#project platinum reviews

[projectplatinumrevie]

Project Platinum Reviews: Is It The Right Solution?

What Exactly Is Project Platinum? Project Platinum is a revolutionary three-step freedom business that has changed the way people earn money online. This system was created to assist participants in earning thousands of dollars per day without the need for a product, website, or e-commerce store. It is a simple yet highly effective system that has already assisted 11,553 participants in earning an incredible $87,831,489.

The best thing about Project Platinum is that it is supercharged to generate consistently fast profits. You can start earning $1000 per day by working just four hours per day and can even reach $18000 per day with the help of the system's AI software.

The beauty of this system is its ease of use and accessibility. To get started, you don't need any prior experience or technical knowledge, and you can work from anywhere in the world. Project Platinum's AI software is simple to use and highly effective, allowing you to automate many of the tasks involved in earning money online.

How Does The Platinum Project Work?

Project Platinum is a comprehensive online marketing system designed to assist individuals in starting and growing a successful business. The system gives participants access to a variety of tools, software, educational materials, and virtual events, all of which are designed to help them generate income online.

Participants who purchase Project Platinum receive immediate access to over $59,000 in digital products, including a 6-week digital course, AI-powered software, a mentoring group, a Facebook community, traffic-generating tools, and a landing page generator. The online course teaches you how to start and scale an online marketing business, while the AI-powered software automates many of the tasks associated with earning money online.

Participants will also have access to a private coaching group and Facebook community, where they will be able to network with other like-minded people and receive guidance and support from experienced coaches. Participants can use the traffic generator tools and landing page builder to drive traffic to their websites and convert that traffic into sales.

Project Platinum Reviews - How Much Do Customers Make?

Project Platinum is a new program that provides users with affiliate marketing training and tools. It is worth noting that some of Robby Blanchard's former students have achieved significant success, earning thousands of dollars per day, by putting his knowledge and guidance in affiliate marketing to use.

Some of the Project Platinum reviews mentioned on its official website are listed below. You should read them:

Kenneth claims to have made $30k in the last week. And on his best day, he earned $5.9k per day, which is incredible.

Michel claims to have earned $260,000 in January. He enrolled in the program, which enabled him to earn $20k per week. He simply copied everything as instructed in the program, and the results were astounding.

Another participant claims to have made $1,000 in a matter of days. Her earnings increased dramatically after receiving coaching from the program's coaches.

Overall, Project Platinum reviews are positive, and it has helped people earn real money quickly.

Pricing and Availability For Project Platinum

You can get involved in Project Platinum by going to its official website. This course can only be found on its official website. And you can get it for a one-time payment of $2,497. Those who prefer to pay in installments can do so as well. For those who do not want to pay the fees all at once, $997 is charged for three months, which is extremely convenient.

[tonicgreenreviews]

Project Platinum Reviews: Is It a Knock-Off?

Review of The Project Platinum: Robby Blanchard's Training Course & System Teach You How To Make Money Online. Make the most of ClickBank's affiliate marketing opportunities by promoting their items to generate commissions. Uncover the best online training course that will enable you to earn a fortune and reach Platinum!

What is the Platinum Program for ClickBank?

Leading online stores for both physical and digital goods including ClickBank. They were established in San Diego, California, in 1998. One of the most well-known networks for affiliate marketing has grown to be ClickBank.

The ClickBank platform enables company owners and entrepreneurs to swiftly expand their internet presence. It offers a simple method for managing affiliate marketing programmes and displaying both physical and digital products in an online marketplace.

The Advantage programme is one of ClickBank's key features. You may benefit from more commissions, brand recognition, and access to premium deals with the ClickBank Advantage Program.

There are three membership tiers available in the ClickBank

Advantage Program: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

Those who make up to $2,000 a year via affiliate marketing are eligible for the Bronze level. The annual budget for the silver level is between $2,000 and $25,000. For people who make more than $25,000 annually, there is a gold level. The Platinum level is only available to those who earn more than $250 000 annually. The Diamond level is reserved for persons earning over $500,000 annually.

Increased commission rates, access to special deals and promotions, the ClickBank Summit, and improved customer service are just a few of the benefits that come with each membership level.

How can I use Clickbank for affiliate marketing?

Promoting goods and services that are appropriate for your audience is necessary for success as a ClickBank affiliate. Concentrate on producing top-notch content that sends readers to your affiliate links. To maximize your earnings, continually monitor your campaigns and make any adjustments.

Try out various approaches to determine which ones are most effective for you. To improve your chances of success, keep track of your progress and alter your strategy. Use your skills and knowledge to provide the greatest outcomes.

Yet you don't need to work hard since Project Platinum will take care of everything. I'll explain further down.

How Can the Project Platinum Course Help You? This Project Platinum course claims to teach you how to generate daily commissions of up to $1,000 or more, enabling you to upgrade to a ClickBank Platinum membership.

Three main components serve as the foundation for this extensive training program:

Find out the basics of affiliate marketing and choosing ClickBank affiliate products. Learning the fundamentals of YouTube, Native Facebook Advertising, and sponsored traffic Create a successful plan for growing your affiliate marketing business.

Project Platinum offers detailed instructions on how to start from scratch and create a successful affiliate marketing business. You'll learn how to identify the most profitable promotional offers, design profitable campaigns, and quickly scale them up. Moreover, copywriting and email marketing are included in the course.

Using this information, you may tailor your campaigns for optimal effectiveness.

Robby Blanchard also offers his students ongoing guidance and support. Lastly, he provides an AI system to streamline your work with all of these training tools at your disposal, helping you stay on track with your goals.

You can: with the aid of this AI system and software tools.

To advertise profitable offerings, write the appropriate ad copy. It transforms the text into compelling graphical visuals. You have access to DFY photos, vendor contacts, buyers lists, ad copy swipe files, million dollar offer proposals, and more. The other software tools aid in campaign optimization for optimal return on investment. Additionally, it offers daily insights into the success of your campaign.

You may increase your affiliate marketing success with Project Platinum without putting in many hours of study and analysis.

You can easily become a prosperous affiliate marketer with the aid of this AI system!

Project Platinum might be what you need if you're prepared to advance your affiliate marketing profession.

Why are you holding out? Test it right away! - Sign Up for Project Platinum Now!

Or go here to read the entire review written by a real student.

Let's now learn more about the person who designed and hosts this system and course.

Robby Blanchard: Who is he? Robby Blanchard is a Facebook and Instagram sensation with over 410k followers and 22k likes. As the proprietor of CrossFit Reach in Acton, Massachusetts, he is also a certified personal trainer and the world's top-ranked ClickBank affiliate.

At Fitchburg State College, where he studied exercise science, he began his path to success. Robby was determined to use his fitness coaching after graduation to establish himself in the field of online marketing. He was a seller, but he didn't make much money.

However, he attempted to promote other people's items as an affiliate using his expertise in digital marketing.

At that point, he began to experience success.

In order to spread his approach, Robby Blanchard also started his own course (Commission Hero). It has aided countless individuals in launching their own online affiliate companies. His main areas of interest are teaching leverage marketing and helping individuals use digital products to better their life. Additionally, he provides a variety of materials and courses to aid budding internet business owners in their success.

Robby made the decision to help thousands of regular people earn up to $1000 or more per day with the Project Platinum programme! - so that trainees can soon get to ClickBank Platinum!

His most recent Project Platinum course provides detailed instructions for establishing campaigns that have been shown to be effective. Additionally, it gives users access to the newest, premium resources, including:

Robby is passionate about sharing his knowledge of how to make money online. He has built up a robust network of affiliate business owners who, with his assistance, have become financially independent. For individuals who require more coaching or assistance troubleshooting their campaigns, he also provides one-on-one coaching sessions.

Ultimately, Robby Blanchard is a motivational example of what can be accomplished through commitment and hard work. He serves as evidence that everyone can succeed if they set their minds to it!

Let's take a closer look at the Project Platinum initiative.

What is Project Platinum's Process?

As an affiliate marketer, you might earn money with the Project Platinum training course by advertising other people's goods and services. In this program, Robby goes over a straightforward three-step process. What it is can be summed up as follows.

Learn the fundamentals of affiliate marketing before we begin.

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work and What Is It? Affiliate marketing is a smart approach to generating passive money online and a terrific place to launch your own company. What is affiliate marketing actually, and how does it operate?

Affiliate marketing is the process of advertising the goods or services of another business in return for a commission when a customer makes a purchase. As an affiliate marketer, you don't have to worry about developing items or offering customer support. You just need to make sure people buy the product by promoting it.

Affiliate marketing has a number of benefits, including:

As soon as you sign up as an affiliate, you can begin promoting things and earning money. Anyone can become an affiliate; special expertise or abilities are not required. You only need a computer and access to the internet. No prior investment is necessary to become an affiliate; there are no fees. As long as you have access to the internet, you may work from home and be an affiliate from anywhere in the world. If you put in enough time and effort, there is no limit to how much money you can make as an affiliate.

You must create an account with one of the several affiliate networks, such as Amazon Affiliates, Clickbank, JVZoo, etc., in order to begin affiliate marketing.

Robby largely advocated advertising ClickBank marketplace offers in this Project Platinum training. As a result, using the Project Platinum method to make money is straightforward.

Why should I take the ClickBank Platinum Training Course/Project Platinum Program? With its wide range of offerings and well-established marketplace, ClickBank, you can easily generate income.

How Effective Is Project Platinum Training? Absolutely, the Commission Hero course has hundreds of student success stories that may be found online. So, you don't need to worry about passing the Project Platinum course.

This marketing tactic has been around for a while and is still quite well-liked by affiliates. Since Robby Blanchard is one of the most successful affiliate marketers in the world, following his advice will result in success.

Pros:

Project Platinum has a strong organisational structure and a wealth of student success stories as social proof. Without a personal product or service of your own, you can still profit from this training. There are several advertising creatives, instructional videos, and starter tools included. This affiliate marketing tactic can be profitable for beginners and intermediates alike. This course's affiliate marketing approach is legitimate, and it is feasible to profit from it. The system offers all the tactics and resources required to support your success.

Cons:

If you compare Project Platinum to other available courses, it is pricey. Starting the programme and seeing results takes some time and effort. There are no assurances that adopting this approach will result in financial success. Success is based on your own efforts and the amount of money you spend on advertising.

