#why am i a fan of a ubisoft game why do i do this to myself

[funnyscienceman]

listen i still need to double check this information but if this one source is true, wtf is ned doing in london, 1868, supposedly sent there by adam worth if AW didnt hire him and wynert & co didnt exist until the 1880s???

(I know the answer is that ubi gives 0 shits abt historical accuracy, for better or worse, and overall i am not complaining about the existence or presence of trans train guy, im just bashing my head into a wall for the nth time over ACS' undercooked-but-couldve-been-a-total-banger state fmemdnje)

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #4 - MarkedAsUnreal

Introduction:

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc was published by Ubisoft Paris and released on February 21st, 2003, in Europe and in March 2003 worldwide. That was almost 22 years ago. Feeling old yet? Well, Ubisoft did release Rayman 3: HD in 2012, but we won't talk about that. Rayman 3 is undoubtedly a fan favorite in the series thanks to its whimsical but very risque adult humor. The game is also critically acclaimed thanks to its very fun and diverse 3D platforming and its exceptional cast of characters and enemies. Nothing has ever come close in the series to the success of Rayman 3, in my opinion. And while I wait in hope for Ubisoft to bring back Rayman to his core 3D roots, I can't help thinking, Why doesn't Ubisoft just remake Rayman 3. 

Fortunately, this is no longer an issue. For this latest Rayman Together Community Spotlight, I have the pleasure of interviewing Marked As Unreal, a Rayman fan from Poland who is working on the Rayman 3 Fan Remake on YouTube. This ground-breaking development blog focuses upon reimaging Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc using Unreal Engine 5. The development process has been fascinating to watch, and this has become undoubtedly a favorite fan project of mine. The results have been spectacular, and the game looks simply incredible. You can see the results for yourself below from these comparison shots.

(Rayman 3: Unreal Engine Fan Remake)

(Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc)

(Rayman 3: Unreal Engine Fan Remake)

(Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc)

So sit back and relax as this latest community spotlight takes you into more detail about the genius behind the Rayman 3: Fan Remake and a more personal insight into this amazing community project. 

Spotlight:

1. Please introduce yourself.

"Hi! I’m Mark. I’m a gaming enthusiast from Poland who dreams of making his own small indie title one day. To help me achieve that goal, I’m currently trying to learn game development and Unreal Engine by remaking one of my favorite games of all time, Rayman 3. I didn’t have much coding or Unreal Engine experience prior to this project, but I did work as a 3D artist for almost 4 years. The most notable project I’ve worked on as a 3D artist was “The Medium” by the Bloober team. What was really awesome about this project is that its art style is based on Zdzislaw Beksinski’s paintings, who is a painter that I am a big fan of."

2. What do you do for a living?

"For most of the year I work at a campground doing maintenance, but in the summer I work at an ice cream/waffle shop."

3. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time

"I often play games and watch various shows when I’m looking to have a chill time. There are many games which I would consider my favorites, but to name a few (besides Rayman of course), there are the old Halo games, the Dead Space series, Old School RuneScape, Subnautica, the Bioshock series, Portal 2, Undertale, from software games, or the Respawn Entertainments Jedi series. As shows are considered, I lately find myself really enjoying anime. My favorites are Vinland Saga, Attack on Titan, and Jojo’s bizarre adventure. Jujustsu Kaisen is also really sick. Regarding more active ways to spend my free time, I really love bouldering (it’s a type of rock climbing) and snowboarding."

4. What got you into the Unreal Engine project on Rayman 3?

"Learning game development by trying to recreate one of my favorite games just seemed like it could be a ton of fun (and I wasn’t wrong, because it is a blast!). And I decided to go for Unreal Engine because I really wanted to try out the new features everyone was talking about (Nanite and Lumen). The fact that many AAA companies use Unreal Engine to make their games also made it feel like a better choice than Unity."

5. Tell us about your experience on the project with Rayman 3.

"The hardest part was the start, of course. I didn’t really know Unreal Engine, so doing the simplest things was a challenge. Every step required me to go through a tutorial first. Also, I started this project with the most complex part, while still having very little programming knowledge, which was coding in the characters movement and collision. On one hand, this was maybe not the wisest thing to start with, but on the other, I wanted to start with the hardest and most important part, to know if there is even a point in trying to make this game in the first place. Otherwise, I was at risk of doing something easy for half a year just to hit an unpassable wall. But you know, the greater the challenge, the greater the satisfaction once you overcome it. So, satisfying and fun are two main words that I would use to describe my experience working on this.

What’s also an amazing feeling is to have this complete freedom and agency over the project. I can make it look however I like, I can work on whatever I feel like working at the moment, and I can work at a pace that I feel like working at. It’s an amazing luxury that’s only possible because this is a passion project.

I’d also like to mention how cool of an experience it was working on the Teensie highway part of the level. Because of how surreal and random that part is, working on it felt very fresh and different. Not to mention that it was a nice way to see how much I’ve grown since I started this project, because while coding in all the logic for the surfboard Rayman, I could see how much easier this was for me to make in comparison to the regular Rayman that I was making when starting the project. Granted, the surfboard Rayman is much simpler in terms of complexity, but still, I felt like I could see a noticeable difference in my skill level. 

Finally, I can’t leave this question without mentioning what a great laugh I had when putting in all the drunken Teensies around the Heart of the World area. I love those guys, and creating all those little stories (like the two teens fighting on a ledge) was such a fun experience."

6. How has it been for you personally revisiting Rayman 3?

"To be honest, this doesn’t really feel like I’m revisiting the game, because I replay Rayman 3 fairly often, so it kind of feels like this game is never far off."

7. Are you planning to recreate the whole game in Unreal Engine?

"I’m sorry to say that no, I am not. It’s like I said in one of my first videos: this was always meant to be a learning opportunity for me, as well as a way to get a grasp on what project scope seems realistic for one person or a small team. If I had unlimited time, then I would love to recreate the whole game, because I love working on this. But the sad reality is that I'd probably be well in my 40s before the whole game would be remade. I’d like to be younger before I start working on my own games.

I’m not yet sure where exactly I will stop, but I am going to finish the fairy council level and share it, so everyone will have a chance to play it.

I haven’t really ever mentioned, though, what my plans are for the project; once I decide, it’s time for me to move on, so let me reveal them right now. My plan is to share the whole project for anyone to download and create a Discord server that will act as a hub for the project. I will be there to assist and help anyone who would like to make something using my remake (like continue from where I left off, make their own custom levels, or even just use some parts of it to create something else entirely).

8. Has anyone at Ubisoft or within the gaming industry approached you during your time sharing your development blogs on YouTube?

"No, no one has."

