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Pahrak Model ZX

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  1. Pahrak Model ZX
    I don’t think I ever said anything about the early demo, but it was something I picked up as soon as I got my Switch. I had already watched someone play through it as one of the available characters, but even if I hadn’t, I probably would’ve gone for this right away—a free demo of a JRPG with gorgeous pixel art from a big name like Square? Yeah, doubt I’d miss that. Anyway, I don’t think that original demo is available now that the new one has gone live, but it really grabbed my attention. Not just because it had an interesting, engaging battle system, but because after completing your chosen character’s story, not only can you keep playing, not only can you recruit the other character to start getting a feel for how they work together, but there’s also a hidden dungeon you can only access after “beating” the demo. A free demo with a post-game dungeon. That impressed me.
     
    Anyway, I’ve also picked up the new Prologue demo: on the plus side you can choose from any of the eight characters, the game has some nice improvements since its original showing, and the save data will transfer to the full game once you get it! On the down side, there’s only one save file, and once its time reaches 3 hours you won’t be able to play any more. You can just keep doing New Games with the other characters and just not save (or rely on the separate autosave file), but still, I feel like that time limit is a bit unfortunate. (I mean, if you wanted to do the full 3 hours with all 8 characters, that’s still 24 hours of gameplay, but…anyway.) Now that I’ve checked everyone out, here are my thoughts.
     
    -Ophilia: Seeing as she’s a Cleric, and even has an action for bringing NPCs along with her to aid her in battle, I wasn’t expecting Ophilia to dish out much damage, but she really surprised me. Granted her first dungeon is catered specifically to her, but I was shocked by how much damage her light magic does. And on the healing side of things, she starts out with an AoE heal, and can immediately learn an AoE revival skill if you so choose, so, yeah, she’s pretty good on that front. She’s an endearingly sweet character, though I could see someone saying she’s about what you’d expect for a Cleric—a matter of opinion, I guess. But either way, she gets top marks for starting off as one very good healer. Also her starting town is the most gorgeous place in the game thus far.
    -Cyrus: After trying everyone out, this is the character I’m starting with. He’s smart, he’s likeable, he’s got just a dash of arrogance, and he firmly believes that knowledge is meant to be shared and that keeping it to oneself is a terrible crime. In short, just an all-around delight. Really, the main reason I want him in the party is because he’s very practical: he begins with AoE fire and ice magic and can immediately learn thunder, and can also learn multi-hit AoE spells of those same elements (very useful for the way the battle system works). More than that, upon entering battle he will automatically uncover one weakness of every enemy on the field, which really sets you up for success without the risk of trial-and-error you usually go through, plus his ability to scrutinize NPCs turns up all sorts of useful bonuses. Definitely recommend giving him a try.
    -Tressa: Going into this, I didn’t have much of an interest in Tressa. I’ve developed an appreciation for her now, but honestly, she’s not really in the running for “favorite” status, and since her goal is so vague I’m not really sure what to expect. Her field action lets her buy items from NPCs, sometimes giving you access to better things than you can find in the shop, and that can be handy. She’s the only character who learns wind magic, and can collect money from enemies in battle—not to mention occasionally finding money on the ground as you travel. (For some reason I find that a little funny, maybe because it’s phrased as being “left behind by some unfortunate soul”.) What’s really nice is that she gets a skill that restores her HP and SP at no cost other than using your turn, so she’s very efficient. She left a positive impression…if not necessarily the strongest one.
    -Olberic: One of the characters available in the original demo, Olberic is an all-around solid choice by virtue of being a knight. Knights are always good in a JRPG. Plus he starts with two weapon types and possesses a physical AoE skill, and his unique field action allows him to challenge NPCs to a duel, allowing you to gain EXP, money, and items at a much faster rate if you’re thorough. One could argue he’s a bit vanilla, but it’s worth trying him out.
    -Primrose: The other character from the original demo. Her story is incredibly dark, not sure I can really go into it here, but if you want a JRPG with serious and mature themes in its narrative she’s the woman you want to go to. She’s the only character who learns shadow magic, and she also learns a variety of buff skills, but the real focus is on using her field action to charm an NPC into following you, and them summoning them in battle as a temporary extra party member. A very neat character, looking forward to seeing where her story goes.
    -Alfyn: Okay, so…Alfyn’s the character of this bunch that just doesn’t really excite me. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with him, and he has a noble goal and all, but…I dunno, he just doesn’t seem as interesting for some reason. Of course, the one time I used his Concoct skill it did nothing, so that certainly didn’t help matters. And he has only a single-target ice spell, and a single-target heal spell, which doesn’t compete well with Cyrus and Ophilia respectively. (He and Cyrus also have more or less the same field action.) He learned a nice support skill that restores a little SP with every attack made, and a status-healing move that also makes you immune to status for a short time, but…eh. Currently my least favorite of the eight.
    -Therion: An edgy thief, yes…but he pulls it off very well. He’s far more entertaining than obnoxious. Stealing NPCs blind is ridiculously fun, and gets you a lot of nice stuff (supplemented by the loot in special treasure chests only Therion can open), making it very easy to prepare yourself for the enemies in this chapter. Plus, he learns powerful double-hit skills that restore his HP or SP by a certain amount of the damage done, making him a very efficient character after only a few upgrades. Quite a tempting choice actually.
    -H’aanit: Kind of a mixed bag. She’s a neat character, to be sure, but it’s difficult to take her seriously when her and her people use Old English to the point that it isn’t even funny. She’s basically a revamp of the classic Beastmaster job from Final Fantasy: she can catch monsters and then release them in later battles to unleash attacks on enemies, but she can store several monsters this way and they each have multiple uses before disappearing. (She also has a snow leopard named Linde who is always with her, so you’re never totally without an animal friend to call on.) Since these monsters all have different attacks that hit a variety of attributes, H’aanit is the most versatile character when it comes to targeting weaknesses—assuming you’re catching plenty of monsters and seeing what they can all do, that is. And the game does encourage you to do this by giving her a field action similar to Olberic, where she can challenge NPCs, but can only use the animals she has with her, none of her other skills. H’aanit is truly a devastating hunter and seemed a little OP at first…but the thing is, she does her best work fighting single foes. You can’t aim any of her animal friends, hampering the versatility they offer, and the only skills she learns that can potentially hit multiple targets are random as well. I like H’aanit, and definitely enjoyed her opening story, but as I gathered party members with her and faced more and more groups of enemies, I found myself using her unique abilities far less. Hopefully this is just down to my inexperience with the Beastmaster job, but I can’t help but wonder.
     
