Tag Archives: writing

Digimon Seekers Chapter 4-6: The Gateway Opens

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.

digimon seekers chapter 4-6
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.

Cookie Cutter was a Decent Metroidvania, but you can do better

I was sent Cookie Cutter for free to review on my site. 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, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

What is Cookie Cutter

Cookie Cutter is a chaotic cyberpunk Metroidvania out now on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and Epic Games.  

Left for dead, Cherry watches as her lover and creator is torn away from her, and dragged into the dark depths of the megastructure. But Cherry’s will is too strong. With help from the renegade mechanic Raz, Cherry gets her chance at revenge. Filled with rage, Cherry chases after those who stole her peace through a dystopian, fighting the mindless masses that follow INFONET blindly. She will get Shinji back. The question is, what secrets will she find along the way?

Gameplay

Cookie Cutter is a chaotic Metroidvania game, with lots of explosions, blood, and gore. Combat feels fine, but the lack of diversity in enemies makes it nothing exciting. The weapons, attacks, and animations are incredibly creative. I appreciate the amount of work that went into making this theme work.

I will say that this is one of easier and least grindy games in the genre, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While the gameplay is nothing revolutionary, it is a solid entry to the genre.

Thoughts

This game has a fantastic aesthetic and flavor. I love the Gorollaz-esq art style, the epic soundtrack, and the explosive and chaotic feel of combat. I am also a huge fan of its dark overtones and appreciate its attempt at narrative. The voice acting is bad in parts, but it’s not the worst. Overall, this is a game that feels good and looks cool, but its level design and lack of diversity in enemies made the game feel bland in parts.  

This is a game you play to appreciate the art and world-building, but maybe at a discount. If you love the cyberpunk aesthetic and are in the mood for something loud and explosive, pick this game up. This is a solid Metroidvania, but one that didn’t do enough to leave me too excited. You can get $20 of fun from this game, but you also have better options at this price point.

You can pick up Cookie Cutter on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam and Epic Games.  

Check out the Axiom Starter Deck List: Altered TCG

The Altered TCG Kickstarter launched recently, and it was fully funded in two minutes. The campaign has blown well past its goals, and continues to gain traction. Altered attempts to redefine the TCG space with its creative gameplay and expansive world-building. I’m a huge fan of the art, and am curious to see how it plays. Check out my previous post for more details.

The Kickstarter introduces six distinct starter decks based on the factions that exist within the Asgartha peninsula. Let’s kick things off by looking at the Aciom starter deck! Note that you can only get Adventure cards from starter decks at launch, so it be a good idea to nab a few.

If you want to try out the Axiom starter deck, take advantage of the generous print-and-play feature on the official website. Join the Discord to stay up to date, and even make some friends. The campaign ends on February 28th, so don’t forget to back the Kickstarter!

If you enjoy these updates, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. 


Decklist

  • 1 x Sierra & Oddball
  • 3 x Kelon Elemental
  • 2 x Foundry Mechanic
  • 1 x Foundry Mechanic (Alt)
  • 3 x Axiom Salvager
  • 2 x Jian, Assembly Overseer
  • 1 x Jian, Assembly Overseer (Alt)
  • 3 x Amelia Earhart
  • 2 x Three Little Pigs
  • 1 x Three Little Pigs (Alt)
  • 2 x Axiom Scrambler
  • 1 x Axiom Scrambler (Alt)
  • 3 x Foundry Armorer
  • 3 x Brassbug Hub
  • 3 x Axiom Reprocessor
  • 1 x Kelonic Generator
  • 2 x Brassbug Hive
  • 1 x Brassbug Hive (Alt)
  • 3 x Brassbug (Token)
  • 1 x The Ouroboros, Lyra Bastion
  • 1 x Frog Prince

I’ll leave the print and play file here for those who want it, but you can also get it from the official site.

A4

Letter Sized

Drakantos: January Dev Log Brings us the Orbryn Teaser!

I’ve been excited about Drakantos for a while now. With the January dev log out, my excitement continues to grow. I can’t wait to finally play Drakantos, but until then, let’s just get hyped about the current progress. 

Make sure you check out the official dev log and join Discord if you want to stay up to date. If you enjoy these updates, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Most importantly, add Drakantos to your wishlist!


Orbryn Hero Teaser

The community has voted. This month’s hero teaser is Orbry, an Engineer from Garmorli. The dwarf has access to several gadgets and traps to help him fend off enemies. If you like dwarves, traps, and explosions, this is the champ for you.

I was a bit disappointed with the teaser’s slow start, but the more traps and gadgets I saw, the more impressed I became. I don’t think I am smart enough to run this champ, but I can see the potential. With the amount of debuffs and traps, Orbry can help control the battlefield and tempo of battle. It seems like this will be one of the trickier heroes to learn, but one that I am sure will be rewarding in the right hands.

I love how every hero teased so far feels unique and different, and with each release, I have trouble choosing who I want to play.

And Mount Animation!


