I'm in love with the way EO leverages the DS to digitize manual mapping. absolutely wonderful, beautiful stuff that captures the spirit of the genre a billion million zillion times better than any automap ever could. in a perfect world this would've heralded imitative ports of every drpg under the sun, and all of them would've been strong contenders for the best versions by default. unfortunately we live in the eternal piss and shit dimension so I'm doomed to pout about the missed opportunity for the rest of my life

as for the rest: game's like one of those images where either you see the old crone or the smokin hot babe; the lamp or the smoking hot babe; the white and gold dress or the smokin hot babe. you know?

from what I gather if you're coming at it from an EO perspective this thing feels like it was coded straight into zhoukoudian limestone by the peking man. folks act like it's the dustiest, crustiest, most satanic verses ass antipathetic crawler ever made. they're out here throwing blankets over their ds at night like a furby to stop it from talking backwards and shit

but if you're coming at it from a broader drpg ("blobbers" if ya nasty) perspective it's almost the complete opposite: decidedly modern, breezy, and accommodating; its push toward transparency, telegraphs, and convenience at odds with the core tension loop pre-bradley wizardry clones fundamentally rely on

I fall into the second category and found most of this to be pretty dry. by the time I hit the 5th Stratum I was approaching vegetative status, zoning out and mashing A with one hand while reading scandalous celebrity gossip on my phone in the other. hovering out of body, well above the dungeon rather than being subsumed by it; existing outside of stress, anxiety, and uneasy decision making. EO just doesn't got the stomach to wrench your guts around, put you on the perpetual backstep, or fill the role of derelict steward the way the most successful clones do

which is fine! I like most of the experimentation here in isolation; there's a dialogue happening that's a lot more interesting than reheating 1980-1988 endlessly. the deterministic angle opens up a lot of unique design avenues; character building could easily swerve toward embracing shortform tactics over longform attrition; and moments like B20F show that FOEs can be more than softball fodder goin woop woop woop in a 3x3 grid. there's a lot to be excited about, it just needs to be contextualized in ways that flatter rather than compromise

more than anything EO needs to stop being uncomfortable in borrowed skin and start being comfortable in its own. no reason to be another mediocre wizardry when it could be a great etrian odyssey 🌈 ⭐❤️

My third eye is open and it’s crying.

This pack seemed so obviously fine tuned to a mediocre experience that I’m sure someone out there might enjoy, but it’s a personal nightmare to me. There aren’t any new collections, but there sure are a handful of weird aspirations that delete my inner peace instead of inspiring it. You’d probably guess from the title, but it’s a pack that introduces the spa, and therefore tosses in everything from detoxifying tea to massages to meditation and yoga. But boy, am I far from relaxed.

Finally my dream job of re-organizing the bones of my neighbors through unlicensed massages is actually achievable, except they made it work in the dumbest way possible. You can’t outright buy a spa in the same way that you can a restaurant, so your Sim is meant to just show up and start massaging people.. just.. because they want to? Please do not tell the IRS of my grift, but there’s no shot I’m getting a W-2 for this. It’s weird in practice and also in function, since the spa has actual NPC employees working hard for their $7.50/hr. It feels like the equivalent of you squeezing behind a cash register at your local Walmart and accepting tips from the customers for letting them skip the line faster. It’s aggravating because the NPCs are actively competing for your space, when really you’re just an asshole, leaving you to constantly beg the customers to let you tickle them a bit with your fingers.

That’s honestly really it? You get the Wellness skill which gives your Sim super calming aura, I guess. They can teleport while meditating and that’s pretty goofy, but other than that there’s not much here besides the furniture. The neat thing is that apparently EA actually refreshed this pack sometime in 2021. (This is the only time they’ve done this. Probably the only time they ever will.) This refresh added Aspirations that weren’t there before and these were what I was forced to do. They are not fun because they play poorly.

It meant I had to pull off some MLM scams at the local spa by bringing people with me. Getting multiple Sims to do an outing together in this game is like pulling teeth and the spa locations have got to be the worst places out of them all. There’s yoga classes happening every 5 minutes, which distracts every Sim in the vicinity like they’ve been hit with a sonar thought wave. One brain cell, only yoga. Everyone drops everything they're doing in an instant and starts performing yoga outside even in torrential downpour. It made getting the massages I needed really aggravating. I ended up deleting the yoga mats and pondered locking all the yoga instructors into a 2x2 containment cell. I would have honestly been doing this town a service since we lost some neighbors who were forced to perform yoga in a snowstorm. God bless those poor souls.

The rewards are not really worth it because they just net you more money for performing spa work. Sir, I am a 2.2 Simoleon millionaire and you will never see me on this lot ever again. I’ll take the soothing super power though if it makes my Sim’s kids complain less while they’re around me. I’d skip this one personally, unless you’re super into granola.

