The Digimon Card game has had its resurgence for a couple of years now, and I have since started my humble collection. I love the art and enjoy the gameplay. Sadly, I don’t have the time to play at locals or online, but I love collecting. There are ways to play online if you don’t mind the clunkiness of Tabletop Simulator or the awkwardness of playing through a webcam with strangers on Discord, but I am a little too socially awkward. I can only hope that there is enough of a market for the game that one day, Bandai will release a web client like the big TCGs.
In an effort to give the game more exposure and hopefully convince some folks to join the hobby, I will start making weekly updates on the news related to the game. Please I will be coming at these announcements from the perspective of an enthusiastic collector rather than a competitive player or an investor. This post will also include spoilers for an unreleased set, so if you care about spoilers, stop reading now. And as always, make sure you like and subscribe!
Alternative Being [EX-04] Spoilers
This theme booster is coming out on June 23rd and the art for this set is so good!
I want to start off with Omnimon Alter-S because it looks so cool! Man the art is amazing, and the affects are pretty cool. DNA Digivolution is such a cool mechanic and you get some pretty nice removal and board expansion.
This looks like its going to be a great set to collect if you like the Greymon and Garurumon line. I’d love to add these to my binder!
Locals
The local scene hasn’t had too much love, at least in my area. I had a chat with the manager of my LGS and was told that Bandai was spending more resources promoting One Piece. They weren’t getting much prize support, but that might be changing with the new prize support promos that were just announced. I can’t tell you who is getting allocated, but there might be incentive to collect some.
Tamer Party
Tamer party is a special event for the month of June with the goal to encourage new players to the hobby. This is a casual event designed to teach players how to play. There is no winner, but participants will get special four card packs with a chance of hitting a very cool Magnamon. Check with your LGS if they will be participating.
I don’t know about you, but I love the retro vibe for this Magnomon. They other cards you can pull are pretty exciting as well.
I am most excited for Aldamon if I am being honest. I know there is a lot of hate for Frontier, but it is my favorite season of Digimon. The story might not have been the best, but it had an amazing concept and a fantastic opening song. There might be bias because of how impressionable I might have been at that age, but I don’t care. I like what I like.
June 2023 Store Championship
While not the most exciting news, if you have access to decent local scene, might be a good chance to get some unique promos.
June-August Events
There is a lot going on for competitive players. Both the Ultimate Cup and Championship will be going on across the regions with some pretty solid prize support. looks like there will be both online and offline events, so make sure you go sign up for what works best for you.
Its time to earn your path to the championship. There are some nice promos so make sure you check out what is available to you.
Ultimate Cup
The Gigimon looks so cute!
And for those who care about the meta…
Here are the top 4 decks for the April-May Regionals
North America
Europe
Oceana
Digmon Dreamers
Digimon Dreamers is getting its English release on the Digimonweb. Hopefully it gets a proper translation and not Google Translate like Digimon Seekers.
That’s all I have for now, I haven’t decided on the release schedule for these updates but I will be back next week. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment if the mood strikes. Until next time!
2023 has been an interesting year. I decided to take my game reviews a lot more seriously, and as a result, I got to cover a cool event, meet some interesting people, and play some fun games. Since the year is about halfway over, I think it is the perfect time to make a list of the best games I’ve played so far. This list is based on my opinion and in no specific order. I put a lot of thought into only including the games I believe deserve the most attention. There were some hard choices, but I didn’t want this list to be long.
If you like tabletop dungeon crawlers, you need this game. You can play solo, with friends, or with strangers. Check out the full review!
Liberte
This was a fun little ARP with an interesting deck building you don’t want to miss. Check out the full review!
Everspace 2
This was a very unique RPG with an interesting story, but mechanics that are out of this world. Check out the full review!
Havendock
If you are looking for a new village builder to play, or simply looking to wet your feet with the genre, check out Havendock. Go read the full review!
Super Dungeon Maker
If you like classic RPGs or have always wanted to make your own, this game is in a great place right now. Check out the full review!
Volcano Princess
While this may not be perfect, it was such a unique, memorable, and fun experience that I needed to add to the list. It may not be for everyone, but it is worth looking into. Check out the full review!
Strayed Lights
This was such a beautiful game with a fantastic soundtrack. If you need another souls-like, this should be in your library. Check out the full review!
Planet of Lana
This is a cute puzzle adventure game with a solid story and great music. I know I just reviewed it, but I had to add it to the list. Check out the full review!
To My Readers
I am beyond grateful for the opportunities I’ve gotten this year. I have a lot of ideas and more opportunities for the future, but I wouldn’t have gotten here without you. To all of you who continue to read my work or those of you who just got here, thank you! Writing this blog has been so much fun, and it means so much to me that you take time from your day to read what I have to say.
Make sure you like and subscribe because that helps me out a lot. Most importantly, thank you! I love you all.
While we wait for Sunday’s chapter, I’ve decided to revise the Seekers story to fix some of the story’s awkwardness. I will keep the story the same but will try to make it sound nicer. This isn’t my story, so please make sure you check out the original chapter. Let me know if this is something worth continuing. Make sure you start at chapter 1-1
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Cargodramon hovers over Eiji and Loogamon. Its harsh spotlight rains over the pair as the sounds of the rotors drown out most sounds. Several squads of Commandramon slowly surround them.
