#The Confrontation with Sheep at the Arcade

[enhadiares]

“GAME OVER”

Chapter 1 | Let the game begin

👾A/N: I AM FINALLY STARTING A SERIES! It's very exciting but since it's my first time after my hiatus so I hope you guys like it!

👾Pairing: enha x fem!reader

👾Warning: This is all fictional!

👾Synopsis: Bound within the confines of a virtual realm, a group of friends must decipher its mysteries to secure their freedom. Amidst the labyrinth of challenges, they encounter a formidable adversary - a lurking shadow who controls their fate. As alliances fracture and betrayals unfold, they must confront not only the puzzles of the game but also the sinister presence that seeks to keep them imprisoned. Only by overcoming both external threats and internal conflicts can they hope to break free from the shadows within the game

A new dawn breaks in one of the bustling state of the United States, with the sun casting its usual bright rays, offering a glimmer of hope to some for a better day ahead.

Amidst it, boredom creeps in, despite the anticipation of summer vacations being fun and exhilarating, right?

Well, not for you.

The shrill ring of your black device snaps you out of your reverie, prompting you to answer.

"Look who's on the line! It's the white sheep!" you exclaim upon picking up the call.

"Why the crankiness, woman? I called because we're considering checking out the new arcade that recently opened" Jungwon, the young man, explains.

"A new arcade? Count me in!" you reply eagerly, rising from your seat with excitement finally brewing. You've always adored arcades and never shy away from expressing it.

"Alright, my lady, come over to my place at 5, and we'll head out together" he chuckles at your enthusiasm.

"Sure thing, Mr. Sheep Garden" you retort playfully before hanging up. You flop onto your bed, letting out a scream into your pillow while kicking your feet in the air.

Now, that's what a vacation should feel like.

••••••

The following day dawns, and you wake up a bit later than usual due to the excitement from the previous night hindering your sleep.

After completing your morning routine in the bathroom, you emerge in a robe, pondering over what to wear.

After much deliberation, you settle on a stunning Y2K fashion ensemble.

Once dressed, you gaze at your reflection in the mirror, feeling thoroughly satisfied with the result.

Hailing an Uber, you head to Jungwon's house as planned, the journey taking approximately 15 minutes.

Upon arriving at the house, you press the doorbell, and a familiar face greets you with a beaming smile.

"She's here, guys!!" he announces excitedly, his happiness infectious.

"Didn't expect such a warm welcome! You're like a ray of sunshine, so bright" you remark, sharing in his enthusiasm.

This is Sunoo, the embodiment of cheerfulness within the group. His actions are naturally endearing, and his voice resonates like that of an angel.

"Hey, what's the hold-up? Let her in first" another voice interjects, followed by a playful tap on Sunoo's head.

It's Jay, the nurturing figure of the group, known for his caring nature and impeccable sense of style. Though he plays the role of the group's guardian, his fashion choices exude sophistication and elegance, earning him admiration from all.

With a smile, you step into the house, unaware of the lurking presence in the shadows nearby.

Inside, the rest of the group awaits, each offering their own unique greeting as you enter.

Jake bounds toward you like an excited puppy, his invisible tail wagging with joy as he envelops you in a tight hug.

"Calm down, Layla's dad" you giggle, reciprocating his affection.

Sunghoon follows with a firm handshake, his demeanor as cool as ice, a nod to his past figure skating exploits , but he doesn't lack warmth nor humour.

"Oh yes, Mr. Icy" you wink, returning his handshake with equal firmness.

"Look here comes the sheep" you proclaim with a hint of sass as Jungwon greets you with a lively laugh, his playful demeanor belying his natural leadership qualities.

"Call me something cool, woman, 'sheep' sounds so childish" he teases, adding to the playful banter.

Next is Niki, the youngest of the group, greeting you with a wide smile and a brotherly hug. "Yessir," you both exclaim simultaneously, sharing a bond forged in mischief and camaraderie.

Finally, Heeseung, the group's ace, joins in, his mastery evident in everything he does.

"What are you waiting for, Bambi boy?" you jest, opening your arms for a hug, which he accepts with a smile.

As the group settles in, a figure emerges from the bushes outside, a smirk playing across their lips.

"All the players are assembled," they declare with a hint of mischief.

And with that, the stage is set.

Let the game begin.

[ruified]

i just finished reading dazai, chuuya, age 15 so here are some quotes that made me lose my mind (and me explaining why)

…Their argument further escalated when Dazai wouldn't say who was the mastermind behind the black flames. However, Mori had given them strict orders not to solve their problems through violence or threats.

Therefore, they picked what they deemed the fairest method of deciding things: arcade games. The loser would have to obey the winner no matter what.

They ended up playing close to a hundred matches, but that's a story for another time.

the fact that they chose arcade games to settle such a serious matter is so childish /pos i love how they bring out this side in each other, they both had to grow up pretty fast but they were able to do stuff like this around each other. even within the sheep, who took chuuya in, he still had to act like a leader despite his age, and this change is demeanor is strikingly obvious when shirase and the others show up at the arcade and confront chuuya. dazai also had very little chances to act as a teen would and do normal teenager boy stuff, settling a bet over an arcade game was pretty close to that experience though.

"You can't use your hands anymore," said Chuuya. Then he shouted, "Dazai! Now!"

"I'm already on it!"

Dazai sprinted right for Randou, one fist raised.

The boy's eyes were as clear as the sky on a sunny day; they lacked any shred of trepidation. This was not something earned, for only those determined to live could possess their heavenly blue sparkle.

DAZAI’S EYES IN THIS SCENE???? my interpretation of it is that in this very moment dazai wanted to live, and that’s what he was fighting for. he wasn’t just spewing shit when he said that chuuya convinced him to live, at least to live through this fight. i love him sm, 15/pm dazai gotta be one of my favorite complex/fucked up lil guys

"You must die so that I can absorb your dead body and learn what became of my friend—so that I can fill in those missing eight years— so that I can save him."

oh rimlaine my favorite divorcees, how you make my heart ACHE. now “save him” can mean two different things here as it can be literally or figuratively. literally speaking, of course, would just be that arthur would find him if he was alive (keeping in mind that this before he remembered their fight). figuratively speaking, he could mean that he wants to save paul from being forgotten and being lost to time, to preserve his memory and, in turn, uphold meaning to paul’s life as something inhuman.

there’s also this whole section that describes arthur sort of feeling as if everything they (arthur and paul) went through was merely one sided because paul, in his eyes, had betrayed him and (quite literally) stabbed him in the back

"…I thought maybe that way I'd start to like myself as a person—me, a little pattern without a body of my own."

this quote from chuuya is so good and it carries so much impact, it just hit me pretty hard

bonus shoutout to dazai being just amazed by chuuya and standing there, staring like an idiot

[linklethehistorian]

“Randou & the Sins of Season 3′s Fifteen Adaption”: A Grand Directory & Master List (Part 1)

Looking for a specific portion of my article, or just want to have every part readily available in one place? I’ve got you covered! In here, you can access every part of my article that exists!

Seeing as that much of my article has yet to be posted at this time, this post will have to be edited with sections and subsections and their links as I go along, but rest assured that it shall be done! 

If you are considering sharing my article with anyone you know or wish to reblog it in general, please prioritize reblogging this page most of all, as it offers the most complete access of all of the posts I will be making.  Thank you for your interest, and I hope you enjoy!

Linkle's Mini-Handbook of Relevant Bungou Stray Dogs and General Fandom Terms You Might Want to Know:

Part 1/3

Part 2/3

Part 3/3

Disclaimer and Notes:

Part 1/6 (Post 1/? Total)

Part 2/6 (Post 2/? Total)

Part 3/6 (Post 3/? Total)

Part 4/6 (Post 4/? Total)

Part 5/6 (Post 5/? Total)

Part 6/6 (Post 6/? Total)

Episode 26 — Dazai, Chuuya, Fifteen Years Old:

The Opening Scene, Chuuya’s Motives, and the First Introduction of Arahabaki

(Part 1/3) (Post 7/? Total) (Part 2/3) (Post 8/? Total) (Part 3/3) (Post 9/? Total)

Dazai’s Difference in Personality and Mori’s Dealings with the Two Teenagers (Part 1/3) (Post 10/? Total) (Part 2/3) (Post 11/? Total) (Part 3/3) (Post 12/? Total)

Episode 27 — The God of Fire:

The First Battle Scene and Dazai’s Following Interaction with Chuuya

(Part 1/2) (Post 13/? Total) (Part 2/2) (Post 14/? Total)

The Confrontation with Sheep at the Arcade (Part 1/2) (Post 15/? Total) (Part 2/2) (Post 16/? Total)

Interlude

(Episode  27 — The God of Fire: A Post-Section Addendum)

(New Working Link to DarkestJay’s English Translation of Fifteen & Commentary on the Discrepancies Therein (PLEASE READ)) 

Episode 28 — Only a Diamond Can Polish a Diamond:

Shirase, the Sheep’s Betrayal of Chuuya, and Dazai’s Deal

(Part 1/3) (Post 17/? Total) (Part 2/3) (Post 18/? Total) (Part 3/3) (Post 19/? Total)

Chuuya’s Question to Mori

(Part 1/1) (Post 20/? Total)

Chuuya’s Outfit Post-Entry into the Mafia and Dazai’s State of Health

(Part 1/1) (Post 21/? Total)

Bones' Biggest Changes & Greatest Failures — The Tragedy of Arthur Rimbaud 

Chuuya’s Restraints & The First Glimpse of Randou’s Ability

(Part 1/6) (Post 22/? Total) (Part 2/6) (Post 23/? Total) (Part 3/6) (Post 24/? Total) (Part 4/6) (Post 25/? Total) (Part 5/6) (Post 26/? Total) (Part 6/6) (Post 27/? Total)

Rumors of the Origin of Suribachi City and Arahabaki

(Part 1/3) (Post 28/? Total) (Part 2/3) (Post 29/? Total) (Part 3/3) (Post 30/? Total)

Randou in the Burning Mansion & the Encounter With Arahabaki (Part 1/7) (Post 31/? Total) (Part 2/7) (Post 32/? Total) (Part 3/7) (Post 33/? Total) (Part 4/7) (Post 34/? Total) (Part 5/7) (Post 35/? Total) (Part 6/7) (Post 36/? Total) (Part 7/7) (Post 37/? Total)

Something Missing: Arahabaki’s Mysterious Memories (Part 1/1) (Post 38/? Total)

Dazai and Randou’s Party for Chuuya

(Part 1/?) (Post 39/? Total) (Part 2/?) (Post 40/? Total) (Part 3/?) (Post 41/? Total)

On Dazai's Skin-Deep Kindness & Playfulness, and His True Views

(Part 4/?) (Post 42/? Total) (Part 5/?) (Post 43/? Total)

On Randou’s Genuine Compassion & Consideration, and His Impossible Purity of Heart

(Part 6/?) (Post 44/? Total) (Part 7/?) (Post 45/? Total) (Part 8/?) (Post 46/? Total) (Part 9/?) (Post 47/? Total) (Part 10/?) (Post 48/? Total) (Part 11/?) (Post 49/? Total) (Part 12/?) (Post 50/? Total) [See Masterlist Part 2 (Post 51 and beyond)]

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #378

“come as you are, as you were, as i want you to be”

