#it has flaws but it's not that bad. it's one of the better ds games | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

downtroddendeity · 9 months ago

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@turnkeyassurance saw your tags and figured I'd take the opportunity to pause my descent into madness to give my more sober opinions on the Ni no Kuni franchise, lol. (Warning: I am a humongous JRPG nerd)

The NNK games are really odd ducks, quality-wise. You can call either one a good game or a bad game and call either one better than the other, and any combination of those opinions can be something I think is entirely justified. Both of them have things they do remarkably well and also serious, profound, deal-breaking flaws, and the really weird thing is that there's almost no overlap between those two lists for the two games. What clicks and doesn't about both of them is going to be deeply individual.

What Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch does, with resounding success, is Vibes. It sets out at every single step with the goal of being a playable Ghibli movie, and it sticks to that principle. It's all about beautiful, cel-shaded whimsy. It's a game for people who want to feel like they're wandering through the meadows in the movie version of Howl's Moving Castle. There are lots of puns, and you can befriend all the random encounter monsters and feed them ice cream.

But that's also its Achilles' heel: because it's dedicated entirely to imitation, it has trouble bringing things to the table that are really its own. It has the visual and narrative aesthetics of Hayao Miyazaki's films, but it doesn't have the raw emotion at the heart of them. And as a game, its mechanics combine the clunkiest features of menu-based combat and action RPGs, and while everything about the Pokemon-esque mechanics seems designed to encourage players to collect and experiment with them, the balancing turns attempting to do that into a miserable grindy nightmare.

The other problem is that it... isn't actually the first Ni no Kuni game. Wrath of the White Witch is, in fact, a remake of the Nintendo DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, which was never released outside Japan. The reason for this is pretty easy to explain, because DDD had another gimmick besides its aesthetics: it came with a real-life physical copy of the wizard spellbook, and the player had to look things up in it and draw sigils on the DS touchscreen to cast spells. So, we've got a high-effort remake that had to completely cut the central mechanic... and which also expanded the plot so that the original main villain was no longer the primary antagonist. This results in a game with what is very clearly a final dungeon and very clearly a final boss and very clearly a resolution to the story, which suddenly has a completely different plot dropped on it like a fucking anvil that it expects you to be just as invested in even though it hasn't had anything like the same level of buildup.

And ironically, this is almost the exact opposite of the biggest problem with Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, a.k.a. the one with my new blorbo, the President of the United Union of Eagleland. 2 is an effort to try to cement an identity for the series that can be its own, rather than requiring them to depend indefinitely on borrowed Miyazaki nostalgia. It just has the teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy problem that at some point in development it had a budget shortfall so bad that you can finish the game without ever realizing that there is a continent-sized crashed interdimensional spaceship on the world map.

This game has had a machete taken to it. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely respect the work they did to make what they could with what they had, but you can see the signs of massive scope cuts to literally every aspect of the game. The back half of the game has almost exclusively recycled enemy and environment assets; voice acting has been trimmed down to canned voice clips; the catboy protagonist's ears and tail are barely animated; one minigame was so inadequately playtested that a level 16 mission is massively harder than level 50 ones; and while whatever restructuring they had to do to the main plot still left the final version with a more solid and coherent central arc than WWW in my opinion, it also left a lot of truly gaping plot holes, like oh, I don't know, why the President of the United States got turned into a 19-year-old.

Literally, they just. Entirely forgot to explain that. Half the DLC is just the writers scrambling to fix stuff like that and add a bunch of character development that should have been in the base game.

However, despite all this, I personally enjoyed NNK2 more than NNK1 unironically, not just for Rolandposting reasons. Compared to the first one, it plays much more smoothly as a straight action RPG, and while it can't provide the same knock-your-socks-off aesthetic cohesion, to me it seemed a lot more heartfelt- that is, like a game that was made because people had a story they wanted to tell.

But, well, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the non-unironic reasons, because the story they really, genuinely wanted to tell was about a magical catboy growing up and learning to become a leader, and somehow, miraculously, they really thought that was the story I was here for too when they opened the game with the President of the United States being isekaied by Nuke-kun.

Sorry, guys, I have a crippling addiction to dramatic irony and my day job is tech work in local politics, you could not have more laser-targeted this at making me specifically laugh my ass off if you tried.

#turnkeyassurance #reply #gameblogging #/#//#ni no kuni #ni no kuni 2

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crystalelemental · 13 days ago

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I've been hitting a mild rut with Pokemon, while simultaneously retreating into familiar comfort games that won't really challenge me much, but I'm also feeling kinda stagnant. My initial thought was "I should pick up another Etrian Odyssey game!" And then I didn't. But while looking for options, I realized...while I'm doing better with the Switch, I really do not branch out at all.

For clarification: the entirety of both my DS and 3DS library of physical games? Pokemon, Etrian Odyssey, and Fire Emblem. That is literally all I own, barring like two games. Even the GBA carts are all just Pokemon Gen 3 and Fire Emblem 7. I barely owned Wii or WiiU games, with most of them just being Zelda. I think I have maybe five WiiU games total.

The Switch catalogue has a lot more variety going for it, more than I've probably ever had in my life. But I still find it hard, sometimes, to branch out. Part of that is finance, I don't necessarily want to spend on new games. There was one that the art caught my attention in the news, and when I went to check it out it was fucking $80. I am not paying that for a game. It also went on to talk about your male protagonist despite all the box art being female characters, so honestly just fuck that.

With Echoes of Wisdom, I do think I've kind of identified part of the problem as "not wanting to feel stuck." One streamer I watch talked about how the mobile market and console games competing directly with them has led to a higher rate of instant gratification and people can't sit with discomfort and frustration anymore, and...there may be some truth to that. Granted, I was never particularly good with it, but I can feel when I'm playing an unfamiliar game and encounter something I don't immediately understand, my instinct is to jump straight for the guide. I did that around four times with EoW, but there was one situation where I didn't and figured out the puzzle and felt super clever. It's more rewarding, but it's time consuming, and I am covetous of my time, even if I don't do the most with it.

And what this results in is an aversion to trying out something new. That's potentially going to eat a lot of time and what if I don't like it? I wasted my time then, didn't I? Because that's never happened before. I certainly didn't have a phase playing and reading stuff I knew I would hate just to get mad at it. So what's the issue taking a chance on something that might be good? It is the lack of assurance? If I know I'll hate it, at least I went in knowing what to expect, I guess.

In another direction, part of the issue is not really knowing what I enjoy. Genre in games is already hard to define, but it makes it incredibly challenging to know how to articulate what I like, and what might land well.

