I was sent Starship Troopers: Extermination as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but this will be an honest review.
Starship Trooper: Extermination is a fast-paced 16-player co-op FPS that you should consider getting if you are a fan of games like Vermintide or the movie this game is based on. As part of the Deep Space Vanguard, you must reclaim the planet from the Archnic threat. Build a base and defend it against the seemingly endless wave of bloodthirsty bugs. Will you live long enough to earn your citizenship, or are you destined to be Archid food?
I love Starship Troopers, and I was excited to receive this title. The game is actually pretty solid, with a healthy enough population to make the game fun. I never waited more than a minute to get into a match and enjoyed every match I played. The game has three classes you can level: a healer, a tank, and DPS. As you level, each class gains access to additional weapons and abilities. This gives players something to work towards and allows them to customize their gameplay. Each match is supposed to have randomized objectives, but the missions started to feel repetitive after a while. While I still had fun, I can see this game losing its luster without the inclusion of more game modes and missions. What makes this game unique from others in the genre is the base-building mechanic. To end each match, players must work together to build a base they will protect from a large swarm of arachnids. Make sure you help build the base if you want to win. Base building is easy, but it is also easy to get overrun if people don’t know what to do.
This game is still in early access and has some very notable bugs. I lost frames every time we faced a big swarm, and there were times when the swarm wasn’t properly balanced. This game never got so broken it was unplayable, but it does need further polish.
The best part of Starship Troopers: Extermination is its community. Wait times are almost nonexistent, and the players are having fun with the game. I recommend you get a mic if you play this game. Communication makes missions run more smoothly, and you will certainly find cool people to play with. I played a match where everyone started roleplaying. It was such a fun and silly time, but it was a moment that could have only existed in this game. Your experience will vary, but I was always lucky to be in games with cool and friendly players.
If you like Starship Troopers, this is a fantastic adoption. If are a fan of the genre, this is a unique title that you should consider adding to your library. It is a bit hard to recommend the game because of the lack of polish, but if you don’t mind a few cosmetic bugs, the community makes the experience worth it.
Starship Troopers: Extermination is available now on Steam for $24.99. Make sure you follow the socials to stay up to date on all future updates: Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-14
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.
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?”
Suddenly, Loogamon tenses up. “Somethings coming!”
ROAAARRRRRR
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.
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!”
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-13
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.
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.”
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-12
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”
“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.
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.”
Second Wave Spoilers and Alpha Announcement!
I was fortunate enough to try out Second Wave at this year’s GDC and loved it. Second Wave is an anime-themed arena shooter coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, IOS, and Android. The team behind was super nice, and the game is a lot of fun. I won’t be repeating too much from my initial coverage, so make sure you go read that if you need to catch up.
Since then, Challengers Games has released a healthy amount of spoilers and teasers that have kept my excitement for the game alive. If you care about spoilers, you can stop reading here. Otherwise, I have collected everything they’ve been posting and have organized it as best I can. Make sure you follow the publisher on Discord and Twitter to keep up with all the news from this point.
Most importantly, don’t forget to sign up for the Alpha! The playtest will run from May 26 to the 28th for Steam only, so mark your calendars. This game is going to be huge. The character design is great, the skills are unique, and it’s going to be available on everything. Challengers Games is also an official Microsoft partner, so you know this won’t be another lazy cash grab. With the time I spent with Second Wave and what I’ve seen from Spoilers, it’s hard not to be excited. Now is the perfect time to get behind a game with lots of potential. I’ve already signed up for the Alpha and am impatiently waiting for a reply. Go sign up, and I hope I see you in Armantia!
Shania Olivier
Bernard Bronzestone
Cozette Russel
Amelda Luce
Ess’el Verto
I actually got to try Ess’el when I got to demo the game and had a blast. I wasn’t good, but thankfully the girls I played against also picked her and didn’t know how to use her.
Aegis Tefnut
This might be my main. I love playing the healer/support class in everything I play and switching between light and dark is always a fun mechanic.
Michaela Seraphine Lopez
Merope Sessile
Dio Zahaman
Batu Deidara
Gameplay For Merope, Dio, and Batu!
And The Score Card!
This game is going to be a lot of fun, but I don’t want to speculate more than I already have. Make sure you add it to your Wishlist on Steam, sign up for the Alpha, and join the Discord!
