#drought era ending soon i promise

[aprilisque]

girl, are you alive? are you still writing? you need to end the drought era.

um, hi. yes, i am very much alive and still writing. i didn't know people were missing my writing haha😅

i am currently working on a bunch of different oneshots and fics, we'll see which one i finish first to post :)

thank you for the ask, anon~!

[winchestersingerautorepair]

A Rift Between

A Brief(-ish) History of Dean, Cas, & Rifts

Let’s talk about rifts for a moment. And when I say rifts, I don’t mean their personal disagreements -- if I were to be discussing that, this post would be less of a brief history and more of a thesis paper. 

No, I’m talking about rift rifts. As in, actual, literal tears in the spacetime continuum. They are littered across the whole run of this show, and we’ve recently had two whole seasons devoted to them. So, the sudden reappearance of rift-adjacent plotlines carries with it a weighty load of textual relevance.

Dean and Castiel’s relationship arc, a fan favorite, began when Leviathans, the notorious fan-unfavorite, came into the picture. 

No, Maeve! Dean and Castiel’s relationship arc began in season 4, not 7! Cas was barely even in season 7! 

Well, let me explain. Season 7, the age of Sera Gamble, was a total show reset. Was it uncomfortable? Yes. Did we all hate it? Yes. But like with muscle, you’ve got to tear through the old before you can develop something new, and Season 7 did this job quite effectively. An identity crisis at that scale means either a massive change of pace or a creative death, and as the show is still on, number one it is. 

So, while we can most reliably chart the beginning of an intentional, substantive romantic undercurrent to Season 8, it is the waiting that allowed it to come to fruition-- Season 7 was a void, an unsustainable period of creative drought, a long cold winter in which seeds fell and laid dormant. And like the winter, it was necessary for rebirth.

This brings me to the first DeanCas rift: 

~~

The Purgatory Spell

Episode: 7x01

This tear in spacetime was the culmination of Castiel’s Season 6 character arc. It was the final, greatest betrayal, the irredeemable course of action which struck his relationship with the Winchesters a fatal blow-- and though his last act was to attempt to right his wrongs, the emergence of this rift meant estrangement and death for the relationship (and for Castiel.)

This incident is established as far more significant for Dean than it is for Sam, so I won’t spend much time justifying my classification of this rift as primarily DeanCas. It’s made pretty damn clear through Dean’s behavior throughout Season 7.

Castiel’s departure catalyzed the emergence of Leviathans. As the lore promised, they brought death and destruction to the whole ecosystem, purging the show and readying it for reincarnation; but I’ve already made this point.

As Destiel 1.0 dies, Destiel 2.0 is born.

~~~

The Purgatory Portal

Episode: 8x07

Let us journey back to "A Little Slice of Kevin"-- the gayest thing to happen to Supernatural up to that point. Suddenly, Dean and Cas’s ambiguity is no longer a joke. It’s no longer flippantly referenced, but Built Into The Narrative In A Noticeable Way. After Season 7, Season 8 shocked the system, earning Purgatory celebrity status as the Destiel fandom exploded back to life. 

But, more important things. The events surrounding this portal not only codified romantic subtext, but reshaped their relationship by putting it in grave peril. Lovers trapped in separate worlds. There’s only like ten thousand examples of this in other fictional, romantic(-ally coded) relationships. Sigh.

As Destiel 2.0 dies, Destiel 3.0 is born.

~~~

Seasons 9, 10, and 11 are filled with near misses. Divisions between worlds/fates test and change their bond -- Heaven and Hell exert tremendous force on both, and the gates of Heaven and the Darkness’s breach of barriers flirt pretty openly with the rift theme -- but there isn’t anything that fits the profile cut and dry, so let us leap to Season 12. Five long years of glacial shifts, five long years of a slow, steady amping up of queer subtext. An argument can be made that it had graduated from subtext in some places, but both fandom and GA were frog-boiled enough in their interpretations for this argument to be an aside.

Destiel 3.0 reaches a transitional stage, and becomes Destiel 3.0+.

Now, It’s season 12. And like goddamned CLOCKWORK, six years after Season 6, another unstable tear in spacetime appears, and terminates Castiel’s character arc.

Rift? Check. Cas dead? Check. We’ve seen this pattern. Time for shit to CHANGE. And boy, did it.

~~~

The Rift

Episode: 12x23

Oh, boy. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Castiel’s death in the Season 12 finale was a magnum opus of SPN’s romantically coded imagery. I could elaborate, but if you’ve read this far into this post you likely already know what I’m talking about. My point is, a hall of mirrors is the chosen space in which Destiel 3.0+ is killed. 

The relationship death lasts only a short while; their estrangement in separate realms is a five episode-long period of detachment and review. Our characters, as well as the viewers, stride through a hall of mirrors. In solitude, this DeanCas winter becomes a chance to reflect, because there is no better way to get a feel for the importance of something than to eliminate it. The crucial elements of Dean and Cas’s relationship, what they mean to each other, becomes clearer than ever before because, look! This is Dean without Cas! This is the show without Cas! Don’t you hate it?

I mean, guys. Mirrors. Cas spoke to a reflection of himself in the Empty. Literally. He addressed his greatest fears about relationships with himself. He was forced to rewatch his greatest mistakes, and what gets featured? Our first two DeanCas rifts. F*ck this show.

DreamHunter parallel! 13x10 reenacted this scene for us with Claire and Kaia. 

Then, 13x05 changes the whole game once more. You know, the episode titled Thanatology. The study of Death. Fuck this show.

As Destiel 3.0+ dies, Destiel 4.0 is born.

~~~

The intensity of the queer narrative amps up continually. Things are getting harder to write off.

