cr1s

#399 - A Way Out All The Ways Out Collect all trophies THAT NOSE. Thanks to @CypherNova139 for playing this game with me. One thing's clear in this game... there's a lot of shit going on. One of the best co-op experiences I've had in a while. Good story with a major twist at the end that surprised the both of us. Fun and immersive gameplay in spite of the simplistic and occasionally iffy controls. There's a particular scene in which the camera keeps switching between each character that was pretty cool, especially when it ended with a side-scrolling beat 'em up section, which I got to play. This game allows for many hilarious moments to happen . Like those driving and button mashing sections, which Cypher and I failed at respectively, with Cypher driving off cliffs and me not button mashing fast enough. And when it comes to meleeing enemies at close range, Cypher is pretty good at it dying. Also, that moment when you think you're playing as the second character and are wondering why the other one isn't moving when you're actually playing as the first character and it was indeed your turn. That said, we got hit with the infamous infinite loading screen bug, which was never fixed and can randomly occur (it happened to us near the end of the game). Some people have managed to get past said point by playing the game in local co-op. That worked for me, but not for Cypher. We tried switching hosts, restarting the game, rebooting the router, and restarting the PS4, but nothing worked and it'd still get stuck on the loading screen. Just when Cypher was about to delete the game and re-download it, I suggested we switch characters at the character select screen... and what do you know, that actually worked! Or maybe it was just a coincidence and the game simply decided to stop trolling us. It took us over an hour to be able to continue the game, so it was kinda annoying. >_> All in all, it was a worthwhile experience. My recommendation? Grab someone whom you're good friends with, forget about the trophies*, and just enjoy the ride! * You'll grab most, if not all of them if you take the time to explore anyway. We got most of them while playing through the game, and cleaning up the remaining ones only took like half an hour.

