I was sent a free copy of The Nameless: Slay Dragon to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.
The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a choose your own adventure style RPG game out now on Steam.
You watched your village burn after a vicious dragon attack when you were too young to defend yourself. You spent the rest of your time training, preparing for the day when you can take your revenge. Now with a few years of training under your belt, you set off to become a royal knight and slay some dragons. This is no easy task. The road is full of bloodthirsty monsters who will tear you down mercilessly if you aren’t prepared. Gather your party, buy the best gear, and set off on an unforgettable adventure. Do you have what it takes to defeat a dragon?
Gameplay
The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a unique choose-your-own adventure game with interesting exploration, combat, and skill check mechanics. Players progress through the story through a series of nodes. Nodes let players mine for resources and progress the story, but they can also trigger skill checks and combat. The player can and should plan how to approach their adventure, but some events will be unavoidable. Players are always a bad skill check away from a total party kill.
The Nameless features an interesting crafting mechanic. Players can farm nodes for materials for potions, weapons, and gear, but farming increases a character’s fatigue. The more fatigued a character is, the higher the chances are they will fail a skill check. This creates an interesting dynamic where players have to balance between crafting and exploring or risk burning out early.
Combat in this game is what you would expect from your typical RPG. Players choose the party actions at the start of each round, but the party always acts together. The initiative is determined by passing skill checks. I liked this system because it made planning my turns easy and it felt less RNG reliant.
Combat can be unforgiving if players aren’t prepared. While the player does have some freedom in how they approach the story, there is always a chance of running into an impossible enemy or scenario. This game will kill its players at early levels for choosing the wrong node or failing a skill check. Choose wisely.
Does it Work on the Steam Deck?
The Nameless: Slay Dragon is my favorite game for the Steam Deck. It not only runs great, but it is also the perfect portable experience. This is a chill game you can play anywhere, especially on the couch when you’re just trying to relax. The text is legible on the aspect ratio, and the gameplay is involved enough to be engaging without requiring too much skill and precision. If you’re looking for a unique and fun RPG for your Steam Deck collection, you can’t got wrong with this one.
Review
I love this unique RPG. It has great art, a good story, and interesting mechanics. I love the choose-your-own-adventure feel of the game and the challenge of the dungeons. Exploring the dungeon was fun because there was always that lingering fear that the next turn would spell the end of the party.
The Nameless: Slay Dragon does have a grind that can get a little repetitive at times. The combat system does a good enough job of keeping things moving, but there will be some times when you will have to repeat encounters to level up skills and abilities mindlessly. I found the grind therapeutic, but it isn’t going to be for everyone.
The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a fantastic addition to any collection. It is a great RPG with a fun twist and some solid replayability. This is easily one of my favorite games of the year, and it can easily become one of yours too.
I came into Grand Archive with the intention of being a collector because the art for the game is beautiful. After watching a few competitive streams, I decided to build a deck and head to locals. After my first bout, I was hooked. Over the weekend, I went to my second event with a better understanding and a better deck. While I didn’t perform as well as I could have, I am getting better and can’t wait to go back for more.
The Deck
After a bit of research, I decided to go with an Agro Fire Zander deck because I had most of the cards and I thought the added card draw was nice. You can find all the lists to Ascent Taipei on the official Omnidex event page. The list is as follows (I’ll leave affiliate links to the singles for those who need them):
While I did like the original list, most people run Quicksliver Grail as their divine relic. You want your turn one to be Quicksilver Grail to hide Poison Dagger so you can have it ready for your big wombo combo. The idea is to pop the grail at your opponent’s end phase so you can use the dagger on your turn. Instead of the GCR, I opted for Backup Charger. Poping the charger before recollection means you get a GCR and get to scoop up the cost.
After playing my matches, the deck felt very slow with too much drawing power. Oftentimes, I was left with a hand that was too big to use up my Rococos, or it took too long to set up my combo. This deck needs to win by turn 5 or else it becomes a very steep uphill battle. Some of the changes I’ll be making for the future of this deck:
Removing Gawain. She did nothing. My opponent rarely had cards they needed in their memory and often I was sacrificing for no reason. She felt like a waste of resources.
Removing Kingdom Informant. I love the permanent stealth and floating memory, but it didn’t have enough of an impact. I would have like something like a Lurking Assasin instead for my stealth.
Removing Stalward Shieldmate. I like Shieldmate in slower decks, but she slowed the deck down a little too much for my liking. The floating memory is nice and I guess she could attack with Arthur in later turns, but it doesn’t fit the playstyle I am looking for.
Creative Shock/Cremation Ritual. Unfortunately, this deck ended up having too much draw power. I did prefer Creative Shock to Cremation Ritual because it let me discard fire cards for Veruckan Soulknife,
but the deck already has better options. I definitely don’t want Cremation Ritual in this deck. It was never useful because there was never a moment I wanted to sacrifice an ally.
This isn’t a bad deck, it made it to top 32, but it didn’t vibe with my play style. While I definitely lack the experience to effectively pilot this deck, it wasn’t aggressive enough for my tastes. I like the deck and will continue to make my tweaks. I have a few ideas I want to try. Unfortunately, everyone at my locals seems to know how to counter this deck. While I don’t think I’ll be taking top spots at any events, everyone was nice enough to give me tips and pointers on how to make it better.
Conclusion
If you want to get into Grand Archive, you should do it. You should note that this is an awkward time in the game’s history because the cost of singles is expensive. There will be reprints and the market will cool, but entering the scene now means you’re buying expensive singles. I would argue that you don’t need a meta deck to have fun, but you will need a meta deck if you want to do well. My local scene is very competitive and anything that isn’t meta isn’t placing. That said, the player base is full of passionate fans who want to see the game grow and will help you out when you need it.
I didn’t do as well as I would have liked, but I was getting better as the day progressed. I liked that my opponents and players around me would stop to give me tips and pointers, even during a match. I appreciate that my opponents would give me the chance to undo a move when I made a mistake, even if I never took them on it. They were more than happy to help me out because they want to see their hobby grow. The community is the reason I’ve gotten so invested in the hobby, and it should be the reason you start it as well. Till next time, thanks for reading!
