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xb-squaredx · 3 years

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B-Squared’s Top 10 Games of 2020

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that having something to distract me from the genuine horrors unleashed during 2020 was vital to staying alive, and for me that means a lot of video games! I played…a lot of games last year, but I spent a lot of time playing older games, so I didn’t get a chance to check out a lot of high-profile games that launched this year. Still, I do want to shine a light on the games that managed to resonate with me even a little bit, that somehow managed to launch this year. So let’s get to it!

#10 – No Straight Roads

Rarely have I been struck by a single trailer for a game like I was for No Straight Roads. Produced by industry veterans under a new studio, this is a rare game that’s not quite an indie game from a studio full of newbies, but it’s also not produced with the same kind of budget and resources of a Triple-A project. What do we call this? A Double-A game? Single-A? Regardless, I have to give the team at Metronomik some props for delivering a super stylish game in the midst of a very challenging year. No Straight Roads is a rhythm-based action game where two up-and-coming musicians fight to bring back Rock and Roll to the people of Vinyl City. I absolutely adore this game’s presentation, with each major boss being visually unique and having their own feel that compliments the music they bring to battle. There’s some real energy in these animations with character designs that ooze personality, and being a game about music the soundtrack is great! All that being said though, I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the gameplay when all was said and done. It leans way more on the rhythm side of the equation than I was hoping for, and the action felt very shallow. The fixed camera made some phases of some fights a real problem, and the Switch verison, which I played, is plagued with a lot of issues that really brought the game down for me. If the game interests you at all, give it a shot on PC or PS4; I hear those versions are a lot better. Still, I liked the potential I saw in this game and in this studio, so I can only hope they did well enough to continue on. This definitely feels like the kind of passion project that deserves more recognition.

#9 – Streets of Rage 4

OK, so full disclosure: I didn’t grow up with 2D beat-em-ups. I missed out on all of the greats of the genre back in the day. No Final Fight, no River City Ransom, no Double Dragon, and definitely no Streets of Rage. In more recent years I have tried to dip my toe in the genre, as I did in 2019 with River City Girls. However, I came away from that game a bit disappointed by the overall gameplay and wondered if 2D beat-em-ups were for me. Seeing so much praise heaped onto Streets of Rage 4 had me curious, so I knew I had to try it, if only to broaden my experience in the genre. In many ways, this game is the perfect sequel to a franchise that hasn’t seen any signs of new life in years. It retains what made the series beloved with satisfying combat and challenge, but with a modern touch. The overall art style of the game and music work out pretty well, and I found the act of comboing enemies to be really satisfying. It really doesn’t overstay its welcome either, which is very appreciated in an age of endless timesinks. I also struggled a fair bit with the game, even on Normal, and well after some patches that seemed designed for more casual fans like me. Had this game not had online co-op as an option, I don’t know if I could have beaten the final levels. So my time with this game was pretty rough but despite that I can still see this was a game made with care, and if this game DOES do something for you, there’s plenty of reasons to keep playing on higher difficulties, unlocking more characters and even playing online with friends. Let me put it this way; I’m not all that sure I like the genre and I still liked this game, so I think that counts for something!

#8 – The Wonderful 101: Remastered

…this one is kind of cheating, I’ll admit! I had a lot of trouble thinking up ten games that really stood out to me this year, honestly. That said, I’ll definitely use loopholes to plug one of my favorite games from years ago. Seven years ago, PlatinumGames launched The Wonderful 101 on the ill-fated Wii U, where it bombed harder than just about anything on the system. For those that gave the game a shot, however, they were quick to discover a deep, complex, and charming action game that plays like nothing else out there. Controlling a team of 100 heroes at once, players form weapons out of the various Wonderful One’s bodies, smacking around giant robots and aliens far larger than them with the power of teamwork! How could you not love that, right?! Now, years later, PlatinumGames is aiming to become more independent and their first act was launching a Kickstarter as a way to get this game on newer platforms. While we may never know why Nintendo gave Platinum their blessing to release this game on non-Nintendo platforms (being as this is still, as far as I know, a Nintendo-owned IP), I’m just glad more people can have access to one of the most unique action games I’ve ever touched.

To sell it another way, this game combines the overall aesthetic of Viewtiful Joe with the shape-drawing action of Okami but with a bit of Bayonetta flair on the side. Basically, this is the culmination of everything director Hideki Kamiya has ever worked on. The Remastered version fixes some issues present from the game’s original release, and while I do think they could have gone a bit further with some changes, it is likely the best way to play the game for many. All those sections that made heavy use of the Wii U GamePad are a tad awkward though, but that held true even back on the Wii U anyway…d-don’t worry so much about that, though! I’d still recommend this game to anyone looking for the type of over-the-top action that only Platinum (and occasionally Capcom) can provide! So please consider joining the Wonderful Ones and Unite Up!

#7 – Paper Mario: The Origami King

Discourse around the Paper Mario series is…more than a little rough, honestly! Many fans have been quite vocal about not liking the direction the series has been heading with the last few games, but I went into The Origami King with an open mind and ended up really enjoying the game for the most part! What the game lacked in a developed storyline, it made up for with some really strong character moments and memorable setpieces. Bobby and Olivia are among my favorite partners in ANY of the Mario RPGs, easily, and the entirety of the Great Sea section of the game was a really fun adventure. I love the highly-detailed paper-crafted enemies and locales, and the soundtrack really didn’t have to go as hard as it did. While the battles against common enemies didn’t quite click with me, the boss battles throughout the game constantly surprised me with interesting twists on the ring-based combat and are a real highlight for me. I know this game is pretty divisive amongst Paper Mario fans, but I think the franchise has a pretty bright future ahead of it!

#6 – DOOM Eternal

Fair warning here, but I haven’t quite managed to beat DOOM Eternal at the time of writing this, but what I’ve played so far tells me it definitely belongs here. I think Eternal is hands-down the most intense game I’ve played in a long time. It gets my blood pumping as I dash about, shooting and slicing through demons that are extremely eager to rip and tear me to pieces. I don’t play many shooters in general, so I knew I was going to be in for a rough time, but DOOM Eternal brings it to another level right away. In some respects, I don’t quite agree with various aspects of the core game design that makes the game harder than I think it needs to be at times. The scarcity of ammo, and thus the constant need to use the Chainsaw weapon in order to gain more ammo gets tiring, though that somewhat levels off as more weapons are acquired and players learn of more efficient ways to take out the hordes of Hell. The game’s fantastic soundtrack by Mick Gordon definitely elevates the experience, so it is a huge bummer knowing that he and ID Software had a falling out and he won’t be coming back. I really dig the game’s expansive levels and more focus being put on exploring every nook and cranny for secrets, and certain old-school touches like finding extra lives or cheat codes definitely makes the game feel like it was ripped out of a bygone era and given a modern paintjob at times. Doom is eternal, and with it, so is pulse-pounding shooting action!

#5 – Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Compared to the other re-release of an old game on this list, I think this particular title had a lot more time and care put into it…and it also happens to enhance one of my favorite games on Wii as a bonus! Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii was a game that almost passed me by but even years later, I still adored the characters and world it introduced, and I’ve been happy to see what started as game that was almost stuck in Japan eventually grow into a full franchise. I consider the first game to the best in the series, though it was held back by a few issues later games would iron out. Chief among the problems was the visuals, particularly the character models and…wow does ten years make a world of difference. The Definitive Edition does more than just clean up everyone’s faces, it also cleaned up the game’s cluttered UI, made it easier to track quests and materials for said quests, and added some fun optional challenge missions for veterans to tackle. The bow that adorns the top of this package, however, is the epilogue story Future Connected that serves to tie up some loose ends and gives a particular character some great closure. If you love massive worlds to explore, a compelling, at times over-the-top story, and a deep, rewarding combat system, I can’t recommend THIS version of THIS game enough. If you’re going to give the Xenoblade series a try, there’s no better place to start.

#4 – Ghost of Tsushima

When Ghost of Tsushima was first unveiled years ago, I didn’t exactly have a high opinion of it. It seemed like a game that put more emphasis on visuals over gameplay, and I was almost certain it would launch as a PS5 exclusive so why bother getting excited when I probably wasn’t going to be an early adopter of the system? To my great surprise, not only was this game confirmed for PS4, it wound up being one of the prettiest games on the platform and well-optimized to boot, even on my old slim PS4. Playing as lone samurai Jin Sakai, players try to repel the Mongel invasion of Japan, but are forced to adopt less-than-honorable tactics to take on this ruthless enemy. Usually when I play stealth games, I find myself frustrated. I feel weak, or limited, and often the games feel overly harsh. If you get caught once, game over and there’s little salvaging being seen. In Ghost of Tsushima however, there’s a great deal more care put into stealth, and at times I’d argue it’s almost too fun to pass up over the sword play. Very few missions in the game force you to go completely unseen, so stealth just because yet another tool rather than a limitation imposed on you.

Swordplay felt a bit less engaging against common enemies (typically just being Simon Says, switching to the appropriate stance for a given enemy), but the one-on-one duels throughout the game were fantastic and I almost wish the game was all about them instead. I can’t overstate how gorgeous this game is either, with a world that feels like it is breathing, as the wind whips through the tall grass, the moon penetrates fog overtaking a creepy forest, or seeing the smoke from an enemy camp wafting over the distance. Hands-down one of the best-looking games on the PS4, and I’m particularly happy that developer Sucker Punch managed to land a hit with a new IP, as those generally feel more risky as times go on. While I’d argue that Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t really redefine how open-world games should be designed, it is an extremely polished experience and manages to do it well, with plenty of opportunities to grow in a potential sequel.

#3 – Animal Crossing: New Horizons

If there’s any one game that people absolutely needed in 2020, it was Animal Crossing: New Horizons. While there are other games of this type, like Stardew Valley or the Harvest Moon (and later, Story of Seasons games), Animal Crossing is one of the few games that gets mainstream attention while simultaneously running counter to most mainstream gaming trends. No conflict, no combat, no overarching story really…just a game that lets you live your live, day by day on your own terms. I tried getting into the series before with New Leaf but just didn’t stick with it, but New Horizons launched at the perfect time in an imperfect world. Being able to escape the uncertainty and dread that enveloped the world as the pandemic spread for even a little while was a necessity, and thankfully New Horizons had plenty to do to keep idle hands busy. Changes like item crafting and eventually limited terraforming of your island paradise give players so much more agency in decorating their homes and building up something they can be proud of.

We all start as nothing but a small tent on a mostly-empty island, but seeing what people were able to do even in the first few weeks or so was nothing short of amazing. We need more unflinchingly wholesome games in the world, and I’m thankful for Animal Crossing for being there when we needed it, and considering how well it sold and how much post-launch content is expected to be added with time, it remains a sanctuary to return to even now. Just…please let us craft in bulk? Pretty please, Nintendo?

#2 – Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Last year, Nintendo released Astral Chain, a game that no one knew about before release, which was revealed and released with very little gaps between them. It was a game I didn’t know I wanted until it was presented to me, and that trend continues this year with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. The first Hyrule Warriors was a fun, surprising spin-off of the main Legend of Zelda series, and Breath of the Wild was a fantastic game that shook up the core of the Zelda franchise, so in hindsight it really does seem like a no-brainer to combine the two into one package. Age of Calamity, for my tastes at least, cuts down on the repetition and overall stressful atmosphere of the first Hyrule Warriors and instead focused on fleshing out it’s core combat and crafting more creative main storyline missions. It helps that the game reimagines iconic locales from Breath of the Wild from before their destruction, and really makes you feel like you’re fighting through actual places rather than just a collection of random keeps that most Warriors games use.

Bringing in aspects like the Sheikiah Slate and Elemental Rods allows players to control the flow of combat more directly on top of letting them be more creative. Freeze enemies standing over water with the Cryonis rune or burn some grass with the Fire Rod to distract certain enemies, among many other things. Each playable character is also very distinct, even in cases where I could have forgiven the developers for reusing some attacks or traits. For one, Link has different movesets for his Sword and Shield, Spear, and Two-Handed weapons, but none of his attack overlap with the other Champions who use similar weapons. Some people might be put off with certain aspects of this game’s story and ultimately not everyone likes the overall structure of the Warriors spinoffs anyway, but for my part, Age of Calamity was one of the best surprises of the year, unveiled right at the end of the year in the nick of time. Of course, there was one game this year that surprised me more than any other.

#1 – Hades

I’ve known of Supergiant Games for quite a while and very recently began looking through their catalogue of games. They’re known for well-crafted narratives and satisfying combat, and yet when I first saw Hades when it was released in Early Access I was tepid on it. It didn’t look bad or anything, but it didn’t exactly blow me away and even now, I think a random screenshot or quick clip of the game might not do the game justice in explaining the appeal. I already wrote about the game at-length (as my only real non-retrospective blog post of the year, oops!), which you can read here if you want more in-depth praise, but to summarize…Hades is the total package for me.

Playing as Prince Zagreus your end-goal is to escape the puts of Hell, and more specifically get away from your overbearing father, Hades. It’s a rogue-lite, meaning you’re expected to finish the game in one shot and if you die you lose any upgrades you picked up along the way and have to start from scratch…to a point. Hades does allow you to keep a fair amount of items you pick up which can towards small, permanent upgrades or even gifts for various NPCs that can deepen your bond with them. Unlike most other games of this type too, the story constantly moves forward, even after death. The game is about dying over and over and then dusting yourself off to try again, all the while other characters remark on your progress or lack thereof. I grew to really enjoy this cast of characters, a fun spin on the Greek pantheon, paired with excellent voice acting for the entire cast. From the imposing, if somewhat sultry Megaera, to the nervous wreck that is the maid, Dusa, to the pompous ass Theseus, I looked forward to each new run just to learn more about this world and those within it. For once, death wasn’t really a punishment, but a reward, and just part of the process.

