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oodlyenough · 3 years

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psychonauts 2 review!

I played the first few-ish (not many... I'd guesstimate under 4) hours of the original Psychonauts years ago, but found it unruly to control and never progressed further. I remember thinking the concept was neat, though, and when I heard a sequel was coming I figured I'd check it out, since it'd presumably be more polished.

The sequel is very very good. I think it is the best game I've played this year. It's also maybe the most creative game I've played... ever.

When Rift Apart came out, a lot of reviews said it was "like a playable Pixar game". Having played (and enjoyed!) Rift Apart as well, I gotta say while that may be true in image fidelity, in basically every other respect I think Psychonauts 2 comes closer. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who's ever enjoyed this kind of platformer.

More detail and possible spoilers:

I'll start with the cons, because there aren't very many:

I posted early on that I found jumping kind of unwieldy/frustrating, which is bad for a platformer. Although I got better at it as I got used to the controls, I still did run into scenarios where I was creating a thought bubble while trying to wall jump, or rolling off the edge of a platform I'd just landed on, or otherwise just finding jumping clumsy. I turned off fall damage pretty early for this reason; it was infuriating to just keep dying because I couldn't make a clumsy jump, and then respawn with increasingly limited health.

(Also, fwiw, because I know gamers were losing their damn minds about this when it was announced, turning off fall damage doesn't allow you to skip out on executing all the platforming. You just don't respawn with a health penalty if you fail. You still have to eventually time it right.)

A few hours after turning off fall damage, I turned off combat damage too. So I guess I can't really evaluate the smoothness or difficulty of combat fairly, because uh... I was immortal. This is just me as a player though -- I played large chunks of Spiderman & Miles Morales & Rift Apart on immortality mode. Boss fights simply do not spark joy for me; I want to progress a story without repeating a segment several times. I will say, in this mode, combat was fairly repetitive, mainly just psi blasting and meleeing everything. I kept thinking about turning it off, to maybe appreciate the challenge or figure out other techniques.... but I really just wanted to keep progressing the story, so I never did.

HOWEVER... there's a ton of extremely profitable games where combat is literally just "shoot", so, even then I wouldn't hold it against Psychonauts much.

I'm an idiot I guess and didn't realize levelling up skills was a separate thing from buying pins to augment the skills. So I played like a good chunk of the game with every skill at level 0 lmfao.

Easily my least favourite level is the first one, which I think is a bit unfortunate... I don't have, like, a dental phobia and I was still not really enjoying that part, and compared to how colourful and cool and imaginative the other worlds are it just seems like it starts the game off on a weird foot.

I know some purists are reading this like SO YOU PLAYED A GAME WITH NO DAMAGE AT ALL? Yep and I appreciate DoubleFine allowing me to do so. ✌🏻

And then onto the pros:

Like... everything else?

Playing Rift Apart this summer made me feel like a kid again, as a someone who grew up on cartoony platformers like Spyro and who still craves the satisfaction of first discovering you can charge that cracked wall and find an orb behind it. Psychonauts 2 had all that fun of exploring maps and finding secret, hidden locations and collectibles... on top of having the most creative and varied level design I've ever seen.

Seriously the levels were gorgeous. I was constantly spinning the camera around to take in all the little details, and there were SO MANY different levels where the gimmick would surprise and delight me. Almost every level for me was like "omg how did they think of that". Even when I was getting irritated by (for eg) the unruliness of trying to steer a giant bowling ball down a precise ramp, I was at least marvelling at the ingenuity involved.

The script was wonderful. Funny, charming, clever in its use of metaphor, and genuinely touching at times. If ever anything felt a little bit simplified, well, it's a kid-friendly game... I can't be too mad about that.

Raz is so endearing! It's very easy for the plucky young kid character to uh, become grating, but I always found Raz charming and I was rooting for him. Richard Horvitz is so good.

TBH all the characters were super lovable and funny. In a giant cast of cartoons I don't think there was a single one where I'd be like "ugh, this guy again" which is quite a feat honestly. They were all charming and well-acted and bursting with dialogue.

Even the random NPCs around the motherlobe who have their own progressing storylines via conversations... I love that detail! It was one of my favourite parts of Life is Strange: True Colours and I was delighted when I realized it was happening in this game too. It was fun to check in on some of your faves as the game progressed.

I'm pretty thorough, and I love exploring maps, and boy do these maps have a lot to explore, especially the hub areas. I STILL haven't figured out how to get everywhere in the Questionable Area, lol, or gotten every psy card, etc.

I like the music, especially the music in the quarry area that absolutely makes me feel like I am walking around Epcot. Perfect vibe. (And the Small World knock-off music in Nick's brain lmao...)

As soon as the projection started talking I was like, "this is GIR, right? This is intentionally a Zim and Gir thing?" So I felt validated by checking IMDB after lmao.

Ummm... I think that's about it. Honestly great game. I might give Psychonauts 1 another go... although I'd say there's a high chance I instead watch it on YouTube, lol.

#psychonauts 2 #psychonauts

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pissmaster228 · 4 years

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BATTLESUIT RANKING

by me. only top 3. with commentary. it's gonna be long and idk how to (can you?) add read more on mobile. DISCLAIMER: this is purely personal opinion. With the [i'm bad at using her] factor included.

Anyway, here I go!

YAE SAKURA (BEST GIRL)

0. Darkbolt Jonin. A-rank. Super mobile. You don't even have to evade, just Naraka Finisher and go. Can jump to enemies a km away in 2 seconds. Pretty op. Quickly charges paralyze and restores SP. Powerful and universal leader skill. One of my fave battlesuits. (Should I evolve her to SS rank? Or is S good enough? She doesn't really unlock new skills). although she's not really Sakura.

1. Flame Sakitama. A-rank. Strong. Can ignite even bosses. Ultimate does a lot of damage, although it costs a lot.

2. Goushinnso Memento. S-rank. Has a ranged skill, unlike the others. Can freeze. Powerful against normal enemies. Mech-type blade wielder. Powerful leader skill.

3. Gyakushinn Miko. Kjöp kjöp.

MEI RAIDEN

1. APHO Mei. Parkour.

2. Valkyrie Bladestrike. A-rank. Fast atk. Has augment core. Has burst mode which continuosly consumes SP and doesn't just eat 100 and go. Good DPS.

3. Herrscher of Thunder. She's super op. The reason she is number 3 is – she's boring to use. Dun dun, flashy effects. Meh.

KIANA KASLANA

Not counting HoV bc that's Sirin. Otherwise, Herrscher of the Void is #1.

