inpurpleshadows

One video game series I've said I was a fan of but at the same time not really is Life is Strange. The original game is one of the most emotional video games I have played and left a huge impact, helping me during one of my darkest times. While I still love the first LiS and do a playthrough of it at least once every year, I can't say I'm in the actual fandom, nor do I engage in any fanworks. Sure, I've come up with a few personal headcanons, but that's about it.

I also have mixed feelings on the game's sequels. I found Before the Storm to be an underwhelming follow-up, and Double Exposure was a trainwreck. I did really enjoy LiS2 and True Colors, though not to the same degree as LiS1. I also have no interest in the upcoming Reunion, the OG game doesn't need any direct sequels imo.

I'm starting to question whether or not I'm a "true" fan of this series if I only love the first game but have little care for anything else. Am I alone on feeling like this?

Played more Silent Hill 3 last night, I think I'm almost done with the game. I would've completed it yesterday, but I got stuck on Brookhaven Hospital for a while, though I managed to finish it despite the punishing difficulty.

There's one character in this game who has always interested me, that being Vincent Smith. He has a relatively minor role, but his personality and enigmatic nature left a huge impression on me. I don't know what his motivations are, who he's siding with, or if he is on anybody's side to begin with. He isn't shown doing anything explicitly villainous, but he's seen manipulating both Heather and Claudia, so many of his actions are likely for personal gain. Vincent's also responsible for delivering one of the most haunting lines in the entire series. If you've played SH3, you know the one I'm referring to.

There are several fan interpretations of Vincent, but I can't come up with many myself because he's that mysterious.

Compared to yesterday, I have much more energy and used this morning as an opportunity to continue playing Silent Hill 3. I think I'm about halfway done with the game since I finally arrived in the eponymous town, but what happens before then is one of the biggest player punches in gaming history.

Throughout Silent Hill 3's first act, there are several hints of Heather being the daughter of Harry Mason, the protagonist of SH1. To be honest, this isn't much of a spoiler since it's become common knowledge among the Silent Hill fandom. What really shocked me was the revelation that Harry was suddenly killed. Yeah, that one guy you played as in the first game and got attached to? He's fucking dead. I genuinely forgot this happened, which made it hurt all the more.

I did make a joke in my head about how Neil Druckmann might've used SH3 as inspiration for writing The Last of Us Part II, which did lighten my feelings, but it was only by a little.

There's something I wanted to do for a long time, but never had the confidence for it out of fear that people will judge me. Well, I've learned that no matter how I behave, I'll always get shit for loving certain things. As unfortunate as it is, that's just how the Internet is to those who are autistic, "weird", or "cringe".

So basically every friday, I'd discuss an aspect of a video game, show, or anime I'm a fan of that's contentious. These can range from gameplay mechanics that're strongly disliked by players, to base-breaking characters, to common criticisms that apply to a piece of media as a whole. I'll make a post defending these divisive qualities and why I like them while still trying to get a better understanding of how some would think otherwise. I may not make that big of an impact as I want to, but I do believe having a more nuanced perspective on certain media is something that can improve online conversations. Every post will be featured in a thread below this one, so stay tuned.

I wanted to get back into making drawings for fun, so here's a sketch I did of Lucy from Elfen Lied. I'm still a novice to art, but I think it's the effort that counts. Image on the right used as a reference for the sketch.

I played through more Silent Hill 3 this evening. For me, SH3 is a hard game to return to. Not that it's bad by any means, it's my second favorite game in the series. However, the beginning of the game is pretty slow-paced, even by SH standards, though I should probably explain why I think so.

In the first three or so hours spent in-game, very little of significance happens narratively. While there are some hints towards Heather Mason's past and her connection to The Order, they're vague at best. What doesn't help is that it isn't until Silent Hill 3's second half when the characters actually go to Silent Hill. Thankfully, the story starts getting interesting by then, and at that point, I have a hard time exiting the game. I don't have an issue with slow-paced beginnings, though it can become a problem when it drags on for longer than needed.

I used to think that SH3's biggest flaw was its short length, but that's not really the case anymore. It's the pacing that's weird.