Of course, incredibly satisfying combat is ALSO part of the process and it just gets…addicting; muttering “one more run” over and over as you try out different weapons and boons, discovering what works well together and what doesn’t. While at first beating the game felt like it would never happen, I grew from my failures, adapted and eventually overcame. Multiple times. If you want the “full” Hades experience, this game can really demand a lot of time out of you but at the same time it stays fresh, so I can’t really complain. With new gameplay mechanics unlocking as time goes on, to the Pacts of Punishment players can trigger if they want a bit more challenge (or a lot more), Hades is that rare game that just keeps giving and giving. Before I knew it, I had dumped well over 50 hours into it, and I STILL need to get back to the game if I want that epilogue.

Compared to every other game that came out this year, Hades is the one game that grabbed me from moment one and would not let go until I hit credits. When I wasn’t playing this game, I was counting down the minutes until I could play it again, and let me tell you that is rare for me these days. At this point, Hades is clearly the breakthrough hit for Supergiant and I couldn’t be happier. The fact that this game got to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with industry titans at The Game Awards is kind of surreal, but I can’t think of many who deserve that recognition more. It helps that Supergiant is a studio that actually takes care of its employees, which is way rarer than it should be. I don’t mean to hype this game up like it’s the cure for COVID or anything, but I mean it with all my heart that this was the best game I played this year, and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat. I couldn’t stop talking about it for months after playing it, just ask my friends! So yeah, it’s pretty OK I guess.

CONCLUSION

I’m sure my Top 10 List looks a lot different from most out there, but that’s what’s great about games! So much variety and so much quality no matter where you look! Every year, without fail, there’s always at least a small handful of games that come out that I don’t get to, and try as I might I’ll never trim that backlog down. I want to keep playing games for as long as I can, trying out so many different experiences and seeing what this wonderful pastime can offer. For a good chunk of 2020 I was more than a little down, not just because of…you know, but a lot of games that were coming out weren’t appealing to me. That said, seeing as this was the year of shadow drops and announcing things at the last minute, I ended up loving a bunch of games I hadn’t already spend months hyping myself up for, which definitely helped to lift me up this year. Already, 2021 has a lot of titles I’m anticipating though, so it’s sure to be an exciting year.

Happy Gaming.

-B

#top ten list #gaming #animal crossing #paper mario #xenoblade chronicles #ghost of tsushima #doom eternal #no straight roads #hades #streets of rage 4 #thewonderful101 #age of calamity

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i3utterflyeffect · 4 years

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Paper Mario & The Origami King: Shortcomings

Okay. So. Here’s the thing: This is my first Paper Mario game. I’ve seen playthroughs, yeah, but that’s about it.

I’ve seen a lot of people gripe about how Color Splash or whatever it’s called changed a lot of mechanics of Paper Mario, but I’m not going to be talking about that. So... yeah. No ‘first Gen was better’ sort of stuff.

Also, this is completely my opinion. I am in no way trying to bash you if you do enjoy this game, because you know what? Good for you! It makes you happy; don’t let me, some random internet person, stop you! These are just flaws that I’ve noticed and wanted to point out.

So with that out of the way, these are my four big gripes with the Origami King.

1: Character Design

The character design for the Legion Of Stationery is... extremely, extremely underwhelming. Like, look at this.

I can appreciate the fights, they’re pretty fun, but like... come on... It’s... it’s just a stapler. It’s just colored pencils.

Almost all of them are like this.

Tape? Just tape. Hole punch? Just a hole punch. SCISSORS? THEY’RE SCISSORS!

THEY DIDN’T EVEN BOTHER PUTTING EYES ON THEM. OR GIVING THEM PUNNY NAMES.

Now. I will make one exception: Rubber Band.

Look! This is creative! This is fun! I like this; It’s a little rubber-band doll, and not just one big rubber band! I mean... Once you beat it and strip it to the bare bones, it’s just one big rubber band; but the design itself is more than that.

I understand focusing most of your design power onto the Vellumentals, Olly, and Olivia, if they didn’t quite have enough time or manpower for that. But if they had gotten that, I feel that the Legion of Stationery could have been... a lot less boring.

2: The Hammer

Okay. This is a tiny thing but it pisses me off so bad.

The hammer. You don’t press it as soon as the the meter turns red. If you do that, you only get a Great.

You press it just before the red goes away, and you know you’ve timed it right when you see the blue again for like, a millisecond.

I have one question

WHY?

I don’t get it! Why would you time it like that? It should absolutely be as soon as the red appears! Do I have an unusually fast reaction time? I don’t think I do?

...I swear Olivia said at the beginning it’s ‘as soon as the meter turns red’. I really, really hope I’m not imagining that, because it’s been driving me nuts the whole game.

It’s not to say it’s impossible to time it right; you just... can’t rely on the supposed cue. Which is really, really weird.

2.5: Gameplay Review Which May Be Unreliable and/or Biased

Listen. I’m going to be upfront about 2 things:

I don’t have the best coordination out there.

I am terrible at puzzle games, and have the memory of a goldfish.

The gameplay was... usually fun. Usually.

Every now and then, though, it became super, super frustrating, for one reason or another.

It took me a while to figure out that sometimes, you have to hit things to get a Magic Circle. In Whispering Woods, I was running around like a headless chicken trying to figure out how to bust open the party popper and get to the Soul Seed.

I also really didn’t want to hit the trees because I felt bad; so until I (finally) searched up a guide, I was just completely lost.

To be fair: they did give me Olivia, and probably expected me to use her.

ALTHOUGH, there was Breezy Tunnel as well; it was pretty obvious to me how to cheer up Olivia; but it wasn’t obvious that I had to backtrack and... be contacted by Bobby’s ghost apparently.

And the final of my gameplay gripes: Shy Guys Finish Last.

Dear god, I hated that. I passed it, yes, but I really hated it. Maybe I just got unlucky with the minigame roulette and got a bad first impression, but honestly, I never want to go back there again.

...why were they even there? Do I want to know? Probably not.

3: The Ending

The ending... Oh, the ending.

Listen.

The gameplay was okay. It was occasionally frustrating, sure. But I’m probably not reliable with that part.

But the story beats... oh, the story beats. They could have been done so much better and it breaks my heart.

It felt so much like the writers panicked and crammed everything they could into the end, and if they’d just taken a little more time, I feel like it could have been so much better.

And...

Let me break down the 2 parts that bother me the most.

Olly’s Last-Minute 360

The motivation doesn’t actually bother me. I know it might seem ridiculous to some other people, but let me tell you: Some people are just like that.

My issue is with him suddenly going ‘oh, what I did was wrong’. It felt... Rushed. Sudden. Kind of hollow.

If he’d died angry, it would have felt much more impactful; to see what had been written on the paper all this time, to realize that Olly had been doing this in pointless, selfish anger, when the note had been something so kind.

Instead, it’s just ‘i was wrooonnnngggg..... you beat the crap out of me so hard i had a complete change in personality....’

I guess I can understand if that was the only way they could think of to get the thousandth-paper-crane thing kicked off. Folding him into the thousandth paper crane was impactful too, even if I feel that it was an unrealistic change in personality.

But the very end. The very end is what gets me the most.

Olivia’s Double-Bladed Wish (and How Nintendo Did Her Dirty)

So.

As you might know, at the very end, Olivia wishes for all the origami that Olly folded to be unfolded again.

Hey, Nintendo? Why did you gloss over the fact that Olivia FUCKING DIED?

She died from that wish because her brother finished folding her!

She was being folded by the Origami Craftsman when Olly trapped him, so he took the unfinished product and finished her!

SHE DIED! Nintendo, you barely even acknowledged that!

It was literally just like “oh, where’d origami girl go?” and that was about it! Nintendo, you dirty cowards!

Bobby got more sendoff than Olivia. A bob-omb that was with us for two streamers got more sendoff than the companion with us for the entire game. (don’t get me wrong, Bobby’s great and all, but he got more sendoff than Olivia.)

Why? Why would you do that? You hardly even acknowledged her sacrifice. Not even a single firework in her honor.

I know people say that resurrecting a dead character means the original death was surefire shock value, but even that would feel more fufilling.

Just stick an after-credits scene back at the Origami Craftsman’s house, where Olivia is refolded anew from the parts that Olly had not folded, and that would have felt so much more satisfying than the end we got.

Which brings us to the final point:

4: Unrewarding Completion

In my opinion, the ending felt extremely unrewarding.

I had this issue with BOTW too: It just kicks you back to the last save before completion, and it feels like nothing you did mattered at all; Like the ‘It was just a dream’ trope.

You’re just back again, standing before the door of the final boss.

It feels more like a punishment than anything to me.

I understand it from a gameplay perspective. There wouldn’t be any more folded soldiers to fight; no more enemies, no more challenge. But combined with an underwhelming ending and Olivia dying and not even being acknowledged, it didn’t feel rewarding at all.

Conclusion/TL;DR

Paper Mario and the Origami King could have been better.

However, they focused on gameplay, and I understand the thought process that led to that decision. An enjoyable playing experience is the most important part of a game.

The character designs may have been underwhelming, and the story may have not reached full potential, but in the end, the gameplay is most important.

However, I feel that the ending could have used more work, and it’s unfortunate that it ended up turning out in such a disappointing fashion.

If you like puzzle games, then you might enjoy this game. It’s generally enjoyable, and the dialogue isn’t too bad.

Just keep in mind that the ending might not be too rewarding, so don’t rush; take your time to enjoy the game by finding collectibles and saving toads.

#took out the Good Grammar for this one #not putting this in the main tag bc ik people don't like seeing negativity in a main fandom tag (which is understandable!)#/pm&tok spoilers #long post #pitch posts #pitch rants #pitch rambles

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luigiblood · 4 years

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Nintendo Switch Online, 1 year in review...

Well, well, well... Nintendo Switch Online...

You’re cheap, but you’re too cheap in return sometimes. I want to talk about it and some of my frustrations about it (and not necessarily with Nintendo). To do this, I will talk about each feature seperately.

Online Play

The most obvious feature is Online Play. It went from being free to being paid, which is pretty much a problem but then the competitors do the same. Many Nintendo games do not have the most stable netplay, even though I do not have most of the problems that other people get.

I’m not going to do a P2P vs Dedicated, or rather I would like to say that people genuinely don’t understand basic netplay and are all going against P2P without knowing that some of the games that works fine are probably all running on P2P to begin with.

I’m not gonna go into the details, nor do I want to say I’m an expert, each have their own pros and cons, but I think the main issue is ultimately the netcode. Here’s hoping with GGPO being open source and free to use for professionals now, the future could be a lot brighter.

I would want Nintendo to take netcode a little more seriously and test it in homes with slower Internet. Testing it with Wi-Fi and Ethernet and everything.

Save Data Cloud

This feature technically works. You’d think it’s hard to fail, right?

Of course they did when some games just don’t provide the support for it because of fear that people may abuse it for cheating... Meh.

Nintendo uses the exemple of having a broken Switch to where this feature might come in handy. Too bad this also means completely lost saves for some of the most important games like Splatoon 2 or Animal Crossing, the latter being really annoying if you lose hundreds or even thousands of hours...

Smartphone App

This one is tough because potential was there. Truly a waste of time.

All of the main services could have just been a website that works on PC and Mobile. But I think the main issue is that people don’t really want to check stuff about their game all the time because there is simply not enough feedback.

There was actually better execution when SplatNet was a regular website accessible on every device, Super Mario Maker Bookmark website too, instead everything is stuck to an app, limiting uses.

Content should be seen from everywhere when it’s possible. Making it work behind a subscription fee was a terrible idea.

And then let’s not even talk about the voice chat. That is a truly depressing thing. Why making it stuck to mobile? I get that you don’t want the Switch to process that stuff for performance reasons but truly that stuff is supported on it too...

Special Offers

Let me list what extra stuff we got from Nintendo Switch Online:

Exclusive Splatoon 2 Gears

Tetris 99

Game Vouchers

The right to buy NES/SNES Controllers

Game Trials (for only one game)

I did not list another thing that will be its own seperate bullet point.

Tetris 99 was truly the best part of this. It’s actually a pretty darn good game. Game Vouchers could have been nice if you couldn’t get the brand new games for cheaper in physical form.

Game Trials was a thing they tested at one point, but then they just didn’t bother...

We, subscribers, don’t really get a lot of extras, do we?

My Nintendo (Bonus Rant)

Nothing has been more of a waste than My Nintendo. Gold Points finally started to be kind of useful since it became an equivalent to a cent for the Switch eShop, but that’s the only good point I could give to it.

Its execution is terrible, and unlike many people, I do not have a lot of good memories about Club Nintendo (the European one, that said), because most of the cool items we only could get the stars we needed much later and then then the item was gone. That’s literally most of my experience with Club Nintendo.

When I learned that with the North American Club Nintendo you could get virtual console games and other cool shit I was genuinely disappointed how the European one was. And I’m not mentioning how the Japanese Club Nintendo had some of the cooler things than the west ever got.

And then My Nintendo has none of the cool things from any regional Club Nintendo... what’s the plan, Nintendo? Why does this exist?

The day 3DS and Wii U will stop being supported, what will happen to the vouchers that you guys always put up? Will it become even more useless?

NES / SNES Nintendo Switch Online

Now the real meat because that’s the stuff I really would like to talk about.

You guys know how involved I am with retro Nintendo content and I can be very invested about this kind of stuff because I just love Nintendo’s games.

Unlike many people, I don’t mind the subscription aspect and the fact you don’t really own these games anymore compared to Virtual Console games. I think this has ultimately been the better thing to do. However I find many problems with the execution of it, especially in the long run.

Due to its subscription nature, I did expect it to have less games than Virtual Console. Rights have to be renegotiated, and the most I expected were Nintendo games. Turns out we got some third parties, some even high profile, pretty cool.

But there are pretty infuriating stuff, like the slow drip feed we get. I get that you want to keep interest going for these games over time but there’s a lot of problems with that entails, and that’s how most of us are frustrated that Nintendo is not using the Switch to its highest potential, and especially about having all of the Nintendo games possible in a small amount of time.

Its portable nature wants us that Nintendo puts all of the retro games as quickly as possible, we want to dedicate our time to the Switch instead of plugging the Wii and Wii U for VC games that aren’t there. We want N64, GB/C/A, GameCube, and more. We want to have Mario Party 2 netplay in an official capacity, and so on...