Like, okay, I like Pokemon. Maybe other monster catching games are good? Nexomon was a knockout success (though not entirely because of monster catching), but I didn't care much for Cassette Beasts, and every Digimon game has been a resounding miss for me. Nexomon was just a fun story, and Pokemon is nostalgia so it succeeds in spite of its horrid flaws.

But hey, that streamer calls Pokemon an adventure game primarily. Maybe what you need is more adventure games? Maybe. But that's Zelda, and modern Zelda I do not like at all. The open-world approach isn't fun, and I don't actually like tricky or punishing combat systems I have to be good at in real time. I wouldn't know what else to look for, considering my dislike for active systems in most scenarios. Do not test my reaction speed, it is bad.

Well, what about Fire Emblem, then? Maybe you really like tactics games? Maybe. But if it weren't for Unicorn Overlord, I'd say the entire genre outside of FE sucked. Triangle Strategy was awful in pretty much every direction, and even Tactics Ogre, which I had on good authority is one of the Big Names for strategy, felt so slow and offputting that I put it down after maybe two hours. I know the ongoing joke is that FE sucks and even its fans hate it, but I legitimately think they're the only tolerable strategy games to me.

So okay, what about Etrian Odyssey? Maybe you like dungeon crawlers? This...might actually be the dead ringer, depending on difficulty. I haven't played many, but I really enjoy EO (games 3 onward, anyway), and the one attempt at another in Class of Heroes did land favorably for CoH2, at least, despite some chatter about how the games don't get tolerable until 3. I dunno, I thought it had personality. I'd play 2 again. I think it's just a question of how difficult others would actually be, because consistently, I hear feedback of "The game is super hard and will kick your ass," and I am admittedly easily intimidated by the prospect of difficulty I can't adjust.

But there are other aspects. What about the Atelier games, you loved them even if you fell off after Shallie. Ryza is rare and expensive so I've had some trouble there, but we tried Rune Factory 5 and it was...fine? More importantly, the structure of these games gets me so obsessed that I'm in an actively worse mood when I am working. I can basically only play them during breaks, or I am Miserable.

What about Final Fantasy? Maybe you need more story-centric RPGs? ...actually, maybe I do need more story-centric RPGs, post cancelled, anyone have Switch recommendations? Bonus points if it's a female lead.

I think I just. Struggle. Sometimes. To find things that I feel like would be to my taste. I want to branch out, but I think I am often intimidated out of trying. I don't really know what I want.

#personal shenanigans

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crusherthedoctor · 7 months ago

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What is your opinion on Sonic Colours? I know the fandom has turned on it since it had the "baldy mcnosehair" joke that killed everyone's grandmothers and it wasn't full of melodrama like the 2000's games, but the quality remains consistent the entire way through. It's not "good in some parts" (Unleashed) or "average at best if you ignore this part" (most Sonic games), Colours is a consistently good and functional game the whole way through. Plus, Eggman remains the main antagonist.

I still really like it. I don't care what the loudest voices in the community say, no matter how many YouTube critiques they make.

Yes, it has flaws. Not a single game in existence is literally "perfect", not even games that we may personally consider perfect. Yes, I understand that fans were annoyed because other games didn't get as much respect at the time, like Unleashed (maybe they shouldn't have included a controversial gimmick so soon after '06 that takes up half the game's runtime) and the Storybooks (maybe story alone, no matter how good, doesn't fully compensate for mediocre-to-bad gameplay). Yes, I know the tone is not for everyone. Yes, I know Sonic says the infamous line twice, then once in Lost World, and then never again.

But needless to say, I feel the backlash against it has long gotten out of proportion. I already didn't agree with it then, and I especially don't in a post-Frontiers world, because the people who hype Frontiers up the ass - particularly those who hail it as The Character Rerailment Of All Time - don't seem to consider that they're doing the exact same thing they complained about in the decade beforehand. Yet suddenly it's fine when they do it. Kind of like how Classic elitism tends to be rightfully discouraged nowadays, yet Adventure elitists get a free pass.

Putting all of that aside, and looking at the game purely for... well, the game, I really do appreciate a lot about it. While the gameplay isn't the most complex compared to other Sonic titles, I have plenty of fun with it all the same. Regardless of what one thinks about the Wisps' presence in later games, I thought they were fine here. I love the sheer atmosphere that radiates throughout the game, not just through how gorgeous and unique everything is, but also through the legendary public announcements from Eggman. The art direction in general is one of the most consistently strong in a 3D mainline installment, up there with SA1 and Heroes. And yes, as the serious business Eggfan that I am, no shit I'm going to treat his status as this game's final boss, for the first time in a main 3D title, with no strings attached, like a historical event.

...Yeah, I know about the Nega-Mother Wisp in the DS version, but it's clear I'm talking about the console version. Speaking of though, DS Colours is alright, but I prefer the console iteration. I don't know why people keep claiming it's the better one just because the other characters make an appearance, seeing how they don't actually do anything beyond giving you missions. That was a common complaint for Generations, so I don't get why it's deemed an improvement here.

#Crusher's Asks #Opinion #Sonic Colours

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moonfurthetemmie · 10 months ago

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Since I saw the anon ask about Ink in the maze, I kinda wonder how everyone from Dreamswap Prime (original Dreamswap) would handle the maze. What’re their odds?

Oh like, 2018 Dreamswap? Or am I just misreading a bit

well I’ll answer for 2018 and current (non-fatal flaws) DreamSwap

Dream has magic suppressors on because he could fly over the maze and escape otherwise. The Horror Squad won’t answer where they got it from. That would go for more recent DreamSwap Dream as well, though. Ironically I think he’s changed the least.

Blue is trying to be manipulative and suave to get out, but they’re not listening to him and he’s too terrified anyways. Why are they chasing him and trying to kill him what the FUCK

(Frankly he’s lucky they didn’t kill him on the spot.)

Modern Blue wouldn’t be much better, though. Less manipulation and more begging for his life, but still scared out of his mind and rather queasy.

Old Ink has the same capabilities as Current Ink, but Old Ink had a habit of trying to piss people off, and that might work against him.

Old Nightmare had i think had some kind of plot armor. I say this based solely on vibes. Current Nightmare probably has some too, ofc; he’s the goddamn Protagonist. Old Nightmare tho seems to be able to get out of any bad situation he’s placed in (excluding fanfic, because we like to see him suffer for some reason, and WCS), so I’m sure he’ll find a way out. Current Nightmare is more reckless in certain ways, so he has both the advantage of unpredictability, and the disadvantage of being more of a fool. Still, he’s not a complete idiot, and he’s no stranger to running for his life.

