#I think I've seen some things mentioning it'll be visible for a few days. a bit less bright. but i am unsure I'll have to read up on that

[zizz-asdf-re-r-o-u]

NU:Carnival Gambler's Paradise Event Review/Analysis

Warning for spoilers! (Note: This was written before Rusted Nation event came out, so some of the gore/assault stuff I talk about is missing)

Ok so I'm technically new to playing Nu Carnival (as in, since Sunburst Festival), so I can only compare it to Sunburst Festival, Misty Vale, and the reruns since Sunburst Festival. But I thought I'd share my thoughts on why the Gambler's Paradise event was so good.

As a disclaimer: I'm not into fluffy stories and personally prefer horror, gore, action, and ofc smut. So if that stuff ain't your cup of tea, then what I'm saying are positive things, may not be your thing. I'm also a lesbian so I'm not playing this game with the intention of self inserting myself to be banged by the guys. I can only think in terms of the quality of the sex and story compared to other porn games I've played. 

The story/sex:

One thing many people have said about NU:Carnival, is that its a gay porn game, but with "an actually good story and good characters". However, if we look at it realistically in terms of what most players can afford, then it's more like a gacha turn-based RPG, with a few porn scenes locked away. With the exception of the 1st opening scene, in all the main storyline chapters, there is no sex, unless you pull for character cards. At most, we occasionally get characters talking about their sexual exploits and Chimes of Darkness event had an off-screen orgy. Naturally, this is still a gacha game and the H scenes will never be available for free. 

But in Gambler's paradise, a very taboo sexual crime (vore) is what kicks off the plot, characters are deliberately flirty for plot reasons, a magical cock ring is what solves the day, and so on. It's a very horny event, mixing porn with plot and that's what I think makes a good porn game. A porn game shouldn't be censored or fluffy- it should have horny first, and then to elevate it from being just a bad cliched average porn game, it could also have a good plot. 

The SSRs:

I personally think SSR Aster & Morvay battle stats kind of suck, so we'll just ignore that. Instead, their SSR designs are very good. I do really miss femboy twink Aster, but full form Aster is not bad and actually made me notice/appreciate twink Aster more. Morvay, however, is standout because he doesn't have illogical gravity-defying skintight clothes and has fatty pecs. All the big titty guys (including Morvay SR/R/N) in NU:Carnival have perky tight muscular pectorals. But SSR Morvay? His are borderline sagging! To everyone who complains that there is are no fat guys in Nuca- first up its a porn game so it'll never happen, but SSR Morvay is the closest we can get to so far. Nuca's other claim to fame is the clothing damage. I don't have every card so I'm not sure if any other cards have it, but I think Aster & Morvay might be the 1st SSRs with visible marks on their bodies (kisses, handprints, rope, etc). 

As for the rooms- I did look up kink stats for all rooms, and I gotta say- Aster & Morvay have THE most creative H scenes in the entire game so far. Nuca is actually kind of vanilla if we think about it, and they BROUGHT the kinky shit. Most other porn games have more far extreme (or stupidly ridiculous >_> ) stuff than these 2 rooms, so Nuca is finally starting to catch up. 

I would like to bring extra attention to Aster though. I've read a lot of BL manga, I've played a tiny number BL games, watched many more BL game Let's plays/livestreams, and have researched many titles/looked at many people's recommendations, so I think i know a decent number of titles. At this point in history, there are absolutely 0 transguys that have sex in BL (not including "magical MTF  genderswapping" that hentai/anime is known for). There's also 0 use of strapons in smutty BL. We've also still haven't seen Aster naked or directly using his junk into/with someone else. Yes there's mention of Aster's "rod" & something gushing/leaking behind Eiden's back in his SR room, but we don't see it, there's no "orgasm splashing sound" that Nuca's H scenes are known for, and Aster's VA is also not orgasm-moaning/screaming during it. 

Several other tumblrs have already speculated that Aster might be trans and reddit has speculated that Aster might be ace spectrum/sex repulsed.  So Aster might be the 1st male character in all of explicit East Asian BL to use a strapon, possibly trans, and possibly on the ace spectrum. Also also- Aster's a shapeshifter, he can probably make a dick appear & reappear at will! And transguys can also do packing! There is just so much evidence it can't be just coincidences. I think that's SO cool. 

