#a pokemon that's ALREADY ON THE MYSTERY DUNGEON ROSTER

[rainy-painter]

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Extended Character Sheet (Gen 9)

Pokémon Fans of Tumblr: After a joke gone awry I have spent more than five hours working on extending the PMD roster to be up to current date with Pokémon (gen 9). And to not feel like my time has totally been wasted on a nerdy thing, I present to you my results.

(Keep in mind this is not official at all and just my personal pickings.)

I will put thoughts and other boring stuff under the cut, should you be interested to read about all the thoughts and decisions I made.

We good? Okay, you asked for it! So;

As mentioned before this all started with a Pokémon Mystery Dungeon joke with pointing out a few innocent behaviors and going: "You seem to be the-"

And then it hit me- The nature-to-pokemon roster of PMD hasn't really been updated since Explorers of Sky, which only went up to generation four.

And from there it went down hill:

"Wait! The list doesn't even include all available natures!"

"Okay, so there are 25 natures in all, but the number of starter pokemon alone are 29 so... I guess I'll make up some natures?"

"I need enough natures to also include some classic Pokémon protagonist options such as Pikachu... And oh no, just HOW many options were there from Gen 1?"

"-And there are barely any extra options from the other generations?"

"WHAT THE [Redacted] HAPPENED TO THE ROSTER IN GATES OF INFINITY?!"

For this project I had to lay down a few rules:

The list had to include all starter Pokémon.

Include at least two additional Pokémon from each generation.

Try to balance out Pokemon Types as much as possible, as well as making them decent starter pokemon.

No gender exclusive Pokémon.

Trans males are male and trans females are female.

Added Non-binary option for the quiz.

Extra added things to note:

The list is mostly based off the one from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky.

Missing Natures from the original list are grayed out for convenience.

New natures, added out of necessity, has its own list.

I also have a list of honorable mentions and cut Pokémon.

Note: Pokemon greyed out on the list above is to indicate generation changes.

My thoughts on the cut pokemon:

Obviously there are way too many Pokémon from gen 1 for them all to make it to the list. Pokémon such as Cubone and Phanpy could have made the list more diverse, adding the ground type to the options. Togepi and Sneasel were chosen over Phanpy for their less common Typings. However after cutting Cubone and adding Ralts to the roster it could be argued Phanpy should have been added back instead of Togepi.

What am I? The Officer Jenny? If you feel Phanpy or, hack, any other pokemon fit the roster more than my pickings, feel free to edit or make your own roster! :) /Genuine /Positive

I really like Vulpix, however there were already a lot of fire types. The reason why Charcadet is on the list is because I felt like I didn't have enough options from Gen 9 that I felt would fit as a main character, be strong enough or not too strong for the theorized adventure.

Most Nominee were chosen for being decent base form Pokémon and being dexterous enough for a human turned Pokémon to not feel completely claustrophobic in their body: I figured a bipedal or quadrupedal Pokémon would feel more natural than pokemon like Bronzor or Ekans.

(Looks at Snom) I said most nominees. Snom was chosen for their special typing and cute appearance. However stats and weakness wise I found it hard to defend it.

For my final thoughts on this list:

I doubt by far I'm the first to make an extended list for the PMD franchise, but I haven't seen many lists on this website and I did the work anyway, so why not post it?

You are more than welcome to comment on it or make your own! ^^ I welcome creativity and I would be more than excited to see the thoughts other people would put into a list like this!

A lot of thought has been put into the list, especially nature to Pokémon wise. If it wasn't on the official PMDE list, the Pokémon placements have a 80% chance to have a sort of reference from the anime or in game ability, or just how I could see them. (As well as other obscure trivia. Like how Chikorita is on the Lonely category for being perhaps the least picked starter Pokémon.)

And hey- If you feel like your Pokémon self isn't on the list, then that's completely fine! ^^ The list is more of a guideline than actual rules- Hack it's meant only for fun! And I'm glad you know what Pokémon you'd be!

I didn't include Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Keep Going! Blazing Adventure Squad, Let's Go! Stormy Adventure Squad and Go For It! Light Adventure Squad in my research because it wasn't released outside of Japan (To my knowledge.) It also featured a very specific art style, so I considered them kind of their own spinoff franchise at that point.

No, I'm not going to make a quiz to fit the extended list. c': Anyone wanting to make a quiz based off this list is more than welcome though!

I am currently making lists for specific pronouns such as Necrom (With Ghost/Dark/Poison type or death themed Pokémon) and Fae (Fairy/Normal/Psychic type or fairy themed Pokémon). Unlike the Gender themes these will contain pokémon outside of the normal roster. So in a way I kind of walked back on the "no gender exclusive" rule, but hey it's all in good fun!

I'd love it if you guys have any other pronouns you'd like me to work on! ^^

I also worked on an "it" pronoun with genderless Pokémon, however even when the list included Steel/Rock/Ground types and object Pokémon I had a hard time making it work. I'm open to any suggestions on how to expand the list and still keep it in theme. c':

And lastly: No, I never did get back to my friend about what nature xey'd be. c':

[alexissara]

My Dream Pokémon Game: Pokémon Contest Legends

Despite the fact that since Ultra Sun and Moon I think Pokémon has mostly been on a decline serving up fairly poor games, especially in the main line entries, Pokémon still has a special place in my heart. So I wanted to talk about what spin off game I would love to see happen in the series.

An element really hyped up in the anime is Pokémon Contests giving full ass contest arcs, this would trickle into the manga as well and in my imagination Contests were a big deal in the world. For me they were always this nice element where you weren't having animals beat each other up but preforming with an animal and that felt very different and very sweet. So this game revolves around Pokemon Contests expanding them into a full fledged game rather than a side event.

Customization

This is the name of the game, this game is all about showing off and feeling like you really are connecting with your favorite Pokémon. Taking the cute mini games of the series and elevating them to not a half ass side show but a fleshed out part of the Pokémon world. Having a full roster of lovely outfits for you and your Pokémon to share. Dressing up Pokémon and yourself was such a massive feature of contests in the Pokémon anime and is a long time requested feature of many fans which has only happened a few times. Cosplay Pikachu was given a limited set of outfits, ash hat pikachus exist to give Pikachu a little accessory, and Partner Pikachu and Eevee were both given several outfits in Let's Go. So I think it's about time the dress up was elevated both for trainers and Pokémon.

Your Pokémon and you preform together in contests showing off your style and kicking butt at bringing the elements of contests together as you aim to be the Contest Master. The Pokémon outfits could work with compatibility frames and work on body type molds so some outfits are for some types of bodies like serpentine bodies, quadruped, humanoid, etc.

Clothing should be totally ungender locked your performers and performers get fucky with gender some times. A lot of human outfits can be meant to match with Pokémon but also should have some fun costumes, references to older trainers in the series, and some modern Harajuku deals to really sell the fashionable customization elements.

Customization could be bolstered like in Animal Crossing by allowing people to upload patterns and designs and really allowing a player's agency to go above and beyond for these contests to create truly dazzling and unexpected performances.