I noticed the potential of retro Switch Online offer when I found myself addicted to Balloon Fight. Actually a game I’ve never downloaded off ROM sites before, as I usually dismissed it as being too simple. However the game was just there and I gave it a shot. This is one of the reasons why its subscription nature didn’t mind me, it got me to spend time with some games I usually wouldn’t spend time with, especially for NES.

I want to put a list of things that I want Nintendo to do with their retro offering to bring interest, but also sustain it:

- Bigger Drips of games

This seems trivial, but keep in mind that games have to be tested before going live, we pretty much want at least 3 games per month for each console. But stuff takes time and we at least want more communication about this aspect. We just want more games.

- Localized games

This is a personal pet peeve and only works for people whose native language is not English. I do not expect of Nintendo to localize retro games, but at least to release localized ROMs of games when they exist.

I expected of them to release these:

Kirby’s Adventure, French and German versions (yes, they exist)

Super Metroid, European version (that’s a bit more controversial however...)

Zelda: A Link To The Past, French and German versions (French even has an official 60hz version)

Yoshi’s Island, European version.

I know what you could say, 50hz games suck, music is slower- Stop. My only answer is fuck you.

Also, SNES 50hz games cannot have slower music, aside from a few rare ones. If you remember games having slower music on PAL SNES you have a bad memory and mixed up with NES or Mega Drive or something.

I don’t see how, as a developer myself, a selection menu could not be implemented for selecting the language for a game. That way you let people play whatever they want, it’s less painful, everyone is happy.

I still wish for Nintendo to localize retro games however, or maybe even bring unreleased localizations of games if they approved it back then...

- Random Game of the Day / Moment

This seems like a dumb idea, but when I played Balloon Fight I noticed how Nintendo could bring attention to games that don’t necessarily get it.

When the library gets bigger, some games will be left on the side over others, a system to bring motivation to play those games, even as simple as a random game name at the top, is better than what piracy can even bring you.

Maybe you could even implement a button that selects a random game.

- Game Tweaks / Special Versions

AKA USE LUA SCRIPTS IN GAMES

Now we’re starting to get a bit on the expensive side of things.

Special Versions of games aren’t really good on NES, they’re just save states. Some are useful (Golf Course unlocks), some are amusing (Zelda), but most of them are just a save state at the end of the game.

I want them to go on the next stage of this, actually hack the games, or even scripts on top of them. You see, some emulators have scripting features that can alter the game, in ways that improves them (map on Metroid NES), or outright gameplay altering (Kirby Canvas Curse gameplay on Super Mario Bros. 3).

I gave real exemples of use, these could be used to make games easier, harder, balanced, weirder, just like another concept that Nintendo did... NES REMIX. (What a waste of a concept... This really got people into NES games.)

I wish for Nintendo to use their LUA script system already in place for the menus, for their emulator.

This could also aid in development of localization of games without altering the ROM and without space issues.

And this could aid in making SNES Mouse games to work on a touch screen and more, it’s genuinely easy to figure out I could do it myself in a day... ;)

- Shared Library of games between Japan & International

...Well all I want is that I don’t have to need to download the japanese app or the japanese to download the international app to play other games that are not present in the local library. I thought this would have been solved with Super Puyo Puyo 2 but guess not.

This could have the added bonus of japanese games on top of the american (and european?) ones.

- Game Events

Sort of an extra to game tweaks, bringing events for people to play a specific retro game and give them gold points or something. Events could have objectives, achievements, scoreboards, many things could be done here.

You could even bring in the Nintendo World Championship ROMs, other competition stuff, or even games like soundlink games from the Satellaview like BS Zelda, BS Super Mario All-Stars and so on. These games are made for competition!

This is the ultimate thing to bring people to play retro games, bring the unusual games that most people have possibly never even heard about!

- Others

Some of those bullet points don’t need a big explanation:

More Unreleased Retro Games (Japan only or even anywhere)

Localize Retro Games that were never localized (not just in english!)

Borders

Small Control Scheme Help (to compensate for lack of manuals)

5-player Netplay support for SNES (Super Puyo Puyo 2 supports 4 player)

Netplay with Global Rooms with passwords and not just stuck to friends. (This should be a thing for EVERY GAME. This could even be a Switch OS feature.)

Automatic Matchmaking for certain games?

I have also always said this: I’m interested to work with you, Nintendo, on this kind of stuff...

#nintendo #rant #switch #retro

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vohskyfire · 6 years

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Top Ten 2017 Games

That time of the year again, the end of the year is upon us. And as such, this will be my last post for this year on this website.

2017 has been a year of a LOT of good games. In fact, it’s argubly been the year of some of the best games ever made being released. Nintendo dominated this year with the Switch, several games have been said to be the best games of all time, and Microsoft shot themselves in the foot, again, with the Xbox One X. So odds are there’s a lot of great games out there that people love.

Keep in mind, these are just my personal picks for the top ten. If your favorites aren’t here, don’t worry, they’re still great too! Just one rule though.

No ports. Aka no Skyrim, no Doom, no Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokken Tournament, etc. Let’s get this started!

10: CupHead (Xbox One)

I’ll be honest, the first time I saw CupHead I wasn’t exactly sure what to think of it. It looked like it was a tribute to the old cartoons from the 50s and that gave it a bit of a nice feel to it. But I didn’t expect the game to be anything fantastic. Especially given Microsoft’s recent track records with exclusives (Looking at YOU, Halo Wars 2). However, come to my surprise, CupHead is a great game! In fact, it’s so good it’s the only Microsoft title to be on this list. So what exactly keeps it from being in the top 5? Well....

It’s hard. Like, brutally hard. Make no mistake people, this game will kick you in the teeth if you try to go into it acting like you aren’t going to die. In CupHead, expect to die. A LOT. And yes, just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean the game sucks. No one ever says that unless it’s someone who absolutely hates challenges. But sometimes, you gotta give the player a chance to BREATHE. And while boss fights are doable once you learn the patterns, people who AREN’T patient are going to break their controllers. A lot.

Overall, Cuphead is a good game. But goddamn does it make you fight to survive.

9: Crash Bandicoot: Insane Trilogy (PS4)

Crash is back baby. Crash is back. Okay, he’s SORTA back, but hey, it’s nice to see that Sony wanted to have their mascot back! Last year when they showed this off at E3, I went “Welp. There goes Microsoft’s chances to getting back into first place.” (At the time of this post, there is no Xbone Port yet) Seriously I was hyped, if Crash was coming back, then there was a huge chance that Spyro could come back as well. Now Insane Trilogy is an HD remake of the original 3 games, updated to modern times. And damn. Just DAMN. These games looks absolutely stunning. Gameplay wise they are just like they should have been from the past as well. That’s a good thing....aaaaaaaaaaaaaand a bad thing.

Crash 1 is still the hardest of the trilogy, mostly because the game was not MEANT for speed run purposes, and some of the hitboxes in Crash 1 are still as bad as they were back in the day. And while having Coco being playable is a nice touch, she doesn’t really change that much in the games. She’s basically just an alt skin for Crash, and most of the death animations that Crash goes through she’s spared. It’s still a wonderful remake of the original three games, and I am very happy to see that it sold incredibly well. Maybe Activision and Sony might work together from now on to do MORE Crash games? Or at least, you know...give us a Spyro trilogy remake too? That’d be nice. Anyone? Please? ...No? Skylanders still? O-Okay.

8: ARMS (Nintendo)

Oh yes. Now we’re getting into some Nintendo titles. (Be prepared, there’s a LOT of them here.) ARMS is basically what I would like to call the ‘Splatoon of fighting games.’ When they did the full presentation of ARMS back in January this year, I was one of the view that didn’t seem to out right hate the concept of ARMS. I thought it looked like a blast to play, plus fighting games are awesome. ARMS thankfully to me, did not disappoint. In the months of waiting for Splatoon 2 and other Switch titles to come out, ARMS was there. And for what it’s worth? The game is a blast to play. Simple controls that one can get use to, wonderfully designed characters, beautiful music, intense hype as hell battles, and being able to combine different arms with one another based on your fighting style is a great thing. Many hours were put into ARMS trying to get more unique ARMS to use in battle.

That’s...kinda where some of the good stops. The game’s great, don’t get me wrong, but there were some things I feel ARMS needed to be more active on launch. For one, a better story mode. Arcade mode is basically what you get. Info on your fighter, what they’re fighting style is like, and that’s pretty much it. There’s no story building, no interactions between characters, and that can KINDA hurt a fighting game this year when you have Injustice 2 showing how to do a story in a fighting game. Mind you, this is just a MINOR flaw to me.

Overall, ARMS is a lovable experience. And I’m glad to see that it got all the support they said they were going to give it. Maybe the comics will be just as good, or at least have more stuff for ARMS 2. (If they make it.)

7: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (Nintendo)

If you would have told me that this game, this game, would be on this list this year or that I would find it to be one of my favorite games this year at the start of January? I would have smacked you in the mouth. I should make this clear to everyone.

I. Hate. The Rabbids.

When I first heard about this game from that huge leak from Ubisoft, I first thought “What? Are you shitting me? Mario and Rabbids crossover? And they have GUNS? What the hell is this? Is this gonna be MARIO OF WAR 4 where it’s a third person shooter? Come on Nintendo.”

Then E3 happened. Oh boy, did I get proved wrong by Ubisoft.

Kingdom Battle isn’t ANYWHERE close to the over done third person shooter area. It’s bright, colorful, charming, actually kinda funny in moments (that’s saying something given the Rabbids’ history) and believe it or not...

Actually...a LOT of fun.

No, seriously. This is one of the most fun games I’ve played this year. Bar none. It’s hard to believe I’m saying that about a Rabbids game that’s crossed over with Mario of all franchises, but it’s true. The game is the first huge strategic game on the Switch and I’m happy to report that the game plays damn well. Think of it like Xcom. Where you actually have to think out your strategies and make certain you know the map well enough.

The only kind of flaws I could give the game is that well...it’s kinda short. Four worlds, each with large maps to do battle, and the story is just kinda...there. Like they explain how the two series meet and everything, but it’s just...there. Not like I expected a huge story from a Mario + Rabbids game, but it would have been interesting to see them go a BIT more into it. Ah well, the DLC will probably cover that.

6: Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (Nintendo)

And here we have the first Fire Emblem game on this list (Someone’s gonna get upset somewhere). Shadows of Valentia is the first game that uses the classic gameplay the series has been known for that I’ve played since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Which we’ll get into why THAT game sucks another time...) and to be honest? This game really really contends with Awakening as my favorite FE title.

I love a lot of things about Shadows of Valentia. The storyline is enjoyable, the art style is absolutely beautiful, the music is GODLY, the battles are intense and force you to be on your toes, the character models look absolutely gorgeous for a 3DS game, and the characters are wonderfully written. No joke, Alm and Celica, as ‘bland’ as they can be, are some of my favorite FE characters now.

The only thing I can really say that is sort of a draw back to this game is that...well, how it will test your patience. No joke, the maps are fantastic and the gameplay is a joy to go through, but GOD in heaven above, do some maps want to test your will to continue. Especially maps that have the annoying spell known as UPHEAVAL which damages everyone in your army on sight AND...ahem, let’s save that rant for another time.

Over all, Shadows of Valentia is a great remake of the second game in the series. If you have a 3DS, which is going to be put to rest soon, I would recommend getting this game. It’s fantastic.

5: Fire Emblem Warriors (Nintendo)

Annnnnnnnnnd there goes some of the older FE fans booing at me liking this game. Yes, the game is only Shadow Dragon, Awakening, and Fates. Yes, some of the other characters (Celica and Lyn) are the only representatives of their games, yes some characters have the same moves as others. But you know what? I don’t care.

I. LOVE. THIS. GAME.

It’s fun, it’s stupid mindless fun, and enjoyable. I know most fans may not like the fact that it’s three games over the many others, but to me? I am happy with the choices they’ve made.

Combat is smooth and stylish, like Warriors games tend to be, the animations are wonderful, the controls respond perfectly, and just seeing the way that characters interact with one another is fantastic. I love hearing them call each other’s names when they do a dual strike together. I love how over the top some attacks can get, and I love the ability to switch between units on the fly.

Yes the story’s a lil stupid, and yes they should have included other games in the franchise too, but I like it. If you want to turn your brain off, this is the game for you. It got into my list because I’m a fan who doesn’t hold favoritism over others. Just don’t be rude to people who don’t like the game, and vice versa and you might find a gem.

4: Metroid: Samus Returns (Nintendo)

Yeaaaaah, there’s a lot of Nintendo games.

If you would have told me that Nintendo was going to show off not only Metroid Prime 4 and a new classic Metriod game this year at E3, I would have called you a liar. And to my surprise, they did it. They actually did it. Prime 4 during the new stuff for Nintendo Switch, AND during the after presentation, a new Metroid title to be released this year.

Samus Returns is what I would like to call one of the best looking, and best playable, games on the 3DS. This game I could even consider it to be a swan song. Everything from classic Metroid is here. Charge shots, wall jumps, bombs, beam upgrades, etc. It’s all there. As an official remake of Metroid 2, people were happy to see that Nintendo not only DID care for Metroid, but it shed some light as to why AM2R was taken down. There’s really not much to complain about when it comes to this game. It plays well, responds well, and really teases at more future Metroid games down the line. To which I say...please give us more.

I wanna see Metroid Dread. Do it Nintendo.

TOP THREE.

Oh boy...these three were hard to decide their order. I’ll give short paragraphs for them as I feel I’ve dragged this list out long enough. That and really, I don’t have complaints for these three. These three are the best of the best. Hands down. The best games this year easily.

3: Persona 5 (PS4)

This. Game. Holy shit this game. RPGs live. And Persona 5 has shown the world, and more importantly Square Enix, that turn based RPGS still live. And goddamn, is this game amazing. Fantastic story, fantastic characters, fantastic music, spot on battle system, wonderful dialogue, wonderful artstyle, wonderful EVERYTHING. GET THIS GAME.

