There are only ten days left on the Coriolis: The Great Dark Kickstarter, so go back the campaign if you are looking for a lore-rich, dark sci-fi adventure to run at your table. The campaign only has one stretch goal left, which means backers are receiving a nice amount of goodies. If you like physical media, it is your only chance to score a pretty special edition version of the rulebook.
Since my last post, the publisher has released a free quickstart guide on DriveThru RPG to give people a chance to explore the system without any of the commitments. The quickstart guide includes a more streamlined and condensed version of the rules, but it will include everything you need to run a meaningful oneshot. It includes some of the rules, a pre-written adventure, and pre-generated characters. I did notice some grammar issues, but the game isn’t out yet and this isn’t the final version. I’ll leave copies of the PDF here, but you can always get them on DriveThru RPG.
The Mission
A prospecting expedition has gone awry. The blight has taken its victims, and only one survivor made it back to Astroid City. The Explorer’s Guild will now send its best crew into the depths of Gilen’s point to retrieve any survivors and extract any valuable artifacts. But this mission is not without its typical dangers. The shady criminal organization, Black Toad, also has its sights on the contents of Gilen’s point and will do anything to get there first. Can the explorers survive another day in the depths of the Great Dark, or will they be another casualty the unforgiving void of space?
Impressions
Coriolis: The Great Dark uses the Year Zero system. If you’ve played any game that runs Year Zero before, you know how to play Coriolis. There are some shifts in mechanics for flavor, but most of it will feel familiar. If you haven’t played any game in the system, Year Zero is incredibly easy to learn. The system uses D6es and you pass checks when you roll a 6.
What makes Coriolis unique is its lore and flavor. Coriolis is a neat story about space settlers trying to find their place in the universe. It the Great Dark is a sequel, but I didn’t feel like I needed to have played the original to understand what was going on. There are some references, but the guide does a good job at explaining everything you need to get started. I assume the full version will as well.
Coriolis: The Great Dark features neat mechanics that help foster this sense of surviving in this unknown and unforgiving ancient place in space but also fuels a sense of wonder and exploration. It’s a neat concept that I would love to see a more complete version, but the quickstart gives a solid snapshot.
I haven’t had a chance to run through the quickstart, but it seems like a solid adventure. It comes with maps, handouts, and pre-generated characters to get you started. It is an incomplete version of the game, but it should provide you and your table with a solid understanding of what to expect. Ultimately, if you’re thinking of running Coriolis: The Great Dark, or are looking for a new Sci-Fi TTRPG to run at your table, you should start with the quickstart guide and move from there. It’s a good idea to check if the system is a good fit for your table. If you end up liking it, go back the Kickstarter!
I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far, I can’t wait to see more. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
I was sent New Cyclefor free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. These will be my honest impressions of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
New Cycle is a survival village builder coming to early access to Steam on January 18. Because the game will be in early access, this will just be my initial impression of the game. I’ll revisit and review the game when they release 1.0.
Concept
A solar flare has destroyed society as we once knew it, sending the world into post-apocalyptic chaos. Those who remain must now build a new society from the wreckage of the old. This won’t be an easy task. Resources are limited, illnesses are rampant, nature is unrelenting, and morale is low. Can you usher your people into a new age, and rebuild society to its former glory?
Aesthetic and Performance
For an Early Access game, New Cycle runs fine. It still needs a bit of polish, but the game never crashed on me. The Aesthetic is a little dark, but I enjoy the sepia color scheme. It makes the game feel a lot more gritty and bleak.
Game Modes
The game offers most of its content through its game modes. You can enjoy the freedom of Sandbox, Manage a built city ravaged by a mysterious illness, or you can start from scratch in a campaign. The campaign has a few maps you can start from that affect gameplay. For example, you can start on a mountain where you have access to better mining but don’t have less food to work with. I love the work that went into the flavor. At the moment, the game has enough content to keep players busy till the full release.
Gameplay
Thoughts
New Cycle is the most technical village builder I’ve ever played, which isn’t a bad thing. At its core, it shares a lot of the core elements of other games in the genre. This game isn’t any more difficult to learn, but it is a bit more difficult to master. Where in other games I would sit back and watch my villagers live their lives, New Cyle had me worrying about all the elements that could end my civilization.
