#and I’ve got a couple more so maybe I will be writing bioshock again at some point | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

geekgemsspooksandtoons · 3 years

Text

Archie And Atlas

This is a story set within my Bioshock Rebirth AU. A reimaging/reboot of the Bioshock franchise. https://geekgemsspookyblog.tumblr.com/post/626141727587270656/bioshock-rebirth-timeline-this-is-a-timeline-of-an Just as a heads up if anyone is wondering about the context. I’ve had some stories in my drafts for a long time now and I’m finally publicly sharing them.

Deciding I’m gonna post this. I made this as a short story to a friend. Gonna add some stuff. @fishtankinhouse has read this before. I’ve been thinking of more stories and this was in my drafts for a long while.

So yeah understand this wasn’t made in my regular format of writing. Just finished the tags. I added some stuff and changed some things.

After a long while when Archie comes to Atlas's hideout. He finds the fisherman grabbing and opening a beer. No one is there. The man hears his footsteps. As Atlas took a chug, he turned his head to his left and saw Archie standing, holding a wrench for some reason. He assumed it was maybe to defend himself from any Splicers around. Even though the young man would hold up a gun usually. Atlas: Ah Arch you're here! You're back. You did it son! Nice work boyo! Archie: Yeah I did. Atlas: I was worried about you. Glad you're okay. Do you have the genetic key? Archie: Where's everyone else? Atlas: Oh some of the others went to a place to get more weapons for us in case. Daisy, Diane, and Bill are probably around here some where. But it's mainly me. Archie: Atlas I need to ask you something. Atlas: Sure lay it on me lad. Archie:.....how did you know of the trigger phrase? Atlas's eyes widened as he was drinking. Atlas:.....what? Archie: Ryan told me something. Atlas: Ryan told you something ey? Heh I wouldn't believe him. He'd probably say anything to make himself live longer. Even some weird shit about a trigger phrase. What the Hell are you talking about? Archie: Atlas.....I didn't kill Ryan......he put together some things. I discovered some things, recordings. Atlas:.......listen Arch I don't know what the Hell are you talking about? Maybe Ryan was going mad like I said before. Archie: How in the Hell did you know about the WYK programming?.......how did you know what Fontaine was gonna do before he died? How did you even know that phrase? You said it a couple of times when I was out there with Elizabeth. Atlas just looked surprised. Just honestly baffled. The look on Archie went from confused to more serious. Almost angry. Atlas was a man Archie he met this week. But the young man admired him. Because Atlas was filling in the hole left after his parents had died. To have a father figure after 4 years of being alone felt like the greatest feeling in the world. It was only made better when he got closer to Elizabeth, Tenenbaum, and those Little Sisters. But also meeting others like Jasmine, Diane, Daisy, and Bill made life felt different. Including whoever else. But the relationship with Atlas felt important. To Archie, he felt like he was looking at an older version of himself. Even though some of Atlas's ideas seem questionable and he was rough. But Atlas had the best intentions. It was the first time in years he felt like he had genuine best friend, or even a brother. But most importantly a father. Archie: Where are they? Atlas: Who are you talking about? Archie: Elizabeth and Tenenbaum. They were with you last. Atlas: Meh they went back to their safehouse. Archie: Atlas....be honest with me. What did you do to them? Besides they would of told me if they went back. Atlas:.....you know what I'm sorry I fibbed a bit there. I didn't wanna tell you this at first. But Elizabeth and Tenenbaum....they were just using you. Archie: What? Atlas: When you left them with me. Things changed. Elizabeth may seem like a sweetheart. But inside she's just a spoiled girl who was using you to get to Ryan. Even Tenenbaum was too. She wanted to get the Hell out of the city. But she teamed up with Elizabeth at first. You know to get rich in case.

Hearing this from Atlas, Archie’s heart began to break a little. Ever since he met Elizabeth this week. He had developed a sort of crush on her. Nothing too serious. Almost like a puppy dog crush. He loved her as a person and tried to make sure she didn’t go crazy after everything going on in Rapture. But she noticed how she seemed to get excited about this Atlas person.

She seemed to have this little crush on him. You couldn’t blame her. He had this charm to him. Even if he was married. It was sort of like how his own feelings towards Elizabeth. It almost felt like a bit of betrayal hearing this from Atlas.

Was she really using him? Maybe that’s why she acted so differently about Atlas. Archie’s feelings were so confused. *Atlas takes a chug of the beer again.* Atlas: You know what Elizabeth did after we were done with that call with you? She grabbed me and smacked her lips onto mine. So me and Daisy had to tie them up. We were heart broken to see who they were actually. I didn't wanna call you about it because you would be heart broken.

Archie’s sadness soon went into confusion. Tied up he said?

Archie: What you did what? You tied them up!?

Atlas: Arch just calm down. Archie: That's not true. Atlas: Arch......let me be honest with you. I've seen you got close with her. There's no shame in that. She's a beautiful girl. I don't blame you for liking her. I'm thinking she was getting tired of the nice girl act. That's when I noticed something was wrong. That's why I offered to look out for them. I needed to find out if they were truthful.....I'm just looking out for you Arch. I warned you about Tenenbaum. But I didn't knew Elizabeth would stoop that low. Archie:.....where are they?

Atlas: They’re not ready to talk now. Please understand that.

Archie: Then how did you know of the trigger phrase? Atlas: I don't know what trigger phrase you are talking about. But I'm gonna be honest with you and I may sound weird. I'll admit when Elizabeth kissed me. It was strangely amazing. Especially the taste....mmmmmm strawberries. Atlas just touched his lips when he said that. His mannerisms were different. When he was mentioning the so called kiss Elizabeth forced onto him. It looked like he was remembering it fondly instead of disgust. Because Atlas said he was a married man who had a baby child. In those moments. Archie finally realized and thinking back to what Atlas saying. It was that moment though he truly realized. Atlas was actually lying. In a quick second, Archie swung the wrench across to the left of Atlas's head. The man dropped the beer and it broke. While Atlas was surprised but couldn't do anything. He was knocked out.

Archie: Elizabeth! Brigid!

The young man had looked around the headquarters. It seems like nobody was around. He kept yelling out their names in case they would respond. Archie had made sure they were safe. He couldn’t handle the idea of something terrible happening to them. Until he heard Atlas’s radio go off and he heard Daisy’s voice.

Daisy: Atlas! We made it to Tenenbaum’s apartment. You sure Archie isn’t gonna find us....I’m sorry I don’t believe Arch may go against us. I can understand these two bitches using him. But Arch....I just can’t believe that...Atlas can you read me? Is everything okay? We brought Ryan’s kid and Tenenbaum here. Do you not have your radio on you?

Archie heard Daisy’s voice. He knew they had them. Now he just had to find Brigid’s apartment. He remembered a little during talks with Brigid at her safehouse. Olympus Heights is what she mentioned. He decided to try to rush over there as fast as he can.

#bioshock #bioshock rebirth #archie wynand #atlas #bioshock au

18 notes · View notes

caniaskyouabouttoday · 3 years

Text

I told myself I shouldn’t write this. It’ll just be sad, make you look like a loser. It’ll remind everyone that you can’t let go of the past.

I only have been in love twice in my life. There’s a person who was special to me who could possibly shore that number up to three, but this becomes even more pathetic if I define the term loosely.

I will never see this woman again. Never is a long time and life is full of surprises. I’m pretty sure it’s not happening. And if I’m wrong I don’t know how that would make me feel or what I’d do. I believe she still lives close to me; it’s maybe not that far fetched. I wonder what she would say. Would she pretend she doesn’t know me?

The bridge between us burnt to ash; largely because in my bitterness and spite I was caustic and hurtful. In her bitterness she was controlling and manipulative.

I think of her a lot this time of year. February to April of 2013 were the most deeply and madly, emphasis on madly, in love I ever felt in my life. I had waged an eight month campaign to make her feel what I felt and was dumbfounded that my incredibly ill advised behavior and choices had somehow netted my desired result.

After dissolving a pretty lousy relationship where my ex had threatened to stalk me, I stayed single for several months. In June of 2012 I came across an OKCupid profile that made me fall head over heels in love before we even conversed. When I saw her and eagerly devoured every word of her profile I felt our connection was kismet. She had gorgeous strawberry blond hair, long and flowing with curls and flashed a sexually mischievous smile I’d later come to learn as a signature expression of hers. She was more educated than me, she was professionally ambitious and worked in my field, she liked Mr. Show (This of course led to me awkwardly shoehorning a slew of quotes from my favorite sketches into conversation.) There was a catch though - she lived in Ypsilanti even though her profile said Clawson. She hadn’t yet moved there and was commuting to Troy to work.

I took her to my favorite bar - an actually respectable first date restaurant in my mid twenties. I had sworn off taking a date there ever but I wanted to share something that was special and personal to me with her. I left the date floating. The way she smelled, her energy and vibrancy in person, and oh my word her voice. I had, in an effort to be confident and complimentary said she could be a great phone sex operator - a gaffe she teased me about our entire time together. My assessment was astute, she had a creatively dirty mind and a mellifluous delivery.

She continued to respond to me tepidly as I fell deeper in love. She was so cool. She attended the 2012 Lollapalooza - a legendary lineup, though I was baffled at how she had managed to miss Frank Ocean (Burial played on another stage at the same time, fair enough.) I bought her one of the most thoughtful gifts I had ever got anyone for their birthday; this classic style lunchbox full of candy I hand selected for her based on ones she professed to love and personal favorites. Still, I was “friend zoned.”

I embarked on a relentless campaign of self improvement to impress her. I got a better job. I began working out four times a week. I’d spend time that I’d normally spend playing video games reading and trying to be more interesting and think of ways to impress her. I wouldn’t fucking leave her alone. I wouldn’t do this now. I know better. Part of me knew better then.

To my shock, I had either managed to wear down her defenses or maybe genuinely win her over by the early winter of 2012. Maybe both. She had begun to invite me to smoke cigarettes with her in her car (Parliament Lights, at my behest) and have me over to get stoned and watch movies.

By February 2013 we had began dating in earnest and I felt like I had everything I ever wanted and she was all I imagined her to be. She began to take an interest in my interests and a real shine to my Xbox; I’d watch her play my favorite games like “Bioshock” and fall deeper and deeper for her. When she put the controller down we’d hardly sleep because there was so much to talk about and also to do.

As the winter turned to spring we were inseparable, one sleeping over at the other’s house nearly every night. Her townhouse was across the street from this seasonal ice cream stand which had become our “parking” spot. Everything may not have matched the fantasy I built up in my head but it sure was close.

We didn’t have a happy ending. She had been experiencing financial woes with heavy student debt and overpriced rent. To keep her from moving back home I agreed to move in with her. This was a disastrous choice, a hasty decision made far too early in our partnership. We had started playing house four months into our real start as a couple, a decision made in haste that put a strain on things between us the partnership could not bear.

By April of 2014 she had announced plans to move out and split with me entirely, it wasn’t a surprise. We remained in contact as “friends” until late 2017. There wasn’t a catalyzing single event, but she decided to cut me off entirely. Even when I learned one of our closest friends from the complex when we lived together had passed away, she ignored my message of his passing.

I was seeing a therapist who asked me to write a letter that would never be sent to her. This never-ending stream of shocking rage and bile spewed from my pen onto the page. I was deeply upset by myself and the exercise was not, in my view, therapeutic. Was I really that angry at her?

Since the dissolution of our relationship I have been largely single, outside of one ill-fated six month relationship and various flings. I’m not sure if she’s the reason why; but that letter has never sat well with me.

I had valid reasons to be angry. After we had split, I often felt like a backup partner when her subsequent relationships floundered. I’d be called upon for companionship and support when she wanted to be valued and admired.

This all takes me to the question if this was worth it. Am I glad she was a part of my life? For good or ill, on cool spring nights I think of her and how I felt. I remember it as a thrilling time full of possibility - but given my dysfunction in the seven long years since our split should I be grateful that it happened?

I’ve decided I can’t blame her for it not working out - and certainly not my life - and I’m not truly angry anymore. I’m happy it happened, since I know if I was capable of feeling so in love once; I will be again. It just may take me a really, really long time.

I needed to write this because for whatever reason, likely the horrific and painful last year I’ve endured, she’s taken up a lot of real estate in my mind lately. She has no social media presence whatsoever; or I may have been tempted to reach out. I can maybe rest a little easier having gotten this out of me; it’s a corrective to that nasty letter. I’m not angry anymore, and the love I felt was real and deep even if I fell out of it. I hope I fall back in with the right person some day.

#love #regret

2 notes · View notes

shan282-ao3 · 5 years

Text

Bridges Ch1

Originally posted on Archive of Our Own [x]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Far Cry 5 Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Female Deputy | Judge/John Seed, Jacob Seed/Original Female Character(s), Faith Seed/Original Male Character(s) Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), John Seed, Jacob Seed, Joseph Seed, Faith Seed, Staci Pratt, Joey Hudson, Earl Whitehorse, Cameron Burke, Charles Lindsey, Virgil Minkler Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - No Eden’s Gate Cult, Police Procedural, Slow Burn, Eventual Smut, Fluff, no beta we die like men

Summary: Detective Sarah Lamb did not ask for a new partner nor did she want one. John Seed has graciously volunteered his services to solve the murder of a coworker at the law firm he works and she doesn’t trust him for a second. If she has to listen to his disappointment in her taste in music one more time she might actually crash them into the embankment.

“I don’t need a new partner, sir. I’ve got Pratt.” Sarah crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

“Pratt is Hudson’s partner and he’s still on desk duty after that stunt he pulled last week.” Whitehorse shot her a harsh glare as she covered her mouth to hide her amused look.

“What about Tessa? She could still be my partner.”

“Rook is in Vice now, you’re still Homicide.” Whitehorse pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Look, you’re a good detective Lamb, but you’d be better with a partner. I’m not saying I’ll babe assigning you one tomorrow, but in the next few weeks I’ll find a candidate to fill Rook’s spot on the team and they’re going to be your partner.”

Sarah glared at her shoes for a second, fighting back the urge to continue complaining. “Yes, sir.” She pushed her chair back and stood to leave. “I’ll see myself out if there’s nothing else.”

Whitehorse shook his head and waved her away. Sarah carefully closed the door and made her way across the bullpen, throwing herself into her desk chair.

“Bad news?” Staci asked, wheeling his chair over to her desk.

“He’s making me get a new partner.” She sighed and pulled a casefile from the pile on her desk. She’d closed it that morning, the coroner had ruled it a suicide in the end, so she just had to finish up the paperwork.

“I thought Rook was your partner?” He was tapping on the edge of her desk with a couple of pens.

“She’s moved to Vice.” She didn’t bother looking up, smacking his pens away with an irritated huff.

“Since fucking when?”

“Since last week dumbass. Do you not pay attention to anything that happens here?” Sarah finally peeled her eyes from her paper and gave Pratt a questioning look.

“I’m on desk duty, Sarah, I’ve been playing the Bioshock games for the last week. I just finished Infinite.” He had a proud grin on his face and Sarah couldn’t help but snort out a laugh.

“How’d you even get that on the computer without Whitehorse throwing a fit?”

“He’s Whitehorse, the guy would still have a rotary phone in his office is the department didn’t make him upgrade.” Staci snickered and Sarah joined him, ducking her head behind her computer when Whitehorse threw open the door to his office.

“Pratt.” He barked, Staci muttered an apology and wheeled himself back to his desk. He shot Staci a disapproving look as he walked past his desk, stopping in front of Sarah’s desk. “Lamb you’ve got a case. Take Hudson with you.”

“What is it?” Sarah asked as she stood from her desk, pulling on her jacket.

