I'm not going to beat around the bush with this – the past couple of months have been kind of tough! I've been dealing with a lot of personal stuff and my creative energy and drive just hasn't been existent. As a result I'm behind on my monthly photo journal posts as you may have noticed. Instead of panicking my way through catching up with them, I'm going to take it as a sign that I should put the project on hiatus!

Now I'm not sure for how long, but I originally started this project with the intention of it being something fun and easy, to motivate me to document more going on. Since it doesn't feel like that's the case right now, I think it's time to step away from a bit. I told myself I never wanted this to become a point of stress or a burden, so it feels like setting it on the shelf and looking away for a while seems like the right idea.

As soon as the creative juices start flowing again for this passion project, y'all will be the first to know. Until then, you can check out old photo journal posts right here if you'd like!

Yours,

-👑

Thank you to Finji (website/twitter) for providing me with a review code and the media assests!
TUNIC is an action-adventure game available on PC, Xbox One, & Xbox Series S|X.
Note: This is a spoiler-free review.

TUNIC is a game cultivated and brought to us in the modern day, to replicate a fondness that feels almost lost to the past. Being an homage to the era of nostalgia, the developer Andrew Shouldice set out to achieve a video game experience that recreates the energy and atmosphere of classic action adventure titles we played when we were young. Lucky for us, that's exactly what he did.

From combat, to word-less world building, to even the character design and mechanics - TUNIC to its core is a functioning tribute to the past. A time without guide books, without helping hands or linear plots. Back when games would boot up, point you in a direction, and say "have fun." It's a game of exploration, determination, patience, and if you're devoted enough, rewards. Patience and curiosity go a long way in this title, with so many unknowns, big and small, tucked away throughout the world in optical illusions and clever tricks.

I wanted to write that this game is full of secrets, but really the entire game ITSELF is a secret. Playing as a valiant little fox making their way through the world, you slowly but surely begin to unravel the clandestine mysteries hidden below the surface. The truly captivating part of this experience is how the game manages to do that.

Initially provided with what are the first few pages of the game's instruction manual (much like the ones included in cases back in the day), you begin piecing together all the classic quests as you collect pages – where you need to go, what you need, what is your purpose. Some pages are your standard tutorials and tips, while others are maps and pieces of unreadable lore. Almost the entire book is in a symbolic language that is long forgotten... so you really have your work cut out for you.

Luckily as I played through TUNIC, I wasn't alone! Collaborating with other players in the provided Press Discord (compliments to Finji for creating and moderating it!) felt akin to congregating with friends and classmates when I was younger. After spending hours the night before in The Legend of Zelda, coming to school the next day with some new secret to bestow upon the others was a thrill that TUNIC managed to successfully recreate.

While the art style and world building might be whimsical and endearing, the combat takes a complete 180° turn. Punishing, no-holds-barred engagement that isn't afraid to take you out. Even with your slowly growing arsenal: keep your rolls tight, blocking is always important, and don't be afraid to use consumables. The simplicity of the combat is truly misleading in the sense that you can absolutely bite off more than you can chew.

It's interesting because somehow the developer managed to create an experience that doesn't [yield] to being hard just for the sake of it. The difficulty of the combat feels deliberate; a dare to step forward and challenge yourself, but also as a way to connect with the titles of the past it's built from. NES-era games with no instructions, no forgiveness.

With all that being said, you can still enjoy this game. Now, now, now, I know I just went on for two paragraphs saying how difficult the combat is. When in doubt, there is a fail safe: No Fail Mode & No Stamina Consumption, and those are exactly what they mean. Turning No Fail on allows you to be hit without taking any damage and No Stamina Consumption... doesn't consume stamina.

It was a nice surprise having the opportunity to choose either or both these options, as they allow varying levels of support to help you on your mission. You can also turn these on at any possible time by going to the options menu, and I mean any possible time. No need to reload or anything, you can switch them on or off to help overcome a particularly difficult obstacle, or if you just decide you want to explore the world without fear of consequences.

These options open up the player's possibilities, allowing you to take things at your own pace and truly enjoy the experience you would like. Looking for a challenge? TUNIC squares up no problem. Looking for a charming fantasy world to comb through every nook, cranny and detail? TUNIC is ready and waiting for you.

While I wish there was a mechanic that allowed you to mark the map with icons or something, I did keep a notebook of my steps and information I discovered along the way, and it was such an enjoyable experience. That exercise alone, taking the time to keep track of my progress and things I'd like to go back and do, really drove home the true retro, classic experience the game strives to give us.

Beyond it being my first game I've ever been provided with a pre-release review code for, TUNIC was truly a magical experience for me and will be a lifelong favourite. I've only just beaten what is considered the 'main story' but there are still so many secrets to find and things to collect. I can't wait to keep digging deeper and continue to be delighted by what the post-game content holds.

While I think going in blind is the best way to do it, going in blind with a friend is even better. Someone to help you explore and share all the wonders of this little world. My tips for you? Pay attention to the details, always double check, take your time... and be patient. If you do, TUNIC will not disappoint.

And there you have it! My first pre-release review ever. Are you going to play TUNIC? Are you going to play TUNIC after having read this little piece? Let me know over on twitter at @HeySlackshow or @AtlasPolara (my personal account where I talk a lot about the games I'm playing!)

CWs: image of vape, food (specifically something very, very burnt and liquid spills), eye contact

Everyday Life

The weather has been so gross lately, constantly flipping between warming up significantly, and getting cold and snowy. It does make for some pretty photos though! The light shining off the snow has led to some kind of nice shots.

My uncle and aunt for christmas gave us sushi plates which we LOVE, so we got to test drive those puppies hehe.

Also got the chance to try this Filipino place I found and they have these delicious pork buns which are literally the size of my hand. Also tried Spanish Bread for the first time and it's DELICIOUS!

To boot, I threw in some work mishaps for fun lol. Between bags of milk exploding and forgetting pastries inside the oven.... there's never a dull moment.

Some other miscellaneous fun: a massive haul from the thrift store plus the random Riverdale artwork I found that haunts my dreams, a picture of our newly put up string lights on our bedframe, and a photo what my partner wrote on the blanket when I was laying down playing pokemon LOL.

