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pkmnmasterlyra · 4 years

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Ash’s Pokemon: XY

Here we are~ The first season of Kalos!~ It's hard to believe that this gen is already 6 years old now. Even harder to believe it's twice as old as when I first started these. So now that all the hype has died down is the XY anime as good as we thought!~ Well, yes and no? It still has all those episodes you've seen a bunch like the haunted house episode or the "Ash loses to a trainer and learns he actually needs to train his Pokemon" episode, some of which (like that 2nd one) can be really annoying. But on the flip side, the art style is much more pleasing, the characters are more well written, And the battle choreography,

ho boy the battle choreography!

The poses and angles used as well as the pacing and flow of the battles just, destroy anything that had been in the show up to this point. If I were to pick the season's biggest flaw so far, I'd say it's, and this will shock everyone, the gym battles. I'm not joking, every single one of these first 3 gyms has one major flaw in it. The first Viola fight that he lost, was terrible, like, I would have expected to see that in Best Wishes terrible. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a lot of people's last episode before they quit watching the XY anime. I know first gym leaders aren't as weak in the anime as in the games, but when her 2 Pokemon are Water and Flying type, you need a much better reason for Pikachu to lose than "The floor was icy and slippery" when Pikachu has fought on Ice battle fields before and in this battle

did not once slip on the ice!

The Grant battle had a lesser case of the Virbank Gym's problem from last gen, having Ash use 3 Pokemon to beat Grant's 2. And lastly the Korrina fight, where Ash spends a solid 5 minutes of the episode bumbling around trying to get Tierno's strategy to work for him before eventually giving up. That isn't to say the gym battles were bad (except for the unsuccessful attempt for Viola) but those were some far heavier flaws than I was ready for. The Grant fight despite being uneven is more being mean to Fletchling than anything else, since that, well, went about as well as you'd expect with a flying type in a Rock gym, making it mostly 2v2 anyways, and the weird Tierno strategy in the Korrina fight is just an awkward intro to an otherwise amazing fight. Altho the negatives of the failed Viola fight outweigh the positives of the successful attempt, as I can't even remember the latter over the former X3 But other than that it was just as good as I remembered. The better character writing makes the retreaded storylines more interesting and enjoyable. Also, I know a lot of people have an opinion of "The SM anime is Best Wishes 2, and Ash's skill as a trainer isn't that great like in Unova" let's compare the first 3 gyms in Kalos to the first 3 Kahuna battles in Alola:

Loses embarrassingly to Viola

Beats Hala without any of his Pokemon fainting

Needs 3 Pokemon to beat Grant's 2

Only has one of his pokemon faint vs Olivia because his other KOd it

Spends 5 minutes embarrassing himself at the start vs Korrina

Loses to Nanu due to previously established flaws Lycanroc has, but comes back and sweeps him 3v1 on the rematch

So yeah, but anywho, the win rates!~

Pokemon Fights Wins Losses %

Pikachu 37 34 3 92%

Froakie 18 14 4 78%

Fletchlinder 10 5 5 50%

Hawlucha 6 4 2 67%

Successful Clemontic Gear: 6

Megas Wins Pikachu: 1

So first, you may be asking, especially if you've never watched the XY anime, the hells a Clemontic Gear? And to that I say there's a running gag in the anime where Clemont would always have all kinds of inventions he shows off that inevitably blow up in the end. Pretty much the replacement for the Brock hitting on girls gag, except with far more variety, and frequently actually helps the gang with their troubles. And this counter is how many of his inventions DON'T blow up!~ I haven't had one of these silly side counters since, I think Hoenn? And I thought this would be a fun thing to do~ Pikachu claims one of the first Mega wins, which I believe is the last til the XY&Z season, where we get a ton of em. Pikachu also sets a new record, most battles in a regular length season. Less than the first season, but the first season was an incredibly long 83 episodes long. This season is 49 episodes long, you could literally add the entirety of the Sinnoh League Victors season to this one and that would make it match the first season's episode count. (If you add Pikachu's battles for that season to this season that makes 50, compared to Indigo League's 48, even further proving my point!). To the surprise of no one, Froakie enters the fray with a win rate of 78%, making him Ash's Pokemon with the 5th highest win rate. This could go down but it's a good sign of things to come! Fletchling got hardcore bullied until it evolved. The episode before it evolved he had 4 battles 1 win for a 20% win rate. Thankfully, in the episode he evolved he won a double battle and the battle that made him evolve, bringing him to 4/8, and he kept that 50% til the end. Nothing spectacular to say about Hawlucha tho, other than the fact that I think he's the only pokmon Ash caught that didn't get a loss from his battle to be caught (of the pokemon that actually battled) since he and Froakie actually tied. Join me next time for

