#this is ethos it's one of many demon characters i made last year for a class then forgot about and now i'm revisiting them

[chalkrub]

demon that critically analyses the past actions you'd really rather forget

[mayflowers07]

Some fun facts and behind the scene notes about the ICBTOYC series because the next update is taking a bit longer then I would like, so here’s something to hold down the fort:

The title of the series comes from a lyric in the song Brother by NEEDTOBREATHE and Gavin DeGraw. It’s sort of the theme song of the series in my eyes and if you check out the song, you’ll understand why

Actually all of the fics have a song that inspired it. For most fics, the song’s lyrics ended up in the title, but some didn’t- Doc’s is Brother by Matt Corby, Iskall’s is Belong by X Ambassadors, Etho’s is False Confidence by Noah Kahn, Keralis’ is Two by Sleeping at Last, Cub’s is Guillotine by Jon Bellion, False’s is The Fixer by Brent Morgan, and Zedaph’s is Dreamland by Glass Animals

My favourite quote from the whole series so far is a tie “Apolllo you bitch, I never wanted this gift of prophecy. Take it back you coward” and “Mumbo tried to stop him and Ren just straight up barked at him, Mumbo looks so offended”

Some very early foreshadowing that may have been missed is that in Iskall’s fic, they say that Jevin doesn’t go with them to the party because he doesn’t like big public spaces. Jevin doesn’t like those spaces because- as we learn in his story- he hates his body and constantly feels different and judged

Speaking of Jevin’s fic, in it Wels says “we all have our own demons” and Hypno says “your brain has a way of distorting the world against you,” both of which are foreshadowing their own stories later on

In Cleo’s fic, False tells her “I’d give you all the time in the world if you needed it.” This is a direct quote of what Xisuma tells False in her fic, showing how what Xisuma told her and how he helped her really stuck with her and how she wanted to help Cleo in the same way

Yes, I do have the fics for Pearl and Gem planned out. It might just take a bit before we get there

Many people noted that ‘Zed’ was acting out of character in Hypno’s fic, but eagle-eyed readers may have been able to figure out that it was actually Ex before the reveal because Ex (under the disguise of Zed) tells Hypno in chat “you need help and I can’t be the one to give it to you” which is very very similar to when he told Zed in his fic “You need help from people who can give you what you need, constant support and love. I’m really not in a position to be that friend for you.”

The whole thing with Helsknight’s first episode did actually happen in this AU, it just never made it into the main series because no one used the code during it. The reason Wels didn’t use the code during it was because he was scared that no one was going to answer if he did, just like last time. This is also why Wels is so quick to trust Ex, because he thinks Ex is Xisuma’s Hels equivalent and Hels hermits are basically the darkest, most hidden away part of a person’s mind. Wels thinks X is the best person he knows, and there’s no way X could be that evil, so Ex can’t be that bad himself. Neither the assumption that Ex is a Hels Hermit, nor the assumption that Xisuma doesn’t have dark, twisted thoughts is correct.

Here are some alternative versions of stories that I almost wrote before I changed them for whatever reason: Keralis’ was going to be about him feeling like the other Hermits assume he’s stupid and getting upset by this before I fully started fleshing out the Ex storyline and decided to link it in, Scar was going to be the Vex fic instead of Cub, False’s was about her getting struck by lightning and nearly dying during MCC training and Cub having to use the code for her then feeling guilty about what happened in a two-parter (this idea later developed into Joe’s and Cleo’s), and Hypno’s went through many changes, first being about him feeling forgotten and alone because of a prank someone played on him, then being about him having a psychotic disorder and experiencing depersonalization and derealization

The reason Beef’s fic went how it did was because I knew I wanted a Canadian to get hypothermia for the irony but I had already picked Etho’s prompt so it ended up being Beef, which I think is hilarious

And in Beef’s fic, the reason he says his favourite song is Here Comes the Sun by the Beetles is because of the lyrics “Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter, Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here” and “Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting. Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear.” Think of this as gentle foreshadowing from me that everything was going to be okay by the end: the winter may have seemed cold and lonely and almost deadly for Beef but the sun was going to eventually come and a happy ending was on the horizon

3rd life is canon in this world but because it’s a permadeath AU, instead of it being a murder game, it’s essentially a giant game of lazar tag

My favourite fics in the series are Beef’s (was super fun to write) and Mumbo’s (still relatable af and a message I often have to remind myself)

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Iruma-kun 10 - 12 | Shinchou Yuusha 9 - 12 (FINAL) | Dr Stone 22 - 24 (FINAL) | BnHA 72 - 74 | Stars Align 9 - 12 (FINAL) | No Guns Life 10 - 12 (FINAL)

Iruma-kun 10

That mascot is still around to annoy poor Kalego, huh? (LOL) I also noticed the demonstration demons have horns like oni.

Oh no! This means Azz-Azz is a prime target for Iruma!

(I was going to write something. Then I got so engrossed in the action, I forgot to…)

LOL, Sabro’s too heavy for Team A to lift!

Oh, Iruma’s hair isn’t tied anymore…

“…pruning this cactus.” – Does Eggie-sensei like plants?

Ooh, the first double-parter ever for this show, I think it is.

Shinchou Yuusha 9

Apparently ep 10 got delayed…*sigh*

LOL, thre’s product placement for a certain ice cream brand in this episode, huh?

Can we not with the boob grope???

*Rista takes care of Mash and Elulu* - Rista’s such a mom sometimes…

Stars Align 9

This one scene with Nao looks really blue…it’s almost unsettling.

