Motherless Brooklyn Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1999, Doubleday published the Jonathan Lethem-penned novel Motherless Brooklyn. The novel was set in...well, the title makes it obvious. It told the tale of Lionel Essrog, a detective with Tourette's Syndrome. He has to solve the murder of his mentor: One Frank Minna, the owner of the detective agency that employs Essrog.

The novel won the 1999 National Book Critics Circle Award in the fiction category and the 2000 Gold Dagger award for crime fiction. In February of 2018, production began on a film adaptation of the book, starring Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Bruce Willis, Dallas Roberts, Alec Baldwin, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. The film adaptation sets the novel's events in the late 1950s, as Norton (who wrote the screenplay, felt the characters fit better in that time. Let's take a look at the trailer!

Tourette's like it's shown here is actually pretty rare from what I understand. I am honestly hoping that this film treats with some dignity.

Living with a mental disorder in the 1950s must have really, really stunk.

I like the idea that Frank in a way helped Lionel find some sort of peace. Of course, something is coming along to screw that up. Makes sense, there would be no story otherwise.

Looks like a sting gone horribly wrong.

Gotta avenge the mentor. Classic trope, nothing wrong with that.

Man, I bet Essrog wishes that he could just take photos with his phone. Lot easier to lug around than that big camera. Can record video, too.

Bridge.

This does look like an interesting movie. I like the cast, and I do enjoy a bit of mystery here and there. Maybe I'll pick up the book sometime, too. I like that the trailer doesn't really reveal anything, but is able to tantalize. The mark of a good trailer.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time! 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Hope it's a safe and fun day for all of you out there! May you get some silly scares and enjoy lots of candy, or your preferred treat of choice!

Halloween Tale: Pinball'd

Since Halloween is almost here, I thought I'd write this little short story for the occasion. I was inspired by playing pinball. It was something that I had in my head for a long time, and it was only recently I was able to sit down and write this. So, enjoy this tale of a young man whose love of the silver ball has gotten him into a bit of trouble...

Pinball'd

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters are my own.

Ping! Ping! Ping!

Hard rock music blasted from the pinball machine as the smirking young man sent the small silver ball flying into the bumpers. The smell of pizza being made wafted through the air of the pizzeria.

"Yeah! I got the high score, baby! Again!" Ron Ritchie grinned, his sandy blond hair falling over his eyes. He quickly paused to brush his hair out, but continued playing.

"Hey come on, Ritchie!" A young boy whined. "Let us play!"

"Yeah, there's one pinball machine here, man!" Another boy exclaimed. "Let us have a turn!"

Ritchie continued playing, his scowl the only indicating he was acknowledging the boys. Ugh, Don and Dan, the Reynolds twins. They're always so annoying. "Back off, ya brats! I'm gonna beat the high score!"

"You've been on that thing for an hour!"

"And I'll be on this table for as many hours as it takes to beat that high score!" Ritchie snapped. "Go play something else!"

"It's the only table here!" The boy exclaimed. "This isn't fair! We'll tell the manager!"

"Like he'll listen to you!" Ritchie snorted. His distraction caused him to lose his ball. "GAH!" He yelped when the little screen on the backboard said "GAME OVER". He angrily whirled on the young boy. "You little brat! Look what you did!"

"Ron, knock it off!" A female voice snapped at him. Ritchie turned his head and saw a young black woman staring at him with a frown on her face. Her hair was in beaded braids. She wore a red polo shirt with "Angus's Pizza" written on it in white lettering, and a pair of blue jeans, covered by a white apron. She tapped her sneaker-covered foot. "You've been hogging that machine for the past three hours."

"Aw come on, Shanice..." Ron groaned. "I nearly finally beat the high score!"

Shanice rolled her eyes, the beads crackling with the movements of her head. "Ron, get out." She jerked her thumb at the door. "Let the kids play with the machine."

"Shanice, I have to practice. I'll never be a champion pinballer if I don't get to practice."

"There's no tournaments going around here, and they got pinball video games. Go home."

"Fine." Ritchie grunted and stormed out, muttering under his breath. Shanice and the boys watched him leave. The young woman then turned to the boys with a smile on her face.

"Here you go, kids." She pulled some quarters out of her pocket and gave them to them. "On the house. An apology for him."

"Thank you." The boys thanked in unison, then went to play on the pinball machine. Meanwhile, Ron had left the pizza place.

"They're lucky that the pizza here is good and cheap..." Ritchie muttered. He walked down the street. The young man noticed that the sun was going down.

Why's it going down so fast...oh right, it's fall. Days're getting shorter. He continued on his way. He was long used to the way his little town in upstate New York seemed to completely go dormant in the evenings. He sighed and kicked a can that was left on the sidewalk. "If I had my own pinball machine, I could practice. Sure, video games are good, but it's not the same."

Throughout his whole life, Ron Ritchie had been a pinball fanatic. Ever since the age of six, when his parents let him play in a mall's small arcade. He had found an old pinball table there. Star Trek: The Next Generation. The table was over 25 years old, but it awed the boy's young mind.

He would eventually learn of PAPA, the Professional and Amateur Pinball Association. It became his dream to win the World Pinball Championship. But it was hard to achieve such dreams in this small town. He managed to make it to his home, a mid-sized house covered in blue vinyl siding.

"Friggin' Reynolds boys..." He grumbled as he waked towards the house, only to knock into a woman.

"Ack!" She yelped as she fell to the ground.

"Ah, geez!" Ritchie gasped. "Sorry about that!" Where'd this woman come from?!

"It's alright." The woman smiled as Ritchie helped her up. "I wasn't paying attention."

"I guess I wasn't, either." The blond man smiled. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks." The woman assured. "Does something trouble you? You look a bit distracted."

"Yeah, just thinking about those bratty Reynolds boys." The man answered. "They wrecked my pinball practice."

"Ah, I see." The woman nodded. "Well, maybe you shouldn't hog the table."

"Yeah, but..." Ritchie shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't afford a real pinball table, and the one in the pizza place is the only table in town. I want to be a real-life Pinball Wizard, and I need the practice."

"Well, that doesn't mean you should be selfish with the table." The woman advised.

"Yeah, yeah." Ritchie waved it off. "You sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you." The woman said. "You have a good night."

"Uh, thanks." Ritchie walked into his house. Unbeknownst to him, the woman watched him go inside, with an amused look on her face.

Boy should learn to share... Her eyes started to glow a sickly green...

The night was a quiet one for Ron Ritchie. He made himself some dinner, and put on a movie. Gremlins 2 was a personal favorite film of his, and since Halloween was coming up, he thought it was a good film to get into the season. Afterwards, he went to bed. Curled up under his warm covers, he dreamed his dreams of pinball glory. In the night, a wispy green cloud started to form over him and cover him...

