#synergy world wide

[velleire]

Homestead Essentials: Living in Janthir Wilds (link)

Text:

Greetings, Tyrians! Gather around the fire and settle in as we chat with Andrew Gray and Joel Eckert, two of the designers working to bring you one of the newest features in Guild Wars 2®: Janthir Wilds™. Today, they’ll conjure a magical doorway and take us on a tour of Homesteads.

With the launch just a few weeks away, we’re excited to answer some essential questions that will help you on your journey to turn a plot of land into a home. In the next few weeks, be sure to check out our social media channels for inspiring homestead designs, and join us soon for a livestream where we’ll explore Homesteads even further. For now, we’ll be covering some of the general Homesteads information that you’ll need to know.

Q: How do I get my homestead?

A: The story of Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds will introduce you to the plot of land that you will tend to and claim as your homestead.

Q: How do I access my homestead?

A: Once your homestead is unlocked, you’ll have access to a Summon Conjured Doorway Mastery skill. Any character on your account can conjure a doorway and simply step through into the homestead.

Q: Can friends visit my homestead?

A: Yes, you can invite your party members to your homestead via your conjured doorway. Players who are not in a party can use the door to request a party invitation from the door owner, and the owner interacting with the door will initiate the instance-transfer countdown. You can even give your visitors permission to help decorate your homestead!

Q: Can I return to my original location (the place I entered from) when I exit my homestead?

A: Yes, you’ll find a familiar instance exit button on the lower right of your screen that will return you to your previous location. This will even persist across sessions, so if you log out and log back in to your homestead to take advantage of the homestead’s resting bonus, upon logging back in, the instance exit button will return you to your last open-world location. This will not persist if you visit another instance, though.

Q: What can I unlock for my homestead?

A: As you progress your Homesteading Mastery, you’ll unlock more rooms within your homestead to decorate. You can also unlock improvements to your lumber mill, mine, and farm facilities. Because upgrades and spawns for your personal story home instance carry over to the homestead, you can also collect various gathering nodes, convenience features, and characters like the hungry cats.

And, finally, you can unlock decorations through the handiworker discipline, which is a refined, account-wide crafting ability.

Q: Can we control where unlocked nodes spawn?

A: Things like resource nodes, cats, and chests are placed in predetermined areas to ensure they all function properly.

Q: Where do homestead decorations come from?

A: Handiworker is the new crafting discipline that will be used to create decorations. New decorations are unlocked via Mastery points spent in the Homesteading Mastery line.

Q: Tell me more about handiwork, the new personal version of guild scribing.

A: Handiwork functions very similarly to scribing, but it is designed and balanced for a single player to be able to craft things on their own. There is a material cost for each copy of a decoration that you craft, but the prices for personal decorations via handiworker crafting are significantly lower.

Q: Why is handiworker crafting part of a Mastery line and not leveled like other crafting disciplines?

A: Since your homestead is account bound, we also wanted your handiworker crafting discipline to be account bound. We also wanted to create a stronger synergy between the content of Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds and your homestead, so, rather than reaching higher levels of the crafting discipline by crafting more decorations inside your homestead, you’ll instead do so by playing the rest of the Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds content and earning regular experience points.

Q: How do I decorate my homestead?

A: A “Decorate” button on the heads-up display or the skill panel will activate decorating mode.

In this mode, players have access to various skills on the skill bar for placing new decorations, modifying already placed decorations, or removing decorations. Additionally, you can enter a flying mode that allows placement of items anywhere a player normally cannot reach.

We’ll be demonstrating homestead decoration live on Twitch this Friday, August 2, at noon PDT (UTC-7). Join us to catch the placement tools—which include a Toggle X-Ray Vision skill and flying mode—in action.

Q: How do the characters on my account interact with the homestead?

A: When you exit to the character selection screen while inside your homestead, the character you were playing will be visible in your homestead as an NPC while you play other characters. These NPC versions of your characters default to one of three predetermined locations in the homestead, based on whether they are soldiers who wear heavy armor, adventurers who wear medium armor, or scholars who wear light armor.

Soldiers are found around the main homestead structure and the entry area near the portal.

Adventurers are found on the far side of the river near the main homestead building, in a wilder area.

Scholars are found in and around a secluded cave away from the main homestead, which is perfect for concentrating.

If you approach any of these logged-out alternate characters, you can ask them to follow you and lead them elsewhere. When you’re ready for them to stay put again, you can ask them to stay, and they’ll stop following.

Q: Will all of the characters I leave in the homestead when I log out show up? Can I control which ones show up or disable them?

A: All characters left within the homestead when you log out will be visible when you’re playing other characters.

Q: Can we control the appearance and dyes of mounts in the stable? How are those chosen?

A: Mounts housed within the mount stable will have the same skin and dye settings used by the player character that is currently accessing the homestead. The skiff’s dye and skin are controlled by the same means.

Q: Will there be a livestream to show off Homesteads?

There will be a livestream! As we mentioned above, we’ll be showing off the design elements and finer details of the Homesteads feature on our Twitch channel, on August 2 at noon Pacific Time (UTC-7). We hope to see you there!

Prepurchasing any edition of Guild Wars 2: Janthir Wilds before the expansion launches will grant you the “Homesteader” title, the Whispering Serpents Pauldrons skin, and a box with your choice of one Serpent’s Wrath weapon skin.

Visit the official store page for full details on the items included in the Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate editions.

[makingspiritualityreal]

Death Note - A Faustian Purva Bhadrapada Parable

Probably one of the most famous animated television series, Death Note has gathered millions of fans all over the globe due to its exciting plot and twists of action. For those of us interested in looking a little deeper, we can very clearly see the themes of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra in this creation.

Nakshatra synergy for this series goes very deep, before we even get to the actual exploration. Not only is the author and writer a Purva Bhadrapada Moon native, but he also gave his characters personality profiles within the series itself, which included birthdays. Those birthdays make two protagonists, Light and L, a Purva Bhadrapada Sun and Moon consecutively. Assuming the author has no knowledge of Vedic Astrology, the energy of this Nakshatra was transferred down to his intuitive choice of character identities, which of course is a reflection of his own personal internal struggle.

I.

Ah! Now I’ve done Philosophy, I’ve finished Law and Medicine, And sadly even Theology: Taken fierce pains, from end to end. Now here I am, a fool for sure! No wiser than I was before.

We begin Purva Bhadrapada where Shatabhisha ended. In Shatabhisha we mastered all intellectual arts known to mankind, as well as religious and moral theory. However, in Purva Bhadrapda we feel the most deeply emptiness of knowledge and cold facts without wisdom and feeling to apply them. And thus, we spend all the time in this Nakshatra obsessively trying to fill the hole in our hearts, not really being able to use any of the rational means, that have worked previously at our disposal. As a result, we fill with ego and irrational belief what was filled with facts before. Similarly, Light is the perfect student and high achiever that everyone envies, the pride of his parents, but feels bored, empty and unfulfilled and views his perfection as emotionally meaningless, merely a starting point for the actual greatness he seeks.

II.

The theme of Purva Bhadrapada visible in Death Note is a moral dilemma - does a single person have the right to judge the actions of others? Should an individual elevate themselves above the crowd? Is there ever a situation, where one has the right to do so?

This contrast between man and society in Purva Bhadrapada comes from the fact, that this is the collective stage of Jupiter, where it reaches its apex, so personal interests of the individual are aimed at the collective. As a result, there is a karma of friction between individual belief and larger scale ideas. From the previous stage of Shatabhisha, one possesses the skill of socially blending in if necessary, the skill of perfect illusion, but underneath the smooth facade, true beliefs are starting to break through, ego hunger is rearing its ugly head, which is what causes such a strong dissonance, the “two faced nature” of this nakshatra.

III.

In reality, in Purva Bhadrapada one simply explores one's desire to eliminate all oppression and control the world according to one’s will instead of being controlled by it in any form. That desire is masked by belief in one’s own righteousness or even notions of self sacrifice for the greater good, contrasted with what one views as societal flaws, but there is an initial lack of authentic self examination. As a result, one’s actions are unpredictable and have a wide spectrum, that can be hardly defined as purely moral or righteous. Instead, they are driven by a desire for personal expansion.

Over time that leads to degeneration of one’s Humanity, as it becomes apparent that ego worship dominates over the human desire to actually do something good and contribute to the world. As a result, one is unable to admit one’s true nature to oneself, and the consciousness splits between an egoic righteous trip and an authentic desire to evoke positive change. In reality, the native simply desires to see one’s imprint on the world and is not really concerned with consequences of their actions on other people’s lives, to the extent they eliminate any external voices of reason. That is because voices of conscience keep defying the Purva Bhadrapada desire for extreme ego gratification.

IV.

A good man, in his darkest yearning, Is still aware of virtue’s ways.

However, despite intense attempts at externally manifesting one's internal concept of greatness, reality ultimately comes crashing down, and with it, the true awareness of moral implications of all one's actions. At this point, the "high" of the trip is over. What is also revealed, is that underneath the false comfort of the ego, the native's heart feels a sense of guilt over all the mistakes made on the path.

There is an interesting theme emerging in this Nakshatra. “Destruction comes not from the human being itself but from what gives it too much power”. A statement repeated many times in Death Note, that the true evil is the power to kill people. To prove that point, the moment Light loses the memory of Death Note and with it his supernatural advantage, his purity of heart and moral compass automatically return. It’s only the Death Note that reveals his psychopathic tendencies, and fate has put him, an otherwise decent person, into a fatal situation. The position of a human being existing simply as the plaything of the gods, being a force too insignificant, being at the mercy of fate. That is the theme of Jupiter, having too much power, too much goodness threatens to corrupt even the most decent individual.

V.

Yes, I’ve surrendered to this thought’s insistence, The last word Wisdom ever has to say: He only earns his Freedom and Existence, Who’s forced to win them freshly every day.

When Jupiter in Purva Bhadrapada finally matures, one understands, that merit only comes from continuous effort and character building, which over time forms into a solid habit, at which point Jupiter matures into Saturn.

We never see this happen in Death Note, as Light dies defiant in his dark side. However, we can explore the positive development through L, his Purva Bhadrapada polarity. L commits his life to the relentless duty of righting the wrongs of society, to the point that he doesn’t have a private life. He makes financial and personal sacrifices in his determination to wake up every day doing something for the world, knowing his contribution is irreplaceable, and ultimately he dies passing on his life’s work to make sure his ideas remain immortal and any unfinished business is wrapped up. This is also where Jupiter accepts the possibility of death and realizes that while all men must die, what matters is how you die - ultimately achieving your goal even after your death, like L, or disgraced, like Light.

That’s why in Saturn’s stage, which comes next, we learn refinement and personal self control. We work to become better people with our attitude as a habit, instead of focusing on ego development. This is, however, wisdom reserved for the next stage, so if it is reached in Purva Bhadrapada, it coincides with the character's Death, just as the quote I used escapes Faust’s dying lips.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

What would happen if instead of deku choosing his wide he choose shoto instead what would happen to his wife would he still go after her how would it play out too.

Thank you for asking

I really love this

🖤🖤🖤🖤

Yandere DekuWife Alternate AU

by u/ryuutoshi2

What would have been if Deku had chosen Shoto? The former hero in training was rising in notoriety alongside him. Always there. Always supporting. He knew Deku as well as he knew Izuku. Unshakeable in synergy it felt right to choose him. Choose him over his first true love, who seemed oblivious to all his telling actions. Oblivious to the painful yearning of watching you blindly trample his desires. And the way you cheered him on when he shakily admitted his relationship with some mysterious gent.

“That’s…wonderful Izu! I’ll have to meet him one day!”

You wouldn’t. It would be then that he abandoned the civilian identity to be the largest supervillain to date: Deku. Hand-in-hand with his villain lover as they collectively brought chaos to the world of heroes. Only the inner workings of the UA could suspect who he was and some would follow him. A closed incident that would lead the few who cared: Inko and you to mourn Izuku Midoriya.

“...All he wanted was to be a hero…”

“Maybe in his own mind…he was…”

His heart still yearned for you to hide crumpled photos whenever Shoto entered the room. To him, it was just the pains of withdrawal. A simple case of breaking his routine of obsession, instead of obsessing with someone who so quickly reciprocated that same level of affection. For years he’d fight it, drowning out his thoughts and memories of you with lust, mass violence, and diabolical schemes that would bring despair to the heroes he frowned upon. 

It happens by chance that he’s undercover in the daylight of the city. Smirking to himself as he passes a small-time hero on patrol. This information grab would be easy. An orchestrated diversion that would put him in the position to grab the data in a populated place while his beloved counterpart attacks. It plays on the hero's weakness: the protection of civilians. It would have been perfect. 

“Alright, Mister what can I help you with?”

At the front desk of the intelligence, the employee he was supposed to subdue was you. Grown and gorgeous as the day he left, was (Y/n) (L/n). The woman he spent years chasing and fantasizing over. 

He’s starstruck. Stuttering and flapping his lips as he’s reduced to the sweaty, overheating, obsessed dork you couldn’t see the feelings of. Ever patient you don’t rush him as he struggles to do anything–eating into the time he should have spent completing the mission. 

The sound of rubble crashing and the distorted laughter of his lover–Pyrodast rang out. The screaming and running began, and the swarm of panicked employees created the perfect chaos to steal those documents. But he let himself be pulled by you, tucking him under your desk as you dutifully pressed a hidden button. 

“Alright sir. Please stay here I’ll handle this!” 

He was so caught up fawning over your determined glare he almost didn’t catch what you said. Reaching out to hold onto your arm, worriedly pleading that you don’t leave him. And like something out of a dream you hold his shoulder rubbing soothingly. Flashing a smile he feared he’d forgotten. 

