#especially ones with customizable PCs

[nebulous-tundra]

Random but do you play any other like dating sims? I'm getting back into Tears of Themis again after like so long and I was wondering whether Artem Wing would be your type

— 🦋

i actually tried to get into Tears of Themis! specifcally because Artem looked like You Know Who. i didn't get very far into it (gachas don't appeal to me anymore, don't ask me how much i've spent on Genshin Impact) but i was actually surprised how much i ended up like Vyn. never found out what his deal was but i love evil scientist archetypes lmao. another issue i had with the game was that Luke and Marius had absolutely no appeal to me; at least in Mysme, charas i'm not romantically inclined towards like Yoosung and Luciel still interested me because they were fun and complex characters beyond their attractiveness and "fix me" suffering. maybe it was because i never got past a certain point in the game, but those two from ToT just never grabbed my interest : \

as for any other otome games i like........

there's a promising one in development rn that i've been following since it blew up on twitter a few months ago called Touchstarved. it seems very promising and has a lot of fantasy monsters and magics and stuff, plus the art is FANTASTIC. you can actually check out their official account here @redspringstudio

another one i love of course is Ebon Light which you can download and play completely FOR FREE on itch.io, really great dark fantasy world and a slew of not!drows to romance

as for what i'm playing right now........if you're underage stop reading

rn i'm playing DoL, it's basically a porn game that includes a BUNCH of really dark topics. like, even if you don't have triggers, look up the triggers for this game, it is not for those with weak stomachs. that said, all the sex scenes aside, it does have romance interests in it you can date, a compelling plot, as well as a staggering amount of player agency to do with what you will in the town and surrounding forest/land/ocean. again, do you're research before picking this game up or you will be in for a bad time

[corgitation]

how to play pokemon games to study japanese

I just started playing pokemon omega ruby in japanese and have been having a great time with it! The language has been surprisingly simple so far, and I've found it a lot easier to get into than animal crossing. I used a few different resources, so here's a guide on how you can play pokemon in Japanese for language learning:

Choosing a pokemon game

I used this video from gamegengo to decide which game to play and ended up with omega ruby. The tldr of his video is choosing a game that you have access to (in Japanese), that's easy to read (graphics quality makes a huge difference for japanese characters), that's in level. He documented his findings here

Access: Emulators, especially on the PC, are great options for older games. This is especially true for games that are region-locked and need a specific Japanese version to play the game in Japanese. Multi-language support wasn't added until pokemon x/y, so anything older needs a JP version game

Readability: characters on switch games look great, 3DS is also very good. DS is good, anything older can be a bit of a challenge

Hiragana, Kanji, Furigana: prior to pokemon black and white, all text was in hiragana. This can be really challenging if you're used to seeing text with kanji, it can make words much harder to recognize. However, furigana has only been added in arceus and scarlet/violet

Level: All of the pokemon games rank between N3 to N2 except for arceus, which is N2 to N1. I am studying for N3 and am not having much trouble with omega ruby, although I am slow at reading and this is one of the easiest rated games. Someone who is a complete beginner would struggle a lot with these games depending on the amount of reading they intend to do (you don't really need to read to be able to play pokemon)

2. Game resources

There are a variety of resources to help make playing video games in japanese easier. Normally, I would like to just play the game and absorb the content without having to look up a lot of it. Unfortunately, since most pokemon games don't include furigana and aren't voice acted, there is no way to learn how to read a word with kanji you don't know other than to look it up.

Poke Corpus: amazing tool for querying text dumps from different pokemon games. Select the game you're playing and the language, and then write a query with some of the text from a sentence you want to look up. Works great, keep in mind the search is exact (including spacing). It also shows results from other languages, so in addition to pulling all the text for lookup you can see the english translation (which is localized, so is not always a direct translation)

Yomitan: a japanese pop-up dictionary browser extension. Very helpful if you ever read japanese on a computer. I used this video for getting it set up. Very customizable with different dictionaries

Game2Text (PC only): if you're playing a game on an emulator on your computer, this is a great tool for grabbing the text straight from the game. Additionally, since this works inside a browser, any browser extensions (like yomitan) work with this.

Google translate lens: I really don't like this, because it isn't going to be as accurate and it won't show you individual word translations, it will just blur out and translate the entire sentence. But works in a pinch

[rollforthings]

I’ve come across confusion with how Fabula Ultima’s character creation works, especially in people coming to it from DnD5e, so here’s a post to break it down and show how awesomely customizable FabUlt PCs are straight from the hop.

In 5e, pretty much everything about your class is decided immediately. Take it at level 1, it drip-feeds you the same features in the same order. At 1st - 3rd level, you pick a subclass from a short list, and this sprinkles in a few more set-in-stone upgrades. A Level 10 Champion Fighter will have all the same class features as every other Level 10 Champion Fighter. If you multiclass, you get to add in some other features, but always the same features in the same order for every class you do this with.

In Fabula Ultima, each Class is a bundle of features called Class Skills, and in most cases these Skills can be taken in any order and as much or as little as you like. Each level your character has represents such an investment in a chosen Skill in a Class that you have. (There’s an example of all this later that makes it clearer.) Some Class Skills are one-and-done -- spend a level on it and it’s yours. Others Skills have multiple tiers to them, allowing you invest multiple character levels into them to make them more powerful. (Each class also has couple of Free Benefits, little boosts you get for having at least one level in a class.) You can also skip a class skill altogether, if it isn’t something you want for your character build.

Looking at each class, they seem a little barebones. Only five Class Skills, not a lot, and each class is kind of niche. The Rogue doesn’t get martial ranged weapons, and the Entropist's only damage spells deal Dark damage. But you see, in Fabula Ultima, multiclassing is mandatory. At character creation, you get 5 levels and you must invest them in two to three different classes, in any of the skills available from those classes. This does two very important things. One, it ensures a character is good in at least two ways straight out of character creation. Two, when combined with the previous point -- that class features can be taken in any order and arrangement -- it creates this unprecedented level of variety, including with starting-level characters.

Like okay, as an example of all this, I’m going to make two builds for starting characters. They’ll have the same number of levels in the same two classes (Guardian 2 / Weaponmaster 3), and not only will they not step on each other’s toes, they’ll play completely differently.

Our first character is going to be a teamwork-oriented tank, focusing defensive support and enemy debuff. The combined Free Benefits of Guardian and Weaponmaster grant +10 max HP, plus martial armor, shields and melee weapons. From Guardian, we’ll take Protect so we can jump in the way of attacks and spells aimed at our allies. We’ll also take Dual Shieldbearer, to give us some insane Defense scores and let us dual-wield those shields as brawling weapons. Now for Weaponmaster. First we’ll grab Counterattack. This grants us a 50% chance to hit back at enemies when they attack us with melee, including the attacks we block with Protect. And we’ll invest our last two levels in Bonecrusher, so we can choose to swap out damage with status effects and MP drain (lots of it because we invested 2 levels) when we hit -- and since we’re dual-wielding shields, we can debuff this way twice per turn without the damage penalty from dual-wielding mattering (because we’re giving up the damage anyway). Guardian 2 / Weaponmaster 3 who’s tanky as hell, can intercept and punish enemy attacks, and debuffs enemies with shield bashes.

Okay, same Guardian 2 / Weaponmaster 3 spread, same Free Benefits. However, instead of a tank this character is a simple but reliable damage-dealer. From Guardian, we’ll take one level in Defensive Mastery and one level in Fortress. These skills give us a bit of damage reduction and a bit of extra max HP, respectively, and we’ll probably level these up over taking new Guardian skills in the future. As cool as it is, Dual Shieldbearer won’t work for this build since we’ll use a two-handed weapon like a Katana or a Waraxe for bigger damage. From Weaponmaster, we’ll invest in Bladestorm and two levels in Melee Weapon Mastery. Bladestorm lets us spend MP to hit multiple targets when we attack, and the two levels of MWM give us a +2 on our melee attack checks. Guardian 2 / Weaponmaster 3 who’s got a little padding as protection while they focus on accuracy, damage, and hitting multiple targets at once.

