#i played the game when it first came out… BACK IN 2016!!!

[pokewatcher20]

Guess who just beat Detective Pikachu 2 🎉

[nuclearanomaly]

Wow, 9 years of Ninira Nira

[duskerot]

Hey… Do you know the song sung by the voice actor from the pilot Hazbin Hotel? Called Thank you and goodnight. Weirdly this song reminds me of Mystic Messenger, despite being a new fan and having been into this game until this year 2024 I already felt a connection, seeing old posts about this game from an old fan somehow makes me tear up. Despite I'm a fan of 2024, I somehow feel nostalgic about this game despite never actually experience it before

i don't actually, i've never seen hazbin :0 i just looked up the lyrics tho and i see what you mean!

absolutely no shame being a "new" fan, actually i'm really happy to hear new people are finding the game in 2024 !! i first downloaded it in 2016 and only recently redownloaded it last year for the nostalgia actually :') it's silly but this game and others by the same devs actually mean a lot to me lol

[azpb535]

I’m new to pazzi and had to do a deep dive because their story seems so cute!!!

Also, I love reading people’s theories/timelines and had to came up with my own. It’s hella long and detailed!!!

I don’t think I’ve seen one this detailed so I thought I would share if anyone is interested!

2016 | I think, Paige liked Azzi from the start (love at first sight lol) because

1. During the North Tartan Summer Jam, there’s a video of Paige watching Azzi's basketball game. Azzi’s club Fairfax Star was playing against Paige's club North Tartan, and at that time Azzi was playing 2 age groups up.

2. In their 2019 overtime video, Paige mentioned that they had been friends for three years. Meanwhile, in the slam interview, Azzi seemed to have remembered meeting Paige during U16 tryouts. This makes me think that, Paige liked Azzi before Azzi even knew her.

2017 | During USA U16, Paige and Azzi started to become good friends. I’m leaning toward them being in a homoerotic friendship… Paige liked Azzi but Azzi didn’t know she liked girls. Here’s why:

1. During the slam interview, Paige mentioned that they had “this insane chemistry.” When you like someone, sometimes you become hyper aware of them (it's like your body can sense them), which probably made their on court chemistry great, as you can see in videos. I've had this happen with crushes - it's literally hormones!

2. In a video from U16, when they were receiving their metals, Paige does this "thumb rub" to Azzi. Also, they were the only two people to keep holding hands too. Personally, I would only do that to someone I liked or was with.

3. They were always sitting next to each other on the bench/in pictures and Paige was always talking Azzi's ear off

4. During that summer, Azzi liked an Instagram post captioned, "Paige trying to show off to Azzi" or "Paige trying to get Azzi's attention" and it was Paige shooting while Azzi was working out behind her. It's giving, highschool crush, when you try showing off and acting cool in front of them.

5. The Snapchat “crush” video, Paige posted on TikTok was most likely from this time, because the song/sound was released then. Also, the headband Paige wore in the video was the same one she wore in Azzi's 2017 birthday post to her.

6. Paige was commenting on Azzi's old instagram posts from before they met, which is something I did when I was younger and had a crush on someone.

7. I don’t think, Azzi knew she liked Paige because she was tagging guys (over her heart) in instagram posts (which I used to do with my crushes/gfs/bfs). Also, when Azzi talked about them meeting, she would say things like, "we were kind of forced to speak on the flight home because it was so long" and "Paige kind of showed up and stayed, and was always there" (it's not giving crush). Azzi didn't even remember they were bus buddies during the USA games.

8. In one of P’s teammates' vlogs, Paige says, "shout out to my best friend Azzi," which caused her teammates to crack up. Their reaction made me think, paige and Azzi were dating or fwb. It was too “big” of a reaction for them just being friends... they could have known Paige had a crush on Azzi though.

I could see Azzi starting to crush (whether she knew it or not) on Paige because:

Azzi made a bday post (on her main feed) for Paige saying how much she missed and loved her…which she’s never done for any of her other friends. At this point, they would have only known each other for a few months. This is where the first “💗” shows up too. It’s their thing, and Azzi has it in her Instagram bio now. Many homoerotic friendships are deep (highkey codependent), and have characteristics of dating/being in a relationship.

2018 | Personally, I think they were still just friends but Azzi was starting to like Paige back:

1. During USA U17, Azzi and Paige were attached at the hip, always laughing and joking with each other. They would, like, tap each other's head (Paige did it to Azzi in a recent game) To me, it looked like a flirty/loving gesture. When I was younger my crush would poke me and hit me with books 😂

2. During the 11th annual North Tartan Summer Jam, Azzi and Paige's AAU teams were playing against each other. The game was filmed, and in one clip, Paige looks at Azzi (can't see Paige's face) and Azzi blushes and scrunches her nose (something she does when Paige looks at her). It's giving baby gay crush. She did the same thing during USA U17.

3. There were rumors that Paige got jealous when Azzi got “to close” with her other AAU teammates, so she definitely liked her. This kind of jealousy can be common in homoerotic friendships too.

4. During the summer, Azzi went on a cruise with Paige's family (p's aunt posted pictures). Also, her aunt called Azzi her niece which is cute, but gives off just friends (the fam might not have know they liked each other though) because I would not want family members using "family titles" for someone I was dating. Note: I don't think her aunt meant "daughter in law" because they were so young and had only be in each others lives for about a year.

5. Azzi went to Montana to help Paige out with her charity camp. Paige attended Azzi's sweet 16. Azzi's brother posted a video from the party. With how much they hung out with each other, they def liked each other (whether they both knew it or not).

I could see them crossing lines during this time. However, I could also see this happening later like during quarantine.

1. They called each other "their other half" on instagram, which is giving dating. Most people in relationships call each other "my other half." I could also see them just being friends and possessive over each other, especially if they were in a homoerotic friendship. I had two friends in hs, who weren't dating, but clearly liked each other, and they would say my "other half."

2019 | I’m conflicted and could see them still in a homoerotic friendship/crushing on each other, but could also see lines being blurred and them being fwb. Here's why:

1. Azzi went to Paige's championship game in March and wore Paige's jersey (photo of them and Azzi was in P’s teammates vlog). I'm conflicted about this because I would wear my friend's jersey (similar to Paige wearing Nika and Dorka's jersey). However, in high-school, I think it was more common to wear your crush or gf/bf jersey than friend’s jersey. I could be wrong though.

2. When Azzi tore her ACL/MCL in April, Paige flew to be with her before surgery (Azzi posted a video). Also, during the Slam interview, Paige even started tearing up when talking about the injury and Azzi said that "she knew Paige felt somewhat, what she was feeling," showing that the relationship was deep.

3. In July/August, Azzi and Paige made tiktoks at Azzi's grandparents house in Minnesota. They also went to the state fair and made their joint tik tok account. I feel like the joint account could be like a couples account but also a friend account. I made a YouTube channel with my best friend.

4. Paige also visits Azzi after her USA Basketball 3×3 tournament and her LA trip for ESPNW. I don’t think there was a reason for her to go see Azzi which makes me think they were fwb.

5. In the overtime video, Azzi called Paige “like 1,000 siblings.” I would never compare my partner to a sibling, which is making me lean towards homoerotic friendship. Also the vibes were very best friend coded.

6. the splash sister narrative was going around but they didn’t play into it. It would have been a great marketing opportunity though, which makes me think they were fwb. Although, if they were secretly crushing on each other, I wouldn’t use sister either.

6. They hung out more during the winter than in previous years. During December 2019 and January 2020, Paige created the HUDL recruitment videos for Azzi. Paige was at Azzi's first game back from her ACL tear too. There was a video of her in the stands and they filmed more tik tok together. Basically they saw each other like every month! That's a lot of flying. Maybe they were causally dating 🤷🏻‍♀️

2020 | This was an interesting year for them. I think, they were fwb or in a situationship. I could see them still being in a homoerotic friendship too (those can get toxic trust me lol).

1. It appeared (from the public eye) that Paige was dealing with comphet. For example, she was acting more flirty, in videos, with her guy friends like Jalen. Also, the way she dressed in some videos and pictures gave that impression.

2. She was flirting online with vinnie. However, on the flip side, maybe she was just doing that for clout because vinnie had a large following. Also, in the TikTok Paige made of vinnie, Paige included the 💗 which she only uses for Azzi. This could have been intentional.

3. Azzi was posting flirty comments on a few guys’ posts. Also, Azzi was commenting on Jada’s posts a lot, and Jada was calling Azzi "big head" and "love you 💗” which was a P&A thing. Yes, Paige called Azzi “big head” in a snap chat video (in 2018?), like Monica called Quincy in love in basketball, Azzis favorite movie. I don’t think anything was going on between Azzi and Jada though, the comments seemed intentional and Jada was much younger than Azzi. Maybe P&A, got into a fight. It could be jealousy/petty behavior, common in homoerotic friendships - I've seen it lol! Also, they didn’t really hanging out as much in the winter, like they did in 2019.

4. In March / April 2020, SLAM released "All Eye on US" | Hopkins High School Series. In one video, Paige was wearing Azzi's picture on her shirt. She also had a collage of photos (almost all with Azzi) next to her bed, which is giving dating.

5. From April to July, Paige stayed with the Fudds. In some of the tik tok / youtube videos Paige's facial expressions gave away that they were more than friends (iykyk). If they were just friends, I think lines def got blurred during this time and they became fwb.

6. Azzi would FaceTime Paige at 1:00 am; even though, in an article around this time, she said she liked to go to bed early. Also, she visited Paige for her birthday to tell her she was going to UCONN. The extent to which they went out of their way to see and talk to each other is too much for just friends.

7. When Paige went to UCONN, she had Azzi as 💗 in snapchat. I only do that to people who I'm in a relationship with. That's why I feel like they were in a relationship or close to one. I think something happened and Azzi was mad at Paige because she stopped commenting on her posts, like that one anon said. I believe this happened after Azzi committed to UConn too. To me, it feels like a break up or friendship break up (common in homoerotic friendships… that shit hurts lol), especially because streets was saying Paige was partying and seen with other girls.

2021 | I'm leaning towards fwb (not exclusive) / situationship

1. UCONN students were spreading rumors that Paige was seen with black curly haired girls.

2. In the winter/spring of 2021, Azzi was commenting flirty things on different guys' instagram posts (like this one football player). Also, interestingly, in an old article, Azzi said she was looking forward to her senior year because she wanted to go to football games with her friends… but in a recent article, she said she didn’t like football when asked about it. Just found that interesting.

3. Students said Azzi was casually dating someone at UCONN (I think a football player 👀) from 2021 to maybe spring of 2022. Not sure if they were exclusive.

4. Part of me thinks that they stayed fwb, while talking and seeing other people, because Paige could not stop staring at Azzi in their slam video. She was down bad. However, if I stopped being fwb with someone, but still liked them, I would look at them longingly too. It’s the “you want what you can’t have look.” Maybe they were in a situationship end of 2021.

2022 | exclusive fwb (lowkey dating)

1. Azzi liked Mack, her friend, TikTok comment - "girlfriends are on this app" which made me think Paige and Azzi were more serious/together. I could see that comment being an "Azzi menace" thing, like stay away from my girl, even if we aren't technically in a relationship.

2. Also, during that summer, Azzi was commenting flirty things on Paige's posts, and they were posting each other more. She made a whole post (on her main feed) for Paige’s ACL tear, nobody else did that.

3. Paige was also posting things like - "my girlfriend when she sees an old person sitting alone" and she posted a picture of a man holding a ton of flowers on a train, saying "what i'm trying to be like."