Just like any survival game, you need to worry about resources, hunger, morale, and the elements. This is a game where you have to be very careful about your efficiency because random events will set back your progress. There was a game where I ran out of food and my buildings got struck by lightning, and I had to start over because I planned poorly. I still recommend you go in blindly and learn from your mistakes, but having a guide handy doesn’t hurt.
Conclusion
This game isn’t going to be for everyone. The survival mechanics will turn away the more casual village builder fans. That said, the game is doing a good job of combining the survival and village builder genres. If you’re a technical person who enjoys the economics of survival but doesn’t mind the roughness of Early Access, you might want to look into New Cycle. To be clear, this isn’t a daunting technical game that requires good notes and a Ph.D., but it is less casual than the other games in the genre. I liked it, and can’t wait to see where they take it. Don’t forget to add it to your Wishlist!
I was sent Worldless as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews or any of my other content, leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
Worldless is a minimalistic 2D platformer with unique turn-based RPG combat. You can pick it up on Switch, PlayStation, or Xboxon November 21st, but you can pick it up now on Steam.
In a newly formed universe, the forces within it fight to establish order. You’ve awoken in this fight and must brave through this conflict to find your place within it. What secrets will you uncover?
This game is one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had with a game this year. I love the minimalistic artwork, the vibrant world design, and the atmospheric soundtrack. It is so cool to watch the world change around your character as you move through your adventure. I can recommend this game on looks alone, but the gameplay is also fun.
Worldless’ gameplay is split into two parts: platforming and combat. I am an awful platformer, but the platforming is manageable. I found the experience rather soothing, especially when paired with everything that makes the game so beautiful.
Combat is where most of the challenge lies. The combat system is a unique turn-based system you need to experience at least once. Worldless is a lot more involved than your traditional turn-based RPG. On a player’s turn, you can choose between a combination of magic and physical attacks. On an enemy’s turn, you must time your blocks to mitigate damage. Each enemy feels unique, and the game does a fantastic job of providing visual cues to help players time their blocks and figure out weaknesses. You’ll pick upgrades along the way that will give you access to new abilities and powerups, but I never felt like they made the encounters too easy. While some of them are easy, it was so satisfying to beat an enemy that was giving me trouble.
I got to play an early version of Worldless at GDC and have been excited to play it since. I am pleased to write that I was not disappointed by its release. The game can be a relaxing good time, but there is enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. If you are looking for something different and beautiful to add to your collection, go check out Worldless. You can pick it up for $19.99 on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC. There are also demos available for PC and Xbox if you need more convincing.
Thank you so much for keeping up with these translations! I am hoping to get back on a regular posting schedule starting Monday. Please make sure you always support the original release. If you’ve been enjoying this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Ryusenji Laboratories becomes the world’s leader in Digital World research in a short time after its founding. Although the building has changed, its founders still work tirelessly to achieve their goals.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Thank you so much for keeping up with these translations! I am hoping to get back on a regular posting schedule starting Monday. Please make sure you always support the original release. If you’ve been enjoying this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Ryusenji Laboratories becomes the world’s leader in Digital World research in a short time after its founding. Although the building has changed, its founders still work tirelessly to achieve their goals.
Saya walks into the office with her usual takeout order and a fresh change of clothes for Kosuke. Yueling gets up from her desk to help her set up for dinner. It had become a ritual between the founders. One that they each cherished in their own way.
“You have to stop coddling him,” Yueling says as she grabs her bowl and takes her seat. “He’s a grown man, and you’re not his mother.”
Saya smiles. “It’s fine, it’s on the way.”
Yueling swallows her mouthful. “I don’t know why you married this bozo, you’re way too good for him.”
Saya rolls her eyes, letting out a playful chuckle. She turns to Kosuke who looks like he’s waking from a trance. “Here’s your soup. Make sure you eat your salad too!” She kisses him before sitting down to her own dinner.
“Yeah yeah, thanks,” he replies. He has deep bags under his eyes. He seems lost in thought.
Ryusenji watches the guests around his table and laughs at the familiar banter. They spend the rest of the dinner talking about their research. They talk about the digital world and newly discovered lifeforms that inhabit it.
“Suppose the proffesor’s hypothesis is correct,” Soya begins, “Suppose these creatures are living AI, what then?”
“If they’re AI life forms, then we could keep them as pets,” Ryusenji chimes in. “Just like that this one,” he says pointing towards a monitor. The monitor is filled with a stream of flowing numbers.
