#it mentions vampire the masquerade but not bloodlines

[automaticdestinytrash]

Bought this from work.

[eliseliedl]

Favorite games I finished in 2024 ♡

[vtmbdialogue]

[mybuttonfelloff]

Vampire the masquerade bloodlines makes me brain go brrrrr

YES its a game from literally 20 years ago

YES it can be buggy and sometimes peoples clothes float

YES the game is a perfect recreation of what people thought 2004 was like so its like. Kinda shit.

but NOTHING will ever take away my love of these stupid vampires fighting over political vampire power. Story is *kisses* mwah. Music? Fucking iconic. Lecher Bitch is genuinely so good. The myriad of ways u can play? Stealthy. Murdery. Politically. Manipulatey. Selfishly. Generously. ALL??? THE CLANS???? Love my tremere character who is canonically part of the Creepy Ass Clan club. Love that i can use blood magic and make security guards go Standing Naptime so i can run away

Nines is 100% my favorite and idc if its boring to say so. Man could monologue his way through anything. He literally saves ur character's life numerous times in the name of Freedom And Hating The Bourgeoisie. And fucking over corrupt politicians at the same time?? Love him.

Damsel? Love that bitch. She is ready to fight 24/7 and i love that about her. She is just. Kisses on Mouth mwah.

Jack? Coolest dude ever. Allegedly used to be a PIRATE??? VAMPIRE. PIRATE. Also hes like. One of like few people who is genuine with you. Bc he has nothing to really lose or gain by being nice to the poor new kid, he just does it for fun. But also wants to just watch the world burn itself down. Love that abt him.

Lacroix? Cant stand the bastard but he is damn good at whining and throwing a tantrum at every opportunity which usually gets him what he wants. I almost respect it. Almost. But fuck him for not giving my tremere person a new haven bc of their clan.

Jeanette and Therese? First of all, GREY DELISLE MY BELOVED. Second, their story is fucking great. Genuinely didnt know what was gonna happen until It Happened. Also, #gaslight #gatekeep #girlboss to the death.

Honorable mention Heather love u girl thanks for the money and lunch.

I am currently in the Hollywood section so ik there are people missing but goddamn my brain needed to get this out so i can keep obsessing in peace

[luoniiel]

another fake vtmb screencap! this time with my sopping wet mess of a toreador, atlas

[gith-zeri]

Felicia Aguilar

Voice claim- revised

[imsobadatnicknames2]

Calling Ultima the single most consistently groundbreaking, pioneering, influential series of videogames in the history of the medium would be kind of an understatement (Akalabeth and Ultima I pioneering the idea of adapting tabletop RPGs to the medium of videogames in a way that established so many elements that would become intrinsic to the identity of the genre for decades, like the concept of grid-based first person dungeon crawling and tile-based overworld travel, later games establishing the mold for isometric top-down RPGs, Ultima Online being a critical tipping point in cementing the popularity of the MMORPG), but even among a series that consistently pumped groundbreaking videogame after groundbreaking videogame it's just completely impossible to overstate how massive Ultima Underworld's legacy stands over a huge chunk of the gaming medium, even if its effects manifest in subtle ways nowadays like I legitimately believe no individual videogame in the history of the medium has been as influential as it.

It's legitimately insane how many seemingly unrelated videogames can be directly traced back to Underworld in some form or another. Like, to get the obvious out of the way first, it established the DNA of the immersive sim genre, so if you like games like System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex, Bioshock, Dishonored, Prey, all of those games were either made by people who worked on Ultima Underworld (sometimes by the same studio even), or otherwise directly influenced by games that were.

But also, if you like any first person shooters influenced by Doom and other ID Software games? John Carmack was there when the demo of Underworld was first shown and decided he could create a faster texture-mapped first-person 3D engine. Which he did, at the cost of sacrificing true polygonal 3D environments in favor of the pseudo-3D that he would use for Catacombs 3D and Wolfenstein 3D, eventually resulting in the creation of Doom. RPGs like the Elder Scrolls or Gothic? It would take all day to list off how much they directly owe to Ultima Underworld. That videogame trope of finding out what happened to the occupants of a place through finding in-game logs and documents? It was established by Ultima Underworld and popularized by one of its successors.

That's without mentioning how many games directly cite it as an influence. Some already mentioned like Bioshock, Deus Ex, and Elder Scrolls, but also like. Half-life 2? Tomb Raider? Gears of War? Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines? All cite it as a direct influence in their game design.

