#but I managed to make these two sprites for this interaction!

[ferg0s]

Barou starting a new relationship with a shy girl and how he would go about it

The literal personification of trying to mix oil with water

He was used to everyone looking at him in times of need on the field - he was the king after all - so he didn’t even notice how you would take a step back whenever it came time to ordering food, or any sort of public speaking and interactions.

He naturally took the lead, and you followed suit. Thanking the lord.

He honestly didn’t even notice how shy you were- he just kinda assumed you like hearing him talk. It wasn’t until he passed by an aisle of cute keychains and decided that he wanted to get you one when he realized… he kinda didn’t know anything about you.

I mean he did. He knew your name, your height…. The colour of your eyes…. And hair… and…

“So what do you do?” He asked bluntly as the two of you walked down a park, ice creams in hand. The one he ordered. “What?” “Hobbies? Sports? What do you do in your spare time?” He asked as he looked at you, determined to get an answer. “You know… the usual stuff-“ you awkwardly chuckle. “I don’t know actually.” He was a little shit about it.

But after literally interrogating you for an entire hour, he managed to squeeze out an answer from you. You were completely cornered by him, and you shyly tell him your hobbies. He looks dumbfounded, because to him those are completely normal and healthy hobbies for someone to have. He was starting to think you’re a grave robber by the way you were acting.

Knitting? He will get you the yarn, and parade a scarf you made for him and show all his teammates. Collecting something? He will always be on the lookout for what you like, even going as far as asking his teammates to be on the lookout as well. Video games? He will learn to play your favourite game with you. Cute farming sim? Silent hill? Niche indie game that only 3 people know about? You best bet he will ask for a 4 hour lore deep dive.

Very supportive.

Lwokey will get annoyed at your shyness at one point.

At first he thinks it’s cute, but he’s not the type of person to fully baby anyone, and will force you to order your own meal. He wants the best for you :(

Will say his order and look at you to say yours, watching you stumble on your words as you try to order some fries and a sprite. And will say he’s proud of you after. But doesn’t do it often because he can see the genuine terror in your eyes - only does it even it’s the two of you in line on a slow day.

Slowly learns to accept that you’re passionate in your own way. He’s loud and proud, whereas you like to keep to yourself. In a way he likes that you’re so open with him, that you let him see the stuff you don’t show other people. Thinks it’s adorable.

Will 100% try to make you more comfortable and less shy. You bought a new dress and don’t want to wear it, he will bluntly tell you it looks good and it would be a waste of money not to wear it.

Encourages your fashion choices. Polly pocket platform heels? He loves them. Bold lipstick? He will buy you earring that match. He quietly realized he liked seeing you happy. And you were happiest being yourself.

He’s not a big fan of grossly obvious PDA. Loves holding your hand or when you grab his bicep when you two walk together. You like it because it doesn’t draw unnecessary attention and he likes it cuz you’re always attached next to him and he doesn’t have to worry about actually loosing you. Plus he likes it when you grab his bicep.

Took forever to convince you to come to one of his games. You were too nervous to get into an arena with so many people - said you could come with a group of his teammates girlfriends - but you hated the idea of being with people you didn’t know.

He got really good at spotting you in the crowd. Didn’t matter where you were sitting, he just trained himself to see you. You were too shy to loudly cheer like everyone else, blending into the crowd due to that. But it didn’t matter.

In a weird way. He likes that hes the only one who gets to see you this happy, because hes the same with you. Slowly learning to take his guard down, be more open.

You’re learning to be confident while he’s learning to be trusting.

[askwornhearts]

Reply to this:

“Oh wow, that’s a sore spot, huh? Look, I’m sorry that humans hurt you but your trauma isn’t justification to be prejudiced to people you’ve never met. I hear this same drabble every day from other ‘mon who have problems with humans and can’t notice for every bad one there’s a ton of them actually willing to help them.

I didn’t just “find” a human that wouldn’t hurt me, as if he was some rarity. He is pretty much my own father. The scum who birthed me left me to rot, and he was the only one who extended a hand to me, and is a much better parent than I could ever ask for. Human cruelty isn’t an unique thing, Pokémon are also capable of lying, cheating, murdering and hurting others just as much as any human. As for your friend... is he an hybrid of sorts? I’ve heard of some nefarious groups of people trying to experiment on Pokémon to make hybrids rather than letting them happen naturally, which is something we consider very illegal. Perharps I could do something about the humans who experimented on your friend? As a peace offering, I guess. I’m not here just to antagonize you, I’m trying to do my job.”

[ @askforestoddities​ ]

[unseelie-grimalkin]

I'm going for gold, lads, lasses, and other gendered classes!

Do you like visual novels? Do you like stories about the fey? Do you like your entertainment as EDUTAINMENT?

IF SO, BOY HOWDY DO I HAVE A VISUAL NOVEL PROJECT FOR YOU.

The Good People (Na Daoine Maithe) is a lore-rich and choice-driven romantic visual novel inspired by Irish mythology. Play as an Irish tenant farmer from the mid-19th century, whose path becomes inexplicably entwined with fairy affairs after getting robbed by the roadside and lured into the mythic and war-torn world of Tír na nÓg: A once unified land, now divided into the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Will you escape with your stolen belongings? Or does fate have something else in mind?

OKAY, BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU, SEEKER OF SEROTONIN?

6 wonderful romantic/PLATONIC options (each love interest can be pursued entirely platonically)

a visual novel whose philosophy is less on anxiety-inducing, arbitrary choices to get a good or bad ending, but instead focuses on if you, the player, are interacting with a character in a healthy or unhealthy manner, leading to player freedom and choice

intelligent and reflective writing that is reflected within character moments and dialogue

and MORE! (so much more!)

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE OUT ABOUT THIS GAME?

Here is the bio link, which has links for the indie developers' social media accounts (Tumblr, Twitter, Discord Server) along with the link to their official website, which has a deep dive into every main NPC and the philosophy of the game. The demo is out now and free on both Steam and Itch.io

(As an official statement: I am in no way employed or affiliated with Moirai Myths and I was not approached in any way to make this post. This is me being a feral fan on main, blazing this post)

EDIT:

HELLO EVERYONE! DID YALL KNOW THE KICKSTARTER FOR THIS GAME JUST LAUNCHED TODAY? NOW YOU DO! MORE DETAILS AND MORE FUN TO BE HAD!

They’re doing voice acting reveals this month, along with an early bird special to see blushing/flirty emotes!

EDIT THE SECOND:

WE HAVE REACHED FULL FUNDING WITH THE GAME! Which is excellent, because it means that my little hyperfixation is gonna be made!

However!

It would be very nice if we could reach some of the stretch goals (which go into depth here: x). Not only are they fun (MC customization, a switch port, expanded voice-over work, more sprites, mini-games, side stories), but I think they'd spark a lot of serotonin for folks playing (myself included).

If this post has interested you at all, please, please, please check out the Kickstarter above! Thank you!

EDIT THE THIRD

Since this is still getting notes beyond my wildest dreams:

Hello! It's been a while! The Kickstarter ended a bit ago (I did not update this post when it did end, due to being ecstatic to how much the project managed to get: 130% funding!), but development is ongoing and strong! The first two routes are in development right now. Please keep tuned at @moiraimyths for official development updates!

[wihellib]

Beelzebub (Five Deadly Sins)

The wording during the announcement for this card was a little odd. It wasn’t clear if there was a summer card for each King. And there’s not. This is a Beelzebub card that includes the other Kings a little. I did manage to pull the card, so I wanted to talk about some of its features.

I assume his unholy board is similar to Belphie’s because it’s a lot simpler than it used to be. You have to do the Secret Club with him several times and pay gold, books and candies. That’s it. The entire unholy board is below and is much shorter than it used to be, which I’m very happy about.

You do not need his artifact to complete his unholy board. So it looks like they are continuing the trend that they started with Belphie Selfie, which is great. I really hope they go back and update this for previous cards.

The EroLabs version does show uncensored cock and balls on Beel.

Beel’s sprite during the adore mode seems more animated than it has been previously. He moves his arms a lot. And when his dick is out, he actually jerks himself off. It’s good to see them making the adore mode more interactive on the guy’s part.

The other Kings are in the adore mode but they only have two expressions, the default and one excited face. There’s only one part where you interact with the other Kings in the adore mode, you can squirt them with water, but they don’t move or do much during.

[misty--nights]

Onto episode 3 we go now. This one is always rough to watch, for obvious reasons, but I still found some little details I thought were interesting

At the very beginning, when they set up the new office in Crystal’s room, we can see on the table that there are colorful markers and pens, and sticky notes shaped like cats and hearts. Those have to be Niko’s right? I like the idea of her lending them her cute stationary so Edwin wouldn’t have to go mad trying to get Charles to bring the right things from the office. There is also a pig statue on the table. Not sure what that’s about but it also has to be Niko’s

Crystal’s shirt in the beginning says Tongue and Tail. It looks kind of faded, so did Jenny give it to her as a gift? But then, why does Jenny have a shirt with the butcher’s name? Does she sell merch with her shop’s logo for some extra cash? Did someone make it for her as a joke/gift?

