#I need people to see this horrible and beautiful dialogue

[wolfsong-the-bloody-beast]

[nightprompts]

&. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧 (𝐞𝐩𝐬. 𝟓-𝟖) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

(  dialogue  prompts  taken from episodes 5 - 8  of max's  the  penguin  (2024),  created  by  lauren  lefranc.  feel  free  to  edit  and  change  as  you  seem  fit.. )

❛ you came back. put your ass on the line for me. a hundred maseratis couldn’t replace that. ❜

❛ it’s you and me now, kid. till the end. ❜

❛ you messed with the wrong fuckin' family! my mother, my father, they won’t stand for this... ❜

❛ i want what’s mine. ❜

❛ the cops are looking for you. although i get the sense they’d rather find you dead than alive. ❜

❛ you’re not looking too good. ❜

❛ the fuck is wrong with you? you’re fucking sick. ❜

❛ what kind of person kills their own fuckin’ family? ❜

❛ you think i’m a fuckin’ idiot? the second i do what you want, you fucking kill me. so just fuckin’ do it already. ❜

❛ listen, sweetheart, i know you can’t see it right now, but all this shit goin’ down, it’s a good thing. ❜

❛ nothing’s gonna happen to you. i won’t let it. ❜

❛ all i’m asking is for you to hang tight just a little longer. that’s it. and then it’s you and me on top of the world, baby. ❜

❛ you are a desperate fucking liar. ❜

❛ i got no reason to lie anymore! ❜

❛ god, she was beautiful, your mom. she was so beautiful. she had that laugh. when you got her going, it’d knock you out. ❜

❛ i couldn’t help your mother. let me help you. ❜

❛ i’ll find a place that’s safe. and i’ll call you when i get there, alright? ❜

❛ i’d like to be a part of whatever’s next... if you’ll have me. ❜

❛ if you join me, you will have a new family. and i’ll pay you what you’re worth. more money than you’ve ever seen before. ❜

❛ we had a deal. we look out for each other. we don’t fuck each other over. ❜

❛ you know i’m yours. but right now, i’m just gonna hold you back. ❜

❛ freedom always comes at a cost, doesn’t it? ❜

❛ i’ve come here to end the war between our families. ❜

❛ i am offering you an alliance. we join our families as a show of strength. ❜

❛ bored with me already? ❜

❛ you know, fugitives really shouldn’t leave their rooms. ❜

❛ i wouldn’t have pegged you as a cook. ❜

❛ you want me on your side, right? ❜

❛ if my mind goes before my body’s ready, i need you to help me. you gotta help me die. ❜

❛ i want you to do your fucking job. that’s what i fucking want. ❜

❛ i ain’t talkin’ to you when you’re like this. ❜

❛ you don’t seem surprised to see me. ❜

❛ dressing like this... is this for you or your clients? ❜

❛ i used to lie to men like that. but you don’t have to anymore. you have the power now. ❜

❛ you are good at telling people what they wanna hear. ❜

❛ you were born into opportunity, so you can afford to think in black and white. ❜

❛ but you did come here to kill me, right? ❜

❛ you done the right thing. protected those you care about. ❜

❛ it gets easier. ❜

❛ late to my own party. it’s not a good look, i know. ❜

❛ how about we watch a movie, one of the old ones you like? ❜

❛ it’s a date then. ❜

❛ here, i made your favorite, whiskey and soda. ❜

❛ what i wouldn’t do to get out of here. live in one of them penthouses all the celebrities buy. ❜

❛ that’s just a little taste of what you got comin’. ❜

❛ so, did you bring me here to feed me toast or you gonna kill me? ❜

❛ you hear me? i beat you. i win. ❜

❛ there’s a storm coming. i’m gonna need your help. ❜

❛ is that what you think? that… i would do something… as horrible as that? ❜

❛ you getting any sleep? ❜

❛ it might do you some good to get out of the house. ❜

❛ get dressed. we’re goin’ out. ❜

❛ what do you want? tell me, and i’ll get it. ❜

❛ of course i’m gonna take care of you. i’d do anything for you. ❜

❛ i see you. in ways that other people don’t. ❜

❛ i see the way you smile when you want people to think you’re enjoying something you ain’t. ❜

❛ i see how you smoke more when you’re thinking, and you drink more when you’re sad. ❜

❛ i see how hard you work, how smart you are… and how you wish the people who matter would notice. ❜

❛ no one else believes in you like me. no one else is gonna give you what you deserve. ❜

❛ just don’t give up on me. ❜

❛ you gotta know your place, or you’re gonna catch a bullet. ❜

❛ you’re a disappointment. ❜

❛ you’re the devil. you’re the goddamn devil. ❜

❛ get your shit together and, uh… you know… be you. ❜

❛ all right, you stay put. don’t do anything that might call attention to yourself, all right? ❜

❛ if anybody sees me in here with you, i’m… ❜

❛ what do you say you and me go for a drive? ❜

❛ just like old times, huh? ❜

❛ you got no idea what it feels like, born into nothin’. ❜

❛ you don’t wanna put your gun to my back… make a big show of it? ❜

❛ you have always been a monster. ❜

❛ you’re never gonna find peace, you know that? ❜

❛ you’re going to hell… sweetheart. ❜

❛ i’ll save you a seat. ❜

❛ get some cups. snuck you in a little whiskey to celebrate. ❜

❛ you gotta tell me… just tell me you’re proud of me. ❜

❛ come on. just once. just tell me you’re proud of me. ❜

❛ tell me i did good! ❜

❛ i did it for you! i did it all for you, the whole thing! ❜

❛ you think she forgives me? ❜

❛ you know i couldn’t’ve done any of this shit without you, right? ❜

❛ thanks for taking a chance on me. ❜

❛ you’re family to me. ❜

❛ you and me… it’s all that’s left. ❜

❛ now, i don’t believe in kismet or nothing. but… it’s good that we met. ❜

❛ i can’t bring you with me this time. ❜

❛ that’s the thing about family. it’s your strength. it drives you. but fuck if it don’t make ya weak, too. and i can’t have that no more. ❜

❛ you got a good heart. ❜

❛ it wasn’t for nothin’. ❜

❛ dance with me, sweetheart. ❜

❛ tell me you love me. ❜

❛ tell me you’re proud of me. ❜

❛ i’m so proud of you. ❜

❛ nothing is standing in your way now. ❜

[cha-melodius]

20 Fanfic Author Questions

Hello! I emerge from the desert and return to civilization (and am no longer responsible for 10 undergrads lol). Thanks for the tag on this one @loki-is-my-kink-awakening!