9. Are you planning to do any other Rayman games or any other videogames in Unreal Engine in the future after you have finished with Rayman 3?

"After the Rayman 3 remake, I will start making my own title. I already have a pretty clear idea of what that game is going to be; however, I’m not going to share that information yet. There is a lot of work left in this project, even just for the first level, so I’m still keeping my focus on the remake."

10. You are also a fan of the Unity Engine; can you tell us why?

"I just really enjoy working in it. It’s really cool that anyone can just download this software and start creating a game. I really like how the software is structured. I feel like it's really daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, using it just makes sense. Nowadays, I don’t really need to revisit many tutorials on how to do some things because I find the whole user experience pretty neatly organized and logical. What’s also really cool is that a lot of features are pretty cutting edge and yet still free to use (this is a bit of a double-edged sword, however, as new features are often pretty risky to use as they are not yet properly tested for production)."

11. How did you get into the Rayman series?

"My first Rayman game was Rayman 1 on the PS1. I was probably around 4 years old or something like that, so I think that it goes without saying that I didn’t beat it back then (and still haven’t, but I never really went back to try). Then, if I’m remembering correctly, I found Rayman 2 lying in a supermarket on a heap with other games and managed to convince my mom to buy it. I was probably around 6. This one I did manage to beat, but it took a long time. Some parts were really challenging back then. Also, it was really hard for me to figure out that I needed to backtrack in order to help Clark. Then I think I got Rayman 3 around the time it came out, so I was probably like around 8. So old enough to beat this one without too many issues. This is also the one that I liked the most at the time. I vividly remember how the first time I booted Rayman 3, I had this weird bug where the left key didn’t work, and I thought that maybe this was intended. I figured that since Rayman doesn’t have his hands (because Globox runs off with them), he has problems with keeping his balance, and that explains why I can't run left. Let me tell you, trying to catch that barrel without the ability to run left was pretty impossible, haha. Luckily, rebooting the game fixed the issue."

12. What is your favorite Rayman game and character?

"My favorite game is either Rayman 2 or Rayman 3, depending on my mood. Both to me have their respective strengths and weaknesses, but both are absolutely amazing. Rayman 2 is unmatched in its atmosphere and level design. Rayman 3 has really fun combat encounters, and I like the characters (design and writing) much more. And the whole Knaaren desert level is just so awesome! When I was a kid, my favorite character was straight up Rayman, but now it’s definitely the teensies. Though Globox from Rayman 3 is a close second place. Whenever I play Rayman Legends, I usually play as a teensie (but if I don’t feel like playing as a teensie, I always go for Rayomz)"

Thank you so much for being a part of my community spotlight, Marked As Unreal. It was a pleasure to read and see some of the creative processes behind the Rayman 3: Fan Remake. I look forward to seeing everything once it's complete. I wish you all the best with the development and in your future projects. 

Please don't forget to support Marked As Unreal. If you are eager to see more, I have included links to their social accounts below. Have a good weekend, Rayman fans. See you next time. 

MarkedAsUnreal Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marek-holubowski/

Rayman The Boardgame:

Rayman fans, don't forget Rayman: The Boardgame Kickstarter campaign ends on October 8th. There isn't much time until the end of the campaign. If you haven't already, don't forget to pledge and don't miss out on this amazing board game and some amazing bonuses. 

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey, Steph!! I've been following your blog for like four-ish years now and thanks for everything you do! <3 Though on another note, do you any other fandoms you're into except for Sherlock and Good Omens?? Have a great day/night!!

Hi Nonny!!

Oh, gosh, I'm into SOOOOO many fandoms. I actually started out as a wee lass as a Sonic fan, and aside from Sherlock, it's the longest-running fandom I've been active in (I was a "well known" fic writer in my teens and a fan-artist) I kind of left the fandom because of school and never went back in.

But yeah, I talk quite a bit about my fandom fave things, but CURRENTLY I'm obsessed with Disco Elysium and Loki. Both series I've read a lot of fics recently for, enough that I'll probably put out lists for.

BUT, I am a fan of A LOT of things, including but not limited to these fandoms that I lurk on the sidelines in, in no particular order:

Red Dwarf

Detroit Become Human

Moon Knight

Loki Series

Disco Elysium

Kingdom Hearts

Skyrim

Dragon Age

Sonic the Hedgehog

Doctor Strange

Avatar Last Airbender

Fruits Basket

Ranma 1/2

Lilo and Stitch (mostly Stitch, I am OBSESSED)

Darkwing Duck

Assassin's Creed

As I said above, Sonic is one of my oldest fandoms. I was very active in the community in the 90's and 00's, and then I went to school and never really clicked with them after. I have a long-semi-abandoned fic series I wrote called The Metallic Touch based loosely off of Sonic SatAM and the Archie Comics with inspiration from the Fleetway Comics. I'd love to finish it one day. I have the entire series plotted out on paper.

Kingdom Hearts is my favourite video game series. I have bought entire-assed systems and consoles JUST to play the newest games. I love almost all of them, and will usually replay them the most if I'm just DONE playing a bad string of games.

Skyrim is my second-favourite game, which I've replayed 3 times and NEVER completed, LOL. I love it so much though. I've got over 300 hours clocked into my last playthrough back when I was unemployed. I'm overdue for a replay.

Assassin's Creed series is my third fave; I got into it when I got my PS4 and there was a sale on the new-gen games Origins and Odyssey, so I bought them and ADORED them. Then I bought Valhalla and loved it, it's currently the record holder for "most hours in a game (458hrs). I really like it a lot. Then when I signed up for PS Plus, almost all of the Ubisoft catalogue is on there for members, so I just plowed through all of the titles available. The only one I haven't played at this point is the original AC because it was never made available. Black Flag I think is my fave. I am one of the few, it seems, who is SUPER PUMPED for Shadows. I am sad it got pushed back but hoping that means it won't be buggy.

Other video games are more "I'm obsessed in the moment and then I adore aspects of the games and that's what I focus on". With Disco Elysium, for instance, I'm OBSESSED with the dynamic of the characters and the world building, so I need more and more (and Kim's voice is yummy, but we won't talk about that LOL). And it's more or less a Sherlock AU which really appealed to me in the end, I think. The narrative RPG was a different type of game for me, I liked that I could just... relax, you know? Dragon Age, I've only played Inquisition and haven't finished it, but again, it was about the characters for me. I love them. I want to replay that one and I want Veilguard.

Hmmm. I dunno why I went into all of that, LOL. I just felt like obsessing about whatever came to mind, hahah.

Seriously though, if you want me to go into any of my fandom things, PLEASE ASK. I LOVE talking about my obsessions, and no one in my real life really gets me, LOL. I just REALLY LOVE FANDOMS. I love being a part of them, and I love just... obsessing about them. They're my happy place.

