#and honest to god its so much fun ive been having a blast. most of the time

[alex-just-vibing]

i need him in a way that is concerning to feminism

[concrete-critters]

Okay this is more a comment than an ask but Concreteclan gives me the vibes of an episodic cartoon that slowly starts to have overarching stories and themes and arcs like adventure time or..actually adventure time is the only thing I can think of. Concreteclan has adventure time vibes!/pos

OOC: Awww thank you!! To be perfectly candid and honest, while i do love adventure time and that probably did leak into Concreteclan as a result-The real inspirations of this blog are (besides other clangen blogs) tails gets trolled, Mob psycho 100 and Preeny has to repeat 6th grade. I love the mspaint aesthetic so much, i use clip studio paint but purposefully try to keep my shading flat most of the time and my lines crisply pixely. I also know that even though i could probably make the comic look "nicer" i choose to kinda play fast and loose with the lines and colors. I mean, lorn's face is constantly changing length in almost every panel lmao. Ive found its more fun to not worry so much about making sure my art is perfect. As for my inspirations- Tails gets trolled is like. actually a fucking great webcomic, as flawed as it is. (its been a while since ive read it, pretty sure slurs are used in it lol, but i digress) Concreteclan is really an homage to it in only art style and sometimes humor. If you guys want another webcomic thats like more of a direct homage, i would highly recomend Scoob and Shag, which is just as apeshit if not more. Mob psycho 100 is a more subtle inspiration, i just really resonate with the themes of that comic. I also got a confidence boost from it cuz like. Mob100's artstyle is rough and some would say "bad". But it still got made into an anime! and its still acclaimed. You know why? Cuz the art is EXPRESSIVE! It evokes emotion! And thats what im going for! emotion over perfection. Also its got really good writing. Preeny has to repeat 6th grade is. god. probably just straight up a special interest of mine. Its such a kind story. A lot of clangen stories start with tragedy. (esp when theres only two cats to start off) And dont get me wrong, i love it a lot. Starting from nothing like that is a really fun narrative and I live for it. But im a contrarian little guy. So i wanted to start off with an act of kindness that has ripple effects for the rest of the comic. There will be tragedy and sadness in Concreteclan, but I guess i just want it to be in a different way. And while im talking about inspirations, Lorn and Indigo both kinda were inspired by Papyrus and Sans from undertale. In terms of dynamics. Lorn is more inspired by Papyrus than Indigo is inspired by Sans. Indigo is far different from Sans, and would probabaly find him uncouth and a slob. She's a proper lady with manners after all. Lorn and Papyrus would fucking have a blast hanging out though.

All in all, yeah! Thats my rant of the day done, thanks for the ask! I'm Buddy and thats Conk-CRETE!

[martyrbat]

every few days i see hockey(?) liveblogs from you (I enjoy the enthusiasm even if i have no idea whats going on). What are the main teams you're following? is it just hockey?

this is so sweet, thank you for the support even if youre a little lost! it is just hockey! but i got plans to get into baseball when it starts in february (go pirates and cubs!) but a little too wordy vomit under the cut about my teams :)

my top team is pittsburgh penguins. for better or worse (and usually worse)—i will be there for every game and saying we're so back after one score when we're down by 5. i will defend them until my last breath, theyre the team ill always put on when having to choose between which ones are currently on. its not a hockey team, its sidney crosby building an ice family with his 5 and counting partners and being known for his banana bread and kind heart and fat ass while literally being the inspiration for over half the players in the nhl because hes been wonderful since he was a rookie. its 18 years of love and friendship despite the odds and how theyre so open in loving and supporting their teammates while hockey culture is filled with toxic masculinity. its the narrative loving and hating us, its sidney being gods most loveable and tortured lamb, its geno whos hilarious and dramatic with a heart of gold, its tanger and his greasy hair, its the babygirlifying grown men AND rooting for the old underdog who are in the 4th spot for the playoffs in their metro area despite our powerplay being a joke and our star players ages (late thirties isnt old by any account but for a high energy physical contact sport?? average retirement is 25-30 instead while 13 of our guys is 30+ and playing some of their best hockey)

after that i really like the leafs despite them being the leafs! theyre a blast to watch (sometimes) and theyre a big third period game, for better or worse. so its always exciting (sometimes unfortunately)! auston matthews is my top favorite from them, hes absolutely remarkable and doesnt get the credit and appreciation he deserves. but i also love the other players, mo, willy, and mitch all especially have a place in my heart :) third fav tosses around with who i can catch a game from most to be honest since a lot of times they overlap too much. im fond of the wild because their goaltender (flower!) was ours for forever. kraken is a blast and has lots of old penguin players too. avalanche is fun to root for when ive seen some games :) im less familiar with all of them but hockey is a fun sport to just throw yourself into and learn as you go so its never been an issue!!

teams i hate is anyone who won against my special guys in the last month tbh HFIFJ but i REALLY hate the chicago team, flyers, and vegas knights. chicago is.... a lot of bad shit off ice and has so many controversies—from their name and jerseys to players being abusive and cover-ups of sexual assault from coaches. just hate them and anytime i see those jerseys and remember theyre allowed while flower was threatened with a lawsuit if he wore his helmet (was designed specially by an indigenous artist to honor flower's indigenous wife and their kids during native american heritage month).... god i just get too pissed, theyre number one for who i despise. flyers are the biggest rivals to the penguins so it makes more sense (but also fuck the capitals and canes for personal grievances. also still mad at the canucks) vegas golden knights just annoys me so much with how theyre still calling themselves the misfits and i associate them with flower leaving so!!!