Video Games - What I Played

For how much came out over the last two months, I've played surprisingly little! I picked up Pokemon Legends: Arceus and am absolutely loving it. There seems to be 5 main 'bosses/lords' and I believe I'm almost at number three. I've been chipping away at it slowly since the initial excitement has worn off but it's been enjoyable not feeling like I need to power through it.

I managed to beat Life is Strange: True Colors back in January! This game absolutely wrecked me and I cannot wait to play it again. My chest gets tight everytime I think about it, and it really did not hold back. I don't want to spoil anything about this game but if you are a narrative-driven person, I highly recommend checking it out.

As of writing this, Elden Ring has finally been released and beforehand I wasn't tempted to get it. Now that it's out though... I have... a mighty need... I'm forcing myself though to finish a few things before I break and purchase it. One of them being releasing this blog post LOL. That, and finish up a surprise that I'll be releasing on the blog later this month.... heheh!

Gunpla

Not much right now to report on the Gunpla front. For a few weeks I was streaming my gunpla building and managed to finish two and a half kits live! I think it was a bit much though because I haven't felt the itch to build recently so I'm going to spend the building hiatus updating my Gunpla Diary with entries for the kits I completed, as well as the two hauls I haven't posted about!

These photos however were taken with my DSLR in my partner's new lightbox they bought! I'm very excited to see what I can photograph with it... Granted my DSLR is pretty old but these still turned out really detailed!

Spicy & Echo Power Hour

Have a collage of the boys! Spicy is still an angel and Echo is an idiot lmao. Getting up to no good constantly.

That's it for this month! If you want to time travel a bit, why not check out last month's post for December, or the Photo Journal Tag!

Another year has wrapped up and I wanted to reflect back on the games I beat and truly enjoyed this year! To reduce repetition, I haven't included titles I wrote about in my Anticipated Games of 2021 - How Did It Go post, so feel free to check that out too!

Because I'm indecisive (and it's my blog so I can do as I please), I couldn't really pick just one or two games that were the top tier because I enjoyed all these for various reasons.

^{Fair warning, I wrote about a few of these titles individually last year so you know I will be plugging them lol.}

Control

First one right off the bat is a no brainer. I replayed Control on PS5 about 8 months after my first playthrough and finally got around to both DLCs. It was fantastic. I rarely ever play games twice in as short of a period as I did this time; so that in itself says something. I gushed about it for over 2000 words if you want to be a pal and check it out:

“Let’s get cleaning” she said, cocking her gun. [A Control Review]

I dove head first into the world inside the walls of the Federal Bureau of Control to help Jesse find her brother... and I don’t regret a single second there.

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

Creature in the Well

This was a title I was excited about before it launched and unfortunately didn’t get the chance to play until last year. I’m sad I waited so long but the lead up to finally playing was worth it. This game is dark, eerie, confusing, and exceptionally weird in all the best ways possible. A story that keeps you invested the farther you go, easy to learn but hard to master gameplay that I still think about constantly. If you are looking for a smaller-sized puzzle game with a heavier narrative, I cannot recommend Creature in the Well enough. To boot, it’s a reasonably achievable platinum trophy.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

New Pokemon Snap

I had been waiting for this remake for a very long time, and it did not disappoint. New Pokemon Snap did an outstanding job of capturing the charm and wonder that was the original, and brought it to life in a way that honoured and expanded on it. I loved it so much I even wrote a more personal post about it:

Sweltering Summer of Pokemon Snap

Less of a review, and more a personal reflection on my experience playing through New Pokemon Snap!

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

Mass Effect Trilogy

I finally got around to playing Mass Effect as it's one of the most critically-acclaimed RPG series ever created and I don’t know what I expected beyond the trilogy being an absolute masterpiece. Traversing the story of galactic salvation with my own Shepard and Liara at my side was an outstanding experience and I’m glad I’m now in a place to be excited for what the franchise holds in the future.

While this is arguable one of the best series I’ve ever played, they aren’t without their woes as they are older titles. Especially Number #3. If you want hear more of my opinions on that, I wrote a post about my most and least favourite things about Mass Effect 3. Spoiler alert: The quest menu still haunts me to this day.

Mass Effect 3 - The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

I played Mass Effect 3! And loved it!.... Mostly!!!

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner

If you’ve explored my blog at all, or follow me on twitter, you’ll know that I’m on a huge robot kick right now. With the various sales strewn across the PlayStation Store front page, I managed to snag Zone of the Enders: Second Runner for an astonishing $10 and man was it the best decision I’ve made so far this year. While it’s not the the most pristine and polished game out there, ZotE is a silly, wild ride full of weirdly named battle suits and hack-and-slash absurdity. To be completely transparent, I don’t remember the plot really (lmao I’m so sorry) but the game play and the visuals/designs were so enamouring that I fully plan on playing it again in the future (so I can remember the plot again too).

Descenders

^{Seeley go weeeeeeeeeeeeeee}

But actually though, Descenders took me by complete surprise as I just decided on a whim to download it via Xbox GamePass. A procedurally generated downhill mountain biking game was not what I was expecting to be my potential Game Of The Year and yet, here we are! Between the soundtrack being exactly what I’m into, and the extremely satisfying gameplay, it’s a title I highly recommend anyone trying out, especially if you are subscribed to GamePass... You have no excuse!! It rides a nice balance between being very easy to drop in/out and a range of content with varying difficulty so there is something for everyone. I’m hoping in the future I can take some time to write about it because man, it is so much fun.

There you have it folks! Another year of (in my opinion) amazing games! Did you play any of these? What were some of your games of the year? I'd love to hear about them over at @HeySlackshow or my personal account @atlaspolara!

CWs: (animal) eye contact, marijuana paraphernalia

Everyday Life

I bought a new desk! It was a long time coming and very happy with the result. The lower desktop I'll be using to build gunpla while the higher side will be for my laptop, monitor, etc.

I bought a vape! Specifically a cannabis vape. Because I've gotten back into weed! I'm not going to say too much about it right now because I plan on doing a post about it and the vape itself! It's been a pleasant experience so far. Also you can name the vape in the app that it connects to so I named it Red XIII.

