#and like.... the gameplay is not great. neither is the story.

[agnimybeloved]

i will never understand the appeal of those until dawn type games i haven’t been impressed by any of them 😭 seems like theyre intentionally trying to lean into the absurd and campy stereotypes of horror but its just all of the insufferability and none of the charm 

[moltengarnet]

Shadow The Hedgehog, 2005

HERE WE GO, BUDDY, HERE WE GO

This game has a reputation of being horrible but I honestly don’t think it is as bad as people say.

I think the reputation comes from people thinking a Sonic character wielding a Desert Eagle is funny, which it is, but the series allows for serious characters like that to exist alongside childish characters like Cream or Big and have it still make sense in-lore. Shadow being an angry weapons expert just sort of works in my opinion.

The story is good and the gameplay is pretty much a combination of the three play styles from Sonic Adventure 2 which is what I like about the game. Even the music is good.

The primary issue with the game, for me, is the level progression and the tedious level objectives. Having to beat the entire game a dozen times to get the true ending just isn’t fun and neither is tracking down 30 specific enemies per level.

I ended up beating the game two or three times then just looking up the other endings in 2008 because I didn’t feel like playing it anymore. I will always be a fan of the Castle level though, since it has great theming, Amy is your partner, and it has a fun boss fight.

Overall, I’d say it’s worth playing but only until you get bored.

[bewaretheidesofmarchyall]

5, 7, 12, 13, 17

ah yes the winning lottery numbers /j

5) Who's your favourite couple?

BAGI + TINA i swear to god it makes me want to bite, the way that they get reduced into just basic background tea drinking lesbians by the fandom so frequently. no! they're interesting!

They love each other to the point of invention (Tina's love for Bagi changed the whole gameplay strategy of Purgatory because she wanted to created tea for her), and neither of them tell each other their secrets, and they hide from each other, and they love each other, and Bagi doesn't want to lose people and Tina's possessive but recognizes it and tries to reel it back, and Tina hates herself and Bagi gave her a ring with I love you as you are written on it. And Tina's a demon who's guilty for falling out of her god's favor, and she calls Bagi angel.

so yeah I'm normal about them

7) Who's your favourite roleplayer?

DIFFICULT. There's so many talented people on this server, it's fucking insane. Kind of have to go with Maximus though, the guy killed off his character because it was just the in-character way for things to go. That's commitment. Also every moment he had was great- Sofia? Casualonas? The theory bros? All roads lead back to Maxo.

And I have to shoutout Baghera for the same reason- She didn't kill her character, but she didn't flee from the nuke at the end of Purgatory because she knew that her character wouldn't stop looking for her daughter, and that's cool as hell. She's immersed!

The best roleplayer whose character isn't dead is probably Bagi, and I love her, I remember seeing her act in Ordem Paranormal and thinking wow, imagine if they got her on the server, but for favorite...Tina's really grown on me. She's got that je ne sais quoi.

12) What language would you like to see next?

TAGALOG, please. I'm biased because my Filipino friends have been wishing for it, but it would also be a relatively easy transition because the language has a lot of Spanish influence

13) Who has the best lore in your opinion?

FitMC for sure. Like shoutout to BadBoyHalo, all of the Fuga crew, and whatever Antoine has going on, they're also really, really good/interesting. But I'm going with FitMC because he consistently pushes the story and the understanding of the world forward, and with really interesting presentation.

17) Who's your favourite family?

The Richarlyson parent collective. There's just so many of my favorite characters in there- We've got Cellbit, Bagi, Pac, Mike, Felps, qQuackity, Roier, Fit. Unstoppable. And there's been so much care and devotion within these character dynamics. Plus Richarlyson deserves the world

Honorable mention to Slime, ElMariana, and Juanaflippa, though. They still haunt me

[ifbench]

Gates to Infinity

During my initial PMD playthroughs, I was considering skipping Gates altogether, as I had heard almost nothing but negative things about it up until that point.

However, my friend who I was liveblogging my PMD playthroughs to, she said that Gates to Infinity was good, too.

And so, after completing Rescue Team DX and Explorers, I acquired Gates to Infinity.

Quite possibly the best decision to get a game I've ever made.

As while Gates to Infinity is not my favorite game of all time, it's the game that brought the most to me, that affected me for the better the most.

As while games like Mario and Luigi Dream Team are amazing fun experiences that I treasure dearly…they didn't change my life like Gates to Infinity did.

It was Gates to Infinity that caused me to stick with PMD. It's what inspired me to start writing Eternal Shadows. It's what led me to meet so many amazing people. It's why I'm still talking about PMD today.

No other game has brought me so much happiness in the long term as Gates to Infinity has.

It's a bit silly why I started Eternal Shadows in the first place, really. I was playing through Gates to Infinity's opening, and it was so different from both Rescue Team DX's and Explorers'. It had an air to it that neither of those had.

2020 me thought it felt a lot like Kingdom Hearts, and I decided to write a PMD opening with very heavy Kingdom Hearts inspiration as a proof of concept.

That "proof of concept" is what is now known as Eternal Shadows.

Beyond how it personally shaped me, though…Gates to Infinity is a truly wonderful game.

Some may say it's a downgrade over Explorers. That it took things away from what made Explorers so great.

And…I would agree with that second sentence, in a way.

Gates to Infinity does remove a lot of stuff from Explorers. No personality quiz, severely limited Pokemon roster, no Spinda's Cafe, no IQ, no long second story in the postgame, and no purple Kecleon or Kangaskhan.

But Gates to Infinity doesn't need to be Explorers. It's not Explorers. And much of what it removes, it adds something new in its place.

While there's no personality quiz, for the first time, you can choose your protagonist's species, a feature that would remain in newer games.

IQ is gone, replaced by the much less grindy Team Skills system. No longer do you have to grind for gummis so your partner won't walk over exposed traps.

There's no Spinda's Cafe, but you build something similar through Paradise. You can build your own facilities, talk to your recruits in the town you have built, and it even serves as a hub.

There's no postgame story to the magnitude of Explorers', but what is there, is something unlike anything Explorers or Rescue Team gives you. It might not be as long, but a story doesn't need to be long to be good.

And while the loss of the purple Kecleon, Kangaskhan, and the large Pokemon roster could be considered objective downgrades…they don't ruin the experience at all, at least for me.

There's other flaws, too, like the slow text speed, and inability to choose gender, but I digress, and don't mind them at all.

Gates to Infinity doesn't carry over the letter of Explorers. It isn't a sequel to it in the way that Explorers is one to Rescue Team. But it carries over the spirit of it.

Like Adventure Squad, it still has the heart of PMD.

Yet unlike Adventure Squad, it's not afraid to show it.

Gates to Infinity still tells a heartfelt story about a former human who winds up in a world of Pokemon.

It has well-developed characters, amazing music that uses motifs wonderfully, and a touching farewell scene.

What does being a PMD game mean, really?

Does it mean pixel graphics, macguffins to collect, and guilds?

Or is it the story of a former human, who partners up with a Pokemon, eventually saving the world, before having to say goodbye?

Of course, some might just say "PMD gameplay". And there's nothing wrong with that answer!

The dungeon-delving gameplay is a core part of the experience, too. And sometimes, it makes the majority of the experience, like with Adventure Squad.

And yes, Gates to Infinity has some problems with the mystery dungeons. Repetitive room generation, party members wandering off, and that small Pokemon roster.

But it also has things Explorers doesn't.

It introduces the reunion cape item, my favorite item in all of PMD, and very useful for reuniting with lost party members.

It has outside areas to mystery dungeons, a first for the series, and even sometimes has small puzzles with them.

And without the IQ system, your party members have much better navigation and combat skills by default.

But the gameplay isn't what I love about Gates to Infinity so much. It's its story, characters, and the emotions it instilled in me.

I cried not even 15 minutes into Gates to Infinity, when I heard Ragged Mountain for the first time. I recognized it from Oddity Cave from Rescue Team DX, and…yeah.

I initially thought I wasn't going to be able to name my Snivy partner, but then we get to the future site of Paradise, and he lets me give him a name, in-universe.

Virizion's character arc is wonderful, and I love how she and Keldeo reconcile.

I love Dunsparce's bravery, and how Emolga gives up his spot on the Great Glacier expedition so Dunsparce can go.

One of my favorite moments in the entire game, and even just thinking about it right now is making me start to cry.

I love the first-person perspectives with Umbreon seeking shelter in Post Town, and how Espeon just wanted to do the right thing and feels so guilty for putting Swadloon in danger.

And Emolga!

Emolga my absolute beloved.

I love his friendship with Umbreon, I love his reconciliation and developing relationship with Virizion, I love his goofiness! He's my favorite canon Pokemon character ever!

