#Retro Revelations

[mistermistyyy]

You know, playing Persona 1 is quite interesting, because it's not at all what I expected based on what I've seen of the later installments. Like, you navigate dungeons in first-person and part of the strategy in the battle system is reorganizing your party along a grid so they can be close enough to an enemy you want them to attack. Like damn, this is weirdly unique and it looks like no other entry in the series brought this stuff back

[retrogamelovers]

Today's pickup!

[sl33py-g4m3r]

Shin Megami Tensei Tokyo Revelations [English Dub]

Down a rabbit hole of old anime I wanna share~~~~

Now with an English dub for once~~

and more MegaTen~~

[ghw-archive]

[vintagerpg]

Anomalous Subsurface Environment takes a novel approach to contending with the inherent irrationality of the dungeon by embracing it. There’s no secret at the center that makes it all suddenly make sense (in part because after two volumes — ASE1, 2011, and ASE2-3, 2012, both print-on-demand — the dungeon remains unfinished, but still, the introduction is pretty clear that there are no revelations to be had).

The dungeon came into existence spontaneously and persists thanks to a maintenance staff of self-created elemental spirits and defies any further explanation. The ASE was discovered in our own cyberpunk future by a megacorp that built large facilities around the ASE to research and extract profit. At some point, an unknown disaster forced the megacorp to seal the complex, trapping staff and resources inside. Fast forward 4,000 years into a retro-future resembling Thundarr the Barbarian, where the detritus of high technology mixes with magic and the ASE is, mysteriously, open for exploration once again. Thus, ASE is both as bizarre as its freeform funhouse ancestors but benefits from the narrative framework of modern megadungeons like Stonehell.

The central implication is that the system of the universe wanted dungeons to exists so badly that it just summoned one into existence, complete with all the silly game logic that had developed over the last 40 years, to see what would happen. The book present the ASE as the product of indomitable will that lacks driving intelligence. This is both brilliant and deeply, deeply weird. Watch out for the cornstalk warriors.

[borzoilover69]

I have a headcanon on how these guys style themselves postgame and you WILL hear me out.

Kanaya, Roxy, and Jade are self explanatory. They know how they want to present themselves. They know how to go forward with that. They’ve got colour combos and layering and fashion choices suited to their particular style IN THE BAG. Loud, prominent, they know whats up.

Jake, Calliope, and Jane get nudged into giving a fuck about fashion by anyone named above, or rather their own desire to dress up…Jake moreso because as a celebrity he gives too much of a fuck about his image to be anything less. Callie of course is affectionate enough with jade and roxy that they teach her how to style and i think she would like lolita and more daintier feminine stuff than roxy, but she does tend to sometimes switch over to suits. Jane is pure butch energy she dresses like a guy but as a girl with fashion sense. Like strict lesbian style. I dont know how else to fucking put it she would dress like how a butch lesbian would.

Jane and Jake stylewise would be similiar to some retro callback summer movie where everyones on a roadtrip in a yellow van or something except jake is more prone to extravagancy because he gives more of a fuck. Also one of them is wearing dresses and its NOT Jane.

Dirk and Rose.. fashion disasters. Dirk doesnt know fashion weight for a while and tries too hard id even suspect that he would try and mimic daves fashion style for a while until john or someone else blatantly calls him out in an offhand comment and jake and the rest of his friends start getting on his fucking case about being so bland with his fashion takes (all primaries, little to no patterns, basic, no layering.) that he caves and starts taking it like a personal challenge to style well.

At some point he has a revelation and realises he can get piercings and starts leaning into that and punk / gothish fashion. Black with complimentary colours recommended by friends.

Rose is sort of a fashion trainwreck like for all of kanayas nudging she doesnt really give a fuck and kanaya starts dictating her outfits and then of course she also gets the "someone makes an offhand comment that makes them mald really hard about it and go into a snooty onesided competition to prove they GET IT actually and that you were TOTALLY wrong about them not GETTING IT." Its the only way Dirk and Rose start caring.

Terezi and John get nudged around by their respective compadres about fashion sense and style, but they generally dont give a damn and have their own thing going for them. Theyve got their own vibe and style that feels well on them and especially terezi wise i think she would lean into the fashion disaster for fun. As long as the colours taste well together, who gives a damn about layering etc etc. throw in some crocs with a suit. An oversized shirt with a tapered skirt. Who cares. John is more tried and true but he styles out ENOUGH so he doesnt end up in the last (deorgatory) category.