To go with the vape, I got this odourless little sachet to hold joints in and it's adorable! It's a small Canadian-owned company that makes them too which is really neat.

My overall setup right now. I've bought another vape pod which isn't shown but the grid fastening in the case works great for that!

The pleasant thing too about taking up vaping is that I've been going outside a lot more and it's been really nice to have those quiet moments to myself, even if it's only for a few minutes.

Video Games - What I Played

I finally grabbed Deathloop while it was on sale for (I think?) Boxing Day and it has been LOADS of fun. I think I'm making good headway in the story but honestly I'm tapering off a little and getting distracted by other things. I hope to finish it soon but I also don't want to force myself so that I don't burn out on it and ruin the experience I've had so far.

I won't say too much of these two because I want to write about them in my Games of the Year 2021 post but these are two of my favourite games this year and I'd like to tell you about them. I'll update this post with the URL when I publish it!

Anticipated Games of 2021.... How Did It Go?

Looking back on this year, the game line up was pretty good! Time to reflect back on what I was excited for.

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

Gunpla

I haven't put out any gunpla posts recently but I have gotten back into building now that the chaos from moving has died down! I actually started streaming it over on twitch if you ever want to come hang out:

Twitch

Twitch is the world’s leading video platform and community for gamers.

Twitch

I'm still getting the hang on talking and building at the same time but it's been really fun so far. I like to give off more of a chill, relaxing vibe in the stream so anyone can just come and hang out and chat about creative stuff they're working on, or WANT to work on, while listening to some rad music!

Spicy & Echo Power Hour

The boys are very happy now that the last of the large furniture is built and situated. Echo helped and supervised building my desk, and also sat in the cat bed I had originally bought YEARS ago when we first got Spicy. Neither of them had ever touched it (while we were around at least) but Echo one day just decided it was his now.

Also Spicy has taken to sitting in the bathtub and letting the faucet drip on his snout so he can lick it off. It's weird.

That's it for this month! If you want to time travel a bit, why not check out the last couple month, or the Photo Journal Tag!

Such is the way of things in a pandemic-riddled society, games got pushed. They got moved, postponed, even cancelled. Back in the time of naivety that was December 2020, I wrote a list of games that I was personally looking forward to come 2021 and I wanted to reflect back on them and see... just how well it went.

This post is going to be broken up into three categories of 'Is It Out Yet?': Yes & I Own It, Yes & I've Played It, and No Not Yet. You can take a guess as to which two sections will be a bit on the shorter end.

Own It

To start off light, these are three of the games that actually came out this year! I own all three of them (Far Cry 6 through a Boxing Day sale, Boyfriend Dungeon and Tetris Effect through Xbox Game Pass), but I just haven't gotten a chance to play them yet. The Connected update for Tetris Effect is a bit of a tough one because it's predominantly multiplayer, and I honestly just keep bumping the other two down for other games I want to finish first. I will get around to them at some point.

Played It

This update did not hold back ANY punches. Eric Barone absolutely delivered with this update, and I put an ungodly amount of time into it. I am a sucker for any kind of beach scenery or aesthetic so the new Beach Farm layout and the Ginger Island location made the game feel like it was brand new again.

I wasn't sure if Garden Story was going to make it out this year until it surprise-dropped after a Nintendo Direct! It was exactly the experience I was hoping for, an uncomplicated but opportunity-filled adventure of a silent protagonist pushing past feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome to help those he cares about. Supported by a simple and fulfilling quest system that doesn't overextend itself, I had a wonderful time with this game all the way to the end.

Ok right off the bat, I had a lot of fun playing this game, but I do regret (slightly) buying this game at full price. I say slightly because I got plenty of game time out of it, heck I liked the gameplay enough to have platinumed the damn thing. However in hindsight, between the quality of the narrative and what the actual gameplay had to offer, I think I would have preferred to wait for a sale. Regardless of the price, I did play this while I was recovering from my top-surgery and couldn't really move, so I do look back on it fondly. Plus you get to turn into a wolf AND a werewolf, it's hella fun.

I'll be honest, I was very late to starting Deathloop because the month it came out I was in the middle of moving, but I'm currently working through it now and having a lot of fun. The beginning was a bit tough; I felt like I was dying much more than I was supposed to be, which led to me feeling a bit unmotivated to keep trying. After I got my first special weapon and skill (called Slates in-game), things really started to ramp up and I got the hang of the combat. I believe I'm getting near the end of the narrative and while I've been chipping away at it slowly, I'm still very invested in where the heck the story is going!

Not Yet

Unfortunately these games still don't have a date in sight. And that's ok! Game development is hard, let alone doing it in the middle of an ever-changing pandemic. Nonetheless, I'm still excited for these titles to eventually make their way into the world.

There you have it! Did you play any of these games this year? Are you excited for the ones that haven't come out yet? Let me know over on twitter at @HeySlackshow or my personal account @atlaspolara!

Hey there! It's been a while. This is my attempt to get myself back on track, so we are hitting all three months in one go! A lot happened in the three months so let's get into it.

CWs: food, clutter, blurred images

Everyday Life

One of the larger milestones of these three months was that my grandmother came to visit (fortunately only for about 4 days). I'll save you the headache that the spending-time-with-her part was, but we did manage to do some pretty cool stuff.

We visited the local donkey sanctuary which I didn't even realize was a thing. They basically take in and rehabilitate donkeys and keep them there as their forever home. We also went to St. Jacobs which was really nice to finally visit. Ate a lot of delicious food and the fall scenery was lovely.

The other big thing was that... we moved! With the help of our parents we managed to finally buy a condo, so we packed up and said goodbye to our old apartment. It was much harder than I thought it would be, a lot of big life-changing things happened in that place... but we'll remember it fondly as we slowly build our new home together.

Video Games - What I Played

One of the games we played for one month of Video Game Book Club was Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. It being an old GBA game felt like a good reason to charge and boot up my modded PSP GO. I'm glad I went with the idea because it gave it such a classic, nostalgic feel. As for the game itself, I really enjoyed what I experienced! I didn't finish the whole thing, but I can now say that I've finally played a Castlevania game lol.

