#people who post mass effect 5 wishlists

[miyku]

[ginnyzero]

8 Signs Your Book May Not Be Ready to be Self Published

https://youtu.be/w7NPRA6SgHs

I’ve taken up doing a review booktube for indie SFF books, and have decided only to do 4 or 5 star reviews due to some social pressures being an indie author and also being a reviewer. This means I’ve been SLUSH reading. (You can get lots of indie books free if you trawl twitter and start an amazon wishlist and wait.)

Self-publishing has its pros and its cons. The biggest pro of self-publishing being you are in complete control. The second is anyone can do it. There are no gatekeepers. So, like on a fanfiction website, you’re going to find a range of quality in self-published books. There aren’t any bad books. I personally don’t believe in bad books. There are books that aren’t to my taste and there are books that were published too early.

In order to keep you from publishing too early, here is my list of 8 signs your book may not be ready to publish; a reader’s perspective from already self-published books in author terms because I’m also an author.

1) You have a Prologue

Hold up. Bear with me a moment. I know out there are writers and readers who love prologues. And I can hear you going “Ginny, there’s information in my prologue readers need to know to understand my story!” I’ve already created a post called 8 Reasons Why Prologues Don’t Work. So, you can get into detail with it by reading that post.

So hard truth, most traditionally published fiction doesn’t have prologues. Because agents and editors screen them out. Before you start listing off names, established traditional authors can do pretty much whatever they want because they have followings who will buy their books. You, as an indie author, especially if you are a debut indie author, do not. You’re trying to build one.

Prologues for an average reader for all the reasons I listed they don’t work are a very, very hard sell. Adding in a prologue reeks amateur. I know. That’s harsh. And face it, self-publishing because of the lack of gatekeeping and anyone can do it has a very bad reputation for being vanity projects and ‘complete rubbish’ that ranks only a little higher than fan fiction.

Up your professional look, ditch the prologue.

2) Passive Voice

Obligatory disclaimer of not all passive voice is bad. However, if 75% of your book involves the verb ‘to be,’ telling emotions, filter words (he/she/they looked is my Achilles heel at the moment,) and masses of summarization and list descriptions of everything from chewing the scenery, clothes no one cares about, and character traits, your book needs a serious ‘active voice’ edit and isn’t ready to be self-published.

Passive voice drags the reader into slow motion and ruins immersion by putting distance between them and the main character(s). Sometimes, there’s information being told me to I don’t need to know yet (or at all for the story to make sense,) and other times I’m getting these great scene summaries that I want to see happening in real time with interactions between characters!

I wish I was exaggerating on the 95% thing.

3) Paper Thin Characters

Paper Thin Characters can be a result of passive voice. Or, the result of having a story so heavily plot based the words aren’t taken to flesh out these characters in the first place. 80K words seems like a lot, then you get into the plotting and it can get eaten up very quickly. If you’re self-publishing, well, 80K words is a guideline not a rule and guess what, you do have those words.

The largest thing I notice as I’m reading is the characters have no conflicts given to them. Their personal stakes are non-existent, and sometimes, they don’t have a valid grievance even if they do have conflicts. They don’t like things, they don’t dislike things. They don’t have any fears. Their sole purpose is to move the plot along like robots.

Worse, is if they’re the loner type. Loner types aren’t given a lot of people to interact off of, so they have to be really interesting and intriguing to keep the reader’s attention. You may like or dislike Harry Dresden all you want, however, he reads as a loner type who’s interesting enough to continue reading.

(Until Butcher’s sexism gets to you.)

4) Your plot can be solved with a five minute conversation

If your plot can be solved with two people sitting down and yakking it out for five to ten minutes, then you need to rework your plot. Plots of miscommunication, unless you’re Timothy Zahn, tend to feel incredibly contrived. And I’m talking specifically about plots where people care for one another and are supposedly not talking to the other person ‘for their own good/safety.’ Or whatever petty reason the one character has not to talk to the other person over something really important.

Save it for soap operas.

5) You’ve started the story in the wrong spot

This one is easy to do. It is really easy to start your story in the wrong place. Finding the right place where your story begins is something that takes time, practice, an editor, a few beta readers, and developing your gut and intuition. You may think ‘oh the story begins when so and so comes to town.’ And that might not be the case at all, unless strange or bad things start happening immediately. What is the incident that causes the story to really get going?

Or, you’ve gone too far into ‘in media’ res and have started the story at the climax. In today’s day and age, the inciting incident needs to be in the first chapter, not the fifth.

6) Your book lacks structure and a satisfying ending

This can often be a result of several things, the aforementioned you started it in the wrong spot, or there’s been a lack of development and you’ve got a beginning and middle but you’ve flubbed the landing.

Lack of development can lean in two directions, you’ve got too much exposition and world building and not enough story. Or you don’t have enough exposition and world building to support or explain the story you’ve got and you aren’t utilizing what you’ve got effectively.

Books need structure. They need beats and bones to hang everything else off of them. If your story lacks an inciting incident, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a satisfying ending where most of the questions raised in the story are tied up into neat little bows, then your book isn’t ready to be published.

And it’s possible to get these in the wrong order, see starting in the wrong place. The beats need to make sense as they follow one right after the other and not leave the reader confused. Sometimes, if you’re hopping around back and forth in time this can be especially difficult. If you do this, please, make sure things are labelled clearly.