4. During games, Paige and Azzi were always sitting together, had some part of their bodies touching, and joking around. The way Caroline reacted to some of their interactions made it clear that something was happening too. Also, during first night, Paige was staring Azzi down. Could not keep her eyes off of her. Also, UConn students once Azzi came to UConn, Paige wasn’t seen out with girls as much, and that eventually stopped.

2023 | dating!

1. During 2023, we got some of the best content! Thank you ICE! The lives really gave us a peek at their relationship. AKA. Paige caught with her hands around Azzi's waist and Azzi caught with her hand on Paige's cheek (gays being gays). Also, they disappeared for a little bit. Probs made out in the bathroom (just sayin 😂). I think, Amari’s live was very telling too. Paige kept coming back to Azzi, leaning on her and playing games. Azzi’s “better not” comment when someone commented “Paige, someone’s going to take you out to breakfast.”

2. In the Sue Bird video, Paige and Azzi could not stop staring at each other. I know they hold good eye contact, but this felt different. It looked softer.

3. Paige cannot hide her expressions and got all nervous when seeing comments like - "Paige and Azzi go together real bad" and "Azzi and Nika with their boyfriends."

4. Azzi added a "P" for Paige to her family heart ornament. I would only do that if I was in a relationship with someone.

5. They basically flirted with each other all throughout the overtime podcast - "i'm not afraid of the dark... good because I am" and "we don't lock our door at night." Key word “OUR.” From my knowledge they weren’t roommates at this time 🙊

6. They were very touchy feely that summer. There was a 2v2 video from Azzis camp and Paige was all over Azzi. I think she also called Azzi babes - "shoot babes." Also, tim posted a video of them napping together and their legs were intertwined. I don't be doing that with my friends. Do you???

2024 | In a relationship/basically married! Small recap: final four hug, draft pics, cruise gate, Paige cheesing at her phone, Bueckers family cabin trip (Azzi was there), NYFW, US Open, Azzi flying to Montana for two days, Y'all's Kid (lowkey think they kissed in that live too), staring at each other at the mystics game, twinning at the Lynx game, Paige's mom spending Christmas with the Fudds. and so much more!

Just waiting for that launch!!! 🙏

[talenlee]

Game Pile: Kentucky Route 0, One of Three Games About America

Script and Thumbnail below the fold!

Kentucky Route Zero is a magical realist point and click game of what I’d normally call Narrative Adventure, which came to kickstarter in 2011, then came out in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2020, because you can’t have nothing for free, even things you pay for. The game is a text-driven game without any of the trappings of your typical point-and-clicker where you jam a ladder in your pants and try to work out why you want to put green dye in the water fountain. Instead it follows the haunted mind of Conway, a trucky driver and his interactions with small handful of people on a part of the Kentucky Interstate, while he to find the place he needs to do his delivery, despite being utterly lost.

I enjoyed what of Kentucky Route Zero I played, but the thing that stands out to me in hindsight is its sound design. It’s a beautifully defined game, audio-wise, with all sorts of thoughtful foley for its environments, and the way that even the pieces of the interface that Conway interacts with have their own sort of specific authentic sounds, chonks and thunks and ch-zzzzses.

It’s also visually splendid, beautiful in what it tries to represent in the heightened reality of its setting but also the format of a videogame. These places look good from the angle that’s chosen, creating lines of artwork and bars of cages, depending on what you’re focusing on, and by being a fixed-camera story of its type, Kentucky Route Zero takes on traits of theatre, with blocking and careful positioning and timing all making up part of how the story unfolds.

A story I haven’t finished.

See, I don’t feel like playing Kentucky Route Zero Act V.

Sit down, traveller. Let me tell you a story.

There’s a chance you’ve heard this story before. I’ve anonymised it here, not because I think you shouldn’t be able to work out who it is, but because the idea of focusing on the who runs the risk of ignoring the what. Plus, I don’t want to direct anyone to a person who said something stupid and encourage fights. That’s not the important issue.

This is the story of when someone perfectly represented something, and probably never realised it.

You will sometimes hear me talk about the take that ‘there are three games about America,’ with a tone of utter revulsion and derision. This is from an incident back in 2020, when a game developer and advocate for inclusive games, had an opinion, on the internet. This advocate is well-established and has a big audience, but also, he’s crucially, not a white guy, not a Christian guy, and not an American guy. These are factors that play into what he said, which was, in summary, that while Kentucky Route 0 was no doubt phenomenal, he wasn’t interested in playing it right now.

To this, an actual adult responded with:

This is legitimately the worst take you’ve ever had. There are only about three games that are actually American, and this is one of them. Everything else is designed for export. Kr0 is a precious and valuable thing. It is of immense and intense personal importance.

Now, resisting the urge to argue with a tweet, which is just generally a bad practice that leads to doing things like wanting to be on twitter, and setting aside this tweet conflating ‘this is of personal importance to me’ and ‘this should be of importance to you,’ this position describes the idea that there are only three games that are ‘actually American.’

What does it mean to be ‘actually American?’

America is a pretty pervasive presence, if you’re not aware of it. Most people in the world have to know about what’s going on in America. We know about your Presidents and your Senators and your Constitution, to the point where people can be more aware of how your country’s laws work than their own country’s laws. I’ve often seen it held up as an example of how poorly educated people in say, Canada and Australia are that we believe we have, say, a ‘first amendment right,’ but the thing is you have to ask why there is that.

We watch so much American TV.

We listen to American music.

We try to make our news broadcasts look like yours, because that’s what real and legitimate news looks like. We try to retell your stories in our local languages because that’s what real media looks like. Our children sing songs in your accents because that’s the culture that a multi-trillion dollar economy has pumped into the whole world.

America demands we attend their wars and surrender our living to become their dead and when we are done America sells the survivors a cheeseburger.

This is not a remarkable or controversial statement. You must know, this is not even vaguely challenging to know about. Everywhere in the world is replicating parts of the American empire, because America exports and enforces the vision of the American empire. McDonalds may sell curry in India, but it’s very important that the curry being sold is McDonalds curry because that is how you know it’s an American style curry.

What this means is when someone tries to assert there are only really three games about America, that’s a kind of specialised brain rot that requires you to consider games that are very much about America as not being really about America. And thus we see the other thing about America, which is it’s not enough for America to be the most important place in the world that everyone else in the world needs to recognise, but also, most of America is inadequately America for this vision of America. You saw this in the wake of 9/11, and the election of Barack Obama: huge amounts of American media resurged in extolling the values of ‘real’ America, as opposed to the parts of America where the vast majority of Americans lived, which just so happened to paint a lot of marginalised people living in the cities as ‘fake Americans.’

I am not bringing you unique information. This is just obviously true things if you don’t live within the boundaries of an environment that flatters you as the most normal thing in the world. The vast majority of the world is not America. There are eight billion people in the world, more or less, meaning that America is about 4% of the world, and yet, it is catastrophically, overwhelmingly, deleritously the common touchstone for how things are ‘supposed’ to work. This is through media imperialism, which is mostly supported by American companies exporting all their media to foreign markets extremely cheaply.

‘about three games that are actually American.’

This fascinating piece of doofusry still, even now leaves me agog. ‘Actually American.’ Kentucky Route 0 is actually American, you see, as opposed to… what? Is America’s Army one of them? You know, the game financed by the American Army? What about Call of Duty, a franchise that is in part subsidised by American military complex manufacturers? What about Grand Theft Auto, a videogame that tells the rags-to-riches story of American excess in criminality, setting aside the way it’s made by a Scottish company. Actually American, because American doesn’t mean America, it means one tiny little pool of ‘America’ where the speaker can imagine there’s a realness and an authenticity to the America-ness that doesn’t involve all the messy realities of what it is to be America. It’s the towns of hard-working people, that suffer under your particular description of oppression, whether that’s cities full of nonwhite people or corporations bleeding the country dry, always eliding the social cruelties and terribleness of these places, as if giving people money stops them from being bigoted (for example).

This is then used to recruit these poor, superior Americans, the you know, America Americans, whose sufferings are noble and whose authenticity cannot be impeached and they are then used as a defense against criticism of, you know, America. It’s the same speech Charlie Daniels gave about how foreigners may think they could push around Barack Obama (a dude who bombed a lot of shepherds with the most elaborate and brutal military ordinance in the world) but they were going to have a harder time taking on Americans who wrestled alligators, who at this point have exactly zero recorded drone strike kills.

This is because America America isn’t real.

‘Real’ America is a nebulous nothing that you can project whatever you want onto, and which is also not responsible for anything terrible that America does. It’s not the American Empire, it’s not the exporter of culture, it’s somehow purer, better, a sort of individualised folk who are to be protected and extolled, shriven of all the things about America that make it anything but its perfect idealised form of America.

I could go on.

I really could.

This is something that defines the world I have to live in. I speak English. I’m white. I’m from a coloniser state. I should be able to integrate easily and smoothly into the white supremacist capitalist hierarchy of American culture, but we are told, that no, we are not acceptable. We are only valid as long as our differences are invisible. We, a real people, do not get to have opinions on America, because we do not know True America. When you spell colour wrong in a chat message, when your accent isn’t quite right, when you don’t know the difference between junior and sophomore year of high school, then you are shown, you are evinced, and you are made very aware that you are other, you are outside, you are wrong.

And really, there’s no good reason for it. We send our soldiers to America’s wars, we buy America’s submarines, and we sing your songs. Our currency mimics America’s, our culture permeats with America’s, we even have such a crushing inferiority complex about the empire that there’s an academic term for what we feel about our own media compared to the media of the truer, proper empire to which we are vassal.

The term is ‘cultural cringe,’ and it was coined by Henry Lawson, who you, odds on, have never heard of. In 1894, he wrote:

The Australian writer, until he gets a “London hearing,” is only accepted as an imitator of some recognized English or American author; and, as soon as he shows signs of coming to the front, he is labelled “The Australian Southey,” “The Australian Burns,” or “The Australian Bret Harte,” and lately, “The Australian Kipling.” Thus no matter how original he may be, he is branded, at the very start, as a plagiarist, and by his own country, which thinks, no doubt, that it is paying him a compliment and encouraging him, while it is really doing him a cruel and an almost irreparable injury. But mark! As soon as the Southern writer goes “home” and gets some recognition in England, he is “So-and-So, the well-known Australian author whose work has attracted so much attention in London lately”; and we first hear of him by cable, even though he might have been writing at his best for ten years in Australia.

This is imperialism. This is a way in which we have been induced and brought by the empires around us to accept their ways as correct, as the normal, as default. And that is the mindset you must have if you want to look at the breadth of videogames, with their American ideas like health insurance, readily available guns, the importance of freedom, the ubiquity of air travel, the branding and iconography of types of food and the sports metaphors and then say ‘yeah, this doesn’t have anything to do with America, not really.’

Anyway, this thread, this incident, was a big deal at the time, in that there were a lot of people from within the community of game developers and journalists who seemed very happy to line up and get mad at a brown foreigner for being inadequately enthusiastic about the possibility of playing a videogame. But don’t worry, after a day or two, an apology was forthcoming for all of this fracas, by which I mean, the original developer apologised for being so thoughtless as to, again, express honest lack of enthusiasm in a videogame.

For me, this was a kind of break point, where I started just blocking indie devs on sight. I don’t want to know what they’re involved in, I don’t want to promote their work, and I will hold tiny grudges against them that I do not seek to transfer or encourage in others. This was one silly incident in which a lot of people said something silly because they don’t know better, or they’re arseholes.

