#aaa my style keeps changing

[beryllineart]

Facial Expressions: Sans

Hey look, it's some of my first drawings of Sans from all the way back in March! They're... kind of terrible, aren’t they? I've kinda been beating myself up on how bad my art is compared to other people lately, so it was good to look back and realize that at least I'm better than I was only 7 months ago. I still kind of suck, but at least I don't suck as much as I used to.

Also, can we please please please make the blue and yellow gradient thing for Sans's eye more common, because it looks so freaking cool. Plus, yellow is a bright and warm color so it's more likely to help draw people's eyes to it without you having to make his eye all flamey.

Maybe I should do more of these with other Undertale characters and some of my OCs. Of course, you would have to see the nightmare fuel my first attempt at drawing Papyrus was...

[infactmrmeowz]

Hello. Can you tell us, in your opinion, what physical preferences Crocodile, Mihawk, Buggy and Smoker from One Piece would have in a woman ? Thank you very much and sorry if this has already been asked. ^^

One Piece Men + Headcanons!

OF COURSE I CAN POOKIE!! Also MB for like disappearing for months on end!! Btw!! I can’t see my messages idk why so so sorry! If ya want somethin do inbox!

warning!: suggestive only a bit, cursing! Obviously female reader, grammar bad mb, tad bit off topic!

crocodile - I see him being an ass guy, I don’t think it matters what size but if you have an ass then yk 😜. - leadership! Because he is SUCH a busy man he wants you too atleast have SOME leadership on yourself and others for his work, and you to take care of yourself! It’ll be more stressful for him if he constantly has to worry about you.. which he doesn’t!! (He does). - I don’t think he really cares what size you are, you just have to be strong, atleast learn how to fight or protect yourself! - women in suits 😵‍💫 - if he sees you in a suit he might just go bonkers. - this is going back to leadership role, but being smart! You don’t have to be Einstein smart but smart in one way or another, he finds that hot.. especially when you geek out about thing, can be a special interest or something nerdy, he might act like he is not listening but he is! - hip dips! Oo that man loves iittttt he’ll hug you from behind, and rest his hands on them, while nuzzling his head in your neck !! Mihawk- boob guy, no one can tell me otherwise! - again doesn’t matter what size you are, he loves to see you in the color red! (With cleavage showing 🫨). - he likes it when you drink the wine and a little wine mustache comes up! He finds it’s ADORABLLEEEE. - when you sit down and your thighs expand, especially in a dress!!! AAAAAA. - I think he wants someone who is shorter than him, but also strong in some way or another .. bonus points if you know how to use a weapon! Especially a sword! - someone with long hair! Doesn’t care if it’s real or not, he loves to see you do your hair in the morning, (this includes if you have braids or dreads!) Buggy- thigh guy! - he LOVES to see you put on flashy colors for your outfits, or hair styles/hair colors! Of course you can’t be more flashy than him.. BUT he thinks you look HOT and CUTEEE wearing flashy clothes! Especially his colors! Or even matching with him in some way or form! - I think he would like to see someone with unique features, that can be anything on your body! Freckles, eye color, hair, skin, body, anything! The more unique the better! - he doesn’t like when you change your features to be some one or something or to be “ prettier “ he thinks that if your born with a unique feature(s) you keep it! Make it shine! - makeup! Of course you don’t need it!! But he wants you to match with him! (Please paint your nose blue like his). - someone who is strong! Very strong! Or strong/stronger with weapons of any kind! He finds it actually so hot when you fight. -funny! Or goofy! He loves people when they are funny and goofy! You can be the jester and him the clown! Smoker- another ass guy, - he definitely wants a strong woman, like with crocodile it’s too stressful! - someone who is mature, I don’t think he can handle someone who is immature.. and if you are he’ll deal with it but don’t be surprise when he gets mad at you! - when you dress formal! He finds it hot! Also shows your maturity! - unlike buggy.. he wants someone with shorter hair! (Including people with braids or dreads etc..) he doesn’t know why, but I think he likes it because it matches with every outfit you wear..

OKAY POOKIES I HOPE I DID THIS RIGHT I KINDA HAD TO ADD MENTAL TOO.. BECAUSE HUST PHYSICALL WAS KIND AHARD IM SORRY IF THIS WASNT WHAT YOUW ANTED! AGAIN IMBOX IF YA WANT SOMETHIN SORRY POOKIES

AAA that’s it! Cya later alligators! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[catherinekal]

Giant Fucking List of Obscure Video Games I Recommend!

It's finally done!! Took me long enough, but here it is. Over 50 games I recommend. Just in time for the Steam Sale. Holy shit I spent way to much time on this.

Some of these are well known to anyone into the indie/AA gaming scene or just on the internet often, but I still felt the need to mention in case people haven't heard of them. All of these are obscure compared to any AAA game and I'm confident no one would have heard or played all of these.

They all have something I found interesting in someway. I was going to include a trailer for each game, but apparently Tumblr doesn't like that. So I have put a link to a Youtube playlist for all of them in the same order as this list. Some of these games are also on various consoles to, but I can confirm they're all on Steam beyond one.

I only picked games I've played personally. I know of many other good obscure games, but haven't tried or bought them yet so they don't get on the list. Also many games on this list remain unfished to me, but that's more due to time and other life shit then them getting bad.

There's a lot of fucking games In this list so hopefully you find something you've never tried before and give it a shot. All these games are on Steam with one exception, but that's a free game. I also organized them by genres that make perfect sense to me.

Trailers Link:

The Best Game Ever:

Outer Wilds

Fuck it let's just start with the only mandatory game on this list you need to play. You know how nearly every space game is a overpromised underdelivered fucking mess? Like all of them.

Outer Wilds is the actual good one. Don't want to say much more then that. This is very much an experience that you need to know as little as possible to get the best experience. Not even linking the trailer in the playlist.

Absolutely play this game if you had to pick only 1 thing on this list.

EarthBoundLikes:

OMORI

OMORI is a game about a group of kids who go on magical adventures and save the day. That's it. Nothing else sinister going on here.

It's a well known indie game and for good reason. It's fucking good. One of my favorite games of all time.

Art style is peak. A mix of pixel and pencil drawn art that works so damn well for me. The battle system is turn based and revolves around changing emotions and teamwork. It mixes a happy child like vibe with a darkness underneath it, which is right up my alley. A tale of trauma and grief. I'm still fucked up thinking about some story bits in there. 

All the characters are wonderful and the story is helped a lot by keeping it focused on a small group of friends.

Play it.

LISA: The Painful and LISA: The Joyful

LISA: The Painful/Joyful are a pair of games that fuck. They fuck hard.

They're morbid, tackle many taboos, and have a dark but also stupid sense of humor. The visuals are nothing groundbreaking, but this isn't a game that needs perfect pristine pixel art. The combat system is a lot of fun, but takes very clear inspiration from Earthbound. The story is just perfect though.

You play Brad whos on a journey to rescue his adoptive daughter who was kidnapped in a post apocalyptic world of only men. You meet the strangest allies and the game has a lot of odd characters in it. Want a lawyer fish in your party? This game has it.

It does not shy away from throwing punches and is not for anyone who can't handle a story that tackles themes of abuse, depression, suicide, and more. The game also has a sequel I don't want to say to much about, but it's absolutely worth it as well.

If you want a fun and fucked up 2D RPG adventure and somehow haven't played this then please do so.

Mandatory Metroidvania Soulslike Indie Game Darlings:

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights

Ender Lilies is the first of many metroidvania's on this list. The indie scene is filled with them and for good reason. The formula works so damn well.

What I love about Ender Lilies is the concept of the player character. You play a white priestess who is also a child and helpless on her own. However, you can summon the spirits of allies and slain enemies to fight for you and those spirits are all your attacks. Gameplay is the same as any other Metroidvania, but knowing I'm this helpless child in this world infected by blight really sells me on the setting.

There's nothing revolutionary to this entry in the pantheon of Metroidvanias, but the visuals and setting are why I recommend it. This game is a slow descent into hell. Also you do get a big heavy hammer attack and any game with a big hammer weapon attack is a good game. Big bonks.

Craving a Metroidvania with a macabre setting? This will do it.

GRIME

GRIME is something else. I don't hear anyone talk about this game and it's a damn shame. I don't even know how to even describe GRIMEs setting. You play as essentially a sentient black hole on a rock body. You go through, with lore slowly revealed as is the Metroidvania stable, and absorb your enemies.

This games aesthetic is best described as fleshy stone. It's very unique visually and what made me want to try it out. As for gameplay you'll need to learn parrying as this games combat system heavily relies on it.

This game surprised me and has a entire level I never expected with one very unique boss to top that off. Also be warned. This game is very much a platformer as well. Similar to how the Ori games are, not just pure combat challenges. If you like your metroidvanias with little to no platforming then you won't enjoy parts of this game, but nothing as difficult as things in Hollow Knight.

If you enjoy metroidvanias then this is a must play. More people need to talk about it.

Salt and Sanctuary

This is where it all started. Certainly not the first Metroidvania by any means, but the first 2D Soulslike Metroidvania or at the least first advertised as such. The devs intended to make Dark Souls in 2D and they did it. Before Hollow Knight, the games listed above, or so many others that took inspirations from Souls in the 2D world, was this game. I know this game was popular with the souls community as it came out, but I don't really hear about it anymore. Hollow Knight just dominated all discussion.

The controls and combat are very much Dark Souls but in 2D. The lore is cryptic and hidden away. There's a fuckton of weapons and spells and multiple playthroughs worth of stuff. The game is hard though Hollow Knight would easily one up it in terms of difficulty.

This game also has covenants that are actually good and the mechanics around them are vastly improved over any souls game that has covenants. I won't go into detail, but I wish the souls games copied this games mechanics for that.

The setting is high fantasy with the lovely dark bloody horror underneath it all. The art style can turn people away, it's not as pretty as other 2D souslikes, but I enjoy it personally. It fits.

The game has a lot to explore and you can get lost in its world pretty easily. I remember walking into a boss room from the exit somehow and got behind the boss and it was all intended if you navigated around him.

If you can appreciate or just get past the visuals and want to see where the 2D soulslike genre began then you should play it.

Metroidvania's Before the Dark Age of Soulslikes

Dust: An Elysian Tail

Long ago there was a time where Metroidvanais didn't have soulslike mechanics defaulted in and set in these bleak post apocalyptic worlds. I have 3 of them to recommend. Starting With Dust: An Elysian Tail

This is a fun little game. A game that I'm not sure many people know about or would think to play today. Metroidvanias pre Hollow Knight tend to get forgotten when I see people about them now. It has a mix of platforming and hectic combat. I remember the game having a cool spin sword attack with a even cooler aerial attack. I liked it a lot when I played it many many years ago.

The art style is colorful and everyone is an anthropomorphic animal. More games need anthropomorphic animals beyond catgirl or rabbitgirl, seriously I grew up on shit like sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank.

You play as Dust and are accompanied by Fidget. you got a magic sword and you kill a bunch of shit while saving the day. Just a fun little Metroidvania that doesn't overstay and go on forever.

It may be dated in some ways, but if you're a fan of these types of games and want to play a older one then here you go.

Guacamelee!

The combat in this game feel great. Another little forgotten gem of a Metroidvania. It has such a unique style to it and has a fun cartoony vibe. It's pretty fucking great.

You play as a farmer who dons a luchador mask to save his friend he loves and the world being taken over. The combat is a mix of punches, kicks, and throws which is unique from the usual swords and magic these types of games tend to default to. As the game goes along enemies will have shields that need certain moves to break and you'll be switching from the land of the dead and living in combat and platforming.

