#the best Gunvolt was the one that never was

[goaty1912]

Ranting about games I enjoy

Mutuals, if you are seeing this. Please play these games for the love of god. Buy them, pirate them, I do not care. Play them.

GUNVOLT 1

Anyway, Azure Striker Gunvolt was a game series that started out in 2014 by Inti Creates, and this shit changed my life. Back when I was waaaay younger, I found the game on my 3ds while in my annoying anime phase, and thought it would be a visual novel or something, but it ended up being an action platformer. (I use the word "Platformer" lightly because there's barely any platforming) I ended up getting through, but I never beat the final boss. I'm gonna add a read more link because this post is gonna be loooong.

But anyway, that game was fantastic looking back. I used to play it on my dinky 3DS, and I was really bad at it, but the gameplay was still fun to me. It's like if Devil May Cry and Mega man had a beautiful baby. You just tag them with your gun, and use your electricity to damage them. It was a fairly easy game even though I couldn't beat the final boss, but the main fun was going for the high scores and getting good ranks, which I never did. I loved it, the story was cool.

Speaking of the story, you play as an emo blond 14 year old with long hair and electric powers named "Gunvolt" that works for a resistance division that goes against the "Sumeragi Group", an evil corporation that wants to kidnap super powered people (called Adepts) and use them for their evil desires, mostly for research and testing. Gunvolt was also a test subject of theirs. Sumeragi tried to implant the "Azure Striker" septima (a septima is a super power) into him and multiple people. The Azure Striker septima was super powerful, and it's just lightning powers. Sumeragi is an energy conglomerate, so they knew they could get a lot more money by using super-powered humans as an energy source. So Gunvolt gets rescued by the resistance (named QUILL) and goes up against them.

He also meets Joule, a kidnapped girl whose septima could be used to find the location of adepts anywhere, in the form of a virtual idol which is basically Hatsune Miku but cooler. QUILL wants him to kill her so that she can't be used to find people anymore, but Gunvolt tells them to fuck themselves and he saves her. QUILL kicks him out, but he still takes missions from them for some reason. These missions are the stages of the game, killing all the bosses that work for Sumeragi to get to Nova, Sumeragi's leader.

Enough about the plot, the game is fun. I recently found it again, and replayed it, getting high scores on most of the levels. It's fantastic. One of the best games I ever played. Did I mention there's 2 sequels?

GUNVOLT 2

Gunvolt 2, the best one. They introduce a guy from the previous game who is racist against people with super powers, Copen, (who got 2 spinoff games later on), because one killed his dad or something.

HIS GAMEPLAY IS FUCKING GREAT. Check out this video of Copen's gamplay, just as an example. He's absolutely fucktastic.

You also play as Gunvolt with a new support team, also, Joule got killed by the end of the first game by Asimov, the leader of the resistance. Yeah, Asimov, who was basically a dad to Gunvolt, betrayed him and wished for him to be the prince in "a new era" of just adepts. Asimov was planning on using Joule's power to KILL EVERY HUMAN. Luckily, Gunvolt and Joule merge and turn overpowered, leading to the best boss fight in the whole series, in my opinion.

Anyway, I'm getting off track. Zonda, a bigender character from the first game with a gem dick and two forms that worked for Sumeragi is now the antagonist of this game.

Also, they're actually not bigender? The true form is actually an 11 year old, which is very weird. Anyway, her new group, "Eden" which plans on eradicating every non-adept off the planet, just like Asimov. Both Copen and Gunvolt are having none of this.

Copen also hates Gunvolt because he's an adept, and he wants to kill every one of them. Gunvolt wants none of the smoke, but Copen still persists on being an asshat, causing fights between them throughout the game when the bump into each other. Joule's soul form is more tiny because most of her power got put into shards which Eden plans to use to kill everyone, so you gotta get them, kill the final boss, kaboom. Also, Mytyl (Copen's sister) was the one who originally had Joule's powers. Her dad was having none of this, so he RIPPED OUT HER SEPTIMA and forced it into Joule, but it comes back into Mytyl for this final fight when she "dies". Look, this shit is really complicated. There's also the real final boss between Copen and Gunvolt which is considered to be the best in the series by many.

This is the best one in my opinion. PLAY IT.

GUNVOLT 3

This just might be the longest section. Everyone's thoughts on it are mostly mixed. So, Gunvolt, right? Well, he actually got a power above a septima and became so powerful he hurt Quinn, a part of this support team. HE THEN TURNS HIMSELF IN TO SUMERAGI SO HE CAN STAY IN CRYOSTASIS. YEARS LATER, WHEN EVERYONE FROM THE PREVIOUS GAMES ARE PROBABLY DEAD, THIS NEW CHARACTER NAMED KIRIN COMES IN TO SUMERAGI AND SAVES GUNVOLT BECAUSE HE WAS HAVING AN OUTBREAK. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

Then, Gunvolt gets relegated to just a different character you can temporarily play as while Kirin is at the forefront.

So Kirin saves these people called "Primal Dragons". Primal Dragons are people who have been effected by "Dragon Radiation" that Gunvolt let out when using technology. This makes them super powerful and makes them evil or something. Gunvolt is also a dog. You save them and they join your team. Anyway, this guy named ZED WHO IS AN ABSOLUTE ICON AND THE ONLY GOOD CHARACTER COMES TO JAPAN IN A GIANT MISSILE PLANNING TO STEAL A DRAGON BABY THAT CHANGES FATE FROM SUMERAGI SO HE CAN BE THE KING OF THE WORLD. I LOVE THIS MAN.

So you have to stop the members of his group that help him get the binding brands, which can unlock where the dragon baby is located. Once he does, the dragon baby is actually super evil and fuses with Gunvolt, making it so you have to fight him.

There's also English voice acting, which I think is really good :) Anyway, Zed has a change of heart and uses his muse to resurrect Kirin after Gunvolt kills her. So there's this really cool fight between them. Once Kirin seals him, the dragon baby was actually preventing Gunvolt from killing everyone, and Gunvolt turns into a baby.

This is the worst way you could end a game. You don't turn your main character into a baby and shoot them into space. Everything about this game was really great, honestly, except for the story. You don't retire a character like this. I am unbelievably pissed. This is so stupid.

These games are great, please buy them or pirate them. Anything to make you experience these wonderful games. Just ignore the story of Gunvolt 3, please.

[alexandriaisburning]

046: Virtua Unlimited Project

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Virtua Unlimited Project owes the Mega Man Zero series a debt so large that it could fund a new entry in the series. Which is good, since it essentially operates as one. With familiar movement, tech, and level design, Virtua Unlimited Project synthesizes and straight up steals many of the aspects that made Inti Creates’ take on Mega Man so memorable. 

But while Inti’s games were known for their ambitious and often uneven shakeups of the formula and unreasonable difficulty, VUP is a more straightforward game, made to be playable by normal human beings. On its hard difficulty, it lands closer to the Mega Man X series in terms of difficulty and structure. 

Protagonist Aizawa Kana is equipped with a saber and buster, and while she never receives any other weapons, there’s plenty of variety in her armament thanks to new techniques earned by each boss. Each boss bestows elemental modifiers, saber techniques or projectiles, alongside a more powerful super attack than can be used when your meter fills. These range from simple shields, screen clearing attacks and even whole new movesets. This is unbalanced as it sounds, but gives you plenty to play with. 

Movement is snappy and fast, with the familiar set of dashes and wall jumps, bolstered by a dive kick that allows you to pogo off of enemies and bosses. None of the recovery frames seen in some Mega Man entries is present here, and combined with generous hitboxes, running through familiar stages is nearly effortless.  

Thanks to this hypereffective toolset, enemies rarely stand a chance, and most stages are likely to provide low resistance unless you push for a higher difficulty or rank. VUP seems to follow the philosophy of the Gunvolt games, allowing you to blunder through the game with unlimited lives and frequent checkpoints, and reserving the real challenge for return trips. 

Without a dedicated way to retry stages, practicing them for the S-rank will be a bit more tedious, but VUP at least allows you to retry bosses an unlimited amount of times, and this was easily where a large chunk of my time ended up going. VUP’s systems drive a mindset not dissimilar to character action games--where finishing a fight is only the initial goal, with the true objective being returning to do it with flawless style. 

With practice you can not only finish a fight without damage, but sometimes even under 30 seconds, thanks to VUP’s combo system. VUP ressurrects Mega Man Zero’s unique combo system, allowing you to attack bosses during their invincibility frames if hit with the right moves. The priority system here is much more intuitive than any of the games in the Zero system, and you’ll generally find big damage payouts simply by chaining charge shots into saber combos or special moves. 

The combo system is rather “loose”, allowing you to get away with many combinations of attacks, in many different orders, to the point that I sometimes wondered if bosses even had invincibility frames. The high damage output is balanced by the lack of stagger on most attacks, forcing you to deliberately put yourself in danger the longer the combo you’re attempting goes on. 

It takes the best part of Mega Man Zero’s combat without the esoteric restrictions and frustrations of it. That can make it feel “sanded off” in comparison, but the variety of expression it gets in exchange feels like a fair trade. 

As smooth as it is in most places, it’s surprisingly unpolished in many others. The most standout issue is the translation, which is generally intelligible but full of grammatical errors, awkward phrases and generally of poor quality. The story it’s telling isn’t too interesting, with some allusions to virtual societies and what is real, but with predictable beats that have been done better, even in other Mega Man Zero style games. 

Aside from a few fun character interactions, there’s little compelling about its narrative or world design, something that was arguably one of the best parts of the series it’s imitating. With such specific and thought out combat, it’s unfortunate that the narrative feels like such an afterthought. 

Even with these clear narrative flaws and limited budget, Virtua Unlimited Project is a clear passion project. I cannot impress enough how much it earns from nailing the sensation of what makes the Mega Man X and Zero games feel good. It’s something that’s so tough to get right, even the series creator’s have struggled to pull it off. 

Virtua Unlimited Project channels that desire that the best action games inspire--the desire to pull something off not because it’s the most efficient or effective, but because it looks so damn cool. It’s that desire to push up against the limits of the system, and see what you can get away with. That makes it not only a worth successor to the Mega Man Zero series, but a worthy entry in the catalog of great action games.  

[ace-does-stuff]

i've lost my ignorance, security, and pride

Summary: Copen never did consider a karma so cruel in his journals when he'd write about the potential of his justified path coming to bite him in the ass, nor does he truly believe it when it's so viciously forced into his face by none other than Nova

Warnings: unethical surgeries, verbal degradation, Nova has something going on, check Ao3 port for full tags

Authors Note: *laughs nervously as I stare at the 2 ppl who like gunvolt on tumblr* so how do ya'll feel about toxic yaoi? cause I got toxic yaoi with a side of unethical surgeries and a title from a Nine Inch Nails song.

"You're such a swine," Nova purred, hand firmly gripping Copen's jaw, "A filthy, worthless, pig."

Copen snarled up at him, "You're one to talk, Adept."

"You're a broken record. Adept, Adept, Adept- it's your favorite word, right up there with justice," Nova said, smug grin slanting to a cruel smirk.

"I'll tear your very heart out in the name of God," Copen threatened, tried too at least. The paralytics holding him down made it very hard to come off half as threatening as he wanted to. He just had to grit his teeth and grimace as soft hands held his face and tainted his skin.

Nove gives a single chuckle, "I doubt you could so much as scratch me in your current state." He takes a step back from Copen who struggles to reach out and claw him open, tug him and punch him, do anything to hurt him in any way possible.

He can manage seething, "I'll sooner die than watch you ruin everything."

Nova claps twice and a row of soldiers file in, "Boys, take him down to the lab, I wish to impart a gift upon him."

Copen's eyes widen as the soliders encroach on him, hands gripping his arms and legs and holding him securely to the point it hurts. The crackling purple remains to hold his joints locked in place and muscles contracted so he can do nothing but breath and take it. When enough hands have him secured, Nova claps once more and they don't hoist him up. The purple Adept leans just enough that they're at eye level, he's grinning this sickly smile that makes Copen feel ill.

"What are you going to do to me?" The hunter questioned.

Nova reaches out to run a finger from Copen's ear too his chin and tilts up, "I'm going to make you despise your very existence."

Nova shoves aside Copen who fumbles for words and writhes to the best of his ability. He watches as the Adept turns his back as he's slowly carried away, dragged on the ground.

"I want him in heavy restraints when I arrive, and I want him awake while I do it."

Copen's blood runs cold as the words sink into his paralyzed body.

-/-/-/-

All Copen can do is stare at the ceiling even after the paralytics have come down, he knows the restraints are too strong for him to break. He's been stripped of his dignity and his pride and his armor, he can't manage much of a fight physically at this point. LED lights sear his eyes as they shine down on him mockingly from the ceiling, he can see the glint of scalpels, needles, and vials from the corner of his eye.

He hears the door open and tries to turn and see it but he awkwardly hits the brace clamped over his neck. It aches from the physical struggling he tried mere moments after being locked in. The struggling earned him nothing but mocking and laughing from useless foot soldiers.

