Parts 1, 2, and 3 can be found in this same subreddit at the links attached. Hopefully this part will live up to the insanity that inspired me to write about it!
There are…so many things that happen between 1988 and 1994 in one discipline of figure skating it is near comical. With Soviet domination of ice dance near assured during this era, the focus shifts from who will win to instead question how fast the Soviet dynasty can fall apart. The answer? Well…I guess you’ll have to see.
With Bestemianova/Bukin and Wilson/McCall opting to go to the pro ranks after their Olympic medals in 1988, Klimova/Ponomarenko seemed the de facto leaders of ice dance. Natalia Dubova now not only coached Klimova/Ponomarenko but also a married couple making their international debut in Maya Usova/Alexander Zhulin. The new rink situation pit the 2 couples against each other as each aimed to become the top couple in the world.
No one could deny Klimova/Ponomarenko in 1989 though. Skating to “Mack the Knife,” Klimova/Ponomarenko skated to victory with a more humorous and friendly free dance to expand their horizons. According to the media of the time though, this new styling for them wasn’t as beloved as their previous work. However, no one could deny their technical ability as they took the ice.
Their countrymates Usova/Zhulin nabbed the silver medal with a free dance skated to dramatic classical music. Usova/Zhulin were a team that felt like they encapsulated everything Dubova had ever aimed to bring to the ice. They floated across the ice in ways that only Klimova/Ponomarenko could sometimes achieve. They also had brilliant matching lines that Dubova liked to emphasize through her choreography. They tended to skate in a hold that had Usova in front with Zhulin wrapped behind her, consistently close together. Their gentle, lyrical skating made them a quick favorite for fans of the sport.
The Duchesnays improved from 8th at the Olympics to grab the bronze in 1989 on home ice in Paris. The Duchesnays were…the best way to describe them is that they’re the proto-French ice dance team. Their free dance was set to an instrumental version of Eleanor Rigby, and told the story of dreams and reality, where Isabelle represented dreams constantly being brought down to Paul’s reality. The Christopher Dean choreographed program was…noticeably easier in difficulty compared with the Soviets, featuring less holds overall and more lifts that took Isabelle off the ice. However, their eccentric concepts made them another crowd favorite in these years.
In 1989, Dubova also put together another Soviet team to compete against her top 2 skaters. Evgeni Platov, a 3-time World Junior champion, had just placed fifth in the world with his former partner before their split. Oksana Grishuk, coming off a World Junior title herself, moved from Natalia Linichuk’s school to pair with Platov after she split from her partner. The 2 began skating together in the summer of 1989, making Dubova the sole coach of the top 3 Soviet teams. What could possibly go wrong?
The 1990 season saw all 3 Soviet teams compete for the podium alongside the Duchesnays and, surprisingly, an American team who slipped up to 4th: Susan Wynne/Joseph Druar. For Wynne/Druar, it was the highest place finish for an American team since Blumberg/Seibert were still skating. Their free dance to “Hit the Road Jack” was a tribute to tap dance. Their style was distinctly North American, similar in style to that of Wilson/McCall, in that the woman appeared stronger on ice rather than the dainty appearance of women like Marina Klimova and Maya Usova (think Madi Hubbell compared with Gabi Papadakis for a more recent example). This style, wherein the woman was an equal on ice to her partner, was not popular with the judges of the time, so acted more as a precursor to the North American style than as a legitimate podium threat.
Klimova/Ponomarenko earned a second World title in 1990 skating to “My Fair Lady,” now fully bought into the idea of the one concept free dance but still maintaining the classical switching of rhythms within that one concept, marrying the traditions of ice dance with the post-Torvill/Dean landscape. Best described by the commentary of the time, Klimova/Ponomarenko were technically unmatched by their peers, even as their free featured less holds than had been their norm. However, their prowess still took the cake as they walked away with a second title.
The Duchesnays improved on their 1989 placement by earning silver in 1990. Skating to their first iteration of “Missing,” Isabelle and Paul truly embraced the avant garde. Dean gave his now girlfriend and her brother choreography that was simpler and easier to perform but striking in its repeated poses and lifts to make an unbreakable impression on the audience and judges, earning them first in the free dance. On a more…aesthetic note, this is the first time in my write up that I’ve seen a dress that looks like the skirt was shredded, which is just a fine precursor to the horrors of costuming to come.
Usova/Zhulin grabbed the bronze with a sophisticated tango to Piazzolla selections (naturally). Usova/Zhulin improved on their lyrical style to incorporate more speed and sharpness to their movements, which drew more attention to their matching body lines. However, the tango was far easier than their free dance the previous year, featuring more side by side skating rather than close holds. And in their senior debut as a pair, Grishuk/Platov earned 5th place with a free dance using music from “Zorba the Greek” (I truly wish I was joking). But regardless of the odd music choice, Grishuk/Platov were known for their skating skills, arguably the strongest of the next 8 years. While this free dance certainly didn’t show that off, the promise of the senior pair was apparent from the moment they stepped on the ice.
All good training rinks must carry with it insane amounts of drama though, for this is ice dance. And stuffing the top Soviet teams under one coach was bound to implode at some point. It was during this time that Dubova started to favor Usova/Zhulin for the Olympic gold in Albertville 1992. And with it, better program ideas. This came to a head when Klimova/Ponomarenko slipped to a silver medal in 1991, behind the Duchesnays. And that’s truly where the bubble burst.
The Duchesnays had an interesting season, debuting their Reflections FD which was actually a program originally meant for Torvill/Dean’s professional career before being scrapped and given to the Duchesnays…which should tell you all a lot about both Dean and the insanity that was this FD, where Isabelle and Paul were made to look like mirror images of each other. The free dance received a lukewarm reception, causing them to scrap the FD for the amateur ranks and instead opt for a second iteration of their “Missing” FD, aptly titled Missing II. Outrage from fans on behalf of Klimova/Ponomarenko was apparent, as the Duchesnays’ repeated lifts and tricks were inherently easier than the skating that Klimova/Ponomarenko were doing. But the lack of Dubova faith and the judges’ love of Christopher Dean worked in the Duchesnays’ favor.
Klimova/Ponomarenko skated to “Lawrence of Arabia,” entering the free dance in a surprising 3rd place after the original dance (OD), which had by now supplanted the OSP. After being behind Usova/Zhulin in the compulsories and behind both the Duchesnays and Usova/Zhulin in the OD, Klimova/Ponomarenko needed near perfect scores to retain their title. They would not get it. The pair attempted to expand their horizons even further with a more dramatic piece of music; Klimova/Ponomarenko put more emphasis on their lifts, which were vastly improved. But some media felt that they had lost their inherent qualities that identified them in favor of trying to prove their range. This would become a major sticking point in the Olympic year.
Usova/Zhulin meanwhile earned bronze at these Worlds, elegantly skating to “Variations” from Andrew Lloyd Webber. The couple’s lyrical and emotional interpretation entranced the audience in watching the leaders after the OD. Of course, Usova/Zhulin couldn’t hang onto their lead in the end, which really should’ve acted as effective foreshadowing of not only their competitive careers but also what was happening behind the scenes with their rinkmates Grishuk/Platov, who had placed 4th in the same event.
The summer of 1991 was absolute ice dance chaos. In a span of a few short months, all of this happened at once:
· Klimova finds out Dubova is giving preferential treatment to Usova/Zhulin. She cries in front of a Russian sports journalist.
· Andrei Bukin goes to Tarasova, begging her to take on Klimova/Ponomarenko so that they aren’t shut out of a gold. Tarasova agrees, and Klimova/Ponomarenko flee Dubova.
· Christopher Dean gets married to Isabelle Duchesnay and vows to choreograph them to Olympic glory (they later divorce in ’93)
· Alexander Zhulin, 28, begins his infamous affair with Oksana Grishuk, 19, putting a strain on the Usova/Zhulin partnership on and off ice. The affair becomes Grishuk’s fault in the media.
· The Soviet Union falls, leaving the Soviet skaters without a country to represent for a year
And those are just the heavy hitters boys and girls! Truly, an offseason to remember.
Tarasova took on Klimova/Ponomarenko and attempted to steer them toward gold amid heavy competition from Dean’s Duchesnays and Dubova’s Usova/Zhulin. A strong polka OD had Klimova/Ponomarenko in a comfortable lead going into the free dance, where they performed a lyrical and transcendent program to “Air” by Bach. The pair looked statuesque as they floated over the ice. Granted, the program had about as much substance as your average show program. But man if the couple didn’t make it look good. It was a return to form in a lot of ways for the pair, returning to their more classical roots but now with the experience of having done more dramatic works and being able to incorporate that emotion back into a lyrical program. Tarasova had her second Olympic gold medal winning team in the span of 2 Olympics, adding to her already storied career in ice dance (having led a pair to an Olympic medal in 4 of the 5 competed events at this point).
The Duchesnays settled for silver in a home Olympics in Albertville. Their free dance was set to the music of “West Side Story,” with the pair portraying the sibling duo of Tony and Maria (thank God). In a lot of ways, it was a call back to Dean’s past World title winning free dances based around Broadway musicals. And the choreography was meant to call to mind the intricate choreography of the musical, including some of the first instances of the reverse lifts naturally. However, the easier skating choreography caught up to the Duchesnays and their free program placement suffered for it. Hard to consider it a skating program if most of the dance was spent in the air or side by side.
Usova/Zhulin entered the ’92 Olympics incredibly strained. This was only exacerbated when Zhulin gave Grishuk his wedding ring for her to wear during the compulsories, to which Usova understandably lost her cool. With that in the back of their minds, it’s truly a wonder that they pulled through for a bronze medal. Their “Four Seasons” free dance was meant to tell the stories of two statues coming to life. Which seems apt for a couple whose chemistry had about as much warmth as two statues. Grishuk/Platov earned 4th place with a more modern free dance. It’s…very 80s, I don’t know how to describe it. But it was obvious that their partnership was finally flourishing in a way that their promise had predicted. Which is naturally the perfect time for more insanity to come between them.
After a Soviet podium sweep at Worlds, the summer of ’92 saw Zhulin and Grishuk’s affair escalate during the show season. Everything really hit the fan when Usova caught Zhulin and Grishuk at a restaurant together and “saw Grishuk sipping a margherita at a bar, came up behind her, grabbed her hair and smashed her head against the counter.” And although Usova later apologized, Dubova had had enough and expelled Grishuk from her camp for getting involved with Zhulin. While Grishuk headed back to Moscow, Dubova attempted to pair Platov with a young Tatiana Navka, who would’ve been around 17 and representing Belarus following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Ultimately though, Grishuk returned to former coach Natalia Linichuk and Platov followed, restoring their partnership before the 92-93 season.
The Soviets, now officially representing the newly reformed country of Russia, maintained their absolute stranglehold on the discipline. With Klimova/Ponomarenko retiring to focus on the pro circuit and starting a family as well as the Duchesnays’ retirement, all medalists slid up the rankings, with Usova/Zhulin finally earning their gold medal on the backs of a sultry blues free dance that kept the audience spellbound and where they pretended that they were into each other for 4 minutes.
As if to contrast the gold medalists, Grishuk/Platov skated to a more violent blues, which is admittedly one of my guilty pleasure skates. The free dance told the story of toxic lovers, even incorporating choreography where it looked like Platov was choking Grishuk. Their skating earned them their first medal at Worlds, a silver. And they also started to find that their strength was in the dramatic, even if they don’t go back to it for several years. It is at this time that the media picks up on the former Grishuk/Zhulin affair, but only mentions it during Grishuk/Platov’s programs.
Inter-country politics began early when Alla Shekhovtsova advocated to the judges for Anjelika Krylova and her former partner Vladmir Fedorov, coached by Linichuk, to be sent to Worlds in 93, threatening their judging careers if they put their competitors Elena Kustarova/Oleg Ovsiannikov in front. Naturally. Krylova/Fedorov were sent by one judge’s vote and earned a bronze at Worlds. Krylova was known for her amazing leg line, but this free dance doesn’t really do them justice on that end. After Krylova/Fedorov earned a medal in their debut, American and Canadian media started to become frustrated with lack of results from their ice dancers, insinuating that their lack of results was strictly because of the flag next to their names. In the ‘94 offseason, Krylova/Fedorov would break up and Ovsiannikov would be lured by Linichuk to pair with Krylova.
A little further down the standings, Susanna Rahkamo/Petri Kokko dazzled with a free dance to Valse Triste. The fourth place finishers were crowd favorites known primarily for their slow, methodical, lyrical dances. An innovative couple, their choreography featured harder lifts as well as well placed switching in height. However, their programs were often not as technically difficult as the Russians even as the passion on ice touched the audience.
In the 1993 offseason, a change was made to the rules for professional skaters, stating that those who took money from doing shows could still compete at the amateur ranks. The news was huge, allowing many of the skaters who had been held to professional competitions to compete again for an Olympic title. The biggest name to return to the ice, of course, were Torvill/Dean. Just about 10 years after their win in Sarajevo, Torvill/Dean were determined to earn another Olympic gold. But in the 10-year interval, a lot had changed about ice dance.
After Dubova refused to allow RusFed to see Usova/Zhulin’s programs ahead of the Olympic season, Russia silently started to get behind Grishuk/Platov. On top of that, Usova found out about Zhulin’s affair with a 19-year-old Navka around the Olympics. Navka’s then-partner found out and beat Navka for the affair, before Usova and Zhulin’s mothers started beating each other. So, Maya Usova was distracted to say the very least.
The competition also disallowed classical music for the free dance that year, instead opting to go more modern to appeal more to the audience. Torvill/Dean publicly worried about whether their routines would be suited to more modern music.
With all that happening, the Grishuk/Platov, Usova/Zhulin, Torvill/Dean showdown started in full swing at the European championships, when Usova/Zhulin won the compulsories, Torvill/Dean won the OD, and Grishuk/Platov won the free dance. It was the closest ice dance competition in history at that point and left many wondering who would ultimately take home the Olympic gold, even as Torvill/Dean came home with the European title.
The event lived up to the hype. The first compulsory, the Starlight Waltz, was won by Usova/Zhulin before Grishuk/Platov won the blues compulsory (which is absolutely gorgeous by the way, please watch it) and began to build their reputation as the best compulsory skaters of their generation. Torvill/Dean, unfortunately, looked a bit like their age in the compulsories that Olympics, coming up third in both. However, their rhumba OD was sensational and encapsulated the best of them, including their obvious chemistry on the ice. The original dance placed first in the segment, with Usova/Zhulin in second and Grishuk/Platov in third. The final placements would come down to the free dance.
Torvill/Dean would perform a free dance to “Let’s Face the Music,” which read a bit like a greatest hits free dance, incorporating choreography from some of their more famous programs. While the program did feature closed holds when skating, there was also a ton of lifts and tricks incorporated into the choreography, which seemed controversial among the judges. Usova/Zhulin competed with a free dance based on circus acts. A more humorous routine than their past entries, the free incorporated technical difficulty effectively but was a tad bland, which is truly a feat given what the program was supposed to be emulating. Ultimately, it came up short in their final Olympic competition.
Grishuk/Platov carried away the gold with a controversial free dance to “Rock Around the Clock” (also, side note, the spelling of Grishuk’s name as Grichtchuk in the video I’m looking at is just so obscene it needs to be mentioned). What was the controversial part of this free dance you ask? According to the rules of the time, all dance couples needed to be in hold for a certain amount of time during the free dance. Many media outlets and Torvill/Dean themselves felt that Grishuk/Platov did not meet the required amount of time in hold, to the point where Torvill is attributed to saying that “if the judges wanted a show program, we could’ve given them a show program.” The judges, however, loved the free dance, even giving the team four 5.9s in technical merit and a 6.0 in artistic impression. And so the team that nearly split just two years prior were walking home from Lillehammer with gold medals in their hands. And Linichuk finally earned a second gold medal, this time as a coach.
At Worlds that year, Rahkamo/Kokko earned a long-awaited bronze after 8 senior seasons at Worlds. A French couple, Sophia Moniotte/Pascal Lavanchy earned the silver. And so ended an overwhelming era of ice dance. But as skaters like Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz, Tatiana Navka, Margarita Drobiazko/Povilas Vanagas, and Elizabeth Punsalan/Jerod Swallow waited in the wings while Canadian and American media lamented the lack of variety at the top, only 1 thing could be stated for certain: the chaos that is ice dance was sure to continue far past 1994.