Cooldowns Changed to Charges

Drakantos will feature artifacts that will act as interchangeable abilities for further customization. These artifacts were initially intended to be cooldowns, but they were changed to charges based on the event players run. The official explication from the devs:

I have to agree with the devs on this change. From a gameplay perspective, it makes the artifact feel more impactful. Players are now forced to use their charges efficiently instead of mashing buttons. From a flavor perspective, it makes the artifact feel more special and magical. It’s something rare that only a hero can use, and I am all about feeling special in my fantasy.


More Cities!

More of the world has been created, and I gotta say I am a huge fan of the art style. Here are some samples of the major cities. I can’t wait to explore what else they have in store:


Pet Contest

If you’re feeling artistic, head over to the official discord and join the “Create a Pet Contest” for a chance to have your creation featured in the game. I love that the devs are working with their community, I just wish I was at least a little artistic.

Conclusion

There were some other balancing changes for combat and more pets added to the game, but you can always read about it on the official dev log. I am still excited and I hope we get a beta soon. This game looks like a lot of fun, so make sure you go add it to your wishlist!

Altered TCG: The Card Game Attempting to Redefine the Hobby

The Altered TCG Kickstarter just launched, and it was fully funded in the first couple of hours. The initial $54,000 goal has since been blown out of the water, and the project sits at a comfortable $1,425,675 at the time of writing this. I am sure this number is going to keep rising because there seems to be a healthy amount of buzz and interest for this game, and I can see why. 

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

What is Altered?

Altered is a unique TCG where players win by completing their adventure first. Unlike most TCGs, there is no combat. Players must instead use their deck to traverse the unique world of Asgartha with the help of their faction, tools, and allies. Do you have what it takes to conquer this new land?

This game looks like a nice combination of board games and TCG, which I am sure will bring in a new audience to the hobby. The artwork is amazing, the concept is interesting, and the creator has experience in the field. I love that they have print and play option so that you can try the game out before you back. Having the companion app is an interesting concept, but I have to see it in action before I can make my judgment. It isn’t the first game that has tried something like this, but I hope it is the first one to succeed. 

How to Play

I’ll leave a download for the the rulebook, but Maindeck has put out a fantastic video where you can see it in action that you should check out.

Thoughts

I was first drawn to Altered because of the art. I am a huge fan of the style, the factions, and the world it creates. I haven’t had a chance to dive too deeply into the gameplay, but it seems like a solid fusion between board games and TCG, and I am willing to try. I am always fascinated by games that try to redefine the hobby, and this seems to have its strong start.

What I love most about the game is that they have a print-and-play option so that you can try before backing. Nothing is worse than dropping money on something you end up not liking. There is also a growing Discord you should join if you have any questions or reservations. If you are looking for a new TCG that is unique, you might want to go back the Altered Kickstarter.

Kickstarter

The Kickstarter launches with six starter decks, a booster box, sleeves, special foils, and other themed accessories. The stretch goals have almost all been unlocked, and there are a lot of goodies. There is always risk when backing a Kickstarter, but this is from the designer who has brought us Dice Forge and Seasons, which inspires a bit more confidence.

Backing Level

  • Discovery Pack ($26)
    • Your Choice of 2 Starter Decks
  • Expert Pack ($162)
    • Your Choice of 2 Starter Decks
    • 1 Booster Box
    • Stretch Goals
  • Master Pack ($540)
    • Your Choice of 2 Starter Decks
    • 4 Booster Boxes
    • Stretch Goals
  • Devine Pack ($5,394)
    • All 6 decks
    • 42 Booster Boxes
    • Stretch Goals

Alt Cards

GLYDR, a Unique Gaming Accesory you control with your Feet!

The GLYDR Kickstarter just launched, and it was fully funded in only 40 minutes. GLYDR is the gaming accessory that aims to revolutionize the way we play games, and promises to save some hands in the process. It is not attempting to replace the traditional controller, but rather supplement the existing ecosystem in the hopes of creating a more ergonomic solution to gaming. As someone who struggles with chronic hand pain, I welcome anything that allows me to enjoy longer gaming sessions. 

What is GLYDR

GLYDR is a programable gaming foot pad with 16 programable actions. This allows gamers to offload some of the more extraneous commands to a part of the body that frankly, could use the exercise. GLYDR grants players access to a library of profiles to choose from, and the ability to create their own ensuring you always have a setup that works best for you. As someone who constantly jumps between genres, I need something that I can easily reprogram and adapt. This seems like a solid solution. 

Go Back Now

Early backers can get them as cheap as $189. Act quick! As of writing this, there are $50 units left at this price, then it jumps to $249. Shipping and taxes apply when the item is ready to ship. I don’t have the money to buy one of these right now, but I thought it was at least worth the gander. Go back the Kickstarter today!

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!

Lil’ Guardsman is such Delightful Narrative Game

I was sent Lil’ Guardsman for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions of the game. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.

What is Lil’ Guardsman

Lil Guardsman Lil’ Guardsman is a narrative deduction game out now on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.

