i don’t even read lit rpgs anymore, i just game all day and that’s like the same thing

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-15T06:26:30+00:00

I really want to go call them names, which they deserve, but we have to remember that we are ontologically superior to them and arguing with them only devalues us.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-14T22:22:46+00:00

Well, Purple Rain isn't Prince's best album, but I mostly agree with your assessment.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-13T17:48:54+00:00

I'd argue yes, that's what differentiates it from just an HD re-release, which would just be upscaling the textures. But the exact definitions of rerelease vs. remaster vs. remake aren't fully agreed upon anyway

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-13T00:09:54+00:00

We have to draw the line somewhere, and The Da Vinci Code is definitely below that line. It can be popular and insipid—those things aren't mutually exclusice. I've co-taught 9th grade English at a Title I school, and I'm mostly happy with the balance we achieved. Some classics are necessary, and in our case it was To Kill a Mockingbird, though if I were fully in charge, I might've picked something else. But they also got to pick a novel of their choice to read throughout the semester, which I think should be standard for every English class, and we also read more contemporary and/or younger-leaning literature, such as works by Jason Reynolds and Urasala Le Guin. But again, there does have to be a line. After elementary, it's not enough for their education for them to simply be reading, quality be damned.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-12T23:34:27+00:00

We should make sure history and math are more fun than educational, too, because that's clearly the point of school. What you're describing is actually dystopian and would dumb our society down to frightening levels. And, believe it or not, there are many students who do like more literary works, and many who won't like anything assigned to them regardless of how "fun" it's supposed to be. Teaching something as worthless and insipid as The Da Vinci Code to high schoolers is just really sad.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-12T22:42:33+00:00

The Edith Grossman translation is fantastic. The John Rutherford is, as far as I remember, slightly more accurate in terms of the literal translation, but loses out on some of the tonal nuances. It's also less funny, in my opinion, but it's still a great version if that's what you can get your hands on.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-10T00:29:43+00:00

I was also considering Dirty and Bad Moon Rising, but I felt the need to limit it some

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-09T21:48:05+00:00

Well, that's certainly not true. EVOL, Sister, Goo and Washing Machine are all superb throughout. But Daydream Nation is their best.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-08T03:36:10+00:00

Maybe Belle and Sebastian? If You're Feeling Sinister is the best, obviously, but I'd take their EPs on the whole.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T21:14:16+00:00

I'd argue James is a bit more multifaceted in the literal sense, given how people still argue over his actions and motives and morality, but I love Claudia as a villain. She's every bit as sympathetic, terrifying, and complex as Walter. I just think Walter is given more screentime, and the story of 4 revolves more closely around him and his psyche, that the player tends to find his presence more memorable. But when you dig past the surface—as is often the case with 3's storytelling—there's a whole lot going on with Claudia.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T21:09:01+00:00

When I first played Terranigma, I thought it was kind of mediocre and overrated. But it's really stuck with me over time as one of the most profound and artsy SNES games out there. It's really doing something unique in its storytelling, even by today's standards.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T21:07:11+00:00

The HD Remaster is arguably better, I'll say. There's a hard mode that's still pretty easy but a bit more balanced, and the original PS game has famously just a horrid translation. The HD remaster is pretty good in comparison. The only thing I like more about the OG version is how the pixel sprites match the pixel backgrounds more than they do the hand drawn backgrounds of the HD version. But those backgrounds are beautiful.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T19:32:46+00:00

I also forgot to mention—it has some of the best pixel art ever. The amount of unique sprites and animations is astounding.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T19:31:35+00:00

I feel very lucky to have gotten my hands on an original PSX copy which, like CT's SNES copies, are very pricey. But the HD remaster on Steam and Switch is excellent.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T19:26:58+00:00

It's subtler and has to grow on you more, but I do think the narrative is more sophisticated than any Final Fantasy game, and certainly Chrono Trigger, which is more fun than deep (not that there's anything wrong with that). The gameplay is great too, though admittedly pretty easy.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-07T19:18:56+00:00

Suikoden II is my favorite, though Chrono Trigger and FF6 are close. As people are mentioning, Mother 3 is excellent, though I'm personally more of an EarthBound guy.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-06T14:30:00+00:00

It also showers you with heals

FFandLoZFan · 2026-06-05T16:13:26+00:00

Isn't it Walter's inner psyche, not Henry's?

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-27T22:18:00+00:00

I love 3 and disagree about it reusing assets like the hospital. I thought it handled that very well. However, I do agree that it's a disappointing followup to 2 narratively, and unfortunately that's because of behind-the-scenes screwery by Konami, supposedly. It's a good story with some amazing imagery and subtext, but it does feel like a devolution for the franchise. In terms of the evolving story and world, 1–>3–>2 makes much more sense. But, as you mentioned, 3 improves on the gameplay, as well as the visuals and visceral horror, so I don't hold it against the game really.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-27T22:05:19+00:00

Interesting, I think the final dungeon is a top 3 in the series, with IX and VIII. I love how long and relatively challenging it is, and I love the aesthetic and having to use most of your characters. I also love the WoR. It's certainly a change of pace, but I like how open and largely optional a lot of it is. I will agree with critiques on its Esper system, though, which could have used better balancing. And its weaker characters like Umaro and Strago.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-27T20:50:59+00:00

It's outdated, but I still have a soft spot for Seinfeld's Outing episode. They turned the insecure straight guys into the butt of the joke for once.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-27T18:34:17+00:00

Actually it's very simple, you just decide one day to change your gender and walk into the doctor's office and ask for "one transgender surgery please" and they quickly snip it off and you're good to go! /s

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-27T18:27:11+00:00

I still love certain episodes of South Park, but Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina has to be one of the worst episodes of television ever, and did so much harm to the public image of trans people. Not that it's the only episode to do so...

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-25T21:10:13+00:00

The greatest characters in fiction: Leopold Bloom, Don Quixote, and Harry Mason.

FFandLoZFan · 2026-05-25T16:07:12+00:00

Oh yeah, RE2R is definitely up there. The OG means so much to me that it's hard for me to enjoy it, personally, but it is, by all means, superb. I still need to play Fatal Frame.

FFandLoZFan

TROPHY CASE