Introduction:
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I am not a very smart person, my capeabilty to learn new subjects is very low. However I am determent. I have been learning since 2017, all I managed to so far is to be able read hiragana and katakana flawless and have like a basic understanding of grammer. I am now going through RTK, I decided to learn 4 new kanji everyday, each for 30 minutes by writing it 120 times and understanding mnemonics and primitives being provided in the book. First thing I review all of the previouse kanji in the index making sure I understand and remember their meaning. Than I focus for 30 minutes on a new kanji (2 hours daily)I am not in hurry and it would probably take year and a half to finish the book.any tips? Things I should look out for?

I've taken the practice NBMEs probably 3 times now and got a 19 on the first and 20 on the next two. The problem is that it's been almost a month apart. Our shelf is next week and getting kind of nervous.
Any last minute things I need to do to push my score up in the last week? I've finished Uworld but haven't reviewed much/any of it. Still have a good bit of anki left and haven't touched amboss or emma holiday/divine intervention/pestanas.
Where do I go from here?

After lusting after a colorblock Puzzle for years, the 6/18 sales finally pushed me over the edge. This is my first high-tier bag purchased directly from a seller, and part of my aim with this review is to share a bit of my experience with those contemplating their first serious rep. Thank you all for your awesome contributions to this community — you got me to this point on my bag journey!
Disclosure
I did not receive anything in return for this review.
Seller
Anna
Contact Info
+86 189 1648 7573
Price
1550 - 200 = 1350 CNY
Shipping
280 CNY for FedEx shipping to USA via Hong Kong
Timeline
5/29/2023 - Contacted Anna via WhatsApp and paid the same day via PayPal F&F 5/30/2023 - Received PSPs 6/1/2023 - Received FedEx tracking number 6/5/2023 - Received bag!
Pictures
Factory Photos
PSPs
My Photos with modshot - I’m 5’11 / 180 cm tall, US size 8 (sorry about my dirty mirror)
Authentic
Quality - 9.25/10

• -0.5 - Zippers - both zippers on this bag look great, but they are rather brittle and fussy to open and close. I don’t know if this is characteristic of this hardware color for the auth bag - purely a quality deduction.
• -0.25 - there is a teeny tiny spot on the front of the bag where it looks like the black edge pigment on the largest front panel ran a bit out of lines, or the brown pigment is chipped. Not noticeable at all unless you’re scrutinizing the bag and likely within auth QC bounds. Photo of this in the My Photos album.

This bag is a work of art! The construction is dead on — it slouches but holds its shape, the panels are perfectly spaced, the stitching is flawless outside and in. The hardware feels weighty and high quality. No fufu smell. Setting aside the rep of it all, this is a very well made bag and I think it’ll be a workhorse.
Accuracy - 9/10

• -0.5 - Leather - the leather on this bag is noticeably dry to the touch, and does not feel like the authentic bag.
• -0.25 - Dimensions - this bag is slightly taller and has a shorter handle than the auth. Neither impacts the overall affect of the bag imo.

Auth dimensions: 11"W x 7"H x 5”D, 15” handle, 46” crossbody strap Rep dimensions (measured along bottom edge): 11”W x 7.25”H x 5” depth, 14” handle, 45” crossbody strap
I have manhandled many Puzzle bags in boutiques, department stores, duty frees, and pretty much any time I see one I’m allowed to touch, and the biggest callout for me on this bag is the feel of the leather. Loewe leather is buttery soft and this bag is noticeably drier and stiffer than any auth I have handled. The crossbody strap is crimped where it was folded for shipping and has not been receptive to being reshaped because of how dry it is, but we’ll get there.
Otherwise, the attention to detail on the rep-relevant components of the bag is fantastic. The colors, logo placement, interior lining, and even the number of stitches on the interior tag are dead on. The zippers and strap are branded even in subtle places. I especially love the hardware on the cross-body strap.
Rep Satisfaction Rating - 9.5/10
At less than 10% of the current retail price for auth, I really can’t complain at all about the quality of rep here. It is visually stunning and feels high quality, even if different from the auth. The sticky zippers and kinks on the strap are the only things I’d change, and I think I likely will be able to with conditioning.
Seller Satisfaction Rating - 10/10
Anna is not the warmest nor fuzziest texter but was prompt and no-nonsense in her replies. She sent great PSPs before I’d even asked for them. As a first time buyer, I felt a lot less anxiety than I expected to with how quickly she moved through the process and how much she kept me in the loop.
Cost Performance Ratio - 9.5/10
For $189 USD, I’m very happy with this bag. I bought the medium size in hopes of using it as a personal item carry on after an ancient PU tote bag I got at Nordstrom Rack in high school bit it during my last trip, and I think it’ll be great for that purpose. It’s large enough to fit a water bottle, book, wallet, and travel documents while being small enough to carry as a day bag on vacation. For how much use I’ll get out of this bag, I feel like the cost was well justified. The only performance issue I can see myself getting annoyed with is the zipper, but hey, I wanted a bag that would keep my stuff secure in the airport. If I can’t get in, no one can!
The Wrap Up - 8/10
I don’t live near a Loewe boutique, but I would have no qualms wearing this bag around Nordstrom and perusing this season’s Puzzles. It helps that it’s a discontinued, but not fantasy, colorway; it feels like I can get away with a lot more since it’ll never be directly compared to the same model in store. The difference in leather texture from the auth would likely keep me from letting an SA handle it.
In all, my experience buying from Anna was very different, and in many ways better, than buying through an e-commerce site. This bag is leagues higher quality and more beautiful than the bags I’ve bought from AliExpress and I’m glad to have gone with a high-tier rep for such an intricate, architectural style. It was slightly nerve wracking to send my money into the abyss over PayPal with no guarantee of getting anything in return, but the process of contacting a seller and hashing out details was a lot easier and faster than I’d expected, and over all I found the process a lot more transparent than ordering through AE. Being able to actually track my order via FedEx was a game changer from holding my breath for EMS to (probably never) update, and it's nice to have all communication in one chat. I'm sure it won't be like this every time, but it's nice to know it can be.
Now that I’ve been through the process once, I feel a lot more confident about stepping into the rep big leagues. I am super pleased with this bag and will be impatiently awaiting the 11/11 sale.

