#it's not really a spoiler because that's max's fave trope so i have to do it

[wormswurld]

i just wanna talk abt the movie ma mére again on here & show you (some) of my fave screen caps because that movie quite literally is a rollercoaster of emotions, depraved acts, unique depictions of grief, and overall a commentary on love and it’s differing forms and how it can toe the line of what is deemed “socially acceptable” etc when you are infatuated with someone (who happens to be your mother lol,, spoilers ahead btw!)

- i think louis garrel played the role of pierre perfectlyyyyy like his chemistry with isabelle hupert is so natural ?? like the way their realtionship as mother and son is shown throughout the progression of the movie is such an interesting and incredible sight like truly! in regards to this screen cap you can literally see the boyishness dripping off of pierre as he gazes up at his mother !! he’s so soft looking! just embodying the confused yet desired filled teenage boy trope to the max lol

- absolutely love this still. love it so much. not only does pierre just blend into the filth surrounding him as he grieves the loss of his father he looks so beautiful and content while doing it? i love the messiness. i love the dirty clothes strewn around on the floor. i love the face that he’s wearing red underwear and it immediately draws your attention to the curve of his ass, his thighs, and gangly hair legs.

- next up this sequence of shots from my FAVORITE scene in the entire movie….for context pierre goes out with his mom, her friend, and this cute girl he’s acquainted with and ends up drinking too much he essentially falls asleep in a nearby train station (not too busy but there’s still some passerby’s); okay with that be established can we just look at this ????? like really look at what the fuck is going on????? the pain and desperation on his face as he gets his cock stepped on by the same boots he kisses in the next sequence! his hand placement on the boots as his makes them push down harder!!!! the way he is only stripped down to his shirt, everything else being forcefully taken off of him when he is asleep and unknowing holy fuck. this scene is just perfect. so incredibly perfect. i can go on more and more about it but we have like 2 more screen caps to cover lol.

- *sigh* y’all know and or should know if it isn’t just oozing off of me that i’m a slut for religious imagery & themes… combine that shit with sexuality and depravity and i am so sat! pierre’s make shift cross hes praying to out of the pages of the bible he ripped out, the light casting a warm ray onto his person as he begs for forgiveness and mercy as he grapples with his purely fucked up situation, his hands clasped over his hand as if god is about to punish him and he’s trying to protect himself, the bowing of his head + the clothes that he’s wearing + his legs tucked under his body = beauty in its purest form in my opinion.

- wow. last screen cap and i have so much to say. i love the curve of his spine, the focus on his ass, the soft kiss he’s planting on someone’s knee, his shoulder blades, just how soft and light and airy this shot looks?????????? this image is post-sex gold right here. this image drips non-verbal aftercare, “after everything we have just done i am still here and i am yours.” this shot is so fucking beautiful good god. to quote @priestfrommidnightmass ‘s review of this movie “i fucking Love awful sick entirely morally Wrong dynamics i love blasphemous religious symbolism i love honest and twisted portrayals of sex i love the line of pleasure and violence being blurred…”

#i love this movie #i think abt this all the fucking time #lgbtqia #ma mere 2004 #ma mère #isabelle huppert #louis garrel

[storiesofsvu]

For the fanfic asks: F, G, L, M, P, S, Y & Z. 🥰😊

F: share a snippet from one of your fave dialogue scenes you've written and why you're proud of it?

okay, the one that jumps up is "This is my present?" "I put a fucking bow on it, didn't I?" between heather & jackie about yn. there's probably more meaningful quotes out there, and honestly funnier ones, but i've written so much that I can't think of another one right now. there were definitely some really good ones in Classified Affairs, but i do admit, I took some of that directly from HOC, within the debate scene specifically. and there was a scene between jackie & underwood about the "our dynamic and leash you have me on" that i squealed at when i watched it cause it was *perfect* for heather & yn

G: do you write your story from start to finish, or write scenes out of order?

I write start to finish! if i wrote out of order then i would never end up finishing the story and doing all the other parts. i do usually have future scenes/stuff figured out before a chapter before them kinda thing, but i always make myself figure it out before i move on. if that makes sense

L: how many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

close to none lol. i usually write and then post it directly after, though with some series i have made sure i have a good chunk written before i start posting it, like i am with the new heather one. so those ones get a little bit more revision, same with SSS since i did that story in this style too. there was a lot to figure out and i needed everything to be right, so there were some revisions. in the one i'm doing now w/heather, I've changed a couple of things but it's like, a sentence max. ex; i realized if i changed it to 6 years of heather being gone instead of 5, Jackie would be finished her VP term by the end of the story. i also am actually watching HOC now, so I discovered heather's from connecticut, so i swapped that in instead of saying she was from ohio. tl;dr: basically none lol

M: got any premise on the back burner that you'd care to share?

hmm... ok, so since i've talked a lot about the vampire/fantasy AU already and I've mentioned the new Heather one so lets go with that.... -it's a Classified Affairs follow up, taking place 6 years post the little run in with yn at the end of CA. and after Bruised Peach. yn from CA is now an original character, and Heather returns back to DC, running into her family and she starts to try to get some redemption. along the way she meets yn, a school teacher, and things start to develop between them. only question is....has she done enough work on herself over the past few years to regain her family's trust, and will yn flee as soon as she hears all the crap heather pulled before she left dc in the first place?

P: how much do you plan in advance, vs letting the story unfold as you go?

depends on the fic. i have a very full and detailed outline for the new heather fic. with SSS it was the same. Peach has a very light outline in my phone. Then stuff like the Nanny fic, I had little spitball conversations with friends screenshotted or notes jotted down about the little things that could come into play and i kinda just wrote around those until a story looked good

S: any fandom tropes you can't resist?

fake dating, one night stand with a stranger who turns out to be your new coworker the next morning, secret relationship

Y: any character you want to protect?

oh lort. a lot of them. currently Velasco is pretty high up there, but also Keane, oh sweet sweet Keane, can we pls just take you to therapy and then burrito you in a blanket for snuggles?

Z: major character death? do you ever write/read it? is there a character whose death you can't tolerate?

yes and yes. i have no issues with that shit. though (spoiler alert) in Seeing Red i HAD to make it a WPP thing instead because i was terrified of manifesting Rita getting killed off in canon and i would hate myself forever if that happened LOL. i'm much more likely to kill off a yn or a family member. but we'll see! lol

thanks for asking!! 😊

[ezrisdax-archive]

thoughts on time loops?

okay remember you asked this.

so. I wrote this as I was traveling home and it’s still just a jumble of thoughts but spoilers for like...all shows with time loops. there are a few things I think make up a perfect time loop, not all shows need to follow this structure, most only follow a few of the key things I feel they need and still come out stellar but what it boils down to for me is:

There can only be at max two people involved in the time loop. Three if you have a villain whose caused the loop but the focus should be about those two/one protag character stuck in the loop. This means the narrative growth they go through and the things they learn in the loop gets to shine, Legends of Tomorrow’s loop with Zari for instance. She gets to grow as a person with no else realizing what’s going on and remembers once it’s done. Time loops at their core should be about allowing narrative growth for a short amount of time.