"No need to worry, I have it under control. Thank you for dealing with the first part for me."

It's Nova, he sounds as calm and collected as ever. He steps in and the door slides shut. He shrugs off his regal coat and hangs it up on the door and trades for it an apron.

"You're gonna kill me down here, while I'm vulnerable," Copen declared as Nova washed his hands and hummed a tune.

"I would never," Nova said with a faux tone of offense, he steps over to Copen's restrained form and grabs a marker, "I have something far more sinister in mind."

"You're gonna cut me open? Harvest my organs and let me live out my remaining days without them sickly and frail?" Copen questioned as Nova brought the marker to pale flesh and ran dotted lines across Copen's chest.

"Don't give me ideas now," Nova said with a light laugh as he capped the marker.

Copen took a deep breath, "Than what it is it?"

"You're a smart boy, you'll figure it out," Nova chided as he grabbed the scalpel and pressed it against skin, "This may hurt."

He pressed down and it did hurt, it was a clean type of hurting though. A simple little slice down the front of his chest, from his clavicles to the base of his rib cage. He felt his breath hitch as the pain diffused, it was quick to return when fingers pressed into the slit of flesh. He bit his tongue instead of screaming, body spasming at the unprecedented intrusion.

Nova gave a hum, "Someone doesn't like being fingered. I guess I'll open you up a bit more before we get to penetration." He laughs at his own words and Copen just feels a wave of disgust wash over him at the fact Nova is comparing this to sex. Albeit, in a very subtle and twisted way, but it's a comparison regardless.

The scalpel comes down along two more dotted lines and with one quick motion his chest opens up. He feels extremely nauseated, like he'd vomit if he had anything in his stomach. He dry heaves despite gravity working against him, he convulses and wheezes as fingers prod at his inner muscles. Tracing over the bits on his ribs and tapping his beating heart and pinching at his clavicles.

There isn't the comforting discomfort of latex either, it's just skin on flesh. The taint of an Adept's touch is being ingrained into his being with every passing second of Nova exploring his body in a very unpleasant way. His finger nails dig into his palm into Nova forces them apart with bloody hands.

"Don't hurt yourself, you don't even have reason to hate yourself yet," Nova said in a tone far too soothing for a man so sinister and cruel, but it worked. Copen relaxed, he let his body go as limp as possible because as much as he wants to defy, he knows he can't win this one. Nova grins, "You'll have plenty of reasons to hate yourself soon enough."

A needle is held high, a clear fluid fills it, and then it's plunged into Copen. Close to his heart, but not quite, narrowly missing the most vital of his organs. The glass tube rests nestled against his lung as the fluid is deposited into his body. His breathing starts to slow all the while and the prodding sensation of Nova's fingers inside of him.

Anesthetic, how kind.

Three needles are held this time, red, green, and blue. There's hesitation on Nova's face as he lays them atop Copen's rib cage and contemplates. He grabs red first, "You know, you'll be the first to have three Septima's implanted in your body."

Copen starts struggling again, "You're turning me into an Adept!?"

"I thought that was clear," Nova said smugly as he snapped his fingers, bright purple crackling across Copen once more to paralyze him. He lets a finger, dripping with blood, hover over Copen's lips. The taste of ichor rests heavy on Copen's tongue and he squirms as best he can, the terrible taste of his own blood making him feel ill. Nova smirks a bit, "Now hold still, I don't want to kill you during this process. Although, three at once may kill you in the long run."

As the first of three needles puncture his heart he passes out with a gut wrenching scream that makes even Nova feel nauseated. A rending pain running through every single vein in his body as a Septima is implanted in him. He sees Nova's smug face and a wave goodbye as he fades out of consciousness.

-/-/-/-

When he awakes he finds himself in a hospital bed with stitches running up his front and a crusty sensation coagulating near them. It makes him feel ill, even more when he hears them crackle as he sits up. A sharp sting pierces him and he tries not to hiss as a bare hand clutches at his clothed chest. He's wearing one of those hospital gowns, but the blood and puss and Septimal residue soak into it in the shape of his cuts.

"I wouldn't be moving for a while if I were you," Nova said calmly from where he stood leaning in the doorway, dressed to the nines in his usual outfit. He has a bouquet of flowers in one hand with a gaudy 'get well soon!' card attached, it makes Copen cringe.

"If it'll kill me then I'll make a point of it," Copen snarled as Nova stepped in and ever closer.

Nova chuckled lightly, "You idiot," He doesn't use anything innately insulting which is odd, he's dropped his smug I'm better than you aura. He takes a seat on the foot of Copen's bed, "You're stuck in here now, we won't let you die."

"What do you mean I'm stuck in here?" Copen asked.

Nova was so bold as to reach out and trace along the front of Copen's hospital gown, he smiled the entire time. He pressed just above the heart and Copen winced, "You're stuck with Sumeragi, your Septima's are prone to malfunctioning. They're unstable unless you're here with our technology monitoring you to keep you alive."

Copen goes wide-eyed, "What?"

"You have to stay with Sumeragi, attach yourself to a Glaive, and hope that we'll trust you to use your Septima in taking down QUILL." Nova crawls a little further up Copen's hospital bed, "That or you go out there and wait for the inevitably of a premature death."

"So I have to sit here at your beck and call like a dog or die?"

"You're a smart one, a bit slow, but smart."

If he wasn't already nauseated with how close Nova is too him at the moment he'd feel like vomiting. He goes pale he knows that much and he swears his head starts to spin.

"So," Nova begins, reaching out to touch Copen's face and now there's no divide between them. They've become equally low, Copen's been lowered forcibly to become the same dirt all Adept's are. "What'll it be?"

Copen can't answer, he just tries to look away.

Nova wrenches him back into eye contact, "Did you not hear me, filth?"

"I'll take the Glaive." He submits but he doesn't want too, he submits because he knows he'll find out how to break the leash when he can escape. Until then he'd like to stay alive long enough to shoot down the likes of Gunvolt and the rest of QUILL, even if it means working for Sumeragi.

Nova grins as he pushes himself back, "I'll get it fashioned right away, I'll make sure your armor is reminiscent of what you wore when you tried to defile my name."

[miloscat]

[Review] Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (3DS)

What if Pac-Man was Mega Man but also slow and boring?

I’ve been loyal to Inti Creates ever since I fell in love with Rockman Zero (I played a Japanese import first). They kinda lost me with Gunvolt and I find Gal Gun deplorable but they usually seem like they’re really trying to make compelling action games. I’ve wanted to try this handheld companion game to the 3D platformer console tie in to the modern animated series since I learned they were behind it, and after seeing this reboot’s debut in Dimensions it seemed like a good time for it. As for the game, well, I guess every studio has their phoned-in contract work.

This setting has a surprisingly dark backstory but the actual stories are light and stuffed with “action show for kids” tropes. Pac is a teenager always talking about burgers, grimacing, and hanging out with his hideous friends. He also might secretly be a superhero? Either way, he is “the only one” who can save Pactown in Pacworld or whatever, by eating ghosts which regularly invade via the schemes of their boss Evil McEvilface, er excuse me, “Betrayus”.

A lot of familiar Pac elements are repurposed in occasionally tortured ways: the classic ghost foursome have new designs and are your double agent friends, the fruits exist as transforming vehicles that assist with certain platforming sections, and pellets are central. The small ones, called cookies for some reason, give you lives (again, why have these in a game that you’re intentionally making easier for kids?) and spawn in fruits for points. Power pellets, here berries of the “tree of life”, have elemental alignments that act as your Mega Man powers.

You can pick from a set of six stages, and the action plays out as a sidescroller. Certain stages unlock new abilities, four in all: fire, ice, magnet, and… chameleon. Collectibles can increase your stock of berries, or unlock art or entries in the model viewer. The powers of course can help you in combat and to interact with your environment to find goodies; replaying stages with new powers is encouraged but I opted out, thanks very much. Chameleon is the most fun when given a chance to shine, as its tongue lets you grapple around and best plays into the combo system.

The most interesting thing the game does is this mid-air mechanic. You can multiply your score by eating successive ghosts without landing. Well, score didn’t matter much to me but just pulling off strings is satisfying and sometimes lets you reach new areas. Pac has a single-use Yoshi-like flutter jump and a chomp attack that gives you a horizontal boost and can home in on ghosts. This all could add up to a dynamic and fun movement system but in truth it’s quite stilted and never reaches its full potential.

The combination of mid-air mobility and the powers giving you alternate attacks again could make for really exciting boss fights, and occasionally when you find a specific interaction between a power and a boss weakness there’s moments of brilliance. But most of the time these fights just plod along, waiting for them to become vulnerable. The late-game boss rush only hammers this home.

Inti Create have shown that they can make world-class Mega Man games, whether it’s the slick Zero games or Mighty Gunvolt Burst with its classic vibes and novel customisation. You can see a little tiny bit of that expertise being applied here but it’s not enough. Amusing as it is to meld that gameplay structure and its recognisable characteristics in with this ridiculous setting and its weird try-hard updating of a gaming icon, it just doesn’t amount to much. And that’s a shame, because this could have been something special.

[blazehedgehog]

Do you know any DS/3DS hidden gems that actually are not well known and not the few same games people allways bring up?

Probably not, no. With the GBA, I was deep in the emulation scene for that system. It was fascinating to me that there was a functional emulator before the hardware was even on store shelves (somebody just emulated the raw chips inside the handheld itself). So I was keeping up on new releases via GBAtemp and basically playing a little bit of almost everything.

With the DS, I ended up getting a cheap R4 flashcart near the end of the handheld's lifespan, so I ended up playing a bunch of stuff there, too, though not quite as much as I did with the GBA.

With the 3DS, I didn't come in to it until 2-3 years in to the system's lifespan and though I have a fair few games for it, I never really went deep diving in the indie download scene or anything like that. I've done a little more of that on the Switch.

Like, I dunno. Steamworld Dig is one of my favorite games ever, but that's sort of on everything now. The Mighty Gunvolt games are cute and maybe the best use of Mighty No. 9. Pushmo is great and a lot of people have forgotten about it because it's old news now. All of the Sega 3D Ages games are amazing and legitimately great uses of the 3D slider. I heard okay things about Citizens of Earth. But some of these aren't exactly indies, right?

I suppose the problem is, if you skim something like Metacritic's top 3DS games list, a lot of the indie games are just ports of things that are on everything, like Steamworld Dig and Citizens of Earth.

Skimming the list... I remember hearing okay things about HarmoKnight. I have a friend who is always yelling about how amazing Yokai Watch 3 is and how it totally eats Pokemon's lunch and how everybody ignored it. Lots of people seemed to like the Dillon Rolling Western games. There are enough of these "Witch and Hero" games on the eShop that somebody must like them (but some of them are also on the Switch, too.)

One game I always wanted to try and never got around to was something called "Crash City Mayhem."

There was a DS game called Sideswiped that I absolutely loved to pieces. If you remember a game called Runabout on the PS1 and Dreamcast, Sideswiped was by the same developer. It was different than Runabout, and was basically a Japanese take on Burnout. It was insane and ridiculous and INCREDIBLY fun. Deeply, deeply underrated game.

Crash City Mayhem seemed to be the team's next game, and looking up footage of it now, it seems to be a port/remake of one of the Runabout games (which are basically GTA style open world games but weird and silly). Reviews make it sound very short, though. One review says it would be "their favorite 3DS game" if it was longer.

Super Runabout on the Dreamcast was pretty short, too. I think there was only like, 12 missions in the whole game? So Crash City Mayhem being lean makes sense. The Runabout series were borderline arcade games.

Unfortunately, that's about all I've got.

[megafreak400]

2024 Media Thread - #45

Berserk Boy (12/11/24) -  Score - 7/10

Berserk Boy is a game that’s all about its gameplay. There is a story and characters, but honestly none of it really matters (though one late game plot twist was kind of neat.) In a lot of ways it's very much in line with games from the NES and SNES era. The plot is there but it’s only there to just justify the game existing. The main draw is the action platforming.

