#No matter what current nostalgia hype the series holds now-a days

[writing-for-life]

The Facet Is Not the Jewel...

Send me asks about everything Sandman-related!

I am a child of the 80s. I basically grew up reading DC and Vertigo comics. Especially Frank Miller’s Dark Knight and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman have stayed with me beyond my (goth) teenage years: Some of it might be pure nostalgia, but a good story with depth is a good story with depth.

While I always was, and always will be, a writer at heart and have managed to supplement my main income with writing to a decent degree, I also chose to have a “day job” pretty early on: There was that whole thing about confidence and the starving artist trope, enough said. Today, I might tell my teenage self to have more faith, but I don’t regret getting a degree in something else: I care about people, and I believe in the healing power of storytelling, so I feel I can combine both, and that’s what I do.

I always have a keen interest when a new TV or film adaptation lands, and of course it is totally impossible to escape the current hype around “The Sandman” (which, as you will know by now, I feel very attached to myself). Without wanting to go into the depths of the series, I think it was brought to the screen beautifully. Like the next person, I hope for season 2 (Netflix, can you make up your mind already?). It felt true to the comics while at the same time being adapted perfectly to the screen and today’s world.

However, one aspect of the fandom has me completely flummoxed (well, not really, I’ll get to that later): The Morpheus/Hob ship. And before anyone gets their knickers in a twist: I am queer myself and have experienced enough bi-erasure from both straight and gay people to last me a lifetime, so I definitely don’t have a problem with queer relationships.

Even if Tom and Ferdinand have chemistry (to be honest, I think Tom has chemistry with everyone, but I don’t always read it as sexual. Maybe I’m too old), and a potential romantic undertone has been confirmed by some of the show’s writers: It just means it’s been left purposefully vague or ambiguous to make all audiences happy.

As an example: To me, as a bi person, their relationship in the series didn’t vibe as anything other than deep but platonic. Does that mean it was only platonic? No, it just tells us that we see what we potentially want to see. And naturally, that’s the beauty of storytelling—it holds space for all sorts of things.

I’m totally fine with them having sexual and/or romantic chemistry, or if people perceive it as such, and I welcome it.

But here’s the rub: It is the vastness of the ship, but the complete insignificance of this aspect to the storyline, that has me scratching my head. In a way, the narrow fandom-focus on it makes me a bit sad because so much of the beauty of “The Sandman” gets lost in it.

Do I believe that Morpheus’ capability to feel sexual and romantic attraction is fluid?

Absolutely, I think that is a given due to what he is and how others perceive him. Canonically, we obviously see a strong preference for CIS women (or ethereal beings that would pass as such), but other things have been changed for the TV adaptation. So it wouldn’t really matter if it were in any way important to the plot.

Do I think that the relationship to Hob is purely platonic, and that it has a purpose in the story arc that goes far beyond mere sexual or romantic attraction?

Also yes. A platonic relationship/friendship isn’t less deep, people! Maybe actually the opposite: Morpheus’ relationships to romantic partners never last (and in this case, it actually doesn’t matter if they were heteronormative or queer). The relationship to Hob does last—probably because it isn’t romantic/sexual.

I already hear the legions of Dreamlings protesting:”That’s just because he never found the One, but Hob is!” I mean, seeing it like that is totally okay for (smutty) fanfics and whatever people are daydreaming about (not judging, totally on board myself ;)). Beyond that though, it just seems so far removed from the deeper significance of their relationship.

I just have this feeling that if we get a season 2, people will go absolutely nuts if Hob doesn’t get decent screen time, and I am thinking to myself: “Why would he, apart from very particular parts of the story (especially towards the very end) that we might not even get to see?” Yeah, you can probably tell I’m fun at parties…

What I also find bewildering is the general zoning in on the aspect of sexuality in this context. It doesn’t even matter if it is homosexuality, bisexuality, heterosexuality, asexuality… All of it is, in my opinion, already so normalised in the comics (if you think of when they were written), and especially in the series, so the complete and utter focus on it is certainly... interesting.

By letting the sexuality of the characters and their (imagined or real) romantic afflictions (which, 9/10, seems to originate in our own desire to bed them—it had to be said ;)) take centre-stage, the beauty and depth of the story get totally buried under something that feels so shallow to me it makes my heart ache a little (my problem obviously).

Spoilers ahead… Don’t read on if you have never read the comics and still plan to do so. Also: Trigger warning for certain mental health references

Morpheus’ arc is a hero’s journey without a happy-ending (although I guess that depends on your definition of “happy ending”). It is essentially a long planned, carefully orchestrated suicide:

He knows that he, like so many people and entities around him, cannot change (despite some semi-successful attempts at becoming a bit warmer and gentler: In the comics, he is pretty much an arsehole for a very long time). He feels deeply but represses those emotions frequently so they don’t overwhelm him. Not least because of this, he has acted incredibly (maybe not always intentionally) cruelly towards the ones he loves (and others) throughout his existence. Pride is one of his weaknesses. These aspects of his personality also have been brought to the screen: If you didn’t get the hint in episode 4 (his refusal to forgive Nada), or when he, later on, kills Hector right in front of Lyta (he clearly could have done this differently to make it less emotionally painful and traumatic), I rest my case.

His inherent rigidity, and what it brings on from this point onwards, is ultimately part of his demise, and I believe he is fully aware of it (too many cues to mention). Much like someone who plans to commit suicide and doesn’t act in the spur of the moment, he gets his affairs in order, and he makes up for some of his past mistakes. That’s not the same as laying down a rigid sense of duty: Tragically, it is the very essence of it.