Both this and Dust before it don't reinvent the genre or anything, but have their own unique charms that I recommend them both if you're a fan of Metroidvanias.

Cave Story+

This is a old classic. The original Cave Story came out in 2004, and was released with a enhanced version in 2011. This is a must play Metroidvania and an old gem. It's the oldest game on this list technically.

This game has little to no melee combat, but instead goes all in on using guns. More Metroid then Vania in that sense. What's unique to the combat is enemies will drop experience that will level up your guns automatically. Each gun can be upgraded to 3 levels, but when you take damage you lose experiences and levels. This adds a extra layer or rewards and punishment to getting hit that I like. Your weapons are perfectly usable at level 1 so it's not like you're fucked, but it gives a greater incentive to avoid damage.

It has fun characters and and fun gameplay. It's a genuine indie gem that I think everyone should play.

Pixel Action Adventure Games With A Dash of RPG Elements to Taste:

ANNO: Mutationem

This game is a pixel art cyberpunk adventure. I adore the art style. It's a 2.5D action platformer set in a futuristic setting. You're on a quest to save your brother with the help of your hacker friend/girlfriend. A quest which leads to a far more complicated story.

The story in this game goes off the rails in ways I love, but I know it threw people off. People have compared the latter half to Evangelion and It can be confusing to follow at times. I still highly recommend it, even if you get lost near the end. A simpler story in terms of Lore would have worked better, but I say fuck it. Go all in.

To me the appeal of this game is the setting. A fascinating cyberpunk sci-fi setting shown through wonderful pixel art. Just walking around the various cities was a joy on its own. There's a lot of attention to detail and I think it's worth playing for that alone. Combat is your standard side-scrolling Metroidvaniaish kind of stuff with various weapons and upgrades and all that. I found it a little challenging at times, but this isn't a game meant for extreme difficulty from what I remember.

If you want to play as hot badass woman in a cyberpunk setting given life through detailed pixel art, then this is the game for you.

CrossCode

This is the most dense indie game on this whole list. CrossCode has so much to do. The game is expansive and slowly drip feeds you with more. You have 5 skill trees, 4 of which are tied to an element, multiple upgrade paths in them. You have a mix of melee combat with twin stick shooter mechanics thrown in. The game has multiple dungeons with puzzles that are both difficult to figure out and then execute the solution for. These aren't like a 2D Zelda dungeon where things never get to complicated, I really took a lot of time with every dungeon.

The setting takes place on another moon physically, but its actually all virtual and a MMO people are playing from all over the galaxy. Though the game itself isn't a MMO really. You play as a set character in a set linear story that's unrelated to that actual in lore story of the MMO. 

The characters are fun and the setting is a joy to explore. There's a lot of side content and I don't remember any of it being a drag. This games also challenging and I know It took me a bit to progress at various points. The pixel art is very detailed, especially with the outdoor environments.

This game will keep you engaged for a while and there's challenging DLC and even fun incentives to play new game plus. This is just all around a solid game experience.

Hyper Light Drifter

I played this game a long time ago so details are hazy, but I know I really enjoyed it. It's top down and filled with action. You got a sword. You got a gun. You go kill things and I do remember many challenging combat encounters.

I have forgotten all story elements, but even now I still remember some imagery that reminded me of Evangelion, which is always a plus. Though story was never the main draw to games for me so the setting and combat were all I needed to keep engaged.

Not the most descriptive review of the game, but I know this is one of the furthest game on this list from when I played it and I only went through it once. It's a cool game though and if the trailer enticed you then you owe it to yourself to get it. 

Phoenotopia: Awakening

I adore this little hidden gem of a game. If CrossCode is the most dense indie game on this list then this is a very close second. Possibly even more dense, I truly can't decide for sure. It's cute, funny, charming, and full of legitimate challenges.

You play as Gail who lives in a small town village. Some shit happens that I won't give away, but you end needing to travel the land and go on a fun adventure. The story is full of comedic and lively characters. It never takes itself to seriously or gets really dark which Is a nice change of pace.

This game really is an adventure. You will travel a lot and get very familiar with any hub area. There's secrets and puzzles packed all over and gives you good reason to revisit. A nice drip feed of progress is felt as you unlock more stuff.

In terms of combat it's bar far the most simplistic on this list and could even frustrate others, but like everything else in this game it has charm and I adore it. The simple mechanics don't mean no challenge though. I was stuck often, but felt so satisfying when I won.

Some of the late game areas can be bullshit and will frustrate you, but stick with it. This is a genuine top tier hidden indie gem that got no attention. Honestly just under Outer Wilds this would be the other must buy. Absolutely play this.

Vampire Survivorlikes:

20 Minutes Till Dawn

Everyone knows about Vampire Survivor and everyone knows many games came out that tried to capture that style of gameplay. This one is the only one of those I've played and it's wonderful.

You unlock multiple characters and multiple guns with various upgrade trees. Kill the horde, survive, upgrade, survive even longer. Each level only takes 20 minutes, hence the title. I appreciate that as the game would never end with how strong you end up being by the end after you learn the mechanics.

This isn't anything groundbreaking, but if you need to kill half a hour then it's a fun thing to play.

Hawklikes:

Umurangi Generation

Let's fucking go!! This game rules!

As someone who is going to pursue photography more seriously as a hobby this game is perfect. Unlike something like Pokemon Snap or games with photo modes, this game really captures the feeling of holding a physical camera and the moment to moment decisions you make with each shot.

You unlock different lenses and control each shot as you would a real camera. After each photo you can edit it on the spot purely for your own creative reasons. The visuals are low poly and very colorful.

The game has a tony hawk style of progression. A hawklike if you will. You get dropped in a level and are given a list of photos to try and take. You can of course take photos of anything. You have a limited amount of film and can find more throughout the level.

Also there's a story. There's a dark undercurrent to the whole thing and the game is very overtly political in all the right ways. Don't like politics in your games? Fuck you! This game dives right in while still maintaining the core gameplay loop. Need more games like this please.

Please buy this game and it's DLC.

Action Games:

Furi

Top tier action game. It's a boss rush game, that's it. 10 bosses with some vague story that briefly connects them. It's not bloated with bullshit and knows exactly what to focus on.

The combat is a mix of intense melee combat with parries and dodges and the like, with twin stick shooting. No upgrades. No farming. No choosing between this weapon or that. No additional moves or mechanics. You fight a tutorial boss which teaches you everything and then you go. You have the full toolkit from the start and that lets you master it slowly over the game.

It's so fucking satisfying finally winning and knowing you improved and earned that win. I like the story as well. It's not that complex, but the ending bits worked for me.

If you want a genuine good action game that has no bullshit attached then get this.

Amid Evil

There's not much to say about this one other then it's really fucking fun. It's a first person action game where you use magic and weapons to go through combat filled levels. You have health and mana that all weapons use outside of your axe. The levels are filled with secrets, you move fast, and it's just a fun action game.

Sometimes a game isn't more then that and it beats games that are stuffed with unnecessary mechanical bloat. If you want a fun first person action game that's not just a full shooter then this is the game for you.

Adventure Games:

The Cat Lady and Lorelai

I love these games. No one ever talks about them or knows about them and they will certainly linger in your mind. The devs have made 2 other games that I have yet to get to so for now I am recommending only these.

Play The Cat Lady first. It's the first one and tells the story of a very depressed middle aged woman who gets a second chance at life, at a cost.

Lorelai is about a young woman in a very abusive household trying to survive while seeing what lengths she will go to save those she loves.

Both these games revolve around deals with a devil and feature a lot of horrific violence. Fun!

The stories in both evoke a creepy disturbing feeling and you're always on edge. I won't say these are straight horror games, but they sure use horror imagery. The art style really helps sells it. The animations or character models may not be the most beautiful thing around, but it has that indie charm I love. The voice acting isn't perfect either, but these aren't negatives for me. These are passion projects and imperfections are what make any piece of art shine brighter. Real people put their soul into these games and it shows.

The gameplay is standard adventure game fair, but all keyboard controlled. So no endless mouse clicking everything on the screen. which works wonderfully. Though being pure adventure games you're here more for the story then the moment to moment gameplay.

Please play these.

Detention

Detention is probably well known due to the controversy with Red Candle Games other game, Devotion being wiped online for shitty reasons. It's available now on their own websites store, though I still have never played it. I should one day as Detention was pretty fucking good.

The gameplay is the usual 2D adventure game fair. A lot of clicking and puzzle solving with some horror thrown in. The story and setting are where it's at though.

The game is unique in that it's made from Taiwanese devs and the games setting is rooted in their cultures history. I don't want to give away any real details beyond that, but it certainly left an impact and seeing a game not set in Europe, America, Japan, or any fantasy equivalent to those was refreshing. The games also not super long and could easily be beaten in a day.

Go buy it. Play it on a long free night. Support these devs.

Rime

I love the aesthetic of this game. Cel shading indie colorful goodness. I got this for the visuals alone and was very happy the game that came with it was good to. Visuals are a major factor in me getting interested in a game and the reveal trailer was enough for me to play it.

It's very light and cryptic on story for most of it as to be expected from this kind of game. You're a kid, you wake up on a beach and go forth exploring. You solve puzzles and hide from danger and go through each of the unique levels trying to piece together whats going on.

Like the game before, this isn't a super long one. Shouldn't take more then a day or a few to get through it all. Though I do recommend you take your time and explore like I did. Let yourself be immersed in the setting.

This is another example of just a pure perfect indie game. Doesn't overstay it's welcome, tells a simple but cryptic story, and has lovely visuals.

Atominous

This is the one of the few games on this whole list that I would say is truly obscure. In fact I have no doubt this is the most obscure. If you're big into indie games then nothing on this list will honestly surprise you, but I'm confident this is the exception.

In this free game you place as a a little guy who's job is like pest control. Instead of bugs your job is to collect and protect the world from rare atoms called Atominous. Basically little atoms that can alter reality. You go into a big house and your job is to find them through the power of puzzle solving and clicking every little thing you see.

This game is all about clicking everything. Nearly every object has unique text that pops up, if not multiple. You find keys to open more of the house and slowly suck up the atominous atoms and clean up the place.

That's it. It's a fun quirky little free game that shouldn't take more then a couple hours. No excuse not to try it, it's free. It's also the only game not on steam, but instead here

Adventure Games Where You Hit Things:

TUNIC

TUNIC is a lovely indie game. You play as a little cute fox and go on a adventure to save your poor trapped mom. such a cute game :3

I adore the visuals, I love low poly stuff and the game is full of charm. Looking at this game makes me happy. The game is like a mix of a top down Zelda and Fez and it being reminiscent of FEZ was what really took me by surprise. I won't go further in how it's like FEZ, but it really elevated the game for me.

It's a fun top down game with simple fun combat. You kill enemies, find key items, unlock more of the world, and get fed cryptic lore. The perfect formula for a fun little indie game. The game is decently challenging to with it's boss fights, and overall a nice fun little experience with some neat surprises.

TUNIC is wonderful, go play it.

Kena: Bridge of Sprits

This is the most PS2 game I've played since the PS2. I mean that as a compliment. This game felt like going back in time to a simpler time.

Visually the game is not at all like the PS2. The visuals are beautiful and has been compared to Pixar. It's bright, colorful, and well polished. To me this is peak aesthetics. This game is worth playing just to see all the work that went into the game's visuals alone.

It reminded me of a PS2 game because it's a self contained fun third person action adventure. Just a fun game with no bullshit holding it down or any other purpose then being a fun adventure. The world is a joy to explore with a nice steady progression. I especially love how the Hub is mostly corrupted and you slowly restore it over the course of the game. Shit like that always feels so good.

There's a lot of unexpected challenge to. Some of the later fights and especially bosses took me a bit to beat. Just like a PS2 game you'll get random difficulty spikes that are so fucking satisfying to beat.