Sam’s daughter has inexplicitly fallen into a coma. Without any other family left in this world, Sam is willing to do anything to get her back. Fate drops “The book of Rituals” into Sam’s life, and now he finds himself in an unprecedented battle against unknown forces. Sam now fights to keep his sanity in the hopes of finding the power to wake his child from her eternal slumber. Do you have what it takes?
What is Escape Tales: The Awakening?
Escape Tales is a popular series of escape room board games. The video game adaptation promises the spirit of the series with features only achievable through video games. Gamers will collect clues, enjoy open exploration, solve puzzles, and enjoy an engaging narrative. The choices the player will matter and result in multiple endings, giving The Awakening some significant replay value. There is no time limit, and each puzzle will have various solutions. The Awakening promises to test a player’s problem-solving skills, moral compass, and decision-making. Seems like a solid deal for fans of the genre.
Impressions
I love puzzle games, and Escape Tales: The Awakening has me excited. What I’ve seen of the gameplay so far has me interested, and the story has me hooked. I am not familiar with board games, but I feel like it’s better to go into a puzzle game blind. I’ll be working on getting my review copy, so stay tuned for that.
Escape Tales: The Awakening is expected to release on Steam later this year, so make sure you add it your Wishlist.
I was sent a free copy of Indikato review for my blog. 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, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Indika is a story-rich walking simulator out now for Steam. Indika is a nun on a journey of self-discovery as she battles the literal demon inside her and witnesses the horrors of a war-torn world around her. How much evil can her soul withstand before it starts to corrupt her? Will her faith waiver? You’re going to have to join her on this wacky, quirky, and amazing ride to find out.
Gamplay
Indikais a walking simulator, with the occasional puzzle or mini-game to mix things up. The main reason you play this game is for its dark humor and fantastic storytelling.
Players are railroaded through the story as they walk Indika through her set path. The striking visuals and environment make the walking bits fine. There isn’t much room for exploration, but the focus is on the story so it didn’t matter.
The puzzles are manageable and extremely creative. There is a puzzle in this game where the demon starts talking to Indika and warping the world around her. Indika can pray to silence the voices and make the world normal again. Players have to switch between these two modes to get out of the room. It was such a memorable mechanic and almost the reason to play the game. Some puzzles may not be as intuitive, but there are walkthroughs available online in case you get stuck.
The final bit is these pixel art minigames sprinkled throughout. These games add to the chaotic, quirky story-telling, and unforgettable charm. These mini-games aren’t difficult, and they are a nice change of pace but don’t change the overall tone of the narrative. I recorded footage, but everything was a bit too adult to post on YouTube.
Impressions
My only complaint is that this game is too short. It will take about 5 hours to complete. The gameplay is solid, and the story is fantastic. I’ve never experienced such a trippy, dark, and well-told story like this, and I recommend you all play it just for the story. The soundtrack voice acting is phenomenal, and most of the reason why you should enjoy this game. The walking can feel a bit tedious at times, but it always pays off.
Indikais a masterful blend of creative storytelling and interesting gameplay that needs to be experienced once. If you’re looking for a short game with a solid story, go pick up Indika. It is a more adult story, so viewer discretion and all that. It also criticizes and pokes fun at religion, and I am sure that will ruffle some feathers. If you don’t mind any of this, Indikashould be in your library.
I finally caught up. Work got crazy, but I finally found some time to catch up. I want to thank everyone who’s been reading my version. I hope I did okay. Make sure you always read the original. I am done for now, but we’ll see what they announce on Digimon Day.
If you enjoyed this project, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Fenriloogamon and Kazuchimon watch as Dorugoramon’s body breaks and melts into an unrecognizable blob of liquid. It wriggles painfully as it continues to download the massive amounts of data from the Source Digimon.
They jump into the air. Fenril readies his hellfire blades, and Kazuchimon’s lighting blades release hot static as they watch what is left of Dorugoramon disappear below them.
“It’s like the time we Digivolved into Helloogarmon,” Eiji says.
They continue to watch in silence as the blob continues to mutate, rebuilding and reforming itself into something entirely alien. Into a new type of Digimon.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
A menacing metallic dragon rises from the corpse of Dorugoramon. Thick black and purple metal plates cover its body. Its sharp claws dig into the earth as it makes its first stretch in life, testing its limits. It straitens its body and expands its wings to reveal its entire gargantuan form. Its massive tail crashes behind it, leaving behind a deep impression of the impact. The Digimon turns its head towards the Digimon above it and gives a sinister smile of fangs that glisten brighter than its armor.
“Impressed?” the professor asks mischievously. “I’ve used data from the Source Digimon to force one last digivolution. What you see is a product of Death-X-Evolution. This is DexDorugoramon, the DigiCore Predator!”
“Death-X? Predator?” Eiji asks, trying to piece it all together.
“It eats other Digimon?” Leon adds.
Before they could say another word, DexDorugoramon flaps all ten of its wings, creating a torrent of damp, sickly air that swirls around the Source Domain.
Eiji studies the strange new Digimon below him and notices its pained movements. Something was off. This was no longer Kosuke’s partner.
“What did you do to Dorumon?!” Eiji shouts.
“Fascinating! Do you notice something special about this Digimon Mr. Nagasumi?”
Eiji struggles to formulate an answer. None of the reports on his screen produce any helpful information. “Are..are those multiple Digicores?” he finally blurts out.
“Exactly!” You’ve got keen Eyes. Now why would a Digimon have multiple Digicores?” the professor continues as if giving a lecture.
“You didn’t answer my question!” Eiji demands.
The professor sighs. “Dorumon is safe. All its major functions have been paused, but it’s in there. Death-X-evolution offers DexDorugoramon new life as an Undead type, a Digimon that survives by making use of the Digicores of others.”
“Like a zombie?” Eiji lets out.