“This is the DigiPolice. Give up code cracker. We have you surrounded!” The warning repeats over the megaphone.
“Dammit!” Eiji shouts. For a code cracker, there is no police force in Japan scarier than the Digipolice. But despite his fear, Eiji couldn’t help but feel excited. “This is so cool! I’ve never seen the DigiPolice before. Loogamon, take a picture of the Cargodramon.”
Loogamon is tense, its fur standing on edge. “My eyes aren’t cameras,” it snaps. Loogamon glares at the hovering Cargodramon.
Cargodramon has its attention on Loogamon. Its sensors scan the blue wolf.
Mindlink active, a robotic voice announces as the scan completes. Satsuki Tamahime sits at her command station inside the Commandramon. She shifts her attention between the many monitors surrounding her. She watches as the Commandramon move into position. She watches the two criminals frozen at the base of the cul-de-sac, She reads over the scan data as it comes in.
Satsuki doesn’t look like the typical DigiPolice agent. She wears the standard DigiPolice uniform but has styled it to fit her aesthetic. Her black shoulder-length hair falls from under a baseball cap. She’s dyed the inner layer a bright green. She wears a loose-fitting jacket that now hangs around her shoulder. Her thick combat boots are kicked up on the console. She smiles as she brings the mic to her mouth.
“You guys are with that Sons of Chaos group aren’t you? I got it right, didn’t I?”
“Got it right? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Loogamon replies.
“Don’t play dumb forehead. I know you and lame brain are Mindlinked. I need you to come quietly and answer some questions”
“Lame brain?”
“Forehead?”
Eiji and Loogamon look at each other. The interaction felt a bit too informal than they expected from the DigiPolice.
“Cooperate with us and I’ll make sure you won’t get into… too much trouble,” Satsuki says in a singsongy tone.
“Nah, I’m good,” Eiji replies as he starts to walk away.
Satsuki giggles “Oh?! Don’t say I didn’t warn you! M16 Assult!”
RATATATATATA
Bullets explode into the ground around Eiji and Loogamon as the Commandramon move into position.
“Hey! They’re really firing at us!” Eiji shouts as he feels the wind from a stray bullet pass over his head.
“Relax! Those were just warning shots.”
“You must have the wrong definition of warning,” Eiji mutters, looking at the nearby bullet holes.
Suddenly, the doors of the Cargodramon open. A long rope falls to a space in front of them. Satsuki slides down the rope, landing with a light thud. She dusts off her jacket and turns her attention to Eiji.
“Hey…You’re kind of cute”
Wind from the Cargodramon kicks up dust around them. The sounds of the Cammadramon’s boots continue to move in closer. Eiji doesn’t take his eyes off the policewoman.
“What do you want?”
“Ok, straight to business then,” Satskuki says as she moves closer to Eiji and Loogamon.
She’s cute, Eiji thinks before quickly shaking the thought. He needs to focus.
“So what are you doing for the Sons of Chaos code cracker? Are you poaching Digitama? We’re going to find out, so its better you just fess up now.”
Eiji can see squads of Commandramon pointing their weapons toward their location. Loogamon stands in a tense stance. Satsuki smiles sweetly at Eiji as she waits for a response.
“Hey, Loogamon… What would happen if you got shot?”
Loogamon lets out a fanged smile. “Let’s find out.”
RATATATATATATATA
This time, the explosions were much louder. Loogamon’s run was cut short as the ground in front of it explodes with a hail of 30 mm bullet fire. The railgun on the Cargodramon continues to spin as it fixes its aim on Loogamon.
The smell of gunpowder lingers in the air. Eiji finds himself crippled with the pain from a couple of lucky bullets that managed to hit.
“I get it now,” Eiji says, trying to fight through the pain. “If you get hit by a bullet, it hurts.”
Satsuki looks irritated. “I told ya code cracker, there’s no escape. Your only choice is to cooperate. You don’t want to die in Mindlink, do ya?”
Eiji shakes his head. He knew better than to mess with someone with such a short fuse.
“Good, now tell me what you’re doing here.”
“I was…I was just walking. Mapping the area for..research. I am researching the Digital World!”
“You’re what? Cargodramon!”
A voice in Satsuki’s earpiece replies, “I see no signs of Digitama Ma’am.”
“In other words….?”
“Looks like they were just taking a walk, just as they claim.”
“Ugggg” Satsuki looks visibly frustrated. There is a hint of disappointment in her tone. Even if Eiji were a Sons of Chaos Member, there isn’t enough evidence for an arrest. Satsuki shakes her head and smiles devilishly. “Well you must be up to something. No one just takes a stroll down Ninth Avenue. I know you’re up to something suspicious, and you’re going to tell me what it is!”
“This lady is crazy,” Eiji checks the virtual monitor. He looks at the Cargodramon floating above him, the Commandramon surrounding him, and Satsuki’s bloodthirsty stare. “It’s no use Loogamon, we have to get out of here…Loogamon?” Eiji turns to Loogamon, but he was already gone.
SPIRAL FANG
Two markers disappear from the map as sharp fangs rip through body armor. Before Eiji has a chance to react, two more markers disappear. Loogamon rips through a whole squad of Commandramon before appearing in front of the crimson mausoleum.
“This is my home!” Loogamon howls. Its fur stands down its back, its fangs clench in a snarl as it lets out a menacing grown.
