#this is legit shitty writing

[hislittleraincloud]

Ah, so it's legitimate suckery and not just any bias I may have

"Crackstone Crypt". Huh. I guess they just really needed an editor. *forgives*

✨four short paragraphs later✨

Oh. Not an editor. Needs a whole ass English lesson.

ETA: It persists throughout. This author legit forced "Crackstone Crypt", not "Crackstone's crypt":

and that provides for some awkward af reading. It's bad writing over a misconstruction:

What is wrong with them? 🤦🏽‍♂️

[bogkeep]

i think the one thing that makes me feel the most autistic forever is Fashion. it's difficult to describe how, because i think i have a decent grasp on Character Design - like i have a sense for what *i* think looks cool!! and i'm sure i'm swayed by trends just as much as anyone, like i have a distinct memory of suddenly being Really Into Purple as a teen, and i thought it was just a thing i had discovered by myself but it was actually a year when purple was a really trendy color and they were selling cute purple clothes everywhere. i can rummage through my old clothes and recognise that wow, these pieces are heavily reminiscent of the early 2010s. sure!!!!

but when people talk about Fashion it's greek to me. 95% of the time i am presented with a picture of allegedly Bad Fashion i cannot understand what's wrong. we make fun of the way people dressed ten years ago but if ten years ago could aee how we dress today they'd be laughing at us?? and it's really so anxiety inducing to consider i might have zero self awareness about whether i dress ok or like a clown in other people's eyes, so i have no choice but to own it. my understanding of Dressing Good is finding pieces that are comfortable on your body and look flattering to you, whatever that might mean.

idk i just feel like an alien that can't understand earth language but i'm doing my very best to pick up on words as i go along

[macchiatosdumptruck]

I don't really ascribe to the whole "writing bad things in fiction means you condone bad things irl" line of thinking because it's just false.

But it is interesting and possibly troubling how they thought Robby "deserved" whatever bad treatment he got, and for what? They invented him. They created his character. He did what they made him do. And what he did was basically just exist.

[karnalesbian]

honestly I can't tell if my final opinion is respect or disappointment when it comes to kohei horikoshi and gege akutami

both of them somehow managed to make frankly iconic and compelling characters that are far more interesting than anyone else in their respective stories but then both of them also managed to have strong starts to their series and hit genuinely sick climactic moments in early arcs..... and then just completely lose the plot from there, to the point where said iconic characters became like the only bright spots left. Like is it more impressive that they managed to hit home runs like that in the first place, or that they still found a way to fuck it up?

genuinely torn on this. dilemma for the ages

[kami-kun1003]

when HP fans try to justify their actions by saying they’re doing it to “spite” JKR 🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮

[springysprongy]

Wowowoow

Shit I felt like doing

[salamancialilypad]

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[gamingstar26]

Yes, you are exactly right about totk!! A lot of my own complaints come from the story (or lack thereof). To be honest, it's a rare LOZ game that has a particularly complex or nuanced story, but in my opinion, the best ones more than make up for it with their characters.

My favorite game that I've played is Skyward Sword, and I desparately want to play Wind Waker, because the both of them have such fun and compelling characters that I don't really mind the simplicity of the narratives (and Wind Waker even hints at nuance the other games won't dive into!)

Tears of the Kingdom tries to use plot driven storytelling, but... expects us to be far more invested than most of us ever really are. There's hints of character driven story in there, but it all just falls flat in the end and feels really superficial, ESPECIALLY when you look at how they treat the women in this game. Zelda is JUST the sacrificial maiden (again) whose only autonomy comes from choosing to give up her autonomy. Mineru is JUST the smart character who magically technobabbles the solutions. Purah is JUST the scientist that tells you where to go. Most indicative of Nintendo's attitude in this, to me, is with Riju. The way they treat her, it's clear they want her to fill the role of the sexy one, but they know that won't go well if they go all out because she was canonically a young child in the last game. Still really gross, Nintendo you're not subtle.