“Its so cute!” Kosuke says, stopping to admire the flow of data.
“You two are the only ones who think so,” Yueling says in an attempt to bring the men back from their trance.
“But just imagine if you could see it all for yourself! Not just the numbers, but the world and the creatures that fill it. Wouldn’t that be amazing?” Saya says dreamily.
“Exactly!” Ryusenji exclaims, shooting a warm smile at his daughter. “We need to be able to see the Digital World if our research is going to scale in any meaningful way.”
“I know that,” Yueling replies, finishing the last of her pork bowl.
“And on that note,” Ryusenji says, clasping his hands together. The table turns their attention to the professor. “I’m starting a business.”
“A business? Like turning this into a company?” Yueling asks.
“I want to see the Digital World with my own eyes, and hear it with my own ears,” the professor continues.
“and the business?” Kosuke interrupts.
“Right. The university has money set aside for incubating businesses. We use that to make Ryusenji Laboratories a publicly traded company. We create some buzz, grab some investors, and we’re on our way to making it all happen.” The professor finishes his proposal with a hopeful smile on his face.
“I’m in,” Yueling says without a moment of hesitation.
“Good, kuz we need you to make the presentation,” the professor answers.
“Are you sure?” Yueling asks, still recovering from the shock of his sudden proposal. “What about my background?” She thinks about her status as a first-generation Japanese. It would be difficult to get public funding as a daughter of immigrants.
“How is any of that a problem?” The professor walks over to Yueling who continues to look more unsure by the second. He places his hand gingerly on her shoulder. “You’re the only one who can do this. I’m counting on you.”
A smile escapes Yueling’s mouth as she fights a sudden flood of happy tears. The doubt she feels fades, and a burst of newfound confidence replaces it. “I won’t let you down!”
“It’s settled then!” the professor exclaims. “Things are about to get busy around here!”
Make sure you always support the original! If you’ve been enjoying my version, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Thank you so much for reading!
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
The Digital World is vast and full of mystery. Its biggest mystery lies hidden behind its impenetrable firewall. Early Code Crackers swarmed to the Digital World in search of answers to this mystery. Many put their lives on the line in the name of discovery. Somewhere along the wall was the gateway to the other side, and one brave code cracker was destined to find it. After years of exploration, it is widely believed that the Vortices that appeared indiscriminately along the wall were gateways to the other side.
While most Vortives appear randomly over the wall, one takes its permanent residence at the center of the wall slums. Tartarus and his small team find themselves at the edge of this vortex, with the intention of seeing what’s on the other side.
The expedition starts smoothly. The code crackers and their Digimon work in perfect unison as they make their careful descent toward the void. Suddenly, a swarm of Digimon appear above them.
Megadramon rears back and raises his arms, taking careful aim at the oncoming swarm.
ERADICATION ATTACK!
The cannons at the ends of his arm open up with a swarm of missiles, each exploding its target. The attack leaves a hole in the swarm, but the hole quickly fills with more Digimon.
“There’s too many of them, I can’t hold ’em off for long!” Marvin says from within Megadramon.
The guardian Digimon attack like a swarm of Locust. Megadramon continues to fire, holding back the swarm for the time being.
Dorumon stops his trek and floats in place as he watches the swarm. The small-wing fox waves his tail eagerly.
“Time to get to work Dorumon” Tarturus says from within its core. “Initiate phase 3!”
“Right!” Dorumon shines brightly as it Digivolves into a large strange dragon. Large silver leathery wings beat in the air, holding it up.
DoruGreymon, Ultimate, Beast Dragon, Data
Metal Meteor
A massive metal orb begins to form over DoruGreymon’s head, drawing the swarm’s attention. The crystal on DorGreymon’s forehead begins to glow. Strange runes of light appear on the face of the orb. It slowly starts to drop into the vortex. The swarm of Digimon moves to push away the projectile, but the orb continues its descent unmolested.
“Let them try,” Tartarus smirks as he watches the swarm’s vain attempt to stop their attack.
The orb continues to drop, crushing the piles of Digimon until it finally makes contact with the gateway. The orb looks like a tiny pebble against the vast mouth of the vortex. The impact lets out a high-pitched screech.
“Begin decoding! This can still work,” Tartarus commands.