Rifts between worlds, crossover and confinement, and estrangement, and the blurring of lines, and the breaking of old taboos/breach of old barriers dominates the remainder of Season 13 and Season 14. We hold this broad focus for a long time, and Dean and Castiel become the emotional equivalent of the plot arc, always there, brewing, but taking a backseat to the Big Stuff. A wall rises, and solidifies. Silver Pole of Communication Barriers, anyone?

Then? Season 15 kicks us in the Destiel balls.

Full disclosure: I didn’t see this next part coming. I dared not ask season 15 for anything this significant, so the last scene of 15x08 just about took my life. 

~~~

The Purgatory Rift

Episode(s): 15x08, 15x09

Dun dun DUN!!

This twist was my favorite Christmas present, because it communicated to me that the writers have an understanding of Dean and Cas’s history to match our own. Not only are they actively writing them utilizing the Destiel playbook, they obviously care immensely about the destiny of their relationship. I am speaking too soon to say this definitively, but this mission has all the hallmarks of a plot device designed to serve many purposes in respect to Dean and Castiel. They’ve got ALL the ingredients. There are so many things tied in here that it gets pretty damn near fanfiction territory.

Please read my reaction to the purgatory twist if you need context, as I don’t feel much like regurgitating it. This post is long enough, lol. (A bloom that grows only in one place? Fuck you, writers. You’re going to KILL me.)

~~~

So, to recap: In a universe defined by barriers and guidelines, a relationship that refuses to be defined will be under constant siege. Dean and Castiel suffer from the sheer reality of walking lines between two designated states of being-- friends and lovers, angel and human, take your pick. The current order isn’t friendly to beings who don’t fit a category. Until the barriers are stripped away, they cannot exist as they are, and rifts will continue to rip them apart. 

The Purgatory Rift of 15x08 is such a big deal because it fuses themes. The rifts of the Dabb era have merged with the gateways of the Carver era. Not only are our long-standing almost-lovers returning to their relationship’s place of origin, they are doing so by breaching physical barriers designed to keep them apart; and all the while, the most dangerous, important rift is not the one in the fabric of reality, but the one in their relationship. 

I expect this major rift to end no differently than it has in the past. Dean and Cas will be separated, and Cas will be out of reach. And then, they’ll be reunited. But, where will that take us? What will the next reincarnation look like? 

As Destiel 4.0 dies, something will be born.

[orbemnews]

Biden Sets in Motion Plan to Ban New Oil and Gas Drilling on Federal Land WASHINGTON — President Biden on Wednesday will direct federal agencies to determine how expansive a ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal land should be, part of a suite of executive orders that will effectively launch his agenda to combat climate change, two people with knowledge of the president’s plans said Monday. An eventual ban on new drilling permits would fulfill a campaign promise that infuriated the oil industry and became a central theme in the fight for the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania, where the natural gas extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has become big business. The move is the most prominent of several that Mr. Biden with announce Wednesday, the two people said. The president also will direct the government to conserve 30 percent of all federal land and water by 2030, create a task force to assemble a governmentwide action plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, issue a memorandum elevating climate change to a national security priority. Mr. Biden will also create several new commissions and positions within the government focused on environmental justice and environmentally friendly job creation, including one to help displaced coal communities. The programs and proclamations are supposed to signal that climate change is back on the government agenda, bigger than ever. What they will not deliver, at least yet, is a steep and rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. “Can this administration do a lot on its own? Yes,” said Jonathan H. Adler, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University. “But,” he added, “if the standard, though, is atmospheric stabilization, I’m skeptical the administration can do anything near enough administratively.” That will require legislation, Mr. Adler said, “especially if a premium is put on getting emissions reductions as soon as possible.” A spokesman for the White House declined to comment on the orders, and two people close to the administration noted that final decisions on them were still being refined. The likelihood that Congress can pass vast parts of Mr. Biden’s $2 trillion climate change agenda is only slightly greater now that Democrats hold the slimmest possible majority in a 50-50 Senate. There is little hope of passing a carbon tax or other mechanism to put a price on greenhouse gas pollution, which would push cost-conscious corporations to emit less. Without legislation, the administration will have to rely on the regulatory process to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and smokestacks and improve vehicle fuel efficiency, but that takes time too. It cannot be done by executive order. “The tons of carbon pollution in the air is what matters in the end,” said Tim Profeta, director of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University and co-chairman of a group that delivered climate policy blueprints to the Biden administration. Mr. Profeta said the orders on Wednesday did represent an important first step. “The Biden administration can do quite a bit to start to put the country on the right trajectory with its own authorities,” Mr. Profeta said. Wednesday, he said, “starts the process.” The expected clampdown on new oil and gas leases goes further than Mr. Biden’s actions on Inauguration Day, which halted the Interior Department and other agencies’ authority to issue drilling leases or permits for 60 days while the administration reviewed the legal and policy implications of the current federal minerals leasing program. The new policy will call on agencies to consider how much federal land and waters should be preserved from mining and drilling or set aside for renewable energy production, according to the two people familiar with that order, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the policy publicly. Fossil fuel extraction on public lands and waters accounts for almost a quarter of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and Mr. Biden campaigned on ending new drilling as a key to tackling climate change. Updated  Jan. 25, 2021, 5:06 p.m. ET Much of the environmental community applauded the plan, though some said Mr. Biden is not going far enough. “It’s vital that President Biden permanently ban all new fossil fuel extraction, including fracking, on federal lands and waters,” said Mitch Jones, policy director for Food & Water Watch, an environmental group. Throughout the campaign the left wing of Democratic Party pressed Mr. Biden to call for a national ban on fracking, including on private land, where most fracking is done. He refused, but the oil and gas industry remained skeptical. His move on Inauguration Day brought condemnation from the sector and some landowners. “Your order is a direct attack on our economy, sovereignty, and our right to self-determination,” the Ute Indian Tribe in Utah wrote to the Interior Department in a letter released by the American Petroleum Institute. The climate task force that Mr. Biden is expected to create will devise a plan for what administration officials like to call a “whole of government” approach to climate change, and will focus on two main areas: environmental justice and job creation. It will call for every agency to take climate change into consideration in government decisions, from federal procurement to financial regulations to lawsuit settlements, experts said. It also will create a number of councils and committees to try to ensure that poor and minority communities as well as Americans who live in coal country see the economic benefits of clean energy policies. Mr. Biden also is expected to revive and strengthen an Obama-era presidential memorandum in 2016 elevating climate change to a national security priority and requiring intelligence agencies to incorporate climate change into their analyses of national security threats. It was quickly revoked by the Trump administration. Alice Hill, who oversaw climate planning for the National Security Council during the Obama administration, said that direction from the president is necessary because the senior policymakers who request that analysis, and the intelligence officials who prepare it, often don’t have experience thinking about climate risks. “When I was in the White House, rarely were climate change risks discussed,” Ms. Hill said. She and others said Mr. Biden needed to go further, potentially by converting the memorandum into an executive order that has more authority to direct agencies to take steps like setting strategies and policies to deal with climate-related threats. “The climate reality of today is higher temperatures, stronger storms, more destructive wildfires, sea-level rise, acidifying oceans and extended drought,” said Sherri Goodman, a deputy under secretary of defense for environmental security under Obama and now a senior fellow at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program. “We need a climate security plan for America that climate-proofs American infrastructure and puts climate and clean energy innovation front and center,” she said. Christopher Flavelle contributed reporting. Source link #ban #Biden #Drilling #Federal #Gas #land #motion #oil #Plan #sets