If you wonder about Hob’s function beyond being a potential love-interest or friend: He, like Destruction (and Delirium), continuously does what Morpheus ultimately cannot: Change. He is holding up the mirror to Morpheus, who, unlike him, is forever caught in his sense of duty and responsibility.

Morpheus could have made entirely different choices several times, especially in “The Kindly Ones”. He purposefully painted himself into a corner on at least three occasions that would have been easy for him to act upon differently. He chose not to, again for reasons of being committed, but also for reasons of being done. He decided that the only way Dream could keep on existing was letting the aspect of Morpheus die.

There’s a beautiful scene involving the facets of the dreamstones, of which the ruby held most of Morpheus’ essence and the emerald will be passed on (it’s more complicated than that, but this is already longer than planned). I’ll just leave this sitting here, and you can make of it what you wish:

So, to all the Dreamling shippers out there: I love what you’re doing, I believe in ship and let sail. But a deep part of me also thinks I don’t want to see it on the screen. The good thing about stories is that they can hold such ambiguity. I hope that if we get more seasons, many won’t be totally crushed that this might not be a story with the ending they hoped for. Not for Hob x Morpheus anyway, but then again: Who knows...

#sandman #the sandman #morpheus #dream #hob gadling #dream of the endless #stupid stuff i think about #sandman meta #sandman spoilers #the sandman meta

[tumbling-odyssey]

Games I played in 2020

Just felt like getting my thoughts out on all the games I played this year. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for years but I always let it pass me by. Well not this year! Fuck you laziness! 

I played the first half in 2019 but finished it in 2020 so I guess I'll count it. DQ11 was my intro to Dragon Quest and what a good starting point. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best traditional JRPGs on the market. Characters, story, combat, it all clicks in just the right way to make a flawless game... until the end credits roll that is. 

I have no idea what happened with the post game but by god does it dive off a cliff. It undermines everything you worked to do in the main plot. The characters act brain dead and it shamelessly reuses events from the main game. Please pick up and play DQ11 but for the love of god just stop when the credits roll.

Doom is a game I knew I'd like. The heavy metal ascetic and soundtrack were right up my alley, but I just never found the time. With Eternal on the way though and having found it on the cheap at a pawn shop I figured there was no time like the present. Needless to say but I was right. I loved everything about this game. The thrill of combat, the screech of the guitars, and the silent take no shit attitude of Doomguy. Make no mistake though, I SUCK at this game. I played on easy but still got my ass handed to me on the regular. But I don't care, I was having way to much fun.

I flipped my shit when this game got leaked at the tail end of 2019. Zero 3 is my all time favourite game. To celebrate this getting announced I went and 100% Zero 3 as I hadn't done it on my current cart, and Zero 3 was still the first thing I played when I got this collection! I love that game to death and I’m glad to have it on modern consoles again. As I was under a bit of time crunch with other games releasing soon I only played 2 other games in the collection Zero 4 and ZX Advent. Until the DS collection those and 3 were the only Zero/ZX games I had so I have a lot of nostalgia for them. 

Zero 4 hold ups better then I remember. Not as good as 3 but a damn solid game with tweaks I honestly wish hit the series before its end. I remember having issues with the stage design and ya it’s not perfect, but it’s far from as bad as I thought. For ZXA this was the first time I beat the game on normal difficulty. For some reason the ZX games have always given me more trouble than the Zero games, so finally beating one on normal was very exciting. Maybe I can now finally go and beat ZX for the first time...

The Mystery Dungeon series rising from the depth to punch all those unexpecting in the face was a very welcome surprise. I had a lot of hype going into this one as I have very fond memories of my time with Red Rescue Team and even more with Explorers of Darkness. And the game lived up to it! The remastered music is great and crazy nostalgic, the 3D models are well used and don't feel as stiff as they do in the core series, and the QOL changes are near perfect... So why did I drop this game like a rock once I finished the main quest? 

Anyone familiar with Mystery Dungeon will know that the post game is the real meat of it. The story is short and all the really cool shit comes in after it's done. But I just couldn't bring myself to put more time in after I finished said story mode. I'm definitely chocking that up to me just not being in the mood then an issue with the game. Here's hoping we get an Explorers DX sometime soon. That will fucking hook me for all it's got.

Second verse same as the first. I loved this game and sucked at it horribly. Out of all the games I've played this year Doom Eternal is the one I want to go back to the most. I was not the hugest fan of some of the changes made and retained a stance that I liked 2016 better. First person platforming has never been a fun experience in my opinion and Eternal did little to change that. And I know this a lukewarm take at best but fuck Marauders!. They are so unfun to fight and ruin the pace. The Marauder in the last mook wave took me so long I was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish the game. But the more I've seen of Eternal after my playthrough makes me think I was being far to harsh. I haven't played the DLC yet either. Mostly cuss I haven't heard great things about it. Gonna wait for the rest of it to come out to see if it's worth getting. Might just replay to whole game at that point to see if it clicks with me better.

This was my second favourite game of the year, and was going to take the top slot until a certain other game came out. Addressing the elephant in room right away, I hated the ending. But I was expecting something like that, I think we all were. I won't let the ending ruin the rest of the game though. Not gonna let 1 segment colour everything that came before it. We have to see how the later parts play out to truly see if this ending was trash or not anyway. 