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-11
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?
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!
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-10
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 loses his senses as the room melts away into darkness. He no longer has control of his limbs as the darkness consumes him. Eiji loses consciousness and wakes up in a world full of bright colors. The colors spin around him as he falls quickly into the unknown.
Suddenly, a memory from his childhood flashes before him.
Its summer. The day he and his family spent by the river. He remembers how refreshing the water felt on a hot day, the sound of the river crashing over the rocks, and the games he and his friends played.
“Eiji!” his friend Leon calls to him as he gets out of the water. Eiji turns his attention to Leon, but he’d unknowingly walked in too deep. His foot slips him into the deep part of the river. His feet search but find no ground. He tries to swim, but the force of the river is too strong. He can’t find the surface. The river bubbles around him as his limbs desperately search for air.
Eiji isn’t in the river, but his senses are overwhelmed by the familiar sensation. He tries to calm himself. The bubbles start to settle and quiet. A new world begins to unfold before Eiji. Eiji finds himself overwhelmed by the sudden rush of stimulation.
A bright light. It blinds him, but he can’t close his eyes.
What’s going on here?
Disoriented. Confused. Anxious.
Eiji tries to piece it together but can’t understand what he sees. His eyes continue to adjust, but he can’t seem to focus. Everything is a blur of color and light, zooming and changing as he attempts to make sense of it. His ears fill with a strange static buzzing in his ear, and the air fills with a putrid animal smell.
Is this a bad dream?
But it’s not a bad dream…
Over the static, Eiji can hear a voice speaking clearly to him.
Who…Who is it?
CRASH!
The sound of something being kicked over. Eiji hears someone running towards him.
Eiji’s eyes begin to adjust. He sees a small pink rat Digimon quickly scarring towards him. It clutches a piece of data in its hands as if it were cheese.
“Chuumon, child, beast, virus type,” his heads-up display reads.
Where am I?
Eiji’s eyes continue adjusting. He can see more clearly. He finds himself in an empty dirty room made of concrete.
Suddenly, another Digimon appears. Another rat, but this one is made of cloth like a puppet.
It rides on the back of metallic poo-shaped Digimon. It carries a tonfa and chases after the pink rat.
Eiji is confused by the scene unfolding before him. He is overwhelmed by the excitement of seeing real Digimon but takes the moment to compose himself. This isn’t a theme park he reminds himself.
“How brave of you to try to steal from my family,” Says Damemon in its metallic voice.
“Squeak! Don’t let him do this ChuuChuumon! I beg you! For the love of all rats!” Chumon pleads.
Chuumon stole Chuuchuumon’s food and is trying to escape.
“Not good, not good” Chuumon mutters to itself.
Damemon readies the tonfa for an attack.
“Is that a dog?” ChuuChuumon says suddenly, looking towards Eiji.
Huh, a dog? The Digimon is talking?
Damemon stops its attack. ChuuChuumon continues “I haven’t seen you around here before. The Wall Slum’s Sixth Street is our turf. You better turn tail and run if you know what’s good for you!”
“A rat picking a fight with a wolf? Don’t make me laugh?”
The strange familiar growls in his ear. Out in front! Eiji isn’t in control.
“This is my turf now”
“Do your worst!” ChuuChuumon yells, accepting the challenge. “Damemon! Gun Vulcan!”
Bam-Bam-Bam-Bam!
The Vulcan gun embedded in the tonfa erupts with fire. Bullets explode into the walls and floor. Chuumon zigzags, desperate to escape.
Whaaa?
Eiji is overwhelmed with nausea. A putrid smell fills his nostrils. The bullets Damemon fires aren’t particularly strong, but they release a foul odor, almost like a poisonous gas.
“Hahahaha! That attack must be torture for a dog. Digimon battles are all about exploiting weaknesses!” ChuuChuumon taunts.
“Not good, not good!” Eiji lets out.
“Shall we get rid of this stray Damemon? Finish it off with Boo-st Atta…”
But before ChuuChuumon could finish his sentence, strange energy begins to swirl around Eiji.
What is this feeling?
-Howling Fire!
A fireball erupts from Eiji’s snout and flies toward the enemy ChuuChuumon. Before Damemon has a chance to react, the flame engulfs the pair. The flame eats away at the room around them.
“HOT! HOT! HOT!”