Inside the Digicore, Tartarus starts typing away furiously at his console. A small meter begins to fill across his screen. 20%…25%….
Cracks begin to form on the gateway letting light slip in from the other side. It groans under the growing strain.
“The gateway is breaking!” Tartarus says to himself.
The remaining guardians swarm DoruGreymon in a desperate attempt to stop the attack.
Seeing this, Marvin shouts, “We have to buy them more time, Let’s go!” The group launches a final desperate defense.
The grinding sound goes silent as the orb stops moving. The decoding progress bar stops at 30%.
“What’s happening?” Tartarus barks.
“Process terminated. This is as far as we can get with a single prototype Digimon,” DoruGreymon says cooly.
Tartarus slams his fists on the console. “Dammit. Just like we predicted.” He lets out a heavy sigh.
“The gate requires a tripartite key. We need all three attributes in order to crack it. We need Virus and Vaccine prototype Digimon for this to work.”
“Yueling’s Ryudamon is a Vaccine type, all we need is a virus type…” Tartarus gets lost in thought, staring at the gateway. “Whatever lies beyond the gateway is going to change the world. I don’t know how, but we’re going to change it!”
The metal orb begins to crack, letting the sounds of grinding and bending metal. The symbols on its face fade as the ball breaks into pieces and fades to dust.
“They’re here! The Royal Knights!” DoruGreymon shouts.
“Everyone fall back!” Tartarus shouts. Tartarus and his team flee without hesitation.
“The Royal Knights….” Tartarus mutters to himself as he takes one final glimpse at the gate behind him.
I know my posts are still irregular, but I am getting close to catching up to the book. Once I catch up, I will be back to a set posting schedule. Make sure you support the official release. Thanks again for supporting my translation! If you’ve been enjoying them, don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
When the soft glow of Digivolution fades, Eiji finds himself in a silent and dark Digicore. Something isn’t right.
“What’s going on?” Eiji’s voice echoes. There is no response.
A strange black creature stands where Loogarmon did. A werewolf of pitch black bone and eyes full of blinding rage. Besides it falls two long arms ending in long sharp claws. Large spikes run down its back in rows of two. A long skeletal tail slams into the earth behind it.
It stands on its hind legs and lets out a roar. Its body bursts into flames as it comes down on all fours. It thrashes and wriggles violently as its claws dig furiously into the earth, propelling it towards Kazuchimon. It closes the distance before Kazuchimon has a chance to react. The creature lunges at Kazuchimon, claws and fangs digging deep into the flesh. Kazuchimon drops its blades as he tries to grab onto the creature and push it away. Pain shoots through its body fangs dig deeper into its neck.
What’s going on? Eiji watches the attack from within the Digicore, but he can’t sense his partner. He tries to connect like he’s done many times before, but there is no response. “Loogamon?” Eiji asks desperately as he types furiously at the control console. But Eiji is locked out. He has no control.
The beast lets out a blood-curdling roar. He bangs his fists at the monitor. The creature’s stats read, “Ulitame. Deamon Beast. Virus…)” But there is no name.
Eiji stares at the stats. “We did it…Loogamon made it to Ultimate…” His words felt empty. The words on the screen are meaningless. This creature isn’t Loogamon. Nothing about this felt right.
Eiji’s hands fall to his side as he becomes overcome with hopelessness. He watches as the beast tears into Kazuchimon. He listens to the creature’s hungry rage.
“Your Digivolution failed! It’s out of control!” Leon shouts.
The familiar voice snaps Eiji from his trance. “Out of control?…. Failed?….”
“Eiji can you hear me? You’ve lost control….Dammit!” Leon’s voice barely carries over the beast’s commotion. “You weren’t ready. Look at what you did!” Leon’s voice is angry.
Eiji watches helplessly from within the Digicore.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Helloogarmon. Eiji reads the name as it appears on his monitor. This is my fault…
Eiji wanted to win. He wanted to be strong. He wanted to prove to everyone he was strong, but not like this. Helloogarmon continues to tear into Kazuchimon.
“LOOGAMON!” Eiji yells “I know you’re in there. Come back buddy. Please come back.”
Leon reads over the data.
“Helloogarmon?” There is nothing controlling thebeast but its rage. It would spread and destroy everything in its path like a virus. “I don’t understand how an Ultimate level Digimon can be this strong…” An alarm goes off. “Dammit. Time’s up…” Leon looks down at the flashing monitor. The levels were getting dangerously close to the C Line. He couldn’t stay mindlinked any longer.