Have you ever dreamt in another language? No. How long will you try out something you don’t enjoy before giving up on it? It really depends, but in most cases, admittedly very quickly. What’s something you recently realized or discovered about yourself? *shrug* What’s the most interesting news you read or received recently? What about the most depressing? Not in a good way really, but it was certainly interesting to learn I have such severe sleep apnea. Like, I was certain I didn't. The most depressing would be uhhhh... I guess Jason's mother's death, but I don't know how "recent" you'd consider that by now. Would you let politics get in the way of a relationship? It depends. Some beliefs I absolutely would not tolerate (like anti-LGBT), others I would just agree to disagree with. What is one way in which you need to learn to control yourself? I need to get better at controlling my mouth when I'm extremely upset. Do you use a photo editor? I use Lightroom and Photoshop for photography. Is your dad overweight? No, I think he's actually underweight. Ever been honked at? Yes. What’s the name of the most recent baby a friend has had? Easton, I think? An old middle school friend had him. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster? Yes, but they never work for me. How did your parents pick your name? I dunno. If you had to move to another country, where would you move? Canada. Do you have a balcony? No. Who is a singer that has given you chills? Man, I get chills easily with music. David Draiman from Disturbed, his cover of "Sound of Silence" is BREATHTAKING. That's number one. There are many others, they're just not coming to me at the moment. Do you have a drone? No. What was the spiciest thing you’ve ever eaten? Some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. I got some crazy hot sauce. Have you ever discovered something gross in your food at McDonalds? No. What was the last thing you used sliced bread to make? A sandwich. How long did your shortest relationship last? Like a day lmao. Would you rather have a trampoline or swimming pool? A POOL!!!! I've talked before about how I want one so, SO very badly to exercise my legs without having to worry about sweat, and I can take a break the very moment I need to. Do you own a Snuggie? Yeah, somewhere. Do you listen to any unsigned bands/singers? Who? Yeah, quite a few on YouTube, but my favorite in Jonathan Young. He is SO damn talented. Who is your favorite video game character? Pyramid Head from the Silent Hill franchise. What kind of pictures do you post on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat most frequently? Mostly of my pets lmao. Have you ever been on vacation with a significant other? No. Have you ever considered “unplugging”/taking a significant period of time away from technology? No. I know I'd never stick to it. Do you prefer to watch a documentary that is about a situation/event or a documentary that is more of a personal character study/biography? The latter. Meerkat Manor comes to mind with that, and everyone knows how much I adore that show. There was also one about rhesus macaques I fell in love with. Basically, I love animal docs, haha. Can you think of a recent time in which you might have been better off resisting, but you did something because you “just couldn’t help yourself”? Probably eating something. When you are getting to know someone, do you tend to worry that the other person will lose interest in you once they get to know the “real” you? Yyyyep. What is something that you would like to do, but really aren’t able to because of your location? (e.g., see art or get a certain job) Man, a lot of things. Photograph meerkats is a biggie. What sort of job do you think is best suited for your skills? Is this an in-demand position or something you’re unlikely to actually get? If I could actually handle the heat and was in good shape to traverse the outdoors, I think I'd be a great wildlife biologist. Even more though, if I could beat my social anxiety, I would ADORE being an animal educator with kids. Do you believe it is the responsibility of businesses, or prominent business leaders (think Bill Gates) to take the lead on social issues whether by using their influence or their money? Saying it's their "responsibility" sounds unfair and puts a lot of weight on their shoulders, but I do feel they should by their own volition and kindness use their position for good, such as through monetary assistance and other things. Have you ever gone to a job interview and realized that you didn’t want the job? Yep. Have you ever asked that someone sacrifice something (a habit, relationship, job, etc.) for you? A habit, yes. Looking back it was stupid as shit. What would you call your body type? Ew. Has anyone ever hacked your accounts before? Yes. Do you enjoy big holiday dinners? Considering I spend them with my sister's bigoted, homophobic, and racist in-laws, not especially. I always feel very uncomfortable and disliked among everyone for being the "black sheep" among 'em. Is your vision good? God no. Even with my glasses, it's very poor. I need a new prescription badly. Do both of your parents have jobs? Mom has something of the sort, like she cleans a local church for a small pay, but it's not really a "job." She's still recovering from cancer, getting her strength back up and such before she can handle a consistent job. Dad's had a job for as long as I've lived. What is something you’ve always wanted a boy to do for you? How heteronormative. But whatever. It's so fucking cheesy, but singing a cute song to me while slowdancing sounds so super adorable to me. What food are you craving right now? I am craving something sweet like you wouldn't believe. It's annoying. Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes. Do you have a lot of scars? Yes, but most are very negligible. I just scar extremely easily. Last person you saw other than your family? My primary doctor. Last movie you’ve seen in theaters? The The Lion King remake. Who was the last person you played a video game with? Ummm I think Girt. Last game you played at an arcade? Zero clue. What was your favorite nursery rhyme as a child? I THINK I particularly liked "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider?" None stand out strongly, though. What is your favorite cousin’s first name? I don’t have a favorite cousin. Would you prefer to travel around the world by yourself or with a friend? I think with a friend to prevent loneliness, but at the very same time, I see a great beauty in traveling on your own. Just taking new things in, seeing so many different cultures, beautiful scenery... I feel it'd be a great chance for exploration of insight. Remind yourself how small you are, that there's a much, much bigger picture than your own problems, that people are so unique but hopefully share common morals... I see a lot of poetry in it. Do you like the smell of coffee? It's one of my favorite smells. If you have a favorite photographer, can you describe their work? I can't possibly pick. I watch literally hundreds on deviantART, and many of them absolutely blow my mind. What’s one aspect of your life that did not turn out as you expected? My lack of a career. Outside of school, have you ever used a thesaurus? Well, online ones for writing. When you see a good-looking girl in skimpy clothing, what is your initial thought? I envy her confidence, like gotdamn girl. Have you ever been in a lighthouse? No. Are you on a laptop or desktop? A laptop. What color is your shower? White. Where do you order your pizza from? Domino's or Little Caesar's. What was the name of the last dog you pet? We've been calling the dog we're holding right now Zoe. Have you ever had anything stolen from you? Yes. Have you ever seen the White House? I don't think so, but it's possible I have when we've driven up to New York, but from a distance. How about Niagara Falls? No. What do you like in your salads and what dressing do you prefer? I just like regular iceberg lettuce with some bacon bits and ranch. Man, that sounds good right about now. Any posters of a band on your bedroom wall? Yeah, Metallica and Marilyn Manson. Do you think it’d be cool to have your body mummified after you die? No. I couldn't rock the mummy look even if I tried, haha. Can you tell the difference between a Scottish & an Irish accent? Not really, no. Can you read music? I used to be able to. Do you work the night shift? I don’t have a job, but if I did, I absolutely do not want to work the night shift anywhere. Have you ever slept over at your best friend’s house? Yes. Is your mother diabetic? Are you? She is, but I'm not. Would you like to learn how to make ceramic pottery? It'd be cool, sure. Ever sang someone to sleep? No. Who did you last kiss? My cat. Why did you last lie? I don't recall. Probably to just avoid confrontation with Mom. What do you put on your hamburgers? Cheese, ketchup, and mustard, generally. Who do you think cares the most about you? My mom. Have you ever sent a dirty picture? No. What’s at the center of your dining table? Honestly, we sit in there so rarely that I don't even know. I think we might have nothing, actually. Have you ever started a rumor? No. Do you like being outside? If it's cool, yes. What’s your favourite condiment? Maybe ketchup. Or honey mustard. Who sang/played the last song you listened to? Chris Motionless is the singer of Motionless In White. I don't know if that's his real last name, though. Do you like yoga? I used to. Now all the bending and shit would make me dizzy as hell with my "how are you still alive" level of low blood pressure. Do you always carry breath mints? No, but I do carry Tictacs with me, but they're for my dry mouth. It forces you to salivate, so it helps. What do you think your reaction would be upon entering the White House? I don't really know. I honestly don't even know how it looks inside. Thinking about it, I'd probably be more scared than anything, waiting for a bomb to drop or some shit lmao. Have you ever grown your own sea monkeys or dinosaurs? OH MY GOD I LOVED those!!! I definitely did! Have you ever thrown a game controller (or the game) and broke it? No, I've never been the type to do that. If I'm SERIOUSLY getting mad, all I do is tighten my grip. Did you ever own an Etch-a-Sketch? Yes. Do/did you ever have glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling? I believe so. What movie were you really worked up for that ended up disappointing you? My answer is Warcraft, but only because the fucking orcs' voices were so baritone that I couldn't understand them almost ever lmaooo. Like I had a mild idea of what was going on because of the game, but still. What part of a paper is hardest for you to write? The intro, or the conclusion. Both are difficult to me. Like I want to compose a gripping beginning as well as an end that doesn't just repeat everything I've already said and ends on a strong note. Does it bother you that almost everything is done on computers now? No. KFC Chicken: original or extra crispy? I don't like fried chicken. Think about your first kiss. Did you have any idea what you were doing? I mean, I guess? Like I'd seen kisses enough to know how to give someone a peck. It just came naturally. Did you get Happy Meals just for the toys as a kid? Not just for the toy, but it's the main thing I wanted, sure. Have you ever seen your parents cry? If so, how did it make you feel? Seeing my mom cry absolutely destroys me. I don't want her to hurt EVER. Especially if it's seriously unfair bullshit that has her upset, I also get very angry (not at her, of course) and protective. I've seen Dad tear up once, back when he was telling us about his mother's funeral, and I felt immense surprise more than anything. He does NOT cry. How do you feel about animal testing? It's fucking disgusting and barbaric. Find a different goddamn way. Do you add condiments to your ice cream, or just eat it plain? If I'm having vanilla, I'll usually add chocolate syrup. Have you ever witnessed a crime? Yes. What’s the coolest personalized license plate you’ve ever seen? I'm forever gonna get a kick out of this one that just said "omw," haha.

[izuris]

TAZ: Amnesty Playlist

I wrote out the song list and an explanation for each song, major spoilers of course so be careful!

Bad Moon Rising / Creedence Clearwater Revival / a good way to set the tone imo, upbeat but impending doom

Alien Boy / Oliver Tree / a fun song to introduce otherworldly life

arrow / half•alive / "Life begins to happen when I plan something else/ Trying to be somebody, but all I got was someone else/ But my plan's always changing, always rearranging, no/ Slow it down, release control, slow and steady, let me know" /Reminds of the pine guard as a whole. They all had different directions they wanted to go and ended up here with newfound powers or responsibilities

Dancing in the Moonlight / King Harvest / a fun way to capture the tone of Amnesty Lodge "When that moon is big and bright/ It's a supernatural delight/ Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight/ Everybody here is out of sight/ They don't bark, and they don't bite/ They keep things loose, they keep 'em tight"

Send Me On My Way / Rusted Root / reminds me of the pine guard starting off as a team, I can picture a montage of them to this fun bop

Wake Me Up / Avicii / a bit cliche I know, but it reminds me both of Aubrey and Duck "Feeling my way through the darkness/ Guided by a beating heart I can't tell where the journey will end But I know where to start/ They tell me I'm too young to understand/ They say I'm caught up in a dream/ Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes/ Well that's fine by me"

Secrets of the Stars / The Milk Carton Kids / a Duck song, gives me duck vibes

In Blue / Declan McKenna / just another amnesty lodge atmospheric bop

The End of Love / Florence + the Machine / the amnesty lodge family in regards to the water monster plot

Crazy / Gnarls Barkley / Thacker is found

Hard Times / Paramore / next stressful bits of plot for the gang, again, I can picture a montage

Renegades / X Ambassadors / the hornets, specifically Jake and Hollis

Salt / Bad Suns / I'm not sure which character this represents for me, I just felt like it fit a vibe, especially with a shape shifter going around

Not a Damn Thing Changed / Lukas Graham / reminds me of the hornets after they were attacked

Dream On / Aerosmith / I picture Ned and Aubrey singing this in the van

-These next few songs remind me of episode 28-

Dread in my Heart / Mother Mother / the sick feeling rising in everyone (specifically Ned's) stomach about the situation

No Children / The Mountain Goats / Boyd and Ned song

The Chain / Fleetwood Mac / confrontation between Ned and Aubrey

Try to Change / Mother Mother / Ned. This is about Ned. "In a decadent age I try to/ change/ all my decadent ways but I just can't help but/ stay the same./ In a decadent age.// Carry a cane./ I carry/ a cane./ 'cause I tried to change/ and I tried too hard/ so I hurt my leg and/ well, overall/ I just stayed the same./ Now I carry a cane."

