane or even psychologically damaged. He’s just a complete and utter bastard. The Divine Child is undoubtedly damaged, but handles herself well given the crazy traumas she has endured. The Sculptor apparently lost his shit and went on a killing spree long ago, so he’s safely in the crazy corner, but at least he is doing well in rehab. Genichiro held out well enough until the prospect of Ashina’s fall made him desperate, but yeah, by the end of his boss fight he is totally lost and probably, tragically, the most unhinged character at this point. I agree, though with how quirky and weird they tend to be, it's not saying alot Oh boy. Just be glad you choose Kuro over your father There's also a nun who can be found semi Hidden in the fortress next to Gyoubou (where you first found the Tengu) who gives you some special dialogue about him. And yeah, it dosen't paint a pretty picture. 5 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: Radahn about to sweep this poll just like he did everything else in life. Scarlet Rot notwithstanding. And the time Morgott sent the Carian princeling packing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 1 minute ago, BigBossBalrog said: And the time Morgott sent the Carian princeling packing Fake news Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 1 minute ago, BigBossBalrog said: There's also a nun who can be found semi Hidden in the fortress next to Gyoubou (where you first found the Tengu) who gives you some special dialogue about him. And yeah, it dosen't paint a pretty picture. I found her after killing Owl the first time. She said some foreboding stuff but I don’t remember it being about the Sculptor specifically. I’m about to head home for some lunch. Might boot the game up real quick and check back with her to see what she said with that context now in mind. Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 6 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: I found her after killing Owl the first time. She said some foreboding stuff but I don’t remember it being about the Sculptor specifically. I’m about to head home for some lunch. Might boot the game up real quick and check back with her to see what she said with that context now in mind. I was talking about Gybou She said he was losing himself to the killing. Which is a huge theme present throughout the game in the form of Shura. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 3 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: I was talking about Gybou She said he was losing himself to the killing. Which is a huge theme present throughout the game in the form of Shura. Ah. Well I think she’s just a paranoid old hag. My man Oniwa wasn’t losing himself. He just loves his work. Boys will be boys. 2 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 1 minute ago, The Good Doctor said: Ah. Well I think she’s just a paranoid old hag. My man Oniwa wasn’t losing himself. He just loves his work. Boys will be boys. If you give a certain Sake to Isshin, he says the same exact thing about Sekiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 Just now, BigBossBalrog said: If you give a certain Sake to Isshin, he says the same exact thing about Sekiro I did. Dude thanked me for the drink and then said if I go nuts he’ll kill me. 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 5 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: I did. Dude thanked me for the drink and then said if I go nuts he’ll kill me. Which he's already done to another friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 I beat Owl! Was on my lunch break so I only had time for two attempts, but luckily that’s all I needed. Crazy what some sleep can do. We can safely add this to the favorite fights list. I don’t know which I prefer between Owl (Father) and Genichiro as both are damned near perfect across the board. Geni doesn’t have those annoying pillars, but I prefer Owl’s difficulty and music. Both beat out anything from the other games. Getting miriki countered the first time was an awesome "oh shit" moment. It makes total sense that our teacher can do it, but it still caught me by complete surprise. 1 1 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 He also has some great final words: "Defeated by my own son… The feeling is not entirely unpleasant." Reinforces that he truly was proud of Wolf despite trying his hardest to kill him. He is a selfish bastard loyal only to himself, but there is some depth to him. Really cool character. 2 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 41 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: He also has some great final words: "Defeated by my own son… The feeling is not entirely unpleasant." Reinforces that he truly was proud of Wolf despite trying his hardest to kill him. He is a selfish bastard loyal only to himself, but there is some depth to him. Really cool character. He's a pretty abusive parent (Wolf didn't know what cooked rice was when Kuro made it for him ) but a very good teacher, and he was ultimately proud that his student/adopted son was able to kill him. He's a bastard, but not a hypocrite. He probably thought he was leaving a good enough legacy in the form of his child soldier son 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 And yeah onto the Divine Realm! Which is my favorite level ever made by FROMSOFT; enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 14 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: He's a pretty abusive parent (Wolf didn't know what cooked rice was when Kuro made it for him ) I took that interaction as Wolf not being familiar with sweet delicacies like a candied rice ball, not that he is unfamiliar with the idea of rice being cooked at all. He and Owl undoubtedly lived a very harsh "spartan" lifestyle with little in the way of excesses, but there’s no way he never learned what cooking is. 2 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBossBalrog Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 5 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said: I took that interaction as Wolf not being familiar with sweet delicacies like a candied rice ball, not that he is unfamiliar with the idea of rice being cooked at all. He and Owl undoubtedly lived a very harsh "spartan" lifestyle with little in the way of excesses, but there’s no way he never learned what cooking is. "Sweet, sticky rice ball made by Kuro using rice from the Child of Rejuvenation. Slowly grants medium Vitality recovery and constant Posture recovery over time. Once when the Wolf was starving, his father wordlessly handed him a rice ball. It was astoundingly delicious. This one is sure to taste just as good." Your right I don't remember why I had the impression (maybe because I thought I'd be funny). So yeah, it actually says Owl fed Wolf rice balls (onigiri). Still, not the best parent with the whole training from hell that him and Lady Butterfly gave him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Doctor Posted July 29 Author Share Posted July 29 46 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said: He probably thought he was leaving a good enough legacy in the form of his child soldier son Owl is an interesting character to juxtapose against the game’s themes of stagnation and immortality. Despite pursuing it, you could argue that his story represents the counter to it. Growth, progress, passing of the torch, and accepting death when your time is up. He is characterized as the ultimate survivor, willing to cross any line to keep breathing. And immortality via the Dragon Curse is the ultimate means of survival at any cost, so it’s totally in line with his character to pursue it. However, it gets hammered home again and again that immortality is a curse, not a blessing, and that those who suffer it are doomed to lose everything, wither, and even lose themselves with time. Basically every FromSoft game makes the point that immortality means stagnation, and stagnation leads to corruption festering. This is best highlighted through Hanbei the Undying, who begs us to grant him death the moment he sees we have the Mortal Blade. Most immortal beings we put down have long since become sad, bug infested, shadows of their former selves with nothing left to live for. Death is a mercy to them. But Owl does have something to live for. As you said, he lives for the fight. Enjoys it so much that training Wolf and facing him again are noted as the highlights of his life. But if he gained immortality, I think he would slowly lose this. He would either wither away or get lost in the slaughter like the Sculptor and eventually become "Shura". He would lose himself and become a husk. By losing to his son in battle, he lost his chance at immortality, but his death is followed by the realization that dying like this makes him happy. Where so many "immortal" characters eventually die sad and pathetic deaths, Owl gets to go out doing the thing he loved most, falling to the one person whose victory reflects his own life and teachings. It’s poetic. The biggest bastard in the story, hellbent on achieving "immortality" is the one who gets the happiest, most satisfied end, untarnished by any curse or loss of self. I think a big part of his satisfaction comes from the realization that he will get a form of immortality through Wolf. Everything Wolf accomplishes, even the fate of the Divine Heir, will be Owl’s legacy. 2 Quote * Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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