“More like the perfect zombie. This creature has consumed and stored the data of countless others, and it is bursting at the seams. The only thing holding it together is the armor, and can hardly keep up. Isn’t it marvelous?” The professor explains gleefully. “Death-X-evolution is a digivolution en route to death.”
“Dorumon is dying?”
“You’re missing the point! DexDorugoramon is now the closest to the Source Digimon. This is the purest expression of digivolution!” The professor cackles as he admires his discovery. “This is my masterpiece!”
METAL IMPULSE
Fenriloogamon and Kazuchimon attempt to jump out of the way, but the attack is too swift. It connects with Fenriloogamon. Eiji feels the shockwave of agony run down his body. He almost passes out from the pain. Around him, the monitors flash with errors and warnings.
“So this is just a third of the Source Digimon’s power?” Eiji mutters in despair.
Hellfire clings to the earth surrounding Fenriloogamon. It slowly loses its vigor. Fenriloogamon had erected a wall of fire in a futile attempt to stop the attack, but the flames had no effect. This creature before them was too powerful.
“If he manages to fully decrypt the source code, it’s game over,” Eiji manages to say.
“No kidding,” Loen responds. Both friends brace for the next attack.
“I should mention that the creature isn’t even under my control anymore,” the professor says smugly as he raises his hands over his head. “DexDorugoramon is completely autonomous, acting on its own insticts. Isn’t it phenomenal! Now all I need is your Loogamon and Ryudamon to make it complete.”
DORU-Din
The attack makes no sound as it erases a piece of the source domain. Eiji turns to find a section of the stone circle missing and begins to panic. “This is real bad!”
“How..?” Leon tries to find words to respond but can’t. The Digimon’s quick reflexes allowed them to dodge the attack, but there was no guarantee they could do it again.
“You have to get out of here Eiji,” Leon says sternly.
“What are you talking about?” Eiji snaps.
“If DexDorugoramon Eats you and Fenriloogamon, it’s all over.”
Eiji knew Loen was right, but he wasn’t ready to let himself sacrifice himself again.
“You’re afraid too Leon, I can hear it in your voice.”
Leon flashes a nervous smile. “This whole thing is scary.”
“Leon..”
“I’ve made up my mind. You searched for me until you found me, so I’m going to fight to protect you.”
“No!” Eiji shouts. Fenriloogamon’s fur begins to stand.
“What?”
“I’m not waiting around helplessly while I lose you again.”
Fenriloogamon lets out a howl that shakes the entire Source Domain. DexDorugoramon’s wings perk up at the sound.
“You ready Leon?” Fenriloogamon turns to Kazuchimon. Leon hesitates for a moment as good memories of the professor hit him suddenly. He lets out a sad sigh as he shakes them away. “I guess there’s no talking you out it.”
Kazuchimon transforms into a massive blade of lightning.
FUSION
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Fenriloogamon: Takemikazuchi stares down DexDorugoramon. Blue flames and green sparks jump from its body, scorching at the world around it. It clutches at its magical sword as it braces for its final battle.
So this is how much you’ve come to despise me?” the professor asks in a last-ditch effort to earn sympathy.
“You’ve gone too far. I cannot hold my head high and live with pride until I’ve bested you,” they reply.
Warning lights begin to flash around Eiji. There was nothing they could do. It was all or nothing now.
“So be it,” the professor bellows. “I’ll consume you all. Your efforts, your dreams, your future, its all going to be meaningless!”
DexDorugoramon’s wings open and form a massive maw, ready to consume Fenriloogamon. “I will crush you!”
“Shut up!” the shout as Fenriloogamon redies its blade for one final strike. In a flash that was faster than light, they disappeared.
I’ll do my best to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s going to be tricky. I usually post on my socials when the chapters are up if that’s easier to keep track of. Make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Eiji searches fruitlessly through the dark for the voice, but his vision fails to grasp anything tangible. For a few moments that followed, there was nothing. No sounds, smells, or light to tease the senses. Shock overwhelms the panick as Eiji continues to fight through the daze.
Just as quickly as they were enshourded by darkness, the lights flicker, illuminating the void. The sudden bright light forces Eiji to squint. He begins to feel the coold smooth stone pressed against his back and sares up onto an inverted wall. “What?” he lets out, as he begins to come to his senses. Eiji realizes he is no longer standing.
“Rrgh,” Loogamon grunts.
Eiji turns to his partner and gets up as quickly as he can. He fights through the faint dizziness and makes his way towards the wolf. “Loogamon! You okay?”
Loogamon lays on the ground, making weak twitches with its paws. “I…I can’t move,” it manages to say.
Eiji looks around and finds the rest of the group in a similar state spread across the circle. Scattered and unconscious. The interface on the prototype Digimon glow dimly but begin to fade with each passing second.
Eiji reaches for his partner, “Loogamon!?!” he shouts as his arms wrap around the wolf’s neck. The interface on the prototype Digimon go dark for a few seconds before rebooting.
Kosuke sits up and pulls up his console and virtual monitor. “What?” he murmers as an endless stream of unintellible code floods his screen. Kosuke begins typing desperately at his keys, but his console seems to be stuck in an endless reboot loop. The source code decryption had been canceled without warning.
“Good morning friends,” a familiar voice says softly. Eiji instantly recognizes the voice. He turns quickly in disbelief, but finds the professor standing in front of him. “Professor Ryusenji?” Eiji lets out softly.
With his back turned to the pupils, the Ryusenji says “I’ll take it from here.”
Yulin begins to regain consciousness. Through her fog, she can make out the professor’s silhouette. “Professor?” She says weakly as she slowly comes to consciousness. “What are you doing?… Why?”
Kosuke stares at the professor incredulously as his console continues to reboot.
“Why are you so surprised?” The professor says as he turns around to address his pupils.
Kosuke and Yulin quietly get to their feet. Their balance wavers, and they fail to find the words to respond.
“After all,” the professor continues. “I’m the one who asked you to raise these protype Digimon for me. Now if you don’t mind,”
RESTRAIN
“Gah!”
“What is this?!”
Loogamon and Dorumon fall to the ground as they become restrained by the same tool used on Ryudamon.
