I’ve been looking at the Weiss Schwarz TCG for a bit now because I like the art. Weiss Schwarz prints sets of popular IPs like Avatar the Last Air Bender, Sword Art Online, and Overlord, to name a few. There are some sets I am definitely thinking of collecting since the booster boxes aren’t expensive.
I’ll kick things off by showcasing the latest set, Guilty Gear -Strive-, released on December 15, 2023. I’ve never played the game, but some of these cards look so cool. A booster box of Guilty Gear -Strive- is only $60 on TCG Player which is cheap for a TCG.
Always support your LGS, but you can pick up Guilty Gear -Strive- or other Weiss Schwarz from TCG Player. I’ll leave links to the singles for anyone who wants them. If you like any of the IPs they cover or just want to collect some cool anime cards, check out Weiss Schwarz TCG.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
I’ve been looking at Grand Archive cards for a while because I like the art, and it seems like a neat game. If you like anime and want some neat collectibles, you might want to look into the TCG. I know I am a little late, but let’s start this showcase with the Fractured Crown set. The set has some very cool cards, and some that I want to get a hold of. The Fractured Crown booster box is only $45, which is very tempting.
Check with your LGS to see if they carry Grand Archive, but you can always pick up Fractured Crown and other Grand Archive products from TCG Player. I’ll also leave links to singles for those who need them.
If you enjoy these updates, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
2023 has been a busy year for my blog. I got to play and review 60 new games, made a couple of new partnerships, and saw my blog grow in a way I never would have imagined. When I first started this blog, I expected it to be me complaining to the void about movies. I never imagined all the opportunities it would open up, and I am extremely grateful.
I want to thank you all for reading my content because none of this would have been possible without your support. It means so much to have people out there that care about what I have to say. I wish you all the happiest of New Year. I love you all!
According to Steam, I played 64 games this year, so I think it’s time to highlight some of my favorites. It was hard to choose only ten because I got to play a lot of cool games this year. After much deliberation, and in no particular order, I managed to come up with a list. I’ll leave a table of contents so you can skip to the game you want to read about.
If you enjoy my reviews, please like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
1. Viewfinder
2023 was great for puzzle games, and Viewfindereasily stands out against the genre. Viewfinder allows players to solve puzzles by using pictures to manipulate the world. The game offers players unrivaled freedom to puzzle solving, a beautiful and imaginative world, a solid story, and a phenomenal soundtrack. I love puzzle games, and the amount of fun I had with the mechanics is nearly immeasurable. This was one of the games I nearly finished without breaks because of how invested I became with solving the puzzles. If you enjoyed the Portal games, you are going to love Viewfinder. Check out the full review.
2.Planet of Lana
I couldn’t have this list without at least mentioning Planet of Lana. This game was such a beautiful delight that I’ll always recommend it to everyone.
Aliens have invaded the planet and are taking its people, and Lana’s sister is one of them. With the help of her cute cat companion, she must brave the perilous landscape to bring her back. Can she do it before it is too late?
As Lana, players explore a mysterious planet where they solve puzzles, pick up clues, and learn about a forgotten history. I am a huge fan of the artwork for this game and a bigger fan of the soundtrack, but what sells it is the gameplay. You won’t experience a more relaxing or enjoyable experience than what you get from Planet of Lana. The game has fun puzzles, a solid story, a fantastic aesthetic, and a cute cat. If you’re looking for a chill and memorable puzzle adventure game, get Planet of Lana. Check out the full review.
3. Sea of Stars
I loved every minute of Sea of Stars and if you haven’t played it yet, you need to. I am a huge fan of the pixel art, it has a rocking soundtrack, and a solid story, but the gameplay is what sets it apart from the rest of the genre.
Valarie and Zale must use the power of the Sun and Moon to put an end to the evil alchemist known as the Fleshmancer. With the help of their friends, they must join forces and protect the world from the evil that threatens it.
If you enjoy turn-based RPGs, Sea of Stars should already be in your library. The game features a neat leveling system and an interesting artifact system that allows players to adjust the difficulty as they play. What sets the game apart is how creative combat is. Sea of Stars offers a more active approach to turn-based combat where players need to time their blocks and attacks to maximize their effectiveness. I assure you that you’ve never experienced anything like this. But if you don’t believe me, there is a demo you need to try. Check out the full review.