I wonder when 68 will have its place in Internet history. Like, '69' has its place, '6 7' has become a staple of modern lingo, what about the forgotten middle child '68'?

Sometimes I forget how big of a deal The Orange Box was back when it released. Valve basically released three highly anticipated games on the same day, plus two previously released ones as part of the package. Said package included Half-Life 2 plus its episodes, Portal, and Team Fortress 2, all of which are among the greatest video games of all time. Oh, and did I mention that you could purchase all of it for 20 dollars?

Last time I played Left 4 Dead 2 was about six months ago. The reason I haven't played it in a while is because on my previous session, I was in a server where two of the people were likely ten years old at most, and the other player didn't speak at all. The two kids kept repeating "no cap" and "W drip" among other Gen Alpha slang. When we failed to fill up Jimmy Gibbs Jr.'s car, the kids yelled "that is so not sigma".

Firstly, what language were those children speaking? Also, how were they not terrified by the zombies? I'm 19, and L4D2 still scares the crap out of me.

Here are #my9games that left a significant impact on me and formed how I view video games as a medium. Each of these games marked a turning point for me on a personal level.

Sonic Advance was the first game I ever played, introduced me to gaming, and kickstarted my longest-running hyperfixation. Super Mario Galaxy showed me the sheer scope and ambition of console games. Five Nights at Freddy's showcased how effective horror games can be. Spyro the Dragon was my earliest experience with the PlayStation and made me realize how different consoles can shape one's childhood. Mega Man X gave me an appreciation for level, enemy, and gameplay design. Metal Gear Solid proved that video games have the ability to tell gripping stories. DOOM got me fully locked in for retro games. Life is Strange established how vital characters are for leaving an emotional impact in not just video games, but storytelling as a whole. Half-Life 2 turned gaming from a passionate hobby to my primary interest. God, I feel like such an unc.

I've been craving some survival horror, so I started replaying Silent Hill 3. I sometimes forget how difficult this game is compared to other Silent Hill games. The enemies are much tougher in both health and attacks. They're faster, require more hits to kill, some have the ability to knock Heather down right on her feet. There also seems to be a higher quantity of 'moon logic' puzzles. The first main area of the game, The Mall, wastes no time at all. You're thrust right into the action with barely any health items or ammo.

Also, I want to mention how incredible Silent Hill 3's graphics look. Silent Hill 2 was already a great-looking game, but SH3 hasn't aged a day in the visual presentation. Everything, from character models, textures, environments, lighting, and particle effects have so much care put into them. It still blows my mind that this game is two decades old, it manages to surpass several games that were released in the next console generation.

Recently, I took an interest in collecting physical media for my favorite cartoons & anime alongside some other stuff that I think would fit alongside them. I originally did this out of paranoia for Internet censorship and the lack of any real official efforts to preserve media online, but now, DVDs/Blu-Rays have become my preferred way to watch stuff. To me, this is much better than having to deal with constant buffering, inconsistent video quality, and streaming services jacking up their prices for no good reason.

There's also the neat part of actually owning a copy of something you enjoy. Additionally, there are the fun bonus features, creators' commentary, multi-language audio tracks, and slick box arts. I was partially inspired by @COMPU73E@retro.pizza and @outofprintarchive@retro.pizza for this. I've built up a small collection over the past few weeks. It's not much, but personally, this library of mine is very fulfilling and better represents my tastes in what I watch.

Finished rewatching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season One. I didn't mention this before, but my first viewing of the show was on YouTube, you can easily find the entire series there, so no issues with accessibility. However, when revisiting Season 1, I did so on DVD. Watching My Little Pony: FiM via physical media on my TV late at night made me feel nostalgic, which is odd since I only began watching the show this year. It probably has more to do with the general atmosphere of DVDs, something that can't really be replicated on streaming.

I also want to say how much I enjoy Season One's finale, 'Best Night Ever'. Unlike future season finales, this one is written like a standard MLP episode instead of taking place on a big adventure. It's not exactly extravagant, but I think this episode is charming for what it is. Also, it was oddly cathartic to see some of the Mane Six crash out. Fluttershy even turns into a goddamn yandere, but knowing the context of the episode, her crashout was totally valid.

