#(it's actually pretty impressive imo so kudos haha)

[saltymongoose]

the AU thingy

Son of a ----

Okay.

So.

    First things first. 

I’m like 90% sure I’m not actually human anymore. My vision is all weird and I haven’t blinked once so… no eyes probably. Also, my skin is both grey and I’ve got a decent layer of fur, so that’s definitely an indicator that I am no longer a Homo Sapien.

Not ideal, but I don’t think a species change is the biggest issue on my list right now. I’ve got other shit to deal with.

I did a quick check of my body and everything on me. I was wearing a black shirt with open shoulders that goes up to my neck, black leggings, brown combat boots. Belt with shotgun shells and a pocket full of more around my waist. Another pack around my right leg that’s filled with way more sniper rounds than I think is physically possible to fit in there. Same goes for the one around my waist.

Not that I’m really complaining about the ammo. I’d rather have more than less and if my bullet bags are kinning Mary Poppins’ handbag then I’m not really going to complain.

Green hair, no eyes. I’ve got a sniper rifle on my back and a shotgun right over the small of my back. I forgot that I used that, or more accurately my sona used it. Oh, hey a knife on my chest. That’s useful.

But enough about inventory. I could take a better look later, once I’d had a nice mental breakdown and a good cry. I could really use a good cry right about now.

Later. Here isn’t very safe. 

Not that I know where exactly here is but considering the context clues when it comes to my body and the fact the sky’s red, I’m going to say mother fucking Nevada.

Most likely in the Combat Madness universe.

It’s been a while since I played the game, having finished it once and getting pretty far in Arena before I finally died and decided I’d take a break. Of course, having ADHD and terrible prioritizing skills means ‘taking a break’ quickly turned into not having touched the game for half a year. 

But I’d still written stories and drawn a bit and had worked on a “post-arena” tale for my character.

Agent Echo, a grunt with a genetic quirk that made her female, smaller than most other grunts, and the fastest bitch in the west. Nevada was the west right? 

I’d worked on making it so my character could have a shitton of ammo but also incredible aim, and she wasn’t worthless when it came to hand-to-hand either. So, thank God for small mercies.

After tearing through scores of other grunts and a multitude of battles, but not really being cut out for actual combat against the likes of Hank and the crew (and oh boy would meeting them be fun if I didn’t instantly die) the Auditor decided to order the little killing machine be shoved into a lab for some radioactive testing.

The results? 

Bright green hair (like grass, not eye-bleeding green), a slightly higher than normal level of radioactivity that could kill people if utilized correctly, and a special combat ability I had named “The Las Vegas Glare”. 

If you’ve ever played Fall Out, you know that at a certain point you can begin to pick and choose where exactly you shot your enemies, which meant that if you wanted to blast them with a headshot, you could do so every single time in slow motion and high definition.

So of course, I gave my sona that ability. Not without side effects because I’m a sucker for angst.

While in combat, Echo could dramatically increase her radiation output, which would allow her to a pair of eyes and see everything in slow motion.

If she’d been a deadly sniper before, now she was simply the definition of lethal.

But again, side effects. 

Increasing radiation made her sick as a dog and there was also the fact that growing eyes spontaneously wasn’t a very comfortable experience, nor was dealing with the after-decay either. Eventually the eyes would be gone again, but it was a good idea for Echo, and now me I supposed since I was stuck in her body, to wear a visor to contain the radioactive flesh. 

Sometimes if the ability was used for too long it would cause certain parts of her body to begin to just… quit. Say “no thank” and fuck off and die after deciding they weren’t dealing with the radioactive killing machine. 

I already checked, but just like in my story, my right leg was completely gone. Up to the hip, but surprisingly easy to use after falling more than once.

Then again multiple people have been shot in the head and survived in the Madness Combat universe, so it’s not a surprise they can literally just replace somebody’s leg.

But the whole ‘replacing the leg’ thing is why Echo in the story left. A couple higher ups decided her recovery was too much work and the time she spent healing would be better spent training somebody else to take her place while they disposed of her body.

And in true angsty fashion, I decided that didn’t happen, but something a little worse instead.

One good old 2B-Damned erased Echo’s memory and sent her loose in the Nevadan landscape. After dropping her off somewhere decently safe and giving her ammo and weapons.

I remember vaguely seeing him, still too disoriented in waking up in a body that wasn’t mine and figuring out who I was after having my brain wiped.

So I only really registered that I had met 2B once he was leaving.

That wasn’t ideal. Especially since I had a few questions like how the fuck did I get here.

ANYWAYS, introductions over. I’ve explained some background, given you an overview of the character I’m currently in, a little bit of exposition.

Not that I’m actually talking to anybody, but it’s nice to think that someone somewhere is watching me and paying attention to the ramblings in my mind. It helped me really register where I am and what’s going on anyways. So, win-win.

So. Current situation.

Not human anymore, somehow in Nevada and in the body of a radioactive grunt who got injured and then yeeted out into the desert by a slightly crazy doctor who wiped her memory and in doing so somehow yoinked my soul into this universe.