Old Cross and Current Cross feel different only in that Old Cross as a dude is a twink and Current Cross as a girl is huge and stronk. Old Cross may have been angsty-er, but that’s about all I can remember. Their reactions to being in the maze will probably be to scream and yell at their pursuers for the entire first day, and any time they see them afterwards. And lots of running and jumping at the slightest of sounds. Old Cross may be jumpier.

Old Error. Honestly. I’m not sure if Old Error was more or less of a bean than Current Error. Because everyone thinks DS Error is an UwU Bean. Probably because Kai said Error was the most bean-like, though they themselves said that didn’t mean much. Regardless, Error has always been the most capable of the Squad. Old Error might freak out more initially, because the Old Squad as a whole was angstier, but..

Whether or not Dream makes it out will somewhat depend on what he’s doing there, and if the Horror Squad wants Nightmare to die. Unless they want to mess with Nightmare, specifically, later on, they won’t care if he dies or not. If Dream fucked with them, the exit is probably closed off, and he’s unlikely to escape alive unless someone can find him.

It’s also very unlikely they’ll bring him there unless they plan on killing him. And if they actively wanted him dead, they’d probably go after Nightmare. Way easier than breaking into JR and kidnapping the goddam CEO. But if he REALLY fucked with them, maybe seriously hurt one of them, they’re probably going to want to see him suffer some before killing him.

Either way, it’s highly unlikely Dream will get dragged into the maze.

Blue will not make it out. The exit is probably closed for him, anyways. Old Blue or Current Blue, he’ll never be able to convince them, especially at this stage, that he’s better than Hunter.

It’s unlikely he’ll end up in there either. They may not think he’s better than Hunter, but he’s yet to seriously fuck with them, so unless they’re just feeling particularly sadistic, they’ll probably just kill him on the spot.

Ink will probably survive. Old Ink may not, if he pisses the Horror Squad off too much. There’s no reason they can’t close the exit in the middle of the game, and if Ink fucks around too much..

Due mostly to Ink’s abilities, it’ll be hard for the Squad to kidnap them at all. Gouge managed once, though, so maybe they can do it. They don’t dislike Gouge enough to make her or her alternate run a futile maze, and Ink probably won’t be able to do much to really piss them off anyways. Key word: probably.

Overall, the Meme Squad is most likely to escape. It helps that the Horror Squad is probably very entertained by fucking with their alternates, but they’re also used to running for their lives and trying to hide from pursuers. Frankly, if they were easily caught in the maze, the Horror Squad would be very disappointed.

#horror!ds #horror!dreamswap #h!ds questions #h!ds slash #h!ds pluto #h!ds byte #dreamswap #ds dream #DS ink #DS Nightmare #DS Cross #DS Blue #DS Error

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wobinofylisse · 1 year ago

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I've been thinking of getting last faith cause I love thw bloodborne vibes and I absolutely LOVE blasphemous 1 and 2 (god I hope we get DLC for 2 like we did 1).

Anyways what issues are you referring to so I'll know

So when you look at the game it's very important to note that it's essentially a castlevania game but with some souls stuff thrown in. Kinda in a way that it feels like it was added for marketing purposes.

I'll start with a subjective issue which is the music kinda sucks. It's sad piano music throughout almost the entire game and my brained tuned it out so much that sometimes I'd eventually notice that at some point the music had stopped in entirely in the area I entered.

That aside, the dark souls stuff holds the game back.

The game doesn't ever pause despite there not being any online and you can't even use items from your inventory and have to manually set things to your hot bar so it's not like you could gain an advantage through it.

You lose currency in death but there's no physical currency you can use and health items are a limited consumable. So every time you lose a fight and want to level a different weapon or just get more health items, you gotta grind for it.

Difficulty can be all over the place so it's very hard to tell if you shouldn't be somewhere or it's just a stupid difficulty spike.

While the ds leveling system is a cool addition to the castlevania style of game, pretty much all dex weapons have actually garbage damage output and guns are so bad that the instinct stat can just be ignored altogether unless you want to use the few spells that scale with it.

Status effects are so detrimental that especially early game, getting inflicted with a status is pretty much just a death sentence.

Moving on to the more actual gameplay design.

Movement is done in such a weird way where it feels kinda clunky and a lot of moves don't properly flow together as smooth as they should.

Double jump is like 60-70% into the game which wouldn't be an issue but almost all ledges are meant to be grabbed and your jump height will only take you to the ledge, so you're constantly watching the climbing animation everytime you make a jump. It's small but it's frustrating.

Early game gives you almost nothing to work with unless you go str, which if you do play it you should. Otherwise not only is the early game gonna be a lot harder but the late game is filled with enemies that deal frost damage which your frost res scales with strength making the late game that much worse.

Guns suck especially when compared to magic as an alternative for your off hand slot. Magic doesn't need to be upgraded like guns and will scale with mind well enough and occasionally instinct. Guns only scale with instinct and with the exception of one gun they all scale very poorly. Guns need to be upgraded the same as your primary weapon but upgrading weapons is very very expensive. Guns use a limited bullet resource that when depleted requires you to scavenge from enemies when depleted meaning that they're very inconsistent in terms of use unlike magic where you can use items to restore fp. Neither guns or magic can be used in the air but some magic has anti-air potential at least. Guns don't do enough damage to bypass any of its flaws and outside of a few niche situations, it's almost always better to just walk over and hit whatever you would shoot at.

Again with the guns and magic can't be used in the air. This means that anything flying requires you to poke it to death. Some of the endgame bosses only fly around. No this is not fun to deal with.

Lots and lots of projectile spam from enemies. Your roll only gives i-frames against projectiles but it neither tells you this nor is it consistent in what you can roll through.

The parry requires you to hold r1 and press y which for some people is a really big deal, I don't really see it as an issue tho. The issue with the parry tho is that it is extremely inconsistent and you can't tell what attacks you can actually parry.

While it is encouraged for you to use elemental buffs on your weapon, it's not very well communicated what will be effective against what and at some point I think bosses stop getting status effects all together.

Side quests seem very basic and are pretty much all just find the 1 thing that the character asked you for then you get no reward and they might just leave the game forever. There's a point of no return at the end of the game that you aren't told about and it makes it impossible to finish any side quests.

Story is kinda eh. Lot of it is characters vagueing about stuff or talking in jargon and I stopped feeling invested in the world building because it felt is need to watch some randos video essay just to understand anything. Especially with how little it explains towards the end.

I say all this and I still think it has the bones of a good game and with the proper work it could be made much better.

I'm hopeful.