[waxontape-blog]

Not Fade Away: A Look Back at Buddy Holly and The Crickets

The relevance of musical aptitude has waxed and waned with what the general public has decided is in fashion. As a result, one could argue that the mainstream musical landscape has seen yearlong talent droughts more than once or twice before, and it would not be a difficult point to argue. Coinciding with the explosion of MTV, artist and band members had to present evocative visuals and in no uncertain terms be physically attractive-- talent was an added bonus. In the 1990s, feelings were "in," and it became trend to be introspective; in 2017, it is social media which dictates an artist's commercial successes. However, at the earliest on-set of rock and roll, the rules for pop music presentation were still developing, with racial politics and an icy reception from the jazz industry playing an important role. 

Just shortly before four unknown young men from Liverpool, England would take the world by force with their accessible sound and rebellious creativity, another four young men from Lubbock, Texas were busy laying down the foundation for what would become the rock and roll revolution. Niki Sullivan, Jerry Allison, Joe B. Maudlin, and Charles Holley were studio musicians merely dabbling in the only type of true indulgence teenagers had at that time. Blues and rockabilly, country and folk-- already established genres in their own right-- would be used as raw clay for the four boys, who would craft a concoction that would revolutionize the adolescent's very place in society.

But before then, a landmark invention would have to hit shelves in order to get their unique blend to the masses.

With the end of World War II came the advent of the personal radio, the forefather of the Walkman, Discman, Minidisc Player, the iPod, and now the smartphone and streaming services. These small, compact radios were a far cry away from the larger beasts installed in parlors and dens across the world. Which program to listen to on which evening was no longer decided upon by democracy; rather, the sole owner and operator had control over what he or she filled her ears with. This practice had only ever been seen before with the mass production of books. In a world where America had been the heroes in Europe (and the ogres in Asia), life for the average teenager meant being bombarded with omnipresent, brightly painted advertisements, new technology, the promises of travel with family-sized camper vans, the sweet tastes of new candies and ice cream from hamburger joints, and all of it still very much constricted by the need to be "one of us." Regardless, it was the first time in American history that the standard, family-centric paradigm was broken-- the average teenager no longer needed to "share," so to speak.

The personal radio, merely an empty vessel, would soon work its way into the hands of every child and teenager and became a revolution, but it needed the content to propel it forward. And rock and roll, blues, country, and danceable R&B became the software needed to break the mold. The days of jazz pop were slowly being eclipsed, its subversive counter culture once perceived as dangerous was more common place than ever before. The hot, new thing by the middle of the 1950s became records with an electric edge to them. Although tame by today's standards, the melodies and guitar riffs (often adapted and retooled from blues and country-folk origins),present on these recordings were integral to music evolution and still hold their own today.

The combination of Sullivan, Allison, Maudlin, and Holley proved to be reactive, and lucrative. Charles Holley, a charismatic front man with boy-next-door looks, was quick to show his licks from the word go. The boys formed as The Crickets, following the natural dissolution of another band, The Three Tones, and released The Chirping Crickets in 1957, a mixture of original material and blues/R&B covers featuring tight musicianship and impressive performance. 1958's almost immediate follow-up would be the result of a slick marketing ploy, catapulting the front man into the realm of supreme celebrity. The record would bear his now-iconic stage name: Buddy Holly.

Albums were an entirely different beast in the 1950s in comparison to today, and thus these two projects cannot be analyzed separately. Although thematic projects had been ushered into the mainstream music canon by Frank Sinatra, who is often credited with creating the earliest examples of concept albums, rock and roll was a newborn baby rapidly stumbling towards the age of growing pains. As such, Buddy Holly is not an album that was assembled with any great attention to detail. In reality, it is the second slice of the Crickets pie, released under Holly's name in order to capitalize on the band's signature sound and Holly's ever-growing popularity. Also, it was a clever way around contractual obligations by signing the band as two separate acts. The Chirping Crickets and Buddy Holly are two sides of the very same coin, the former a slightly more distant affair in comparison to the latter's more targeted presentation. Whereas The Chirping Crickets is far more general in its approach, the songs on Buddy Holly seem to be directing themselves at a teenage audience while simultaneously marketing the man for whom the record is named.