It's important to keep in mind that success depends on your own efforts, and there are no assurances that utilising this approach will result in financial success.

Is it the best course for affiliate marketing? It's challenging to say…

..for sure, as there are numerous options for courses, each with advantages and disadvantages.

One of the most complete systems on the market, Project Platinum provides substantial support from knowledgeable super affiliates.

Project Platinum may be a great place to start if you're searching for a thorough course covering every facet of affiliate marketing. It will provide you with the resources and skills you need to work online as an affiliate.

You can truly advance on your path to become an affiliate marketing success story with the right training, commitment, and work!

Pre-launch and important dates for Project Platinum Project Platinum will go live on March 27, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

When the course's complete version becomes available, that will be. There will be a pre-launch period before that during which consumers can have early access to some course training. You will also have access to special bonuses during this time, such as reductions on subsequent purchases with special perks.

The deadline for new student enrollment is April 9, 2023.

Pricing, costs, and guarantees for the Project Platinum There are various possibilities available for Project Platinum's price. The cost of the fundamental package is $2,497. They also provide split payments. A 30-day money-back guarantee and lifelong access are also included with this coaching system.

Bonuses for Project Platinum Robby provides additional benefits for everyone who buys in addition to an amazing bonus for early-bird shoppers.

By utilizing the benefits shared on this review page, you might also receive a tonne of extra offers that are jam-packed with power and assist you with 10x your new affiliate business revenues. Details on the project platinum bonus can be found by clicking here.

Findings of the My Project Platinum Review The best method to begin affiliate marketing is with Project Platinum.

It offers you all the resources and instruction need to be a successful affiliate. It offers lifetime access, step-by-step instructions, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Anyone wishing to enter the world of affiliate marketing should choose Project Platinum.

It is a methodical system and roadmap that offers detailed directions on how to become a fruitful affiliate marketer. You can master the fundamentals of affiliate marketing with Project Platinum and make up to $1,000 per day in affiliate commissions.

As a Robby Blanchard student, I am aware that his course is simple to follow and comprehend, and it includes useful tools like webinars and video lectures. Without any prior expertise or education, you may quickly and easily start making money with Project Platinum.

Regardless of the pricing choice you select, Project Platinum offers outstanding value for your money.

Read More:

[irnjehernandez]

Project Platinum Review - Is Robby Blanchard Course Worth Your Money?

Project Platinum official: https://rebrand.ly/project-platinum--... Project Platinum Review - Is Robby Blanchard Course Worth Your Money? (2023) Introduction: Hey, and welcome to our video review of the Project Platinum course by Robby Blanchard. In this video, we'll take an in-depth look at Robby's latest course and provide an honest review to help you decide if it's worth your money. With so many courses available on the market today, it can be challenging to choose the right one that meets your needs. But, after watching this video, you'll have a clear understanding of what Project Platinum is all about, what it offers, and if it's the right course for you. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Who is Robby Blanchard? 01:25 - What is Project Platinum? 02:37 - Who is Project Platinum For? 03:15 - Project Platinum Bonus 04:20 - Conclusion Who is Robby Blanchard? Before diving into the course itself, let's take a moment to talk about Robby Blanchard, the creator of Project Platinum. Robby is a well-known name in the digital marketing space and has been recognized as the number one Clickbank affiliate in the world. He's also the owner of Blanchard Media, a performance-based marketing agency that helps companies generate leads and sales online. Robby has been featured in major publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Yahoo Finance, and he's known for his success in running profitable Facebook ad campaigns. What is Project Platinum? Project Platinum is an eight-week course designed to teach you how to create and launch a profitable online business using Facebook ads. The course covers everything from finding the right product to sell, creating high-converting ad campaigns, and scaling your business to six figures and beyond. According to Robby, the course is based on his proven system that has helped him generate millions of dollars in revenue over the years. Who is Project Platinum For? Project Platinum is suitable for anyone looking to start an online business and generate revenue using Facebook ads. Whether you're a complete beginner or have some experience with online marketing, the course provides valuable insights and strategies that can help you succeed. However, the course may not be suitable for those who cannot afford the price point or those looking for a more comprehensive marketing strategy that covers other channels besides Facebook. Project Platinum Bonus: If you decide to invest in the Project Platinum course, you'll receive a bonus package worth over $10,000. The bonus package includes: Done-For-You Funnel Live Q&A Coaching Calls Ad Account Audit DFY Facebook Ad Creatives Inner Circle Mastermind Access Lifetime Access to The Commission Hero Pro High-Ticket Commission Secrets Conclusion: In conclusion, Project Platinum is a comprehensive course that provides valuable insights and strategies for anyone looking to start an online business using Facebook ads. The course is well-organized and presented in a clear and concise manner, making it easy to follow. While the course is relatively expensive, the bonus package provides added value, making it a worthwhile investment for those who can afford it. However, it's important to note that the course focuses exclusively on Facebook advertising and may not be suitable for those looking for a more comprehensive marketing strategy. Overall, if you're interested in learning how to create and launch a profitable online business using Facebook ads, Project Platinum is a course worth considering. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3q89PsqKJC-JPlNWWMbsA Project Platinum official: https://rebrand.ly/project-platinum--... Project Platinum Review - Is Robby Blanchard Course Worth Your Money? (2023) Hashtags: #ProjectPlatinum, #RobbyBlanchard, #EmailMarketing, #DigitalMarketing, #LeadGeneration, #Sales, #MarketingSoftware, #EmailAutomation, #OnlineBusiness, #MarketingTools Keywords: Project Platinum Review, Robby Blanchard, Project Platinum software, Project Platinum discount, Project Platinum bonuses, Buy Project Platinum, Get Project Platinum, Email marketing, Email automation, Lead generation, Sales funnel, Drag-and-drop email builder, Email analytics, Marketing campaign, Online business, Marketing tools, Business automation, Marketing automation

Project Platinum Review - Is Robby Blanchard Course Worth Your Money?

[aksreview]

Wait! Before You Proceed To "Project Platinum" Get This Fascinating Bonus (PLUS One More!) For FREE...

[infoaffili]

What is Robby's Clickbank Project Platinum?

If you want to make money online with affiliate marketing, you might have heard of Clickbank.

Clickbank is one of the largest and most popular platforms for digital products. Clickbank connects product creators with affiliates who promote their products and earn commissions for every sale they generate.

But did you know that an exclusive community within Clickbank is reserved for the top 1% of affiliates and sellers? This community is called the Clickbank Platinum Program, and it offers a number of benefits and perks for those who qualify.

What is the ClickBank Platinum Program?

The ClickBank Platinum Program is an elite community of marketers who have generated at least $250,000 in sales on ClickBank in a single year. This can be as a seller or an affiliate, or both.

The Platinum Program rewards successful marketers with access to exclusive benefits, such as:

A dedicated account manager who can help them with networking, technology, and opportunities

A direct line to ClickBank's software engineers, who can help them optimize their use of ClickBank's features

An invitation to the annual ClickBank Platinum Summit, a luxury getaway where they can meet other Platinums, JV partners, super-affiliates, expert copywriters, and top-notch sellers

Access to the Platinum Facebook Group, where they can connect with and learn from other Platinum year-round

Priority support and service from ClickBank's team

Recognition and prestige as one of the top 1% of marketers on ClickBank

How to Qualify for the ClickBank Platinum Program?

To qualify for the Platinum Program, you need to generate $250,000 in sales on ClickBank in a single year. This can be done by selling your own products or promoting other people's products as an affiliate.

If you're just starting out on ClickBank, this may seem like a daunting goal. But don't worry - many Platinums started from scratch and worked their way up by following these steps:

Choose a niche that you're passionate about and has high demand

Create or find high-quality products that solve problems for your target audience

Build a landing page or website that showcases your product or offer

Drive traffic to your page using paid or free methods such as social media, email marketing, SEO, etc.

Test and optimize your page for conversions using tools like split testing, analytics, etc.

Scale up your campaigns by reinvesting your profits in more traffic sources.

Of course, these are just the basics - there are many more strategies and tips that you can learn from other successful marketers on ClickBank. That's why it's important to network with other Platinums and learn from their experiences.

This might sound like a daunting task, but one person can help you achieve this goal; Robby Blanchard.

Robby Blanchard is the #1 affiliate on Clickbank, and he has created a program called Project Platinum to help anyone reach Platinum status on Clickbank. Project Platinum is an online course that teaches you how to promote Clickbank products using Facebook and YouTube ads and other traffic sources.

What is the Project Platinum System?

Project Platinum is not just a course; it's also a software suite that automates 95% of the process for you. You don't need any technical skills or experience to use Project Platinum; you only need a laptop and an internet connection.

Project Platinum also gives you access to exclusive insider contacts that can help you get better deals, commissions, and earnings on Clickbank. You will also get support from Robby Blanchard himself and his team of experts, who will guide you along the way.

By joining Project Platinum, you will not only make money online with affiliate marketing; you will also enjoy other benefits such as:

Exclusive networking opportunities with other top affiliates and sellers on Clickbank

Access to Clickbank's Platinum Summit, where you can learn from industry leaders and experts

A dedicated account manager who will help you optimize your campaigns and resolve any issues

On-demand reporting that will show you your performance and progress

Priority support that will answer your questions and solve your problems quickly

Industry recognition that will boost your credibility and authority

Partnership opportunities with Clickbank that will open new doors for your business

Project Platinum will launch in 2023, but you can sign up now for early access and special bonuses. If you want to learn more about Project Platinum and how it can help you reach the top 1% of Clickbank affiliates and sellers, click here.

Project Platinum is not a scam or a get-rich-quick scheme; it's a proven system that has helped hundreds of people achieve their financial goals through affiliate marketing. If you are ready to take your online business to the next level, don't miss this opportunity to join Project Platinum today.

[chanranghaeys]

📉 blunt

“They say keep your friends close…and your enemies closer. So I did.” “But why is it that when I got closer, you seemed less like an enemy…and more of something else?”

pairing: corporate!dino x gn!corporate!reader word count: 2.1k tags: angst, hurt, corporate competition, not friendly competition at all, almost office romance but asshole!dino happened? warnings: taunting, bickering, cursing, nsfw teasing, literal “not safe for work” stuff haha

a/n: this is for all the corporate working guys and gals out there. inspired by this video from the gose mag vol 2 shoot and a short twt convo that ensued with my moots and i hskdjfh

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ masterlist . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

“Thank you everyone for your time. See you all for the final presentation next week.”