Professional makeup artists possess a unique skill set and artistic flair that can elevate your beauty to new heights. Professional makeup is a game-changer for special occasions, photoshoots, and everyday confidence. This essay will discuss why hiring a professional makeup artist can enhance your inherent beauty.
The Benefits of Professional Makeup Artists
Professional makeup artists can improve your beauty regimen and appearance. Key benefits:
Expertise and knowledge: Professional makeup artists are trained in the newest trends, methods, and products. They can create gorgeous looks for your skin tone, face shape, and features.
Customized Makeup Application: Every person is unique, and professional makeup artists excel at creating personalized looks that enhance your natural beauty and highlight your best features. They can produce a subtle, elegant look or a big, dazzling change that matches your vision and style.
High-Quality Products: Professional makeup artists use premium-quality products that are specifically designed for longevity, performance, and a flawless finish. These products are often not readily available to the general public, ensuring a professional touch that lasts throughout the day or evening.
Time and Stress Savings: Hiring a professional makeup artist saves you time and relieves the stress of achieving the perfect look on your own. They have the knowledge and tools to apply makeup flawlessly and quickly, so you can rest and enjoy.
Confidence Boost: Professional makeup artists have the ability to enhance your natural features, correct imperfections, and boost your confidence. Well-applied makeup may make you feel confident, gorgeous, and ready for anything.
How Professional Makeup Artists Work
When you hire a professional makeup artist, they will typically follow a well-structured process to ensure the best results:
Consultation: The makeup artist will have an initial consultation with you to understand your preferences, the occasion, and any specific looks you have in mind. This helps them customize the makeup application to suit your individual style and requirements.
Preparation: Your makeup artist will clean, moisturise, and prime your skin to create the perfect canvas.
Application: Using their expertise and artistic skills, the makeup artist will carefully apply the makeup, paying attention to details and working with precision. They will highlight your eyes, lips, and other face features and produce a beautiful complexion.
Finishing Touches: The makeup artist will complete the look with final touches, such as setting the makeup, adding highlights and contours, and ensuring long-lasting wear.
Guidance and Tips: Professional makeup artists often provide valuable guidance on makeup techniques, products, and maintenance to help you maintain your look even after the application is complete.
Conclusion
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Bloodhunt Launches with 3 Hunters, 6 Hunted, 4 maps and more.
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HUNTED:
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The Scarecrow
Difficulty: Moderate
Movement Speed: 4.6 Meters Per Second
Heartbeat: 24 Meters
Height: Moderate
Power: Lantern of Fear
Perks: Fear of Reality, Kill Streak and Skewered
Starter Add-ons: The Face of Fear Mask and Broken Light Bulb
Prestige 1: Kill 5 Hunted with a +25% Fear Bar
Prestige 2: Kill 10 Hunted with a +50% Fear Bar
Prestige 3: Kill 15 Hunted with a +75% Fear Bar
Full Prestige: Win 10 Matches where every Hunted is killed with a Full Fear Bar
Add-on Count: 14
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Lantern of Fear
The Lantern of Fear can be used on any survivor. While using the Lantern of Fear you are slowed down to 4.3 Meters Per Second. The Hunted can be put into 4 tiers of Fear. Upon reaching a new Tier The Hunted are immune to gaining more fear for 10 seconds.
Hunted Tier 1: The World becomes Orange, making everything much hard to see
Hunted Tier 2: Hallucinations randomly appear walking. From this point onwards the Hunted slowly gain more fear whenever they aren't near any other survivor
Hunted Tier 3: A distant Heartbeat is heard
Hunted Tier 4: Every Time The Hunted see each other they will scream. A Constant Heartbeat is heard.
Interacting with a Hunted survivor who is in a lower tier of fear than you makes you slowly lose fear. The Current Fear state of any of the Hunted is not revealed to the Hunter
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Perks
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Fear of Reality:
The Hunter's deep connection to the ethereal realm grants him unparalleled efficiency in wielding his powers.
Increases the efficiency of all powers by 5/10/20%.
"Fear not the darkness, for it is your own sanity that shall crumble before him." - Jonathan Blackwood, before succumbing to the madness of the fog
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Killstreak:
As the Hunter weaves their way through the fog, their malevolent presence disturbs the very essence of his surroundings.
This perk activates after injuring a Hunted Survivor while in chase. All of the Hunted within 4/8/16/32 meters of The Hunted Survivor in chase is revealed. This perk has a 60/30/15 second cooldown
"As the tally of his victims rises, so too does his insatiable hunger, an eternal hunger that feeds on your very essence." -Cirrus
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Skewered:
The Hunter's arsenal of terror expands with each fateful encounter.
Gain a stack every time you injure a Hunted Survivor, up to a maximum of 5 stacks. Each stack increases your lunge by 0.25/0.5/1 meters.
"In the clutches of the Scarecrow's grasp, time unravels, and reality warps into a twisted nightmare." -Cirrus
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Add-ons:
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The Face of Fear Mask:
Starter Add-on for the Scarecrow
The Face of Fear Mask, a haunting artifact in the possession of the Scarecrow, serves as a conduit for the embodiment of pure terror.
Upon a Hunted Survivor reaching tier 4 they become exposed for 20 seconds
Exposure makes any Hunted take 2 health states when hit
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Broken Light Bulb:
Starter Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Broken Light Bulb serves as a chilling reminder that no sanctuary can be found within the fog's enigmatic embrace.
Upon a Hunted Survivor reaching tier 4 they cannot use their item until they leave Tier 4
"The flickering light fades, shrouding you in darkness."
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Crow Reaper:
Common Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Crow Reaper, a foreboding implement affixed to the Scarecrow's lantern, beckons the dark forces of the avian realm.
Increases range of Lantern of Fear by 15 meters (25 meters)
"In the wake of my haunting presence, the crows gather, harbingers of your imminent demise" -The Scarecrow
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Crow Caller:
Common Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Crow Caller, a macabre attachment affixed to the Scarecrow's person, summons an unsettling entourage of spectral crows.
Whenever a Hunted Survivor enters tier 4 they gain a crow that screeches whenever they are within the Scarecrow's Heartbeat
"Beware the call of the crows, for they herald my approach" -The Scarecrow
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Lit Candle:
Common Add-on for The Scarecrow
Increases movement speed when using the Lantern of Fear by 0.3 meters per second. Decreases movement speed when not using The Lantern of Fear by 0.3 meters per second. Increases all Fog Stones at the end of the round by 100%
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Crow Invader:
Uncommon Add-on for The Scarecrow
A macabre charm fashioned from the feathers of dark, otherworldly crows, the Crow Invader radiates an eerie energy that resonates with The Scarecrow's presence.
Upon a survivor leaving any fear state they become exposed for 20 seconds
"Expose the trembling prey as they flee, and watch their hope wither in the mists." -The Fog, telling The Scarecrow his purpose
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Crow Killer:
Uncommon Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Crow Killer, a wicked contrivance of The Scarecrow's malevolence, embodies his desire to ensnare the Hunted Survivors within a web of terror
Reveals the aura of any Hunted Survivor in Tier 1 or higher whenever they complete a skillcheck for 3 seconds
"Every act of defiance shall be met with revelation. The crows bear witness to your torment, and their caws shall herald your impending doom." -The Fog
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Crow Feather:
Uncommon Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Crow Feather, a sinister artifact tied to the dark powers of The Scarecrow, shrouds him in a veil of stealth and deception.
Whenever a Hunted survivor enters tier 4 you become undetectable for 25 seconds
Undetectable removes the Hunter's heartbeat
"Silent as the wind's whisper, I tread upon your trembling dreams." -The Scarecrow
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Crow Meat:
Rare Add-on for The Scarecrow
Whenever a survivor enters a new fear state they gain the Blindness effect for 30 seconds
Blindness makes any aura not appear
"Feast upon the crow's cursed flesh and feel the world fade to darkness. In fear's embrace, your eyes shall betray you, lost amidst the shadows of your own despair."
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Crow Beak:
Rare add-on for The Scarecrow
Reveals the aura of all survivors within the range of Lantern of Fear
"Beneath the Scarecrow's gaze, no secret shall hide."
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Moldy Crow:
Very Rare Add-on for The Scarecrow
The Moldy Crow, a decaying relic steeped in The Scarecrow's dark powers, inflicts a sinister influence upon the Hunted Survivors.
Any Hunted Survivor within tier 4 becomes oblivious
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Crow Bone:
Very Rare Add-on for The Scarecrow
Once emerging from the Fog all Hunted Survivors start to gain fear up to tier 1.
"From the first step, your souls shall be tainted with fear, forever haunted by the specter of your impending demise." -The Scarecrow
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Iridescent Crow:
Iridescent Add-on for The Scarecrow
A cruel "present" from the Fog itself, serves as a mocking reminder to The Scarecrow of his past life and his eternal entrapment within its grasp.
Reveals the aura of any Hunted survivor whenever they enter a new fear state for 5 seconds
"Behold this Crow, a twisted jest from the Fog's cruel heart. It is formed from the very roots of the Fog, and shows that you are still a man compared to the Fog" -Cirrus
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Crow Wing:
Golden Add-on for The Scarecrow
Injuring a survivor who is in tier 3 or higher makes them broken until they are in tier 2
Broken means that survivor cannot heal
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Lore:
In the late 19th century, during the unsettling era of the Industrial Revolution, a small farming community nestled deep within the heartland of a forgotten country thrived under the care of a diligent and compassionate farmer named Jonathan Blackwood. As the crops flourished, so did the hopes and dreams of the townsfolk who relied on the bountiful harvest to sustain their humble lives.
Jonathan possessed an uncanny talent for tending to the land, seemingly blessed by nature itself. With his expertise, the fields yielded more than ever before, and the villagers marveled at the abundance of food that spilled forth from the earth. The sight of the flourishing crops enchanted the townsfolk, and their admiration for Jonathan soon transformed into something akin to worship.
However, as the seasons passed, the prosperity that once enveloped the farming community began to wane. The crops withered, livestock perished, and a sense of despair hung heavily in the air. Blighted by a mysterious blight that defied explanation, the town faced an imminent threat of famine.
Desperate to save his beloved community, Jonathan turned to the forbidden arts of the occult. Rumors whispered of his nocturnal excursions to ancient burial grounds, where he sought guidance from the spirits of the departed. Driven by his love for the people who depended on him, Jonathan was willing to do whatever it took to restore the land's fertility and safeguard their futures.
It was during one fateful moonlit night that Jonathan stumbled upon a hidden chamber within an ancient burial mound. Within its depths lay an ornate lantern, its ethereal glow pulsating with a sinister energy. Overwhelmed by a mixture of awe and trepidation, Jonathan cautiously reached out and touched the lantern, and as his fingers brushed against its surface, an unholy pact was forged.
The spirit that inhabited the lantern, a malevolent entity known as Mirage, sought vengeance for its own tragic demise centuries earlier. Empowered by the farmer's desperation, it offered Jonathan a twisted bargain. In exchange for the spirit's guidance and the restoration of the land, Jonathan would become the vessel through which the spirit would unleash its wrath upon the world.
Blinded by his desire to save his community, Jonathan accepted the wicked pact. In that moment, Mirage's essence seeped into his very being, transforming him into a grotesque amalgamation of man and spirit. The once kind-hearted farmer was reborn as The Scarecrow, a twisted figure shrouded in tattered garments and adorned with straw-stuffed limbs, his hollow eyes burning with otherworldly fury.
With the newfound powers granted by Mirage, The Scarecrow returned to his dying community. As he roamed the moonlit fields, the eerie glow of the lantern he now wielded cast long, haunting shadows across the barren landscape. The presence of The Scarecrow alone brought terror to the hearts of the townsfolk, as they realized that their beloved farmer had been irrevocably changed by dark forces.
No longer bound by the limitations of mortal flesh, The Scarecrow's malevolence manifested through the powers of the lantern. As he stalked his prey, the lantern's glow intensified, and an oppressive mist engulfed the surroundings. Within this ethereal fog, the Hunted found their senses dulled, their movements slowed, and their chances of survival diminished.
The Scarecrow reveled in the torment of his victims, deriving sadistic pleasure from their despair. The once benevolent farmer had become an embodiment of fear, a being who lurked within the mist, harvesting the souls of those unfortunate enough to cross his path. The townsfolk's worship had been replaced by fear.
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The Banshee
Difficulty: Hard
Movement Speed: 4 Meters per Second
Heartbeat: 32 meters
Height: Small
Power: Banshee Lunge
Perks: Banshee Scream, Lust for Blood and Death Immunity
Starter Add-ons: Crystal Ball and Timid Death Poster
Prestige 1: Kill 1 survivor with Banshee Lunge
Prestige 2: Kill 2 survivors with Banshee Lunge
Prestige 3: Kill 3 survivors with Banshee Lunge
Full Prestige: Win 15 Matches where the final kill was using the Banshee lunge
Add-on Count: 12
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Banshee Lunge
Banshee Lunge can be charged.
Base Range: 15 meters
Charged Range: 30 meters
Hitting a survivor with Banshee Lunge will injure them for 1 health state. Banshee Lunge counts as a Special Attack. Hitting a deep wounded survivor with Banshee Lunge instantly kills them.
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Perks:
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Banshee Scream:
The Hunter's presence strikes fear into the hearts of the prey, invoking a visceral response with their deadly strikes. Upon ending the life of a survivor, the echoes of their dying breath send ripples of terror through their injured comrades.
Upon killing a survivor all injured survivors scream and reveal their auras for 3/6/12 seconds
"In the wake of death, the Banshee's cry echoes, striking terror into the wounded souls. Their screams reveal their fate, a chilling reminder of the inevitable."
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Lust for Blood:
The Hunter's unyielding thirst for retribution sharpens their senses, granting a keen awareness of the wounded.
Reveals the aura of any survivor being healed for 2/4/8 seconds. This perk's icon lights up while it is active
"The Banshee's hunger grows with every drop of blood spilled. Her eyes keenly watch the wounded, exposing their feeble attempts to mend their broken bodies."
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Death Immunity:
The Hunter's relentless pursuit of vengeance grants a formidable resilience in the face of adversity.
Upon injuring that survivor that survivor also suffers from bleed. After being stunned by any means you gain a 50% breaking speed for 10/20/40 seconds. This perk has a cooldown of 80/40/20 seconds
"The Banshee cannot be deterred by mere resistance." -Cirrus
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Add-ons:
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Crystal Ball:
Starter Add-on for The Banshee
The Crystal Ball, a mystic artifact in the Banshee's possession, grants her a glimpse into the fate of those she strikes with her Lunge
Reveals the aura of any survivor who vaults over a window for 3 seconds after injuring a survivor with Banshee Lunge
"The Crystal Ball gazes into the depths of their torment, revealing the futility of their attempts to flee"
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Timid Death Poster:
Starter Add-on for The Banshee
Reveals the aura of all survivors for 4 seconds whenever you kill someone with Banshee Lunge
"In their fear, they are exposed, mere prey in the Banshee's unending hunt."
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Screwdriver Head:
Common Add-on for The Banshee
A twisted modification to the Banshee's deadly instrument, imbues her with an eerie and unsettling power.
After deep wounding a survivor with Banshee Lunge you become Undetectable for 25 seconds
"The Banshee slips through the realm undetected, her wrath hidden until it is too late."
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Training Sword:
Common Add-on for The Banshee
Reduces range of Banshee Lunge by 8 meters. Increases maximum Lunges by 1 (2 lunges). Increases turn rate by 25%
"Precision over distance, agility over reach." -Altan Khulan
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Crossbow Bolt:
Uncommon Add-on for The Banshee
Increases range of Banshee Lunge by 12 meters. Decreases turn rate by 25%
"Yet with each strike, her steps become deliberate, her pursuit relentless, but measured." -Cirrus
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Crossbow Stand:
Uncommon Add-on for The Banshee
Increases speed of Banshee Lunge by 50%. Decreases range by 10 meters
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Father's Katana:
Rare Add-on for The Banshee
Father's Katana, a cherished relic passed down through generations
Increases lunge speed of by 25%. Increases range by 10 meters. Increases recharge time by 5 seconds
"With ancestral steel in hand, the Banshee dances upon the wind. Swifter, deadlier, her reach extends to embrace the wailing souls. Yet, with each swing, the past lingers, lingering in every step."
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Father's Tools:
Rare Add-on for The Banshee
Decreases recharge time by 3 seconds. Decreases lunge speed by 20%
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Old Crossbow:
Very Rare Add-on for The Banshee
A weathered relic from a forgotten era, holds a peculiar power that instills terror within the hearts of the Survivors.
All survivors within 16 meters of your lunge will scream
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Charred Skin:
Very Rare Add-on for The Banshee
Gain the ability to break pallets and doors with Banshee Lunge. After breaking a pallet or door with Banshee Lunge you get 50% faster break speeds for 30 seconds
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Iridescent Tuft of Hair:
Iridescent Add-on for The Banshee
This Tuft Hair is a peculiar adornment that appears to mock the Banshee's spectral nature. This whimsical accessory, shimmering with an iridescent glow, serves as a playful reminder that even in the realm of the Fog, levity can find its way amidst the darkness. It offers no tangible benefits, but its presence is a whimsical tribute to the ethereal entity that strikes fear into the hearts of Survivors.
After killing a survivor with Banshee Lunge all other survivors are revealed for 8 seconds
"With a mischievous glimmer, this Tuft Hair dances upon the Banshee's spectral visage. A playful nod to the absurdity of their existence, it brings levity to the shadows that consume the realm."
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Bloody Kunai:
Golden Add-on for The Banshee
Increases range by 10 meters while in chase. Decreases range by 10 meters when not in chase
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Lore:
In the tumultuous era of the Mongolian War, amidst the chaos and bloodshed, there existed a woman named Altan Khulan. She was a humble civilian, a mere bystander caught in the crossfire of warring factions. The clash of swords and thunderous hooves reverberated through the land, leaving destruction in their wake. Altan's life was forever changed when she became an unwitting pawn, kidnapped by a ruthless faction as leverage in their political machinations.
Altan Khulan was torn from her family, her fate sealed as she became a captive in the midst of the war. The ruthless faction saw her as a means to exert control, a bargaining chip to manipulate their enemies. Her spirit shattered by the cruelty of her captors, Altan yearned for freedom and the reunion with her loved ones, but the fog of war veiled her hopes in darkness.
Days turned into nights, and nights into weeks, as Altan's captivity persisted. In the depths of her despair, she discovered a sliver of solace in the haunting whispers of the wind. In the darkest moments, a mysterious force resonated within her, resonating with her anguish and offering an opportunity for vengeance and release.
With each passing day, Altan's resolve hardened, transforming her from a vulnerable captive into a woman fueled by an unquenchable fury. In the depths of her despair, a dormant power awakened within her, granting her the mantle of the Banshee, a harbinger of woe and retribution.
Empowered by the spirit of vengeance, Altan embraced her newfound abilities and cast aside her former name. She became the Banshee, a spectral embodiment of her rage and sorrow. No longer bound by the mortal coil, she could traverse the ethereal plane and wield her spirit as a weapon, piercing the hearts of those who dared to stand in her way.
In a fateful turn of events, the Banshee found herself consumed by the fog. The Entity, an enigmatic force that presides over the realm of Bloodhunt, claimed her as one of its own. The fog embraced her, merging her essence with its own, forever entwining her destiny with the eternal hunt.
Now, the Banshee roams the fog-laden landscapes, a vengeful specter driven by her insatiable thirst for retribution. She emerges from the shadows, her chilling cry echoing through the realm, striking terror into the hearts of the Hunted Survivors. With each Banshee Lunge, she leaves a trail of devastation in her wake, a reminder of the horrors she endured and the price she paid to become one with the fog.
As the Banshee, Altan Khulan transcends her mortal origins and embodies the wrath and sorrow that have consumed her. She serves as a reminder that even the most vulnerable can rise to become an unstoppable force in the face of unspeakable atrocities. The Mongolian War may have stolen her name, but it also forged her into a fearsome entity, forever known as the Banshee, forever destined to haunt the Fog.
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The Prowler
Difficulty: Hard
Movement Speed: 4.5 Meters per Second
Heartbeat: 24 meters
Height: Tall
Power: Hunting Season
Perks: The Prowl, Stay out and Proper Hunting
Starter Add-ons: Worn Machete and Worn Axe Head
Prestige 1: Kill 1 survivor who gets Trapped at least once
Prestige 2: Kill 1 survivor by an Arrow
Prestige 3: Kill 1 survivor by the saw
Full Prestige: Win 15 rounds where every survivor is trapped at least once
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Hunting Season:
Upon Emerging through the fog boxes appear throughout the map. Inside the map The Prowler can choose between 3 different powers