The two albums are neck and neck in terms of their quality, which stand out as arguably the best survived recordings of the whole of the 1950s. The range of fidelity on these records is astounding for the time period, with raw experimentation placed  right at the forefront. Although the songs seem to draw their inspirations from a myriad of sources (from classical to lullaby to rhythm and blues), they are defined by the band's willingness to push forth into unknown territory. This is perhaps best evinced by the simplistic and sweet "Everyday," which perfectly encapsulates Holly's charisma and ability to adapt his voice to particular song styles. This evergreen is defined by the rather interesting combination of certain elements:  acoustic and bass guitars, a typewriter, Holly's voice, and the gentle slapping of hands on Jerry Allison's knees. Its lack of decoration is strong evidence that less is, in many cases, more. It is also at stark contrast to the up-tempo rendition of "Ready Teddy," on which Buddy snarls with the gusto and experienced snap of a man thirty years his senior.

Despite not being the most artistic of albums, Buddy Holly is a non-stop disc of action, collecting within its short half-hour run time some of Holly and The Crickets' most important material. The classic (albeit rather overrated musically) "Peggy Sue" defines golden oldies in today's society, and the definitive reading of  Sonny West's "Rave On" is a compact rock bullet to the ears. But elsewhere on this album, the deeper cuts ruminate and delight with their slick production and perfectly crafted melodies. From the jazzy, bass and piano--driven "Look at Me" to the rather sensual "Words of Love," the material present here is nothing if not far more advanced than the average pop songs on radio of the day. Whereas much of the standard fair was uncompromisingly pop or uncompromisingly rock, The Crickets managed to marry the genres, creating the blueprint for those who came after them.

The influence from black musicians of the era is full and complete on both The Chirping Crickets and Buddy Holly, which (as opposed to later-era acts like The Beach Boys and at times The Beatles) do not rob-- they contribute to the sound of the day. These four men were deep in the trenches, their youthful energy spilling over across two marvelous pieces of wax. Unfortunately, both of these records are meager when taken on the whole. Due to the nature of the recording industry at that time, much of Holly's best work (both with and without The Crickets) is not present on these two canon albums. Neither houses the spectacularly sexy "Well, All Right," the signature "That'll Be the Day," or "Blue Days, Black Nights," that last of which John Fogerty would later lift for his Blue Moon Swamp album in 1997.

There is a wealth of fantastic material to discover when searching through demos and one-off singles, in addition to Decca Records's That'll Be the Day, the unofficial third LP in Holly's canon, released only in response to The Crickets' later success on Coral and Brunswick. There's the downright sassy, almost baroque-pop "It Doesn't Marry Anymore," the  near tropical stylings of "Heartbeat," and the bittersweet sequel "Peggy Sue Got Married" tucked in between all the flash and sizzle of Holly's biggest hits. They are also important clues for where Holly would have taken his musical adeptness into the 1960s, had he lived to help define them. His final recordings, unfortunately dubbed after his death, serve as our last glimpses into what the future could have been. At times, they are difficult to listen to.

Many of Holly's hits would be defined by the long shadow cast by his untimely death during the Winter Dance Party Tour in 1959, with "True Love Ways," an unreleased ballad from 1958 written for Holly's wife, perhaps the most heart-breaking of them all: "Sometimes we'll sigh / Sometimes we'll cry / And we'll know why just you and I know true love ways." These posthumous hits, along with some of his most experimental and/or forgotten material, would be collected and released on various compilations, the best of which being Decca Records's comprehensive triple-disc set The Very Best of Buddy Holly & The Crickets and the rare but complete Not Fade Away. 

Today, Holly is regarded as one of the great grand-fathers of modern rock and roll, and nobody would be wrong in this declaration. However, it is important to note the important songwriting contributions from Jerry Allison and record producer Norman Petty. Between the three of them, they are responsible for the band's most iconic and important works. With Holly's tragic and untimely death (now coined "The Day the Music Died") we, as listeners, lost the original trajectory for pop music in forms we can only imagine. Would there be a The Beatles? A Duran Duran? A Madonna? A Janet Jackson? A Radiohead? Would disco have risen to power in the 1970s, and would synthesizers had taken the 1980s by storm? We cannot say, but one thing is for sure-- Buddy Holly and his bandmates had a lot more to offer the world that we could ever fathom. Although his career began and ended during the most embryonic phase of rock and roll’s fairly short existence, The Crickets ushered the genre towards excellence and informed every act who came after them.

Click here to buy material from Buddy Holly and The Crickets.

[sdh1313-blog]

Oh How My Leafs Have Changed...