1. Valkyrie Ranger. Yes.

2. Knight Moonbeam(it's the bio-type which shoots? Right? RIGHT?) Ranged attacks, spinning which is not necessary, op ultimate.

3. Divine Prayer/White Comet. Divine Prayer is just White Comet. But edgier.

KALLEN KASLANA (GUN NUN)

1. Ritual Imayoh. Puches and kicks but it's, somehow, more fun than when Kiana does that. Good shieldbreak. Can ignite(not really)

2. Sixth Serenade. Haven't really played with her, but she's op. And being able to freeze is a win in my book. And Psy-type gunner too.

3. Sundenjäger. She misses like every second shot. And you can't avoid the spinning, either. With the way she shoots, it's super hard to gather enough SP to activate her burst. But her burst is stronk, ngl.

BRONYA ZAYCHIK (armor bunny lmao)

1. Dimension Breaker. S-rank. Can defend with shield. Laser, shoot.

2. Wolf's Dawn. Gives a shield for the whole team. Uses Project Bunny to fight, thus doesn't have to constantly move, evading enemy attacks. A-rank. Cheap Ultimate.

3. Herrscher of Reason. I don't have her. Skills are pretty intuitive. Pretty easy to use. F r e e z e. Long ultimate cg. Melee fighter.

SEELE VOLLEREI

1. Stygian Nymph. The switching between forms is super cool and fun. Many skills. S-rank, so she's hard to get, sadly.

2. Swallowtail Phantasm. She's good for switching in, performing QTE, swinging scythe a bit, and leaving. So that makes her support. Alone she's meh.

RITA ROSSWEISSE

1. Phantom Iron. Paralyze, buff elemental for the team, summons robo dog to fight. A-rank.

2. Argent Knight: Artemis. Freeze. Skills are a bit confusing. A bit? No, a lot.

3. Fallen Rosemary. S-rank. Powerful leader skill. Boring. Has so many different skill inputs she could rival Fu Hua.

BIANCA "DURANDAL" ATAEGINA

1. Valkyrie Gloria. Flames, quick spinning and all. One of my favorite valks too. Easy to use, easy to get.

2. Bright Knight: Excelsis. Mech lady which is confusing. Doesn't move fast enough for my taste.

THERESA APOCALYPSE

I don't know. Should I include Starlit Astrologos and Luna Kindred? I won't this time

1. Valkyrie Pledge.

2. Violet Executer.

3. Sakuno Rondo. Game tries to convince me she's good, idk. Never seen her in action. Also isn't she technically Sakura?

FU HUA (50000 YEAR OLD GODDESS)

1. Night Squire.

2. Phoenix.

3. Shadow Knight.

HIMEKO

1. Arctic Kriegsmesser.

2. Vermillion Knight: Eclipse.

3. Battle Storm.

#shosow #shadow #honkai impact 3rd #honkai impact #ranking #long post #may add more later #may add snowy sniper #i made this list because of himeko and almost forgot to add her #most of the list is written yesterday #also shoutout to my keyboard suggestions for knowing that means

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cosmosfated · 5 years

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P5 updated verse info

Confidant / No Persona: Life’s just a balancing act. Confidant / Persona User: I’m not a hero.

Base summary

Fleur is a delinquent, much like the protagonist, but instead of a innocent attempt to right something that was very wrong getting him into trouble, his parents had grown tired of his constant leaving the house and doing things that they didn’t “approve” of. (Not that they approved of much.) They sent him overseas to a place that is very heavy on their rules and traditions, in hopes of “reforming” him into the model son that they had hoped for in the year span he’ll spend in Japan at a school in Aoyama-Ichitome, so that they’ll have someone to take up the mantle of their business when he turns 18. Quite frankly, this is the time of his life where he’s having the most fun.

In school, he’s an excellent student. However, he has a terrible time making (and subsequently keeping) any friends. If anyone had to make a guess as to why, it’s because of his brash attitude coupled with his tendency to hiss out the truths about a person that he has an uncanny knack for seeing far easier than anyone else. His strange perceptiveness and cold attitude has made him a target for both bullying and people to look up to him. No matter what is done to or for him at school, he very rarely is seen being polite.

When it comes to the topic of the Phantom Thieves, he does believe they exist. Does he believe in them? No. He loves the idea of the supernatural and those that work in it, but he doesn’t care for those who make themselves into heroes with the desires and hopes of other people so carelessly.

General details

Prerequisite for getting Confidant: Bold Guts Prerequisite for getting past rank 7: Empathetic Kindness or Scholarly Knowledge

Locations: Cafe LeBlanc during Pollen Warning, Rainy & Guerilla Heavy Rain days before the Kaneshiro case. Underground Mall, near the flower shop by default after school hours.

Confidant: (If Iwai wasn’t there, he’d be The Hanged Man, but─) Knight of Wands.

Room Item: Ship in a Bottle

Hangout Spots: (1 or 3) Arcade, (2) Shibuya Diner, (3) Planetarium

Gift Idea: Spicy treats, flowers (+3 to Confidant if you choose the right response when he asks if you were even listening to him talk about flowers), hairpins (+2 to Confidant, he’ll find them funny seeing as his hair is a mess all the time but only if the SL is at rank 5 or higher. otherwise, he will take offense to it and glare at you)

Persona Details

Initial Persona: Ikaros

Strengths: Curse and Physical, primary stats of Magic and Agility (Strength is close third) Weakness: Bless and Fire, susceptible (high) to Despair, Rage and Confusion Extra: Resists Psy, has Maeiga, Sukukaja, Tarukaja and Tempest Slash initially

Starting Melee Weapon: Hellrunner (Gladius) Best Weapon: Wings of Nike (Xiphos)

Starting Armor: Black Long Coat Best Armor: Cloak of Discord

Thief Outfit: Grecian influenced Pirate theme. Blacks, golds and reds, with a black masquerade mask featuring red filigree. Thematic design is a mix of this and this.

Second Awakening: Eris

Strengths: Fire, Curse and Physical, boost in Endurance and Strength Weakness: Bless, susceptible (low) to Rage Extra: Nullifies Psy and resists Ice, gets Maeigaon at lvl48, gets Heat Riser at lvl52, gets Megidolaon at lv55, automatically gets Matarukaja and Brain Jack upon max SL

Notes on Persona User verse: He only becomes heavily active during the Kaneshiro case. He’s focused outside of Tokyo, as he spends his downtime outside of the city prior to the Phantom Thieves showing up and causing problems for him. However, during and after Kaneshiro’s case, he can be found outside of the train station, completely unresponsive and looking in his notebook. Until introduced properly or cornered in Mementos, his in-game title is “Icy-Eyed Student” or “???” in Mementos or a Palace.