They should remember all aspects of the loop once it’s done. Now some shows can pull off not having that, The Librarians for instance is in my top three of time loops but Ezekiel doesn’t remember in the end and it is probably my least fave part of that loop, but the other characters around him know he experienced the change and see that part of his growth, but I still believe that in order to further development the characters should remember the loop

Now if you’re not going for narrative growth then time loops should be about fun, this I feel is limited to shows that aren’t dramas. Like the Lilo and Stitch cartoon one. You can still have some growth but in a show where most of that will be reset anyway by the next episode just focus on the fun aspect there.

While you can start off in media res like Dark Matter’s time loop there’s something enjoyable about seeing the start, comparing the first loop and then every thing after it and the characters realizing what’s going on. It gives you a chance to really see the differences between each loops.

Look all things have been done before but that doesn’t mean you can’t put your own twist on the loop. In the Librarians the loop is because he’s trapped in a game. In Dark Matter a second person gets stuck in the loop a long time after the first person does. In Star Trek: TNG they don’t realize they’re even in a loop and only have deja vu and subtle hints something is wrong and what they need to change. You can make time loops unique.

Enjoy the humour in them. While I do believe they should mostly be used to establish a change in a character, there’s always that moment in the loop where the character realizes they can do anything. It allows them to explore different areas with other characters while not ruining anything in the show and gives a reasonable explanation for going back to the status quo for the other people not in the loop. Granted that leads to...

Exploring what the loop does on the person. How living it constantly over and over wears you down. Stargate’s time loop does this best for me with quick short loops each about ten seconds long that still get across the exhaustion happening to the characters. Each time you see Jack and the fruit loops you can see he’s just done with this.

Have there be a continual issue the person stuck in the loop has to deal with. It’s a lesson to be learned, like Sam dealing with Dean dying in Supernatural or Erica in Being Erica learning to take the value of a single day or in the movie Naked when the main character just has to

Lean on the repeats, explore the differences even one line can make when a character doesn’t get a chance to say them or how the character in the loop convinces others they’re in the loop and need help. Or you can just show the faith that the characters have in each other by having them believe the other right away like Nathan does with Audrey in Haven’s. There’s something enjoyable either in showing the growing bond of the characters or how it’s always there.

When the loop is done give one scene at the end to show the character is still living some aspect of them. In Stargate Jack is allowed to enjoy oatmeal which seems silly but is big to him given how the loop was. In all of Russian Dolls you can tell the characters aren’t going to forget these any time soon and it’s still influencing their actions and choices (granted this whole show is a loop so it would focus on that anyway). In the Adventure Zone the knowledge Magnus gets from the loop literally changes everything about the story as it follows.

Look at their core time loops are the same as any trope, a means to tell a story. They just also allow the story to contain more growth than the usual one given the short amount of time. You can make them as funny or as drama as you want, ranging from Xena’s episode with Cupid and using her chakram to fix all the issues in one city to Eureka’s episode that ends with Stark dying to stop the loop for good. The nice thing about this trope is how it can be played either way.

Also while loops don’t really explore it (Dark Matter tried but ended the loop on the first go) is getting someone in the loop after the first person is already in it. @sidewaystime and I have had talks about nested loops like that, would the loop reset if either died? Would one have to live out the time till the reset? If someone loops in a smaller time frame than the first how does the effect the first loop? If the first loop is broken does that autobreak the second loop? And if they person starts is now on the same time frame as the first loop what does that mean for the technology that started the loop? Can it sustain that? Is that would cause it to fail in the end?

You can do a whole show of it! Play it like Daybreak and Russian Doll and go whole episodes/seasons involved in that loop or do it like Tru Calling and loop once.

There’s just a lot of variety with this trope! It’s amazing what it can do! Aaaand my top loops episodes/arcs:

Window of Opportunity - Stargate

Cause and Effect - Star Trek: TNG

And the Point of Salvation - The Librarians

The 11th Hour - The Adventure Zone

Naked (Netflix film)

Here I go Again - Legends of Tomorrow

Mystery Spot - Supernatural (look I hate the show but that’s a good episode!)

All the Time in the World - Dark Matter

I Do Over - Eureka

Been There, Done that - Xena

(notice I did not actually put Groundhog Day on here, while I do enjoy that movie I hate that the guys a douche and wins the girl over in the end. I’m not comfortable if they do a relationship much in a loop unless it’s fanfic)

send me asks that are like “thoughts on ______”  

#I've only written five time loop fics #I'm a sham #waverly earp #replies in thirty minutes or its free

[laufire]

In depth fandom ask: the last fandom you joined bc I can't remember it now

Well, I guess the last fandom I’ve properly joined --making a few edits, starting yet-another-WIP etc.-- is Black Sails, so. Plus I want to talk about it a little, spoiler-free, in case you decide to watch it ^-^ (I’ll leave that to the s3 post I need to finish...).

Top 5 favourite characters: Max is my number one, without a doubt, and of the rest of my faves Silver has an edge... but the remaining positions are a tough fight between Flint, Jack, Madi and Miranda, and I honestly can’t choose DD:

Other characters you like: Mr. Scott, Anne, Idelle, the Maroon Queen, Billy, Eme, Abigail... This show has a lot of great characters tbh.

Least favourite characters: I still loathe Peter Ashe with every fiber of my being. Alfred Hamilton is obviously The Worst(TM). And though it hasn’t grown into hate (yet), I don’t like Woodes Rogers one bit ¬¬

Otps: Flint/Miranda, and the combos in Flint/Madi/Silver and Anne/Jack/Max (in no particular order at the moment because I just HAVE TONS OF FEELS ABOUT THEM ALL).

Notps: I don’t have strong NOPE feelings towards anything, but I’m not into Eleanor/Max (which is a dynamic I actually really like BUT that I’m glad it doesn’t return to shippiness LOL); Eleanor/Rogers (I might be indifferent towards Eleanor most of the time but I haaaaaate Rogers for her. RUN GIRL), Flint/Vane (booooooooring).

Favourite friendships: Max & Silver (THE duo I swear), Jack & Max, Flint & Silver, Idelle & Max (I might not have said so before but I guess I like a little conflict LMFAO), Billy & Flint (NOT a friendship, but their relationship absolutely cracks me up I swear. “Who’s Billy?” XDDD).