And not to skip over Hydreigon, either. The Voice of Life is such a cool title and concept, and I love how you think they'll be the villain, only for them to come and save you, and be an absolute dork.

Even the protagonist! Even they have some character to them, and actually talk!

And then the story. Oh, the story of Gates to Infinity.

For a bit of context, I was…not feeling very well mentally when I started playing the PMD games.

It's a bit cliche, but, well…I was feeling pretty hopeless.

And Gates to Infinity took that hopelessness and melted it away.

Its theme of how hope can be found even in the darkest of times, how you can find friends even when you feel like you're all alone…it meant a lot to me. It still means a lot to me.

And the ending…I have never cried harder at a story in my life.

Everyone's final messages to you through the frism, how they remembered you, how even if you may never meet again, how they wanted you to have a good life…it broke me, in a good way.

My second favorite moment in all of PMD, and part of what led me to writing A Way to Reunite.

Gates to Infinity may not be Explorers. It may lack stuff, even important stuff that Explorers has.

But Gates to Infinity has heart. So, so much heart.

It's not soulless, it's the farthest thing from soulless.

Gates to Infinity is a true PMD game, and I'll always love it with all my heart.

I've also compiled my liveblog notes from when I played Gates to Infinity for the very first time, if anyone is interested in reading that, but unfortunately it'll have to be on Discord, as I initially wrote them on Discord, and porting around 5000 words of liveblogging to here does not sound like fun to me.

So, if you want to read it, hit me up on Discord! My username is @ifbench, just like on here.

I hope you've all enjoyed this, and I hope to have my Super retrospective ready soon.

[vampirevatican]

Eating for... Three!?

pairing - Kenny McCormick x black! fem reader

genre/tags - pregnant reader, twin babies, tooth rotting fluff

notes - 1.7k words. yes this is a pregnancy fic, no i won't be detailing the birth but the journey? oh yes please. do i wanna be a mother? hell no. do i love family fluff, sims family gameplay, the idea or stories of happy families, think that babies are adorable? yes.

summary - You know about Kenny's upbringing, where he came from, and how if he ever had kids he wanted to do better than his parents. The first night you heard about it you saw the determination in those blue eyes and felt your heart melt, he really wanted to go above and beyond for his own. When you brought up baby names he was a little bit curious but didn't want to pressure you into it. So that night, while you two were about to sleep, you brought up trying for a baby. He could barely contain himself.

"Ken, I want a baby." You were both winding down for the night. Him in just boxers, the covers and laptop covering his legs, and you in a bonnet and silk night gown. He immediately stopped what he was doing on his laptop and looked over at you, shocked and excited. You've mentioned baby names before, it wasn't like you guys weren't having sex whenever he had free time, but did that mean you were off of your birth control? "A..are you sure?" He had to take a pause at the start of his sentence, still startled by the sudden reality he was in. He has already set aside the laptop, slightly turned to face you in bed; eager and trying to control his enthusiasm but that was impossible. When you nodded he pulled you into a hug and kissed your face as you laughed and hugged him back. "Yup, been thinking on it for a bit and figured we might as well." You said as he pulled away and you looked into his blue eyes. "You've always wanted a family, and I wasn't fully against it just concerned of what the child would be brought into." You looked around at the huge bedroom, the floor to ceiling windows covered by blinds, walk in closet connected to a bathroom and vanity. "I think we'll do great." You gave him a light kiss and whispered, "There may be a chance we'll have one already."

It definitely didn't take too long either, given Kenny's drive and him taking off work for the next few weeks he could. You two were like rabbits around the mansion, save for the nursery you set aside. One day decorating it, with Kenny doing the heavy lifting, you took in everything. How ornate, adorable, and welcoming the room was. "Kenny," you said to him as he was hanging up picture frames that were yet to be filled. "Yes, my love?" You couldn't help but smile, as he looked over at you and came to your side. He pulled you into a side hug, taking in the room with you, "We're going to spoil this kid rotten."

WEEK 0-13 (0-3 Months)

You've seen and heard about morning sickness but was hoping, praying, that it'd miraculously pass you. It didn't. Neither did the other side effects you read about with you husband.

Kenny held your braids back while you were puking in the toilet, tying the box braids into a high ponytail and rubbing your back. "It'll be over soon darling." He told you, doing his best to reassure you and immensely grateful you're willing to be the mother of his children, your children. He didn't mind the constant trips to the bathroom to pee, whenever he noticed you were tired he was quick to get you to rest.

"Kenny I'm fine, just a little..." You yawned, laying in bed next to him. "Tired. Please get some rest, your body needs it." Not being able to resist his request; being obviously very sleepy and so comfy in the warm covers, smooth sheets, and plush mattress, you only gave him a look in protest before drifting off. By the time you were awake again he already had clothes set out for you to get ready for the appointment to check in on the baby. He helped you get ready every step of the way with some protest from you. "I ain't even showing yet Ken, you don't have to wait on me hand and foot." He simply shrugged, having the both of you take the elevator down instead of the stairs. "I just love pampering you. You're my lovely wife, who's carrying our precious child, even if they're not fully formed yet." You let out a small chuckle at his words.

The baby was fine, right where they should be with no complications, but you were facing the changes of having the little one around. Looking online it seemed that it'd just get more intense as it went on. Your sense of smell made it so that there was the sent of lavender, pine sol and coco butter throughout the mansion. Whenever Kenny asked what you wanted to eat the cravings and aversions grew stronger. Foods you didn't like before, you now hated a few and found others delicious. Foods you did like before became strong favorites. Though that wasn't the only thing that fluctuated.

Kenny was understanding during your mood swings. There to comfort or reassure with whatever you were sobbing so much about and quick to step back and listen whenever you were pissed. "Don't fuckin' touch me. My god, everything is pissing me off. Why are the people at the office so incompetent? We're both not there for a couple of weeks and they wanna blow up my phone. The hell they reaching out to me for?" Kenny was listening to your rant as he answered emails in bed with you as the TV played, knowing it'd pass eventually. "No idea dear, but after 6 meetings that could've been emails. I completely understand how you fee-" He looked over to see your deadpan expression and immediately took back his words.

WEEKS 14-27 (3-6 Months)

As the baby grew so did your cravings and so did your stomach. When going for another ultrasound with Kenny, wearing shades and having security do their best to keep off journalists and paparazzi, you were both surprised to discover the news. The obstetrician, a black woman you had personally requested from the start, was analyzing the monitor and making sure she was seeing things right. "Yeah, that's..." she said pausing for a second and turning the monitor to you and your husband. "Looks like you're having two little one's Mrs.Mccormick." Hearing the news your worries had melted away to pure joy and astonishment as you squeezed Kenny's hand. The blonde was just as excited, there'd be two additions to the family soon.

Then came baby names, along with the little ones deciding to make themselves known with each press to your belly. If they weren't stretching their hands or feet, it felt like your stomach was doing flips. Kenny would rub your belly with lotion after a bath and talk to them, earning small kicks and you letting him know that they hear him. You still made an effort to be capable and move around but your body definitely wasn't what it was, not to mention the little ones reminding you that you're their mommy now. When your feet and ankles swelled or your body was aching? Immediate bedrest, ordered by none other than your husband of course. "Ken I'm fine, I can get up and-" every protest was met with a 'No.' and kisses to your cheek or forehead. He waited on you hand and foot, no buts or exceptions.

The baby shower was small, with just a few friends and family. Being that Kenny is a famous philanthropist; the announcements, unveilings, and multiple interviews you both had, just made it easier.

Of course, before the baby shower, he made the announcement of y'all having little ones soon to the presses. "Yes we're having children. Now, if you could please give us some privacy." He was very blunt with it and it made some headlines but that wasn't for you to worry about.

There were balloons, a small cake decorated to look like a crib with little blocks that spelled 'welcome babies'. Looking around at the colors, (pastel purple and yellow) two-tiered diaper cake, and the table crowded in baby clothes and toys you thought 'These babies are gonna be spoiled past rotten.' You wouldn't have it any other way though. From the start you always wanted to give your children everything they could ever want and more and with their father growing up and being who he is, it was a recipe for the most loved and gifted children.

WEEKS 28 - 42 (6-9 Months)

At this point, there wasn't much fighting on your end of being pampered. The only time you were out of bed, you went to the bathroom or your husband helped you in and out of the tub. The twins were ready to leave and with each passing day, their restless movements made that well known. All that was left in the wake of the twins was just them pulling a circ-de-solei whenever they felt like it. When it was strong but not enough to stop you in your tracks, adorable, and whenever it wasn't Kenny was there to try and make you laugh or aid you in any way possible. "Don't make me come in there." He was holding your belly, looking down and talking to them. For some reason that would get them to stop moving or, "You're hurting mommy." then there was no movement from either of them.

