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[Amir0x]

It doesn't change the fact that it's a bit annoying to read, even when one doesn't like the game. It's great to have bold opinions, but frankly, you're grating.

You don't have to read my posts. That's the point. I encourage everyone who is annoyed by my blunt straight forward posting style to ignore it. The only time you have to listen to me is when I'm telling people not to do something that's against the rules.

edit: feel free to ignore the question, but out of curiosity, why do you finish games that you dislike so much? Between this and heavy rain (which i have not played), i always find it surprising that if you hate these games so much, you'd bother finishing them, especially if they are not so easy (enslaved and heavy rain probably don't belong this category, but heavenly sword is not total cakewalk if i remember well). beyond the question of hardness, i am sure you'd rather spend that time on stuff you actually like.
I am myself guilty of this on a few games, but it's on rare occasions and I always wonder why the hell i did it after the fact (last example being Alan wake + dlc)

Heavy Rain took all of five hours, and with that game the difficulty with just stopping was it was impossible to know whether the story would resolve in any way that made sense without beating it to conclusion. After beating Heavy Rain, that was clearly not the case.

Enslaved was a similar issue - when it started, it had some bad ideas, but the framerate was generally under control, it had amazing art direction and the mech fighting was more reserved. It was more about exploring the environments. As the game progressed, it focused more and more on the borderline broken combat and the automated platforming became more unforgivable (because I expect my difficulty curve to go up, not stay constant). And then the framerate and tearing went bonkers. And then, well, again... it wasn't a long game. I got it done in six and a half hours. Before you know it, things end.

I don't always finish games I can't stand. It just happened in this case.

I think it might be the vehemence with which you're insisting the game has little to offer, that's all. Implied or not, the whole "this game is shit" tone of a lot of the stuff makes it seem like you consider the game to be offensively bad, and maybe that's what people aren't quite understanding as there's obviously a group that loves it despite admitted issues.

I do consider the game to be offensively bad though. If I was reviewing it I'd give it like a 5.0/10 on the IGN scale. :lol

Interestingly, I read the relationship stuff completely different.

Spoiler

Pigsy was effectively the creepy family friend that has feelings for a teenager, while Monkey settled into a protective/big brother role once Trip lost everyone she knew. I think Monkey cares for her because she's well and truly alone, but I never read a romantic angle into things. Totally agreed that Pigsy was jealous, but Monkey had no qualms with essentially using that to give Trip shit and entertain himself. The sacrifice to me was more necessity than some kind of redemptive act; he did it because if he didn't, they'd all die.

Again, though, these are indeed different interpretations of the same thing, and the fact that people seem to have processed the cutscenes differently means there's probably room to at least consider the others rather than saying someone's flat-out wrong. In fact, I'd say it's fair to credit the team with creating something that is open to interpretation, but again I really did love the game.

I really guess I don't feel it was much open to interpretation at all. I mean all that was missing from the standard boyfriend-girlfriend relationship arc was

Spoiler

the kiss

. It had all the key indicators, set off all the red alarms. Also, I don't think the writers of this game were particularly subtle at all about anything - just look at that embarrassing Enslaved timeline which is essentially some tree hugging liberals eco nightmare fantasy come true - so I'm more than a little hesitant to believe it was just that sort of relationship, considering there is almost nothing that leads in that direction with the information we had.

I'm just asking that you listen to the friendly advice.

And thanks for the advice, but we're all adults and I'm telling you that you should always assume the obvious that my posts are always done with the knowledge that they're opinions, not facts. If you don't want to do that and waste time getting offended each time I post, that's on you. It's not really worth wasting more time on in this topic.

I'm not saying they are close in quality. I mean close comparisons as in what makes both games worth playing.

I think the inspiration is clearly there, yeah. But Uncharted 2 is clearly a game one would like even if they disliked Enslaved. The reason is that Uncharted 2, at least, has gunplay which was quite good indeed. There is a very satisfying arsenal of weapons that feels damn good when you take things down. And it's a testament to the general good balance of the weaponry that the multiplayer stands so damn well on its feet too. There's nothing quite off about it the way the combat feels wrong in Enslaved.