Weekly Update #28 (February 4-10): Another week, another Weekly Update! Things have taken a turn for the worse, as clues upon clues keep hinting at @Monokuma's presence on Jabberwock Island. The anticipation is building up as I enter the fifth and last island... And what greets me is the following scene: Wait a minute, is this still Jabberwock Island? I'm pretty sure I've seen this exact scene somewhere else... But yeah, I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the truth. One thing's for sure: Despair Awaits. *shudders* But that's not all. In addition to this rather unorthodox scene, the last island also contains several buildings. Shocking, I know! Let's see... What do we have here? Hmm, this one looks like some kind of factory. Yeah, just looking at it tells me I'm not gonna like what's inside. But hey, I vowed to uncover the truth, so I gotta see this through. Here we go... Holy mother of all Monokumas! Are these... when I arrived here, I... Is this a Monokuma Factory? That would explain all those Monokumas outside. Okay, what- what's happening here I don't- EEEEEK! All these Monokumas... What do I do? WHAT DO I DO? Great, the last thing I wanted was for Usami to see this. Alright, Usami. Let's both calm down, okay? Oh, I'm... perfectly... calm... I'mlikesuperduperultracalm! You're not good at acting, you know? A-wa-wa! I keep being had! Don't worry, though. I know the perfect way to end this nightmare! *promptly disappears* What is she up to now? But yeah, this doesn't bode well. Why is there an army of Monokumas in here? And why are the ones outside dancing? Is that some kind of ritual? Where's the big guy himself? What's the secret behind Jabberwock Island? Like, where are we exactly? Will I stop asking myself so many questions? But that's not all! Among the other buildings, I find... you'll never believe this. A military base? Jeeps, tanks, helicopters... They're all here! And there's Usami in the distance, rummaging through the back of a truck. She's clearly looking for something. Here we go! I'm ready, @Monokuma! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Usami... holding an AK-999? Is this how she intends to get rid of @Monokuma? What happened to "peace" and "LOVE, LOVE"? I can't believe my eyes right now. Come out, already! I'm tired of waiting... I just wanna get this over with and go back to my Haunted House so I can play with my Usami dolls! ;_; ... Well, I guess the time for hide and seek is over... It looks like I've been found. Congratulations are in order! Hey, let's throw a party to celebrate this! I just happen to know some awesome dance moves! Check these out! Did you miss me, Usami? Or should I say... Monomi? Were you a good little sister while I was away? I KNEW IT! Wait... Monomi? Little sister? What? That does it, big bro- I mean, @Monokuma! It's time to end your reign for good! Well, well, well... Monomi holding an AK... pointed at me... I thought you were all about "peace" and "LOVE, LOVE"? Not with you, @Monokuma! Hey, if you really insist... be my guest! *upupu* *Monomi pulls the trigger, but nothing happens* The safety's still on, you dummy! NYAHAHAHAHA! A-wa-wa! Being had by @Monokuma is the bane of my existence! Well, it doesn't matter... I'll just end this the old-fashioned way. *throws gun away* Watch, @cr1s as I obliterate Despair once and for all, right here and now! A-YA-YA! Watch, @cr1s, as I defeat Hope without even "lifting a finger", as you humans say! I don't even need a pathetic battle cry for this. Is this the "long-awaited showdown"? I don't even know who to root for, to be honest. Well, no matter. I'll just sit here and watch this unfold. Good thing I grabbed all that popcorn from the movie theater. Don't mind me, you two. Just have at it! *@Monokuma and Monomi stare at me with a puzzled look, then back at each other* ... Well, I know I wouldn't want to be Usami right now. And, well... that was fast. I expected, you know, an actual showdown? I barely had the time to eat any popcorn! ;w; A-wa-wa! This is way too