introductory post
May. 12th, 2030 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sidewaysWelcome to sideways :)
• Winger, mid 30s, she/her, Australian. There are few things I love more than being told stories, and occasionally I engage in story-telling as a strange side-effect. I'm especially interested in filling up my reading page with people sharing their writing journeys and/or media commentary, and if I subscribe out of the blue it's usually because I think it would be fun to follow along.
• Mostly a media musing blog, occasional observations from life. I keep chatter about my work under private access these days but if you ask I'll likely grant it - and you certainly don't have to ask permission to comment or unsubscribe! Some key tags include:
→ paperwork: general chatter
→ fiction: all writing
→ media roundup: commentary on recent media
• There are many things that spark my enthusiasm, some of which I've written for. A short list of things you'll always grab my interest with include:
→ Video games: Fallout: New Vegas, Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Destiny, Soma, Uncharted, Pillars of Eternity, Inside, A House of Many Doors
→ Books: His Dark Materials, The Old Kingdom trilogy, CJ Cherryh, Realm of the Elderlings, Yoon Ha Lee, Tamora Pierce, Animorphs, Books of the Raksura, Matthew Swift, sci-fi and unusual fantasy in general
→ TV: Orphan Black, Dirk Gently, Person of Interest, Young Justice, TMNT 2k3, Infinity Train, Killjoys, The Wire
→ Animanga: Ergo Proxy, BLAME!, Fullmetal Alchemist, Darker Than Black, Wolf Children, Mob Psycho 100
→ Comics: Spider-Man, Unsounded, Widdershins, The Property of Hate
• I track my video game playing at GG.
• I'm arkosic on AO3 and PS4, and you can catch me over at darkwingerduck on Tumblr.
• Winger, mid 30s, she/her, Australian. There are few things I love more than being told stories, and occasionally I engage in story-telling as a strange side-effect. I'm especially interested in filling up my reading page with people sharing their writing journeys and/or media commentary, and if I subscribe out of the blue it's usually because I think it would be fun to follow along.
• Mostly a media musing blog, occasional observations from life. I keep chatter about my work under private access these days but if you ask I'll likely grant it - and you certainly don't have to ask permission to comment or unsubscribe! Some key tags include:
→ paperwork: general chatter
→ fiction: all writing
→ media roundup: commentary on recent media
• There are many things that spark my enthusiasm, some of which I've written for. A short list of things you'll always grab my interest with include:
→ Video games: Fallout: New Vegas, Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Destiny, Soma, Uncharted, Pillars of Eternity, Inside, A House of Many Doors
→ Books: His Dark Materials, The Old Kingdom trilogy, CJ Cherryh, Realm of the Elderlings, Yoon Ha Lee, Tamora Pierce, Animorphs, Books of the Raksura, Matthew Swift, sci-fi and unusual fantasy in general
→ TV: Orphan Black, Dirk Gently, Person of Interest, Young Justice, TMNT 2k3, Infinity Train, Killjoys, The Wire
→ Animanga: Ergo Proxy, BLAME!, Fullmetal Alchemist, Darker Than Black, Wolf Children, Mob Psycho 100
→ Comics: Spider-Man, Unsounded, Widdershins, The Property of Hate
• I track my video game playing at GG.
• I'm arkosic on AO3 and PS4, and you can catch me over at darkwingerduck on Tumblr.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-20 02:00 am (UTC)Your video games list made me :eye emoji: lol, I'm playing through Mass Effect for the first time right now (am currently like... a quarter's way through me3) and I'm falling so hard for it. It's so good!?!
I'm 20ish hours into Pillars of Eternity as well, and having a blast. I haven't picked it up for a few weeks but I'm excited to get back to it.
I've played Uncharted (love love love), and Soma is on my list to play, but I'm such a coward, so I don't know when I'll actually get to it. orz
no subject
Date: 2020-05-20 07:35 am (UTC)I confess I found your blog by searching 'video games' as an interest (and concluding that you seemed very nice), so this comment was an immediate delight. Mass Effect! Ahhh! I honestly credit Mass Effect 2 with being one of the games that started my adult gaming renaissance; I've just started a trilogy replay myself, and it still holds up so well. What sort of Shepard do you play? And do you have a one true love?
