#like the version i have now is passable. i'm sure of it

[iamfuckingsorry]

God, I am *so* tired

But it's time to write the entire last section of my thesis overnight because I promised I would, and I was supposed to work on it this weekend but I did fuck all instead :))))

[jymwahuwu]

@blbrrymilk A gift for dear wren!!! You inspired me to write Sampo and mini reader😚💖 This is my first time describing Sampo and I hope my description of him is passable...

cw: yandere, non-consensual touching, forced orgasm, mini reader, extreme size kink, reader has female reproductive system

So from the current version, we know that Sampo belongs to the Masked Fools organization. Taking back the mask equals taking back the power. What if Sampo learned at Penacony how to turn you into a mini size…

You kept rolling your eyes at Sampo, laughing at him. This merchant is really unserious and often sends you some fraudulent or obscene messages. He usually reports his whereabouts to you in real time (you can't block him, not sure why) but you haven't seen him in the last few days.

Sampo appears at your doorstep like a gift from heaven. Not really surprised. As soon as you opened the door and saw him, you closed the door again. He held the door frame with his hands and fought hard with you, explaining to you that he forgot to bring his wallet and could not go home now and would probably faint from hunger in the snow and ice. He claims that the "thin and pitiful" figure will be covered in ice and snow if you choose to ignore him. You sighed. "Okay. Come in. You're only allowed to stay for a moment."

You walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of steaming warm tea for the guest. It was so flattering that you gave him tea. His smile was like overflowing water, and he was holding tea in his hands, blowing and sipping. You rested your chin on your palm and squinted at him, "Where have you been recently?"

"Ah." Sampo's smile was slightly mysterious. "You'll find out soon enough."

A question mark appears in your mind. You clicked your tongue. "Pretending to be mysterious, huh." But in the next second, you see yourself getting smaller and smaller, shrinking until you become a little thing. With your eyes widened, you sat on the floor and looked up at the "giant" Sampo.

"As I expected, you look super-super cute like this! The Festival Planet is indeed extraordinary." His smile almost reached behind his ears, his face flushed abnormally, and he held you in his palms. You panicked and struggled, a pair of small hands patted his palm, but it was too gentle, like scratching an itch. "What- What did you do to me?"

"My dear, it's just some small adjustments." Sampo didn't have time to explain to you. Witnessing your helpless and completely manipulated posture, he felt a tingle of pleasure pass down his back and face. His thumbs lift up your top, slowly and carefully using his nails to pull your bra up so as not to hurt you. A warm breath hit your face. Taking off your underwear and lower body clothing can be done in the blink of an eye.

It’s just that your mini hands holding onto your panties are so cute. To avoid hurting your dignity, Sampo pretended for a few seconds that you were strong enough to resist him. "Stop, you're going too far!" you screamed, covering your bare breasts and private parts with your hands. "Awww am I going too far? This isn't good - because I'm going to continue anyway."

The thumb of his left hand pressed against one of your thighs, while the other thumb rubbed your mini clit and slit. You can't move at all. Sampo is like an irresistible, unshakable mountain. His smile widened as the small wet stain stained his thumb. "Look! Honey, you like this too - you like to be touched…" "I don't!" The bursts of pleasure are transmitted to your core, but you insist on denying him, feeling a little aggrieved and your nose is sore. "You ungrateful bastard…I let you in just to help you…" And the result of your good deeds was that you were stripped naked, turned into a mini and groped.

"Oh, I'm sorry…honey." Sampo's eyes softened, apologetically and appreciatively, but his thumb rubbed quickly. "I just like you so much, how about we try something new together? I promise it will be very comfortable!"

Sampo took out a small black stand from his pocket. You have no idea what it is, but you have an ominous feeling. As expected, Sampo locked your legs on top, while your hands were tied with gentle gift ropes, and two small vibrators were glued to your chest. Drop you into a snowy crystal ball with a view of Belobog. He took the small broom and continued to tease and brush your private parts. You squirted uncontrollably in the simulated snow scene, over and over again. Your soft moans and sobs echoed in the crystal ball.

There is no doubt that the lewd displays and teasing are endless…

[adobe-outdesign]

thoughts on the skeith? or elephante? whichever isn't in your queue yet

(The Skeith review can be found here.)

Ironically, despite its incredibly original name, the Elephante is actually not just a regular elephant; it's bipedal, it has small semi-vestigal wings/a fluffy tail, and it has a fancy headpiece with a gemstone in it. I'm not always big on "default" clothing on Neopets, but the hats here actually look pretty nice and are passable as fancy jewelry that anthro characters could potentially wear.

Color-wise, the default Elephante colours are mostly solid, though the toenails, hats, and tail break things up a bit. I do wish the default colours had more cohesion—like the gemstones matching the base color instead of always being red—and the pink snout feels ever-so-slightly out of place, but otherwise they look fine.

Elephantes definitely benefited from customization. Their lineart was cleaned up considerably, which helped fix some of the jankier elements like the wings and legs. Another big benefit of customization is the ability to remove the default clothing, which is always appreciated.

I also like the change in expression—the old Elephantes always felt a bit weird, like they burned down the house while you were gone and now they're trying to act normal while they figure out how to break the news to you.

Favorite Colours:

Relic: The relic Elephante just released earlier this year, and I gotta say, I really like it. The base is nicely shaded and textured with plenty of cracks, and it's then complimented by beautiful bronze metal accents. The body is also covered in leaves, which match the green of the eyes and hat, which are slightly lighter to make sure they pop. Great stuff. The base also looks great with just the little bit of bronze around the iris.

My only minor issue is that the amount of plants feels just a smidge too much. They are removable, but it's an all-or-nothing situation. I wish the ones on the body were separate from the ones on the base—especially because that could open non-relic Elephantes to wearing them.

Candy: Peppermint swirls aren't technically anything too fancy, but the sutble texturing here is great and really makes it look like hard candy. I also love how the stripes properly fit with and conform to the body shape, which is something a lot of Neopet colours forget to do. Also, the extra little peppermint in the hat is absolutely perfect.

Royal: Neopets evidently decided to take the "Indian elephant" idea to its logical conclusion by giving the royal Elephants things like sari wraps. Granted, I'm not sure what region India would be considered in Neopia, but hey, it's a fun concept and it looks beautiful. Between the two I think I like the royal girl more just for the palette, but both are solid.

UC/styled versions also exist. These versions obviously have more personality, but thankfully the converted designs are pretty spot-on save for the strange lack of fingernail polish.

BONUS: The zombie Elephante is shockingly gory for Neopets all things considered, only rivaled by the zombie Jubjub. Exposed skull, giant gaping wounds, stitches, ripped ears and wings—you name it. It looks fantastic and properly undead, and the whole thing is nicely drawn and shaded. It comes with clothing but the base itself is also solid (it's a bit strange that the skull is considered a wearable, but it's a play on the normal hats so I suppose that's why).

My only issue with it, and the reason it's a bonus, is that the expression is WAY too cheerful. The irises needed to be way smaller, less focused, or just plain missing, and the mouth looks too smile-ly. If it had a slightly more haunted expression it would've been perfect, but as is, it's still pretty good.

[comphy-and-cozy]

unforgettable - jt compher

Pairing: JT Compher x Reader (f)

Word Count: 3.1K

Author's Note: This is fully the most self-indulgent and personal fic I have ever and will ever write, so if no one likes it I'm still not gonna be sorry. This is wildly contrived and barely passable as realistic. It is quite literally Y/N's Story (C's Version). You'll know what I mean when you read it. Thanks to @smileysvech for listening to me be unhinged about this for like two months straight - you a real one. And in case you are wondering, this is the fic in question.

Warnings: Suggestive/adult content (18+ recommended), discussions about sex/sexual implications, alcohol use/consumption, full insanity. Like a medium burn/banter that's basically foreplay but no actual sexy times.

series masterlist | nhl masterlist | part 2

November 2021

Meeting a personal idol is always a special experience, full of excitement, nerves, anticipation; hopefully making a connection to tell them how much you admire them or what they mean to you. Even if it’s the intention, it feels a little embarrassing to be at a fan event put on by the team, like you’re too old to be at a function for the sole purpose of meeting professional hockey players, and the concept of being perceived is, frankly, almost overwhelming.

But then they turn out to be kind, funny, and courteous; not at all what you expected. They smile at you, ask you your name, thank you for coming, engage with you like you’re a regular human being. Like they’re a regular human being. (They are, of course, but it’s difficult to comprehend that when you’re used to them being little men on your television screen with ice knives strapped to their feet.)

When you get to your favorite TV Ice Man, he’s beautiful, and it takes you a moment to get rid of the shakiness in your voice when you hear him say your name for the first time. The warmth of his hand on your back when you pose for a photo together lingers long after he pulls away, smiling at you as he says, “Tag me in that on Instagram.”

It’s exhilarating, enough to have you bouncing from cloud to cloud as you leave, heart soaring. Still, after walking out on shaky legs with the most precious memories and photos tucked safely into your phone, you’re in need of a drink to settle the nerves that have been floating in your belly since the night began. 

As soon as it touches your tongue, the drink helps to calm you down, and you’re in a dreamland as you reflect on the evening behind you. A real conversation with JT Compher, the man you’ve had a crush on for years—and he talked to you! He is aware you exist! And though you’re sure it’s a figment of your imagination, you’ll remember the warmth in his eyes when they connected with yours for the rest of your life.

Luck is on your side, it seems, when you catch a group of tall, muscular men walking in out of the corner of your eye; the aura of the room instantly changes in their presence, like the room automatically got ten degrees hotter. In the middle of the pack is the unmistakable red hair, styled meticulously, only now he’s lost his tie in favor of unbuttoning the top button on his shirt. He looks good, dressed down in a way that makes him look even more delicious than before.

His aura is different now that the event is over, like he’s able to remove the mask he put on for the public at a work event; now, he’s just a normal guy out on a Friday night with his friends. Other than the Gucci belt and Tom Ford suit, one would have no idea that he’s got an extra digit at the end of his paycheck, and he loves that.

Until he sees you. You, who knows exactly who he is, who is fully aware he’s unwinding from a long and tiring fan event with his friends. He’d have to be an idiot to forget your face, the one that made him pause when you told him your name, his breath hitching in his throat just for a moment.