You slam the lid of your laptop shut—gently—at that last remark from your project lead. This project would make or break the reputation of the whole firm and everyone felt the pressure and tension. No big deal, just millions of dollars, everyone’s jobs, and the name of every person involved were on the line.

You paused for a while to take a moment for yourself when you were broken out of your reverie by a blunt force hitting the back of your head. You look for the source and glare at the black laptop bag in front of your face. Of course.

You looked up and were greeted with a smirking face and an eye roll. He looked like an angel with his platinum blonde hair and playful eyes, but he was the devil in disguise if you actually knew him.

It took all your willpower to remain seated and not burst out. That would not bode well for your professional image with most of the people still in the meeting room. There’s always been tension between the two of you since this project started. And you both knew the exact reason why.

───────────── ౨ৎ ─────────────

You were tasked to lead the presentation during the meeting last week. It was an important one because it wasn’t just the team in attendance—the whole executive committee would be there. No big deal though, you were prepared and confident. You were wearing your smartest business attire, hyping yourself up because god knows how else you could get through that morning.

People started coming into the board room one by one. And in he came, as if he were the one commanding the room. The other guys came in their best effort, but he walked in wearing a tailored suit, somehow looking dressed down yet dressed up. And you knew he was in the room before you saw him. He took on a distinct scent, sweet but powerful, spicy and intoxicating. You glared at him and he gave a polite nod of the head in return.

“Good luck,” he said. His smile was full of goodwill, but his eyes were telling another story. His line of sight shifted from you to your laptop and back. An alarm bell rang in your head, but you couldn’t risk being rattled before it even started.

When the executive committee arrived, the president was expectant, looking toward his direction when they asked, “So who will be presenting the final proposal today?”

You projected your voice to take back command. “That would be me,” you said with a winning and confident smile, and you began. You breezed through the presentation with ease until you reached the part discussing the budget.

“Something seems off with the figures.” The chief finance officer narrowed their eyes and reviewed the document in front of them, comparing it to the presentation flashed on the screen.

What the… They were right, there was something off. The numbers were wrong and the numbers didn’t make sense, and the executive committee was here precisely so they could see the bottom line and make sure it was logically sound with the proposal. Shit. Why didn’t I see this before?

“If I may…”

“Ah, Chan.” Your project lead signaled you of the happenings, looking at him with a questioning look. “What is this?”

“Well, I reviewed the deck before this meeting and actually saw this coming.” What? Your smile as you looked at him was tight, civil, and seething. “Sadly, there wasn’t enough time to revise the presentation before this meeting, but I can point out how the numbers are supposed to add up.” He met your gaze at that last line as if mocking your seeming incompetency.

He stood up and started talking, pointing out the flaws in your computations. But he didn’t stop there. He continued to point out other flaws in your presentation and how those contributed to the wrong numbers. He didn’t stop. Almost as if…he planned this from the beginning.

You two were assigned to complete the final proposal and you’ve both been working on it for weeks. Believe it or not, you actually liked working with him. He was smart and knew what he was doing, and he was naturally good at it—Too good, you think to yourself sometimes.

But when your team lead assigned you to present and finalize the whole thing, he suddenly became competitive, hard to reach, and infinitely harder to collaborate with. His sudden 180-degree change did not make any sense at all to you, until today. Until you saw him presenting in front of the executive committee, engaging everyone in a way that you did not and could not.

I am his number one competition and he thinks he is better than me. He thinks I don’t deserve it. But that’s what he thinks.

Once the presentation meeting was over, you made your way to the employees’ locker area. With everything that happened today, you needed to breathe. You couldn’t stand the congratulations Chan was receiving, the ones that were supposed to be yours.

You found your way in front of your locker and opened the lock with ease. You didn’t know why you did that though, as your locker was empty save for a spare set of heels and a photo of you and your family attached to the back of the locker door.

He was in the room before you saw him, that sweet and spicy scent following him around wherever he went. The only time you acknowledged him was when he was standing to your right, leaning on the lockers and looking at you with an unreadable expression.

“Why are you here?” You greeted him with a side eye.

“I thought you could use some company.”

“What makes you think I’d appreciate your company?”

Chan shrugged. “You always used to like my company.”

“That was before you became an asshole.”

“I’m hurt. How could you call me that when I wanted to give you my congratulations?”

The scoff you let out echoed throughout the room. “Excuse me? You knew what was going on back there. You knew there was something wrong, and I’m willing to bet my ass that you’ve known about it for days—maybe even weeks. And you did not bother to tell me for reasons I cannot fathom aside from you being a selfish son of a bitch.”

“Ooh, the slander.” He breathed in through his mouth audibly with a hiss. “I can raise this up to HR as degradation.”

“Oh, boo hoo. Suck it up the way you do with the big bosses. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? You think you’re way too good to be at the same level as I am that you would go as far as almost sabotaging a presentation like that with this unprofessionalism.”

“Unprofessional? Who the fuck do you think saved your sorry ass back there?”

“Saved? You could have saved it by being cooperative in the first place and those damn numbers wouldn’t be a fuck up in the first place!”

You jump when Chan leaves your side and slams your locker door shut. But you are unfazed and laugh. “Wow, that’s so mature Chan.” But when you turn to face him, he remains there, his left arm caging you against the lockers.

“Chan, get the fuck away away from me.” You push against his arm and chest but he resists, instead folding his arm to frame your face with his forearm and pinning you effectively to the lockers with his height. He towers over you and you attempt to look up at his piercing gaze.

“Chan…what the fuck are you doing?” His perfume washes over your senses with his face and neck mere inches away. He arrived at the locker area more dressed down from the meeting, his coat and necktie gone and the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up. His argyle sweater vest hides a glint of silver from around his neck.

It takes all your willpower to meet his eyes in this close proximity. And you were both daring to do so, knowing that this was an area secluded from the rest of the office.

“Do you remember when you first arrived here, all bright eyes and smiles during your first day?” Chan’s eyes softened for a bit and matched the hushed tone of his voice. You could feel his breath on your face, smelling sweet from a breath mint. “One look at you and I knew why you were hired. One look and I knew you were special.” He raised his hand to slowly, painstakingly brush away a stray piece of your hair, before slowly tracing a finger down your cheek. “One look...and I knew you were dangerous."

“What are you doing?” You whisper as his finger continues to follow a line down your neck and to your shoulder.

“You were dangerous. You were a threat. Instantly, I knew that this new hire would rob me of the years of experience I toiled over in this company to reach my position when you just got it in the blink of an eye.” As he was speaking, the line continued like a livewire of sensation down your arm, to the side of your torso, and finally rested on your waist “How dare you?” When he said this, he tugged at your waist and closed the already minimal distance between your lower bodies. You take in a sharp breath.

You dare not move any part of your body, but he continues. He leans in to whisper to your ear, “They say keep your friends close…and your enemies closer. So I did.”

You briefly close your eyes and remember your first days at this company. Chan was one of the first people who made you feel welcome with his warm smile and infectious laugh, accompanied you during lunch breaks, and taught you the ropes. But you could never forget the mornings in the pantry when both of you would wait together for the machine to churn out the freshly brewed coffee. You stood beside each other in silence when no more topics could be shared, and day by day the distance between the two of you grew smaller and smaller—until the backs of your hands could almost touch each other, until your pinky fingers could overlap when you both set your hands on the counter.

Chan’s voice broke your reverie when he said, “But why is it that when I got closer, you seemed less like an enemy…and more of something else?” His other hand moved from against the lockers to delicately cradle your neck while his lips moved from your ear to hover over your lips with the tips of your noses lightly touching.

You couldn’t control yourself anymore. Your hands move on their own accord, one holding onto his hand on your neck and the other fiddling with his collar as you grab on his silver necklace to pull him as close as you can.

Your open lips touch his and remain there, hovering in an unresolved kiss. You share each other’s breaths as they both quicken and you feel him against your thigh. He tightens his grip around your waist and pulls you in until there is no distance between your bodies. Your heartbeat is in your ears, ringing with desire and a rush of blood to your head.

“So who am I, Chan?” You say this against his lips. “Who am I?” You feel his hand on your neck pull you in and you briefly see his eyes flutter and close in anticipation.

In a brief moment of weakness, you consider giving in. But you kept a rational mind, and the bruise to your pride and ego was all it took to hold him tight and force yourself away from his cage. He stumbles and hits the lockers that brace his supposed fall. Chan looks at you with bewilderment and sexual frustration evident on his face.

You look back in confusion and with pain in your eyes, hoping they mirror the pang in your chest containing the pain and hurt that your professional self could never show. Maybe you could have shown it if things went differently, and maybe you could have shown it to him. But the cutthroat nature of your jobs would never allow it—he proved it in front of everyone earlier.

“Because I know who I am. And I am not someone you just play with and screw over.” You fight back the tears in your eyes. You could not show weakness, not now. “Suck it up. And play this game right.”

You fix your disheveled clothes and hair and turn your back to him, walking away from him and wishing you could do the exact opposite. But there was no other choice in this matter.

[venusvity]

After a stellar first year as a group, Venus hit 2019 swinging. They began their "Video Game Era," officially titled "VSCAPE," promoting their upcoming series of video games that would come with every comeback. VSCAPE would be a three-part series in which the girls would be put in three different genres of video games: fighting, action, and simulation.

People weren't exactly sure how seriously Angelico would take this project until their third mini album, "VSCAPE: BATTLE ROYALE," was released along with the accompanying video game under the same title. Of course, you had to buy the album and video game separately, but both came with photocards, so fans were more than happy to spend their money. Fans were even more shocked when the game was good, with stunning graphics that felt utterly out of Angelico's budget.

VENUS IN 2019 AT THEIR COMEBACK SHOWCASES: Bliss (21 via Battle Royale), Baebi (20 via PUNCHOUT), Chloe (19 via LOVE&LOSERS), Sena (17 via PUNCHOUT), and Jiah (16 via Battle Royale).

The game would be similar to Mortal Kombat but less violent. You could pick which Venus member you'd like to fight as and be paired with randomized villains or other Venus members, resulting in many hilarious reaction videos created by their fans, Constellations.

