A semi-nomadic online traveller from Verdigris, archiving, connecting and creating as much as he can.
Also a budding architect, visual artist, and demoscene musician at heart.
You can also see me down Masto-raft at @jupritona, and Fanlore (JWPH) and Newgrounds (that1verdeian).
I’ve been entirely mostly off from OMORI these days, and still on vivid/statis, wherein I still seem to stagnate at my current ability to clear Classes 2 and/or 3 on Course Mode, as well as raising my personal skills and score on Middle charts past Level 6-9+, just for that last requirement on the final Final Landing song’s equivalent chart.
Considering its merits as a meaty scifi story (involving realities, personas, and other relevant technological aspects) nestled within a 4-key rhythm game, I think vivid/statis would fare decently as a standalone novel, along with some tweaks to adapt and interpret the ARG-esque bits whenever possible.
I’d say my personal faves are that of OMORI, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Sky: Children of the Light, and the two OXENFREE titles.
Those last seven days? Mostly vivid/statis (PC) and Shattered Pixel Dungeon (mobile).
In particular, for the former, I’ve been slowly improving myself in recognizing medium-to-hard charts and beating them, mostly of the Middle difficulty, although I found the Cyclical Rebellion one quite hard to maneuver, requiring extra reflex time to get through the tricky sections. Story-wise, I held off from experiencing the second-to-last episode of Chapter 3 until I can build up the stamina and patience needed for its corresponding boss song chart (of which I’m either gunning for Opening or Middle, owing to my rather newbie-status in serious, well-polished 4k rhythm games in general), but from what much I had gleaned out of, from the game’s official Discord hub, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, particularly on the main characters’ dimensional dilemma and the concept of “cycles”. Gameplay-wise, I still am grappling over the fact I get more early notes, and less late ones, than a stable balance, but I attribute it mostly to my proficiency and a rather minor irregular rhythm/beat following.
As for my own backlog, though, I still have the unplayed demo for Until Then, as well as OMORI, and Disc Room, the last of which I haven’t touched upon since my last playthrough some three years back.
Nowadays, it’s through “bait-and-switch” rip vids made by Youtube channels like SiIvaGunner and TimmyTurnersGrandDad.
I also keep a casual eye towards new releases on itch.io.
vivid/statis
Venice 2089
Clodhoppers
When the Past was Around
Hey, I know that from OMORI—specifically, the Weeping Willow joke quest.
Recently tried out vivid/statis on PC (via my older sister’s (now my younger bro’s) laptop) since last week, even though I’m not that much of a rhythm game enthusiasts, speaking as a young adult keen on exploration and slow-paced music in video games.
For what it’s worth, it just feels and plays quite good, with only four keys to smash and hold note bars to (much like Stepmania and other related RGs, but with the addition of bumper bars), as well as a couple of modes and storyline beats to try and dive deep into, including the tough-as-nails, one-miss-and-you-fail Ultimate mode. And its palette of featured songs are a worthwhile mention, ranging from the slow-paced to the absolute hardcore banger type. And this week, I just scored my first FC on Luminaria (Opening 1), and witnessed the game’s first edition of their tournament DUALIZED ASCENSIA unfold, from start to finish. Reeked of adrenaline-fueled fun and competition.
That being said, playing through my way on this game deffo improved on my physical reflexes and typing speed quite a bit, even though I get grades lower than A on certain harder charts. I guess we will see if I can achieve my first V grade and complete Class 1 in Course Mode after a couple more rounds of practice and studying Youtube plays of some of those aforementioned charts.
It would be mostly this song by Filipino band Over October, even though this could also apply to those missing their own parents or siblings for so long:
Into the Light
Headcase by Derivakat
Or rather, be constantly ravaged by OMORI and his dangerous arsenal of cold, blood-red spaghetti hands.
A human justice unretributed, yet upheld in some way anyway.
And, about time for some listening to this one banger Free Money! rip on Youtube as a sort of ironic celebration.
That would be OMORI, first and foremost.
That alone made me call to mind this rather poignant and moving Dream SMP fansong called “Vantage” by Halfy & Winks (and also a few hundred more teenage and adult musicians and choir tryouts), of which its lyrics could also apply to what’s happening to us, not just in Gaza, but also in Ukraine, and in South Sudan, etc…
Something… behind you?
Says that one anguished Basil inside that one triangular ghastly time loop thingy.
And Sweater Month too? How delightfully festive of a side hobby, regardless of climate location.
I also have tried this rather minimalist jotting site called thoughts.page a while back. Moreso a personal repository of rambling, quick thoughts than one alike Tumblr or Cohost, yet it’s generally seamless, most of the time.
And by that, he’ll call it his own “Las Nevadas”, but way, way more insidious and manipulative.
Probably Omori, although I haven’t gotten to two of four endings just yet. Its vibes naturally resonated with me over time, even at its darkest moments.
I would also like to add that she’s also in the game Sayonara Wild Hearts as the Narrator herself, as a sort of last-minute addition by the developers at Simogo.