ETA: I thought I remembered doing this one and I did, here, about a year ago. Interesting what has and hasn't changed. Why are some of my answers almost verbatim even though I didn't look at this before. 😂 Oh well.

1. How many works on AO3?

136.

2. Total AO3 Word Count?

1,576,928

3. Top 5 fics by Kudos

(these are all RWRB, surprise surprise) Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood Nova, Baby Class(room) Warfare All the Old Showstoppers  Always Where I Need To Be

4. What fandoms do you write for?

Red, White and Royal Blue

Loki

The Man from UNCLE

5. Do you respond to comments?

I mostly respond to comments when I'm publishing a long multichap, so I can chat with people about the fic. I'd love to respond to all the rest and in my head I say I'm absolutely gonna do it someday, but... I have a backlog of about 4k unanswered comments lmao.

6. Angstiest Ending?

Black Moon (TMFU, Napollya) @heytheredeann recently reminded me that this is actually kind of an unhappy ending. More like... it's an open ending and the unhappy ending is implied by circumstances lol. But I think it's also my angstiest because of those circumstances.

7. Fic with the Happiest Ending?

This is nearly impossible to answer because so many of my fics go for maximum fluff at the end. But really any of my long multichaps because I feel like the endings are more fleshed out/we see an epilogue of them happily together in the future.

8. Do you get hate?

I've gotten my share of unkind comments, but I don't think any of them would classify as hate.

9. Do you write smut?

Yes, though I don't really consider myself a smut writer. I don't do PWPs (no judgement to those who do! just not my jam).

10. Do you write crossovers?

I have in the past, though not for quite a long time. I think they're fun, but the audience on them is very narrow.

11. Ever had a fic stolen?

There was that weird 'audible for fanfic' website not that long ago that was ripping off fics and putting them up, and I had at least one on there. Side note they made these horrible AI covers for them and I kinda wish I'd screenshotted mine before it got taken down because it was so absurd.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a handful of TMFU fics, and @donghaian has translated 12 of my RWRB fics into Mandarin!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

Nope. @cricketnationrise and I have fic that's been all planned out but we've not gotten around to trying to write it.

14. All time favourite ship?

UGH IMPOSSIBLE. I refuse to answer lmao.

15. WIPs you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

If I want to finish it, I will. The things I won't finish are fics that I started and then either drifted away from the fandom or decided I didn't like it that much.

16. Writing strengths?

Action, dialogue (especially banter), plot. I've been told that my fics play out like movies in people's heads, which is an incredible compliment.

17. Writing Weaknesses?

Lyricism? Idk how to put it. I think my writing is more utilitarian than beautiful.

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue?

Sure! If it's more than a few words I like to see a translation somewhere, though. Unless the POV character isn't supposed to understand!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Xena: Warrior Princess. Er... 28 years ago lol.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

UGH AGAIN. You're asking me to choose my favorite child! How am I supposed to pick?

Ok, it's Body and Soul(mate). 😂

No pressure tags @pippinoftheshire, @justabigoldnerd, @cricketnationrise, @welcometololaland, @alasse9, @caterpills, @heytheredeann, @rmd-writes, @too-young-to-fall-in-love, @faketrex, @anincompletelist, @read-and-write-, @porcelainmortal, @sparklepocalypse, @blueeyedgrlwrites, @eusuntgratie, @ninzied, @firenati0n, @indestructibleheart, @inexplicablymine, @sherryvalli, @liminalmemories21, @kiwiana-writes, @iboatedhere, @thesleepyskipper, @noahreids, @tintagel-or-cockleshells, @leaves-of-laurelin, @14carrotghoul, @orchidscript, @clottedcreamfudge, @three-drink-amy

[chaifootsteps]

It frustrates me so much that Viv got the one in a billion opportunity to make her show a reality, and she chose to waste it on horrible jokes involving SA, calling a victim a loser and a whiny b****, ruining a character she's had since middle school by abandoning everything people liked about him, ignoring her female characters in favor of the men (again), and then having the gall to throw a tantrum when people just wanted to purchase merch of the characters they actually like instead of a rapist. It frustrates me because myself and so many other people will never get the opportunities that she's had. And not only did she throw her more talented writers and promoters off the ship the second she didn't need them anymore, she continues to spread horrible lies about them and downplaying the extent of their contributions. For me, the only parts of Hazbin I actually liked were the pilot (which we already know was largely carried by Dave and Ken), the comics, the Addict MV and the episodes of s1 mostly not written by Viv (eps 2, parts of 5 + 7). The rest? Rushed, poorly thought out, inconsistent, and at times genuinely upsetting content so bad I can't even recommend it to my friends who are into adult animation. I was rooting for this show to make it to series for years. Now, seeing the final product, I wish they had picked up someone else's pilot instead.

(Side note: it's such a breath of fresh air every time I watch a show that is better than Hazbin (which is a lot of shows) and see them actually take topics like SA seriously, give their characters good dialogue, and convey their message in a sophisticated way without rushing through it all. It reminds me of what this show could have been.)

People in the fandom are shocked every time Hazbin fails to win any awards. Personally? I'm shocked they even got nominated in the first place. There's really nothing particularly exceptional about the show, except for the fact it managed to garner a dedicated and talented fanbase, largely through the hard work and contributions of people other than Viv. Not getting into spoilers here, but I've seen where this show is headed, and it's in for a crash similar to that of Helluva season 2. It's only a matter of time.