#The Last Faith #Kind of a long ramble #Tried to keep it spoiler free and more objective #There's just a lot of stuff that's kinda baffling that it got through testing #I enjoyed it enough to 100% it and want to do another run after it's fixed #So fingers crossed that happens #Also thanks for indulging me #I like rambling about games at 4am

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beevean · 2 years ago

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🔥 for Castlevania

Aside from the obvious "NFCV is a failure both as an adaptation and as its own work and no interpretation of the character can match the original (Dracula comes close but ehh)"...

PoR is the best DS game and probably my second favorite 2D Igavania. It's fun and cute and charming and well designed :D

CoTM is not a fun game, and its famed difficulty is mostly fake and frustrating. OoE did the "hard as balls Igavania" thing better.

Speaking of OoE, the linear levels were IMO not the best idea to shake up the formula. I far preferred Dracula's Castle to the entirety of the main game.

HoD is not nearly as bad as people say, not even in the presentation department. Yes, I like how THE COLORS FEELS SO RIGHT it looks, and I like how the environments make no sense - while SoTN's castle is iconic in how it feels like a real place, HoD's take on the "creature of Chaos" is also fascinating. Also I like most of the OST, precisely for how eerie it feels.

AoS has my least favorite OST, and it's mostly due to how muffled it sounds - no way this comes from a 2003 game, same as this! (also it has some tracks I really find unmemorable, which is shocking coming from Yamane-san)

I never got much into the Sorrow's story and characters. I like Soma well enough, but I feel AoS's plot is very boring and didn't do enough to make me like the characters. DoS is... a bit of a special case lol, you can tell they didn't quite know how to write a sequel to a very conclusive game like AoS. And yes, this means I find Julius lowkey overrated.

I never found SCIV that impressive, perhaps because it was my first or second CV game at all. The one thing I remember from it, aside from the huge graphical flexes lol, is how indecisive the difficulty is. Bloodlines is the superior title IMO.

Belmont's Revenge is legit one of the best Classicvanias and it deserves more love. Absolute slapper of an OST too.

CoD is superior to LoI in almost every way. The latter has absolutely the better art direction and environments, but it has so many odd gameplay choices like the lack of a leveling up system, the quick menu to pick up items, and the non-existent depth perception. A CoD remake that only touches up the graphics and the running speed would be nearly perfect to me, while a LoI remake would need a lot more to be on the same level IMO.

I don't know what counts as unpopular regarding C2 nowadays... it feels like it's getting more recognition now? My opinion is that, while the concept of racing against the clock to save Simon from a curse that is rotting him from the inside out is great and the final section is surprisingly chilling, no amount of ambition can redeem all the flaws that come from a Zelda 2-esque game made in an era where you were expected to buy Nintendo Power.

I think I covered nearly every game I played :P nothing unpopular to say about the others.

#castlevania #castlevania 2 #super castlevania iv #circle of the moon #harmony of dissonance #aria of sorrow #lament of innocence #portrait of ruin #order of ecclesia

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yaniidme · 2 years ago

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‘A TESTER OF FATE’ ; A CHARACTER STUDY ON SAKAI YUMI

HABITS

FLAWS

absent-minded / abusive / addicted / aimless / alcoholic / aloof / anxious / arrogant / audacious / has bad habits / bigmouthed / bigoted / blunt / bold / callous / childish / cruel / cursed / dependent / dishonest / disloyal / disturbed / dubious / egotistical / envious / erratic / fanatical / fickle / fierce / finicky / flirty / gluttonous / gruff / gullible / hedonistic / humourless / hypocritical / idiotic / ignorant / illiterate / immature / impatient / impious / impish / incompetent / indecisive / indifferent / infamous / intolerant / judgemental / lazy / lewd / liar / lustful / masochistic / meddlesome / meek / megalomanic / naïve / nosey / obsessive / oppressive / overambitious / overemotional / overprotective / overzealous / paranoid / peevish / perfectionist / pessimistic / phobic / rebellious / reckless / remorseless / rigorous / sadistic / sarcastic / sceptic / seducer / selfish / self-martyr / self-righteous / senile / shallow / smart ass / solemn / spineless / spiteful / spoiled / squeamish / stubborn / superstitious / tactless / temperamental / theatrical / timid / tongue-tied / unlucky / unpredictable / untrustworthy / vain / weak-willed / withdrawn

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE

you love hoodies. you love shorts. dogs are better than cats. it’s hilarious when people get hurt. shopping is torture. sad movies suck. you own a car racing game. you played with hot wheels cars as a kid. at some point in time you wanted to be a fire fighter. you owned a ds, ps2, n64, or sega. you used to be obsessed with power rangers. you have watched sports on tv. gory movies are cool. you go to your dad for advice. you own like a trillion baseball caps. you used to collect hockey or baseball cards. baggy sweats are cool to wear. it’s kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people. green, black, red, blue, or silver are one of your favourite colours. you love to go crazy and not care what people think. sports are fun. you talk with food in your mouth. you sleep with your socks on at night. you have fished at least once.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

you love to shop. you wear eyeliner. you wear the color pink. you go to your mom to talk. you consider cheerleading a sport. you hate wearing the color black. you like going to the mall. you like getting manicures and/or pedicures. you like wearing jewelry. you cried watching the notebook. dresses are a big part of your wardrobe. shopping is one of your favorite hobbies. you don’t like the movie star wars. you are/were in gymnastics. it takes you around one hour to shower, get dressed, and make-up. you smile a lot more than you should. you have more than 10 pairs of shoes. you care about what you look like. you like wearing dresses when you can. you like wearing high heel shoes. you used to play with dolls as little kid. you like putting make-up on others. you like being the star of everything.

APPEARANCE

i am shorter than 5’5”. i have scars. i tan easily. i wish my hair was a different color. i have friends who have never seen my natural hair color. i have a tattoo. i am self-conscious about my appearance. i’ve had/have braces. i’ve been told i’m attractive by a complete stranger. i have more than two piercings. i have/had piercings in places besides my ears.

EXPERIENCES

i’ve gotten lost in my city. i’ve seen a shooting star. i’ve wished on a shooting star. i’ve seen a meteor shower. i’ve gone out in public in my pajamas. i’ve pushed all the buttons on an elevator. i’ve kicked a guy where it hurts. i’ve been to a casino. i’ve been skydiving. i’ve gone skinny-dipping. i’ve drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour. i’ve crashed a car. i’ve been skiing. i’ve been in a musical. i’ve caught a snowflake or snow on my tongue. i’ve seen the northern lights. i’ve sat on a rooftop at night. i’ve played a prank on someone. i’ve ridden in a taxi. i’ve seen the rocky horror picture show. i’ve eaten sushi. i’ve been snowboarding.

