#now I must think...consider my options...craft the lore

[hollow-prey]

Me, thinking about undisclosed Otome Man from undisclosed Otome Game: man, I do really like this character, but I can't fucking stand 90% of the other characters in the game. I can't even bring myself to visit him because the game forces interactions with other characters I don't like way too much instead of letting me focus on and pursue the one I DO like. And I can't figure out a way to write out the other characters if I place my s/i into the game's canon. I guess it's just not meant to be 😔

The divine wisdom in my head, waking from its slumber: hey so. you remember all those posts about how you can completely disregard canon, throw it out the window, and rewrite it if you want?

Me: yes

Divine wisdom: and those posts about how if your f/o's source material sucks, you can just remove your f/o from the source material completely and write your own canon to make it more enjoyable for you and tailor it to your tastes?

Me: yes

Divine wisdom: and all those posts talking about how you can and should do whatever you want with your f/os because it's for your own enjoyment and no one can stop you?

Me: yes...?

Divine wisdom: you know you can do all that with Otome Man, right? Remove him from the source material and write your own self ship lore that caters to you? You know you're allowed to do that as well, right?

Me:

[zikadraws]

Since I've been back at it lately, I thought I'd present my latest version of Agent 4 ! It's the one that I would consider "closest to canon". Enjoy.

Now time for some extrapolating, buckle up 'cuz it's gonna be long (orange text for more personal headcanons) :

The canon site mentions that 4 was "too busy with [extra]curriculars" to know about the Squid Sisters. So I picked up on that, and now 4 is a squid who picks interests in many things at the same time !

They are sixteen years old when they meet Marie.

They go by they/she and is genderqueer

Technically their 'canon' name (result banners name) is "Surume" which happens to translates to "Shredded dried squid" but we're gonna ignore that they don't really like their name, so they think 4 sounds more rad. Edit : her complete name is Surume Eurasia NITPICK.

They have a very hyperactive brain, fueled by passion and satisfaction of discovery, and they are always looking forward for new stuff. (Canon describe them as "Down for whatever" and pretty much opportunistic and not thinking much about it.) So they have a HUGE knack for science, because they love the "F#€! around and find out" aspect of it.

They are curious about EVERYTHING and once they get interest, they must find out exactly how it functions, in all its details and lore if you will. This curiosity got them in trouble by the past.

Their curriculum (in my head) is bioengineering. They are astonishingly efficient in a lab. Though they are eager the entire time, so really the hardest thing the school had to teach them is how to follow the scientific procedure properly. (Consider all options, make differential schemes, write down everything, etc...) (Marie actually helps them with their studying method sometimes)

Their specialties are :

The topic of "waves", such as soundwaves and brainwaves. They studied the respawn points in excruciating detail on their own, and wrote an essay about squid souls, and how every living thing has its own "DNA Vibe" that can be retraced like a data log if deciphered and even exploitable if translated as a code. That essay was very detailed and got many professors *concerned* that it made sense.

Because of #1, they have a big interest about 'Souls' (which are an acquired Fact™ in this society by at least a century) and how they can be resurrected, identified, interfered with and conserved.

The topic of cell division, DNA, how a primal organism follows a program of growth.

They have artificially conserved fish embryos, and are coming to a point where they can fully develop them in vitro.

They have engineered a device that can scan an object (small to middle size) and represent it in 3D, in its deepest layers. You can put that on a computer or tablet and analyse and deconstruct the layers. They actually patented this one. It isn't new as a concept, but it's a handheld version. Also a device that can pick up brainwaves and translate them as digital writing. Several languages. Main issue here is the headaches and picking it from a distanced target, but they're definitely gonna patent this one too.

They are working on a project that they name "Primal Cell". Basically a cell with no specific purpose at its beginning, that can be "coded" through an interface into developing into a specific organism (one that one has the code and variety pattern for). It's their life project.

They mainly do all that for fun technically, but they want to use that for medical purposes, notably people with chronic illness, very bad mutations or terminal disease. After hearing about the Subway, it adds another possible use to their list. Also great communication innovating leap horizons.

They are big buddies with Sheldon because they both like infodumping and 4 is pretty good at crafting and weapon ideas, and helping him out with testing, and he helps them with material supplying, and once they start talking, it quickly sounds like intense seagull bantering. Both screaming over the other. Hellish.

They are shy and awkward with people at first meet but the second they're comfortable with you, oooh, buddy...

They're roommates with 8, nicknamed "Night" because N+8, on Marie's request. Night learned more with her in a week than she would have in six months of private classes. Night really likes 4. Night feels more at ease with them than with 3. Night stayed with them at Inkopolis during the whole Splatlands thing. I would recommend a check up on Night and 4.

They grew out of the city but close enough by, they were adopted and had two dads. One was a firework maker.

Versatile, wields all weapons pretty decently, also learned to summon them at will as well as her inventory through specific ink bending, which is technically illegal. She may be working on making the inventory able to fit in *bigger* items. Also has a specific interest with ink manipulation.

They're kinda very clueless, yet have an extremely developed sense of intuition.

They have a bad tendency to brush their problems and feelings under the rug, despite being pretty self-aware. They're a walking contradiction lol

They can often be mentally exhausting sadly, including for themselves ; and either brush off feelings or have an overwhelming empathetic reaction. The whole "Get yourself hurt because you think like a flea circus all the time" kind of thing.

🟠 They worked for five years at Grizzco part-time for money, up to Profreshional, but ended up quitting because they were way too curious for their own good and did something they knew would get them fired or worse, so they preferred to quit before anyone could fire them 'cause quitting looks better on the employment papers than being fired. Grizz had seriously his eyes on them by the end of it though. They always asked too many questions. 🟠

They're the embodiment of Chaotic Dumbass who also happens to everyone's surprise to be a Literal Scientific Genius.

Aaand that's about it I think.

So as you can see my version of Agent 4 is still pretty chaotic, true to their team of choice, though they have a lot going on for themselves. They have the potential to become the greatest bioengineering scientist of their time, hopefully for the better.

Though they are sure to face some though moral dilemmas during that process.

I can definitely tell that I'm falling back into my Splatoon phase so expect more intense bs to come, if you have questions or comments about them or related, don't hesitate !

Thank you~✨🙏🎶

[the-sunlit-earth]

Morrowind First-Timer Here =)

I've been playing through Morrowind for the first time, having only played Oblivion before (and a bit of Skyrim)... and I must say, I'm  enjoying it immensely. Much more than I initially thought I would. This is Bethesda at their best, imo. I can see why people speak almost reverently of Morrowind, it's that good. So much detail and love was crafted into this game, into the lore, giving the world such a lived-in feeling. The architecture and style of everything is so unique and amazing.

I think fondly of the places I've been throughout my journey, and thinking of towering mushrooms, of bugs 'n reptiles everywhere, makes me smile. Hell, even the cliff racers, annoying bastards that they are, because they're a part of this world too. Part of the experience.

I find the story so compelling and well-paced, though I haven't fully completed it yet. I linger and find myself wishing it could go on, I don't want it to end!

A large part of my enjoyment is thanks to a mod known as "Julan, Ashlander companion", but could alternately be titled "Julan, Companion and Fully Fleshed Out Character Who Causes the Story to Come Even More Alive and Makes Elements Personal So You're REALLY Fully Invested In Every Single Thing Going On Around You Because You Have Someone to Relate Everything Back To and Consider How It Affects and Shapes The Worldview Of A Native of This Land That You Were Just Tossed Into", but that's a bit long.

