Latest news with #Quixotic
The Advertiser
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Tilting at windmills is an act of self-harm
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to He's Labor's not-so-secret weapon, almost guaranteed to inflict damage on the Coalition whenever he opens his mouth. He's a gift to the government, even though he sits opposite. He is, of course, Barnaby Joyce, member for New England, one time deputy PM and former leader of the Nationals. As if the Coalition wasn't at a low enough ebb already, its numbers so depleted it barely registers as a political force. Along comes Barnaby with his latest doomed bid for attention - his private member's bill to scrap net zero. His more sensible Liberal partners are probably wondering if that brief separation after the election drubbing should have been permanent. Meanwhile, Labor is likely hoping for more Barnaby because if anyone makes the Coalition seem completely out of touch, it's him. Introducing his bill in the almost empty chamber yesterday, he cut a lonely figure - like an old and confused man yelling at clouds. His arguments for abandoning net zero were delivered in a hoarse voice. Shouting when few are listening can do that. Shouting is also necessary when you've failed to read the room and understand why your Liberal partners have been bleeding seats for so long now. Here's a hint, Barnaby: people want action on climate change. That's why they've chosen so many independents in once blue-ribbon Liberal seats. That's why the Coalition has been driven out of the cities. It's not just the domestic room Barnaby's failed to read. If he'd been paying attention he'd have learned that solar power is being embraced energetically around the world, even in the countries he lists as not setting net zero targets. New solar projects account for the equivalent of another coal-fired power station every 15 hours. Leading the charge towards renewables is China - one of the countries he singles out. Even Joyce's claim the bush is dead-set against renewables is flaky. A recent survey if 1000 regional residents in Renewable Energy Zones found 70 per cent supported renewables. I checked with a friend - a journalist based in the central west of NSW - who said opposition to wind farms and new transmission lines was probably overstated and the bigger issue was the lack of consultation over where they should go. Joyce's bill will get nowhere. The numbers tell us that. The only winner will be the government, which is thanking its lucky stars that not only does the electorate keep on returning Barnaby but he keeps throwing his oversized hat into the ring just like he did in October 2021. Remember that? That's when the then leader of the Nationals - yep, Barnaby Joyce - announced that he'd struck an agreement with then PM Scott Morrison to agree to committing to, you guessed it, net zero. So, really, this latest Quixotic titling at windmills is little more than a fall off the political planter box. A look-at-me moment Labor is relishing while the Coalition buries its face in its hands. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Barnaby Joyce harming the Coalition with his stance on net zero? Would the Liberals have been wiser to make the brief split with the Nationals a permanent arrangement? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The United Nations is urging Australia to set ambitious climate and renewable energy targets in its next net-zero update to secure future jobs and a rich vein of clean exports for the country. - Parents are being warned their kids may be exploited online for child abuse material, amid a push to criminalise the use of apps that "nudify" pictures. - Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. THEY SAID IT: "The shift to a cleaner energy economy won't happen overnight, and it will require tough choices along the way. But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact." - Barack Obama YOU SAID IT: Donald Trump said he'd usher in a new golden age. He didn't expect it to be comedy and satire - at his expense. Sue writes: "Humour is my go-to for dealing with most things, good or bad. Particularly important in politics where so much is out of our immediate control and any limited control we have may be delayed or take a long time to have any effect. Laughter can provide a perspective that allows us to deal with difficult things, even if, sometimes, the humour is pretty dark. Favourite cartoonists include Petty, Leunig and Pickering but have to say that I really enjoy Pope's and Broelman's work as well." "Mockery, ridicule, satire and just laughing at them are highly powerful in politics and will bring down fake pretenders," writes John from Port Macquarie. "Imagine what the moniker Scottie from Marketing and all that cosplay behind truck steering wheels, pushing mops along already cleaned floors, waving lumps of coal, giving unwanted handshakes and conducting squeamish hairdressing sessions did to our most phoney of prime ministers." Deb writes: "Humour is essential in politics. It's able to cut through the crap and exposes the usually confronting main points. My opinions on an issue have definitely been shaped by cartoons or comedy sketches. And most importantly, they save us from despair. If we don't laugh we would flood the world with tears." