#I think probably a month or so post psychonauts 2

[lulu-draws-stuff]

This was gonna be a comic, but I wasn't having fun drawing it, so I scrapped it

You get the cover and outfits section

[mario8th]

I don't know if I'm writing this post out for anyone really, I think I just need to see it written out. Mario In Review is set to finish March 10th, and I really don't want to take a break. I mean, I really, really do, but also really really don't at the same time. So I've been hard at work* writing scripts to fit into this gap in scheduling. *trying and bashing my head against writers block So after MIR I think I'm going to try and get a review about Tunic out. I think I know what I want to talk about, but I'm having a really hard time writing it all down. Even me writing this is to procrastinate writing the actual script, although I made decent progress today having now finished Two(2) whole paragraphs. Then I want to do a review of the 1993 seminal hit Super Mario Bros, and the scheduling works out perfectly so the next video can be a review of the 2023 probably questionable but undoubtedly financial hit Super Mario Bros After that's more of a wash. I've got ideas for Psychonauts 1 and 2. Splatoon 3's single player. And I'd like to write about how Lil' Gator Game takes inspiration from Breath of the Wild while incorporating it in a much smaller scale game.

Different topic, I just started watching the second part of Jojo Stone Ocean after putting it off for some reason. I always forget how much I love JoJo until I'm watching it, but man is it some good Anime. Definitely gonna talk about it on my pod next week Also today I got my final part to what will soon be my new PC, so tomorrow I think I'm gonna try and "build a PC" which is still incredibly scary to me.

And I just realized that as of tomorrow I've been making Youtube videos for 2 years now. February 3rd I released my 2020 GOTY video, a couple weeks later I put out a video on the Paradise Killer soundtrack, an album I am listening to literally right now as I'm writing this. And I wasn't entirely consistent that first year, but as of January 22nd 2022 I've kept a consistent schedule of every other week (except for Christmas where I went a week early, and now I'm going to weekly again, plus I started a podcast in there too) But other than one week where I missed a podcast I've been remarkably consistent. I think that's a big part of the reason why I want to get a video out in between Mario In Review and the Mario Movies Reviews. Even though I'll have been going weekly for 6 weeks I want to keep to the base schedule. Also just in general I've spoiled myself by having so many videos done in advance, now knowing I only have a little over a month to finish the next feels, I dunno, bad. This is tangential but I've started receiving more thumbs downs on my videos than before. Someone disliked my 21 GOTY, and my most recent podcast. And as it turns out dislikes really suck. There's literally nothing I can take away. Did those people just not like me? Did they not like my opinions? Did they not like my production? Cannot say, it's just a number. But a number that I wish didn't affect me as much as it does. I think in the end I'm just telling myself I need to keep doing it, but it's certainly disheartening.

I think that's enough of that. To recap, Mario in review for the next 6 weeks, then bi-weekly hopefully a video (about Tunic, maybe lil Gator Game), then the Mario Movies. And I'll keep doing the podcast for now too. Okay bye!!!!!

[mintakablue]

I posted 2,230 times in 2021

68 posts created (3%)

2162 posts reblogged (97%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 31.8 posts.

I added 1,021 tags in 2021

#words - 191 posts

#art - 187 posts

#psychonauts - 121 posts

#spn - 119 posts

#fave - 76 posts

#bugs - 72 posts

#psychonauts 2 - 72 posts

#insects - 71 posts

#psitober - 63 posts

#gif - 49 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#okay. sam being so faithful and praying every day even though it literally physically makes him ill.........................................

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

psitober day 15: figment

my fondness for super bright colors strikes again. anyways do you ever think how cool and epic it would be to have helmut perform the psychodyssey  to you? i totally understand why bob fell in love with him

95 notes • Posted 2021-10-15 22:59:57 GMT

#4

psitober day 7: favorite mental world

i love bob’s bottles and psi-king’s sensorium both pretty equally but i think this moment was one that showed how awesome the storytelling in psychonauts 2 is! such a cool way of integrating the power into the story too

187 notes • Posted 2021-10-09 07:00:17 GMT

#3

psitober day 28: archetype

(head in my hands) raz just needed answers from someone, even if they weren’t actually who he needed to hear them from. this interaction has some funny moments but the actual concept and content of it made me cry

237 notes • Posted 2021-10-28 06:51:29 GMT

#2

psitober day 2: aquato family

i COULD NOT finish this today cuz i’m clearly posting this at like. 23:53 BUT here’s a little sketch of the family playing gruloky! i heard that apparently there was a cut scene where they play and nana is cheating which cracks me up. i will probably properly line and color this sometime but i’m very happy with how augustus came out!

269 notes • Posted 2021-10-03 06:54:02 GMT

#1

hello psychonauts community!

i wanted to do an art challenge for the month of october and i am STILL very invested in psychonauts, so i whipped this up! if you want to use this, go for it, and i'd love to see your art too!

355 notes • Posted 2021-09-30 16:54:38 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[druidofthetrees]

2, 3, 10, 11, 15, 17, 21, 23, 24, 28, 29, 31, 34, 41, 43, 44, 48, 55, 60, 62, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, and 100. I would genuinely like to know all of these, with as much context as you are willing to provide for each, but preferably the most context possible.

Woah that’s a ton!

2. Post a selfie: I’ll post or reblog one after this

3. How many tattoos I have and what they are: I don’t have any tattoos rn

10. Biggest turn ons: honestly? When someone is kind to me, understanding of me, and supportive of me, and when someone actually cares about the words I speak. Nice caring people are the hottest!