So there you go. Same classes, same number of levels in each, completely different playstyles. And these are just starting characters. PCs gain a level every session or two, and they can invest in up to three classes at once (and 5-6 classes over a level 5-50 career). On leveling up, the tank could double down on Guardian to get even tankier, or level into Orator or Spiritist for more support options. The damage dealer could lean into Fury for increased crit chance and bonus damage, or into a magic-hybrid spellblade build via Elementalist. Or either of them could take on Wayfarer for an animal companion and increased travel/exploration aptitude. The possibilites are truly amazing, and you can get super creative with them as you find synergies and build up team combos. And I didn’t even get into Quirks, custom weapons or Heroic Skills.

So yeah, if you haven’t yet, check out Fabula Ultima. Character building is insanely fun and it’s honestly spoiled the 5e equivalent for me.

[therpgconnoisseur]

Theres a fairly popular ttrpg mechanic that every system calls by a different name: talent, edges, merits, perks, abilities, techniques, advantages, and probably like a dozen other ones. Feats (especially in 3rd edition) is dnds take on this trend but the system is not built as heavily around them as most others that use it.

The idea is that you have a basic set of mechanics (usually along the lines of a standard skills and attribute system) and then you have this little packets of special things outside of that that you can get as part of your progression. "normally a character moves x much in a turn, but if you spend a talent point you can move x amount more" and that sort of thing.

I like this systems, theyre simple to understand and in games that are built around them make characters endlessly customizable.

BUT 🍑

When the system unifies this with pre made npc statblocks i.e. makes npcs use the same rules and then gives you things like a creature codex it CAN be daunting and unfriendly for a GM to use past a certain point as more powerful creatures become massive list of keywords to look up and juggle in your head as youre running a combat encounter.

As an extreme example lets take signature bad guy jasper stone from deadlands

this guy, the most baddest of asses, possibly the strongest creature in the game. His statblock should just say "YOU LOSE" and not bother with minutiae honestly, his statblock is every attribute maxed out, most skills that makes sense for him to be vaguely familiar with maxed out or very high and then

47 special abilities

Most of this are a single keyword that youd have to either memorize what they do or look up to check if its relevant to a situation (some are kinda self explanatory like "quick draw" tho) some of this are in the same book and some of them are in another different book. Im very familiar with savage worlds as a system, i know what most of those edges do at a glance and I would find it harrowing (pun intended) to run an encounter using this mf with any degree of competency, just by virtue of forgetting half the time that he could have done something that he should know he can do.

Is this bad? idk its a matter of taste to a degree i suppose, it has its advantages, but it does strike me as something that can be off-putting to a lot of prospective gms. It doesnt become that much of a problem for players because they are the one building the character with dozens of special abilities over a period of time so they become very familiar with their own little guy and can juggle the number of things they can do, but a gm running several npcs each one with say a dozen of this qualities? yeeesh

A lot of this games could benefit from a bit of asymmetry in statblock design, having the npcs use different simpler rules for how they work (to mention the elephant in the ttrpg room, yes i think 5e probably feels more approachable than 3rd because it did exactly that) And gms are always free to build specific characters using the full pc rules, nobody's stopping them

[nyanpasuuna]

inspired by some tags i just wrote on a poll reblog:

anyone else feel conflicted about the direction tech, software, and the internet are heading?

like, appreciating recent conveniences but not wanting the "old" ways to die in favor of them?

i use the tumblr mobile app for 99.5% of things on this site (only opening browser tumblr if i need to see more in-depth stats or attach a file from a proper computer), my blog doesn't have a custom theme, i use algorithmic dash, i prefer the mobile app for especially the quickness and snappiness of reblogging and downloading full-res images compared to browser, and i just in general prefer to do my mindless scrolling on a mobile device, leaving the proper computer setup for productivity/gaming/watching stuff/listening to stuff/etc

but at the same time i will wholeheartedly defend blog customization and the algorithm-less experience as core aspects of what makes this place what it is, even if i don't participate in them myself at least as of now, and i strongly disagree with everything nowadays being forced into a secluded app when it could've just been a website

do you feel this is hypocritical, an attempt to have a cake and eat it too? do you feel this is "i disagree with what you're saying but i'll fight for your right to say it"-core?

or, the analogy i used for this elsewhere last night: like being a (yes i know this metaphor has been disproven but) frog in slowly boiling water, noticing the warmness and enjoying aspects of it, but still having a way out if you just jump out

where in this analogy the slowly boiling water is the direction of the internet, the warmness is the conveniences like not needing to menudive and know what a folder is to download an image, and the jumping-out is just you switching habits from the "new" to the "old"

what i'm scared of here is three possible outcomes:

the water is allowed to reach the boiling point and you are, quite literally, cooked (this is the timeline where user freedom and common knowledge of tech skills take a huge hit in favor of corporate profit)

the frog jumps out of the boiling water and into a container of liquid nitrogen, i.e. the enshittification is stopped but the pendulum swings so far back that we lose what to many is core functionality for purely ideological reasons (i call this the cohost timeline)

a lid is put on the boiling pot prematurely, taking away the frog's ability to leave before outcome 1 is achieved, causing it to sense something is up, leading to the frog protesting against the situation it's been placed in, with unpredictable results (the reddit API changes timeline, a very possible near-future event for tumblr as well)

and that's before you get into the whole thing about how things look

i'm probably one of the least bothered people i know when it comes to the look of modern redesigns, i think a lot of them look quite cool actually, but that is HEAVILY contrasted by my preference for the displaying of accurate statistics and precise information, needing search functions to do EXACTLY what i tell them to, etc.

because 9 times out of 10 those redesigns always take a little slice of user agency and precision with them, and that's not what i want at all

so i'm basically left here with the only people who Get Me on this topic being those people who theme the shit out of their linux installs for aesthetics, because they get how this stuff is supposed to be: personalized. customizable. tailor-made by you for you.

people should be allowed to choose their level on this stuff freely

someone wants to build their own gaming PC from individual parts while another just wants to plug in a console that works out of the box

someone wants to get a specific type of car and mod it a specific way for a specific motorsport while another is content just getting from point A to point B with public transport

so please, defend this diversity of options and experiences on the software side as well, everything should NOT be an app

[yandere-isopod]

Will we be able to customize our pc?

Of course! Currently there’s 4 different body types, obviously you can change skin color and eye color, I’m working on getting more hair and clothes since for testing I just have the one outfit. Later in the game you can give yourself mutations like wings, horns, or tentacles and you can change your pronouns at any point in the game. (Currently he/him, she/her, it/its, and they/them but I’m not opposed to adding more if people want. It’s not that difficult.) I wanted this to be as customizable as possible. Especially since the whole reason I started this is because my adorable god was talking about how they can almost never play characters their size in video games. Which is kinda ridiculous, there are some pretty robust character creation systems in video games but you can’t be fat? NPCs are equal in diversity with different body types, skin colors, gender identity (including transgender and nonbinary characters) and disabilities.

All that being said, I’m also not opposed to suggestions! If I’m missing some part of character creation that would make you feel more included I can add it.

[satoshi-mochida]

Hand-painted Japanese-inspired RPG Lost Hellden announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch, and PC

From Gematsu

Astria Ascending and Super Neptunia RPG developer Artisan Studios has announced Lost Hellden, a hand-painted Japanese-inspired RPG featuring music and audio direction by Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy XII, Tactics Ogre, etc.) and illustrations by Takeshi Oga (Gravity Rush, Siren, etc.). It will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG in 2025.