And for the record, while I like Uncharted 2, I thought Uncharted 1 was just kind of OK. And Uncharted 2 had the same complaints from me versus the automated platforming, so I'm consistent. But Uncharted 2 was a technical marvel, start to end. An extremely consistent framerate, no tearing, just obscene geometry and draw distance.

 

[REV 09]

Finished the game earlier today. I didn't much care for it. Other than the voice work and facial animations, I didn't find much to get excited over. Even the story failed to
materialize into something meaningful. Trip came across as bossy and annoying during gameplay; I liked her in the cutscenes though.

3/5

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

Enslaved is not a great game.

Enslaved may not even be a good game.

The combat is shallow and endlessly repetitive.

Frame rate is terrible, screen tearing is awful and the platforming literally automatic.

That being said, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the plot, I enjoyed the characters and the world was a refreshing take on post apocalyptic theme.

Opinion is opinion eh?

 

[megalowho]

Just wanted to add that I got a dumb kick out of the fact that every time a new area was laid out, the important objective ahead would be carefully described, Trip would yell "Let's go!" and lead the charge - and the first thing I'd do is run as far as possible in the complete opposite direction looking for orbs

 

[MarshMellow96]

Why are you acting like Enslaved is of such high calibre that not liking it suggests my standards are soooooooo impossibly high? :lol

I love tons of games. I liked Uncharted 2 enough, even though I had a similar complaint about the automated platforming. I loved the old Prince of Persia: Sands of Time trilogy games, to provide contextual comparison for the platforming. I like Beyond Good & Evil. I like all sorts of games. I just don't have time to make excuses for poor ones. Is that so bad?

I love how I'm a die-hard fan of Enslaved by association. :lol

It's just funny to see you in every other thread lighting a fire under peoples' arses.

 

[LiK]

Enslaved was a fantastic experience. People should check it out. I'm done.

 

[ram]

yup, I finished it, has no desire to go for a second. The leve design is gorgeous, gotta give them credit there, but no replay value. it didn't even give you gold trophy for finishing the game. goddamnit

only the first part - new york - looks good, the rest ist unispired shit. the visuals gets worser trough the end of the game. and i thought of all characters

Spoiler

pigsy

was the best developed. and facial animations? i thought trip just looked every time stupid in the camera.

the game is worse than heavenly sword in every aspect.

 

[JohngPR]

Got it from Gamefly today and played for about an hour and a half. Enjoying it so far although the gameplay is merely adequte to good so far. Like the whole decoy mechanic to move each character along certain areas and the combat is fun although mindless so far. I just unlocked the ability to upgrade.

So far so good.

 

[RedSwirl]

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but Dead End Thrills has a high-res gallery up for this game: http://deadendthrills.com/galleries/enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west/

I took one of the shots there and tried to whip up my own wallpaper of it:

1600 x 900

1920 x 1080

 

[RedSwirl]

I also just made a 1680 x 1050 version if you really want that too.

 

[luffeN]

Just wanted to add that I got a dumb kick out of the fact that every time a new area was laid out, the important objective ahead would be carefully described, Trip would yell "Let's go!" and lead the charge - and the first thing I'd do is run as far as possible in the complete opposite direction looking for orbs

haha, me too!

 

[Hellion]

Enslaved was a fantastic experience. People should check it out. I'm done.

At full price?

 

[Matchew]

The game was pretty damn cool. The only problem for me were the controls they just felt off. Other then that the ending was bad ass, and I hope this sells well cause I want more...

 

[JohngPR]

Monkey: What is this stuff?

Trip: Just some ancient redundant technology

Well played Ninja Theory...LOL

 

[Ricker]

Just beat this last night,I made a mad rush and did it in 2 days before Fallout hits(for me that`s fast anyway ;P )...I loved every minute of it,it`s in my top 5 of the year,along with Darksiders,ME2,Castlevania BUT ,it`s very short,6 to 8 hours with not much replay value,unless you like collecting...fantastic game but a rental really makes sense...
__________________

 

[subversus]

This game is AWESOME.

The second half is MUCH better then the first one. Boss fights are tense and inventive. Gameplay is very varied. Environments are beautiful. Cloud sequences are adrenaline rushes. I'm enjoying it immensively. Even framerate in chapters 10-12 is better than in the first half. I dig characters and writing. Finally something that puts smile on my face. Games need more humour.

