#but red war is so fun and if i replay any destiny it will just make me sad about it again i think

[warlordfelwinter]

what if i made a new guardian (<- guy who's flailing around for an oc to fixate on)

[cassiefisherdrake]

This is a wonderful discussion and I think hits the nail on the head regarding the seemingly polar views of the community at large! I have a lot of fun playing in the sandbox, but it can be very frustrating at times listening to the other kids complain about there being sand in the sandbox. There are definitely gripes to be had about Destiny and I think you nailed a goodly portion of them. It is really cool to see this from a newly returned player (welcome back)! There is something I want to comment on re: DLCs/expansions and vaulting, not as a critique to you but as something I almost never see people mention when it comes to paying for new content. Specifically: Bungie has devs - real people and employees who make the game - that need to get paid. I also wanna talk on a pipe dream I have re: losing seasonal and vaulted content, just because I think it's a neat idea that I would love for Bungie to some day hear if more people voice it.

As much as it can suck constantly paying for new DLC and expansions... yeah, this is a live game and you (general you, not you specifically, op) have to accept that means paying for new content, but ALSO it means you have to acknowledge that you are getting these things because a group of people in real life worked on those things and have to get paid for them. We are paying for these things because base Destiny is free to play (F2P), and as with all F2P games, they rely on people loving the game enough to buy extra content. We are getting this extra content because someone out there - a lot of someones out there, even - is very hard at work to create extra content. It isn't just "this is the way of gaming nowadays," it is "we are constantly being given new content that somebody made and somebody has to get paid to make a living." It is equivalent exchange. We pay $12 (formerly $10) a season for hours and hours of new content in the forms of new storylines, new dialogue, new maps, new mechanics, new weapons. And for each and every one of those - and many more that I didn't list, like QA/QC bug-wrangling - someone worked very hard to give it to us. This isn't Jax & Daxter or Uncharted or Celeste or Professor Layton or any other one-time linear storyline game where the product is shipped with the story complete and ready to be played start to finish. This is a constantly evolving story! And to get more evolutions of this story, we have to pay the devs. Otherwise, there will never be ANY new content. This is an equivalent exchange: just the same as you have to pay once for a one-time linear story game, you have to pay multiple small increments to get new, ever-evolving stories from live service games.

Now, don't get me wrong, it sucks major booty that we lose seasonal and vaulted content once it's done. We lose what we paid for and it SUCKS. I am very, very, VERY much a proponent of "if I pay for something to own, I should own it forever" (which is why I am a disc >>> digital player forever) and something that genuinely bothers me a LOT re: Bungie's current strategies. I wish so badly I could replay the Red War and Forsaken and some of those early missions. Unfortunately, there are really only a limited number of solutions to this: increase game data bulk (which gamers, as you the op described, are already upset about), increase irl server banks so our consoles don't have to directly store the content and instead stream it from these servers (which means Bungie has to buy the server space irl which means we have to pay Bungie more so they can buy and maintain those servers - this is the case with FFXIV and just look at their subscription rates), or... we ask Bungie to add a rotating vault playlist, which is something I have mentioned to my clan a few times.

My idea is that this playlist allows players old and new to play previous seasonal and vaulted content by rotating it through once a month (or thereabouts - idk what good timing would actually be so for now I am just saying one month). Once a month, this playlist will contain 2 activities: one expansion that has been discontinued and one seasonal storyline. Every month, it rotates to a new expansion and storyline, allowing players new and old to experience or re-experience previous storylines. If you think about it, this is very similar to the legacy raids! It would reduce FOMO which currently ostracizes new and returning players, allows veteran players to return to and access content they once paid for, and keeps game data bulk/server storage at (I think) only slightly higher than current standards. This could also help them achieve the 'we are no longer vaulting/sunsetting content' without driving up data bulk.

This kinda got away from me but I hope this all makes sense. Again, not a criticism for you at all, op, just an observation and a suggestion for Bungie that I hope the community at large picks up one day.

The difference between "fanatics and gamers"

So basically I'm just gonna word vomit about this topic in regards to destiny because it's been on my mind a lot recently since I've came back to destiny and I've been watching a few vids on the whole discourse surrounding destiny and it's state as a game and feel like I've kinda come to a resolution in my mind about why a lot of this is happening and why some people feel differently about the game. PSA this post isn't supposed to be some big angry discussion trying to say people's concerns about the game is wrong or invalid I kinda jus wanna spew my thoughts out there but do feel free to comment your thoughts about it if you wanna discuss it!

