While watching Naoki Yoshida (“Yoshi-P”) present the Keynote at FINAL FANTASY XIV FANFEST 2023 London, my favorite part of it all was the announced raid series for the upcoming Dawntrail expansion titled ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL. Drawing upon FINAL FANTASY XI Online, this upcoming alliance raid series instantly caught my attention and my heart, as I played and raided in FINAL FANTASY XI Online for almost two decades now. In fact, I wrote a lengthy essay about my love for FINAL FANTASY XI Online as part of my ongoing FINAL FANTASY XIV Online cooking series titled Cooking Eorzea.

I made the Royal Eggs dish for Cooking Eorzea, and I celebrated the 20th anniversary of FINAL FANTASY XI Online with the coasters of your adventuring partners across the various expansions. (Photo by author).

As a result, I immediately started writing up a list of 11 enemies from FINAL FANTASY XI Online that need to be part of the ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL raid series in FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail. This list is comprised of a mixture of storyline fights and endgame fights that only the very best raid groups could successfully take on.

I sincerely hope that SQUARE ENIX takes this alliance series seriously and implements fights that are at least a faithful homage to their original FFXI forms. All that said, I cannot wait to dive into these new raids when Dawntrail launches in Summer 2024.

Warning: There WILL BE story spoilers for FINAL FANTASY XI Online in this list. You have been warned.

So, without further ado…

1) Shadow Lord

(FINAL FANTASY XI Online)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia).

No list of potential FINAL FANTASY XI Online-inspired raid bosses could possibly start with anyone other than the main antagonist of the base FINAL FANTASY XI Online game through Mission 5-2, as the Shadow Lord truly is what kicks off the sequence of events that impacts multiple future expansions with the Crystal War that concludes 20 years before the start of this MMORPG.

Deep within the Throne Room inside of Castle Zvahl in Xarcabard, Shadow Lord will constantly switch between either magic or physical attack immunity during the fight in his first form and then constantly cast Implosion, a major AoE magic damage attack non-stop until he is beaten down in his second form. While this seems incredibly simple, the sheer amount of damage that Shadow Lord can do at the original level cap of 50 made this an incredibly hard battle to win.

With Shadow Lord as the capstone to the opening chapters of FINAL FANTASY XI Online before you set out all over the world to fight more enemies, see more places, and save the world too many times to count, this fight is a no-brainer to be included in ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL. This fight’s inclusion would also mean that Warriors of Light will have to have a mixture of physical attackers and magic attackers in order to win and be able to drive down Shadow Lord’s HP before he can kill them first.

2) Kam’lanaut

(Rise of the Zilart)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia.)

Kam’lanaut is the Archduke of the Grand Duchy of Jeuno, and Eald’narche is his ‘younger’ (though technically older story wise!) brother. Both of them are members of the Zilart race who plot to open the Gate of the Gods and bring about the destruction of Vana’diel throughout a fair bit of the early FINAL FANTASY XI Online storyline – and they will use Kam’lanaut’s position as the head of the most powerful city-state in Vana’diel to make it happen.

This fight is a lot of fun and it requires adventurers to pay attention to what is happening at all times. Kam’lanaut’s signature fight skill is that he casts an elemental en-spell onto his weapon that will cause him to do particular elemental damage to the alliance…while also being healed by magic cast upon him of that same magic. For instance, if he has fire en-spell cast upon his weapon, then fire spells cast upon him will actually heal him. He also has an attack, Great Wheel, that will reset hate and does AoE damage.

This, plus the fact that he can cast dispel, silence, and slow enmasse makes him a worthy and challenging fight that Warriors of Lights cannot just mindlessly defeat and move on into the next room.

3) Domina Shantotto and Shantotto 

(A Shantotto Ascension – The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born)

(Above: Photo from FFXIclopedia; Below: Photo from PlayOnline).

Four words: Hilariously written, non-stop rhyming.

In one of the three digital-only add-on mini content expansions, the ultimate fight of A Shantotto Ascension – The Legend Torn, Her Empire Reborn is to prevent the Shantottofication curse from being cast across Vana’diel where everyone will be turned into Shantotto, and so you end up fighting two versions of Shantotto in this fight at the same time. (Just go with it, trust me.)

Domina Shantotto is equipped with a scythe that can use an AoE attack called Salvation Scythe that inflicts various status ailments and a lot of damage. When she isn’t swinging her scythe around, she is capable of casting every spell in the game. Unfortunately, you don’t have just Domina Shantotto to deal with. You also have regular Shantotto too. She utilizes a staff, uses a variety of black magic, and she will cast Meteor below 10%. She also has a powerful AoE attack called Divine Malison that inflicts a variety of status effects on players.

And if THAT wasn’t enough to deal with, both of them will enter a ‘rage’ mode when either of their HP drops to various percentages. During this time, their defense is massively boosted, their HP auto-regens, and they will use level 3 skillchains with each other to seriously damage adventurers and cause status effects.

If it isn’t obvious, double Shantotto is double trouble, and this fight to save Vana’diel is not a fight that you can just sleep on, but instead requires careful planning and attacking in order to survive and would make a great fight for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online to include.

4) Gessho

(Treasures of Aht Urghan)

(Photo from BG Wiki.)

Gessho is a beastman tribe member who has been excommunicated from the Yagudo theocracy after being branded a heretic, and he turns out to be one of your strongest allies throughout the Treasures of Aht Urghan expansion. He is incredibly well-written, and he gave a real humanity to the Yagudo that has not been present in the story up until that point.

In Mission 35: Legacy of the Lost, you end up fighting Gessho while he is a fully equipped ninja. He uses Ninjutsu spells, including Utsusemi that allows him to take zero damage from attacks, ranged weapon skills, and summon clones of himself to the field to attack alongside him. And if that isn’t enough, him and his clones can all use Mijin Gakure – the Ninja one-hour ability that causes significant non-elemental magic-based damage to everyone around them. And unlike the one-hour ability being used by adventurers using the Ninja class, it will not K.O. Gessho or his clones.

In other words, Gessho is a ninja that can explode repeatedly while also not taking any damage and would be a significant challenge for any Warrior of Light to overcome in battle.

5) Lilith Ascendant

(Wings of the Goddess)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia).

Lilith Ascendant is the enemy born from when Lilisette is absorbed by Lady Lilith- who is also Lilisette, but from another timeline where the Crystal War never ended, the Shadow Lord was never defeated, and she where she forged a pact with Odin- at the end of Wings of the Goddess. I promise, it does make sense in the storyline.

This ultimate fight of the Wings of the Goddess expansion is primarily about causing status effects in players. For example: her Dark Burst ability resets job ability timers, her Dark Sun ability causes AoE Death, Dark Freeze does conical ice magic damage and terrorizes, and Dark Quake causes earth magic damage, amnesia, and bind. The most terrifying attack of all though is her Dark Moon skill: that causes AoE light damage and will place adventurers in a weakened state – like if they had just been raised.

If that wasn’t enough, Elemental Gyves will also spawn in the battlefield whenever Lilith Ascendant does a special attack. These are different elemental, non-moving targets that can be killed or despawned that create status effects in players and will also cause a state decrease. For example, the Water Elemental Gyve will cause drown and will give anyone within the range of effect Magic Defense Down.

This turns any fight into one where one where not only player positioning is vital to staying alive but requires healers to be on top of their skill sets in order to remove debuffs and status effects as quickly as possible while the tanks and melee are in a weakened state. Lilith Ascendant also looks like a classic FINAL FANTASY ultimate enemy, and fights like one too. This enemy – especially with the fairly unique focus upon status effects – would make a great raid enemy in FINAL FANTASY XIV Online.

6) Pandemonium Warden

(Treasures of Aht Urghan)

(Photo from FINAL FANTASY Wiki.)

This was an end-game raid from the Treasures of Aht Urghan expansion, and arguably one of the hardest raids in all of FINAL FANTASY XI Online. A Tier V Zeni Notorious Monster, it is spawned deep in Aydeewa Subterrane after trading a Pandemonium Key to a ??? spawn spot.

Pandemonium Warden has 11 total forms that it changes into one after another, and all 11 must be defeated in order to win the fight. Each form has a massive AoE attack and moves reminiscent of the original enemy- including a unique skill for each form. With each form spawn of Pandemonium Warden, eight Pandemonium Lamps also appear. They must be dealt with separately away from the main tanking group as they also have a powerful AoE attack, and they must be killed quickly as they will be nearly impossible to pull off of the main Pandemonium Warden tank after a few minutes thanks to shared hate.

When you reach Pandemonium Warden’ s final form as a Dvergr, then you still have to deal with Astral Flow every 25% that will wipe out everyone within a large area if you don’t move out of range quickly enough. Each use of Astral Flow also will respawn all of the Pandemonium Lamps that were already killed, meaning that they have to be quickly dealt with all over again. You also cannot go too far away from the fight, as Pandemonium Warden also has drawn in, and it will pull everyone into the center of the battle arena together.

This is a small overview of a chaotic, difficult, and crazily fun fight that is absolutely unlike anything else you will experience in Vana’diel. It is also a perfect fit for a FINAL FANTASY XIV Online raid, and one that will give any raid group a challenge as it will force different alliances to handle different aspects of the fight all at the same time.

7) Nidhogg

(Rise of the Zilart)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia.)

For many years, Nidhogg had a chance to spawn within a 30-second window every half hour for three hours every 21 hours after it was last killed as the HQ chance spawn of Fafnir. The spawn chance of Nidhogg also went up for every day that Fafnir spawned instead of Nidhogg. If it sounds confusing, then just imagine being up at 3:20 AM, bleary-eyed, and desperately hoping that the Nidhogg would spawn after 10 days of only Fafnir.

This fight takes place deep within Dragon Aery inside of The Boyahda Tree. Positioning in this fight is fairly unique, as all players have to stand on either of his front feet in order to avoid the frontal AoE Dragon Breath ability that does a lot of damage. Among Nidhogg’s abilities are the ability to single target terror, dispel a single buff with Horrid Roar, and to cause both blindness and AoE damage with Hurricane Wing.

There are two things that makes this fight worthy of a FINAL FANTASY XI Online-inspired raid. First, adventurers could not use AoE attacks while fighting Nidhogg. Dragon’s Aery is a very small area, and there are 11 Darters (dragonfly enemies) that spawn around him that are both higher level than the then-level cap of 75, and that will aggro if they are attacked first. Oh, and they will also all link up together to attack if one is attacked. This means that instead of just fighting one Dragon, you now are dealing with potentially 11 other highly-leveled add-ons at the same time. Needless to say, it can be EXTREMELY chaotic, and this would force Warriors of Light to be unable to spam their regular move rotation.

Second, there is Spike Flail. If you attack Nidhogg from behind, he will use his tail to cause massive AoE damage that will kill everyone in the area. Wipes to Spike Flail were not common, but they would absolutely change the game when they happened, as you can see below during one such fight that I was a part of.

For context in the below pictures: SA stands for ‘Sneak Attack”, which is a Thief job specialty move that generates hate, and it is used behind the enemy for the critical hit damage. Usually, you pair it with Trick Attack to transfer enemy to correct player (aka ‘SATA’). When it doesn’t go off perfectly, you wind up with enmity being given to the Thief…who was behind Nidhogg in the below screen caps. Finally, all of these players below are equipped with the best gear possible in FINAL FANTASY XI Online at the time:

(Photos by author).

Causing Warriors of Light to care a lot about positioning, worrying about add on mobs, and not being able to use their default rotation makes this a fight that would be a real stand out in ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL, and Nidhogg would be a better gameplay shakeup than almost anything else in FINAL FANTASY XI Online.

8) Schah

(Rhapsodies of Vana’diel)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia.)