That game feels like The Pirates of Carribean/Indiana Jones but with more serious tone.

 

[Edgeward]

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but Dead End Thrills has a high-res gallery up for this game: http://deadendthrills.com/galleries/enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west/

I took one of the shots there and tried to whip up my own wallpaper of it:

http://img13.mediafire.com/c4613095635582810bd62b82b65ee5c14g.jpg

1600 x 900

1920 x 1080

Yes! This is way better than the official ones. First thing I'm doing when I'm getting home is applying this as my new desktop.

 

[grumble]

I just beat this game.

Personally, I found it kind of forgettable. I liked the idea of mechs having destroyed civilization in a war, but thought they didn't do enough with that world. The story was stupid, but it is a videogame. The ending was terrible, though I kind of was haunted by the girl's final question to Monkey: 'did I do the right thing?'. It felt like the designers ran out of time or something. Framerate sucked, lots of screen tearing. The whole game and every interaction felt more like 'levels' than an actual world, if that makes any sense. It was not very immersive, but sometimes was kind of nice looking. Combat had its moments, but was a little clunky. I liked collecting the shiny red orbs, but there were way too many for me to want to get them all.

I wouldn't call it BAD. I enjoyed it. I just don't really consider it a particularly good game either. Total rental.

 

[canadian crowe]

I LOVED this game. I think the facial animations alone are enough to warrant at least a rental. I liked Heavenly Sword for what it was, so take that for what you will...

 

[flintstryker]

I LOVED this game. I think the facial animations alone are enough to warrant at least a rental. I liked Heavenly Sword for what it was, so take that for what you will...

That's like saying i should go rent a book because the leather covers are awesome.

 

[V_Arnold]

That's like saying i should go rent a book because the leather covers are awesome.

No, that is nothing like it.
Facial animations are part of the game, the story, the book's cover is not with you when you read. Or you have fuzzy vision, or something.

 

[JohngPR]

Just beat the game and thought it was a really enjoyable game. The performances by the digital actors were really impressive and the game play was basic but mindless fun. I don't know if it would be worth paying full price simply because the game play is fairly simple and you can blow through it in 8 hours or so but it's most definitely worth playing.

I thought the ending was pretty good and wasn't what I expected, which I suppose is a good thing. I would like to see Ninja Theory create DLC to flesh out the world they created here and perhaps give more insight into what happened in the Epilogue.

I say wait until a price drop or rent it, but you'll definitely at least have an entertaining and enjoyable experience with it.

 

[flake]

3D TV gag

Loved this joke aswell

 

[The Praiseworthy]

I didn't notice the 3D TV Joke in the game.... brilliant

 

[faridmon]

I don't agree with Amir0x most of the time, if not all the time. But i have to agree with him on the stupid stereotypical look of Man is strong is stupid and the girl is sexy and inteligent has to go. simple as that. why devs make story based on that untrue plot is puzzling.

I am glad Amirox has that mind, on the other hand if i was to perticipate in an OT with that kind of arguments he is making all the way, I would have been banned liong time ago :lol

 

[V_Arnold]

I am glad Amirox has that mind, on the other hand if i was to perticipate in an OT with that kind of arguments he is making all the way, I would have been banned liong time ago :lol

For us members, it is a dream. For them, it is just a tuesday.

 

[Amir0x]

it's always amusing to me what members think they'll get banned for

protip: you won't get banned for being consistently negative in a topic. Trolls get banned. A troll is someone who enters a thread, says "this is shit" and then refuses to back up any and all of his/her points - instead seeking to exit stage left without any rhyme or reason for his perspective. Literally shitting in the pot and then letting it fester.

 

[skyfinch]

Anyone else trying to find all the orbs? Where the shit are they? I'm over 90% for most levels (100% on 3 of them), but I can't find the rest of them.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

Anyone else trying to find all the orbs? Where the shit are they? I'm over 90% for most levels (100% on 3 of them), but I can't find the rest of them.

http://www.gamesradar.com/f/enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west-tech-orbs-guide/a-20101014115445319066

 

[skyfinch]

Nice! Thanks, DaBuddaDa.