4. Worldless
Worldless was sucha unique platforming RPG experience that it needed to be on this list. I love the minimalistic aesthetic, but the complexity of its combat system is what made this game for me.
In the early stages of the universe, existence was filled with conflict. Powerful beings existed in constant conflict and fought to find their place in the universe. You play as one of these beings and must travel through the chaos to find your place within it. Unravel the truths of the universe as you fight for your survival, travel to new and mysterious lands, and unlock your truest potential.
Worldless offers players a beautiful world full of vibrant colors and sound. It is a platformer, but it is very manageable, especially for beginners. What sets this game apart is its rhythm-inspired turn-based combat system. To beat an encounter, players must time all their actions perfectly. It’s a system that makes the game engaging, but also gives it its challenge. If you are looking for a new RPG Platformer, check out Worldless. Make sure you read the full review.
5. Disgeae 7: Vows of the Virtueless
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless was such a delight to play. I loved its silly tone, the art style, and quirky gameplay. If you are looking for a wholesome good time and don’t mind the overt anime style, this game is a solid choice.
Disgaea 7 is a JRPG where you follow Pirilika, a young rich demon, as she pursues her dreams to live a true bushido lifestyle. With the unlikely help of the demon Fuji, they embark on an adventure to bring the forgotten way of Bushido to the demonic realm of Hinomoto.
You don’t need to have played any of the other games in the series to pick up Disgaea 7. The story is silly, but it is pretty self-contained. I loved the super cute artwork and the humor of the story, but the combat in this game made me feel like I was a tactical genius. Combat in this game is not only adorable, it is engaging and you can change the difficulty whenever you want. This is definitely one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it. Check out the full review.
5. Backpack Hero
Backpack Hero is a great choice for anyone trying to pick up a game to sit back and relax. The art is cute, the gameplay is fun and engaging, and it is not a huge commitment.
Backpack Hero is an inventory management roguelike where players dive into procedurally generated dungeons in search of treasure and fame. You’ll often find too much treasure during your delve, and will often need to reconfigure what you take with you. As daunting as that idea may seem, it works.
I loved the randomness of each run. I had so much fun managing my resources and trying to find the right combination to get me a little further each time. Combat is a simple turn-based system, but the items you pick up along the way are what affect your success in an encounter. The absolute freedom the game gives you to build whatever you want makes the game the gem that it is. If you are looking for a new roguelike, go get Backback Hero. Check out the full review.
6. Steam World Build
I got a few village builders this year that were all fun, but SteamWorld Buildhas to be my favorite. It has such a cute aesthetic, fantastic flavor, and the best gameplay loop of the batch.
The world is about to end, and the remaining survivors must find a way off the planet. Build a settlement of robots who must dig through the mines to find their salvation. But the mines are full of dangerous monsters and unknown secrets. Can you find a way off the planet before it is too late?
I became obsessed with SteamWorld Build and had to force myself away. It starts like your traditional village builder, but there is also a tower defense element, some creative resource management mechanics, and the cutest little citizens you’ll have the pleasure of governing. If you’re new to the genre or simply looking for something new, check out SteamWorld Build. Read the full review.
7. The 7th Guest
The 7th Guest is my favorite VR game of the year. It has a cool story, a spooky aesthetic, and amazing puzzles. The 7th Guest is a mystery puzzle game. Players must solve a series of puzzles to uncover the tragic events that transpired all those years ago.
An eccentric toymaker has gathered a collection of unlikely strangers to his house for a party. Little do they know that his intentions are nefarious. The guests find themselves inside the twisted game where the truths are uncomfortable, and the secrets are dark.
The game offers players an immersive experience and a great mystery played by fantastic actors. The cutscenes in this game alone are worth the price of admission. What I loved most about this game were the puzzles, and how creative the devs got with them. Each room and theme is designed perfectly to create an experience I’ve yet to forget. If you like puzzle games, get this game. Check out the full review.
8. Dameo
I know this game didn’t come out this year, but I did get to play it this year and loved every minute of it. Whether you play it in VR or PC, you can’t get a more authentic TTRPG experience than what you get from Demeo. If you enjoy board games, this game should be in your library.