The force of the impact knocks Damemon off balance.
“Just one shot?! But how?” Chuuchumon rolls out of the Damemon’s cockpit and onto the floor. The flames continue to smolder. ChuuChuumon begins to short-circuit. It stares up as the wolf looms over it. It begins to tremble “Lo…Loogamon?”
Loogamon? Eiji asks himself as he looks down at the cowering ChuuChuumon.
“So you’ve returned to the Wall Slums?”
ChuuChuumon’s tone suddenly becomes more respectful.
Eiji is at a loss.
“You’re looking good..”
Loogamon turns away for a moment. ChuuChuumon attempts to make its escape.
Eiji regains his composure. “Loogamon? Can you hear me? Loogamon!”
Digimon Seekers Chapter 1-9: The Interview
I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
The Sons of Chaos is an organization full of the strongest code cracking teams, but have come together with the worst intentions. Rumors has it that the Sons of Chaos are planning something big. Something that could shift the balance between the Digital World and humanity. Intelligence agencies and police units from all over are investigating the organization, but Ryusenji has no faith they’ll find anything. Instead of dealing with the tiresome channels of bureaucracy the selfishness of global politics, Ryusenji recruits Eiji to protect the Digital World, and the Digimon who inhabit it.
The job pays very well, but the passion that the professor fosters for the Digital world is what moves Eiji to action. If Tartarus and the Sons of Chaos are allowed to cause havoc in the Digital world, the international community will view Code Crackers and Digimon as dangerous.
“The lives of Digimon will be at stake. People are afraid of what they don’t understand, and if this gets out of hand, it could mean the end of everything. Digimon are alive and we can’t let such a group to be their extinction.” The professors words continue to ring in his head.
Eiji sits on the futon in his cramped apartment. “So I’m supposed to be a spy,” Eiji says to himself. He looks down and finds Loogamon asleep across from him. It rest comfortable on the bed with its belly exposed. Occasionally, the hologram will flicker, but it it emits a steady blue glue into the apartment. “We’ll be dealing with really bad dudes Loogamon,” Eiji says to the unresponsive pup. “They’re hardcore code crackers who are into some really scary stuff. My Tyrannomon don’t stand a chance against them, but you might be alright.”
Eiji stretches out his hand in a feeble attempt to pet the wolf. Loogamon lets out a low growl as it flashes its teeth viscously at the encroaching hand. “I thought you were asleep?”
An alarm goes off. Eiji raises his wrist to shut it off. “It’s time to go to work. Let’s go Loogamon.” Loogamon disappears into the Digimon Linker screen. Eiji puts on his headset. Leaning against the back wall, he scrolls through the different menus in a virtual terminal projected from the watch.
Eiji logs into GriMM. Joining the Sons of Chaos isn’t a difficult. Once you obtain the invitation code from their recruitment page, you join the official channel and apply like any other job. Eiji had already submitted his application and was logging in for his first interview.
A heavily modified voice comes through his headset. “The Sons of Chaos deal with government agencies, corporations… important people with high-level security. We need highly skilled code crackers who aren’t afraid of anything. This is a risky job. It’s easy to apply, but it’s hard to get into the Sons of Chaos. Do you think you have what it takes, newbie?”
“It’s Fang”
“Code Cracker Fang, huh? Are you ready to earn that name?” Eiji looked at the hologram of a generic avatar staring back at him. His username reads “interviewer. His voice was gravelly and sweet, like a cartoonish old man’s.
“Will I get to meet Tartarus?” Eiji asks without wasting a minute on pleasantries.
“You’re interested in our leader?” the voice asks suspiciously.
“Who wouldn’t be?! He’s the legendary Code Cracker Tartarus! He’s my idol.” Eiji feigns excitement.
The interviewer laughs “How old are you kid?”
“That doesn’t matter. Will I meet him or not?”
The voice on the other end remains silent for a moment. “Tartarus is a mystery even to us. Most of us have never seen him. If you are as much of a genius as you say you are, one of the executives will reach out to you. If you get invited into one of their chats, you might be able to talk to Tartarus.”
Eiji smiles. He will take advantage of the organization’s meritocracy and climb up the organization. “So this job, is it a test?”