The gameplay: Unfortunately, the battles were the same as any other NU:Carnival battle. Nothing novel about this.

The gore/horror/assault:

This is the point where MOST people will disagree and turn away, so trigger warnings for everything. And just cause I enjoy the horror, does not mean that everyone needs to. It's valid for someone feel uncomfortable/horrified by it, but also you should not yuck my yum. Like I mentioned, I'm not into gay porn to pretend I'm being banged by guys.

Anyways, NU:Carnival, is a mostly vanilla gay porn game, so there's only horror *sometimes*, and it's usually just fighting/killing, psychological manipulation, or Kuya. Well, Gambler's Paradise opens up with serial killing and vore. We also "see" onscreen sexual mutilation, onscreen sexual assault, murder, and Aster & Morvay technically cannibalize Leroy. (They're familiars, Leroy is a familiar, so cannibalism?) Depending on how you interpret Aster & Morvay's relationship, you could view Morvay's room 5 H scene to be Aster assaulting Morvay too. Note that all the violence and stuff is still limited by the mobile game animation format, so the animation isn't great, but the text and SFX communicates the horror well enough.

Now, there are actually a LOT of horror BL visual novels/games with sex and most of them are high quality horror compared to NU:Carnival. However, one thing NU:Carnival offers is it's signature self-awareness, genre-saviness, and the opportunity to do sexy comedy horror. And ofc, since it's a regularly updated online gacha game, that means it has the time to be relevant and to experiment and try out different genres, so if this event isn't for you, there is the main story and other events that could suit your taste. Gambler's Paradise takes what it's best at, takes the risks & opportunities its' genre can offer, and makes it unexpectedly fun. (Except the whole gacha/pulling/price shenanigans, and ).

[outismm]

Running around barefoot on my soaking-wet porch w/ half a telescope, desperately wobbling around to get a good look at Jupiter through the clouds is perhaps the closest I’ve ever gotten to feeling like a mad scientist and/or navigator on a Victorian pirate ship.

[ma-gic-gay]

For some reason, Michael had been a lot more controlled lately.

He was hiding what he felt, never really showing emotion unless it was anxiety about Brook Lynn or happiness around Willow. Sometimes, of course, he'd show emotion but not normally.

The gym was the only place he really let out all his anger, as always, but lately he'd been punching the bag harder, working out more intensely. Maybe it was because he was trying to get into shape, but Michael was already in great shape. So maybe it had something to do with the fact him and Willow were getting an annulment and he hadn't done anything to try and stop it from happening. For God's sakes, he'd suggested it, thinking Willow needed to hear she had an option.

Dante was right. He is an idiot. Suggesting that him and his wife - the woman he's in love with - get an annulment may have been the stupidest thing he's ever done, and he killed someone, kept a kid away from his dad, and did a lot of other morally questionable things in his life.

Willow knew all of this and still spoke his praises. She still told him he was a good person, that he's different than he was when he kept his little sister from his dad, or killed Claudia. She thought he was amazing for changing his life around, told him she was a different person back then too. People evolve and grow, she said, and so whatever you've done in the past, it doesn't reflect on who you are now.

They met, and then he fell. It was slow, him falling for Willow. At first, it was just a friendly face at their support group. Eventually, though, it became more than just friendship. It became a marriage, a marriage built upon love for their son and keeping him safe, a marriage built upon truth and honesty in the face of dishonesty and lies that Sasha and Chase had told them. When they got married, that was their promise. No lies, never. Lies complicate everything too much, make it easier to fall into what Chase and Sasha did.

She was way, way out of his league and he knew it too. Willow was a genuinely good person, who had always been honest and kind. Not to mention, drop dead gorgeous. So that probably had something to do with the fact Michael was skirting around the one rule of their marriage and not telling her he loved her. But she hadn't asked, so technically he wasn't lying to her, just holding back the truth.

Thinking about he suggested the annulment, Michael punches the punching bag harder. All of his anger starts to leave as he punches harder and harder.

And then Chase and Sasha walk in the gym for their workouts, talking about something. The punches hit an abrupt stop when he notices them, but the anger that just left comes back tenfold. Sasha smiles at him, but there's something off about her in general. It's probably just the breakup.