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to He's Labor's not-so-secret weapon, almost guaranteed to inflict damage on the Coalition whenever he opens his mouth. He's a gift to the government, even though he sits opposite. He is, of course, Barnaby Joyce, member for New England, one time deputy PM and former leader of the Nationals. As if the Coalition wasn't at a low enough ebb already, its numbers so depleted it barely registers as a political force. Along comes Barnaby with his latest doomed bid for attention - his private member's bill to scrap net zero. His more sensible Liberal partners are probably wondering if that brief separation after the election drubbing should have been permanent. Meanwhile, Labor is likely hoping for more Barnaby because if anyone makes the Coalition seem completely out of touch, it's him. Introducing his bill in the almost empty chamber yesterday, he cut a lonely figure - like an old and confused man yelling at clouds. His arguments for abandoning net zero were delivered in a hoarse voice. Shouting when few are listening can do that. Shouting is also necessary when you've failed to read the room and understand why your Liberal partners have been bleeding seats for so long now. Here's a hint, Barnaby: people want action on climate change. That's why they've chosen so many independents in once blue-ribbon Liberal seats. That's why the Coalition has been driven out of the cities. It's not just the domestic room Barnaby's failed to read. If he'd been paying attention he'd have learned that solar power is being embraced energetically around the world, even in the countries he lists as not setting net zero targets. New solar projects account for the equivalent of another coal-fired power station every 15 hours. Leading the charge towards renewables is China - one of the countries he singles out. Even Joyce's claim the bush is dead-set against renewables is flaky. A recent survey if 1000 regional residents in Renewable Energy Zones found 70 per cent supported renewables. I checked with a friend - a journalist based in the central west of NSW - who said opposition to wind farms and new transmission lines was probably overstated and the bigger issue was the lack of consultation over where they should go. Joyce's bill will get nowhere. The numbers tell us that. The only winner will be the government, which is thanking its lucky stars that not only does the electorate keep on returning Barnaby but he keeps throwing his oversized hat into the ring just like he did in October 2021. Remember that? That's when the then leader of the Nationals - yep, Barnaby Joyce - announced that he'd struck an agreement with then PM Scott Morrison to agree to committing to, you guessed it, net zero. So, really, this latest Quixotic titling at windmills is little more than a fall off the political planter box. A look-at-me moment Labor is relishing while the Coalition buries its face in its hands. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Barnaby Joyce harming the Coalition with his stance on net zero? Would the Liberals have been wiser to make the brief split with the Nationals a permanent arrangement? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The United Nations is urging Australia to set ambitious climate and renewable energy targets in its next net-zero update to secure future jobs and a rich vein of clean exports for the country. - Parents are being warned their kids may be exploited online for child abuse material, amid a push to criminalise the use of apps that "nudify" pictures. - Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. THEY SAID IT: "The shift to a cleaner energy economy won't happen overnight, and it will require tough choices along the way. But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact." - Barack Obama YOU SAID IT: Donald Trump said he'd usher in a new golden age. He didn't expect it to be comedy and satire - at his expense. Sue writes: "Humour is my go-to for dealing with most things, good or bad. Particularly important in politics where so much is out of our immediate control and any limited control we have may be delayed or take a long time to have any effect. Laughter can provide a perspective that allows us to deal with difficult things, even if, sometimes, the humour is pretty dark. Favourite cartoonists include Petty, Leunig and Pickering but have to say that I really enjoy Pope's and Broelman's work as well." "Mockery, ridicule, satire and just laughing at them are highly powerful in politics and will bring down fake pretenders," writes John from Port Macquarie. "Imagine what the moniker Scottie from Marketing and all that cosplay behind truck steering wheels, pushing mops along already cleaned floors, waving lumps of coal, giving unwanted handshakes and conducting squeamish hairdressing sessions did to our most phoney of prime ministers." Deb writes: "Humour is essential in politics. It's able to cut through the crap and exposes the usually confronting main points. My opinions on an issue have definitely been shaped by cartoons or comedy sketches. And most importantly, they save us from despair. If we don't laugh we would flood the world with tears." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to He's Labor's not-so-secret weapon, almost guaranteed to inflict damage on the Coalition whenever he opens his mouth. He's a gift to the government, even though he sits opposite. He is, of course, Barnaby Joyce, member for New England, one time deputy PM and former leader of the Nationals. As if the Coalition wasn't at a low enough ebb already, its numbers so depleted it barely registers as a political force. Along comes Barnaby with his latest doomed bid for attention - his private member's bill to scrap net zero. His more sensible Liberal partners are probably wondering if that brief separation after the election drubbing should have been permanent. Meanwhile, Labor is likely hoping for more Barnaby because if anyone makes the Coalition seem completely out of touch, it's him. Introducing his bill in the almost empty chamber yesterday, he cut a lonely figure - like an old and confused man yelling at clouds. His arguments for abandoning net zero were delivered in a hoarse voice. Shouting when few are listening can do that. Shouting is also necessary when you've failed to read the room and understand why your Liberal partners have been bleeding seats for so long now. Here's a hint, Barnaby: people want action on climate change. That's why they've chosen so many independents in once blue-ribbon Liberal seats. That's why the Coalition has been driven out of the cities. It's not just the domestic room Barnaby's failed to read. If he'd been paying attention he'd have learned that solar power is being embraced energetically around the world, even in the countries he lists as not setting net zero targets. New solar projects account for the equivalent of another coal-fired power station every 15 hours. Leading the charge towards renewables is China - one of the countries he singles out. Even Joyce's claim the bush is dead-set against renewables is flaky. A recent survey if 1000 regional residents in Renewable Energy Zones found 70 per cent supported renewables. I checked with a friend - a journalist based in the central west of NSW - who said opposition to wind farms and new transmission lines was probably overstated and the bigger issue was the lack of consultation over where they should go. Joyce's bill will get nowhere. The numbers tell us that. The only winner will be the government, which is thanking its lucky stars that not only does the electorate keep on returning Barnaby but he keeps throwing his oversized hat into the ring just like he did in October 2021. Remember that? That's when the then leader of the Nationals - yep, Barnaby Joyce - announced that he'd struck an agreement with then PM Scott Morrison to agree to committing to, you guessed it, net zero. So, really, this latest Quixotic titling at windmills is little more than a fall off the political planter box. A look-at-me moment Labor is relishing while the Coalition buries its face in its hands. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Barnaby Joyce harming the Coalition with his stance on net zero? Would the Liberals have been wiser to make the brief split with the Nationals a permanent arrangement? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The United Nations is urging Australia to set ambitious climate and renewable energy targets in its next net-zero update to secure future jobs and a rich vein of clean exports for the country. - Parents are being warned their kids may be exploited online for child abuse material, amid a push to criminalise the use of apps that "nudify" pictures. - Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. THEY SAID IT: "The shift to a cleaner energy economy won't happen overnight, and it will require tough choices along the way. But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact." - Barack Obama YOU SAID IT: Donald Trump said he'd usher in a new golden age. He didn't expect it to be comedy and satire - at his expense. Sue writes: "Humour is my go-to for dealing with most things, good or bad. Particularly important in politics where so much is out of our immediate control and any limited control we have may be delayed or take a long time to have any effect. Laughter can provide a perspective that allows us to deal with difficult things, even if, sometimes, the humour is pretty dark. Favourite cartoonists include Petty, Leunig and Pickering but have to say that I really enjoy Pope's and Broelman's work as well." "Mockery, ridicule, satire and just laughing at them are highly powerful in politics and will bring down fake pretenders," writes John from Port Macquarie. "Imagine what the moniker Scottie from Marketing and all that cosplay behind truck steering wheels, pushing mops along already cleaned floors, waving lumps of coal, giving unwanted handshakes and conducting squeamish hairdressing sessions did to our most phoney of prime ministers." Deb writes: "Humour is essential in politics. It's able to cut through the crap and exposes the usually confronting main points. My opinions on an issue have definitely been shaped by cartoons or comedy sketches. And most importantly, they save us from despair. If we don't laugh we would flood the world with tears." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to He's Labor's not-so-secret weapon, almost guaranteed to inflict damage on the Coalition whenever he opens his mouth. He's a gift to the government, even though he sits opposite. He is, of course, Barnaby Joyce, member for New England, one time deputy PM and former leader of the Nationals. As if the Coalition wasn't at a low enough ebb already, its numbers so depleted it barely registers as a political force. Along comes Barnaby with his latest doomed bid for attention - his private member's bill to scrap net zero. His more sensible Liberal partners are probably wondering if that brief separation after the election drubbing should have been permanent. Meanwhile, Labor is likely hoping for more Barnaby because if anyone makes the Coalition seem completely out of touch, it's him. Introducing his bill in the almost empty chamber yesterday, he cut a lonely figure - like an old and confused man yelling at clouds. His arguments for abandoning net zero were delivered in a hoarse voice. Shouting when few are listening can do that. Shouting is also necessary when you've failed to read the room and understand why your Liberal partners have been bleeding seats for so long now. Here's a hint, Barnaby: people want action on climate change. That's why they've chosen so many independents in once blue-ribbon Liberal seats. That's why the Coalition has been driven out of the cities. It's not just the domestic room Barnaby's failed to read. If he'd been paying attention he'd have learned that solar power is being embraced energetically around the world, even in the countries he lists as not setting net zero targets. New solar projects account for the equivalent of another coal-fired power station every 15 hours. Leading the charge towards renewables is China - one of the countries he singles out. Even Joyce's claim the bush is dead-set against renewables is flaky. A recent survey if 1000 regional residents in Renewable Energy Zones found 70 per cent supported renewables. I checked with a friend - a journalist based in the central west of NSW - who said opposition to wind farms and new transmission lines was probably overstated and the bigger issue was the lack of consultation over where they should go. Joyce's bill will get nowhere. The numbers tell us that. The only winner will be the government, which is thanking its lucky stars that not only does the electorate keep on returning Barnaby but he keeps throwing his oversized hat into the ring just like he did in October 2021. Remember that? That's when the then leader of the Nationals - yep, Barnaby Joyce - announced that he'd struck an agreement with then PM Scott Morrison to agree to committing to, you guessed it, net zero. So, really, this latest Quixotic titling at windmills is little more than a fall off the political planter box. A look-at-me moment Labor is relishing while the Coalition buries its face in its hands. HAVE YOUR SAY: Is Barnaby Joyce harming the Coalition with his stance on net zero? Would the Liberals have been wiser to make the brief split with the Nationals a permanent arrangement? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The United Nations is urging Australia to set ambitious climate and renewable energy targets in its next net-zero update to secure future jobs and a rich vein of clean exports for the country. - Parents are being warned their kids may be exploited online for child abuse material, amid a push to criminalise the use of apps that "nudify" pictures. - Three years after a fatal chopper crash, reality TV star Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice. THEY SAID IT: "The shift to a cleaner energy economy won't happen overnight, and it will require tough choices along the way. But the debate is settled. Climate change is a fact." - Barack Obama YOU SAID IT: Donald Trump said he'd usher in a new golden age. He didn't expect it to be comedy and satire - at his expense. Sue writes: "Humour is my go-to for dealing with most things, good or bad. Particularly important in politics where so much is out of our immediate control and any limited control we have may be delayed or take a long time to have any effect. Laughter can provide a perspective that allows us to deal with difficult things, even if, sometimes, the humour is pretty dark. Favourite cartoonists include Petty, Leunig and Pickering but have to say that I really enjoy Pope's and Broelman's work as well." "Mockery, ridicule, satire and just laughing at them are highly powerful in politics and will bring down fake pretenders," writes John from Port Macquarie. "Imagine what the moniker Scottie from Marketing and all that cosplay behind truck steering wheels, pushing mops along already cleaned floors, waving lumps of coal, giving unwanted handshakes and conducting squeamish hairdressing sessions did to our most phoney of prime ministers." Deb writes: "Humour is essential in politics. It's able to cut through the crap and exposes the usually confronting main points. My opinions on an issue have definitely been shaped by cartoons or comedy sketches. And most importantly, they save us from despair. If we don't laugh we would flood the world with tears."