Demeo is an RPG that effectively emulates the board game experience. Choose your hero and team up with friends, and strangers, or delve into the many dungeons on your own. Demeo combines a unique deck builder system with dice roles and turn-based movement to create an unforgettable experience.
I loved the art and aesthetics, but the gameplay is what made me addicted. I got to try both the VR and PC versions and enjoyed each for different reasons. I liked the immenseness of VR, but I appreciate the convenience of playing on a PC. If you’re looking for something new, I recommend you pick up Demeo. Read the full review.
9. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
I’ve been waiting for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Tradersince it was announced, and I was not disappointed. I love the flavor, the aesthetic, the music, the story, and the combat. if you like Warhammer 40K, this game needs to be in your library.
As the empire’s newly appointed rogue trader, you must brace against the dangers of uncharted space and bring glory to the Emperor. But this won’t be an easy task. Face off against the horrors of the void, fend off bloodthirsty Tyranids, and make some money in the process. The journey will be horrific, and your choices will matter. What will be your story?
Owl Cat Games once again prove that they can make a fantastic tabletop experience. You can’t go wrong with any of their games, but Rogue Trader is easily my favorite. I love the flavor and lore it brings to the universe, but the combat is what made me keep playing. If you enjoy brutal dark fantasy and don’t mind turn-based strategy, get Rogue Trader. Read the full review.
10. Strayed Light
Last but not least we have Strayed Lights. I don’t normally go for soul-like games, but this one blew me away. The art is beautiful, the music is phenomenal, and the combat system is fantastic.
You play as a being of light who goes on a journey of self-discovery. Travel across a dreamlike world to cleanse the world of its darkness. Do you have what it takes to complete your journey?
Strayed Lights has such a fantastic narrative, but none of it is spoken. The way it can convey so much through the actions of the characters is something you need to experience once. The world that makes up Strayed Lights is beautiful. I loved the colors, the lights, and how creative the devs got with the wildlife. The game also featured my favorite soundtrack of the year.
The game features a unique combat parry system that makes it stick out against the other games in the genre. If you are in the market for a new soul-like, check out Strayed Lights. Read the full review.
The Ruins of Symbaroum 5Eis getting two new expansions: The Throne of Thorns Part I and The World of Symbaroum. You will need the 3 core Ruins of Symbaroum (Player’s Guide, Gamemaster’s Guide, and Bestiary) and a fundamental understanding of the 5E OGL rules to play the expansion. I can see you running games with just the Gamemaster’s guide, but there is always room for more flavor. The expansions bring new characters, monsters, and adventures to fans of Ruins of Symbaroum 5E. If you’relooking for a way to spice up your next campaign, you might want to look into the Ruins of Symbaroum 5E.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee!
What is Ruins of Symbaroum 5E?
Ruins of Symbaroumis a dark fantasy TTRPG that uses the 5th Edition OGL rule set as a foundation, but expands on it with its intruduction of new settings, mechanics, and classes. If you enjoy 5E but want to change things up without having to learn a new system, Ruins of Symbaroum might be worth looking into. While there is a lot of content to keep you busy for a while, all you really need is the Gamemaster’s Guide. Everything else you can purchase as you need it.
Synopsis
The rich and nuanced Symbaroum setting revolves around the Ambrians – a civilization that two decades ago were forced to flee their ancestral soil after a devastating war. Their new and promised land borders on the vast forest of Davokar, covering the remnants of the Empire of Symbaroum which fell into ruin hundreds of years ago. Brimming with natural resources and mythical treasures, the forest calls out to the Ambrians to be explored and plundered, but the road into its depths lays far from open. Not only are the shadows beneath the foliage fraught with danger, monsters and infectious Corruption; there are also the elves of the Iron Pact who have vowed to die to keep anyone from disturbing the ruins of old, warning that the ancient evil of Symbaroum stirs in its sleep.