sorry for the little. word vomit lol but !!! if you ever want to get into hockey, please dm me! im no expert by any means and i know me throwing names out there is intimidating but i promise its fun once you get into it and you dont need to know much to just start watching! for me its great to have something to look forward to every week and watch something happen as it actually happens and liveblog—it kinda feels more like a loose community experience that i never got because of my health issues and disability! its also just fun to be dramatic (screaming its so over when scored on /celebrating a goal) over something thats kinda... not that important. (important for the players and fans ofc but it doesn't change anything in MY daily life outside of how i feel which is refreshing!) sports in general kinda encourage those big emotional responses and it can be great catharsis and silly if you let it be :) and the fan community here can be so welcoming if you just fully ignore twitter and the straight white angry men on it <3

come look at gifs of people calling a 36 year old babygirl and the excitement of a goal celly. come watch funny videos and clips and at how *our* captain wore tiny little shorts and a white shirt to get dunked in a water tank for charity. come and slowly learn how much shit the players put up with as rookies and have the happiness of hindsight at what happiness their futures would hold and why me saying 18 years of love and friendship despite the odds is so big because thats genuinely so rare (only 127 retired players in all of nhl history has accomplished this). come get emotional at poetry over getty images hockey pictures and relish in the delight that is finding art everywhere you go. come see people say that sidney needs to get knotted up and mpreg debates in who will abort that thang or not. take my hand and become a hockey fan, i prommy its not scary—not even during the 'who the fuck is this' stage <33

[fucktexas]

5 years of Fuck Texas - Coming to an end

fuck texas turns 5 very soon, and, well, i dont think it needs to go much further than that, to be honest. this may come as a shock to you, or you may have expected this completely. i’m not your dad, i have no idea what goes on in your mind. maybe your dad doesn’t either. i digress.

ive... never been good with goodbyes, to be quite honest. hate burning my bridges, i suppose. i also struggle with a deep, DEEP sense of nostalgia for a lot of things i spend my time doing online. well, i suppose i should put one of those things im quite fond for nostalgically to bed.

it’s no secret that fuck texas has become a lot less active over 2020. running a blog centered around what’s basically one joke is well, hard! im surprised i kept it running as long as i did especially after taking several extended breaks. im struggling to really find a place for it in my life anymore. im more than moved on and this blog reached its peak like... 2 years ago at this point. it’ll never be the same, and that’s okay i think.

there was a lot of fun to be had running this blog, but, to be quite honest, ive also realized Fuck Texas came from a sort of ignorance i held for a long time. its not really a secret that i dont even live in texas, i live in new york. which, for most people, is seen as the exact polar opposite to texas. i wish it was as simple as me being like “Well we’re like rival states. we HAVE to hate each other.” it’s kinda like that, but it was also general ignorance for how a lot of southern states are run. it was always my impression that the south united states was a bunch of racist rednecks and not a place that housed so many minorities in the united states. that’s absolutely on me for taking years to realize that. the south has a big, BIG voter suppression problem, but to blame that on the people living there rather than the people in power, well, it’s fairly ignorant.

i dont consider fuck texas to necessarily be this Problematic Time Piece or anything, but the origins are less easy for me to swallow as ive gotten older. i started the original fuck texas steam group when i was 15. im 20 now! thats fucked up. literally 25% of my life has had fuck texas exist in some form. its crazy that such a large chunk of my life has involved this dumb joke exisiting in some form.

you can read that second paragraph again, im not good with goodbyes! its taken me a long, long time to say good bye to this thing ive created. but as god said “All Good Things Must Come To An End.” i just think the time is finally right. im ready to move on, and i think most people following are ready to move on.

it’s been a blast the past 5 years. its been crazy to see this dumb thing ive made extend far past my usual reach. i remember that one twitter post that was like “LMFAO THIS GUY ON STEAM REVIEWS GAMES BASED ON IF THEY HAVE TEXAS OR NOT”. insane to think how many people thought that was funny. i dont know if ill ever have that reach with any other dumb little blog or project i have, but hey, even if that never happens, at least that’ll always exist as a good memory.

ive run fuck texas in a way where ive attempted to avoid burnout to keep it going on as long as possible. if nothing else, 5 years is impressive for a gimmick account. ill gladly take that award at the next streamys. i think the burnout has finally set in though, i dont think it’ll ever recover to be honest.

thanks everyone whos followed this blog, who joined the original steam group before it got taken down, who followed the short lived twitter account, thank you. fuck texas wouldnt have been possible without you. i hope you all go on to live long, texasless lives. fuck texas the blog may be ending, but fuck texas the revolution will never end.

okay, maybe that last part’s a bit too pretentious. but im glad the message stuck with you guys at least. see you on the flipside.

if you have any interest in following me further (cool if you dont):

tumblr: @motherfuckermorgan

twitter: @MorganWillBRB

twitch: MorganWillBRB

[radramblog]

Game of the Year 2020...?

Ive scrolled the list of games that came out this year to see what my GOTY ended up being, but turns out the only game I played in 2020 that released that year was, uh…….

Fucking good game but like I’m not gonna hand it GOTY by default (That goes to Hades, based solely impressions from other people). Actually, I’m not handing out any awards, really. So I guess I’m just gonna go over a bunch of the other games I did play last year, regardless of whether or not they came out then.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

A mate got me this for my birthday in December 2019, and unlike the other games I got then (Kirby Star Allies which I burned through that month and Octopath which I still haven’t played) I spent a fair few hours playing it last year. This was before the sequel was announced, and also a little bit after the fact- figured I should try and finish one before playing the other. Unfortunately, I have yet to purchase Age of Calamity nor finish Definitive Edition, because the former is expensive and the latter is expansive. Holy shit there’s so much fucking content in this game. I don’t think I ever will finish it to be honest, though despite the repetitiveness it never really felt boring to me. It’s the only Warriors/Musou game I’ve played, and I’d be interested in trying others based on the experience.