Or, you’ve decided to cut the story in two to make two books because you want to end on a cliffhanger at the climax to get people to buy your second book. (You’re planning a loss leader.) Please, don’t. It doesn’t work. Stories need clear beginnings, middles, and ends. A cliffhanger works if the story prior to it has been resolved enough the cliffhanger makes sense. If you cut the book in half and leave it at the climax, it doesn’t. Readers can tell.

7) You’ve set up a different story in your plot than the one you’re telling

Foreshadowing. There are times when I’ve read a book where I’ve seen clues the author is putting into the book about the plot, and then we get to the climax and falling action and the author veers off into left field with a totally new plot that I didn’t see coming because it wasn’t set up in any way shape or form in the previous 50 to 75% of the book.

This is not good. This leaves the readers confused and feeling unsatisfied about the story because it wasn’t set up properly. A good twist has a reader going back and looking at the clues and foreshadowing and going “Oh, I get it now,” not going “Uh, where did this come from?”

Beta readers and development editors are your friends for this type of feedback. If they’re telling you your plot isn’t matching your foreshadowing, it’s time to do some thinking on how to make them jive.

8) Lack of Proofreading and Copy Editing

Your book is riddled with spelling and grammar errors. You’ve mixed up homophones and the formatting is painful to the eyes. This just shows a lack of respect for your work and for your readers.

Get thee to Grammarly or another copy editor service for your spelling and grammar and hire an edit to make sure the coffee cup finds it way in and out of your character’s hands!

Writing a book is hard work. Getting a book to where it is publishable is even harder work in order to make it enjoyable and satisfying to the reader. Readers can’t ‘read’ your mind and they need to see things played out on the page and only told information when they need it. So, here are 8 signs to look for that your book isn’t ready to be published from a self-published author, reviewer, and reader.

[fulluponcrazy]

Hi.

No, I’m not back. Odds are I’ll have no plans on actually coming back, but I’m not getting into that here. This post is just to say that I finally started missing all of my Dragon Age muses, so I set up a great big RP server on Discord.

It includes player characters, canons, and OCs from: Dragon Age Mass Effect Persona 5 Assassin’s Creed Final Fantasy XV Fullmetal Alchemist Marvel Transformers

And it even includes a few of my non-fandom OCs.

There’s space for anyone who joins the server to set up a wishlist, and for people to get in touch with other members if someone’s wishlist catches your eye. I’ll only be keeping track of threads that I am in, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t make it so people can find other people to play with.

Things are still be put together and I still need to set up the information for the AC and P5 muses, though I’m still willing to play them in the interim if anyone’s interested. So if someone would like to play with Alistair, my other DA muses, or just any of my muses there, then either send me an ask or reply to this post so I get an email notification, and I’ll send you an invite to the server. You can poke around, and if you decide you don’t want to play after all then you can mosey on your way with no questions asked.

[itsclowreedsfault]

Huge Tag Meme Masterpost pt 1

aka I’m finally doing all the tags I was tagged at some from months ago orz

under the cut because this is really really long 

Tagged by @okita-senpai. Thanks Minnie! <3

1) Coke or Pepsi? None 2) Disney or Dreamworks? Disney 3) Coffee or Tea? Tea 4) Books or Movies? Books 5) Windows or Mac? Windows 6) D.C or Marvel? Marvel 7) Xbox or PlayStation? PlayStation 8) Dragon or Mass Effect? Idek what those are haha 9) Night Owl or Early Riser? Night owl! 10) Cards or Chess? Cards 11) Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate 12) Vans or Converse? Hmm, both 13) Lavellan, Trevelyan, Canadash or Adaar? What is this xD 14) Fluff or Angst? Fluff 15) Beach or Forest? Beach (only because there are probably less insects there) 16) Dogs or Cats? Definitely cats :3 17) Clear Skies or Rain? Rain <3 18) Cooking or Eating out? Eating out 19) Spicy or Mild Food? Mild 20) Halloween/Samhain or Solstice/Yule/Christmas? Christmas 21) Would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot? Too cold, get the heat away from me ugh 22) If you could have a superpower what would it be? Mind reading! 23) Animation or Live Action? Both 24) Paragon or Renegade? Don’t know what these are either haha 25) Bath or Shower? Shower 26) Team Cap or Team Iron-Man? Iron-man  27) Fantasy or Sci-Fi? Fantasy 28) Do you have three or four favorite quotes it so what are they?  'Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?' (from HP) /  ‘People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected.’ (from AkaYona) / ‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.’ (from HP) 29) YouTube or Netflix? Both 30) Harry Potter or Percy Jackson? Harry Potter 31) When do you feel accomplished? Lately it’s whenever I actually do smth tbh xD  32) Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars 33) Paperback book or Hardcover book? HARDCOVER <3 <3 <3 34) Fantastic beast or Cursed Child? Fantastic Beast  35) Rock or Pop Music? Pop 36) What is the most important thing in your life? My family, my friends, my boyfriend, my cats <3 37) Mountains or Sea/Ocean? Mountains 38) How do you express yourself? Very poorly usually lol 39) What’s the first book/film that really counted to you? Harry Potter 40) What’s your element (air, water, etc)? I have no idea... air or water I guess? 41) If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? New York or Japan  42) If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? Writer 43) If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? Be able to get by without having to work, have all the books on my wishlist, get rid of my anxiety  44) If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I want to say pasta but I’d get fat really fast lol 45) What’s your Spirit Animal/Patronus? Cat 46) Would you kill yourself and save your friends or kill your friends and save yourself? Save my friends 47) If you had to become a mythical creature which would you be? Dragon 48) Your favorite song? Changes all the time xD 49) A4 or A5 notebooks? I don’t really have a preference, I rarely use them haha 50) If you had to give up on someone you love, making this person forget about you, and never see him/her again, to save his/her life, would you do it?  Yes 51) Did you ever wished to become someone else? If yes, then what would you do to make yourself better? Hm, yes, I guess? I always wanted to be someone who isn’t hindered by anxiety or who knows what they want to do with their life. 52) If you had to live with one fictional character of your choice, who would it be? Jae-ha (damn it’s so hard to pick only one!!)