Here is an overview of the game, via Artisan Studios:

About

Lost Hellden is a unique hand-painted JRPG from Artisan Studios, enhanced by dynamic lighting and weather effects. Take control of eight unique highly customizable characters through an epic mature story where the 7 Deadly Sins guide your fate. Witness a new Deep 2D technology allowing you to play in 3D in hand painted artworks with dynamic lighting and weather. On a planet called Era, people are bound to one of the Seven Deadly Sins before their first birthday via a religious ceremony called the Nexus Ritual. All their life, the inhabitants of Era have to fight against their urges. Should they fail and succumb, they transform into mindless and aggressive beasts. The Unio religion representatives – the Arkhons – ensure that everyone follows the rules and put down any monsters that appear in the cities. One day, a woman gives birth to twins, something that never happened before. The Prime Arkhon, supreme leader of Era, conducts the Nexus Ritual himself. However, something goes wrong, and one baby is bound to all seven sins, while the other receives none. The twins are taken to the capital, Avilah, where they are brought up as Arkhon apprentices. They are never allowed to leave the walls of the sanctuary… But one day, Leht, the twin bound to the seven sins, manages to leave the city. His brother Cyphel is sent on a mission to find and bring him back. He is accompanied by two seasoned Arkhons, Gram and Enki. The journey of Cyphel and Leht is one of self-discovery, one that will allow them to grow and become the people they were destined to be.

Characters

Cyphel Fyrbrand – Since Cyphel was not bound to any Sin during the Nexus Ritual, his childhood was significantly easier than his brother’s. He grew up to be a kindhearted, yet naive young man. Cyphel is usually obedient but he willingly follows Leht when he is up to some mischief.

Gram Stoneheim – This strong woman taught the art of fighting to the twins. She can be harsh sometimes, especially with Leht, because she sees great potential in him. She is an Arkhon and works closely with Enki.

Enki Taillevent – Enki is an Arkhon and a teacher to the twins. He is less strict than Gram, sometimes he can even be seen as lax. His kind demeanor and his sense of humor make him a great person to be around.

More to be announced.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here.

Announce Trailer

[spooky-steamel]

DATING SIMS AND DATING SIM ADJACENTS part 1

So I've decided to make a review of all the dating sims and games where you can date characters I've played yet. (Okay that's a lie, all the dating sims I feel like talking about right now)

This is a review by a player for players so buckle up, I'm doing this for the people! And it’s only part 1 so more is coming when I feel like writing again

Remember that it's mostly from memory and that I'm not a God so I can be wrong, feel free to correct me if so! Ok let's start-

MYSTIC MESSENGER

Story: Downloading an app to 'chat with pretty guys' you get thrown into the chatroom of a charity organisation called the RFA by some hacker. The head of the organisation decides to make you their newest member to fill the role of their dead leader to start holding charity parties again. Will you be able to uncover the secret behind this hacker and why he wanted you in this chatroom?

Where to play: It's a mobile game and I was gonna say 'you might find some way to play on PC with an emulator' but with its game mechanics it's not worth it

Price: The game is free but you can buy stuff inside the app but it's not needed to advance the story, just a nice bonus. I played the game without needing to buy anything

Play Time: A route lasts 11 real life days, in real time or less if you get a bad ending so it's kinda difficult to measure a real play time for it

Love Interest(s): There's 7 love interests in total, including one girl. You can either date the gamer college student, the narcissist musical actor, the overworked secretary, the funny mysterious hacker, the cat-loving CEO, the selfless photographer or another hacker but make it a pretty boy.

Main Character: The MC is automatically a girl, with only your name customizable

LBGT Representation: We know some of those dude ain't straight but it's not actually CANON but who cares about canon? The girl route really romantic and more platonic than anything but she's just lying to herself. You can hook up with a girl in one of the bad ends? Not too much representation but it's not inexistent at least.

Game Mechanics: The app is like a real chatroom, opening between certain hours to progress the story. You don't HAVE to got into every chatroom, especially those at 3 am but be sure to not miss too many so that you don't get a bad end. You can receive calls and personal messages by the characters and even try to call them back. To get a good ending you have to bring as many guests as you can to the party so you have to answer mails correctly but don't worry you can always look up on internet the answers if you don't want to use you brain.

Fandom: Not as huge as back when it first came out but still a big fandom, lots of fanarts and fanfics you won't run out of content anytime soon

Personal Opinion: Yeah I started with one of the most famous one but it's famous for a reason. I love the story and the characters, the mechanics are new even if they could have NOT MADE 3 AM CHATS EVERY DAYS but I mean it's my fault for wanting to 100% the game. Great game, it's the one that got me into dating sims and was my whole personality in high-school. You can go back to it years later and it'll still be as good, absolutely recommend.

OBEY ME: SHALL WE DATE?

Story: You're summoned into the Devildom to take part in an exchange program between angels, humans and demons by the ruler of demons. You have to spend an entire year down in Devildom going to school along with the representation of the 7 Deadly Sins who you live with. Will you survive the year, and will you attract the attention of one of them? (It's a dating sim, of course you will)

Where to play: Another mobile game

Price: Also free to play but since it's something that the people call a Gacha, trust me you'll be really tempted to buy currency to get the pretty cards of your newest blorbo. I personally didn't last long.

Play Time: There's like 40 chapters YET with each like 10 little stories in it so trust me, I've been playing for months and I'm still nowhere near the end of the game. There's also new side stories every three weeks or something so no chance of getting bored.

Love Interest(s): There's currently like 11 love interests, all guys. The 7 Deadly Sins, the dorky ruler of demons, his loyal butler, the beautiful angel and the shady sorcerer. They're all varied and not all of them are accessible from the start but you can date them all at the same time so it's a win for hoes everywhere. There's a pretty girl later on but you can't kiss her YET. There's no route just a main storyline where you kiss who you want.

Main Character: The MC is represented by a pretty pink sheep and I'm pretty sure the characters uses they/them to talk about us. You use your own name but not customize the MC further.

LBGT Representation: Gender Neutral MC = everyone is gay, I don't make the rules. The cast is pretty fruity but never outright said, except maybe for some allusions of the avatar of lust sleeping around.

Game Mechanics: To advance the game you got to use character cards to win dance battles to unlock the rest of the story. At some point you might get stuck because your cards are too weak so you gotta constantly upgrade those bad boys. That's like half of the game ngl

Fandom: Big fandom, not deteriorating anytime soon seeing as the game is constantly putting out new content. I take like an hour every morning to check every new post on tumblr

Personal Opinion: This game is addictive. I won't lie it has it's bad sides and the story is kinda progressively getting less well written but it's not a deal breaker for me. I like the characters and that I don't have to start all over again to get a certain character. The good thing about this game is that you can put down the game for months and then come back to it later when you need something to get fixated on again. Real good game for casual play, would recommend.

THE ARCANA

Story: You're a witch that is suddenly visited by Countess in the middle of the night to find the murderer of her late husband to punish him. Will you actually find what happened 3 years ago and solve the circumstances of the Count's disappearance?

Where to play: Another mobile game! But unlike the others this one should be easy to use an emulator for

Price: Free to play but if you're bored easily beware cause the button to buy keys to progress the game is easy to find and oh so tempting, and if you do it once you will never stop. Also, you need game currency for the best (mostly horny) game options but you can get them for free in the game. Or not if you got the money.

Play Time: Took me like a week to finish one of the route without spending too much money, it all depends on how much if any money you want to spend on the game

Love Interest(s): There's 6 love interest, including 2 girls and one nonbinary person. You can romance either the pretty magician, the beautiful and smart Countess, the charming runaway supposed murderer, the cute servant, the quiet forest man or the ghost of the Count.

Main Character: You can choose your name and pronouns, this MC has no mentioned physical appearance so just go wild with your imagination

LBGT Representation: Everyone is bisexual! Canon gay couples in some routes and the nonbinary love interest uses he/him. Gay/10

Game Mechanics: The main story is just a visual novel. There's some mini-games on the side to get game currency or bonus scenes but it's mostly a visual novel.