When it was around go time, Kenny was more than prepared. He had a set car, chauffeur, everything packed. The months before he was reading parenting books along with you, maybe even more than you. A few times you'd wake up in the middle of the night to pee, you'd catch him wide awake reading and something about that made you feel better. Kenny was always a doting husband. Not just through expensive gifts, date nights, or vacations but also being there for you through anything. He'd help take down your protective styles, watch videos on how to do and take care of your hair. Over the pregnancy you were in an afro most of the time. Partialy out of tiredness, carrying two became a hassle over time, and the other half because when you caught sight of yourself; you felt a sense of pride and immense joy. You were a mother, you're a mother.

The little ones took their time coming out. Enough time for there to be little moments between you and your husband that were more sweet than nearly crushing his hand. Though when the pair was born, and you held them in your arms as your husband got a picture before holding one of them himself. That same feeling came back, your hair was back in a protective style but that didn't change anything. Your crotchet braids were done by a professional before the due date, they held up nice; save for the edges because of the sweat, but as Kenny slicked them back and kissed your forehead you just smiled. 'Im a mother.' and as you thought that, the little girl in your arms held your finger with her tiny hand.

[melloggd]

Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

Capcom • Capcom • 2013 • Nintendo 3DS Read it on Backloggd: (x)

As fans of the series are likely well aware, this fifth game marked the point when a new team took over Shu Takumi's darling mainline series of murder-mystery games. Takumi was preoccupied with Ghost Trick, the Professor Layton crossover game, and later Great Ace Attorney, and the team he previously led for the series' fourth game had kind of just dissolved after finishing up. So, the team behind the spinoff Ace Attorney Investigations duology ended up taking the reigns of the main series. What this boils down to is, that this marked the first time that two different teams were making Ace Attorney games in parallel with one another: The Investigations team now making this game, led by Takeshi Yamazaki, and Takumi's team releasing The Great Ace Attorney just two years later.

The reason for leading with this context, is because I find the contrast between these games to be inherently fascinating. That despite being fundamentally "the same kind of game" they had such different directions as to lead to two wholly different experiences for wholly different players.

Looking at Takumi's games and history in interviews, its clear to me that he values "The Puzzle" above all else (he IS a magician in training, fun fact!). The feeling of working things out in your head, drawing conclusions wholly on your own and submitting your answer to see the game react in amazement at your ability. Ghost Trick and the existence of Herlock Sholmes in general make this the most apparent, but in my eyes "The Puzzle" is only a piece of what makes Ace Attorney what it is, and it is only thanks to Takumi's direction that it has become a focus in his games.

All this build-up, is just to say this: Yes, Dual Destinies easily has the least interesting gameplay in the series. Yes, it will often make it plainly obvious what the solution to a puzzle is, moments before its time to submit the answer. BUT: I believe this is because Yamazaki's priorities were elsewhere in production. In my eyes, Dual Destinies focuses far more on its own narrative, mysteries and character drama than it does puzzle-solving, detective sleuthing and experimenting with game mechanics. This in my eyes is neither "better" nor "worse": Its just the result of a CHANGE in direction. But it IS a change that happens to be to my preference.

For instance: There's no Soseki Natsume-type case here that, as Takumi loves to do, exists SOLELY to be a fun puzzle to unravel. Instead every case feels as if it has more of a point to it narratively, having them all fit together well thematically. Characters return, dynamics are explored, themes reinforced in interesting ways and generally I rarely got the sense that--story-wise-- my time was being wasted with any of the cases I was playing. This was an issue I felt plagued AA3, despite its attempt to be dramatic and conclusive. Its mainly because of this new direction that I feel Case 2 in this game is the worst one: It seems intentionally set up like a "puzzle-box" mystery typical of the most devious puzzles in AA1-3, yet as I've explained that kind of focus is not one Dual Destinies typically wants to have.

Because of the baggage that both the series' prior game and Capcom high-ups gave the team, Dual Destinies' story was almost destined to be one that attempted a lot of things, yet I don't think I could have predicted that it'd pull those things and more off...surprisingly well. I know the whole "Dark Age of the law" setting has been derided by a lot of fans, but what I found especially commendable with this direction was that they used it as a tool to go in and clean up a lot of things that...Apollo Justice just kind of handwaved away. Like...if Phoenix was disbarred and shunned away from the law world for seven years, how was he able to set up all that he does to take down Kristoph in the end of Apollo Justice, including the debut of the wholly untested Jury system? Why was Phoenix so casually doing extremely shady things both in the development of this system and while in court in Case 1? And, of course: Why was a supposedly story about Apollo becoming the new face of Justice instead written to secretly be about Phoenix being this mastermind?

By retroactively framing Apollo Justice as ALSO taking place during this Dark Age, suddenly things begin to click: Apollo defending nothing but criminals in that game becomes more than a neat coincidence, and Case 3 in that game suddenly becomes more about showing that corruption. The grimy world of Apollo Justice aside, I find all the cases in Dual Destinies in some subtle way show how the perception of the law has changed (which is a big part as to why Case 3 is my favorite in the game). The world itself hasn't changed: People's perception of it has. Culprits commit crimes not because they're in a position of power to where they're able to get away with it (AA1) or because they seek revenge (AA2), but simply because they now feel its the easiest way to solve their situation: because the current law system will not catch or punish them. Kristoph in AA4 is an excellent, shining example of this, going to lunatic lengths to commit a crime because he knows that a law world run the way it is in this age will never catch him.

Dual Destinies shows a world where people see little benefit in being truthful, because their "champions of truth" in the most recent times were also the ones who used fake evidence in a murder trial, who defended nothing but criminals for a whole game's time, who deprioritized their duty as a lawyer over playing in a rock band - and one of them was even convicted of murder themselves.

That's a really cool yet understated part of Dual Destinies: Almost every character, new or old, are hiding away the truth or their true selves, not because they have done anything, but because they are afraid of what will happen once that truth is revealed. They're scared of what honesty will do to themselves, their relationships, and their careers, and instead keep it to themselves. Because to them, what happened to Phoenix, their guiding light in an unjust world, seven years ago, was the truth about him coming out, and as soon as it did his career and public perception of the law plummeted. This feeds into Blackquill's backstory as well and how he willingly turned himself in as a murderer, rather than having him be exposed: The moment these guardians of the law world come clean about their honest nature, the world came crumbling down, thus a world of secrecy and distrust was seen as the only way to live.

In terms of playable characters, I feel like the 3DS Home Menu diorama best showcases the game's direction: With Phoenix's story now told (and told again) with AA1-4, and Apollo having been introduced, its his and Athena's story now being told with Phoenix as mentor and motivation. Apollo and Athena are shown fighting in court, with Phoenix at home in the office. This is even reflected in the ending cutscene of the game, with Apollo and Athena being the ones celebrating as Phoenix just watches and smiles. The Dual Destinies the title is referring to is the two young lawyers overcoming their inner doubts and no longer hiding from the truth, no matter how scary it may sound, thanks to the help of their mentor, channeling Mia's positive mentorship.

I've heard people (mainly Athena fans) say the game feels crowded because of the trio-setup, but I find everyone gets a very comfortable slot in to tell the cohesive story. Phoenix is a passive figure as the plot delves into Athena's life alongside Apollo's inner turmoil. Given that AA4 didnt really...establish much of any goal for Apollo beyond meaningless family relations, this game works as a springboard for him, with a character moment so perfectly executed and befitting of him that he shot to the top of character popularity polls after launch. Following AA4 up with another game just starring Phoenix and Apollo and..."exploring" those family relations could've been a safe and easy direction to go in, yet Yamazaki's team committed to an ambitious idea of two kinds of character growth: DUAL DESTINIES, so to speak.

This is why I don’t mind Apollo’s “new backstory” in this game being so brief and, in a sense, discardable. Because the point of the backstory is to drive his actions and growth as a character: Not to give him a goal to pursue. You aren't meant to sympathize with him on a personal, "I-knew-how-good-of-a-guy-your-friend-was" level, because you're just observing the mental effects its having on Apollo, and trying to help him from the perspective of two people who really don't know the pain he's going through. Its what starts his internal turmoil and it does that well.

And putting a bow atop of it all is presentation that feels almost a cut above Ace Attorneys typical stellar pedigree: The composer of AA3 paired with the sound director of AA4 leads to whats pretty easily my favorite sound in the series, narrowly beating Great Ace Attorney purely by the element of variety. One of my biggest issues with AA4 was just how...dislikable a lot of the interacting cast was (again, is retroactively made more interesting with the Dark Age framing), and Dual Destinies remedies this with some absolute top-of-the-line new favorites (Simon + Case 3 my beloved) All the characters animate beautifully, and I admire the restrictions the team placed on themselves regardless: Characters like Filch and Fulbright will still snap to animations to retain the snappy timing of the original games, something I felt The Great Ace Attorney was comparatively lacking in due to reliance of "natural" motion-capture.