Like of course a lot of these things are by virtue of being one of the earliest free-moving 3D first person videogames, when you're that early in the history of the medium you'll inevitably end up being the first to do *something* that otherwise someone else would eventually have ended up doing anyway, but no other game has a "first videogame to do [thing]" list anywhere as long and important as Ultima Underworld's.

[prissyprince]

Prince Lacroix, Lord Bullingdon, and the troubles of not being the right kind of a man.

Initially, only having seen young Leon Vitali's lovely visage in photos from the movie 'Barry Lyndon', I wondered if Brian Mitsoda attributing his inspiration for prince Lacroix to said character, meant it came from the overall vibe of Lord Bullingdon; a prissy petulant noble with a pretty face, quite fitting for prince Lacroix in appearance and attitude, but whether the game's writing was deliberate in its nuance regarding Lacroix's presentation or not, his character mirrors Bullingdon and larger themes of the movie, on a deeper level than I had initially believed.  

Spoilers for the movie 'Barry Lyndon' and 'Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines', from here on. Mentions of homophobia, misogyny, and child abuse.  

Prince Lacroix's capability as a leader is often doubted in a very particular way throughout the game. Specifically, it's his masculinity and perceived lack of it that come under scrutiny, often by those whose masculinity is unquestionable. He is referred to as 'nancy pants', 'prince priss', 'a fop', 'a powdered wig', and other epithets that have often been applied to queer men, and particularly, to men perceived as effeminate. His emotions are also ridiculed and perceived as embarrassing, and he is even compared to a 'little girl'. And except for Damsel, a woman who is trying to cultivate a rather masc image and a tough exterior, these insults come from men who view him as unworthy of reigning over them. And while their general disdain for the Camarilla is to be considered, they also clearly despise the fact that specifically someone like Lacroix could oversee them. 

Before I talk more about Lacroix, however, I need to turn to the characterisation of Lord Bullingdon, and his story.  

To give a (relatively) quick overview of Lord Bullingdon as a character - he is a child when we first meet him. He is described as shy, quiet, and melancholic, and 'much too attached to his mother'. As he gets older, he remains 'too attached' to his mother, always seen nearby, holding her hand, or merely keeping her company.  

After his father's death, Bullingdon refuses to accept his new stepfather - Barry Lyndon, and Barry begins to abuse him to beat him into submission. But despite Bullingdon's perceived 'weakness' and effeminate disposition, he never submits to Barry. This, however, does nothing for Barry or those around them, to see him as a man worthy of respect. His femininity bars him from that acceptance by 'proper' men by default, as his mother's womanhood bars her from being seen as anything but a decoration, compared by the narrator to a fancy carpet or a painting, in the eyes of her new husband.  

Barry cheats on his wife, spends her money without care, beats and otherwise abuses Bullingdon, but he comes to adore his own new-born son. Because, it is HIS son, and not a boy that belongs to another man. His son, Bryan, is spoiled rotten and he is growing adventurous, headstrong, and sporty, as his father would want him to and Bullingdon eventually leaves his own home, decried as unworthy of love by his own mother, whom he spent his entire life loving and protecting to the best of his ability. But his mother's happiness lies with her new family, as does her status, and acceptance by those around her. Being married and bearing an heir to the man by her side is important for her continuous enjoyment of and the approval among the high society, even if she is miserable in her marriage.  

However, after his young brother's tragic death, and his mother's attempt to end her own life, despite everything, Bullingdon returns home to take care of his mother and to get rid of the man who wrought them both so much strife. Barry is devastated by the loss of his son; perpetually drunk and now in massive debt after years of his foolish spending, as well as his failed attempt to attain a noble title to claim Bullingdon's inheritance for himself. He agrees to Bullingdon's demand for 'satisfaction' and is willing to duel with him.  

But, before I get to the duel, I must touch on Bullingdon's perception of himself. Bullingdon is VERY aware that he is seen as cowardly, and that he is hated even by his 'friends' who feign concern and sympathy for his predicament. Lacroix is also VERY aware of the fact that he is hated by everyone. Even if you pass the speech check and attempt to reassure him that people respect him, he won't believe you. He will tell you he's had his fill of sycophants, and he needs someone he can trust.  

