#Thanks a whole lot Mika-dono!!!

[queen-vv]

Top 5 games you consider niche :3

Ooooh a hard one, because I don't really know what counts as niche or not.......... I mean I'm sure plenty of people think like Monster Hunter or Souls are niche, but I certainly wouldn't say so.... Hmm but anyway... I suppose I'll define them on a nebulous scale by whether it's something I can see people not liking but I do, and also how much I've heard people talk about it, I guess lol

5: Hmm well I'd have said Armored Core was niche before 6 came out, but now it's come back to the fore of From Soft's portfolio I'd not be so sure. However I will still include Armored Core: For Answer, since it's from the older generations and has a pretty steep learning curve with it's awkward controls, at times punishing difficulty, and very detailed customisation system. However when you get good (or watch someone else that's good), you're in for some extremely cool mecha action, with like actual human controlled full speed Itano Circus kinda thing ;p

4: Satisfactory! I know you know this one Mika, and know that it's a really technical and brain melting kind of game! So much maths required, but it's extremely absorbing all the same! I lost weeks to this game for real lol

3: The S.T.A.L.K.E.R series (but mainly just the first one since I haven't played much of the second one yet)! I really liked these games, but kind of wanted more from them in the end than what I got, but that's perhaps just me being greedy! Before playing them I'd not heard very much about them, but they're fun survival fpsrpgs! The first game was fun right up to the end where the translation broke and the final mission was basically all voiced in the original Russian because I guess the dub didn't get that far, as well as the combat and idle barks from characters throughout the game are very rarely translated either. But the clunkiness of all aspects are what I really found most charming tbh! The semi-open world, the cool navigation around the Zone anomalies, the monsters and factions, the tough item and inventory management, all very cool to me! I hope to springboard off into playing more Eastern Eurpean games as time goes by, with Pathologic 2 hovering in my steam library waiting for me to get too close. The only thing that'd make it better is if it were about lesbians travelling in the Zone! Or, wait, that seems kinda familiar...

2: Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls, and more generally Japanese, grindy DRPGS (dungeon rpgs, for the uninitiated ;p)! I've basically never heard anyone talk about these games before trying this one, which is very archetypical and relatively simplistic with it's class balances, being only 8 possible classes in a party of 6, but the dungeon exploration is absolutely addictive! I love it! Other games in the genre like Elminage have a lot more variety in that category, with like 3 times as many classes to choose from and stuff! It's moreso niche by my second category, since I've barely heard them talked about but I'd highly recommend anyone at all play one, since they're super fun! I'd especially especially recommend them if you like anime that has that kind of video gamey fantasy setting, and especially especially especially if you like Dungeon Meshi, since that very much feels like it's taking place in a specifically Wizardry drpg setting, with the way it goes out of it's way to explain and contextualise game mechanics from such games in a more realistic sense! Just very good anyway I will absolutely evangelise these games heavily!!!!

1: Fear and Hunger (1 and 2, but especially 1): This is the only one I knew absolutely it'd be on here lol. A very difficult and obtuse indie horror jrpg/dungeon crawler which really, *really* doesn't shy away from portraying sexual violence is about as niche as I can think of by my former metric. However, by the latter I have heard at least one fairly prominent-in-certain-circles youtuber talk about it. That said I do definitely think it evens out to be the nichest thing I can think of that I actually like! It absolutely has it's problematic aspects, depending on how you feel about the sexual violence in the horror setting and the perhaps kind of questionable mapping of fantasy concepts onto an Earth like setting, like with pretty much all the black characters being amoral mystic sorcerers (which I don't feel qualified to speak on but do wonder about any nuance). The second game does tone down the sexual violence at least a little bit, and prominently includes a textual trans woman as the box-art character, so that's neat. I definitely wouldn't recommend these games without a disclaimer to do some research and introspection about what you can get past in art lol.

[mephinomaly]

[TL] Wonderful/Chapter 3

Location: Garden

Hinata: The sun is so nice and warm~! I wanna bask in its rays, but I’ve got so many things I need to do.

Shinobu: It’s because a lot of things have suddenly taken shape all at once~

The stage set was flashy, and the opening ceremony performance had exceptionally good vibes.

Mika: Us five’ll also be takin’ part in Hibiki-senpai’s magic flower show.

I think what I learnt during the lessons can be put to my best ability at the show ♪

Hiiro: Another thing. The introduction of Easter related cooking, going to activities, standing on each stage…

I’m happy that I was allowed to take part in so many things during the Fes!

Wataru: Fufufu, I’m extremely busy thanks to everyone’s reprimanding. Please, continue to work your hardest and remain lively until the end.

—That being said, today allow me to give you all something too ☆

Shinobu: Uwaah, it’s time for Hibiki-dono’s chocolate!