I don't have much in my life that makes me happy, so I take what I can get :P

[diamondfroot9]

Words cannot possibly describe how beyond angry and upset I initially was when finding out that there was no storymode playlist this year in just dance. That’s the thing I was most excited for out of everything in jd2025. It’s one of the things I’ve been talking about endlessly for over a year. I have two full notebooks of theories and predictions I’ve been writing for almost a year. I wanted a real conclusion to the story, where the just dancers are freed and Jack gets the happy ending he rightfully deserves.

Jack as a character is extremely important to me, for very personal reasons. I’ve always had characters from all kinds of media that are important to me for different reasons. But he is legit one of my first real comfort characters. I’ve never wanted to hug a character more.

I always describe him as “my child” simply because I love his character and his story. Just the thought of him being stuck by himself without his friends is enough to bring me to tears. I just want him to be okay and be happy with the ones he cares about and loves.

So that’s why I drew the image up here of a cute lil danceverse version of myself giving Jack a fist bump because I can relate to him. Not entirely, but I’m telling him I do understand. The background is all blue because he’s surrounded by sadness right now but I’m still telling him things will be okay.

Even though I’m not actually there with him in the danceverse, I am with him. I did originally want to do a drawing of me giving him a hug from behind but I wasn’t sure how to do it.

I have no doubt that this story will continue, we just don’t know when. Not knowing when is still upsetting me but not as much as before.

I felt like “in your eyes” was put there as a reminder that they haven’t forgotten about this storyline. It could either be its own mid season event later on, or in jd2026. Which I am hoping is not the case. Waiting another full year for this conclusion will literally make me wanna scream. But I don’t doubt that Ubisoft cares about these characters, this story and connecting with the fans through it. They can’t just dump it aside cause of how much fans like me do love it, how much work they put into it, the just dancers being a big part of the marketing for the past 2 games, and as @specialcolorfulshabon would say, jerky has been pumping the guns for a while…

I’m sure there’s other reasons to ramble endlessly about how I wanna scream in peoples faces that there is a lot of proof that this story will indeed have a proper ending, but this post is long enough.

Thanks for listening to my TEDtalk. Jk lol

[ten-quadrillion-blog]

Why is it so difficult for people to understand that Ubisoft is being racist?

I’m a long-time fan of Assassin’s Creed. It’s a part of me at this point: a reason I got interested in history, a reason I opted to take French classes in Highschool. I remember counting the days until the movie came out, going to theaters on release weekend with a friend. It wasn’t a good movie, but it remains a fond memory to this day.

As I played Ghost of Tsushima, I kept thinking about how cool it would be if the protagonist were a Ninja. Sure, there was a skill tree focused on stealth, but the storyline was very much about honor and the internal conflict of being a warrior. I wanted more subversion, loyalty and shady dealings- in short, I wanted to see the Assassin’s creed take on it. Templars funding corrupt kirishitan daimyo, lone assassin shinobi becoming nukenin, that sort of thing.

When I first heard that there would be an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan, I was excited for it. Then, they revealed the protagonists to be a Japanese kunoichi and …a samurai foreigner. Was it a marketing decision? Because we’ve had Italian assassins in Italy and American Assassins in North America and Egyptian Assassins in Egypt. It’s obviously a conscious choice, then. Ubisoft stating that no, having a Japanese woman as the sole protagonist just won’t do. The Japanese Ubisoft statement that has since been deleted spoke of the creative team finding “our” samurai. Are the Asian, much less Japanese, constituents of the AC fandom not “theirs” enough?

If that were all, then it would’ve been business as usual; I wouldn’t have posted anything, albeit with lingering disappointment towards Ubisoft. However, there’ve been claims that the allegations of cultural appropriation and historical fabrication are all racist reactionary backlash to having a black protagonist, which I felt was actively harmful to my continued existence so here I am.

First of all, the fact that Assassin’s Creed is a work of fiction and that there are many works of historical fiction that do outright silly things in Japan is not the center of discourse anymore in Japanese circles so arguing that Ubisoft has artistic license is rather a moot point. Yes there’s feminized Oda Nobunaga in FGO, made by a Japanese company, move on from that please. Most people aren’t concerned about the player base being stupid enough that they can’t tell that AC is a fictional game. We aren’t stupid, neither are you.

The issue about historical fabrication lies in the concern that players will enjoy the game and decide to search about the historical Yasuke and come across Lockley’s book, African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan, which is utter bullsh*t. He is alleged to have edited Wikipedia in small increments over the course of ten years to authenticate his speculations as fact. After being outed on Twitter by Japanese AC fans he deleted his socials. And although I believe gamers aren’t stupid enough to believe AC is completely factual, I can’t believe that people won’t trust a printed book written by a scholar since even Encyclopedia Brittanica believed him. An article in ScreenRant even cites this book; while Japanese fans have been exposing one falsification after another these past few weeks, none of that information is reaching across the waters, where it would actually be relevant to target misinformation. If you think I’m lying, go to the Japanese language version of Wikipedia and click on ‘translate page’ for a quick overview of the problem (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AD%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC). It’s not in the English version. We are rightfully concerned that people will read the book because they like the game and come to believe that Japan participated in the transatlantic slave trade. We are rightfully concerned because we know there’s been wars fought over who has enslaved who and punishing those deemed morally degenerate. We are actually scared because Assassin’s Creed is a big title series god*amn it.

This is honestly my first time coming face to face with racism to this degree. Posts on Tumblr, English Twitter, and gaming media have made it out to be that the only people complaining are white men, as if the backlash is only from gamergate. I enjoy reading articles from IGN and Polygon and whatnot on a normal day, but now I’m faced with articles saying there’s been “some criticisms” (emphasis not mine) being raised in Japan and even claims that Japanese people are overwhelmingly looking forwards to the game while white bigots are the only ones complaining, completely minimizing the issue. There’s 90k+ signatures to cancel the game in a Japanese language petition, and sure, there may be a few thousand racists who took the time to translate the page and sign, but it’s insane to state that it’s composed of mostly white men. Like c’mon. There’s been boatloads of Japanese language tweets about the AC Shadows controversy getting tens of thousands of likes and quotes on Twitter. There were only two English articles that I could find that cut into the issue and one was written by a Japanese writer translated from Japanese media. COME ON. “Ubisoft didn’t need to release an apology since they’re only angering internet trolls” is not the point media should be making. Can someone have the guts to write “Ubisoft needs to release an actual apology instead of dancing around the problem?” And why do we need to say that we want a Japanese Assassin’s creed game to be about Japanese people in the first place? Shouldn’t it have been the obvious choice? I’m looking forwards to playing an African Assassin cutting the throats of colonial traders in Capetown, whenever that might happen, and my non-Asian friends have been looking forwards to playing a Japanese Assassin in feudal Japan, and I think Ubisoft is just giving all of us the finger. A nice, nonthreatening, manicured finger.