“Lawyer at Sutherland Wells was murdered, Eliot Horne. His assistant found the body.” Whitehorse informed her, giving her the address. Sarah nodded and grabbed her keys, leaving the station with Hudson at her side.

Sarah flashed her badge to the posted uniform as she ducked under the crime scene. She walked down the hallway towards the crime scene, glancing at the witnesses that stood around waiting to be interviewed.

“Find the assistant and get her statement. I’ll go check out the body.” Sarah ordered Hudson, slipping between a pair of uniforms standing guard at the doorway to the office of the murdered associate. Sarah slowed when she spotted Tessa studying the crime scene.

“Rook? What’s vice doing here?” She questioned, her territorial side kicking in. This was a homicide, no way was she letting vice steal this case from her, even if it was Tess.

“Burke sent me, he’s got this theory that,” Tessa trailed off and shook her head, “Well it doesn’t matter. This doesn’t look like a vice case so I’ll leave it in your hands. Send me a copy of the autopsy if there’s evidence of drugs.”

Sarah nodded slowly, narrowing her eyes in slight distrust. Tessa smiled and excused herself, promising to text her later so they could get together for drinks. Sarah waited until she was out of sight before turning back to the crime scene, her crime scene.

She carefully stepped around the evidence markers of the floor, making sure not to taint anything or get in the way of the CSI team. She stopped in front of the body and looked towards the coroner, Dr. Lindsey, as he examined the victim.

“First thoughts?” Sarah questioned, pulling her notebook from her pocket and writing down her own first impressions of the scene.

“He was stabbed.”

“Obviously.” Sarah deadpanned, looking up from her notebook to examine the body herself.

The man was still sat in his desk, the blood on his clothes and the floor had dried a while ago. A pair of scissors stuck out of his chest, a dozen more stab wounds around it and in his stomach. His previously crisp suit had been torn into ribbons, his once white shirt stained red.

“Based on the degree of vigor, factoring in room temp, I’d say the time of death is somewhere between 10 and 1am.” Lindsey stated, leaning back on his heels, Sarah nodded and noted it in her book. “I’ll be able to give you a more precise time once I have him on the table.”

“Thanks, Lindsey.” Sarah gave him a stiff smile before taking a turn around the room to study more of the crime scene.

Bloody shoe prints lead to the door then stopped, Sarah suspected the killer had noticed the trail they were leaving and taking their shoes off. She ordered one of the CSI guys to sweep the hallway and neighboring offices a second time in the hopes that maybe they’d get lucky. There was blood splatter across the desk and window which wasn’t particularly odd given the violence of the stabbing.

Outside the office, Sarah searched around for Hudson, finally finding her at the receptionist’s desk interviewing the woman sitting there. She tapped her shoulder and beckoned her over.

“The assistant?”

“No, I already got her. I told her she could go home and we’d call her in if we needed her. Now I’m just going through everyone.” Hudson answered and gestured to the hallway. “He was apparently close with another lawyer, a John Duncan. They got into a fight over a case a few days ago, it ended with threats from both parties.”

“Thanks, I’ll go talk to him.” With the help of one of the other officers there, she was pointed towards the correct office. The door was closed so Sarah knocked before opening it. “John Duncan?” She asked, stepping into the office.

The man in question was hunched over his desk reading over a very thick file. “John Seed actually. I’ll be with you in a moment, detective,” He didn’t bother looking up from the file, Sarah glared at him and stepped completely into the room.

She didn’t stop until her legs knocked against the edge of his desk, crossing her arms and looking down at him. When John still didn’t look away from his file, Sarah reached forward and pulled it from his desk before he could stop her, flipping it shut and dropping it onto one of the chairs facing his desk.

John glared up at her, crossing his arms and leaning back. The room was silent as they both stared each other down, only breaking eye contact so he could look her up and down a few times.

“What can I help you with, detective?” He asked with mock curiosity as if he didn’t already know why she was there.

“Your coworker was murdered, Mr. Seed, and according to witnesses you had an altercation with Mr. Horne earlier this week.” Sarah pulled her notebook from her pocket again, waiting to write down his statement.

“Verbal altercation.” He corrected her, a slightly smug look on look on his face. “Eliot and I simply had a difference of opinions on the case we’re both working.”

“Way I heard it, it was more than just a difference of opinions. Threats were made so it doesn’t look too good for you right now.”

“Yes, he threatened to get me fired if I didn’t go along with his approach to the case. So I threatened to expose his affairs with his assistant and our receptionist, I’m sure Ms. Watts and Ms. Vasquez left that out of their statements.” He leaned back in his chair, his voice dripping with all the charisma of a lawyer of his fortitude.

Sarah wasn’t an idiot, she’d heard his name in the news before. He was young, handsome, and had been winning quite a few cases lately so his name came up in law circles quite often. The DA’s office had apparently been eyeing him to fill the position left by their last ADA but he’d politely turned them down for Sutherland Wells.

“Do you have an alibi for last night, Mr. Seed?” Sarah asked, tapping her pen against the notebook.

“Yes,” He leaned forward with a sly smile and launched into the details of the party he’d been at the night before. Sarah rolled her eyes but wrote it all down, not at all impressed. This was going to be a long interview.

Sarah looked up from her computer as Whitehorse called her into his office. As she walked towards his office she prepared to defend herself for not having any leads on Horne case. It’d been two days since she’d visited the crime scene and without any concrete suspects, she was just waiting on the coroner’s report. John Seed had been at the top of her list for all of an hour before his alibi was confirmed.

She stepped into the office, shutting the door behind her. Someone else sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk and she assumed it was a member of the brass there to chew her out as well.

“Sir I’m just waiting on the Horne autopsy, I swear it’s still my top priority.” Sarah quickly said, wanting to get ahead of the lecture she was dreading.

“That’s not why I called you in, though I am disappointed in the lack of suspects.” He gestured for Sarah to take a seat in the remaining empty chair and clasped his hands. She sat down and glanced sideways at the man beside her, her eyes widening when she recognized John Seed, smug grin and all.

“Lamb, you remember our chat about getting you a new partner?”

“Yes. What is Mr. Seed doing here?” She quickly asked, in no mood to beat around the bushes.

“He is very invested in finding the killer of Mr. Horne and has offered his services as a consultant, for free.”

“I’m always looking for ways to help, Captain.” John offered, he actually sounded sincere but Sarah didn’t believe it for a second.

“What does this have to do with me?” She asked slowly, already dreading where this conversation was going.

“He’s going to be your partner on this case.”

“Excuse me?” Sarah looked between the two in shock. “Captain he’s a civilian. He’s not cleared to go out there with me. Besides he was a suspect originally.”

“I was cleared immediately.” John pointed out and Sarah sent him a cold glare.

“He’s already been cleared by Mayor Minkler and the brass. It’s just a temporary situation, Lamb, until this case gets solved.” Whitehorse left no room for objections, silence Sarah when she opened her mouth to speak. Sarah sat there in shocked silence for a few more minutes as Whitehorse went over some of the finer details, abruptly standing when she was dismissed.

She stiffly walked back to her desk, not making eye contact with anyone, and dropped gracelessly into her chair.

“Fuck this.” She muttered and pulled the Horne casefile from her desk. John’s tattooed hand appeared in her vision and she smacked it away. “What?” She snapped, looking up at him.

“I was trying to be polite and shake your hand.” He raised his hands in mock surrender, his face a perfect mask of innocence. “Your captain said I could sit at this desk while I helped you on this.” He said, sitting down in the desk directly facing her’s. It had been Tessa’s up until her transfer and right now Sarah was really wishing that she hadn’t.

“Good for you.” She muttered and looked back down at her casefile. She jerked her head up when she felt more than saw him get closer. “What are you doing?”

“Reading the casefile or least attempting to.” He said, his voice tight with what Sarah could only assume was frustration. She glared at him, she could tell him to get his own copy but then she’d likely be forced to fill out all the paperwork. Instead, she huffed and pushed the file towards him.

“Just don’t fuck it up, it’s the original.” She practically snarled and he gave her a clearly practiced wounded look before taking it.

Sarah crossed her arms and leaned back, narrowing her eyes and sizing him up. She wasn’t sure what to make of the lawyer. From what she’d heard from the few detectives who’d met him while testifying in court, he was supposed absolutely charming. Sarah, however, couldn’t get past his cocky attitude. She didn’t give a shit how attractive he was of if he had legs for days and eyes blue enough to drown in. He was a pompous ass who thought he was all that.

Yet he also seemed genuinely invested in this case. She’d read about his charity work in the news and while she wanted to just write it off as a publicity stunt from what she’d heard during his interviews he seemed to genuinely enjoy it. He seemed to genuinely care about people.

“It’s rude to stare, you know,” John said without looking up from the file, Sarah could see a ghost of a smirk on his lips. “You should take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

“The day I willingly do that Staci should check me into the psych ward. Unless it’s for your mugshot, then I’ll happily take your picture.” She gave him a sour smile. John returned her unhappy smile with a clearly forced one of his own.

“I am looking forward to our partnership, detective,” John said, his voice dripping with swagger and for a second Sarah was tempted to smack the smirk off his face. She'd be professional for once and save that for after they'd finished this case.

#bridges #detective sarah lamb #far cry 5 #sarah lamb

2 notes · View notes

callunavulgari · 5 years

Text

Year-In-Fic | 2018

How many fics did you write this year? What was your total wordcount? This year I wrote... 12 fics. Bit of a letdown, really, but I mean. I didn’t write much. I wrote what I did whenever a plot bunny really seized hold of me, but I didn’t go out of my way to write this year. Which is sad. But I mean, shit happens. 55,519 words, which isn’t completely terrible for 12 fics. It helps that a couple of them were in the 8-9k range.

Fic Roundup!

Everybody’s Looking For Something | Stranger Things | Steve/Billy | 4,790 words | On the third weekend of May during their last year at Hawkins High, Steve Harrington throws a party.Billy crashes it.

taste you on my tongue | Stranger Things | Steve/Billy | 2,290 words | “You’ve never felt pleasure like it, Steve,” an old girlfriend had told him once, her eyes bright with memory. Steve shrugged. “No vampires here, though.”

Home | Star Wars | Reylo | 1,670 words | “Rey,” he says into the quiet. “Just drive.”

hits like a drum | Stargate Atlantis | Mcshep | 3,507 words | “Believe it or not, having something with sharp teeth breathing down your neck is not actually conducive to one’s thought process.” John barks out a loud, abrupt noise that might be laughter, his breath tickling the hairs at the base of Rodney’s neck. “I’d have thought it would be good motivation.”

feed the hunger | Stranger Things | Steve/Billy | 1,792 words | “Thought you wanted to fuck me, Hargrove,” Steve whispers, and presses a sweet kiss to the hinge of Billy’s jaw. “Now’s your chance.”

Apotheosis | Marvel - INFINITY WAR | Thor/Loki, Steve/Pepper/Tony | 4,450 words | Grief, a story told in three parts.

and i’m always tired, but never of you | The Bright Sessions | Sam/Damien/Mark | 10,405 words | Sam runs into Damien at the grocery store two years later. It changes everything.

tides will bring me back to you | Kingdom Hearts | Axel/Roxas | 7,383 words | When Axel was sixteen, he did something stupid.

Smallest Light | Stranger Things | Gen, El & Will | 5,165 words | In the summer of 1986, Will’s mom marries Jim Hopper. OR, Will and El learn how to be real people again together.

i don’t want to rest in peace, we can haunt each other’s dreams | EOS 10 | Ryan/Akmazian | 1,520 words | In the dream, Ryan wakes up and Akmazian is there.

Looking For Atlantis | SGA | Mcshep | 4,632 words | Hey Rodney, the postcard reads. Go see a movie.

keep your heart open (i’ll keep mine open too) | Stranger Things | Harringrove | 7,915 words | “Did you even like me before you found out I was your soulmate?” Billy murmurs as he kisses a line down Steve’s throat.

Best story I wrote this year: and i’m always tired, but never of you. It was that one fic that I wrote because I just couldn’t stand the idea of Mark, Sam, and Damien not having a happy ending. Because I realized there was no poly fic for them on ao3 and I thought that was a travesty. So I wrote 10k in like two days and it’s soft and sweet and the happy ending that I wanted to see, so I freaking wrote it.

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest. Honestly? Home. It’s only 1600 words, and it’s Reylo, which I wasn’t even feeling that much this year, but it’s just the story that I set out to write. The night that I wrote it I’d had the shittiest day at work and came home wanting to write about someone being angry and sad and driving really fast. Originally I think I’d been planning on the story being Harringrove, but modern day Skywalkers just kind of spilled out of me.

Okay, NOW your most popular story. feed the hunger, my harringrove fic that I wanted to write the entire time I was in South Carolina, where Steve is a little bit messy and he and Billy fuck around for a bit and catch feelings comes in first with 339 kudos and 2731 hits, but taste you on my tongue, my harringrove vampire au technically beats it in the bookmarks department. Story of mine most underappreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Yeah, probably Home. I’m always a little bummed when the stories that I like the most don’t get much attention, but well, I mean. It’s a modern day Reylo fic that I wrote a while after The Last Jedi craze settled down, so it’s whatever.

Most fun story to write: Definitely and i’m always tired, but never of you. It was so much fun to write and was so freaking easy too. Every line flowed smoothly. Even the editing didn’t trip me up much.

Story that could have been better? hits like a drum was the wraith!John AU that I had such a hard time with last year. It was supposed to be at least another 5 or 6k and feature John coming to Rodney’s rescue and becoming slowly integrated into Atlantis. It was supposed to work it’s way into something smart and plotty, and yes, eventually Rodney would have gotten to smooch the wraith. But I hit a snag and never really recovered, so I just cleaned it up and posted it as is.

Story I wrote to fix things: Technically Apotheosis, and i’m always tired, but never of you, and i don’t want to rest in peace, we can haunt each other’s dreams were all written as fix-it fics in their own way. Apotheosis was my way of dealing with Infinity War and featured Thor, Steve, and Tony dreaming about people they lost. Bright Sessions domestic poly fic was written because I wanted Damien to have some semblance of happy ending, preferably with Mark, and that last one with the super long title was written because I was trying to cope with EOS 10. Technically it wasn’t a fix-it because nothing was really fixed, but it helped fix me.

Longest completed fic this year: and i’m always tired, but never of you. Just over 10k, it’s definitely my longest this year.

Fandom you enjoyed writing for most this year: I wrote a decent chunk of Stranger Things this year and had fun with all of them, but I still think the most fun I had was with the Bright Sessions fic.

Favorite character you wrote this year: I actually really liked writing Will and El in Smallest Light. I got kind of stuck halfway into that fic, so it wasn’t always the smoothest, but Will and El were both very strange and good to write.

Most memorable comment this year: So, keep your heart open (i’ll keep mine open too) was my entry for the harringrove secret santa and I recently got a comment from my giftee that was just, the best thing to wake up to ever. I haven’t gotten the chance to reply yet, mostly because I have been ridiculously busy, but it was such a long, thorough comment and I’m just so glad they appreciated it.

Additionally, the same fic also produced a comment that started with “My Sterek bitch!!” and it just fucking tickled the hell out of me.

Fics you wanted to write but didn’t: I think I’m going to have to give up on writing the Sabriel AU. I mean, unless the Episode 9 comes out and blows me out of the water, I’m not hopeful. The Last Jedi jossed too much, even in an AU, and it made things a little complicated to move forward. I still need to finish that fic where John dies and Rodney ends up raising his daughter, and the Enjolras/Grantaire fic, and the giant Dishonored fic that I still desperately want to write. The bodyswapping Reylo, the girl Cisco AU, the Sterek Bioshock Infinite AU, the dozens of other Sterek fics that I started two or three years ago and never finished, including the Carmilla AU.