But then we come back to that point, that interesting contrast in direction: The Great Ace Attorney’s character models have far more detail and a whole new sense of fluidity, giving it more of a sophisticated feel, wheras Dual Destinies’ more simple designs and harsh cuts lend themselves to a different vibe altogether. The game’s anime cutscenes are a great example of this. The simpler designs lend themselves nicely to the occasional shift, and it does wonders to help drive the story. TGAA gets half as much cutscene runtime and accomplishes precious little with it, mostly just feeling jarring and out of place; Again, different direction.

So let's summarize: A fantastic story that retroactively makes the Ace Attorney game I have the most issues with click better and established three Top-5 favorite characters, paired with the best soundtrack in the series and a really nice visual direction for the mainline AA series. And crucially, while as I explained before the game fumbles in puzzle design, it NEVER shows its hand too early. This is my distinction between “the puzzle” mentioned earlier and "the mystery”, and the mystery is always excellently paced out across each case whilst driving a good story to boot. The points at which the game nudges you toward what to pick aren’t several steps before said event occurs, but rather often right after a major new unveiling has happened within the story. THIS is why the handholdy design doesn’t bother me.

Neither Takumi or Yamazaki had an easy task on their hands. Takumi had to introduce and build a whole new world, knowing full well it and its new characters, story and games would likely always live in the shadow of what would occur in the mainline series. Yamazaki, on the other hand, had to tie together the tangled web that Apollo Justice established, and carry the torch of the mainline series forward with a wholly new team with a distinct new flavor for the series, whilst also making an impactful game in its own right for both new fans and old. The results of both efforts are ones that, in a way falter where the other succeeds. Dual Destinies just so happened to land on the side of the pond that I happen to vibe just a bit more with, with all due respect paid to Takumi’s equally impressive effort.

I feel its best summarized with this: TGAA’s new mechanics like the Jury and Herlock Deductions lead to deviously clever puzzles and fun character interaction. AA5’s Percieve/Mood Matrix are very lacking in substance, yet are both used to pull some of the series’ best storybeats with incredibly satisfying ludonarrative harmony. And just the fact that Dual Destinies even HAS those abilities, on top of it all, to me speaks volumes on how passionate the team was to honor and respect the old, push forward with the new, and give it their all.

[Playtime: 35 hours] [Key Word: Admirable]

[doedipus]

Bomb rush is genuinely really good and I've had a lot of fun playing it, but in a lot of ways it feels like 2/3 of a game. Like the story is engaging, the overall presentation replicates a lot of what I like about games like twewy, and the movement and gameplay *mostly* feels really good (although I wish the air dash would behave more like a sonic homing attack sometimes).

But somehow it still feels a little undercooked?

Like I wish the characters were more differentiated. even just having them be obligate users of their default vehicles would've gone a long way there. And the vehicles themselves all work basically identically afaik, except for opening certain pathways, which I don't think was ever really explained, and isn't required often enough to really matter. I ended up using vinyl on skates for most of my playtime just because she looks cool and there was never really a reason to switch. I also really wish felix's refusal to use the boost packs had any gameplay relevance, when you unlock him he's just the same as everyone else.

The cops system in general feels half assed. Having some resistance is fine, but the implementation is mainly just a nuisance, and not really fun to engage with. Heat builds really inconsistently, sometimes you can tag most of an area before the cops show up, and other times every tag you do adds one level of heat no matter what. And since the second level is the turrets that make certain necessary jumps close to impossible, you end up spending a huge amount of playtime wandering aimlessly trying to remember where the bathrooms were.

Combat also feels really underdeveloped, against the mechs and turrets it works okay, but the random cops are really tanky and there isn't a ton of feedback from the game when you're fighting them about how much damage you're doing, and they respawn so fast that fighting them is a waste of time anyway.

If it were possible to just mod the heat system out entirely I probably would do that. Doing the regular platformer thing of just intentionally placing enemies in specific spots where they're key to progression instead of using a rockstar heat system would've been better

The last thing is that I think it could use some alternate game modes or generally more divergences from the sandbox gameplay loop. I feel like this is really where the price point becomes a factor- $40 is kind of a big ask for a game with this little going on structurally. I really wish the dream sequence stages were a bigger focus- they make great use of the generally excellent platforming and aesthetic sensibilities, but there's no way to replay them at all, they're just used as one and done setpieces instead of something you can replay over and over to master. there's also not a ton of variety in the challenges you're asked to do in each area, basically every npc only ever asks you to do score attack or go to a specific tag spot, neither of which really ask you to engage with the environment differently. the racing sections are very cool but also very short, used sparingly, and not repeatable. the main campaign is really cool and well-paced, but I feel like for this asking price there's gotta be some more extra shit going on to add replay value.

I guess in some ways I kind of saw a glimpse of a lot of stuff I really liked about the sonic adventure games as a kid, and part of me is disappointed that wasn't the direction BRCF wanted to go in at all. but I think there would've been something to be learned there in terms of extrapolating the same handful of environments into a bunch of decidedly unique gameplay modes. gimme a treasure hunting mode, no-boost felix challenges, dream stage replays, a fishing minigame and a chao garden and I'd be 100% satisfied

[dropout-if]

hi so I've just discovered your story and I'm already obsessed with it lol. I have a question and please excuse me if you've already answered this, but, on a previous ask about gabi's facts, you've said that neither wanda nor Gabi expect MC to fulfil the role of stepparent, but would they ~want~ mc to? like, maybe the romance is progressing well, would wanda start considering it? especially if gabi seems to like the idea? thanks <3 (also sorry for any grammar mistakes, my english sucks lol)

Your English is great don't worry about it! 🫂

Thank you for the interest btw😭💕💕

you've said that neither wanda nor Gabi expect MC to fulfil the role of stepparent, but would they ~want~ mc to? like, maybe the romance is progressing well, would wanda start considering it? especially if gabi seems to like the idea?

I see Wanda being a little awkward about it at first. She appreciates all the help she can get but that's such a big responsibility, specially for someone in their early 20s like MC and her.

MC is someone Wanda has always considered a dear friend though and trusting them very easy for her^^ it will take a while.

Gabi would love the idea. And ultimately, what she wants she gets, Wanda be damned.

(Gameplay wise, you're allowed to choose^^)

[contentloadingandstuff]

Genshin Impact - Combat tierlist

Okay, I think I'm gonna trigger some people, especially those that read the entire lore with this ranking.

Don't worry, I'm working on the requests. I just had this idea while playing TW: Warhammer 3, and I wanted to share it. It's not proofread more than one time, so forgive me if it turns into too much of a drabble.

Before I get into the tierlist itself, I want to say a few things first. For one, I'm not looking at the gameplay stats for characters. The fact that, for example, Yanfei can get sick numbers on screen doesn't instantly mean she is a good fighter in Genshin's reality. Second - every character has their moments. The fact that Ningguang threw a bunch of large Geo projectiles (with quite a lot of effort for sure) at the sea gods doesn't mean she can do that consistently. And last: it's only my own opinion. I didn't read every character story or every weapon description, so I might miss a few important details.

Also, remember that a lot of Genshin's events and stuff in general doesn't make logical sense, so please take the quests with a grain of salt.

The characters are in no particular order in every tier except Decent/Meh. Those are sorted from "decent" to "meh".

I used Fatui Skirmishers as reference, as, among all the common enemies, they pose the greatest threat.

Anyway, don't hesitate to disagree (or agree). Hope you enjoy.

Absolute Beast

This character is a very powerful warrior, both experienced and proficient with their weapon and elemental powers. They could take on god-like beings with a high chance of victory, so even large grups of Skirmishers will be no problem.

Good fighter

This character is very familiar with their weapon, and has used it on numerous occasions. They are experienced in combat, and have a decent chance against smaller Skirmisher squads.

Decent/Meh

These characters are not green when it comes to fighting, but their skills leave some to desired. They can hold their own against a max of two or three Skirmishers, and have a chance of defeating them.

Self-defense

This character can use their Vision to protect themselves or deal a little damage. They aren't warriors, or don't need fighting in general. They prefer avoiding direct conflict wherever possible, and will pull their weapon out only when pushed up against the wall (or to flex). If faced with two Skirmishers, they would likely make a run for it. 

Trash

This character carries a weapon to use only in the darkest hour, or against the weakest enemies. They aren't proficient in using neither their equipement nor Vision. There is a possibility they will live through an encounter with two larger slimes, or a single shielded Hilichurl.

Aloy

Nobody likes Aloy.