(I’m not playing Fire Emblem Warriors though fuck that)

Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC: The Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra

Sword and Shield felt somewhat lacking on release, and while the DLCs released this year did much to try and fix this its still a bit shit that it required an extra paycheck out of you to get the full game- outside of outsourced mobile games like Go and Shuffle, or services such as Bank or Home, Pokemon has never actually had DLC/microtransactions, so this was a little disappointing. I’d argue that it absolutely wasn’t worth it when Isle was released, as fun as the content was it was again, lacking. Crown Tundra I would argue exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations, however- the new and returning mons are cool and welcome (I despised Calyrex’s design on first reveal but their behaviour in story redeemed it more than enough), and the Max Lair Adventure offered a surprisingly replayable romp that has been great to just try and grind out with friends. I can’t say I’d recommend the DLC pack though- only if because you’ve probably made up your mind already as to whether or not you’re getting it, or this doesn’t apply to you at all. I could also put basically every main series Pokemon game on here, seeing as I’m pretty sure I nuzlocked every region at some point during the year, but I don’t want to make this *that* long. 

Super Smash Bros Ultimate Expansion Pass

Smash is still Smash. I don’t find myself playing it much on my own, and even in Perth get-togethers weren’t super common last year. As neat as the DLC characters released this year are for the franchise as a whole, none of them convinced me to play significantly more than usual, and I can’t wrap my head around half of them, so.

Also, I’m still salty about Byleth, and I actually really liked Three Houses, it was my first FE game. Why the fuck wasn’t it Claude????

Rivals of Aether

On the other hand, in the last few months I’ve found myself grinding match after match of Rivals with one of my best mates and the game is a fucking blast, holy shit. I still haven’t bought it for myself, but its basically 100% of the reason I have played 0 smash for the last few months since we’re too busy mashing Orcane vs Ranno over and over and not really getting tired of it. It requires a specific type of person to get into it, but if you’re in that group then its just an excellent game.

VA-11 Hall-A

I first played VA-11 Hall-A (Vallhalla, since typing that is a pain) by pirating it and playing it on my laptop in the dead of night.

It quickly became one of my favourite games of all time.

When the Switch port dropped, I felt obliged to actually pay for it this time around, since the developers had more than earned my money. And then I replayed it again, playing it on my switch in the dead of night (At least this time I had the excuse of being a nightshift worker). With the sequel unfortunately delayed into 2021, it might be time to run it back once more or drag more of my mates into Glitch City since I already forcibly exposed a few of em to it.

The post-credits title screen is still my phone background.

Fallout: New Vegas

I don’t really have much to say about FNV that hasn’t been said already, especially considering HBomberguy’s recently released video, but it is also on my top 5 list and I only got around to playing Lonesome Road and Dead Money this year. Also went out of my way to 100% achievement complete the game on Steam, which I believe is the first time I’ve done that for a game.

Zero Escape Series (Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors, Virtue’s Last Reward, Zero Time Dilemma)

The Danganronpa series’ less colourful sibling, Zero Escape was a series I finally got around to finishing after having borrowed a friend’s copy of VLR back in high school and playing it wrong due to not deleting his save file (oops,). I think VLR remains my favourite, and I really hope the series continues at some point (unlikely as it seems now) considering how ZTD missed the mark pretty hard. The first 2 games are still excellent mystery games and a lot of fun, though you do need somewhat of a tolerance for words.

A Hat in Time

Oh god this game is so fucking cute. Also, just an excellent platformer. Is the DLC still on sale? I should buy that.

Fallout 4

Its just not New Vegas. It just isn’t. I really tried with this game, I really did. The gunplay is great, modding and building shit is fun, but its just not the same.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

A couple years ago I bought a SNES Mini, but until 2020 I didn’t really have a convenient way of playing it seeing as my monitor didn’t have an HDMI port. But now I do have one with one, so I got to start playing this classic! And then stopped because of uni. Should finish that, probably.

Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

Shit Keara I still have your copy sorry I’ll get back to it :<

Pokemon Stadium

I also managed to get my N64 up and running, and despite being the wrong region for most of the games available in local shops, I somehow managed to get Stadium for a great price. Got to dig out my old Red cartridge and anything. Fuck me though, this game is brutal. Seriously, Gen 1 battle mechanics are tough to deal with at the best of times, having to do battle after battle with said mechanics without losing is just nuts. I still haven’t managed to get Round 2 unlocked.

God, fuck you Blaine. Goddamn fire spin Rapidash motherfucker.

Super Mario 64 Speaking of, I managed to pick up a Japanese cartridge of SM64, complete with BLJ glitches and 3 entire save files. After much effort, I managed to actually get it working, and spent most of the night of Christmas getting smashed and trying to beat Bowser in the Fire Sea. I played a lot of the DS remake as a kid, and I feel like an idiot for struggling as much I did with the original.

This is all of course a buildup to the fact that I was lying about not assigning a GOTY. Because there is only one N64 game in my small collection deserving of Game of the Year, because its deserving of Game of the Year every year since its 1999 release.

BEETLE ADVENTURE RACING MOTHERFUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER

[playernumberv]

Upcoming Games I’m excited for!

What better way to celebrate my love for games than by literally listing down all the games I’m eagerly waiting to play? What better way to cure my disappointment in TLOU2 than to look forward to other games that (hopefully) won’t disappoint? 

So here we go, a list of games that I’m either actively excited to pre-order and play, or at least to keep in mind and await more information about before I decide whether I’ll play it. I hope I didn’t miss out anything, but I’ll edit this post if something comes to mind that I’ve accidentally left out. Several of the games below are multi-platform games that are also releasing on the Xbox, but as I’ve noted in my introductory post, I’m only interested in the Switch and the PlayStation, and hence I’ve opted only to include the consoles I’m interested in below.

Let’s go!

1. Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (N. Switch) - 14 July 2020

After something as dark and miserable as TLOU2, a nice and chill farming simulator may be exactly what I need, even more so because it’s a remake of the first Harvest Moon game I played and loved on the GBA when I was a kid. There’s something about the series that’s incredibly charming and lovable, and I’ve had countless hours of fun on later Harvest Moon (or Story of Seasons) games as well. It’s been several years since the last mainline installment, so I’m eagerly excited for this!

2. Ghosts of Tsushima (PS4) - 17 July 2020

TLOU2 (I just can’t stop talking about this, can I?) has, to be perfectly honest, shaken my faith in games - the one game I thought could never possibly fail me has failed me in the most miserable way possible. But I nevertheless await Ghosts of Tsushima with great enthusiasm, and I hope it will be a more satisfying exclusive. Trailers for the game have looked astoundingly good so far, and an open-world samurai action game simply sounds like a lot of fun, not to mention how absolutely gorgeous the rendition of feudal Japan looks in this game. I don’t expect this to be GOTY-worthy, all I expect is that it’d be a blast to play - and that’s really all I need from this particular title.

3. Marvel’s Avengers (PS4) - 4th September 2020

I’m expecting that this will just be a decent game rather than an excellent one, but I’m prepared to be surprised (and hopefully not disappointed). Really, though, an AAA Avengers game is a must-play for me even if it’s just sub-par. I’m going in with no real expectations - to expect the game to do better than the well-established MCU seems to be a fool’s dream. As long as it’s decent fun, I’ll be content!

4. The Legend Of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV (PS4) - 27th October 2020

Of the remaining games this year, Cold Steel IV is probably the one I’m most hyped for. I love this series - it’s an extremely compelling and fascinating JRPG, with a gigantic cast of characters who are all very, very charming and likeable. I love JRPGs, and I daresay this shines as one of the best JRPG series out there. Cold Steel III was my personal GOTY last year - I don’t believe it was reported to be GOTY in any official outlet, since it’s such a niche game - and I absolutely had a blast on it. It ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger that has left me yearning for more ever since, and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on Cold Steel IV.

5. Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4/PS5) - 19th November 2020

I think it’s no understatement to say that this is the gaming community’s most anticipated - or should I say, breathtaking - game this year. It’s on this list, but realistically, I probably won’t play it. I get severe motion sickness from first-person games, regrettably. However, CDPR is of such renown that even I cannot ignore this game - I’m closely watching it, and pondering the possibility of enduring literal nausea in order to play this absolutely monumental game. 

6. Bravely Default 2 (N. Switch) - TBA 2020

I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m a huge fan of JRPGs, and I damn near screamed when this was announced for the Switch during The Game Awards 2019. The 3DS is a treasure trove of excellent JRPGs, and ever since the Switch was launched, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Switch versions of many JRPGs I loved on the 3DS. Bravely Default is one such game. Boasting a charming art style, an excellent turn-based battle system, and music so good that one could die for it, Bravely Default is truly a gem in the world of JRPGs. Bravely Default 2 is exactly the kind of game I bought a Nintendo Switch for, and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on this one.

7. Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS4) - TBA 2020

The Yakuza series is an excellent masterclass in storytelling, but I have mixed feelings about a sequel. Yakuza 6 has wrapped up Kiryu Kazuma’s story to utter perfection, and I’m not sure whether a sequel starring other characters will be quite as charming. That being said, Judgment blew me away with its incredulously well-crafted detective story, so much so that I ended up liking this spinoff more than any Yakuza game. If the same hands that crafted Judgment are making this follow-up to the Yakuza series, I trust the studio to surprise me pleasantly.

8. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5) - TBA 2020

What more needs to be said, really? Marvel’s Spider-Man is perhaps the most accomplished superhero video-game ever. In a year (2018) of gigantic games such as God Of War and Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man nevertheless stood out with an excellent superhero story written with the joyousness and intensity of a classic Marvel movie, accompanied by well-designed game-play that was a lot of fun. It is a truly generation-defining game, and I absolutely cannot wait to play its follow-up (sort of) on the PS5.

9. Watch Dogs: Legion (PS4/PS5) - TBA 2020

Honestly, I didn’t like the previous games in this series at all. However, the concept behind Legion seems genuinely creative and fresh, and hence I’m willing to give this a chance. Certainly I will not be pre-ordering this, but if it turns out to be decent, I’d surely give this a purchase post-launch.

10. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (PS4/PS5) - TBA 2020

Again, the previous Assassin’s Creed games have been either hits or misses for myself. I’m not much a fan of Ubisoft-style open-world gameplay, although it does the job well enough to make for decent fun. Valhalla looks fascinating based on early trailers, though, so I’m definitely keeping a lookout for it.

11. Kena: Bridge of the Spirits (PS5) - TBA 2020

I don’t know enough about this game to be certain if I’ll be playing it yet, but suffice to say that its announcement trailer really charmed me. I’ll be keeping a lookout for more information about this game for sure.

12. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (PS4) - TBA 2021

I only got introduced into this series with Ys VIII a few years ago - and what a wonderful game this was! I couldn’t help feeling like I’ve lost out from not being acquainted with this series for so long. Ys VIII took the trope of being “trapped on an island” and executed an amazingly gripping narrative based around this. I remember buying Ys VIII purely because I had nothing better to play, and I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed it. Unsurprisingly, I can’t wait for Adol’s next adventure in Ys IX.

13. Tales of Arise (PS4) - TBA 2021

It’s been 3 years since the last mainline Tales of game (Berseria, which happens to also be my personal favourite in the series), and I’ve eagerly awaited a new installment to this series since then. I love JRPGs with all my heart, and the Tales of series - with its charming skits, endearing characters, and enjoyable storylines - is one of the series I’ve loved for a long time. Regrettably, it was recently announced that Arise would be delayed due to COVID-19, but whenever it does come, you can be damn sure I’m playing it at launch.