It took Square over a decade but they finally got an action RPG battle system that works and feels good to play. This may be my favourite battle system in an RPG period honestly. All four characters are a blast and it only gets better the more time you spend with it. Figuring out the nuances of each character’s skills and how to combine them not only with the skills of the others but how to enhance them with the right Materia set. This makes fights thrilling and satisfying when you finally best whatever was giving you trouble. Tis was the best way to bring 7′s mechanics into the modern landscape while also fixing the BIGGEST issue the OG had. The fact every character feels the same aside from Limit Breaks. 

All this on top of graphics that just look fucking stunning, a few glitched out doors aside. Fuck I still feel blown away looking at the characters models (mostly Tifa) and see how god damn pretty everyone is. Also Tifa’s Chinese dress is gift from the Gods and I still haven’t picked my jaw up from the floor after I first saw it.

In my circle of the internet there was a lot of hype for this game. So much so that I ended up buying it to see what all the hubbub was about. I had never played a Streets of Rage game before and my only experience with beat'em ups was playing a LOT of Scott Pilgrim and last year's River City Girls. Turns out Streets of Rage plays quite a bit different and it kicked my ass! So sadly I had to switch to easy to make it through but I still had a fun time with it. 

I started playing mostly as Blaze but once Adam hit the scene oooooh fucking boy. I didn’t play anyone else. There's a deceptive amount of content in this game. You can unlock almost every character from the previous games and all of them rocking their original sprites and moves. If I had more of a connection with this series I'm sure I would have gone nuts on unlocking everything. I stopped after my one playthrough and I was happy with that. Always glad to support a long overdue franchise revival.

To properly talk about P5R I think I need to air a lot of my feelings on the original game and the importance it has to me. You see, prior to 2017 I barely played games, only sticking to specific franchises. AKA Pokemon and Mega Man/Mega Man like games. Until 2016 though I still bought a lot of games. Eating up Steam sales and deals I found at pawn shops. This lead to a Steam library and shelf filled with games I've never touched outside of maybe an hour or 2. So in 2016 when I took interest in the newly released Kirby Planet Robobot I made a deal with myself. I could get the game but I HAD to beat it.  And I did just that, gaining not just a new fav Kirby game but a new rule for game purchases. If I knew I wouldn't beat a game I was not aloud to buy it. Now what does ANY of this have to do with P5 you may ask? Well... almost everything.

 I was immediately interested in P5 when it hit the west in 2017. I loved the 20 or so hours I but into P3 years ago and really liked the P4 anime I had watched around the same time. So of course with all the hype around it I wanted to dive into the series full force with P5. But I knew myself. Putting over 100 hours into a game was beyond me and I had a weird relationship with home console games as I was predominately a handheld gamer. Add in the fact I didn't even have a PS4 and I was convinced P5 would be something I always wanted to play, but never would. So when I went to the mall with a few friends and they showed me that P5 had a PS3 version, I had a dilemma on my hands. I knew I wanted to play it and I now had a way to do so. But doing that would require me to change 2 HUGE hang ups I had with games. Would I being willing to waste 60 bucks with so much working against me? Apparently I was. I immediately started going to town on this game. Making sure I spent no less then 2 hours a day playing NO MATTER WHAT. Which may not seem like a lot but it was to me... at the time.. I also had just moved to my current house, so coming home from my still relatively new job and going straight into P5 was the first real routine I formed during this heavily transitional part of my life. 

I of course ended up loving P5 and put 200 hours into it. As such my outlook on gaming was forever changed. Console games were no longer out of reach and I knew I could handle playing monster length game. I started playing way more games then I ever did before and trying out generas I never thought I would play. P5 is the main reason for this and why I'm able to make a post like this. To actually touch on Royal though? It's unarguably the better version of the game and Atlus learned all the right lessons from P4G. The new characters are great and the added section at the end is possibly the best shit Atlus has ever written. I only wish Yoshizawa joined the party sooner so I could play as her more. 

The release of this really came out of nowhere huh? Wayforward announced it was being made mid way through 2019, then there was its weird half release on the Apple store... and then suddenly it was out! Very little fanfare for this one. Is that indicative of the games quality? Luckily no. Seven Sirens is a solid addition to the series and follows up Half Genies Hero nicely. The game goes back to Shantae's Metroidvania roots and makes a TON of improvements. 

Transformations are now instant instead of having to dance for them (don't worry dancing is still in the game) making the game feel more like Pirates Curse in its fast flow. They also added the Monster Cards which take heavy inspiration from Aria of Sorrow's Soul system. A feature I'm happy to see in any Metroidvania since Aria is one of my all time favourite games. Sadly though the game does not take the best advantage of these improvements. 

Over all the game feels kinda empty. The dungeons aren't super exciting to explore nor are they challenging in any way. And the plot is very repetitive, with each dungeon repeating the same beats. Really this game feels more like set up for a better game down the line. The mechanics are all here and Wayforward has a solid art style with the sprites from Half Genie Hero. Hopefully they capitalizes on this for Shantae 6 and we get the best game in the series.

While it may not have been the most thrilling game, Seven Sirens really put me into a Shantae mood. So much so that I went back to play the 2 games in the series I had never touched. This being the first game and Risky's Revenge. Shantae 1 really is a hidden gem in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it's the definition of jank, but there's a lot of heart to this game. The sprites are great, the soundtrack is good, and the characters are funny... but it's still on the OG Gameboy and that's a massive hindrance for any game. I'm hard pressed to recommend this with how poorly its aged but I think it's better then it looks. 