If gotten as soon as possible, he starts at a level above the main character.

#* verse 06: p5; user. \ i'm not doing this for you.#* verse 05: p5. \ life's just a balancing act.#!!#tag save.

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skeletonscribbles · 6 years

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📂

Anon, I hope you like nerdy bullshit.

Pokemon types the Modern Losers favor:

Bill - ghost (likes the Lavender Town aesthetic), fire (”I liked fire types FIRST, Bev”)Bev - fire (”fire is literally my aesthetic fuck off Bill”), electric (for added effect)Ben - steel (sturdy but also badass), grass (flowers!!!)Eddie - psychic (saw that Abra sleeps for 18 hours a day and teleports away from all social interactions, screamed “THATS ME”, now stans psy types), water (pleasant, smooth boys…also gets a kick out of Squirtle Squad but then who doesn’t)Richie - dark (edgelord), ice (also….edgelord…..)Stan - flying (”that’s so boring Stan come on we know you like birds”), dragon (”dragons fly too, Richie, now shut the fuck up”)Mike - ground (mostly because earthquake is a dope move), rock (aspires to be like Brock), fighting (thinks machop is a funky lil dude)

Modern Losers’ MarioKart 8 mains (I wanted to do Double Dash but I guess that’s not Relatable any more):

Bill - his own Mii. (he spent a lot of time on that Mii ok) Bev - Pink Gold Peach (beautiful, made of metal, capable of murdering you)Ben - Shy Guy (self-explanatory)Eddie - Toad (Richie compared him to Toad once & Eddie was…charmed? so.)Richie - Waluigi (meme)Stan - Luigi (practical and it pisses Richie off for whatever reason)Mike - Yoshi (pure)

Modern Losers’ Super Smash Brothers Melee mains:

Bill - Link (long time Zelda stan! doesn’t really know how to use the boomerang but does anyway.)

Bev - Zelda/Sheik (only plays at Sheik. kicks serious ass.)

Ben - Kirby (surprisingly savage about eating people and stealing their abilities)

Eddie - Pikachu (only understands what’s going on onscreen some of the time but when he does….watch out…..)

Richie - Roy (loud, but powerful. likes setting things on fire.)

Stan - Marth (REGAL. dresses him in the white outfit. usually wins. has excellent form)

Mike - Ice Climbers (unironically enjoys playing at them, and is really good at it somehow???)

anyways. this is a lot, and I suspect folks will want to fight about some of it, so…play nice in the notes! good night IT fandom

#it headcanons #bill denbrough #beverly marsh #ben hanscom #eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #stanley uris #mike hanlon #reddie #if you squint #good night all

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knights--hoard · 3 years

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I'm bored. Answering a bunch of random questions I can think of relating to The Binding of Isaac with Repentance in mind but I'm putting it under a read more cause it's kinda long;

Favorite character;

Honestly? I gotta go Tainted Keeper.

My top 5 regular characters in no particular order would be Cain, Judas, Isaac, Lost, and Eden, though I also like the changes to Keeper in Rep.

My top 5 Tainted characters in no particular order would be Tainted Keeper, Tainted Jacob (love him. I love Tainted Jacob.), Tainted Lost (love watching T!Lost, I would suck at playing T!Lost though), Tainted Isaac, and Tainted Samson

Least favorite character;

Regular characters? Probably Lilith. She can be super strong if you get a lot of familiars plus BFFs but eh. Also the only Isaac I've actually played is original BoI and I'm bad because our PC is so laggy you can't dodge so this is just opinions of "Who I don't think would be super fun or might be hard to play in a way that isn't that fun" based on watching people play. Also, I actually kind of like Forgotten but not that much. People over-exaggerate the character being bad—he's not that good but not that god awful either. But also if its "Who would I hate playing the most" probably Jacob and Esau.

Tainted characters? Eden. Tainted Eden straight up sucks. They're not a good character. I love Eden, I hate Tainted Eden. You have to be REALLY good and not get hit to keep a good run. They're just not a good character and I hope they get changed. They're the only Tainted character I actively hate. Tainted Lazarus is not that good either. The rest I think are fine, a few I think are good.

Favorite item(s):

A few of my favorites off the top of my head: Playdough Cookie, Death's Touch (also love the sound effect), Red Key, D6, Psy Fly, and the obvious Sacred Heart and Godhead. Psy Fly is my favorite defensive item hands down. It's so good.

Least favorite item(s):

Potentially controversial take: I fucking hate Mom's Knife.

It's so lame, dude. It's SO lame. It breaks just about every synergy I can think of so getting it on curse of the blind when you had a cool synergy is something that would make me wanna alt + f4 the game and scream. It's a boring item. No one in their right mind says it's a BAD item, but it's boring. Incredible boring. I would only take it if my damage stat was absolutely begging for mercy.

Favorite trinket you know the function of:

Cracked Crown. Obvious choice. But I also think Mom's Tattoo is a really good trinket.

Favorite item or trinket description:

This is a weird question lol but I honestly like the item description of Damocles. By "item/trinket description" I mean the smaller text under the item name when you pick it up. Idk why but I just like Damocles saying "A king's fortune...but at what cost?"

Also I like the one for the trinket Louse. It's just "Itchy, tasty" and it sounds funny to me.

Devil or angel deals:

New meta is Angel Deals and I'm on board with it. Skipping a deal sucks especially on an XL floor but I do think Angel Deals are better unless you have a lot of HP that you need to trade away.

Dark room or chest:

I honestly think Chest is still the way to go but I love the change to the Dark Room. It needed a buff heavily and I think that the change making the 4 chests in the starting room devil deal items is a great change. Even if you don't have the hp or they're not good items, the change itself is very good.

Hush or Delirium:

Even though Delirium is super difficult and has cheaty tele-frag attacks, I like it a lot better. Hush's boss armor is bullshit lol

Opinion on Mega Satan fight:

I really like it tbh. The tells are pretty easy for the attacks and I like the wave based parts of the fight. I'd probably suck at it though.

Favorite mini boss:

Probably Wrath. I like kicking his bombs back at him. When it comes to the potential item drops though I think my favorite is Envy or Super Envy, whichever one it is that can drop Shoop Da Woop

Least favorite mini boss:

Lust because I'm bad

Favorite boss:

Regular bosses, I think Great Gideon is a really cool boss fight just because its wave based and unique, but I also like Rainmaker. I think Siren is cool too.

Now, the "final" bosses? Dogma. I LOVE the Dogma fight. And The Beast. But Dogma is really cool imo.