Oh dear…I understand the sentiment of an inferiority complex all too well.

Dr Stone 22

Now we’re back to good ol’ science vs. survival of the fittest philosophy clash. Now, see, that’s the Dr Stone I like best!

Torricelli’s law.

Why is mica like baumkuchen? Probably because it has a lot of layers…

Wow, for WSJ – which encouraged fangirls all over the world to make yaoi/shonen ai ships – they sure tossed out the yaoi/shonen ai option real fast…

Skarn. I’ve never heard of it until now.

Magma, staring at the product of magma…LOL.

I…don’t get it. Even after watching the bit again, I don’t understand why Magma was trying to save Senku.

So…as is said for most WSJ series, the treasure was the friends we made along the way…LOL, what a way to acknowledge a trope.

Lemme guess…surprise birthday party? (Sorry, when I was reading up on Magma earlier, I saw that Magma helps with a birthday surprise for Senku and I found out what it was.)

I wonder if Rei is still up there at this point…? (Who’s Rei? You’ll find out if you read the Byakuya reboot…)

Well, “Rock Day” only works in Japanese. The language would’ve drifted over thousands of years so it shouldn’t work in the year 5731 (or whatever year Dr Stone is set).

Dr Stone 23

One episode until the end…but I’m away over Christmas, so I’ll have quite a bit to catch up on when I’m back. Update: I never did end up going away over Christmas.

Senku is much more of a trickster hero than an action hero. That’s been pretty obvious all the way through, but here it’s at its most obvious.

Oh, so Kaseki made the village bridge? Is that a correct assumption…? Update: I think the answer was yes from the manga.

How much chemistry does Gen know, anyway? Assuming he’s a humanities person because of psychology and his tricks, it must only be basic, right?

Thse intense stares…I’ve been reading JJBA: DiU lately, so I’m expecting an 80s-style “!!” to appear over someone’s head at this point, LOL.

Ooh, hardware. In fact, it looks like the inside of a computer…or, more relevant to this case, a phone.

So it’s not “rules are rules” anymore? Now Kinro’s changed his words to reflect his faith in Senku…hmm! Interesting! (Update: A quick google says Kinro is 18. Senku is about 18 (+ 3700 years). Plus, after they start dragging Ginro away, Kinro says his trademark line.)

Wouldn’t the coal smoke alert Tsukasa of the village’s location, though…? Then again, thanks to Homura and Hyouga, Tsukasa already knows their location…oops.

Rochelle salt.  

I saw that one shot of the world from the 1st OP and I thought there was meant to be a post-credits segment…LOL, nope.

Dr Stone 24 (FINAL)

The “acquisition message” basically said “We didn’t (just) need one cell phone, (so) it was useless!” Notably, it uses the counter for large items (like computers) for the phone.

Having finished the Byakuya reboot now, I wanna cry every time I hear about the guy…

Oh! The eyecatch is a record!

Basically, what records do is that they recreate sounds by using vibrations created by the grooves of the disc. Sound is a set of vibrations.

“Astronauts are science elites…” – Except maybe Lillian Weinberg…

I like Shamil out of the guys from the Soyuz the most. He’s a cross between Tsukasa and Senku. Stoic yet skeptical, a voice of reason for Byakuya’s sillier outbursts.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the shield was made with CGI, tbh.

Byakuya’s humour here is betraying the emotional capacity of the scene…it’s gone from “100% tear-inducing” to “confusing”.

Please sing Tsubasa wo Kudasai, Lillian…*crosses fingers*

I didn’t get what I wanted, but oh well. This song is good too. (I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the record player was CGI too. It’s good CGI for sure.)

LOL, Puyo Puyo! Even Sherlock Holmes! Dragon Ball, Nintendo Switch, VR, Saiyuki! It’s like a treasure trove of references!

Normally the s2 announcement comes after the credits, so I was thrown for a loop when it was announced before the ED…anyways, this is the end of the s1 coverage. See you for s2!

BnHA 72

[no notes, sorry!]

Iruma-kun 11

Robin looks like Iruma…(this vaguely annoys me.)

I noticed Keroli (sp?) is in the back left, alone…that’s kinda sad.

Sabro is hella tall…even taller than Azz-kun, and that says something.

Ah…I love Eggie-sensei. He’s so funny!

Really? I thought Sullivan wrote them (the rules).

I wanna see an episode where Eggie-sensei can’t turn into his fuzzy form and has to do familiar activities with Iruma. That, or an episode where Eggie-sensei has some human parts and some familiar ones (although that would scare some little kids, I think…)

What a Machiavellian mindset Eggie-sensei has!

Iruma’s got wine, people! Underage drinking is a no-no! (partially joking)

Good on ya, Clara! Go kick those girls to the kerb!

The butterflies are so beautiful in this show!

So basically school clubs.

Hmm…it’s almost a Fordist approach. I mean, “freeing yourself up to do other things” is basically the entire ethos of that.

NGL 10

I was reading JJBA: DiU today and Colt seriously looks like a Jojo’s character…

“Your face is just like…”

N-No way! You mean, the Victor Mary’s wanted to see all along…is the other gunhead…?! Geesh, what a plot twist!

Stars Align 10

“We all play to win.” – That’s very Maki of you, Maki.

Shinjo/Oshimi???? That must be Ryoma…! By the way, what’s up with these Itsuse twins…?

Who’s Hatanooka? Update: That’s the team with Joy in it…and those fangirls who busted Mitsue up.