“It’s alright I can handle this,” You reached your other hand past him unintenionally caging him. He fluttered his eyes fully prepared to lean into you and capture your lips only to be reawoken when you pulled back. Letting you stand up straight with a darker look on your face and sleek hi-tech power gun. Holding the weapon with ease you cocked the barrel continuing to smile the way only you did. 

“Besides, both me and my husband are heroes!” 

With that you began firing away, immediately making contact with high powered villain judging by the pained grunt. Alarmed and completely in shock he disobeys your command watching as his not so past love expertly dodges the stray pits of steam and fire from his current love. Moving with the agility and speed of a spider you distribute tear gas bombs to blast in the villain’s face. You duck out of the way for most of his confused attacks, seemingly almost subdued when the gloved hands of Shoto reach for your head. 

Izuku has half a mind to scream out and he does. Drowned out by a resounding explosion, the hero’s defense gives you the opportunity to roll out of the way. More heroes quickly arrive on the scene, sending Pyrodast into a desperate escape. 

Hurriedly coming from behind the desk he tries to spot you among the rubble left in their wake. And like the sun at the break of dawn, you rise nearly unscathed and yawning all the while. Stretching as though you just woke up from a successful nap you smile in the direction of the tattered hole of the building. 

“Man, Suki great timing! You just barely missed my amazing defense!”

“Tch! Like I said before you shouldn’t need to do ‘amazing defense’! Just leave the hero work to me, detective!”

“Aw Suki, you’re just jealous I’m so good at my job! I just can’t retire!”

“Grrrr!”

“Kehehehe~!” Watching you tease the explosive hero, laugh at his glare, and insults stung. Too much like old times, he’d been overwhelmed by that tight-knitted jealousy that came with everyone who should speak to you. Specifically with this man. Even more painfully surreal, in tears of his own, he watches you pull out a silver and black band. Slipping it around your ring finger and fiddling with it as you prodded at the hero’s patience. He notices the way those red eyes look at you with a satisfied fondness that didn’t exist way back when.

It's then that he recalls your words…it makes him shudder. With disgust? with malice? with envy? The pure incessant desire to murder? Katsuki Bakugo was who you were married to the hero who had saved him from judgment on the account of a last favor before continuing to pursue him alongside the board of heroes. He didn’t think he could hate the hero more. He was wrong and if he hadn’t been pinged by a worried Shoto he would have killed him. Stabbed from the back at speeds you’d barely register but he didn’t. 

Wobbly and downcast, he returned to the rendezvous point letting Shoto handle the report for the day. Heterochromatic eyes flashed worriedly toward the no longer disguised Deku. It wasn’t long before they shed their masks and latex, settling into their afternoon routine within the highrise home officially owned by the former hero tycoon Shoto Todoroki. 

He didn’t need to speak. Simply leaning over to rest his chin on Izuku’s head as he held his lover by the waist. Sniffing the dyed locks he gets so lost he almost forgets what he originally asked. Or how Izuku doesn’t turn around to wrap his arms around his neck. 

Instead, Izuku leaned back, letting his head rest on the front collarbone of Shoto. He couldn’t share this most jarring discovery, not while his thoughts were still jumbled. When he finally knew how he felt then he’d tell Shoto, so they both wouldn’t make irrational decisions. 

A shame he’d forgotten how deeply in-tune his lover was with his struggle. 

The moment he realizes his Izuku is sleeping in he zeroes in on the exact moment for the shift in moods. Calling his covert underlings to retrieve the camera footage of the building. Unfortunately the cameras had been wiped supposedly taken away after the visit of some group in black suits. Thanfully his team was able to kidnap lightly apprehend a civilian with an undeleted video of the incident.

“So this is…them?”

As Izuku’s closest confidant for years, lending his ears to his romantic woes was a given. Already bonded by the intimacy that came with villainy it was easy to slip himself into his arms. Whispering in his ear and sharing each other’s breath, Shoto made himself the prime owner of Izuku’s heart. Or so he thought. He once tried to track you down before, fully prepared to use the family hitman to guarantee Izuku’s love. But Izuku’s smart, keeping you nameless and eluding Todoroki's covert operation team. 

But now that there’s a video albeit grainy he now knows who you were. The wife of Katsuki Bakugo, a position highly covetted by celebrities and teens. It seemed like a covert marriage considering official registrars had him married to some nameless character. But the video has you smiling, teasing Deku's mortal enemy. How dare you?! After putting Izuku through all that stress and dethroning him in Izuku’s heart. With a roll of his eyes he makes a call and it's with one thing in mind. 

To kill (Y/n) Bakugo.

Which would prove a difficult feat when half his team was out of commission or under arrest.  Needless to say he killed them before they could spill but your invulnerability was a problem. Somehow involved with some of the highest forms of government it was hard to know what your official title was or how you could so easily debillitate his team. But that wouldn’t be a problem for the openly vengeful Pyrodast who could easily put a bounty on your head. But alas the news didn’t even bother to cover the mysterious disappearances of the newest up and coming villains. Shoto Todoroki didn’t lose. Pyrodast wouldn’t lose. He couldn’t believe that. But he would say he was stumped almost completely losing sight of his original goal. Getting too caught up in a rivalry created all his own he committed days to locking himself away quickly shutting his monitor off when Izuku came to check on him.

“Sho-honey are you doing okay? Those bags under your eyes haven’t gone away yet.”

“Y-yeah I’m fine. J-just trying to tie a loose-end.”

“Well…okay.”

He digs his nails into his desk as he watches his love slink back out of his office. Alright, that’s it! He’s putting an end to this himself, he’s spent too many resources trying to take down someone who should have been a minor kill. So he suits up in the darkness of his office expecting to turn around and pull that green book on the far end of the–

“Well Pyrodast, it’s been a while since I’ve had a man chase after me so earnestly!”

Quickly turning on his voice modulator he whips around finally seeing the woman he’d been trying to kill for so long. Brandishing a glowing saber and wearing a latex suit under a stylish trench coat, your outfit certainly left much nothing to the imagination. 

“Hmmm are you here to return the favor?”

“Only half-way I guess! I’ve always wanted to fight against someone with the Todoroki style.”

Gritting his teeth from behind the mask, he felt the hiss of the recorder as he yelled. 

“I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THAT NAME!”

“Of course not, the public doesn’t already theorize about your true nature at all!”

“GRAAAGH!”

The battle is intense and Pyrodast makes every attempt to burn you alive but your agile wuick and you use your weapon to cut through the titanium leather of his suit. All the while you’re laughing still flashing that stupid smile even as he slams your body into an adjacent cabinet. More times than he could count did you have him pinned and forced to endure your punches and infuriating flicks. By the time he was pinned down once again he was too tired to pull himself up, simply reeling at the controlled penetration of your saber into his bulky mask. 

Feeling the seering heat of the laser he’s fully prepared to lose his nose but immediately you retract your blade. Jumping off of him to skip to the door, you hum to yourself. Waving your fingers like a conducter would the crescendo come when the door is slammed open by Izuku himself.

“Shoto! What the he–”

“Oh my! I didn’t expect to see you! Let alone living!” 

Izuku’s eyes widen as he looks to you and the nearly unmasked Pyrodast heaving on the floor. Without thinking a blush comes over his freckled face and he begins to sweat.

“(Y-y/n)!? Uhm–I–ugh!”

You walk past him unknowingly filling his nose with your scent to have him unconsciously leaning in your direction. 

“Don’t talk to me, I don’t know how I feel about this just yet but at the very least keep your hubby in check? You can only replace limited edition glass china so many times.”

Speaking so nonchalantly, Izuku once again froze in his place, jumping to attention when Shoto was attempting to lift himself up. Running to his side he supports him as he attempts to angrily shout at you. 

“I’LL-Ack! I’LL k-kill y-y-ou–agh! ONE DAY-ugh!”

“Sh-Pyro?!”

“Yeah yeah just know I’ll be sending an invoice for the damages you cost me. Toodles.”

As suddenly as you came you left pulling the green book on the bookcase behind you letting yourself take the tube directly to Pyrodast’s office lair. With a gust of wind you're gone leaving the villains to stew in your wake. Shoto struggled to tilt his head up, wounded by the overwhelming blush and needy look on Izuku’s face. And In pain and sheer jealousy he screamed into the sound-proofed office.

“(YYYYYYYYYY/////////NNNNNNNNN)!!!!!!”

____

“You look happy, case go alright?”

“Yup the lead was on the money and I even met an old friend in the end!”

“An old friend? Friend or foe?”

“Hmmmm who can say…how was your day, Suki-cracker?”

“Usual. Real quiet. By the way, those ghost peppers you ordered came in!”

“No way! Gimme! Gimme! It’ll be my celebration candy!”

[celticbotanart]

the other day on bluesky I made one of those "1 like / 1 song" sort of post, and I decided to make all songs BR music to celebrate our BR community in there, and I decided to also put a brief description on each song to give non-BRs some context [LINK to the post on bsky!] Well, I got like 64 likes lmao so I made a playlist out of the post - here it is!

and to those curious, I'll also paste the context I gave behind each song, down the cut. BR music is SO incredible and so full of colors and variety, you guys should really give it a try 💚💛💙 I hope you like it!!

commission info | patreon | Ko-fi | VGen | bluesky

1. Caxangá - Elis Regina and Milton Nascimento Opening the thread with two of the biggest singers in our BR history, Milton Nascimento & Elis Regina (who has passed already years ago, unfortunately). They were best friends when she was still alive, and their synergy is out of this world, both with super unique voices <3

2. Domingo no Parque or "Sunday at the Park" - Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes BR used to have these big music festivals back in the 60s, this is one of these performances. Gil is this larger than life singer, and Rita Lee,lead singer of Mutantes (RIP) was so full of energy too <3 This is a song about love and jealousy that ends in a tragic murder 👀 3. Construção or "Construction" - Chibo Buarque I'm only bringing the big guns to this thread lmao this song is NOTORIOUS for the way it was written, musically and lyrically. It's a protest song commenting about the BR dictatorship (1964-1985) in many layers. The orchestra here is insane, mimicking the sound of a busy traffic!

4. Faraó or "Pharao" - Margareth Menezes this song is iconic AF in so many levels!! Lots of African-BR influences, and Margareth sings about the golden era of Egyptian gods as a way to celebrate the black community <3 (pretty much a fast course on Egyptian mythology in the lyrics, no joke!) 🚨🚨🚨EU FALEI FARAÓOOOOOOO!!!🚨🚨🚨

5. A Vingança de Cunhã, or "Maiden's Revenge" - Pietá this one's about the boto(river dolphin)myth we have here(river dolphin turns into a man to seduce young women and leaves them after). Here the dolphin seduces this girl but she reverse-uno-cards him and he cant shapeshift anymore. Very pretty song full of BR folk instruments!💛

6. Malandragem or "Trickery"(???I guess??) - Cássia Eller time to show what BR music is widely known for:LESBIAN / BISEXUAL / WLW SINGERS lmao (I'm so serious!!) Cassia Eller (RIP!) had the most unique voice, and had such a great stage energy! This one is one of her most well-known performances in an MTV Acoustic <3

7. Nós or "Us" - Cássia Eller bc I can't get enough of Cassia, I'll add in another one from her, legit MY FAVORITE- a torch song with this flamenco-like sound???? It's just so cool!! And she showcases her voice skills even further here, she was incredible!

8. Vamos Comer Caetano or "Let's Eat Caetano" - Adriana Calcanhotto I love this performance bc this song is so fucking weird but also such a bop (and hard to explain, if anyone wants to try, be my guest lmao)

9. Veleiros or "Sailboats" - Ney Matogrosso singing Heitor Villa-Lobos this is a 2 for 1 situation, the song is performed by ICONIC BR singer Ney Matogrosso in an album of songs written by BR conductor and classic composer Heitor Villa-Lobos! I'm crazy about the entire album this song is in for real, it's called "O Cair da Tarde", I highly recommend it!

10. Bachianas Brasileiras n5: Aria (Cantilena) - Heitor Villa-Lobos and since we are at it, here's the most famous song by Heitor Villa-Lobos (I'm a Villa-Lobos stan ngl) Full on opera mode!! It's a beautiful aria, sang in BR-Portuguese <3

11. Choros no 10 - Heitor Villa-Lobos Another Villa-L just to showcase his range - last 2 I mentioned were very romantic / operatic w/ solo vocals,etc. This is an instrumental orchestral movement and here you can see how he mixed in classic European orchestra with our identity, using folk/indigenous instruments on the 2nd half!

12. Miragem do Porto or "Harbor's Mirage" - Lenine Perfect segue into this performance of Lenine my beloved <3 <3 He sings as if he's a castaway, dreaming of going back home. This version has a full orchestra, also full of folk instruments and influences. It's so full of energy even the conductor can't help but sing along! EASTER EGG TIME cause this version I described on bsky is not on Spotify, I had to use the album version on the playlist. So if you are A TRUE CHAD reading this, here is the version I described!

13. Preciso Me Encontrar or "[I] Need to Find Myself" - Cartola Cartola was the most important samba composer from the early 1900's <3 And YES! Using the Cowboy Bebop AMV someone made w/ it, bc it's so beautiful and I think it's so AWESOME how this song echoes through all culture and ages! And it matches CB's aesthetics so well!

14. Preciso Me Encontrar, Liniker cover I have to throw in this AMAZING cover of "Preciso Me Encontrar"; it's sung by Liniker, an incredible BR trans singer! Again, I think it's beautiful how this song resonates so much after so many years (it was originally released by Cartola in the 70s), and this video is just gorgeous overall <3 - ALSO NOT AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY, here's the link!