I really hope Ubisoft and/or HarperCollins denounces Lockley’s book before the release date for at least some semblance of damage control.

And before anybody says anything stupid, I am in fact not a white dude, I am a Japanese American Female studying Anthropology. So thank you, Ubisoft, for influencing my life decisions. I hope my disappointment reaches you.

[rayquaza-is-falling]

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

I will be the first ti admit I was skeptical going into the game. I was SUPER excited about it, but one of my friends played it before me and actually returned her copy. She said it was janky, repetitive, and unimagined. It was super disheartening to hear because she is also the biggest Avatar fan I know, if she didn't like the game then it must be bad.

But I kept it on my Christmas list and old Saint Nick delivered, and boy am I glad.

I literally love it.

Here's why:

- The world, the nature, PANDORA in all of its glory... it looks INCREDIBLE. The world feels so alive and vibrant compared to other games of the genre and even other games by the developer (Ubisoft)

- the characters, the NPCs, specifically Etuwa are all fantastic. They have interesting dialog, dialects, accents, mannerisms, looks, etc. I'm particularly fond of the "Crush" sidequest.

- The combat. The combat is nothing new for ubisoft, but this definitely feels like the best execution of this style they have been working on in a while. Absolutely love the two bows. And throwing bombs at RDA.

-Customization. At first the customization is very underwhelming, bit as you play you unlock hairstyles, paint patterns, all that fun stuff and I like to think of it as my character "growing" as she goes along her journey. Being able to "disguise" armor with the appearance of other armor should be mandatory in every game here on out.

-The ikran. Very rarely do games have a GOOD flight mechanic in them. They are always so junky (looking at GTA) and don't feel good. The Ikran flight however... fantastic. It feels so immersive, and you can really feel that this is a living thing you are flying and not a machine. The scenery is beautiful and even the air is filled with interesting things. No game has given me the adrenaline rush that jumping off of the Ikran nook and taking flight has given me.

- I could go on an on, but I will end it with design. The characters, the world, the biomes, the weapons, the animals, everything. It's vibrant, colorful, and alive. You can tell someone put a lot of detail into every aspect and it's awesome

CONS:

- There have been complaints the game is buggy. I personally haven't experienced any game breaking bugs, but I have had enough npc's not showing up to be considered annoying

- the player character voices. I'm sorry, I'm sure that the actors are talented, but none of their voices fit the player character. All of the Na'vi NPCs have unique voices and Na'vi accents. Even the Avatar characters have better Na'vi voices. The Serentu who is known to be closer to the human word, Teylan, has more of a natural voice. I cringe every time I hear my character speak. I will give them credit for having a nonbinary voice and character option tho (the NB voice is also the most tolerable by far)

- the game doesn't really add anything new. It is a very standard RPG, Ubisoft doesn't really explore new techniques and gimmicks all that much. It feels very much like a reskinned AC odyssey. Which isn't inherently a bad thing, I like AC odyssey, but I would like a little more innovation.

- you have to pay for the DLCs, even if you pre ordered. I can tell they released "half" the game and are essentially making you buy a "DLC" to get the other half. It's a single player RPG (mostly) enough with the pay-per-use and "season pass"

So TLDR: if you like Avatar, and Pandora, and exploration, this game is for you. If you want to fly around, taking down helicopters and help restore the planet, you will love this game

If you are looking for the next Elden Ring, or fill-in for Baldur's Gate, you will find it underwhelming, and plain.

Rating so far

8.5/10

[iampikachuhearmeroar]

y'know im about to go feral on how EVERYTHING is under subscriptions. want this viddy game to run better??? get *insert viddy company name here or or viddy game title here* plus or extra or up your plan to get access to EXTRAS!!

bc the other day, i was making a list of all the different games i might download on my xbox in the future. fallout 76, which has fallout 1st.... which is a $22.99 per a month or $179 a year subscription, just to get better skins etc in the game. i want to download trivial pursuit for me and my dad. but xbox and ubisoft keep recommending "get ubisoft+" which is ANOTHER subscription service through ubisoft. another like $25 a month. like given it could be worth it for me if i got into assassins creed on a bigger level than casual. get EA play to get exclusive sims content!! for ANOTHER $6.99 a month. get xbox games pass (which i have) for $18.95 a month!!! and to be fair, i get EA play for free through xbox game pass. but still.

for example, the other day i updated my nintendo online sub account to the extras pack or whatever.... all bc i wanted to look at the gameboy advance online thing...... but instead of letting me look at it and play super mario world 2 on it on my NORMAL SUBSCRIPTION (which i already had access to on nintendo online snes/game cube or whatever.... and plus i though the GBA platform would have more games than it did (like 10 games but i thought it'd have like 50 or something) i had to change my subscription to the nintendo online plus extras pack for GBA online. but that subscription, was $41.95 this year bc i bought it on sale,... however, next year it'll be $60. like at least its $60 a year and not a month. but i'm still pissed off. i should've been able to get access to this for the $30 a year i was already paying!!! and for a measly 10 games not the like 50 games on the game cube/snes online game offerings.

just. im so sick and tired of EVERY company demanding customers to pay a monthly or yearly subscription for access or extras or for something to run better. who the fuck is made of enough money to afford fallout 1st??? ubisoft+??? like dgmw, i get it if you're SUPER into any of these games. like it's worth $22.99 a month to access extras across the library of ubisoft+ if you're a hella fan of assassin's creed or their other games (ie trivial pursuit). or $6.99 for EA play for the love of sims or every single sports game ever.

just i guess it's burn out maybe that EVERYONE wants your money. a section of your wallet continuously until you cancel. i have to subscribe to my area's local newspaper for $179 a year. i subscribed to an app by the adf (australian defence force) to do job aptitude tests (im ignoring it tbh lol). i subscribe to the NYTs games app for $2.99 a month. i WAS paying $15 a month (but now it's closer to $20) for scribd, which is now everand, for audiobooks. for better use of my xbox, i subscribe to xbox games pass, as i said earlier, for $18.95 a month. and from next year, i'll pay $60 a year for nintendo online (unless i drop down back to the cheaper option to get rid of GBA online). i subscribe for $100 a year to microsoft for the essential apps of microsoft word/powerpoint etc. i pay $100 a year for norton antivirus on my windows laptop that i barely use now.

there's adhd apps that I keep getting recommended on fb that are like $150 a year or something. astrology app subscriptions (that i'll NEVER buy) that are like $15 a month.... as examples of apps that i won't use, but I get suggested all the time on social media. once i get a job, i'll be constantly asked about what tv streaming apps im subbed to as well (none). WHY does EVERYONE want my fucking money???? i am so sick to death of subscriptions.