When I was a kid;

I can literally remember this feeling I had when I was young. The toughest, most often heartbreaking feeling that every Leafs fan bares with them each and every hockey season; That feeling of hope… Ya ya ya, I know that probably comes off all sad and what not, but it’s true! I remember when I was a kid (mind you, I am only 24 now!!) watching the Toronto Maple Leafs every night they were on. You see, they were our family households’ official team; No IFS, No ENDS, no BUTS! except of course, my brother Kyle, he chose to be a “bandwagoner” as soon as his beloved Curtis Joseph got traded from the Leafs to the Detroit Red Wings. I guess you can’t blame him, he was the middle child. Once having a team with so much hope with the star goalie, Curtis Joseph locking down the net, being a Leafs fan in this era was truly something to be proud about. Not to mention it was a time where hockey was different than it is today, some would say it was quite a bit rougher. Toronto having a perfect mixture of talent, work ethic and grit made them a pleasure to watch. Unfortunately, not everything was that nice. Each season you were given so much hope, and every time your dreams of seeing your lifelong favourite franchise finally end the drought since 1967 and hoist Lord’s Stanley Cup would never happen. Always playing so well with so much emotion, led by 2 of the NHL’s most fierce competitors at the time, Tie Domi and Darcy Tucker, the fire power of Mats Sundin, Olen Nolan and Bryan McCabe just couldn’t push the boys past the 2 round…

Now ladies and gentlemen, I don’t want to get any other Leafs fans hopes up in a false manor, but this year may just be the year. I have that same feeling I’d get watching the Leafs when I was a kid. The feeling of hope and promise. The feeling that this year might actually be our year. After an incredible regular season, and a monster deadline pick up, in the likes of John Tavares, it seems that is one of the last pieces of the puzzle we as fans have been waiting for. With the team changing drastically since back when I watched them as a kid, they now hold a roster that has so much firepower, you can tell they as a franchise never want to be stuck in that position of not being able to put pucks in the net when you need it most. Austin Mathews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares all have produced incredibly this season, all achieving record setting personal best seasons in point production are exactly the type of foundation you want a team built around. This will ensure that they never run into the problem I use to see as a child each year. Now with the playoffs around the corner I’ve finally been replenished with hope. Being proud to be a Leafs fan this season will pay off, THIS IS OUR YEAR!

[mattodayo]

The Games of 2017... so far

Inspired by a buddy of mine’s blog, wherein he listed his games of 2017. I decided to write up my own record of what I played this year. There are some notable missing games on my list, and that’s more of I haven’t gotten around to getting (to) them yet. Some games like Resident Evil 7, I haven’t played yet because I haven’t been able to track down a PlayStation VR yet (damn you crazy Japanese scalpers and your lotteries). Anyway, I’ll begin my list with

The Oldies (games that came out before this year that I finally got around to playing or just felt like replaying for various reasons).

The Last Guardian

I started this game late last year and eventually finished it at the beginning of this year. Like everyone, I struggled with the controls and getting Trico to follow my orders. I trudged through and finished the game. The ending was quite satisfying despite how tedious the journey was. Was it one of the best games of last year? Probably not. Was it worth experiencing? Definitely.

Final Fantasy XV

I heard mixed things about this game before I finally started playing it. I kept those impressions in check and played it for myself. The first half of the game is very good. The latter half, not so much. I didn’t think an open-world setting would work well with Final Fantasy, but surprisingly it did. I didn’t feel super attached to the characters or story, and was pushed even farther away when the characters pulled complete 180s. (Gladio, why do you suddenly gotta be a dick?). That said, the game wasn’t as bad as some people claimed it to be, but it wasn’t great. It’s a very middle of the road kind of game. (Ha!) Check out my review of Final Fantasy XV on YouTube for more of my thoughts on the game!

Katamari Damacy

I saw this game was on sale as a PS2 classic on PS3 for like $3 or something. Crazy cheap! I’ve played a few of the Katamari games before, including this one but never actually completed it one. I rectified that with this game and enjoyed it just as much as I did before. It made me wish they would make a new Katamari game on consoles that was mobile, free-to-play bullshit. Put it on Switch please?

Overwatch

This is unfair to list because it’s an evergreen multiplayer game. I came back to this game twice this year because of the events they do every known and then. Once was for the PvE Uprising event which I briefly played. The other was for the 1-year anniversary event. Whenever I play just for funsies, I usually just do the Mystery Heroes mode because it’s pretty low-stakes, and it gives me a chance to try heroes I don’t usually play as. Splatoon 2 is out soon, so I’m afraid that game will replace this as my go-to multiplayer shooter.

Devil Daggers

I’m not much of a PC gamer, partially because I primarily use a Mac and partially because I can never wrap my brain around Mouse and Keyboard controls (excluding MMOs and RTS’s). Devil Daggers is a game that I found out about early last year, but it didn’t come out for Mac until pretty late last year. I found it on sale for $2 which is $3 less than its original price. After getting used to the controls and getting in the flow, I was hooked. My best score so far is like 80 seconds. But I think the appeal of this game is comparing your score with your friends’ on the leaderboards. Unfortunately I have no friends (who had this game) and so I generously decided to buy the discounted game for three friends. Two of which haven’t even touched it yet. The one friend who did play gave up early until I egged him on to beat my score. He eventually did and I haven’t played it since.

==========

Games of 2017

Disc Jam 

Disc Jam is a 3D reimagining of the competitive Neo-God classic Windjammers. I haven't played this game as much as I'd like but that's mostly due to its focus on online multiplayer, which I have had no luck getting into a match. The local multiplayer is ok but I don't see myself sticking with it for long.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

My first real game of 2017 was none other than Breath of the Wild. It was a great way to kick off the Switch launch and really benefits from the handheld mode. The game doesn't mess around though, I died within the first five minutes. As you learn how the durability, cooking and stamina systems work, the game is more manageable. With better equipment and upgrades, combat becomes trivial. That aside, the best thing about this game is the massive open world. Discovering and completing shrines never gets old--except those combat trials...