I highly recommend this game.

Adventure Games Where You're in the Desert:

Sable

Sable is a coming of age story presented in a very fun interactive package. This is a game about heading out into the world and exploring on your own whim to figure out what your character becomes as an adult.

You play as Sable, a young adult girl who has to leave her tribe and head into the wider world to discover herself. The goal is to find mask which representative a life path and pick one by the end. The actual game is about heading into a desert open world, solving puzzles, helping NPC's, and discovering what bits of hidden lore hide throughout. You do this all on a hoverbike you can customize as you unlock more parts.

As always the art style is important to me and this game has something really unique. The characters animation is low framerate and it can be off putting to some, but of course I loved it as I love any odd creative choice. I love the lighting and colors to. It's hard to describe just why I was so mesmerised by the art style, but I can safely say it's one of my all time favorites.

The only negative goes to technical issues. The game ran like shit on my PC and my PC isn't bad. Even people with far better PC's then me ran into frame rate issues and others didn't have any. Sometimes games aren't optimized well, but this game was so magical to me that I loved it, despite the tech issues.

It's a very chill game. You want to explore a cool world at a slow pace and get lost in it? Sable's the game for you.

It Comes In Waves

This is a short game where you have to start over if you die. A penalty I feared, but truthfully this isn't that difficult of an experience. You start on one end of a desert and have to carry something to the other end as it grows inside a tank on your back.

As you wait for whatever your transporting to grow you will explore minimalist environments with some unique imagery that speaks of a wider history you just have to wonder about. The whole time you have to watch out for raiders and watch your water level. It always depletes and you will need to explore and refill it as you journey on. I also love how you have a map, but the map is like an actual map. It doesn't show you on it, but just the overall area.

This game will take you a hour at best and is unlike anything else on this list. There's something about just slowly walking across the desert, not knowing what's ahead, and hoping you can make it to the next water tank. Just a little experimental game about a harsh journey.

Platformers With 2 Entire Dimensions:

MO: Astray

Ever wanted to play as a little blob? No? Well you should because this game was a hidden gem. I was thrown off by this game at first and then pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.

This game feels like it should be a metroidvania. It's 2D and you're on a broken down ship or facility or something. Nope. This game is fully linear and at first I didn't think I'd like that and was disappointed, but it works so damn well.

You play a slime essentially and you have the magical power to read the last thoughts and minds of corpses by settling on their rotten fleshy head. With this power and other little story tidbits you learn what's going on, your purpose, and so on.

There's no combat in this game really. You move by shooting yourself in any direction you can see and you can stick to surfaces. There's danger. There's enemies. There's boss fights. All without the usual fair of attack/dodge roll, that's standard for 2D metroidvanias now. This game is something different and that alone makes it worth it.

Also a note on the boss fights. All of them felt very unique from each other I prefer having a few well crafted unique bosses then having a bunch of the same type of fight over and over again.

Another genuine hidden gem you should try.

Platformers With 3 Entire Dimensions:

Frogun

Frogun is adorable. It's like a N64 game and I love it.

You have a frog grappling hook and go through little short levels that ramp up in difficulty. There's optional challenges in each one. The art style is absolutely going for that early 3D low poly vibe that is starting to become more popular.

This is a perfect example of just a fun video game for the sake of being a fun video game. No serious story or message or intense complicated gameplay mechanics. Just a cute 3D platformer reminiscent of a older time.

Also I played this back when I used to stream and a Frogun speedrunner showed up in chat and helped me pull off a couple speedrunning tricks so that was fun.

If you want something simple and fun then here it is.

Cyber Hook

The ultimate speedrunning game. You have a gun, a grappling hook, and the ability to slow down time. This is a pure platformer. You enter levels with the goal of getting through as fast as you can.

I never got great at it, but the few times I really got going fast and flew through a level felt awesome. It's so satisfying finally doing things right after many failures and you will fail a lot.

There's really not much more to it. Neat visuals with satisfying and simple mechanics. If that sounds fun to you then check it out.

Marble It Up! Ultra

Platformers really are just the perfect mechanic to make fun mindless games with. Marble It Up! Ultra is another simple 3D platformer that's just purely focused on being fun.

As always it's not that complicated either. You're a marble and you try to reach the end of each stage with a time limit. There's items to stop time, make you jump higher, and go faster. Just all about building up speed and there's tons of ways to skip past parts of levels. Like the two games before, this one is perfect for speedrunning.

It's fun, go buy it.

RPG's:

Roadwarden

I was going to make a big post about why I preferred this to BG3, but scrapped it. BG3 is fun, but the story just bores me from the get go. Where BG3 failed for me Roadwarden succeeded. All story and all fantastic.

This is a text based RPG. Very simplistic visuals which show just enough to let your imagination handle most of the work.

You play a roadwarden who has the lovely job to travel the dangerous roads and help the townsfolk all while working on your greater goals. You pick between 3 starting classes and those do change how you approach things quite a bit. You have a time limit and that will force you to prioritize things over others. You can't do everything in a single playthrough. Your decisions matter and you aren't going to figure everything out.

You have to manage your health, money, hunger, and cleanliness. You will never have enough money for everything and that helps create more interesting choices. You have to manage what you do in a day. You meet a lot of people and forge allies or enemies and it's all told with stellar writing.

If you want a well written fantasy interactive story then you must play this game.

RPG's With Intense High-Octane Turn Based Combat:

Epic Battle Fantasy 5

A long time ago in times forgotten there existed these ancient relics called Flash games. Maybe one day I'll talk about old flash games I was into, but for now I'm only talking about the latest instalment in one of them. Epic Battle Fantasy is a series of games made by Matt Roszak. They started as little flash games, but have since turned into bigger games that are on Steam. 5 is the latest one and also the best so I'm recommending this one.

I've gone through this game multiple times. This game fucking rules. The game is easy to control, satisfying, and has my favorite turn based combat system period. No seriously, this is my favorite turn based combat system. I could go on what I like about it so much, but I'll spare you all most of the details. I'll say it gets rid of mana entirely and put all your abilities on cooldowns which changes based on what you're using. This just fixes balancing and helps you from spamming heals and all that. I love this system. It's easy to control, intuitive to understand, full of options, and can have a chaotic randomness I enjoy.

In this game you explore the overworld, solve puzzles, and fight enemies. The story is not at all serious or anything like that. It may not be a Flash game anymore, but it still has the older internet spirit of not taking things to seriously and being a little juvenile. There's also a lot of post game challenges that still are impossible for me to really do well or at all.

You can change the difficulty anytime and another thing I love is the entire game can be controlled with just a mouse. You can use a keyboard to, but a mouse covers everything which I think is neat.

This is such a wonderful combat system and the game I've beaten most on this list. If you want legitimately challenging turn based RPG combat and don't care about story or characters to get that then this game is a must play.

Shadows Over Loathing

Want a lovecraftian mystery RPG injected with a dose of comedy where everybody is a stick figure? Yes? How very specific, but luckily there's a game just for you.

Shadows Over Loathing is a turn based RPG where you search for your missing uncle in a area full of strange locations and characters. I never did play their other game West of Loathing, and I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It was a lot of fun, creative, difficult at times, and had a world I really wanted to explore.

It has a lighthearted comedic tone throughout and the silly art and stick figure characters help with that. The actual turn based combat is fun to. Nothing to complicated but could be challenging to which is needed to help this style of combat really shine.

There's really not much more to it. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy then please check it out.

RPG's Fused With A Light Novel:

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA

AA games still exist! I finally get to talk about Ys. I've played 3 Ys games and I'm going to talk about my favorite one because of the fun gameplay. This is a very unknown franchise that has existed since the 80's and even now the 10th instalment is set to release later this year.

As for why I'm recommending Ys 8, it's because it has some of the most fun gameplay. The combat is fast paced, encourages good timing, and full of that anime over the top stylish action. You control up to 3 characters and can easily switch between them. Each character plays differently and has their own special moves and everything just feels so satisfying.

You play as generic light novel anime man, Adol. Tagging along is generic tsundere light novel anime girl and other light novel anime characters. Like edgy boy with a gun, loli raised in the wild, and blue haired girl. You crash land on a island and have to survive and find survivors. Much like LOST the story goes off the rails and of course in classic JRPG fashion you need to stop the end of the world somehow. Unlike LOST characters are generic and the usual anime fair.

Despite the lackluster story this game still fucking rules because it's so goddamn fun to play. It also solved crafting forever by making it so you can convert common items into rarer ones making anything you find useful potentially. Seriously it's such a nice feature and all crafting systems without it are lesser.

If you want some fun action combat and don't mind anime bullshit then really, check out the entire franchise. Any of them will do, but this is the one I'd recommend the most.

RPG's Fused With A Light Novel and A WW2 Textbook:

Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 4

Picture this. WW2, but with anime and magical girls. Japan just never stops with these incredible ideas.

I adore these 2 games. I haven't played 2 or 3 as those are PSP games and I don't hear great things. However I can confirm 1 and 4 are fucking fantastic.

These games are tactical RPG's where you command troops one by one in missions. Most are usually about capturing a enemy base, but there's a lot of variety beyond that in both of them. You lay out your troops at the start plus your commander who's in the tank. You get a set level of CP per turn and each CP is used to control a unit. The actual game is probably piss easy for experienced tactical game players, but I'm not that at all. I found it legitimately difficult, both games.

What sets it apart is the game turns into a sort of third person shooter when controlling the units. You can freely move up to your AP and get one action to do. If it was just top down the whole time I'd find that not that interesting, but actually moving around and taking cover unit by unit is very engaging. There's 5 classes in the first game and a 6th added in the fourth game. Each class can be upgraded as well along with weapons, equipment, and the tanks.

The stories in both are nothing special truthfully. It's anime WW2 with silly dumb anime characters. I don't mind that and had a lot of fun, but if you can't stand something like Persona then these games will infuriate you. To me stupid anime characters in games can be a lot of fun, like Raz in 4, the dumbest but somehow most entertaining character for me. Expect some silly anime cliches and tone changes and the usual fair for these kinds of games. Even if the story is a big nothing for you, I still think both games are worth it for the gameplay.

Another aspect that I really love is all your units have personality traits that can trigger as you control them. What caught me off guard was that they're both positive and negative ones. There's ones like a woman having man hater and fancies woman as traits, aka the lesbian. There's straight up a guy with misogynist as a trait. Some are lonely, frail, daredevils, have crushes or people they hate, even one with the masochist trait. All these good and bad traits translate into potential buffs or debuffs that can happen in the game.

Sadly these side characters don't get much story in the first game. Just a unique design with some personality traits and maybe a couple in battle lines of dialogue. However, the 4th one introduced squad stories. Essentially little side stories that revolve around the non important squad mates. They were always fun to do and the missions for them are more unique because they are designed around only using those 3 characters.

I recommend both of them, but if you had to play one I'm not sure. 1 has the better story, the overall lore itself establishes in 1, and the gameplay is still fun. 4 has the better gameplay, more unique missions, and the squad stories which were a highlight for me.

Just pick which one sounds more like your thing if you only want to spend the time with one of them. Both are fun.

RPG's About the Harsh Reality of Capitalism:

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

I adore this games concept. It takes the common NPC seen in these little RPG adventures, the shopkeeper, and puts you in their shoes. You're father has a big debt to pay off and you now have to sell items out of your house to help pay it off before the deadline.

You lay the items out and then have to haggle your way to a profit. Finding the line of when to haggle and how much is the key to success and I failed miserably. I never did beat this game, but I haven't beaten many games on this list and that won't stop me from telling you to play them. I think the concept alone is enough of a reason to check it out.