Located in Reisenjima, Schah is the hardest Notorious Monster introduced in the Rhapsodies of Vana’diel expansion and most likely the hardest fight in the entire MMORPG. Also: if you want an Aeonic Weapon, you will have to eventually fight it.

Whereas Pandemonium Warden focuses on managing eleven different forms and the battle mechanics for each form with the adds somewhat secondary, Schah is the opposite. Schah spawns fourteen additional enemies that have to be all killed before you can do any damage to the main enemy: seven Bhata (Pawns), two Ashva (Knights), two Gaja (Bishops), two Ratha (Castle/Rooks), and one Mantri (Queen). These adds start spawning 30 seconds after the fight starts and will keep spawning 48 seconds after each rank dies, with the Mantri first appearing three minutes into the fight. Also: if a Bhata is not killed within two minutes after spawning, then it will turn into a Mantri. These adds all have various abilities, cast high level magic, and will do incredible damage if not properly managed. And on top of all that: Mantri will use Enthrall to AoE charm everyone.

As I said at the start: until those additional enemies are dealt with, adventurers cannot damage Schah. Schah is no pushover over, as it can also use every spell that the different adds can use, can use Royal Decree (which is AoE damage and resets all ability timers), and can use Banneret Charge. Banneret Charge is an AoE attack that resets both hate and affected players’ HP to 1. And if that wasn’t all enough, Schah also has heavy resistance to attacks and to all magic but Dark.

It is a very hard fight that is very, very fun and it would require a high level of coordination among Warriors of Light to conquer.

9) Garazu-Horeizu

(The Voracious Resurgence)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia.)

In the latest expansion for FINAL FANTASY XI Online, Garazu-Horeizu is the ultimate villain who is determined to resurrect Chaos. Like Shadow Lord, Garazu-Noreizu is more notable for his role within the expansion’s storyline than anything else, but that doesn’t mean that he is a pushover.

These skills include casting Tier 2 Ancient Magic, Comet, Meteor, and spamming Silencega instantly over and over again. And if that wasn’t enough, he can use Tartarus Tocsin, which is an AoE damage and sleep skill. Additionally, he can also absorb some of the player’s stats and cast dispel…And it is all AoE. When his HP starts to drop, he will summon multiple cloned allies of YOUR allies, the Destiny Destroyers, to help him. This quickly devolves into, like the Shadow Lord, a damage race to kill Garazu-Horeizu before he and his allies can kill you.

I ultimately chose Garazu-Horeizu over the final boss, Chaos, because I did not want all the raid fights to be ‘gods’ or ‘god equivalents’, but to be characters who also had a major role in FINAL FANTASY XI Online. While this would undoubtedly be a mid-run ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL raid boss, I know that there would be a place for him in the content.

10) Promathia

(Chains of Promathia)

(Photo from FFXIclopedia.)

Promathia is the God of Twilight and the namesake of the Chains of Promathia expansion. There is a lot to be said about Promathia, what the chains that bind him are, and what it means for the Vana’diel of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I am being purposefully vague here, since Chains of Promathia is probably my favorite FINAL FANTASY storyline of all time (narrowly beating out Lighting Returns: FINAL FANTASY XIII) with a plot that just drops mind-stunning revelation after revelation upon you as you play through it and you just need to experience it for yourself.

In this fight, you are partnered with Prishe and Selh’teus (two major expansion story NPCs) alongside your own party of adventurers. There are two stages of the fight. In the first stage, Promathia has different AoE and cone attacks that inflict dispel, plague, curse, and various amounts of damage. He can also cast the magic attack Comet. What really sets this stage apart is that he has five different ‘Chains’ attacks, and each one only affects one of the five playable Vana’diel races (but is negated by a story item collected previously in The Garden of Ru’Hmet).

The second stage has Promathia hitting incredibly hard, and he now also uses AoE abilities such as Mute and Amnesia, and he will cast Meteor once a minute. If that was not enough, he will also switch between magic and physical attack damage invincibility.

This is a hard, and difficult fight in a battle arena that is my absolute favorite in all of FINAL FANTASY XI Online. It is truly an epic battle, with incredible stakes, and there is nothing like fighting alongside Prishe and Selh’teus. In addition, due to ‘plot reasons’, the Chains attacks would have to land on the various inhabitants of Eorzea- unless, of course, SQUARE ENIX includes a way to negate them as well in the raid dungeons. Promathia is simply an amazing, iconic fight, and both the God of Twilight and his battle arena would be perfect for ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL.

11) Maat

(FINAL FANTASY XI Online)

(Photo from BG Wiki.)

Like there could be anyone else in this final, 11th, slot from FINAL FANTASY XI Online for the ECHOES FROM VANA’DIEL raid series in FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail expansion.

When you first hit level 50, and every five levels after that point, you have to seek out Maat to increase your level cap inside Ru’Lude Gardens in the Grand Duchy of Jeuno. While he appears to be just an old man, Maat is a master of all 15 jobs that were created before the Chains of Promathia expansion was released. In order to break your ‘limits’ (level cap) and unlock the then-final level increase from 70 to 75, you had to test your might against Maat himself as you both fight each other on the same job.

And he WILL test you. He is incredibly powerful, incredibly strong, and any player who played FINAL FANTASY XI Online knows just how hard taking him on can be. He is an obstacle that everyone faced who wanted to get to the level cap, and he takes no mercy on anyone. You can have all the best buffs, eat the best food, and wear the best gear…And still easily lose against him.

While this fight is undoubtedly the one that would require the most change, I would personally love Maat to shift between all of the FINAL FANTASY XI Online jobs to fight Warriors of Light with and make an alliance prove their worth in a raid by besting him in battle. It would be a true fight of strength and a way to test FINAL FANTASY XI Online jobs against FINAL FANTASY XIV Online jobs in a way that would make sense in-universe.

Conclusion

And there you have it! Eleven enemies that would be perfect for any Warrior of Light to test their might and mettle against.

I will admit that I had a very hard time narrowing down my list to just 11, and I ended up regrettingly leaving out Hades from the Seekers of Adoulin expansion and the Ark Angels from Rise of Zilart expansion- they would have been my 12th and 13th choices if I could have permitted myself to have two.

Regardless, I know that SQUARE ENIX and the team behind FINAL FANTASY XIV Online will do a wonderful job implementing and honoring the history and story of FINAL FANTASY XI Online in ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL and I just cannot wait to explore it all!

Who did I miss and who have you fought during your own adventures in Vana’diel?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post 11 Enemies from FINAL FANTASY XI Online that NEED to be in FFXIV’s ECHOES OF VANA’DIEL appeared first on oprainfall.

Nintendo Live Official Website

Ordinarily, I put out my thoughts on a fan-event fairly quickly -within the week- of the event itself. Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle has been the one exception. Not for a bad reason, but simply because there is so much potential that I kept talking with other people connected to oprainfall and to my own social group about what Nintendo could do with it. If you want to take away one thing from this column, then let it be this: Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle felt like an incredibly successful dry run for a potential future standalone Nintendo two-day convention.

Before we get to why I feel that way, let’s talk about the event itself. Hosted adjacent to PAX West (and sharing a building with part of the event, in fact), Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle was a separately ticketed event that did not require PAX West 2023 admission to attend but instead held a free lottery system for people to potentially gain admittance for a few months beforehand for one particular day. Nintendo also distributed a handful of tickets at PAX West itself. What this means is that Nintendo was able to spread the attendance out over the full four days of PAX and that, most crucially, Nintendo knew exactly how many people were going to be attending each day and it helped to make Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle feel like an event that was both at capacity yet not overwhelmingly overpacked.

I brought my New Nintendo 3DS XL with me to Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle, and I was constantly getting streetpasses. (Photo by author).

Inside Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle itself, the different activities fell into four categories: demos (including for the yet-to-be-released Super Mario Bros. Wonder), photo opportunities with characters and items, live events to sit and watch that ranged from competitions to musical performances, and merchandise shopping. I will be taking each of these up in turn.

First and foremost: the demos. Nintendo had several video game demo available – as well as some of their partner’s titles like Just Dance 2023 and Disney Illusion Island – across the entire show floor. While all but Super Mario Bros. Wonder have already been released, it was a great opportunity for people to pick up a console, play a demo in a staging area themed after the various game, and try it out. For example, Pikmin 4 was in a full-on Pikmin­-themed area that took you right into the game. Nintendo even cleverly enticed people to play retro titles that are available on Nintendo Online, such as the NES classic Ice Hockey, but turning it into a competition. The wait to try out the demos were not very long, and even for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I only spent around 20 minutes waiting to pick it up and run through it. Some of the competition slots ran longer, but nothing was too bad.

If you are already a major Nintendo fanatic, then chances are you have probably owned or demoed everything that was there but Super Mario Bros. Wonder. To help keep those Nintendo fans busy, there were a ton of photo opportunities. Did you see the billion-dollar-making The Super Mario Bros. Movie? Nintendo hauled in the Mario Bros. van for you to take a picture with. What about if you’re a fan of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? The life-size replica props were available for you to take pictures with. Kirby, LEGO Bowser, Tears of the Kingdom Link, Ink Squid, the three Pokémon Scarlet/Violet starters, and more were all on hand for you to get up and close to take pictures with. Nintendo also smartly rotated out the non-statue photo opportunities fairly frequently, and so there was always someone new to get a picture with just around the corner.

All of these lines seemed fairly quick to get through, with one exception: K.K. Slider from Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Every single time I passed by that line, it was capped, and it seemed to be around 50 minutes to an hour long. Not because K.K. Slider was doing some really long photo shoots, but just because he was that popular.

You could meet a variety of characters, including Mario (above- photo courtesy of Nintendo) or K.K. Slider (below- photo by author).

My personal favorite was the re-imagined room from the 1980s. This photo line, while not as busy as K.K. Slider’s, was always busy as well. And when I was able to get in, I was surprised to find that it was a fully-realized and built living room. I flipped through the albums, checked out the NES and R.O.B. at the TV, and even the vacuum cleaner and the couch. It is a cool idea that I really hope Nintendo will expand upon for the future. I would love to see, for example, a 1980’s Japanese living room with a Famicom in it!

Next, there are the various live events to sit through and watch. The big marquee event for Day 4 of Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle was the Splatoon 3 Championships 2023. This event took place on a giant stage in the back of the event hall, and it had excellent on-site commentary for people who weren’t fans (at least until then!) of competitive Splatoon 3 gameplay. There were also two concerts being held per day with a full-on live band: one for The Legend of Zelda and one for Super Mario Bros. There was also something called Mario Dojo for people to compete in, but I only saw it start right before I had to leave for other media appointments. I don’t know if that was just poor timing on my part or if Mario Dojo (seemingly no relation to the DSiWare Photo Dojo) was just put on that infrequently.

The Splatoon 3 Championship 2023 was held at Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle, and it was fun to watch! While I could not stay and watch Mario Dojo happen, I at least was able to see it be set up. (Photos by author).

The biggest surprise was that for all of these live events, I had no trouble showing up at the last moment and getting a fairly awesome viewing spot. Now, it may have been a bit further back or it might have been standing-room-only, but at no point did I feel like I was being walled off from enjoying a part of the Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle experience. Even the Super Mario Bros. concert that I attended, which had given out ‘Warp Pass’ tickets a while ago for seats up close, had a ton of standby seating and stand-by watching areas for people if you really wanted to watch it. My biggest fear, going into Nintendo Live 2023, was that the concert was going to be performed in a walled-off room and I was going to miss it entirely. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case at all. Even when I dipped in and out of the Splatoon 3 Championships, I was able to find a spot to watch the tournament happen live on stage.

The 45-minute concert picked musical pieces from all across Mario’s video game career and brought them to life with a full orchestra! (Photos by author).