The game is divided up into several levels, with 3 levels per world. The main goal is to just reach the end and/or fight the boss. Berserk Boy’s main power is having access to several different forms with different powers, but you’ll only unlock all of them after beating several worlds. Similar to Mega Man, once you beat a boss you obtain their abilities. Unlike Mega Man most of these powers don’t involve any sort of shooting weapon.  The majority of your moves are gonna be more movement based, even a lot of the combat options. For example, the first Berserk power is LIGHTNING JUSTICE. The main way to attack enemies with this form is to dash into them to tag them, then press the b button to zap anything you tagged. It’s actually similar to the main power of the guy from Azure Striker Gunvolt, if that was actually fun to use. It’s also probably the best way to attack enemies, even once you’ve obtained later powers. What’s nice about this game is while there are enemies to beat, most of the game is more about movement. One of the later powers you acquire, while you can attack enemies with it, is a flight based power. Movement is key with this power for obvious reasons, and the game in general is designed with this in mind. In this respect switching between powers to traverse the levels can be a fun time. Unlike Mega Man, there is no meter to drain your power permanently. You can only use some moves so many times due to a meter, but it will also auto fill when you stand still. The result is that there is no reason not to experiment with different powers. Some aspects of the game can be a little janky. One of the later powers, an ice ninja, can be a bit tricky to use when it comes to his DK barrel blast mechanic it has with it. But luckily this only comes up a few times and later on you can use other powers instead so it’s not a game breaker. There is also a whole upgrade system which lets you add moves or improve powers but honestly it feels a bit pointless? I’m not gonna say it isn’t helpful but if it wasn’t there it wouldn’t be missed. It helps too that you can play this game in retro style (with a life system,) or a more modern style (Infinite tries.) Personally, modern is the way to go unless you enjoy pain. Granted I don’t think this game is too difficult even if you chose retro so you’ll probably be fine. It helps that the game is overall short, even if some of the levels I feel drag a bit too long. One aspect I’m indifferent towards is the ‘metroidvania’ aspect the game’s official page touts. Look sorry guys, having to go back to levels with your new powers does not a metroidvania make. Each level has several civilians to rescue as well as B medals to get. A lot of them you can only get once you get powers from later levels. Getting everything in a level unlocks an EX time trial style level, which is neat but not anything mind blowing. You will also need so many B medals to beat the game, but I got the required amount without any backtracking. I don’t hate this, but because you basically will never be able to 100 percent a level until the end, the result is just speeding through the level the first time and then doing a more completionist run the second time. I do like that this makes you play the game faster the first time through, which I think is the ideal way to play. Utilizing the games movement systems are fun and playing a level slow makes less use of them. That said I would argue you don’t even need to have collectables then? But it also doesn’t really hurt the game and if you don’t mind playing levels twice two different ways it works well enough.  The music also slaps, it must be said.

Overall, this is a fine game. It’s a nice breather game between longer affairs and you’ll have fun with it. It’s not going to be like anything you’ve never played before, but that’s not a bad thing. If you like these kinds of action platformer games, you’ll have a good time.

[neomel]

(cause you reblogged that post about asks) What's your favourite game in your collection (not necessarily your favourite one to play)?

I had to think about this one for a while so I'm sorry it took so long to answer!! I love and cherish tons of games in my collection but I'm also not really a hunter of rare games per se? But all n all when thinking it over I'm pretty sure it has to be the original Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon game on Switch.

I had a period of time where I was REALLY invested in the game output of the indie developer Inti Creates, previously behind the Mega Man Zero series and now working independently or as devs-for-hire on various games that fit their wheelhouse. And yeah, the most famous of which is probably Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, a game that just so happened to have gotten a very limited print run through Limited Run Games back when they sucked even harder than they do now. Castlevania fans are CRAZY for owning complete collections and many of them consider Bloodstained just as worth owning as the series its built on, driving the price up even higher. So while I was building my own Inti Creates library, I had kind of just come to terms with the fact that I'd never get to own Bloodstained Curse of the Moon, it'd always be the missing spot in my library or one I'd have to shell out $150+ for.

Come the start of January (2022, I believe?) and I've got the Blaster Master Zero games, Gunvolt, Luminous Avenger iX, and even Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 - I'd again just accepted that the original game was never gonna land in my lap. And yet, when Limited Run Games announces that they're having a beginning-of-year sale of most of their leftover (very limited!!) stock, I still decide to try, to navigate their godawful website and enter my information fast enough to snag a copy of the game (which, again, is in VERY high demand!!)

And somehow: it worked!!!

It was one of the only times I've ever felt like I'd just won the lottery, and even though I of course still had to pay a price (made worse by the shipping...) - this super collectible piece of Castlevania history, but more importantly one of the best games by my favorite video game developer, is now in my hands!!

(also hi im super sorry this took so long for some reason i just never posted it and kept it in the drafts forever????)

[cooplagoop]

[thankskenpenders]

This is not a new take by any stretch of the imagination, but I've always wondered why in MM9 they finally debuted a female Robot Master and then... never did another one? They even swapped around who the female RM was during development like they're only allowed one girl-robot, full stop.

I have no earthly idea. Like yeah, I get that they see Mega Man as a game "for boys" or as like a classic shounen anime so it's mostly gonna focus on male characters. But I have no idea why they thought it didn't feel right to put at least one more female Robot Master in 10 or 11, especially after how much everyone loved Splash Woman. Why does it need to be treated as a special occasion? There are female bosses in the Zero, ZX, Legends, Battle Network, and Star Force games. Even Mighty No. 9 and Azure Striker Gunvolt have multiple female bosses each. It stands out way more to NOT have any female RMs at this point. It's not a total dealbreaker for me (I still think 11's one of the best Mega Men), it's just very weird

But also you're talking to someone who's making a game where like 70% of the characters are girls, so

[owlixx]

Mega Man Entire Series Thoughts

In the end, I am very glad I did this

I beat roughly 30 games (half of X6, half of MM9)

11.5 classic Mega Man Games (including MM and Bass)

5 Gameboy games

5.5 Mega Man X Games

4 Zero Games

2 ZX Games

2 Power Fighters games

That still leaves the 2 Sega exclusive Mega Man games

Soccer and the racing game

The couple wonderswan games

the japan-only oddities like the rail shooter and the digital board games

X7/8 and Command Mission

Powered Up and Maverick Hunter

The street fighter fangame officially blessed by Capcom

All 3 Legends games

Both GBC X games

Mega Man DOS and DOS 3 (lol)

The entire Battle Network and Star Forces subseries

Of what I played, Id probably rank them as such:

Mega Man Classic

Mega Man ZX

Mega Man Zero

Mega Man X

Mega Man Gameboy

I know that is probably a controversial opinion. I think really the biggest takeaway from all of this for me is that I just don't really click with the X sub series as much as everyone else seems to.

Now, in terms of my favorite and least favorite from each subseries:

Classic - best is hard to determine here. I knew 2 was good, but 3, 7, 8, 10, 11 all genuinely impressed me. Even 4-6 each had really cool parts like the inventive robot masters and weapons. 7 suffers from being rushed, 8 suffers from auto scrolling. I think I am going to have to champion myself here as a MM3 defender for the sheer reason that I had always written it off before but was so impressed by it, but 11 was probably the most sheer fun I had due to the accessibility and instant nostalgia baiting. Worst is probably 4 or 5 for being forgettable, at least 6 had the jet pack that I loved.

Gameboy - Easily the best was V and the worst was III just in terms of completely forgetting III and V having all original masters, but I and II get points from I being more novel and II being easier.

X - Easily X5 is the best and X6 is the worst of what I played, but booting up X7 didn't inspire much confidence. X5 feels like a genuine step up from previous games and justifies being a different series from Classic Mega Man more than just having 16 bit graphics, animal bosses, and annoying hidden upgrades. X5 high on my replay-list for having multiple playable characters and branching paths, even if the branching paths are dumb. X6 is so low because of its horrible, soft-lock based level design, annoying bosses, and mandatory collectibles without a password system to bypass them.

Zero: Best is easily 3, worst is probably 1. 4 felt like it was getting a little long in the tooth, but the finale was so cool that I was left with a good taste in my mouth. 1 Just had the least going on, while also suffering from me going through adjustment pains and not being as good at the Zero games yet, which is a little unfair to it.

ZX: Now this one is a little unfair to call either of 2 "best" or "worst", but I think ZX is the better game just for being a bit more focused in its approach to transformations and story. I don't love the map or the plot itself really, but ZX Advent feels incomprehensible plot-wise and a lot of the transformations feel more like tedium than fun. ZX Advent is higher on my replay list though just because the protagonists have more gameplay differences.

So, my replay list is basically just:

Mega Man 10 as proto or bass

Mega Man 11 on a higher difficulty

Mega Man 7/8 just because I like them

Mega Man X5 as Zero

Mega Man ZX Advent as Grey

Mega Man ZX as Vent

Mega Man 1-6 with checkpoints but without rewind (low priority)

And my remaining play list is basically just:

Legends

Battle Network/Star Force

The 2 remakes

X6/7/8/Command Missions (Low Priority)

MAYBE the wonderswan games

Wily Wars and Mega Man Game Gear

Fangames

Although also on my todo list next time I catch the fever is:

Azure Strike Gunvolt

Shovel Knight (never beat the final boss or did the other campaigns)

Gunman Clive

Might Number Nine

20/30XX

Shantae

In the end, I am really glad I did all this and I had a lot of fun. It never really became a slog for me, since I just adjusted the goalpost the second I started to get frustrated (which was when I booted up Mega Man Xtreme for the GBC lol). The main point was to develop a thorough understanding of this series after starting an 8 hour lore video of the entire mega man timeline, which is why battle network was never part of the initial plan. It's funny, by now that video has largely left my memory despite watching all of it obsessivelly over the course of a few days about a month ago.

In fact, I started this journey on November 27 and finished on December 26. 30 games in under a month. I averaged almost exactly one a day.

Anyways, I feel like I achieved my goal. Mega Man is no longer a mystery to me. When I beat every Metroid, every Sonic, all the handheld Castlevanias, that too was a driving goal there: to be able claim understanding of an entire gaming series.

And part of the point as well is to be able to appreciate the gradual differences from game to game, similar to when I watched every James Bond movie back to back over a month. It is hard to appreciate what makes Mega Man 4 unique (charge shot), or IV GB (shop) or even the little things like having a unique icon for each weapon in the weapon select screen, or weapon hotswapping, without playing them all in the exact order they came out. What makes Zero 3 the best Zero game? What is the difference between ZX and Advent? How do all these different subseries look and play differently? You can read about all that, but you can't appreciate it without playing them, even if my appreciation was obscured by playing these games on the easiest difficulties or with outright cheats enabled.

And part of it too was just to meet all 88 robot masters, 64 mavericks, etc. and get to know the weird ones and the dumb ones and the fan favorites and everything in between. Again, you can access that information online, but you can't intuitively detect how charming Gravity Man's level is or how useful Metal Blade is or a 1000 little unique things you can pick up on, most of them really not even on a first playthrough, especially not one like most of mine, but I know a heck of a lot more about Mega Man than I did a month ago.

Already it has been amazing to watch speedruns of 7, 8, Zero 1-4. I am looking forward to seeing ZX run at AGDQ 2023 in just a couple weeks. There is now no music from the series that I haven't heard before.

I am aware that my status as a Mega Man fan is kind of...second class. Playing the games now versus back in the day kind of mandates that. I don't think emulation is inherently "dirty" or even necessarily too "different" from the way these games were originally played, but I can't recreate the context. I can't rent Mega Man 2 from blockbuster and scramble to beat it over a weekend, taking turns with a friend or family member. I can't restrict my knowledge to what gets printed in the issue of Nintendo Power I begged my mom to pick up at the store. Most of all, I can't willingly recreate the patience and tenacity of getting one of these games for Christmas and having to make due with it for months and months at a time, inviting over neighborhood kids to help make progress. I didn't play every single NES game that came out before it, and then every Atari 2600 game before that, and then arcade games of the time as well for all the extra context. And obviously I cheated the hell out of these games so that I could get through them quickly on my first time through.

But I am much more of a Mega Man fan than I used to be, and I'll be right there cheering every time the little blue guy gets a new game announced. I'll scream my lungs out when they announce Mega Man 12, or X9, or Legends 3, or ZX3, or Zero 5, or Battle Network 7, or Star Force 4, or god forbid Mega Man VI in the style of the original GamebBoy (or even Xtreme 3 in the style of the gameboy color LOL). I'll carry along the history of the canceled Legends 3, Maverick Hunter, and Universe games. They're running out of old games to remaster after Battle Network next year, so hopefully that turns into new momentum for Mega Man.

I've kind of shot myself in the foot once again, just like I did with Metroid and Castlevania, getting excited for dead series, or just painfully slow in the case of Metroid. Sonic was kind of in a coma as well when I played those games, although he's since woken back up this year.

I think the big question is: what is the next step for me? The answer is definitely nothing even related to Mega Man for a while. My next retro binge could be anything: Mario and Donkey Kong Country as classic platforming series. I am suddenly remembering that I played almost every Pokemon game as one of my retro binges, and put a good dent in the Final Fantasy series more recently. Kirby is a contender for sure. Modern Fire Emblem isn't crazy. I did most of the MGS series as another binge within the last year or so. I also beat every Kingdom Hearts game not so long ago. So in a nutshell, plus some other stray thoughts, including some more modern game series I have been meaning to play/finish/replay:

Mario

Donkey Kong Country

Kirby

Fire Emblem

Tomb Raider

Splinter Cell

God of War

Crash Bandicoot

Spyro the Dragon

Ratchet and Clank

Sly Cooper

(Paper) Mario (RPG) (and Luigi)

Resident Evil?