"Uhn..." Ritchie groaned as he held his head. "I swear I didn't drink last night..." He felt something odd under him. "Wha-? This isn't my bed..." He tried to get up, but bonked his head on something. "Where...where am I?" He felt around. "What's going on?!" He saw that he was surrounded by darkness. "Where am I?!" He continued feeling around, and found he was inside a sphere. "What is this?! Shanice?! SHANICE?! Is this one of your pranks?! This isn't funny, girl! Come on!" He banged on the sphere's walls. "Come on! Let me out of here!"

"Hey, let's play some pinball!" A voice yelled. The young man recognized it. It was Don Reynolds.

"Yeah, that jerk Ron isn't here!" Ritchie heard Dan Reynolds say. "We can finally play at this table!"

"Huh?" Ritchie blinked in confusion. "Uh, guys? I'm right here! What's going on?" He heard the sound of a plunger being pulled. "What?"

WHAM! 

"GAH!" Ritchie yelped as he felt himself get knocked by the plunger. "WHOAAAAAA!" His eyes widened as he realized what he was seeing. "Oh, no..."

Ping! Ping! Ping!

"WAH! HEY! OW!" Ritchie yelped and screamed as he got battered around in the pinball as it bounced around on the table. "What's going on?! Help me! AGH!"

Don happily played the pinball game. He glanced at his twin brother. "Hey Dan!"

"Yeah, Don?"

"It's kind of nice not having that Ritchie jerk hogging this table."

"Yeah, it is."

A grin spread on Dan's face. "Hey, Don! You wanna se if I can bet Ritchie's high score?"

"Heck yeah!" Dan laughed. Dan chuckled and continued playing. "Man, I wish I could see the look on Ritchie's face when he sees this..."

"AGH! OH MY FACE! HELP ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Ritchie screamed as he got bounced around inside the pinball. "DON, WAIT! I'M IN HERE, YOU MORON!" Outside, the woman that Ritchie encountered last night smiled as she watched the boys play through the pizza place's window.

"Have a Happy Halloween, Ronald Ritchie..." She chortled as she walked away.

NWA Powerrr Episode 3, My Thoughts

It's that time again! Time for me to give my thoughts on the third and newest episode of NWA Powerrr! I've been really enjoying this little wrestling show lately. If you want to look at my thoughts on the last two episodes, you can find them here: Episode One and Episode Two. I suggest you watch the show before reading this, to avoid spoilers. It's an hour long, but I breezes by.

Recap time!

Ouch! Kamille is a trooper.

As I said last time, this storyline has places to go, but it does look like they're doing a heel turn for Aldis.

Eddie Kingston needs to switch to decaf.

Let him fight!

I want to see Eddie and Homicide fight the Dawsons in Cornette's house! Mess it up real good!

Match #1 - Marti Belle vs. Crystal Rose

Starting with a women's match! You may know Marti Belle from Impact Wrestling and appearing in the first Mae Young Classic.

Makes sense Marti gets the win. She's the more famous wrestler.

Good promo from the Dawsons. They want to fight, let's go!

I've heard of Thunder Rosa, but never saw her wrestle before.

Oh, here comes Mr. Hollywood Aron Stevens! And he looks like an extra from an Errol Flynn Robin Hood movie!

If you're not Captain Morgan, then why are you dressed as him?

OH GOD, THEY MADE A FAKE TRAILER! THAT'S HILARIOUS!

That movie looks bad. And not in the 'entertainingly-bad' kind of bad.

Match #2 - Caleb Konley vs. Dan Parker

Battle of the wild jackets! Parker's wins due to excessive fringe.

Fun match.

What will be next for Tim Storm? After all, he can now never challenge for the NWA championsuip again. And all he wanted was to be champion again.

Respect seems to be a theme here for the NWA. Kingston's blabbering about it, Tim Storm showing respect to Aldis...

Heh. Mama Storm.

Eli's got a point, Tim. You're in a great brotherhood.

Form a tag team with Drake? It's something to consider, Tim. Nobody said you couldn't go for the tag belts...

Ohhhh, dear...

This hair cream sounds like some cheap toy you can order off the back of a Silver Age comic book!

Here comes Josephus! Does he want another piece of James Storm?!

Oh, Colt Cabana. Why do you want the angry drunken James Storm to come after you?

Josephus is a jerk.

HERE COMES JAMES STORM! LAST CALL!

Good thing Cabana has Anderson watching his back.

That vignette was weird.

Looks like Tim Storm has accepted the offer!

Main event time!

Match #3 - Eli Drake and Tim Storm vs. The Dawsons.

Drake and Storm are a good team.

Homicide and Kingston still have unfinished business with the Dawsons. And the show is ending with Aldis checking on Storm. It looks like they're keeping him between being a good guy and a bad guy for now.

This was another good episode, a bit more segment-based than match-heavy like previous ones. I like that the Aldis/Storm thing is affecting other storylines, making the show seem more interconnected. The show just breezed by like the last two episodes. I still wish the some of the wrestlers had entrance music, but I'm getting used to it. An enjoyable episode. Can't wait for episode four!

Action Comics Annual #1 (1987)

It's October, which means it's the month of Halloween. The time when the demons, ghosts, ghouls and goblins come out to play. Where the barrier between the land of the living and the world of the undead is at its most permeable. The Man of Steel and the Dark Knight live in a world where monsters are real, and not just of the human variety. These monsters can have powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, and they prey on humans simply because they can. In this little tale I'll talk about for Halloween, the two mighty heroes find themselves crossing paths with such a monster. How do they handle the situation? Let's find out in my review of Action Comics Annual #1!

The cover is a bit basic, but it is well-drawn. It's an Art Adams and Dick Giordano piece. There's not a lot to say about it, really. It's just Superman and Batman posing, with bats behind them. That's literally it. The only thing that hints about what's going on in the cover is the "Cry Vampire!" text. The bats could also be considered a hint (as bats are associated with vampires), but it could also just be Batman being a diva again.

"Skeeter!"
Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: Art Adams
Inker: Dick Giordano
Colorist: Petra Scotese
Letterer: Albert DeGuzman
Editor: Mike Carlin
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins with an angry mob, complete with torches (but strangely no pitchforks) chasing someone through a swamp in the dark of night. They're desperate to catch their quarry. But who are they chasing?

"Ah knew Ah shouldn't have put that whopper cushion on the Mayor's seat!"