Listen, I know for episode 2 I said I didn’t have any other details for the intro, but clearly that was a lie. Charles’ skeleton has his pins on the ribs. As if he stuck them directly to the bone, which is a hilarious thought and somehow really in character

Niko has a “no junk mail” sign taped outside her room. There’s a note taped outside of Crystal’s, too, but I couldn’t read what that one said

I saw someone call the Night Nurse and the Notary bitter exes and you know what? I see it. Love the interaction between those two, and I really wish we had more. Speaking of the Notary, though, she has so many stamps. I get why she needs that many, but it’s kind of funny

The sprites have a specific music that plays whenever they appear, and I love it. But also, last episode I saw that Litty’s skirt and Kingham’s waistcoat are made of the same fabric, and now that they aren’t wearing their sweaters in this episode, I think his pants and her waistcoat also match.

Speaking of the sprites and their clothes, Kingham’s tie pin is some sort of bug. Maybe a moth? It’s cute either way. Honestly, I just really like the way these two dress

Niko’s pillowcase has fish in it, which is small, but very sweet and very Niko

Edwin’s voice when he says “he’s stuck in the loop too” breaks a little, he’s so scared for Charles

You know, it was probably a good thing Charles was no longer with them when they found the dad’s creepy hidden room with the cameras. I think that with the way the case was affecting him, he would have fared well against the misery wraith

And speaking of the wraith, I think it’s interesting that only Crystal seems to be able to hear it. Even when both she and Edwin are in the same room, she’s the only one who hears it. Edwin turns to look because she does

Edwin almost never flinches during the loops. I think he does the first time they see the dad killing the others, but then it’s mostly Charles and Crystal who flinch at the gunshot and the murder

Honestly, props to Edwin for managing to figure out the vhs while trying not to freak out about Charles and the wraith that reminds him of hell Monty’s handwriting is really pretty, and I admire the dedication of drawing that whole chart by hand

[jellazticious]

Meet this chucklefuck

His name is Pascal Short for Giuseppe Pascallis Jaleppino Edvard Stefano Dimitri Jaloro Pepperman-Spaghetti

That's right, you read the surnames correctly. He is a Pepperino fankid

ramble and more drawings under the cut if you managed to survive the first part

If I had a nickel for everytime I made fankids, I would have two. Which isn't a lot but it is weird that it happened twice.

And brother? I'm happy about it jsrgksrb

Pascal is a jaloro pepper and since his parents are so shit at naming him, they straight up put his pepper type as a name. but yes, they're a real thing and they're so cute. Jaloros are just yellow jalapenos

I also tried to make him simultaneously look like a pepper and a mango to complement how Pepperman looks like an apple. but also while drawing the sprite mock ups, I realized that at a certain pose he sorta looks like a pizza slice. I win either way bfsjbgksjr

He does not want to be an artist or a chef but he does have the inherited naturality of both which landed him a job as a barista. and of course, he could only work for one place which is the Noisette Cafe. It kinda gave him a little trouble getting hired cuz 1.) Peppino does not like how his son is about to work for his rival's girlfriend and 2.) Noisette is fucking terrified of Pepperman. You think she's gonna let his son who is one foot taller work for her 😭

But still, Noisette is way too kind that Peppino forgets why he has a problem with her and Pascal is way softer than both his dads surprisingly. It's ironic how Peppino and Pepperman are these barbarians of people and their kid ended up being the forestcore aestethic. He is never beating the allegations lmao, he's gonna be THAT softboy

But don't get me wrong, he can be a combination brutal and berserk when pissed off. He still has the same strength as his dads, mind you. Mostly Pepperman's brute and Peppino's street smarts

And their patience too.

People expect him to be as manly lol but like nahh he just wanna chill and be a nerd dork

And if anyone's wondering, it was obviously Pepperman who spawned him. In the human au tho? I have a perfect answer for that lmao. ahem

My Pepperman has and always been intersex lmao. That is it, that is all you need to know how Pascal can theoretically be made

Plants being plants man, they're really weird. Pepper is simultaneously mom, dad, uncle, and aunt lmao. Tho Pas calls him both mom and dad because it would be so fucking funny and he calls Peppino papi

He's very tender mostly cuz he did not inherit Pepperman's narcissism but he did inherit that kindness that Pepperman tries so hard to hide. And of course, Peppino's anxiety and impulses.

As a kid, Peppino is the brooding hen between him and Phil. He'd be the one who double checks triple checks if it's safe to let baby Pascal do his thing.

Pepperman on the other hand, he holds baby Pas like a rubber ball. Peppino tries not to get his kid killed because of how his wife holds it 😭

Oh also in a few of em, you can see little interactions with @beefy-the-stronk's Jude. They're simultaneously cousins and siblings. Also don't question it. Just imagine there's two Peppermans gbsjbgrksj

Also Gustavo is the godfather. I only had Pascal for three days but I would die for him

Anyway, if you made it this far, I thank you but alas. That is all for now bgjsbgjksr

[phenikas]

Here's some pictures of the environments I created for this render - requested by @jack-jerky. More specifically: a random Atlas HQ hallway (or at least somewhat close to resembling one) and Jack's AR chamber he's been occupying ever since Rhys decided to bring him back about 2 years after the fall of Helios.

Final Render

Alternative Shots

Despite still having trouble plugging in some specific materials for the models (particularly the walls, which are actually rotated the wrong way but have been instead masked with additional models), this environment turned out better than I was expecting. Of course, there was a lot of trial and error but with each environment I make, I create some assets that are usable in other places. E.g. for my Jackothy render I made a lot of visual effects, like fog, flames, dust, etc. that I've also repurposed in this render as well as several other renders before this one. And as with most of the assets, I actually borrowed the sprites used for these effects from the BL games themselves so that they would fit right in.

When it comes to the chamber itself, I wanted to capture a very "hazy" and "unreal" feeling. After all, none of these things inside the chamber are as real as what is outside. They're somewhat of projections created from countless collections of data - honestly the closest comparison I'd make is to the VR missions in BL3. Like, you can still see and interact with stuff, there are collisions, but they're not real. Sure you could sit on top of that chair, but you can't really feel its texture and material, can't tell if it's hot or cold to the touch, or how much it weighs.

The change in lighting in, however, is done by Jack himself, who had been preparing for this particular moment for weeks on end. By this point he is fully integrated with the chamber's system, knows the ins and outs. Heck, he's even got access to the ECHOnet by now ("only" took him about a year to convince Rhys to get someone to install a driver into the system). But this is where the question comes in. Why is Rhys absolutely down throughout the whole thing? What's this thing Jack's been talking about that's making Rhys' frown a permanent feature on his face?

Considering the fact that the two have been broken up for over a year now because of an argument they can't even remember, and conveniently neither party can find another significant other (nor do they even try to... after all, they still feel an indescribable magnetic pull toward each other despite refusing to admit so), Rhys is rightly worried, and jealous, when one day Jack announces he managed to snag himself a date. However, Rhys has no idea that this is all a game to Jack, who is trying to see just how jealous he can make Rhys. If Jack's learnt anything over the years, it's that Rhys will never make the first move on him. And with Rhys' recent visits fluctuating in frequency (both because he is a busy man, and because Rhys feels no point in coming over anymore now that his and Jack's lives are not as intertwined as they used to be), Jack knows he needs to do something. And he needs to do it fast.

When Jack sees him that day, however, his entire plan to win Rhys over falls apart. The bouquet and wine he had ordered arrived early, sprawled over the coffee table like there was no thought or preparation made by Jack for his date. Not even that. Just the sight of Rhys makes him short-circuit. Every word he had meticulously planned to say disappears. Nothing else mattered to him besides Rhys. He needed Rhys. He needed him to stay. To be with him. To be his. His mind was filled with nothing but Rhys.

Remember how I mentioned Jack had been fully integrated with the chamber's system? Well, let's just say that the chamber sometimes also projects Jack's needs and desires.

[maleyanderecafe]

The Snake's Taken a Spouse (Visual Novel)

Created by: Games_of_CrimSin

Genre: Romance/Survival

This game is actually fairly fun all things considered and I enjoyed it. I think that some people might pass on this one because of the art, but honestly it reminds me a bit of DOL in some cases, especially with the Great Hawk and Shimil is adorable. This game is r18 though you can toggle off r18 things in the intro. You can find more at @gamesofcrimsin (which btw if you are reading this, I will literally redraw your sprites for you if you would like).

The story starts out with the MC walking around in the forest, only to stumble upon a naga person when hearing a scream. Their tail is stuck under a rock so the MC helps them out. Seeing as this is the nicest thing that someone has done to the snake person, they immediately tell the MC they want to marry them. A bit freaked out, the MC stumbles backwards and passes out, only to wake up in the snake person's den. This snake person promises that they will be able to love each other given time and goes out to get the MC a mattress to sleep on and a fire.