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

More modern:

Bioshock 1-2 + Infinite

Fallout 3 -> NV -> 4

Phoenix Wright

Yakuza 0-6

Dragon Age O -> 2 -> Inquisition

Persona 3-5

And finally assorted visual novels:

Ghost Trick

Hotel Dusk 1-2

AI the Somnium files

Danganronpa

Disco Elysium (kinda)

But here is what I am actually going to play next:

Sonic Frontiers - Loved Sonic Prime and Im halfway through but just been busy with Mega Man

Hades - gf is playing for first time so I have itch to replay, its already my number one favorite video game of all time with a bullet

Fortnite - I wanna get doom slayer this season

Whatever my best friend plays - Could be Danganronpa, Crisis Core, Death Stranding, Phoenix Wright, Dragon Age

Vampire Survivors - been meaning to get the DLC as soon as I finish Mega Man

Anyways, this ended up being way too rambling, but I needed to get all this off my chest. Bottom line, I love Mega Man now.

[ravenwolfie97]

2020 Art Summary

Yep, it’s 2021 already. 2020 is finally over. It felt like it lasted forever, and it felt like the end would never come, but here we are. Crazy how the time flew by.

I felt like I didn’t get much art done this year because of Current World Event, but I made a lot more than I thought I did. Even some of my new favorite pieces came out of this year, so I think that’s worth celebrating and looking back upon!

I was insanely productive during the first month of 2020, and looking back I was surprised at all the stuff I did, but then I remembered that that winter season was actually one of the best times of my life! I started being more socially involved, and I think my newfound drive at the time translated into all the art I pumped out this month. This is just a small fraction of what I made in January, but I only have so much space. Quite a few complex pieces in both style exploration and polishing my own style.

Apparently February was a rather intimate month. Things began to slow down in terms of my own art here, with me spending more time in social settings and school work ramping up, I didn’t have as much time to coop up in my room to draw. I did wanna do something for a friend’s Valentine’s Day OC art challenge, so I drew my lovey-dovey couple from Dance of 1000 Words havin’ a dance. Nothing actually came of that challenge, but it was fun to do regardless.

One of the things I was most proud of in the winter season was making more friends, and one of the closest friends I made was completely coincidental. I met a person named Kiri on the bus one night I decided to volunteer somewhere by myself, and we ended up chatting and getting along. They quickly told me their tumblr username, and I shot them a message immediately after they left. A couple days later, we met up for brunch, and we started becoming really close friends and creative partners!

Not much else happened in March cuz that’s when Current World Event started becoming an issue, but Kiri and I still kept in close touch and we randomly started developing a concept for a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Galar Edition. These are a handful of characters we thought up, with Skipper the Scorbunny and Dross the Dreepy as the main characters, Morgrem as the main antagonist, and some shopkeepers such as those of the Greedent Bank and the Indeedee General Store. This was also my first time drawing all of these Galar Pokemon (except Scorbunny, but I also made Skipper a bit more unique than a regular Scorbunny).

Lots of events happened this month. First of all, Steven Universe Future ended, one of my favorite and most influential shows was no longer continuing. I had to do something as tribute, both as a send-off to one of the greatest cartoons in the world and as a cathartic release for my feelings towards it.

A while later, I got the opportunity to start playing an MMO in beta called Fer.al, by the same people who made Animal Jam, which coincidentally I had also beta tested for back in the day. I ended up getting really attached to my first character, a Senri I named Sasha, and though I’ve made more characters than them since, they’re still my absolute favorite. Though I haven’t touched the game in a few months, I was really engrossed for a long time and enjoyed playing through the beta and early access phases.

At the end of the month, some friends of mine invited to a roleplay group with some mutuals, and we all played characters in a crime syndicate. Just a bunch of ragtag thieves and criminals who ended up together in order to protect an artifact called the Crown of Thieves, which was essentially a flag to be taken by other groups to prove that they are the best thieves in the land. My character was based heavily on my sona (if it wasn’t obvious) and was also influenced by Cloud Strife, since the FFVII Remake had just come out and I was super into watching the cutscenes at the time. My character’s (code)name is Valkyrie, and they are a mercenary, going between multiple different employers to carry out whatever duties they need to do. They have a more complicated backstory, but presently they were recently hired by recommendation of their friend Shark (played by @shmoots-universe​ who is also My friend now ily maya) who works with a group called the Court Cards who are currently in possession of the Crown of Thieves. Valk never really had a place to call home, but staying with this group of people had to be the closest they could get to that feeling. They still sleep with a knife under their pillow because of trust issue but that’s okay.

Okay, so technically these examples started in April, but I continued making content with them in May, and the month was just pretty void of art in general, so here I am addressing them.

There were two main things I worked on this month: a Steven Universe AU of my own and the whole #sixfanarts thing that kicked off around then. Let’s start with the fanart bits. I did two and a half of them (six in April and nine in May), and it was so much fun to be able to draw stuff I don’t normally do! My personal favorites are shown here: Blake Belladonna from RWBY, Roll from Megaman, Yuki Konno from Sword Art Online, and Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The other thing I’d been planning for a while was a Steven Universe AU, probably to cope with the show being over but also because I was inspired by a lot of those SU AU artists I started following at the time. I won’t share the details here because it’s gonna have its own blog at some point, but the example I’ve shown here is of a comic I made loosely in order to introduce a divergence in the plot of the story as well as introduce a character unique to my AU. It was a lot of fun figuring out how to draw the characters and get a feel for the style.

As the year progressed, my amount of art I made per month began to dwindle, this time mostly because school was kicking my ass especially hard with finals. However, I took what time I had to get some backburner pieces finished, like the Tigerlily picture which I sketched out a couple months back, and the Gunvolt picture which I started working on SIX YEARS AGO. I don’t quite know why I got the urge to work on it again after so long, but it was nice to finally realize. The other drawing for DOTS was done in the dead of night but I was really happy with how it came out.

Despite only having two summer classes left of school, this month was really rough because they demanded a lot of my time and attention. I did not have the gumption to do anything digital, so I stuck to my sketchbook to get out what I felt like getting out.

My friends and I did a stream of the game Helltaker, and I really enjoyed the concept, so in following my friends I made my own Helltaker demon OC named Raksha the Ravenous Demon (it’s a pun but also got mythical insp). I also got super into Hazbin Hotel at this point, mostly because the Addict music video dropped and I couldn’t get enough of it, so I doodled Angel Dust cuz I felt like it. The other drawing I did was actually a free commission I gave a friend of mine as a prize for a trivia game show I ran back in June. He along with a couple other friends got some free drawings from me for getting the top three scores, and this one in particular was fun because of how interesting it was. He wanted me to draw a video game reviewer called the Irate Gamer from a specific moment, and I decided to go ham and just make it as dramatic as possible.

University classes finally wrapped up and right after that I was in the process of moving out of my apartment and getting adjusted to living with my parents again. I did a couple of agg.io drawing sessions with my friends from the Court Cards group as well as a new Dungeons and Dragons homebrew group I had joined. I drew some more of Valkyrie and came up with a design for my DND character Qakuqtuq (or Kai for short). He is monkey grandpa and I love him.

My main focus was on finishing a polished piece for my friend Cake, whose birthday was in the upcoming month. I wanted it to be as amazing as possible, so I put a lot of time into getting more detailed and making them look good. In addition to that, I did a few TOME doodles just for fun. The creature on the bottom was for this month’s art challenge on my Discord server where we made original TOMERPG monsters, and I created Hundylow, a Crystal-element monster based on the Grindylow from English folklore.

This month was a lot more productive than the past few had been. I tried to do a 31-day art challenge called Creatober but failed to get past the third prompt because I was still swamped with other work. I’m still happy with what little I did, including the piece with my characters Kyle and Guarudan from DSWD.

I don’t remember how, but I also suddenly rediscovered an old Flipnote Hatena series called Tales of LostClan, a Warriors fan series that I would say was the most obscure thing I’ve ever been super invested in. It was what got me into the actual Warriors books, and I liked it so much I redrew the animations into a comic... twice. Didn’t get nearly as far the second time but clearly my love for this little fanfiction had not waned after nearly a decade. I felt like drawing a book cover/movie poster for the series, just to get it out there and see how much I’ve improved over all that time.

Also I felt like making a vampiresona just before Halloween because I never dress up for Halloween in art (or real life anymore, for that matter), and I wanted to do something like that for once. It was short-lived but I really liked the design!

The focus of this month was definitely on Pokemon stuff. As per usual I contributed to the current Gotta Draw ‘Em All collab, and I was tasked to draw Regieleki. It was really fun to figure out how to make it stand out and look like it was made of electricity.

I also committed a lot of my spare time to my Fakemon Gym Leaders, as I had been working on bringing them to life in the past year or so now. As of this post, I’ve finished rendering their full body poses and gym badges, but I’m still working on completing all eight VS portraits, the first half of which are shown here.

I... didn’t draw anything this month, actually. What I’m showing here was worked on in the last few days but has actually been in progress for a couple of months, and I just finished it earlier today, in 2021. But I needed to show something off, and it’s also about time I mentioned it.

Back in October, I kept seeing people rave about this game called Genshin Impact, and I was interested but not so much as to start playing it... until my friends started playing and I was like “fuck it, let’s download it”. Since that day, I have been super immersed and in love with this game, to the point I came up with my own canon based on my gameplay experiences. This also included the creation of an original player character: Astra, the non-binary Traveller. And now, I’ve finally drawn them and brought them to life.

It has been one hell of a year. I had some of the highest highs and lowest lows in 2020, lots of changes, and I have now officially moved onto the next chapter of my life now that my time at university is finally over. I’m very excited for what 2021 has to offer, and I’m going to go forward with great ambition.

[journaloftomfooleryandjapery]

All the TOP 10 OF THE DECADE posts made me want to make one of my own, so here’s my 10 fave games this decade:

Yakuza 0  Shovel Knight  Nier Automata  Metal Gear Rising  Gunvolt Chronicles Luminous Avenger IX Final Fantasy XV   Scott pilgrim vs the world the game Undertale Persona 5  Doom

Danganronpa 2, New Vegas, Touhou Luna Nights, Katana Zero and Mario Odyssey all only barely missed out, and it was a tough decision not to include them. I loved the shit out of those games but thinking it through I decided they were just slightly less loved by me than the above.

Below the cut are some extended thoughts (of varying length) on the games included:

Just CTRL F if you wanna find a specific one

Yakuza 0

Every Yakuza game is delightful and this is definitely the best one, in my opinion. The Yakuza games appeal to me for a lot of reasons: the combat, the story, the variety of activities, the look of it all and the music. I feel like its a very unique game experience with its blend of weird in-depth side activities, serious crime drama, manly man masculine combat friendship melodrama, metal gear-esque convoluted conspiracies and a surprisingly compassionate view of the world it takes place in. 

The combat is what drew me in initially because it just feels good, the feedback of stomping on a dudes face in yakuza is delivered perfectly, and the attacks are brutal, hard and flashy. Its a very solid and satisfying combat system and in 0 its the best it has ever been. The ability to switch between 3 different and equally fun fighting styles on the fly really lets you mix things up and adapt your approach, every style feels fun and useful. If i had to pick a favorite it would be slugger, but its a tough choice, and they are all very viable and FUN.

Yakuza 0 also gets big points for having the best story in the series. The protagonists feel much more interesting in this era, the fights feel more earned in this game than others, the relationships are incredibly touching (I’m almost mad majima didnt stay with makoto) and the substories (and some parts of the main story) are the funniest they’ve ever been. Stuff like the quasi-stealth mission where you have to make sure women don’t see you buying a porn magazine for a child, and the extended scene of kiryu trying to guess the right business manners for a meeting had me laughing so much i was i was almost in physical pain.

The extensive business and host club substories get you tons of extra game content and are good enough to almost be there own game. The other games in the series have extended side activites of varying quality, but i think 0 had a rare case of all of these being, basically, perfect. The team obviously agrees since host club management came back repeatedly, but never as good as it was here.

Being set in the 80s elevates almost everything in the game because of the outfits, money flying out of every enemy you attack, the classic sega games you can play at the arcade (Outrun is so much fun and I’d have never have given it a proper go otherwise) and the disco minigame everyones made a meme out of (that music is so catchy).

As a final note this game has the best boss fights and music in the series, which is a very high standard to surpass when you look at the rest of the series. The dual final boss fights, the recurring boss for kiryu and almost every majima fight are highlights of the entire series for me. 

0 is going to end up being one of the few games I’ll never sell my copy of because i want it available for me to play forever, its a complete delight.

Shovel Knight

This game has been analysed to hell and back, so i wont have much original to say i suppose. Admittedly i did enjoy the first campaign but it didnt completely win me over, plague knights campaign and beyond was what really made this an all time greats for me. It’s one of very few games that gets the NES+SNES platforming appeal 100% right and essentially surpasses most games of the day, with almost perfect pacing, challenge and level design. IT helps that the whole world and story and look is charming as all hell. It’s an easy game to love and the more you play it the more that feels justified. Being PACKED with great content is also a plus. If you liked the first campaign you can just keep going through a set of campaigns about as good that only really rehash some level assets. I would say its one of the best 2D platformers ever for me, if not quite my true number 1.