11. Age: 19

15. Relationship status: single!

17. A fact about my life: hm I used to lease a horse like 3 years ago but my family couldn’t afford it anymore and I miss horses big time lol

21. Are you a virgin? Yeah I’ve never dated anyone or even kissed anyone so far in my life

23. What’s your sexual orientation? I’m gay!

24. Do you smoke, drink, or take any drugs? Yeahhhh big time.... I’m an opioid addict and have been trying to quit all year since I got back into it (was clean for two years) so now I’m just using kratom since it’s safer and legal. Before I’d go like a month without using and then have a bad day and take so much I almost overdose. But I also use LSD once every month cause I’m a bit of a psychonaut. I believe trips can be incredibly powerful for seeing the world in a different way and that that’s a good way for mentally healing. I’ve used a lot of drugs tho but I don’t wanna list them all cause there’s a lot of stigma against drug use.

28. Favorite ice cream: chocolate peanut butter ice cream!

29. One insecurity: I’m insecure about like everything so it’s hard to only choose one... I think I’m most insecure about my looks in general tho.

31. Have you ever taken a picture naked? Yeahhh, pretty sure most people have.

34. Have you ever slept naked? Nah but I hear it’s really good for your sleep to.

41. Have you snuck out of your house? Yup but not that often cause I’m home alone a lot during the day so if I need to do something shady I can do it during the day.

43. Have you ever been arrested? Nope! Luckily not.

44. Have you ever made out with a stranger? Nah, like I said I’ve never kissed anyone so def never made out with anyone.

48. Have you ever ditched school to go do something more fun? Surprisingly no, I’m very grade orientated so last year I only missed one class and I missed it for a rally against the hate crimes on campus but it wasn’t ditching cause my professor excused my absence. I didn’t even miss classes when I was sick or going through bad opioid withdrawals. Landed me a cumulative 4.0 gpa tho!

55. Have you ever laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Yeah! But only as a kid. Me and friends would lay on my trampoline and watch the clouds.

60. Have you ever fallen asleep at school/work? Nope but I have come close to it.

62. Have you ever felt an earthquake? Yes, when I was little! Not a dangerous one or anything tho luckily. I was at a beauty store with my sister and mom, I think one of us was there for a haircut but we were looking at the nail polish as we waited and the shelf started to shake so at first I thought someone was on the other side shaking it until I realized everything was shaking.

77. Have you ever laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yeah and that’s like the worst lol! It hasn’t happened to me in a long long time luckily. I have no clue what I was drinking last time it happened.

79. Have you ever kissed in the rain? My past answers answer this, nope.

83. Have you ever glued your hand to something? Probably when I was little, but only thing I can remember is putting glue on my hands so I could pull it off for fun

85. Have you ever gone to school partially naked? I’m not sure what this would even mean lmao! But no I def haven’t, I rarely even wear shorts, that’s how little skin I tend to show.

87. Have you ever sat on a roof top? Noooo but I really want to! It’s on my bucket list, my house’s roof is too slopped for that and I’d only be able to get up with scaffolding.

89. Have you ever been too scared to watch scary movies alone? Nah scary movies never scare me but I love watching them.

91. Have you ever been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? I don’t think so... but I know I did go swimming with all my clothes on but I’m pretty sure that was on my own terms lol

92. Have you ever been told you’re hot by a complete stranger? Only online, I think it’s rare in general for guys to be complimented irl, and I think I look much better in my selfies than I do irl

93. Have you ever broken a bone? Nope

95. Have you ever laughed so hard you cried? Yeah I actually do that a lot!

96. Have you ever mooned/flashed someone? Hell no! Idk when it’d ever come up for me to but I’m like way too insecure about my body for that.

97. Have you ever cheated on a test? Yeah.... don’t tell my past teachers!

99. Have you ever met someone who didn’t seem real? Yup, I met Dane DeHaan, Chris Jackson, Sean Aston, John Rhys-Davies, and a few other actors and they’ve all seemed unreal- mostly because the experience of meeting them seemed unreal.

100. Give us one thing about you that no one knows. Hmm I’m not sure. I’m very open with people I meet online so I feel like I’ve told at least one person everything about me... no one I know outside of the internet knows about my addiction tho.

Lol this kept me busy and out of boredom for sometime so thank you for the ask!

[lookingthroughslowglass]

It’s been awhile, so here’s an update

it’s crazy being on tumblr after so long tbh.. like it’s so interesting to me to see how pretty much nothing has really changed much on here and all (like content and everything) but yet it feels so different to just scroll here like i used to and all that.. I don’t know how to describe it in a way that doesn’t feel cheesy but basically I feel as though I have changed so much in the last few years in such a way that this platform and the content on it doesn’t consume me like it used to.. like I used to spend so much time and energy on here (like fandom shit and obsessively maintaining an aesthetic to appease people online and have more followers and shit) (and of course how I used to use this platform as my online public diary and all because I was so desperate to be validated because I was so depressed and alone!) 

And like I know tumblr being tumblr, it doesn’t really matter to post about any of this about myself and all because realllyy like 1 or 2 people will see it and actually read it and all that but I dunno it’s good to reflect and remind myself how far I’ve come from the sad sad boy I once was and all that jazz..

So, I go by Xavier now and have been for a little under a year now.. I’m obviously still a trans masculine person and actually started testosterone 6 months ago (today specifically! i mean technically yesterday but yeah!) My voice has gotten deeper and my face has widened out a little in the way that t does that to ppl.. and all that jazz is happening... it’s been a good time and I’m really happy to have started medically transitioning, but it’s also been a rather difficult time in the sense that I now feel this tremendous desire to experience all the masculinizing effects all at once so that I can pass as a cisgender man and be validated in society .. but of course, hormones don’t actually work that way so it’s been frustrating to never reach my unrealistic expectations and what not.. but I’m trying to be better to myself and I’m still growing so someday that’ll be better. 