the best gym battle ever!!!

(Hint: It's vs Clemont ;3c )

#pokemon #pokeani #ash ketchum #pikachu #satoshi #pokemon xy #pokeani xy #clemont #serena #bonnie #fennekin #froakie #Ash's Pokemon stats #ash's pokemon stats kalos

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred Forty-Six: It’s All a Sham ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

He’s never wanted to do anything like this. But damn it, he’s getting fed up, and after thinking the subject around and around in circles in his head, Sasuke can only come up with one solution.

If he wants to get all these girls off his back, stalking him and annoying him, he’s got to get himself a girlfriend.

Only one problem...he doesn’t want a girlfriend. And he has no idea who he’d even ask to fill that role (falsely, of course) who wouldn’t simultaneously drive him crazy because they’re one of the very girls he’s trying to avoid!

And he doesn’t dare ask anyone for help - his brother would call the move shallow, and Naruto would never let it go. He just needs...a stand in! Someone he can point to as an excuse to avoid the crowds of girls (and admittedly some guys) that are clamoring to date him. Can’t date someone if he’s already taken, right?

...well, at least by his own personal preference.

He doesn’t judge. One girl would just be...enough. More than enough, really. Too much.

But what else can he do?

And that’s only the first part of his dilemma. The second question is whether or not he should just...fess up to it to start with. Cuz yeah, leading a girl on and not telling her the actual reason they’re ‘dating’ just feels...crummy. But could he actually get someone to agree to that…? Cuz...it’d be fake. All a sham. A little act to grant him some peace of mind. Would someone really want to go to that length for him? What if they decided they wanted to date someone else?

Ugh...so complicated...but you wouldn’t think it would be, right?

Sitting in his room, Sasuke reclines in his desk chair, leafing slowly through his yearbook. He’s a senior, now. Kind of...hard to believe. But with everything he’s going to have going on, he just...wants a little peace. Not have to worry about all these people who can’t take no for an answer.

So, he’s looking over his choices.

He’d prefer someone in his own year. So that nixes three-quarters of the school’s population right off the bat, which...isn’t all that large to begin with. He’s got two hundred people in his year. About half of that are girls, which...are the only people he’d consider doing this with. He’s already had to suffer through the mental imagery of what Naruto would pull if he broke down and asked his best friend to fake with him.

Eugh.

Besides, he actually does like girls, just...none of the ones that are constantly throwing themselves at him. While there’s nothing wrong with liking guys, he just...doesn’t.

Skimming over another page, he can place most of these faces...simply because they pester him so darn much. Grimacing at most of them, he’s almost starting to wonder if there’s anyone he can try this with.

...and then he sees her.

Hinata. A little on the short side, a little on the curvy side. Neither of which bother him. Long dark hair, pale eyes, rounded cheeks.

Huh...she’s kinda cute.

And also...a problem.

See, he happens to know she’d be one of the few - if not the only - girls that aren’t the sort to bother him. But...the reason he knows that is because she’s been crushing on Naruto hard since they were kids.

Which means...she’d probably never go for it. Not if it meant lowering her chances of being with Naruto.

Even if...Naruto is already (and has been for a long, long time) fixated on Sakura.

Who...happens to be very much infatuated with Sasuke.

And Sasuke wants nothing to do with her.

It’s so stupidly complicated.