‘Th-thi-this is obstruction of justice! You’re in trouble now!” Satsuki shouts.
“Woah! Loogamon, you took out those Commandramon so easily.” Eiji is impressed by his partner’s sudden show of strength before a sudden realization overcomes him. “You can’t attack the DigiPolice!”
“Why not?” Loogamon remains in his tense stance. The Digipolice begins recovering their felled comrades.
“Now you’ve done it!” Satsuki shouts back, “You’re under arrest for messing with the DigiPolice!”
“You have no authority here,” Loogamon smirks. “The only law in the Wall Slums is eat, or be eaten!”
“This was supposed to be easy,” Eiji mutters to himself as he scratches his head nervously. He logs into Grimm to talk to the Interviewer, but he isn’t online. “Not good!”
“You’re going to pay for this!” Satsuki says as she rolls up her sleeve. Eiji notices a smartwatch device on her wrist. It is a Digidock the same as his but a different color. Suddenly, the police lights turn.
“Loogamon, this lady can Mindlink too!”
Loogamon returns to Eiji’s side as they brace for a new attack. Eiji looks at the chaos surrounding them.
“Her Digimon partner must be…over there!” Loogamon looks up at the Cargodramon as it moves to the space above them. A loud boom sounds as the cargo hatch opens up, revealing a mysterious figure waiting behind it.
“What the hell is that?”
A hideous blob inches towards the edge.
Nucha…Nucho, nucho…
The Digimon shoves itself out of the edge and lands with a heavy thud.
While we wait for Sunday’s chapter, I’ve decided to revise the Seekers story to fix some of the story’s awkwardness. I will keep the story the same but will try to make it sound nicer. This isn’t my story, so please make sure you check out the original chapter. Let me know if this is something worth continuing. Make sure you start at chapter 1-1
Eiji steps out of the subway and stands hesitantly at the edge of Ninth Avenue. He keeps one foot in the subway tunnel and contemplates abandoning the mission. Eiji looks at the cramped, dirty, sketchy alleys reminiscent of Kolwoon or Showa-Era Kabukicho and can’t help but feel uneasy. He feels small at the bottom of this valley of towering slums. Illegible signs and advertisements clutter the skyline, spilling their sickly vibrant neon against the dirty walls. The air seems thick with danger, and it makes Eiji uneasy.
Eiji takes a deep breath as he takes it all. “Hey Loogamon?” his voice shakes with a bit of worry, “What is this place?”
Loogamon shoots an annoyed glance at Eiji. “Seriously? Are you dumb?”
“Hey be nice, it’s my time in the Digital world. You have to guide me…”Eiji follows close behind as he continues surveying his surroundings. “Wait, aren’t you a king or something?” Loogamon doesn’t respond. “Am I supposed to bow down to you?” Eiji stops to give a joking curtsy “Your Majesty”
“Quit it!” Loogamon growls.
“As you wish your highness,” Eiji laughs.
“This is why your dog didn’t like you. Hurry up and get serious! You have work to do.”
Eiji scrolls through his screen, looking for the mapping tool. “I love you Loogamon!” he sings. Loogamon shakes its head and continues to move through the alley. Eiji launches the mapping tool.
“The guy said we just need to walk around and leave the tool running.”
Nothing made sense in Ninth Avenue. The streets wound into zagging mazes of uneven streets and alleys. Some buildings looked as if they were on the verge of collapsing, while others leaned to a degree that made Eiji uncomfortable. There were signs that dangled loosely from a single rusted bolt. It looked as if the lightest gust of wind could bring them crashing to the ground. There were old dirty wires that hung from walls like dirty dying ivy, and widows blacked out with filth. The streets were littered with bits of dirty shattered glass. They walked over and around mounds of trash.
Eiji checks the map as he walks.
“There are Digimon here, but they are hiding,” Loogamon explains as they move through the seemingly abandoned maze of decay. Eiji shivers as he feels hidden stares over him.
“Ninth Avenue is the worst neighborhood in the Wall Slums. Most newcomers get robbed the moment the step foot on these grounds. Those foolish enough to go deeper don’t make it out,” Loogamon says coldly.
“This place is scary.”
“Come on. We have to make it to the Castle of the Nine Wolves. It’s at the heart of all of this.” Eijie and Loogamon continue their work. Their mapping goes uneventfully. Eiji begins to relax, but a hint of disappointment sneaks into him. There were no Digimon or much of anything despite Loogamon’s insisting.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
The pair empty into a cul-de-sac. At the head sits an old run-down red building reminiscent of a Chinatown mausoleum.
“That’s the Castle of Nine Wolves? All we have to do is map that and were done? This test is easy!” Eiji exclaims as he walks towards the mausoleum.
Loogamon stops.
“What’s wrong Loogamon?” Eiji stops his advance and looks down at the wolf.
“This…This is my home…Or it used to be” Loogamon explains as he struggles to force a memory.
Eiji looks at Loogamon and then at the red building. “Did you remember something?”
Loogamon shakes its head. “There’s a faint smell. Markings I left behind…It’s me, but not me. It’s something much stronger…” Loogamon’s voice trails off as it takes a big whiff of the air.
“Do you think maybe…” Eiji begins as he examines his surroundings with a new understanding, “do you think it might have been an evolved you?”