So I start by differentiating between "fanatics" and "gamers" which probably seems like a cringey way to put it but it's the only kind of physical representation of both sides that I could think of. So fanatics are people I'd describe as being absorbed in every aspect of the game, lore, art comics, gameplay, characters etc the type of people who are out here writing fanfics and creating ocs where as gamers are people that are here solely for the game itself. They are playing a game for its mechanics and enjoyment and their involvement in the greater community doesn't span much further than that. They might be interested in the lore (obviously you'd have to enjoy the story to play the game in the first place) but they're not out here making their own content in regards to the game i.e reading/creating fanfics and ocs etc. Now after establishing what each side means from what I can tell the people most upset by the state of the game are the gamers while the ones defending the Devs and just having a good time within the game and it's universe are the fanatics.

So why are people mad?

Well both sides seem mad in the current situation of destiny. The gamers are upset that the contents running dry and the fanatics are getting upset about the gamers constant anger and bashing directed towards the game and the Devs. Like don't get me wrong I understand where people come from when they're annoyed about bugs, it makes the game harder to play and then there's the issue of content running dry and then the vaulting of older content (something that I find extremely upsetting). But I think the constant negative approach towards these issues isn't always healthy to the game, play wise and the actual players mental health wise. I recently watched Mr Fruits video on this talking about the video Datto made and I think the main message there is something that so many gamers need to keep in mind and it's that if your not having fun playing a game and you can't find anymore satisfaction from it play something else. If your playing a game for the content it's Devs are providing you and that content isn't as fulfilling and entertaining for you anymore then just play something else for a while. I think a lot of people have these really unrealistic expectations as to what the Devs can produce within the game and I think if you believe the Devs are seeing the discourse going on in the community and people voicing their issues with the game and are just deciding to sit back idly and do nothing about it then you're a fukin idiot. The people at Bungie are just that, people. People with limitations. There's probably an infinite amount of reasons as to why the issues that're there are there and these things will take a long ass time to fix. If they were easy to fix everyone and their nan would be making bestselling games. In terms of content running dry for people of course this is gonna happen. There's a limit on people's creativity and the amount of content a single group of people are able to produce. And with the amount of content already in the game it's gonna be extremely hard to make new content that's cohesive and makes sense in the greater universe of the game. So yeah it might've only taken you a couple tens of hours to complete the campaign content with your clan full of experienced players but that's not what it's there for in my opinion. The game isn't there to just be played it's there to be enjoyed fully and completely. This is content that the creators have poured months of their lives into thinking up and designing. If destiny was pumping out content at the rate some people seem to think it should come out the game would be a shit show. It would be riddled with plot holes, stuff that just doesn't make sense and would eventually fuck up the game even more gameplay wise. I'm sorry but I don't want this game to turn into some sci-fi Fortnite. I want the Devs to take their time making compelling content that's actually engaging.

Superiority of the fanatics

Please hear the sarcasm in that subtitle but the point of what I'm saying is the fanatics are the ones winning here and I think this is the fangroup that the games actually directed towards. Destiny is a storytellers game, that much is obvious from the games expansive lore and world building. Your given a platform to create your own character and create their story following the campaigns that the company themselves are providing which is something very reminiscent of ttrpgs like dnd or lancer. Obviously it's not got the same customisation as those games but the idea is there. The reason why a lot of fanatics aren't getting super upset about the "lack of content" in the game and it's bugs is because they understand that the content is fucking there but sometimes you gotta warp the content yourself a little to keep up that sense of enjoyment. People do this by writing fanfics, creating art, creating ocs etc. When Bungie aren't directly giving us content to play we are making our own content and sharing it with others because this is what destiny is for us it's not just a game it's a world we're experiencing and being a part of. And that's my point, destiny isn't a game for gameplay mechanics sake and if your playing it for that reason and getting upset then it should be obvious your playing the wrong game and maybe it's time to take a break and try something new. If your wanting a game that spoon feeds you content to keep you hooked then I don't think Destiny is the game for you it's never been that sort of game in my opinion. When I came back to destiny I was hyped to dive head first into lore books, video essays, blogs because I knew I had a lot to learn and create myself and that's what I expect from destiny and tbh it's what I'd think any newcomer to the game should expect. And in terms of bugs in the game obviously they're annoying but I feel like from having a greater respect for the Devs and the content they're making your in a mindset that makes it easier to digest that these things take time. For a company to be making all this content, world building, server mechanics, game mechanics and so much more it's gonna be rough to get to every single bug in the game. And tbh I've been playing the game again for almost a month now and I haven't actually experienced that many bugs in the game, no more than what I've seen in other games I've been playing but I want everyone to take that with a heavy pinch of salt because obviously everyone's experience within the game is different.