When he sidles up next to you at the bar, the last thing you expect is for him to greet you, let alone remember your name. You look at him in surprise when he offers to buy your drink, gaping for a little too long until you’re nodding shyly. 

“Have fun at the event?” he asks after sliding his card across the bar to open a tab, leaning up against the ornate marble as he faces you. 

“It was incredible,” you reply with a blissful smile. “They—you guys—are always so nice.”

The corners of his lips curl upward, just slightly, pleased at your positive review. “I’m glad to hear that. The fans are so important to us, so I—we—like to be able to give back when we can.”

“It doesn’t get exhausting? Talking to all those people?”

Something shifts in his eyes, and briefly you wonder if he’s toying with the line of talking to a fan versus just a stranger, contemplating if he should drop a layer of his public persona. Eyeing the extra sliver of creamy skin peeking out from his unbuttoned collar, you’d say he’s already halfway there.

“It can be a lot,” he admits. “But it really is fun. And very humbling.”

Your drink is placed on the bar in front of you, and the bartender nods at JT when he asks to keep the tab open. Your heart does a flip, but you remind yourself he’s here with friends.

“How long have you been a fan?”

“I’ve been watching hockey since I was a kid,” you say, and he nods in understanding. You tell him of the photos of you as a toddler, standing in your neon windbreaker next to the Stanley Cup; you note the way his eyes glitter when you mention it, like he’s wistfully envisioning the day he’ll lift the trophy himself. You note the way you like it.

“Let me guess. Your favorite player was Joe Sakic.”

“Actually, you might hate this, but my favorite player was Steve Yzerman.”

JT’s eyebrows raise as he shrugs. “Hard to argue with that, even if he did beat the Avs. Are you a Wings fan?”

“I went to U of M, so I went to a lot of games when I lived in Ann Arbor. So I think I am by default.”

You can see his eyes shift at the mention of his alma mater, like something’s permanently altered in the dynamic between you. He doesn’t need to tell you that he went there, too, but he does anyway. “Go Blue.”

With a smirk, you raise your glass and clink the base against his as you say it back. Your eyes flick to the group he arrived with, upstairs in the VIP area, surrounded by pretty girls in tight skirts.

“Do you need to get back to them?”

JT takes a sip of his own drink, an Old Fashioned, then licks his lips again like he knows it’ll catch your attention. Then he shrugs, nonchalant. “Would rather stay here with you. Have to make sure the drink I paid for doesn’t go to waste.”

He’s too smooth, you think, warning yourself to keep an eye on him or you’d be swooning at his feet. Not that you aren’t already ready to, your own willpower barely holding up under his gaze and your Amaretto Sour weaving its way into your senses. 

“What’s a Wings fan doing in Denver?”

It’s a simple question, the logical one, but you’re still surprised that he asks, that he wants to know more about the one of many fans he met tonight. Still, you answer, explain that you’re visiting friends who are big Avs fans. You don’t have it in you to tell him that you’ve had a crush on him for years, that you timed your visit to coincide with the event. That you’re having an internal meltdown just existing in his presence and trying desperately hard to remain cool and composed. 

And you can’t tell if he’s flirting with you, or if he’s just being nice, which makes you panic even more, gulping down the remainder of your drink in an attempt to calm your nerves. Do his eyes keep shifting down to your cleavage, or is that your imagination? Is he letting his cheek brush against yours when he speaks into your ear, or is it just an accident? 

Another round of drinks later, and he’s still here, and now you’re sure he’s at least some kind of interested. His friends are upstairs, loud, rambunctious, and he hasn’t even given them so much as a glance, instead focused on you and making you shiver under his attention.

The conversation has been steady, making its way through hockey, past childhood, and college, and jobs, and now you’re onto hobbies. And you may have accidentally let it slip that you like to write. 

It’s against your own will that your mouth announces, out loud, to a professional athlete, that you write hockey fanfiction. Or, wrote. Have written. Either way, it’s the alcohol’s fault, and you’re tempted to dump the remaining contents of your glass on the ground to avoid saying anything else.

His eyebrows raise in amusement, a grin breaking out onto his face. “Oh, now you have to tell me more.”

You’re shaking your head no, face sweltering hot when you realize what you’ve just admitted. “Jesus Christ. I can’t believe I just said that. I think this conversation is done.”

“Aww, come on, tell me,” he prods, nudging your knee with his. “Was it about someone I know?”

You draw your lips tight, shaking your head to tell him your lips are sealed. 

“It was!” he exclaims, his eyes lighting up. “I bet it was about Gabe. Wasn’t it? All the girls love Gabe. He’s a dreamboat.”

Covering your mouth with your hand, you shake your head at him again. This cannot be fucking happening right now.

“No Gabe? Hm…” he looks around, as if he’s searching for the subject in front of him. “Oh! Josty. He’s got a whole following of fangirls.”

Part of you wants to laugh, and the other part of you wants to die immediately on the spot, buried beneath the ground without another word. He isn’t wrong, but he is dangerously close to discovering the truth.

He sees your reaction, inferring that no, it wasn’t Josty, and he takes another sip of his drink as he racks his brain. You can practically see the gears turning in his head, mulling over the options like he’s mentally running through an encyclopedia of NHL players. Then, his eyes shift, a glitter returning to them before they’re landing back on you, and suddenly you feel hot all over, sensing the end of your life hurtling rapidly towards you.

“It’s me, isn’t it?”

Face scorching hot, you can’t help the defeated smile on your face as you cast your eyes away, mortified beyond belief. Why did you have to say anything? Things were going so well, and now you’re preparing for him to make a quick exit and dash upstairs to laugh at you with his teammates, a story that would surely make the rounds through the league. You’re contemplating which path to the door is quickest, which will get you out of there fast enough to avoid dying of embarrassment on the spot.

But instead of making a run for it, he just laughs, a surprised expression on his face. “Oh, my God.”

“I’m just gonna go now—”

“No, no,” he’s quick to say, waving his hand to show he isn’t bothered, and maybe an air of, please, stay. “I’m flattered, honestly. I didn’t think anyone liked me like that.”

Oh, they do, you think, but your semblance of self-control has taken over again, covering your mouth before the thought can verbalize; at least you can shut the fuck up sometimes. Instead, you shrug playfully, then take another sip, thinking that at the very least, you can drown out your humiliation with more alcohol.

“You gonna tell me what it was about, or you playing hard to get?”

His question is subtle but clearly twofold in meaning, and you nearly choke on your drink again. Is this real? This has to be a dream. 

Forcing yourself to get your wits together, you say, “I’m gonna need another drink if you want to even remotely convince me to share that.”

“I can do that,” he grins. “Say no more.”

It’s only after he returns with another drink in hand that you notice the flush in his cheeks, the way the warm mahogany of his eyes have turned a little more molten. Maybe it’s the alcohol, or maybe—unlikely—it’s you. Probably the former. Surely the former.

He keeps the conversation light, allowing you to ask about life as an NHL star, about his favorite part about Denver, about who his funniest teammate is. He’s surprised, though, when you ask what he misses the most about life before the NHL; what he wishes he could have amidst the fanfare of being a professional athlete.

Mulling over your question, he takes another sip of his cocktail, and you seize the opportunity to admire his face, up close. The neat landscaping of his beard, the perfectly styled coiff of his hair, the deep mauvey-pink shade of his lips. God, he’s handsome.

His laugh pulls you out of your daydream, and he raises his glass toward you. “Thank you.”

You’re confused for a moment, until you realize that your thought wasn’t an internal commentary at all, but something that slipped out of your mouth by accident. You have quite literally turned into a stuttering, bumbling fool in his presence. He doesn’t seem bothered, though, swiftly moving past the moment to answer: “Honestly, I think what I miss most are conversations like this. Where I don’t have to be ‘on,’ where I can just be a normal guy with a pretty girl at a bar.”

“A girl telling you she wrote smutty fanfiction about you is ‘normal’?”

JT’s face shifts, and all at once you realize the additional descriptor you used, immediately groaning at the accidental admission. Why do you keep doing this? Why does it have to be him?

“Smutty? Like, it’s spicy?”

“No,” you lie, but the speed of your reply is a dead giveaway, and suddenly he’s grinning.

“You wrote—” he drops his voice to a whisper, “—sexy times about me?”

Your non-answer is an answer in itself, and the smile on his face is so wide, he might as well have won the Stanley Cup. Your face burns, could probably fry an egg on your cheeks, ready to slink into a hole and never come out.

“Oh, come on, now you have to tell me!” he says. “I won’t judge. I swear.”

“I’m sorry, that information is classified. It’s firmly secured under lock, key, and shark-infested waters with lasers attached to their heads.”

“Okay, fine, I can play this game,” he grins, pretending to crack his knuckles. “Was there… a blowjob?”

“Jesus, JT. Coming in hot, are you?” Then, “No.”

“That hurts, but I understand,” he places his hand over his heart. “What about… cunnlingus?”

“I am shocked that you know what that word means.”

“I have an elite education. You should know.”

“The leaders and best,” you say with a raised glass.

“Stop deflecting. Did I eat you out or not?”

The intimacy and bluntness of the phrasing makes your heart flutter, along with the area in question. The devil on your shoulder is whispering, fuck around and find out. So, with an internal shrug, you do. “You may have.”

JT beams. “Excellent.”

He rapid fires off more categories—spanking, handcuffs, edging, foot fetish?—all of which make your cheeks burn the more he inquires, as casual as asking you about what you do for a living.

“Threesome?”

“No.”

He hums. “Good. I didn’t want to share.”

The admission catches you off-guard, and judging by the way he eyes you for your reaction, he said it intentionally to rile you up. You hope he can’t see the rapid way your heart beats in your throat, the idea that this professional athlete would ever be possessive over a fan with a crush.

His last question pulls you from your thoughts and also makes you nearly snort your drink out of your nose. “Anal?”

“Jim Tim, I’m really gonna need you to cool it with topics I’m wildly unprepared to discuss.”

“That sounds like you’ll be ready at some point, though.”

“Maybe if you call me in about 100 years, I will be.”

He hums, then swirls the ice left in his glass. “What about the time it takes me to cash out and Uber back to mine?”

Your brain completely shuts down at the invitation, the proposition striking you in the face. He couldn’t have seriously been flirting with you this entire time, could he? Surely, he was just being silly with a girl—a fan—who he’ll never see again?