BATTLE ROUND, the title track, would win eight music show trophies and sell over 1 million copies, becoming the first Venus album to achieve this and the first group in Angelico history to have over a million sales.

They would release the second part of the VSCAPE project, another mini album and video game titled "VSCAPE: PUNCHOUT." Many fans expected the same type of gameplay from the first VSCAPE project but were shocked to be met with entirely different graphics and gameplay. This game follows the player through an apocalyptic world, trying to find the cure for the disease that's destroyed the country of South Korea. The graphics and gameplay are very similar to TellTale's The Walking Dead game, which is not shocking as they were the studio behind it. The game was praised for its interactive story elements, the girl's voice acting, and an overall storyline that had many constellations crying by the end of it.

VISION BOARDS FOR BATTLE ROYALE, PUNCHOUT, and LOVE&LOSERS.

PLAYER ONE would be the title track for PUNCHOUT, securing the girls' 12 music show wins as well as being certified platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for 100 million streams just three months after its release. This would mark the second Venus song to achieve this.

The final and most iconic part of the VSCAPE series is "VSCAPE: LOVE & LOSERS," with the title track "LOVE SIMULATOR." The game is just that: a dating simulator featuring all the girls. Though the game concept was quite controversial, as many fans saw it as pandering to a specific audience, the art used for the game was heavily praised for its cute and unique style.

FAN FAVORITE OUTFITS FROM THE VSCAPE ERA!

Though the game was hit or miss by fans, the song took over South Korea. "Love Simulator" received positive reviews from music critics and appeared on many year-end rankings of the best songs in 2019. Rolling Stone placed "Love Simulator" at number 24 on their list of the top 100 songs in 2019. On the National Circle Digital Chart, the single peaked at number two. The Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) certified it double platinum for surpassing 200 million streams in South Korea. The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for accumulating over 100 million streams in Japan.

Love Simulator would have 17 music show wins to its name, something virtually unheard of from Angelico. It is the 4th most-awarded song in music show history.

Venus would win their first Daesang this year, taking home Song Of The Year at MAMA for Love Simulator and Best Dance Performance—Female Group. They would also go on to win the Grand Prize at the Seoul Music Awards, marking another Daesang win for the girls.

[octofaewrites]

Octofae’s Fic List™️

All of my works can be find here:

I write for a variety of fandoms, so here we go - fandoms include: Bleach, Pokémon, Winx Club, and a few others!

Bleach - IchiRuki

Series

Masaki Lives! AU

Bleach, but Masaki was the parent who lived instead of Isshin.

The Noodle Saga

Crack Series involving Ichigo pining away for Rukia while Renji is trying to protect his captain’s dignity. (He is terrible at it.)

The Mystery of the Rukongai Crater

Paranormal Investigators, but make it Hallmark!AU

Conversations with the Future In-Laws

Hypothetical scenarios where Ichigo & Rukia talk to their future in-laws.

IchiRuki Month

Collection of works for IchiRuki Month

IchiRuki Week

Collection of works for IchiRuki Week

Stand Alone Stories

Performance Review

Three Casual Acquaintances™️ start a podcast as they try to solve the mystery of the sudden death of a neighbor in their swanky apartment complex.

Operation Christmas Play

Ichigo is trying to be romantic and Urahara has the connections.

Bleach - Others

Ready, Set, Caw….?

Renji/Orihime - jokefic written for a friend! Two dingdongs try to make cookies and a random crow keeps trolling them.

Through space and time, my love belongs to you (Chapter 1)

GrimmIchiRuki - Rukia is getting married to Grimmjow and Ichigo is sad because he’s hopelessly in love with them both - his life is surely over… or is it?

This story is a multi-author, round-robin project for GIR weekend!

Other Writers: kleinegirl87, AiTsuki97, Mako_After_Dark, AriadneKurosaki

Pokémon -

Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Merry Mishaps

Dawn, Lucas and Berry decided to exchange presents. Their starters do a bad job of being helpful.

No pairings - Written for the Pokémon Winter Wonderland Zine 2023

Pokémon: Legends Arceus / Diamond/Pearl/Platinum - VoloKari

Series

Somewhere over the Sea

The Pirate AU that no one needed or asked for.

Conversations at the Company Water Cooler

Idiot coworkers in a situationship and too dumb to admit they’re dating.

Sweet Like Honey

Friends with Benefits™️ who are benefiting across Hisui.

As the World Falls Down

Angsty Soulmate AU, where I don’t let them be together.

Volokari Week

Collection of stories I did for Volokari Week 2023

Stand Alone Stories

Déjà Vu - I’ve just been in this Place Before

I want to be cool and do a reimagining of PL:A; I’m just not cool.

Time Won’t Fly (Dead Dove - MIND THE TAGS)

Akari not in a good place.

Doll (Dead Dove - MIND THE TAGS)

Akari is not having a good time. Set in BumbleTee’s Cop AU

When My World Shakes, I Feel Alive

Sweet conversation between Dawn/Volo after getting her drunk idiot roommates to bed.

Shopping is Serious Business

Crackfic. Volo’s real punishment for trying to subjugate Arceus is having to go shopping with his daughter and her equally high maintenance friend.

Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet - Arviana

Safe & Sound

Juliana is tired from her near death experiences and meeting ghosts and gets a much needed Arven-hug.

Sucker.

Arven can’t tell Ogerpon no.

Treasure

Arven reflects on how his family is his treasure

Paradise is Nothing but a Smile

Arviana Picnic Date!

And, maybe it was ego swinging

The AU where Turo pulled his head out of his ass and was a parent to Arven.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Juliana made it back from Blueberry Academy and is beyond glad to be reunited with Arven

Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet - Draymine

I created a Discord Server for Draymine, Arviana, and Kiercey - Other ships are welcome! It can be joined HERE - (18+ Please!)

Series

You are in Love

An on-going series featuring snapshots through Drayton and Carmine’s relationship.

Stand Alone Stories

Well, this is a choice

Jokefic - Kieran sees that Crispin has awful dragon claws for feet and Drayton and Carmine’s alone time keeps getting interrupted.

Elevator Woes, Smash Bros, and Mistletoe

Jokefic - Crispin is the only single guy in his friend group and the elevator rides of Blueberry Academy are long ones. Established Draymine and Kiercey in the background.

a lot to live without

Sometimes, life doesn't go the way one wants it to. TW: Major Character Death.

Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet - Kiercey

Kieran & Lacey.

Building a Home

Just a moment in a post-canon setting in which Kieran and Lacey are quite silly.

[raeynbowboi]

Creating a Thematic Bard

Through Bardic Magical Secrets, any Bard can pick up any 6-8 spells of their choosing depending on their subclass. I thought I’d go through some thematic options for a Bard to choose from to cater to different themes and archetypes the Bard aspires to do. For each, I will offer the 8 spells I would recommend if you were to play as a Lore Bard, and if you pick a different subclass, just elimate two of the options.

HEAVENLY CHOIR 6th Spiritual Weapon, Spirit Guardians 10th Flame Strike, Destructive Wave 14th Holy Weapon, Summon Celestial 18th Divine Word, Holy Aura

THAT INFERNAL BARD 6th Hellish Rebuke, Summon Lesser Demons 10th Summon Greater Demon, Planar Binding 14th Summon Fiend, Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise 18th Planar Ally, Shapechange

WOODLAND WOODWINDS 6th Spike Growth, Plant Growth 10th Grasping Vine, Wrath of Nature 14th Transport Via Plants, Wall of Thorns 18th Tree Stride, Guardian of Nature

NECRODANCER 6th Animate Dead, Summon Undead 10th Spirit of Death, Danse Macabre 14th Create Undead, Finger of Death 18th Negative Energy Flood, Antilife Shell

PYRODANCER 6th Scorching Ray, Fireball 10th Ashardalon’s Stride, Flame Strike 14th Immolation, Investiture of Flame 18th Fire Storm, Meteor Swarm

CRYODANCER 6th Ice Knife, Rime’s Binding Ice 10th Ice Storm, Cone of Cold 14th Investiture of Ice, Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere 18th Wall of Ice, Control Weather

WET T-SHIRT CONTEST 6th Tidal Wave, Wall of Water 10th Control Water, Maelstrom 14th Watery Sphere, Summon Elemental 18th Tsunami, Water Breathing

TAKE THE WORLD BY STORM 6th Thunder Step, Lightning Bolt 10th Control Winds, Storm Sphere 14th Chain Lightning, Investiture of Wind 18th Whirlwind, Storm of Vengeance

DOWN TO EARTH 6th Max’s Earthen Grasp, Erupting Earth 10th Stone Shape, Wall of Stone 14th Bones of the Earth, Move Earth 18th Investiture of Stone, Earthquake

A DANCE OF DRAGONS 6th Chromatic Orb, Dragon’s Breath 10th Elemental Bane, Summon Draconic Spirit 14th Fizban’s Platinum Shield, Draconic Transformation 18th Illusory Dragon, Shapechange

BARDS GONE FEYWILD VOL VII 6th Summon Fey, Spirit Guardians 10th Conjure Woodland Beings, Healing Spirit 14th Heal, Conjure Fey 18th Mass Heal, Wish

FIND ME SUMMON TO LOVE 6th Conjure Animals, Summon Undead 10th Summon Aberration, Summon Draconic Spirit 14th Summon Fiend, Summon Celestial 18th Summon Construct, Summon Elemental

ROCKY HORROR NIGHTMARE SHOW 6th Dissonant Whispers, Fear 10th Phantasmal Killer, Dream 14th Mental Prison, Feeblemind 18th Maddening Darkness, Weird

CLOAK AND DAGGER 6th  Counterspell, Pass Without Trace 10th Death Ward, Steel Wind Strike 14th Contingency, Simulacrum 18th Feeblemind, Foresight

NECROSIS 6th Inflict Wounds, Wither and Bloom 10th Blight, Enervation 14th Harm, Finger of Death 18th Abi’s Horrid Wilting, Destructive Wave

STEP THREE: PROPHET 6th Augury, Clairvoyance 10th Divination, Commune  14th True Seeing, Detect Thoughts 18th Astral Projection, Foresight

GLOWING REVIEWS 6th Blinding Smite, Spirit Guardians 10th Destructive Wave, Wall of Light 14th Sunbeam, Crown of Stars 18th Guiding Bolt, Sunburst