HONESTY/CRIME

i’ve done something i promised someone else i wouldn’t. i’ve done something i promised myself i wouldn’t. i’ve snuck out. i’ve lied to my parents about where i am. i’ve cheated while playing a game. i’ve ran a red light. i’ve witnessed a crime. i’ve been in a fist fight. i’ve been arrested.

RANDOM

i can sing well. stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant. i open up to others easily. i watch the news. i don’t kill bugs. i sing in the shower. i am a morning person. i paid for a cell phone ring tone. i am a sports fanatic. i twirl my hair. i care about grammar. i have “?”’s in my screen name. i’ve copied more than 30 cds in a day. i bake well. my favorite color is either white, yellow, pink, red, blue, black, purple, or orange. i would wear pajamas to school. i like martha stewart. i know how to shoot a gun. i laugh at my own jokes. i eat fast food weekly. i’ve not turned anything in and still got an a in a certain class. i can’t sleep if there is a spider/cockroach in the room. i am ticklish. i love white chocolate. i bite my nails. i’m good at remembering faces. i’m good at remembering names. i’m good at remembering dates. i honestly have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.

#ʚɞ. muse

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zayne00 · 2 months ago

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BASICS

Full Name: Kang Zayne Nickname/Alias: tbd. Gender: Cismale Orientation: Bisexual Age: 24 Face Claim: Lee Heeseung Birthdate: April 13, 2000 Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea Astrological Sign: Aries Currently (Location): Seoul, South Korea Nationality: Korean Preferred Hand: Right Eye Color: Brown Hair Color: Black Makeup: None. not a fan of it on himself Height: 6'0'' Facial Hair: None. really wants to grow a mustache though. he thinks they look cool Birthmarks/scars: Knees from childhood mischief Allergies: none that he knows of

PERSONALITY

Virtues: Determined, Curious, Open-minded Weaknesses: Loquacious, Impulsive, Invasive Personality Type: ESTP | Fire | Chaotic Evil | Slytherin Hobbies/Interests: Pottery painting, collecting postcards Likes: Polaroids, scrapbooks, warm lights Dislikes: noise music, ugly clothes, not getting what he wants Pet Peeves: pen clicking Fears: being broke

CAREER

Occupation: Videographer at Infinite Entertainment, President of the Moon Jaemin Fanclub

HABITS

CHARACTER FLAWS

STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE

STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

APPEARANCE

EXPERIENCES

HONESTY/CRIME

RANDOM

i can sing well. �� stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant. i open up to others easily. i watch the news. i don’t kill bugs. i sing in the shower. i am a morning person. i paid for a cell phone ring tone. i am a sports fanatic. i twirl my hair. i care about grammar. i have “?”’s in my screen name. i’ve copied more than 30 cds in a day. i bake well. my favorite color is either white, yellow, pink, red, blue, black, purple, or orange. i would wear pajamas to school. i like martha stewart. i know how to shoot a gun. i laugh at my own jokes. i eat fast food weekly. i’ve not turned anything in and still got an a in a certain class. i can’t sleep if there is a spider/cockroach in the room. i am ticklish. i love white chocolate. i bite my nails. i’m good at remembering faces. i’m good at remembering names. i’m good at remembering dates. i honestly have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.

PREFERENCES

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables // hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest // dc or marvel // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty // ice cream or chocolate // hoodies or sweaters // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // house or apartment // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds // strawberries or watermelon // phones or laptops or desktop // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or paintings // circuses or theatres // reading or writing // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

BOLD YOUR MUSE’S PREFERENCES! { FOOD EDITION }

Cake or Ice cream? Sweet or Spicy? Potato Chips or French Fries? Seasoned or Bland? Cookies or Brownies? Salad or Pizza? Turkey or Chicken? Hamburger or Cheeseburger? Sour or Bitter? Homecooked or Takeout? Hot or Cold? Beef or Pork? Chocolate or White Chocolate? Fruit or Vegetables? Soft or Hard Shell Tacos? Tea or Coffee? Stuffing or Mashed Potatoes? Cake or Pie? Fresh Ingredients or From The Can?

#character study #stats

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seeusuna · 4 months ago

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‘DOVES IN THE WIND’ ; A CHARACTER STUDY ON 'SETSUNA "HIME" ISHIA'

HABITS

FLAWS

absent-minded / abusive / addicted / aimless / alcoholic / aloof / anxious / arrogant / audacious / has bad habits / bigmouthed / bigoted / blunt / bold / callous / childish / cruel / cursed / dependent / dishonest / disloyal / disturbed / dubious / egotistical / envious / erratic / fanatical / fickle / fierce / finicky / flirty / gluttonous / gruff / gullible / hedonistic / humourless / hypocritical / idiotic / ignorant / illiterate / immature / impatient / impious / impish / incompetent / indecisive / indifferent / infamous / intolerant / judgmental / lazy / lewd / liar / lustful / masochistic / meddlesome / meek / megalomanic / naïve / nosey / obsessive / oppressive / overambitious / overemotional / overprotective / overzealous / paranoid / peevish / perfectionist / pessimistic / phobic / rebellious / reckless / remorseless / rigorous / sadistic / sarcastic / sceptic / seducer / selfish / self-martyr / self-righteous / senile / shallow / smart ass / solemn / spineless / spiteful / spoiled / squeamish / stubborn / superstitious / tactless / temperamental / theatrical / timid / tongue-tied / unlucky / unpredictable / untrustworthy / vain / weak-willed / withdrawn

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

APPEARANCE

EXPERIENCES

HONESTY/CRIME

RANDOM

#ꨄ︎. muse

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pen-observing · 4 years ago

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I finished my fic with this theme and I did the brothers reacting to this. So how could I, an undatables enthusiast, not make this? It took a while but it’s here. Some brain cells were involved in the making of this post,,,, I guess?

MASTERLIST

How the undatables react/pursue you after Diavolo cheats on you while married

Diavolo:

Why is he here? Well you see-- why not

In the human world some believe that the ultimate proof of love is giving the cheater another chance, fighting to salvage a relationship

In all honesty, Diavolo never expects that from you, nor does he hope such a thing can happen

He curses himself for a momentary weakness. A prince, a ruler, so easily swayed and influence does not carry any nobility or respect

He may be the most influential, the most powerful- but he starts seeing himself as weak

He hides away from his thoughts in work, in new holidays, in friendships and partnerships and in excuses

He tries not to give those thoughts space to grow

But, the damage has been done

Diavolo’s worst enemy and worst critic, the one who judges him the most is himself

He knows that with this one deed (some may call it a momentary lapse in judgement) he has undone all the work it took years to build

He knows that falling into temptation is the biggest mistake he has ever made; especially because he cannot bear to have you hate him when he loves you so much

Diavolo has no guts to admit that after what he did, he believes he has no right to claim it face-to-face

So, he randomly visits Lucifer to see you, ask about you. He tasks Barbatos with keeping you safe. Little Ds are ordered to make your life easier without being noticed

Because of what happened, he doubts that he deserves the place and title of a King

And, you notice that the most- in the smiles, in the speeches, in the doubt and guilt that radiates off from him

The only way to salvage this and get back together lies with you. If you, after so much time can forgive but not forget. If you can wish to grow into a union once more.