Fandom: The fandom is not as huge as the other two but the tumblr tag is still getting fed everyday

Personal Opinion: The atmosphere of the game is amazing. Good story with good characters. Actual romantic female route??? I'm surprised, you don't get that often in games that aren't R18. There's a good ending and a bad ending for each love interest and they're both really good. I may have spent way too much money on it but it's not like I HAD to so it's kinda my fault. Good game!

DREAM DADDY

Story: You're a single dad moving to a new house with your teenage daughter who is pushing you to actually be social for once. Among your new neighbours there are several other single dads who might be looking for love? Who knows?

Where to play: I played when it first came out on my old PC but now you can also play on mobile, switch and PS4

Price: Ngl I have no clues what the free version does but I'm pretty sure the good stuff isn't free. It should be around 15$ on every platforms.

Play Time: From memory I don't think it's that long to play through it? Not a short game but I've definitely played way longer dating sims.

Love Interest(s): There's 7 dads to choose from. You can either have the cold bad guy dad, the Victorian vampire dad, your childhood bro dad, the suburban (not actually single??) dad, the dorky barista dad, the english teacher dad or the friendly competitive bear dad.

Main Character: First game on the list where you can personalise your MC! You can dress up your character sprite and change his appearance and full name. But you are a dad and that won't change.

LBGT Representation: It's a game about a dad seducing other dads, of course it's pretty gay. But apart from that, you can make your MC wear a binder and one of the love interest is implied to be transgender. You can also choose whether your daughter is biological or not, and the gender of your late spouse.

Game Mechanics: Another pure visual novel, I don't have much to add about this.

Fandom: There was a fandom back in the days but I'll be real with you, I don't think it survived so don't expect anything too big regarding new content.

Personal Opinion: It's a good game. Not life changing but it's really funny and the love interests are good characters. I mean I'm not the target audience at all but still an enjoyable game! If you're bored and have 15 bucks to spare go for it!

MECHAT – LOVE SECRETS

Story: This is just a fake dating app, there's no real story tying the characters together, each love interest has their own little story.

Where to play: Another mobile app (I swear there are other platforms at the end of the list)

Price: Technically free to play but it's one of those game where you have to pay so much game currency to have a choice that doesn't suck, so you might get frustrated and spend money to see if it gets better

Play Time: There's no beginning or end to this game, but each character story should last like an hour or something

Love Interest(s): There's a lot of varied characters of all gender you can choose from, just like a real dating app. Except with furries.

Main Character: You can choose your name and sexual orientation and for a game like that I think that's already a lot

LBGT Representation: Like I said, you can find anyone on there so yeah it ain't a straight game

Game Mechanics: It's just a fake dating app with some 'real life' date parts. Nothing much to add.

Fandom: No real fandom as far as I've seen, but at least people are talking about it

Personal Opinion: If you're bored and horny (cause yeah this game is pretty horny) you can go do one or two stories but the wait for the currency makes you give up on the game pretty quickly but if you download this app you already know what to expect. If you're a fan of story-based visual novels like me this is not it honey

MONSTER PROM

Story: You're a monster going to high-school. You need a date to prom. Need I say more?

Where to play: You can get the game either on Steam or switch

Price: The base game is like 12$ but there's a bunch of dlc or sequels to the game if you want to spend more money

Play Time: The game says a full route takes around an hour but it's definitively less. Or not, don't look at me for answers.

Love Interest(s): I'm only talking about the base game so there's 6 love interest, including 3 girls. You can either pursue the typical bad guy demon, the himbo werewolf, the hipster vampire, the girlboss medusa, the life of the party ghost or the tyrannical princess mermaid.

Main Character: You can choose one of 4 characters to play: a Frankenstein gal, a zombie boy, a fire hottie or a dark humanoid blob. You can then choose their name and pronouns.

LBGT Representation: No set gender MC which means everyone is gay. There's also some space prince dude or something that hit on your love interests sometimes? And one of the DLCs includes a trans girl eldritch horror. Pretty gay game.

Game Mechanics: To get into a route, you gotta go to school to change your stats, each characters having necessary stats to romance them. You can also play this game with other people and race them to see who gets who first! Damn I wish I had friends

Fandom: The people know about this game but the fandom is not thriving as far as I've seen. Not a big fandom but it's existent at least

Personal Opinion: Ok real talk this game is absolutely hilarious. Everything is stupidly overdramatic and it's great! Ok there's barely any story but it's not a story driven game so it's good. If you have a few hours to spare to have a good laugh, buy this game. But if you're looking for a gut wrenching love story, this ain't it.

ERROR 143

Story: You're a hacker. You decide to hack another hacker who stole your first place. This loser hacker hacks you back and starts talking with you. You start to get feelings, oops

Where to play: On Steam and Itch.io

Price: This game is fully free yay

Play Time: Like, 2 hours? It's a rather short game

Love Interest(s): There's only one love interest here: Micah Yujin. He's a dorky little shit who's probably chronically online

Main Character: You can choose your name and pronouns, the MC doesn't have a mentioned appearance.

LBGT Representation: That dude ain't straight, and there's no other characters so congrats on the fully gay game

Game Mechanics: Works like a normal visual novel who doesn't look like a visual novel. There's some hacking hangman mini-games but it's not really important to win.

Fandom: Small fandom but for a 2 hours long dating sim by god they are here, I've seen medias with 10x the amount of official content have less fandom than that.

Personal Opinion: This game is funny, pretty and the voice acting is godly. Not a huge plot to it but that's alright, just a small feel good game and for free?? If you like dating sims you gotta play it, it's really great!

[pinkeyfreak]

The Keyboard That Started My Collection

Geezer 84-Key (75%) Wireless Cat Keyboard + Mouse | Wireless 2.4Ghz connection | Cost: $27-40

Full Review Below ⬇

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

I truly did not intend to start a keyboard collection. I just knew I wanted to take writing seriously this year and needed a new keyboard I could use with my iPad. Around this same time I got to experience using a mechanical keyboard for the first time in years and I knew I wanted more than another simple iPad + flat keyboard combo case. Little did I know this keyboard would end up being what sparked my desire to collect them.

I was hesitant to jump straight to a full blown custom built mechanical keyboard and was unsure if I'd even truly commit to writing so I decided to get a simple budget keyboard to start. I also decided to buy a keyboard that was cute and bright under the assumption that it would make me want to use it more (spoiler: it worked).

Things I Love I About This Keyboard Set:

The aesthetic: cat themed, various shades of pink, purposely cute; what's not to love? It's a delight to look at. I quite literally smile every time I see it.

Portability: this keyboard is sturdy for its price yet is portable enough to take on the go, meaning I can leave my PC at home and take my iPad with me instead.

Simplicity: As excited as I am to build my own custom keyboard and experiment with different components like switches, etc. I am also grateful for the simplicity of this keyboard.

Key shape: When I began to type more than essays worth of content I began to realize how awkward it was to type on rigidly square keys (both flat and raised/dynamic); so these slightly rounded keys were a welcome change.

Inclusion of mouse: other budget keyboards of the same quality as this one sell without the addition of a matching mouse at the same price and higher. The fact that I get the option of using a mouse as well (the keyboard and mouse can both also be used separately) is a wonderful perk.

Things I'd Improve/Change:

Overall I have very few complaints about this set especially given the price. The spacing of the keys was a small learning curve for me but once I got used to typing on it I completely forgot I had initially found it awkward. Of course, it isn't without its flaw or features that I'd change if possible.

Connectivity: This keyboard doesn't have bluetooth functionality which meant I had to drop a surprise $30 on an adapter dongle so that I could use it with my iPad (definitely could've gotten one for cheaper but I didn't want to wait for shipping) and I even have to use an adapter to use it with my MacBook Air.