Don't get me wrong, I would've still enjoyed the main plot on its own, but this character adds so much, and ties in so well with the Main Story that I really do feel I'd be missing out without him. When he speaks up about whatever we're currently doing or where we're at, I get to hear an opinion from this character's perspective that I might otherwise not have thought about that way, or overlooked. He gives insight and so much more to consider, especially to one unfamiliar with Morrowind, which is crucial to world-building and storylines, and he does it while being integrated so seamlessly. I suppose not every player cares about that, but for how much he adds to the Main Quest, I'd have to say he belongs near the top of Mod Lists, in the "Must Have" category. Kateri/ @fallingawkwardly​, thank you kindly for creating this mod and giving it to your fellow players to enjoy! As the type of person who primarily plays games for the story, I thank you, and all mod creators who make the experience so much more immersive. Y'all are the modding community at its finest.

Can I also just add that I REALLY love the fact that, although he IS romanceable, it isn't the primary focus; it’s optional and totally up to the player. If you do choose to get involved, that too is very well done and is totally LGBT friendly and not restricted based on gender, OR race(no discriminating against Khats or Args in this house!)! Ace friendly as well, since your character can have a relationship with him but never be forced down a path you're uncomfortable with, since he'll check in with you instead of just assuming things. THAT level of awareness is a big deal, especially considering this was done in, what, 2006ish? And is far more inclusive and considerate than what can be seen in many MODERN games now! It is certainly very appreciated =)

[thetygre]

Dark Souls Lore Rambling #8

Hey, remember when I said these mini-lores were going to be shorter to write? Or shorter at all? Ha ha ha ha what a liar I am

The Lesser Lords

Now that we’ve covered Gwyn and the Lords in general, I wanted to take a break and cover some of the minor divinities in Dark Souls before we get back into the meatier subjects. There’s a bunch of lesser deities mentioned in passing in Dark Souls, so I thought I’d try to shine some light on them. Please note, I’m only covering the gods referenced in Dark Souls 1; the rest are just going to have to wait.

Flan

What we know about Flan is equal to almost the sum value of bupkis. He is apparently married to Gwynevere and is a god of fire. Also, his name means ‘red haired’ in Gaelic. That’s it; everything else is a mystery. Was his marriage to Gwynevere an arranged one, or did they meet naturally? Is Flan now the King of the Gods by virtue of Gwyn being dead, bereft of male heirs (sorry, Gwyndolin), and Flan being married to Gwynevere? Is he even alive? Who knows.

I think it’s worth noting that Flan is the fire god. That could potentially have a lot of connotations, given that fire is central to the Dark Souls universe. All civilization and life stem from fire. The very cosmic order of duality is set in motion because of the First Flame. So does Flan have some tie to the First Flame? Or perhaps he has some ties to Izalith and pyromancy? Maybe Flan’s marriage to Gwynevere was the sealing pact between the Lords and Witches? Interesting theories, but still just theories.

The only thing I can speculate on for certain is the interesting juxtaposition of divine portfolios in Gwynevere and Flan’s union. Gwynevere, as established earlier, is a benevolent and providing goddess of sunlight, representing the nurturing and feminine aspects of her father Gwyn’s purview. Flan is simply a god of fire; rawer, unrefined, and more elemental. In a way, Flan fills in for the Nameless King as the warrior-prince deity, complementing Gwynevere in a dual relationship. United with Gwynevere, Flan represents not just fire in its elemental aspects, but also fire in its domestic uses, including smithing and the hearth. Or, at least that’s how I envision it.

 Allfather Lloyd

Lloyd. Not much of a deity name. Barely edges out ‘Greg the Thunderer’ and ‘Karen the Earth Mother’. The lore states that Allfather Lloyd is Gwyn’s uncle, was the founder of the Way of White, and his clerics are noted Undead hunters. His face is emblazoned on coins which are apparently currency outside Lordran, which travelers cling to as mementoes of the outside world. That alone indicates that Lloyd is a pretty big deal. It might even give us some details about economics outside Lordran; maybe coins are minted in one of the more theocratic countries, like Astora of Thorolund.

Lloyd’s clerics are even given a certain amount of respect for their Undead hunts, which tells us how the outside world views the Undead; at best cursed and unnatural, at worst slavering zombies. (Which, to be fair, isn’t exactly one hundred percent unfounded.) When everything is taken into account, Lloyd is a figure of central importance to not just the Way of White, but the whole world outside Lordran.

But things get interesting when you start to break down his name. ‘Lloyd’ is easy; it stems from the Welsh ‘llwyd’, which means both ‘holy’ and ‘grey’. But the meat of Lloyd’s etymology comes from the important part of his name; ‘Allfather’. Those of you who have been paying attention might recall that Dark Souls draws from Norse mythology a smidge. And in Norse mythology, ‘Allfather’ (or Alfodr and/or Aldafoor, if you’re feeling fancy) was one of the more important epithets for Odin, King of the Gods. Allfather has two applicable meanings for Odin; first, he and his brothers Villi and Ve are responsible for slaying the primordial frost giant Ymir and using his body to construct the cosmos, as well as the human race. In this capacity, Odin is literally all things’ father in that the universe would not exist without him. Second, Odin was the king over all the other gods, or Aesir, and his word was law. And in between is the fact that Odin is listed as the literal father of some of Norse mythology’s more famous deities, including Thor, Balder, and Tyr.

The thing of it is, when you take these meanings, a creator deity and a divine patriarch, and apply them to Lloyd, old Lloyd starts to turn up short. For starts, Lloyd didn’t create anything. The world existed even before the Lords did, so he wouldn’t be in the running as a creator deity anyway. Adding on to that, he’s listed as Gwyn’s uncle, not Gwyn’s father; if he was going to be called a creator deity by association with Gwyn, he would at least need a paternal link. Lloyd isn’t even the king of the Lords, Gwyn is. Lloyd might still have some kind of ruling position, but he definitely isn’t top banana. And, as far as we know, Lloyd isn’t the biological father of any other important Lords. So what gives?

All these inconsistencies, and a little bit of the lore from Dark Souls 3, point to Lloyd being a fraud. Lloyd started the Way of White touting himself as some distant relative of the Lords from on high. This even ties into my theory that the Way of White wasn’t always the religion of Lord worship, but originally the name for the alliance between humans and Lords during the war with the Everlasting Dragons and against the demons. Lloyd took advantage of, or may even have been responsible, for the shift to a more traditional church. The Undead Hunts are just a way to garner favor with the people and direct attention on a common scapegoat; people won’t notice that the Way of White is rotten from the inside if they’re too busy hunting Hollows.

But for old Lloyd’s sake, let’s consider a second option, and accept Lloyd’s story at face value. Even as only Gwyn’s uncle, that still gives Lloyd a lot of leverage with both humans and Lords. Lloyd might have been the one to oversee relations between humans and Lords during the Age of Ancients and the Age of Fire. The Undead Hunts are genuine efforts to protect humanity and/or to contain the Undead curse. His Allfather title is a religious one, associated with the pseudo-Catholic structure of the Way of White (Havel is a bishop, etc.). ‘Father’, after all, is the title given to a priest in Catholicism after all. So it might be that, as the head of the church of the Way of White, Lloyd is equivalent to the Pope, the high priest to whom all other priests defer; the All-Father.

Of course, these answers aren’t mutually incompatible. Lloyd still could have been the founder of the Way of White and still been a fraud as well. He might even have still been a Lord, a rogue deity like Velka. Either way, by Dark Souls 3 the Way of White has gotten so old that old Lloyd has fallen to the wayside completely.

