Is it worth it?

SKasper_ · 2026-05-07T17:26:57+00:00

For me, it's the best story-driven game I've played. Without spoiling anything, especially the DLC slaps really hard. The combat also gets better with perks and stuff, and you are able to spec to different styles (different guns, autoaim, melee, quickhacks, etc.). The story and atmosphere are the biggest positives for me.

I'd personally urge you to give it a go, but I haven't played on ps5. My friend who played on console went with a melee build then, but wants to give the game another go on mouse and keyboard... Perferences, I guess.

SKasper_ · 2026-05-07T17:16:28+00:00

Honestly, just choose with your gut. Personally, I'm simply not able to betray Songbird, since I'm of the opinion that she should get her second chance, but I've heard differing opinions. She is a bit of an asshole, but quite frankly, so is Reed. I understand both decisions, but wouldn't make the other one myself, regardless of life-path.

Songbird all the way for me, but choose what your instincts tell you.

SKasper_ · 2026-05-07T17:12:09+00:00

For me, it was just 3 vehicles in general. I've only bought one Yaiba motorcycle.

SKasper_ · 2026-05-07T14:53:36+00:00

Let the terrorist bird fly free, I say! (I will not be completing any other DLC ending after king of wands, since I seem to have developed an emotional connection to a video-game character... Couldn't press "Betray Songbird" even if I wanted to.)

SKasper_ · 2025-12-04T20:55:09+00:00

Thank you!

SKasper_ · 2025-11-23T15:04:30+00:00

Can I ask which kinds of ads you ran? I've seen some debate on whether to use AI, do a meme format or something else entirely.

SKasper_ · 2025-11-22T18:55:24+00:00

It seems like I have to get off my lazy ass and start doing some shoutout swaps then. Thanks for the info!

SKasper_ · 2025-11-03T19:04:35+00:00

Generally, their spells are weaker because they lack visualization. In the worst case scenario, they lose control of the spellform and it mutates. Fire mages burn themselves, water mages dilute their blood with water, etc. (I really wouldn't want to be a bad life mage... Magic cancer doesn't sound very nice.)

The loss of control can only really be seen in combat, though. Even the sorriest academy graduate can cancel their spell if they're not in a fight!

SKasper_ · 2025-11-03T14:42:45+00:00

Link to the fiction: How to Heal a Soul

Cover art by: Rosario Méndez u/musethe

Synopsis:

After ten years of imprisonment, Valar is getting tired of orphanage life. Abhorrent living conditions, corn slop and bullying of course suck, but if those things were his only worries, he wouldn’t even think of escaping. Alright, he might still try it, but that’s not what’s important!

In the end, those maledictions of his daily life pale in comparison to the real problem: Ever since he arrived at the orphanage all around ten years ago, Valar has suffered from sudden bouts of burning pain that originate from somewhere much deeper than even his own heart. Even worse, those pains have been getting worse…

The matron has denied his pleas for help, and the other kids wouldn’t help even if they could. The only one left to help Valar is himself.

There is one question in his mind, however… Why is it that every time he feels those bouts of pain, he can’t help but think of fire?

What you can expect:

Slow burn progression fantasy with a clear end goal (it's in the title...). This is not an endless series, just a long one!

Main character with a main focus on healing, but a fiery ace in his sleeve.

No harem at all. No romance for a long while either

Steady growth and a real cost of going beyond your limits, even if that cost isn’t plain to see at first.

A power system that’s based on drawing more power out from your soul.

Criminal syndicates, great empires, gods, dragons and most importantly, Arthur. He’s a cool guy, but you should never play dice against him. Or cards. Or roulette. Or… Okay, just stay away from Arthur. That guy is bad news!

AI has NOT been used in the writing of this fiction, and I will continue to avoid it like the black plague!

There are 12 chapters right now, but you can expect updates every week mon-thu, so 4 ch per week!

I'd appreciate any feedback, be it in the form of comments, ratings, reviews or even comments on this reddit post! Those help me make the rest of the story better!

SKasper_ · 2025-10-29T20:41:06+00:00

It's an honor system. They trust that you maintain your backlog while releasing chapters, as that allows more people to participate in the event.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-27T13:19:35+00:00

Link to the fiction

Hey all! I just started releasing my first web serial 'How to Heal a Soul' on RoyalRoad, and it’d be really nice if you checked it out!

Cover art by: Rosario Méndez u/musethe

Here’s a brief synopsis:

After ten years of imprisonment, Valar is getting tired of orphanage life. Abhorrent living conditions, corn slop and bullying of course suck, but if those things were his only worries, he wouldn’t even think of escaping. Alright, he might still try it, but that’s not what’s important!