None of this is fair to Kentucky Route 0. It’s a game with its own intentions and its own perspective. It’s not trying to make this conversation happen. Kentucky Route 0 has been choked and gripped by this position around it, where to talk about an American game, someone put a cross on it that made it the avatar for All Things America. The wild thing to me is that I had, prior to this point, played two episodes of Kentucky Route 0. I thought it was pretty good, and I liked what it did with the negative space of dialogue options – when a character you’re controlling makes excuses, the excuses you choose show you other things you could be making excuses about that you, the player, didn’t know beforehand. That’s some good Narrative Storytelling Design, I like that a lot. But now I can’t really engage with Kentucky Route Zero because the main thing it makes me think about is how this final chapter, meant to round out the game’s story and present a conclusion and a point, became this flashpoint for a lot of people to be very casually racist.

Which kinda poisons the whole thing for me. It’s an authentic thing, I’m sure, it’s a thoughtful thing, too, but the people stepping up to say I should care about it did so in a way that made me hate them.

Any time you see me say ‘three games about America’ I’m talking about this, and the attitude of a particular kind of American that America is, as always, exceptional. It’s real easy to not realise when you’re just voicing your self-centeredness and how easy that is to ignore the opinions of people around you and what they’re saying. This is what I’m talking about when I mention ‘the three games about America.’

[fade for credit text]

By the way, the three games about America are Crash Bandicoot, Sam & Max Hit The Road, and Bust A Move.

[sunsetkerr]

STAYING DOWN | s.kerr

summary: you and sam kerr are on-pitch rivals, but when you're teammate hurts sam during a game, you're the first one on the ground with her (or.. 4 times you watched sam hurt on the ground, +1 time you helped her up) [1.8k words]

pairing: on-pitch rival!reader x sam kerr

notes: I love this one a lot..

(1) 2015, FIFA Women’s World Cup - Group Stage

“did you like that one, l/n?” god, you thought. she’s insufferable. you watched as she celebrated with her team, green and gold flooded the box. it was no secret that you couldn’t stand sam kerr. the whole world knew practically, and watching her celebrate a goal whilst looking directly at you just made you hate her even more.

“piss off” you shook your head as she jogged pass you to reset play. 

“oooh” she chuckled at you, her smirk only growing, “feisty today, are we?”

commentator voiceover JP DELLACAMERA: ooh, we can see on-pitch rivals y/n l/n and sam kerr having a few words with each other after l/n just scored her goal

JACQUI OATLEY: i think they’re constantly having words if i’m honest

JP DELLACAMERA: it seems that way, doesn’t it? Kerr and l/n are one of the most interesting pairs to see on the pitch in my opinion

JACQUI OATLEY: no i completely agree, i love seeing how they egg each other on; very entertaining

JP DELLACAMERA: seeing them play each other at arsenal and chelsea, but then seeing them on a national level is just great football

JACQUI OATLEY: it’s funny to me, both great goal scorers, but they somehow always find a way to be next to each other on the pitch

JP DELLACAMERA: sweden taking a corner now… and rubensson sends it into the box and y/n l/n headers it into goal!

JACQUI OATLEY: phenomenal work from the young swede

you threw your hands in the air as sofia lifted you up. you turned around to see sam, on the ground, knocked down from the commotion in the box, with a frown etched on her face. you grinned down at her with a chuckle and shouted, “that was for you, kerr!”.

(2) 2016, WSL Season Chelsea vs Arsenal

commentator voiceover IZZY CHRISTIANSE: and sam kerr scores her third goal against arsenal! and it’s a hat-trick for sam kerr!

PIEN MEULENSTEEN: ooh! and she’s collided just outside the goals with arsenal player, y/n l/n IZZY CHRISTIANSE: looks like they hit each other pretty hard at the hips there.. kerr and l/n are both down

you groaned clutching at your hip bone. “will you watch where you’re going!” you looked over at who banged into you, of course it was her.

“you right?” she winced, holding onto her own hip.

“no thanks to you” you spat at her.

sam threw her head back in pain, “oh fuck” she hissed. you heard someone come up behind you/

“you okay, y/n?” they wrapped their arms underneath your armpits and pulled you up. it was caitlin. you were thankful to be back up on your feet, you muttered a quick thank you whilst you rubbed at your hip. “sam?” she asked her matildas teammate. caitlin always tried to be a neutral force when it came to you both, the two of you too strong willed not to butt-heads on the pitch.

“i’m good” she nodded, still groaning.

“i’ll get the trainers” catilin said before flagging over the chelsea trainers, who were already on their way out.

“come on,” caitlin patted you on the back before walking back to the centre with you. you rolled your eyes, hearing sam groan behind you. she crashed into you, and she’s complaining? figures.

(3) 2017, Algarve Cup Group Stage

you and sam were both gunning for the ball. she was behind you, trying to get the ball out from underneath you. you tried your best to hold it, but didn’t have to try for much longer as sam fell to the ground clutching her ankle. “fuck, fuck, fuck” she winced. 

you turned around, holding on the ball under your foot. you contemplated helping her up, making sure she was alright. 

“y/n!” but your teammate, lotta, was shouting at you as she had set up her position. “run down!” she shouted to you. you got the ball moving again, shaking off steph catley, ignoring sam’s cries in the background.

commentator voiceover JACQUI OATLEY: looks like y/n was a little concerned for sam kerr there

JP DELLACAMERA: that’s a surprise to me

JACQUI OATLEY: l/n crosses the ball in to schelin and it’s a goal!

JP DELLACAMERA: great assist from l/n there JACQUI OATLEY: and even better shooting from schelin

JP DELLACAMERA: a great duo those two

(4) 2022, Sweden vs Australia Women's Friendlies

“that’s two, y/n” caitlin grinned at you as she came off the high from her second goal of the game. 

you chuckled and shook your head, trying to suppress your grin. “shut up caitlin, you’re a show-off” you laughed. you weren’t too fired up this game. your team hadn’t managed to score yet, but the matildas were playing better than you- they deserved to win the friendly.

“and i love every second of it” she grinned.

“i’ve got next caitlin��� her voice came out of nowhere, but once you saw her your mood was ruined. sam was jogging past you both with a big grin on her face.

“yeah, sure” you scoffed, heading back to your side of the pitch. it took sam only five minutes of play to score. 

“that was for you!” she sang to you, running straight past where you watched her score. you rolled your eyes, your friendly spirit that had been present in this game was officially ruined.

commentator voiceover JACQUI OATLEY: and kerr has scored on chelsea teammate zećira mušović, getting the matildas third goal for the game, with Sweden still sitting at zero. ooh, kerr has stopped celebrating. she looks to be a little bit of pain. 

JP DELLACAMERA: she’s had a few troubles with her calf, hopefully it’s nothing”

“you good?” you watched as sam limped back to her position as the game reset. 

“agh, shit” she hissed through her teeth, “my calf has been playing up” she admitted, giving it a quick rub.

“do you need a trainer?” you asked her. you stammered before adding, “y-you’re taking up my space on the pitch”.

“nah, no” sam sighed, shaking her hands as she stood up straight again, “just give me a second”.

“are you sure?” you asked

sam raised her eyebrows at you before taking a deep breath, “careful, l/n.. kinda sounds like you care”

“you’re on my half of the pitch” you almost erupted at her accusation, “get moving” you shooed her away.

(+1) 2023, FIFA Women’s World Cup Bronze Medal Match

it was the seventy-fifth minute when you watched her go down. magdelena’s tackle was brutal, you waited for the whistle to sound, but it never came. game resumed play and mags was off running with the ball as sam was on the ground clutching her calf in pain.

you jogged over to her, “are you okay?” you asked.

“fuck!” she cried, panting through the pain. 

“stop time!” you turned around and called down to the referee, but she just ignored you and continued watching play. “hey!” you called again.

“holy shit,” sam put her head on the ground, still holding her leg close.

you looked around for help, and saw the matilda’s physio running out onto the pitch to see sam. “the physio is coming” you told her, “hold on a second”.

“hey! call time!” you screamed down the pitch again, “fucking hell, she’s hurt!” 

“hey,” you watched as z held onto the ball in the box, stopping play herself. the referee finally officially stopped play and began to walk down towards yourself and sam. “she’s been down for at least a minute, you are supposed to stop play!” you shouted, “what kinda refereeing is that? bullshit”

you stayed close while the physios tried to get sam onto her feet. you knew she had just come back from injury, she was doing too much. sure, you didn’t like her. but you couldn’t help but feel inclined to make sure she was alright.

and for some obsurd reason, the feeling was still there even after the final whistle blew and you had won a bronze medal.

you found sam sitting on the pitch, her head in her hands. you hesitated before crouching down next to her, “i’m sorry about the loss” you said, holding your hand out for her.

sam looked defeated as she saw who it was, “you deserved to win” she sighed, shaking your hand.

“you did lots of great work for football sam” you admitted. you took a deep breath before continuing, “is your calf okay?”.

“it’ll be fine” she nodded. you noticed the tears in her eyes, “thanks” she whispered.

“good game” you said, before standing up and heading off.

sam sighed, “you too”.

alanna headed over to check on her captain, just having watched the exchange between you and sam. “what did she want?” your rivalry was no secret, everyone knew that you both weren’t opposed to having words after a tough game.

“to see if i was okay” sam’s tone whilst still defeated, had a hint of surprise buried beneath it.

“yeah alright” alanna scoffed, holding out her hand to help sam onto her feet, “comes over to you after we’ve lost, sounds about right”

the night had wound down for the matildas. sure, they had an afterparty to go to, but there were lots of tired girls walking the ground.

“i’m gonna sleep on the bus before we have to go out” sam chuckled, zipping up her puffer jacket. “i’m ready to party” macca chuckled, giving sam a little nudge.

“it’s a constant emotion for her” alanna laughed.

“shut up, i-“ mackenzie was cut off, your voice peaking the trio’s interest. they saw you over by the sweden bus, particularly close to your teammate, a sour look on your face.

“what the hell what that about?” you asked. “what do you mean?” mags chuckled.

your eyes widened in shock, “i mean what you did to her was totally illegal”.

“it’s football, y/n” she said simply, trying to walk onto the bus.

“that is not football and you know it” you stopped her in her tracks, continuing your conversation. “we were already up, you didn’t have to do that” you said.

“sam is a tough girl, she’ll be fine” magda didn’t seem particularly remorseful, especially not after injuring her own teammate at chelsea. “you know she just came back from injury, going after her calf like that is just not alright” you shook your head at her

“i didn’t ‘go after’ her calf-“

you cut her off, “could’ve fooled me” you laughed.

“you know what, y/n-”

“girls that’s enough!” your coach cut you both off, “we just won a bronze medal, care to cool off a little bit” she raised her voice at you both.

“don’t play dirty,” you finished, pushing past her to get onto the bus.

“rich coming from you” she said, “last season you hated her, what’s changed?”.

you paused before answering, “nothing.. i just prefer to play by the rules” you lied.

“what the fuck?” alanna whispered, shocked by your change in demeanour.

“that was.. strangely nice of her?” macca looked to sam.

“i know” sam furrowed her brows, “what the hell”

“a change of heart maybe?” alanna chuckled jokingly.

“who knows” sam shrugged. maybe you two could get along after all.