Tagged by @tartan-llama, @yukination, @takasukis, @kaemutsumi and @harashins. Thanks my lovelies <3

RULES: Tell is your favorite character from 10 fictional works (Shows, Movies, Novels, Etc.) & tag 10 people! 

1. Jae-ha from AkaYona / 2. Todoroki Shouto from BNHA / 3. Fai Flourite from TRC / 4. Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle / 5. Osamu Dazai from BSD / 6. Undertaker from Kuroshitsuji / 7. Viktor Nikiforov from YoI / 8. Seven from Mystic Messenger / 9. Nezumi from No. 6 / 10. Mizuki from Kamisama Hajimemashita

Tagged by @kuroosukii. Thanks Mooza! <3

Last Movie I Watched: Princess Mononoke

Last Song I Listened To: Fanatic of Night (by the Sakamaki bros from DiaLovers)

Last Book I Read: Gemina

Last Thing I Ate: Italian bread with cheese and tomato sauce

If I could be anywhere in the world I would be in: NY or Japan

Where would I want to time travel to: The future

Fictional characters I would hang out with for a day: The Happy Hungry Bunch <3

Tagged by @aileenaison, @takasukis and @kaori! Thanks bbs <3

rules: you can only say guilty or innocent. you are not allowed to explain anything unless someone messages you or asks you.

asked someone to marry you: innocent

kissed one of your friends: guilty

danced on a table in a bar or tavern: innocent

ever told a lie: guilty

had feelings for someone whom you can’t have: guilty

ever kissed someone of the opposite sex: guilty

ever kissed someone of the same sex: innocent

kissed a picture: innocent

slept in until 5pm: innocent

fallen asleep at work or school: guilty

held a snake: innocent

been suspended from school: innocent

stolen something: innocent

done something you regret: guilty

laughed until what you were drinking came out of your nose: innocent

caught a snowflake on your tongue: innocent

sat on a roof top: innocent

sang in the shower: guilty

been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on: guilty

slept naked: guilty

made a boy friend/girl friend cry: guilty

been in a band: innocent

shot a gun: innocent

donated blood: innocent

eaten alligator meat: innocent

eaten cheesecake: guilty

still loved someone you shouldn’t: guilty

have/had a tattoo: innocent

been too honest: guilty

ruined a surprise: innocent

ate in a restaurant and got so bloated you can’t walk after: guilty

erased someone in your friends list: guilty

dressed in a man’s clothes: guilty

dressed in a woman’s clothes: guilty

joined a pageant: innocent

been told you’re beautiful by someone who meant it: guilty

still have communication with your ex: innocent

cheated on someone: innocent

got totally drunk the night before an important exam: innocent

a total stranger treated you by paying your fare: guilty

got so angry that you cried: guilty

tried to stay away from someone for their own good: innocent

actually murdered someone: innocent

thought about mass murder: guilty

actually committed a mass murder: innocent

rode in a stranger’s vehicle: guilty

stalked someone: innocent

had a girlfriend: innocent

had a boyfriend: guilty

totally drunk during a holiday: innocent

Tagged by @kirei-na-jinsei​ and @kaori​. Thanks my lovelies <3

🍓 fave fictional character: how am I supposed to pick only one ok so my most recent fave is my son Todoroki Shouto from BNHA

🍰 fave book: Harry Potter (all seven of them, yes haha)

🎃 fave game: Mystic Messenger? I mean it’s the only one I play so haha

🎈 fave sport: I don’t like sports lol

🎠 last song i listened to: Fanatic of Night

⭐ first language: Portuguese

Tagged by @takasukis and @yurioplisetskies. Thanks dearies! <3

Nickname: Tha Zodiac sign: Aries Height: 1.63m Last Thing You Googled: goodreads Favourite music artist: 100 Monkeys, The Pretty Reckless, Wave & Rome, and others Song stuck in my head: Gaston from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack Last Movie you watched: Princess Mononoke What are you wearing right now: PJ’s What do you post: Manga, anime, stuff about writing  Why did you choose your URL: because CLAMP ahaha Do you have any other blogs: Yeah, it’s always on queue though @brazilianbookishgirl What Did Your Last Relationship Teach You: idk Religious Or Spiritual: Neither Favorite Color: Blue, purple, black Average Hours Of Sleep: I have no idea, around 5-6 hours maybe? Lucky Number: Don’t have one  Favorite characters: Fai, Jae-ha, Soo-Won, Howl, Todoroki, Bakugou, Viktor, Dazai, Chuuya, Yue, Undertaker, the list goes on forever How Many Blankets Do you Sleep With: 1 Dream Job: Writer