Sasuke sighs, fiddling with the edge of the page. Could he...spin it somehow? Maybe...tell her she’d make Naruto want her more by making him...jealous? Only problem is...that’s a lie. Naruto has no intention of being with anyone but Sakura. He probably wouldn’t even notice if Hinata dated someone else. The only reason he would in this case is because it would be Sasuke, his best friend, dating her.

And he doesn’t want to lie to her. She’s too nice for that. Already he’s pretty much made up his mind that he doesn’t want to have the fake pretense of actually asking anyone out. They have to be privy to it, too. Especially someone like Hinata.

But how to get her to agree…?

At least he can also be pretty sure that - if she does say no - she probably won’t tell anyone about his little scheme, and thus spoiling the effort completely. He...sort of knows her. At least generally enough. And he doubts she’s the sort to be that mean. Maybe she’s just nice enough to take pity on him and agree?

...only one way to find out.

The coming school day, he casually tries to seek her out. But how to get her alone to ask...he doesn’t want to be overheard, after all. And surely anyone looking on would assume what he’s doing, given he’d be trying to talk to her privately. Sure, that’d work in his favor...if she agreed. And he can’t know if she will. He has a few classes with her, but those are neither private, nor the right time.

After school seems to be his best shot.

Sasuke bobs and weaves through the crowds, struggling to get to his locker and prepare to leave before she does. Slinging his bag over a shoulder, he stands on his toes to try and spot her.

There!

Sneaking his way forward, he manages to break the gap as she says goodbye to a few guys he vaguely knows. Oh...she’s not dating one of them, is she? Uh -

“...Sasuke?”

Well, crap. No backing out now.

Blinking, it takes him a moment to respond. “...Hinata.”

Her brow wilts a hair, looking a bit...confused as to why he’s here. It’s not like they really chat much idly unless they happen to be in the same group. “Do you...do you need something?”

Another pause. “Uh...kinda, yeah. Look, can I...talk to you?”

“...we are talking.”

“I mean somewhere more, uh...private.”

...now she looks very confused. “Um...sure?”

They slip into a nearby classroom, thankfully vacant of both students and staff. “Look, uh…” Maybe he should have practiced this first… “I’ve been having some...problems.”

“...okay…?”

A hand runs back through his hair. This isn’t at all what he’s really trying to say. “...you know Sakura?”

“Yes.”

“You know how she’s sorta, uh...into me?”

That earns a small laugh...which she quickly cuts off, going pink. “I-I’m sorry -”

“It’s fine. Uh...you see, she just...she won’t leave me alone! And she’s not the only one! I’ve got all these...people coming up to me, trying to...to get me to date them!”

Torn between guilty amusement and clear confusion, Hinata waits for more explanation.

“So...I thought that a way to maybe, uh...get them off my back would be to, uh...to…” This is so going to sound weird. “...pretend to date someone else.”

A blink. Then her expression slowly shifts to surprise. “...you...you mean me?”

“I know how this sounds, and - it’s not that I don’t like you! Actually, you’re a really nice person. And that’s sort of why I’m asking, cuz...well, most people I know wouldn’t be. Not saying that I, uh...that I don’t think you’d make someone a good girlfriend, I just -”

“Sasuke.” Hinata cuts him off gently, and then can’t help another small laugh. “...I think I understand.”

“...you do?”

“You just...need someone to pose as a girlfriend so you can turn them all down gently...right?”

“...something like that.”

Hinata seems to consider that.

“You aren’t, uh...seeing someone already, are you?”

“Me? Oh, n-no. No, I…” She wilts. “...I think you and I b-both know how that’s going…”

Well, that answers his earlier question. “...sorry.”

“Don’t be…” Hinata heaves a gentle sigh. “There’s only so much one can k-kid themselves...right?”

He’s...not sure how to answer that.

“...all right. I’ll do it.”

“You...you will?”

“I don’t see the h-harm. It’s not like I have anything to lose,” she giggles softly. “We could just...do things as friends. And...have people think otherwise. You know, like...see a movie every so often. Get lunch. Friends can do that! Everyone else will just assume it’s...something else.”