- radio anon

Just think of how many beautiful stories could have took the world by storm, but instead they're languishing out there because their creators didn't have reasonably wealthy families and a rabid fanbase willing to cover up the death of a human being on their behalf.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY IRON BULL  *  assorted dialogue from dragon age inquisition, updated version

hey, don't top from the bottom.

next time you're free, why don't you come grab a drink?

didn't figure you were the kind to bed your way to power.

love is all starlight and gentle blushes. passion leaves your fingers sore from clawing the sheets.

do you want your silky underthings back, or did you leave those like a token?

you're the toughest, wisest, most beautiful person i've ever met.

these big muscled hands could tear those robes off you while you struggled, helpless in my grip.

i will never hurt you without your permission. you will always be safe.

you don't need to be afraid... unless you want to.

you see us as this forbidden, terrible thing, and you're inclined to do the forbidden...

you want to watch, don't you?

make sure you undress him with your eyes... respectfully.

i'd offer to help you get rid of that frustration but, you know... i'm in a committed relationship.

next time we're alone, i'm going to pin you down and do things your body won't believe.

all that crap made sense to you?

i can't tell you how proud i'm gonna be, watching you out there, addressing them... with this big, old love bite on your neck.

wait, i'll flex a little for you. make it easier.

that staff's in pretty good shape. do you spend a lot of time polishing it?

i can see you don't want to talk about it. bet you looked good doing it, though.

how do you manage that while staring up at everyone's ass the whole time?

you and i are fine as long as you don't do any weird crap.

i'd pin you down, and as you gripped me, i... would... conquer... you.

oh, for shit's sake.

good. i like that energy. stoke those fires, big guy.

all i'm saying is... you ever want to explore that, my door's always open.

worked that out on your own, did you?

you're not as flashy as most mages.

wait, did you "forget" them so you'd have an excuse to come back? you sly dog.

i didn't say it was healthy.

you don't actually like thinking about hurting people, do you?

if you do that, everyone knows you're a spy.

still waiting for me to do something sneaky and spy-like?

we probably won't try down to burn down a city this time.

really not sad i missed that one.

you're lucky then. it was awful.

you only lack the will to get more blood on your hands?

enjoying the great outdoors?

this area's low on dancing girls, sadly.

i've always liked fighting.

i'm not sure you know what you're asking. not sure if you're ready for it.

well, that's a fucking relief.

i'm fine. hurt myself worse than this fooling around in bed.

so, you going to let me have it, [name]? or do i get to wait and wonder?

you really kicked the crap outta that guy.

it's pretty hot where we're from.

it's not a secret. it's just too big for a quit chat.

you get that thing i asked about?

maybe you should stand in front of me.

you ever get the asses mixed up?

you're a damn fine marksman.

i fell on a guy who tried to stab me in the gut.

all right, now you're just making it weird.

nobody fights well when their clothes are on fire.

i... didn't mean to offend you.

that hurts, [name]. that's hurtful.

i may have done it a couple of times on purpose.

i cold 'cause it freezes them, and then they break into little bits when i chop them in half.

with the magic, do you prefer fire, or lightning, or cold, or what?

you don't need to worry. i have no intention of trying to leash anyone.

are you gonna write me into one of your stories?

it's just daring somebody to try to attack it.

when that breaks, you fix it. like we're doing now.

in theory, they're no different from anyone else.

anyone who takes that burden and lives a good life with it has many respect.

you're pretty tall for a human.

the bloodstains are good for scaring enemies.

could you make it sound angrier? "love" is a bit soft.

tell me more about the coat.

i don't need a book to remind me that the world is full of horrible crap.

you're really good with that bow.

it's just friendly. i won't step in your business.

what i'm saying is, please stop stealing my kills.

we should get shirts. probably need different sizes.

i think you're confusing. how can you just pick and choose what parts you believe in?

you know, i really like hitting things.

who has sex smelling like roses?

hey, i don't hate you. you and me? we're good.

hey, no-pants fridays is a cause.

it's a difficult thing you've done, turning your back on one life to live another.

[chaoslifeforme]

It has so many beautiful cgs, funny moments (and really horrible angst either in the past or present and future depending on your choices). And the characters are so sweet and interesting. So many moral quandries. Just oh my god I have to recommend it. (Today was the last day of the sale though).

I can't gush enough about "Bewitching Sinners" by Miss Xero. I already got 26 hours out of it, that was all the routes (including the one horrible bad end I went against all my morals to see). I will definitely play more, and I've added at least 4 of the cgs to my wallpaper rotation.

The story for Bewitching Sinners is just so good. I literally did not feel the need to complete a romance route in my first playthrough. (And romance routes are usually necessary for me to get enough detail to connect with a character).

But with Bewitching Sinners I felt connected to every character I interacted with more than 3 times. Also, even though I was using a guide I was still discovering huge, game changing choices in my sixth playthrough.

The side quests you do or don't do affect how the main plot happens. There's kindness, curiosity, and honesty meters that affect what dialogue is available to you.

Just speaking with the random people around campus can give you more dialogue options/ quests. Also, there's a fun fishing mini game.

I'd say Bewitching Sinners is a good example of mixing styles too. It sticks to the normal UI, except some important moments will switch to comic style and return to usual User interface fairly quickly/ just for a choice.

TL:DR- Bewitching Sinners is awesome. I did 8 routes, 4 romance, three other endings than the true one, and one without romance. The true ending for the main story is the best and the romance or lack of romance will change it.

[notmorbid]

twin peaks: season 2 (2/2).

dialogue prompts from the second season of twin peaks.

show me something that i don't already know.

no one ever really stays there long.

of all the people in the world, the best and the worst are drawn to a dead dog.

scared you, didn't i?

i know what it's like to be alone.

i think that we should think about doing business together.

this is for you. i stole it.

i did good, didn't i?

i'm living my life, i just don't like it much.

what are you doing here, sitting alone in the dark?

the keeping of secrets seems less meaningful to me now.

my life used to make sense, you know?

you're the last thing i think about when i go to sleep at night, and you're the first thought i have in the morning.

despite everything i know about you, i find myself here with you.

you have a wonderfully honest face. just looking at you, i can tell exactly what you're thinking.

a business relationship is like a sacred pact. equaled only by the closest of personal relationships, where nothing is held back.

i think it's time i start correcting a few of the mistakes i've made.

i will be in the shadows, if you need me.

you can always shoot later. talk first.

have you ever asked yourself how i really survived?

you look like you've had a hard night.

if you were ever gonna tell the truth, now would be an ideal time.

one man's crisis is another man's opportunity.

you really like to make everything sound pointless and stupid, don't you?

the truth hurts, doesn't it?

if ___ wanted to kill me, i'd already be dead.

you're testing my well-worn modesty.

what is the greatest gift that one human being can give to another?

i'd rather be his whore than your wife.

to beginnings and endings, and the wisdom to know the difference.

i wanted us to go someplace we'd never been before.

i've been a part of all the horrible things that have happened. i want to be part of something good now.

my resurrection remains a well-kept secret.

well, we can talk about ___ or we can feel good about things. i vote for plan b.

let's just let the rain fall as it has been.

maybe we'd better just whistle on our way past the graveyard.

i was apologizing, and you were apologizing. we were both real sorry about something.

don't knock small towns until you've lived in the city.

wow. no one's ever sang a song for me before.