If there was one somewhat dark spot though, it had to be the merchandise line. The Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle merchandise sold out through the online My Nintendo Store fairly quickly on both occasions it was put up, and so many attendees had to buy it in person if they wanted the event-exclusive T-shirts, the event-themed Switch case, or more. The line ended up taking people around one-and-a-half to two hours to get through, and it wound through the outside courtyard, back inside, and then through an inside queue system.

The line for the Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle Merchandise Store wrapped around itself repeatedly in the outside courtyard (Photo by author).

When you got close to the front of the line, a store employee would mark your order down on a wipeable sheet and hand it off to the stockers, so that they could assemble the order and have it ready for you to buy when you got to the front of the line. It was, in theory, a great system. However, there were simply not enough cashiers on hand to help move the line as quickly as it needed to go in order to process people through in a timely manner. I found myself ultimately wishing that there was some way for people to scan a geo-locked QR code, place an order through a secret website, and then have Nintendo ship out the goods after the event. Instead, there were ever-capped merchandise lines instead of people being out on the event floor.

All of Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle, with the except of the merchandising, was a master class on how to put together a fan-based event. There were plenty of demos, tons of photo ops, live performances and events to attend, and it all happened in lines where you were never waiting truly long.  In fact, the whole event kept things moving so quickly that I could see that everyone not in the merchandise line was having a wonderful time.

And that brings me to the point I made at the top of this column, about this event feeling like a ‘dry run.’ The only thing missing from Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle from making it a full-on fan convention like FINAL FANTASY XIV FAN FESTIVAL 2023-2024 or BlizzCon was the lack of a Keynote Speech ala a live Nintendo Direct.

While people waited in line, Nintendo set up a bunch of small stands for people to see the history of various video games. (Photo by author).

As I was taking pictures and watching performances and playing games, my mind kept being flooding with possibilities about how this event could be expanded in a future year to be the launch event for a Nintendo console. I could easily see the executives from the various Nintendo branches presenting a live Nintendo Direct to show off a new console and new games on Day One, and to conclude with the words “and you can demo those games on our new console for yourself today on the show floor, you can take pictures with Mario and our other new friends, and you can even see a live performance of a couple secret tracks from one of the new games later in the afternoon.” It would take what Nintendo did with the unveiling of the Nintendo 3DS at E3 2010 (complete with hands-on fan demos) and crank it up into a Nintendo-only event where they wouldn’t have to share the viral social media attention.

All of that may, of course, just be ‘blue sky’ dreaming on my part.

But Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle seemed to be so successful that it is hard believe that it wasn’t a test run for a more substantial Nintendo event of some sort in the future. Personally, I plan on the next Nintendo Live event, no matter where in the country it is held. And honestly? You should too, if you can.

Whether you were there to sign the wall (as pictured above) or even just saw aspects of the show online, Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle was a success for Nintendo (Photos by author).

Did you attend Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle? If so, what did you think?

Where would you like Nintendo to host their next Nintendo Live event?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post Nintendo Live 2023: Seattle’s An Amazing Event for Gaming Fans appeared first on oprainfall.

You can find out more about Dragon Con on their official website, on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Discord. 

You can also buy a membership for next year’s Dragon Con here.

One of the biggest mantras about attending DragonCon is that you will never, ever, get to see and do everything because there is so much going on all the time, every day, from Thursday through Monday over Labor Day weekend. There are also so many inside jokes and references at DragonCon that you will never be able to keep track of them all, no matter how many years you go.

The fact that there is so much to do is why it took me 10 years (but only been covering it for oprainfall since 2015!) to finally put on an inflatable Carpetsaurus Rex costume and march in the Saturday morning DragonCon Parade as part of the Marriott Carpet group. Yes, there is a lot to unpack in that sentence, so let’s start with exactly WHAT the Marriott Carpet is, and what the DragonCon Parade is.

For a long time, whenever you would walk into the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel, one of five host hotels for DragonCon the event takes place in, a crazy carpet pattern of reds and blues and yellows would be there to welcome you. The Marriott Carpet pattern (anyone who goes to DragonCon will instantly know which pattern you’re talking about) is an incredibly loud, colorful, and complex pattern. That was, until 2015 when the carpet was unceremoniously ripped out and replaced. People who loved the design started a group, the “Cult of Marriott Carpet”, and started to put that design onto everything from flasks and dresses to reskinning cosplay in the Marriott Carpet theme. And against all odds, the fandom for this carpet pattern has only grown since then and they now have a regular spot of pride in the yearly DragonCon Parade.

This 2014 photograph shows off the Marriott Carpet pattern. (Photo by DragonCon).

The yearly DragonCon Parade is a full on, honest-to-goodness Parade that takes place over 1.5 miles through the heart of Atlanta on the Saturday of DragonCon. Hundreds of people participate in everything from the various elements of the Periodic Table to driving geeked-out vehicles to – you guessed it – the Cult of the Marriott Carpet.

I have seen the parade several times while I have attended DragonCon, but I have never actually participated in it…and I was not planning on doing so until I saw a Facebook post in October 2022 asking who wants to be in on a new round of Carpetsaurus Rex inflatable costumes. A Carpetsaurus Rex is a regular Tyrannosaurus Rex, but with the famed Marriott carpet pattern for skin. I immediately bought into it without a second thought and registered to march with the Cult of the Marriott Carpet in the Parade.

Several months later, it is September 2023, and I have shown up at the 8:30 a.m. Saturday pre-parade meeting. There are more Carpetsaurus Rex people like me, there are cheerleaders who will lead people on either side of the parade route in Marriott Carpet chants, and there are cosplayers who have adapted their cosplay to show off the Marriott Carpet pattern. There were, in other words, quite a few people who showed up to express their love for a carpet pattern that has been gone for eight years now. We shuffle onto the transport bus to the staging area, and I am immediately greeted by a full-on marching band playing as soon as I get off the bus.

The band warms up before the DragonCon Parade starts. (Photo by author).

We go to our designated area, and the first thing we do is sign the back of the Cult of the Marriott Carpet group banner. Each year, that year’s DragonCon Parade group signs the back of the group banner that we take turns carrying down the street, and it was really cool to see everyone that has gone before us. Soon afterwards though, it is time to suit up in our Carpetsaurus Rex costumes, and we find out that we will be going on after the Deadpool cosplayers group head out. They also have a Carpetsaurus Rex, but it has been doubly re-themed to be Deadpool as well!

Above, the Cult of Marriott Carpet Parade Group signs the banner. Below, groups are assembled and waiting for their turn to enter the parade. (Photos by author).

When I’m in the inflatable costume, I find myself extremely thankful for the water bottles that the Boy Scouts of America had previously handed us, my cooling towel, and my internal fan that was helping keep the costume inflated. I walk carefully – but confidently – down the street, and I can see THOUSANDS of people just lining the road and cheering us on amid chants of “MARRIOTT” and “CARPET” being led by the cheerleaders.

I bask in it all, and I do my best to help cheer and pump up the crowd by shimmying, by waving my arms, and even giving the best Carpetsaurus high fives that I can! I was sweaty, yes, but I was having the best time of my life.

Me walking down the street in the DragonCon Parade as a Carpetsaurus Rex as part of the Cult of Marriott Carpet. (Photo taken by Lauren N.).

The mile-and-a-half distance feels like almost nothing, unfortunately, and it is over too soon as we head inside at the end of the parade route into, fittingly for our group, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Inside, I unzip my costume by the Walk of Fame and I drink down the rest of my water before we have a professional group photo taken to memorialize this year’s Cult of the Marriott Carpet group.

This Parade experience only took me 10 years to get around doing at DragonCon. And you know what? It is just one of many, many stories of what you can do.

Only at DragonCon will you find Marc Gunn (one half of the Brobdingnagian Bards with Andrew McKee) and Mikey Mason sing songs about the long-departed show Firefly in a room that is completely filled up by die-hard fans. (Image taken by author).

Some people will sleep all day long and hit up all the dance parties at night until the very early hours of the morning. Other people will try to get as many ribbons to attach to their DragonCon badge as they can so they can participate in a contest to see who has the longest DragonCon ribbon chain at the end of the convention. And others will be sure to hit up every chance they can to see the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company perform live segments from their daily show Mercury: A Broadcast of Hope or, for the first time in 22 years, a live adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards!

Above, various DragonCon attendees measure to see who has the longest ribbons dangling from the badge in the Hyatt Regency Atlanta from several floors up. Below, the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company put on a live stage performance. (Photos taken by author).

DragonCon is a convention like none other that takes place every single Labor Day weekend, and it is my favorite event to attend every year. Every fandom, from Firefly (complete with a drinking songs filk panel!) to amateur wrestling, to even obscure 1970’s anime will be celebrated there, and you will find someone who will recognize your cosplay no matter what it is and ask to take a picture.

ESPECIALLY if you theme it after the Marriott Carpet.

Did you go to DragonCon this year?

What do you think of the Marriott Carpet pattern?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post DragonCon 2023: I was a Carpetsaurus Rex in the Parade appeared first on oprainfall.

Pokémon GO has the best fan-community, bar none other.

I went to Randall’s Island Park in New York City for Pokémon GO Fest 2023 this past weekend, and that was my biggest take away from that event. No matter where I went during my Saturday morning timeslot inside the Park, there were strangers talking about Pokémon GO, trading battle tips, doing group raids, and trading anything and everything to anyone. It felt like a real, breathing, fan community of people who just wanted to enjoy this amazing mobile game together.

Nothing exemplified this more than my experience trying to trade for Pokémon that I did not have. At various spots throughout the event, Niantic passed out signs that you could fill in with what kind of Pokémon you were looking for in trade. I put up regional-exclusive Pokémon (and Flabébé!) because I figured “why not? Maybe I can negotiate for something that is region locked elsewhere in the world…”, since there are exactly zero plans in my near future to travel to France or New Zealand or any of a dozen other places in the world to get a Pokémon that spawned only in that particular country or countries on the far-flung side of the globe.

This Pokémon is a New Zealand region-locked ‘mon. (Photo by author.)

And every time I put a new Pokémon on my small sign, whether it be for Klefki (France-only), Relicanth (New Zealand-only), or Sawk (Europe, Asia, Australia-only), there was someone who would inevitably come up to me and say “I’ve got you, give me whatever in return” when I said that I was just trying to complete my Pokédex. No extortion, no hard trading for some super rare Pokémon. Instead, it was just one Pokémon Trainer trying to help another Pokémon Trainer to fulfill the 25-year-old-plus motto of “Gotta catch ‘em all!”

There is some real magic in the absolute kindness of a fan community like that.

This column cannot be just about how great the fan community is when a bunch of strangers get together, though, so let’s talk about the rest of Pokémon GO Fest 2023. If you attended last year’s Pokémon GO Fest in Seattle, then you have the basics down: there are several GPS-tagged areas in the park area that each have exclusive spawns and a collection list to complete for a medal; there are various activities such as meeting fan-famous Pokémon Trainers, meeting illustrators, and even getting your picture taken with Pikachu or Eevee; there are large tent-like areas for players to hang out with others from their team; you can battle in a battle arena; there are plenty of Pokéstops to spin and raids to do; and there is an over-arching exclusive research quest with the Professor for you to do.

Honestly? It’s a lot to do in a four-hour period.

Despite there being some slight mud from the day prior, each of the Pokémon GO Fest 2023’s four areas had an amazing-themed structure placed prominently in the area. While I am not knocking on the Pokémon GO Fest that I attended last year in Seattle, it was definitely a real improvement to see a giant volcano or a huge sand castle with a large crystal that you could get your picture taken in, a large swamp cave, or even a huge monument that changed whenever a new Pokémon GO Team took control (like Mystic repeatedly did!). It felt like there was a real effort by Niantic to make sure that people could have something significant to take pictures of and enjoy in each of the four areas. The Pokémon in each area were also completely different – with the exception of the Egypt/Greece region-locked Sigilyph that was available in each biome.