Risky's Revenge on the other hand was a game that shocked me by how little it had to offer. I know this game went through a hellish development and what we got was far from what Wayforward planned to make, but it's hard to imagine a world where this was the technical BEST Shantae game. It's not a bad game by any stretch... just a boring one.

For the record my ranking of the games goes Pirates Curse>Half Genie Hero>Seven Sirens>Original>Risky’s Revenge

Sword and Shield are mediocre games at best. I know, real steaming hot take there. I managed to make my Sword playthrough a lot more fun by not spoiling myself on the new Pokemon designs for the first time since Gen 3. Either way, I enjoyed myself enough that I didn't mind playing more of it with these DLC campaigns. Plus I love the idea of Game Freak switching over to this method as apposed to making a third version, so I wanted to support it. 

Klara is a fucking top tier Poke Girl both in design and personality and is probably the highlight of Isle of Armour. GF actually went out of their way to give her multiple expressions to sell her toxic bitch personality and I love every minute of it. She sadly drifts into the background for the second half of the DLC’s story which hurts an already rough section even more. Not more then having to grind Kubfuu all the way to fucking level 70 though! That put a serious hamper on my motivation to finish the story but I pushed through anyway. Having to solo the tower with Kubfuu was at least a fun challenge though, as was the final fight with Mustard. Fuck the Diglett hunt though. Ain’t no one got time for that.

Crown Tundra may be my fav of the 2 though even if there isn't a character as good as Klara in it. The hunt for the legendaries was just pure adventure and I had a fucking blast doing it. The joy I felt when I figured out Registeel’s puzzle put a smile on my face unlike any Pokemon game since I was a kid. The whole Regi stuff was honestly a nice Nostalgia trip to my times with Emerald. The story around Calyrex was enjoyable, even if I still hate its design. Not revealing the horses before release was a good call to as it gave an honest surprise. Having to chase down the Galar forme Birds in the overworld is a great way to evolve the roaming legendaries idea and I hope GF sticks to this. Plus the Galar forme birds are some of the best legendary designs since Gen 5 and I love Chocodos way to fucking much. 

Here we are folks, my GotY. I love Panzer Paladin so fucking much. A combination of mechanics from Mega Man, Castlevania, and Blaster Master? Sign me the fuck up! This game is tailored made for me and I knew I had to play it once it started making the rounds on social media. I'll admit though, I was a bit worried when the the first full trailer dropped and showed the weapon mechanics. Breakable weapons that you have to sacrifice for checkpoints and power ups? I'm not sure about that.... Luckily I was being a complete moron and those mechanics are near perfect. 

I love the set up of each boss being a mythological creature from different cultures. They didn’t just pull the easy ones either. A lot of these things I learned of for the first time here. I love how Grit controls. Using the upward stab as a double jump and being able to pogo off enemies Shovel Knight style just felt great and satisfying. Flame was limited but it made her sections feel tense. She does more damage then you think she could at first glance. Also the only way to heal Grit being to use pods that only Flame could access was a cool idea. 

I am begging you Tribute Games, you have to make more Panzer Paladin games. Slap some new upgrades on Grit and expand what Flame can do and you have an even better sequel  on your hands. Also maybe not have so many 'gotcha' moments with enemy placement. That's really my only complaint about the game. Great music, great sprites, giant robots, unique premise, and a reference to Canadian legends. The ultimate self indulgent game for me.

It felt super out of left field for Curse of the Moon to be getting a sequel. The games fucking amazing but it was really just a tie in for the main Bloodstained product. Not something I expect to get a continuation. Either way I was pumped. If this was even half as good as the original then I was in for a great time. Which held true... cuss this legitimately is only half as good as Curse of the Moon. I still like the game, quite a lot actually. I mean how could I not with a fucking Corgi piloting a Death Train Mech. 

Something was just missing here that never made this click like the first game. Maybe it was the stage design, maybe the bosses, maybe the fact that it's a bit to long. I'm not sure. All I know is I couldn't bring myself to play all the modes like I did in the original. . Stopping part way in to the one where you can get the first games characters. I want to go back some day... I just don’t know when someday is.

This was an announcement I never saw coming. A Gundam Verses game coming to the west? That hasn't happened in the entire time I've been a Gundam fan. I had played a bit of Full Boost on my old roommates PS3 thanks to him having a Japanese account and I played Force on the Vita a few years ago. But to have the latest version fully translated with open servers? Holy hell that's a dream come true. 

Having the open betas every weekend leading up to launch was some much needed fun during this shit hole year. I had a lot of fun just fucking around with different suits and seeing what I could do with 'em. Absolutely trashing two Bael players as the Kapool is a memory I'll keep with me for a long time. Fucking danced on their graves. This gave me some new appreciation for suits like the Baund Doc and Hambrabi, the later becoming a lowkey fav as it was my main.

I've fallen off with the game in the last few months but I definitely want to go back. I hope to start learning the game and take parts in tourneys when cons aren’t death sentences anymore.

It felt like everything in my life was SCREAMING at me to start the Yakuza series. From 2 of my friends playing 0 recently, a youtuber I following live tweeting as he played through the WHOLE series back-to-back, and Yakuza 2 having a run at AGDQ 2020. Plus the constant pleas to play this series you get from following Little Kuriboh on Twitter. I finally broke and picked up 0 in the middle of August. Boooooooooy howdy did I not know what I was getting in to. And no I don't mean the content. I knew Yakuza was a series of wildly conflicting tones between the main story and side quests. What I mean is the length. I legit thought this was gonna be a 20-30 hour game. When i reached hour 30 of my playthrough and realized I wasn't even close to a conclusion, I think I knew I had bitten off more then I was planning. That misstep aside I ended up loving this game and want to play the rest of the series.... I just need to rest up first before I dive into Kiwami 1.