I also came across an Xbox Series S in the wild while buying stuff for the new place and jumped at the chance to finally get access to GamePass. Man oh man, it did not disappoint. I can't even begin to list the games I've tried (mostly because I didn't write them down) but I do think I'd like to write about it in the future... maybe lol.

Spicy & Echo Power Hour

Have a compilation of adorable, ridiculous, and cryptid-like photos I took of the boys. I swear they're possessed in like... all of them. Also the one photo of the window sill was chronicling the time Spicy jumped on Ridley's desk and stepped in paint, and then proceeded to walk on the window sill before running away.

That's it for this month! If you want to time travel a bit, why not check out last month's post for August, or the Photo Journal Tag!

Build Information
Scale	:	1/144
Grade	:	Real Grade
Series	:	Mobile Suit Gundam
Full Wiki Entry	:	Here
Extensive Photo Library	:	Here

Progress Shots

Building Justice

Newer Real Grade models are defined by their fully movable inner frame that you start off with. The build instructions guide you to set the model up, then proceed to show you how to build each part onto said frame, versus building each separately and then attaching it later.

I feel like Justice was a good RG model to start with because it gave a good taste of what the RG can offer in terms of complexity, but the building structure (how the instructions guide you) treated it like the HG models I had built previous. That's right, since the Justice is apparently an older kit, they hadn't implemented the movable inner frame yet. Regardless the build was extremely satisfying, especially when I got the shifting armor plates moving (you can see the changes in the arms in the photos below).

With Gundam Seed being my first Gundam anime, I think I'll truly have a soft spot for Justice going forward. This build was elating to complete and I can't wait to update this post with the backpack unit and weapons... and maybe even some panel lining in the future!!

Final Result

^{Addendum: I will be updating this post in the future to include images of the backpack and weaponry that are included with the unit.}

Extra Goodies

All the photos for this and future builds will be hosted and linked from my album on ImgBB if you'd like to follow me over there!

RG Justice

RG Justice album hosted in ImgBB

ImgBBSeeley // Slackshow

Here are direct links to the beginning of the twitter thread for this build, and the finished product tweet in case you'd like to share it!

Now that I've got the supplies I want, I'm officially starting my first real grade model!!

[1/144 RG Justice Gundam]#gunpla Thread: pic.twitter.com/EUsjWin8zb

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) July 24, 2021

Here it is! Decals are all done minus one or two I still need to decide on. I love the coloring so much, this was so fun to build!! #gunpla pic.twitter.com/1F1WctTBew

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) August 2, 2021

^{Luna's Fishing Garden is available on Steam (Windows, Mac & Linux) and Nintendo Switch!}

A video game's narrative doesn't always need to be some grandiose, hundred hour long saga about the trials and tribulation of the protagonist dealing with their trauma while simultaneously saving the world from certain destruction... Sometimes it can be about helping an ethereal fox clean up her garden, and that's it.

Luna's Fishing Garden is a little minnow swimming amongst all the big triple A sharks lately but that doesn't mean it's not a catch. Having only taken me maybe 4 hours to beat, this game was the exact thing I needed to relax and destress after a very busy week. A combination of minimal resource management and comparable Stardew Valley-styled fishing mechanics, this title serves as a rewarding experience to put your time into.

You sail laterally in your row boat (which is basically just a large leaf and it's adorable) and select the fishing spot you want to cast into. Each active spot has certain species of fish you can only find there, so progress through the story and completing characters’ quests helps to unlock more spots, and thus more species. Eventually you unlock a Field Journal which keeps track of all the flora and fauna you encounter. The field journal is simplistic in design and function, but still a rewarding and endearing endeavor to populate.

In regards to the fishing itself, you can toggle on and off at any time what the settings call Simple Fishing. Instead of trying to line up a vertical bar with the moving fish in order to reel it in, you just press and hold the button, only to temporarily release it and press again when the fish wiggles. To boot you can adjust the actual fishing speed on a slide scale to make the experience even more challenging or relaxing. These settings alone allow for a customizable experience. I myself kept simple fishing on but increased the fishing speed slider a bit, to allow a simple, but not exactly boring, time overall.

As you begin to fish, this kickstarts your cycle of currency accumulation. In the simplest sense, you sell your fish for Leaves (literal leaves yes) to which you can begin to purchase various plants. Every plant purchase idley generates a certain amount of leaves per X number of seconds, allowing time to be your investor. You get a visual prompt once the plant is ready to harvest, which you have to do yourself in the beginning. Later purchases and upgrades do include ways to automate your harvesting!

There are some mechanics beyond these two, but these are what will keep you moving throughout the adorable narrative. Meeting new characters and completing their lists of tasks to help rebuild the garden provides you with upgrades for your leaf boat and fishing rod and acts as the various stepping stones to completion.

Now it's important to note that this isn't a deep experience; the narrative as a whole is just about a girl simply lending a helping hand to those around her and trying to find her way home. The gameplay itself isn't very egregious and complex; I got to a point where money was no obstacle really, but that's ok. That's part of the charm and delight of this game. It's simple and straightforward, without taking away from how precious and rewarding it is. Seeing the islands come to life as you continue to check off your list of tasks gave me such a fulfilling feeling. The space begins to feel like your own as you decorate it with the various plants and trees needed to grow your wealth.

Luna's Fishing Garden is a truly special little gem that can lure in almost anyone, be it someone who plays games or not. Trust me when I say you should cast your line out and play this game; by the end, I promise it'll be your Catch of the Day.

That's it! Do you like fishing in video games? Which one is your favorite? Will you give Luna's Fishing Garden a shot? Let me know over on Twitter at @atlaspolara!

Build Information
Scale	:	1/144
Grade	:	High Grade
Series	:	Gundam Build Fighters
Full Wiki Entry	:	Here
Extensive Photo Library	:	Here

Progress Shots

Building Transient Glacier

This kit was a really fun build, so fun that I forgot to take more progress shots! With having one HG model under my belt, I was riding the high of just... understanding how the building works. From cleaning the parts off the runners, to the actual construction and learning all the component names, I could tell I was a bit better than I was before and it was a very satisfying feeling. I definitely took less time to build this one compared to the Age II Magnum-SV, but I did spend more time staring at it, as it has a LOT more transparent plastic and I was completely mesmerized.