embarrassing! And my Magic Stick... gone! ;_; Damn you, @Monokuma! You may have defeated me now, but I'll be back! For Hope never fades away! *yawn* Take her away, fellow Monokumas! And make sure you lock her up! See, that's what happens when you try to defy the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy. Hope's Peak? You mean Jabberwock Island, right? Oh, right! You were seeking the truth about Jabberwock Island. Well, here's the thing... There's no Jabberwock Island. This is merely Hope's Peak in disguise! What? O_O But... what about when we first encountered Monomi? She clearly teleported us here! She even used her Magic Stick! Did you really think her Magic Stick would actually work? Pfft... It's nothing but a dud. She only carries it around to make herself look "cool". But yes, you wanted the truth... there you have it. All this time... and we were still in Hope's Peak. Should it even still be called Hope's Peak after all of this? You're right. It's such a ridiculous name! Especially since "Hope" isn't around anymore. I'll definitely have to come up with a new name. Damn... I should probably move on before I lose my mind... Let's do the actual update no- Aren't you forgetting something? Or rather... someone? Oh @Honor_Hand, how I've missed you! :3 O_O ... Well then, let's all welcome @Honor_Hand! Upupu... That's what the killing game does to you. Ha, see what I did there? I hope you enjoyed the "long-awaited showdown"! Hey, who knows, my stubborn little sister could even ask for a rematch sometime. Not that Monomi would ever win against me. Dammit, @Monokuma. Just let me talk already! ;_; Anyway... I still don't know. It might be one of those games, or it might be another game. Anything is possible... especially with @Monokuma around. Anything? More like nothing is possible with me! What makes you think you'll even obtain your 400th platinum? Oh yes, I'll make sure you'll play all kinds of impossible games! Oh, that reminds me of something... @Honor_Hand should know what I'm talking about. Hmm, what is it you're planning now? Oh, you'll find out soon enough. *upupu* No shit, Captain Obvious! That's why it's called "killing game". Are you done, you blabbermouth? Aww, you're such a party pooper! ;_; I guess you can proceed with your silly update. Maybe I'll just doze off in the meantime. >_> Well, then. Without further ado, it's time for the actual update! Overview: Have you ever tried to play a VR game while you're upside down? It feels so awesome! Aaaand that's pretty much it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ That's it? You're so lame! Progress Update: Went back to StarBlood Arena and played it throughout the entire week. Here's where I stand right now: Lemme guess... on the ground? Oh, wait. Maybe you can walk on water? Or maybe you're one of those people who can float in the air? That damn bear. I swear I'm gonna crazy because of him. Ahem... As I was saying, here's last week's progress and what's left: I completed the "play 25 Ranked Matches with <insert character>" trophy for each character and also got a few other trophies in the process. All I have left are a few trophies, namely this (which I'll do last - it's really quick and easy and can be done in a Private Match) and these. I'm going to focus on the single player portion of the game next. Laaaaaaaaaame! Plans For Next Week: Play some more StarBlood Arena and focus on the single player portion The King of Fighters XIII BattleFantasia Upupu. Everyone's cherished games are back, with more to come gradually! Brought to you by none other than @Honor_Hand. Hey, don't you pin this on him! I know it's all your fault! Oh, no! It was definitely him who started it! *sigh* Anyway, that's it for my Weekly Update! Will I break this stalemate I'm currently in and get my 400th platinum next week? Or will @Monokuma really stop me from doing so? Find out next week, right here in another episode of Weekly Update! Upupu... I'm so glad to be back! It's time for some good ol' MonoAntics to ensue. #Soon