All this to say that TOTK thinks it's more clever than if is, and fails to pull its own weight in any meaninful way.

All of this!!

I’ll add a bit more that I forgot to add:

Yea usually zelda games have simple plots overall (with some expectations of course) but they do make up for it with memorable characters, etc, etc…

My favorite zelda game is Ocarina of Time cause of the lore (also gameplay of course) and the how interesting it is to me and the overall themes it goes into being tragic and relatable, even tho the surface story is simple overall.(the hero of time games being my favs cause of the story driven nature yet also have fun gameplay) Also other games like skyward sword having a good engaging story with good characters (Groose is the best), wind waker being a simple coming of age story, but also having the king and ganondorf both cling on to the past, etc.

Like you said totk thinks it’s clever and fails to deliver on making us invested in a meaningful and exciting narrative, in a way it’s using tropes from previous zelda games like oot, botw, SS and link to the past without even knowing why they worked in the first place. While failing to reuse tho tropes in a more unique way like previous games have done. It’s true there are hints of character driven story it’s just ignored or mentioned in a half assed way.

Also like I said in the post the lack of consequences with the main story at the end, like Link’s arm just being restored even tho furry rauru had said it was beyond saving, and zelda being recalled back to normal, so her “sacrifice” was not worth it at all (master sword is also worse somehow like wtf zelda)

I’ve also noticed the way totk treats the main women it’s very not good, like you said with zelda she’s just sacrificial maiden turned into a dragon, mineru being exposition dump lady cause that’s all she does tbh, also has the worst Sage ability in the whole game, etc.

zelda being the worst one. (Tbh botw/totk zelda is mixed overall she’s overrated) cause she’s dumb as hell didn’t even recognize that Ganondorf and Calamity Ganon could be related, she does nothing until furry rauru and sonia are dead. Also being a terrible princess, she didn’t even do any meaningful things to hyrule’s rebuilding efforts other than build a school and some small memorials and fuck around doing whatever the hell she was doing pre totk. Also she stole links house damn it.

there’s also the way the gerudo are treated in the zelda series as a whole, but that’s a whole other topic others have done better at that. Like with totk and botw (mostly totk) being helpless yet also warriors needing help from hylians to even survive in their own home?! Like how ingame they explain that zelda of all people was the one to help them get to know the desert and how to survive better wtf? And the secret heroine side quest end, how it’s just some random hylian guy to be the hidden 8th. (There goes the 7 sages and the 8th being the hero of time theory)

Also the way the botw events are treated. they just pretend that none of the ancient tech never existed at all and refuse to mention anything about botw, only in small passes. And the side quest with the Hateno school mentioning the original calamity.

The depths having potential to be better but we’re just empty and massive instead, I like the bargainer statues those are cool as an concept. And the sky islands being boring and copy paste the same few islands throughout.

Holy shit this game makes me write entire essays of complaints. I’m sorry if I repeat myself I’m terrible at explaining stuff at times.

Now I’m going to play the zelda games I’ve never finished to cleanse myself of totk.

[philsmeatylegss]

One thing about me is I get really into internet drama always a few weeks after it’s relevant

[namira]

Whenever I think about how the Tea Stop in Harvard Square closed I feel so heartbroken

[ajdrawshq]

Is there any non-spoilery way you could talk about how isat isn't just about timeloops? because like I do want to check the game out eventually for sure if only because indie fun times but I'm busy for a while before I get the time and tbh I'm just not as curious because I don't know how it's gonna break that formula (also ngl no colors makes me lose 50% interest because I like. looking at colors. lots.)

