July 2025 Q&A Time! Submit Those Questions!
Added 2025-07-05 21:27:40 +0000 UTCIf you're keeping score at home, then you'd know I'm one month late to our quarterly Q&A's. And for that I must atone with a July Q&A. So you know the drill! If there's anything you've ever wanted to ask and see answered on video, submit it below or write in to: MysticRyan@Gmail.com
Friendly reminder to keep your question brief, and a single question only out of respect for all others. That way I can give everyone a nice, lengthy, thoughtful response. Because you know I love you all. I might wear the leopard print button up for this session too. It's Summer baby, we gotta live it up.
-Ryan
Comments
Hey Ryan, I just want to say first and foremost that I really respect your opinions, especially when it comes to the PlayStation ecosystem and industry figures. I’ve been a fan of your channel for years, and I genuinely value how balanced and thoughtful your takes usually are. That being said, I’ve always been curious about your positive view of Neil Druckmann. Personally, I’ve had a hard time seeing him in the same light. I know this topic can be divisive, and I don’t condone the hate or harassment that some people in the industry—like Laura Bailey—unfairly received. That’s not where I’m coming from. I’m not trying to be an angry guy on the internet; I’m just someone who genuinely loved *The Last of Us* and felt extremely let down by what happened with Part II. I wanted to hear your take on some concerns that I and many others have with Neil’s direction at Naughty Dog. To be specific: 1. (The direction of *The Last of Us Part II) — I respect bold storytelling, but I personally felt the heart of the franchise was gutted. Joel’s death wasn’t the issue itself—it was *how* it was done. It felt unearned, and out of character. Joel, who survived for decades in a ruthless world, suddenly lets his guard down and shares his name with total strangers? That’s not the Joel we knew. 2. (The misleading marketing) — The trailers for Part II heavily implied Joel would play a major role, even showing him in scenes that were swapped out with Jesse in the final game. That kind of misdirection doesn’t feel clever; it feels manipulative. I know studios sometimes do this, but the way it was handled rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. 3. (The attitude toward fans) — There have been moments where Neil seems to take jabs at the audience on social media. Instead of engaging in meaningful discussion or taking criticism constructively, he often seems dismissive—like when he responded with sarcasm or vague tweets that seemed to provoke frustrated fans rather than address their concerns. 4. (Past comments and contradictions) — He once said in interview before the game came out that they’d “do right by Joel and Ellie,” and I think many would agree that didn’t happen. He’s also gone on record admitting he once wanted to kill off Elena in *Uncharted 2*, which Bruce Straley reportedly stopped him from doing. It makes me wonder how much Bruce and Amy Hennig balanced out his more extreme ideas—and whether Naughty Dog has suffered creatively since they left. 5. (Dismissal of criticism) — Neil has implied that criticism of Part II is just coming from a small, angry minority. But based on community feedback, reviews, and forums, I think that’s simply not true. There's a huge portion of the fanbase that had valid, nuanced concerns. 6. (The story itself) — The revenge theme could’ve worked—but the execution felt forced. Certain story beats didn’t land, and there were gaps in logic and pacing. And again, maybe if Bruce Straley had been there to push back or refine the story, we’d have seen something stronger. I know you’ve expressed a lot of respect for Neil, and I get that. But I’d really love to hear your honest take on this other side of the conversation—especially given how passionate you are about Naughty Dog and PlayStation’s legacy. i really appreciate for taking the time to read this. I truly mean no hate toward anyone, this is just from one long-time fan to another who really cares about the direction of the games we love.
Faaris Fowzi
2025-07-23 16:18:15 +0000 UTCSup Ryan! I've heard you say you're not the biggest fan of oddworld. Why not? I don't mean to put you on the spot just wondering what it is you don't like? Is it the gameplay? story? I drive for a living & I listen to Lorne Lanning talk about his world view & how it inspired him to make oddworld & then I get sucked back into another playthrough. Now I have to platinum oddysee because it finally got patched! Are you gonna platinum it? It looks like the easiest oddworld game to platinum tbh.
Beau Tepley
2025-07-23 03:10:57 +0000 UTC