From then on, it runs mostly like a time management game where you can do anything from prepare food to nap, to wait, to try to escape. There are about six different endings that you can get through different means, but first I'll summarize Shimil's history as we know of.

The MC can ask about his name, introducing himself as Shimil. You can ask him about his species, the nagas. Shimil tells the MC that the nagas and humans used to live on the surface together, but the two hated each other, so the nagas of old hid underground so that humans could never bother them again. The MC asks why Shimil isn't underground, and Shimil states that he was banished because he couldn't do anything right and was burden. Comforting him will cause him to cry as he did try his best, but was never enough. The MC also finds a drawing on the wall and asks Shimil about it. Shimil carved it into the wall, trying to draw his mother and sister. Shimil talks about the two, how they were great at everything, how they were able to know what Shimil wanted or needed through body language and how strong they are. The MC picks up an object in the other corner, which Shimil frantically tells them to be careful with. When the MC asks Shimil about it, Shimil tells the MC that it's a toy that his parents got him, and that he loved it a lot. His sister gave it to him before he got exiled and even snuck in to grab his pickaxe. He reveals also that his dad died when he was younger, which is why he didn't draw him on the wall. This thought makes him cry, wanting to be able to draw them better.

There are a couple of endings, staying with him will make him happy, trying to escape may lead to failure. The MC can also dig footholds to climb out if timed correctly, or get rescued by a search time (though I couldn't get this ending because the timing is pretty finicky). Causing him to go out for the MC a lot makes Shimil go into a deeper sleep, thus being able to successfully kill him with the pickaxe, and finally, Shimil will kick the MC out if they break his toy (but it also breaks my heart).

I actually was more expecting a visual novel in the traditional sense because most of the entries seem to be of that style, so this was a nice change of pace. Like I said, it reminds me of the Great Hawk from Degrees of Lewdity, where you're sort of trapped with an animal creature that doesn't quite know what humans like or do but is doing their best to accommodate which is very enduring. Like the Great Hawk though, I do wish there were more interactions with Shimil besides what was given, though it's understandable since it was made for the game jam, so there probably wasn't a lot of time to implement a bunch of features (though I did see some of the notes in the script file for more endings.) If I were to make suggestions to add more features, I'd really like to hear more about Shimil's past or just get the chance for them to talk to each other about different things, such as Shimil sharing more about his culture or perhaps the MC sharing about their life as well. They could teach each other games or talk about other things that they might like. Just to really make that stockholm syndrome kick in. Of course, it would be great to do other things besides, eat, sleep, asking him to get things and having sex as well, since I'm sure it would get boring down there if it's all they could do. More endings are always great as well- I'll be honest, I just kept having sex with Shimil just to see if it would make a different ending or have different dialouge, but it would be pretty funny to see him have a proper reaction to that.

I'll be honest- Shimil is really cute. I really like the more sad and pathetic type yanderes that try their best and honestly listening to Shimil's backstory about how he was exiled and how he believes he's useless is really heartbreaking. It's also pretty sad that the nicest thing anyone has done for him was to save him from a giant boulder and even when trying to turn him down, he seems really happy that he's gotten so many compliments. He probably really misses his family seeing that all he has left are the things that he's gotten from home and a crude drawing, something that he often has to throw away (especially the pick axe) if the MC attempts to escape or hurt him. It made me really sad when the MC just broke his only toy since it was one of the last things he had left from them, so it's understandable he throws the MC out afterwards. Shimil is only really cruel when the MC is cruel to him and he honestly endures a lot of it, generally being more shy and reserved when the MC snaps back at him or attempts to murder him in his sleep which can lead to him raping the MC while the two try to sleep (though again, you have to be really cruel to him for this to happen generally). I can't really blame him since he doesn't have anyone and is just lonely, plus again, the MC is just outright cruel to him at this point when he's trying hard to provide food and other things for them.

I think overall, while the game is pretty good, the biggest drawback is likely the art. It's not... the worst that I've seen, but I can see why people might be turned away from it. There are some glitches in the code as well, sometimes with Shimil jumping up into the wrong position or some sort of error occurring, but they don't seem to be very big problems. Pretty much I feel that if the sprite art were improved, it would make the game a lot better since the design for him is pretty unique all things considered.

Overall, it's a pretty fun and short game. I hope to see more of Shimil in the future because I like his interactions and the history of nagas is actually pretty interesting and I hope there will be other endings for it. I'm gonna throw a bunch of redesigns for Shimil after this because I think he is fun to draw.

[sleepsonclouds]

Clouds tropespots: The Spirealm, E10

Episode 10 (Drum sisters, 3rd door)

The human skin drum story is wrapping up! I really liked the creepy melancholy of this episode. The crossdressing comedy of errors is a bit more subdued, which I honestly liked.

Everyone thinks we're family: Turns out the story is a love triangle between the two sisters and some guy. Even Cheng Qianli gets it! The cheeky brat: "I envy my sister and brother-in-law too. But I'm not jealous." Nanzhu, expression shifting: "Who's your sister? ...Who's your brother-in-law?" Alas, Qianli only gets the sister part right - Li Dongyan is not the brother-in-law wanted here! Nanzhu threatens to bury Qianli alive. Aww.

Everyone thinks we're family (cont.): Li Dongyan gives a (fake) key to Nanzhu, "his brother-in-law". They can't even do that normally, Dongyan must slip it into Nanzhu's pocket. Is his subconscious picking up on the fact that his hypothetical girlfriend and brother-in-law are one and the same? His interactions with Nanzhu are fascinating to say the least.

Seeking advice from partner: Nanzhu tells everyone he lost the (fake) key. How could he?! His little stricken face! Drama sprite mode is ON. Time to consult his partner: "Linlin. What should we do? The key is lost. We can't go back." Qiushi's very chill about it: "It's fine if we can't go back. Let's stay here together." Well, that works too!

Lending out partner: They're solving the plot, and Xu Jin might get in the way. But there's a solution! "You're responsible for dating," Nanzhu tells Qiushi. Perhaps the Girlfriend Discussion (aka Qiushi's utter incomprehension when it comes to women) has mellowed his jealous tendencies...

Saving partner: Qiushi is hallucinating (again), but manages to resist Xu Jin by stating that he'll "only cherish what he has now". And wonder of wonders, we hear Nanzhu's frantic "Linlin" getting through the illusion! He banishes Xu Jin by threatening to break the human skin drum. Nanzhu must know it's pretty important, but not as important as his Linlin.

Supporting partner (probably necessary): Now Nanzhu has reason to get his hands all over Qiushi, who is worse for wear after Xu Jin's banshee screech. Must support partner. With both hands.

As long as you're happy: Nanzhu refuses to explain what happened. Qiushi knows better than to believe Nanzhu's "I reasoned with her", believing quite rightly that the drama sprite is messing with him. But it makes Nanzhu so happy! "As long as you're happy", says Qiushi, resigned to his fate.

Saving partner (cont.): While the others are slumbering peacefully, Qiushi falls asleep for five seconds and is almost killed by the skinless, glowing monster who wants his skin. (Are those fairy lights? They look like fairy lights.) Nanzhu wakes up at the last moment and uses the human skin drum to drive it away. "Are you hurt? Why didn't you wake us up?" asks Nanzhu. I am Qiushi's great indignation. And the drum is now broken. "I was so worried that I broke it." Okay, Nanzhu is forgiven.

Injuries (real): Qiushi is hit by the door ghost when everyone else has already left. He staggers through the door and promptly collapses. Cue intense worry and Nanzhu yelling for the doctor. They really spend a lot of time worrying about each other's physical well-being in this door! Now they're out, and only the lone kaleidoscope is left. I love those, whatever they are. We'll get to spend some quality time in the real world in -> Episode 11.

[yuriko-mukami]

Yuriko's Small Evolution

I was going through pictures on my PC and ran into Yuriko's older sprites... so, I wanted to share a few since some new followers have joined after I started to use the new sprites more regularly...

2021-2023

I created Yuriko's first version on Picrew. In the beginning, she had two basic styles: regular and school uniform. As you can see, she showed more skin in her original home outfit than the one that came later.

While the first outfit was cute, it started to feel a bit uncomfortable because it was rather revealing... and honestly, I don't think Ruki would want others to see her like that. So, the light top and hoodie combination made more sense.

Sprites: Picrew

I honestly still love Yuriko's old look... and I still have RP threads where I have been using them. If I get school interactions, I might still use them since I have only two new school sprites. Now, when I look at that very first home outfit, I kind of would like to make a new version of it, too. Maybe she could wear that pink dress once again for some special occasion.

2023-

This year I got nice bases from nukababe/Etsy and started to make my own sprites for Yuriko. Her school uniform is driving me insane, though... so... We'll see if I manage to make her more sprites in that. And Yuriko's home outfit changed again... mostly because I found the hoodie annoying to draw. That's why she's wearing a cardigan instead these days with her top.