More recently, I’ve got a Castlevania OT3 fic that I’ve been working on and a different flavor of Harringrove soulmate AU that wasn’t angsty enough to be my entry for the secret santa. I have the giant canon-divergent Bright Sessions AU where years after the series ends, Mark ends up running into Damien again in a small town in the middle of nowhere only to realize that he has a daughter, a farm, a life, and is just so drawn to it that he keeps coming back. I have the Wolf 359 post-canon fic where everyone has feelings and found family is a general theme and maybe Eiffel smooches an AI. I also have the smuttier Wolf 359 fic that’s been lurking in the back of my head for months where Eiffel and Kepler er, basically eiffel tower Jacobi.

Oh, and I have the Reylo fic where Rey (and Ben, through the bond) sit through General Organa’s funeral and keep coming back to each other afterwards. And shit, I also started that Final Fantasy 15 fic where Dino and Noctis do the nasty.

Oddest story: Probably hits like a drum. I know Atlantis fics are weird, but John as a wraith is something that I hadn’t seen before. Hardest story to do: I think the only finished fic that gave me any resistance was Smallest Light, which probably wouldn’t have ever been finished if I didn’t go back and fill in the gaps with El’s part. Easiest story to write? I mean, most of these were easy. See, when you only write when you really feel the pull of something, it all comes easy. The Bright Sessions poly fic was the easiest, but all of the Harringrove ones were easy too.

Most mining of your own history in one story: Weirdly enough, tides will bring me back to you. Yeah, the story about the man-eating merman. The graffiti on the side of Axel’s building was a guy who tagged all over our neighborhood. The mermaid statue was my grandmother’s. Axel’s cat is basically my cat, but she’s been cleverly disguised because I called her gray once in the story. And like, that’s kind of it? I mean, the cove is something I came up with, but it’s heavily based on the years I spent at the beach.

Themes, or absence thereof: Atmosphere, mostly. Want. Need. Daddy issues and forever kind of loves. Soft. Where did you publish/archive your stories? Ao3, as per usual. Story I haven’t yet written, but intend to: I want to write a few things in the new year, but mostly I want to write that Dishonored fic and a couple original stories that have been percolating in my brain for a year or two.

Sexiest moment (excerpt): “Damien,” Mark breathes against his lips, and pulls back to suck a bruise into the side of Damien’s neck.

“Please,” Damien is saying, high and needy, and doesn’t know what he’s asking for, just knows that he’s desperate to have it. He slides his fingers into Mark’s hair and gives it an insistent tug, mouthing sloppily at the corner of his jaw. He spreads his thighs wider. “Please, please, please.”

“Yes,” Mark hisses, and hauls him in for a deeper kiss, yanking Damien into him until they’re so close that Damien can feel him everywhere. Mark presses against him, the weight of him settling between Damien’s spread thighs. He gives Damien a hot look and rocks their hips together. Damien makes another tiny noise, his head tilted back, mouth open. It’s probably an embarrassing sound. Mark gets his teeth on his throat, and Damien stops caring.

From very far away, he becomes aware of a door opening somewhere, but it’s so far down on his current list of priorities that he doesn’t even register why this could be a problem until he hears Sam’s voice. Damien swallows around a gasp, his glassy eyes refocusing. She’s standing about a foot or so away in the open doorway, a startled flush on her cheeks, her hair windswept. There’s a package in her arms. She arches an eyebrow in Mark’s direction.

Mark, who still hasn’t pulled away from Damien, whose teeth are still working another mark into the fragile skin at the join of his shoulder and throat. Damien swallows hard and has to close his eyes and fight down a whimper when Mark, still distracted, grinds their hips together.

“Slow, huh, Mark?” Sam asks, setting the package and her keys down on the table next to her.

Mark winces at her voice and pulls back ever so slightly, just enough to free up his mouth, not enough to drag them away from the heat of each other’s bodies. He doesn’t seem surprised enough. Doesn’t even seem to care that his girlfriend just caught them necking in her apartment. He just grins at her, helpless and a little flushed, his lips red and wet, and says, “Sorry, Sam.”

Ryan bites down on a smile, and takes another daring step forward. “Do you have standards?”

Akmazian blinks, then groans, slumping back against the desk. He looks at Ryan, and while there’s a hint of good humor, there’s also something else. Resignation, maybe. Disappointment. He laughs it off, flicking his cloak to the side, a sardonic little grin on his face, but it’s there.

“You know me, darlin’,” he says, and it sounds like a joke, but it rings true. Ryan does know him. He knows Akmazian - knows that he’s good down to the heavy muscle of his heart, knows that he’s been dealt a shitty hand in life and that he’d live that shit all over again to have the world know the truth.

Ryan knows him. Maybe that’s why he does it.

Akmazian makes a lovely, startled little noise in the back of his throat when Ryan takes both hands and draws Akmazian down to meet him, his fingers sliding into the spaces where his jaw’s gone slack. He strokes there, hesitantly, with his thumbs, and when he tugs Akmazian forward those last few inches, he is utterly sure of what he wants.

Akmazian’s lips are dry and a little chapped, but they’re plush and part easily around a groan when Ryan takes the kiss deeper, makes it a little wetter, a little more wanting. The room is quiet around them, this little echoing piece of space that is theirs alone. He can hear his own breathing, soft but steady, and Akmazian’s over that, just a little uneven. He lets out a quiet groan as his entire body relaxes into the kiss, slumping forward into Akmazian’s arms, pressing closer until they’re both half on, half off of the desk. He kisses slow and deep and a little bit sloppy, until his lips feel bruised and wet. His eyes drift closed and when Akmazian lets out a soft murmur, Ryan tips his head back to make room for Akmazian’s mouth on his throat.

He can be greedy for this, Ryan thinks as Akmazian leaves a trail of kisses up the length of his throat. He’s allowed to want this.

When he pulls back, Akmazian is looking at him with faint wonder. His hand reaches out to touch the curve of Ryan’s cheek.

“Darlin’,” he breathes, and swallows hard around the words that might have come next.

Crackiest moment (excerpt): He makes it to the last showing of Aquaman twenty minutes late, which fortunately for him means that after collecting his popcorn and slushie from the surly looking teenager manning the concession stand, he walks into the theater just as the movie is starting.

It isn’t a full theater by any means. A group college students take up a couple of the middle rows, only recognizable by their colorful array of hairstyles and the semi-permanent air of exhaustion that lingers around them like some kind of miasma. There’s an older gentlemen near the back noisily slurping a fountain drink who looks as if he hasn’t been out of the house since the 90’s. And then there’s a couple kids who look about twelve snickering and throwing popcorn at each other in the top most row.

Rodney chooses one of the first rows he sees, not necessarily because he’s enamored with the idea of being so close to the screen, but because he doesn’t want to be anywhere near the crossfire when those kids realize that there are other targets in the theater besides their friends. With a heavy sigh, he collapses onto an off-colored seat cushion that he thinks may have been mauve in a former life. The whole thing creaks alarmingly under him, and he spends a good thirty seconds arranging himself so that the arms aren’t pinching uncomfortably at his waistband.

The movie isn’t horrible, much to his surprise. It’s not great, but it’s moderately engaging, and has two relatively attractive human beings gracing the screen ninety percent of the time. It’s engaging enough that he barely notices when the twelve year olds incite a some kind of farting competition amongst themselves that a couple of the college kids decide that it’s in their best interest to escalate. He’s still half asleep in his popcorn, but staring mindlessly into a bright rectangle helps.

Maybe half an hour into the movie he notices someone slinking into the theater out of the corner of his eye, but is too invested in licking the salt and butter off of his fingers to really notice. If they want to movie hop, then whatever. Props to them. He does notice at least a little bit when they take the seat directly behind him.

Then the guy starts kicking the back of his chair.

It isn’t a constant thing. The first kick Rodney writes off as an accident. Everyone does it at some point, especially with seats as small as these. He’s probably just rearranging, and then he’ll lay off. The second and the third time? Okay, whatever. Annoying, but ultimately not worth starting something over.But the guy just keeps doing it. Every five to ten minutes, like clockwork, just as the action is starting to ramp up on screen, his knees will dig into the back of Rodney’s chair. Or his heels will scrabble against the arm rests, like he’s trying to put his feet up on Rodney’s chair. And okay, nobody has ever called Rodney patient. Nobody ever will call Rodney patient. The very idea is laughable.

He’s grinding his teeth, this close to snapping, when he hears the guy lean forward in his seat, close enough that Rodney can feel his breath on the back of his neck. The guy breathes a little loudly for a moment, and then he says, “That guy kind of looks like Ronon, don’t you think?”

Favorite dialogue (excerpt): In the dream, Loki smiles at him. They’re on Asgard, in what were once Loki’s quarters. His body reclines loosely across a chaise that he had favored, one knee hooked over the arm. As Thor watches, he stretches - a languid, rippling motion that seems to start from his toes and end in his shoulders.

“Brother,” he says in welcome, his face open and content.

“You mean to torture me,” Thor says dully, licking his chapped lips.

Loki’s face crumples, the beatific smile going dim. The sunlight coming in through the windows behind him is all Asgard, golden and warm. If he touched Loki now, he thinks he would feel an echo of that warmth, the heat of it having seeped into Loki’s shoulders and back.

At last, Loki says, “You torture yourself, Thor.”

“Only because you are not here to do it for me,” Thor replies, taking a step forward as if pulled in by some great, magnetic force.

Loki sighs, his dangling leg swinging in idle irritation. “Perhaps I am here, truly. Would it be so hard to imagine that a piece of me lives on within you?”

“No,” Thor whispers, and feels a tear drip down his cheek. “It would not. I have always held you here, in my heart.”

Loki looks at him, all the mirth gone from his face. “You cradled my body when I was gone. You pulled me close and waited for that explosion. You were to die, with me. With our people. You meant to. The last of the Aesir.”

Thor reaches the chaise, and sinks to his knees before him. Loki touches him gently, cool fingertips tracing his face from temple to jaw.

“Tell me, brother,” Loki asks him softly. “When you woke, did it pain you? Did you look for me? For my corpse?”

“Yes,” Thor tells him. He had woken disoriented, surrounded by strangers, the memory of rage lighting him up from the inside out, the ghost of Loki’s touch still against him. He’d thought of vengeance, of a burial that he would never have, and he had hurt. He’d gone chasing after death, and hoped it would take him.

He’d told the rabbit that he had nothing left to lose. It turned out that he was wrong. There was always more left to lose.He chokes on a sob, and Loki shushes him.

“You will do this, brother. I know you will.” The corners of Loki’s lips quirk upwards into an impossible smile. Perfect in its replication. “You and Stark, your Avengers. You will beat Thanos.”

Loki’s smile goes sadder, and he touches Thor the way that Thor used to touch him, a hand reaching out to clasp the hinge of Thor's jaw, thumb stroking his cheek. “You don’t know how to lose, Thor. You never did.”

“And if I can’t bring you back?”

Loki shrugs. “Then you dream of me. Whenever you think to miss me.”

Thor chokes on a watery laugh. “I will always be dreaming of you, then.”

One last touch. A kiss, light as a feather, first to his brow and then to his lips. A tear slips from Loki’s chin and lands on Thor’s cheek. Loki is still smiling, his eyes wet. “Then, I will welcome your company.”

Favorite lines (excerpt):

Damien is wearing dark jeans, and though there are holes at the knees, they seem to be of the ‘artfully distressed’ sort rather than the too-lazy-to-patch-up variety. He’s got a decent jacket hugging his shoulders, and under that, she’s pretty sure she spies a Nirvana shirt. His shaggy hair is pulled back into a half-assed bun and there’s a day or two worth of stubble clinging to his jaw, but he looks okay. Good. A little too grunge to be on this side of the millenium, and hopelessly confused by the third bag of chicken nuggets he’s picked up, but good.

She bites her lip, and considers her options.

Two years ago, she’d be hightailing it out of this grocery store as quickly as possible, packing Mark into the nearest suitcase, and skipping town to go find backup. But for some reason, she doesn’t think that Damien’s followed them here. More likely, is that they accidentally followed him here.

Before she has the chance to second-guess herself, Sam takes a deep breath and strides firmly into the aisle, shopping basket swaying at her side. She comes to a stop right beside him, and for a moment, he doesn’t seem to notice her. He’s squinting at the nutrition facts on another bag of chicken nuggets. There's ramen and a pack of energy drinks in his basket.

“Those probably aren’t great for you,” she tells him, wrinkling her nose.

“Did I ask you?” Damien sing-songs, still not looking away from the nuggets. He hmphs at it, and muses, possibly to himself, “A hundred and seventy calories for five pieces. Not bad.”

“Yeah, but how much of that is actually chicken?”

Damien blinks, and tears his eyes away from the bag. He looks up at her, his face stuck in an expression that seems to be at least two-thirds disdain, the rest of it being absolute incredulity, as if he’s appalled that some stranger in the grocery store is insisting on lecturing him about his taste in chicken nuggets - which, fair. Because Sam’s looking for it, she can pinpoint the exact moment that he places her, his eyes going ever so slightly wider. He blinks and shuffles backwards half a step, and then the surprise is gone, leaving behind a smooth mask of general douchebaggery. She remembers that mask - the slimy smirk and the too-cool-for-you-slouch.

He leans against the freezer door, and regards her coolly.

Apathetic. Smooth. Unphased.

Yeah, right.

“Saaaaaaam,” he drawls, eying her up and down. One sharp eyebrow quirks upwards, his gaze lingering on the Care Bear t-shirt that she’d thrown on over the tattered, holey tanktop she’d worn to bed the night before. The t-shirt is just as old and worn as the tank top is, and she immediately has to struggle against the urge to check herself for pizza stains. After all, it’s not like the shirt was exactly clean when she’d grabbed it out of the laundry pile. It was just the best looking of the bunch.

She wasn’t actually supposed to run into people that she knew at the freaking grocery store. And definitely not on laundry day. That was just rude.

The smirk ticks ever higher. Damien nods at her shirt. “Cute.”

Sam flexes her fingers, and wonders with an idle sort of curiosity if it would be worth the pain to punch him again. No. Fuck that. Two can play at this game.

“I thought so,” she says with an indifferent shrug and a chipper little smile.

(or)

Do you miss him, she thinks, and has to bite down hard on her lip to keep the question from slipping out. God, how stupid. He’s all pathetic and droopy now, of course he misses Mark. He takes a deep breath, and she watches him pull himself back together. It’s not a very convincing charade, but she lets him have it.

“Anyway,” he says brightly, and pushes off of the freezer. “Things to do, puppies to terrorize, you know the deal.”

He looks at her with that same careful consideration she’d given him a moment ago, and makes his face do something that she thinks is supposed to be an amiable smile. It mostly just looks like he’s trying too hard.

He holds out his hand. “Sam.”

Reluctantly, she takes it. His hand is chilly and a little damp, but he has a surprisingly strong grip. “Damien.”

The grin that he flashes her is still just this side of wrong, too showy, not enough mean.

“It’s been real, but I gotta go.” Damien hesitates, and just when she thinks he’s gonna let it go, he leans in and brushes a careful kiss to her cheek. His lips are warm. They linger for a moment over the swell of her cheekbone, and she wonders why that is. If it’s because of Mark, or her, or the sheer unexpected delight of human contact. When he pulls back, there’s a flush of red across his cheeks, and an unsure, painfully earnest smile on his lips.

His voice is soft, tellingly so when he murmurs, “Give Mark my love, okay?”

Sam swallows, her heart thundering in her chest. And, because she’s still caught off guard, she smiles back, and says, “Okay.”