I dropped out of college after fall semester because my mental health was deteriorating and I felt uninspired with my studies so I dropped out in attempt to figure out who I am outside of school and what I really want to do with my life and what not.. As of right now I’ve been out of school and working for around 4/5ish months and it’s been really interesting.. I feel ashamed about my status as a college dropout but at the same time I am relieved and at peace with not being in college because it was such a soul sucking experience. However, I do truly miss the structure and stability that it gave me.. along with the sense that I was doing something with my life and all.. I don’t honestly know what exactly I want to do but I’m confident that I’ll figure it out. I fully believe that people don’t need to achieve things in a specific time frame so I know that some day I’ll figure my shit out and really bang my shit and blow some minds.. but for now I’m just a little lost and trying to do the best I can. 

I started smoking weed last year and have become a huge stoner since that. I really love weed a lot!! It’s a great tool for my depression and it’s honestly changed me as a person and how I view the world and what not. I’ve also become quite the little psychonaut tbh.. I’ve done acid a couple of times and I’ve eaten shrooms once and have had life changing experiences on both. I love how deeply these substances make me think and every time I’ve done them I’ve been surrounded by wonderful friends that have made my experiences good ones. I look forward to tripping again in the future! 

I’m still with my girlfriend Aurora. I love her very much and feel an unexplainable magical type of love for her that grows stronger every day. We have grown so much together in the last year and a half and I believe our love can survive anything and will last a lifetime. She is truly the most incredible and beautiful person I’ve ever met and I’m so lucky to have Aurora in my life. We live together in a house with some of my other college friends and we share a room and it’s the best thing ever!

And yeah that’s about it.. add that college introduced me to many fantastic people and got me hooked on drag race and that pretty much makes whoever reads this be completely up to speed on my bullshit. @ whoever reads this.. thanks for reading.. I hope you thought something nice like, “oh i’m glad Xavier is doing way better than he did in high school” or something nice like that.. If we used to be close and have drifted or something, know that I probably think about you sometimes and hope ur doing better too.. I appreciated the time we had together and look back fondly on our good memories and all that.. so yeah I hope you have a good day/night @ whoever reads this!

- <3 Xavier James Rose

[breezy-cheezy]

Last doodle batch for like...18 months. Haha. I’m just glad I could finally get these compiled! Mainly a sketch dump for my Psychonauts daemon AU, now along with some batfam daemon sketches (thanks @x-i-l-verify for enabling me :’D ) I was inspired by a patronus post that used similar language as daemon typing, and kinda...ran with it. Most were pretty spot on, but I did mess with Bruce’s and Damian’s daemons a little bit. Now Damian is a cat soul (more about that here), and Bruce is a greater sooty owl who’s nocturnal, adaptable, sedentary, introverted, sometimes found to live in caves, and very protective of their babies. :’> I felt like birds of prey would be close, owls in particular, and I think this one could work nicely~

Annnnnd Batfam Voltron AU. Thanks @raberbagirl.  I’d place Jason as Black just for laughs haha he looks like SHiro we get it but his instability and rather wild temperament seemed better for Red! Bruce for Black, Dick for blue (hahaha it even looks kind of like his Nightwing outfit X’D) and...I really went back and forth for the last 2 alot. I eventually decided Green for Timmy, since he seems to rely more on intellect/technology as his strength, and Damian has been putting more focus and drive in his strength of heart. So yeah, could go either way, probably not the best fit, but I think he could work for Yellow? Not to mention he has mechanical skills similar to Hunk...like when he fixed himself up a jetpack :P 

Just...maybe swap Jason’s and TImmy’s motivations a bit. Jason ends up getting in a ton of trouble (and dying) in his canon, all to look for his missing (biological) mother, so maybe she got lost in space and he dropped out of school to look for her??...meanwhile TImmy continued to search for Bruce when he “died” that one time in the comics, even when no one else believed him...so he’s the one searching for the Black paladin/his father/mentor, sneaking into school to sift through so many lies and data...you could do some things with this.

I have NO IDEA who’d be Allura and Coran though?? Babara and Gordon?? Starfire would be a fabulous fit for Allura I think, but who’d be Coran??? ...Maybe Cass and Alfred could work???? I really don’t know, up to you guys I guess.

I got some other great prompts I’ll be working with on my mission, maybe I’ll get to share them someday ;;v;; Thank you all!!!

[child-of-leviathan]

I was tagged by @son-of-thunders to answer 30 questions. Thank you!

1. Nicknames? Chey ( @gvrden-rot ) calls me “bee” even though I call her that too, so if that counts as a nickname. I probably give people more nicknames than they give me

2. Gender? Female

3. Star sign? Capricorn

4. Height? 160 cm (I’m fucking tiny)

5. Time? 20:11 when I began this and initially answered the question, now it’s 20:34

6. Birthday? 29 December

7. Favourite bands? All time favourite: Ne Obliviscaris, other favourites: Gris, Psychonaut 4, ColdWorld, Woods of Desolation, Feigur, Forgotten Tomb, Hypothermia, Lifelover, Totalselfhatred, Void Omnia, Wintercult, Persefone, Be’lakor, Hermodr, etc.