F*** it…Arashi, I wanna pummel you someday.

LOL, you can sell your temmates out with chanpuru, huh, Arashi?

Did Maki suggest something subliminally…?

*Maki and Toma run around* - LOL, this play is completely unorthodox, haha. I can tell even if I’m no expert.

Shinchou Yuusha 10

We’re back after another week’s break…

Come to think of it, how do fantasy worlds have concepts of “hours”?

LOL, how convenient it was that there just happened to be a dude needing healing walking past! (partially sarcastic, partially meaning it since the circumstances foreshadowed it)

“Talent”, eh? *stares at the camera, which is showing Rista’s boobs, with disapproval*

The Demon Spirit Orb is basically a monster cell from OPM 2, isn’t it…?

If Seiya came from our world…then I’m sorry, Wolks, but whoever told you is completely and utterly wrong. *gestures at all the conflicts around the world, including political turmoil*

“Are you calling…”  

No Guns Life 11

Second-last ep!

Oh great…another yandere?(I read JJBA: DiU hardcover vol. 2 yesterday, so I’m still thinking about Yukako Yamagishi…)

There’s a convertible in the OP, though…I wonder if that will come into play later. Update: Even if it does come into play in the future, it doesn’t happen in ths cour.

Stars Align 11

It was like Joy was showing off to the camera…LOL.

Apparently, Joy’s name is a weird reading for yorokobi (happiness).

This feels like a final episode…

Hmm. I thought Yonex sponsored this. Turns out that’s a parody logo after all (or at least, here it’s a parody).

One of the Itsuse bros looks exactly like Maki, so it’s confusing…

I’m still confused as to why Shijo Minami’s shirts say nantei on them. The minami might be nan in another way of reading it, but…the shi can only be read kokorozashi otherwise and while the jou can be read many, many ways, tei isn’t one of them.

Ume = plum blossom, so that purple-pink colour really suits them.

BnHA 73

Eri’s name means, literally, “to break reason”.

This scene with the stars and the dancefloor…that’s new.

Iruma-kun 12

Sometims you forget this dork *points at Azz* is more powerful than Iruma and Clara…

You can see Clara and Iruma in the shot of Azz-kun.

The reason why I like calling Kalego “Eggie-sensei” is because he doesn’t like it! 

I love how the narrator is even aware it’s been mentioned several times Iruma can’t decline requests.

New Magic is basically science…?

Oh, it would be hilarious if this character Iruma just bumped into and he (Iruma) would be in a Battler together…but I’ve read spoilers, so I know what Iruma will join…

Is this some kind of allegory for technology…?! *eyes sparkle* Yes, I want in! Iruma! Join this club!

Even this demon’s clip is a book! Amazing!

Clara! She dab! In a pot!

Come to think of it, in the basic premise, Iruma-kun (the show) is Kenja no Mago, right? The Wise Man’s Grandson…sort of.

Shinchou Yuusha 11

Almost at the end…I’ll sorely miss this show.

Is Tiana some former version of Rista…?

How old is Seiya again…? Update: Apparently he’s 17…and if he’s the same age as he used to be in this flashback, then…kinda squicky, no?

Stars Align 12 (FINAL)

I heard this show dropped the ball and that Nao’s mother got a rant, but otherwise I don’t quite know what happens here…so let’s finish what we started. Update: Nao’s mother’s rant was in a previous episode.

Oh hey! It’s that running thing Nao and Taiyo were doing…I think. (I don’t think I’ve grasped everyone’s names, even over 12 eps, so I had to check Taiyo’s name up.)

Oh, these gremlins…*sighs happily but also exasperatedly* No wonder this show took out a top 10 position for my 2019 list.

I’m worried now…there’s always a last minute thing to ruin an episode on this show.

I always thought Ryoma’s hair was pretty nice…(small LOL). That’s just my bias for bishonen showing though.

I’m…scared now…Maki’s dad must’ve come back and the red in the sky really sold that moment…

Maki…no!!!!!!!! Aw, f***, that’s the final seconds…geesh, way to end the series. If this were a 2 cour, I’d definitely watch the next one, but since I heard through ANN that this is all we have so far, really, the only thing I can do for a passion project is hope another cour gets funded and (maybe) purchase what I can to help out. Well, that’s it, folks, skedaddle out of here until next time.

No Guns Life 12 (FINAL)

This pendant reminds me of the mana compass I saw in Fate/Zero yesterday.

I bet Danny planted those footprints…or something like that. Update: Yup, he did.

Come to think of it, is Juzo still missing his arm from last time…?

“You weren’t my client, little lady.” – There’s one of two possible options here, I think: 1) the hands guy was or 2) Danny was.

I wonder, will the hand Extended ever become his (Juzo’s) left hand? Or will he get an Extension for it?

Wow, second huge end-of-season cliffhanger! Juzo got a new buddy, it seems…anyway, see you in spring!

Cautious Hero 12 (FINAL)

If the Valkyryja (sp?) isn’t magic…what is it???

That one guy lying on the side of the fountain, looking all drunk…LOL.

Geez, you make me wanna cry, show!!!

Even the alarm clock is dejected…geez…

This is…the best conclusion of the fall season in that Seiya defeated the Demon King and the story wrapped up properly, but the worst in that Seiya died. No one died in Stars Align, even if they failed a tonne! So…I dunno. I guess it should be happy it ended optimistically…anyways, enough of my moping. See you next time.

