Not to imply this is an effective aesthetic decision, btw. I think in Aloy's case it's analogous to a film voiceover that interrupts the onscreen action too often with facile observations.

Maybe there is condescension here, but I think it's more about lacking faith in the design than the players.

When Aloy says "This should be useful" she's not instructing the player about anything meaningful. Instead, it's like a vocal tic signaling Aloy as the game's characterization of the player's agency. As though the worry is players will forget their bond with her.

In some instances, nervousness about the player missing something seems like a clear culprit - Atreyu in Ragnarok feels like a good example of this.

But in Aloy's case, it feels more like an aesthetic decision meant to support characterization and maybe virtual embodiment.

I'm so curious on the aesthetic origin of this kind of thing. It's so unlike other forms of narration - it's not an internal monologue like in first person novels, it's not a voiceover like film noir or storybooks.

But I'm not convinced "hand holding the players" is a sufficient explanation for it.

Have had my eye on in this from the first announcement - love to see you covering it, but not sure I'm going to be able to prioritize it before the end of the year. Too much to play!

Griffin McElroy, Travis McElroy, and Justin McElroy.

Rekha, Vic, Oyama.

Lisa, but the other two spots rotate between the rest of the cast.

Then some games I haven't touched yet but really need to:

Baby Steps
Dispatch
Date Everything
Wanderstop
Ender Magnolia
Ninja Gaiden 4
Islanders: New Shores
Synergy
Europa Universalis 5

Some others that I still need to play more of before the year is out:

KC:D 2
Citizen Sleeper 2
Despelote
Haste
Inhuman Resources
Sultan's Game
The Drifter
The Necromancer's Tale
Borderlands 4
Backpack Battles
Monster Train 2