SIMPLY PSIONIC 6th Mind Spike, Tasha’s Mind Whip 10th Raulothim’s Psychic Lance, Telekinesis 14th Rary’s Telepathic Bond, Synaptic Static 18th Telepathy, Psychic Scream

SONG OF WAR 6th Hunter’s Mark, Spiritual Weapon  10th Staggering Smite, Steel Wind Strike (or) Swift Quiver 14th Holy Weapon, Blade Barrier 18th Conjure Volley, Blade of Disaster

SHIELD MASTER 6th Armor of Agathys, Shield 10th Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, Wall of Force 14th Fizban’s Platinum Shield, Globe of Invulnerability 18th Forecage, Invulnerability

MAGIC MIKE 6th Magic Missile, Glyph of Warding 10th Arcane Eye, Bigby’s Hand 14th Arcane Gate, Symbol 18th Demiplane, True Polymorph

SPELLBREAKER 6th Absorb Elements, Counterspell 10th Circle of Power, Synaptic static 14th Fizban’s Platinum Shield, Forecage 18th Feeblemind, Antimagic Field

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 6th Spiritual Weapon, Spirit Guardians 10th Guardian of Faith, Bigby’s Hand 14th Mordenkainen’s Sword, Blade Barrier 18th Max’s Earthen Grasp, Blade of Disaster

TWO-FACED 6th Alter Self, Water Breathing 10th Guardian of Nature, Stoneskin 14th Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise, Draconic Transformation 18th Animal Shapes, Shapechange MASTER OF ILLUSIONS 6th Blur, Pass Without Trace 10th Phantom Steed, Creation 14th Mental Prison, Nystul’s Magic Aura 18th Illusory Dragon, Weird

A DANCE WITH DEATH 6th Wither and Bloom, Vampiric Touch 10th Blight, Enervation 14th Contingency, Soul Cage 18th Clone, Invulnerability

MERCY MAIN 6th Aura of Vitality, Beacon of Hope 10th Aura of Purity, Aura of Life 14th Heal, Regenerate 18th Mass Heal, True Resurrection

PLAGUED BY GUILT 6th Hex, Bestow Curse 10th Vitriolic Sphere, Contagion 14th Eyebite, Harm 18th Feeblemind, Weird

BLUE EXORCIST 6th Counterspell, Remove Curse 10th Dispel Evil and Good, Banishing Smite 14th Forbiddance, Plane Shift 18th Forecage, Imprisonment

BARD EX MACHINA 6th Elemental Weapon, Tiny Servant 10th Fabricate, Creation 14th Animate Objects, Summon Construct 18th Mighty Fortress, Blade of Disaster

CONCLAVE OF THE HOUND DOG 6th Hunter’s Mark, Conjure Animals 10th Swift Quiver, Conjure Volley 14th Guardian of Nature, Dominate Beast 18th Animal Shapes, Insect Plague

OATH OF MERRIMENT 6th Blinding Smite, Crusader’s Mantle 10th Find Greater Steed, Destructive Wave 14th Staggering Smite, Banishing Smite 18th Circle of Power, Holy Weapon

 And of course, you can always mix and match. Going for a Fire Dragon theme? Mix the Pyrodancer and A Dance of Dragons spell lists. As an example:

LOVE AMONG THE DRAGONS 6th Dragon’s Breath, Fireball 10th Flame Strike, Summon Draconic Spirit 14th Investiture of Flame, Draconic Transformation 18th Illusory Dragon, Meteor Swarm

These are all the bard themes I could think of, but if you can think of some more that I missed, or have better suggestions for some of my choices, let me know your own thematic magical secrets builds. Obviously, these were made with the Lore Bard in mind, since it gets the most magical secrets, but I’m sure some synergize better with other bard types, such as Song of War with the College of Valor. I just used Lore as the default. How well do these magical secrets builds work for you?

[sweetbleu7]

The Great Impersonator

Stand-outs

Only Girl in LA

Ego

I Believe in Magic

Darwinism

Lonely is the Muse

Arsonist

Hurt Feelings

Lucky

Our girl has done it again!

Being a lifelong Tumblr Girl™️, Halsey has always held a specific spot in my subconscious. Whenever she pops up with a new project, I pay attention. I was mostly consuming the album rollout through her makeup looks impersonating other celebrities. I wasn't too sure if I would take the time to listen to the album. I'm at a point in life where I don't listen to the radio. I have a paid music streaming service now and I listen to what I want. I don't stray from what I like and I don't often get served new music. I am trying to change this. Still, this album was on the road to passing me by like many others.

If I'm being honest it was the Pitchfork review that enticed me to give it a listen. If I’m being extremely honest, it was D’Angelo Wallace’s video on the Pitchfork review that made me listen. Although I probably won't listen to TGI front to cover often, it serves as a statement. I don't care to know why Pitchfork gave it such a low review. So I haven't read it. I want to take the parts that resonate with me and focus on how that makes me feel instead.

The album starts with Only Girl in LA. Listening to this song feels like laying on the floor and staring at the ceiling when you’re too high. It begins with the charm of any acoustic, introspective, ballad. Slowly more ad-libs, sound effects, drums, and electronic instrumentation fill the spaces. It's still fairly stripped down in terms of what you do hear and still at some parts feels cluttered. I think this is on purpose though. It feels like I've stepped into her mind. The lyrics plainly say she is lonely, yet anxious and overworked. The song kind of feels like a low-grade headache in that way. It ends with vocalizations and pounding drums almost like she's soothing herself through the noise. It's not my favorite for easy listening but I wouldn't look at some of Van Gogh’s art and think “Man this painful art just makes me so happy”.

I knew that I liked Ego after hearing her perform the song at this year's VMAs. Ego is a high-energy pop-punk single that details Halsey’s struggle with remaining true to herself and the discomforts surrounding her life’s trajectory. The lyrics are catchy and more relatable compared to the rest of the album. That sounds negative but in no way is that a bad thing. As personal as it can get on TGI, Ego’s relatability lends itself to replay value.

Darwinism is reminiscent of the rock operas that were popular in past generations. Halsey’s voice is hauntingly beautiful in this song. Her vocals are light and airy as she laments about becoming a part of the universe again. Space dust.

One of the most received songs on The Great Impersonator is Lonely is the Muse. Not every part of this song is as relatable as Ego. (no platinum airline status here…yet?) At its core, this song is about feeling small and used by others. It captures how angry and isolated that can make you feel. Despite your accomplishments, you will never be impressive enough to not be taken advantage of for just existing because you provide value that is being disregarded and undercut. Or at least it feels that way. Not to be dramatic or anything 😅

Hurt Feelings, in my opinion, is the most personal song in the collection. There are many that detail or allude to deeper subject matters (like Life of a Spider), but this song means so much to me. It may be due to our similarity in age, location, and possibly upbringing. Was everybody’s mom obsessed with maintaining a clean stove? Was everybody’s dad an asshole? It's so specific in its lyrics. The production sounds like the type of music I would have listened to on my CD player in 2001 while I was drowning out an argument going on downstairs.

Britney Spears was my life when I was a little girl. I had her first three CDs. I still haven't forgiven my father for sitting on my copy of Britney. This songs borrowing the chorus from its namesake doesn't hinder its power. This song feels like an homage to the late 90s, it does not feel like it’s trying to be a remake. The added sample of Angel of Mine by Monica only multiplies that.

The Great Impersonator is also a “concept album”. Different Genres and eras are represented on the album. The song Letter to God has 3 variations differentiated by different years: 1974, 1983, and 1998. Each respectively marks the mood’s inspiration. The beginning is folky and acoustic-heavy. The middle builds itself through electronic, rock, and punk influences. Lastly, it serves its listeners with the glittery sounds of the late 90s and Y2K.

Disregard how you feel about Halsey, Fame, or celebrity. She had reason to believe she would succumb to her lupus and a blood disorder diagnosis. She is a person and this album feels like a collection of diary entries that outline what she's been going through since If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. It serves as a vehicle for vulnerability and sharing struggles specifically that of sickness, death, family, and love. Halsey said in an interview that this may be her most personal album since Badlands and as a fan of both I would have to agree.

Similar Energy

1. Everybody’s Fool- Evanescence

2. Black Star- David Bowie

3. Lucky- Britney Spears

4. Operator- Jim Croce

5. Batman- The Front Bottoms

6. Paper Bag- Fiona Apple

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Megalopolis

The return of any legendary storyteller in cinema is always welcomed with eyes wide open. To see them return to the medium with a passion project that is all the more bold and different, is also a treat. Francis Ford Coppola is one of those living legends that to this day, his films are revered and studied in many a film school classroom. He now returns to the silver screen with a challenging and somewhat baffling fable/epic that is both gorgeous and almost indescribable. At the service level, it is a modern Roman tale of creation, capitilism, greed and debauchery located in the grand backdrop of New York City aptly named New Rome. Its quite brilliant and unrelenting in its depiction of honestly, our world as we know it. At a deeper layer, there was also a psychological level of mind-bending effects and how the world revolved or even worked around the central character. Does he have powers to stop time or are we passengers on a massive trip through an architect's mind? Like I said, its baffling and yet fascinating. The film was bonkers at times as it got convoluted in the middle of the political plots and noir style of reveals. If you're not focused on the story, you're gonna be lost and you may not have anything or anyone to pull you back in.

Adam Driver leads the story as the ever ambitious and creative architect Cesar Catilina and he was absolutely fantastic. He delivers every monologue with a shakespearean cadence and depth. It may seem like alot of word vomit from Cesar at times, but when you actually look at the subtext, he's quite inspiring even if he is almost detached from his own sense of humanity. There was a level of vulnerability that gets explored mid way through the film that defines the character and I loved seeing Adam expertly navigate the many directions the character goes through. Laurence Fishburne was fun and slick as the film's narrator and Cesar's driver, Fundi Romaine. Giancarlo Esposito was fantastic and boisterous as Mayor of New Rome, Franklyn Cicero. The rivalry between him and Cesar was the core of the film and I liked seeing their political game of tug of war. There is deeper layer to their rivalry that was pretty dark and somewhat doesn't get resolved in the most predictable fashion which was nice for a change. Natalie Emmanuel was outstanding as Cicero's daughter, Julia. I loved the rather quick turn from the debauchery that leads to the fascinating chemistry she develops with Cesar. The way the two of them connect was interesting and sparked the many questions of possible super powers in their dreamlike romance. Aubrey Plaza was great as the power hungry and greedy talk show host, Wow Platinum. You could see her fighting for relevance and how the desire for power can corrupt in the most absolutes. Shia LaBeouf gives and energetic, devilish and sometimes sinister performance as Cesar's extremely jealous cousin, Clodio Pulcher. He embodied the spoiled rich kid that never had to earn anything and just lives in that untouchable bubble. Its not until he finally has that bubble popped for him that he realizes that he needed to be more. Jon Voight was great as Cesar's wealthy uncle and Clodio's father, Hamilton Crassus III. The swiftness in which he goes from respected to a pariah was fascinating and had a somewhat hilarious and yet satisfying end.

