PixlBit

Great episode guys. Loving every episode. Upset I missed last weeks Stage Select but it's been hectic here. This weeks tough but an excellent topic. I'll have to think about it. I'll probably put some down now but if I get to really thinking about them, I'm sure I'll change it up. 

Stage Select:

3. SA-X (Metroid Fusion): Metroid has always made Samus the strong badass bounty hunter. Fusion makes her very vulnerable and the prey to be hunted by a mirror copy of herself. Except this version is scary and relentless. Your first glimpse of SA-X is shortly after you take an elevator ride down. The scene stays there a moment longer then usual when the SA-X breaks into the scene fully suited in Samus's iconic armor. It turns to look at the player and a quick cutscene let's you look into the cold lifeless eyes of the deadly parasite. It'll be a pain in your ass for hours to follow. 

2. Green (Gunstar Heroes): Gunstar Heroes has some fun bosses but none are as cool as Greens Seven Force Mech. Gunstar Heroes does a thing before every boss battle, the calm before the storm, where it tells you the bosses name and throws you a list of its attacks. While you're riding the train rails, you see the words, "The Boss is Approaching." Then you see it rattle off one form, then another, then another until it lists all 7 and you're wondering what the hell is about to go down? Your old friend Green comes flying out and jumps into air as his Mech forms around him and the battle begins.

1. Dante (Devil May Cry): When it comes to character introductions, few do it better than Capcoms Devil May Cry series. There's probably a dozen excellent choices throughout the series but I'll go with the original. Your first intro to Dante shows him casually speaking to the woman who just literally broke through his front door. She proceeds to attack him and uses his giant sword against him by impaling him then shocking him. She tosses her motorcycle at him and he laughs it off by pulling out his signature pistols and blowing it away. Next scene he's pulling out that sword still in his chest and continues keeping his cool. I can't recall any other character intro that made me smile like that. 

Cage Match: The amount of shit that the Assassins Creed series keeps trying to shovel down our throats with their insane interconnected plot could only be handled by a licensed plumber with decades of experience. I think we all know at least one....

Loved the latest show. Always appreciate great guests. I hope more people jump on board. Especially glad this gave me a chance for Stage Select. 

Divinity Original Sin 2: Rivellon 

youtube.com/watch?v=byxTuIO6XT0

I tried going with songs that aren't so popular. Sure everyone loves Frogs Theme and I could easily go with Chrono Cross but here's a song from one of my Game of the Generation. Playing Divinity OS2 with this song playing made it felt so epic.

Dragalia Lost: Bokurano Network (Off Vocal)

youtube.com/watch?v=3Fzw_3q0jtE

This one's from a mobile Nintendo game and I can't recall how I heard it since I don't play that game but here it is. I switch from epic adventure to something that just brings a smile to my face for some reason. Maybe I should try the game. 

Cage Match: Chrono Cross wins. It has better music, more characters to throw in the ring, double if you include alternate dimensions, you don't need to draw spells for 5 hours to use them, and I named someone Bret after the Hitman Hart and everyone knows that he's the best the ever is Yada Yada Yada and instantly wins. KO

Glad to have you guys back. Great episode despite Julian's concerns.

Stage Select:

3. Devil May Cry: Sure there's plenty of disfunction in this one but there's also something else deeper. Some form of underlying respect between Dante and Vergil. They put aside their issues when things get bad and they always work out their issues with a sparring session that they both can't get enough of. Then you add Nero and some surrounding friends and it's a pretty cool family.

2. Final Fantasy X: Overall the group seems close enough to be considered family but I'm mostly looking at Auron and Tidus here. He starts like a good uncle but also seems more like a father figure for a young man who needs guidance. He's also a complete badass so that is a bonus.

1. Mass Effect: To be honest this list could change if I could recall many families in games but I know Mass Effect would make this list. You become so attached to your crew that it's hard to part with them by the time the game ends. I still wonder what became of them after the ending and hope to see some great things when the new one releases.