Pillars is also great. I love how much depth and variety of roleplay choice they've put in. It can be a heavy one, though, with the sheer amount of reading involved.
Soma is so worth it, but as a fellow Huge Honking Chicken, I feel ya. Gosh do I feel ya. They have a "safe mode" for the PC version now that means you're functionally immortal, but you do still get some jumpscares so I can't say it isn't still a bit hard on the heart... There are also some good LPs out there, heh. SUCH a good story though, ugh.
Uncharted was so much fun. Are you a fan of The Last of Us too? I'm half anticipating the sequel, and half cringing in preemptive fear of it tbh.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-22 11:54 am (UTC)Gah, I'm glad I threw them in there then! I play so much and they're a big part of my life but I get shy posting about it when it feels like nobody on my flist is too interested — now that I know you're here, I'll try post more about what I'm playing! I tried keeping track of the games I played on
AGHHHH I'M SO OBSESSED WITH MASS EFFECT DUDE I want to write fic for it DESPERATELY. ME2's opening just had me..,, utterly breathless. The entire game. The whole— everything. I'm determined to play lots more runthroughs, but for my first, I played a lawful good paragon fem!shep who romanced garrus and only garrus. I have so many ideas for like.. other scenes and stuff, so I genuinely think I might replay this exxact playthrough once i'm done, alongside a different one -- just so i can research while I write a canon-compliant / continuation fic. So many ideas for idle chatter in the Mako between Shep, Garrus, and Wrex. :') I love Garrus, Tali, Wrex, Mordin, and Legion; they're my favourite companions. I wish we could romance Legion. I wish it with my whole entire heart. How about you? What sheps have you played? Who have you romanced? Who's your favourite?? My one true love would be torn between Garrus and Legion, to be honest. I ADORE Wrex and Tali and Mordin too, but those two have a very special place in my heart. (Okay, so does Tali. I can't help it. I am just a hapless lesbian.)
wrt PoE — yeah, the reading is intense. At first I read all the backer content carefully, but when I stumbled on the first graveyard, the magic was completely broken. I struggle now to even enjoy the npcs with the little golden banners that give you a small vision. Some of them aren't written v well, either. But it doesn't detract too much from the game itself, bc it's easy to ignore, and the game is sooo fun! It's rly cool to play a crpg that has mechanics specifically made for a video game rather than pen and paper tabletop that was adapted, you know? I play a lot of DND so PoE was a breath of fresh air in its own special way. The roleplay choices feel so deep, it makes me want to replay before I've even finished lol! I'm currently playing a Death Godlike Cipher (I think.. the ones who like. Hit with psychic magic. Support. I don't super remember...) mystic called Heldara. She's naive, and good natured, and lonely. Her main goal is to make friends. ^_^ I think I'll play a totally evil paladin for my next play through though!
LOL THE SAFE MODE — I genuinely might have to use it, I get so terrified of like... Jurassic Park (another one of my personality-defining faves). Do you think the safe mode detracts at all from the game? I will probably have to rope someone into playing Soma with me, I'm such a chicken lol. You're making me wanna play it noooowwww
Uncharted was so fun, yeah!! It was great seeing a single player adventure game given the AAA treatment, you know? I haven't got a ps4 so i haven't played the 4th, but I hope i can one day! I hear it's very emotionally,,,,. well. Emotional. Heh.