• He can choose The Bow and Arrow, which takes 6 shots to kill a survivor. The 6th shot will always instantly kill the survivor. While charging an arrow his movement speed is slowed to 4.2 Meters per Second
• He can choose The Traps, which can be placed, up to 4 can be placed at a time. They can be placed and moved at any given time. Stepping into a trap will make the survivor bleed.
• He can choose The Saw, which can be charged and will injure the survivor for 2 health states and make the survivor bleed. Hitting a deep wounded survivor instantly kills them. While charging the saw his movement speed is slowed to 4 meters per second. Upon activating it you gain a short burst of speed for 3 seconds, and then the saw overheats for 10 seconds

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Perks:
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The Prowl:
Any time you would normally down a survivor you now instantly kill them. This perk has a cooldown of 80/40/20 seconds
"With a silent and deadly presence, the Prowler's malevolence materializes in an instant. The Fog trembles as his prey falls lifeless, their existence snuffed out in a single decisive strike."
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Stay Out:
Whenever you injure a survivor they also bleed. Whenever that survivor is healing their bleed they are revealed. Upon finishing the heal they are revealed for 2/4/8 seconds
"The Prowler's sadistic artistry leaves a mark that cannot be concealed."
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Proper Hunting:
Any Hunters power now inflicts bleeding if the power can injure them. This bleed has a 60/30/15 second longer time to bleed out.
"The Prowler's art of hunting transcends the physical realm."
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Add-ons:
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Worn Machete:
Starter Add-on for The Prowler
Reveals the aura of any survivor who steps into a trap, gets hit with an arrow and gets hit with the saw for 6 seconds
"Its edge, worn but sharp, brings forth the revelations of survival's fleeting moments."
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Worn Axe Head:
Starter Add-on for The Prowler
Reveals the aura of any survivor who disarms a trap, dodges an arrow, or dodges the saw for 6 seconds
"The Worn Axe Head, a testament to the Prowler's relentless pursuit"
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Charred Machete:
Common Add-on for The Prowler
Increases charge speed of The Bow and Arrow by 25%. Decreases charge speed of The Saw by 25%
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Charred Axe Head:
Common Add-on for The Prowler
Increases charge speed of The Saw by 25%. Decreases charge speed of The Bow and Arrow by 25%
"The Charred Axe Head, a symbol of relentless torment, delivers the scorching kiss of everlasting agony. Its fiery embrace consumes hope, leaving only the ashes of despair." -Cirrus
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Original Machete:
Uncommon Add-on for The Prowler
Start the Round with The Beartraps equipped. Increases setting speed by 25%
"Its blade carries the echoes of a thousand hunts, resolute in its duty to deliver the final blow."
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Original Axe Head:
Uncommon Add-on for The Prowler
Start the round with The Saw equipped. Increases saw charge speed by 5%
"Through the ages, it remains an emblem of the Prowler's unquenchable resolve."
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Original Bow and Arrow:
Uncommon Add-on for The Prowler
Start the round with The Bow and Arrow equipped. Increases Bow Charge speed by 20%
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Golden Axe Head:
Rare Add-on for The Prowler
Increases charge speed of The Saw and The Bow and Arrow by 25%.
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Prized Bow and Arrow:
Rare Add-on for The Prowler
Decreases maximum arrows required to kill by 1.
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Sharpened Arrow:
Very Rare Add-on for The Prowler
The Sharpened Arrow, a haunting reminder of past encounters, is the very same arrow that pierced the flesh of Ethan during a fateful encounter.
Decreases maximum arrows required to kill by 1. Increases charge time by 1
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Bloody Hockey Mask:
Very Rare Add-on for The Prowler
Its macabre visage, marked with the scars of their encounter, instills fear and despair in those who catch a glimpse of its chilling countenance.
Survivors no longer bleed when hit with the saw. Increases saw charge speed by 30%
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Broken Book Bag:
Very Rare Add-on for The Prowler
Survivors who escape from the bear trap suffer from a broken bone.
Broken Bones make the survivor 1% slower, and make all healing progress lost after 20 seconds without healing
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Iridescent Axe Head:
Iridescent Add-on for The Prowler
Glinting with a malicious radiance, this axe head seeks to taunt the hunter, dredging up memories of a life filled with hardship and isolation.
Progress between The Saw and Bow and Arrow carries over.

