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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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Also I like that Lupin gets shot :) the whumpiness of it was delicious

Unpopular opinion: I actually like the code realize anime better than the game. I feel like the writing is much better in the game, but I like the things they do in the anime more and I like the dynamics between the characters in the anime more. I feel like the anime kind of hits that sweet spot of everybody being good friends that the game didn't quite hit for me

#Levi.txt #he's so pretty when he bleeds #honestly I think he's prettier in the anime #You can really see how long and fringy his hair is #also I feel like he's just less perfect in the anime which I really like

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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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Unpopular opinion: I actually like the code realize anime better than the game. I feel like the writing is much better in the game, but I like the things they do in the anime more and I like the dynamics between the characters in the anime more. I feel like the anime kind of hits that sweet spot of everybody being good friends that the game didn't quite hit for me

#Levi.txt

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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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Finished Code Realize. I can see why it's so popular, it's very well written. The story is structured in a very solid way, with good foreshadowing. It's a bit fluffy for my tastes (I tend to go for darker and edgier stories) so I don't think I'll pick up the fandisks anytime soon, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

#levi.txt #still don't really like Lupin tho sorry Lupin #I never seem to like the true routes

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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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Man. Saint Germain route huh.

#holy shit #levi.txt

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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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why is Van Helsing so much cooler in Saint-Germain's route than his own?? Like DAMN, I like this fun Van. When he came in SWINGING I was screaming, and it was so cute when he got lowkey amped up to get in an unwinnable, 'just buying time' fight alongside Fran and Impey.

Like I get it, during his story he is PERSONALLY going through it. it does make sense that, given the circumstances, he would treat it all with the severity of a funeral. but still, my heart can't help but squeeze a little bit at this wild and fun Van Helsing hehe, he's having fun with the challenge of it

#levi.txt #I AM very much enjoying the batshit drama of Saint-Germain route #though I am a little surprised at how much ship tease there is with other LIs in it like DAMN. going hard on the Lupin ship tease there.#but I LOOOVE the drama and I LOVE that my neck is hurting from how sharp these twists and turns are #I'm so glad I saved him for fourth hehe

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lamentinghouses · 1 month

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MAN. man. It really truly is a shame how dating sims have such a bad rap among Normal Everyday People. Like when I talk to people who aren't already fans they're always kind of treated like something kind of cringy or embarrassing, and like they're a very superficial thing. But MAN. The stories are SO GOOD. SO GOOD. and people just don't give them a chance bc there's a romance focus. Like I can't tell you how many times I've been playing a game in a route has just been straight up horror and I've just been sitting there like. holy shit. HOLY FUCKIN SHIT.

Anyway I'm experiencing The Horrors through this girl rn and I'm FLOORED. holy FUCK.

#rbing this here too bc its FACTS #THE STORIES ARE SO DEEP #tHE CHARACTERS ARE SO DEEP #THERE'S SO MUCH LOVE AND INTERESTING THINGS yOU CAN DO WITH THE MEDIUM

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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really love dynamics that are like 'it honestly doesn't matter if you view them as romantic or platonic, the point is that they love each other. the type of love is inconsequential, all that matters is that it's there'. gotta be one of my favorite genders.

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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Impey Barbicane is rapidly rising my ranking of the characters what the fuck. Went from the bottom to towards the top and I JUST started his route

#levi.txt #HELLO??? MR. BARBICANE???#I figured out what he was a long time ago but I had no idea he felt that way about it #I thought him keeping it hush hush was a safety concern #his obnoxious flirt tendencies take on a much different implication in hindsight #he sees himself in her!!! they're the same!!!!

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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Thinking about this again, specifically the way Limbo's characterization is handled in Helvetica's route.

HEAVY spoilers for Helvetica route under the cut

One thing that really sticks out to me is how passive Limbo is in Helvetica's route overall. He's sort of in the background, and yet, despite this, there's so much characterization there.

There's three major moments that stand out to me: First when the group finds Helvetica drugged after he disappears, second when the group is discussing how to handle things, and finally while the group is waiting for news on Helvetica when he’s hospitalized at the end.

One of the major driving forces behind Limbo’s characterization is that he hates when people see him vulnerable. He wouldn't have kept quiet about the Navid situation so long otherwise, nor would he be so resistant to admitting that it scares him. It’s reflected in the correct choices in his route too— there's a running theme of letting him control his own narrative and talk to Teuta on his own terms.

And I feel like this is relevant to how he behaves Helvetica route, because the way he treats Hel is how he'd want to be treated if the situation was reversed. Which we know, because of how their routes move in parallel.