“You’re probably running out of time too, huh?” Eiji’s voice comes over the come. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep Kazuchimon up for long. The plan was to make you waste all your energy before…Loogarmon went beserk…”
“Eiji..”
“This is all my fault. I’m sorry.”
“You have to focus! This thing is still your partner. You have to focus to stop it from rampaging.”
“I’m trying, but it’s not…” The sounds of error messages cut him off. “I can’t hear Loogamon’s voice…”
Kazuchimon struggles to keep Heelogarmon back. Its strength was beginning to give and the pain was becoming too much to bear.
“You have to get out of here Leon. You can’t stay here. You’re running out of time!” It was clear from Eiji’s tone that he had given up.
“I’m not leaving until you swear to quick code cracking! I’m going to save you. Whatever it takes!”
“Leon…” Why is he so determined? Why is he still here?
The two had grown apart, there was no reason for Leon to still be here.
“Why can’t you let it go?”
Leon goes quiet for a moment before finally answering, “Flight 626…”
“What?”
A high speech squeal cuts them off. Kazuchimon is finally able to get a hold of Hellogarmon before flipping it into the electric barrier. A pulse of energy courses through Hellogarmon as it makes contact with the wall. Helloogarmon falls to the ground. Its flames extinguish leaving a blackened wolf flinging and writhing in pain.
Eiji almost blacks out from the pain of the impact. His fingers fire away furiously at the console. “Come on Loogamon. I know you’re in here…”
Helloogarmon continues to writhe in pain. Kazuchimon stands over it, tending to its own wounds. Blood pours from the bites and scratches that run over its body.
“Flight 626 fell because of a Machinedramon.”
“I know..”
“I didn’t pay attention to the passenger manifest…Eiji, I’m sorry..”
“You’re not making any sense Leon.”
Leon takes a deep breath. “There was a huge fight on the network while the flight was in the air. The U.S. Army’s counterterrorism unit was working on stopping the attack but…I couldn’t do it Eiji I wasn’t strong enough…I’m sorry…” Leon’s voice breaks as he grows silent. “I couldn’t save those people…I couldn’t save your parents.”
“But why…Why are you apologizing?”
“Because…You’re my best friend.”
A mournful silence falls over the two friends. Eiji continues to type furiously. “You didn’t kill those people Leon, that dictator did.”
‘But it was my responsibility. I was supposed to stop them…If I don’t stop you from being a code cracker, you cou…”
“Stop lumping all of us together. I’d never do that!”
“You’ve already helped the Sons of Chaos attack Nation X, and look what you did to Loogamon. As a hacker…I have to stop you, even if you are my friend.” Kazuchimon razes its lightning blades over its head. “I’ve got enough time for one more attack. I’m taking you back Eiji…”
A loud boom breaks Kazuchimon’s concentration. The barrier around them shatters and fades. “Dammit, did already reach the limit?”
A loud metallic howling noise fills the junkyard. A large hole rips at the top of the barrier revealing a massive black hole in the sky. Wind blows chunks of debris and junk data toward the hole. From the center, a figure appears.
Mega. Holly Knight. Vaccine. Omnimon
A large shining knight steps out of the vortex and turns its attention down at them. Its armor glistens, even in the dim light. A cap flows neatly behind it. Its right arm is a powerful-looking cannon, a sword falls from its left. Strange runes light up the face of the sword. Its voice carries over the chaos, “Delete all!”
Works been crazy so I haven’t had enough time to put into these translations. It’s calmed down finally to where I can start tackling my backlog. My posts will be a little irregular until I catch up, and I apologize in advanced. Once I catch up, I’ll work on getting a set schedule. Make sure you always support the original, but I would appreciate some love as well. If you enjoy these translations, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Thanks!
Eiji and Leon continue to catch up. Eiji orders more coffee, and the Digimon continues to bicker playfully. A few more people enter and exit the café as the two old friends grow more comfortable in their conversation.
Hatsune enters the café, neatly dressed in her receptionist’s uniform. The bronze name tag on her lapel glistens under the warm light. The cafe is busier than when the two boys arrived, but it isn’t the afternoon rush yet. Hatsune walks towards an empty seat to wait for her order but stops when she notices Leon and Eiji. She makes her way towards their table, her heels leaving a rhythmic echo with each step. “So you’re hanging out with degenerate code crackers now Leon?” she asks in a playful, mocking tone.
