#Sam is just a hardcore gamer

[bunnybonesstudio]

Core Kids Favorite Video Games:

Miguel: Super Smash Brothers and Assassins Creed

Sam: Cult of the Lamb and Dark Souls

Robby: Animal Crossing and Kirby

Tory: “Do I look like a fucking nerd?”

Eli: Nights into Dreams and Pokémon

Demetri: WoWC and Overwatch

[pinetreesandtea]

WACKEST Crossover? IDK IM BORED BUT-

LOTR Characters playing ✨Minecraft✨

I’m sorry

Frodo

Has built a perfect replica of Bag End

Works together with Sam, Merry and Pippin to recreate the Shire

Very chill, has a pet dog named after Bilbo

Built a perfect replica of the Shire and the path to Bree and Rivendell

The best person to go to for maps

Just for gags, he has a secret dungeon under his Smial. You’d have to go through the pantry and through secret passages. He’s bored

Also has a Nether portal in his dungeon

Special enchanted sword named after Sting

Merry and Pippin have ‘accidentally’ killed him more then 40 times

Boromir accidentally killed him once, he didn’t really care but Boromir apologized profusely (He tapped Frodo to grab his attention and Frodo died bc he had half a heart left)

Frodo likes listening to the In Game music

Prefers to explore and build but doesn’t usually get into combat with mobs (Unless the fellowship drags him into an adventure)

Usually is working on his maps

Terraforms with Sam

Enjoys making noteblock music

On the vc, his mic is very quiet so his voice comes out as a whisper

He usually mutes himself and replies through the game chat

Gamer tag - fFr0d0_Bags

Sam

God at farming

Also is stacked in every food item there is in minecraft

Sam has his own farm with Horses, Llamas and Donkeys

Has a book and quill where he records the Horse’s family Trees

Named all his animals

Built a replica of his smial

Hardcore protector of Frodo

He’s killed Merry and Pippin double the amount of times they’ve killed Frodo

Uses eggs and occasionally snowballs as a weapon

The times that Frodo did die was whenever he wasn’t around

Beat Aragorn to death once

Oddly enough, Iron Golems love him

Usually dies protecting Frodo, falling to death or Eating poisonous potatoes

Bill the Pony has killed him once

Enjoys Terraforming with Frodo

Randomly gives cake, pumpkin pie, and cookies to everyone

Decent mic, polite on vc and is a mod on the minecraft server and discord server

Gamer Tag - S_GamGG

Bill the Pony

It’s a mystery on how exactly Bill is playing

Even Gandalf doesn’t know

It freaks everyone out

His player is a horse somehow

Has killed Sam brutally(he found out Sam named a Donkey after him. Was insulted that he was considered a donkey.)

He’s not on the discord server

Doesn’t type in the chat

Either stares,or nods/shakes head

Gamer Tag - Bill_the_Pony

Merry

Always running around, up to no good

He has the second most deaths in their Server

Likes to test fireworks on Frodo with Pippin

He tried making an underwater base with Pippin, it failed

So now their base is near Bree, a very nice cottage/mansion

Also uses eggs or fireworks as a weapon

Loves going Fishing

Collects flowers

Has four dogs, all named after Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir and Gimli

Gimli accidentally killed Legolas the Dog, Legolas thought he did it on purpose, so he shot down Gimli the dog with an enchanted bow. (Flame III)

Merry was devastated

he held a funeral for Legolas the Dog and Gimli the dog, he forced/guilt tripped everyone in the server to attend the ceremony 

Frodo was the priest 

As revenge, he planned to breed Aragorn the Dog and Boromir the Dog to make Legolas II and Gimli II

Boromir left the game

Aragorn promptly hunted Merry down before he could

he beat Merry to death with a fish, then used his mod powers to strike Merry with lightning. 

Aragorn the dog and Boromir the Dog ended up dying too, as when Aragorn killed Merry, they attacked him and he KO’ed the dogs.

Merry held another funeral for Aragorn the dog and Boromir the Dog 

Spams the crouch to dance/bop

He’s tried to follow Aragorn around (with Pippin of course)

Aragorn somehow knew they were following him, even though they were crouching and shot them dead with a trident

Constantly stealing from Sam’s gardens and farms

Good at building  but actively chooses to use the ugliest materials

Horrible at interior decorating

his mic is ok, it cuts out, sometimes sounds like he’s getting possessed

Gamer tag - MERRY_the_BESt

Pippin 

runs around with Merry

chaotic

Has been killed by everyone in the fellowship except for Legolas

Came up with the idea of testing fireworks on Frodo

has a firework bow

uses fireworks as a weapon

Also loves fishing 

Loves going Mining 

spams the crouch button

always testing mods on his own time 

for the life of him, he can’t build 

Good at redstone

Also likes to make the redstone jukebox songs

Forgets to wear armour 

During the whole ordeal with Merry’s dogs, he was actually exploring and got a bunch of pet cats 

Named all the cats Meowagorn, Meowerlas, Meowmli and Meoworomir

Frodo had to Teleport Pippin to the funeral and back to wherever he was

gets lost when he explores

Frodo has to guide him by looking through his locator maps and points him into the right direction

Pippin has the highest death count in the server

Mostly killed by Frodo, Sam, Aragorn and Gandalf

died from hunger at least 7 times

He acts as a delivery person, basically transports trades across the map 

Kills the wandering trader on sight

He has a pet donkey that he travels with during adventures, named it Treebeard 

Horrible at exterior decorating but is actually pretty decent at interior decorating

his mic is horrible

cuts out, lags, hurts everyones ears

you can hear Pippin’s family in the background (random screams, his mom shouting at his siblings, etc) 

Surprisingly, a mod on the Discord server 

Gamer Tag - Pip1INs

Aragorn

Pro 

a menace in regards to combat

a mod on their server

He’s helped Frodo with the path replica to Rivendell and built his own Rivendell

Keeps an eye on Merry and Pippin

They usually don’t know he’s watching them 

Drags the fellowship into adventure/expeditions

he takes up ‘quests’ given from the fellowship and in return they give him prizes like ores or other valuable items 

They essentially get him to do stuff such as ‘Collect A stack of glow stone for 30 gold’ or something like that

Regularly trades with Everyone

He’s only died twice

He got beaten to death by Sam with a raw fish 

The second death was by Bill the Pony, it was so brutal that Aragorn stared at the ‘You Died’ screen for five minutes straight 

Usually hanging out with Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli

Get’s his weapons + armour from Gimli

Has made a beautiful monument/statue of Arwen 

Its veryyyyyyyyyyyy far tho

He sends letters to Legolas (Delivered by Pippin) in Elvish. But it’s just silly stuff

Always exploring, he buys maps from Frodo

Collects rare items

He’s got stuff from the Nether to the Ocean Monument

Trades with Gandalf in regards of Nether wart, blaze rods, etc

He can usually find Pippin whenever he gets lost exploring

His base is at Rivendell

He also built a secret Ranger base cuz he loves his ranger homies

Has a great sense of direction (from his Ranger skills) and is able to get to everyone else’s bases with Coordinates or maps

Fills out Frodo’s maps for him

As much as I want to say he has a great mic, he doesn’t

He really gives the vibes of having the most crappiest and spotty mic.

“Fr—o- I —— *KSHHH*—- sun——, isn’t that right?”

Frodo: 👁️👄👁️ …. Right.

Despite this, he constantly tries to still use his mic until someone tells him they can’t understand him

Ends up using the chat halfway through

But uses full on sentences with perfect grammar and everything

Gamer Tag - Str1der

Legolas

Rebuilt a new and improved Greenwood

On his father’s throne, there’s a sign in Elvish that says ‘Doodoo head’

He somehow breaks into Aragorn’s base and leaves silly insults written on a book and quills or signs

Such as “you stupid” “u ugly” “doodoohead” “yo mom” “ur musty”

Legolas absolutely loves doing it

Didn’t get Minecraft at first

When I say he was a noob in the first few hours of playing, HE WAS A NOOB NOOB

Aragorn and Pippin had to guide him through

Usually found PvP’ing with Gimli

For the life of him, he cannot keep a pet

It’s like bad luck

No matter how hard he keeps the pet safe, they’re always killed

Merry’s graveyard is filled with his previous pets

Swore to never tame another animal

A god at decorating

Whereas Merry is good at building, Merry is horrible at decor. And so, he helped out with decorating Merry and Pippin’s base (which is how Pippin learned how to decorate)

They cornered Legolas and started to do the Crouch bop and begged for him to help out

Legolas will not admit aloud but he found it endearing

He has a soft spot for the hobbits lmao

However, he has shot both Merry and Pippin with potions arrows

Hasn’t killed them tho

Legolas’s skin was made by your truly, Merry

(NOTE: I made this back in likeeee 2021 (?), wrote a huge chunk after this line, forgot to press save, only had it up to here, and I had to just put my phone down. The frustration I felt 😭 Buuut it’s been sitting in my drafts for literally years cuz I was THAT frustrated and had no motivation to try and remember/rewrite what I lost. Was just checking out my drafts and remembered I haven’t finished it. So, Voilà.)

Enjoys annoying Gimli IMMENSELY

Is absolutely helpless when it comes to mining and the Nether. Most of his deaths come from either mining (Falling from tall heights, suffocating from gravel, falling in lava) and the Nether (Again, falling in Lava, trying to kill Pigmen, trying to sleep in the Nether)

As expected, absolute god at archery

Great at parkour and makes parkour in Greenwood

Once the group defeated the Ender dragon, he was the first to use Elytra and LOVES it

Has a good mic but usually forgets to mute himself

Also writes in full sentences, proper grammar and fancy words in chat

Gamer Tag - LEG0_LAS

Gimli

Obviously he’s the miner friend

He’s a proud dwarf, so of course he’s gonna do what his people do best

Rebuilt Erebor/The Lonely Mountain, the Glittering caves/the White Mountains, and The Misty Mountains

Like he really went crazy with the builds

But it was all because he had too much blocks

Makes extremely complicated and vast mines

Even Aragorn gets turned around

They all somehow connect and Merry n’ Pippin get lost every time they try to explore his mines

He has to go retrieve them every time

In the end, he made some rails that directly connect everyone’s bases so that no one (the hobbits) gets lost

An absolute demon at Redstone

Secret doors, bases, and passages

He has A LOT of resources

Collects everything that he mines even if it’s Andesite

He made the Lonely Mountain as a base for all the materials

Literally chests upon chest filled with resources

Trades with the fellowship

The hobbits trade any enchanted books or food for building supplies

Aragorn and Boromir trade meats, wood, and dye for armour and tools

Gandalf trades enchanted books, potions, and exotic stuff he finds for potion materials (lapis, redstone, glowstone, gold, spider eye, coal, etc.) and a place to stay lmao

At the beginning, both Legolas and Gimli refused to trade with each other

Begrudgingly, Legolas began to trade other types of wood and rare items or loot like a Trident for building materials, nether materials and ores once he realized that he was hopeless with mining and the Nether

Enemies to BFFS fr

They do lots of competitions and prank wars

Dabbles in enchantment, makes high quality armour and weapons

Uses an axe for combat

Repairs any abandoned mineshafts he finds

Best builder in the fellowship

Everyone has to spam the chat in order for him to go to sleep for a quick sec

the only times he isn’t underground is when there’s a raid at one of Boromirs villages, trading with the fellowship (and even then, he’ll just send Pip to deliver it or send it in a minecart chest) or group events/quests

Otherwise, he won’t be seen for DAYS

Brings the whole squad down into the Deep Dark to fight the Warden

Has an ok mic, usually fine but occasionally cuts out

Writes in shortened words in the chat

Ur, K, gtg, brb, r, cya

It annoys Gandalf and Legolas

Gamer Tag - G1ml1_Son0f_Glo1n

Boromir

He’s the type to find villages, fix it up and improve it

Turned an Abandoned zombie village into Minas Tirith and healed the zombie villagers

He’s decent at building but not the best with creative builds

Basically only good at building Gondorian architecture and medieval style architecture

Claimed a huge chunk of land that nobody was using and named it Gondor

He looks after numerous villages and maintains them

But likes to visit everyone, tours Gimli’s mines, tries out Legolas’s parkour in Greenwood, stays at Rivendell and helps out Aragorn with whatever he’s doing, and ‘vacations’ at the Shire

(Merry and Pippin mainly drag him into whatever shenanigans they’re up to)

A duo with Aragorn when it comes to adventures

Exploring the Nether, bastions, jungle temples, desert temples, ocean monuments, the deep dark, and the End.

Amazing at combat and PVP

Uses a shield, sword, and occasionally a crossbow

Also has a soft spot for the hobbits

Merry and Pippin definitely exploit the crouch bopping to convince him

He was the one that found Frodo’s secret dungeon underneath his smial

Was secretly a bit freaked out and never said a word until everyone else found out

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “I’m afraid Frodo might’ve sacrificed me or something along those lines”

Is constantly gifted flowers by the hobbits

He has no idea what to do with him but felt like he couldn’t refuse when even Frodo and Sam gave him flowers

might think its a bit stupid at first and Completely oblivious to the fact that hobbits like to communicate through the language of flowers

Is secretly flattered tho

Once it got boring when nothings really happened with his villages (he of course already expanded them and built fortifications like walls) he ended up claiming another chunk of unused land and recreated Rohan

He loves Rohan so he couldn’t help himself

Got into horse breeding he was finishing up Edoras

Named his best horse after Faramir

Made roads connecting everyone’s builds and bases

When he finished, that’s when he realized that Gimli already did that but underground

Boromir, exhausted and sounding defeated: “why didn’t you tell me before I started this project?”