New York Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Rise of Zohran Mamdani has Wall Street giving up on Gotham
The NYC Partnership threw a party — but no one really showed up. A who's who of the New York City business community were no shows for a Tuesday meet and greet session with socialist democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. The list of New York City-based CEOs that declined the Partnership's invitation includes Jamie Dimon, the nation's top banker and chief of JP Morgan, the nations largest bank; Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of private equity powerhouse Blackstone; Brian Moynihan, the head of Bank of America, the nations second largest bank; Larry Fink, the CEO of Blackrock, the worlds largest asset manager; and David Solomon, the CEO of investment banking giant Goldman Sachs. Advertisement Most publicly pleaded 'scheduling conflicts.' But 'what is this guy going to tell us that we don't already know?' is how someone close to Solomon described the situation. Those sentiments were pretty universal among according to sources at the banks of the CEOs who didn't attend. Advertisement There was once a time that CEOs of this caliber would want to meet the likely next mayor of the city. Now, it's resignation — a bet that New York City is a lost cause, and a belief that the Partnership, run by the retiring Kathy Wylde, is an increasingly impotent advocate to turn back the increasingly leftist political class. Most business leaders I know are looking for an exit strategy rather than a strategy to deal with a mayor Mamdani. Yes, they want the current mayor Eric Adams to stick around — ethical warts and all — because he's the devil they know and they like his very competent police commissioner, Jessica Tisch. Advertisement But Adams faces an uphill climb, all the more so because Andrew Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the primary, is leading what they see as a Quixotic run as an independent. Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee, is going nowhere fast. The polls, for now, show a likely Mamdani mayoralty, combined with a leftist city council and a state government that veers nearly as far left as Zohran. Advertisement All which spells disaster for those businesses who stay: Police defunding, higher taxes and government takeover of businesses like supermarkets. And that gets us to why there were so many no shows Tuesday: the city's business community doesn't have to stay. If you follow these big firms, as I do, you know they employ hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers — but fewer and fewer in recent years. The harsh COVID lockdowns here gave them the excuse to move operations to places with lower taxes and regulations, mainly Florida and Texas, but also Utah and even Tennessee. Mamdani will be another reason for the big banks to finally say goodbye to Gotham.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Going Hands-On With Lies of P: Overture—Your Springs Are Reacting
When I first saw the announcement trailer for Lies of P: Overture, is was met with mixed emotions. Initially, I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the add-on I was hoping for—if you got the 'Rise of P' secret ending, then you know what I'm talking about. But of course, I was more than happy for more Lies of P content in any way, shape or form, so even base-game DLC is good enough for me. I honestly didn't realize how much I loved Lies of P, even after the first time I played it. I had gotten reasonably far into it before I wrote my review for it, but—as is the nature of game criticism—other matters took my attention and I didn't really get back to it. That was until last November when I decided to pick it up again and fell so hard back in love that I finished it in under a week. So I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to LA by Round8 and Neowiz to get an exclusive hands-on first look at Lies of P: Overture. It was a remarkable experience, held at the Paramour Estate—which felt incredibly appropriate to the aesthetic of the game. We were surrounded by antique statues and classic paintings, much like Lies of P and the city of Krat, it felt like we were frozen in a forgotten pocket of time. At the end of the little greeting room sat a vintage puppet, dressed in P's new winter attire, who was brought to life by a puppeteer—which felt a little against the spirit of the character, but hey, this is real life—and they even recreated a Trinity Room, although I would've loved to have had to solve one of the King of Riddle's brain-teasers to get into it. As we snacked on charcuterie and sipped cocktails, Herman Li took the stage to perform 'Quixotic' and 'Feel' in a shred-metal way that only he could. It really was an unbelievable event that Round8 and Zebra Partners really put a lot of love and care into, in order to capture the spirit and soul of Lies of P. But once the sun set and the libations were consumed, it was time to step back into the city of Krat. The demo itself was split into two parts: a brief introduction to the new story-driven addition and the 'Battle Memories' boss rematch mode. When I asked what goes into the design philosophy behind Lies of P, not just in its gameplay but its story, Game Director Jiwon Choi said, 'First and foremost, we want you to experience the craftsmanship.' And this was certainly present in the demo. As was stated by Choi, the new story DLC integrates into the main story around Chapter 9, rather than acting as a direct sequel or post-game story. 