Зулин о том, что не так с современными играми. ИИ, GTA 6, ремейки и атмосфера

Overview

Zulin (Vitos) speaks with a podcast/host audience about games as culture and art, then expands into a wide set of hot takes: what modern games get wrong (especially “movie-like” realism and monetization pressure), why reviews matter, and why “true” art value is tied to human authorship rather than automation—ending with a strong anti–neural network message.

Main Themes & Standout Highlights

How Zulin became a critic/reviewer

• Zulin credits YouTube “game essay/review” culture—spiritually connected to creators like James Rolfe and later the Russian scene.
• He explains that his niche helped him stand out:
  • strange games
  • unexpected themes
  • especially atmosphere/music/details

Music & atmosphere (with a twist)

• Music is crucial for certain narrative/art experiences.
  • He names examples like Expedition 33 and Metal Gear Rising.
• But for highly competitive, focus-heavy games (e.g., fighting games), he often turns music off to avoid distraction.

Old RuNet vs. now: what changed

• In the past, internet culture felt:
  • slower
  • less parasocial
• Today’s speed and virality increase:
  • toxicity
  • reduced empathy
• He argues that monetized engagement encourages “poke with a stick” interactions rather than real discussion.

“Good review” vs. “good essay”

• He strongly dislikes the Russian habit of calling everything a “review.”
• Reviews (as he prefers them) should be:
  • analytical
  • internally consistent
  • closer to a journalistic task
• Essays can target different audiences and may:
  • emphasize argument/thesis over strict format

Subjectivity, craft, and “no absolute bad games”

• He argues that you can evaluate objective craft elements, such as:
  • production quality
  • presentation
  • whether the game meets its genre goals
• But whether something is “good” is still personal.
• He also claims games can’t be absolutely bad—only “bad” within an adopted evaluation system.

“Realism” worship in games = groveling

One of the strongest sections critiques “hyperrealism” and game camera/lighting imitation of cinema.

• He uses hair realism as an example:
  • hair tries to mimic real physics
  • but ends up less believable and less “beautiful” due to artifacts
  • it also focuses on the wrong target
• His core claim: games don’t need to copy cinema’s camera/lighting logic—they already have their own strengths.

Neural networks and authorship (his big stance)

• He is sharply against AI in image creation pipelines (notably DLSS/generative visuals) and broadly against generative tools.
• His main argument:
  • art’s value comes from a chain of human context:
    • creator experience → artwork → viewer → “infinity/context”
  • a neural network breaks this chain because it lacks lived context and interpretation.

GTA 6 as a “generational event” (and a danger)

• Zulin believes Rockstar sells the event more than the game itself:
  • marketing
  • attention cycle
  • trailer hype
  • Netflix exposure
  • console exclusivity
• However, he warns the bigger risk is what other publishers will copy:
  • monetization escalation
  • predatory business models
  • industry pressure
  • GTA’s success gives others “permission.”

What frustration is “good”

He distinguishes between two types of failure:

• Trust-based challenge:
  • game rules are clear and fair
• Unintentional nonsense deaths:
  • you feel cheated

Example contrast:

• Path of Exile bosses (as the “fair” challenge model)
• vs. map death randomness (as the “not trustworthy” model)

Jokes / Memorable Bits / Reactions

• He uses playful, almost combative phrasing—at one point calling for people to “become luddites” and resist neural networks in production.
• He makes a humorous transparency analogy: if AI pipelines used truly “unethical” real imagery (he implies something like grotesque wrongdoing), people wouldn’t buy it—his point being that transparency matters.
• His rhetorical style often frames the argument as if debating industry logic directly: there’s “no free pass,” and trust is what matters.

Near the End: Personal Tastes & “Top Games”

• He admits love for old games includes nostalgia (around “60%”), but isn’t purely nostalgia.
• He notes that critics can struggle to admit their own bias.
• He doesn’t keep an organized “backlog”—he decides what to play impulsively.
• His “favorite games” framework:
  • games he returns to regularly, such as:
    • Path of Exile
    • Factorio
    • Devil May Cry
    • Doom Eternal
  • games he respects deeply even if he doesn’t play constantly, e.g. Disco Elysium.
• He also discusses admired characters/design vibes (notably Cammy), including why “impractical but charming” designs can work aesthetically.

Parties / Personalities Mentioned

• Zulin (Vitos) — the main guest / gaming critic (referred to as “Зулин” in the title; as “Vitos” during the intro).
• Alfina / Alfina from SP Clodge — referenced around the podcast setup/host environment.
• Misha Galkin and Dima Kornov — mentioned as co-hosts on Zulin’s podcast (“balanced answer”).
• Yanis Salimov — promoted at the end as a 3D artist channel (a partner shoutout by the host).