 The Nameless Blacksmith God

There’s surprisingly more to the Nameless Blacksmith God then you would think, especially if you look at the Dark Souls meta and concept lore. The canon lore on the deity is actually very sparse, but pretty straightforward; the Blacksmith God was the Lord that forged the armor and weapons for the other Lords. I generally take this to mean the Blacksmith God did not literally craft every arm and armament for the Lords, or invented the process of smithing; rather, like how Seath is the father of sorcery, the Blacksmith God was a pioneer in his field, exemplary in his profession. He was the Lord who spearheaded the arming work during the war with the Everlasting Dragons, and may even have been the one to discover titanite and how to use it.

At some point, the Nameless Blacksmith God died, though nobody knows when or how. For a while, I entertained the theory that maybe Gwyn killed the Blacksmith to keep his secrets out of enemy hands, but I’ve come to reject that now. Gwyn’s a dick, but he’s not a stupid dick, and the Blacksmith God was a bigger asset than liability. I kind of like the idea that the Blacksmith was assassinated during the war with the Everlasting Dragons; dragon forces tried to weaken the Lords by cutting off their biggest arms supplier. There’s nothing to even remotely back that up, though.

When the Blacksmith God died, he left behind two things; the titanite demons, and the titanite slabs. I doubt that these were meant to be the Blacksmith’s legacy because I frankly doubt the Blacsmith ever planned on dying. The demons might have been made as servants for the Lords, but I’ll cover them later. Why the Blacksmith God made titanite slabs, I don’t know. There’s obviously writing on the slabs, and Dark Souls 3 actually has the slabs have translatable runes on them that tell the story of the Lords. It is entirely within reason to assume that the Blacksmith God did not leave behind the titanite slabs as resources at all; they were records, preserving history and knowledge in the strongest material available. By the time of Dark Souls, however, titanite is so scarce and so valuable that humans have started cannibalizing what would otherwise be historical artifacts, maybe without even realizing their true value.

 Gwyn’s Wife

We know even less about Gwyn’s wife than we do about Flan or the Nameless Blacksmith God. The Blacksmith God is at least referenced; no one even mentions Gwyn’s wife. It’s assumed he had a wife; he fathered his children, after all. We’re operating on the assumption that the kids actually are biologically Gwyn’s, and not just extremely devout disciples. So unless something is radically different about Lord biology from humans, then Gwyn must have bumped uglies with someone at some point.

We keep seeing a statue of a woman holding a child throughout Lordran. The statue is of a woman wearing a crown, indicating royalty; Queen of the Gods is as good a queen as any. The child she’s holding is grasping a sword, which indicates that he’s meant to grow up to be a warrior. Maybe the Nameless King? I like to think the statue depicts Gwyn’s wife. She’s worshiped as a general maternal goddess, a deity of home, family, women, and fertility. She represents renewal, and the providence of the future. Basically equivalent to the Greek Hera or Juno. Or maybe it’s some random female saint from the Way of White. Maybe there is no explanation for the mother statue, just like there’s no explanation for the statues of Athena in the Undead Parish. It’s just there for the aesthetic.

 Fina

Fina is another deity mentioned in passing reference. The only real detail we get about her as that she is described as having ‘fateful beauty’. Her name is most likely derived from the Celtic ‘Fiona’, which means ‘blond’ or ‘fair’. So, established; she’s pretty, and maybe blond. The ‘fateful’ part of her ‘fateful beauty’ description makes me think that there’s a history of people becoming infatuated with her and driving themselves to their own doom trying to serve her, kind of like our boy Lautrec. It could be that it is literally referring to the concept of fate, however, which means that Fina is also associated with destiny in some capacity. The symbol on the Ring of Favor and Protection is also the symbol of Venus, associated with the goddess of the same name, femininity, and copper. This points to Fina being roughly analogous to the Greco-Roman goddess Aphrodite/Venus, but even that is kind of self-evident.

I was originally going to propose that Fina herself was a Fire Keeper, only worshipped as a god and conscripting men like Lautrec to hunt Humanity for her, but that got thrown out the window when I realized Lautrec leaves the Fire Keeper Soul of Anastacia of Astora behind when he kills her, which is a valuable nugget of Humanity. But that in itself raises a question; if Lautrec was just hunting for Humanity and Fina is only his matron, why leave behind the valuable Fire Keeper Soul?

Maybe Fina is a jealous goddess, vain like the Greek gods, and has any woman she deems too beautiful killed, no matter how far away they are. She could also be acting on her potential purview as a deity of fate, condemning Anastacia of Astora specifically for being a heretic. Or perhaps Lautrec simply didn’t know about Fire Keeper Souls, and left behind the soul the same way he left behind the Black Eye Orb out of ignorance. I’m still partial to my theory of Fina as a Fire Keeper and Lautrec as a kind of alternate Kirk of Thorns, but I have to admit, it’s a theory standing on some pretty shaky ground.

 Old Man McLoyf

I’m gonna’ level with you, I’d completely forgotten about Old Man McLoyf until about twenty minutes ago. His face is on the Copper Coin, where he’s mentioned as the god of drink and medicine. From his name, we can gather that he is both A.) a man and B.) old. ‘Mc’ means ‘son of’, and ‘Loyf’ means ‘to praise’; both parts are Scottish. We can infer from his placement on the Copper Coin that he comes from the same general pantheon as Allfather Lloyd, revered in whatever potentially theocratic state made the coins.

And… that’s about it. I’ve seen it posited that McLoyf might have some connections to Catarina, with his connection to alcohol for celebration and medicine for healing combat wounds. I’ve even seen a theory that he might be Gwyn’s father, but there’s nothing to really substantiate that. It’s possible that, like Lloyd, he might not actually be a Lord and instead be a hero-deity or charlatan. I doubt that he’s a chaotic and wild deity of drinking like Dionysus or Bacchus. The connecting thread between medicine and alcohol is that they both cause chemical alterations within the body, so I suppose that’s McLoyf’s root purview. In that capacity, he might also be a god of bravery in the face of harm, which really only reinforces the idea that he might be popular in Catarina. Another mystery god.

 Velka

And of course I saved the best for last. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding Velka in the Souls lore community. I think it’s best to start by laying out the facts. And by ‘the facts’, I mean ‘a summary of the lore with some of my thoughts sprinkled in’. Velka is described as a ‘black-haired witch’, as well as a ‘rogue deity’. Right off the bat, this gives some cause for speculation; ‘witch’ in Dark Souls can refer to either a female practitioner of magic or the specific race of people inhabiting Izalith. I want to err on the side of simplicity and say that she’s just a woman capable of spellcasting. The ‘rogue’ part makes me think that she operates outside of the standard pantheon of gods. Velka is stated to be the goddess of sin; not of sinning itself, but of defining sin and meting out justice to those who do it.

Her priests are also pardoners, where, similar to Catholic priests, an individual can confess their sins and be told how to atone, or offer one’s self up for punishment. Also like medieval Catholic priests is the practice of indulgences with Velka’s pardoners, where one can simply pay to be absolved; however, this may be unique to the pardoner in the Undead Parish. She also appears to a goddess of magic, both performing it and countering it. She is so closely aligned with sorcery that she allows the usage of intelligence instead of faith for her followers. Her name is either Czech for ‘great one’ or ‘famous, or Finnish for ‘debt’; both meanings are appropriate to Velka’s character, but it’s more likely meant to be the Czech meaning since that is the language Dark Souls draws more from. Finally, she has black hair and is associated with ravens. Ravens already have mystical significance in both European and Asian mythology, but are universally associated with death and the presence of the gods. It’s also worth noting that Velka’s connection to ravens and witchcraft gives her some parallels to the Celtic Morrigan; however, Morrigan is a goddess of warfare and sovereignty, not justice.