I am amazed they got away with blatantly putting Mr. Peanut on her shirt. The young woman (whom the mob have dubbed Skeeter) unintentionally leads the mob towards her home, which scares her. She's already in danger from these men, she doesn't want them to get her family. Skeeter draws the mob away, and jumps in a lake to hide. The men give up the chase, as they'll never be able to get to her before sunrise. The mysterious blonde is able to make it to her home, lamenting that she feels so weak and tired.

Skeeter starts to cry, lamenting she should have never left home. But her parents wanted her to see the big city. Get an education, make something of herself. But she learned all she needed to here, especially thanks to what the mob did to her parents.

Yeah, you can bet something strange is going on here. I mean, Skeeter's parents are clearly Deadites! Three days later, a car pulls up to a diner in a town called Fayerville in South Carolina. The diner is open, so maybe the occupants can get some grub.

"This Bat-Stache not only makes a great disguise, it makes me look extra manly!"

Yeah, it's Bruce Wayne, wearing a fake Magnum P.I. mustache. He remarks the town looks like it got stuck in the 1950s. The other occupant is a woman named Carson. She wants to find a mechanic, as her car broke down. A disguised Bruce was passing by, and was unable to fix her car there. As such, being a nice guy, he drove her to town. With her heading out, Bruce is going to find himself some information.

He heads into the diner, asking for a hotel. He notes that Fayerville is not the friendliest place in the world, almost as if the town is paranoid about something. This gets Wayne's instincts flaring. That night, he changes into his Batman togs and checks out the town. He notices that Fayerville is...sleepier than your average sleepy town. When people are out, they're never alone. Always in groups or pairs. Like they're watching each other's backs. Batman hears a scream from an alley. The Caped Crusader heads towards the noise, and finds Miss Carson dead.

"Aww man, Mr. Carson is going to kill me..."

Her throat's been torn open and she's been completely drained of blood. Batman has seen this before. Back in Gotham. He had been investigating a series of murders with this same exact modus operandi over there. A local mob spots Batman and thinks he's the killer. The Dark Knight isn't into fighting civilians, and he's in no shape to defend himself anyway. The Bat has been going for three days with practically no sleep. He tosses a smoke grenade. The Caped Crusader's got to swallow his pride and get some help for this one. He hacks into a telephone line and calls the Daily Planet.

Clark Kent is on the other end. Batman asks him to contact Superman (he was unaware of Supes's secret identity at this point). To prove he's genuine, he uses the codeword "Magpie". This is a reference to The Man of Steel #3 (November 1986), which depicted the first meeting between Superman and Batman in Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths canon. Magpie was the villain they fought together in that comic. Clark Kent sheds his suit and flies to Fayerville. Batman climbs down from the telephone pole and spots Skeeter coming towards him. She believes that he's here to save her. Her parents have told her he'd come. He wasn't able to save Skeeter's parents, but she'll be safe with him.

That panel is hilarious just because of Batman's face. He looks genuinely confused. Superman arrives in Fayerville. Using his X-ray vision, he notices that even at 4 A.M., people are wide awake...including the children. It's like they're on the lookout for something. The Man of Steel heads for the local sheriff...where he observes a sharpened stake under his desk.

"Oh Rao, I arrived at a Van Helsing family reunion..."

This gets the Man of Steel really confused. Supes asks if Batman's been in touch with the sheriff, but the sheriff isn't even aware the Bat is in town. The deputy is suspicious of Superman, but the sheriff is like, "Shut up, Barney Fife! He's Superman, not a vampire!" Yup, this town's got a vampire problem!

Meanwhile, Skeeter takes Batman to her home. He notices that the places looks like it has been abandoned for years. The blonde shows the Dark Knight her mummified parents. He yelps out "Good Lord!"...and it makes Skeeter freak out. The sheriff takes Superman to the local hospital. He shows Superman a padlocked pair of doors that are also protected by armed guards. It's because there's something he needs to see in that room.

There are bodies in that room. Lots of bodies. Skeeter realizes Batman is not who she thinks he is. The Caped Crusader notices his head is feeling fuzzy...and it's not from his lack of any real rest over the last three days. His body feels heavy. Skeeter is doing something to him. He's gotta get out. He smashes his way through the wall of the house and seemingly drowns in quicksand. Skeeter believes maybe no one is coming to help her. That she's going to have to go it alone.

Superman and the sheriff hear a noise. The Metropolis Marvel notices that the bars on the window are broken. Superman goes to contain the problem while the sheriff gets the National Guard. Skeeter is calling her children...and she wants them to wreck stuff.

Superman believes the people in the ward have not become vampires yet, so there's still a chance to save them. Their wrecking the town helps Superman with a way to stop them. Step One: He gathers all the sleepwalkers in one place, and uses his superspeed to set up a wall of hard air around them. Step Two: He gathers up the bricks from the buildings they damaged and constructs a physical wall around them. Step Three: Profit.

The Man of Tomorrow had noticed there was a bit of a chill in the air lately. And that chill has intensified.

"SSSSUPERMAAAAN...LET ME HUG YOUUUUU..."

She introduces herself as Elly Mae Skaggs, but folks around here call her "Skeeter". It's then when it all comes together. You see, "skeeter" is a colloquial term for the mosquito. And what do female mosquitoes feed on? Blood. Skeeter is a vampire. I've read this story before, but it was only recently that the "Skeeter" connection occurred to me. And since she's a supernatural being, she can harm the Metropolis Marvel, which she shows when she's able to slash his chest.

Her strength and speed is a match for the Man of Steel's. She also can mess with his head like she did with Batman's. She tries to go for his neck. She's close. Very close. But someone stakes her right in the heart from behind.

When Skeeter wanted steak, this was NOT what she had in mind...

A dying Skeeter is shocked. Didn't the Bat drown? Well, not exactly. Batman claims he survived because if you stay calm, you can swim in quicksand. I think that's sort of accurate. I looked it up, and here's what I got. Humans are less dense than quicksand, so it's impossible for a human to sink completely in if they stay calm. Thrashing will make a person sink further. The way to escape is to move the legs slowly, and get your body in the supine position (floating horizontally with the face and torso facing upwards). Also, you ever see quicksand suck people into it in movies? That doesn't happen in real life. Real life quicksand does not work that way. The more you know.

Superman thanks Batman for saving his life, and Batman's like "Yeah, a Kryptonian vampire's no good for anybody". Also, Supes should get those chest scratches cleaned. Preferably with holy water. That shouldn't be a problem. It's a South Carolina town. There's likely more churches there than people.

In Gotham City, we got a grave-digging party going on! Well, not exactly. They're digging up the previous victims of Skeeter. Commissioner Gordon is shocked that someone who looked as young as Skeeter could do this. Batman states that she was no young girl. Before he left Fayerville, he did some checking around, and he found the birth certificate for Elly Mae Skaggs.