Oh BOY, Last of us 2... Yeah. I'm the same. I really hope fans like it, but... I've seen the spoilers, and I just. Ugh. I hope they like it, that's all. It's been such a long time coming. I have played the first one and LOVED it (took me a while though, being the scaredy cat that i am lol). I'm def gonna be keeping my eye out for news on that. I tend to avoid video game hype for. you know. obvious reasons. Video game market is, hmm,,. .. dodgy to say the least. But since I know I won't be able to play it for ages anyway, I wanna stay in the loop TuT
God, I'm sorry about this mammoth comment. /sweats/ I'm not even done. I recently finished Sundered, have you played it?? The game itself was like.. good. Not great, but good. But the STORY — it's nothing particularly special if it doesn't hit your buttons, but my god, it slammed mine lol. Sexy voiced eldritch monster and his kickass woc patron?? HELLO YES!??
no subject
Date: 2020-05-25 07:14 am (UTC)You're so right that there doesn't appear to be much of a gaming community on DW, which really surprised me. I started out thinking it might be nice to find and join in somewhere that people shared reviews, a bit of meta, upcoming trailers... and there was nothing! Wtf. Apparently we are flush with writers and VOID of gamers*, which is quite the turnaround compared to Tumblr. I'm thus SO THRILLED to have someone else who is so enthused!! And logs their games!! And absolutely I would love recommendations, reviews, liveblogs, and sales tips!!! I even keep some lists of my own at GG as above and listography, if nowhere near as finely crafted as your own.
(*I do actually know a couple over here, if you're desperate for a few more fellows. It's a BioWare, Fallout, and Destiny crowd, for the most part.)
MASS EFFECT IS SO GOOD TAT And it's interesting to see it still lands so well with a new player? Like, I could believe that nostalgia was glossing over some of the flaws for me, and that what felt so original then would feel a little more dated and tropey now, but I'm glad you're liking it so much! I wasn't kidding about the doppelganger thing though: I also play a Lawful Good Shep who romances Garrus exclusively... well, and sort of Kaidan, though that's mostly my apology for the fact I then sacrifice him on Virmire because Ash is my girl. RIP buddy. You have also managed to list my LITERALLY EXACT list of favourites, omg, though I would also add Samantha Traynor, who could challenge Garrus for romance choice if she existed in more than one game. Most favouritest is a very hard call. I don't think I can choose between Garrus and Tali! Digital BFFs bar none.
Haha, yeah, the backer material in PoE is conveniently able to be ignored, at least. I got a very rueful chuckle over how godlikes are so rare, supposedly, but then show up everywhere because so many backers opted for one. Not that I can criticise: also a death godlike player over here! Neus, Eothasian priest, allowing me to conveniently ditch Durance asap like the spindly champion she is. If you like PoE then I have to ENTHUSIASTICALLY recommend Tyranny, it's much darker but also a bit sharper on the storytelling and worldbuilding front imo. Please report on what it's like playing an evil paladin in PoE though, dang. That could go so many ways.
In fairness, I still haven't quite completed Soma in safe mode: I experienced the game first as an LP, and then bought it because I loved it so much that I wanted to try anyway. In normal mode I made it, oh, maybe a half hour in? On safe mode I made it nearly two-thirds of the way, and still hope to get through entirely! I don't find it detracts too much, tbh; they've been quite thoughtful in making enemies still interact with you in unique ways, and the world still feels very bleak and threatening in a way that complements the story. Some part of me would love to try and do my own LP but I don't entirely know how to set that up, and in any case it would mostly involve a lot of me viciously cursing my way through the terror.
I liked Thief's End, I thought it was a great conclusion c: Very pretty, too. Oh, and Lost Legacy is SO GOOD ouo I don't see it on your sheet, so: highly recommended for someone with a hapless lesbian heart. (I won't pretend the gay is canon, but it's not... not canon either.)
Oh Naughty Dog, though... :'( I haven't seen the spoilers, but just knowing people weren't happy has taken out a fair chunk of the glee for me. I'm a bit over people making subpar sequels. Bad enough that my favourite childhood authors won't stop reviving beloved series just to tack on dreadful additions.
HMMM no I have not played Sundered. I think (?) it might be on my Steam wishlist, so very good to know it's worthwhile picking up! O: I do love a bit of eldritch. One game missing from my "I WILL YELP EXCITEDLY IF YOU ALSO LIKE THIS" list in the post above is Inside, which I see you also liked! So I do suspect I have buttons it could hit.