The two turn to Hastune. They were so caught up in their conversation, that they hadn’t noticed her approach.
Leon stands to greet her. “Someone’s got to keep these low-life code crackers in line.” He laughs as he gives her a friendly hug.
Eiji clutches his chest, miming pain. “You two hurt me.” Eiji goes for a hug, but Hatsune stops him with a handshake. Eiji takes it and smiles. “What’s so bad about Code Crackers?”
“They’re unethical immoral losers who think they can do whatever they want because they can,” Hatsune snipes.
“Aw? We’re not all bad. Let me prove it to you sometime?” Eiji asks, trying his best to sound suave and cool like the guys in the movies.
“No I’m okay, I’ll take your word for it.” She flashes Eiji a mocking smile.
Pulsemon teleports to the edge of the table closest to Eiji. It kicks its feet over the edge and smiles devilishly. A few sparks flash from his yellow skin. “Oooh! A swing and a miss! Better luck next time bud.” Leon starts laughing, his voice filling the Cafe. Hatsune does her best to hold back her laugh, but some leaks involuntarily. Eiji chuckles as he raises his middle finger towards Pulsemon. Pulsemon sticks its tongue out as it raises both middle fingers in response.
“Why don’t you join us Hatsune?” Leon says, pointing towards an empty chair.
“Thanks, but I have to go finish up some errands. I only came in for some coffee. Next time.”
“Promise?” Eiji asks enthusiastically.
“Bye Eiji. It was nice seeing you, Leon.” She walks to pick up her order and leaves the cafe.
Pulsemon appears on his shoulder. “That’s strike two buddy.” Eiji swipes at Pulsemon. His hand passes through Pulsemon’s hologram, distorting it for a moment.
“You’re just a hater,” Eiji says. “Did you not see those sparks between us? She likes me.” Eiji takes his seat and sips at water in front of him.
“You’re delusional,” Loogamon chimes in.
Eiji stops sipping and turns to his partner. “Oh Loogamon, I forgot you were here.”
“Ha. Ha.” Loogamon is not amused.
Eiji turns back to Leon. “Are code crackers really that unpopular?”
“I mean,” Leon starts as he tries to find the words. “Code crackers tend to be weirdos and loaners. The only difference between a code cracker and a hacker is how they use their skills.”
Eiji looks at Loogamon and Pulsemon who are making fun of Eiji. “Yeah, I’m starting to see that. But I think some of that is just ignorance.” He turns his attention back to Leon. His hands fiddle with the half-empty cup in front of him. “I’m starting to see there are lines I was crossing I didn’t know about. Digimon, the Digital World, The Sons of Chaos, it’s all a lot…bigger than I thought.”
Eiji pauses as Pulsemon makes a bad impression of Eiji. “Let me prove it to you sometime Hatsune. I love you!” It makes kissing noises as Loogamon howls with laughter.
“I used to think Digimon were just tools you used for hacking, but they have thoughts and lives. They can make friends and memories.” He turns to the two Digimon whose rivalry seems to have simmered away.
“So what is Loogamon to you now?” Leon asks.
“He’s my friend. Partner for life!” Eiji responds without hesitation.
“Good. You haven’t completely sold your soul to the Sons of Chaos.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, there’s no easy way to say this. You need to quit code cracking and the Sons of Chaos. You gotta get out before it’s too late.”
Eiji wasn’t surprised by Leon’s remarks. He was expecting the topic to come up sooner or later. “It’s not gunna happen,” he replies bluntly. ” I can’t quit. I don’t have the same luxuries you do for it to be an option.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I only started code cracking because it was the only way I could make money. I’m 19 with a high school degree. If I quit now, I’ll be working a crappy job for crappy pay. I have responsibilities now, and that kind of job isn’t going to cut it.”
“Why don’t you go to college?”
“Where? Tokyo Electrical? I’ve thought about it.”
“Did…something happen?” Leons becomes concerned as he watches Eiji’s expression saden.
“Yeah…Flight 626.”
An awkward silence chokes the table.
“Is that..Is that how you lost your parents?”