Pokémon Roster

The game mixes things up breaking away from your normal choice of starters by instead leading you chose from one of three Mythical Pokémon who were amazed by your performance getting to chose between Victini, Manaphy, and Celebi as your starting contest Pokémon. Instead equally fun would be a mystery Dungeon esc personality quiz that results in you getting suggested one Pokémon that fits your personality but the ability to instead chose any you like after from a selection of Pokémon. You could even go with just picking between Eevee and Pikachu the series two mascots given Let's Go gave them several adorable outfits already and they are extremally iconic starters most people wouldn't mind not even evolving.

I think ideally this game could work with the existing models from Pokémon Unite along with creating new models of similar qualities since the game already has lots of outfits to dress up your mons in but obviously the 59 final evos with 54ish [not totally sure] Pokémon from the evo lines making a total of 103 Pokémon already model in the style. Double that to like 200 and bam that's a respectable roster for a Pokémon game. If you were getting frisky you could go with 300 even. Add some contest staples from the anime and games like Altaria, Milotic and Seviper and you got a classic roster that is sure to hit generations of people in the nostalgia bones.

Pokémon Catching

Catching Pokémon would work similarly to Legends Arceus with it being quick and easy to throw balls at Pokémon and mostly being a human vs mon kinda vibe but with the ability to send out your Pokémon to help support you in catching Pokémon. The battle mechanics are not the focus and instead the contest abilities simply help you put pressure on Pokémon. You'd have dex like in the legends game with tasks to complete that progress and give you rewards.

This could bring in a classic element, shiny hunting, and more to broaden the games audience and still allow for the really personal feeling of teams in Pokémon games.

That said I could see a method of catching Pokémon that is instead Pokémon basically willingly joining up with you after wild performances but perhaps a system like that and a system like Legends Arecus both could co exist.

Pokémon Raising

Pokémon can progress through capturing Pokémon, entering contesting, clearing dex challenges, and pokefood. Like in legends arecus and go releasing Pokémon can provide you with food to feed your Pokémon to raise their contest stats taking a bit of the old Pokeblock system but adding a new twist to it. In addition other Pokefood could be bought in shops and stuff and sharing a meal with your Pokemon can raise their stats and your relationship together up.

I think taking the existing bounding mechanics and shifting them to work outside of a battle oriented context will be less annoying for the hard core end of players who feel it is breaking their immersion in a Pokémon battle since in a contest feelings, bounds, and relationship all make perfect sense.

Narrative

Narratively I would love for the game to have more social elements and be less focused on saving the world although it could still be a factor, it be silly fun to stop the world from ending by everyone putting on the best Pokémon contest ever. I do think the stakes of just aiming to be the best Contest Master are good enough though letting the player kind of pace their own side goals.

It wouldn't hurt for a Pokémon game to have dating sim elements but if they wanted to skew the game younger then like ya know that could be cut but this is my dream game so fuck it, it has to have dating sim elements and you only be gay in it, my dream game, no straights allowed Pokémon.

Closing Thoughts

There are plenty of areas I could have went into more detail on but this is already fairly long and it was just really like a little idea I wanted to spill out of my mouth after months of thinking about it. Let me know what you think and what you would like to see in a game like this.

Also if you liked this sharing it and liking it let me know maybe I should make more shit like this and even more then that going over to my Patreon and Ko-fi really let me know I should keep doing something. I am easily bought but even more then those two things recommending me for work is always fantastic, I always appreciate being reached out to rather then having to apply from ground zero.

[rumors-suavium]

What would you give to have your dearest wish come true?

It was a thought that had crossed your mind maybe once or twice. It was always in human nature to dream.To yearn for the things that were just out of reach.

For all of the hardships you faced and all of the challenges you met, there was one that you were unable to escape. Your mortal self simply couldn’t overcome whatever it was that barred your way from a life of happiness or peace.

And in that moment of desperation, a long-eared figure appeared to you offering a solution.

“What is the wish you would give your soul to pay for?”

Perhaps it was something material, like a new car or medical supplies during a critical life-saving moment. Maybe it was something intangible, like the chance to gain fame and recognition in one’s field or the chance to change one’s life into something greater or better. You might have sought true love, or even the ability to fly.

Sensing whatever it was you yearned for in your heart, a mysterious creature came to you. Toting a snow-white coat, red eyes, and strange markings… this creature, known as Chuubey, granted your deepest desire.

The only condition was the exchange of your soul.

Doing so allowed you to harness the powers of a Magi while protecting humanity from destruction. A thankless task, surely, as humanity doesn’t know Magi exist.

…but what do you do when the novelty of a wish has worn off and you want something more? There’s a question you want answered. Whispers in your dreams tell you that you can find anything and everything you need if you just go down the rabbit hole…

Having already sold your soul for a wish, what else can you offer? What lengths are you willing to go to for the answer you’re seeking?

_________________________

Rumor’s Suavium is an 18+ rp group containing a Puella Magi Madoka Magica-inspired magic system mixed with a Danganronpa-styled Killing Game format. The group, with a roster of 16 characters selected from apps, will be hosted almost exclusively on Discord with game posts, updates, and summaries appearing on the game blog! Intended to run on a flexible 5  week schedule, there will also be mechanics of role-playing games akin to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon as well as general tabletop rpgs.

♡ About: https://rumors-suavium.tumblr.com/about

♡ Rules: https://rumors-suavium.tumblr.com/rules

♡ Game Mechanics: https://rumors-suavium.tumblr.com/gamemechanics

♡ Mod Team: https://rumors-suavium.tumblr.com/mods

♡ Hopefuls Server: https://discord.gg/R4dPRX2RCH

[cheemken]

what are the things you love and hate about all of the pokemon games you played?

Well now I can say I have played gens six and seven, but I haven't finished them yet so I'm just gonna post down what I like abt em so far hahah

I'm also adding the spin offs bc they're also pkmn games

Anyways under the cut hahah

Red/Blue/Yellow - honestly... I just liked that Pikachu can follow us on Yellow, wish they kept that feature all throughout each games, it only came back on HGSS, SwSh, BDSP, and ScVi. Also the fact I can get all three starters hahah

Starting from gen one

Crystal - Kris supremacy, the highlight of it really, also really dope we can visit another region post game

TCG for the GBC - it's fun, made me understand the card game a bit better back then hahah

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald - HOENN SUPREMACY ough this is home in game form fr, this and BW/BW2, but more on this really hahaha it's cool the contests are cool actually, love the starters, they're the first starter trio where I liked all of them, love the characters, I love my son Wally so much, May/Brendan too, Wallace the true Hoenn Champion in my heart (Emerald bias), the best roster of mons, I could go on really

FireRed/LeafGreen - I mean.. idk. It's an improved version of gen one I'll tell you that but yeah

Platinum - Torterra, Garchomp, Riolu, and the contests (yes I liked the contests here too, the contests here low-key better than in gen 3 ngl)

HeartGold - love the pkmn following feature for real, it's so cute, it's dope, wish they added that in gen five hcnxnx

PMD Red/Blue Rescue Team - Red Rescue Team was my intro to pmd, fucked me up so much I had to use the HP cheat lmfaoooo but it's fun tho hahaha