"I just realized, I forgot my phone at the Metro Court. I'm gonna go back there," Sasha says, backing away.

When she leaves, Chase is still there. "It's been a while," he breaks the silence.

"Yeah, it has been," Michael agrees, frowning at him.

"If you want, I can come back later, or we can work out together," Chase offers.

Michael ponders the offer for a minute. He either gets a workout partner or ends up keeping someone from the gym. "Yeah, sure, we can workout together."

A few minutes into their workout, Chase brings up Willow. Before that, the conversation had been all about sports and stuff like that, easy conversation. "For whatever it's worth, Michael, Sasha and I never meant to hurt you or Willow."

"Well, you did. Regardless of intent, you both cheated on people you supposedly loved," Michael says, punching the mitts harder.

"I do love her, Michael, you've got to believe me on that," Chase tells him. "That's why Sasha and I didn't want to tell either of you, we didn't want to break your hearts."

"You don't love her if you can break her heart, Chase! If you could cheat on her, if you could want another woman, you don't love or deserve Willow. She loved you with every fiber of her being, and you broke that. You broke something precious," Michael says to him, feeling a sense of relief as the words leave his mouth. "And I know that will never happen again."

Chase looks confused. "Michael, I love her so much. It kills me to see that she's not with me, to know that I broke her heart and that she's moving on with you, who I considered to be my best friend."

Huh? They've only kissed once, and Michael doesn't think Chase knows about that. "What happens with Willow and I hasn't been your business for a long time and it still isn't, but I want you to elaborate."

"You- maybe it's her that's in love with you, I don't know, but I can tell one of you is in love with each other, at least," Chase says as his phone rings. He steps away to answer it.

It's possible Willow's in love with him too? Michael had been in his head so much, maybe he didn't see what was right in front of him.

"Look, I hate to put a stop to our workout, but I've got a work thing. I'll see you later maybe," Chase leaves the gym.

Jason walks in, confused by what's going on with his nephew. "Why do you have that look on your face, Michael? What happened? Is Willow alright, Wiley? Your mom?"

"Jason, everyone's fine. It's just something Chase said about Willow and I, that's all," Michael reassures him.

"You only get that look on your face when you noticed something great or terrible happened, so what great thing happened to you?" Jason asks.

Michael smiles, "Chase said that apparently Willow's in love with me."

Confused further, Jason asks, "Are him and Willow close enough where they talk about who they're in love with now? Because the last I knew, Chase was in love with Willow and she was in love with him and you two were getting an annulment and you were in love with Sasha."

"I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Sasha, she was great, but I'm not in love with her anymore. The longer I spend thinking about Sasha and I, we weren't going to last long term. As much as I loved her, and I did, I don't feel that anymore."

Smiling at his nephew, the assassin asks, "But you and Willow?"

"We're married. I'm married to a woman who is incredibly out of my league and adopting my son. I-I love my wife, Jason. I love Willow," Michael smiles.

Jason pulls him in for a hug, saying, "I think you two make a lovely pair, especially if she makes you this happy. You're smiling wider than you have since you won custody of Wiley. Do you want my advice?"

"I'd be dead if I didn't take your advice," Michael truthfully tells his uncle. "So yes, I'll take it."

"Tell her how you feel before the annulment, Michael, please. You do this thing, I do it too, where you wait to say what you feel or you don't say it because you're afraid of what you could do if you actually said what you feel. Let down your guard and tell Willow the entire truth, nothing left unsaid between you two," Jason advises his nephew.

"When do you think I should tell her? Should I set something up like a date thing or-" Michael starts, anxiety creeping up into his voice.

"I think you need to breathe deeply for a few minutes and be calm," Jason emphasizes his breathing, "but I also think you should just tell her. Don't stress out so much or overthink it, because overthinking messes things up. If you tell her, honestly, how you feel, let her respond, you'll be okay."

"And if she doesn't love me back?" Michael asks anxiously, starting to stutter.

"I doubt she doesn't love you, Michael," Jason tries to assure him, "but if she doesn't, we'll cross that bridge when we reach it, and you're getting an annulment anyways."

