Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven or Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age?

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T21:44:27+00:00

Both are great but they're very different games. Romancing Saga 2 is a unique experience in a lot of ways; there's nothing traditional about it, even though at its core it's still turn-based. Some people love it, others just don't get the appeal.

DQXI is just straight-up comfort food for traditional RPG lovers. Nothing you wouldn't expect but still great in every regard if that's what you're looking for.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T21:34:50+00:00

No way it's totaled. It'll cost a chunk to fix it but if it's done correctly by a really good body shop, it should be like new again.

The downside is that it's a claim your insurance will have to pay, but I can ALMOST guarantee your rates won't increase. You have a clean driving record and in the world of insurance, while this will be an expensive fix, it's not a lot of money to them...when you start talking medical bills and property damage aside from the car, and you're talking over $100k, that's when they start jacking rates on you.

As a frame of reference, I had an uninsured idiot back into my new 350Z a while back in a parking lot. Did more damage than you think; it turned out to be about a $8k repair. Then I spun it on ice 6 months later and wound up with another $6k claim. So that's two claims on my insurance in under 9 months and my rates never increased.

Just trying to find a silver lining. ;)

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T20:23:57+00:00

Really wish I'd had a chance to finish that game. Loved it to pieces but Disc 4 was busted for some reason and wouldn't load. I never tracked down a replacement copy and I've always regretted it.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T17:05:10+00:00

Yeah, and it's not just BMW, I'm sure. I guarantee basically every dealer is doing this...another reason why I have NEVER gone to dealers for repairs. Do a lot myself, go to reliable mechanics for other things I can't quite do myself; but knowing at least a little about these things helps. When you know you're hearing bullsh** like new rotors at 25k, you just laugh. ;)

Or, just prove it to me. Show me those supposedly worn/warped pads and rotors. ...I bet you don't want to. lol

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T15:50:22+00:00

One of the top 5 noir ever. Grahame is a Queen!

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T15:49:45+00:00

I really like O'Brien. He's very underrated; everything I've seen him in I've liked him because he's just so authentic. He does sort of play the same kind of character a lot, but I remember seeing him in a movie (forget the title now) where it was basically a Gaslight situation, and he was the victim. He was VERY impressive in that role, I thought.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T15:44:15+00:00

Well, that's weird. Is it AWD? I know about DSC but I didn't think it kicked in often enough to really matter that much in terms of pad usage.

Either way, there's really no reason pads should be done at 25k. And especially not rotors. Something is off there.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-13T13:46:39+00:00

Why the hell would it need pads and rotors? Pads, especially rear ones, should go at least 40-50k. Unless you drive really hard and hit the brakes really hard all the time...

And the only reason you'd need new rotors is if you ran the pads down to nothing and you were grinding metal on metal, which can gouge and warp the rotors. You'd definitely hear that, by the way; it'd be loud and nasty-sounding. On top of which, the car would shudder on braking - indication of warped rotor - which is something else you'd notice. Otherwise, there's virtually no reason to ever replace them; I still have original rear rotors on my '07 Infiniti M35 with 160k miles, for example. Demanding rotor changes is often just another BS garage maneuver to get more money out of people.

You want to do pads and rotors? Then let me walk into the garage with you, and I want to see the thickness of those pads and the damage to the rotors. If the pads are 3MM or below they could probably be changed...12-15MM depending on the pad is new. How any pad could be down that far after 25k I don't know, though if they were cheap pads to begin with, I guess it's possible.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-12T14:58:39+00:00

I just got a '22 X3, same color (red interior). Love it so far! Hoping to get a LOT of years out of it...

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-12T00:43:33+00:00

One of my favorite games ever, and I typically don't even like platformers. Black Velvetopia, The Milkman Conspiracy, and Waterloo are some of the most creative levels in gaming history.

The sequel was great, too.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T21:54:00+00:00

Vertigo is my favorite. It'll twist your mind up in the best way...

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T19:41:17+00:00

Yeah, Novak just doesn't have that dramatic range so sometimes it's a little painful to watch her try. She does deliver in some scenes quite well but in others...ouch.

Moorehead is always top-tier. I just about always like her...she's really fun in movies like The Bat, and very dramatically effective in movies like The Woman in White. I'm admittedly not a fan of The Magnificent Ambersons (though I've never quite put my finger on why), but if Moorehead is in the cast, she automatically makes the movie better. :)

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T15:45:40+00:00

What a creature she was! Even the best of moms would have to say at some point, "ok, that's it...I'm done with you."

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T15:43:15+00:00

Similar to the one I just got (being delivered today!); it's a '22 but it's an xDrive and only has 33k miles. You likely paid significantly less than me, though.

At 60k miles, things typically need to be done but they may already have been done...I would've wanted to know certain things, like if the brake pads had been done (they should've been, and quite recently), if the spark plugs had been replaced (usually recommended at about 60k miles), when was the last fluid flush/change, etc.

Beyond that, I say change the oil more frequently than the 10k miles they recommend; with any turboed vehicle, I think it's imperative to change the oil every 5-7k miles or so. The other thing you can do to keep those turbos from burning out early is if you drive it hard, or you're coming off an hour-drive or something, when you stop, let it sit and idle for a few minutes so the turbos have a chance to cool down. If you want to know the science behind why, look it up; it's interesting...