“That’s one way of looking at it. It’s a semi-A ranked mission…I’ve shared the details on GriMM. I’ve also opened a dedicated channel for the mission. Use it for future comunications.” Eiji begins to read over the mission details. “What do you want to call the mission?” the voice asks.
Eiji thinks for a moment. “How about, Operation Wolf?”
The interviewer goes silent as the name of the channel changes to Operation Wolf. “This isn’t going to be easy,” the interviewer explains. “A Ranked missions aren’t for noobs. You are going to lose some Digimon. We don’t insure Digimon or provide compensation for any losses. Is that understood?”
“I understand, just be ready for my welcome party.”
“Welcome party?”
“We’re celebrating the birth of the Sons of Chaos’ newest executive.” Eiji is confident that Loogamon and his raw ability as a Code Cracker were more than enough for anything the Sons of Chaos threw at him.
The interviewer laughs. “Please check the file for the mission details. Good luck, I’m praying for you.”
“Thanks!”
The interviewrer logs off, leaving Eiji alone in his small apartment. He lets out a sigh of release as he looks down at Loogamon. He remembers the Professor’s words. Digimon are alive!
Eiji scrolls through the watch’s menu. His finger hovers over the word “Minlink“
Eiji stares at the word for a moment and takes a deep breath.
“Well then…” Eiji presses down on the screen.
Mindlink!
Digimon Seekers: Chapter 1-8: The Assignment
I’ll be rewriting the novel to fix some of the awkwardness of the translation. My version comes out the Monday after the official release, but make sure you always check out the original. If you’ve been enjoying this project, make sure you like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Code Crackers make up a community of anonymous individuals whose goals are to create a free Digital World, one not bound by the traditional social construct. Within this group exist multiple factions, each with unique beliefs of what a free Digital World should look like. Sometimes these beliefs clash, creating a healthy amount of infighting.
Code Crackers exist on the wrong side of the law, made up of misfits with nowhere to go. Whatever goal of dream they chase now, all crackers owe their roots to the original code cracking team.
“I’m a bit hazy on the details. I got into code cracking when I was a young kid in high school. One of the seniors talked me into it. Told me there was decent money in it, and it was at first. It definitely is a good side hustle for a high school kid, but I wanted to do something more serious. I want to use my skills to make a living.”
“You can do whatever you want” the professor replies, “But code cracking isn’t a stable profession. You’re always going to be breaking the law because the government doesn’t understand the Digital World yet.”
“Yeah. The DigiPolice make things…difficult” The DigiPolice is a secret organization only known to code crackers. They’ll stop at nothing to catch all code crackers, regardless of their intentions.
“Are you also trying to forge a free Digital World?” asks the professor
Eiji shakes his head “Shallow of me right? I just want a job so I can eat, and a clean record”
“And where will that lead you? What are your goals Eiji?”
Eiji thinks for a moment. “I…I want to win” he responds sincerely.
Ryusenji is taken aback by the response “Win? What are you trying to win?”
“It’s hard to explain. I can’t really do it in real life, but online….I’d like to be something so big that it changes reality. I want to make money, evolve Digimon, and become the best Code Cracker ever. I want to have a team of my own and be a boss”
“Do you have to be a code cracker to do that?”
“Yes!” Eiji startles himself with his sudden outburst. He composes himself before continuing. “For me, the Digital World is the only place where I can make a difference” Eiji pauses for a moment as he looks over the professor. “I want to be on your level professor. I want to be able to experience the Digital World with all five senses, not just through a monitor. That’s what I want to do.”
Eiji’s words make Ryusenji smile. “The Digital World can change a person”
Eiji thinks about his life. He pictures his small cramped apartment and about his empty fridge. He’s a high school drop out without a steady job. Eiji has nothing, and as he looks onto the world’s wealthiest man, he wants more. Eiji makes up his mind. He has no intention of being a lowly code cracker anymore. He was going to learn everything he could from Professor Ryusenji, and finish training Loogamon no matter what.
Ryusenji murmurs something unintelligible.
“Professor?”
“You passed the test.”
“Again?”
The professor nods his head. “I needed to make sure you had the right intentions. If you were some run-of-the-mill code cracker kid drunk on freedom and ideology, I wouldn’t have offered you the job”
A familiar symbol flashes on the screen. It is of a gear wraps around a skull creating a radioactive halo. Under the symbol the words read “Sons of Chaos”
Eiji lets out an involuntary sigh.