Velka’s rogue status might tie into her purview as the goddess of sin and justice. The theory I subscribe to is that Velka’s sense of justice was universal, and so she indicted the Lords as well as humanity. This didn’t sit well with the Gwyn et al, and so Velka had to be disappeared into the Painted World of Ariamis, with all the other undesirables of the gods. Clearly, the Lords were not wholly successful in banishing Velka; she appears to still have some presence in Carim, or at least one surviving pardoner from Carim, and some of her items and spells are still in Lordran. As of Dark Souls, her exact portfolio is trying to be absorbed by Gwyndolin, and the two appear to have a standing rivalry; or, more correctly, Gwyndolin still has a standing bounty on Velka’s worshipers. Velka may have once had control of the Blades of the Darkmoon, but the very name indicates that they’ve shifted allegiance to Gwyndolin.

We now descend into the realm of complete conspiracy, where I state my stance on some of the theories surrounding Velka. First and foremost; no, I do not believe the Chosen Undead is an unwitting pawn of Velka’s to strike back against the gods. True, a giant raven carries the Chosen Undead from the Undead Asylum to Firelink Shrine, but this entire plot thread just seems too tenuous to me. It is placing an undue amount of agency and significance on a character that, for all intents and purposes, is barely more relevant than the Nameless Blacksmith God or Allfather Lloyd. Miyazaki has a history of letting characters directly confront their manipulators; the Fool’s Idol in Demon’s Souls, Gwyndolin in Dark Souls, the Amygdalae in Bloodborne, etc. The importance of Dark Souls is that the Chosen Undead is not significant beyond the fact that they are a person and they control their own fate; an unknown manipulator seems contrary to that philosophy.

That being said, I can’t help but see the giant raven as somehow being tied to Velka. Perhaps, once, long ago, it did indeed serve Velka. But with her disappearance, it now acts on instinct and more like an animal rather than an active agent. The raven, with the hindsight of Velka’s lore, becomes symbolic of the inevitable karmic cycle that comes to Gwyn and the other inhabitants of Lordran. If nothing else, it’s a powerful visual; ravens in the West are considered birds of death and ill omen (before we began associating them with being preternaturally smart). In Japanese folklore, ravens are the servants of the gods and act on their behalf. Given that Dark Souls is distinctly aiming for a European aesthetic, however, I think Miyazaki was going for a more Western signifier with the giant raven. It is both death and justice.

Second, I do not think that Velka is Crossbreed Priscilla’s mother. While Priscilla’s Dagger does do Dark damage and Velka’s rapier also does dark damage, I operate on the general assumption that Seath is Priscilla’s father/creator. Velka, once again, was the goddess of sin and punishment, which means that ‘Weird Science’ Seath would probably want to avoid her. At the very least, he would be in some hot water for betraying the Everlasting Dragons. If she wouldn’t discriminate for the other Lords, she certainly wouldn’t discriminate for a dragon.

Third, I do not believe that Velka was involved with the Four Kings and New Londo. True; the darkwraithes do dark damage with their Dark Hand, and they have what appear to be raven feathers on their armor. But we have no way of knowing if that material is supposed to raven feathers; it could very well be fur. Furthermore, connecting the darkwraithes of New Londo to Velka because of an aesthetic feature seems like a mighty leap to conclusions. By that logic, the darkwraithes also have something to do with Gravelord Nito because their armor looks like skeletons. The presence of the same statue that is in the Painted World is also circumstantial at best; there are also giant rats with Humanity in the Painted World as in the sewers, but nobody calls them part of a greater plot.

And finally, I do not believe Velka is the narrator at the beginning of the game. This ties in especially with the theory that Velka is the grand mastermind behind the Chosen Undead, and perhaps even the Dark Sign. And that’s just silly; the bad guy is not the narrator. That was a stupid plot twist in RWBY, mildly effective in God of War 2, and just out of place here. Dark Souls is known for its subtle storytelling, but this is just esoteric. And I say that as someone who has just written 3300 words about some astoundingly esoteric entities. What purpose does it serve for Velka to be the narrator and mastermind of the game? What does it say about Dark Souls’ broader themes? Humanity, the cycle of life, the rise and fall of civilization, empathy, hope, loss, decay, the inevitability of entropy and the ephemerality of life; those are the themes of Dark Souls. Gwyn is usurped because it’s part of an uncontrollable and inexorable cosmic cycle that repeats endlessly and meaninglessly; the concept that divine justice plays into that is simply counterintuitive.

With all that out of the way, I do think Velka used the Dark. The Dark did not originate with her, and she did not try to push the Dark to act a certain way, but I do think she used it. The pardoner’s rapier does have dark damage, after all, and the Dark Ember mentions specifically that it was used to forge weapons that could hurt the Lords. It could be that, growing desperate to mete out divine punishment to the other Lords, Velka drew on the Dark and taught her priesthood how to do the same. And this, ultimately, is the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back and got Velka banished to the Painted World. Velka, in her own way, became was broken down by the passage of time, as all things are.

And now that I’ve had my fill of lesser Lords, stay tuned for when we turn our sights back to the main stage. Darkmoon Tomb, here we come!

[navigatorkyle]

To You, 40,000 Years in the Past

Graham Littler, with his overlooking view of the battlefield, considers his tactical options. His forces are clustered around a central, vital objective, which must be held if victory is to be achieved. The enemy was slower to reach the objective, but they are almost upon Littler's soldiers now, and if they were to engage in melee then the day would surely be lost. To make matters worse, a precision ambush mere moments ago had taken his tank column out of commission- it was down to the foot soldiers to clinch victory. But how to break this charge? Abandon the objective to take the enemy head on, hoping to recapture it if they survive? Have the troops hold their ground and pray they can endure? Spend precious resources to bolster the defense? Littler considers the pile of dice in his hand, and the lovingly crafted miniatures in the center of the six-by-four table. His forces would hold. After all, they were his. As ever, the victor would be decided by fortune. He shakes the dice in his hand, and lets them roll across the table.

Back to Basics

It is the year 2020, and the giants of the modern entertainment industry, wherever one draws its boundary lines, is held in the iron grip of technology. Television has evolved, and is now more accessible and ubiquitous than ever. Mobile phones have become astoundingly complex, and everyone who has one understands how difficult it is to go without. Video games have shouldered their way further into the mainstream, with increasing levels of fidelity and capability provided by the blistering pace of technological progress. It's not difficult to imagine that the sheer dynamism of these forms of technology would have buried the more retro forms of entertainment, like board games. This is not the case. In fact, the amount of money in the millions of dollars being poured into tabletop games up for funding on websites like Kickstarter is only increasing- last year that number rose to $176.4 million, up 7% from 2018. And as tabletop games industry giant Games Workshop's stock continues to rise, it seems more and more people are being drawn into the fascinating hobby of tabletop wargames.