UHM OK WELL UM. hm. how DO i do this without spoiling anything. im very not good at describing things especially things i Really enjoy so how do i put this . hold on i might need to look at some reviews so i know how to words. ok

as a disclaimer i havent fully interacted with a lot of (if any??) media that has timeloops so i cant say for certain what it does differently from similar media that makes it stand out from others. at the same time ive never seen something that is so directly About Timeloops in this way even if i consider stuff ive heard about in passing but i could be wrong (madoka n utena come to mind ?). ill try to think abt the things that arent Just timeloop related plus the stuff u mentioned and hope that helps it feel more interesting and less generic?

i think one of the main things i can say is that it Really makes you feel what the protagonist is feeling. more than anything ive ever watched or played or whatever . and thats saying a LOT given how much i empathize with protags in games. and its not even just an empathy thing here. both the story progression and the gameplay work in such a way that you experience pretty much everything the same way they do, while still having their own personal stuff u can learn about of course

on that note tho. that is actually something to be careful of for a few reasons. i know ur generally pretty good with darker content so i doubt thatll be a problem for u here (its not that bad tbh but there is IS a warning when u open the game/look at the steam page and it aint lying) but. due to the nature of timeloops. it CAN get tiring and this is very much intended. and this helps a lot w the story and themes in a way that its. like. think how kh days does repetition on purpose. its a lot like that (although i had way easier of a time getting thru isat than days? i cant remember how u feel abt days' gameplay but i think it was positive ? either way getting thru isat was way more bearable than days imo). it does do a good job at balancing this with a couple mechanics that mean u dont have to repeat everything all the time (i had like. Very few actual full loops by the time i finished) and theres ALWAYS new things happening, even if ur super thorough with everything. its pretty easy to do things at whatever pace u feel like and if u wanna focus on the main story only to make it easier it wouldnt take too much away from the experience (tho i do encourage talking to the npcs at least a few times), and theres always a goal to work towards. also dialogue skipping and the banana peel are ur best friends

sort of adding onto that. it really, really helps that u are sharing the experience with the protagonist. not only does that help u relate to them (even if u dont share as many traits w them as i do akvdjsn) but theyre probably the most beloved character in the game and for good reason!! its really fun to see their interactions with the rest of the main cast and the npcs, and watch them all develop in different ways throughout the game. and my goodness all of the characters are beautifully written - at first ur kinda thinking ok its a ragtag group of sillies in an rpg whats new. but their personalities and relationships and hobbies and problems and everything about them is just so well done.. they feel so natural. human even. every conversation feels real to me. one of the main themes of the game is the concept of change, and each of them represent and approach it differently, both positively and negatively. its hard not to fall in love with them as individuals and as a group because they just have so much going on, even the ones i didnt expect to like at all!!

the worldbuilding is also a fun spin on fantasy rpg worlds. it mostly revolves around the area u play in bc well. of course it does. but its vv interesting to learn about all the different cultures within the world and how they interact with and build on the themes of the game. theres all sorts of queer stuff going on and its all handled like a love letter to people who relate, and i can feel it even with what i dont relate to at all!! the way "magic" works and the ways people use it in battle and everyday life is super cool too, makes the whole thing feel a lot more believable and realistic :3 i dont wanna talk abt any specifics bc its more fun to learn abt this stuff ingame

OH AND THE TEXT.. EFFECTS?.. idk what to call that but the way dialogue (both internal and external) is written and programmed is funky as hell (affectionate). it was weird at first bc oftentimes (mostly for humor) its like. almost the way i type actually?? which feels strange in a legit game but it Works. it works so well and adds tone and vibes and a Voice in a way u usually cant get in a game without any voice acting. deltarune is also good at that but this one does it differently enough for me to consider it unique

HAVE I MENTIONED THE ART STYLE i love the art style . its so charming and expressive especially all the talking sprites n battle portraits. simultaneously silly n adorable while fully capable of being serious. and creepy. anyway look at the sillies i love them n their designs dearly (especially Siffrin (1st on the left) and Mirabelle (2nd on the left))

also on that note, the lack of colors....... i both totally understand being put off by that (i also love looking at colors n this part made me feel weird abt it when i was thinking abt getting it at first) and personally enjoy it? without saying anything spoilery (bc its really not), its just another part of the worldbuilding and themes that i now find really fun :3 should be noted that i usually have an anti blue light filter so it mightve been easier to look at w the yellowish tint going on. maybe it even looks better that way ? kinda reminded me of old films now that i think abt it.. neat!!