2: Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo)

Easily the best 3D Mario game ever made. No seriously, it’s fantastic. If you own a Switch, you need to get this game. It’s beautiful and is just a charm to play through. Also god DAMN does it play so smooth.

1: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)

I know. Predictable. But you know what? I don’t care. This game, this game is my favorite game this year. From exploring Hyrule, fighting enemies, discovering what meals to cook, the wonderful story, and just how much of a riveting experience it has been, I can NOT put this game at number 1. It was the first huge game this year, and I feel it deserves the praise that it’s been getting. I spent many hours playing this game, and I am glad to say that it’s my number one game this year.

And that’s how we send off 2017. Let’s hope 2018 is a good year for games as well!

PS: Also Splatoon 2 is a huge honorary mention.

#Games of the Year #Top Ten List #So long 2017 #So long

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jonathanraychapman · 7 years

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ChronoTrigger Review (A+)

Posted this on another website years ago, but I thought I’d share it here.

What do you get when you include Akira Toriyama (the creator of Dragon Ball manga) with Square (famous for the Final Fantasy series)? Well quite possibly the best RPG on SNES and a contender for one of the best of all time. I will rarely give any game an A+ rating... it has to be a very special game and not just a personal favorite. To achieve the rating, the game has to be nothing short of a masterpiece. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a game that would make it stumble down to an A and it only takes one or two. To get an A+, a game must cover all fronts including graphics, sound, and gameplay (and it's harder for RPGs as they have to include a great story). Besides the story aspect, the bar is generally set higher for RPGs than for platformers due to the time investment involved by the player. Given this, you should understand how important a game is when it's an A+. It's nothing short of being a must-play game. Chrono Trigger is just that sort of game. It doesn't matter that this game doesn't have the same graphics capability later systems had. Toriyama's excellent design work still shines - even today. When the art of a game thrives on looking like anime or cartoons, it takes on a sort of timeless charm. The only other games I can compare this quirky style with are Earthbound and Lunar. That's excellent company to be in for any game. As far as graphics goes, this is at the top of the SNES library as far as attention to detail and colorful vibrant sprites. The art direction in this game is amazing. Sometimes you pause the game just to check out all the details on the screen. When you're in a forest it's comparable to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past... it's that good. Every boss has nice details and a sort of character all their own. Even the regular enemies have a sort of quirky sense of humor. When you're in a dark cave you feel like you're in a dark cave. Likewise, a castle is regal and well-lit whereas a run-down castle is spooky and lonely. From abandoned high-tech laboratories and post-apocalyptic frozen landscapes to bright happy country fairs... the game makes you feel like you're where you're supposed to be. It takes very little imagination to lose yourself in the story and background. Even the psychedelic mode-7 backgrounds on the bosses make the fights seem epic. Now about the sound... it's even better than the graphics. I don't know how that is even possible. Every track is a masterpiece. This really shows off the SNES' sound capabilities. At no time will you be wishing the music would change. The whole game lends itself to remixes and remastering that many gamers have taken on. You will find no shortage of excellent Chrono Trigger music remixes, but the original is pretty good on its own. There are even parts of the story with their own music score (like with US Final Fantasy 3) - in particular the court trial (which you'll know when you play the game). But wait... there's more. This isn't one of those games where the story and atmosphere are awesome, but the game play sucks. This is a finely polished role-playing game on mechanics as well. When you start the game you will get to pick your battle system: Active (where a clock on each character winds down between moves) or Passive (your classic turn-based system). The first time I played I picked Passive (because I'm a bit of a micro manager on my RPGs), but the second time I used Active and was amazed how much more interesting it makes the game. You have to really pay attention and plan your attacks so you can pick the menus and attacks and execute them before it's time for your enemy to attack. If that sounds too hard or complicated, then by all means pick Passive. It won't affect the enjoyability very much in the end. It's just nice that the creators offer you the choice. You can also use items to restore health, restore magic, or help with a status effect. To summarize, you can make gameplay more complicated if you wish, but in the end it's a very simple system. You will be able to pick up the system on your very first encounter with no problem. Characters have HP (health points) and MP (magic points), like with most RPGs. Unlike early Final Fantasy games (or I should say like Dragon Warrior games), you will not randomly start a battle every few steps. Instead you will see enemies and be able to maneuver around them instead of battling. You probably don't want to do this all the time - as you want to level up. But it's always nice to have options. Speaking of options, there are three sort of modes on attacks: a regular attack, a magic spell or ability, and a combo move. Spells cost magic points. Combos can be between two or three characters and each combination results in an interesting move. Like with other RPGs, each character represents a flavor of attack or magic. For example, Chrono is lightning while Lucca (his inventor friend) is fire. Their combo is Chrono spinning his sword while Lucca adds fire to it for the attack. The first thing you'll notice when playing this game is that it starts out slow. This was my major complaint on the first play-though. Why do I have to talk to Chrono's mom? Why do I have to go find Lucca? Why do I have to go to this stupid fair? That's probably what you're going to think when you start the game. Well the reason is that you need to invest your feelings into the characters... and you can't do that unless you get to know them. This only lasts a little while, and the pay-off for this little bit of annoyance is huge. You seriously want to try and go for the story with this game. You will not be disappointed. Also, after you finish the game, you'll really cherish the replay (which I'll get to later). It adds a whole other dimension to these scenes. Enemies are fun for the most part. The bosses aren't overly complex and there's usually some trick to beating them. Keep in mind the elements of the game. You'll want to hit an ice guy with fire and a fire guy with ice. Sometimes you need to attack in a certain pattern. The bosses aren't really too hard, but some aren't a walk in the park either. Sometimes the combos can be a little over-powering, but I see this as a way the game leaves the experience up to you. If you want to repeat the same cheesy moves over and over to get to the story that's fine, and if you want to make things harder on yourself during combat that's also fine. But in the end, you aren't pushed in either direction necessarily. As you may have guessed from the title, the game involves time travel. There's a main, somewhat linear plot, but along the way there are little sub-plots and there's a fair degree of back-tracking. The beauty of the time travel is that each period covers the same area but with different characters and buildings. And doing something in one time period can have consequences in other time periods. While this isn't explored quite as much as I'd have liked, it is a welcomed element to the game and well-designed. The overall story is rich if not deep (but not deep enough to be boring) and there are a ton of endings to the game. The ending, in fact, depends on what you do during the game. After you beat the game, you can play again with a New Plus mode that lets you keep your items. That might seem a little cheesy, but by this point you're going to want to go check out the parts of the game you didn't finish or didn't finish the way you would have liked before. This system actually gives the game a lot of replay. So to summarize, if you haven't played this game and are even remotely a fan of RPGs, you need to play this game. I know it's not a cheap game on the SNES, but it's available on Playstation and on the Nintendo DS. The later games even have video cut-scenes from the creator.

#ChronoTrigger #game review

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omeliafics · 7 years

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A Music Affair: Family Vacation

Hey guys! I wanted to show you all what I imagined their life as a family to be like and Oliver and Luna’s physical traits and personalities. So, in this fic Melody is 7, Oliver is 4 and Luna is 2 and they’re all going to spend vacation in Rio de Janeiro (*cough cough* where I live *cough cough*). I also added a little prompt about Owen going to The Ellen Show and talking about the kids that an anon asked me a long time ago. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please, let me know what you think!

Owen was exhausted. Between going through a 13 hour flight, taking care of three small children and carrying a bunch of the kids' bags, he was sure he'd never felt so tired.

Walking through the doors of the Copacabana Palace Hotel, the best hotel in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Owen sighed in relief, dreaming of finally getting some relaxed time.

After Amelia finished shooting her second season as a mentor of The Voice - where she was making huge success, due to her sincere comments and her loud personality -, she started a worldwide tour that lasted around 2 months. Because of the amount of time away from her family, she decided to have a family trip to Rio, where Amelia would be doing the last concert of her tour.

Choosing to take some time off from work, now that he was experimenting as a producer and trying hard to come up with his own record label, Owen quickly jumped on board at the idea, wanting to enjoy some quality family time, since both he and Amelia had been so busy for the last few months.

"Daaad!" He looked at Oliver, his 4 year old son, who had his arms raised at him. Owen knew his son loved to sit on his shoulder, so he stopped to put the bags on the floor and do as the boy wished as they approached the reception desk of the hotel.

Owen loved that his bond with Ollie was getting stronger each day. He was the blondest of all three children and was really tall for a 4 year old, just like Owen had been as a child. At 4, the boy was already developing a personality: He was quiet most of the time, but loved everything that involved adventures and science fiction, completely obsessed with Star Wars and the Marvel universe. It wasn't something Owen was into, he'd much rather play some sport than sit around playing video games or reading comic books, but he tried his best to watch the movies and cartoons with Oliver, join in some games or listen carefully when his son told him the troubled past of Captain America, for example. So it made Owen really happy to see that Ollie was becoming more attached to him. Although he had always had a tight bond with Melody, they were the only men in the family, so they clearly had to stick together.

Looking to his left side, Owen saw his oldest daughter, who now was 7 years old, jumping up and down with excitement as she grabbed onto the edges of the reception desk. With long and thick strawberry blonde hair, a constant smile and an average size of a 7 year old, Melody had developed quite a character. She was loud and confident, just like her mother, and sometimes even bossy, taking advantage of being the oldest one. Amelia kept on blaming Owen for that last trait of their daughter, claiming he spoiled her too much. But he couldn't help it, Melody was very much a daddy's girl.

Peacefully sleeping with her arms thrown around Amelia's neck was Luna, their youngest. With short blonde hair, small frame and rosy cheekbones, she was already two years old, but was still their little baby, even more to Amelia. The two of them had a special bond that was clear to Owen's eyes. Luna hadn't developed much of a personality yet, but she was always quiet and sweet. The thing she had demonstrated the most interest with was music, playing constantly with the colorful little kids' piano they had at home, which made Amelia squeal with happiness and take a bunch of videos everytime she saw it.

It was December and, although the brazilian weather was very different from the US at that time of the year - which made them all feel very weird -, the interior of the hotel had a bunch of Christmas decorations, including a huge and lit up tree beside the reception desk.

As Amelia took a look around, the receptionist gave Owen the key to their room and led them to the elevators, employees helping them carry their many suitcases all the way. Traveling with kids definitely wasn't easy.

Opening up the door to their room, they all stood there with their mouths open. Owen and Amelia had decided to take the best room the hotel had to offer, since they were more than financially stable, successfully rising in their careers, and they both really needed that trip. Actually, it wasn't a room, it was more of an apartment, with rooms 601 and 602 joined to make it even bigger. Although they had the option and space to put three extra beds for the kids, Amelia thought it was better for all three of them to sleep in the same king size bed, that way they could feel safer at night even without being in their home. It was Luna's first big trip and she wanted to make her daughter comfortable in any way possible.

As soon as they stepped into the apartment, Melody and Oliver began to run around the place to inspect every room over warnings of "Careful not to hurt yourself!" from their parents.

Looking around the place and at Amelia placing a still sleepy Luna on the big couch in front of them, Owen placed the bags he was carrying on the floor and sighed in relief.

"Come here." He pulled Amelia by her hand, smiling as he kissed her on the forehead, imagining the amazing days they were about to live there.

As soon as they organized their stuff, Owen and Amelia put on their bathing suits and dressed the children to enjoy the private pool they had on the terrace, across a glass door in the living room of the apartment.

Seeing the kids running towards the pool, Amelia quickly stopped them before they jumped in the water.

“Come on, make a line.” She motioned to the three of them as she sat down, ready to protect them with sunscreen.

“Hurry up, mom.” Melody moaned, excited to jump into the pool in that hot brazilian weather.

“Hey, have some patience, young lady.” Amelia reprimanded her. Seeing Owen walking towards the pool, she called him off. “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Yeah dad, you can’t go in the pool without sunscreen! It’s very dangerous for your skin!” Oliver looked at his father like he was crazy for doing it, always being taught by his parents how much sunscreen is important.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, buddy.” Owen giggled at Oliver lecturing him, giving him a kiss on the head before standing in front of Amelia for her to put it on his chest and back.

When they were finished, Melody and Oliver excitedly jumped in the water as Amelia sat down on the edge of the pool helping Luna go in with floats around her arms, without taking her eyes from her two oldest children.

“Mel, be careful, please.” She warned her daughter, who was playing hard by splashing water on her little brother. Feeling something cold on her back, she turned to see Owen putting sunscreen on her, a smirk on his face.

“You think about us too much and forget about yourself…” He commented, gently putting her hair to one side so it wouldn’t be in the way.

“The mom role has taken over me…” She laughed.

“It has indeed.” Owen agreed, giggling along. “So... Is that a new bikini?” He bit his lip, looking at her striped white and navy blue bikini, an urge to give her a big kiss right there.

“Oh, you noticed?” Amelia raised an eyebrow and smirked at him, pretending to not know he was gonna react that way to the bikini she had gotten specifically for that occasion. Amelia and Owen had been married for almost 8 years, but she still liked to tempt and seduce him every now and then like they were still at the beginning of their relationship.

“Too bad we can’t do anything about it, though.” Owen sighed in disappointment, motioning his head to the kids.

“Well, we can always improvise…” She suggested, biting her bottom lip as Owen’s face got closer to hers.

“Oh yeah?” He said in a whisper, staring at her lips. “I love some improvisation…”

But, before Owen could kiss Amelia, he heard the kids calling for him.

“Dad! Come play Marco Polo with us!” Melody asked, jumping up and down inside the water.

“Yeah, dad! Come on!” Oliver agreed, smiling widely.

Owen sighed as Amelia giggled at their situation, gave her a quick peck on the lips and jumped in the pool, purposefully splashing water everywhere, making the kids laugh out loud.

After a few hours enjoying the sun and the pool, the family dressed up and went down to the hotel’s restaurant to have lunch.

“Hey buddy, what are you playing there?” Owen took a peek at Oliver’s Nintendo 3DS in the boy’s hands, since he didn’t take his eyes away from it. In the little screen, Spider-Man was fighting hard against the bad guys. “So, Spider-Man is from the Justice League, right?” He tried to make small talk with his son, believing he was right.