PMD Explorers of Sky - changed me as a person, really dope, the characters are cool, I just hated Chatot at the start lmfao, but dude this game is so fuckin dope pls cndmdn the way Hero and Partner are so soft and I love how they're still together even post game they mean so much to me your honour🥹

White - my absolute beloved omfsssss everything's so cool okay everything abt it is so cool, love the characters man and the story too, dyou know how cool it was seeing all the Gym Leaders interact and fight Team Plasma, dude that blew my mind back then lmfaooo also c'mon the Tao Trio? You mean the greatest Legendary trio? Hahaha

Black 2 - same w White, it's so cool, everything's so fucking dope, plus PWT

Conquest - I like the art style lmfao

X - Diantha my beloved, also the pokemon petting thing I'm just sad it's a bit lag on my emulator but still I really love this feature hahaha

Ultra Sun - the starters, and the pokemon petting thing again hahah

Omega Ruby - look you already know how much I love Hoenn, plus this has mega evolution and it has the dexnav! Also the pokemon petting thing ofc lmfao also also love how they improved Magma and Aqua really idk I just cnmdnd god ORAS Team Magma and Aqua my beloveds jcdmdn

PMD Gates to Infinity - look I just know that Hydreigon isn't really the big bad guy okay and I'm so happy abt that bc it's usually the Dark/Ghost types that are villains in these games so it's a nice change that Hydreigon isn't a villain

Super Mystery Dungeon - man the scene from the start w Nuzleaf looking at the hero and the hero was giving him puppy eyes killed me okay it lives in my head rent free and I wanna draw smth abt it

Unite - ah yes, the moba game, anyways it's dope if you're winning lmfaooo also it's dope Gengar's there they should buff him actually, I think Hex and Sludge Bomb deserve buffs

TCG online/live - the online one was dope, I still miss my Zamazenta deck to this day

Masters EX - the lore chdmdnd they should add more Diantha lore please I am begging😭

Cafe Remix - it's cute, I love the art style of it hahah

-

Now for my gripes for all these lmfaooo

Red/Blue/Yellow - it's boring as hell. I don't like the fans of this one too, most just couldn't accept that people like the newer gens and they always shit on people if they don't like gen one

Crystal - other than not being able to get Mareep, nothing much, they do have a point w the level scaling tho

TCG for GBC - I mean tbf I understand why it's not mentioned much there's not much to it but it's still fun for killing time

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald - how back breaking it was finding Feebas I honestly gave up, also what the fuck was that Regis mission man💀

FireRed/LeafGreen - same w RBY

Platinum - it wasn't a fun experience for me, it's slow as shit, and I'm pretty fucking sure majority of the people who like this game only likes Cynthia. Fr, no hate on Cynthia, she's a dope character, but she's like the Charizard of the pkmn characs really, she gets everything and is everywhere, how abt giving a chance to other Champions

HeartGold - a bit slow, but not DPPt slow at least, also again w the level scaling

PMD Red/Blue Rescue Team - this would've been so so dope if it weren't for the fact that after the story, Hero and Partner became nothing but normal recruits. Like all that buildup of Hero wanting to stay for Partner, and suddenly they're just like normal recruits, it sucks

PMD Explorers of Sky - Aegis Cave

White - idk but for me it's hard to level up in this game, also the fact the E4 didn't do much on screen, like I wanna know what they did during Plasma's attack

Black 2 - it's,, well it's how the previous characters interacted really, I wish there was more of it, I wanted to see the Gym Leaders interact w each other during the games, pls I wanted to see Bianca and Iris meeting at Castelia bc I know they met up there again please I just know it

Conquest - I think it's a skill issue on my bit but the gameplay was just so confusing for this one, and no I don't mean the battle gameplay, that I got, more on the,, recruiting bit and using of items and everything else—

X - I can't say it's easy just yet bc I really haven't made much progress so hey, for now I'm gonna say at how fucking long it takes when you get an item like dude why does it take so fucking long💀 also the lack of Diantha scenes, she deserves more, honestly she deserves so much better

Ultra Sun - have not finished this so no solid judgement but for now Imma say it's how tedious it is levelling up your mons and idk if it's a skill issue on my bit but like,,, do they really give off such a small amount of exp?? Idk, granted, my pkmn was a bit over levelled hahah

Omega Ruby - Granite Cave man I can't get Aron early on now ncmxnx

PMD Gates to Infinity - again, haven't progressed much so I don't really have a solid judgement for this

Super Mystery Dungeon - same w GTI

Unite - the abysmal matchmaking, the fact that ftp players don't have a way to get gems even if it's through events or missions, the devs thinking gem locking pkmn was a grand fucking idea, the way they can't balance their mons some are just too squishy and some are still strong despite the nerfs, also have I mentioned the matchmaking? Dude fr standard is either full of bots or I get matched w players who don't even know the objectives even if I'm telling them where to gather chxmxn

TCG online/live - live was honestly so so shit and a lot of players agree like even the cards aren't balanced Jesus Christ also it's lag as shit you can't even do anything most of the time and suddenly you lose also fun fact this game almost broke my fucking phone I almost couldn't exit the game and I had to forcefully reset my phone to save it lmfao

Masters EX - I haven't played this much yet for a solid judgement too but damn is the download time for this is slow as shit and fucking crashed on my tab. Also the lack of Diantha lore, pls they should add more abt Diantha she deserves it

Cafe Remix - idk ig it's the fact I'm broke and can't afford stuff in this game bc almost everything needs real money to get, I really thought this was an offline game at first hahah

[azurityarts]

Your Pmd OCs are really cool! I know one is called Skye and one is called Brooke, but what are all their names?

Daily Doodle #77

An Improper Proper Introduction

I spent. Way too much time on this.

MEET THE GANG!

Rescue Team

Arcas

Liselotte (Lilo)

I'm going in order of the games, but I actually played Explorers before Rescue Team! Gotta say, I absolutely loved the Friend Areas; they definitely made the world more engaging and expansive!

As for my team though, Arcas was actually an adaptation from a D&D character I made; a Dragonborn monk iirc. I don't quite remember where I got the name Lilo for a Cyndaquil from, though I recently retconned it to be a nickname of sorts. Names are fun!

In terms of playtime, Rescue Team is definitely the lowest for me. That being said, I've gotten more attached to these two little shits over the course of my doodles and shitposts than I ever thought I would.

Explorers

"Silent"

Arina

Explorers was my first ever Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game, though not my first exposure to the series. Specifically, I managed to pick up Explorers of Sky some years back, and that copy holds as my oldest PMD game.

And the fact that it's "old" helps explain my team's names; unlike my other teams where my initial goal was turning them into characters, my Explorers roster was just named after me and my old best friend. I just put our old usernames, but I still find it ironic that my old name is still appropriate given the "silent protagonist" trope PMD games usually run. Due to personal reasons though, both are now characters!

Explorers holds the title for the time I've sunk into PMD games, and it isn't even close. Incredible story, postgame, music, characters, and more; there's a reason why Explorers is considered the best entry in the series. Over 70 hours I've put into the game, and I don't intend to stop anytime soon!