Tagged by @yukination. Thanks Yukina! <3

Name/Nickname: Thais Relationship Status: Taken Favorite Greeting: Hey! Pets: Two cats (and another one we’ll adopt when we move less than two weeks from now <3) Last song I listened to: Fanatic of Night Favorite TV Shows: I don’t watch any anymore First Fandom: Harry Potter Hobbies: Editing, writing, coloring, listening to music Books I’m currently reading: Soundless by Richelle Mead Worst thing to have graced my tastebuds: Fish Favorite place: My room

Tagged by @dazaisosmu. Thanks Dessa! <3

1. favorite anime? AkaYona, BNHA, YoI, BSD, Natsume Yuujinchou, and others

2. your worst anime? Super Lovers

3. do you read the manga that goes along with the anime you watch? If I really like the anime then yes :)

4. most favorite genre? Fantasy, idk maybe action??

5. least favorite genres? Sci-fi

6. favorite character? Fai, Jae-ha, Soo-Won, Howl, Todoroki, Bakugou, Viktor, Dazai, Chuuya, Yue, Undertaker, and others (yes I totally copied the list from above lol)

7. least favorite character? Atm Mineta from BNHA

8. qualities you like in a character? I don’t know xD I like a lot of different type of characters

9. short or long anime? Short, I don’t have the patience to commit to longer ones anymore orz

10. anime or manga? Both

11. how do you choose the anime you watch? Usually by reading the summary and seeing if it interests me

12. skip or listen to intros/outros? Skip unless I really like the song

13. how do you cope if your friends or family don’t like you watching anime? I don’t really care, I’d keep watching anyway :P

14. do you stop an anime midway if you don’t like it? Yes!

[swelldomains]

How to write the perfect email subject line (feat. my Inbox and pizza)

In the very same means that a photo's worth a thousand words, a great email subject line could be worth some great conversions - if you recognize what you're doing.

It might only be fifty personalities (give or take), but it could imply the distinction between securing in a brand-new consumer, or losing them forever ... and also no one desires that.

Working in electronic, I've created a fair couple of subject lines in my time: as well as picked up a number of methods. Below's a few of the ideal *.

* Featuring NEVER PRIOR TO SEEN instances from my own Inbox (no teasing, please).

1. Get to the point.

And in no even more compared to 10 words, preferably, according to manager of Boxed Out Public Relations Hayley Smith.

" Keep it succinct," she says, "and do not be 'fluffy' - an assumption has to be embeded in the subject line, so [the reader] knows right away what you are proposing/emailing around."

This makes overall feeling, certainly - the visitor should understand from the start that the web content within the e-mail is in fact relevant to them - otherwise, why would they trouble to open up it?

Be ultra-specific: the more successfully you cut to the fast and the even more appropriate you seem, the more involvement you're most likely to obtain. Extra points if you include a little personalisation too ... (see below).

A sneak peek:

This subject line is straight, concise, as well as makes me want to learn more - since I understand it has an offer that specifies to me (as I have actually formerly included it to a wishlist).

The customised element of this is very smart: as I have actually currently shown previous interest in acquiring the product it's promoting, Vapor (the sender) understands their clear, targeted email has a high possibility of being opened up, and a just as high opportunity of producing a conversion. Bye bye, money.

2. Create a sense of urgency.

Injecting a little urgency can see your email's clickthrough prices soar.

" DO IT NOW, OR YOUR GLOBE WILL COME COLLAPSING DOWN."

OK, perhaps that's a little overdramatic, but it's true - if you can integrate "anxiety of missing out on out" in your electronic campaigns, you've got an extremely powerful angle for involving customers.

A sneak peek:

“LAST CHANCE" !? Argh, all right after that! I practically really feel a sense of foreboding reading this subject line, like if I don't check out the offers currently, I'll regret it - and I do not even require a new set of glasses *.

So think of exactly how effective this may be on a person that does? This is a real example of the excellent email subject line - urgent, succinct as well as informs you whatever you need to recognize (that you can obtain 50% off and also a cost-free pair of specs, however, for a minimal time just) - relaying the purpose of the message plainly while using that added, immediate style to earn me sweat. Genius.

* Little bit of a concern with segmentation there, however that's another story.

3. Give them something to do.

Claim a discount code? Enter your competition? Attend your occasion? Leave an evaluation? Tell them plainly as well as briefly exactly what you 'd like them to do prior to they have actually also opened your e-mail - this'll ensure that individuals who do open your e-mail prepare to transform, also without even really being conscious of it.

A sneak peek:

This email's subject line is plainly informing the recipient to "upgrade" something (which, I picture, would certainly be by buying Deliveroo's service) - by clicking the email, the reader has reacted to the CTA and also already concurred to check out it. The subject line's task is done: it depends on the email's body to actually persuade them to do it, once the click's been generated.

4. Talk to them, not everyone.

Your subject line should be composed with your target market in mind, and also only them.

" The power of psychology is an effective point", Olivia Allen insightfully places in her blog post on the subject (line), "when people seem like they're on the within, it gives them a feeling of belonging that can construct commitment and force them to convert far better on your e-mails".

The values? Similar as with every other component of digital advertising and marketing - don't try and appeal to the whole web - simply those you have faith will react to you and, in regards to e-mail advertising, just those you feel will react or engage with your email's content.

A sneak peek:

No, she's not thanking herself - we simply share the exact same name. Though it's only 3 words long, this subject line has an instant result, resolving me directly as well as thanking me, also - making me question exactly what effect I have actually had on the brand name as well as motivating me to click through to the email's body.