The issues of paywalls and vaulting content.

Now this. THIIIISS. I get it, I really do having to pay for seasonal content and constant dlcs is probably the most frustrating thing about modern gaming. But that's the thing it's not just a destiny issue this is a modern gaming worldwide issue. Fucking hell even Pokémon is drifting into the dlc hell hole and paywalls with many of their services. Like it's just apart of gaming now and it can be frustrating but it's something you kinda gotta accept and it's not something you're gonna really be able to avoid no matter what game you play that isn't an indie game. As for the vaulting of older content and the removal of game aspects as seasons progress this is probably the single most frustrating thing about the game right now for me especially as a returning player but I also see why destiny is doing it. The game is reaching a size which is becoming unmanageable and the removal of some content is a necessary evil to keep the game going in my opinion. And to Bungies credit they have announced they will be no longer vaulting dlc content going forwards since last year I believe. And look yeah you can't play the content anymore but it's still out there to enjoy in the form of lore and video essays and play through videos. It's not the same but it's something and I've been enjoying sifting through the content available to me. Again I feel this is where the difference in destiny fan comes in. Gamers aren't satisfied with just consuming content about the game which is a totally fair stance to have on the game but there's also a number of games out there that aren't doing this sort of stuff cus they dont have to and maybe those are the type of games that you should play.

The state of the game for new and returning players.

Now this is probably my biggest fukin gripe with the gamers side of the community because in my opinion the biggest thing that's damaging the experience for new and returning players isn't the games bugs, it isn't the games slow approach to releasing new content or the vaulting of content, it's the constant negativity being emitted by that side of the community in regards to the game and the Devs as well as their attitude towards people wanting to learn more about the game. When I decided I wanted to make a return to destiny I did what I'd say a lot of other people have done and taken to sites like Reddit to ask questions about the game so I'd have some idea of what to expect coming back in and the responses of got of people who are meant the be "fans" of the game were sickening. Id have to sift through maybe 15 responses telling me to delete the game, I'm an idiot for wanting to play it, the games at its worst state than ever, there's no point even trying, before I found even one post actually giving me the information I was asking for and giving me tips on how to get back into the game. The only thing that actually made me contemplate not getting back into destiny was the constant negativity being emitted by that side of the community during that time. Not the negative aspects of the game that're definitely there, it was just the sheer miserable energy I was receiving from these people. And that's the thing while yes the game really isn't at its best state for new or returning players there are still ways to make it work and I found those ways buried underneath all the bullshit negativity the others were spouting. This is what's hurting the games ratings in my opinion. The games not at its worst state it's ever been for new and returning players entirely because of what the Devs are doing, a huge chunk of that issue is the negativity coming from this side of the player base.

In conclusion.

If your not enjoying destiny at this moment in time then stop playing for a bit. Maybe consider that this game isn't for you. Voice your opinions and concerns in a respectful manner. And for new people wanting to get into destiny jump right in! If you wanna get the most out of the game then it's gonna take some effort ima he honest. It's gonna take more than just hopping on the game and playing. And if that's not your vibe then that's totally fair not every game is gonna be for every player. And take my advice if you do wanna learn more about the game and how to get into it please stay away from Reddit. Stick to Tumblr people are actually nice here and wanna educate you in a positive and reaffirming way that is healthy for the state of the game and it's community. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

[echoes-of-the-clockwork]

Book Four: War (Gladiolus x Reader) Chapter Twenty-Two

It had been three years since Noctis was absorbed into the Crystal. Darkness had descended upon all of Eos as the sun was vanquished by the starscourge. Daemons wandered the land and forced many to fear for their lives. Hunters wandered the darkened lands of Eos to hunt down the daemons while others acted as escorts to protect civilians from town to town. The only thing keeping the daemons at bay were the bright fluorescent lights surrounding the settlements located across the Leide, Cleigne, and Duscae regions.

For the past three years, Gladio has been a hunter to assist with slaying the daemons. Of course, (Y/n) was by his side. They took up hunts together and fought daemons side by side. The two hadn't seen or heard from Prompto or Ignis in the past few months, but they weren't worried. Famine was with Prompto and Pestilence was helping Ignis with healing. Death was in Hell, protecting the daemon king from his subjects.