14. Horizon Forbidden West (PS5) - TBA 2021

Horizon Zero Dawn is a heavily acclaimed video-game that I personally didn’t enjoy as much. I thought the story was a little dull and couldn’t seem to get into it. Even so? I’m incredibly excited for its sequel. I do hope to be more engrossed by its narrative the next time around, but if nothing else, the game just looks too bloody gorgeous (yes, yes, I’m superficial) for me to not be excited to play it. Good Gods, how do graphics that good even exist!?!? And I even thought that graphics on the PS4 were already absolutely gorgeous! Just give this to me and melt my damn eyes already.

15. Pragmata (PS5) - TBA 2022

This game looked seriously fascinating, not dissimilar to how Death Stranding looked fascinating and intriguing as hell. Again, too little is known about this game for me to have a clear opinion about it, but whatever little we know of Pragmata suggests that this could be an incredibly unique and innovative game, so I’ll be keeping a lookout for more information about this one.

16. Returnal (PS5) - 2020

Another game which I don’t entirely have a clear opinion of yet, but which heavily intrigued me with its announcement trailer. At this point I don’t have much to say about it other than that I’m looking forward to more information about it, so let’s see how this one turns out.

17. Scarlet Nexus (PS5) - TBA

This honestly looks unexpectedly excellent. I love the anime-style graphics in this one, and the game-play looks flashy and entertaining as well, though there’s not much information on its story currently. I’m not quite ready to say that this is a game I’d pre-order yet, but I’m keeping it in my radar since it seems like exactly the type of game I’d love. 

18. Shin Megami Tensei V (N. Switch) - TBA

At this point, it’s a little hard to be hyped for something which I know next to nothing about... but realistically? Come on, it’s Atlus. I waited an eternity for Persona 5 - and look how completely, utterly, and mindblowingly good that turned out. I know without any doubt that I’d be playing this at launch whenever it does release. Given the complete lack of any information on this game, my hype levels are currently rather dormant - but you can be damn sure that I’d explode with hype when Atlus finally gives us some more details about this game.

19. Bayonetta 3 (N. Switch) - TBA

I enjoyed Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2. So I’m going to play Bayonetta 3. That’s... all there is to it, really. I don’t think the games are particularly special or meaningful - they’re just fun. And honestly, that’s all games need to be sometimes. Not every single game needs to be a narrative masterpiece or a phenomenal accomplishment, after all.

20. Untitled The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel (N. Switch) - TBA

BoTW was indeed phenomenal, albeit just a little overrated in my opinion (this is probably where I ought to put up shields against pitchforks). As far as game design goes, this game is truly revolutionary. It’s quite literally breathtaking - the world feels genuinely organic, and there’s a sense of freedom its open world grants that few if any other open world games manage to replicate. I do feel that the game would have been even more compelling had it been accompanied by a stronger narrative (I acknowledge however that story isn’t the point of these games), but regardless, I cannot deny just how good the game design here is. Whenever its sequel comes, it has earned a day-one purchase from me.

21. New Story of Seasons (Probably N. Switch?) - TBA

Nothing is known about this game other than that it exists. For the same reasons that compel me to play Story of Seasons - Friends of Mineral Town, I’d very likely play this game whenever it hits. In fact, part of me is even more excited for this than for the remake. The remake is primarily an enhanced version of an old game, after all - I’m very interested in seeing what new things they bring to table with this one.

22. Project Athia (PS5) - TBA

Since this is a Square Enix title, I predict that we probably wouldn’t be hearing anything about this game for another eight years or so, at which point the actual title of this game would finally be announced as Final Fantasy Re:Birth HD 3.14159, with a change of director to Tetsuya Nomura. Jokes aside, I was blown away by the teaser trailer of this game shown during the PS5 event - in fact, of all the games shown at the event, this was the one that got me the most hyped. A potentially-compelling female protagonist in a gorgeous-looking fantasy world with magic and monsters? Honestly, say no more. I’m pre-ordering this and playing it at launch.......... when it releases in 2050, probably.

23. Project Re Fantasy (???) - TBA

Of the five games I’ve given a 100/100 to, Katsura Hashino was involved in three of them (I know he wasn’t directly involved with Persona 5 Royal, but I think it still counts since he directed Persona 5), so you can imagine just how much I respect this guy’s works - and you can also imagine just how much I love JRPGs in general. We know nothing about this Project other than that it exists, and god knows how many years away this is from release. More importantly, I simply cannot wait to see what Katsura Hashino would do in a fantasy context. The Persona games are fundamentally rooted in magical realism, and Project Re Fantasy marks his first (if I’m not wrong?) foray into a true fantasy world. I simply cannot wait to see what he’s going to do. In fact, the mere fact that Katsura Hashino is in charge of this project is enough to earn my complete trust. I have absolutely no doubt that this game will be phenomenal (then again, I said the same thing for TLOU2 and look how that turned out...).

24. Final Fantasy VII: Remake Part 2 (PS5) - TBA

This isn’t formally announced yet, but we know it’s coming eventually. I very much loved Final Fantasy VII Remake - it wasn’t perfect, but it was really enjoyable despite its flaws (I say this as someone who has not played the original Final Fantasy VII). Being a JRPG fanatic, I think it’s unsurprising that I’d enjoy this, and it’s even less surprising that I’d be painstakingly waiting to see what comes next.

25. Sequel to God Of War (PS5) - TBA

This too isn’t formally announced yet, but it’s also pretty obvious that it’s going to be announced eventually. God Of War is, to understate its excellence, a revolutionary reinvention of the series and the genre. The game-play is quite possibly the best I’ve seen in any action game, and that’s just the icing on the cake with a narrative so thoughtfully written and nuanced. God Of War was generation-defining, and if its sequel builds on this, I have no doubt that its sequel will define the PS5 as well. That being said, my excitement is tempered  by anxiety too. A good start doesn’t guarantee a good follow-up, and it cannot be taken for granted that the sequel will be as good as God Of War is. Only time will tell, only time will tell.