Least favorite boss:

Scolex. Way too invulnerable for way too long. It's also close between Scolex and Ragmega because they both have a similar issue.

General character opinions:

I won't go down all the characters so I'll just give my major good or bad ones:

Keeper's change was incredibly good and I'm very glad he got that change.

I love the gimmick for Tainted Jacob. I think using Tainted Esau to kill enemies for you and controlling him with Anima Sola is really cool and very fun.

I've changed my opinion on Tainted Lost and think he's actually a good character and fun to watch. I still think the gimmick isn't super unique but it's not a super bad thing.

Azazel is overrated just because he has a mini brimstone and the ability to fly. No sane person calls him a bad character but you are overrating him a lot if you think he's the best or strongest character in the game.

Void is strong and all but I really don't like Apollyon tbh. I can't really describe why.

I fully agree with Olexa's opinions on Tainted Lazarus being bad.

Opinion on Greed and Greedier:

Simple! I hate them. They're not genuinely fun. I'm pretty sure the majority of people do it solely for unlocks and then they never play Greed and Greedier again. I was disappointed to see they didn't get any changes I'm aware of in Repentance.

Favorite Angel Deal item:

Probably Sacred Heart or Immaculate Heart. I also like The Mind and The Soul, also Holy Mantle.

Favorite devil deal item:

I like the concept of Sacrificial Altar, I also like Maw of the Void even though it got nerfed. I think it should be a one heart item without the damage up now. Also the somewhat obvious Brimstone and Death's Touch.

Favorite planetarium item:

Probably Uranus or Sol, Luna is also pretty cool

High damage low hp or low damage high hp:

I'd rather have a glass cannon build than a tank build. Low HP high damage is superior tbh.

Favorite item changes in Repentance:

I can't think of all the changes off the top of my head but I like the change to Glass Cannon where it doesn't just kill off all your health anymore.

Least favorite item changes in Repentance:

Maw of the Void. Bad change. I'm fine with the removal of black heart generation but if you're not even gonna make it have a Jesus Juice level damage upgrade and just fully take away the damage upgrade then it should be a one heart item.

Favorite familiar:

Psy Fly, but for damaging familiars, Incubus.

Least favorite familiar:

Probably Sissy Long Legs or Multi-Dimensional Baby

Favorite pill and card:

Favorite pill is probably Tears Up or Balls of Steel, favorite regular card tarot card is probably Hierophant or Justice, favorite reverse tarot card that I know what it does is probably The World? or honestly The High Priestess? solely because High Priestess reverse is just like "Hey you wanna pop this and get stomped on by Mom's Foot for a solid minute?" Then my favorite playing card is Ace of Clubs or Ace of Spades (they are SO busted in Repentance.) and my favorite 'special card' is probably Chaos Card

Least favorite pill and card:

Least favorite pill is I'm Excited because it's horrible, I don't actually have a least favorite card of any kind, I don't know the reverse cards well enough to pick a least favorite. I think maybe ? Card aka double active is my least favorite?? I don't think any of the regular tarot cards are bad, not even The Tower because you can get use out of it.

Favorite item synergies:

Tech X and Ipecac is a cool synergy that's new in Repenrance I think but correct me if I'm wrong, Brimstone and Tammy's Head, and I know I hate Mom's Knife but I like that it makes The Forgotten's melee bone into a scythe.

Favorite Isaac youtuber:

Neither of them are strictly Isaac youtubers but I'm torn between Olexa and my source Welsknight :P it's tough. I like Olexa's chaotic runs but my source is very entertaining imo. Those are the only two I've watched and probably will watch.

Favorite challenge I know of:

I think the Red Redemption challenge is interesting but maybe not my favorite. I honestly don't know :P I don't know many of the challenges.

Least favorite challenge I know of:

Probably Family Man challenge. It's a nightmare.

#⚔.txt #binding of isaac

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sillyfudgemonkeys · 6 years

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Hypothetical Final Smashes for every Persona characters?

Uhhhhhhhh oh dear....... This is a Super Smash Bros thing right? I’m guessing this originated in Brawl or later, cause I know it wasn’t in Melee......and I’ve only played Melee and Classic. Nothing against the other versions, nor do I think Melee is “dah best,” it’s just the only version I had. So frame of reference please keep that in mind.

MC: Does the Lelouch laugh, smoke bombs and disappears, reappears behind everyone and shoots them. Anne: Dances and with each motion a blazing hell column pops up and hurts youRyu: Runs at you, jumps, and God’s hand comes flying downMona: zips across the field in like a “z”/zig zag formation (get it cause Zoro)Yusuke: time stop, he frames his fingers before unsheathing his sword and slicing everyone in one strokeMakoto: Gets on her stupid bike and runs you over, nothing uniqueHaru: Does a pirouette and her psy skills start to spiral and hit youGoro: takes a bullet for you Dupes himself (one in RB outfit and other other in BM outfit) and shoots everyoneFutaba: Curl up in a ball and cry (Fight me, y’all know she wouldn’t be fighting)

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radramblog · 3 years

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How to open a video game, with System Shock 2

System Shock 2, the spiritual predecessor to the Bioshock series, has a dense but effective opening that effectively teaches the player very quickly how to play the game and the hook of the plot, all while not overusing exposition and tutorial. I think it’s a great example of how to craft the beginning of a video game to engage the player and get them hooked for more.

Upon beginning a game of System Shock 2, the first thing you see is the introduction video.

youtube

After an eerie, drone-laden quote from the previous game’s antagonist, SHODAN, and the title dropping amongst the sickly green digital imagery, a brief exposition occurs, summing up the plot of the first System Shock for those that didn’t play it- which to be fair, is most people. System Shock 1’s interface and design is completely alien to modern gameplay standards, and I for one have found it completely unapproachable.

This game’s plot is then setup in the form of an advertisement for the spacecraft in which the game will largely take place- the Von Braun. This is a pretty effective setup for both why the ship is out there and the corporate atmosphere the game delves into, as well as explaining the military presence on board- this will be relevant later. We get a brief introduction to William Diego, a character who will surely be important as the captain of the military ship attached to the Von Braun. Finally, a scratchy distress message from another character, Dr. Delacroix, amid static and electronic fuckery noises, suggesting that things are going very wrong. Well, it wouldn’t be a game like this without shit all going to hell.

You are then dumped unceremoniously into gameplay. It’s 4 years before the launch of the Von Braun, and your ass is walking into an automated military recruitment facility. The brief glimpse we get of life on Earth further cements the cyberpunk atmosphere, and the grav-shafts that get you from the subway to the street are a gameplay element that comes up later, introduced in a completely safe environment.