Weight in Gold / Gallant / NED! Specifically him coming to terms with the consequences of his actions, also his apology to Aubrey and taking the fall for what was technically Boyd's fault "I'll take the fall for the both of us" I just love this song for him

Satellite / Guster / the cut to Duck and Minerva fighting on the satellite, just a fun cool song for those two

Spirit in the Sky / Norman Greenbaum / I imagine this song playing as Aubrey is running through the woods, crying, while trying to stop Janelle from destroying the mountain

Unbearably White / Vampire Weekend / this song just holds a lot of interesting vibes for me and I can picture it to several scenes. The mountain, the aftermath, etc. interpret how you will. One of my favorite lines is "sooner or later the story gets told, to tell it myself would be unbearably bold"

Meet Me in the Woods / Lord Huron / Thacker returning from madness! I can't even pick lyrics to write here cause they're all so good!

Homesick / Sleeping at Last / Kepler during lock down, reminds me of Aubrey and Dani

Deep Blue / Arcade Fire/ the gang plotting to take back Kepler and save the world

Put Your Money on Me / Arcade Fire / executing their plan!

Raise Hell / Brandi Carlile / this is an Aubrey fight song

Dark Days / Punch Brother / Aubrey & Sylvain relationship mood

Big God / Florence + the Machine / ALSO Aubrey and Sylvain ! And maybe even the Quell too

Flower of the Universe / Sade / Aubrey AGAIN I just love her she's so powerful How Far We've Come / Matchbox Twenty / yay! We defeated the quell! It's over.... or is it??

Black Sheep / Metric / the final fight "(Black Sheep, come home) Hello again, friend of a friend, I knew you when/ Our common goal was waiting for the/ world to end/ Now that the truth is just a/ rule that you can bend/ You crack the whip, shape-shift and trick the past again" I just think this song has a different vibe from the rest of the playlist that sets up a great mood for how the finale felt. Also it makes me think of Billy

Violin Tsunami / Kishi Bashi / Thacker's ending (with the quell) "When our faith/ was on the edge/ Of the winds/ The summer days on end/ Memories of the/ setting sunlight/ Would tell a different way to be/ To be, to be/... When in song we are blessed to be/ Mending the rift of our apathy/ I have the answer/ You will remain/ Days on end after the end of the cancer/ One day you will follow the sound of laughter/ One day we'll/ Fall in love" it just feels like a great song to represent his freedom in the wilderness and his guide to the quell as he teaches them to love and heal

Dog Days Are Over / Florence + the Machine / Aubrey's ending, I could hear this as I pictured her running through the fields growing flowers and trees, healing her world

In Our Bedroom After the War / Stars / it just felt like a great mundane song for Duck's ending, but the swell of the music at the end parallels the message he had to share

Take Me Home, Country Roads / John Denver / ♥

[gamerszone2019-blog]

Catherine: Full Body Review - Put A Rin On It

New Post has been published on https://gamerszone.tn/catherine-full-body-review-put-a-rin-on-it/

Catherine: Full Body Review - Put A Rin On It

Imagine that you wake up one morning and, to your horror, discover that you had inadvertently committed an act of infidelity. Think about the kind of confusion and dread that might race through your head at that moment. How did it happen? What the hell are you going to do? How on earth are you going to explain and amend the relationships with all parties involved? What kind of deep-seated anxieties might have led to this moment? In 2011, Atlus’ Persona studio explored this predicament with Catherine, using a peculiar blend of social simulation and Sokoban-influenced action-puzzling. Eight years later, Catherine: Full Body is a remaster that demonstrates how well the game’s distinctive premise and exploration of adult themes still hold up, even if its new additions to the plot don’t fit in seamlessly.

Vincent is a 32-year-old man in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Katherine, and at a stagnant point in his life where he isn’t exactly sure what he wants for his future. His core group of friends are in different circumstances, but they share similar dilemmas; being in your thirties is hard. Vincent has recently found himself plagued by frequent nightmares of scrambling up a crumbling tower, and he’s losing sleep and in a constant haze because of them. One morning, after a big night of drinking, he wakes up next to someone who is absolutely not his girlfriend, and what follows is a frantic, weeklong crusade to try and deal with the repercussions and decide what he wants to do with his life before Katherine can discover what’s really going on.

Central to Vincent’s coping process is his aforementioned core group of friends. Every night after work, they all get together at their local bar, The Stray Sheep, to hang out. It’s in these regular social scenarios where Vincent can confide in his friends, talk through his state of mind, sound off on his next course of action, and, hopefully, find a resolution. The conversations between characters are mostly predetermined, though the onus to spend Vincent’s limited time having them is on you. A key component which you do have influence over, however, is your cell phone. Vincent will regularly be contacted throughout the night (by Katherine and his new fling, Catherine), and how you choose to respond to their text messages and calls, if at all, will impact Vincent’s ethical compass–represented as a meter with opaque binaries.

Time ticks along as you perform actions in the bar, and its patrons will come and go. You can skip these social sections entirely if you wish, but doing so robs you of the game’s most engrossing component. Vincent’s journey is a deeply introspective one, and though the plot’s major beats unfold in the cutscenes that bookend each day, the nuances of his character come through in his interactions with other people. Managing Vincent’s connection to his phone, and, in turn, how he treats the women in his life from a distance, sways how he might later react to significant plot points and revelations. Getting to know Vincent’s deeply flawed but sympathetic friends, as well as peeling away at the backstories of the other bar patrons as the week goes on, helps to explore themes revolving around maturity and the nature of human relationships. Full Body’s inclusion of the Japanese vocal track also provides an interesting and different take on character performances if you’ve already experienced the English version before.

The ebb and flow of your social actions–chatting to your friends, ordering another drink, checking your phone intermittently, and spending time with Vincent’s idle thoughts–make the ritual of whittling away time at the Stray Sheep strangely satisfying in its mundanity. The evocative soundtrack helps to foster this relaxed contemplative state, as does the game’s holistic but understated audiovisual style. It’s an incredibly pleasant atmosphere to be in, and it succeeds in replicating the quiet delight of spending a night drinking with friends with no particular occasion.

It’s nice to have that safe haven, because when Vincent goes home to bed each night, the nightmares start, and that’s when things get really stressful. What’s causing the nightmares is a mysterious unknown at first, but from the outset, it’s clear that they act somewhat as a lucid metaphor for Vincent’s internal strife. You need to guide Vincent up a sheer, crumbling tower constructed entirely of cubes and other cuboids, sometimes while being chased by a monstrous personification of one of Vincent’s objects of anxiety. The tower is rarely more than three cubes deep, and while its construction might sometimes form a natural staircase for Vincent to climb, you’ll frequently need to create a path upward yourself by pushing and pulling the cubes around in strict, grid-based arrangements.

This task quickly escalates in difficulty, as the sheer tower faces become higher and harder to navigate. There will be fewer pieces to work with, while blocks with unique properties will also appear, such as being immovable or shattering after being stepped on twice. These scenarios stop you from creating an ordinary staircase, and they force you to think of more unorthodox ways to arrange and move around the tower. Vincent can hang on the edges of blocks, and blocks will support each other so long as a horizontal edge connects; both these rules are fundamental to many of the techniques required to work your way up.

Finding that potential path takes careful consideration and forward-thinking, and this can be nerve-wracking. You need to keep up your momentum, lest the stage crumble under your feet and you fall, and the soundtrack–rousing renditions of an inspired selection of classical pieces–ratchets up the urgency of your ridiculous predicament to a high degree. It’s very easy to put yourself in a dead-end situation, even with the game’s generous undo mechanic, and at times you might stare at the pieces you have to work with for what seems like an eternity without any inspiration. But when you do have a sequence of moves in mind, successfully put them into practice, and start flying up the tower without pause, that sense of mastery and accomplishment is incredibly exciting.

This remaster also includes a number of additional difficulty options and assists, however, if reaching those moments of elation are too few and far between. These include, among other things, a “Safety” difficulty level, which eliminates failure, and an auto-climb option that can be disabled on a whim. Catherine’s puzzle difficulty does spike in places, so it’s a boon over the original for anyone who wants to keep up the momentum with Vincent’s story. If you love the puzzles, though (and I certainly do), Full Body also includes a handful of additional modes, which dramatically increase the amount of available stages. The story mode offers a “Remix” variant featuring new block types and stage layouts; the in-game “Rapunzel” arcade cabinet boasts a buffet of new stages in the same vein, too. Babel returns as a discrete puzzle mode with challenging, randomised stages for one or two players, and there’s also a head-to-head competitive mode with local and online options. There’s a lot here, but the biggest addition to Catherine is the inclusion of another potential love interest for Vincent, named Rin.

While Katherine is sensible and Catherine is uninhibited, Rin acts as a sheepish but wholehearted personality for Vincent to fawn over. She’s introduced right from the get-go and woven into the game’s existing story beats, both in new cutscenes and into the social segments at the Stray Sheep. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, Rin’s integration isn’t an entirely seamless one.

On a superficial level, story moments involving Rin will often play following whatever cinematics were part of the original game, and with that come some pacing issues. These new scenes have a strong, stylish direction, featuring more interesting edits and creative shot compositions than existing ones, but they unfortunately make the rhythm of cycling between social simulation, nightmare puzzles, and stretches of cinematics feel a little unbalanced. More significantly, though, the integration of Rin completely dismantles the game’s enigmatic sense of mystery.

If you’ve played the original version of Catherine through to one of its many different endings, then you’ll have at least some idea of how Vincent’s real-world difficulties and his nightmarish tribulations are related. However, it was previously hard to get any tangible sense of how things might fit together until the original game’s penultimate chapter. Conversely, as soon as Rin appears on screen in Full Body, it is immediately clear that something is amiss, and this feeling of peculiarity is ever-present whenever Rin is involved in a scene. Even though her arc is an enticing new mystery in itself, and does feel additive to someone who already knows everything about the original Catherine’s narrative, it’s a shame. As soon as Full Body starts, Rin acts as a big, flashy distraction from the largely grounded and plausible story that Catherine revels in during its real-world sequences for most of its running time.

Chasing Rin through the new branching path in the story feels a little inelegant overall, too. Actively choosing to pursue either Catherine or Katherine as Vincent’s ultimate goal always feels like trying to hit a moving target. Trying to push Vincent in a certain direction on the game’s ethical meter was difficult because of how hard it was to decipher which choices represented what–not just in Vincent’s text messages, but also during the series of confronting “confessional” questions that you’re asked in-between nightmare levels (eg. Would you rather kiss an alien or a corpse?). Pursing Rin feels far more blatant–a series of questions are flagged upfront as opportunities to “break” the meter and set off on a whole new path.

Once you do break onto that new path, things go to some fascinating places. But the broad feeling of the new story branch is that it feels, well, too broad. Rin’s enthusiastic earnestness rubs off on the direction of the new content a little too much, and even though the scenarios posited are genuinely interesting to see unfold, it lacks a more grounded subtlety that invites a similar level of contemplation to the existing branches for Katherine and Catherine. What’s more dismaying is that the ultimate conclusion to Rin’s story branch actually feels like it undermines the otherwise positive themes the new chapters work so intensely to convey, seeming to suggest that the kind of love that Rin and Vincent can potentially share is fantastical in nature.

But Rin’s presence still brings an intriguing new edge to Vincent’s crisis, and Full Body still tells a fascinating, personal tale. The nightmarish block puzzles are still weirdly intense and satisfying to surmount, and the Stray Sheep is still a wonderful bar to spend your nights in. Full Body does a great job in refining and refreshing the Persona studio’s fascinating foray into the social lives of adults, and Catherine continues to stand out as a game that feels both incredibly bizarre and authentically intimate.

Source : Gamesport

[jurgan]

It (2017) movie review

             There have been roughly three hundred billion Stephen King adaptations in the last forty years, and most of them are pretty bad.  Non-horror stories like “Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption” or “The Body” (Stand By Me) tend to fare better than King’s more well-known scary tales. It (2017) breaks the trend, being both a faithful adaptation and genuinely scary, and is one of the best Stephen King horror movies I have ever seen.  I will be making frequent references to both the novel (though I haven’t read it in several years, so I might get some details wrong) and the 1990 miniseries in this review, and it will also be full of spoilers.  Even if you know the story, you might want to avoid learning too much about the movie, as some of the scares are newly created and work better if you’re surprised.