This straightforward coupling of personalisation and interest is an excellent tactic you might employ, also, to influence a similar result:

[ NAME] - we're concerning [LOCATION]

What's going on near [LOCATION]

[NAME], right here's a deal just for you

5. You've fingernailed the specificity - now, be ultra-friendly.

Write to the audience you want to appeal to, according to Litmus.

" A great, subscriber-friendly subject line enables recipients to quickly self-segment and also to qualify themselves as a lead for that e-mail", they claim." [increasing] the possibilities they'll read e-mails from you that are [appropriate], and [decreasing] the [opportunity] they'll experience 'opener's regret' and seem like they lost their time reading unnecessary e-mails from you."

Couldn't put it better myself.

A sneak peek:

My Lenny Letter continuously refers to me as a "sis" or "friend" (or something of that ilk), involving me with the e-mail's content right away - exactly fitting its function, as Lenny Letters are created to unite feminist thinkers and also check out issues.

Encouraging togetherness, inspiring conversation and making you feel component of something? This subject line accomplishes that in one, dropped swoop - aiding me to "self-segment" as well as "qualify" myself as someone who had actually take advantage of checking out it.

6. Bringing it all together.

Now I'll reveal you just how this could all be taken into practice.

Let's say as an example you've obtained a 50% discount on pizza (Simply Consume, Dominos, Pizza Hut etc - if you're reading this, DO take it as a hint), and you wish to send this to brand-new email subscribers. Just how may you convey this (excellent) information in your e-mail subject line?

Be clear and specific - tell them exactly what gets on offer

Create a sense of urgency - make the price cut offered for a limited time only

Create a strong contact us to activity - convey that the reader have to click the email to retrieve the deal

Speak to your audience - refer to them by name, or as "you"

So possibly your topic lines will certainly look a little like this:

" HURRY! Our 50% off pizza deal ends Friday!"

" 50% off all orders - ends midnight"

" Conserve 50% off your order - VISIT THIS SITE to retrieve!"

" Laura, do not lose out! Get 50% off your order today!"

Of training course, technique doesn't hurt.

Daniel Rowles, CEO of Target Net, worries that a tested, scientific method is key.

" Set up small-sample A/B tests to evaluate up various subject lines for the same email, prior to you send it to the mass of your audience," he recommends. "So if you have a total amount of 10,000 customers to send out an email to, try sending two test sets, each with a different subject line to separate target markets of, claim, 100 individuals. By contrasting the information from these samples you could establish, to a great degree of chance, which of the subject lines you must make use of when you send out the e-mail out to the remainder of your target market."

To summarise?

Be catchy, be fast, be good - and also do not neglect to test what jobs! Inform them what you require them to do. Describe your offer. Interact what does it cost? time they need to engage with your e-mail's web content. The clearer you are, as well as the much more apparent you make your CTA or email's purpose - the most likely they'll be to involve. Simple.

Having difficulty making your e-mail strategy help you? Pitch your trouble to our advertising people by submitting this form.

[battleborntap]

We all have those games that we would love to see a sequel for. That game we grew up with as a child. That popular franchise that has been in retirement for the last decade. That cult classic you found while browsing the Steam Summer Sale that you beat and want more.

  In some cases, these games might not get made for various reasons. Sometimes the company who originally made it no longer has the rights to that game. Sometimes the development team doesn't want to ruin a franchise by simply making a new game for the sake of making a new game. Whatever the reason, we all have those games that we would love to see get a sequel...and I am no exception.

  Before we begin, I would like to clarify a few things. First off, this is not a list of the most popular games that I feel need a sequel. There are plenty of people doing just that on YouTube. This is a personal list of games that I have played that I would love to see continued. This list will also not include anything that, as far as I'm presently aware, already has a sequel in development. This is a list of games that I have not seen anything related to a sequel out there outside of rumors and wishlists, much like the Kingdom Hearts 3 wishlist I posted two weeks back. And finally, this list is in no way a definitive list. While I would probably want some of these games more than others, I would be happy to get any of these.

  So, without further delay, here's my Ten Games That Need a Sequel

#10. Battleborn (2016)

The one is a cautionary tale to people looking to release a game; make sure you see what else is coming out around the same time to determine if this might be a problem for your release. Battleborn seemed like a done deal; the Borderlands team making a Moba-Shooter Hybrid with a fun cast of characters and a unique setting. It had a weird learning curve, especially between the variety of playstyles in each of the characters, and if you're thinking this sounds familiar, it's because that basically the description of the game that released less than three weeks after Battleborn; a little known title called Overwatch.

  Thanks to Overwatch releasing three weeks after Battleborn's launch, much of the player base for the game dropped off within one month, presumably to play Overwatch, something that I myself am guilty of doing. It became so problematic for them, Battleborn as now basically become a Free-To-Play title. But where Overwatch falls short, Battleborn thrives.

Yeah, but Blizzard gave us a talking Gorilla...so...

Battleborn, among other things, offers a full single player campaign, the option to choose what play mode you want to play, and a story that can actually be seen in game rather than animations and comics online. It has the strong humor of the Borderlands team and a lot of possibilities for what can be done, and that's why I feel it needs a sequel.