Ahhh! \o/ It will be so nice to have a vidya buddy. I'm already having fun scrolling through your logs... and getting a good chuckle out of summaries like 'hmm... yikes'. Occasional mood.
no subject
Date: 2020-06-24 12:10 pm (UTC)video game fandom on dw
LOL me too me too! I was drafting up a post about tlou2 (oh mmy god... have you played it/watched it.,,) and I was like "wow I'm so glad I know there's someone on here who might read posts about video games now" alskjdfh. I was really excited to see
games we're both interested in
I'm going through your listo and it looks like we've got our eye on a fair few of the same games! Disco Elysium looks so cool, if you do end up playing it soon I would love to hear your thoughts/progress as you play. Tacoma, Frostpunk, Tyranny, yep yep yep, I also want to play them at some point! Did you enjoy Detroit: Become Human? I want to play it as some point but like I said I don't have a PS4 so maybe when the new console comes out, I'll nab a last-gen at a steal. (Or steal a family member's huhu.) I bought Destiny 2 a while ago and then it went f2p before I ever really got stuck in. I've played a total of an hour and it was very overwhelming - I played with a friend who was not the most patient with my newbie cluelessness, alas xD Related to Destiny: I downloaded Warframe earlier today. Now that my ovw phase is well and truly buried, I want something more sci-fi. Have you any interest in Warframe?
mass effect
!!! I got a bit nervous, in most of the spaces online I've seen discussing Mass Effect, people - especially regarding fem!shep - seem to think lawful good is boring? It could have just been that specific reddit post, I mean, I don't know. I'm glad you love her too!! I booted up ME3 to play after finally getting my laptop repaired last month (my graphics card is??? dying orz) and I couldn't remember anything! I didn't know what quest I was trying to do, how to control various things, even important decisions I was in the middle off HHHH. I think I have to restart it for the third time oTL I'm determined to finish it! SAMANTHA IS SOOOOO CUTE, I'm going to play a morally grey hacker lesbian shep at some point and then Samantha better watch out for all the wooing. (It was such a crime not to make Tali bi. I'm still mourning.)
You know, when I heard that Garrus and Tali would romance each other if you don't romance either of them, I think my brain rebooted. It— I'm torn between exuberance and I-wish-that-was-me. ♥ It's so funny trying to take both of them on missions as well because they're so twinky, especially in the first game, like. LKjsdsfdhlsdkfhjg I was laughing they kept falling unconscious constantly.
pillars of eternity
Pfff re: godlikes, yeah, they all just wanna be cool fire babies. Go off, backers. My initial character was an Orlan, but I stopped playing before I really learned how to play, so when I revisited I was like "fuck it, let's go edgy boiz" and made an outcast cypher (??) mistic from the barren ice planes. And her main motivation is "I want to make friends". Aha, I will report back!! Their paladin system seems pretty strict, so I feel like I'd need to know how to play the game properly, or I'd have chosen one to start with tbh. I want to see how well the game bends to an evil playthrough mwahaha.
horror games
Ooh, I'm glad to hear that tbh! lmao I would watch the shit out of that. My friend and I are going to try stream Dead Space 1 and 2 so we can play the third together, and I hear it's scary but not like, SUPER terrifying. Action-spook. We will see hhhh
naughty dog
I had a Last of us Marathon yesterday, watching a no-commentary playthrough of the sequel, and I have. Thoughts. Mostly I just want to go and play the first game again, though :') I've only played it once but the characters were so beautifully done that I miss that warmth and humanity. (Yeah, I know right. Feels like you can't really trust any super rich entities, they're all so sus -.-)
recently played
I think Sundered's gameplay is a nice do-it-to-do-something loop, but we all now I'm really here for the sexy eldritch monster lmao. Inside was so good!!! I watched a letsplay of it ages ago and tbh I was like, yeah, it's all right - liked Limbo more. But then I played it, and it suddenly felt so much shorter? Even knowing what was going to happen, I just UGHHH loved it! I love short games a lot, and PlayDead have a good bleak platformer formula haha.