In what was probably the smartest decision Niantic made, they split the entire event into two areas: the Athletic Field and Poison Swamp on one side of the park, and the Prehistoric Volcano and Cursed Treasures areas on the other side of the park.

Inside of the Athletic Field/Poison Swamp area (first area, just for convenience), there was the Pokémon Center Store. The fact that the only side attraction in this area was the Pokémon Center Store proved to be a really good idea, as the line to get inside to shop for merchandise was insanely long. I was given the opportunity to look inside to take photographs of the merchandise for this column, and there were so many types of Pokémon apparel and Pokémon plush available for purchase, including a dark gray t-shirt that was exclusive to Pokémon GO Fest 2023. My only real complaint about the merchandise was that they had sold out of several sizes on Day One of the event, and it didn’t look like they held back any stock for Days Two or Three. That was really surprising, as it meant those people who had the Sunday afternoon Park Experience were going to be picking through bare leftovers to find what they could wear.

In the second area, there was a lot of additional content for people to enjoy if they wanted to take a break from catching Pokémon. While the lines were too unfortunately long (and I had too many Pokémon to catch and trade for!), I saw a lot of people were thrilled to meet Trainers that they only see on TikTok or YouTube or on Twitter and get pictures taken with them. It really didn’t surprise me that a lot of famous Trainers had large followings at these events and that the lines were always full. Additionally, there were photo opportunities and character meet-and-greets to participate in that were fun (and packed with lines!) too.

My favorite part of the whole Pokémon GO Fest, honestly, was each of the Team tents. I am Team Mystic, and so I wandered into my tent midway through the event and found that they were doing a Pokémon trivia game with a crowd of people surrounding the stage. The person on stage would ask a Pokémon trivia question, which ranged from “what Pokédex number is Pikachu” to “name this Kalos normal-type Pokémon that I am thinking of” and “who here has the lightest-weighing Pichu?” No matter the question, a TON of hands would immediately go up, and she would select a person to answer. If they got it correct, they would win a pin.

Gentle readers, I thought I knew Pokémon. But after being unable to answer a lot of the tougher questions, I definitely don’t know Pokémon.

One of the trivia sessions being held at the Team Mystic tent. (Photo by author).

My chance at a Pokémon GO Fest 2023 themed-pin seemed bleak…Until, at the very end of that particular quiz session, she asked for volunteers for a dance off. Before she could finish the word “volunteer” and before she could tell us what we would be doing, my hand shot up and I knew that I was in to win. Ultimately, there were five of us of different ages up at the front of the stage, and we were told to dance.

I cannot dance, for I have no rhythm and I certainly cannot keep a beat.

But you better believe I danced my butt off until they called time with every 80’s dance move and every dance lesson that Sinbad taught me in First Kid that I could think of. Ultimately, the Niantic person gave us all an event pin, and I definitely felt like I earned it.

This year’s Pokemon GO Fest event pin. (Image by author).

The exclusive Pokémon GO Fest 2023 quest, where you can get Diancie/Mega Diancie, had a major quality of life improvement over last year’s Pokémon GO Fest event. In both years, you had to visit each of the different areas and complete a certain set of tasks in each one in order to complete that step of the research quest. Last year’s event was the fourth step, and I found myself having to rush hard to get to it and complete it during my event time window. This year, it was the second task to complete (after a fairly easy first one), and it served to incentivize me to visit each of the four areas early on. I thought it was a smart way to move people around the whole park area and to get them to see all the event has in store instead of just raiding and catching as many Sigilyph as possible.

The raids themselves were great. I finally caught a shiny Xerneas and a shiny Yveltal! The raids filled up extremely quickly, and I loved how close in location they were to each other. There were raids going on and refreshing nonstop, and I kept spamming Xerneas until I finally got my shiny. The shiny rate was also boosted for this event (as confirmed in my interview), and that was a relief as I wound up with zero shiny Pokémon at last year’s event. This year, I got a shiny Hitmontop, a shiny Throh, and a shiny Zangoose! It was nice getting those shiny Pokémon as I was just going around and catching whatever caught my eye.

When time began to wind down to the last hour of the event, I ended up frantically running around to all four areas to try to finish up the medals and to try to finish up the Dancie quest. Four hours honestly isn’t enough time to do everything, see everything, and complete everything. If there is one big takeaway issue that I have with the Park Experience, it is that it was too short. I hope Niantic will expand it next year to a fifth hour for each section. I really did feel a bit rushed at the end, and I honestly didn’t want it to end when it did.

Afterwards, I wondered into New York City and I did the City Experience portion. Even though I was in East Harlem (which was right across the river from where Randall’s Island Park is), I found a lot of Pokémon there to catch and raids to complete. The City Experience this year was measurably better than Seattle’s experience due to one thing: the Campfire App. I was able to find raids in the area, both local and remote, and participate in them. I ended up clearing several Mega Rayqueza raids in the East Harlem area and at the LaGuardia airport before my early evening flight thanks to that handy app. While it is obviously not as much fun as the Park Experience, the City Experience was fun too and I did ultimately catch a Rayquaza (even if it wasn’t shiny!).

Trainers stood on each end and battled each other here. (Photo by author).

There are a few more points of interest that I want to highlight that I can’t really put in anywhere else. First, there were plenty of food trucks in the second area for people to eat at so they didn’t have to leave the Park Experience. While I did not partake myself, the people I saw eating seemed to enjoy it. Second, the Battle Arena was okay, but it felt like an in-person version of what I was already doing online. I wish that Niantic adapted a “show six, choose three” format or something for Pokémon GO Fest 2023, as I figure that the in-person events are the best way to test-drive new PVP content in a real-world setting where there aren’t Cup points on the line. Next, Niantic smartly picked a location with a lot of options for people to get to the event in, even though the bus drop off points weren’t labeled with a sign or something. Finally, I was annoyed that the New York region-exclusive Pokémon, Bouffalant, was not part of this event and you could not catch one if you had the event ticket because of that. While I was able to get one the day before, this meant that if you flew in on Saturday morning to do the event and then flew back out that same night, you wouldn’t be able to get it. All of these things are minor issues that I had with Pokémon GO Fest 2023, to be honest.

The moment that I loved the most about the entire thing was my experience in the Team Mystic tent, because it showed me what Niantic intended Pokémon GO Fest 2023 to be: a lot of silly, family-friendly, fun that is for everyone from Pokémon GO beginners to Pokémon GO experts.

If you can go to next year’s Pokémon GO Fest, then you should. I think you’ll love it just as much as I did.

Two trainers looking for Pokémon. (Photo by author).

Did you attend this year’s Pokémon GO Fest? 

Where do you hope next year’s Pokémon GO Fest will be?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post Pokémon GO Fest 2023 (New York City)- Gotta Catch ‘Em All! appeared first on oprainfall.

You can find out more about EVO on their official website, on Twitch, on X (formerly known as Twitter), and on Facebook.

You can see all of EVO 2023’s Top 6 Matches on YouTube.

EVO is for everyone, no matter how much or how little you are into fighting video games.

When I showed up to the second and third days of EVO, I was expecting to be overwhelmed with talk about hit boxes and tech hits every time I turned around by an FGC community that would instantly know I was not a ‘real’ competitor and shun me. Instead, I found an extremely welcoming crowd who didn’t care how much I played fighting games as long as I could have fun.

If you’ve ever watched the Evolution Championship Series (or “EVO”, for short) on Twitch, then you know the basics: double elimination-style open tournament. In other words, anyone who enters can potentially win a chunk of the prize money, and they get two chances to do it per fighting title. With over 7,000 people competing, you would expect it to be mass chaos with people not knowing where to be or who to be competing with. Instead, I saw very, very organized brackets being run by referees in exclusive-jackets who would call names, set them at a station, let them play, record the win/loss results, and do this repeatedly all day long. There were often crowds gathered around random tables, and you would sometimes think it was a Top 6 Grand Finals with the way the pools were being cheered on.

Speaking of the Top 6: the energy at the Grand Finals, whether it was in the Michelob ULTRA ARENA on Sunday or on the EVO grand stage at the convention on Saturday, was unmatched by anything else I’ve ever witnessed. You could FEEL the electricity burning in the air and the crowds ROAR for their champions. Everyone had a favorite competitor or two, even if they didn’t discover their choice until the Top 6 was revealed. Having watched EVO for years on Twitch, I was simply not ready for the energy brought to every single finals match, and how everyone watched every hit, every read, and every win or loss go across the screen. Those competitors who survived their way to the Top 6 Finals are FGC royalty and FGC rockstars, and there were several who proudly wore their EVO medallions throughout the remainder of the weekend no matter how they placed in the Grand Finals.

If you could somehow tear yourself away from competing or watching the competition on Friday and Saturday, there was a surprising number of activities to do and see. Companies such as CAPCOM, BANDAI NAMCO, Arc System Works, Crunchyroll, and others set up booths with different panels presented by developers, fun prizes to win, and of course…fighting video games to play. I am by no means a fighting video game master, and I found there was plenty to see and do. I even won a couple of CAPCOM Pro Tour shirts and an EVO x Chipotle branded bag from the CAPCOM booth! Intriguingly, Riot Games was present to show off their upcoming fighting game influenced by League of Legends titled Project L. There was also a constantly packed artist’s gallery and fighting game accessories area that had lines stretching across the floor.

Everywhere I went, I found myself striking up conversations with complete strangers about fighting video games ranging from STAR WARS: Masters of Teräs Käsi and BUSHIDO BLADE to STREET FIGHTER 6 and TEKKEN 8. No matter how obscure or how little I played, there was someone around to talk to. There was also a LOT of cosplay around, and you could tell that people put a LOT of effort into perfecting the characters. If anything, it made me wish that EVO did a cosplay competition of sorts, as I think it would absolutely draw a ton of people to watch and participate.

And if you decided you wanted to do something entirely different…You could head over to the arcade and play new and old video games. Feel like throwing down against an opponent you can’t see? Versus City is where it is at. Dancing the night away like you’re in Yakuza 0? There’s Dance Dance Revolution. What about if you just wanted to be a train conductor and take a train down the railroad tracks? Well…surprisingly…there is a game for that too, and it is called Denshade GO!!!. With a handful of exceptions, everything encouraged you to play with other people around you, and to do your best and that was the busiest section of the entire EVO floor at the end of the day.

The Grand Finals on Sunday at Michelob ULTRA ARENA were amazing. Every seat there was sold out, and the crowd was up on their feet cheering when FGC titans (and even a couple of ‘gods’!) fought and won or lost their matches. I purposefully walked towards the back of the arena at one point, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that even the seats in the back were just as emotionally invested as the seats in the front row by the main stage.

IT. WAS. LOUD.

There were also so. Many. Announcements. And. Surprises.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming to STREET FIGHTER 6. New characters in different games such as TEKKEN 8 and GUILTY GEAR -Strive-. EVO has its own day now in Nevada even! And the dates for EVO Japan 2024 and EVO 2024 were announced. EVO really showed that it is the center of the FGC world.

When the Twitch stream was on a commercial break or when we were between Grand Finals, the presenters would play games with the audience for prizes such as PlayStation 5s or the gold/silver/bronze fighting sticks through games such as Rock/Paper/Scissors or High Card. There were even guessing games such as where they would start a video clip and the audience would have to guess if the attack would kill the opponent or whether the attack needed to be high or low blocked. All of these little games helped to fill the (sometimes frequent) dead time during the event. I would also be remiss if I did not mention that the food prices were extremely affordable, and not as extravagantly rip-off like I was expecting from an arena inside Las Vegas. I got there when the doors opened at 9 AM, and I did not leave until the very, very end of the event.