Now, some explenations for the characters that I think need them.

As far as I know, Venti didn't actively participate in the Archon war, and overthrew Decerabian with others' hands. He still has the power of an Archon, even if it's the second weakest among them.

Miko got rusty over the many years of idling away at the shrine.

Scaradook doesn't match up to the Puppet when it comes to fighting skills, as he was the failed one and so didn't recieve the right programming.

It comes down to raw power with Noelle and Itto, which is very important in hand-to-hand combat. Noelle also has a strong shield on her side.

Nahida is the youngest and weakest Archon of the Seven. She manages to win thanks to her intelligence and resourcefullness, but, when it comes to basic strength, she has much to work on.

If I recall correctly, Yelan said in one of her voicelines that she isn't really strong. Her Vision isn't really powerfull as well.

Ganyu would have been a great warrior 500 years ago, but five centuries of just paperwork eroded her skills significantly. As far as I know, she doesn't actively train or seek out challanges to keep her level.

Gorou is higher than Sara, because he is more of an executor of Kokomi's orders, while Sara fills the roles of commander and general in equal measure. Yet both of them aren't that great personally (Sara sent out others because she couldn't hope to take on the Traveler herself, change my mind). Sara and Gorou fight alongside a team of dedicated bodyguards (or at least the should - every general in the medieval times had their own guard). They also picked the worst possible weapon for close quarters. Sara can't fly (her wings are damaged), but even if she could she wouldn't do it. Being in the air makes you really vounarable to incoming fire. Sara isn't really strong as well, since her body is slimer and lighter than Gorou's as a Tengu.

Klee is there only because she wields explosives with decent effect.

Bennett is on this tier because he is quite fit and experienced. Yet he is really lucky indeed to still be alive, with all those coincidental fights he gets himself into.

As for Ayaka... forget the entire recent event, the one with a Maguu Kenki fight at the end. It's really dumb. You're telling me that a girl as small as Ayaka, in a dress, could take a three meter murder robot wielding two elements? Also, why would the Yashiro... nevermind, why would anyone allow her to go and fight it alongside the Traveler? As far as I know, Maguu Kenki are still malfunctioning robots. It could easily strike her down with a single swipe.

Remember Shinobu's hangout event? Yeah, she survived the encounter only because of the Traveler. Even as little as two ronin would likely be too much for her and her noodle arms (a single blocked hit from these guys could knock her off-balance easily. I mean, just look at how buff they are). Her Vision isn't the strongest of the element, especially that she hurts herself to heal others. That line about Shinobu's anger is a joke for sure.

Yanfei is a lawyer, not a warrior. She likely never practised combat. I mean, she just kind of throws Pyro at her opponents without a shadow of a techinque. Even though Madame Ping is her mentor, the Adeptus wasn't a fighter herself, so it's unlikely she taught Yanfei how to fight back. Yanfei also doesn't leave Liyue Harbor that much (the Chasm quest was another one of those absurd situations), so she probably isn't interested with learning how to fight.

Yao Yao has a polearm, most likely the lenght of a standard double-handed sword. Don't tell me it's anywhere near effective.

Thanks!

[ladye-zelda]

I saw your tags from the post a while ago about how the small details in totk Make up for the main story, and while I agree, I gotta say that the things some people say about the story being bare bones or whatever (and BOTW’s story to that extent) just…doesn’t make sense to me. Because I think the problem is with the execution rather than the writing. Like, BOTW was even more bare bones,because it was just a bunch of exposition. Not to say the story wasn’t good because it absolutely is, but it was minimal, imo. Anyway I said all that to say that I personally do think that totk has the better story, but the execution is worse and I think the open world format hurts it. And I think if people could look past that they could see how good it is. But of course that’s all just me. Neither game’s story is particularly great but I love them both. Anyway I did not intend for this to get so long but what do you think about that? I’m just curious 🙂

Sorry this took me a while to respond anon, I was trying to think of a way to respond XD

Yeah, I can definitely agree that the open world aspect hurts the story of Tears. I was thinking about this earlier, and I think Breath of the Wild's story worked because it is so barebones. The developers were able to develop the story around the gameplay, which has always been Nintendo's adjective for both of these games (and probably all of their games, though I am not too much on an expert on that in all honesty) first and foremost. And it worked, for the most part.

I do believe there can be no "perfect" Zelda game, and especially not one that can appease all Zelda fans (even the games that everyone praises to be perfect has their haters, though I guess hate is too strong of a word). I think the main downfall of Tears of the Kingdom was that it couldn't live up to fan's expectations and wants for the Zelda franchise. Tears of the Kingdom was always meant to be BotW+, since the developers had so many ideas for Breath of the Wild they had to make a second game in order to fit all of those ideas, which led to them repeating the same gameplay mechanics as Breath of the Wild.

Don't get me wrong, TotK's gameplay is good since it what made Breath of the Wild good as well, but because it's exactly like Breath of the Wild is what made it sour in the minds of players. I guess for the players who played other kinds of games in between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom allowing them time to do something else, it isn't so bad. But for the players who play nothing but Zelda games or who were late into getting into the Zelda franchise (such as myself) it can be a little... repetitive (and I'm mainly talking about the quests, shrines, and the same mechanic of unlocking a terminal in a dungeon found in both botw and totk). Hence why I was so drawn all to the other world discoveries not unlocked by doing a side quest, which I think is the greatest improvement TotK brought imo.

In terms of TotK's story... I don't hate it exactly, but I will say I will prefer BotW's better. I still kind of need to analyze the story of TotK fully for myself to draw any real conclusions for me; my biggest problem is how it completely erases BotW's story from it's story. Sure, half a dozen years has passed in between games (both in-game and irl) but surely the impact of defeating the Calamity would've left something... bigger. Like, wouldn't word have gone around that Link was the one to have defeated the darkness looming the castle? They could've at least acknowledged him directly instead of pulling a Tony Hawk and saying "oh you have the same name as that guy who defeated that evil some time ago". I will give them the benefit of the doubt, but then again everyone knows Zelda and he has never her side so, ???. Sorry, didn't mean to rant there. It was kind of a frustration I felt along with many others while playing the game. Main story-wise I don't have any real issues other than you're seriously telling me that there was another ancient civilization before the previous civilization that had even more ancient technology? It kind of pushes my suspension of disbelief (and once again repeating things from BotW).

Anyways, thank you for sharing your opinion anon! Once again I am immensely sorry it took me this long to come to it; tldr in my opinion I prefer Breath of the Wild's story over TotK's. You do make a lot of good points that I agree with, but I think it boils down to personal preference over which game is better due to how similar the games are, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on opinion.

Thank you so much for reaching out and discussing this with me!

[angelofthepage]

24 Bendy Questions/Opinions!

So user BeninjaLIVE over on Twitter has this Bendy thread happening that asks a bunch of opinion questions, and you know what? I'm feeling a little playful tonight, so we're gonna answer them here. If you didn't have a baseline of where I stand as a Bendy fan before, well here you go!

1. Which is your favorite game? feel free to say any of the unreleased ones too!

See this is already hard. XD I really love the original BATIM for its story and characters, definitely my favorite story, but I've enjoyed the experience of Dark Revival a ton too. I've probably been exposed to it more times as a result of friends casually booting it up to play in calls, and the fan service for the original was great, Chapter 4 still breaks my heart. But I am a lot harder on its storytelling since, I don't think it did as good of a job as Ink Machine, especially in terms of how fleshed out its characters were. So I guess, Dark Revival for overall experience.

2. out of all the games, Which Character is your favorite?

I think my answer is still a tie between Sammy and Malice. XD They are my beloveds.

3. Which character installs the most fear / is the most horrific?

That depends on the context! From a gameplay perspective? Carley scares the crap out of me (I love you ghost girl, I want to give you a cookie, even though you're mean to us). From a writing perspective? The ink demon is pretty horrifying both in that he's this terrifying monster and was horribly mistreated within his backstory. A victim turned predator.

4. If you were in charge of directing the new Bendy game, what would change? (new features, new characters, changed gameplay, etc)

This is a dangerous question to ask me. X'''D I would put more focus on story and have more time spent with characters so that we get to know them and care about them a bit more. If we're specifically talking about The Cage, I want more of Sammy and Joey (and Boris, I would kill for a Boris reunion). I want to get to know them (if we're continuing the "Joey Drew learning to be a better person arc" I want him to try and be kinder to Henry and mess it up in his own Joey way). I want to know Henry's feelings about what he's going through. But most importantly, I would be putting Archie Carter, Evan, Buddy Lewek, Constance Gray, and/or Abby Lambert in this game. It doesn't have to be big, but for the love of all that is good and Bendy, PLEASE give us a book character cameo in this game, I beg of thee Meatly! We literally just had a book release involving a ton of Gent stuff, please give us an audiolog from one of these guys while going through the horrors of it, I would be SO HYPED for that!