(or)

“I swear to god, Ben-”

Ben sighs heavily, laying an arm down on the rest between them. He turns to her, and for the first time all day, he really looks. Her hair is frizzing where its come loose from her bun, and there’s engine oil beneath her fingernails. Her dress, modest enough when standing, is riding up her thighs, the cut scandalously short for a funeral. He would bet money that she didn’t pick it out herself.

Her eyes scald him - all the anger and accusation that he’s been avoiding for the last few years narrowed down to a single point. Her brow is pulled tight into a frown and she- she’s itching for this. He knows she is, because even if he hasn’t seen her in six years, Ben grew up alongside of her. He’d been there for her early years, when just keeping her from running was hard enough.

He’d chased her across state lines, kept her from hopping busses, dragged her kicking and screaming to return every stolen car.

He knew the fire in her. He had it, too.

And he knew that it was burning.

“Rey,” he says into the quiet. “Just drive.”

She bares her teeth again, lip curled into an effortless, vicious snarl. Her eyes narrow. Around them, the car hums with power. It sounds as angry as she does.

“You’ll regret that,” she warns, and when he says nothing, she makes a quiet irritated noise and slams the car into reverse, peeling explosively out of the lot. Dust clouds the road behind them. He can smell the burning rubber.

Fic goals: I did absolutely none of the goals I set last year. Nothing novel length, nothing original, very few original characters, and I almost made it to 60k, but not quite. My only goal for next year is to write something that’s all mine. That’s it, Heather. Write a story, make it yours.

#heather says what #heather writes #2018 #new year's memes

4 notes · View notes

listoriented · 6 years

Text

2017 wrap-up

like xmas in july

It's July! 2018! Traditionally July is about when games websites publish their best-of-the-year-so-far lists. I'm bucking the trend by posting my very belated personal wrap-up of the last calendar year. Betcha didn't see this one coming. Fuck I'm just astoundingly clever.

(and/or I wrote this months ago but never posted it and now I’m stalling on finishing Broken Sword so consider this filler, or whatever)

List Oriented for 2017 was bookended by Bioshock 2 at one end, and A Boy and His Blob at the other. I managed to get through (just) twenty games. No primary letters were finished. We moved but one vowel or six standard letters along the second slot.

There were a few noticeable phases. The two big shooty franchises, the Bioshocks and the Borderlands, both threw their own wrenches into the gears. In between these I had a good run of breezing through (and largely discarding) a bunch of indie games in March through June, which made up maybe half of the years total. Botanicula was probably my favourite list-game of the year, although I'd already played it so that probably shouldn't count. I enjoyed Bioshock 2's DLC, Minerva's Den, and playing through the Borderlands Pre-Sequel with Lauren had some redeeming points. Black Mirror caused me to write the most words in frustration. But all in all I didn't get much reward from the list, so I'd like to spend the bulk of this post acknowledging the (non-list) games that kept up my love for the medium in the background of this and everything else.

2017 spat out a lot of quality games. Owing to budgetary reasons (we all know I'd rather just funnel all my money into Humble Bundles and ergo, hundreds of games I don't actually want to play rather than just outright buying the few games I really do) and holding off on getting a Switch til very late in the year, I think I barely scratched the surface of what came out.

I really enjoyed Tacoma, the well-realised space station setting, the quiet exploratory moments it afforded, its compelling method of storytelling, its considered examination of labour and technology. It's one of the most immersive, transportative experiences I've had in games in recent memory - nearly a year on I still feel like I can taste the sense of being in it. Night in the Woods similarly (although technically I didn't actually finish it 'til early this year) I thought really delivered in narrative and art - it has some really great, poignant writing, very believable dialogue and friendships and problems. Even though coal-town America is geographically and psychologically pretty far away and the characters are a good decade younger than me, its concerns felt very close and real.

Hidden Folks afforded late-night respite for a good few weeks. I found working my way through its quirky, Where's Wally scenes an incredibly calming way to clear my head before bed, even if the incessant mouse-clicking the game urges was repeatedly infuriating for Lauren (probably unrelated: we've since parted ways). In a broader sense Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles - a pacifist trading/crafting adventure - also went a long way to settling my nerves right when I needed it (as did we all need it for the entirety of last year). Despite early misgivings, I really enjoyed my time with it, particularly the subtle ways it encouraged exploration and its (unexpectedly) soft environmental beauty. I think about it fondly now even while knowing I'll probably never go back to it.

Dead Cells, despite being in early access, was probably my 2017 Game of the Year. I found its roguelike driven gameplay loop, slow unlocks and cute exploration mechanics to be fantastically addictive, though these were all just dressing for the meaty, twitchy platforming biffo at its core. I'd read about it first over at RPS where literally all of their writers seemed to be talking about it for a couple of weeks; perhaps unsurprisingly it ended up being their GOTY too. Let us never say I am above sheepdom. I'm looking forward to going back to it when it hits full release next month, and tbh I'll probably end up grabbing it on Switch too because that sounds just conceptually perfect.

In other "early access" accolades, my friend James bought me Player Unknown Battlegrounds aka PUBG aka PLUNKBAT aka Plunky B, out of friendship and kindness, and then again out of friendship and kindness he suffered having me disappoint him by getting killed and getting him killed over and over again. At other times I played with old-mate Roy, who gleefully but fairly nicknamed me "Backpack" (which stuck), and a casual, sprawling discord group we'd entered into through our good-at-all-kinds-of-networks pal AJ. My first chicken dinner happened on an otherwise genuinely awful-in-life weekend: my squad of four saw and fired on literally no-one except for one lonesome straggler to close out the game, in what felt at the time like some sort of transcendent miracle. I got fifty hours out of Plunky and enjoyed a good amount of that, even while being terrible. I really liked the rain and fog variants, but the developers have apparently ditched those for now, sadly. Or not? I don't know. I think I'm done with it.

Starcraft was remastered and relaunched. I played it for a little bit, enjoyed the nostalgia/feeling like I was 13 again, and then stopped playing but continued to enjoy watching Korean pros duke it out as they have done for twenty years, only now with more visually acceptable textures.

Characteristically late to the parties, I also enjoyed catching up on a few great titles of 2016. All are fairly familiar to the canon at this point, I guess, but here's the honour role: I celebrated the purchase of this laptop by playing Firewatch, which gave me a lot of ideas about mystery and narrative for an essay that I never got around to writing. I also quite liked playing with sharp and interesting dialogue in the surprisingly nervy supernatural realms of Oxenfree, although my memories of it have cooled a bit since. I thought Hyper Light Drifter was superb: really wonderful pixel colours and an excellent glitch-synth soundtrack, twitchy, difficult but rewarding top-down action gameplay, a beautifully ambiguous adventure narrative. Kathy Rain closes out this group - a fun and thoughtful suspense point and clicker that really nailed its 90's setting/themes/aesthetic, where despite getting needlessly stuck a bunch of times I found myself really invested in it.

It would probably also be dishonest not to mention to these records that I continued to play Rocket League throughout. Or not? Who really cares <3

So that's that, hey. Games are cool. 2017 was a cool year for new games, and for checking out games from the year before, if not really all that much else.

#2017 in review #tacoma #night in the woods #hidden folks #yonder: the cloud catcher chronicles #dead cells #pubg #firewatch #oxenfree #hyper light drifter #kathy rain #botanicula #minerva's den #black mirror #rocket league

6 notes · View notes

britesparc · 3 years

Text

Weekend Top Ten #462

Top Ten Things That Hopefully Will Actually Happen in 2021

I mean, it’s got to be better than last year, hasn’t it? Just on law of averages. I know it’s not really the greatest start. Everything’s shut again but it’s colder now. We’ve not got a handle on this thing. The idiots are still in charge. But I still feel cautiously optimistic. There is a vaccine now, at least. Trump is gone, barring some cataclysmic last-minute kerfuffle. A new lockdown is required, so hopefully however painful it is right now it’ll be the death throws of this wretched virus. Will 2021 look like 2019? No, not a chance. But maybe by summer, by autumn, we’ll be well over the hill. 2022, hopefully, will be great.

Not that I’m writing off the new year altogether! No siree. I think this is the year we turn the corner and see the road before us. I think this year can be good, and I think that – outside of pandemic and politics – there is quite a lot to look forward to.

I’m not right now talking about personal ambitions or wider, geopolitical hopes and dreams. This is all about stuff that I want to see or play or whatever. Things that don’t really have any bearing on if the world keeps spinning or we all make it through another tumultuous twelvemonth relatively unscathed. Just, y’know, stuff that’d be nice.

Cinematic Superheroes: 2020 was a bonkers year, and one of the things that was bonkers as it unfolded was how all these huge movies kept getting pushed back. As a result, there were precisely no Marvel Cinematic Universe productions released. Like, at all. Thankfully – hopefully – that will change in 2021. As well as some Disney+ stuff (see below) there’ll also be the belated release of Wonder Woman 1984, which came out around Christmas but which I’ll probably stream this month; and, lockdown permitting, we should finally see the likes of Black Widow, The Eternals, and things that were already scheduled for ’21 such as DC’s The Batman and The Suicide Squad. And y’know what? I’m even looking forward to Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Yeah, maybe some more will slip, but I’m just glad that we’re finally getting some men in tights back in our lives.

Plus all these Great Shows: just before Christmas Disney outlined its slate of upcoming releases and by Crikey it was mega. And the best part is, so many of these shows and films are imminent! In a couple of weeks WandaVision will hit Disney+, and later this year we’ll also see (I do believe) The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, maybe Loki, The Book of Boba Fett, and maaaaaybe if we’re lucky Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even outside of the other movies and things that they announced, and even if we don’t look as far ahead as 2022, Disney+ has a hell of a lineup for this year, and even if lockdown closes the cinemas, we can still enjoy a nice good stream.

Starred Up: the arrival of Star, the “grown-up” channel on Disney+, was confirmed (and confirmed to be included in the existing sub, which was nice), and recently it was announced that it will go live on February 23rd. For some reason I was expecting it later, so that’s nice. It’ll be good to see some of the smuttier Marvel movies make their return (especially Fox’s X-masterpiece, Logan), but I’m more looking forward to having all the Die Hards and Aliens in one place. Even the crap ones.

Finally, Halo Infinite: I really like Halo; it’s pretty much the reason I ever bought a console in the first place. So I was incredibly excited for Halo Infinite, and – I must confess – a bit disappointed by its reveal. A delay is fine; take your time, do a good job, try to avoid crunch. I’ve got more than enough to play. But with my pretty new Series X installed next to my shiny new 4K TV, I’d love to get into a proper new Master Chief adventure once again. And finally it’ll happen! My Big Christmas Game for 2021 is sorted.

Return of the (Lego) Jedi: speaking of Big Games for 2021… I love the Lego games from Traveller’s Tales, and it all started with Lego Star Wars. With the release of The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, I kind of assumed they’d be making a new one, and they are: The Skywalker Saga. Much delayed (I think it was meant to come out last summer originally?), but finally making its debut at some point in 2021, it promises to be a more expansive effort than any previous Lego game, and also offers a fresh look at every film in the increasingly-inaccurately-named trilogy. My youngest is really getting into Star Wars and she loves the Lego games, so this is something we can really enjoy together.

2020’s Greatest Hits: yeah, lots of great things coming out in 2021, but I gotta say one thing I’m really looking forward to is catching up on all of the things that were supposed to come out in 2020. I’ve already mentioned the likes of Black Widow, but there’s Coming 2 America (on Prime Video in March), Dune (potentially still hitting cinemas), No Time to Die (God knows), Spielberg’s West Side Story (delayed a whole year!)… even smaller-scale things like the cool-looking Freaky have been pushed right back. And whilst I’m not exactly looking forward to it, pity poor Peter Rabbit 2, knocked from an early Easter slot when the first lockdown hit, only to have its February half-term run destroyed by Lockdown III. Maybe next year, eh, Peter?

Matrix of Leadership: The Matrix turns 22 this year, shockingly enough, and last time I watched it was still absolutely brilliant in one of those hardly-ever-happens ways. The sequels I could live without, although I’ll warrant they’re still stylish with nice action, but they were a huge disappointment (moreso for me than the often-lambasted Star Wars prequels). However, I am super excited for Lana Wachowski returning to direct a fourth Matrix movie. I don’t know why, but I just think it’ll be great; there’s twenty years’ worth of “internet stuff” and “games stuff” and “comics stuff” she can use as reference or in-joke, and let’s face it, Keanu Reeves has never kicked as much ass in his life as he does in the John Wick movies, so we don’t need to worry about that. What the hell will it be about? How can you make a sequel to what felt like a pretty definitive ending? I mean, half the characters died (spoiler!). But I don’t care about that, I just want to see it (hopefully at a cinema).

One (Other) Ring to Rule Them All: I ended up spending quite a bit of time in Middle-Earth in 2020, including reading The Hobbit to my girls, Unfinished Tales, and Ian Nathan’s book about the making of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, Anything You Can Imagine. So I am, shall we say, primed for Amazon’s new TV adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s opus. The Lord of the Rings series – as I think it might still be called? – will be set a lot earlier than the more famous stories, and although there are a lot of potential hiccups and hurdles in the way, I hope the less-familiar period and setting will offer scope for a series to make its own unexpected journey, showing even those that have read The Silmarillion something they’ve not seen before. I hope they don’t try to make it into Game of Thrones, and I hope they don’t try to shoehorn in too many aspects of The Lord of the Rings (I mean, hobbits shouldn’t really feature too much into it, surely?), but the pedigree is strong and I’m very excited.

Sinful: Russell T. Davies’ last show, Years and Years, was a fascinating combination of terrifying apocalyptic sci-fi and domestic soap opera, and one of the best things that happened in 2019. His next show, It’s a Sin, is about something altogether more real but still apocalyptic: the AIDS crisis in the gay community of the 1980s. I imagine he’ll still be expertly combining soapy drama with casual gaggery and moments of utter heartbreak. Apparently this is a story very close to his heart that he’s been wanting to tell for – yes – years and years, so it’s sure to be one of the TV highlights of 2021.

The Unconfirmed: one of the great things at the start of the year is, you don’t know what you’re going to get. Sometimes you get, well, 2020. But sometimes you don’t! Sometimes you get a year in film like 1984 (Terminator! Ghostbusters! Gremlins!) or 1999 (Matrix! Fight Club! American Beauty!); sometimes you get a year in gaming like 1998 (Half-Life! Zelda! Grim Fandango!) or 2007 (Halo! BioShock! Crackdown!). What’s coming this year? Well, with the new consoles out, we’re going to finally start seeing some new games that wrestle with the hardware; not just the cross-generational likes of Halo or Horizon but some new games, some unannounced games. We’ll also, no doubt, see proper footage and trailers for stuff we do know – Hellblade, Fable, hopefully Perfect Dark. Taika Waititi’s got at least two films on the go; that’ll be good. Spielberg doesn’t usually rest on his laurels; he’s finished West Side Story, so what’s next? Bond will come out, somewhere, somehow; will we get the announcement of a new Bond? Speaking of recasting, is Jodie Whittaker really leaving Doctor Who? I’ve not been too fussed with the show the last couple of years, but I’m always rooting for her and will be sad to see her go; but does that mean we’re in for another New Doctor palaver later this year too? Will we see or hear anything of Rian Johnson’s Star Wars films or, even better, a Knives Out sequel? The new Stranger Things has got to be this year, hasn’t it? What about Star Trek – Picard season 2 and Discovery season 4 should be happening, but will we also see the Pike and Georgiou-focussed spin-offs? God knows! It’s all up in the air! And these are only the things that we know or can speculate a little bit about! But that’s what makes it so exciting.