• 4 or more arrows inside a survivor can now allow the saw to kill the survivor
• 1 saw hit can now allow 1 arrow to kill the survivor
• Beartraps who trap deep wounded survivors now instantly kill that survivor

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Chipped Machete:
Golden Add-on for The Prowler
The Following effects are applied to any survivor who steps into a trap:

• The survivor gains the blindness effect for 30 seconds
• The survivor gains a broken bone
• The survivor becomes exposed for 30 seconds

And the Prowler becomes undetectable for 30 seconds
Broken Bones make the survivor 1% slower, and make all healing progress lost after 20 seconds without healing, Undetectable removes the Hunter's heartbeat, Exposure makes any Hunted take 2 health states when hit, Blindness makes any aura not appear
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Lore:
The Prowler, a relentless and sinister hunter in the fog, once roamed the mountain resort with malicious intent. This man, whose identity remains shrouded in darkness, made the resort his hunting ground, preying upon unsuspecting victims with his deadly arsenal of a bow and arrow, traps, and a saw. His twisted desires drove him to kidnap and torment those unfortunate enough to cross his path.
One fateful day, a group of young adults arrived at the mountain resort, seeking a memorable getaway. Little did they know, their presence would become a horrifying chapter in the Prowler's dark tale. Among them were Kris, Kayley, Olivia, Kyler, Jamison, Ethan, Emma, Kara, and Anthony, each unaware of the imminent danger that awaited them.
Tragedy struck swiftly and mercilessly. Kris, a young woman full of life, tragically lost her footing and met a grim fate as her neck snapped upon impact. Kayley, another unsuspecting victim, bled out, her life force draining away. Jamison, overcome by a series of treacherous traps, met a gruesome end as his head was ensnared within their clutches. Ethan, wounded by an arrow piercing his shoulder, faced a brutal demise with his neck swiftly snapped. Emma, consumed by the unforgiving snow, was buried and suffocated beneath its icy grasp. Kara, too, fell victim to the Prowler's relentless pursuit, succumbing to a blood-soaked demise.
Yet, amidst the horrors that unfolded, three survivors emerged—Olivia, Anthony, and Kyler. In their desperate bid for survival, they managed to wound the Prowler, albeit only slightly. But in a cruel twist of fate, Anthony suffered a grievous loss, his three fingers severed in the struggle against the sadistic hunter. As they reported their harrowing ordeal to the authorities, the police were led to the mountain resort, only to discover an eerie absence. The Prowler, consumed by the ominous fog that enshrouded the realm, had vanished without a trace.
Now forever lost within the fog, the Prowler roams the twisted realm of Bloodhunt, his insatiable hunger for victims driving him to relentlessly pursue those who dare to enter his domain. The echoes of his past atrocities continue to reverberate through the mountains, serving as a haunting reminder of the terror he once inflicted upon unsuspecting souls. Olivia, Anthony, and Kyler, forever marked by their encounters with the Prowler, find themselves forever changed by their near-death experience, haunted by the nightmares that unfolded on that fateful day.
As the survivors venture into the fog-ridden realm, they must face the eternal darkness that now encompasses the Prowler. The hunt has begun anew, and their only hope for escape lies in outsmarting and evading the remorseless predator that lurks within.
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The Hunted:
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John Carlson
Difficulty: Moderate
Item: Flashlight
Perks: Backstab, Quick and Easy and Tenacious Detective
Prestige 1: Backstab the Hunter once using the perk Backstab
Prestige 2: Successfully get out of Chase using the perk Quick and Easy
Prestige 3: Successfully evade chase using the perk Tenacious Detective
Full Prestige: Survive 10 rounds as John Carlson
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Flashlight
The Flashlight allows you to see easily in dark areas where the generators aren't finished. (No the flashlight can't blind someone)
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Perks:
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Backstab:
A Cunning detective knows that striking when least expected can be the key to survival
After recovering 100/50/25% while downed you get a hard skillcheck when the hunter picks you up. Successfully hitting this skillcheck drops you from the hunter's hands
"The Hunter becomes the Hunted. Just when they think they've got me, I strike back with a vengeance." -John Carlson
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Quick and Easy:
This perk activates after vaulting while injured. Your grunts of pain are silenced and your blood pools are softened. This perk stays activated for 3/6/12 seconds
"In this deadly dance, every second counts. I glide through obstacles unseen, my steps a whisper in the night." -John Carlson
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Tenacious Detective:
The Detective's investigative instincts persist even in the fog, granting him unparalleled awareness of his surroundings.
This perk activates after emerging through the fog. All Hunter Objects are revealed to you for 2/4/8 seconds. This perk also activates every time a generator is completed. The Killer is revealed for 2/4/8 seconds whenever a generator is completed.
"I see through their tricks, their devices. Every step we take, I unravel their dark design." -John Carlson
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Add-ons:
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Old Battery:
Common Add-on for John Carlson
This worn-out battery holds sentimental value for John, as it harkens back to his early days as a detective.
Increases battery life by 1 second
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Battery:
Uncommon Add-on for John Carlson
Increases battery life by 2 seconds
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Reinforced Battery:
Rare Add-on for John Carlson
It was a crucial tool that sustained him through long nights and perilous encounters, granting him the strength to persevere against all odds.
Increases battery life by 3 seconds
"I can withstand the storm." -John Carlson
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Cracked Lenses:
Very Rare Add-on for John Carlson
These cracked lenses were once an essential part of John's detective gear, aiding him in observing details and spotting hidden clues. However, during a fateful encounter with one of his most elusive suspects, the lenses shattered, a physical representation of the shattered trust and fractured reality that followed.
Increases distance of the flashlight by 4 meters
"Stop Him!"
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Iridescent Grip:
Iridescent Add-on for John Carlson
Crafted by the fog itself, it serves as a mocking symbol, highlighting the futility of trying to maintain control or unravel the mysteries that lie within. It is a stark reminder that within this twisted domain, the fog reigns supreme, and no investigation can prevail against its relentless grasp.
Allows you to blind the killer when aiming at their eyes. Blinding takes 5 seconds. Blinding lasts for 5 seconds. Decreases battery life by 1 seconds
"It Fucking Mocks me! The Fog Fucking Mocks Us! There is no escaping! There is no nothing!" -John Carlson
​
Scratched Battery:
Golden Add-on for John Carlson
A battery that never seems to die out when you need it to be alive.
Grants infinite life. The Flashlight will die whenever the last generator is completed.
​
Lore:
In the shadows of the 1970s, when crime and corruption permeated the streets, John Carlson emerged as a seasoned detective with a reputation for his tenacity and resourcefulness. Born and raised in a city plagued by lawlessness, John had a front-row seat to the injustices that unfolded daily. Determined to restore order and bring criminals to justice, he dedicated himself to his work, earning the respect of both his colleagues and the community he served.
John possessed an uncanny ability to uncover the truth, seeing beyond the façade and deciphering the intricate web of lies spun by criminals. His sharp mind and keen instincts made him a formidable adversary to those who sought to evade justice. However, as John delved deeper into the dark underbelly of the city, he unwittingly stumbled upon a secret society that thrived in the shadows—a clandestine organization known as Fog Whisperers.
Fueled by greed and power, Fog Whisperers operated with impunity, pulling the strings behind the scenes, orchestrating crime waves and manipulating key figures within the city. They saw John as a threat, a disruptor who posed a risk to their carefully constructed empire. In a calculated move to eliminate him, they devised a sinister plan.
One fateful night, as John tirelessly pursued a high-profile case, he received an anonymous tip leading him to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Unbeknownst to him, the tip was a carefully orchestrated trap. As he ventured deeper into the derelict building, he found himself ambushed by a group of masked assailants, agents of the Fog.
A vicious struggle ensued, but John was outnumbered and overwhelmed. Despite his valiant efforts, he was overpowered, beaten within an inch of his life. The assailants, believing they had dealt the detective a fatal blow, left him for dead, disappearing into the night.
However, fate had other plans for John. As his lifeblood seeped from his battered body, he was enveloped by an otherworldly mist, a manifestation of the very darkness he had fought against. In his darkest hour, the fog claimed him, granting him an unexpected second chance at life—but forever tethered to the fog and its twisted realm.
Now one with the fog, John emerged as a hunted survivor, trapped within the nightmarish trials orchestrated by the Fog. His skills as a detective proved invaluable in his quest for survival, enabling him to outsmart and evade the relentless hunters that pursued him. Yet, the line between self-preservation and selflessness became blurred for John. His desire to survive often clashed with his moral compass, as he would not hesitate to use his companions as distractions, ensuring his own escape.
While seen by some as a helpful survivor, John's reputation was marred by his self-serving tendencies. With every trial, he walked a precarious tightrope, balancing survival and the instinct to alert the hunter for his own benefit. His conflicted nature, a blend of resourcefulness and self-interest, painted him as a complex figure among the survivors, one whose actions could be both admired and criticized.
As John ventured deeper into the trials, he was haunted by the shadows of his past, the echoes of the crime-ridden city he had once fought to protect. In the fog's merciless embrace, he sought redemption, an opportunity to atone for the compromises he had made. The path ahead was treacherous, but John Carlson, the detective of old, remained determined to survive, to unravel the mysteries of the fog, and perhaps, find a way to free himself from its unforgiving grasp.
​
Amy Light
Difficulty: Easy
Item: Medkit
Perks: Shattered Mirror, Fine Fettle and The Doctor in The Room
Prestige 1: Avoid the Hunter's hit by any means using Shattered Mirror
Prestige 2: Get Injured and heal yourself using the perk Fine Fettle
Prestige 3: Heal 2 other Hunted in 1 round using The Doctor in the Room
Full Prestige: Heal 20 other Hunted as Amy Light
​
Medkit:
Gain the ability to heal yourself, and you can now heal any other hunted 25% faster. The Medkit has a total of 5 heals before you run out of heals. This counts self heals.
​
Perks:
​
Shattered Mirror:
Reveals the aura of the killer whenever they use their power for 1/2/4 seconds
"I turn their tactics against them." -Amy Light
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Fine Fettle:
Increases the speed you are healed by 10/20/40%
"Years of medical training have bestowed upon me the gift of swift recovery." -Amy Light
​
The Doctor in the Room:
Increases the speed at which you can heal by 10/20/40%
"Within my presence, the wounded find respite. With deftness and care, I restore vigor to their weary bodies. As my hands move, auras reveal the path to healing, uniting us in our shared journey towards survival." -Amy Light
​
Add-ons:
​
Plum Bandages:
Common Add-on for Amy Light
Increases the speed at which you can heal by 10%.
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Adrenaline Vial:
Uncommon Add-on for Amy Light
After breaking from a heal the survivor getting healed gets a 5% boost for 10 seconds
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Band-Aids:
Rare Add-on for Amy Light
Increases boost from hitting skillchecks by 15%
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Doctor Gloves:
Very Rare Add-on for Amy Light
Increases boost from hitting skillchecks by 30%
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Iridescent Vial:
Iridescent Add-on for Amy Light
Gain the ability to instantly heal a survivor at any time. Cannot be used on yourself
​
Doctor's Notes
Golden Add-on for Amy Light
No longer experience skillchecks while healing. The Medkit heals 50% faster than normal. 2 less heals.
​
Lore: Amy Light, a beacon of compassion and healing, was born into a world still reeling from the aftermath of World War II. In the wake of the devastating conflict, she emerged as a symbol of hope, dedicating her life to the noble pursuit of medicine. Amy possessed an unwavering commitment to her patients, driven by a deep sense of empathy that compelled her to alleviate suffering and restore lives shattered by the horrors of war. As a doctor, Amy witnessed firsthand the physical and emotional scars etched upon the survivors and soldiers who sought solace in her care. Her days were filled with tireless efforts to mend broken bodies and fragile spirits, tending to wounds that ran deeper than mere flesh. Despite the ravages of war, she remained steadfast in her belief that even amidst the darkest of times, a glimmer of light could be found. However, fate had a twisted plan in store for Amy. One fateful night, while attending to a patient haunted by the memories of battle, an unnatural occurrence unfolded within the walls of the hospital. The fabric of reality ripped apart, and the darkness of the Fog began to seep into her world. Chaos ensued as the hospital transformed into a nightmarish reflection of its former self, with the Fog's influence warping the very essence of its occupants. Amidst the chaos, Amy found herself trapped within the fog, torn away from the life she once knew. Stripped of her medical tools and stripped of her purpose, she was forced to navigate a realm where survival became paramount. Despite the fear and confusion that surrounded her, Amy's altruistic nature remained unyielding, and she became a guiding light for her fellow survivors. Within the trials, Amy became known for her selflessness and unwavering support for her companions. She would risk her own safety to tend to the wounded, offering solace and healing amidst the relentless pursuit of the Hunters. Her presence served as a source of comfort, as survivors found solace in her compassionate spirit, drawing strength from her unwavering commitment to their well-being. However, even the brightest lights can cast shadows, and Amy carried her own burden of survivor's guilt. Haunted by the faces of those she couldn't save, she yearned for redemption, seeking solace within the trials. Every survivor she aided, every life she mended, served as a testament to her unyielding resolve and her determination to rise above the darkness that threatened to consume them all. Though trapped within the fog, Amy remained a beacon of hope, reminding her fellow survivors that compassion and kindness could endure even in the most desolate of landscapes. In the face of unimaginable horrors, she stood as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a reminder that even within the darkest corners, the light of altruism could prevail.
​
Kris Hackley:
Difficulty: Hard
Item: Hockey Stick
Perks: Ice Skates, True Fighter and Team Captain
Prestige 1: Successfully escape chase using the perk Ice Skates
Prestige 2: Successfully escape the Hunter's grasp using the perk True Fighter
Prestige 3: Complete 1 generator and heal 1 survivor using the perk Team Captain
Full Prestige: Stun the Hunter 30 times as Kris Hackley
​
Hockey Stick:
While within 2 meters of the Hunter you can hit the Hunter with you hockey stick for a 2 second stun
​
Perks:
​
Ice Skates:
After stunning the killer by any means gain the haste effect for 3 seconds. After this haste ends you gain the exhausted effect for 100/50/25 seconds. Haste doubles you speed. Exhausted makes you 5% slower and you cannot experience haste while it is active.
"With every daring move, I carve my path to freedom." -Kris Hackley
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True Fighter:
Increases your wiggle speed by 5/10/20%. Increases your wiggle sway by 15/30/60%
"You may think you've caught me, but I refuse to be a captive in your twisted game " -Kris Hackley
​
Team Captain:
Kris's natural leadership qualities shine through, even in the face of overwhelming darkness.
Increases your action speed by 3/6/12% when not within 8 meters of any of the other hunted. Increases the action speed of any of the hunted within 8 meters of you by 3/6/12%.
"Together, we are stronger. With unity and coordination, we can overcome any obstacle that lies before us. Trust in each other, and we shall prevail." -Kris Hackley
​
Add-ons:
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Goalie Gloves:
Common Add-on for Kris Hackley
Increases swing speed by 0.5%
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Hockey Putt:
Uncommon Add-on for Kris Hackley
Increases swing speed by 1%
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Back Breaker:
Rare Add-on for Kris Hackley
Increases swing speed by 2%. Stunning the Hunter inflicts blindness for 20 seconds
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Empty handed:
Very Rare Add-on for Kris Hackley
Gain a haste effect for 2 seconds after stunning the Hunter. Cannot be used while exhausted.
​
Iridescent Hockey Wrap:
Iridescent Add-on for Kris Hackley
Increases swing speed by 10%
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Professional Hockey Stick:
Golden Add-on for Kris Hackley
Allows you to hit the Hunter twice before the stick breaks
​
Lore:
Kris Hackley had always been the embodiment of determination and leadership. As the captain of her local hockey team, she commanded respect and pushed her teammates to their limits. Yet, beneath her strong exterior, Kris harbored a simmering discontent towards those she perceived as unworthy or unfamiliar. It was this disdain that brought her to the fateful trip to the mountain, seeking an escape from the confines of her team and the pressure of her responsibilities. The day started with a hockey game, where Kris once again led her team to victory. But instead of relishing in the triumph, she found herself growing increasingly irritated with her teammates' shortcomings and mistakes. Seeking solace from the persistent frustration, Kris agreed to join her friends—Emma, Ethan, Anthony, Kyler, Kara, and her siblings Jamison and Kayley—for a weekend getaway in the serene mountain retreat. However, tensions began to rise as Anthony introduced a newcomer to the group—Olivia. Kris immediately resented the intrusion, perceiving Olivia as an unwelcome disruption to their tightly-knit circle. Her feelings of superiority and territoriality cast a shadow over the trip, as Kris became increasingly distant and hostile towards Olivia. As the group ventured further into the secluded mountain, their bonds began to strain under the weight of Kris's disdain. Unbeknownst to them, the dark presence of the fog had already begun to weave its way into their lives. It sensed Kris's isolation and resentment, drawing her closer to its clutches. Tragedy struck when Kris, consumed by her own emotions, failed to extend a helping hand to those in need. As they engaged in risky activities, disaster struck one by one. Kris watched in horror as Emma, Ethan, and Anthony succumbed to their fates—severing the already fragile bonds of friendship. Jamison and Kayley, her own siblings, suffered the consequences of her indifference. Overwhelmed with guilt and remorse, Kris found herself separated from the remaining survivors—Olivia and Kyler. Alone in the unforgiving mountain terrain, the fog began to envelop her, offering a haunting embrace that echoed her internal turmoil. In that moment, Kris's fate intertwined with the fog, becoming one with its ethereal realm. Now, as a Hunted survivor, Kris roams the trials, forever trapped within the fog's grasp. Her once fierce determination transformed into a relentless struggle for survival, and her perceived superiority challenged by the enigmatic horrors that lurk in the shadows. The lessons learned from her past failures now guide her, as she navigates the trials with a newfound sense of humility and empathy. Though the memory of her selfishness lingers, Kris's journey through the fog offers her a chance at redemption. She seeks to overcome her former limitations and forge new bonds, recognizing that unity and selflessness are the keys to survival in this twisted fog.