15. Floral Fury - Cuphead OST Thread intermission - Cheating a little bit here, since this isnt composed by a Brazilian person afaik, but!!! I have to include Floral Fury here bc it's literally early 1900's samba! IT EVEN HAS A CUÍCA (the "straw through plastic cup sound" lmao), it's very accurate and ngl, it's FUN AF!

16. Um Girassol da Cor de Seu Cabelo or "A Sunflower in the Color of Your Hair" - Lô Borges / Clube da Esquina Clube da Esquina is formed by this group of singers from Minas Gerais (including Milton Nascimento from the first song in this thread!) Vocals by Lô Borges, it really has a melancholic, storytelling vibe to it,especially through the arrangement <3

17. Cantiga Por Luciana or "Song for Luciana" - Evinha Another oldie from the 60s I love so much, she has such a pretty voice ahhh<3 She's one of the "voiceclaims" for an OC I have (AME from my drizzle/LAND OCs!) Fun fact! Evinha was the one who sang the BR versions of the songs in Disney's "The Rescuers" (I'll link one next so you can hear it)!

Brazilian dub version of "The Journey" from "The Rescuers", performed by Evinha, from the previous post! Here, the movie was titles "Bernardo e Bianca", after the protagonists I legit think this is one of the best BR versions, and this animated intro in general is a freaking masterpiece. THIS BR VERSION ISNT IN SPOTIFY, HERE'S THE LINK!

Favo de Mel or "Honeycomb" - Milton Nascimento Speaking of BR singers in animations, I HAVE to link this one from no other than freaking Rio 2. It's "Real in Rio", that intro song from Rio 1, but a "sad version" of it performed BEAUTIFULLY by Milton Nascimento my beloved <3 I legit teared up watching the movie when this song came up. NOT ON FUCKING SPOTIFY, HERE IS THE LINK!

"Only a Dream in Rio - Milton Nascimento and James Taylor On Milton Songs That Makes Me Teary Eyed, this one which he collabed with James Taylor?? It's such a random, unexpected feat, but it turned out so beautiful! I think it's a good one to share in here, bc the song is sung half PT-BR, half ENG, I think it's rather appropriate for this thread <3

21. Fairy Tale - Shaman LEGENDARY live performance from metal band Shaman from the early 2000's, when their original vocalist Andre Matos (song writer, pianist, conductor; RIP) was still in the band. Here you can see why Andre was so, so beloved, guy was skilled AF and this song SLAPS SO HARD. BR IS SO AMAZING, GUYS (the version I mentioned above is the one on the playlist, HOWEVER I encourage you to actually watch the video of him performing!!

22. Carolina IV - ANGRA Still on Andre Matos, this is a song from his previous band, ANGRA. This song is part of a concept album where ANGRA mixed in metal+BR elements, you can say this is BR folk metal! The album Holy Land was all around the concept of Brazil, its culture, the colonization and so on. SO COOL!

23. Dança das Borboletas or "Dance of the Butterflies" - Sepultura and Zé Ramalho I can't talk about BR metal without mentioning Sepultura! So here's their cover of Zé Ramalho's song, featuring Zé in the vocals. This was used as soundtrack in the BR movie "Lisbela e o Prisioneiro" (a fave)(Don't be fooled by the butterflies in the title lmao)

24. O Matador or "The Killer" - Sepultura another Sepultura song for the soundtrack of "Lisbela e o Prisioneiro", I like that movie a lot. This is the theme song of Frederico Evandro, a character who's a badass gun for hire. I love how it sounds so metal but still so Brazilian!

25. O Encontro de Lampião & Eike Batista or "The Meeting of Lampião & Eike Batista" - El Efecto More BR folk metal! This is hard to explain w/word limit but TL;DR this song criticizes capitalism and colonization by corporations using the images of Lampião (BR historical figure) and Eike Batista (a real BR CEO); it uses lots of northeast BR influences!

26. Cílio or "Eyelash" - Casa de Caba YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IS IT ITS TIME FOR LUSO-BR PIRATE SHANTIES OK not really but this is how I see this song! Again northeastern BR influences + mention of Yemanjá (yoruba orisha of the seas, she's a big deity in afro-br religions!). If this isn't BR pirate enough idk what it is hehe

27. Arueira - Geraldo Vandré Another one in the "BR pirate shanties" list, which is kinda funny - is a protest song from the 60s and it in fact has elements in common with some sea shanties - CALL/ANSWER singing, it mentions how workers are suffering under hard work / a master,it even has nautical themes (sailors,sea,etc)

28. Canção do Mar or "Song of the Sea" - Dulce Pontes cheating a little again cause Dulce Pontes is a Portuguese singer, but mentioning all the "Luso-BR Sea Shanties", I had to mention this ICONIC performance! This is "fado", a melancholic Portuguese genre of music; I like to parallel it a bit with Irish keening style of singing

29. Canto de Oxum / Inscrição or "Oxum's Song" - Maria Bethânia still in the theme of waters! Iconic Maria Bethânia sings to Oxum, the orisha of fresh waters and beauty! Here in BR, we have afro-based religions that worships such yoruba deities, and we often hear songs praising them like this. The second half praises Yemanjá, deity of the seas!

30. Deixa a Gira Girar - Ana Mametto This one is a cover of Ana Mametto (og song by The Tincoãs released in the 70s), praising Iansã the orisha of the lightning and storms! This performance is so cool cause there's a dancer there with Ana, as Iansã herself dancing onstage + lightning sound effects. ITS JUST INCREDIBLE [LINK TO THE VIDEO!]

31. Vapor Barato or "Cheap Vapor" - Gal Costa and Zeca Baleiro this version of Vapor Barato/A FLor da Pele is everything. Gal and Zeca being fucking iconic for 6mins straight, this song is so melancholic, almost theatrical <3

32. Garoto de Aluguel or "Rentboy"- Belchior and Zé Ramalho it's easy to say Belchior (RIP) is like. Pivotal BR music icon. And here with Zé Ramalho they perform together in this song that's lowkey my favorite lmao, the tango vibes ARE STRONG and I love it so much!

33. Na Hora do Almoço or "At Lunchtime" - Belchior Another Belchior banger-it describes this young person talking about their family at lunchtime, and how everyone is so disconnected from another, "I'm still too young to be this sad", damn </3

34. Trem das Onze or "Eleven's Train" - Adoniran Barbosa ADONIRAN BARBOSA, PORRA <3 another super important samba composer~ In this one, the protagonist laments he can't stay with his love a bit longer, bc he has to go home and he can't miss the train that leaves at 11. The way the choir ends with a train-like sound, SO GOOD!

35. O Rei do Gatilho or "Cowboy / Old West King" losely translated - Moreira da Silva THIS ONE I SWEAR. It is a SAMBA THAT MIMICS A COWBOY/WESTERN MOVIE. But like, in a BR way of course. It's a pretty hilarious song with Moreira making different voices, it has sound effects of shots, horses running, applauses and so on, it's so fun!

36. O Vira or loosely translated as "Shapeshifting" - Ney Matogrosso Going back to Ney Matogrosso, I have to mention this one, the title kind of means "Shapeshifting"(as in werewolves)but it goes beyond that,it's hard to explain lol Ney has always been very out & about on genderfuckery and being gay so this song plays with that. a true icon Also THAT OUTFIT! 👌👌👌 [Link to the video so you can see his cunty looks!]

37. Rosa de Hiroshima or "Rose of Hiroshima" - Secos & Molhados / Ney Matogrosso on a more serious note,this is another famous song from Ney/Secos & Molhados (his former band). It's a tragic song where he lists the victms of the bombings in Japan, but in a very poetic manner BR and JP have history, so this is in a way our tribute to that sad event

38. Hinamatsuri / Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha or "Doll's Festival/If This Lane Was Mine" - Iuri Salvagnini speaking of BR/JP ties,this is one I found totally by chance and I'm SO HAPPY I did.This album has medleys of both JP and BR nursery rhymes. Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha is a very famous BR folk song and so ominous in a way, this version really reflects that!

39. Pegasus Fantasy - Edu Falaschi And speaking of which - ANIME TIME! Edu Falaschi, the vocalist from ANGRA that came after Andre Matos, was the iconic voice of Saint Seiya's first opening theme, "Pegasus Fantasy"! Saint Seiya was HUGE here in BR/Latin America in the 90s!

40. Descobridor dos Sete Mares or "Seeker of the Seven Seas" - Tim Maia Tim Maia (RIP) was like, a BR soul singer, his performances were all like this, full of energy with a big band and everything! (There's also this meme where ppl say this was supposed to be a Jojo's opening song, lmao)

41. Mania de Você or "Crazy About You"- Rita Lee and Milton Nascimento LEGENDARY performance of Rita Lee (RIP) and Milton Nascimento! A very sexy song, and their performing energy just brings everything to whole other level. It gets even better when we see Rita teasing Milton (around 5:33) haha <3 so cute!

42. Chuva or "Rain" - Gaby Amaranthos This one is kind of funny, but also kinda moving??? The lyrics are about the cycle of water -literal, textbook information about the cycle of water and how rains are formed At the same time she also sings "Water cycle is an eternal dance" which is such a beautiful way of putting it??

43. Ela Disse Adeus or "She Said Goodbye" - Os Paralamas do Sucesso I remember watching this music video as a kid and I loved it. It stars the incredible BR actress Fernanda Torres & the members of the band, all of them mistreating her character so badly until she just decides to kill them one by one lmao this song/mv still is so good!

44.Segue o Seco or "Draught Goes On" - Marisa Monte I also remember watching this one as a kid and being just fascinated by the video, it's legit a fucking masterpiece, the aesthetics and everything are very dramatic and theatrical. Marisa has such a GORGEOUS voice hnggg Still a favorite to this day [LINK TO THE MV!]

45. Ainda Bem or "Thank Goodness" - Marisa Monte another one by Marisão that I thinnk is so cool, especially the video, I love that's pretty much her just dancing with no one other than MMA wrestler Anderson Silva??? lmao so random but so cool!

46. O Céu é Muito or "The Sky is [Too] Much" - Lenine Lenine's heavy metal phase dkjfhskdjf jokes aside, I freaking love this one bc it's a bit different from his usual stuff (which I also really love). I think it's so cool when singers are so versatile and their voice will fit into any genre!

47. Matheus Embaixador or "Matheus, the Embassador" - Antonio Nóbrega Antonio Nobrega is an actor/folk musician that I really like. He plays rabeca (that folk violin he's holding) in his music as well! This goes into the BR Pirates Playlist thing for sure! hehe

48. Abrição de Portas or "Opening the Doors" - Antônio Nóbrega is a folk song / adaptation from Cantigas de Santa Maria, a compilation of medieval Portuguese poetry/songs! This one goes way back haha. And it really has the Royal Castle vibes to it, it's very Brazilian High Fantasy 👀

49. Bandolins - Oswaldo Montenegro This one is another mix of kind of funny with brilliant - Oswaldo wrote this song based on a friend of his, the song is really heartfelt and the last portion really GOES HARD with the vocals and harmonies holy fuck; but is also has some weird word choices lmao overal, it's a true bop, so dramatic!

50. Admirável Chip Novo or "Brave New Chip" - Pitty more BRmetal! This one was popular in the early 2000's and now I look at the lyrics like DAMN.She didnt have to go this hard-it has the obv ref to Brave New World on the title and she heavily criticizes consumerism and the lack of critical thought thats encouraged by capitalism??

51. Garganta or "Throat" - Ana Carolina Ana Carolina, BI ICON from my teenage years fr fr, I was obsessed. She has a very unique, deep voice, and her guitar skills are pretty insane, this one really shows all of that!! [The version in the playlist is the same as the video, BUT linking the video bc SHE'S SO BADASS!]

52. Eu Comi a Madona or "I Fucked Madona" - Ana Carolina lmao this song is what is says on the tin, Ana came out of the closed in the early 2000s as bi and ever since she has been VERY UNABASHEDLY BI and honestly good for her Iconic song for real kdjfhdkjfh [LINKING THE VIDEO OF HER LIVE PERFORMANCE. BECAUSE OF REASONS.]

53. Auroras Flamboyans - Sofia Freire I don't even know how to explain this one, Sofia has such a dream-like songwriting - she keeps saying things, listing them as if to paint an imagery, it's kinda abstract and so beautiful tbh. She also layers her vocals and plays piano for it, honestly just give it a listen, it's legit so good <3

54." Valsa Pra Lua or Waltz to the Moon" - Vítor Araújo absolutely gorgeous piano instrumental that's soundtrack to the BR movie Elena. I never saw the movie, but this song is soooo good <3

55. Espumas Ao Vento or "[Like] Foam in the Wind" - Elza Soares another version done for the Lisbela e o Prisioneiro movie (srsly that movie has SO MANY BANGERS in the soundtrack it's ridiculous). Elza (RIP) was another huge name in BR music, here you'll hear her iconic voice and singing style!! <3

56. Fixação or "Obsession" - Kid Abelha a song that's super relevant even nowadays lmao she describes the PoV of someone obsessing over a celebrity 24/7, how they keeps making up scenarios in their head featuring their fave. It really contrasts w the way she sings/the arrangement! I really like this version a lot ngl

Ragatanga - Rouge BRAZILIAN Y2K GIRL BAND TIME. Rouge was a girlband formed in a reality show, designed to discover "the next pop stars and form a pop group". Rouge was MASSIVELY successful, at least for a while. This one is their master hit (which is actually a cover from pop Spanish trio Las Ketchup)

58. Lua de Cristal or "Crystal Moon" by Xuxa and the Paquitas PERFECT SEGUE INTO XUXA'S MASTERPIECE lmao Xuxa ("SHOO-SHAH") is a former kid's show host and in the 90s she starred the Cinderella retelling movie Lua de Cristal. Big bop song, the movie not really,its kind of a cult for meme reasons lol the song is very Sailor Moon-coded too ngl

59. A Lenda or "Legend" - Sandy & Junior speaking of kid-oriented 90s pop music, I HAVE to mention Sandy & Junior, a duo of siblings that were super famous back then. A Lenda is definitely their best song, I non ironically still listen to it, cheesy-ness and all, it'ss dramatic AF dkjfhdkfjh

60. Sete Vidas or "Seven Lives" - Marcus Viana & Adriana Mezzadri this one was soundtrack to a historical period BR miniseries in the 2000s. It was composed by musician Marcus Viana (the guy playing violin in the Shaman video from before!) and it's sung by AMAZING Adriana Mezzadri, (actually Peruvian and not BR!) I LOVE this song, it's so good!