'So, when we developed the base game, there was a huge amount of content that we wanted to fit into the base game. Obviously, there are limitations,' Choi said through his translator. He continued, 'So, once that work was complete, we had the opportunity to build the DLC part of it where you could actually bring in many of those elements and content that we couldn't fit into the base game.' Similar to what was shown in the announcement trailer, the game began with P finding himself in a strange version of Krat, now covered in a blanket of snow and outside the once magnificent Krat Zoo. Gemini informs P that there must be some mistake, as he remembers going to the zoo on a snowy day, before it was reduced to ash and rubble in a great fire—the two have been sent into the past. 'You know, you're well familiar with the Puppet Frenzy, and then how that transpired, and how it transformed creatures or living things…So we want you to be able to kind of guess and imagine how they were before that, and how they are now,' Choi said through his translator. He continued, 'So that you can kind of guess, and that will create sort of an emotional connection for this particular version.' It was only a small taste, but we got to see some incredible new enemies themed around the haunted managerie. Great apes, Kangaroos and hulking Elephants corrupted by Ergo and twisted into malformed monstrosities. What's more, the demo introduced a new status ailment that was thematically connected to the new setting: Freeze, which not only does damage over time, but slows P's movements. Thankfully, we had been given plenty of new weapons to deal with these newfound threats. The primary weapon we were equipped with was an honest-to-goodness Gunblade pulled straight out of Final Fantasy VIII. Outside of just looking cool, the weapon itself had a great degree of balance and versatility despite being a weapon that scales with Motivity. Players can combo into a heavy attack that uses a massive gunshot to blast them back—essentially acting as a dodge. However, players can also follow up with a second heavy where P aims backwards and blasts himself forward into a wide-reaching slash. Some of the other weapons included the bow and arrows shown in the announcement trailer which did take a little getting used to. Despite having a pretty fair range, there was a unique rhythm to attacking that needed to be mastered to keep enemies from closing the distance. One of the more interesting weapons was a massive club with two pinwheels that acted like sawblades. With every swing and dodge, the pinwheels spun faster, allowing for more hits. And despite being a fairly large weapon with a pretty big windup, this weapon scales with Technique, which will certainly make things interesting for more nimble players. And of course, there were P's new Puppet Arms. The first one, aptly named Icarus, allowed P to throw out up to five boomerang-like blades that could be charged and spin in a single spot, dealing massive damage to enemies. The second, named Cataclysm, was an arm-mounted Elephant Gun that P could charge for a devastating blast to blow back enemies or deal immense damage. This was a real risk vs. reward kind of arm since the charge time was pretty substantial, but the trade-off was certainly worth it. The second part of the demo, the aforementioned 'Battle Memories,' gave us a taste of the newest feature coming to Lies of P via an upcoming patch: selectable difficulty. This game looks to be the first of its kind—a Soulslike with difficulty , what a concept. I say this as a joke, but one of the questions that was asked of Choi specifically referenced how certain gamers take umbrage with the idea of difficulty options in Soulslikes, and how Lies of P would approach such a concept. Choi essentially said the reason they're making Lies of P: Overture more accessible is that there are a lot of people who love the game, but don't really enjoy it because of the difficulty, saying, 'So, I felt really bad about that. On the other hand, we do a lot of tests with the developers, but there are people who can't do it because of their skills, so we adjust the balance and do tests.' As to how difficult options would affect the game, Choi's answer was interesting, without giving too much away, saying, 'For that very purpose, actually…we kind of hid the overall kind of elements of that so that you don't immediately see the details of the difficulty.' He continued, 'It's not just simply higher HP or difficulty. We wanted to make sure with the variety of different play styles, the different characters, you enjoy the game in different ways.' What these changes may or may not be, I honestly couldn't say at this time. When I sat down to attempt the three new bosses that were made available to us for the demo, out of the five selectable difficulties, I played them on Difficulty Three—being the Hardcore Gamer™ that I am. My interest wasn't so much in the raw difficulty of these bosses, but in their style and substance, and they definitely didn't disappoint. Ranging from a quick and nimble Alchemist whose weapon was an angelic puppet tethered to her by a string of light, a hulking behemoth with a club made of bones who would enter an enraged state with expanded movesets and much more aggressive attack timing, and lastly a goliath monster that was a twisted amalgam of a human using both weapons and its colossal size to deal devastating damage. While the bosses in the Lies of P main game leaned more towards robotic enemies that were thematically appropriate for the story and setting, this small glimpse at some of the new opponents not only felt appropriate for the DLC but showcased a lot of the creativity and capacity that the creators have for this game. 'I focused a lot on expressing the romantic memories that we have from the main episode in a completely different way,' Choi said. While the demo was as brief as the trip itself, Lies of P: Overture looks to be as sizable and resonant as the main game itself. The love and care the team put into crafting both an in-person and gameplay experience shows just how meaningful this game is to them, and how much they want a wide variety of gamers to experience its beautiful and brutal world. Lies of P: Overture is set to release in the Summer of 2025.