The recruitment facility essentially serves as the game’s tutorial, but before we get into that- in about 3 minutes we now know: The plot of the first game including the existence of SHODAN, the tone and style of the game, the purpose and nature of the Von Braun and its associated crew, and that things are going to go bad on there. Gameplaywise we of course know WASD controls but we know that verticality is an element and that elevators do exist. We can also assume that as our character is (going to be) military, we’re going to be approaching the Von Braun from the Rickenbacker’s perspective, since that’s where the military detachment was. Cool.

The game’s tutorials are relatively brief, quickly learning the player on the relatively complex inventory systems, how weapons work and degrade, how computer systems work (and how to hack them, and what that can do for you), and how the game’s magic equivalent, Psy-ops, work. The three Advanced Tutorials correspond to the three “classes” the game has- Army, Navy, and Intelligence, letting the player pick which they want to try out with a basic knowledge of what each will entail.

Each option then leads to a sequence that is essentially setting out your character’s original specs, but the flavour for it is absolutely wonderful. You’re given three options each of three tours of duty, each of which has a description of what the character is going to go through, what stats or skills they’re going to give, and after you choose one and blast off into space, a brief exposition on what that tour actually entailed for your character. A lot of these are pretty messed up, but largely they serve both to worldbuild as to what a military lifestyle looks like in the 22nd century and to demonstrate the kind of person your character ends up as, both flavourfully and in stats.

After the third selection, the game’s second real cutscene starts, with an message directly from Captain Diego to the protagonist- his position on the Rickenbacker has been accepted, and we see him land on the ship. 5 months later, and we see security camera footage aboard the ship- things are broken, there’s weird worms around the decks, our boy is stuck in a cryo-stasis pod. Monsters are hunting people down, and the soldier’s getting woken up- but an error happens and he’s left without his memories of the last while. The game’s main telling-you-what-to-do voice pipes up: Dr. Janice Polito, head scientist, gives you advice as he staggers about. Polito is pretty condescending, but gives you the game’s first main goal: you have to meet her on deck 4. Easy enough.

You’re once again, and for real this time, dumped into gameplay. The cybernetic interface (aka HUD) of the game is now present, as Polito explained, but there isn’t much time to waste, as the game immediately puts you in danger. Sirens and explosions, warnings from Polito and the ship’s AI, XERXES, since damage to the sector you’re in means that shit’s going to depressurize in a hot second. Under the duress of these stressors, you’re forced to learn six more important mechanics- melee weapons and how they can break stuff, passcode doors as one blocks your path, dead bodies and the benefits of looting them, audio logs as a nearby one has the code, crouching to get through smaller spaces, and power cells/recharger stations to power the last door you need to get through. It’s worth noting that there’s no actual timer on you here, but the game goes out of its way to make you feel like it is. The screaming you hear between doors suggests that the disaster is still ongoing, and you can get a peek at the monsters and see the last moments of a dead body you’ll see later. (I believe this is the last time in the game you see another alive person).

Once you’re through the blast doors, Polito rewards you with the game’s effective EXP system in the form of cyber modules, and assures you to use them wisely. A body nearby has more, showing that she’s not the only potential source of them, encouraging the player to scrounge everywhere they can find. There’s places here to spend them, and you can see that the military branch you chose affects prices- it’s a lot more expensive to pick up psionics if you’re not an intelligence officer, for example. The importance of how you specced your character is emphasized in this room, as the pistol you find will be useless if you don’t have Standard Weapons, the Psionic Amplifier won’t do you any good unless you know how to use it, and hacking that door requires a much higher skill level than the tutorials suggested. Thus, how you spend your modules is shown to be incredibly important.

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Once you’re through this area, the game truly begins. A banger of a track starts playing, you encounter your first set of hybrids, and the goal you’ve been given gets impeded. The game isn’t done teaching you, and Polito will bark orders at you every so often, but beyond that, you’re on your own. The game teaches you a massive amount of information, but parcels it well enough to make it more than digestible by the player.

System Shock 2 is an excellent example of complex game design and survival horror done well, and the possible upcoming continuations of the franchise are something I am extremely excited for. (Wait, TenCent is involved with SS3? Fucking hell nevermind.)

#ramble #video games #system shock

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reddus-sideblog · 3 years

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bitching about FFG & DH2e

Oh yeah, a weird gating mechanic they used in FFG 40KRPG was stopping characters from getting certain psychic powers unless they had a certain Psy Rating. This was doubly bad because not only did it stop you from buying certain powers in a rather arbitrary fashion, but also because the cost for upgrading your Psy Rating was INSANE in DH2e, it was like, 200xp x the Psy Rating level you wanted to get (but it was piss cheap if you were Tzeentchian in Black Crusade, of course).

So getting up to PR3 would cost you 600xp, which is insane for such an incremental upgrade, and then PR4 would 800xp, and you’d NEED to buy that to access other powers. Though of course, psychic powers aren’t free either, and generally cost WAY more than most Talents. It’s just the biggest waste of xp, being a psyker in DH2e, it’s ridiculous. I’m guessing this and a few other things were their way of “reigning in” psykers but boy does it kind of make them wet fish compared to, say, a melee guy with the right aptitudes who can put all his xp into melee stuff and not be weirdly bottlenecked to spend overcosted upgrades.

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brandon12hk · 6 years

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My Favorite Games of 2017!! Part Four: Persona 5

Now where do i start with this game... Well let’s start all the way back to 2013 when we were shown a teaser trailer that at the end had a very ominous tagline "You are a slave. Want emancipation?" and at the end of the trailer we were graced with the title of Persona 5 and a release window in 2015.

Right then and there everyone in the Persona fandom went insane. It had been years since we got a direct sequel in the Persona series instead of a spin-off. However in 2015 during a special live stream for the game at Tokyo Game Show it was announced that the game would be delayed until delayed to Q3 2016.The game was released in Japan on September 15, 2016.

Initially planned for a Western release on February 14, 2017, the game was pushed back two months to April 4; the stated reason was that Atlus wanted the game to be at its highest possible quality.