 I never really did decide if 2B had shoved me, and I guess I’m referring to Echo as me now, I always did like the name and this is my body now, into the desert to save my life or to prevent the scientists who made me this way from being able to use my body.

I’ve always been one for sentimentality, but I think the second option is more accurate. Maybe if I find 2B again I can ask him.

Currently I’m walking through the streets and holding my shotgun to my chest like it’ll save me and take me home. I’ve never actually fired a gun and I’m a little terrified I don’t have any abilities here. 

I don’t know if I could kill somebody if it came to it, but I’m in Nevada now. It’s going to come to it. I’m not naïve enough to think I can live here and not kill people to survive. Pacifism will get you killed in a warzone, and I’d rather not die yet. Some sick part of me hoped I’d end up killing somebody sooner than later so I wouldn’t have to deal with the anticipation, and maybe I’d get over it faster. 

Oh, hey a warehouse! This could be useful. It was better than being out in the open in any case. 

--------------------------         Fellow-09 considered himself a relatively decent guy.

He had friends in Hank and the gang, he was a little closer to 2B-Damned than most expected, and he was, in Deimos’s words, what most would consider a gentleman.

Which is why he felt a little bad for the tiny grunt 2B was having him follow. 

2B had given him the job with the basic overview of what the grunt was capable of, and the fact she’d had her mind wiped. Apparently, it was easier to possibly recruit very deadly agents if they didn’t remember the fact you were their enemy. 

Fellow could understand that, but at the same time it was a little pitiful watching the kid, and even if she was older than him according to her file, she’d had her mind wiped, so yes, she was basically a kid, look around the area like there were monsters in all the shadows.

There weren’t, Fellow had made sure. It wasn’t a good idea to have a potential asset be instantly shoved into a battlefield, though Fellow was sure Hank would’ve said it would be a good way to test her abilities. 

But Hank wasn’t here, and Fellow was a gentleman. He noticed that she had gone into a warehouse, and he quickly entered from a different entrance. 

He knew her name but decided that he’d wait for her to introduce herself before he used it. Wouldn’t want her to be freaked out by him knowing things he really shouldn’t. And honestly, he shouldn’t be talking to her at all. Observe and report 2B had said.

If he asked, Fellow would just make an excuse about the grunt finding him half asleep.

2B would never believe it, but the joke would take the edge off and there wasn’t much 2B could do once the decision was made. So. He was going to introduce himself.

He sat down at one of the empty desks, kicking his feet up on the old wood as he waited for the girl to make her way into the office. He’d gotten a better glimpse of her as he entered the warehouse, and he could admit she was cute.

Not his type, he was strictly men, but he could see Deimos fawning over her. Of course, Deimos would chase after anything with legs that was legal, (but Fellow would never say that to his face. That’s what Sanford was for.)

Then again, Sanford was always into shorties, (now that was something Fellow would call Deimos to his face. It was funny seeing the smoker get pissed about his height.) so he wasn’t fully off the list of people who might flirt with the new girl.

And he was doing it again.

Fellow had a very bad habit of considering people part of the group or team before he’s even met them. Subconsciously adding them to his register of people to protect before they even meet.

There was no guarantee the girl would even stay.

Speaking of the girl, Fellow was snapped out of his musings by the very audible sound of a shotgun being cocked. (Heh. Cock)

Fellow slowly raised his hands, revealing that he held no weapons (there was a pistol in his pocket, though he was happy to see her). Don’t make the girl nervous, and hopefully don’t get shot.

“Hey there.” He drawled, his voice light and welcoming. He’d been a spy for years, and he knew all the tricks to get somebody to let their guard down, even if they didn’t realize it. “Mind putting the gun down?”

The girl relaxed fractionally, her grip shifting on the weapon. She licked her lips, and Fellow noticed with a bit of surprise that she had fangs. Interesting.

“Who’re you?” She asked, voice quiet but confident. Mid tones, not too deep not too high. If he didn’t know from her file and the fact she had boobs, he wouldn’t have been able to tell her gender from voice alone. A good trait for prank calls.

He’s been hanging out with Deimos too much.

“I’m Fellow-09. Friendly, promise. What’s your name?” He answered and asked, his tone still calm. Don’t overwhelm her, keep her calm. Mostly get the gun put away.

Surprisingly, the grunt in front of him relaxed instantly, tension bleeding from her body as she lowered the shotgun. He knew he was good, but he didn’t realize he was that good. He wasn’t complaining.

“Oh, thank god. I really didn’t want to shoot you.” She said, voice watery in the way that meant she was trying not to cry. 

She’s upset but relieved. This is the perfect opportunity to cement himself as an ally.

“You look tired.” He said softly, standing up and reaching out towards her. “How about you sit down and tell me your name?”

