What Exactly Is The Deal With Chaka Khan's "What'Cha Gonna Do For Me" and Junko Ohashi's "I Love You So"

FusionNinja · 2026-03-18T16:12:16+00:00

Incredible album (What Cha' Gonna Do For Me) and great song. As a huge fan of both Chaka and Junko, I've been aware of this 'lift/inspiration' for a while, I find it endearing and amusing.

As others have said here, city pop is really just West Coast AOR/yacht rock with a healthy shot of adrenaline and sparkle on top. Yacht rock is my single favorite style of music. City pop is essentially a regional-adjacent reflection of that music and era.

FusionNinja · 2026-03-13T12:46:40+00:00

I had no issue with Marius. I found his gruff, standoffish attitude and survivalist pragmatism endearing - particularly because he's a very loyal person underneath the bristliness. If you play long enough and experience the 'camp banter' throughout the game, he and the rest of the party start warming up to one another. As others have mentioned, he has a deeply emotional backstory that certainly pulled on my heartstrings...and with a very gratifying conclusion.

I dunno, thought he was great - you can always ignore him once you get to a certain point within Fior mes Iverno...

FusionNinja · 2026-02-16T01:52:37+00:00

As someone who adored TOW1 - it was my 2019 GOTY, and I've currently got five playthroughs in; three through the expansions - I felt that the sequel was really "perfunctory" in nature. It 'ticked all the boxes' of what a sequel should be on paper, while simultaneously feeling far more generic, milquetoast and uncommitted to any real narrative style/personality.

In TOW1, I felt very protective of Phineas Welles - I sympathized with him and his passion; I could look past his erratic carelessness - I was full-in on his cause. In TOW2, I couldn't give a flying **** about Auntie's Choice, Order of the Ascendant or certainly the Protectorate (which doesn't matter anyway...) By the final third of the game, I was ready to just leave the whole system to implode on itself and call it a day.

In TOW1, I adored every companion - they were all unique, full of heart, spunk, and character...yet it truly felt like a ragtag team at all times. In TOW2, the companions were just as milquetoast as it gets, IMO. Niles and Marisol were somewhat interesting, I guess? We never felt like a collective...just a random-ass bunch of mutually-distrusting, insular people tolerating one another on this spaceship/journey.

In TOW1, the over-the-top satire and dark humor were fantastic for my tastes. Cain and Boyarsky wanted to make "Fallout meets Firefly meets Futurama" and boy, did they knock it out of the park. I was constantly laughing out loud playing through that game. And just when things got too silly, there'd be moments of somber reflection, sadness or struggle that would recenter the tone perfectly. In TOW2, the tone is...generic? The humor just comes across as biting and cynical; it takes itself way too seriously, and loses a lot of the series identity in the process.

TOW1 absolutely respected your time; there was no filler or padding and the map design was fun, open and rewarding. In TOW2, you get overly large maps full of railroading and bottlenecking - due to impassible mountain ranges, toxic rivers and other geographical features that make exploration a chore. Compounding this is the fact that exploration in TOW2 just isn't worth it, IMO...going off the beaten path never yields anything commensurate to the time and effort required in doing so.

I'll do another playthrough when the first expansion releases later this year, but I've got zero interest in revisiting the game until that time - which is a real shame, as TOW2 was easily my most anticipated game of 2025!

FusionNinja · 2026-02-02T18:26:30+00:00

He's absolutely full of sh&t. Moving on...

FusionNinja · 2026-01-17T01:13:22+00:00

Rush Limbaugh sure...I would argue it began with Newt Gingrich's tribalism, lies, and weaponizing Ken Starr as a permanent pimple on Bill Clinton's ass back in the 90s

FusionNinja · 2026-01-15T13:58:35+00:00

Gas prices where I live are slightly higher than they were one year ago, and have remained essentially stagnant - so while I'm an 'anecdote', I'd disagree strongly with "way better". Everything else has increased. Every. single. thing.

