People booed when Blizzard announced that the next addition to the Diablo franchise would be a mobile game - but I cheered, well, kind of. I thought it was a bold move and I liked the idea of being able to take my Diablo with me wherever I went! That was the cheery part...the not-so-cheery part was the fact that I figured the game would probably be riddled with in-app purchases and an energy-based limit to daily gameplay. Well, earlier this month brand new alpha gameplay trailers starting popping out and we're now getting a great look at what we can expect!
21.12.20
18.12.20
2:02 PM
Nyx✰
comic, final fantasy, harley quinn
No comments
...and it's freaking BEAUTIFUL!
Earlier this week Stephanie Phillips, writer of DC Comics' upcoming Harley Quinn comics, shared this awesome variant cover for the first issue of the series. At first glance, it'll probably look vaguely familiar and there's a reason for that; the image was provided by none other than famed Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano!
We're not that big into comic books but I'm pretty sure we'll be going out to add this beauty to the collection. We've always loved Amano's pieces, especially his recent take on Liliana from Magic the Gathering.
Harley Quinn #1 is set to hit shelves on March 23, 2021! Will you be picking up a copy?
16.12.20
- 8:46 AM
- Nyx✰
- anime, live-action, manga, netflix, streaming, yu yu hakusho
- No comments
Netflix announced on Wednesday that Yoshihiro Togashi's Yu Yu Hakusho manga will be getting a live-action series streaming on the platform simultaneously worldwide.
The manga follows 14-year old delinquent Yusuke Urameshi, who dies after saving a child in a car accident. The Spirit World is surprised by his death and offers him a chance to come back as a "spirit detective" who is tasked with defeating demons. The manga ran in Japan from 1990 to 1994 and was finally published in English in 2002. After a successful stint on TV, running from 1992 to 1995, plus two films and two OVAs, now we get to experience a live-action adaption that is HOPEFULLY going to knock it out of the park.
I won't lie. I don't have the highest of expectations for the series. As we know, Netflix doesn't really put out the best of the best when it comes to live-action anime and manga adaptions, but I'll still get excited about it. Here's to hoping nothing gets shafted and things actually work out this time!
15.12.20
- 10:07 AM
- Nyx✰
- game, Indie, nintendo, Switch, video game
- No comments
Nintendo aired a Livestream today that was all about indie games coming to the Switch over the next couple of months, and I thought we'd take a little peek. Easily the BIGGEST news coming out of the stream was that the somehow-super-popular Among Us will be dropping for the Switch later today! Okay, I added an exclamation mark because I am a little excited. Among Us has never interested me, but it has made several headlines for just being a "fun game" so it may be worth a try...for the right price.
Other than that, and the announcement of Spelunky 1 and 2 ports for the Switch, Nintendo continued with the list of indies with some rather vague launch windows, noting that the pandemic may impact release dates therefore all are subject to change.
Below you'll find Nintendo's Indie World Showcase:
- 9:44 AM
- Nyx✰
- animation, anime, crunchyroll, funimation, streaming
- No comments
Since Funimation is on the mind, thanks to the streaming service's debut on the Nintendo Switch, I think it would also be important to note some other big changes. The biggest of all being that of Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll (my anime streaming service of choice), and what that means for all of us subscribers.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. announced earlier this month that AT&T and WarnerMedia agreed to sell Crunchyroll to Funimation for the estimated purchase price of $1.175 billion. That's all well and good, but what does that mean for those 70 million free members and 3 million paid subscribers like us? First, it will be an addition. All Crunchyroll's subs and members will be brought over to Funimation...at least that's what it seems like. There are still MANY questions that need to be answered, but for the time being, the two services will remain running independently of each other.
My hope is that by being a Crunchyroll paid subscriber, my membership carries over to Funimation. A lot of fans believe the service will now cost more, which I think is a fine trade-off considering the fact that Funimation will now have almost ALL of the pull when it comes to anime streaming.
Consolidating the collection into one service is a plus in my book, but I do have high expectations. Funimation has run like total crap on our PS4s, and the interface has been lousy. The debut of the new layout on the Switch already has me excited so...here we go! Looking forward to the merger, even if it costs more money!