Gates to Infinity

Brooke

Axdrew

Gates to Infinity was my first exposure to PMD? Is this a shocker? I'm not actually sure, but yep, the first time I had set my eyes upon this series was Marriland's playthough of GTI. I loved his voices as a kid, and I'm very happy to have finally gotten to play the game I idolized as a kid.

I had originally planned for Brooke to be another "quiet type" protagonist, but I noticed that the hero in GTI talks a lot more than in previous installments, and is also a bit sassier? Really glad I got the opportunity to give someone a more lively, snarkier personality that I don't often give my characters. Axdrew was a name given by a friend, and I've recently considered "Drew" as a hypocorism, but I'm still debating on that one.

Gates to Infinity gets so much flak, and maybe I'm just biased due to my history with the game, but it does NOT deserve the amount of hate it does. (There seems to be a theme with Gen 5 getting bashed before getting beloved tho...) I've sung the praises for GTI in old posts, so I won't be going on another rant (this is already the longest section here), but even if everyone pulls up with pitchforks and torches, I'll still hold this game close to my heart.

Super Mystery Dungeon

So, uh, this is awkward? I haven't actually played through PSMD yet. ^^; Between school, life, art, and other stuff going apeshit recently, I haven't had the time to start a new game. I'm excited for when I do though, since it apparently links all of the previous installments together. (Although I am still particularly upset that nicknames for recruits aren't a thing anymore ;-;)

Bonus!

Skye

Azure

Original OCs anyone? Yeah, I'm not too sure anyone's that interested in a random Absol or the 3817th Umbreon OC, but I've had these two for the longest time, even before I started playing Explorers! I guess it doesn't count to include them in this list, since they're not explicitly PMD-related, but I've been trying to write a story of sorts with 'em for a while now (though I've not got a clue if it's any good lol). Both of them have gone through a lot of changes and tweaks over the years, but they're definitely here to stay. :)

If you've made it to the end, thank you for reading! I've been meaning to introduce these fellas for a while now; my original plan was to showcase each of them individually through reference sheets, but that stuff takes way longer than I anticipated. ^^; I've always been nervous when it comes to really explaining the who for my OCs, but I'm really glad this ask came through to push me to make this. Thank you! If anyone's interested, y'all can ask my OCs things! I've seen a bunch of different PMD ask blogs and they're really cool- I'm completely new to this kind of stuff, but I'm willing to experiment! :D

Credit to Nicely Olo for the PMD Badges used in the background!

[sodapaladin]

Top 10 Games of 2021

As usual, here are my favorite games that I played over the year, not necessarily ones that came out in 2021.

I’ve decided not to include Deltarune chapter 2, because it’s technically part of the same game I already awarded last time, but know that it’s incredible. Now, the annual list!

10. Mario Party Superstars

After half a dozen disappointing Mario Parties, we finally got what fans have been begging for. While there are still some glaring issues, such as the completely busted coin economy and some puzzling minigame choices, I’ve been having a blast with my friends.

9. New Pokemon Snap

At last, a fantastic sequel to the original fun novelty. It’s so charming to see Pokemon living their normal lives in the world. From many of my favorites to some surprising, often forgotten pokes, I enjoyed discovering the many secrets in this relaxing game.

8. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

While BDSP disappointed many with its faithfulness taken to a fault, the Mystery Dungeon remake had the perfect mix of new and old. While it stuck to the original three generations of Pokemon like the original game did, it also added all evolutions of those Pokemon that appeared later, such as Mamoswine and Sylveon. As a result, the roster felt totally natural. The QoL additions are much appreciated, and there’s so much content to explore. I loved the music, too; the remixed medley of songs from Gates to Infinity is absolutely lovely, even though I hadn’t played that one. I could easily see myself pouring dozens more hours into this.

7. GameCenter CX 2

AKA Retro Game Challenge 2. Such a shame the original was the only to get officially localized. The experience of playing games with your friend, looking up tips in magazines, and waiting for new game releases as a kid is done so well in this charming nostalgia trip. They could have easily made all of these simple minigames, but they’re all legitimately fun games in their own right. I haven’t even touched the RPG yet, but it’s apparently a full thing with legitimately interesting mechanics.

6. Yooka-Laylee

You heard me right! As a huge fan of Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie, I was looking forward to this, but then put it off for a long time in fear of disappointment. But despite hearing all the complaints, I gave it a fair shot at last, and you know what? I loved it. It’s exactly what I wanted it to be! I honestly don’t understand the hate it gets. If anything, I wish it had more levels. The space one was so cool, and I even loved the casino level. It’s a proper Banjo game in my books, and I’m bummed that the sequel wasn’t also a 3D platformer.

5. Pokemon Card GB2

Another game that tragically didn’t get an English release. The Pokemon TCG was already done well on GBC, and the sequel continues it by including the entire original game’s island, plus a whole new one. The addition of even a single new expansion adds a lot of variety to the game. And that soundtrack! Wow! The normal Team GR battle theme is one of the best Pokemon songs, forever trapped on a Japan-exclusive spinoff game. More people need to hear it.

4. A Short Hike

The definition of “charming.” True to its title, you can see just about everything in the game in an hour or two, but what a lovely hour or two you’ll have. What else to say other than it makes me feel warm inside?

3. Lisa: The Painful

The complete opposite of my last pick. Equal parts depressing and hilarious, this bizarre game gave me an unforgettable ride. On top of the dark humor, the game’s also a lot of fun, with many unique party members. I can’t get the Shenmue grunt sound effect song out of my head.

2. Final Fantasy XIV

Hoo boy. It was really difficult to decide between this and my #1 pick. I had never played an MMO before, and never thought it would appeal to me. But when a friend started the free trial over the summer, I figured eh, I’ll give it a shot. And boom, now it’s half a year later and I’m going to themed cafes with guildmates. My idea of MMOs had always been grinding to fight difficult bosses with minimal story. I didn’t expect to fall in love with a fascinating world. I’ve joined a wonderful free company (read: guild) and made many great friends through it. I’m having the time of my life, and I can’t wait to start Shadowbringers soon.

1. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

This is the kind of game you wish you could experience for the first time again. Not since 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors have I had my mind blown to such a degree. There are many mystery games that make less sense the more you think about them, but 13 Sentinels is a game that rewards you for connecting the dots. I love how many times I looked into the timeline and realized how everything fit together. Rather than just outright lying to the player, which makes mysteries feel cheap, the game gives you multiple perspectives. What seems like the obvious truth to one character then plays out entirely differently when you see it from another angle. All of this on top of a kaiju-fighting mecha RTS game that’s surprisingly fun once you get the hang of it, which has tons of postgame levels. If you’re not into visual novels, you may become bored from the tons and tons of story. It’s definitely a VN at heart. But if you’re into mysteries involving sci-fi tropes like giant robots and time travel, this love letter to them is an incredible experience.