A booming roar spills from the building, carrying with it a howling wind that forces Eiji to his knees. Loogamon digs his paws into the ground and braces itself.
“Loogamon? What was that?”
A winged monstrosity rushed from the shadows and takes to the sky above the two. Dust, dirt, and trash swirl violently around them. As the wind and dust settle, Eiji begins searching the sky for the source.
“Was that a bird? A Dragon?”
“Neither, look”
Eiji turns to the space Loogamon points to. It was a metallic Digimon with the head of a Dragon and the body of a helicopter. It has two rotors that hold it up above them.
Cargodramon, ultimate, machine, virus type.
Across the side, Eiji can read the word “Police” clearly.
“Crap” Eiji yells, his voice barely louder than the rotors. “It’s the DigiPolice!”
The doors from the hovering Cargodramon open. From it descends a squad of Commandramon.
A screeching siren sounds loudly. Eiji looks at the map and sees it fill with red dots. The DigiPolice were surrounding the castle. Panic starts to creep over Eiji. “They want us to open voice chat on the GriMM channel!?!” he shouts to Loogamon. “What should we de?”
“Open up chat code craker!” commands a voice from the Cargodramon.
“Um, I don’t have the password…” Eiji grows more anxious as the dots continue to close in on his location.
“Don’t play dumb with me. Surrender now. We have you surrounded!”
If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do, please consider buying me a coffee
Renfield is just an okay movie. While I appreciate the fantastic over-the-top performance Cage gives as Dracula, it leaves a lot to be desired. The film isn’t bad, but it isn’t worth paying for. If you are thinking of watching this movie, I hold off till you can watch it for free.
Renfield finds himself in a toxic relationship with his employer, Dracula. He wishes to be a hero and have his own life but finds himself imprisoned by duty and obligation. After centuries of servitude, Renfield finally finds the courage to leave Dracula’s employment, but his leaving could prove the end of Humanity. Will Renfield become the hero he wishes to be, or is he destined to be a miserable servant?
The movie has a solid start but comes apart towards the end. The second half was so boring that I considered leaving the theater. There are enough good moments in this film that I can’t count it as the worst, but there aren’t enough to earn a recommendation. Aside from the emblematic Cage performance, the acting is barely good enough. Where the movie suffers is Awkwafina’s attempt at a more serious role. Unfortunately, Awkwafina is destined to be a character actor for the remainder of her career. This isn’t a bad thing. I enjoy her character and movies that use her well get a healthy laugh out of me, but she doesn’t have the range to play anything else. The writing might have limited her success, but it does so for everyone else as well.
This movie is fine if you can stream it at home and don’t have to pay attention to it. It has some solid moments, but nothing you should be rushing to see. If you do watch Renfield, you can give up halfway through, or just watch the highlights on YouTube.
While we wait for Sunday’s chapter, I’ve decided to revise the Seekers story to fix some of the story’s awkwardness. I will keep the story the same but will try to make it sound nicer. This isn’t my story, so please make sure you check out the original chapter. Let me know if this is something worth continuing. Make sure you start at chapter 1-1
The cloaked Digimon watches as Eiji and Loogamon make their way toward Ninth Avenue.
“I wasn’t told they’d be Mindlinked,” the Digimon says suddenly to nobody.
“I wasn’t told either. I didn’t know they were going to show up with a limit unlock,” replies the interviewer.
“I wonder if that dog…Loogamon noticed. I wonder if it noticed our Mindlink?”
“Who knows?”
“Fang and the Demon Wolf of the Castle of the Nine Wolves…Won’t mapping Ninth Avenue be too easy for them?”
“Normally, yes” the interviewer replies,”but I’ve made a few…adjustments.”
Once on the ground, Loogamon begins weaving through the streets. Eiji follows closely. A tunnel takes the pair underground until they are standing at the edge of a platform. The platform is eerily empty. Eiji looks over and sees train tracks that seem to disappear into tunnels neatly dug on either side. Eiji watches as the stones that surround the tracks start to vibrate and jump to the rhythmic echoes of an approaching train. Out of the shadows, a familiar sight surprises Eiji. The train screeches to a stop and its doors open. The Wall Slum train.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Eiji watches as the world blurs past his window. He clutches unto a strap nervously.
“So this is the Slum Circle subway…” he finally says, breaking his silence.
The interior of the train looks like those he rode in Tokyo, but the riders here were Digimon. The train is also a Digimon. There were signs and electronic displays, but the information is written in the language Eiji had never seen before.
“Is this the Digimon lanugage? What does it say?” Eiji asks, pointing at one of the signs.
“It’s against the rules to cause trouble on this subway,” Loogamon answers standoffishly.
“So…no fighting?”
“This is a public place. Just mind your manners,” Loogamon says as it curls up, taking three seats.
The train passes through a station every couple of minutes. Eiji is fidgety and restless. He doesn’t know where they are going, nor can he read the signs for clues. He finally turns to Loogamon and says, “I’ve been thinking about this Mindlink stuff. Is that how ChuuChuumon and Damemon work?”
“Don’t compare me to that….thing” Loogamon snaps, clearly offended. “It’s nothing like that. Think about what’s happening with your body right now.”
“My body?” Eiji thinks about it for a moment. Only his mind was linked to Loogamon’s Digicore. Eiji’s body leans against the wall of his loft, unconscious.