Friends...he wasn’t aware she considered him a friend. “Yeah, that’s...that’s exactly what I was going for.” Sasuke can’t help a relieved grin. “Okay...cool. Thank you, Hinata. Hopefully it’ll get people to just...give me a little space. I’ve got too much else to worry about senior year to want to deal with that.”

She gives him a sympathetic smile. “Yeah...I understand. So, um...how should we...spread the word?”

“I’ll let it slip to Naruto tomorrow. With him on it, I’m sure the whole school will know by lunch. Then we’ll just...start the little charade.”

Another laugh. “You know...this actually sounds a little...exciting! Like we’re spies, playing a role to blend in and complete our mission!”

Sasuke can’t help a snort. “Yeah, something like that.”

...that was actually really cute.

“A-anyway, I...I hate to just run, but I have volleyball practice…”

“Oh, no problem! I better get home and get homework done, anyway.”

“Okay!”

“Thanks again, Hinata. Seriously...you’re a lifesaver.”

“No problem! See you tomorrow...boyfriend,” she giggles, letting him open the classroom door and heading down the hall toward the locker rooms.

He watches her go, taking a long moment to realize he’s grinning. Another moment to...realize why.

...oh no. No, no. This is an act. A joke.

He is not going to end up liking her!

Teehee :3c This is a fun concept I hinted at in...another piece I couldn't find, whoops. This one isn't related to it, but I've wanted to do this lil trope ever since! Hopefully another prompt will let me give it a part two, cuz...that's when it'll get good! But for today I just had time to sort of...intro the idea. The lovely limits of writing things daily, lol Anywho, it's late, I'ma go sleep! Thanks for reading~

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #best years of your life [ au ]#365daysofsasuhina

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l0vey-d0vey-moved · 6 years

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Whichever questions you want with you and Lance for the ask meme? Y’all are too precious ^_^ ~your-local-Kogane

@your-local-kogane you’ve given me TOO MUCH FUCKING LIBERTY. enjoy a longass post answering almost every. single. question on both of those ask memes asjakf,, anyways since this will be long, i will put this under a read more!!

also i skipped some bc i didnt want to keep repeating answers so yea. ,,,,oh man this was long o3o

“send me a ship and i’ll tell you..”

Who said “I love you” first: oh man. us pining after eachother was a fucking mess aksjdkafskfsa,,, i feel like i would say it late at night, then ramble and ramble on how i messed up and i’d almost have an anxiety attack (oops) but lance!! loves!! me!! too!!! huzzah!!!!!

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background: lance would. i really feel like whenever i’m gone he will miss having me curled up into his side and just open his phone and immediately be like “oh shit it’s sienna,,,, i lof them” and end up staring at his phone until someone (maybe pidge) knocks him outta that

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror: lance would do this. he always leaves little reminders such as: you’re beautiful, i love you, etc etc and i love it but stop dirtying the mirror goddammit!!

Who buys the other cheesy gifts: oh man,,, lance definitely. he’s so darn cute and often just buys me (legitimately whenever he can) little trinkets and they are so cute!!

Who initiated the first kiss: i also feel like lance would!! i am waaaay too awkward to intiate affection, unless it’s like hand-holding, hugging or cuddling. it was so sweet bc he just cut me off and said “could i kiss you?” !!! i love it when people do that bc you’re being sweet, cute, and respecting your s/os boundaries at the same time!!!

Who kisses the other awake in the morning: again, lance would. i am really tired in the mornings and never really wake up that fast, so its an efficient way to get me excited for the day!!!

Who starts tickle fights: oh man. lance. fucking little shit!!!

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower: fucking LANCE (only for shits n giggles. he knows my boundaries :3c)

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch: ohhhh this is easy. i so would!!! i’m a concerned s/o and i have had experiences with people not eating lunch so i always wanna make sure he eats!!

Who was nervous and shy on the first date: i think both of us were nervous, but me. i’m the most nervous person lance has probably ever met.

Who kills/takes out the spiders: oh man. like i said in another post, we are both terrified of spiders, but lance, being my “knight in shining armor”, would kill the spider.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk: if lance ever gets drunk (which is extremely unlikely), lance would.

“otp questions!”