ALSO JAKE KAUFMAN KNOCKS IT OUT THE PARK WITH THIS SOUNDTRACK

Since i have little else to add to the shovel knight discussion, here’s my ranking/thoughts on each campaign

Plague of shadows. BEST storyline, great levels with a really cool gameplay gimmick, the characters are all cute and the ending really makes me feel for him. both sorry for him at first and then a very real AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW for LOVE

King of cards. king knight is just fun as hell to play as, he doesnt have that many tools but his movement is just crazy fun and i love the flair in all his animations. also has that rad final boss. joustus is ok i guess.

Shovel of hope. uuuuuuh what can i even say about this. its good, and the melancholy dream bits add a lot to the mood of the story. we’ve already analysed this campaign within an inch of its life i dont think i can say anything new. wish we could fight the battletoads on pc.

Specter of torment. still fun and i appreciate the tone change, but i didnt care as much for the characters and the mega man-esque level select doesnt suit shovel knight imo. specter knight has a lot of fun movement options though. mainly i just love GRINDING and the diagonal slash. i dont give a fuck about reize

Nier Automata

I feel a tiny bit ashamed i have so little to say about this considering it is one of the most emotional experiences i have ever had with a story. If i lsten to the final version of weight of the world i still cry just from remembering this game and how it made me feel. i think its one of the greatest narratives of the century but i can barely get across the appeal to anyone who hasnt already played it. its a story about hope, despair and the nature of the human race that never feels like its preachy or pretensious or taking on more than it can handle. it made me feel all kinds of emotions deeply and intensely, it genuinely made me burst into tears about 10 times, maybe more. even putting aside the ggrand narrative, theres so many cool character moments and bits of world building and visual eements and tragic little side stories that you would need a whole book to talk about them all while doing any real justice to them. i loved it so much that im paying £70 to see an orchestra do the soundtrack live. I want to hug and kiss 2b and 9s better. i just love it deeply and i find it hard to explain why it makes me feel that way, but its a dark beautiful and hopeful story where every moment feels earned. the despair of the story giving way to genuine hope with the rest of the world helping you fight for it is such an intensely emotional moment that you could never replicate outside of this kind of story and medium. how the fuck do i explain that to anyone that doesnt already get it. I’m glad this game exists

Metal Gear Rising 

Well, complete tone shift here. Platinum made a lot of great action games in the last decade that all dig into that same itch for DODGE SLOW MOTION BANG BANG BANG alongside great soundtracks, visuals and awesome set piece moments. Just intense, flashy, awesome combat. Picking a favorite of the decade was the hard part, because a platinum game had to be one of my faves of the decade. The closest was transformers, but mgr has a couple of things about it that put it above the rest of the platinum catalog for me.

The story actually works very well at still being metal gear while in the platinum formula, its about the cycle of violence and FINDING YOUR OWN PURPOSE and it works weirdly well. The strangest part is that it feels like a legitimate sequel to metal gear 4 tonally while still being the crazy action game it is

Raiden is just super fun to play as, while I’ll always miss the DODGE SLOWMO in a platinum game parry and zandatsu give a great flow to fights and there’s real exhilaration to parrying a hard chain of attacks and tearing out a bunch of enemies spines at once every time

raiden is also just  a fun protag, it truly allows me to embrace that kind of stereotypical edgy cool anime swordsman he embodies

BEST PLATINUM SOUNDTRACK DO NOT @ ME

Bosses just rule

one of the best final bosses ever, in my opinion? maybe that’s controversial, but armstrong gets an insane amount of characterization and pure PRESENCE out of such a small amount of screen time and the fact he feels like such a perfect rival to raiden so quickly is kind of nuts to me. within about half an hour you are ready for the ultimate final showdown with everything at stake, and then the gameplay 100% delivers on that with a fight that is challenging as hell and just feels climatic and intimidating. its a little thing, but having this dude just smack you around with his hands and almost no fighting skill after a game filled with crazy flippy cyborg ninjas makes him feel TOUGH and the way you finish him off? it just rocks, plain and simple. I don’t think i need to justify slices a massive dudes chest open and ripping out his giant still beating robot heart as the music climaxes and our cool edgy protag literally says WE’RE DONE HERE. truly, it has to be this way.

Gunvolt Chronicles Luminous Avenger IX 

For fast twitchy 2d platformers this barely beat out Katana Zero and Touhou Luna Nights, but i think its just a little better. The skill ceiling on this game is high as hell and once you really get to grips with it, its an experience you cant find anywhere else. its just satisfying as hell to be able to get through the point where you can ZOOM  through these levels by making use of copen’s dash and lock-on and weapons well enough. once you get good enough to get through a hole level without touching the ground, you just cant go back. I liked this enough to get an S rank on almost every level. this game just rules, man.

story, art and music are all great as well. but they pale in importance next to zippy jetpack zoom zoom fun time.

also great for having a cool twist that i genuinely did not see coming at all

Final Fantasy XV   

For context, my experience of FFXV was not the base game so i cannot personally address the concerns of the version at launch, which i hear from others was a total mess! The game has been updated and changed so much that it is probably almost unrecognizable aside from the absolute base aspects of it. The version i am talking about is, as far as we know, the “final” version released right before Episode Ardyn. There was of course an update after this, but it only added DLC compatibility and a few items, so it means very little in the grand scheme. I also played all of the dlc and watched all the periphery material to get the full, messy disjointed experience. it is also worth noting that the only other FF game i have played is the classic title Mario Hoops 3 on 3 Basketball. I feel it important to tell you this before getting into things so that you can have a full idea of the perspective i come at the game from.

This was chosen over Mario Odyssey and someone will probably kill me for that. I just think its a great emotional story that does a fantastic job of making you care for all the characters, and the world feels massive and full of cool stuff to see. It’s my favorite open world game and i love The Boys.  its not the kind of thing i usually play but i think it genuinely had a great story and its a very fun game to just explore and spend time in. ffxv truly understands the emotional bond between The Lads and it is fun to kill big monsters with your party

(they kinda ruin the last cutscene in english, in japanese he says I LOVE YOU GUYS and it makes me cry but in english he goes U GUYS ARE THE BEST which just isnt the same. a small nitpick though. a lot of this game made me cry regardless, its just great at creating an emotional bond)

I admire the insane level of ambition in the visuals and scope, and i bought every dlc for it because it was just that good. the ifrit boss fight and all the giant monsters are just amazingly epic in scale. the “found a cool rock” post is what i truly admire about this game summed up. 

all the ancillary material for the game is great and worth getting into, with the exception of the Comrades multiplayer expansion. Everything else adds depth to the story and the world without being entirely necessary for you to get through the story. the anime and the dlc all really feel worth getting into without being something you have to see to get The Full Experience

the giant monsters are cool

Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game

Being from 2010 this game only just makes it in, but it was my favorite beat em up this decade and a source of great nostalgia for me. It had a pretty big impact on music and art tastes in regards to games, and in retrospect this games existence was very much a dream team scenario. Paul Robertson is a great sprite artist who does a lot of good work, Anamanaguchi have gone on to become one of my favorite bands (another winter is still one of their best tracks imo) and at the time this came out i was obsessed with scott pilgrim. That plus the beat em up gameplay makes this kind of a perfect blending of a lot of my specific tastes. Playing this brings me back to the time in my school life that i played it very distinctly, a more comfortable time in my life for sure, and i think the game still stands up excellently. I hope that someday it will get a rerelease so others can enjoy it. I give this another play through every year or so, but i wish id gotten the dlc while it was still available

Doom

ITS VIOLENT ITS FAST ITS FUN ITS METAL

i like this game because of the intense adrenaline rush and violent catharsis it gives me, essentially a constant dopamine rush

fun game good

Undertale

I’m glad i got to this before the massive wave of spoilers and popularity came about. It’s a great story with some fun gameplay, and i think SANS UNDERTALE was one of the best boss fights this decade. Its a shame that for so many new players this experience is going to be ruined by spoilers

Persona 5 

Danganronpa 2 and fallout new vegas were close contenders for this last spot. I actually made a post about my thoughts on this game before https://journaloftomfooleryandjapery.tumblr.com/post/184341270554/nue-is-great-love-his-goofy-design-when-life-will but essentially 

Essentially, its got a great cast of characters, a cool slick look, great monster designs, a fun gameplay loop of collecting monsters and grinding stats while waiting for the next big event, and a surprisingly good story

No idea if royal is any good, but its on a pretty small list of games that i might actually take the time to replay

[vadous]

Gunvolt 1 miscellaneous

Can’t believe I never got to make this post after all this time (facepalm)

Go to: GV1 Op Stage

Index of Contents:

GV’s Skills

All-purpose / other texts

Loading Screens

The Sumeragi Swords

Quests

Materials

Equipment

GV’s Skills:

Spark Calibur:

煌くは雷纏いし聖剣

Kirameku wa kaminari matoishi sei ken

Sparkling thunder-wrapped holy blade…

蒼雷の暴虐よ敵を貫け

Sorai no bougyaku yo teki wo tsunaruke

Azure lightning’s outrage: pierce the enemy…

Voltic Chain:

閃く雷光は反逆の導

Hirameku raikou wa hangyaku no shirube

The flashing lightning is the guidance of counter-attacking…

轟く雷吼は血潮の証

Todoroku raikou wa chishio no akashi

The roaring thunder-roar is the bloody proof…

貫く雷撃こそは万物の理

Tsuranuku raigeki koso wa banbutsu no kotowari

The piercing thunder is the reason of the Universe…

Lightning Sphere:

天体の如く揺蕩え雷

Tentai no gotoku tayutae ikazuchi

Lightning that vibrates and rinses like the heavens…

是に到る総てを打ち払わん

Kore ni itaru subete wo uchiharawan

Smash all that you meet across your path.

All-purpose / others:

Mission muttering:

【Leave alone】

GV:

いつまでも休憩しているわけにはいかないな…

Itsu made kyuukei shiteiru wake ni wa ikanai na…

I can’t be resting forever…

【Pinch】

GV:

…くっ…まだだ…！

… Kuu… Mada da…!

Kuh… Not yet!

【Exceed standard time】

GV:

……ちょっと時間をかけすぎたか…

Chotto jikan wo kake sugita ka…

Maybe I’m taking too long…

【Morpho’s songs】

Morpho:

『がんばって…GV』

『Ganbatte… GV』

『Do your best… GV』

GV:

この歌は…

Kono uta wa…

This song…

【Morpho’s song (When kidnapped)】

Morpho:

『GV…』

GV:

待っていて…シアン！

Matte ite… Shian!

Wait for me… Cian!

【SONG OF DIVA】

Morpho:

『こんなところで終わらせない！』

『Konna tokoro de owarasenai!』

『I won’t let it end here!』

『あなたは死なせない…』

『Anata ni wa shinasenai…』

『I won’t let you die…』

『立ち上がって…GV！』

『Tachiagatte… GV!』

『Stand up… GV!』

【Get small jewel】

GV:

これは…

Kore wa…

This is…

小さな宝石を拾い上げた――

Chiisana houseki wo hiroiageta.

You picked up a small jewel.

GV:

こんな場所に宝石が…

Konna bashi no houseki ga…

How odd for a jewel to be here…

シアンにあげれば喜ぶかもしれないな…

Shian ni agereba yorokobu kamo shirenai na…

If I give it to Cyan I guess she’ll rejoice…

Cyan’s muttering (Post-credits):

Cyan:

『――GV…わたしはずっと、あなたのそばに……』

『… GV… Watashi wa zutto, anata no soba ni…』

『… GV… I’ll always be by your side…』

Gino’s voicemail (Defeat 1 Sword):

GV:

ジーノからボイスメールが届いている…

Jiin kara boisu meeru ga todoiteiru…

A voicemail from Gino has arrived…

Gino:

『GV、聞いたぜ！』

『GV, kiitaze!』

『GV, I heard ‘bout it!』

『ナーガ…だったか？　新しい避雷針（ダート）カートリッジを手に入れたんだってな！』

『Naaga… Dattaka? Atashii hiraishin (daato) kaatorijji wo te ni iretan datte na! 』

『Naga… Was it? You have a new Lightning Rod (Dart) Cartridge!』

『当たり前だが、避雷針（ダート）は装備しなけりゃ使えねぇぜ？　…ま、オヤクソクってヤツ？』

『Atarimae daga, hirashin (daato) wa soubi shi nakerya tsukaeneeze? Ma, oyakusoku tte yatsu?』

『Obviously enough, they can only be used when you equip them! Guess it’s a cliché?』

『あとアレだ　素材！』

『Ato are da, sozai!』

『And, also… The materials!』

『ミッションをクリアした時に素材アイテムを手に入れなかったか？』

『Misshon wo kuria shita toki ni shozai aitemu wo te ni irenakatta?』

『Didn’t you get some materials when you cleared the mission?』

『素材アイテムがたくさん集まれば、ショップで新しい装備アイテムを開発できるんだ』

『Shosai aitemu ga takusan atsumereba, shoppu de atashii soubi aitemu wo kaihatsu dekirun da』

『If you gather a lot of material items then you can develop equipment items in the shop.』

『装備とショップ…どっちもLボタンでメニューを開けば、行えるぜ』

『Soubi to shoppu.. Docchi mo L botan de menyuu wo hirakeba, okonoeruze.』

『Equipment and shop… Both can be executed by opening the menu with the L Button!』

Asimov’s voicemail (Defeat 2 Swords):

GV:

アシモフからボイスメールが届いている…珍しいこともあるものだ

Ashimofu kara boisu meeru ga todoiteiru… Mezurashii koto mo aru mono da.