Eiji nods as he fiddles with the cup in front of him. “In an act of Digimon terrorism…” His voice trails off as he looks down at his cup. “They were going to celebrate their anniversary in America. It was a big trip…” Eiji’s voice breaks as he tries to fight back tears. He clears his throat. “I was all alone. Everything was gone. I had no job. No money. I had to sell the house. College wasn’t an option anymore.”
“You could apply for scholarships.”
Eiji looks up at his old friend. “After my parents died, I couldn’t do much of anything. I was too devastated to function. The last thing on my mind was school. I needed money.”
“But how could you become a code cracker? How can you still be a code cracker after what they did to your parents?”
“I’m not the same as those monsters. I’m not here to kill innocent people or abuse Digimon.” Eiji’s voice is calm. “I was in it to make money. I am not proud of it, but I needed to eat. But Professor Ryusenji gave me purposes. A reason to be proud of the work I do. It’s been a while since I’ve felt much of anything.”
“What does the professor have you doing?”
There is a moment of silence as Eiji debates telling Leon everything. “I can’t say.”
“Well, I have my guesses. Eiji…”
“Look man. Let’s just keep our work lives separate. It was nice catching up, but I don’t want to ruin it with politics.”
“It’s time Eiji,” Loogamon interjects, perking up in his seat.
“Right. Sorry to leave it like this, but I have an appointment with the professor.” Eiji gets up from the table.
“With the professor?”
“Yeah. Code cracker stuff. Good luck with school or whatever. I’ll see you around. Let’s grab a drink next time, but maybe skip all the heavy stuff.” Eiji and Loogamon turn to leave.
“Wait!” Pulsemon says as he stands from his seat and suddenly appears in front of Loogamon. “Here, this is for you.” Pulsemon hands Loogamon a small digital cube.
“What is it?” Loogamon asks as it grabs the cube from Pulsemon’s hand.
“It’s a present!” Pulsemon smiles and flashes to its spot at the edge of the table. Its feet kick wildly below as it waves at the pair as they leave the café.
The final trailer for El Paso, Elsewherejust dropped, and I can’t wait for the release. The trailer is epic, and I recommend you check it out even if you have no intention of buying the game. El Paso, Elsewhere is a quirky retro shooter where players hunt hordes of vampires, werewolves, and other demons. The voice acting sounds great, the story and gameplay seem fun, and I am excited to hear what they put on the soundtrack. El Paso, Nightmare, the game before this, had an amazing soundtrack.
El Paso, Nightmareis a lot of fun. I’ve reviewed Nightmare in a previous post, make sure you check it out if you want more details. The game is a lot of fun, and worth the $4.99. If you are looking for a casual game and enjoyed the retro era of gaming, go get El Paso, Nightmare.
El Paso, Elsewhere releases on Xbox and Steam on September 26. No price has been announced yet, but make sure you wishlist it! If you enjoy these updates, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
The Beta for the MOBA Shooter Second Wavehas been announced for PC and Xbox. The beta will run from October 6th to the 16th. Now I got to play an early version at GDC and got in for the Alpha and loved every second of it. Even though the versions I’ve tried were rough, they were enough to keep me excited for Second Wave’s release. I understand that it is too early to judge since we don’t have a finished product, but I see the potential.
Second Wave will be playable on PC, Xbox, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and IOS and Android devices. It is essentially Overwatch, but more anime-inspired. I just hope Second Wind isn’t as toxic as Overwatch has become. I loved playing support and can’t wait to hop back in and play some more. This game is fun, and worth trying if you enjoy the genre, so make sure you wishlist the game on Steam and join the Discord to stay on top of all the news.
If you’ve been enjoying these updates, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Make sure you always read the original release. If you’ve been enjoying this project, like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends!
Loogamon tears through the Digital World at the speed of light. The data surrounding him blurs, forming a tunnel of bright light. Marvin and his partner Airdramon race ahead of him. The eight members participating in the raid were split into teams of two. Each team would attack Nation X’s server from a different angle.
“What do you think Tartartus will do with the Machinedramon?” Eiji asks.
“What do you mean?” Marvin replies. There was a hint of suspicion in his tone.
“The orders were to capture the Machinedramon, not destroy it. I just thought…”
“You seem a little too invested in our leader. What’s your deal anyways?”
Eiji tries to find the right words to extinguish any suspicion.
“Well?” Marvin asks. Airdramon begins to slow his pace.