8. Favourite solo artist? My brain is dead and the only one I can think of is Burzum, tbh

9. Song stuck in my head? Last song that was stuck in my head because none is at the moment was Eternal Autumn by Forest of Shadows

10. Last movie you watched? Until the Light Takes Us (again)

11. Last show you watched? Haven’t watched one in months. Though, it probably was Hannibal

12. When did i create my blog? According to my archives, February 2017, so beginning of this year

13. What do i post? Metal, nature, other things I deem aesthetic (e.g. art), and depressive bullshit

14. Last thing i googled? Probably "Is empathy an emotion” (for psych)

15. Do you have other blogs? Another one that I don’t use

16. Do you get asks? Haven’t in ageeeeees (ASK ME STUFF, PLEASE)

17. Why did you choose your url? I have no clue. I’ve always just liked the word “leviathan” and thought of this

18. Following? 244

19. Followers? 110

20. Favourite Colours? Black, purple, and red

21. Average hours of sleep? Probably 8, actually

22. Lucky number? Don’t have one

23. Instruments? Flute, guitar, and bass (learnt them in that order)

24. What am i wearing? Det Som Engang Var (Burzum) t-shirt and a comfy pair of black shorts

25. How many blankets i sleep with? One

26. Dream job? Either psychological researcher or a musician for preferably a metal band

27. Dream trip? Norway, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, or back in England to hang out with my best friend (not in any specific order)

28. Favourite food? Ummmmm.... I have no clue. I’ll just say Chinese dumplings, I guess

29. Nationality? I hold an Austrian passport, however, my mother is Chinese, father is Austrian, and I identify as both (I’m a third-culture kid)

30. Favourite song now? Changes depending on how I feel, currently it’s probably gonna have to be Il Etait Une Foret by Gris

I shall tag... @gvrden-rot @dieslowli @behemoht @dsbmhead @death-and-the-healing 

[aion-rsa]

PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which Console Has The Best 2021 Exclusive Games?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S launched last year during strange times, but now that the 2021 release schedule is starting to shape up, we’re finally able to see which exclusive games next-gen console owners can start to look forward to.

That also means that it’s time to start the debate that has defined so many of the console wars so far: “Which console has the best exclusive games?”

As you’ve probably already guessed, that’s the question we’re going to try to answer today. Before we dive into our breakdown of the PS5 and Xbox Series X’s most notable upcoming exclusives in 2021, though, here are a few factors that you need to consider:

The definition of “exclusive games” is constantly evolving, so we’re embracing a more modern definition of the concept. A game is eligible for this list if it will be available for PS5 or Xbox Series X/S but not the other console. That means that PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S games that will also be available for PC or previous-gen consoles made by the same manufacturer are eligible for consideration.

There are very few “true” next-gen exclusives being released in 2021. By that, we mean games that will only be available for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S and no absolutely no other devices. We expect that to change in 2022 and beyond.

An exclusive game has to be currently scheduled for release in 2021 to be eligible for consideration. That includes games with exact 2021 release dates and 2021 release windows.

We will be updating these lists with new exclusives if and when they are revealed and as more release dates are confirmed.

2021 PlayStation 5 Exclusive Games

Deathloop

Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

Destruction All-Stars

Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade

Ghostwire Tokyo

Horizon Forbidden West

Jett The Far Shore

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Oddworld Soulstorm

Ratchet And Clank: Rift Apart

Returnal

Solar Ash

Stray

The first thing you’re going to notice about this shortlist of PS5 exclusives is that it’s rather…short. Part of the reason that’s currently the case is that the PlayStation team really hasn’t had their “big” presentation for the year while the Xbox team pretty much showed their hand at E3 2021. We expect PlayStation to expand its 2021 exclusive lineup sometime in the near future (even if those updates only include smaller titles).

One of the most interesting things about this list is that we’ve actually already played two of the biggest exclusives on it: Returnal and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Both of those games rank comfortably among the best games of 2021, and both are “true” PS5 exclusives. There’s a debate to be had about whether of those games are worth owning a PS5 for, but we’re reaching a point where we can start to judge the PS5 based on the strength of its overall exclusive library and not individual releases. So far as that goes, these are two exceptional additions to that library.

Beyond those titles, the only significant true PS5 exclusive on the horizon for 2021 is…well, Horizon Forbidden West. Everything we’ve seen of that game so far looks incredible, and we fully expect it to be both a worthy follow-up to the incredible original and perhaps the PS5’s best game so far.

From there, things get a little weird. For instance, Ghostwire Tokyo and Deathloop are actually being published by Bethesda. As you probably heard, Bethesda was recently acquired by Microsoft. Despite that acquisition, Bethesda has said that both of those games will still be timed PS5 console exclusives for a one-year period. Both titles look promising (especially Deathloop) and both could certainly prove to offer compelling reasons to buy a PS5 if you just can’t wait to play them on Xbox.

Then you have Death Stranding Director’s Cut and Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade: two upgraded ports of PS4 games. We don’t know much about Death Stranding‘s new content at this time, but Intergrade looks like a fantastic upgrade of the incredible original experience. In both cases, we expect these titles to be very appealing to those who missed these games the first time around and potentially appealing to those who are interested in buying them again for the upgrades.

Beyond, that you’ve got a mix of interesting smaller titles (Stray and Jett The Far Shore, for example) and games that already came out (Oddworld Soulstorm and Destruction All-Stars) and weren’t all that great. We’ll talk a little more about this in the next section, but at the moment, the PlayStation 5 lineup is lacking some smaller titles that could fill in the gap between the more significant releases. Timed exclusive Deatloop and Ghostwire Tokyo could help make the wait for Horizon Forbidden West a little more manageable, but the PS5 is certainly relying on its heavy hitters this year.