Favourite family: Madi’s family, which is all I can say without getting spoilery. I just. *lies down on the floor overcome with emotions* xDD

Favourite episodes: the problem with binge-watching (okay, I’ve taken s3 more slowly but) is that they all kinda blur together LOL. Hmm. The season finales are all *chefs kiss* so far (sometimes in a very painful way... I’m looking at you s2. Though the ominous Flint/Silver moments in the s3 were A LOT too); any in which I get to see Max & Silver scheming together ofc. And the first handful of eps in s3 were particularly enjoyable to me because I was drowning in PURE ANGST and Flint & Silver feels xDD (I can’t NOT believe the fandom seems to call one of those “the shark date” asñldfjasdfñl).

Favourite season/book/movie: oof. I honestly can’t pick; s1 is probably the “least” because the others include better moments for some of my secondary faves, and because there’s a plot that’s really hard to watch... BUT it has things on it I adore to pieces too. s1-2 doesn’t have Madi (major drawback xD), and s3 is after one of my faves’ death... but frankly they’re all neck and neck so far.

Favourite quotes: “I am ruined over you” always comes to mind DD: “Liked is just as good as feared”; Max combo with Eleanor about sand (typing that down made me think of Anidala LMFAO. The scene itself is very different though! xD) in the s1 finale; “in another time, in another place, they would call me a queen”; “this ends when I grant them my forgiveness, not the other way around”, Mr. Scott’s “No. Only YOU.”... honestly, this show’s dialogue is just too good(TM), I could just quote it all back xD. And of course, I HAVE to mention “WHO’S BILLY”. It’s the law.

Best musical moment: the score is perfection all around, but given that I never skip the intro just to listen and watch it... yeah, the intro xD

Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest: well, I *might* have lost it the moment CAPTAIN FLINT COMES OUT TO LONG JOHN SILVER OVER A BONFIRE, IDK XDD

When it really disappointed you: the fact that I won’t get to see a fully fleshed out Mr. Scott-Silver dynamic is MAJORLY disappointing, let me tell you. That Flint’s actor didn’t somehow get his mother (aka Maggie Smith aka Professor McGonagall aka Lady Violet) on the show too ¬¬. LOL.

Saddest moment: character’s deaths of two of the characters listed on “top 5”/“others you like” xD.

Most well done character death: the hanging in 3x09 was well done and served its purpose.

Favourite guest star: for a value of “guest star”... I’m going with Idelle.

Favourite cast member: Jessica Parker Kennedy is the one that I know and love for other projects she’s done.

Character you wish was still alive: THE ONE WE TRAGICALLY LOST IN 2x09.

One thing you hope really happens: I’m cheating because I know there’s some of that in s4, but I want to watch more Flint/Madi interactions pls.

Most shocking twist: well, I wasn’t spoiled for Mr. Scott’s plot in s3 so I was (pleasantly) surprised by that xD

When did you start watching/reading?: a little over two weeks ago; I watched (devoured) s1-s2 and 3x01-3x04 in a few days because I wanted to meet Madi, and then I tragically had to slow down :(((

Best animal/creature: I will always love Treasure Islands’  parrot that Silver named after Flint LMFAO.

Favourite location: Nassau aka Max’s ~domain xD. And Miranda’s house.

Trope you wish they would stop using: noooooone. I love the tropes this show reuses LMFAO. Romantic Betrayals(TM), triumvirates, “good things happen in the dark/away from civilization”, the power of narratives, social climbing and revolt... bring them oooooon.

One thing this show/book/film does better than others: quite a few xD. But one that really stands out to me is the dialogue; both the ~deep and sorrowful type (there were so many quotes where I had to take a break to freak out properly lol), and the humorous ones.

Funniest moments: I know I’m repeating myself, but I recently rewatched the pilot to edit some scenes and I keep remember the WHO’S BILLY one xDD (which I maintain it was Flint trolling him. He could give Abigail a rundown of Billy’s whole life story AND he shamelessly checked him out that one time. Flint knows who Billy is, he’s just an asshole xD). Really, all the scenes between Billy and Flint in that episode are comedic gold lmfao. Billy’s “oh dear I fucked up” expression when he tells Flint the crew has started to think him weak and Flint looks half a second away from murdering him right there, his WTF face at Flint’s antics with the stolen page... Gold, seriously.

Couple you would like to see: I meannnnnn. I would’ve been very happy if the show had decided to go with Flint/Madi/Silver, for one. Bonus if Miranda could’ve been included. Or just explicit Flint/Silver in poly arrangements (THEY ARE IN LOVE, IT’S JUST ~COMPLICATED XD).

Actor/Actress you want to join the cast: MAGGIE SMITH DAMMIT.

Favourite outfit: literally everything Max wears in s3. Eleanor’s s1-s2 outfits were things I’d love to wear too. Flint’s ~dramatic coat. Miranda’s collection of supposedly-puritan-but-showing-the-goods dresses xDD (and ofc her London clothes), Jack’s clothes (he’s Nassau’s fashion icon lbr).

Favourite item: the books!! Especially when Flint gave Miranda “La Galatea” as a gift (given that sometimes he reminds me of my OC Latoya, you might understand the freakout I had when he gave the other member of my OTP a book titled like that xDD).

Do you own anything related to this show/book/film?: no, but I kinda want to. I did have a Treasure Planet computer game I tragically can’t find... it was about collecting money in increasingly difficult scenarios LOL. And I probably have more pirate-y/Treasure Island theme stuff. I had a long pirate phase xD

What house/team/group/friendship group/family/race etc would you be in?: Max’s because I like being on the winning team, thanks xD (though I do ~align more with Flint and Madi’s lbr...).

Most boring plotline: Eleanor and Vane’s ~romance is not at all badly written... but the fact that I find both of them boring kinda ruins the whole thing because I always wish that time went to someone else xD. Also, Blackbeard. Meh.

Most laughably bad moment: n/a.

Best flashback/flashfoward if any: the London flashback where Miranda goes to Flint’s house unannounced to take him to an art gallery, she finds him half-naked and he gets all awkward about it lmao. And then they hook up in the carriage :DDD

Most layered character: we get to explore Flint and Silver the most. Silver’s development in particular is something that never ceases to impress me ngl.

Most one dimensional character: except the one-note characters I wouldn’t really call anyone completely one-dimensional, tbh. Though I do think the fandom attributes more complexity to Thomas than it’s seen in canon? Like, I like what I see; I think he’s functional, he works well, and he adds wonderfully to Flint’s (and Miranda’s) story, but I don’t see him as a full character in his own right. Which is perfectly fine for the narrative so far, but I fear it might fall apart for me at the very end.

Scariest moment: I never know what to say in this... I mean, I guess Flint killing a man with his bare hands in the pilot Like That was scary xD. I understand why Silver freaked out LOL.