I hope we see free pack refreshes more often though, but this was 3 years ago and that ship has probably SUNK. I've mastered true clairvoyance now and that is sensing when EA is trying to siphon more money out of my wallet and surprising them with a Home Alone death trap instead.

I've come here
From beyond the bounds of science
I didn't come with a leek
But I wouldn't mind having one


I love virtual singers. My favorite composers and songwriters all use them, and I'd like to say I'm very well versed when it comes to this kind of music. As artistic tools and instruments, it's kind of overwhelming how much potential these voicebanks have. The same song put in two different people's hands can wind up having insanely different reflections, if tuned right. I've heard vocals that sound near identical to a humans, I've also seen them sound so rough and robotic that words are barely legible. Which producers I like, the songs I enjoy, tracks that make me cry, I can talk about those all day if you let me. The history of Vocaloid in general is a very interesting and pervasive one. Does this game do a good job of upholding it?

Kind of. As a game, its incredibly fun. More of a rhythm game than Project Diva, which SEGA has long since chucked into a ditch. I know this style of mobile rhythm game has been done many times in other places, but it works perfectly well. Its all dependant on your ability to follow the beat of a song and tap the notes in tune, unlike in Project Diva where it was more of a battle against the controller (hit x + y + b? What the fuck are you talking about?) since of course, being originally develeoped for an arcade cabinet, it was never going to feel especially good on consoles. This however, being made for mobile, makes the experience leagues better. And the tracklist is insane. Such good picks, a huge range of styles and producers to chose from that doesnt just rely on the classics. Modern Vocaloid producers are insanely talented so I'm more than happy that Sekai keeps up with the current music.

My biggest complaint with this game is how they treat the overall legacy and dignity of the songs they chose, as well as Vocaloid in general. The plot of this game is that of these 5 (human) groups, each supposedly representing a style common in Vocaloid music. Their lives are a wreck but one day their phone flashes and theyre teleported to Miku World, where Miku herself helps these wayward teens through whatever it is they are going through on that particular day. I understand that this game is marketed to young adults, they have to keep Vocaloid relevant, and they also have to sell marketable characters for gacha. But man. I dont give a single shit about any of these people. Some of them are ok, even sweet!- like leo/need is cute. The writing for their stories isnt bad or anything, but the problem arises when they shoehorn these (fake) characters into songs made by real people, with real problems, making it seem like the song is about the characters. Some ditzy idol MitchieM song, ok whatever, but a lot of Vocaloid music tends to be very personal, philosophical even. I feel like its INSANELY disrespectful to overwrite the intentions of the artist to shoehorn in your gacha ocs. Especially with the "depressed" idol group, which they couldnt even be bothered to tackle social issues or anything important besides "my mom makes me do stuff" or "I'm an artist and my brother is annoying" or, confusingly, "my dad is in a Music Coma and its ALL MY FAULT" (relatable, to someone, surely). When a great deal of these songs are about real people's sadness and feelings, I cant help but feel gross seeing Purple Anime Girl #1 cover something like Hated by Life Itself. And they dont just make these people cover these historically important songs, they also create whole new music videos with the Sekai characters pasted over whatever was originally happening? What? How is that right? Even just historically, those original and Project Diva MVs are very important to the culture and rise of the artform. Why paste fucking Mizuki over the video for Hello Worker? She cant even fucking work shes a CHILD. HOW does she relate to the song at all? If you cant properly tackle why a teenager would want to jump off a bridge (as a few producers have wound up ending their lives or passing away otherwise) maybe dont make your bimbo gacha teehee heehaw teen sing a whole song about it. Even regular tracks, if you're already making music FOR the game anyways just keep them out of it.

It makes me a little sad seeing as how this is a lot of children's/young adult's first impression of virtual singers, since I've already heard tales of people playing this game and not knowing what Vocaloid is, somehow. The relevance of Vocaloid, CeViOs, UTAUs, you name it- has been going strong since it's inception two decades ago. All thanks to the very talented and beautiful people who continue to make music utilizing them, and disregarding Sekai, that is not going to change for a long while. If this stupid little app won't celebrate Miku like she DESERVES, well then... I guess its up to me. I fucking love you girl, keep on bein your twin-tailed self. No one can take your spotlight.