The grunt hesitated, her expression conflicted before she nodded, stowing her shotgun into a holster on her back. She walked over to the desk slowly, hopping onto the wood itself rather than the chair. Fellow took a moment to register how small she really was. Even sitting down on the desk which came up to his hip, she still had to look up to see his face. 

Fellow took a moment to wonder if her small stature was less of a genetics thing and more of a side effect from malnourishment. The grunt was skinny enough for that to make sense. She shuddered and rubbed her face, and Fellow quickly grabbed the water bottle he kept in his bag.

“Here ya go,” He murmured softly, holding the water bottle up to her. “Drink slowly, you might be dehydrated.”

  ------

I was pleasantly surprised to find Fellow-09 in the warehouse. It was a relief to know he was there, someone decently trustable. Kinda cute too. 

I sipped from the water bottle he gave me, feeling the cold water go down my throat. I was definitely dehydrated, and the water was a blessing. I took in his features, trying to commit them to memory. 

He was taller than I expected. Probably around 5’8 or 5’10. Somewhere between those two numbers. Big too, in a body size sense. But definitely all muscle. His skin was a pale white, different from my light grey. I chalked it up to being a different type of grunt and focused more on his face. Visual cross, no nose. Cute smile and short white hair that was swooped over on the left side. Solid 8/10 as far as grunts go. I probably stared at his hands longer than was necessary, but I don’t think anybody could blame me.

He had paw pads. And claws. I glanced down at my own hands and saw that I had a similar hand structure. Dope.

The biggest difference between us though was the fact that while I was covered in a solid half-inch of fuzz pretty much everywhere, Fellow only really seemed to have hair on his head.

It was kind of interesting to know that grunts did in fact have hair. I was worried I’d have to deal with a bunch of hot bald boys. Not that there’s anything wrong with being bald, but I personally liked to play with people’s hair.

I’ve been staring for too long.

I swallowed, giving Fellow a nervous smile as I handed the water bottle back to him. 

“Thanks.” I murmured, kicking my legs back and forth as I looked around. Huh, the fake leg was slightly lighter than my own when I’m not standing up. I wonder if the pouch around my leg is meant to add extra weight to balance it out. I didn’t add that in my original story, but it’d be a reasonable decision to make. 

Fellow grinned back, obviously waiting for me to get out of my thoughts so he could talk to me. His voice was relatively low, but nothing extreme. He sounded a little like that guy from Transformers. The movies with the mechanic guy. Always hated that plot point about his daughter and the 18-year-old. Creeped me out. Fuck you Bay. I’m getting distracted again.

“Feeling better?” Fellow asked, placing his water bottle back in what I assumed was his bag and not just some random backpack he found and was going to leave behind.

“A little bit.” I admitted, watching him move and trying to think around the headache I still had.

“Well, that’s good! What were you doing out alone? This is a dangerous area.” Fellow explained, moving to stand next to me. Well sort of, I was sitting on the desk, but he leaned on it next to me. Not in a creepy way, he was facing the same direction as me and gave me some space, but I moved slightly closer. 

I had heard that the grunts’ skin texture was like clay, and I was a little bit curious if it was true. Of course, I wasn’t going to touch Fellow without his permission, but still. If he let me, I wouldn’t say no.

It took me a moment to register that he’d asked a question and I chuckled a little bit when I realized I had spaced out again. 

“Just trying to figure out who I am, literally.” I replied, frowning slightly. “I feel like I just woke up for the very first time, and I’m a little out of it.” 

I rubbed the back of my head, scratching my neck in my normal nervous habit. I quickly pulled away, cringing at the feeling of my skin giving underneath. Right, claws.

Note to self, try to be more careful about scratching. Wouldn’t want to accidentally give myself an injury. 

Fellow looked concerned and leaned closer to me. He seemed to be scanning my body for injuries, and I tried to make myself look bigger. I was perfectly fine, just really really  out of my depth.

“Well, you don’t look hurt, so that’s good.” He encouraged, and I smiled at him. “And speaking of finding yourself, you never gave me your name.”

I stilled trying to think of an answer. I didn’t think that my real name would be one to share, and I never did feel comfortable sharing it with strangers. I never gave my character an actual name, and she had never been referred to as anything other than “Agent Echo”. But honestly, I don’t think that it would really matter if I called myself ‘Echo’ considering I was technically supposed to be dead but looked the same. Changing my name would just make me seem like an idiot. 

“I’m Echo.” I settled on, holding out my hand. 

Fellow grabbed my hand and shook it gently. 

“Pleasure to meet you Echo.”

Huh. 

He felt like soft rubber. 

-------

End of part 1 :3

Hope you enjoyed!! 

This was exactly eight pages in my word document. 