​
Kyler Hal:
Difficulty: Moderate
Item: Glasses
Perks: Survivor!, Grand Refresh and Reap what you Sow
Prestige 1: Successfully survive one trial using the perk Survivor!
Prestige 2: Successfully take 2 hits for an injured survivor using the perk Grand Refresh
Prestige 3: Successfully stun the Hunter twice while using the perk Reap what You Sow
Full Prestige: Successfully escape 10 times as Kyler Hal
​
Glasses:
Glasses can be equipped or unequipped at any time. While equipped all of the fog is removed, however if you are hit while they are on you break the glasses.
​
Perks:
​
Survivor!:
This perk can be activated at any time while injured. You become broken for 80/40/20 seconds. During this time you suffer from blindness and oblivious. You also make no grunts of pain. Once this time is up you become healthy once more. This perk applies exhausted for 60/30/15 seconds. Exhausted makes you 5% slower and you cannot experience haste while it is active, Blindness makes any aura not appear, Oblivious makes it so the heartbeat constantly seems further than it is, Broken makes it so the survivor cannot be healed.
"Surviving isn't just about avoiding death. It's about embracing the risks and emerging stronger." -Kyler Hal
​
Grand Refresh:
Gain a stack for every protection hit you take for a survivor. Every stack decreases your grunts of pain volume by 10%. Gain a maximum of 6 stacks.
"In the face of danger, I'll stand as your shield."
​
Reap What You Sow:
Gain a stack for every time you stun the Hunter with a pallet or door. Each stack can be used whenever you hit a skillcheck on a generator. That generator will gain 5% of its current progress added onto the generator. That generator gets revealed to the Hunter. All stacks are lost upon being downed
"Every action has consequences. Let's make sure they favor us." -Kyler Hal
​
Add-ons:
​
Metal Lining:
Common Add-on for Kyler Hal
Increases the speed you put on your glasses by 1 second
"Every second counts when darkness looms. I won't let it cloud my vision." -Kyler Hal
​
New Lenses:
Uncommon Add-on for Kyler Hal
These lenses have advanced optics that brighten his surroundings, allowing him to see with greater clarity even in the darkest of environments
While the glasses are active everything becomes 25% lighter
"With a clearer view, I can navigate the shadows with confidence." -Kyler Hal
​
Bloody Glasses:
Rare Add-on for Kyler Hal
Being hit while the glasses aren't active breaks them. Being hit while they are active does not break them
​
Blue Glasses:
Very Rare Add-on for Kyler Hal
Reveals the killer in blue while looking in their direction
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Iridescent Lenses:
Iridescent Add-on for Kyler Hal
These unique lenses, infused with the essence of the fog, grant Kyler an extraordinary vision that transcends the boundaries of the physical world.
Removes the fog and darkness while active. Your vision becomes red while active.
"Through these lenses, I see a twisted reflection of my fate."
​
Golden Glasses:
Golden Add-on for Kyler Hal
Increases the fog for the killer while in chase with you AND the glasses are active
​
Lore:
Kyler Hal was a free-spirited adventurer, always seeking thrill and excitement in life. In the vibrant era of the 1970s, he yearned for experiences that would test the limits of his courage and fill his life with unforgettable memories. It was during this time that he found himself drawn to a mountain resort nestled in the picturesque Colorado landscape—an idyllic setting for the adventures he sought. Accompanied by his friends—Emma, Ethan, Olivia, Kris, Kayley, Jamison, Kara, and Anthony—they embarked on a journey filled with laughter and camaraderie. The mountain resort promised an escape from the constraints of the mundane world, offering a playground for their youthful spirits. Little did they know that their escapade would lead them to the unforgiving clutches of the fog. As they explored the resort's scenic trails and indulged in adrenaline-fueled activities, Kyler reveled in the freedom of the mountains. The majestic peaks seemed to call to him, urging him to push his boundaries even further. However, their joyous excursion took a dark turn when an ominous presence loomed over their group, watching their every move. Tragedy struck swiftly, as Emma, Ethan, Kris, Jamison, and Kara fell victim to the unknown malevolence that pervaded the mountain. Their lives were cut short, leaving Kyler, Olivia, and Anthony as the sole survivors of the harrowing ordeal. The weight of loss and survival weighed heavily upon Kyler's shoulders, his carefree spirit burdened by guilt and grief. It was on their journey back to civilization that the fog made its insidious move. Trapped in a dense mist that seemed to devour the world around them, Kyler found himself separated from his companions. Panic and confusion washed over him as he desperately searched for an escape, but the fog had claimed him, pulling him deeper into its eerie realm. Now condemned to wander the trials as one of the Hunted, Kyler fights to preserve the memories of his lost friends and find solace in their spirits. The fog taunts him, a constant reminder of the past he cannot change and the choices that led him to this haunting existence. His once carefree nature has morphed into a resilient determination, fueled by the desire to honor the memories of his fallen comrades and seek a way back to the world he once knew. In the trials of the Fog, Kyler's courage is put to the test, his survival dependent on his ability to adapt, cooperate, and outmaneuver the relentless Hunter. Through the fog's relentless challenges, Kyler seeks redemption, not just for himself but for the friends he lost on that fateful mountain journey. As he navigates the trials, he discovers that true strength lies not only in physical prowess but also in the bonds forged with his fellow survivors, united in their shared struggle against the encroaching darkness.
​
Anthony Kael:
Difficulty: Easy
Item: Toolbox
Perks: First Serve, Hate The Sinner and Panic Headed
Prestige 1: Finish 1 generator using the Perk First Serve
Prestige 2: Finish 1 Generator using the Perk Hate The Sinner
Prestige 3: Finish 1 Generator while injured using the Perk Panic Headed
Full Prestige: Finish 30 Generators as Anthony Kael
​
Toolbox:
Can be used while working on a generator. While using it it you complete generators 25% faster, however getting off of generators is much slower.
​
Perks:
​
First Serve:
What some may see as old scrap you see as good machinery
This perk activates after touching a generator with no progress. Gain a 25% boost on that generator until one of the following happens: You leave the generator, you are hit or you fail a skillcheck. This perk has a 60/30/15 second cooldown
"When the sparks fly, and the machines come alive, it's my chance to make a difference." -Anthony Kael
​
Hate The Sinner:
This perk activates for 15/30/60 seconds after being injured. Gain a 15% boost on fixing generators during this time. This boost is increased to 30% if you are deep wounded
"There's a fire inside me, a relentless drive to fix what's broken and reclaim our chance at survival." -Anthony Kael
​
Panic Headed:
Unlike most, you don't scream from Injuries. You take the pain and laugh in the face of death
Gain a 3/6/12% boost to all actions while injured
"When the world spins in chaos, my mind clears. Panic fuels my every move, heightening my senses and sharpening my focus" -Anthony Kael
​
Add-ons:
​
Spanner Wrench:
Common Add-on for Anthony Kael
Increases speed by 2%
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Measuring tape:
Uncommon Add-on for Anthony Kael
Increases speed at which you put the toolbox away by 15%
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Metal Mallet:
Rare Add-on for Anthony Kael
Increases boost from skillchecks by 5%
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Screwdriver:
Very Rare Add-on for Anthony Kael
Increases boost from skillchecks by 10%
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Iridescent Screwdriver:
Iridescent Add-on for Anthony Kael
Increases boost from skillchecks by 20%. Toolbox now deactivates whenever the first generator is completed
​
Golden Wrench:
Golden Add-on for Anthony Kael
Gain the ability to sabotage Traps. Decreases boost from skillchecks by 2%
​
Lore:
Born with an innate talent for tinkering and fixing things, Anthony spent his days as a dedicated technician, ensuring that machinery and devices functioned flawlessly. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he embarked on a fateful trip to a serene mountain resort with his friends, unaware of the horrors that awaited them. As Anthony and his group of friends arrived at the picturesque resort, tensions ran high. Despite the warnings, Anthony insisted on bringing Olivia, a newcomer who was not well-received by the others. Little did they know that their collective actions would lead them down a path of darkness and despair. Tragedy befell the group one by one, as the mountain became a hunting ground for an insidious force. Ethan, struck by an arrow, met a grisly fate with a snapped neck. Emma, entangled in the gnarled bark, was mercilessly slammed into the snow until life left her body. Kris, the team captain, met a fatal end when she plummeted from the treacherous mountainside, her neck snapping upon impact. Kayley, left to bleed out on a meathook, succumbed to her injuries. Jamison's ill-fated encounter with a bear trap sealed his fate, leaving him lifeless. Kara, too, fell victim to a cruel trap, bleeding out as her final moments slipped away. Amidst the bloodshed and loss, Anthony, Kyler, and Olivia found themselves as the sole survivors. They navigated the treacherous terrain, their bond forged in the crucible of survival. However, their resilience would be tested further as they encountered the enigmatic force that lurked within the fog. As Anthony faced the horrors unfolding around him, his resourcefulness and technical prowess became his greatest assets. Cirrus, drawn to his unwavering determination and problem-solving skills, claimed Anthony as its own, entwining his fate with the merciless trials that awaited him in the fog. Haunted by the memories of his fallen friends, Anthony now roams the fog, driven by a relentless need to uncover the mysteries of his tragic past and outwit the forces that seek to consume him. With his technical expertise and a determination that knows no bounds, he fights for survival, ready to uncover the truth behind the malevolent presence that binds them all.
Kara Scaler:
Difficulty: Easy
Item: Boots
Perks: Back Track, The Queen and Sixth Sense
Prestige 1: Successfully escape from Chase using the perk Back Track
Prestige 2: Successfully escape with at least 1 other Hunted using the perk The Queen
Prestige 3: Successfully hide from the Hunter using the perk Sixth Sense
Full Prestige: Escape 10 chases as Kara Scaler
​
Boots:
You run 1% faster than all other survivors. Your footsteps are silent.
​
Perks:
​
Back Track:
After vaulting through a window your grunts of pain and pools of blood are removed for 2/4/8 seconds. Once this time ends your pools of blood backtrack the the vault location.
"In this tangled game of survival, every moment counts. I leave no traces behind, vanishing into the shadows. They'll never know where I truly tread." -Kara Scaler
​
The Queen:
Reveals your aura to all survivors. While injured all survivors gain a 5/10/20% boost to healing. All of the Hunted who escape gain a 100% boost in experience
"The Queen commands, and her will is absolute. Together, we rise above the pain and despair." -Kara Scaler
​
Sixth Sense:
Reveals the aura of the Hunter for 3/6/12 seconds when you hear their heartbeat. While within the heartbeat of the hunter gain a 3/6/12% boost to all actions
​
Add-ons:
​
Soft Tissue:
Increases movement speed by 0.5%
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Steel Toe Boots:
Increases movement speed by 5%. Removes the silent footstep effect
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Leather Boots:
Increases vaulting speed by 5%. Removes the silent footstep effect
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Winter Boots:
Removes the silent footstep effect. Increases speed after being hit by 10%
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Iridescent Tissue:
Increases movement speed by 3%. This stacks while Deep wounded.
​
Fur Boots:
Removes the silent footstep effect. Increases movement speed by 2%. Increases vaulting speed by 3%. Increases wiggle sway by 20%
​
Lore:
A striking figure with an air of independence and a disquieting aura, Kara possessed a longing for control and an unspoken desire for affection that ultimately drove her down a treacherous road. Intrigued by the allure of the Hackley mountain resort, Kara insisted on gathering a group of friends for an adventure. Among them were the determined Kris, the gentle Kayley, the steadfast Kyler, the empathetic Anthony, and the spirited duo of Ethan and Emma. Despite her reservations, Anthony chose to invite his friend Olivia, much to Kara's discontent. Her desire to maintain a close-knit circle was fueled by an underlying fear of losing control. Within the group, Kara clashed with Kris, a natural leader whose presence threatened Kara's own desire for dominance. She held an unspoken disdain for Kayley, who had a deep connection with Jamison, Kara's secret love interest. The weight of unrequited affection burdened her heart, and only Anthony, her confidant, shared her pain and understood her longing. As they ventured into the heart of the mountain resort, the group encountered unspeakable horrors. Emma's tragic demise shattered Kara's world, traumatizing her to the core. The harrowing scene would forever haunt her memories, igniting a primal fear and unraveling the fragile threads of her composure. In the midst of chaos, Kara's selfishness and desperation propelled her into the forest, seeking refuge from the horrors that unfolded. But fate had other plans in store. Trapped by a vicious bear trap, Kara cried out for help, her screams echoing through the night. Hours passed, each moment a torment as she wrestled with pain, fear, and regret. As the agonizing hours slipped away, Kara's desperate pleas were answered by an unexpected force. The fog, sensing her turmoil and her broken spirit, reached out to claim her as its own. It enveloped her in its ethereal embrace, forever sealing her fate within its enigmatic realm. Lost to her friends and the world she once knew, Kara became a reflection of her own inner turmoil—a haunting reminder of the consequences of selfishness and the yearning for control. In the fog's clutches, she is condemned to wander, her soul forever tormented by the choices and regrets that shaped her tragic journey.
​
Maps:
Harvest Haven:
Type: Abandoned Farmlands
Harvest Haven is an eerie and desolate farmland, haunted by the memories of a tragic event. Once a thriving agricultural community, it now stands abandoned and forgotten, overrun by overgrown crops and ominous scarecrows. Dilapidated barns, broken fences, and rusted farming equipment serve as reminders of a life that was abruptly shattered.
Main Building: Farmhouse. The Main building has 1 generator inside it, and when the generator is completed the lights inside are turned on. (Safety: Safe)
Size: Moderate
​
Resort Ruins:
Type: Mountain Resort
The Resort Ruins capture the remnants of what was once a luxurious mountain getaway. Now reduced to a desolate and overgrown wasteland, the ruins bear witness to the horrors that unfolded within their walls. Collapsed structures, cracked swimming pools, and twisted amusement park rides serve as eerie reminders of the resort's tragic past.
Main Building: Ski Lodge. The Main building has 1 generator inside the basement. Upon this generator being completed the lights inside and outside are turned on. (Safety: Balanced)
Side Building: Ski Lift. The Side building has 1 generator. Upon this generator being completed the lights inside are turned on. (Safety: Unsafe)
Size: Moderate
​
The Prowler's Shack:
Type: Mountain Resort
The Prowler's Shack is a secluded and ominous structure tucked away deep within the fog. It serves as the dwelling place of The Prowler, a twisted refuge where he orchestrates his malevolent pursuits. The shack is surrounded by dense forest, and the air is filled with an unsettling stillness, as if nature itself holds its breath in fear.
Main Building: Prowler's Shack. The main building has no generator inside it. (Safety: Balanced)
Size: Small
​
Derelict Manor:
Type: Mountain Resort
Derelict Manor is an abandoned and decaying building that once stood as a grand mansion. Time has taken its toll on the once opulent structure, leaving behind a maze of crumbling hallways, broken furniture, and faded portraits. The atmosphere is heavy with a sense of abandonment and despair, perfectly reflecting the darkness that haunts The Prowler's past.
Main Building: The Manor. The Main building has 3 generators inside it. Once all generators inside it are fixed all lights inside it turn on. (Safety: Very Safe)
Size: Large
​
Fog Offerings:
Forgotten Ritual: Common Offering. Increases the chance of going to Abandoned Farmlands by 25%.
Faded Postcard: Common Offering. Increases the chance of going to Mountain resort by 25%
Vengeful Spirit: Common Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunter by 25%
Desperate Prayer: Common Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunted by 25%
Bloodstained Ledger: Common Offering. Increases the amount of experience you get by 25%
Cursed Cornfield: Uncommon Offering. Increases the chance of going to Abandoned Farmlands by 50%
Ripped Blueprints: Uncommon Offering. Increases the chance of going to Mountain resort by 50%
Dark Embrace: Uncommon Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunter by 50%
Beacon of Hope: Uncommon Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunted by 50%
Knowledge Tome: Uncommon Offering. Increases the amount of experience you get by 50%
Harvest's Call: Rare Offering. Increases the chance of going to Abandoned Farmlands by 75%
Ruined Brochure: Rare Offering. Increases the chance of going to Mountain Resort by 75%
Blood Oath: Rare Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunter by 75%
Survivor's Pledge: Rare Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunted by 75%
Duo Dice: Rare Offering. Increases the amount of experience you get by 75%
Hunter's Mark: Very Rare Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunter by 100%. If two are placed both Offerings are discarded
Survival Talisman: Very Rare Offering. Increases the chance of becoming the Hunted by 100%. If five are placed all offerings are discarded
Essence Amplifier: Very Rare Offering. Increases the amount of experience gained by 100%