The most dramatic example is when he and Shu bring Helvetica home from his disappearance in an extremely vulnerable state. Limbo does his best to protect Helvetica’s dignity, firmly denying Teuta access to the bathroom while he and Shu clean him up. Notably, when talking to Teuta, he keeps a casual attitude about the matter, explaining that it’s because Helvetica is naked. However, based on Limbo’s tendency to keep his feelings to himself and how casual Helvetica tends to be about nudity, I think it’s safe to infer that isn’t the only reason. It’s not until Teuta convinces him that them being there to support Helvetica is more important than his privacy and that they have a right to worry that he relents, letting her in.

(as an aside, I find it interesting how Shu consistently agrees with Limbo throughout this scene. I haven’t dived as deep into his characterization yet, but I wonder if a similar approach is part of the reason they’ve been business partners for so long?)

The group discussion following immediately after this also stood out to me on a second read through. It’s subtler, but Limbo comes around to Helvetica’s point of view surprisingly quick, given that he is the one who initially suggests legal action against Magda. He suggests it, Helvetica explains why he doesn’t want to do that, and Limbo backs off in his next line. Notably, his next line takes place after Mozu and Shu both voice their disagreement with how Hel wants to handle it, saying that he’s on the fence about it but that he sympathizes.

The final moment is very minor, and deviates from the theme of 'treating Hel how he would want to be treated' since Hel isn't in that scene at all, but still stuck out to me in light of everything else. While the group waits for news on Helvetica in the hospital waiting room, Limbo’s demeanor and tone remain very casual. He listens to the group’s feelings, namely Teuta and Mozu, and offers encouragement without mentioning any feelings of his own. He acts unbothered. But based on the heavy found family themes of the rest of the game and how much his own route emphasizes that he is not emotionally expressive, I find it hard to believe.

(it’s also interesting the way that he and Mozu are both unexpressive characters, but it manifests in completely different ways)

As a final thought, there’s something to be said too about how Limbo and Helvetica are coming from fundamentally opposite backgrounds. They’re in similar positions by the time the game starts—successful men who are well respected in their fields and financially well off. Both of them also currently have equally respected and affluent families. But as Hel route shows, their foundations are as disparate as they could possibly be, with Limbo coming from a family old money and Helvetica from desperate poverty, with no biological family and nothing to his name. (Not to dismiss the family he found in the gang he was in, just pointing out how opposite they are in their circumstances)

I could see it being easy for Limbo to trust that things will work out/take things for granted more often, compared to Helvetica who knows just how easy it is to lose everything. I could also see it being part of the reason that Limbo values his agency so highly. I wonder how much it influences Limbo’s tendency towards inaction vs Helvetica’s tendency towards taking drastic measures.

It really is an interesting dichotomy. And yet, the way they write it in the game feels subtle and natural. It’s one of the things that makes Bustafellows so compelling.

I'm replaying a bit of Bustafellows to fact-check for a fanfic I'm working on, and it strikes me that Limbo and Helvetica make very interesting foils for each other if you play their routes back-to-back.

Vague spoilers for both routes under the cut

Both of their routes have similar driving forces behind the conflicts; someone important to them from their past has resurfaced and begun causing problems, which they are hesitant to involve the police on because of their prior closeness. They're both deeply loyal people who still value those bonds despite the tragic incidents surrounding them.

And yet, the ways that they choose to handle their respective situations are very different. Helvetica is very open with the group about what is happening, how he feels about it, and why it is difficult for him. The moment Teuta suspects there may be a problem, he lets her into the loop and keeps her updated on how he's handling it. When it becomes clear that the issue is so overwhelming that he cannot handle it by himself, he asks the group for help. He clearly explains why it matters so much to him and why he wants to handle things this particular way, even if the group does not agree.

Meanwhile, Limbo goes the opposite direction. He chooses to bottle everything and insist on handling it himself, even when repeatedly faced with evidence that it's not the kind of problem that will go away on its own. He continues to double down, even as the situation escalates past a point that anyone else would find to be immediately alarming, and does not even begin to open up about it until it becomes SO blatant that the others hear about it on the evening news. And even after the rest of the group involves themselves, he still downplays his emotions about it, pretending that he isn't really worried about it even when he is hurting and terrified (a truth that he only shares with Teuta, and mostly while loopy.)

And you can see these differences in each others routes as well. Helvetica is furious at Limbo in his route for shutting them out and acting like it's no big deal (and yet, interestingly, cannot or will not say that it's because he's worried about him. Shu has to spell it out for both of them). He knows that Limbo won't take action, and so he steps up as the driving force for the group going behind Limbo's back to handle it themselves. He IS sympathetic, but his loyalty manifests as taking protective action.

Meanwhile, Limbo takes a backseat role in Helvetica's route, deferring to his judgement. Despite how much he clearly cares, he acts largely unfazed, providing emotional support to everyone else without really expressing his own feelings on the matter. Further than that, he puts a lot of effort into helping Helvetica maintain his dignity/handle things as he pleases. He DOES care about Helvetica's safety, but his loyalty manifests as protecting Helvetica's agency in the situation, even if that agency puts Helvetica himself in more danger.