Realistically, Bullingdon removed himself from a situation where he had been physically and emotionally abused since he was a small child, and he allowed himself to stop protecting his mother and think of himself. And he feels guilty for it. He knows that she is helpless and alone. Especially now, after the loss of his brother, she is completely alone. And he is willing to put himself in harm's way, to protect her once more.  

Bullingdon is a typical noble, on the surface. A caricature of one, even. He is soft and shrill and there is a sense of learned helplessness about him that comes from extreme privilege. But he still shows bravery and love that makes one sympathize with him. In fact, despite everything, Barry can't bring himself to kill him. 

Bullingdon screws up his shot and as Barry's turn is next; Bullingdon is TERRIFIED. He can't face his death head on, and he can't bring himself to look at Barry. He throws up from anxiety of anticipation of his impending doom. The men around him look disgusted and embarrassed at the display, as he is not behaving as a man should. But he doesn't run. He doesn't weasel out of it. He doesn't beg. He accepts that he will die. And then, Barry deliberately shoots to the side and doesn't kill him.  

Bullingdon is shocked, and he should be elated. But he refuses to claim 'satisfaction' as their witnesses suggest he does, and he shoots Barry in return, wounding him, and causing him to lose a leg. He doesn't do so deliberately, make no mistake. He is simply a terrible shot. But he uses this situation to reclaim his home and get Barry out of his life for good, taking his place by his mother's side, once again.  

The thing is, Bullingdon is not truly a coward or a weakling. He endures abuse from a man older, stronger, and more experienced than him; from his childhood to adulthood. He is the only support his mother has since she remarries, and despite her callous remark to him and obvious preference for her new family, Bullingdon still dutifully returns to her when she needs him. He IS a strong man in his own right. He is just not the RIGHT kind of a man who could be respected or looked up to in the society he exists in.  

Similarly, prince Lacroix is implied to have reached his position in an 'unnatural' way. He likely backstabbed, manipulated, and paid his way through, as characters in the game suggest. His accomplishments ARE impressive. He must have had no small amount of courage, willpower, and intelligence, to execute his schemes (as well as the audacity ;) ). But he is also not the RIGHT kind of a man. He doesn't throw punches and doesn't speak in a way that men around him are going to approve of. Interestingly, he also allies himself with a woman to accomplish his goals in the game, and they both play others and one another in a way that is traditionally seen as 'feminine', while the very much masculine Sheriff fulfils his need for someone who will instill fear in his enemies for him, in ways that he is unable to do, himself.  

His obsession with power and security takes a more interesting tone, if you look at it past a generic archetype of a 'power-hungry ventrue'. Whether he is weak or not, he is SEEN as such. He very likely knows WHY he is seen as such. And his over-reliance on domination likely stems from his inability to instill fear and respect into his subjects because he is not the kind of man these kindred would obey or see as one of their own. He won't handle your rejection, because he doesn't have to. At least, not anymore. He can make you submit to him, in his own way. Not with a physical beating or threats of violence, but by exercising his own will over you.  

It is also worth noting that Lacroix, who is open about his place of birth and his military service, does not name his sire to us, nor does he give any details about him outside of establishing him as a noble. And while I won't claim it was intended to be taken this way, I can't help but think of Barry and Bullingdon, and if Lacroix's relationship with his sire was more than a little strained, and if he felt that much like Bullingdon, he was alone in what he had to accomplish; to learn to play by the rules of a society that saw him as weak and undesirable, and find his place in it, preferably far above those who slighted him. 

[porcelainseashore]

They Don't Make Them Like Her Anymore - VTM Bloodlines 20th Anniversary

Commissioned art by @medeaft

Author's Note: I wrote this to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and for a Gallery Noir server event by @vampemoqueen and @bigswordenergy.

Step into the shoes of our favorite sick freak, Vandal Cleaver, as he ruminates on the recent happenings in his life. Pliers and blowtorch included. Terms and conditions apply.

Content Warnings: Violence, torture, self-harm, body horror, mild gore, mild sexual content, obsessive behavior, blood bond, Hannah Glazer and Therese Voerman mentions, murder.

Hannah, Hannah… oh, Hannah. They don’t make them like her anymore, do they? It was sad actually—tragic—well no more tragic than another dead hooker found in a soulless apartment Downtown. Nothing that would make the headlines, not even worthy of a back page obituary in the local paper. Heh, I may be a sap for saying this, but she was good enough for me.

