#they give so much hidden lore that is really fun to extract

[psychictimestone]

Infrequent Sonic ('06) facts - Soleanna and its cuisine.

In Soleanna New City you can come across an NPC who will discuss the cuisine of Soleanna. What he reccomends is based on the Hedgehog's campaign and the time in the Campaign. Each foodstuff relates to their hedgehog and their tastes.

Sonic: The Frite sandwhich

Sonic's is the frite sandwhich; it is described as a local junk food favouite, it is made of fish, vegetables and lemon juice inside a bun and is then deep fried. Similar to Sonic's beloved chili dogs they are a fast and easy meal that are easy to enjoy on the run.

Shadow: The Soleannan Crab

Similar to Sonic, Shadow is offered advice on seafood, however. Shadow's is the more refined Soleannan crab. Described as being world-famous due to its juicy meat and intense flavour - turning down a Soleannan crab is said to be akin to turning down a date with Elise herself.

Silver: Soleanna's fruits

Unlike Sonic and Shadow, Silver is instead offered advice on the fruits of Soleanna - perhaps alluding to his love of apples. Of all the fruits, the Soleannan apples are world-famous, decribed as being crispy yet bursting with sweet, flavourful fruit. They are even used in all kinds of Soleannan cooking as a 'hidden flavouring'.

End of the game: Desert

Fitting for the end game, if you visit him again with any hedgehog once you have finished their campaign, the man will tell you about tasty Soleannan deserts including their sorbets made with fresh fruits.

[jurassicparkpodcast]

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Season 3 SPOILER Review!

The Third Season of Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous has arrived – meaning we’re bringing you some more content around the show, including our spoiler thoughts on how the third season did when compared to the first two. If you haven’t seen Camp Cretaceous Season 3 yet then click off this article now, as we are going to be discussing some of the key set pieces in this series which make it by far the best one to be released to date. Let’s get into it!

We’ll start by summarising the third season – and, in particular, it’s story. The story of the Campers attempting to get off of the island whilst uncovering that a terrifying new hybrid has broken loose is interesting, with plenty done to explore more of Isla Nublar and, indeed, the terrifying work which Doctor Henry Wu was doing in the shadows of the former Jurassic World. Although the kids ultimately escape the island, this isn’t without a few interesting sequences sprinkled in throughout – including direct tie-ins to Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, and also hints at the future of Mantah Corp and their research into InGen’s work. The third story feels incredibly well balanced – with lots of fantastic set pieces balanced with meaningful storytelling and interesting characters alongside brand-new dinosaurs. The third season brings us a much more grounded story which aims to fill some of the canonical gaps left by Season Two – creating a story which feels satisfying and fulfilling.

The third season maintains the same cast of characters – with each of them getting plenty of interesting development. Darius, for example, spends some time earlier in the season filling the holes in his notebook – giving us a fun look at a Dilophosaurus drawing indicating he encountered this animal on the island at some point. Kenji struggles with the kids liking him and feels the need to use his wealth to impress them, whilst Sammy worries about what Mantah Corp may have done to her family back home. Each character feels three dimensional in the third season – with some great development showing how they have adapted to their environment. Of note here in particular is the character of Yasmina, who selflessly heads across the island in search on an anti-serum when Sammy is poisoned by the quills on the Scorpios Rex. This animal itself is handled incredibly well – with the kids feeling genuinely in danger at some points throughout the story.

The other dinosaurs in the story are good too – including surprising appearances from both the Ouranosaurus and the Monolophosaurus. These animals do go against the pre-established canon of the island a little bit, with neither of them ever mentioned as being present on Nublar, but it is possible that the prior existing list was only ever intended to reflect the public-facing dinosaurs. These animals get some interesting sequences throughout the story – although there are a lot of the Monolophosaurus at one point in the story. Beyond the small canonical issues here, the only other real issue I had with Season 3 was the fact that the Scorpios was developed before the Indominus Rex. This does retroactively go against a lot of the pre-established timeline in things like the viral marketing – but it is possible that the Scorpios was hidden from existence altogether given it was seen as a failure by Simon Masrani. It is interesting to note that the Scorpios was able to reproduce asexually – suggesting a second E750 which is present in the show was able to grow to maturity incredibly quickly. Perhaps this can be explained by the enhanced growth Bumpy also inherits, however. These small issues aside, Season 3 took big strides to fix my issues with Season 2 of the show – creating a much more well-rounded experience which fits better within the universe of the films.