Cage Match: I could do research but I'm not. I assume Castlevania has a Belmont as it's main character. Belmonts kill dead things all the time. As we all know Quest 64 literally died in its 1st Match and some necromancy brought it back to basically die again in a 2nd Match. I see no reason why Belmont doesn't kill this thing off for good or at the least seal it away for 1000 years or whatever like every incarnation of Dracula that gets stopped by a Belmont.

Great episode guys. Looking forward to more next gen talk next time on Justin's Demons Souls chronicles. Gonna take a deep look and be honest with myself to see what is my top 3. Got to comment in Cage Match though while I think. 

Stage select: 

3. Divinity Original Sin 2: This game had so many options and ways to play. I absolutely loved it and constantly think about it. It's probably more impactful because I enjoyed it with 3 other friends and we had a blast. I am impatiently waiting for Bulders Gate 3 which is made by the same studio.

2. Chrono Cross: My original number 1 game. I still love this game and hope to see it remastered or something like some other lesser known Square games they've announced recently. My dream would be another sequel but I don't think it'll happen. 

1. Dark Souls 2: This game is generally looked down upon by the souls community for some reason. I can't explain why I love it so much but it's my favorite Souls game to revisit. I recently replayed Demons Souls on PS3 and it jumped up high on my list so it's possible the remake can take my top spot one day. That's if I can ever find a PS5.

Cage Match: Quest 64.... really... really!? I was there when it was literally, yes I'm saying literally, killed in the ring. Unless it came back as everyone's favorite Dead Man, the Undertaker, than there's no way this match is even happening. Chex Quest is cereal and cereal is inevitable. Sure it's kind of crappy cereal but it has guns or something. 

P.S. Justin, Quest 64 doesn't deserve a second chance. It's like saying Val Venis deserves another chance and nobody wants that. 

Damn this Stage Select is really awesome but it's so hard to remember some of them and even harder to find some online. Just typing [Insert Game Title] Game Over scene doesn't always work. 

Stage Select: Game Over

3. Street Fighter 2: I used to love the beat up faces of fighters after you got done beating down your friend. I don't know if this trend has continued since I don't remember any past Street Fighter 2 despite playing up til 4. 

2. Dead Space Series: Not sure if this counts but damn does Issac have some horrible deaths in that game. They are gruesome and as definitive as Game Over as you can get. Bonus points to the new Tomb Raider trilogy for also throwing some of these horrible deaths in. 

1. Chrono Cross: It isn't flashy but it was the one that popped into my head first. A somber tone played with a message from the narrator saying, "Fate has no forgiveness for those who date stand against it." I didn't see it very much but the few times I did, stuck with me. This list would most likely be totally different if I could recall every Game Over screen I've seen but I think these did them well. Also lets give a shout out to the Super Meat Boys/Celeste game overs in the world which are quick and painless.

Cage Match: It has to be Dante. It's freaking Dante. Sure it kinda isn't Dante in this one but it's Dante.  

Stage Select:

3. Nino (Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade) She's from the first GBA Fire Emblem and is my favorite from the series. I hardly recalled her story since I was younger when I played it but Fire Emblem Heroes made her such a powerhouse that I went back to understand her origins. She had a very sad and endearing journey and still pushes forward. 

2. Auron (Final Fantasy X) Auron is undoubtedly the cool one in Final Fantasy X but it's earned. His calm and collected nature is a great opposite of Tidus's whiny and emotional nature. Auron helps shape him into a better man and the revelation of Auron is one of my favorite moments in games. 

1 Tali'Zorah (Mass Effect series) I absolutely adore Tali. She was immediately my love interest except Bioware wouldn't allow it. She was always in my party and I'm so glad she's one of the few who was available in all 3 games. Luckily Bioware fixed their mistake and allowed her to be a love interest in ME2. 