Dave and Karkat are the real stubborn contendors of the friendgroup fashionwise. Baggy on baggy outfitwear. WILL get on your case if you point out had it not been for their respective colour choices they basically dress the exact same. Same mix of cargo pants, sweatpants, tracksuit pants, hoodies, and tshirts to keep them going for the lifetime. There js nothing else. Whats layering. Accessories? Well except for a watch hard pass. Patterned clothing? No way. Basic colours ONLY. Maybe Dave would dig long shorts ive always seen him as a longshorts kind of guy but its never anything noteworthy. Type of guys to choose what theyre wearing with their eyes closed thats how basic their closet is.

Anyways thats my style and fashion thoughts. Let me know what you think. Discuss and all that. Also tag yourself on which one youre closest to stylewise. Im jake. Obviously.

[galaxysupreme17]

Alice Trial

Y/n = Your Name

Agathrio x daughter!reader

Alice Wu Gulliver x fem!Harkness!reader

A/n: The outfit above is Y/n's fit for the trial!

Y/n and Alice strolled back to the group, fingers intertwined, looking calm yet ready for what lay ahead. Agatha's face softened as she watched the two young witches approach. With a gentle nod to her daughter, she led the group to the house, where they paused before entering. Alice held Y/n's hand tightly, hanging back to let everyone else enter first.

Y/n turned to Alice, smiling reassuringly, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I'm with you, my love. You're not alone."

Alice gave a small nod, her eyes softened. "Thank you," she whispered. With that, Y/n gently pulled her inside.

The 70s-themed decor caught Y/n's eye immediately-faded colors, shag carpets, and floral wallpaper. If asked, she'd say the 70s were her favorite era. Before she could revel in nostalgia, Alice's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Don't drink anything. Don't eat anything. Don't. Touch. Anything." Alice's tone was serious, her eyes darting around the room.

Y/n chuckled, trying not to blush as she admired how stunning Alice looked in her retro outfit. "Got it, boss."

Rio raised an eyebrow, smirking at Alice. "Sounds like there's a story there."

Y/n rolled her eyes. The frustration of hearing her other mother began to bubble.

Agatha's delighted gasp drew their attention as she studied her reflection in a nearby mirror. "Oh, check me out!" She posed, making everyone laugh as they joined her, admiring each other's retro attire. Y/n smiled, loving her look until she felt warm arms wrap around her waist.

The teen spoke up, grinning. "We look like an album cover waiting to happen."

Y/n giggled, leaning into Alice. Eyeing the room thoughtfully, Lilia murmured, "The road changes for the coven."

Alice sighed, burying her head in Y/n's wild, brown curls. "The road isn't subtle."

Rio chuckled as she leaned forward. "So, what happens next?" Her grin was mischievous, prompting a faint eye roll from Y/n.

Y/n took a deep breath, looking back at Rio. "A test."

From across the room, Jen shot Agatha a stern look. "No cheating this time, Agatha."

Agatha raised her hands in mock innocence. "Who, me?"

Teen's hand shot up with a suggestion. "Last trial had clues, right? Maybe we look for some."

The group dispersed, everyone on edge but eager to solve the mystery. Alice stayed close, keeping her hand wrapped around Y/n's as they examined posters lining the wall. "Hey, Fleetwood Mac! Mom took me to see them in concert back in the real '70s. We even met Stevie backstage!" Y/n's face lit up as she shared the memory.

Alice watched her, the warmth in her gaze unmistakable. Y/n was her anchor, her love. She'd do anything to protect her.

They stopped before a faded photo of Lorna, a wave of unease washing over them. Y/n gently squeezed Alice's hand, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "It'll be okay, my love."

But Y/n's focus shifted when the overhead speakers clicked on, and her stomach twisted. Standing by the booth, both her mothers were locked in a tense conversation. As Rio's voice carried across the room, a loud, distorted song began to play, making everyone flinch.

"What... is that?" Y/n shouted, clapping her hands over her ears.

"Sorry!" Teen cringed, fumbling with the speakers. "I thought it was a clue!"

Alice scoffed. "What made you think that?"

He held up a record sleeve labeled in bold letters, "PLAY ME."

Without missing a beat, Agatha seized the record player and smashed it, silencing the song.

"We've been cursed," Lilia muttered grimly.

A slow ticking sound started up from a metronome nearby. Rio pointed at it with a glint in her eye. "Looks like the trial has started." She chuckled.

"Why are you smiling?" Jen asked warily, stepping back.

"She's a tourist," Agatha and Y/n said in unison.

Jen grimaced. "More like a psycho," he muttered.

Alice sighed, adjusting her stance. "Anyone else feels...?" She paused, catching Y/n's gaze.

"What?" Y/n asked, concern flickering in her eyes.

"I feel... lighter," Alice murmured, just before a sharp pain seared across Y/n's shoulders. She cried out, collapsing in agony.

Agatha rushed to her side, frantic. "Y/n! Honey, it's okay. We're going to fix this."