There were a few moments throughout Season 3 which stood out to me as building on the critiques on Season 2 – the first of which was the Ouranosaurus Attack at the dock as the kids attempt to patch up the damage which Tiff’s boat has sustained. I loved how the ambience in this sequence felt reflective of sequences in both The Lost World novel and in Trespasser – with some fantastic, tense sequences utilising natural fog and darkness to really elevate the stakes and create something which felt darker and scarier in tone than anything beforehand. We don’t often see herbivores as direct threats for the human characters in Jurassic, so the attention to ambience and atmosphere throughout this sequence really helped to make the Ouranosaurus feel more intimidating when they eventually attacked. I also loved how this sequence is later explained as the animals behaviours changing due to the ecosystem being tilted off-balance by the Scorpios Rex – a fun note which perhaps suggests that the Spinosaurus may have had a similar impact on Isla Sorna. This was a really fun sequence and one which I thought was worth highlighting here as I really enjoyed it.

Next up I wanted to talk about a sequence which hits the nostalgia factor and tones it up to eleven – with the pair of Scorpios Rexes hunting the campers through the original Visitor’s Centre. A lot of the sequences in the centre feel very similar to those in 1993’s Jurassic Park – with sequences in the kitchen, in particular, recreating shot-for-shot some of the moments from the kitchen sequence in the first film. I really liked these call-backs as whilst they were quite overt, they felt as though they fitted with the show, and worked incredibly well. I also love how the series initially shows Blue nesting in the Visitor Centre before she heads to the Ford Explorer, as this underpins how much of this animal’s present-day existence is nested in Henry Wu’s past work at Jurassic Park. The Visitor’s Centre is also ultimately destroyed by the Scorpios Rexes during this sequence – with both animals buried by the rubble. Whilst some fans may be upset to see this location destroyed, I loved how it underpins a very core concept moving forwards – highlighting how Henry Wu’s arrogance and continued ignorance in the implications of his science has ultimately destroyed the legacy of the work that both he and John Hammond attempted to do.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that the third season features two bonus episodes – with the final two episodes tying directly into the Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom opening sequence. After Season One of the show, I tweeted one of the writers asking him if there was a chance we’d see reference to this in the future, so seeing this recreated shot-for-shot in the show with the kids watching on as the Indominus sample was extracted was awesome. It was also really cool seeing how Wu’s additional mission was to retrieve his laptop – noting that without it, the work he needed to do on the Indoraptor would take years and not months. This perhaps explains why the animal we see during the Lockwood Manor auction sequence is only a prototype – as Wu ultimately leaves the island without this information. It is interesting seeing some of Wu’s dialogue with Brooklynn throughout these episodes – with the character perhaps showing some small semblance of remorse. Ultimately, however, he leaves the kids on Nublar – reinforcing his status as a character with a questionable moral compass moving into Jurassic World Dominion. I have to admit – the way this tie-in played out was handled masterfully, and I was really happy to see things unfold in the way they did. I genuinely screamed out loud at my screen with happiness at one moment – emphasising how much work went in to nailing this crossover. It’s clear that the team working on Camp Cretaceous went to great lengths to smash the third season – and the result is some fantastic crossover which pays off and builds the lore of Wu’s work in meaningful ways without any of the massive contradictions I was worried these sequences may introduce.