61. Sob o Sol or "Under the Sun" - Marcus Viana Marcus Viana also composed the ost for the absofucking popular 2000's telenovela O Clone! The songs were so iconic; the version in the playlist is the og version, but I linked this version in the thread, a version that's in Arabic! Lebanese singer Raya Hilal also sings the PT-BR version on the second half <3

62. Romance de Duas Caveiras or "A Skeleton's Romance" - Alvarenga & Ranchinho this is like. Old BR country/folk music and still hilarious AF lmao They are describing the romance of two skeletons in a cementery,how they go on with their...lives...death...?Until the day one of the skeletons ditches her skeleton bf over another guy(a fresh corpse lol). The video of them performing seems straight out of the Pixar movie Coco in every sense lmao

63. O Bêbado e a Equilibrista or "The Drunkard and the Tightrope Walker" - Elis Regina second to last song has to be Elis again! This one is a notorious protest song, really about hope and just waiting for things to finally be better

64. Evidências or "Evidences" - Chitãozinho & Xororó AAAAAAND LAST SONG IS, IN THE GREAT BR SPIRIT, EVIDÊNCIAS LMAO, it's a widely cherished song, but also kind of a meme, and everything in between. It's a cheesy love song in the classic sertanejo style (BR country genre), sung by Chitãozinho e Xororó, a duo of brothers!

[the-himawari]

A3! Usui Masumi - Translation [SSR] Letter Destination (3/3)

*Please read disclaimer on blog; default name set as Izumi

---

Masumi: (This place is huge and has a wide selection of products just like Madoka said.) (There’s so many different types of letter paper from their designs, sizes, and shapes. It’s hard to choose…) (Now that I think about it, the letter paper I was using before had a heart design. It really had a “love letter” vibe.) (Maybe that wasn’t the best choice…?) (…I’ll choose something simpler and more sophisticated this time.)

-pause-

Masumi: (…I feel like this one’s too plain now. Maybe I can make it better by sticking some trendy stickers onto it.) (Oh god, there’s too many types of stickers to choose from too…) (Ah… maybe something like this would work.) …A heart. (Wait, no…) (Come to think of it, the fan letter Director got also had a lot of different stickers decorating it.) (Like hearts, stars, flowers, and some kind of character…) (…I wonder if she likes things like that.) (But I also don’t want to do the exact same thing myself.) …*Sigh*. I have no idea what to do anymore.

Tsuzuru: Masumi?

Masumi: …Tsuzuru. Why are you here?

Tsuzuru: I heard from Madoka that this place has a great selection of books. Come to think of it, this place is close to your university, huh? Masumi… are you perhaps looking for a letter set for your letter to Director?

Masumi: …I’m lost.

Tsuzuru: (I think you’ve been lost for a while now, buddy…)

Masumi: I tried going with a simple, sophisticated-looking letterhead. But then I thought that was too plain, so I’d stick some stickers on it. And right after that, I got stuck picking out the stickers…

Tsuzuru: Well, you’re writing this letter to make Director happy, aren’t you? You, Masumi, should know even better than the fans on what to write and what kind of letter set would put a smile on her face.

Masumi: …

Tsuzuru: You should write a letter to make Director happy that only you can write and accomplish.

Msaumi: (A letter to make Director happy that only I can write and accomplish…) Something that makes Director happy… something that Director loves… …Ah. (…Okay. I think I found what I need.) …You’re nosy.

Tsuzuru: Huh?

Masumi: …Thanks.

Tsuzuru: I can’t hear you. …Well, that’s how you always thank us.

Masumi: ?

Tsuzuru: It’s nothing.

-pause-

Izumi: (Hold on, is there stuff in the mailbox?) (A community notice, a flyer from the curry shop I always frequent, and…) …Is this a letter for me? (Wow, there’s stickers of curry and Little Miss Curry stuck among the flowers and hearts!) Fufu, what an adorable envelope. I wonder if this is also from a curry restaurant? It looks like it’s handmade though… The sender is—“Usui Masumi”!? (Inside is… a regular letter. But it feels a lot thinner than the ones I’ve gotten before.)

*opens*

Izumi: “On the 4th, the mushroom cheese curry was full of mushroom flavour. But thanks to the spices and cheese, it tasted exquisitely delicious.” “I felt the synergy between the ingredients and the spices.” “On the 7th, the meat and beans in the chickpea keema curry had just the right size and texture to compliment the rice. It was so delicious, I ate 3 bowls." Are these his thoughts about my curry…? Ahh, what to do? I’m so happy…! (The last page says…) “Thank you for your delicious curry (and other dishes) as always. Your food and your smile make me happy.” “I love it the most in the world.” Fufu. Thank you, Masumi-kun. I’ll treasure this letter. …I suppose I’ll write him back a reply.

---

previous |

[littleguysreviewed]

Hello, World! And Hello, World Wide Web!

My name is Webdexter, and I will be your guide to the world of competitive Little Guys. The secrets of proper guy synergy will be yours, along with wonderful topics such as "What is the best way to utilize Splorpability?" and "What even is an eggplant?"

Needless to say, I have a lot of ground to cover. Stay tuned!

[inventors-fair]

Unlikely Allies

Creature types have become a pretty core part of how Magic does flavor over the years, and they're clearly very popular. Everyone's got a favorite, and in an ideal world every single one of them would have its own distinct strategy and synergies. Problem is, there's just too many of them, and the number's increasing all the time! So, what is an aspiring designer to do? Well, often the answer is: mix and match!

Design a card that mentions multiple creature types in a way that supports all of them.

That's a wide field and a dizzying number of potential combinations, so let me give some examples. Historically, they've batched creature types together to unify them under a single mechanical umbrella (such as party with Clerics, Rogues, Warriors, and Wizards), to support types that don't have enough members to make a compelling strategy on their own (such as The Archimandrite with Advisors, Artificers, and Monks), or just to include additional types with a lot of thematic overlap (such as Silver-Fur Master with Ninjas and Rogues).

Ultimately, there's any number of reasons you can use, there just has to be a reason behind whatever combination you go with. You shouldn't be spinning a wheel to pick the types, there should ideally be thought behind why any given combination would go together.

Also, a bit of clarification on what I'm looking for with "support:" it has to be an effect that makes you want to play members of the type(s) in your deck. So, no targeted hate, no incidental mentions of multiple types such as with creature tokens, and no flavorful exclusions of types. Or at least, a card won't be eligible with just those things.

~

That's about it, though. Get out there and make some friends! -@spooky-bard

>>> Submit your lordliest Lords HERE! >>> Find your Kindred on the Discord HERE!

[litrpgburrito]

Spoiler Warning: This blog post contains detailed information about the essence types and confluences in the LitRPG series “He Who Fights With Monsters.” If you haven’t read the series and wish to avoid spoilers, please proceed with caution.

The Essence of Power: A Deep Dive into “He Who Fights With Monsters”

In the enthralling world of “He Who Fights With Monsters,” essences are the cornerstone of an adventurer’s power, defining their abilities and shaping their journey. These essences, made of pure magic, are categorized into five rarity ranks: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary1. Each essence is unique and offers up to five abilities, which adventurers can unlock through bonding rituals and Awakening Stones1.

Common Essences

Common essences are the most accessible and include a wide range of abilities. From the Adept essence, which enhances learning capabilities, to the Wind essence, which grants speed and agility, these essences provide adventurers with their initial powers. Other examples include Fire, Water, and Earth, each offering elemental control1.

Uncommon Essences

Uncommon essences offer more specialized abilities. The Blood essence, for example, is known for its healing and destructive powers, while the Dark essence is associated with stealth and manipulationLightning and Venom are other examples, each with their unique attributes1.

Rare Essences

Rare essences are harder to come by and often have more potent effects. The Moon essence is tied to intuition and mysticism, whereas the Star essence is linked to destiny and foresightCrystal and Echo are also part of this group, providing abilities related to reflection and sound manipulation1.

Epic and Legendary Essences

Epic essences, such as Rune and Elemental, offer powerful and often complex abilities that can significantly alter the course of an adventure. Legendary essences are the rarest and most powerful, with Dimension and Void being prime examples. These essences can warp reality and are often sought after by the most ambitious adventurers1.

Confluence Essences

Confluence essences are a unique phenomenon where the first three essences absorbed by an adventurer combine to create a fourth, unexpected essence. This new essence reflects the synergy of the initial three and often results in extraordinary powers2. For instance, the confluence of Blood, Dark, and Sin essences leads to the creation of the Doom essence, which embodies destructive and foreboding abilities1.

The Role of Essences in Advancement

Essences are not just about the powers they grant; they also dictate the path an adventurer takes. As one climbs the ranks, the choices of essences can lead to different specializations, alliances, and even conflicts. The series masterfully illustrates how these magical elements are intertwined with the characters’ development and the world’s lore.

In conclusion, the essences in “He Who Fights With Monsters” are a rich and intricate system that adds depth and excitement to the series. They are a testament to the creativity of the author, providing readers with a complex and captivating magical framework that keeps them engaged and eager for more.

The essences and their confluences are a fascinating aspect of the “He Who Fights With Monsters” series, offering endless possibilities for character growth and storytelling. As readers, we can only marvel at the intricacies of this magical system and anticipate how it will continue to evolve in future installments.

[demifiendrsa]

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth details Kalm and Under Junon characters, playable Red XIII, synergy abilities and skills, more

"The Story So Far" Recap trailer

■ New Art

■ Regions of the World

The world is comprised of multiple regions, each boasting unique environments for players to explore and experience on their adventure.

Kalm

A halcyon hamlet kept safe from the outside world by a sturdy stone wall. Though it lacks a reactor of its own, it thrives thanks to a steady supply of mako piped in from the metropolis of Midgar, which is visible from atop the town’s famous clock tower.

Mythril Mine

A once-bustling mine that connects the grasslands with Junon. Though once prized for its rich mythril deposits, the quarry fell into disuse after Shinra developed a superior mineral of their own, and the miners that once worked its tunnels have been replaced with monsters.

■ New Characters

Broden (voiced by Mick Lauer in English, Shinshu Fuji in Japanese)

Owner and operator of the Inn at Kalm. He bears a grudge against Shinra, offering to help Cloud and friends escape their would-be corporate captors. His gaunt appearance may be due to his recent bout with an unknown illness.

Rhonda (voiced by G.K. Bowes in English, Rei Igarashi in Japanese)

Mayor and sheriff of Under Junon. Her home, once a prosperous fishing village, fell into decline after Shinra constructed a military fortress overhead and a deep-sea mako reactor offshore. Despite Cloud and friends’ status as alleged terrorists, Rhonda still allows them to pass through her town.

Priscilla (Voiced by Reese Warren in English, Rikako Oota in Japanese)

A cheerful young girl who lives in Under Junon, often seen swimming with the dolphin she trains. The offshore mako reactor has contaminated the surrounding waters, and Priscilla fears for the safety of her dolphin friend and other aquatic creatures.

Billy (voiced by Paul Castro Jr. in English, Yuusuke Shirai in Japanese)

Grandson of Bill, owner of a chocobo ranch in the grasslands. Having lost his parents at a young age, he and his sister were raised by their grandfather. This young ranch hand kindly offers to teach Cloud and company the ropes of chocobo wrangling—on the condition that they patronize his sister’s shop.

Chloe (voiced by Trinity Bliss in English, Hisui Kimura in Japanese)

Billy’s younger sister, she runs a shop on the ranch where she sells crafting materials and other curios. Warm and kindhearted, she engages politely with Cloud and company and is grateful for their patronage. At the same time, she is worried about her brother’s fixation on making money.

■ Combat

Red XIII

—Basic Attacks

Red XIII slashes at foes with his sharp claws. Hold down the button to unleash a wide-range attack that helps build ATB quickly.

—Abilities

Red XIII boasts a vast array of skills, from lightning-fast physical strikes to ranged magical attacks. Stardust Ray conjures an exploding orb of light that scorches all foes caught in the blast.

—Vengeance Mode

Block incoming attacks to fill the vengeance gauge, and unleash that energy to enter vengeance mode, enhancing his physical attacks and his evasive prowess. Siphon Fang delivers a powerful blow while absorbing some of the enemy’s HP—all without expending ATB.

Aerith

—Unique Ability: Ward Shift

Aerith can instantaneously warp to any sigils she has created, allowing her to move about the field with ease and maximize the impact of her magic.

New System: Synergy Abilities

Powerful attacks in which two characters team up to turn the tide of battle. More abilities will unlock as you increase the party level─ a numerical expression of how closely-knit your team is─and deepen the affinity between party members. Fill the synergy gauge by using abilities, then unleash a synchronized assault!

—Cloud / Tifa: Relentless Rush

Cloud launches Tifa toward an enemy to attack in tandem.

—Barret / Red XIII: Overfang

Barret sends Red XIII flying toward an enemy at high velocity.