This post ended up being a lot longer than I had planned (I’m out of steam writing this whole chunk of words), but it has been rather therapeutic typing this list out and reminding myself that there’s a lot more to look forward to. Until then!

[fxckinginsaneinthebrain]

All the unusual asks for mun

1.      who’s your celebrity crush?

Uh, I mean have you seen Ruby Rose? Like, sure, she’s a perfect fit for Chloe (hence why she’s her FC) but, like, making icons is a fun process for me, too. Also Emma Watson, because hot DAMN dude.

2.      are you single or taken?

I… Don’t want to talk about that right now, if that’s okay? Personal shit going on atm.

3.      rant. just do it

The way universities have handled the Covid-19 Outbreak is disgusting, and to expect students (Games Art students in particular) to complete their assignments without the specialist equipment they’re paying to use at the university is a complete joke. Then for lecturers to simply upload slideshows instead of recording lectures (like theyre being paid to do) should be classed as a sackable offence.

4.      do you think its ok to separate the artist from the art?

Yes, absolutely. I, for one, still listen to my LostProphets CDs despite knowing what Ian Watkins did. Do I condone his actions? No. Does he deserve his jail sentence? Yes, ten times over. But Is their music shit because of his actions? Not at all. I still blast Rooftops on the regular.

5.      how many accounts do you have?

You’re looking at it. Only one.

6.      how many pairs of shoes do you have?

Since I broke my ankle, I have one pair that I can use (and even then ive had to buy them specifically). Before the accident? I had four. One for work, One for formal settings, one for the gym, and an everyday pair.

7.      opinion on… (specify to the person you’re asking to)

My opinion on Anons not doing the thing that memes ask for? Heathens.

8.      how many accounts do you follow?

420 (totally accidental btw)

9.      favorite brand of clothing?

I’m a brand ambassador for MyProtein and I work at H&M, so… Take a guess!

10.  name a dog

Cat.

11.  what unusual talent do you have?

I’m very, very strong. My bodyweight in December was 43kg yet I could deadlift 110kg easily.

For you Yanks, I weighed 95lbs and could lift 242lbs

12.  what’s the most interesting schools gossip you’ve ever heard?

A girl had sex with someone at lunch time and got paid with a mars bar.

13.  ever prank called a store?

Nahhhh I don’t have time. Besides, I know what it’s like working in a shop so I ain’t gonna be a dick to them.

14.  what’s your coffee order?

Black. No milk, no sugar. Just plain black.

15.  what’s a question do you constantly get asked?

“Are you a boy or a girl?”

I legit got asked this, despite having stubble and a deep voice… God, I hate being small. I also get told I look like Daniel Radcliffe.

16.   if you had to get a tattoo right now, what would you get and where?

Getting my next tattoo in August so you’ll have to wait and see. I’ve got 2, though, on my left arm. One of a firefly symbol from TLoU, and Lucille from The Walking Dead.

17.  google the top song from the year you were born

“Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind” by Elton John

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18.  rant about your favorite musician

I don’t need to. Kurt Cobain is perfect. Conversation over.

19.  what’s your favorite teacher you’ve ever had?

Oh God… Probably my university Lecturers, Shaf or Casto. Both have worked in the Video Game Industry for decades, even working on some of my favourite games. I was, like, a complete fanboy when I met them.

20.  describe your blog in 3-5 words

“Fucking Insane In The Brain”

21.  what’s a conspiracy you believe in?

I believe Jack The Ripper didn’t kill himself when the Whitechapel Murders stopped. I think he just moved out of the country.

22.  if you could see any concert tonight what would you choose?

Nirvana.

23.  if you could break one of your bad habits which would you choose?

Anorexia.

24.  can you dance? sing?

I can sing. I was once in a band called Afterthought. We even recorded a song in a studio. 

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25.   what’s something you can’t stop buying?

Nothing. I save my money. Don’t really impulse buy anything.

26.   crowds or small groups?

Small groups, yo. I’m an introverted prick.

27.   how long before a trip do you pack?

Hahahahaha the night before.

28.   what celebrity would you rate a PERFECT 10?

Emma Watson. The girl went to Uni after finishing Harry Potter, got her degree, does humanitarian shit, and is just all round amazing.

29.   what quote or inspirational setting do you think is bs?

“Good things come to those who wait”.

It’s bullshit. You work for what you get in this world.

30.   if you had to dye your hair an unnatural color right now, what would you choose?

Blue, yo!

31.  you can change one thing about your life right now. what are you changing?

I wouldn’t have a metal ankle.

32.   how old do you get mistaken for?

12.

33.  what do you think about a lot?

The sweet relief of death, to be honest.

34.   do you like your hogwarts house or do you wish you were a different one?

Gryffindor Pride baby!

35.   what does home mean to you?

Home means being with those you love. Home means comfort; it means you’re loved and embraced for who you are, despite what people otherwise think.

36.   what do you think you’d be arrested for?

Probably swearing too much, or for playing too much music.

37.  have you ever been called down to the principals office?

Toooooo many times, yo.

38.   post a picture of the outfit you would choose if you could have any outfit you wanted

Like, honestly, I love anything Camouflage so just google that.

39.   describe your aesthetic

Gym Bro meets Video Game nerd meets heavy metal fan

40.   answer with one of your ‘school memes’ (inside jokes you have with your class/grade) with no explanation

“PAUL! PAUL! PAUL! PAUL!”

[shapeshifting-arch-mage]

9/23/2018, Part 1

We are now running through the forest, huffing and puffing, trying to catch up to Baku.

"Temmie... why are we-"

"i gota get to Baku! i gota get to Baku!"

"But wh-"

"i gota tell him wy i havent ben goin to hapy fun raevtime!1!"