Elly Mae Skaggs was born on April 16, 1865. Two days after Abraham Lincoln was shot. She and parents became vampires over a century ago. Gordon is grateful it's all over, but Batman still has one loose end to tie up, hence the graves of Skeeter's victims being dug up. They can become the undead as well. And well, Batman has had his fill of vampires.

"Next time I have to deal with this vampire garbage, I'm calling Blade."

The Bat has some nice stakes for them, and I'm not talking about the food.

This annual was awesome. It's a great story for Halloween. It's really cool seeing the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight joining forces to battle a monsterous vampire. It's a great challenge for Superman as he's just as vulnerable to supernatural forces as any human being is. It's also is a nice change-up for Batman. After all, Batman is mostly known to be fighting regular human criminals (or the occasional psycho supervillain/metacriminal).

Skeeter can be seen as a dark mirror to Superman in a way. Both of them are non-human beings who resemble humans. But whereas Superman dedicates himself to protecting humanity and genuinely cares for the people of Earth, Skeeter just sees humanity as literally food. She is a vampire, after all.

Skeeter is also an opposite of Batman in a way. With his garb and tendency to prowl around the shadows of the night, I can imagine some criminals believing he's a vampire. After all, Alexander Knox in the 1989 Batman movie once said that there were rumors that "he can't be killed. They say he drinks blood". I love that movie. Despite that, Batman...is a man. With human limitations. But also a great empathy for his fellow man...when written well at least. Skeeter at first glance is a cute little Southern girl who seeming wouldn't hurt a fly. But under her cute façade is a ruthless monster.

Art Adams brings some great art to the table for this. One detail I really loved as the way he drew Skeeter's face. At first, she looks very cute and disarming, you wonder why the people of Fayerville are chasing her. As her true nature becomes more apparent, she grows more and more monsterous in appearance. It's a little detail I really liked. Also, I can't believe they blatantly got away with having what clearly is Mr. Peanut on Skeeter's shirt. How did they avoid getting sued?

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend hunting down the 2013 trade paperback Superman: A Dark Knight Over Metropolis. It collects this story as well as a mystery tale featuring the two heroes. I highly recommend it. "Skeeter" is a great Halloween tale, and I highly recommend it if you want to get in the mood for the holiday.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! I hope you all have a happy, fun, and safe Halloween! Next time, I think we'll hang out with the Gotham Guardian a little longer, as he continues his psychological battle against the mad Hugo Strange...

Cat Quest II Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Last month, I gave my thoughts on the announcement trailer for Cat Quest II. I remember being excited for it, as I love the original Cat Quest. I was happy to see that we were getting another adventure in the world of Felingrad. And it was going to do some world-building with the introduction of the Lupus Empire. That's great! Well, the launch trailer is here, so let's take a look!

"Who are you?" "Who are you?!" You'd think two kings would be at the very least aware of each other.

I love the music, and the game looks just as adorable as its predecessor.

"The purrfect RPG". Heh heh heh.

The gameplay was very fun in the first Cat Quest. I can imagine it's just as fun here.

I think, as I said last time, the dog is more inclined to sorcery than the cat. It would be neat if a player can decide which one to play the main quest, so you can play in your preferred way.

I'm glad the game is getting such praise. It looks so good.

"Ultimutt power." Ohhh, the puns...

This game seems to have a "don't fix what isn't broken" mentality. That's good. There was a lot to like about the last game.

There's not a lot I have to say about this trailer. It did get me excited for this game! It looks like it will be so much fun! I have to go finish the first one sometime, so I can play this one!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, please spread it around! See you next time!

Stranding Sails Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

In just a few short years, the Nintendo Switch has gotten itself a massive library of games. It encompasses a variety of genres. It includes brand new games and re-released classics. I myself just recently got The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors, an enhanced remake of the SNES game The Ninja Warriors. I am terrible at it.

One game that has caught my eye is Stranding Sails, an indie open world game. Let's take a look at the launch trailer!

Sailing, sailing, over the bounty main...that's how it goes, right?

You may be shipwrecked alone on an island, but at least you're not dead, sailor. That's good.

Pretty island, though.

Yeah, people had to have been on this island before. How else would treasure chests have ended up here?

I like exploring. Exploring is fun.

Farming and cooking. It's like Stardew Valley...on an island.

Fishing!

I wonder if different recipes give buffs, like Breath of the Wild. I've got to play that again sometime. I kind of hit a wall with that game.

I like that your character can find their crew. It would stink being alone on an island.

Hmm, more to this island than just palm trees, huh?

Ghost pirates! Call Scooby-Doo!

I have to say, this game reminds me a lot of certain other games I have played in the past. That's not a bad thing, tropes are a thing after all. I also like the look of the game. This game seems like a nice little time-killer if open-world action-adventure farm-simulator village-builder games are your thing. I'll give this a try myself.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Final Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in April, I gave my thoughts on the teaser for what would become the ninth main entry in the Star Wars series. The film would become known as The Rise of Skywalker. Well, the final trailer has come out, so let's take a look!

Ah, the jungle. Peaceful, quiet...and can be hot and sweaty.

Run, Rey! RUNNNNNN!

Nice cut there.

Yes, Finn. Those pancake stacks are really that big.

Is Rey aware "Run Through the Jungle" is just a song.

Wow, the Resistance recovered quick. But yeah, I can imagine the First Order has really ticked off a lot of people, so they would have no problem finding recruits.

Hey, Rose Tico! Glad to see she's recovered from the injuries she got in The Last Jedi.

Looks like Rey is on some defensive barrier on the sea. A very angry sea.

"Rey, I'm cold, I'm wet, and there are space wolves after me! Let me inside!"

Ooh, big space glacier.

Wow. That's some throne. Can't be that comfortable if it was made of rocks.

Was that Palpatine's voice? I heard his laugh in the last teaser. Will we be seeing him in some form in this movie?

Wait, was that Star Destroyer in the ground?! Those things can burrow?!

That's a lot of ships.

"Hey guys! Ready for some ADVENTURE?!"

Hey, a lightsaber fight at sea. Kudos to this trilogy for giving us a variety of backdrops for lightsaber fights.

That's not a boat, dude.

Wait...is C-3PO gonna die?

Aww, Leia... Yeah, October 21st was Carrie Fisher's birthday. That's why this trailer was released today.

I love this version of the Star Wars theme. It's so grand, operatic, and triumphant.

Space horseback riding!

That is going to be one incredible space battle.

"The Force will be with you. Always." I love that Luke and Leia say it together. The Force will be with them.

I am insanely hyped. This looks awesome! I can't wait to see this movie! I loved the last two, and this one looks to be great as well! I know this saga is going to end with a bang!