“Your body is asleep back home. It won’t wake up unless you break the Mindlink. ChuuChuumon and Damemon are both here…Do you understand Eiji?”
“yeah…sure…By the way..”
Loogamon lets out a sigh. “What?!”
“Do you mind if I pet you now?” Eiji is already reaching for Loogamon. Loogamon lies comfortably on the seats, looking like a puppy.
The wolf tenses up and flashes its teeth. “No!” it growls.
Eiji quits his attempt. “The dog I used to have didn’t let me pet it either.”
“I’m not a dog!” Loogamon replies, growing more annoyed. “I’ve had enough of your dog stories…”
A few passengers get off at the next station. Those who board the train are surprised to see a human sitting amongst the remaining Digimon.
“Hey Loogamon…the Digimon are staring…”
“There aren’t many humans walking around the Wall Slums”
“Right,” Eiji replies as he examines the rest of the train. The train is crowded with strange-looking Digimon. “These Digimon look injured like their data has been corrupted or something.”
“Most of the Digimon the live in the Wall Slums have been used by humans for whatever humans do with Digimon,” Loogamon explains bitterly.
“Used by humans?” Eiji responds as he looks at the Digimon more closely. They looked abused, damaged, sickly, and incomplete.
“These Digimon were discarded after they were no longer useful.”
“Discarded…Digimon…” Eiji repeats slowly. Digimon are used as tools by humans. All the top tech companies, military groups, and government agencies use Digimon for security. For code crackers and hackers, Digimon are the tools of the trade. Like most tools, Digimon wear out and break eventually. Eiji knew this truth well, but seeing the faces of the discarded Digimon made it heartbreaking.
“Digimon that die become Digitama,” Loogamon continues his explanation. “Those who survive end up here where they have built cities and villages on the outer wall. The abandoned Digimon thrive here, in the slums they’ve created.”
It was an admirable type of resilience.
“This slum has become a paradise for the abandoned. An escape from the cruelty of humanity or the troubles of the Digital World beyond the wall. There are even Digimon who are born and raised on these streets..” Loogamon’s explanation is cut off by the train’s loud screeching.
The subway breaches the surface. Its metal wheels splash through puddles of contaminated brackish water. The air fills with toxic putrid fumes. Mounds of trash and junk data make large messy mounds on either side of the trains. Chuumon, mutant Daimon, and other strange Digimon watch the train pass. Eiji watches as a couple of Chuumon fight over food.
“Do the Digimon here not get along?”
“The Digimon that live in the slums are poor. They don’t have enough food and have to fight to survive. This is a city riddled with conflict. If Digimon aren’t fighting each other for food, they are fighting each other for territory. The only place there is no fighting is on the train and in the center of town.”
Eiji looks out the window and searches for the center, but his view is obscured by a river that flows upwards. “What’s so special about that place?”
“That’s the gateway to the inside,” Loogamon replies, referring to a Digital World untouched by humans.
The train crosses a polluted river before returning underground. The train grows dark. Eiji watches as sparks jump against the walls before the lights turn back on. Eiji stays silent for a moment as he processes the information. “Does the gate also keep out humans?” he finally asks.
“Not just humans, Digimon too.”
“All of the Digimon here?” Eiji is saddened by the realization that none of the Digimon here could return to the Digital World.
“Digimon in the Wall Slum have been contaminated by real world data. Once a Digimon is contaminated, it can’t return to the Digital World. The gate won’t let them.”
“And who decided that?”
“It’s always been like that. The Digital World’s systems were programed long before the first Digimon drew breath. For a Digimon in the Wall Slum, bellow the wall is their long lost home.”
Eiji watches the darkness outside the window. “Hey Loogamon? Do you know what’s on the other side of the wall?”
“We’re getting off here” Loogamon gets off its seat and walks towards the exit. The train continues to move. Eiji begins to form another question but is interrupted by the intercom. “Next stop, Ninth Avenue.”
Eiji gets up and starts to follow Loogamon. He would ask another day. First, he needed to pass his test.
“What kind of place is Ninth Avenue?”
“I’ll know when I get there.”
“You seem to know a lot about this place, have you been here before?” Loogamon had spent most of his life in the Digimon Linker, and Eiji had never thought about asking it anything personal. He didn’t know Digimon had pasts.
“I don’t remember…”
“What do you mean?”
“My memory is hazy. It comes back in fragments. I remember being a kid growing up in the slums, but I don’t remember much after that….”
“Maybe you have amnesia? Maybe we have to jog your memory.” Eiji suggests. “That Chuumon seems to remember you, maybe we can ask it”
Loogamon continues to walk in front of Eiji in silence. “When I try to remember,” Loogamon says suddenly “It comes back foggy. I can’t really make sense of much of it. But since I’ve come to the Wall Slums with you, I think I am beginning to remember. I get the sense that there is something Ninth Avenue that I need to see. Something that’s important to me.”
If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do, please consider buying me a coffee
I was sent A Knight in the Atticas a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review of the game.
A Knight in the Attic is a unique VR puzzle game designed for the Meta Quest. It is available on both the Meta Store and Steam VR. I played the Steam VR version.
King Arthur has gone missing, and it is up to Queen Guinevere to find him. Guide Guinevere through the many marble mazes and help her bring King Arthur back.