But he’s looking at you, and it feels like the time has long since passed if he was going to announce that it’s all been a joke. He’s waiting for your reply, for a confirmation that all of his hard work and perfect banter has not gone to waste.

So you nod, letting out a loud sigh as soon as his red hair disappears back into the crowd to pay his tab. Your hands are shaking, your heart threatening to leap out of your throat, and you glance around like everyone is going to start laughing at you for believing that JT Compher would want to take you home.

-

JT’s skin tingles as he signs his check, nodding a ‘thank you’ at the bartender before pocketing his wallet. This wasn’t what he expected when he prepped himself for the event tonight; he anticipated photos, nervous fans, hand aching from signing so many hats and jerseys—and afterward, decompressing at the bar with the guys, having a few drinks, guffawing along as Bo surely makes a fool of himself. Instead, he feels like he’s been smacked in the face, in awe of the girl he met and promptly learned he can’t get enough of. It’s only been a few hours, but he’s hooked on her smile, on her quick wit, on the way she makes his cock twitch in his pants when she laughs. 

He yearns to be with her, now, to try his chances at feeling her pretty lips on his, to get a better glimpse at the jeans she painted on over the tempting curve of her hips. Though he’s confident—she wrote fanfiction about him for Christ’s sake—it’s far from a slam-dunk, but he’s eager to embrace the challenge ahead, and equally content to just spend more time basking in her presence. 

But when he returns to the spot he left her at, she’s nowhere to be found. He scans the crowd, searching for the eyes that have captivated him so deeply. A tinge of nerves blaze through him, the thought of being ghosted flitting through his brain, but then he remembers the way she looked at him, the way her breath hitched when he leaned in close to her. 

So, he searches for her, sure she’s just stepped away for a moment. He checks the bar, the restroom, the front door, the back door—nothing. And then he finally accepts the truth: She’s gone, disappeared without a word, far too good to be true.

JT Ubers home alone, left to quell the burning in his gut in the somber solidarity of his bedroom, wistfully wondering if your paths will cross again someday.

SIMILAR CONTENT: Already Ready to Go* A Night in Paris* Adore You

Tagging: @somuchf4rstardust @laurenairay @senditcolton @fallinallincurls

[romancomicsnews]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem amplifies the fun of the franchise - REVIEW

*Slight Spoilers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem*

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been a franchise that has consistently been rebooted and I have never minded.

While the 2003 series was my initial Turtles introduction, the 2012 series really made me a fan. It had the right balance for me of brotherly affection, drama, stakes, and weird obscure villains.

While Rise of the TMNT wasn't exactly my taste, I can appreciate the animation, comedy, and going for a different new take. Plus my god is the Rise of TMNT movie good. I'm all for making really cool characters into animes now.

Going into this movie I had extremely high hopes. Not only has this franchise rarely disappointed, but it was produced by Seth Rogen, who has worked on shows like The Boys and Invincible, and directed by Jeff Rowe, who is not getting NEARLY enough credit for this movie. He was a writer on Gravity Falls and the co-director of one of my favorite animated movies: The Mitchells vs The Machines.

And I got to say, this movie does not disappoint.

The animation style is both impressive and at times disgusting in the best possible way. This is the first time I've felt New York feel grubby and grimy. Every shot looks wonderful, and that cannot be understated.

The hardest part of the Turtles is usually the brother dynamics. I feel like if not written or performed correctly, the Turtles can come off as buddies or even acquaintances. But this was not a problem here. The idea of having all four actors in the same room clearly paid off, as the four of them riffing and mocking each other were some of the highlights of the movie.

I do think coming out of this, some of these turtles will be the definitive versions of the characters. While Mikey and Raph have their charms, Micah Abbey as Donnie and Nicolas Cantu as Leo were stands out for me.

The idea of taking Donnie from the tech guy to more of a calculating nerdy weeb was genius. Donnie often is the guy who is most made fun of because he is nerd, and I think pivoting to him being a smart-ass and respected for his brain was a nice touch.

Leonardo as the goody two shoes dork who wants to lead so bad also worked for me. Leonardo can sometimes come off a sorta bully or arrogant for even trying to be the leader. Making him unsure but wanting to be a good leader makes him charming and more likeable.

Also among our heroes are Ayo Edebiri as April O'Neil and Jackie Chan as Master Splinter.

While April does not have as much to do as I would've liked, I think Edebiri is a nice addition and I'd be happy to see more of her. She has good chemistry with the brothers, although it did take me out of the movie to think of the age gap between Edebiri and Cantu.

Jackie Chan's Splinter may be my biggest problem with the film. While he is a passable Splinter and has plenty of laughs, he does not seem as fierce of a warrior as he has seemed in the past, nor as wise. I do not mind a flawed, anxiety ridden Splinter, but he should feel like he can take on the Turtles easily, and I don't think he can.

(Also, Jackie Chan is a bad father in real life and shouldn't disown his estranged daughter for being gay. Read all about it here!)

I'm not going to go to into the details of all the villains in the movie, as there are quite a few, but I really loved the inclusion of the vast TMNT universe, and their own fun takes on them. One of the benefits of having Seth Rogen as a creative is access to all his very talented friends. A highlight for me was Mondo Gecko, voiced by the great Paul Rudd.

The main antagonist of the film being Superfly was a rather interesting choice. While I was sure we were going to have a Jekyll and Hyde situation with Superfly and Stockman going in, the idea that it was his mutant son was a weird but fun choice. Clearly Ice Cube was having a lot of fun playing a villain. He gave me quite a few laughs and felt like a proper first villain for these turtles. I'm glad they didn't just jump into Shredder or Kraang.

While all the characters are fun and interesting, what I really love about this story is the central theme of acceptance. Having them all have the goal of being accepted by society felt natural, important, and very teen drama, which is fresh to the TMNT. They are often outsiders who don't really care about that, just protecting the city. Making that at the heart of the movie made me feel for them in a way I haven't before.

Leaving the movie where it does excites me for more movies and the upcoming show they have planned. I think this version of the turtles can last us a good 5-7 years, and will end up being as iconic as the ones that came before.

Not that there is a super high bar for TMNT films, but this is definitely my favorite. I think kids are going to love, TMNT fans are going to love it, and non TMNT fans are going to be pleasantly surprised.

I highly recommend you go see this movie, I know I am definitely going again soon.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me, you can:

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[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

hi anne <3 i'm not sure if anyone has asked you this yet, but do you have any concrete plans for any particular cross stitches in 2024? is there a 'holy grail' cross stitch that you aspire to complete (either this year or in general)? what do you find the hardest ting to cross stitch?

Thank you for asking, Lola! I love a chance to talk about my cross stitch! And oh, I have LOTS of plans!

I have 3 patterns completed and ready to be stitched after the one I'm currently working on. I have my Season 4 Tarlos, which will be the final (for now) installment in my Tarlos series. I have one ready to go that's going to be simply the text of every quote in which TK calls Carlos "babe" or "baby"--that one will take a while. And I have a smaller soulmates scene one that I recently talked a bit about here.

I also have a few patterns that I have started working on, like my Carlos Tomás Reyes project that will be the companion to Tyler Kennedy Strand. But that one still needs a lot of work before it's ready to be stitched.

And then I have about a million little half-formed ideas that I'll start to develop more once I get through the above.

As far as a 'holy grail' cross stitch, probably the only thing that might come close to meeting that definition is my Loft Series. I love the loft so much and I also love celebrating it in stitch form!

The first time I stitched the loft was this one, but I actually don't count it as part of my official Loft Series because it was one of my first attempts at creating a pattern--I still love it but it's not as elaborate as later attempts.

The first true installment in the Loft Series was the dining area, right now I'm working on the loft entrance, and I think I'll do at least one more and possibly two. I want to do a more elaborate version of their bedroom. And I'd like to attempt the kitchen. I might have exhausted all angles of the loft by that point. Though now that I think of it, maybe I could also do one facing the wall from the couch featuring Lou II's tank? So maybe 3 more.

The hardest thing, at least when it comes to creating patterns, is making detailed and recognizable objects. I don't think I'm all that good at drawing, and pattern making is sort of related to drawing, though it's more akin to creating pixel art. I have to sit there filling in boxes with different colors to create a recognizable object. However, I think I'm getting better. For example, on a recent project, I think I managed a passable dog and flamingo:

But I have a LONG way to go. I mean, there are people who can do things like this:

I am NOWHERE NEAR this level!

But maybe someday!

[henrysglock]

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly included a teenage Murray in the play despite him not even living in Hawkins. I get that they struggle with age accuracy of several characters but they change a bit too much in my opinion. Plus the character names. Like is Bob's father now a priester or principal??? And who is the priester then??? I'm so sad I won't be able to see the play so I really hope they'll put in on netflix in summer 2024 or something but it's already soo confusing

You see, Nonnie, I personally don't think they struggle with ages at all. I'm the type of person who's more inclined to consider that they're deliberately fucking with us.

To answer your question: I'm not sure who the priest is going to be, since priests aren't meant to have secular jobs (like being a principal)...but I won't lie and say I'm not tickled about how this contradicts the one (1) Collider article that drops even the slightest hint at a Patty/"George" one-sided romance. They list her as being the preacher's daughter:

and with that key bit of her character description thrown into question...well. Y'know. I don't think I need to point out how unreliable this makes everything else sound.

Anyway, I'm hoping you'll get to see it at some point, Nonnie!

And this is nothing against you, personally, but I struggle to understand how people don't see how reminiscent this all is of a NINA simulation.

Complaining and making my case below the cut.

Bob shouldn't be hanging around Jopper, they weren't friends in high school. They knew of each other, and Jim bullied Bob. Karen and Henry should be around the same age as Alice, which is to say: children. Alice is at least close to filmed canon, even if you think shes younger than Henry. They should at least have cast them similarly with actors, but they didn't. They do all this swapping: Priest to Principal, Allen to Alan, Henry (12) to Henry (14-15) while all the other actors are close enough to be passable if you don't look too hard.

This is all reminiscent of NINA and the constant swapping behavior. Like I'm just going to tap these few signs.

I mean honestly, this alone should be enough to put NINA on our radars:

Everyone but El is the right age, and she's aged up visibly.