The crashes on Switch have really not improved by an appreciable amount ever since early access launched. If this game is coming out of EA soon, based on certain things we’ve seen in this patch, then it simply CANNOT launch in this state on Switch.
My partner averages probably one crash every half an hour. Countless dropped frames. And not a single music track can play start to finish without incessant stuttering.
It is easily the worst performing game I’ve ever seen on Switch. There’s a long list of games which have taken serious hits to their sales and reviews on launch because of performance issues on Switch and this will absolutely be one of those if they continue to ignore the issues.
There was a time when I was giving Gameloft the benefit of the doubt because the game is genuinely one of the better looking Switch titles.
But then ToTK came out and across 200 hours of that incredibly massive game there was not a single performance issue worth complaining about. The only dropped frames I can even really recall were during occasionally busy boss fights. Loading times are faster. We still have yet to have a crash. No sound or music issues. Cutscenes we’re flawless etc…
Sure the Gameloft team is smaller than the ToTK team but not so much smaller that the game can’t run for half an hour without total failure surely!?!?
I no longer think Early Access is a justified reason for these performance issues considering they are NOT getting any better with any patches. I have little reason to believe launch will deliver a more polished game than we have right now and I hope Gameloft is ready for the backlash as other games like Pokémon have witnessed recently for performance issues on launch.