NWA Powerrr Episode 2, My Thoughts

Last week, I gave my thoughts on the premier episode of the National Wrestling Alliance's new YouTube show: NWA Powerrr. I thought it was an enjoyable episode. It updated the old-school studio-style wrestling show for a new modern audience, and showcased some talents that many in the mainstream had never seen before. I did have a couple minor nitpicks, but nothing major. It was an enjoyable hour of rasslin', and I was excited for the next episode.

And now that it's here, let's take a look!

Like the recap idea. Helps refresh the memory of those who saw the last episode, and helps new viewers not feel lost.

Let her talk, Aldis!

Again, love the these song choice.

I like the title belt pins the announcers wear. I wonder if they'll sell those on their site or something.

Well, when you put the announce desk near the ring, things are going to happen around it.

Aron Stevens. You may know him as Damien Sandow in WWE.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, sure you did, Aron.

I see that he's going to do some Hollywood gimmick.

Match #1 - Trevor Murdoch vs. Ricky Starks

It's great to see Trevor Murdoch again.

It's still so odd to me to see wrestlers not have theme music in their entrances.

It seems to be a theme with Cornette, whining about "kids" wrestling and "showbiz". Whatever, Cornette. Whine, whine, whine.

Ricky Starks gets the win, showing what he can do. I also like Ricky on the mic. He's great. The veteran Murdoch putting him over. And the showing respect from Murdoch was a nice twist.

This is my first time ever seeing Colt Cabana. And his tag partner is MISTERRRRRRRRR ANDERSON! ...ANDERSON! That makes three former WWE guys on this show.

Match #2 - Mr. Anderson/Colt Cabana vs. Sal Rinauro/Jordan Kingsley

Hey, it's Sal Rinauro! Remember him from last episode? Evidently after the beating he took at the hands of the Dawsons, he decided to go find himself a new tag partner.

And evidently the new partner did not help end Sal Rinauro's losing streak. Maybe next time.

Aldis coming off a bit heelish here.

And we get another insane commercial from a former wrestlers. Waffles and tire irons? That's awful specific.

Eddie! Too close to the camera, buddy!

Match #3 - NWA Women's Champion Allysin Kay vs. Ashley Vox (Non-Title Match)

Hey, a women's match! I did think the first episode of this show should have one.

Is it just me, or does Ashley Vox resemble Zendaya a little bit? She played Michelle "MJ" Jones in the last two Spider-Man films.

"Six Pounds of Silver" would be more appropriate, Cornette. Considering that belt is silver and white in color.

OW, THAT CHOP.

That was a good match.

Yeah, Tim Storm would be speechless. I mean, he can never get another shot at the NWA title again, and considering his age and how badly he wanted that belt back...he has some emotions to work through.

And here comes James Storm, NWA National Champion!

Yeah, that belt needs a redesign. I know it's the old-school design, but I think it looks goofy.

James Storm is a redneck and he is proud of it. And he's clearly an angry drunk. :P

Oh, that Eli Drake. Buttering up our resident angry redneck. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to get that Ten Pounds of Gold, even call in a favor.

I love this Austin Idol commercial.

Match #4 - NWA Tag Team Champions The Wild Cards vs. Kingston/Homicide (Tag Team Title Match)

Eddie Kingston looks like a low-rent Shield cosplayer in that vest.

What a suplex from Kingston!

Clever counter to that sunset flip.

Mr. Kingston, watch your language!

Kingston clearing house!

GET THE DAWSONS OUT OF HERE!

Interesting interview there. It gives me the impression that Nick Aldis is slowly becoming more of a belligerent jerk. Nice character work done there. It's also interesting that when Kamille is given the chance to speak, she doesn't say a word. This is open to interpretation. It could mean that Kamille is naturally not much of a speaker, or maybe she's afraid to speak her mind. There are possibilities here.

I admit, I'm not much of the type who analyzes wrestling matches. I enjoyed them though, and I was happy that they managed to fit in a women's match. NWA is showing they have a deeper talent pool than expected, and like last episode, the hour just breezed on by. This was a good episode. Can't wait for episode three!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around!

Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #10 (February 1985)

The Secret Wars rage on! Last time, we saw the heroes attempt to stop Galactus from consuming the Battleworld they were on so he can temporarily satiate his endless hunger. Having succeeded, the World-Eater is forced to draw upon his own ship for the power he needed. But Dr. Doom was hoping for that. Using pieces of the being of living sound known as Klaw for lenses, Doom stole that power and used it to turn himself into a cosmic being, powerful enough to take on the Beyonder himself. So, how will that epic battle fare? Let's find out in Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars #10!

The cover is pretty awesome! A Mike Zeck and Terry Austin piece, it focuses squarely on Doctor Doom. It makes sense as he is arguably the main character of the issue. He's on one knee, but stands defiant, his armor in tatters and fists glowing with power. It shows his character rather well. It's a great cover.

"Death to the Beyonder!"
Writer: Jim Shooter
Penciller: Mike Zeck
Inker: John Beatty
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins with the heroes watching Galactus consume his ship.

However, they also witness the energies heading for Doombase. Remember Doom's little power play in the last issue? It's coming to pass here. The heroes head towards the base to find out what is going on. As a beam of light, the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel is able to scout ahead and discovers what the mad Latverian is up to.

"Geez, when Doom wants a tan, he goes all out!"

Doom's plan is a success. But he discovers that the power comes with a heavy price. His every whim, every stray thought can become reality.

"Richards spiked Doom's brownies!"

Doom fights to get his mind under control, to avoid a disaster. He discovers his senses have grown, and he has gained a form of empathic ability to sense the thoughts and desires of the supervillain prisoners in the Doombase. This power allows the tyrant to discover Captain Marvel spying on him. The heroes realize the Captain is in trouble. They rush off to help her, but discover something wrecked their ship. But that's no problem. Magneto is with them, and being the Master of Magnetism, he's able to get the ship going.

Captain America comments that Magneto lives up to the hype about him. Of course, Magneto has to act all snooty about it. He thinks Captain America is intimidated by his power. Magneto has clearly decided to lodge his head up his butt for the trip. Wolverine joins Magneto in the "head-up-butt" party, getting in Cap's face about how mutants live in persecution. He whips out his claws and the other heroes break it up. I'm reminded of something Spider-Man once said to the X-Men in Ultimate Spider-Man #67 (December 2004):

"God! You know why people hate you? It's not because you're mutants!! It's because you're all a bunch of @#$@#$ $@$%@ ##@$!!"

It was a pain getting that grawlix right. And the link is nothing. Don't worry about it.