They also swap on whether Henry's hair is a natural side part or not:

They swap on which way Brenner's tie is done:

They swap on prop orientation, corpse posing, or blood patterns:

All this changing around with an end result of no one (who cares enough to look) being able to say concretely which version is real.

I feel like this should ring warning bells:

Even if we want to discredit the papers and put Alice as Henry's younger sister, she's still cast as the right age in TFS. Visibly so. Henry is visibly aged up.

The only place we've ever seen this happen is in NINA, which is conveniently the time when El's memories are being altered as they're fed back to her.

So unless this is some secret third thing where Henry (12) went back in time to try and fix things but he continues to age normally/he's now 14-15 when he ought to be 12 (which isn't an option I'm against, I actually think it would be fun)...we're just not given another viable explanation in filmed canon.

So yeah, Nonnie...who's the priest and who's the principal? Is he Alan or Allen? Is it Henry or Vecna or One? Henry/Vecna/One? Allen/Alan/Al? What's the truth? What are we settling on?

But my main gripe is about the attitude, and again it's not about you personally, Nonnie, but:

Is it so hard for the fandom to go "Hey, maybe all these discrepancies in TFS are there for a reason, not just because the writers are dumbfucks who don't know their own story...despite having written it in tandem with ST4"?

Especially given that Kate Trefry wrote the NINA project? Not Matt, not Ross. Kate.

Why is everyone so against it being purposeful? Where's the fandom's sense of joy and whimsy? Is no one else willing to have fun and be creative about it? Must it always be a derisive little "uhuhu dumbfuck writers silly writers look how stupid and messy they are, retconning the canon THAT THEY WROTE SIMULTANEOUSLY" thing?

Idk. Just rubs me wrong. We'll see soon enough, though.

[emeraldcatears]

Making a Grass Autotile (part 3)

It's time to see how the tiles look in the game.

The first thing to determine is where to put them. I made a grass tile and a dirt path that are intended to be ground autotiles so those should be put in the game as part of the A2 block - the second group of the A tab.

The full image for this needs to be 768x576 pixels in size. I'll go ahead and open a new picture for this step.

The RPG Maker assets standards page shows how this is meant to be laid out.

These can be further adjusted in the database to be designated field or area type. If I'm reading this correctly this can determine how they interact with other tiles in the A2 portion of the tileset.

If Block A is "Field" then the transparent parts of the second and fourth tiles will autofill with the first and third tiles respectively. Otherwise, these designations seem to refer to how the tiles stack on the layers when mapping with auto-layering.

I believe "Field" is outdated and changed to "World" type in the most current MZ version I have.

Since World Type seems to be used for, well, overworld maps I'll go ahead and just make this Area Type and lay the tiles out without worrying about how the transparencies fill in like I would if I used World.

In short all that is to say I'll just paste my two tiles in next to eachother in the first two slots.

They look so lonely!

The beauty of things here is that I don't need a full set of tiles to start testing how they look in-game. I just have to have the ones I've made so far and can always save over this with a larger set later.

I'll go ahead and save this as Custom A2 and put it into the project.

Simply go to wherever you've got the project you're adding a your tiles to saved and open the img folder and find the tilesets to add your own. Make sure it's a PNG file.

Then open RPG Maker and open the project you saved the new tiles into and open the Database.

From here go to the tilesets button and the available sets appear. In this case I'll create a new set rather than just adding mine into an existing one.

At the bottom of the screen I can make room for a new set by changing the maximum and increasing it as needed.

Then find where you want to put the tilesheet. In this case I want it in A2 (Ground) so I select the image from the dropdown. Instead of appearing as the full image I made it displays the two tiles as just their representative pieces (the 48x48 section in the top left of the six-tile pattern that makes an autotile).

I honestly don't need to do much else at this point since this is just about putting them into the game to see how they look, but this is also the part where things like passability and terrain tags are set. They don't matter at this stage of the learnalong, though. I could also put other tilesheets in teh A1-E slots but I'm not worried about that at the moment.

Next I go to a map (in this case MAP001) and select my custom set for the tileset.

From there I can just draw the tiles I made into patterns the way I would the default assets!

Now, that took a while. While I know part of the time came from pausing to explain each step for the sake of the learnalong and that I'll get faster with drawing tiles with practice, it is important to take time to consider how long an original tileset takes to put together.

In other words, it takes hours upon hours to make a workable set of original tiles. If that's something you find doable then this post is also an appreciation of the time and effort that goes into it! It's "simple" in theory but it takes time and making them look good is a skill honed by practice. To everyone who puts the effort in: seriously, you all rock.

If you're not the type to put your own set together there are loads of other options for both free-to-use and paid tilesets made by others. Please appreciate the work put into each and every one of them and credit them as you use them.

[littleeyesofpallas]

I have long been one to (only half jokingly) complain of a kind of ""gentrification"" effect in hentai and fanservice heavy manga and just general smut peddling circles of the internet, where some obscure fetish becomes kind of passingly popular, but then rather than see the appeal points integrated into the broader accepted definitions of attractiveness, the mainstream image of sexyiness(I dont even like calling it a "beauty standard" because it feels, like, a step removed from that... Some kind allegory of the cave bullshit but for anime waifus and porn... A pale shadow of a fetish) just sort of half heartedly dresses itself up as a malformed knockoff version of whatever the character type is: some grotesque libidinous homunculus. Until there's more, or indeed only, knockoffs and none of the real thing left.

Anyway point being that in the context of that I have the most upsetting conflict of interest where the boom of AI smut flooding Japanese artfocused socialmedia sites like pixiv are slowly but surely starting to figure out some of the prevailing trends of those subtle niche interrst groups. And while I loathe the AI art thing both in terms of artistic integrity, ethical consumerism, just the generally ugly, flat and same-y aesthetic, AND the fact that now browsing tags means wading through pages and pages of AI generated lowest common denominator waste of space in most categories... Some of the niche content is starting to look like it could actually have a positive effect on some of these weird little corners of the porn-o-sphere???

Like... At first it was funny and easy to dismiss because stuff like, I dunno, AI "muscle girls" was just churning out laughable 200Xs deviantart garbage. (You know the type, the physiologically impossible vascularity and redundant anatomy of like 100% power demon Toguro with a How to Draw Anime girl face slapped on it, but then add the patented AI color job.) Or the stock and standard twig thin animu waif build but slap some abs and no other definition on it, often too many abs even.

But now I'm starting to see stuff that --while it may not be aesthetically passable on its own-- is starting to actually nail the general mix and match of features: actual muscular definition, proportional builds and a (slight) variety of body types, and not cinched waists and stapled on waterballoon tits, etc... That it seems.to be drawing from non fetish specific sources, rather than simulating the usual inbred decay of the creative genes of those tiny insular subcultures.

What I mean is that while subjects being serviced by a large and broad body of artists can be expected to gradually innovate, and AI can be expected to only drag down the average... Some of these more specific subjects are actually serviced by so small a body of artists that the blandly middle of the road quality of AI art actually raises the average ever so slightly, and more quickly than the normal occurance rate of artistic skill and dedication otherwise overlaps with the interest group.

So now they're actually starting to shift the balance of content entirely. It's not that they're making more knockoffs of good art than there is good art (they aren't), but they're making knockoffs of the good stuff at a rate increasingly more comparable to the rate of actual mainstream low quality fetish stuff. Like.... I don't know how else to describe it but it's like, if young up and coming fetishists had to start looking to AI and human art indiscriminately to figure out what they wanted to draw and how... This would on average produce better results than aforementioned weird 200Xs era smut subculture niche stuff did? Does that make sense?

On the one hand it feels like counterintuitively a step in some kind of a right direction. But also of course this is a step that should be being taken by real artists

(Also I hope everyone knows what I mean when I start taking shots at turn of the millennium da stuff as a benchmark. I want to reference the jandrewedits startrek videos and Data's whole bad art saga, but I feel like thats almost equally lost to time now...)

Anyway this rant has no end or conclusion to it, it's just me starting down a 14 hour work day, out of my head unfed and unstimulated, staring into the digital whirlpool of porn, seeing vague harrowing visions of the future

[randosrandomrhetoric]

Final Fantasy Games Ranked

Now, to get a few rules set up. This will only be ranking 13 of the 15 mainline entries of the series. So this means that all spinoffs, such as the best game in the franchise, Final Fantasy Tactics, will not be included. Neither will sequels, such as X-2, or the MMOs, 11 and 14. The reason for the latter is that they can vary WILDLY patch to patch, and I'm not super familiar with the changes. Now let's get on with the List.

Number 13: Final Fantasy 2

I know I'm not the first to call this the worst, and its reputation speaks for itself to most. Those of you not familiar with this one, I'm not sure where to even begin. We can say that it's the poor story, unremarkable cast, or the baffling leveling system. The fact of the matter is, there's just really nothing to like about this game for the most part. Some of the ports and remakes try and fix this, but there's just so much fundamentally wrong that there's just no really correcting it. So, unless you're trying to complete every game in the series, I say just avoid this one.

Grade: F

Number 12: Final Fantasy 3

Now, this is where things get hard for me because, aside from 2, every entry has a lot to offer and has a lot to criticize. I've struggled to put this one here, but only because I feel its negatives are just a bit heavier than its other siblings. This game started one of the best RPG systems that I love for FF: Changing Jobs at any time. The biggest complaint is that while it started this, others perfected it. The story is fairly decent, if not standard. 4 warriors of light journey to protect the crystals. It's just a more in-depth version of the story of FF1. The ultimate thing that kills this game for me is the absurdly difficult final dungeon. It goes from a pretty difficult game to REALLY difficult without you grinding like crazy. So if you want to see the start of the proper job system, check this one out. Otherwise, it's passable

Grade: D+

Number 11: Final Fantasy 12

How mad are some of you right now? I know what some people are thinking: How is this on here before 13?! Hear me out. This is one of, if not, the best looking PS2 games ever made. It's got great Cut Scenes, the character models are great, and the environments and cities all look amazing. So what do I not like about it? Nearly everything else about this game. You have 2 main party members who are completely pointless. The gameplay can be tweaked, even a lot of the bosses, to where you don't even have to touch your controller. People can say 13 plays itself, but 12 literally can. Aside from Balthazar, every character in this game lacks charisma, or any strong traits at all for that matter. The license board is a poor idea as well, I have to get permission to equip a feathered hat? If not for the spectacle of this game it'd be lower for me. A lot of people like this one, but I say skip it.