Thinking fast, Alice grabbed a dagger from Rio and drew a protective circle, chanting in Latin. As soon as the circle was complete, she knelt beside Y/n, brushing hair from her face.

Teen stammered out ideas. "Breaking a curse... smudge sticks? A salt bath? Or, what if we track down the witch who cast it?"

Agatha shook her head, eyes narrowed. "Once vengeance is loosed, it can't be reined in."

"The only way to end a curse is to face it," Lilia added, pointing at Alice.

Just then, Jen dropped to the floor, clutching his shoulders in pain. Alice moved to him, repeating the spell she'd used on Y/n. Teen noticed scorch marks on Jen's skin and gasped, "Your shoulders!"

Agatha moved to inspect Y/n, gently brushing aside her hair to reveal similar burns. Her hand trembled as she traced them, causing Y/n to flinch. Y/n and Alice exchanged a silent look, each recognizing the scars.

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed around them.

"What is that?" Jen cried out, alarmed.

Rio's voice rang out from the couch. "That's the curse."

Alice bolted over to inspect the shattered record, trying to piece it together. Agatha stormed over, grabbing Alice by the shoulders. "It's you, isn't it? You brought this here."

Y/n intervened, tugging Agatha back. "Leave her alone, Mama!"

Alice's composure crumbled. "I didn't think it was real... I thought it was me-that I ruin everything I touch, that I... couldn't save her." She glanced at Y/n, her voice breaking. With a shaky hand, she revealed matching scars on her shoulders. "I convinced myself they were birthmarks, like hers."

Jen's eyes widened. "Wait. A generational curse?"

"Oh, you poor thing," Lilia whispered.

"Poor us!" Jen snapped. "Now we're stuck with this ancient family curse!"

Alice's voice broke as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Y/n clasped Alice's hand, offering silent reassurance. Just then, the curse surged again, throwing Teen across the room. The group scrambled to his side.

"Is he okay?" Jen called, hesitant to leave her circle.

Agatha sighed, exasperated. "Are you just going to live in that circle forever?"

"Maybe!" Jen muttered.

"What's the plan, Agatha?" Rio asked, her tone mocking.

Y/n glanced at a dusty set of instruments in the corner, an idea forming. "We have to play Lorna's Ballad."

"No!" Alice protested. "I'm not playing that song."

Agatha nodded, extending her hands. "All signs point to a jam session."

Alice groaned. "What good will it do? We opened the road by coming here."

"Lorna's version is different," Y/n urged. "She was a protection witch. She's trying to help you."

Agatha's voice was fierce. "You'd have burned to ash long ago if someone hadn't played that song."

The curse screeched, rattling them. "Alright, who's on piano?" Agatha barked.

Lilia shook her head, picking up the Zils instead. Jen reluctantly grabbed the guitar after Agatha pointed it at her.

"Jen!" Agatha snapped, rolling her eyes when Jen took her time.

Alice reluctantly took her place at the piano, with Y/n by her side and guitar in hand. Agatha's eyes met hers, and she offered a soft smile.

"Alice. Play it right, play it good, and maybe we won't die."

They launched into the song, and the curse reacted violently, searing Agatha. Y/n tried to run to her, but Agatha waved her off. "Keep playing!"

As they finished the song, the curse dissipated, its haunting presence finally gone. Alice rushed to Y/n's side, and they embraced, clinging to each other tightly.

A moment later, Teen collapsed, and they scrambled to help him. Y/n knelt by his side, heartbroken. He reminded her so much of her younger brother, Nicky.

"Jen! What do we do?" Agatha asked, her voice cracking.

"He's young, strong," Lilia began, only for Agatha to cut her off sharply. "Don't."

She turned to Rio, her voice softer. "Don't."

Rio, looking conflicted, turned her gaze to Y/n, who was desperately trying to use her magic to heal the teen, only to find it faltering.

"Jen, what do you need?" Agatha's voice was desperate.

Jen took a steadying breath. "Water and moonlight."

Alice dashed off, returning with water that Jen enchanted under the moon's light. Gently, she poured it onto Teen's wounds. With a collective breath, they watched the magic take hold, finally healing him. Relieved, Agatha's gaze lingered on Y/n, noticing the tears rolling down her face.

Agatha glanced toward Alice, then nodded subtly in Y/n's direction. Catching the unspoken request, Alice gently took Y/n's hand and led her a few steps away, giving Agatha and the other witches room. The two of them began assembling a makeshift tent while Agatha watched as the witches carefully laid Teen down. Agatha hesitated momentarily, then shrugged off her coat, draping it over the young witch. With a sigh, she knelt down beside him and settled in, waiting quietly.