[acquariusgb]

I had never been more proud of her. Chelsea enrolled as a Master’s candidate in the fall of 2001, accepted by University College, Oxford, thirty-three years after I became a student there. In November 2002, in her second year, Hillary and I flew to England to celebrate Thanksgiving with her. She and her roommate, Jen Lee, a Harvard graduate and Juilliard-trained cellist, had moved into a small house in North Oxford for their final year and invited us to share a meal with more than twenty of their fellow students, including Americans who couldn’t go home and British and other students who’d never celebrated the holiday. We liked our daughter’s eclectic collection of friends, including two U.S. Army officers soon to go on active duty, who invited me to join in a game of touch football the afternoon before dinner. One of them, Wes Moore, won the Maryland governor’s race in 2022 and is one of our most promising young political leaders. The other, Seth Bodnar, is now the president of the University of Montana. A typical rainy Oxford fall morning had left the playing field slippery and muddy, but they were used to it. The conditions didn’t hamper their enthusiasm or their efforts. I still had a pretty good throwing arm back then but the other team cut me no slack. I left the field covered in mud and a few bruises, glad to have survived. The dinner was a great success, as we devoured the traditional Thanksgiving meal, tightly packed around tables in two small rooms, all the while carrying on vigorous conversations. I remembered how intimidated I was when I was a student at Oxford more than thirty years earlier whenever I was invited to tea at a women’s college. Sitting through their conversations was like being the ballboy at a fast- paced tennis match as the verbal serves and volleys flew across the net. It was hard to keep up and not get hit. The women and the men were impressive this night, too, so I tried to draw them out and speak only to answer the questions they asked. Chelsea has had good judgment and good fortune in her friends, from her early years to today. I’ve always enjoyed spending time with and learning from them. After Chelsea finished at Oxford, we moved Thanksgiving to our home in Chappaqua, where Chelsea began inviting longtime friends from New York and England to join us. They soon brought their spouses, significant others, and visiting parents. Before long, there were kids, too. We couldn’t do it at all in 2020 because of Covid, had only a small gathering in 2021, but in 2019, we had forty-three people. About that many came to the restart in 2022. Since that first celebration, everyone has been invited to say what he or she was grateful for. Some came just after or still in the midst of steep personal or professional challenges. Yet everybody always found something to be grateful for. In our family, the toughest task fell to Hillary after the 2016 election. She found her voice when most of us, me included, were still searching for ours.

From Citizen- Bill Clinton quote about Thanksgiving

[buzzyb33]

OMD pls pls pls i beg u babes ur hc r sooooo good a dad Simon minter would be a great hc in my opinion anyway love youuu

Prompt: head cannons of Simon minter with a wife and two kids- twins!

Warnings: swearing, pregnancy,

Finding out you were pregnant in the late January 2016 wasn’t too nice, you and Simon hadn’t really discussed family, you just knew he wasn’t opposed to the idea.

Building up the courage was pushing time, so going at it and getting him as he edits a second channel video.

“Si? Can I talk to you?” I say and sit on his beanbag.

“Hm? Yeah, course.”

He pulls his headphones off and looks at me, noting the unsure look on my face.

“I’m- pregnant.” I say finally.

He smiles at me then let’s it fall.

“Is- that a good thing?” I smile back.

“I- was hoping so..” he grins and pulls me into a tight hug.

“It’s a great thing n/n- I know we haven’t really spoke about it but- it’s a wonderful thing..”

From then on he came to every scan and happily told the boys that I was pregnant, JJ was dumbfounded that his best friend was married and now expecting.

Halfway through the pregnancy you got very interesting cravings, Simon still loved everything you did.

When your waters broke you were 8 and a half weeks pregnant Simon was with you At every moment, squeezing your hand and soothing you through it all.

He grimaced slightly but stayed there.

When the nurse let you hold your baby boy it was all worth it, Simon held your baby girl, the joy on his face was unmatched.

The next day Simon announced on Twitter that he’ll be having a break from his channels and only present in main sidemen videos.

A month later, Y/n happily agreed to let the boys come over to see the twins (which had been named Aaron and Aria).

JJ, Josh and Freya came round first to see the twins which JJ was instructed by me how to hold them.

He smiled a cooed at Aria while Josh held Aaron and Freya hurried him so she could hold him.

“Y/n, I got you a little bag, for you.”

She hands me a bag and I smile.

“Thank you Freya.”

I adjust my position and Simon talks to Josh and JJ, him holding Aria and me holding Aaron as Freya coos at him.

The next to come see them was Tobi, Harry and vikk though it was clear Harry did not trust himself to hold them.

By this point, I was almost fully healed, my stomach had went back to normal but I was still recovering a bit.

I sat next to Harry as Tobi asked him if he wants to hold Aaron.

“Nah- boys, I’m fine I just- wanted to make sure si and Y/n was alright? Yeah- you know.”

He spewed out with rosy cheeks.

“Harry, let me show you how to hold him, it’s alright.”

I smile and he hesitates as Tobi gently hands me Aaron.

I fix his arms and let him hold the baby boy, his eyes light up but his lips twitch, still not trusted in himself.

“Relax, Bog.”

Simon laughs.

Vikk is completely mesmerised by Aria as she squeezes his index finger.

“Awe, Simon..”

I let a smile play on my lips as Harry holds him.

As the other boys come round over the months the babies start smiling more.

Simon wore the baby carriers on his chest, Christmas 2018 was their first Christmas and Simon was so good, he loved them and gave them all equal attention, I worked in law which I didn’t mind doing from home as they needed the attention.

Simon was more than happy when his daughters first words were ‘DaDa.’ He was so happy.

“Y/n! Come here! Quick! Sh- Ari just said DADA -say it again honey..”

He sat there until she said it again.

He was ecstatic.

As they got older, Aaron showed his love for basketball while Aria did football.

Simon tried to hide his excitement that one of his kids had an interest in football.

When they were three he signed Aria up for under 5 girls football and Aaron for soft ball (as he was too young for basketball)

He went to every game with me and occasionally dragged one of his friends along.

Simon was always caught having at least one of them hanging off his limbs.

When they were four and developing their own opinions, Simon was in for a treat for how much his son spoke.

One day when he was recording a more sidemen video- standing up- Aaron sauntered into the room.

“Well no- that’s not how you play the game JJ, are you-“ Simon scoffed in an irritated tone before being cut off by his door opening.

“Daddy-“ his voice trailed off.

“One sec boys, yeah Aaron?”

“Can I sit in here with you? Ari said that- the dogs don’t like me.” He said as he rubbed his eyes.

“Mate- yeah okay.”

Simon bends down and puts his son on his beanbag with his iPad.

“Did you just call your son ‘mate’?” Ethan laughs.

Another time was when all four of us went to the park and me and Simon just sat together, in peaceful noise as other kids giggled and screamed around us.

I smiled at him and really took in the moment, he was a great father, we had good money and good kids to raise, we were gonna mould these kids into who they were.

During the sidemen penalty shots Aria went up and smiled proudly- she had dark brown hair like her mother and her Fathers dark blue eyes.

“Hi daddy!” She called as she got the ball into position.

“Hi honey!” He grinned back as he got ready to save the goal.

“Simon! Don’t be a bitch! Save her shot!” JJ called as Simon laughed and agreed.

For a five year old- she packed a shot- scoring as Simon went the other way.

He frowned at the fact he missed it and Aria grinned.

“Bye daddy!” She said and ran off to the sides.

“Bye honey!” He called back.

During times of dates and your and simons… alone time, Josh and Freya or Vikk and Ellie to babysit- maybe Callux but he always got help.

Simon absolutely adored his kids, his wife and overall, the way his life had turned out.

When Faith found out she was pregnant in February of 2022 Simon immediately dumped every single baby detail and fact he knew on Ethan just so he was at least a little bit prepared for fatherhood.

As of times like now, the twins are six and thriving in their sporty lives and Aaron was socially, not so much Aria as she was a lot more introverted (maybe a bit more clever) than her brother.

(Simon also info dumped on Randy when Laura was pregnant with harper)

Out of all of his friends, Aria loves Callux the most and Aaron loves JJ the most, Aria doesn’t leave his side, frankly she cried the last time he had to leave.

Aaron also likes Ethan a lot as he says funny (stupid) things that makes him laugh.

At 6 years old the two seem to have a very bright future which just causes simons heart to quadruple in size.

A/n: I’ll be honest, I had not much idea about soft things so..

Request me some stuff though!! I did mostly enjoy writing this and there will be a grey FIC out on Wednesday!

If you want you ask me to add to this specific story.

REQUEST ME SOMETHING 🙏🏽

[misshoneyimhome]

Never gonna give you up | Auston Matthews  

Tags: soft!auston; Austonxreader;

A/n: I couldn't sleep last night, and this is what happened 😉 hope you enjoy it

Word count: 946

_

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling Gotta make you understand Never gonna give you up Never gonna let you down Never gonna run around and desert you

"Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley

➼｡ﾟ

You had been dating Auston for most of the 2022-2023 hockey season.

Initially, you weren't entirely sure about getting involved with an NHL hockey player. But Auston was persistent. His charm had this peculiar effect on you, and eventually, you couldn't resist.

And you've never looked back since.

Despite Auston's hectic schedule, the ups and downs of his hockey games, the constant travel, and all the media attention, you loved being with him. He had this incredible personality that just clicked with you from day one.

And when the Leafs made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup, you were over the moon.

You were genuinely happy for Auston, and all you wanted was to see him happy. And hockey made him happy, so you were all in, no matter what. The good, the bad, and everything in between.

But then the Leafs lost. And the offseason officially started.

It had been an incredible summer with Auston. He took you to meet his family for a few weeks, you were his plus one at Mitch and Stephanie's wedding, you even joined him for some of his publicity stuff when you had the time.

Honestly, it was kind of fun being a part of his world.

Before you met Auston, you weren't really into hockey. Sure, you knew the sport existed, but you didn't really get it. That all changed when you ran into a frazzled Auston in the cereal aisle at the local supermarket. Cereal boxes went flying, and the rest, as they say, is history.

A few weeks later, you went on your first coffee date.

But it wasn't just the hockey games stressing Auston out. His contract was also on his mind. He had one more year left in Toronto before it expired, so he needed to re-sign or potentially join another team.

But he really wanted to stay in Toronto. It was his team, the one he'd been with since 2016. It was home.

And it was your home too.

Normally, Auston would mostly think about himself and his career. But ever since he met you, he couldn't help but wonder how you felt about it all. To be honest, maybe all his worry wasn't just about re-signing or his salary.

He was also worried about you and your relationship. You didn't grow up in the hockey world like many other girlfriends and wives. You weren't used to how the whole moving teams and cities thing worked.

And that had Auston beyond stressed out.

_

And it was this worry that led to a conversation one casual Tuesday evening. You were both sprawled out on his sofa, watching TV after a delicious dinner.

Auston was on his back, facing the TV, and you were on top of him, your head and hand on his chest.

His breathing was slow, but it wasn't steady. Auston had something on his mind.

Out of the blue, he broke the silence.

"(Your nickname)," he began, still staring at the TV.

"Yeah, baby?"

He turned his head to look at you.

"What if I don't re-sign?" his voice was low and shaky.

"What do you mean? You still have one more year," you matched his low tone and looked up at him, resting your head on your hands.

"Yeah, but what if I don't re-sign or get traded?" His eyes looked sad, and his expression screamed worry.

"Then I guess you'll find another team that'll be lucky to have you," you reassured him with a soft smile.

"Yeah, maybe... but," he bit his lip, struggling to get the words out.

"But what, baby?" you raised yourself up a bit, supporting your weight on your arms, and looked deeply into his eyes. "Auston, you're an amazing hockey player, and you played so fucking well this season. The team even came closer to winning the Stanley Cup, which, from what I understand, is pretty impressive, and you were a big part of that."

Auston nodded slightly, and a small smile crept back onto his lips. "I know... it's just... what about us?"

"What about us?" you asked gently.

"I mean, if I were to move... what about us?" His smile faded again as his eyes locked onto yours.

You let out a little sigh. You'd talked about this before, but it was different back then, when you were just getting serious. At that point, you both wanted to take things slow and not think too far ahead. You just wanted to enjoy the moment and see where it led.

But now, it was time to face it.

"Aus," you whispered gently, "Remember when we first started seeing each other? Your determination and how many times I said no," you said, your lips curving into a fond smile. "Even though deep down, I knew I wanted to be with you, because I had my doubts about dating a pro athlete,” You paused, collecting your thoughts. “But you, Auston, you changed everything. I couldn't resist you. I fell head over heels in love with you. And I'd be in love with you anywhere in the world. So, if it means embracing your hockey career, then that's what we'll do - together."