[hallaevak]

skam thoughts

hi ok i’m bored n sick so i’m here to give my (maybe unpopular? idk) thoughts on skam + remakes. i have seen most* remakes, but i’ll mention if i have not seen a particular season or not

first off: basic opinions (favorite remakes, favorite characters, etc)

fav jonas/eva remake:

- skam nl (kes/isa) - isa is, in my opinion, the most relatable eva remake. she’s so sassy and lovable! in general i’m not the biggest fan of the season 1 plot, but i think all jonas/eva pairings, chemistry wise, have been phenomenal. isa/kes are just a little bit more impressive in my opinion.

fav noorhelm remake

- this will be of no shock, as this is quite a popular opinion, but wtfock (senne and zoë). most william remakes kind of suck, and the general character dynamic between noora and william is not something i like. i enjoy the plot but a lot of williams are just...ew. i’m interesting in skam españa interpretation (nora and alejandro) but i can’t fully judge their season until it’s over. zoë is such a wonderful character and senne is actually not a dick! i sobbed when they broke up in s3.

fav evak remake

- i’m tied. either skam france/wtfock. i love the (for some reason controversial) dynamic between sander and robbe. i also love elu, like the basic bitch i am. elliott demaury OWNS me.

fav youssana remake

- honestly, i kind of didn’t like any of them (that are released). there’s only two out there, druck and skam france, and i didn’t like any. i’m sorrryyyy i just love sana bakkoush and no one could ever be better than her. oof! disclaimer i have not watched all of amira’s season/druck s4. i wasn’t personally interested but the acting was phenomenal.

alright now to remake-specific comments.

SKAM, the original, the og, love of my life, scandi legend that started this obsession

- honestly one of the best teen shows i’ve ever seen. the development of characters is so prominent. the acting, for mostly amateur teenagers, is mind blowing. maybe american shows just suck? but i’m absolutely in love with every character. they show such realistic stories and i applaud the skam team + actors for portraying their stories so well.

- the one comment i have is the noorhelm relationship. i just? i don’t like it. when i first watched skam i loved it. noora was hilarious (still think that) and the perfect independent woman model. i also liked william. i just wished they showed more of his vulnerability because his kind of static character is not doing it for me. he doesn’t show any evolution or change. idk, he’s still a wet fish in my eyes. obv this has no shade to the actors, thomas hayes is lovely. his character? not so much. i could write a whole essay on how flawed and dislikable william is.

now, the first remake: skam france

skam france, oui oui baguettes this remake really tickles my fancy

- as someone who kind of understands french, i really do like this remake. i have some issues with s1 and s2 but overall it is a solid remake. being the first, it makes sense for the seasons to seems little unoriginal. i still love emma and manon but their characters aren’t very authentic.

- s3 is where they really nailed it. elu’s immense popularity is only a testament to how truly wonderful the season is. the acting, the characters, slight changes in plot. i loved it. a lot.

- i wasnt impressed by s4 but it might just be my extreme love for iman meskini. no one could ever replace her.

- BUT S5. OH BOY. ROBIN. MY BABY. he is such a good actor and i love arthur he MUST be protected! i love that his shame is not romantically related. also as someone who is interested in deaf culture wow! i’m impressed by the research done by skam france. not only is his the first original season but it is excellently executed. noee is my mother i love her.

druck, likely the most liked remake to which i do not disagree with that statement

- druck is legendary. i really appreciate the small changes in plot and character dynamics that create an identity for each remake and druck is so so good at doing that. mia’s season is lovely and so is matteo’s, as well as the other two. i did not finish amira’s season as wtfock s3 started and i was a little too invested in that haha but i liked what i saw. the mia/noora drama annoyed me but it was okay. i saw it in the way how we all beg for evak/elu/nicotino/etc content in later seasons but then complain when noorhelm/jonas and eva content occur in later seasons, which is weird at best or just fetishization of gay couples at worst. take ur pick. i like it when previous plot lines kind of intertwine into the current ones as it shows that people’s shakes are not temporary and have immense effects on others (which is the point of skam, right?

skam italia, the controversial remake that said bye and then uno-reversed itself (thanks netflix)

- a lot of people don’t like skam italia. it’s understandable, as the actress for sana is not a woc or muslim. however, it is slightly understandable (but not defendable, i was way too disappointed when i found this out) given italy and it’s cultural background. it astonished me that they could even produce an isak remake due to their pretty strong religious beliefs. italy is very much roman catholic, and gay marriage isn’t even legal there (this is the only skam where gay marriage is not legalized). so i give them major props to facing potential backlash in producing s2/marti’s season. it makes sense for there to not be a muslim/woc actress because of the demographics in italy. ww1 and ww2 really spun a number on italy’s race, as many jews and romas as well as pretty much any non-italian ethnicity were kicked out. this creates barriers especially when it comes to hiring a woc actress. skam italia is already breaking barriers when it came to controversial topics (literally all of skam would be controversial in italy’s alt-right view, it seems). tl;dr: kudos for being able to produce a pro-gay show but shame for not being able to hire a woc actess.

- i loved marti’s season as was a fan of the other two seasons. they’re well produced and beautiful and more dramatic than the other skams imo! the soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous.

skam austin, the american cousin no one seems to like that really lives up to the american stereotype

- ok. when i first saw austin/the fact that they made an american remake, i hated it. disgusting. i hâte america as it is. it was cringey, the acting was bad (i’m sorry i’m sorry), and it got rid of the charm that skam had.