Gimli: “how was I supposed to know! I thought you knew the railways were all connected to every base”

Decent mic, you can hear him grumbling in the background as he’s doing whatever

Idk why but he seems to be the type of guy to sneeze like a dad

Temporarily deafens everyone’s ears when he sneezes with his mic on

Doesn’t use the chat

Gamer Tag - B0r0m1r

Gandalf

To be honest, I don’t really see him playing

If he did, it would be on rare occasions and make surprise appearances

Does not have a base

Instead he’ll randomly crash at other people’s bases

The hobbits, Gimli and Aragorn don’t mind

Legolas and Boromir are like 🤨

Collects enchantments and makes looooots of potions

Also makes a ton of potions

Hasn’t died yet

Travels in the Nether like he’s enjoying a stroll in a park

Supplies Merry and Pippin with fireworks

Explores A LOT

Doesn’t really bother with building

Likes to enjoy some good scenery while listening to the peaceful in game music of Minecraft

Has collected all the music discs

He creates a lot of traps/pranks and chuckles to himself as he goes off to find another spot to lay a trap

Because he isn’t on the server often, everyone won’t even think it’s him

Merry and Pippin will often get blamed for Gandalf’s traps and it started a war

As everyone’s fighting it out, Gandalf is watching with a small smile on his face

Doesn’t use a mic

writes the same as Legolas and Aragorn (full sentences, proper grammar and fancy words), but also rhymes his words for fun

Gamer Tag - Gandal_The_Grey

[yelenghs]

more femcel yelena hcs. again, general, just a few r smut

owns a lot more plushies than you'd expect! a lot of them are from animes and movies she watches. you two have matching cat plushes (hers is black with a pink heart and yours is white with a pink heart)

no one knows that she's a hardcore gamer and otaku. only you and a her online friends. everyone else thinks she's a completely focused and hardworking business woman 25/8

although she doesnt go out much herself, if it's with you she'd go anywhere. the only time where she does go out is if she has to show up at her office in person, for groceries, or taking out the trash. before you and her got together she used to stop by your work every morning. now that you live together she's happy that youre the first thing she lays her eyes on.

you two have matching onsies. dont ask me what kind but you have matching ones

she doesnt like to admit it, but she loves subbing for you. she doesnt do it often, but whrn it happens, it's her way of showing you how much she trusts you.

running w the idea from the last one i wrote; she lets you know that she's comfortable around you by showing you her softer side. the side that no one else gets to see.

her favorite sanrio characters are Kuromi, Badtz Maru, and Tuxedo Sam

if u have boobs, or big ones at that, she loves to motorboat you. a little too much. like if youre watching a movie with her she'll lay down on top of you, squish your tits together, and shove her face in between them. youre so used to it at this point you just let it happen😭

she has three big ass monitors that take up her desk space. she doesnt use one of them and everytime you bring it up about just storing it away she whined and says she might need it in the future

lowkey a hoarder with electronics and stuffed animals

fully believes that no women or men are attracted to her other than you. little does she know, she is so wrong

she has tried getting with men before, both romantically and sexually, she never liked it. after the first few times she got dicked down she fully decided she's going gay (like she wasnt already😭 but she was just testing the waters)

uses gamer vocab is the most normal everyday situations. you notice it but dont bring it up 'cause if you do, youre gonna be listening to her lecture you for hours.

she owns a VR headset and lets you use it sometimes if youre playing with her. when you use it she likes to grope you randomly and watch as you try and swat at her but she's already backed away.

BIG CUDDLE BUG. if youre not home she cuddles with her body pillows, but it doesnt feel as satisfying. the moment you get home she lets you get settled and comfy before tugging you down in bed with her; and wrapping her arms and legs around you.

she loves to roleplay with you in bed. usually monster x human, her being the monster. her favorite kind of scenario to act out is tentacle monster x innocent explorer.

she knows how to draw! she can draw quite well too. she draws you a lot in her free time, and when she's bored. at one point she's drawn you and her during one of ur alone times. another one of her as a siren and you as the cute innocent girl she caught in her trap. she has yet to show you, though

[elizainjapan]

May 31st- Tokyo National Museum and Akihabara

Today was a bit stressful at first, but then it turned out to be one of my favorite days yet! Our first stop was in Ueno Park, which Sam and I had been to yesterday. We had a quiz this morning, but I didn’t know until I was out of the shower, so I had to skip breakfast to take it. Skipping breakfast automatically gets me stressed. At Ueno Park, we went to a shrine and the Tokyo National Museum. While the shrine was very interesting, I could tell I was getting burned out towards the end of the museum. In my defense, I started out very strong. I read all the paragraphs under each item, and I spent like 7 minutes per room. Once I was at room 6 or 7 though, I was tired. I walked most of the rest of the museum, and only read about the things that caught my eye. I promise I like museums usually, but I was still upset about not eating. After this, we walked over to a food market with a bunch of resturants to break for lunch. One hour was definitely not enough time to find a place to eat that everyone could agree on and eat. I was with a group of 7, and we just barely made it back to the meeting spot on time. One of the girls in my group didn’t calculate the price of her meal correctly, so we also had to take time figuring out. The restaurant we chose also gave us super small portion sizes, so what I thought would be a full meal was really only 4 gyozas. I was hangry and very anxious. On our way to the train station, I was walking with Brian towards the back of the group when his train ticket malfunctioned and he couldn’t go through. The rest of the group didn’t notice and boarded the train, so we were stranded. Thankfully Leina had noticed we were stuck so she stayed back to help us. My day got tremendously better when we got to Akihabara (excluding the time we looked at the basement doujinshi, that was disgusting). Since our planned day was over, a small group of us just decided to get lost in the city. We went through side alleys and maid cafes before finally finding the perfect place to spend the evening - an arcade. The one we picked was 9 floors, and it had so many reaction games. It was super cool watching the hardcore Japanese gamers play, especially the ones playing DDR. I had never played before, so Aulora and I tried a game on the basic level. We failed miserably. Our last stop in Akihabara was Mandarake. Here I got the 37th HxH volume (which hasn’t come out the the US yet) and a Doremon manga to practice my Japanese with. I had some enrichment time at the hotel before heading back out to get boba and dinner with Sam and Aulora. We sat in McDonalds for over an hour just talking. Today had a rough start, but everything ended up working out.

The art exhibit that I chose to explore today was the under wear warrior attire. Warriors wore many different outfits throughout the 17th century. For example: formal hitatare, semi-formal suo, and the newer kamishimo. Clothing for battle was made to be worn underneath armor or as an outer surcoat. Fire resistant suits or dig images in Tokyo because of how prominent and popular fires were in the area.

Academic Reflection:

While today’s readings on the psychopathy of otaku culture were super interesting, I also don’t really agree with them. While I was reading them, I was totally on board with most everything that the authors were saying. I thought it was super interesting to recognize the moe database in so many of my favorite showes and I liked how the comparison of Baudrillard’s definition of utopias worked with the anime simulacrum. All of these works of theory were very developed and educated, and I truly felt that the authors covered as much of the bases as they could. What I did not like was the doujinshi we were exposed to.

When talking about otaku culture, it is imperative to speak to the sexual side of it. To ignore the anime pornographic aspect would be moronic. Yet no reading could have prepared me for that basement. That was simply pedophilia. After seeing that store, I cannot bring myself to agree with any of the justifications of pornographic doujinshi in anime minors. Neither authors talked nearly enough about the true side of otaku culture - commercialized porn. It does not matter that it is a fictional character, because I guarantee that many otakus do not see them as fake. They can distinguish between reality and fiction, they just chose not to. It was crazy to see people casually shopping in the store, as if any of of the walls and walls of naked girls was the same as going to 7/11. The nonchalantness of the patrons was very disturbing. While I know that this is not the case for all otakus, I still feel justified to believe that my view of Japanese media changed drastically in minutes, and I do not believe that these simulacrums should be as normalized as they are. The stereotype that otakus are nerdy and creepy shut-ins are stereotypes for a reason.

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

I have to admit, Sam is an example of a character who took a bit to grow on me for a very shallow reason: I found his voice annoying. I mean, it fit the design and it did grow on me, but I’m just not usually a big fan of that “type” of voice. 

But he was a fun character, at least in “Revenge of the Island” - I don’t know if I’d be able to call myself a hardcore gamer, but I at least knew enough to understand most of the references he made, and I can’t deny always loving when I’m able to do that. 

Part of me does wonder if he might have actually been maybe a little relieved when he got eliminated that season, because, yeah, he wasn’t getting the money....but at least now he could play his video games again in peace. And bonus that he also got a girlfriend who he has a genuine connection with. 

I think there’s almost universal confusion over why Sam was chosen for All-Stars over any number of other options, especially when he barely even acts like himself that season and was out so quickly anyway. 

TD Revival Countdown

Day 29: Sam – The Gamer

When I was a kid before I started writing, I was a hardcore gamer like Sam so I related to him a lot. For that reason, Sam was one of my favorites from the fourth season and I had hoped he would go far to show that gamers can seriously compete.

Along with his relatability in the gaming department, Sam had a lot of excellent zingers and had a sweet story of helping Dakota get through her interning while winning her heart. His running gag of constantly having a handheld game console confiscated was fun, and I liked how he referenced stuff like Donkey Kong in his elimination episode. Too bad he suffered from a gaming withdrawal that made him hallucinate, otherwise he almost lasted through half the season.

Like everyone else on All-Stars, Sam’s popularity took a dip due to bad characterization and other reasons including him being picked by the writers for the season over Owen. I hated watching Sam suffer pain after pain, and then when it seemed like he finally would get some respect for netting his team a challenge win, that respect was lost when it was revealed he cheated by putting pieces of pancake in his pocket to save for another Boney Island visit. I hated his elimination.

I would like to see Sam compete again, purely so his tarnished reputation can be restored with his season 4 characterization of a good heart, clever zingers, and honest effort in challenges.

[jessmalia]

Come on, drop your Pevensie siblings headcanons

Alright, alright, alright, I have so many. Literally think about this all the time. By the way, this is going to be a mix of canon compliant and Modern!AU cause I don’t have the time to sort them. Also most of these are Edmund ones lol. 

— Let’s start off with a classic, Edmund is definitely into photography. He has a camera hanging around his neck all the time. He's really good at it too. Definitely hates when people take pictures of him, though. He prefers to be behind the camera.

— This is totally a stolen headcanon, but I can’t stop thinking about it since I read it: Lucy steals her brothers hoodies and sweatshirts all the time. It’s basically her entire wardrobe. They’re both annoyed by it but she won’t stop. 

— Susan always wore dresses and skirts growing up, but when she became an adult she found she loved the black pants + belt and white dress shirt combo. Also red lipstick! excuse me while I bi panic for a while

— Peter’s favourite class is P.E because of course it is. He’s really good at it, too. Susan is a faster runner than him though, something he always denies.

— Peter’s definitely this well known nice jock kid that everyone likes, so most people assume he’s straight and get really surprised when he mentions his crush on Sam Wilson. Then he singlehandedly ends homophobia at his school. 

— Edmund is definitely the type of kid who wears a hood over his head and has headphones on at all times. His hair is a mess and his neck hurts all the time from staring down at his phone. 

— It’s been said before, but Edmund’s music taste is just really weird indie songs no one has ever heard before, BUT he is also definitely a closeted swiftie. I won't take any critique on this. 

— Also he has a tumblr account. 

— Susan REALLY likes sad songs. Like, she basically only listens to sad songs, happy ones aren’t her thing. Songs about loss, heartache, death, that's her jam! This prompts Peter to call her a heartless monster repeatedly. 

— OH OH! Something I’ve thought about for a long time and really like: Edmund’s favourite author is Jane Austen. He loves the sass in them and the romance part is also very appealing. No I will not take criticism. 

— Lucy never got into the novels but she always watches the movie/tv adaptations with him. When it’s Pride and Prejudice night they always fight over which version to watch, because Edmund has a crush on Colin Firth and Lucy has a crush on Keira Knightley.  

— Peter is the most hopeless romantic. He loves all the classics: lending your jacket to your partner, buying chocolate and flowers, picnic dates etc. Valentine’s Day is his favourite holiday. Edmund is a hopeless romantic too, but he would never admit it. Susan is not, she’s way more realistic and grounded, and Lucy is a romantic but not hopeless lol. 

— Lucy loves painting her nails (especially in loud colours) but she’s really bad at it. She constantly messes up and gets it all over her fingers and shit. But with some help from Susan it usually ends up looking okay. 

— Edmund let Lucy paint his nails once because she wanted to see if it was easier to do on someone else. He didn’t wanna do it at first but after she begged he relented. To his surprise, though, he actually really liked it, and he started wearing nail polish regularly after that. To Lucy’s aggravation he was really good at it, too. 

— Susan keeps doing archery when they come back to England. She’s amazing at it. 

— I’ve always thought that Edmund feels like the type of guy who mostly has female friends. I just think his whole life he’s just preferred the company of girls over guys. Don’t know why, he just gives that vibe. Peter is probably his closest male friend, to be honest. 

— Edmund and Lucy are both hardcore gamers, and Peter and Susan absolutely suck at video games. They have the rare dynamic of the younger siblings always beating the older ones, something both Ed and Lucy bring up all the time to tease them. 

— I have this Modern!AU caspeter concept of the Pevensies and Caspian’s family having neighbouring summer homes (is that what you call them in English? Like, I’m talking about like a house on the countryside where you go during vacation). So they’ve like spent a lot of summers together growing up and Peter and Caspian has this sexual tension filled rivalry that everyone can see through except them. 

That’s all I have right now, will probably add more to this later. Hope you liked them! 

[lulu2992]

Tweets from Far Cry 3’s Lead Writer about the game

In addition to the many interviews, I've also saved a lot of tweets from Jeffrey Yohalem answering fan questions so... here they are!