Auston looked at you, silent for a moment.

Your eyes locked as he absorbed your words.

"So... you'd be up for moving with me if that's what it takes?"

"If you want me to move with you, hell yes," you almost whispered, smiling as you saw the wheels turning in his head.

"I'm never gonna give you up, you know that, right?" he grinned.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," you giggled softly. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

[yuespropagandablog]

Hello esteemed mutual. If you are reading this, then that means my propaganda is working. But you might still have questions, so I am here to answer them. And also, it is my duty to report back on it, because the first game was chosen by you, my mutuals. 2025 might give us the idea that democracy is not as fun as we thought, since people choose to elect absolute imbeciles, but moments like this show that it does have value!

What are the OXENFREE games?

The OXENFREE games are two games from Night School Studio. The first game, OXENFREE, came out in 2016, and the sequel OXENFREE II: Lost Signals came out in 2023.

OXENFREE follows Alex. Alex, her stoner best friend Ren, and new step-brother Jonas are going to Edwards Island for an overnight party. It’s a school tradition, and it’s finally their turn. Unfortunately, only two other people show up: Nona, who Ren has a crush on, and Clarissa, who is a dick towards everyone. Things change when Alex unknowingly opens a rift to a paranormal dimension and whatever entity is stuck there, tries to cross to Alex’s dimension. This would mean destroying the world. Alex and Jonas traverse through Edwards Island, saving the others and trying to find a way home.

OXENFREE II has a different protagonist, namely Riley. Riley returns to the small town of Camena for a job. She and her new colleague Jacob are tasked to place some transmitters in order to understand what is going on. Strange phenomena have been happening on Camena and Edwards Island, an island off the coast of Camena. Riley and Jacob find out that three members of a local cult called Parentage are trying to reopen the rift that Alex closed (spoilers, oops) in the first game, since they believe it leads them to paradise. Riley and Jacob need to find a way to stop them, but by doing so, they travel through time, including a past that Riley tries to escape and a future Riley cannot fathom.

Have a trailer for OXENFREE:

And of OXENFREE II:

What makes these games different from others in the genre?

With genre, I assume you mean story-driven narrative games, not horror, because apart of Cult of the Lamb, I haven't played any other horror-esque games.

What I adore about these games is the "walk and talk" mechanic. Night School Studio wanted to tell a story, but not in a visual novel style. And they also did not want any cutscenes. This means that during most of the story, Alex and Riley can still freely explore the area and interact with their surroundings, while talking to other characters. Instead of a game where the other gameplay gets stopped to do dialogue, or of a game that relies on cutscenes to tell big story moments, the gameplay continues here. There are some moments where you have to listen, but sometimes conversations also continue as you move to another part of the map. (At least in OXENFREE II. I can't remember if it's the case for OXENFREE, cause I only found out about OXENFREE II when I was almost done with the game, lol. I kept waiting in an area for the current dialogue to be done.)

This, my friend, was great! I like visual novels. I like cutscenes. But to much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Visual novels bore me after a while, and a string of cutscenes is also a bit annoying to sit through at times. Here, Alex and Riley can keep moving around, exploring the area, interacting with what they see, using their radio and what not. And also, you can choose not to talk! Since the rest of the game isn't paused, life goes on. If you don't choose a dialogue option in time, the options disappear altogether. Sometimes, dialogue needs to chosen at a quick pace, or sometimes, the options linger for a long time. And there have definitely been moments where I thought it was best to remain quiet.

Also, both games allow subtitles, and each character has a specific colour, so when there's overlap, you can still see who's talking. That's cool. In OXENFREE, you have to toggle them on every time you start the game, though, so don't forget! Oh, and all characters are fully voiced.

What is the difference between the two games?

OXENFREE II takes place 5 years after the first OXENFREE. On paper, you can play this game without playing the first, but you miss a lot of context. Really, why would you? OXENFREE II takes the same gameplay mechanics from OXENFREE to tell a new, but adjacent story. OXENFREE II feels different from its predecessor, since there is a different objective, a different setting, and also different characters. Alex and her friends were teens. Riley and Jacob are in their 30s. I think this allows for a different story to flourish, since Riley has come back to Camena to reconnect with her dad after her life in the city fell apart. In OXENFREE, you learn Alex's backstory through the dialogue options you can pick, and the same goes for Riley in OXENFREE II, but the sequel puts more emphasis on time travel, so it’s not just tell, but also show. I also like that this game had some nice plot twists that made you change how you see your plans and past actions. OXENFREE’s story was more condensed and focused, but I think OXENFREE II’s story is good in its own right. 

On the surface, it looks like OXENFREE II has a smaller cast. It’s just Riley and Jacob. But Riley can find contact information all over the town. This leads to a few contacts in her walkie-talkie, and constantly talking to those people gives them a story as well. This also contributes to the more scattered storytelling from OXENFREE II, but I liked getting to know all these people, and if you don't, the walkie-talkie storylines are optional.

The dialogue options of course lead to different outcomes. Both games have different endings. The characters around Alex and Riley react to what they say, do and choose. You can make Alex and Riley more optimistic, or you can make them jaded and bitter. You can make them friendly, or you can make them rude. The effects of the choices in OXENFREE feel more immediate, whereas in OXENFREE II it all pays off in the ending. This is why some people say that your choices do not matter as much in OXENFREE II, but trust me, they do. It feels like OXENFREE II actually has more ending variations than OXENFREE.

I admit that I get why people were put off by the differences. OXENFREE really is a horror story with a clear objective, and OXENFREE II isn't. OXENFREE II is also less scary. With OXENFREE, I was constantly afraid what I would find, but that wasn't so in the sequel. OXENFREE felt a lot more jarring, since it's all happening in the moment. There are time loops and glitches and whatever. OXENFREE II has more direct time travel, which adds another layer of mystery. Not to say there aren't time loops in OXENFREE II, but it was just a bit different. I tend to say that OXENFREE II is more philosophical, because its scattered story gives room to think about life's meaning, death, choices and what not, whereas again, in OXENFREE it's all about "we need to get out of this now", since Alex and co. are trapped on Edwards Island.

All of this to say that these games are adjacent and best played together (in my eyes), but that they have a different atmosphere.

Are there content warnings?

Yes. OXENFREE is a horror game where possession by the enemy happens frequently. When Alex's friends are possessed, they may do things that physically harm them. Of course, there's the psychological aspect of all of this too. Mental health issues, loss and trauma underlie some of the stories. There are also "small" jump scares.

OXENFREE II has the same warnings, but in addition there's more focus on complex relationships between parents and children, including relationships that aren't healthy. People are hurtful and manipulative.

Oh yeah and the flashing and glitching effects aren't great for epileptic and photosensitive people.

Where can I play this?

OXENFREE can be played on Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, mobile, Nintendo Switch and through Netflix Games. The same goes for OXENFREE II, and it's in addition available on PlayStation 5.

Can we play together?

Without saying too much, there is a moment in OXENFREE where other players have influence on what is happening, but there is no direct multiplayer. It is a solo game. I don't even know how multiplayer would work in these games.

Is there DLC?

Nope! Or at least, not at the time of writing. OXENFREE did get a free update that added a New Game Plus, with a bit of new gameplay. And in preparation for OXENFREE II, it also got updated so that Parentage, the villain of OXENFREE II, can be found on Alex's radio at times, but that's it. Maybe OXENFREE II will get a similar NG+ update, but I have no clue, and also, I don't need DLC beause I think the story had a great ending. I respect the hell out of that. Sometimes, stories just need to end, and that's better than dragging something on and on.

Are there German characters in the OXENFREE games?

Nope, sorry.

[shefaniquotes]

SHEFANI PLAYLIST (Spotify 🎧)

Songs that have been referenced by Blake or Gwen in connection to their relationship or are otherwise associated with them

1. Hotline Bling – Drake

💬 Blake: "Gwen sang it to me on 'The Tonight Show' one night, so ..."

🎼Call me on my cell phone Late night when you need my love I know when that hotline bling That can only mean one thing

2. Step By Step – Eddie Rabbitt

💭 Blake often sang this song in BSers Lounge – fans associated it with Shefani

🎼First step, ask her out and treat her like a lady Second step, tell her she's the one you're dreaming of Third step, take her in your arms and never let her go Don't you know that step by step, step by step, you'll win her love?

3. Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks

💬 Blake: "We should [cover that song]." Shefani fans favorite since Gwen performed the song in December 2015

🎼But I carry this feeling When you walked into my house That you won't be walking out the door Still, I carry this feeling When you walked into my house That you won't be walking out the door

4. I've Been Lookin' – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

💭 Back in summer 2018, Blake’s mom posted a video of them singing this song while driving in OK

🎼I've been looking for a love Someone to hold as I lay sleepin' I'm not talking 'bout someone Who's scared of promises Or keepin' 'em I'm just looking for a love To stand the test of time I've been lookin' for someone To be all mine

5. Baby I'm-a Want You – Bread

💬 Gwen: "What’s that song that I love…?" - Blake: "Baby I'm-a Want You by Bread?"

Blake on The Voice: "Gwen's not kidding. We listen to Bread all the time."

🎼Used to be my life was just emotions passing by Then you came along and made me laugh and made me cry You taught me why Baby, I'm-a want you Baby, I'm-a need you

6. There’s No Stoppin’ Your Heart – Marie Osmond

💬 Blake: "I love that song ‘There’s No Stopping Your Heart."

🎼I plan to be the one who sticks around Ooh your love could lift me up above the clouds I get so high when I'm with you, I may never come down When forever starts, There's no stopping, no stopping, no stopping your heart

7. I Want To Know What Love Is – Foreigner

💬Gwen: "You took a song that’s actually on my makeout playlist"

🎼I wanna know what love is I want you to show me I wanna feel what love is I know you can show me

8. So Small – Carrie Underwood

💬 Blake on The Voice back in 2016: "I completely got wrapped up in the lyrics of that song. You delivered the message to me tonight, and I totally related to the lyrics of that song."

🎼And what you've been out there searching for forever Is in your hands Oh, and when you figure out love is all that matters after all It sure makes everything else Seem so small

9. Haven’t Got Time for the Pain – Carly Simon

💬 Gwen: "I would dedicate this song to @Blakeshelton gx."

🎼All those crazy nights when I cried myself to sleep Now melodrama never makes me weep anymore 'Cause I haven't got time for the pain I haven't got room for the pain I haven't the need for the pain Not since I've known you

10. Stricken – No Doubt

💬 "She asked me if I knew the song Stricken and told me she recently sent it to Blake."

🎼I love you completely I guess I'm kinda mad about you I love you, I love you I do Love overcomes all of my senses Lowers all of my defenses, yeah

11. Defenseless – Kirk Jay

💬 Blake: “This is my life right now.”

🎼Oh, I'm defenseless Like a drought to a flame I’m defenseless Girl, when you say my name But the thing is I have never felt safer than this

12. Lookin' For Love – Johnny Lee

💬 Blake before playing the song: "I’ll try. I gotta do it for Gwen."

🎼Well, I spent a lifetime lookin' for you Single bars and good time lovers were never true Playing a fools game, hopin' to win And tellin' those sweet lies and losin' again You came knockin' on my heart's door You're everything I've been looking for

13. Turn Your Lights Down – Bob Marley and the Wailers

💬 Blake: "Gwen and I have a playlist. I want their version." - John: "It's a good love song for when you guys..." - Blake: "You're talking about loove."