The game does have combat as well. You can hire an adventurer to go with you into a dungeon and fight enemies for treasure. I like how you hire someone from the Adventurers Guild, just another cool concept as a typical game would have you play as the character being hired instead all the time. I also like how dungeons are high risk high reward. If they die then you lose most of what you gather and essentially just wasted the day.

It's just a cool concept and a nice change of pace from how a game set in these typical fantasy settings would go. You aren't some savior of the world, but just a shopkeeper trying to pay off debt.

Spooky Games:

Yuppie Psycho

Do you want a game about a corporate building being haunted by dark forces and being a badass fighting your way through it all? That's Control. You just want Control.

Unlike Control which bored me to death after a while. Yuppie Psycho is about a haunted corporate building, but you play a new lowly worker who's been tasked with something far above his pay grade. Brian Pasternack is a new hire who's in way over his head. What should have been a normal corporate jobs turns into a witch hunt, literally.

You aren't a badass and will have to sneak your way to victory, uncovering the buildings hidden secrets along the way. For me that's part of why this works over Control as a effective story. You're kind of a fucking nobody who has to be extra careful and is reluctant to even do this. Far more relatable honestly.

The joy of this game comes from exploring this building and uncovering the secrets and horrors. Each floor is unique and this game gets creative with the corporate horror vibe. I love some of the designs of things and how it blends comedy and horror together. It also has branching paths and even limited save slots which seemed frustrating at first, but wasn't really a big deal. Not saving every chance you can really adds to the tension when sneaking around.

It's not a true horror intense experience, but as someone who is a baby with horror I found a lot of genuine tense moments. It's a real indie gem.

The Complex: Found Footage

Kane Pixels backrooms videos are honestly pretty fucking great. I'm not usually a fan of horror at all, but there's something about these videos that just work for me. Then pgWave decided to make a video game creating the experience of exploring these kinds of spaces.

This is a creepy game where you slowly move through liminal spaces and just sort of get lost in it. There's no jumpscares or anything intense happening, but as a baby with horror this game was tense to go through for me. Honestly I appreciate it's not a more traditional horror game with a monster or something. Just dropped in a space that's inherently unsettling and leaving it up to you to explore.

If you have a free night and want to get lost exploring spaces only games could deliver then play it. It's literally free.

Games Where You Gotta Go Fast:

Distance

This game fucks. I actually remember when playing the first version of this game back when it was a student project. Students at DigiPen made a game called Nitronic Rush and it was (maybe still is?) available to download for free from the schools website. That game fucks and they announced a proper full game called Distance and it was one of the rare instances I actually bought a early access game.

Distance is a car game about going fast as fuck. The levels don't put you against anyone and instead just getting to the end is the challenge in itself. You have a boost that can overheat, a jump, and even wings when needed. The levels will require you to weave in and out of oncoming danger. They have jumps where you'll need to turn the car 90 or 180 degrees to land on a new track. All while giving you a wonderful sense of speed and accomplishment when you pull things off right.

It's not a easy game either and levels will get challenging. There's a ton of levels and challenges and if you get sucked into the gameplay then there's a lot to keep you there. This game seeks to deliver the thrill of going fast in a dangerous track where everything is out to kill you, and making it to the end. There's really not much more to say. It has a specific vision and fully realizes it.

Games Where You Trust the Heart of the Cards:

Foretales:

This game is very unique and nothing quite like what I've played before. The entire game is card based. Each of the characters have their own decks that are all mixed together in your hand. You have 4 resources you can collect, gold, food, fame, and infamy. You can get item cards as well. The board has various location cards you need to move through to move the story along. What's unique about this is the cards can be used in battle or on locations.

It's hard to really go into details how this all works, but you don't have a separate hand or anything for when combat begins.

Some cards have uses in locations and battles and others don't, but there all mixed together which adds to you planning ahead and making the best choice. You can use a eavesdrop card near a guard post to get a juicy secret which can be used for blackmail later. You can forage for food and obviously a forest will give you more then a mine shaft. There's a lot of really cool little interactions and creativity put into this systems that's just to complicated to type out and explain.

One thing I can get into is the best feature of combat. The fact that you can get through it without fighting or with less fighting then needed. Those 4 resources can be used in locations for story or optional reasons, but they can also be used in combat pacify enemies. Bandits can be bribed with gold or food for example. Fame and infamy can be used as well in certain circumstances. They are a constantly growing resource that always have uses. I'm sure it's possible to do a full pacifist run, though I imagine it would be difficult.

The game also has multiple paths for the story to go and lots of optional stuff. Multiple characters to use down the line but only 3 party members so there's more choice as well. Also everyone's an anthropomorphic animal because why not.

I just like how it's a card based game that's not just a battle between opponents or a roguelike or how cards are typically used in video games. If nothing else this game should be played for it's game design alone. If you want a really unique interactive story experience entirely dictated by cards then this is about the only game I know of like it.

One Step From Eden

I'm very bad at this game. So bad I still have never beaten it once. It's really fun all the same though.

It's a deckbuilding roguelike set on a grid. As the formula goes you fight your way through, choosing your path, collecting cards, and seeing if you can win. In my case that's a no.

The game is set on a grid where you have to manage what spells you currently have, dodging enemies, and somehow making sense of the chaos. You can unlock other characters that have their own unique mechanics to help freshen things up. Also the game just throws you in the deep end and lets you learn through playing. No tutorial or anything, just have at it.

If you're itching for a roguelike that's very fucking challenging then enjoy. 

Inscryption

This is another game I expect many others to know about, but if not then honestly just play it.

It's a rougelike card game set in a wonderfully crafted creepy setting. You're alone in some mysterious persons shack forced to play a really well designed card game. Of course if it was just that I'd not be recommending it.

The mechanics are well thought out and slowly learning the mechanics feels nice. You will fail, a lot, as is the case for roguelikes, but keep at it. The game is filled with secrets and puzzles and mysteries that you'll just have to figure out for yourself.

Much like with Outer Wilds way back at the top, I don't want to say much more. If you have somehow not played this or don't know anything about it then you should.

Tainted Grail: Conquest

This is still the only proper deck-building roguelike in the same vein as Slay the Spire. While I haven't played much of that and honestly couldn't get into it, this game I did.

It was described to me as Slay the Spire meets Dark Souls by some poor soul who's brain is forever lost in soulslike hell. In reality it's just a cool deck building game where you fight creepy monsters and slowly build up the village to make each run easier. There's characters to find and NPC quest you can make little progressions on each run. It's just enough story and context to give this game a sense or purpose and progression outside collecting cards.

What added more replayability to me beyond the quest was having 9 classes to work with. In truth it's really 3 broad classes with 3 variations on those broader class types. You have the fighter, archer, and summoner as the broad classes. They use similar cards, but their strategies vary with each subclass. A summoner is more about making their summons powerful, bloodmages use their own life to summon minions that get stronger and die on their own, and necromancers sacrifice their minions to turn into a Lich. The fighter and archer subclasses are as varied and it's a good way to use similar cards across different playstyles.

I had a lot of fun with this one. It's a fun deck building game. 

Thinking Games:

Manifold Garden:

I love the space this game takes place in. This is the shit only games can truly deliver on. The world is basically always looping. Each level repeats in all directions when your in open space. If you fall anywhere, you'll be ok. You can just fall endlessly even, it's very mesmerising and freeing once you get used to the fact that you can just jump off anywhere, and even needed to solve the level sometimes.

The other fun mechanic the puzzles primarily revolve around is the ability to walk on any surface and change gravity as you do it. Essentially you turn the wall into the new floor and is the main mechanic for puzzles in enclosed spaces. This game uses blocks of various colors and the simple task of putting them in the right slot is made complicated by having to altar gravity and matching them up. There's other mechanics introduced of course, but you'll need to discover those yourself.

The game can be beaten in a day give or take your skill at puzzles. I appreciate that it doesn't overstay it's welcome and uses it's mechanics in interesting ways. Also this reminds me I still need to play Antichamber someday.

If you like exploring spaces only games can deliver on or puzzles then this is the game for you.

FEZ

FEZ! This is such a fun interesting little game. It's probably well known given who the creator is, but if you haven't checked this out before, then you should.

The trailer makes it appear to be more a platformer then a puzzle game and that's half right. Similar to another game on this list, FEZ goes much deeper then a mere platformer. It has some esoteric puzzles. As I understand (could be wrong) one puzzle still hasn't been solved legitimately, but had to be brute forced and even now the community has no concrete answers on how you were supposed to get the solution.

The good news is the harder puzzles aren't technically required to just finish the game. You could still enjoy this as a fun platformer. The way the world works is you see the game world on a 2D plane. Like any other 2D platformer. However, the world itself is in 3D and you can switch the perspective to change where platforms and other things are. It's really fun moving about this world and in a sense each level is it's own puzzle to figure out how to get through it with these mechanics.

I highly recommend this game.

Thinking Games for DJ's

FRACT OSC

This is another game I would be shocked if anyone knew about. No one talks about this game ever and I don't even remember how I found out about it wayyyy back in college. This is also the oldest game on here I've played. I haven't touched this is years, but know I enjoyed it a lot.

What i remember is it's filled with music based puzzles. I also remember being very fucking confused and having to look shit up, but the real joy is just the vibe. Everything makes sound and the whole game revolves around music. I slowly explored as much as I could and just took it all in. It's a fun space to be in and I'm a sucker for being dropped in a unusual place only games can delivery on.

If you don't know shit about music production like me you might have a hard time or maybe I was just a fucking idiot and needed help. Either way I still recommend this to everyone.

Vibing with the Beat Games:

Sayonara Wild Hearts

This is basically a interactive album. It's a rhythm game that's not to difficult, which is good as this is more about the flow and vibe. There's not much more to say about it. It will take an hour and every bit is lovely. It's a visual and auditory feast that has some clever ideas packed in. I think everyone should experience it.

Soundodger+

This game won't be on the Steam store for much longer sadly. Warner Bros being shitty and taking cool shit down. I haven't played any other of the Adult Swim games that are being taken down, but I encourage you to find the list and get anything interesting while you still can.

The game itself is a fun little bullet hell rhythm game. The song plays and you are a circle in the middle of larger circle. Obstacles are thrown out into the middle timed to the music and you simply have to dodged them. I don't remember it being to hard, but I know there are community levels and I just have to assume those are going to be tough.

It's a cool game to vibe to and it's going to be gone soon. Don't miss your chance to get it.

Artsy Games That I Don't Know Where Else To Put Them:

The Beginner's Guide

This a narrative experience about the relationship between the narrator and the game dev who's games are being played. That may not sound like the most interesting premise, but trust me it's very engaging. This game has a unsettling feeling underneath it all and it's really hard to go into more without just spoiling things.

The actual game is you going through a series of small little games made by a Dev named Coda as the narrator Davey speaks to you about various things relating to the game and Coda himself. It's explores a character who's frankly caught up in a unhealthy obsession with someone else and quite the journey.

It will only take a hour and half to get through and I think it's worth a playthrough if you like narratives only video games can deliver on.

The Static Speaks My Name   

This is the shortest game on this list. It's also the most depressing. If you struggle with dark thoughts and depression and really need something happy to distract you, then do not play this little free game.

It's a sad and unsettling little experience that has a lot of room for interpretation. I'm a fan of little strange pieces of art like this and if this sounds interesting to you then it's free. Check it out.

Minimalist City Builder Games:

ISLANDERS

This such a cute game. It's a simple city builder where the goal is to keep building things correctly and move on to another island. You start on a randomly generated island and are given a set of buildings and a number to reach. Buildings will get bonuses based on whats near them and as you unlock more buildings the number to reach gets higher.