Me and my mother watched more MLP: FiM together. While watching it, I asked her if she knew anyone else who had My Little Pony toys growing up, and she said yes. My mom also stated that some of her male friends enjoyed watching the original 80s cartoon with her. Those words really interested me, so after we were done watching, I did some research online.

This might seem hard to believe, but 'bronies' have existed ever since MLP's inception. It just wasn't talked about as much then because Internet forums weren't a thing yet, and the actual size of the 'brony community' wasn't as huge before G4.

Compared to other girls' shows at the time, the G1 cartoon featured darker and adventure-heavy stories that appealed to a wider audience. Even now, I've heard quite a bit of people praise this show, so I might check it out when I have the time. While Generation 4 undoubtedly caused MLP to skyrocket in popularity, fans outside the franchise's target demographic have always been there.

Last night, me and my mother watched some episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. She loved it, Applejack seems to be her favorite character. It's been a long time since I watched cartoons with my mother or anyone else for that matter. I forgot how being accompanied by someone can enrich a viewing. It also felt great to reconnect with one of my loved ones, I want to do that more often. My Little Pony: FiM really inspired me to interact with others and make friends.

Prior to this viewing session, I asked my mom if she ever watched My Little Pony, and she said yes, just not Friendship is Magic. She remembers watching the G1 cartoon from the 80s, and recognized some similarities between it and FiM. My mom also remembers having several pony figurines from when she was a child, preferring them significantly over Barbies and dolls. Given how uncanny some of those dolls can be, I don't blame her. I'm curious into checking out previous MLP generations after I'm done with G4.

I had an absolutely horrible nightmare last night. I dreamed that I was Rainbow Dash (I dream about being fictional characters often, this is normal), and after not seeing Pinkie Pie for days, I decided to check up on her. I knocked on the door, and to my surprise, Pinkie Pie opened it. She looked depressed, lacking the cheerful, hyperactive personality she usually has.

I asked her what was was wrong, and Pinkie seemed upset that I avoided her previous few parties. I then asked her if there was anything I could do to help, and she said "yes, there is" before sticking a syringe in my neck. I passed out on the floor, then, still in the nightmare, woke up in a restraining chair. Pinkie then said "oh good, you're finally awake". I started to panic, afraid that I upset Pinkie. I pleaded and cried for her to let me out, but it was to no avail. I started apologizing for not going to her parties, but Pinkie didn't seem to care, then stabbed my flank with a cake cutter.

I'm still suffering from MLP brainrot, but don't want to rush watching the show, so I decided to start rewatching Season One.

After watching Seasons 2 through 7, this season feels pretty weird in retrospect. Compared to the rest of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Season 1 has a larger focus on slice-of-life plots over big-scale adventures. The characters' personalities, while mostly the same, are benign. Big Mac is a bigger talker. In a lot of her early appearances, Derpy lacks her, well, 'derpy' eyes. Fluttershy, true to her name, is much shyer, though this is justified given her development in future seasons.

This might not be the right word, but the general tone of the show is slightly more "girly".

I don't mind any of this; in fact, I welcome these quirks. It makes this season feel more unique. Also, when I began watching MLP: FiM, these oddities were a normal part of the show for me. Most early-installment weirdness only becomes weird if you experience later entries/seasons.

For today's #vgmwednesday I present a track from Sonic 06. Yes, I know this game is infamous for being rushed, broken, and somewhat destroying the reputation of the Sonic series. However, despite everything, it has one of my favorite soundtracks in the entire franchise. Considering how this is a Sonic game, it having an awesome OST is a given, but I really do mean it when I say it's amazing.

One track I really like is 'The Water's Edge', which plays during the beginning half of the game's first level, Wave Ocean. It's fitting for Wave Ocean's beach-inspired aesthetic, and the music itself excites me every time I hear Sonic's "I gotta hurry and save Elise". When not playing the game, I find the theme oddly relaxing, though that's likely due to nostalgia.

And to be totally honest, music like this is why I can't really bring myself to hate 06, regardless of its quality. The game's OST is just that great.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ggqTSLydqr0