i don't inspire much singing.

i don't think anybody really knows me.

it's so cute, the way you get embarrassed.

the man who doesn't love easily loves too much.

have you ever, in your entire life, had an experience that truly changed you?

pick three cards.

sometimes making up for things only makes it worse.

i'm fine. i'm weird, actually.

you asked me how i am. i'm not supposed to say how i am. i'm supposed to say, "i'm fine, thanks, how are you?"

if i thought you were strange, i would tell you.

i really don't know how to be good.

i have no idea where this will lead us, but i have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.

it all began with a pair of tattoos.

man, i would love to see the world through your eyes.

you told me there was gonna be a party.

i've been thinking a lot about the future.

beautiful people get everything they want.

dream on. i have tables to wait.

when i talk to you, i get a tingling sensation in my toes and in my stomach.

you are beautiful. use it to your advantage.

sometimes the urge to do bad is nearly overpowering.

i will strive to be understanding.

i always felt closer to nature than i did to people.

i lived in my head, mostly. there are some pretty strange neighbors.

hiding from your fear doesn't make your fear go away.

i'm trying to learn how to trust my instincts.

you just don't know your own value.

meeting you has been more than a privilege. it's touched my heart.

love is hell.

i've never known your mind to wander.

my symptoms suggest the onset of malaria, but i've never felt better in my life.

something's troubling you. would you like to talk about it?

i've been seeing your face in fried eggs all this morning.

i guess a simple goodbye was out of the question.

there are many cures for a broken heart, but nothing quite like a trout's leap in the moonlight.

you can't promise me, but thanks for wanting to.

i could kiss your pointy little head.

i can see half my life's history in your face, and i'm not sure i want to.

i'm really tired of you talking to me like i'm a child.

if you're going to kill me, why don't you get it over with?

you and i have an appointment at the end of the world.

when you see me again, it won't be me.

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 11 – A/B/O

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: AvengersNewB

When I'm in the mood for some really great A/B/O dynamics, I always turn to Ven. She really has a gift when it comes to turning tropes on their heads and making them her own. And I love, love, LOVE the way she writes omega Tony in particular. She's incredible, and her fics deserve all the love in the world.

Here's some of her work that I think you should check out:

Must Be True

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 8,793 Tags: Lingerie, Praise Kink, Protective Steve

Summary: When the stakes are too high, Tiberius Stone offers his omega, Tony, as a little side incentive to close important business deals. Tonight’s business is an arms deal with the Avengers, and the alpha they’re meeting is Captain America.

Reasons why I love it: Ugh, Tiberius is such a piece of shit. Ven really captures that essence here. And oh my god, poor Tony, but at least he makes the best out of a horrible situation. I'd read a million more words in this universe, and I really hope you give it a shot too, because it's awesome!

Braid

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 2,378 Tags: Vikings, Arranged Marriage, Sharing a Bed

Summary: Viking Arranged Marriage AU - Young omega Tony is traded to the Vikings by Stane, for safe passage and gets married to alpha Steve Rogers the captain of the chiefly vessel.

Reasons why I love it: This one is so goddamned sweet, it almost makes me want to cry. I never knew I needed to read about Tony braiding Steve's hair, but I did, and Ven made the perfect version of it. The whole setting is amazing, and Tony's insecurities and doubts feel so real, it's like they're jumping out from the screen. I love this one more than I can say, so please go and experience it for yourself!

Never Enough

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 4,639 Tags: Insecure Steve, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Mpreg

Summary: "Tony, what I'm trying to say... I think you should have a baby even though I apparently can't have one. At least in the near future. I think...I think…" He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath." I think you should get bonded again"

Reasons why I love it: It's honestly refreshing to see a fic where Steve is the one who is completely insecure in their relationship. Their emotions read very true to their characters, and I love how Tony is so quick to reassure Steve that all his doubts are unfounded. Plus, the ending is so sweet it makes me want to scream into a pillow. This fic is amazing, so go ahead and read it!

Restless Gravity

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: M Words: 10,929 Tags: Warlord Steve, Temporary Amnesia, Cyborgs

Summary: Omega Tony Stark gets bonded to a human-hating space warlord, to get his people a new home after the destruction of their planet. Warlord - Arranged marriage AU, with a bit of a twist.

Reasons why I love it: This fic has it all. Amazing worldbuilding, a great plot twist, identity porn, incredible characterization and wonderful dialogue. I love this one to pieces, and I hope you go and read it, because it deserves all the love in the world.

Love of Inconvenience

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 4,856 Tags: Marriage of Convenience, Immigration, Mutual Pining

Summary: Tony had a plan; bond with Steve to keep him from deportation until he could find Steve's childhood friend Mr. Barnes. Temporary. For convenience. The plan did not entail falling for this perfect beautiful omega.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, this fic just makes me want to grab them and smash their faces together. It's so good! The way they finally get together in the end is so satisfying, and the journey there kept me hooked the whole time. I love this fic so much, please go and give it some love!

[astheworldgoesonitswickedway]