             One might argue that I shouldn’t judge this movie until I’ve seen the second part, but I disagree.  The intercutting between time frames from the novel is not present in the film.  Instead, it shows the complete story of the young protagonists until they defeat It and swear to return if it ever comes back.  As such, I don’t think of it as part one of a movie, but rather a full movie with an upcoming sequel.  If you knew nothing about the story, you could easily assume King’s entire novel was about a group of kids fighting an evil monster and winning, and then the filmmakers slapped on a sequel hook to wring more money out of it.  One major change prompted by this structure is that the kids’ final fight is against Pennywise and not against the monster spider. If you’d told me this, I would have been angry, as it was one of my major complaints about the 1990 minseries. In that version, the kids sprayed Pennywise in the face and shot him with silver, and that was all it took to drive him back for twenty-seven years.  In the novel, they had to fight it as a giant spider in both time periods. This worked because of the frequent inter-cutting.  The spider wasn’t revealed to the audience until the last section of the novel, and we saw the heroes confront it in both time periods simultaneously.  Narratively, the “final form” should not be revealed until the climax, and it’s smart for the filmmakers to hold back.  It works this time because their fight against Pennywise is difficult and several of them are nearly killed.  It takes many different forms besides the clown, you sense that it’s using a lot of power, and the kids fight it in multiple stages. The characters stand together and reaffirm their bonds, completing the arc they went through and overcoming their fears.  It was far more dramatic than a pudgy Tim Curry in a badly fitting suit grabbing a kid and waddling off, then getting hit in the face and stop-motioning down a pipe.

             Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the circus. How does this Pennywise compare to Tim Curry?  Well, I first want to emphasize that that’s the least important question.  Good Stephen King (both his stories and their adaptations) focuses on characters.  Bad Stephen King focuses on monsters.  So I should probably talk about the kids first, but since the monster is what most people have asked about, let’s get it out of the way.  I think it was far better than the last version.  Now before the fangirls come at me: I love Tim Curry. He’s a great actor who’s had tons of memorable roles, and in It he gave a fun campy performance as a killer clown. Bill Skarsgard plays Pennywise very differently (though he shares credit with a lot of CGI when he changes form). In his first scene talking to Georgie in the storm drain, he is jittery and excited, to the point he’s almost jumping out of his skin.  He seems less like a clown and more like a monster pretending to be a clown, which is exactly the point.  In the 1990 miniseries, the effects were terrible but Curry was magnetic, so they had It as a clown almost all the time.  It occasionally changed to a mummy or something else, but mostly leaned on Tim Curry’s weirdness.  Curry’s camp act worked because he was mocking the kids’ fears, but he seemed like a human murderer most of the time.  The new It switches between different forms frequently, from a decaying leper to a deadly housefire, and as a clown it can stretch open its head to reveal row upon row of shark teeth.  It embodies the kids’ fears and can quickly change shape and size to be more of a threat.  The clown is just its most recognizable form, and its “finishing move” after terrifying its victims.  This makes it not only a more faithful adaptation, but also much scarier from my subjective point of view.

             What about the rest of the characters?  Well, the Losers’ Club is mostly perfect.  I always thought the kids in the 1990 miniseries seemed fake, like they were obviously actors reciting dialogue.  That may be because I know them too well from other things (especially Seth Green), or maybe it’s because some of King’s quirky dialogue works better on paper than on screen.  Regardless, these kids seemed real.  Beverly was probably the stand-out, especially in the scenes with her abusive father.  Mike got some good stuff about being trained to slaughter sheep but being too sensitive to go through with it (was that in the book or was it a movie invention?).  Richie’s humor is less polished than Seth Green’s, but I like it better that way.  His jokes tend to all be variations on “I fucked your mom/I have a big dick,” which is the level at which most pre-teens operate (ironic that you need an R rating to realistically portray eleven year olds).  He also freaks out when he sees a missing poster of himself, as though he were dissociating and afraid he was not really there before realizing it was a trick of the monster.  And in the end he gives a big speech where it sounds like he’s going to abandon Bill to the monster before rejoining the fight.  By the way, there’s a great visual that I’m pretty sure was invented for the movie: It has built a tower of corpses and debris and dead kids float around it.  Beverly also looks into Its “dead lights” and floats in the air comatose for a while before Ben revives her Sleeping Beauty style.  “We all float” pays off much better here.  As for the bullies: well, they’re still fairly one-dimensional. Henry Bowers now has a mullet instead of a pompadour.  More importantly, he is given some motivation for being an abusive monster.  An abusive father is a bit of a clichéd excuse, but it’s also realistic, and the kid shows genuine fear and rage when his father humiliates him in front of his friends.  Bowers is also less cold-blooded here: he doesn’t plot to trap and murder the kids, he just chases after them and lashes out.

             I could go on raving and listing great scenes for a while, but I should wrap this up.  The timeline is shifted forward so that the past scenes take place in ’88-’89 and the “present” scenes will be closer to today.  This doesn’t make much difference to the story, just that there are arcades, walkmen, and several references to New Kids on the Block.  Also a lot took place in an abandoned “crack house,” which I don’t remember from the book but is probably accurate.  This movie works, and I absolutely loved it.  I can recommend it both to fans of the novel and those who’ve never opened it.

 Rating: 4/4

[miloscat]

[Review] What the Golf? (Apple TV)

While browsing Apple Arcade, this silly golf game caught my eye, considering my and my brother’s mutual appreciation of minigolf games. It exceeded all my expectations with its surprising zaniness!

You start out simple enough: a low-poly, minimalist 3D golf game. Hit the ball at the flag. Then, your shot instead throws the club. Then, it throws the golfer. What the Golf works hard to continue subverting your expectations of what a golf game is. Soon you’re racing against sheep, doing monster truck jumps, or spitting into a flowerpot, and yet every new concept uses the same aiming/power-bar control mechanics. Every level also has two variants; sometimes a par challenge (occasionally dreaded) to limit your strokes, sometimes with other twists or requirements, riffing on the new ridiculous idea that each hole presents.

Between holes you’re playing as a ball in an Aperture-style mad science lab. You essentially use top-down minigolf mechanics to traverse this labyrinthine laboratory, solving puzzles and finding the way to the next hole and the next weird anti-golf variant. Finding out what offbeat request Triband will make of you, the player, next is quite addictive.

There’s even holes that homage or borrow ideas from other games, such as Katamari, Super Meat Boy, Super Hot, Angry Birds, etc. not to mention genre parodies with stealth or first person shooter-style challenges. There’s so much packed into this game, and yet it feels cohesive for the most part with a consistent physics engine and simple-to-grasp control scheme.

I experienced some control awkwardness, but that may just be the Apple TV gamepad support. And I would complain that it’s difficult to do low-power shots as the bar fills up very quickly, but really it’s seldom necessary to do so, and this quickness helps keep up the speedy pace of the game as a whole, with its rapid-fire mini-challenges. Different areas of the lab are themed, such as the car zone or the beach zone, so you have some idea of what to expect from groups of holes. The content is also broken up by a scheme of progressing through tiers of the lab, with regular confrontations with a mad computer to keep it structured. It reminded me of WarioWare: madcap hijinks with an underlying framework to the world.

I’m glad to hear the game is being ported to more platforms, as it’s a delightfully silly experience full of ideas and character (despite not really having any characters, per se). Plus, the final level promises a content patch incoming, which is exciting. I can’t wait to see what these mad Danes come up with next!

[recentanimenews]

Frantic Arcade Puzzle Action & Relationship Drama Returns in Catherine Full Body!

  Remaking games is a contentious topic of late, as the last generation of games for the PS3 and Xbox 360 era become “classics”, and the current generation of games on PS4 and such seem to be heading for their own sunset. What, exactly, does a remake need to be successful? Is it just updated graphics and better controls, or do remakes require more time and investment? Will adding an online feature make a game better, or superfluous?

One of the more oddball games of the last ten years, Catherine seemed like an unlikely title to enter into this discussion, but the continued popularity and unique nature of the relationship simulator / arcade puzzle game, especially on the competitive scene at places like CEOtaku and EVO, have made Catherine an enduring cult classic. When Catherine Full Body was first announced, players wondered what was in store—the game already seemed fairly complete—and what we got far outpaced what was expected. But is it a good remake, and is it worth revisiting the world of Catherine, or jumping in for the first time? Let’s try and find the answer to this puzzle!

In Catherine, players take on the role of Vincent, a man who is, let’s just say, not perfect. Vincent is listless and drifting through adulthood, and although he seems moderately successful in life, he can’t seem to commit to his relationship with Katherine, his longtime girlfriend. Things are exacerbated even more by the sudden arrival of Catherine, a young woman who seems to put Vincent in a tough spot. In Catherine Full Body, this is further complicated by the addition of Rin, a mysterious woman who further forces the uncertain Vincent to try and confront his most dreaded enemy: actual choices and their consequences. Vincent, as the player character, is a far from perfect man and a fairly frustrating one at that, and while players are able to make choices that they think they (or Vincent) would make, the story changes based around those decisions. In many ways, the real heart of Catherine as a game is the story that unfolds as players make choices and seeing what outcomes develop; Catherine is as much a game about relationships as it is a puzzle game. 

But oh, what a puzzle game it is. The key to Catherine’s enduring popularity is the fast-paced and frantic puzzle solving action that players are thrust into as Vincent begins to have nightmares… only to discover that these nightmares and his inability to decide things might be linked! Players guide Vincent along shifting puzzle landscapes, boss battles, and more as he fights to survive inside the Tower, and the puzzle action is the major gameplay draw here. While Vincent’s story is generally interesting, the real meat of this game comes from the puzzles; everything else feels secondary, and in many cases you’ll likely find yourself wanting to just get back to solving puzzles after a while. Catherine Full Body seems to recognize this, as it has far more puzzles (500, according to Sega, way more than twice the original) for players to engage with this time around, and returning players will find various changes and tweaks to the original game to keep them on their toes, as well as a “Remix” function that alters every puzzle, allowing you to continually challenge yourself after you’ve mastered a stage. 

But really, puzzles aside, Catherine is a game about relationships, adult relationships, and it is perhaps one of the most unique games on the market because of that. While many dating sims and the like tend to feature characters in overly fantastical locations, time settings, and circumstances, if you were to remove the puzzle aspect from Catherine, you’d still have an intriguing character drama that can feel relatable at times. Vincent, ironically, is perhaps the least relatable protagonist there is, but that seems to help sell the core concepts of the story: that life, and relationships, are about choices, trust, communication, and solving “puzzles” together. The romance aspects aren’t the focus here, instead, it's the interaction between humans that makes up the core of relationships that players will be asked to tangle with as the plot unfolds, giving you the ability to control what Vincent says, does, and what outcomes he’ll encounter because of it; in Full Body, that means an additional set of endings as well, with 3 for Rin and 1 new ending each for the other two characters. Honestly, I didn’t care much for Catherine or Katherine’s new endings (they felt pretty similar to other endings they had already), but Rin fits into the game well and has some really unique aspects to the story that do make Full Body feel like a more complete game this time around, narratively.

There are plenty of reasons to play through the game again, as each ending requires various choices and actions taken by the player during the more RPG segments of the game, and do give very different narrative outcomes. While some sections do repeat, the way the story shifts over time is interesting and unique, and helps make it feel less repetitious to keep replaying parts of the game over and over again; the new variances and addition of more puzzles also helps in this regard, especially if you’ve played the original game to full completion. There is also a secret ending to unlock for the entire game that revolves around the extra missions in Babel, which puts a lot of the game into perspective and is a very interesting reward for completing some of the hardest puzzle challenges in the entire game.

As the newest character and biggest change to the game overall, Rin needs to be front and center in terms of what septs Catherine Full Body apart from its original incarnation. To that end, the results are pretty successful. Rin has enough interesting personality and storyline to help define them as a character in the story, and the way Rin interacts with Vincent is a unique change from the much more forceful relationships he has with the C/Katherines.