BnHA 74

Shin Nemoto = “the truth of the origin of the sound”, if you stuck the particle no between each character.

Tintin got scary, LOL.

Lemillion, making “no capes” go out of fashion again (LOL).

Wow, talk about a clip show…! This is really one.

Check the end of the episode, don’t forget to watch the post-credits segments, people.

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Gintama, Episodes 352-353

In which we get a wonderful breather, and at long last, we reach the beginning of the end.

A Night to Remember

And so, we reach the end of the first half of the Silver Soul arc. What a goddamn ride it’s been. Like I said last time, the battle for Edo has been the story of a nation coming together, of the entire expansive cast of Gintama finally standing as one in defense of the place they call home. It was a moment of triumph more than anything, a celebration of just how far we’ve come over the years, and why it’s all been worth fighting for. So it’s fitting that our momentary victory is marked not by a massive party, but with a quiet, intimate gathering of hope and warmth. So many words have passed between each and every one of these people already; there’s nothing more they can say to each other that their mere presences won’t communicate just as potently. It’s a moment of relaxation, a moment to soak in the beauty and love that defines not just the city of Edo, but the entire Gintama ethos.

And goddamn, is it a wonderful experience. Otose reconnecting with Jirocho over a drink as they mull over the lifetimes they shared? A beautiful coda to the Four Devas arc. Gedomaru doing her best to help out and only ending up choking everyone on Pandemoniums? Adorable. Shinpachi’s first Pandemonium love showing up out of goddamn nowhere (”If you’re going to trouble my heart any more, than just stay with me forever!”)? Seriously, every single goddamn character has shown up for this arc. Nobume and Soyo bonding in the Witching Hour over their shared lack of straight man capabilities, finding closure for the people they loss in the conflict? Too fucking pure. I had the biggest, achiest smile etched across my face for the entirety of that episode, basking in the utter joy of seeing all these people I’ve come to love just... live. Live and love and trust and find comfort in each other. It really feels like a homecoming, like the devastating trials we’ve been through have finally brought us back to where we’ve always belonged. And Jesus fuck, when Gintoki and his kids bond over how much they’ve worked each other to the bone, and how much they’ve driven each other forward over the years, and then he tucks them into bed like a proper parent and nope, that’s okay, I wasn’t using my heart for anything, why do you ask? God, he cares for them so fucking much. They’ve all found such a wonderful home with each other. What a magnificent, beautiful culmination of every waking moment we’ve spent with them.

So Light ‘em Up

But of course, this is only the eye of the storm. The ground armies may have been driven off, but the head of the Liberation army remains gunning for their blood, and Utsuro’s scheme still looms in the background. Hijikata might have been willing to let these partying fools bask in the joy of their victory, but time will not wait for them. The battle has already begun again, and this time it looks to be even more explosive and devastating than ever. The Yato forces have finally made their move, forcing Kagura to confront them with a voice that suggests nothing less than a survivor ready to dive headfirst back into their demons one last time. Hata’s armies have finally arrived, and the battle in the skies has begun in earnest. There’s a countdown to a doomsday weapon firing, a million pieces going everywhere, a million desperate situations unfolding, and this time, there’s no going back. Nowhere to run but forward, into the mouth of the beast, into the future we will never give up on. And holy fuck, Nobunobu’s conversation with Soyo over the restored comms utterly destroyed me. He’s ready to die to redeem his sins, to protect the country that Shigeshige believed him. But Soyo still can’t give up on him; she wants him to come back, to restore the family she lost, to give them both another chance at happiness, and holy fuck how many times is this show going to make me cry before it’s over? I imagine the answer is “plenty”

And at last, Takasugi. The prodigal asshole is back from the dead, back in the driver’s seat, and for once, fighting for all the friends he no longer can just give up on. His sun has finally broken through, and now, the Black Beast of Vengeance is here to carve away the darkness and into the light one last time. Now the whole gang truly is here. This is Gintama. This is why we fight. Everyone standing as one, ready to doubt themselves, lose their way, and become the kind of samurai they want to be. Welcome to the end, Kabukicho Ward. I know you’re ready for it.

Odds and Ends

-I didn’t mention this last time, but Kagura’s voice breaking with tears as she gives thanks for the city’s safety hit me really hard. She just sounded so fucking thankful.

-JESUS WEPT THE SILENT COMEDY OF GINTOKI DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET THE FLOWER BACK ON I’M DYING

-OH FUCK I FORGOT ABOUT THE YATO WELL ENJOY YOUR PEACE WHILE IT LASTS

-”And they want more screen time later since they only showed up in the final stage.’ I mean, fair.

-”Shinpachi, you really need some rest.” SHE’S SO FUCKING DONE SKDJAHSDKAJSDHK

-OH WAIT A FUCK HE’S EVA UNIT 01 JESUS WEPT

-”Um, this is sudden. And I’m the straight man anyway.” askjdhaskjdhaksd

-”HOW DO YOU EVEN RESPOND TO THIS?!” I’m wheezing holy crap

-Lol at Yamazaki dragging sleeping Kagura along.

-”What kind of Hansel and Gretel is that?!” Truly, the Brothers Grimm would weep to see such poetry.

-”There was no human there. Just a stray gorilla.” I SWEAR TO GOD KONDO

-”I haven’t done anything all my life!” And to think he was almost badass there for a second.

I love this show more with every second, guys. It’s kind of scary. See you next time for the second half of the Silver Soul arc!