- when i watched it a second time around, i changed my mind. i think grace’s season redeemed it a lil bit. it’s living proof that skam remakes must be watched twice or more to fully formulate an opinion. it’s still cringey but i mean, it’s very accurate to american culture. i’m ashamed to say that i, an american, have said many phrases that austin has used.

- skam austin isn’t THAT bad as people make it out to be. i think americans esp are uncomfortable with a skam from their own culture, myself included. and it’s fine to not vibe with it and prefer other skam remakes. i think the actors are okay, better when i saw it the second time, and the editing/music/videography is beautiful (ofc julie andem is a part of it). people give it crap for being american.

skam nl, may she rest in peace or pull an italia and 180 us

- man i was so depressed when i heard that lucas vdh was not getting his season. lucas is downright one of my favorite isak remakes and his story would’ve been so interesting.

- besides that, skam italia has one of the best eva seasons. it is my favorite and is usually a lot of others favorites as well. isa is just so relatable. liv’s season is also incredibly well produced. i didn’t hate noah! it was a miracle come true. he redeemed the william character if only for one remake.

- my one comment/critic isn’t even that serious. it’s just? dutch? it sounds so...weird. i’m a stupid american but i cracked up at things that were definitely NOT jokes because of the language. i’m sorry netherlands/holland i do not mean to laugh.

skam españa, also controversial for good reasons but also conflictingly good

- alright folks. i am confused with skam españa. i don’t know if i love it or like it.

- hear me out. we all know of the controversy with the panphobic comment that nora made. it was stupid and uncalled for and really disrespected the whole pan community of viewers. now, not many people are pan but for a show where an original character (even bech næsheim, love of my life) is canonically pan? it was kind of a slap to the face.

- besides the comment i loved cris’ season. it was refreshing to get an isak season where it was a she, one, and where isak was not living with his eskild but instead had a family. it was also beautifully shot and i love irene with my entire heart.

- that said, i liked eva’s season. nora’s season is interesting. maybe it’s because it’s the first i’ve watched multiple seasons live (españa and france) and have no attention span and is more interested in skam france s5? idk. the clips aren’t really doing it for me. i love the viri clips but the nora clips are eh. she just seems very...in genuine? idk. i also hate miquel get his ugly ass out of here. i can’t fully analyze the season until it’s over but i’m not really interested in it. i also don’t like the noorhelm plot or dynamic at all so that may be it.

wtfock, or another controversial remake that imo shouldn’t be controversial

- wow. i love wtfock. s1 was rocky and i wasn’t sure of how it would be. s2 SLAPPED ME THRU THE ROOF. god i love senne de smet so much. zoë is actually redeemable??? and oh my god milan is my favorite eskild like please adopt me.

- season 3 was the first one i watched live. i arrived to the skam scene late so i didn’t get to experience march madness aka 5 live skams at once and i wish i did. but wow. willem ds and willem h really are one of the main reasons why wtfock s3 did so well. they’re amazing actors with incredibly chemistry.

- the controversy that imo should be controversy: the gay bashing scene. i was surprised at the backlash. people were upset over the fact that they showed such...intense events without immediate remediation. it’s understandable to be mad but? they were criticizing things that had no correlation with the scene, like the willems’ acting or the music picked. it was very wild. they also did a lot of bitching about how lgbt people should see gay bashing because it’ll bring back bad memories and that skam was for the gays only and should cater for only lgbt people. which i heavily disagree with. 1) gay bashing in media is so prevalent and downright important. things can’t be fluffy gay all the time. this happens in real life and does such a great complement to noor’s comment about how no one cares that robbe is gay because it’s 2019. THAT. IS. SO. IMPORTANT. it’s so so important to realize that despite the strides made for lgbt people, gay bashing and violent homophobia. still. exist. also. i would like to direct you to these examples of gay bashing where no one blinked an eye : queer as folk, where s1 justin gets bashed in at his prom and has difficulties drawing; s2 (i think? may be s1) skam españa where lucas rubio gets bashed; skam s4 where even and isak encounter a homophobic dick; these examples are endless. the one thing that miffed me the most was that many critics acted as if they were forced to watch wtfock and therefore criticize its every move. like no? you have a choice? no one is forcing you. quite the opposite! wtfock is geoblocked! you’re actually forcing yourself because you’re taking the time to find illicit resources in order to watch it! alright man i’m done with this rant. many also criticized the writing of the show. it was shaky but watching it a 2nd time, where all clips were released, was so much better when it came to clarity. many ‘poor writing choices’ made sense in the larger picture. again another example that you should watch skam remakes twice to understand the big picture.

- tl;dr wtfock is lovely and should not be criticized for one wrong move.

thank u for hearing me out. i have strong opinions but a frail heart. pls be nice!