Mags and Wolverine certainly are proving Ultimate Spidey right here. After that moment of pointless tension, we go back to Doom. The Latverian tyrant is doing some thinking. The Beyonder said that whoever wins the Secret Wars will be granted their fondest desire. But now Doom has the power to literally wipe the others out with a wave of his hand. What could the Beyonder possibly give him that he can't get himself? And what other challenges are left for him in this universe now? Maybe...the Beyonder himself?

Klaw advises against this, comparing the cosmic being to the biblical Goliath. Doom, however, is not the type of man to settle for being second place in anything. And Doom points out that Goliath had a David. And David defeated Goliath with a slingshot. All Doom needs his own slingshot.

Remember, Secret Wars started as a toyline. So, it makes sense that the comic would have Doom change up his look to match a toy at some point. The heroes burst into the Doombase and discover he's gone. Spider-Woman finds Monica Rambeau frozen in the form of a light statue. They also find Klaw's head. Klaw's alive, but that's because he's a being of living solid sound. He can't be killed in the conventional manner. An explosion rocks the base, and Klaw explains that the Latverian madman is using a new device he created to steal the power of the Beyonder.

Reed Richards finds a monitor, which allows him to discover that Doom and the Beyonder are in combat. It also allows him to spot the body of Galactus. Reed then comes up with a plan: bring the World-Eater to Battleworld and revitalize him. Why does he want to do this? Reed believes they need Galactus to stand a chance of stopping Doom. The Doombase gets rocked again. Reed gets pinned under the monitor, but Ben Grimm is able to get him out. Things are not looking good for our heroes. They're way outmatched, She-Hulk and Mr. Fantastic are injured, chaos is erupting, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

The Hulk finds another monitor, and Colossus asks him to check up on Zsaji's village. They're not doing so well, and Zsaji herself is hurt. Colossus alerts Johnny Storm, but Johnny's more worried about Reed at the moment. But another quake rocks the planet. The clash between Doom and the Beyonder is literally consuming the universe.

I bet somewhere, the Anti-Monitor is looking at this and going "Yeah, that part of the multiverse is consuming itself, I'm not needed here." Doom's attack is waning, but the armored maniac refuses to give up. There has to be a way, as far as Doom is concerned.

Thus, he appears to the heroes in the collapsing Doombase. I like that Doom spins some utter horse hockey to the heroes about him winning. Dude, we saw you getting beat like a government mule! He asks the heroes to help him take the Beyonder on. Magneto agrees, but Iron Man and Hawkeye stop him. Doom vanishes, and Hawkeye gets in the X-Men's faces about it. For Pete's sake... Captain America worries that this action just may have doomed the universe.

With the Lateverian tyrant down, the Beyonder then enters Doom's mind and learns about him. He learns of Doom's youth as a Roma in Latveria, the death of his mother Cynthia (who was a local healer), his discovery of her collection of supernatural and scientific secrets, and the fated experiment that scarred his face. This is stuff that is expanded further upon in Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962), Fantastic Four Annual #2 (September 1964), Astonishing Tales #8 (October 1971), and Books of Doom #1-6 (January-June 2006).

The Beyonder finds the things Doom desires: Power, as vengeance for the cruelty of fate. Freedom, for the spirit of his mother who is trapped in Mephisto's netherworld...which he would get in Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (July 1989). Restoration, for his ruined face. This only makes the Beyonder more curious, and he begins to pull apart Doom's body. Doom tries to fight back.

Back on Battleworld, Doombase is falling down like London Bridge. The heroes evacuate, while Captain America and Wolverine free the confined villains. But it's only a reprieve. Battleworld is shaking itself apart. This looks like the end...or is it?

The shaking stops. Everything is quiet again. It seems as if the universe was stabilized. A big burst of light comes to the heroes, and something forms within it.

DOOMZILLA!

Doc Doom's been eating his vegetables. He's also clearly in the mood to pick a fight with Godzilla. But he shrinks down to his normal size, and takes off his mask. Doom has been reborn, the Beyonder is slain. The Secret Wars are seemingly over.

Well, this issue was really cool. Doom is clearly the central character in this issue. We got to see exactly what made Doom one of the Marvel Universe's most popular supervillains: His willpower and determination, as well as his sheer ego. That was honestly the strongest part of this issue. I did wish we still got to learn more about Spider-Woman, though. The mini-series is almost over, but we barely know anything about her. Look how Crisis on Infinite Earths handled the Kimiyo Hoshi Dr. Light. We saw her origin, and she got an arc. Poor Spider-Woman is just...there.

Mike Zeck's art does its job for the issue. My favorite panel he drew in this issue is when Doom discovers the extent of his newfound cosmic power, everything warping around him to show his armored face. It's a panel that makes sense as it shows the depths of Doom's ego. Ultimately, the Latverian madman only loves and admires one man: Doom himself.

This issue really ratcheted up the fear for the heroes, as they already have to deal with the X-Men being jerks. The Beyonder may be powerful, but at least it was known that he did not seem to favor the heroes or the villains. Doom being an all-powerful cosmic being...yeah, the heroes know what kind of man he is, and that is really scary. Finally, Doom becomes a kaiju briefly, and that's just awesome.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! Join me next time, where in honor of Halloween, we're going to join Superman and Batman as they encounter a child of the night...

A Hat in Time Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2017, digital storefront Humble Bundle released the Gears for Breakfast-developed game A Hat in Time. The game was inspired by classic 3D platformers like Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Spyro the Dragon. The game told the tale of a little girl known only as "Hat Kid". Hat Kid must help defeat a planet's Mafia while trying to collect her lost "time pieces", little magical hourglasses powering her spaceship so she can return to her home.

The game would get critical praise, as well as become a sales smash. It has sold over one million copies by December 2018. Originally released for PCs, it has gone on to hit the PlayStation 4, Xbox One...and now, the Nintendo Switch! Let's look at the launch trailer!

Don't you just hate it when someone just busts in through your window? Hat Kid's learned just what it's like to live in the world of an action movie.

That safe does not seem very reliable if the door just busts open from some wind.

This game looks cute.

That's a big slab of beef. Ah well, fun twist on the iconic Indiana Jones scene.

Your Mafia must be terrible if it can be taken down by a little girl wearing a big hat and wielding an umbrella. You know, as a kid, I had an idea for a video game that involved the main character using various umbrellas for things.

Let's all take a ride on the train!

Hat Kid getting some payback for her window.

They're her hourglasses, ya jerk!

I like the idea of having different hats giving different abilities.

I'm reminded of some old 3D platformers looking at this. Which makes sense.

It would be neat if the outfits and hat flairs gave little bonuses, like being able to take an extra hit or can double jump.

The time rift levels make me think of Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy for some reason.

And free DLC! Nice!