Against my wishes, we continue to run toward the oasis.

[Baku] After leaving the haunted house Baku found himself wandering toward the oasis, he had heard about this place in the past and wanted to check it out himself. It was much warmer here and quiet. "Well that was an adventure."

[Sirius] Sirius would soon pop out of the ground, attempting to shake off the frost on his petals. “Yeah...” He would start thinking about what just happened, and spaced out due to it, deep thoughts. Why didn’t he get fear? He has seen far worse though, mostly monsters beating each other, yet he felt no fear from that either, and only recently he figured out he could dislike or like something... was that technically fear? Over the fact he disliked so much of his home and the haunted house? Right, Baku mentioned not being able to feel much either, should he open up? Hell if he knew, something told him that he shouldn’t, but he didn’t honestly care either way, maybe he should... but not right now he’s in hecking space-

[Baku] Baku chuckled. "Yer a serious space case ya know, what's on yer mind anyway?"

[Rave Witch Temmie] pant... pant... pant... We just make it to the oasis before our legs give out and we collapse. We lay face-down on the ground, panting hard.

[Sirius] Upon hearing Baku’s voice, he fell out of space and looked at them, deciding to tell them the truth, as he felt that would be something he would do. “Oh... uh... I happen to not feel much either... I mostly think on why I don’t feel anything.. other than likes and dislikes...” He wasn’t sure if the other would believe him, but it was possible, all the other Floweys he met could feel some things, but him? No he wasn’t like them...

[Rave Witch Temmie] pant... pant... pant... We weakly lift our head and pick up our hat, which fell off when we landed on the ground.

[Baku] Baku chuckled. "Yer different than most o' yer kind aren't ya?" At that Baku sat down next to the flower and grinned. "Fer my kind not having emotions is normal, we're born wit out 'em."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "...huh??" Temmie is curious. We prop ourself up on our belly and listen in on the conversation.

[Sirius] “Yeah... I’m pretty different... I heard the others don’t feel love and compassion...” He would blink, looking at Baku again. “So you’re pretending too?” Now he has found a lead, maybe his condition has something to do with this skeleton... and their kind... although he didn’t know what Baku meant by... their kind... was there another type of skeleton? He thinks, trying to prevent himself from spacing out, but doing that was difficult for him, he had nothing else to focus on after all.

[Baku] Baku laughed. "Yes, in a sense. I mean we can learn emotions by watchin' others or learnin' about 'em as we go through life. Then again most o' us aren't liked much so few o' us live long."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "b-but i liek u!1!"

"Temmie!" I think, "Don't interrupt! They're having a private conversa-"

"i liek yu a lot!1!! ur my fav dj!!1!"

[Sirius] Sirius was about to say something, but then he heard Temmie speak up, he would look over, possibly staring into their soul on accident, then he spoke up. “Lucky... I have watched others too, and I still feel nothing.” He would just continue the conversation as normal, because he couldn’t care less about Temmie being there. More like he didn’t mind, it was only one other person... not like a lot of people were listening in.

[Baku] Baku looked over when he heard the familiar voice of Temmie and chuckled. "Appreciate dat chica, but others don't share yer opinion." With that said he turned his attention back to the flower. "I ain't lucky, I still don't fully understand emotions myself but in all honesty I don't really wanna, they seem like more o' a hassle than an asset if ya ask me."

[Rave Witch Temmie] Others don't share her opinion? The heck's he talking about? At least, that's what Temmie's thinking. I know exactly what he means by that, but all Temmie can do is cry out in confusion, "w-w-w-waaaaa???"

We try to stand up, but just end up falling back on our belly again. "oof!"

We pant a few more times, and then say, "wh-wh-who dont like u?? wy som1 dont like u?? ur da best dj!1!" Wait, I can answer that question for her. In our minds, I replay the memory of my first meeting with Baku...

"...oh ya, her..." She still doesn't understand what there is not to like about Baku, though. "but wy peeps dun like u??"

[Sirius] “Feeling nothing isn’t the best way to go... that’s how I feel anyway, you can’t make friends all that well, and the people you should care about the most... they end up leaving you at some point, or constantly worry over you until you end up pretending that you care, it’s... so empty.  I dislike it.” Sirius would look at the water, sighing. “It’s like... hell? I guess...? It’s... hard to explain...”

[Baku] "I disagree, I've seen what havin' emotions can do ta a person an' I hate it." At that his aura seemed to darken a little. "Emotions only hurt ya in the long run so they're funking pointless, at least without 'em I can live freely doin' my own thing, never havin' ta hurt because someone else decided I wasn't worth their time."

[Rave Witch Temmie] We finally manage to pick ourselves up from the ground. We start to waddle closer to Baku...

"Baku, wat u talkin about? wat u mean u dont liek feelins??"

"Temmie, please, don't..."

"i liek feelins! dey feel gud! u make me feel gud! u da best! an-" I finally manage to take control of our mouth for a second and get my own words in.

"nnnnNNNO!1! hes NOT da best!1!! hes NOT nice!!1"

"...awawawa?? hooman?!? i tot u likd him to!!1"

[Sirius] “...there’s a contradiction in that second sentence. When you cant feel emotions, there is no happiness, there’s nothing, I know that first hand, having been there as an Asriel, watching my family, they looked so happy, and I was never happy with them. It... makes you not want to live, I don’t even know why I’m still here. Because it’s pointless. I tried so hard to feel something, anything, and all I have found is that I can like, dislike, and want something. That’s it.” The more Sirius talked, the more dead he sounded, his eyes were empty voids, he was surely showing a point. “Even if feeling something can hurt others, it’s worse feeling absolutely nothing. Because you can’t care about the people you want to care about, you can’t ever be happy.” God this got dark fast.

[Rave Witch Temmie] "i didnt say i didnt like him! i sed hes not nice!"