[pot4gs-corner]

[[ PO-T4G HER3!! H3RE W1TH PR0TAG!! FUN T1MES B3GIN!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4SK 4SK ASK M3 TH1NGS!! ASK N0W!! NOW N0W NO0O0O0WWWW!!! ]]

> "Hey! Knock it off! You're going to break the game again!!"

x+x+x

Hi there! This is an Elevator Hitch AU blog! Please allow me to introduce to you PO-T4G and Piero!

This AU was designed and crafted by yours truly, myself. Have you ever had your firewall trying to prevent you from playing the original Elevator Hitch? Do you just blatantly ignore the warning and push forward? Well, maybe you should have kept the game closed. There's a virus spreading around! And it mimics the persona of our dear Protagonist, Piero. This AI buddy leeches off poor Piero, and he needs you help getting to his interview! Will you be able to manage making it to your interview on time?

A couple of rules!

1. I do allow lil magic anons / rp interactions / story liners to follow. Keeps me motivated!

2. Common courtesy with interactions on my blog, you know what to ask and what to not ask. Suggestive is fine!

3. I'm sure everyone is aware of Elevator Hitch when viewing my blog. Still, I will implore you that this blog has heavy themes such as gore. This is the first and final warning.

4. Hate the character, not the mod. PO-T4G is mainly a joke character and isn't meant to be taken seriously, nor is Piero. Unfortunately for this blog, I won't be making sprites, but maybe a few little doodles here and there like I did with my first elevator hitch blog. (Sorry folks augha). I don't really expect this blog to blow up like my other two, but interactions with the sillies is appreciated.

5. Mun is an adult, I prefer to keep in my age group, on the rare occasion: engage with those 17-18. Nothing against minors, just keeping ya'll safe distance 👌 If you have questions about my AU, or would like to know a little more about me, my 'main' account is @justmandika. Sometimes I draw, or sometimes I bully good friends.

That's about it then! I hope you enjoy your stay here! Mod Mandika out!

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Tags for Ref. #// pot4gs corner #// ❌POT4G replies #// 💻piero replies #// system error rp #// mod mandika #// mod post #// ooc post

[twewyautismshowdown]

[ID: A transparent background with the rainbow autism acceptance infinity symbol, the sprites of Sho Minamimoto and Nagi Usui face each other with a red decagram with a yellow "vs" between them.]

Round 4 Match 2: Sho Minamimoto VS Nagi Usui

What gives these two Autism Swag?

Sho Minamimoto:

Special Interest in math. Can recite god-knows-how-many digits of pi, refers to people with math terms, and just randomly shouts out math words sometimes. Managed to access the Imaginary Numbers Plane through this, something that is never really explained but seems pretty impressive! Also figured out an attack that could kill god if it landed (it did not land).

Makes public trash sculptures as street art and writes poetry on them.

"So zetta slow." "Where's your beauty?" "CRUNCH! I'll add it to the heap!"

Yells through a megaphone. Saw a "zetta sexy" mic and figured it would be okay to take it as long as he left his megaphone behind in its place.

Polarized tastes: likes sweet things, and none of his favorite foods have meat (he's the only character who can't get a tasty bonus from meat).

Nagi Usui:

Has a Special Interest in Elegant Strategy. Her backpack is covered in EleStra merch, including pins and plushies, and she was literally willing to infiltrate someone's mind as payback for her being unable to get a rare EleStra pin. Even when she thinks she's dead and in a death game, her primary concern is with the newest chapter of EleStra and avoiding spoilers, and reading it is one of her biggest motivations for winning.

Is hyper-empathetic, which manifests in her Dive ability. She is very uncomfortable doing this, and always apologizes in advance for the breach of privacy.

Can tell when people are being fake and is severely put off by it.

Speaks in an overly-formal way, has a large vocabulary, and calls people "Lord" or "Lady" before their name as a sign of respect. She also frequently makes incomprehensible blubbering noises.

Likes eating a whole grilled alligator, which everyone else hates.

"I am simply aware of the importance of communication. And I take great pains to ensure my interactions with others remain as peaceful as possible. Asking questions. Gauging responses. Reacting aptly. I leverage every element at my disposal—actions, words, emojis, anything at all—to ensure everyone feels welcome."

[destiny-smasher]

Stuff From 2023!

List of things of note I experienced in 2023! A few things didn't technically release in 2023, I'm sure, but yea. Will contain my 'Top 10 Games I Played in 2023' as well.

Firstly, something I played a lot of this year in bursts but doesn't quite crack my Top 10 is Vampire Survivors. Very addicting, did some very fun goofy shit that had me laughing and engaged in a lizard brain way. Appreciated the many Castlevania references and jokes, too.

A couple of games I played every weekend for a few hours across many weeks this year were Project Zomboid and Roots of Pacha, both in a group 4. We had lots of fun with those two, and I think they're both great co-op time-sink games. Zomboid is a zombie survival sim that has way more attention to detail than its graphics may imply. It's still in early access but the depth to its is honestly pretty dang impressive. Pacha iterates on the Stardew Valley formula in a ton of small but deliberate, thoughtful ways that make for a nice twist on that Harvest Moon style game.

REMAKES

There were so many great remakes this year, on top of just amazing games in general, I can't fit them all into my Top 10. So here's a segment dedicated to most of the remakes I loved this year.

The remake of Super Mario RPG was such a surprise, and turned out very damn well. That game, turns out, is very near and dear to my heart and I did not fully appreciate that until this remake was revealed. It comes just shy of cracking my Top 10 list and that's honestly only because I finished Mother 3 finally right at the tail end of the year. This game manages to still feel weirdly fresh even today just due to how fucking strange it is, and the remake speeds up the pacing a bit while also adding in some new mechanics and a chunk of new post-game content. Everything was handled so well. This is like the new gold standard of complete one-to-one remakes of sprite-based games imo. I will admit the artstyle is a bit 'off' in some ways but I think it's very clean looking and captures that 90's CGI spirit really well, all things considered. And the music, OOF, so damn good.

The remake of Dead Space I don't have much to talk about, but it's very well produced. It's remade so well, in fact, that it felt like my memories of the original, even though I know it's not an exact recreation. Very well done and still holds up as a great horror action game with these improvements.

The remaster of Metroid Prime is so impressive it feels like a remake, even if the game is identical to the original aside from presentation and some control changes. It's an iconic classic, and yet I have no patience to do the Chozo Artifact stuff, so I actually did not roll credits on this version BUT still thoroughly enjoyed reliving the game with a very nice new coat of paint. It makes me excited to see what Prime 4 will look like on, I expect, more powerful hardware.

SHOWS/MOVIES

The year started strong with a TV adaptation of The Last of Us. While I've come to have conflicted feelings with the franchise at large, mainly due to its leading boss man, I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of this series. Very well done adaptation that picked and chose what to keep and what to change and honestly makes for a better story as a whole if you ask me, while not really replacing the game's tactile interactive tensions. Cannot wait to see what they do with Part 2 tbqh. I loved that game more than the original but also felt it was worse as an overall game/experience/narrative. But a fresh take on that same plot could potentially address a lot of the issues I had with Part 2, while simultaneously not really 'replacing' it, either.

The Bear. If you haven't seen it, it's just. Very good television. Two seasons in and it's sitting up there chasing Mr. Robot and Better Call Saul as one of the best live action series I've ever seen. Season 2 did such a great job of giving us deeper dives on the various characters and building toward an organic and rewarding conclusion that still leaves room for another season to theoretically wrap things up. Nothing too crazy with this show, it's super down to earth, and it owns that very well with editing and pacing that varies per episode, kind of in line with the different character perspectives.

Super Mario Bros.: The Movie had me worried for a while, mainly due to the animation studio and casting. And while I'm still not 100% sold on this celebrity casting, I will admit it didn't weight the experience down -- even if it's still the second weakest element by far. The weakest element is the writing. It's not, like, offense -- it's loyal to the source material and works, it functions. But it's not doing anything beyond pushing us from set piece to set piece. If anything, the movie is a bit too short for all of the stuff it's cramming in. But on the upside, there is a lot of amazingly rendered visuals and music to take in. A real treat for fans of the franchise, and the most loyal gaming adaptation in movie form, I would say.