[anna-elizabeth-jason]

Cheesus, this man robs me of my senses, you have absolutely no idea.

It's been ages since I felt like writing this kind of fiction and I don't think I'll be able to do any more in the near future.

It wrecks my heart, but it is what it is. So I'm happy with every tiny bit that comes out of that dry well inside of me that used to be so overflowing, promising and genuine. Ah, why am I thinking about this... Nevermind.

All my soul's in this fraction of imagination, but not much talent. I'm sorry. I still love it and it soothed my soul for a moment working on it.

To all you John fans out there... love him as hard as you possibly can!

I asked AI to critique my story: (for funsies only, but this made me extraordinarily happy)

"Your story is well-written and effectively conveys the dynamics between Anna and John, creating a sense of intrigue and tension. The dialogue and descriptions paint a clear picture of their interaction and the unspoken connection between them. Here are some observations:

Engaging Dialogue: The dialogue between Anna and John is a strong point in your story. It captures their personalities and the power play between them.

Character Development: You've begun to establish the characters of Anna and John, hinting at their complex relationship and the psychological games they play.

Descriptive Language: Your descriptions, such as "With eyes as deep as the ocean," add depth to the characters and create vivid imagery.

Tension and Intrigue: The story builds tension and intrigue, leaving readers curious about the characters' motivations and the nature of their relationship.

Cliffhanger Ending: The story ends with a cliffhanger, leaving readers wanting to know more about what will happen next.

Overall, it's a compelling start to a story, and it would be interesting to see how the relationship between Anna and John develops further. You've done a good job of creating an engaging narrative."

********************************* John Seed & Far Cry 5 belong to Ubisoft and there is nothing more to add to this. *********************************

[teecupangel]

Here I come once again, thoughs on the new chapter of AC Black Flag?

My thoughts on Chapters 1, 2 and 3

Official English translation (the free chapters anyway) here

I thought this would be shorter because I have talked about the main points in this chapter previously here in the additional notes but nope. I blame the Animus they're using and its 'features'.

Sidebars before I start overanalyzing:

Yeah, that’s pretty much a good summary of this franchise.

The two best Edwards in this chapter XD

(Also known as "the duality of AC fans whenever it concerns the decisions Ubisoft makes")

So here are my thoughts and my overanalysis XD

Eagle Vision

Okay. I already talked about how this can be considered a confirmation that Eagle Vision makes eyes glow (but I will still headcanon that they glow gold and not that reddish tint)…

But the next panel… Why is the hiding spot Edward chose glow red?

They’ve always glowed white before? (And I am completely ignoring the whole red footsteps that brings back memories of the red footsteps that Desmond finds in Villa Auditore because I’m pretty sure that’s meant to show an alternate route and not that there’s definitely a ‘traitor’ or an enemy that Edward should be wary about)

I want to say it’s artistic license at play since the people that should glow grey glow sorta blue in this one as well.

I think it’s just a bit ‘eeeehh???’ for people who’ve played the game because, no matter what changes Assassin’s Creed makes, there are some things that never change.

‘Red = Enemies’, ‘Blue = Allies’ and ‘White = Hiding Spots or Object of Interest’ are staples of Eagle Vision (or whatever they’re calling it nowadays).

I guess it could be an Abstergo Animus related ‘feature’.

Synchronization Rates

So this one is kinda strange. As a “Desmond Deserves Better” fan, I will admit that it’s more of a headcanon for me how Desmond has high synchronization rate because he accepts the memories as they happen. But that is backed up by gameplay where we are given side objectives to get 100% synchronization in memory blocks which we have always thought of as ‘how the memory truly happened’ but this…

She’s talking about how, in the previous chapter, Noa has his ‘daddy issue’ desyncing where he tried to fight Edward’s memories with his own hatred for his deadbeat old man.

But ‘Shimazu’ Sei says:

And that’s weird because we have a canon record of what happens when an Animus subject rejects the memories which would cause a lot of errors:

Joseph Lynch

AC wiki summarized what happened to him quite well:

Joseph was put into an Animus but resisted synchronization with his ancestors, refusing to let the Templars discover the secrets of his bloodline. As a result, he suffered neurological damages and became blind.

So I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that we had always assumed synchronization rates had always been tied to how closely the Animus subject relives their ancestor’s memories and Shimazu’s lines contradict that.

Unless…

She’s lying and this is a case of “this person has her own ulterior motive that goes against what Abstergo wants”.

Or it could be another new Abstergo Animus ‘feature’.

English and Korean Version Difference:

Okay, so for my thoughts on the implication of having the Shimazu Clan as Templars or Templar allies, go here.

There is one thing I noticed:

Shimazu is bold in the official webtoon English translation when the fan translation I saw had it in quotes.

I thought that was strange because bold would emphasize her Shimazu lineage but quotes would bring the possibility that she’s not actually a Shimazu.

So what do I do?

Check the Korean version. XD

So it’s in quotes as well so I think it’s more in line with perhaps the people working on this webtoon want us to believe that there is a possibility that this Shimazu Sei is not a real descendant of the Shimazu clan.

Speaking of translations, there is another Japanese line in this one that I didn’t bother to talk about because it’s okay. Yeah, I can believe some masked dude would say that line. The official translation “Kill all witnesses” still annoys me though and I can’t even check the Japanese version because I would need to have a Japanese IP to check it.

Anyway, I already ranted about how I would translate that so yeah.

Overall, lots of action and a bit of modern day plot mixed in. Edward is at the top of his game as usual and I will continue to zero in on other things because that’s how I roll.

(Anyone curious about the Korean raw? Here the Korean webtoon website.)

