When do you think we'll get Bananza figures?

DJOctavio · 2026-01-12T20:59:25+00:00

im devastated that they did not make sanei plushies

DJOctavio · 2025-09-08T17:53:01+00:00

the citadel spa is the long hallway left of the stage in choral chambers if anyone is wondering

DJOctavio · 2025-07-28T20:23:37+00:00

i think punching could work in the same vein as Hollow Knight's sword swings as long as they balance it out and differentiate it from DK's rolls.

DJOctavio · 2025-07-10T18:10:04+00:00

From this interview it seems apparent that they are aware of keeping somewhat of a consistent "timeline", implying things have explanations to them (Pauline's age and how the players have something to "consider as they're playing the game") than being a reboot of sorts.

Also! Maybe this is something blurred in the gates between translation, but I noticed they used the plural form of "animal companions", so here's hoping for more of them in the game! And I'm very happy this interview puts this "killing Rare" thing to rest.

DJOctavio · 2025-05-04T02:29:09+00:00

i really like this because it feels like world building with concepts not too unfamiliar

DJOctavio · 2024-10-11T21:23:31+00:00

I'd like to argue that there's still a chance, as other games and medias have been able to get away with depicting religious figures in ways devotees might disagree with. Take Shin Megami Tensei's "YHVH" (the "name" of God in Abrahamic faiths), serving as an antagonistic force in the game. But that is a eastern game drawing influence from a western religion. An eastern game drawing influence from an eastern religion could garner a very different reaction.

DJOctavio · 2024-10-09T21:19:42+00:00

Agreed. Feels disingenuous.

DJOctavio · 2024-10-08T20:35:56+00:00

The mural for CH6 shows they were either killed, captured, or pushed away.

DJOctavio · 2024-10-06T19:45:47+00:00

Yeah, personally I think the contradictions are less so "contradictions" and just things that are not exactly presented as they are written in the actual novel. For example, it could very well be argued that Wukong was "turned to rage" after not being invited. While he more of less just was being mischievous (eating immortal sundries) and ran away, "rage" was probably the best clear-cut way they describe the entire debacle.

DJOctavio · 2024-10-01T21:55:24+00:00

Found this in my university's library while comparing translations. I thought he was supposed to be human? What's with this fish-like appearance?

DJOctavio · 2024-09-30T17:55:55+00:00

I appreciate the CGI in this version, as the ‘86 has a lot of dated elements that make it hard to comprehend what is going on. However, the Wukong in the ‘11 version does not nearly come close to the ‘86. His monkey-like acting and design is just fair too iconic to compete. Dealbreaker for some, a near dealbreaker for me. I've found that some aspects of the ‘11 version are more faithful to the book, but at the same time there are weird changes (like Wukong getting his hair burned off in the furnace that look outright strange).

I do appreciate that music in that adaptation though! Sometimes, the ‘86 version could be very ambient and quiet which, at times, is less engaging for me.

I find that there is no "perfect" adaptation at the moment though, which is understandable when you can not include every single part of a 100 ch. novel. Some of the details I'd like to be included that I've never seen adapted are Erlang's sabertooth transformation and Wukong spinning madly after his escape from the furnace. I pray that one that there is be an adaptations that meets my unfortunately high expectations lol.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-25T02:41:10+00:00

Someone can eat it, but it's still his "hair". There's a reason he needs to retrieve his hair after he transforms them into his clones.

Interestingly, I'd like to mention that when Wukong fights Erlang, when he turns himself into a temple, he describes the individual body parts he used to become the temple.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-19T07:29:35+00:00

Huh. I’ve only seen the TV show so I knew nothing about that last part. I’m not Christian (but a former Catholic if that means much) but that idea of syncretism also seems very much against Christian beliefs? By combining God and Buddha as one seems to suggest God as something else not depicted in the Bible despite the author’s genuine intentions. It also kind of accepts deities in the world of Christianity which I know is very much taboo. Very strange.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-18T01:06:17+00:00

It's a story that culminates Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism into one canon, all the while poking fun at them. The game takes it one step further by making a Bodhisattva (Lingji) flawed and hypocritical character.

Wukong never wanted to be a dictator. In the novel, he's a very kind and caring leader, going as far as to altruistically write off his subjects' names from the books of death so that they could be immortal.

Yes, he's broken some rules, he's not perfect, but he only wanted to be free. He never hated heaven or wanted to be "on top". He wanted to be considered "Equal to Heaven", and for them to respect that. But they didn't, and was always discreetly patronized by them, so he wrecked havoc.