 

[Diseased Yak]

I beat this not 5 minutes ago.

I have to say, my overall impression is a bad one, despite liking certain aspects. The world was interesting at times, and quite beautiful, but too much of it seemed to exist just for hand-holds for Monkey to grapple onto. As everyone else mentioned, the facial animations and quality of the acting was top notch, I can't think of another game that conveyed emotions during cut scenes so well. A couple of scenes were laugh-out-loud funny, which surprised me.

Overall, though, the game is dragged down by quite possibly the worst fighting system in the history of video games, and a plot that had me interested right up until the end, when

Spoiler

the rug gets pulled out from under you and you find it's all just an alien Matrix rip off. Pyramid itself looked cool, but it just felt like the ending scene was abrupt with no follow-through. I loved Trip's ending line, though, but damnit I want to know more! What happened after they "freed" the slaves?!

Back to the combat, it was simply horrid with no redeeming qualities. I button-mashed my way through the whole game, using the charge attack sometimes but mainly just hitting the heavy attack over and over. Monkey just does whatever, attacking thin air, suddenly standing still and calmly putting away his weapon while surrounded by enemies despite me hammering on the button, the list goes on and on. All the while the camera spins and dives, giving me no clear indication of what was going on in the battle most of the time. Just mind-boggling bad.

In the end, I wish that I hadn't wasted $60 on it and had waited for the inevitable sub-$30 price tag. It had its moments, but overall I'm left with the feeling of loss over what might have been.

 

[Stampy]

You don't have to read my posts. That's the point. I encourage everyone who is annoyed by my blunt straight forward posting style to ignore it. The only time you have to listen to me is when I'm telling people not to do something that's against the rules.

Well I have been reading some of your posts in many threads, and I have noticed that most of the time you are negative about certain aspects of the game, usually giving all you got to highlight those negatives, it almost seems as if you don't even enjoy games, but then again that is just the impression I get from reading your posts. So just to understand your perspective and where you're coming from, can you at least name some games which you wouldn't belittle, or if such a game exists, which stands as a great title that you truly commend?

 

[McBacon]

Excellent game, beat it yesterday.

There's this brilliant bit, early on, where Trip is hiding in a box and you have to play the game yourself. It's actually really hard and tedious without her help, tying gameplay to the theme, making you start to realise that you need her as much as she needs you.

Very bold game, heartily enjoyed it.

 

[derFeef]

Finally finished it. Very good game with some distracting flaws. I actually hope they are making a second one and iron out those flaws. Loved the characters but the story had almost no impact :/ which is a shame.

 

[Phatcorns]

Amazing game. Combat was terrible, that is without question. It's like, God of War is the type of third person action game where the fighting is actually up to the player. This is the type of combat where it's just damn near automatic and shouldn't really be in the game. This game is actually very similar to the Prince of Persia reboot. Great story and graphics, but the gameplay is just sort of automatic. There is no skill involved. You just sort of go from place to place pressing the A button, the only real interactivity is moving.

But I digress, I rented the game for 7 bucks and it was totally worth it. Great, great game, loved the story and characters, had me laughing my ass off and feeling so many other emotions that good stories need to have. I also thought the ending was great, I don't care if it's been done before, I still think it was great, people are too jaded.

 

[ezekial45]

Short video of the Pigsy DLC:

http://www.destructoid.com/enslaved-pigsy-s-perfect-10-add-on-detailed-adds-3d

 

[LocoMrPollock]

Finished this a couple days ago. Enjoyed the ride. Lindsey Shaw and Andy Serkis did an awesome job.

Ending was a little cheesy.

 

[harriet the spy]

Finally forced myself to finish this.

A big fucking meh from me (better than heavenly sword though), but I have to say my opinion differed significantly from a lot of people. I thought the second half of the game was _better_ than the first half.

Like many, I thought the platforming was piss-easy / obnoxious (it's even worse when they try to pretend it's 'harder' by adding little cogs and flames, only making it more annoying because you have to wait). I was bored with it by the end of chapter 1. The combat was broken, but, i thought, not unredeemable, at least because it was mildly challenging. Like in Heavenly Sword, NT liked to put a lot of enemies that could readily 'block' your attacks, which doesn't happen a whole lot in, say, God of War (can enemy block your attack in GoW? Especially the strongest ones?).