  Given enough time and effort, Battleborn could be salvaged and turned into something worthwhile. More games modes, an expended roster and story, as well as a better launch window, and Battleborn could truly be a contender for Overwatch. Let's just hope they don't release it three weeks before Overwatch 2: Electric Boogaloo.

  #9. Jet Set Radio (2000)

Rollerblading is “cool.” Spray painting graffiti is “cool.” Combining the two is KEWL, and that's what Jet Set Radio provides. Released for the SEGA Final Nail In The Coffin (You may know it as the Dreamcast), Jet Set Radio sees the various gangs of Tokyo-To roaming the streets and spray painting everything while running from the cops. You play as a variety of characters in a new gang called the GGs, lead by Beat, compete against rival gangs for turf, and run from Captain Onishima, who has way more power than he should as he sends riot police, tanks and helicopters after you.

  It was the definition of the Counter Culture, going against the man and doing things that look cool. It had pretty fun gameplay, despite a variety of controls that can be complicated to get the hang of, and a unique art style that helped it stand out from other games by being one of the first games to feature cel-shaded graphics with exaggerated shapes, thin lines and flat bright colors. So in a way, Borderlands has this game to thank for it's art style.

Hmmm...you could do with some more blue...

The problem here is the current state of skating games in the industry. After the massive failure that was Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5, we haven't heard anything about a new game in that franchise, the Skate franchise, or anything new in the vain outside of indie games like side scrolling skateboarding game Olli-Olli. Now that doesn't mean we won't get anything like this; there have been rumors of a new Skate game from EA for a few years now, and people have been clambering for that for a while.

  Jet Set Radio is also owned by SEGA, and recently, they have mentioned they will be reviving a bunch of old franchises for re-release or reboots. While games like Road Rash and Crazy Taxi are more likely to get reboots, I would love to see Jet Set Radio come back. Who knows, maybe they could even pull a Tony Hawk and include “guest” characters, including Sonic the Hedgehog or Bayonetta. That would be fun.

  #8. Brutal Legend (2009)

Tim Schafer is one of the industries greatest comedians, having helped bring us such classics as The Secret of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts. One of his other games, developed with his studio Double Fine Productions, was Brutal Legend, a metal heads fever dream mixed with a somewhat mediocre real-time strategy component. It featured heavy metal legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford, Rod Halford and Lemmy Kilmister, and the world looked as if it were ripped straight from the album covers of some of the greatest cover art from the 80's.

  The story was pretty basic and the game completely changed genres half way through which threw some people off, but the aesthetic and world itself was a beauty that hasn't really been matched by other AA or AAA games. The humor is a bit more mature than some other games that showcase themselves as humor based, the references to the genre were wonderful, and the amount of love and attention this game holds is almost beyond comprehension.

It also made Jack Black's humor bearable for several hours!

Unlike many of the games on this list, this one might already be underway, though nothing official has been announced. During some in-development streams for Psychonauts 2, a game that I am highly anticipating more than almost anything shown at E3 2017, Tim Schafer has said that if there's enough interest and Psychonauts 2 does well, they might work on Brutal Legend 2. Jack Black has said that he would like to come back, and you know there's a large number of metal artists who would like to cameo in something so devoted to their genre.

  All in all, this one is just a wonderful experience from start to finish...if you can get past the sometime clunky real-time strategy portions of the game. We don't get many games that incorporate humor into their overall structure much outside of kids games and the LEGO games, so having one thhat's aimed more at adults would be fantastic. Plus, the soundtrack for this game alone is worth the price of admission. Just sayin'.

  #7. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)

Star Wars has a massive expanded universe through books, TV shows, comics and games, the vast majority of which Disney would like you to ignore. Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republics 2 are two of the better parts of that expanded universe, and is the only game on this list that actually does have a recent release, but not in the way that I would like.

  The Old Republic MMO, released by EA and BioWare, lets you explore through the world of Star Wars years before the events of the first few films. It plays like a combination of KOTOR, World of Warcraft, and Mass Effect (Fun Fact: Mass Effect happened because BioWare lost the rights to Star Wars when trying to make KOTOR 3). Playing as one of eight classes, only two of which really matter, you can play the first Star Wars MMO that actually had people excited since Star Wars Galaxies.

You said it random Star Wars Galaxies player.

No, what I want is not that game. While it has it's moments, the overall experience is more WoW than Star Wars, let alone KOTOR. No, what I'd like is KOTOR 3; a return to the massive experiences provided to us in the first two KOTOR games. The biggest hurdle now, of course, is that Disney owns Star Wars, and they are calling the shots. But here's the thing; EA has a contract with them to release Star Wars games!

  BioWare is owned by EA, and that means that if they wanted to, and Anthem wasn't taking up all their time, BioWare could easily bring us another entry in the franchise. They already have an offshoot studio working on the MMO, so why not give us another main series single player entry?

  #6. Undertale (2015)

Undertale is one of the few massive success stories from KickStarter, with an original asking price of $5000 but earning over $51,000 by the end of it's one month asking time. It was mostly made by Toby Fox, who wrote, programmed and wrote the score for, and has callbacks to Earthbound and Shin Megami Tensei as an NES era stylized game where you can befriend everyone or murder them brutally.

  You play as a young person who falls into a mountain into the world of monsters and interact with them by either helping them realize that violence isn't the only answer or by showing them just how wonderful it can be. The story is full of emotional points, and depending on how you play, you can have one of three major outcomes, commonly referred to the Pacifist, Genocide or Neutral routes. And that's pretty much all I'll say about the games story; while the game has been out for just under two years now, there is still a decent portion of people who have not experienced it, and this is very much a game to go in blind with regards to the story.