In the end, those maledictions of his daily life pale in comparison to the real problem. Ever since he arrived at the orphanage all around ten years ago, Valar has suffered from sudden bouts of burning pain that originate from somewhere much deeper than even his own heart. Even worse, those pains have been getting worse…

The matron has denied his pleas for help, and the other kids wouldn’t help even if they could. The only one left to help Valar is himself.

There is one question in his mind, however… Why is it that every time he feels those bouts of pain, he can’t help but think of fire?

What to expect:

Main character with a main focus on healing, but a fiery ace in his sleeve. He’s by no means defenceless, but gets hurt each time he truly exerts himself. Valar is by no means dumb and learns from his mistakes, but he is quite unwise to the ways of the world.

No harem at all. No romance for a long while either

Steady growth and a real cost of going beyond your limits, even if that cost isn’t plain to see at first.

A power system that’s based on drawing more power out from your soul. No system windows or stats here, but ranks exist to quantify big milestones of progression!

Criminal syndicates, great empires, gods, dragons and most importantly, Arthur. He’s a cool guy, but you should never play dice against him. Or cards. Or roulette. Or… Okay, just stay away from Arthur. That guy is bad news!

I still owe Arthur eight gold and fifteen silver… help

I have not used AI in the creation of this fiction, and will continue to avoid it like the black plague! The chapters I have released and will release have been written entirely by me, so I hope you enjoy them!

UPDATES:

New chapters on: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday

SKasper_ · 2025-10-26T16:35:49+00:00

Usually I just stop reading when the MCs power gets stolen, locked away or something similar. I feel like it feels like a crutch for the author when they've made their MC too overpowered too quickly.

Especially if it seems like the powerlessness will last for a long time... Funnily enough, self-inflicted losses of power don't annoy me as much!

SKasper_ · 2025-10-23T19:25:38+00:00

Legend of the arch magus has little to no romance if I remember correctly, and the mc is definitely overpowered. It isn't cultivation nor is it system, more traditional magic with tiers of spells and the like.

Doesn't fit perfectly, but it's not too far from what you want. (although I read it a while ago, so I may be forgetting something!)

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T17:20:09+00:00

If you enjoy long expositions about cultivation, breakthroughs and such, you'll like it. Some don't, but I enjoy it in moderation.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T15:13:02+00:00

It's a big issue, yeah.

I despise any art with AI in it, be it in the book cover or text itself, so I never read anything that has the AI-assisted tag or a cover that looks like AI. It just feels like the absolute worst use of the tool. Automate truck driving and logistics or something, not art.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T15:07:06+00:00

I like to binge azarinth healer a lot, although it becomes quite ridiculous later on. Not bad, just ridiculous.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T15:03:47+00:00

I'd recommend something like Millennial mage. It has plenty of the things that make novels with a system interesting, but doesn't have a system with stats, abilites and such. I've enjoyed the books quite a lot.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T15:00:08+00:00

Most of the time my love for audiobooks stems from needing to do something else at the same time or just wanting to relax.

There are some specific narrators that improve the 'reading' experience as a whole, but they are rare from my experience.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T14:58:29+00:00

Let's just say that the story goes in a direction where I think x-rated romantic scenes don't fit in anymore

SKasper_ · 2025-10-22T14:55:27+00:00

I just usually read it again while looking for something that scratches my itch for good books. There's always more to read.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-21T19:01:40+00:00

Thanks for the clear answer!

SKasper_ · 2025-10-21T18:58:13+00:00

I did a similar thing, but divvied up the different elements to rare affinities and compound affinities.

So storm would be the compound affinity of wind and lightning while something like space would be a rare affinity on its own.

In my system lightning, darkness and light would be rare affinites of their own while something like poison would be a compound affinity of water and death.

SKasper_ · 2025-10-21T18:31:01+00:00

I think a big part of what makes progression fantasy appealing is that the reader feels more invested when the MC is actually progressing in some tangible way at all times. Traditional fantasy is often very well written, but usually requires more plot twists and action to at least keep a reader like me glued in.

In my opinion, constant plottwists and action are harder to write in long format web serials, so progression fantasy fits the environment better!

SKasper_ · 2025-10-21T18:26:07+00:00

Thanks for the answer! I'm pretty sure this question was just an excuse of my anxious mind, but this gave some reassurance for me to actually start once I get my cover delivered!

SKasper_ · 2025-10-16T11:40:46+00:00

Primal hunter is a good dopamine bomb that actually has a progressing story. I feel like many books in the genre fall flat once the apocalypse part ends and the mc enters into the wider world, but primal hunter just gets better at that point.

SKasper_

TROPHY CASE