Grossest moment: any of Max’s interactions with Vane tbh. Stay away from her ¬¬

Best looking male: Flint has that ruggedly handsome thing going on for him, if you’re into that (and sometimes I do appreciate his ~aesthetics... very sad he shaved his head in s3 though. Like, I get you did it for the Angst, honey, and trust me, I Feel U, but still). I feel like I might be forgetting someone, but seriously, none of the dudes in this show so far do anything for me LOL. I can honestly say I love them for their personalities xDD

Best looking female: I have a weakness for Max, but Miranda, Madi, Anne, the Maroon Queen, Idelle, Eme... all of them are gorgeous in their own way. This show is good for sapphic women’s enjoyment in that sense xDD.

Who you’re crushing on (if any): I could crush on any of the women mentioned above tbh.

Favourite cast moment: I have literally only seen this post about an interview where Flint’s actor says he’s too old to party with The Youth of the cast and just wants to chill on the weekend... with bonus Max and Eleanor’s actress talking about how Vane’s once climbed the side of a building up AND back down. I’m with you, Toby Stephens, you don’t need those shenanigans xDD

Favourite transportation: the Walrus, for sentimental reasons LOL. I liked stolen Spanish warship too.

Most beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise): lots of good ones, though I think my fave might be the one of Miranda sitting by the window in London. Or the one of Charles Town burning down, I liked that :))) (I remember thinking “Flint better go full Daenerys on them”. And he did! It was nice xD).

Unanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you: n/a, so far.

Best promo: n/a.

At what point did you fall in love with this show/book: I liked it from the word go, but the moment that TRULY cemented it for me was in 1x03, with Max making a decision that I... frankly didn’t expect. It made things worse for her in the short-term, the storyline itself was difficult and disturbing to watch and I still have some mixed feelings about it. But what it said about her as a character and how her journey goes after that... I was in awe of her, and of the show.

#missbrunettebarbie #replies #my thoughts #black sails #black sails thoughts #talking to the void #bsmax #miranda barlow #james flint #john silver #flintmiranda #silverflintmadi #silverflint #silvermadi #billy x flint #bsmadi #i think those are the most prominent ones #thanks for the ask :D

[shemakesmeforget]

15 fics under 1K kudos

We all know how tempting is to sort fics by kudos, so I'm doing that lol I hope you all enjoy this underrated gems. I might do a part 2, I'm definitely posting a list for wips tomorrow (these are all completed fics btw). I have some moodboards coming, but for now you can check here and for other fic recs here. Okay, let's go!

How to Surprise Your Fiancé With Pork: An Honest Walkthrough by Viktor Nikiforov by Orchids_and_Fictional_Cities (@orchids-and-fictional-cities)

Canonverse, Rated T, 5K 

The thing with Viktor is that once he’s set his mind on something, there is a very very minuscule chance of him not following through on said thing. 

He wants to do something for Yuuri: partly as a Valentine’s Day gift, partly as a prelude to Worlds, and partly ‘just because’. It’s somewhere between dwelling on the abstract thought of Yuuri’s hunger as a competitor, and watching the younger skater on Facetime with his mother back home, that an idea starts to form.. 

-- 

This is how Katsuki Yuuri, the love of his life, the apple of his eye, the fire of his loins et cetera, ad infinitum, finds Viktor when he walks into the door: standing precariously with one foot on a barstool and the other on top of his counter, frantically fanning at his smoke detector with a magazine. 

• This is hilarious, sweet Viktor... he tries so so hard (also I relate to this more than I would like lol)

voices carry by spookyfoot (@spookyfoot)

Canonverse, Rated T, 4K

God Chris is loud, Victor thinks, half of his glass of vodka sloshing onto the floor as another rhythmic thump sounds against the shared wall between his and Chris’ rooms. Would the hotel allow him to change rooms so late at night? He could probably manage it no problem, but his toiletries are spread all over the bathroom and by the time he packs those up Chris and his…guest should be finished.

He’ll have to wait it out.

A moan floats through the wall. Victor’s not sure if it’s approving his plan or warning him to give up while he still can.

He pours himself some more vodka.

“Fill me up,” Chris's Fuck Buddy (CFB) says.

Oh god. Victor takes a long pull of vodka from his glass.

For once, Chris is quiet enough that Victor can’t hear anything beyond a murmur. And he thinks that’s that until—

“Fuck a baby into me,” Chris’ bedmate moans.

Victor chokes on his drink.

_____ 

Meet cute by way of pregnancy kink 

• *heavy breathing* seriously?? You're giving us Yuuri doing the walk of shame and YUUCHRIS??? beware I laughed so hard I cried, so much secondhand embarrassment.

Lay Your Head by kiaronna (@kiaronna)

Canonverse, Rated G, 2K

By the time they end up sharing a bed, they’ve already slept next to each other everywhere else.  

• I LOVE this trope so much omg, you’re in for a treat A DELIGHT.

overture for two (me & you) by oh_fudgecakes (@asideoftrashplease)

Canonverse, Rated E, 21K

Plagued by his poor performance at the GPF, Yuuri’s disastrous free at Japanese Nationals ends not just in eleventh-place, but deals him with a lasting injury, resulting in him retiring before the events of the show. He becomes a commentator, determined to move on from his uneventful skating career. Yet, a series of chance meetings with a smitten Viktor and his own yearning for the ice keeps drawing him back to competitive figure skating. 

In which everything's different, but it all ends the same anyway. 

• Commentor!Yuuri owns me lol (all Yuuris own me), a great balance between angst and humor.

Lead Me To You by luni

Canonverse, Rated E, 68K

Victor Nikiforov, Russia’s living legend of figure skating, is forced to take most part of the season off because of a rather serious injury. A comeback, no matter how exciting or unexpected, is never easy- especially when the person who is supposed to help Victor through most of it is none other than Katsuki Yuuri, former ace of Japan, now retired.

• Role reversal!! Coach Yuuri!!!! angsty af but oh dear they're crazy for each other. 

Ode To Apollo 13 by cerebella (@badkisser)

Space AU, Rated E, 66K

Yuuri Katsuki has his first and only breakup, and reacts the only way he knows how: board a starship and live out the rest of his life in outer space, millions of light years from the home planet he loves. 

It doesn't work.

• Getting back together is a trope I really enjoy, also friends with benefits *praying hands emoji *  Particularly I like the flashback to their school days and, if you squint, you have some sweet yuuchris too <3 

were stars to burn by xylophones (@xyloophones)

Space AU, Rated T, 7K

How should we like it were stars to burn

With a passion for us we could not return?

“I’ll call,” Viktor promises, “I’ll write, I’ll send holo videos, I’ll–– I’ll–– I’ll––”

He doesn’t say “I’ll stay if you ask” but he thinks it. He thinks about asking Yuuri to wait for him.