Weekly Update #27 (January 27 - February 3): It's time for another Weekly Update! Thank you for tuning in as I reveal the best thing I found on the fourth island... I couldn't believe my eyes! I'll be damned... I was only half-joking, but what do you know? Jabberwock Island is full of surprises! Wait a minute... what is this doing here? " This can't be! But... how? I thought I had gotten rid of him and everything related to him... Could he still be here somewhere? " Were those your inner thoughts, Usami? You're not supposed to say them out loud, you know? A-wa-wa! If you'll excuse me, I have to be somewhere else right now... *vanishes into thin air* Well, folks. This only confirms one thing... @Monokuma is still alive and lurking somewhere on Jabberwock Island! That's not very surprising... This is Danganronpa, after all. What's Danganronpa without its endearing bear mascot? See, I knew this would be too good to be true. Note to self: you were right not to trust Usami. And here I was really looking forward to having fun in this amusement park... This is why we can't have nice things. ;w; Let's see, now... There's still one island left. I bet that's where he's hiding! I'm sure much upupu will be had there. The truth draws ever clo- *handbook beeps* Oh, I see Shitimi is in deep shit... *presses twice* There we all go! All clean now! *puts handbook back in his pocket* Where was I? Oh, right... THE TRUTH DRAWS EVER CLO- Huh? What was that for, Usami? AND WHY DID YOU INTERRUPT ME? ;-; Just spreading some hope before my long-awaited showdown. Wish me luck! You're right, though. The truth draws ever closer... I don't know what you're babbling about, but good lu- Wait a minute... THAT WAS MY LINE! ;-; NO, IT'S NOT! *cough couuugh* Okay, maybe you're right... Well, that covers this past week on Jabberwock Island, everyone! And now, for the actual update... Overview: Out of the way, it's time for the Grind Master to make his entrance! Oh, the real grind is yet to come... That's it, folks! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Progress Update: And I grind, and I grind away! Went back to Max Payne 3 on Monday and worked on some more of the trophies throughout almost the entire week. I'm glad to report that I finished a couple of grinds! XP Grind (The Road To Rank 50): I did this one in Arcade (i.e. playing Chapter 4, Part 1 999 times). There's no way I would've done it in multiplayer when I can just do it in single player. Not that I had anyone to help me if I wanted to do it in multiplayer anyway. I don't mind that, though, as grinds like this give me the opportunity to catch up on my "music backlog" and jam to my favorite kind of music! Single Player Grinds: These weren't too bad in comparison and only took me a few hours to clean up. I mostly had kills with certain weapons left, which I had to do for this trophy anyway... Even with all that, I've still barely scratched the surface! My next focus will be The Mother Of All Grinds: New York Minute Hardcore. Not now, though. I will take a small break from Max Payne 3 to fully focus on StarBlood Arena, as I want to finish the multiplayer trophies in the latter as soon as I can. Plans For Next Week: Play some more StarBlood Arena and focus on the rest of the multiplayer trophies. Let's see how much progress I can make next week. That's it for this week, folks! I'll see you next Sunday as usual! What will the last island contain? Will @Monokuma really show himself? What's this "long-awaited showdown" about? And what about a way out? Tune in next week to find out!

I only meant the text, silly. Obviously not the video itself. The above text was meant to be deleted because I re-wrote it in the A Way Out section, but I forgot to delete it before posting, and now I can't do that because of the above issue...