1: Who spends almost all their money on the other?: lance does without a doubt. he always wants to spoil me but im like no!!! keep your money please!!! (he never does.)

2: Who sleeps in the other’s lap?: ME WITHOUT A DOUBT!!! i love affection so much and i’m always sleeby and lance loves affection so,,, win-win!!

3: Who walks around the house half-naked and who yells at them to put on some clothes?: uhhh lance probably would tbh,, walks around without a shirt on and he. Knows. it flusters me every time ;w; // if i do it at all, it’s with one of lance’s sweatshirts (hes a Lanky Boi) and some short shorts and sit closer to lance (if thats even possible) and i unintentionally fluster him (tbh i love it

4: Which one tells the other not to stay up all night and which one stays up all night anyway?: i would tell him to not stay up, but he does anyways. (damnit lance)

5: Which one tries to make food for the other but burns it all by accident and which one tells them that it’s okay and makes them both cookies?: i would burn everything and cry about it while lance would tell me its okay and help me bake!!

6: Which one reads OTP prompts and says “Oh that’s us!” and which one goes “Eh, not really”?: tbh i think both of us would go like “that’s!! so!! us!!!”

7: Which one constantly wears the other’s clothes?: ME. i always wear something of lances, whether it be a bracelet, a necklace, a sweatshirt, or a hat. i always want something of his to keep with me :3c // he dies when i wear his signature jacket btw

8: Which one spends all day running errands and which one says “You remembered [thing], right?”: i forget easily, so i would run errands all day and lance would remind me and i wouldve forgotten it and been like “DAMNIT”

9: Which one drives the car and which one gives them directions?: lance drives. i am better at directions, so i give directions.

10: Which one does the posing while the other one draws?: I LOVE DRAWING OK??? lance totally fuckin’ poses while i draw him

11: If they were about to rob a museum, which one does backflips through lasers and which one is strolling behind with a bag of chips?: lance backflips while i just stroll behind, watching and eating some candy.

14: Which one keeps accidentally using the other’s last name instead of their own?: tbh lance would introduce me as mx mcclain and everytime he does that i fucking implode

16: Which one gives the other their jacket?: lance does. even though i say “really? are you sure? i can just-” i secretly Really Want It and he knows. he offers me the jacket pretty much every chance he can get.

17: Who keeps getting threatened by the other’s overprotective older sibling?: tbh veronica seems pretty chill about lance and his love life, but my sister,,,, oh boi,, lance would get the talk by my mom, dad, and sister. i’m a sensitive person and if anyone were to break my heart they’d be dead where they’d be standing tbh, even if my friends only knew about it.

24: Which one gives the other a piggyback ride when they’re tired?: lance gives me a piggyback ride. honestly i love piggyback rides and lance is 10/10 great at giving them

29: Which one holds the umbrella over both of them when it rains?: LANCE!!! tall motherfuckin bean is also a caring motherfuckin bean. he makes Damn Sure i dont get drenched or dont get cold

#answers #your-local-kogane #uuuuuh this took so long #thanks for the ask tho #filled lacuna

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tearasshouse · 3 years

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Mostly vidya ramblings pt 3C

Previous post here.

Right, software time. A cursory glance at my PSN Profile will show that I’ve met my personal quota of getting the platinum in at least 10 PlayStation titles over the year, with a few PC titles sprinkled in for good measure since hey, I have access to a Windows machine again (though it’s not exactly a games machine, unless your definition of a “gaming rig” is something with a 15W Core i3 and modest laptop Radeon graphics). While I didn’t start out meaning to rank these games, I find I have a tendency to do so anyway and while I’m certainly not saying these games are outright bad, they were absolutely lower on the rung, so I’ve dubbed this part “C” (again, no disrespect to the devs or any who rate these games higher than I do; these are just my personal assessments). These are OK games.