 Let's actually talk about the game for a moment here. Kiryu and Majima quickly clicked as likeable characters to me and I cared about their stories. Combat is fun and the multiple styles are all great.... though both the default styles take a while to get there. The mad rush I felt at the end was fantastic and the last bosses are a joy to fight. Only real complaint is the pacing of the side stories. I loved being able to just stumble into various different events while on route to the next plot objective. But this became less common as the game went on and side stories started getting more tucked away. Also hot take here, the host club mingame is more tedious then fun and I like Kiryu’s business stuff as I could do that in the background. I’m excited to dive into Kiwami and probably Kiwami 2 this year... Though I’m not sure when just yet.

Just gonna say it flat out, I think this is better the the 2018 game. The smaller scale helps in this style of game and Miles just naturally has a better move set then Peter. I'm not sure if they actually tightened up the combat system or if they just threw less bullshit enemies at you but fighting feels so much better in this one. Traversal is better too,  simply because they changed the button for tricks. In the original you have to hold down 2 face buttons to enter trick mode??? In hindsight that was such a bad call. 

Having both the heal and venom powers run off the same meter was a good idea. Making the choice between keeping yourself alive guaranteed or potentially ending a fight quicker/disposing of a problem enemy is super fun. The player having to make small choices like this during combat is what helps it not be brainless. I love all the different venom skills you get. While they all achieve the same thing in stunning opponents, how you achieve that goal is up to you. Do you want to just slug the bastard, throw 'em up in the air, tackle the shit out of them? The choice is yours. 

Only real big complaint is certain upgrades being NG+ locked. I know you want to encourage replays, but this is a shitty way to do it I feel. Also can we retire Rhino for the next game. Man has had 2 shitty boss fights now and I need a break. Between this and Spider-Verse, I'm honestly starting to like Miles as Spider-Man more then Peter.

I got this game more on a whim then anything. I was definitely interested when it was first announced for the west. Vanillaware's beautiful art style in a story about giant robots beating the shit out of Kaijus? Sign me the fuck uuuuuu-oh wait it's an RTS? I had never played an RTS's before, mainly due to the sheer concept stressing me out. So I let it fall to the wayside. The game started coming up again though towards the end of the year with GotY on everyone's minds.  This revived my interest, especially as what I HAD planned to be playing around that time was... well. Cyberpunk. Don't think I need to say much more. Also I had worried for nothing as the Real Time Strategy was not that Real Time. 

This game really lays on the analysis paralysis once you're out of the tutorial. Do you want to fight, do you want to do story, who's story do you want to do, what branch should you follow, how much should you play with this one character? It's very overwhelming at first. I decided to not go ham on just one character and swap around all the time. The twists in this game are equal parts exciting and infuriating. Learning something new always came with the caveat of more questions, or something you knew 'for sure' being disproven. Like when I learned 1 characters was actually 4 separate ones! Anyone that's played knows exactly what I'm talking about. 

Natsuno ended up being my fav and not just because of.... obvious reasons. BJ was cute if unfortunately named and her relationship with Mirua was my favourite in the game. Not that there was much competition except for maybe Ogata and Tomi. I ended up really liking the combat but I can see why RTS fans say it's the weakest part. It's far from complex and I had a winning strat by the third or so real fight. Aka spam turrets and have the Gen 1′s gank all the bosses.

One quick thing I want to share was how I beat the boss at the end of Area 2. The one where Inaba is singing. I had Hijiyama use the limit break skill to bum rush the boss right off the hop. I took out half its health in one hit but Hijiyama’s Sentinel was on death’s door. Only thing that saved him was sending in Amaguchi to blow up a bunch of missiles. Hijiyama took it out on his next attack but lost his Sentinel at the same time. It was a real clutch victory and crazy fucking anime. 

The best way to really describe Carrion is that it's a fantastic proof of concept. Can you make a game where you play as The Thing? Why yes, yes you can. Carrion just needed a bit more tweaking to really bring this concept home and be the A+ game I know it can be. As it is now the game is a bit empty. The level design is super samey and the lack of a map is fucking brutal at points. I know it would make no sense for a blob monster to have a map but somethings you just have to gameify for convenience. The level design must have done something right as even though I was completely lost I still moved from area to area properly. Hell by the time I actually looked up a map I had 1 more item to get and I learned I was one door away from beating the game. 

I love the idea of losing mass as you take damage and gaining more by eating people, but having abilities tied to size was a terrible idea. It just leads to tedium as I have to go and shed myself to the right size, do the puzzle, then of course I'm going to go back and rebuild myself to see if I can do the next segment at full power. Just make it so you can swap between abilities using the d-pad or something. I hope this game gets a sequel just so this sick ass concept can be fully realized.