Lil’ must cover her dad’s shift at the city gate. It is up to her to decide who gets let into the city, and who gets turned away. Equipped with magic tools and mostly intuition, she must make the choices that will determine the city’s future. Not everyone trying to enter the city has good intentions. Can she keep the city safe, or will she let it crumble into chaos as is foretold in the prophecy?

Gameplay

Lil’ Guardsman is a visual novel, which means a lot of the gameplay involves sitting through a story clicking choices in between. The choices matter, so choose carefully.

DuDuring each shift, Lil will encounter unique characters, listen to their story, and decide whether or not to grant them passage. Players have a limited amount of actions they can use to ask questions or use tools to determine a person’s intention. This means there is a lot of sitting around and listening to narrative, but the game is fun and quirky so it shouldn’t matter.

Thoughts

I had a lot of fun with Lil’ Guardsman. The game has adorable art, a quirky story, and a relaxing gameplay loop. If you enjoy visual novels or just want a comforting change of pace, you need to check out this game. I loved the game’s silly tone and story. This game is fun, and even though I found myself obsessed with getting a perfect score on each encounter, it was a relaxing experience I didn’t know I needed. 

You can pick Lil’ Guardsman on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch for $19.99.

Check out the Cute 3D Pixel art Survival Game Voxlands

I was sent an early demo of Voxlands to cover on my blog. While the game is playable, it is still rough. It wouldn’t be fair to review the game at its current stage of development, so I will limit my post to my initial impressions. I am hoping to get a full copy upon release, stay tuned for that. 

If you enjoy my content, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Voxlands

Voxlands is a pixel art survival game coming to PC. The game gives off Minecraft vibes but with enough of a twist to be its own thing. Travel through an open world, go on quests, fight monsters, stave off starvation, and craft what you need for survival in this cute and casual experience.

Gameplay

Thoughts

I was excited to get Voxlands because I love pixel art games. Voxlands has an adorable design with a fun and quirky tone that just works. I can’t really talk about its performance because the game isn’t finished. The demo is more than playable, but there is some roughness that I am sure will be ironed out on release. 

The game feels like Minecraft, but the guns and combat give it the unexpected retro Doom feel. I love how fast-paced everything is, and the combat, although a bit clunky at the moment, feels good. I didn’t do much with crafting, and the demo doesn’t have multiplayer. Not that I have friends to play with. 

This game is cute, and I am excited to see what it turns into. I still need to see a more fleshed-out crafting system, more weapons, and a bigger world before I can make my review, but I am curious. It is a short demo, but it does enough. Make sure you check it out when it goes live. There is no release date at the moment, but you can always add it to your Wishlist until then!

Alchemical Revolution: Arisanna Start Deck Revealed

Alchemical Revolution releases on January 26. It is bringing three new classes, elements, and some new elements you’re going to want to try. The card list has been released, so make sure you check out the post to get hyped! Make sure you check with your LGS for product and events, but there is always TCG Player if that isn’t an option.

The Arisanna starter deck is introducing some cool new mechanics that I am very interested in trying. I am still looking for a deck list, but lets look at some of the cards until then. If you enjoy these updates please follow, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends!


Crumbling: The Unique VR Hack and Slash

I was sent Crumbling for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for accessories for your VR headset, like magnetic prescription lenses or a high-quality charging cable, get it at ZyberVR. Use discount code CHURAPE for 15% off. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Crumbling

Crumbling is a cute 3rd person hack and slash action roguelike available now on the Meta Quest and Steam VR. Take control of your favorite adorable Crumbling and fight through a unique fantasy adventure. Can you collect them all? 

Gameplay

Like any roguelike, players will repeat each run fighting against unique enemies and earning randomly generated powerups and new crumbles to play with. What makes Crumbling unique is its combat. Players move their crumbling around like one would an action figure. Crumblings have access to a light attack, a heavy attack, and a dodge. The game gets incredibly creative with its spatial mechanics. Players can move the crumbling anywhere within the map space. 

While the game is adorable from top to bottom, the game is harder than it appears. Players have to think about attacks and positioning in a 3D stage, taking players back to a nostalgic era when we fought with our action figures. 

Thoughts

The game is cute and has a surprising amount of depth. I am impressed by how they can use 3D effectively to create its unique combat system. That said, my issue with Crumbling is with the gameplay. Moving through the toy shop to set up between each run feels cumbersome, and combat is tiring. My reach felt insufficient, and it put me in awkward and uncomfortable positions during combat. I couldn’t play this game for long because of the discomfort it caused, but I might be an odd example. 

This game isn’t for me, but I can appreciate the unique attempt at the genre. The combat has enough depth to be engaging, and it runs well. Dodging enemies from every direction is such an interesting concept. If you don’t mind waving around your Crumbling wildly through combat, the game isn’t bad. 

Conclusion

The game is cute, and the combat is interesting, but it felt like too much work. It is a bit too complicated for a kid’s game, but the neat nostalgic gimmick might be enough to satisfy the small niche it is meant to fill. I don’t think it’s a game that will get much play after the novelty wears away, so I can’t recommend it. Try the demo first before making your decision.

You can pick up Crumbling for $19.99 on Meta Quest and Steam VR.