[repentantsky]

5 Franchises That Should Have Warriors Games

I don't know how new anyone who read this is to Warriors/Musou games. Maybe the game I'm about to reference was a first for you, or maybe you've been with the franchise since it moved to the style it uses today with Dynasty Warriors 2. Whatever the case, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity showed just how capable the style of gameplay is, and I think it would be a massive missed opportunity to not make more spin-offs in that style to bring new fans in. With that said, let's take a look at 5 Franchises that deserve their own Warriors/Musou games.

5. Pokemon. 

Pokemon, while it does have some experience with action combat in some spin-off games, most notably it's Mystery Dungeon entries, it's never really gone full in with the idea, but imagine what a success it could be. With so many Pokemon to catch, and so many options for the basis of a story, be it something more serious like the theorized "Pokemon War" that's not mentioned in X and Y, but something more recent, to something more simple, like your team trying to earn it's way into a special tournament by beating rival teams in Warriors style battles, Pokemon is primed and ready to go combat where Pikachu takes out thousands of Mupkip's or Charizard gets to burn a grassy plain full of Roselia. Whatever Pokemon would do with the idea, it could be a lot of fun.

4. Just, everything Atlus. 

Atlus has a history of many great characters, and many dark settings, but possibly nowhere could the type of games they like to make be made darker than by the idea of thousands of it's famous, or infamous demons prowling the streets of Tokyo, or the hell, go world wide and capture everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to Big Ben, to the flipping pyramids. An easy story to write would simply be that the God's who have done nothing while their kind of have been murdered by protagonists and their teams over the years are finally going to try to end earth, but their all converging to the planet, caused all the timelines to blend together, and the hero's of each Persona, each Shin Megami Tensei, Last Bible, Etrian and everything beyond all need to work together to put an end to the evil and return to their own homes. It's a plot that could be interesting, and practically writes itself, so get on it Atlus.

3. Castlevania. 

The Castlevania series hasn't been the most active as of late, for obvious reasons, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't make for a great Musou experience. Finding yourself, a Belmont in a castle that causes you to see things that aren't there, this Belmont could find power in the illusions they see to create false, but functioning versions of protagonists in their family line, even making up a few to better fill up the roster. From there, it's just fighting the many hoards that are blocking your way through the castle. To create more content, there could even be a second castle that you have to make your way through with harder enemies, much like many people's favorite game in the series, or make it a somehow improved Demon Castle, and simply have it restore itself faster than normal. Regardless, taking on Dracula's supernatural army, sure sounds fun.

2. Final Fantasy. 

We already know that Square has dabbled in the Warriors style of combat with it's two entries Dragon Quest's two Hero's entries. Both games were solid, and people love to see their favorite allies from across this legendary series fight together, or against villains from other entries in the franchise. It could even be the next step in the Dissidia franchise, as another round with Chaos himself would be something fans would love. Regardless of what would be done, Final Fantasy is full of iconic characters, iconic monsters, and has more than enough lore to make a fantastic (pun intended) Warriors game. Chaos would be the perfect reason for all the characters to be fighting alongside one another, and the fact that some Warriors games can have a long run time, it gives the potential game plenty of chances to really play into it’s roster of character’s stories, and their abilities to really mess things up, or save the day.

1. Legend of Heroes/Kiseki/Ys

Of all the developers that have really been coming up in the world, Nihon Falcom or NIS America for some, has been making spectacular games for 40 years now. Of all of those, the Kiseki, or Legend of Heroes franchise, is probably their most beloved at this point, and for good reason. The first entry, named Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes, came out way back in 1992, which hello to the 30th anniversary next year by the way, and has had so many fantastic characters it could bring to the a Warriors style game. With action combat something the company is already well versed in thanks to Ys, espeically Y’s IX, and a number of great characters to pull from both franchises, a Warriors game is begging to be made, and hey, maybe Dogi can finally be playable again huh? That would be nice. Jokes aside, it really should be something worth considering. 

And that’s my list. Can you think of any other franchises that the Warriors/Musou style of games can fit well into? Let me know in the notes below, reblog this list if it got you thinking, and have a fantastic day! 

[derekfoxwit]

I had this random idea of making a list of Starter Pokemon (old and new) for a potential Mystery Dungeon game (the idea was inspired by @toomanyotpslove for saying that she ships one of the Gen 8 Pokemon with Eevee).

Including the Japan-exclusive WiiWare games, there have been 42 different Pokemon that have served as Playable Pokemon. Without them, that’s a total of 31. In Explorers of Sky, two of the Pokemon who were previous Main Character options from Time & Darkness (Meowth & Munchlax) became Partner-Exclusive. I plan to re-include some Pokemon as Partner-Exclusives in this case. Among those Playable Pokemon are baby Pokemon (Riolu; Pichu; Elekid; Togepi; Azurill; Munchlax; Wynaut), only 2 of which were Playable outside of the WiiWare games (Riolu & Munchlax). For convenience, Riolu is the only Baby Pokemon I’m keeping (since he’s been more of a staple compared to the others, with Munchlax being the closest to another Baby staple due to its first-game cameo), leaving us at 36 old Starters.

I’ll be bringing back one WiiWare-Exclusive Pokemon for each version (Wooper for Stormy Adventure by default due to the other two being babies; Growlithe for Blazing Adventure; Mareep for Light Adventure). However, out of the two Normal Types of Blazing, I’ll be keeping Buneary as a Partner-Exclusive to keep Gen 2 from over-saturating. This removes Teddiursa and Pachirisu, bringing the Pokemon count down to 34. Since gen 1 has the most previous starters in the series (Eleven, with Gen 2 having a close second at Ten; 10 compared to 4 if you exclude the WiiWare games), I’ll be omitting two of the Gen 1 Pokemon in an attempt to balance it out. I’ll be removing the Pokemon that haven’t been starters since the first game (Machop; Psyduck; Cubone. Besides, Meowth & Skitty are now counterparts). This totals at 31 Pokemon.

Among the remaining Starter Pokemon, I’m going to make the Normal Types that aren’t Eevee Partner-Exclusive: Skitty; Meowth; Buneary. I’ll go back to them once I fully refine my list and add three more exclusives. We are now at 28 Main Character Pokemon.

Since Gens 1, 2 and 4 have more than four Starter Pokemon available, those Gens get no new Starters. To start things off, we will be obviously adding the Starters of Gens 7 & 8, bringing us to a total of 34 Main Character Pokemon.

To make things more balanced, I decided that I will add one more Water Type and 2 Grass Types to compliment the Fire Type Vulpix and Growlithe. For the former, I’m adding, oddly enough, Spheal as a Starter. For the latter, I’m adding Skiddo for some more Gen 6 representation & Shroomish, making 37 Mains.

The next three I’m adding are due to a combination of popularity and fitting an already recurring animal theme (foxes and dogs). I will add more Gen 5 Rep. with Zorua, Gen 7 will have Rockruff, and Gen 8 will have Yamper (the Pokemon toomanyotpslove ships with Eevee). We are now at a total of 40 Mains.

.........And because these two are babey, I’m adding Mudbray and Joltik. That’s 42 Total Main Character Pokemon.