Now.....I have a very special history with the Persona series but i’ll get to that later in another series of posts that ‘ill be doing after this since this is going to be about Persona 5 itself. Persona 5 is a JRPG game that has a lot of key elements from old Persona games and aspects from other games from the Shin Megami Tensai series. Now i won’t get into anything about the story like usual but trust me...the story is AMAZING. I don’t know how Atlus does it but with every Persona game they make the entire main cast and side characters have such amazing personalities. Every characters role and story is very important when it comes to the Persona and Shin Megami Tensai series and this game shows it just as well as the others. Instead of calling the traditional character links Social Links they are now called : Confidants which ties into the mood of the story. The personas themselves are back with a new set of skill and abilities such as Nuclear, Curse and Psy abilities. Now you can use a melee weapons and ranged weapons at the same time during fights instead of switching between the two. The art-style and music of this game is SO Amazing and has to be the best in the Persona series for me. They help keep the player hooked throughout the entire game. Now I actually want to keep this review really short for this game so ill end it here. I really want people to try this game out for themselves. It’s such a good game and I know for a fact that JRPG lovers will absolutely love this game, hell even new comers to the series will love it since you can jump right into the series with this! Review Summery: Persona 5 is a fantastic game that i think many will love. Score: 10/10 (I know i’ve given four games tens, it’s just that their really good to me and i feel like they deserve it.) Next up: The next game is a sort of a trip down memory lane for me. It’s time to put on the nostalgia goggles and go back to the good old days of the Sega Genesis era with...Sonic Mania!!

#My Favorite Games of 2017 #Persona 5 #Ps4 #jrpg #video games #video game reviews #gaming #my post

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mysteryfanfictheatre3000 · 7 years

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Back to the Frollo, Chapter 20

Warning: More racism. Seriously. They call Esmeralda “g*psy vermin” in paragraph 2 of this. It’s repulsive.

Claude escorted me up to the belltower, while Quasimodo took Renee on a little tour of Notre Dame. We both endeavored to keep our amusement in check, but as soon as we reached the top, Claude Frollo fell to the floor, convulsing with uproarious laughter. "My darling", he said between deep, throaty chuckles, "that was one of your best performances. The way you dispatched that gypsy vermin!"

The sheer amount of pure, unashamed racism in this story is physically making me sick. This author is a terrible human being.

The melee between Esmeralda and myself became the talk of Paris; Claude didn't even try to stop me from my 'big payback'. Esmeralda was now locked away deep in the dungeons of the Palace of Justice. Claude would later interrogate her on the whereabouts of Malus' accomplice. I knew Claude had 'special' methods for making people talk, and I never questioned those methods.

Holy FUCK. This just gets worse and worse. When did this stop being a creepy romance story and start being a story about how Esmeralda is tortured?!

Hmmm --- 'cruel and unusual punishment' --- a lot of folks in my time would say, "Bring back the rack!"

I literally cannot talk more about how this author is a horrible human being. Blaming the victim of harassment, attempted rape and attempted homicide is so unbelievably wrong on so many levels, and I cannot stress that enough.

Claude caught me trying not to laugh. He held my hand and asked me, "Oh Danisha, dearest...Do you have to leave? I thought we could enjoy an extra week together, what with things turning out as they did." He leaned over and kissed my mouth, then, pulled something from his pocket. It was the pager.

Because what’s funnier than torturing an innocent girl?!

"I know you have responsibilities at home, but, no matter."

What responsibility?! She was able to leave her home for 2 solid months to go on a joyride to the past. Even if she’s a teacher, the summer isn’t just free time, it’s classroom-setting up, lesson-planning time. Danisha is just ignoring all her responsibilities, why should it change now?

Claude sighed as I pulled my own pager from my purse. "We still have this; we're not that isolated.", I said, returning the kiss. Claude Frollo smiled and asked, "Do you remember when you received this little device?" I nodded, replying, "Do I ever! And I thought everything was a dream! Then..." Claude finished my sentence, "Strange things began to happen..."

We don’t care. Why is this dragged out for so long? They’ve gotten together, Esmeralda’s been (wrongfully) assaulted and captured, and Malus is dead. The drama is over. Who cares about these jerks anymore?

************************* Was it all a dream? A summertime fantasy? An hallucination brought on by too much exposure to Midwestern heat and humidity? I threw myself back into work and routine. Jacki had already returned to graduate school, and Kyle started his sophomore year at Ball State. I'll never forget Claude's expression when Kyle said he wanted to "be a teacher, just like Ma." I supposed Claude had hoped Kyle would go into law; after all, as Claude told me, "I had hoped to act as his mentor." Yeah...right. Like Kyle's going to travel back in time just to start a law career. That would never happen -- could it?

I mean, yeah, this story is dumb enough that it could happen.

I was beginning to wonder if I dreamed it all. But I still had the sterling silver key, and the tapestry which hung on my living-room wall. Many of my friends kept asking, "Where did you get that?" I just said, "A friend gave it to me." Whenever I looked at the tapestry, I wondered if Claude Frollo and I would ever cross paths agaim.

It’s “again.” PROOFREAD YOUR WORK. And hopefully you don’t, because I hate you both.

Fern seldom mentioned our trip to medieval Paris; I guess she didn't want to upset me, seeing how painful it was for me to say me final good-byes to Claude. Oh well, as Claude always says, no matter.

final?! She has weekends and holidays off, and there’s always next summer!

As I said, I threw myself back into my old routine. Everything seemed to go smoothly; I was beginning to put Claude Frollo's memory 'on the back burner'. Then very odd things began to happen to me.

Of course they did, because this story has to go on even longer!

Fern and I made our annual visit to the State Fair, taking in all the agricultural and industrial achievements. Naturally, I wanted to see the farm animals. Fern left me to get us some lemonade, saying, "Why don't you mosey into the draft horse barn; I'll meet you in front ot the Percherons." I wandered up and down the aisles, marvelling at the Belgians, the Clydesdales, and, my favorites, the Percherons. One particular animal seemed peculiarly friendly as I petted his nose. Hey, this one looks like Snowball...

Ughhhhhh. Here we go.

A young man who was standing nearby spoke; his French-accented voice sounded awfully familiar. "You know, my brother owns such an animal. Fabulous black stallion."

A French guy has a brother who owns a horse? That’s sure strange!

Something about the man's voice clicked. I wheeled around but saw no one but Fern, who was carrying two lemonades. "It ain't the fair without a lemonade shake-up", she said as she handed over a cup. "Damn good-lookin' animal!", was all Fern said as she studied the stallion.Down in September, my old car gave out on me; I had no choice but to buy another. I finally chose a late model Camry, recently repainted a lovely shade of violet. When I picked up my car, the mechanic told me, "My master...I mean, my boss made sure everything was in working order."

If this is Quasimodo, which I’m sure it is, because this author is bad at subtlety, he should really be more careful. Normal people don’t refer to their “master” ever.