I don't like the ASoUE movie with Jim Carrey. I don't like it at all. But I really wanted to! Let's be honest, it's a mess in so many ways, but didn't it have so much going for it? (Although, its worth mentioning, the choice to put three books in one movie was just horrible, will always be horrible, will never ever work no matter what series you are adapting and that was set to ruin everything from the start because, how could you include all the necessary plot, and if you did, how would you give it the necessary screen time to do it properly???!!!) Anyway, the series is comedy and Jim Carrey is so famous for his comedy, and he looks a bit more like the book description of Olaf then Neil Patrick Herris (though Netflix did great with his look too) The sets were beautiful and really fulfilled the gothic vibe. The cast mostly fit my exact vision of the characters, and the costumes were beautiful, if a bit steampunk. (though I will forever hate the decision to take away Klaus' glasses???!!! I mean, what was their plan for the Miserable Mill, SKIP IT???) It should have been good right? But there was such a fundamental lack of understanding the true plot and the meaning behind it. Which is the main problem behind every noticeable problem the movie has. They took a dark story and repeatedly tried to make it less dark? Overwhelming the script with Jim Carrey humor (which I usually like) and taking away the proper dry humor that EMBRACES the series' tragedy. And "punishing" Olaf only for him to escape? Why bother? This meant the entire plot got muddled, and things didn't make a whole lot of sense. Speaking of muddled plots, seriously why did the train scene even exist? Why was the marriage at the end of the whole thing? Acting like the whole series is over by "consoling" us about the Baudelaires in this confusing dialogue about them "having each other" only for it to all end up in the air? Don't we want an official cliff hanger if there will be more movies? Why did we need that? And are we seriously trying to say V.F.D. only existed as a group of people trying to figure out who was responsible for a few fires? Olaf was never a part of V.F.D. but instead the reason it existed? Not a multi-generational, trauma-filled, child kidnapping secret society that suffered a great schism? All this might have been excused, well not really excused, but maybe I could have still enjoyed it in a way, if they had only gotten Olaf right. What I'm about to say may be controversial, but, I feel like he is kinda the main character. I know we see more of the Baudelaires, I know we are rooting for them and Olaf is horrible. Being the main character certainly doesn't change his status of villain, but the entire plot of all thirteen books is kept in motion by his actions. Olaf's character is ridiculous and Jim Carrey certainly delivered on that, but unfortunately, in all the wrong ways. I don't know, maybe it was because the script they gave him. Olaf is ridiculous because he wants to be for a variety of reasons, not because he is a genuine idiot. Violet remarks that he is a CLEVER, unsavory, drunken brute. Beneath his exterior of chaos and stupidity is supposed to be an undercurrent of devious cunning and above all, cruelty, malice, and hatred. We are meant to see and hear that underneath about everything he says and does. All I see in Jim Carrey's performance is an idiot who is selfish enough to do anything to get what he wants. Which is something that certainly applies to Olaf, but he is meant to be much more. More wicked than someone who is simply willing to do horrible things and laugh about it, someone who takes deep, psychological and messed up pleasure in hurting others. Someone who hates the Baudelaires for a reason. (Though not a good one) I'm not saying Jim Carrey is the entire reason the movie failed. Again, the problem might have been the script and dialogue, maybe he could have delivered that menace if given the chance. But all in all, the way it turned out just doesn't work for me.

Also, I don’t mean to bash Jim Carrey, he is a great actor. Just maybe not the right fit in this instance.

[pedrocomicreviews]

Batgirl #6

"What is a mother?"

This is one of those books I insist on talking about as much as I can, because I'm just really happy that it exists and that it is excellent.

Big twists at the end of this issue as far as where the story might be going and where we are as characters. After having a very heterosexual dream with her platonic best friend telling her she's awesome last issue, Cass is now stuck in the Nest of the Unburied with her mother, who she finds out-- shocker! -- has wronged these people in petty, easily avoidable ways.

The primary conflict and theme of Cassandra and Lady Shiva's relationship in this book has been expectations vs reality. Both of them wish the other was different-- Cass just wanted a mother, not a horrible monster who can kill with an eyelash. Lady Shiva wanted a weapon, not someone she loves and would die for. Cass wanted someone who stays in her life and didn't sell her out like a piece of meat to Cain. Lady Shiva wanted someone who stayed out of her life instead of someone who keeps coming in and looking at her like the monster that she is.

Cassandra chose her family; Shiva chose to have no family. Cassandra fights for others; Shiva fights for herself. Cassandra uses violence as a means to an end, Shiva's ends are all violence itself. Even if you had never read anything with these characters and were being introduced to them in this book, Tate Brombal has successfully synthesized these Platonic ideals of them that tell you everything you need to know about them, and definitely enough to reach conclusions about who they are and who they're trying to be. The brother is a god damn alchemist; I haven't read these two characters being this consistent in years.

Takeshi Miyazawa and Mike Spicer are also doing magic with the art. You don't usually get these nuanced facial expressions and complex body language in comic books with lots of fighting. These aren't always in the same artistic skill set and no one would be weirded out if this book had great fight scenes and stoic, usually stilted quiet moments. But it looks great and looking great is part of the narrative-- Cass sees the world through movement and sees meaning in people's bodies, and it is imperative that we do, too. Every issue including this one has moments where she describes what she sees, and in every one of those moments we are asked to wonder whether or not she's seeing what she wants to see, or if she's just struggling to make sense of a complex situation with no right or wrong conclusions to it.

So when Cass finally starts to have conclusions, when she feels like she's seen and heard enough and puts her foot down like she does in this issue, it's genuinely beautiful. We've been in her head more than we do in other books with a lot more narration and dialogue. It's masterfully done and executed with care and devotion to these characters, who feel alive at every issue.

And again, I can't stop reminding people-- this wasn't the case for 18 years! A person born when Cassandra's last solo book ended would be able to drink in most of the planet by now! This was something John DC Comics looked people in the eye and said people didn't want! That it would never happen again! That it doesn't sell!

It's selling like hot cakes! Cassbros we stay winning!

Look, all I'm saying is this is very much worth your time, this is very much worth analysis and laurels and respect for the entire team. They are doing their best to tell this story and it really is paying off. Cannot recommend it enough, join the hive mind, it's always time to become a Cass chad.

[clericofshadows]

9, 21, 23, and 23 for the asks. <3

thanks for the ask <3

mass effect fandom asks

and I'm going to assume you meant 22 instead of 23 twice :)

9. Your favorite DLC in the triology?

does zaeed count? if so, him, obviously. but if I had to choose a story dlc, leviathan would probably be the one. has a lot of great story moments, companion moments, EDI takes the stage which is so refreshing, and such beautiful scenes.

21. Favorite non-companion male character and why?

hackett! admiral hackett, my beloved. such a damn good voice, such a badass, and he's hot as hell. bioware fumbled by not making the old men a romance option.

22. Favorite non-companion female character and why?

I'm going to go with nyreen, even though she's technically a temp squadmate, but she's just so cool and I'm still mad at omega dlc for killing her off. I wanted to side with her, dammit, and remove aria from rule! but it was really cool seeing a turian biotic, especially since in the lore they aren't treated as well and/or portrayed negatively (BAaT, for example) so I loved seeing her, her design, and her dedication to the people of omega.

23. Least favorite non-companion character and why?

hmm... this is probably my most controversial opinion, but I just don't like traynor. the low hanging fruit option for this question would really be someone like kai leng or illusive man or some council member, but I don't have strong opinions on them. traynor was a character I really wanted to like, since I didn't care for kelly and wasn't excited to see another "you have a message! you need to talk to x!" character, but... she just fell flat in so many ways and seemed to almost be an extension of EDI? like when she would find missions to do, I wanted EDI to be the one doing those things.