5. What is your LEAST Favorite Character

This is the silliest thing, but there's only one Bendy character I actively dislike, and it's that puppet in the mop bucket from the prologue of BATDR. That thing creeps me out. I'm so sorry. ^^''''

6. smash or pass the ink demon

Neither, I'm extremely ace and not here for smashing, but I'm not passing up on interacting with him. I'm instead inviting him over for some cookies and hot cocoa.

7. Opinions on Bendy and the Dark Revival? this goes for gameplay, lore, characters, everything.

Already covered this one earlier, but to reiterate, I like it! I just wish we spent more time with the characters. I do have some issues with the way the story was handled. As much as I loved Chapter 4, I do kind of wish we got the reveal that Audrey was the daughter of Drew sooner, or at the very least, gave her more time/scenes to grapple with it. Because love the ending as I might, Joey's speech about her being born of darkness just, doesn't hit for me when she doesn't seem to feel that way about herself at any point? Like we see her struggle with it once and then never again, it needed some more build up and punch. But overall? I loved it. I loved this cast, I love the atmosphere and locations, I loved the expansion of the ink demon's character, Memory Joey was a hit despite doing some things that kind of lessen the horror of the previous game, and Twisted Alice, as nonsensical as her plan was, was such a treat, I was so glad to have her back and have her be such a menace. XD

8. Do you have high hopes for any new bendy games? (mainly Bendy - The Cage)

I have a reasonable level of optimism and curiosity! I'm sure it'll be an interesting entry. Curious how they'll handle more disturbing horror after how disturbing the last game was. I'm trying not to expect too much, going in with fewer expectations makes for a better experience for me personally.

9. How did you feel about BATIM's ending when it first came out?

Mostly confused, but really excited that Henry didn't die. X'''D No joke, when Chapter 5 first came out, I was so freaking anxious about what was gonna happen. A friend got on call and watched a playthrough with me so I didn't like lose my entire cool. X'''D Still one of my fondest memories in this fandom. The ending wasn't everything I hoped for, but I still appreciate it and the rest of Chapter 5 as a result of the experiences I had with friends during it.

10. looking back on it now, how do you feel about Chapter 3 of BATIM?

When the original came out, it needed some balance and bug testing badly. But in its current state? It's not as bad as people make it out to be, but it is tedious. I get so lost in it as someone who's directionally challenged, but like, -gestures at Malice- my GIRL! How can I not enjoy it at least a little when my queen is right there giving some of the best and most informative dialogue of any character in the game?

11. if you could change / improve ONE THING about Bendy and the ink machine (the singular game) , What would it be?

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I would want it to have some gyroscopic control on the Switch port. I'm sorry gamers, I don't know how you play games where you have to aim with the analog sticks, I can't do it, I'm so bad at it. X'''D I use motion controls for stuff like aiming my view in Splatoon, give me that as Henry and I will be unstoppable.

12. Opinions of MAlice Angel / Corrupted Susie Campbell?

She is everything, she is the moment, she is my beloved, and I want to bake for her and tell her she's beautiful, because she IS! She was such a fun antagonist and I want more of her backstory! Like she has been an enjoyable part of every game she's been in. Boris and the Dark Survival with the Milla Tapes? Underrated Alice moment, she was GREAT there.

13. Do you think Sammy dying, and THEN coming back was good or bad?

I don't think I can classify it as good or bad, but I did enjoy it! Like hey, ink creatures don't necessarily stay permanently dead, and they can have some really interesting mental things happening when reforming, that was cool world building! And then when we got to see under the mask, and he's ready to kill us? Oh MAN, oh that was a thrill. Would not trade that brief Sammy boss fight for anything, that's my GUY right there!

14. On a Scale of One to Ten, how convoluted do you thing Bendy's lore as of Present Day?

Eh, gonna roll with the devil's number and say a 6.6. It's not that bad. BATDR convoluted it more than BATIM did, and there are some book moments that puzzle me, but it overall? It's workable, and I only drive myself a tiny bit nuts over it (I say as I've been going "NOTHING IS TRUE THE CANON IS A LIE" for like two weeks trying to assemble a series timeline and classify ink creatures).

15. Opinions / on a scale of 1-10 on the Bendy Books?

Dreams Come to Life - 7/10, needed more clarity in parts, had some good moments with returning characters, Dot we love you, JACOB WE LOVE YOU

The Lost Ones - 7/10, was a little weird not seeing most of our studio cast and being so far removed from the studio itself, but it's an enjoyable read, really liked our new characters and swapping perspective, living for that Wally intro, and I have a lot of questions about what ink can do to your brain and Tom's mental state in 1946

Fade to Black - 9/10, by far my favorite, great balance of old and new, Joey Drew was DELIGHTFULLY UNHINGED (something something that's the Joey I knew), Rose was fun, Evan was fun, DOT HI I MISSED YOU, Archie Carter was THE BIGGEST SURPRISE and I ADORE HIM, never thought we'd get a YouTuber cameo audiolog character as a MAJOR PART of a book, Wilson was a treat, and the studio sections of this one destroy me, I love it love it love it

The Illusion of Living - 7/10, the greatest Joey Drew character study to ever exist, which is great but difficult to read when he jumps all over the place and rambles about who knows what for pages at a time, offered some really great moments that I can't imagine the series without, and it solidified my love of Abby, please give Abby a spot in the games, this book made it very clear she is important to the Joey and Henry backstory, and I am so frustrated that we have not referenced her ONCE in these games when she's one, the head of the art department, and two, the one with the braincell of this trio, also Detective Sinclair's murder mystery was fun, I didn't know I would enjoy that genre so much, also Sammy and Jack were GREAT in this book

Employee Handbook (the original) 6/10 - It's a game guide mostly, but I go back to this thing often since it's one of the few things in the series that ACTUALLY GIVES US DATES for when things happened.

16. Opinions / on a scale of 1-10 on the Crack up Comics?

Crack Up Comics is a solid 9/10 for me, it was genuinely fun to read. Sucks that so many comics got spoiled for me on Twitter (much like the ending of DCTL, still sore about that), but the art is really cute, there's a small bit of lore, and the characters are written in such a fun way. Bendy you little scamp, I love you. Hindsight being what it is, I'm still a bit sore there was no cameo appearance for Carley in this book, and I feel the same way about all the toons from this book not appearing anywhere in Dark Revival. What is the point of having fun cartoon characters if they're not at least making a small appearance on a wall poster or something? That is such a missed opportunity.

17. Best Toon Character? (Out of Bendy, Boris, and Alice)

Alice, by far. Don't get me wrong, I love Bendy and Boris too, but Alice has such a fun character, especially in the comics, I LOVED her.

17 (2). Best Butcher Gang Member? (toon)

Edgar. I've warmed up to Charley a lot over the years, but Edgar is my baby boy, I want to hold him and squeeze him and love him, he's so SWEET.

18. Not a question; but SHOW US YOUR / AN OC!! FEEL FREE TO LORE DUMP !!

So hiiii, this is my girl Bella Ewe, a young woman who got roped into Joey's shenanigans as an apprentice animator (after he accidentally broke her leg), and accidentally ends up in the cycle. She gets sacrificed by Sammy, ends up as a searcher that steadily evolves, he has regrets about it, and now with Jack, they're working as a trio called The Shepherds to try and help break the narrative that everyone's been forced to play a part in. Her dive ability allows her to plunge into the depths of the ink, where she talks to people to try and help them regain their humanity. She goes from timid and hopeless to fiery and surrounded by found family, and she is my beloved sheepy daughter.

19. Best Human Character? (Out of Henry, Joey, Audrey, Wilson)

Oooh, that's hard. I'm gonna have to say Joey. I love Henry and Audrey, but the two of them don't get a lot of characterization. Joey however, we get to know him throughout multiple stages of his life AND an inky memory of him, and all of them are such a fun time to explore.

19 (2). Best Human Character? (Out of Wally, Nathan, Sammy, and Bertrum)

Okay that's not fair. X'''D Sammy is my favorite, I love his human iteration just as much as I love his inky one, but Wally is also high up there. He's a fun comedic relief.

20. Best Inked Creature? (Out of the ink demon, Malice, Sammy, and Buddy Boris)

This also isn't fair, how dare you make me pick between my wife and my husband. X'''D But I'm gonna have to say Alice. She's got the more compelling story, but Sammy is also really good as our first introduction to what can happen to a human tainted by ink, he's the one that pulled me into liking Bendy in the first place.

