PixlBit

Like I said, insight into the time period is probably a big hook. And when you get past that, you find character development is complex and consistent, story threads that pay off in big ways. Humor, drama, unpredictability. Stylish. Good music choices at the right moments. It's honest about the issues it deals with.

It's enaging because it's really high quality and intelligent in every way a show can be. Really can't put it any other way. 

I like it because it feels like an authentic glimpse into a time period on the verge of, and later, rife with change. You see a new American society develop, and how people of various social standings adapt or don't adapt to these changes.

Because the performances and script are stellar.

Because the main principles feel like complete characters while being archetypes of the time period.

Because the photography and art direction are near perfect.

I thought the same thing about Mad Men - "Ad agency in the 60s? Who the hell cares about that? Sounds like stuffy old white man stuff!" But now it's one of my favorite shows of all time. It's like crack to me.

Some random thoughts.

-I'm confident in saying most males who put 'sexy chicks' in games do not hate woman. Actually, they probably love women but are not allowed to express this without being humiliated or ignored. That the expression is not the most flattering or assured does not mean there is hate bubbling underneath the surface.

-There are no average looking female leads in games that I can think of; characters like Jade and Samus are still part of the 'problem.' When an average or homely looking character with an akward body gets to be the heroine, and that game sells, then I will be convinced we have made any artistic or cultural progress. Art holds the mirror up to nature. Nature is not just comprised of beautiful people with athletic figures.

-Damsel-in-distress is a product of a culture of chivalry. Fairy tales and fantasies are often set in such cultures. In these cultures, a male being protective of women in a dangerous circumstance is expected behavior, which may have possibly been appreciated by the women of the time. These tales, though socially outdated, are still fair ground for adaptation. No one living can speak for the people who lived in these old cultures. The women may find our judgments of their culture insulting.

-In further defense of D.I.D., I must say that in a (fantasy) world where the strength of your sword arm is of the utmost importance, that it's more believable for men to do most of the saving. I think physically strong women, probably like you are being a park ranger and all, aren't limited in the world the same way average women are, and have different outlook on how things can or should be. Not saying the trope is great, but it works in its own stereotypical, archetypical way.

-Until young American males get over their fear of seeing male genitalia or sexuality on their screens and in their comic pages, I will be a steep uphill climb to reach equality in dashboard themes. Otherwise, one must hope there is a large market of female and homosexual male purchasers waiting for such options to be available to them.

If they stick the landing, this will be my favorite show by a wide margin. I mean, it already is my favorite currently running show, but The Wire and Mad Men are still in the running for All Time honors.

As far as Skylar, she's been tightly wound from the first episode. Like someone else said in response to "why is Skylar annoying?:

"She doesn’t do anything fun? Seriously, what does she do for fun? Hank collects minerals. Marie ‘shops’. Skyler has no life."

She's been a bit condescending and uppity from the first episode. Doesn't make me hate her, but I think this is intentional, and annoying, and the situation she was put it in only exascerbated things. (Like Hudson in Aliens starts off a wiseass ball-buster, and becomes even more jerky when shit goes bad). No one is an angel on this show.

So good, my original copy and log in works, so I can play the game (free trial perios at least). What version do you have/are you getting, PS3 or PC?

Played a little bit last night, and Holy Shit! There are more than six quests to do now! In fact, there were a bit too many quests popping up all over this first town (Garandia, or whatever it's called). Be careful what you wish for!

But I think they might have pulled it off.Won't know until I see a good dungeon and get into a battle with a wicked cool boss.

Saint's Row 2 is still the champ. I'll stick with that.

I meant compared to Skyrim, where characters just walk back and forth. Like how Dwarf Fortress has so many complex systems going on that it can slow your computer down even though it uses ASCII graphics.

And I did not know that Guacamelee had stats. Jokes on me.

Sims 3 has smaller environments, but the AI and interactions are more complex. It's not all about size

Annoying nitpick of the day: Games that are structured like Metroid but don't have stats and inventory like post SoTN Vanias are not Metroidvanias, they're just Metroid-like. 

I think the Amazon just works. The 'bikini' getup represents her primitive culture, where no thought is given to modesty or shame. She is obvioulsy muscular, but in the way of an athlete as opposed to a strongman or bodybuiler. Like a panther, she combines brute strength with speed and agility.  The legs are emphasized because that's where functional power originates from, while also enhancing the femininity of her build. The axe is an iconic weapon of the barbarian archetype, which further emphasizes the primitive strength of the character.

The design is successful at showing the gulf between her culture of origin and that of the civilized characters (knight, wizard, NPCs of nobility, etc.)