Across the Spiderverse is in essence the first half of a two part film. That makes it kind of difficult to talk about, especially when it's also a sequel, and the production sounds like it was marred with bad management and crunch. But the results they came up with actually met my hopes and expectations for a sequel, and that is saying something, as I had very high expectations. I completely adore this film's stupendous sense of style, editing, framing, writing, and the way it's making meta-commentary on multiple levels on top of just being an effective narrative on its own. This is animated storytelling running at full capacity in my opinion, and in general just film doing all of the kinds of things film can do. So it's no wonder that there's still a rub -- this is the first half of the story they planned. The editing, animation, framing, effects, acting, action sequences, music, writing, theming, just Farore's sake, this is SUCH a damn banger of a film and one of the best movies I've ever seen, which, again, is kind of insane given the circumstances. I can only hope they don't fuck up the conclusion.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was quite the surprise announcement, and as it turns out, quite the surprise adaptation. I won't spoil much but I will say that by the end of the first episode, it becomes very apparent that this series is no mere by-the-books adaptation, and does something unique and edifying, even if it still maintains a certain surface-level depth I wish the franchise would push beyond. Either way, I enjoyed it way more than I expected to going in, and I think it makes for a great companion to the rest of the series. The animation style was super fun, as well, with some great action sequences.

But Blue Eye Samurai sucker-punched me, having released before I'd even known about it. This show is something else, something unlike any other animated show I've seen besides Arcane. And it's not like it's mimicking Arcane, it's just the closest I can think to compare it to: a quality, thoughtfully framed, thoughtfully written, made-for-adults animated series. It tows the line between fantasy and realism in a refreshing way, its protagonist is great, its cast is compelling, its plot goes to some neat places, and things just feel very well thought-out and well-executed. Slap this in second place behind Arcane as the TV series I am the most excited to see more of in the future, just ahead of The Bear.

Something I did near the end of the year was watch The Hunger Games movies, back to back over the course of like, a week. Have not read the books but man, watching these sure made me interested in doing so at some point. I totally get why people were so enamored with this franchise, and honestly, I think its themes and messages are more relevant now than they were when this franchise was at the peak of its popularity. The films certainly have glaring issues for my tastes but yea, I managed to really enjoy them as a whole despite my lack of mainstream sensibilities. Looking forward to reading the books eventually.

Another thing my wife shared with me was 花ざかりの君たちへ (often called 'Hana-Kimi' for short). Specifically, the 2007 version, as, uh, apparently there are multiple adaptations of this. It was a live action Japanese drama about a high schooler who was born female but transfers into an all-boys school, identifying as a boy while she is there. There's more to it than that, and I won't say it handles everything the best (it's from the mid 2000's) or concludes things in quite the way I'd have preferred. Not to mention it's kind of weird seeing many tropes I'm used to seeing in anime rendered by physical, real actors. BUT it was overall a really sweet, adorable, funny, heartfelt, and reached for pro-queer expression in a time and place when that wasn't mainstream yet (and honestly kinda still isn't depending on who you ask).

Good Omens Season 3 also dropped this year. I actually don't have much to say partly because I think a big element of it is just not knowing what to expect going into it! But it was also very good, very fun, pretty damn gay, I really enjoyed it and am crossing my fingers hard they get to wrap it up the way they want.

All right! Onto my personal top 10 GOTYs.

TOP 11 GAMES

(I played and finished in 2023)

11) Mother 3

The one entry on this list that did not actually come out this year -- in fact, it's never technically released outside of Japan. Originally release in 2007 on the Game Boy Advance, this quirky RPG has developed quite the reputation. I started playing the fan translation back in like 2020, and only got around to finally finishing it this year. While that likely did tarnish the experience a bit for me, so does the final third or so -- it kind of drags on a bit, and any old school format RPG that requires grinding to progress can become a bit of a chore.

Thankfully, Mother 3 did earn its hallowed reputation in my eyes now that I have experienced it. I totally get the passion for this game now, and I am a convert. It makes me want to finally finish Mother 2, aka Earthbound. But here's the biggest thing about Mother 3 I weirdly did not expect going in, yet smashed my face in like a hammer by the time I finished it:

without Mother 3, there is no way Undertale/deltarune would exist.

The DNA for Toby Fox's works is achingly obvious in its relation to this game, specifically. I won't spoil anything and I won't go into my long list of evidence like an Ace Attorney case, but trust me, there is ample evidence to make this claim.

And that also means that Mother 3 stands on its own merits as doing things that RPGs just plain were not doing in 2007, and in some ways still aren't today. Aside from some pacing issues further in, the characters in your party aren't as developed as much as I'd like. BUT the overall narrative it tells, especially in those opening chapters, have a rare kind of earnest, human magic to them that most games just don't let themselves fall into. And it concludes in ways I did not expect and yet offered clarity as to why it is so beloved, and how Toby Fox was so inspired to put his own mark on the gaming landscape.

I owe a great deal to Undertale, personally, and as such, I also owe a great deal to Mother 3. You don't need to have played others in the series to enjoy it, you'll just be missing some referential stuff here and there. It's quite playable and unique by today's standards and I strongly recommend it if you want an RPG that is heartfelt, funny, fun mechanically, and has some simple but hard-hitting things to say about the world we live in, and what we are doing to ourselves and that world.

10) Super Mario Bros. Wonder

What can be said that hasn't been said already? Nintendo knocked it out the park with this one. This was everything I've wanted in a 2D Mario for like 15 years. The only thing 'missing' from it is playable Rosalina, but hey, we finally got Daisy in a mainline Mario game, so I'll take it. After a decade or so of dragging their feet with low-effort but enjoyable 2D games, Super Mario Wonder finally, at long last, captures what makes Nintendo games great and with their best foot forward. They haven't done 2D Mario this well since World on the SNES in 1991. And they have never put this level of production into a 2D game since... ever?

This is one of the all-time best 2D platformers out there, and for once it finally feels like 2D Mario is running on all cylinders as a big budget passion project kind of game. You love to see it.

9) Scarlet Hollow

This game isn't technically finished yet, as it is episodic, and its developers wanted to release Slay the Princess in the interim, but that doesn't stop its quality from being good enough to make my list. This game is doing the kinds of things visual novels should be doing, the kinds of things I wish to do in a sense with my own visual novel development.

It's a horror themed experience but balances the high tension with actual real stakes very well against mostly down-to-earth conversations, with lots of great tricks and touches of presentation you don't typically see in indie visual novels, along with a fantastic art style, charming characters (my favorite character has turned out to be the one I immediately disliked at first, and that's rare for me), and meaningful choices.

I can't wait to see how this one wraps up but even as it stands it's one of the best things I experienced in 2023.

8) Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Redeemed

I will admit I skipped Xenoblade Chronicles 2 after giving it an honest go in like, 2019 or so. A few hours in and i couldn't stomach it, the tonal whiplash from Xenoblade 1 (one of the best RPGs I've ever played) was too much for me. But then Xenoblade 3 came out last year, and is also one of the best RPGs I've ever played, even better than the original for my tastes.

But I wasn't prepared for the DLC to drop a whole ass side-game on us, a self-contained prequel to 3 that serves as narrative cohesion to tie the whole trilogy together with a bow on top, complete with perfectly tuned fanservice (and not the sexy kind, although grown-up Rex and Shulk, well, yes) that really respects its fanbase for investing hundreds of hours in this franchise.

Matthew is easily one of my all-time fav RPG main characters, probably the favorite RPG main character when I think of it (as main characters specifically go, anyway), and his game is a fraction of the length of many RPGs out there. But as usual, the entire cast had their charms, the story was nicely paced, the gameplay and overall length was just about damn perfect for what I could want from the genre.

As an expansion to a pre-existing game, this is one of the top 3 best expansions/DLCs I've ever played. When taken as a side story to an overarching trilogy, I'm not even 100% in on the lore and I still enjoyed the hell out of it, it's just the kind of thing that hits a tone of 'damn, video games are a fucking unique medium that we can do specific narrative things with across years of telling a story.'

I don't know where Monolith Soft is going next, though the ending certainly offers some intriguing teasing, but I suspect I will be there day one to see it, and am looking forward to it.

7) Pikmin 4

Given the long wait (10 years!) one might understand fan concern over the state of Pikmin 4. Turns out, that extra time was spent making this game fucking good. It's not the largest, most impressive, most complex, most inspiring, most 'anything' game I played this year, and yet I can't help saying that this is a damned good video game. It really nailed what it set out to do as a sequel, incorporating just the right ideas to spice up the formula while bringing things back to how Pikmin 2 was, and improving on the series in basically every way -- including stuff to do!

This is easily the most Pikmin game... in a Pikmin game. I still haven't 100%'d it. Without giving away any details, I'll just say that when a game rolls credits and you're only like, halfway through its content, and it just keeps going, that's just kind of wild. It would've felt like a great game even then, but the breadth and depth it ends up going to in order to keep giving you ways to engage with its wonderfully detailed world and addictive mechanics, I love it.

I just want more of it. Give me DLC with more Dandori content, the formula and feel just works so well at this point.

6) Sea of Stars

How the hell I forgot to include this one on my list initially is boggling. Easily one of the best indie games I've ever experienced. The writing is nothing to, well, write home about, but it's not bad. And in fact the story has a lot of great things going on, from an interesting world to a very potent arc with the leading support character (who, let's face it, is kind of more the main character than your two main characters).