Battery: requires 2 AAA batteries for the keyboard & 1 AA battery for the mouse. I had to change the battery fairly quickly after purchase but I did use it for hours daily for over 2 weeks. Either way I prefer rechargeable electronics for frugality reasons.

Functionality of keys (or lack thereof): This keyboard may by 84-key but even when using it with my MacBook only about 74 total keys have a function. The others simply don't work (and it's even less on my iPad); despite this it doesn't effect basic use.

Type -> Non-Mechanical: This is honestly a nitpick because again: I know what I paid for. But I secretly wish I could add switches to this board for a slightly better sound than the somewhat heavy and creaky plastic one that comes from the very basic design. (I am a bit more sensitive to stimuli like sounds and other things than the average person)

Summary:

An aesthetically pleasing simple and decently portable keyboard for the moderately active cat loving user. While not mechanical, rechargeable or highly customizable; it will get the job done for near daily use. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this keyboard for a heavy user (like an author) but think the average person (like a college student or office worker) looking for a budget keyboard and mouse set would be pleased.

[larysproducts]

CAI Tools extension for extra features on Character.AI

Character.AI has become the go-to platform for millions of users seeking interactive and engaging conversations with AI. Now, this extension brings a range of new features designed to add functionality and customization to your digital interactions. Let’s dive into the specifics and see how CAI Tools is set to give you an even better experience.

Feature Showcase:

1. Clone/Duplicate Your Chat Ever wondered what would happen if you took a different path in your conversation? It’s dilemma, choosing between sacrificing your perfectly tailored chat by deleting messages or starting a new chat from zero. With Character.AI, now you don’t need to choose! Clone your chats to explore different routes and outcomes while completely preserving the current conversation.

2. Extend Memory with Customizable Reminders Create and customize any number of reminders that extend the memory of your AI character. Set important details such as preferences, history and lore. You can even set the frequency of reminder.

3. Save Chats on your PC/Phone Save your chats directly to your PC and read them whenever you want. Especially important when you lose your chats for good. Whether it’s for sentimental reasons or simply to have a back up, CAI Tools lets you do that with just a couple of clicks. You receive your as HTML file, which you can open on browsers and have a good experience reading it.

4. Download Characters in JSON and PNG (Card) Format Character Cards are pretty valuable, because you can use them universally without memorizing or copy pasting each setting one by one. In fact, CAI Tools is used to distribute Character Cards to popular websites like chub.ai, spicychat.ai and more (beware of 18+, though.)

5. Review Hidden Character Settings Ever been curious about the settings of your AI companion? Character.AI lets you see the character settings, even for popular characters that typically have their settings hidden. Unfortunately definitions section may be trully hidden and inaccessible.

6. Download Chats in Various Formats If you want to take your chats to other platforms, you no longer need to copy and paste all your messages. Download your chats in Oobabooga format, Tavern & SillyTavern format that Moemate.io also uses.

7. Chats as definition You liked how the chatbot responds in a specific chat and want the new chats to have the same quality? You can have a definition format of your chat and paste it in the definition setting of your character. Almost too easy.

User interface:

You will get a blue button on top right in chat and history pages. You can get to the menu by clicking on it.

Drag the button with its appendage if you want it elsewhere.

If you don’t need it, you can hide it with three fast taps on the appendage.

Install:

If you want to have access to all these features, and more in the future, you can find the extension on Chrome Store and Firefox Store.

If you are on mobile, you can use Firefox and install it from Firefox store, or use Kiwi browser to install it from Chrome Store.

Is it secure?

All extensions, be it publish stage or a regular update, are properly reviewed and distributed on the store. This might even take a week.

The extension has a Featured badge, meaning it’s rewarded after a thorough review by Chrome web store team.

Minimal permission request.

The extension is open-source.

[smash-64]

2022 Game of the Year Countdown 4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Nihon Falcom Nintendo Switch, 2022 (orig. 2011)

The Crossbell saga is finally being officially localized and I was highly anticipating this release since I was not able to play a proper translation of the games. There was a highly polished fan translation, but I was unable to play it as they originally promised PSP support, only to change course once work got underway on the PC versions. So, I was stuck with a mostly unedited machine translation that was only passable. When I first played Zero a few years ago, I had a good time and would have said that the poor translation didn’t really affect my enjoyment. However, after playing a proper translation, I can see how it severely limited many of the best aspects of the Trails series.

The NISA version brings the same level of detail and immersion that was lacking in my last playthroughs. In fact, I would say it was almost like playing Zero for the first time again, which is an experience I wish I could have with every game in the Trails franchise. The characters are unique and fun, well designed, and accentuate the tropes they fit by growing instead of just fitting a label and never moving from it. 

There are aspects of the combat that I enjoy in later Trails installments, but Zero has the best of the classic combat in the entire franchise. Complex arts system (magic) that is fully customizable? Yes. Flexibility of roles in combat? Yes. A party that compliments each other? Yes. I never got tired of combat in this turn-based JRPG, and sought out as many special/hidden monster fights as possible. Planning out your attack is really fun, and by swapping specific accessories, you can create really powerful units. And unlike later Trails games, it’s not as easy to break the game with 100% evasion or guaranteed critical hits on characters with an already double boosted attack stat. Do I like those things? Absolutely. But I also like the challenge of not being able to do that, or at least not as easily.

Zero gives you a full party of four characters right from the start, and they all fit together so well that it feels only natural for these complete strangers to form a powerful bond as a group. I think part of why Crossbell is such a beloved pair of games comes down to how the initial party fits together so well, supports each other, and grows to form a group that becomes emblematic. 

In addition to the new characters from Zero, we see a few returning characters from the Sky trilogy, including my two favorites in the entire franchise: Estelle and Renne. Their storyline was actually the driving force that kept me playing during my first playthrough a few years ago, and to see it fully realized with a proper translation was amazing. I cannot get enough of these two and the way that Falcom was able to write them into the story without overshadowing the new cast was phenomenal. 

One negative about Zero is that the start of the game can be a bit slow, and maybe even a bit boring if you don’t immediately fall in love with the city of Crossbell or your party of characters. Very little of consequence really happens until you pass the halfway point, which can turn some people off. I’m down for this sort of thing, especially in the Trails series, so it wasn’t a big negative for me, personally, but I can see it being a speed bump for others.

Falcom is well known for having great music, so of course this soundtrack is filled with bangers. Inevitable Struggle is an all time great when it comes to boss fights. Afternoon in Crossbell is a calm and relaxing location tune. Firm Strength has a creeping sense of confidence to it. Even Get Over the Barrier is a great tune, despite how overplayed it is. 

Trails from Zero is an all time classic. If you haven’t yet jumped into the Trails series, I might not recommend this as your entry point since there is a lot of background knowledge you’d need to fully appreciate the plot, characters, and overarching setting, but I cannot stress enough how JRPG fans absolutely need to play the Trails series. It’ll ruin RPGs forever for you because nothing else can even compare, but it’s absolutely worth it.

[hasandital]

Every Animator Should Own 4 Instruments

If you're prepared to animate on-screen, check out these 4 essential digital animator tools. We've even offered model suggestions so you can quickly select the equipment that best suits your requirements.With the aid of QuillBot's paraphraser, you can rapidly and effectively rework and rephrase your material by taking your phrases and making adjustments!

1)An image tablet

Using a graphics tablet, you may instantly upload your hand-drawn animations to a computer. They often have a few flat, little buttons. You may view your drawings immediately on certain drawing tablets' displays. Some merely feature a pressure-sensitive pad, which limits you to viewing your drawing on the computer screen.

It takes some getting used to drawing on a graphics tablet, especially if you're used to drawing with a pen and paper. However, they are necessary for digital animators.

Some of the top drawing tablets for digital animation are listed below:

Huion INSPIROY Q11K

More and more artists, including animators, are moving from traditional art to digital art. Digital animation makes sketching, coloring, painting, masking, etc. easier, compared to traditional animation.