[operationrainfall]

As both oprainfall’s resident indie nerd and Nintendo fanboy, it fell upon me to cover the Indie Direct. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, cause sometimes the cup runneth over for indie fans, and sometimes it doesn’t. Thankfully, it veritably overflowed today, with nearly 20 games announced for a variety of genres. It was both old games coming to the Nintendo Switch, as well as entirely new and exclusive games. There’s a lot to cover, and a lot of reasons to be excited. So I’ll give a brief snippet of each title covered, in the order they were revealed, as well as release info. Buckle up, boys and girls.

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First up was an announcement that made me smile and groan at the same time. Creepy milk commercial aside, Cuphead is officially heading to the Nintendo Switch on April 18th. The reason I’m groaning is cause I already bought this on Steam, but would much prefer it on Switch. So I guess Studio MDHR gets my money twice. You can pre-purchase the game as of today, though it officially launches on April 18th, bringing beautifully animated chaos to your system.

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Next up is Overland, a squad focused, turn-based apocalyptic strategy game. It looks like it has elements of tactical RPGs and a bit of Oregon Trail ethos, where you can’t save everyone. Since it’s set in such a dangerous climate, it shouldn’t surprise you that the farther west you go, the weirder things get. This randomly generated adventure is heading to the Switch this Fall.

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I’m very happy that My Friend Pedro is finally heading to the Switch this June. I’m even more surprised that they announced it was a console exclusive, since the last time I demoed it, I could have sworn it was also headed to PS4 and PC. Regardless, if you love frenetic, coordinated violence on a comical scale and talking bananas, you’ll love this one.

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I got to play Neo Cab at E3 last year, and I’m glad to hear it’s coming out soon. This visually distinct game involves trying to reunite with your best friend in a future ruled by a dystopian megacorporation. You’re the last human driver in city overrun by automation, and your job is to drive folks around while staying calm and unveiling the mysteries of the city. Neo Cab is out later this Summer.

When I heard this next game was about dog racing, I almost skipped it. But then I saw that The Red Lantern is narrative driven and has an interesting overall style. Developed by Timberline Studio, in the game you’ll engage in the Iditarod, fight the wilderness, tend your dogs, mend wounds and hunt to survive. Fend off bear attacks and get to your destination alive. Oh and if you like gyro controls, The Red Lantern has those as well. This unique adventure is out later this year.

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I don’t normally think of top down when I think of survival horror, but Darkwood looks to be a strange and eerie adventure. In this title you’ll craft weapons, explore hideouts and hunker down at night while praying for the sun as monsters hunt you. Darkwood is also procedurally generated, so every time will be different. If that sounds like your cup of tea, it’s out this May.

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Personally, I adore the style of Katana Zero. It has lush pixelated charm and lots of action. You play as Dragon the assassin. Armed with precognition, you will manipulate time and leave no witnesses. One hit and you’re dead though, but thankfully the game rewinds levels when you lose. And on the random side of things, in between missions you’ll talk with a therapist to get over your demons. Katana Zero is out April 18, though you can pre-purchase it today.

I admit I have yet to play any game published by Double Fine (though I do own a couple). But I’ve played many from Bandai Namco, and that’s relevant since this next game is by both. RAD is a top down adventure game where your primary power is the skill to mutate into horrid beasts to fight other horrid beasts. Sounds like my sort of game, so perhaps this will be the first Double Fine title I end up playing. RAD is out later this Summer.

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If you had told me earlier today a game with a mix of post apocalyptic mayhem and pinball was gonna intrigue me, I would have called you a filthy liar. Well, now I know better, as Creature in the Well seems to mix both effortlessly. It features 8 dungeons, top down action adventure, pinball ricochet mechanics and lots of crazy. A giant creature has trapped your town in a sandstorm, so you have to slay it with over 15 weapons, each with different quirks. This fascinating looking title is out later this Summer.

I’m super excited that they announced that Bloodroots is out this Summer. Not only was this game a blast at PAX West, but it’s really a one of a kind action game. Everything in the environment is your weapon, which is good since one hit and you’re a gonner. Play as anti-hero Mr. Wolf on his mysterious quest for revenge. Can’t wait til I get my hands on this.

Pine gave me all sorts of Redwall vibes. This open world, 3rd person action adventure game adapts to your choices and features lots of strange creatures. Explore miles of terrain and engage with 5 factions of anthropomorphic animal men, including Moose and Gator. Scavenge, barter, harvest and craft this August.

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Vlambeer got a lot of love, showing off 2 ports and one entirely new title. Super Crate Box is one of the ports out today. It features fast paced, multiplayer matches, which are exclusive to this version. Nuclear Throne is also out today, offering post apocalyptic fun solo or with a buddy. Lastly, the new title is Vlambeer Arcade, which features a growing catalog of bite sized games, including Ultra Bugs first. Think Space Invaders, except you use enemy DNA to customize your ship. Vlambeer Arcade is out later this year.

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If you like 2D fun in the ocean, you’ll love Swimsanity! It features 1-4 player bouts with humans or bots. This multiplayer underwater shooter has more than 150 challenges, 8 game modes and 5 worlds. Choose classic or motion control and enjoy matchmaking and in-game voice chat. Out later this Summer.

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When I think indie on Switch, I always think of Inti Creates. Today they announced the sequel to the wonderful Blaster Master Zero, Blaster Master Zero II. It features the Gaia-Sophia tank, a new blast counter mechanic, travelling across the galaxy to different planets and planetoids, new items and even a broad new cast of characters. Best of all, Blaster Master Zero II is out RIGHT NOW. I’ll wait while you go buy it.