Throne of Thornes I
Throne of Thornes I contains the first two episodes of the epic adventure chronicle. Designed for players levels 7-9, the book takes adventures on a perilous expedition into the dark depths of the Davokar Forst. The stakes of this adventure are high as heroes must fight off cultists, monsters, and other horrifying dangers that fill its pages. The book introduces:
20+ color maps with new towns and areas to explore
50+ stat blocks for new NPCs, monsters, and advesaries
New side quests and adventures
Handouts for clues and other important information
I’ll need to see the book and read through it to form a better opinion, but the world seems pretty neat so far. If you’re looking for a new campaign in the Ruins of Symbaroum universe, Throne of Thornes I might be worth the preorder. You can preorder the beautiful hardcover from the official Free League Publishing website for $47.85. Preordering the book also gives you instant access to PDF so you don’t have to wait for shipping.
The World of Symbaroum
The World of Symbaroumis more of a resource book for the GMs who enjoy the world but want to create their own campaign. The book expands on existing lore and settings presented in the Ruins of Symbaroum Gamemaster’s Guide by diving into the history of the world and introducing new people, places, and events. The book also provides Gamemasters with 34 plot hooks, 18 historical secrets, and 7 adventure landscapes in the forest of Davokar for level 5-10 adventurers.
I’ll need to get my hands on this first before I can form an opinion, but this seems like a wonderful resource for people who are already invested in this game. If you have a table that cares about lore, or just need some ideas to freshen up that next session, go preorder The World of Symbaroum. You can preorder The World of Symbaroumfrom the official Free League Publishing website for $47.85. Preordering the book gets you instant access to the PDF so you don’t have to wait for shipping.
Conclusion
These expansions seem to be geared more toward people who are already invested in the system. I recommend you check out the core book and move from there. If you’re already invested, make sure you put in your preorder! I’ll be doing a preview of the core book soon, so make sure you stay tuned for that.
I’ve been running Dragonbanefor a couple of weeks now, and yesterday was the first game where only one of my players could make it. I was about to cancel the game, but my friend asked if I could run it anyway with just him. I’ve never run a 1 on 1 campaign before, but I figured there was no harm. He was ready to play, and I had a rough idea of what to run.
I’ve been going through the rewritten content in the core rule book, but I went a bit off-script for this adventure. It is always good to go off-script if that’s where the narrative takes you.
The party had made it to the Temple of the Purple Flames where a group of cultists opened a portal to the demon realm to bring forth their lord. The party found the portal and needed a way to close it before more demons got through. The book has rules on what happens if the players go through the portal. I ignored these and created an adventure out of it.
Prep
Prepping for the game took me thirty minutes. I run my game on Foundry VTT, and the official module has everything I need to put an impromptu adventure together. We used theater of the mind of this adventure, but having the stats and tables to roll from is always nice.
All I needed to do was comb through the bestiary for monsters to build thematic encounters and copy them to a new folder. I then wrote down some key descriptions to set the mood and created an NPC for roleplay and direction.
Gameplay
Dragonbane has rules for solo play, but I didn’t have enough time to look those over. Instead, I ran the game like normal but made a few adjustments that I thought worked out well.
For starters, I gave my player an extra turn in the initiative. I know there is a feat for that, but in the game, it was a blessing a random demon NPC gave him. This made it so that when he was outnumbered, he wasn’t waiting around for his turn. It also made boss encounters more exciting. Two turns gave him the option to parry or dodge without feeling like a turn was wasted. I also let him heal 1D6 for free after every encounter because I didn’t want to kill his character.
Reaction
The friend I ran this for is the least experienced in the group. We’ve been playing D&D for only a couple of years, and it was really cool to see how comfortable he’s gotten even with a new system. He came out of the gate roleplaying and got into character fairly quickly. I had designed the adventure thinking he would want to fight everything, but he kept trying to avoid conflict. I did my best to accommodate his creativity and had a blast crafting a unique narrative together.
One of the features that I like about Drabonbane is how they handle leveling. At the end of the session ask a series of questions to the table.
✦ Did you participate in the game session?
✦ Did you explore a new location?
✦ Did you defeat one or more dangerous adversaries?
✦ Did you overcome an obstacle without using force?
Every yes gives players a marker they can use to level up a skill. Players roll a D20, and if the result is higher, the skill increases by one. For example, if the player wants to increase their Evade, they would use one of these markers to attempt to increase it. If their Evade score is 12, and they roll a 15, their new Evade score is 13.