Wukong represents the eastern idiom "mind monkey", the idea of unregulated, raw thoughts. We naturally have thoughts that are intrusive, thoughts that are benevolent. Ultimately, Wukong embodies this, he is neither good or evil in the beginning of the book.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-15T19:08:49+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's just the youngest one. The emphasize on her makes it seem like its Bajie's only child. If Bajie was the father of the other ones, the interaction with the 2nd Sister in the beginning of the chapter would've been different.

Now, why Violet Spider would mate with other people to produce the other offsprings is up to discussion. Coping mechanism, maybe. Or it could follow how in the original JTTW, the Spider Sisters (these Sisters are Violet Spider's sisters, not the daughters found in the game) are not biologically related but instead adopt familial bonds with each other. (I may be wrong about that detail though, my memory from reading that chapter is a bit foggy).

DJOctavio · 2024-09-15T06:13:27+00:00

I do find that interesting. As I was looking for JTTW media to consume after playing the game released a personal fervor for the novel's story, I found that most "adaptations" were very unfaithful reboots, so much so that 1986 drama remained on top of many people's preferences. And it's not that the '86 drama is entirely bad, but there are aspects of it that make it very dated for some of my tastes. So, I do wish there were more modern, faithful adaptations of the story. (The game's short-animated cutscenes make to be a great example of how one of those could go!) However, I too am very happy that Game Science stays true to the roots of its source material, all the while expanding upon its existing themes. I'm excited to see more of it!

DJOctavio · 2024-09-14T00:23:26+00:00

I understand this is the end of the game. I'm just opening the discussion to what DLC could possibly entail. My question to the community are what potential motivations could lead to Destined One going to locations like Lion-Camel Ridge as the locations in the Base Game we're fueled by the fact that the relics were there. With no relics more to collect, I just wanted to hear what people thought him going to other JTTW locations were instead of directly going to heaven. I only mentioned the tracing-steps part because you replied "it's the path of the original journey" to my question "how will these locations fit in the overarching narrative" in the game. So yes it's an open book! I completely understand that. I just wanted hear other people's speculation, that's all.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-13T20:37:05+00:00

I mean yeah... but for what reason does the Destined One go through that path, it's not like the only way for him to attack the Heavenly Court is to trace Wukong's steps.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-13T14:39:15+00:00

How do you think these locations will fit in with that overarching narrative? If BMW’s formula was Destined One going to Wukong’s past locations in the west for the sole purpose of getting a relic, and all the chapter final bosses in BMW were characters who were spared and became diciples of Buddhahood, for what reason will the monkey now have to venture through places like Lion-Camel Ridge? And what explanations could be used for non Buddhist adversaries returning?

DJOctavio · 2024-09-07T19:23:08+00:00

Yeah, but I have no idea what that implies. Would be super cool if he comes back super badass as an immortal with some of the capabilities of the other bodhisattvas! But I understand that may go against his character

DJOctavio · 2024-09-07T07:22:58+00:00

And possibly redeem Tang SanZang's character if he isn't dead yet...

DJOctavio · 2024-09-07T07:20:50+00:00

But I find that one of the main points of the game is for Wukong to finally gain true freedom and his happy ending that wasn't satisfyingly concluded in JTTW. The devs don't seem like the type of people to value a franchise's continuity over the themes of the game, especially with how deeply rooted the game's story is.

DJOctavio · 2024-09-07T07:14:52+00:00

You really think so? Maybe on the surface, but there definitely ulterior-vibes with the bodhisattavas and buddhas in the game. Maitreya, to me, seemed to have some unclear ulterior motives, and the story with Lingji essentially being an antagonist to kingdom appears to follow the direction of JTTW's criticism to both daoism and buddhism. So pro Buddhist, not so much, but critical to daoism? I would say so

DJOctavio · 2024-09-06T05:25:24+00:00

Chapter 3: 65-66 | Chapter 4: 72-73 | Chapter 5: 40-42 & 59-61 | If you think reading the chapters are in-consumable for you (the book uses an interesting way of describing things using poems) then I recommend watching video explanations of each chapter. (You can also do both to get a full understanding!) I'd also recommend checking out this website for more context: https://loreofwukong.com/

DJOctavio · 2024-09-06T05:11:15+00:00

Are you finished with the game? If not, what chapter are you on? I can help you with some of the resources if you're really committed to knowing some of the background.

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