Chapter 1471 1389 ZEPS 4 Ruined Me 2

Leeroy began arranging the twelve game cases across his desk, looking at them for several seconds before turning back toward the camera. "So... these are the twelve games that launched with ZEPS 4. And yeah, I know most of you already know the general quality of these games. They're superb. Some of them are fucking incredible. But I'm actually not here just to tell you which one has good graphics, which one has good music, or which one deserves a nine or ten out of ten. You guys already have hundreds of reviews for that."

He tapped the cases lightly with his finger. "What I want to talk about is something else. I want to talk about what these games actually represent as video games... and what they might do to this industry."

Leeroy inhaled before leaning closer toward the camera. "Because we need to remember something. Ever since ZEPS 1 released more than ten years ago, ZAGE and Zaboru Renkonan have constantly done something that has honestly become almost normal to us now: they define things. Not everything, obviously. I'm not going to sit here and pretend every genre was invented by ZAGE because that would be bullshit. But look around the current industry and you'll notice how many modern games are branches of ideas that ZAGE either introduced, popularized, expanded, or made viable."

He gestured with both hands. "And the crazy part is that they've never really acted territorial about it. Other studios reference their games constantly. People use mechanics inspired by their work, use Unreal Engine, study their controls, study their camera systems, study their level design, and ZAGE is basically standing there going, 'Yeah, sure. Go ahead.' That attitude helped create the ecosystem we have right now. ZEPS 4 feels like them doing that again, except on a much bigger scale."

Leeroy reached toward the pile and pulled out Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, holding the case toward the camera with a wide grin. "Let's start with this beautiful bastard."

He laughed. "The original GTA on ZEPS 3 was already fun. It had the top-down perspective, crime, freedom, stealing cars, shooting people, doing dumb shit around the city... basically the foundation was there. But then ZAGE comes back with San Andreas and goes, 'Okay, what if we take that concept and just completely lose our fucking minds?'"

Leeroy placed the case upright on his desk. "And again, I don't need to tell you whether San Andreas is good. You already know. What fascinates me is the idea behind it: the realization that a video game can give the player an enormous world and basically say, 'Go do whatever the hell you want.' You can buy this game, completely ignore the story for hours, and still have fun."

He began counting on his fingers. "Drive around. Steal vehicles. Fight people. Explore. Find secrets. Customize yourself. Go to the gym. Learn different martial arts. Race cars. Play fucking basketball. Seriously, which lunatic decided this giant crime game also needed an actual basketball system inside it?"

Leeroy laughed and shook his head. "And there are so many little systems that most players will never even fully think about. You can look at San Andreas casually and say, 'Wow, big world, lots of things to do.' But if you understand even a little bit about how video games are made and start thinking about what's happening underneath everything, this game becomes terrifying."

He pointed toward the case. "All of those systems need to coexist. Traffic. Pedestrians. Missions. Police. Combat. Vehicles. Shops. interiors. Player statistics. Activities. Weather. Time. All of that running together without the game completely collapsing. That's the genius part to me. It isn't simply big. The world feels like one giant playground where systems keep interacting with each other."

Leeroy waved his hand. "But I could make an entire hour-long video about San Andreas alone, so I'm stopping there."

He returned the game and grabbed Z-Sports. "Then we have this damn thing."

Leeroy smiled while showing the case. "Z-Sports represents an entirely different direction. Instead of asking how large a world can become, this asks something much simpler: what if playing the game actually required you to move?"

He leaned back and laughed. "And I know some gamers hate exercise. Don't lie to me. I know you bastards."

Leeroy pointed directly at the camera. "But play this properly for an hour and tell me video games automatically make people lazy. You're going to be sweating like hell."

He gestured toward the case. "The interesting thing is that Z-Sports doesn't simply add physical movement as some gimmick. The movement is part of the control system. Your body is actually participating. That immediately creates an entirely different type of gaming experience. Suddenly someone who normally doesn't care about controllers or complex button combinations can understand what's happening because they're swinging, moving, reacting, and doing something closer to the actual sport."

Leeroy placed Z-Sports down before immediately grabbing Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. His expression changed into an amused grin. "And then... we have this beautiful, miserable, unfair piece of shit."

He laughed. "I mean that lovingly."

Leeroy held the game up. "This is another thing I love about ZAGE. ZEPS 4 has memory cards, hard drives, online features, modern storage systems... they could make saving easier than ever. Technologically, there is basically no reason Nocturne needs to restrict the player as much as it does."

He tapped the case. "And they restrict you anyway."