You see, they don’t make them like her anymore. No shit. The new girl? She can’t quite do the job like Hannah did, but since when were beggars choosers? Yeah, I know my place in the pecking order. At least she has the stomach for what I request of her. Doesn’t outright scream, “You fucking freak!” in my face, leaving me high and dry. I need my fix afterall, like the rest of you… Hiding dirty little secrets to dig out between your sorry sack of bones with a scalpel—do you know what a skilled hand can do with a scalpel? Have you ever run your finger across the edge of a blade? Any blade—come on, don’t lie to me now, we’re friends, aren’t we? Everyone’s done it once in their life, lost their innocence as blood blooms from the vulvic slit like a bouquet of roses. Sometimes it gushes like a torrent, depending on how deep you sliced. Shh, it’s okay to get carried away. Your secret’s safe with me.

Anyway, she does as I ask, like a good enough girl, then pukes her guts out—politely—in the bathroom next door. I know, because I hear it. Her chest concave and hollowed, heaving, organ crushing against organ as she squeezes her lungs, gagging on saliva and air. They don’t make them like her anymore, you get what I’m saying?

Earlier, I watched as the flimsy fabric of my skin peeled away, acid pink flesh melting from bone, and the charred layers curling under the blue flame like burning plastic. What remains blisters and festers. I’ve done it so many times I think all that can be salvaged from me are deadened nerves and an empty husk. I like being empty though. Sprawled out on the floor, naked and clean as a newborn while the world around me spins in circles. For a moment, everything feels attainable and unattainable. 

My queen… queen of all queens—

And just like that, it’s gone. I’m left with the chick who has a blowtorch in one hand and her nose in the other, pinching it as though the fumes are toxic. Her hands are always trembling, like an addle-brained patient, maybe because I don’t know whether I’m laughing or screaming half of the time.

My body is already mending at twice the speed when she brings out the pliers. I am a god and a shitty mistake all in one—not quite like the bitch goddess who owns me, but almost. Give it another hundred years, and I’ll be standing in this exact room, cutting myself open with my bare hands, alive and kicking to see the process. Imagine tucking my fingers under the sagging flaps, flaying skin from tissue as I pull it apart. Wet, stinking clumps of flesh and its sinewy tendons will stick between my nails, overstaying their welcome, yet impossible to scrub out. And that smell—mmm, that smell! A putrid, cloying tang of filthy pennies, assaulting my senses like a hammer to the head. I want to untangle my entrails like the wires in my brain that got crossed somewhere, just to check and see if they’re the same as everyone else.

Oh, so the new girl needs a bit of encouragement, does she? Lingering there slack-jawed and taking her sweet time. The missus—no, I mean, Hannah never needed to be told twice. Deep down, I think she even enjoyed it, the sick fuck. They don’t make them like her—

“Do it,” I hiss, saliva drooling from my lips like a rabid dog.

I hear bones snapping before the pain hits me, rattling my teeth as an excruciating jolt shoots up my arm. For a split second, I’m blinded by a searing white light. My thumb is dangling at an awkward angle and I must be howling, because the look on that girl’s face… well, what wouldn’t I give to have a picture as a keepsake? Frame it up on the wall like a goddamn Picasso.

Sometimes I feel the hairy legs of spiders skittering around my skull. It tickles like the high strings of a violin being plucked—faintly, daintily, as if it were never there. Sometimes I say things, but my words aren’t my own. And it’s happening right now. The girl before me is no longer a girl, but the queen bitch herself.

“Therese,” I weep and moan. It’s lewd and urgent like a fever prayer falling from my lips. I swear I could cum from her name alone, and I hate myself for it.

“What did you just call me?”

Therese in body and blood, spirit and flesh. Therese in all her unbearable glory. The cold metal clamps down on my trigger finger and her grin is so wicked I can only grovel and lick the dirt off her boots. She’s inside of me. When I hurt myself, she hurts too, and I enjoy it.

“Yes, please! Oh, mistress, oh fuck—”

My eyes shut as I throw my head back, mouth in the shape of an “O” that’s simply ridiculous. I try not to imagine how it looks like one of those snuff tape suckers in post-coital, or should I say, post-feast bliss. Disgusting and vile. I remember mocking them with Phil as I forced him to watch every single Death Mask film in that dingy basement of the Santa Monica Clinic.

When I come to, my balls are no longer heavy and aching, like an oppressive, shameful need. Semen trickles down my leg, pooling in my pants as though I wet myself. It smells of rotting fish and I’m trying not to cry. I wish it were the Nectar of the Gods instead.