He goes along with your wish for divorce just as quickly as he goes for your wish of reconciliation.

He does not force you, he respects whatever you decide.

Barbatos:

Probably the one which would provide the most material for gossip and speculation, in theory

In practice, it’s like a 500k slow burn romance

Here is why; Barbatos is a man of duty and loyalty to the person that hurt you. He finds no amusement in being the center of gossip nor does he wish for you to go through the dirt. Devildom is such a cruel place, you cannot even imagine what could come your way if the relationship was established early on.

Besides, it is even hard for you to not have Barbatos remind you of Diavolo once the relationship first breaks

Babratos gives you time to heal and move on before he does anything which can show his romantic interest

He knows how charming you are, he knows your habits and he knows that he must be patient before a true connection can be established

So, how does it happen? Well, after healing from Diavolo you naturally, through fate or the wonder of time, need to spend some time in the same circle

Obligations, work and friendships bring you together in a weird way

The balls and parties are something you must attend and because Barbatos knows you, he knows just what you like

The perfect place for you to sit which is neither too warm nor too hot, a place far away from people you do not like in their world but close enough so that you do not miss anything important or fun. For some reason, it always smells like your favorite scent too

The perfect place, the perfect tea, the delicious food with small hidden notes which do not give away his intention but do show his affection

It just grows more and more unbearable

The lingering stares, the short but warm goodbyes, the way his hands just brush against yours for a moment longer than usual when he takes your coat

It creates a magical attraction inside that long game, which, as expected, Barbatos is better at than you

You try to find him alone and, in those moments; inside the kitchen or under the stairs while everyone is far away dancing, it becomes just the world of you two

His tone is warmer, he is more direct. You sometimes, inside such short pauses, are able to exchange warmth. In conversations, in the longing looks, in the way his hand holds yours. In the way he gently takes your wrist, puts his hand on the small of your back to guide you back inside a world which is overabundant in fancy but doesn’t feel meaningful without him in it

Sometimes, it can even hold a soft kiss

But, it becomes torture. Enough is enough. His privacy starts to seem like secrecy to you for all the wrong reasons. As a human, you aren’t patient enough to wait 4 years until something, anything happens

So, you seek him out at the next party. They’re too rare in your opinion now. You seek him out and find him on the stairs as he goes to complete another task.

Bravery or foolishness, it does not matter which of the two makes you stop him. Makes you ask him; when? When will this secrecy end?

In reality, it doesn’t really matter. He would probably kabedon you on the stairs (as a true gentleman! don’t get it twisted!)

He holds time itself in his hands and yet you asked him.

He whispers: “All in good time, my love. All in good time.”

And leaves you like that.

So, what is the good time?

It is already the point where you forgot about Diavolo but; has Diavolo forgotten about you?

That is what Barbatos waits for. He sees no need to ask his lord such a thing. Diavolo notices it himself. How could he not? Diavolo also knows that he does not love you anymore.

So, the next time Diavolo comes to the kitchen and sees your favorite tea (the one he never drinks) he gives Barbatos the permission, the freedom to go pursue you.

After all, it is time.

Simeon:

The most empathic out of everyone.

The best choice even

Why? With him, you would only feel compassion and care.

Gentleness.

There is no drama that could follow you when you turn to him.

He has not sworn loyalty to Diavolo. He is not his partner. He lives in a completely different realm.

It is really the exact change that you need. At first, it seems so odd because you are used to a completely different world but; it is comfort. It is care. It is everything that helps you heal

In truth, Simeon’s instinct gravitates towards that. It gravitates towards making sure that you heal in all aspects. Physically, emotionally- most importantly- your soul should shine like it used to

After you start that process it brings long conversations where you two ponder over what it means to live and love. You discuss theories and opinions. Simeon has loved longer than you, he has seen countless love stories- he even wrote some.

This process can even inspire him to flesh out a new character

In actuality, Simeon warned both Diavolo and you with masqueraded words about what marriage truly means before you got married

So now, he doesn’t say ‘I told you so’ or ‘Why didn’t you listen to me’. He just hopes that you won’t grow to hate the whole institution and tradition that marriage is

And honestly? Simeon shows you unrequited love so, how could you ever think that with him?

Here, you will be the first to realize your emotions and you will probably need to act on them first as well

Solomon:

He is somewhere in the human world, inside a secret room of an abandoned castle just thinking of new spells when he gets a text from Asmo about what happened

Dramatic as fuck gasp while his potion drops to the floor and now the floor is pink

Solomon, with all the years that he has been alive, with all the pacts and mistakes he has made- still is more human than the rest of them

This does not mean that he will be the best at comforting you but he already packed the most important things to go and see you. Is that not enough to show immediate care?

Instead of comforting you by himself he spends time in the House of Lamantation, working with the rest of the brothers

Time has passed, you both have changed so it takes a bit for him to get familiar with you again and to work out your habits

Probably tries to joke like: “Even if that red tree branch offered me to make a pact with him I would refuse for your sake.”

It shows that, despite all the flaws and morally gray actions, he stands on your side- not his

But, life inside that house has to move on. He can’t really stay calm and tied down to it for months and as he is preparing for his next trip- he asks you to go with him

It is a true change of pace. You will experience new things you never dreamed of. He can teach you magic. He can show you places in the human world full of it

He promises to make sure that you are safe

So you set off with him

It is a grand adventure. It holds both comfort and new things that only make you grow.

It holds his teasing as well but he never lets anything bad happen to you

He realizes his affections before you but you are so busy taking in the world’s wonders that he keeps them a secret for just a while longer because you are so excited. Your eyes shine and he just knows you have new stories to remember and uncover at the same time

You don’t realize yours until Solomon makes it clear to you, in a sly way.

You stand outside of enchanted ruins. The sky is bright blue with pink lines. Solomon says: “And who would have thought that one of the most powerful witches got cheated on by the man who allegedly enchanted this ruin when he was young? Hmm?~”

And really, who would? You realize then how that did not even cross your mind. How could it? Here you are with Solomon on another adventure that sparked more love as the sky dances for your new story.