“I’m just a little nervous. I ask a lot of questions when I’m nervous. This is the biggest job I’ve ever pulled, and I don’t want to mess it up.” Eiji tries to sound shaken to sell his point.
Marvin lets out an empathetic sigh. “No one knows why Tartarus does what he does, but I’m sure he’s got a good reason for going after this Machinedramon.”
“He must be after something.” Eiji continues to prie.
“Tartarus is taking on the Digital world and looking for…something.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Who knows? It’s not money or fame, I can tell you that much.”
“Spinning Needle!”
Airdramon flaps its wings, sending a sharp wave of force through a horde of Nation X’s defense. The attack cuts through the mass of guards without meeting much resistance.
Loogamon takes a deep breath. Flames begin to lick from the corners of his mouth. “Howling Fire!”
Fire pours from Loogamons mouth towards the mob of advancing guards. The flame repels their advance.
“Nice one!” Marvin shoots a compliment. “Stay in Rookie form. We need you to budget your mindlink in case we need to get out in a hurry. Use the timer I made for.” Marvin says as Airdramon takes out another group of guards.
Eiji turns his attention to the timer. It continues to tick down slowly. “I’ll be good. Don’t worry” Loogamon runs after Airdramon, taking down any security Digimon it comes across without much resistance.
Nation X’s servers were designed like an old-school dungeon crawler. It was a series of filthy stone tunnels that formed a seemingly endless maze, but Airdramon and Loogamon move confidently through its corridors. Loogamon stops on occasion to sniff for clues, Airdramon quickly snakes after him until they exit a tunnel and find themselves in a small corridor with a large ceiling.
“That’s huge!” Eiji reacts as they come to the base of a large door. It was about five stories tall and made of old sturdy iron.
“Decoding it is going to be a pain,” Marvin says as he begins running calculations.
“Nah” Loogamon says as he approaches the door.
“What are you doing?” Eiji asks frantically.
“Set your tool to decode,” Loogamon commands without slowing his stride.
“…Okay?”
The jewel on Loogamon’s head begins to glow.
“Are you serious?” Marvin yelps as he watches the decryption progress fill instantly. The massive door unlocks. The sounds of rotating gears fill the corridor as doors slide open.
“I guess I’m good at opening doors,” Loogamon says smugly.
“We should rob some bank next,” Marvin jokes.
The massive doors open, revealing a deep darkness. A low mechanical roar rises from somewhere in the shadows.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Loogamon and Aidramon make their way toward the roars. They find themselves running toward a massive metallic dinosaur. Its body is made for a mismatched collection of cyborg Digimon parts with massive cannons strapped to its shoulders.
“This is too much!” Eiji shouts as they continue their approach. He is clearly shaken by the scale of the Mega.
“Calm down Eiji,” Loogamon responds, “you’re making us look bad. It’s all tied up.” Eiji notices the restraints holding the Digimon in place. It lets out another series of emotionless roars.
Loogamon looks toward Machinedramon with an unusual amount of sympathy. “What a sorry sight. It can’t hunt or live its life. I wouldn’t wish this fate on my worst enemy.”
“Eradication attack!” Marvin shouts, not wasting a second.
Megadramon lifts its arms towards the Machinedramon. The large metal claws open, letting out a barrage of missiles. The missiles break through the Machinedramon’s restraints. The room fills with smoke from the explosions.
“Careful! Don’t kill it!” Eiji yells. The Machindramon doesn’t move. It couldn’t without human direction.
“Relax, I’m only targeting the restraints,” Marvins says dismissively. “We gotta bust it out of its chains so we can use our capture tool on it.” Megadromon moves into position as Marvin finishes his explanation.
“Ultimate Slicer”
Megadramon crosses its arms releasing a slashing energy of the same shape. It flies through the air cutting away the last bit of data holding the Digimon in place.
Eiji and Loogamon suddenly find themselves surrounded by the hissing and popping of firework-like sparks.
“What the heck?” Eiji yells as he tries to make sense of the flashes. Loogamon’s vision becomes obscured by the sudden spectacle. Loogamon sniffs at the air trying to make up for his lost senses while Eiji looks through his monitors desperately. The words “Mega, Diety, Vaccine” appear on one of the screens. “Are you seeing this?” Eiji says as he tries to find the Digimon belonging to the description.
A bolt of lightning dances along the walls, finally leaping through the air of the hanger.