The Daydreamer's take

The appeal of games like Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop's flaghip Intellectual Property and by far the most popular tabletop wargame in the world, can be understood in the way its players look at themselves. Take luck, for example. Littler shook his head as he scraped excess plastic off of a piece of a sculpt fresh off the sprue- a shoulder pad he planned to add to one of his officer miniatures. “When I use my lucky dice... I'd say it's up there, but compared to everyone else, probably on the lower end.” Everyone who plays sees themselves this way- an underdog, battling against their opponent and their own rotten luck at the same time. Narrative is the core of this hobby. Games like Chess, or Mahjong, or Abalone, or Shogi are deep and complex contests of wit, but they lack a certain context. Warhammer, on the other hand- “It's massive. My army of thousands is merely a cog in a giant machine of war in this huge universe that we can explore, through this game.” To put it in perspective, when you purchase a rulebook for Warhammer 40,000, you don't just get the rules. You get pages upon laden pages of rich lore and absurd, fantastic storytelling that gives depth to 40k's grimy, grungy vision of our galaxy. It's a time-honored tradition among players to reserve the right to name a miniature after they have- through sheer luck of the dice or supreme tactics on behalf of the player- performed some incredible feat. It's notions like this that transform tabletop wargaming from a purely competitive experience to something akin to a combination of collaborative storytelling and competition. “With things like video games, your interactions with people usually go something like 'why aren't you playing this correctly, you absolute bonobo.' Whereas, with this game, you're usually only playing with one other person. So if they're not playing well, you'll either give them pointers, or 'teach them the hard way,'” Chuckles the veteran Littler. The advantage of tabletop games over internet-based games is a much more helpful, generous, and tight-knit community. What's more, the game is only half the hobby.

Arts and Crafts

There's something incredibly fascinating about watching someone with an eye for artistic composition carefully and painstakingly apply tasteful colors to a small, heroically posed model soldier, while listening to heavy metal music. This is the second draw of tabletop wargames- the hobby behind the game itself, or the building and painting of a collection of miniatures with which to play the game. Essentially, it boils down to personalizing your band of merry fighters. “I feel a lot more when I lose one of my Intercessors, or a T'au, or one of the cultists I worked on, because that model has some real personality- I think it helps me invest myself in the game more,” Says Littler as he carefully glues a pouch of grenades the size of a termite to the belt of a 32mm tall, revolver-toting gunslinger. No two armies look the same in this hobby. Every faction out of the 32 available has a unique aesthetic and art style, with models ranging from the blocky, brutish tanks of the grim Astra Militarum to the sleek, graceful organic contours of the sophisticated Eldar. On top of that, acrylic paints drawn from every color under the sun are widely available from any number of established paint companies, allowing for literally limitless artistic expression. Among Littler's regular play group can be found his black-and-patina Space Marines, blood-red and bone-white space pirates of the Dark Eldar, Ghastly green and gunmetal of the notorious Chaos Space Marines, and the gore-spattered browns and greens of the Death Guard.

The Galaxy is Your Oyster

Tabletop wargaming as a hobby has never been easier to experience. “I think pretty much anyone can get into it, considering the amount of content they have- there are so many points to get into the game.” Littler says when asked about the accessibility of Warhammer 40,000. There's a little something for just about everyone. The hardcore strategists, the painting demons, the modeling gurus, the lore junkies- all enjoying a shared hobby. “It starts when you play your first game,” Littler grins. “Then you're hooked.”

[atruefanofnothingreally]

What my fantasy video game would be like. (With references of popular modern games)

I am a huge fan of cinema. Cinematics are probably my favorite part of a videogame. The feeling of being a part of a grander reality really comes to fruition when you see the cut-scene. 

Much like the intro to Warcraft 3. This scene begins after Warcraft 2 where you build yourself as Arthas the pure Prince of Lorderon. The now corrupt Prince Arthas, tainted by demonic energy from his sword Shadowmourne walks dramatically up to his father the king, and beheads him. Signifying the beginning of the Lich Kings Reign.

My dream video game will be spawn of a long lore before it. I think that's perhaps where many MMORPGs failed when compared to World of Warcraft.

In World of Warcraft you enter into a world of hero's. Entire cities like in Stormwind decorated with giant statues of Hero’s that come before you. In any other MMORPG you are the decisive hero. No predecessor before you made enough of an impact that it called for much adoration of the player base. Kings are as important as pawns in this sense.

My dream videogame is an MMORPG. This is because, I find great joy in the responsibility over a unique personalized character. I want the player to feel a connection to their creation and the world it exists in. 

Naturally that world is a mystery and the beginning, but it should be smooth and interactive. I think the newer RPG Outward executed this perfectly. 

However I think there is a design point to be made in the scaling of the world, and how the players camera is positioned.

I grew up playing pretty much all the MMORPGs. Started with Runescape in 5th grade. This game is still one of the most popular online games. I am a fan of how they executed the player view points.  In Runescape you look over your character and the world like and angel sitting upon a throne. Every command you enter your character, interface, and environment responds. 

Another game that accomplishes this “angelic” distance is Grand Theft Auto. In Grand Theft Auto you play a semi street thug, vigilante type character. The entire time you play, the camera has a tendency to draw back and show you more of the world as it reacts to you. For example car chases in GTA. After you are running for a  few minutes the world send more units to capture you, but it also pans the Camera out giving you more perspective on how to escape.

In Runescape you are in a world that actually dangerous, with goblins, giants, dragons, and barbarians so the camera is fixed on this widened lens capacity. But In Grand Theft Auto you are in a civilized modern world and the players lens only widens as danger draws nearer.

I feel the need to specify further what this distance is by using a counter example. Lets take the game Elder Scrolls Online. In ESO the camera is sort of like the player is sitting on an Invisible horse a few steps behind the in game character. This to me takes away an element of Alertness that I desire in my game.

In Runescape you can see a dangerous enemy from 30 or 40 paces away.

In GTA you can calculate with your expanded mini map how to escape the police.

In these games this element of alertness and your capacity to respond to new information determines your success.

If as a player you can only view and respond to a distance of 10 to 20  paces all around you, the amount of plays you can make is halved and the amount of unprecedented threats is expounded. 

The scaling of the world plays a huge part of this. You must consider that when you position the camera just so, the played character will only take up just so much space on the screen. . . God bless the capacity to zoom in and out and also cinematic view mode so you can screen shot your newest armor set.

Earlier I talked about the world being interactive. I mentioned the new game Outward. Well honestly, I think its pretty close to perfect. In any adventure fantasy - regardless of story, you need a crafting system. I want to give people a real reason to explore the world. Crafting that levels up and requires investment in time and money and energy to master. 

Don't get me wrong, I think the world itself should have a bountiful reward following successful exploration and domination. 

For instance an extremely rare item that can be found on any monster any where in the world. Or a frequent rare item that can be found from only a specific enemy character. Or a guaranteed reward for a truly heroic deed or role in an event. These are all for sure necessary in my fantasy game. 

However, I want to instill a crafting system that is challenging and rewarding. The challenge should lie where the materials and recipes are unlocked. Recipes as reward to key questlines, materials only found in dangerous terrain. The reward should be a blend of dynamic and static improvements. Like an endgame set that has similar stats but a unique appearance. Or a midgame set that has fantastic stat bonuses, helping you level up to towards the late game. Or items that can be used to enhance something you already have, giving you the just that much more edge on the competition. 

The materials should be reasonable and challenging. Recipes should call for an amount of the materials just so that you would go broke buying all of them. Yet, useful enough to be worth spending some time on the grind. I believe that most powerful items should come from defeating end game enemies, finishing key quest lines, and players crafting equipment.

There should be a separation in the players at some point. Players must choose at a certain point where they stand in the politics in the game. I want players to commit to their stance, feel pride in their selection, and passion towards that factions agenda. 

The idea of “Us. vs Them” is the driving force in games. Games is but a competition in this way.  From Mario jumping over barrels to save Princess Peach from Donkey Kong - to saving the mothership from the invading aliens in Halo. Games put you the adventurer apposed to the threat defeat of failure.