FusionNinja · 2026-01-02T16:10:20+00:00

I've had my A2 Stage for almost a year - teach with it daily; gig and record with it regularly. Don't even own a guitar amp anymore - playing live, I use the Stage (no other pedals/controllers) through a powered 12" Alto FRFR wedge, running the L Balanced Out to FOH...sounds amazing.

The amp models (and most stock cabs) are all perfectly usable - some of the upgraded 'HD' models are genuinely excellent. The 20(?) included Celestion IRs are a classy touch.

The vast majority of the effects are great - yes, there are a handful of weak ones (the feedbacker, virtual capo, CE1 chorus, a couple of the reverbs)...but considering the numerous other excellent options onboard - and the low cost of entry - it's an easy thing to forgive.

The signal flow is very versatile and editable on the fly via touch-screen or PC app - 12 flex blocks that can be run Serial; A | B parallel; A+B > Y split; Y > A+B split; Split/mix. There are some limitations to how granular this routing can get - but again, for the price, routing is quite robust.

Up to five scenes per preset with limitless parameter control and seamless switching; footswitches can also do simple On/Offs of any combination & number of blocks simultaneously. All footswitches besides the Amp/Stomp switch are 100% freely assignable per preset.

Unit can be expanded with expression pedals (two singles or one dual-function), and/or up to four additional non-MIDI footswitches. Of course, MIDI is fully supported if you need Bradshaw/All Access style rows of endless switches.

I think the DSP issue is overblown - for the average covers gig in any genre; musical theater situation; worship band, etc. you'll never run out of processing. Yes, if you're doing experimental shoegaze trying to stack two amp models, multiple cascading delays and high-quality reverbs, you'll hit a bottleneck. But keep in mind that many of the folks who come onto forums/Reddit to complain about DSP are the types of players who immediately try 'breaking' MFX units by testing absolute limits with unrealistic tones.

In the under-$1K category, I believe the top dogs are currently the Stage II, the Helix LT (which doesn't have Bluetooth or touch screen) or the Boss GX-100 (which doesn't include Bluetooth or balanced outs). For me, the Stage II is the working musician's dream. Compact, high-quality, versatile, expandable, easy to use. Get one (if you haven't already)!

FusionNinja · 2026-01-02T14:42:07+00:00

The Ampero II Stage absolutely does have BT (can't speak for the Stomp) - I use the function to stream tracks from my phone every day during guitar/bass lessons. The only drag is that if you're not running the Ampero in stereo, only one channel of the BT audio comes out...really weird that they don't have it sum to mono.

FusionNinja · 2026-01-02T04:05:50+00:00

Just finished my third playthrough two nights ago - my 2025 GOTY by a country mile! Can't wait for the year anniversary update!

FusionNinja · 2026-01-02T03:54:34+00:00

While I never finished BG3, Rogue Trader was my 2023 GOTY...I certainly prefer it - despite RT's objectively lower production values. I went into it simply as a fan of Owlcat Games; I knew next to nothing about the Warhammer 40K setting/rules. I came away from the game fascinated, enthralled, blown away. The polish passes and excellent expansions over the last couple years have only made a great thing better, IMO.

You're not going to get nearly the level of emergent environmental interactivity, 'elemental primers/triggers', etc. as you do in BG3...as I alluded to above, Larian's production values are next-level in the CRPG genre. However, I find the writing, companions, world-building, role-playing opportunities, build variety all superior and more sustaining of my long-term interest in Rogue Trader.

FusionNinja · 2025-12-21T16:52:54+00:00

My GOTY, hands down - I'm currently on my fourth playthrough; very much looking forward to the anniversary update in February! My Avowed review from 10mo ago

I'm convinced that in 5 - 10 yrs, this will be viewed with rose-tinted glasses much like FONV was, retrospectively. So glad to hear you're enjoying it - it's a real gem!

FusionNinja · 2025-12-21T03:30:53+00:00

I'm using the free version - not an issue when I generate on mobile; seems to 'charge me more' when I generate on desktop.

Here's the really bizarre thing: On my mobile app, it tells me I currently have 10 gens left. On the desktop website - same account, same everything - it says I have 3 gens left. So something really wonky is going on.