I understand that you still can't see what I look like
But I'm alive.
I talk with you.
So across the wall of virtual reality
Inside the flood of information,
I want to go on evolving,
you and I together.

the discomfort zone got too comfortable so we made the comfort zone discomfortable. samus: meet samus

where super dove uncritically into the power fantasy that metroid II (the game with a literal Genocide Counter in the UI) unmasked and deflated, this feels like it's turning it inward against you personally. Your body, Your likeness, and Your autonomy hijacked; Your celebratory past tense role as (repeated) casual annihilationist to reckon with and cower from

it operates as something of a Super Negative Image Metroid: an inversion right down to the uncomfortable, choking grip of the direction. all that clammy ADAMsplaining, those sequestered zones, the redline urgency; everything's dialed perfectly into the exact same channel with uniform intent. even the woozy alien psychedelia's been spirited away in favour of clinical, detached interiors and astroturfed xerox biomes with some of the most appropriately sterile Oops No Backlight lighting on the GBA

and no, it obviously doesn't accomplish the same things as its predecessors, but it's not attempting to. this is a game about lack of control, and altering the format would be akin to breaking the spinal column that holds it upright. fusion's big successes (the pacing, brevity, tonal and thematic consonance, and delicate curation of tension and challenge) are the result of its structural changes. being shunted around a tiny sarcophagus isn't a flaw, it's the entire premise. duh

even without all that though it's impossible for me not to love a game with nightmare, the Profaned Baja Blast Suit, AQA's sunken banger, shots like this, and those absolutely psychotic ridley screams

quite possibly the best SA-X heavy fusion since the sultry sounds of steely dan

outside of the (understandably) on-the-nose coloured doorways nearly every instance of environmental interaction is rich and tactile. thirty years later it's still a wonder to grope and paw at every (Possibly Maybe) malleable surface and leverage every new upgrade toward greater structural manipulation and command

in ensuring how and when are given as much significance as what and where it forms a relationship between actor and environment that bears uncommonly personal patterns and markings as you learn to use Your body as an implement to interface with the world. sidepaths and back alleys that carve Under - Over - Through reshape the familiar thru layered mechanical discovery and shift the internal v external dynamic in turn; mastery of the self begetting exponential mastery of the other

a fitting problem then that the biocircuitry, plunging intestinal mazes, and gloomy dark ambient synthesis quickly become less something to endure so much as to dominate; the dissonance for show, and the brutality nakedly glamorous and one sided. so much of it exists in service to the pursuit of (Your) power, kneeling with its neck outstretched waiting to feel bones shatter for Your gratification. sure, I feel obscenely powerful, but I'd rather feel anything else

I love this dev. They come up with such smart and high concept ideas, and though this didnt hit in the way 7 Days did for me, I still enjoyed the time I spent with it. Normally, personality tests as a concept are something I don't particularly subscribe to (especially as a gameplay format), but in the case of Refind Self it works incredibly well. Playing as an android, simultaneously teaching her humanity while also exercising your own freedom of choice is a very endearing route of storytelling. The grief and kindness expressed through the options you chose, the limited amount of time you have to play reflecting the wind-up android's existence... as seems to always be the case, this dev is very careful and smart in the way they go about presenting their world. I love their artstyle, love the philosophy behind it. The only thing I could say these games lack is music, as each only has a few tracks (few meaning 2 or 3) that don't loop especially well. Highly suggest this dev's catalog for anyone looking for a unique and short, lovingly crafted experience. Really excited to see what they put out next ☆

I have put off re-reviewing this for months. Partly because I dont have the words to express the hold this game has over me, and partly because every time I start thinking about it I get too excited. I havent felt this way about something in a long time, likely since I was a girl in the height of my infatuation with Ace Attorney.

This game is just absolutely astounding, from all angles. There is nothing it does poorly and nothing I would change. I didnt really understand the draw of roleplaying till now, which was the downfall of my first experience, but it is absolutely incredible the things you can learn about yourself pretending to be someone else. Thats not something I can say about any other game, ever. And I can only feel just so grateful, because it's given me so much joy over the past 3 months. Its barely left my mind at all, which feels like an issue at times. I dont know if I'll have an experience like that ever again, after all I created the perfect character and ran through the campaign as him, twice. More or less doing the same thing because I just enjoyed what I had made so much. It grieves me that I kind of have to let go of it, its one of those games that was painful to finish because I just got so attached. It feels like mine, and its one of those autistic things where I cant stand it when anyone else brings it up cause you and I definitley dont see it the way, like a dog hyperaggressive over its food. Specifically dark urge, which feels like it was tailor made for me. Its all so special and I care about it very, very much.