The game's art and music are phenomenal, capturing the essence of 90's era RPGs but clearly doing things not capable back then. Made even sweeter, the game is a prequel to the studio's prior work, The Messenger, which I also played and adored in tandem, kind of going back and forth between the two once I was partway into Sea of Stars. The way this RPG repurposes songs from Messenger as well as all kinds of seemingly superfluous elements but makes it feel cohesive is pretty great.

The game also trims a lot of the fat you'd find in older RPGs, as well as lets you customize your experience in a modern way using collectibles you can toggle on and off to grant all kinds of effects, like increasing or decreasing the difficulty in various ways.

The homage paid to classics like Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG is clear but it's not at all copy-cat-ing, instead wearing those inspirations proudly on its sleeves and forging its own path with its own ideas. A fantastic collection of party members, a wonderful world, amazing presentation, and environments and pacing that help it stand apart from the genre that inspired it. I wish we got to know the leads better, there is a lack of character growth in many ways, but that's me grasping at straws to critique, it's just a fantastic experience and the studio should be very proud of what they've accomplished.

5) Hi-Fi Rush

This is gonna be a running trend from here on out, but on any other year, Hi-Fi Rush would've been my GOTY, easy. From this point on, we're talking measures of inches rather than miles in terms of my love for these games.

Hi-Fi Rush finally delivered on something I have waited like 20 years for: a rhythm action adventure where playing the game in sync with the music felt fucking cool and gave me emotional resonance in a way only this medium can. The humor was charmng. The visual aesthetic is almost peak 'my taste.' The music was groovy with a few tracks I did not see coming but loved seeing how they were incorporated. The story was surprisingly fun! The characters were fantastic, I loved the entire main crew in a way I rarely ever do and would jump at the chance to spend more time with (and hey, there's a whole bunch of post-game I have yet to do, so I intend to in 2024).

The only real thing I could reasonably ask for from this game is a way to play as those other party members in post-game content or new-game plus or something. And who knows, maybe we get that some day. Even if we don't, what they came up with here is the next best thing besides. And what we got is one the most video-gamey video games I have ever played, a real classic and one I think will go down as one of my all-time favs. A passion project given meaningful time, budget, and creatives to bring it to life.

Had this game offered multiple playable characters, a bit more development in its story, and maybe a stronger climax, it'd be higher. I still love it to death and want more games like it regardless.

Hi-Fi Rush is exactly what kind of game we could have gotten more of if the Internet hadn't pushed gaming into a 'live service' direction. It is literally the spirit of a PS2/GameCube game given modern form. And either way, we did get it, at least, in that form, and it fucking rocks.

4) Resident Evil 4 (Remake)

This year was big for remakes and remasters, but one stands tall above the rest, if you ask me. The original RE4 has stood as my fav in the franchise, the one that got me into the franchise, the one that got me into M-rated games in the first place. Lots of nostalgia, but it's held up surprisingly well over the years despite some limitations of the time (mainly the controls) and some older-fashioned sensibilities ("with ballistics, too~").

But Capcom fucking nailed it with this reimagining. Like Final Fantasy VII: Remake, this game is not a remaster, or a one-to-one recreation. It is a brand new game, built from the ground up, reimagining the original entirely, complete with new mechanics and story. But unlike with FF7, this is also shockingly authentic and loyal to the original at the same time. It remixes elements from the original game, maintains most of the original's map design, adds in new stuff, removes some of the more goofy shit -- and even 90% of what feels 'removed' is revealed to be repurposed for the Ada side story DLC.

It looks great, it sounds great, the adjustments to characters and story are improvements across the board, (except for Hunnigan, RIP) the gameplay is improved in intensity and feel and action and replayability. And yet despite all of this, it balances that campy tone of the original just enough to still evoke what I loved about the original's tone. And it doesn't outright replace the original game, either. The two are now like different recipes of the same sandwich or something. There's reasons to revisit the original, though for me this has now replaced the remake of RE2 as my fav in the franchise.

I really don't know where they go from here but I will look forward to it, and regardless, they fucking nailed this one.

3) Street Fighter 6

Two Capcom games, back-to-back? They had a fucking good year in my eyes. The interesting thing about this particular entry is that unlike the others on this list, I will be continuing to play this one for hours and hours into 2024, especially with more fighters still planned. And in another year, this would've easily been my GOTY.

After all, Street Fighter 6 is the single-best traditional fighting game I think I've ever played. And while fighting games are my overall personal favorite genre, I'm more of a Smash player who also loves the hell out of Street Fighter and then dabbles in Tekken and whatever else releases. Street Fighter has always been one of my go-to top multiplayer games since I got into the franchise with SF4 in 2010. While I did enjoy SF5 well enough, it just didn't keep me hungry to come back for more like 4 did. SF6 has fixed that problem by way of a multitude of changes.

It has easily the most fun single player mode I've seen any fighting game have. Like, yea, The Subspace Emmisary (and even then, I don't love that mode like other folks do, I kinda think it's... fine?) but tbqh World Tour is just better in most every way. You get to build your own fighter, earn and mix and match different costumes and individual character special moves with each fighter's fight style. You get to just hang out with the SF characters, get to know them as people, their hobbies, their fears, their insecurities, their passions besides just beating the shit out of each other. On top of this, the realistic art style shift (a by-product of the RE Engine) seals the deal on what Street Fighter 6 is aiming to do: humanize its cast.

Is it still wacky as fuck? Is it still comical and weird and goofy? Hell yes, it is. Is the story mode deep in its narrative? Not in the slightest. But it's still stepping confidently in a direction fighting games should be trying to, not being too self-serious, but also being earnest.

And I haven't even touched on the mechanics! The Drive System alone is a brilliant addition that adds a sort of 'stamina' system that works so well to add an extra layer of decision making and tension. The game's not perfectly balance imo but for how much is here it is surprisingly damn well balanced, especially given they have insisted on not pushing out a single balance patch since it launched in June. For most any other competitive game, that would be like suicide for the scene, but the game seems to be thriving and selling extremely well for the franchise. And it's earned it.

I will absolutely be continuing my warrior's journey into 2024 and I can't wait to see what else Capcom has in store for this game.

2) Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Out of every game I played in 2023, Tears of the Kingdom is easily the most technically impressive. From a design standpoint, from a 'how in the hell is the Switch doing all of this without exploding' standpoint. From a 'holy hell how is there this much stuff in a single player game' standpoint. From a 'oh my goddesses that stupid batshit idea I had 100% worked because it actually did make sense' standpoint.

Where Breath of the Wild opened our minds as to what an open world game could be -- fully designed like one giant interconnected 'level' -- Tears of the Kingdom replied in much the way I expected: it pulled a Super Mario Galaxy 2. What I mean by that is that this is a direct sequel, building directly off the foundation of the original. You know. Like video game sequels almost always used to. And which many very successful ones still absolutely do.

But Tears of the Kingdom somehow managed to wow me all over again by adding to that open world's verticality in insane ways -- the Depths alone are probably my favorite 'mechanic' from any Zelda game ever besides the time loop of Majora's Mask (and what that did for the story and gameplay). But beyond the scale of the world basically doubling and then some (floating islands and caves on top of Depths), I was curious how this game could stand tall after Elden Ring, which is easily in my top 10 favorite games of all time at this point. Elden Ring was Fromsoft's reply to BOTW. And yet Tears of the Kingdom still managed to have something new to say in spite of that very strong reply.

Tears of the Kingdom opened the door to let players essentially create their own mechanics. By removing the abilities Link had to engage with the world before, and replacing them with a brand new toolset that includes abilities you just... don't see games give you, because they'd be 'overpowered,' TOTK designs its massive world in ways that invite you to use those 'overpowered' abilities however you see fit.

Being able to interact with the world and objects in this way, being able to fuse them together to create all kinds of effects, or new methods of transportation, even interacting with things not just spacially but in respect to time, it's nuts and fun and I've already poured like 130 hours with still so much I haven't done. And that's the thing: this game wasn't designed to be 100%'d. It was designed to just... be experienced, as much or as little as you want. And games on this level of scale/budget just do not have the guts to let so, so much 'content' be missed out on. And this game does.

It's a technical achievement and while I had my doubts with how strangely little Nintendo had to show, I am very glad that the experience itself manages to breathe new life into one of my all-time favorite games while improving on it in so many ways. It won't convert you if you didn't love the original -- this is a Super Mario Galaxy 2 style sequel, after all. But it's essentially replaced the original in ways I didn't think would be possible.

The story? Oof. Uh, not so much the story, let's ignore that part. That's what Nintendo wants you to usually do, anyway. But everything else, just. Din-damn.

It expands upon the first game's already fairly open-ended nature in an exponential way that I suspect developers will spend years to come trying to pin down, much like how they've spend the past 6 or 7 years trying to replicate BOTW's open world design.

For much of this year, I thought this was personal GOTY. And for many it will be, because it's just an extremely impressive video game.

Number 1...?