Oliver paused the game and looked at his father like he was insane and just told him the most absurd thing in the world.

“What?” Owen asked when he saw his son’s expression, clueless.

“Dad, Spider-Man is from the Avengers, not Justice League.” He spoke slowly for his dad to understand. “The Avengers are from Marvel and the Justice League is from the DC Comics. I’m team Marvel, I don’t like DC.”

“Oh…” Owen nodded, realizing he had been completely wrong. It was funny, but at the same time embarrassing that he was being lectured by his son.

“And Spider-Man is from the Avengers only in the comics, but not in the movies.” Oliver added, matter-of-factly.

It was amazing for Owen to learn a new thing everyday about Oliver and this superhero universe that he loved so much. The boy was addicted to everything that had to do with superheroes, space and videogames, something Owen knew nothing about. Oliver’s room was filled with posters and miniatures of the Avengers, the X-men and Star Wars, always creating with his imagination all kinds of adventures for the whole family to participate in the backyard of their house. Everyone always went along with it, making the boy really happy.

Soon, the waiter appeared with their dishes and served the family.

Amelia was helping Luna eat her food when she noticed that Ollie had engaged in a conversation with the waiter.

“You have secret passages here?! Really?!” The boy asked him, his eyes shining with amazement.

“Yes, of course we do.” The waiter kindly answered in his brazilian accent, smiling at the boy’s excitement. “This is an old hotel, there are passages everywhere, including in this restaurant.”

Oliver gasped at the waiter’s information, to which the man winked at him playfully and went back to serving the tables.

“Did you hear that, mom? They have secret passages in the hotel!” He commented with Amelia.

“Yeah, I heard that, Ollie. That’s very exciting.” She giggled, cutting the meat on his plate into small pieces.

“It is!” He sighed, still amazed, before eating his dish. “I wonder what is hidden in them…”

After the family enjoyed their lunch, Oliver whispered to Owen that he really had to pee, following his dad to the men’s room right after.

When they were leaving the bathroom, Owen went ahead towards to where Amelia was waiting for them with their daughters, believing that Oliver was right behind him.

“Did you enjoy the pool today, Ollie? We can go again tomorrow…” Owen distractedly asked. Realizing he didn’t get any answer, Owen looked around for his son, a serious frown on his face when he didn’t find the boy anywhere.

Since Amelia wasn’t standing so far away from Owen, she quickly noticed him agitated about something.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, going towards him with both girls, one holding each hand of hers. Soon, she realized Oliver was nowhere near her husband.

“I-I had him right here, he left the bathroom with me, I’m sure!” Owen explained to her, trying to convince himself. To be completely sure, he went in the bathroom again, looking in every stall and corner he could find, but still no sign of Oliver.

Seeing Owen come back empty handed from the bathroom, Amelia started to panic, walking around the entire restaurant looking for her son, whilst dragging Melody with one hand and holding Luna in her other arm.

While Amelia got weird looks from customers as she paced around the restaurant searching everywhere for Oliver, Owen started to ask every waiter and employee he could if they had seen his son, explaining his features as best as he could.

When they had searched literally every place in the restaurant, both went to the reception desk to alert the receptionist and demand for the hotel’s manager to speak to them.

“You have to close every way out of this hotel right now!” Amelia yelled at the manager’s face, who had just arrived and was clarified about the situation.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but that’s something we simply cannot do.” He spoke slowly, trying to make her understand. “But we’re already analyzing our surveillance footage and…”

“Didn’t you hear what I said?! My son is missing!” She looked at him like he was insane for denying to do such a thing, her heart beating fast in her chest. She had to find her kid and until then, nobody would be getting in or out of that hotel.

“But ma’am, I…” The manager tried to argue, but was interrupted by Owen pointing a finger at him across the desk.

“You shut the hell up and do as she told you.” He raised his voice at the man, an angry and anxious tone clear in it. “Why the hell are you standing there?! Do something!”

Filled by rage and desperation, Owen had raised his voice so loud that everyone around them stayed silent, staring at the family.

“Dad?” He heard Oliver’s voice behind them and quickly turned to see the little boy by a man’s side; the waiter who had served them in the restaurant, he recognized.

A huge sigh of relief was heard from the couple before they threw themselves to hug Ollie as tight as they could.

“My God, Ollie, where were you?!” Amelia asked him, in an anguish tone of voice, still on her knees, holding him.

“I found him near the kitchen area.” The waiter answered her question, a sorry look on his face.

“Oliver Shepherd-Hunt, don’t you ever do this again!” Amelia unintentionally raised her voice a little bit to try to make him understand. “You can’t run off like this without us, it’s dangerous, Ollie!”

“I’m sorry, I was just trying to find the secret passages…” He explained, looking down, upset that his parents were mad at him.

“Look, buddy, we’re not mad at you.” Owen kneeled down in front of Oliver and spoke in a more contained voice, seeing the sad expression on his son’s face. “We just want you to understand that you can’t do this, okay? There’s bad people everywhere and someone could’ve taken you away from us or you could’ve gotten lost.”

Oliver looked up to meet Owen’s gaze and nodded to let him know he understood now.

“Whenever you want to look for secret passages or anything else, just tell us and we’ll go with you or just keep an eye on you.” Owen continued. “We’re not saying you can’t explore the places, we’re just saying that you should ask us first, okay?”

“Okay, dad, I understand now.” He nodded again.

“Sir, ma’am…” The waiter spoke to them when the couple stood up. “I’m sorry I mentioned those ‘secret passages’… I was just trying to entertain him, I swear I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault.” Amelia said, smiling at the man’s need to apologize. “I’m glad you found him. Thank you, really.”

“Don’t do this again, Ollie. I was scared.” Melody told her brother before pulling him into a tight hug, Luna quickly joining them.

After giving a big tip to the waiter, the family went out to have a stroll by the beach and enjoy the sunny weather of Rio de Janeiro before Amelia had to meet up with her band and tour manager at the arena they’d be doing the concert on the next day.

Back at their hotel room, it was around 6 pm and Owen was watching TV while the kids quietly played on the carpet in front of him, when Luna came up to her father with an unexpected question.

“Daddy, braid my hair?” She looked at him with those big blue eyes, a face that was very hard to say no to.

“Huh?” Owen raised his eyebrows, unsure if he heard her right.

“Like this.” Luna showed Owen the drawing of a little girl with a dutch braid on the fairy tale book she had been looking at.

“Uhm… But I don’t…” Before Owen could even think of an excuse to give his daughter, the 2 year old already had turned to her back, giving him her blonde hair, which went all the way to her shoulders.

Quickly glancing to the front door, Owen hoped to see Amelia come back at the right time to save him from that struggle, but sighed after realizing he’d have to do it himself.

Separating Luna’s hair in three strands, the only thing he knew how to do, Owen began to twirl them in hopes that it’d end up looking at least a little bit like the one from the drawing.

“That’s so wrong, dad.” Melody, who had been paying attention on her father and sister’s conversation, came up to his side, analyzing his work.

“Well, can you tell me what to do, then?” He looked at his know-it-all daughter, frustrated.

“First of all, you’re starting from the bottom, like a regular braid. The one Luna wants is a dutch braid, it’s totally different.” She explained to him, loosening the messy twirls he had made on Luna’s hair.

“Go ahead.” He began to get out of the way so Melody could braid her sister’s hair, but the girl shook her head in denial.

“No way! She asked for you.” Mel crossed her arms in front of her chest, a smug look on her face. “Google ‘dutch braid’, you’ll know what to do. Now, if you excuse me, I’ll go back to playing with my dolls.”

Owen gave one last glance at Melody before doing as she suggested him, chuckling at how a 7 year old could have such sass and attitude like his daughter had.

After almost 10 minutes trying to do one of the most difficult handmade things Owen had ever done, he was finally finished.

Admiring his job well done and getting a kiss on the cheek as a ‘thank you’ from Luna, Owen was surprised to see Melody excitedly jumping up and down and pointing at the TV.

“Daddy, look! It’s you! On the TV!”

Turning up the TV volume, Owen smiled when he recognized that that was his most recent interview on The Ellen Show, all three kids gathering around him on the couch to watch it.

“And here you are!” Ellen greeted him, sitting across Owen on her usual chair. “I’ve had your wife come over here a few times already, but it’s only your second time here!”

“That’s right. But I haven’t been avoiding you or anything.” Owen giggled, defending himself. “I’ve just been very busy lately, I swear.”

“It’s okay, I believe you.” Ellen laughed. “So, tell us what you’ve been working on.”

“Hi guys!” Amelia entered the room, greeting her family, without realizing they were all paying attention to the TV. “How was your day?”

“Mom, shh!” Oliver put his index finger in front of his lips, asking her to be quiet.

“What?” She furrowed her brows, confused.

“Daddy’s on the TV!” Melody explained, signaling to Amelia to sit with them.

Doing as she was told, Amelia put Oliver on her lap and snuggled close to them on the couch.

“Well, I’ve been working as a producer and composer for many artists on the last couple of years and now I’m working on opening my own record label, which has always been a dream to me.” Owen smiled, proud of himself.

“Wow, that’s a lot of stuff! Very exciting!” Ellen exclaimed. “And amongst all of that, you have your three kids, right? That must be tough.” She commented. “How are they, by the way?”

“She’s talking about us!” Melody gasped, excited.

“They’re amazing, truly the best kids in the whole world.” Owen smiled from ear to ear from talking about his kids as a picture of him with Oliver on his shoulders walking along with Amelia pushing Luna’s stroller and Melody holding his free hand was displayed on the screen behind him and Ellen.

“But, be real with me.” Ellen adjusted herself on her seat, smiling at his dope face when talking about his kids. “Aren’t they a bit of trouble to take care of? I mean, come on, three small children must be really hard.”

“No, not at all.” He chuckled, stopping to really think about it. “Well, to be completely honest… Melody causes a little bit of trouble. But Luna and Oliver are very calm.”

“And what do they think of you and Amelia being famous and on the spotlight all the time?”

“Well, Luna still doesn’t quite understand it, Oliver totally doesn’t care, but Melody loves the attention.” He laughed.

“And how old is Melody now? She’s your oldest, right?” Ellen asked.

“She’s 7. Oliver is 4 and Luna is 2.”

“She’s 7 already?!” Ellen widened her eyes in shock. “My God, it feels like yesterday you and Amelia came here to announce your first pregnancy!”

“Time goes by really fast, doesn’t it?” Owen commented, remembering that pregnancy announcement interview, when they were both so excited to share their news with the world.

“It truly does, yeah.” Ellen agreed. “And how’s Amelia, by the way? Loving the family life?”

“She’s great. Amelia’s an incredible mom and wife, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be by my side and share these moments with me.” Owen answered, causing the audience to ‘aw’ at his statement.

“Years have passed, but you two keep amazing us with how adorable you are.” Ellen observed. “You’re the definition of ‘relationship goals’, seriously.”

“Well, we’re glad to be an inspiration.” Owen joked.

“Anyway, thank you so much for coming, Owen. And please, come by more often now!”

“I will.”

“Owen Hunt, everybody!” Ellen said goodbye to him as he left the stage, waving to the audience.

“That was a great interview, babe.” Amelia smiled at him, giving him a kiss on the cheek as a ‘thank you’ for the kind words he had said.

“You talked about me! On TV!” Melody got on her knees on the couch, pulling her dad’s arm in excitement.

“Yes, I did, princess. Did you like it?”

“I loved it, daddy! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, baby.” Owen pulled her in for a tight hug, giving Melody a bunch of wet kisses on her cheek.

“Eww, let me out!” She complained, making Owen hug her even tighter.

“I want it too!” Oliver said, jumping from Amelia’s lap to Owen’s.

“Me too!” Luna shouted, jumping on top of all of them.

Soon, Owen had all three children on top of him, giving him hugs and kisses.

“Oh, now I’m jealous!” Amelia crossed her arms in front of her chest, pretending to be upset.

“Come on, mommy!” Oliver pulled her to join them.

At night, after Owen and Amelia had put the children to bed, they grabbed a couple of fruity non alcoholic drinks the hotel had provided for them and put them on a wooden table in the terrace before throwing themselves on a large hammock that could easily fit the two of them, a few feet away from the pool.

“Alone, at last.” Owen sighed, putting his arm around Amelia’s shoulder and slowly caressing it with his fingers.

Smiling tenderly, Amelia closed her eyes and nuzzled her head on Owen’s chest, her free arm going around his torso, pulling him tight.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Amelia looked up, thinking her husband had fallen asleep, but was surprised to see he had a slight frown on his face while he stared at the dark blue sky above them, his free arm supporting his head.

“What is it?” She frowned too, wondering what was going on in his head.

“Huh?” He looked down to meet his gaze, confused by her sudden question.

“You look like you have a million thoughts going through your head.” Amelia pointed out.

“It’s just…” He sighed, looking back at the sky. “It’s nothing, it’s silly.”

“Owen…” Amelia narrowed her eyes at him. “Tell me.”

“Well, today I offered to tell Melody a bedtime story or sing her lullaby, but she told me she’s too old for that.” He mumbled, looking irritated. “And then she just took her earphones, put on some music and rolled to her side.”

Amelia looked at her husband, trying hard not to laugh at his pissed off expression, like that was such an absurd thing.

“But, babe…” She slowly told him, not containing the little smile on her face. “She is too old for bedtime stories. Mel is seven already.”

“But I don’t want that!” He groaned, not looking at Amelia. Melody was his first kid, his baby girl, his princess. It was hard to admit to himself that she was growing up and was not his little baby anymore.

“I know it’s hard to accept that they’re growing up fast, but aren’t you curious to see how they’ll be like?” Amelia tried to cheer him up, thinking about the future. “Their personalities, their tastes, if they’ll be annoying teenagers or not…”

Owen chuckled, imagining their kids as teenagers.

“Melody will definitely be hard to control.” He pointed out. Since she was already a bit of trouble as a seven year old, he couldn’t even imagine what she’d be like as a teenager.