Leeroy smiled. "Because they understand something important: sometimes a limitation is part of the design. Just because your hardware allows you to do something doesn't mean you should automatically do it."

He leaned forward. "Nocturne's limited saving, checkpoints, difficult encounters, brutal mistakes, and constantly threatening atmosphere work because the game wants you to feel vulnerable. If you could save every five seconds with absolutely no consequence, some of that tension disappears."

Leeroy sighed dramatically. "And yeah, sometimes the game absolutely destroys you. Sometimes you think you're doing fine and then some random encounter reminds you that happiness is temporary."

He started laughing. "But that actually fits Shin Megami Tensei perfectly. The world is oppressive. It's lonely. It's hostile. Everything feels like it could go wrong, and the game mechanics reinforce that."

Leeroy put Nocturne down before picking up Monster Hunter. The moment he did, his expression changed completely.

"Ohhhhhh."

He stared at the case lovingly.

"This one."

Leeroy pointed toward the camera. "ZEMITSU."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I know you guys reviewed this."

A dramatic pause followed.

"Eight out of ten?"

Leeroy placed one hand against his chest.

"Blasphemy."

He laughed before quickly continuing. "Okay, obviously eight out of ten is still a very good score, and I'm being dramatic, but holy shit, I love Monster Hunter."

He held the game closer to the camera. "Because look at what it does with RPG progression. Normally, when we think about RPGs, we think experience points, levels, statistics, stronger enemies, stronger characters. Monster Hunter basically looks at that and says, 'Nah. Your character doesn't need traditional levels.'"

Leeroy put the case down but kept his hand on it. "Instead, your progression comes heavily from equipment. Want stronger gear? Hunt monsters. Want to successfully hunt stronger monsters? Prepare properly. Learn what you're fighting. Bring the correct items. Understand your weapon. Understand the environment. Understand when to attack and when to get the hell out of the way."

He grinned. "Your equipment gets better, but more importantly, you get better."

Leeroy moved his hands enthusiastically while speaking. "And then there are the monsters themselves. They don't always feel like enemies standing around waiting for you to arrive. They move through habitats. They interact with different areas. Certain creatures fight each other. Some gang up on you. Different monsters behave differently depending on what they are."

He leaned back, almost looking frustrated by how much he liked it.

"It makes the world feel alive."

Leeroy stared at Monster Hunter again.

"Ooooh, I love this thing."

He hugged the case briefly against his chest.

"I love this to death."

After putting it back, Leeroy picked up Pokémon Colosseum. "Then we have Pokémon. And honestly, simply seeing Pokémon properly represented in a full 3D world like this is already cool enough."

He turned the case slightly. "But what I like more is that ZAGE didn't simply make 'normal Pokémon, except 3D.' They gave it a darker atmosphere, changed the structure, introduced Shadow Pokémon, and built an adventure that feels noticeably different from the more traditional Pokémon formula."

Leeroy nodded. "That's another recurring thing here. They're not afraid to experiment with an established identity. Pokémon is already absurdly successful. They could have played it safe and sold millions anyway. Instead they went, 'What happens if we do something different with it?'"

He returned Colosseum to the table and looked across the remaining games. "But at the same time, ZAGE also understands the opposite lesson: not everything needs to be reinvented."

Leeroy pulled forward Metal Gear Solid 2, Super Mario Sunshine, and ZAGE Kart. "Look at these three. Fundamentally, you recognize exactly what they are. Metal Gear is still Metal Gear. Mario is still Mario. ZAGE Kart is still ZAGE Kart. They didn't suddenly throw away the identity that already worked just because they had more powerful hardware."

He tapped the games. "Instead, they strengthen what was already strong. Better controls, more polished systems, better environments, better presentation, more possibilities. They feel familiar without feeling lazy."

Leeroy nodded firmly. "And I think that matters because experimentation for the sake of experimentation can be stupid too. Sometimes you already have something excellent. You don't need to destroy it. You just need to understand why people loved it and build from there."

He then reached toward four other games and pulled them closer: Halo, Need for Speed: Underground, Devil May Cry, and TMNT.

"And then these four fuckers represent another side of it."

Leeroy picked up Halo first. "Halo: a science-fiction FPS with an actual campaign that feels important, great combat, strong enemy encounters, and at the same time a massive emphasis on multiplayer. It understands that the same shooter can offer both experiences instead of treating multiplayer as some tiny bonus."