New System: Synergy Skills

Two party members team up to activate useful abilities without consuming ATB. These commands can be executed while blocking, and provide a wide array of beneficial effects. Each pair has their own unique set of abilities; some deal damage, while others offer support.

—Cloud / Aerith: Spell Blade

Gather strength, then team up to unleash a charged magical attack.

—Barret / Cloud: Mad Dash

Team up to charge forward while guarding against incoming attacks. Activate in sequence to trigger a three-hit combo.

Summons

Setting summoning materia will grant access to the power of the gods. A conjured deity will follow the player’s lead and fight enemies automatically, but you can also instruct them to use special abilities. Before they depart the battlefield, summons will unleash one final attack that will wreak immense havoc.

Kujata

A bovine deity that charges around the battlefield wielding the power of fire, ice, and lightning. It throws foes with its enormous horns and unleashes magical attacks that strike even distant enemies’ weaknesses.

—Kujata bounds towards foes with reckless abandon and manipulates its elemental affinities to deliver magical attacks. Blazing Horn launches a concentrated burst of fiery energy at an enemy, blasting them back.

—Kujata unleashes Tri-Disaster just before leaving the battlefield, a powerful wide-range attack imbued with the powers of fire, ice, and lightning—sure to hit many foes right where it hurts and potentially wipe them out.

■ World Intel

Chadley enlists your help with deepening his understanding of the world. As you explore the various regions, you will uncover new areas rich with treasures and natural wonders. Data points accumulated in your travels can then be spent to develop useful new materia.

Protorelics

Protorelics are artifacts of unknown origin that emit a unique energy signal. These elusive antiquities are hidden throughout the world─but with the aid of activated remnawave towers, Chadley should be able to point you in their direction. Be warned, however: they seem to alter space-time, and are known to cause strange phenomena.

Materia Development

Assisting Chadley with his world-spanning research will allow you to accrue data points, which can then be spent to develop new materia. Some offer access to spells of multiple affinities, while others grant the use of unique abilities—all of which are sure to prove useful against even the most formidable foes.

■ World: Customization

Chocoboutiques

Chocobo ranches are also home to chocoboutiques, stalls at which you can freely customize and recolor your bird’s equipment from head to talon. Gear will impact its performance in chocobo races, so find an ensemble that suits your style and go for the gold!

■ System: Combat Styles / Difficulty Levels

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth offers multiple combat styles and difficulty levels for players of all persuasions.

Combat Styles

“Active” mode offers players total control over their characters’ every move, allowing them to execute advanced strategies. “Classic” mode automates characters’ basic actions, giving players time to focus on specific command selection.

Difficulty Levels

“Easy” difficulty allows people to focus on the story rather than battles, while “Normal” provides a reasonable challenge for most players. In the newly added “Dynamic” difficulty, enemies grow stronger as your characters do—perfect for players who crave constant challenge.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second game in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, will launch for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024.

[regaliasonata]

Power system updated - Ninja Storm AU

So the rundown, this is the chart of the powers system

Let’s start off with the outer layers

Energy Sources

-Qi is the essence of life, it flows from within and everyone no matter knowing of it has access the energy. Individuals practicing this can manipulate the elements and use ninjutsu techniques for various situations, it can be channeled when a person activates their aura which comes in different colors(Ex: Dustin’s being yellowish and gold with earthly dust, Kapri’s being pink with frost and icy chips). The power of Qi can also be amplified through the usage of Dynamo via its synergy with other people.

-Dynamo is the secondary source, mainly involving the expelling of the soul. This revolves around people’s secondary dynamic (ABO) coming into play with abilities and qi usage, it is a bit more difficult to master due to sensory overload but those being on part with using qi can do a wide variety of things, with this a person can use specific powers with amplifying their senses and performance with skills (Ex: the rangers doing team finishers or boosting their powers together). Also stronger if someone’s bonded with another person or cooperative(Ex: Hunter and Dustin in chapter 2 increasing the output of their elements together).

-Lotus, the third and most difficult source. This source originates not from a person but from the world itself, nature and world energy connected to everything and the elements. It is not really known much as practices of this have been inaccessible for a while, but legend does describe it as being extremely useful when mastered with the other two sources. This source is mainly utilized by the samurai and others associated in their affairs, ninjas are capable of accessing it but there’s a lack of information of the practice due to time scarcity and the dangers that come with abusing it’s power.

Elements and Techniques

Now when a person awakens their Qi this in return activates their elemental affinity, there are five main categories for these being Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Thunder. Though in a few cases some individuals may display having a unique element(Ex: Marah having Plasma and Kapri having Ice).

Some may wonder why there would be some other elements like Ice if Water has many uses such as solidifying itself but the thing is imitating that power instead of having it on its own doesn’t really give off the same experience. So in a sense Tori using Ice with her Water isn’t as effective as Kapri’s actual element of Ice, the same way with Hunter’s Thunder and Blake’s Lightning.

Techniques are the second basis to using an element as users are able to perform specific attacks and effects with these skills. Most being dubbed as [Element Release: ???], some tend to not be based on elements but can be used in a similar manner like the Iai move that Hunter has. Techniques can be learned two ways

-By teaching ones from the past that have been stored in books and old records, after gaining familiarity a person may end up adding some sort of unique structure to the skills to fit their own strengths.

-By making your own, a little harder as it takes more focus to really settle in a set form when creating techniques but this can pose as a good teaching lesson.

There’s more I have planned here but I’m not going to dump all that in one post, let it play out gradually.

@crxssjae @sentinelofstories @azurezfiction ✨👀👌🏾

[bullet-prooflove]

Kinktober Day 3: Threesome (Ethan Choi x Connor Rhodes x Reader)

Ethan is in charge, he always is. Out of the three of you he is the most dominant, the one that strives to be in control, and doesn’t he let you know it with his clipped, hushed tones. The way he speaks, it’s enough to get you off when he leaves you a voice note telling you exactly how he wants you to touch yourself.

Where Ethan is all steel and sharp edges, Connor is candied honey. He worships your body with wandering hands and a deviant tongue, whispering how beautiful you are, how good you look with his cock in your mouth, how fucking fantastic your pussy feels around his dick.

Ethan prefers having the two of you in his bed, it’s bigger and there’s more space to manoeuvre the two of you the way he wants to see you. Your hands are bound at the small of your back with one of those silk restraints, the ones that won’t mark your skin. You’ve already broke the rules once tonight and he won’t have it again.

Connor is underneath you, his face buried between your thighs. His palms grip your thighs pinning you to his mouth as his tongue ravages you. He sucks your clit between his lips, flicking over it until you cry out, your muscles tensing. He keeps you on the edge like that for an age, thrusting his tongue inside your needy core, devouring you sinfully.

Ethan’s hand threads through your hair, grasping it tightly in his fist as he stands beside the bed. His cock juts out, hard and dripping. You watch the droplet of pre-cum bead on the tip before he guides your lips to his dick, he smears it across your lips before he begins to force his way into your mouth. You have no power, no leverage. Your hands bound and Connor restraining your thighs, you can barely move as Ethan holds you in place by your hair and fucks into your mouth, your lips stretching to accommodate to his girth. He loves seeing you like his, your eyes wide and pleading as you struggle to take him, salvia running down the corners of your mouth.

You moan around his cock as Connor hits that sweet spot once again and it’s like a narcotic chasing through Ethan’s veins. He pushes in even deeper, watching the inches disappear into that intoxicating mouth of yours. He loves how wet you feel, how good you take him, the way you look at him like he’s everything you’ve ever needed. He will never tell you this, instead he shows you. Praise is not his thing and Connor does enough of that for the both of them. He gets off on you being their fuck toy, of using you the way that he wants while Connor takes care of you. It’s a perfect synergy.

Ethan is unrelenting, his presence is devastating and all consuming. You eat up his indifference like its candy. He is the only one that can strip away horrors of the day, that can debase you until those thoughts spill from your head and the only thing you can focus on is fucking being alive. It ignites something inside of you being with the two of them, you feel like you can breathe again, like the world is bathed in technicolour. It’s a release you’ve never been able to find anywhere else.

Ethan gives you a look, it’s full of hunger and fire as his palm settles on the back of your head. His hips plunge forward, burying his cock deep in your throat. You gag around his length, pretty tears rolling down the edges of your eyes, smudging your mascara. You look so fucking delectable like this, writhing against Connor’s mouth, with his cock deep in your mouth. His control is threadbare as he withdraws just a little before fucking back into your throat. That choked noise you make is enough get him close.

Ethan is rougher tonight but being beholden to him sets every single one of your nerve endings alight. His grunts puncture through your ears as Connor devours you like you’re his favourite fucking dessert. You’re freefalling, having pleasure taken from you, having it given, it’s too much. 

Ethan’s hips snap faster. He’s a vison of coiled muscles and low, violent breathes. He fucks your mouth with a passion, like you are nothing but a vessel for his pleasure and you love it.

His grasp on your hair tightens, tugging at the roots. His cock pulses on your tongue and suddenly you’re hurtling over the edge, that heat spilling out of you and into Connor’s mouth. He licks up the juices like it’s the finest bourbon he’s ever tasted, savouring every single drop. Ethan’s thrusts once more, burying himself all the way down to the hilt, hot white streaks coat the back of your throat. You drink it down as he pumps in once more, painting your lips with final droplets of his cum.

His gaze is dark and unforgiving as his hand seizes your jaw, coercing your mouth into a sensuous pout.

“That’s the second time you’ve come without permission.”

[transgamerthoughts]

If I Should Die Here On This Field

I'm a big tactics game fan. Which is a little different than being a simulation or strategy game fan. The joy of a more simulation-heavy game comes from intense granularity over equipment and the wider appeal of high-level military strategy. Maps pull back wide, sometimes to the galactic scale if the setting demands, and there's a grand stage upon which your puppets dance. Tactics games, on the other hand, often spring joy from a very specific mix of sweeping sensibilities and smallter moment to moment perils. They allow access both to the gallantry of soldiers (particularly when it's knights and horsemen) while never shying from the ways in which battlefields grind that idealist interpretation into so much powder. In the best moments they dive into matters that many games often ignore.

Unicorn Overlord succeeds more with the gallantry than the politicking. It chases after numerous inspirations and while it never matches their moral or political complexity, the moment to moment decision making—not to mention a surprising addictive overworld exploration element—will be more than enough to please more players. The tactics are good! The grandeur is there! Sometimes that's all you need. I've been playing throughout my weeknights and a majority of the weekend. And while the game may yet surprise me with last moment twists (as is Vanillaware's habit) that's more than enough to get the gist.

So! Let's talk!

Unicorn Overlord tells the tale of the exiled prince Alain and his quest to retake the kingdom of Cornia (and really the entire conquered world) from the clutches of the evil Emperor Galarius. In some ways, that's all you need to know. You'll travel from nation to nation, each of which wears convenient hats like "the one with the elves" or "the one with the beastmen," and gather a host of lionhearted heroes to lead in battle. You know how it is.

I'll circle back to plot and presentation later because the core of Unicorn Overlord really is the gameplay itself. When you enter a battle and begin deploying troops, it plays like a simplified RTS; you will move units in real time and occasionally make use of war machines (ballista, catapaults, etc) to hinder approaching forces while sometimes building up points to use on more specialized abilities. Mages might place gravity wells that slow down enemies, Eleven troops conjure rain to heal allies over time or douse fires. You'll capture outposts and other defensive positions that confer various bonuses and protections. It's what you'd expect from the genre and the game does a good job offering a mix of map sizes and scenarios on this front. You might play a large defense mission based around placing traps and barricades in the way of an approaching force or face a necromancer type with a knack for hurling waves of troops you way.

This is contrasted with the smaller battles you'll face while liberating towns on the overworld map. You see, there's a pretty sizable map here with lots of secrets to find as well as towns and forts interspersed throughout. To liberate these towns (gaining access to shops and recruitment posts) you'll pay bite-sized battles on much smaller maps. These function a minor combat puzzles. How exactly do you capture a fort with two shaman and their gladiator bodyguards? Figure it out! Whereas story battles tend to throw complications when it comes to moving your troops or dealing with unique victory requires, these liberations missions focus on tactical knowledge and unit building.

Because Unicorn Overlord is an Ogre Battle clone. It's not Fire Emblem or even Tactic Ogre, where the battles involve moving each an every soldier and choosing their actions. Instead, you assemble a mash of soldiers into a unit that then automatically battles the enemy when the time for combat comes. It's about understanding synergies that lead to robust units as much as a matter of understanding "hey, your archers are good at shooting down gyphon knights." It's not quite my preferred tactics gameplay but it's also much more rare to have battles like this in your games these days. I've fond memories of Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber and while I'm sure there were games like this dancing at the margins of the genre, I really do appreciate that it's come back in a higher profile game.

The notion of troops automatically battling might cause certain players to chafe but Unicorn Overlord's not a game of random battles where you hope your digital soldiers perform as you imagined. You actually have a Final Fantasy XII esque Gambit System for determining how each character will act in battle. This is one of many examples of Unicorn Overlord chasing after Yasumi Matsuno's legacy and it's by far the best. You might not need this level of control in the early game but as you unlock advanced classes and face trickier enemies, there is a push to min-max performance. I don't think Unicorn Overlord is a hard game on default difficulty or even the more advanced "Tactical" option but the highest peak does ramp up combat to a point where micro-management is crucial. (As a tangent: the Story difficulty mostly seems to bypass the map navigation phase as it grants more stamina to perform actions without needed to pause troops moments to replenish resource.)