However, it’s a bit odd at times to reconcile the other two characters in relationship to Rin; where Vincent is certainly not a great character, I found Rin tended to highlight the negative aspects of the original two women in weird ways, making them somewhat more unlikeable and manipulative in certain lights. Rin’s presence in the game seems to be a calm alternative to the chaotic energies of the other two, and it does sort of feel like the game is steering you towards Rin as the healthier option between the three. At issue here is that while Rin’s storyline is interesting, it does feel a little… “Poochy”-esque, if you’re familiar with The Simpsons, in the way that Rin is either very important to the game’s new incarnation, and sort of steals the spotlight away from the original two. 

There are some concerns about what, exactly, players will be getting if they’ve already sunk a lot of time into Catherine; while you get a lot of new puzzles, remixed modes, and a new route, there is not a lot else here to keep the game going beyond that. This certainly feels like the remaster of the game for sure, much like how some Persona games got an updated version, but the gap in time between versions means that if you already played and got your fill from the original, you may not find a lot in this new one that will entice you to bite on for full retail price.

That is, of course, unless we talk about multiplayer, which may be the major reason many players are looking to dive back in to game. Catherine Full Body contains a much more robust multiplayer mode than the original, and has online functional play as well, allowing you to take your competitive Catherine dreams to new heights. Aside from cosmetics such as new characters to play as and other tweaks, the overall multiplayer experience was quite solid and enjoyable. It was great to be able to play Catherine against someone else on PS3 locally, but the online multiplayer here works quite well in our trials of it, and feels like a great addition to the game. If you’re not interested in the story and just want to play the puzzle battle element, there is likely a good reason to pick this up… on sale, though.

The biggest reservation is that, even with a robust online mode (or, at least, far more multiplayer capability than before), there isn’t a lot to “do” in Catherine other than what we’ve already said. The core game was certainly updated in a lot of ways, but the main, core game remains the same: you talk to people, watch cutscenes, hang out at the Stray Sheep bar, and then go to the Nightmare realm and solve puzzles. There aren’t very many options in terms of other things to do, and one of the biggest, Super Rapunzel, is just a remixed demake of the main puzzle game aspect.

While choices do absolutely matter, you’re still branching off of very distinct and non-malleable paths, meaning that you can’t really do much but make choices and strap in for the ride you’ve set yourself up for. And if puzzle games, especially frantic ones, aren’t your style, then the story that Catherine holds might be one that’s hard for you to enjoy, as some of the special rules and twists to the gameplay over the course of the game will continue to up the ante on challenges.  

There are also some issues content wise that haven’t been addressed since the original. While some of the more controversial and callously transphobic issues were smoothed over or reduced, the game still has latent transphobia and homophobia within its theming. Other issues that persist from the original is the game’s somewhat starkly binary portrayal of men and women, which feels like a callback to something like Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus, with characters acting out somewhat tired gender tropes: men are lazy, indecisive, cheaters, users, and liars, while women are manipulative, crazy, overly emotional, and harrowing.

While the main game’s crux of people in relationships is really interesting, some of the ways the game explores these ideas feels less than ideal. As mentioned earlier, while Vincent and most of the cast are never portrayed as ideal, flawless individuals, it can at times feel like all of the characters are fairly awful people and it can be hard to empathize with their plights, flaws and all, something that can be heightened further by the changes in how certain characters act in different story routes in the game, making it hard to get a good read on what the character’s innate personality is actually like.

By the time I had finished playing Catherine Full Body, I found myself in a puzzling position: I felt like Catherine had, once again, revealed itself to be an amazing experience and unique game that there really is no other like it out there, and puzzle fans will absolutely find tons of stuff to play in this game. As a returning Catherine player, though, I also found that the game really felt very similar to the one I initially played, with just slightly more than it had the first time. I’m thrilled by the addition of the multiplayer changes, as competitive Catherine is an amazing scene and I hope that it will continue to grow with these modern updates and ability to get newer players to chance it on, but I’m also a little reserved on the overall package. Like Vincent, I guess I’ve found myself at an odd impasse on what choice to make, but my gut tells me that if you like puzzle games or narratives about relationships, not romance, then there really is no game that can compare to Catherine, warts and all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to try and finish those Golden Playhouse challenges once again...

REVIEW ROUNDUP

+ Upgraded graphics and controls help this game feel modern and improved.

+ Rin’s additional story is unique and a great way to flesh out the Catherine narrative.

+ Multiplayer is vastly expanded and the online mode helps give this game a lot more life after the narrative ends. 

+/- Multiple story paths mean lots of content, but a good amount of the game is the same each time, meaning save scumming is probably easiest.  

- The game still has some issues of gender and sexual representation that didn’t change much.  

- If you don’t like puzzles, there’s really not much else to look forward to in this game.  

  Is this your first or second time trying to conquer the Nightmare? Interested in competitive Catherine? Let us know what you think of the game in the comments!

    ----

Nicole is a features writer and editor for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[devilsknotrp]

Congratulations, Harper! You have been accepted for the role of Elias Deere (FC: RJ Mitte). Elias is a tricky character to understand. Is he truly vengeful, or just hurting deeply? How far does his hatred towards his father go? You have written him so thoughtfully and sensitively - reading your application made us both go oh, yes, they’ve got it. We also loved the inclusion of his disability and your faceclaim change is thoroughly magnificent. The plots to come are going to mesh so well with how you’ve written him that we can hardly wait to see what happens! Altogether, your version of Elias is beautiful, poignant, and subtly melancholy. Thank you for bringing him to life. As per your notes we are only accepting you for Elias. Let us know if you’d like to be reconsidered for your other application! Please have a look at this page prior to sending in your account.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Name: Harper Age: 19 Pronouns: They/them Timezone: MST Activity estimation: I’m a pretty busy college student who has managed to get so involved I don’t know when I’ll breathe during this next semester. I’ll be on the dash as often as I can, but that will likely be limited to weekends and evenings. Triggers: [Redacted]

IN CHARACTER

Full name: Elias Deere Age (23/04/1978): 18 Gender: Cismale Pronouns: He/him/his Sexuality: Homosexual Occupation: Clerk at the Arcade Connection to Victim: He’s in the same grade as Beth and David Goode. He doesn’t know them particularly well but in a town this small, everyone now knows about the Goode family, even someone like Elias. Alibi: He was working at the arcade. He’s the only one employed there right now, and so the task of keeping an eye on everyone that comes in falls to Elias. He needs every penny he can get so guess who never turns down a shift. Faceclaim: RJ Mitte

WRITING SAMPLE

Elias knew what his classmates said about him. He was quiet and people never seemed to remember he’s there when they start talking, as long as he doesn’t say anything. It hurt, of course. To be considered odd and perverse when one presses flowers in journals and writes poems about this knotted town. It’s been his own curse to bear, one that’s been carried silently over many years.

But now, Brian was missing. And Elias was afraid.

He remembered Max Acosta. He remembered the trial, the questions Elias had that went unanswered and how easily the problems were swept under the rug, because here was an answer, handed over on a silver platter. He had followed the case almost religiously a few years after, horrified by the concepts and yet intrigued by the mind behind it. He had nightmares for months afterwards. And now it was happening again, and this time, he was the odd one out.

It was a paralyzing kind of worry, the fear that one day one of the other kids at school would say something, point the finger, share one of those lies again and then the police would be at his door and there would be nothing Elias could do, nothing but nod and sign where they tell him. It haunted his steps and hid in the shadowy corners of sleep. Never did Elias think his heart, his love of words, and his inability to abide by the standards of high school might send him to jail for the rest of his life.

Who would lift a finger to stop them? Not the majority of the school. Not Elias’ father. It was a trap, one impossible to escape from any side. The only thing left to do was hope it all went alright. But when has anything here gone right?

Elias pushed his plate away with a sigh. It was one of the few tables in the diner that was tucked far enough away from everyone else that he seemed to blend into the background, wheelchair sitting beside him ready to carry him away as soon as it all became too much. But it was quiet in that little corner, the buzz of everyone else fading into a dull noise that was hard to hear over the music.

It was as close to peaceful as Devil’s Knot ever really got for Elias.

Elias let out another sigh before opening his bag and bringing out a small worn notebook that practically fell open along its well-worn spine. Devil’s Knot was all he had to write about, for now, and even if he kept the details sparse, there was still a veritable flood of material to make use of. Now was not the time for darkness and tragedy though. There was enough of that around the town for now.

Instead, with a furrowed brow and his tongue between his teeth, Elias wrote about the bird outside the window, how the sun turned his feathers from blue into a small piece of the sky and how it sang to a little kidnapped boy.

The song would echo through the woods, picked up by more and more mouths until it was a virtual symphony calling a lost boy home. The more birds sang, the more concrete the song became, until it grew into a woman with feathers in her hair and laughter in her eyes. She walked into the woods and walked out hand in hand with a little boy. That little boy would walk into town with a smile, not a scratch on him. He’d laugh and play ball, ride bikes and make jokes. The entire horrible story ended because of a bird.

Elias couldn’t stop the smile that formed when he set the pencil down. It was complete fantasy, of course. A complete impossibility, more in line with a fairytale than the world Elias inhabited. But sometimes, people needed a little hope and a little light in the dark times they all lived in. No one would read anything Elias wrote, not for a long time, but it helped him to know he had done something.

He stood, leaving behind the money for his burger, before sitting in his wheelchair and replacing the notebook in the bag. He left the diner and began to make his way home. There was still a story to tell, of course. One Elias just didn’t want to write. Brian wasn’t back yet and whatever happened would be something for the ages. Elias just prayed he wasn’t going to find himself the monster of the tale.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Alibi Elaboration: You’d expect a lot of problems in a place like the arcade for someone like Elias. But that is, for all its flaws and constant thrum of people who would prefer to forget the clerk exists, one of the few true spaces Elias has complete control over. Yes, it pays like hot garbage on a summer’s day, but it’s his and Elias likes to look after his things. He was absolutely there when Brian went missing. He loves that place for all it’s flaws. He can just be himself in those walls and there is almost no way his father would ever step foot in a place like that. It’s a perfect haven.

Headcanons:

Elias’ favorite poets are Yeats and Frost. He personally cannot stand the gothic and romantic genres and refuses to touch either, as he doesn’t like how poetry was written in that time. He tries to avoid a lot of structure in his own poems, but he is always an absolute sucker for a good rhyme.

In any given day, Elias goes out of his way to avoid any prolonged contact with his father, preferring to do whatever it takes to get away from him in as short a time as possible. This means he will smile, nod, and agree with whatever Jeff is saying just so he can leave as soon as possible. Confrontation is not in Elias’ nature. Avoidance is, especially around someone like Jeff. How on Earth could Elias ever stand up to that man? It would take a miracle for that to happen, to lend him the strength and the will to say “no, I am not the problem here.”

Elias has a bit of a strained relationship with religion. He knows how important it is to his family and he’s seen the art and the strength that it can bring about. But he also can’t forget about the horrors it’s caused over the centuries and how much of it is a lie crafted by men like his father to keep control of the sheep. Of course he wants to believe in something greater and stronger than himself, but sometimes the only things strong in the world are his chair and the words of people just like him. He’d never share his doubts, afraid of how that would reflect on him, but they are growing each and every day.

Kids are great. You know exactly where you stand with them and there are never any surprises. They tell it like it is and don’t bother spreading rumors. They just tell their suspicions to your face. They’re simpler than Elias’ peers and he enjoys hearing the blunt, ridiculous things that come out of their mouth. Of course, most kids don’t give him the time of day and the ones that do don’t linger for long. Those with older siblings avoid Elias like the plague, but none of that has stopped Elias from promising himself to never turn away from a kid that needs help or a friend. He knows what both of those feel like and he can’t imagine leaving someone small and vulnerable face the cruelties of the world alone.

He hates spicy food. Please don’t make him eat anything hotter than a bell pepper. His taste buds can’t handle it and then the town will have a crying Deere on their hands. It’s just not worth it.

He says he loves people and he means it. People just have to convince Elias they are worth the attention and effort he will inevitably put into their relationships. He doesn’t have it in him to have a lot of friends, but the ones he does have will be rapidly prioritized on his mental list of important things. If a friend of his is sick, he’ll show up with a store-bought cake ready to watch cartoons. He knows what it’s like to have a body that hates you sometimes so he’s there to lend a hand however he can.

No, you cannot push his wheelchair. Please don’t ask.