[nancydrew428]

Hi!! So I’m conducting kind of a survey/study? Can you rank the games in order from best to worst in your eyes? A simple list will suffice. Include MID, and both SCKs please. But exclude dossiers ;)

Hi! Sorry for the late response! I’ve been doing finals and my last assignments of the semester haha. But I eventually finished this!

Also, don’t hate me (I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this except for on my bingo card, subtle plug), but I haven’t played 10 of the games, and of the ones that I have played, I still haven’t finished 3 of them🙊😂 So I might not be the most helpful, especially if you need exact rankings or answers from someone who knows everything about each game. I’m sorry! But hopefully my answer will still help you. If not, I’m hoping it’ll be interesting!

1. Curse of Blackmoor Manor

This one has definitely been my favorite game! It took me 8 years to finally finish it, but I’m so glad I did. I love the atmosphere, especially the creepy vibes (and I do like the English moor aesthetic, haha). The game used to scare me so bad, but now it’s just cute, and a little spooky. The only thing I don’t like is the moving rooms. All the other puzzles were good. But that one made me dizzy and confused, lol.

2. The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Dave Gregory. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Lmao. ...Seriously, though, I love being out on the ranch in real life and I love how that translated in the game. I love horses and cowboys. The love story with Frances and Dirk… My heart. I also loved the book. And I liked the glyphs. And the chocolate Shadow Ranch cake is to die for (it’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe!⁠—although I will never do walnuts).

3. Danger on Deception Island

This was the first game I played, so obviously it had to be high up on my list. Again, I love the atmosphere (that’s probably my biggest factor when ranking these games, and with playing games in general). It really reminds me of a place along the California coast that I visit during the summer. And I don’t think there would have been a better game to introduce 8 year old me into the world of ND video games.

4. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

This one used to scare me. Every night I would be afraid for the dogs to jump on the house and windows. Every time I would be in the woods looking for bugs I was terrified that something would happen. Also, Yogi! And I remember actually enjoying the puzzles and the hunt for bugs. Also, the speakeasy was so cool!

5. Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon

The Hardy Boys!! I saw someone say this is like an off-brand Murder on the Orient Express, and it was so funny to me, and I wanted to share it with you. But I love the train idea, the Hardy Boys, cooking, the potential “ghosts,” the hunt, and the dialogue.

6. Secret of the Old Clock

I loved this book. It’s the first Nancy Drew book (definitely a classic), and I love how they set the game in the ‘30s. It was completely different in that aspect than any of the other games. Although the driving wasn’t the most fun, I lovedthe pies, going through the secret passages, playing mini-golf, and the ugly yet cute cat that I don’t remember the name of.

7. Shadow at the Water’s Edge

I don’t know how accurate this is in the portrayal of Japanese culture. I hope that it’s pretty accurate and that it isn’t racist, but I’m not sure. But I remember playing this game when I was 11 and being absolutely terrified. The bento boxes were very cute, but I remember getting frustrated with it. The jumpscare is arguably the best part of the game and the scariest scene in any Nancy Drew game.

8. Sea of Darkness

This one is honestly this high up specifically for the graphics. Overall, it is a good game. I liked the puzzles, the setting, characters, dialogue, etc. But the graphics stole the show. It is the best Nancy Drew game with graphics, plus the scenery is pretty (even if it wasn’t as quality). I love the snow and the chilly atmosphere, and I definitely feel like it’s a winter game.

9. Treasure in the Royal Tower

I liked this game. I loved (you guessed it!) the atmosphere. I loved being snowed in, and I loved Hotchkiss. I don’t remember much of this game, and one might argue that that means that it should be lower on the list, but I remember really enjoying it, so I’m keeping it in this spot.

10. Legend of the Crystal Skull

I love the atmosphere, New Orleans, and Henry so much. This isn’t my favorite game, but it is so good!

11. Danger by Design

I like this one, with the Sonny Joon references. I also like Paris, and I think this is a fun game. But I always get it confused with The Phantom of Venice, which is why Phantom is listed right below this one. Which one has JJ and the cookies? I couldn’t tell you.

12. The Phantom of Venice

Like I said, I always get this one confused with Danger by Design. I couldn’t tell you what happens in each. Except this one has you dance in a catsuit and play SCOPA, but I don’t remember necessarily caring for either of these.

13. The Captive Curse

I like this one. I like Germany, the monster, the scary beginning, Renate falling asleep. But I feel like it could have been scarier. (If it was, let me know! I gotta replay it in that case.)

14. Alibi in Ashes

I love Alexei, the ice cream/milkshakes, and getting to play other characters than just Nancy. But other than that, it’s not my favorite game.

15. The White Wolf of Icicle Creek

I’ve only played the Wii version of this game, so I’m not sure how different it is from the PC version. + I never finished it. I loved the kitchen and cooking, and the wolf is super cute! But I didn’t like the ice thing. I could never get past it. Is it any easier on the PC?

