Blog, Blog, Bloq

 Had a few things swirling around in my mind this week. And the winner of it all was the one and only Piku from Pikuniku. There's just something about seeing the little, red creature that brings unbridled joy. So, the focus of the piece is to look at the appeal of Piku, and a few other characters like Piku that I enjoy. But first, I must answer the question of, "Why Piku?" Originally, the "Why" question was answered when I saw the little guy dancing to some nice tunes. However, after playing the game, I can say that this answer stayed the same. With the additional element of it's fun to be Piku, and in some cases Niku. There's not much more to it than that. Simplicity is the key to the secret sauce of Piku, and I'm going to break down what that means to me in this instance.  And what better way to do that, than to look at Piku's design. A sleek, little red bean with two legs and two black dots for eyes. Just tons of personality on its face, with ...

 I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda stumped on what to write about this time around. A lot of bullshit is really hampering the processes. So, I was thinking about doing something with TV and Movies again. Initially, I was going to go in a much different direction focusing on media literacy, but I have decided to talk about the Sonic OVA instead, or Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie for US people and others who had this cut. One of the big reasons I have decided to go in this direction is the appreciation for this early take on the Blue Blur. There is so much personality and characterization that I feel many adaptations of Sonic seem to lack.  It's a version of Sonic that is absolutely indicative of the time and culture. So, I find it funny that the OVA was produced at Studio Pierrot, known for Naruto and Bleach, and not Toei Animation, known for Dragon Ball and One Piece. Given the obvious relation to Dragon Ball in general and how the OVA is reminiscent of the Sonic CD animations tha...

 Summer Games Done Quick is once again upon us. A perfect time of the year for me as I continue to trek through The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring. Something that I hope to be finished up with by the middle of July, so I can post my thoughts on it. Which has been pretty great so far with some minor issues. But I am not here for Elden Ring. I am here for Speed. And this year's SGDQ schedule looks to have some really solid picks. With the only games finished so far being Yoshi's Story and Minecraft Dungeons, as Mega Man 9 moves along. As always, the times and dates are going to be relative to my time zone, which is Central Daylight Time (CDT). So, be sure to abide by this if you happen to be viewing this during the week of SGDQ 2024. Without further ado, let's get into my picks for some games to look out for.  First up, I am going to do a cheeky double pick and give my reasoning. For the first game, I will be picking Bayonetta 2 (Nintendo Switch) Any% Rosa (Easy) tha...

 It is time play to games fast once again. Awesome Games Done Quick is currently underway and there have already been some entertaining runs. Jet Set Radio Future Any% (Xbox) ran by Yomsa with 7thace and Twinkachu on commentary showcased some really sick movement and a secret boss that was only discovered in the past couple of years. The Cult Classic Horror game Clock Tower (Super Famicom) S Ending was ran by Ecdycis and portrayed a great use of Text Box and Item manipulation that allowed for many long sequences to be bypassed while getting the game's coveted secret ending. Not to mention the treat that was the Glitched D ending incentive that was utilizing the same tech in order to beat the game in under three minutes while showing how you can save all your friends in the process.  These are just two of the many runs that have already gone on through the first day and part of the second day. And that train is not gonna stop for the rest of the week either. While I love doing ...

 Last weekend I was watching some of the best fighting game players in the world compete on the grandest stage. While that was exhilarating, this week I am tuning into Flame Fatales. A speedrunning event that raises money for Malala Fund, a charity that advocates and supports for education for girls. The event features women and non-binary speedrunners. This event may not get the recognition that its parent, Games Done Quick, gets, but it deserves it nonetheless. The runners are exceptional and we get to see communities and runners that may not get awarded the same screen time during the big events like SGDQ and AGDQ.  The event is in full swing while in the midst of Day Three. I tuned in for a bit on Sunday, but I was hooked on the runs from yesterday. That hook was when I noticed that Illblleed was being ran. A Dreamcast exclusive that I have never played, yet the speedruns for the game are so fun to watch everytime. This survival horror game is set in a theme park with some...