SnipperClips: Cut it Out Together

SnipperClips is a game that caught my eye because of its interesting concept and because it came out when there were no other Switch games. Solving the puzzles is fun and I enjoyed working together with competent players.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart is another early Switch game I picked up during the launch drought. I think I got into this one more than the original game because I was determined to get Golden Mario, which requires you to win gold on every cup on 200cc. Also the new battle modes and arenas are fantastic additions.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

One of the biggest disappointments of the year so far. I liked the Mass Effect series a lot and I was legitimately excited for this reboot. Unfortunately, everything about being a pathfinder fell flat. Every planet you settle has the same tasks for you to complete and the conflicts you dealt with weren't interesting either. The combat is probably the most positive thing I can say about this game which was good. Overall, this promising game was quite boring.

Persona 5

Excuse the hyperbole, but Persona 5 is fucking rad! The game oozes with style and satisfies the JRPG craving people have been demanding for years. While I may have spoiled myself with last year's Tokyo Mirage Sessions, I loved this game as well. The battle system is the best the series has ever been to date. While it does fumble some parts of the story, there are some pretty elaborate plot twists. I think I prefer Persona 4 to this, but it's still awesome in its own right. Highly recommended.

Yooka-Laylee

I've been following this game since its lowly kickstarter origins. While I didn't contribute to it personally, I was still eager to see how a modern-style Banjo-Kazooie game would fare in 2017. Unfortunately, it still plays like a 1998 game with all of the quirks of that era. It satisfied my 3D platformer collectathon needs, but I'm hoping they'll polish up the mechanics in a sequel. If you want my slightly longer take on this game, check out my review!

Snake Pass

The other 3D platformer homage plays very differently from Yooka-Laylee, but has many of the same trappings of that game. The levels are much smaller in scale but are filled with secrets for you to discover and collect. The biggest hurdle this game has is its slightly unorthodox controls and play style. Controlling the snake takes some time to get used to, and even I haven't completely mastered it. The levels are relatively short, but if you're trying to 100% everything, the game can be pretty frustrating with brutal checkpoints and tight margins of error.

NieR: Automata

I've heard many good things about NieR: Automata, and after seeing it on sale, I decided to give it a try. At first the game felt boring because I wasn't feeling the combat or the general vibe of the game. It basically felt like anime Terminator. After completing the first two playthroughs though, things start getting crazy and I knew I had to see it to the end. As unattractive as "playing through the game 5 times" sounds, it's totally worth it.

ARMS

I played the test punch sessions and was convinced that I wanted to play this game. It's a very different fighting game compared to others. Master Mummy is my main as I prefer to be defensive and I like his ability to heal himself. I also enjoy baiting opponents into grabbing me and then countering them with my giant megaton punch. Also, I don't care what anyone says, the motion controls are garbage.

Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers 

This is the worst example of a Capcom cash grab where they charge $40 for a port of a 9-year-old game that was $15. The appeal of grab 'n go Street Fighter and some discount points on my Amazon.JP account were enough to convince me to get it, however. While the game seems like a ripoff, it’s still better than Street Fighter V.

And that’s all folks. See you in about six months with my final Game of the Year 2017 list. If you want to see my Top 10 Games lists for 2016 and 2015, you can view them on YouTube.

Matt’s Top 10 Games of 2016

Matt’s Top 10 Games of 2015

[mrgameandwrite]

E3 2017 Summary

By the time you’re reading this, E3 will have come and gone. The drought of game releases of the summer will have given way to the hope of games that are on the holiday horizon. And goddamn if it isn’t a beautiful horizon that we, as gamers, are flying towards. This year’s E3 did not disappoint as there were a myriad of big announcements, huge surprises, and oh so many games. In case you missed it, here are all the highlights of E3 2017.

EA

EA kicked things off with a relatively tame conference, but the crowd reactions did not help. Granted, there were few things that I’m actually excited about from this conference, so I can’t chastise the crowd too hard. Still, E3 has begun!

Announcements

New IP from Bioware called Anthem, a gorgeous sci-fi shooter with power suits.

A co-op prison break game called A Way Out

Need for Speed: Payback, because cars deserve revenge, too.

Battlefield DLC that adds night time maps and Russian expansion.

Madden 18 has a story mode, which I will only play if you can ruin your career through idiotic antics at the club.

Fifa 18 has Ronaldo all over it. Because it’s “fueled by Ronaldo”. Every drop of his sweat makes the game better.

NBA Live 18 will try to be relevant.

Star Wars Battlefront II will look to improve on Star Wars Battlefront, you know, like the OG Star Wars Battlefront II.

Biggest Highlight: Star Wars Battlefront II

Featuring new campaign, multiplayer from all eras with more customization, vehicles, and various improvements to gunplay. Still skeptical as the first one left a bad taste in my mouth, but it’s hard not to be excited about being part of Star Wars battles.

Biggest Surprise: A Way Out

Made by the same people who made Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Interesting idea that the game MUST be played co-op, either through split screen or online. Could be hit or miss, depending on how matchmaking would work. 

Microsoft

Microsoft started by addressing the elephant in the room: Project Scorpio. Now dubbed Xbox One X, this mid-generation upgrade is advertised as the most powerful console ever made that will play games the best. The price tag at $499, which gives players cost-effective options based on preference. Since specs were already released, Microsoft could address what it’s called, what it costs, when it will be out (November 7), then dive into games. They announced that the OG Xbox games will soon be backwards compatible on Xbox One, while some Xbox One games can be enhanced with the X’s new tech. After that, they dove into a shit ton of game trailers, so it would just be easier to borrow this list from Kotaku, which also notes their exclusivity:

Anthem (Non-exclusive)

The Artful Escape of Francis Vendetti (Console launch exclusive)

Ashen (Console launch exclusive)

Assassin’s Creed: Origins (Non-exclusive)

Black Desert (Console launch exclusive)

Code Vein (Non-exclusive)

Crackdown 3 (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

Cuphead (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

The Darwin Experiment (Console launch exclusive)

Deep Rock Galactic (Console launch exclusive)

Dragon Ball Fighter Z (Non-exclusive)

Forza Motorsport 7 (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

The Last Night (Console launch exclusive)

Life Is Strange (Non-exclusive)

Metro Exodus (Non-exclusive)

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War (Non-exclusive)

Minecraft (Non-exclusive)

Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (Console launch exclusive)

Sea of Thieves (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

State of Decay 2 (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

Super Lucky’s Tale (Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive)

Tacoma (Console exclusive)

Biggest Highlight: Xbox One X

Despite a really bad name (especially considering another console in the Xbox family is called S, surely leading to some upset children come Christmas time), Xbox’s top-of-the-line console came in with a reasonable price point considering all the tech that’s going into it. They got the important info out of the way and turned their focus to the games, which will no doubt benefit from the beefed-up console.

Biggest Surprise: Sea of Thieves

Out of all the games on that expansive list, Sea of Thieves seems like the most promising to me. This open-world pirate game from Rare looks like it’ll require a lot of cooperation in order to do effectively, but will be fun even when everything goes horribly wrong. Hunting for treasure on the seven seas hasn’t looked this fun in a long time.

Bethesda

Welcome to BethesdaLand! If not for that odd theme park ode to themselves, Bethesda’s event probably would take home the award for most predictable conference. That’s not always a bad thing though, as some big things got announced.

Announcements

Fallout 4 will be getting the virtual reality treatment this fall, with Doom to follow sometime down the line.

Creation Club brings paid mods to Bethesda games. Boooo

Amiibos will allow you to dress as Link in the Nintendo Switch version of Skyrim, at least until you find some more powerful armor

Dishonored 2 is getting a standalone DLC called Death of the Outsider.

The Evil Within 2 is coming out on Friday, October 13th. Creepy things on creepy days.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus completely ignores the ending of its predecessor, The New Order, looks amazing enough that no one seems to care

Biggest Highlight: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Who doesn’t love killing Nazis in a future where their power reigns supreme? Especially when it looks that gorgeous and the combat looks so fluid and brutal. Admittedly, I haven’t actually tried the Wolfenstein franchise, but this looks good enough to quickly change my mind. Because again, Nazi-killin’ and alternative timelines.

Biggest Surprise: Fallout 4 VR might actually make Fallout 4 interesting to dive back into.

It still may be a weak story, but if they can bring it’s gunplay to a VR setting, I’m sold.

Ubisoft

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL 2 IS REAL, GUYS! I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING!

Announcements

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL 2 IS A REAL THING MADE BY REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL FEELS

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a goofy combo to have such a strategy-based focused, but I’m intrigued. Despite all the leaks about this game before E3, no one saw that coming.

The Crew 2, aka, The Crew 2: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Transference is a cryptic, creepy VR experience that I will never, ever play, no matter how excited Elijah Wood is about it.

Skull & Bones is a game based on the naval combat of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, except without assassins, or creeds (though I assume there will still be black flags a-plenty).

South Park gets double treatment, in the forms of a new mobile game called South Park Phone Destroyer and a new trailer for the RPG South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Starlink: Battle of Atlas looks like No Man’s Sky meets Skylanders, just in the sense that it’s a space game with real-life toys to scan in.

Far Cry 5 showcased Boomer, aka, Fang for Hire, WHO HAD BETTER NOT FUCKING DIE, I SWEAR.

Biggest Highlight: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Ok, so since I won’t allow myself to put Beyond Good and Evil 2 in both this and the biggest surprise section, Mario gets the treatment here for a few reasons. First, the game actually looks really good, even with those silly Rabbids. It’s a game a-la XCOM with turn-based, strategic combat and exploration. Plus, it gave beloved Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto a chance to perform for the live crowd since Nintendo switched to pre-recorded showings at E3.

Biggest Surprise: Beyond Good and Evil 2

Arguably the biggest surprise of the whole damn show, Beyond Good and Evil has been rumored to be in development over the last 15 years. After the cyberpunk cinematic spectacle that was the trailer, designer Michel Ancel came out with a tear in his eye to a standing ovation as he got to show the fruit of over a decade’s labor. Who knows when this game will actually come out, but amongst all the suited presenters, it was fantastic to see some real emotion from someone who has poured almsot two decades into his passion.

Sony

Unlike Microsoft, Sony didn’t have a new console to unveil, so the focus of their conference was on the games. And goddamn, Sony had a lot of games to announce. Let’s dive right in.

Announcements

Uncharted: Lost Legacy looks like an Uncharted game alright. There’s plenty of guns pointed at people menacingly and people falling over cliffs and/or collapsing buildings. Still, I’m pretty excited to explore India with Claudia and Nadine.

Horizon: Zero Dawn is getting an expansion, which I’m sure I’ll be very into once I actually start playing Horizon: Zero Dawn (I’m holding out for a PS4 Pro and 4K TV to get the best experience possible, cause I’ve heard it’s pretty good).

Days Gone may be coming in towards the end of the zombie craze, but at least it’s doing some interesting things mechanically that should shake things up with that tired genre.

Monster Hunter World is the first time the franchise is coming to non-Nintendo consoles, which could be neat. Maybe through a more proven online infrastructure, more of my friends will actually join in.

Call of Duty: World War II is, well, Call of Duty. It’s cool that they’re going back to World War II, but that’s about it.

Shadow of the Colossus isn’t just getting an HD facelift, but the whole remake treatment. We already know it’s a fantastic game, but now it’s gonna have the looks to match. Let’s just hope the camera isn’t like The Last Guardian...