16. The Haunting of Castle Malloy

I’m Irish and I think it’s cool that the game is in Ireland. I actually like the character design, but it feels a little bit….ridiculous to me? And the banshee? I don’t know. But I love the atmosphere, and from what I remember, I liked the characters.

17. The Creature of Kapu Cave

I remember liking the game, and I love anything with the ocean or lakes or swimming or diving. Like, the water is where I belong, and I think it’s so fun. But the character design is awful. Frank and Joe don’t look the way they’re supposed to, and I can’t get over it.

18. The Deadly Device

It’s a good game, but I’ve never finished it. It’s difficult in some parts and boring in others. But I love the Tesla idea, Mason’s sarcasm, and Ryan (I just love Ryan). But it’s never really pulled me in. (I think part of it might be because it’s the only game, other than SSH that I’ve tried playing without using any walkthroughs, so I’m having a tough time, lol.)

19. Warnings at Waverly Academy

I know that this is a fan favorite, but it isn’t my favorite. I like all of the Nancy Drew games that I’ve played for the most part, and it is a good game. But I’m tired of school, and I play video games to escape it. Plus, other than Mel, I don’t like any of the characters. That might be the point, but in a game where you have only a handful of characters, I don’t like only having one of them be likeable.

20. Message in a Haunted Mansion

I don’t remember much of this game. But I love anything even slightly spooky, and I remember thinking this game was cute.

21. Secret of the Scarlet Hand

I’m playing this game right now (not as I type this, but I’ve played it on and off for the past few months), and it’s pretty good. I like learning about Mayan culture, but it isn’t that special of a game. Nothing really stands out to me, and none of the characters are all that likeable imo.

22. Secrets Can Kill Remastered

Again, I don’t remember much from this game. It didn’t stick out to me much, and I enjoy games with a good atmosphere and a somewhat lasting impression. This game isn’t bad; I don’t think any of the ND games I’ve played have been bad tbh. But I don’t care about high school, and I want something else to remember. But I give Her Interactive kudos for making a game for girls about murder (especially because it was technically their first game, and this was just a remake). And that sounds sarcastic, but it actually isn’t! Lol.

23. The Haunted Carousel

This wasn’t a bad game. I just don’t really have an interest in carnivals and that sorta thing. They’re okay, but they don’t intrigue me that much. And I don’t remember much from this game. I played it around the same time that I played most of these games, and it didn’t stick out to me. However, I do love the cover and the fact that not every character is white.

24. Ransom of the Seven Ships

I know this game gets a bad rep, but I don’t think it’s a terrible game. But the black face is just too racist and makes me too uncomfortable to enjoy it as much as it could be enjoyed. If HeR toned down the racism a little bit, I could have actually enjoyed this game (except for George’s character design; they did my girl dirty, but what’s new?).

[serenagaywaterford]

1) Okay, I'm late (bc rl sucks), but I'm back and I'll gradually address everything. "Also do not feel any pressure to respond to my multiple essays! I understand completely!"The same goes to you, bc I feel like I'm bothering you too much. That being said, I truly enjoy talking to you. Not only you offer fresh/perceptive insights into the characters' minds (which made me a. reconsider scenes and motives, b. wanna rewatch S1 --some scenes you're commenting on are SO fuzzy in my head-- mind you,

2) 2) I’m already rereading the book), but you also provide such hilarious, sarcastic lines (some of them are absolute killers).

3) personalities” I know you have an inkling of who’s who. :D But damn, that ‘lesbianing’ bit had me giggling. Kudos, fellow anon. Since we’re on the subject, I have another question about your fic (if you don’t mind): is it post s2 or s1/s2 canon divergent? b) “Add horrid fangirls to that and it’s a big ass no lol.” Ugh. Fandom smh manages to sour my opinion of characters/ships/series I personally like. Especially when fans start pestering the creators to cater to their whims or harass actors

4) or start ship wars. Double ugh. c) “So, that’s the Mass Effect connection!” Two more similarities: i. Mass Effect’s Miranda Lawson got a lot of fandom hate back then (even though she was a famous character), just like Serena. ii. She has a back-and-forth, bickering (hateful but not THAT complex) relationship with another female character. d) “I have seen Westworld! Well, okay, just the first season. I got too tired/confused to get past the 2nd season premiere.” Oh, sorry. I shouldn’t have

5) assumed. Believe me when I say it’s a good thing you stopped watching when you did. The overall quality of the series remained pretty much the same (e.g. acting, cinematography, direction), but, oh boy, some new plot twists (which I usually like) are SO OVER THE TOP in order to impress (?) the audience. It’s reached a point where some characters are unrecognizable, bc they’re servants to the plot. Maeve has a lot bigger arc in S2 and Newton is thriving (imo, S2!Maeve >> S1!Maeve), but so is

6) Strahovski/Serena. :D e) “don’t go around bitching at people who say shitty things or stuff I don’t agree with, or blocking anybody who doesn’t like her."Ah, another thing we have in common. There were times I’ve been blocked by fandom people (with beautiful edits) that I NEVER interacted with (except for maybe reblogging from each other). That’s not me complaining. Like I said, each to their own.I just find this phenomenon funny at times. Story time. Once, an out of nowhere anon (whose msg I

7) didn’t publish, bc drama is SO not my thing) said they’d block me, bc of an uploaded gifset for a canon pairing (which wasn’t to their taste apparently) that was tagged as #[series]edit (although the ship!portmanteau was right there, too, so that people could easily block it). I remember being like: "Okay. Good for you, anon!” LOL. f) “I dunno if you see spoilers but there’s one about them.) She needs therapy so much more than a cutesy feelgood storyline.” I did NOT actually, but feel free to8) enlighten me.