I’ve received a voicemail from Asimov… Talk about a rare happening.

Asimov:

『GV、クエストは受けているか？』

『GV, kuesuto wa ukete iru ka?』

『GV, are you undertaking Quests?』

『普段のミッションに特殊な条件を付け加えるのがクエストだ』

『Fudan no misshon ni tokushuu na jouken wo tsukekuwaeru no ga kuesto da.』

『Quests are special conditions added to normal missions.』

『クエストは同時に3つまでしか受けることができないが…』

『Kuesto wa douji ni mitsu made shika ukeru koto ga dekinai ga…』

『You can’t accept more than 3 quests at the same time yet…』

『受けるのは無料――達成すれば報酬が出る』

『Ukeru no wa muryoku… Tasseisureba houshuu ga deru. 』

『Undertaking them is free… If you achieve them you’ll be rewarded.』

『失敗したからといって特に罰則があるわけではない…気楽に受けるといい』

『Shippaishita kara to itte toku ni bassoku ga aru wake de wa nai.. Kiraku ni ukeru to ii. 』

『There’s not going to be any any penalty if you fail… So undertake them without worrying.』

『クエストはメニュー内のクエストリストから受けることができる』

『Kuesto wa menyuu nai no kuesto risuto kara ukeru koto ga dekiru.』

『You can undertake the Quests from the in-menu Quest List.』

『ミッションをクリアするたびに追加されるため、チェックしてみるといい』

『Misshon wo kuria suru tabi ni tsuika sareru tame, chekku shite miru to ii』

『More are added as you clear missions so check them out.』

『以上だ――グッドラック』

『Ijou da… Guddo rakku.』

『That’s all… Good luck.』

Special Missions:

Title:

挑戦状

Chousenjou

Challenge

Briefing:

Cyan:

このミッションはゲーム本編をクリアーした人向けの超高難度ミッション――

Kono misshon wa geemu honpen wo kuriaa shita hitomke no chou kounando misshon…

This mission is a super-difficult mission aimed at those who have cleared the main game…

“スペシャルミッション”だよ

“Supersharu misshon” da yo.

A “Special Mission”.

腕に自信があるのなら、受けてみるといいかも

Ude ni jishin ga aru no nara, ukete miru to ii ka mo.

You might try them out if you’ve got confidence in your skills.

Description:

これは、無間地獄への誘い

Kore wa, mugen jigoku he no sasoi

This is an invitation to the infinite Hell…

踏破できずともなんら恥じることはない

Touhadekizu to mo nanra hajiru koto wa nai.

You needn’t feel ashamed if you can’t complete it…

完膚なきまでの絶望を…あなたに

Kanpunaki made no zetsubou wo… Anata ni…

I shall… grant despair to your whole body…

Load Screens:

Screen 1:

FILE No.001111 CATEGORY:α

FEATHER

過激化する皇神グループの施策に対抗するため、海外のとある人権団体のメンバーが中核となり組織されたレジスタンスグループ。

Kagekikasuru Sumeragi guruupu no shisaku ni taikou suru tame, kaigai no toaru jinken dantai no menbaa ga chuukaku tonari soshikisareta reshistansu guruupu.

A resistance group organized by some overseas human rights organizations at its core so as to resist Sumeragi’s radicalizing policies.

能力者の自由を掲げ、皇神に対しゲリラ戦や、皇神に囚われた第七波動能力者の救出などを繰り返している。

Nouryokusha no jiyuu wo kakage, Sumeragi ni taishi gerira sen ya, Sumeragi ni torawareta dai nana hadou nouryokusha no kyushuu nado kurikaeshiteiru.

They carry out guerilla battles against Sumeragi and rescue of 7th Wave Psychics imprisoned by Sumeragi for the freedom of the Psychics.

Screen 2:

FILE No.000666 CATEGORY:γ

SUMERAGI GROUP

電力会社を中心とした巨大複合企業体。国内のエネルギー供給を一手に担う他、

Denryoku gaisha wo chuushin toshita kyodai  fukugou kigyoutai. Kokunai no enerugii kyoukyuu wo itte ni ninau hoka,

A gigantic conglomerate with a power company as its core. Apart from the nationwide energy supply…

通信報道機関から宇宙開発、軍事産業までも手がける超巨大企業であり、政界に対しても

Tsuushin houdou kikan kara uchuu kaihatsu, gunji sangyou made mo te ga keru chou kyodai kigyou de ari, seikai ni taishite mo…

They also are a super-gigantic corporation that gets involved in communications news agencies, space development and the military industry as well. When it comes to politics…

多大なる影響力を有していることから、この国の実質的な支配者とさえ言われている。

Tadainaru eikyouryoku wo yuushite iru koto kara, kono kuni no jisshitsu tekina shihaisha to sae iwareteiru.

They own gigantic influence ability and they are called the country’s substantive rulers.

エネルギー研究の過程でいち早く第七波動に目をつけた企業であり、第七波動に関する技術は世界の中で最も進んでいる。

Enerugii kenkyuu no katei de ichi hayaku dai nana hadou ni me wo tsuketa kigyou de ari, dai nana hadou ni kansuru gijutsu wa sekai no naka de mottomo susundeiru.

They were the ones who set their eyes faster on the 7th Wave during the process of energy research, and they have the most advanced 7th Wave – related tech in the whole world.

現在、第七波動を制御する技術は皇神グループのみが有している。

Genzai, dai nana hadou wo seigyo suru gijutsu wa Sumeragi guruupu nomi ga yuushiteiru.

Currently, only the Sumeragi Group owns tech to control the 7th Wave.

Screen 3:

M2204:Fw/mk-5

E.A.T.R

フェザーから支給されている対戦車用に開発されたレールライフル。基本設計は『Fe-005』と共通規格。

Fezaa kara shikyuu sareteiru tai sensha you ni kaihatsu sareta reeru raifuru. Kihon sekkei wa 『Fe-005』to  kyoutsuu kikaku.

A rail rifle supplied by Feather and developed to be an anti-tank weapon. The basic design shares the same standard as the 『Fe-005』.

有効射程500M、秒速7kmで撃ち出される弾丸は、対象を確実に『捕食』する。

Yuukou shatei 500M, byousoku 7km de uchidasareru dangan wa, taishou wo kakujitsu ni 『hoshoku』 suru.

With a useful range of 500M and a speed of 7 km/s, the shot out bullet will always unmistakably 『predate』the target.

超長距離迎撃を行う場合、緻密な計算など使用者に高度なスキルが必要とされる。

Chouchou kyori geigeki wo okonau baai, chimitsuna keisan nado shiyousha ni koudo na sukiru ga hitsuyou to sareru.

When being used for ultra-long-range intercepting, the user needs to have hi-level skill and precise calculations.

Screen 4:

Go2044 ORSO　GOM71 TOPO

フェザーから支給されているシープス2用のアサルトライフル。

Fezaa kara shikyuu sareteiru shiipusu tsuu you no asaruto raifuru.

An assault rifle used by Sheep’s 2 and supplied by Feather.

アンダーバレル式グレネードランチャー及びドットサイトを装着しており、高火力・高精度を実現している。

Andaa bareru shiki gureneedo ranchaa oyobi dottosaito wo souchakushiteori, koukaryoku -  kouseido wo jitsugen shiteiru.

It can be equipped with an under-barrel-style grenade launcher or a dot sight: it achieves high firepower and high precision.

また、射撃モードはフルオートとセミオートで切り替えが可能なため、戦況に合わせた立ち回りが可能。

Mata, shageki moodo wa furo ooto to semi ooto de kiriake ga kanouna tame, senkyou ni awaseta tachimawari ga kanou.

Since it also can switch between full auto and semi auto shooting mode, it’s capable of adapting its fighting to the battle circumstances.

Screen 5:

Fw-005 (TYPE-0)

D:T / LEADER

フェザーから支給されているGV専用の電磁投射銃。

Fezaa kara shikyuu sareteiru GV senyou no denji tousha juu.

GV’s exclusive magnetic projection gun supplied by Feather.

GVから電源を確保できるため、外部電源はオミットされている。電撃を誘導することが主目的のため、威力は抑えられているが

GV kara dengen wo kakuho dekiru tame, gaibu dengen wa omitto sareteiru. Raigeki wo yuudou suru koto ga shuumokuteni no tame, iryoku wa osaereteiru ga.

The external current is omitted so that the current from GV can be secured. Because inducing thunder it its main goal, the power is reduced yet…

GVの毛髪に装備されている『テールプラグ』を後部コネクタに連結し、強力な第七波動をダイレクトに放出することも可能。

GV no mouhatsu ni soubi sareteiru 『teeru puragu』 wo koubu konekuta ni renketsushi, kyouryoku na dai nana hadou wo dairekuto ni houshutsu suru koto mo kanou.

By linking the “tail plug” that GV’s hair has equipped on it, it’s capable of directly releasing a powerful 7th Wave.

Shiden’s swords:

「天叢雲（アメノムラクモ）」

“Ame no murakumo”

(One of the 3 mythological Godly Weapons, taken by hero Susanoo from the Yamato no Orochi tail --- eventually renamed “Kunasagi no tsurugi”)

“Heaven Plexus Clouds”

「黒豹（クロヒョウ）」

“Kuro hyou” (maybe it represents a guardian beast/animal)

“Black Panther”

「八咫烏（ヤタガラス）」

“Yatagarasu” (Mythological crow; guide between Kunamoto Country and Yamato Country)

“Eight Foot Bird”

Seven Swords: their blades’ names

All names are based off historical / mythological Japanese blades

Pantera:

「小烏丸（コガラスマル）」

“Kogarasumaru” (Blade owned by the Japanese Imperial Family)

“Little Crow”

Carrera:

「岩融（イワトオシ）」

“Iwatooshi” (Naguinata blade said to have been owned by Musashibou Genkei, a 13th century monk-soldier)  

“Rock-Thaw”

Jota:

「小龍景光（コリュウカゲミツ）」

“Koryuu kagemitsu” (Alternate spelling for an Okayama Prefecture blade; Karakuma Period [1185-1333 AD] blade; National Treasure )

“Small-dragon Fluorescence”

Merak:

「不動国行（フドウクニユキ）」

“Fudou kuniyuki” (Sword said to have been made in the 18th century)

“Unmoving country-line”

Stratos:

「蜥蜴丸（トカゲマル）」

“Tokagemaru” (Aichi Prefecture myth – Demon Blade that brings unhappiness to those who witness it)

“Lizard Circle”

Elise:

「布都御魂（フツノミタマ）」

“Futsunomitama” (Mythological blade --- said to have been granted to the very first Japanese emperor)

“Cloth-city’s Soul”

Daytona:

「火之迦具土（ヒノカグツチ）」

“Hinokagutsuchi” (Alternate spelling of “Kagutsuchi”, the Japanese Fire God)

“Fire God”

Quests:

Sumeragi 1st Building:

煌めく閃光

Kirameku senkou

Sparking Flash

稲妻の如し

Inazuma no gotoshi

As lighting

みなぎる決意

Minagiru ketsui

The Filling Determination

孤独な超人GV

Kodoku na choujin GV

Solitary Superman, GV

自由の戦士

Jiyuu no senshi

Freedom Warrior

銃声の証明

Juusei no shoumei

Proof of Gunfire

羽は傷つかない

Hane wa kizutsukanai

The Unharmed Feathers

華麗なる挑戦

Karei naru chousen

A Magnificent Challenge

3rd Seabed hase:

海底戦争

Kaitei sensou

Seadbed War

オーシャンライト

Ooshan raito

Ocean Light

のみこむ深淵

Nokikomu shinen

The Swallowing Abyss

勇気ある闘争

Yuuki aru tousou

Courageous Strife

光届かぬ場所で

Hikari todokanu basho de

Where Light Doesn’t Reach

狙われたGV

Newareta GV

The Targeted GV

トルマノン鎮魂歌

Torumanon chinkonka

Tourmanon Requiem

Amaterasu Radio Tower:

太陽を盗んだ男

Taiyou wo nusunda otoko

The Man Who Stole The Sun

光速飛翔

Kousoku hishou

Light-Speed Flight

イカロスの翼

Ikarosu no tsubasa

Icarus’ Wings

天空の試練

Tenkuu no shiren

The Sky Trial

メディアクライシス

Media kuraishisu

Media Crisis

エコ・ファイター

Eko faitaa

Echo Fighter

不殺の天使

Fusatsu no tenshi

The Non-Killing Angel

Chemical Factory:

グレネイダー

Gureneidaa

Grenader

灼熱突破

Shakuentsu toppa

Break Through Incandescence

ザ・コア

Za Koa

The Core

炎のさだめ

Honoo no sadame

Fate of the Flames

爆裂熱波

Bakuretsu neppa

Exploding Heat Wave

火焔の箱

Homura no hako

Box of Flames

蜘蛛の糸

Kumo no ito

Spider’s Thread

アタラクシア

Atarakushia

Ataraxia

Databank:

ファストハッカー

Fasuto hakka

First Hacker

クラッキング・ハイ

Kurakkingu hai

Cracking High

知識の探求者

Chishiki no tankyuusha

Seeker of Wisdom

スピードパワー

Supiido pawaa

Speed Power

超法規的措置

Chou housokuteki sochi

Super Legal Steps

頭脳VS頭脳

Zunou VS Zunou

Brains VS Brains

キャノンブレイカー

Kyanon bureikaa

Cannon Breaker

Catacombs:

ゴーストハンター

Goosuto hantaa

Ghost Hunter

光の救世主

Hikari no kyuuseishu

The Savior of Light

断たれし輪廻

Tatareshi rinnen

The Interrupted Reincarnation

闇を切り裂く雷光

Yami wo kirisaku raikou

Thunder That Tears the Darkness

魂の守り人

Tamashii no karibito

The Hunter of Souls

ふたつの心

Futatsu no kokoro

The Two Hearts

プリズムの煌き

Purizumu no kirameki

The Prism’s Sparkle

PhamaLab:

摘み取る者

Tsukami toru mono

The One Who Plucks It

苦しみの解放者

Kurishimi no kaihousha

Freer of Pain

妖花散らす

Youka chirasu

Pretty Flower Scatters

慈愛と破壊

Jiai to hakai

Compassion And Destruction

グローリーデイズ

Guroorii deizu

Glory Days

ひとひらの花

Hitohira no hana

Single Petal Flower

電撃殺虫

Dengeki sacchu

Thunder Pesticide

Red Light District:

路上のルール

Roujo no ruuru

Rules of the Road

ダンスホール

Dansu hooru

Dance Hall

ミラージュバスター

Miraaju basutaa

Mirage Buster

ハードロッカー

Haado rokka

Hard Locker

最後の勝利者

Saigo no shourisha

The Last Victor

真実を見つめる瞳

Genjitsu wo mitsumeru hitomi

Pupils that Stare at Reality

フリーズムーン

Furiizu muun

Freeze Moon

Urban Chase:

14歳の地図

Juuyonsai no chizu

14 Years Old Map

音速の貴公子

Onsoku no kikoushi

Noble Scion of Light Speed

蟷螂の斧

Kamikiri no ono

Mantis Axe

タンクスレイヤー

Tanku sureiyaa

Tank Slayer

激動の雷霆

Gekidou no raitei

Agitated Thunderclap

GV暗殺計画

GV ansatsu keikaku

GV Assassination Scheme

Onogoro Float:

国生みの地で

Kuni umi no chi de

Where the Nation is Born

電光石火

Denkou sekka

Flash

嵐の中で

Arashi no naka

Within the Storm

あの雲を貫いて

Ano kumo wo tsuranuite

Pierce Those Clouds

神話領域

Shinwa ryouiki

Domain of Myths

静かなる宣戦布告

Shizukanaru sensen fukoku

A Silent Declaration of War

デストロイゼムオール

Desutoroi zemu ooru

Destroy Them All

Stratification:

送魂の徒

Soukon no muda

Pointlessly Sent Souls  

神矛の先

Shinmu no saki

End of the Divine Spear

亡魂の狩人

Boukon no kariudo

Late Souls Hunter

理の裁定者

Kotowari no saiteisha

Judge of Principles

究極戦神

Kyuukyoku senjin

Ultimate God of War

悪夢の再来

Akumu no sairai

The Nightmare Again

Heaven Lord:

高天に挑む

Kouten ni idomu

Challenging Heaven

救いの翼

Sukui no tsubasa

Wings of Salvation

昇ル雷

Noboru kaminari

Rising Thunder

天への反逆者

Ten he no hangyakusha

Rebel of Heaven

ゴッドスレイヤー

Goddo sureiyaa

God Slayer

封印

Fuuin

Sealing

Others:

栄光を掴む者

Eikou wo tsukamu mono

One Who Seizes Glory

蒼き雷霆の伝説

Aoki raitei no densetsu

Legend of the Azure Thunderclap

新たなる神話

Aranataru shinwa

A New Myth

極限のその先へ

Kyokugen no sono saki he

Past The Extreme

実戦訓練．1

Jissen kunren, 1

Combat Training 1

実戦訓練．2

Jissen kunren, 2

Combat Training 2

実戦訓練．3

Jissen kunren, 2

Combat Training 2

無謀な選択

Mubou na sentakuy

A Reckless Choice

青の戦鬼

Ao no senki

Blue War Imp

Materials:

Found in all missions:

（金属）

(Kinzoku)

(Metals)

クラップ合金

Kurappu goukin

Crap Alloy

エルデア鋼

Erudea kou

Erdea Steel

ソルエージング

Soru eejingu

Sol Aging

（ナノチップ）

(Nanochippu)

(Nanochips)

９８型ナノチップ

Kyujuhachi gata nanochippu

Nanochip Type 98

試作新型基板

Shisaku shingata kiban

Prototype New Circuit Board

高性能ＮｃＧｂＸ

Kouseinou  NcGbX

Highly Functional  NcGbX

（鉱石）

(Kouseki)

(Minerals)

ガーネット

Gaanetto

Garnet

クォーザイト

Koozaito

Quartzite

エレクトラム

Erekutoramu

Electrum

（エネルギー）

(Enerugii)

(Energy)

天然ブラン細胞

Tennen buran saibou

Natural Bran Cells

高分子ＢＬ２３８

Koubunshi BL238

Macromolecule BL238

アクチノブラン結晶

Akuchinoburan kesshou

Actinobran Crystal

3rd Seabed Base:

（ナ）イクロＢｈ縮退炉

(Na) Ikuro Bh shukutairo

(Nanochip) Icro Bh Degrading Reactor

（ナ）ビャッコ反重力機構

(Na) Byakko hanjuuryou kikou

(Nanochip) White Tiger Anti-Gravity Mechanism

Radio Tower:

（エ）特型サーボ用光子力

(E) Tokugata saabo you koushiryoku

(Energy) Special Model Serve Photon Power

（ナ）セイリュウ推進機構

(Na) Seiryuu suishin kikou

(Nanochip) Azure Dragon Advance Mechanism

Chemical Factory:

（鉱）ピネル準結晶

(Kou) Pineru jun kesshou

(Mineral) Pinel Semi-Crystal

（鉱）耐高熱ホウオウ鉱

(Kou) Taikounetsu houou kou

(Mineral) Anti-Heat Phoenix Mineral

Databank:

（鉱）超密度伝導電磁石

(Kou) Chou mitsudo dendou denjiseki

(Mineral) Super Dense Conducting Electromagnet

（金）ゲンブ衝撃反応装甲

(Kin) Genbu shougeki hannou souko

(Metal) Black Turtle Shock Responsive Armor

Catacombs:

（ナ）ゲノム共振音叉

(Na) Genomu kyoushin onsa

(Nanochip) Genome Resonating Tuning Fork

（エ）ブラン抗体－六神－

(Na) Buran koutai - Mutsugami -

(Nanochip) Blan Antibodies - Six Gods -

PharmaLab:

（金）フェーザー流体金属

(Kin) Feezaa ryuutai kinzoku

(Metal) Feather Fluid Metal

（金）アポイタカラ

(Kin) Apoitakara

(Metal) Apoitakara

Red Light District:

（鉱）黄玉髄石英

(Kou) Ki gyokuzui sekiei

(Mineral) Yellow Chalcedony Quartz

（エ）純粋濃縮ブラン２３９

(E) Junsui noushuku buran 239

(Energy) Pure Concentrated Blan 239

Heaven Lord:

（金）ヒヒイロカネ片

(Kin) Hihiirokane kata

(Metal) Hihiirokane Fragment

（エ）超臨界ブラン電波動

(E) Chou rinkai buran denpadou

(Energy) Super Critical Blan Radio Motion

Equipment:

Lenses:

活性のレンズ

Kassei no renzu

Activity Lenses

再生のレンズ

Saisei no renzu

Regeneration Lenses

抑制のレンズ

Yokusei no renzu

Suppression Lenses

幸運のレンズ

Kouun no renzu

Fortune Lesnes

啓蒙のレンズ

Kemou no renzu

Enlightenment Lenses

神秘のレンズ

Shinpi no renzu

Mysterious Lenses

活用のレンズ

Katsuyou no renzu

Conjugation Lenses

再起のレンズ

Saiki no renzu

Restart Lenses

雷撃のレンズ

Raigeki no renzu

Thunder Lenses

鳴神のレンズ

Narukami no renzu

Rumbling God Lenses

五頭龍のレンズ

Naaga no renzu

5-Headed Dragon Lenses

紫龍のレンズ

Gidora no renzu

Purple Dragon Lenses

雷破のレンズ

Raiha no renzu

Thunder Rupture Lenses

稲妻のレンズ

Inazuma no renzu

Lighting Bolt Lenses

迅雷のレンズ

Jinrai no renzu

Thuderclap Lenses

秩序のレンズ

Chitsujo no renzu

Order Lenses

Rings:

フェザー製リング

Fezaa zei ringu

Feather-Made Ring

飛翔の指輪

Hishou no yubiwa

Flying Ring

飛翔三連の指輪

Hishou sanren no yubiwa

Triple Flying Ring

飛翔四連の指輪

Hishou yonren no yubiwa

Quadruple Flying Ring

飛空の指輪

Hikuu no yubiwa

Aerial Ring

天駆ける指輪

Tenkakeru yubiwa

Sky Dash Ring

二連駆けの指輪

Niren gake no yubiwa

Double Dash Ring

無限駆けの指輪

Mugen gake no yubiwa

Infinite Dash Ring

セラフリング

Serafuringu

Seraph Ring

霹靂の指輪

Raitei no yubiwa

Thunderclap Ring

Pendants:

フェザー製ペンダント

Fezaa zei pendanto

Feather-Made Pendant

幻影のペンダント

Genei no pendanto

Ilusion Pendant

不動のペンダント

Fudou no pendanto

Immobile Pendant

不屈のペンダント

Fukutsu no pendanto

Indomitable Pendant

逆鱗のペンダント

Gekirin no pendanto

Imperial Wrath Pendant

充填のペンダント

Juuten no pendanto

Loading Pendant

障壁のペンダント

Shouheki no pendanto

Barrier Pendant

神盾のペンダント

Kamidate no pendanto

God Shield Pendant

死のペンダント

Shi no pendanto

Death Pendant

モルフォレコード1

Morufo rekoodo 1

Morpho Record 1

モルフォレコード2

Morufo rekoodo 2

Morpho Record 2

モルフォレコード3

Morufo rekoodo 3

Morpho Record 3

モルフォレコード4

Morufo rekoodo 4

Morpho Record 4

モルフォレコード5

Morufo rekoodo 5

Morpho Record 5

モルフォレコード6

Morufo rekoodo 6

Morpho Record 7

モルフォレコード7

Morufo rekoodo 7

Morpho Record 7

手作りのペンダント

Tetzukuri no pendanto

Handmand Pendant

壊れたペンダント

Kowareta pendanto

Broken Pendant

Darts:

ギドラ（紫龍）

Gidora (Purple Dragon)

ミズチ（蛟龍）

Mizuchi (Dragon-shaped Beast)

ナーガ（五頭龍）

Naaga (5-Headed Dragon)

テクノス（双截龍）

Technos  (Double Cutting Dragon)

オロチ（八岐龍）

Orochi (8-Headed Dragon)

ヴァスキ

Vasuki

Vaski

デュラハン（零龍騎兵）

Dullahan (Nought Dragon Trooper)

Go to: GV1 Op Stage

Go to: GV1 Final Stage

[atomictiki]

Which video games that have been released in the past couple years have been your favorite so far?

I actually played a lot of games from this year so ... I’ll lock it to that.

While not a new game Wolfenstein The New Order was amazing fun, and combined a lot of things I really love. Sadly New Colossus didn’t live up to the high bar it set IMO, it was still fun. I have to go back and replay it a bit. The combat system is very boring, which is a problem for a run & gun game.

Prey (2017), I really want to like this game, I should like this game, but again it’s a big “meh”. I have to admit I haven’t played through more than once. Prey is so vexing because it has a lot of elements that I should love. I should love the alternate history / retro future. I should love the Half-Life like gameplay. I should love the aesthetic.... but I just don’t. But I kinda do?? There are parts of the game that I found extremely dumb and contrived, like they came right out of 90s Half-Life augh, I can’t right now. The best parts IMO were the EVA bits, I actually felt like I was in space... made me want a 2001-style retro-future game. (MOON ZERO TWO: the game lol)

King of Fighters XIV was a pretty good game, brought back a lot of retro feelings for me plus some nice model work (finally).

PUBG was also a lot of fun, but hiding in a bush for 30 minutes can get a little boring after a while.