These conditional statements are where most of the depth rests. Unicorn Overlord doesn't have stat growths like Fire Emblem. It has dispositions that affect stat spread. For example, you can have someone who is both a "Hardy" type with high HP and a "Precise" type who enjoys greater accuracy. Recruitable units are not particularly different than your story characters; if you use an item to change a named characters dispositions to the same as a generic soldier, they will have identical states so long as they are the same class. My Alain will be, statistically speaking, the same as your Alain at the endgame presuming neither of us adjust his growth types. Which means that key differences in character performance will come down to what customizations we give our characters in the gambit system and the units we assemble. This might disappoint players looking to manipulate characters into the best of all possible arrangements but the upside is that all you really need to worry about is navigating the gambit system and assembling effective tactics.

Unicorn Overlord works best when you are solving those individual combat puzzles. Even the smallest tweak to your conditional statements can mean the difference between victory of defeat. There's an in game Coliseum with both NPC battles and the choice to fight other players' pre-assembled parties. Not only are the rewards great but it's maybe the best showcase of Unicorn Overlord's combat appeal. Dialed down to one single fight (where the goal is simply to come out numerically on top as opposed to wiping out the enemy entirely) the game shines brightly. There's some limitations here but the overall appeal is undeniable. The gambit system probably should have offered three conditional statements per line and lacks certain nuances such as the ability target a specific character in your party instead of specific classes but those are nitpicks. Gambits kicked ass in 2006 and they continue to kick ass in 2024. For roleplaying and tactics? It hardly gets better than this.

This is a lot of words to say that Unicorn Overlord plays far beyond the batting average of the story beats. This is a game whose yearning to emulate Matsuno is baked into every decision and that includes the plot. Which often tries gestures towards interesting character motivations and politcs without really following through. Some of that's baked into the "Unicorn" part of the title. It refers to Alain's signet ring which we learn (about in the first thirty minutes) has the ability to dispel the magickal brainwashing that allowed Galarius to perform the sudden coup against Queen Ilenia at the start of the game. There's some twists regarding the true nature of this magic but the result is often that many opposing characters are not motivated by important material and personal concerns. They're just evil and brainwashed. This immediately mars the storytelling potential and places it more on par with a game like Fire Emblem Awakening than Tactics Ogre. Which! Awakening is a very good game with a great sense of heroism. I wanna be clear about that. But Unicorn Overlord clearly wants to be in the latter category. It hasn't managed it so far.

I played Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the first time last year. I've actually been dying to write about it but my ability to write promptly has suffered over the last few years for a variety of reasons. I'll say: Tactics Ogre is the best game I have ever played. Part of that rests in the plot, which tosses all kinds of tough decisions at the protagonist and features a variety of characters from different factions fighting for different reasons. Matsuno is an astounding writer when it comes to understanding how his settings function and the material realities that can push even the best individuals down dark roads. Yes, some characters are irredeemably evil but many shift allegiances in the face of dramatic revelations or simply for selfish reasons. Tactics Ogre's script (and frankly its narrative design) displays a most astounding craftsmanship. I am constantly learning about characters I missed recruiting or paths I chose not to walk. It's an incredibly rich game.

I don't think Unicorn Overlord's quite as rich and that's entirely tied to the way in which is flattens its conflicts. It often talks about a grand history that is far more interesting than the status quo our characters are in. On the one hand, I get it. You want a story that allows the player to bop and weave around the map and readily justifies the sheer volume of combat challenges. On the other hand, while the setting has politic tensions woven into the fabric, they're very thin. This is mostly a game about the good knights fighting the bad knights.

Often is the case that you'll fight a lord hoarding food from his people only to find he was actually preparing for a famine. Yes, you fought that strange guy who was experimenting on people but don't you feel conflict killing him now that you know he was looking for a cure to the plague? Compare this to the agonizing choice players face at the end on Tactic Ogre's first chapter where they need to decide whether to help facilitate the slaughter of an entire town so that it might be presented as a false flag operation in the hope of uniting disparate resistance cells fighting against the apartheid state. That lone choice leads to two entirely different story paths, leaving ripples that affect the protagonist and the world. It poses a question of realpolitik versus nobility. Can you fight this war as an idealist or not? "There is blood on my hands," a title card declares. How long till it lies on my heart?"

Tactics Ogre is full of difficult choices like that and side stories that add richness to the character. Unicorn Overlord doesn't really have this. Or at least what it does have very often feels like a video game trick rather than something meanginful. There's little complication to the story and while there's time given to some character's individual motivations it is not a game concerned with tough questions even if I wants to convince you that it is.

It does, however, have pretty good moment to moment writing. Everything flows well and there's enough heart poured into the mix that while things are pretty superficial once you pull back your gaze, the story still proceeds with a lot of energy. Recently, gamer assholes went on a bender regarding Unicorn Overlord's localization after an amateur on Twitter created an extensive thread of differences between the English and Japanese scripts. There's been a string of anti-localization sentiment among certain gamers and in anime circles from folks who want things to adhere to the original language with strictness.

This, of course, shows a misunderstanding for what localization even is but rather than unpacking all that drama I'll just say: this localization is fine. It's fine! It's trying to emulate the approach of folks like Alex O. Smith and Joe Reeder. Which means there's a certain degree of purple to the prose but it's nothing you can cut through. Most localization flourishes aren't even that archaic; they simply toss in figures of speech.

A metaphor here. A fancy word there. It's well done!

I'm not gonna beat around the bush and maybe some assholes will find this and damn me for it since it's gonna sound haughty but I think you can boil pretty much all of the controversy down to the fact that a lot of gamers kinda suck at reading.

That's a complicated topic to unravel here. Over the last decade or so, there's been changes to how grammar and reading are taught in education systems that have radically inhibited some folks' ability to understand texts. I don't mean "understand the metaphor" or "understand the vocabulary" but rather understand the raw facts of what's happening. Combine this with a lot of culture problems and I don't think it's a surprise that localization has become a sticking point for a certain kind of cretin. And it also doesn't surprise me that this tempest in a teapot came side by side with similarly manufactured controversies.

I sometimes talk about the death of criticism in games spaces but we also just have… worse readers. Not just in terms of their imagination but in their raw comprehension. Unicorn Overlord's localization is not impenetrable and I don't get the sense that it's radically shifting the core action or characterizations at the center of the game. I don't think it particularly matches the games it is chasing after (shockingly many of these are localizations of Matsuno's games) but it's got enough flair that it gives the plot some spice.

That's a good way to sum up Unicorn Overlord. When you look at the ingredients, it's Meat and Potatoes tactics but there's a little bit of spice dusted on top which brings everything together. Be it the Gambit System pulling combat together or turns of phrase bringing the story to life. You're mostly gonna be bounding around the map in a very satisfying loop of battles and town upgrading before some larger tests in the main story. Not the height of the genre but still eminently enjoyable.

And let's be honest. For some of you? All I really needed to say was that it was "Ogre Battle."

[animehouse-moe]

I've been enjoying Shangri-La Frontier! To the point that I binged the entire manga! It's so refreshing to see a fantasy game series that focuses on the game aspect. One of my nitpicks for series like SAO is the world building and game mechanics don't *feel* like good video games despite the in-universe hype. Seeing Shangri-La Frontier is like seeing a love letter to all video games out there, from Dark Souls to MonHun. It's such a blast!

Absolutely! I'd definitely say it's one of the core reasons why I've been so engaged in watching the anime.

I think even more importantly though is how it balances the two "extremes" of video game series.

Log Horizon provides the extreme on the "low fantasy" style where the entire approach to mechanics and interaction is much more technical and high level, focusing on synergy, tactics, and planning. Then there's SAO which basically throws everything video game out the window and just makes it seem "cool".

Both series certainly have their spots, and Log Horizon is by far the more "true" video game series, but bringing things to that level can really alienate a lot of people who just like video games, which is where Shangri-La Frontier steps in.

It's got a really strong balance between game mechanics and action choreography where you understand that there's cooldowns and moves and whatnot, but that they fit rather naturally into the grand scheme. A similar thing can be said about stuff like the guilds. There's PKers, specialized clans, the dominating power clans, etc. etc. It presents a very wide world without making it nauseating or slow to the viewer, which works great.

And the last bit about game references, it's definitely very fun to see them being made! My personal favorites are the FFXIV monsters that are included.

It really just have the right amounts of everything to appeal to anyone that likes video games, and I really wish more series were able to find that middle ground.

[tftguide]

TFT: The Addictive Auto-Battler from League of Legends

Teamfight Tactics (TFT), the auto-battler game mode within League of Legends, has captivated gamers worldwide since its 2019 debut. Developed by Riot Games, TFT offers a unique blend of strategy, luck, and adaptability that keeps players engaged for hours on end.

Understanding TFT

In TFT, eight players compete in a series of rounds, each building a team of champions to battle automatically against others. The last player standing emerges victorious. This simple premise belies the depth of strategy involved in mastering the game.

Core Gameplay Elements

Champion Selection: Players draft from a shared pool of champions, each with unique abilities and traits.

Economy Management: Balancing immediate needs with long-term strategy is crucial for success.

Synergies: Combining champions with complementary traits can unlock powerful team-wide bonuses.

Item Crafting: Equipping champions with the right items can dramatically alter their effectiveness in battle.

The Addictive Nature of TFT

TFT's popularity stems from its perfect balance of accessibility and depth. Newcomers can quickly grasp the basics, while veterans can delve into intricate strategies and compositions. Each game presents a unique puzzle to solve, keeping players coming back for just one more match.

Tracking Your TFT Obsession

For many, TFT has evolved from a casual pastime to a significant time investment. As players dive deeper into the game, a common question arises: How much time have I actually spent playing TFT? To address this curiosity, players can use online tools to calculate their playtime. One popular site that helps players determine how much time they've wasted on TFT provides a detailed breakdown of total hours, days, and even years spent in the game.

The Value of Time Awareness

Understanding your playtime can be eye-opening and valuable for several reasons:

Goal Setting: With accurate playtime data, you can set personal improvement targets based on your time investment.

Time Management: Knowing exactly how much time you've spent on TFT can help you balance your gaming passion with other responsibilities.

Progression Tracking: By comparing your playtime stats with your rank improvements over time, you can gauge your efficiency and progress.

For the end...

Whether you're a casual player or a dedicated tactician, TFT offers a rich and engaging gaming experience. While the hours spent mastering the game might be substantial, the joy, challenges, and friendships formed along the way are invaluable.

Remember, time enjoyed is never truly wasted. However, being aware of your playtime can help you make informed decisions about your gaming habits and potentially improve your TFT experience. Whether you've spent a few hours or a few hundred in the world of TFT, what matters most is the enjoyment and skills you've gained along the way.

[tekdecksmtg]

Log: Bloomburrow Prerelease Weekend

While I plan to do a post on my profile (formats played, history, likes/dislikes) to give you a sense of who I am, Bloomburrow is here and I thought first I’d just dive into my experience this weekend with the new set.

This month we are off to a cutesy world of critters, and Standard is rotating (finally) with its release.

I’m still digesting the impact rotation will have on Standard, so I’ll save those thoughts for another day as well.

Prerelease weekend enables you to get some early real-world experience with the set, new mechanics, and various archetypes all while improving on your Sealed skills.

While the archetypes appear to have a ton of synergy (which is going to be a nightmare to track in paper), Sealed doesn’t usually enable you to focus on just one simply because your card pool isn’t large enough.

This will be a breakdown of my decks and experience.

Day 1 (Friday): Landed on a Bant deck with a mix of Rabbits and Frogs. Deck as follows:

I let my rares drive my decision on deck choice. I was hoping I could get some bounce synergy out of the frogs which could produce card advantage while my rabbits went wide. My main concern with the deck though was my lack of removal.

Match 1: W 2-0

Built up a nice board in Game 1 with my rabbits though I struggled to finish the game until my fliers came out. Game 2 my frog synergies started kicking in and again I was able to overwhelm the board and strike through. I was really impressed with the deck and (stupidly) had 3-0 on my mind.

Match 2: L 0-2

My opponent was on raccoons and birds and in Game 1 he dropped a ton of fliers and got over me quickly. Game 2 was much closer and I had him down to 4 life until he was able to cast Beza, the Bounding Spring to get a treasure, two creatures, and 4 life which stabilized him and allowed him time to drop his big fliers out again to kill me.

Match 3: L 0-2

Not really a close match at all. My opponent pulled out Mabel, Heir to the Cragflame both games and just got free equippers and unblockable creatures to smash me. My lack of removal proved to be my downfall.

Overall: 1-2-0 (2-4-0, 16th Place out of 26)

Reflection: A bit disappointed to get trounced after such a solid Game 1, but really enjoyed the challenge of a new set. Again, the synergy just looks to be off the charts. The rabbits going wide needs some pump-ability and the frogs bouncing back to hand gives you tons of bonuses and card advantage as long as you have the mana to keep ahead. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to track all the triggers in a fully efficient deck (but I’ll have to figure that out).

Day 2 (Saturday): Mardu with a mixed focus on Mice and Lizards, due to Mabel, Heir to Cragflame and The Infamous Cruelclaw.

Felt like my mix of lizards and mice would have some really powerful synergies if I could get them out together and put on pressure.

Match 1: W 2-0 (BYE)

Uneven players so I was granted a bye first round, which is great. The top prize for this prerelease was another prerelease kit so happy to take free wins (each win is a Play Booster as well)

Match 2: L 0-2

In Game 1, my hand filled up with red cards yet I had no red mana. Simply couldn’t cast my spells. In Game 2, I had the opposite problem and was land flooded, pulling out 11/16 lands and unable to keep pace. Pretty quick match loss and didn’t get out either of my Legendary leaders.

Match 3: W 2-0 (FORFEIT)

My opponent left! Okay, another free pack and home early (and I won a promo pack for the lucky draw!), not a bad deal. But disappointed to not actually get to try out my deck and see if it could’ve been competitive.