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2021 Xbox Series X/S Exclusive Games

Adios

CrossfireX

Dead Static Drive

Echo Generation

Exo One

ExoMecha

Forza Horizon 5

Halo Infinite

Lake

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Sable

Scorn

Shredders

The Anacrusis

The Artful Escape

The Ascent

The Big Con

The Gunk

The Wild at Heart

Tunic

Twelve Minutes

Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy

Warhammer 40K: Darktide

Unless something really surprising happens (whether it be a delay or a reveal), the Xbox team has seemingly shown us their 2021 exclusives hand. That makes it a lot easier to judge what they’re working with.

Honestly, there are only two real “heavy hitters” on this list: Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. These are Xbox’s big new entries into established franchises, and thus the kind of games console manufacturers traditionally rely on to sell hardware. Well, after E3 2021, I can tell you that Forza Horizon 5 is stunning. How the game looks obviously doesn’t account for whether or not you care about this franchise, but if you have any interest in Forza or racing games, this could very well prove to be one of the year’s top titles.

As for Halo Infinite…well, the fact that Microsoft still can’t give us a definitive 2021 release date for the game certainly raises some alarms. Halo Infinite could very well be delayed to 2022, or Microsoft could decide to release part of it (likely the multiplayer part) this year and the rest of it next year. If the full package does release this year, the game should prove to be one of the year’s biggest titles. At the very least, Halo Infinite‘s free-to-play multiplayer mode could move a lot of Xbox Series X consoles this holiday season if it lives up to the hype.

You also have Microsoft Flight Simulator, which was obviously already released on PC, but seems to be getting enough of an upgrade in time for its Xbox Series X debut to make it a compelling exclusive for series fans who aren’t able to (or don’t want to) play the game on PC.

It’s actually when you look at some of the smaller games on this list that things start to get more interesting. Twelve Minutes, Sable, The Gunk, Scorn, and Shredders could all work their way into game-of-the-year conversations if for no other reason than the fact this is kind of a weird year for gaming. Microsoft is very interested in ensuring Xbox gamers have at least one notable title to look at each month, and they seem to be well on their way to accomplishing that goal by virtue of their support of these smaller titles.

That brings us to Game Pass. It’s hard to know what to do with Game Pass when you’re talking about exclusives. Game Pass will include day-one access to certain Xbox exclusives, but Game Pass itself is also something of an exclusive. That also means that you could argue the service enhances the value of titles like Hades, Psychonauts 2, and Back 4 Blood that may not technically be Xbox exclusives but will arguably be more accessible to Xbox users.

PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X: Who Has the Better 2021 Exclusives?

This is an incredibly close call, but in the interest of naming a “winner” for the sake of conversation, I’m going with the PlayStation 5.

The thing is that I honestly think the Xbox Series X may end up having the better 2021 games lineup overall largely due to the number of indie titles the console is supporting and the value of Game Pass. In fact, we’re reaching a point where it’s hard to separate Game Pass from Xbox. If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, you’re about to be able to access more modern games (and a collection of classics) in 2021 than you may have ever had access to in your entire gaming life. It’s a great time to be an Xbox gamer.

If we’re just talking exclusives, though, then I can’t discount the fact that the only Triple-A Xbox exclusive that I’m confident is coming out this year is Forza Horizon 5 (not counting the PC exclusive Age of Empires 4). Even if Halo Infinite is released this year, serious questions remain regarding what kind of shape it’s in and how much of it we’ll get.

By comparison, PlayStation 5’s major exclusives for the year include Returnal, Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, timed exclusives Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo, and notable remasters Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade and Death Stranding: Director’s Cut. I’m certainly worried about the PS5’s lack of games between those releases, but I’m more confident that each of those games is going to great (or very good) than I’m confident that some of those smaller Xbox titles are going to live up to what is certainly the high-end of their potential.

The post PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: Which Console Has The Best 2021 Exclusive Games? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[battleborntap]

We all have those games that we would love to see a sequel for. That game we grew up with as a child. That popular franchise that has been in retirement for the last decade. That cult classic you found while browsing the Steam Summer Sale that you beat and want more.

  In some cases, these games might not get made for various reasons. Sometimes the company who originally made it no longer has the rights to that game. Sometimes the development team doesn't want to ruin a franchise by simply making a new game for the sake of making a new game. Whatever the reason, we all have those games that we would love to see get a sequel...and I am no exception.

  Before we begin, I would like to clarify a few things. First off, this is not a list of the most popular games that I feel need a sequel. There are plenty of people doing just that on YouTube. This is a personal list of games that I have played that I would love to see continued. This list will also not include anything that, as far as I'm presently aware, already has a sequel in development. This is a list of games that I have not seen anything related to a sequel out there outside of rumors and wishlists, much like the Kingdom Hearts 3 wishlist I posted two weeks back. And finally, this list is in no way a definitive list. While I would probably want some of these games more than others, I would be happy to get any of these.

  So, without further delay, here's my Ten Games That Need a Sequel

#10. Battleborn (2016)

The one is a cautionary tale to people looking to release a game; make sure you see what else is coming out around the same time to determine if this might be a problem for your release. Battleborn seemed like a done deal; the Borderlands team making a Moba-Shooter Hybrid with a fun cast of characters and a unique setting. It had a weird learning curve, especially between the variety of playstyles in each of the characters, and if you're thinking this sounds familiar, it's because that basically the description of the game that released less than three weeks after Battleborn; a little known title called Overwatch.

  Thanks to Overwatch releasing three weeks after Battleborn's launch, much of the player base for the game dropped off within one month, presumably to play Overwatch, something that I myself am guilty of doing. It became so problematic for them, Battleborn as now basically become a Free-To-Play title. But where Overwatch falls short, Battleborn thrives.