He doesn’t advertise it, but he has several plans all lined up in his head for revenge on people that have made his life extremely difficult. They’re never going to be brought to fruition, but it helps when the bullying gets bad to have an idea of vengeance. And who knows, maybe one day the camel’s back will break and all those ideas will come flooding out.

Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/boopbot/elias-deere/

[linklethehistorian]

Randou and the Sins of Season 3's Fifteen Adaption (Interlude)

Episode  27 — The God of Fire: A Post-Section Addendum

Forgive me for backtracking for a brief moment, but in hindsight, there were two small things — particularly relating to the subsection of this section, which is titled “The Confrontation with Sheep at the Arcade” — that it seems I failed to properly address in my initial posts on this subject.

After realizing this mistake during the long struggle to get back on track with rolling out the rest of my article, it became apparent to me that I had three choices: I could go back and try to edit this information into the main article, hoping that it would fit well into what already existed without clashing with the carefully written transitions between sections, I could wait until the very end of my article and then make a post addressing the matter in hindsight, risking my audience becoming and remaining conflicted over certain bits of information until then, and being totally unaware of the one thing I accidentally skipped over, or I could simply make a separate addendum such as this to address it here and now, as soon as possible, and not have to worry about fitting it directly into the previous section for the time being — without having to give up either the chance to talk about it now or even to potentially go back at the end and try to fit it back into the main article at my leisure, as well.

Naturally, as I’m more than sure you can already see for yourself, given that you’re reading this, I decided to go with the last of these options, as I felt that this was the one that would offer the greatest amount of opportunities, with the least amount of potential problems that could come out of it. As for whether or not I will eventually, upon the completion of this very long analysis and review, attempt to backtrack and merge this added data into its rightful place in the main piece, that is something which I will have to decide when the time comes, even if I have a very optimistic outlook on this prospect right now, but in the meantime, I will just be sharing it with you here, and placing the link to this post somewhere in the Masterlist between the discussions on Episode 27 and Episode 28.

On one final note before we jump into this, if this post seems a bit sloppier than usual or just flows less smoothly than the rest of the article in any way, I truly apologize, but if that is indeed the case, it is likely due to the fact that I have had much less time to plan for my discussion of these things than I have had for everything else I’ve talked about up until this point. I promise that if in hindsight I should sense any need for it, I will attempt to re-write it in a better, more comprehensible format at a later date, but at the moment, I’m afraid that this is the absolute best that I can do if I am to get this information out in a timely manner.

Now, with that said, let’s go ahead and get into the actual things I’d like to talk about.

Dazai’s Previous Invitation to Join Sheep, and the Gang’s Initial Misunderstanding About His Affiliation

Okay, so this one is honestly a little embarrassing for me to admit to forgetting in hindsight, purely because of how often the subject is referenced in the novel despite being completely removed from the television series’ adaption, but in earnest, part of the reason I didn’t even think about it at the time was due to just how inconsequential this information was in the grand scheme of things; nevertheless, for those of you who truly want to know everything that was changed or omitted from Fifteen in the anime — or even just want to know more about the events and details of Dazai’s life — these facts probably still will be of some interest, so I will mention them anyway.

Contrary to how the show presents it, in the original version of the tale, Sheep actually do not immediately look upon Dazai as a threat when they first meet him in the arcade, nor does it even cross their minds that he might be a member of the Port Mafia; rather, their first thought upon seeing and conversing with him was simply that he had to be someone whom Chuuya had been looking to recruit into their own ranks.

Interestingly, it was also very briefly mentioned much earlier in the novel by Dazai himself — back during his and Chuuya’s initial meeting in Suribachi City — that the bandaged brunet actually was once handed a formal invitation by Sheep to join their organization but ultimately refused their offer, although this does not appear to be the reason why the gang now mistakes him as a potential new member of their group, given that, at the very least, the members there in the arcade seem not to recognize him whatsoever; in fact, they even question Chuuya’s behavior in seemingly having chosen to induct him without first receiving the council’s pre-approval — an accusation which Chuuya curiously, actively chooses not to correct, likely purely because he does not want to look like a traitor in their eyes, should they realize Dazai was actually with the Mafia. Indeed, it isn’t until Dazai purposefully outs himself as a mafioso in order to stop them from taking the redhead away with them that Sheep realizes the truth of things — at which point Dazai ends up having their captive members released in order to appease them, as we see in the anime, and things then go on to unfold as I have described previously in my article.

However, while of this might be very intriguing and, at the least, a bit insightful into how Dazai knows as much about the organization as he does, to be totally earnest about the matter, I must reiterate all the same that the removal of this information from the show was on the whole a very wise one that I can wholeheartedly support, for its existence truly doesn’t affect the overall storyline in any majorly impactful way, whatsoever — so much so that even I, a very dedicated Fifteen enthusiast, was able to easily forget about its existence during every one of the multiple times I wrote, read, and re-wrote the section dealing with the episode in which it mostly would have been present.

Looking back on it from that angle, I suppose, then, that my failure to bring it up prior to this probably did not change all that much, but still, in the interest of transparency and thoroughness, I wanted to make a small addendum post about it, anyway — and besides, there was already another matter regarding the arcade scene that I needed to speak on to begin with, so why pass up the opportunity to do this at the same time? There was genuinely no reason why I should have resisted.

Sheep Truly Being the First to Leave the Arcade in the Novel & DarkestJay8686’s English Translations

Now, in regards to that other matter I needed to address, for anyone who might have already read and/or started reading only DarkestJay8686′s English translation of the Fifteen light novel upon discovering my article, I am sure that there is probably a lot of confusion resulting from the conflict between my assurance that Sheep were the first to leave the Arcade before Dazai and Chuuya, and DarkestJay’s translation, which depicts the exact opposite of this, and for that I deeply apologize — not because I am wrong about it (as I am not), but rather, because I failed to discuss this apparent contradiction back when I first brought it up, even though, rightfully, I should have.

Be that as it may, I need you to understand that I did actually have a specific reason for why I had previously chosen refrain from talking about it, as although I did sincerely think about and even strongly consider adding mention of this whole ordeal to my disclaimers and notes at the beginning of this article back when I had first prepared to post it, in the end, I was simply too concerned that it would be considered somehow rude or unfair for me to do so.

My train of thought back then was — mistakenly — that to express anything other than complete praise and pure, unconditional endorsement of DarkestJay’s work would be to instantly and irrevocably make myself come off as a disrespectful, ungrateful monster who has no appreciation for the people who dedicate their free time to making these stories available to non-Japanese speaking members of the fandom, no matter how kindly I may have tried to word what I had to say. I was utterly terrified that, even if I spoke highly of the translation as a whole and encouraged people to read it, if I also had explicitly addressed the reason why I personally did not recommend using it as the sole source of knowledge of the book at the same time and mentioned any of the mistakes I found to be made within their interpretation of events, then I would be seen as criticizing the author for things that truthfully were likely to largely not be in any way their fault. Obviously, in hindsight, this line of thinking was not the best to listen to in light of the misunderstandings it could cause, and I realize that, but these were nevertheless my thought processes at the time; having had time to think deeper on the circumstances now, though, I of course have also come to the conclusion that none of these other concerns of mine need be had, so long as I try to approach the matter as delicately and respectfully as I can, however big these fears may have been at the time, and so, I intend to finally speak about it at long last.

Furthermore, while I in no way want to seem like an opportunistic profiting off of someone else’s misfortune — as I assure you that I, too, was quite saddened to hear of their struggles and wish it hadn’t happened — seeing as that their work was nonetheless sadly removed from WattPad, and they had to relocate to another platform where they wouldn’t have to fear censorship again, thus requiring me to have to provide y’all with a new link that actually works and leads you to where you need to go to read it, I think that is really the perfect time for me to preface my sharing of that new link with this little PSA of a sort.

So, if you’re keen on getting that new link I mentioned and want to learn about the reason why my information about Sheep’s departure from the arcade doesn’t line up with their translations, as well as why it’s inadvisable to use their otherwise mostly excellent translations as your sole source of info on Fifteen rather than reading it alongside the other trusted translation I have provided at the beginning of my article, feel free to hop on over to this post to find out.

[View the masterlist]

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #377

“you’re such an inspiration for the way that i will never, ever choose to be.”