Today, Gladio and (Y/n) were heading to the Vesperpool to slay a horde of red giants that were wreaking havoc in the area. The two were riding together in a truck Cid provided them a couple years back. The old man had installed powerful headlights that kept the daemons from attacking their car while on the road.

War glanced out the window, watching the darkness as the daemons prowled the land. She crossed her legs and didn't realize one was shaking. Her gaze was torn from the window when Gladio places a hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "You're getting antsy as usual," he said.

"Why wouldn't I be? It's been almost an entire week since we hunted down daemons," she said.

"Nothing's stopping you from going out there and slaughtering them when we don't have a mission."

She purses her bottom lip. "What's the fun in doing it alone? I have you now."

Gladio smiled at her for a second before returning his gaze back to the road. His relationship with the Horseman was going well. (Y/n) wasn't as fiery-tempered as she was three years ago and she's learned to speak her true feelings. She had more patience and was more welcoming to strangers. She even made friends with some of the hunters at Meldacio HQ. Like with any relationship, they had their ups and downs. Whenever an argument did arise, they'd calmly think through it together.

After an hour of driving from Hammerhead to the Vesperpool, the couple arrived at Capitis Haven. They pulled out the camping gear and set up everything. Gladio sat down in one of the chairs around the fire while (Y/n) strolled over to the edge of the haven. She watched the daemons in the distance, searching for their targets.

However, she was promptly torn away from her position at the edge of the haven by Gladio. He'd snuck up behind her, tossed her over his shoulder, and marched her into the tent. She blinked in surprise when realizing she was now laying down on one of the sleeping bags inside the tent. Her (e/c) eyes locked with Gladio's amber ones when his hands grabbed her hips and dragged her towards him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Remember what Dave said? We've still got some time before those damned red giants appear," he said.

"Of course I remember what Dave said. My question was what are you doing?"

"Recharging my batteries before we hunt some daemons."

She eyed the way he sat between her legs. "In this position? No way."

"You weren't complainin' yesterday when I was-"

She jammed her heel into his back, silencing him. "That was yesterday. Today is today. Putting it in Prompto's term, we aren't gonna "do the dirty" while we're camping. There's no way in hell that'll ever happen, especially with these damned daemons everywhere."

He grinned down at her. "Whatever you say, (Y/n)." He removed himself from between her legs and laid down beside her.

Once he was comfortable, she snuggled into his side and rested her head on his chest. One of his arms wound around her shoulders, his fingers trailing through her crimson locks. "This is much better," she mumbled contently.

Gladio chortled. "Y'know, I never took you for a cuddler."

"You learn something new every day..." Her voice trailed off, (e/c) eyes sliding close. She was enjoying his fingers as they combed through her hair, soothing her and bringing a semblance of peace. She knew it wouldn't be long until she fell asleep due to his ministrations.

Gladio has figured out a year ago that if he stroked her hair for a short amount of time, he'd cause her to fall asleep. It's how he'd get her to sleep with him whenever he needed to rest. It worked every time without fail. When she was finally asleep, he pulled out his phone and set the timer. Once he was done, he put the phone down and fell asleep.

It would only be a couple hours later when the phone would go off. Gladio woke up at hearing the device go off, but (Y/n) remained fast asleep. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before deciding to wake her. "C'mon, firecracker. Time to get up."

Over the past three years, (Y/n) no longer abhorred the nickname. She tuned it out more than anything, but she soon learned to love it. However, she wouldn't say that to Gladio. "No..." she mumbled.

"Aren't you the one who doesn't need sleep?"

"Need? No. Want? Yes..." She snuggled closer to him. "It's your fault..."

"Can't deny that," Gladio sighed.

When (Y/n) was about to fall back asleep, the sound of daemons nearby caught her attention. Her eyes flew open and she dashed out of the tent. She ran to the edge of the haven just in time to see five red giants manifests in the middle of the road. She turned to Gladio once he joined her and peered at his phone. "Dave was right on the nose. It's 1 A.M. and a horde of red giants have appeared." She held out her hand and summoned her sword. "Let's do this."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Gladio conjured his own greatsword, following (Y/n) into battle. They faced off against the daemons, swinging their weapons around. War tossed her sword, piercing one of the red giants' heads as she performed a warp-strike. It tried to grab her, but she quickly dislodged her blade and landed back on the ground.