#games #goty #Final Fantasy #pokemon #spiderman #yakuza #gundam #bloodstained #panzer paladin #shantae #persona #streets of rage #doom #mega man #dragon quest #13 sentinels: aegis rim #carrion

[countdowntocake]

50 Personal Questions

Rules: fill this out and tag at least one person you’d like to know more about! Or just fill it out! Or don’t! Answer only some of them! Make up your own questions! “What kind of requirement is that”, you ask? A reasonable one! Who am I to tell you what to do? Anything goes! Tagged by @leorysxi Tagging No One! 1. What kind of food can’t you stand?
Anything that's really cheap or really processed (basically most candy and junk food, except for some quality chocolate). Also coconut. Fuck coconut. 2. If you could choose one minor inconvenience to never have to deal with again, what would you pick?
As of right now, having to remember princess lessons in MidCin and IkeSen. If I could just store infinite stamina (or at least like 10 hours) I'd be such a happy camper. 3. Have you got any useless talents? Idk if it counts as a talent but I can do multiplication, addition, and subtraction from left-to-right. 4. If you could be really really good at one thing, what would it be? Remembering things. 5. Name a few people you think are extremely good-looking. There are plenty, but off the top of my head Andy Biersack for guys (I don't even listen to BVB but I do listen to his solo album lol) and Zendaya or Sofia Vergara for ladies.
 6. What was your favorite way to pass the time as a kid? Daydreaming or playing video games (I got my first hand-me-down DS when I was 7). 7. What is something you’re proud of? I'm plenty cocky about a lot of things, but if I had to pick it would be that I was selected out of like 700 kids in my middle school to represent them in a young leadership conference during my first year there.
 8. What’s one character flaw in people that you just can’t tolerate? Vapidness in general. 
 9. Do you consider yourself to be more of a leader or a follower? Definitely a leader (see number 7)! One of my young childhood memories was when I was at the beach on vacation when I was maybe 6, and I was trying to direct a bunch of other little kids on how to build a proper sandcastle (I'm now currently discovering my interest in the field of architecture, funnily enough).
 10. What kind of student are/were you? Extremely curious, tends to monopolize the teacher, teachers pet, has never dipped below a 3.7 GPA.
 11. Butterfly effect question! Has there ever been a seemingly minor decision you’ve made (at the time) that ended up having a profound influence on your life? I have absolutely no clue tbh.
 12. Name your most irrational fear/aversion. The inevitability of my own death. 13. Are there any fictional characters you find especially relatable? Yes, and the first that comes to mind is Edea Lee from the Bravely Default series. She's the daughter of the Grand Marshal (king) of her kingdom, and was raised to follow in her father's footsteps. Though her somewhat biased education had led her to see the world in a very black/white way, her world view is forced to change as she journeys out into the world and joins the other heroes of the story. She wants to make her father and teachers proud, but does not hesitate to disobey them and her state when she sees the consequences of their actions. She's proud, headstrong, and kind (plus she loves food lmao I love Edea and I could talk about her for hours and I'm literally going to name my firstborn daughter after her and no one can stop me). 
 14. If you drink, what kind of drunk are you? Alternatively, what sort of person are you at parties? I don't really go to parties unless they're small gatherings with friends or family, and the idea of drinking in public terrifies me so idk I'll figure it out eventually.
 15. Do you fall in love easily? Or does it usually take a long time for you to trust someone? It will definitely take awhile. I can get crushes, sure, but if and when I start looking for someone to spend/dedicate my whole life to, I plan to find the right one the first time.
 16. Would you rather have one close friend or 100 casual friends? This is going to sound shallow but 100 casual friends. No matter how perfect we are as friends, only spending time with one person wears thin after awhile.
 17. Do you consider yourself to be more of a slob or a neat-freak? Neat-freak, but not extremely so. I just like me some good organization!
 18. Describe a place (imaginary or real) that you would find incredibly cozy. When I think of cozy, one old southern home in my dad's family comes to mind. In the middle of a town as rural as can be, it's a large, charming white cottage surrounded by massive oak trees. The only sounds that reach it are the occasional train the crosses the edge of the property. Whether I'd be out on the porch swing overlooking the yard, the sunroom in the back with an old couch along an entire wall with a massive window, or even perched in one of the massive oaks on the property, I'd stay there forever and nap.
 19. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them someday?
Like I said, I'm totally naming my first daughter Edea. 20. What was your favorite book as a child? When I was in second grade, I used to get in massive trouble for reading the Young Nancy Drew series in math class. I also love the Harry Potter series, and found a book called The School for Good and Evil on the first day of 6th grade and have loved the series since.
 21. Name one thing you just don’t get what all the hype is about Snapchat, Jake Paul, fidget spinners... I could go on.
 22. Name one thing that you think is tragically underrated. Marina and the Diamonds! I hear everyone talking about Halsey or Lana Del Ray, but no one ever talks about Marina and her awesome music! ;-;
 23. If you had to be glued to a person for a month, real or fictional (who you have never met), who would you choose? I have no clue, but someone I could get comfortable with at least (not a guy, I'm way too shy!).
 24. What’s something you’d like the chance to do someday? I'm just going to be generic and say travel the world.
 25. Do you typically speak your mind when you have a controversial opinion? Or do generally prefer to not rock the boat?
If it's something I feel confident in my knowledge/ability to debate about, then I'll never hold back. 26. What’s the dumbest fad you’ve been caught up in?
I'm not one for fads usually, so I don't really have an answer. 27. What’s something you thought was cool as a kid/adolescent, but now cringe at yourself for?
Idk, I was a pretty cool kid. I usually knew when something was too dumb for me. 28. What’s a trait you consider to be very admirable?
A quick wit. 29. Is there a particular kind of item people always tend to give you as gifts? (For instance, people always get you things with ducks on them because you like ducks, etc.) I usually make a wish-list, but I've always gotten plenty of video games, and in recent years I've been receiving jewelry as a gift more often (mostly from my mom because we watch JTV together sometimes and she knows my taste lmao)
 30. Do you speak multiple languages? Which ones? I only know English fluently, but I'm learning Spanish in school, slowly but surely.
 31. Would you rather live in the big city or the countryside? The countryside definitely has its draws (see number 18), but I've also lived in a city all my life and the convenience of everything is really nice...
 32. Has there ever been something you were certain you’d hate, but ended up loving? I never would have thought it as a kid, but I actually love reading nonfiction. You don't have to struggle to find something with a good story that's suited to your tastes, and you get to LEARN stuff.
 33. Do you mind being the center of attention, or do you prefer the spotlight to be on someone else?
I guess it depends on what type of spotlight. If it's just drama/popularity, then no thanks, but I definitely want appreciation for what I do and what I've a accomplished so far. 34. Favorite holiday? Easter for pastels and nostalgia, Mardi Gras for fun and family, and Christmas for gifts and candy.
 35. Are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person, or do you need to have things planned meticulously? PLANNING. Because STRATEGY. IS. ALWAYS. (srsly tho don't try to get me into a plan that hasn't been thought out yet because I will ask a million questions and start planning everything for you)
 36. Is there something you loved so much you wish you could forget it and experience it all over again? (A tv show, book, series–anything.) Most things wouldn't be the same now since I did them as a child, but honestly if I could replay Breath of the Wild with a blank slate I totally would. I tried to take it slow but still ended up rushing the story ;-;
 37. What hobbies do you have? Still video games and daydreaming :p but now with the lovely additions of fanfiction and YouTube!
 38. If you could have a superpower, but it was only mildly useful, what ability would you want to have? Teleporting? You can't kill a man with it, but it's still pretty useful.
 39. Something people are always surprised to learn about you? (Depending on how you met me) I'm super polite and apparently "talk fancy", or that I swear like a sailor in the most deadpan way.
 40. Something that took you way too long to figure out? I can't remember anything off the top of my head...
 41. Worst injury you’ve had? I've never broken a bone, but once when I was like four I got this HORRIBLE carpet burn on my chin from watching cartoons on my stomach at a friend's house.
 42. Any morbid fascinations?
Not really. 43. Describe your sense of humor. Dry, often dark, and is typically enhanced by timing and delivery (deadpan, usually).
 44. If you had to be born in another era/place, which would you choose? I'm honestly pretty happy where I am. The past sucks in terms of conveniences and sanitation, and where I came from plays a huge part in who I am.
 45. Something you are irredeemably bad at? Probably dancing.
 46. Something that sucked but you’re glad you went through? When I was younger, my mom would ALWAYS correct me if I forgot to say ma'am or sir, but I'm so glad she stuck with it because now it's ingrained in my brain and helps me to be acknowledged/liked by my teachers and other adults.
 47. Would you rather have a really godawful ugly tattoo in a place that is only slightly inconvenient to conceal with clothing (upper arm, thigh, etc.), or the coolest, most beautiful tattoo ever in the middle of your face? (Neither tattoo can be removed or concealed with makeup, and the ugly tattoo will deeply offend anyone who sees it.) Face tattoo! It doesn't have to be that big, right? Theoretically it could just look like the perfect makeup permanently on my face (and lord knows I'm too lazy for makeup). But realistically, I'm never getting a tattoo. 48. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? Realist? I like to operate under "prepare for the worst and hope for the best". I'm confident in my ability to get myself where I want to be, but I know I'll have to work for it. 49. What would be the most flattering compliment someone could give you? Probably something about my mind or abilities. I love being complimented on my looks of course (the other day when I was getting my hair done for school a stranger told me I have beautiful hair and I'm still happy about it), but whenever someone in MidCin compliments me as a princess I almost always screenshot it.
 50. Something you feel people often misunderstand about you? (In real life) I'm not a total stuck-up bitch. Yes I'm confident in myself and yes I came from a relatively well-off background, but I like to think that I'm nicer than I first appear.