Grade: C-

Number 10: Final Fantasy 13

Even to this day, this is a gorgeous game and a shining example of 7th gen graphics. So, how did it get here? This is one of the most divisive games in the franchise. The positives of the game? An interesting take on the job system, gorgeous visuals, and really well voice acted. The paradigm shift mechanic is pretty neat, and it's what makes it more involved than 12's combat system. The negative aspects? Again, I have to say: Everything else. With the game being mostly just hallways, one of the most unlikable casts in franchise history, as well as my least favorite character period. Looking at you, Hope! The story itself isn't bad and has some nice ideas. The cast at least feels connected to the plot as well. These very small and minor things are what put it above 12 for me. Another one that if you're not a hardcore fan, you should pass

Grade: C

Number 9: Final Fantasy 15

This is the game that I struggle with the most to place, but I feel like it can't sit anywhere else on this list. While this game started as a spinoff, it developed into a full-fledged entry. Due to a troubled development cycle, this is one of the most flawed games of the series. A lot of these flaws were kind of ironed out in subsequent patches and DLCs, but upon release, this game was barely more than mid. Needless to say, the game is beautiful, with the best summon spectacles in franchise history. A mediocre story, with a small but honestly great cast of guys, keeps this from being any lower, but not good enough to get higher. If it weren't for the absolute slog that is the back half of the game, this would definitely rate higher on my list. It's definitely worth a playthrough if you're into Final Fantasy.

Grade: C

Number 8: Final Fantasy

The game that started it all. Admittedly, from a technical, storytelling, and graphical standpoint, the previous games were better than this, but I just couldn't bring myself to not take its legacy into consideration. The gameplay is simplistic, the narrative is barely there, and there's so many things that have been improved on. Despite all of that, there's still this aura about the game knowing not only did it revolutionize RPGs on consoles, but started the juggernaut that is this franchise. While it may be antiquated by today's sensibilities, and many will find it hard to go back to, I can't help but recommend that people should at least get eyes on this, just to see how far the series has come. So, for nostalgia sake, I recommend checking this one out.

Grade: C+

Number 7: Final Fantasy 8

We now are at my least favorite of what I refer to as: The Classics. For a PS1 game, this game looked amazing, a running theme admittedly, and has what is one of my favorite systems in an RPG game ever, the Junction System. This system is also, what ultimately leads to its downfall. This is by far the easiest game in the franchise. With enemies always being your level, to the awesome powers your GFs get, and the sheer exploitative nature of the Junction system leads to a cakewalk of a game. If the story was better, or if it had a likable MC, this game would be so much higher. Squall is just so unlikable. Even after he "grows," he still just comes off unappealing to me. With the story just going from "Let's fight this sorceress!" to "Now let's fight another sorceress who's from the moon!" and finally,"Let's fight ANOTHER sorceress…from the future!". The game is just inconsistent. I hate to love it, it's got Triple Triad for God's sake, and I recommend this one.

Grade: B

Number 6: Final Fantasy 4

Now, a lot of problems I have with 8's story are present in this game as well. It's "Gotta protect these 4 crystals!" To "Oh no, we failed but there's 4 more crystals we have to get, but in the underworld!" to finally "We gotta get those OTHER crystals…from the moon!". Coupled with the 3 or 4 instances of "Hey we got an airship! Oh it got destroyed, but we got a new one!". Combined with the constant coming and going/deaths of multiple party members, this game just feels like it's jumping through hoops to tell, admittedly, a good story of redemption and accepting your past. With likable characters and good twists and turns in the narrative. These factors are what puts it over 8 for me, despite it having a much more basic gameplay.

Grade: B

Number 5: Final Fantasy 6

We have now entered the hallowed Top 5! Here on out, there's not going to be a lot of negatives to really complain about. With a very diverse cast of characters, several with their own mechanics, one of the greatest villains in gaming history and with one of the most iconic sounds in gaming, there's a lot to love here. So what puts it below the others? That honestly boils down to me not playing it when I was a kid, so I don't have as much nostalgia for it. This is one of the greatest SNES games of all time, and should be experienced by everyone. It has a great story, memorable fights, and one of the most memorable scenes in gaming: the opera. Combine all of this with amazing sprites, cool old school effects, being able to suplex a train, there's no reason anyone should not play this. Especially since the pixel remaster is out, I can't recommend this one enough.

Grade: A

Number 4: Final Fantasy 7

And in this corner we have the towering behemoth known as Final Fantasy 7. A dynasty unto itself. With multiple spinoffs, animes, a big budget CGI movie, and so much other merchandise. It's not really hard to see why so many people love this game. I know for myself, this was my first RPG proper, that I played. With amazing cut scenes, for its time, the charming, if not silly, Lego style sprites, to the bombastic story, and its now iconic cast of characters, including another of the most notable villains in gaming. This game has had more of an impact than any other entry in this franchise, and it shows with the recent full blown remake on modern day consoles. While it may have garnered an "overrated" status by a lot of people these days, and it does have its flaws, such as the poor translation being a highlight, there's just always been something special about this game for me. It was my first JRPG love and maybe that has blinded me, but hey, I've had more than my share of fun, so who cares. Very much recommended.

Grade: A

Number 3: Final Fantasy X

This game may have gotten this high due to my own cherished memories of playing this with my, now deceased, brother. That being said, I feel its placement is also justified by the game itself. With one of the strongest casts, an interesting leveling system in the sphere grid, being the first fully voice casted, looking absolutely stunning, and one of the best stories in the series. This game was the peak of turn- based combat, with the ability to switch members on the fly, each character's weapons having unique advantages against certain enemies, and the ability to manage your turn order with certain spells and abilities. Hell, I even like Blitzball, but to hell with the lightning dodging minigame. I'm also a sucker for a more jovial protagonist, rather than the broody ones the series has mostly consisted of. Easily one of the most emotional games in the series, and it comes with a big recommendation.

Grade: A+

Number 2: Final Fantasy 9

Hands down my favorite protagonist and cast of characters in the entire series, save for a certain red headed monk stand in. There's not really any negatives I can pick out, although some may find the art style a turn off, though I do not. With a fun system of learning skills from equipment, and the character all harking back to the classic jobs, such as Zidane is a Thief and Freya is a Dragoon, it feels like a love letter to the classic Final Fantasy games, after years of the more kinda Sci Fi fantasy style. With a more whimsical, yet still mature enough story, this game embodies everything that Final Fantasy games stood for, for so long. For the longest time this was my favorite in the mainline series, but several years ago I went on a journey through the entire franchise, and I found a new king. Being as it's the only one left, it's obvious which one I'm referring to.

Grade: A+

Number 1: Final Fantasy 5

Here it is, the big winner, FF5. Now I'll be the first to admit that the gameplay plays a huge part in this decision. Now that's not to say that that's the only merit for it, far from it. With one of the most adorable scenes in the franchise, where everyone is enamored by a party member's sleeping face, a great recurring boss, to the best death out of all the games, yes even better than Aerith's. Combine all of that, with the best implementation of the job system outside of Tactics, which I am an absolute sucker for, it makes for my game to play in the whole series. Discovering this game for the first time was something, as it was not available in the states till its release in the ps1, which was not the best port,I didn't play it till the Steam release. If you like Final Fantasy Tactics, this is an absolute must play. If I could only pick one to play ever again this is mine.

Grade: S

[lyssafreyguy]

i have thoughts about YIIK. nothing crazy deep it's just that i'm almost 13 hours in now at chapter 3 level 21 and i've been spending this whole time ragging on the game? deservedly so? but i also have some positive and mixed opinions towards it too and i wanna write them down in no particular order! (full transparency: i'm playing vers 1.25, with assist mode on so i can use the game's slow down mechanic whenever i want in battles, i have the sort of elemental weakness/resist system added in 1.25 turned off, and i'm sure some of the things i have to say will have to do with whether or not YIIK had the proper funds and time to achieve what i think could be done better but i have no knowledge on how that shit works. what do you want from me.)

i like the sort of low polygon/flat textures plastered on lumpy geometry/choppy frame rate style of the game's overall aesthetic and the character art for the different talk sprites is generally pretty well done (could've maybe used less gradient tool tho)

going off of that tho: the game's start menu has a references page that lists media that YIIK might either directly reference, make homages to, or have been at the very least inspired by and while that's nice and makes sense with the game's pseudo-retro feel i have this feeling that there wasn't that deep of an understanding about what makes of the media they listed like. good? and impactful? it just feels kinda surface level.

the music is also pretty alright! like i said i'm only at chapter 3 (so i've been to Flag Town and met up with Claudio and Chondra) but so far i haven't really heard a piece that i didn't at least passively enjoy (fun fact: there's different battle themes and one of them is done by Toby Fox! i've known about YIIK for a couple of years now but didn't actually know this until recently and i'm delighted to report that you hear it and go "oh yea that's Toby.")

voice acting is alright. it's passable. no particular character that i felt so far has been way better than all the others. like i said before tho sound mixing and levels and mic quality vary between characters and sometimes even between lines of dialogue? also Alex's internal dialogue (infamously) goes on longer than it needs to be a good chunk of the time considering this is an RPG and not a visual novel but also there would be pauses of up to like 5 seconds between lines on autoplay?? and it felt like the most awkward pause ever??? i haven't noticed that happening since chapter 1 ended tho so who fucking knows. i'm playing a pirated copy who gives a shit i guess. (on the Alex Doesn't Know How to Shut the Fuck Up point: this version of the game gives you an option at the beginning to play the game with reduced monologue but the original cut option is described as "ideal for those seeking a deeper understanding of the storyline" so like. FUCK your players who don't wanna hear Alex whack his own dick I GUESS.)

there've been a few lines of dialogue so far where i hear them and go "what was the fucking point of you saying that?"- same goes for some sections of player interaction (Alex talking amongst multiples of himself in his head after certain cutscenes not just being an automated event being the biggest thorn in my side)

i LOVE Rory being a tank character. his default pacifism "attack" making him a human shield along with his skill that lets him swap his HP and SP for when his health gets too low while defending the party is genuinely such a good combo. i'm looking at the vers 1.25 announcement made on steam and this is apparently a result of them improving Rory's "usefulness in battle" so you know what? good on the developers. i gotta tentatively give it to em on that one.

i don't mind everything in battles (from melee to skills to dodging) being QTEs but i don't like that there's never a window of time or a tutorial when you first go about using them so that you can get a feel for how they work ESPECIALLY for skills that require you to hit multiple buttons/sections and ESPECIALLY at the very beginning of the game. i think the game could've also benefited by having some accessibility settings.

speaking of i like that there's 2 separate QTE minigames for dodging - for attacks to only target one character and for attacks that target multiple characters - but in my experience the former is a lot hard to get a full on dodge rather than a defense buff without the slow down mechanic and i honestly don't know how to feel about it. like i'm sure that some players out there have a much harder time with the former or have an equally hard time with both but. still.