    A criticism I have is that there’s no interaction between the characters. They’ve said there will be at least some in the full game, but right now, you just run to the other characters’ starting areas, meet up with them, and then watch their cutscenes play out without anything changing. Really feels like a missed opportunity, but I guess this is to motivate you to buy the full game.
     
    Also I was bummed we couldn’t mess around with the jobs in the demo. They’ve already shown that in addition to a character’s main job, they can equip another character’s job as a secondary job, plus now we know that characters earn support skills they can equip no matter what jobs they have equipped, and you know I love me some job-mixing! Can’t believe I have to wait a whole month to make Cyrus a Scholar/Dancer…
     
    But anyway, I’m really looking forward to Octopath Traveler even if there are a few things I’m hoping are done better in the full package. If you have a Switch and this game sounds like it’d be up your alley, I’d highly recommend downloading the demo and giving it a shot!
  2. Pahrak Model ZX
    (Yeah, that title is definitely gonna grab attention, heheheheh…)
     
    A new update for Right of Law is up, but before I get to that: in the time since the last update, this story was actually featured on the home page! This really floored me—it’s a huge honor to know that someone on the staff read this story I’ve been working so hard on and thought it was worth letting other people know about it! I’ll continue doing my best to make this story a good read, and hopefully I won’t drag my feet about it since this is looking so, so much longer than I was originally planning…
     
    Which brings us to Section VII! The drones finally reach Bitil’s outpost, and the battle to defend it begins! I wanted to do this all in one chapter, but it’s already decently-sized and there’s a good amount more I want to do, and combining that with how long it’s been since Section VI went live, I think I’m going to go ahead and post what I have right now. With any luck, this means Section VIII is not far away!
  4. Pahrak Model ZX
    nice
     
    After a recent leak of the release date (October 2nd), Capcom has gone ahead and provided a huge new update on the upcoming game, with a new trailer, cover art, several gaming news outlets getting a hands-on demo, and man I am PUMPED.
     
    The
    shows off some new footage and explains the Double Gear system we previously caught glimpses of: you can either activate a Power Gear to enhance the strength of the Mega Buster, or a Speed Gear to slow down time around you. Using these abilities too much results in the system overheating for a short time, and apparently when your health is low you can activate them both to achieve incredible power for a short time before suffering an even stronger backlash. Sounds like a lot of fun! 
    We also get the official name for the Robot Master previously teased, Block Man, and get to see footage of Mega Man battling him and new reveal Fuse Man! Both of their weapons are also seen in action, and seem quite useful in different ways.
     
    There was also information released on collector's editions for both Japan and the states, including a brand new Mega Man amiibo featuring his MM11 design! Hopefully that won't be required for anything too cool...
     
    This was nice, I needed something to lift my spirits and this definitely did the trick. Now if only they'd tell us what's going on with that Star Force costume seem in an early screenshot...
  5. Pahrak Model ZX
    I actually managed to do it! Right of Law Section VI is up now!
     
    Krika visits Ga-Koro and finds his people in good health, but that might not be the case for long. Things are getting a bit tense at Bitil's outpost as well, though things aren't all serious, with the introduction of some new Rahkshi I think everyone will appreciate.
     
    I also updated SSS3 today, so I met my goal of getting both updated by the end of this week. Going forward...who knows. But since both stories are heading into major battles, I'll do my best to keep the wait from going too long.
  7. Pahrak Model ZX
    I don’t do this often, this is weird, anyway.
     