I finished Ghost 1.0 recently! I was so taken aback, it's actually so great?? I haven't played many metroidvanias but it convinced me to start newgame+ immediately after finishing! The voice acting is really well done, I'm just super impressed! A lot of love went into that game, I could tell. I also started The Surge because I wanted some sci-fi mech action. It has more of an industrial vibe than a sci-fi one, and I've given up on it after a few hours. It's okay, but I think too slow and "hhrrr dark souls harrrd" for me. That's a pass.
OMG THE YIKES GAME I STILL RMB SO CLEARLY ITS SO YIKES DUDE LKJSGHSDLGJKH LMAO
no subject
Date: 2020-06-28 05:01 am (UTC)where are the gamers
I joined indie_pop! :D Doesn't seem terribly active yet, but it's nice to have it there. And yesss, a few friendly folks I know of include
games of mutual interest
Haha, I've had fun using your games log as a guide for ones to wishlist and prioritise, I must admit X3 Detroit: Become Human was good insofar as it was enjoyable to play, the animation is gorgeous, the choice tree was truly impressive, and there were some fun character moments. It was bad insofar as it's the most boring and overdone version of What If Androids you could expect. ("What happens if people who look and act exactly like humans are mistreated for nonetheless being different?" That's just racism, David. "What if androids had to sit at the back of the bus?" David. "What if they march shouting actual slogans from real civil rights movements?" David no.) If you can get it on discount it's worth a spin, just keep the expectations low.
I am a little interested in Warframe! Mostly for the aesthetic - I have limited interest in pvp games, mostly because I am just not very good at them lol. But... dem customisable robots...
You're obviously on Steam, correct? Would love to add you if you're willing!
mass effect
I'm not surprised people are bored by lawful good, but to me half the fun of Mass Effect was getting to be such a paragon. I don't pretend it's especially realistic, but it's NICE to get to save the world by insisting we will work together and do things the right way, goshdarnit. Also, especially in the first game, renegade speech options are often so petty and mean?? I can't do it.
Ohhh no, sympathies for trying to jump back into the middle of a complex game hahaha. I burned through ME3 at the time, but the last time I tried to play it... it's not not fun, but there is something a bit sloggy about it. Maybe it's just the part where EVERYTHING is being AWFUL all of the time. The lack of bi is BioWare's gravest sin though. Omg. Even Jack, who MENTIONS having been with women? Tali, who so clearly has a crush on Shepard? The fuck are Thane and Garrus straight for, I don't think they care. And! Yes! I'm sorry, but perfect ot3 RIGHT there. What a missed opportunity.
TWINKY LMAO. YOU'RE RIGHT THOUGH. YOU SHOULD SAY IT. Garrus got mauled to death by a single varren in front of me and I couldn't believe it. He missed every goddamn shot.
Just out of curiosity - are there any companions you don't like, or feel indifferent towards? I always want to apologise to Kaidan and Jacob, who are so perfectly nice I feel almost nothing for them. And poor Liara seems to be trapped in an entirely one-sided love affair.
horror games
Ah, I watched Let's Plays of the first two Dead Space games! I liked the general worldbuild, v eldritch. Being able to actually fight the monsters helps a little, I think. If I remember rightly, Frictional broke the mold with Amnesia being a horror game in which your only options are run and hide? And in fact you get harmed just by looking at monsters. It's very clever and they're terrible people. It looks like they're bringing out another Amnesia game this year, which I'm a little disappointed about; I was hoping for a new IP.
naughty dog
Speaking of actual terrible people... lol. I haven't watched TLoU2 as yet, but I did read a lengthy review that covered a couple of spoilers, and. Yeah. I'm not in the mood for unrelenting bleakness as it is, but I'm also just disappointed that's the route they've taken. I was discussing it (in a non-spoilery fashion) with
recently played
Well, I picked up Sundered in the Steam sale! Took me a little while to figure out what I was doing - I've never played Metroidvania style - but I'm starting to get the hang of it and it's fun. And DAMN, you weren't kidding about the aesthetic. My friendly local geometric shape has a very compelling voice.