In my game the “US” you get to decide. 

The typical method is factions. Like in World of Warcraft two apposed factions the Horde and the Alliance war over the majority domination over the world. The horde practice slavery and the alliance practice pollution. One simply selects the lesser of two evils. 

In Runescape they use the factions to symbolize three gods and the players then war over one centralized holy site in the castle wars battle ground.

My philosophy in player stance competition is inspired by Civilization VI. This game automatically separates players because it acts as a sort of free for all. However in playing the game the play has a responsibility to co-operate with the enemy before all out war ensues. 

In my game I want there to be a variety of ways for players to compete. 

There should be a free for all arena area or territory. There should be a games area for teams or individuals to compete over and objective. And there should be a territory designed for large group battles. 

The separation of players will come towards the late middle of the story and the factions can be based off of positive yet perhaps opposed ideals or maybe even opposing heroic story characters.

Economy is an aspect of MMORPGs that needs perfecting. In all the later games, the economy is propelled by a robotic auction house. How the program is set up varies on the tittle. 

When I first started playing in 2005, on Runescape. Players would sit at a high density area and manually advertise in the chat, their products they either pillaged or created. 

I thought this was the closest a game could get to a realistic economy in a fantasy world.

Later they put in the robotic auction house called the Grand Exchange which purchases and sells items at a standardized price based off supply and demand. Yea you can buy a stack of iron ore at 25gp per but it might take an hour because of the player supply chain. Unlike, reality it is difficult to track and manage supply chains in game. Making this a less realistic version of a functioning economic process.

My game will include in game player forums that will help players advertise merchandise and find items they need to be effective in the world. It might take more time for trades to take place, but as a player meets more clients and generates leads on sources it will become more smooth out for them.

Even though my dream video game is life like, it is not realistic. It is very fantasy based, with magic, and hyper futuristic technology, and ancient rituals traditions and cultures. I want to utilized the long list of documented mythological ideas such as potions that can heal your wounds instantly or a specially charged item needed to unlock the door that the final boss hides behind.

I believe that videogames are meant to be real enough to keep you distracted from what’s really real. 

“My mom has cancer, I’m 13. There's nothing I can do.”

Well here is something for you to believe in, because sometimes real life leaves you without a significant and effective option. . .

Thank you.

[geniuszone-blog]

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The Top five Must Play RPGs for Every Video Game Console

The gaming marketplace is large. Right now there are six consoles, three handhelds, and the ever present PC you can buy video games for. That’s 10 exceptional approaches you can get your sport on, so in case you’re a person who would not have the ways or means to shop for all 10 platforms and every midway decent recreation that arrives for any of them, you are in all likelihood thinking which way you have to visit get the maximum bang for your dollar. I’m a chunk of a gamer nerd, and so for you, I’ve accumulated the top 5 to be had video games (in the shops now) for every console for every precise genre. Based on reviews, consumer feedback, and my personal revel in, these are the fine methods to move.

  This spherical: RPGs. The Japanese RPG marketplace exploded within the 32-64 bit days, blowing out with a brand new recreation seemingly each week. You can blame Square for that one, bringing to the shops super sport after high-quality recreation, which at once spurned every other agency to launch whatever dreck they could muster to keep you pumping money into their pockets. Nowadays there are masses of options available, and the Japanese market isn’t the best one around. North American companies have their very own answers to the RPG increase and now it’s a veritable flood of alternatives. Here are the pinnacle 5 for each choice you’ve got.

RPGs. The Japanese RPG marketplace exploded within the 32-64 bit days, blowing out with a brand new recreation seemingly each week. You can blame Square for that one, bringing to the shops super sport after high-quality recreation, which at once spurned every other agency to launch whatever dreck they could muster to keep you pumping money into their pockets. Nowadays there are masses of options available, and the Japanese market isn’t the best one around. North American companies have their very own answers to the RPG increase and now it’s a veritable flood of alternatives. Here are the pinnacle 5 for each choice you’ve got.

video game

The Japanese RPG marketplace exploded within the 32-64 bit days, blowing out with a brand new recreation seemingly each week. You can blame Square for that one, bringing to the shops super sport after high-quality recreation, which at once spurned every other agency to launch whatever dreck they could muster to keep you pumping money into their pockets. Nowadays there are masses of options available, and the Japanese market isn’t the best one around. North American companies have their very own answers to the RPG increase and now it’s a veritable flood of alternatives. Here are the pinnacle 5 for each choice you’ve got.

  PlayStation 2 – The PlayStation logo call has been the house of exceptional RPGs because PS1 first

  The PlayStation logo call has been the house of exceptional RPGs because PS1 first roled out with Suikoden and Final Fantasy video games in the mid- 90s. This listing becomes tough due to the fact there are such a lot of left off. Dark Cloud 2, Final Fantasy X, the Shin Megami Tensei games and lots of more deserve reputation, but unluckily these also are long as hell, so in case you had extra than five, when could you ever end them. You may word I exclude the PS3, however, I cannot clearly offer any PS3 RPGs for you till they have got actually been created. We’re ready.

  1. Shadow Hearts Covenant – The Shadow Hearts collection took on a critical following after this access, one of the best RPG releases of the era.

  The Shadow Hearts collection took on a critical following after this access, one of the best RPG releases of the era. It takes at the fantasy RPG style combined into the geographical regions of reality, bleeding over in church and demonology lore. Taking area inside the 19th Century and following the legend of a young girl and her unfortunate destiny, it could be enjoyed on my own or together with it is predecessors Koudelka and Shadow Hearts (I).

  2. Disgaea – This might be the pleasant approach RPG released for any console ever. Released by way of Atlus,

  This might be the pleasant approach RPG released for any console ever. Released by way of Atlus, an emblem call that has grown in and of itself of new years to the respectability that names like Square and Level 5 now carry with their games, Disgaea is ready the young prince of hell and his quest to regain his domain after being awoken. With more than two hundred hours of gameplay right here, anticipate gambling for days on days. And it is funnier than hell. These are great characters.

  3. Suikoden III – The Suikoden collection is the cult series. Of

  The Suikoden collection is the cult series. Of path, it’s slowly sliding out of cult reputation and into the mainstream with releases occurring each couple of years when you consider that this one. The first-class within the series with the viable exception of Suikoden II, Suikoden III tells the tale of a large cast of characters, all intricately entwined with each other. You play via the story of their struggle, however as seen via every characters eye. Truly epic.

  4. Final Fantasy XII – The newest release, released best weeks before the PlayStation 3’s release, this game redefines the epic scope of prior Final Fantasies, literally reaching for the stars. Each person is absolutely realized and part of the action, their story an intricate part of the game. There’s no fluff here, and the rebuild of

  The newest release, released best weeks before the PlayStation 3’s release, this game redefines the epic scope of prior Final Fantasies, literally reaching for the stars. Each person is absolutely realized and part of the action, their story an intricate part of the game. There’s no fluff here, and the rebuild of a long time antique RPG components was enthusiastic about the better, operating for the complete and total betterment of the game and with a bit of luck the collection.

  Five. DragonQuest VIII –

  Dragon Quest has always been massive in Japan, but most effective now did it discover the identical success right here within the US. Dragon Quest VIII is the large (extremely big) result of Square Enix’s jump to

Dragon Quest has always been massive in Japan, but most effective now did it discover the identical success right here within the US. Dragon Quest VIII is the large (extremely big) result of Square Enix’s jump to the full three-D glory of their collection. The pictures are great, the characters hilarious and deeply related to, and the story arresting. The battles are not 1/2 bad both. And the same old monster catching glory is undamaged. A lengthy game, it’ll hold you busy for days.