    I got a new job! A bit nervous about some of the specifics, but I’m excited, and really hoping that it’ll work out. I’ve had my…current? Former? Job for just about 5 years, which is a good number in my book and I have had more than enough of it, though I will miss several of my coworkers. I’m going for an orientation on Tuesday, and I should officially start the last week of May.
     
    The thing is, I’m moving from part time to full time, and I’m not 100% sure what my new schedule is going to look like so I can’t say for sure how this will affect any projects I’m working on or thinking about. By “projects” I mainly mean stories of course, I haven’t done a game since, what…September? Yikes. Anyway my point in all this is, if anyone’s keeping up with my stories and it looks like I’m slowing way down, this is probably the reason why. I’m hoping to update Right of Law and SSS3 both at some point in the next two weeks, beyond that I just don’t know.
     
    But I’m not going to go on hiatus or cancel anything, and everyone knows I’ve always had trouble getting things out in a timely manner, so it’s entirely possible that nothing will really change. On the off-chance something does, I wanted to give you all a heads-up. Later.
  8. Pahrak Model ZX
    A month ago I said I wanted to use this blog more, but I've been almost exclusively doing Right of Law adverts since then. Huh. At least it means I'm making good progress on Right of Law!
     
    Section V is out now! Despite her companions' warnings, Antroz heads back to Xia and meets with Angonce, and the negotiations don't exactly go the way either hoped they would. Things won't be able to return to normal after this...
  9. Pahrak Model ZX
    This has been a very productive writing week for me, so here's Right of Law Section IV!
     
    Antroz and Zaekura make it away from Nynrah, but the only person they can turn to for help is a particularly annoying Makuta and his sizable Rahkshi army. It's not a very enticing prospect, and before long, it begins to look even worse...
     
    If I can keep up my recent pace, it shouldn't be long until Section V is up, and I get the feeling that one's going to be quite an event!
  11. Pahrak Model ZX
    I made some solid progress on another project, so I finally sat down and edited Right of Law Section III!
     
    This chapter is entirely made up of Krika trying to defend Nynrah from the army sent after Zaekura. Admittedly I don't have as much experience writing this sort of battle, but I think the result turned out well, and I'll of course strive to improve in either event. Makuta and Rahkshi give you so many options to play around with, though I do have to keep reminding myself that I can't use Shattering or Disintegration. No slip-ups in this part, at least!
     
    Next Section will introduce a new Makuta with a very unique skill. I hope to have it for you soon!
  12. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve just posted Section II of Right of Law! Check it out!
     
    I planned this part to be longer and include a battle at Nynrah, but the draft ended up being 7000 words and that felt like a bit long for one chapter. So, I cut it in two, and now it shouldn’t be much of a wait until Section III is ready to go!
     
    But don’t think that this cut makes Section II any less exciting! We start with Krika elaborating on Zaekura’s nature hinted at with the last line of Section I, and it leads to Antroz finally taking a stand against the Great Beings, if not an entirely committed one. There’s also an explanation of who that mysterious Toa of Earth is—they’re a bit more important than you may have first thought. All this building up to an inevitable confrontation next time which will have lasting repercussions for everyone…
  13. Pahrak Model ZX
    I feel like I need to use this blog more than I have recently, so here are various story ideas I have right now.
     
    -Should probably first take a moment to remind myself which ones I’ve actually started. Right of Law is the only Bionicle story I’m working on right now, and I’ve got big plans for it—I got way more into thinking about the Melding Universe than I ever thought I would and I don’t want any of that going to waste. Section II is coming along rather nicely, I think.
     
    -Other than that, I’m working on Shooting Star Sonia 3…which I’m still rather behind on. Got to get back in the groove there. Probably shouldn’t have posted the first seven chapters at once like that.
     
    -And, other than that, I am working on a Mega Man ZX fanfic, but I haven’t posted it here since I think one spot in my Recent Works block dedicated to OTC should probably be enough. (If that interests anyone you can find Mega Man ZX Termination over on FanFiction.)
     
    -So, what have I thought of but not actually started? Well, there’s, uh…ahah, oh yeah. Olkir. That, uh, that sure was set to be a thing. That never happened. Gosh I hope I do something with that someday. I want to focus all my Bionicle effort on Right of Law at the moment, though.
     
    -There’s also a G2 idea I had, Ends of the Earth, where Earth Okotans Onepu and Tehutti get caught up in a storm and end up on the island of Onan, which has some curious similarities to their home while still being very different. Fascinating as it is, the dedicated Onepu is eager to return home, but Tehutti, being a fugitive, is looking for ways to not do that. I like the idea, just not sure when I’ll get around to it.
     
    -I had a couple other vague possibilities for Mega Man stories, like a third entry in the data timeline, or a completely new timeline, or Maverick Hunter X Hunter which is exactly what it sounds like for the sole reason that the name just works too darn well to let it go to waste. I hope someone writes that.
     