Also giving Kentucky Route Zero another go, now that the final chapter is out. It's been so long I don't really remember what was going on, haha.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-02 02:05 pm (UTC)dragon age
Ooh, I gotta get on this. Unlike Mass Effect, I don't really know the spoilers for Dragon Age, or at least as well as I do ME. Once I start my second playthrough of ME I might try play Dragon Age at the same time? Agh, and I still gotta finish KOTOR. So much rpg so little time .__.
game logging
I'm glad it's of use to you haha! I spent more than a year trying to figure out how to log my games, I'm really happy the sheet is suiting. First I just went with Steam reviews, but then there were games that I played through Family Sharing, and all the other platforms, and even off PC, and it was getting impossible to even remember what I had where (especially with Epic's constant freebies). There were a few online game logging websites I tried too, but nothing would stick. In the end, having my own spreadsheet is definitely easiest. ^_^ The only thing I kiiiind of wanted to include were hours' playtime, but I replay stuff so often that I don't know if it would be of any use. And hoensly, it's kind of freeing to not pay any attention to it lol.
games of mutual interest
Oh my god, did they really do that re: irl civil rights movement and Detroit: Become Human? Because that's the most 'video games must be art' white man thing I've ever heard. I'll give it a skip, I LOVE AI and robots and, genuinely, civil rights too (law student hello lmao) but I can do without that particular narrative, I think. *sigh* Please, I just want good robot games.
I want to play a zoomy fashion show robot game so bad. I'm going to give it a spin and if I end up getting into it please prepare yourself for me trying to convince you to queue with me (does the game involve queueing? Almost all of my multiplayer online experience is through overwatch slkdjfh).
I am on Steam! Here is my account, feel free to add <3
mass effect
That's so true omg! I love feeling like Shepard is this do-gooder who's going to save lives while keeping her honour and integrity. *clenches fist* I also reaaaaally love the idea of a lawful good Shepard who's always believed that following orders is the right thing to do having her entire worldview shaken by the corruption of the spectre Saran, and also the beautiful intercharacter play it offers between her and Garrus. Especially when taking into account that Garrus' entire arc in the first game was whether he wanted to do good within or without the system, and it evolves in the second game to him being a vigilante who has decided to take the law into his own hands. And you have Shepard working with Cerberus despite her loyalty to the Alliance. UGh I LOVE THEM MMMM NO SHEPARD WITHOUT VAKARIAN TT__TT
Yeah, the third one makes me kind of sad. The pacing also feels a bit weird to me because? There's the Reapers literally attacking and fucking shit up left right and centre but I'm expected to fly around everywhere doing fetch quests and small stuff and checking for fuel debris. I know WHY I have to, but it feels counter-intuitive. In the second game you knew exactly why you were doing what you were doing at any given moment, and yes, it felt kind of funny to be running around doing arbitrary stuff when the collector threat was looming ahead, but it felt almost like the whole crew wanted to put off the inevitable until they had to because it was a suicide mission. Idk, those are my thoughts so far, but I'll keep you posted as I restart ME3 for the third time jgkld. (I always get to Javik, and then stop. *sigh*)
LET THE WOMEN BE BI HHHHRK. Especially with Tali, where I just— There is no heterosexual explanation for the way she talks to Shepard!!!! And Jack who by all rights is proven to be bi? I literally had to look up to double check that she wasn't romancable by fem!shep. smh and also oh my god if I could romance Thane as a man I think I'd be dying, it would be so good. I'm flustered just thinking about it. THEY'RE ALIENS WHY ARE THEY STRAIGHT BY HUMAN STANDARDS, BIOWARE I JUST WANNA TALK—
Companions I feel indifferent towards... Mmm, I liked Jacob until I read about what his arc would have been in ME3 if you romanced him, and that cooled me on him so fast lol. Tbh I think that's not his fault, it doesn't really make sense to me with how his character felt. Still, I won't be playing through that any time soon because I am all about that soulmate happy ending lmao. I let Ashley die (I say 'let' but I angsted over that choice screen for SO LONG alksjdfh) so I don't feel super attached to her as a companion, although I love her and fem!shep's interactions (since that's all I've seen sjkd). Liara, I never felt super attached to? I think it's because it went straight to romantic with her, and I'm a big sucker for friends to lovers. Also because of the major shift between one and two? I think if I had romanced her, it would have been a really sad move to see Liara not even come along on the mission. So while I like Liara, I get sad at the idea of romancing someone who becomes such a side character later. :( Also, Grunt! I really don't get Grunt. He's funny and I don't dislike him or anything, but I just don't... get him. I think it's because I missed Wrex so much. xD