Overall: 2-1-0 (4-2-0, 4th Place out of 10)

Reflection: While I only played two games and my wins were via byes, I realized (in combination with Friday) that three-color decks are really hard in this set. There aren’t dual lands or treasure generators, and the only few mana dorks are in green. I need to be cognizant of this as I roll into Day 3 and will definitely be looking to go two colors.

Day 3 (Sunday): Orzhov. As mentioned, sticking to two colors considering my difficulty with three on the prior days.

Felt reallllly good about my deck going in, decent curve, sufficient interaction, and some light synergies.

Match 1: Win 2-0

Game 1 went pretty well, hitting a great curve and sufficient removal to win the game handily. Game 2 my opponent built a better board and was draining me with some effects, but a timely Psychic Whorl and some removal helped me climb back and ultimately get ahead for the win. My opponent was way too happy to swing in and trade creatures when I had more cards in hand, a mistake that may have cost him a game.

Match 2: Win 2-0

In Game 1 my opponent didn’t get red mana for a while (playing Izzet) which let me get far enough ahead for an easy win. Game 2 was much closer, both of us exchanging a lot of interaction to keep the boards pretty clean. On a pivotal target, he returned a creature to his hand and I was again able to immediately Psychic Whorl to make him go to zero cards. Consistent threats allowed me to overrun him.

Match 3: Win 2-0

Championship match and in Game 1 my opponent kept a risky hand with a one lander. I was able to drop Iridescent Vinelasher on turn 1 for some early pings, followed by some other small creatures, then flashed in a Downwind Ambusher on Turn 4 to take out his only creature and continue swinging in for the win. Game 2 saw us both dropping our best creatures but my interaction was able to pull me ahead of his bigger creatures which led to him needing to chump block down the stretch, as I was able to finally put him away with a wide board and some fliers.

Overall: 3-0-0 (6-0-0, 2nd Place out of 12)

Reflection: Two colors is clearly the way to go in this set. Finding some synergies is a bonus but most important is that nice curve and sufficient interaction since a lot of the creatures can build off each other. Keeping those threats at bay was key. Fantastic run, winning three packs for my efforts. Unfortunately I finished in 2nd place as the determining tiebreaker (after ties in points, Opponents’ Match Winning %, and Game Winning %) was the OGW (Opponents’ Game Winning %) - mine being 49.2% while his was 52.4%. It didn’t impact anything in terms of prizes, so all good. Really great way to close out Prerelease Weekend.

The new standard will be interesting. I have a couple of decks that are going through some changes due to rotation but will probably put together two more decks for random weekday Standard nights (Mice & Rabbits) just to have some fun with the new set. Stay tuned to see how those pan out!

[satoshi-mochida]

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches February 29, 2024

Gematsu Source

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will launch for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, Square Enix announced.

The game will be available in the following editions:

-Physical – Across two game discs; includes a reversible cover, and the preorder incentive of the digital “Midgar Bangle Mk. II” armor at participating retailers

Standard Edition ($69.99)

Deluxe Edition ($99.99) – Includes Mini-soundtrack CD, artbook, and SteelBook case.

Collector’s Edition ($349.99) – Includes large, highly detailed collectible statue of Sephiroth, Deluxe Edition contents, along with digital DLC items including downloadable content “Summoning Materia,” allowing players to summon the Moogle Trio, and the “Magic Pot,” along with equipment, like the “Reclaimant Choker” accessory and the “Orchid Bracelet” armor. The Collector’s Edition will be available to pre-order in limited quantities from the Square Enix Store.

-Digital – Includes the downloadable content “Moogle Trio Summoning Materia.”

Standard Edition ($69.99)

Digital Deluxe Edition ($89.99) – Includes digital Mini-soundtrack, digital artbook, and digital downloadable content items including the “Magic Pot” Summoning Materia, “Reclaimant Choker” accessory, and the “Orchid Bracelet” armor.

Digital Deluxe Edition Upgrade ($20) – Can be purchased to upgrade previously purchased Standard Edition, adding Digital Deluxe Edition contents*

Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Twin Pack ($99.99) – Offering great value during the pre-order phase, the Twin Pack includes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, available at launch, and the full game download of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade which will be available to play as soon as the Twin Pack is pre-ordered.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Digital Deluxe Twin Pack ($119.99) – Includes Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade full game download plus all Digital Deluxe Edition contents.

Here is a set of message from the game’s development staff on the release date announcement:

■ Messages from the Development Staff

Yoshinori Kitase, Producer

“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has been set for release on February 29, 2024. This second installment of the Final Fantasy VII remake project will feature elements from the previous game, as well as greatly enhanced features such as the vast world map to explore and synergy abilities with party members. The story will unfold more dramatically than ever before, with a rapid pace of major twists and turns. We know fans are dying to see one scene in particular… “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth can be enjoyed on its own as a standalone adventure, with the party leaving Midgar to explore the wide world beyond. But for those wishing to deepen their understanding of the story, a recap of the previous game will also be provided. “We hope that both fans and those who have never played Final Fantasy before will enjoy this game.”

Naoki Hamaguchi, Director

“We are finally able to announce the release date to all of you! We have been working tirelessly on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth since the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, and we can’t wait for you to experience our labor of love. In this title, Cloud and his friends, who have fled Midgar, will be setting out on an adventure across an expansive world of untold adventure in pursuit of Sephiroth. “While the main storyline is bigger and more ambitious than the previous game’s narrative, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also embraces the concept of ‘free exploration,’ with compelling stories, fun mini-games, powerful monsters and so much more to find throughout the world map. We hope you will explore this world in great detail, as nearly 100 hours of adventure awaits. “We hope you will take this new Final Fantasy game experience in your own hands to enjoy.”

Tetsuya Nomura, Creative Director

“This is the second title of a trilogy, and covers between the start of the journey outside Midgar to the midpoint of the original Final Fantasy VII. If Final Fantasy VII Remake was an introduction to the world and a preparation for this journey, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth serves as an illustration of the incidents that started the journey, an exploration of the people tied to it, and the journey itself, heading toward its climax. Many elements were carefully selected for this title and because this is a series, we have the unique opportunity to review and incorporate feedback from the previous title, such as by increasing the number of characters. I am sure that the bar for the next work will be raised even higher now that we have included so many spectacular elements in this work, but even so, the entire team continues to work diligently and without compromise on its development. “There is also the looming question of what fate awaits. Whether you have experienced the original title or will embark on this adventure with fresh eyes, we hope you will face the ending of this work on your own terms.”

■ PlayStation Blog Interview

PlayStation Blog interviewed the following development staff:

Can you explain what we’re seeing of the combat system here? Has it remained untouched since Final Fantasy VII Remake or have you altered anything for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

Hamaguchi: “I want to highlight the new synergy moves most from the battle system. This new mechanic allows the player to use synergy commands and abilities freely at any time by using up a gauge charge in a similar manner to Limit Breaks. So through the battles, players will feel the relationships and bonds that have developed between the characters even more so than in the previous game. We’ve also added skill trees as a new element of character growth. You can unlock synergy abilities through the skill trees, too. Many new Materia with new abilities not seen in the first game are available as well, so players will have even more options to customize and build character loadouts to their own taste.”

Viewers got a glimpse of Red XIII in combat as part of the new trailer. Players are now able to control him directly, what can they expect in terms of his abilities that makes him distinct (and a great party member) in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth‘s battles?

Hamaguchi: “The development team challenged themselves to give Red XIII a new play style that felt different from the other characters. Red XIII doesn’t just have an ATB gauge but also uses his own unique ‘revenge gauge’ mechanic. His revenge gauge charges when he guards against enemy attacks, and he can spend that charge to use various abilities once the gauge is filled. We’ve designed Red XIII as a new type of character that requires the player to strike a balance between offensive strategy using the ATB gauge and defensive strategy using the revenge gauge.”

We have seen Red XIII and Cait Sith shown as playable characters and the footage released also shows another character who looks like Vincent, so will he be playable as well? Will the party expand further too?

Nomura: “The original party members are all present in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. In the previous title, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Red XIII became an accompanying member in the second half of the game, but he will become an official, playable party member starting from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Similarly, there are characters who are accompanying members in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, that will become official party members in the next title.”

And viewers caught a glimpse of Alexander and Odin! Can we expect more returning summons from Final Fantasy VII for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and will any summons from Remake return?

Hamaguchi: “There will be many other summons in the game, in addition to those that have already been revealed in our previous videos, with some also returning from Final Fantasy VII Remake. In fact, the lineup of summons has actually been fleshed out over and above the previous game, with new, extended side content based on a summon who did not feature in the original Final Fantasy VII and even more besides.”

Sneaking into the original Junon saw players partake in another unique minigame. We saw the parade and many other mini-games in the newly revealed trailer, so will the same mini-game from the original Final Fantasy VII still be playable?

Hamaguchi: “Yes, the same mini-game will be playable, but we’ve greatly increased its scope compared to what was in the original Final Fantasy VII. In the original, Cloud sneaks into one of the units participating in the parade and joins in on the performance, but in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, he becomes the leader of that unit and can customize the composition of the soldiers participating in the parade. The chosen unit composition will alter the performance and, it goes without saying, that this also affects how the mini-game is played. The parade to celebrate the inauguration of Rufus as the new president of Shinra is the climax of the first half of the original game, so the development team was really enthused about making all the details for it. It’s one of the moments I hope players enjoy the most.”

And speaking of mini-games, we got a fun glimpse of Gold Saucer and its own mini-games. How do the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth versions of these differ from the original’s?

Hamaguchi: “I think there are a lot of fans who point to the number and variety of mini games as one of the draws of the original Final Fantasy VII, but for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth we have gone all-out and created a huge number of mini games on a scale that surpasses even the original! Many of these mini games can be experienced in the main story, but we also have lots of unique games and challenges that appear as part of the side stories you can find as you explore the world map. There might well be players who get so caught up in all the fun mini games that they find they aren’t making progress in the main story…”

Gold Saucer is another iconic locale that players will be eager to visit. How have you approached redesigning this amusement park?

Hamaguchi: “Players will first visit the Gold Saucer in the middle section of the game but are then free to come back to it at any time they like. In order to create that motivation to make them want to come back, we designed the park to provide a changing and ever more wonderful experience with each visit, so new mini games are added, and harder difficulty modes are unlocked as the main story progresses, giving you even more to do there. It is not just the mini games either, and the parts of the Gold Saucer seen in the main story have also been fully remade and upgraded too, so you can expect great things from it.”

The trailer also shows moments of the party exploring lush exterior open areas. How do those larger areas work within the context of gameplay and story?

Hamaguchi: “Once the team leaves Midgar, Cloud and the team’s major objective Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is to follow and track down Sephiroth across the expansive world they find themselves in. We’ve put a lot of emphasis on exploration-focused game design with this title as we wanted to create that feeling of going on a journey while traveling around the world in pursuit of evidence of Sephiroth’s movements.”

Now you’re several years into remaking iconic locations of Final Fantasy VII and with Final Fantasy VII Remake being so successful, do you feel less pressure to match fan expectations when reimagining beloved areas and moments?

Hamaguchi: “As Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will take players to various locations across the whole world, we needed to re-create the massive Final Fantasy VII world map that would also incorporate places such as towns and dungeons within itself. To do this, we dug deeply into the feeling of each different region and reflected that in the graphics, creating areas that look and feel quite diverse. On top of that, we designed chocobos unique to each region that have their own abilities (e.g. mountain chocobos that can climb sheer cliffs and sky chocobos that can fly etc.), so players will need to utilize their chocobos to fully explore each area. I hope players have a lot of fun with this aspect of the exploration!”

Final Fantasy VII Remake offered new interpretations of classic locations and moments, as well as entirely new ones that enriched the game. Is there a similar balance for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

Kitase: “As with the previous game, we have strived for the right balance between old and new scenes in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but we also tried to take on more new challenges than we did in Final Fantasy VII Remake with some of the new scenes. I am confident these new scenes will be wildly enjoyable for fans and newcomers alike.”

What is the function of the world map in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

Hamaguchi: “The world map is vast and expansive, so not all of the locations on it will be used in the main story alone. In fact, volume wise, the amount of side content in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is nearly double that of the main quest content. Players who want to enjoy Final Fantasy VII setting on an even deeper level can explore all the corners of the world, discovering many different and exciting experiences such as new stories, battles, and mini-games to play. It will also be possible to return to any of the regions in the world even after the main quest moves on from that area, so you don’t have to worry about leaving things behind or unfinished.”

Given this is a direct continuation Final Fantasy VII Remake, can players port over their save file and their character builds to continue their journey into Final Fantasy VII VII Rebirth?

Hamaguchi: “We have announced that the Final Fantasy VII remake project will be a trilogy and that each entry will be a standalone game in its own right. Because of this, each game’s balancing is done independently and a player’s levels and abilities will not carry over from one game to the next. However, we have created some special bonuses for fans who played the previous game, allowing them to start with a little something extra.”

What can you tell us about the soundtrack and music Final Fantasy VII VII Rebirth?

Kawamori: “The world Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is much larger Final Fantasy VII Remake. Because of this, the team has created a variety of new music to go alongside that. We’ve also expanded the variety of musical genres this time around, so I think there will be plenty to enjoy. Of course, we also have many re-arrangements of classic tracks from the original Final Fantasy VII, too, so I hope fans will enjoy comparing both iterations of the same song to see what has changed. For example, the music in the newly released trailer is a re-arrangement of Final Fantasy VII main theme as a battle music track and gives you a taste of the direction the team has decided to take in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.”

What was the concept behind the new trailer?