The score by Osvaldo Golijov was grandiose, noir fueled and full of wonder in the best ways. The vast visuals of the future city of Megalopolis was punctuated by dreamlike sound and the more somber and romantic moments of the film were brought home by the noir sound of the saxophone. As I said before, the visuals in this film are stunning as its generous use of golden ambers and striking blacks was beautiful to witness on the IMAX screen. This film requires a lot of focus and can be absolutely confusing if you're not paying attention to what is being said. It doesn't reinvent the wheel per say, but it was a very unique take on Roman history and in essence how it repeats itself. This was a film that I had to sit with for a second to actually cobble together what I just watched. Its not for everyone and many will say it was boring or didn't make sense. All are are valid, but I will say that this is a film for the cinephiles of the world. Its an old school, high concept type of film that maybe in a few years, many will circle back to it and re-analyze. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[projectplatinumrevie]

Project Platinum Reviews: Is This Product Legit?

What is this Project Platinum thing all about?

During the six-week Project Platinum masterclass, you will learn all of the ideas and methods you need to promote Clickbank products on all social media sites. The most important part of affiliate marketing is to find products that fit your target market and have a high conversion rate. This is done so that when people click through from your site to another, they will take the next step and buy the product or service you suggested.

Since the Project Platinum program gives you all the information you need to make sales, you don't have to worry about reaching out to people who might want to buy your goods. When you buy the course, you'll also get access to a brand-new AI-powered piece of software. With this piece of software, you can set up ads to run on their own and sell Clickbank products to make a lot of money.

With Project Platinum, you can make at least $1,000 a day even if you don't have an email list, a website, or goods to sell. You don't need any experience or knowledge to start making money with Clickbank. You don't even need to know how the technology works. This training program has been broken up into parts so that newcomers can easily understand how to go about the process as a whole and see how important it is to have financial security.

Mr. Bobby Blanchard's Background

If you were wondering who made Project Platinum, it was Bobby Blanchard. He has set up the training as a three-step process so that anyone can use the software to make money on Clickbank quickly and easily. He also put together the course. Bobby is Clickbank's most successful affiliate, and he is the one who came up with the Project Platinum scheme by using his skills, knowledge, and experience of him.

Bobbly Blanchard is more interested in helping anyone who wants to learn about affiliate marketing do as well as he has. He says that his students have made more than $100 million in the last few years by selling things on Clickbank. The best thing about what he does is that he shows people through real-life examples that it is possible to make money by promoting Clickbank products.

Pros and cons of Project Platinum Pros of Project Platinum

The application is easy to use and easy to understand. There are no rules about having a website, shipping things, or running a business. You don't need to know how to use the internet before. You can work from anywhere in the world because of this. If you use this programme, you can make hundreds of dollars without doing anything. That works well for a lot of other people. So, you can be sure that the results will be what you want. cons

For Project Platinum, there is no way to get your money back.

Access to the program is limited so it can only be reached through the main website. You won't find the same information in any of the other books or courses this company makes. Who Should Take the Project Platinum Class?

Project Platinum is good for anyone who wants to make money online because it has a step-by-step plan for making money. In the current market, that is the best and easiest way to make money. Because of this, you should join this programme if you have been having trouble making your first $1,000 online.

If you finish the whole course and do everything that is asked of you, it will put a lot of money in your bank account. If you really want to be financially independent, you shouldn't pass up the chance to join this amazing program. Here's a list of all the important dates that you should remember:

Final Thoughts

The Project Platinum Masterclass is a useful program because it lets you make money through affiliate commissions. On top of that, it has a number of programs that can help you increase your sales and find new customers. It is the best investment you could ever make in your life because it will protect both your mental and financial health.

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's Re-Reviews- With Every Heartbeat

Welcome to the third of Cadybear’s RE-Reviews! In Re-Reviews, I of course reassess my original opinion of a story I’ve recently replayed. Maybe my opinion has changed, or maybe it still holds up and I have further thoughts. 

Today I will be re-reviewing With Every Heartbeat, the twenty-second review I’ve done. The last time I played this story was 3 years ago, in April 2021. I last reviewed it in March 2024, putting it on the Silver Tier with a 7 stars out of 10 rating. As of my most recent replay however, I can comfortably put it on the Platinum Tier at 9 stars out of possible 10.

Okay. Uh. What the fuck. My last review did NOT do this book justice. It was praising, but more or less apathetic. Which I think is because… it's not one that got a lot of strong opinions out of me back when I first and last played it, which was about 3 years ago. But still. 

Anyways, this time around, the story really grew on me and I am so so glad I replayed it. 

To start, a lot of elements of this story are pretty goddamn refreshing, especially as a single LI story. The romance between MC and Dakota, most notably, is actually very enjoyable. It barely feels like a romance that leans heavily into gendered/normative tropes, and instead feels more egalitarian. Dakota is a single customizable LI, but they actually have character and depth. Not to mention they’re also the sweet and soft babygirl type that we’ve sorely been missing lately. 

Although I wasn’t really sold on how fast Dakota fell for our MC, as time went on and we saw MC and Dakota spend more time together in the hospital and on the film project, it did start to feel more grounded. And by the time of the student film festival, where we got to see the final result of their hard work culminate, I was definitely invested in their relationship. 

One part in particular that stuck with me is when Dakota ran out after seeing Nolan Grant come in, and the premium scene where we can follow and talk to them, they confess they’re worried because a lot of other student projects seemed to go into more deep, abstract, serious themes, and then theirs was “just a silly little ghost story”. Honestly, that just hit really close to home for me, because I’ve felt similarly to Dakota about my own creative works. I’ve often felt insecure that some of the fanworks I’ve made don’t delve into nearly the level of complex themes as what my friends have made, and thus just look “trivial” and “childish” in comparison. So when I see Dakota expressing that insecurity, I JUST WANT TO FUCKING HUG HIM. 

In my original review, I did say that it was serviceable in being a tragic romance– it was done well, but it didn’t wow me. After my replay, however, I say it was done quite masterfully. I feel like it would have been really easy for this story to treat Dakota’s cancer cheaply or be overly wishy-washy about it, and like I said, I do think Dakota fell for MC just a bit too quickly… but in the grand scheme of things, it was anything but cheap or wishy-washy. It treats Dakota’s situation (as well as that of other hospital patients) with a lot of maturity and nuance, and the emotional framing is all in the right places. 

And can I just also say how well-constructed the atmosphere of the book is? Especially the scene that leads up to Dakota’s death. I usually don’t go in-depth about the use of sounds and music in Choices, but I absolutely have to here. In my original review, I said that it still shook me quite a bit, even knowing it was coming. That still rings true, but even more strongly now. 

First of all, the thumping heart audio sound from ILB that’s used just as MC arrives at the hospital and hears that Dakota’s body is rejecting the bone marrow transplant. That in itself is absolutely chilling and captures the feeling of sudden shock and internal panic quite well. 

Second, and probably most importantly, there’s something to be said about the choice of music track that’s used as we see Dakota in their last moments. Instead of going with one of the emotionally-charged sad piano tracks that they’ve been using throughout the story that one would typically expect… they go with the slow and tender guitar track. And personally, I think this is a fantastic move. 

After the aforementioned scene with the heart pounding, which captures the mood of shock and internal panic, we transition to what I think is a more… peaceful mood to Dakota’s death. It emphasizes that even though everything suddenly went wrong for them… Dakota died having been with their loved ones. They died having experienced all this happiness and adventure in the past year with the MC, their friends, etc. They died having been supported and loved. Kind of like the old saying “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”.

Which is exactly the message of the story overall. Making sure your loved ones have, as well as making sure you yourself have, in Dakota’s words… a life worth watching. No matter what adversity or tragedy you face, no matter how your life may end. Whether it’s a potentially terminal illness, or the loss of a loved one. And not gonna lie? That got me to tear up, in this playthrough. And it still gets me to tear up when I think about it. 

My main problems? Obviously this book being the most pointlessly genderlocked story that ever pointlessly genderlocked, for one thing. But besides that, my only gripe would have to be the part of the story where MC’s mom was being a hardass on MC dating Dakota. Most especially when she says MC is becoming a different person she “doesn’t recognize” from hanging out with them, after MC taught Dakota how to bike. 

I get why the mom was worried about MC dating Dakota, because she herself had lost her loved one to cancer… but the “I barely recognize you” line just did not feel fitting for any of MC’s behaviors. It felt more like it was written for the ROD MC’s dad. I also think they had MC be a bit unfair to her mom over her not spending a lot of time with her. Like, I get why MC might feel neglected, especially as a teenager, but these are surgeries where people’s lives are on the line. Luckily those whole plotlines seemed to be short-lived, but like… why even include them at all?

The story did feel very minimal in impactful choice gameplay, which is why I can’t quite rank it on the diamond tier… but I don’t think that harms the story nearly as much as it does others. And the choices that do exist– such as customizing Dakota’s film, or choosing which college your MC ends up going to, or choosing to shave our MC's hair in solidarity with Dakota– still feel pretty meaningful and engaging. 

Honestly I feel kind of bad that I didn’t care much for the story in my first playthrough. It’s really well-done, and is definitely among my favorites now.