“See? All of this is exciting, babe.” Amelia emphasized. “We still have so many phases of them to go through, it’s not like we’re losing them.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He admitted, giving her a half smile as his hands went to caress her dark locks of hair.

“Besides… We still have Luna as our baby, so we can take out all of our neediness on her and she can’t complain.” She joked, making Owen laugh.

Owen pulled her closer to him and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“It’s hard to accept things changing like this.”

“Yeah, but in the meantime we can stop worrying about the future and just enjoy the present.” Amelia suggested. “Let’s not be sad about it ending, let’s be glad that we’re living it.”

“You’re very wise today.” He lifted up her chin so she could be looking at him, their lips very close to each other.

“Today? I’m wise all the time. Wisdom is something you can count me in.” She joked.

“Stop talking and kiss me already, woman.” Owen chuckled, finally meeting her lips.

Amelia obeyed and apparently took his words seriously, since she was already deepening their kiss while her fingers ran through his hair, pulling it as things started to get hotter.

Once they both were out of breath from their long kiss, their lips parted, but Amelia realized Owen’s eyes were filled with desire as he admired her facial features, a smirk on his lips while he caressed her cheek.

It had been too long since Owen and Amelia had sex. Both of them had been pretty busy with work during the last month, Owen working as a producer and Amelia touring around the world. And, when she was home, they’d plan whole days of going out with the kids, so at night, both of them would be really tired to do anything. The couple hadn’t had time for themselves for a long time and they didn’t even remember the last time they made out without being interrupted. So, just the touch of their lips in a moment alone like this would ignite huge passion from both of them. The couple knew they had to do something about it and they’d have to do it soon.

“You know, I’m still waiting for our little improvisation since that time at the pool.” Owen commented, caressing Amelia’s hair. “That new bikini of yours is not something we can simply ignore.”

“I knew you’d like it.” She said as Owen started to kiss her jawline and neck all the way to her chest. “I bought them thinking of you.”

“Good to know.” He stopped kissing her skin and got ready to attack her lips again. “So, let’s do something about it, shall we?”

Owen kissed her hard on the lips, putting every bit of passion he was feeling in that kiss. As their tongues danced around each other and Amelia’s leg pulled his hip even closer to hers, Owen’s bulge inside his pants started to get bigger and she could feel it against her lower abdomen. Roaming her hands inside his t-shirt, Amelia pulled Owen’s torso towards her, feeling her breasts pressed against his chest.

After Owen sucked and bit on her bottom lip, he made his way with wet kisses on her neck, before sucking on it too, hearing Amelia’s breathing get even heavier.

Thinking of the kids sleeping in the other room not that far away from the terrace, Amelia came to her senses.

“Owen…” She breathed out his name, trying to control herself as his lips were going towards her cleavage.

“Amelia…”

“I wish more than anything for us to continue this, but…” She took a deep breath. “We can’t do this here. You know one of the kids will probably wake up soon and…”

“Amelia, seriously…” He said, between kisses on her cleavage.

“I am being serious.” Amelia said as Owen sighed and lifted up his head to look at her.

“You’re gonna drive me insane.” He tried to calm down, seeing that it was not going to lead anywhere if he kept insisting, since Amelia’s expression proved she wouldn’t give in anytime soon. When Amelia put something in her head and made up her mind, nobody could convince her otherwise.

“Fine.” He sighed, getting up from the hammock and helping her up as well. “But when are we gonna get the chance to continue from where we left off?”

“Like I said earlier today.” She took a sip from her drink. “We can always improvise.”

“Or better yet.” Owen pulled her body closer to his, so he could whisper in her ear. A smirk on his face. “We could take a time off. Just the two of us.”

“Like our monthly date that we used to do after Melody was born?” Amelia bit her bottom lip, excited. After Melody was born, Owen and Amelia had set up to stay in a hotel once a month just the two of them, go out and have some of the most amazing sex Amelia’s ever had. With work and more children to take care of, the couple eventually got busy and even forgot about their dates. “The ones that lasted an entire weekend?”

“Just like those.” Owen answered, walking with Amelia back to their bedroom.

“Well, I’m excited now.” Amelia stopped in front of their bed and turned to Owen, delicately kissing his lips with her arms wrapped around his neck.

“Mommy?”

Luna was standing in the big doorway that separated the living room to Owen and Amelia’s bedroom, her small frame contrasting with it. The two year old was wearing pink and white polka dotted pajamas, with bunny slippers on her feet and her monkey stuffed toy held tight against her arm, a single tear falling down her left cheek.

“What did I tell you?” Amelia raised an eyebrow at Owen, loving being right, before going towards her daughter. “What is it, sweetie? Why are you up?”

“Nightmare.” She simply answered between sniffs, hugging her monkey tighter when she remembered the awful nightmare she just had.

“It’s okay, baby. Me and Daddy are here, alright?” Amelia caressed Luna’s blonde hair, putting a few strands behind her ear. “Do you want to sleep with us tonight?”

Getting a gentle nod from her daughter, Amelia picked her up and put her in the middle of the bed between the sheets. Soon, both Owen and Amelia had changed into their pajamas and were snuggling close to Luna. Amelia hummed a song while Owen caressed her tiny hand, soothing her back to sleep.

“At least we still have this little baby.” Amelia whispered to Owen after Luna had fallen asleep, admiring the little girl peacefully sleeping between her parents, sucking on her thumb and not letting go of her little monkey with the other hand.

“Let’s enjoy it while we still can.” Owen said, giving a quick kiss on Luna’s forehead before closing his eyes as well.

The next day was the day of Amelia’s concert and she had to be at the arena after lunch for soundcheck, leaving Owen to take care of the three kids.

Owen had thought of taking the kids to some of the tourist spots in Rio, but he didn’t want Amelia to miss those. So, changing his plans, he took the children for a stroll down the beach in the afternoon, taking pictures of them running and playing with the sand and, when it was almost 6 pm, the time of the concert, he took them to the arena, ready to surprise Amelia.

By the time they arrived at the place, the concert was already in the middle. Watching the show by the side of the stage without letting Amelia see him, he realized Luna had fallen asleep in her stroller even with all the noise whilst Melody and Oliver were being distracted by Amelia’s tour manager.

“Thank you so much, everyone” Amelia said to the crowd after one of the songs was over, giving Owen the right cue to surprise her.

“Okay, guys.” He kneeled down in front of his two kids, calling their attention. “Are you ready to surprise Mommy?”

“Yeah!” Both of them shouted in excitement.

“Then, go ahead!” Owen said, leading them to the side of the stage.

“So, the next song is an old one…” Amelia was about to introduce her song when she was interrupted by her kids running towards her and hugging her tight. “Oh my God! Hi guys!”

She bent down to hug them back and looked at the direction they came from, smiling brightly at Owen, who was hidden at the side of the stage, the crowd going “aw” with how adorable the scene was.

“And where’s Luna? I’m pretty sure I have three children.” Amelia joked on the microphone, looking from her kids to Owen, who mouthed a ‘she’s asleep’ as an answer. “Oh, she’s asleep? Well, clearly she couldn’t care less about my music.”

The crowd laughed out loud, taking lots of pictures and videos of that delightful surprise.

“And why the hell are you hiding there?” Amelia asked Owen, talking on the microphone. “Come here, show your face to these lovely people!”

Since some of Amelia’s fans were also Owen’s fans, they started to shout out for him, who obeyed and took a few steps onto the stage, waving to the crowd, who went nuts.

“Thanks for the surprise, babe.” Amelia smiled tenderly at him, then looking at her children, who were still grabbing onto her legs. Melody was curiously looking around while Oliver tried to hide behind Amelia’s legs, holding onto them for dear life. “Guys, do you want to say anything to Mommy’s fans?”

Amelia put the microphone under Oliver’s mouth, but he didn’t say anything, scared.

“Can you say ‘hi’ to them, Ollie?”

“Hi.” He quickly said, hiding back behind Amelia’s legs.

“Mommy.” Melody called her, making Amelia put the mic under her mouth. “Are all of these people here to see you?”

“Yeah, they are!” She answered. “Isn’t that cool?”

“It is.” Melody smiled, looking at the crowd. “Hi everyone!”

Amelia’s fans all replied “Hi” back to Melody before Amelia lead the children back to Owen by the side of the stage, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as a ‘thank you’.

On the next day, the whole family had just been back from a fun day at the beach, which was just across the street from their hotel, when Owen asked Amelia if they could stop at the reception so he could ask and settle some stuff.

The kids were holding their beach toys and wearing their bathing suits when Melody gathered her siblings to talk in a whisper, a plan forming in her head.

“Okay, so as your fairy queen…”

“But you were a mermaid…?” Oliver noted, furrowing his brows.

“Well, I’m a mermaid who turned into a fairy.” Melody explained like it was obvious, annoyed at being interrupted. “So, since I’m your fairy queen, you shall obey me.” She smiled big at her use of the word ‘shall’, something she had read in a book recently.

Oliver and Luna both looked at her, waiting for what they’d have to do. That had become something common between them. Melody had a very creative mind, so she was always creating worlds and mythical creatures for them to play and pretend. And, as always, she liked to be in charge, since she was the oldest sibling. Oliver and Luna didn’t care about it, enjoying most of their plays, even so because Luna didn’t understand most of the things they were doing, obeying whatever her siblings told her to do.

“So, I’m gonna need something very shiny for me to charge and get my powers back since I used most of them to transform from mermaid to fairy.” Melody told them her story, making things up as she went along. “And when I get my powers back, I can finally take us home!”

Oliver and Luna smiled brightly and jumped up and down at Melody’s exciting story. As their parents talked with the receptionist, the kids started to look for something bright so Melody could ‘charge her powers’.

“Look!” Oliver pointed, happy that he found something. Since it was Christmas season, the hotel’s reception was filled with Christmas lights and decorations and Oliver was pointing right at the star on top of the big tree.

“Oh, but that’s… That’s the star of the tree…” Melody frowned, thinking hard for a bit, since she knew it was an important object. But, not seeing any other thing around them that could replace it and was in their reach, she gave in. “Okay, but we’ll have to work together to get this one.”

All three of them walked towards the tree, which was beside the reception table, without letting their parents see them.

Lucky for them, the tree was about Owen’s size and they could easily get on a chair that was nearby and stretch for the star.

Oliver and Luna pushed the chair to the side of the tree and Melody stood up on it, stretching as hard as she could to reach the star.

“Ollie, you’ll have to help me.” Melody said, signaling for her brother to come up on the chair with her. Then, the girl grabbed Oliver by the waist and lifted him up so that he could get the star.

But, since the boy leaned on the tree branches to get even higher, the tree started to wiggle until it fell down completely.

With one big gasp from everyone around them, the kids stood frozen in their positions, eyes widened as they knew they had screwed up.

“Oh… My… God.” Amelia spoke under her breath, seeing the disastrous scene in front of her. Balls from the tree were shattered to pieces on the floor and her children clearly seemed like the ones to blame. After the moment of shock, she quickly turned to the receptionist, embarrassment evident in her eyes. “I am so, so sorry. I swear we will pay for everything, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Uh, it’s okay, ma’am… It happens.” The receptionist said, the pissed off look on his face not agreeing with the words that came out of his mouth.

“Not with my children, it doesn’t.” Amelia said, already getting her credit card out of her purse. “Just tell me how much it is and I’ll pay.”

Owen helped the employees get the tree back up and collect the broken pieces, before turning to his children.

“With me. Now.” He spoke, a very strict tone of voice. Turning to Amelia, he informed her. “I’ll go have a talk with them back in our room.”

“Okay.” She nodded. Amelia was usually the one lecturing their kids about bad behaviors, but when they did something really bad, it was usually Owen who'd step up.

The second they arrived in the room, all three children sat on the couch with their heads down, aware of the big lecture they were about to have.

“I cannot believe what just happened.” Owen paced back and forth in front of the couch, hands on his head as he thought of what to do with them, stopping in his tracks to look at his children. “What the hell were you three thinking?!”

All three of them stayed quiet, knowing they shouldn’t interrupt Owen when he was ranting.

“You have to start thinking about the consequences of your actions!” He continued, raising his voice without even realizing. “Stealing a star from a Christmas tree?! That’s not something you can do! That is not our tree, that is the hotel’s tree, it’s not ours to touch!” He took a deep breath, trying to control himself. Owen was really mad about what they had done, but he knew they were just children, so he shouldn’t yell at them. He should tell them right from wrong, that’s what he always tried to do as a parent. Sighing, he put his hands on his hips. “And all of those broken balls too… That costs money, guys. You have to start thinking about that.”

“I’m sorry, dad.” Oliver was the first one to apologize, really sad that Owen was mad at them.

“Yeah, sorry, dad.” Melody apologized too.

“Sorry.” Luna said.

“Luna, you don’t have to do everything your siblings tell you to do. If you don’t feel like doing something, you can just say ‘no’ to them, okay? It was very wrong what you three did and you need to understand that.” Owen told her, then turning to his son. “Oliver, I thought you were better than this. You’re really smart, you have to start telling right from wrong.”

Then, he turned to Melody, sighing deeply.

“I’m very disappointed in you, Melody.” He said, a mad look on his face. “You’re the oldest sibling! You have to set an example for them, you need to take care of them! I expect better behavior from you from now on. That is not how I raised you to be.”

Feeling like he was done with his lecture, he looked at all three of their sad faces, no one daring to say a word to him.

“And all three of you won’t be allowed to play on the iPads until I say so.” Owen told them their punishment, to which the children finally lifted up their heads and widened their eyes.

“No!” Oliver moaned in complaint, quickly silencing himself when he saw the look of ‘don’t even’ on Owen’s face.

“Now, go to your room and get ready to take a shower. You’re all filled with sand.” Owen said and they obeyed, quickly forming a line to the bathroom.

At night, when Amelia and Owen were already in bed talking, they heard a knock on the wooden doorway of their bedroom and turned to see Melody standing there with her pink pajamas, her bottom lip trembling as she was about to start crying.

“Honey, what is it?” Amelia quickly sat up, afraid that something might’ve happened by the look on her daughter’s face.

Melody approached their bed and couldn’t control her tears anymore.