Gladio defeated one of the five red giants while (Y/n) dealt the killing blow to another. Now only three remained. Because of their attention being focused on two other red giants, they failed to see the third one maneuver behind them. The Horseman was the to realize what it was doing when it targeted Gladio. She shouted his name, warning him of the red giant that was about to bring its sword down on him.

The brute turned around just in time to block and parry the red giant's blade. Using the katana gifted to him from Gilgamesh, he dual-wielded it and slashed widely at the daemon. His quick swings caused the enemy to fall to its knees. (Y/n) switched from her sword to a halberd and used it to decapitate it. Two red giants remained.

Teaming up, Gladio and (Y/n) performed a linked attack. She leapt onto the flat side of his greatsword and he tossed her into the air. Once reaching high enough, she activated the armiger and sent a barrage of spears, javelins, swords, halberds, and daggers towards the two remaining red giants. Each weapon pierced the daemons' bodies, killing them both. Landing back on her feet, the Horseman stretched her arms up to the darkened sky. "Looks like our job here's done." Her hands fell back down to her sides when she finished stretching.

"We're a pretty badass team, if I do say so myself," Gladio said. He replayed their current battle in his mind until a frown appeared on his face. Every time (Y/n) warped or activated the armiger, his mind races to his memories of Noctis.

War noticed his expression, already knowing what was going through his head. "I know you, Ignis, and Prompto miss Noctis dearly. He won't be gone forever."

"And how do you know that?" He asked with a hint of hostility.

She knew Noctis was still a sensitive subject even after three years. "Because he succeeded where I failed. He will return when he's ready."

"What're you talking about?"

"Every 500 years, Vanaheim's ruler would be absorbed into the Crystal in order to receive the knowledge of the Astrals. After some time, they'd return to share such knowledge with the rest of the kingdom. I was supposed to be absorbed into the Crystal on my 22nd birthday, but that day never came."

Galdio fell silent. This was the first time she ever told him about her destiny as Vanaheim's queen. All he knew before now was how she was a tyrannical ruler due to Gaius' influence and she was able to harness the second Crystal's power. He dispelled his greatsword with a sigh. "After three years, I'm still learning new things about you."

"What's the fun in sharing everything at once?" She grinned. Her sword vanished from her hand. "Let's head back to the campsite. You look terrible."

"I'm not the only one who-" Gladio stopped talking when witnessing her minor cuts and bruises heal. "I stand corrected."

She laughed. "I'll heal you when we get back to camp."

The couple returned to Capitis Haven. There, War provided healing for Gladio. She watched his minuscule wounds heal before sighing through her nose. "Better call Dave and tell him the good news."

She began sauntering away, her hips swaying with each step as she grabbed a towel. Gladio watched her for a couple of seconds before asking, "Where're you going?"

"I'm gonna enjoy a dip in the Vesperpool. I don't like smelling like sweat and dirt."

"I think it suits you."

She glared feebly at him. "That is not a compliment. Don't make me punch you."

Leaving the haven, (Y/n) wandered through the darkness with her flashlight. She headed towards the large body of water not far from the campsite. Arriving at her destination, she made sure the area was clear before stripping her clothes off. She entered the cold water, her heated skin cooling. She lowered herself into the water until only her neck and head were visible. Her crimson locks floated on the surface as she scrubbed her arms and legs.

Once she finished scrubbing away the dirt and sweat, (Y/n) delved deeper into the water. Now, only everything from her nose up was visible. She closed her eyes, sighing through her nose. The sounds of daemons in the distance didn't disturb her one bit. She continued soaking in the waters until she heard a small splash from behind her.

Before the redhead could turn around to see the cause of the splash, two toned arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her body against a bare chest. (Y/n) recognized the muscular form without having to turn around. "So, you decided to join me, huh?"

"May as well. I didn't smell all that pleasant, either," Gladio said.

The couple floated aimlessly in the water in silence for a short while. (Y/n) was the one to shatter the silence lingering between them. "How'd the call go with Dave?"

"Told him the good news and said our payment would be ready when we get back. He also mentioned a new mission for us."

This grabbed the horseman's attention. "What does he need help with now?"

"You know that imperial base in Leide near Hammerhead? Well, apparently there's been activity inside and he wants us to check it out. Iggy and his new sweetheart are gonna be joining us."

She furrowed her brows. "You mean Pestilence? She's not his sweetheart. She's just helping him with his eyes."

"You might not see it, but I've known Iggy a long time. I can tell when he acts differently around someone. It just so happens that someone is your sister. Whether he realizes it or not, he's head-over-heels for her," Gladio said. "He could use a woman in his life."