horror games
Oho, eldritch, you say? Watch me boot up the game Right Now. This the third Amnesia game then, isn't it? I have the first two, and I have Outlast which I think follows that same model and I've played maybe an hour of it. Maybe I'll revisit it one day lmao jkflsdfkjh I wish I wasn't so easily scared, I want to play horror gamessss
naughty dog
ooooof. Yeah, I saw the news about the crunch and at this point it was like, probably should have expected it. All the industry darlings are turning out to abuse their workers. *sigh* I saw Skill Up's review of tlou2 and it was pretty in line with my own thoughts. Such a depressing and bleak and pessimistic game, which is weird in a sequel that went out of it's way to paint not only Ellie but parts of the world itself (the giraffe scene near the end, ahh) as hopeful. Also, I feel like it fell flat because the characters worked in the first one bc of how multifaceted they all were. Tess, Joel, Bill, Ellie - everyone felt human. In the sequel, people are just shitty for no reason, or at least reasons I can't bring myself to believe at all lol.
Honestly, I think if I did want to see a sequel, personally I'd have wanted it to be about actually bringing about a cure, and following that storyline. I know it's cliche and it might feel like it's 'undoing' what TLOU did, but I don't think I would feel that way. I'd love to have seen that. See more difficult decisions, and Ellie to have grown - and yes, because of Joel and his influence - to be able to make the choice that Joel couldn't bring himself to.
recently played
!!!! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE PLAYING IT and that you're enjoying!! Ugh, how sexy is the bad guy, he has No Right. I still think about it, I think I'm going to have to write Eshe/Shining Trapezohedron fic lmao. I've had my eye on Kentuky Route Zero for years, I just haven't picked it up yet! If you end up enjoying it please let me know <3
I wanted to play Dead Space but my friend rainchecked, so I might try do that alone or reschedule with them if I can. I've recently started Ghost of a Tale, and I'm really enjoying it! It's a ton of fetch quests with really great stealth mechanics thrown it, but honestly I think I'm still playing it for the lore of all things? The world is so charming and intriguing and has just completely drawn me in. After I finish this, I'm going to stop stalling and finally start on that ME3 restart. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2020-08-02 05:34 am (UTC)dragon age
I have a harder time with DA than ME because the latter's gameplay style is more my thing, but the actual RPG element of the DA series is vastly superior imo. I also liked getting to take the same Shepard through everything, versus having to make a succession of characters, but that's just personal preferences again.
game logging
I did indeed have fun with the logging, so thank you for the template~ Now I just have to remember to keep it up to date, lol. I also contemplated counting hours, but it gets fiddly.
games of mutual interest
Scratching my chin over good AI games. You already know Soma and Primordia... Maybe The Fall would appeal? It's a puzzle-based game about an AI in a protective suit that's trying to get their unconscious pilot to safety.
Did you end up giving Warframe a try? Was it worthwhile? I wouldn't say no to giving it a go now and then c:
mass effect
A lawful good Shep bounces WONDERFULLY off Garrus, especially since they both suffer so much for their ideals. And they argue about it, but never without understanding that each is trying wholeheartedly to just make things right; and they support each other even when mistakes are made, because they've been there, they get it... Because I played ME2 first I didn't have that personal connection, alas, but they wrote it in so well that I glommed onto him anyway as what seemed to be one of very few characters that was there for Shepard, who'd known her in the past and understood she wouldn't be working with Cerberus for kicks.
Lmao yeah it's hard in ME3 to juggle the sense of "aaaaaa" with the actual structure of the game. It also felt fair in ME2 because of the suicide nature of things, as you say, but also the goal is to raise and train a team capable of handling it, basically? So the side bits and pieces feel a little more like prep work, not faffing around while entire planets burn.