20 (2). Best Inked Creature? (Out of Shipahoy Dudley, Lost Ones/Searchers, Allison, and Tom Boris)

This is hard, but I think I'm gonna say Searchers and Lost Ones. Back when BATIM Chapter 4 dropped, you know that part where that one Lost One goes "when can we go home" and then you open the door to see a room FULL OF THEM? Shivering and miserable? That broke me, I just kept whispering "I'm sorry" as we went through there. (Also Porter and Heidi are great, I hope we see them again someday.)

21. Whats the best ink demon variant?

BATDR, hands down. He is a much more intimidating monster, the voice gives me chills (thank you Sean), I can't get over his silly little hooves, he's great. Still love all the others though, they're good in their own ways.

22. The Better gloves? three lines or two dots?

I prefer the two dots for Bendy, but it doesn't really matter. Alice got infinitely cooler gloves, I'm sorry. X'''D

23. Did you prefer Wally being Boris, or Buddy being Boris?

I'm a Buddy Boris kind of gal. Buddy stole my heart in the books, and I love him a lot. That said, I think they both have merit, and I can appreciate fan content that explores both of these options. When the original game was in development, and Wally and Boris were the characters that were left, all the others we could make pretty reliable guesses about the fates on, so him being Boris was a process of elimination theory that people tried to justify with details like him knowing his way around the vent system. And it would have been so sad as a twist since his whole thing was "I'm outta here," him not getting out would be the unfortunate punchline. I get why it was popular, and like I said, I enjoy a number of fan works that use it. But I won't lie, it didn't ever feel like that was the canon for me, not enough information to back it up. I mean Buddy has a similar problem, but at least we know he's a Boris. Whether or not he's Henry's Boris friend is the inconclusive part. Regardless of canon, that's how I write him at least.

24. Did you like Joey being inky or the newer lore?

I'm not sure what this is asking, but I get the sense this has to do with the old theories about Joey being the Ink Demon vs. what we have now with Memory Joey and the human Joey being dead? I'm okay with it to be honest. Would I have liked Joey to be the big bad that also suffers as a monster for his crimes against his co-workers? Yes, that would be very satisfying. But I think in a lot of ways, his current lore can still be satisfying too. It's no secret that I have some mixed feelings about his slideshow presentation, but let's reiterate for anyone who doesn't know me, because I think it ties into this in an important way.

I struggle with the decision to change the lore for Henry and Allison, and it affects my feelings about Joey. Memory Joey is a great character, he's a Joey Drew that's trying to be a better person, and that's what I like about him. He's imperfect, because he's a Joey and Joey is far from perfect, he's going to make mistakes and botch things up, but he's trying. He cares about Audrey, he's trying to help her through the studio without overstepping the boundaries, because again, he's still figuring out this whole "being a better person" thing. And ultimately, that was what endeared me to him. You don't need to change the lore of the previous games to give Joey Drew a redemption arc. All we needed was Joey choosing to try and be better. It doesn't erase his sins and all the bad stuff he did along the way, it doesn't change how he treated people, it doesn't change the literal murder and chaos he caused, the lives he ruined. And it shouldn't. Redemption arcs aren't about a character being forgiven or given a pass, they're about a character choosing to be better regardless of how the world sees them, and that's what's SO POWERFUL about Memory Joey! Joey Drew in life was so concerned with how the world saw him at several stages, so much time is spent being stuck in the past, despite his insistence that he doesn't want to think about the past. And finally we have an iteration of him that has tried to move past what he was before, and I am SO PROUD OF HIM!

That was all we needed, we did not need Henry and Allison being clones to soften his crimes. That does not help with Joey's redemption arc, in some ways it kind of cheapens it for me. Instead it has caused more confusion on whether or not ink creatures require a soul, lessens the horror of the original BATIM for Henry's characterization, brings about SEVERAL questions about who is and isn't a clone now (looking at you Tom), and just like, it's been really weird when it comes to Joey's murder and victim count. Like, the guy has been responsible for multiple deaths in BATIM and the books, why are we deciding now that these two aren't part of that? Also the one note about the ink children that came before Audrey, that is also a can of worms and I'm very exhausted thinking about it.

Overall, I like Joey as he is now. As stated before, I think Fade to Black has some of the best Joey writing in the entire series (as does TIOL, even if it was a bit of a slog to get through). I like Memory Joey a lot, I mean I wouldn't have made a doll of him if I didn't. X'''D He's alright.

Thank you for these wonderful questions! You guys, if you made it to the end and wanna go engage with the original, here's the link one more time, just so you don't have to scroll to the top. XD Have fun.

[felikatze]

Base game Awakening is, on the surface, very black and white. But only on the surface and fandom has a VERY big problem with that, I find. I feel like there's implications historical Ylisse has done War Crimes and Emmeryn has to cope with knowing this and that her people probably still would War Crimes the Plegian people at the drop of a hat, regardless of cult association or not.

YEAH. both chrom and emmeryn bring up their father being Exalt McWarCrimes. the war found in the game is just War 2. When Gangrel talks shit about emmeryn just hiding away in ylisstol after ylisse ravaged plegia, he is still talking shit about her, but also voicing legitimate grievances. but when she retorts that she had to rebuild ylisse first, and just had neither time nor ressources to help plegia, that's also true.

everything that happens is just unrest left over from the previous war. it's questionable if the grimleal would've risen to that much power if political instability made religion a great rallying point for a broken country. plegia was the defending party in the previous war, and it's reasonable that a lot of people want retribution, and feel their crimes against ylisse are justified.

it mainly comes down to how the issues are dressed up. chrom questions himself and his purpose, yet the people he fights against are always without a doubt portrayed as villains. going back to gangrel, his behavior is so over the top ridiculous that it ruins the good points he makes. validar's motivation is also incredibly weak, and i don't think it would've taken much to prop it up. he could've aimed to revive grima to secure the political power of the grimleal, which took a big hit after the previous war decimated a lot of them. having an actual god to show, and being the person who revived that god, would net him a shitton of influence, not just in plegia, but the entire continent. grima could be a force of revenge for the plegians, finally striking back at ylisse.

but instead the villains are all just zany tropey bad guys. chrom can be as introspective as he wants about killing people, the only boss people actually feel bad for killing is still mustafa and nobody else. depth for some of the other bosses comes from henry's supports of all places. In his ricken support, he talks about how some of the bosses were actually his friends. That's interesting! How do Henry and Tharja feel abandoning their own countrymen? Both of them were part of Gangrel's forces!

This is just a huge FE problem in general. It's where story and gameplay clash. in order for there to be gameplay, there need to be people to fight, and that can't always be justified in the story. So very very often, between big story moments, there'll just be Random Brigands who LOOOOVE burning down villages for fun. fucking. binding blade does random brigands better through its own thief characters. hell, there's two recruitable brigands. through supports and story stuff, it's incredibly clear that the brigands exist because of war profiteers and lycia's rampant poverty, especially in its capital of ostia.

avenues for depth in awakening tend to fall flat, but the implications are still there. I'm particularly mad about Aversa's spotpass thing. Like yeahhh she didn't do any of this of her own volition she was just brainwashed :) fuck off man.

and before that, she's also just a cartoonishly evil puppet master. she wants to revive grima.. why exactly?

basically all chapter bosses besides VERY few of them are so unremarkable. they're just Random Bad Guy who you don't need to feel bad for killing. three houses attempted to do an all sides view, and it. hm. it sure tried. all around, the series is hesitant to ever let the player question if what they're doing is right. the player always needs to be the hero. that's why you have so many varieties of brainless zombies to slaughter en masse, generic bandits who Deserve To Die, and devoted soldiers who cannot be reasoned with.

though, tbh, the moments where you feel like shit for playing the map are the fucking best. ch23 of binding blade, you are so cool thematically. and like, everybody remembers mustafa! it works!

that was a long tirade. i think i've made my point. maybe.

[hrokkall]

ABOUT THE ACT 3 CO-OPT POST. THING. Do you have any ideas for the map(s) and/or bosses? Is it just like botopia but with better story and a nature/tech theme or is it randomly generated like act 1?

Good question. Maps are (somewhat) randomly generated; there's a series of set "events" that will happen in each, but where they will be located within that area is a mystery. (plus some fixed areas such as the Bone Lord's crypt and the Mycologists events, neither of which they added in). At least initially though, it is essentially Botopia with different names and a more streamlined aesthetic (i.e. an indoor "boss" area may have the same layout as Grimora's crypt, but would be completely unrecognizable as such unless the player was familiar with it from Act II or managed to stumble across the coffin in the basement with the proper key). They're working to design a game with a ton of replayability to keep the player engaged as long as possible; to aid in that the maps are a little different every time you re-start the game/act.