“How did you do that?” Durumon shouts.
“Did you really think I would just give you my Digimon?” Ryusenji says sternly.
“He had it…programed into us,” Loogamon shouts. Dorumon’s eyes grow wide in disbelief as the truth begins to sink in.
“Did you tamper with Ryudamon too?” Yulin is finally able to say.
“It’s a little…safety feature I installed in each Digimon and Digimon linker. Did I not mention it when I gave them to you?” The professor’s voice is cold. “I can also take control of the Digimon if I need to. Progress requires these types of safeguards, wouldn’t you agree?” He turns around and continues towards the center of the circle. “These Digimon are my tools, and I will use them as I see fit.” The Digimon continue to struggle in their restrains.
The group notices as a strange shimmer occasionally run across the professor’s hologram. His hologram was a mere projection from the three Digimon linkers. It was clear at that moment that everything was by his design.
“What the hell are you going on about!” Kosuke shouts, slamming his virtual monitor away.
The professor stops at the center of the circle. Without turning says, “Let me put it simply. Your story is now mine. Now watch closely.” The professor begins typing at his console. Dorumon’s interface begins to glow as a beam of data begins flowing through it.
“What are you doing?!” Kosuke shouts.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m decrypting the Source Domain’s code. It’s only fair that I do it.”
Kosuke stands helplessly and watches his Digimon be hijacked.
“Accessing source domain code,” comes an announcement from the cold robotic voice of the Source Domain.
“Loogamon!” Eiji shouts as he slams his fingers through various commands in a feeble attempt to regain control of his partner.
“It’s not looking good,” the wolf replies. Eiji continues to struggle, looking for any way to sever the connection and take back his friend. What if they couldn’t stop the professor? A cold shiver runs down his back.
“We’re supposed to be on the same side!” Kosuke cries desperately. “I want to save Saya too!”
“Why are you doing this? Why put us through all this trouble? We’re on the same side. Don’t you want your daughter back?”
The professor smiles. “I’ve always liked you Eiji, so I’m letting you in on a little secret. I’m not really interested in finding her.”
“But then…why did you make the stimulant?” Eiji feels the weight of the world crashing into him. He stumbles and almost falls to the ground.
“Not…interested?” Kosuke clenches his fists tightly.
The professor shrugs. “What’s lost is lost. This whole plan you’ve dedicated your whole life to, Kosuke, it is a monument to wasted effort.”
“Don’t let him…get to you Kosuke,” Dorumon shouts.
“I…I always had my suspisions,” Yulin manages. “but I didn’t want to believe them. I couldn’t”
Professor Ryusenji smirks, “You should have listened to your gut, Captain.”
Without warning, the infinite space around them fills with an endless stream of data. “This is it. The universal directory,” the professor says as he sifts through the data.
“Search Complete,” the Source Doman’s voice announces.
Bit by bit, a small yellow Digimon begins to appear before them, occasionally letting off small strikes of lightning.
“Pulsmon!” Loogamon shouts, reigniting his struggle.
“What’s it doing here?” Eiji asks with delight.
“And there you have it boy, the Pulsemon you and Loogamon were looking for,” the professor adds.
Eiji takes a hard swallow.
“This is but a taste of what can be done with the control of the Source Domain’s data.”
Another Digimon begins to materialize. A small black dinosaur appears next to Pulsemon. Kosuke lets out a gasp, “Black Agumon!”
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“Just as I suspected,” the professor continues as he examines the Black Agumon. “Even if the mindlinker perishes, the partner Digimon doesn’t suffer the same fate.
“Wait..what did you say?” Eiji stammers as tears fall down his face.
“Saya’s..” Yulin’s heart drops. The sudden pain of realization almost knocks her off her feet. “Saya’s dead?!” She can’t hold back her tears.
“Oh, yes. For quite some time, now,” the professor answers coldly.
I’m going to do my best to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s going to be tricky with my schedule. I’ll do my best and appreciate your patience. Make sure you support to original. If you like the project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Loogamon falls to the ground. Its crash echoes over the void. Three strange shapes materialize before the group: a blue raindrop, a purple sun, and an orange cube. Each shape glows brightly as it begins a slow orbit in the space Loogamon once stood.
Loogamon’s heart races. Attempting to catch its breath, Loogamon tenses up and moves into a defensive stance. “What the heck is that?” It shouts, eying the strange display cautiously.
The others have begun a slow retreat and watch the orbiting shapes suspiciously. “You’re the one who activated,” Eiji replies.
“By accident, I don’t…” Loogamon’s voice trails as one of the carvings catches its attention. “I think I’ve seen this thing before.”
“Now you’re just making things up, it’s okay to be scared buddy,” Eiji replies with a nervous chuckle. He studies the objects carefully. They feel familiar somehow.
“It’s the three types!” Yulin blurts out suddenly.
Eiji focuses on the strange shapes and recognizes the letters written between the shapes. “Oh yeah! The things in the lobby.” Eiji recalls the three hologram objects he passed before every visit with the professor. The shapes represented the three types of Digimon taxonomy: virus, data, and vaccine. The objects spin for a moment before each makes their way to their respective Digimon.
“These are the terminals that control this fortress, and we are the intereface,” Dorumon says, breaking the silence. “We made it. This is where we’ll find the Sacred Chalice.”
“It’s been quite a journey,” Kosuke responds.
Dorumon nods. “It’s not over yet.”
“Commence phase four,” Kosuke says as he takes a step forward.
“We’re so close!”
“Now we have to access the source code.” Kosuke turns to Eiji, “Do you still have mindlink time left?”
“Of course I do!” Eiji says, putting his hand on Loogamon’s back. “Readyu buddy?” Loogamon’s tail begins to wag slowly.
Yulin is stunned. She attempts to process the events unfolding around her. “The …source domain…” Yulin was a gifted coder, but this was outside her knowledge base.
“I doubt you’ve even heard of this place Yulin,” Kosuke says. “This place is what the professor what all those expeditions have led up to. This is all of the professor’s research, but now it is no longer just theories. This is how we save Saya!”