Yeah, but Blizzard gave us a talking Gorilla...so...

Battleborn, among other things, offers a full single player campaign, the option to choose what play mode you want to play, and a story that can actually be seen in game rather than animations and comics online. It has the strong humor of the Borderlands team and a lot of possibilities for what can be done, and that's why I feel it needs a sequel.

  Given enough time and effort, Battleborn could be salvaged and turned into something worthwhile. More games modes, an expended roster and story, as well as a better launch window, and Battleborn could truly be a contender for Overwatch. Let's just hope they don't release it three weeks before Overwatch 2: Electric Boogaloo.

  #9. Jet Set Radio (2000)

Rollerblading is “cool.” Spray painting graffiti is “cool.” Combining the two is KEWL, and that's what Jet Set Radio provides. Released for the SEGA Final Nail In The Coffin (You may know it as the Dreamcast), Jet Set Radio sees the various gangs of Tokyo-To roaming the streets and spray painting everything while running from the cops. You play as a variety of characters in a new gang called the GGs, lead by Beat, compete against rival gangs for turf, and run from Captain Onishima, who has way more power than he should as he sends riot police, tanks and helicopters after you.

  It was the definition of the Counter Culture, going against the man and doing things that look cool. It had pretty fun gameplay, despite a variety of controls that can be complicated to get the hang of, and a unique art style that helped it stand out from other games by being one of the first games to feature cel-shaded graphics with exaggerated shapes, thin lines and flat bright colors. So in a way, Borderlands has this game to thank for it's art style.

Hmmm...you could do with some more blue...

The problem here is the current state of skating games in the industry. After the massive failure that was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5, we haven't heard anything about a new game in that franchise, the Skate franchise, or anything new in the vain outside of indie games like side scrolling skateboarding game Olli-Olli. Now that doesn't mean we won't get anything like this; there have been rumors of a new Skate game from EA for a few years now, and people have been clambering for that for a while.

  Jet Set Radio is also owned by SEGA, and recently, they have mentioned they will be reviving a bunch of old franchises for re-release or reboots. While games like Road Rash and Crazy Taxi are more likely to get reboots, I would love to see Jet Set Radio come back. Who knows, maybe they could even pull a Tony Hawk and include “guest” characters, including Sonic the Hedgehog or Bayonetta. That would be fun.

  #8. Brutal Legend (2009)

Tim Schafer is one of the industries greatest comedians, having helped bring us such classics as The Secret of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts. One of his other games, developed with his studio Double Fine Productions, was Brutal Legend, a metal heads fever dream mixed with a somewhat mediocre real-time strategy component. It featured heavy metal legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford, Rod Halford and Lemmy Kilmister, and the world looked as if it were ripped straight from the album covers of some of the greatest cover art from the 80's.

  The story was pretty basic and the game completely changed genres half way through which threw some people off, but the aesthetic and world itself was a beauty that hasn't really been matched by other AA or AAA games. The humor is a bit more mature than some other games that showcase themselves as humor based, the references to the genre were wonderful, and the amount of love and attention this game holds is almost beyond comprehension.

It also made Jack Black's humor bearable for several hours!

Unlike many of the games on this list, this one might already be underway, though nothing official has been announced. During some in-development streams for Psychonauts 2, a game that I am highly anticipating more than almost anything shown at E3 2017, Tim Schafer has said that if there's enough interest and Psychonauts 2 does well, they might work on Brutal Legend 2. Jack Black has said that he would like to come back, and you know there's a large number of metal artists who would like to cameo in something so devoted to their genre.

  All in all, this one is just a wonderful experience from start to finish...if you can get past the sometime clunky real-time strategy portions of the game. We don't get many games that incorporate humor into their overall structure much outside of kids games and the LEGO games, so having one thhat's aimed more at adults would be fantastic. Plus, the soundtrack for this game alone is worth the price of admission. Just sayin'.

  #7. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)

Star Wars has a massive expanded universe through books, TV shows, comics and games, the vast majority of which Disney would like you to ignore. Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republics 2 are two of the better parts of that expanded universe, and is the only game on this list that actually does have a recent release, but not in the way that I would like.

  The Old Republic MMO, released by EA and BioWare, lets you explore through the world of Star Wars years before the events of the first few films. It plays like a combination of KOTOR, World of Warcraft, and Mass Effect (Fun Fact: Mass Effect happened because BioWare lost the rights to Star Wars when trying to make KOTOR 3). Playing as one of eight classes, only two of which really matter, you can play the first Star Wars MMO that actually had people excited since Star Wars Galaxies.

You said it random Star Wars Galaxies player.

No, what I want is not that game. While it has it's moments, the overall experience is more WoW than Star Wars, let alone KOTOR. No, what I'd like is KOTOR 3; a return to the massive experiences provided to us in the first two KOTOR games. The biggest hurdle now, of course, is that Disney owns Star Wars, and they are calling the shots. But here's the thing; EA has a contract with them to release Star Wars games!

  BioWare is owned by EA, and that means that if they wanted to, and Anthem wasn't taking up all their time, BioWare could easily bring us another entry in the franchise. They already have an offshoot studio working on the MMO, so why not give us another main series single player entry?

  #6. Undertale (2015)

Undertale is one of the few massive success stories from KickStarter, with an original asking price of $5000 but earning over $51,000 by the end of it's one month asking time. It was mostly made by Toby Fox, who wrote, programmed and wrote the score for, and has callbacks to Earthbound and Shin Megami Tensei as an NES era stylized game where you can befriend everyone or murder them brutally.