[surrealitykrp-blog]

hello listeners —

today we’ve received a notice about im haru, the 25 year old who is currently unemployed. you might have seen him around riverside sometimes. if you haven’t, fear not and stay tuned for the briefing.

                                    and as always, welcome to iri

—  and now, the profile

faceclaim: kwon jiyong (gdragon) oc name: im haru age: 25 positive traits: upbeat optimist, determined opportunist, carefree adventurer neutral traits: highly extroverted, a true free spirit, strongly ruled by emotions negative traits: selfish tendencies, naive escapist, ‘screw the rules’ attitude occupation: unemployed (previously, an actor) housing: riverside affiliation: n/a

— and now, the development

THE MYSTERY OF IRI:

When he’s just a boy, barely able to string together a coherent sentence, his father tells him stories of the town he used to grow up in.  Tells him of its people and places, like they were nothing more than characters in a story that’s lost its shape after the fiftieth reiteration. Still, he listens. Listens well and dear, because there’s something different about the way his father’s eyes shine when he talks about home like it were something akin to an old friend that’s gone far away. For the longest time, Haru’s always believed these small, fleeting memories of his dad were the reason why he’s harbored the bleary numbness of a nostalgia for a place he’s never even been to. Though, upon first setting foot into Iri, it becomes pointedly clear otherwise. The town itself, as once put by his father, is made up of mysteries as great as it’s own—some everlasting, some as short as the blink of an eye, some he’s yet to come face-to-face with. But nothing, so far, holds a candle to the lights. Even after spending years on reverting his night-owl sleeping schedule to something a little more daylight-friendly, Haru found himself effortlessly falling back into old habits the very moment he had discovered their existence. Now, going from a strict bed-time at nine to an I’m-not-tired-yet epiphany at three in the morning sure has it’s downsides, but there was something entirely feasible about the sacrifice of sleep. Unfortunately, his grandmother, who often rolls him out of bed herself, doesn’t quite seem to think so. “You can’t keep staying up so late when you’re supposed to be up early,” Is what she often chastises him with the following morning, nonchalantly tipping the spout of a teapot over the circumference of a mug as she does, “No sleep impedes the brain. Makes you—especially you—do stupid things.” In the beginning, he’d offer sarcastic, charming remarks in order to dilute the sting of her criticism, but her response would always stop him dead in his tracks every time: you’re too much like your father.