Nomura: “Every trailer has a specific purpose. Since this is the second installment in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, there are people who have played the previous game or enthusiastic fans who follow the built-in mysteries, but for newcomers or those who are or simply interested in the Final Fantasy VII series, we wanted to include a full overview of what kind of experience they will have with this remake project. So, there is less of a mysterious pretense to the story this time, but you can look forward to the next trailer.”

There was a scene with Cloud and Sephiroth fighting together, but will the player get to control Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

Nomura: “If you played the original Final Fantasy VII, I’m sure you can guess which scene I’m talking about. You will be able to control Sephiroth in the same scene in this title as you did in the original.”

The Gold Saucer appears in the newly released trailer, but will players be able to enjoy the much-anticipated date scene on the Ferris wheel too?

Nomura: “Naturally, this is one of the major highlights of Gold Saucer, so it is included in the game. Please look forward to how it will appear in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, with its high-resolution visuals.”

Final Fantasy VII Remake showed the story up until the escape from Midgar, but what point does Final Fantasy VII Rebirth take us up to?

Nomura: “We have mentioned this a few times before, but the order in which you can explore the locations is not the same as the original Final Fantasy VII, and there are some shifts in the order. For example, Wutai, one of the major locations, is not part of the route in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and will be visited in the next one. Although there are some changes in the order of the locations, the locations depicted in this title extend up to ‘The Forgotten Capital,’ where the greatest fate of Final Fantasy VII awaits you.”

And here are the latest details:

(Screenshots will be added to this post later today.)

■ About

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the highly anticipated new story in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, a reimagining of the iconic original game into three standalone titles by its original creators. In this game, players will enjoy various new elements as the story unfolds, culminating in the party’s journey to “The Forgotten Capital” from the original Final Fantasy VII. After escaping from the dystopian city of Midgar, Cloud and his friends set out on a journey across the planet. New adventures await in a vibrant and vast world – sprint across grassy plains on a Chocobo and explore expansive environments.

An Expansive World

As the party searches for Sephiroth, you will explore the beautiful, expansive regions of the world and open up new areas to discover. Dig deeper into the world of Final Fantasy VII with rewarding side content and mini-games, plus various unique forms of transportation to navigate the world.

An Evolved Battle System

Combine strategic thinking with thrilling action combat alongside your comrades, including newly added characters. Deepen their relationships to unleash powerful team-based combos.

Beyond the Walls of Fate

In this standalone adventure for fans and newcomers, Cloud and his comrades venture across the planet, their fates unwritten, making each step outside the dystopian city of Midgar fresh and mysterious.

■ Story

For years now, the Shinra Electric Power Company has been providing the world with energy at the expense of the lifestream, the “river” whence all life flows and whither it returns. After storming the company’s headquarters and engaging in a series of battles for the ages, Cloud and his companions leave Midgar behind and set out for the wider world. Once in the grasslands, they hop aboard chocobos and embark on a journey with an unknown destination. Meanwhile, Zack—beaten and battered from his fight against an army of troopers—hobbles across the wastelands into Midgar with a mako-poisoned Cloud on his shoulder. Though he has managed to escape death for now, the ominous rift in the sky gives him little reason to rejoice. That is hardly the only threat facing the world, however. The Shinra Resistance Committee, backed by Wutai’s interim government, declares war on the company; figures shrouded in black robes carry with them the corpse of Jenova, a veritable calamity from another world; and the Weapons—fierce and monstrous guardians of the planet—have recently awakened. Amid this chaos, Sephiroth has set his plan in motion, thus ensuring myriad fates intertwine and are birthed anew.

■ Characters

Cloud Strife (voiced by Cody Christian in English)

“There’s no point in wasting our time worrying about fate if we can’t change it.”

An ex-SOLDIER: first class, Cloud came to Midgar to start a new chapter of his life as a mercenary. At the invitation of his childhood friend, Tifa, he accepts a job with Avalanche. Together, they confront Shinra, ultimately leaving Midgar behind in pursuit of Sephiroth and the truth─a quest which will lead them to defy destiny itself.

—Weapon: Sword

He fights by switching between modes specializing in mobility and offense. A single swipe of his huge sword can knock several foes off their feet at once. Some of his abilities also allow him to take the fight to the air.

Barret Wallace (voiced by John Eric Bentley in English)

“This is the planet we’re talkin’ about! Y’all know she’s gonna pour her heart and soul into this fight!”

The leader of an independent Avalanche cell, Barret spearheads an operation to take down Shinra’s mako reactors. He pays a hefty price for this, however, when the company retaliates, and his comrades die in the crossfire. Armed with the memories of his lost friends and the newfound knowledge of Sephiroth’s plans, he departs Midgar in hope of saving the planet and safeguarding a future for his daughter Marlene.

—Weapon: Gunarm

What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in both sturdiness and strength, converting his anger toward Shinra into raw firepower. He employs a variety of ranged attacks, from rapid-fire salvos to powerful explosions, which allow him to strike foes high in the air or across the battlefield.

Tifa Lockhart (voiced by Britt Baron in English)

“Ever wish you could just snap your fingers and forget the worst stuff?”

Though a loyal member of Avalanche—an underground organization that opposes Shinra—Tifa nevertheless questions the group’s extremist tactics, struggling to reconcile her cause with her conscience. This internal conflict reaches a fever pitch when her group’s actions effectively lead to the fall of the Sector 7 plate. Racked with guilt, she leaves Midgar in search of a new path to tread.

—Weapon: Gloves

She strings together swift combos while utilizing a variety of martial art techniques. Her ATB fills quickly, allowing for the use of multiple abilities in rapid succession. She also boasts several skills that deal more damage to airborne or staggered foes.

Aerith Gainsborough (voiced by Briana White in English)

“Just look at it all… A living, breathing planet. Even after everything we’ve done to it, it’s still going strong.”

A flower seller who lives in the Sector 5 undercity and the last remaining descendant of the Cetra, a people known for communing with the planet. Shinra takes her prisoner in their efforts to reach the Cetra’s foretold “promised land,” but Cloud and company come to her rescue. She escapes Midgar and embarks on a journey into the outside world of which she has long dreamed.

—Weapon: Staff

Utilizing the power of magic, she casts spells from a safe distance and launches attacks that home in on her foes. She can also conjure beneficial wards and warp between them, as well as restore the party’s HP with her limit break.

Red XIII (voiced by Max Mittelman in English)

“I may be clad in fur…but that doesn’t mean I’ll purr.”

Red XIII is a beast with a flaming tail, crimson fur, deadly claws, and the ability to speak. Cloud and company help him escape Professor Hojo’s clutches, and he decides to join them on their journey. His species is known for their long life spans, and he is no exception. As this Cosmo Canyon native is the eldest member of the party, he offers its members words of wisdom from time to time.

—Weapon: Collar

He sets upon foes with an unrelenting assault, laying into them with a beastly ferocity. Guarding against incoming attacks will feed his Vengeance gauge. Once it is full, he can unleash his inner beast, but sufficient skill is required to maximize its potential.

Yuffie Kisaragi (voiced by Suzie Yeung in English)

“If I win, you get the honor of serving yours truly!”

A member of Wutai’s elite corps of ninja operatives, Yuffie infiltrates Midgar on a mission to steal the “ultimate materia” from Shinra. Her plan ends in disaster, as she fails to claim the materia and loses her partner Sonon in the struggle. Just as working alone begins to take its toll on her, however, Cloud’s group comes into the picture.

—Weapon: Throwing Star

Using her throwing star and ninja skills, she excels at both long- and close-range combat. Elemental ninjutsu allows her to exploit enemies’ weaknesses without relying on spells. She also keeps opponents on their toes with a variety of aerial attacks and tricky techniques.

Cait Sith (voiced by Paul Tinto in English)

“Alright, everyone! By popular request: a fortune or two to steer you true!”

A wisecracking, feline-shaped robot often seen poised atop his big moogle pal. One of the Gold Saucer’s most popular mascots, he is well loved for his fortune telling—a service he also offers to Cloud and friends. His adorable appearance also belies access to a surprising amount of insider intel on Shinra.

Sephiroth (voiced by Tyler Hoechlin in English)

“Don’t be afraid. It’s not death—it’s a homecoming.”

A former SOLDIER: 1st class of legendary renown, he is said to have died in the line of duty in Nibelheim five years ago. This is proven untrue when he appears at the Shinra Building and absconds with a research specimen known as “Jenova.” He now toys with Cloud at every opportunity, seeking to change the course of destiny and rule the planet.

Zack Fair (voiced by Caleb Piece in English)

“I dunno—hopes? Dreams, maybe? Something like that! So long as we’ve got those—and hold on tight and never let go.”

Zack may have worked with Sephiroth as a SOLDIER: 1st class, but he trained under a different operator, and it is from this man that he both learned to take pride in his work and received his iconic buster sword. After a grueling battle in which he overcomes the odds and cheats death, Zack returns to Midgar—where he hopes to see his love Aerith—with a mako-poisoned Cloud in tow.

■ System

The Evolved World of Final Fantasy VII

In this game, players can freely roam across lush grasslands and rugged wildernesses, all while enjoying a wide variety of quests and mini-games. Face off against the threats that await you by teaming up with your comrades and unleashing powerful new synergy abilities.

Combat

Action and strategy combine in thrilling combat, now made even more exciting thanks to the addition of new team-based abilities.

From flashy, action-packed fights to slower, strategic battles, this game offers ways for players of all persuasions to enjoy combat.

World

The world is divided into several regions, with each one offering different environments to explore and experience. Where you go and how you get there is up to you.

■ Combat: Basic Systems

Fighting

Press [□] to perform a normal attack. Dealing damage will also fill the ATB gauge needed to use abilities and spells.

Commands

Open the command menu with [x] to enter Tactical Mode, which slows down the passage of time. Devise your strategies in the moment or register commands as shortcuts and use them as your intuition deems fit.

Abilities

Equipping weapons and setting materia will grant access to a wide range of abilities. Using these abilities requires you to expend charges from the ATB gauge, which fills as time passes or whenever you deal damage.

Magic

Magic materia can be set in weapons and armor to enable the use of spells such as Fire and Cure. Casting spells consumes both ATB charges as well as MP.

Unique Abilities

Press [△] to activate a character’s unique ability. Some of these abilities do not require ATB, but instead take time to charge.

…And More

■ Combat: Summons

Summons

Setting summoning materia will grant access to the power of the gods. A conjured deity will follow the player’s lead and fight enemies automatically, but you can also instruct them to use special abilities. Before they depart the battlefield, summons will unleash one final attack powerful enough to wipe out any foe.

Odin

A horse-riding swordsman who brandishes an enormous blade known as Zantetsuken. He gallops toward foes and sends them flying with a single, sweeping slash.

Alexander

An enormous, armor-plated weapon that towers over even other summons. No ordinary foe could possibly withstand an assault from its entire arsenal.

■ Combat: New Systems

Synergy Abilities

Powerful attacks in which two characters team up to turn the tide of battle. More abilities will unlock as you increase the party level—a numerical expression of how closely-knit your team is—and deepen the affinity between party members. Fill the synergy gauge by using unique abilities and prepare to unleash a synchronized assault!

Cloud / Sephiroth: “Double Helix”

Sephiroth unleashes an elegant flurry of strikes, and Cloud does his best to follow suit.

Aerith / Cait Sith: “Kitty Cannonade”

Aerith imbues Cait Sith’s moogle with magical energy and unleashes a ranged attack.

Yuffie / Barret: “Ninja Carbine”

More Barret and Yuffie lean into their shared prowess and unleash a ranged attack.

…And More

■ World: Chocobos

Chocobos are the adorable feathered friends of the Final Fantasy series. In this game, once you catch a chocobo in the wild, you can call it at any time in that region, and it will offer you special assistance in traversing its home terrain. You can also customize your chocobo’s equipment to create a steed that’s suited just for you.

Chocobo

Hop aboard your chocobo to explore the world with ease. Try sprinting if you’re in a hurry to reach your next destination.

Mountain Chocobos

Using their mighty talons, these chocobos can climb up and down steep slopes that bear special markings. Even if a destination seems inaccessible by foot, you might be able to get there on chocoback.

Sky Chocobos

These chocobos can take flight from gliding ranges and soar across peaks and valleys. Take to the skies and nothing will stand in your way.

■ World: New Forms of Transportation

In addition to chocobos, this game features many ways to get from one place to another. Take your friends on a buggy ride through the wastelands or do some seaside sightseeing aboard a wheelie… Put these various vehicles to use as you explore the world!

Buggy

The buggy, which can be ridden across sandy terrain, can also drive through shallow water and travel faster than chocobos. Buckle up and take the party on a wild ride through the vast desert.

Wheelie

In the seaside resort of Costa del Sol, you can ride around on a wheelie, a two-wheeled self-balancing vehicle. Tour the town at your own pace, all while taking in the beautiful scenery of this land of eternal summer.

■ World: Minigames

Not only stories and battles, but all kinds of unique elements of fun await players.

Enjoy the numerous minigames available across the game’s world.

G-Bike

The “Spinning Slash,” which uses a large sword to reap enemies, and the super-accelerating “Nitrous Boost” are just a few of the many things you can do in this bike game. Fight off the relentless gun-shooting participants and win the battle that goes beyond just speed.

Chocobo Races

A fierce race to test your chocobo riding skills. Break the balloons that appear along the way to use various techniques. Deepen the bond with your chocobo and aim for first place.

3D Brawler

Manipulate 3D polygons and take on your opponent in a one-on-one match. Avoid your opponent’s attacks and deliver a powerful punch. If you have powerful limit moves that you can unleash by continuing to land hits, victory will surely be yours.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Release Date Trailer

English

Japanese