If there is one more thing that I have to bring up, it is the fact there was free water available everywhere on the show floor on Friday and Saturday. Everyone was handed a bottle to drink from when they checked in, and people were encouraged to drink water frequently. It seems like a small thing, but it was amazing that I didn’t have to spend $5 or $6 for a bottle of water on Friday or Saturday while on the show floor. Instead, I could just go hit up the water station (for which there was never a line because of how many there were scattered around) and then get back into the mix of it all.

While the CAPCOM band was playing live music…there was an attendee breakdancing right below them.

In short: EVO is not just for the fighting elite, but it is for everyone who has even a passing interest in video games. I promise you that if you attend, you will get swept up into the EVO madness and you WILL be on the edge of your seat while watching a fighting game that you’ve never seen before until that day, even if it is a small Community Event and not on the main stage.

I’m already planning on attending EVO again next year, myself. And I will have an amazing time, even if I don’t know exactly what a tech hit is.

EVO always will set us free at the very end.

Did you attend EVO 2023? Are you planning on attending EVO 2024?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post EVO 2023 Is For All Gamers, Not Just For Fighting Champions appeared first on oprainfall.

GAME OF THE YEAR (GOTY)

Previous Winners
2012: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
2013: Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
2014: Super Smash Bros. (Wii U)
2015: Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
2016: Hyperdimension Neptunia V-II (Multi)
2017: Persona 5 (PS4)
2018: Valkyria Chronicles 4 (Multi)
2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)
2021: Shin Megami Tensei V (Switch)

It’s finally time to crown the oprainfall Awards 2022 Game of the Year! We narrowed the field down to three finalists who won in the previous categories we’ve posted throughout the week. Now, it’s time to show off the best of the best!

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

Best Story

NA Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4
Review

The long awaited start of the Crossbell Arc, the official release of The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero finally happened last year. Everyone was really pleased with how it turned out, and Lloyd and the other members of the SSS finally got their time to shine. As with other games in the series, the solid gameplay, amazing story, and the top tier soundtrack made this a gimme as one our top games of last year.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

 Best Music

NA Release Date: July 29th, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Review

The Xenoblade franchise is near and dear to us here at oprainfall, and even though this entry gave some of the staff mixed feelings, it’s still one of our top picks of 2022. The fantastic story, stellar graphics, and simply amazing soundtrack will leave you wanting more after the final credits roll, and looking forward to what the team has coming next. If you haven’t had a chance to play this, you should do so, might even get it done before the upcoming DLC story expansion launches.

Stray

Best Action / Adventure, Best Atmosphere

NA Release Date: July 19th, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Review

Stray is one of the most unique titles we’ve seen in a long time. I mean, games like this don’t come around very often. When is the last time you heard about a third-person cat adventure game set in the alleys of a decaying cyberpunk style city? The setting and tight gameplay really impressed some folks here, and helped it earn a spot in our top games of 2022.

And the winner is…

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero!

In the end, Lloyd and the SSS crew stood tall above the rest. This series is known for its powerful storytelling and amazing music, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is no exception to this. It’s no wonder it beat all the other amazing entries and became the 2022 oprainfall awards: Game of the Year. All fans of JRPGs owe it to themselves to check out this game and all the other games in the franchise, you won’t be disappointed!

That’s it for this year’s oprainfall awards! But, there is plenty of good gaming to look forward to this year. Be sure to check here for the latest coverage on all your favorite niche titles and visual novels!

A special thanks to Brandon Rose for creating the featured images for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Game of the Year (GOTY) appeared first on oprainfall.

BEST ATMOSPHERE

Previous Winners
2021: Shin Megami Tensei V

How well does a game’s environment immerse you in its world? How well crafted is the feeling of existing in a wholly artificial space? Best Atmosphere is awarded to the game that exemplifies these traits, and our three contenders all manage to create impactful, memorable worlds, but only one of them can be our 2022 Best Atmosphere winner. Let’s read on to see who takes the crown.

Elden Ring

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

The Lands Between are a gorgeous, mysterious and dangerous world filled with both beauty and horror. Deep caves where no light penetrates give way to high plains bathed in the golden glow of the Erdtree that towers over almost every inch of the world. Very rarely does it ever leave the player’s sight, and when it does, it usually bodes ill. There are snow-covered fields, arid deserts, and thick forests dense with fauna. If you can think of an ecosystem, Elden Ring likely boasts it. Despite the game’s dark themes and generally oppressive atmosphere, the Lands Between are anything but dreary. I haven’t seen a skybox as gorgeous as Nokron’s in any game ever, and the first time I descended into the subterrane, it took my breath away. The Moonlight Altar, as well, is stunningly beautiful, while Caelid’s crimson tones and diseased flora are unsettling and grotesque. Traversing the Lands Between can be breathtakingly beautiful, and the scarred remains of towns and cities speak to the horrors that have befallen this world in ways words can’t quite convey. It is a world that is easy to get lost in, but is it enough for it to win our 2022 Best Atmosphere award?

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

NA Release Date: July 29, 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Review

My sister once again graced me with her knowledge of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to give me her thoughts on what makes the game’s atmosphere so memorable. Here’s what she had to say:

“Aionios is like a beautiful blend of familiar but different landscapes. The very first area you’re in is a desecrated battlefield that opens up into Colony 9. You traverse from valleys to plateaus and at all times you can see the broken shadow of Uraya and the distant shadow of the Sword. Everything feels nostalgic, but it’s also wrong, so you get this sense of ‘I know this, but it’s not quite right.’ Xenoblade 3 doesn’t have Elden Ring’s oppressive atmosphere, but it does carry a lot of mystery and intrigue, and the way the world always sits on the cusp of familiarity lends itself to the themes of the game and the sense that ‘something’ is wrong with the world. It makes for an incredibly melancholic but memorable atmosphere. I stumbled on one spot and had to actually stop, struck by the realization that ‘I know this place!’ because of the way the game so perfectly blends areas from previous games to create something new, but nostalgic.”

Can Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s blend of old and new give it the win in our 2022 Best Atmosphere Award, though?

Stray

NA Release Date: July 19, 2022
Platform(s): PS4, PS5, PC
Review

The end of civilization comes in many flavors, but I found Stray‘s version particularly poignant. It isn’t the overgrown, reclaimed world of The Last of Us; it isn’t barren wastelands and deserts like Fist of the North Star; is isn’t even the charred out husks of cities like with Terminator. It’s just a quiet, dirty city inhabited by robots mimicking the daily lives of humans they’ve never known, but still somehow remember, and it gives the game a melancholic but mundane sense of familiarity. The Abandoned City feels lived in and alive without a single living creature in it. You feel like you can walk its alleys and visit its businesses and nothing would be out of the ordinary from your life now. The neon lights, random music blaring from a robot’s boombox, and even kids playing pranks just feels comfortable. But, just beyond the boundaries of this dead city are roiling hives of gluttonous, nightmarish creatures that will stop at nothing to literally eat you alive. I love the juxtaposition of both, and it made my time playing Stray particularly memorable. But is it enough for this game to cinch the win for our 2022 Best Atmosphere Award?

And the Best Atmosphere winner is…

Stray!

All three of our contenders are honestly fantastic at building memorable worlds for players to explore and live in, but Stray just narrowly beat out the competition. Considering the time you spend in the Abandoned City, it needed to leave its mark early and strong, and that’s exactly what it did.

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured image for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter. 

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Atmosphere appeared first on oprainfall.

BEST MUSIC

Previous Winners
2016: Final Fantasy XV
2017: Persona 5
2018: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2021: NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…

We always love a good tune, and the games mentioned here in oprainfall Awards 2022 Best Music category are the best of the best when it comes to their amazing soundtracks. I have to say, the competition was fierce this year, and picking a winner was a near impossible task. But, without further ado, let’s get into this award presentation.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

NA Release Date: July 29th, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Review

The Xenoblade franchise is well known for its amazing soundtracks, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was no exception. The overworld themes are a bit more somber this time around, but still amazing, and having a flute be prominently featured in the soundtrack gave this entry a lot of flavor. The vocal tracks were next level here, if you aren’t completely broken during the scene “A Step Away” plays, you should probably feel your chest to make sure there is still a heart in there.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

NA Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Review

The Falcom Sound Team always knocks it out of the park when it come the Trails franchise, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is no exception. The soundtrack has those hard rocking battle themes we’ve come to expect, as well as some somber themes for the more emotional moments. Throw in some great vocal tracks and it’s no wonder this was at the top of our list this year.

Live A Live 

NA Release Date: July 22, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Square Enix games have some of the most iconic soundtracks in gaming history, so it’s no wonder the Live A Live Remake had an amazing OST. This edition came with a brand new arranged version of the soundtrack, or you could use the outstanding SNES version as well. A wide variety of tracks are featured here that fit the style of each of the different play styles the game has to offer, and every one of them is pure gold, making this a very strong contender for this award.

And the winner of oprainfall Awards 2022 Best Music Award is……

Xenoblade Chronicles 3!

While some of us here may be torn on the ending or some of the other gameplay aspects of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, one thing we all agree on is this soundtrack is amazing. I personally think “Weight of Life” is not only one of the best insert tracks in the series, it might be one of the greatest pieces of game music of all time. Not to mention all of the other amazing tracks the game has to offer, making it our well deserving winner of this year’s award.

Once again, a special thanks to Brandon Rose for the featured image.

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BEST ACTION / ADVENTURE

Previous Winners:
2018: God of War
2019: Devil May Cry 5
2021: Metroid Dread

This is a pretty large category, and there are a lot of titles that could fit into it. That being said, this is one category which there are never really a shortage of titles. The last winner of this award was the return of a well known bounty hunter. This year, we got to choose between fighting some monsters and an adventure with a cat.

Stray

NA Release Date: July 19, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
Review

Stray has us in the control of a cat in a city filled with robots. While exploring and navigating the city, there will also be puzzles and enemies that stand in your way. The world is atmospheric, and you can of course do what cats can do, such as meowing, scratching, and knocking things over. Evading the dangers in an underground city is one thing, doing it as a cat just adds something else to it.

Dusk Diver 2

NA Release Date: August 30, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Review

Here, we have a follow up which brings us back to Yumo and her friends taking on the chaos beasts. This 3D beat-em-up might not reinvent the genre, but it is an absolutely solid action game. The fighting, for the most part, is fun with some variety with the different characters. The return to Ximending is a welcome one.

Infernax

NA Release Date: February 14, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Review

While a throwback Metroidvania style game might not be that uncommon, Infernax is worth the attention. In addition to the look of the 8-bit graphics, the soundtrack wouldn’t be out of place of the era. The games offers some nice comedic moments and a couple different endings for you to unlock. If you were looking for an older style adventure, this is a great choice.

This Year’s Winner is…

Stray!

If you ever wanted to be able to play as a cat, this is the experience for you. Exploring the city with the nimbleness of a cat gives a unique feeling compared to some other adventure games. While it starts off simply with your character trying to find a way out, the story grows as you learn more about the abandoned city. The atmosphere of the setting helps make it a journey that will be remembered. It is also nice that you have a button to meow with too.

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured images for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

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BEST STORY

Previous Winners
2016: Muv-Luv
2017: Persona 5
2018: Yakuza 6
2019: Fire Emblem: Three House
2021: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Depending on the game, the story might be one of the most important elements to have. The hours put into a game can be more than justified when you become attached to the characters or journey. Our last winner of this award was an MMO which brought in a lot of narrative. That being said, let’s take a look at our newest competitors.

