Finished Resident Evil: Requiem. No doubt in my mind it's one of the best games in the series. So good it makes me want to replay the whole series and I'll definitely replay this.
Is that kid still stuck in that balloon?
The Gaming Plan this week is to finish Resident Evil: Requiem, which has been peak, and pick up Pokemon Pokopia. Some day I'll get back to Octopath Traveler 0. There's nothing wrong with it, I think it's great, I don't know why I haven't played it more lol
Today's the last real day of my vacation (we'll ignore that I worked Friday) and it was really really nice. I didn't do all that I wanted to do (still have lots to read and watch) but I got through the majority of the gaming I wanted to do and by and large just relaxed. Vacation successful
Sitting here playing RE9 thinking "this is peak" when I thought that just from playing the Pragmata demo too. If Mon Hun Stories 3 can be a big step up from 1 and 2 and/or Onimusha is this good, Capcom might have the best single year of any dev in a long long time.
It's even like, this rpg has characterization instead of every moment pushing the story forward so therefore bad pacing. Like my dude what. People are absolutely terrified of slowing down even slightly in their Consumption.
I can't read internet takes on game pacing because the vast majority of people have brains so melted by social media that they think needing to talk to a townsperson or move slightly slowly for 10% of a game means the whole thing is ruined.
I keep thinking Capcom is having some kind of renaissance with how good they are but no, that's stupid, they've been back on top for like a decade now outside of Exoprimal or MonHun having bad perf. Even SF5 ended up good by the end. Marvel Infinite, Dead Rising 4 and Umbrella Corps were the lows
Sadly following 3 weeks of sedentary life I'm up to 180lbs, which is bad, but that's only up 5lbs, which is better than I was expecting. Starting next week it's back to exercise through work/no fast food. I found the pic of when I was just under 160lbs and I'm using that as inspiration. I can do it.
Kinda forgot I ordered both of these but I'm happy I have them anyway. The UFO 50 set is super cool (you can buy the companion separately on fangamer) and I'm interested in seeing how RE7 and 8 are on Switch 2
Going back to work today finally and I have weeks of youtube videos and podcasts to listen to. I'm weirdly excited about that.
I'm really glad Pokemon finally got some good news going. I am cautiously excited for Winds/Waves. Pombon main for sure though even though I like the bird too.
Hopefully Pokopia is as good as it looks like it is too.
Oh I'm in love with Resident Evil: Requiem already after an hour
It's my last real day of vacation and the vibes are really bad lmao
Who knew 3 weeks off would make me want to stay home forever
This might even be why they're starting a new side series. In Kiwami 3's subquests Kiryu just sounds like Ichiban, the voice is gone because they want Kiryu to be silly For The Fans and not just the straight man in an otherwise weird situation. Too many callbacks.
I think there's some introspection needed with the Yakuza series. Originally it was influenced (obv) by cinema, yakuza and gangster movies, fun pulpy stuff, the subquests were just sort of an aside. Now it feels like the series is influenced too much by itself, too much self-reference, too stuck
Chapter 1 of Moby Dick, page 1 The phrase ‘Call me Ishmael’, the first sentence of the book, is highlighted in blue, with careful highlighting on the very big C at the start. Above this, written in ballpoint pen ‘His name’
Love the glimpse into the beautiful mind that notated this used copy of Moby Dick I got
I've been off work for 3 weeks but in the background there's a whole thing going with "optimization" that's going to basically change my entire workplace by dropping like half the people who work there. I should have a job regardless with my seniority but it's been nagging at me this whole time.
Finally sat down to watch Branded to Kill. Fatalistic, weirdly funny, basically no establishing shots, Joe Shishido's incredibly distracting cheek implants, yeah I probably need to watch this again. Preferably after I rewatch Pistol Opera. I really wish that would get a 4k restoration.
The only bag you "gotta get" in 2026 is a fun messenger or duffle bag for Bag 2026. All other bag getting is banned and will be shunned.
I really got into Yakuza as a series because of the often convoluted crime family melodrama but it does feel like since 0 they've basically pushed away from having anything more than emotional vibes stories instead of Plots while leaning on sidestories bc people now can't handle cinema, kinda sucks
Finished watching Lady Snowblood 2. Not quite as good, less Lady Snowblood, a bit closer to being a pink film. Score not quite as good. Still satisfying with plenty of incredible shots though. And that foot scene was probably transformative for Tarantino lmao
Diane, 11:30 a.m., February 24th. Entering the town of Twin Peaks.
Frame #61700 from S05 -E10 - Battle Quail-629268
Finished Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse. Wonderful game. 2 for 2 on great games in this new series that I hope Square keeps going. They play with 3D space in a visual novel style so well I think Ace Attorney should just copy it for a new entry. Gen Kobayashi art is incredible. OST++ great stuff
Fighting game stuff is just cooked, man. It'll be completely poisoned in no time. It just looks like WWE buying up all the other promotions so that they're the only game in town, which might even be something of a template for the Saudis here. And pushing even more intl travel now sounds stupid
Between Kill Bill, Ghost of Yotei, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Setsuka in Soul Calibur, etc I've seen tons of inspiration from Lady Snowblood but I've never watched the actual movie so I corrected that today. Great movie and now I see Kill Bill pulled from it more directly than I thought lol
Looking at the reaction to Highguard and Geoff, was the entire movement to yell at Kojima and discredit game directors as less important because he was "friends" with Geoff lol
My Gaming Plan for the week is to keep playing Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse. It's excellent, great followup to the first game. Please play that, then this one. Ys X Proud Nordics needs an update, then I can play that, I have Yakuza Kiwami 3, and RE9's out on Friday. That's the Big One
I work one day this week so I'm basically still on vacation the whole week, it's been really nice. It takes me 1 week to settle in, 2 weeks really get into the groove of Normal Life and the 3rd week feels like I'm human again. Still, there's more Media to Consume and cats to nap with so lets get it