Have you ever dreamt in another language? No. How long will you try out something you don’t enjoy before giving up on it? It really depends, but in most cases, admittedly very quickly. What’s something you recently realized or discovered about yourself? *shrug* What’s the most interesting news you read or received recently? What about the most depressing? Not in a good way really, but it was certainly interesting to learn I have such severe sleep apnea. Like, I was certain I didn't. The most depressing would be uhhhh... I guess Jason's mother's death, but I don't know how "recent" you'd consider that by now. Would you let politics get in the way of a relationship? It depends. Some beliefs I absolutely would not tolerate (like anti-LGBT), others I would just agree to disagree with. What is one way in which you need to learn to control yourself? I need to get better at controlling my mouth when I'm extremely upset. Do you use a photo editor? I use Lightroom and Photoshop for photography. Is your dad overweight? No, I think he's actually underweight. Ever been honked at? Yes. What’s the name of the most recent baby a friend has had? Easton, I think? An old middle school friend had him. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster? Yes, but they never work for me. How did your parents pick your name? I dunno. If you had to move to another country, where would you move? Canada. Do you have a balcony? No. Who is a singer that has given you chills? Man, I get chills easily with music. David Draiman from Disturbed, his cover of "Sound of Silence" is BREATHTAKING. That's number one. There are many others, they're just not coming to me at the moment. Do you have a drone? No. What was the spiciest thing you’ve ever eaten? Some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. I got some crazy hot sauce. Have you ever discovered something gross in your food at McDonalds? No. What was the last thing you used sliced bread to make? A sandwich. How long did your shortest relationship last? Like a day lmao. Would you rather have a trampoline or swimming pool? A POOL!!!! I've talked before about how I want one so, SO very badly to exercise my legs without having to worry about sweat, and I can take a break the very moment I need to. Do you own a Snuggie? Yeah, somewhere. Do you listen to any unsigned bands/singers? Who? Yeah, quite a few on YouTube, but my favorite in Jonathan Young. He is SO damn talented. Who is your favorite video game character? Pyramid Head from the Silent Hill franchise. What kind of pictures do you post on Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat most frequently? Mostly of my pets lmao. Have you ever been on vacation with a significant other? No. Have you ever considered “unplugging”/taking a significant period of time away from technology? No. I know I'd never stick to it. Do you prefer to watch a documentary that is about a situation/event or a documentary that is more of a personal character study/biography? The latter. Meerkat Manor comes to mind with that, and everyone knows how much I adore that show. There was also one about rhesus macaques I fell in love with. Basically, I love animal docs, haha. Can you think of a recent time in which you might have been better off resisting, but you did something because you “just couldn’t help yourself”? Probably eating something. When you are getting to know someone, do you tend to worry that the other person will lose interest in you once they get to know the “real” you? Yyyyep. What is something that you would like to do, but really aren’t able to because of your location? (e.g., see art or get a certain job) Man, a lot of things. Photograph meerkats is a biggie. What sort of job do you think is best suited for your skills? Is this an in-demand position or something you’re unlikely to actually get? If I could actually handle the heat and was in good shape to traverse the outdoors, I think I'd be a great wildlife biologist. Even more though, if I could beat my social anxiety, I would ADORE being an animal educator with kids. Do you believe it is the responsibility of businesses, or prominent business leaders (think Bill Gates) to take the lead on social issues whether by using their influence or their money? Saying it's their "responsibility" sounds unfair and puts a lot of weight on their shoulders, but I do feel they should by their own volition and kindness use their position for good, such as through monetary assistance and other things. Have you ever gone to a job interview and realized that you didn’t want the job? Yep. Have you ever asked that someone sacrifice something (a habit, relationship, job, etc.) for you? A habit, yes. Looking back it was stupid as shit. What would you call your body type? Ew. Has anyone ever hacked your accounts before? Yes. Do you enjoy big holiday dinners? Considering I spend them with my sister's bigoted, homophobic, and racist in-laws, not especially. I always feel very uncomfortable and disliked among everyone for being the "black sheep" among 'em. Is your vision good? God no. Even with my glasses, it's very poor. I need a new prescription badly. Do both of your parents have jobs? Mom has something of the sort, like she cleans a local church for a small pay, but it's not really a "job." She's still recovering from cancer, getting her strength back up and such before she can handle a consistent job. Dad's had a job for as long as I've lived. What is something you’ve always wanted a boy to do for you? How heteronormative. But whatever. It's so fucking cheesy, but singing a cute song to me while slowdancing sounds so super adorable to me. What food are you craving right now? I am craving something sweet like you wouldn't believe. It's annoying. Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes. Do you have a lot of scars? Yes, but most are very negligible. I just scar extremely easily. Last person you saw other than your family? My primary doctor. Last movie you’ve seen in theaters? The The Lion King remake. Who was the last person you played a video game with? Ummm I think Girt. Last game you played at an arcade? Zero clue. What was your favorite nursery rhyme as a child? I THINK I particularly liked "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider?" None stand out strongly, though. What is your favorite cousin’s first name? I don’t have a favorite cousin. Would you prefer to travel around the world by yourself or with a friend? I think with a friend to prevent loneliness, but at the very same time, I see a great beauty in traveling on your own. Just taking new things in, seeing so many different cultures, beautiful scenery... I feel it'd be a great chance for exploration of insight. Remind yourself how small you are, that there's a much, much bigger picture than your own problems, that people are so unique but hopefully share common morals... I see a lot of poetry in it. Do you like the smell of coffee? It's one of my favorite smells. If you have a favorite photographer, can you describe their work? I can't possibly pick. I watch literally hundreds on deviantART, and many of them absolutely blow my mind. What’s one aspect of your life that did not turn out as you expected? My lack of a career. Outside of school, have you ever used a thesaurus? Well, online ones for writing. When you see a good-looking girl in skimpy clothing, what is your initial thought? I envy her confidence, like gotdamn girl. Have you ever been in a lighthouse? No. Are you on a laptop or desktop? A laptop. What color is your shower? White. Where do you order your pizza from? Domino's or Little Caesar's. What was the name of the last dog you pet? We've been calling the dog we're holding right now Zoe. Have you ever had anything stolen from you? Yes. Have you ever seen the White House? I don't think so, but it's possible I have when we've driven up to New York, but from a distance. How about Niagara Falls? No. What do you like in your salads and what dressing do you prefer? I just like regular iceberg lettuce with some bacon bits and ranch. Man, that sounds good right about now. Any posters of a band on your bedroom wall? Yeah, Metallica and Marilyn Manson. Do you think it’d be cool to have your body mummified after you die? No. I couldn't rock the mummy look even if I tried, haha. Can you tell the difference between a Scottish & an Irish accent? Not really, no. Can you read music? I used to be able to. Do you work the night shift? I don’t have a job, but if I did, I absolutely do not want to work the night shift anywhere. Have you ever slept over at your best friend’s house? Yes. Is your mother diabetic? Are you? She is, but I'm not. Would you like to learn how to make ceramic pottery? It'd be cool, sure. Ever sang someone to sleep? No. Who did you last kiss? My cat. Why did you last lie? I don't recall. Probably to just avoid confrontation with Mom. What do you put on your hamburgers? Cheese, ketchup, and mustard, generally. Who do you think cares the most about you? My mom. Have you ever sent a dirty picture? No. What’s at the center of your dining table? Honestly, we sit in there so rarely that I don't even know. I think we might have nothing, actually. Have you ever started a rumor? No. Do you like being outside? If it's cool, yes. What’s your favourite condiment? Maybe ketchup. Or honey mustard. Who sang/played the last song you listened to? Chris Motionless is the singer of Motionless In White. I don't know if that's his real last name, though. Do you like yoga? I used to. Now all the bending and shit would make me dizzy as hell with my "how are you still alive" level of low blood pressure. Do you always carry breath mints? No, but I do carry Tictacs with me, but they're for my dry mouth. It forces you to salivate, so it helps. What do you think your reaction would be upon entering the White House? I don't really know. I honestly don't even know how it looks inside. Thinking about it, I'd probably be more scared than anything, waiting for a bomb to drop or some shit lmao. Have you ever grown your own sea monkeys or dinosaurs? OH MY GOD I LOVED those!!! I definitely did! Have you ever thrown a game controller (or the game) and broke it? No, I've never been the type to do that. If I'm SERIOUSLY getting mad, all I do is tighten my grip. Did you ever own an Etch-a-Sketch? Yes. Do/did you ever have glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling? I believe so. What movie were you really worked up for that ended up disappointing you? My answer is Warcraft, but only because the fucking orcs' voices were so baritone that I couldn't understand them almost ever lmaooo. Like I had a mild idea of what was going on because of the game, but still. What part of a paper is hardest for you to write? The intro, or the conclusion. Both are difficult to me. Like I want to compose a gripping beginning as well as an end that doesn't just repeat everything I've already said and ends on a strong note. Does it bother you that almost everything is done on computers now? No. KFC Chicken: original or extra crispy? I don't like fried chicken. Think about your first kiss. Did you have any idea what you were doing? I mean, I guess? Like I'd seen kisses enough to know how to give someone a peck. It just came naturally. Did you get Happy Meals just for the toys as a kid? Not just for the toy, but it's the main thing I wanted, sure. Have you ever seen your parents cry? If so, how did it make you feel? Seeing my mom cry absolutely destroys me. I don't want her to hurt EVER. Especially if it's seriously unfair bullshit that has her upset, I also get very angry (not at her, of course) and protective. I've seen Dad tear up once, back when he was telling us about his mother's funeral, and I felt immense surprise more than anything. He does NOT cry. How do you feel about animal testing? It's fucking disgusting and barbaric. Find a different goddamn way. Do you add condiments to your ice cream, or just eat it plain? If I'm having vanilla, I'll usually add chocolate syrup. Have you ever witnessed a crime? Yes. What’s the coolest personalized license plate you’ve ever seen? I'm forever gonna get a kick out of this one that just said "omw," haha.

[linklethehistorian]

Randou and the Sins of Season 3's Fifteen Adaption (Part 15/???)

Episode 27 — The God of Fire (3/4)

The Confrontation with Sheep at the Arcade Next and last up on the list of scenes we’re to discuss in this section, we have the Arcade one, in which we first meet some of the other Sheep members firsthand, and I have to say, overall, I think it was handled surprisingly well.  Ever since I first learned that this adaption was finally going to be realized in Season 3, I was very much looking forward to seeing how they would manage to adapt the “battle” between Dazai and Chuuya using the arcade machines without immediately showing its true nature for what it was, and quite frankly, I’m extremely impressed with how it was executed; the actual visuals being substituted for only the sound of their voices and the appearance of their words on screen was, in fact, a very thoughtful and successful way to preserve the novel’s clever wording, which served to trick the viewer into thinking the two are actually engaging in a physical fight rather than challenging each other to a video game duel, and I absolutely loved it every bit as much as the scene it was adapted from. Leaving in the conversation where Dazai pointed out the fact that Chuuya refuses to use his hands in fights in favor of keeping them in his pockets at all times, too, was both an excellent and necessary move that I was very glad to see them make, and yes, I know that there have been some complaints in regards to this subject due to the adaption’s omission of the scene from the first episode in which Chuuya lunged forward to punch Mori just before the latter revealed he was holding some members of the Sheep hostage, but I have to be honest; I can actually respect and support this one decision from the standpoint that I believe they were coming from when they made it.

Of course, that is not to say that I dislike the scene in the book or think that it should have been omitted from either of the two editions of the light novel by any means whatsoever, but I can understand how, without already having the context of why Chuuya keeps his hands tucked away at all times and never fights with them, the average viewer of the anime could see that scene as a complete contradiction to Dazai’s spoken observation at the arcade — something that simply would not be wise to risk in this form of storytelling, where if one is watching it during its original broadcasting times, the entire story is not available to them for a full three weeks from the starting point. It is easy enough and quite common for a person reading a book to finish it before bothering to review it and/or criticize its apparent plot holes, but in anime, fans are rarely willing to wait for an entire week to see the next episode before they are going to start making their feelings known about whatever they consider to be apparent “lazy writing” or “poorly planned plot devices” and judge the show based on these things; it would be almost absurd to expect an adaption that you know is going to have to be broken up into multiple parts to keep in a scene in the very first episode that will do nothing but make the entire story look poorly thought out, until its very conclusion — especially when its source material is still very much unknown within the fandom and many fans are therefore likely to assume it to be original material written purely for the anime. Thus, I think that as sad as it may be, this was actually a very logical, clever, and reasonable choice for the team to make when transferring it over into a multiple-episode arc and I can entirely get behind it, unlike many of the oftentimes questionable decisions they made for certain other aspects of this tale.

However, for all of the praise that I may have for this part, there are also some complaints I would like to voice about another section of this scene, as well — particularly where it pertains to Dazai and Chuuya’s interactions with the Sheep.

To start with, in the novel, there were not just two members of the gang who entered, but three, and while I suppose this may have been done for the sake of simplicity, there was honestly just something inexplicably more appealing about the idea of a slightly larger group approaching Chuuya — perhaps because it just drives even deeper the fact that Chuuya is willing to stand up against so many of his friends for the sake of finding the truth about Arahabaki.

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Randou and the Sins of Season 3's Fifteen Adaption (Part 19/???)

Episode 28 — Only a Diamond Can Polish a Diamond (3/5)

Since it is much harder to explain some of this than to let you see it for yourself, I think that I would be better served in offering the translation of the original to you here instead, so that you can fully take it all in on your own before I try to go over any of the particulars of it.

Primarily, the difference between anime and novel depiction here is thus: while the anime chooses to take the more sympathetic and softer route of depicting Shirase and the other members of Sheep as nothing more than scared young teens, fearing that their former leader with a fearsome ability has betrayed them, and sadly knowing no other recourse than to team up with GSS and kill him in self-defense with great reluctance, the novel is blunt about the fact that this is not at all the reality of the matter; rather, it is not the least bit shy about showing the fact that they all actually knew Chuuya had not betrayed them and did not care either way whether he had or hadn’t — they had made up their minds that leaving him alive was too dangerous, and they were going to kill him no matter what he did or how loyal he’d shown himself to be to them.

At the end of the day, their ‘friendship’ meant nothing when it didn’t benefit them to keep him around, and even Shirase’s apology itself rings entirely hollow as the reader is consistently reminded of his cold, almost vindictive attitude and the sinister smile plastered on his face as he wounds and then aids in the carefully plotted murder of his supposed ‘friend’, aiming his own weapon at him while the other members of the group also do the same — a vast departure from the television show’s mini-arc, which refused them all any active part in his killing beyond the initial stabbing. Though he claims to be grateful to Chuuya towards the end of their encounter, in truth, he clearly and wholly resents him for being what he is, and only stayed at his side when he thought it benefited Sheep to possess that.

These may seem minor details, but they are actually key facts in their own way, as they mirror the true story of Randou — the man whom is solely to thank for Chuuya’s very life as he now knows it, and yet, since that too is largely missing from the animated adaption, even if this were to be present there, the full impact of it all simply would not be met or felt by anyone not already familiar with the book.

Be that as it may, this is still no reason for the removal of it to simply be let go — especially because the omission of Randou’s story is not excusable in the first place; so, why, then, have I acted as passively as I have about the change to the confrontation with the gang of teenagers anyway? The answer lies solely in another, previous alteration I have mentioned that, although I did not like nor condone or agree with for the purpose it was made, did help to still get the point across about their ultimate natures after realizing that being kind to Chuuya no longer suited them, and that would be the anime’s take on the Arcade scene; because Sheep and Shirase are, overall, depicted as terrible people there and semi-demonized, even if the later scene claims them to be more innocent than they actually were in the near-killing of the redheaded boy, the dislikable factor in their natures does ultimately still remain, even if not in the exact way nor to the degree that it should.

Furthermore, for all the mistakes that may have been made in their undeserved slight exoneration of guilt, I still cannot bring myself to overlook just how well and how faithfully it was composed in every other way, and how Chuuya’s conversation with Dazai after the fact was just as chilling and telling about the both of them as it ought to have been.