[alethiometry]

oooooh kass + a song that reminds you of her + a popular headcanon that you disagree with 👀

fuck it i'll do both 😈

kassandra:

a song that reminds me of them: the only two kass moods are horny and angsty, so... janelle monae make me feel + fleetwood mac landslide :)

what they smell like: ancient greece kassandra always smells like the sea no matter how long it's been since she's spent time on the adrestia. modern-day kass smells like hugo boss cologne

an otp: brasidas of course!!! and also eivor. ubisoft i am IN your WALLS.

a notp: was never a fan of kasspasia tbh but i don't know if it's just because it was so poorly executed in the game. but i never romance her lol

favorite platonic/familial relationships: i get why we didn't get to see it, but i wish we had more (read: ANY) interactions between kass and deimos/alexios in the good ending. there's so much potential there for growing together and healing from their past traumas and learning how to function around each other or how to be a family after everything they've gone through... but then again i can see how that sort of relationship growth really doesn't lend itself well to odyssey's overall game format and ubisoft would probably have botched it anyway

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: fuck idk i feel like odyssey fandom is so dead i don't even remember what there is to disagree about!

the position they sleep in: she's a stomach-sleeper for sure

a crossover au i’d love to see them in: literally any other assassin's creed game ever PLEASEEEEEEEEE

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn: i'm partial to the basic game-cover red mercenary set! i would like the modern-day suit more but it just looks cheap idk i like the concept of it more than the execution. my girl deserved to die in armani AT LEAST, not whatever polyester billboard lawyer rent-a-suit they stuck her in

eivor:

a song that reminds me of them: drum + fife by smashing pumpkins

what they smell like: bonfires and sage

an otp: kassandra!!!! also vili

a notp: ivarr. ew.

favorite platonic/familial relationships: varin!!! i would argue that eivor's relationship with her father's memory is THE defining relationship of acv, even more so than her relationship with sigurd, and although i wish we'd seen more of it in the midgame rather than just the beginning and the end, it was really beautifully done

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: my answer for all of these is going to be so boring because i really don't know what is or isn't popular in the fandom and i really haven't seen anything i disagree with. idk how to answer this i'm sorry!!!

the position they sleep in: fetal position, or big spoon. especially if she's sharing a bed with vili

a crossover au i’d love to see them in: it's not a crossover with any other series, but i would like to see an au where eivor turns her back on the hidden ones and ultimately for whatever reason ends up helping alfred form the templars. templar!eivor is very very sexy to me.

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn: i think most of the armor sets in valhalla are absolutely hideous so i'll go with the very basic, no-upgrades raven clan armor for this one

niche character asks :)

[dezzytheantonioguy]

About Myself

Hey. My name is Dezzy Antonio. You can call me Dez or Des, whichever one you prefer. My pronouns are He/They. I'm into (somewhat) multiple fandoms that are listed further down below. I'm also an Autistic Pansexual dude.

Friend Codes:

Now, keep in mind that I'm not going to accept your friend code right away. It's either because my friend list is full, I'm busy af, or I'm just not interested in adding you.

- (Nintendo Switch Friend Code: 3639-7678-5864)

- (Mario Kart Tour ID: ||Although, I rarely play that game, so don't be surprise if I don't add you in the next decade or two.|| 1813 5622 5824)

- (Wii U Nintendo Network ID: JustDanceDezzy16 ||Well, since the online service on the Wii U is shut down and replaced by Pretendo, why even bother adding this ID 🙃. Unless you don't have a modded Wii U.||)

- (Pretendo Network ID: DezzytheAntonio ||Unless you have Pretendo installed on your modded Wii U, add this one instead of the NNID one. You have to create a separate account to use Pretendo.||)

- (Ubisoft Username: DesmondMyle2018 ||This is for people who want to play Multi-player with me on JD 2023/2024 Edition.||)

Games/Fandoms that I (usually) play:

- Mii Games (Wii Sports, Tomodachi Life, Wii Party, Wii Party U, Wii Play, etc.)

- Mario Games (Mario Kart, Mario Party, Super Smash Bros., etc.)

- Just Dance (All Games)

- Sonic Games (Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Forces, Sonic Generations, etc.)

- Animal Crossing (Though, I mostly play New Horizon because it was a huge hit around the time. I think we all know why.)

- Splatoon (I only played the first Splatoon, though. Mainly because of my modded Wii U. I want to play 2 and 3, but I don't have enough money to get them. I'm broke AF.)

- FNAF (Although I'm not in the fandom, I still play the games.)

- FNF (Specically towards the Sonic.EXE mods.)

My other social medias:

- YouTube Channel: DezzytheMaker

- Instagram: justadanceboy

- Deviantart: DezzyAntonio (I've abandoned that hellsite recently.)

- Twitch: dezzyantonio

Interesting stuff about myself:

- I draw art from time to time. If you want to use my art, then fine, I don't care. But PLEASE GIVE ME CREDIT AND DON'T STEAL IT! I DON'T TOLORATE ART THEFT SHIT! Also, I do take requests, but if I do request, be patient with me, alright?

- Now, yes, most of the art I post on here is from other inspirations. However, I would never plagiarize or steal some else's work for my benefit.

- I'm a busy man outside of social media. So, I'd I don't respond to you right away, I'm either inactive, busy as hell, or am not in the mood to talk. So, don't spam the same crappy bullshit and flooding my DMs with nonsense.

- I am a lore fanatic. Hence, the majority of the Miis have inspirational headcanons from other video game lore (mainly from Just Dance, though).

- I am a Linkin Park fan boy. Yeah, I'm not ashamed to admit that.

- If you're that nosey/snoopy about what I posted in the past, keep in mind that I was very immature and a little cringe. What did you expect? I was a teenager who didn't know any better.

- I'll admit that I am a bit sensitive at times, especially when it comes to having dark topics that are traumatic to me. So, if I do or say something that upsets or makes you uncomfortable in any way, just let me know, and I extremely apologize for that.

- The first Nintendo console that I played was the Nintendo DSi. After that, I played the Nintendo Wii, and the first game I played on there was Wii Sports (Yeah, I know, a shocker, huh?)

- I got a Nintendo Switch on Christmas Eve in 2017.

- I got my first (personal) Wii U console on Christmas in 2019.

- As of today, I got a Wii/Wii U and a Nintendo Switch.

- As it was obvious enough, I do have a modded Wii U, and I use Aroma Environment. You can thank my Wii U not wanting to read my Wii Party U disc for some reason. It still can't read it to this day, and I'm still trying to figure out why. Whatever, I have a modded Wii U now. Yay!

- If you've been in the Mii community long enough, I'm sure most of you heard about "Mii Olympics." Let me just say that I'm the one that came up with the fanmade title. Key word: FANMADE. Meaning that it's fanon and not real. I do have a Wiki dedicated to them. Just search up "Mii Olympics Wiki," and it should be the first result you'll see. All characters relevant to that game belong to me.

- Speaking of the Mii Olympics Miis, I don't have a problem with you hating on my custom CPUs or whatever, but DON'T do any horrific shit towards them. That means doing anything sexual, gross, or any illegal content towards them.

Alright. And that's pretty much it. Hope you guys have a good rest of your day and... Here's my Mii, lol. (DON'T YOU FRICKING DARE SAY MY MII LOOKS LIKE BO-JIA!)