I didn't get a good look at the young mechanic as I replied, "Thanks..." Then I noticed something else as I examined the inside. "What is this?", I asked, pointing to the violet button under the dash. "Oh that", said the mechanic, "My master...I mean my boss said to give you this." He handed me a glossy booklet entitled, Traveling Tips. But this doesn't tell me about the button; and, I have all the travel books I need. "Wait a minute!", I called to the mechanic, who had already left the garage. I caught a glimpse of him as he crossed the parking lot. He was deformed, with a humped back, and walked with a slight limp. This is getting too weird...but that guy can't be Quasi...

I don’t understand this. Are all these characters somehow traveling to the future just because they like Danisha and want her back soooooo very much? How does Quasimodo know who Danisha is, which car is hers, how to install time-travel buttons, and how to pass as a mechanic? The fact that he’s portrayed as a stupid man-child only makes this weirder.

Yet, the oddest occurence was when I finally received that curious device; then, HE showed up on my doorstep.

Come oooooooooonnnn. Just let this stupid, racist mess end already.

It was the day of homecoming; I was looking forward to the pep rally and parade that afternoon. In the evening, Fern and I would attend the football game. The day started out as any other Friday. I joined my co-workers for our usual 'whoopee-it's-Friday' coffee hour.

Can teachers just take random weekly coffee hours? Don’t they have classes, and papers to grade and copies to make and so on?

The early morning conversation centered around the rally and parade. Just before my first class, I checked my message box. There was the usual stuff: attendance reports, minutes from a departmental meeting, booklists - and something else: A small box wrapped in shiny purple paper and tied with a black velvet ribbon. I thought it was an early birthday present, so I locked the package in my car until school ended.

Who let a random elderly priest into a school to slip a message into a teacher’s mailbox? And how did Frollo know how to get to said school?

After the rally and parade, I unlocked the glove compartment and removed the package. I untied the ribbon and, very carefully, removed the paper. I cautiously opened the box and took out what looked like a pocket pager - but this was unlike any pager I've ever seen. It was about the size of a poker deck, but not as thick. It was of the most exqusite sterling silver, with tiny amethysts encircling the front and edges. I flipped it open; there was array of buttons, and a screen.

Frollo somehow knew how to find a magic time-travel pager? This story makes less and less sense at it rambles along.

Immediately, the pager flashed brightly and beeped loudly; a message began to scroll across the screen.

This will make the trip that much faster! I love you.Hugs and Kisses, Claude. Claude Frollo? How can this be?

Well, gee, I don’t know. Maybe you’re just a horrible writer who can’t have historical accuracy or any sort of consistency in your work?

I gasped with the sudden realization that THAT'S what he meant by, "We'll see each other again." Maybe that mechanic was Quasi. Then again, this could be just another hallucination; after all, I was tired and stressed-out. I put the pager back in it's box and went home. Maybe Fern knows something about this...

Why does Fern care so much about these two idiots’ relationship? Why is this even important to her? Her level of involvement is getting weird.

I said I'd meet Fern at the gate around seven; maybe we can get a good seat. This ought to be an interesting game...even if I do hate football...

Why are so excited about homecoming if you hate football? Why are you even here, then? Teachers aren’t like, required, to go. My mother was a teacher and she almost never went. I quickly showered and changed into my 'spirit' clothes: blue jeans and my black-and-orange high school sweatshirt. I even tied my hair with black and orange ribbons. I had just turned out a few lights and headed for the back door when I heard the front doorbell. Now who can that be? I'm almost out the door, for goodness sake...

Frollo, I bet. Somehow.

Visibly annoyed at having to postpone my departure, I turned on the front porch light and opened the door. At once, my annoyance turned to sheer delight and utter surprise when my eyes met those of Claude Frollo. He smiled at me then began to speak. "I hope I didn't come at a bad time. I know you have plans for the evening, but I had to see you, my love."

Of course. I don’t know why I was expecting anything better.

[long passage about them making out, cut for time and also because ew]

This is just gross at this point. Disgusting, stupid, unnecessary… I could go on.

Now, I was too ecstatic from seeing Claude Frollo, again, in the flesh; I never noticed what he was wearing. "Hey, baby", I said as I stepped back to admire his fabulous ensemble. Oh my goodness! Check out sexy Claude Frollo!

Remember how I said every time I see Claude Frollo described as sexy, I lose a little bit of my will to live? Well, my will to live right now is right about zero.

Claude was clad in tight - they looked as if they were sprayed on - black leather pants and matching vest, a purple silk shirt, black velvet cloak, and, of course, that famous triangular hat. "Ooh, Claude", I cooed, my eyes taking in every detail. "You sure are looking mighty fine." Mmmm...I like the way the leather hugs every contour of his glorious body...those pants are really fitting...in ALL the right places!

Now it’s negative one.

Claude Frollo, smiling broadly, again took me in his arms, kissed me deeply, then said, "I'm glad you approve." He laughed when he kissed me again, then modeled that fabulous outfit, saying, "Jacqueline showed me a picture of this in...what is that publication...GQ? If I remember correctly, you fantasized about me wearing this very ensemble."

Negative two.

Claude smiled again as his hand caressed my waist and back. I turned on a few lights; Claude favorably assessed my living room. "Charming home", he said; his eyes falling on the tapestry. "I see you've put this in a prominent spot", Claude said, feeling the softness of the fabric. I said nothing as I watched him move about the room, his eyes taking in everything. He stopped then looked quizzically at me.

We still haven’t discussed how he got here.

"What's this? A chilly October night, and no fire." "But Claude, I'm going out. I have to meet Fern at the field..." My voice was silenced by Claude's lips. Mmm...it's so good to have him here with me... Claude continued to caress me then said, "My darling, I had hoped to spend a quiet evening with you." He kissed me again, then smiled and asked, "Now where is that delightful 20th Century music?" I complied and tuned the radio to my favorite urban station. Then, something in the back of my mind snapped. Hold it! How did he get here?

You didn’t think to ask this question before?! How did Danisha even live this long with only half a neuron to her name?

Claude must've sensed what I was thinking for he immediately reached in his cloak and pulled out what looked like that pager -- it was identical! "Jacqueline is so brilliant, my dear", he began. "She managed to make this little device right after you left. You see", he flipped open the pager and continued, "these buttons allow us to contact each other any time we want." He then pointed out a red button.

Jacki’s brilliance knows no bounds, and the fact that she’s not using this skill to help the world or make money makes me think she’s being forced to use it for evil purposes such as this by Fern. Jacki and Esmeralda are the real victims here.