  Gamecube (and Wii) – The Gamecube got shorted at the RPG options, just like its massive brother the N64. Nintendo lost lots of their clout with the RPG crowd while Squaresoft jumped deliver in the 90s and they’re nonetheless trying to earn it lower back…Thus

  The Gamecube got shorted at the RPG options, just like its massive brother the N64. Nintendo lost lots of their clout with the RPG crowd while Squaresoft jumped deliver in the 90s and they’re nonetheless trying to earn it lower back…Thus far to little achievement. But, the future appears brilliant, as Square Enix is sooner or later producing video games for the Big N, and Nintendo’s personal work consists of extra forays into the RPG market. Here’s hoping for more, due to the fact the Wii is best for the format.

  1. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – The most up-to-date Zelda adventure, Twilight Princess, is by means of a long way the quality reason to personal a Nintendo Wii. The sport is a masterpiece on almost every level, to the

  The most up-to-date Zelda adventure, Twilight Princess, is by means of a long way the quality reason to personal a Nintendo Wii. The sport is a masterpiece on almost every level, to the point, I’m almost willing to name it the greatest sport ever made. We’ve heard this lots, that this game is the finest. That it surpasses what Ocarina carried out 8 years ago. And as my own favorite sport, it is tough to ever put whatever above Ocarina in phrases of scope, depth, and innovation. No want to go into an element. Read my evaluation of it here for the extra mind on why it’s so exceptional.

  2. Tales of Symphonia – The first clearly exact RPG for the Gamecube, and nevertheless one of the only ones absolutely. The most modern entry inside the extremely popular (in Japan) Tales saga, Symphonia turned into a huge, amusing,

  The first clearly exact RPG for the Gamecube, and nevertheless one of the only ones absolutely. The most modern entry inside the extremely popular (in Japan) Tales saga, Symphonia turned into a huge, amusing, well-told recreation. The characters were fun, the war machine is one of the nice rounds, and the movement becomes completely inclusive and crafted a long sport. Symphonia turned into the Gamecube proudly owning RPG fan’s one saving grace.

  3. Skies of Arcadia Legends – Originally released for the Dreamcast, Skies of Arcadia became given

  Originally released for the Dreamcast, Skies of Arcadia became given the 2nd existence at the Gamecube, again fated to anonymity due to the failure of the console. This is an extraordinary game. It tells the tale of sky pirates who ought to traverse the sky ocean and shop the world from a shattering warfare and so forth. You strive for the duration of the sport to build your pirate rank and build up your ship. It becomes one of Dreamcast’s must have games and the same for Gamecube. Unfortunately so few honestly had it, and now it is now not precisely easy to discover.

  Four. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker – The infamous Wind Waker. Nintendo’s foray into

  The infamous Wind Waker. Nintendo’s foray into cel shading and the horrible foray into ocean mechanics. This sport remains terrific. It’s Zelda after all, but it is mistaken on greater than the basic tiers. It’s hard to get round. The ocean is large, and the game is short. But the components you play, in among sailing round Hyrule are beautiful and fantastically a laugh.

  5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door – The Big N rounds out the five with every other in residence attempt. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door was a go back to the Paper Mario fun they coined inside the N64 days, this time

  The Big N rounds out the five with every other in residence attempt. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door was a go back to the Paper Mario fun they coined inside the N64 days, this time round with the RPG elements the sport seems to paintings satisfactory with. Incredibly smooth sure, but a laugh as hell at the same time.

PC

Xbox (and X360) –

  The Xbox, now not noticeably saw no Japanese development. Every game listed under became produced in English Speaking nations, in

  The Xbox, now not noticeably saw no Japanese development. Every game listed under became produced in English Speaking nations, in general, Canada truely. The style is quite exceptional, but the nice is equally exceptional. The attempt for realism via Western builders can be visible in every of those entries. Although the lack of humor is equally as prescient.

  1. Elderscrolls IV: Oblivion – The Xbox 360 has some critical horsepower. Not only is there room to spare,

  The Xbox 360 has some critical horsepower. Not only is there room to spare, however, the graphic output is insane at the time, and what better manner to expose this off than with an Elderscrolls recreation. Monstrous, big worlds in which you can freely roam wherever you need and engage along with your surroundings. This recreation is big and severe. Hundreds of hours can be spent simply wandering around and completing a major quest. As for buying the rest accomplished. Who is aware of how long you can spend on there.

  2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Star Wars video games were beginning to get a horrific rap for some

  – Star Wars video games were beginning to get a horrific rap for some time until Bioware arrived with the first full-fledged Star Wars RPG. Built on the press and wait for the motion of the D&D ruleset video games, KOTOR was an extraordinary game that took Star Wars lovers returned some thousand years to the peak of the Jedi/Sith wars. It additionally had one of the maximum sudden and brilliant endings in any sport..Ever.

  Three. Elderscrolls III: Morrowind – And some other

  And some other Elder scrolls sport. This one changed into equally as large as its sequel and had simply as high-quality portraits for its time. Elderscrolls surely stretches the imagination in terms of open international RPG exploration and making a recreation with a view to taking a long time to complete. A genuinely first-rate recreation.

  4. Jade Empire – Set in a fictional historical China, Jade Empire comes from the makers of Knights of the Old Republic, and at the same time as no longer almost as large in scope or period, the sport utilizes an array of different fight patterns and factors that make it sheer fun to play. It’s shorter and less difficult than the original games from Bioware, but they make up for it with the eye to element and the battle device improvements.

  Set in a fictional historical China, Jade Empire comes from the makers of Knights of the Old Republic, and at the same time as no longer almost as large in scope or period, the sport utilizes an array of different fight patterns and factors that make it sheer fun to play. It’s shorter and less difficult than the original games from Bioware, but they make up for it with the eye to element and the battle device improvements.

  5. Fable –

  Touted as an amazing achievement in Touted as an amazing achievement in the international interface, Fable became out to be a touch bit of a letdown. It becomes smaller, shorter, and less enticing than what become claimed, but it was nonetheless a strong, fun sport to play. Starting as a bland adventurer you can come to be both absolutely precise or completely evil via the actions devoted all through a quest. The characters are standard, the quests forgettable, however, the options given to play through them all are still fun. The ending but leaves some thing to be preferred, and they may have finished with a few greater motives to openly explore. For a sandbox RPG, it became fairly linear.

  Game Boy Advance –

  Yup, no DS games. I believe quickly, with the discharge of the brand new Pokemon recreation, and the unexpected announcement of Dragon Quest IX coming completely to the DS, the RPG options there will explode, but for now, your excellent bet inside the RPG realm on handhelds is with the Game Boy Advance. Here are among the excellent.

  1. Golden Sun – It’s no longer a masterpiece. It’s now not legendary. But, it’s correct strong a laugh, and for the scale and expectancies o f a handheld console it is nonetheless quite a laugh. I enjoyed it for a few reasons. First off, the gameplay is high-quality. The war gadget is constructed It’s no longer a masterpiece. It’s now not legendary. But, it’s correct strong a laugh, and for the scale and expectancies o f a handheld console it is nonetheless quite a laugh. I enjoyed it for a few reasons. First off, the gameplay is high-quality. The war gadget is constructed It’s no longer a masterpiece. It’s now not legendary. But, it’s correct strong a laugh, and for the scale and expectancies o f a handheld console it is nonetheless quite a laugh. I enjoyed it for a few reasons. First off, the gameplay is high-quality. The war gadget is constructed round an easy premise and sticks with it, however, it’s nonetheless fun. The tale is nothing unique however it jogged my memory plenty of the 8-bit glory days, retaining me involved with out making it not possible to hold up when I have to show the sport off every 20 minutes. Solid play and cross action

  2. Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire – Pokemon has been round for nearly 10 years now, an everyday entry within the Gameboy RPG market, virtually the most effective access hotel that marketplace, and a rattling precise one. By the time this pair changed into released (the same old replica games with slightly special monsters in every), the equal gameplay turned into reused an excellent four instances and beginning to get a bit vintage, but it is nevertheless sound gameplay, and who doesn’t want to acquire an awful lot of something as they can. I’m older yes, but I still revel in the senseless seize and battle system of Pokemon. It’s cathartically easy.