Something clicks for Eiji as he takes it all in. Suddenly, his involvement with the Sons of Choas wasn’t wasn’t random chance. Standing here in the Source Domain with Ryusenji’s two former students was by design.
“I get it now,” Yulin says, grabbing one of the Ryudamon’s clawed paws to help it up. “You want to crack the Digital World!”
Kosuke smiles, “That’s right. We’ll surcumvent the Royal Knights, slip past the system admin, and take control.”
“That’s too dangerous!”
“I’m not here to rule the Digital World, I just need to controll it for a moment. Just enough to do what I need to.”
“No! You can’t! If you put the Source Domain to the whims of man and….”
“These are no mere whims,” Kosuke says coldly. “This is to save Saya and nothing more.
“That doesn’t matter. We shouldn’t even be here. We can’t risk destroying the fragile connection between humanity and the Digital World. You don’t understand the forces you’re dealing with!” Yulin’s words echo through the void.
The group stands in silence for what seems like an eternity. Kosuke is the first to break the silence. “…This is for Saya. If it brings her back, it will all be worth it.”
“I don’t give a crap why you’re all here,” Loogamon interjects. “We made a deal, and we’ve got people to save here. So if we can move it along…”
Yulin turns to Eiji. “Are you willing to take responcibility then? Are you okay with this Eiji?” Her voice pleads desperately.
Eiji sighs as he thinks for a moment. “Look. I hear you, but we didn’t come all this way to just turn around. We came here to rescue our friends, and we’re so close.”
The three shapes begin to spin and rise, slowly coming together and rushing into one blinding orb of light. Around them, massive stone pillars shoot out from the ground, reaching up until disappearing past the eye line. Stone begins to pile around them, forming a large circle around them.
“This looks like some kind of alter.” Eiji finally adds. “How big is this going to get?” No answer. He looks over to Kosuke, who watches as the ancient structure continues to form around them. The temperature drops suddenly, forcing the group into a shiver.
“Can’t you light us a fire?” Durumon’s asks with a tremble.
“I’m not a space heater?” Loogamon snarls.
The structure stops shuffling, sending everything into silence. “When you’re ready Loogamon, commence Phase 4.”
Loogamon takes a step towards the floating object. Durumon takes hold of Ryudamon’s restraints and drags it behind. The half-conscious Digimon mutters under his breath. “You awake back there?” Durumon asks mockingly.
“You’ve…made your choice.” Ryudamon manages. Its voice is frail.
“I’m here to back up my partner,” Durumon begins. “I’ll help him free the Digital World, and whatever happens…happens.”
The stone circle begins to glow.
“Hey, Kosuke?” Eiji asks, his gaze fixed to the center of the fixture.
“If you have questions, keep them brief.” Kosuke types away furiously at his console.
“When you access the source code, can you do a search of Leon’s Pulsemon?”
“I only have the identification code for the Black Agumon,” Kosuke says coldly.
“I know the scent,” Loogamon adds as he sends over the identification code.
“Now all we need is the Ryusenji’s treatment,” Kosuke says as he pulls up the data.
Yulin’s heart stops. The professor not only knew, he was behind this whole operation.
“There’s no turning back now,” Kosuke says.
The air around them grows colder as a stream of light from the floating object reaches towards each Digimon.
“Woah,” Eiji lets out, overwhelmed by the sight.
Strange, glowing symbols fill the wall around them. “Decryption in progress,” the three Digimon say in sync. The whole structure glows bright for a moment before ending in a flicker. Kosuke’s monitor shuts off. Everything around them goes dark and silent.
“Good morning friends,” an unfamiliar voice says softly.
It’s been a bit chaotic, but I finally found some time to pick this project back up. I apologize for those of you who have been waiting, and I thank you for your patience. Please make sure you always support the original, and don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Eiji, Kosuke, and Yulin vanish. Omnimon’s blade slashes through the space Kosuke’s neck used to be. It pulls up the glowing blade to examine it for signs of contact. It lets out a powerful sigh in its disappointment as it realizes it has failed.
“Did they make it?” Marvin asks as the shock kicks in. He and Satsuki freeze, as they watch the frustrated knight plan its next move. If it turns around, they didn’t stand a chance.
Marvin looks at the destruction around him. Sees the half-frozen Chaosdramon, the overheating Brigadramon, and the two Mega Digimon Kosuke sacrificed. Watches as Omnimon stands at the center of the aftermath, motionless. Moments go by before it leaps into the air. It takes a sudden dive into the gate and disappears out of sight.
The battlefield falls silent. The mangled corpses of Gatekeepers and Code Cracker Digimon form scattered piles over its face. The Wall Slum Digimon had long since disappeared, leaving Marvin and Satsuki alone. The raid is over.
Marvin appears as a hologram and walks over to Satasuki whose hologram stands over the wrecked Mekanorimon.
“Thanks for the assist,” Marvin says coyly.
“Where’s the captain?” She asks flatly, without looking up. Sadness, anger, and frustration all jumble inside her as she tries to make sense of what just happened.
“We should really get out of here before that thing decides to come back.
Satsuki turns angrily and pulls Marvin by his collar. “I asked you a question!”
Marvin lifts his hands up in protest, “I have no idea where they went. We didn’t get that far.”
“LIAR!” She shouts as she shakes Marvin violently. “Tell me where she went!”
“Woah, calm down.” Marvin pulls himself free and brushes himself off. “Look, my parts are done. The battle is over. Now if you’ll excuse me, I got to check up on my friends. I’ll be seeing you.” He gives Satsuki a brief wave as he walks away. Marvin summons a small virtual console as he walks, and inputs a few commands. The felled Digimon and the screen vanish as Marvin turns his attention to help his comrades.
Satsuki remains frozen where he left her and stares blankly into the distance. Moments go by before Marvin finally turns to her and says, “It’s been nice, but I’m out of here.”
Satsuki turns slowly towards Marvin and stares at him with a lost expression. She clenches her fists tightly but doesn’t say a word.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. You can come join us if you need a place to crash. I can even fix that Mekanorimon if you want.”