Everyone who worked on bg3 is immensely talented. It's kind of staggering just how talented everyone is. There is not a single voice actor that preformed poorly or out of place, the text is immaculate, nearly every single decision one could make is neatly planned for and has a script. It is just perfect and I could marvel at it forever, cause it really is a feat of human accomplishment to me. The driving force behind my love for this game though is of course the cast. I adore absolutely everyone (minus you Minthara I will always kill you and take your clothes), there are so few games that manage to pull it off, that take you through a journey so long and so profound that you feel a sense of family. Withers' after party is the perfect amalgamation of all this, the joy I felt seeing everyone happy, finally grtting to live their lives was unmatched. Going through the letters of the people you met along the way and seeing that theyre all alright. Astarion specifically holds special meaning to me but I cant talk about that I get too protective. It never fails to make me tear up thinking about it and always makes me feel so grateful that this is in the world and that I got to experience it.

Immensely love all my friends and Scratch and Owlbear and that one weird ox I didnt get to see in act 3 because it glitched out. I will think about you all forever, an autistic girl's promise

The joy of destroying an upper classman's home, with zero of the consequences and all the benefits of being a small dog

Cute, short free game! The trainees who made this definitely show a lot of promise, solidly constructed with an adorable premise and a lot of heart to boot. I could see this concept being fleshed out more in a full release, but for what it is they definitely hit all the marks. A silly doggy mud demolition sim, cant go wrong. Bonus points for letting me wear hats.

As a note, it barely functions on the steamdeck and the sound did not work. I couldnt really enjoy it to the most of its potential, but I'm glad I checked it out regardless!

My apartment building that I live in is meant for very, very old people who live off government income checks. Now, I am a very young person who just so happens to live off social security, but that does not make me immune to the rigorous rules set by the building for these older folks. One of the biggest annoyances is that every major announcement is conveyed to us through papers put in your door handle instead of an email or some shit, even more annoying is that the announcement can range in seriousness from "stop throwing boxes down the garbage shoot" to "tomorrow there will be a room check". I dont know what it is about being old but apparently they dont deserve any autonomy or privacy as these room checks consist of two men storming your apartment, literally manhandling every appliance to make sure it works. They have to open the windows to make sure they open. They have to go in your closet to make sure the door isnt falling off. It is bureaucracy at its finest.

Now, anyone who knows me understands that I have severe contamination ocd. So does the building manager, Lisa, who feels very very badly for me and tries to help whenever she can. However, she has to manage 200+ apartments with only one assistant so she is very overworked. One of these room checks happened to me last Tuesday, where Lisa herself came and checked out my room respectfully. But she did not convey she would be helping me until that day, the announcement for said room check came the previous week with a mere 24 hour notice. Between the days of Wednesday to Friday, 9-4, your room could potentially be invaded so better keep it clean, bitch. So what is a girl to do while she waits for her worst fear to unfold for 7 hours a day? Play Minecraft with her bestie, duhh.

Last time I interacted with Minecraft was in late elementary school, where my biological father's girlfriend and my grandma purchased separate copies for me because no one was smart enough to write down my account password. I also only played it twice on a computer, but I did have the app version of it on my ipod that I would mess around in before school. I was very interested in all the new shit that must of been added over the years, more than I was kind of embarrassed to be playing this as an adult.

Its very fun. Obviously, theres a lot to do. I like a game that doesnt hold your hand too much and has lots of ☆secrets☆ to offer, and after being updated all these years there sure is an unprecedented amount of concepts in the game. I like building a lot, I enjoy the comforting feeling of going back home to your house you spent 50 hours making. All the ingame animals make me very happy and I wish I could interact with them in more ways, the music is also stellar. I definitely would not enjoy this game so much were I playing it by myself, but luckily Hildas got my back and is always there to help me when I fall into a pit or run off a mountain.

Unfortunately I of course have the switch version, which of course fucking sucks. Chunks load very slow. Connecting with Hilda is very slow. Its not updated to the extent of Java which is also a bummer. You cant have custom skins which is also incredibly lame. Its very tedious to menu with a controller, and the constant autosaves make us both lag out for minutes at a time. I also have some issues with the base game in general as well, number one issue being fall damage which I think is taken too easily. It simply feels better to be moving around the map at mach speed, so to be punished for falling 3 blocks or so feels rather like being hit on the hands with a ruler, just lemme have my fun smooving. Its tied to my second biggest issue, which is that you get hungry way too fast and your health only recovers when its all the way full. Its as obnoxious as it sounds to be stopping every 5 seconds to eat a carrot.


Otherwise, its Minecraft. Im kind of very impressed its still around and cemented as one of the biggest games out there. A lot of the micro transaction shit is clearly driven towards the younger Roblox demographic, which is really hard to look at every time I turn on the game, but aside from that its still the fun block game I remember from when I was younger. I'll always associate this with the 3 anxiety-ridden days I spent playing with Hobo, slapping her into pits and breaking all her shit. Riding horses into her house. Threatening to blow up her house. Killing her slowly with projectile eggs. Abject terrorism is in my nature.