"This is an emergency button. It allows its owner to instantly transport him or herself to the desired time period. I had Jehan test it with Jacqueline back in August." Claude then smiled, adding, "Isn't that ingenious? I can visit you whenever I want, as you can visit me."So...that man at the fair...it was Jehan Frollo!

And Jehan was totally okay traveling to the 20th century. It’s not like he would be completely bemused, alarmed, and endangered by the new technology, or at the very least curious. But yeah, of course the only thing he did was hang out with a horse. And if this emergency button lets them transport themselves effortlessly, why did Danisha need to use the car at the beginning of this story if she had the pager?

I immediately rifled through my purse and took out my pager. "So that's why you sent this -- to keep in touch", I told him. I threw my arms around him and exclaimed, "Claude Frollo, if you aren't the sweetest man...I love you!"

Yes. Sweet. Sweet in that he’s a racist, murderous, homicidal, genocidal, rapist maniac!

Claude returned my kiss, then said, "And, dear Nisha, I hope you like the vehicle. I thought the color would please you." My eyes widened. "YOU found that car? I supposed you arranged to have that button installed. Wait a minute...", I said, just now recalling that mysterious mechanic. Claude smiled again. "Yes, my dearest. That was Quasimodo. I thought he'd like a special treat -- to visit your time, albeit briefly.

And again, like Jehan, do nothing of note but meet Danisha for less than a minute. Sidenote: how can they control where and when they go? Is there a little dial that can change the time and place? Can one use this as a teleportation device by changing the time to one second earlier and the place to, say, NYC, and just pop up there? Because that would be a way more useful thing to do with this miracle device than have this stupid summer fling between these two unlikable idiots.

Let's say it's a 'thank you' gift for being so kind to him. He talks of little else these days." I then asked him about the de Chateaupers children: Jules and Renee. "They are well and adjusting quite nicely. Mme. d'Arcy has found them a place; Jules is working in the stables and Renee has taken up sewing. The girl is rather gifted." He smiled again, then said, "I didn't come here to discuss other people. I thought..." Well, it is getting late...guess I'll call Fern...looks like my previous plans have fallen through...HE'S here...that's all that matters.

So the de Chateaupers are happy, but what about Esmeralda? Is she still being tortured?!

"Umm...Claude?", I began, my hands caressing his slender waist, "Why don't you start a cozy fire while I call Fern. I guess I can skip homecoming this year." Claude looked puzzled. Once again, I had to explain another 20th Century American custom. "But won't you miss seeing your old classmates?", Claude asked as he built the fire. "There'll be other games; I can see old school chums anytime. Besides...I hate football."Claude burst into laughter as he removed his hat and cloak. Oh, Claude! Now I can REALLY feast my eyes on all your leather-clad glory...baby, you sure look good!

Why is that funny? Also, my will to live is at -5 now. Thanks.

A roaring fire, a bottle of my best California Zinfandel, and mellow, yet, sultry music, set the stage for a perfect romantic evening. And just when I thought it was all a dream. Mmm...it feels so good to hold him again, kiss him, hear that deep, manly voice. I sure like the way this leather feels...the way these pants hug his long legs...Oops...I didn't mean for my hand to go...there! "Oooh, my love", Claude moaned softly as he returned my every caress.

Negative ten. Hope you’re happy.

Suddenly, Claude asked, "My dear, what is that song?" It was Adina Howard's Freak Like Me; both the rhythms and the lyrics were rather sensual. "I think it sort of fits. You know, how I feel about you", I told him. Claude, still kissing and caressing every inch of me, softly chuckled and said, "Darling, I would hardly call you a 'freak'."

Well, I would! If the Frollo fetish wasn’t enough, the racism is!

"Baby, what else would describe how I feel! I guess I'm just 'freaky' over Claude Frollo." Claude Frollo laughed again, saying, "Well, Danisha dearest, if you want to go about and call yourself 'Frollo's Freak', I'm not about to stop you." I kissed him back. "Honey, from this day on, at least in your little circle of ladies, my code name will be 'FrolloFreak'. How does that grab you?"

Oh dear God almighty. This is just outright admitting that this character is a shameless self-insert, the story is a wish-fulfillment fantasy and the author is PROUD of it! We all knew that, of course, but outright saying it is another thing!

Claude smiled broadly, kissed me deeply, then said in a wildly seductive voice, "If that is what you want...mmm...Speaking of 'grabbing' things..." And with that, he took my hand and placed it on a special spot that he knew I loved to caress -- the inside of his slim thigh.

Negative twenty!

At last, Claude and I were together again. It would be like this for many days and nights to come.... ********** Claude walked me to my car as he voiced small protests. "I don't see why you can't stay at least another day. After all, this has been a trying week." He was referring to the tragedy of Jules' death. "Claude", I tried to reason, "you know very well I have responsibilities at home.

Responsibilities you consistently ignore in favor of stupid romances. Also, jumping timelines again!

Besides, you want me to write up that account of what really went down that night after the Festival." Claude Frollo nodded sadly as he handed me a some papers. "Oh well...no matter. You'll return to me someday." He smiled, then added, "Oh yes. Jules dictated this to Jehan the day Jehan found him. It's a confession of sorts, explaining Malus' role in the plot to destroy me, and how Malus died."

Like we care at all.

That's right...I never learned what really happened to Malus...finally, I'll know everything... Claude continued to give me instructions as I unlocked the car. "Of all people, Nisha, I'm leaving it up to you to tell the world the truth." He then kissed me goodbye, then mounted Snowball. "I shall leave you now, my love. I've found it far too painful to watch you depart." Claude blew me a kiss, then rode away. I wanted to cry, but, just as he said, we'll see each other again -- and again.

Negative fifty! My will to live is at negative goddamn fifty!

I locked Jules' paper in the glove box, then started the engine. Just as before, I looked back one more time to see Claude riding away in the distance. I floored the accelerator and depressed the violet button underneath the dash... Ah, home again! It's been a long weekend...hmm...what day is it? Saturday?! Glad I had someone cover for me at work. Look at the mail! Hey, what's this? A card? Looks like...Claude Frollo's handwriting! Aww...this is so sweet.

My Darling Danisha, Thank you for a wonderful weekend. I regret that things did not work out for the best. But at least I did get to see you, my darling. Make sure to get some rest. I love you so. A Thousand Kisses, Claude Frollo.

I have this sneaky feeling I'll see him again. Only then, it'll be under more pleasant circumstances! Hmm...now where did I put that catalog from Christy's..Ah! Here it is! Now...wonder if Claude will like this...oh my!...that IS kind of sexy!

NEGATIVE ONE BILLION.

#The Hunchback of Notre Dame #back to the frollo #danisha #Claude Frollo

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