Michael breathes, letting his anxiety leave. "Alright. I'm gonna go get cleaned up, I'll tell her when I get home."

"I'll leave you to it," Jason says, leaving the gym as Michael showers.

Arriving at the Quartermaine mansion, Michael can tell something's up. Opening the door, he sees Chase. In his home. Talking to Willow, who Michael can tell isn't in the mood but is also intrigued.

Chase leans in to kiss her, their lips connecting briefly as the door closes behind Michael and he doesn't, turning his head abruptly. "Hi again," Chase says awkwardly.

Calming himself, Michael asks, "Why are you in my home kissing my wife?"

Willow walks over to her husband, glancing at Chase fleetingly. "I can explain," Chase stands, eyes following Willow.

"Then please explain what inspired you to come into my house, which is very out of your way, and kiss my wife. I'm sure it'll be enlightening," Michael responds.

"I was just talking to her and realized that she loves me as much as I love her so I kissed her," Chase smiles, getting a pair of glares in return from the married couple, who don't seem to agree with what he said, especially Willow.

Michael looks at Willow, who looks visibly upset and anxious, as he says, "You tell me an hour ago you think she loves me, then you come to my house and kiss my wife, who you cheated on, by the way, and somehow think you're justified? Chase, you're playing mind games is all you're doing."

"When I said she loves you, I was wrong. I know, in my heart, that Willow and I will be together," Chase smiles again. "So I kissed her."

Anger takes over Michael as he fights for controlling it, suppressing it until he can get to the gym but he can't hold back anymore as he shouts, "Do you think, truly, that if she loved you she wouldn't tell you? You broke her heart, and yet you're justified in kissing her because you can rationalize anything, can't you, Detective?"

Willow looks at Michael, confused, as she's never seen him like this before. However, his rant continues. "When we found out you two had cheated on us, I told you that I wasn't going to let someone treat her like that ever again, and I'm still not. Everything I said to you that day was completely true, so leave my house before I do something you'll regret."

"What did I do here to make you so angry?" Chase asks calmly as Dante walks downstairs.

"You think this is just you kissing her, Chase? You broke everyone's heart, even your own, and now you're trying to escape taking any responsibility whatsoever for your actions by kissing my wife, because you can't move on!"

Dante tries to intervene, standing between the two as Michael still yells, "I can't believe you act like this now but an hour ago you were convinced that she loved me. Chase, I love Willow, and I'm her husband, so it's my job to make you realize that you need to get out of my house before I do something we'll both regret!"

Willow looks at Michael, pulling him out of his anger and into a soft face he makes around her. "You love me?" She asks, a small smile playing on her lips.

"This isn't how I intended to tell you, but yes, I love you, Willow. I had a speech to go with that too, but life doesn't always work out how it's planned," Michael says, smiling at her. "But if you don't feel that way back, then of course we'll just forge-"

She cuts off his anxious ramblings by kissing him, the pair melting into the kiss that felt perfectly right. When they pull apart, she smiles widely at him. "I love you back," as they kiss again.

"What the hell, Michael?" Chase asks, ruining the sweet moment for the two. "You're supposed to be my best friend."

"And you were supposed to leave my house," Michael's voice is at an icy level, one that could explode at any second if tempted to. "So leave before I have a guard throw you out."

Dante smiles at his little brother as he addresses Chase, "Leave dude. It's clear you're not getting her back."

"I can't believe this. Willow, you know that he's just your rebound. You don't love him, you're going to come back to me," Chase says.

Michael, unable to deal with this anymore, serves a strong right hook to Chase's head area. Jason taught him how to punch and how to take a punch when he was in high school, Michael's pretty good at it by now. "That was on purpose and assaulting a police officer!" Chase shouts at him. "You're under arrest for assaulting a police officer. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you."

"Chase, stop! Don't arrest him because you're mad at me," Willow pleads, looking upset. "Please."

Looking at Willow, Chase takes Michael and handcuffs him. "No."

The ride to the police station is absolutely silent, Michael angry and happy at the same time about Willow loving him back but him being arrested for punching Chase.