The Darkness 2 (Steam)

Enjoyable, somewhat! I put this down like, ages ago when I picked it up for a song on PC, feeling it was too basic and uh “console shootery” at the time. Often times, having restrictions placed upon something can net great results, and hamstrung as I am by my less-capable hardware, I’ve only been picking up Steam games that could run on lower end hardware, or anything released prior to say, 2015. Surprisingly this runs at something stupid like 200 FPS on my machine with V-Sync off and all settings on High at 1080p, so go figure. Anyway, it’s a short and enjoyable shooter. I don’t know anything about the comics upon which the game(s) are based, but Jackie is a likeable character, the Darkness powers are fun enough, the locations are varied, the supporting cast surprisingly interesting and the plot was actually pretty cool too, with a major sequel hook that we’ll probably never get.

Ori & The Blind Forest (Steam)

It sorta hovers a bit below 60fps while running at 1080p, but it’s all just a bit reductive when one spends more time looking at the framerate counter than playing a game, no? The blessing and curse of PC gaming I suppose. Anyway, as a Metroidvania the game is a bit annoying. As a piece of interactive fiction, it’s too saccharine and feels like a B-tier Dreamworks production for children which, I suppose shouldn’t be a knock against the game but I have to say -- wasn’t my cup of tea. Reminds me a bit of Child of Light by Ubisoft -- gorgeous to look at, benign if not frustrating to play (those escape sequences can piss off), and young gamers would probably find more to like in the...emotional tidbits than most adults.

Crysis 2 (Steam)

So apparently this got delisted off Steam but now it’s back up or something with EA deciding to put their back catalog on the platform or something? Anyway, like this list implies, Crysis 2 is an okay game, nothing more and nothing less. The nanosuit energy depletes a bit too quick for my liking, and you’re really made to feel like a badass only some of the times, in quick and short bursts, not unlike BJ in the new Wolfenstein games by MachineGames (any more prolonged exposure to hitscan weapons and other bullshit will quickly send you to the loading screen). Thing is, I don’t want to feel like a badass only some of the time? I mean, you put a ripped supersoldier type doing the Badass Looking Back At the Viewer Pose on the cover and I expect to be able to do certain things without stopping for a breather every 20 seconds, ya know? If you’re going to give me the power fantasy, commit to it. Or, find ways to keep the flow up and reward mastery to make players earn said fantasy (something the new DOOMs have done and why those have been so successful). I certainly don’t envy game devs for having to balance this shit, but id Software showed you one way of how you might do that while the Crysis games and those of their ilk just feel slow and unrewarding.

Quantum Break (Steam)

Really surprised I was able to get this running on my PC but hey, it runs on the Xbox One so how hard could it be? I dearly love Remedy’s games, even if they’re a bit straightforward at times and you get the feeling they’d rather be in the business of non-interactive fiction than games making at times. Well here is a TV show hybrid! Made exclusively in partnership with Microsoft as part of their TV & STREAMING, TV & STREAMING, SPORTS & STREAMING strategy of the 2010s. I didn’t care for the plot, nor the endless email / audiobook / loredumps scattered around, nor the characters, any of it. I will say the final stage with the super high tech offices was a delight (boy wouldn’t I love to live the corpo life in such beautiful, clean office environs). Lance Reddick was a treat as always. Peter “Littlefinger” Baelish shows up to do a thing. Yeah, it’s a Remedy joint through and through. 2019′s Control was such a highlight for me that I’ll take any kind of prototype-y take on it (and QB certainly feels like a rougher, worse version of Control, at least mechanically).

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs / Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (Steam)

These titles were certainly...things that I installed onto my PC and sat through... Yes. Look, I’m not one to dog on walking simulators, and I know the devs have faced tough times recently but I still feel these are acquired tastes and could be appreciably improved in too many ways to name. Of the two, Dear Esther is the one I’d rec because at least that one was quite pleasant to meander around in while Amnesia left me disappointed that I’d wasted my time, physically sick with its subpar performance and muddy graphics, flaccid with its stodgy plot and left absolutely disappointed that I’d wasted my time on such a bizarre and confusing payoff towards the end. Chinese Room, I mean this in the most constructive way possible: maybe try a different type of game next time.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (GOG)

I remember putting in some decent time into the DEMO version of RtCW’s MP mode, being amazed at the time by the particle effects, with child-me just running around the D-Day map with the flamethrower out. Anyway, years later and I finally played the SP campaign. It’s maybe better than Allied Assault’s? It feels more consistently entertaining anyway. Hell I think I like these boomer shooters better than MachineGames’ recent efforts (which isn’t saying a whole lot because I find those games just merely okay). I promise you I’m not just being a crotchety old fart.