Final Result

More Gunpla!

That's it for this build! Want to check out other? Take a look at the archive below:

Gunpla - Hey, It’s Slackshow

Gundam and gunpla galore! An archive of my gunpla collect I’ve build starting in July 2021. Each post is essentially a thread/blog about a specific model kit, or a haul update! Photo by Bruce Tang on Unsplash

Hey, It's Slackshow

Extra Goodies

All the photos for this and future builds will be hosted and linked from my album on ImgBB if you'd like to follow me over there!

Transcient Glacier

Transcient Glacier album hosted in ImgBB

ImgBBSeeley // Slackshow

Here are direct links to the beginning of the twitter thread for this build, and the finished product tweet in case you'd like to share it!

Decided to start with Glacier! #gunpla pic.twitter.com/llFkPl9mTN

— Hex: The Third Seeley (@atlaspolara) July 13, 2021

He is officially complete! 1/144 HG Transient Gundam Glacier

I need to work on my posing skills lol#gundam #gunpla pic.twitter.com/Aq28eh0Hrh

— Hex: The Third Seeley (@atlaspolara) July 20, 2021

Dead By Daylight is a game that sits on a very delicate scale. Being a part of the ecosystem feels as if at any moment, the scale is going to snap to one side and shit's going to go flying everywhere. Created by a studio that I personally think is trying its best, Behavior seems constantly backed into a corner by an audience that has A Lot Of Opinions, while frantically trying to throw out scraps of new content and bug fixes to appease the ever-agitated sea of sweaty campers and tea-baggers. That being said, they've made a conceptually unique game. Tacking on the fact that it's one of the most well-supported titles I've ever encountered in terms of new content and in-game cosmetics, you've got something special going on. But that doesn't take away from the fact that people like to ruin everything.

Context

If you aren't familiar with the game, the premise is simple. You have 1 killer versus a team of 4 survivors on a closed map. The survivors’ objective is to open the exit gates and escape the map, which is achieved by powering 5 different generators, or gens. The killer’s objective is to stop them, and do so with murder, either by their own hand or sacrificing them to what's called the Entity. If you get caught by the killer, they place you on a meat hook (gross I know) to which you can be rescued by your teammates. If you are hooked 3 times, the match is over for you. See? Simple!

The next layer to the gameplay is the Perks. Both survivor and killer can attach up to 4 perks that can grant them various buffs and even special abilities. Each playable character has perks that are unique to them, but can be unlocked for the rest of the roster once you've leveled them up enough. That is where the meta really begins to unfold. With new perks and counters being added as new characters are released, and the most relevant and 'best' perks constantly changing, this is where the complexity within each match really varies.

The Nitty Gritty

Down to its bare bones, DBD gameplay relies somewhat on an honour system. There are ways to abuse the gameplay that can really make or break a match and it's very easy for the tides of a match to turn quickly in favor of one side, and that can be hard to reverse. It can be so easy to get steamrolled by someone who knows what they're doing; specific combinations of perks with the right killer can be almost unplayable, with you just essentially because bloodpoint fodder for the killer until you either get killed or purposefully disconnect.

Now these are not plays you see all the time, but they're just examples of how a tryhard killer can really get their way. And that's not to say it can't be that way for survivors too! Having the advantage of being in Third Person versus the killer's First Person has been the reason I've managed to escape death by the skin of my teeth countless times. Throw in the right set of perks that compliment your strengths and a set of survivors can gen-rush you faster than you can say "Death is Not An Escape".

Too close for comfort #PS5Share, #DeadbyDaylight pic.twitter.com/ODAoPEIajb

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) February 28, 2021

To Kill (playing the killer)

It's part of the killer's responsibility as an obstacle within the game to make sure that that obstacle is fair. This is where the honour system comes into play. It can be very tempting to camp someone on a hook so that they can't be rescued, and use what is considered to be (somewhat) overpowered perks like No One Escapes Death (also known as NOED) to make sure that even if you don't have a successful match, you have a significant advantage towards the end. You are the driving force between the survivors getting out and sometimes that power gets to your head.

From my experience playing killer, there's usually two emotional states you can end up in: being a powerhouse, or just straight up being bullied. The rush of getting a 4k (successfully sacrificing all four survivors) is a rewarding thrill that never gets old, but the other side of the coin is much more depressing. If you are playing a killer that you're not familiar with, or just end up matched with a group that's significantly higher in rank, then you are in for a very disheartening time. There's a specific type of frustration that comes from trying your hardest to down a survivor and they just continue to taunt and loop you over and over. You get to a point where you're better off just giving up and going to find someone else, but then end up regretting all that lost time. Sometimes people get lucky, and other times they just know too well what they're doing, and when there is that skill discrepancy, you can't put up much of a fight.

Other in-game moves like body blocking (which reduces your movement while you are carrying a survivor to a hook so that they can escape) or flashlight flicking (using a flashlight to mock or distract the kill into instigating a chase or just... being rude) can throw salt into this wound and make it very clear when the survivors have malicious intent. It's one thing to try and play the game optimally, and then there's straight up just being toxic. It can be extremely discouraging when you get a string of survivors who just run you around like it's nothing, and end up not wanting to play anymore.

Or Be Killed (playing as survivor)

Now, playing survivor is a WHOLE 'nother ball game. You have the imminent threat of a murderous killer on your tail AND the accompanied baggage of useless teammates!! Ok, not all random teammates are useless, but boy some of them can be. With your goal being tied so heavily to teamwork, even just one person not using their head can ruin a match for you. As you play the game more and naturally learn the various mechanics, there's a balance between all of the parts you need to execute successfully in order to survive. While someone is running the killer around, distracting them, others need to be healing and working on gens. Sometimes temporarily abandoning gens to help tag team rescue someone off the hook is required. You need to be somewhat aware of what the others are doing in order to better your chances of everyone at least getting to the end game. Some people's power of observation however is abysmal.