Cage Match: My heart REALLY wants to go with Tetris but I have to be realistic. Mario Bros. & Co. make a living out of breaking blocks with their heads and asses. I don't see how Tetris has a shot.... Unless! Tetris blocks get smart and start coming from the right and smash their sorry asses into the wall. Yeah let's go with that. Tetris baby!

Stage Select:

3. Bloodborne: I loved the winter atmosphere of Bloodborne. It helped make an otherwise dark and gothic game appear much more serene. At least until something tries killing you.

2. Dark Souls: Pretty sure it was snow in Dark Souls 3 but at one point you return an area from the original game but it's much more ruined and snowy. Seeing the bright and golden land that you remeber from the origianl be a destroyed snowy wasteland is really cool. It's also is home to maybe my favorite fight of the series. I should note that Dark Souls 2 has a place in the bottom of hell for worst snow area ever. That may be a topic for another day.

1. Silent Hill: I think it's snow but I think the movie said it was ash. Who knows. I'll just say it's snow and the idea of a foggy, snowy, almost desolate city is was an awesome place to put the game. 

Cage Match: Area 51 has to win. It's freaking aliens! i don't think people understand the concept that if these beings can create technology to travel through space on a whim, they have to be thousands of years past the nuclear bombs we made decades ago. I'm sure they have dildos using more power than our atom bombs at their point in technology.

Its an amazing movie that got overshadowed by Your Name since they both came out the same year. It's one of those few movies that hit me hard emotionally. Check a trailer and if you are interested I highly recommend since its on Netflix. 

Stage Select:

1: Giving my daughter a good time out. We were supposed to take her to Disney this year, something we've been promising for a few years. We missed a Winter Wonderfest last year and will again this year. Halloween, her birthday party, bowling and so much more. Shes honestly isn't complaining but I know how much she loves these things. 

2: I think I'll have to cheat a bit and I'd have to pick the Rocky/Creed series. It practically doesn't matter which one. I will watch anyone you put in front of me, yes even Rocky 5. But if I'm narrowing it to a more recent one, A Silent Voice is one of my absolute favorites. Currently on Netflix if anyone is interested in animated movies. 

3: Definitely the NES. I remember playing that system when I was 3 with the controller upside down. I continued playing that way until I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas. I have never took a break from gaming all these years. 

4: I love music but I don't really lock it down to albums. I may have to go with Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park. It's definitely something I look back on fondly when I remember long road trips and blasting my CD player too damn loud. 

5: Tacostand! I'd be one of those taco food trucks with the Sombrero on top that way I got a cool hat when I transform. But it has to also have banners so I got an old west style poncho that flows in the wind. 

6: I buy shoes when I find them on a good sale. I'm not picky as long as they aren't stupid looking. Costco was selling some solid looking shoes for $6 so I bought a black and grey pair. Bought some simple hiking style boots there for $20ish dollars a few months ago. So I don't have a set time. 

Cage Match: I feel like all the triple techs would be too much for the FF crew to handle. Then there's always time travel and Crono looks a bit like Goku so probably has as much power as him so Chrono Trigger for the win. 

Damn I'm having a harder time thinking about dogs than I thought I would. Here's my list. 

Stage Select:

 3. D-Dog (Metal Gear Solid 5): the dog has an eyepatch! That immediately makes him awesome. He's a great companion and is amazing on the field.

2. Amaterasu (Okami) the dog is the goddess of the Sun. She has multiple kick ass weapons, and looks badass with all those markings. Definitely the strongest dog in my list.

1. Sif (Dark Souls): so technically a wolf but that counts right? Sif is the size of whale and holds a legendary blade in its mouth as a weapon. This boss is a pain in the ass but ill forgive it for being so bad ass. 

Cage Match: while I'm absolutely loving Persona 5, I have to go with Final Fantasy X. As much as I'm loving the Persona cast, Lulu is one of my favorite characters in games.