Co-op? Awesome! Play with a friend!

And of course, the trailer ends with Hat Kid dancing on a Roomba.

Well, this game looks like a lot of fun. I think this one will definitely be on the list of games to try out. I hope there's a demo.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Text Play: Pokemon Zeta #2

Hello, and welcome back to the Vesryn region! This is the second entry in my Text Play of Pokémon Zeta!

Like with the first entry, I want to warn you that I will be spoiling this game, and I recommend playing it yourself first. You can find the link to download it in the game's wiki right here. Okay, with that out of the way, let's do this.

Last time, we started our adventure here in the region in an unusual manner for Pokémon games: In the middle of a terrorist attack by Team Olympus. After the player obtained a starter Pokémon (Magby), we were on our way. We stopped off at Zarivar Town, did a fetch quest, got a Horsea (another one of the game starters), and then checked out Nagarex Forest, where the collecting of Pokémon started. Gotta catch 'em all, after all. Finally, we arrived at Superior City.

Superior City is a bigger city than Zarivar Town. It has an actual Poké Mart, and a Pokémon Center. It's a pretty little city. It's also the first city in the game to have a Gym. Finally, there is this really neat landmark here.

According to the old man with a Cubone, a legendary Pokémon with rainbow wings died there a long time ago. Hmm, a legendary Pokémon with rainbow wings. Gee, I wonder what Pokémon he possibly could mean?

In front of the Pokémon Center in town, there's a chef who has a Munchlax that he wants to get rid. Considering how much they eat, and what they can evolve into, I don't blame him. Thing is, he wants a Beedrill in exchange.

I think he wants the Beedrill because he regularly uses honey in his recipes. I know it's possible to catch wild Beedrills in Nagarex Forest, but they're hard to come by. Only a 1% encounter rate. Man, I love playing a fangame that actually has an informative wiki. Speaking of Nagarex, remember the shrine there? Well, there's a man nearby that teaches Pokémon the Headbutt attack.

I decided to go back and visit him. On the way, I got into a wild double battle with a Paras and a Pineco. Pineco is a rare encounter here, so I HAD to catch it. Vulcan easily fried the Paras. Pineco's Protect attack was annoying, but Katie was able to damage it. Vulcan's Flame Body ability managed to burn it. I used my Dusk Ball to catch it (I was playing at night here, so it was more effective then). Welcome to my collection, Pineco.

Upon talking to him, he freaked out a little bit, screaming that he didn't want to be found. Why is he so worried about that? Is he some kind of criminal on the run? Anyway, he offers to teach a Pokémon of mine Headbutt. I agreed, and he taught it to my Rattata. I'll have to headbutt some trees here later. You can get certain Pokémon from headbutting trees.

With that done, I decided to explore Superior City some more. The Gym here in town specializes in Fighting-type Pokémon. That's a twist. You see, in the original Red and Blue, your starter Pokémon's effectiveness against the first two Gyms were sort of a difficulty meter for the game. The first two Gyms in the game specialized in Rock and Water-type Pokémon. Bulbasaur was great against those two Gyms, so it was the Easy mode. Squirtle was good against the Rock-type, but not much against the Water-type Gym, so it was Medium. And Charmander was no good against either, so it was the Hard mode.

Superior City does have two entrances to some places, but they are blocked off. The entrance to Route 302 is blocked off thanks to some joker somehow placing a big rock in front of the entrance!

How did that even GET there? Did a Pokémon do it? We'll need an HM called Strength to move it. Yeah, Hidden Machines. I've grown to hate these things. There is a guy selling one, but it's...very expensive. Prohibitedly expensive. Hoo boy. There's also an entrance to a place called the Wonder Cave in this town, but it's also blocked off by a police officer.

Yeah, an actual police officer. It's a surprise to me, too. The officer explains that someone called the Legend Researcher is working in the cave, and does not want to be disturbed. That's fine, I gotta prepare for the next gym, anyway. There's a building in front of the Gym that I'm assuming is his lab.

The man in front of the door asks me to go into the cave and find the Legend Researcher. He went in there with a man named Devon. Who is Devon, you may ask? Well, Devon is the Gym Leader of this town. He explains some shipment has arrived, and the Researcher will know what that means. Yeah, that totally does not sound sinister.

Also, see that old man on the bench in the screenshot? Talk to him. He'll ask you which type of Pokémon you like: Fire, Water, or Electric. He'll give you an evolutionary stone based on which type you like.

The screenshot shows another man who looks...a bit green. Literally. It's a simple fetch quest here. Just get an Antidote from the PokeMart and give it to him. There's a neat touch here. When he begs for the antidote, his dialogue is green-colored. It's a funny little detail. You get TM06 (Acid) in return. I wonder how he got sick in the first place. Did he try to hug a Beedrill?

Anyway, remember the guy in front of the lab asking us to get the Legend Researcher and Devon? Well, we can go to the Wonder Cave now. I'm guessing that cop decided to take a coffee and donut break. But first, a bit more exploring to do. Next to the Poké Mart is the building that houses the Pokémon Battle Club. It's exactly what it says it is. A club where members battle Pokémon. I can imagine the club dedicates itself to sharing battle strategies and stuff like that. The two guys with the Rattata and Zigzagoon have been battling for three days straight.

Yeah. Three days straight. It's battles like this that are the reason why officials should have rules about Pokémon battle length. Remember my pointing out that there's an HM for sale here, but it's expensive? Well, I found the man who will sell me the Strength HM I need. How much is he charging exactly? A million dollars. Yeah, evidently the currency in Vesryn is the dollar. That leads me to wonder. What exactly is the currency in the Pokémon universe called? I don't think it was ever given a name. I'm getting off topic. Does he really expect me to pay that much money for a Hidden Machine.

Yeah. Right. No way. That's not happening. The people having their Pokémon battle hint that the reason the battle has gone so long is because their Pokémon are so evenly matched. They mention that someone called the "IV Changer" can help them. You may be asking yourself, "What's an IV"? Well, "IV" is short for "Individual Value". Think of them as the "genes" of a Pokémon. Every Pokémon has IVs. These help determine the stats of a Pokémon. IVs are the reason why wild Pokémon of the same species can have different stats.

For example, say you capture two wild Zigzagoons, both at level 3. When you look at the stats of those two Pokémon, you may notice that one is slightly faster, but the other is slightly stronger. That's because of IVs. This is the basic idea. There are other factors, but that's not really important for casual Pokémon players. There are people out there who do deliberately breed Pokémon to produce ones with the best IVs. But again, if you are a casual Pokémon player, this is not stuff to worry about. Ultimately, the Pokémon games are about building bonds with your Pokémon and growing with them. IVs are just a mechanic that only really hardcore Pokémon players think about, in my experience. The IV Changer's home is right near the Battle Club.