Sometimes you need to cut your losses. Sometimes you need to be selfish and leave people for dead. It can suck but it's all a part of the experience. If NOED is active, or you're injured and the only one left standing, there's just no point in risking yourself when the chances are so high you won't make it out. There is a fine line however between deciding the risk isn't worth it, and just blatantly using your teammates as stepping stones on your way out. Sometimes there's something worse than a clueless, useless teammate, and that is a teammate who is ready to throw you under the bus at any moment. From using you as bait to get the killer off their tail, to abandoning you on the hook when rescue is perfectly plausible; it feels like teammates can be as bad as the killers sometimes.

The closest I've ever gotten to a perfect game 😭 #DeadbyDaylight pic.twitter.com/pCzPtKooIW

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) March 5, 2021

I am Not Immune to Propaganda

So you might ask - if it really sucks that much, why do you keep playing? Looking at it from both the killer and survivor perspective, there's two main reasons why. One, I almost never play survivor alone, and two, I don't play killer to be good, I play it to complete the various challenges.

99.9% of the time, I don't solo-queue for survivor. I play almost exclusively with the person who actually introduced me to the game (thank you for bringing this garbage fire into my life, genuinely). While the game has minimal ways to communicate in match, voice chat not being included, the addition of being able to talk to one another makes the gameplay substantially better. Wow, communication improving a teamwork-based game... who'd have thought! But I mean this beyond just the practicality of being able to coordinate our actions and resources. It's having that person there to just... experience the game with you. It's laughing at how ridiculous the hit boxes are, or groaning over the fact that it's the fourth Bubba we've encountered that session. Having someone there to experience the bullshit and the audacity is an integral part of the DBD experience to me at this point so much that I don't ever bother playing alone.

As for playing killer, that part is simple. I just don't play to win. This is probably opposite to almost all of the killer player base but it's as easy as that! I know I'm not a good killer, and I don't really try to be. Sometimes I'll hop in a match or two just for the hell of it, but it's mostly to fool around and farm with the survivors. I'll play what I need to when I want to complete Tome challenges for what is essentially the battle pass for the game, but beyond that, my goals of being a top tier Rank 1 killer are non-existent. That isn't to say I don't sometimes get a little greedy, or lose my cool when I get bullied by people who don't realize I want to farm, but it definitely reduces the pressure significantly.

So Wait Do You Hate It Or Not

Now don’t get me wrong, I know I spent nearly 2000 words telling you about why this game is severely unbalanced, bug-ridden, and borderline toxic, and how it feels like an uncontrollable trash fire on wheels, but I do love it. For the above reasons mentioned, plus the character designs, in-franchise crossovers; there’s a lot I truly enjoy about the whole experience.

I feel like it's really important to know that, going in, it's a game that you can't expect to win. There's no default chance of getting out of the map alive. You need to go in with the expectation that you are not going to make it out, so you need to make the best of your time in there. Get what you can done on the generators, find those tucked away totems, be the Hero and body block so that your teammates can be the one to get out alive. Some matches will just be a flop, and if you can't accept that and just move onto the next one, you'll give yourself high blood pressure.

As much as it can give me Heated Gamer Moments™, DBD is a game that I enjoy beyond the limits of whether I win or lose. So can I recommend this game to others? Easy answer is a very exaggerated shrug accompanied by a slightly confused smile on my face. The more complex answer? Well you just stuck it out and read this whole thing so... what do you think?

There you have it! Finally my thoughts on Dead By Daylight? Do you play DBD too? If not, did this make you want to try it out? Let me know over on twitter at @atlaspolara!

A quiet month to no one's surprise but I'm really pumped to announce and talk about a new long-term project I started!!

CWs: images of food, sushi specifically

Everyday Life

July took its sweet time but August flew by without warning. Not much to discuss in terms of life, it was my partner Ridley's birthday so I treated them to sushi and dim sum! It had been so long since I last had steamed pork buns... it was so good.

We also picked up one of those rechargeable flailing fish that when you kind of hit it, it starts to shake LOL. The cats absolutely love it, even Spicy who normally doesn't have much interest in moving toys. It's really amusing hearing the motor start to go from the other room when it's quiet.

Video Games - What I Played

Still trucking away at MHS2! I'll be honest I did put it down for a little bit because I've been working more and have been extra tired but picking it back up in the last week or so has been an easy transition back into the it!

owo' haha im in danger #MHStories2 #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/rEwJIJ2Eyl

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) September 3, 2021

One game I did start this month is Garden Story! Finally!!!! Nintendo announced an indie showcase and during the presentation, it got dropped as one of those "And it's available.... NOW!" titles and I almost screamed lol. Definitely haven't put as much time into it as I'd like, but I can't wait to keep playing because it's so damn FUN.

ive been playing for like 10 minutes and im already crying #GardenStory #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/529xSZJ9Wx

— Seels 👑 (@atlaspolara) August 12, 2021

Gunpla

I'm really excited to write this section because I have a lot to show! I decided to start a project that I'm really excited about - my Gunpla Archive! Basically it's a new tag on my blog that'll consist of my various hauls and individual posts for each kit I build! I thought it would be neat to document my journey in this hobby and also slowly create a digital archive of the kits I purchase! Here is the first post of the project, talking about the first kit I built and my first haul:

Initial Haul

Announcing a new project! Recently began to delve into the world of gunpla... and want to take you along with me.

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

While I've finished and worked on a few kits so far, I only have one Build Post out right now featuring the kit that started it all! You can take a look at it here if you'd like:

Gundam AGE II Magnum SV Ver.

My first gunpla kit! A look into my experience putting together the Age II Magnum SV!

Hey, It's SlackshowSeeley M.

Spicy & Echo Power Hour

Some silly photos of the boys. They really like to lay on my desk, even if I have my gunpla runners laid out........

That's it for this month! If you want to time travel a bit, why not check out last month's post for July, or the Photo Journal Tag!

Time & money. Everyone barely has these, but wants endless amounts of them. Jobs, families, societal obligations, hobbies even. Everything takes up time. Watching TV versus playing video games. Reading a book versus writing one. You have to pick and choose what you do wisely because you only have so much time (and money) in a day.