That's really it. It's easy to understand and a nice little relaxing game about building a cool island town. Pretty cheap and pretty fun.

Multi Genre:

The Hex

This is multi genre because it quite literally has many different gameplay modes packed in it. A bunch of old video game characters stay at a Tavern where a murder may take place. It's a murder mystery! Also so much more.

In truth it's a narrative video game about exploring these characters past lives and revealing a larger narrative underneath it all. This was made by Daniel Mullens who's latest game I recommended earlier. Much like Inscryption, this game slowly draws you into it's setting and drop feeds you it's secrets slowly.

The Hex was pleasantly surprising as I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. It's worth playing.

That's it. That's the list. Over 50 more games to add to your Steam library which means over 50 more games you'll get to, eventually.

[tossawary]

The AVALANCHE group in "Final Fantasy 7: Remake" keeps cracking me up. They're not wearing any face masks to hide their identities when busting into secure SHINRA facilities full of surveillance cameras??? They don't even change outfits when they're not running missions??? It's killing me.

Assuming that they are not outright killing every SHINRA trooper they encounter (maybe they are, idk), even if they weren't being caught on a bunch of surveillance cameras (the opening mission shows this happening), there's like dozens of people who should be able to give relatively detailed descriptions of them??? (Also, I laugh every time the screen says that Cloud has "defeated" a SHINRA trooper. If he's a super soldier swinging that much sharp metal around at high speeds, he should (realistically) be cutting people in half. It is amusing to me to see the people enemies just fall over and the machine enemies get trashed. I find it very cartoony.)

(I am still failing to properly watch my way through this series during work. I personally don't super love the hyperrealistic dolls design style and I don't think it jives all that well with the incredibly cartoony world building, clumsy "as you know" exposition, and wacky gameplay execution so far. It's just not my thing. Yet I found "Ace Attorney" utterly intolerable to watch but very fun to actually play through the wackiness, so I'll give FF7 the benefit of the doubt there and say, "Sure, I assume this is still really fun to actually play and that the world is immersive enough that way.")

This game is a "AAA" remake of a super popular game in a super popular franchise, but they apparently couldn't be bothered to make secondary "civilian" models for Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge? What is this? A cheaply made cartoon series? These characters are waltzing around the slums in their matching bright red bandanas and Jessie, who is apparently a former performer and therefore especially recognizable, is always wearing her silly tit-sculpted armor. AVALANCHE took a crowded passenger train home from their opening terrorist mission when they should rightfully all smell and look awfully beat-up and suspicious after fleeing a massive reactor explosion???

Like, I don't really care if the characters think they're hacking the camera systems here or if the game wants pretty character faces to be visible at all times. I also don't really care about faithfulness to the original setup. They could yank facemasks down during specific cutscenes? Cloud could lose his facemask at a dramatic moment during a cutscene? And Jessie could exclaim over how cute Cloud is at the end of the mission or whatever; you can frame all of their faces as a rewarding reveal at the end of the opener. I know that character models removing clothing is super hard in 3D animation, especially games, but there are storyboarding and model swap tricks for that. You can fake ripping off a facemask relatively easily.

If the point is for SHINRA to know it's them all along and to set them up to take the fall for something later, then AVALANCHE taking greater precautions and the Turks catching them out anyway could be used to make both AVALANCHE and the Turks look more competent / dangerous. Maybe you could generously interpret SHINRA's apparent failure to catch our protagonists out as the corporation being a bloated wreck of greed and incompetent, overly reliant on their technology and wealth, but that still doesn't really excuse for me making the AVALANCHE characters look this reckless. Jessie later visits her SHINRA employees PARENTS' HOUSE in her TERRORIST UNIFORM??? JESSIE, NO!!! That's so dangerous.

There's so much detail in the backgrounds here already! If it's a matter of resources, surely some random mob NPC models could be cut so that I could see Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge in cute civilian wear outside of their missions! I am already suspending so much disbelief for so much of FF7's wacky worldbuilding, but these little details are what's really tripping me up for some reason, like, come on. SHOW ME that these characters are good at what they do by having them take some basic precautions.

I laughingly shared these thoughts with someone and they said (jokingly critical of the game as well) that Barret probably doesn't bother with secrecy because he's already apparently the only big black guy around and almost certainly the only big black guy with a gun for an arm. Which is a point! But also, BARRET!!! YOU'RE A FATHER!!! SUNGLASSES ARE NOT SUFFICIENT ANONYMITY HERE!!! THINK OF MARLENE, MAN!!!

[justporo]

I don't know if this is something you would feel comfortable doing at all, and if you aren't just disregard this!

I want to see Tav, who cares so deeply for their companions to break down. Yes, they didn't need to 'save' them, they didn't need to keep them from becoming their worst selves. But they did. They saved them, at the risk of their life multiple times. They never complained, or said anything. (I think 😭)

AAA, it's like 3 am for me so I'm in my feels about shit so ignore this if it isn't your style

Oh, I definitely see where you are going with this. First of all, Anon, I hope you're doing alright! I get being in your feelings - I just hope it isn't too negative!

I have written this one fic, where Tav snaps when the party meets Araj again because they are just on edge: "You always meet twice in life!"

I know this is not exactly what was asked but I gotta say, I wouldn't exactly have a good idea how to write this. I will however give you my thoughts about this:

Because Tav very obviously is the glue that holds this little ambivalent group together. They're the ones mediating between party members, pushing everyone to go the extra mile, persuading each individual that they are worthy of love and all the best things just the way they are. There's no ascension needed, no standing as a Dark Justiciar.

And through it all Tav has poured their heart and soul into her companions. But who's there when Tav's breaking point is reached?

What if they're very silent about it. Everything is done, everyone is saved and they just reach the end of their rope. They just withdraw, become silent, feel themselves spiral into the void. Telling themselves that they don't want anyone to notice - although in truth there is nothing they want more. They just don't want to be a bother.

But the companions do notice - after so many months of adventuring together, going through deep personal stuff, they would notice the slightest change in Tav.

And they will be there when they fall to catch them - just as Tav was there for them. Because the tadpoles might be gone, but the bond created is for life.

[insufferablemod]

your art style is so fucking sick i love the way your shapes are defined,,, is your hand still injured? because honestly the brand is fucking impeccable either way. the shakiness really gives it emotion and almost like. god. its just so... i want to study it so bad.

do you have anything in specific that really inspired the way you developed your shapes and the rest of it?? i keep saying shapes and its mad vague but i hope you know what i mean

like how you decide what lines should go where to define what, i guess.

enuff yappin tho. point is. ur shit is HYPE.

aaa thank youuuuu :')c <3 hand is sadly still injured 😎💀 have started drawing a bit with it tho! just gotta be careful with it(<-was not careful with it)

And agdhd dont worry, shape is actually the perfect word to describe it! So the way I approach things is well, shapes lol Literally, I try if I can to stick in as many solid shapes as I can They help keep things clean n uncluttered(which I am trying 2 get better at) and can help make things feel more solid I try and break down what I'm drawing into the most basic 3d shapes I can in my head without going 2 abstract or cartoony And then it's just kinda tracing those shapes in ur mind down 2 the page? I think this also helps with getting more like, volume/depth in, since basic shapes r easier to imagine in 3d then like, actual real life human anatomy i like to think of it kinda like sculpting, you start with simple big shapes and then slowly chip away n add more detail where necessary Asaro heads r a great recourse for this kinda stuff n theres some good ones u can just find online! actually, here are 2 link link (i actually gotta try n use these more,, u_u(oh shit just googled n theres actually also asaros bodies, i gotta check those out 2 lol)) Then it's just finding a good balance of curved and straight shapes, the ratio of which can change a lot depending on the vibe ur going for or character ur drawing

scribbled over some of my art 2 try n show what i mean better lol

sorry for the late response! hope any of that made sense!

[melimpostor]

OMG you are one of if not the best aruanie artist i saw, i cant believe i have only found you now!

They were like the first ship ever for me and they still mean a lot, they are so sweet, especially in your style. The ironic thing is, that at first way back around season 1 i started to see aruanie fan art, and at the time i tought it was a bit odd (i guess i missed all the signs in the show), i liked it but i considered it somewhat of a crack ship, especially since Annie was present just for one short season then it seemed like she never actually gonna come back. And then i lost my mind when suddenly in the manga it was just straight up canon xd. It propably helped that from the begining they were my favourite characters even individually.

They are still the best ship ever, like what do you mean in her whole life she was raised for war, but then couldnt kill the one guy who didnt cared about all this conflict and revenge he just wanted to explore the world, and her decicion cost the warriors the whole mission and eventually changed the world 😭

Btw do you know of some fanfictions that you would recommend?

WaaaAAAAAA- (ಥ◡ಥ) I’m not sure i deserve such a title, but thank you very much for your kind words, I appreciate it a lot ! ♥ ♥ This blog is fairly new, i've been active here since january so it might be why -

Haha I feel you! Aruani made me feel things i never thought i would for fictional characters before. I personally shipped them from the start. I guess I was gifted with the vision and carried the curse of being judged by my AOT-enthusiast friends for years. So I understand why it felt like a crack ship at the time for some. I was pretty sure i was delusional myself- but now… SIKE !!!!!!!!!!!! I am unapologetically taking my revenge with Aruani fanart now XD

But yeah, Annie is basically the one who compromised the whole mission because of her affection for Armin. Ruthless Annie. Flawless Annie... Falling for the sweet sweet boy with cute smiles and curious eyes?? aaa i’m weAk..

As for fanfictions, I am actually new to this kind of media. I never really looked for written fan-content in any other fandoms before…well- now... But i’m happy i’m finally doing it because it opens my artistic viewpoint and this community is very talented ♥ I didn't know writing could make me feel so many emotions and keeping me involved like that. I never experienced it to that extend in the past.

That being said, it means I haven't read a lot of them yet, besides work keeps me busy and my reading is pretty slow…So for the time being i 'll suggest you take a look at this post which regroups a lot of work already (and I think reblogs have some updates too ! )

And if you wanted my personal recommandations, maybe ask me again in 6 months or 24 so I have time to catch up ! haha- sorry dear writers, i failed you for so long ;;

[kazimo]

I keep going back and looking at the two Yin Yu arts...he is beautiful...

I love how in the first one his head is tilted, and our perspective is that we are looking up at him, and his eyes are warm and bright, his hair is loose and flowy, and there's that little smile, he's happy

And then we see him as the Waning Moon Officer, and he's in complete contrast with his first image, we are now looking down at him while he looks up, his eyes are dull without the shine and they look cold, his hair is tied up, his lips are down turned

I love the contrast between the two images

I love seeing Yin Yu in your style 😍 ☺️

Aaa that's exactly what I intended with these two drawings anon! I'm so, so happy they come across this way!

It's heartbreaking everytime, but I love thinking about the contrast between the yy who genuinely believed in his own worth/potential and the yy who is resigned to define himself based on his shortcomings…

It's such a change that xl even comments on that when he sees his younger version in the flashback

Anyway, before I start to ramble sdfsajdf I'm so glad you like my art and thanks for sending this nice message, I really enjoy when people talk about yy! ❤️☺️

[lupgangs-fiat]

hi!! could a request a one shot where jigen takes care of a reader with carpal tunnel/wrist pain? love your blog and I’m so happy you’re back 💓

AAA I’m so glad you love my blog omG- and it’s good to be back !! Enjoy <3!!!

Jigen x reader w/ wrist pain!