If you think about, it has become the norm for us to eat chocolate from Hibiki-dono everyday~

Mika: Seems like chocolate has a lot of different benefits. Even if there’s actually no actual connection, I still feel like eating it will make me work super hard today too.

Hinata: I’ve been trying to finish my collection of colourful foil~♪ So, could I have the red one today?

Wataru: Most certainly. Look to the palm of my hand–

Hiiro: Huh? But there’s nothing in it, Wataru-senpai.

Wataru: Oopsies…? So it seems that today’s chocolate has escaped my grasp.

It seems that the spring weather is tempting you all to a game of hide-and-seek. What mischievous chocolates, hm~?

I believe that they’re hidden in the garden, so why don’t you all split up and look for them?

Mika: So this is an egg hunt? Nfufu, this is very Easter-y.

Hinata: We’re all excited to get started, but will you be joining us, Hibiki-senpai?

Wataru: Yes, as I know where it’s hidden. Also, today you're looking for one piece of chocolate.

Hiiro: What’s the grand prize?

Wataru: Whoever finds it will… Actually, nevermind. I shall reveal it once we find the chocolate ☆

You’ve got 10 minutes. Well then, let’s begin…☆

Time: 10 minutes later

Hinata: …Uhh. Did you guys find the egg-shaped chocolate?

Shinobu: Fumu? You’re holding a chocolate…shaped like a rabbit?

Wataru: Congratulations! The Easter Bunny chocolate that Hinata-kun is holding is today’s winning piece ☆

Hinata: I don’t really know how, but I’m happy I won! Thank you very much ♪

Wataru: As you found the correct chocolate, your prize is that you’re now this unit’s leader…☆

Hinata: Ehh~. I’m the leader…?

Wait, nonono! I can’t be the leader just because I found the right one! That’s weird!

Besides, you didn’t participate in the hunt, right?

If this was how you were going to decide who the leader was, why did you exclude yourself before we even began…

Wataru: I suppose it’s a little devious for me to have done that. But there was always the possibility that no one would find the rabbit, therefore I wasn’t completely excluded.

Being the oldest here is quite enough. I also felt that I would fit the role of mentor better rather than leader.

Hinata: But, being the leader of an important shuffle unit…

Is it alright for me to be the leader just because I found the bunny?

Mika: Umm…I think Hinata-kun would be fit for the job? I wouldn’t wanna do it myself, but Hinata-kun could.

It came up when I was talkin’ ‘bout costumes with Anzu-chan.

I was able to paint Easter eggs, and those were put on display…

Hinata-kun must have heard what we were talkin’ ‘bout at school, ‘n told Anzu-chan ‘bout it.

Hinata: Well, that’s only because I happened to have consulted Anzu-san about it beforehand…

Wataru: Though, you’ve been consulting rather than talking. Have you been working towards the Easter Fes this whole time, Hinata-kun?

Shinobu: You asked everyone here to form a shuffle unit, and you said that you wanted Hibiki-dono to join.

Hinata-kun has set everything in motion since the beginning. I also think there is no one more qualified to be leader than you ♪

Hiiro: Umu. I am glad that Hinata-kun was the one who discovered the Easter bunny.

As the leader of our unit, I want you to rally us together!

Hinata: I-I couldn’t? Wouldn’t that be kinda embarrassing…?

Wataru: Fufufu, is that so? Hinata-kun, please relish in that feeling of indescribable embarrassment ♪

Hinata: Hnnng, what’s that supposed to mean?

I became the leader of 2wink because I’m the older brother. This is the first time it’s been decided not based on something like that.

So it’s pretty embarrassing, right? Going from two people to five is a big jump, so is it even okay for me to…?

Wataru: We don’t have any concerns. It’s a 100%, completely unanimous result, Hinata-kun ♪

Well then, would our leader like to give a few words of inspiration?

Hinata: Ah. So you guys want a few words of inspiration? Sure thing…!

Shinobu: ...♪

Mika: ...♪

Hinata: …Ehh~. This has all happened quite suddenly, but I’m Hinata Aoi, leader of this shuffle unit.

Nonetheless, Hibiki-senpai has been guiding us up until now. Each of you have been working really hard.

We’ve all grown as friends. We share the same feelings as we’ve been on this journey together.

Though I’m the leader now, nothing will change, and I hope we all continue to get along and have fun until the last day of the Fes.

However, you’ve all entrusted me as leader, so I must meet your expectations. I think we need to strengthen our bond, so that we can become an even better unit.

Hiiro: ...☆

Wataru: ...☆

Hinata: For both the shuffle unit, and for the Easter Fes. Let’s put the strength of us five together so this is a huge success…☆

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