Alice caught Y/n's eye, gesturing toward the campfire where the other witches had gathered. Y/n gave a faint smile and nodded.

"I'll be there in a few minutes," she murmured, watching Alice head off before returning to Agatha. She slipped down beside her mother, who reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Y/n's face, smiling softly.

"You're worried he's going to end up like Nicky," Y/n said quietly, her voice thick with unshed tears. She looked at Agatha, who closed her eyes, the weight of that fear pressing down on her. Agatha swallowed hard and nodded, unable to find words.

Y/n leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Agatha's cheek, a silent reassurance that said more than words. With a final look, she rose to her feet and walked toward the fire where Alice was waiting. Seeing her approach, Alice smiled and patted the ground beside her, inviting Y/n to sit. Y/n settled in between Alice's legs, resting back against her, and Alice instinctively wrapped her arms around Y/n's waist, planting a soft kiss on the back of her head.

Rio watched the two of them quietly. Her heart caught between pride and a hint of nostalgia. She still saw Y/n as the ten-year-old girl who used to grow flowers with her, who'd laugh with her as they plotted harmless pranks on Agatha. It was bittersweet to see how much she had grown.

Lilia's voice broke Rio's reverie. "You know, the worst part of being a witch? The ridiculous rumors people come up with. They think we talk to goats or have an extra nipple," she laughed, drawing chuckles from everyone.

Rio smirked, feigning shock. "Wait, you all don't have extra nipples? I'm covered in them. Wanna see?" she teased.

Y/n covered her face, laughing with everyone else. Hearing the commotion, Agatha walked over, her gaze softening as she took in her daughter, safe and content. She settled beside Rio, and soon, the group fell into easy conversation, sharing stories of physical and otherwise scars.

Y/n showed off the faint scar on her ear, recounting the time a stray dog bit her when she was thirteen. Agatha had been furious and, for a moment, had considered hunting down the dog herself. Lilia lifted her hair to reveal a faint mark on her neck. "Vampire," she explained with a shiver. "That one stung a bit."

Y/n turned to Agatha. "How's he doing?" she asked softly.

"Still as mouthy as ever," Agatha replied with a small smile.

"That's a good sign," Lilia nodded approvingly.

Jen, who had been listening quietly, broke in with a mischievous grin. "Agatha, why don't you show us your battle scars?"

Agatha smirked and rolled up her sleeve, revealing a faint scar near her elbow. "Knitting needle," she said, chuckling. "Ever heard of the Daughters of Liberty?"

The others shook their heads, confused.

"Exactly," Agatha replied with a smirk, drawing laughter from everyone.

Rio's gaze softened, and she spoke up after a moment of thought. "I've got two scars," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Agatha tensed, her eyes flicking over to Rio. "No, you don't," she muttered quickly.

But Rio continued, her eyes steady on Agatha. "A long time ago, I loved someone. I had to make a choice-a choice I didn't want to make, even though it was my job. And it hurt... it hurt her. And our daughter. They are my scars." Her words lingered in the air, heavy with meaning, as she looked straight at Agatha.

Agatha stood abruptly, mumbling something about needing to stretch her legs. After a beat, Rio followed, leaving Y/n shifting uncomfortably by the fire, emotions welling up in her chest. Alice tightened her arms around her, kissing her temple gently, offering quiet comfort.

"It's okay, my love," Alice whispered into Y/n's ear. "Just like you were there for me, I'm here for you now." Alice knows about everything. She knows about Nicky, about Rio, about everything. Y/n saw no reason to hide her past from her girlfriend. Therefore, Alice knew what this revelation from Rio was doing to Y/n on the inside.

Y/n's tense shoulders began to soften, and though she tried to fight it, exhaustion crept over her. She rested her head on Alice's shoulder, closing her eyes as Alice continued to murmur soothing words, holding her close as sleep finally overtook her.

[snapscube]

Have you downloaded emudeck on your steam deck? It's so amazing and I've been able to finish so many retro games bc of it!

oh yeah EmuDeck was a must-install the MOMENT it came out for my original model and i am actually installing it on my new OLED model as i type this LOL. it's a revelation tbh

[ratgirlexe]

Beyond Citadel

CWs: Gun Violence, Death, Gore, Incest, Body horror.