Well, that’s it for now. As I write this, what can only be called a mob of white supremacist terrorists – idiot insurrectionists, if you will – have stormed the US Capitol. Truly terrifying scenes, given the added worry of the Twat in Chief using the crisis as some phony excuse to cling on to power. I have faith that it’ll be resolved, short-term, and that democracy – capital-D Democracy – will endure, for now. But it just goes to show how volatile everything is. The kids are being homeschooled again. London’s hospitals are teetering on the brink. There’s gunfire in the Senate. But the first Black Senator just got elected in Georgia. My wife’s playing Ooblets. Somewhere it’s sunny, somewhere else a kid’s catching snowflakes, and somewhere else again some lucky sod is getting to watch Nine to Five for the first time ever. Things are scary and often crap but on the whole I think the arc of the universe tilts ever so slightly towards Being Generally Okay.

Take care of yourselves, wear a bloody mask, and here’s to 2021 Being Generally Okay.

#top ten #films #tv #games #halo #xbox #star wars #marvel #mcu #dc #batman

0 notes

lonesomealley · 4 years

Text

2020 and Going Forward

So another year has come to a close and we are getting closer and closer to that inevitable event of life known as death. With that in mind, I figured I would put out this little update post and give my thoughts on what’s going to happen moving forward.

Firstly I want to tally some progress on some projects that have been happening on and off for some while. A Hat in Time is nearing completion of the recording process, and I’ll get to why this is taking so long in a bit. Bioshock’s video footage files have been recovered and will be going back into production either during or after A Hat in Time’s production. A Short Hike write up came out some time ago. In the background I’ve got a video on Lethal League and the Talos Principle currently in the concept stage. My Risk of Rain 2 review (going on this blog) is going through some rewriting to be more up to date with the December update that came out since I began writing, and also my save file in that game corrupted during the writing process. Other than that, I got some new audio equipment for Christmas and my 6 terabyte hard drive has arrived, meaning I am now able to work on more than one project at once! You may have noticed that I’ve been doing some modding work for Lethal League Blaze, that’s also currently going through development.

I just want to clear up what I’m working on and the progress on some of these things since apparently my A Short Hike video got some outreach and attention that my Beginner’s Guide video didn’t. And with an audience comes a certain expectation that I have to keep working on these, this’ll only get worse with time. A Hat in time is still absolutely the next video to release, and I imagine Bioshock will probably be subsidized by another video at some point due to the projected length of that video. That doesn’t mean that Bioshock isn’t going to ever come out, but that another piece of work may be slid into it to break up the workflow and time investment. I’m thinking about what I’m supposed to be working towards on a daily basis and the fact that I’ve been so limited as to how I could work on the projects has created a massive issue with productivity in general.

My old “media hard drive” seemingly failed sometime back, which was documented in the blog post called, “Hard Drive Failure, Bioshock, and College.” This left me with a measly 900gb of space to keep the entirety of my computer’s files on, meaning my projects files, applications, video games, etc. As you can imagine that’s rough to work with for someone who likes to keep a lot of sentimental files on their computer. At least with my previous hard drive I never had to worry about running out of space because that media drive really only held video projects and a bunch of relatively small files. As the Hat in Time project folder creeps slowly upward (Open Broadcaster Software is taking 20gb for every 1 hour of footage) I had to consider the usability of my computer over the completion of the project. So, eventually I cracked and ordered the aforementioned hard drive that will have so much space that I’ll hopefully never have to worry about it again.

The thing about that old failed hard drive though is that apparently it never failed! When my new hard drive showed up in the mail, I figured, for a giggle, I’d plug in whatever I could and see the results. And lo and behold the magical, frankly garbage, Toshiba hard drive actually booted up and was completely functional, all files intact. Needless to say, I was completely ecstatic and immediately raced to pull all of the files off of that hard drive. And I mean the hard drive is still working with absolutely zero problems, so I’m assuming the SATA cable or maybe the power just wasn’t connected right into the hard drive and I over reacted, but there is no way in hell I’m putting important files on that thing just incase it is on the brink of death. Especially when I have a brand new hard drive that has so much space that I probably won’t have to buy a new one any time soon. That is, unless I want to archive video projects.

Archiving these projects is a tough subject. I briefly touched on it in that same update post as well, and unfortunately that is an expensive venture that will require me to lug a bunch of hard drives around in the long run. Which, frankly, isn’t worth it. Luckily for most undertakings, the actual game footage is what takes up the majority of space. So while I won’t be able to archive the footage files, I will be able to archive everything else that I make along the way. I believe this is a good trade to keep project folders archivable but not take up so much space that it becomes unreasonable. Besides, these little assets are the best part, despite whether or not they even accompany a piece of work. It just seems like the best way to keep these project folders in an “economical” range of space without feeling like I’m missing out on anything too important because I can always just go back and reacquire that footage.

So that’s my current position regarding the storage of my video projects, and with my new 6 terabyte hard drive prepared to take on the world, I’m ready to get a jump start on 2020 with some heavy project work. It’s no secret that I’m lazy and that this year has been all over the place regarding the stuff that I’d worked on. I started so many different things that never saw the light of day since the release of my Beginner’s Guide video back in 2018. That’s not another trap that I want to fall into this year, and I’ll be attempting my best efforts to have something new and fresh out every 2 weeks. That’s a promise I’m going to make, but probably not be able to keep. That said, I’ll at least try to keep that up for the first month or so (before I lose patience). Of course to kick off this year, I’ve already uploaded my Short Hike Write Up that is probably over a month due, but that’s besides the point.

And of course, not all of these posts will be something regarding writing or my videos. This year I really want to try to do a lot more things with my brain cells, like more Lethal League Blaze modding and possibly getting some sort of game in development on either Source Engine or RPG Maker. So don’t expect there to be a consistent amount of content that you enjoy. While I love writing and that’s the reason why I’m working on what I do now, I do have other goals in mind for what I plan to be doing in the future. Just keep that in mind for this year’s stuff. These updates are also going to be slowing down for some time after this post goes up, because it looks pretty bad when you have more update posts talking about your lack of blog posts than actual blog posts.

2019 was a really weird year. Things moved along really quickly for me and there were a lot of hurdles that I’ve been introduced to this year that has influenced how I went about handling things. But now that I’ve got some experience in handling what I’m doing, I’m a little bit more prepared to take the next step to doing what I want to get done. I have a lot of interesting ideas for projects to work on, and I hope to bring some of that innovation forwards.

Something I’ve been considering for some time is the viability of reviewing games in the VR space. I currently have two concepts that I’m working to flesh out for a video on The Talos Principle and another on Tetris Effect, so maybe prepare to see those one day. Alongside that I have a ton of unfinished free writing ideas and new ones that I’m thinking up all the time that will hopefully push me in the right direction. Needless to say, I’m full of ideas but not the greatest at making them into something tangible. I’m also considering making some write ups on videos that never saw the light of day. This will at least prove that I was working on things throughout 2018 and 2019 and also allow me to give more insight into my creation process. I have a couple projects that I spent way more time than I should’ve that simply didn’t meet my expectations for the YouTube channel, so we’ll see where I can take these.

Hopefully this year I’ll be able to pick up the pace, take what I have so far, and push it in the direction that I aspire to go. I look forward to forcing pushing more stuff out there on a more consistent basis and hope you guys enjoy. Possibly this year I’ll release more than one video.

-Count_

#update #2020 #A Hat In Time #bioshock #bioshock infinite #the talos principle #tetris effect

0 notes

ilonavic · 7 years

Text

25 Q/A Personality Tag

A dear friend of mine asked me to do this tag myself after I wrote this a while ago for my lovely friends here on Tumblr, thanks to the post by @annarieta regarding this tag, it gave me a little courage to do it. (I actually think there are many scary questions, I don’t like the idea of revealing it to just about anybody.) RULES: Tag people you want to get to know better.

1. Are you introverted or extroverted? I’m very introverted. I can go weeks on my own, without needing company or social stimulation.

2. Are you ruled by emotions or logic? I reason from a point of logic, but ultimately make decisions based of what I feel will make everyone the happiest.

3. What is your happiest memory? Like many others have said already, which was a bit surprising to read, I don’t recall many outstanding happy memories. Like @annarieta said, it’s the small things mostly. But I remember happy car rides with my best friend where we sang (screamed) to music, and traveling to the Vatican City with my classmates. Even if the company wasn’t necessarily good all the time, that place really made me happy. It was so beautiful.

4. What is your saddest memory? Nowadays, every winter, I go into a state of hibernation really. It’s very dark here during the winter, we have about 5 hours of sunlight everyday. It’s cold, it’s dark and murky. It makes me very depressed. But um. The day I lost my best friend is a terrible memory. We were friends for 8 years and I’ve missed her very much for 3 years since.

5. In what kind of world would you rather live in? I’d love to live in an Elven world. I love the architecture, I love the purple/blue/mystic gloom of the places. The nature, rivers are very beautiful. Where people cherished art, music, writing, love, beauty etc, and no one cared a wit for politics, cruelty or had any desire to forbid people from being different or happy.

6. What is your favorite video game? The Witcher, Skyrim and BioShock are my babies.

7. What is your biggest fear for yourself? Being hated by people.

8. What is your biggest wish for yourself? To be a happy little hermit =) In a beautiful place where I can write stories, paint and be surrounded by 20 dogs.

9. What fictional character do you relate to the most? Queen Freya from The Huntsman (she’s my avatar for a reason guuuuuuys). Wait, let me explain, haha. She’s portrayed as a complex evil character. I don’t consider myself to be evil, nor do I consider myself to be purely good either. I can relate to her character process. Alike her, I was very trusting and happy when I was little, I was truly a little sunshine. But like with so many of us, life happens, and then life happens again, and I became... well, a different person really. Like her, I often feel misunderstood and isolated. But I also cherish loyalty above all, and shun love away from me (I also freaking love ice and snow). I think love is beautiful when I see it with other people, but I could never love like that myself, somewhere it’s hardwired in my brain in a twisted way that love is a weakness and can be used to manipulate and harm me. Heartache and emotional suffering is something I'm terrified of (you know, when you can physically feel pain in your chest), and I can’t handle it anymore. So I don’t feel romantic desire towards people anymore, I think I’ve... removed it?

10. If you could become anything, without any education or demands, what would you choose as your profession? Author or an actress.

11. Do you have any siblings? Two brothers and one sister. I’m the second youngest.

12. Have you ever wanted to injure someone? When I was bullied, I wanted to injure the people who hurt me all the time, but I never actually did it.

13. Have you ever wanted to help someone, but didn’t? Yes, but I always try to do the best I can to help someone, even if I don’t know the person. It doesn’t matter, I’ll happily embarrass myself to help someone in need.

14. What makes you angry? Bullies, homophobes, racists, sexists, rapists, murderers, especially animal abusers can fuck off right to hell.

15. What makes you happy? My precious jewel, doggy.<3 Also, traveling and airplanes is a joy. Museums, exploring new places, yeah. Fun fun.

16. Would you rather beat up a small child once - or get beaten up by an angry man every single day for the rest of your life? I don’t want to beat up anybody, so bring me the man. Maybe I’d get really psychologically twisted and Stockholm Syndrome would set in so I’d start to like it lol.

17. What places would you visit today if you could? Ireland! Scotland! England! Just because @lithiumgrayangel showed me how beautiful Sevilla is, I wanna visit Sevilla one day. But of course, beautiful Italy (Rome is stunning), Venice again, Russia (possibly Moscow), FRANCE! Finland, Norway and Iceland are beautiful too. Also Warsaw, UK and US. And Budapest. And New Zeeland, Canada, Australia... Gosh I wanna go everywhere, I can’t pick one!

18. Do you want children? Why? If not, why not? To be honest, it will depend on what situation I am in. Did I, against all odds, found a person who wants children? Then yes, in a stable household and in happy relationship, I’d consider having one or two, no more. But... Right now, that future is looking very bleak. And if I end up with someone who don’t want children, then I won’t have children. Just get a dog instead, they’re less fussy.

19. Did you have a happy childhood? It’s a bit complicated. When I was young, I did have a happy childhood, but my father was also abusive back then. He calmed down once I became a teenager, and then the bullying started, and when the bullying stopped, my dad became sick. And my mother has basically been hysterical and wacky my entire life so. But um, to be honest. I had friends, a roof over my head, food on the table. I got nothing to complain about.

20. Have you ever done drugs? If you have, would you do it again? I’ve been offered, but I’ve never been interested and nor will I be. I know a couple of people who just smokes pipe and marijuana in front of me? I think it’s odd but. I try not to judge, and it’s not my business.

21. Would you rather become a child again, possessing all the knowledge you have today, or become middle-aged, with 45 000 000 € on your bank account? I’d become a child again, start my life over, and be twice as intelligent. Could be like a scientist or something.

22. If you could become any existing famous person in the world - who would you be and why? I admire Lana del Rey a lot, but I wouldn’t want to be any celebrity. Unless I can become someone really powerful and change the world. Like Donald Trump and resign as the president so someone more capable can take over.

23. Are your parents married or divorced? They’re divorced, but sadly live together still. It’s a stupid decision, but I reckon my father wouldn’t last a day on his own, and my mother must be addicted to misery.

24. Where do you see yourself in the future? An author, hopefully. Making a positive change, helping people, having meaningful friends in my life, living in a beautiful place surrounded by nature and animals. :)

25. If you’d like, a question of your own here. Mine is directed to my fellow Witcher lovers; Who and Why?

For friendly purposes, Regis or Cirilla? I like Ciri, and I can understand why people would choose her, she seems like she would be a lovely friend. But ultimately, I’d have so much to discuss with Regis. I feel like, without being self-absorbed or... delusional in any way, I have some things in common with him. We’re too loyal, we fight for people who don’t cherish our love or advice and we both like discussing philosophical topics with loooooooong sentences (as you’ve probably noticed by now). I’d feel so good in his company, he’s a lovely lovely man.

For romantic purposes, Dettlaff or Avallac’h? My darling Avallac’h, I know there are so many people who misunderstands him, confuses his intelligence for arrogance. People call him horrible things. To be honest, I don’t have too much against Dettlaff though, I like him, and I love his complex nature. But of course, I’d never pick anyone over Avallac’h. He’s brilliant, and I would love to discover a million new worlds with him. (ps. marry me have my babies)

As your co-worker, Caranthir or Geralt? Caranthir would be a brilliant colleague, though Geralt is probably more lovable, Caranthir is intelligent. He’d help me with my tasks and I’d sit there gazing into his eyes and not hearing a word he’s saying. ♥‿♥ (true story, I often drift away when people talk to me)

As your boss, Eredin or Ge’els? I don’t know, he feels more attainable than Ge’els do. Ge’els is just da boss, he’d rule over me, I’d always feel incredible stupid and inferior around him. But Eredin is kinda wacky, but I love him, but he’s a silly goose so I’d just try to befriend him to eventually marry him so we could rule the galaxy together.

As your best friend, Yennefer or Shani? Yennefer, my oh my, I’ve been in love with her since the first time I saw her. She’s INTELLIGENT AND INTELLIGENCE IS SEXY ASF. Shani, you cool too but. Meh, I think her character is a bit boring. There’s not much interesting about her that makes her stand out? She’s not really complex either? She’s just... idk... pretty and stuff. Redhead and stuff. (sorry @vaporeox dont kill me)

As your ally, Vernon Roche or Anna Henrietta? Nah nah, always Roche, I love that man immensely. I’d marry him too. I’d marry everyone.

As your worst enemy, Triss or Dandelion? I don’t really like Triss that much. What she did to Yennefer has ruined her in my eyes.