Luke:

Has it been years since you got married? Yes

Has Luke grown to love demons? Absolutely not. Are you kidding me?

He throws his little hat to the ground when he finds out

Never trust their kind. That's what he says

Sure Diavolo had a noble goal once but after this? Once Luke’s good opinion is lost it is lost forever

Baby is very dramatic about the whole thing

How dare that evil creature hurt you? Luke was teary eyed at your wedding and he is teary eyed the next time he sees you

But

He tries his best. He really does.

He doesn’t have wisdom like Simeon. But he asks him for advice.

Best believe the only way Diavolo will taste one of his treats again is if Luke yeets it in his face

Firstly, tumblr better fix their tags because it is unbearable! Now you may ask; yooo why is Barbatos’ so long? Cus thats my boo and he is the main reason I decided to write these reactions in general

#obey me #shall we date obey me #obey me headcanons #obey me imagines #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me simeon #obey me solomon #obey me luke #mc #obey me undatables #reader #luke is platonic obviously

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lovexsulli · 3 years ago

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sulli: character study!!!

HABITS

FLAWS

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

APPEARANCE

EXPERIENCES

HONESTY/CRIME

RANDOM

#//: tendencies. ♥#my brain is so tired #i'll be back on tomorrow to focus on replies and plotting

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anchormain · 3 years ago

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CHARACTER STUDY / bold all that apply

HABITS.

CHARACTER FLAWS.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE.

APPEARANCE.

EXPERIENCES.

HONESTY / CRIME.

RANDOM.

#headcanon.#dash game.#about.#this is fun bc some of these only apply bc he had a shitty childhood #and some only apply bc of his job #you can steal this from me!

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lvminosityy · 3 years ago

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character study

Bold all that apply

HABITS

CHARACTER FLAWS

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE.

APPEARANCE.

EXPERIENCES.

HONESTY / CRIME.

RANDOM.

#character study #musings #yall should do this too :)

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dnp-thoughts · 4 years ago

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I wanna talk about Confession Roulette - Talk It Out. I had to stop the video so many times because it gives me major second hand embarrassment, but it’s also just a goldmine, and I had THOUGHTS about it. So I decided to share:

youtube

You don't think I know but I do know...

Dan: “I know that you like to eat my cereal with your hands”

Is this the first instance of Dan accusing Phil of eating his cereal? Phil: “It is bad. I’ll try and stop”

Phil: “You walk around your bedroom at 5 o’clock in the morning, and I can hear you through the wall”

Dan is SO DEFENSIVE about being called out for pacing at 5am. Like omg Dan chill. I'm just so curious as to what their dynamic was at that time. As far as I’m aware, this was before Dan started seeking any mental health treatment. It seems likely to me that this occurred when he was dealing with some of the worst of his depression/PTSD. Not to mention that they were deeply closeted to their rapidly growing audience and Phan speculation was at a high. I’m curious about his pacing, what was on his mind, and how he’d probably convinced himself that he was Totally Fine Thank You Very Much. But poor baby was probably really struggling at this point, and the pacing is just one indication.

Bedroom Discourse TM. I genuinely think they used their separate bedrooms regularly in the first London apartment. Not saying that there weren’t frequent visits (more on that later), but for two very tol bois who are introverts with irregular sleep patterns and a love of scrolling the internet into the wee hours of the morning, I can understand why separate bedrooms may have helped their relationship, not hurt it. (I do have more thoughts about the potential impact of being closeted and Dan’s internalized homophobia on the need to have clear separate bedrooms, but this isn’t the time for those thoughts)

I wish I told you about...

Just a small thing but I find it really cute that Phil bought Dan another DS game out of guilt for losing his Mario one, even though he was too scared to tell him.

Dan says that he MAyBe, PoSsiBlY, PerHaPs cracked a floor tile. BUT ALSO IT MAYBE WASN’T HIM. Who can say for sure. I mean he definitely did it, BUT HEY DON’T BLAME HIM HE DOESN’T KNOW AND HE TOTALLY DIDN’T LIE ABOUT IT. “Maybe my issue is that I admit to things I’m not sure I’m guilty of” ohhh myyy goddd Dan how has Phil not strangled you yet?

I did something stupid...

Dan’s hair straightener on Phil’s bed left a scorch mark once. (here we’re back to bedroom discourse). This is just one of several moments we’ve seen over the years as indication that they often get ready/chill out in each other’s rooms. and it’s such a small thing, basically means nothing, but it makes me soft.

Phil just shares about a time when he bragged about a vacation and made his friend sad. Phil you are precious and pure, thank you for being such a kind human!

I need to work on...

Phil confesses that HE needs to work on being stubborn and getting defensive, and Dan fully agrees that YES, that it totally a problem PHIL needs to work on. And, like, i’m not saying it’s not an issue for Phil, but Dan, baby, darling. This sweet, annoying boy is too defensive to even admit that he could have a problem with getting defensive.

“I’m never actually late for anything” “Yes, you are.” FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT (amazingly Dan manages to turn this into Phil’s problem that he needs to work on *gonna strain my eyes from rolling them so much*)

We all know their communication is great, and has only gotten better over the years. But I feel like this video gives us at least a small glimpse into how some of the more serious conversations they have go. And it’s not always pretty. There is defensiveness, and lying, and straight up denial of any issue (”I’m happy pacing or not sleeping.” ”It’s not normal human behavior” **Kill Bill sirens go off in Dan’s head**) But there are also signs of really healthy communication, like Phil’s genuine concern for Dan’s health and well-being, and Dan’s ability to laugh things off like Phil losing his Mario game. I appreciate that we don’t love their relationship because it is flawless, but because they are both very flawed humans (as we all are #relatable) who still work well together, and have had to put a lot of effort into being able to co exist so well. They have chosen each other again and again, flaws and all.

#and i know this is in front of an audience which obviously inherently changes how they would talk to each other #but i also think this video verges on the side of Too Real #rather than performing #please share any thoughts you have with me i love interaction #dan and phil #dan #phil #dnp #phan #thoughts #discourse #confession roulette #talk it out #dnpthoughts

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kyndaris · 4 years ago

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Braving Tried and True JRPG Tropes

When Bravely Default II was released, one of the first reviews I stumbled upon spoke about the person’s disappointment. Some of it came down to personal taste: the art style. Others were a bit more valid: the weak narrative and carbon copies of protagonists from other games. While the fan in me wanted to contest many of their claims, the more I played of the latest Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) from Square-Enix, I could not deny that there was a lot of tropes being used to prop up the strong gameplay loop and to give players the chance to try out the different jobs on offer. Still, many of these grips failed to deter me too much from my playing of the game. After sinking a hefty amount of time into it, I was able to push my way through the multiple endings and give Seth, Gloria, Elvis and Adelle the happy ending that they deserved.