  You play as a young person who falls into a mountain into the world of monsters and interact with them by either helping them realize that violence isn't the only answer or by showing them just how wonderful it can be. The story is full of emotional points, and depending on how you play, you can have one of three major outcomes, commonly referred to the Pacifist, Genocide or Neutral routes. And that's pretty much all I'll say about the games story; while the game has been out for just under two years now, there is still a decent portion of people who have not experienced it, and this is very much a game to go in blind with regards to the story.

Trust me! Do I look like I'd lie?

The obviously problem with making a sequel is those last two facts: the desire to go in blind with regards to the story and the multiple ending types based on how you play. The first one makes it hard to do a sequel for the simple fact that you usually have to showcase some of the story in the trailer and promotional materials. This can be combated by the simple fact that while the trailer for the first game does show gameplay, there's very little context for what is shown and basically just shows us what I've mentioned here. The second issue is which ending do you go with? Well, why go with a sequel at all?

  The overall story of Undertale has some pretty good back story, including a war between humans and monsters which could be explored further. It might not give us the same emotional level as the first game, but exploring that part of the series might help better showcase the strife we see from the monsters in the game. If nothing else, this would give the people who play Genocide runs a reason to feel like a monster...if they didn't feel like that from the first game...

  #5. The Stanley Parable (2013)

Games have had narrators in them since the first time we heard a narrator in a video game. They are there to help deliver exposition, to guide the player, and tell us more about what we are seeing on screen. The Stanley Parable likes to take that notion and turn it on it's head. While the story of the game is silly, it can be completed in only a few minutes if you simply follow the directions of the narrator. Bu this game is best when you don't.

  One of the first major choices you are given in the games is a series of two open doors. The narrator, trying to guide you through a story, tells you to enter the door on the left. If you disobey, he then makes up an excuse and tries to get you back on track. Depending on how often you disobey, things can go from standard to surreal fast. From breaking the game down almost entirely to being forced to play a game where you try and prevent a baby from walking into fire for four hours to standing in a broom closet simply because you can, the game is a wonderful commentary on first person perspective games and narrative driven ones as well.

This game asks questions, like what if we made a game about a baby crawling towards fire?!

The things about making a sequel is that what more can be done? Sure, there can be more paths added, or a new narrative setting can be used, but making the overall premise of the game about a guy who listens or disobeys the narrator would simply be rehashing a concept from the first with a new coat of paint. Narrative games are unique in that you usually don't need to replay them unless you want to, but games like The Stanley Parable is unique in that you can replay it and not get the same result twice.

  The real challenge for making a sequel is not even making new narrative arcs for the player to take; the first game shows that just about anything can happen in a video game with little incentive or force. What the real challenge here is making a game that can commentate on other parts of first person narrative mechanics, or even other genres and mechanics, that the first game didn't touch on. It'll also help if they get Kevan Brighting to return as the Narrator...He was just a delight.

  #4. Bioshock (2007)

The Bioshock series are some of the most well-regarded in gaming, so long as you don't include the Bioshock 2. Between Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite, these games have ingrained themselves in the minds of gamers thanks to engaging gunplay, unique powers and settings, as well we smart story telling and situations. It's also a spiritual successor to System Shock, which makes it all the more better.

  The first game takes place in an Ayn Rand wet dream of an underwater utopia run by a man who constantly reminds you that “a man chooses, a slave obeys,” and is filled with magic fueled homicidal maniacs, giant mechanical living bathyspheres, and cute monster children you can either save from horror by “saving” them or sucking the ever loving life force out of them as they scream in pain and realize that hell is real when they are “harvested.”

You can Harvest them or force them to watch Cars 2...your choice, but either way, you're a monster.

Then in Bioshock Infinite, you play as a man who has a shady past, saving a Belle like character from a floating city, a giant mechanical bathysphere bird, and a racist man with the ideals and principles of a 1870's preacher. Using a spinning hook on your hand and more magical abilities that you drink like scotch, you help liberate this floating city by shooting every cop in sight and getting a very basic understanding of quantum mechanics, string theory and the many worlds interpretation along the way.

  A new game in the series would require a few things, chief among them Ken Levine, the man who helped give us this new classic. But to make it better, we'd need a newly enhanced system for combat, a wonderful new world to explore, and possibly a potentially racist author to pull from...let's try Harper Lee. Because who wouldn't want to shoot an allegory for racism and bigotry in the face while trying to champion the ideas of inclusion?!

  #3. Castle Crashers (2008)

Castle Crashers is one of the first majorly successful indie titles to appear on the Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360, and helped bring the studio The Behemoth to the forefront of the indie scene. With simple controls, four player same screen co-op, a variety of unlockable players, weapons and companions, and a sense of humor that just about anyone can enjoy, it's no wonder this game became a hit.

  You play as one of four knights (to start) trying to save four princesses from a variety of villains by doing things like running from a giant forest troll while riding woodland deer, interrupting a wedding for a lightsaber wielding knight and fighting a fire breathing dragon that has a side job as a sock puppet ventriloquist. Also, sandwiches can turn you giant; so remember kids, eat healthy, and you to can grow three times your size and punch your way out of any situation!

Don't run, Is just Ham!

Now, The Behemoth has launched two new games since this one has come out; Battleblock Theater, a side scrolling platformer where you survive a death trap for cats, and Pit People, a turn based strategy game about a world thrown into hell by a giant space bear crashing into it.. They also released Alien Hominid, a side scrolling shooter starring a sharp-toothed Pac-Man headed alien, which helps showcase that The Behemoth likes to change genres between releases. This doesn't mean we won't get a new Castle Crashers; it may just mean we won't get it from them, or in the same fashion as the first.