The Series ends with the Campers finally escaping the island – heading off in a repaired boat, although we do see at the very closing moments that something else is on-board and hidden in the lower decks. This poses an interesting question in its own right, as it has been pre-established that Scorpios can self-reproduce – so is it possible a third hybrid existed on the island? If so then this could pose a grave risk to people on the mainland when the campers return there. We also know that Mantah Corp may potentially still be at play – with a quad-copter drone observing the Scorpios Rex on the island. Is it possible this shady corporation may now recover the carcasses of the dead hybrids for their own experiments? And what happened to the pilot of the Helicopter which the kids crashed in? She didn’t appear to have been eaten – but we never see her again after the crash sequence. These are just a handful of the questions we were left with at the end of Season 3 – implying there is more story to be told, even if the third season felt like it reached a nice natural ending for the series as a whole.

Overall, the third season of Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous is fantastic. Do not sleep on this season. It adds a lot to the lore of Doctor Henry Wu and his research, and it builds out a lot of interesting lore for the experiments which were happening on Isla Nublar. It also sets up some interesting plot threads for the future without them feeling overly intrusive and detrimental to the wider story telling in the Jurassic universe. Season 2 of this show left me feeling a little deflated, but Season 3 left me feeling reinvigorated. This wraps up the story of E750 and the wider universe in meaningful ways, and is a fantastic and more mature Jurassic adventure which adult fans will enjoy. I can’t wait to see the reception to this season – and how it informs Jurassic content in the future.

Written by: Tom Jurassic

[copperpicture]

📌 ✨ 🎶 💎 💢 Sea of theefs

i owe u my life

📌 how did you find your hyperfixation? i’d first heard about it while it was in development and stuff but it wasn’t until my gamer friend 2 years ago was like “hey you should buy this game and play it with me it’s half off right now” that i actually played it. and WHILE i was playing it for that first year i was like “hmm this is a fun game but i dont think it’ll become a hyperfixation for me :]” but then i decided to look into the lore and now i cant stop.

✨ what draws you towards your hyperfixation? what is interesting about it?PIRATES COOL.. honestly tho !!! i think the biggest draw in is the living out the childhood fantasy of sailing around and doing crime with your friends on the high seas, but like. thats barely scratching the surface of this game. there’s like,,, so much passion put into it. the lore and worldbuilding are extensive and fascinating and well-written. the ART is so GOOD… THE CHARACTER DESIGN !!!!! IS FANTASTIC !!!!!!! and i mean there’s also the excitement of watching the plot unfold gradually in what is basically real time !!

🎶 if your hyperfixation has songs/an ost, what is your favorite song from it? THE WHOLE SOUNDTRACK IS SO GOOD. i genuinely cannot pick a favorite BUT… bosun bill will always hold a special place in my heart as the first shanty i learned the lyrics to.

💎 are there any fun facts or trivia that you would like to share? too many. demarco and lesedi singh, the people that run the arena, are the kids of the pirate lord !! also, their faction, the sea dogs, was named such to honor their beloved pet ! the pirate emporium (poorly) keeps this a secret, but their goods are stocked by the grand maritime union, which is this universe’s equivalent of the east india trading company! the order of souls and the gold hoarders have a deal where they extract information about hidden stashes of treasure from the skulls of dead people and give it to them in exchange for gold! every night at 3:00 am you can hear the kraken’s wails echo across the waves! the skeletons have their own language of glyphs that i have memorized for no reason! every night at midnight on the island crook’s hollow you can hear really scary noises! leaving a piece of food cooking for too long can set your ship on fire! the admiral set of cosmetics increases your chance of being struck by lightning!

💢 what do you NOT like about your hyperfixation? is there something you would want to change about it? toxic gamer community….

[theloadingscreenblog]

Mass Effect: Andromeda Review:

With every new entry into an established franchise, there will be hype and anticipation. For Mass Effect, that is an understatement. When Mass Effect: Andromeda was announced, fans around the world couldn’t wait to explore the universe. Well, the ship has finally launched and fans have gotten their hands on the new adventure. The initial response, not so good. Now don’t get me wrong, as you will see towards the end of my review, my opinion differs from what other outlets and tweets have been saying. Yes, there are some animation issues, but is it so severe that it detracts from the game? No, not one bit.