Atelier Sophie 2

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platform: PC, PS4, Switch
Review

Picking up right after the previous game, we once again follow Sophie on a new adventure. However, things go awry as Sophie is sucked into a strange tree and awakens in the strange city of Roytale. Here, she meets both new friends and some familiar faces, with some differences. While it is somewhat of a self contained story in regards to the series, it’s strengths are in the character interactions and themes. The comforting and hopefulness of the story are things that will draw you in.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

NA Release Date: September 27, 2022
Platform: PC, PS4, Switch
Review

As an entry from The Legend of Heroes series, it probably isn’t that much of a surprise to see this title in this competition. That being said, Trails from Zero has a lot going on in it’s story. It follows Lloyd and the other members of the SSS, a branch of the police in the city of Crossbell which doesn’t exactly have a high reputation. Here, the SSS faces criminal elements and political unease, along with a more dangerous hidden threat. The captivating story and characters are highlights that deserve some attention.

Triangle Strategy

NA Release Date: March 4, 2022 (Switch), October 13, 2022 (PC)
Platform(s): PC, Switch
Impressions (2021 Demo)

Set on the continent of Norzelia, we follow Serenoa as he is pulled into the affairs of three nations. There is quite a back story regarding the kingdoms and groups that inhabit the world. Serenoa is forced to make a number of choices during his journey as war begins once again. The choices made lead to a number of different consequences in the end, something that definitely gives impact to the story.

This Year’s Winner is…

Trails from Zero!

The Trails series has always had some great stories and characters, and this one is no different. The political intrigue of the city of Crossbell and the different characters met along the way are memorable. The growth of the characters during the story, and the SSS working its way up from the bottom is a journey that’s a joy to follow. It took a while for this game to make it to the West, but the story is something that more than holds up.

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured images for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

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BEST DESIGN

Previous Winners
2017: Cuphead
2018: Octopath Traveler
2019: Death end re;Quest

Video games come in all shapes and sizes, and that includes their design philosophies. What aspects of a game do developers want to stress? Where do games shine the most? Is it graphics, gameplay, story? All of the above? The following three games all had excellent design choices from environment to storytelling, but only one can win our 2022 Best Design award.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

NA Release Date: July 29, 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Review

I reached out to my sister to help me explain why Xenoblade Chronicle 3’s design is worthy of winning our award. Here’s what she had to say:

“If you have ever played a Xenoblade game, many areas of Aionios will be instantly familiar, from the towering Keves Castle to the beautiful Erythia Sea. If you’ve ever played any of Takahashi’s Xeno games, the themes of mortality, divinity and fate will also be instantly familiar. A beautiful marriage of everything that has come before it, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 shines most where it takes the concepts and familiarity of its setting and reimagines them, breathing new life into a story that has been literal decades in the making.

The character designs, as well, are all gorgeous, and with a glance one can instantly ping Keves from Agnus from the mysterious third party the main characters meet early on. Each hero has a unique, fun design that gives insight into their personalities without painting them as one-dimensional.

The battle system is also a wonderful blend of Xenoblade 1 and 2, with its own distinct flair that makes it the most fun for this writer to play. Each party member has a unique feel, and finding that perfect match of classes that can break the most difficult fight makes for fun and creative strategies.”

Can all of these elements add up to make it our 2022 Best Design winner, though?

Elden Ring

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Souls games are known for their difficulty. It’s one of their defining traits, even to those of us who haven’t played them. Elden Ring continues this tradition while also being incredibly accessible to newcomers to the genre (like myself), with a sprawling open world that lets players explore the Lands Between at their own pace. The nature of the world allows you to decide for yourself what difficulty you’re comfortable with, as there are distinct differences in enemy strength and type as you explore the various kingdoms and regions. Feel like a challenge? You can trek to Caelid right out the gate if you’re so inclined (and likely get curb stomped). Exploration is encouraged and led to some of my personal favorite moments, such as taking an elevator to the Siofra River.

That’s not to say there aren’t clear signposts for those who want the most smooth experience. Sites of Grace conveniently dot the landscape, with story-specific ones literally pointing the way to where you should go next to experience Elden Ring’s narrative. The story itself is surprisingly straightforward, but with enough wiggle room to keep the Lands Between as mysterious as they are beautiful, and the little hints and lore you can find by reading item descriptions, or buying notes from merchants, only add to the history and depth of this world.

Elden Ring also boasts some of the most imaginative characters and bosses I’ve seen in recent memory. Personal favorites are Alexander the Warrior Pot (seriously, I do not understand why there are living pots, and I also don’t care because they’re cool) and Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, which has to be one of the most gorgeous boss monsters I’ve ever seen. The way the game blends beauty and grotesquerie is just fantastic. Fighting them is equally fulfilling, with a plethora of combat configurations and weapons to fit any play style. Do you want to be a long range bow user? What about stack up your INT and become an unstoppable laser-firing mage? Feel like jumping into the fray with axe in hand? Or dual-wielding great swords just because? You can do that. Hell, you can just bash things with your shield and that’s A-OK. Elden Ring is just an expertly crafted game through and through. Is it enough to earn this Soulsborne our 2022 Best Design award?

Stray

NA Release Date: July 19, 2022
Platform(s): PS4, PS5, PC
Review

Post-apocalyptic worlds are a dime a dozen in video games, but when one comes along with a distinct, focused design, it’s worth paying attention to, and I’m hard-pressed to think of one more unique than having the perspective of a cat. BlueTwelve Studio went above and beyond to make sure players embodied the feel of playing as a furry feline, building their world around a cat’s ability to climb and crawl into all sorts of nooks and crannies. The Abandoned City feels huge despite its actual small locations, thanks in part to the way the camera stays at cat level, forcing you to almost always look up at everything around you. The interactivity of the environment, as well, lends itself to being a mischievous feline, swatting and batting things off edges, or clawing at walls and carpets with abandon. Movement is fluid and light. You can also meow on command, which I found delightful.

The robots that inhabit the Abandoned City are also fantastic, drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources to be both instantly recognizable as homages to sci-fi properties of the past, as well as their own distinct characters in the world of Stray. I found them incredibly charming, especially in the ways they reacted to the cat. The cat’s interactions with them, as well, were very cute and again captured the essence of being a feline, from being able to sit on their laps, to rubbing their legs, and even tripping them as they walk. Along with the robots, I found the design of the enemies to be particularly striking, as they are also unassumingly cute in the same way small mammals are, and yet terrifying in the ways they swarm. Using them as sparingly as they did, BlueTwelve was able to really craft some tense moments to break up what is, overwhelmingly, a game about exploration.

I would be remiss to not discuss B12 when talking about design, though. In terms of gaming, companion characters are often rife with controversy, either because they are frustrating escort-types that you must protect, or because they are annoying or distracting. As a cat, you cannot talk or interact with others in any way that would further the game’s narrative, nor can you read the assortment of graffiti and notes scattered throughout the Abandoned City. B12 works as both an in-game translator for the cat (and by extension, the player), as well as a steadfast companion who I found genuinely interesting and likeable. You want to help B12 in his mission, just as he wants to keep the cat safe as you traverse the dangers of this post-apocalyptic world. There are few games that design companions as well as B12, and those games are all designed by Fumito Ueda, so for me, what BlueTwelve achieved with their little robot companion is high praise indeed. Does this cat game have what it takes to be crowned our 2022 Best Design winner?

And the winner of Best Design is…

Elden Ring!

This was honestly a difficult decision! Each game was designed to lean into the strengths of its genre, but Elden Ring‘s impeccable worldbuilding, difficulty, and combat ultimately gave it the edge to win our 2022 Best Design award!

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured image for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter. 

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Previous Winners
2018: Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza 6)
2019: Byleth (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
2021: Takayuki Yagami (Lost Judgement)

This year’s Best Hero category contains three nominees who all have their own challenges to overcome; however, being a hero doesn’t necessarily mean being perfect and having no faults. Two of these nominees are definitely stand-up guys. But another one of the nominees can go down a number of paths and has to regularly decide what the right thing to do is during a long ongoing war. Nonetheless, all three of these heroes do what they can to make their homes a better place and are the kind of guys you would definitely want on your side.

Denam Pavel (Tactics Ogre: Reborn)

NA Release Date: November 11, 2022

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, PC

Denam gets wrapped up in a civil war along with his sister Catiua and his friend Vyce. All three of them lost people in an attack on their hometown, Golyat, and end up on a long journey wrapped up in the war. Denam can go down one of three paths based on the player’s decisions during the game. He’s not a flawless hero who always does what’s right, but he does his best to navigate a long and complicated war, with hopes of making The Valerian Isles a better place to live. Denam is on this list for having the courage to fight for what he believes is right during an arduous time in history.

Lloyd Bannings (Trails from Zero)

NA Release Date: September 27, 2022

Platform(s): PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC

Review

Being our resident Trails fan, Patrick has written this part on Lloyd. I haven’t gotten around to the Crossbell games just yet myself.

“Bravery, kindness, and always looking out for others, these are some traits that are associated with heroes. Lloyd Bannings, the leader of the SSS, truly lives up to these traits and what it means to be a hero. He is willing to sacrifice himself to protect others, constantly looks to better himself and crawl out of his older brother’s shadow, and looks to put Crossbell State back on the right and just path. Not many people can handle the criticism, hardships, and responsibility that come with being in the SSS, but Lloyd is able to take them in stride. The SSS wouldn’t be the same without Lloyd; he truly is the heart and soul of that group. It isn’t even a stretch to say that he’s the heart of Crossbell State itself. Was this hero able to take the top crown, or did he hit a barrier and come up short?”

Noah (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

NA Release Date: July 29th, 2022

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Review

Noah is a Kevesi off-seer who at the start of the game, is quite loyal to his people. But ultimately, he doesn’t actually want to fight and continue the seemingly never-ending war with Agnus. Noah is fortunate in ending up a part of Ouroboros. He makes new friends and gets the opportunity to fight against the true enemy, the ones pulling the strings, who have ensured the people of Aionios continue to fight each other. Noah is a kind soul who continues fighting as a part of Ouroboros, not to win a war, but to see Aionios free of war and for both sides, Keves and Agnus, to find peace. Noah is nominated for the Best Hero award for being an honorable person and true friend who wants nothing more than peace and happiness for everyone.

And the winner is…

Lloyd Bannings!

Ultimately one of the more stand-up guys has been chosen as 2022’s Best Hero here at oprainfall. We’ve chosen Lloyd for being a truly brave and honorable leader, who rarely falters and always does his best to protect Crossbell’s citizens. He’s a true hero who is very deserving of the award this year.

Once again, a special thanks to Brandon Rose for the featured image.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Hero appeared first on oprainfall.

Previous Winners
2018: Dead Cells
2019: Luminous Avenger iX
2021: Metallic Child

Not every video game released is created by a 100-strong development team owned by one of the ‘big three’ video game console companies that is only matched by the massive PR push in every major sporting event and form of media out there. Some games are developed by a handful of talented individuals who just want to make a small game that tells a personal story, shows off a cool and innovative gameplay mechanic, or has a unique art style that has yet to be matched anywhere else.

This year’s contest for Best Indie was a tough one to decide, but ultimately only one game had to prevail.

This Way Madness Lies

NA Release Date: November 10, 2022
Platform(s): PC
Review

This Way Madness Lies, at first glance, is a game that does not seem like it would work. After all, there are magical girls who love putting on school performances of Shakespeare plays. In a game that clearly drew inspiration from Sailor Moon, the students at the Stratford-Upon-Avon High Drama Society speak in Olde English, have gorgeously illustrated transformation sequences, and turn-based combat that is unique enough to keep anyone playing hooked.  Developed by Zeboyd Digital Entertainment LLC, This Way Madness Lies was an excellent title to close out 2022 with, and a game that really should not be missed.