“I’m so sorry… I was a terrible sister… It was all my fault!” She said, between sniffs. “Don’t punish Luna and Ollie, I told them to do it… Just blame it on me.”

Amelia and Owen exchanged looks, a mix of pride and compassion in their eyes.

“Mel, come here.” Owen patted the bed, telling her to sit between them. Then, he started to explain the situation to her, a gentle tone on his voice. “Although you may have told them to do it, your siblings still could’ve said no. But they didn’t. That’s why they’re also being punished. You’re all different people and you have free will. They could’ve realized that it was wrong and refuse to do it, you understand what I mean?” She nodded, tears still falling from her eyes as she looked down to her legs crossed. “The reason I said all those things to you three is because I needed you to know that everything you do in life has consequences.”

Melody nodded again and stayed silent for a few seconds, then lifting up her head to look at Owen in the eyes.

“But you’re disappointed in me?” Melody pouted, repeating the words her dad told her earlier, what stuck with her throughout the entire day and made Melody get up and go to her parent’s room. The thought of Owen not ‘liking’ her anymore made Melody really upset.

Amelia looked at Owen, her heart clenching in her chest at seeing her daughter so sad.

“In that moment I was, indeed. ‘Cause what I saw was you not being a good big sister.” He admitted, staying serious and explaining to her, other than just hugging and kissing her, like Amelia would probably do. “But you coming to us and taking the blame for your siblings filled me with pride, Melody. That was an honourable thing to do, really.”

“So, you’re not mad at me anymore?” She asked as he dried the tears on her face with his thumb.

“You’re all still grounded.” Owen made sure she knew that even though he was impressed by her apology, they still had done something wrong and the punishment stayed the same. “But no, I’m not mad at you.”

“I love you, daddy!” Melody threw herself in his arms, a big smile on her face. Seeing Amelia smiling at the scene by their side, Melody pulled her in for that hug too. “I love you too, mommy!”

“So, you’re not mad?” Oliver stood with Luna by the doorway, having heard everything of their conversation. The pout on his lips clearly implicating he wondered if they could join the hug.

“Come here, you two.” Owen smiled at them, with his open arms.

It was moments like those, that even after the lectures and tough parenting moments the love between the family stayed the same, that made Owen and Amelia filled with joy and gratefulness.

That night, all three of their children slept in the king size bed with them. With the kids sleeping peacefully between them, the couple just smiled at each other before closing their eyes, a feeling of pride and love hitting both of them, even though their kids had just knocked down a Christmas tree.

#omelia #owelia #amen #omeliafics #omeliafanfics #owen x amelia #amelia x owen #amelia shepherd #owen hunt #grey's anatomy #fluff #au #a music affair #mine

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maxthommusic · 4 years

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The Musou Genre Is Exactly Why We Should Want To Pay More For Our Games

I have to say: I’m absolutely loving Hyrule Warriors. It’s a musou-style game, a la Dynasty Warriors, for the Nintendo Switch (and originally, 3DS). While the main criticism of said games can be that they’re ultra repetitive (and they are), something also should be said of game intent, purpose and console aesthetic. While Dynasty Warriors has always felt too arcade-y for sitting on the couch, hyper-focused on playing a game, this iteration set in the Hyrule universe is really amazing on the oft-portable Nintendo Switch. My girlfriend and I play a round or two before bed, making it the perfect sort of mindless fun we can do together. Controls are easy to remember, objectives are simple, and the presentation is really well-done. Including characters that have a storied lineage really magnifies the intrigue of a musou and I’m actually delighted by the story too. Although the narrative isn’t quite on par with Zelda standards, the overarching plotline certainly holds up; it’s definitely more than I expected find in Hyrule Warriors, which is a great surprise.

And what brings me to this post today is to celebrate the concept of these “mindless” arcade games and to also examine how we can keep them apart of the gaming ecosystem. After playing through behemoths like FFVII: Remake and The Last of Us: Part 2, sometimes its easy to always want AAA titles that push the limits of hardware, design and expectation. However, sometimes it’s nice not being such an active participant within an interactive media.

Exhibit A: Hyrule Warriors. Sometimes the ingredients just mix well together. I’ve played several Dynasty Warriors, I’ve tried Samurai Warriors. And while I had a passing interest in some of the Gundam musou entries, I skipped ‘em due to poor reviews. However, after stumbling upon Hyrule Warriors, I’ve started doing some actual research on the genre and the fandom, and it really seems like musou is generally misunderstood.

On the podcast I enjoy, Sacred Symbols (paid patron), musou games came up recently and there was some discussion about how bloated the release schedule is. How can Omega Force keep releasing all this stuff? And on some of the reviews I read that knocked the games, one critic, in particular, mentioned that Fire Emblem Warriors is “as boring as all the other musou games.” Its a 40/100, the lowest grade by nearly 30 points. Without it (again, the shoddiness of Metacritic is exposed), Fire Emblem Warriors would be “in the green” and plainly above 70. When you do any good dive into some research on the genre, you’ll see a lot of people on the forums own several next-gen musou games. When one drops, people eat ‘em up. To claim that an entry is “boring like the others” is a bit too subjective my tastes.

One of the best comments I read was from a user who exclaimed he needed “something mindless” like “EDF” (Earth Defense Force) or Dynasty Warriors after he’d just finished Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, a notoriously bloated experience. The idea that there are different games and different genres to be played at different times is something I love exploring. It’s like the varying flavors of a fine meal, or even a diet spread out over weeks, months or even your entire year. In gaming we talk about absolutes too much: which is the best console? Which genres do you play? What’s the game of the year? What’s your Top 5? There should be multiple answers to all of these, all the time. As we witness more and more toxicity in the games industry, I can’t help but think embracing a genre like musou could be the key to expanding our perspectives.

Now I don’t mean musou explicitly. I mean find your musou. Honestly, I’ll play any genre given the right circumstances. For someone who doesn’t play sports games, I would happily buy Fifa if you told me I had a crew who wanted to play it online. I never thought I could be into Rocket League, but Playstation made it free and then I went on to get the Platinum Trophy because my mates and I had such a good time. Things are highly elastic when it comes to games and their genres. But sometimes we see them as more rigid, and the only absolute here is that they absolutely aren’t.

Exhibit B: Maneater. Here’s a $40 game from Deep Silver that’s somewhere in that AA space. A lot of people knocked it for being repetitive, but again: let’s embrace it for what it is. Intention is often ignored when reviewing games and not only do critics need to work on this, but users too. People rely heavily on other people’s impressions of a game to know if it’s fundamentally fine. Ripping on something for being too repetitive, too short, or too confusing will turn people off. I’ll be the first to admit I stayed away from Fallen Order and Control because I read they had performance issues. While I eventually ended up doing FO as a gameclub with a buddy, my experience was 100% hindered by chugging framerates and long load times. I’m still disappointed I’ll be waiting for Control until I can play it on Playstation 5, but I know my enjoyment will increase ten-fold if I can be patient. But when a game like Maneater is designed as more of a quick pick-up-and-play title, is calling it “repetitive” very fair? Should it have been reviewed through a lens of “play through its entirety as quick as possible?”

Exhibit C: Ghost of Tsushima. The new Playstation exclusive drops this Friday (7/17) and critics are mostly enjoying it. Some of the “less than stellar” reviews I’ve seen, though, fault it for some shoddy presentation in the wake of The Last of Us Pt 2. Which, again, I think is unfair. Comparing Tsushima to TLOU2 doesn’t seem very applicable. TLOU2 is in a league of its own in terms of budget, scope and talent. While Suckerpunch is well-regarded, they are by no means Naughty Dog. Even Insomniac seems to have eclipsed them a bit, growing with nearly every game they release. Suckerpunch, in my mind, sort of knows where their playground is and sticks to it. Which, again, isn’t a bad thing. It’s been some time since I’ve played an open-world game that really drew me in. Ghost of Tsushima’s aesthetic seems ripe for picking, and when a critic mentioned that it doesn’t seem to break any new ground for the genre, I kinda have to throw my hands up and go, “So?” When’s the last time you got to roam Japan as a ghostly samurai? Doesn’t that maybe count as “inventive” enough? For example, if we got Grand Theft Auto, exactly as it is, but set in London, Tokyo, or maybe even Russia, I’d finally have an interest in the series. Somewhere international sounds tantalizing. What’s more is that Japanese critics seem to be loving Ghost and a lot of that stems from it’s overall design aesthetic. Most critics, anywhere, have said it’s a really beautiful game. Sometimes isn’t a game worth playing just because it’s stunning to look at? Rez Infinite is a prime example of something that is fleeting yet remarkable. The original PS2 game may be in the package, but it’s the Area X that’s the real prize and it’s absolutely less than a 30 minute experience. But that’s the thing: it’s an experience. In no way would I ever look at what’s being offered and go, “It’s too short.” Too short by what comparison? Did I love what was offered, yes or no?

As time marches forward, I can’t help but continually feel like games journalism is slowly deteriorating and fan expectations are completely out of whack. One look at the “price increase” debate clearly shows fans don’t understand capitalism, value, and scope. Colin Moriarity, from Sacred Symbols, very openly supports the debate that you aren’t going to see any CEOs trying to let go of their profits. The argument that games’ prices shouldn’t go up because people at the top are rich enough is completely against the entire framework of our society. The concept that businesses are meant to grow is completely fine, in my book, and as game prices haven’t gone up to reflect inflation, we could probably at least do that much for our industry, right?

I think the most tantalizing part of this argument is that not all games are profitable. As dev cycles become longer and more expensive, we need to give studios the ability to invest in smaller projects and maybe even risky ones. Without a bunch of overhead capital, we will see an industry that becomes totally stagnant, devoid of unique offerings. The big players will continue to hit hard and the money-makers will continue to roll out. So expect Assassin’s Creed, Fortnite, Call of Duty and Halo for the rest of eternity (plus whatever Naughty Dog does). For some gamers that’s probably totally cool and fine. But I’m not one of those players. I would mostly stop gaming if all I had to look forward to were games as services or check-box open-world games. These styles are popular because fans love the insane amount of hours they can pour into one investment. Publishers love them because recreating assets and scenarios gets pretty easy for the titles after a certain point. But this can’t represent the entire climate. While I didn’t love Death Stranding, I’m so happy it exists. I’m ecstatic that this game emerged and took as many chances as it did. I’m thrilled Naughty Dog was allowed to take the gambles it did with TLOU2. Even look at Dreams: every person who loves dreams should be embracing a $70 price point because that kind of experience will not exist if companies aren’t extracting profit. Because you know what else? Those money-grubbers will never let go of their profit. Our experience will diminish greatly before they see lower dividends. So consider paying in a way to ensure the industry thrives in the way you want to see fit. Which I think is the heart of the matter.

We control this industry. Don’t like MTX or DLC? Don’t buy it. Don’t want it in your face? Don’t purchase or support those games. If you’re like me and you want a wide genre of games available to you at all times, consider being pro-price increase. Also consider buying games right as they come out. Too many people pirate or wait for sales. Yet those are the same people not in favor of a price increase. Those types of consumers are already hurting the industry. Think of all the people getting fat on free content who never pay a dime for their games. Those people are also trying to weigh in on something they don’t really support to begin with. Publishers have been, ostensibly, trying to charge you nearly $100 per game for several years now with their Deluxe Editions and DLC. If you’ve ever thought this “price-gouging” was ridiculous, consider why it exists in the first place that isn’t related to the tired argument of, “they’re greedy.”

Games are a total luxury. And the people who will determine the future of this medium are the people who actually pay for this luxury. The argument that “you can’t afford it” isn’t appropriate, in my mind. While I sympathize with the notion that it sucks having to pay $60 or even $70 for a new game (especially one that might not be very good), you have to consider what these games cost to create. And if people want today’s offerings to be $20, $30 or $40, it’s simply not realistic. Additionally, we want all different kinds of games, too, right?

I do believe that’s the crux of the argument: I want to be able to play Hyrule Warriors, Sonic Forces, The Last of Us Pt 2, and Ghost of Tsushima. These games are not created equally. While TLOU2 might be a sales giant, Ghost is unproven. It’s got Suckerpunch behind it, but that’s a brand new IP coming out at the end of the Playstation’s lifecycle. If you want more games and more risks like this, you’ve gotta purchase the titles representing these decisions. I love that Hyrule Warriors and Fire Emblem Warriors both exist for me to play. If the ecosystem isn’t supported properly, we don’t get these options. We might get one huge hitter from the “Warriors” franchise instead of a handful. We might get one exclusive from Playstation in any given year. And the reason I emphasize this shrinking of the industry is because not only are publishers reaching for a price increase, but industry leaders have also come out saying things aren’t sustainable on a $60 per game price point. If you truly examine the argument, it just doesn’t make sense. I paid $60 for Killzone 3 on PS3 and TLOU2? No, that doesn’t add up. God of War (PS4) and Horizon Zero Dawn are valued the same as something like Homefront (PS3)?

The other side of this argument suggests that we could try and explore more price points... but I stand by the notion that Homefront probably did cost $60 at the time. It wasn’t trying to be a budget title. But as we’ve gone forward in time, gaming experiences have expanded exponentially. I truly believe that something like TLOU or Ghost probably do need to extract more than $60 from their users. Yet below that price point, there’s a lot more room for investigation. We need to see more Maneaters and Hellblades. Think of all the quality content Supergiant Games has made (Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades) that have come out at “budget” price points... There is a great exploration of content type and price that can (and probably should) emerge as we head into the great unknown.

At the end of the day, I just love gaming. I love it. It’s my favorite thing in the world. And I want to see it thrive. The reality is that money talks. In my life I’ve seen only the benefits of paying for goods and services versus taking things for free or if they are offered at a steep discount. Great things should and do carry real value. We need to respect that value in all things. My hope is that the gaming community can see this in their hobby and start to respect it more. Because so far, anyone I’ve engaged with in this conversation, has not once said they pay full price for their games. I listed Doom Eternal on the Facebook Marketplace and people are upset I’m charging $30, free shipping, when the cheapest it exists on Amazon is $41 + shipping used. eBay is roughly the same price and Gamefly has a copy for $39.99 right now, used. I told one guy I just listed it and that I’d like to try and get $30 since it’s the cheapest I can find. He retorted, “Yeah, brand new maybe.” Doom Eternal is still $60 on Amazon, Best Buy and Gamestop. I know that my experience is in a vacuum-- all of our experiences are. But we need to discuss them so that the anecdotal evidence can tip in one way or the other. And this experience with Doom is not the first time I’ve witnessed gamers being completely out of touch with prices and value.