I don't care for her apartment meetup, because why would she be so comfortable deciding to... bathe in front of her superior officer, especially for male shepard? sure, make that scene for romancing femshep, but it's so bad.

her party dialogue in the citadel DLC is flat out horrible, especially towards Kaidan (why are you insinuating he's racist for asking her opinion on curry, why are you giving him your spill pad for the "loud customers????", some towards Ash (why are you mad they are probably uncomfortable with EDI's body walking around, considering), a little bit around EDI (her attraction to EDI feels exactly like joker's, and I don't like either scenario), and I find her so frustrating that this new character just... sucked and ended up being a mean girl, almost mary sue-esque in some scenarios where she seemed like a tool for giving out missions and being ~quirky~ and ~cool~ with her dumb tooth brush scenes.

[zalrb]

Hey zal, I know you dont particularly care for Timothee and I don't think he's exceptional in all of the roles he's in either, but I was wondering what your criticisms of beautiful boy are if you have any specific ones or performances that you compare it to? I felt it was pretty on par and in some parts even better than Zendaya as Rue with how he embodied the physicality and emotions of an addict and the vulnerable yet volatile energy he put into the performance, but im guessing you have another perspective, thanks!!

Hey! So granted, I haven't seen the full movie but from the clips that I've seen

with how he embodied the physicality and emotions of an addict and the vulnerable yet volatile energy he put into the performance,

I don't see any of this, it feels ... removed and flat and monotonous, like all of his performances that I've seen.

I've seen comments say that his behaviour in that movie is what people have seen with family members or people comment saying they've done the things that he's done in the movie so I won't contest that but for me that sounds more like the direction was really on point because even when he's emotional in the clips that I've seen, it doesn't feel emotional, it feels passionless, it feels robotic and I would say maybe that is an artistic choice for the role if I didn't feel like he was like that in everything that I've seen, like the situation here is sad

but he's not making me feel anything.

Whereas let's say RDJ as Julian in Less Than Zero, which depending on your view may be a bit of a cheat because RDJ was struggling with addiction at the time

Downey Jr. went on to describe Julian, the character he played in the film, as akin to the ghost of Christmas Future from A Christmas Carol. “The character was an exaggeration of myself,” he said. “Then things changed and, in some ways, I became an exaggeration of the character. That lasted far longer than it needed to last.”

but his performance was great in an otherwise horrible movie. The quality is bad but his eyes are emotive here, he does a lot with his voice and the different tones in his dialogue, the self-deprecation, the sorrow, the urgency, the regret

Like I just can't help but wonder from watching the clips that I have, with this movie and the feelings around it, are they because of his performance

or because the dialogue is so real for certain people and Nick's headspace is written with a relatable clarity to so it's moving? Is it Timothee or is it the script?

Whereas watching like (and this admittedly is an unfair comparison imo) Christian Bale and The Fighter and kind of talking about the same feeling (not the full clip)

I'm moved by Christian's performance, or with someone like Aaron Paul as Jesse, I've heard that he did a really accurate job in portraying an addict and I see that/feel that in his physicality, in how he emotes, even if he's numb and disassociating, there's passion there or Andre Royo as Bubbles in The Wire who is a bit of a comic relief character but has like searing vulnerability at times, again, that passion, and I just don't think Timothee has that and it makes his acting so lacking to me.

,

[inposterumcumgaudio]

They Came From Below: Q0, Q1, and Q2

Q0_VillageIntro: Robot Mayhem!

Objectives:

Save the Village

Dialogue:

001 PC_Rog I used to wonder if there were other forms of life. Other people, on other planets. I used to wonder if they would be friendly.

002 PC_Rog I don't wonder that any more.

002a PC_Rog Oh my God! I've got to save them!

003 PC_Rog This is horrible!

004 PC_Rog They're killing people!

004a PC_Rog No!

004b PC_Rog Why? Why?

004c PC_Rog And then, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse… it got worse.

004d PC_Rog Why don't I back up a bit?

005 PC_Rog Fortunately, two of the unlikeliest heroes saved the world.

Q1_Village: This Island Earth

Objectives:

Go Shopping for Dr. Faraday

Get the Bobby Hat

Head Home

Quest Notes:

Healing balms… bandages…? I wonder what Dr. F needs them for. I hope Viv has everything in stock.

Peggy borrowed that modified bobby hat, and James says Dr. F wants it back. The helmet light does come in awfully handy when the lights are out. And it's fun to play with.

Well, that was terribly awkward. Poor girl just can't take a hint.

That's enough excitement for one day! I better head home. I wonder what James made for lunch?

Dialogue:

S1_0001601_01 PC_Rog And a birthday present for Moo. Maybe a nice record. He loves that awful Nick Lightbearer stuff.

S1_S1a_001 PC_Rog What was it Moo wanted me to buy? Why didn't I write it down!

S1_S1a_002 PC_Rog Maybe he already gave Viv the list.

S1_S1a_003 PC_Rog Oh, and I have to pick up that headlamp. From Peggy. I hope that's not awkward.

S3_0017000 WellF Just a minute!

S3_0017100 WellF Roger Bacon! I haven't see you in -- How long has it been?

S3_0017200 PC_Rog Look, sorry to bother. Dr. Faraday hoped you might be done with--

S3_0017300 WellF Come in, come in. I've just made a pot of tea!

S3_0017400 PC_Rog I really can't, Dr. F's got me hopping today.

S3_0017500 WellF You always say that! Are you her frog?

S3_0017600 WellF That came out a bit off, didn't it. Sometimes I just put my foot in it!

S3_0017701 PC_Rog She loaned you her, ah, that bobby hat with the headlamp on it?

S3_0017800 WellF Oh! I have no idea where it is. But I bet I could find it if you helped me look.

S3_0017801 WellF I bet you'd be very stern as a policeman.

S3_0017900 PC_Rog Peggy --

S3_0018000 WellF Oh, just say it! You wouldn't want me if I were the last girl on Earth! You think I'm ugly and stupid!

S3_0018100 PC_Rog No! You're clever and beautiful --

S3_0018200 WellF But there's something just horribly wrong with me. Look, take your stupid headlamp. I never wanted it anyway. I just wanted to see you.

S3_0018300 PC_Rog Peggy, I…

S3_0018400 PC_Rog Well… lovely to see you. Bye.

S4_0018600 PC_Rog Hullo, Viv, how've you been. I've got a list of things…

S4_0018700 WellF I know about you and James, you know.

S4_0018800 PC_Rog You do?

S4_0018900 WellF Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.

S4_0019000 PC_Rog Oh. Good.