"Guess I'll have to see it for myself," she replied. "We'll leave once you've gotten some rest."

After a few minutes, the couple exited the water. They dried themselves off and put their clothes back on before returning to Capitis Haven. Gladio rested in the tent while War gathered and packed up the items they wouldn't be needing any longer. When that was done, she sat down by the fire and stared into the flames. Her head was filled with the memories she's made since arriving on Eos, both good and bad. She hadn't realized how much time had passed until she heard Gladio exit the tent. She tore her gaze away from the fire and looked at him. "What time is it?"

"4 A.M. Don't tell me you've been staring at the campfire this entire time," he said.

"Got lost in though," she confessed. "Since you're up, let's pack everything else up. We'll meet Ignis and Pestilence at Hammerhead."

They packed up the remainder of the campsite and traveled to Hammerhead. There, Gladio called Ignis and learned he and Pestilence wouldn't be arriving until another couple of hours. Hanging up, he put his phone back into his pocket and shared the news with his girlfriend. He threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side with a grin. "While we wait, we can get a bite to eat."

"You can get a bite to eat," she corrected him. "I'll just keep you company."

They walked into the diner and saw the place was packed with various amounts of supplies. Takka still worked behind the counter, providing some good meals for the hunters that passed through. There were only a couple of booths opened due to the large amount of boxes scattered about the diner. They sat down at one and Takka took the shield's order.

While waiting for his meal, Gladio stared across the table at (Y/n). He admired her (e/c) eyes and crimson locks while she glanced out the window. He suddenly felt a foot kick his knee under the table.

"You're staring at me," the Horseman grumbled, tearing her gaze away from the window to stare back at Gladio. "Have something to say?"

"Nope," Gladio answered. "Just admiring the gorgeous woman sitting across from me, and trying to figure out how the hell I got so lucky."

"I'm still trying to figure that last part out, too," she teased with a smirk.

Just then, Takka returns with the dish Gladio ordered. As he ate, the couple discussed their past missions and what they should expect from their upcoming one. While wondering why the imperials returned to Formouth Garrison, two people sauntered into the diner. (Y/n) perked up when seeing one of the figures was Pestilence. She waved at the ivory-haired girl. "Hey, sis."

"My, my, it's been quite a while," Pestilence smiled at the two, approaching the table with Ignis by her side. "You both seem to be faring well."

"You both look like you're doing well, too," War replied. "Kicked any daemon ass lately?"

"We just returned from Lestallum after having dealt with troublesome flans encroaching near the city limits," Ignis stated.

Gladio glanced between the advisor and the ivory-haired Horseman. He noticed how close they were standing to each other and grinned. "So, have you two sealed the deal yet?"

"Gladio," Ignis hissed.

"Fool yourself all you want, Iggy, but you're not pulling the wool over my eyes."

(Y/n) noticed her sister's confusion at what Gladio was referring to and decided to change the subject before she could ask any questions. "How're your eyes, Ignis?"

The strategist removed his visor to reveal his once dull eyes were back to being a sparkling emerald. "Visibility has returned although portions of the scarring remain."

"With one more dosage, I should be able to heal the remainder of the scar," Pestilence explained.

"I am in your debt for you assistance, Pestilence," Ignis said.

The lilac-eyed girl smiled warmly at him. "You don't owe me anything, Ignis. Being your partner throughout the years is a reward in itself."

Gladio gestured to the two, smirking in War's direction. "See? What'd I tell ya?"

(Y/n) glanced at her sister and the tactician. She could see how much they cared for each other by simply analyzing how they were gazing at one another. She didn't want to tease the two and didn't answer the shield. "Anyway..." She scooted out of the booth and got to her feet. "We've got an imperial base to infiltrate. What's our plan going to be?"

"Our first course of action is to survey the stronghold and search for an infiltration point," Ignis explained. "From there, we shall observe the empire's movements to gain an understanding of why they've returned."

"So no killing?" (Y/n) asked.

"For the time being, no."

"Ugh..."

Gladio was amused at her disappointment. "I'm sure we'll get to knock some imperial heads together before the day's up."

"I will try to keep my sword sheathed," she mumbled.

"Then shall we be off?" Pestilence asked.

"Hell yeah. Let's see what those bastards are up to," Gladio responded.

"We best keep the truck here," (Y/n) advised.

"How're you planning on us getting there?" The brute questioned.