He won’t.

(But he thinks about it: Yuuri, pointing up at the night sky and saying “there’s the love of my life, among the planets, among the streaks of light above us.”) 

• I dont wanna say I cried like a baby because that would be insulting to babies. So sad and beautiful.

Follow Me Down the Milky Way by Skowronek and voxofthevoid (@kaja-skowronek and @voxofthevoid)

Space AU, Rated E, 17K

When decorated space officer Viktor Nikiforov is sent on a mission to bring down an infamous smuggler, he does not expect to be swept off his feet by a pole dancer as mysterious as he is deadly.

Yuuri Katsuki simply tries to make the galaxy a better place with as little collateral damage as possible, but that's easier said than done when a fleet commander's son sneaks into his ship and a pretty officer with a thigh fetish is after his head and dick both.

• BAMF!Yuuri <3 finally Yuuri's thighs get the appreciation and love they deserve. Very sweet and funny!

quantum entanglement by minsyah (@pockybugi)

College/Coffee Shop AU, Rated T, 17K

For some reason, the man—Viktor—sits in front of him, silver hair flouncing as he settles comfortably into the chair, introducing himself as Yuuri’s new math tutor with an easy smile.

And Yuuri, 25 years old with a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics…doesn’t correct him.

(Viktor mistakes Yuuri for a high school student struggling with Geometry. Yuuri’s too awkward to figure out how to tell him otherwise.)

• I'm still laughing so hard. The ultimate meet cute! Yuuri is a dork, my sweet child.

Can you, not? by shereadsthestars

College AU, Rated M, 7K

"Stop moving," Yuuri hisses.

"I'm not moving," Viktor hisses right back, causing Yuuri to roll his eyes.

"Yes, you are," he says, adjusting himself to the best of his ability so as to accommodate Viktor's incessant shifting. "Or I wouldn't have told you not to."

"Whatever," Viktor breathes, then, without missing a beat, "Go out with me."

"No." 

• Viktor is so in love, Yuuri tries very hard to not fall in love but everything works out in the end. Cute angst? cute angst!

faking in secret by DefiantDreams (@gia-comeatme)

College AU, Rated T, 14K

It gets kind of difficult when you’re simultaneously fake dating and dating in secret at the same time.

Yuuri and Viktor make it work—until they don’t. 

• FAKE SECRET DATING GOOD GOD. This Yuuri omg!!!! oblivious heartbreakek to the max. Adorable and hilarious.

Foresight, not just foreplay by myoue (@cofferi)

Roommates AU, Rated M, 6K

There’s no way I could have casual sex, Victor says, I’d fall in love immediately. 

• Friends with benefits is my weakness and oh?? This fic???? I adore how they dance around each other. Just wonderful!

life with the dull bits cut out by thishasbeencary (@yoyoplisetsky)

Actors AU, Rated T, 9K

Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katuski have been best friends since acting school. Viktor got his big break early, and brought Yuuri on to every exciting event and premier in his career. As Yuuri's career takes off, he does the same with Viktor. They do everything together, and act like they've known each other for their entire lives.

Their fans think they're in love.

(Spoilers: They are.)

• This fic literally made me cry at work, friends to lovers is my favorite trope ever and mutual pining AND OMG THIS IS SO CUTE I WANNA CRY AGAIN, amazing.

The Viktor Nikiforov Affair by YankingAwry (@rvancoogler)

Heist AU, Rated T, 13K

Viktor tries wooing Yuuri. Yuuri will not be wooed. And then there's the small matter of Viktor being a Russian master criminal art thief extraordinaire, Yuuri being the Interpol agent assigned to handle him, and the imminent theft of a hundred million dollar painting.

There's tension throughout the whole fic, Yuuri tries do hard and Viktor tries the hardest.

• The fic I didn’t know I needed BUT I DID, such a good read! this Viktor must be one of my faves, hands down. 

Comes Love by Multiple_Universes (@witharthurkirkland)

Burlesque AU, Rated M, 46K

People in the audience would crane their necks to watch Yuuri sit and calmly sip his drink. He’d raise the glass to his lips and down its contents slowly, as if the gold liquid was honey and not champagne. Or he’d get a cocktail and drink it through a straw in a way that would make the men around him break out into a cold sweat. Then he’d cross his legs and recline in his seat and it didn’t matter what was happening on the stage: every eye in the room was on him. The regulars often said that no one could cross their legs like Eros did.

That night he sat in his usual spot and watched the stage with unseeing eyes. Two weeks of someone leaving a bouquet of roses would make anyone curious. He’d always find them in the same spot. There were always seven of them. And they always came without a note. But Yuuri knew they were all from the same person.

A Burlesque AU with Yuuri as a performer and Victor as his admirer.

• Are you ready to experience the best visuals of your existence? *fans self* This Yuuri is just too powerful, def too much to handle (praying for Viktor). Strip and fluff is now my new religion. It was angsty at times but overall it was very sexy and cute, so lovely.

#me: i should study no more fic for today #*does this list instead* #oh well #yuri on ice #fic rec #yoi fic rec #also i realized i'm a cry baby #ps these are all victuuri :) #also formatting this was the worst but know i tried hah #chel fic recs

[eggoreviews]

My Top 10 Games of All Time

Just so I’m not talking about Smash Bros for once, here’s my top 10 games of all time that I will always think are perfect and never accept that they have flaws! Enjoy and I hope one of your faves is in here!

Probably spoilers for the games I mention under the cut

10. Kingdom Hearts II (2005)

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, Kingdom Hearts is a big weird crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy. I played this game as a kid and it was mostly exploring the Disney worlds and the really good combat system that kept me interested (I had literally no clue what was happening in the story and still kind of don’t) and I never really lost that sense of nostalgia that became attached to this game for me. And yeah I’m definitely getting Kingdom Hearts 3.

9. Life Is Strange (2015)

Life Is Strange is an emotional, cheesily written episodic series that I got into totally by accident about a teenage girl called Max who does some high school stuff and also has superpowers. What really made this game so memorable for me was the sheer emotion behind a lot of the plot and I will admit I cried several points during, which is what made the game stick with me. Plus this has one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a game so yeah. Go play it (and everything on this list).

8. Until Dawn (2015)

This game probably doesn’t belong here but I love it. Until Dawn follows 8 teenagers who go back to a snowy cabin where some shit went down the year before and u have to keep them all alive by making the right choices n stuff. The horror factor is good in this game, but it’s mostly the characters and how strangely attached I was to them by the end (I know they’re all tropes but I still love them). I’ve honestly lost count of the amount of times I’ve replayed this. Still probably gonna do it again.