Warnings: none! Enjoy some domestic Jigen <3

Jigen always knew whenever the pain in your carpal tunnel addled wrists and hands started acting up. At one point, you could swear it was like he could read your mind, or that he might even has some hyper-specific sixth sense for this exact situation. Or he’s on the same wavelength as you- or maybe he sees the future… Whatever is it, his attention to the most minor and minute changes in your attitude was almost inhuman and somewhat freaky at times. There were times he knew even before the pain began to set in, and he would pull you away, willingly or not, from whatever it is you’re working on at the time, your compression gloves and ice packs in hand, ready to take care of you and ease you pain.

Much like today.

The gunman had just caught you overworking yourself over some research, hunched over your desk and trying to push through the constant and unrelenting pain that emanates from both your wrists. Each and every little motion and action, every letter typed and word written sends sharp and aching pain up your arms, your shoulders tingling from the pain. And Jigen absolutely hated, no, despised seeing you like this.

“Alright darlin’, that’s more than enough.” Jigen’s voice startled you out of your work as he walks up behind you, his rough hands resting on your shoulders. With a gentle yet firm grasp, he massages your shoulders, slowly yet surely easing a good chunk of the tension from your tense muscles as a content groan slips from your lips. He must’ve been a masseuse at some point in his checkered past.. there’s no way he’s just this good at working out the tense knots in your shoulders for no reason. “Jigen- Lupin needs me to finish this.. I can’t just sto-” “Yes, you can. And you will.” His voice easily trumped yours, his gruff yet gentle tone cutting through the air as he shakes his head a tad. “Lupin’s oh so precious and beloved research can wait. Besides, if he needs it bad enough for you to work through and ignore your pain, he can do it himself.” His word is absolute law in times like this. Silently, he presents you two very familiar choices. Either go with him willingly and be carried bridal style with your dignity intact, or resist and get unceremoniously tossed over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

Today? You chose the later.

Much to his dismay.

“Jigen- I promise I’m fine! I just need to finish this research then I’ll rest, I swear.” You double down as you write down some insignificant detail, gently pushing one of Jigen’s hands off your shoulders with your free hand. But your protests fell upon deaf ears as Jigen’s taller form loomed over you from behind, one hand gently shutting your laptop, the other plucking your pen from your hand and tossing it to the desk where it clattered to a stop at the edge.

He didn’t even give you the time to protest more as he easily scooped you out of the chair and tossing you over his shoulder in one fluid motion. “Jigen! Hey! C’mon- hey! Put me down!” Your shouts fill the air as you hang partially upside down, your chest against his back as he shifted your weight a little. Once more your protests fall on deaf ears as Jigen’s hands hold you steady, one hand splayed against the small of your back and the other lightly grasping the back your thigh, his fingers gently digging into your leg. Your escape attempts are extinguished with his firm grasp, keeping you in his hands until he deems it’s time to set you down. “Ah ah ah. You did this to yourself.” Is all he says in a scolding tone as he carries you away from your cluttered desk. Your hands grasp at the back of Jigen’s jacket, sore and aching fingers curling into the familiar black fabric as he pats your back with a hidden smile.

Moments later, you’re suddenly, yet oh so gently, set on the couch in the safe house’s living room. On the coffee table lay your compression gloves and cold gel bead ice packs, all properly prepared for you. ‘Bastard. He planned this... Again.’ You think as he crouches in front of the couch, picking up your compression gloves before gently taking one of your hands in his own, his warm calloused hands tenderly holding your own. “Jigen, I can put my gloves on by myself.“ Yet as always, your protests met deaf ears. They should be good acquaintances by now, maybe even best friends at this point.

“Just shut up and let me take care of you.” Jigen replies, almost immediately without a hint of malice, easily shutting you up as he slips the glove over your hand, pulling it over your wrist all the way to the middle of your forearm. His touch is almost reverent as he holds your hand as if it were delicate china, and in his mind, you are. At least, in times like these. Minor adjustments were made, ensuring the seams of the glove sat comfortably against your skin without irritating you, checking that the glove was positioned properly around your wrists and other minor adjustments. He then gently massages your wrist, his thumbs expertly pressing against your sore hand. A soft, pained whine escaping you as the motions send a dull pain up your arm while the tense joint is worked out, but the ache is only momentary. The pain is instantaneously replaced by the cool sensation of a gel bead ice pack being rested over your wrist. The process is repeated with your other hand, Jigen’s gentle touch slowly but surely banishing the pain from your extremities with each practiced motion.

“There we go.” Jigen mutters to himself as he stands up, straightening out his clothes and dusting himself off a little. He watches as you lean back against the couch, practically sinking into the plush furniture as your pain seeps out of your body with every second that passes. You couldn’t see his eyes, but you could feel their intense gaze upon you, lingering on your hands as he plops down beside you, adjusting the ice packs so they sit flush against your gloves. The soothing chill seeps into your hands, quelling the pain. “Better?” Jigen asks simply, his voice momentarily shattering the silence between the two of you. There’s a light tease to his voice, playfully poking fun at you as he leans back against the couch, his arm lazily draping over your shoulders as he speaks. “Better..” You repeat, shifting slightly to tuck yourself into his side. His heart soared as you did this, loving the way you fit beside him like a puzzle piece. It’s like the two of you were made for each other. He smiles faintly as he wraps his arm around you, pulling you closer against himself and pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Good.”

[mossy-green-aka-ferrythem]

Played most of Sonic Unleashed for the first time recently.

Genuinely one of my favorite Sonic games. Favorite games in general even. The 3D level design in the Day stages is some of my favorite in the whole series. Not a single main stage I dislike.

The Werehog is an interesting take on the gameplay, and I appreciate what they were going for here, and also realize that something like the Werehog is mechanically necessary, since it's kind of impossible to market and sell a Triple AAA game that would be like, 2 hours at most if the Werehog wasn't there. Also, it is kind of fun to experience a gameplay style that contrasts so much, a slower puzzle platformer that still keeps with what Sonic's about, while having a fairly fun beat-em-up gameplay style to boot. Of course this pales in quality to the Day stages, but that's kind of what it's meant to do in a way. It feels like the entire team KNEW the Day stages exist at the peak of what Sonic the Hedgehog is. It gets to a point where I can get an S Rank on the level, and then play it again just for the fun of it, because this is some of the most fun I've had in a video game period. The changes in routes that happen at light speed, the intelligent emphasis on high-stakes to keep your run engaging, while making it all the more satisfying when it goes smoothly, and just like. Everything about it. Wow.

Also. This game honestly has a Final Level that puts most of every other Sonic game to shame. Nothing against things like Sonic Adventure 2's Final Rush, or Shadow Generation's Radical Highway, but really, they pale in comparison, in my eyes, to the apex that is Eggmanland. Eggmanland feels so brilliant to me because it by all means, feels like a burst of excitement like no other, excitement that they finally get to create Eggmanland, after teasing it for so long, after having it's construction a main motivation for Dr Robotnik ever since right around his first inception, has finally been created, and it lives up to that buildup and more. A level that combines all of Unleashed's gameplay styles into one in a beautiful way, all in a Dystopian Theme Park/City hybrid, which is so big it takes up most of the space on the small continent Dr. Eggman took as his own. The music, just like all of Unleashed music, is perfectly fit for the stage, and is just such an incredible music composition, with both the Day and Night themes shouting at you that this is the end of this game, a grueling romp through Eggman's cartoonish dystopia that is Eggmanland. It fucking rocks.

Genuinely this game is so fucking good. Always wanted to play it ever since Sonic X Shadow Generations got me fully back into Sonic, and by god does it deliver...

Even if the biggest issue to this game is the pacing issue the medals present, it kind of ends up feeling insignificant once your at the final act, because Jungle Joyride into Eggmanland is probably one of the strongest one-two punches I've seen a Sonic game do. Hell, games in general. Also, the Werehog does have some things that undercut some sauce he could have, I feel like the lock-on range for platforms is a bit too narrow, and he should be able to lock onto platforms after an attack, to give more cool movement/skipping opportunities that have always been a huge part of Sonic's identity. Either way, it does very well for what it is, and is a nice side-dish that complements the main course, a main course which is one of the best I've ever tasted. Fantastic game.

[sm-baby]

Hey, thigh and bicep thirsting anon here! Wanted to clarify that I meant it in a good way and i LOVE your artsyle and your ability to draw different body types while also keeping it in a block style. I adore how every character looks...idk? Fleshy? I feel like I could squeeze their arm or torso or leg and it would feel real- Anyway keep up the great work!

The people love your fat juicy minecraft ass drawing abilities!!👍 /silly

1. Hehe eee I am super flattered!! ^///^ yeah Im rather happy with the body type diversity (even if I don't do skinny that often owo;) and I personally don't plan on changing it! Id say thats cuz a bit of it is just me projecting my own body type! It makes me happy, waugh ,'))

Also!! Aaa!! I think its super cool that they are fleshy!! That you could squeeze them and it would feel real! Its always nice to make your character feel 3D even in a 2D art form, but this is just a whole new level!!

2. Its a bone structure thing!? Thats absolutely ridiculous then >:0!! How could that be so sought after when its literally random chance! Waugh ... Beauty standards man!

Props to those who have it tho uwu I hope they are living their best lives.... Tho it looks a little painful/hard to walk with

[jocu-reads]

DIE Issue #5 Reread (Gillen & Hans)

Issue Six of DIE, "The Grind," features a lot — Sol acts like a catty advisor which is my favorite form of his character, Angela has to reckon with how she's let Die control her life both in and out of the game, we learn a bit more about her past, and we see how Kieron Gillen's work as a games journalist shines through with a discussion of The Crunch.

There's a very potent metaphor here between the characters in this comic are dominated by the systems of the game and those who are pushed to work tirelessly for The AAA Game, which I would call a descendant of the tabletop game in many ways.

We're entering the part of the text where my knowledge drops off some. Back when DIE was releasing, I must have read the first arc three or four times? It was all there was for roughly the first year, and I had many rereads before I ran the RPG beta, which launched sometime after Issue Five. Maybe we'll talk about those sessions I ran sometime soon.

Anyway, that's to say that these sections are very exciting as my memory is more foggy, so there's a lot of juicy stuff in here I didn't even recall. Let's get into it.

The Art

I'm always happy to see more of the dieselpunk robot designs Stephanie Hans has for the Eternal Prussians. Here's the cover of the issue, which is one of my favorites:

We also see that purple & pink used again for flashback panels. I do really enjoy how Hans's watercolor style is amplified here, it seems so dreamy. I'm still struggling a bit to see if we're to read the emotion wheel colors onto these scenes. I'd expect them to be more yellow and green if that were the case, though that may not make for a very pleasant visual look.

Oranges in this issue are so haunting. The glow of the giant machines, the dying embers around Glass Town, and of course that final sunrise over Case. Brilliant stuff.

Descend

Hey I just noticed, is Angela going down the same stairs Ash and Matt did to get to the core last issue? Maybe... Hans uses very dream-like architecture, something that invokes the nondescript mix of GM narration and battlemap abstraction in RPGs, so it's a bit hard to be certain, but it is a spiral staircase going down down down.

I bring this up because... well it's a dungeon isn't it! There's going to be a whole arc about dungeons at the end of this, but I suppose that doesn't mean the characters can't do some delving now.

I'm noticing a theme with downward motion and character monologue. Angela does it here. We get some from Ash both when she enters the Glass Town core but again when she enters the trench in Issue Three. Huh. That physical/mental descent link will become really potent by Arc Four. Let's keep an eye out on that as we keep reading.

Angela Runs Away

A fair amount of this comic deals with the characters refusing (or being unable) to change from who they were as teenagers and how that continues to fuck up their lives both in and out of the game. Angela, as Ash describes her, has always been trying to avoid something by moving onto what's shiny and new. As we know, this how she ends up playing the game in the first place—Ash takes her so she'll stop being upset about the family dog dying.