In order to create digital art, physical tools such as a graphics tablet, a PC, and a stylus make the experience much more effective, and great software is essential. But there are so many options for these tools! Which ones are best for you as a digital animator?

If you’re ready to animate on-screen, here are 4 tools every digital animator should have; we’ve even included some model recommendations, so you can easily find the tools that meet your specific needs!

If you’re an animator looking for an affordable drawing tablet, then the Huion INSPIROY Q11K is perfect for you. 

It is a wireless tablet, which can work up to 40 hours when fully charged. It has an 11 inch active drawing space and a stylus pen.

Its stylus pen has a stand, which preserves the pen’s battery. The pen has 8,192 pen pressure sensitivity levels and 2 programmable buttons to help you draw easily and comfortably.

The HUION INSPIROY Q11K tablet has 8 customizable express keys, which allow you to quickly access your most used functions without having to interrupt your workflow. It works well on Windows and Mac OS and with photo and graphic editing software.

Gaomon PD1560

source: googel

he Gaomon PD1560 is an affordable, advanced drawing tablet that allows you to see what you’re drawing on the tablet itself.

It makes you feel as if you’re working on an iPad. You will see the image on your PC screen mirrored on your tablet in real-time. It has 10 customizable shortcut keys, 5 menu buttons, and 2 buttons on the pen.

The tablet requires an HDMI and a USB connection to your PC.

It has a 13.5 x 7.6-inch screen size with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 50/80 LPI resolution, and a pen with 8,192 pen pressure sensitivity levels. Some digital artists find its reflective, glossy screen distracting.

It comes with a 3 in 1 cable, a rechargeable pen, a pen holder, an adjustable stand, and a pen charging cable. It works well on Windows and Mac OS and with photo and graphic editing software.

Wacom Intuos Pro

source: google

The greatest drawing tablet for Adobe Photoshop is the Wacom Intuos Pro.

Compared to its predecessor, the Intuos 5, it is both lighter and slimmer. It has a slightly larger drawing area than the Intuos 5, but it also takes up less work space. With the Wacom Intuos Pro, you can even zoom, scroll, and navigate with your fingertips on the surface. It also includes 8 programmable buttons.

The Wacom Intuos Pro pen is battery-free and offers Bluetooth connection, 8,192 pressure sensitivity levels, 2 programmable buttons, and support for natural tilt. With Photoshop and other artistic applications, it functions wonderfully.

Apple iPad Pro 11

source: google

The Apple iPad Pro 11 inch is one of the best portable drawing tablets.

It can run professional apps like Adobe Photoshop CC and is a great alternative to other drawing tablets if you don't want to sit next to your PC. iPad Pro features a fast A12X Bionic chip that enables advanced machine learning.

The iPad Pro 11-inch has a 10-hour battery life, so you can use it for a long time on the go. It features a Liquid Retina display with true-to-life colors, and promotional technology makes everything on the screen look responsive. 

Wacom Cintiq 22

source: google.com

The Wacom Cintiq 22 comes with a large drawing area and a 1080p full HD screen. It has an anti-glare glass surface that makes you feel like you’re drawing on paper. It also has an adjustable stand with a wide tilt range for your comfort.

Its pen has 2 programmable buttons, and offers 8,192 pressure sensitivity, and tilt sensitivity. The pen doesn’t need any battery or charging since it takes power from the screen’s electromagnetic properties

2) A Stylus Pen

source: google.com

Animators can always start drawing on paper or whatever medium they like, but at some point they will need to draw on the computer. A stylus pen makes this process much easier.

A stylus pen gives you more precise control over your drawing tablet. A must have if you need to write or draw on your tablet. observation: It can take some getting used to using both the stylus and tablet. When looking for a good stylus, you should consider the tip, the part of the stylus that touches the tablet screen. Tips may be retractable, capped, fixed, or unprotected. It's also important to consider the entire pen. Some have Bluetooth connectivity, and battery capacity and pressure sensitivity vary by pen. 

Make sure you buy a pen with a firm grip. The weight is well distributed and it doesn't need to be too big or too thick. Most importantly, it is convenient for frequent and long-term use.

If your drawing pad didn't come with a pen, or you're in need of an upgrade, below are some of the best stylus he pens available. Make sure the pen you buy is compatible with your drawing tablet. 

Apple Pencil 2nd Generation

source: google.com

The side of the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil’s tip allows you to make wider strokes, which can be incredibly helpful when shading.

It clips magnetically to the side of your iPad Pro, where you can recharge it wirelessly.

Take note: The 2nd generation Apple Pencil only works with the 2018 iPad Pro models and above.

Wacom Bamboo Sketch

The Wacom Bamboo Sketch is a stylus designed for sketching on the iPad and the iPhone.

It works well with the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 3rd and 4th-generation iPads, the iPad Air, the iPad Air 2, the iPad mini, and the iPhone models, starting from iPhone 6. 

It connects to your device via Bluetooth and has a pressure-sensitive tip. It has two customizable buttons for output control and exchangeable pen nibs.

You can integrate the pen with apps such as Bamboo Paper, ArtRage, Autodesk SketchBook, Concepts, and Tayasui Sketches.

Adobe Ink and & Slide

The Adobe Ink & Slide stylus comes with a carrying case and a USB charger. It has a fine tip and a pressure-sensitive point.

Uniquely, this stylus shows you what color you chose, and the Slide ruler can be used to make perfectly straight lines and other shapes.

Adobe Ink & Slide can be connected to any iPad 4 or later, iPad Air, and iPad mini via Bluetooth LE. It also automatically syncs with Creative Cloud, so you can easily store your drawings and access them on your computer later.

3) A Fast PC

Every digital artist needs a PC with a fast processor. The more RAM and disk memory, the better. Requires 8-16 GB RAM, 256 GB hard drive, and at least an Intel Core 2 or AMD Athlon 64 processor.

If your PC is slowing down, you can increase your PC's RAM to its maximum capacity. You can even upgrade your hard drive and use an external drive to back up your work. This speeds up work, especially when dealing with large files.

Below we list some of the best laptops and tablets for animators. These devices are characterized by their performance and the use of pen displays. Consider your specific needs when browsing these options. budget, portability of the device, etc. 

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

Microsoft Surface Book

Lenovo Yoga 920

Lenovo Yoga Book

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro

Apple iPad Pro

Apple MacBook Pro

4) Software:

There are a variety of free and paid options for animation software. Free software can be much more accessible, but paid software often provides extra benefits like continuous product support, compatibility, updates, and security.

Wrapping Up The 4 Tools Every Animator Should Own

You may not always have the latest and greatest equipment, but it’s important to know what graphics tablet, stylus pen, hardware, and software will work best for you and your animation needs.

Knowing what tools to use and when and how to use them, is part of every animator’s learning process. The more experiences you have and the more research you do, the more you’ll know about the best equipment to use and which features you need and prefer.

Remember there are no wrong or right choices when it comes to buying equipment for animation. You just have to find the perfect equipment that suits your needs, budget, and taste. And if you don’t really know yet what works best for you, that’s okay--you’ll learn as you practice with and use your new tools.

If you’re looking for resources that will help develop your business and animation skills as a freelance animator, you came to the right place! Download our free marketing handbook and join our free masterclass.

[kevincow]

My top 10 games of 2022

1) Splatoon 3

I usually don't do well with online shooters. I tried the first two Splatoons and had to put them down because I just got too frustrated. After trying the Testfire and giving up after two matches, I thought this game would be the same, and didn't think I'd even get it.

But I did, for some reason. And somehow, it clicked with me this time. It quickly became my most played game of the year. I still have to put it down occasionally if I go on a particularly bad losing streak, but having Salmon Run always available helps keep me coming back even when I'm not feeling like PvP.