Tagging: I’ve already tagged people for this tag, but I would like to tag some of my lovely followers who haven’t been tagged in this, tho I can’t possibly tag all of you, I’m sorry about that: @blackeasteagle @everydayzer0es @spooky-cowfish @dovahkiin-deathbat @shadanakara @i-am-the-sword-in-the-darkness @o-moonyue-o @heroesneverdiie @blohandrum @rosiesuzuya and anyone else who wants to do it - you can write you were tagged by me. ❤

#tag #personality #mememememememeeme #i write too damn much

9 notes · View notes

theselkiesea · 7 years

Note

4, 6, 15 for the kisses, 17, 24, 29, for the sweet moments. Lets say... choose any three darling. Don't all have to be one fic. :)

Oh my God, first off these were so much fun to do. Secondly, I love how I wanted to write something cute….yeah, these aren’t cute. I don’t think I’m ever meant to write cute. But there’s three prompts here, each over 400 words so only read if you’ve got the time. The first one is Bioshock related, second is my original motel series and the third is Arkham Knight. Enjoy!

4. A Drunken Kiss - Character: Vivianne Warren

“Do you remember when this place didn’t look like shit?” Vivianne laughed as she opened up another bottle of Arcadia Merlot. In her other hand she held a cigarette which she brought it to her lips and inhaled deeply then past it to Daniel. He took a couple of drags then dabbed it on his wooden desk, not bothering to dust any of the ash away.

“But ya still come here even though it looks like shite. Ya be movin’ in ta the Pink fecking Pearl any feckin’ day now. Don’t know any splicer who’d pay ta fuck you though.”

“Fuck you, Daniel!” she shouted, lifting the bottle to throw at him but stopped, not wanting to waste the alcohol. “I’m the only friend you’ve got left now. Your brother scampered off to be with that bitch so if you want to be my friend, you better be nicer to me.”

Daniel grunted and clutched the side of his head as it thumped in pain then gulped down his own drink hoping it would ease the pain. It didn’t.

“Hope you plan on sharing that.”

He twirled the bottle in his hand and glared at her smugly then downed the full bottle, thinking that being drunk would help him with his headache. Streams of alcohol spilled from the corners of his mouth and rolled down his cheek and neck, he didn’t bother to wipe them away.

“Fuck you, Daniel” she said again, pouting and took another drink.

“I think I might be drunk enough ta kiss yah, love” he slurred.

Vivianne hiccupped and looked Daniel up and down, then hiccupped again. “Me too, pal. But I think I’m about to pass out.”

“Oh for fecks sake, get over here, now!”

Grunting, Vivianne wobbly climbed over his desk and ungracefully slid off it, sheets of paper and other objects falling to the floor with her. She leaned her head on his leg and tried to find the will to stand back up but Daniel grabbed her and sat her on his lap, holding her tightly.

“Yer a pain in the arse, love” he told her then kissed her. It was sloppy, the mixture of alcohol and smoke was revolting, but it didn’t feel wrong. Vivianne melted into his arms, for a moment she forgot these past few months. She had lost everything. Her job, friends, the love of her life and was betrayed by someone she trusted. But Daniel was still here.

He’d have to do.

17. A Love Bite - Character: Lola Hopkins

Lola clocked herself out for her break and went into the staff bathroom to fix herself up. She straightened her white blouse and undone the two top buttons, put on a fresh coat of red lipstick and a spray of perfume and she was now ready to seduce her boss.

He hardly ever worked from the motel but this morning he had come in, out of the blue, to sort out paperwork and hadn’t left his office for a few hours. Lola had worked at the Redbark Motel for three years, her boss had flirted with her a lot in the past but she always rejected him, he was a married man with two children, it wasn’t worth the possible hassle.

In those three years she had seen him bring back countless of woman, he’d either fuck them in one of the rooms or his office and would hear everything. And once the girls would leave his wife would turn up to see him and Lola would smile, keeping her bosses secrets silent. Now her curiosity had built up and she had an itch to scratch.

She knocked on the manager’s door and waited for him to answer.

“Hold on!” he called out. She waited for a couple of moments then the door opened.

“Lola? Is everything alright?”

“Yes, Mr Harvey. May I have a word with you, please?”

“Of course, come in,” he stepped aside to let her through then shut the door, “So what do you want to chat about? If it’s about hiring new staff I’m currently going through the applications and-”

“I want to have sex with you” she interrupted and flashed him a smile.

He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, he studied her expression and noticed the little changes she had made and smirked. He leaned against the door, wetting his lips in thought.

“Well I’m flattered, Lola, but I’m a married man. I couldn’t cheat on Karen” he said, his sarcastic tone challenging her.

Lola rolled her eyes and stepped towards him. “Oh please, you’ve had so many affairs here!”

“How many?” he questioned.

“I lost count after you went up into the twenties!”

With speed he clamped his hand over Lola’s mouth and pushed her up against the wall, glaring down at her. “Keep your voice down! How dare you come into my office and demand something like that from me, who the fuck do you think you are?”

Her eyes gazed up with fright into his, this wasn’t how she expected things to go. She started to think she had made a mistake, he could fire her for this. “I’m sorry Mr Harvey, please, I’m so so sorry. Don’t fire me, please” she begged, her voice muffled by his hand.

He chuckled. “I’m not going to fire you, I can’t lose anymore staff. And…I suppose, you have been loyal to me all these years. I think you deserve a little treat.”

He released his hand from her mouth and trailed his fingertips down her neck and crossed a little spot like he was marking an x on a treasure map. Lola opened her mouth to ask him if she could leave but before she could he pressed his lips to her neck and trailed kisses to where his fingers were placed. Her cheeks started tingling, the soft sensation gave her a desireable warmth in her chest but it was short lived when his teeth bit down.

His tongue rolled around the spot he chosen and he sucked and nibbled until he squeezed a moan out of her, when he pulled away, he came up to her mouth, inches from her lips but did not kiss her.

“Hmm, I think I’ve changed my mind, Miss Hopkins. See me after work.”

24. Slow Dancing - Character: Madcap

She looked at the broken boy tied to the wheelchair but she still approached him cautiously. Blood old and fresh was splattered across his face and outfit, she was sure that many of his bones were broken, the Joker did a good job of beating within inches of death. But he was still alive.

“Jason?”

He didn’t respond. She stepped closer then reached out and poked his shoulder, still nothing. Madcap searched up her long sleeves and went through all her hidden pockets and brought out a cassette. She skipped over to the cassette player that sat on the counter, rewound it to the track she wanted and let it play.

The song was a sweet romantic violin piece, it sounded scratchy in certain parts due to its age but it still sounded nice. She hopped into the center of the room so that she was facing him then folded her arms, her

long sleeves getting tangled in the process, she regretted not changing into something more suitable for what she had planned.

“Hi Jason…I’m Madcap, but you already know that, eh…my real name is Emily, I think you actually might already know that too,” she paused, her face flaring red with embarrassment, “Man, I’m glad you are unconscious right now, this is so awkward. I’m sorry that Uncle J has done this to you, I mean, I like fighting you but…I didn’t think he’d take it this far.”

She sighed and cursed at herself, then continued. “I wanna tell you this, even though you can’t hear me, and I know we’re enemies but I think you’re really cute. Wow, it feels good to get that off my chest! I know that things would never work out between us. We’d try to kill each other time and I don’t want to be in a relationship like Uncle J’s and Harley.”

Madcap slowly began to move behind him, her eyes watching out for any signs that he was now awake then carried on when she was sure.

“So, I was thinking, because we can never be together, and I doubt you’d ever have a crush on me but, I was wondering if it would be ok if…I could have a dance? I’ve never been kissed before but you’re unconscious so that wouldn’t be right. And I know you’re tied to this wheelchair but, spinning you around counts as dancing right?”

He didn’t reply.

She sighed again and grabbed the handles then unlocked the wheelchair’s brakes. She began to move the chair swiftly back and forth, trying to travel with the music then as it got quicker she was spinning Jason around, but not too violently.

“This totally counts as dancing!” she giggled gleefully. The song slowed down until there was silence and Madcap still twirled Jason in smooth circles until the cassette automatically stop and rewound itself. She couldn’t stay much longer, Joker would be returning soon, he’d be furious at her if he caught her here.

Swiping the cassette she tried to match up were Jason originally sat and propped his head into a more comfortable position.

“Thank you for dancing with me, Jason. Maybe one day I’ll get a kiss from you” she smiled.

“What?” he croaked. Jason’s eyes could barely open but she looked into his, her heart panicking and beating so fast she couldn’t think straight. Her hand grabbed the back of his head and her grip was tight, she pulled back and he hissed in pain.

“Don’t tell him I was here! If you do, you won’t die at his hands but mine,” she threatened, “Thanks for ruining my lovely evening!”

She released his head, spun around and sneaked off into the shadows and hoped that the Joker hadn’t been to her cell.

#but seriously this post is mega long so #jenjenwrites #thanks for the prompts sweetie!

2 notes · View notes

geekgemsspooksandtoons · 3 years

Text

Miranda

I’m finally gonna write this story. I just wanna admit this was a story idea I think I’ve had since August. Who’s Miranda exactly? She’s basically a Little Sister OC. In all seriousness this isn’t your first appearance. But this will be I guess her real or better introduction. I’ve joked about her and mentioned her to friends like @feckinatlas and @fishtankinhouse

Amazingly this story was inspired by @pikablob who made this Owl House fic here. https://pikablob.tumblr.com/post/625383445502246912/squishes-pikablob-the-owl-house-cartoon I’ve been just lazy to write this. I made this post in the drafts when I was living in the guest room while my room was being remodeled.

Miranda is a character that just....I guess she came to life on her own when I thought of that story. Or just the idea if one of those Little Sisters had Autism. This was inspired by a couple of things or whatever. I love this character. Despite I haven’t thought much of her. I should just write this dang story. I’ll talk about other details in another post somewhere.

Archie and Elizabeth were in Tenenbaum’s safehouse. As of now after going tough missions sent to Archie by Atlas. It was nice to catch a breath finally. As they were safe in this area. Where the rescued Little Sisters could stay safe from harm. While Brigid was working her make shift lab and checking her supplies. The two young adults were playing with the children. They genuinely liked being around the kids. It felt like a nice break after the nightmares going on in this city. It was reminding them of what else was at stake. That they weren’t just trying to escape or help out the poorer citizens of Rapture. But these children as well.

They were living in what was a sewer section of the slums. Reasons why because Brigid knew she couldn’t do her progress in her own apartment. After being made public of what she had done. The public demonized her. Many people wanted her dead.

Brigid was lucky to find a place where sewer workers had set up a living space. Because sometimes the workers would live here in case if a pipe was busted or so. There were some rooms for some people to sleep in. It wasn’t much. But over the past 4 years, she gradually tried to make it a living space. A makeshift lab, one shower with one bathtub in one bathroom, two rooms with two beds in each, a little dining area, and one laundry room. Brigid was grateful to find a little place like this. The biggest space was where the children would sleep in bunkbeds.

For the past 4 years she gradually got resources around certain places. Especially toys for the kids if more were to live here. It was so hard yet she kept trying. She tried to make it seem like a daycare center for them. To make those kids feel welcomed. Along with making sure they knew where to go the bathroom. It took a long while. But she seemed to have gotten it handled.

The children took kindly to Elizabeth. Probably because it was rare for the children to see another woman other than Mama Tenenbaum. She got along with them just fine. Despite never dealing with children before. She was like a big sister to them. If she had the time, she would hang out with them. Considering Brigid was mostly at work or so. Even though she tried to make the place as comfy as possible.

While at one moment, Elizabeth did hear a mention from a little one that she reminded her of someone like her. But Elizabeth didn’t understand. Maybe it was someone else she knew. Elizabeth didn’t dwell on it.

Archie never dealt with children too. Yet he was so gentle with them. In fact kind of like Elizabeth. He seemed to really enjoy being around them. They looked to him as if he was a older brother. He had rescued them and made sure they were safe. While Elizabeth had Bluto growing up. Archie hardly had anyone. To him interacting with these children who genuinely liked him made him feel less lonely than how he usual was.

The two young adults were sitting on the floor crisscrossed. Elizabeth took time drawing on some papers with crayons with Sally. While Archie played with some trying to build a castle with blocks.

“That’s a pretty flower Sally.” Elizabeth told the girl. Sally had colored the drawn flower yellow. “I’m gonna draw a blue one. Tell me what you think of it after I’m done.” She told her.

When she began drawing her own flower. Another little one had come across her.

“Miss Elizabeth.” The little girl asked her.

“Hi Miranda. What is it?” Elizabeth asked the girl who approached her.

“Can I....touch your cheeks please?” Miranda asked her.

Elizabeth was confused. She questioned why Miranda wanted to do that. But it didn’t seem like anything bad.

“Umm sure you can do that.” Elizabeth told her as she put down the blue crayon and looked at Miranda. After that Miranda decided to calmly put her hands on her cheeks. With then Miranda squishing them a bit. Elizabeth felt a bit confused. Yet Miranda was a sweet girl that she recalled. Yet the squishing went on for a minute. Then another minute. Archie was a bit confused seeing it. But Elizabeth didn’t interrupt her. But after those two minutes, Miranda had decided to stop.

“Is....there anything else you need?” Elizabeth asked the girl.

“No” Miranda told her. The little girl just walked away. After that Elizabeth was just confused. Maybe she liked her face or something.

10 minutes had passed. Elizabeth and Archie decided to check in with Brigid to see if she was doing fine. The kids were just doing their own things. Considering the young adults needed a break.

“Hello Miss Tenenbaum” Elizabeth told her.

“Hey Dr. Tenenbaum” Archie told her as well.

“Hi you too. I saw you were enjoying yourselves.” Brigid told them.

“Yeah it was nice honestly. It was nice just hanging around them more.” Elizabeth told her.

“I saw Miranda was squishing your face.” Brigid said.

“You saw that too?” Archie asked.

“Yes I did see it. Well I mean there’s clear glass here.” Brigid laughed a little after saying that.

“Oh yeah sorry.” Archie said. Forgetting that Brigid could she what was going on in that room.

“Umm Miss Tene-no I’m sorry Brigid” Elizabeth got Brigid’s attention. She just seemed so polite calling Brigid that. Even though Brigid told her she could call her by her first name.

“Yes Elizabeth.” Brigid answered.

“Why do you think she did that?” Elizabeth asked her.

“Ah yes. Why she did that. You two know what Autism is right?” Brigid asked them.

“I have read about it in my books.” Elizabeth told her.

“Yeah I know about it.” Archie said as well.

“Well...she has it.” Brigid told them. The two looked surprised a bit after hearing that.

“Are you being honest with us?” Archie asked her. “I’m sorry to ask.” He told her

“Yes I am and it’s fine Archie. She’s one of the few I know who has it.” Brigid told them as she held a pen in right hand as she looked through the glass. “I wanted to tell you two that. I’ve just been busy and I think you’ve may of noticed she kind of keeps to herself.” Brigid was right. Miranda always seemed shy. She wasn’t a bad kid. Yet she acted differently than some of the other girls. Even though she got along with them. She was usually maybe playing with a little toy train or whatever else.

“How did you find out she had Autism?” Elizabeth asked her. “I read it’s could be tricky to find out if a child may have it.” Elizabeth continued on.

“Because I have it too.” Brigid told them. The two young adults stared at her. Brigid was just still looking through the glass until she looked back the two adults. “Ja I get it. It doesn’t seem like it. But trust me. You start to notice some similar traits.” She said as she decided to look through her drawers to find something. After that she found what she was looking for and got up to get closer to them.

“Again I’ve been busy. When I’m not. I try to tend for them as much as possible. Despite of what I’ve done to them. Especially Miranda.” Brigid said as she wanted to show them something. It was some sort of tangle thing.

“What’s that?” Elizabeth asked. She was curious of what she was seeing.