[yandere-sins]

hey! hope you're having a nice day so far! I'm super super sick right now so was wondering... how would a yandere dazai (mafia or ada whatever version you like to write more) deal with a super sickly/bedridden darling? would he even do a passable job at taking care of them or would he make it worse?

Oh noes! I hope you’re feeling better soon >-< Drink lots of tea and take naps!! Thanks for requesting, hope you enjoy it ♥

»»————-———— ♡ ————————-««

♡ Even though you usually sulk and give him the cold shoulder unless you are trying to reason with him or want something from him, he can tell right away when you’re getting sick. No matter how much you try to hide a cough or sniffle, he can see it in your eyes that you’re worn out. Once he touches you, he feels you burning up under his hands, even if you pretended everything was okay. Dazai thought he could keep you safe from almost everything by keeping you holed up in his apartment, tending to you as he shields you from the world. But giving you a kiss was way too tempting even though he had a bit of a cough a few days ago, no matter how short-lived the affection was since you pushed him away. He has to take all the chances he can get with you. Still, he wouldn’t change a thing about the past, still thinking about how cute you were, all flustered and getting mad at him for doing that. It’s just too good to forget, completely worth it to get you a little - very - sick.

♡ Many factors go into making sure you stay healthy as he keeps you locked up, but the only one he outright tells you as he pushes you to go back to bed is, “Can’t have you die without me!” You know that this morbidity is a part of Dazai, and still, it creeps you out. Telling him you can take care of yourself is useless, and you are overpowered by him bringing his blanket to wrap you up warm and nice. He promised to be on the side that helps people, so if he can’t help you recover, then really, what good would he be? All the effort he went through to be with you, Dazai can’t just let them be ruined by a cold or maybe the flu. Tugging you in tightly, he admires you for a bit as you lie there, wrapped like a burrito and burning up with fever, absolutely adorable. Your cheeks are puffy, and occasionally, you shiver. So helpless, needy, and dependant on him to take care of you, you are nothing short but the most wonderful being he has ever encountered. Now more than ever. You probably can’t hear it as he tells you he’ll be right back with medicine, brushing some hair from your forehead before giving you a quick kiss goodbye on the new free space and leaving quietly as to not disturb you.

♡ To hear the pharmacist say what a good boyfriend he is after he told them he’s taking care of his sick partner absolutely is a gigantic boost to his ego. Thanks to that, Dazai stocks up on groceries and beverages on his way home, determined to get you back on track with some homemade soup and teas. He’s almost too excited for your taste, waking you up from your sleep the moment he comes home and telling you all about what he’s done and is planning to do for you. But first: medicine. It’s extremely hard for you to check what he’s giving you since Dazai barely has any limits on how much he wants to provide you with to get you healthy in no time. “If it’s too much,” he says, “I could take the other dosage, and we can meet in our next lives.” Given, that’s enough to do your damn best to sit up and look through what he brought yourself. You’re gracious enough to let him help you sit up, but you refuse any and all medicine he’s giving you, sorting through them yourself even though it’s hard. Better than accidentally dying, though, you decide.

♡ Admittedly, he did sulk a little that you wouldn’t let him feed you the pills and hold you as you take sips of water. Perhaps, in his imagination, you’re a little more bedridden than you really are, not actually needing that much help from him. Taking care of you is getting to his head noticeably, but after taking some medication, you lay down again, turning around and letting him wrap you in blankets again with a sigh before taking another short nap. It’s not exactly what he wanted, but good enough. At least he gets to stay by your side for a while, cuddling with your wrapped up back since you don’t have the strength nor the will to push him away for once. Dazai is undoubtedly pleased to receive what he thinks is your affection, secretly wishing you could stay sick for a while longer so he’d have you all to yourself. Nevertheless, after hugging you tightly, he gets up. There’s soup waiting to be prepared after all.

♡ You awake a second time as Dazai shakes your shoulder and coos your name, already feeling a little bit better but in no condition to say you were cured. It’s actually a surprise that Dazai went through with the idea of cooking soup, and again, he helps you up but vehemently refuses to hand over the spoon he’s holding. With a grin, he scoops up some of the broth, blowing on it happily before carrying it to your lips. At least he’s patient as you look at him as if he had lost his mind - which you didn’t doubt in the least - asking him to just let you eat the soup. But Dazai stays stubborn until you give in, letting him feed you the slowly getting colder soup. Admittedly, it’s so good, you are inclined to ask if he actually made it himself or bought it from the restaurant around the corner, but every time you want to ask something, another spoon is swept into your mouth. You struggle to keep up Dazai’s feeding tempo as he keeps supplying you with delicious yet hot soup. No more than halfway through the bowl, you start to refuse to eat again, feeling exhausted and full. Still, Dazai keeps going to the point where soup is going everywhere as you two can’t agree on whether you should eat it or not. Soup landing all over your pajamas, Dazai’s eyes begin to sparkle with the new opportunities, and all you can do is sigh as you are inspecting the mess.

♡ It’s terribly overbearing as he helps you into the bathtub, but at the same time, it helps to have someone to hold on to as you struggle to move your aching body. Though your body greatly appreciates the hot water and herbs that Dazai put into them, you’re almost too exhausted for the bath. However, baths and water are more topics of concern ever since the suicidal Dazai kidnapped you. So the best you can do is force yourself to stay awake and try to relax. Luckily, after asking him multiple times, he finally leaves you alone to soak, but you see him standing in front of the bathroom door, waiting for you to finish with new clothes in his hand. The day is certainly getting better for him as he gets to put his clothes on you, praising himself as he does about how good he is at taking care of you. Raising to your eye level, he seems to be waiting for something, but when you furrow your brows tiredly, he just grins before helping you get back to bed. Dazai really wanted a well-done kiss, but maybe it was too early for that, he decided. Perhaps once you are healthy again, you’ll realize all the efforts and accept him as he is, even with his flaws and all the things he did to you.

♡ Finally, after taking some more pills, you are ready to let the day pass you by, settling back in bed with Dazai by your side to, once again, tug you in. He sits by your side no matter how often you tell him he doesn’t have to. It would be easier to sleep without his eyes on you, but he happily ignores your passive-aggressiveness in favor of staying with you. It takes a bit longer for you to fall asleep, but at least he got to watch you all this time, sitting next to you. There’s nothing much left to do. He took the whole day off to be by your side, so that’s precisely what he will do. Laying down, he may not have a blanket or a pillow left, having given it all to his darling, but just being with you like this, peacefully and accomplished after taking care of you, he’s filled with an unusual satisfaction. The next day you might already feel better, but he’ll do it all over again. Though maybe, he will have you beg him to take care of you some more instead of just complying. The image of you with your hazed gaze asking him to please bring you a glass of water is making his whole body tingling. To be needed and wanted definitely gives him a rush, enough so that he can’t sleep all night, waiting for you to wake up and ask him to help you more than he already did. Imagine the surprise when you do wake up in the middle of the night, his eyes staring down at you unblinking and lips slowly curling into a smile as he waits for your request.

[dwtsfun]

Dancing with the Stars Season 31 Week 1: Same Show, Different Platform

Hey everyone! We are back for season 31 on Disney+. We have Conrad Green back as executive producer and Tyra has a new cohost, Alfonso!. Judges are still the same, but they never change. Now a lot of you have been asking my for some thoughts about all of the changes. I guess I'll start out by addressing those. That seems to be appropriate. Let's start with Conrad.

I cannot believe that I'm saying this, but it's nice to have him back. It's nice to hear the full name of both the pro and the celeb. I'm feel the energy of the show has shifted back to what it once was. It was going down a weird path for awhile and Monday night felt familiar and comforting. I love the intro pose before the dance. It's a modernized version of what they used to do back in the day and I missed that so much. I do wish he could've brought the stairs back, but we can't have it all.

For the hosts, I think Tyra and Alfonso were fantastic together. They already know each other and have worked together in the past (Fresh Prince), so it wasn't awkward for them to bounce off of one another. As someone said, Tyra seemed to be a lot more relaxed now that she didn't have to shoulder the responsibility of hosting the entire show. And Alfonso is just a natural. There were a few issues but that was backroom stuff and I'll talk about that a little later.

I enjoyed the troupe dancing. It was a nice and welcome break from the main events of the show.

Now, I think we have to talk about the lack of commercials. The reason that I am so late getting this up is because so much happened in 2 hours with no break that I was kinda over DWTS for the night. Tyra and Alfonso did well, but that was a marathon for them. They literally had no chance to just sit and breathe. At least commercials give some reprieve to the hosts (whether it was Tom, Samantha, Brooke, Erin, Lisa, Tyra or Alfonso). We also saw the control room seemed to mess up a few times with scoring and getting all that updated. Even though they could make that mistake at any time, it is important for them to have that down time so that they can update things to feed to Tyra as the show goes on. I'm not sure how they can rectify this, but something needs to be done to give everyone a breather. The pace of Monday night is not sustainable for an entire season.

And finally, the week 1 elimination. I didn't like it. I think it was the right couple that left, but I wish it had been week 2 or maybe even give us one special results show on Tuesday. Make it a two day premiere. That being said, I liked that Jason and Peta had time to say good-bye and the cast could go hug them and all of that. Okay, now recap time.

Jordin and Brandon- Cha-cha (Score=26)- This was really good. I thought it should've been straight 7s. And upon my second viewing, I was right. It was a very strong week 1 dance and a great way to start the night. Jordin has some really great lines and her technique is actually quite good when she hits everything correctly. I think she was a little uncomfortable. There were moments where it felt like she wasn't quite finishing all the moves right in the middle of the dance. Things started to blend. But nonetheless, a great dance.