[irnjehernandez]

Project Platinum Review: Is Robby Blanchard's Software Worth It? (2023 Update)

Project Platinum official: https://rebrand.ly/project-platinum--... Project Platinum Review: Is Robby Blanchard's Software Worth It? (2023 Update) Hello and welcome to our Project Platinum review, where we'll give you an honest and comprehensive overview of Robby Blanchard's latest software. If you're here, you're probably curious about this product and want to know if it's worth your investment. So, in this video, we'll take a deep dive into Project Platinum and provide you with everything you need to know before you make a purchase. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:50 - What is Project Platinum? 2:10 - How Does Project Platinum Work? 3:30 - Who is Robby Blanchard? 4:45 - Is Project Platinum Legit? 6:00 - Project Platinum Bonuses 7:30 - Project Platinum Discount 8:15 - Project Platinum Reviews 9:00 - Pros and Cons of Project Platinum 10:00 - Conclusion What is Project Platinum? Project Platinum is a brand-new software created by Robby Blanchard that's designed to help affiliate marketers to generate more traffic, leads, and sales. The software offers several powerful features, including a drag-and-drop landing page builder, built-in traffic sources, and an AI-powered ad creator. With Project Platinum, you can create high-converting landing pages, set up email campaigns, and automate your marketing processes. How Does Project Platinum Work? The software works by using a combination of advanced technologies to help you drive traffic, leads, and sales. The first key feature is the drag-and-drop landing page builder that lets you create beautiful and effective landing pages without any coding skills. The software also includes a built-in traffic source that lets you drive traffic to your landing pages using paid and organic methods. Additionally, Project Platinum includes an AI-powered ad creator that generates high-quality ads for you in seconds. Who is Robby Blanchard? Robby Blanchard is a well-known internet marketer and the creator of several successful products in the past. He's best known for his training programs and courses on affiliate marketing, which have helped thousands of people to make money online. Robby is also a ClickBank Platinum Affiliate and has won multiple awards for his achievements in the industry. Is Project Platinum Legit? Yes, Project Platinum is a legitimate software created by a reputable marketer with a proven track record. The software is backed by a team of developers and marketers who are constantly working to improve its functionality and features. Additionally, Project Platinum has already helped many affiliate marketers to achieve their goals and increase their profits. Project Platinum Bonuses: As part of the launch promotion, Robby Blanchard is offering several valuable bonuses to those who purchase Project Platinum. These bonuses include a free training program on Facebook ads, a bonus webinar on affiliate marketing, and access to a private Facebook group where you can connect with other affiliate marketers. Project Platinum Discount: If you're interested in purchasing Project Platinum, you can get a discount by using our special link in the description below. The discount is only available for a limited time, so make sure to act fast and take advantage of this opportunity. Project Platinum Reviews: Many people have already tried Project Platinum and shared their experiences online. Overall, the reviews have been positive, with many users praising the software's ease of use, advanced features, and effectiveness. Some users have reported significant increases in their traffic, leads, and sales after using the software. Pros and Cons of Project Platinum: Like any other software, Project Platinum has its advantages and disadvantages. Some of the pros of the software include its powerful features, ease of use, and the ability to automate your marketing processes. On the other hand, some of the cons of the software include its relatively high price point and the fact that it may not be suitable for beginners who are just starting out in affiliate marketing. It's important to weigh both the pros and cons before making a decision. Conclusion: In conclusion, Project Platinum is a powerful software that offers many features and benefits for affiliate marketers. While it may not be suitable for beginners, it's an excellent choice for those who are looking to take their affiliate marketing to the next level. With its advanced landing page builder, traffic sources, and AI-powered ad creator, Project Platinum can help you drive more traffic, generate more leads, and increase your sales. If you're interested in purchasing Project Platinum, be sure to use our special link in the description to take advantage of the discount and bonuses. Thank you for watching, and we wish you all the best in your affiliate marketing journey. Project Platinum official: https://rebrand.ly/project-platinum--... Project Platinum Review: Is Robby Blanchard's Software Worth It? (2023

Project Platinum Review: Is Robby Blanchard's Software Worth It? (2023 Update)

[midnightfangz]

Hello and welcome everyone to my newest project called Pluto reviews where I gush about the amazing fanfics my dear friends wrote <3

I've always (kind of?) wanted to do this for a pretty long time, but was too shy to actually write and post something, so I wanted to thank my very cool friend Nova (aka @min1nova) for asking me to review their fic called To the bone.

Without further ado, let's get to it :3c

Contents:

Introduction ✦ Story summary ✦ My thoughts ✦ Excerpts ✦

‧₊˚✩彡 Introduction

⤷ To the bone is a dark industrial fantasy fanfic based on the Hades video game from 2018. What is dark industrial fantasy, you ask? Imagine Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher without the high fantasy elements-- heavily inspired by industrial towns in eastern Europe. The main pairing is Thanaots/Zagreus, but there's a smidge of Charon/Hermes in the background, if you're into that too. It is rated as mature, mostly because of its serious and grim nature. It currently has over 4k words, but I'm sure that's gonna change soon, since Nova has a few more chapters planned.

⤷ TW for the first chapter (as described by Nova): blood, mediocre surgery description, Thanatos with the usual amount of stick up his ass(!)

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‧₊˚✩彡 Story summary

⤷ Author's summary:

A small town enshrouded in the march of industrial abuse of the land is the home of many curious figures. Darkness is afoot, sons harbour secret enterprises and death is only a comforting constant here. The gloomy barista of a quiet cafeteria begins to unravel a mystery as an uneventful night turns into a rather harried operation.

⤷ My summary:

The story focuses on a young man named Thanatos, who is trying to make a living as a coffee shop owner in a small mining town called Grobniki. One evening, a heavily wounded man passes out on the doorstep of his establishment and Thanatos decides to take him in and patch him up.

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‧₊˚✩彡 My thoughts

⤷ I might be slightly biased since I got this was a very, very cool story gifted to me by Nova, however! Nova's writing style is so fucking good I simply must promote it whenever I can :3c

⤷ I absolutely love how Nova manages to nail the characterisation no matter the tone she sets for her story. Not only that, the characterisation makes sense within her story. Take Thanatos, for example. He's deadly serious (pun intended) and takes his job very seriously in the game, so it makes sense he would be the same in To the bone. Nova, however takes it to a next level-- we get Thanatos who's kinda scary and is absolutely terrible at social interactions, despite a coffee shop owner. Never would I have thought that Than would choose to talk to people as a job, but holy shit Nova pulls it off so well. And Zagreus-- my god Zagreus!! He's still the talkative, flighty himbo we see in the game, but you can feel he's hiding something behind that smug smile of his. Not gonna lie, when I first read his lines, I could hear his voice saying them.

⤷ Also the general vibe of the story is?? so good?? Nova's fics tend to gravitate towards grittier, more serious aesthetics and I'm all here for it.

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‧₊˚✩彡 Excerpts

And lastly, here are my favourite parts from the first chapter, It begins in the darkness:

The doctor’s son had indeed ventured to open a business of his own. His greyish, darker skin would gleam in the lamplight and contrasted sharply with his ashy platinum hair, hands working deftly and his stride quick as he prepared the orders. Amongst those could be a strange liquid, dark as the night, imported from the imposing, large city so far beyond their reach. The bitter end, a name that caused many a chuckle, was not well visited in the evening, but more and more of the workforce would make their way to the shop in the morning, nursing a cup of the death that served them, even if the only deadly thing about it was the amounts of precious sugar deposited in each and every cup quickly drained before a long day of hard labour and shallow breaths.

⤷ hrrghrgrgh you have. no idea. how much I love Nova's worldbuilding and scene descriptions i mean are you seeing this??? I swear to god they're hogging all that talent it's not fair

“Dear bartender, I would like a small cup of your darkest, with two spoons of sugar please!” The postman all but draped himself over the counter every morning, quite dramatically so. It would be the same every morning, before he ran all the way to the larger town down the river to pick up the post, and in the afternoon he would distribute it among the townsfolk, in their little letterboxes. 

⤷ HERMES IS MY FAVOURITE LITTLE FELLA AND NOVA WRITES HIM SO WELL

“–and then I nearly fell down the bridge, and I saw them all! The fish you were speaking of, I knew it was bad, but not nearly as I saw it, oh the stench!” The postman had seated himself across the fisherman–if one could call the draping that he always tended to do just that–and spoke animatedly. A strange companionship the two nursed over drinks, but Thanatos found himself just a tiny bit envious between the laughter that bounced off the floorboards and the easy way in which they seemed to understand each other, even if they didn’t quite speak each other’s language.

⤷ woe! background charon/hermes be upon ye! (foaming at the mouth they make me so ill in the best way possible)

Thanatos would like to claim that he was not so different from these townsfolk, but that was not entirely true. It took him some time, when he’d been younger, to learn to discern. The vacant eyes were not so different from the vacancy that could dwell in the mind sometimes, after all. Pale skin could glitter so sickly, when one happened to be a patient of his loving mother. 

⤷ i need to print this out and shove it in my mouth this is so fucking good oh my god

After thorough inspection, Thanatos did not find any more grave injuries that needed immediate attention, other than a clean rag over the numerous scrapes that mapped a concerning picture for the observer. The bruises that would certainly grow darker soon, the pale, sweaty skin stretched over a body that would fail the host soon if the wound wasn’t closed soon. When he checked for a pulse, despite the assurance that the body was still breathing, rapidly, there seemed to be next to none. He frowned. 

⤷ another banger paragraph that makes me want to jump up and down while screaming like an ape because i can't handle how beautiful Nova's writing style is

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Anyways, that's all I have for today!

What did you think? Would you like me to continue doing reviews like this? Or better, would you like me to read YOUR fic and do a review of it?

(youtuber voice) let me know what you think in the comments! Until next time!

Yours truly,

Pluto aka midnightfangz <3

[2-d-rogue]

My thoughts after completing my first playthrough of Eiyuden Chronicle

A few days ago, I finally finished my first playthrough of EC. Because I backed the project, I had an early start before release day. Nonetheless, I make it a habit to take my time with games and take in as much as possible, leading to me finishing them a bit slower than most.

This isn't really a review per se, but more a cliff notes of my current thoughts after my first completion. I feel I can't fully decide on my thoughts until I've replayed the game, and have seen the DLC (mostly because it seems a lot of story in this game is being saved for DLC. More on that later). Currently, I'm in the process of platinuming it, and I am planning a second playthrough in the near future. Maybe then, I'll have a more concrete opinion of this game.