Going into this list, I kept telling myself, 'man, on any other year, this would be my GOTY. And if you know me personally you likely have already figured out what my GOTY is by omission. But the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized just how close these top 5 games are, it really is like centimeters instead of inches, and they each -- well, every game I've mentioned here, beyond the Top 10, as well -- offered something edifying that I was very satisfied with.

And no, it's not Baldur's Gate 3. While I have spent hours playing it in co-op and a little bit solo, that game's just not really for me, exactly. Like, I can enjoy it, and I have massive respect for the dev team and what they accomplished with it. But I don't much care for D&D, and the game just didn't do very much for me personally, I lack the motivation to finish it. Remove Karlach from the game and I have next to nothing to really attach myself to, personally. I definitely get why it's many people's favorite game of 2023, though, and I do think it's a bit of a wakeup call for what can be accomplished by just making a GAME instead of struggling to contort it into a service etc.

Street Fighter 6 is fucking fantastic but it could still use some more actual fighters and incentives to keep playing besides monetizing its players in weird ways. I love it, and it will be the game from 2023 I end up playing the most (it already is, I think). But if it ended as it is, I would be very satisfied.

Hi-Fi Rush is oozing with originality and style and I adore it to death, and when I finished it, I was very satisfied.

Resident Evil 4 kept me addicted for over 100 hours, had an amazing DLC expansion, oozes replaybility in the specific ways I like for a single player action game (rogue-likes besides). I am extremely satisfied by it.

Tears of the Kingdom is so massive and fun to just explore that I know I will continue to play more in the months to come. Will I ever revisit it entirely? I'm actually not sure! That massive length does lend some repetition, even if it's the kind I find therapeutic and satisfying.

And that's what made me realize something. My personal GOTY did not just satisfy me. It made me hungry. It filled me up in a way I didn't think was possible and yet I still hunger for more, because I enjoyed it that fucking much. I played through it twice and still hunger for more. I know I will play it a third time eventually, but mainly I just have not been to remove from my brain the particular ways it made me feel, ways that only a video game can. Nothing about it felt like it needed to be overlooked.

SF6 and RE4 had dubious monetization, TOTK had a story I found to be like 90% boring and it still maintains many of the flaws of the original. And Hi-Fi Rush, while amazing, just didn't scratch the particular itch this game did for me.

1) Lies of P

If you told me that Lies of P was a game developed by some sub-division of FromSoft, I'd believe you. Which is to say I would also believe that it was made by people who wanted to break free from some of the shackles of the now infamous 'soulslike' genre.

A narrative that actually makes sense by the end? Opening up options for the player without requiring specific stat levels? Encounters and boss fights that feel ravenously challenging without just feeling like cheap bullshit? Music that crosses borders beyond 'angry chorus, angrier orchestra'?

Lies of P doesn't quite eclipse Elden Ring, but that's an absolutely unfair comparison given the utter scope and scale and variety that game packs. But Lies of P improves at the FromSoft formula in specific ways, while making concessions in others, and as a result it's just an experience that seeped into my brain like no other game this year, not even Tears of the Kingdom, despite that I put half the hours into this one.

I love all of the games I have mentioned here, you could honestly swap around the order of this top 5 and I could mentally meander a way to justify why, no, actually, this one was my favorite game of 2023. In a year so awful for the people who make games, yet so amazing for games themselves, Lies of P is exactly the kind of game I needed. I needed someone to show me that you can make something directly inspired by someone else's work, yet fine tune it in all the right ways to make it stand just as tall in terms of quality and design. Lies of P made me feel things in ways only a handful of games ever do -- and I would actually count Hi-Fi Rush among those in a regard.

But Lies of P also told a story I found compelling. It had mystery, tension, buildup, it started off seeming like it would do the vague FromSoft schtick only to 100% come together, make sense, be rewarding, and offer a 'true ending' that I got on the first playthrough, organically, without looking things up, because it just... felt right. Not only is the game adapting FromSoft's formula into something its own, it's also doing that with the story of Pinocchio. The gameplay and the story congeal together not in the 'perfect' way that it does with games like Celeste or Undertale, but rather in a more... messy way, like a puppet aching to become a real boy.

The game is full of loss, in its world and for you as the player, who will die many times. But unlike much of FromSoft's catalogue, I never once felt like I died because of bullshit. Was I trolled? Sure, the game definitely 'trolls' you in classic FromSoft fashion, lulling you into a sense of security only to sweep you off your feet. But unlike how FromSoft does it, these circumstances can always be avoided if you're cautious. And if you're not? Hey, 'We got you! We gooottt youuu, haha' and you lose a couple minutes of progress, rather than like fifteen minutes and also an entire level's worth of souls because oh right, this section you just got through is kind of bullshit cheap.

Don't get me wrong, I love Dark Souls. But the thing is, Lies of P takes the parts I love about Dark Souls, admits it can't pull off quite the intricate web of level design, but then throws away everything I do not like about Dark Souls, improves on the things I already liked, and then pushes me to meet it on its level.

The satisfaction of being a boss you spend an hour, two hours on, cannot be understated. It's a feeling unlike any other, and one only this medium can provide. And Lies of P kept me motivated, like Sekiro before it, to keep improving, keep growing, keep trying. And unlike Sekiro, it gave me so many more tools to play with, to learn, to balance in an arsenal with intent. Enemies have elemental weaknesses if I so choose to exploit them, the moveset of one weapon's handle can be applied to a completely different blade, my robotic arm can leverage things in a pinch, or be the backbone to dealing with a boss. Mastery is rewarded with practice. A vicious boss that annihilates you in five seconds can be defeated without a single scratch if you practice enough. Mastery, creativity, quick thinking, and reacting are all rewarded here.

I am more than the hands pulling the strings, I am more than a puppet, I am human. And games like this can only be made by humans, who get that specific itch that only video games that challenge us can scratch. It's not an itch everyone has, but that's why it's my GOTY and not yours, innit?

With its unique setting, its wonderful music, its cozy hub area, its narrative that offers just enough to make me care, but not so much that I am bored or feel misled, its amazing boss designs, and its wonderfully tactile and engaging combat, Lies of P is a game I just can't stop feeling something about whenever I am reminded of it.

It epitomizes so much -- not all, but much -- of what I love about what video games can do, what adaptations can do, and much like how Toby Fox was inspired by Mother 3, what people can do when they are inspired by someone else's work.

As far as I can tell, this is developer Round8's debut game, and just. Holy hell, what a way to come out swinging. I haven't seen a debut game hit this hard since, I don't know, Bastion.

Close your eyes. Come to me. Feel all right.

I did, and I do, and given what you teased at the end of this game, I have extremely high hopes of what you come up with next. And in a landscape where things feel more difficult to get excited for with each passing year, much less new IP, it's so damn refreshing to have both Hi-Fi Rush and this game standing out as signals that, hey, some folks are still willing to invest bigger budgets into new games, new ideas.

Again, a battle of centimeters here and at this point I should wrap this up and go to bed.

But yea, Lies of P reminded me of what makes me, specifically, human, in a very particular way that only it has. And I honestly think out of all of single player games of 2023, I think it will actively stand out in my heart the most in the years to come.

[danganronpadedication]

DAY 11: DANGANTOBER

Day 11: Favorite Character Design

Oh. My. God. I had the absolute HARDEST time picking who to write this post about. I went through four different drafts, first picking Izuru, then Gundham, then Kiibo, and now finally, Miu Iruma. For the most part, I think the character designs in Danganronpa are really hit or miss. You either get outfits that absolutely SLAY, or you get Kazuichi's highlighter jumpsuit. Miu is one of these character's whose outfits are runway worthy. But first, let's discuss who she is as a character. Miu is one of my favorite characters in V3. Usually, I don't really like the characters who make unnecessary sexual jokes and references, I find it very uncomfortable when done in excess. Obviously, there's exceptions to this, I can handle it when it's in confession form (SEND ME THIRST/GENERAL CONFESSIONS), or when I'm in-person. Anybody who knows me in real life, will know that my humor is very explicit in nature as well. But when I'm playing a game, I try to avoid anything like that. It's the same reason I'm not a big fan of Teruteru (even though if you're a fan of his, chances are you're pretty chill). But for some reason, despite being the BIGGEST offender of this, I find Miu to be a really fun character.

Miu reminds me of one of my friends IRL, and even that friend agrees with that notion. Miu is very funny, especially in her dynamics with Kokichi. Every time the two of them would interact during a trial, it got a very good laugh out of me. THEY WERE GOING FOR EACH OTHER'S THROATS (literally. Looking at you, chapter four).

She's actually smarter than a lot of people give her credit for. Her entire murder plot in chapter four was actually very well-thought out, from the minor tweaks in the code, to the fail safes she put throughout the game. If she had succeeded, there wouldn't really be any reason to suspect her, and she'd have had a monopoly on all information available in the Neo World Program.