A flash of anger rears up in my chest and I tear my eyes open. Therese—no, the new girl lies like a crumpled doll on the floor, mouth agape in that stupid “O.” Good enough like a pair of single-use gloves to dispose of in the trash without a second thought. Except, I used mine again and again. What’s the point if they break apart so easily? They don’t make them—

I yank her face towards me. The whites of her eyes loll back as I squash the fat of her cheeks within my bloodied hand, and her lips mime a fish sucking in breath.

“Tell me I’m good enough! Say it!” something that sounds more akin to a pig squealing explodes like a burst tap.

The stumps of my fingers move her mouth like a ventriloquist, but she says nothing. Blood smears across her dull skin. She doesn’t wake up. That can only mean one thing: useless. They don’t—

I let her body fall to the ground with a thud. Whipping a phone out from my back pocket, what’s left of my fingers fly over the keypad, punching in a line I’ve rehearsed a thousand times.

“A special order for the mistress.”

Tears cloud my eyes as I hear my quivering breath. It’s shallow and erratic. I still can’t tell if I’m laughing or crying half of the time.

Dividers by @diableriedoll

[amberkendslacy]

Hbomberguy mentioned maybe doing a vampire the masquerade bloodlines video like 5 years ago and I'm not over it lol.

[malky-tea]

The third picture in a series about bloodlines from Vampire: The Masquerade. I like Samedi. I love their flaws, their vibe, and their awesome looks (love anything with bones and skulls). Their connection to Caribbean mythology, voodoo and necromancy certainly deserves a special mention and love too. I haven't played them yet (whenever I get a chance to do a necromancer I take Giovanni), but that didn't stop me from ending the first installment of the series with this bloodline (and it's my favorite art)

Only 6 pictures left, maybe I'll dilute this glut of vampires on my blog with something else, who knows? But I'll be sure to show them all

[vtmbdialogue]

[sureokyeahwhatever]

i finished vampire the masquerade bloodlines after chipping away at it for a couple weeks after work. Those first 2/3rds of the game are a genuine masterpiece, but man, that last third gets really, really weird and racist.

The thing is, is that I actually have very little to say about that first 2/3rds. It's just good. The design is great, it's well balanced, it's open ended, it has great characters. It's wonderful. This part of the game feels like a real, worthy successor to Deux Ex. There's just nothing more to say, I think.

...

And that's why I almost have a hard time believing it's written by the same people as the last bit. The whole game up to that point (up to just before chinatown) is pretty darn smartly written with some relatively cogent social commentary. The quality of the missions also takes a really, really steep dive in that section too (lots of run and gun hallways, lots of extremely buggy areas, shitty boss fights, etc. But that's honestly understandable because balancing the endgame of an ImSim is practically impossible). Idk, it feels like a totally different game. I could almost just forgive all of that though, if it weren't for the ungodly and seemingly genuine racism with regards to the east Asian vampires.

Like. Ok. If we're being VERY charitable and we just flatly forgive all of the misguided-though-not-malintentioned 2000s era attempts at humor-via-stereotype (dialogue options referencing "tentacles" directed at a young japanese woman; old chinese guys who are always loud and drunk; jingoistic WWII-surviving japanese soldier; Chinese businessman speaking in riddles and mentioning the I-Ching; so on and so on) the whole handling of the "chinese vampire" storyline is psychotically racist.

You first hear of these guys -- the Kuei-Jin, which I learn from the wiki is a portmanteau of the Mandarin word for ghost and a the Japanese word for person, which... ok. -- as being basically like animals. They slaughter who ever they see, lots of people in the bourgeois faction see them as a nuisance, the people in the anarchist faction see them as "invaders from the east," which already had me like "Jesus fucking Christ, maybe these anarchist guys aren't cool after all". But anyway, you go to Chinatown to talk to them and -- by my estimation -- they were basically the same as everyone else. They're protective of their territory, they're secretive, they're paranoid of outsiders... I mean, yeah, they're fucking vampires and apparently all the other vampires see them as sub-human, so yeah, I'd be paranoid and secretive around me too.