as a last thing i couldnt quite insert somewhere else. it is equal parts a comedy and a tragedy, and it is so, so effective at accomplishing this. the humor is fantastic and adds to the games' and characters' personality, every tragic moment is . for lack of a better word or phrase. absolutely fucking delicious. and i adore how well it can shift from one to the other gradually or in an instant, or just be both at once!!!! yippee!!!!!!!

aaand thats all i can say. i have no idea if that cleared anything up BUT i encourage u to give it a try bc i do think youd like it in the end. u probably wouldnt finish it as fast as i did but that might be a good thing jfbskndj but yeah!!!! in stars and time!!!!!! its good and i love it!!!!!!!!

[srrrokka]

So recently I'm seeing a lot on my dash about the new DH books and... Should I try reading them? There's some stuff that I'm super curious about but then again I started reading the Corroded Man ages ago and I really didn't like it...

I think what might be my problem is that I refuse to accept the books as canon which makes them a bit difficult to read then...

[syn4k]

you are never gonna guess who is in catch-up hell and has to redo his entire geometry work from the last 9 weeks.

[daydreamerwonderkid]

Once my imposter syndrome finally dies down, it's over for all you bitches

[elfindreams]

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[caeca-iustitia]

Vincent was raised in a vastly different time to their peers and this comes with a myriad of things that influenced how they grew up.

Their father was distant during their early years and could barely remember their name when he came home for a few days each month. As a result, Vincent was much closer to their mother and loved her dearly. Whenever Grimoire was at home the place was much colder and tenser; any move they make could have set him off for no reason.

Grimoire was an avid user of corporal punishment and would hit Vincent about the hand or would spank them for even the smallest mistake. Thus, Vincent grew to shove all unneeded emotions behind a thick blockade and hold themselves to a level of perfectionism that no 5-year-old should have ever needed to.

Vincent was terrified of Grimoire yet still respected him enough to mourn him when he died.

When Vincent was barely 6 years old, Mei was born and their mother passed away. Grimoire- incensed with grief and rage- took it out on Vincent. He blamed them for failing to save their mother and told them multiple times that they should have been the one to die instead of her. He'd beat them so badly that he'd broken his right index finger.

When they attempted to defend themselves, he beat them harder before leaving on another business trip. He'd left before his wife's funeral and didn't return for it.

Vincent did their best for the next 10 years to raise themselves and their sister. They would always try to remain respectful to Grimoire when he'd come home; though he took them flinching when he came too close as a sign of disrespect and used that as an excuse to punish them.

Grimoire treated Vincent like a servant and a nanny- lavishing attention and gifts on Mei in front of them just to rub salt in the wound. He treated Mei more like his heir than he did his actual heir.,

When their father died Vincent did mourn him as whilst he had mistreated them he was still their father. Even so, their situation didn't get much better when they went to live with their grandmother. It got so bad for them- what with their already fragile mental health on top of more mistreatment from their grandmother as well as their coworkers- that they attempted to take their own life.

When Vincent became a single parent to two girls, they felt lost and scared. They didn't want to give their girls the same kind of life as they'd experienced and felt as though they'd already failed them due to their ex-wife's neglectful and abusive behaviour towards the girls. However, they have done their best to provide the girls with a good life and have fought very hard to not repeat the same mistakes as their father.

-

A lot of the behaviours that Vincent exhibits at the current time are due to this abusive and neglectful upbringing. Their perceived lack of emotions is due to constantly hiding them behind walls and their quiet nature is because of their father not wanting to hear them talk. They're terrified of being hurt again so keep up the learned behaviours from their youth to appease everyone around them.