THE DUALITY OF MANKIND:

For as long as he can remember, Haru’s always found himself wrapped-up and ruled by the extremity of his emotions—meaning, even if the most soundest and unmistakable of logic had presented a straight-forward route to follow, it would be his feelings in those key intervals that would be the determining factor in which fork in the road he’d actually take. His life was always more akin to an unwinding adventure than it was to destinations—becoming an actor, for one, was never truly in his stars. It was the persistent hypercritical bullying of his father, telling him “you can’t do it” over and over again, that ignited a fire that still hasn’t gone out to this day.   His friends can attest to the whirlwind of his inconsistencies, oftentimes criticizing his ‘go with the flow’ outlook on life for being irresponsible and unreliable in accounted instances of mischief or plight, but likewise praising him for being exciting and buoyant when a good mood has him craving for something a little more than just an easygoing hangout. When it boils down to it, Haru is unashamed and unafraid to share his innermost feelings—regardless of potentially burdening others with his unloading, it’s always been easy for him to selfishly cry, criticize, praise, or express confusion in what might be forthrightly evident to all those who surround him. Much to his chagrin, as he’s heard from mutual colleagues and the like, his father was very much the same.

— and now, the biography

Before achieving fame in his mid-twenties as one of South Korea’s most recognizable and respected actors, Im Chae P’il was born and raised in the confines of a comfortably-sized town by the name of Iri—though, interestingly enough, his respected Wikipedia article and individual fan-sites have a strange tendency of citing various other rural civics in its place. He’s never bothered to correct them.

Shortly after graduating high-school, he moves to Seoul City to kick-start his career as an aspiring actor, and it’s there that he meets (and inevitably falls in love with) the beautiful Kang SunJa. He proposes to her several years later after landing his first big role as the supporting lead in an up-and-coming movie, and she doesn’t hesitate when she says yes.

They have their first and only child on December 21st, 1991. Though his was a birth most unplanned, their son, named Haru, was a cherished addition to their small, private family. At least, in the beginning, anyway—the whole ‘shiny, brand new’ effect wore off pretty fast. You see, Chae P’il has always been way more interested in drinking than anything else, and SunJa prefers to spend her time doting on her husband than raising a helpless newborn. In retrospect, Haru grows up fairly lonely; pointedly going out of his way to make quick friends out of the small amounts of children he meets throughout his upbringing.

When Haru reaches the age of comprehensible conversation he finds himself constantly butting heads with his father who likes to tease, taunt, and outright bully him (worsening around the time when he learns about Haru’s budding interest in the entertainment field). Their exchanges become increasingly competitive, aggressive, and eventually just stop happening altogether by the time Haru turns sixteen years old.

In 2010, during filming on set abroad, Chae P’il goes missing. When the news reaches their family, SunJa becomes increasingly ill from heartbreak. Even though he knows that enrolling into university offers a broader chance of a successful career like his father’s, Haru decides on taking nearby acting classes just so he can keep her company for the time being. He soon grows to regret this decision.

Within the duration of that year, SunJa quickly withers away to a sliver of her once-self, losing the energy to cry, talk, or even look at him anymore. As angry as he is, he can’t find it in him to hate her. She’s his mother. His rock, his all-that’s-left. Even if it means swallowing his pride and succumbing to yet another inadequacy of just not being enough, he’ll forgive her if she’ll stay for a little while longer.

But SunJa passes away in the late-half of 2011, and Haru decidedly rides the hype of headlines and throws himself head-first into his career. After various amounts of failed background and uncredited work in television, he receives his breakout role as Kim HyunJae, the main character’s right-hand man in the Korean Drama My Sister’s Friend. After the series came to a close with a whopping sixty-three episodes, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in both the Korean Drama Awards and the Grand Bell awards.

In 2014, after a successful two years of back-to-back work, Haru was nominated and won the title of Best New Actor by the Grand Bell Awards for his role as serial killer Kang Yonggak in the movie MISSING. Many speculate that his nominations in spite of his rookie status were accredited to his being Chae P’il’s son, causing controversy after winning the title of Best New Actor against another high-deserving contender.

However, only just months after winning, the celebrations came to a standstill when he receives an official confirmation of his father’s death in the new year. While part of him had always assumed his father was no longer alive, as many others had, too, speculated, Haru found himself concerned with just how deeply he’d been affected by the death of someone who, in his own words, ‘shouldn’t have even mattered’. His friends don’t understand, and it’s not like his mother is going to answer his questions from six feet under—he feels inexplicably lonely.

Without much else to fall back on, he finds himself packing his bags and flagging the first taxi out of the city, avoiding the headlines and internet articles long before they could even surface.

#sr:app #krp