“A little stim toy I made. I will admit, I made this when I first got her here.” Brigid told them. “The first time she was here. She wasn’t acting right. She was in a pouty mood at times. I think she didn’t like the place here. Sometimes she would have a meltdown. So a lot of times I had to hold on to her and calm her down.” Brigid told them. “I will admit....it was strange seeing someone like me going through a different way of experiencing a disability like that. Because we’re all different.” Brigid continued on.

“But you know considering her new surroundings. It bothered some of the other girls. I knew I always wouldn’t be here to comfort her. Especially in a city like this. So I made this. She was confused by it at first. But when I gave it to her. She loved it.” Brigid told them. “Heh will admit I do like it myself.” Brigid said.

“Why are you telling us this?” Elizabeth asked.

“Because I felt it was important. I just hoped you won’t bothered by her squishing your face. I had worried maybe she needs this. Which is why I’m telling you about it.” Brigid told her. She just looked and messed with the stim toy. The two adults looked at her playing with it. “Scheiße I’m sorry I got distracted.” Brigid said as she sighed.

“Is everything okay?” Archie asked. Brigid suddenly looked saddened.

“I’ll be fine. I just remember one night when she wanted to feel safe. I allowed her to sleep in a bed with me. You know how children get nightmares they go to their parents or loved ones.” Brigid told them. “....I still remember the night she told me about her parents. That they left her at the orphanage because they thought she was....weird....” Brigid continued on as she sound more saddened after saying that.

“Are you saying her parents left her on purpose?” Archie asked.

“From what I’ve gathered....sadly yes. Because of how she is.” Brigid told them. She just looked through the glass to see Miranda keeping to herself. “She was.....strangely happy with that Big Daddy Bouncer....before I killed it.” Brigid said as she looked back at the stim toy. “She’s been here since January this year.....I wonder if she’s grateful for me. Not like I deserve it.” She then noticed Elizabeth put her hands around the stim toy. This made Brigid’s eyes widened and to look at Elizabeth.

“Hey it’s okay....I think she’s grateful to have you. And us.” Elizabeth told her. “Would you like me to take this to her?” Elizabeth asked her.

“....yes. Thank you.” Brigid nodded smiling.

The two young adults went back out. Some sisters were on their beds resting. While some minded their own business. Miranda sat in a corner with her little train she just pushed back and forth. During that moment she was in her little world. She then noticed the two adult’s shadows pop up behind her. With her head turning around to the right.

“Hi” Miranda said softly.

“Hey Miranda.” Elizabeth told her softly. The two adults sat down close to her.

“Hey there. You feeling okay?” Archie asked Miranda.

“I’m okay. Did I make Miss Elizabeth sad or mad?” Miranda asked him.

“Oh no you didn’t. I was just confused of why you squished my face.” Elizabeth said.

“I think your cheeks look nice.” Miranda told them. “They looked soft.” She continued on.

“Yeah they are soft.” Elizabeth smiled softly. She revealed the stim toy. “You remember this?” She asked the little girl.

The little girl gasped. “Mama Tenenbaum’s Tangle.” Miranda said sounding excited.

“Yes it is. Do you want to hold it?” Elizabeth asked her.

“Yes please.” Miranda asked her. Elizabeth gave her the stim toy. “I like this toy a lot.”

“It seems fun. I can’t blame you.” Archie told her. The two adults admired seeing the girl play with it. “Do you feel better right now?” Archie asked her.

“Yes.” Miranda said as she looked at him so happy. She just messed with it. Just like with the train but this time. She seemed more relaxed.

“Hey Miranda. If you want to squish my cheeks. I’ll let you do that if you want to okay.” Elizabeth told her.

“Okay.” Miranda told her smiling. The two just admiring the girl playing with the little stim toy. While behind the glass, Brigid was looking at the with a smile. Seeing a little moment like that reminds her there is still goodness in this city.

#bioshock #bioshock rebirth #bioshock au #archie wynand #elizabeth comstock #brigid tenenbaum

17 notes · View notes

closeted-goth · 7 years

Text

Okay it’s 12:30 in the morning (as of writing “it’s 12:30 in the morning” not as of posting fuckin lol), I just finished The Evil Within, and I’m bouta get on my mad “the game industry sucks here’s how to fix it” shit. So join me it’ll be fun. Also this is way longer than I intended it to be so here’s a keep reading link. RIP if you’re on mobile or IOS.

So first I should probably say, I really, really enjoyed the game. For a triple A horror game (shoutout to Bethesda) it was really good. And as far as big name horror games go, (regarding how well they’ve been doing in the last few years both critically and with player bases), it’s not been great. Like don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the last couple Silent Hill games, but they’ve been nothing compared to the glory days of Silent Hills one two and three (still ain’t played four someone wanna hook me up with a playstation two and a copy of it because apparently it’s not good enough to be remastered). Resident Evil I gave up on after number five what with it going the route of the movies (UTTER FUCKIN SHITE). Condemned three probably isn’t happening, god knows why not. Obscure three, god knows where that is. Alan Wake two is like..... who knows. Deadly Premonition was fucking fantastic (although critically polar in its review scores). Bioshock abandoned its horror roots (even though the first one wasn’t horror to begin with it was just hella atmospheric). And let’s not talk about Alone in the Dark Illumination (a game in which you’re neither alone, nor even in the dark). And yeah idk maybe you could say The Last of Us. But honestly. That transcends the horror genre altogether. It’s got none of the stigma of horror video games surrounding it. It’s not stereotypical in any way; doesn’t rely on heavy symbolism; the character development (or anti-development I guess) was fucking spot on; and honestly the story was touching at points, which ain’t something you’d say of the horror genre. But other than that, commercial, big budget, top end horror games have been in scarce supply.

One day fam. One day I’ma write the script to a killer horror game. I want to make a modern answer to Silent Hill two. I want to write a game changer (if you’ll excuse my pun) like that game was back then. But I digress. Boy that was a digression.

The Evil Within was great, albeit lacking. The story was very sparse and heavily symbolic and open to interpretation and I feel like a lot of the time it went straight over my head. I still have too damn many answers to be satisfied unfortunately. Like at the end just before you exit the STEM machine thing. Before you return to the real world. The fuck was that scene with Kidman? What on Earth was that? Like, you on the bed hooked up to an EMG machine, and she’s talking to someone off camera and motions for you to like play dead. Well not play dead, but play unconscious. And then you wake up again and that wasn’t real as you’re finally out? Like who even is Kidman anyway? WHAT THE FUCK!? And what about your wife and daughter? I mean. Your daughter is dead. But what happened to wifey? And what was the case she was working on? What the fuck was with Leslie walking out into the real world after Ruvik liquefied him? Who was Nurse Tatiana? I refuse to believe with how odd her character and presence was, that there’s not more to her than “oh yeah she was just a nurse from the mental hospital who saw some shiz.” WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT MISSING PERSON POSTER OF? The unnamed woman with short brown hair??? Was that wifey? Who knows man. Also seriously. Joseph’s death? Like. That was the most unceremonious thing ever. It’s like he gets shot by Kidman. And the world collapses. And you wake up after falling hella far and the first thing you say when you get up is “Joseph can’t be dead” but you say it in a way like there’s something you can do to save him. But I don’t think there is because he is literally nowhere. Like, when Castellanos said that, I was like “oh shit where is he where’s Joseph? what do I do? give him one of my health needles?” And then after ten minutes of looking I was like fuck it I can’t find him I’m outta here. Like. I would’ve left straight away had the voice actor said the line in a sorta resigned like “oh joseph no I’m so sorry... I can’t believe you’re dead... rest easy partner.” But the fact that the line was said in a way that was like “JOSEPH NO DON’T YOU DIE ON ME THERE’S TOTALLY SOMETHING THE PLAYER CAN DO RIGHT HERE TO SAVE YOU COME ON PLAYER DON’T BE A FUCKIN IDIOT SAVE THE POOR MAN.” It was like, okay game chill. But yeah when I realised that it was like, well okay so that’s it then? That’s literally it you’re not gonna mention him for the rest of the game save for one line? Like damn that’s cold. But whatever.

And also when you beat the game you unlock (amongst a bunch of other stuff) an option on the main menu that takes you to another page on which you can view all the character models and shit. Like on the Skyrim loading screens you can rotate them and shit too, it’s pretty cool. But one thing I didn’t like about that is that there were certain models for certain characters and enemies and shit, and they all have descriptions next to them and I was a little annoyed by that. Because, those descriptions told me more about the characters and how the enemies came to be (and what they were symbolic for and shit) than the actual game did. So clearly the writing and world building and explanation and shit in game wasn’t completely all there.

But yeah anyway. That’s all a major digression to what I really wanted to talk about I fuckin played you all HAHA. Anyway, as I said up top, this game is another reason the game industry is fucked. Or at least very annoying. Like, for all its flaws, I still very much enjoyed the game, but still like I said, too many questions left unanswered. And therein lies my problem. Those questions (not all but some of them at least) can be answered for the low low price of like, what 20 extra dollars? Ah yes. D. L. C. Downloadable content. Fuckin christ. FUUUUCKING CHRIST. Fuck DLC. DLC can fuck right off I don’t care what anyone says. Listen. Devs. I payed. For your game. I payed a lot of money. For your game. Games are not cheap anymore. Like I’ll give you a frame of reference. I remember one of the first games I got with my own money. It was Donkey Kong Country 2, for the Gameboy Advance (back in 2004? 2005?). That shit cost $20. But even by the end of the Gameboy’s run, games were starting to cost $40-$50. Then with the PSP and PS3 games were costing $50, $60, sometimes even $70. Which is why I started buying everything ten years after it originally came out and preowned. Like I literally had to wait for games to devalue before I could play them. And then towards the end of the PS3′s run, games started costing $90+. I think the first game (only game) I ever got that cost that much was Grand Theft Auto Five. That game is still $90 to buy digitally (and god knows why you’d do that). Now every new game costs upwards of $90. That’s literally a quarter of the cost of a console. The Evil Within (when it first came out a couple years ago) cost $100. The Resident Evil Seven preorder price is literally $117. WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK IS GOING ON? And you’re not content with that? You want to hold content back from the initial game release and put it out later as DLC and charge more fucking money for it??? FUck yourselves. Like. I really want to play the dlc for The Evil Within (because one of them is about Kidman FUCK YES) but like, I already payed so damn much money for a copy of that game in the first place (and I didn’t even pay full price I bought it preowned because new it’s still like $60).

Like. Fuckin. Gaming is great. Video games are cool as shit. They present so much more opportunity than the traditional film medium does for storytelling and world building and shit. But the problem with gaming, as cool as it is and as much as I love it, is that it’s too damn expensive. It’s way too expensive. Like what do movies cost? $20 or so on DVD, bit more for Blu-Ray, $12 to go see in a cinema. Books cost around the same as a DVD. Both different mediums for storytelling. If they cost that much, then why the fuck is it okay for games to cost fucking hundreds of dollars after all is said and done. Like yeah I know that there are dev teams and different departments and games are worked on for years and years and years and everyone needs to get payed but fuckin hell mate. Take a game like Grand Theft Auto Five. That shit sold like fuckin nobodies business. Like hot cakes. Like sweet rolls. They moved so any units of that game. And that was straight through, not just to the retailers. That was through to customers. That game is one of the best selling games of all time. Did they really, really need to charge $90 a copy? Realistically? Like come on, with the amount of hype surrounding that game, and the amount of people it was clear were going to buy the game (not to mention collectors edition preorders costing $200 or whatever, and the absolute disgusting god awful hell of micro-transactions the online portion of the game is) like, they probably didn’t need to charge more than $40 for the base game. Like I feel like the cheaper you make games and just generally if you cheapened the entry cost, then you’d have a much larger audience because more normal people would be able to pick it up because it wouldn’t cost a small fortune. And DLC doesn’t help with that.

But whatever. What do I know about any of this stuff. I just consume the thing, I have no idea of the inner workings of the industry. But if there is anything I want any potential readers to take away from this--a TLDR, if you will--it is this:

-The Evil Within is a good big budget horror title with some flaws.

-Do not support DLC. Do not. Or do if it is free I guess? If we all only grab free DLC add-on shit, and don’t buy the payed shit, maybe everyone will get the message. If it’s a part of the game it’s a part of the game. Don’t hold onto it, release it later, and charge more money for it. That is not good. Movies don’t do it (fuckin imagine if movies left out major chunks and then asked you to pay to watch them later). Books don’t do it. Why do games have to do it?

-Gaming is still very cool and you should totally pick it up. Grab one of the last generation consoles as they’re kinda cheap now, and stock up on preowned games. Or go one better, go to your local video rental store if it still exists (most of them rent games too) and pick up some really cheap ex-rental games. I got my copy of Ni No Kuni (back when I got that game) for $3 as an ex rental and the disc never fucked up even once.

#i'm also on my some mad nerd shit here too #because i am a huge fucking nerd #but i've never really tried to hide that #so whatever #it's way too early right now why am i awake

0 notes

entergamingxp · 4 years

Text

DualShockers’ Favorite Games of 2019 — Michael’s Top 10

December 31, 2019 2:00 PM EST

2019 was filled with a ton of great games. Here are 10 of my favorites, one that I’ll continue to play, and one that I’ll never play again.

As 2019 comes to a close, DualShockers and our staff are reflecting on this year’s batch of games and what were their personal highlights within the last year. Unlike the official Game of the Year 2019 awards for DualShockers, there are little-to-no-rules on our individual Top 10 posts. For instance, any game — not just 2019 releases — can be considered.

Since I started working for DualShockers in 2017, one of my favorite parts of being part of this staff is deliberating on what my top 10 games of the year are. It’s a moment where I can actually celebrate video games rather than criticize them. 2019 is no different, but I would be lying if I said this was the easiest list I’ve created. In fact, it is the exact opposite.

Curating this list has been a struggle. Not because there was a lack of great games in 2019; there were so many I felt strongly about. The list you see below is my 4th revision, and I think I got it right this time. But before we go over this list, I want to get a couple of things off my chest.

2019 has been such a learning experience for me, both in positive and negative ways. My taste in games has changed dramatically, and I found a video game I truly loathe. Like, if someone mentions its name, I go on a 20-minute rant about why this game is bad. And I will now discuss these two topics with you now.

The Siegeman Cometh

I just want to take a brief moment to talk about Rainbow Six Siege. Initially, I had this game at the number 10 spot, but decided to dedicate a short section of its own. On my top 10 list from 2018, I put Ubisoft’s tactical shooter in that last number 10 spot. Although it came out in 2015, it was a game I started playing that year, and it has since become my personal “video game comfort food.”

Not only is it a brilliant shooter that is mechanically sound, and rather different than the rest of the shooters out there, it really changed the way that I play video games. This might be a whole other topic entirely, but playing the 100+ hour long RPG or whatever genre is just not for me anymore. They aren’t bad games, and there may be some long experiences on my list this year, but I put a lot of value in how I spend my time now. Rainbow Six Siege respects my time with its rewarding gameplay. I can play a match or two and feel satisfied, and then spend the rest of my day with my wife and my dog.

Now that I am actually looking at my list, that is sort of the theme here with my top 10. With a couple of exceptions, all of my favorite games of 2019 can be taken in bite-sized chunks but still be an absolute delight to play. Rainbow Six Siege taught me to respect my time, and the games that will be listed below are indicative of that notion.

YIIK: A Postmodern Piece of Garbage

Speaking of respecting my time, let me tell you about how my 2019 video game experience began. Back in January, I played an indie game called YIIK: A Postmodern RPG. I reviewed this game, which you can check out here. Playing this game was the antithesis of time well spent, as it is probably my least favorite thing I have ever experienced in digital media in my entire life.

Now, you may be staring at your computer monitor or laptop reading this saying, “this man is being hyperbolic to reel us in. It’s a trap!” I assure you, this is no hyperbolic notion. I think I hate this game. There are some good things I can say about it. Its music is pretty great. The gameplay is fine. I can maybe see why someone likes the look of its minimalist art direction. But none of that really saves the atrocity that is YIIK: A Postmodern RPG.