She's also very useful post-mortem, with the Electro Hammers and that one EMP grenade being her creations. Kokichi even had her make a device that would allow him to fake control over the Exisals. Despite her death, she still plays a very big part in the final chapters of the game.

Even if you want to look at trials, she almost always guesses the correct killer. Two examples come to mind, mainly Kirumi and Korekiyo. With Kirumi, she states "I think the cleaning lady did it!" before the group even suspects Kirumi. With Korekiyo, she says "I think you killed them [Angie and Tenko] both!", while everyone was still operating on the idea of there being two killers. I think two blackeneds at once would've been very cool, but alas.

But, let me get back on track, and go back to talking about her design. Let's use this full-body sprite as a reference.

Like many V3 characters, Miu suffers from what I call "Dusty Palette". To me, the colors are too toned down from previous games, and it looks like everyone is covered in a layer of dust. Despite this though, Miu's color palette still manages to be pleasing to the eye. She's mainly pink, with hints of blue, yellow, white, and black. Initially, you wouldn't really think this color combination would work, but it does. The variation on shades creates contrast, the impression of gold detailing against black backgrounds and great shading. She gives like, pastel steampunk vibes. Like, you're LYING if you say Miu wouldn't rock this hat.

On the topic of accessories like this cool hat, Miu knows how to accessorize her outfit. She has on studded, fingerless gloves, goggles, a choker, necklaces resembling barbed wire, and harness straps with gold rings on it. A lot of what she wears has a sense of utility to it. The goggles are the most obvious ones, not only do they make for a good hair look, but she can easily pull them down to work on something. The gloves also fall in this theme, allowing for mobility and hand protection from machinery, while matching her style. The harness and straps are also utilitarian, holding up her socks and providing posture structure, but it's also meant to illicit more of a suggestive undertone. Anyone familiar with Korekiyo's favorite past-time will know what I'm talking about. This is very in-line with her character, wearing things that can be seen as risque, but aren't overtly so, because she's not actually experienced with that.

The lower half of her outfit, the awesome boots, knit or ribbed socks, the straps, and the flowy, pleated skirt all really go well together. The boots come off as a yassified version of Kiyotaka's boots, as well as Junko's. The colors match her palette as well, no mixing of metals here. I believe her boots are supposed to reminiscent of bondage boots, since that's quite literally an item you can give her in-game. The knit socks are giving Pinterest autumn girlie, it stands out a bit, but it's also kind of a statement. You just know those are warm and comfy. We've already discussed the straps, but me personally, I feel like those kinds of garters are really nice touches on outfits. Catch me on Dress To Impress putting those on EVERYTHING.

The upper half of her outfit consists of her jewelry, a chest and arm harness, the gloves, goggles, and pink sailor's uniform with a blue bow. The pink outfit set is so unique, especially when there's already a ton of other female characters in that same traditional uniform. The list is endless really, Sayaka, Toko, Sakura, Peko, Ibuki, Tenko, and Maki all sporting some variation of the outfit. But none of them have theirs in pink, and none of them have accessorized it like Miu has. Honestly, she's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment.

Miu is an amazing character, with even better fashion sense. While I can't CONFIDENTLY say I'd be her friend if she were real, I can definitely say she's provide joy when around her. She's smart, fashionable, and funny. I think she can be a bit awkward and insecure, but honestly, more reason to love her.

Just ignore the Love Suites, Love Across The Universe, and honestly, Free Time Event routes too. Jeez, Shuichi and Kiibo are victims.

And honorable mention goes to her admitting to giving Kiibo a camera function so he can take pictures of her...er...waste, and analyze it for her health. Once it was revealed that he was a camera for the entire game, basically streaming everything he sees, one must wonder how much the audience actually saw lmao. Tsumugi was sweating (truth) BULLETS after that reveal for sure.

[mikuni14]

There are so many series airing now that even though I feel like I can keep up, EVERY DAY I come across a set of gifs on tumblr that remind me of another series I've missed. The sad truth is that none of them impress me enough to keep an eye on the release date of the new episode 😟 (although now I will be looking out for the Sign, hehe)

Bake Me Please is fine. I will definitely watch for Guide, Ohm plays similarly to UWMA, but he is better at interacting with someone who openly tells him 'fuck you' than P'Deeaaan. Their pool scene was really nice 🥰 Is The Mother related to the mother of the twins from Twins? 🤔

My Dear Gangster Oppa is fine. I watch it for Meen ngl. I still think their relationship is rushed and groundless, and Guy is just too childish, idk ,the series just... misses something..

Playboyy I like the new pair the most, I also think they are the sexiest and most believable couple. The second ep is even more chaotic than the previous one, there is still a lot of laughter and surprising/shocking moments, which makes me approach the next episodes wondering what they will come up with next instead of engaging with the characters and the plot, which is.. not good. Imo, the series is terribly edited, it seems like I'm constantly missing something, rewinding the player and it turns out that no, I haven't missed anything, it's just like that. I just have the impression that a lot of scenes have been cut out, which is why there is often a lack of continuity in the story. After two episodes, I say that Playboyy is a series that makes little sense, and despite the large amount of sex, it's not really sexy, but it is a pure stream of fun and wild ideas 🥳 The only question is - how long will the fun and new ideas last to keep the viewers interested? 🤔 No matter what the theme of the show is, mystery, possible murder, sex, kink etc, this series presents these dark topics in a way that is way too funny to be treated seriously (and their fashion choices certainly don't help).

Last Twilight is fine. I watch for Mhok, he's such a golden boy. This series is a bit too "feel good" for me. It's absolutely not a flaw or anything wrong, it's just not really my style. Besides, I find myself constantly having a feeling of deja vu, as if I've seen this story before, even the scenes… like recently... hmmm... Moonlight Chicken?

Pit Babe this is one of those BL romance that has everything interesting… except the actual romance 😆 Ok, first of all, Pavel carries ALL the weight of this couple, he is interesting and hot for two lmao. Basically everything that doesn't involve MLs is interesting, especially the supporting characters (and even new ones appear and they're fun too!). The non-romantic scenes, Babe's relationships with the other characters, the relationships between the other characters are much more interesting than what happens between Babe and Charlie. Oh, and I totally ship… Babe and Way 😋 Maybe it's the actors, I don't know. I just like watching Pavel and Nut on screen. And I feel and see Way's love 🥺 It just seems to me that an actor with such magnetism as Pavel MUST be paired with an actor with equal or just slightly inferior charisma. He can't just be pretty and sweet. Nut isn't as pretty as the actor playing Charlie, but he's the only one who can manage to take my eyes off Pavel lol

Twins I liked this episode much more than the previous one, even though there was almost no romance (except for the kiss, there were some nice accidental kisses this week and it's a trope I don't even like that much 😃). I admire Sprite for his dedication and sacrifice, I feel sorry for him having this kind of family, especially his toxic mother. I'm officially back to being invested in this series 😉

The Sign 10/10

Today is the premiere of The Whisperer 💖💖💖

(there are still plenty of series for me to watch 😥)

[puck-the-devil]

Let me introduce myself~

Hello and welcome! My name is Puck. But as the saying goes, 'if you speak of the devil, he will come', so if you'd rather not summon me by accident, call me Robin Goodfellow.

I've been around a long time; enough to have been labeled as a fairy (most commonly and the term I tend to stick to), sprite, jester, hobgoblin, satyr, fallen angel, demon, devil, and any number of other things since I'm pretty well-known in human folklore.

Most of you who know me from more recent times may remember my role in William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Those of you familiar with even more recent pop culture may recognize me from a number of other places such as shows (like Disney's Gargoyles) or books (like The Sisters Grimm).

Or maybe you've never even heard of me at all. That's perfectly fine! I'm just pleased that you're visiting. It gets pretty lonely for a bored immortal like myself in constant search of entertainment and interesting company.

For that reason, I will interact with pretty much any and all canons, AUs, OCs, and multiverses. So feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer! Or, of course, simply feel free to speak your mind. Maybe even make a wish or two~ As a warning, I do tend to enjoy causing a little mischief when I'm especially bored. This can involve shapeshifting into others to impersonate them and the use of magic spells that may or may not end up working as intended. It's generally just all in good fun and harmless, though, and I'm usually willing to clean up whatever messes I make, so don't fret.

Well...so long as you don't somehow manage to get on my bad side. A fairy's spite is not something to be taken lightly, but I've got a sunny disposition and a decent sense of humor, so actually angering me takes some effort. I'm pretty easygoing and friendly in general, so don't be afraid to reach out. I'm sure we'll get along fine! ((OOC: I am very rarely out of character on this account, but just as an FYI, this writer/roleplayer is 21+. For the most part, I imagine the majority of my posts and interactions will be safe for general audiences. If more mature topics end up being discussed in posts, I will do my best to tag them accordingly, but I'm still trying to figure out a system for tags, so please bear with me. I'll probably update this post as I think of more things to add later. Thanks for stopping by!))