Beyond Citadel is a beautiful indie boomer shooter style FPS. It's gunplay is fantastic, it's story is esoteric, and it's atmosphere is beautiful. It's a great game and I highly recommend it with some very heavy caveats. It is a game that leans into the ultra violence inherent to the act of killing someone with a gun, and as such it's a game that comes with some pretty heavy Content warnings. While I feel some other retro-inspired FPS games as of late have also leaned into this idea of hyper-violence, (ULTRAKILL springs to mind) there's a certain grainy grit to it that I really enjoy that other games lack. ULTRAKILL, for all of it's blood-is-fuel ultraviolence rarely leans into what that sort of violence looks like in reality. In contrast, Beyond Citadel is *gruesomely* aware of what it looks like to hold a gun to someone's head and pull the trigger. It revels in this fact. The girls in this game are highly "gib"-able and as such you will regularly throw a grenade into a crowded room and after it explodes walk into a room full of viscera and half-dead women panting or gurgling on their own bloom, many of whom are now missing limbs. It does so with a delightful PNG aesthetic that is both wonderfully simple, and extremely detailed. If you shoot one of these PNG soldiers in the arm, their arm will be blown off, shoot them in the head and you'll punch a hole in their skull. Playing this game feels like the way reactionary talking heads discussed the dangers of violent video games in the aughts. Playing this game feels like being a cat playing with a dying rat. It's wonderful! I love it. But beyond this the game is just extremely fun to play. Shooting and reloading a weapon in this game feels like porn in every sense of the word. While some milsims might have more detailed mechanics for jamming/loading/unloading/fixing/repairing guns, Beyond Citadel allows for a degree of control that feels accurate and realistic, without being so bogged down in the details of how every individual part of the weapon goes together. Reloading takes three separate buttons, each of which represents a unique aspect of the reloading process. For some guns, reloading is as simple as loading a bullet into a chamber, some are significantly more complicated, involving a set 5 button-press combination of inputs. This might sound finicky and difficult to manage, but in the midst of combat it allows for a degree of panic when a gun randomly jams, or you're forced out of your comfort zone. This also adds a level of balance to some of the stronger weapons. Easy-to-use weapons might have simple reloading mechanics, while powerful heavy weaponry requires a significant amount of inputs to reload, but can blow most enemies away when they have ammo.

An anecdote on this topic that endlessly delights me, is the fact that at one point I managed to fully jam the AMR by accidentally reloading it's magazine with an open chamber and a bullet already loaded. This meant that the bullet in the open chamber couldn't be slotted, and since the chamber was open I couldn't fire. I had to take out the full magazine, close the chamber, fire while the magazine was unloaded, then reload the magazine to actually utilize the weapon, and the fact that this is simulated so accurately continues to blow me away. In any other arcade-style FPS this wouldn't be possible, since reloading would either be automated or simplified to a single button press but even so, the fact that you can fuck up your weapon that badly just by reloading it improperly is a really beautiful bit of programming to me.

But those are still really just the tip of the iceberg, as there's a lot going on in the deeper levels and the story that I want to discuss as well! This will be veering away from the format of a game review and into a short essay on my thoughts, but I'll keep the spoilery bits below the cut.

So. Beyond Citadel is weird, right? Like. The vibes are fantastic, but ultimately the story it's telling is pretty contemplative which is in stark contrast to the ultra-violence that is the gameplay. This can be seen in the simple music choice, which is largely soft piano tracks (with the occasional bit of upbeat electro retro goodnes) which make the game almost peaceful as you blow through swarms of demons and gun-wielding girls. It lends itself to a really beautiful experience, which leaves you almost in a trance as you progress through the game, even as the *act* of what you're doing is gruesome and awful. In my mind it mirrors the way in which the Martyr is progressing through the story. She's not here for the killing, even as every other NPC begs her to kill and kill and kill, she just... does not care. She's not here for that. She'll do it, yes, because she has to, but there's an air of indifference that really lends to that feeling of being a force of nature. This is increasingly explicit as you get deeper into the game, killing demons almost as an afterthought. Early on you're ducking behind cover, taking potshots at grunts and picking enemies off one by one, but by the end of the game you're nearly unkillable, even on the hardest difficulty. At a certain point the game just gives up on the idea of having lives entirely, and that's great! It's fun to see a game that is so willing to break its own rules for what the game *is*.

And then you beat the game. You kill the last demon, and that's that! The goal given to you by basically every character is complete. You kill the final boss, and that's that. It's a fine fight, and the level containing it is *genuinely* a bit cruel, but at that point you're so kitted out that even when the game is being unfair you can blast your way through most of your problems with ease.

And then the game gives you a fucking wall-run.

It gives you a wallrun *after* you beat the game, which is used in no other part of the game, but the epilogue.

It's truly a beautiful amazing thing, and I was genuinely floored. After such a delightful, fun game, it feels like a flex by the developer to have what would be a mainline mechanic in basically any other game, included essentially as a little bonus flair on top.