I initially got PS Now because:

1. The yearly subscription was on sale for a steal.
2. The featured time-limited game for that time was Control, which up until that point I hadn't gotten around to playing but really wanted to. Long story short on that, Control is now one of my favourite games ever and you can read my review about it if you'd like.

A major factor in why I've barely touched PS Now since then, is time & money. A bit obvious for some reasons, but maybe less for others. Would this be the case if I was subscribed to Xbox's Game Pass? Maybe. But we'll talk a bit about that too.

Time

My work schedule is very sporadic with very little consistency so I have to pick and choose my hobby time carefully. Yes I may get home one night at 10:30pm, but after standing on my feet for 8 hours interacting with people the entire time, I usually don't have the energy to do anything. Taking into account my terrible time agnosia (time blindness), it can be hard to motivate myself to start a TV show or boot up a game when I feel like I barely have any time before I head into work. So while there is a pretty interesting (albeit niche) variety of games on PS Now, I honestly just don't feel like I have the time to sit down and sift through them, let alone booting up something to try for a few hours. A game I've purchased on the other hand, I usually try to designate a specific time I'd like to start since, well, I used my money to purchase specifically that individual game.

Money

I am a person who puts a fair amount of stock into how much time I get into a game. It isn't a make or break thing for me, but if I'm spending money on a game, I like to at least know how long the experience will be. That being said, I'm absolutely willing to pay a high-ish price for a game deemed short in completion time, but outstanding in storytelling, narrative, etc. I'm very methodical in my video game spending; I do a fair amount of research, wait for reviews or friend feedback, as well as waiting for specifically priced sales for things I don't want to pay full price for. Because of that, I feel like I'll always put stock into the games I purchase versus the games available in the subscription because I spent money on that game specifically versus one that is just... being made available to me.

For example, Slay the Spire was recently added to PS Now in the last month or two and this is a game I have been dying to play since it came out. The word deckbuilding and roguelike don't normally mesh well with me so I've been waiting around for a sale that has yet to come, which is ok! I was content with waiting until I saw the news about the PS Now availability and was pumped I would be able to finally give it a shot! Cut to me writing this now, having downloaded the game but not booting it up once. The reason? I've been telling myself "I'll beat this game I bought before I start it" over and over and over again.

While I do have this subscription, there doesn't seem to be enough for me personally yet to slow down my game purchasing enough to allow me the time to sit down and try anything on it. It’s an endless cycle that feeds back into itself that I can’t really seem to break myself out of.

Game Pass

Now I'd be surprised if anyone disagreed that PS Now doesn't come close to comparing to Xbox's Game Pass, but beyond Sony's terrible and non-existent marketing for it, here's why the Game Pass-style structure doesn't work for Sony (at least to me).

Game Pass allows you day-one access to Xbox first party IPs. Big named game series and titles that normally smack you in the face with a $59.99 USD/$79.99 CDN price tag. This is a HUGE draw for people who like these IPs because why the hell pay that giant price tag when you get access to that game plus thousands more for about 4 months or even more? Especially if you don't care about owning physical copies or replaying titles, the one and done consumption style of players thrives in the Game Pass architecture because once they're in, there's no need to leave. Microsoft seems like it has a very swift and efficient pipeline (probably lined with many dollar bills) that gets a lot of new and even (third party) exclusive games on the platform right away. There's little waiting around for a new game when you're using Game Pass, unlike the Playstation competitor that usually seems to take its sweet, sweet time.

Yes, PS Now has some Playstation exclusives, but to anyone who is keeping up consistently with new industry releases, the service provides little to nothing beyond a potential chance to catch up on a backlog title you might have missed. There are some big blockbuster Sony first party titles, but ones that were added once that title's time to shine had unfortunately passed.

Don't get me wrong, there is a market for this service. It's a great deal if you don't want to worry about purchasing games, and don't mind not being up to date with the newest content. PS Now trudges behind slowly, eventually catching up to what was popular long before, and unfortunately for being a platform in an industry that is too quick to consume its media and move on, it just doesn't compete.

I tried to frame all of this in a constructive manner, as I don't want to dunk on the service as it helped me experience one of my favourite games to date. However Sony really needs to step their game up in order to even consider being a competitor to Xbox's Gamepass, let alone make consumers care about the service at all!

And that's that! Thank you so much for reading. Have you ever considered subscribing to PS Now? Do you have PS Now?? Did you even know what it was before reading this post??? Let me know over on twitter at @atlaspolara!

Build Information
Scale	:	1/144
Grade	:	High Grade
Series	:	Gundam Build Drivers
Full Wiki Entry	:	Here
Extensive Photo Library	:	Here

General Gunpla Info

In case you don't know, each Gundam kit is assigned a model Grade to indicate a typical standard for the level of detail and size of the final product. The list from smaller and simpler to larger and complex is as follows:

High Grade (1/114) -> Real Grade (1/114) -> Master Grade (1/100) ->
Perfect Grade (1/60)

There are definitely outliers to these standards, and many other grades between these four, but when starting out, chances are high that these will be what you encounter. Although the High and Real Grade scale number seems larger, they are the typically the smaller model kits!

Progress Shots

Building Magnum

Magnum will likely have a special place for me moving forward since it was the first Gundam I've ever built. Now knowing the difference between the various grades of kits, I'm very lucky I started out with a High Grade!

The design and color scheme are simple yet intriguing and visually satisfying, which added to the building experience for sure. I think it was a great starting point to see what entails prepping the pieces and puting them together, without being bored of the end result. There are HG models much more detailed and complex than Magnum, but it was just simple enough that I didn't feel overwhelmed, while still unique and satisfying, enough that I feel like I built something really awesome.

In terms of quality due to my handiwork, I'm not surprised by the amount of stress-marks and roughage that are still on him. I didn't use any kind of sandpaper, file, or even x-acto blade on the detachment points so I basically just cut the part off the runner (the plastic sheet that all the parts are molded to) and stuck it together lol. It's not noticeable if you aren't really familiar with the kind of detail these kits can have, but to a trained eye, or myself since I built it, it's pretty apparent. I think after I get some more experience under my belt, I'll go back and clean it up a little bit.