I used to work for a used goods store called Half Price Books. I learned full-on what the value of something is to a re-seller and the life cycle of an item getting marked down and potentially sent to clearance. For every product that sells at full price, several others go to the bargain bin. This means HPB was either breaking even or losing money on most items. Re-couping costs on those top-shelf commodities is essential to the business and it’s vital to most capitalist ecosystems. HPB can only survive thanks to the people who see an item they want, understand its value, and pay the price we initially set. Every company trying to sell you something is basically operating the same way. And what I also learned from HPB is that people don’t understand what their own possessions are worth. People would get upset a lot that we wanted to pay so little. Gamers have been facing this for decades with second-hand shops like Gamestop, EB Games and more. But what people fail to see is that most stuff is crap. And not only is most stuff crap, but if the good stuff does come around, the business officially has to make up for missed or lost sales somehow and your awesome item needs to be purchased and sold for a price point that helps the business.

Just take a look at TLOU2 versus Days Gone. Similar games, both exclusive first-party titles. One sold extraordinarily well, one did not. Playstation literally needs TLOU2 to dominate so a game like Days Gone can get a chance. While the profit numbers will show TLOU2 to be a massive hit, that money helps out in other sectors, bolstering the entire platform. The people who worked very hard on the game deserve those bonuses coming their way. They deserve the champagne glasses that say “The Last of Us Pt 2″ on them with commemorative decor. Imagine if you slaved away on something for your job and at the end your boss said, “Great job,” and that’s all you got. Don’t you want a pizza party? Or an extra check in the mail? Or even a new mug?

We gotta pay for the things we love so the things we love can continue being labors of love. Real people are needed to create the experiences we cherish so much and respecting them comes down to understanding the value of what we choose to play every day. If you comprehend the value of what’s on your big screen TV, paying more for games shouldn’t sting too much. Because if you’re anything like me, you don’t even have the time to buy every new game that comes out. I rarely pay full-price for a game because I’m so busy digging through backlog titles that have often been on sale for several months already. But when games like FFVII: Remake or Ghost of Tsushima do come along, I’m really happy to be first in line, paying the full-price of admission. I just wish more of my fellow gamers felt that way. Because I’ve heard all the other arguments; I’ve heard ‘em. I don’t buy into them at all. We vote with our wallets and whatever issues you have with the industry when it comes to “greed,” consider what you’re playing. I have had zero issues with microtransactions in my gameplay choices. If you, for some reason, are just appalled that MTX exists at all within a game, then I recommend you just check your baggage at the door. I paid full price for Persona 5: Royal which has all kinds of things I can buy on the side to bolster my experience. I haven’t touched those add-ons, I don’t plan to touch them and they, in no way, have affected me playing P5R. You can feel the exact same way and don’t need to be upset that MTX exists simply because MTX exists. The next time you see it, consider what you paid for the game you’re playing. If it was anything less than full price, MTX is a great way to try and recoup the money they lost on your discounted cost. And if you did pay full price, think of all the people who didn’t or won’t. MTX exists so Atlus can publish / localize the next Persona everywhere they intend to. It ensures we get killer voice actors, great translations, and cool spin-offs. It helps create a vibrant community, something that exists well outside the bounds of the original game even.

Really, I just want the best game possible. All the time. When I play a really awesome, beautiful game, it usually takes my breath away. I’m consumed by it; totally entranced and in-love. To me that can cost more than $60. I spent 80 hours with FFVII: Remake. 80 hours, man. I was blown away for every second too. For about $100 a night + food, drink and excursions, I can go stay on a beach for the weekend. That’s easily around $500+, if not more. While they’re completely different experiences, FFVII:R had years of nostalgia baked into the mix. I would choose to play FFVII:R over many, many other kinds of experiences. Microdermabrasion? $80+. Date-night with a new fling? Easily $100+. 30 minute massage? $40 + tip. FFVII:R gave me 80 hours of pure joy and all I paid was $60. That’s a steal.

Just consider what you’re really getting when you buy your games. And if you feel like you’re already in my camp, then please share the love. I wanna know where my crew is at; where the homies are. Because video games are incredible. And the way the conversation is breaking down about price increases, it’s hard to tell if some people actually love games the way I do too. When you really love something, you want the best for it; you aren’t cynical towards it. It’s my belief that the games industry, by and large, is not out to screw us, it’s just trying to find ways to be viable for years to come. If you don’t like the way it’s trying to thrive, don’t support those ways. But you gotta support something; saying that games need to be “cheaper” isn’t really an option. Because games have never been much cheaper than this when you factor in inflation. We got to have our cake and eat it for a long, long time. Now we gotta pony up.

#price increase #gaming #industry #money #capitalism

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miuplays · 6 years

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FAN AMA WITH MIU!

What is your morning routine like?

Pretty simple. I wake up, exercise, shower, eat breakfast. Then I start preparing for my stream. Setting up my camera and OBS, deciding what to play before I go live.

How does it feel to stream for a lot of viewers? Do you get nervous before you go live?

I don’t really get nervous. Whether it’s 500 viewers or 5000 viewers, I’m always pretty relaxed going into any broadcast. The only time I’m ever nervous is when I’m doing collaborations or shows with other people, like GeekGen or Drop Frames. It’s only on occasions like those that I feel out of my element, but otherwise streaming is a comfortable experience.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a streamer, and what is your greatest weakness?

I would say my greatest strength is my patience. Being a streamer, especially a female streamer, you’re bound to get a lot of rude comments and negative attention. Whether it’s about my appearance, my voice, etc., there are some viewers in the chat that will do anything to try and tear me down or just flood the chat with the most obscene things. But it’s very difficult for people like this to get under my skin, so it’s easy for me to just ignore them or brush them off with a cheeky remark.

As for my greatest weakness, I’d say it’s my perfectionism. I’m blame myself for even the smallest mistakes. I tend to focus so much on my shortcomings that it’s hard to appreciate any victories. If the stream is down, or viewership is lower than normal, or I’m consistently making small mistakes in the game, it can put me in a very bad headspace. And once my mood suffers, my stream will too. The way I work through this is to constantly remind myself that no one and nothing is ever perfect, that it’s better to focus more on successes than failures and try not to be so hard on myself. A good broadcast should be fun and engaging for both me and my fans. If I’ve at least succeeded in that, then it’s enough for me.

Career-wise, what did you do before becoming a professional gamer?

I didn’t really have a “career” prior to becoming a pro gamer. This was always my dream, something I worked towards as soon as I left high school. I worked as an IT tech at different companies for a few years, both before and after moving to Japan. I also did commissions for PC builds.

What are your plans for after you stop streaming full time? Will you still be competing?

I don’t plan to stop streaming or competing for a very, very long time. This is something I hope to do for as long as I can. But in the event that I do, I think I’d still try to be involved in the gaming industry in some way. I’m far too passionate about video games to give up on them completely. I’ve always taken interest in the tech industry, particularly when it comes to PC rigs and other gaming equipment, so maybe something along that route. I have no interest in returning to IT though.

In previous installments of the Street Fighter franchise, you were a hardcore Chun-Li main, but lately you’ve taken a liking to Ibuki. Why the change?

Simply put, I just love Ibuki’s playstyle. It fits for the type of game SFV is. She’s a tricky character, fast-paced and close-to-mid-range so I love the freedom I have when it comes to trying out new things and coming up with combos and reversals to use in practice. While I certainly agree that she’s one of the hardest characters to play, this shouldn’t deter new players from picking her up. Mastering her movelist is such a rewarding feeling.

Not only this, but I’m unhappy with the state of Chun-Li in SFV. She was terribly overpowered in season 1, I’ll admit it. But in season 2, the changes they made required me to play with a level of patience I’m not comfortable with in a fast-paced game like Street Fighter. And it was difficult to punish effectively when her dmg output was so low compared to other all-rounders. Overall, I enjoyed playing her less and less at the same time as my love for Ibuki was started to grow. Ibuki is just what feels right to me for now. I think Chun is in a better place for season 3, so it’s likely I’ll return to using her as frequently again. All hope is not lost, lol.

Name 3 objects that you just can’t live without.

1) My PS4 Pro – I think this is a given considering the nature of my job.

2) My signed Shinkawa Yoji artbook – one of my most prized possessions. Everyone knows how obsessed I am with the MGS franchise. Being able to meet one of the geniuses behind the series and get his autograph will forever be one of the highlights of my life.

3) My phone – I have friends that live all over. From the US, to South Korea, to Japan. It’s hard to keep in touch when there’s so much distance between you and your loved ones, but I do my absolute best to text and call and facetime any chance I get. I’d honestly be lost without my friends and the endless love and support they’ve given me. They mean the world to me, no matter how far away they are.

Where in the world would you like to travel to next?

Hawaii, Greece, Jamaica, Brazil, and South Africa!

What was your gaming childhood like?

As most people already know, my love for gaming started in arcades, playing on Street Fighter and Tekken arcade cabinets since I was tall enough to reach the buttons. When we got our first home console (PS1) for Christmas, I spent most of my time on that. Same thing happened when we got a PS2 and a GameCube. I loved games like MGS, Suikoden, Resident Evil, Shadow of the Colossus, Half-Life, SFIII 3rd Strike, and way more. I played some GameBoy titles too, but for the most part it was Metroid. I wasn’t a huge PC gamer as a kid. We had a home computer, but I wasn’t allowed to use it as much. I didn’t get into PC gaming until I was about 14, when I built my very first rig. It was then that I got addicted to Quake, Diablo, and literally any FPS game I could get my hands on.

What is your favorite platform to game on and why is it PC?

Hah. I see what you did there.

My favorite platform actually isn’t PC, despite playing on it so often. It will always be Playstation. I’m a bit biased, since I grew up primarily on Playstation and Nintendo games. But it is the system I still play the most. I get the best experience out of fighting games on console. Some of my all-time favorite games are PS1 and PS2 exclusives. While I will always love PC gaming for its competitive scene and the huge variety of indie titles I’ve discovered on Steam and other places, I’ll always feel a sort of personal attachment to Sony and the content they’ve put out on their systems.

Period in your life where you changed the most?

My move to Japan. I was fairly young at the time, only 19 years old, but it was a huge transitional period for me. Living on the other side of the world, in a different culture far away from home is rough for anyone, no matter the age. I learned a lot of life lessons and a lot about myself during that time, and I internalized those lessons and grew as a result of them.

What other hobbies do you have outside of gaming?

I game a lot, so I don’t have time for very many hobbies outside of that. but I do love surfing when it’s warm enough. I’ve been surfing since high school. My schedules are really full during the summer, but I hope I have a chance to go surfing soon. Maybe in Jeju or Okinawa if I get a chance!

What have you learned from streaming that you have been able to apply to your everyday life?

I’m definitely more outgoing. I have an easier time now at conventions than I did before at things like speaking to strangers that come up to me, networking with game developers and tech companies, or meeting with fans that are excited to see me. I’ve gotten a lot better at small talk and just having conversations with people, which I used to be terrible at. Hopefully now it’s less awkward speaking with people in public. ^^;

Since you’ve went full time, have you ever had a feeling of regret?

Not so much regret, but there are times where I miss having normal working hours. Streaming, and by extension competitive gaming, can feel like a 24-hour job at times. When I’m not streaming, I’m practicing. When I’m not doing either, I’m preparing for the next day, or traveling, or answering emails, planning events, and so on. It can be a lot to handle at times, so there are moments where I kind of miss the regularity of a routine 9-5 job. But, as much work as it is, as hard as it is, I really love being a pro gamer. It’s something I’m still very passionate about despite the number of hours I have to put into it.

How are you liking Seoul? Do you miss Tokyo?

I love Seoul! I’ve loved exploring the city, visiting PC bangs, the food, all the friends I’ve made. It’s been an awesome experience. But yes, while I’ve loved living in South Korea, my heart and home is still in Tokyo. I can’t wait to return.

Is there a game that you absolutely hate?

Metal Gear Survive. With every fiber in my being.

What are your thoughts on being seen by younger viewers as a role model and even having some come to you for life advice?

It honestly makes me really nervous because I don’t feel like I have everything figured out. I’m worried that if someone comes to me for advice I could give them the wrong advice or advice that may not work out for them the way it did for me. This isn’t to say I dislike being a role model. I know are large portion of my fans are teenagers, a lot of them young girls and LGBT+. As a gay woman, I know how important representation is, and it makes me happy knowing so many people look up to me. But I’m still human, and I’m afraid of potentially being a disappointment to them. It weighs mentally on you too, being scared to say the wrong thing. But I do my best to be really encouraging and relay my knowledge to them and hope they’re able to find a solution to their problems.

Every person has had a bad experience that changed them. Knowing who you are today, would you go back in time and change that moment?

If we agree that both bad experiences and good experiences contribute to making us who we are, then I don’t think there is ever a moment in my past that I would want to take away from myself because I’m proud of who I am. Forgive me if I sound self-absorbed because I know I’m not a perfect person, and that there’s a lot of things I still don’t like about myself and I still need to work on. But I think that everything I’ve been through up until this point has really shaped me into who I am. And a lot of the reasons people see me as someone who is honest and caring and confident in myself is a result of the bad things (and the good things!) that have happened to me. So, I don’t think I would want to take those things away from myself, no matter how bad. Because I’m proud of who I am.

Thank you to everyone who sent in questions! If you don’t see your question here, it’s probably because I didn’t want to answer it here, or it’s something I’ve answered before. But feel free to send more questions through Twitter, CC, or here on my site! I’d be happy to answer it for you. And as always, thank you guys for the constant love and support. From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate each and every on of you. ♡

#m: ama

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