The Age
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Marriage is a test of many things, but memory might be the biggest
We should all be suspicious of memory. There's endless evidence it's an unreliable witness. Some of the things you can see as if they happened yesterday didn't happen at all, and some of those you've forgotten are captured on film and impossible to refute. Some dreams are remembered as real. Various childhood episodes are recalled as dreams. Living with your own memory is hard enough – working out what's real, what's wishful, what's denial, and what's flagrantly Quixotic. But living entangled in two … do you double the difficulty of memory when you combine a couple of minds, or do you halve it? Do the glitches and deformities aggregate or diminish? Consider the conjoined memory of an elderly married couple. That bushfire 30 years ago that they've talked about a thousand times since, each time bending the other's recollection of the event a little towards their own. He resettles her interpretation in his own mind just as she adopts his retentions in hers. They once had separate memories of the fire, but now have a shared story. Have two truths become one myth? The first steps of their second child … five years later she remembers that toddler was waving a rusk and singing a nursery rhyme … he remembers Geelong was about to beat Carlton and the bloody kid walked in front of the screen while he had to pretend to be delighted. Twenty years later, after countless retellings, some infected by beer, the kid is waving a Cats flag and singing the club theme song as he walks wobblily towards adulthood. Not only do couples mix their DNA to create new people, they also meld their memories to reinvent the past. Loading But it doesn't always work that way. In other cases a wife and husband's memories diverge, like the Koreas, into totally different truths and histories. I was at a cafe recently with a married couple, Ambrose and Penny, on a sunny pier in Sydney, no hint of dissent or rancour in the air – there rarely is before one of Ambrose's mis-memories strikes like a drone. They were discussing postnatal depression and Ambrose said his mother-in-law suffered from it after the birth of every one of her five children and he attributed it to her having caesareans each time. Penny was aghast. 'Ambrose, what are you talking about? Mum gave birth naturally always.' 'No, she didn't,' he insisted. 'Like Rome, she had a succession of Caesars.'
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Marriage is a test of many things, but memory might be the biggest
We should all be suspicious of memory. There's endless evidence it's an unreliable witness. Some of the things you can see as if they happened yesterday didn't happen at all, and some of those you've forgotten are captured on film and impossible to refute. Some dreams are remembered as real. Various childhood episodes are recalled as dreams. Living with your own memory is hard enough – working out what's real, what's wishful, what's denial, and what's flagrantly Quixotic. But living entangled in two … do you double the difficulty of memory when you combine a couple of minds, or do you halve it? Do the glitches and deformities aggregate or diminish? Consider the conjoined memory of an elderly married couple. That bushfire 30 years ago that they've talked about a thousand times since, each time bending the other's recollection of the event a little towards their own. He resettles her interpretation in his own mind just as she adopts his retentions in hers. They once had separate memories of the fire, but now have a shared story. Have two truths become one myth? The first steps of their second child … five years later she remembers that toddler was waving a rusk and singing a nursery rhyme … he remembers Geelong was about to beat Carlton and the bloody kid walked in front of the screen while he had to pretend to be delighted. Twenty years later, after countless retellings, some infected by beer, the kid is waving a Cats flag and singing the club theme song as he walks wobblily towards adulthood. Not only do couples mix their DNA to create new people, they also meld their memories to reinvent the past. Loading But it doesn't always work that way. In other cases a wife and husband's memories diverge, like the Koreas, into totally different truths and histories. I was at a cafe recently with a married couple, Ambrose and Penny, on a sunny pier in Sydney, no hint of dissent or rancour in the air – there rarely is before one of Ambrose's mis-memories strikes like a drone. They were discussing postnatal depression and Ambrose said his mother-in-law suffered from it after the birth of every one of her five children and he attributed it to her having caesareans each time. Penny was aghast. 'Ambrose, what are you talking about? Mum gave birth naturally always.' 'No, she didn't,' he insisted. 'Like Rome, she had a succession of Caesars.'