    -I would really like to do something The World Ends With You related. I still love that game to bits, I missed the 10 year anniversary of the Japanese release last year, I’d like to catch the anniversary of the American release this year, and especially with Final Remix coming out…I want to do something. But I’m not too sure on the what. I was kicking around the possibility of a short reflective thing, probably titled “The World Still Hasn’t Ended”, but…it’d probably be short or get repetitive, and wouldn’t really be all that interesting. I thought of seeing where the characters might be after the game, but actually, I’m not sure I can do that as well as I would like to. Hmmmm. Maybe I should just wait until after I play Final Remix.
     
    -I’d also like to do something with Final Fantasy V. Also having a tough time figuring out where these characters would end up, though there’s the possibility of a new group of warriors facing a new threat. I also kind of like the idea of a series of oneshots featuring past heroes, the ones whose memories/souls/whatever enter the crystals and become the Jobs, but there are so many it would run the risk of getting really stale really fast. And, uh…for some reason or another…it did cross my mind to explore an FFV high school AU. Yes, stupid idea, but come on! Those dorks would fit into a series like that perfectly! Class rep Lenna, drama club member Bartz, delinquent Faris, Galuf as the teacher and his granddaughter Krile being the transfer student, it could be great! Or not. I don’t know, I just thought it was fun to think about.
     
    -I considered doing a Pokémon story, set in a new region. I still really like the idea of Alola’s four guardians, so I thought of doing a system kind of like that: trainers travel to four areas within the region, pass a test to enter the guardian’s temple, and then battle the guardian as a bigger trial. I thought that upon winning, the trainer would select one of their Pokémon to receive power from the guardian, enabling them to use the power of Mega Ascension (tentative). This allows the Pokémon to transform into a state where their abilities are augmented and they also possess the abilities of the guardian. Since I don’t want to design too many Pokémon, though, I was thinking there would only be a handful of new ones and a bunch from other generations…and maybe some regional variants, because I dig those.
     
    -One idea I had was a story about a randomized Pokémon Platinum game, with some plot changes for fun. Its name…Pokémon Insinnohty. Because that’s how I roll. I randomized a few Pokémon already just to see what I’d have to work with, and some of this is looking pretty interesting, like Turtwig becoming a Dragon/Psychic Seedot with Ice Body, and Togekiss becoming a Ghost/Flying Gallade with Zen Mode. It’s a definite possibility.
     
    -One other Pokémon idea…I feel like concept of Team Rainbow Rocket still has some unused potential, so it might be worth it to do my own take on that. Have the bosses all actually be working together, rather than just showing up in the same place for a few minutes—each could rule over their own ideal world while collaborating with the others to take over more worlds or trade resources or fight Ultra Beasts. And certainly other characters would be involved. Lillie and Gladion were quick picks, but I also realized this could be a great opportunity to write about Silver, which I’m kind of surprised I haven’t done before now. The only idea I had for a title so far was “Over the Rainbow”, but if I actually do this I might try to think of something else.
     
    -And there is that original idea I’m still working on…though mainly just in the form of brainstorming. I posted a story in OTC to test out some concepts a while ago (Glimpse of Horizons), but the idea has morphed considerably since then, and I might actually try to turn it into a novel. (I’m also thinking “Valkyrie Errant” as the new title.) We’ll see where this goes, but I really, really want it to go somewhere. Maybe I'll post something about that sometime soon.
  14. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve been rewatching Cowboy Bebop, and man, I forgot a lot of the details about this show. Also I think a lot of it went over Pahrak Va’s head. Not to say none of it goes over my head now, but…point is, I think I’m developing a deeper appreciation for this series.
     
    One thing that hit me way harder than I expected was Faye’s tape. I mean, I remembered that that happened, but my recollection was fuzzy, and it kind of stunned me this time around. Maybe because it’s been ten years since I first saw this series, so I couldn’t help but think about how much I may have changed over that decade. Maybe because this time I wondered if young Faye’s cheer of “don’t lose me” is supposed to double as a desperate, futile cry to not be forgotten. Maybe just because I only now realize how well it punctuates just what Faye has lost, and now I’m empathizing way more with a character I haven’t really paid much mind before now.
     
    I should rewatch things more.
  15. Pahrak Model ZX
    You may remember The Gargoyle Knight, a Fanfic Exchange story I wrote starring the Makuta Antroz of the Melding Universe? Well, I came to really like it and brainstormed way too many ideas to cram into one short story, so I’ve decided to attempt a full epic set in the Melding Universe.
     
    Right of Law will see Makuta Antroz face a severe moral dilemma, where she must either repeat her past mistakes or risk the safety of all of Spherus Magna. Section I is merely an introduction to this tale, but by the end I think you’ll see how the stakes can be just so high. I can’t guarantee any sort of schedule for this story, but I do have a lot of passion for it, and I’m going to do my best to harness that and stay committed to it.
     
    I also plan to keep some handy information in the first post of the review topic—since there are so many differences between this timeline and the main one, not to mention this is my own personal take on this AU, I want to compile as much relevant data as I can in one convenient place to hopefully make it more approachable for readers. I’ll also be elaborating on certain things at the end of each chapter, to better flesh out minor points without sidetracking the story proper.
     
