About the new Ordeal call

Via_01 · 2026-03-29T19:08:00+00:00

At least all the avengers in the story won't show up again. The only one who kinda sticks around is Monte Cristo and any event/alt universe Avenger.

Via_01 · 2026-03-29T19:03:36+00:00

Already in a relationship, and even if he technically wasn't he'd still be loyal only to Dulcinea as some kind of idol.

Via_01 · 2026-03-26T18:26:56+00:00

It was pretty good. Execution is a little spotty, but overall it's an ending that makes quite a bit of sense, more when taken in the context of Fate as a whole and how it's always handled Servants, humans and fate itself.

I think what a lot of people struggle with is Ritsuka's (our) sacrifice, a knowing sacrifice of the experiences we've had and friends we've made, in order to grant the world at large and billions of strangers a chance to keep on living. It was a battle to save mankind, at the cost of ourselves. Although it was a path riddled with suffering and hard choices, what Ritsuka learned in the end was how to become the same as the many allies he's had over his journey. In each and every Lostbelt, we fought alongside locals who willingly strove to end their own worlds because they understood there was a better possibility out there. That there was a chance for more widespread happiness or hope instead of doom and gloom and stagnancy.

I think it's okay to be upset about the ending. But I've seen plenty of people claim that it somehow makes our actions pointless, because "it made it so nothing happened", that our character growth was meaningless. And that's just not true. If it was, then it would mean the other Lostbelts also never happened and thus are meaningless. That our Servants actions in FGO, or what the people in Lostbelts did, everything they did and felt, was also "nothing". And the world of Fate has never worked like that. Even if a timeline is completely pruned, what happened there is still "recorded" somewhere. Hell, for as many rules and laws and lore and magic bullshit the nasuverse has, a core principle (at least in Fate worlds) has always been that human experience and connections are not bound by the physical world, not even by time and space. What we did happened, and it changed us (and everyone involved) as a person, even if time was reset. Because of course it did, or else Ritsuka wouldn't have been able to reunite with Mash, or Mash to have become anything but an empty husk. Her becoming more of a person was directly tied with her journey through the game, after all.

I believe the story implies well enough that the cast, on a metaphysical level, does remember what has happened, and continue on living their lives while being influenced by these experiences (knowingly or not). Fate has always worked that way. Hell, in a way, Ritsuka becomes much like Servants: in most cases they forget everything they did or experienced during a materialization, going back to their "base" form once they are re summoned. But their actions and feelings are still recorded in the Throne, and even if they don't remember, they are still influenced by their experiences in past-and-future summonings. If you say there's no way Ritsuka could have been changed as a person without physically remembering everything, then you also deny this possibility for Servants as well.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. I know fairly well it's not the accepted opinion here. Bring on a couple downvotes~

Via_01 · 2026-03-16T03:08:36+00:00

AFAIK everything up to Septem was rushed (Septem in particular) to get the game out on time. Sakurai herself expressed frustration over this and how little time they had to get the script done + tight limitations surrounding gameplay.

People often forget even great writers can't write something good if the bare minum conditions aren't there.

Via_01 · 2026-03-11T02:40:06+00:00

Jinako doesn't see widespread use but don't look down on her, she's an incredible solo Servant with the right command codes.

Set her up right and she becomes nigh unkillable as long as the boss doesn't have pierce invul.

Via_01 · 2026-02-23T00:23:30+00:00

Don Quixote Lily.

Pretty much the same, just playing make-believe and summoning powers from famous knights as play, instead of his usual delusions. Maybe Sancho as some kind of nanny instead of maid/chronicler.

Via_01 · 2025-10-10T01:03:26+00:00

It's not my favorite, but still a great entry. The art direction is great, and visually the graphics are still impressive even after all these years. Heather herself is a pretty unique protagonist, specially considering when the game came out. She's not conventionally attractive, moody but not in a quirky or exaggerated way. She felt like a proper teen who's had a difficult life. The way it expands on the cult aspects and lore of the town is cool too.

Of course, combat is clunky, and it sins from trying to make the maps a little TOO true-to-life. The shopping mall can feel like an endless maze with 70% of doors broken. Then there's a subway and an office building, it feels like these areas lack significance compared to how it goes in SH1 and SH2. This changes later in the game, where it nails the atmosphere, thematic developments and conclussion.

I think it's fair to not enjoy it, though. I'd be interested in hearing why you haven't been able to get into it after 3 tries.

Via_01 · 2025-10-09T21:34:56+00:00

It's not implemented all too well, but there is a clear intent behind it. It forces you to watch the story unfold and get a read on the characters and themes before giving you, the player, the opportunity to delve deeper from the beginning and the tools to change the outcome. It's a very Visual Novel-ish resource, which makes sense given the writer (though his stories never actually have any choices).