7. Mass Effect 2 (2010)

The sequel to what is basically the space version of Dragon Age is shamefully my only exposure to the Mass Effect series, but the gameplay and characters left enough of a mark on me to give it a comfortable spot in this list. Mass Effect 2 follows Commander Shepard, overly macho space guy/gal who is a terrible flirt as he attempts to rid the universe of some massive insects. Along the way, you run into a huge cast of memorable, unique characters (and then Jacob as well) and explore a wealth of interesting and varying locations. But what really made the game stick out were the genuine lasting consequences of the frankly huge final mission; if you don’t make the right choices and buy the right upgrades, a lot of your faves are going to die.

6. Dishonored (2012)

This entry in my list is a bit cheaty, as it includes all dlc expansions from the first game as well as Dishonored 2, because all of these are just as good as each other. Dishonored puts you in the shoes of self-righteous arsehole Corvo Attano (I’m kidding btw, he’s only an arse if you make him kill everyone) as he gets framed for the murder of his lover who also happens to be the Empress, as well as the kidnap of his daughter who also happens to be the Empress’ daughter. So kind of a big deal. But all joking aside, Dishonored is one of the finest examples of the first person stealth genre, with arguably its only flaw being that it gives you a sprawling variety of fun and interesting ways to kill people and then makes you feel like a monster at the end of the game for doing it. I played this game and its sequels to death, and became especially invested in the character of Daud (who was totally butchered in Death of the Outsider. Yeah, I really wasn’t a fan of that game. Like, I love Billie Lurk and everything but what the hell were they thinking doing THAT to the Outsider?? Sorry I’m rambling)

5. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)

And now to one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played, Dragon Age is fucking amazing from start to finish. A gripping storyline, characters and companions that are impossible to forget and a combat system that’s fairly easy to get to grips with but becomes a bit of an arse later in the game. As much as I liked Inquisition (despite the fact it butchered Leliana. That’s just my hot take I don’t think anyone else thinks this, she just kind of lost that sense of fun and badassery that made her my fave in Origins. Rambling again), none of the other games in the series really matched up to the original for me.

4. Medievil Resurrection (2005)

I’ve been reliably informed that I am Bad And Naughty for loving this version of the game because it’s apparently rubbish compared to the PS1 version. But I loved this game so much as a kid that I played it to DEATH. Like more than Dishonored. The levels aren’t quite open world, but you get so immersed in them that you think they are. Honestly, I’ve never played a game with such a creative concept behind it, with humour that’s surprisingly meta for an RPG of the time, not to mention the fact that there’s a whole level devoted to carnival minigames. Are you not convinced yet? Well, you should be because Tom Baker is a voice in it and it’s coming out as a remaster for the PS4 at some point (I hope it’s soon. It’s gone eerily quiet)

3. Undertale (2015)

I know this is high for such a recent game, but it really has justified its place. I don’t care how much this game or its following has been ruined by the internet, I still hold it in the same regard I did when I first played it (and then bought all the subsequent ports because I’m a Capitalist Sheep). With an amazing narrative, some spicy retro-era graphics, memorable characters and possibly the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard in a game, there’s no way I’m ever getting sick of Undertale.

2. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (2009)

What sets this game apart from the other RPGs on this list was that not only did it have everything I look for in a game (amazing narrative, characters, soundtrack, game design, combat and open world) but it carried it all out with a sense of emotion I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Every single character, every single detail seemed to be something else you immediately became attached to and it all comes together to make a game so immersive I didn’t put it down for a solid 3 years, even after I’d completed it. Basically, if you own a DS, you NEED to play this. Like you will cry many times throughout this game. Sometimes happy crying (I think I just get a bit too invested in these things tbh)

Before I ramble on incessantly about my number 1 pick, here’s some of the best bois I’ve played that didn’t quite make the list:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) - I’m loving this game to bits so far. I’m only a recent Switch owner so I’m catching up on what I’ve missed and if this game carries on the way it is, it’s going to have to be in my top 10.

Rayman Legends (2013) - Fun, unique and memorable platformer that especially shines in couch co-op. I’ve played this one countless times and I won’t stop until Rayman gets in Smash.

The Walking Dead series (2012-2018) - One of the best sets of decision based games on the market and perfect if you’re looking for a game that tears your heart out and stomps on it!

Fallout 4 (2015) - Amazing open world, characters and combat. Well-designed, genuinely terrifying monsters. The ability to name your weapons ridiculous things. Heck yeah it’s going on this list.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (2006) - A cute lil card based RPG that was a Final Fantasy spin-off no one seemed to like. But hey, I loved it and I’ll never say it’s anything other than perfect because childhood.

1. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)

Oh my god. Ohhh my god. Where do I even begin with this one? Yes, Skyrim was amazing, but Oblivion just beats it due to a combination of a storyline I prefer (oops sorry), nostalgic attachment and a lovely set of glitches and exploits that to me make the game all the more lovable. There’s nothing I’ve played since Oblivion that’s matched the experience of wandering through a forest or one of the cities with THAT MUSIC in the background. And don’t even get me started on the quests. And that Shivering Isles DLC? Big yes. I knew this segment wouldn’t make much sense but I love the game so much that I can’t even begin to tell you all the things that make it my favourite.

Thank you for reading if you made it this far! It was just me rambling about games really but I appreciate u a lot if you made it this far. Have a good day and if you get the time, pick up one or two of the titles on this list! You bigly won’t regret it.

#the elder scrolls #oblivion #skyrim #fallout #Telltale The Walking Dead #rayman #eggoreviews #gaming #list #countdown #ranked #top 10 #kingdom hearts #life is strange #until dawn #mass effect #dishonored #dragon age #medievil #undertale #dragon quest

[zutaralesbian]

black sails :)

Thanks!

Top 5 favourite characters: Max, Eleanor Guthrie, Anne Bonny, James Flint, and MadiOther characters you like: Miranda Barlow, John Silver, Thomas Hamilton, Idelle, and Mr. ScottLeast favourite characters: Charles Vane and Woodes Rogers. (Also all the obvious characters like Peter Ashe, Ned Lowe, and Thomas’ father…but it would take all day to name off all of them). Otps: Max/Anne, Max/Eleanor, Flint/Thomas, Silver/MadiNotps: Eleanor/Vane, Eleanor/WoodesFavourite friendships: Flint/Eleanor, Flint/Silver (I get the appeal of seeing it as romantic too but eh, it’s just not for me), Flint/Miranda, Thomas/Miranda, Flint/Madi, Eleanor/Madi, Max/Idelle, and Anne/Jack, even though I have some issues with it.Favourite family: I don’t think there were a lot of blood family dynamics on the show? Eleanor and her father was probably the most prominent one and he was an asshole, so lol. There is Madi/Mr. Scott, even though it didn’t get the attention it deserved. Favourite episodes: 1x06, 2x02, 2x07, 3x09, 4x08Favourite season/book/movie: Season 2Favourite quotes: Ahh that’s hard because there’s sooo many good speeches on this this show lol. But to name a few:

Flint’s “Dragons in the darkness” speech

Max’s “There is nothing important that does not include you” speech

Madi’s “A chorus of voices” speech

Eleanor’s “Too many goddamn men” speech

Anne’s “I can’t be your wife, Jack” speech

Best musical moment: Idk. I can’t really think of any specific musical moments?

Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest: The Maxanne snow scene in 4x08. Also the Flinthamilton reunion in the series finale. I cried.When it really disappointed you: When they didn’t have any Maxanne scenes in the finale. I would say Eleanor’s death but even though that obviously made me sad, I also knew she was going to die eventually from spoilers :(Saddest moment: Eleanor’s death :( And Miranda’s death. Especially with Flint’s reaction to it.Most well done character death: Vane. I know i’m probably biased because I hate him (lol) but I truly do think it was well done. With how tumultuous his relationship with Eleanor was, I think it was fitting that he died partly at her hands. Favourite guest star:Favourite cast member: I haven’t really read or seen anything about the cast members so idk. Jessica Parker Kennedy is beautiful though. Character you wish was still alive: Eleanor and Miranda :(One thing you hope really happens:Most shocking twist: Thomas being alive. (I’m still AMAZED that I wasn’t spoiled about that beforehand because omg). It was a very beautiful surprise though. When did you start watching/reading?: I think…about a month and a half ago? I binged watched pretty recently.Best animal/creature: IdkFavourite location: Nassau, I guess lolTrope you wish they would stop using: I can’t really think of a trope that they did repeatedly that I didn’t like. There’s obviously things that I didn’t like (Max’s r*pe story line in S1, for example. That was pretty hard for me to watch and if it wasn’t for the fact that I knew things eventually got better for Max, it might have made me quit watching). But nothing that was done over and over again like on GoT.One thing this show/book/film does better than others: LGBT REPRESENTATION. Also the writing for women. And general story telling tbh.Funniest moments: 

The scenes with Silver and Randall in S1. “You’re a thief” lol. 

Eleanor finding Silver handcuffed in her office. 

Also the classic: “So I really have to fight him?” “Well what the fuck did you think was going to happen?!” Lol

(Honestly a lot of Silver scenes made me laugh. He was pretty funny at times.)

Couple you would like to see: Eleanor with someone decent lol. Max was her only good love interest :/Actor/Actress you want to join the cast: Favourite outfit: Pretty much everything Max woreFavourite item: IdkDo you own anything related to this show/book/film?: Nope. I might buy the DVD’s someday thoughWhat house/team/group/friendship group/family/race etc would you be in?: I don’t really know. I doubt i’d be a pirate though lolMost boring plotline: Most of Vane’s story linesMost laughably bad moment: None. The threesome scene with Max, Anne, and Jack was eh…awkward though. Best flashback/flashfoward if any: The Flint, Thomas, and Miranda flashbacks in S2Most layered character: Pretty much all of the characters are really layered. Even the ones I don’t like. The writers didn’t fuck around with character building. I guess i’ll say Flint though, since he’s the main and the most time went into him.Most one dimensional character: Idk. The characters who got killed after only one or two lines.Scariest moment: Blackbeard’s death. That was brutal.Grossest moment: Can’t think of a specific oneBest looking male: In my lesbian opinion…maybe Flint, Silver, or Billy?Best looking female: MaxWho you’re crushing on (if any): Max. Eleanor, and Anne. (And the best part is, they’re all three canonically not straight. So i’d have a chance.)Favourite cast moment:Favourite transportation: Ships, I guess lolMost beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise): I can’t think of a specific one but any shots of the ocean, especially if there was a ship sailing.Unanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you: I don’t really like that the Maxanne relationship status was never solidly confirmed? I mean, i’m assuming they got back together because of the hand-holding scene, but I would have liked more confirmation :/Best promo: I binged it so idkAt what point did you fall in love with this show/book: S1 was alright but S2 was what showed me that it was going to become one of my faves.

#answered #teamrebecchi #black sails #long post for ts

[redsector-a]

Writing meme! Every 3rd one! :D

omg you’re making me do math?! :P3. Least favorite part of writing.The writing itself. Which is also the best part of writing. I am a contrary lil brat. ;p   6. Favorite character you ever created.Oh gosh…no one gets to see my original fiction and few have seen my fandom original chars either…so even if I could pick one I don’t think it would matter for this? I guess I could admit I have so much love for basically any Highlander OC I’ve made because they allow me to play around in my academic wheelhouse in a way that isn’t painful and frustrating (look - being a Historian is legit difficult sometimes okay? People are really dumb and keep repeating the same mistakes).  9. Least favorite trope to write.Hrm. Hard to say since I don’t get prompted much and just tend to not do things I don’t like. I guess unhappy endings or infidelity or something of that nature. I wouldn’t do that. 12. How do you deal with self-doubts?Not well. Not well at all.  15. Where does your inspiration come from?Everything? Nothing? I have no idea tbh.   18. What’s your revision or rewriting process like?Alternately staring at the screen and screaming at the screen? Sometimes tugging on my hair and making annoyed sounds.   21. Post the last sentence you wrote in one of your WIP’s.He’d be eating through a tube for along time in whatever hole he ended up being thrown into.24. Poetry or prose, and why?Prose, There isn’t a poetic bone in my body.27. Do you share rough drafts or do you wait until it’s all polished?I mean I obviously share with my betas who help chisel everything so it can even be polished, but yeah I do. Well. I have a strange relationship with sharing - like I want to all the time but I also don’t want do because then why would anyone read it?All in all. Yes. I tend to like throw words at people and then run away and try not to be a blog of anxiousness or cackle like Smeagol with the rabbits depending on what type of scene I sent.  30. Favorite line you’ve ever writtenHave I mentioned I am shit at picking favorites? Sorry.  33. Do you listen to music when you’re writing?Almost all the time and it’s a pretty eclectic variety unless the story seems to steer itself towards something in particular.  36. A spoiler for story _________.Imma throw this fish back in the pond since I need more specifics. :P39. Do you base your characters of real people or not? If so, tell us about one.Don’t they tell you not to do this or not to admit to it? You ain’t catching me with this one. :POkay I really like to try and get pets I have had into stories. The kitten in In Soviet Russia… was totally my dearest Max. He was the best cat (well, both cats we’ve had were the Best Cat and everyone else has had Best Cats) but man. I miss his sassy fuzzy butt. He didn’t break out of anything when we adopted him but he sure as heck could escape basically anything you could put him in or behind, even as a teeny baby, going so far as to being able to basically body check some doors open and if we’d had lever handles he would’ve gotten those open no problem because he understood the concept of how to open doorknobs, he just lacked big enough paws. Pickles has a lot of his spirit and intelligence too.  42. How do you figure out your characters looks, personality, etc.Generally they tell/show me. Sometimes it takes a while.  45. Worst piece of feedback you’ve ever gottenI suffer from anxiety and serious depression - Imma pass on this.  48. Favorite genre to write in.I’m not sure I have a favorite. I mean, I guess it depends on how specific you want to get with genre. Like “Drama” can cover an entire host of things. “Sci-fi” is a genre as well, and some “Sci-fi” can be “Drama” but some is “Comedy.” I think I’m going to stop and stick with I don’t really have a fave before I go too far down a rabbit hole. ;)   51. Describe the aesthetic of your story _______ in 5 sentences or words.See #36, swim free fishy!!  54. Any writing advice you want to share?    Writing is hard.(you didn’t specify it had to be good advice - that wasn’t good advice, but it was the truth and I think we all can take some comfort in that as we scream silently or out loud at the blinking cursor wondering how to get the freaking words out.)