In addition to the aforementioned three Partner-Exclusives, I’ll also add three more: Minccino; Espurr; and Wooloo. All 6 of the Partner-Exclusives can be paired up with any one of a set of seven Main Character Pokemon. To have space, I’ll link a spreadsheet here: https://derekfoxwit.tumblr.com/post/190218912268/customized-mystery-dungeon-roster-update

That’s what my list of starters would look for a potential Mystery Dungeon game.

@breloom-propaganda​ @espurreciation​ @alola-propaganda​ @galarpropaganda​ @yamperpropaganda​ @mudbray-propaganda​ @zoruapropaganda​ @unovaappreciation​ @joltik-appreciation​

[guerilla935]

The Nintendo Dilemma

Today on January 9th, 2020 we received a Pokemon Direct that announced really exciting things. First we got news of a remastered version of the first mystery dungeon (2006), this was a smart move and those are fun games that still have a lot of fans that remember them fondly. It is in my opinion that if you were to remaster something from around that time maybe Pokemon Ranger (also 2006) would use the hardware better. If they can get around some of the archaic RPG practices of the mystery dungeon genre I think that it could turn out to be something really special. Now the expansion is where I think they really backed themselves into a corner. When Pokemon Sword and Shield launched fans were really upset that we did not get every Pokemon from every previous game which amounts to 807 Pokemon that would each need their own 3D models and animations and sound. That sounds like a lot of work for anyone. They could reuse some assets from the last few games but another huge complaint from Pokemon fans was that they were reusing assets (which they weren’t). Eventually Nintendo put their foot down and said the game would come out with X many Pokemon and that’s how it is, mainly to get the game out on time without whipping the backs of every employee. Suddenly we are now promised an additional 200+ returning Pokemon in an expansion pass giving fans exactly what they wanted. Note that I love this, I think the expansion pass is reasonably priced for what they are offering and shows off a lot of incredible content, also I of course do not at all expect Pokemon to have DLC that doesn’t include a roster of new Pokemon. However giving into fans like this means that Nintendo has given an expectation that eventually we will get all the Pokemon we want and the fans will be expecting that. Without the promise of all these Pokemon returning and a fresh set of interesting new Pokemon in future generations will cost Nintendo fans if they set the bar this high which they’ve already proven is too much work for their development team. The same thing is happening with Smash Ultimate, after this game do you think the fan base will settle for anything less than every character plus more, every stage plus more, and a full 100 hour soundtrack plus more? Absolutely not. Nintendo Is creating a library of content that they will be recreating for years because they will lose money if they don’t. Nintendo fans are expecting everything and they are getting it, and Nintendo will flail to keep up until the product costs too much to produce.

[barbosaasouza]

Best Games of the Midyear 2018

We are already half of the way through 2018, and there have been some amazing games already released. The Shacknews staff has joined forces to put together a list of the best games to be released so far in 2018. This list is not presented in any particular order, but these are games that Shackers should pay attention to going into our Shacknews Game of the Year deliberations at the end of 2018. Please take a look at the best games of the midyear 2018.

God of War

There was something cynical about the idea of "Let's take Kratos and give him a kid." It's something that easily could have been a shallow gimmick.

Instead, God of War ushering Kratos into single fatherhood allowed Sony Santa Monica to completely reinvent the character without forsaking his past. If anything, Kratos owned up to his past and confronted some of his most problematic elements. He never ran away from what he did, but he imparted the lesson to his son that everyone should strive to be better people. "Don't be sorry, be better."

This is all in addition to one of the most satisfying open worlds of 2018 and amazingly crisp 3D combat. And while the violence wasn't quite as visceral and gory as past God of War games, it's still as impactful as its ever been. God of War is a triumph in every way. -Ozzie Mejia

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire

Obsidian upped the ante with the sequel to their epic fantasy RPG Pillars of Eternity with its sequel, Deadfire, and I can’t get enough of it. The base experience has been improved on various levels, one example being the more streamlined party. The expansion into a new space also opened the game up to sea combat that reflects the games pen-and-paper RPG roots. Just like the first game, you’ll often find yourself knee deep in interesting side quests and task, some arguably more interesting than the main quest. Nevertheless, you’ll constantly be inspired to see what's around the next corner. -Charles Singletary

Dragon Ball FighterZ

I feel like everyone knew Dragon Ball FighterZ was going to be good, but it must’ve been hiding its true power level for when it launched. DBFZ is one of the most approachable fighting games to be made in years. Yet, underneath that inviting surface is an intricate and nuanced combat system that has enchanted the hardcore fighting scene as well. It doesn’t hurt that Dragon Ball is such a recognizable franchise with a cast of characters perfect for a brawler like this. Arc System Works did a fantastic job of making all of the game’s art and animated sequences look as good as the current Dragon Ball Super anime. Dragon Ball FighterZ is definitely the birth of a brand-new fighting game dynasty and I doubt we’ll see its final form any time soon. -Blake Morse

Runner3

The latest rhythmic platformer from Choice Provisions hits a lot of high points: it's lightweight and lighthearted enough to provide a potent distraction from more heavy-handed titles, and yet it presents delightfully addictive action that's perfectly suited to both short and marathon gaming sessions. Runner3 is the ultimate evolution of one of the most absurd rhythm games on the market, topping off its tight gameplay and outrageous humor with loads of unlockables, special features, hidden characters, and more. -Kevin Tucker

Conan Exiles

Thank you so very much @shacknews for 9/10 "A battle to the death with 6 naked cannibals and a giant tiger is hands down the best gaming experience I’ve had in 2018. This game is the current high water mark in open-world survival and the biggest surprise of 2018 for me so far. "

— CONAN EXILES (@ConanExiles) June 7, 2018

While it is rough around the edges and prone to the bugs and frustrations common to the survival genre, Conan Exiles manages to stand above the pack with its satisfying combat, an expansive crafting recipe progression, and lively open-world. For people who liked Minecraft, but found the adventuring aspect to be woefully under cooked, Conan Exiles provides a land full of cannibals, crocodiles, spider caves, ice temples, and creepy dungeons that offer excitement beyond building out your base. Group play and a willingness to go along with silly business is strongly encouraged. Additionally, if game quality was judged by the amount of reproductive organs on display, Conan Exiles would have a Metacritic score of two billion. -Chris Jarrard

Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown is still in early access, but the development team will likely have a full release done by the end of the year. If things continue to improve on the current pace, gamers could end up with one of the best blends of various genres to date. Hunt mixes PvE and PvP into one experience, taking elements from horror, battle royale, and survival and layering wonderful art design on top. It’s a very challenging game and the developers need to find a way to strike the perfect balance for player progression. If they do, watch this one climb the popularity charts swiftly. -Charles Singletary

Monster Hunter: World

It is a rare creature indeed that gets me to come back to it again and again in the wild world of gaming. But, I just can’t quit Monster Hunter World. I’ve put close to 200 hours into the game and I’m showing no signs of stopping. It takes everything that has always been intriguing about the Monster Hunter series and gives it all a tune-up for current-gen gamers. There’s so many nuances to the world that’s been built and I find myself discovering new details about its biology and the way the creatures interact with it. The fact that Monster Hunter World is consistently putting out new and completely free content for its millions of players doesn’t hurt either.  -Blake Morse