Trust me! Do I look like I'd lie?

The obviously problem with making a sequel is those last two facts: the desire to go in blind with regards to the story and the multiple ending types based on how you play. The first one makes it hard to do a sequel for the simple fact that you usually have to showcase some of the story in the trailer and promotional materials. This can be combated by the simple fact that while the trailer for the first game does show gameplay, there's very little context for what is shown and basically just shows us what I've mentioned here. The second issue is which ending do you go with? Well, why go with a sequel at all?

  The overall story of Undertale has some pretty good back story, including a war between humans and monsters which could be explored further. It might not give us the same emotional level as the first game, but exploring that part of the series might help better showcase the strife we see from the monsters in the game. If nothing else, this would give the people who play Genocide runs a reason to feel like a monster...if they didn't feel like that from the first game...

  #5. The Stanley Parable (2013)

Games have had narrators in them since the first time we heard a narrator in a video game. They are there to help deliver exposition, to guide the player, and tell us more about what we are seeing on screen. The Stanley Parable likes to take that notion and turn it on it's head. While the story of the game is silly, it can be completed in only a few minutes if you simply follow the directions of the narrator. Bu this game is best when you don't.

  One of the first major choices you are given in the games is a series of two open doors. The narrator, trying to guide you through a story, tells you to enter the door on the left. If you disobey, he then makes up an excuse and tries to get you back on track. Depending on how often you disobey, things can go from standard to surreal fast. From breaking the game down almost entirely to being forced to play a game where you try and prevent a baby from walking into fire for four hours to standing in a broom closet simply because you can, the game is a wonderful commentary on first person perspective games and narrative driven ones as well.

This game asks questions, like what if we made a game about a baby crawling towards fire?!

The things about making a sequel is that what more can be done? Sure, there can be more paths added, or a new narrative setting can be used, but making the overall premise of the game about a guy who listens or disobeys the narrator would simply be rehashing a concept from the first with a new coat of paint. Narrative games are unique in that you usually don't need to replay them unless you want to, but games like The Stanley Parable is unique in that you can replay it and not get the same result twice.

  The real challenge for making a sequel is not even making new narrative arcs for the player to take; the first game shows that just about anything can happen in a video game with little incentive or force. What the real challenge here is making a game that can commentate on other parts of first person narrative mechanics, or even other genres and mechanics, that the first game didn't touch on. It'll also help if they get Kevan Brighting to return as the Narrator...He was just a delight.

  #4. Bioshock (2007)

The Bioshock series are some of the most well-regarded in gaming, so long as you don't include the Bioshock 2. Between Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite, these games have ingrained themselves in the minds of gamers thanks to engaging gunplay, unique powers and settings, as well we smart story telling and situations. It's also a spiritual successor to System Shock, which makes it all the more better.

  The first game takes place in an Ayn Rand wet dream of an underwater utopia run by a man who constantly reminds you that “a man chooses, a slave obeys,” and is filled with magic fueled homicidal maniacs, giant mechanical living bathyspheres, and cute monster children you can either save from horror by “saving” them or sucking the ever loving life force out of them as they scream in pain and realize that hell is real when they are “harvested.”

You can Harvest them or force them to watch Cars 2...your choice, but either way, you're a monster.

Then in Bioshock Infinite, you play as a man who has a shady past, saving a Belle like character from a floating city, a giant mechanical bathysphere bird, and a racist man with the ideals and principles of a 1870's preacher. Using a spinning hook on your hand and more magical abilities that you drink like scotch, you help liberate this floating city by shooting every cop in sight and getting a very basic understanding of quantum mechanics, string theory and the many worlds interpretation along the way.

  A new game in the series would require a few things, chief among them Ken Levine, the man who helped give us this new classic. But to make it better, we'd need a newly enhanced system for combat, a wonderful new world to explore, and possibly a potentially racist author to pull from...let's try Harper Lee. Because who wouldn't want to shoot an allegory for racism and bigotry in the face while trying to champion the ideas of inclusion?!

  #3. Castle Crashers (2008)

Castle Crashers is one of the first majorly successful indie titles to appear on the Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360, and helped bring the studio The Behemoth to the forefront of the indie scene. With simple controls, four player same screen co-op, a variety of unlockable players, weapons and companions, and a sense of humor that just about anyone can enjoy, it's no wonder this game became a hit.

  You play as one of four knights (to start) trying to save four princesses from a variety of villains by doing things like running from a giant forest troll while riding woodland deer, interrupting a wedding for a lightsaber wielding knight and fighting a fire breathing dragon that has a side job as a sock puppet ventriloquist. Also, sandwiches can turn you giant; so remember kids, eat healthy, and you to can grow three times your size and punch your way out of any situation!

Don't run, Is just Ham!

Now, The Behemoth has launched two new games since this one has come out; Battleblock Theater, a side scrolling platformer where you survive a death trap for cats, and Pit People, a turn based strategy game about a world thrown into hell by a giant space bear crashing into it.. They also released Alien Hominid, a side scrolling shooter starring a sharp-toothed Pac-Man headed alien, which helps showcase that The Behemoth likes to change genres between releases. This doesn't mean we won't get a new Castle Crashers; it may just mean we won't get it from them, or in the same fashion as the first.