The moment that has stuck with me and made me realize why I cannot stand this game happens a bit later, when you have much of your party with you. You go to a mall, and there is a mysterious van you have to try to access, but you need a key. Alex, the main protagonist, asks if anyone can pick a lock. He doesn’t point to anyone, just asks generally.

Claudio, one of two black characters in your party, randomly says this:

“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I could? Like, out of this ragtag band of misfit friends, the black guy could pick the lock. And don’t pretend you didn’t think it! So, to answer your racist ass question, I cannot pick a lock! Well, at least not a car lock. I went through a Sherlock Holmes phase and learned to pick basic locks.”

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG has moments like this where it’s as if some woke 14-year old teen decided to write about racism for Twitter likes. It doesn’t just stumble on these sensitive topics, which include racism and depression, but falls on its face creating a crater deeper than the largest crater on our moon. It is so terrible to the point when someone mentions this game’s name, even in jest, I go on this rant about how out of touch this game’s message is.

So, why am I even talking about this game? Well, for the same reason I mentioned Rainbow Six Siege. Ubisoft’s shooter taught me to respect my time, and make every session with a game as satisfying as possible. YIIK: A Postmodern RPG taught me that but in a completely different and unexpected way. In a way, it is important to me in its own unique and terrible way.

Okay. Here is the actual Top 10 list now.

10. Slay the Spire

As of this writing, I only started playing this yesterday. Going down the list of games the staff at DualShockers compiled for our Game of the Year deliberations, this one stood out for some reason. Maybe it’s the name, or how positively some of the staff was when talking about it; whatever it was, it convinced me to use my Xbox Game Pass subscription and try out Slay the Spire, and I absolutely love it.

Maybe I’m jumping the gun here by saying this is one of my favorite games of the year. I’ve only probably put an hour in with two runs — I unlocked the three playable characters — but it left me wanting to play much more. Mixing turn-based action with a card game, Slay the Spire is an incredibly satisfying experience, especially if you manage to craft a deck that actually works as intended.

Slay the Spire just has so much variety and possibility. With the three unique characters, the seemingly endless possibilities with building your deck, and constant surprises as you climb to defeat the spire’s main boss, there has yet to be a dull moment. Again, I may be suffering from some recency bias, but Mega Crit Games’ interesting amalgamation of the strategy and card game genres.

9. Death Stranding

Despite my own beliefs, Hideo Kojima actually released Death Stranding in 2019. I swore this thing wouldn’t be out until 2024, but here we are. Kojima’s latest certainly is a divisive game, isn’t it? Understandably so: there are some wild design decisions that, in some cases, works to its benefit. But there are other times you’ll just stare at your TV screen just saying, “why?”

Death Stranding makes a great first impression, as you are introduced to Norman Reedus’ character Sam Porter Bridges, a “porter” (a.k.a. delivery man) who eventually works for his mother’s company, Bridges. Yes, it’s pretty on the nose. From its use of Low Roar’s music to its intriguing story and visuals, it presents itself very well in those beginning hours. And then Chapter 3 begins.

My biggest problem with Death Stranding is pacing. Chapter 3 is such a slog with one of the least interesting narrative threads in the game. Fragile’s tale would have been told more effectively if it did not take up a third of a 45-60 hour game. With its constant backtracking paired with its clunky gameplay, it truly tested my patience.

Now let’s fast forward a bit to Chapter 5, the absolute worst portion of Death Stranding. Testing my mettle once again, the Mama focused chapter has the most laborious backtracking delivery routes within Sam’s adventure. This is where I almost quit. It was just filled with an overwhelming amount of tedium, having to trek up a mountain through 12 inches of snow. Add a terrible stealth section, and you maybe have one of the worst moments in a video game in 2019. But despite that garbage Chapter, I persevered.

With all this negative criticism, how did this game make it on to my top 10 video game list for 2019? Because I stuck around after Chapter 5. After you finish Mama’s arc, Death Stranding gets so much better. The story actually begins to unfold, with much of the quality bits of Kojima’s tale finally emerging. You also get to witness two of the best video game performances of all time. Tommie Earl Jenkins’ Die-Hardman and Mads Mikkelsen’s Cliff Unger put on amazing performances in those last two hours, making every slog through those snowy mountains worth it.

It is such a hard sell to tell someone who might be falling off Death Stranding to keep playing until the end. In fact, I wouldn’t. Please, play the games you want to play and enjoy. But by the end of Death Stranding, you’ll be happy you finished it.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Death Stranding.

8. Void Bastards

This is another game I found while browsing the ever growing list of games available via Xbox Game Pass. Void Bastards by Blue Manchu is a roguelike inspired by the immersive sim genre. It isn’t a full immersive sim, but it scratches that surface. I mean, it makes sense as it was made by former BioShock and System Shock 2 developers, two of the most influential immersive sims of all time.

Is Void Bastards on that same level? Not really. But it’s one of the most fun and goofy video game experiences I’ve had all year. You are legitimately exploring derelict spaceships and fighting weird creatures with a staple gun. Thanks to the randomly generated ship layouts, different client traits, and comic book-inspired graphics, Void Bastards continues to be such a joy.

7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

youtube

So, I had quite a lot to say about Activision and Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in my review, and I still stand by those statements. I do think the campaign is lacking. With all the messaging prior to release insinuating it would show the gritty reality of war, I thought maybe this will be something different. It wasn’t. There were some good moments and decent design deviations from prior installments, but it was a fairly standard Call of Duty campaign.

What has reeled me in since that review is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer. I really only play Team Deathmatch and Domination, but I’ve had a blast with its slightly reworked gunplay. I do still have some problems with some of the maps and spawning. Specifically, St. Petrograd, Euphrates Bridge and Ramazza are such a dread to play in. But generally, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s multiplayer is the best the game has been since Advanced Warfare. Obviously, that is a personal opinion; please leave your “hOw cOUld yoU tHiNk CoD:AW iS gooD, bOotZ oN gRounD FTW!!!! #USUCK” comments below.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

6. Astral Chain

To be quite frank, I thought the Nintendo Switch’s slate of games in 2019 was weak, at least in comparison to the last two years. On a personal level, nothing really spoke to me. And the things that did, like Super Mario Maker 2, didn’t leave a lasting impression. Not that games like Luigi’s Mansion 3 or Fire Emblem: Three Houses are bad games; they just aren’t my jam. Despite that, one game that really stood out from the Switch’s exclusive lineup in 2019 is Platinum’s Astral Chain.

In some ways, I can see why someone wouldn’t like Astral Chain. There is definitely some clunkiness to its controls, as you have to simultaneously control the protagonist and a Legion, a living weapon that looks like something out of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Compared to other games by Platinum, like Bayonetta and Nier: Automata, the flow of combat isn’t as fluid.

However, if you can get past that clunkiness, you will find a very rewarding and synergistic combat system that is really a joy to experiment with. Once you’ve unlocked every Legion and weapon, there are so many combinations to choose from depending on what you are up against. You can upgrade your Legions with certain buffs or with its skill tree, which I found actually changed how I played the game. It really is an engaging combat system if you can get past that initial clunky hurdle.

Astral Chain also has a fairly compelling story that, at the very least, will draw you in from beginning to end. It’s not the Switch’s The Last of Us, but it’s a fun ride filled with satisfying, albeit predictable, outcomes. The Howard twins have a pretty wild adventure, and it’s one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Astral Chain.

5. Samurai Shodown

youtube

At PAX East 2019 I played Samurai Shodown for the first time, and I instantly saw its draw. It is such an approachable fighter, but has incredible amounts of depth. I feel like this description is apt for a lot of popular fighting games, but I think it is especially appropriate for SNK’s latest. Its slower pace, lack of crazy combos (i.e. Mortal Kombat and Killer Instinct), and simple button inputs make Samurai Shodown so easy to pick up. But knowing when to strike, reading your opponent, and timing those super special moves is when things get a bit more advanced.

While my time with Samurai Shodown has dwindled since it launched earlier this year, it is a standout fighting game that is wholly unique. It is truly unlike anything else in the genre, especially in the competitive scene; it brings some variety to the typical lineup we come to expect. Sure, it may not be as hype as Tekken 7, but you better believe your heart will be racing after every round in Samurai Shodown.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Samurai Shodown.

4. NHL 20

Every year, I latch onto one sports game. In recent years, it has been one of the many entries from the MLB The Show and WWE 2K franchises. But since I didn’t get The Show this year, and WWE 2K20 was kind of a disaster, it was NHL 20 that took up much of my gaming time in 2019. I should preface by saying that I played this game when I felt my gaming time was limited. Turns out, I always felt like my gaming time was limited. I’ve played hours of EA’s hockey simulator, and it never felt like wasted time.

NHL 20 doesn’t do anything too out of the ordinary. After all, professional hockey has been and always will be professional hockey. But it was a solid version of that professional hockey experience filled with great features that go slightly beyond the traditional three-period matchup, namely with its additions to its CHEL suite of modes. Yes, I did play the battle royale inspired Ones Eliminator, and a whole lot of it too.

It also just feels like the best iteration in terms of gameplay. It hardly deviates from previous entries, but its moment-to-moment gameplay just feels more fluid, which is all I can really ask for. Also, my dreams can become a reality by bringing my poor Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals, because that is certainly not happening this year.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for NHL 20.

3. Devil May Cry 5

I don’t have much to say about Devil May Cry 5, except Dante impersonating Michael Jackson may be the best moment in gaming in 2019…

On a real level, Devil May Cry 5 has such diverse combat between the three playable characters, Nero, V, and Dante. Every character is unique, with their own moveset, movement, and metal jam to kill demons to. Imagine murdering demons while riding a motorcycle to the sweet sounds of deathcore. That is Devil May Cry 5, and it’s awesome.

It is also a testament to the RE Engine. While it was initially created for Resident Evil VII: biohazard, it has been implemented in other Capcom projects, including Devil May Cry 5. It’s a great indicator that this engine can do more than produce beautifully rendered dark and dingy zombie houses, and weird hillbilly freaks. It can handle all the wild combat you expect from an action game with hardly any hitches.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Devil May Cry 5.

2. Judgment

Oh, what a brilliant adventure that Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio has created. Every single piece of content in Judgment is why I play video games. There are so few games that really grab my attention the way Takayuki Yagami’s wild ride did. And I mean that generally, not just in 2019. What I’m saying is Judgment is one of the best games of the generation, and everyone should play it.

There is just so much to do in Judgment‘s Kamurocho and every piece of it is worth experiencing. You can go to one part of the map and play Virtua Fighter 5, and then go to another part and stop a group of perverts from ruining someone’s life. It is just varying degrees of ridiculous, with each activity being different from the rest. Yet, it manages to stay true to itself. Everything fits into Judgment‘s wild mold of Kamurocho.

Of course, there is a main story that maintains the goofiness the majority of Judgment upholds, all while telling a genuinely intriguing crime thriller narrative. I was so enthralled with Yagami’s personal story of defeat and his uphill battle to redeem himself to no one but himself. Alongside the whole serial murder plot, and some of the later portions of the story, I was captivated from the very first minute, and could not put the controller down.

To close this off, I want to show you a scene that brings me so much joy. When I am in a bad place, I just watch this scene, and I know everything will be okay. If you know anything of my interests, I think you can guess which scene this is. Yes, it is Yagami kicking ass while pulling off gnarly tricks on a skateboard. He does a kickflip while kicking a dude in the face.

youtube

HE DOES A FREAKING KICKFLIP WHILE KICKING A DUDE IN THE FACE!

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Judgment.

1. Mortal Kombat 11

When I initially made this list, I was sure Judgment was going to be my number one. It has everything I want in a video game. A good story, great writing, a private detective kicking a dude in a face while doing a kickflip on a skateboard. But no game has taken over my life like Mortal Kombat 11 did in 2019.

I’ve been a fighting game fan since I played Street Fighter 2 for SNES. But I was never a proficient fighting game player. Sure, I could do some work as Green Lantern in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe or as Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, but I was never actually good. I just kind of pressed buttons and hoped things would work out.

That ended with Killer Instinct for Xbox One, when I actually decided to learn a character (in this case, Thunder) and try to actually play competitively. I wouldn’t say I was amazing, but I could pull off some gross combos if I was able to get that first hit in. Then Tekken 7 released in 2017 (which was also my number one game for that year), cementing the fighting game genre as my official personal favorite. Again, I was better than average with Hwoarang, but I wasn’t great. But that didn’t stop me from learning.

In a way, that beginning step of learning a fighting game’s mechanics and picking a “main” is something I look forward to. You bet when Granblue Fantasy: Versus and Guilty Gear: Strive release next year, I’ll be doing exactly that. Finding a character that perfectly flows with your play style is one of the most satisfying feelings you can ever have while playing a game, and fighting games are filled with those moments. Heck, even challenging yourself and trying to be proficient with a character that doesn’t flow with your playstyle is equally rewarding.

Which brings me to Mortal Kombat 11, a tour de force in the fighting game genre. Like any opinion on the internet, it’s subjective. I could see why someone would think Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Samurai Shodown, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, or any of the numerous fighting games out there is the best. But it is Mortal Kombat 11 that gets that title for me. I absolutely love this game.

It goes back to that idea of finding a character that suits your playstyle. In Mortal Kombat 11, Kabal is that character for me. But unlike Donatello, Thunder, and Green Lantern, the former Black Dragon member’s moveset just instantly clicked with me. Sure, I learned a few combos, but everything about the character just made sense to me. I haven’t felt that sort of connection to a game since the very first Rock Band came out, and I was able to play drums. But that was just because I play drums, so naturally, it was easy to familiarize myself with Rock Band drums.

That isn’t to say I didn’t get wrecked online. I have certainly been destroyed by better people, and I don’t believe I can go to a competition and do well. But this is the first time I thought that I was genuinely good at a fighting game; not just scraping by with a few combos. I actually understand the rules of this game, and I know how to use them to my advantage. It just depends if the other person knows those rules better than I do.

I guess the best way I can wrap this up is with a brief story of when I played a ranked match at DualShockers Managing Editor Logan Moore’s apartment. As usual, I played as Kabal and was fighting against either a Noob Saibot or Liu Kang player. Honestly, I don’t remember. All I remember is the character opposite of me was annoying as hell.

On the third and final match, I tilted a man into losing, and it was one of the greatest gaming moments of my life. Why? 1) I tilted a grown man. 2) I definitely should not have one that match. 3) Logan and I were howling at the TV because the match was so ridiculously close. There was so much excitement, anxiety, and happiness in just that one moment, and I can’t think of any other video game that has provoked such a response from me in 2019.

Check out DualShockers‘ review for Mortal Kombat 11.

Check out the rest of the DualShockers staff Top 10 lists and our official Game of the Year Awards:

December 23: DualShockers Game of the Year Awards 2019 December 25: Lou Contaldi, Editor-in-Chief // Logan Moore, Managing Editor December 26: Tomas Franzese, News Editor // Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor December 27: Mike Long, Community Manager // Scott White, Staff Writer December 28: Chris Compendio, Contributor // Mario Rivera, Video Manager // Kris Cornelisse, Staff Writer December 29: Scott Meaney, Community Director // Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer // Ben Bayliss, Senior Staff Writer December 30: Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer // David Gill, Senior Staff Writer // Portia Lightfoot, Contributor December 31: Iyane Agossah, Senior Staff Writer // Michael Ruiz, Senior Staff Writer // Rachael Fiddis, Contributor January 1: Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer // Tanner Pierce, Staff Writer

December 31, 2019 2:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-michaels-top-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-games-of-2019-michaels-top-10

0 notes