Question: Is Doug (the character that leads the group to Rook) still alive somewhere on the island? Or does he die offscreen? Jeffrey Yohalem: No comment :) [link]

Question: What becomes of Dennis in the friend savior ending? Also you and all other writers were amazing, Jeffrey Yohalem: Dennis is a hardcore gamer, he'll find another game. Question: what? please explain, there is alot of people wondering the same thing. Jeffrey Yohalem: All of the characters on the island represent something other than what they seem to be. Question: Would you please share? I'd really like to know who represents what in a clearer sense. Jeffrey Yohalem: Think in terms of social systems and gameplay systems. I don't want to give it all away, because that's part of the fun. [link]

Question: Hi! I'm curious, when you wrote for vaas did you feel any sympathy towards him? He's the one I feel most sorry for! Jeffrey Yohalem: Yeah. His past, what happened to him, it's beyond painful. [link]

Question: Vaas seems to be the one character that almost doesn't fit in yet acts almost as a voice of truth am I right thinking that? Jeffrey Yohalem: Yup, you're on the right track. [link]

Question: Was Citra's desire to birth the ultimate Rakyat warrior an equal catalyst for Vaas's insanity, just as much as Hoyt & drugs? Jeffrey Yohalem: What do you think? Question: Vaas says he first killed for Citra, and the island had drugs before Hoyt...her attempt at an (incestuous) ritual broke him. Jeffrey Yohalem: Sounds like you're on the right track! [link]

Question: Those guys claiming that Vaas being alive is a fact are going on peoples nerves! Could you please confirm or deny? END IT!!! Jeffrey Yohalem: Sam and the privateers confirm Vaas's fate. What reason do you have to question them? Question: Vaas is alive, and if we don't get a DLC, new game, or whatever to get to play as him, I'm gonna cry. Jeffrey Yohalem: Better go buy a pack of tissues. <3 [link]

Question: Will there ever be any information on what actually happened between Jason and Vaas? It's driving me crazy it's too good Jeffrey Yohalem: It's all in the game. Question: But how can you believe anything when playing through the eyes of a man going insane? Jeffrey Yohalem: Good question :) [link]

Question: Ok, here's a question. The chinese dagger. How did Vaas get it? Jeffrey Yohalem: Jason is still on the drugs Citra gave him. Notice the way the screen ripples before he "sees" the Vaas TVs. [link]

Question: FC3 fan question : was Citra genuinely in love w/ Jason or was she just manipulating him? Both endings seem to conflict Jeffrey Yohalem: Isn't Siri genuinely in love with you but also manipulating you? Isn't the game designed to attract you? ;) Question: Honestly, kinda saw the backstabbing coming, but what troubles me is my inability to determine if she's batshit crazy or not Jeffrey Yohalem: The more important question is what does she want from you? Question: ...weren't all her Maori warriors more qualified to begin with? Jason had never killed anyone, so how could she have known? Jeffrey Yohalem: Because you are the player... She drugged you. She threatens to delete your save file if you don't stay on the island, kill Jason's friends and play on forever. Question: Nooooooooo oh well I get to play Vaas' scenes all over again, which is cool. Why did you decide to off him so early btw? Jeffrey Yohalem: Because he's Jason and the player's primary motivation. So why keep playing once he's gone? Yet we do, we can't look away. Question: am I right if I say that the whole point of Vaas' death is to show that Jason has become just as bad, if not worse than him? Jeffrey Yohalem: In one dimension. But the game includes two. Look at my previous answer. Question: I feel dumb right now.you mean the player is supposed to feel bad? That it questions our love of violence in entertainment? Jeffrey Yohalem: You are on the right track. But it questions more than that. Think of the island as representing a video game... Question: Do I sense a link to Crash Bandicoot here? This smells fishy. OMG I UNDERSTOOD. VAAS IS CRASH BANDICOOT. THE MOHAWK !!! Jeffrey Yohalem: Haha, no. As much as we need to tackle the Bandicoot Industrial Complex, not the point. Question: the island represents a video game... oh god, this could take hours. I'm running in circles. The player becomes great at killing but doesn't think about it, while Jason goes completely nuts. So there's this moral thing where the game goes, "hey, do you have any idea what you're doing??" Video games = Rook Island, a lawless place where, in a drug-induced haze, we indulge in big-man fantasies. Am I right? Jeffrey Yohalem: :) And, meanwhile, our friends and family... poof. Question: so Far Cry 3 actually questions the purpose and validity of video games as a popular medium? Jeffrey Yohalem: In their current form, yes, and not all. :) [link]

Question: Would have been a gr8 subversion of that was followed through. "Play into our fantasy, & then we kill you" Jeffrey Yohalem: But it was followed through? That's the true ending. 4 me, it was Jason's fantasy that he had any agency. Since it is 1st person, the player sees only his perspective which is false. Question: also it actively fights a game that emphasizes agency... Jeffrey Yohalem: You have no real agency in FC3. The island is curated, you can only do the activities it provides. It is a glass cage. Question: true. I guess it offers ludonarrative dissonance as gamings version if visual irony in film Jeffrey Yohalem: So the player is Norma Desmond, trapped by The Game (Citra) with the delusion that she/he is free and The Star of the game. Question: do you see where someone with my background could be distracted by the treatment of the island natives? Jeffrey Yohalem: Yup, but for me they represent Us, the players and are universal. That is why their name translates to "The People." [link]

Question: is the Far Cry Experience mini-series canon? Did you write it/were you involved in it? Jeffrey Yohalem: I didn't write it. [link]

Question: If 8 total people skydived onto the island in FC3, what's the last episode of the Far Cry Experience referencing with 6 ppl? Jeffrey Yohalem: 7 people jumped, minus Grant makes 6. I assume that's where they got the number from. [link]

[cobalttungsten]

So, I just watched two movies this evening, one with my lover and one alone.

First was the new movie Freaky, and I loved every moment of it. If ever a director could send a love letter to another one, Freaky was to Sam Raimi. It felt so true to the Horror-Comedy genre, was one of the best movies I've seen in a LONG time. Honestly, the moment the first comedic part to come into the movie immediately made me think of Army of Darkness, which is, in my opinion, a great thing. I honestly don't think I could think of AoD without thinking of Freaky from here on. If any of you are holding out seeing it, don't! Redboxed it and did not regret it.

Second was Willy's Wonderland. I knew 2 things going into this movie:

1. It's a Nick Cage movie (Don't get me wrong, I love plenty of his movies... But he's been less than picky with his gigs lately)

2. It's rooted heavily in the Five Nights at Freddy's genre (Which I dig so hardcore, but I'm a gamer so I'm biased)

Coming in with hopeful expectations I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie. Granted, it in no way tried to punch above its class and just does it's own thing, but it does it in that way where you can tell it was made for the fun of it in the best ways. Don't watch it if you're looking for a movie with unexpected twists, because it's a simple movie that tells a simple story, and personally after watching it it's easily become another Nick Cage favorite of mine.

Both movies 5/5, would have gone to them in the theater if it was open, possibly will buy them.

[soyouareandrewdobson]

There must be something in the water...

This comic by Dobson, is in my opinion one that really serves as one of the biggest self owns in his history, once you know a few things about the quote and are familiar with the work of the person who said it AND Dobson’s output .

See, the quote “My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. Everybody drinks water.“ is alluded to none other than one of America’s greatest writers in the 19th century. Samuel L. Clemens. Or as he is known to many people worldwide, Mark Twain.

Now let me admit, I have not really read much of Clemen’s work in my life, but I have read articles about him, saw quotes of him, read up on his life as well as his social opinions and thanks to popculture osmosis I am aware of the plot outlines of works like “The Prince and the Pauper” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. I say plot outlines, cause lets face it, those movie adaptations we all know and love obviously miss the point of Clemens social satire he either hid well in his work or was as subtle as a sledgehammer to the head about.

Clemens in a way was an anti-Dobson. He came from a privileged upbringing, but took on a rather “low class” job in his youth before becoming famous through his writing. Similar to Dobson he hated racism, was obviously against conservative Christianity and for his time a “woke” fellow. But unlike Dobson, I think he did not just do it for virtue signaling, he genuinely believed in the cause and if he felt he went too far, he also apologized. Like his takes on Christianity certainly became more mellow later on in life (at least as far as I know)

 Additionally, Clemens was funny. He was critical of society and literature (I highly recommend you to read Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offences to get just how brilliantly this man could dissect the work of others. Here is a link to it https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/FenimoreCoopersLiteraryOffences )

Both in a way he would use snark to mock them, but also get a valid point across.

And the water line up there? In a way it is both the greatest ego boost, but also self deprecation he could go for.

See, the line actually goes like this

„My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water.“

 The boost comes from the fact that he is essentially saying “everybody reads my books”. Which lets face it, was true. Clemens was read by many people, both scholars and people from the general public. He was legitimately popular, to the point that even 110 years after he died he is still well known. Not only his works, but the person himself has become an iconic figure in our cultural conscious. Or to focus on what was really important: Clemens: I make money through my writing, bitch!

Okay, he wouldn’t have said it like that, but he would have at least acknowledged that making good money through his work was a nice benefit.

But in the same way, the line is a bit of self deprecation and slightly humble. See, he says his books are water. Something basic, something not everyone can afford. While the books of great masters are like wine. Something not everyone can afford, but which is in a way “sophisticated” and will live on too, even in higher regards.

I bet that at times Clemens could be full of himself, but we have to understand, this was a man who could take criticism and give it. A man who understood also something about literature and had certain insights others did not have at his time. A deadpan snarker who when he got a positive review allegedly told one of his first critics something along the line of “You made me as happy as the white slave owner chick who realizes her kid was going to be white after all”.

So what I believe is that he was humble enough to see that there were also people better/more sophisticated than him, which he even looked up too and whose work he compared with wine. People by whom he as a creator was like water in comparison. But thankfully (or rather, fortunately) everyone drinks waters aka “reads” the stuff he writes and therefore guarantees his career.

Which honestly, I consider also something of a truth some content creator should go for. Look, I am not saying that we should stop trying to go for something meaningful when we create art or tell stories, but in a way if Clemens was alive today, he would consider his water statement just further confirmed in the way a lot of popcultur works nowadays. Best example, Marvel movies. Marvel movies, as entertaining as they are, are basically just water (or soda), compared to genuine artistic movies or movies with deeper social issues in them. And yet, those movies make money and seem to connect with people at times better than something more “sophisticated”. Go figure.

 But, back to Dobson for a bit, okay?

See, for Clemens the water line made sense, because again, his works were popular and understandable for everyone, making them as accessible as water. But for Dobson? Oh boy… For starters, if we compare their achievements in life so far Clemens already wins. Cause by the time he was 39 (Dobson’s current age at the time this post is written) Clemens was successful under his pseudonym by writing multiple articles and short stories, including The Innocent Abroad, Roughin It and Tom Sawyer. He was also married and was involved in multiple businesses. Dobson meanwhile had attempted to create the following comic series Patti, Formera, Percy Phillips, Legens/Alex ze Pirate, Danny & Spots, Brentalfloss Comics and they all sunk faster than the Titanic. Okay, not the Brental Floss Comcis, those just ended because Brentalfloss thought it was time to end it, but still.

Four major stories he supposedly wanted to write abandoned because they did not earn him the reputation he wanted and one unpopular out of touch gaming comic strips where the punchline was that a rejected clone of Cubitus with the Marsupilami (go look them up) liked the Wii, while its owner/friend was a hardcore PS3 gamer who obviously always needed to be in the wrong because after all, only troglodytes play non nintento consoles.

All his major books got rejected by the public, because the writing was either not good or the artwork was at best mediocre at worst something people on manag forums could draw better when doing fanart.

And yet here we have Dobson, using another ones famous and funny line claiming “his books are like water. Everybody drinks water” indicating amongst other things “everyone reads my books and they are easily accessible”.

No, that is a freaking lie. No one read your books, most of them are not accessible to anyone because they are either out of print or you could not see them anywhere if you dig up as deep as possible online (see my paywall post earlier this week). And when people read your books common criticisms included how unoriginal and aimless your stories would feel (Formera), how derivative characters were from other fictional characters (Alex ze Pirate is e.g. just Lina from Slayers but with the bitchy temper of a Rumiko Takahashi character) and how unlikable most characters would just be (see everyone in Alex ze Pirate except the Ninja Girl and Sam).

 Or to put it in Clemen’s work when describing the sins of Cooper’s Deerslayer, your works tend to break among other things the following rules:

- … A tale shall accomplish something and arrive somewhere. But the Deerslayer tale accomplishes nothing and arrives in the air.

- They require that the episodes of a tale shall be necessary parts of the tale, and shall help to develop it. But as the Deerslayer tale is not a tale, and accomplishes nothing and arrives nowhere, the episodes have no rightful place in the work, since there was nothing for them to develop.

- They require that when the personages of a tale deal in conversation, the talk shall sound like human talk, and be talk such as human beings would be likely to talk in the given circumstances, and have a discoverable meaning, also a discoverable purpose, and a show of relevancy, and remain in the neighborhood of the subject in hand, and be interesting to the reader, and help out the tale, and stop when the people cannot think of anything more to say. But this requirement has been ignored from the beginning of the Deerslayer tale to the end of it.

- They require that crass stupidities shall not be played upon the reader as "the craft of the woodsman, the delicate art of the forest," by either the author or the people in the tale. But this rule is persistently violated in the Deerslayer tale.

- They require that the personages of a tale shall confine themselves to possibilities and let miracles alone; or, if they venture a miracle, the author must so plausibly set it forth as to make it look possible and reasonable. But these rules are not respected in the Deerslayer tale.

- They require that the author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and in their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. But the reader of the Deerslayer tale dislikes the good people in it, is indifferent to the others, and wishes they would all get drowned together.

And now replace the Deerslayer tale with Alex ze Pirate/Formera and tell me those rules are not broken.

I am sorry, I get Dobson just wanted to be more sophisticated and give himself a slight ego boost and trick his readers into thinking he is deeper in his thinking than he really is. But if Dobson’s books are like water, said water is somewhere in the desert in an almost empty well that has also been poisoned. Either it gets detoxed and filtrated for consumption or you are better off drinking your own piss. Which is Clemens code for “write fanfiction”.

[1-1snailxd-art]

Libraries are for Meetings

Master List —– Chapter 8

Chapter 9 - Life is a Book

Warnings: negative thoughts, death mentioned, memories of trauma 

Summary: E prepares for their day as the anniversary draws nearer and Virgil thinks about the past for the first time in a while. .

Word count: 3832

Note: reading on mobile can remove the paragraphing sometimes. Use desktop site or visit my Ao3 page if it bothers you as much as it bothers me.

____________________

Heat. Screams. Burning. Pulling. Crying.

“E! Jason!”

“Are they breathing?”

“They’re breathing. You need to cool them down and stop the bleeding; I’m going back.”

“Jason, don’t!”

“Oskar hasn’t come out. I’m going back. Just take care of E, Sasha. I’ll be back”.  

Heat. Screams. Burning. Crying. Sirens. Screams. Screams. Scream.

 Eyes snapping open, E gasped for breath as their heart raced from the memory. Shaking hands tightened around their blankets and pulled them close to their chest as they started timing their breaths and grounding their senses in reality. It took 10 minutes for them to be able to sit up; muscles stiff from being tensed up so long. They slowly stood and made their way over to their dressing table mirror; sighing as they took in their unfiltered appearance - head shaven and maintained around the leathery skin on their scalp, red scar lines tracing the skin under their left eye and cheek. Those features didn’t bother E anymore; they were nothing but a minor inconvenience, the mounds on their chest were another story. Despite sleeping in an oversized shirt, they could still see the fabric protruding out slightly; and E squeezed their eyes shut as their mind, body and soul fought over their identity.

E hated mornings like this; just not being sure of their gender. They preferred the days they felt just feminine or just masculine; those days were easy compared to days like today, when they just didn’t know.

Their stomach growled in hunger, snapping them out of their thoughts. Avoiding the mirror, E slipped on a green hoodie and yellow beanie before heading downstairs to greet their roommates. Sophie and Xander were just leaving as E reached the bottom of the stairs, getting a brief farewell before the front door closed.