#long post #dude so many questions #Anonymous

[flightlessbirdsstudios]

How Persona 5 Got Me Out of My Gaming Slump

ORIGINAL BLOG LINK

Persona 5: Rio Drift.

I have a very bad habit of getting into a game, or a game series, or fine, yes, anything BioWare, and then not coming back out for quite a while. When I’m done with one game I get nostalgic and replay another one, and it’s a vicious cycle. When I saw this thread on Persona 5, it was like the universe shoved the game at me and said, “Here. This is your jam. Please give Dragon Age a break for two weeks that’s all I’m asking”.

So, not wanting to let the universe down, I gave it a shot. It turns out that a lot of the things that I love about the BioWare games crop up in other games too. Sort of like these things are indicative of rich gameplay experiences or something. Absolutely wild. Full disclosure, I have never played any of the other Persona games, and may do something when I get my hands on a copy at some point.

In this iteration, our mostly unnamed protagonist gets himself into some trouble and gets shipped off to a new guardian and a new high school. No good deed goes unpunished, as they say. He and his new friends discover the Metaverse, a world where desires and vices can be manifested into Shadows and Palaces.

First, because even if I don’t know my audience I sure know myself, let me be absolutely clear that there is romance in this game. It is painfully straight (Ryuji, my goof-off fashion icon fave, may some mod out there give you the smooches you deserve), which I consider a heads up and not a spoiler. The main character is a dude, and all of the possible love interests are delightful even if not always appropriate*.

I love them.

Now that that’s out of the way, the rest of this review is in no particular order. Game-play was fairly intuitive, in that I didn’t completely forget what I was doing after setting the controller down for a few days. Things are pretty clearly labeled or explained memorably. The fusion system seemed clunky and excessive but, while I’m sure I didn’t make the best choices or utilize the fusions to optimal pairings, with a bit of experimenting it made a bit more sense. I get attached easily, so once I found a fusion that I really liked and maxed out, it was hard for me to swap them out for something else. There’s a story mode (safety) which gives you a do-over if you die in combat. This is delightful if you don’t fancy the idea of dying within sight of your next checkpoint/safe room. Otherwise there’s the typical easy, normal, and hard. If you’re feeling very frisky, there’s also a ‘merciless’ difficulty that you can find via a free DLC.  

Speaking of not making the best choices or utilizing things to their maximum potential, the confidants were sort of amazing. I love them all. One of my absolute favorite tropes is found family and Persona 5 has it in spades. An absolute cast of misfits and dreamers pit against society wanting to grind them down.

Honestly, one of the best tropes. Six of Crows, Dragon Age (okay, a lot of BioWare actually), One Piece, and other stories like that just always get me right in my feels.

Mini-games or stat-building exercises are always a good time for me, as long as there’s variety, and there sure is variety here. Be it doing laundry to clean up some found gear, hitting the batting cages (so to speak) to raise proficiency, or browsing shops in Shinjuku, there’s fun to be had just in exploring the world. Unfortunately you only get so much time a day, and while you can eventually stay out a bit later and get some help so you can multitask, it just seems like a lot of time is spent waiting to go to bed. It would have been nice to be able to spend a little of that before sleep time confined to your room but still able to read, or even a mini-game that didn’t raise stats. I understand wanting to keep your system balanced, but having to hear that I’m too tired to do anything, or being yelled at by my cat to go to sleep, sure gets old. (I already get yelled at by my real life cats enough as it is.)

The soundtrack is top notch, and vocalist Lyn has some catchy tracks that are perfect for staging your own heists a run around the neighborhood. Shoji Meguro is an absolute master at mixing the high energy music one would expect of a flashy heist with calm, walking around the rainy city music. That’s pretty much all I have to say on that part. Catchy as heck. Nobody will know if you’re pretending to be a Phantom Thief in your head.

The art, likewise, is gorgeous. It’s interspersed with anime quality cut-scenes (and indeed, there’s an anime prequel and series to be found as well), and the character splash screens are delightful. I hadn’t been paying attention to the fact that it was an Atlus (and P Studio) game going into it, but the minute I saw the MC straight-on I recognized their animation style.

One thing that could really go either way is the framing narrative. I love a good framing narrative, and this works as an in media res start to the game while also providing a fairly solid, narratively appropriate tutorial level. It can, if you’re new to the series, require a lot to be taken on faith. It answers many of the questions eventually (while raising a few more, naturally), but compared with many games that provide an info dump at the beginning it can be a bit of a surprise. A welcome surprise, to be sure, as I was immediately hooked by both our MC and Sae Niijima.

Go get ‘em, Tiger!

Overall, I realize people tend to like hard numbers and ratings so I’ll say it’s an 8/10 from me. It loses a full point for the unnecessary homophobia, and another for general mechanics that tired me out. Otherwise, it’s a solid *expletive* game.

Content warnings for the game:

suicide

self harm

sexual assault/abuse

child abuse

anxiety portrayal/discussion (I personally found this to be handled well, but to each their own. I do wish I had known it going in.)

homophobia /queerbaiting*

adults dating minors

Persona 5 is available now on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It was released September 15, 2016.

*Atlus has a history of iffy romance portrayal and a history of homophobic jokes and situations. Catherine was a game I love/hate played and has legitimate transphobic issues, which Persona 5 skips in favor of homophobic stereotypes. There is a bartender that shows up eventually that isn’t so cringey, but I can’t say the depiction does much to balance out the rest of the queer portrayals.

Author: Kalyn E. aka EvaSerrate (on Twitch)

#persona 5 #atlus #skull #mona #morgana #ryuji yamazaki #ann takamaki #panther #joker #game review #flightless birds