2) Pokemon Legends Arceus/Scarlet & Violet

I can't really justify giving Pokemon two spots here - especially games with such glaring flaws - but I also can't choose just one of them because they both have ways they're better than the other. The action RPG stuff in Legends was great, but so was the open world of S/V. Legends wasn't nearly as much of a technical disaster, but I thought S/V had a more interesting story and characters. Legends had cool boss fights, but S/V actually had a whole selection of new Pokemon and not just a handful of regional variants. The Pokedex in Legends was really interesting, but I also loved how S/V just gave you a bunch of objectives and let you loose to tackle them in whatever order you want.

Between the two, this is the freshest Pokemon's felt since I was a kid. The finally delivered the game that I imagined I was playing on my Game Boy in 1998.

3) Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

If this was a less ambitious sequel, it probably still would've made my list. Just the first game again, with a different set of Rabbid-ized Mario characters and villains? Going by the first game's DK DLC, that would've been an easy recipe for success.

But they didn't do that. They went the extra mile. Completely reworked the battle system, ditching the grid and letting you run freely around the battlefield. Fleshed out the Mario + Rabbids world to really be its own thing - not just Rabbid versions of Mario characters in Rabbid versions of Mario worlds, but original characters and locations that capture the general vibe of both Mario and Rabbids.

This easily could've gone wrong, but they pulled it off. One of the 3 new characters, for example, is one of these original characters, and that easily could've left a bad taste in my mouth, made me say, "Man, I really wish we'd gotten Daisy or even Rabbid Daisy instead of this dumb original character." But I didn't, because Edge is great.

And on top of that, they addressed just about every complaint I had about the first game. There's more substantial side content. Worlds are more interesting to explore. Characters are more customizable. Your party isn't stuck with Mario in the lead and always forced to include a Rabbid. There's more incentive to experiment with your full party instead of sticking to the characters you feel comfortable with.

And I've already written enough, so I won't get into how great the music is. But it's great.

4) PowerWash Simulator

This would've probably made my list even if it'd just played the whole thing straight. Give me a bunch of dirty stuff, powerwasher go brrrrrr, 10/10.

That's all I thought this was for like half the game. Then I started actually paying attention to the text notifications that pop up. And wait, what, this game has a story? And it gets really weird?? And it actually has a really satisfying finale???

So yeah, this was my most played PC game of the year by far.

5) Sonic Frontiers

It's weird. As I was playing this, I felt like I constantly had complaints and frustrations. A lack of polish here, a questionable decision there.

But thinking about the game after the fact, I mostly remember how much fun I had. How great it felt to run around the open world. How the cyberspace level encouraged me to actually go for good times and collectibles in a way other Sonic games never have. How the combat is actually kinda okay. How epic the Super Sonic fights were.

I think this is the 3D Sonic I can praise with the fewest caveats. It's not just good for a Sonic game. It's not just good for its time. It's not good but way too short. It's just straight up good.

Please, Sonic Team, don't try to reinvent the series again next time. You have something good. Really good! Now for the next game, polish up this style and make it something GREAT.

6) Patrick's Parabox

I haven't had my brain destroyed by a puzzle game like this since Baba is You.

7) Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby finally makes the jump to 3D, and it's… basically exactly what I imagined Kirby would be like in 3D. Basically a kid-friendly character action game. Baby's first Bayonetta. But more than that, this game just has passion and creativity that's been missing from the series for years. It's not just Return to Dream Land with a new gimmick. The levels don't feel like they were made in a level editor. Combat practically feels like baby's first Bayonetta. And they somehow took Needle, a power that I've always avoided, and made it my favorite one in the game.

8) Neon White

I don't know how to really explain why, but this looked like a game that would really frustrate me, so I avoided it for a while despite the praise. Something about having to discard weapons to use movement abilities while precisely aiming at enemies just sounded like it would get overwhelming. But the recent GMTK video on it made me give it a shot, and I was happy to find that the it isn't nearly as unforgiving as I worried.

It's a first-person platformer with an emphasis on speedrunning, encouraging you to replay every level at least a few times to get a Gold or Ace medal. It's fun and addictive, and it feels great to find a good shortcut that the game doesn't even tell you about. Though it starts to get less fun later in the game, as levels get longer. Doing a 30 second level a few times isn't bad, but doing a 2 minute level a few times? Eh…

The story, though… well, it's told almost entirely through really cringey visual novel sequences that go on for way too long. Thankfully the game lets you fast-forward them (but not outright skip, for some reason) - but then the game just feels like a level pack with no story. So you either let the dialogue waste your time so you actually know what's happening, or you play the game with no motivation or connection to the world. Just seems like a weird place to drop the ball in an otherwise masterfully designed game.

9) Marvel Snap

A collectible card game with bite-sized matches. An addictive game loop that encourages experimentation with new cards and new types of decks. Marvel characters, both popular and obscure. I don't really play mobile games and I've never really been into card games so this wasn't even on my radar, but I gave it a shot when I saw people talking about it, and it took over my life for a month.

10) The Last Clockwinder

I tried this game on a whim when looking at recent VR games and being a bit depressed that the space isn't as ambitious and experimental as it was when VR was new and exciting.

This is a VR game that feels ambitious and experimental, and actually has somewhat decent production values.

At its core, the game is like a Zachtronics assembly line puzzle game, but in a way that could only work in VR. You record yourself doing a short action - like picking a fruit and tossing it - and then a robot clone appears and repeats that action infinitely. Then you record yourself catching the fruit that was tossed and depositing it in a bucket to harvest it. Repeat until you have a room full of robots harvesting fruits. And if you want to challenge yourself, every room has efficiency goals, so you can try to produce more than X amount of fruit with fewer than Y amount of robots.

And a game that was just a series of levels like that would already be pretty cool. But Clockwinder goes beyond that. For one thing, your robots keep collecting fruit when you're in other levels, and harvested fruits are used to open new levels, where you can get more seeds, which you can use to speed up harvesting in another level - so it's got a bit of an idle game element. But it's also got kind of an adventure game thing going on. Rooms aren't entirely independent. You'll find a room that's askind for blue fruits but has no plants, and you have to find the room to grow blue plants before you can progress. You'll have multi-room puzzles where fruits collected in one room aren't immediately harvested, but instead sent to another level, where you have to complete another puzzle to actually harvest them.

This might all sound like a lot, but it's introduced gradually enough that it's not overwhelming. Tying it together is an actually okay story, told mostly through audio logs with voice acting and writing that surprisingly don't make me cringe and mash the Skip button, a rarity for VR games.

Honorable mentions:

Panic Porcupine: I feel weird mentioning this since I know the devs and playtested it, so I'm obviously really biased. But it's a game I've played a bit of here and there over the past few years, and I was happy that it finally came out, and I had a lot of fun with it.

Grapple Dog: Just a thoroughly solid platformer with fun grappling hook physics and a cute dog.

God of War Ragnarok: There was a time in my life when this would've probably topped my list. It's well-made, very polished, looks amazing, every character's performance is great, and overall I enjoyed it… but I dunno, it just didn't excite me. It made me say, "Yep, that was a pretty good game."

Stray: There are a lot of things I think this game could've done to better capture the premise of playing as a cat. But at the end of the day, Cyberpunk Cat Game was still plenty cute and charming.

Lunistice: A 3D platformer that's short and to the point with a price to match.

Tinykin: What if Pikmin, but a 3D platformer? A great premise, and an overall cute and charming game, but I just wish it had more substance. The strategy elements of Pikmin are almost entirely absent, the platforming is basic, there are no enemies or really any threats at all, the puzzles practically solve themselves… it's decently fun to explore the worlds, but it definitely feels like a game that could've been something more.

Melatonin: Rhythm Heaven, but it takes place in the dreams of a burnt-out Millennial. Fun, but it does make me realize how much of the appeal of Rhythm Heaven comes from that uniquely Nintendo charm.