Sam and Cheryl- Foxtrot (Score=20)- I thought this dance was fine. It wasn't particularly bad. It wasn't all that great either. It was passable. I feel like the song probably caused them more problems. It didn't lend itself well to the smoothness of a foxtrot. Sam has some potential though. That is the one thing I got from this dance. And based on the other 20s, it probably could've gotten a point or two higher.

Heidi and Artem- Cha-cha (Score=24)- I was surprised at how well Heidi handled this dance. I wasn't really expecting much because I don't know much about her and she's not a celeb celeb. But she did really well. Her legs are really nice. Her arms are pretty good too. I do think she needs to do a better job of projecting when she dances and really hitting her moves harder. I'm starting to realize that Artem has the same issues with his partners that Tony used to have.

Daniel and Britt- Tango (Score=27)- Daniel really shocked me. The confidence that he exuded was kinda hot, not gonna lie. And he handled Britt's choreo really well. His arm kinda gets funky and his legs need some more work. The potential is there and like Jordin, I think he probably should've had straight 7s.

Jessie and Alan- Cha-cha (Score=20)- Well, this dance was a mess. Jessie had basically no technique. Her legs and feet were atrocious. But she knows how to perform and mostly stayed on time. I'm not sure how much potential is there, but we shall see as the season goes on. Alan might make some miracle happen with her. I mean I though Lauren Alaina was a no hoper when she was on.

Teresa and Pasha- Tango (Score=20)- As many of you know, Teresa was one of the people I was excited to see. But this dance was a bit of a let down for me. I could tell she was extremely nervous and dancing definitely doesn't seem to come easy for her. However, I see something there and I want Pasha to tap into it. What she did wasn't bad (other than her frame). It's just what she didn't do. The Housewives fanbase really doesn't translate well to DWTS so I'm not shocked that she ended up in the bottom 2. I think the only Housewife that was pretty much safe up until the week she left was Nene.

Wayne and Witney- Cha-cha (Score=29)- Just as I expected, Wayne was explosive. Witney gave him a great dance and it was so amazing to watch. I do think he needs to clean up some of his technique, but it was great. I'm shocked he didn't get more than one 8. I thought it for sure deserved at least two. I'm really excited for these two. And I don't think I've said this before, but Witney is definitely one of my favorite pros. She's such a star and so good at what she does.

Cheryl and Louis- Cha-cha (Score=21)- First of all, welcome back Louis. Now, Cheryl might've been my biggest surprise of the night. I 100% agreed with CAI. I think she could've handled more than Louis gave her. They played it a bit safe, but she definitely has the goods and she can move. And knowing Louis, I know that's a critique he wants to hear. As for the dance itself, it was good. I wanted more hip action but she really did everything well. I really wanna see her do a ballroom dance. She's got the elegance and lyricism to pull off a gorgeous dance.

Vinny and Koko- Salsa (Score=17)- First, welcome to the show Koko! Now, the judges were way too harsh on them for this dance. Was it great? No. Was it good? No. But, Vinny has potential. I think the dance actually would've been better if Vinny hadn't been so nervous. He forgot things and he kinda got lost. But he performed it well and there were moments when I saw him hit the moves he was supposed to, when he was supposed to. I think a few things need to happen to help these two out. First, I want Koko to simplify the routines from now on. Vinny is not super skilled, so throwing everything into one dance will not work out for him. It's a rookie mistake, so I understand why she did it. Idk if she is doing this next thing, but I'd like for her to take Vinny to the side at least once before they dance, reassure him and calm him down. He was clearly hyped up when they got out there and he needs to come back down to really get these dances down.

Shangela and Gleb- Salsa (Score=28)- Shangela killed this. This was actually my favorite dance of the night. First of all, this is the best Gleb US choreography that I've seen from him. Shangela also really killed this dance. She was fierce. She was confident. She had rhythm and hips. It was a great time. Now, I need them to reign it back in a little bit. It started to get a little wild from time to time and that will create problems in the future. That's my biggest critique.

Trevor and Emma- Quickstep (Score=21)- Interesting dance. They sold it to us like he was going to be one of the worst dancers ever on DWTS. And then it was actually ok. I'm not sure why that was the case. Now it was kind of wild and there were a lot of technical issues. But it wasn't the disaster they were preparing us for. Again, weird.

Gabby and Val- Jive (Score=28)- The judges gushed over this dance and I found that to be very suspicious. Was it good? Yes. But there were a lot of issues. First, she had Bambi legs going on a little bit. And I also thought that her kicks were lacking. They didn't retract the way that they should've. She can dance though. I definitely think she's gonna be good.

Joseph and Daniella- Jive (Score=23)- Joseph killed this dance. Ain't no way I was expecting him to be this good and light on his feet and flexible, considering how muscular he is. Daniella is an amazing teacher and choreographer. Now, his feet were eyesores and there are some other things. But man, this guy is actually someone that could become a contender.

Jason and Peta- Cha-cha (Score=18)- This just wasn't a good dance. And there was nothing that Jason could've done to save it. He's just not a good dancer and that's okay. As soon as I saw him counting out loud, I knew he was gonna be in trouble. That is never a good sign for anyone. He was eliminated though, so we don't have to worry about fixing any of his problems anymore.

Selma and Sasha- Viennese Waltz (Score=28)- This dance was beautiful. It was a true moment. I really loved it and Selma did such a great job with everything. I enjoyed Sasha's choreography. It was good. I do worry about how Latin will be for her, but I feel like her ballroom dances will always be really nice to watch.

Charli and Mark- Cha-cha (Score=32)- Welcome back Mark! This dance was good. Really good. I expected that though. I don't have much to really say though. I liked it and I like Charli more than I thought I would. I would like to tell everyone though to be prepared for a "shocking" elimination involving her. She's young and her fanbase is young. They're usually fickle. Not sure how it's gonna be on Disney+, but you all need to prepare yourselves. She's got "shocking elimination" written all over her and I do not want to sit here and talk about ad nauseum if it does happen. I just want to get that out the way.

So that's it. This took forever to write. I think I'm going to figure out a different way to do this next week. Recapping 15 dances is not fun. This is another reason why I didn't want more than 13 couples in a season. It makes blogging about it a much more tedious task. Let me know you all's thoughts and I will talk to you soon!

[mermaidsirennikita]

I like the 1995 P&P version for some stuff (especially adore Jennifer Ehle in it because she's just very cute to me as Elizabeth), but I feel like another thing the 2005 movie benefits from is the addition of a good soundtrack. BBC miniseries now have passable soundtracks, but the 1995 miniseries is SO quiet and relies so much on dialogue, and I get it, it's a very "by the book" period adaptation, but the 2005 movie being more dramatic with its score and scenes and dialogue aren't just preferred but necessary to the screentime it's given as a movie vs as a miniseries (not to mention the obvious differences in budgets between the two).

Also, maybe its me being introduced to Austen in the first place through the 2005 movie, but all the "Purists" who go on and on about good vs bad adaptations can be ridiculous. I'm not saying everyone has to accept anything for their favorite book/author, but you can easily just say you prefer something without trashing another adaptation, especially when the 2005 movie brought in so much more attention to P&P and Austen in general. Sure, her works were known before this, but with the exception of the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma movie and Clueless, they never got such a widespread and famous release that would even go on to influence how other period drama movies would be made. The very least people can do is give credit where it's due with this movie.

Oh yes, the score is fabulous for 2005 and very meh for 1995. It's so important, too. Imagine the way the impact of the 2005 version would be lessened if you didn't have the score when Darcy is walking across the meadow. I definitely think that 2005 is a more dramatic beast than 1995 ever tried to be, but perhaps when 1995 was released in a serialized way it hit harder than it does when I binge it.

I think the thing that bugs me is that I get 1995 OR 2005 not being for people, but it's the way 1995 fans sometimes treat 2005 as like.... being offensive or like ~a mockery~ of Austen's work. Like, it's just an adaption. And for that matter, by the standards of it being an adaptation... it's a good one. Just as 1995 is a good adaptation, even if it's not a production that I like.

It's very snobby, too, in the way I see some people uplifting one over the other bc one is by the beeb and the other is a Hollywood-backed movie starring Elizabeth Swann, which is often popular among young girls.

[bearpillowmonster]

Horizon Zero Dawn Review

The game that critics have been raving about for years and I just haven't played. I heard a lot of people say "this needs a movie" but they say that about any game that dares to be a little bit cinematic because I personally disagree.

That first part is rough, the story seems so in your face, predictable and bland but I think the problem is that it didn't know how to put in its exposition. I think it naturally builds up as it goes on, getting bigger and broader, it's just those first experiences that can be a slog because you're pretty much learning what style you're going to play in.

I got more or less everything I expected, crafting, a skill tree, various weapons. What I didn't expect though are dialogue options. You can choose normally up to four paths, an intelligent one, a compassionate one, and a straightforward one. You don't have to worry about the stress of trying to reach a specific ending because there's really only one, the only thing that affects it is the amount of people that are in it. So does that make the choices irrelevant? Yes and no because there are different dialogue options and like I said, which means that you can get certain characters to like you more given the option you choose but not in the same way that relationship points work and I definitely felt the draw to do that whenever I came across my first side-quest.

Side-quests are interesting, I love tracking things in games, though it's rare that you actually get the chance to do it and here you have a good amount of opportunities. Is that all though? Far from it. I actually found myself searching for side-quests because the first two were so satisfying. It really only began to show its hand a bit more after those quests. As I mentioned, there are a lot more RPG elements than I first imagined but it starts to send you on scavenger hunts, especially that Dreamwillow one, that one I actually laughed out loud at every time I was turned away. It also starts to gatekeep to where it recommends that you be a certain level which is...odd? I mean at face value it looks like you could rock basically any combat situation that isn't context sensitive. Leveling up gives you abilities but they're more like Deus Ex on that front, where it's just for preference and upgrading, not necessarily strength. The only thing you improve on offense wise basically boils down to having the right materials or units to buy weapons then a matter of finding modifications. Other than that, leveling up seems to just increase your health. It really just depends on the quest too because I'll play one above my level and be fine then play another that's actually under my level and feel stuck.