[funnyscienceman]

the more i think about it the more i wonder if ass creed syn was entirely a fever dream. lydia missions and jack the ripper dlc included. jack the ripper dlc especially bec from what ive heard so much was left unaddressed you have to wonder if it took place in the same timeline or story at all

[maximuswolf]

I would like to respectfully add to the AC protagonist Drama

I would like to respectfully add to the AC protagonist Drama First off I'd like to say that I am an older straight white male who played video games for over twenty years and an Assassin's Creed Fan since 2007. I'm not black or Japanese. But I also like to think that I'm not a raving racist either. So my credibility is basically like hearing Sauron's opinion on the enslavement of the Shire. I get it I do. But I'd like to hopefully add some nuance. To me, this entire controversy is disingenuous from both sides. I know after reading that, you have your chubby cheeto-crusted gamer finger hovering over the downvote button wondering how can someone who's being racist and someone who's against it both be disingenuous. I'd like to explain myself a bit as I do think this is more nuanced than people are making it out to be. I think both are arguing about very different things and neither are relevant to the actual content.I don’t like the new Japanese Assasin's Creed game having a black protagonist because it doesn’t make sense for the trend Ubisoft already set. Almost all protags have been from the region they’re depicted. It’s like having a white protagonist for a game set in sub-Saharan Africa in 1100 AD. I’m sure some dude like that existed but it seems a bit counterproductive if your goal is inclusivity which many have already pointed out. That being said, it makes more sense to have Yasuke as a character you meet or as a companion. I'm not against him having a major or even primary role in the story. It would absolutely make sense for him to be a part of a group of assassins given the position he had in Nobunaga's court. Dope, cool, makes sense. But, shouldn’t the protag in this new game be a Japanese male and a Japanese female? I don’t think this is unreasonable to say when the Japanese are already underrepresented even in media about them, which many have also pointed out in Western media about Japan having white protagonists.Ac1 Altair was an Arab in the Middle East, ac2 Ezio is an Italian in Italy, ac3 Ratonhnhaké:ton is a native American man in America, ac: Origins bayik is Egyptian man in Egypt, ac odyssey the two protags are Greeks in Greece, ac syndicate your protags are British people in London. You can’t deny it’s the overall trend, but, to be fair, there are exceptions to the AC culture trend for protags. In Valhalla, you’re a Viking raider in England which is a cultural difference rather than a racial one. Also, Black Flag where you are a white male British pirate during the age of piracy in the Caribbean(with a black first mate) have been noted exceptions. You could make the argument this new game is like Black Flag or Valhalla where the protag isn't from those regions the games take place in but to me, it seems unfair to have a game like AC Syndicate and AC Odyssey have native male and female protags but Japan doesn’t because Black men are underrepresented as protagonists in Japanese settings. It comes off as shallow pandering rather than actual care for inclusivity. Anyway, that's my take on why I have an issue with it. I would not have a problem to play as a black man, an Asian man, or a woman, or even an lgbt protag. I take issue with this weird mutation of what inclusivity has become within the modern gaming sphere.TLDR:Dumb internet bullshit, the real controversy is the game being $120 and probably half finished on day one. Submitted May 17, 2024 at 02:00PM by FirstBankofAngmar https://ift.tt/4o3ljhR via /r/gaming

[arkus-rhapsode]

Hey there, I just read your post on Smash/Nintendo and I have to ask, why do you think so many Nintendo fans and youtubers like care so much about like how many games the company squirts out?

So in my mind there are two reasons. The first with Nintendo specifically is just Nintendo is kinda this Disney level recognizable characters so they honestly have a lot more franchises people recognize and want to see come back. Both people who genuinely are enthused for these series and if more games are made the likely hood of those being the utilization of those wealth of iconic characters goes up. But also there are the people who just want that output larger because it means more of a brand that they like even if they may no necessarily be fans of the specific franchise, but rather a fan of Nintendo as a whole. Which leads into my second reason and I think the easiest answer is its sports team logic. There's nothing wrong with being a fan of something and wanting it to do well, but there's a lot of people who really gauge success of something by how it compares to the other. So making the most games is kinda that "win." Not the most games that are actually fun and quality experiences, just more games. I want my brand to be the biggest one there is.

You see that a lot when like people talk company acquisitions, but don't really consider like what that means from like an economic and marketplace sense. Like Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard is them winning. They now own more than playstation. Hell, there were people who kept saying "Xbox should buy Sega next." As if the corporate consolidation wasn't a real scary thing. There are people who cheer on Sony potentially buying Square Enix and I always am flummoxed by that. Because I see that as, "oh hey this major corporation became even more powerful and took out a prominent third party developer and publisher. Better be thankful I invested in Playstation." While others who are fans see this as Playstation is now the home of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Its ours now. You'll never have it. Like imagine people saying that if we were talking about, I don't know, Nintendo buying Ubisoft.

You also saw that with like the MCU vs the DCEU. Y'know it wasn't "Oh hey DC fans get a chance to see their favorite characters on the big screen." I was, "I as a marvel fan need to be the best mega multi billion dollar franchise. Know someone doing something similar to us are trash." And like that mentality can even be seen in the company. Remember the DC announced like a hundred DC movies and shows before like they really had like a good superman, good batman movie under their belt? Like in their second film they're jumping straight to crossovers like... trying to match and out do output leads to this kind of stuff.

And like, I understand Nintendo fans. There are some who really do love a lot of these franchises that languish and want them to return. But there is just these very loud people who want more games because its more. You need to have a new Star Fox or a new Eternal Darkness or a new F Zero because its more Nintendo brand. Y'know more games doesn't just automatically equal good. In fact, with how much bigger and longer it takes to make games, I'd actually say its a good thing people prioritize healthy release schedules.

And like its not just about like older franchises, you see that with newer ones to. You know me, I've even been an advocate for Nintendo to make new franchises beyond just the ones people recognize from Smash Bros. Like Astral Chain and Arms are nice to have as a piece of the Nintendo family. But there isn't a doubt in my mind that when Nintendo comes up with a new IP that's not something we've seen, there are people who are not gonna see that as "Oh cool Nintendo trying a new thing" they're gonna see it more like "Oh my god look at this thing only we have now". After seeing how much people go crazy over like Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade being new playstation games, you'd think they announced like the next Bladur's Gate 3 with the amount of victory laps taken.

This isn't to say, hey don't be a fan of something and don't demand better of a company, but like I think where we are at with Nintendo and Sony and Microsoft, its probably wise to not treat everything with the lens of fandom. I watched State of Play, and yeah Rise of Ronin looks really fun, just like how Hi-Fi Rush Looked really fun, just like how Princess Peach Showtime looks really fun. I want these companies to make good fun games from their first and second party games. Not make the most period. And I certainly don't want to cheer on crummy business practices just because it makes you feel better that you have something a perceived enemy doesn't.