It's just very interesting to me how similar they are and yet how different. Further, it's interesting to me that neither of them have an easier time than the other due to their approaches.

I REALLY love the character writing in this game.

#Bustafellows #levi.txt #I accidentally typed up an essay on the topic and then realized oops! this is WAY overboard for this conversation!!! so I'm putting it here #I really want to go back through all the routes with a fine toothed comb and pull out more characterization moments #there are SO many interesting dichotomies in this game #like how both Limbo and Mozu are very unexpressive in totally opposite ways #or how Mozu and Shu are both notably good with emotional matters and yet handle them very differently

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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tell me I'm wrong

#A Date with Death #Casper #another silly meme I made a long time ago and found in my folders tonight #take my humble offering

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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#bustafellows #not sure if I ever posted this but I don't see it??? so I'm posting it now lol

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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This is exactly what came to mind the first time I saw that car CG lmao

Teuta is in the trunk or something. don't worry about it.

#bustafellows #levi.png #my magnum opus

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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The audience doesn’t see the way Vil Schoenheit holds it together. Rook sees everything. Or, Vil insists on performing immediately after overblotting. The team helps him keep afloat.

Hurt/comfort, takes place during book 5. 5,915 words.

Implied Rook/Vil, but can be read as gen, since they're very much already Like That.

#twisted wonderland #twst #vil schoenheit #rook hunt #rook/vil #fanfiction #I realized I never actually posted this one to my tumblr #and it's quite good if I do say so myself so it deserves to be here

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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“I never asked you to do that.” “You didn’t need to.” Victor said gently, setting the bag aside for now. “We’re—” “We’re not friends.” Van Helsing snapped, or tried to—it came out as a listless huff, weighed down by fatigue. “…Allies, then.” Victor continued after a moment of deliberation. “And allies don’t abandon each other.” “Hm.”

Or, Fran and Van Helsing have a necessary conversation.

A short little drabble that takes place during Van Helsing route. Gen oneshot, 1,844 words.

#Code Realize #code realize guardians of rebirth #abraham van helsing #victor frankenstein #otome #fanfiction #formal apology to the people who are seeing this in the tags for the wrong Van Helsing and Frankenstien I wasn't sure how to differentiate #anyway please take this humble offering of genfic

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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I've only finished Fran and Van Helsing's routes so far, but I really wish there had been (and hope there will be) more interactions between them. Van Helsing tears himself up so often in his route, and it seems like Fran is the one who usually patches him up (despite not being a medical doctor), and I feel like he'd have some opinions on that? Some thoughts maybe about how Van Helsing is able to survive things that would put normal people in the ground? Some concerns about how Van Helsing seems to ignore his medical advice to fuck off by himself on dangerous missions? Some frustrations with seeing him tear himself open again and again and again, constantly undoing all Fran's work to keep him alive?

I'd really love to see, just once, Fran telling him (in that kind-yet-firm way he has) to knock it off. Telling him calmly, in no uncertain terms, how close he was to dying. How, if he keeps this up, one of these days he's going to wind up with something that Fran doesn't have enough training to treat. How, even if Van Helsing doesn't care about himself, the people around him care.

I'm sure Van Helsing wouldn't listen, but I would love to see Fran remind him that he's cared about. I would love to see them being friendly(ish) even outside of Cardia's influence.

(no spoilers please I have not yet finished the game)

#levi.txt #code realize #Code Realize Guardians of Rebirth #maybe the true route will have something like this??? but I'm not holding my breath #I just want them to be friends!!!! they could have such a close bond!!!!#not to mention that I feel like they'd really be able to understand each other given the Vampire War thing #both of them committed the same unspeakable horrors and are trying to atone for it in their own ways #no spoilers plz I have not finished the game

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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I WAS FUCKING RIGHT

Playing Code: Realize for the first time RN and I so desperately want to talk about it. I am finally getting Into It and I have Thoughts Feelings and Opinions. But alas, I cannot go into online discussions yet, lest I be spoiled.

#levi.txt #I CALLED Azoth's identity #VINDICATION

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lamentinghouses · 2 months

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Playing Code: Realize for the first time RN and I so desperately want to talk about it. I am finally getting Into It and I have Thoughts Feelings and Opinions. But alas, I cannot go into online discussions yet, lest I be spoiled.

#levi.txt #I've done Fran route in its entirety and I'm in the middle of Helsing route #I'm pretty sure I've figured out where its going #If Azoth isn't who I think it is I will eat my fucking hat I am SO confident #its satisfying being several steps ahead of them lmao they're getting the runaround and I'm just here like :3c [knowing stare]#It clicked for me the second Azoth was introduced. that was good foreshadowing.#unless I'm wrong in which case that was a good red herring

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