I wonder how he changes the Pokémon's IVs. If a Pokémon's IVs are like its genes, does that mean he does gene therapy on it? I turned down his offer, because I tend to not worry about that stuff. There is something that caught my eye in the room. See that Drowzee in the corner? The boy in the room (I'm assuming that's the IV Changer's relative, like a grandson or something), remarks that his Psyduck and that Drowzee are having a playdate. Aww. The boy fears the Drowzee's mother may have forgotten about them, and asks me to remind her. There's also an Ancient Tome in the potted plant.

...Remember that Hypno we met in Nagarex Forest? Well, Hypno is the evolved form of Drowzee. And that Hypno was female. It would make sense if she was the Drowzee's mother. Well, time to head back to Nagarex Forest and give her the news. When I did, she seemed to really cheer up a bit. She even thanked me. This Hypno is telepathic, and is evidently smart enough to communicate with humans. She's so thankful she even does me a favor. Remember that guy who wanted to overcharge me for the HM Strength?

She vanished, likely using Teleport, and then returned...with the HM04. I guess she stole it from the overcharging jerk. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! TAKE THAT, SCALPER!

Well, with that obtained, we can move that rock and get out of here. But wait! Don't we still have something to do here first? Yes, we have to go to the Wonder Cave and find Devon and the Legend Researcher. Can't let that guy down...despite my nervousness. Thanks, Mt. Snarlet. When we enter the cave, there's a ladder to the next floor. The second floor is dark. Very dark.

Yeah, you'd need another HM called Flash. What a pain. Well, it's not so bad. Thankfully, this cave is nowhere near the nightmare that Mt. Snarlet was, so you can get through it. Also some handy items here. There are a bunch of Trainers here to battle, which is quite handy to grind up your team. There's also more Pokémon here to catch. Between this cave, the routes, and Nagarex Forest, you can collect quite a few Pokémon early on, and build a good team practically right away.

The cave's Trainers include a Pokémon Ranger, who basically is watching over the area, protecting the environment. Is Wonder Cave a protected area? Oh dear...Anyway, she tells me I can become an honorary Ranger in a place called Kivu Town. I'll have to look into it when I get there.

Like in "official" Pokémon games, you can find some items in this game. Here is an IV Stone...

And right here is TM70, aka Flash!

It's interesting that Flash was seemingly "demoted" from an HM to a TM. I can't help but think that this is a shot about Flash being only useful in a couple places in the original Red and Blue. The TM comes with a note basically explaining what the move is and what it does. I'm not complaining, as I personally always found Flash to be rather useless.

I continued exploring the inside of the Wonder Cave. I battled a couple of ninjas. Well, self-proclaimed ninjas, I'm assuming. And near them, there was an area of the cave that made me very grateful for that Hypno.

In case you're wondering, the item there is a Dolly. The Dolly can be used in place of HM Strength. It's something I love about this game. You can get items that you can use instead of the HMs. I made my way through the cave, until I got to Devon and the Legend Researcher. They're messing with a rock.

They think there's something in the rock...which considering this a Pokémon game, is not completely implausible. The rock is heating up. The Researcher thinks I'm doing it...because reasons, so he has me put my hand on the rock. What a great scientist he is. The rock turns into an Unown. The 'P' version. The Researcher claims that Unown only show themselves when there's great power around, so he thinks I have a bright future as a trainer. I tell him his package had arrived, and he suggests I go to Fianga City. The Researcher says he has a friend who has a lab there...named Wilson.

Wait a minute, back in the first entry of this Text Play, my mother mentioned someone named Wilson. Could that be the same person? Anyway, Devon suggests I tackle his Gym...he'll give a better challenge than the Unown. I have to beat Devon to leave here, as I can use the Strength HM when I do.

I'm not too worried about facing him. He specializes in Fighting-type Pokémon. I have a Pidgey that knows Gust, and my Butterfree and Dustox both know Confusion. Gust is a Flying-type attack, and Confusion is a Psychic-type attack. Both Flying and Psychic are strong against Fighting Pokémon.

When I first enter the Gym, I found myself invisible.

Yeah, Devon believes in finding and understanding yourself before fighting others. Hence, you're invisible. I wonder how that works? I get that in the world of Pokémon games, technology is more advanced in certain ways than in the real world, but I want to know what allows Devon to turn me invisible.

So, how do I become visible again? Well, I have to find four flowers. ...I think Devon is trolling me. Thankfully, the flowers are easy to find as they are not invisible. One of the Black Belt trainers remarks that it must be hard to find the flowers while invisible. That's hilarious. I can still see the flowers. They aren't hard to find. I'm the one who is invisible, not them.

After you find the flowers, Devon himself will take you on.

He has three Pokémon:

1st Pokémon: Machop (Lv. 10) - defeated by Katie the Pidgey.
2nd Pokémon: Riolu (Lv. 15) - defeated Katie. Lilly the Petilil defeated it with Sleep Powder/Absorb/Leech Seed combo. Devon used two Potions, but they did not help in the end.
3rd Pokémon: Meditite (Lv. 12) - Defeated by Lilly. Lilly used Sleep Powder/Leech Seed/Absorb combination again. Meditite had Sitrus Berry, which restored some HP.

With that, Devon is defeated. He gives me the first badge of the Vesryn region: The Discipline Badge. I also obtained TM31: Brick Break. I also can use the Strength HM outside of battle. Which means I can go grab that Dolly in the Wonder Cave and enter Route 302. And I think we'll stop there for today.

So far, I am really enjoying this game. As I said last time, it already feels more polished than Pokémon Mega Adventure ever did. Got a couple of nice simple side quests to start out. Nagarex Forest and the Wonder Cave provide a variety of Pokémon to capture and train. I got over 20 different Pokémon already.

There's also some pretty amusing dialogue from the NPCs and the trainers you battle in this game. For example, I battled a Pokémon Ranger that lamented being in a love square. Who would have thought being a Pokémon Ranger could be so scandalous, ha ha. Devon wasn't too bad, you just have to grind up some Pokémon. Luckily, the game does make it possible to get a Pidgey and Butterfree early on, (also Petilil in my case), so you'll get a good fight in. I can't wait to continue my journey through Vesryn! 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Pokémon Obtained:
(Negarex Forest)
- Ledyba
- Shroomish
- Pineco
- Mankey
- Butterfree (evolved from Metapod)
- Kricketot
- Dustox (evolved from Cascoon)

(Wonder Cave)
- Makuhita
- Geodude
- Roggenrola
- Cubone
- Whismur
- Machop
- Unown (P)