The game is cute, and the mechanics are creative. You can use the motion controls to move the board for a more immersive experience or use the sticks for a slightly easier one. I preferred the motion controls because it felt like a truer experience, but both are valid approaches with their own set of difficulties. If you do use the motion controls, make sure you are in a well-lit room otherwise the tracking will ruin your runs.
The Steam VR has a distinct bug that you should know about before purchasing. If you try to run A Knight in the Attic via the Virtual Desktop app on the Quest, the game won’t launch. You get a black screen and the game won’t load. You can only play this game through Quest Link. I also recommend you play with a wired connection. I have fast internet, but the wireless experience isn’t good enough for the type of puzzle game you are playing.
The most difficult part of this game is having the patience to move Guinevere through the maze. The puzzles aren’t necessarily hard, but it is easy to mess up, especially if you lose track. My ADHD made this game more difficult than it had to be.
This game isn’t bad. The art is cute, the mechanics are creative, and the music is fantastic. The problem with this game is that it fills a niche that won’t exist in most gamers. If you like relaxing puzzle games and have the patience for marble mazes, this game is fine. This is a great game for kids, especially young ones. It isn’t offensive, and the gameplay is engaging enough without being impossible. Starting this game isn’t very intuitive, so check the Steam comments if you get stuck. I don’t think it’s worth it because I couldn’t vibe with the gameplay, but $9.99 isn’t bad for something that will keep your kids busy for a couple of hours.
While we wait for Sunday’s chapter, I’ve decided to revise the Seekers story to fix some of the story’s awkwardness. I will keep the story the same but will try to make it sound nicer. This isn’t my story, so please make sure you check out the original chapter. Let me know if this is something worth continuing. Make sure you start at chapter 1-1
Eiji looks over the ledge and is left breathless by the exotic skyline. The sky fills with a collection of vibrant neon colors as networks and data swim across it, creating brilliant dancing auroras. Large dirty buildings are densely jammed against this small patch of land, surrounded on all sides by an arid emptiness. Some buildings stand tall and greet the world with cracked, dirty, or broken windows, while others have already begun to crumble under the weight of neglect. This might have been a bustling metropolis at some point, but now it sits here as a seemingly abandoned slum.
It takes a moment for the initial shock to fade and for Eiji to regain his composure. “So this is the Digital World,” he remarks, not hiding his amazement. “It’s like something out of Cyberpunk!”
“What does that mean?” Loogamon poses, not understanding the reference.
“I thought the Digital World would be more wild, but this…” Eiji trails off, remembering the images of the Digital World he saw back at the DDL. He remembered forests, mountains, and deserts, but he never imagined there’d be cities with modern buildings.
“It’s called the Wall Slum” Loogamon interrupts, sounding a tinge offended. “It is a city of security walls that protects the Digital World from the flow of junk data. Just outside those walls is where all the junk data collects,” it says as it turns their attention to the northern walls. “If you look carefully, this city sits on a rounded surface.”
Eiji examines the skyline carefully and sees how the horizon separates the sea of networks in the sky from the shelled city below in a clear dividing line.
“Ah….”Eiji explains ” I see it now. It’s like a city built on the inside of an eggshell.”
“if you try to go from the human world to the Digital World, you will be blocked by the security wall”
“Wait…Then how can code crackers control Digimon from the real world? I thought we were connecting to digital world?”
Loogamon chuckles, “It was just the Wall Slum. Those Digimon code crackers grab are just those you see running around the Wall Slum. Most code crackers don’t Mindlink, so they’ll never know the difference.”
Eiji is left speechless by the explanation. Eji thinks about the time his Tyrannomon hunted down the Modoki Betamon. Were they just running around this place? “Has anyone gone beyond the security wall? Has anyone seen the Digital World?”
“No human has ever set foot in the Digital World, at least not beyond the Wall Slums”
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“Beyond the wall is the “deep” Digital World,” Loogamon continues his explanation.
Everything Eiji thought he knew about the Digital World crumbles as he borrows Loogamon’s vision to see the bottom of the network. Eiji finally understood why the Digital World wasn’t mankind’s secret. Digimon are alive, and Eiji was standing at the tip of their world. Eiji continues to admire the alien landscape.
“Well…” Loogamon says as it begins filling the heads-up display with tabs of information. The virtual monitor appears in front of Eiji’s conscious mind. It looks like something out of Gundam or Iron Man. “Do you remember why we came here Eiji?”
Eiji is stunned by the sudden jolt to reality.
“Right, I forgot you’re a pathetic code cracker,” Loogamon snips as it pulls up a window with the words “Operation Wolf” scrawled across it.
“Right,” Eiji replies, remembering the Sons of Chaos Job. He begins reading over the details.
According to this, I’m supposed to be briefed by a local member of the Sons of Chaos somewhere around here.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Eiji rushes to the designated location. He arrives at what seems to be a deserted rooftop. A cloaked Digimon stares down at the pair from the top of the building’s antenna. The Digimon is roughly the same size as Loogamon, but its identity is hidden by the tattered cloak. Eiji tries to search for the Digimon’s data, but the search yields nothing.
“You’re late…” An annoyed voice comes from the cloaked figure. “Tartaros likes our people to be punctual.”
“We had some trouble. Maybe we can get a pass this time?” Loogamon replies.