What I like about this system is the question about overcoming an obstacle without using force. In Dungeons and Dragons, I had to go out of my way to describe NPCs as non-threatening because everything ended in a fight. In Dragonbane, my players try to find alternatives wherever possible because they want that extra mark for leveling. It makes for interesting RP moments, and it creates a nice balance of combat and Roleplay that I’ve enjoyed tremendously.
The extra turn made combat feel great. I did have a few issues balancing a couple of the encounters, but I was happy overall with the results. My friend ended up rolling the best he’s ever done. He rolled two dragons and saved at every pivotal point. It definitely made for an exciting session.
Conclusion
I’ve been having a lot of fun with Dragonbane, and running this 1 on 1 session was a real treat. It gave me a chance to hang out with my buddy and mess around in the system in ways we normally can’t. If you’re thinking about running a 1 on 1 adventure, go for it. Do your prep and have fun with it. For those of you interested in Dragonbane, I recommend you start with the free Quick Start guide.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
There are still slots available for the free Vaesen learn-to-play event happening over at StartPlaying Games on Thursday, December 28 at 10 AM PT, and Tuesday, January 2nd at 2 PM PT. The event is hosted by the good folks over at Alchemy VTT through Discord, and it gives potential players a chance to learn about a new system and virtual tabletop. I sat through one of the sessions, and it’s gotten me curious about the Vaesen RPG. I’ve written about the class in a previous post, but you should sign up anyway since it’s free.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
Recently, Free League Publishing was nice enough to send a bunch of their games to review. I am currently running through my first Dragonbane campaign and loving every minute of it. Till I can get to the rest of the games, I’ll be previewing all the games in the Free League Publishing library. These will be my initial impressions since it wouldn’t be fair to review a game I haven’t finished a campaign in.
I’ll begin with Vaesen because it is the game I have the most exposure to outside of Dragonbane. What drew me to Vaesen initially was the artwork. The art in this book is beautiful. It reminds me of the old children’s books my father used to read to me when I was little.
Background
Vaesen is the spirits that exist in this mythical 19th-century Scandinavia. There used to exist a symbiotic relationship between the humans and the Vaesen. The humans would know how to keep them happy through things like offerings, and the Vaesen would bring them rain or make the fields grow. It was a relationship that worked, but one that didn’t last forever.
War and industrialization change the landscape. People begin to move to cities, and people begin to forget about the Vaesen. Years go by, and the corruption of industrialization begins to change the Vaesen. Strange and unexplainable events start to haunt the people, and they demand answers.
Only a few people exist with the ability to see the Vaesen. They have formed a secret organization to investigate and stop any nefarious supernatural activity.
Flavor
What I like most about is the flavor. The 19th-century aesthetic is neat, but the folk tale and lore are what sell this RPG to me. The core rule book is full of lore for the different Vaesen that can appear in your campaign. I enjoy reading about the different monsters, and can already have a few ideas for one shot. If your table enjoys dark supernatural mysteries, you might want to consider Vaesen.
I like how classes are handled in Vaesen. Each class has unique abilities, motivations, and equipment that help build the world of the RPG. The core book does a good job of giving players ideas for things like motivations, secrets, and trauma to help with character creation. For example, you can play a priest who is on a sacred mission because he wants to atone for being possessed by a witch, but he still hears the devil speak to him. You can also create your own, and the possibilities are endless. I like that the adventurers are just normal people who have been called to keep the world safe from the supernatural. It’s giving me fun monster of the week vibes, and I am here for it.
Gameplay
Vaesen is a D6 system. You only need six-sided dice to play. There is combat and checks which seem pretty straight forward, but the main focus seems to be on the roleplay. The game is about investigating supernatural events so players will be asking questions, searching for clues, and although there is combat, you don’t always have to kill the monsters. This is something you should consider before buying into the system. This one might be a little hard to sell at my table, but they’ve surprised me before.
Where to Buy
You can pick up the core book from the official Free League Publishing website ($52.91 + shipping). You also get access to the PDF so you won’t have to wait to get started. The core book is also available on Amazon ($64 book only) and DrivethruRPG ($24.99 pdf only).
I know this is late, but work has been crazy. Make sure you always support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Thank you for reading!