Hell Pie: A 3D platformer with really cool and fun movement mechanics that might have placed in the top 10 if its aesthetics and sense of humor didn't disgust me. And I don't mean "disgust" as just an exaggeration for dislike, but it's a game full of gross-out humor, and it just doesn't land.

Games that seemed pretty cool but I didn't play enough to place them:

Sports Story: I liked Golf Story but never beat it. This game is also fun, but it came out so late in the year and I've been playing so many other games that I'm not very far yet.

Ragnarock: A VR rhythm game about vikings racing longboats. The music selection really makes you FEEL like a viking drummer.

What the Bat?: What the Golf?, but in VR, and everything is baseball because your hands are bats. I've only played a bit, but I loved What the Golf, and this game has also made me laugh a bunch.

[linuxgamenews]

The Spell Brigade: Coming Soon to Steam Deck and Linux

The Spell Brigade due to release its action roguelike online co-op game, playable on Linux and Steam Deck via Windows PC first. Thanks to the talented creativity of Bolt Blaster Games. Due to unleash its fury in Steam Early Access. Get ready to crack open that dusty old spell book you found in your grandma’s attic because The Spell Brigade is due to release. Bolt Blaster Games has finally announced the release date for their chaotic, fast-paced bullet-heaven title. It's all coming to Steam on September 16th. And we have a native support update.

We would love to add Linux support down the line! We're now focusing on the launch and ensuring everything goes well. We're also making sure that it runs great on the Steam Deck on the Early Access launch as a first step.

Thanks to Bolt Blaster's email, we know they’re still working on a native Linux port. For now, though, they're supporting Steam Deck through Proton during the 8 months of Early Access. Not a bad workaround, especially since it's a Unity title, so The Spell Brigade is due to run smoothly.

The Spell Brigade is due to hit Early Access soon

Whether you're teaming up with your friends or jumping in solo, this title brings wild online co-op action roguelike for 1-4 players. And here’s the kicker: friendly fire is always on, so expect some accidental (or not-so-accidental) spell-slinging at your teammates. It's all in good fun, though. Nothing beats some laughs with your squad while dodging spells and monstrous enemies.

What to expect:

Survivors-style Gameplay with a Multiplayer Twist:

You and your crew will face off against waves of bizarre monsters, unlocking new spells and leveling up as you fight to survive. The more you work together in The Spell Brigade, the more powerful you are due to become. But don't forget to watch where you're aiming, or you might blast your friends instead of the enemies!

Team-Based Combat:

You’ll be forming your own spell-slinging brigade, exploring dangerous areas together. The teamwork element is real, but with friendly fire on, there will definitely be moments where things get a little… chaotic. Luckily, magic (and a bit of friendship) means even the worst mishaps can be fixed.

The Spell Brigade is Customizable due in the Spell System:

The Spell Brigade is due to let you find and upgrade spells as you play. No two games are the same because you can mix and match different spell elements for wild, unpredictable combos. With multiple wizards on your team, the chaos factor goes through the roof – and that’s what makes it awesome. So, mark your calendar for September 16th, since we are due to jump into The Spell Brigade. Whether you’re blasting enemies or accidentally taking out your friends, one thing’s for sure: the action roguelike is going to be a spell-casting party full of wild fun. Coming to Linux and Steam Deck, for now, with Windows PC on Steam Early Access.

[ashboyfps]

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[updatecrazy]

No Mans Sky update 5.10 is available to download on PS4, PS5(Version 5.010), PC, and Xbox One players. According to the official No Mans Sky 5.10 patch notes, this update update introduces fishing, an Exo-Skiff for deep-sea exploration, new cooking recipes, automated fish traps, and the Aquarius Expedition. Apart from this, No Mans Sky version 5.10 also includes a long list of bug fixes and changes. NMS 5.010 Patch Notes (Version 5.010.000) - September 4, 2024 https://youtu.be/zu-OxnMETY0 Fishing System Relaxing Fishing Experience: Players can now fish in various aquatic environments, from shallow waters to deep oceans. Varied Catch Types: Discover a wide range of fish species, from common minnows to massive alien sea creatures. Rare Fish Hunting: Explore different planets and environments to catch rare and legendary species. Exo-Skiff Deployable Fishing Platform: A customizable boat that can float over rough seas. Cold Storage Inventory: Built-in storage for caught fish, especially useful in deep-sea environments. [caption id="attachment_131274" align="alignnone" width="934"] NMS 5.10[/caption] Exploration and Rare Catches Travel for Rare Fish: Complete your fishing log by exploring different water conditions and crafting specialized bait. Messages in Bottles: Discover messages from past travelers while waiting for your next catch. Automated Fish Traps Autonomous Fish Farming: Research blueprints for Automated Fish Traps, allowing passive fish collection while you explore. Aquarius Expedition (6 Weeks) Galaxy-Spanning Quest: Catch fish and gather stories to earn exclusive deep-sea customizations like an underwater jetpack and the Lost Angler’s Rig. New Cooking Recipes Aquatic-Based Dishes: Unlock new recipes using the fish you catch from lakes, seas, and oceans. Fishing Records Wonders Catalogue Update: Track the weight, history, and locations of all your catches. Deep-Sea Diving Suit Extreme Water Suit: Protective gear designed for deep-water exploration and extended fishing sessions. New Customization Rewards Aquarius Posters: Decorate your base with the Sea Chart, Bounty of the Sea, and Gone Fishin' posters. Tentacled Figurine: A sea creature-inspired cockpit decoration. Aquarius Flight Pack: A jetpack replacement for smooth underwater movement. 5.10 Patch Notes Players can now install a Fishing Rig in their Multi-Tool, enabling them to cast their line into any body of water and begin fishing. Purchase Fishing Rig blueprints aboard the Space Anomaly. Over 160 varieties of fish are available to catch. Finding each fish will require exploration of different planets, fishing at different times of day and during different weather conditions, and trawling across a wide range of depths. Your catch history, including weight records, is recorded in the new Fishing section of the Wonders catalogue. Craft specialist bait and apply it to your Fishing Rig to lure in specific fish. In addition, any edible item can be deployed as bait. Experiment with different cooked products to find the most effective bait for your fishing feeds. A large range of new seafood recipes have been added for the Nutrient Processor. Those who do not wish to consume or sell their catch may release their fish back into the water. Occasionally, inanimate objects may be retrieved from the water instead of fish. Such objects include procedurally generated messages in bottles and water-damaged technology upgrades. Automated Traps are available to research in the Space Anomaly. These self-sustaining units are an alternative to manual angling, and will attract fish as appropriate for the water conditions in which they are placed. The Exo-Skiff is a new piece of deployable technology, summoned from the Quick Menu after its interface is installed in the Exosuit. Research the appropriate blueprints aboard the Space Anomaly. The Exo-Skiff hovers just above the surface of the water and reacts to wave movement to create the perfect deep-sea fishing platform for those looking for deep-water fish.

The skiff comes with a dedicated Cold Storage inventory, allowing players to conveniently store their catches. The Exo-Skiff can be recoloured via its own internal customisation interface. Fishing is fully compatible with first and third person play, and has unique casting mechanics for VR players. New music tracks have been added to accompany the fishing experience. Expedition Fifteen, Aquarius, will begin shortly and run for approximately six weeks. Rewards include new posters, decals and titles; a deep-sea diving suit customisation set; the unique Lost Angler’s Rig fishing rod; and the exclusive Aquarius Flightpack. Water reflections are now enabled for PSVR2. PCVR now supports reflections on the water while running with reflections set to Ultra. Fixed an issue that could make it difficult to interact with some space station objects while in VR. Previously, a major free No Man's Sky update 4.40 added a relaxed mode, overhauled inventories, revamped UI, and improved missions. Unfortunately, players are still experiencing several issues. NMS update 5.10 will fix a few of these issues. Download free No Mans Sky update 5.10 on Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox One.