S4_0019100 WellF A lot of people don't like Irishmen. But I say, if someone can lose that ridiculous accent and go to the C of E, we must treat them as if they were actually British.

S4_0019200 PC_Rog That's very kind of you. We're… not Irish.

S4_0019300 WellF Hah hah. Of course you're not! A nod is as good as a wink!

S4_0019301 PC_Rog James! James! Come in!

S4_0019403 PC_Rog This is all going to be my fault, somehow.

S4_0019401 PC_Rog The house is trying to kill me!

Q2_FaradayHouse: The Caves of Steel

Objectives:

Run Home!

Find James

Search the House for Clues

Find 3 Power Cells {Count}/{MaxCount}

Power the… Something

Go Down the Hatch

Explore the Cellar

Press the Button

Quest Notes:

That was frightfully loud! What happened? Is James all right? I suppose I should check on Dr. Faraday too…

Is James here? Where is he? Oh god oh god. Please be all right.

Dr. Faraday has been up to something terribly strange, and right under noses too! But if I poke around, I should be able to find some evidence of it.

I don't remember that being there. Shows how long it's been since I last caught up on my reading.

This control panel obviously controls … something. But it needs power cells to work. I'm not going to find out what it does without powering it up!

A secret door. And a hatch. Oh my.

Is it a secret door? I hope it's a secret door!

A hatch? To where? We don't have a cellar. Do we?

Apparently we do have a cellar.

Curiouser and curiouser!

What on Earth is there a cellar for? And why didn't Dr. F tell us about it? It would be just like Dr. F to keep a store of fine vintage claret from us. If that's indeed what's down here.

I'm beginning to suspect that this isn't where Dr. F keeps her wine. Why is there a big red button in the middle of the room? I probably shouldn't press it. But… how will we know what it does?

The whole room is an elevator!? This is rather a lark, isn't it? I always wanted some secret doors and room and things of my own.

Dialogue:

CIN_010_JamesIsDown

R_0 Oh, God, no! James, James. Are you breathing? You're breathing. Okay, okay.

R_1 *screams*

R_2 Dr. Faraday?

R_3 Uhhhhhh.

R_4 James!

R_5 Feel like I've been run over by a lead balloon.

R_6 What the hell did you do now, Pup?

R_7 I guess you're all right, James.

S1

S1_0004100 PC_Rog Oh, God, no! James, James. Are you breathing? You're breathing. Okay, okay.

S1_0004200 PC_Rog Dr. Faraday?

S1_0004201 WellF *screams*

S1_0004500 WellM Feel like I've been run over by a lead balloon.

S1_0004600 WellM What the hell did you do now, Pup?

S1_0004700 PC_Rog I guess you're all right, James.

S1_0004800 WellM Where is she?

S1_0004900 PC_Rog I think… I think she finally made a portal.

S1_0005000 WellM Don't be ridiculous.

S1_0005100 PC_Rog There was a hole in the floor, and she fell into it. Then the hole fell in with her and they were both gone!

S1_0005200 WellM Well in any event, we have to find her.

S1_0005300 PC_Rog We don't know where she went!

S1_0005400 WellM She could be hurt!

S1_0005500 PC_Rog All -- all right, then.

S1_0005600 WellM She must have left some notes somewhere. You know how she is about notes.

S1_0005601 PC_Rog Maybe there's a hidden mechanism. It'd be just like her.

S1_0005602 PC_Rog Where would she hide a secret mechanism?

S1_0005605 PC_Rog How long has that been there?

S1_0005606 PC_Rog I'm going to need three power cells to fire this up.

S2

S2_0006100 WellM WHERE ARE YOU?

S2_0006200 PC_Rog IN THE BASEMENT!

S2_0006300 WellM WE DON'T HAVE A…

S2_0006400 WellM We have a basement?

S2_0006500 WellM Did she tell you we had a basement?

S3

S3_00066603 WellM Don't press a button if you don't know what it does!

S3_0006700 WellM Sweet baby Moses!

S3_0006800 PC_Rog Who built this?

S3_0006900 WellM Dr. F, I think.

Why? Why are they numbered like this? Did they hire some new psychopath to do this? It's madness!

Maybe they thought to themselves, "In ten years, some nosy broad is going to figure out how to reverse-engineer this and use it to show people all our rough draft edits and when she gets to the gayboy DLC, I want her to suffer for it!"

Except I actually did this three years ago; I just didn't know how to access everything reliably back then. Doing it from within Poedit itself, as I was, is actually very spotty about when it wants to show you the directory for a line, which is why I'm redoing it now. I now know to do it from an exported file, which lists everything so I don't miss lines in my search.

Anyway, there's not much present here in these first three quests that didn't make it to the finished product. Which, you know, that tells us something in and of itself, that these scenes were pretty fully realized from the get-go.

Roger's cut line in the intro about two unlikely heroes... I don't like the line as written, but I like what function it would have served had it been present. Because Roger is the player character, we tend to think of this as his DLC. But the title is, in full, Roger & James in They Came From Below. The story is about both of them equally and this line acknowledges that.

There is a line that shows it was originally supposed to be James' birthday though, which is a tiny detail that would have changed a lot of the finer nuance of the story. Also that Roger doesn't like Nick Lightbearer's music, but James does. It also explains why Viv has twelve copies of "The Unicorn Song" for sale. That Professor Faraday says this is her favorite song in Sally's Act is very tidy though.

Aside from that, not too much of note. The objective for finding power cells in the house had cut activation and completion quest notes. The first part of Q2, Scene 1 was converted into a cinematic and rewritten just a smidge. The first line of Scene 3 has an extra digit, which is like to happen when you number your lines like a goddamn lunatic.

[lurkingshan]

BL/QL Ask game : The Ugly, the Bad and the Worst

Tagged by @clara-maybe-ontheroad to start some trouble. There are a lot of these, so I'm mostly going to do quick hits and maybe expand on a few that really get me going.

The categories are:

Worst soundtrack / weirdest song choice in a BL

It would be easier to list the BL soundtracks that are not horrible (offense intended).

Most cringe-inducing line (cute)/Most cringe-inducing line (actually bad)

I'm so bad at remembering specific lines of dialogue unless I think they're beautiful/heart-wrenching, so I got nothing.

Most stupid decision made by a character

In a BL?? Baby, I do not have all day.