“Morning, E!” Sam called from the kitchen, popping out with two plates of scrambled eggs. “I hoped you were up. I have a massive favour to ask.”

“Shoot.” Taking a seat at the table, E watched as Sam repeatedly tucked their long fringe behind their ear and sat down.

“I have a big presentation today and I was wondering if you could do my hair and make-up. You do such a good job and I really want to make a good impression during the presentation. Can you spare some time, please?”

“Sure, your make up is an easy job.”

Sam beamed, “Thank you so much. I’ll pay you for this of course.”

“Don’t bother,” E muttered, slipping another spoonful of eggs into their mouth, “breakfast is payment enough.”

 As soon as their plates were cleaned, E invited Sam to their room and set to work on their makeup for the day. The work was a good distraction, though looking at Sam’s red streaks gave them flashes of flames and they took a moment to refocus before continuing. It was going to be a long day of held emotions if the morning was anything to go by.

 “You had a nightmare, didn’t you?”

The questioned stunned E so much, they almost poked Sam’s eye with the liquid liner tip.

“What? Where’d you get that idea?”

“You’ve been off all morning, Ethan.” The name sent a calm through Ethan’s mind and the world seemed to get a little clearer; Sam was always good at picking which name they needed to hear. “Are you going to stay with your family this weekend?”

With a sigh, he nodded and continued working.

“I’m staying with the library crew tonight and then I’ll be with my aunt the rest of the weekend.”

“That’s good. Those library guys will look out for you. Is your sister going too?”

“Sasha doesn’t really associate with them anymore,” straightening, Ethan moved to finish styling Sam’s hair. “I think the guilt is too much for her; I mean, it was her party, but Oskar is just as bad too.”

“That sucks. I know Sasha and Jason were good friends. It’s a shame she couldn’t have stayed connected with Logan at least.”

“Yeah, well, they’ll see each other this weekend for sure.” Moving around, Ethan inspected their work and made a few small adjustments. “My aunt is catering for the Reels memorial again and giving them the diner for most of the day. I hope she lets it go after this year. Honestly, the whole action is a little over the top and selfish.”

“Everyone deals with guilt in their own way, E. Don’t knock your aunt too much.”

“Yeah, I know.” Stepping back, Ethan gestured to the mirror, “all done.”

Sam beamed at their braided hair and soft silver eyes that matched their blouse. “It’s amazing.”

“You’re going to knock ‘em dead today.”

“Thanks, Ethan.” Sam stood and blew a kiss in his direction. “Message me if you need anything, okay?”

With a nod, Sam headed off to collect their things while Ethan grabbed their binder and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

   Locking the door behind them, Ethan headed for the bus stop to make their way into town. They had a short, blond wig with gold eye liner; paired with a white speckled, black shirt with dress pants and shoes. Black felt like an appropriate colour for the day, as they made their way to the theatre to do some special effects makeup tests for a new production. A few years ago, Ethan never would have thought they’d be pursuing a career in makeup, but now they couldn’t see themselves doing anything different. Turns out having your face scarred was a good motivator for pursuing a new career in makeup artistry. Taking a seat on the bus he hoped today’s work would provide a reasonable distraction and make the day pass quickly until it was time to go to the library.

  ********************

  The moment the morning Librarian, Tate, officially opened the library, Virgil raced inside to begin boxing up his gaming system. He had sent an apology message to Ben earlier but was yet to receive any form of reply, which had him worried beyond belief. Part of him hoped that the threats against the library were fake and he would simply come after him, but he wasn’t about to take any risks. His only hope was that Pete was in a giving mood and had some more items for him to fix.

 Air fresh, Virgil wished he had his thicker hoodie on as his deep violet jacket was doing nothing to stop the wind slicing through him. Pushing through the doors of Pete’s Pawn Shop, he was thankful for the reprieve from the chilling winds.

“Virgil!” The rotund man boomed from the back of the store. “How’s my junior fixer going today?”

“Fine, thanks, Pete.” Reaching the store counter, Virgil placed the box down and put on his best act of confidence. “Got this relic back in working order. Perfect for selling to a hardcore gamer with plenty of money from their mothers’ basement.”

Pete laughed and opened the box to pull out Virgil’s meticulous report of what he had done and how the system ran. Half of it was nonsense to the man, but he pretended to read it all over for the sake of professionalism.

“Seems you did a fair bit on this thing?”

“It had a fair amount of wear and tear from neglect and general ageing.” Virgil assured, pulling out the controller to show off. “I cleaned all the pieces so it’s almost as responsive as any modern console. Considering its age, and former condition, this thing runs as smooth as anything. Collectors would be foolish to walk past a piece like this.”

“Okay, okay, Virge, I see what you’re saying.” Pete turned to his computer and started typing away. “You want fair price for your work, I understand.”

“I need more than fair, Pete.” Virgil turned and leant his back against the counter and looked around the store. “I need to be in the green zone and make our partnership worthwhile.”

“Alright, kid.” Pete clicked away from the search screens he had just used to double check the systems value and opened the register to retrieve some cash. “How about $50 for your efforts?”

Looking sideways at the money on the counter, Virgil shook his head. “That’s barely covering the labour and parts, Pete. I paid you $20 for this thing in the first place and it was only a dust collector at that point. Make it $120.”

A smile spread across Pete’s bearded face and he laid more notes on the counter. “$60 and then you’ve got $40 in the green.”

“Not good enough,” turning to face the man, Virgil leant his hands on the counter and met Pete’s gaze. “I need more green for parts; make it worth it.”

“$75 a better colour?”

“$100 would put me in a better place.”

“Why don’t we settle on $85 and I’ll throw in a busted blender for free?”

Slamming his hand down on the money, Virgil thrust his other hand toward Pete. “Deal.”

Accepting the hand, Pete gave it a firm shake before closing the till and grabbing the box down from the counter. “Go take your choice of appliance from out the back, kid. That’ll be an easy 20 for ya later.”

“Thanks Pete.”

Pocketing the money, Virgil quickly headed to the storeroom to assess his possible options. Pawn shops were a sense of comfort for the young man, a pleasant memory of much of his childhood spent in his grandparent’s store where he learnt how electronics worked from the employees. While his grandmother managed the jewellery aspect of the store, Virgil spent his days working with his grandfather’s tech-group; watching them pull apart and piece together everything from toasters to PCs. Losing his grandparents, and the store, was the first domino that fell in a series of events that transformed his childhood to a less than pleasant memory.

 Pete appeared in the doorway and Virgil turned to give him a deflated look.

“Have you got anything a bit more substantial?”

“Sorry, Virge, this is all the stock I have. Phil came in and took my last PC yesterday.”

After sending a silent curse to Phil, Virgil grabbed a small handheld game that seemed in reasonable condition and followed Pete back out.

“Look, I know you prefer your other guys to do your client jobs, but can you please give me a call if you get anything in that you’re happy for me to work on. I really need the money.”

“I can’t promise anything, but,” The man ran a hand over his head and took a long look at the young mans fragile form, “if I get anything coming through I’ll give you a call.”

“Thanks, Pete. I really appreciate it.” Virgil headed for the door; eager to get back to his office and start on his new project.

“Take care of yourself,” the door closed, and Pete sighed, “lord knows you look like you need it.”

  ****************

 The library was uncharacteristically busy for a Friday morning; a constant flow of studiers and families pulling books from shelves and engaging in whispered discussions. Headphones blocked out the sounds outside of his office, as Virgil inspected the disassembled the handheld. Slouched in his chair, Virgil stared at the collection of parts and tried to mentally work out which parts were going to be salvageable. Lost in thought and music, the vibration of his phones alarm had him jolting out of his chair in shock; expecting the vibration to signal a message from Ben. Though his heart still raced with fear, once his mind comprehended the time, fear was replaced with excitement. Tate took notice of the unusual spring in the cleaner’s step as he left the library; a smile on his face for the first time in months.

  The wind was still cold and unkind as Virgil made his way to the university; pulling his hood up to shield his ears. He had exchanged his jacket for a heavy black hoodie with white ringed designs, which was proving to be a better shield against the cold. Heart pounding with excitement despite the quiet whispers of doubt; Virgil wasn't going to let those voices stop him today. Today was his day. He was making the choice to see Logan. It was his decision, and he was going to enjoy it.

  Virgil's throat instantly tightened as his music was cut off for an incoming phone call, and he quickly slipped into an ally to answer it discretely. Relief hit hard when he saw the caller ID was Katie.

"What's up, Reels?"

"Is that an echo I hear, Virgil? You better not still be at the library." Katie sounded irritated and Virgil rolled his eyes.

"No, Mum. I slipped into an ally to escape the wind."

"Oh." He could hear Katie clearing her throat and shuffle around on the other end of the line. "Sorry. I thought you were hiding from, Logan. That was a dick move on my part."

"It's fine, Katie, but I'm going to be late if you don't get to the point." "Yeah. Sorry. I was wondering if you wanted to help me set up for the meeting this afternoon, instead of your normal clean. That way you won't miss any hours; unless you've already got plans."

"Nah, that's fine." He hid a sigh of relief at the prospect of keeping his hours up, and mentally adjusted his money situation. "Starting at my normal time?"

"Yes, please."

"Too easy. I'll see you then."

"Have fun with Lo-gan."

"Bye, Reels."

Virgil hung up the phone as Katie erupted into giggles; looking at the time and quickening his pace to make sure he met Logan on time. Memories shifted to the front of his mind as he got closer, and he slowly increased the volume of his music to overpower the thoughts.  

  ********************

  Logan had never been one to watch the clock, but today he could not stop himself from glancing between the loud analogue clock on the wall and his watch. The professor’s voice faded from his hearing, drowned out by the ticking of the clock edging closer to the session being over. Restless fingers fidgeted with his pens until finally the group was dismissed and Logan packed up faster than he had ever done before.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, his heart sank when he didn't see Virgil waiting outside. Coat tucked over his arm in the rush, the wind sliced across his uncovered arms as he stood outside the  building; a still figure in the flow of exiting students. As the crowd thinned, Logan turned towards the car park with his heart sinking. In that moment, he consciously realised just how excited he had been to see Virgil again. Though he had known he was enjoying their company, Logan hadn't been willing to admit the extent of his feelings. Despite hardly knowing anything about him, he felt that Virgil was more than a simple acquaintance; he was already a friend.

 "Logan!"

Logan's head jerked around at the sound of Virgil's voice and he was quick to spot the thin man waving as he made his way up the path. Making no effort to hide his sigh of relief, Logan waved back and smiled.

"Didn't think I ditched you, did ya?" Virgil beamed, slipping his headphones off and proceeding to slip them into his bag.

"I will admit," Logan chuckled and fiddled with his bag strap, "that was my initial conclusion. I am glad you proved me wrong."

"I'll try not to make a habit of it." Virgil naturally began walking beside Logan as they headed towards the carpark; as if it was a regular routine they had. "How was class?"

"Very uneventful," he practically grumbled the reply, "as most lectures have become. I prefer opportunities to complete hands on activities and research tasks. Listening to someone drone on for an hour is beyond me - What's so funny?"

No longer hiding it, Virgil openly laughed and nudged Logan's shoulder, "You never cease to amaze me, Lo."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been arrested, you're pretty much a pro-athlete, and you hate lectures just as much as any  regular person."

"It may surprise you to know," Logan reached up and adjusted his glasses with a smirk, "but I am a regular person."

 To the untrained eye, the pair seemed like old friends as they laughed their way into the car park and stepped up to Logan's surprisingly close parking spot. Depositing bags in the back of the car, they slid into their respective seats after confirming pizza was the best lunch option and Virgil plugged the order into his phone for them to pick up on the way. After exiting the car park, Logan steered the conversation away from himself and tried to earn some more from Virgil.

 "So, what did you get up to this morning, Virgil?"

Virgil shrugged and slid his phone back into his pocket, "nothing much. Went down to the pawn shop to sell one gaming system and buy another. Nothing newsworthy or anything."

"On the contrary, I find your work fascinating. When did you learn all this stuff?"

"My grandparents owned a pawn shop and I spent a lot of time there when I was younger." A weight shifted on Virgil's chest as he spoke; but emotion still gripped at his throat slightly. "I learnt everything from my grandad and the fixers that worked for him."

"You are very lucky to have such a close relationship with your grandparents."

"Yeah, I was..." Head dropping, Virgil picked at his nails absently as he felt Logan sag into his seat.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. I got 13 years with them; that's more than some people get."

"True, but that doesn't make your feelings any less valid. It sounds like they had a significant influence on your childhood."

Straightening in his chair, Virgil raised his head to look ahead and compose himself as his throat constricted further.

"They were very much my childhood. I spent more time with them than either of my parents." Pausing to take a shaky breath, Virgil recalled their smiling faces the last time he had seen them. "They didn't deserve to die the way they did."

Brow furrowing, Logan chanced a glance at his passenger; question cautiously forming on his lips.

"May I ask what happened?"

 Part of Virgil screamed for him to remain silent as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the headrest. He hadn't spoken to anyone about his grandparents since he stopped going to therapy; but part of him wanted to tell Logan. Logan had already told him so much about his past and it only seemed fair that he did the same to some degree.

Eyes remaining closed, Virgil slowly spoke; each word painfully tearing at his soul to leave his mouth.

"They went missing. Just didn't open the shop one day. Vanished for two weeks along with my Dad." A single tear threatened to slip from his closed eye, and Virgil took a shaky breath in and forced the emotion away. "They came back and I got to see them one last time before... Before they were..."

 Pulling into a parking space near the pizza shop, Logan placed a hand on Virgil's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Virgil turned away and sighed; unable to find the words to continue.

"You don't have to say anymore if you don't want to, Virgil. It's okay." Logan assured and felt blindly in his centre console for a pack of tissues to offer.

Virgil opened his eyes and turned to face the man beside him; hazel eyes as soft and comforting as the hand on his shoulder. His thoughts froze for a moment as he found himself lost in Logan's comforting features; pained memories present but duller with those eyes on him and hand lifting to offer a pack of facial tissues. Finally, he was able to swallow the lump in his throat and nodded gratefully; taking the tissues and tearing his gaze away so he didn't cry.

 "I'm going to get the pizza," the drivers side door opened as Logan prepared to leave. "Why don't we change the subject upon my return."