This is what has pretty quickly happened upon entering Die again too. One of the first things she does when she has spare gold is boot up Case again. I've commented on this habit as being kind of wasteful in the past. I think that comes off harsher than I intend though. I don't think she's dumb to keep feeding him gold, but I do think she's being a bit selfish. In this issue, when the Ash party is hunkered down and barely scraping by, that "bit" becomes "kind of a lot actually."

Ash calls her out on this and she runs away from the confrontation, one she knows will inevitably worsen.

Keen readers may pick up on this, but I think Ash may be a bad sister.

We also learn she did this around her later life too. Working in the AAA game space and leaving projects. Escaping a strained marriage with someone new. Packing up and leaving when her husband found out. Trying to apologize after her new partner felt things got too heavy. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say her spending time with Case is running away from the matters at hand as well. Angela also realizes this by the end of the issue and this time puts a stop to her actions.

And yet. She's still running away from confrontations here too. Matt offers to take her emotional pain at Case's death away, something he can do as a Grief Knight (we'll talk about that in a sec) and she accepts the offer. Sure is lucky to have someone around that can eat all your sadness. Surely that isn't a poor coping mechanism or anything.

Another big problem Angela has is how often she jumps into terrible consequences without thinking too much. Like, okay, playing a game with your freak older "brother" and getting sucked into a nightmare world is kind of a freebie—I certainly can't blame her for that one. But the robot arm? I think it's clearer how that could backfire on you in the Genie Logic world they were in.

The other notable Campaign One mistake Angela made was dating Chuck, which seems like an obvious bad idea. But hey, she was just a kid right?

Problem is, Angela keeps following a self-destructive instinct as an adult. She gets involved in a workplace romance and her husband finds out. Terrible, but what did she expect to happen? She brings back her dog, knowing full well he will have to die again. It is a really unfortunate chain of behavior, one that is a clear consequence of her inability to sit still in bad situations and look for a good solution rather than a quick escape. Honestly, this probably made Angela and Chuck the second worst couple in the party.

I still feel like I'm being harsher towards Angela than I should, but there's a reason for that. All these problems spill over into her role as a mom too. This is something she is going to have to reckon with later. It's going to be really bad for everyone involved.

But let me cut her a break at least. This issue has given me a stronger appreciation for Angela, which I think happened when I read it back in 2019 too. This woman has been through a lot, maybe more than anyone else but Sol in the party. Despite that, she's still standing Were I in her position, I don't know that I could do much better.

The Neo

This is a weird class, since it is playing on a less defined archetype. Classically, the rogue exists to open up chests and disarm traps... and that's about it. There's certainly the sneak attacking and stealthiness of later editions and systems, but if we're looking at the B/X thief, my understanding is that it exists for one very specific use.

Angela is obviously doing more than just that though. I believe Gillen is drawing a lot on video game RPGs with the Neo, both due to it's connection to cyberpunk RPGs and therefore Deus Ex, but also with the name itself—the Neo is quite literally the new RPG.

The class also has one of the more "game-y" mechanics, a term I think is stupid but sometimes useful (what is a "game" after all? I guess "video game-y" is more apt.) Her abilities are on recharge, she needs power-ups to use them, she makes very concrete choices as to what to use and when. It is not unlike, say, a level up tree in Skyrim (or perhaps System Shock would be the more apt comparison of the games I've played.) It's also very telling that her class seems to convert money to playtime, a la arcade cabinets.

Your character's upgrades in System Shock 2

This puts what the classes are there for into better perspective for me. They are catering both to the traditional D&D classes, but also to types of players and types of games. We've talked about the Dictator and Master as storytelling classes, those who get deep into the roleplay and intrigue. Godbinder is another of those, but perhaps with more of a court and faction game focus. The Fool exists both as the so called "beer & pretzels" game but also fantasy pop literature to an extent, in all its forms (pulps, blockbuster trash, series that seem to never end.) The Emotion Knight fits a bit less cleanly here, but the Neo slots right into the CRPG niche. It helps that several of the characters have careers based around their class.

I think it makes a lot of sense then, that the video game class is built around stealth and the mercenary. I would consider the immersive sim as the closest video game genre to classic TTRPGs, drawing heavily on roleplay, character building, and exploitations of the world to overcome challenges rather than surpassing a scripted event. Of course, the cyberpunk flavor is a nod to Deus Ex, but the stealth comes more from Thief (which gets a direct reference in this issue too!)

I think this is also where the Neo's very wide range of powers comes from too. That's a very common move in ISs (consider System Shock, the Dishonored games, Prey. And... ugh... yes even Bioshock.) What starts as a way to build your character in a unique way often snowballs until you have everything unlocked by the end of a game... and Angela has been playing the Neo a very long time.

I should also mention the way Fair Gold plays into what Gillen sometimes refers to as an addiction for the class. I've never totally got this metaphor and frankly I think it's a little troubling. I'm just not sure what is gained by linking Angela (and the Neo) with addiction, something she does not appear to struggle with. I think it's apt to point out that she has some very poor and self-destructive patterns of behavior, but that's about where the metaphor ends. I don't have much more to say about the Fair Gold mechanic other than that for now, but maybe that'll change later.

That's enough about the class, let's talk about the other cyberpunk in the room.

The Fair (or, DIE drops another incredible concept out of nowhere)

In a shocking turn of events, this is actually the second time Gillen has made Daft Punk's Tron Legacy appearance into god-like beings. Maybe I need to rewatch that film to find the secret key to unlock his work.

As for how they're handled in DIE, the story just drops them here and says "Hey, this is the source of all of Angela's problems, a pair of painfully 'fair' and calculating cold beings that seem to delight in watching her squirm," and leaves you at that. And honestly? I really respect that. Usually Ash would delve into a monologue about all the times they encountered the Fair and how they are sooooo fucked up. Not that I don't eat that up every time, but it's nice to mix it up once in a while.

Part of me wants to crack open the RPG book and see if there's more to read about the Fair, but I don't think I will just yet. Sticking with the text in the books is probably best for now.

Anyway, I really really love these guys. Gillen will compare them to elves in one of his end of issue essays later, specifically their detached and timeless nature. I certainly agree with that.

I see these guys as a computer brain running parts of Die. I also see them as the developers designing that computer. It's a little blurry, like a lot of things in this comic.

They offer players who meet them a choice. It's a binary one, in this case the arm or the dog. They make their own decisions (to help or to forsake - to interfere or to observe) by a binary as well, literally flipping a coin. Comics love to have guys flip coins don't they.

Depending on the result of the flip, they answer "This is among the things that happen" or "This is not among the things that happen." It's a very concrete decision, as though it was always the case but needed to be known, rather than decided. There's something there with quantum observation, but I think this plays on how dice rolls and probability in general work.

When a character reaches a challenge, they either overcome it or they don't. Games have many resolution mechanics for this, but most RPGs use some amount of randomization. So will they succeed? Or will they not? The Fair side step the dice type, the difficulty class, the bonus, etc, and just give a coin: One or Zero. Why make the decision if it is already among (or not among) "the things that happen" though? Again, here we're playing with storytelling in RPGs. In the moment it seems unclear, but this stops being the case as soon as the face of a die is chosen. In fact, maybe it was determined the moment the die was cast, by which I mean cast in acrylic. If we follow what seems to be the Fair's philosophy (or Angela's understanding of it) the choices don't matter at all. The path is already determined.

I think that ties very well into the CRPG logic. There are only so many inputs and outputs a program can have. Notice how the Fair offered Angela only two options to give up. Her agency in how to garner a boon is given up from the start. Consider how this would differ from a TTRPG with a human GM, able to react to more player input. Consider how it may not differ.

For what it's worth though, Angela still follows through with the choice. Even without the Fair, she understands she has to let Case go. He dies. They get out. That is among the things that happen.

Other Thoughts

The Clockwork Prussians not knowing what to do with Glass Town (or seeming not to. Like much of this comic there's more going on) is really great. Another good nod to the GM scrambling to react after their players go way off script. "Occupying, I guess," is so great.

I talked a little about Campaign One here as well. I was on a long car ride with some friends, discussing what happens in arcs 2 and 3 of DIE the other week and while talking about how interesting (and maybe self defeating) a prequel series could be, I realized I don't actually know that much about how the party's first 2 years went. I suspect there are hints we could dig at around that though.

A big one is how Matt factors into it all. We learn here about the Grief Knight's emotion sucking abilities. Is this something he may have exercised often as a teenager? Perhaps to keep people sane and moving forward? That would be a pretty damning read, but let's tuck it away for now. I think we'll have A Lot to say about Campaign One by the end of this arc.

We close on the introduction of a favorite character of mine. We'll talk more about Augustus later.

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

CAP! CAP MY MAIN MAN LITERALLY SCREAMING YOU SURE DO FUCKING LOVE CLIFF HANGERS DON'T YOU? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

right. right. ok i'll have you know i made fucking notes as i read because i didn't want to miss out on things to scream about

first of all: writing style? yes it is a bit different (and you seem set on making metaphors about boats, i wonder why... has a certain cephalopod game influenced you?? honestly i loved them and it fits nicely because house boat) but i really liked it, dialogue flowed more naturally (not that it was bad in the slightest at all!) so it was interesting to read :))

NOW ONTO MY FUCKING NOTES!

(there is a fucking lot of text after this so be prepared, the "keep reading" thingy doesn't work in asks i checked)

(as a note, whenever i ask very direct questions i am not expecting too many (or any in some cases) answers cause yknow spoilers, i am just very enthusiastically showing all my thought processes because its fun)

"she could feel her powers growing ever day..." ?!?!??! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?? is there more side affects to the miraculous? is the fact that she literally has the god of destruction constantly near her constantly and uses his powers nearly every day changing how she views things? is she literally growing more powerful in terms strength? multiple powers eg another thing like cataclysm? there are so many things it could mean-

Juleka was legit so fucking sad? the entire time? she is so overwhelmed :( literally talk to someone about it- please- your entire family knows! aaa :(

"so much more than red glitter and black leather" is... is ladybug glittery? does she sparkle? this doesn't matter but i keep imagining her like bedazzled in rhinestones or something else and losing it a little

aww Alix taught small children how to skate! it was in this chapter! also: she swore in a presentation?? i literally cannot swear in front of a teacher, one time i did by accident in a hallway and she legit ran at me

loved Chloes little moment "Wait- was that mean? It was? Oh. I guess I’m- sorry" that was very cute

ah. to quote directly from my notes: "Gabriel used to be Nathalies "best friend" and Emily was her "dearest companion"? Yeah ok that's pretty gay buckaroo, polyamorous relationship, Nathalie and Gabriel are queer platonic, 200k prequel, angst, unhappy ending, major character death" so that amused me greatly

Crows keep showing up... and for a second i wondered if it was related to Rose and was a reference to OM since yknow rose is a grim and crows are also signs of death, but then they popped up again and i'm now suspicious, either i am reading too far into this or they could mean a few things: first thought was they could be related to Juleka and her powers, similar to how cats are attracted to her? or a few other things but i shall keep those theories to myself (see how you like not knowing cap /j) and wait and see for more

"apparently some floats were gonna appear of Paris's heroes. Ladybug, Rena, Queen Bee, Carapace, the lot" i am choosing to believe this is juleka being an unreliable narrator and not that they (the city) forgot about. because that makes me sad.

i also said: "i've decided alyas blog is on tumblr" and something about how that implies the majority of Paris has a tumblr makes me laugh so much

ha, Alix's "SCATTER!" was hilarious, she would do that at the first opportunity, i too would do so at the first opportunity presented

Juleka kicked Horrificators ass?? as Juleka did this with a guitar case?? ain't that thing supposed to be a massive fucker?? either this is just another case of juleka being stronger than she seems to be or this is related to her ominously put growing powers, its always interesting to see how she deals with fights when she isn't in costume, one of the reasons why the drama club chapters were so interesting because Juleka was fighting (maybe not physically all the time but she was fighting) Adam as herself the entire time

"something about it felt different now..." WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HOW DOES THE TRANSFORMATION NORMALLY FEEL VS NOW GIVE ME MORE the real question is it related to "growing powers" (i keep referencing it because it could mean literally so much or nothing) or her attitude, i don't have a direct quote but this isn't my english exam so its fine, it was implied that Juleka is slightly more accepting about the fact that she literally is Panthera (i mean she also said Panthera isn't a real person but like i digress) so maybe thats why it felt different to transform?

panthera just stealing Reversers transport is so fucking funny, all i could think of was the entire hero gang stealing something like idk RogerCops car and just going off in it

that was my last note because i was too invested in seeing what would happen to write thoughts at the same time

agh literally so hype to see what happens next, this chapter was already very action based and very very good :))

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IM SO HAPPY YOU ENJOYED!!! THESE NOTES BRING ME SO MUCH JOY!!!!

I love hearing your guys's thoughts, observations, and theories, it brings so much drive and inspiration in my heart. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.

[chamm0y]

I demand the sun and 4H for the ask game friendo! :)

sun ⇢ name 5 things you like about yourself?

5 things dang thats a lot HHASDHA jk

okok

my hair, like i can style it cut it dye it whatever i want aaa its so fun

my uhhh beauty marks? is that what you call them in english? its 3 little dots on my left cheeck and one near my mouth on the right, i think they are cute :3c

3. my hands, they may not be the prettiest but they make it possible for me to do the things I love most, which are drawing, painting, playing basketball, holding my friends and family and so much more

4. my ability to adapt, im pretty much flexible when it comes to embracing change around me, that is negative or positive changes i will make sure to make most of it :)

5. my creativity i guess, like i really can come up with so many ideas but most of the time i lack the skills to do them HAH, i will remember them for later and keep learning to make them come true 🤭

4H ⇢ which relatives are you the closest with?

My dad, hes so supportive with everything I want to do even if we dont see each other everyday (he lives in another state due to work) also hes the one that introduced transformers to me and encouraged me to post my stuff on the internet, so yeah, very gratefull for him 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[apollorobin]

Kazuichi for the ask game ;)

oh my goodness.........KAZ MY BELOVED. i've spent well over 2 hours non stop writing all of this out lol help me😭 i love him so much, he is my favourite character of everything ever, so thank you very much for asking about him!! i hope this is enjoyable to read, and to anyone who doesn't like him all that much, maybe reading this will change your mind! :) <3<3<3

favourite thing about them: so many things, he is so so so special to me!!!! he also partially reminds me of myself, and i am very attached to him :) i love his character design (and i love that it's explained yknow? it's not like oh yeah he has naturally pink hair for no reason), i love his voice and speech patterns, i love how clingy he is, how realistically scared he is compared to some other characters considering he took part in a literal killing game, how smart he is, how 'normal' his talent is (it's a realistic talent idea for a school like hopes peak, its a normal talent someone could develop after years of working in their family's shop, and its academic so the school would want him yknow? like no offense to e.g. mondo, i love him but why would they want a biker gang leader in a school like that lol😭) anyway i'm already rambling and im only on the first question oops lol. final favourite thing to mention is his tiny braid. soooo cute n silly. and i love his earrings. and how one sleeve of his jumpsuit is cuffed higher than the other. okay no i need to stop rambling now

least favourite thing about them: i don't like how he's so often dismissed as just a comedy character or a pervert or whatever. i wish he'd been written in a little more depth so he could be given a chance by fans who automatically dislike him. i love him so much and i want everyone to experience the joy of loving him!!! he is a sweetheart inside i promise

favourite line: engines revving!!!!! ✊😛✊ lol i also like i'll bury you and your hamsters 6 feet under!!!! and general gundham insults they all make me giggle

brotp: literally EVERYONE omg, i love his friendship potentials with the whole sdr2 cast! buuut some i particularly enjoy are ibuki, fuyuhiko, akane and mahiru :) kaz and ibuki would be so SILLY together i love them, i wrote a pekobuki fic with her and kaz being bffs and it was so much fun to write! she would love to put his hair into fun styles and paint his nails :) fuyuhiko aaa i love them together (also love them as a ship) i like the idea of fuyu being the voice of reason between them, telling kaz off when he needs to and keeping him grounded in reality! akane would sooo be like a sister to him i love her, they would get into lots of mischief together, have food fights, wrestle in mud etc lol. then mahiru aww also so like a sister to him, but akane is more like a twin and mahiru more like a big sister :) mahiru would help him look after himself, help him comb chewing gum out of his hair if hiyoko sticks it in there lol etc. also love him and nekomaru as friends too and ughh i could literally list every character here with a specific headcanon for their dynamic

otp: i'm gonna have to say soudam!! i absolutely adore them, they're so sweet and i think about them all the time :) they could be so good for each other if they settled their differences. one of my favourite dynamics is that gundham has feelings for him but kaz is just too silly to notice lol. i've published 9 fics on ao3 so far, 4 of which are soudam, including a 5-chapter fic (i normally just write oneshots, and the only other future multi chapter fics i have basic mental plots for are also soudam lol so you can tell i love them) they are just so special to me :) some other kaz ships i enjoy are him with fuyuhiko(!!), hajime, and i also quite like him with nekomaru too! :) and my fave non sdr2 ship for him is leon, their ship name is bubblegum rock, isn't that just the cutest name ever?!

notp: if there's gonna be a notp it's gonna have to be sounia, i love them both dearly as characters but just not together. my interpretation of his crush on her is that he is gay, and uses her as a fake crush to hide his sexuality to avoid getting bullied, and his reasoning is that she's a very conventially attractive blonde PRINCESS, nobody would question him for having a crush on her, right?? hence why he finds her hobbies weird etc and doesn't show an interest other than "wow she's so hot" lol. i don't think he realises at ALL how uncomfortable he makes sonia, he's just glad that she doesn't like him so he doesn't have to actually be in a relationship (my 5 chapter soudam fic started with this idea by the way!) and i like to think that if she sat down with him and properly explained why it's not right, he'd cave in and come out and apologise a lot and cry :( also think his treatment of her is partly just, he doesn't understand social cues and social norms very well (me too kaz me too) so he just is doing his best to appear normal :'(

random headcanon: when he listens to music, he sings and dances around his room with a hairbrush!!! but he would be VERY embarrassed if anyone found out :) i have lots of silly little headcanons like this for him that im probably going to post one day! i just think about him 24/7 so i have lots of things like this to say

unpopular opinion: i've seen quite a few people headcanon him as having adhd before, but i personally see him closer to being autistic! not sure really why, i just do! :)

a song that you associate with them: even though he's my favourite character ever i still found this super tricky to answer, song questions don't come easily to me i guess. but! my favourite artist right now is poppy, so "immature couture" by poppy! she has lots of different genres of songs but this one is SO girly and camp and i think kazuichi would love it and secretly listen to it a lot and dance around his room with his hairbrush microphone :'))) here's a link to the song!

favourite picture of them: SO TRICKY ummm my favourite sprite is the engines revving one lol with his tongue out but also love the beanie down over the eyes scared one. i love so many pictures but as a soudam shipper i suppose i will say this one bc ughhh they are just too cute!!:

some honourable mentions are his chapter 2 diner picture looking out of the window, his pictures in the chapter 1 party, and all of those anime screenshots like there's one of everyone on the beach where he's being buried by sonia and chiaki, one where he's at the top of a christmas tree next to gundham a picnic one etc. i love them all (i haven't seen the anime so no idea where these bits come in but i haven't seen scenes surrounding them just singular pictures?)

this was so FUN!!! ihad plans to write fanfic tonight but im glad i spent my time doing this bc it was so much fun, thank you for submitting him :D there's one more character in my inbox but it's midnight for me rn so i will either do it later tonight after a break or in the morning, if anyone else would like to submit a character for me to talk about that would be awesome!!

[mliter]

Hi-Fi Rush.

Revealed during some showcase Xbox was having that day, this surprised literally everyone when we learned that it was available right at that moment. No marketing. Any nay-sayers were immidately shut up because the game was right there to play. It was a real ballsy move.

Due to how Forspoken soured any attempt at comedic writing in video games around the time, i immediately turned off the trailer for this game the moment i heard "Yup, that's me." My attitude would quickly change after pressing the play button by accident again.

I had an extra code for 2 months of Xbox game pass (christ this is a good service) & downloaded it when it was available. Immidately starting the game, i'm introduced with a well animated intro cutscene that seamlessly transitions to the beautiful cel shaded visuals.

At this point, i realized that everything in the world is synced to the beat. the player character's footsteps, his jump (if you can time it right) and almost everything working in the background. After stepping out, i truly recognized how much style this game got.

For one, the character design & art. Look at this!

Everyone's has a look that i would see at 6:00 PM on Teletoon. Everything that happens makes me think of something that would be written by man of action. Makes me think of Slugterra. Storm Hawks. This type of Disney XD Awesomeness character design is distinct and it blew my mind to see it return in such a fashion. I don't see it that often and i hope this inspires more to look into it. I know it did so for me.

The presentation is some of the most consistent and high quality i've seen in a video game. I felt the same wonder i felt seeing the Lego Movie for the first time while running through this. The animation, both 2D and 3D is outstanding. Hi-Fi Rush likes to flip between the two on a dime, without warning. The cartoony artstyle and how they utilize it is exceptional. Radical color changes, motion lines, visible effects straight out of a comic book, expressions that snap on a dime, allowing for gags to be easily pulled off with little use for realism logic. The cutscenes like to jump to an fps of 24 to keep it up. The sound effects and things that happen within them are all to the beat. There is an insane amount of detail and polish here. This is a playable cartoon, through and through. There's very little to break the illusion they're selling you. There's even animation of both Chai and 808 messing around as you transition to the other part of battle. They don't have to do that, but they did. There's so much love in this project. I see the vision and you will as well. I played the entirety of this just in awe of what i was looking at. This is what happens when you let creatives just. go wild.

As RANK10YGO put it, everything about this game feels like a can of Fanta on a hot summer day.

The combat is masterful. I hear that people that were involved in some of the greatest character action games were on this project. You've got parrying, movement, and allies that you can swap in to extend combos and disarm specific enemies. The combat isn't really deep, but good lord is it fun. Also, take all of that and put it to the beat of the music.

Exciting camera work, explosive effects, an energetic UI, voice acting that gives everyone life, everything on the screen is moving. All to the beat of Shuichi Kobori's glorious compositions. This is the exact stuff my mind dreams up of when i space off.

The boss fights are absolutely jaw dropping by the way. You think it's gonna go the way you think it is, but it doesn't. It's something different every time, some of them aren't even fights!

Even after finishing off the great story, i unlocked some extra features and a postgame that encouraged me to play again on harder difficulties. Character customization, a model viewer with a wealth of character information & a music player was immediately available to me. Most AAA games like to lock that content behind DLC or pre order bonuses. I thought i was missing out on not getting the deluxe edition. but i felt like i wasn't. The game isnt really that long as well.

It's clear that this game was designed with fun in mind. Profits probably came second, but Tango Gameworks clearly wanted to create something fun and memorable. This is a title that i would've seen in 2010. Not 2023. I had not one bad experience going through this title. It felt like there was absolutely no corporate meddling, nothing holding the team back as they developed it. This shit is what dreams are made of. It's been years since i've been taken in and enamored by a video game like this. I had so much fun. I love Hi-Fi Rush with all of my heart. I'll never forget this.