The Cargodramon leaves a thick cloud of smoke as it falls to the ground. Loogamon jumps through the cloud of smoke and reappears next to Airdramon.
‘You guys really saved us down there,” Eiji chirps in relief.
“Thanks old man,” Loogamon adds.
Marvin chuckles. “You guys are crazy man, taking on the Digipolice like that.” His words ring with a mixture of admiration and exasperation. “So what did we just walk into Eiji?”
“Satsuki is down there in that Mekanorimon. She’s running this whole operation, and she’s a bit…cranky today. Even more than last time.” Eiji remembers their encounter during his entrance exam.
Marvin reads over Statsuki’s profile. “Yeah I remember. She’s an odd one.” Marvin lets out a sigh as he looks at the Mekanorimon commanding the Digipolice. He watches as the Commandramon move in perfect unison to set up for a counterattack. “This is going to be interesting.”
“Is she stronger than you?” Loogamon asks, mockingly.
“Well I definitely don’t have the attention span to command that many people. Is everyone in position?” Marvin asks suddenly to the others on the line. “These Commandramon have a basic camo feature, so stay sharp and don’t get ambushed. We gotta give Tartarus more space. Come on guys, just like we planned!”
Loogamon smirks. It’s tail wags excitedly as it salivates over the prey moving below. “Me and Eiji will take care of these pests.”
Loogamon burst into a large ball of flames. Loogarmon springs from the fireball, flames lick down its fur and feathers. It charges towards the scrambling Commandramon.
FLAME BLOW!
Loogarmon’s body becomes covered in white hot flames as he slams into a unit of Commandramon. The Commandramon are too slow to react, and the wolf pierces through their ranks effortlessly, leaving behind bodies of burning Digimon.
Marvin watches the wolf for a moment before issuing his command. “Move in!”
The remaining Sons of Chaos follow Eiji into the fray. The surprised Commandramon struggles to react, and the field erupts into chaos.
A fresh swarm of Gatekeepers moves towards the madness, creating a thick black shadow that cuts through the sky. Marvin isn’t phased. He types a simple command into his console, activating the army of Espimon bots at his disposal. Behind him, a swarm of Espimon appears and charges at the oncoming Gatekeepers. The two metallic swarms collide, filling the sky with explosions. Their incoherent struggle continues until it fills the space above the Digipolice.
Satsuki watches the chaos unfold around her. She clenches her fists in frustration and grinds her teeth furiously.
“Those fucking Code Crackers!” She watches as the swarm of Gatekeepers flies towards her. Watches as the Airdramon commands the Sons of Chaos that have joined the ambush. She smirks. “So that’s how you want to play.” She takes aim. “Open Fire!”
A twinkling beam erupts from the Mekanorimon’s torso and collides with the Gatekeepers. The DigiPolice follow her lead and begin spraying the swarm with bullets. Bits of Gatekeepers begin raining around them.
While the DigiPolice shifts its attention to the oncoming horde of Gatekeepers, Loogarmon continues to decimate the ground forces, quickly making its way towards the center.
“Keep it up Loogarmon!” Eiji exclaims!
“This is too easy” Loogarmon responds snidely. Loogarmon jumps between Commandramon. Its claws slash effortlessly through body armor and send bodies through the air.
“There’s a Mekanorimon!” Eiji points out the large robot commanding a large squad. “You think you can hit it?”
Small embers lick from between Loogarmon’s iron muzzle. “No problem!”
Howling Burner!
Fire begins spilling from its iron grates. A torrent of flames engulfs the Mekanorimon below, leaving a scorched in its wake.
Satsuki watches in frustration as she watches one of the Mekanorimon disappear from her map. “God dammit!” she shouts angrily. The Commandramon hold their position as the wolf slices through them. Satsuki grits her teeth. “That Eiji kid is a problem.” She watches Eiji and Loogarmon from her monitor and lets a subtle smirk escape. “We’re not done yet Mr. Nagasumi,” she says to herself.
“Satsuki switches to one of the private channels. “Tachibana! Sakurada! Get in position. We’re ending this!”
Two voices respond in unison “Yes sir!”
Satsuki’s smirk turns into a smile. “Hit that wolf with everything you ‘ve got!”