Final Result

Extra Goodies

All the photos for this and future builds will be hosted and linked from my album on ImgBB if you'd like to follow me over there!

Age II Magnum SV

Age II Magnum SV album hosted in ImgBB

ImgBBSlackshow

Here are direct links to the beginning of the twitter thread for this build, and the finished product tweet in case you'd like to share it!

Brain decided we gonna start that Gundam @automeowtic_ bought me for my birthday like 3 years ago 🤖 pic.twitter.com/Q8mN8XAvTW

— Hex: The Third Seeley (@atlaspolara) July 7, 2021

He is complete! My first actual #gunpla, had so much fun with it. Can't wait to order more 🤩 pic.twitter.com/xCGjDmof3P

— Hex: The Third Seeley (@atlaspolara) July 10, 2021

I finally got around to playing through the Mass Effect Trilogy, and absolutely loved it. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the narrative. It is now up there in at least my Top 10 video game series ever, maybe even Top 5.

Having the ability, with the newly released Legendary Edition on PS5, to play the games back to back was what felt like a privileged experience. Mostly because apparently the loading screens were cut significantly compared to their original counterparts, but also because it allowed me to see the growth of each title extremely clearly. Playing through Mass Effect 1 felt exactly like what it was - a 2007 Xbox title. Making the step from 1 to 2 absolutely BLEW me out of the water, from everything to graphics, gunplay, narrative, you name it. Mass Effect 1 crawled so that Mass Effect 2 could sprint. The leap from 2 to 3 was not as severe in my opinion, but it was significant still and there were some things in particular that really stood out to me - some better than others.

And that's what I want to talk about! This isn't as indepth as my previous reviews but I mostly just wanted to focus on what I think are the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of Mass Effect 3.

The Good

First big change I loved seeing was the guns. The face-lift they got in this game is almost breath-taking. Yes it's still a third person cover shooter, but everything from their sound design, to their visuals, to how they felt was absolutely top notch compared to the previous two games. Tacking on the fact that you can actually add customizations to them, and organize your arsenal however you like was a welcome surprise that I was not expecting. I ended up sticking with a sniper rifle and handgun for most of the game, and that simple setup helped make my experience of Shepard feel even more personalized to how I had developed her character over the three games.

The second big change which I wasn't actually expecting to enjoy was the lack of mini-games. Matching shapes on circuits, picking out code snippets to match the prompt to gain access to a variety of things; through the first and second game these various mini-games that would act as barriers through the story. They were never something I outwardly liked or disliked, as they were just a part of the game so I played along. It was actually a few hours into the third game before I realized that they were nowhere to be found, and once conscious of it, was actively relieved that was the case. I didn't realize until afterwards how they were mostly just time-sinks that didn't really add much to the overall game experience.

The Bad

One of the main things I love about Mass Effect 1 and 2 is the dialogue. The conversations and relationships you have with your crew mates are one of the biggest draws of the Mass Effect series as a whole. Growing your bond with your crew, and romancing (almost) anyone of your choice play into so much of the narrative, that's arguably what the entire second game is about. Mass Effect 3 however left me a little sour once I had put some time into it. No matter how many times you spoke to someone in 1 and 2, you would always be greeted and prompted with a menu. You would always begin a one on one conversation with them that brought the screen into a more intimate framing even if you were just saying hi and bye. The third game however was not always the case. Especially in terms of romancing Liara, I spent a lot of time checking in with her between missions, just to be greeted with one or two lines that would just then repeat if you kept speaking to her.

To be devil's advocate, where 3 lacked general dialogue options, I do believe it made up for in its cutscenes. Many of Liara's romance scenes had my heart filled with so much joy and excitement, that in that moment, it made up for the hundreds of times I checked in with her, only to be greeted with "Shepard." or "Thanks for stopping by.". It would feel unfair to also not mention that some dialogue would automatically happen when you enter rooms with crew members after certain narrative points had happened, but overall, it felt like the intimacy I had grown to love in the first and second game was somewhat overlooked in the third.

My next point feels like somewhat of a hot take so I’ll just say it. The quest tracking in 3 kind of really sucks. Now I'm not saying I want them to hold my hand until the finish line each and every time, but especially for the new quest type they added... it would have just been a really nice quality of life addition. I'm talking specifically about the missions where you would essentially catch ambient conversations with people around areas like the Citadel, and be tasked with going out and finding something when flying out in space. In a nutshell, you travel around what could be the wrong galaxy, pinging your radar until you either a) find something pretty useless or b) get chased out by Reapers. For a map as large as ME3’s, combined with the extremely vaguely-worded descriptions for said missions, it was just too much. Especially when you factor in what I talk about next...

The Ugly

Dear. Sweet. GOD. Like I said, I could talk to you for hours about this game. Blah blah blah, the characters, the narrative, the world building, you know it all. This game is arguably a masterpiece, and yet, what in the ever loving GOD is that MENU SYSTEM???

Ok, 1 and 2 weren't anything to write home about, but at least they broke it up (relatively) between Main Missions and Side Missions. You had your main story missions, and anything pertaining to your teammates in one menu, and any other smaller side content in another. That was it. Simple. Easy. Graceful. Minimal, yet just effective enough.

3 on the other hand, stuck everything into one god damn menu and called it a day. Story Missions, DLC, Character Quests, Scanning Missions like I just talked about above. It's just... one... big... list. Even writing this weeks after having put the game down does it still get me heated to talk about. Who decided that was a good idea?

The Scanning Missions were the biggest culprit of making this an issue but don't get me wrong, it's not the missions themselves that I don't like. It's the fact that there are a lot of them and they are mixed up interchangeably with so many other mission types and no possible way to filter them. It was honestly so overwhelming, that the fact that I even managed to handle it until the end of the game is a testament in itself to how much I truely loved it. If it was any other game I would have probably ditched out early on because staring at that menu made my anxiety rise severely.

That is it! Have you played the new Legendary Edition of the Mass Effect Trilogy? How do you think Mass Effect 3 compared to the first two? Let me know over on twitter at @atlaspolara!