He carefully closed the door, after Virgil gave him an affirming nod, and headed around the corner to collect the pizza they had ordered. Though Logan felt guilty for bringing up the topic in the first place, he was thankful that he had. The conversation gave him the smallest glimpse into Virgil's past, and he was comforted by the fact he seemed just as determined to hold his emotions to his chest as he was. It was a welcomed change that intrigued him greatly. Everyone Logan had previously befriended had been such  open books, easily talking about themselves and their past; it was overwhelming and slightly boring. On the other hand, Virgil was a choose your own adventure mystery novel that required careful questioning and consideration to find any answers. Their friendship may have happened in a single afternoon, but Logan was now slightly hopeful they could work through their novel-like lives and make a relationship of some kind.

"It's too soon to make judgements like that." Logan reminded himself, "I don't even know if Virgil would be interested in a relationship, let alone one with me."

 After collecting the food, Logan headed back towards the car; pausing for a moment when it first came into view. The man in the passenger seat looked so peaceful; head resting back in the slightly reclined chair and breeze shifting his hair from the opened window. If his hands weren't preoccupied, and it was less creepy, Logan would have taken a photo; Patton would have in his position. In the moments before reaching the car, Logan made a decision. I rather selfish and impulsive decision considering the circumstances.

 Sliding into the car, Virgil stirred from his light sleep and gratefully took the boxes from Logan's hands. With his hands free, Logan looked down at the rings on his fingers; a simple black band on his right middle finger and a silver band on the index finger of the same hand. While Virgil was focused on inspecting the pizza, Logan slipped the silver band off and changed it to his left hand. The action would have seemed foolish and unnecessary to an onlooker, but for Logan it was a sign of moving on. The ring was originally a symbol of friendship given to him by Jason, but then he changed the rings placement, making a mock proposal out of the event.

"I want this on your right hand now because  right here, right now, I am yours. For now, and forever. And perhaps, one day, if all goes well, I might move it again."

Smiling sadly to himself, Logan started the car and stared at his hands on the steering wheel for a moment longer before pulling away.

____________________

End Note:

Sorry I dropped off the edge of the Earth for a while. Part of this chapter just wasn’t working out for me and I kept leaving it and coming back to delete and start again. I’ve got a holiday break coming up again soon, so I’m hoping to get out of this slump I’m in and write a fair bit and get ahead again.

Also, if you haven’t already, you should check out the art @the-pastel-peach did for Chapter 7. Logan and Virgil look so good and she did a great job at capturing the emotion on their faces as Logan tells Virgil how he met Jason. I just love it.

Another side note because I put this on Tumblr: I’m no longer in immediate fire danger anymore; though it seems every couple of days the fire level goes from ‘high’ to ‘extreme’ (it goes well with the critical water levels). All good though. I got to do the virtual meet and greet with Thomas the other day right after I heard the sirens of the fire truck heading out. He was so sweet though as I had a slightly ‘panicked’ moment at the start of our time (seriously, he knows how to quickly steer a conversation and take your mind off things).

Tag List (let me know if you want to be removed)

@notalwaysthebadguy   @thequeensphinx

_____________________________

Chapter 10   — MasterList

What else have I done:

The Perfect Ring (oneshot - analogical proposal)

You Promised (oneshot - prinxiety angst/injury/near death)

Sides of a Hero (Completed Fic - sides are fusions of impulses and aspects of Thomas. Virgil has a depressing past that he is forced to face thanks to Deceit and Rage. Was canon compliant at the time of completion)

The Shield to your Sword (WIP - A fantasy/magic au - Prinxiety (Royal Roman and orphan Virgil - they’ll admit to their love eventually), Virgil angst, non binary, healer Logan, *spoiler* Patton)

Writing Master Post

Check out my other blog for random fandom reblogs and stuff @snail-giggles

[raidpirate52]

My Top 10 Favorite Loud House Pairings.

Originally I was going to do a Shipping meme, but I felt that would be too big and I honestly don't ship too much in the Loud House so I opted instead to just do a Top 10 Pairings List, and I have to say even that was kind of hard for me.   10: Liam x Tabby Yeah, not a hardcore shipper on this one, but I do think it's cute a country farm boy going out with a rock n roll girl. They hit it off well in Dance Dance Resolution, and a nice guy like Liam deserves someone nice. 9: Lincoln x Paige So we haven't seen her since L is for Love but I like the idea of Lincoln being with a girl who's a gamer like he is. I think they'd have a good chemistry together and they'd be fun to watch. 8: Lincoln x Stella I know "Be Stella My Heart" showed Stella was only looking for a friendship, but maybe something more when they're older? I mean...she did choose to hang out with Lincoln first, so that means something, right?  I've liked some fan art of these two, so I put it on the list. 7: Luna x Sam Nice Nickelodeon is making strides for more relationship diversity and an adorable one is with Luna and Sam. They haven't had much time together, but their time spent has been good. Hopefully in the next episode we see them doing things they enjoy more. Always happy to see more Luna and Sam.   6: Rita x Lynn Sr. For parents they definitely have sweet moments together. Always standing up for each other and reminding the kids how much they go through to take care of them. Also, their meetup story was cute too.   5: Lincoln x Sid Yes. That's right. My OTP for Lincoln is with a character he hasn't even met! :woah: I don't know, for all I know this ship can sink like a rock, but I just have a feeling these two could totally hit it off and have great chemistry together. 4: Luan x Benny It was surprising to see these two get an episode together, and I really enjoyed it. It was one of my favorites to season 3. Definitely wouldn't mind seeing them again.   3: Lucy x Rocky The two were really cute together. I really liked that Lucy wanted to come out of her shell more for him, but then later decided to be herself and it was revealed that Rocky liked who she was all along and the two bonded over fake blood.  Bring them back, writers! 2: Lana x Skippy Cuteness overload!  Okay, while all the L is for Love ships were cute in their own way, this one just makes your heart melt. Seeing Lana smile so purely for him is just so precious. My favorite pairing to see fan art for. Would love it if there's an episode that focuses on the two of them or at the very least, at the very least, have the two on screen more. If they do, I just might bump this up to number 1. 1: Lori x Bobby Sure the nicknames are cheesy but the two just have such an adorable charm, I'm totally behind the pairing. I hope them nothing but the best as the show goes forward and they're definitely my OTP for the series.

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World of Warcraft Background Just over 15 years ago, Blizzard Inc rocked the gaming world with Warcraft: Orcs Vs Humans, a Real Time Strategy game that combined ground breaking graphics, a in depth story line, the requirement to think about strategy more than ever before and multiplayer gaming all in one - a first for the gaming industry. You will be surprised to learn that the first version of Warcraft arrived before the hugely popular Command & Conquer franchise. 

With the success of the first release of Warcraft, Blizzard went away and a couple of years later came out with Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness which expanded the universe, introduced new characters and species and made the game more involved than ever before. Central to the game was Blizzard's belief that multiplayer gaming was the wave of the future. Never before had a game had so much attention placed on the multiplayer aspect. You need to remember that this was back in the late 90's and even the concept of the Internet was new to most people, so you can definitely say Blizzard were ahead of the curve on the idea of multiplayer games.

Warcraft is one of the few games where the developers have spent time building a universe in which the action takes place. By creating this universe they have added depth rarely seen in other games. At first glance the story might seem quite basic, just think Lord of the Rings with a mixture of medieval technology and a healthy dose of fantasy. The result? Castles and wizards, swords and dwarves.

Unlike the previous versions of Warcraft the game play has changed slightly from a God like role to you controlling a single character. To begin you have to select whether you are going to play as a member of the Alliance (humans and their allies) or the Horde (Orcs and their kind). Each species has its own strengths and weaknesses so it's down to you which one you go with. The character that you control is known as your Avatar, which is your representation in the virtual world. The aim is to build up the attributes (known as leveling) of your Avatar to become bigger, stronger and have more skills to take on ever harder quests.

You should note that World of Warcraft is completely different to other games you may have bought in the past because instead of playing against the computer you are entering a world online (you can't play it offline) where there are other real people to play with and against. The game also differs slightly in that it operates a kind of 'pay as you play' scheme so you have to either pay a monthly subscription to keep logging in or buy pre-paid playing time - from a business point of view Blizzard really hit a home run on this one!

Innovations in World of Warcraft As I mentioned earlier, Blizzard have been committed to building quality multiplayer games since 1994 with the original release of Warcraft: Orcs Vs Humans. They made the multiplayer aspect such an integral part of the games that this experience didn't go to waste when they created World of Warcraft because now it's officially recognized by the Guinness book of records as the most popular MMORPG ever made and one estimate by mmogchart.com puts their market share at 62% of the entire MMORPG industry.

When you play WoW for the first time you can see why it took Blizzard nearly 5 years to develop. There are a huge range of innovations and features that couldn't be found in other MMORPG's at the time it was launched. Even some thing as simple as Avatar reincarnation was revolutionized by Blizzard. In other games when an Avatar died it took a while for them to come back and be back at the same level they were before they died. Blizzard did away with this and made reincarnation swifter and easier for players to get back in the thick of the action. The same concept applies to damage an Avatar suffers in battle, recovery is quicker to help casual gamers compete on nearly the same footing as hardcore gamers.

Just like in the original Warcraft games, there is still a sense of harvest, build, grow. In this case your Avatar needs to earn gold to buy weapons, eat, sleep and generally survive in the virtual world. This is made easier by completing 'quests' which once completed give you gold or weapons. WoW has been praised for the amount of variety there are in the quests which ensures players never get bored doing the same repetitive things over and over again.You have probably played strategy games in the past and discovered that once you 'got' the system it was fairly easy to beat the computer no matter what. Well believe me that all changes in WoW because you are playing against the most ruthless opponents...other humans. You will find that WoW is literally a virtual community that mirrors much of the real world. You need to earn gold to survive, you need to buy weapons and items with the gold and you need to interact with others to become more successful.

The social aspect in particular mirrors the offline world because you can join different guilds which are set up to help pool resources and provide a level of protection from other players. Guilds tend to stick to geographical borders and you are unlikely to find an British player in a predominantly German Guild!

WoW in the Real World Just like the real world, there is a thriving micro-economy both inside and outside the game. Inside the game you can collect resources like copper and sell them at auction in exchange for gold. You can then use the gold to buy new weapons and enable you Avatar to survive in the virtual world. Just like an eBay for WoW, you can put any items you own up for sale and have people bid on them and buy them off you.In a somewhat surprising twist, virtual goods and virtual money has taken on a physical value in the real world. There are hundreds of websites dedicated to letting you buy items and gold for real money. The exchange will be arranged within the game but the money changes hands in real life. Now dealing outside the game is strictly prohibited by Blizzard but that hasn't stopped many people from taking part. Just so you can get an idea of much money is changing hands, if you wanted to buy 140,000g of virtual gold it would cost you $999.99!

Now given the massive popularity of WoW and the legions of hardcore PAYING subscribers it's hardly surprising the film studios have sat up and taken notice - especially considering the commercial successes of films like Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia which share many of the same fantasy elements. The Warcraft movie is very much still in the planning stages and given the slow progress many analysts are saying it probably won't get off the ground. It was originally supposed to be ready by 2009 but don't worry if you missed it because even now they don't know who's going to star in it!There are rumours though that since Spider-man 4 has been shelved, the director Sam Raimi has been brought in to help spearhead the project. Any details at the moment are pure speculation and hyperbole but it is said that the story will focus on the Alliance but not be quite as epic as Lord of the Rings. However, there is still plenty of real world material out there to satisfy the thirst of the hardcore gamers. A whole series of fictional books have been written about the Warcraft universe and cover all points in its history and take on the point of view of both the Horde and the Alliance. New heroes are introduced as well as villains. If the books are not enough there are even comics from Marvel, quarterly magazines and artwork inspired by Warcraft.

[selfishmachinez-archive]

Hey honey!! I hope you are doing okay but if you aren’t I’m sending you positive energy and hoping you feel better. So since I’m finally back I wanted to ask who your favorite youtubers are? because I saw you mentioned youtube rewind earlier, which I honestly thought was a big mess. Also if you could give me some song recs because I wanna know what you enjoy and to see what we have in common!! I also just wanna find new music and maybe find new youtubers to watch.❣️🖤

okay this is gonna be rlly long probably bc im gonna put everything into sections so im gonna do a cut thingy and also tag it as “long post” for those who dont wanna scroll thru it all sdgfhjkl

so for youtubers i watch a lot of them bc i dont watch normal tv nor do i have netflix/hulu.

gamers: markiplier, jacksepticeye, pewdiepie, crankgameplays, captainsparklez, cinnamontoastken, dan and phil games, cryaotic

commentators: pyrocynical, memeulous, imallexx, willne, anything4views, inabber, cody ko, adoseofbuckley, yoel rekts!, chris ray gun, h3h3productions

political/social issue/news commentators (time to get controversial): blaire white, hunter avallone, shoe0nhead, anthony brian logan, lauren southern, jaclyn glenn, ready to glare, philip defranco, rebel media, lauren chen, milo yiannopolous has a youtube channel but hes… a lot rn, stevencrowder

spooky guys nd gals: rob dyke, cayleigh elise, reignbot, mrcreepypasta, creepsmcpasta, theres more i just cant think of names

muas: james charles, jeffree star, glam & gore, madeyewlook, gabriel zamoa, nikkietutorials

education: vsauce, scishow, game theory, film theory, kati morton, psych2go, cg kid, asapscience

etc: rusty cage, idubbbz, filthy frank (rip), maxmoefoe, myah alanna, boyinaband, brandon rogers, hope for paws, colleen ballinger, miss london, kalvin garrah, st0rmryan, sam collins, trisha paytas, good mythical morning, the try guys, jacksfilms, josh peck, first we feast, kurtis conner, shane dawson, jenna marbles, roly, rosanna pansino, supercarlinbrothers, ryland adams, tana mongeau, eugenia cooney, gabbie hanna, joe santagato, drew monson, garrett watts

OKAY NOW FOR MUSIC and its only gonna get longer and worse from here. also different formatting. ur probably like “pls perish i regret sending this ask”. im gonna try to stick with 10 songs max for each genre and if you wanna skip this section all together my spotify is hatefuckz.

rap/hip-hop/anything else in this similar genre:

monz - real one (ft myah)

myah - throwin paper. all her other songs are amazing too

anything by lil peep !!

lil xan - far

rich brian - glow like dat

joji - bitterfuck

joji - pills

all of post malones stuff is rlly good

xxxtentacion is good depending on what ur into. if ur into like,, heavier rap check out his older stuff but if ur into more emotional tracks his newer stuff might interest u

emo shit:

falling in reverse - sink or swim

fall out boy - sugar were going down swinging

hawthorne heights - silver bullet

bring me the horizon - shadow moses

panic at the disco - lying is the most fun a girl can have

hawthrone heights - ohio is for lovers

everything by pierce the veil is amazing

fit for rivals - damage

country:

rascal flatts - life is a highway

carrie underwood - before he cheats

blake shelton - honey bee

miranda lambert - kerosene

laura bell bundy - giddy on up (giddy on out)

jake owen - barefoot blue jean night

jason aldean - my kinda party

trace adkins - honky tonk badonkadonk

metal (or just rlly hardcore stuff idk nobody come at me its 3am):

rings of saturn - natural selection

bring me the horizon - alligator blood

motionless in white - immaculate misconception 

white chapel - the saw is the law

attila - middle fingers up

attila - party with the devil

suicide silence - fuck everything

chelsea grin - playing with fire

slipknot - disasterpiece

acoustic punk:

mischief brew - gimme coffee, or death

human kitten - i dont want to be sad

sledding with tigers - that one limp bizkit song

neck deep - december

a day to remember - if it means a lot to you

ajj - brave as a noun. also all their other stuff

literally everything by crywank

just nick - cliche filler punk song

one night stand in north dakota - suicide is painful

panuccis pizza - i killed arbor day for you

if you want any specific genres or anything just send another ask nd ill gladly give u more stuff

also obviously i listen to nd adore 1d nd some other artists i forgot to add. flatsound being another.