If this game was not made by a solo developer, if it had a publisher that was dictating what could and couldn't be in the game, this decision would never be made. It's genuinely insane to put your coolest power up in a handful of bonus levels at the end of the game, and not even allow for it to be used to break earlier levels in new game plus. And that led me to consider more on how *none* of this game could really have been made with significant publisher oversight, or as anything but the vision of one person who clearly loves guns and loves retro FPS games.

Much has been said by the developer about how this is *NOT* a guro fetish game. How this is *NOT* a porn game that freaks *DEFINITELY* should not get off to. And while I get where the developer is coming from (plenty of Japanese games are labeled as "fetish art" just because they feature anime style women), I do think there's a reason that my guro-fetish loving ass enjoys this game. Maybe the developer doesn't view it as fetish art, but when the girls are panting on the ground, gurgling on their own blood and you get to stomp their lights out, or put a bullet in their brain, or chop them up until their guts come out, it *is* pretty delightful.

But none of that would be possible with a publisher lording over the game. Hell, I don't even think the gunplay mechanics could get put in a more mainstream game that wasn't advertising itself as a tactical milsim.

Because this game is risky! It's niche! It's a small game where you blow pretty anime girl's brains out with guns that feel like glossier adaptations of real life weapons. Clearly a ton of love went into this game, but ultimately that descriptor just isn't going to fly with most audiences. Most people who like "violent" video games like games where there's a bit of blood, or you can chop peoples arms off and its a bit red inside. Most people do not want a game where when you die your guts come spilling out and you get to watch in your final moments as a giant spider creature tears your body apart until all you are is a severed head above a ribcage and spine. Most people who like FPS games like the feeling of shooting a gun without having any conception about what that actually entails. They like when you press R to reload and a gun has a good spray pattern or whatever, not when you have to actively unload the last chamber, and manually put in each bullet, and pull the handle on your SMG and your guns jam and sometimes you reload it wrong and your gun is out of commission until you do a 5 step process to fix it. Most people who like games with rich narratives like games where the story feels like a sweeping narrative, not a game where the story is patched together from different esoteric things people tell you, in which the story largely revolves around the fact that the main character and her little brother fucked. While this game is fantastic, it's just not a game for most people. I have several friends I love to recommend games to, and even then there's only one of them that I can *actually* recommend the game to, because a third of them will be put off by the scantily clad women, half will be put off by the gore, and the rest probably just wouldn't enjoy the gunplay or style of game that it is.

And that's okay! That's great! I'm just so glad that I played it, because this game feels laser targeted to me specifically, and it's a game I will be thinking about and replaying for a very very long time to come.

[retrorevelations]

For this year's Halloween piece, I wrote about the classic Hollywood movie monsters, and the films that I feel best represent them! Hope you all have a happy spooky season! https://retrorevelations.blogspot.com/2024/10/creatures-of-night-best-of-classic.html

[dcrkcloud]

BASICS

NAME: daphne mancini NICKNAMES: daph, fee GENDER: cis female PRONOUNS: she/her BIRTHDAY: december 12, 1996 AGE: 28 HEIGHT: 5'7" SEXUALITY: bisexual OCCUPATION: online math tutor for high school level LIVING: sunny shores, sunset villa #3b TIME IN PALM VIEW: since late december 2024

DETAILS

POSITIVE TRAITS: generous, appreciative, intelligent, tidy, sociable, loyal. NEUTRAL TRAITS: impulsive, talkative, teacherly, emotional, whimsical. NEGATIVE TRAITS: assertive, misguided, either over or under thinks. LIKES: ice cream, embroidered denim, reading, keychains, volunteering. DISLIKES: driving, cheaters in every sense of the word, closed spaces.

HISTORY TW INFIDELITY

Though she was born in Philadelphia, Daphne will always consider New York City her home. Moving at the age of six, the first time her father stayed in her life for more than a day at a time, New York represented what she’d hoped would be a fresh start with a complete family. At the very least, it was a fresh start.

Daphne thrived in New York, revelling in a vibrant social life and academic success all through her school years.

Her home life isn’t so pretty, though. She and her parents benefit from an inherited wealth, but it seems even money can’t fix a plethora of communication problems and her father’s inability to commit to absolutely anything — what to have for dinner, promises to be at her upcoming poetry slam, her mother. But she never had convincing enough evidence, and her mother always seemed to forgive him, so who was she to say anything?

For years, she watches her mother love a man who doesn’t deserve it, and slowly grows to resent him herself for the secrets he keeps and the promises he always breaks. At fifteen, she stops calling him ‘dad’. He stops interacting with her unless necessary. Her mother tries to pick up the pieces.

At eighteen, she chooses to stay in New York for university despite it all, majoring in secondary education, specialising in mathematics. Teaching is the goal, encouraged by her mother, but by the time she starts to question if it’s really what she wants, she’s in too deep.