    I know many fans didn’t care for the alternate universes that found their way into the story, but I do hope you’ll give this story a shot. I still think there are things from the later days of the story that have a lot of potential worth exploring, and while this story certainly won’t get into all of them, there are a few key points that I’m very eager to try my hand at. Aren’t you curious?
  16. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve been spending my time watching miscellaneous YouTube videos instead of actually doing work (Red Joker? What’s that?), and after seeing someone talk about how they’d construct a Pokémon gym I ended up thinking about it myself and sort of like what I came up with, plus this blog needs some kind of content, so what the heck.
     
    What I ended up going with was a Steel type gym. The leader would be studying legends tied to the Pokémon Aegislash, which is associated with kings and is said to be the result of a spirit inhabiting a sword. The gym would be divided by three gates, each with a different shield on the lock, three different bladed weapons on a rack against the wall, and two trainers to fight. Beat the trainers and they each tell you a different piece of a story about an ancient king, talking about feats they accomplished to clue you in on exactly what type of sword they were known for using. (Examining the different weapons on the rack tells you the type of weapon and what it’s specialized for.) So they could talk about a king who won a battle by breaking the enemy’s shield, and you know to pick up a heavier weapon, or hear about a lot of duels and pick up a sword meant for that. Then you place the sword in the shield, revealing them to be parts of an Aegislash variation if you’re correct, and the door opens to let you through! The leader’s team then consists of Bastiodon (since it’s got a shield for a face), Alolan Sandslash (it’s got a lot of sharp edges, plus it’s a Pokémon with a special variation like these Aegislash), and Aegislash (duh). Didn’t think of any details for a badge or TM, though I guess Swords Dance would be fitting?
     
    I just really like the idea of regional variants and thought it’d be neat to apply something similar to Aegislash, since it’s one of my favorite Pokémon. This setup also provides incentive to fight the trainers but allows you to bypass doing so if you already know what to do or figure it out more quickly, though I guess there should be a penalty for making a failed attempt? Maybe that forces you to fight one of the trainers? I was also thinking maybe this could be part of a whole league where each gym focuses on the lore/variations of a specific Pokémon, but maybe that’s a bit much…
  17. Pahrak Model ZX
    I watched the first anime and read the manga, but I never actually sat down to watch Brotherhood until now. Disorganized thoughts on the subject:
     
    -The pacing felt a little weird at first. I thought maybe it was just that I’d gotten used to slower series like Steins;Gate and Attack on Titan, but later on it felt like the pacing slowed down to something more manageable, so maybe they were just trying to breeze through everything that was already in the first anime? And a little bit of the new stuff?
    -Also the first three episodes all have a scene where Ed’s auto-mail gets revealed and someone does the whole “Metal limbs? Armor? I see, you did it! So that’s why you’re THE FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!” thing. I got a little annoyed by the third time.
    -It’s very odd to me that they skipped over Youswell (or however it’s spelled) since Yoki came back later and was semi-important. He just showed up. I guess if they needed space it makes some sense that that’s what they’d cut, but this series has a filler first episode and a clip episode, so…?
    -Definitely a nitpick, but I was disappointed with Slicer’s defeat. I remember in the first series that he was laughing hysterically over the irony of the situation, and I think an episode ended on that, and I felt like it carried some weight. Here he just casually “haha that’s weird” and then gets axed. Then again it’s been years since I saw the first series so maybe nostalgia blinders are on.
    -Funny thing that happened: I was watching this with my dad, and when we got to the episode where Hughes dies and it started out with Winry thanking him, my dad said, “What a nice guy!” Meanwhile I just sat there thinking, “Is it this episode? It seems like it’s going to be this episode.” It was that episode.
    -I forgot that Sheska just kind of…drops off the face of the Earth after they’re done with her. I wonder what happened with her?
    -When they did the flashback to Ed and Al’s time on the island, wasn’t that guy in the mask supposed to be there? It might’ve just been in the first anime, but I’m pretty sure I remember him being in the manga.
    -Somehow Young Pahrak (Pahrak Va) didn’t catch the symbolism in Greed’s death, and it kind of bothers me now.
    -Ling is a treasure.
    -As if I needed more proof that Lan Fan is Best Girl, in the English dub she shares a voice actor with Christina. Amazing.
    -The first time Hohenheim shows up, when Ed’s in Risembool…he acts way different than he does in the rest of the series. That was weird.
    -Why is Envy’s true form CGI? I can’t tell if it bothers me because it’s obnoxious or because I’m being obnoxious.
    -Anyway, Major Armstrong is the best. Also General Armstrong is the best. Ah to heck with it, the entire Armstrong family is the best. (“Being the best has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!”)
    -Things get really good around Briggs.
    -Another nitpick, after Al’s “hair” gets destroyed in the fight with Buccaneer, it stays that way for the rest of the series, but I’m pretty sure he fixed it in the manga. Weird.
    -It’s a little terrible of me, but the scene where Envy threatens Yoki and everyone says they don’t care if he dies is one of my absolute favorite scenes.
    -So when Envy tricks May into heading back to Central, but then we cut a few months ahead…what was she doing that whole time? I know it can’t have taken her that long just to make the trip. Did Envy tell her the only way she could get a Philosopher’s Stone was to attack on that specific day?
    -Thinking about it, I’m now convinced that the main/only reason the point about Al’s soul being rejected exists is to facilitate his capture in the later part of the series. It’s handled well, though: foreshadowed early-ish, starts to become a problem at a point where it’s only mildly inconvenient before really messing things up, and Pride-controlled Al is freaking terrifying.
    -It’s a little weird how out of the seven Homunculi, Lust is the only one who doesn’t come back for the final arc. I mean, I do get that it would’ve been harder to justify bringing her back, it just feels weird that we’re only missing one.
    -Burn, Envy.
    -I still don’t like the whole bit with Mustang being forced to use human transmutation. It doesn’t make sense to me. Granted, it weakened Pride (somehow) and that does justify why they didn’t do that before, but it still comes out of nowhere and only serves to quickly wrap up the villains’ plan. It feels like Arakawa wrote herself into a corner, not wanting to bring in a new character this late but not being able to justify anyone around using human transmutation because they already know it won’t work. Plus, in the end Marcoh heals Mustang’s eyes so it’s like the whole thing never happened to him in the first place. (And that’s after Hohenheim saying he couldn’t fully restore Izumi’s organs. Not sure how those two points fit together.)
    -Father’s plot is to become the Avatar (and our heroes have to deal with it).
    -The giant Father sitting up from the Earth still looks some silly rock album cover, but ultimately I do like the way they execute the scene of him dragging Truth down to join with him.
    -I’m still kicking myself for never realizing that it makes perfect sense to return Al’s soul to get Ed’s arm back. It was right there the whole time. I never realized. I love it.
    -I can’t believe that Al’s real body was the friends they made along the way.
    -Hmmmmmmm, Selim. That’s an exceptionally risky loose end to leave dangling at the end of the story. I really feel like I need to know what happens with this, but I guess I never will. Hmmmmm.
    -But otherwise, great ending, no question FMA is overall very well-written. It deserves the distinction it’s given.
    -PS the blooper reel is gold
    -I just found out there are OVAs and I might need to track those down
  19. Pahrak Model ZX
    Gathered friends, listen again to the tale of the Bionicle.