One thing I am going to be upfront about right from the get-go is that I am disappointed with this game. That isn't to say it's a terrible game, or that I hated it. Far from it, in fact. I had loads of fun playing it, and enjoyed many things about it. But even so, there was more I expected from this title that it simply did not deliver on. And I don't know how much of that is because they're sitting on things that won't be revealed until the DLC is out, or the sequel. Regardless, the game on its own really needed more than what was given, and I fear that because so much was held back, it really hurt the potential.

I'll break things down into things I liked, and things I didn't like.

Things I like:

*The characters, especially the side characters. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the side characters. Especially ones like Yusuke, Falward, Francesca, Momo, etc. There's too many to mention here because a lot of them are so fun. Not just to use in battle, but also possessing entertaining personalities.

My favorite has to be Yusuke, though. Not only is he a beast in battle, having ended many boss monsters' lives with his double charge, he also just has your back on anything (just see his comments if he's around for beigoma). I loved him so much, I even started calling him "kyoudai." He's a bro, and he's hilarious in theater roles, too! Seriously, Caleb Yen did such a fantastic job with this yankii character.

Really curious about his relationship with Falward, though. Going by Falward's comments when Yusuke's in the party, it implies he cares about him a great deal, but as far as I'm aware, there's no interactions between them, and Yusuke doesn't appear to pay him any mind. It's fascinating to think about what might be going on there, is all…

*Beautiful art and graphics This game is gorgeous. The detailed spritework, animations, the backgrounds and environments, the art… All of it is a smorgasbord of candy for the eyes. I thought Rising looked beautiful, but this was beyond what I was expecting after that. Everything is so painstakingly detailed.

*Most of the English voice acting As I mentioned above, I enjoyed Caleb Yen as Yusuke, but I also enjoyed a great many others, too. Most of the cast chosen suited their characters well, and delivered on them spectacularly. Some of the best were Seign's, Nowa's, Garr's, Francesca's, and many, many others. I was pleasantly surprised at how good most of the cast was, but also just how much everything is voice acted. This being on a budget, I was expecting the usual in JRPGs where only the more pivotal scenes are voice acted, but to see (hear?) that at least 90% of the script got voice acting was really nice, especially when the voices are actually good.

That being said, there were some scenes, particularly towards the end, that I felt were a bit more off, and there were some characters that were certainly miscasted. This being a game with as many characters as it has, I knew not all of them were going to land, but I can at least be grateful it's only a couple who feel off, while the majority were more than qualified enough for the job.

*The music Okay, so I'll admit that the OST isn't the most groundbreaking I've ever heard, but there are many tracks that I'm really fond of. "The Greatwood" is a mysterious track that reminds me of music from Donkey Kong Country and Oddworld, which I really like. The "Dappled Forest" theme sounds straight out of Tales of Symphonia, and some of the boss tracks are so metal it's awesome (especially the one where you're fighting a bunch of creatures Narungarde sends after you on the bridge in Seign's scenario).

I find the Treefolk Village theme and the Village themes soothing as well. Having Naruke and Sakuraba, as well as Yanagawa was definitely something nice to have for this game.

*Some of the mini games are really fun A bit divided since I did sour on beigoma a little once I realized strategy has very little in winning matches, and you're more pushed to grind for stronger ones to win. (Also have no clue why there's three games per match you have to get through, even if victory is guaranteed winning the first two.) But I do enjoy Glen's card game, and the Eggfoot races can get a little addicting.

*The theater

Nuff said.

Things I didn't like:

*The story It's not a terrible story, but it is lacking, taking until the end of the game to really start raising the stakes.

One thing I noticed really quick, and this is shown quite early, is that this game really seems to shy away from tragedy. When Nowa's village is burnt to the ground, it has to be one of the most impactless village burnings I've ever seen. No one is killed, and right after all is said and done, the villagers are just rolling with it and set to work on rebuilding immediately.

Then there's when Eltisweiss falls. The gate/wall gets destroyed, yet outside of the war battle, there is no evidence of destruction at all throughout the city, the townspeople are just going about their lives, and despite being occupied, you're still allowed to freely enter and exit without fear of consequence. And this remains true for any other place that gets taken over, thoroughly killing the immersion of anything truly getting bad.

The tension, the tragedy, the stakes, etc., are just not present, making you wonder what exactly are we doing any of this for. It isn't until the second-to-last arc of the game that they finally start having real things happen, but by then, it's too late to really appreciate most of it, making me almost want to call this game "Suikoden for babies".

This also effects Nowa. It's a shame because I actually do like his character. He's not like the typical overly energetic shounen hero I feared him to be, and he comes off a bit more grounded. It's established he's a "meddler", which basically means he's a natural do-gooder, but it's not the only thing about him, which makes him have a fairly interesting personality. The problem is that they do almost nothing with it. He never suffers any personal tragedy of his own, gets barely any character development, and the only reason he becomes the leader is because: countess Perielle is "a good judge of character" and thinks he's "handsome", which was a total cop-out and more or less the game admitting they have no legit reasons why he's such a big deal.

The game also implies he's got something special about him. In Chandra's recruitment scene and if you get her as your companion with the highest affection, there's a voice that speaks to him, calling him the "the third begotten", then makes vague statements like "now isn't the time for this talk", but then leaves Nowa with the words "saldio raum". This sounds like something is being set up for him, yet nothing about it is explored or ever brought up in the grand scheme of things. I have no idea if they have any intention of exploring this in any of the DLCs, or a future sequel, but it didn't sit well with me to just randomly mention these things, then leave it hanging.

*Seign and Nowa's relationship One of the main draws to this game was the conflict between Nowa and Seign; as two men who had become fond of each other, but are on two opposite sides of the fence, and have to face each other in war against their will. Many people compare them to the likes of Riou and Jowy, but for me, I think of them more like their predecessors Han and Genkaku. Riou and Jowy were childhood friends, whereas Han and Genkaku met during the war and happened to form a friendship inbetween battles, and also hated fighting each other, striving to end the conflict. That fits the story of Nowa and Seign more in my opinion.

I was looking forward to how their relationship unfolds, thinking it would be close to how Han and Genkaku would have been if they got something showing their story. In the beginning, it starts off very promising. They clearly like each other and get along well. Enough to start protecting one another and grow from being around each other. Nowa defrosts Seign's cold visage, and Seign helps Nowa mature and become more grounded. It sets up that the inevitable tear is going to be extremely painful when it happens, and it is…until they start rushing through it all.

Look, there was never any doubt that Seign was eventually going to come over to Nowa's side. Especially when several screenshots prior to the game's release spoiled Seign being around the castle and involved in things like the cooking mini-game. Still, I was waiting for all the drama and angst to happen between them before that pivotal moment. The buildup to Seign realizing this war was pointless/wrong, damn what is expected of him, then change sides.

Imagine how disappointed I was when their conflict is resolved very quickly, and without much strife at all. The scene on the bridge felt like that should have come much later, after all that's happened. In my opinion, that's when Seign should have switched sides. But the fated painful duel happens far too early, and then Seign joining not too long after made the whole arc feel underwhelming in the end.

What makes it worse is Seign and Nowa don't get to interact much after that until nearing the end of the game. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy what they did get well enough, but there really should have been more. One of the draws to this game was the agony of war tearing apart two friends. Doesn't mean much when that gets wrapped up all too quickly.

*Nowa and Perrielle I haven't the faintest idea what they were trying to do with this one. It's implied early on that Nowa is developing feelings for Perry, and she feels the same, but they kinda don't really do anything with it. At least, not unless you got her scene on the roof towards the end. Personally, I would have been on board with it. The times they do interact are cute, Nowa giving her a cute nickname was adorable, and they have good chemistry, but they kinda leave it underdeveloped and it's really unfortunate.

Like with Seign, there should have been much more if they did want to have a romance between them. I can only guess they purposely left it open in case people wanted to ship Nowa with others.

I will say I am of the opinion she's the closest thing to a canon love interest for Nowa, however.

*Lian A lesser Nanami essentially. Had no problem with her in the beginning, but she quickly becomes annoying when she keeps treating this war like it's a game and never develops her character beyond that. Also irritating how she clings to Nowa like he's her property sometimes. Literally Nanami without anything that made her interesting and likeable. Her catchphrases were annoying, too.

*The Watch group (Garr, Mio, and Lian) They do not get developed at all, leading to them becoming forgettable unless you staunchly use them throughout the game. Again, highly disappointing. (But less Lian is fine with me.)

*Marisa gets very little to work with I get the feeling Marisa's entire story is being saved for her DLC, but because of that, she comes off as having little to do with this story, making me question why she's considered a main. I don't dislike her, but given how little time we get with her (at least until the end), I found her the least interesting of the three.

*The cooking mini-game I was so happy to have this back. It was one of my favorite features in Suikoden II. Unfortunately, this time around it had almost none of the charm as it did before. All it ended up being was, essentially, a rehash of SuikoII's cook-off story. Only less well-written and lacking substance. Just ended up not really caring for it. Not helped that the mechanics are broken and most of the duels can be won cooking fried eggs over and over. (I was even joking to my bestie that this army is made up of anorexics by how much they seemed to just hate any food I gave them, including the stuff they supposedly liked!)

The story, music, presentation, the animations… None of them were as memorable as SuikoII's version, and that's a terrible shame.

That being said, I love Kurtz. The brooding cooking dweeb that he is.

*The duels I'm…really not a fan of how they handled these. It feels as though they wanted to make them more challenging, but instead, they made them irritating as hell to grasp. I got the gist of it, but I just don't know why they had to have it that you need to a fill a bar in order to use break (wild attack). I'm guessing it's to reward you with the epic animations of the fight (which are actually really well-done, I'll give it that), but when it feels tedious to get to it, it makes it feel very unsatisfying. I think it's possible to make something better of this, but until then, please don't do it this way again.

Well, those are some of my current thoughts as of finishing my first playthrough. There's more I can mention, but I feel this will do for now. My thoughts may change on a replay, and with some time when the DLCs are all out. Again, I will repeat, I did not hate this game at all, but I did want something more mature and grounded than what was provided. I do feel this was a decent step up, but I encourage Rabbit & Bear to take chances and actually remember we're dealing with war. There will be death and other horrible things that happen. Do not be afraid to embrace this.

And please, develop the main cast a little better next time.