“Do you know them?” Ryusenji asks
“Of course I do. They’re a pretty infamous group of code crackers”
“What is your honest impression of them?”
Eiji takes a moment before responding “They’re on another level. They’re the best at what they do.” Eiji admired their skill, but the Sons of Chaos were right-wing extremists. They were almost militant in their organization. If you wanted to live a good and carefree life, you stayed away from them.
“They’re a group of code crackers known for using Digimon for crime,” Eiji continies. “They’ve made a name for themselves through extortion, theft, and terrorism. They’re bad news.”
The Sons of Chaos are run by the legendary Code Cracker Tartarus. No one knows Tartarus’ true identity, but he’s extremely popular on GriMM. Over the years, Tartarus has built a following of crackers who have adopted his ideology and created havoc in its name.
Ryusenji looks at Eiji “The Sons of Chaos are breaking the delicate balance between the Digital World and humanity. They are abusing Digimon and their ecosystem for personal gain and interfering with my research.” Ryusenji takes a moment to compose himself “It would be a shame if the Digital World and ours became isolated because of the misdeeds of a few punks. Wouldn’t you agree Eiji”
Eiji shrugs. “Can’t you just ask the government to help”
Rysenji shakes his head, “they don’t understand enough about Digimon yet. The Prime Minister only wants to use government resources to study them, and the police are too focused on stopping Code Crackers to care about one individual…There isn’t enough being done!” Ryusenji’s voice is filled with anger and frustration.
“Is that why you hired me?”
The professor calms down and nods his head. “You can say no. I know I’m asking for a lot”
“No, it’s not that at all. I’m here to help, whatever it takes!” The offer is too exciting to pass up. Eiji has been searching for meaning in his life. He knew he was meant for something more than simply collecting Digitama and training Digimon. This was his chance to do something real. To start winning.
“Good!” Ryusenji exclaims as he clasps his hands to gather loudly. “For this job, I want you to infiltrate the Sons of Chaos and find out what Tartaros is up to.” The professor walks over and gently places his hand on Eiji’s shoulder “This isn’t just another job Eiji off the message board. The stakes are real, and much bigger than both of us in this room. This is for the sake of all Digimon. This is for the sake of the Digital World”
Destiny 2’s Guardian Games are Here!
If you’ve been away from Destiny 2 for a while, it might be a good time to make your return, especially if you enjoyed its PVP. If you’ve never played Destiny 2, the base game is free-to-play, and the event is free to everyone. The Guardian Games pits its different classes against each other in a fun and limited event that runs for three weeks. The event will end on May 23rd, which should be plenty of time to grind out its unique cosmetics made available through the exclusive event card. The event card is available to all players, but there is a paid track for those who want to earn a bit more bling.
Players who participate in the games will have the opportunity to exchange their medallions for two exclusive weapons.
This year’s weapon is the Taraxippos, the game’s first legendary strand scout rifle.
Who wouldn’t want this colorful rifle?
Players can also earn last year’s The Title, a void machine gun with the unique perk, Repulsor Brace.
If you didn’t get a chance to win it last year, it’s a great time to start working towards it now.
You can also earn some other cool cosmetics like:
Armor
Ships and Sparrows
Ghost Shells
Emotes and Finishers
And Stuff from the Event Card
There is a lot to earn, so make sure you hop in today! The breakdown for earning medallions are as follows:
Activities that award you low-tier (Bronze or Silver) Medallions include Gambit and Quickplay Crucible matches, anything from the Vanguard playlists, as well as most Neptune activities and Defiant Battlegrounds. For high-tier (Gold and Platinum) Medallions, play Nightfalls, raids, dungeons, Competitive Crucible, Trials of Osiris, or Legend Defiant Battlegrounds.
You do not need the latest DLCs to participate in the event. While you might be at a disadvantage gear-wise, I never found it an issue as a free-to-play player. If it’s been a while or you’ve never played before, now is a great time to log in and start blinging out your guardian. Who knows? You might like the experience enough to stay.
To get started, talk to Eva Levante for access to the Guardian Games quest and your class item. I hope to see you there!
This year for the games, Bunjie has partnered with Direct Relief and the International Rescue Committee to host the Guardian Games Cup. All money raised will go to some great causes, so make sure you go to the official site to find out how to participate.