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The strangest reveal today was Stranger Things 3: The Game. Not a lot of details were announced for this isometric adventure game, other than local co-op, puzzle solving, and 12 playable characters. What I can say definitively is it releases July 4th which is also the same day that the 3rd season hits Netflix. Count me excited.

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They saved the best for almost last. At first I thought it was just talking about new content for Crypt of the Necrodancer, but surprise! It’s actually a brand new game in that universe called Cadence of Hyrule. Team up with Link and Zelda and fight off the hordes of Gannon and friends. This wonderfully exuberant looking game (which I’m sure will be a console exclusive) is out Spring 2019.

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The last thing to cover today is that there will be a sale for other indies already on Switch later today. Whew, talk about a ton of new reasons to be excited. Thanks for joining oprainfall for your coverage and stay tuned for more info about these games in the near future!

Nintendo’s Indie Direct Recap, Including Cuphead and Cadence of Hyrule As both oprainfall's resident indie nerd and Nintendo fanboy, it fell upon me to cover the Indie Direct.

[podcake]

Podcast Teatime: Boston Tea Party

Hello again, readers! To cap off this fine interview month, I scored big with pulling aside the creators of Greater Boston Alexander Danner and Jeff Van Dreason for some talk and tea.

(The following is a direct copy-and-paste from the email) 

Question One: I’ve always liked the semi-documentary style of your show. The way it often starts off with an interview that somewhat reflects the central topic of the episode is a nifty framing device. Is there any reason why you chose to do this? JVD: For one thing, our show is set in a real place, albeit a skewed, alt universe real place. Since we mention factual events and history, there’s already some bleeding between fact and fiction, past and present. Further, the show is about a community - a geographical area larger than a city. We have a large cast, but our thought process was the more individual voices that we hear from in the show, the larger our community feels, the more similar to a city and its surrounding areas it sounds. 

The answers we select from our interviews match the tone of what we’re going for, both for the show as a whole and the individual episodes. Some of them are funny, strange, sad, or a mixture of all of the above. It’s a nice, refreshing way to start, I think - hearing something real and authentic straight from someone’s mouth. It’s not written, it’s not rehearsed, it just is.  Finally, it was a good way to make the show more diverse, which was a huge concern for us giving that most of our cast members in Season 1 were white.

It’s a city. Cities are diverse, so it should have a diverse feeling.

Question Two: What is it about Boston that drives you write an audio drama based around it? Are you from that city or do you just personally find it interesting enough to write about?

AD: We’ve both lived in Boston for a long time, but neither of us is originally from here. We’re actually both from different parts of New York. For me, Boston very quickly felt like “home.” I love living in a city that you can reasonably cross from end to end on foot, and pass through such very different places. Boston’s one of the oldest cities in the US, so for good and bad, there’s a lot of history here, and Boston loves wearing its history openly. So it’s easy to find inspiration, both for quirky moments and dramatic.

JVD: Boston is such a weird city! So much of it makes very little sense. There’s this huge sense of working class ethos mixed with higher ed academia, it’s seriously progressive while also being incredibly old fashioned. There’s so much history and it surrounds us everywhere, but then there’s also a ton of development, so you have these old buildings next a bank-sponsored skyrise, the old Trinity Church is dwarfed by the John Hancock tower, but it’s also reflected in its windows. 

That’s Boston in a nutshell; this tiny, old little church directly next to and reflected in an imposing glass tower, Boston’s tallest skyscraper. In the Greater Boston universe, much of what’s happened in the past  remains in the present somehow; the sticky streets from the molasses flood in the North End, the fact that Wonderland is still an amusement park, the trash fire on Spectacle Island – and those are conscious decisions rooted in the fact that our history still surrounds us everywhere we look, whether we’re aware of it or not. 

There’s even some antiquated laws that are technically still on the books in Boston. I remember hearing you can challenge someone to a legal duel on the Boston Common because that law has yet to have been thrown out or redacted. And part of that weirdness to me is urban alienation. Every time I take the Red Line, I think of how weird it is that all these strangers are crammed together in this underground moving box, and everyone acts like they’re completely alone, ignoring the humanity, the community all around them. 

And that’s really a city in a nutshell. We’re all literally in the same situation, we have so much in common, but people sit seats apart from each other. They’re afraid of even their clothing getting too close to another human being. And I get it, because people are afraid of standing out and looking weird, or encouraging weird behavior from strangers. But I feel like the harder we try not to connect with other people? The weirder we all look! 

Question Three: Greater Boston is often described to be a sort of slice of life meets magic realism show…with a subway. Was this the genre you were aiming for or do you deem Greater Boston to be something else entirely?

AD: I think that description captures us pretty well. I worry more about the humor/drama balance than about nailing down a specific genre descriptions. That said, magic realism has certainly been a major influence on my my writing for many years, as have contemporary slipstream authors like Kelly Link. JVD: I appreciate the fact that our genre and tone are difficult to pin down. We wanted to create something complex, something that felt more like a novel in audio form, something that defied classification. It can be a tricky thing to balance, honestly, and we’re both very conscious about making sure some episodes are funny, some are more serious, while all of them sound a little…off, weird, strange, different. That’s the Greater Boston blend we’ve always been going for.

Question Four: Your cast of characters are colorful, to say the least. Is there anyone in particular that’s the most fun to write for?