Eiji, Kosuke, and Yulin stand at the center of an endless void. Around them, white empty space stretches away from them for miles.
“Is this…The depths?” Eiji asks as he searches for something to fix his gaze. Nothing seems to stand out. Except for the solid floor below them, everything around them was an endless formless blight.
“Well we can summon our holograms which is a good sign that this is 3D space,” Kosuke says. His voice trails off as he summons his virtual console and begins typing into it furiously.
“I always imagined the Depths to be a wild place full of untouched nature, like a forest or somthing,” Eiji says, his hologram also testing his surroundings. “That’s what the video at the DDL showed.” Kosuke doesn’t respond. He doesn’t seem to have heard Eiji’s comment. Eiji continues his search, and Loogamon sniffs at the air for clues.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“So what is this place?” Loogamon asks. “There’s a bunch of scents in the air, but they don’t make sense. It’s like there’s something here, but there isn’t.”
“Something?” Eiji asks in a shaky voice
“Yeah, it’s like this whole place exists and doesn’t at the same time. It’s confusing.”
“I didn’t peg you for a philopher Loogamon.” Dorumon chuckles.
“Shut up,” Loogamon snarls, blaring its fangs at the fox.
“This is the Source Domain,” Kosuke says finally without looking up.
“The source? So this is where it all starterd?” Eiji says as he takes another look around him.
“The Digital World was born from noise and chaos. This is a place full of ancient and forgotten data. Only old Digimon can access it, or Digimon compatible to the old standards like…” Kosuke’s voice trails off.
“Like the Prototypes,” Durumon continues, pointing toward the interface on its forehead. “These things gave us access, and since you were fused to our Digicores, you came along too.”
“Ah!” Eiji chirps.
Durumon turns his attention to the unconscious and restrained Ryudamon. “Still asleep captain?”
Yulin’s hologram suddenly appears between them. “Kosuke!” she shouts.
“I’m sorry Yulin, but this was the only way. You wouldn’t have helped me otherwise.”
“Wait!” She looks at the void around her, frozen with shock as she struggles to piece the truth together. “The Gateway…What happened?!” Her voice shakes as she demands answers.
“We cracked it. This is the other side,” Kosuke answers, his gaze still fixed on his work.
Yulin is speechless. The mission failed because she hesitated.
“The DigiPolice watched you fall and withdrew. Your deputy fought till the end. She even deployed a Mega-level Digimon in an attempt to rescue you.” Durumon begins.
“Sastuki deployed Brigadramon? No!” Her voice fills with genuine concern. No one could fully control Brigadramon. It wasn’t ready to be used in combat.
“We didn’t know you were sitting on such a nifty little Digimon. It even stood toe-to-toe with Marvin’s Chaosdramon, but then Omnimon showed up, and well… that’s when the real party started. The thing came inches from Kosuke’s neck, but he was just too smart.” Durumon ends his story with a proud smile.
“What…What happened to Satsuki?”
Kosuke shrugs, “She’s not my responsibility.” He steals a quick glance at the distressed captain and sighs. “I’m not sure what happened after we cracked the Gateway, but Marvin’s a good guy. I’m sure he’s taking good care of her.”
Eiji is surprised by how casually the two foes address each other. “Do you know each other?”
“I guess there’s no reason to lie now that we’re in here,” Kosuke responds as he goes into their history.
Eieji takes it in for a moment but remembers where they are. “That’s a lot, but…shouldn’t we be worried about Omnimon coming back?”
Dudumon shakes his head, “Only prototype Digimon can enter here. We’re safe.”
“That’s good.” Eiji begins to relax.
“In theory,”
“Huh?”
Durumon shrugs, “It’s entirely possible that I am wrong. The Royal Knights will show up and end us. It’s all Jazz from here on out.”
“Please tell me you’re joking.” Eiji tenses up.
“That’s the worst case scenarion.”
Loogamon wags its tail. “Relax kid. I don’t smell any Royal Knights.”
“You’re younger than me Loogamon.”
“We don’t know that,” it sneers. Its nose twitches suddenly as it catches a faint unfamiliar scent.
“What’s up, Loogamon?”
“Something stinks over here but…GAH” Loogamon’s face twists as it fights back disgust. The area Loogamon was sniffing reacts suddenly. A strange translucent shape begins to form around it.
“What did you do?!” Eiji shouts.
Loogamon jumps back as the shape begins to form. “Nothing I..” Loogamon freezes partway through his leap. Its body remains suspended, frozen in the air.
I release my translations the Monday after the official release. Make sure you check out the original. If you enjoy this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
The blast of energy connects with Ouryumon before it has a chance to react. Its twin blades drop as the wings on its back vanish. Ouryumon is sent plummeting towards the Gateway. Its body bounces once as it kicks up thick clouds of dust and debris. Yulin and her partner remain unconscious as the dust settles around them. Ouruyumon glows a sickly yellow as it dedigivolves into Ryudamon.
Dorugoramon looks down at its opponent and reverts Dorumon. “The Digicore is intact,” It says as Kosuke’s hologram appears beside it.
There’s a glimpse of sadness in his expression as he looks down at his old friend.
“I know you can’t hear me, but I’m going to restrain you,” Kosuke says as he pulls up a program that restrains Ryudamon. The program wouldn’t allow anyone to control Ryudamon as long as they were mindlinked, but it wouldn’t prevent it from moving. Kosuke lets out a loud sigh. “I’m sorry, but this was the only way.”
Kosuke turns an unremorseful gaze towards the battlefield. “Phase two is complete. Commence phase three,” he commands.
“Copy that! Note mindlink uptime is higher than anticipated, but still with in acceptable perameter,” Dorumon responds.
“Yulin is a tough girl,” Kosuke replies flatly.
“Indeed,” Dorumon responds, his gaze fixed on the restrained Ryudamon.
Kosuke opens up his coms. “You still alive Marvin?”
“Barely,” came in a shaky reply. “Looks like we’ve got plenty of time though.”