Whether the story is significantly better than Botopia's story would be... a little open to interpretation. It's better for sure because P03 didn't even try, but I don't know by how much. Leshy's fantastic at setting the atmosphere, but the actual story of Act I was successful not because of Leshy telling it, but because of what the player was able to discern in the hidden details (Act I's "story" is more or less nonexistent without the mystery of the talking cards/Leshy himself and the dev logs respectively. Flavorful for sure, but that's more an atmosphere thing). P03 is ass at both but the gameplay was pretty damn good. With both of them... I don't know if there would be a net story improvement overall unless they accidentally manage to hit the nail on the head.

The "story" itself is probably something along the lines of "You're an explorer in an unfamiliar dystopia who is struggling to get their bearings, making friends and enemies along the way", as something vague like that would lend itself best to what they both like in a game: exploration gives plenty of room to add secrets and flair, whilst also giving plenty of room for dangers and introducing new mechanics. Doesn't need anything more fleshed out than that.

Bosses are an entirely different question though. Obviously they wouldn't use the Uberbots; those were created by P03 for the express purpose of enacting the Great Transcendence (and because it didn't want to partition any of its power because it didn't trust anyone but itself), neither of which are the case in this AU. I'd love for the Worker Bots (or just any of the lesser-utilized NPCs) to get a chance to shine though, despite how unrealistic it may be. With two gamemasters, they probably wouldn't want to throw more irons in the fire, but it's still a fun concept.

[devilsurvivor-2-recordbreaker]

There will never be a game such as kingdom hearts 2 ever again.

Like really never.

The original development team that made KH1 and 2 for playstation 2 was disbanded long ago. Now the tram that was revived, specifically by Nomura if I remember correctly, was not put to the task of making all future installments.

Which likely was the reason why the next four or five games were prequels or side-quels, and why Xehanort became the central plot point of the series for so long as I like to think. As well why many of these games were put on handhelds, likely to not strain the team since they were so new. It may also explain the combat systems that were nothing like kh 1 or 2 but in bad ways most of the time. I have the suspicion that it's as well why the following games kept reusing kh1 and kh2 designs either in the style of combat or straight up replaying the games but with new scenarios or in others cases: the chain of memories exscue. Where a game happened to occur in all the same worlds and have all the same characters and all the same music.

Now with KH 3 this team was finally put to the actual task of making a actual ACTUAL kingdom hearts game to... mimicking results. 3 gameplay wise feels like a bad attempt to copy the homework the original kingdom hearts duology had done atleast a decade and more prior and with how many times the new team had been cheating it resulted in a somewhat bad tasting result. Like look at that base game air combo and tell me that it doesn't make you sick.

Story wise both overall and with the individual worlds I would say only Toy Story does it right. Like it sets the bar, it feels like a classic kingdom hearts Story Arc with the whole gang. It's compelling and emotional and woody has a moment where he's a actual threat to the villian wholes been making a mock of us the entire time. It great.

Then there are the two back to back movie montages with Sora, Donald, and Goofy in the background.

San fran Tokyo is a total joke. It's this massive one room world that you never explore because the entire plot line of the world is a repeat of do a mission, go to the save room, go do a thing, go to the save room, repeat until it's over. And then it just hard cuts to the final world like there should have been like two bosses before we reached the Keyblade Graveyard.

Every world after Toy Story feels horrible. Except The Caribbean for most of it. It's also a fun one room worlds you get to travel and the ship gimmic is pretty fun. It even has its own leveling system.

Most of the story feels like jelly and jam and they once again don't allow you play as Riku in a legitimate way but instead as a hollowed put sora with very little move set. And they gave him a stupid hair cut and snapped his keybalde in half in exchange for a car key which I'm still mad about. Fight in the parking lot over it.

So much of the final world feels like the biggest slog. I appreciate the little moments we have with all the villians as we say our final goodbyes as rivals and as enemies. Especially near the end when you fight the Xehanorts. That hurt different.

The original team is dead and in their wake a nobody has been created, as well a shadow. Neither exactly what they originated from. Both in a way a terrible resemblance of what they once were. The shadow has been vanquished as the light has faded and now only the hollow nobody remains. I have no expectations nor actual bars set for four. I just hope the new team gets better at what they do.

As there will never be such a game like kingdom hearts 2 ever again.

[eggplantbun]

i finally got enough weekly boss materials to give alhaitham his last crown today so here are my thoughts on my current triple crown gang

ganyu

my first 5*, literally carried me through the game

i did not truly appreciate how much QOL she provides until i started an alt account without her... pain

i play her exclusively in melt teams because i don't have any of her freeze supports and i like seeing big numbers. yes i know that means i didn't need to level her skill or burst, no i don't regret it

objectively i think her character is somewhat boring but subjectively i love boring characters and she's boring in a way that is deeply relatable to me (i may or may not have teared up during her story quest don't look at me)

i love her

10/10 worth every crown

zhongli

favorite character in the game, strong contender for favorite character ever

me meeting him in game for the first time: "lol this old man (derogatory)" me 1 hour later: "lol this old man (affectionate)"

the only character i have cons for... i will c6 you someday king

currently built as an hp shieldbot because this game refuses to give me homa but eventually i will make him a burst nuke build and also a physical dps build because he deserves to have his normal attacks seen

i gave ganyu the honor of being my first triple crowned character because she deserved it but also because i know zhongli will be my first character to reach lvl 90 on account of never leaving my team

no i don't know how to dodge, what about it

10/10 worth every crown

cyno

he's so awkward i love him

probably my favorite character to play, there's just something so satisfying about executing your combos perfectly so that you can get more E's in addition to all your endseer procs (i have him on 4pc thundering fury). also his burst animations are cool af

i may or may not have triple crowned him out of spite for everyone who said he was mid/his normals are useless/he's worse than keqing/etc etc

"he's fine in abyss but you'll never get your burst back in overworld" listen. just use favonius lance

10/10 worth every crown

alhaitham

simultaneously the most relatable character in the game and also the most irritating... idk what that says about me and i don't want to know

every time he opens his mouth i'm like mmmmmmmygod you are so annoying (affectionate)

the only character i own who also has their signature weapon... it cost me 200 wishes that i had been saving for the homa+aqua weapon banner and now it looks like neither ganyu nor zhongli are getting 5* weapons anytime soon. at least he brought home a spear for cyno along the way

i prefarmed all his talent books before his release but he was stuck at talent lvls 10/10/9 for 4 weeks because the game refused to give me the right boss drops or any dream solvents... i swear this asshole did not want to be triple crowned

genuinely feel like he exists on my account solely to make my life difficult but sucks for him i am putting him to work until kaveh is released and then i will kick him out of my team for kaveh, idc if kaveh's not a dps

that said, his attack animations are gorgeous, his gameplay is fun and very satisfying, his dps is great and his face is beautiful

i hate him (affectionate)

...10/10 worth every crown

[greenie-teaa]

I genuinely believe Risk of Rain 2 is a work of art.

The game itself aside - that being it’s one of, if not the, best roguelikes I’ve ever played - everything about the game has so much love, effort, and thought put into it. The lore, the environments, and especially the music all come together to tell a story where nobody wins. Everyone involved is a loser, and there’s very little to consider as a happy ending.

The game combines themes of alien mystery, desperate survival, and pyrrhic victory. You crash on an unknown planet, desperately begin to fight your way off of it, and in the process, it makes you wonder if it was all worth it. The planet sees you as a hostile invader, and because of it, you see all of the alien life as hostile; the entire game is a big misunderstanding, leading to nothing but death and destruction, be it you or your enemies. This is also carried over from the first game as well, applying similar themes, but on a more in-depth and expanded scale.

This line from the log for Risk of Rain 1′s final boss is such a good summary. I believe great writing is something that’s written short, but impactful enough to affect you, and this is one of the best, haunting examples I can think of. The entire game is a tragedy that never even had to happen.

The protagonists largely don’t even leave the planet knowing what they’ve done. Some are affected negatively, some positively, and some neither way. They’re all different people (and an animal and robot) and are affected differently by the same events, even if there’s never a word of dialogue or moment of character development.

The soundtrack is the emotional cherry on top. I’ve never heard one that sets the mood and is so full of emotion like Risk of Rain 2′s music. It perfectly encapsulates feelings of being in an alien environment, while also being full of a vibe of hopelessness and grief - when it’s not boss fight music, of course. The main theme, Petrichor V theme, and Siren’s Call theme are all great examples of this. Even the song Coalescence from the first game is so full of emotion. When there isn’t a ton of ongoing action and chaos, the game delivers with such raw emotion that I can’t put into words. Even some of the adrenaline pumping boss themes have this touch of tragedy put into their tune.

I genuinely can’t recommend this game enough. An action packed tragedy resulting in the death of two brothers. And I haven’t even said what I liked about the gameplay itself.