So at least you have to navigate a bit around that. Plus there is the always somewhat gratifying counter mechanism, and truth is, combat does feel pretty violent. So anyway, because the combat was less broken than the platforming, the emphasis on combat made the second half more enjoyable for me. Framerate was of course worse then, but it's not like it was any good in the first part (on ps3), so going from shitty to shittier was not that much of a difference. Last boss sucked.

Spoiler

like all bosses

.

MoCap and voice acting were great

Spoiler

pigsy and monkey exchanging names was great

I liked the ending because of the design. It's kinda cool you don't really meet anyone from

Spoiler

Pyramid

until the very end

Spoiler

except from that one dude at the very beginning, but i hadn't even realized this was a pyramid ship

. I actually thought

Spoiler

Pigsy would turn out to be the bad guy

.

 

[seady]

I started it last night after renting it at RedBox (first time renting game there), and I am already at Chp 13 right now, so I am pretty much finish already. :lol

I enjoy it quite a bit. The combat is actually kind of fun I think. It's not those boring button masher like most Devil May Cry clones. Despite there's only few moves, there is actually some skills involved in combat. The platforming element, however, are pretty hand-holding and repetitive.

The environment, story and characters, just like everyone said, are very enjoyable.

 

[Erdrick]

I'm on Chapter 9 or 10. I forget which one. This game is quickly becoming a chore for me, which is sad, since I want to like it more. But good GOD, some of the segments enrage me. The combat is not fun and is tedious. The camera is getting on my case too, especially in said poor combat. I was getting gang-beaten by some mechs, about 4 of them and I could not even see what was going on due to the camera being behind a tree or too close or whatever.

I liked Heavenly Sword, and I still like this, but I am unsure if I will ever play this again once I beat it. The music in the particular area I am in is really getting on my nerves too.

I will see this game through though. It's just after playing through the similar flawed-but-great Castlevania, the level of design in this game is just lacking.

I'm playing on Hard though on my first playthrough, so maybe the game is more forgiving in terms of combat on easier levels?

The acting and characters are nice, but I just wish the game had something more to it... I don't look forward to the next level anymore; I dread it.

I'll man up and give it another try, now that I have stopped cursing and swearing at the game. for reference I am at the part with

Spoiler

the dog is chasing Trip in the boat and Monkey has to zip about on the cloud to get to it in time before it mauls her. I can _just_ about get to her but it's never enough.

Very enraging to get so close but still not be able to pull it off.

EDIT: And of course I just beat the segment I was stuck on. It was on Chapter 9. Ugh... I'm so sick of the enemies in this game...

 

[Jubbly]

DLC and 3D support coming soon, though you will have to buy special glasses:

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES ANNOUNCES “PIGSY’S PERFECT 10” PREMIUM DLC FOR ENSLAVED™: ODYSSEY TO THE WEST™

New DLC Includes Side Story Starring Pigsy Character and Allows Options to Play Both the DLC and Full Game in 3D

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 28 October 2010 – Leading video game publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., today announced details for the premium downloadable content (DLC) for ENSLAVED™: Odyssey to the West™. The DLC will include “Pigsy’s Perfect 10,” a new side story where players take on the role of Pigsy, the unforgettable character who was a non-playable ally from the main game. In addition, players will have options to experience both the new side story and the full original game in 3D.

Pigsy, the comical porcine character known for his one-line zingers and questionable hygiene, finally gets his time in the spotlight. The Titan Graveyard is a lonely place and Pigsy really needs some companionship beyond the mechs that roam the area. He dreams of the perfect woman and embarks on a mission to build one from scratch using scrap parts he finds around the junkyard. In contrast to the main game which features strong, capable Monkey as the playable character, Pigsy is much more of a lover than a fighter. Pigsy’s gameplay will have a completely different gameplay dynamic, with a focus on stealth and sharp-shooting. He has plenty of tricks up his sleeves including a far-reaching hookshot, trusty sniper rifle, various grenades and devices, Trouble Vision eye piece and the aid of his trusty mechanical sidekick Truffles.