"but he gav me pretty glow necklas!1!"

"yea, but just cuz hes nice to you doesnt mean hes nice to every1!"

"wy not?"

"cuz hes bad at it!"

"wat yu mean?"

"hes just nice to you cuz you... you..."

...How do I put this without hurting her feelings? I want to tell her that, the reason Baku was nice to her was because she's such a kiss-up, but that wouldn't be a nice thing to say... and the last thing I want to do is sound like a jerk to Temmie. I'm not a jerk, rather, the one we're talking about is the jerk...

[Baku] Baku chuckled darkly. "That is where our opinions differ my man. I live freely an' do what I want, there's no void in my life, just fun." At that he grinned and looked to the sky. "I get ta party an' have a blast without a care in the world."

[Rave Witch Temmie] I decide to just drop the issue. Hearing Baku mention partying reminds Temmie of why she wanted to follow him here in the first place. We walk over to Baku's side. "hey Baku, uhhhh..."

[Sirius] “Well... you can feel joy... it seems. So you only want to feel joy? Happiness? That’s different compared to nothing...” Sirius wouldn’t press more on the issue after this, in fact, he didn’t want to for once. Ooooh another lead! Back into space he goes.

[Baku] "Eh maybe, don't really know don't really care, I like things as they are." At that Baku laid down on the ground, watching the sky. "I live my life as a DJ an' I'm fine wit dat."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "Temmie, I think he's busy-" 

"hey Baku, uhhh... im sorry i couldnt go to ur raves, cuz ive been livin wit hooman, and she doesnt kno were ur raves are, so we couldnt go..."

We press our paws together anxiously. "ive been wantin to go but i couldnt cuz of hooman... im sorry..."

[Sirius] Sirius would stay silent, now he listens in, he didn’t know what else to say on this matter, other than an “ok” or “mhm” god conversation is hard.

[Baku] Baku grinned at the Temmie. "Hey no worries chica, ya don't have ta show up at every single one, just try to make it ta the ones ya can."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "i-i wannaaaaa..." We frown. "but human is- mmmmf!" There I go slapping our paw over our mouth again. But this time, Temmie manages to remove it and continue speaking.

"i wana take human to ur rave!1! i told her shes gota go somtime!1 its da best rave evr!11 but shes scar-mmf!" And back over our mouth the paw goes...

...but only for a second. "hooman, wy yu keep doin dat?"

[Baku] Baku smirked. "I know exactly why she's doin' it, she doesn't want me ta find out who she is even though I already know exactly who she is, ain't dat right Cookie."

[Rave Witch Temmie] Upon hearing that last word...

...

...We freeze.

All we- or I- can do, is s t a r e, wide-eyed, mouth agape, like we've just seen a ghost. But, if I'm being honest, seeing a ghost wouldn't have been nearly as scary as what I just heard Baku say right now.

H o w d i d h e f i n d o u t ? ?

[Baku] Baku laughed. "Did ya really think I wouldn't notice, actions speak louder than words ya know. The constant stopping of Temmie every time it was even remotely possible she could give ya away was a red flag sweetheart, I'm no fool."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "h-h-hooman...???" Temmie thinks, my fear rubbing off onto her, "h-how does Baku no about... cookys??"

"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO- wait, cookies??"

"ya, cooky poshin!1! remembr?? were gona make cooky poshin!1!"

...The cookie potion. That's right... I had completely forgotten about that. Temmie must have mistakenly thought that Baku was referring to the magic cookie potion we still haven't made, and not to... well, me...

...Which gives me an idea. In a last-ditch effort to save face, we ask,

"...w-w-w-what cookies?? i dont got any cookies..."

[Baku] Baku grinned. "Really you're gonna try an' pull dat shiz wit me, what part o' I'm no fool do ya not get hm? I know it's you sweetheart stop tryin' ta hide."

[Rave Witch Temmie] "i dont got no cookys1!1"

At this point, this is kind of both of us saying this. I never actually told Temmie that I call myself Cookie, since I never felt the need to (and also to prevent her from spilling the beans to Baku about it). So, she still doesn't realize that Baku is talking about me, and not the magic potion we've been wanting to make. I, meanwhile, am just denying that I'm Cookie. Because I never told Baku that I call myself that. And yet he still found out.

[Baku] "Eh whatever suit yourself sweetheart, but trust me yer not very good at hidin'." At that Baku stood up and stretched. He then turned to the flower who was sitting there spacing out once more. "Well anyway I'm gonna go walk around, follow if ya want my petaled bro but otherwise I'm ditchin' this place." At that he turned to leave the oasis.

[Rave Witch Temmie] Normally, Temmie would have wasted no time following Baku wherever he was headed, but right now, we are in too much shock to do anything but stand there, like a deer in the headlights.

"hooman... howd Baku no about cookys??"

"He wasn't talking about cookies, Temmie. He was talking about me."

"waaa?? but ur not a cooky!1! ur a hooman!1!"

"Yes, I am. But... I like to call myself... Cookie..."

[Sirius] Sirius would have followed Baku, only because he wanted to leave as well, this was odd, not like he knew how this skeleton was... it was more like he was interested in how he worked, how he was able to be happy despite being born without them, that interested him the most, how was that possible?

[Rave Witch Temmie] "Soft Cookie. I call myself Soft Cookie. It's not my real name; it's actually the name of one of my shape-shifted forms... but I like the name. It has a nice ring to it. But how in the world... how did Baku find that out?!? I never told him... I made certain not to ever tell him. So how he found out... it makes absolutely no sense that he found out! Unless..."

"...ya?"

"...Someone else told him..."

Continuing to stand out here in the forest isn't going to do us any good, though. We should probably head back to the resort. We begin to make our way out of the forest.

...Slowly.

We walk through the forest, and back to the resort; our looming sense of dread never leaving us.