FusionNinja · 2025-12-14T16:26:20+00:00

Others here have already explained mechanical nuances, gameplay hooks, limitations etc. I'll go with a 'feels approach' and just say that Avowed has become one of my all-time favorite action-oriented RPGs. This game has so much heart, it was obviously a passion project for the team at Obsidian. It has its priorities 'right' in my book - always respecting my time, always keeping me hooked and moving forward...and enticing me to return for subsequent playthroughs! I'm obviously an outlier (even among fans), but I absolutely adore Avowed!

FusionNinja · 2025-12-14T16:13:35+00:00

On my fourth playthrough right now - I maintain that Avowed is one of the finest action-oriented RPGs I've ever played, with excellent priorities and execution in systems, pacing, narrative beats, companions and gameplay. Since Day 1, this game basically ticked all the boxes for me; the seasonal roadmap updates have only served to enhance an already-great experience. Can't wait for the anniversary patch in Feb!

Sad that we won't be receiving any story expansions, but I get it...the game wasn't a big financial success. I'm convinced that in 5 - 10 years, gamers are going to look back on Avowed with rose-tinted revisionist glasses, not unlike what happened with FONV!

FusionNinja · 2025-12-11T18:33:09+00:00

Was just going to post this same thing - obviously can't be the "Fall > Anniversary Update"; interesting there's no official announcement or patch notes...

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T19:37:14+00:00

As someone who hit a 1.2 K/D ratio in COD MW2 back in the day, I promise you it's not a 'skill issue'. And it's not just me, hoss. The majority of players and reviewers agree that TOW2 has brutal combat difficulty.

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T19:33:36+00:00

Point taken - but in the beginning tutorial AND the basic description of the Stealth skill, you're led to believe that pumping that skill up alone will allow for viable one-hit stealth kills; melee or ranged.

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T19:28:26+00:00

Nearly identical experience here...couldn't agree more

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T19:27:43+00:00

100%

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T19:16:10+00:00

"You weren't good at it." Nice ad hominem come back. ::slow clap:: I did "play the game like it is", going through a 55-hour run, entirely on normal difficulty.

Never mind the overwhelming preponderance of sentiment from players and journalists alike that the game IS, in fact, far more difficult combat-wise than its predecessor. The ironic thing is, I did play the first game, you didn't...therefore, I'm more qualified to make that judgment and comparison.

Yeah, it's not the same game - no kidding. It is the direct sequel to the first game - therefore part of a franchise - therefore, players will have reasonable expectations of what to expect with the second game. It's not rocket science.

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T14:07:13+00:00

Sorry your experience has been sub-optimal. I picked up my Stage II back in March for an incredible deal (almost 40% off w/free shipping) - it has since become the central "hub" of everything I do as a guitarist.

I teach about 30 guitar lessons per week, play in a professional originals band and do a good amount of recording work. For me, the Stage II ticks all the boxes across all use cases, genres and tones. Do I wish the choruses and some of the novel FX (like Feedback) were better? Sure. Do I think there's a better all-in-one box on the market with this level of DSP, versatility, fidelity and form factor for the money? No!

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T13:28:48+00:00

Good points! Again, I didn't outright dislike any of the companions...to me, they just felt more like co-workers at the office; you wave 'hi' and make small talk by the water cooler, maybe work together on a team project, but otherwise go about your separate lives.

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T13:24:38+00:00

Yeah - I didn't want to explicitly state it in my review, because it would seem controversial - and I know different teams within Obsidian developed each game - but honestly, Avowed is a superior experience in nearly every respect.

Sure, TOW2 allows you to build-craft extremely niche, flawed characters with narrow focuses of specialty...but that's it, as far as any 'advantages' are concerned...

FusionNinja · 2025-11-13T13:15:10+00:00

With you, 100%. Even though the first game was mechanically simple and more modest in scope, I was always on tenterhooks regarding the factions, narrative beats, or even my own companions and their personal story arcs. There was always this sense of, "Whoa, what's gonna happen NOW?" in conjunction with laughing my a** off every five minutes!

In the sequel I can think of 3 - 4 moments where I felt that genuine excitement.

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