    In the time before time, Spherus Magna was without leaders. All were lost, drowning in strife and confusion, fixated on selfishness and separateness. Yet out of this chaos rose those who would bring order: the Great Beings. They took control of the lawless word, and guided it into a new age of enlightenment. Under their rule, Spherus Magna prospered, and the land was at peace.

    To better organize the masses, the Great Beings selected a warrior from each Tribe to serve as their leaders. Upon these six, the Great Beings bestowed a great power…the power of the Elements. For a time, the Tribes were ruled over by these Element-Lords. But this was not to last. It was discovered that a precious, mysterious resource known as protodermis laid beneath our feet. The Element-Lords wished to control this substance, and entered into competition with one another. Their greed overtook them. Their lust for power drove the entire planet into war.

    Displeased by the Element-Lords’ shameful display, the Great Beings ordered them to relinquish their commands. The arrogant Lords saw fit to challenge the beings who made them…and were struck down. The brutal Skrall even sided with the Rock-Lord, thinking they could overthrow the Great Beings and seize power. They shared in his punishment. Only the Sand-Lord had the wisdom to surrender to her betters. She was allowed to live, and would rededicate her life in service of the Great Beings.

    The Great Beings knew they could not trust just anyone to solve this crisis, and so they created the perfect servants to accomplish it. Matoran were born to loyally bear the burdens that lay ahead, while Toa were made to enter the depths of the planet and wield its own Elements to repair the damage done to it. It took several years, but in the end, the Great Beings’ plan was successful. The Melding was complete.

    With the safety of all assured, the Great Beings wished to turn again to their work. However, they had learned that not just any being could be trusted to lead in their stead, and decided it was time for new leaders to be forged. And so the Great Beings crafted the perfect servants: the noble Makuta, second only to their makers in power and wisdom. With these valiant champions carrying out their will, the Great Beings led the world to peace once more…and this time, peace has remained.

    For a thousand centuries, we have been at peace, watched over by the Great Beings and the Makuta. May it last a thousand more, and may none ever again be foolish enough to challenge the Great Beings.

  21. Pahrak Model ZX
    -So…”Final Remix”. Two things about that worry me a bit. For one, “final”. Sort of makes it seem like Square might be officially saying this is it. Or, hey, maybe this is the last remix because next they’re going to do an actual sequel! Aha…ha…er, anyway. Secondly, that’s disturbingly close to the Final Mix tagged onto Kingdom Hearts remakes. That just…makes me nervous.
     