 My post this time around is to go support Games Done Quick if you are reading this the week it is happening. Sadly, due to the schedule I have made for these posts, I cannot do a recap like I did with Awesome Games Done Quick earlier in the year. Seeing as we are on day three of the event, there is still plenty of time.  There have already been entertaining runs like the Banjo-Kazooie 100% No FFM that was ran by duck or the Bloodstained block that featured runs from The Blacktastic and DanTheVP with the bonus run of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night being ran by Dr4gonBlitz that capped the block off. Different skill points in speed tech being shown off across these games with engaging commentary to boot.  There is no doubt that the rest of the week will feature some absolutely insane games that I have never seen before, much like every GDQ event. So, I will have the runs playing in the background for the whole week like I always do, shifting focus for my most anticipate...

 For people who have not finished or played Bayonetta 3, I ask that you refrain from looking at this piece as I will be discussing the ending to Bayonetta 3 in addition to my thoughts on the game as a whole. With that out of the way let's begin.  The combat and some of the new gameplay sections in Bayonetta 3 are really good and some of them are not so great to really bad. The main story fights against groups of enemies and singular enemies were done super well with a nice flow to combat sequences that made the dance very satisfying and a joy to play. While some of the challenge areas were downright atrocious, especially in Viola sections. For those that don't know, Viola is a DMC type of character where dodging is not her activation for Witch Time, and instead you have to parry. This contradicts the flow of many Bayonetta sequences, making the game feel uncomfortable in some areas. These areas include Witch Time damage only portions and big enemies that have an invisible wall...

 The Blue Blur is back and I couldn't be happier because this game went above and beyond my expectations. Sonic Team really put a great step forward. While the game is not perfect by any means, it was exactly what I wanted out of a Sonic game. An over the top, speedy whirlwind with a lot of heart. Just the ways that Sonic can be cheeky while also worrying about those around him was pleasant to see. It felt like back in the Adventure days and the narrative really showed that. With the recent announcement of the DLC coming, I felt like it was a good time to gush about the Speed Rat. In my time with the game so far, I have been able to obtain all of the achievements and completely S-Rank all of the Cyberspace levels. As of right now, there is not much for me to do with the game but get faster times on levels or explore more of the finished open zones. So that means when the DLC drops, I'll be diving back in. That genuinely makes me excited because this game was able to capture so ...

 There are many things to enjoy when playing video games, but the one for players like me is finishing everything the game has to offer. This bar can mean different things depending on the console era as achievements or trophies serve as this benchmark for this specific hobby. Letting us know when the time is up on the experience. Even this simple joy does not extend into all the possible genres as we have our comforts and preferred playstyles. Ultimately, it depends on whether or not that game is for you or if the grind is truly worth it. I'll take you through some of my completions and my current fancy to give an idea of how this joy can shift into a chore the more you play it.  One of my favorite completions thus far has been for the original Xbox remaster, Voodoo Vince. A 3D platformer about a Voodoo doll in a New Orleans-esque setting trying to save his owner. The appeal of the game is the setting and the wise-cracking Vince. Nothing too crazy, but I played the game as a ...

 After playing Bayonetta for the first time at the end of 2020, I was enamored at such a remarkable game that I had neglected to play for so long. The gameplay, characters, setting, and music all hit on these highpoints as a game that deserves to be played by those that love high-octane action with style. Bayonetta hit all those notes that something like Devil May Cry never really could for me. Recently, I have finished Bayonetta 2 for the first time. And it hit all the right notes that the first game did. A fun as hell game that many people might miss with it being on the Nintendo Switch and Wii U while being cursed with a lack of discounting that many first-party Nintendo games face. Bayonetta 3 is supposed to drop later this year, but I wish that the second and third games would release on other platforms because this second game is such a gem. From the introduction of the co-op feature to the remix of Moon River as this game's Fly Me to the Moon, Bayonetta 2 is truly a remarkab...