Ys: Memories of Celceta (PS Vita)

I’d been playing through this over the spring on my Vita TV, before it bit the dust eventually and I’ve been meaning to go back and wrap up the cheevos. I was a bit lukewarm with Oath in Felghana (my first Ys), but could definitely see the appeal in the series, as boss rush games aren’t really my cup of tea (ie. it’s the journey and not the destination of say, a Souls game that is the meat for me). Definitely a game that would benefit from a 60fps refresh and cleaner graphics than what the Vita can provide. I’ve already got a copy of Ys 8 in shrink wrap and have my eyes set on emulating Ys Seven or grabbing the GOG version. A game where action is king and story or character development is secondary; I would prefer more of the latter to make this more of a JRPG and less of a “predominantly Japanese action game with superficial RPG elements”.

Catherine: Full Body (PS4)

I paid $70 for this on day one and I’ve gotta say... should’ve waited for the price drop. I’m a somewhat lapsed Atlus mark, and I still hold the original Persona 5 as my no. 1 in the PS4′s lineup (with Dragon Quest XI possibly being a tie), yet I bought this knowing it wouldn’t really be for me. Why? High difficulty in a genre I don’t play, like at all, a relatively short clear time (in itself not an issue and frankly welcome these days HOWEVER...), and a somewhat unsatisfying payoff despite being a supernatural romance thriller. I bought this as seed money for Atlus’s P.Studio/Studio Zero, in the hopes that Project Re: Fantasy will knock my socks off just like the latter day Persona games have. Because in spite of the contents not really appealing to me, it’s still supremely well made, and it’s not everyday that games like these get made, so there you go. Look, if I could go back in time and put this money towards 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, I probably would, but then the Catherine steelbook is ever so pretty...

Tearaway Unfolded (PS4)

The OG game is one of the most charming little 3D platformer/collect-a-thons out there, and as far as children’s games (or er, “games that also appeal to children”) go, more of these and less of those please (your Child of Lights and Oris). I’d go as far as to say the OG version is better than the PS4 version, though the PS4 version is also quite good. Really, if I wasn’t going for that stupid Misplaced Gopher trophy, this would probably be an easy shoe-in for the B-tier list, but I place this demotion firmly at Media.Molecule’s feet. That cheevo is cursed.

The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories (PS4)

I’d almost forgotten about this! If that doesn’t qualify for making the C-tier list then I don’t know what else does. I only know of Swery65′s qualities through osmosis, having watched the 2BF’s legendary LP of Deadly Premonition and the gone-too-soon D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die. He’s an interesting person with interesting ideas but crucially, as a game dev, his output is just... kinda mediocre? If not outright bad? Case in point with this game. It looks and runs like garbo; it plays like garbo; the character designs are cute; the dialogue is pretty good; there is a wonderful and gradual “twist” to the main character that was super spoiled for me when people were discussing and promoting it (like, that is my bad, but also internet discourse on any kind of entertainment media is just *fucked*); there’s a lot of semi-colons in this sentence so I’ll stop here.

And the balls to charge like, what, $40+ for the game on PSN?? I’d gotten it for way less on a sale but in a day and age when $1 could buy you 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and MS might also throw in a curio like this in there just to fill in the gaps, it makes you wonder if these kinds of games can ever turn a profit, especially when the end product is this jank. And these are commercial goods, make no mistake, any aspirations to being an art piece or social critique notwithstanding, so that also brings to the fore the whole aspect of pricing games, relative value, production and marketing costs, blah blah.

IF you like something different, can appreciate games made on a shoestring budget with arguably bad gameplay and technical deficiencies, but has...heart? Then look no further to the output of this man. The most C-worthy of all the titles listed here.

#vidya #gaming #tech #tl;dr #long post #games #videogames #2020 in review

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