AD: Well, they’re all fun to write for in different ways, especially because we’ve really tried hard to give them all unique voices. But I don’t think anyone will be surprised to hear that there’s a particular pleasure in writing Mallory. She was only ever meant to appear once, giving her recounting of Leon’s death, back in episode four, but she was just too much fun to write not to revisit her. And now she’s an important part of the full ensemble.

JVD: Mallory is a blast, but she’s also very difficult to write because you constantly have to come up with new and creative ways to swear! I’m not sure I can pick a favorite, honestly, but I love writing scenes with Gemma and Charlotte. They just have such an interesting and complex relationship. I really like Nica too and I use her to express a lot of my personal frustrations and demons. And Leon. Leon’s character is so finite that it’s easy to slip right into that voice.

Question Five: You’ve gotten to collaborate with quite a few people including those behind Ars Paradoxica as well as cameos by Lauren Shippen, Rick Coste, and Ryan Estrada. What was it like getting to work with them and what do you think it’s done for the show?

AD: Oh, it’s so much fun! We’re very lucky to have so many wonderful people who’ve been kind to our show. Getting Beth Eyre in for a recurring part through Season 2 was especially exciting, and she was wonderful! But one of my favorite aspects of this community is how gamely people step into help out on each other’s shows. So many of us have appeared on each other’s shows at this point! (I’m especially proud of my turn on The Infinite Now, in the episode “The Martian Thirst Trap.”)

Of course, that we were allowed to actually *write* a piece of arsParadoxica was a particular honor. They allowed us to write something thoroughly ridiculous for their characters, which was generous and a delight to be a part of. And “Curses” won’t be the last bit we guest write for other shows–but I think we’ll have some announcements to make about that closer to 2018.

Question Six: One of my personal favorite things about Greater Boston has always been the music selection. How exactly did you manage to get a soundtrack that screamed, “This an alternative version of Boston!”

AD: The music began with Dirk and Emily, who are old friends of mine. I actually know Dirk from my days in making comics, and we long talked about collaborating on a project. We *meant* a comic, but Greater Boston became the first project we actually worked on together. He and Emily happened to be talented musicians, playing primarily Irish folk and maritime traditionals, which is perfect for representing Boston. 

They then brought in Adrienne, who introduced the hurdy gurdy to our sound, which was a brilliant addition. Jim, who brings in the drums, is someone we both know through our teaching jobs. We kind of pull talent from all over our lives. Dave Lewis, whose original piano music appeared in season 2, is someone I hadn’t spoken to since middle school, but the show brought us back in touch!

BONUS: I’m sure many people want to know what pushes you to keep writing and creating your work. In something as rickety as the podcast scene, you never know what audience you’ll attract and what success may come your way, so what is it that keeps you determined in such a broad and still growing art field? JVD: A lot of what initially pushed us into the genre of audio drama was our frustration with trying to publish our fiction and produce theatrical work. It’s really difficult to do either of those things and what I love about podcasting is that you can just do something independently. 

It takes time, it takes work, it takes hours scheduling and recording and producing, but you’re able to make something complex and beautiful on your own and with the help of your friends. It’s more collaborative and hands-on than writing a story, and there’s more evolution in story than a produced play. And in either case, you have time to build an audience. 

Neither of us had dreams of producing the next podcast smash when we made Season 1. We just wanted to get our writing and stories into as many heads as possible. We’re actually blown away with how much Greater Boston has taken off. That’s not to say we’re some kind of runaway podcast smash, but it thrills us so much to know we have an audience. A small audience, but a dedicated one. That’s so huge to us. It’s a tremendous responsibility, in some ways. We don’t want to disappoint people. 

We don’t want to let anyone down. But it’s also thrilling and pushes us into wanting to make our show even better, with each new episode and season we write and produce. We also have to credit how nurturing and supportive the entire audio drama community is. It’s one of the best artistic communities I’ve ever encountered and it feels incredibly exciting to be a part of it, right now especially. I think in many ways, we feel really lucky that the show came out when it did, because we were among a lot of other fantastic audio dramas being released shortly before or after we kicked off. I think we’ve both longed to be in a community like this, where we can pop into each others shows or help record something for each other or even write something for another show. 

There’s something so rewarding about that to me. It’s the type of creative situation I’ve looked for my whole life.

AD: And the fact that audio drama is still a growing, developing field only makes being a part of it more exciting. Right now, it’s possible to jump in, and right away have your voice heard, and even feel like you’re influencing the direction the form is heading. The whole experience has been creatively invigorating.

It’s always these creative duos that give me some of the best answers. Hopefully you feel as warm and fuzzy as I do after that interview and are eager to check out Greater Boston for yourself. Thank you all for joining me for tea…now get the fuck off my Red Line.

[thesteadydietofeverything]

Video Game Year in Review: Remakes, Remasters, and Re-releases

I’ve never made a list of remakes, remasters, and re-releases before, but then again, I don’t think I’ve ever played so many in a single year to even be able to. 2018 was a particularly busy year in this end of video game releases, nearly exclusively due to the Nintendo Switch. Now in its second year, the Switch may have been light on brand new first party titles, but the rush of seemingly every developer to get new and old games alike on the portable console came into full swing. “When’s that game coming to Switch?” has turned into a question that could be reasonably applied to...just about every game, but perhaps no more so than great Nintendo games originally released on their previous, unsuccessful console, the Wii U. These games enjoyed a second life in 2018, with many, including myself, playing 2014 games that we never got to as if they’re brand new. Switch re-releases don’t account for every game on this list, but they are a very clear majority...