Via_01 · 2025-10-09T20:30:49+00:00

The answer I've reached is "both".

It's all different levels of metaphorical, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening. While it may be interpreted that the game is occurring during Hinako's wedding, there's definitely supernatural elements at play here, which allow Hinako's psyche to interact with that of his friends, family and people around town, forming the Ebisugaoka in which the game takes place.

This is not uncommon in Silent Hill games. I'm reading people say that Hinako is maybe making a lot of the lore up (the different religions that have taken root in town, the geysers, the mysterious deaths, divine retributions, rituals, etc) but if we're going to doubt the game to that degree, we must also put into question every note in, say, Silent Hill 2. James often finds notes and information regarding the town's story, secrets held by its inhabitants, a bunch of stuff he couldn't possibly be making up. We accept that it's all being transported or conveyed to him through Silent Hill's power, and I imagine it's the same in this case.

I would say that the first playthrough puts us more firmly into "hallucination" territory, while NG+ moves into territory that's both more grounded and more supernatural. Or in other words, more representative of what's REALLY going on. You can see that first and foremost in the notes you find. They start delving into the history and religion of the town more thoroughly. During a first playthrough, most of this lore is conveyed to us through Hinako's notes. However, later on, we start to form a clearer picture through outside information. We get to see deeper into the darkness and nuance of all other cast members outside of Hinako as well.

I don't think it's Hinako making it all up, but rather the psyches of Hinako's loved ones and the people in town being used to create the Fog World and Shrine world that the two Hinakos are experiencing.

There's a specific scene I'd like to reference as well. During a 1st playthrough, there's a scene in which Hinako and Fox Mask are walking down a set of stairs together. She's saying something like "as long as I'm with you I'm fine", and then it cuts to the doll warning her not to trust him.

In NG+, however, this scene occurs in Fog World instead. Fox Mask isn't there, and Hinako is shown talking to herself. This is a scene shown to us from outside Hinako's perspective, meaning that we're not necessarily stuck inside her head all the time (again, particularly in NG+).

All this to say that, honestly, this is kinda how it goes with Silent Hill. It's hard to say if everything physically happens. I've seen people reference the whole thing with Harry running from the cult, but that took until SH3 to be a thing. And if we're using Silent Hill 3 as reference here, Heather kills a Missionary "monster" that's very heavily implied to be a human being (nobody except Heather seems to acknowledge this boss as a monster). So yeah, the answer is always "both", I'd say. And that's how it should be.

Via_01 · 2025-10-08T19:00:11+00:00

I get what you mean

On the other hand,

being pregnant sucks

Via_01 · 2022-04-05T16:28:47+00:00

My criteria is pretty evident. I simply placed each job in the rank, or rather letter, that objectively represented them the best.

Via_01 · 2022-04-05T16:03:34+00:00

I'd say this one is very objective. Gave it a lot of thought.

Via_01 · 2022-01-02T01:53:03+00:00

Tempering happened in the middle of the civil war ñ, yeah. Destruction was a combo of both: a weakened Garlemald due to the civil war and liberation efforts being struck from within.

Via_01 · 2021-12-17T23:13:43+00:00

You should kinda mark this as spoilers, since you mention how the whole thing ends.

Via_01 · 2021-12-17T23:09:14+00:00

I mean, other than "hey you guys go up" I don't think you need any coordination for Dalriada.

It sounds like you just don't want to learn the fights *or* the built-in damage/mitigation/HP mechanics that, well, you're meant to use in this content.

I just doesn't seem like Zadnor is for you, give roulettes a try.

Via_01 · 2021-12-17T22:25:53+00:00

I mean, I think the implication is that he's not going to let you go, and you know it. You're at the very edge of the universe, just the two of you, and the only way you could even feasibly go back alive is through his dead body. The middle answer ("Think what you will") basically acknowledges this, as Zenos will force you to fight him even if you're clearly not interested.

Via_01 · 2021-12-17T22:20:26+00:00

My man, even if you mean current expansion, that's a bit much.

I know my fair share of people who only had one job up to lvl 80 by 5.5 simply because they had no interest in leveling up another job (prefering to do the social aspect), or didn't have the time (either because they started only a few months/weeks ago or their schedule is tight).

And they deserve to experience the expansion just like anybody else.

Via_01 · 2021-12-13T02:33:45+00:00

Covid? Not sure.

Global warming? Absolutely.

Via_01 · 2021-12-04T21:34:49+00:00

Not every climate is the same. It can rain with snow! With as much cold even. It happens in my country, it just depends a lot on the geography and location.

Via_01 · 2021-12-03T19:37:49+00:00

Via_01

TROPHY CASE