“Status report,”
“The DigiPolice’s biggest weapon is out of commission, Eiji was able to take out the two Hi-Commandramon. We’ve knocked out a third of the police force. The Wall Slum Digimon are still going strong, but it looks like the code crackers fighting the Gatekeepers are loosing steam.”
“The turning point’s approaching,” Dorumon says gravely. They couldn’t risk the battle shifting against them. Not when they were so close.
“Right then,” Kosuke says suddenly. “Time for the main event.”
Dorumon nods. “Marvin, bring Eiji over here.”
“On it boss. I’ll get ’em there without a single scratch!”
“If you’re gunna use it, now would be the time,” Kosuke adds.
“You don’t even gotta ask,” Marvin replies as he activates a tool from his console. Suddenly, a guttural unearthly groan floods the airways.
Satsuki grits her teeth as she watches over the battlefield. A third of her force was gone along with the two strongest mindlinkers and the captain.
“That damn Eiji,” she growls. “This wasn’t in the notes…” Her voice trails. Their intel had placed Eiji and his partner only at Champion level. It frustrated Stasuki to know that their intel was wrong. He had jumped a level since they last fought, and now he was…her level. Regret fills her as she thinks about their first encounter. Satsuki clenches her fists tightly. “I should have taken him out when I had a chance.”
“Squad leader,” a voice breaks her trance.
“Go ahead.” She shakes off the frustration and regains her focus.
“Orders?”
“Left flank, retreat and regroup with the remaining forces. Right flank and center, take care of the Gatekeepers. Everyone retreat after regrouping.”
“But..”
“That’s an order,” she commands, cutting off incoming protests. Yulin had given her command of the Police with the condition she wouldn’t push Numemon past champion, and they would retreat if Yulin lost.
“But the Captain?”
“I know!” Satsuki shouts as the rage continues to bubble within her. “There’s no other choice.” The Sons of Chaos had the upper hand. Fighting any longer would end in defeat.
“Tachibana, Sakurada, can you move?”
“Yeah”
“Good. I need you to retreat for now. I’ll cover you.”
“But…”
“It’s an order, not an invitation. Get moving!” Satsuki barks.
“Yes Mam!” They respond as they begin limping away toward the Cargodramon. She watches as the rest of her battered forces make their make their retreat.
“Right then, where did Eiji go?” She says as she switches coms. “Seals one come in.”
“We’ve got eyes on Tartarus. It looks like they’re getting ready for their next move.”
“Keep watching, but retreat the second things get hot.”
Marvin joins Kosuke and the others with Eiji hidden. “Alright, I brought the kid. Now if you don’t need me, I need to get going. I better take advantage while the Police are retreating.”
“You’ve done enough. Thanks. Where are you off to?”
“Gotta pick up my kid from school.”
“Right, right! You better hurry then. I’m sorry to take up so much of your day.”
“It’s fine, now I got a cool story to tell them when they’re older!” Marvin chuckles.
“I’m glad you see it that way.”
“Catch you later!” Marvin says as he and his Digimon leave.
“Are they really reatreating?” Eiji asks as his hologram appears next to Loogamon.
“They’re probably just following orders.” Tartarus responds.
Eiji turns to the unconscious Ryudamon. “Are they all right?” He sounds concerned as he examines the restraints.
“They’re just unconscious. The DigiCore is still intact. I just put them in restraints for their safety.”
“So what now?” Loogamon asks.
“Now we crack the gateway,” Kosuke says with a smile.
“We’re going to use the old interfaces on the prototype Digimon to open the gate.” Dorumon adds.
“Old interfaces?” Eiji asks, puzzled by the explanation.
“Oh? I thought the professor would have told you.” Dorumon asks, taken aback.
Eiji and Loogamon shake their heads for a moment before Eiji gets an idea. “Wait! The thing on their foreheads!” Eiji exclaims suddenly, pointing at Loogamon’s forehead.
Dorumon smiles, “Exactly! Digimon with those interfaces are known as prototype Digimon. We’re going to use them to access the backdoor that leads to the depths.”
“We’ll slip through where the system administrator can’t see,” Kosuke adds.
“Damn Loogamon, that means your forehead holds some sort of legendary power! I always knew you were incredible buddy.”
“I don’t need you to tell me I’m incredible,” Loogamon responds as its tail wags furiously behind it.
“So what do we have to do?” Eiji asks excitedly.
“You don’t need to do anything.”
“Sorry?”
“Tartarus will take care of the Gateway. The Prototype Digimon act as intermediaries while the cracking occurs.”
“That makes sense,” Loogamon says as he looks at the still-unconscious Rydamon.
“Well if you only need Loogamon’s interface, what should I do?” Eiji asks, feeling lost. Loogamon and Dorumon exchange a nervous glance.
“Pray.”
Loogamon, Dorumon, and the restrained Ryudamon form a triangle around Kosuke.
“Alright, time to move into phase three,” Kosuke announces. “Once we start the process, there’s no cancelling. Loogamon and Dorumon won’t be able to move while the Gateway is being cracked. We’re counting on the rest of the Sons of Chaos to see us through.”
“Yes sir!” comes the resounding response from the remaining members.
Kosuke starts typing quick commands on his console. “I hope this thing of yours works Marvin.”
Suddenly, the ground begins to shake as violently. The Sons of Choas close their ranks and brace for an attack as a gigantic dragon appears over them. The beast is completely metallic, with thick crimson armor covering its body. Large metal talons flex as its tail waves wildly behind it.
‘Is that a Machinedramon?” Eiji asks.
“No, but similar,” Loogamon adds.
“You’ve seen this thing before?”
“I recognize that red armor anywhere…That’s Chaosdramon.”
HYPER INFINTY CANNON!
Two red-hot beams of energy fly through the air and melt away swarms of Gatekeepers. The sky around them fills with explosions.
“A mega? Who can even pilot a Mega like that? Eiji asks stunned.
“It’s a bot,” Tartarus says.
“What? No one is controlling it?!”
Chaosdramon lets out a roar. Eiji marvels at the sheer unmanned destructive power before him.
“No one would be able to mindlink with that.” Kosuke adds finally.