Now I only played it on normal mode so something like "Ultra Hard" is bound to be more demanding but as far as actual side quest content, I feel like they have potential but just need tweaked, give me more stuff for major characters that affects their standing with me. Rather than having each quest be contained in its own story, have it affect you later in the game, let your actions be shown, give it rewards and consequences. There are some really great side-quests but there are also some crappy ones, it doesn't pass that threshold that most RPGs fall under or anything. However, I did find myself doing side-quests at my own free will and the ones that I didn't like or couldn't do at the time, I just skipped and focused on something else, I felt a lot more freedom with this game, like I didn't feel forced to grind or do a certain number of side-quests or really do anything. It encourages you to explore and play the way you want to play and I respect the heck out of that. Maybe it's different for other players though.

Perhaps my favorite actual side thing was the Cauldrons for those who actually played this, you'll know why. For those who didn't, just know that it's cool and let it be a surprise for when you go to one. You might expect these big set-pieces and bosses like Uncharted or GoW, but it's not really like that. I genuinely think that this is more video-gamey than it lets on which certainly takes up its runtime. One addition to side-quests that I would like to see is one where you don't know it's happening. For example, in this game, you'll come across random hunters who are attacking or being attacked by machines but rather than just going on about your day and them going on about their's, I want to fight off the machine and the person say "You saved my life, my name's Jara, I live in the town nearby and want to repay you." so you go there and there's trouble so it starts up a side-quest. Now don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of instances of people getting attacked actually being a mission but most of the time someone in town will just tell you "I haven't seen this person in a while, can you go check on them for me?" It's the art of subtlety and also just doing a good deed and getting rewarded for it. It's a conscious choice and split decision rather than just another checkmark on your list to complete.

Now I won't bother listing the characters and rating them but there's a certain aspect that has me really enthused So, Aloy is an outcast and a lot of these side missions and scenarios reflect her, you'll see the way she can relate with other characters, making it almost poetic in a subliminal kind of way. Then they add this tribal and futuristic setting to it where Aloy acts as the medium, there are parts of the game where she questions the tribe because they cut themselves off from technology and just don't know any better and we as a viewer know that but having the main character view things in 'our' lens is pretty genius. To top that off, they give her enough personality to be her own character while giving us enough power to influence her so that we ourselves can REFLECT WITH HER. It's not her character that I'm impressed with, it's the layout of the story.

So, how is the main story? It's kind of like the Flood scenario in Halo if I'm being honest. I'm not going to spoil anything but it's passable, like I said, it's not like an Uncharted and it's not like a movie. The visuals just look good at times (I took all the pictures in this review myself and so much more!). I'd call it a futuristic/tribal mix between Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Skyrim but I see elements of a lot of things. (Also since it's post apoctalypic, you find items that we see in modern day, like how they call keys, "chimes"! They think they're windchimes because there are no more cars! I love that!)

It actually does a pretty good job at being an open world considering that there are tons of things to do on your routes as well as collect but it's not so much so that it seems unfeasible, as I said, I found myself doing a good chunk of the side stuff just because it was fun to do and I'm not even close to a completionist for any game. If you mess up, healing plants will still be there. As long as you save, enemy parts will still be there. A place can be cleared out and conquered so that enemies don't come back. The actual towns are peaceful so you can't get mangled by any bots outside of scripted instances.

The graphics are pretty good but I can see some error here and there, nothing necessarily game breaking but the animations and AI are definitely janky at times. It's pretty obvious from the get-go but I'll do my best to specify and give constructive criticism on what I found wrong with certain aspects of the game. Rost is slow, like slower than walking speed but that's not to speak for all NPCs, some run, some you don't need to follow, it was really just him. I've had NPCs who fight but miss every single time on simple enemies (that might not be a bug, that might just be a funny bit that someone decided to add in). Sabretooths have jumped through walls (granted the walls were kinda broken but I'm not sure if those big boys can fit when they can barely find the entrance) I found myself jumping to a ledge or on a rope but not land it and just drop (it really boils down to loosening the hit box for that). Which to add on to that, I would like more places to climb and jump to in general (other than stupid mountains). I felt like there wasn't really enough that I could climb and the places that I could, could've been a bit more obvious that I could, maybe even make it viewable with your focus if you don't want it to be visually outstanding. There's a day and night cycle and while I like that, I found some of the contrast to be annoying because I could be staring a ladder right in the face and not even know it sometimes because it would be so dark. I'm not going to complain too much about it because I didn't turn my brightness up, I just left it at default and I would assume the PS5 version fixes some of those little things.

Now, this one is kind of a gray area: Hiking up mountains. Skyrim, Fallout, and Death Stranding went too far and gave little to no barriers. They had you looking for sweet spots that weren't there in order to cheese your way through an area either on or off a beaten path. But I would compare this to something like GTA where it's not as bad and does have its limits but might need tightened up some more because I can certainly get to places that lead to nowhere.

I've made headshots that don't make contact or damage while using precision. Part of that problem was that they could be high up in a tower (which have spikes sticking out) and I would hit ABOVE the logs, to make a headshot but since it was in that vicinity, it registered that as the spikes' hitbox so it wouldn't cause any damage and just alert the enemy (same if I was in the tower, looking down). Input lag where I hit up button on the D-Pad to regain health and I have to keep pressing it. If I had to guess, you have to meet the requirements of not taking damage, staying still, etc in order for it to actually work but it doesn't really have a reason to do that and it doesn't "tell" you that those are the requirements (as far as I know).

During the final boss, one of the enemies hit me into a rock wall, trapping me inside of it and the boss was already half health so I really didn't want to have to restart (I also didn't know how far back the checkpoint was) so I kept shooting stuff and eventually the boss destroyed the wall, allowing me to get out (timed section, by the way). There have been a few times where a tree or leaf or something is obstructing a cutscene and sometimes there will be a mech in the background screaming over the NPC talking, which I'm sure is due to the cutscenes being real-time which is still pretty impressive. Now are these errors all the time? No, not at all, I'm just pointing out that some times these things happened and that I felt it needed ironed out but I wouldn't call this half baked or an unfinished product or anything, it's nowhere near that level. I get that there are so many NPCs that it's hard to account for them all with facial animations but whenever they're talking, it seems pretty static and sometimes the lips don't line up. There's this one guy who says that he got lost in a sandstorm but he's standing in snow. Again, little nitpicks in an otherwise great game.

Now, I got this game for free as a Playstation promotion but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be great, I played a little bit of that Ratchet & Clank reboot that was offered and I wasn't impressed, I quit after the first few worlds and was glad I didn't buy it at launch, (despite being a classic PS2 R&C fan) but we're not here to review that. I also played Abzu and loved it but it was short so it was definitely worth a play but maybe not 60$ (I actually think it's 20$ at this point though). With this game, it's the whole complete edition with DLC and everything, it has the length, so it really just boils down to "Would I have spent money on it otherwise?"

I think I would've if I knew more about it because I think it just got better and better after that first part of the game. It's marketed a bit differently than what I ended up getting but I found myself pouring hours into this game and loving it for one reason or another. I actually bought Shadow of the Colossus along with it (which is considered a cult classic) but I liked Horizon so much better, definitely worth its full price in my opinion. (So your promotion worked on me Sony, congrats) It has its problems but the potential is there and I feel like a sequel would probably iron out a lot of my troubles with it, so it's definitely a franchise worth investing into.

If you're interested in what I thought of the DLC alone (if you didn't get the Ultimate edition and are wondering if the extra content is worth it) I have a separate post that goes into that here.

[doubleddenden]

I got two games on sale in the PSN store I'd be pretty glad to recommend

Rayman Legends and Ty the Tasmanian Tiger HD

Rayman Legends has the better polish between the two, BUT Ty was an indie game made back all the way in the PS2 and Gamecube era, so obviously there's gonna be an edge for Rayman here. But, both are pretty solid

Rayman Legends is a 2d side scrolling platformer with optional Co Op. I originally had the game for my 360, but time took its course and I lost it. I remember my friends and I playing it together nights after school, and the inevitable descent into maddening laughter as we kept dying over and over.

It still holds up. It's pretty fast paced, flows pretty well, the graphics are gorgeous and wonderfully animated, and the music... mua. So good. It mixes orchestra with. . . Kazoos? Rabid country bumpkin? It's got this real peaceful or real chaotic unhinged vibe to it, and there's even a level that plays to the beat of a game appropriate Black Betty. Not to mention there's TONS of levels, TONS of secrets to find, and TONS of character skins for 4 different characters that pretty much all play the same. It's a fun time, and I can tell you from experience that this game will make you feral but in a good way, especially if you play with friends. A 9/10

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger is a collectathon from circa 2002 ish. I still remember the commercial for it where Sonic, Spyro, and another character I can't remember were wrapped up in bandages in the hospital, all shaking in fear at Ty himself. It actually kickstarted this weird obsession I had with Australia that lasted through my elementary years. There was a few sequels with 2 being my personal favorite, but time also took those from me. Thankfully it's back on modern consoles and pc.

So, Ty is a collectathon. If you've played something like Banjo or Mario, you get the gist. What makes this game different is the setting and overall control style with combat involving various kinds of boomerangs you can make out of cogs OR some you grab via story progression. Well, and you can glide and bite. And you can swim really fast when you're allowed.

So out of the way, the controls are gonna feel a bit off at first, but you get used to it after a bit. I'm fairly sure the controls work better than they did back in the PS2 days, but that may be my imagination. It definitely runs better at 60 fps during gameplay, but there's something kind of off about the new shading in some areas and on some of the models. Again worth noting that some of the models will look rough, because again, it is from 2002.

It's still a pretty game, and once you get the hang of it, it's pretty fun. The levels are gorgeous and fun to explore with all sorts of things hidden here and there. I literally found a sunken ship that I never saw 20 years ago when I last played! I'm pretty fond of Ship Rex, since it gives you lots to explore and it looks good too. I also really like the music, it really reminds me of home even though it's the opposite side if the world from home. It's very down to earth with Australian vibes at times. The voice acting is also pretty passable. Nothing quite Emmy worthy, but it's not terrible at the least. Something new in the HD version are skins! I've been having a ball trying them all out with my favorite being Ty's prototype skin.

Overall I think it's got a lot of soul and a lot to offer if you give it a fair chance. Its cheesy and fun and it captures something pretty unique for its genre. I'd give it a 7.5 or an 8/10. Honestly there's room for improvement but overall I'm just happy to have it back.

Now... to just get Ty 2, 3, and maybe 4 on consoles and a 5th one.