——–

I am sort of back! (RL does get in the way of incredibly lengthy essays about fictional TV shows!) NO APOLOGIES NECESSARY!! I am just so happy I get to read all these excellent thoughts, analyses, and feelings you have! (and that we clearly share lol, including the sheer amusement of your writing!). I really want to write more at the mo but my hands are doing that weird old lady thing where you can see the veins popping out and it makes me v uncomfortable to look at. Especially since I have little baby hands. I hate it.

Ok, I’m now kneeling on the floor and the computer is on the kitchen island. This is better. I cannot see the top of my hands. 

SO. Where was I? OW. my kneeeessss. This is a bad idea.

I’m so lost. Fic question. right. It’s post-S2. Like… quite post-S2. I didn’t even deal with HOW or WHY June is back in the Waterford’s house tbh cos I can’t be bothered to sort that out. (Thanks, show.) So, it just assumes that for some reason, she’s back. Which, if the BTS pics/video is to be believed, that’s the case anyway. 

Fangirls (and boys ofc) ruin so much for me. Even if I like the same thing initially. Ugh. Then sometimes they’ll annoy me so much that I end up liking the complete opposite of what they like. Dunno why.

No worries about Westworld! It’s a reasonable assumption! Please don’t apologise, my friend. I do agree that Thandie was very good in S1. IIRC, her character was my fav (other than Clementine lol). Yvonne S2 was just next level shit to me. Like, what you’re saying makes me wanna give S2 WW another shot but when shows get overcomplicated, they’re not much fun anymore when I’m like “BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING LOL”. 

>> “There were times I’ve been blocked by fandom people (with beautiful edits) that I NEVER interacted with (except for maybe reblogging from each other)”

EXACT SAME. It was actually in THT fandom most recently lol. Like, I reblogged one of their pretty edits once. Ever. I didn’t even say anything snarky or bitchy or rude in tags. I don’t think I added any commentary at all. Next thing I know? BLOCKED. Never interacted with them in any way whatsoever. (Typical N/J fangirl lol.) It’s the strangest behaviour and it’s that kind of thing that sours me towards sects of fangirls, and sometimes even the characters they like. Maybe that’s just petty but I think it actually just reinforces pre-existing feelings I had towards the character or pairing.) The only blogs I block are ones that are gross, RP, or spam. (RP blogs is a long history of them stealing and spamming and adding awful commentary to my posts way back in the day, so I just… block em. lol.)

>> “they’d block me, bc of an uploaded gifset for a canon pairing (which wasn’t to their taste apparently) that was tagged as #[series]edit (although the ship!portmanteau was right there, too, so that people could easily block it). I remember being like: “Okay. Good for you, anon!” LOL.”

Oh. My… WHAT. There’s a very odd sense of entitlement here that seems so peculiar to me. Like, that’s what the blacklisting feature is for? I’ve put every version of my most despised pairings, characters, etc. and it works? Very rarely does it miss on. I guess we’re just dramaphobic, mature old fandom farts. Like, “Kids, let me sit you down and tell you about this site before you could block things. Before even XKit was invented…” Not to mention every other website ever lol.

HOLY GROSS… I just got up and a centipede fell off me!! WHYYYYYY. THIS IS WHY I DON’T SIT ON THE FLOOR. (we live near the beach/woods so we get lots of bugs no matter how clean we are…) no more painful kneeling for me i guess…

OKAY. Spoilers. It’s not much but other than the June in Martha costume (which was shown in the teaser Superbowl trailer anyway by now)… there were set pics of Emily, Sylvia, Nicole, and Luke all happy and smiling. IIRC. I can’t find the post anymore. So it may not have been in character. But I dunno… it all seems… too easy? Like, I’m glad Emily is safe but omg. She’d better not be all hunky dory “I stabbed a lady and threw her down the stairs, murdered another, and ran a dude over with a stolen car, but now I’m Canada, I’m all healed!” (Not including the heart attack/crotch kicking here cos that was fair play to Emily. She deserved that.) Like, honestly, as much part of me was like YESSSS at all of those, still… that’s grievous bodily harm with intent to kill, flat out murder, and vehicular manslaughter. For Emily to do those things, you don’t do those crimes without being really broken and damaged. And… yeah. That doesn’t magically disappear when you hop over a border.