[vanilladaises-rp]

So with both the Playstation and Xbox showcases having wrapped, along with a few others, I thought that I should share some gaming news:

Star Wars Outlaws

I seriously did not expect this game at all. And it looks phenomenal! I'm thrilled that they're turning away from the usual Rebellion-Empire, Jedi storylines that we've seen recently and are going towards a gunslinger, smuggler point of view this time around. And from the gameplay shown, this is basically Red Dead Redemption 2 in Star Wars form. The only concern is that this is developed by Ubisoft, which has a reputation for downgrading their games after post-production and hasn't done a lot of innovation in their latest games.

Starfield

I know there is a lot riding on this game, especially for the current Xbox generation. But this game isn't going to make me buy a new Xbox any time soon, mainly because this game looks and feels generic at best. And it has the same game mechanics as No Man's Sky, a game that you could get for 50% when it goes on sale frequently. Or if you just want a Space RPG, then just get The Outer Worlds for $20.

I honestly don't know why people preordering this game in droves, particularly because Bethesda has released really buggy games while also having absurd microtransactions. But since Microsoft owns them now, I'm also having my doubts since one of Microsoft's studios just released perhaps one of the worst disastrous launches in gaming history a little over a month ago. Also, it's locked at 30 frames per second, so if I get a Series X, it's not going to take advantage of the hardware. So, I'll wait until the reviews come in, or at the very least, it goes on sale.

Xbox Series S Carbon Black

It's simply the Series S, just in black. However, it has 1TB of storage instead of 512GB. And it only costs $350. So $50 more for an extra 500GB? This is a really great budget deal in my opinion if you want to upgrade to the current generation of consoles without breaking the bank.

CRKD Nitro Deck

So this is a Switch accessory, but if you want to make your Switch look like a Steam Deck, this is it. However, you don't have to worry about stick drift, it has reprogrammable back buttons, and you can customize the joysticks.

Also, it comes in a limited edition Gamecube colorway, which is really nostalgic for Nintendo fans.

Im gonna be honest i don’t know either game so i hade to research lol 😂 but they both do look really cool I’ve only every played Star Wars Fallen Order but outlaws looks pretty fun, i would definitely like to check it out. Star Field looks sick!! Omg the graphics, but from the trailer it looks like a shooting game am i wrong? I don’t play games like that anymore i used to play stuff like gta san andres or cod in high school but i wasn’t v good tbh 😂. Auto aim is my bestie is all I’ll say haha. I don’t know much about game mechanics or frame rates so i can’t say much there sorry. You can educate me if you want lol. Also I’ve heard of a steam deck and seen it idk what it does? I looked up the nitro deck and i love the gamecube skin, i still have my gamecube and controls 🥹 once i know what it is ill think about purchasing it lol

[dextraicarus1994]

I know you don't interact with the fandom of this series or any user that is related with it, but I got curious about your post. I am one of the fans of the Laserhawk series, but like many of the non fans assume, I am not in the fandom because of Rayman or Bullfrog. Ngl, I have to put aside a bit of the love I have for the series because most of the fandom speak about them most of times and forgets or seem they do not cared a lot about the other characters that, in my opinion, has an interesting view, too. One or two people talks about the other characters and I am happy to meet them, those are the people who I enjoy to speak with. In my case I am more a Splinter Cell and Watchdogs fan, so the reason why I saw the series it was because I was told that Sam Fisher, Sarah Fisher and Marcus Holloway were there, but like you say, the fandom seems to see more the Rayman segments than anything for... maybe is true because of nostalgia and because the fandom has not had new content from the franchise for a big while and this is like a small gift, which although not everyone likes it, is something. In my case, as a Splinter Cell fan, I am happy I could see at least something about my favorite character (Sam Fisher), even if his appearance was changed for the plot (his legs being ripped off), it was a nice moment to see him and because we have not had content from this franchise for more than 11 years and to see him there, it was a big gift, at least for some Splinter Cell fans.

Many had said that Captain Laserhawk is a rip-off of Edgerunners but I think is not the case. Yeah, they have the dystopian world subjects, augmented people, discrimination and all that cyberpunk aesthetic, but still, both have the unique style, even if one is more popular than the other, both series has their signature, the statement here is that one needs a bit to organize the lore (Captain Laserhawk) that I hope it can be fix in Season 2 if there is one. I think it is a nice universe, just needs to be explain more.

I want to blame a bit the developers for not bringing more content, we barely got the manga that talks about Dolph Laserhawk romance with Alex Taylor and the art book of the series but more than that nothing else and that's the problem. Edgerunners got the Cyberpunk 2077 videogame and a lot of merchandise and that was a big advantage, while Captain Laserhawk was an experiment in trying to mix the Ubisoft IP's in one world and bring a story that I think it works but like I said, needs more explanation.

Captain Laserhawk is not the best at explaining their lore, sure (but I think those who have played some of the games, can figure out what it is about, especially if you are familiar with the Assassin's Creed franchise), still the animation looks very nice, the character designs have their unique style and the series is enjoyable (of course not many think that but is fine, everyone has their opinion about the serie).

On the topic of bad adult shows. AHEM! Laptain Caserhawk. The show’s not good. It’s an edgy dumpster fire full of shock value and bland writing. It’s a ripoff of Edgerunner Cyberpunk too. I’m sick of fans thinking it’s a good show just because Rayman’s in it and a fucking cutesy toad that only holds a marketing status to viewers.

While I don’t like it nor Edgerunners (latter especially), personally I wouldn’t say that it’s a ripoff as production for Edgerunners seemed to have immediately start after Promare released, which is what I suspect the series took inspiration from instead due to Dolph having Galo’s mohawk in older concepts. I also found the scene of Rayman confronting Bullfrog was similar to the cave scene in the film, but that might be me stretching things. Laserhawk was announced in 2019, while Edgerunners was announced in 2020. The similarities seem to come moreso from Studio Trigger working on both Promare and Cyberpunk Edgerunners.

In any case, I agree that overall, the show felt like they were just throwing whatever onto the wall without considering that some of the topics in the show (ex: discrimination allegories, child soldiers, addiction, etc) require actual effort be put into them. I don’t honestly mind Bullfrog. I feel his character is one of the few positives actually, but I definitely don’t like his fans. This comes from the fact a lot of said fans, the instant you don’t like a certain pairing, will proceed to harass you which I avoid by the pure fact I don’t like the show and refuse to comment further on the matter. It is getting close to certain anime fan behavior. Let’s just say that.

Also I have noticed that the people who primarily like the show only talk about the Rayman segments. Maybe it’s nostalgia playing a factor? Or maybe they just watched a comp online? Who’s to say. In any case, don’t like either of them and mainly only joke about Laserhawk on occasion.