While I was playing the game for this review, I really wanted to separate this game from that of the original trilogy. It is an entirely new story made by an entirely new team starring an entirely new cast of characters. It would be unfair to compare this new entry to the colossus of the Original Trilogy, especially when I can see that this team is trying to set themselves apart. I really think this is where a lot of other review outlets made a mistake. My score will be that of a game and not that of a Mass Effect game which in its entirety are two very different things.

 Story and Gameplay

So, the game takes place alongside the story of Shepard. No, you do not reprise your role as the Commander, but instead take over the character of 1 of 2 Ryder siblings. Upon starting the game, you’re able to choose which Ryder you will play as, either the son or daughter of the famous Pathfinder Ryder. The siblings are twins and you can fully customize each character regardless which one you choose to control. The customizations you choose reflect upon you father, the Pathfinder. Now, you’re probably wondering what or who a Pathfinder is. Well, without giving away too much, the races of the universe (Humans, Asari, Turians, Krogans, and Salarians) have heard the message sent loud and clear from Shepard about the incoming Reapers. Concerned for the durability of their Home worlds, they set off to find habitable planets far from the Reaper’s reach to call home. They set off on a 600-year journey to find these Golden Worlds, with each race in an Ark of their own/ A Pathfinder, oversees investigating and finding these potential new home worlds. Your father is one of these Pathfinders. In a turn of events your character also becomes a Pathfinder and must help find these worlds. That is the overall arch of the story. Now, there is another race, one that is unknown to all other races, that have interest in these potential worlds. It is your mission to investigate the Golden Worlds, study a new-found Alien tech, and fight through this new alien presence that seems deadest on stopping your plans.

Fight you must and let me say, the combat in this game is awesome! There are tons of weapons, mods, and abilities to use and upgrade. There is a new class system that allows for more customization and tailoring by the player. Want to be a biotic soldier? It’s possible! The combat is where this game sets itself apart from the original trilogy. The gunfights feel satisfying and fun and the loot you can acquire or build seems varies greatly. Research elements, minerals, and objects throughout the game with your scanner to earn research points that help you make better weapons and armor. You can make weapons for you squad mates that are tailored to their combat style. Speaking of squad mates, I honestly like every single one I encountered (except the Tempest engineer…that guy is a jerk). Their backstories are given early on and it does seem easier to build a relationship with them. All in all, the story is full of detail. The story is full of lore, however, most of it is hidden behind Intel that you must find or acquire through interactions and story progression. If you take the time to read it though, the universe starts to build itself in front of you.

 Multiplayer

Back again is the horde-esque multiplayer. APEX Missions as they’re called, offer a 4-player experience that is exciting the entire match. You will face off against AI enemies across multiple rounds all while completing objectives and culminating into an extraction vie shuttle. The rounds get harder and harder with more and more special enemies presenting themselves late into the match. It gets hard. Even on the easier tier, some of my squad mates were going down. However, it isn’t too hard that it’s not fun. I can honestly see myself playing the multiplayer mode in junction with the main story mode. In fact, you can do that exact thing and earn research points in the story mode! With tons of unlocks, characters, and varied matches the multiplayer mode has potential to be an extremely fun aspect of the game as a whole!

 Conclusion

Overall, I really enjoy this game! I have yet to find myself feel bored with anything that is going on. I love how much there is to see and how many side quests are offered on each planet. The story could be relayed more directly, but if you read the Intel findings, it pans out in the end. The relationships among your squad and crew is revealed quickly, but not lacking compassion for them. The multiplayer mode is a fun break and unique compliment to the main story mode. Animation issues aside (and some are funny looking) the game stands strong. The Loading Screen Blog gives Mass Effect: Andromeda 8 Mass Relays out of 10!

 SCORE: 8/10

Pros:

Combat is amazing!

Multiplayer is a nice addition

Tons of customization via weapons, abilities, etc

Cons:

Animations (Honestly not that big of a deal)

Story is buried in items or encounters that require discovery

Relationships can be built too quickly