Eiji watches the battlefield through Loogarmon’s eyes. The Left flank was now considerably weakened. He catches a glimpse of Koske and Yulin’s bitter battle over the Gateway.
“So that’s what Dorumon’s mega?” Eiji points out.
“We have to do something about that Ouryumon, or else we’re not getting through that gate,” Loogarmon adds.
“That’s going to be tricky. There’s too many forces in play. For now, lets just focus on our mission.”
“Should I digivolve one more time?”
Another mega would tip the battle in their favor, but Eiji’s mind jumps back to the incident. They couldn’t afford to lose control here. He shakes the thought. “Right now, we gotta focus on getting that gate open and giving Kosuke his space…”
Gunfire suddenly explodes from both sides. Loogarmon jumps out of the way quickly, narrowly missing the hail of bullets. They scan for a source but don’t see one. “They must be hiding. Hit them with a howling Burner?”
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Two large heavily armored bipedal dinosaurs take their place. They carry a riot shield in one hand and a large grenade launcher in the other.
Hi-Commandramon, Champion, Android, Virus. Eiji reads as the data populates his console.
Loogarmon braces his body. The feathers down its arms begin to quiver and embers erupt from its maw.
HOWLING BURNER!
Flames rush towards the Hi-Commandramon. One moves forward with its shield raised to absorb the flames. Flames burn brightly around it, but the Hi-Commandramon seems unaffected by the attack. The other Hi-Commandramon jumps from behind its partner and makes a dash towards Loogarmon.
A club comes crashing towards it, but Loogarmon is quick to reach. It raises its arms and blocks the blow. Sparks fly from the impact, and Eiji becomes briefly blinded by its light.
“is the club electric?” Eiji yelps as he initiates a scan of the weapon. The scan confirms his suspicion. It was a stun baton.
“That tingled…”Loogarmon responds.
“Look out!” Eiji shouts as he watches the second Hi-Comandramon ready its attack. It plants its shield on the ground and sticks the muzzle of the grenade launcher through a small cutout.
DCG GRENADE!
THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK. Grenades start flying out of the slit in the shield. Loogarmon moves out of the way, but a few chunks of shrapnel hits them. Eiji and Loogarmon are now cut off from the rest of the Sons of Chaos. The Digipolice had quickly recovered the space Loogarmon cleared. Eiji couldn’t let the Digipolice interfere with Kosuke’s fight.
Eiji takes a deep breath. “Lets do this Loogarmon.”
Eiji can feel Loogarmon smile as he responds, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Nothing else needed to be said. The two become in synced as mind, body, and soul meld together in a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of battle.
A bipedal wolf steps from the light. This wolf is more humanlike, and covered in protective plating. Long rabbit-like ears shot from the top of its head. In its right hand, it carries a large wrench. Two large engines cling to its shoulders and suspend the wolf in the air.
This was not the monster they had released during the incident. This was the demon wolf’s ultimate form.
It looks at the bewildered Hi-Commandramon and takes a deep breath before shouting, “ALL SHALL BURRRNNNN!!!!!”
The Final Shapereleases on June 4th. I received a copy of the expansion to cover for my blog when it releases. After a long break from Destiny 2, I’ve booted up my original hunter and started to grind in preparation. I’ve been using my keyboard and mouse, but I want to switch to a controller. I also need a controller for the other games I play.
I have an old Xbox One controller that works fine, but I want something more ergonomic and with updated features. My search landed me on the Razer Wolverine V2 wired controller. I know Razer doesn’t make the best peripherals, but the deal seemed too good to pass up. Normally $100, I thought I was at least getting a decent $50 controller. I didn’t.
If you enjoy these reviews, leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
Quality
The Razer Wolverine V2 is disappointing out of the box. This looks like a cheap generic controller that is desperately trying to pass off as a Razer product. The build feels sturdy and has the iconic Razer aesthetic, but it doesn’t radiate the quality you would expect from a $100 controller. If you can get past the shock of how cheap the controller looks, but isn’t bad. The textured finish feels nice to the touch, and the buttons have a satisfying click when pressed. Unfortunately, the controller still feels cheap. I can’t attest to the longevity of the controller, but the triggers feel like they’ll eventually break from use.