Overwatch was also a good draw this year, as well as the final DLC for Fallout 4, I clocked a lot of hours in both. Speaking of older games Skyrim has been a wonderful experience so far. I’ve never played it before now and well... I like it

THE BIG THREE GAMES that I couldn’t stop playing this year were all console based

3. Breath of the Wild was an amazing journey, I played it on my Wii-U and I have it for my Switch, gonna replay it again once I’m done with CoD: WWII

2. Skylanders Imaginators. OK OK whaaaaat? SO a couple friends asked me to err, get them access to the Skylanders Academy show as they didn’t have Netflix which I did, but then I started watching it and, bottom line, it’s funny as hell. So it got me thinkin’ what’s the game actually like? So I watched a few YouTube vids and ended up buying into it on Switch. The nice thing about the Switch version is you can use the NFC reader right on the console itself, It’s a fun game to play through and I legit had fun with it.

1. MARIO ODYSSEY. This game man, this game is like Mario 64s long-lost sequels. Forget Delfino and you can keep your emo space Princess, this is the real motha fukkin’ 3D Mario game. It’s pretty much everything I wanted out of a Mayro game. Fun worlds, crammed full of secrets, crazy ass shit, amazing controls... the game has it all. My only gripe is that there should be more of it. I NEED MORE MAN. MORE!

Anyway, that’s mostly what I’ve enjoyed playing this year. There have been a lot of other games played but man, these are the ones that stick out.

HON. MENTIONS:

Mighty Gunvolt and Master Blaster Returns are actually worth the sticker price, GET ‘EM. Gunvolt is the Might No. 9 we should have had and Master Blaster is actually HELLA fun. The same can be said about Steamworld Dig 2 but I haven’t dug into it deep enough yet hyuck hyuck. I also got started with D&D 5e this year, it seems simpler than 4e in a lot of good ways, not sure I like some of the changes yet, but hey any excuse to go rolling twice a month...

[enterinit]

New Xbox One Games for December 17 to 20

New Xbox One Games for December 17 to 20.

The Sims 4: Discover University (December 17)

Hit the books and show your school spirit in The Sims 4 Discover University Expansion Pack, where Sims enroll in school, explore collegiate experiences, and enjoy extracurricular activities. Take classes that set your Sims up for success in engineering, education, or law careers. Discover robotics and ping-pong, plus make some mischief pulling pranks against the rival school. Study hard, sleep in, and high-five the school mascot – just make sure to keep those grades up! Settle into School – Welcome to Britechester! Begin a new chapter for your Sim when they enroll in the historical University of Britechester or modern Foxbury Institute. Live in a dorm room or off-campus, explore Britechester on a bicycle, spend time in the student commons, and have a study session at the library. Cheer on the student body at a school spirit event and wear school colors to show your Sim’s pride. Stay Classy – Sims enroll in the University that piques their interest, finding classes in biology, computer science, art history, and even villainy. Attend a lecture or work on term papers and presentations – the more your Sim learns, the better they will be in careers like teaching, law, and engineering. Going to classes or blowing them off will affect your Sim’s grades, so time management is a must. Meet, Mingle, and Explore – How your Sim embraces college life is up to them. They can study all night to complete homework or chill out and sleep in. And, with activities like juice pong, juggling a soccer ball, and hanging out with roommates, taking a break has never been so fun! Plus, your Sim can join school organizations like robotics, debate, art, or even a mysterious secret society. As the school year progresses, Sims become their best selves and discover who they are meant to be. Express Your Campus Style – Make your Sim’s space cozy with dorm room décor that reflects their personality with objects like posters and a mini-fridge. Then, develop their personal style in any way you choose – whether wearing late-for-class sweatpants or their best-self slacks, there’s always a way to show school spirit or impress a classmate. NOTE: REQUIRES THE SIMS 4 (SOLD SEPARATELY) AND ALL GAME UPDATES TO PLAY.

Untitled Goose Game (December 17)

A slapstick-stealth-sandbox where you’re a goose let loose on an unsuspecting village. Make your way around town, from peoples’ back gardens to the high street shops to the village green, setting up pranks, stealing hats, honking a lot, and generally ruining everyone’s day. https://youtu.be/PE1fm5gHc_0

Mushroom Quest (December 17)

In a deep ancient dungeon, a mushroom is revived. To escape, the mushroom should collect magic crystals. Use acuteness to pass through all levels of the dungeon. Solve riddles and find creative ways to pass the levels.

Oliver’s Adventures in Fairyland (December 18)

Oliver's Adventures in the Fairyland by Hoodoo Bear is the indie adventure game inspired by the best Metroidvania titles. This game packs retro graphics, roguelike elements and classical platforming action. Old school gamers would be delighted by the pixel look and immersive atmosphere of this title. Plot is based on teenager from modern world being summoned into fantasy world with an important task from wizard — to return King’s stolen treasures!

Iro Hero (December 18)

In a world where humans are used as power supplies, only one man has the will to change it all! Iro Hero is a vertical shoot'em up with beautiful pixel art graphics inspired by many old-school classics. Staged across 9 action-packed levels, Iro Hero features a unique and fresh approach to the popular color polarity mechanic, with interactive level elements, color zones, reflective surfaces and much more. Encounter 10 different types of enemies with over a hundred different behaviors, and defeat 10 final bosses in the vein of classic arcade games. Unlock special skills throughout the game to help you land a final blow or escape from desperate situations. Story The year is 2306. A century after the Nyagu taught mankind how to obtain electricity from their inner energy, enterprises started to exploit humans in farms to produce energy. What had started as a gift became a curse, reducing people to nothing more than simple power supplies... Only when his mother dies in one of these farms, Iro realizes he has the power to change the order of things. Features: Experience a color polarity system, with a twist to puzzles and smart decision making.Discover an exciting story that takes place across 9 action-packed levels.Encounter 10 different types of enemies with more than one hundred different behaviors.Defeat 10 final bosses in the vein of classic arcades.Unlock special skills, offering many creative and strategic options.Acquire upgrades to increase the firepower and capabilities of your spaceship. https://youtu.be/dQKhZBUCKUY

Dawn of Man (December 18)

Command a settlement of ancient humans, guide them through the ages in their struggle for survival. Hunt, gather, craft tools, fight, research new techs and face the challenges the environment will throw at you.

Gunvolt Chronicles (December 19)

"Get ready for the apeX of 2D action!" Lock-on shots, wall jumping, hovering, air-dashing. Use every tool at your disposal to soar through levels and crush the bosses that await you. Acquire "EX Weapons" from defeated bosses to expand your arsenal! Experience high-speed, stylish action like never before. Inti Creates presents the ultimate in classic 2D action with "Luminous Avenger iX"!

Borderlands 3: Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot (December 19)

Ready for the biggest score of your loot-hunting career? Moxxi has just the job for you: a good old-fashioned heist. Join her crew of ragtag “experts,” battle your way through Hyperion security forces and crazed casino-goers and claim The Handsome Jackpot’s vault of loot for yourself.

Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times (December 20)

In Warhammer Quest 2: The End Times, you will lead your group of brave warriors across a war torn land and into dungeons for wealth and glory! Swing swords, fire arrows and cast spells as you fight through the denizens of Chaos that threaten the Warhammer world. Success in battle is rewarded with new weapons, armours, skills and treasure. Explore three regions, each with their own enemy sets, objectives and multi-part campaign quests. Features: Explore the war-torn fantasy Warhammer world!Be on your guard as you travel through a world in turmoil. The road holds danger for the heedless traveller, but rich rewards for the wary hero.Explore three regions, each with their own enemy sets, objectives and multi-part campaign quests.Visit towns to barter in markets, discover new quests, and level up your warriors to gain new skills and gameplay possibilities.Paths between dungeons are littered with events and opportunities to improve your chance of victory in the next turn based battle! https://youtu.be/fd6Dxc3AMxE

Cold Silence (December 20)

This is minimalistic horror platformer about surviving in snowy mountains. Follow the voice from the radio, fight your fears and reveal the truth! Features: horror without darkness, it's creepy because of the situation itselfonly 3 colors convey the sense of despairseamless game worldunique bosses and secrets5 difficulty modes

Aery: Little Bird Adventure (December 20)

Aery is a peaceful exploration game from the perspective of a little bird who decided to discover the world. Calm down from the hassle of your daily life, experience the feeling of flying and immerse into beautiful and atmospheric landscapes. It is a great game for relaxing and calming down after an exhausting day full of hassle. Features: Experience the feeling of flying with fluid and responsive flight controlsSee the world with the eyes of a bird with intuitive and relaxing gameplayExperience the speed of an bird without enemies or other threatsExplore 8 vast landscapes with different theme, style and moodFollow the cute story of a little birdCollect the feathers of other birds to unlock the next areaImmerse into the atmosphere with a vibrant minimalistic yet sometimes even surreal art styleEnjoy the beautiful bright colors with interesting and different color themes in every areaDiscover hidden areas and many little surprises on your way Read the full article

[cantusecho-archive]

(Okay, I’ve been wanting to do something like this since a few months ago. I never really knew how to start it, or what to say/do so I’ll just wing it. So if you don’t want to hear tons of cheesiness, then don’t read past this.

As for a quick note for those who don’t want to read? Thank you. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.  Hibiki’s song ‘Genkai Toppa G-beat’ also helps pass my feelings along to you all, so I posted the lyric video I made for it for that reason. I originally made this video out of boredom and practice so apologies ahead of time lol

Now, onto more details!

I made this blog almost two years ago; July 12th, 2015. I made it while GX was airing, mainly because I’ve missed roleplaying as Hibiki. Prior to this, I tried roleplaying as her twice. I gave up the first two times and deleted. I wasn’t confident about my portrayal, and I wasn’t confident people would give me a chance from a show no one seemed to know anything about. But I chose to try her again, and here I am.

The newest season, AXZ, is about to premiere next month and I just hit over 200 followers, along with the premiere almost falling into place with my 2nd anniversary of this blog. I never thought I’d get this far. I didn’t think people would interact with me as much as they do now, or even bother to follow me. Obviously, that’s changed now.

I love Hibiki, and this show, far too much. Sometimes I worry about annoying people with my ramblings for both, but there have been people that reassured me that that isn’t the case. I love all my muses/characters, but it’s been awhile since I’ve felt myself connecting with someone until Hibiki rolled around, especially within season 3. I try my best to write/portray her in the best of my ability. I also know that everyone won’t like my portrayal of her, and that’s perfectly okay. We’re all different.

However—

—for the people that have been with me for so long, chose to stick with me throughout the years and continue to follow me; I thank you. I truly can’t thank you enough. Maybe it’s silly to thank people so much, especially when it comes to roleplaying of all things, but I love writing in general. Roleplaying has helped me a lot throughout the years. So people giving me a chance, willing to write with me and even talk with me means a lot more than I can truly say through text.

I was tempted to say certain messages to specific people, but if I do, we will be here even longer. Plus I’d worry about people feeling left out. But the people I’ve spoken to OOC and known for a while know exactly how I feel about them, so I won’t repeat myself. ♥ Instead, I’ll tag people in no specific order.

Just know that all of you are amazing writers. I truly hold you all in a high standard for different reasons. Everyone has been so nice and patient with me. I wanted to do something special, but as a person who cannot draw or edit, I apologize. XD

Again, this is in no specific order; it’s a mixture of people that I’ve known for a while, wish to interact/talk with more, people I find to be amazing/appreciate, peeps that aren’t even roleplayers, and those I’ve gotten close to OOC.

@teslagravity / @phulusa / @shatteredspear / @datxra / @graceful-cure-swan / @uncorruptedchampion / @rollingsnowsmasher / @magister-ludicro / @lets-go-nanoko / @mondartmusen / @motherfreakingtwinkaleidosticks / @obscuritcs / @mitisereba / @botanicalglutton / @kowaretaakumanoyumi / @stories-in-song / @styleandguns / @the-crimson-haired-princess / @uncommon-allies / @izcyoi / @littlxrxd / @levelxinfinity / @armed-blue-gunvolt / @feliness / @hazardousbotanist / @bughammer / @twinangelgoddess / @zweisleftwing / @cruximpetus / @crystallizecrimsonbutterfly / @choujinkiisms / @theatreofmisfits / @brokenxuniverses / @noircisaint / @moonlitsorceress / @catswcctcd / @themilten / @eternalfaction / @radiant-journeys / @firefavoring / @rasetsu-stance-zero / @darkacex99 / @symphony-spear-the-gungnir / @borntobeselfish / @dorkindustri / @applepuyopopper / @shininghappy / @precurelegends / @lonelygirlinthedungeon

All of my followers may not be mentioned here, but I send all the good vibes right at ya too, so don’t you worry. ^^

I also need to thank a lot of people for being so patient with me in starting things. Sorry I can’t start things just yet, but know that I’m nosy and read your roleplays whenever I see them on my Dash. And just keep on going! ♥ You’re all awesome. We all come here to have fun and enjoy writing the characters we love. We should all continue doing that. I’ve been truly lucky on this blog, luckier than maybe I deserve, but I know the same will happen to all of you as well.

Always remember to have fun. And write to your heart’s content.

I wish you all nothing but good luck and vibes on here, and in your personal lives.

Thank you. ♥)