As the faithful readers of my blog, you should know that I bought Bravely Default II while on a road trip with family. Though I should have been luxuriating in the February sun, I was much too engrossed in my Nintendo Switch to pay much mind to my surroundings. And even if Zac Efron or Chris Hemsworth had walked past, I’d probably barely bat an eyelid.

The first few hours of Bravely Default II had me busy reengaging with the mechanics that I knew from the first two games on the Nintendo DS and Octopath Traveler. Considering my familiarity with old-school JRPGs, it came as no surprise that I quickly managed to level up Freelancer as I cut a swathe through the grass surrounding the starting city of Halyconia. In fact, I realised quite quickly that the best way to get good items without paying a cent for them was to play the game like Link, eager to find rupees in the bushes. By the time I fought Dag and Selene and Horten, they went down like flies even though I hadn’t even bothered to change from my default jobs.

Truth be told, when I read about the difficulties many people supposedly had with these earlier battles, I was scratching my head. Perhaps it was simply the method I play the games - grinding out each job to my satisfaction that had simplified what should have been difficult. On a side note, I thought that the job levelling was much better balanced than Yakuza: Like a Dragon and an infinitely more fun experience because of it. It allowed me to experiment with my team and find the best balance for taking on the various mobs in a given area.

The only time I actually prepared properly for a fight was when I took down Adam and the last few bosses. But even they were a considerable breeze when one had access to so many abilities. Paralysing everyone that stood in my way, inflicting poison and contagion, then having a maxed out Freelancer with Thief skills using Godspeed Strike? Child’s play.

Now, onto the weaker elements of Bravely Default II. The various plot-holes and unexplored characterisation of the heroes and villains. While Elvis and Lonsdale stood out to me, many of the others could have been interchanged with someone else and I would have barely been able to tell the difference were it not for their individual Asterisk attire.

Let’s start with Seth, shall we? Our main protagonist despite the ensemble set-up could have been ripped from any Japanese role-playing game. The ones he reminded me strongly of were Tidus and Vaan. Tidus, because he was a fish-out-of-water that had fallen in love with the woman that would have to sacrifice her life to bring peace back to the world. Vaan due to the fact that he never truly stood out and was simply part of the story just because of Wind Crystal shenanigans. Later on, he was made a bit more special due to his status as someone that had come from the Outer Seas.

In a way, it was a clever voice direction for Seth to be the only character with an American accent. This helped paint the fact that he was different from the others. Still, it would have been much better if we could have seen what his life had been like prior to the events that brought him to waking up on a beach in Halyconia. And while there are scenes in several sidequests that explore a little of Seth’s backstory, there’s little to sink one’s teeth into.

Gloria, on the other hand, is very much a stereotypical princess of a mystical kingdom. Though the voice actress is very good at expressing the pain she has gone through as one of the sole survivors of Musa’s destruction, I feel like it would have connected better with players to have seen the invasion and perhaps played a small part in controlling her escape. Though these things are just little nitpicks, it adds to the characters and allows people to emotionally invest in the happenings of the world.

That, in and of itself, is probably Bravely Default II’s key problem. The fact that it tells rather than shows.

Elvis, of course, is the star of the show. His quirky traits, affable nature make him a clear favourite and much more human than his other counterparts. The narrative around Wiswald was also great example of fleshing out his past and the people he knows. It is much more personal, pulling on our heartstrings to learn about the death of a young child, and thus carries more weight than the water shortage in Savalon or the fairy hunting in Rimedhal, which was clearly meant to mirror witch trials.

While Folie, the main antagonist behind the happenings in Wiswald, could have been better written and with a more tangible tie to the people of Wiswald, the fact that she manipulated Roddy, Lily and poor Galahad with visions of the dead Mona meant that a bit of pathos was achieved when she was finally brought down.

Adelle, a little cliche, was still an intriguing character that rounded out the team (I still can’t place her accent). The reveal that she was actually a fairy was a delight. It was also nice that her goals also aligned with the main narrative of stopping the Night’s Nexus, instead of being as superfluous as Elvis trying to solve the riddle of a book he had in his possession or Seth just tagging along for the ride.

As for the foes that we faced? Most of them seemed like excuses to dress up how players obtained their Asterisks. Many of them seemed like caricatures. And honestly, Martha’s excuse to fight the Heroes of Light was abysmal. But, of course, the developers needed a way for players to experience what it might be like fighting a foe that had the Dragoon Asterisk before they could use it for their own.

I will admit, the story just felt like a vehicle to pick up each Asterisk along the way. Oft times, I had to wonder why so many of these people felt compelled to stand in the way of the Heroes of Light. And while it would have been much better to have a more personal reason for why we fought these enemies besides the fact that ‘Oh, they have an Asterisk and something, something Crystal!’ I still managed to push my way through.

Still, the fact that Dag and Selene managed to snag more character development in the sidequests was great. Gladys’s attempt at atonement and her brother’s grief was also good ways to delve into topics that might have been a little too dark for a title that had such gorgeous backdrops and adorable character models.

Now, to the meat of the matter. The plot holes and the things that were never truly explained. Edna’s descent into madness though Adelle often insisted her sister had always loved humans. How and where Lady Emma found the book that actually contained the memories of the Night’s Nexus? Where does Seth actually come from? How did he die? Why was he chosen by the Wind Crystal? Why was Adam so invested in trying to conquer the world? Did he experience something bad in his past that informed his current need to stop war by starting it? Where did Folie come from? Who is she and why did she feel the need to torment the people of Wiswald for her art?

So many mysteries. So little explanation.

Overall, Bravely Default II has quite a few flaws and missteps. Yet, despite that, it’s a sum greater than its parts. The narrative might not have been captivating, but it managed to keep pulling me through until I saw the true ending. Anticlimactic as the final boss battle might have been, I still felt a certain satisfaction in seeing Gloria tackle Seth to the ground. And honestly, who doesn’t want to Godspeed Strike their way to victory?

P.S. I will say that after witnessing Adelle save Martha, I had hoped for a blossoming romance, but the dialogue between her and Elvis during the second bad ending got to me. It may not be my one true pairing, but Elvis x Adelle was an arrow to my heart. My only question is: how old is Adelle? She looks like a child and yet, because she’s a fairy, she could be like a century older. Maybe better not to think too hard, eh? After all, why sweat the details?

#bravely default II #video games

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