    -Looks to be using Solo Remix’s battle system, and I can confirm that’s gonna be solid. What’s interesting is this mention of using the Joy Cons. I mean, I guess you’d need that for when the system is docked, but it’ll be very interesting to see how that transition goes. A part of me is a bit sad that the combat system is getting less and less unique with each iteration, but since that has been a barrier to entry for some people that might actually be a good thing in the end. But really, how does a touch-focused system get moved to more traditional button controls? I’m eager to see.
     
    -So…that trailer shows Minamimoto being brought back by Coco. This could just be an altered version of the scene where he revives in the third week, or this could be something entirely new, meaning Minamitmoto is being revived again for the new content. That…could go either way. I love Minamimoto and what he brought to the game—there’s a reason he’s so popular amongst fans. But the thing is, he is incredibly popular amongst fans. There exists a chance he’s going to shoehorned in as fanservice. (That’s the way Kingdom Hearts is headed, after all.) That would be less than ideal. Oh, maybe I’m just worrying over nothing. This could be so zetta cool!
     
    -You know who I hope they do more with? I mean, basically everyone, but favorite underdog: Higashizawa. Er, undergoat? Ram? What is Ovis Cantus exactly? Anyway, out of the three Game Masters, Higashizawa feels the least…well, important. And that’s not really the case: his actions in week 1 spur on the character development of Neku and Shiki, which is one of the best things in the game and has a huge impact on the entire rest of the game. But Higashizawa just isn’t as memorable as Minamimoto and Konishi. For starters, he was only around for one week! The other two had a lot more opportunity, and were more involved in the overall plot of the game and thus had another advantage. I just feel like Higashizawa’s the odd man out of the TWEWY family and think it’d be nice if they did something to change that.
     
    -Hype-chan! Who is she? What’s her story? Wait, is she going to be playable?! As a partner, or in some other new capacity, or…what? We’ve been left hanging for six years, I just want to know!
     
    -New story. Explain. Need more information. If there’s more TWEWY story I need to know it. So, it’s an epilogue? Is it just a short thing, or are we really getting the “NEW SEVEN DAYS” we were teased with before? Are these the seven days between Kitaniji’s defeat and the final scene of the original game? Or does it take place after that? Does it have to do with that Noise Symbol Hanekoma is concerned about in Another Day? Does Another Day have any relevance to this somehow? And what’s going on with Hanekoma now? I need to know. Wait, are there going to be new Secret Reports too?!
     
    -They need to revamp Mingle PP. I have never been able to get a single point of it. The Switch is an online system, so they must at least be considering using that in the new Mingle system. Heck, they could just remove the Mingle system altogether, I’d be okay with that. Point is, Pins that can only be grown via Mingle PP have always been way too difficult to get and that really, really needs to change. Then again, Solo Remix had a great chance too and didn’t even try…
     
    -Any chance we’ll be getting new Pins? I don’t think they added any into Solo Remix, but it’s always a possibility. It’d also be neat if they gave us new ways to activate Psychs unique to the Switch. Not completely sure what those would be, though…
     
    -Come to think of it, new Noise? Is that a possibility? I mean if there’s going to be a new epilogue then it’d make sense for there to be at least some new enemies, and/or a new boss, right?
     
    -How about Neku’s friend who was alluded to in Another Day? Info on them would be a great new addition. Wait a minute, is Hype-chan that friend?!
     
    -And I’m sure there are going to be some new tracks, even if only remixes of previous songs. They’ll still probably be great.
     
    -Plus, you know...hopefully this'll get more people interested in TWEWY! It's a wonderful game. It deserves more credit.
  22. Pahrak Model ZX

    New Blue Vegeta

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    So Vegeta got a new form. Not unusual, in and of itself, but I’m kind of taken with the way it happened this time.
     
    Last week, Vegeta stepped up to take on Jiren the Bland and got his butt kicked. He gave it his all and managed to look pretty cool doing it, but in the end he got knocked flat. Still, near the end of this week’s episode (after Goku doing only marginally better against the same guy), he got back up, screamed his lungs out, and vowed to defeat Jiren, win the Super Dragon Balls, and use them to fulfill his promise of wishing back the Saiyans of Universe 6. And then, new form. No name has been given yet and the explanation was incredibly vague, so I’m just gonna go with New Blue Vegeta as a placeholder.
     
    And I mean, it was kind of a surprise. This arc’s been hyping the heck out of Goku’s new Ultra Instinct form, and Vegeta’s been trying his hardest to attain the same power so he can show him up, but in these two episodes he’s declared that he doesn’t need Ultra Instinct and will surpass his limits in his own way. You could probably still have a debate over how these two forms compare, but the bottom line is that Goku and Vegeta attained different new transformations at roughly the same time. For starters I think this is a great step in the direction of variety—rather than everyone rushing to climb the same tier list of forms, we might actually see the major characters each pursuing and attaining their own unique types of power, and that sounds a lot fresher. Gohan said something similar way back near the start of the arc, so I’m really hoping.
     