[loadmaple347]

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Pick a war any war, and you can pretty much guarantee that it has been done to death on PC already. Well, OK then, the number of games featuring the Tet Offensive or Rorke’s Drift have been pretty thin on the ground, and despite the potential carnage, Passchendaele hasn’t seen much in the way of in-game footage, but generally, wherever there is war, us PC gamers are willing to fight. Just so long as the odds are stacked heavily in our favour.

Commodore 64 Crack: Alien Storm 1581 by Master. About this site: CSDb (Commodore 64 Scene Database) is a website which goal is to gather as much information and material about the scene around the commodore 64 computer - the worlds most popular home computer throughout time. The titles include: Shadow Dancer, Space Harrier, Cyber Police ESWAT, Congo Bongo, Alien Storm, Crack Down and Bonanza Bros. These SEGA titles will be added to the growing list officially licensed games that will be available in the iiRcade game store at launch, with plans for more games to be added both before and after launch. Exciting games on iiRcade iiRcade Store Launching Soon. Over 200+ Games Available at Launch iiRcade DEMO - Quick Sample of Some Games That You Can Play on iiRcade Backed by major gaming studios to indie developers, our collection of games is expanding fast. The final batch of games for Sega's upcoming Astro City Mini console have just been revealed in a livestream, taking the total number of known games up to 36.It was also revealed that the system.

So it’s a little strange when you consider that the Gulf War has taken so long to reach our monitors. If there is one thing you can guarantee in a war action game it’s a high ratio body count and they don’t come any higher than the six week Desert Storm operation - according to 'official’ figures Iraqi forces managed to kill about 150 of the Coalition forces, with a few more notched up by the US. However, according to US Central Command, 100,000 Iraqi soldiers were killed, while close to half a million others were either wounded, taken prisoner or were courting execution for desertion. Shocking figures indeed, but no more impressive than your typical PC game. Serious Sam can take out 100,000 screaming headless zombies in the time it takes George Bush Sr to call his boy and say: 'You go get ’em, son.'

Hot Potato

Of course, the main reason we haven’t had a Gulf War action game until now is because it was and still remains a contentious war, one that whether it was necessary or not, certainly gave EastEnders a battle in the ratings war. Still, wars are soon forgotten, and when Conflict: Desert Storm was conceived (the game, not the TV show), the world’s peacekeeping armies had moved through Somalia, the Balkans and East Timor. The time seemed right. Then came September 11, Operation Enduring Freedom, and George Bush’s thinly veiled desire to finish what his father had started in Iraq.

Consequently, Conflict: Desert Storm has become something of an interactive hot potato. Publisher SCi is of course no stranger to controversy after three Carmageddon titles, although they’re at pains to express the game has 'nothing to do whatsoever with September 11 or the war in Afghanistan'.

Friendly Fire

The game we are concerned with today is far less controversial than you might I imagine, considering current events.

As with most PC games it offers a S more sanitised version of history based loosely on actual operations. Those of you expecting the Cold War realism of Operation Flashpoint may be a little disappointed. Desert Storm is an action game through and through, one that measures health out of a hundred, where you play the good guys, kill the bad guys and get to run across lots of sand. Burning oil fields, friendly fire, Gulf War Syndrome and NBC suits are all off the menu.

'It’s a game not a simulation,' says Jim Bambra, MD of Pivotal Games. 'We’ve drawn extensively on events in the Gulf War, but we’re not creating a soldier sim. Instead, we've gone for a fun-based game that allows you to take a few hits before being knocked out.'Certainly the PC could do with some light relief. Action games with a contemporary setting have exclusively been aimed more towards the hardcore, while the more arcade-like Delta Force series hasn’t delivered all it could have done. I for one am relieved, although since we saw more of Kate Adie than anyone else on the battlefield, it will be strange reliving the conflict without reporters bringing up the rear.

'Actually, during the Kuwait City mission a news helicopter buzzes you,' says Jim. 'You can see the cameraman filming you as you fight your way across the highway. Later, at the end of the game, the media are interviewing one of the characters you’ve rescued earlier on in the game.'

Sure enough, as I played through beta code a couple of days later, a helicopter flew over my squad. Needless to say they never filed their next report. You can’t have nosy media types exposing the cream of Britain’s fighting few, after all.

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Yes, you read that right; Britain’s fighting few. In what is something of a first, certainly in living memory, Desert Storm allows you to play either as Delta Force or the SAS. Of course the game isn’t much different whichever nationality you choose to control, but having led hundreds of virtual American soldiers to their doom, it makes a refreshing change to be able to do the same to your own countrymen.

'The most obvious difference is the character uniforms and voices,' adds Jim, 'but each set of characters has different levels of specialist skills. All the SAS guys have one skill level as a medic, while only one of the Delta Force characters has medic skill, but he starts at level 3.'It would be interesting to see how Delta Force and the SAS would square up to each other in the game, but in reality, the way the skills have been handed out to the troops is pretty realistic. For example the SAS are very adept at everything; each soldier is familiar with most weapons and can patch up a wounded colleague. US special forces on the other hand are much more specialised to the point where a medic wouldn’t only be able to perform minor surgery, he could offer counselling as well.

'We’ve used Cameron Spence as our military adviser,' adds Jim. 'Cameron is the author of Sabre Squadron and an exSAS trooper who fought behind enemy lines in the Gulf War. It’s been great having him on the team as he has first-hand knowledge of the weapons, tactics, and the environment in which the game is based.'Well that’s alright then.

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Setting the game behind enemy lines makes a lot of sense, especially since the actual ground war in the desert only lasted a couple of days. By the time the tanks rolled across the Saudi border, the job of the special forces was all but done. For them the conflict lasted for weeks rather than hours and was rather more taxing than taking thousands of prisoners.

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'The mission objectives are varied,' says Jim. 'From blowing up bridges, rescuing prisoners of war from Baghdad, escorting the Emir of Kuwait to safety, all the way up to full-blown military attacks on enemy positions. In 'Cavalry Charge’ you have to take out mobile anti-aircraft defences and then call in the A10 Tankbusters to take out the emplaced enemy armour. Plus, we have classic Scud hunting missions, and wetop it all off with a deep insertion into Iraq to take out a high-ranking Iraqi general in his heavily guarded fortress.' To help you in your mission of course are the members of your highly-trained squad. Up to four soldiers will be in action at any one time and like Red Storm’s recent Ghost Recon, switching between your troops and issuing commands on the fly is a thankfully simple affair.

'The order system is very elegant,' says Jim. 'It’s all done in the game world with no recourse to planning maps or complex in-game editors. You can tell the other men to follow you, go to any position you can see in the game world, get them to crouch, crawl, fire at will or set up ambushes.'

'Each character complements the others,' he adds. 'Success depends on using the characters as a team with the sniper and heavy weapons guys being used to cover the others as they advance. Once the front guys are in position, the heavy weapons and sniper guy can be quickly called up or moved into new positions using the order system.'

A Real Hummer

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It wouldn’t be much of a game without an array of real-world weaponry, most of which we’re all well acquainted with through Counter-Strike and other games and mods; M16 with M203 grenade launcher, Barrett Light 50, M60, AK-47, MP5 - the lot. Moreover there are mines, grenades, mounted machine guns, Stinger missiles and the option to call in artillery or air strikes. Best of all your specialists can hop into Humvees and M2 APCs and drive around. Of course the Iraqis have hardware of their own, so racing through the desert isn’t something you do too often.

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While the version of the game we played had very impressive team Al, that of the enemy was rather static. They throw grenades, run from yours and even try to outflank you, but finding cover seems something of a problem. Of course we have a few months to go until release, by which time we will have played the multiplayer side of things (you can join up as Russian Spetsnaz or Iraqi Republican Guard). Maybe Pivotal will even sneak in a Sadam Vs Bush minigame. Controversial certainly, but it would be fun.

Desert Siege

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While there is a place for a game like Desert Storm, its biggest problem is its release so soon after the Ghost Recon add-on Desert Siege. Despite being set in near-future East Africa, Desert Siege is a fantastic expansion to a great game. Desert Storm itself shares many similarities with Ghost Recon' the four-man squad, the environment and the realtime tactics. Desert Storm certainly has its work cut out and worryingly Pivotal doesn’t seem to have played it. Leaving aside Ghost Recon, there are many other realistic shooters out there or on the way -Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Raven Shield are two that spring to mind -prompting us to fear that Desert Storm may be a game too far.

'If shooters don’t evolve, then yes, PC gamers will get sick of them,' says Jim. 'But Conflict: Desert Storm is primarily a third-person game, not a first-person shooter. This makes it play very differently from other FPSs. It’s also very tactical with each of the characters performing a different role, and to succeed, you have to use the characters as a team. With Conflict: Desert Storm we’re offering something very different.'

Whether it’ll be different enough, we’ll have to wait and see. One thing’s for sure, with so many realistic teambased games setting themselves in fictional conflicts, the fact that Desert Storm has a very real setting will be a big draw. For me, until we get to go over the top and across the bog of the Somme, the desert will do just fine.

How Real Is Conflict Desert Storm?

Just how real is Conflict: Desert Storm compared to the real war in the desert? Well it’s certainly the case that we’d rather play Desert Storm than have been in Desert Storm. While in the game you have to worry about being shot in the face by an Iraqi bullet, in reality, as a Brit, you had a greater chance of being shot in the back by an American one. Then of course there was the extreme heat, the dust and lack of water. The only extremes you face in front of a PC are tiredness, obesity and incontinence. Just be glad Conflict: Desert Storm is a game. If you want the real experience, put on a gimp suit, turn up the central heating, set your PC in front of a treadmill and gaffer tape mobile phones to your ears to simulate the effect of being in constant contact with depleted uranium. If you don’t expire with ten minutes, you surely will within ten years.

Alien Storm Crack Download

reggie posted a review

[aurimeanswind]

Your E3 Predictions!—Sunday Chats—6/3/18

I’m very excited about this week’s Sunday Chats because it’s all about E3 predictions! This time next week, we’ll BE INSIDE E3! I’ll have seen Microsoft/EA/and Bethesda’s pressers come the next Sunday Chats, and I’ll be writing about them, probably! I may or may not do a Sunday Chats, but we’ll see!

To catch folks up, this week has been a full-force build up to E3 for me. A new Episode of Get Acquainted posted, with my friend Brandon Gann, who is just an incredibly wonderful and amazing loquacious individual, and we spend two plus hours talking E3! We had a ton of predictions and great conversations around all of them! You should give it a listen!

http://irrationalpassions.com/brandon-gann-e3-predictions-get-acquainted/

On this week’s Irrational Passions Podcast we had my other good friend Logan Moore on to make some E3 BETS! Nabeshin was kind enough to put together 25 amazing bets for us and a ton of lightening round bets on top of that, and it was super fun. You can watch the video version of that WITH bonus content right now, and the fully edited version will post on Tuesday.

So it’s all about E3, but before we get to that, a little personal update.

Personal Update for June

So any one close to me will no that the last week of my life has been exceptionally difficult. Some folks close to me, both physically and emotionally have been making decisions that have been pretty toxic, I can’t lie. It’s led to a pretty unhealthy living situation that I’d rather not get into, and whether things blow over, get worse, I’m not sure. I obviously don’t want to spill any personal juice here, but anyone who has seen me out here tweeting like the dramatic boi I am on the inside about how I need some good vibes, that’s a general overview of the situation, if you were concerned.

I’m thankful for all my close friends out there texting me, checking on me, and making sure I am doing okay, even if I’m not. It is upsetting that this just so happens to coincide with the busiest time of the year in video games, so if this bleeds over into our content over on Irrational Passions I apologize. Sometimes its a bit unavoidable.

Anyway, I appreciate you all taking the time to interact and be a part of my silly Selfie Saturdays or Sunday Chats, it means the world. I’ve been working hard with the team @ Irrational Passions to make some really fun stuff, including a new show that acts as a spiritual successor to our roundtables from 2017 Game of the Year talks.

That’s all we need to dwell on in regards to the bummer business, let’s get to games!

What’s on Tap

Moonlighter

So I just started this tonight and I have to say: right away I just love it.

The idea is you live in a small town that neighbors these ancient ruins that lead to these very dangerous dungeons, and once upon a time travelers and adventurers used to come here to explore those dungeons, and merchants would sell supplies and goodies to gear them up for those journeys. Eventually it grew too dangerous, but you are someone who Moonlights as an adventurer and runs a shop on the front end.

You dive into these dungeons and get awesome treasure and loot and goodies to then sell in your shop to expand your shop, get better weapons and armor, and continue deeper into the dungeons. It’s an amazing idea, and it’s executed on so well.

The game sustains such a great and rewarding loop, and it’s also got tons of charm and amazingly well executed on pixel art.

On top of that the UI is also just very good? It’s super slick and smooth. 

I’m only a couple hours in but I just adore it. Mike Burgess, producer at IP, did a video review on it that I saw the first cut of today and it’s actually what sold me on it. See it soon!

Detroit Become Human

I’ve already said so much about this game I’m exhausted. I love this game.