Quite a few VR games coming to PSVR, including Skyrim (holy shit!), a shooter called Bravo Team, a pretty game called Star Child, a thriller I won’t play called The Inpatient, a Final Fantasy XV fishing game called Monster of the Deep (da fuck?), and an actual interesting game called Moss, which puts you in control of a little mouse with a sword. If I ever get into PSVR, it’ll be for Skyrim and Moss.

God of War will attempt to tackle all of your daddy issues as Kratos and son are on some kind of quest through Norse mythology. It’s interesting to see a character like Kratos slow down from all the over-the-top bloodletting and take on the role of a concerned parent. I’m super excited for the shift in tone.

The people who made Until Dawn are making a mobile game called Hidden Agenda, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Undertale, one of the biggest indie darlings of 2015, is coming to PS4 and Vita, which I’m super stoked about.

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite was one of the few games to do the whole “you can play some of it right now!” treatment with a story demo. Looks a little odd, to be honest. I’m into the whole multiverse idea in general, but it usually makes for a weak way to connect fighting game characters.

Destiny 2 is continuing the trend of timed exclusive content for PS4, which continues to conflict me about which system to buy it on, even though I’ll probably eventually buy both PS4 and Xbox versions like I did before because I have a Destiny problem.

Spider-Man closed down Sony’s conference with a bang. Sure, there are a lot of quick-time events, but Spider-Man looks poised to become the new Batman. I’m hoping that what was shown was just that linear because it was a mission and that the game will have more of an open world, but even if not, this game looks very fun.

Biggest Highlight: Spider-Man

Man, this game looked good. Kingpin is a good choice for a villain, but I’m excited to see how these seemingly unknown characters are utilized. Also, nice little Miles Morales cameo at the end just when everyone thought it was wrapped up. It may not come out until 2018, but this has potential to usurp the Batman series as best superhero game.

Biggest Surprise: Shadow of the Colossus

Probably at third place for biggest surprise of E3, I don’t think anyone predicted that Shadow of the Colossus was going to get the remake treatment so soon, especially after the recent release of The Last Guardian. Not complaining, though.

Nintendo

Nintendo always goes to the beat of their own drum when it comes to E3 conferences. This year, the pre-recorded presentation lasted around half an hour.  However, they went for quality over quantity, and they may have already won E3 2018 with a couple huge announcements.

Announcements:

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was one of the few JRPG’s shown at E3 this year, complete with cheesy dialogue. I always want to break into this series, but whenever I hear this kind of dialogue, I cringe.

Kirby is making his first appearance to a home console in a very long time in 2018. Hope it doesn’t....SUCK. I couldn’t help myself.

For the first time ever, the core series of Pokemon games is making its way to a home console with the Switch. We don’t know if it’ll be a brand new series or if it’ll be the long-rumored Pokemon Stars, but I scared the shit out of my girlfriend when this announcement hit. I’m still scaring her.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT, METROID PRIME 4 IS IN DEVELOPMENT. That’s all I needed to know. Nintendo is giving the people what they want. What is this world we live in? There’s also a side-scroller Metroid coming out called Metroid: Samus Returns for 3DS, BUT METROID PRIME 4, Y’ALL!

Yoshi looks wooly again and is getting a Switch game in 2018.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild outlined two pieces of DLC. The first, which is coming out on June 30th, is called The Master of Trials, which looks like a complex gauntlet of endurance and strategy. The second DLC, slated for holiday release, is called The Champions Ballad, and is coming with its own set of Amiibo, which I will probably have to get, goddamn it.

Rocket League is coming to Switch with Mario-themed extras and, most importantly, will feature cross network play. Maybe seeing how Nintendo handles it will convince Sony to try it, and then we’ll get to the beginning of the end of the console wars.

Fire Emblem Warriors is going to be a Dynasty Warriors clone with Fire Emblem paint, if you’re into that kinda thing.

And for the grand finale, Nintendo showed off a lot more of Super Mario Odyssey, including the fact that Mario, with his magic hat Cappy, has the ability to possess and become enemies, NPCs, and fucking dinosaurs. It looks quirky and cute and could be the runner-up for GOTY (Breath of the Wild has that on lock). It also is coming out October 27th.

Biggest Highlight: Super Mario Odyssey

For a short conference, Nintendo focused the back half of it on Mario, and for good reason. Post Breath of the Wild, my Switch has been itching for this game and it’s charming mechanics. On top of possessing enemies, Mario’s hat can also possess things like electric wires to travel from building to building. It’s the centerpiece for this game’s mechanics and I couldn’t be more excited to throw my hat at every fucking thing.

Biggest Surprise: Metroid Prime 4

Now, if this category were giddiest reaction by me, it would be Pokemon on Switch, but with all the leaked info on Game Freak’s specific job posting, the biggest surprise is Metroid Prime 4 actually being worked on. We’ve been clamoring for a new Metroid game and it seems like Nintendo believes the Switch is the system that’s ready to handle it. We probably won’t see anything more concrete on it for another year or so, but knowing that it’s in development should have people salivating until then.

Best Game of Show: Super Mario Odyssey

Despite some exciting trailers for long lost sequels and excellent gameplay demos, Nintendo takes the cake in 2017 with Super Mario Odyssey. After only seeing a small teaser when the Nintendo Switch was first announced, Nintendo delivered what eager fans have been waiting for with the Switch’s newest blockbuster. Nintendo focused in on Mario’s magic cap through most of the E3 presentation, making fans salivate at all the goofy ways to explore and solve New Donk City and beyond. Complete with a release date of October 27th (originally slated as Holiday 2017), fans won’t have to wait nearly as long as most of the exciting things that were revealed in this E3.