Sifu

NA Release Date: February 8, 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5), November 8, 2022 (Switch)
Platform(s):  PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Review

Imagine a world where you are a nameless protagonist who is hunting down the five assassins who murdered your family in five different locales with nothing more than your kung fu skills. In a unique twist, Sifu permits you to use the experience points you gain while playing and fighting enemies only when you die. As you die, your character also gets older and stronger, but loses just a little bit more health. Sloclap’s indie title is set in a gorgeous world with a gorgeous soundtrack to match, and it was an easy inclusion for this year’s Best Indie award.

Infernax

NA Release Date: February 14, 2022
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Review

Infernax is a 2D Metroidvania title developed by Berzerk Studio that follows a knight who discovers that his home village has been overrun by monsters, after he returns home from the Crusades. Crowdfunded through a Kickstarter campaign and inspired by 1) the heavy music genre, 2) the NES Castlevania and Legend of Zelda sequels, and 3) historical events, Infernax builds something special upon all of these influences. With gorgeous pixel art, humor, and weapons/skills/magic upgrades that fit in perfectly with the numerous puzzles that the game will throw at you, Infernax handedly earned its spot in this year’s awards.

And oprainfall‘s

2022 Best Indie Award

Goes To… Infernax!

This was a category that was fairly easy to determine among the staff at oprainfall. For all the reasons listed above, Infernax easily took the pole position early on, and never let it up. This is simply a game that could not, and should not, be missed from 2022 and is an easy winner for Best Indie!

Congratulations Infernax for winning this year’s Best Indie Award!

Have you picked up Infernax? Do you agree or disagree with our choice?

Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you to Brandon Rose for the cover image. You can find his Twitter here.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Indie appeared first on oprainfall.

Previous Winners
2018: Valkyria Chronicles 4
2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

What makes a good strategy game? Is a real-time strategy game equal to a strategy RPG, or is one better than the other? Well, I suppose the answer to that depends on your own personal taste. Here at oprainfall, we were big fans of two SRPGs in particular that released in 2022. One, a brand new game with a never before experienced story. The other, an old title with a fresh coat of paint. I personally had a hard time deciding between these two, but let’s take a look at the nominees.

Triangle Strategy

NA Release Date: March 4th, 2022 (Switch), October 13th, 2022 (PC)
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC
Impressions (2021 Demo)

Triangle Strategy is a brand new title which is a bit of a unique SRPG. I think what makes it unique is how you equip and raise your army. There is no buying and equipping new weapons, every character has a set weapon which you can upgrade via various passive skills in each unit’s skill tree. Not only that, but there aren’t any generic units you can create to fill out your army, which isn’t the case with every SRPG. Every single character recruited has story relevance and as you use a character, you’ll eventually unlock new little story scenes and learn more about them. Triangle Strategy‘s story is very engaging. When you have to pull out the Scales of Conviction and make a choice, you really question every decision you make. There is no easy answer, any choice you go with can have major consequences. In my opinion, it truly pulls you into the story and makes you think about things, and question both the characters’ intentions and whether or not you’ve made the correct choice.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn

NA Release Date: November 11th, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, PC

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is an old classic, which has yet again been released with a fresh coat of paint. Nowadays you often see people reference Final Fantasy Tactics as the epitome of what an SRPG should be, and they often proclaim it as their favorite of all time. But Tactics Ogre is a classic in its own right, which released just a little bit earlier and was also worked on by Yasumi Matsuno. I actually picked up a copy myself and have been playing it for the very first time. Honestly, Tactics Ogre didn’t pull me into its story to the extent that Triangle Strategy did, but what I love about it, is that it has a better balance between battle gameplay and story. Triangle Strategy sometimes can be overwhelming with constant story interruptions. The story is fantastic, but sometimes you just want to get to the next battle already. Meanwhile, Tactics Ogre, more effortlessly blends story with gameplay, and you don’t find yourself as overwhelmed. And let’s not forget that fresh coat of paint. Various updates were made to the game. One of the biggest changes is the ability to level individual units and change them to another class while keeping their level. You no longer level specific classes as a whole. The second big update made to the game is the party wide level cap, which is gradually raised throughout the story. This level cap prevents you from grinding too high above enemies and makes every battle a decent challenge. But, it also keeps you from unintentionally ranking up enemies too high. These are only two changes among various updates made to the the game. Nonetheless, it’s a fun time for both old fans and new.

And the winner is…

Tactics Ogre: Reborn!

If it were only up to me, I wouldn’t know which of these two to choose as my absolute favorite. As I mentioned earlier, Triangle Strategy has a fantastic and extremely engaging story that sucks you right in. Yet, sometimes the story can seem too much and get in the way of enjoying some quality strategy gameplay. Then there’s Tactics Ogre: Reborn, which maybe doesn’t have quite as engaging of a story, but it still has its own depth, and you truly get to enjoy strategizing throughout a wide variety of challenging stages. Ultimately, as a whole, we here at oprainfall have chosen Tactics Ogre: Reborn as our favorite 2022 strategy game. Sometimes, an old classic with some much needed updates thrown in is simply the best.

The featured image was done by Brandon Rose, who you can find on Twitter.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Strategy appeared first on oprainfall.

Previous Winners
2018: Jade (Dragon Quest XI)
2019: Reisalin Stout (Atelier Ryza)
2021: Samus Aran (Metroid Dread)

Competition this year was fierce for Best Heroine. There were so many fantastic candidates from the plethora of games we all played here at oprainfall that it ended up being a four-way tie right until the very end. Who came out victorious from this grueling battle between our favorite leading ladies? Read on to find out.

Mio (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

NA Release Date: July 29, 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Review

Just as with Best Boy, I reached out to my sister to give me the ins and outs of what makes Mio a great heroine, and here’s what she had to say:

“How does one continue when they know death is inevitable? What legacy will you leave behind? With the end of her life looming literal months away from the moment we meet her, Mio already presents as an interesting, complex character. As an offseer, one of the few in Aionios who deals actively with grief and the nature of life on more than a “kill or be killed” level, her impending death and the revelations she is given early on color the story going forward. A caring, smart and strong woman, Mio will do whatever she can to see her convictions through, and will fight to save those she loves until the bitter end.” Mio more than earns her spot on the 2022 oprainfall Best Heroine list, but does she have what it takes to win it all?

Sophie Neuenmuller (Atelier Sophie 2)

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
Review

Some of the best heroines are gentle, friendly, easy-going types like Sophie, who dedicates her life to helping others with alchemy, just like her grandmother once did. Don’t let her carefree attitude fool you, though: Sophie is dedicated and tenacious, determined to make sure those around her are at their best, including her best friend and mentor, Plachta, for whom she won’t stop until she can construct a body to host the woman’s spirit after she was turned into a book. Even being stuck in a dream world can’t stop Sophie, who can still make friends in uncertain circumstances – including ones involving younger versions of her dear mentor and grandmother. Can Sophie’s pure heart and dedication pull her through this four-way battle to win the 2022 oprainfall Best Heroine prize?

Tio Plato (Trails from Zero)

NA Release Date: September 27, 2022
Platforms: PS4. Nintendo Switch, PC
Review

Seeing as fellow editor Patrick is my go-to source for all things Legend of Heroes, I asked him what makes Tio a fantastic candidate for heroine, and here’s what he had to say:

“When it comes to heroines, a little mystery can go a long way, and Tio fits this to a tee. Tio was, to put it simply, an enigma to the rest of the SSS when she first joined. She had a cool demeanor, was an Orbal Technology genius, wielded an experimental weapon like a pro, and had heightened senses no normal human should have. Tio is capable and a prodigy, but she is much more than that. She is a survivor, she has a strong will, and lived through many hardships to get where she is today. Seeing her gradually open up to the rest of her squadmates and talk about her life before the SSS was heartwarming to see. Blasting foes with her Orbal Arts was super satisfying too. Cool, cute, capable, strong-willed, and an essential member to the SSS, Tio makes the short list for our 2022 Best Heroine Award. Did she do enough to claim the top spot?”

Laeticia Aucerius (Star Ocean: The Divine Force)

NA Release Date: October 27, 2022
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Review

As crown princess of Aucerius, Laeticia is a serious, devoted, and capable leader who takes matters into her own hands in order to save her home from the brink of war. She’s a knight princess who can handle dual blades with ease, but she’s also driven to find peaceful solutions whenever possible. She’s insatiably curious and makes friends easily, and is resolute in the face of danger, especially when it comes to protecting those she loves. Her courage and quick thinking have saved the team from several binds, but she’s not so proud as to turn away a helping hand. Laeticia is a fantastic protagonist and acts as a great foil to co-lead Raymond in Star Ocean: The Divine Force, and that’s why she deserves to be 2022 oprainfall Best Heroine.

And this year’s heroine is…

Laeticia!

Narrowly winning this four-way battle, Laeticia earns her award for being a charismatic, adorable and fierce warrior who is willing to save everyone she can, even if it means going to the ends of the universe! Her competitors were all worthy opponents, but in this year’s sea of stars, Letty was just too divine to beat!

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured images for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Heroine appeared first on oprainfall.

Previous Winners
2019: Astolfo (Fate/EXTELLA Link)
2021: Goro Majima (Yakuza series)

What makes a Best Boy? Is it his good looks? His charming personality? His skills in battle? Or is it a certain je ne sais quoi? Whatever it is, this year, we here at oprainfall were able to narrow down our 2022 Best Boy candidates to three, and they are all more than deserving of this most illustrious title. But who will take home the prize and have bragging rights for the next year?

Noah (Xenoblade Chronicles 3)

NA Release date: July 29, 2022
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Review

I am a bad oprainfall staff writer who hasn’t played Xenoblade 3 yet, so I asked my sister to give me the low-down on what makes Noah the Best Boy and here’s what she had to say:

“As part of the Keves special forces squad we meet right at the outset, Noah already comes across as strong, smart, and kind. But it’s the strength of his bonds with his friends that really lets him shine. From his banter with his Keves crew, to the quiet moments he shares with his newfound allies, Noah stands out. His role as offseer has given him a sense of compassion few in his world hold, and an emotional maturity not often seen in the heroic teenage protagonist. His design is also quite pleasing, and has callbacks to previous Xeno protagonists while still being his own wholy unique character. Whether in JP or ENG, he’s quite enjoyable to listen to, as well.” Will Noah’s compassion and maturity be enough to win him the title of Best Boy?

Lloyd Bannings (Trails from Zero)

NA Release Date: September 27, 2022
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC
Review

Fellow editor Patrick was kind enough to give me the what’s what regarding the ever-charming Lloyd, and here’s what he had to say about the SSS member:

“From old to young, none can withstand the charms of the baby faced detective, Lloyd Bannings. The heart and soul of the SSS, Lloyd has proven time and again he’s ready to step up when needed, is always there for his squadmates, and is able to make sound decisions in the most dire of circumstances. He has good morals, good intuition, a strong body, and puts the needs of others over himself at all times. Not only is he a good person, he knows how to make a good, motivating, cheesy speech too. And who doesn’t love a cheesy speech? A quality leader, and a good lad, Lloyd is ready to fight for the crown of Best Boy. Was the SSS leader able to get over the barrier and take out his competitors?”

Albaird Bergholm (Star Ocean: The Divine Force)

NA Release Date: October 27, 2022
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Review

Who doesn’t love a knight wholly dedicated to his princess? Albaird is staunchly protective of Laeticia Aucerius, his childhood best friend and current crown princess of the kingdom that bears her name. He’s testy and quick to anger, but don’t let his prickliness fool you: this tsundere has a heart of gold and a sweet tooth to match. A member of the kingsguard, Albaird is skilled at both his chakram and semiomancy, but he’s also a tactician and knows his way around a camp to survive the perilous journeys he, and the rest of his companions, face as they try to save not only his homeland, but even those who live among the stars. He’s rough around the edges and takes some time to build trust with, but once you have it, Albaird is a loyal and dedicated friend who will absolutely still argue with you, but at least he’ll do it lovingly. Can he win the hearts of our judges to be oprainfall’s 2022 Best Boy, though?