  A sequel wouldn't really have to change much, which makes this one even easier to conceive of. If anything, much like the Super Smash Bros series of games, you would only need to keep the core mechanics of the game while adding new content like players, levels, items and more. With the Behemoth's pedigree for making consistently fun games, I don't think it's impossible to see it coming, but at the same time, we'll unlikely see due to their desire to expand and change genres. Until then, let's all look forward to their fifth game about a sitcom family forced into a world full of strange llama creatures, all with an 80's rock music aesthetic and made to play as a dating simulator.

  #2. Sunset Overdrive (2014)

This is easily one of my favorite games from this generation, and a lot of the people I've talked with who have played with can agree that it's a fun, heavily stylized game. With the genius weapon design and humor from Insomniac Games, a punk rock setting in a post apocalyptic environment about an energy drink turning people into zombie monsters called OD'd. So, you know, a standard release video game.

  The unique thing about this game is that it was the first game in years to release exclusively on a non-PlayStation console, specifically the Xbox One. When you compare the overly colorful and humorous world of Sunset City to the environments you explore in other Xbox Exclusives, specifically Halo and Gears of War, it's a very different type of game. When some of the weapons launch Records, Exploding Teddy Bears and the severed heads of the zombie creatures, it certainly seems a bit more silly than Gears of War's chainsaw gun. The story is also equally silly, with you bringing together a few groups of stereotypes to help retake the city of a corporation that makes guns, drugs and energy drinks that turn you into zombie things. It also ended with a bit of a cliff hanger, leading to the possibility of a sequel in the future.

Let's just have some freaking fun!

Insomniac has said that they would love to make a sequel, and to that I say Insomniac...PLEASE CONTACT ME! I have many ideas for this game and am looking for a new job! But for everyone else, let's talk about what it could be. First and foremost, we'd probably go to a new city that the drink made into OD, as well as new weapons and enemies, groups to interact with, more varying quest types and even more humor based on popular culture and some current events.

  Honestly, I want this game much more than I would want Beyond Good and Evil 2, Star Wars Battlefront 2, and just about any other game that was showcased at E3 2017 that has a 2 in it's name! The games is just crazy fun, with Ratchet and Clank inspirations throughout, and just in general makes me happy to be a gamer. It's actually one of the only reasons I still own an Xbox One! Now THAT'S an achievement, if you ask me.

  Now, before we get on with the number one pick, here's a few honorable mentions:

  Super Meat Boy – A fun, challenging platformer with cute references to classic games and ever changing tasks to overcome. A sequel could make it harder and introduce new mechanics like a jetpack! Cause why not?!

  Fez – This is one that a lot of people want, but Phil Fish got mad at the internet as we probably won't ever see. That said, imagine going from four sides to sixteen, because, again, why not?!

  Grim Fandango – One of the last great adventure games from an era long since past, Grim Fandango is a silly concept to begin with; reapers in an office setting. Imagine what Tim Schafer and crew could do with that concept now!

  Spore – While it's not as well loved as The Sims and didn't deliver on all the promises is had, Spore was still a fun alien builder. Expand the gameplay beyond a few genres and give more freedom, and BOOM! There you go.

  The World Ends With You – A fun and unique Nintendo DS game from Square Enix. With the 3DS and Switch technology, the gameplay could be expanded and improved to tell a new story.

  And finally...Number One

  #1. ANYTHING THAT ENDS IN A 3 FROM VALVE!!!

Seriously, Valve, the Steam OS can wait a while while you make another game that will make you two billion dollars. With Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Portal 2 and Half-Life: Episode 2 all being the end of those franchises currently, gamers have been begging you for a new entry in just about every one of these series! So let's go down one by one and look at each of these, shall we?

  Half-Life 3could finish the story that the first two games started. Team Fortress 3 could introduce new characters to give hats to while letting players occasionally shoot one another or push a bomb down a track. Left 4 Dead 3 could give us more zombie mobs ripping at our throats and new special infected all trying to shut up one of the characters with a plethora of annoying lines. Portal 3 could see us dealing with a homicidal robot trying to kill us in a testing chamber, only to be revealed that it's been us the whole time! Half-Life 2: Episode 3 could be a prelude to that of Half-Life 3 because seriously, just give us Half-Life 3 already!

Please? I mean....just....just please?

Much like Kingdom Hearts 3, Half-Life 3 is one of those games that may never actually come out, but that won't stop people from wanting it even more, myself included. And by holding out for a good idea or the right technology or whatever, Valve is making the expectations of gamers rise practically by the day at this point. When Game Informer had their 200th issue, one of the eight variant covers included Gordon Freeman, leading players to think they were getting Half-Life 3. They were, of course, disappointed that all it was was a list of some of the greatest games ever, and Game Informer was flooded with disappointed emails telling them just that! Over a magazine cover!!!

  Look, we probably won't get any of these anytime soon, simply because Valve really doesn't need to. With all the money they make from games Like Team Fortress 2 and the taxes they collect through the Steam client itself, they could easily get out of game development al together and still make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, especially right now when the Steam Summer sale is going on, and while you might only pay $5 for that game you always wanted, you'll end up doing that eighty four times a day, which can add up to a lot of money!

  So, there you go. A list of games I want sequels for. I'll get back to analytical discussions next week, but I want to know if there's anything you'd like to hear me talk about! Please, leave a comment of send me a message and we'll see what happens! But either way, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next week!

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