Features
What sort of makes up for the cheap design is the controller’s customizability. Through Razer’s third-party app, you can reconfigure the controller’s layout to fit your playstyle. I typically use the defaults or change them in the game, so this feature didn’t do much to unsour my impression. This feature would be good for people who go to tournaments, but there are better controllers for competitive play.
The Razer Wolverine V2 also comes with two extra buttons along the triggers that can be reprogrammed. I tried a few different configurations and never found an instance where they proved useful. They were in an awkward position and were often more inefficient to reach than the keys I was replacing. If you need a controller with extra buttons, get something with pedals on the bottom.
Ergonomics
If you are looking for an ergonomic controller, the Razer Wolverine V2 is a terrible choice. You are better off with an Xbox One controller. After about 20 minutes of light play, my hands were on fire. I have worked hard to create an ergonomic setup because the pain from the repetitive stress in my wrists and hands leaves me useless. I’ve found a decent solution for my keyboard and mouse, but there are games I play that require a controller. The Xbox controller I’ve been using still destroys my hands, but it isn’t as bad as the Razer Wolverine V2. Do your hands a favor, and don’t buy this controller.
Conclusion
The Razer Wolverine V2is a waste of money, even if you like the Razer aesthetic. The Controller looks and feels cheap, and lacks the features to make it a $100 controller. Even at the $50 price point I bought it at, there are simply better options. I am disappointed I wasted my money on something I can’t physically use, but my search for a better controller continues. The Razer Wolverine V2 wired controller isn’t the premium gaming peripheral it pretends to be.
You can pick up the Razer Wolverine V2 on Amazon currently for $49.99 (normally $99.99).
I was sent Guardians of Holme for free to review on my site. While I am grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
Guardians of Holme is a tower defense deck builder available now on PC. Demons and monsters are making their push toward Royal City in their campaign to destroy humanity. The fate of the world falls in the hands of a few skilled artisans. Build traps to stop the attacking forces before they can get to the city. Can you stop them before it is too late?
Players start each run of Guardians of Holme with a randomized deck of traps. This deck is upgraded and expanded throughout the run, and the cards players have access to expand over time. The longer you play, the more diverse your card pool becomes. The goal of the game is to set up traps to prevent the hoards of monsters from destroying the core. This makes for a soothing and relaxing gaming experience, but it can also be a bit repetitive. There are a few features that mitigate the monotony like being able to speed up rounds, the RN, and different heroes you can play, but the loop will always be the same.
I loved Guardians of Holme because it combines two of my favorite genres well. Other than a few reworks, the deck building is solid. The game is cute and relaxing, but the repetitive loop makes it hard to recommend, especially at the price point. I find the repetition soothing, and I enjoy the genre enough to justify the price, but it isn’t going to be for everyone. If you are looking for a relaxing game that isn’t much of a commitment, Guardians of Holme is an option. If you love Tower Defence games and want a cute one to fill your downtime, this is a solid choice.
Back in November, Bandai released an odd and cryptic teaser about an upcoming project hitting the Digimon TCG.
Some fans were hopeful it was an announcement for an online client, while others threw around terms like NFTs. I thought it was going to be an anime or short because of the new characters featured in the trailer. There has been a lot of speculation since then, and today we got an official announcement.
Bandai has announced the Digimon Liberator web comic for next year. We didn’t get much information outside the trailer, some character design, and an official website, but there will be another update in January. I can only presume the manga is about kids playing the Digimon TCG.
Fans who were expecting an online client were rightfully disappointed. People who have no interest in lore or these online free projects share in this disappointment. I feel bad for the folks who stayed up late or woke up early to catch the announcement live to receive news that wasn’t worth the sleep deprivation.
I am a little disappointed that it won’t be an animated series, but I’ll take another Digimon story in whatever form I can get it. After Pokémon: Path to the Peak, I am hopeful for a good story about playing the Digimon. The art is cool, and it might get adapted if it does well. I just hope that this gets a proper English translation.
We also got an announcement for the 25th Digimoncon happening in 2024. I’ll be covering both the event and the update on the web comic. Stay tuned for that. If you enjoy these updates, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee!