    More than that, though, it feels like we’re seeing a subtle yet significant shift in Vegeta. He’s been spending so much time recently so fixated on one-upping Goku that many people felt his character was regressing, but now he’s saying he doesn’t need to do that. He doesn’t need to chase Goku, he can find his own way. And what helped him find that way was his determination to save someone close to him, and a few (maybe more?) others he hasn’t even met. That’s a selflessness he hasn’t shown since he fought Buu. Combine this with the early part of this arc, where he refused to train or even enter the tournament because he needed to be there for his wife when she gives birth, and we’ve got a huge shift in the guy’s priorities.
     
    I mean, this is Dragon Ball we’re talking about, it’s never been a work of fantastic writing and it’s not meant to be, but the way Vegeta leveled up this time around just felt kind of…poignant, I guess. It was a nice surprise and it leaves me optimistic for where the series may go from here. So that’s cool.
  23. Pahrak Model ZX
    ...It's a Wonderful World...
     
    I am actually crying right now, you have no idea
     
    TWEWY on the Switch, with new content that will include Hype-chan after all these years
     
    It was unwise of me to spend my Christmas money on a Switch but I am now extremely glad that I did
     
    Thank you God, I'll do better in 2018
  24. Pahrak Model ZX
    When I heard about this year’s exchange, I jumped on it right away. This was a great way to stimulate activity in the Library Forum and I’m excited to peruse all the results over the next week or so!
     
    As for my match-up, I was tasked with writing a story for Nick Silverpen, whose suggestions included checking in on alternate universes and taking a closer look at some of the Makuta. Using those it was a quick jump to Melding Universe Makuta, and in a universe where the Makuta are supposed to be good, who better to examine than the supposedly-honorable Makuta Antroz?
     
    The Gargoyle Knight runs about 5500 words and gives us a look at the Melding Universe’s Xia, alludes a bit to how I think the Great Being-run society would function, and features Makuta Antroz reacting to the knowledge of alternate universes as well as dealing with a high-profile criminal. I quite like how it turned out, so I might be doing something else with these ideas in the future, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
     
    Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day to Nick Silverpen, and the rest of you as well! Let’s do this again next year!
  25. Pahrak Model ZX

    Mega Man's 30th

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    It’s been a rocky few years, but things are actually looking really freaking bright right now.
     
    For those unaware, earlier this month Capcom did a special livestream to celebrate the anniversary, and showcased a neat little retrospective of the franchise’s releases over the past three decades. It got pretty hilarious past Mega Man 10, with year upon year of absolutely nothing (barring Xover)…but then to the shock of everyone, this turned into a trailer for an honest-to-God new game. Mega Man 11 is going to be a thing!
     
    You can watch the retrospective and trailer
    if you missed it. 11 is trying to retain the essence of the Classic series while updating it for the modern age, as opposed to 9 and 10’s throwback to 8-bit, and it looks pretty darn nice. It’s tough to change my tune so completely, but honestly, everything the team has been saying sounds like they really, actually care about making this game good, and I think I’m actually starting to be optimistic about it. Mega Man might survive after all! Who knew! Of course, the game won’t be released until late 2018, and it sounds like we won’t be hearing much if anything more until summer. These things both strike me as odd, but, y’know…I want to believe. 
    (Plus there’s a screenshot where Mega Man’s armor has shifted to look a lot like Geo’s, no one has said a single word about this but it’s gone a long way towards getting me excited.)
     
    My experience with Mega Man isn’t exactly what might be considered typical. See my first exposure to Mega Man was the NT Warrior anime, which was airing on Saturday mornings when I was a kid. That naturally led me to the Battle Network games, and while I was vaguely aware of Classic and X and maybe Zero (probably not Legends though), I realized they were their own separate things and didn’t really bother for a while. As I came to play more video games, Battle Network concluded and we got Star Force, which naturally I was all over, plus Mega Man ZX came out around the same time and I saw that as the perfect opportunity to try out the robotics timeline. Since I’ve never actually been good at video games, most of my attempts to enter that timeline have gone…pretty poorly. But I’ve always held the three series I experienced as a kid very close to my heart, and I’ve always had a respect for the franchise at large. This has deepened somewhat in recent years, where I’ve been making more attempts to escape reality familiarize myself with the other series. I’m still not good, but with how Let’s Plays have taken off that isn’t as much of an issue anymore! I feel a good deal more knowledgeable about the franchise now than I did at the beginning of this drought, so you know what, if I somehow have the money I bet I actually will try my hand at Mega Man 11! (Helping this decision is the fact that it has two easy modes.)
     
    I didn’t expect to ever say it again, but I am looking forward to seeing Mega Man’s future. Admittedly I’m still not entirely sure what to feel about the upcoming cartoon, mostly because we’ve been given so very little, is that even still happening? But 11 exists, it seems promising, and it might even include the subseries in some form! I’m also quietly hoping this could somehow lead to the revival of the Archie comic, like I said before it was great and I really want it back. We’ll see.
     
    If nothing else, we can now actually celebrate Mega Man’s anniversary, as opposed to just trying fruitlessly to console each other, so that’s neat! Plus this reunited me with
    . Things are looking up.
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