“Hey Loogamon?” Eiji interjects.
“What? Oh?!!” Loogamon turns to find Eiji suddenly standing next to it.
Eiji, wearing his usual street clothes, looks down at his palms as he tries to move his arms and legs. “Well look at that!”
“Where did you come from?” Loogamon asks in its confusion.
“I don’t know,” Eiji begins “A lot of the functions in Mindlink work by thinking about them. The Digimon Linker has a hololize function. I thought maybe it would work the same in the Digital World, so I gave it a try and it worked!”
Loogamon is silent for a moment. “I can’t tell if that was impressive or just lucky,” it snarks.
Eiji chuckles as he extends his hands to pet Loogamon’s forehead. The metal brace feels cool to his touch, and the blue fur feels soft.
The wolf tenses as it growls in response.
“Did you just growl at me?”
“Don’t touch my forehead!” Loogamon snaps, bearing its fangs at Eiji.
Eiji quickly retracts his hand. “Sorry, I didn’t know I could touch you.”
In the real world, hololized Digimon were just a projection of data. You can’t actually touch them. But here….
“In case you’re wondering,” Loogamon interrupts “You can’t exist too far from me, so stay close!”
Eiji nods as he turns his attention back to the cloaked Digimon again.
“The name is Fang”
“…I thought it was Eiji?” the Digimon rebukes impatiently.
“No need to focus on the details. So what’s the job? The interviewer said I was supposed to ask you for details.”
“I’m sure the interviewer also told you this would be a test. You’ve already been deducted two points for being late.” A screen suddenly appears above the cloaked Digimon’s head, displaying a rough map of the Wall Slum. The city is shaped like a large circle, divided into districts. At the center is a volcanic crater. Sixth Avenue, Eiji remembers ChuuChuumon mentioned it earlier.
“I need you to survey and map the area painted in this color. As you know, the Wall Slum is undergoing a lot of redevelopment.”
With the constant flow of data from the real world that moves through the city, nothing ever stays the same.
“So you want me to make a map? Simple enough.”
“The Wall Slum is very important to the Sons of Chaos. We like to keep our map data up to date.” The Digimon tosses Eiji a memory card.
Eiji accepts it as a mapping tool that appears on his virtual monitor.
“All you have to do is walk around the area while running the tool and it will do the mapping for you. We want you to investigate Ninth Avenue…”
Loogamon turns before the Digimon finishes its sentence and laughs. “Perfect!”
Eiji hurries after Loogamon. “…What do you mean?”
“I’ve got some business to attend to.” Loogamon smiles, bearing its fangs as it continues its stride.
“Do you think we should listen to the rest of the explanation?” Eiji asks, but Loogamon doesn’t answer.
The cloaked Digimon watches the pair hurry off toward Ninth Avenue.
“I wish you well Eiji. I hope for Tartarus’ sake, you pass.”
If you have been enjoying my content and want to support what I do, please consider buying me a coffee
I was sent Super Dungeon Maker as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but I will keep my review honest.
If you like old-school RPGs or have always dreamed of making your own, you need to go buy Super Dungeon Maker. This game has fun gameplay, an expansive dungeon editor, and the cutest art. If you have kids, this is a great game to add to their collection. The game does a fantastic job of giving players a basic understanding of RPGs so they can make their own later. The dungeon editor gives kids an outlet to be creative, and the consistent stream of content gives them hours of gameplay. Adults will have the opportunity to be creative and enjoy the return to a nostalgic era of gaming and the possible satisfaction of clearing some of the more impossible levels.
I am not creative, so I didn’t spend much time in the dungeon editor. From what little I did mess around in it, it seemed pretty expansive. I felt overwhelmed by the choices, but mostly because my brain couldn’t turn the different parts into a cohesive map. That said, I was impressed by the diverse selection of levels available this early into the game’s life.
As a player, I loved how healthy the community is. There are a lot of games to choose from, but not all of them are great. The thing about these types of games is that the fun is community driven. You need players to motivate creators, and you need creators for content. You are going into this game knowing you have to sift through the expansive library to find your fun. You don’t have to finish the maps you don’t like, but I can see people being turned off by the rough nature of the level design.
That said, Super Dungeon Maker is a fantastic game if you are looking for a classic RPG without much commitment. You don’t have to worry about extensive lore or investing in an expansive story. Everything is self-contained, cute, and fun. Now is a great time to get into Super Dungeon Maker because there is a healthy community driving and consuming its content.
Super Dungeon Maker is available on Steam and the Nintendo Switch for $19.99. I played the Steam version and loved it, and considering getting it on the Switch. Playing some of the maps, especially the Zelda-inspired ones on the go would be perfect. As it happens, Nintendo has it on sale for $15.99 until May 25th. Regardless of which version you choose to play, I guarantee it will be lots of fun.
While we wait for Sunday’s chapter, I’ve decided to revise the Seekers story to fix some of the story’s awkwardness. I will keep the story the same but will try to make it sound nicer. This isn’t my story, so please make sure you check out the original chapter. Let me know if this is something worth continuing. Make sure you start at chapter 1-1
“Loogamon?” Eiji repeats as he begins to piece the mystery together. “You’re the voice aren’t you?” There is no response. “Can you explain what’s going on?”
This time the gruff voice replies, “Explain what exactly?”