  A sequel wouldn't really have to change much, which makes this one even easier to conceive of. If anything, much like the Super Smash Bros series of games, you would only need to keep the core mechanics of the game while adding new content like players, levels, items and more. With the Behemoth's pedigree for making consistently fun games, I don't think it's impossible to see it coming, but at the same time, we'll unlikely see due to their desire to expand and change genres. Until then, let's all look forward to their fifth game about a sitcom family forced into a world full of strange llama creatures, all with an 80's rock music aesthetic and made to play as a dating simulator.

  #2. Sunset Overdrive (2014)

This is easily one of my favorite games from this generation, and a lot of the people I've talked with who have played with can agree that it's a fun, heavily stylized game. With the genius weapon design and humor from Insomniac Games, a punk rock setting in a post apocalyptic environment about an energy drink turning people into zombie monsters called OD'd. So, you know, a standard release video game.

  The unique thing about this game is that it was the first game in years to release exclusively on a non-PlayStation console, specifically the Xbox One. When you compare the overly colorful and humorous world of Sunset City to the environments you explore in other Xbox Exclusives, specifically Halo and Gears of War, it's a very different type of game. When some of the weapons launch Records, Exploding Teddy Bears and the severed heads of the zombie creatures, it certainly seems a bit more silly than Gears of War's chainsaw gun. The story is also equally silly, with you bringing together a few groups of stereotypes to help retake the city of a corporation that makes guns, drugs and energy drinks that turn you into zombie things. It also ended with a bit of a cliff hanger, leading to the possibility of a sequel in the future.

Let's just have some freaking fun!

Insomniac has said that they would love to make a sequel, and to that I say Insomniac...PLEASE CONTACT ME! I have many ideas for this game and am looking for a new job! But for everyone else, let's talk about what it could be. First and foremost, we'd probably go to a new city that the drink made into OD, as well as new weapons and enemies, groups to interact with, more varying quest types and even more humor based on popular culture and some current events.

  Honestly, I want this game much more than I would want Beyond Good and Evil 2, Star Wars Battlefront 2, and just about any other game that was showcased at E3 2017 that has a 2 in it's name! The games is just crazy fun, with Ratchet and Clank inspirations throughout, and just in general makes me happy to be a gamer. It's actually one of the only reasons I still own an Xbox One! Now THAT'S an achievement, if you ask me.

  Now, before we get on with the number one pick, here's a few honorable mentions:

  Super Meat Boy – A fun, challenging platformer with cute references to classic games and ever changing tasks to overcome. A sequel could make it harder and introduce new mechanics like a jetpack! Cause why not?!

  Fez – This is one that a lot of people want, but Phil Fish got mad at the internet as we probably won't ever see. That said, imagine going from four sides to sixteen, because, again, why not?!

  Grim Fandango – One of the last great adventure games from an era long since past, Grim Fandango is a silly concept to begin with; reapers in an office setting. Imagine what Tim Schafer and crew could do with that concept now!

  Spore – While it's not as well loved as The Sims and didn't deliver on all the promises is had, Spore was still a fun alien builder. Expand the gameplay beyond a few genres and give more freedom, and BOOM! There you go.

  The World Ends With You – A fun and unique Nintendo DS game from Square Enix. With the 3DS and Switch technology, the gameplay could be expanded and improved to tell a new story.

  And finally...Number One

  #1. ANYTHING THAT ENDS IN A 3 FROM VALVE!!!

Seriously, Valve, the Steam OS can wait a while while you make another game that will make you two billion dollars. With Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Portal 2 and Half-Life: Episode 2 all being the end of those franchises currently, gamers have been begging you for a new entry in just about every one of these series! So let's go down one by one and look at each of these, shall we?

  Half-Life 3could finish the story that the first two games started. Team Fortress 3 could introduce new characters to give hats to while letting players occasionally shoot one another or push a bomb down a track. Left 4 Dead 3 could give us more zombie mobs ripping at our throats and new special infected all trying to shut up one of the characters with a plethora of annoying lines. Portal 3 could see us dealing with a homicidal robot trying to kill us in a testing chamber, only to be revealed that it's been us the whole time! Half-Life 2: Episode 3 could be a prelude to that of Half-Life 3 because seriously, just give us Half-Life 3 already!

Please? I mean....just....just please?

Much like Kingdom Hearts 3, Half-Life 3 is one of those games that may never actually come out, but that won't stop people from wanting it even more, myself included. And by holding out for a good idea or the right technology or whatever, Valve is making the expectations of gamers rise practically by the day at this point. When Game Informer had their 200th issue, one of the eight variant covers included Gordon Freeman, leading players to think they were getting Half-Life 3. They were, of course, disappointed that all it was was a list of some of the greatest games ever, and Game Informer was flooded with disappointed emails telling them just that! Over a magazine cover!!!

  Look, we probably won't get any of these anytime soon, simply because Valve really doesn't need to. With all the money they make from games Like Team Fortress 2 and the taxes they collect through the Steam client itself, they could easily get out of game development al together and still make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, especially right now when the Steam Summer sale is going on, and while you might only pay $5 for that game you always wanted, you'll end up doing that eighty four times a day, which can add up to a lot of money!

  So, there you go. A list of games I want sequels for. I'll get back to analytical discussions next week, but I want to know if there's anything you'd like to hear me talk about! Please, leave a comment of send me a message and we'll see what happens! But either way, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next week!

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