Big news is BIG! We're pretty excited to hear about the Funimation app on the Nintendo Switch! Below is a video outlining the new debut, highlighting that the Funimation app will not only be the ONLY anime streaming service on the Switch, but also on all major gaming platforms. Not as excited about the last bit there, but it's nice to finally have an anime streaming service on the Switch. Check out the video for more deets!
14.8.20
- 4:13 PM
- Nyx✰
- anime, anime update, Pokemon, video
- No comments
- 2:12 PM
- Nyx✰
- fun, game, game review, Games as Art, gaming, maid, nintendo, review, Switch, Turn-Based Stretegy, video game
- No comments
((Check out my stream of Banner of the Maid HERE!))
What. A. Treat. Azure Flame Studio's Banner of the Maid is just the right amount of historical fun mixed in with the detailed turn-based challenge those of us who love the genre live for. If the game's art isn't enough to draw you in then I'm sure the fantastic story elements will be. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or not, Banner of the Maid's take on alternative French history is just downright great. As someone who is absolutely fascinated with, and knowledgeable about, the real-events of the French Revolution, I just couldn't pass this game up -- of course, the French waifu material was a nice draw-in too.😏 Lookin' at you, Marie~~
The alternative-telling of the French Revolution focuses on Napoleon Bonapart's sister, Pauline. She is an officer of the French Army but also known as a "Maid". The Maids are characterized as a small group of woman who harness special powers that can influence the tides of war as well as political bonds. The story, as great as it is, can be a bit difficult to fully comprehend because of the incredible detail. Much like all the events of the French Revolution, there is a lot going on and this game gives you the sense that there was so much more that led up to this whole point that still needs explaining. That being said, it's pretty easy to understand what your objective is, made clear through the story's dialogue.
There are many, many different characters you can unlock to join your army but most of them come to you a few levels lower than where you'd want/need them. They require a bit of catching up and by the time you start getting into the really challenging battles (about halfway through the game), that "catching up" can feel very tedious and annoying. Similar to other turn-based strategy games, you can tweak your army and deck them out in the latest gearz which can be purchased or acquired through gameplay. You can get better things by increasing your notoriety with the game's various political factions. Battles can be tricky, yes, but luckily there is no permadeath. Units who die in battle will not be relivable within the battle and cost you financially once the battle has concluded. All in all, the game could feel a bit grindy at times, but that is typical for a game that falls within the genre of turn-based strategy. You can either take a strategic route to victory, or take the time to OP the shit out of your army and steamroll. Juuuust be sure to spend your money wisely, as bread can be expensive and the cake is a lie, hon hon hon!
Combat is an absolute joy, so even the grindy moments can be fun. Everything matters on the battlefield; terrain, weather, troop placement, type matches, skills and abilities, it all counts toward your overall chances for victory. Weather, for example, will effect both sides and alter your troops' stats when fighting. It's turn-based, so you'll position and attack prior to the enemy and trade turns respectively. Whether you be on the attack or defense, you can use terrain such as long grass, to give you advantages, campfires to heal units, etc.. It is strategically fun to maneuver your units to make the best out of all the classes, but it does welcome a unique challenge which some may find off-putting or overwhelming. Combat animations are unique in that they're presented as line formation battles with your unit, the commander, leading the charge. Luckily, you can turn this animation off since it can get a bit repetitive but it is kind of cool to hear the characters speak Chinese during each attack.
The game is visually stunning and I'm happy to say that no corners were cut when it comes to character design, backgrounds, and other UI elements. Character design is big for me and this game hits a wow-factor! Be careful though...some of these girls have some rather BIG cannons flying around 👀 (not that I'm complaining). The game looks great handheld or on the TV but with no ability to zoom in or rotate the maps, the TV is the easiest to use.
Alright, let's wrap this up. Banner of the Maid is a fantastic game if you're itching to play something with historic and artistic flare but also holds up as really great turn-based strategy game. The game fills all my holes perfectly (giggity), with very few exceptions. The story and characters are very entertaining, the battles are challenging and rewarding, the graphics and artwork are colorful, detailed, and fun, and the game quickly became a bit of an obsession. Apparently there is some DLC for the PC version so I hope that makes its way to the Switch! If we're left waiting too long, we'll just have to make do with the New Game+ option!~
FINAL SCORE: 9/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