“Wait what about the Wall Slum Digimon.” Eiji asks suddenly. His voice filled with genuine concern.
“I told them to leave the moment things got dicey. None of the are risking their lives if there’s no benefit,” Loogamon responds.
“We’re on the clock,” Dorumon says suddenly.
“Right.” Kosuke opens up his terminal and begins typing at it furiously. He glimpses at the unconscious Ryudamon. “Sorry Yulin. I need to borrow you for a bit.” He stops typing to take a deep breath before hitting his final command:
I know this one is late but the new year messed up my schedule. Make sure you check out the original. If you enjoy this project, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
The air smells like burning exhaust. Smoke rises around Soloogarmon as white-hot flames erupt from the generators on its shoulders. It grips its mace tightly as it watches the police Digimon before it. It can’t help but smirk as they tense up in preparation.
“I got a bit of my memory back,” Soloogarmon whispers.
“Yeah?” Eiji lets out a sigh of relief, seeing they are still in control.
“Yep!” Soloogarmon takes a deep breath. “I’m burning everything!” It bellows as a menacing grimace creeps across its face. The generators burn brightly, releasing a high-pitched whir as they continue to gather energy. Before the Hi-Commandramon can react, Soloogarmon vanishes. It leaves behind a swirl of smoke in its place. Suddenly, one of Hi-Commandramon’s shields begins to buckle and break under the weight of the mace. Soloogarmon stands at the other end of the impact. Its grin widens with each new crack.
“AWWOOOOOO!” Saloogarmon lets out a howl that rattles the shattered armor. Flames begin to spill from its maw.
ERUPTION HOWL
Torrents of red-hot hellfire melt effortlessly through the armor, leaving the Hi-Commandramon defenseless. It shrinks away from the heat as the other shield fruitlessly appears in feeble retaliation. The shield shrivels into a burning husk of debris. The two police Digimon spring into a defensive stance, and take careful aim in retaliation. Both grenade launchers empty furiously as twelve grenades find their target. Soloogarmon explodes into flames and vanishes behind its veil.
The flames vanish in an instant, revealing an unscathed Saloogarmon. Magical flames move around it in a protective aura. Soloormon smirks. “Is that it?” The Hi-Commandramon become visibly shaken.
“Careful, you’re taking damage,” Eiji says as he watches the monitors flash with warning.
“It’s all part of the plan!” It grips Vanargand tightly and readies for another attack. The Hi-Commandramon lift their batons for another attack. “No more games Eiji. Let’s burn ’em!”
“Their mindlinkers too. Don’t wreck their Digicores!” Eiji pleas.
“Don’t worry. They’re tough. They’re not gonna die.” Before Eiji can respond, Saloogarmon takes off into the air. A shockwave of energy explodes behind it. It lifts Vanargand
Skoll Rage!
The fight between the two legendary dragons rages furiously over the gateway. The sudden flash from Loogarmon’s evolution forces them to pause as they shield their eyes from the blinding illumination.
Yulin looks down towards the source and watches as the humanoid wolf tears through her strongest officers. With one mighty blow, it leaves the pair unconscious. Yulin grinds her teeth in frustration as she watches the unknown code cracker make a mockery of her and her unit. Something about the code cracker seems familiar. She ponders for a moment. “Is that Eiji Nagasumi?”
Kosuke chuckles, “He really did it. Isn’t he awesome?”
Yulin watches as her opponent’s attention drifts for a moment. She readies for an attack. “I’ll just have to deal with him after!”
Dorugoramon wags its finger. “None of that,” Kosuke responds. “I need both of you for this next bit.”
“What bit?”
“Don’t you see?” He shouts ecstatically as his Digimon raises his arms wide towards the sea of networks above them. “Three ultimate Digimon, each with the three key attribute. Data, vaccine, virus! We’re all here!”
Yulin tries to piece together the words but struggles to follow Kosuke’s thoughts. “What are you plotting?”
Tartarus turns to Yulin. “I’m not plotting anything. I’m just finishing what we started.”
Suddenly, it clicks. The pain and anguish Kosuke carried with him all these years could no longer be contained. The chaos of Kosuke’s obsession erupts all around her, and all she can feel is sorrow.
“Unlike you,” Kosuke continues. “I haven’t forgotten about Saya.”
His words cut Yulin deeply.
“I don’t blame you.” He continues. “Forgetting was the only way you could move forward. Isn’t that why you became a cop? To prevent others from going DMIA? Is this,” Koske motions to the chaos around him, “Your penance?”
“Don’t you dare talk to me like you still know me!” She snaps.
Kosuke smiles through his Digimon. “I know you better than anyone Yulin. But have it your way. Today’s the day we put an end to this chapter. I’m going to save Saya Yulin. I’m going to bring her back.”
“And how the hell do you plan to do that?”
“With an old relic of the Digital World. It sits down in the depths of the Digital World. It has the power to fix everything, and I am going to be the one to get it!” Dorugoramon begins to glow bright with energy as it charges an attack.
“Ouryumon!” Yulin shouts. Ouryumon begins redies its blades and begins to glow with its own aura.
“I think this counts as police brutality,” Kosuke snides.
“Some situation need a little force.”
“I haven’t done anything wrong. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”
“That doesn’t work here…” Her words trail as she becomes filled with rage. Ouryumon crosses its blades and charges the silver dragon. Before Dorugoramon can react, the two swords plunge into Dorugoramon’s neck. “I’ll be the one who saves Saya!” Yulin snarls.
Dorugoramon shrieks in pain, and Yulin catches a glimpse of its fear. She freezes as she remembers shes a cop. Dorugoramon smirks and takes advantage of the distraction. It grabs Ouryumon’s arms and pulls the blades out. They leave behind shallow wounds.
“You lost Yulin. This is all going according to plan.”
“Dammit Kosuke!”
“Like I said, I know you better than anyone.”
Dorugoramon delivers a fierce kick that sends Ouryumon flying back, creating space between the two dragons. Dorugoramon launches itself forward, turning into pure destructive energy.