In addition, when a player downloads the new DLC, the core game will receive a TriOviz® for Games Technology update, enabling all aspects of ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West to be experienced in eye-popping 3D. The lush environments and action packed fighting sequences will literally jump off the screen, providing players with an exciting, immersive experience. Fans that have a 3D-enabled television can play the DLC in 3D utilizing Stereo 3D Active Shutter Glasses.

For gamers that do not have a 3D-enabled television, Stereo 3D vision will be available on all 2D HDTV sets through the use of innovative TriOviz INFICOLOR® 3D glasses. These glasses will be available for purchase via http://www.trioviz.com in autumn 2010.

TriOviz® for Games Technology adds incredible depth-of-field while maintaining the integrity of the original gameplay and visuals. Players can experience both the main game as well as the new Pigsy story in 3D. The retailer bonus alternate costumes for Monkey or Trip will also appear in 3D for those that have them already.

Developed by Ninja Theory Ltd., the post-apocalyptic action-adventure features influences and contributions from top music and film industry talent. ENSLAVED combines beautifully rendered graphics and captivating music with seamless animation and engrossing gameplay to deliver a premier entertainment experience.

ENSLAVED is available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The “Pigsy’s Perfect 10” DLC add-on content will be released later this year for Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360 and on PlayStation Network. Players must have the retail game in order to access the “Pigsy’s Perfect 10” DLC content. For more information about ENSLAVED, please visit www.enslaved-thegame.com or www.namcobandaigames.eu .

Edit: If you bought Arkham Asylum GOTY you should already have a pair.

 

[dwebo]

For Trip fans: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/lindsey-shaw-enslaved/707035

The mo-cap actress is pretty cute :lol

 

[MiniBossBattle]

Played about 4 hours of the game on the PS3. Absolutely stunning. The environments are lush and the character models are great. I think the guys at Ninja theory need to do a lecture on their facial rigs, especially how they rig the geometry around the orbits of the eyes.

Can't wait to play more.

 

[Cronox]

Can someone explain how the platforming in this game is any worse than Uncharted? Did anyone complain then? The only difference is that you can't let go at any time and fall to your death like Uncharted, and the grip points are extra shiney and obvious. Big deal. It looks good, and is part of your exploration of the world.

Let's call it "cinematic platforming" and be done with it.

The combat was basic, but usually pretty brief. Only during the

Spoiler

power cores and final boss

was there any significant amount of combat. If you were being efficient, combat was probably 5-10% of your gameplay time.

Finished the game on Monday. Good stuff. Hopefully it does well enough to warrant a sequel, and some exposition on the ending.

 

[AcciDante]

I didn't really like the demo, but I got this off Gamefly today and just played through chapter 8. Loving it! Admittedly, it's the art/story that I'm loving, but the gameplay hasn't hindered any enjoyment. Haven't really had trouble with any parts yet.

 

[robotzombie]

Can someone please help me out with the Windmill section? I think my game is glitched or something. I can get as far as being able to jump onto the second arm from the side building, but then Trip no longer takes any orders and there isnt anything else I'm able to do. I've gotten this more than once during this game where Trip just stops responding to orders. I've gone back to the last checkpoint like three times and there just doesn't seem to be anything I can do.

Anyone have any idea whats going on?

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Can someone please help me out with the Windmill section? I think my game is glitched or something. I can get as far as being able to jump onto the second arm from the side building, but then Trip no longer takes any orders and there isnt anything else I'm able to do. I've gotten this more than once during this game where Trip just stops responding to orders. I've gone back to the last checkpoint like three times and there just doesn't seem to be anything I can do.

Anyone have any idea whats going on?

Commanding trip in that section is a bit clunky. Try to hold the trip button and switching between commands until she finally accepts your command.

 

[noire]

deleted

 

[practice02]

I didn't really like the demo, but I got this off Gamefly today and just played through chapter 8. Loving it! Admittedly, it's the art/story that I'm loving, but the gameplay hasn't hindered any enjoyment. Haven't really had trouble with any parts yet.

it's like borderlands none of the elements of the game stand out but they all adhere together well. with that said i hate the moments when the game takes away a bit of control i.e. making me walk slow or i cant control the cameras point of focus.

 

[AcciDante]

What the hell was that ending?!