That said, you must, at minimum you MUST complete the Citadel DLC for ME3. Please. It's the pinnacle.
M!Shep/Thane... hmm... yes. Yes, good.
I choose to ignore what happens with Jacob's romance arc in ME3 because that's just bad writing :| I can't blame the character for that level of bullshittery. It's a little funny too, because obviously when I ran into that moment as a Platonic Pal it was very "aww"! Good for you, Jacob! And then it turned out they didn't change it for a romance and it got less aww.
horror games
Big mood on wanting to be able to play 'em T-T A friend of mine has been blazing through Soma in normal mode and God I Wish That Was Me.
...And despite this I still bought Darkwood during the latest Steam sale. As if I will be able to play it successfully. Someone stop me.
sundered
This has become my Bloodborne Lite, I swear. The goal is to just charge back in repeatedly until I succeed, and there is something strangely educational about that. I'm up to fighting Legion & Salvation now! WHY WON'T THEY STAND STILL D8<
Oh pluh-heeze do let me know if you ever write Sundered fic :eyes: I confess, I looked up the endings just cuz I know it's going to take me a while yet to get there, and WOW. Just wow. The art is so beautiful for one thing, and then the endings themselves were great. I am well on track to go Full Eldritch, because Shiny Triangle is the only one who's nice to me down here and also I really like turning into a gargoyle.
other bits and bobs
May have flaked out and just watched a video for the last chapter of KRZ. It's a very pretty game, but it's just...so slow... I kept zoning out >>
Have now cycled into playing Where the Water Tastes Like Wine, which has an excellent aesthetic and concept but does not justify it's full pricetag imo; and mucking around again with A House of Many Doors, which is likely to be fun if you like Sunless Sea.
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Date: 2020-06-16 04:32 am (UTC)I tried out Pillars of Eternity, but really could not wrap my brain around the combat. I'll have to try again!
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Date: 2020-06-23 08:12 am (UTC)The combat is a bit weird. I confess I could only get through it on the easiest of modes.
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Date: 2021-09-11 07:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-11 11:02 pm (UTC)(Also gosh, I adore nightjars. Haven't managed to see one yet, besides the occasional tawny frogmouth cousin, but maybe one day.)
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Date: 2021-09-13 05:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-09-29 10:29 pm (UTC)I see we like a lot of the same games, I'm pretty heavy into Destiny and have been enjoying it so far. Have you played Destiny 1 or 2? Also I always love Inquisition! Oh my, the amount of hours I've put into that game. A lot of it was story
but I've also used the character creation to depict my fictional characters toohehe. I can't wait for the next one. I need to research and see Bioware is working on another.no subject
Date: 2021-10-01 07:11 am (UTC)I've played both the main storylines of Destiny 1 and 2, yes! And a couple of the rolling expansions. I'm very behind at the moment though, sadly; MMOs require a level of constant commitment I'm just not great at when it comes to video games. I still keep an eye on the approximates of what's going on though, as I have friends who are still very involved in the fandom, and I'll always be fond it.
I believe Dragon Age 4 is in the works, but it still seems a bit of a mystery as to when it will be released and what it will look like...
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Date: 2021-10-05 08:17 am (UTC)MMOs require a level of constant commitment I'm just not great at when it comes to video games.
Ugh it's so true. Some MMOs require so much attention, but Destiny has so much 'fear of missing out' with the seasons. The lore has got me so hooked though so I understand what you mean. Hubby and I watch 'My Name is Byf', on youtube, from time to time to catch up on past/current Destiny lore. He's very informative about it.
I wonder what's up with it being more surrounded in mystery. I guess it could be for many reasons
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Date: 2021-10-06 10:23 am (UTC)(But I did want to see Eliksni babies u_u)
But yesss, the lore is so good!! I've never gotten into Byf myself but I kicked my heels around a Tumblr circle for a while that likes to untangle things c: Do you have a favourite substory in the setting?
I fear they are mostly development hell delay reasons [teeth emoji]. With luck there will still be an enjoyable game at the end of it all.
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Date: 2023-07-05 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-05 09:25 pm (UTC)