I just got that notification while trying to edit a post I've just made in my checklist too. Is there nothing that can be done about this?

Of course, I just had to forget to do something... Please disregard the above part as I forgot to remove it before posting. And now I can't do that because this issue is still happening: >_>

Weekly Update #26 (January 21-27): Hello and welcome to another Weekly Update! The search for Monokuma an escape route continues! Man, this Jabberwock Island is filled to the brim with all kinds of places! There are some buildings that I didn't expect to see here... Particularly noteworthy on the third island was a movie theater. Seriously, who would've expected to find a movie theater here? I bet I'll find an amusement park on the next island. That would be so cool! *shakes head* Ahem... Let's not digress. We all know that getting out of here is of the utmost importance. As fun as living here may be, there's really no place like home. Besides, I'm still convinced that Monokuma is hiding somewhere on Jabberwock... Why won't you believe me? I can assure you he's not! And you're still thinking of escaping, I see... You should purge all these negative thoughts from your mind! Not until I explore of all the islands first... Let's say that there's no way to escape and I'm stuck here. What good would my stay be if I don't know what's on the remaining islands? A-wa-wa! I've been had! I guess you're right... But I guarantee that all of your worries will have been for nothing! We'll see about that... Back to the movie theater. What do you know, there's even a movie being aired! Maybe there's a clue somewhere in it... Let's see what it's about. EEEK! How is this still here? I thought I'd gotten rid of it! ;w; What... what in the world... I don't even- *bursts into laughter* What's so funny about it? Violence is nothing to laugh about. This, right here, is entertainment at its finest! And that Monomi looks an awful lot like you, Usami! Oh, how I would've loved to see what that "lot of other stuff" that happened was! Are you out of your mind? I'd never hang myself! Just the thought of it makes me wanna puke! Also, my heart and courage are here and intact! I gotta admit, one thing about that movie makes me sad... There isn't any clue on how to escape this place. Unbelievable... You're just unbelievable. Still no sight of Monokuma either. Oh, well. There are still more islands to explore, so I'm not calling it quits just yet. That covers the past week on Jabberwock Island. And now, for the actual update! But first... Even if the bear himself isn't here, his tradition shall live on! Let's all welcome our special guest for tonight, @Honor_Hand! You and me both... Especially fan service part. What's a Senran Kagura? Usami, I don't think you'd want to find out. However, if you insist that much, be my guest. Even better, I'll expose you to the greatness that is Senran Kagura myself! Behold... Plenty more where that came from! EEEEE- *faints* Wow, she couldn't even finish her trademark scream. Thanks! @Monokuma's plan isn't going so well right now, as I've been going back to all of the games he's listed and am making some good progress in all of them. With StarBlood Arena's server closure due to take place on July 25, that game is definitely going to take priority in the coming weeks, especially since it seems like it will be entirely unplayable after that date. If true, this would also include the single player portion. So yeah, I'll make sure to get the platinum before that date just to be safe. And the one after... and the one after... and the one after... and the one after... and the one after... and the one after... But thanks! Why thank you! I'm pretty sure @Honor_Hand was addressing me, Usami... Wait, how - and why - are you up already? Go back to sleep, will you? A-wa-wa! So rude! ;_; Well, if I'm really not wanted here... *faints again* Thank you once again for all the feedback and support, @Honor_Hand! And now, for the actual update (for real!). Overview: I guess it's time to take a break from fan discs now...but I'll be back. Bullet Time is awesome, but don't forget about Shootdodge, which is equally awesome! However, too much of that would have made me go crazy. I had to seek a way out, albeit temporarily... If all else fails, immerse yourself in a VR game. Your sanity is bound to return! Not. Progress Update: Before we get to that, I'd like to share the third installment in my "X Can Fly?" series! If you're wondering what that is, the below video will give you a clear idea. I've been waiting for so long to have another go at this and that scene in A Way Out provided the perfect opportunity. Special thanks to @CypherNova139 for deliberately failing his QTE. They may be a 5-minute job and not that original, but these videos give me a good chuckle every time I watch them. Here are the other installments, if anyone's interested: Got the Code: Realize - Future Blessings platinum on Tuesday. Thoughts on the game here (no need to mention the trophies since it's your typical VN ): Started A Way Out with @CypherNova139 on Wednesday, and we both got its platinum on Friday at almost the same time (he was 1 second ahead of me ). What a journey that was! Thoughts on the game and its trophies... Just read my status update in the meantime. That said, one particular scene in that game gave me the perfect opportunity to make another installment in my "X Can Fly?" series. What's that, you might wonder? It's apparently something that has to do with the words "fly" and "faceplant". I'll just leave this (and this) here: Special thanks to @CypherNova139 for deliberately failing his QTE. Went back to Max Payne 3 on Saturday. I didn't get any trophies from that game during the past week, but I did start the grind-a-ton that is the XP grind and am currently at Rank 23. I'm using the "play Chapter 4 on New York Minute 999 times" method, if anyone's curious. Went back to StarBlood Arena on Sunday and got some more quick/easy trophies there, namely the "X consecutive kills in 5 seconds" trophies. Contrary to what I had thought, you actually only need to make sure that you get each kill within 5 seconds, not all kills within 5 seconds. And the trophy guide on PST.org could've mentioned that, but nooo... The best method to get these is to gather a few more people in private matches and play Gridiron (i.e. the soccer mode) since you respawn exactly where you are in that mode. With Balanced Teams set to Off, whoever needs these trophies can go into one team on his own and kill the remaining players in turn. Plans For Next Week: The XP grind in Max Payne 3 is real and continues next week! Play some more StarBlood Arena Start another Vita game, maybe? With my 399th platinum obtained, what will my 400th platinum be, and when will I get it? Will @Monokuma finally show himself after weeks of absence? Will Usami stop being so fragile? And the most important question... when will we escape Jabberwock? All of this and more, only on Weekly Update! Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you next week! Welp, it's time to explore the fourth island now...