Pit People

The Behemoth continues to show just how versatile it can be by leaping into the real-time strategy genre. Pit People is an exquisite strategy game that pushes the genre, while also retaining The Behemoth's unique humor. Outside of the core cast, it's a test of putting together the best roster of wacky characters with their own unique functions on the battlefield. While the gameplay is solid on its own, it's the writing that makes Pit People a real treat, making it one of the funniest games of the year, as well as one of the best strategy games of 2018 so far. -Ozzie Mejia

Mario Tennis Aces

I've been waiting quite a while for a new entry in the Mario Tennis series, so a new adventure on Nintendo Switch with a story mode tickled me pink. I was thrilled to find that it took everything I love about playing tennis with Mario and his friends and expanded on it even further with new special moves, strategic plays, and an exciting roster of characters to choose from. It's some of the most fun I've had on my Switch, and even when it frustrates me, I still find myself going back to it every time I pick the system up off of its dock. This is tennis done right, and a sincere love letter from Nintendo to fans of its arcade sports titles. I'm actually thinking about playing a few matches now, after having written this. -Brittany Vincent

Subnautica

Subnautica is game about exploring uncharted waters, both literally and metaphorically. Coming to understand the events of the game, from the player's catastrophic arrival at Planet 4546B to the mysteries behind the the Alterra Corporation's exploration efforts, primarily involves surviving in increasingly dangerous scenarios. It's a fantastic experience that manages to be both entrancing and terrifying: the notion of being underwater and having a limited supply of oxygen stays at the front of the player's mind, and diving deeper involves making special considerations with regard to food, water, power, and even personal defense. In return for their efforts, the player will be able to slowly piece together the events of the Aurora's crash and learn the surprising history behind the planet's previous outposts. -Kevin Tucker

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Warhorse Studios focused on historical accuracy and minute detail in its pursuit of creating a medieval sim with Kingdom Come: Deliverance. A second hand tug-of-war between a historian and one of the game’s developers poked holes in that accuracy, but the gameplay experience is undeniable. Kingdom Come, like a few others that will be a part of the GOTY discussion, had some significant technical issues at launch. When it worked, though, it delivered big. I’ve rarely been as immersed in an RPG’s world as I was with KCD and I’m excited to explore it more.

P.S. I do not count the save system as technical issue. It was a design choice that just didn’t go over well. -Charles Singletary

Sushi Stirker: The Way of Sushido

Finally, a game that combines my passion for combat puzzlers with my obsession with raw fish. If I had one major gripe with Nintendo’s Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido it would be that it makes me hunger for the delectable, yet costly, dish. Beyond that though, Sushi Striker really impressed me with its clever twist on Pokemon collecting and puzzle fighting. Throw in some quality anime sequences and you’ve got a tasty combination. It may have ended up being more of a sleeper hit, but it’s still a hit nonetheless and definitely worth checking out if you missed out on it during its initial launch, which was somewhat lost in the E3 mire. -Blake Morse

Detroit: Become Human

Quantic Dream's best and most riveting adventure hooked me with its brief demo ahead of its official release, and I haven't been able to get enough of it since. Connor, Kara, and Markus switch off throughout a sprawling narrative that explores various themes, and by the end I couldn't choose a favorite, as each character had grown so significantly throughout the course of the story. I laughed, I cried, and I longed for more time with the entire case (especially Connor) when the end credits rolled. Despite watching alternate paths play out on YouTube, I've gone back to see what my decisions could have wrought if I had chosen differently from time to time. It's an excellent and unique tale, with nothing else out there like it on PlayStation 4, and well worth playing, even if you're one of those sad individuals who still thinks it's "cool" to talk about David Cage's "bad writing." -Britany Vincent

Laser League

Some of the best games are the ones that don't opt for any crazy gimmickry and focus more on basic ideas. Laser League is such a simple idea on paper. It's two teams in an arena battling it out by avoiding killer lasers. It's a simplistic premise, but one that's wildly fun and builds on top of its foundation with individual classes and power-ups. Its futuristic aesthetic is the icing on the cake. -Ozzie Mejia

Sea of Thieves

Rare’s brand new IP, Sea of Thieves, has deeply divided the gaming world with one side being unenthused by the content on offer and the other falling deeply in love with the experience – and we here at Shacknews are of the latter group. There’s something so pure about the world of Sea of Thieves, from the aesthetic and color palette to the way it feels sailing across the waters, all of it evokes a sense of journey and adventure.

Outside of the launch window, Rare has continued to support the game through regular, weekly patches, bi-weekly events, and free major content drops for all players. After speaking with the developers at E3 and after seeing how they continue to interact with the playerbase, there’s a real sense of dedication to the community. If you’re yet to dive into this world, now might be the best time, especially as we approach the release of Cursed Sails and Forsaken Shores, the next two major content updates for Sea of Thieves coming in July and September. -Sam Chandler

Vampyr

“Vampyr only got a 7 out of 10. How is it in the conversation for GOTY?” I see the gears turning, reader. I wrote the review myself and even suggested in the conclusion that it would be in the conversation despite the score, so let’s get right to it. Despite its technical shortcomings, Vampyr is a very entertaining game. The combat, ambiance, music, community management, and more all lend to a vampiric power-fantasy that has been sorely missing in gaming for a while. The duality of the main character is a well crafted platform for the experience too, giving players power as healer and killer while tying that into the development of the game’s playable areas. It likely won’t win the big award, but Vampyr is a very solid game that you don’t want to miss. -Charles Singletary

Fortnite

Epic Games has struck video game gold with this game. Fortnite may be the greatest pivot in the history of video games as the Early Access Save the World mode didn' take the world by storm. After clearly taking inspiration from the wildly successful PUBG, Epic brought the Battle Royale mode to their game and gave it the old Unreal polish. The game is available on pretty much every platform and is making truck tons of money for Epic Games in the process. Fortnite's developers have done a great job of keeping the game fresh with new emotes, limited-time-modes, and special events like meteors and rocket launches. Fortnite is here to stay and it certainly deserves recognition as one of the best games of the midyear. -Asif Khan

Celeste

Celeste feels like a journey of growth in more ways than one. It's about persistance, progression, and the pursuit of one's goals, even in the face of their own demons. It's a punishing platformer and one that revels in players' death counts, which skyrocket into the hundreds and thousands, but it's one that encourages players to keep trying, both with its narrative and its forgiving checkpoint system. Speaking of its narrative, it's one that's impactful to anyone who's ever doubted themselves or found themselves dealing with bouts of depression or panic attacks. It's a very human story, set atop a mountain that dabbles in the supernatural.