🎼This potion might, this ocean might, carry me In a wave of emotion to ask you to marry me And every word, every second, and every third Expresses the happiness more clearly than ever heard (uh) And when I play 'em, every chord is a poem Tellin' the Lord how grateful I am because I know him (what? word) The harmonies possess a sensation similar to your caress (uh)

14. In Your eyes – Peter Gabriel

💭 The first dance song

🎼In your eyes The light, the heat (Your eyes) I am complete (Your eyes) I see the doorway to a thousand churches (Your eyes)

15. Islands in the Stream – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

💬 Gwen: "That song would be my dream if me and Blake could do that song together one day."

🎼I can't live without you if the love was gone Everything is nothing if you got no one And you did walk in the night Slowly losing sight of the real thing But that won't happen to us and we got no doubt Too deep in love and we got no way out

[lakemojave]

Mojave's Top Ten Games of 2023 (3 of which actually came out this year)

I figured I should make a list like this at some point, but I didn't actually play many new games this year. Well, I played tons of games for the first time and loved so many of them, but few of them were new releases. At my current stage as a game critic, I'm playing a lot of catchup, trying to get context for current games, playing the classics and the seminal franchises of the medium. I do not have a game of the year pick. Even though I was behind the curve, I still wanna talk about the experiences that moved me this year.

Honorable mentions:

Baldur's Gate 3 (2023): One of the densest, fleshed out, satisfying narrative RPGs the gaming industry has seen in years. Immersive, well written and charming, no two people can have the same experience with this game because of how much variance and player choice is accounted for in the gameplay and script alike. It's for that reason it's not on the list though--not only have I not finished it, I'm also not doing it singleplayer, and am missing out on much of that juicy story content in favor of me and my group's meta-narrative.

Black Mesa (2020): The remake of the first half life is sharp, smooth, and immersive, combining what was visually and narratively compelling about Half Life 2 back into the original story. It has some of my favorite setpieces of the entire half life catalogue now, which is saying a lot. It's off the list in favor of the original.

Dead Space (2023): A triumphant return to the horrors of the Ishimura incident, with insidious twists to the game design and story that disrupt a fan's familiarity with the game world time again. It scared the fuck out of me so many times, but the bittersweet feeling I get thinking about the fate of the Dead Space franchise means RE4 gets its spot.

10. Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals (2023)

The long awaited sequel to 2016's Oxenfree caught me by surprise after playing the first game just before it. Playing the original teen horror, I'm struck by how grating some of the dialogue can be, how sophomoric and cheap it can feel without drinking deep of the content. What makes this version of teen horror so compelling, though, is that through sympathetic participation with Alex, you catch yourself from griping at the young characters for making foolish choices, which is very effective.

What's stunning about this sequel is that in the 7 year gap between games, it's not just the team and the audience that has matured, it's the writing all around. Your character, Riley, is in her early 30s, returning to her hometown and feeling very existential as she peers into the past, the future, and the unknown in between time and space. The world of Camena and Edwards Island is expanded on those lines, the thematic focus becomes resonant and emotionally devastating, and the dynamic with young characters, familiar or not, demonstrates how strong this second chapter to the oxenfree story really is.

9. Resident Evil 4 (2023)

Look. I love a horror game. 2005's Resident Evil 4 may be among the best of them, and it may be timeless in its own right, and it may be foundational to so many other games I love today, but god damn is this remake fun. With sharper visuals and atmosphere than the original, intricate new resource systems like knife durability and parries, and some updated character work, it's safe to say this is a categorically different game than the original. Plenty of material was cut from the main game, like the IT fight or the laser hallway, which found their way into the DRASTICALLY improved Separate Ways expansions, starring Ada Wong. It's not my favorite Resident Evil, and it's far from the scariest, but it's the one with Leon's spin kick, and there's nothing more satisfying than that.

I do maintain a lot of early gripes I had with the remake. When Resident Evil 8: Village came out in 2021, it borrowed a lot of mechanical, narrative, and aesthetic tropes from RE4, updating them to a new game in the wake of the remakes of RE2 and 3. Those remakes were truly transformational masterpieces, blending all of Resident Evil's best aspects to create new, distinct experiences. RE4, the original, didn't really need much updating, it's been ported to hell and back already and is so ubiquitous that there was no real need to bring it back into the zeitgeist. Nothing can really be gained by this remake except for a victory lap for Capcom.

Cynicism aside, FUCK YEAH, TWO CAKES!

8. Mass Effect (2006)

I should say that the version of Mass Effect I'm playing is not the one that came out in 2006. The Legendary edition does a bit of graphical and mechanical tweaks to update some of the dated aspects. That's kind of a shame, because the dated aspects are what's so fascinating about Mass Effect. Between Baldur's Gate 3, Disco Elysium, and now the early Fallout games, I find myself taken by classic CRPG design, which accommodates such a wide variety of player choice. Mass Effect doesn't have too much choice in it--the progression and ending are pretty much fixed from the beginning, you basically choose what flavor of the script that you want.

In that way, I like Mass Effect as a transitional piece--an attempt to bring the aspects of early CRPGS into the modern, console games market, with all the budget EA would give them. The writing and design are...satisfactory. The shooting could be more robust, the characters could have more personality, and to the series' credit those things do come about in Mass Effect 2 (which I'm sure I'll gush about when I finish it).

It's the presentation I love here. Mass Effect has maybe one of my favorite sci fi settings I've ever seen. A vast array of alien civilizations, a rich history filled with interesting lore, a competent portrayal of intergalactic politics, all delivered by characters that are deep and interesting. The voicework is also some of the best I've ever seen, and although there are many standouts, Jennifer Hale's Shepard is just tremendous. Actually playing Mass Effect may be a slog, completionist play might require some of the worst loot grinding I've ever seen, but that is all secondary to the way I was captivated by Mass Effect's version of the final frontier.

7. Half Life (1998)

I did a whole ass 5 hour video essay about Half Life, and I don't wanna belabor how much I like this game and series too much more. I loved Half life 2 and the portal games for years, but it was only for that project that I actually got around to playing this. It's a real bonafide classic, containing so many tropes of modern immersive action games WAY ahead of their time. The setting of Black Mesa is deep and engaging, the environmental storytelling is strong, and the voicework is natural and believable (for the most part.) Sometimes as a game critic I have to give some allowances to an older game for some of its jank and some of its rough edges, let myself see the thing just for what it is without all my modern hangups. I don't have to do that with Half Life like I do for other games. There's parts of it that are rough, like the Interloper and On a Rail chapters, but Half Life feels just as good to play now as it did 25 years ago.

6. Dredge (2023)

There's an old tumblr post that proposes a fishing game that's secretly a horror game. That post imagines a game that starts out normal and comfortable, but as the game goes on the player would catch stranger species of fish, soon finding monsters lurking in the deep and hidden secrets. It got a lot of peoples' imaginations going and engaged a lot of fan artists and even more comments riffing on this idea.

Dredge is that game. I was so gleefully surprised to see this game go through every single one of those steps in the first region alone. The game has a strong atmosphere and great art, leading to some real weird and nasty fish to catch and fill out the weird and spooky encyclopedia. Fishing at night gives you different and weirder fish, but it also raises your panic meter, which can cause hallucinations and open you up to monster attacks. It's a pretty ambiently scary game for the most part, and I almost chalked it up to being more horror themed than actual horror, until this one lagoon where a giant tentacle suddenly shot up at me out of a sudden drop in the ocean floor. I fuckin yelped, actually screamed in a way only two other games have gotten me to do this year.

5. Alien: Isolation (2014)

I have never, in my life, felt more powerless in a game than when I played Alien: Isolation. I'm used to games like Resident Evil, where you have a toolset for survival that is limited, but allows you to give actual pushback towards the zombies trying to get you. I played Amnesia: The Dark Descent this year too, the opposite of this dynamic, where you have NO means of resistance whatsoever, and the binary outcomes of monster encounters of that game completely broke my immersion.

Alien: Isolation actually gives you myriad crafted tools to overcome your obstacles, from human scavengers to androids to the xenomorph herself. Yet, the impossible speed and predatory senses of the monster means that one slip up means instant death, and the death animations are pretty brutal. Through cunning and cautious play, you can slip past the Alien enough times to where you get a flamethrower, which will repel her in a pinch. However, her AI is advanced to the point where she will learn your habits between deaths, look for you in lockers if you hide in them a lot, resist certain tricks like noisemaker bombs or flares. It's in keeping with how the 1979 movie presents her: a perfect killing machine. In fact, its the way so much of the Sevastopol resembles the aesthetic of that early film that not only helps the atmosphere, but makes the alien's power more believable. Immersive and terrifying, Alien: Isolation is a horror triumph.

4. Undertale (2015)

Yeah that's not actually a joke. I really did only play Undertale this year, and I was really actually completely blind going into it. Of all the games I'm happy I got to experience fresh, it was this one. Undertale seems tropey in its game design, story beats, and writing style 8 years later, but that's because so much of its design has been cannibalized by indie developers going after this aesthetic. As a bullet hell, it's...fine. As a meta commentary on retro RPGs and on the act of violence in video games in general, it's incredible. It legitimately gave me immense joy to reach the end and have my stubborn insistence on pacifism challenged even further, and then rewarded in the best possible way. I got to experience it on stream, too, with some friends who had played it previously and one who did not, and we all did the common thing and did funny voices for everybody. It's created some real cherished memories for me, memories that wouldn't have hit as hard if I did not wait to play Undertale.

3. Metal Gear Solid (1998)

Now here's a game I truly thought I'd never get around to. I'm a big fan of the Metal Gear series and when I learned that konami was releasing the master collection pack of the first 3 games, I was fuckin' stoked. If there's one other game that dictated the trajectory of storytelling and presentation of modern games like Half Life did, it's this one.

Having played the first two metal gears, the 2D ones from the late 80s, I was struck by how much of the basic design beats of Metal Gear come directly from the early titles. Seeing them translated into 3D is just incredible--all the prototypical stealth design transcribed so seamlessly into a much more legible visual language to me. The shooting may feel like ass and the bosses may have healthbars the size of Alaska, but the moment to moment sneaking in this game is so intricate and thorough that you really do feel like a tactical master as you go about it.

None of that touches on what's most memorable about Metal Gear Solid, and that's the presentational aspects. The animations and models might be worse than Half Life's, but the writing and voice acting is just world class. David Hayter as Snake, Cam Clarke as Liquid, Christopher Randolph as Otacon, and Patrick Zimmerman as Ocelot (hell even an early Jennifer Hale role) are astounding performances, even today. The cutscenes and dialogue are certainly oversaturated and long, but goddamn if I don't like watching and listening to them. I love this damn game.

2. Bloodborne (2015)

Bloodborne has been more of a myth and less of a game for me. I played some bits at a friend's house in 2017 and never owned a PS4 so I never thought playing it would be possible for me. I obsessively watched lore videos and playthroughs which got me into Dark Souls 3, then Sekiro, then Elden Ring, which has fueled much of my activity on twitch and as a game critic in general. It was only this year that that same friend lent me her PS4 and I played Bloodborne 3 whole times until I 100% the game in a matter of months. The experience was so meaningful to me that I ended up scrapping my first bloodborne video and starting from scratch, this time with Bloodborne Kart dev Lilith Walther as a guest.

I have never been more immersed in a game world than I have been in Bloodborne's. Yharnam is not only such a dense and intricate city, it is drop dead gorgeous in such a grotesque and macabre way. Many words and many writers have already described the surreal hypergothic smokescreen shrouding the insidious cosmic beings steering the terror and bloodshed from out of sight, so I won't repeat them here. You don't forget the sights and sounds of Bloodborne--they linger in your imagination, the visual language shapes your own ability to conceive of images and ideas in horror fiction, twisting the familiar into stranger shapes and forms.

Plus it just feels so fucking good to play. I like From Software titles and their style of combat, and I like how fast combat works in Sekiro and Elden Ring, but neither of those games accommodate brutality like Bloodborne does. You're meant to attack recklessly, cravenly, no blocking, just press the attack again and again until you're drenched in the gore and blood of your foes. You feel like one among the beasts--after all, what difference is there between a predator and the man that hunts them?

1. Signalis (2022)

I have not stopped thinking about Signalis since I played it the first time. The game is like a fucking honeypot for me. It's got Resident Evil style tank controls as an option, with similar combat and inventory management, themes and presentation similar to Silent Hill, and a sci fi flourish akin to Dead Space. So what, it's every great horror game jammed into one retro style amalgamation? Sounds like a great time for me!

That's just the surface, the hook of it all. While the game certainly uses this familiarity to pull you in and make you comfortable and excited for its own terrors, there's a creeping feeling of unease as you continue to revel in the horror and gore that's taken over these halls. Your character, Elster, is a special ops android in a fictional fascist regime, who has abandoned her post to search for her human partner, whose identity eludes her as she slips into delusion. After reaching the depths of the first area, where the space mine turns into a hall of flesh and viscera, the very walls pulsing and dripping, the world suddenly resets, and you find yourself back in the very first zone, now covered in the same blood and gore. The characters cry out in pain at you, begging you to stop, to turn back, to stop prolonging their hell with your own pursuit of an ending. A chalkboard in a classroom with a pretty frivolous note early on now reads "YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE."

If I go on I'm gonna spoil the whole game, but that part there is the essence of Signalis to me. Many games will challenge your own enthusiasm for playing, question the time you spend in the game rather than like, going outside or something. Few games will actively blame you for prolonging the suffering of the game's inhabitants and creating a self contained digital hell. Few games will ask you "why do you want terror?" in the way that Signalis does.

Signalis is a triumph of horror game design. The imagery is horrifically cryptic, the worldbuilding is dense, the monster design and soundscapes are creepy and effective, the gameplay feels desperate and every bullet fired feels like a scream for help. Signalis is my favorite game I played this year, hands down.

[alphaofdarkness]

For the Sabezra Secret Santa ask game:

🕐, 🧠,🌟 and 🎄

Thank you so much for the ask @bart1607 ! ☺️ perdón for the absolute insane rambles lol~

🕐 When did you start shipping sabezra?

Ooof, take me back to 2015-2016, I think I remember liking a few things from The Force Awakens back when it came out and remember being recommended a few arts here and there of Star Wars. Eventually, Sabine popped up and fell in love with her design + art of her, I also saw a few here and there with Ezra.

I can’t recall the specific artists (it may have been one of arrival-layne’s draws 🥺) but like, I just LOVED their color scheme and how well they meshed and twined together on the art (sometimes I fall for couple just by their color palette and how well they fit together lol). I think I liked a couple more works and just loved how cute they looked together based on their season 1-2 designs!

I think at some point after, maybe some time in early 2016 or later into season 3, I saw that the series was playing on the tv and remembered the art on the two of them and was immediately drawn in to watch the show for them (gradually just falling more in love with Sabine and Ezra as individuals and together + the rest of the ghost crew 🥺).

I think the episode that overall solidified my love for sabezra was likely Imperial Supercommandos, just the whole episode showing their partnership, their trust in one another, the whole jet pack ride and the insane in sync moments of trust, like Sabine flying back to Ezra and him trusting her to catch him like 😭 and the end where he returns the action by catching her by her hand when her jet pack is shot ✨

Y’all I’m going to eat them I’m sorry 🐺🐺😌😌

This episode just makes me giddy and soft, the growth of their relationship is just beautiful to me!

I will also say that when I got into watching the show, I had only seen a few clips and gifs here and there where Sabine gifted Ezra the holo picture of his parents and I just 😭 I will say that moment comes a close second to how I fell for sabezra 🥺✨ I have since grown to appreciate that scene as a warm and endearing moment of Sabine showing her fondness for Ezra and appreciating his presence as a member of the Ghost crew and a growth to them becoming friends; officially saying his name, “Happy Birthday Ezra Bridger.”

🧠 Any favorite sabezra headcanons

I had to think about these for a bit 👉🏼👈🏼 I try and list 2 and if the question is asked again I list another 2 ✨💜

1. I love the idea of Sabine and Ezra maintaining some communication while Sabine was on Knowest, I can’t recall how long she was away, but just the idea of them talking to each other late at night or whatever the other was available to talk makes me tear up 🥹. Sabine telling Ezra how boring and how colorless her home feels after being away for so long. Or how she misses the warm red and oranges of Antallon (the bright orange that is Ezra hehe) and just the explosion of color with the rest of the Ghost crew; but is excited about nearing the search for her father and talk to him about the art and her art style growth. How she misses him— and the others too! 🥺

Ezra talking about all that is happening in the rebellion, how he almost helped Kallus break out from the Empire and likely sharing about the art Thrawn has collected of hers (which makes her angry >:( how dare he!). I feel like he would also make some small details about how Maul is no longer an issue to deal with and about how he misses her too 🥺

They would stay up as much as they could to talk to each other 👉🏼👈🏼

2. I also have a headcanon of Sabine complementing on Ezra’s doodles whenever she gets a glimpse of them, she was very taken aback by his simple sketches of Lothal and his tower and his loth cats (his draws taken from his journal/diary that he has) and can’t help but praise him (artists always praise all doodles) 🥺🧡 He is very bashful about them at first and always mentions how hers are always more beautiful and incredible.

To which she playful punches his shoulder, how she is serious, his draws are adorable and he should keep trying at them. I love the idea of them just developing this soft friendship over the course of s1-2 with art, Sabine maybe gifting him a small drawing book for him to keep practicing on, especially after she allowed him to draw a few things in hers. To which she often reflects on over the years ahead, especially during her time on Krowest and soon after he was purrgiled.

I don’t know 👉🏼👈🏼 I’m sure Sabine allowed him to used her spray gun whenever they were defacing the Empire propaganda ✨ also Ezra keeping his drawing book or making one while he is in exile in Peridea and keeping up his drawings to show Sabine when they reunite 🤩 HER FINDING IT IN HIS POD AFTER RETURNING BACK WHEN EZRA DEPARTS WITH THRAWN 😭

The feelings of art ✨💜🧡

🌟 Favorite Christmas tradition!

Y’all may laugh (or it maybe more common than I believe) but I didn’t know till I transferred college basically, outside of my hometown, that Christmas festivities are normally celebrated on the 25th 😅

I come from a Hispanic household and a border town in Texas that usually celebrates Christmas on the 24th. The actual Christmas Day is spent sleeping in, eating the leftovers from the day before and just relaxing, enjoying the break and holiday with my parents and sister (occasionally a few tios drop by for some lunch or to drop off or pick up other gifts).

Anyways~ all this to say, my favorite tradition is literally waiting until midnight of the 25th with all the family and friends to basically open the gifts 🎁 While I have since grown up not caring much about the gifts, it’s just being able to see the family siting together, often full of laughs and jokes here and there about the gifts received. We have done the white elephant gift exchange a few times some of the years before and it was always just a loud bustle of laughs with the family, full of jokes and tease and it just warms my heart thinking about it.

There was a year where everyone was just getting bofandas (scarfs 🧣) and it was just hilarious each time someone opened a present.

And then onwards to more drinking and partying until like 3-4 am ✨ personally, I’m 27, almost 28 😩, (I’ve never been a party or social person) and I get tired and sleepy very fast so uwu catch me passing out in my bed ✨

🎄 Real tree or artifical and how long do you leave it up for?

Ah, I’ve only ever had artificial trees and they are just as messy to put up lol. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone to have had a real tree before 🤔

Personally, I would probably leave it up the whole year if I could lol, when I was living with my parents, I would like to see it linger till the end of January, but they like to put it away as soon as they can. Maybe lasts till the second or third week after Christmas 🎄

—

Have a good day everyone! Happy thanksgiving 🦃 to all who celebrate, and to those that don’t, I hope you have a delicious meal and a wonderful day ahead 🥰💜

[oleskyfm]

Rolled credits on Mass Effect (2007) with some minor mods and the aid of the Legendary Edition. My first playthrough since 2016. This was my favorite of the series, and I've got to go through 2 and 3 now to affirm this, but I'm pretty sure it still is. Some assorted #thots:

My playthrough clocked in at exactly 23 hours according to my final save. Lean and mean.. what a marvel! I don't think RPGs have to be any length, long or short - what matters is the pacing. (Fallout 1 can be comfortably beaten in ~15 hours, New Vegas can take anywhere from 10-60 - both are triumphs.)

ME is the last game Bioware put out before being moved under the banner of EA. I thought about this observation I saw once, made in the furor of ME3's launch, where people compared the credits of each game and noted that very little of the team that did 1 went on to do 2, and even less of 3, etc. Today, pretty much none of those people work at Bioware anymore in the wake of Veilguard and Anthem and EA's layoffs. It remains to be seen whether or not the next Mass Effect - of which we know very little of and is still in pre-production despite being announced in 2020 - will ever see the light of day.

ME is one of the last Bioware games to fit into their comfortable, classic formula and structure. This is still so far and away from what they'd established for themselves as one of the forebearers of popular western RPGs.. and yet ME2 and ME3 still manage to narrow the scope down even further, trim away even more and dilute the games into being an action game first, RPG second. ME1 is flawed and compromised in many of its systems, whether that's inventory management or the exploration of its worlds and the Mako.. but I don't think the answer was to do away with these systems entirely. I'll save the thoughts on 2 for when I'm done with that game - maybe a new playthrough after almost a decade away from it will give me different perspective, anyway.

I played this game when it came out in 2007 as a punk-ass 11 year old who didn't know dirt. I come back to it as a miserable 28 year old who knows a little more. Pretty funny the difference nearly two decades can make.. this game was developed and put out in the Bush era, the War on Terror, where Jack Bauer from 24 was commonly referenced in developer interviews as a touchstone and man does it show sometimes.

The implementation of the conversation wheel here is just as frustrating as it was back then, if not more. I tried to pick more renegade options than I usually did only to be hit with Shepard saying something wildly out of pocket because the little three-word choice did not convey what the actual line was gonna be at all. Reading pre-release interviews of this game with developers suggested that they viewed the wheel as a cinematic marvel - finally! You won't have to read a bunch of text, you can just sit back and enjoy the good stuff.. or so the intended sentiment was hoped to be. Big misfire. It's bad in Cyberpunk, it's worse in Fallout 4.. Dragon Age got a little closer, if only because they eschewed 'paragon/renegade' with tone indicators - but I can't help but grouse and groan and just wish they'd put the full line of dialogue there for you to savor it. I think developers could stand to have more confidence in their players with this stuff and we didn't have to lose as much as we did all in the pursuit of streamlining things.

It's a shame how little you really get to do much of anything with your companions. It dawned on me this time around that the most common form of squad banter - akin to the dialogue you'd hear just wandering around with your party in Dragon Age - is relegated to small chats in the elevator on the Citadel. Ashley and Kaiden are the only two you can regularly check in on after each mission both for a little more of their personal story as well as their thoughts on the actual mission. All 'loyalty/companion/personal' quests are paper-thin and over in less than five minutes, and most of your party has nothing new to say by the halfway mark of the game. Garrus and Tali get by surely on the strength of their vibes and aura and knowledge of where they go in the next two games.. because there is so little to grasp onto in this game for them. Poor Tali has it worst of all - each companion offers a little window into the setting, smoothly (mostly) delivering exposition for some part of the universe alongside their own flavor. Tali has to pull double-duty serving as the sole Quarian of this game + its representation AND a lot about the Geth and has precious little left for herself.

On a similar note.. you really feel the lack of proper interpersonal relations between the crew - it exists, but it's scant, clumsy, and not equal. It's fun seeing your party gather around for a debrief after each mission, but again - with few exceptions, only Ashley, Kaidan, and Liara ever have anything to say in these moments. Input from your crew is mostly just flavor and one-line bark/reacts in conversations - interjections that don't change anything..

Liara is on you almost immediately, it's hilarious. Romance in this series is ........ well ..... I should go.

I'm willing to put my life on the line for this one. Ashley is NOT that bad. There's definitely some clunky and straight up bad lines she's given, but she actually manages to have something resembling an arc in this game, has just as great of a VA as the rest of the companions, offers an interesting perspective and counterbalance that you can begin to shift more towards your way if you see fit .. yes, she's prejudiced - so is almost every other companion, barring Kaidan and Liara. She offers friction, something I find vital and enjoyable in a good RPG party. .. That said, I sacrificed her on Virmire this time because I usually sacrificed Kaidan and, frankly, I don't enjoy what they do with her in 2 and especially 3. It's not your fault, Ash. I like your concept art. If you were bi, I might actually have to flip a coin whether or not I go for Liara or you.

The music.. oh, the music. The music is so, so so good.

Despite it all... regrettably.. I have such a fondness for this setting. This world. These characters.

[andreisvechnikov]

Andrei Svechnikov: A Primer

written October 5th, 2023

BASICS:

Born 26 March 2000 in Barnaul, Russia

Right winger on the Carolina Hurricanes (who drafted him 2nd overall in 2018)

6’2 and 195 lbs

Andrei’s first and foremost a family oriented person. One of the most important people in his life is his brother, Evgeny. He followed Evgeny everywhere, including to Michigan in 2016, where in juniors he played for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks; near Grand Rapids where Evgeny was playing for the Red Wings AHL affiliate. Svechnikov led the team in scoring and was named to the All-USHL Team and declared USHL Rookie of the Year. He then was selected first overall by the OHL’s Barrie Colts and later won the Emms Family Award as rookie of the year. After being selected 2nd overall by Carolina, he chose the number 37, the same as his brother.

On their childhood: 

“We didn’t have much money,” Evgeny said of their childhood in Siberian Russia. “We ate from the same plate. We did everything together.” “I’ve waited for this my whole life,” Andrei said, sweat still dripping. “It’s my dream. My dream came true.” “It’s huge,” Evgeny said of both the goal and their relationship. “It’s everything.” “They moved from job to job every city,” Evgeny said. “They sacrificed so much for us.” If you ask Evgeny, there was “no doubt” Andrei would make it from the time he started dominating older competition at 5 years old. Evgeny was 8 when he fostered that opinion. Clearly he was on to something. (X)

The brothers have a special handshake and Evgeny wears a bracelet Andrei gave him everyday.

In the NHL:

Andrei made NHL history being the first player to ever score a lacrosse style goal. Seen here.

And is the only player (so far) to do two successfully.

But he can do tricks off the ice too. His first few years on the Hurricanes, he enjoyed learning magic tricks. Here's one with former beat reporter Sara Civian.

Andrei is loved by many, if not most, current and former teammates, coaches, media, and more. 

Praise from others: 

“I’m just proud of the kid in general,” Brind’Amour said after his first win as coach and Svechnikov’s first point. “He’s a great kid. He wants to learn and he’s got a lot to learn, but he’s going to be a great player in this league. You gotta remember how young he is, and that’s something I have to keep reminding myself. He’s just a kid, and he’s out there in the NHL and he doesn’t look out of place. We’re very fortunate to have him.”

(X)

Former Muskegon Lumberjacks GM John Vanbiesbrouck once told me he didn’t want to drop a bomb too soon, but yeah, he could see hints of Gordie Howe in a young Svechnikov. Vanbiesbrouck was more comfortable with a comparison to Todd Bertuzzi. “You know what? He’s hard to compare to anyone because there’s not a lot of guys like him,” he said after Svechnikov’s NHL debut. “Because sometimes he drives the net or sometimes he’ll see a play. He’s so multi-talented. When he drives the net — Todd Bertuzzi, one of the best net-drivers I’ve ever seen. He’s got an acute way to make plays and find lanes and shoot in place. There’s not a lot of guys like him in that way and how he can play a speed game, then a slowed-down game.”

(X)

“We were just hoping, when we got the pick, that we would get someone who was a star,” Carolina owner Tom Dundon says. “And I think we did.” 

(X)

He is a gem. Always has time for everyone. Can’t wait to see him back in action next season for the canes - Justin Williams

(X)

Here's a snippet of a very heart felt interview the Svechnikov brothers gave before their first match up.

What’s his best quality as a person? Evgeny: Humble. Humble, shyness, respectful. There’s not just one word. But one thing (that) comes in my head, humble and respect(ful), of anything: parents, people around, polite. Just a good kid, man. He’s just a good kid. Andrei: I feel like he’s just a kind person — he’s always going to care about you, he’s always going to ask you if something’s wrong. He’s a culture guy. But obviously he gets a little emotional sometimes (laughter) … He’s gotta work on that a little bit, probably. When have you been the proudest of him? Evgeny: Just one thing? … That he doesn’t let himself get down, and anything happens, nothing stops him. But I think he learned that from me (laughs). And yeah, he doesn’t give up and he keeps going. Nothing bothers him, and he’s like a tractor, just keeps going, and I’m telling you, he learned that from me. Andrei: Every day, to be honest. Every day I am proud of him, to be completely honest. He’s been through a lot, there have been a lot of hard things. He was injured, now he’s here in the show. It’s going to be fun to play against him. I’m proud of him every day. Anything else you want to add about him? Evgeny: That I love him so much. He’s a great brother. Andrei: I don’t know, really — did he say anything interesting? The Athletic: He said he loves you so much and that you’re a great brother. Andrei: I love him so much, too. He is my hero.

Read the rest here.

A big mama's boy. (1)(2)

Friends on the team:

When he first joined the Hurricanes, Andrei became good friends with Dougie Hamilton and Warren Foegele. They all lived in the same building and new to the team. The Hurricanes even made a video of them hanging out and talking about their friendship called the “Three Amigos.”

Even after both Dougie and Warren were traded to other teams, he remains good friends with them. (X)

**Fun fact: Both Dougie and Warren had to pick new numbers with their new teams. Dougie, formerly #19, picked 7, (at the time, Pavel Zacha already took #37) and Warren, formerly #13,  picked 37.

Andrei has always been good friends with alternate captain, Jordan Martinook. Taken under Marty’s wing from the start in 2018 when they both joined the team, Jordan has a pre-game tunnel tradition to scream Andrei’s last name to hype them up. Martinook will occasionally add in other players but he always exaggerates ‘Mista Svechnikov’ the most. Like another older brother figure, Martinook enjoys messing with Andrei in practice and in general.

After Dougie and Warren were traded, Andrei became closer with Martin Necas. Always good friends, they started going out to eat together more and attended the US Open Men’s Final in 2023.

With Seth Jarvis joining the team, Andrei gained the opportunity to be the "big brother" for once. Pulling pranks and messing around with Jarvy.

Another player who’s allowed Andrei the opportunity to grow as a leader on the team is Pyotr Kochetkov, fellow Russian and a goalie. The two have become good friends, Andrei acting as a guide and translator. 

Andrei loves Carolina, and Carolina loves Andrei. One of the many reasons he agreed to an eight-year, $62 million contract with the Hurricanes in 2021.

Andrei has always loved animals. He’s good with both cats and dogs, looking forward to the annual calendar photoshoot, and adopting one of his own in 2023.

Andrei has never met a penalty box he didn’t like.

(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)

“I just love that style. Just hit hard, you know?,” Svechnikov said. “I think I’m playing a hard game, and that’s why I think I’m scoring goals. I’m gonna hit, then I’m gonna go to the offensive zone and someone’s going to give it to me and then I try and shoot it into the net. Good tries for me. I love that style of play.” (X)

He made the 2023 All Star Game, winning the Fastest Skater competition. The first person he called after was his brother.

He suffered a tear in his left ACL a couple months later, and missed the rest of the season and playoffs. However, he had fun sounding the siren and joining his good friends in the broadcast booth. He had a successful surgery and is recovering well, hoping to start the 2023-2024 season on the right foot.

[chussyracing]

Learning F1 Race Strategy from Former Ferrari, Haas and Alfa Romeo Strategist Ruth Buscombe! – a summary

i love Ruth so i finally made time to watch this interview (she absolutely floored those guys) and made notes for anyone who doesn't have 2 hours of their day to spend on this

she got Seb his first win for Ferrari

she loves Netflix

she uses racing language in her life since her partner is in F1 too

she only ever worked in F1 (started in Ferrari)

she liked sports as a kid, played soccer but probably wasn't too good

her dad was a big McLaren fan

she liked maths at school and was a strange kid and got bullied for it

did masters thesis in collab with FIA focused on DRS because she specialised on thermal and aerospace

she believes she was the only person who got skinny after moving to italy because she has moving sickness, so she threw up basically every day

got headhunted by Ferrari after school

she was excited about porpoising coming back to f1 in 2022 with the new regs, because she did a project on it

she was a McLaren fan, always wanted to get hired by McLaren, got into Ferrari by accident, went to the interview only as a free trip to Ferrari and took it as practice for her McLaren interview

they took her out for dinner afterwards and carbs are way to her heart, everything was so fancy ("even the soap at the bathroom")

McLaren wasn’t cool, just old and grey

didn’t even tell her father she went to Ferrari at first because she was afraid

Ferrari was her home and also a benchmark that she compares everything to now

in 2016 she joined Sauber and the finances were handled completely differently

as a strategist, they have points when they know if they have time to make a decision, they can check with others, sometimes they can make decisions on their own under time pressure (so if they are in s1 and pit entry is in s3 they know they have time to check with everyone first for example)

she worked with Fred for years in Sauber, if they made a mistake, they explained after, but Fred is very expressive facially so they knew immediately

Fred doesn’t add fuel to the pitwall, he doesn’t get in their way at all

she worked with wide range of drivers that operated differently (some like info before the race, some in the middle, Kimi didn’t like too much radio)

with Charles in his debut year 2018, he did a little reminders where she told him which plan and he repeated what the plan means

in her strategy team, she would have Seb (knows a lot), Max (does a lot with tyres), Lando (gamer, can do typing quickly) and Fernando (can find grey areas in rules)

her fave strategy is plan C in Monaco which is rainy strategy going from wets to slicks and they scored points (as the only car going from outside of points into points) with Valtteri this year (or was it last?)

sometimes you also come up with wacky strategy

best in in laps/outlaps is Lewis for her

este takes blue flags the worst, marcus ericsson is the blue flag champion, valtteri had to practice blue flags since he came from a top team and almost didn't see any

played a lot of poker since there is some maths in it

she is a sore loser and very competitive, she cannot have fun when playing board games, everyone hates her when she plays so she is banned from it

she goes to gym every day so she has to do laundry often

on her to do list she likes to cross out the hard tasks first, then the easy ones

if your pitwall is near the pit exit, there is a lot of dust on your skin by the end of the day so sometimes you shower twice a day

under stress your heartbeat goes higher so she does training to tackle this and learn not to make decisions under stress

a lot of people fainted around qatar, she didn’t and was very proud

her job is about 50% maths and 50% communication

she wanted vegas gp since 2013, next she would like Long Beach

she would change safety car delta to make the pitting decision 50/50 worth of risk or reward whereas now everyone pits

if a strategist loses a race by being undercut one race, there is a big chance they will get overcut the next one

ther is a group of people in the strategy department because you could be too predictable as a person (for example you could use the same strategy for the same track every year)