Therefore, all things being equal as they are, I really don’t have any true complaints to voice about it.

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Randou and the Sins of Season 3's Fifteen Adaption (Part 42/???)

Bones' Biggest Changes & Greatest Failures — The Tragedy of Arthur Rimbaud (21/?)

I suspect that many people are likely to want to argue here that the anime’s chosen starting point was nothing less than a ‘sensible’ one, given that so many people seem to subscribe to the belief that the other part was somehow ‘unnecessary’ or filler content, but I’m afraid I have to protest this supposed fact; indeed, even if someone as important and well-respected within the BSD community as Lea herself has come to think with time that perhaps this information wasn’t important to keep, I still have to respectfully but vehemently disagree with that sentiment in every way, because it is absolutely not just a throwaway conversation included for the reader’s amusement or even solely important to the proper establishment of Sheep as an organization.

Yes, it certainly fulfills those purposes as well, but every part of this scene — from its absolute, true beginning to its eventual end — is also incredibly rich in crucial characterization and plot points for not just one, not just two or three, but four major characters in this book, even if we completely disregard how it effects Sheep itself entirely.

On Dazai's Skin-Deep Kindness & Playfulness, and His True Views

In Dazai’s case, these events play an invaluable role in defining his current views and attitude at this age, which — despite any previous remarks I may have made about them not always being that necessary to show in Fifteen as a whole, due to the fact that he already has more than enough canon character-establishing material centered around him as it is — in this one particular moment, is actually desperately needed to make the story work as it was intended to and have its full impact.

While it may have been mostly harmless, in my opinion, to tone down some of his childishness and playful inclinations throughout much of the rest of the adaption and swap it out for a Dark Era-esque version of him to properly represent his inner thoughts and feelings in a more explicit way, this is one instance where doing so will absolutely devastate everything that truly matters about the plot and its characters, and that is exactly what Bones did once they got their hands on it — and exactly what they wanted to do, for that matter.

You see, in taking out the entire conversation about the party that happened between Dazai and Randou at the beginning of the phase and the discussion of the “theory of the half-grilled meat” that followed thereafter, Osamu is instantly scrubbed clean of all of the most damning parts of his personality that are present here, as well as the full reality of his heartless nature — and the same applies to the changes made to the dialogue in his inevitable confrontation and naming of the culprit, too.

Without any of the context of the preceding talk, the revelation that Dazai has set up some elaborate party for Chuuya to celebrate his newfound freedom seems especially kind and sweet of a gesture for someone who claims to despise the redhead; combine this with the altered dialogue in the adaption’s arcade scene that now portrays Dazai as having defended him and even expressed extreme disgust and resentment towards Sheep for using him, and you’ve got the ultimate falsified and doctored recipe for setting the stage to make the young bandage-wearing man look like the perfect white knight for his reluctant partner in crime.

However, if one were to truly take a step back and view the source material’s version of all of this, that illusion would quickly shatter and fall apart at the seams, as not only would it become abundantly clear that Dazai never seriously came to Chuuya’s aid in that sense at the arcade to begin with, but it would also reveal his alleged ‘kindness’ for what it really is — shallow, insincere, and sometimes even downright sinister.

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Catherine: Full Body Review - One Step Closer To The Edge

New Post has been published on https://gamerszone.tn/catherine-full-body-review-one-step-closer-to-the-edge/

Catherine: Full Body Review - One Step Closer To The Edge

Imagine that you wake up one morning and, to your horror, discover that you had inadvertently committed an act of infidelity. Think about the kind of confusion and dread that might race through your head at that moment. How did it happen? What the hell are you going to do? How on earth are you going to explain and amend the relationships with all parties involved? What kind of deep-seated anxieties might have led to this moment? In 2011, Atlus’ Persona studio explored this predicament with Catherine, using a peculiar blend of social simulation and Sokoban-influenced action-puzzling. Eight years later, Catherine: Full Body is a remaster that demonstrates how well the game’s distinctive premise and exploration of adult themes still hold up, even if its new additions to the plot don’t fit in seamlessly.

Vincent is a 32-year-old man in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Katherine, and at a stagnant point in his life where he isn’t exactly sure what he wants for his future. His core group of friends are in different circumstances, but they share similar dilemmas; being in your thirties is hard. Vincent has recently found himself plagued by frequent nightmares of scrambling up a crumbling tower, and he’s losing sleep and in a constant haze because of them. One morning, after a big night of drinking, he wakes up next to someone who is absolutely not his girlfriend, and what follows is a frantic, weeklong crusade to try and deal with the repercussions and decide what he wants to do with his life before Katherine can discover what’s really going on.

Central to Vincent’s coping process is his aforementioned core group of friends. Every night after work, they all get together at their local bar, The Stray Sheep, to hang out. It’s in these regular social scenarios where Vincent can confide in his friends, talk through his state of mind, sound off on his next course of action, and, hopefully, find a resolution. The conversations between characters are mostly predetermined, though the onus to spend Vincent’s limited time having them is on you. A key component which you do have influence over, however, is your cell phone. Vincent will regularly be contacted throughout the night (by Katherine and his new fling, Catherine), and how you choose to respond to their text messages and calls, if at all, will impact Vincent’s ethical compass–represented as a meter with opaque binaries.

Time ticks along as you perform actions in the bar, and its patrons will come and go. You can skip these social sections entirely if you wish, but doing so robs you of the game’s most engrossing component. Vincent’s journey is a deeply introspective one, and though the plot’s major beats unfold in the cutscenes that bookend each day, the nuances of his character come through in his interactions with other people. Managing Vincent’s connection to his phone, and, in turn, how he treats the women in his life from a distance, sways how he might later react to significant plot points and revelations. Getting to know Vincent’s deeply flawed but sympathetic friends, as well as peeling away at the backstories of the other bar patrons as the week goes on, helps to explore themes revolving around maturity and the nature of human relationships. Full Body’s inclusion of the Japanese vocal track also provides an interesting and different take on character performances if you’ve already experienced the English version before.

The ebb and flow of your social actions–chatting to your friends, ordering another drink, checking your phone intermittently, and spending time with Vincent’s idle thoughts–make the ritual of whittling away time at the Stray Sheep strangely satisfying in its mundanity. The evocative soundtrack helps to foster this relaxed contemplative state, as does the game’s holistic but understated audiovisual style. It’s an incredibly pleasant atmosphere to be in, and it succeeds in replicating the quiet delight of spending a night drinking with friends with no particular occasion.

It’s nice to have that safe haven, because when Vincent goes home to bed each night, the nightmares start, and that’s when things get really stressful. What’s causing the nightmares is a mysterious unknown at first, but from the outset, it’s clear that they act somewhat as a lucid metaphor for Vincent’s internal strife. You need to guide Vincent up a sheer, crumbling tower constructed entirely of cubes and other cuboids, sometimes while being chased by a monstrous personification of one of Vincent’s objects of anxiety. The tower is rarely more than three cubes deep, and while its construction might sometimes form a natural staircase for Vincent to climb, you’ll frequently need to create a path upward yourself by pushing and pulling the cubes around in strict, grid-based arrangements.

This task quickly escalates in difficulty, as the sheer tower faces become higher and harder to navigate. There will be fewer pieces to work with, while blocks with unique properties will also appear, such as being immovable or shattering after being stepped on twice. These scenarios stop you from creating an ordinary staircase, and they force you to think of more unorthodox ways to arrange and move around the tower. Vincent can hang on the edges of blocks, and blocks will support each other so long as a horizontal edge connects; both these rules are fundamental to many of the techniques required to work your way up.

Finding that potential path takes careful consideration and forward-thinking, and this can be nerve-wracking. You need to keep up your momentum, lest the stage crumble under your feet and you fall, and the soundtrack–rousing renditions of an inspired selection of classical pieces–ratchets up the urgency of your ridiculous predicament to a high degree. It’s very easy to put yourself in a dead-end situation, even with the game’s generous undo mechanic, and at times you might stare at the pieces you have to work with for what seems like an eternity without any inspiration. But when you do have a sequence of moves in mind, successfully put them into practice, and start flying up the tower without pause, that sense of mastery and accomplishment is incredibly exciting.

This remaster also includes a number of additional difficulty options and assists, however, if reaching those moments of elation are too few and far between. These include, among other things, a “Safety” difficulty level, which eliminates failure, and an auto-climb option that can be disabled on a whim. Catherine’s puzzle difficulty does spike in places, so it’s a boon over the original for anyone who wants to keep up the momentum with Vincent’s story. If you love the puzzles, though (and I certainly do), Full Body also includes a handful of additional modes, which dramatically increase the amount of available stages. The story mode offers a “Remix” variant featuring new block types and stage layouts; the in-game “Rapunzel” arcade cabinet boasts a buffet of new stages in the same vein, too. Babel returns as a discrete puzzle mode with challenging, randomised stages for one or two players, and there’s also a head-to-head competitive mode with local and online options. There’s a lot here, but the biggest addition to Catherine is the inclusion of another potential love interest for Vincent, named Rin.

While Katherine is sensible and Catherine is uninhibited, Rin acts as a sheepish but wholehearted personality for Vincent to fawn over. She’s introduced right from the get-go and woven into the game’s existing story beats, both in new cutscenes and into the social segments at the Stray Sheep. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, Rin’s integration isn’t an entirely seamless one.

On a superficial level, story moments involving Rin will often play following whatever cinematics were part of the original game, and with that come some pacing issues. These new scenes have a strong, stylish direction, featuring more interesting edits and creative shot compositions than existing ones, but they unfortunately make the rhythm of cycling between social simulation, nightmare puzzles, and stretches of cinematics feel a little unbalanced. More significantly, though, the integration of Rin completely dismantles the game’s enigmatic sense of mystery.

If you’ve played the original version of Catherine through to one of its many different endings, then you’ll have at least some idea of how Vincent’s real-world difficulties and his nightmarish tribulations are related. However, it was previously hard to get any tangible sense of how things might fit together until the original game’s penultimate chapter. Conversely, as soon as Rin appears on screen in Full Body, it is immediately clear that something is amiss, and this feeling of peculiarity is ever-present whenever Rin is involved in a scene. Even though her arc is an enticing new mystery in itself, and does feel additive to someone who already knows everything about the original Catherine’s narrative, it’s a shame. As soon as Full Body starts, Rin acts as a big, flashy distraction from the largely grounded and plausible story that Catherine revels in during its real-world sequences for most of its running time.

Chasing Rin through the new branching path in the story feels a little inelegant overall, too. Actively choosing to pursue either Catherine or Katherine as Vincent’s ultimate goal always feels like trying to hit a moving target. Trying to push Vincent in a certain direction on the game’s ethical meter was difficult because of how hard it was to decipher which choices represented what–not just in Vincent’s text messages, but also during the series of confronting “confessional” questions that you’re asked in-between nightmare levels (eg. Would you rather kiss an alien or a corpse?). Pursing Rin feels far more blatant–a series of questions are flagged upfront as opportunities to “break” the meter and set off on a whole new path.

Once you do break onto that new path, things go to some fascinating places. But the broad feeling of the new story branch is that it feels, well, too broad. Rin’s enthusiastic earnestness rubs off on the direction of the new content a little too much, and even though the scenarios posited are genuinely interesting to see unfold, it lacks a more grounded subtlety that invites a similar level of contemplation to the existing branches for Katherine and Catherine. What’s more dismaying is that the ultimate conclusion to Rin’s story branch actually feels like it undermines the otherwise positive themes the new chapters work so intensely to convey, seeming to suggest that the kind of love that Rin and Vincent can potentially share is fantastical in nature.

But Rin’s presence still brings an intriguing new edge to Vincent’s crisis, and Full Body still tells a fascinating, personal tale. The nightmarish block puzzles are still weirdly intense and satisfying to surmount, and the Stray Sheep is still a wonderful bar to spend your nights in. Full Body does a great job in refining and refreshing the Persona studio’s fascinating foray into the social lives of adults, and Catherine continues to stand out as a game that feels both incredibly bizarre and authentically intimate.

Source : Gamesport