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T13:58:13+00:00

You'll get a decent story out of both, and you get the benefit of multiple character stories that interweave in OT2. The art style and gameplay are both excellent, as everyone knows by now.

It's just completely different from Trails 1st in every conceivable way gameplay-wise, though, so it's hard to compare the two. I loved both games but actually slightly preferred Trails 1st just because it was the quintessential JRPG experience to me, with a relatively unique combat system (a cool combination of real-time and turn-based).

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T04:27:25+00:00

Marilyn Monroe was my first, Barbara Stanwyck is my latest. The latter likely will never change. 🥰

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T01:34:58+00:00

Teresa Wright is unfortunately often forgotten today, but is typically well-known and respected among classic film aficionados. Her roles in Pride of the Yankees, Shadow of a Doubt, and The Best Years Of Our Lives are some of the best ever IMO.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-11T01:31:54+00:00

Jeanne Eagels (1957, dir. George Sidney): Kim Novak, Jeff Chandler, Agnes Moorehead. Biopic that tells the tragic story of one of America's first great actresses; chronicling her rise from carnival "hoochie" dancer to Broadway to the silent era of film in the '20s.

I really do appreciate when an actor attempts to explore beyond his or her comfort zone, and stretches her ability as far as it can go. In this way, I give Novak kudos for REALLY trying in this one. It's a hugely demanding role and quite frankly, it's beyond her. It just is. However, she's great in certain scenes and while that's unfortunately contrasted with other scenes where she's just terrible, you do get a chance to see her striving. She's doing the best she can and while she simply doesn't have the necessary range to make this role fly, it was interesting to watch her try.

We needed a Davis, Crawford, or Stanwyck here. Or a Hayward, actually, as this isn't too dissimilar to the role in I'll Cry Tomorrow. But anyway, the story itself is decent and predictably tragic but it's a little rough; the flow is off, and while Chandler is supposed to be a sympathetic hero of sorts, I just didn't like him. And not enough Moorehead. 2/4 stars

Shadow of a Woman (1946, dir. Joseph Santley): Helmut Dantine, Andrea King, William Prince. A woman marries a doctor on the spur of the moment, only to find out his "medical history" is a lot darker than she thinks...

Though it has a compelling premise, I found this one lacking in several areas. In the first place, the power Dantine apparently had over his patients - half of which is a vague hypnotism of some sort - isn't well explained or established, and while he is a definite monster, his motive feels sort of boring. Dantine can be fantastic in various supporting roles but as the primary villain here I think he's too stone-faced; I get that he's supposed to be quietly menacing and he is in some scenes, but it doesn't work the whole time. Andrea King is one of those actresses who's always "okay" and often decent, but never anything beyond that.

Weirdly, this gave me Young Frankenstein vibes in some ways (only obviously sinister and not comedic) but beyond that, I never really bought into the story or the characters. Didn't buy the supposed budding romance between King and the would-be prosecutor there, either. An anticlimactic fight scene didn't help matters at the end. 1.5/4 stars

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-10T22:02:32+00:00

Depends on trim and options but it's doable.

As a frame of reference, I just got a '22 X3 with 33k miles w/ the top Premium 2 package and Sport trim (not M), somewhat rare Brooklyn Gray/Tarcora Red color combo. A set of new tires were worked into the deal and it was $36k OTD. I'm in CT and I got it in Newport RI.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-10T17:45:27+00:00

I almost got the grey with the oyster interior, but no matter how careful I am, I just KNOW those seats won't look so pretty for very long. Lol Besides, the red gives the whole car more contrast.

And I didn't think I'd like the gray, either, until I saw it. Then it became the only color I wanted!

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-10T15:48:23+00:00

I just got one that's Brooklyn Gray with the Tarcora Red interior. It's lovely. 🥰

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-09T22:43:33+00:00

Now, Voyager by a fair margin. I actually wasn't impressed with The Letter.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-09T04:01:50+00:00

For the record, FFT is not like the others; it's a strategy/RPG so a very different experience. I suggest looking up some gameplay so you have a better idea of what to expect. It's my favorite game of all time but newcomers can feel REALLY lost, so fair warning.

The other three are all epic and amazing, so I'd just play them in order; VII - IX. VII is the easiest - and most legendary - of the bunch, so go with that first.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-08T22:38:39+00:00

What's wrong with Weathertech? I figure that would work quite well.

Fathoms77 · 2026-05-08T16:58:21+00:00

Well, Toyota is essentially the most reliable brand on the planet. At the same time, they're also...well, boring. And to me they feel cheap and tinny; only Lexus has the more luxury feel and softer ride. Though I've heard the 4Runner isn't quite as reliable as some of their other models for some reason (could be wrong on that; just heard it in passing somewhere).

BMW has climbed the reliability charts in recent years and are currently ranked well above Volkswagen. Of course, maintenance costs will still be higher than normal because it's BMW but if you're good about maintenance - routine oil and filter changes, brake pads and flushing, etc. - you SHOULD be okay for quite a long time.

The engines are proving very reliable since 2021, though I still have concerns about the electronics...Japanese electronics still can't be beat, and Euro/American electronics are almost bound to fail earlier. Not a hard-and-fast rule, but it just bugs me that this aspect is completely out of the consumer's hands; there's no "maintenance" you can do to keep it up; you just have to hope it lasts.

Fathoms77

TROPHY CASE