And this year’s best boy is…

Lloyd!

Despite strong competition from one compassionate offseer and one tsundere kingsguard, Lloyd’s boyish charms were able to win the day to become oprainfall’s 2022 Best Boy. His cheesy speech skills were clearly too much for our judges to dismiss, and this natural-born leader easily swept to victory!

I owe Brandon Rose a special thanks for creating the featured image for these Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

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BEST GIRL

Previous Winner
2019: Marnie (Pokémon Sword and Shield)
2021: Reisalin Stout (Atelier Ryza 2)

The Best Girl category is always one of the most contested ones during our award voting, the 2022 oprainfall Awards are no exception. Everyone here has their favorite girl and they will defend them to the death!! Well, maybe not that far, but these girls have certainly left an impact on us during our time with them, and now it’s time to honor them.  Now, let’s see which girls of 2022 made our list, and which one came out on top.

Sophie Neuenmuller (Atelier Sophie 2)

NA Release Date: February 25th, 2022
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Review

Sophie Neuenmuller has always been one of my favorite alchemists in the Atelier franchise. Her upbeat personality and positive attitude are contagious. She is always willing to help her friends, since she wants to use alchemy to put smiles on people’s faces. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother with her best friend and mentor, Plachta, by her side, Sophie always puts her best foot forward in order to make her dreams, and those of her friends, a reality.

Tio Plato (Trails from Zero)

NA Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
Review

Since I’ve not gotten to Trails from Zero yet and I don’t want to be spoiled, I asked our editor Patrick for some help on this one. This is what he had to say about Tio:

“Cool, cute, and mysterious, the SSS’ resident genius, Tio Plato, takes a crack at the crown. She provides essential support to the SSS with her Orbal Arts expertise and knowledge of Orbal Technology. While she usually acts mature and keeps a cool demeanor, she goes bananas at anything Mishy related, showing that she can act her age from time to time. We loved watching her gradually come out of her shell as the story progressed, and when she finally opened up to the SSS, it was very heartwarming. She keeps moving forward no matter how tough life has been, and that is an admirable trait to have. She’s so cute that you want to protect her, but she’s capable enough to hold her own, Tio stakes her claim to the Best Girl title. Did she do enough to capture our hearts and take out the other competitors?”

Laeticia Aucerius (Star Ocean: The Divine Force)

NA Release Date: October 27th, 2022
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Review

Laeticia is a dedicated Knight Princess who goes on a quest to save her kingdom from the brink of war. She can seem a little naïve at times, but she thinks very carefully about any big decisions she makes. A very selfless girl, she is willing to give up her desires if it means protecting her friends or subjects against any odds. A very curious girl that accepts others and their strange ways without question, she is the genuine article, upbeat and an amazing gal through and through.

And this year’s queen is…

Sophie!

Sophie has beat out all of the other girls this to become oprainfall’s Best Girl of 2022. It was a very hard decision, but Sophie’s unwavering conviction and joyful personality pushed her over the top for the staff. If ever we needed someone that wanted to help our dreams come true and the world a better place, now is the time!

Special thanks to Brandon Rose for creating the featured images for the 2022 oprainfall Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

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Previous Winners
2018: Valkyria Chronicles 4
2019: Code Vein
2021: Lost Judgment

When it comes to playing video games, it should never be do you have the console to play it on, but what platform do you want to play that particular game on. Everyone loves their console exclusives like The Last of Us or Super Mario Odyssey, sure. But, it is the ability to play a particular title, no matter what console you own, that helps video games get the largest possible reach in society.

This year, there were three titles that really stood out for the Best Multiplatform Award, and all three are worthy contenders.

TRIANGLE STRATEGY

NA Release Date: March 4, 2022
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch
Impressions

TRIANGLE STRATEGY is a tactical RPG co-developed by SQUARE ENIX and Artdink where you control characters on a grid-based battlefield. As the characters fight enemies throughout the story, they will level up and unlock new skills and abilities. Set on the continent of Norzelia, thirty years after the last great war, TRIANGLE STRATEGY contains a complex story with easily accessible gameplay mechanics to both veterans of, and newcomers to, the tactical RPG genre. What sets TRIANGLE STRATEGY apart from other tactical RPGs is the fact that the practical and moral choices you make in the story affect the game in both minor – and major – ways, and those decisions will carry out through the remainder of the playthrough. TRIANGLE STRATEGY is a game that makes you feel like what you pick matters, and it just isn’t shades of the same end result, and that is how this game earned its spot for this year’s Best Multiplatform Awards.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

NA Release Date: September 27, 2022
Platform(s):  PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Review

Set three months after Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero takes place in Crossbell and stars a rookie police detective named Lloyd Bannings who is assigned to a law enforcement branch that investigates the city’s criminal syndicates. This game was originally released in 2010 in Japan for the PlayStation Portable, and only came to North American shores over a decade later. With a great story, standout characters, and solid turn-based combat that is backed up by an amazing soundtrack, this game deserved to be on the shortlist for 2022’s Best Multiplatform Award.

Elden Ring

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Elden Ring was directed and written by Hidetaka Miyazaki in a world built by George R. R. Martin, and it is one of those games that actually lived up to the massive hype generated before release. Available on pretty much every platform you can imagine, Elden Ring is a multiplatform game that blew away everyone who picked it up in 2022 who started their own journey to the Lands Between and saw all the beautiful locations and obscure lore points that this massive, but difficult, world had to offer. It quickly locked in its place on this list.

And oprainfall‘s

2022 Best Multiplatform Award

Goes To… Elden Ring!

Fresh off from winning the Best RPG award, Elden Ring returns for a victory lap for Best Multiplatform. If you’ve picked up this game, or even if you haven’t, then you already know how great this game is and how it has cleaned up awards everywhere for 2022. This is an irreplaceable adventure that just shows how much FromSoftware has grown over their last several games, and that is why Elden Ring has won oprainfall’s 2022 Best Multiplatform Award!

Congratulations Elden Ring for winning this year’s Best Multiplatform Award!

Do you agree or disagree with our choice?

Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you to Brandon Rose for the cover image. You can find his Twitter here.

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Previous Winners
2018: Super Smash Bros: Ultimate
2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
2022: Shin Megami Tensei V

It’s time once again for our yearly oprainfall Awards. This year in the best exclusive category Nintendo dominated, with our staff picking their titles for all three of the top spots. Though in fairness, Nintendo did drop a bunch of great first party titles this year, so let’s see which three the staff thought were the very best.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

NA Release Date: July 29th, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Review

Xenoblade has a very special place in our hearts here at oprainfall, so it’s no wonder Xenoblade Chronicles 3 would be in the running for our top exclusive of 2022. The memorable cast, amazing music, and epic story make this one of the best RPGS of last year, and a must play for Nintendo Switch owners. The upcoming story DLC looks like it will be pure fanservice for series fans, adding icing on this already delicious cake.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

NA Release Date: June 24, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is not only a great Musou game, it’s a fantastic entry into the Fire Emblem franchise as well. The game takes an alternate telling of what happened during the time skip of Fire Emblem: Three Houses in which you control a young warrior named Shez, who seeks revenge on Byleth for killing their mercenary friends. They too are aided by an otherworldly being named Arval, but is this being helping Shaz out of kindness, or are there other motives to consider? It’s great to see all of our favorites again while playing through each of the game’s routes, so Musou and Three Houses fans alike shouldn’t pass this one up.

Splatoon 3

NA Release Date: September 8, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Impressions

Splatoon 3 is the latest entry in a still relatively new Nintendo franchise. Some fans thought it should be a DLC add-on to Splatoon 2 rather than its own game, but there’s a ton going on that made it worthy of a whole new game. You have a brand new mode with Tableturf Battles, brand new customizable Splashtags and even a whole new Splatfest mode with Tricolor. We’ve nominated Splatoon 3 for being a fantastically fun new entry in Nintendo’s extremely aesthetically pleasing shooter series. It certainly has earned its spot among the other nominees.

And this year’s best console exclusive is…

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes!

I felt like this one was a bit of an upset, since I figured the staff would go with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Though, I feel like Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a very solid pick for this award, as well. The gameplay is solid, and the Three Houses cast are just a pure joy, so spending more time with them is always a win.

Special thanks to Brandon Rose for creating the featured images for the Awards on short notice. You should check him and his works out over on Twitter.

Also thank you to Jenae for writing a new blurb for the Splatoon 3 section of the article. Something likely went wrong with WordPress when it was scheduled and somehow the Three Hopes nomination blurb got doubled and Splatoon’s vanished.

The post 2022 oprainfall Awards: Best Console Exclusive appeared first on oprainfall.

Previous Winners
2018: Dragon Quest XI
2019: Death End re;Quest
2021: Bravely Default II

Video games are the only form of storytelling that has a barrier to the ending: if you are not good enough at the game, then you will not see the end of the tale. The Role-Playing Game (‘RPG’) genre places worldbuilding, characters, and a plot at the heart of a video game, and the gameplay mechanics frequently work as hard as possible to make the true ending feel earned.

This year, there are three games nominated for the Best RPG Award, and I am sure you can already guess the winner.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

NA Release Date: July 29, 2022
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Review

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the fourth game in the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise from Monolift Soft and is the series that arguably helped to found this site as part of the Wii RPG campaign over a decade ago. This entry tells the story of two warring countries, Keves and Agnus, as characters from both nations must join together to discover the secret behind the war that has been going on for longer than anyone remembers.

With DLC for this game still being announced even in February 2023 and a combat system inspired by previous entries in the franchise while allowing seven party members to fight at once, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a game that was an easy inclusion in this year’s shortlist for Best RPG Award.

Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream

NA Release Date: February 24, 2022
Platform(s):  PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Review

The alchemist Sophie Neuenmuller returns for her second adventure as she searches for a dear friend in a dream world called Erde Wiege as the plot starts to spiral into something much bigger than she could imagine.

With six playable characters in turn-based combat, Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream focuses upon telling a story about well-defined characters who have their own motivations with the Atelier series staple of alchemy as a crafting backdrop. All of this, put together, makes this title an easy inclusion for the Best RPG Award.

Elden Ring

NA Release Date: February 25, 2022
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Directed and written by Hidetaka Miyazaki for a world built by George R. R. Martin, Elden Ring is one of those games that actually lived upon to the massive hype generated before release. Set in the Lands Between, a realm ruled by demigods, the player must explore six different areas while trying to repair the Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is an action/adventure RPG set in an open world that sought to be more accessible plotwise to fans of the Dark Souls franchise while still retaining a level of difficulty to the gameplay that FromSoftware is known for. I said at the start of this Awards column that a lot of video games will make the ending feel earned through gameplay and combat, and Elden Ring certainly fits both that and its spot on this RPG Awards shortlist.

And oprainfall‘s

2022 Best RPG Award

Goes To… Elden Ring!

If there is one RPG from 2022 that you should play, it is Elden Ring. Come on. You knew what it was as soon as you clicked open the link, didn’t you? Everything from the world’s lore to the combat to the leveling and crafting system is a masterpiece in the RPG genre.

If you have not picked up oprainfall‘s 2022 RPG Award winner yet, then you absolutely should. You will love it.

Congratulations Elden Ring for winning this year’s Best RPG Award!

Do you agree or disagree with our choice?

Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you to Brandon Rose for the cover image. You can find his Twitter here.

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