When he's being processed, Michael's allowed to make his two phone calls they allow and calls Willow. "Michael? Are you okay, did Chase hurt you? Have they detained you yet, or processed you fully?" She anxiously asks, sounding just like any wife would when her husband gets arrested. Michael can't help but chuckle quietly. "Why are you laughing?"

"Willow, I'm fine. I need to be bailed out, but I'm absolutely fine. No one hurt me and I'm being processed again but I'm not injured except for my ego. You sound so much like my mom everytime my dad or Jason gets arrested right now, it's funny."

"It's stressful having your husband in jail for punching a cop!" Willow laughs back. "How much is bail?"

"Bail is $1,000. I wanted to let you know I'm okay, but I'm gonna call Jason for bail money. He's been through this before and won't be as much of a stressed out mess as you," Michael tells her, smiling.

"I can handle bailing you out, but you're right, I'd be too stressed. I'll meet you at the station, though, and hopefully you'll be out as I'm there," Willow chuckles with her husband. "Alright, well I'm not gonna keep you any longer. Go call Jason."

"I love you," Michael smiles as a way to end the call.

"I love you too," Willow says as she hangs up the phone and he swears, he can hear her smile through the phone as he dials Jason.

"Jason Morgan," he answers the call.

"It's Michael. I'm at the station and need $1,000 for bail money because I punched Chase. Can you bail me out and not tell my mother?" Michael asks.

"Why the hell did you punch Chase?" Jason asks him.

"He kissed Willow and started saying she was in love with him, even after she said she's in love with me and we kissed again, twice," Michael smiles again, thinking about the kisses.

Jason sighs. "I'll be there in twenty minutes. Should I be expecting to see your wife there, pacing?"

"Probably not. She's going to be here, but I don't think she'll be here for a few minutes after I get bailed out. Are you telling my mother about this?" Michael asks again.

"I'm not dealing with Carly finding out you got arrested. You can."

"Thanks, Jason. I'll see you soon."

The twenty minutes pass and Chase continues booking him in, taking pleasure in it. It's sad how what was once a beautiful friendship is now so pathetic that he's booking him into a jail cell.

Bail is given, and Michael gets out roughly fourth minutes later, being uncuffed and getting his cell phone and wallet back. Willow isn't there yet, but Jason is and looks like he's trying not to laugh as he hugs his nephew. "Michael, your parents and I have always told you to follow the law. A part of the law is not punching police officers," he says in a fake stern voice. "You're so lucky that they didn't have to call Carly or she would've been down here raising hell and you'd be either let go free of all charges or she'd be in jail too by now."

"I know. Mom's not exactly silent about her beliefs," Michael smiles as their hug ends.

Willow runs into the station, clearly stressed but holding it together as she runs to him. "You're okay? Nothing happened? Did Chase drop the charges?"

Michael hugs his wife, glancing at Jason in his happy moment. "Willow, look at me. I'm fine. Nothing happened to me and Chase agreed to drop the charges because it's a first offense. All that's been injured is my ego."

Smiling at the sight in front of him, Jason says, "I think that it's safe to say this is a sign you're really married now, she's worried you got hurt in your short jail stay."

"Hey, we've been married for months!" Willow objects, chuckling as Dante walks in casually with Wiley in a stroller.

Dante greets the staff he knows and says to Wiley, "See Daddy? He did a bad thing to Chase and now he had to get bailed out. But it looks like him and Mommy are finally admitting they love each other, so something good happened."

"Uncle Dante is a little bit too excited to see me bailed out, isn't he, Wiley?" Michael asks, pulling apart from his hug with Willow to take his son from Dante.

"Yes, I am, little brother. If you weren't an idiot, we wouldn't be in this situation," Dante cheekily responds. "As cute as this moment is, I'm going to leave you two to it and go do something else. Jason, Carly needs us for something. I will be telling her that you got arrested, Michael."

Michael glares at his brother while he leaves the station. "Great, now my mother's going to be mad at me too."

"I'm not mad at you," Willow tells him, smiling. "I think he deserved it and abused his power. And I think Mr. Wiley agrees with me."

"I think Wiley would have to agree with me as well that he's got the greatest mommy in the entire universe," Michael smiles at her.

"Greatest parents," Willow corrects him, kissing him again. "You don't give yourself enough credit."

Their family leaves the station together, laughing.

aH