By graduation at twenty-two, she desperately needs a break from the education system and spends her summer working the local barista job she’d used to keep herself afloat during her degree. Her mother worries endlessly that she’s lost all ambition for life, but Daphne reassures her she’s only lost maybe seventy to eighty per cent and she’ll probably bounce back soon.

She does a year or so later, when an opening pops up at an independent small group and one-on-one tutoring company. It’s perfect — all the things she loves about teaching, without the classroom full of rowdy thirteen year olds. Once again, she thrives. For now.

At twenty-six she moves out into her own apartment, finally free to exist without her father’s presence looming over her shoulder. That is until her parents’ marriage finally implodes a year and a half later, her mother finally seeing for her own eyes the man her father had always been — a liar and a cheat; a fraud.

Turns out, she’s not the only child he has. Somewhere out there is an older half brother neither Daphne or her mother have ever met. He insists that’s it, just the two, and for now, she chooses to believe him. Her mother is distraught, and Daphne bites her tongue not to say I told you so.

She spends the next six months looking for her not-new new brother and preparing. How do you tell a complete stranger that you’re siblings, sharing a sad excuse for a father? How can she even be sure he doesn’t know about her? What if he didn’t want to know? And yet, she gets on that flight with a trickle of hope that this is the right thing to do — and maybe even another chance at that ’complete family’ fresh start she’s always dreamt of.

TRIVIA

Loves 80s and 90s disco & dance music.

Can’t drive; used to cycle everywhere in NYC.

Her prized possession is a retro-style boombox with a cassette player and bluetooth connectivity. She’s had to repair it a few times and will continue to until she’s priced out of the parts she’ll need.

She only moved into Sunset Villas in March 2025, having spent the first almost-three months of her time in Palm View in a hotel.

It's only the last few months that she's began to question once again if teaching is for her. She's torn between feeling like she's never considered anything else, her mother having always told her she'd be the perfect teacher, and wondering if she never did explore her options because it was the perfect choice. She still feels like she's in too deep to do anything else either way.

LINKS

connections

pinterest

RESOURCES

gif packs #1, #2, #3 & #4

[obstinaterixatrix]

okay so obv there’s always been nsfw anime and of course there’d be nsfw bl anime it’s just not something you stumble upon unless you’re actively looking for it but while I was doing my regular browse of my least ethical most sketchy bl site I got hit by multiple revelations of 1) there’s an anime of ayaka matsumoto’s really smutty bl?? 2) it’s uncensored??? 3) it looks like shit???????? I’m aghast matsumoto’s art is so charming and expressive, just a really refreshing retro look, and the anime character designs look so… modern. generic. smoothened. condolences to matsumoto for being in lightsaber censorship jail while the anime team gets to draw dick I guess (that’s pretty unusual isn’t it??) anyway it’s 4 am enough reporting on smut

[retrogamelovers]

Which is better?

[noxaeternaetc]

Retro ski card, designed by Grilli Type (Swiss design collective from Lucerne)

"He reveled in the skill he had acquired, which opened up inaccessible worlds and almost obliterated barriers. It permitted him the solitude he sought, the profoundest solitude imaginable, touching his heart with a precarious savagery beyond human understanding. On one side might be a wooded ravine plunging into snowy mists, and on the other a rocky precipice with monstrous, cyclopean masses of snow that formed vaulted snow caves and humpbacked domes. When he would stop - not moving a muscle, so that he could not hear even himself - the silence was absolute, perfect, a padded soundlessness, like none ever known or perceived anywhere else in the world. There was not a breath of wind to brush softly against the trees, not a rustle, not the call of a bird. It was primal silence to which Hans Castorp listened as he stood there, leaning on one pole, his head tilted to the side, his mouth open; and silently, unrelentingly the snow went on falling, drifted down in a gentle hush. No, this world with its fathomless silence did not receive a visitor hospitably. He was an invader who came at his own risk, whose presence was only tolerated in an eerie, foreboding way; and he could sense the menace of mute, elemental forces as they rose up around him-not hostile, but simply indifferent and deadly."

Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain, chapter Snow (translation John E. Woods)

[striderl]

Hi, it's me again. Sorry if I'm asking these questions too frequently, I think your universe is highly intriguing and interesting.

I was wondering how this interaction will go if Gaffer met my tv man OC, Felix.

(This is what he looks like)

He's like any other tv man except he has a red tie and he's a bit on the chubbier side (IDK if it's possible for robots to be chubby).

Felix has a personality of a nonchalant person and he is very loyal for his friends. (Hopefully, he and Gaffer would get along greatly, but that's up to you since Gaffer had a traumatic past involving her kind, you know what I mean.)