He switched to Need for Speed: Underground. "Then Underground takes racing into this nighttime street-racing culture where customization isn't just some extra menu. It becomes part of the identity. Cars aren't simply vehicles anymore. They're your cars. You change them, style them, race them, and show them off."

Next came Devil May Cry. Leeroy immediately grinned. "And Devil May Cry basically asks, 'What if winning isn't enough? What if the game judges how fucking cool you look while doing it?'"

He laughed. "Stylish action. The better you become, the cooler the game looks. That's such a stupidly brilliant idea because suddenly mastery isn't only about survival. It's performance."

Finally he lifted TMNT. "And TMNT? Co-op beat 'em up heaven. Classic idea, modern execution. Great teamwork, characters that actually feel different, co-op mechanics, unlockables, and enough depth that it isn't simply four people mashing attack."

Leeroy placed all four games down and stared at the entire collection again.

"That's what I'm trying to explain."

His tone became calmer.

"ZAGE doesn't just experiment because experimentation sounds cool. They seem to understand when something needs a new idea, when something needs refinement, when technology should remove limitations, and when limitations should deliberately stay because they make the game better."

He gestured toward the twelve cases. "That's why this launch exceeded my expectations. These aren't twelve games all trying to prove the exact same thing."

Leeroy laughed softly. "Hell, they even took the problem of teaching people how to use a complicated new console and turned that into a game."

He reached toward the ZEPS 4 beside him.

"Astro Playroom."

Leeroy shook his head. "It's basically a hardware tutorial disguised as a fun game. You learn the controller, the system, the features, and somehow you're actually enjoying yourself while doing it."

He spread his hands.

"And they give it to you for free."

Leeroy inhaled deeply before slowly leaning back.

"That's why I'm excited."

His voice was much calmer now.

"Not just because ZEPS 4 has great launch games. I'm excited because of what happens after this."

He pointed toward the camera. "ZAGE just introduced new hardware, new ideas, new development possibilities, and then what do they do? They share Unreal Engine 4."

Leeroy laughed incredulously. "They literally share the damn tools."

He raised his hands. "Obviously there are limitations. You can use a large portion freely, and if you want the more advanced professional stuff, licensing and payments come into the equation. But the point remains: ZAGE creates one of the strongest game-development tools on Earth and then basically says, 'Here. Use it.'"

Leeroy shook his head slowly. "Do you understand how insane that is?"

He paused.

"Actually... knowing ZAGE, maybe it isn't insane anymore."

Leeroy smiled. "Zaboru has basically said this kind of thing before: 'Here are our tools. Hopefully they help you make better games. And if possible, make something better than us.'"

Leeroy laughed.

"From a traditional business perspective, that sounds fucking stupid."

He leaned forward.

"But from the perspective of someone who loves video games?"

His expression softened.

"It's incredible."

Leeroy glanced toward the games beside him. "Because Zaboru has never really acted like money itself is the objective. Obviously ZAGE makes ridiculous amounts of money. They're a business. They sell things. But looking at how that company operates, money often feels more like fuel."

He gestured toward the console.

"Make money."

Then toward the games.

"Use it to make games."

Then toward his computer.

"Build technology."

Then toward the camera.

"Give developers tools."

Leeroy shrugged. "Then somehow make even more money and repeat the cycle."

He chuckled. "It's ridiculous, but as someone who grew up loving games, I'm glad somebody like that exists in this industry."

Leeroy stared at the ZEPS 4 for a moment before smiling.

"And honestly?"

He inhaled.

"I'm fucking excited."

Leeroy looked directly into the camera. "You should be too."

He pointed toward the pile of launch games. "Because if this is what ZEPS 4 looks like at launch... what the hell is this thing going to look like two years from now?"

A grin slowly appeared across his face.

"And knowing ZAGE's track record, there is absolutely no way this is everything."

He leaned back in his chair.

"Sooner or later, those lunatics are going to announce some new shit nobody asked for, nobody expected, and somehow make everybody wonder why it didn't already exist."

Leeroy laughed.

"So yeah."

He looked across the games one last time.

"ZEPS 4 ruined me."

A short pause followed.

"And I'm very fucking happy about it."

The video ended.

And almost immediately...

ROCKSLEY's review began spreading everywhere.

Some people disagreed with him completely, others believed he had perfectly described what made the launch so unusual, and plenty simply laughed at the fact that ROCKSLEY had disappeared for almost three weeks because he couldn't stop playing.

But regardless of which side people were on, one thing was undeniable.

The review had absolutely exploded.

To be continued.

AN : I'm trying to build famous Youtuber in this world this guy will be along with Miguel lol