"Horseback. If we take the truck, they'll spot us easily. Even though daemons are everywhere, our cover won't be blown if we ride Ares and Erra."

"I second the idea," the ivory-haired girl chimed in. "Although more dangerous, it'll keep our approach from alerting the entire stronghold."

"Then horseback it is," Ignis stated. "Let us depart."

[riku7se]

2.8 Impressions (spoilers below cut)

Right so I’m trying to keep my main twitter as spoiler-free as possible but I just wanted to write abt what I liked/what I thought bc I’m going stircrazy not having anyone to talk to about this (HURRY UP GLOBAL LAUNCH!!) so I have come to Tumblr.

So: I liked 0.2/BC a lot.  I rly enjoyed the gameplay in 0.2, and loved being able to choose different situation commands in the chance I had activated more than one. The larger spells (ie, Thundagun/Firagun/Blizzagun) were so fucking great.  The scenery was also super beautiful, and I really don’t have any misgivings about the models anymore, I feel like they did a great job.  I’ve seen some people complain about certain story aspects/answers/reveals, but tbh I’m pretty satisfied (more below the cut.)

EVEN BEGINNER WAS KIND OF A BIT DIFFICULT FOR ME TBH LIKE unless you actively speedrun or do crit lv1 run for fun or something pls make your first play on Beginner lmao.

For BC, I’ve been attached to KHx’s story since it launched way back in 2013, so I was ALL OVER hearing more about the foretellers.  And while there are still some odd scene transitions, I am overall super SUPER pleased with it.  It’s worth noting, though, that the initial scene for BC is actually a snapshot replay of THE ENTIRE BROWSER STORY UP UNTIL THE VERY END, so there are spoilers for that.

I’m in the middle of going through 3D rn, and I had to fuckin....slow down the camera bc it was Too Fast For Me.  Otherwise, it’s very interesting to see how they adapted things like Reality Shifts and Link Portals to only use one screen (look at this. Look At This)

Okay, now for more concrete stuff, in largely worded bullet points, pretty much entirely about 0.2 and BC.

0.2

Hearing that Yen Sid forbade Mickey from talking about Aqua because he figured Sora and Riku would drop everything to go after her actually REALLY satisfied me as an explanation, especially after seeing Riku get his panties in a knot after figuring out she had saved him way back in KH1--he was SO READY to go after her.

On a related note, Mickey told Aqua about Sora and RIku helping him when they found the ruined Destiny Islands.  Which puts BbS’s secret ending in a new light, I suppose--kinda like she was glad to hear that whatever Mickey had planned had succeeded.  That she still remembered their names when Mickey asked who she had met on the island warmed my heart a lil.

WHAT IN THE SHIT WAS KKD DOING BEHIND THE DOOR IN THE SECRET PLACE?? iirc Mickey said something about how, seeing as Sora acquired the Keyblade here, then the Keyblade of the Realm of Darkness should be in DI while it, too, is in the RoD...which only brings up questions. 1) Does every Keyblade have a dark counterpart?, or 2) Is Sora’s keyblade actually more special than, say, Aqua’s or Riku’s or Kairi’s?  They do resemble the parts of the x-blade, after all.

The scene with Terra is The Real Terra, but it’s only his heart.  I don’t think he can actually see anything around him so much as feel it??  He can’t see Ven, either, so even Terra proposed that these are illusions that Aqua is conjuring, especially since she is seeing Terra as she once knew him, rather than who he is now.  Speaking of, Xehanort was super using him to get Aqua to reveal where Ven was hiding...I wonder if it was through the armor? This scene also connects to the concert-only sketch with Namine and Terra...hoo boy, though, Terra. It was Terra.  His RAGE AWAKENED chains showed up and I screamed nbd.

THE MUSIC!!! Enchanted Dominion and Dwarf Woodlands had rearrangements of their world theme with the general Dark World theme, and Aqua’s new 0.2 theme (vs Mirror Aqua) sounds like something out of a survival horror game good god. Here’s a playlist.

My only real gameplay complaint was that it sometimes felt like magic took a while to be cast, or that the button presses were unresponsive. I guess it’s kinda like...if you button smash, you can’t interrupt the commands you’ve put in already to case magic??? You gotta let it go through.  Otherwise it controlled really well, and I actually can’t think of a time the camera got in my way.

The game doesn’t tell you that you have to actively jump over the Darkside’s blasts when you’re Flowmotion-ing down the vine, but I actually liked that, you don’t always need a notice for things like that.