#398 - Code: Realize ~ Future Blessings Code: Realize ~FB~ Master Obtain all trophies Difficulty: 1/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Future Blessings is the first fan disc in the Code: Realize series. While it continues each character's route from Guardian of Rebirth (albeit briefly - each one is an hour and a half long on average), it's not really a sequel to it. It does partially serve as an epilogue of sorts, though. Additionally, it features a few lengthier stories that take place during the events of Guardian of Rebirth. These are more akin to "what if" scenarios and present a couple of new character routes as well. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised with Future Blessings. This is a great fan disc that, to me, was just as good as Guardian of Rebirth. A couple of the shorter routes were more on the average side, but besides that, I enjoyed it. There were quite a few poignant moments to be had and most of the character routes - from the shorter ones to the longer ones - were worth a read. I can definitely recommend Future Blessings if you loved Guardian of Rebirth like I did. I look forward to getting Wintertide Miracles (the second fan disc in the series) later this year!

Weekly Update #25 (January 14-20): It's time for another Weekly Update! The search for an escape route continues, but it has proven to be fruitless so far. What do you mean, "fruitless"? There are all kinds of fruits on Jabberwock Island! Somebody please shoo- Actually, no. I definitely wouldn't want to say that in front of her. *stares at @cr1s with a puzzled look* Usami... fruitless /ˈfruːtləs/ adjective adjective: fruitless 1. failing to achieve the desired results; unproductive or useless. Get it now? That last word reminds me of a certain someone... But yeah, you're so unbelievably ditzy! Someone should've gotten you a dictionary for Christmas... I get it! You don't have to be so harsh about it! ;_; Anyway... The second island has been thoroughly explored and there's nothing that suggests how or when we can get out of here. There were also several buildings on this island, and among them was a pharmacy that contains all kinds of medicine. I guess we don't need to be worried about getting sick, so at least there's that. Indeed! I made sure to take everything into account! As I've previously mentioned, you don't have to worry about anything here! Wait a minute... What's that over there? That's the Detergent section! Granted, detergents may not belong in a pharmacy, but I didn't know where else to put them! ;w; *gets closer to inspect mysterious object* EEEK! How did this get here? Unacceptable! *takes mysterious object away* Was that... @Monokuma? A-wa-wa! So you did notice after all... Don't worry, though! This is not the real Monokuma, merely a plushie! I wonder how this got here under my watch. Could he actually be hiding somewhere on Jabberwock Island? I don't see who else would do something like that. Could there be more plushies scattered about? I'll definitely keep an eye out for that. What? Impossible! For I, Usami, have made a complete sweep of Jabberwock Island and found no traces of the evil bear in question! You really don't have to worry about him anymore! Hmm... This sounds too good to be true. Well, I guess I'll worry about that later. It's time for the actual update! Overview: Does Bullet Time ring a bell? Would you fancy aiming with your head while playing a VR game? Do you even know what fan discs are? *cough* @Honor_Hand *cough* Man, Bullet Time is so awesome! I don't have to wait for frame rate drops to happen anymore! I've yet to get used to aiming with my head. I think I'm slowly getting there, though. That moment when I find out what fan discs really are: Progress Update: My long journey through Max Payne 3 continues... and it feels like I've barely scratched the surface! I went back to this game on Monday and here's what I did this week: Completed the game on Hard difficulty while going for the collectibles and unlocked most of the remaining difficulties Went for most of the miscellaneous single player trophies, which didn't pose any problem Started New York Minute and almost reached Chapter 4 to prepare myself for the XP grind Went back to StarBlood Arena on Friday and obtained some more easy/quick trophies there. I've also reached Wave 20 in the Invaders co-op mode, which is required for two of the trophies. It was admittedly quite fun and didn't take much time mainly thanks to my co-op partner @olliebear66t. You can watch the last part of our successful run from @olliebear66t's perspective here: Started Code: Realize - Future Blessings on Saturday. I'm done with all of the After Story routes, each of which is a small continuation of its respective route in Guardian of Rebirth. I'm currently going through Another Story: Lupin's Gang, which is a lengthy story that seems to be set during the events of Guardian of Rebirth. Future Blessings isn't a true sequel to Guardian of Rebirth, but rather a fan disc. What's a fan disc, you may ask? I'll just let @Honor_Hand explain that one. In all seriousness, a fan disc is kind of like DLC: it features additional content for a previously-released game whose events are usually of minor importance compared to the overall story. It's not as lengthy either and can even present "what if" scenarios instead, so these factors combined don't make it a true sequel. All in all, I've been enjoying Future Blessings so far. A few of the After Story routes have some poignant scenes, and Another Story: Lupin's Gang has been an engaging story. I was quite wary of Future Blessings because I had known that it wasn't a true sequel, but it seems like it's another great entry in the series. Plans For Next Week: Code: Realize - Future Blessings Go for the XP grind in Max Payne 3 Play some more StarBlood Arena That's it for this Weekly Update! Thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you next week as usual! Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for the third island to be explored! Will I find more Monokuma plushies in there? Or maybe the bear himself? Will Usami ever get smart for once? And, most importantly, will we finally get off Jabberwock Island? Find out next week!

Nuke 'em From Orbit Get to Wave 20 in an Invaders game. Shoutout to my good friend @olliebear66t for being a fantastic co-op partner, as usual. Thanks to silverpassenger for the help as well. Invaders is a co-op mode in StarBlood Arena that pits you and up to 3 other players against waves of enemies (a few regular types and a boss type) as you defend 3 bases from being destroyed. From what I've noticed, the only thing that seems to change is that damage received from enemies slowly increases with each wave. We were 3 players when attempting this trophy and it wasn't too bad as it only took us 5-6 tries. It's definitely easier with 4 players, but we felt we could make it with just the 3 of us, so we pushed on until we did. @olliebear66t and I devised a great strategy from an earlier run with the 2 of us (in which we only made it to Wave 13), which was to play on the Altar map and only defend one of the bases in a side area so as not to get surrounded or feel too overwhelmed by enemies. I would've uploaded my run, but for some reason the camera is off (i.e. it's not exactly the way I see it - it goes to the side a fair bit) in my recorded VR videos, so the gameplay isn't accurate and doesn't feel nice to watch.

Nice format for a checklist! And that's quite the backlog you have there. Mine is pretty much like that as well. Good luck with the both of them! I look forward to reading your thoughts on the games you'll play. Especially Danganronpa.

Today's weather: