#apollo on my nintendo switch is worth it

[letapollojusticesayfuck]

i open tumblr on a whim at just the right time to hear about aa4/5/6 switch port???? on one hand yesss bring my boy to switch. on the other hand this means i will have to also own aa5 and 6 on multiple platforms and really is it not enough to have paid money for them once

[theic-manic]

Hellenic polytheism tip: ask Hermes to guide your shopping

Hermes will help you purchase things either for now or later.

Before I devoted myself to Apollo and was still casually worshipping him, I found a shirt at a thrift store that I wouldn't normally buy or wear anywhere but I felt drawn to it.

So I started wearing it initially to attract wealth and abundance, wearing it on warm sunny weekends and this was right before last year's solar eclipse in the northern hemisphere.

(Synchronicity penny just dropped: last weekend I watched a horror movie featuring a Solar Eclipse & Apollo showed me an online shopping page... I'll link below.)

Anyway once I established myself as Apollo's devotee rather than worshipper, I started wearing this shirt on Sundays as a devotional act for him.

The shirt:

(I'm tired so please excuse my face)

Last year while thrift shopping I found some cute cherub tea light candle holders, which isn't something I typically get either.

This was during a period where Hermes was being his trickster self & larping as Hekate (the spider in my towel head wrap is such an obvious sign looking back) but I was like "odd, this doesn't feel like hekate" so I packed then away.

Recently, while reorganising my bedroom I took them out and had a closer look.

There's a Lyre on each candle holder.

I asked Apollo if he'd like them on his altar.

Yes.

Another time, while shopping with Hermes I asked Ares if he liked a bag Hermes helped me pick out.

Ares complimented it so then immediately Hermes found me a "War Collection" box for my Ares altar ☺️

So let Hermes guide your shopping (set a boundary that he doesn't send you broke because one weekend he kept showing me a bunch of antiques and I'm like MATE I AM NOT RICH... yet)

E.g. when Hermes had me spend my annual leave buying a bunch of LEDs and a damn Asus Rog Ally hand-held PC for his altar as a thank-you for him gifting me with a year's worth of free coffee + $10k AUD

Hermes altar, the hand-held gaming PC he had me dedicate to him and the smol llama plush that now lives on said altar... (I still think it needs a name other than "Lola")

The second-hand coral pink Nintendo Switch that Hermes and Apollo had me go and buy my disabled housemate to make their medical appointments easier after the aforementioned winnings + Hermes helping me make $500 profit after calling my phone company out on predatory sales tactics and threatening to drag them to the telecommunications ombudsman.

I included a case I no longer use and some games I no longer play, as well as an LED charging cable.

Hermes finding me a Hermes-coded bag and a war box for Ares

Apollo being real subtle showing me eclipse mints next to a certain book title after watching a horror movie about a solar eclipse

Warning:

Hermes is also the God of thievery (I was extremely good at shoplifting during my youth that I once stole a 2L bottle of bourbon while wearing nothing but a bikini and a sarong) and he did once make a shopkeeper forget to charge me for almost $200 worth of thrift store merchandise however Apollo will absolutely drag you for such acts and so if you work with Apollo or other justice inclined gods, steal at your own risk.

[iobottle]

atissi

replied to your post

“it kinda makes me sad when artists giving out tutorials on character...”

oh could you talk more about this? :o

ABSOLUTELY thank u for enabling me to go off about designs i love this shit this may get a bit long so its going under a readmore (sorry if ur on mobile i hope it works)

gonna start this off with im no expert Nor have i taken any sort of official art class this is me just analyzing characters from what i found that makes them memorable to ppl (most of these examples are going to be from games sorry i got them on my mind)

ok so basically making a memorable revolves around personality and appearance now theres different ways to go about showing these things and i think from consuming media you like will help narrow down how you wanna go about it, basically thinking about your character inside and out!

SO shapes and hyperstylization is a good way to get a fun appearance across in a cartoon esp media and is often what a lot of artists stress on an example of using shapes and a good silhouette to make a memorable character is sonic!(specifically comic sonic)

(had to google idw sonic for a non...u know image)

but not only do they use lots of triangles for this hedgehog they also made him blue! you’d be more likely to remember a blue headgehog over a realistically colored one!(also almost all of the sonic characters have a combination of fun shape + unusual color to help you remember them! the designs werent afraid to use color to make a bold statement)(he’s also segas mascot so of course they put a lot of work in his design)

now sonics appearance is not the only reason why people like him or remember him so much he’s also got personality! he’s cocky, fast, always getting into trouble, “you’re too slow!”, accompanied by shitty butt rock and a cool guy persona ie he’s got personality! and they weren’t afraid to give him some weird interests(see the butt rock) and he’s not perfect( see arrogance) if youve ever played a sonic game you have almost always remembered the crush 40 theme that went with it

all in all to go with his unusual appearance he’s got some unusual traits! it helps make him believable! admittedly he’s not the most embarrassing of the sonic crew (see knuckles or shadow) but he’s definitely rounded and not boring from an objective standpoint(you can not like sonic or his games i dont care)

(another example of something that requires good shapes is pokemon altho they arent really like very depthy since there are 600+ and some only have like a pokedex entry worth of info but still they have good and memorable designs)

NOW something that doesnt have the most “good shapes” design off the top of my head is link

now in the most recent zelda game his most memoriable physical attribute is that he’s on the androgynous side w his longer hair and smaller build but in his older designs he looked something like this

(art for a loz:link to the past)

not really that much of a striking silhouette, but what do we look at and kinda leaves an impression on us? his hair and hat! its very silly to see someone in such a big green hat with that big of bangs/mullet, the hat at least became so ridiculous of a look that in botw nintendo didnt include his hat in links main outfit bc it was too hard to make look good, its silly! thats good! its fine to have a normal human looking characters because sometimes stories are about humans, but if you want us to remember them include something that will strike us as strange for them

also probably a good thing to note is the noises link makes when he swings his sword, jumps, pushes something, ie any action they have always been something that has stuck with me

(another example similar to this is in mgs solid snake in mgs is this cool super spy but is rocking a full on mullet which is considered a joke hairstyle. this leaves an impression on us. a spy with a mullet! how ridiculous! another example is raiden who was specifically made bc a woman wrote that she didnt want to play as an “old man” so the protagonist of the super spy game is a longer haired pretty boy (with a huge ass))

now ive explained a little on a character with good shapes and personality and a character with a more “boring” shape design that makes up for it with almost quirky design choices but i feel like theres another series thats what originally got me thinking about how even a memorable silhouette doesnt need hyperstylization

ace attorney! (which is out on switch now if u havent played it i would def recommend it)

if you dont know the protagonist is the guy in the blue suit(phoenix), which well he looks like just a guy...with ridiculously spikey hair enough so that in his silhouette you can recognize him but also his posture (the pointing) makes for a sticking recognizable image bc if you’ve played the games you can practically hear objection just from looking at phoenix’s silhouette

which is another thing id like to talk about! not only are a good shape a way to have a good silhouette but posture is also important! how the character holds themselves can say alot about them just from a glance! such as meekness, arrogance, confidence, sadness, anger, happiness its a very important too especially when you arent relying on stylization

now onto the characters of ace attorney ive gone over phoenix's design a bit but theres a few others id like to look at with some Weird style choices that make us remember them(just going to glance over them since this post is so long)

now, this woman, franziska von karma, she dresses kind of strange for a prosecutor but her outfit is not too out there and her silhouette is not striking

but you see that whip? remember how i said she was a prosecutor? yeah she will strike people in court for getting off topic and will even hit phoenix when he starts breaking down her witnesses testimonies, which what literally strikes up about her

another prosecutor, godot, now his hair could provide a somewhat memorable shape but what we first notice is the strange mask on his face which is weird, but not the Same weird as franziska bringing a whip to court thus having both of these prosecutors being Weirdly memorable for different things (another note is his liking of coffee that he does not give up even in court ha ha)

now onto the other protag for the aa games

apollo! who also has weirdly spikey hair, but even if you put a silhouette of him next to phoenix you could tell there some was a difference between the two! its showing a pattern with the protags while also keeping them distinct enough to be able to tell who is who! although you cant say the pointy haired guy from ace attorney and not get just One answer unlike saying the prosecutor who has a whip but still they are distinct to people who have little experience with the series

sorry i dont have any sort of conclusion on this this was just sort of me rambling on about character design, but my main point is if you are discouraged bc all your characters dont have wildly different silhouettes thats ok! there are other ways to establish a good memorable character! dont be afraid to make them a little weird! give your character pink hair in a medieval setting, have them be ridiculously in love with tigers they have a striped shirt and pants, let them love childrens tv shows and have them never miss an episode, give them wacky hair or an extreme love of gum, show us some personality!! but dont forget about how they act and their values and dont forget that posture can go a long way for establishing a first impression

there are also many other methods to making a good character! like colors and dress!

silly is the way to go! have fun with it!!

there isnt just one way to make a good character!! theres plenty of more series that have good character design that i didnt mention pay attention to why you like the characters you like! also watch this video bc its really good

[aion-rsa]

Immortals: Fenyx Rising Hands-on Preview Shows How the Game Is Inspired by Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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In October, Den of Geek got four hours of hands-on playtime with Ubisoft’s upcoming action-adventure fantasy title Immortals: Fenyx Rising. In the online demo, which was guided by a Ubisoft demoist, we got to see a bit of the game’s open-world setting, the Golden Isle, which is heavily inspired by the milieu of Greek mythology. The game is vast, epic-looking, and from what I’ve played so far, has engaging combat and gameplay loops that should fill out its open world nicely.

The story revolves around a dark titan named Typhon, who was banished to the underworld of Tartaros by Zeus and the rest of the gods and has returned, thirsty for revenge. He’s imprisoned most of the gods save for Zeus (who’s been stripped of his powers) and the titan Prometheus, who makes a bet with the king of the gods that a lowly human would be the one to save all of their asses.

You play as said human, a warrior named Fenyx who has washed up on the shores of the Golden Isle after an epic sea battle caused her ship to crash. In a fun play on a storybook or Dungeons & Dragons campaign, Prometheus proceeds to narrate your adventure, bantering back and forth with big-headed pessimist Zeus as you set out to free the gods from Typhon’s grasp and restore the island to its former, gilded glory.

What struck me immediately about Immortals was its art style and comedic tone, which reminded me (in a good way) of the ’90s games and cartoons I grew up playing and watching. For example, SNES city-building classic ActRaiser came to mind, a game I still have a lot of affection for. The characters and environments pop with color, and the dialogue between Zeus and Prometheus is funny and irreverent, giving this epic adventure a unique tone. The game’s presentation is cohesive, from the Greek-inspired fonts to the angular and exaggerated features of the characters’ faces, and while some may dismiss the art as kiddy or cartoonish, the game looks pretty incredible at times, especially when you’re looking out on the Isle from a great height. The game’s draw distance is, pardon the pun, ungodly.

Following the game’s narrative initial cinematics, you’re brought to a character creation menu where you can decide what your Fenyx looks and sounds like via a modest set of customization options. From the moment you assume control of Fenyx, the entire Golden Isle is open for you to explore.

It’s hard to ignore that the game is derivative of a few games in the same genre, particularly Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series and Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The former’s influence can mostly be found in the way the open world is arranged and curated. That said, comparisons to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey are shallow at best–that game was NOT the first to use Greek Mythology as a backdrop.

But the resemblance to Breath of the Wild is pretty uncanny. You can climb any object in the environment, limited only by your stamina bar. There are puzzle/dexterity-based underground vaults to complete, and the game’s overall aesthetic, combined with the strikingly similar traversal mechanics, makes Immortals look unquestionably similar to Nintendo’s modern classic. 

Despite the clear comparisons one could draw between the two games, the terms “rip-off” and “copy” are far from appropriate here, especially once you delve into the world and story Ubisoft has crafted. Immortals has a voice of its own, and more importantly than that, from what I’ve played so far, the gameplay is absolutely on par with the game’s it’s derived many of its designs from.

Exploring the Golden Isle was my favorite thing I did during my demo time for several reasons. For one, traversal is super easy and a lot of fun, especially once you unlock the Wings of Daedalus, which allow you to glide freely over the grassy fields and winding beaches that stretch out before you. Climbing feels just as good as it does in Breath of the Wild, and there are various beasts scattered about the map that you can sneak up on, tame, and enlist as your mount. My Ubisoft demoist directed me to a field where I found a unicorn, who was quite difficult to tame but made up for it once I hopped on (mounts have stamina meters, too, and hers was sizeable, to say the least). 

The Isle is divided into six zones, each inspired by one of the gods. Aphrodite’s portion of the island, for example, is a verdant painting-come-to-life, with rolling hills and blossoming gardens decorated with Ionic architecture. Hermes’ zone is a darker place, with dry, yellow fields contrasting with burnt treelines, volcanic rock, and a deep purple, starry sky. Gargantuan statues of the gods are featured prominently in their respective zones, which highlight the steep verticality of the game’s environments, which is not only eye-catching but opens up myriad gameplay possibilities.

Combat is familiar action-adventure fare, with time-slowing dodges and parries being as crucial to victory as your light and heavy attacks. You’ll also find godly powers as you progress through the game, like Hephaestus’ hammer, a melee attack that deals massive damage over a large area, and Apollo’s arrows, which you can manually guide to your target. Much of the combat takes place in mid-air as well, with air combos playing a major part in almost every encounter. Overall, the combat is enjoyable, dynamic, and about as complex as it needs to be. I doubt anyone will be blown away by the action here, but it’s only one aspect of a much larger game, and in this context, it does its job.

Fenyx can brandish swords, axes, bows, headwear, and armor, and as you explore the Isle, you’ll find gear of varying levels of rarity and power. I love how the different items are represented cosmetically–so often in games all gear looks the same, but in Immortals, Fenyx can truly look like a different character depending on what armor you’re wearing.

Gear is customizable and upgradeable at the game’s central hub, the Hall of the Gods, where you can change your appearance, upgrade your stats and potions, take on quests, etc. Your character’s skill tree is also managed here, and I found that most of the abilities I saw seemed pretty viable in combat and worth exploring, regardless of playstyle. Ubisoft has really honed its skill tree game over the years, thanks to the Assassin’s Creed games, and the experience shows.

One aspect of the game that I wasn’t particularly impressed with were the vaults, which were challenging but didn’t capture the imagination like other areas of the game. The puzzles are multi-staged and clever, but they aren’t nearly as inspired as what you’d find in Breath of the Wild. And the art design in these sections falters too — a bunch of stone structures floating in space with a pretty galactic backdrop got old quick. But there are puzzles to be found above-ground on the Isle proper, and I enjoyed these a lot more. They’re simple, like sliding tile puzzles and scavenger hunts, but the gorgeous landscapes heighten the experience.

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What made the game feel really promising to me was when I ventured to a small island off the coast that happened to be overrun with harpies. My demoist had given me ample resources to level up my Fenyx to my heart’s content, and yet when I faced the world boss (six in total) at the island’s apex, I got my ass handed to me REAL QUICK. What this told me was that you can’t simply rely on loot and grinding to finish the game–you’ve got to learn the combat system inside and out and hone your skills to succeed.

I came into Immortals: Fenyx Rising with essentially no expectations, and by the end of my time with it, I couldn’t wait to see and play more. I love the comical banter between Zeus and Prometheus, I can’t get enough of the pastoral environments, and the slick presentation looks to be substantiated by engaging gameplay.

Immortal: Fenyx Rising is out on Dec. 3 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna.

The post Immortals: Fenyx Rising Hands-on Preview Shows How the Game Is Inspired by Zelda: Breath of the Wild appeared first on Den of Geek.

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