“For starters, what is this place? Why can the Digimon talk? How did I get here?” Eiji is bursting with questions.
Loogamon scoffs. “Didn’t you listen to Ryusenji?”
“Ryusenji? The professor?” Eiji is surprised by how informally Loogamon referred to the professor.
“Yes the professor,” Loogamon replies with a hint of judgment. “Didn’t you listen to his Mindlink explanation?”
Eiji remembers the professor talking about jailbreaking the Digimon Linker. In order to infiltrate the Sons of Chaos, some of the watch’s functions needed to be deactivated. Ryusenji worked on a hack that not only made the Digimon Linker more inconspicuous, it also boosted the user’s hacking affinity.
“Do you mean the function that turns me into an elite hacker?”
“Ugh…” Loogamon can’t hide its disappointment.
“I didn’t really understand his explanation…” Eiji was becoming uncomfortable with Loogamon. He isn’t making a good impression on Loogamon. Loogamon starts moving without responding. “Careful! There’s broken glass everywhere..” Eiji notices the reflection of one of the pieces of glass. It’s Loogamon.
Wait…Eiji thinks as he stares at the wolf’s reflection. Am I not here? Am I seeing through Loogamon’s eyes?
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Suddenly, a pink rat rushes up to Logamon and bows. then with its
“Master!” It squeaks in a respectful tone. There is a slight trembling fear in its voice. “You’ve returned at last! All hail the Demon Wolf of the Castle of Nine! I…a lowly Chuumon, am at your service.”
Eiji watches the groveling pink Digimon and recognizes it as the Chuumon they rescued.
Eiji doesn’t have an answer.
“Where did you go? Rumor has it you were turned into a Digitama and captured by a human…”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Loogamon growls.
“Squeak! So..Sorry!” The Chuumon bows, desperate to apologize.
“Do you believe me so weak to be caught so easily?!”
A bead of sweat starts to make its way down Chuumon’s trembling face. “P-p-p-please, forgive me, master.”
Loogamon takes a deep breath and raises its head, absorbing its surroundings. “I remember now,” it finally remarks, “The Dust Kingdom. You Chuumon served Sukamon, ruler of the Fifth Avenue Trash Heap.”
“Yes! That’s it!! You remember!”
Loogamon looks over the nervous-looking Chuumon who is on the verge of tears. “You serve me now and in return, I’ll look out for you.”
Chuumon is overjoyed by the news. “Thank you! Thank You! Thank you! You won’t regret it!”
“The Demon Wolf…Huh? It’s got a familiar ring to it,” Loogamon whispers.
“So Chuumon”
“Yes?”
“Everyone thinks I was captured by a human?”
“It’s only a rumor. You’ve been gone for so long. A lot has changed in your absence. Ninth Avenue is a shadow of what it used to be. It’s mostly deserted now.”
Loogamon looks over the dirty cracking concrete walls. Things have changed. It turns its attention to an eagerly waiting Chuumon.
“Here,” Loogamon says as it tosses Chuumon some meat. “Take it.”
Chuumon stares at the piece of meat. It doesn’t know how to react. “Is this…is this real-world meat?” Chuumon gives it a deep sniff “Of course it is, a Digimon of your stature would only eat the best!” Chuumon bows its head respectfully. “Thank you, master. Until next time!” Chuumon gathers the meat and cheese and quickly scurries away.
“Are..are you done talking?” Eiji asks timidly.
Loogamon sighs, “You wanted an explanation?”
“Yes, please!”
Loogamon thinks for a moment. “What is it you humans say, seeing is believing?” Before Eiji can answer, Loogamon leaps out a broken window. Eiji finds himself in free fall as he watches concrete towers shoot up past him. Loogamon lands the four-story drop without issue. The pair find themselves in a valley of skyscrapers.
Loogamon begins its trot. Its claws dig into the dark asphalt. Eiji studies the deserted city as it blurs past the racing Loogamon. Suddenly, Loogamon begins his stride up one of the buildings.
Eiji feels the wind blow over him as Loogamon runs. He feels every step Loogamon takes. His senses are overloaded with new sensations. Sounds came more clearly, colors were more vivid, and smells were more pungent. It was like he and Loogamon shared senses.
So this is Professor Ryusenji’s work? This is D4’s most confidential technology. Eiji remembers the professor’s explanation.
The Digital world isn’t like ours. People can’t see it normally without special tools, and even then, it is never the full picture.
But what if there was a tool that would give us the ability to experience the Digital World with all five senses? What if there was a tool that would let us explore it? Experience it like we experience this world?
After years of research, I finally found a solution. We can take a person’s mental data and convert it to Digicore, sort of like data. We then take this Digicore and inject it into a living Digimon where both consciousnesses can exist simultaneously. This is the essence of Mindlink.
It all makes sense now.
Loogamon continues to run as Eiji takes in the beauty of this new world. This isn’t a pixelated image on a cheap LCD screen or a video on a virtual screen. This is real and vibrant. This is the Digital World.
“I can’t believe I’m a Digimon,” Eiji exclaims in excitement.
“This is your first Mindlink. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”
“How is it I can talk to you?”
“What do you mean? We Digimon have always been able to talk. You’re just getting to know is better”
Digimon are alive! Eiji repeats to himself. Loogamon, Tyrannomon, and all the rest…They’re alive!