  3. Final Fantasy IV – It’s technically a port, however a rattling precise port at that. I loved this game again within the days at the SNES and the concept to convey the sixteen-bit Final Fantasies to the GBA made me as happy as can be. This become a game I like to play, but experience goofy loading into my PS2 and sitting all the way down to play. It’s a super bus play, and it performs just as extraordinary as in 1992. The traditional story of Cecil and the Red Knights never fails to seize my interest from beginning to finish. Of route, whilst Final Fantasy VI is launched, I would possibly update this with that one, as all of us understand that VI is the finest of all of them.

  Four. Riviera: The Promised Land – Atlus has been basting the PS2 marketplace with first rate games for 3 plus years now, with their superb approach and alchemy RPG games. They carry Riviera to the GBA with the equal pedigree, a strong RPG that performs to the GBA’s strengths as well as any. It’s basically a screen to display recreation. You don’t control your surroundings so much as go from web page to page within them, however, the warfare machine is fantastic and the one-of-a-kind options and acquires large. The tale, like several Atlus recreation, is the real promoting factor and actually were given me to play via it two times.

  Five. Final Fantasy Tactics – The portable model of the PSone traditional has sucked greater time from my lifestyles than any GBA game I’ve ever performed. The 300+ missions are each 30-60 minutes long and the customization options same duration. This is a long game with numerous gameplay and a laugh little story. You’re Marche, you’ve been sucked through an e-book into the magical land of Ivalice and now you are a knight. Go!

  PlayStation Portable –

  When the PSP first released fanboys dreamed of tremendous ports that would convey their preferred games now out of print returned to existence in

RPGs

When the PSP first released fanboys dreamed of tremendous ports that would convey their preferred games now out of print returned to existence in hand held format. At least one made the bounce, but for the most element RPG improvement at the PSP has been lackluster, and whilst Japan gets the Suikoden I and II percent and guarantees of Final Fantasies, we await a decent whatever to play. Final Fantasy compilation all of us? Anyone at all?

  1. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth – One of the most popular video games from the PSone days, Valkyrie Profile changed into an exquisite RPG that no one performed after which no person ought to play because it was out of print. Ranging from $a hundred and up on eBay, the promise of a rerelease for the PSP was a godsend for fanatics obtainable always involved but too poor to find the money for it. It’s a stable game at that. With rebuilt cinematics and PSP controls, this entry leads into the brand new PS2 recreation wonderfully and in the end, shall we the relaxation of us play via Kenneth’s journey.

  2. Monster Hunter Freedom – Never an actual large fan of the Monster Hunter video games, I can nevertheless see their draw. You go and you hunt monsters. Simple as that. There’s little to maintain you up, and there is online play. It’s like Pokemon with out the pesky storyline or reason.

  Three. Ys: The Ark of Napishtim – A port of a port. This became in the beginning launched for the PS2 and before that the PC and has been watered down in among. The identical classic Ys gameplay is intact, overland map, onscreen battles and amusing little characters in a charming, if easy tale. It’s true solid amusing for a transportable and tells a decent tale. Even if the controls are a touch damaged.

  4. Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade – One of the release releases with the PSP, Untold Legends is an overhead hack and minimize RPG without a conscious. It would not attempt for top notch storyline or gameplay, just easy hack and scale back glory and it does it pretty nicely. It was fun because it turned into easy, made in a very brief development cycle from the time the PSP was introduced. Oddly enough though, the sequel was almost as proper.

  5. Tales of Eternia – Alright, technically it nevertheless hasn’t been released in America, but you can import it from Europe and play the English language model (or Japan if you speak Japanese). But, it’s a testimonies game, a pretty appropriate one at that. Technically it has been launched right here too, as Tales of Destiny 2 in 2000. Unfortunately, it was given completely disregarded as the gaming global moved directly to the PS2. This is an extraordinary sport although and best for the PSP. Complete and intact are the outstanding Tales battle device and one of the better Tales plots. Saving the arena from the Great War turned into by no means quite so a laugh as on this one.

  PC –

  The PC has always been a domestic for the more hardcore of gamers. The cost of constant upgrades and depth of a PC game are mythical, and best the maximum hardcore amongst us are able to

  The PC has always been a domestic for the more hardcore of gamers. The cost of constant upgrades and depth of a PC game are mythical, and best the maximum hardcore amongst us are able to preserve up. Accordingly, the games under healthy that mind-set, although more than this type of games controlled to break free of the limitations and become significant worldwide phenomena. I’m searching for you Blizzard.

  1. World of Warcraft – Okay, so duh proper? Well, some of you’re likely palpitating over my choosing this above some other MMORPG, however too awful. Everyone performs this one, including myself and it’s simply simple fun. Having spent hours of my life in this game and knowing that I can move back whenever I want with out fear of being destroyed due to the MMORPG legal guidelines of survival (by no means leave), this is an extraordinary pickup and play recreation in a style where that nearly in no way exists. Huge, lots to do, and constantly a laugh even whilst you’re grinding, WoW continues to be excellent.

  2. Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn – The Baldur’s Gate games are a number of the satisfactory RPGs to come out of the PC age of D&D ruleset RPGs. It’s large, it’s long, it’s a laugh as hell. The undertaking of figuring out what to do, a way to upgrade your characters and make the sport the most it could be have been continually the number one reasons to play those. The tale is quite exceptional too. Don’t neglect the Dragon. That dragon is a whinge.

  Three. Diablo II – Diablo II stole my whole summer my sophomore 12 months of Diablo II stole my whole summer my sophomore 12 months of a high faculty. This recreation changed into excellent. It took the entirety Diablo did and blew it up times ten. The capacity to discover and get hold of unique guns that 1000 of your pals could by no means locate kept you playing again and again. And it turned into simple. Click, click, right click on. F1. That’s it. Nothing to it. And when you eventually unlocked the Cow degree, you then had been the genuine God of Diablo.

  Four. Elderscrolls IV: Oblivion – Many of you likely can not even play this but. I still can not. I most effective recognize it due to the fact I actually have a pal who enhancements his PC ever 3 weeks seemingly. This game is a beast of the highest order, annoying loads from your system but handing over even extra. Monstrous, massive worlds in which you may freely roam anywhere you want and interact together with your environment. This recreation is large and excessive. Hundreds of hours can be spent simply wandering around and finishing the first-rate quest. As for purchasing the rest achieved. Who is aware of how long you could spend on there.

  5. Neverwinter Nights – Another D&D ruleset recreation, however one of the best no much less. It’s large, monstrously large. And tack on the expansions and you’ve were given 200+ hours of action to play through. The largest supplier in this one although changed into the potential to craft and write your personal adventures as a DM with the toolsets and host them on the line, ala D&D, but with graphics. The sequel does not quite keep as much as the original, however still consists of the equal weight and amusing issue.