5. Bayonetta (Switch remaster) - This is the one game on this list that I actually didn’t like. But I tried. Like it’s spiritual cousin, Devil May Cry, Bayonetta is a game that makes you feel shitty for not being good at it. I consistently got low grades on my combat performance, but didn’t feel like the game was offering any particularly helpful guidance in how to improve. It just kept pushing me forward, with dwindling currency, supplies, and patience, all the while just being a bit of a dick to me. If I found gameplay to be more fun, maybe I also would have been more willing to be entertained by its puerile, edgy aesthetic, but as it was, that just became another thing to grate on my nerves. If there’s one thing I gained from this game, it’s the assurance that not every popular game from the late 2000’s that I missed out on while I was barely playing video games is worth catching up on.

4. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch re-release) - The Donkey Kong Country games have always eluded me. I never had a SNES, so I couldn’t quite get into the bizarre proto-3D graphics of the originals once I finally checked them out. Tropical Freeze is the game that finally proved to me why people love these games so much. Donkey Kong is an unusual platforming star - his hulking frame gives him a slightly out of control momentum that is off putting until it’s suddenly satisfying, and that moment within the first couple hours of play where how to control him suddenly clicked was the start of two weeks of compulsively playing this game to completion during my summer break.

3. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch re-release) - What a unique game. A puzzle platformer whose main mechanic sometimes feels like your player character’s lack of an ability to jump. With a perfectly minimalistic mobility design ethos, this delightful experiment encourages you to explore the little 3D dioramas that make up its levels to completion. I’ve been obsessively mining each of them for all they’ve got before moving on to the next one, and it’s slow going - I’ve still probably got about ⅔ left of the game to go. But the thought of it is actually making look forward to my upcoming, otherwise painfully long flight to Japan, because absorbing myself in this seems like the perfect way to make hours go by without notice.

2. Dark Souls: Remastered - Before this remaster, I had played brief moments of the original Dark Souls on a friend’s PS3. Really, though, Bloodborne is where I fell in love with Souls-style games, and last year I obsessed over the excellent, overlooked Nioh. Finally coming to this game after more recent games in its style was a mixed experience for me. Obviously, the rather plain, blocky textures of the last generation are already aging quickly, but the game still has enough style and atmosphere that I wasn’t particularly bothered by that aspect of it. The combat, however, felt...bland. I know, I know, this game and its predecessor, Demon’s Souls, are praised for revolutionizing action RPG combat, with their tight controls and deliberate moves. If it weren’t for this game, the combat I love in Bloodborne and Nioh wouldn’t exist. But having put so many dozens of hours into Nioh, a game with combo attack strings and multiple stances, made the switch back to a game where each weapon basically only has two attacks, feel just kinda elementary. Not easy, mind you - despite my experience with this style, I still found this game to be welcomingly challenging, but performing the same moves over and over again just wore thin.

Nevertheless, this game has something that no game inspired by it has quite been able to replicate, or even, seemingly, really tried to, and that’s the incredible, interlocking level design. Yeah, Dark Souls 3 and especially Bloodborne obviously pull some similar magic tricks in connecting separate sections together, but regardless, feel like fairly linear games. Firelink Shrine in this game has three separate directions you can head in to start with, and the paths just keep branching from there. This game puts remarkable trust in the player in her ability and desire to explore, experiment, and undoubtedly die many times before finding the path of least resistance (because even that path offers plenty of resistance). This is the aspect of Dark Souls that kept me going. Not only has it not aged a day, it’s almost even more impressive in retrospect, a lightning-in-a-bottle kind of  flash of creative genius.

1. Yakuza Kiwami 2 - Last year’s Yakuza 0 was my first Yakuza game, and this year’s Yakuza Kiwami 2 was my fourth. As you might have guessed, I’ve fallen very, very hard for this series. For those not familiar, Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2, originally on PS2, just as last year’s Yakuza Kiwami was a remake of the original game. While that game used 0’s engine, which was made for PS3 originally, Kiwami 2 uses the brand new, very pretty engine used for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, which was released earlier this year. This game recreates just about everything in the original game, and adds a hell of a lot more. This feels so much like a brand new game to me that I considered just putting in on my main top 10, and honestly, the reason that I didn’t had less to do with the fear of breaking any non-existent rules about what qualifies for a year-end list, and more to do with the fact that The Song of Life was already on there, and I just wanted more space to talk about how much I love the shit out of Yakuza.

This game improves on Kiwami in just about every aspect. The main story is a lot more compelling, and it’s obvious that Yakuza 2 is tonally where this series really came into its own, with its so-serious-it’s-actually-kinda-funny Japanese gangster soap opera, mixed with deliberately silly as hell sub stories. In particular, there are two very deep and expansive side stories built around mini-games added to this game: the cabaret club management game borrowed and modified from 0 and the Majima construction clan battles borrowed and modified from The Song of Life. While I appreciated these in those respective games, something about the execution in this game just got me absolutely obsessed. Kiryu’s roll that he fits into with the misfit hostesses of the cabaret club and their scrappy underdog story is my happy place. The older professional wrestlers that play the mumbly, grumpy businessmen/fighters in the clan battle mini-game led to a couple of scenes that had me gleefully cackling out loud. Starting this game out, I had arguably already spent more than enough time playing Yakuza games over the last couple years, but it’s a testament to just how endearing this game is that after 40 or so hours of play, if Kiwami 3 were to suddenly be surprise announced and released, I would have been happy to jump straight into it.