They totally remodeled some key scenes (Mickey appearing at the DtD, Aqua walking up to the Dark Margin) and I Got Emo.

THE EFFECTS IN THIS GAME ARE SO NICE you kick up sand clouds when u run on/near DI.....so amaze....fuck this game is beautiful.

There are some light platforming elements back, too! And some really interesting puzzles! Like, one of the challenges in the Castle Town is to get to the highest point there, while Dwarf Woodlands has a puzzle that involves you switching certain set pieces between the “real” and “mirror” worlds, and materializing them from the mirror to where you are in the correct location (using the “reflection” in the mirror) so you can get on them to get to the next area.  For that one, it looks like they can materialize literally ANYWHERE around the mirror, and I’d def do so since you can get to some hidden chests that way.

The red spiky vines in Enchanted Dominion HURT, kill them with fire (literally. don’t physically attack them you risk damage).

THE FINAL BOSS WAS RIDICULOUS, at about 75%-ish health depleted the damn thing goes into the ground, dying it black (and the sky red!!) and it pops back up like some kind of angry cyclone from hell, and the music changes...it was just all really well done and I may have actually vocalized a small “what the FUCK”.

The scenes with Sora were all so good I was grinning like an idiot the entire time...I figured that Sora falling to darkness/nearly being Norted would be KH3′s excuse for pushing him back to level 1, but I never would have expected that a Disney world (Olympus) would actually play a part in Sora getting some of his power back.

Someone translated a pre-release interview saying that we’d see Riku’s new outfit in 0.2 and after looking at the original JP I knew they were wrong....and I was right, that was not what that interview said originally lmao. I’ve already seen people mad about Nomura “lying”, but that was bc the translation was off.

0.2 DEFINITELY infringes a bit on KH3′s territory, which Nomura just said in a recent interview, but I”m glad bc LOOK AT THE BOY.

BC

THE FORETELLERS ARE ALL GOOD KIDS!!! They’re spurned on by uncertainty and fear and all of them, literally all of them, are good children.  Even Aced, who I was prepared not to like, but he just wants to do what’s right and his heart never wavered.

THEY LOVE THEIR MASTER SO MUCH I’M CRY??? A scene with Gula and Ava near the end rly got to me because Gula is just so confused about what he’s meant to do and how he’s meant to do it and he just wants MoM to come back and is willing to summon KH if it means he will.

MoM is a fucking meme lord I love this and I’m sad Nomura said he wouldn’t be showing up in KH3 because WOW is he a meme lord.

I was surprised to hear that MoM was the one that gave Ava the duty to form the Dandelions, since some of the other Foretellers were surprised about it in the game...but that’s because he told them individually, and some of them (Ava’s probably, definitely Gula’s) were meant to be kept on the down low.

Gula’s mission was about the Lost Page, about finding the traitor, who “bears the recusant’s sigil”, and I’m going to punch a MoM because I still don’t know what this means.

The whole traitor thing is wild though, because at this point it’s almost like ALL of them are traitors of some kind by the end, since they all broke apart and were willing to go after each other. But it might also be Gula himself, after going out to collect Lux to summon KH, with Ira and Aced following suit just to try and keep a balance between the unions and then Invi and Ava joining in just to postpone the inevitable.

THE DEARLY BELOVED THEME FOR BC JUST STARTED PLAYING IT’S SO GOOD?? AND SAD, FUCK.

They brought up the strength bangle and the black Chirithy (Thinks about KHx. Dies.) but “Guilt” is called “Strength Bonus” in KHUx global, good job guys.

I cannot believe Luxu is voiced by CV: Tsuda Ken.  What. What.

We still don’t know what’s in that box. In exchange, we now know the eye on “No Name” is, in fact, MoM’s future-seeing eye (and may be...his actual eYE???? DID HE ACTUALLY USE HIS EYE??? I CAN’T TELL WITH MOM HE’S A MEME LORD), which relates to why the Keyblade itself is physically passed down: MoM is using it to see everything that’s happened, which means Luxu was successful in his mission (surviving the war and finding a disciple).  But THE BOX.....MoM just says it can never be opened and when he whispers to Luxu what’s inside Luxu freaks out and asks why.  And Meme Lord Extraordinaire just replies SURPRIIISE.

WHAT WAS LUXU (PROBABLY) DOING AT THE START OF 0.2. WHY R U THERE.

I’M SURE I HAVE SO MANY MORE THOUGHTS but I had so much fun with both 0.2 and BC...I can’t wait until the global release so I can yell abt this with people...