The thing is, is that you have this anarchist friend who you tell everything to -- Jack -- and I wanted to go tell him "hey, I don't think these guys are so bad. Maybe we misjudged them" or something like that. And there was a dialogue option along the lines of that, but when I said it, his response was something to the effect of "don't let them sweet talk you with their 'spiritual path' bullshit. That stuff ain't for /us/". Which, I heard and again, said "ah! Interesting writing decision! We're learning that Jack ALSO has flaws like everyone else! he's not just some perfectly cool, levelheaded badass -- he has unjustified prejudices just like everyone else!" So I continued the story under the assumption that, yes, while the surface level of the whole "Chinese vampire" thing was being handled in a really immature, racist way, and in-universe all the other factions seemed to see them as exactly that -- racist stereotypes of conniving, backstabbing Chinese mafia goons -- this was all setting up an interesting "let's all learn to put our cultural differences aside and defeat those rich assholes who want to rule LA"-style ending. This would not be the case.

There was a moment towards the end that I THOUGHT confirmed my suspicion. You are told by the leader of the bourgeois faction to convince the anarchist faction to ally with them so they can, together, take down the Kuei-Jin. Around this time you also are intercepted by the leader of the Kuei-Jin who straight up warns you "hey, that bourgeois guy set me up. He's about to set you up too. Be careful. I hope we can be friends in the future." So I get this information and go straight to the anarchist faction with the intention to say "Ok, bourgeois guys are obviously doing a power play. Now's the time to join with the Kuei-Jin and take them out. We'll settle our petty differences later." (Side note, yes, I understand they were recently at war, but war happens in these situations. The best way to prevent another war is actively making peace. Not by just constantly threatening to go BACK to war). But no such option was available. Instead, all the options were different variations on "Let's join with the bourgeois faction and kill those Chinese guys!" What? But I don't want to kill those guys! And I don't really trust either of these other factions either because the anarchists are racists and the bourgeois guys are, well, bourgeois guys.

So eventually the "ending-tron 3000" comes up in the form of a conversation with a taxi driver which, as far as ending-trons go, is pretty cute. If you decide to ally with the Kuei-Jin two things happen: one, everyone hates you because it's completely impossible to convince anyone that they are anything other than parasites, and two, they kill you in a cutscene and you die in the ocean, which, all things considered, is probably the worst possible way this whole story line could have been handled. There was an opportunity here to have an exceptionally interesting moment where you bring people together to fight in solidarity against those who seek to concentrate their power over the city and all it's inhabitants. There could have been an ending where you work together with the Kuei-Jin and the anarchists to get rid of the bourgeois faction, render the "anarchist" faction system redundant, and allow LA vampires to establish their own federated society where people can live where and how they please without the iron fist of some Ivory tower pretty boys telling everyone how to live their lives. You could establish a system of vampire democracy across LA, with all the benefits and negatives that it brings. Would LA then be crushed under the heel of the bourgeois faction coming in from other cities? Or would it be able to stand the test of time and serve as an example for other cities to rise up and do the same? There's some interesting stuff here, both politically and for individual characters as perhaps you have to work extra hard to get Jack and the rest of the anarchists to believe that the Kuei-Jin are, despite superficial differences, just vampires like they are and that they all share common interests.

Instead, the game goes hard in the other direction. It calls you an idiot for trusting those eastern invaders and basically says "you should have listened to everyone else when they were mumbling under their breath about how you can't trust those Kuei-Jin as far as you can throw them". i.e., you were an idiot for not being racist enough. Like, I can understand the general theme of "trust no one", since it permeates through the whole game, but to literally introduce a faction of "conniving foreigners" who everyone hates, and then to have that hate be perfectly justified just feels boring, hateful, and honestly like a waste of a third of what was otherwise a great, great game.

Anyway. The game is good. Great, even! It's really hard to make an ImSim, so even though the last third has some rough (ROUGH) design flaws and bugs, I'm happy to look past that. However, it's really easy to not just put Chinese people in your game and make them evil stereotypes that everyone rightfully hates, so that's harder to look past.

I would say the ideal way to experience the game is to marathon the first chapter up to downtown, play less and less frequently from downtown up until the end of hollywood or so, and gradually lose interest around the time that you're asked to go to Chinatown. I think if you did that, you'd end up remembering the game very fondly.

[scarfacemarston]

hi, this is more of a personal question if you don't mind. what other games do you like or play at the moment (other than rdr)? btw i love reading everything you write on abigail, she definitely needs more appreciation in the fandom!