It has so many issues and in spite of all that, I genuinely adored my time with Detroit.

Our roundtable discussion was about this very game, so look for it soon.

Dark Souls Remastered

This game is still so good. I think I may like it even more than Dark Souls 3, a game I picked up just very briefly a few weeks ago.

I’ve now got the power to fast travel and am just warping around and exploring again. I even dipped my toe into the DLC area which I have never seen before. 

It’s excellent, and seeing it run smooth has been super rewarding for me, a longtime fan of the title.

Your E3 Predictions

Let’s get to it! This week, something I haven’t done in a bit, I asked you for your boldest E3 predictions, and while some of you gave me a good joke, a lot of you came back at me with some great predictions!

Let’s get into it!

Remember to look for my tweet on Sunday afternoons/evenings with #SundayChats in it and respond to it with your reply to be a part of Sunday Chats!

Now listen, I know this was clearly written as a joke Sam, but I think that this announcement is coming, just not here. It’s a PSX announcement, if ANY, because that’s the only place it can be really gernally accepted as an “announcement”. It’d get a big riot of an applause.

I’d love this. I think they have such a “robust” (#branding) library of handheld games that it’d make too much sense to carry them over to their now partially handheld big console.

Will it happen? Well, I mean Nintendo has said no virtual console on Switch. But they’ve changed their mind, even if it has been rare, in the past before. While it could happen down the line, this up coming direct is about 2017, so I don’t think we’ll see it there.

Nah John.

You need to stop.

But... Well

I mean maybe?

MAYBE.

Maybe?

Finally. Some announcements we, as “hardcore gamers” care about.

Some cars

Fuckin.

On stage.

The cars have sex.

And birth a motorcycle.

I love this Peter. I mean, for some reason I guess folks think that Emma Stone will be the female actress pulled into Death Stranding, and I think there will likely be a big female reveal at some point, I don’t know why everyone thinks it’ll be Emma Stone? I bet there is a good reason out there, I just don’t know. I’m not complaining, Emma Stone is great.

I am definitely with you on the “deep dive”, though I don't think there will be a long explanation of things, just a nice gameplay demo. My theory I posited on Get Acquainted was like an 8 minute trailer that leads into about four minutes of gameplay at the end, but it’s just enough cinematic that we’re convinced there will be no gameplay, and then BOOM. There is.

I could see them saying 2019 at the end too, though I doubt they’ll hit it.

YOU DONT BRANDON GOODBYE.

Nah of course. 

We talked about this on our show, obvs, everyone please go listen to it, but NO FINAL FANTASY 7. IT WONT HAPPEN. Square Enix needs to figure that shit out, and so they’ll come back to it when it, and more importantly, THEY’RE ready to.

Here’s hoping for some dope Xbox Avatars.

I mean, it’s gotta be the time, right? I need to know what this Resident Evil 2 Remake looks like. I know the director was out there talking about it not terribly too long ago, and it just feels like ages since we heard about it. With Capcom announcing RE7 and then releasing it 6 months later, on top of Monster Hunter World’s recent success, they are on a great path! Time to continue it!

As for DMC 5 I mean everyone seems convinced it’s coming and I just don’t care.

I love the Rocksteady prediction, because they’ve been cooking that bad boy for a good long while. I hope it’s Superman because I have supreme faith they’ll knock it out of the park. Maybe even an origin story? I’d love to see Rocksteady do one of those.

And I do, also, believe that Shadows Die Twice is Tenchu.

Dishonored getting a reboot I just don’t see happening. I think it’s time Arkane moves onto some new IP. Something that is hopefully a bit more eye-catchy so they get get back into a popular circle, then maybe spend a few years making iterations of that. Maybe in a few years past that they can return to Dunwall and take another crack at Dishonored.

Doom 2 can be wherever the hell it wants and I am HERE for it. But judging by the sounds of things that may not be at this E3, and that’s okay. It makes me sad, but it’s okay.

Man. I fucking wish.

Them or Bioware. I’d love to have just an original story told at Hogwarts where you create your character and go through 7 years at the school and it’s great and it has dialogue wheels and it’s great. Feed me Bioware.

It’d never happen tho.

This would be very cool. I feel like this Star Fox Grand Prix rumor is too big to ignore, but it’s still a little far fetched. I wonder how they’d sell it, if it is real.

Honestly, not that far out there. Kingdom Hearts don’t give a fuck about Red Dead.

Here is my thing, I just don’t think an ARMs character will make it into the Smash roster because no one cares about ARMs and I don’t think they’d be crazy interesting. Who would it be? Twintelle? I mean she is super cool, but who knows!

THey’d make great assist trophies, and I know that’s a slight but I’m sorry.

PUT GENO IN.

Anyway, if they put Banjo and Kazooie in I’d literally start crying right then and there, and it may happen, who knows, but I would. I’d cry.

I think there could be a direct apology. It depends. I think within 15 minutes or so we will know if EA has changed their tone or not. Hell, within 2 minutes we’ll know. If they want to actually be well regarded, they need to start making big moves, and right now, they’re not. Period. Come out and own up to what you’ve done wrong, or GTFO. They need to make up ground on the PR front, even if they’re still making money hand over fist. 

I’m sorry times are tough Silver, but know that I’m sending good vibes your way!

I wonder if Microsoft would make such a bold move. Regardless, it’s a great bold prediction. I hope that they are gonna give it some more time, and let this generation cook a little more. I’m digging my Xbox One X, and them implying a replacement is coming next year or so would bum me out.

Finally. The battle Royale Battle Royale we’ve all been waiting for. 

And as the dust settles, there’s sha’boi Griffin. Standing on top. Winner of them all.

And let’s not front: I’d kill to listen to Donald Glover sing Parappa songs.

Thank you all so much for your predictions! I’ve had a ton out there all week, and the Get Acquainted Episode I think has them out there in the best way. Go check them out! Either way, I’m so excited for E3, not necessarily to see if my predictions came true, but just for the hype of it all and my inevitable editorial after its all said and done about my thoughts and feelings coming out of it.

So. Big Sunday Chats update. I may be making a BIG CHANGE to Sunday Chats in the coming weeks. There is some ironing out I need to figure out personally, but I just wanted to give you faithful readers a little heads up. This could be something that becomes a proper part of IrrationalPassions.com, and for that, I’m very excited. The biggest thing is it may mean I start soliciting questions on Saturday! Stay tuned for my twitter for that.

It wouldn’t be a big change for you all, so don’t stress about it too much, but I wanted to seed it out there.

I love you all and your support, especially in these dark dog days of summer I am in. Thank you for the perpetual good vibes. 

I hope you all are here for the E3 hype, but if not, that’s okay. Regardless, thank you for reading, and

keep it real.

(the Naruto kick not only continues, but never ends.)

[aion-rsa]

25 Best Games of the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch Generation

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

It may be harder to name a defining feature of the eighth generation of consoles than in previous generations. You could argue that this is the 4K generation, as it was the first to boost visuals to that resolution, but that feature only popped up midway through the generation in enhanced versions of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Even now many current-gen releases don’t support 4K just yet.

This generation could also be remembered as the one where a reliable, high-speed internet connection became more important than ever, not only for innovative new experiments with online connectivity and the burgeoning battle royal genre, but just to download the hefty updates most AAA games require today. Still, some of the best games of the last few years have been single-player only affairs.

Perhaps this is the console generation that embraced the idea that gamers should be able to play what they want, how they want. Whether you wanted to play a big-budget new release in glorious 4K on the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro, or relax with an on-the-go port of an old favorite for the Nintendo Switch, these consoles had your back. Best of all, cross-platform play, cloud gaming, and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass made it easier than ever to play some of the most popular games on the device of your choosing.

Regardless of how we ultimately remember this generation, one thing is for sure: there have been plenty of great games across the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. As we look forward to the impending launches of the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, these are the very best games we played on the current generation of consoles…

25. Fortnite

2017 | Epic Games

It’s no secret that there are still plenty of legitimate criticisms lodged at Fortnite, even three years after its release. New updates often leave it feeling incredibly unbalanced, it unapologetically targets its core audience of young gamers with microtransactions, and it really sucks when those kids handily beat you in solos and start screaming into their microphones. But Epic deserves a lot of credit for popularizing many of the staples of the once-niche battle royal genre, from parachuting unarmed into a remote island to the closing circle pushing players toward each other. In the years since its release, those ideas have been co-opted into everything from platformers to racing games.

Yes, PUBG came first, but the hardcore nature of Fortnite‘s predecessor turned off more casual players. With its bright, inviting graphics and forgiving gunplay, Fortnite made the battle royal accessible to the masses, while also spearheading the genre’s push to mobile devices and adoption of cross-platform play in an effort to get the game in as many hands as possible. Fortnite isn’t for everyone, but even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s hard to escape the profound influence that Fortnite has had on this generation of gaming. 

24. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 

2019 | FromSoftware

Many gamers rank Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as not just one of the best games of this generation but among the greatest action games of all time. This is a deeply rewarding game that emphasizes intricate, precise combat and meticulously planned stealth, while also boasting a faster pace than its classic FromSoftware predecessors. With its mix of historical and fantastical elements, Sekiro is the shinobi game that many players have spent years fantasizing about. 

Sekiro’s biggest flaw is what others will say is its greatest strength: mercilessly unforgiving difficulty. FromSoftware’s previous titles were difficult, but Sekiro can be a downright masochistic experience, demanding not just skill, but absolute perfection to defeat its bosses. If you’re not perfect, you will die. A lot. Some gamers welcome that kind of challenge, but for the more easily frustrated among us, there are plenty of other games that offer just as much enjoyment with a lot less frustration. Still, you can’t deny this game its place as one of FromSoftware’s very best.

23. Inside

2016 | Playdead

Inside is a master class in minimalism. The visuals are simple and monochrome. Sound and music are used sparingly. And the story is largely open to interpretation. But all of that is used expertly as way to entice the player fill in the gaps and project their own beliefs into the experience. Does the Boy you control have free will or is he under the control of some other force? Do you even have the control over him that you think you do?

For most of its brief runtime, Inside plays like a fairly traditional puzzle platformer but then the last half hour or so turns into something very, very different. If you haven’t experienced it yet, we won’t spoil it here, but it’s well worth taking the time to play before moving on to the next generation of consoles.

22. Persona 5 Royal 

2020 | Atlus

Many of us would have liked high school better if it had been more like Persona 5. Atlus has been working on this high school-set RPG saga for years and Persona 5 might be its masterpiece. The game doubles as both an incredibly well-written day-in-the-life simulation of the life of a student — with all of the social interactions, stresses, and crushes that go with it — and an intense dungeon crawler to rival the best in the genre. There’s a lot to do in Persona 5, but the story and gameplay are so engrossing that even the 100 hours it takes to complete the game feel like they fly by.

Even the original 2017 release of Persona 5 would have made this list, but the addition of a new playable character, new palace, and a third semester make Persona 5 Royal the definitive version of the game to pick up if you’re digging into it for the first time.

21. Death Stranding

2019 | Kojima Productions

When Death Stranding was first announced in 2016, there were a lot of questions about what exactly it was about. A year after release, it’s still hard to fully explain a plot that intertwines magic babies, whale ghosts, strategic urination, a complete misunderstanding of how the federal government works, and the potential extinction of mankind. Also, Conan O’Brien shows up and everyone drinks Monster Energy for some reason.

There’s a lot going on here, but Hideo Kojima’s overly-complex storytelling is ultimately much less important than the point he’s trying to make: though technology is making us drift apart, and we might feel lonely and separated from each other at time, we are all inextricably connected and stronger when we realize it. And Kojima does a fantastic job of making players feel the weight of Sam’s mission to connect with others across the game’s beautiful and haunting environments.

Death Stranding’s story of a porter who keeps America together by delivering packages to people stuck in their homes due to an invisible danger overtaking the outside world seemed rather silly when it was released, but the Covid-19 pandemic quickly made the game feel much more poignant. You might not get what’s happening from one moment to the next but it’s clear that Kojima’s latest is a prescient work of art.

20. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey 

2018 | Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey really doesn’t care about the Assassin’s Creed franchise. In fact, you don’t even play as an actual assassin once you enter the animus and select to play as either the male or female protagonist. There are no Templars to fight, no creed to follow, and not even a hidden blade. Instead, Odyssey lunges head first into its Ancient Greece setting to just tell the best (mostly) self-contained story possible. There are kings to topple, famous battles to fight, legendary philosophers to argue with, and even a few mythical creatures to discover late into the game.

If Odyssey has one flaw, it’s that it’s too big. Even after 80 hours, it’s unlikely that you’ll have seen everything that the game has to offer or unlocked all of the upgrades for your character and their ship. But for such a lengthy game, Odyssey remains surprisingly enjoyable dozens of hours in, which just speaks to the strength of its gameplay systems.

19. Rocket League

2015 | Psyonix

“Soccer, but with vehicles,” is such a simple but brilliant concept that it’s amazing that it didn’t catch on sooner. Of course, any idea is only as good as its execution, which is why Rocket League has been so successful, especially when compared to its little-known predecessor, the 2008 PS3-exclusive Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars.

But Rocket League hasn’t achieved greater popularity just because it has a better name. The secret to its success is in the physics. The way that the cars and trucks move and boost and fly through the air to hit the giant soccer ball just feels like the perfect mix of skill and luck..

The version of the game that Psyonix put out in 2015 was great before any changes, but the constant flow of updates, including new cosmetics, skins, arenas, and game modes solidify Rocket League’s place among the best games of the generation. At this rate, there’s a very good chance that we’ll still be playing it years from now, even when the successors to the PS5 and XSX come around. 

18. Undertale 

2015 | Toby Fox

Undertale is proof that groundbreaking 3D graphics and a huge team of developers aren’t necessary to create a classic title in the modern gaming landscape. Developed almost entirely by one man over the course of 32 months, the beauty of Undertale is in its simplicity, the clear inspiration it takes from so many classic games of the 16-bit era, and the way it turns so many of those retro conventions on their heads.

Undertale might look like a typical old-school RPG at first, but once you dig into it, the fantastic writing and turn-based/bullet hell hybrid battle system reveal a much more innovative game. Undertale is proof that the indie game development scene is still alive and well. 

17. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 

2020 | Nintendo

Playing AAA games can sometimes be stressful: tough new enemies around every corner, the constant threat of death or failure, the burden of resource management, mind bending puzzles, and unending list of quests and collectibles to find. But Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn’t like those games. New Horizons is about chilling on your own personal island with friends, living life at your own pace, and creating your own little slice of paradise. Go fishing, collect fruit, redecorate your house, or just ignore all of those things and talk with your friends. It sounds really boring to a lot of people who have never experienced the magic of an Animal Crossing game, but it’s hard to deny how incredibly cathartic the experience is after just a few minutes.

Part of New Horizons appeal can be attributed to the timing of its release. The game came out just as Covid-19 lockdowns were being instituted across the globe, and it gave us all a nice, pleasant distraction from the chaos of the outside world. But even without the pandemic, it’s impossible to deny just how relaxing New Horizons is as a sort of anti-game free from the stresses caused by so many other games.

16. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 

2015 | Kojima Productions

Even before his high-profile departure from Konam in 2015, Kojima warned us for years that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain would be his last installment in the series. After his contentious exit, it seems that he has truly closed the door on the series, but at least he went out on top in his final adventure with Snake. Sure, the storyline is as convoluted as ever, but The Phantom Pain is easily the best Metal Gear Solid from a gameplay perspective.

After years of required linear stealth gameplay, The Phantom Pain opened up the world and gave Snake way more tools and options that ever before, making a full-on assault just as viable a plan as sneaking around. Sure, other games took similar approaches years before The Phantom Pain’s release, but the trademark Kojima quirkiness, including equipment like Snake’s customizable prosthetic arm and the ability to recruit goats to your home base via giant balloon, puts it a step above the titles that influenced it.

15. Doom 

2016 | id Software

It’s difficult to innovate in a genre as well-worn as first-person shooters, but with Doom, id proved that there’s still new ground to cover. The genius of Doom is its incorporation of risk-reward gameplay to encourage a faster, more aggressive style of play. If you hide behind cover, don’t move much, and play more conservatively, the hordes of hell are going to tear you to pieces. You need to constantly jump into the fray and go for glory kills to gain more health if you want to progress and live to fight another day. Add in superb level and creature design and you have the recipe for what’s easily the best first-person shooter of this generation.

And yes, the sequel Doom Eternal is quite good as well, but the gameplay additions never click quite as well as in its predecessor, and the additional platforming sections feel out of place. Doom 2016 remains the undisputed king of fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat running and gunning. 

14. Bloodborne

2015 | FromSoftware

What if the best Dark Souls game isn’t technically a Souls game at all? Yes, Bloodborne is built on the foundation of that classic series, but by tweaking the combat to focus more on offense than a carefully timed defense, Bloodborne is a faster, and frankly, more enjoyable game. Plus, the Gothic, Lovecraft-inspired world is just a lot cooler than Dark Souls’ fantasy setting. And while all of FromSoftware’s Souls titles have garnered a hardcore fanbase that continues to play these games years after release, Bloodborne’s randomly generated Chalice Dungeons gives it a staying power that few other RPGs and even the Dark Souls trilogy can compete with.

Rumors of a Bloodborne sequel have swirled online basically since the game’s release. Given its overwhelmingly positive reception, its curious that Sony (which owns the IP) hasn’t officially commissioned a sequel yet, but maybe the release of the PS5 will be just the motivator the publisher needs to make another Bloodborne game.

13. Overwatch

2016 | Blizzard Entertainment

Of all the games released this generation, Overwatch may have inspired the most imitators, but more than four years after release, still nothing comes close in terms of quality or popularity. Part of that success is thanks to developer Blizzard, which has spent years perfecting multiplayer modes and has put in the work to keep Overwatch fresh with everything from minor balance tweaks to new characters, maps, and modes.

But another part of Overwatch’s appeal is its accessibility. If you’ve barely played a shooter, you can hop into a game with a hero like Soldier 76 who plays like a traditional FPS character and have a ton of fun. Or, you can put the time in to master a more complicated melee hero like Doomfist for a much more unique experience. Prefer more of a supporting role? Heal and revive your teammates just in the nick of time to turn the tide of battle as fan-favorite Mercy. The ways to play in Overwatch are essentially endless, easily making it the best multiplayer experience of the generation. 

12. Marvel’s Spider-Man

2018 | Insomniac Games

There have been plenty of Spider-Man games over the years, but few developers have nailed the superhero and his world as well as Insomniac. This isn’t the first game to let you swing freely around New York City as Spider-Man, but it may be the best designed, thanks to the intuitive controls and brilliant map design that encourages and facilitates high-flying maneuvers. And the combo-based combat system makes each fight a joy right up until the credits roll.

But what really makes Marvel’s Spider-Man great is that it never forgets the man behind the mask. Like the best Spider-Man comics and movies, Insomniac’s game smartly weaves between the struggles of Peter Parker’s daily life and his duties as a hero to create one of the best Spider-Man stories ever, regardless of the medium.

11. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

2016 | Naughty Dog

To be fair, we didn’t really need another Uncharted game. The trilogy was tied up neatly on the PS3. But Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is certainly a welcome finale to Nathan Drake’s story and arguably the best of the series. For one thing, it’s absolutely gorgeous and still has some of the best graphics of the generation, even though it was released midway through. Uncharted 4 isn’t an open world game, but its levels are so large that it might as well be. And with locations that span the entire globe, it’s impressive just how much detail Naughty Dog was able to include in each level.

But A Thief’s End is also one the best told video game stories of the last few years, featuring both the big, explosive set pieces that we’ve come to expect from the series, as well as quieter, more introspective moments that tie the story together. This was a proper send-off for this all-time great action-adventure franchise.

10. Nier: Automata

2017 | PlatinumGames

After abought eight hours of hacking and slashing through hundreds of robotic enemies in Nier: Automata’s post-apocalyptic setting, you’ll reach the ending. But it’s just the first of several endings you’ll encounter, as you tumble deeper down this rabbit hole. Dozens of hours of gameplay await you after that. And right up until the end, Nier: Automata will keep surprising you, not just with its somewhat convoluted plot, but by constantly throwing new styles of gameplay at you. Sometimes it’s more of a shooter. Other times, it’s a brawler. There are even a few text adventure segments.

Then there’s the sprawling chorus-filled soundtrack, which is among the best of the generation. It’s the type of music you’ll be listening to long after you beat the game. Well, beat it for real. 

9. Outer Wilds 

2019 | Mobius Digital

Outer Wilds is perhaps the most unique and innovative game of this generation. You play as an unnamed alien astronaut preparing to launch a decrepit spaceship into your solar system 22 minutes before the sun goes supernova. Your goal is to explore the different planets, solve puzzles, and figure out just why the solar system keeps exploding every 22 minutes, only for you to end up right back where you started in a sort of Groundhog Day-style time loop.

Outer Wilds emphasizes discovery above all else, enticing you to explore every last corner of its unique environments. The new worlds and the game’s surprising storyline will keep you entertained until the very end(s). 

8. Horizon Zero Dawn 

2017 | Guerilla Games

So much of Horizon Zero Dawn‘s gameplay is obviously inspired by other titles, but it emulates those games so well and its setting is so strong that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. At its core, Horizon Zero Dawn is an open-world sandbox with combat and missions similar to other titles in the genre like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Far Cry. But what separates it from the pack is its post-post-apocalyptic setting.

Horizon Zero Dawn takes place in a world so far in the future that it resembles the prehistoric past, except the towering monstrosities that dot its landscape are made of metal and circuits instead of flesh and blood. You might have tracked a beast through the wilderness using nothing but a bow and arrow in other games, but only Horizon Zero Dawn will let you use shock arrows to take down a giant robot dinosaur. 

7. The Last of Us Part II

2020 | Naughty Dog

While its predecessor was one of the most widely acclaimed games of the previous generation, The Last of Us Part II has the distinction of being one of the more divisive games of this generation. That mostly comes down to the story. The Last of Us Part II is a hard game to get through, not so much because of its difficulty, but because of the emotions it invokes. This is a lonely, brutal, and tragic game, and it leaves Ellie changed in ways that turned off many hardcore fans of the original. The Last of Us Part II pulls no punches in how it handles some difficult issues.

With so many sequels going the iterative route, The Last of Us Part II’s bold narrative choices are a breath of fresh air. Making Ellie a more nimble character who can jump, swing, and avoid combat also added some interesting twists to the strong gameplay foundation that was laid down in the original. The Last of Us Part II may not quite surpass the first game, but it stands out as a prime example of a fantastic and daring sequel.

6. Super Mario Odyssey

2017 | Nintendo

The gaming landscape today is nearly unrecognizable from what it was like in the ‘80s, and yet after all that time, Nintendo’s plucky Italian plumber still stands tall as one of the biggest stars in the industry. Super Mario Odyssey is impressive for the way it embraces the entire history of Mario, with fun throwbacks to his original adventures on the NES and the timeless platforming mechanics from his first forays into 3D, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. It says a lot about the quality of those games that the basic gameplay fundamentals still hold up so well.

But then Super Mario Odyssey improves on those ideas with the addition of Cappy, Mario’s new sentient hat who he can use to take control of other characters and objects in the environment. This mechanic leads to some of Odyssey’s very best moments. And while it’s debatable whether Odyssey is the very best of Mario’s many outstanding adventures, it’s a testament to his staying power that after all these years, we’re still talking about him.

5. Control  

2019 | Remedy Entertainment

Even if you’re not typically a completionist, Control will get you searching every last nook and cranny of the constantly-shifting The Oldest House for files detailing the paranormal phenomena investigated by the Bureau of Control. It’s not that these collectibles unlock anything that great or that they have a ton of achievement points attached to them, it’s just that the writing is that good. Control expertly weaves so many threads about the occult, paranormal, and government conspiracies that you’ll just want to keep learning more about the world as you take down the monsters.

While Control seems to be a fairly typical third-person shooter at first, it quickly opens itself up to reveal a whole host of psychokinetic powers that make each combat encounter feel unique. With all your combat powers unlocked, it’s a real thrill to launch debris at a group of Hiss or turn them against each other with mind control.

Control is constantly surprising, unapologetically weird in the best possible ways, and always fun to play. While it may not have received as much mainstream attention as many of the other games on this list, it is absolutely worth checking out now, especially with a confirmed next-gen upgrade on the way.

4. Red Dead Redemption II

2018 | Rockstar Games

Red Dead Redemption II is the pinnacle of what this console generation is capable of in terms of game design, and a prime example of what some of the best developers in the world can do when given near limitless time and money to complete their vision. Arthur Morgan’s journey of redemption in the final days of the Wild West is told with the skill of an Oscar-worthy film. And much of that comes down to the details. Everything, from the dust covered trails to the signs you encounter in the game’s lively towns, is artfully constructed to give this land a special, lived-in feel.

For a massive game that demands 50 hours of play just to complete the main story, there’s remarkably little repetition from mission-to-mission. Red Dead Redemption II evokes a living, breathing place and in a way few other games have. It’s likely as close to Westworld as any of us will see in our lifetime.

Red Dead Redemption II isn’t perfect, of course. The increased focus on realism, requiring things like dressing properly for inclement weather and keeping your horse fed and groomed, annoyed some players. And for all of the successes of the single-player campaign, the multiplayer mode has remained unusually glitchy and underdeveloped two years after release. Yet, few other games even come close to its standout world development and story.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

2017 | Nintendo 

The Legend of Zelda games have been consistently great throughout the franchise’s long history, but let’s face it: the series was getting stale after cruising on the formula established by Ocarina of Time for almost two decades. Luckily, Breath of the Wild was exactly what Nintendo needed to reinvigorate Hyrule.

The genius of Breath of the Wild is how it uses fairly simple gameplay mechanics to explore the world in a multitude of ways. Unlike previous games, which would regularly introduce a dozen or more new weapons and tools, the Link in Breath of the Wild really just relies on four abilities: bombs, stopping time, ice blocks, and magnetizing metal. All four of these powers are introduced within the first hour or so, and then you’re off to explore the world however you see fit. You can even try to fight Ganon immediately, though that’s almost certain to end in a quick death.

Breath of the Wild successfully reimagined The Legend of Zelda by stripping it down and remembering that above all else this is a series about exploration, experimentation, and the thrill of discovery. And by returning to that foundation, Nintendo create a game that arguably surpasses Ocarina of Time.

2. God of War

2018 | SIE Santa Monica Studio

The adventures of Kratos have always been well regarded, but 2018’s reboot/sequel solidified God of War’s place among the greatest series of all time. Much of the credit goes to the revamped combat system. Kratos’ new axe, Leviathan, feels revolutionary. There’s a real impact each time it hits an enemy, but the true innovation is in being able to throw it and call it back at will, much like how Marvel’s Thor wields his hammer. It’s a simple mechanic, but no game had ever pulled it off quite this well.

The other thing that separates God of War from other games is the cinematography, something that seemingly gets little attention in most games. Putting the camera closer to Kratos is one of the design decisions that makes the combat feel much more visceral, but the real accomplishment is that the entire game, from brutal combat to introspective cinematics, is told in one continuous shot, creating one of the most immersive and innovative experiences in gaming history.

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

2015 | CD Projekt Red

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is now five years old, having come out relatively early in the console cycle, but it still holds up as the very best example of what gaming has had to offer over the last generation. The Witcher 3 tops this list for its outstanding world building and storytelling. Sure, it’s a fantasy game at heart, but every inch of the map, from Skellige to Toussaint, feels like an actual place. And characters like elves and trolls have backstories and emotions that make them feel just as real as any living, breathing human.

The world building in Wild Hunt is second to none, and that extends far beyond the main questline or even books and notes scattered around the world. While many open-world games cut corners with simple side quests that recycle locales and goals, some of the side quests in The Witcher 3 are actually among its best content, with stories and missions that rival some full games. The level of detail is absolutely astounding, and that’s before even mentioning the deep combat system which lets you fully customize Geralt of Rivia’s weapons, armor, spells, and traps. There is a ridiculous amount of quality content in The Witcher 3 and no shortage of ways to complete it.

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Had CD Projekt Red just shipped Wild Hunt in 2015 and called it a day, it very likely would have topped this list, but the support the developer has shown in the years since has just further solidified its place in gaming history. Two expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, essentially added two full games-worth of content while still maintaining the high quality of the base title. Updates for the PC, PS4 Pro, and Xbox One X added 4K support, making an already stunning game a contender for best graphics of the generation. And if you’ve seen everything in those versions of the game, a shockingly good Switch port has now made the entire adventure playable on-the-go. Looking ahead, a free next-gen upgrade for the PS5 and Xbox Series X is already in development. With that many options to play, there’s really no excuse to have missed out on Wild Hunt at this point.

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