Worst plot line

Hmmm I'm gonna give in to recency bias and say faking amnesia to get your fiancé to love you again after you iced him out and denied him sex for four years because of your tiger attack-related PTSD (no I am not making that up, never change actually Naughty Babe).

The most problematic show you've watched

Problematic is in the eye of the beholder, so honestly who can say.

A show people love but you find bad

LOLOLOL. There are. So many. Probably the one with the wildest fandom fervor :: Shan personal enjoyment ratio is KinnPorsche.

A show people find bad but you will defend

Theory of Love and y'all stay wrong about this. It is easily one of the best early Thai bls and the writing, character development, and narrative structure are all excellent, but people hate slutty characters so they can't deal with it.

A show that is just objectively bad but you enjoyed it/were horny/because of that one character

Why r u? What can I say, I'm a Fighter/Tutor girlie.

A bad show that you kept watching because you were intrigued/fascinated

Hmmm I usually just drop it if I'm truly not having fun. I guess you could count me finishing Minato's Laundromat 2 despite knowing any hope for it was over at the end of episode 9. I just needed to see how mad I was going to be in the end (pretty damn mad).

A bad show that you would still recommend

There is too much BL nowadays to be trifling with the bad shit.

The character that ruined a show the most/most awful character that you hated

PLERN PLENG (Together With Me). cc: @bengiyo the co-president of the Plern Pleng antis.

Most awful character that you loved

Boston, a beautiful chaos demon (Only Friends).

A character that wasn't awful but that you just don't like

Anyone played by Podd or Jimmy (it's their faces I can't stand them sorry to those men).

A hero that should have been a villain

This is an interesting one! I’m not sure this counts, but I’ll just say I did not love the way The Untamed white washed Wei Wuxian and removed his culpability for all his worst choices (I recognize this was largely due to censorship). I much prefer the more morally complex and deeply flawed version of him we got in MDZS.

A morally bad character you're into/you're not into and you wish people would stop being into

I don't believe in holding fictional characters to real life moral standards. Bad behavior makes for good stories.

The show that disappointed you the most

Let me take this opportunity to drag Plus & Minus again, a show that had all the right ingredients to be a top tier friends to lovers narrative and absolutely blew it to do some beyond clichéd noble idiocy and breakup bs that violated character and undercut the relationship to such a degree that I can never rewatch or enjoy anything about it again.

The Worst Show of Them All Because of Your Own Reasons

Hmm I do not have one. It's rare for me to not be able to find something of value in any media I consume.

Tagging @chickenstrangers @sorry-bonebag @kayatoasted @blmpff @twig-tea in case you want to play!

[isaiahpadams]

hello. i read the excerpt you posted on the writing community. i liked it. it’s sweet. as someone also with english as my second language, i relate to your characters’ using poetic, even archaic, words. even though i know myself to be good in english, when i began to learn more of it, it’s those beautiful words that i learned, fell in love with, and now began to integrate into my vocabulary. learning the way i did, and falling in love with classic literature, i agree in that there is just no other way to express how i feel other than how i learned my english words to be. i like it, so much so that i don’t mind sounding archaic or poetic. i like how you were able to express that, and that it’s that understanding that connects your lovers. that’s so beautiful.

one thing, though, if i may. it’s not about the writing itself, just the formatting. i found it just a tad difficult to navigate through the dialogues and the descriptions without their being broken down into paragraphs. i understand that you may still be in the middle of writing it, and that it may also still be a rough draft — and that you asked for none of our thoughts on it — but, respectfully, i thought to just let you know.

nonetheless, i liked reading it. it’s a lovely piece. i just thought it’d be nice if the format was easier on the eyes.

that is all. happy new year, isaiah.

Thank you so much, this means a lot and I'm so glad people can even slightly relate to what I write. It's something I myself was a little insecure about at one point of my life so I'm glad others can see what I was trying to convey and see it as a positive.

I don't mind opinions, criticism, thoughts and such. I actually need and really appreciate it! I would love more, it honestly helps me improve and pushes me further towards my goal of completing my novel and being published one day :)

I understand what you mean too, my post was horribly formatted and slightly rushed in all honesty. It was/is a very rough draft but still, I'll make sure to work on that in future.

Thank you so much again and happy new year!!

The post being referred to ^

Information about the novel overall ^

[rowanthefierce]

all right so I've played 6 hours of veilguard so far, here are my initial impressions!

stuff i am enjoying:

very pretty. the world and environments are gorgeous. i love walking (or lightly jogging, in the bioware tradition) around and just marveling at the sky

i really do like the level design. i'm not super clued in with gaming trends, but it reminds me of both "modern" god of war games, which i played and enjoyed: fairly linear levels from point a to point b, almost always with areas to come back and unlock once you're progressed in the story or character skillset. the pseudo-open world level design, if you will. personally i am a fan. it keeps me going and focused, knowing i can always come back to grab whatever the thing is behind puzzle door #3

the amount of customization for difficulty and settings is great

i appreciate that they dropped level requirements for gear

the blight??? is so gross. way grosser than inquisition (how was it in prev games? someone lmk). and i dig it. it is the right level and pitch of horror and gore / grossness. even if i go "yuck!!" every time i see it

stuff i am neutral on:

character designs are fine. they look more stylized, but like? who cares. they don't look like pixar characters to me. i think that's a over-simple exaggeration. they fit into the world, they look decent, and that's all it really should be imo.

dialogue is fine. i don't even know if i was expecting anything here. people talk about the dialogue like it's horrible, and yeah, it's a little basic or the text on the wheel doesn't align 100% with what Rook says, but it's not trash. do people expect disco elysium level lines to be coming out of these characters?

stuff i am 'meh' to displeased with:

combat is ok. the one thing i didn't really like about the new god of war games was the combat, esp ragnarok. this is a very personal one because i have always historically struggled with any sort of precision or timing-based input (why i don't play fighting games). precision parries and so forth are usually things i don't ever accomplish or build on. veilguard is (so far) not at the same level as gow but i'm already a lil frustrated with it. again, this is highly ymmw. once i figured out inquisition's combat, for ex, i was having a blast, so maybe i just need more time with veilguard (and i did 100% the first god of war despite my griping)

the varric narration. was this in any earlier games? i am not sure i like varric doing voiceover wink wink nudge nudge at me for plot development stuff. the art is beautiful for these sequences, but i can't say i'm a fan so far of him chiming in after quests and conversations. feels a bit jarring. sorry, varric!!

looking forward to playing more! overall, it's fun and a comforting sort of game, and i am very drawn in by the plot