I'm always open to personal questions! I actually haven't played RDR in a year or so, so that's funny you mention that. I still love Abigail, of course. She's and my Oc's are the only connections to the fandom, to be honest. I am obsessed with Dragon Age, but I'm personally not a fan of Veilguard. I write for the fandom, especially for Cullen. lol but I also love Leliana, Alistair, Dorian, Isabela. Varric and Fenris to name a few. I'm playing Baldur's Gate 3, but I really suck at it. I'm not far into the game, but I've seen numerous playthroughs. I'm to the point where I could write for the main crew, but I'm not sure how well I'd do, to be honest. I love Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines and have played it the most out of any game I've ever owned. I love the Batman Arkham series and I've written a bit for it! Mostly for Harvey and Ivy. (But I combine my writing with the comics.) I have the Witcher installed, but haven't played it yet. I 've played a bit of Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout and Elder Scrolls, but I've had some struggles with them. lol I also play Animal Crossing and My Time at Sandrock. I'm sure there are plenty of other games, though.

[8bitsupervillain]

Higurashi When They Cry Hou Ch. 8 Matsuribayashi on Steam pt. 111

The fourth test is a visual novel I know for a fact works on handhelds: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. This one is claimed to not be supported on the steam deck. I know that Danganronpa is a very different creature to Higurashi and the rest, what with it having a more investigative gameplay style, or literally any gameplay really. But I wanted to test a variety of visual novel type of game, and I don’t think anyone really gives a damn about Vampire the Masquerade Coteries of New York, or Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest. Both of which work just fine by the way. Anyway, Danganronpa, I was able to suppress my disdain for the third entry long enough to unlock the save ability and can confirm despite the steam deck curation system’s claim it does indeed play just fine on the steam deck.

Fifthly one of the others I tested was Zero Escape: The Nonary Games, specifically Virtue’s Last Reward, as that one is my personal favorite of the series. Again, not quite the same as the When They Cry series, but I felt it relevant to test it anyway. I am becoming convinced I’m just somehow cursed and when I tried Matsuribayashi that first time I somehow screwed the game up on a fundamental level making that odd glitch occur. Because VLR, like the rest of my test cases works just fine.

Of course I do realize the problem with my theory is the fact that this relies on the story maintaining its more fantastical spiritual elements that it seems to have largely moved away from with Tsumihoroboshi. Once the plot became about parasites, and a disease this theory holds a lot less water, especially when you take the culprits behind the curse into account. Which is what makes the inclusion about Hanyuu’s past and her people all the more annoying to me. I understand that there must be some explanation for Hanyuu lest you confound and annoy people more about the narrative. I’m not sure I agree with the notion, but we’ll roll with it. I have been made abundantly aware of the decision to change Hanyuu as a character from Minagoroshi to Matsuribayashi, but I’m not even trying to bring that into this particular equation. The inclusion of Hanyuu as a device that needs to cosmically exist to take on the sins of humanity to ensure that there’s no loser in the fight between the gaming club and Takano is such a needless over complication. I feel that Hanyuu’s existence to the plot really could, and maybe should, have ended with the fact that one of the ancient Furude ancestors fell in love with this demon girl. And owing to the superstitious nature of man she was sentenced to death thereby cursing the Furude bloodline until her resurrection with the birth of Rika. You could perhaps include the plot point that she died to act as a bridge between the two races, but that’s it, I don’t think it needed to be any more than that.

With the mention and inclusion of other potential members of Hanyuu’s tribe I feel that it opens up some of the more contentious plot points introduced in this chapter, and Minagoroshi to have a different explanation. It’s presented that the way to break the curse of 1983 is that there has to be a divine miracle to interrupt the cycle. What if instead, the reason so many times the attempts at escaping the cycle failed was because one of the demonic entities was pissed off at the fact that humanity killed Hanyuu a thousand years ago? And so it manipulated events to keep Rika in this existence for some inscrutable reason? I don’t want to use Umineko as a basis for this theory, but it does offer an explanation. What if this other force wants to keep Hanyuu trapped in Hinamizawa forever? It would go to explain the mysterious voice Takano heard when she escaped from the orphanage that led her to the phone booth. It set up the circumstance for the events to occur as they have in the series.

[crownedinmarigolds]

I'm pretty sure the reason Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines is so on the forefront of my brain is because Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club specifically mentions Santa Monica and Hollywood and LA so my brain rotted self is like VTMB!

So am I imagining my coterie dancing at the Pink Pony club... yes. Also my fave cover artist did his own version of it so I hard-core am picturing Ralph as a rhinestone cowboy is heels....