And beyond Madeline's quest to personal fulfillment, players can also see the progression of creator Matt Thorson's own journey, as he starts to hit his own peak of level designing potential. He's come a long way from TowerFall and it's a satisfying journey to witness. -Ozzie Mejia

Overload

From the creators of the classic PC game Descent, comes a worthy spiritual successor to the space shooter. Overload gives players six degrees of freedom along with great level design and a fine polish that this genre has been missing for decades. I loved Descent back in the day, and Overload has recaptured the excitement from the new series. Improvements to level and weapon design is immediately noticeable and the game is so dang pretty, there are times when I get killed just looking around. Overload is one of the biggest surprise games of 2018 so far and anyone on the fence about this game should give it a try. -Asif Khan

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit 

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, though only a short prequel and introduction to what we'll eventually see in Life is Strange 2, is an exemplary piece of storytelling. The tale of young Chris, who's fully into pretending he's a superhero, is as heartwarming as it is deeply emotional. The seemingly lighthearted story peppers in a cautionary tale of child abuse as well as the struggles people face after losing their partners and jobs one right after another. It's a fantastic foundation to build Life is Strange 2 on, and it kept me glued to my seat the entire time I explored Chris's home and got to know him as well as my own little brother. I wanted to protect him from all harm and give him something to look forward to, so I hope he plays a massive role in the next game from Dontnod Entertainment, as he's too precious of a character to give up on. -Brittany Vincent

There you have it, folks. Our list of the best games to be released in the first half of 2018. What games did you think should be on our list? Let us know in the comments section.

Best Games of the Midyear 2018 published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

[infotainmentplus-blog]

10 best new Android games from May 2018! Android gaming is getting bigger and better every month it seems and there is always a slew of new titles coming to Google Play. Whether you’re a casual gamer or you want something with a bit more meat on its bones, there’s usually a game coming out to suit everyone’s taste. Some months are better than others, but there is usually at least one great new game on mobile every month. Let’s take a look at the best new Android games from the last month! You can watch the videos on YouTube from previous months by clicking here! You can also check out our picks for the best new Android games for 2017 in the video above! Looking for more new stuff? Check out these recommended app lists! 10 best new Android apps from May 2018! App developers are pushing the envelope on a daily basis trying to improve and enhance our smartphone and tablet experiences. In fact, so many Android apps come out every day that it's difficult to keep … 15 best Android games of 2018! Gaming on mobile has been improving at a far greater rate than any technology that came before it. Android games seems to hit new heights every year. With the release of Android Nougat and Vulkan … Animal Super Squad Price: $4.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Animal Super Squad is a new adventure-platformer with some puzzle elements. You roll an animal through a course and physics takes over. The game features a variety of playable characters, a bunch of levels, and more. It's a goofy game that doesn't take itself too seriously. There isn't much else to say about it, really. It's entertaining, occasionally funny, and it's not a freemium game. You can get it for $4.99 with no additional in-app purchases or advertisements. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Distraint: Deluxe Edition Price: $4.49 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Distraint is a remake of the original. It features all of the psychological thriller goodness of the original. However, this version also includes better coloring, better animations and lighting effects, better audio, and improved controls. It's a little short at around two to four hours for completion. That's about the only knock on this game. It's otherwise quite good. It runs for $4.49 with no in-app purchases or advertisements. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Dungeon Hunter Champions Price: Freemium DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Dungeon Hunter Champions is the latest game in the popular series by Gameloft. This one is actually a MOBA. It features five versus five battles, online PvP, over 250 champions, guilds, leaderboards, and more. This distinguishes itself from others with a campaign mode as well. The game has a ton of content and it keeps you busy. There seems to be a small issue with bugs and crashes. Otherwise, people seem to like this one. It's a freemium game, though, so do tread carefully. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Price: Freemium DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is already extremely popular. You play as a character at Hogwarts. You explore the school grounds, attend classes, unlock characters, play a campaign, and more. It works quite well mechanically. Plus, it has voice actors from the movies. There is really only one downside to this game and it's the freemium model. This game is very aggressive with its in-app purchase strategy and you wait for a lot of things in this game. The story line and activities are otherwise interesting and fun. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Homo Machina Price: $2.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Homo Machina is an interesting new puzzle game. It explores the human anatomy through a series of metaphors and vignettes. You play inside the body of a human. You make it move by solving puzzles and interacting with characters. Each level is basically one human action. For instance, one level wakes the human up by opening its eyes. This is a really short game and it's a tad buggy. However, those are the only two knocks against this one. It's a good puzzle game. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Do you not like in-app purchases or freemium games? Try these lists! 15 best free Android games with no in app purchases It's true that the very best Android games cost money. Unfortunately, not everyone has money to spend. There are many reasons why this can be the case, but suffice it to say that there is … 15 best non-Freemium Android games Freemium games hit Android like a dump truck. It allowed apps and games to go free with users paying money later if they chose to and it's been a model that has been dominant. Freemium … Jurassic World Alive Price: Free / $9.99 per month DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Jurassic World Alive is a new AR game similar to Pokemon Go. You explore the real world, collect dinosaurs from the movies, and battle them with other players. The dinosaurs scale to builds and it looks really cool. You also collect items from collection points, build a roster of dinosaurs, and collect DNA via drone flight. The game uses a very unusual $9.99 per month subscription instead of the usual freemium model. We'll see how that works. This game is only available in certain parts of the world right now, but keep your eye out. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Paladins Strike Price: Freemium DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Paladins Strike is another new MOBA game. This one has shooter elements as well. You play five versus five battles with a selection of 15 champions. It's the standard MOBA stuff. You capture points and beat your opponents. The game also features other game modes like Siege and Juggernaut. It helps keep things fresher for longer, but it all revolves around the same basic mechanics. The game had a rough start with bugs and small issues. They seem to have overcome these difficulties and people are enjoying the game quite a bit now. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY RBI Baseball 18 Price: $6.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY RBI Baseball 18 is MLB's yearly mobile baseball game refresh. This one features decent graphics, simpler controls than previous iterations of the game, a full roster of players on every official MLB team, and more. You also get authentic ballparks, access to old MLB legends, and some various game modes. This is a game series on the rise. Last year's game was fairly disappointing. This one seems like it's actually pretty decent. We're hoping they use this momentum to do an even better game next year. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Sago Mini Apartment Price: $2.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Sago Mini Apartment is a new kids game. It features a variety of kid friendly mini games. You start in an apartment. Each floor has a different game to play. The games include counting games, hand-eye coordination games, music games, and more. It also packs in some cute characters, colorful graphics, and simple controls. It's about on par with what we'd expect a kids game to be. It costs $2.99 with additional in-app purchases or ads, another good idea for a kids game. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Still Here Price: $3.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Still Here is a fun little puzzle-adventure game with platformer elements. You play as Pip the alien (or two other playable characters). You then jump around, explore the world, solve puzzles, and befriend various NPCs. Each level has its own set of quests and the game has an actual story line to follow as well. We especially liked the graphics and simple game play mechanics. It's not overly challenging, but it's still entertaining and fun. The game goes for $3.99 with no in-app purchases or ads. DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Thank you for reading! Here are some final game lists for you to check out! 15 best free Android games of 2018! We all know that free Android games aren't always free these days, but many of them are very close if you have a little patience. Most Freemium bottlenecks occur when players get impatient and waiting … 15 best arcade games for Android For a long time, arcade games were among the most popular in the world. They usually have short play times, consistent challenge, and simple game play. Some popular examples from mobile's early days include Angry … If we missed any great new Android games, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android apps and games lists! , via Android Authority http://bit.ly/2E3X4OY