Based on Felix’s stance and emoticons, Gaffer would likely be defensive towards him. If Felix strikes up a friendly conversation with her and actively engages in it, displaying friendly emoticons without any contradicting body language, there’s a 10% chance that he could make peace with Gaffer.

To be fair, Gaffer has a hard time placing trust in her faction after the revelation of her past and the discovery of the notebooks. Any TV man could be a potential threat to her, so she constantly reminds herself to be vigilant around them. However, she has expertise in analyzing body language and emotions, as well as sharp instincts according to her status as a former spy and one of the last surviving prototypes.

Because of her status as a weapon engineer, periodic communications and reports to her faction are inevitable. Usually, she prefers messaging the team’s progress to the TV headquarters to limit contact, but if an in-person meeting with another representative from their faction is required, she wouldn’t back down from fear either.  Gaffer has a method of identifying TV men who are friendly to her and who are not, which begins with simply keeping a “straight face” herself, which is the standard retro TV screen with no emoticons. It’s a basic rule among the TVs that if one comes in peace, they would display a friendly emoticon like a smile or a wink on their screen to kick start the conversation; if one displays nothing, that means it’s going to be a formal discussion.

Gaffer would observe whether the other participant in the conversation displayed any emoticons on their screen. If not, Gaffer would show a slightly defensive stance and keep her distance from the other person; if the other participant exhibits a neutral or positive emoticon on their screen, she would be less defensive in her gestures but still display no emoticons. 

The consistency of body language is also important. For instance, gestures such as constantly fidgeting the pockets, standing sideways, or having hands behind the back could be a potential red flag that the other person doesn’t come in peace. Leaning forward or backward, standing straight or slouching are also indications of offensive or defensive stances. By combining the different aspects of body language and the conversation itself, Gaffer is capable of identifying a threat in 1-2 minutes.

[solifloris]

Sorry for barging in but i'm embarrassed and I wrote this for you:

Tara isn't sure how it happened. Her and her huntress friend decided to have a girls night, just them two, at Tara's place. Tara wasn't sure why her friend insisted it be anywhere else, being that her fellow hunteress lived in SUCH a nice place. Then it was politely implied that a certain neighbor would be home that weekend, and it seemed to settle. It started as an innocent game of Twister. A retro game after a bottle of champagne. Giggling, they toppled over one another over, and over again. What she wasn't expecting is what was happening now. Her cards had warned her earlier in the week that something new and exciting was coming. She thought maybe she would finally be able to win the gacha she trying for, or she'd get some good news, or see a puppy. But this? This revelation was quite off the charts.

Her friend was /handsy/ tonight and not in a way that she ever expected.

"Hey silly!" Tara giggled at the feeling of her friends hand under her silk pajama top. Her friend was laughing, but also whining, slurring through her tipsy state.

"I wanna squish youuu." Tara gasped at the sensation, her friend had rolled herself on top of her, head pressed onto her chest, fully squishing her breast like her life depended on it.

"Squishh!!" Both girls laughed. But then the squishing kept happening. Tara wasn't sure where her shirt or the rest of her lacy bra went, or why her cheeks were so warm.

"My turn!" The other girl tried to make a run for it, but Tara was a hunter too. She maneuvered herself over the couch and caught her by the waist, wrestling until they were both on the carpet again with a loud thud, and Tara had her squish. Then a new sensation. Something warm and wet against her tongue. Someone /elses/. It tasted like strawberry and champagne.

"Ohh." She moaned, not expecting that sound out of her own mouth. Then that someone was on top of her, long hair brushing over her body, making her tingle all over. "I win!"

But it wasn't a competition Tara intended to lose. "You're on!" She exclaimed, grabbing the woman and flipping her over, to the best of her abilities.

That's the last thing Tara remembered. Both girls woke up passed out on the ground the next morning, embarrassed and exhausted.

"So, are we going to talk about last night?" Tara asks innocently enough with an ice pack to her head, fully clothed now.

Her friend pursed her lips. "What happened at girls night stayed at girls night. Since neither of us remember…"

Tara nods, guiltily. "Nothing happened."

Maybe nothing did. It's never mentioned between them again, but every time she looks at a bottle of champagne, she's not sure why she still craves strawberries. **sprints away**🌟

"Maybe nothing did. It's never mentioned between them again, but every time she looks at a bottle of champagne, she's not sure why she still craves strawberries."

HELLO?! 🌟 ANONIE. I'M SO SHOCKED BUT IN A GOOD WAY BECAUSE THIS WAS BEAUTIFULLY? WRITTEN? tara doesn't NEARLY get as much attention and i love her she's so adorable THIS WAS LOVELY 😭😭😭😭😭 you have a way with words anonie i wholeheartedly approve <3333