Sir David
Sir David suppresses a sigh. He couldn't say he hadn't been expecting a conversation like this. He gestures to a nearby bench and sits down, leaving Ariane room to scoot in next to him.
"Well firstly, I'd say you're my wife now. My surname does sound nice on you. A bit faster than I wanted to move perhaps, but let's call it a battlefield promotion."
Ariane offers him a half hearted smile. "Except I fled that battlefield like a little girl with her tail tucked between her legs. If I am your wife then my place is next to you. I can fight. You know I can fight David."
"Darling, in the end I'm the trained combatant in the family, and getting you out of the line of fire was my absolute first priority. This isn't to doubt your abilities, I think you're perfectly capable of defending yourself, but you don't have an Undaunted brand for thermal protection against a race known for fighting with fire, or any other covert protection. Nor are you an adept. You're immensely physically strong, far stronger than me even at your reduced size... but you're not a killer my dear... and I am."
Sir David sighs for real this time, but doesn't move his gaze from Ari's eyes. He had to meet her head on with this sort of thing. Take wife by the horns if you will.
"I don't want you to be a killer. It's my profession, I have no shame in it, for I end the lives of wicked people so good folk can sleep soundly at night. I did so on Earth, I do so now. I put myself at risk to protect the people I care about. My children. My grandchildren. My wife... and now my wives."
Sir David gently takes Ariane's hand, their fingers interlacing naturally.
"So if given a choice to ensure you're as safe as you can be, even if it means putting me at more risk... I'll always take the option that means you are as safe as possible. Even if that costs me my life. That's my promise. My oath. My duty was to Queen and country, and now to the Undaunted... but I took those oaths for Mary, my children... and now you."
Ariane nods softly, clearly still a bit upset.
"I ah... I understand, I think. I suppose I'm a bit upset with myself more than I'm upset with you. I was just... so scared. Even as I was incredibly, violently angry I was terrified... and the relief I felt when I ran was... shameful to a degree. Leaving you to die maybe. It hurt me a lot, like a razor was tearing at my guts. I just thought about what I'd do if you died or got hurt because I wasn't there and I-"
Tears start to well up in Ariane's eyes just a touch and David wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in a bit closer.
"There, there. I didn't die. Nor was I going to. Not to trash like that. Nor is fear a shameful thing. Fear is a natural response. I get scared. Captain Bridger gets scared. Even Cannidor get scared at times. Usually of me or Captain Bridger in my experience. Anyone who says they feel no fear is a liar, a fool, or psychotic. Or quite possibly all three. Soldiers train to overcome their fear to accomplish significant things... but you my dear aren't a soldier."
David caresses Ariane's back, stroking down her spine and drawing a sigh from her as she relaxes a bit, tension bleeding out of her body.
"You need to master your fear just enough to flee smartly, summon help, barricade yourself, or as a last measure, fight. Which you did today. Just like you did on the Talasar Spire when you saved all those children. You're quite the heroine from just doing those things you know? You don't need to do more. Nor, if my preferences at all matter, would I wish you to. You're a beautiful soul to me Ari. I adore how fresh and bright you are about the things in the world you love. I want you to focus on that. Focus on being a joy to this galaxy... and to me. Instead of worrying about the profession of arms that is not your own."
Ariane sniffles a bit, then plants a kiss on David's cheek. "You know, you play the hard, tough, man, with that almost piratical swagger of yours... but you're just an old softy aren't you?"
"Guilty as charged my dear."
"I uhm. I think I'd still like to learn how to shoot. Or something. Just be better able to defend myself... and our children."
"Heh. Well I think we can take care of that... though I'll note that wasn't at all subtle Ari."
Ariane leans over again and kisses David hard on the mouth this time, her tongue briefly tangling with his and leaving him breathless.
"No. That wasn't subtle. I fully intend to reward my knight for gallantly protecting me, and you'll see just how unsubtle I can be David Forsythe."
"I'll look forward to it then. To close the loop on our previous conversation though. You know that if you had been even a talented markswoman with a pistol I'd have still sent you running at the earliest circumstance right?"
Ariane nods, nearly knocking one of her horns against David's head.
"I understand."
David gives her another gentle kiss on the cheek.
"Capital. Like I said, even if you're capable, your best defense is avoiding a fight entirely. You should only fight if you absolutely must. That's why I fought in the court yard. Not because I could win, but because we didn't have a clear or safe avenue of escape. As soon as we had such an avenue I got you out, and were I alone I'd have fought a fighting retreat to follow you in hopes of moving to a more defensible location. Or getting help from the wardens of the Inner Shrine."
"Which is exactly the type of behavior I have to beat into new recruits." Comes the now familiar smoky voice of Miri'Tok, as the click of her heels on stone announce her return to the room.
"I'm terribly sorry about the wait, police procedure is tedious, even for clear cases of self defense. David I'm told you have a bounty hunting license, so you'll be receiving some credits for their heads. Not extremely bad girls, save the boss, but bad enough to be worth some money. The local police are paying out a bonus for the living ones. That blue haired girl apparently won't shut up; she's rolling on her old boss so enthusiastically they had to bring a synth in to transcribe it all. It's going to be a busy couple of days for the capital district police force."
David nods. "Take half for yourself would you? I hardly need the credits and you did the lion's share of the dangerous work, I just had a little target practice."
Miri'Tok laughs. "Ah the sheer gall on your husband Ariane, a little bit of target practice he calls it. Some of the cleanest shooting I've seen in years with gangsters with rap sheets that combined stretch from here to orbit and it was just a bit of target practice! Hah!"
Ariane and David join in the laughter this time, the room returning to a hospitable warmth as Miri'Tok seats herself on a bench near the couple.
"I must compliment you as well Ariane." Miri'Tok says, orienting herself more squarely to the Agela.
"Me? What did I do?"
"You kept your head in a dangerous situation and didn't go to pieces like a great many women would have. This is a great deal of credit to your name. Even Apuk civilians, socialized to violence from birth, can go to pieces when real violence is forced upon them."
David nods.
"More or less what I was saying dear, you did a splendid job getting us help. If things had gone a bit more poorly, it's help we would have direly needed too."
Ariane's smile returns to her face like dawn for David, warming the room up even further as she snuggles a bit closer to him.
"Well if you're both telling me that, who am I to argue?"
Miri'Tok chuckles, and rises. "I'm afraid I must actually return to my duties, I've lingered longer than I intended. I'll take you down the hall and leave you with the Wardens in their ward room. Nar'Jan and the girls have been preparing an impromptu victory party for you both. Just a little toast, then one of the girls will give you the full tour of the war shrine. You're both welcome in the Inner Shrine whenever you please, so please come back while you're on Serbow and they'll gladly receive you."
Miri'Tok turns to leave, only to be stopped by Ariane tugging on her sleeve. When the Apuk warrior turns, Ariane holds up her communicator.
"Before you go let's exchange contact information. I really enjoyed our time with you, and I know David did as well. Perhaps we can meet again soon? Without another fight preferably."
"Oh!" Miri'Tok gets that same dusky tone that David associates with a blush in Apuk.
"I uh. I'd like that. Perhaps dinner or something? I know some great places to eat in the city."
"Sounds wonderful, I'll send you David's contact information later once I have a minute."
"I ah. Thank you. I'll look forward to it."
Miri'Tok offers a bow from the waist and quickly hurries away, the echo of her heels fading down the corridor.
David raises an eyebrow and looks over at Ariane.
"You know, when you said you were going to show me how unsubtle you could be, I was expecting something a bit more... intimate shall we say."
"So let the knowledge that things can get even more forward make you wonder at what tonight holds when we get back to the Tear."
David chuckles, caught entirely off guard with the sexual aggression from the normally demure Ariane.
"You're showing me all sorts of sides of yourself today Ari. Still, that really was a bit too forward wasn't it?"
Ariane cocks her head, giving David a slightly confused look.
"What? She's an excellent candidate for a third wife. Better to preempt her asking a bit so we can take the time to discuss it, and it doesn't hurt to put the welcome mat out when to my eye she's so accomplished and so obviously interested. Plus she'd be a good recruit for the Undaunted from her decorations. She's a very skilled warrior even if she's not a battle princess. Though she might be a princess. You never know. She's not wearing a crown, but apparently a lot of the battle princesses in service to the Imperial military skip the crowns outside of formal occasions, instead only going by their ranks."
Another eyebrow raised, a common thing when Ariane was in the mood to surprise David it seems. "Where did you learn all that? I haven't the foggiest about how to read Apuk decorations."
Ariane shrugs. "When I finished that book about your unit back on Earth, Eastern Approaches, I read a book or two on contemporary Apuk martial culture. I thought it might come in handy."
"So what does your reading tell you about Miri'Tok?"
"Well as she said she's an Apuk Imperial Marine. She started as an enlisted woman, and has done a century of service at least. She's done at least a dozen combat deployments, and numerous space deployments. The difference being specifically going to a conflict zone, and floating around on an Apuk Imperial Navy vessel looking for trouble.”
Sir David doffs an imaginary cap. “An activity I heartily approve of.”
Ariane rolls her eyes with a smile before continuing.
“She has five wound medals, an even dozen valor medals in varying grades and has been named as a member of an Imperial martial order. Knights for lack of a better word. Not all that dissimilar from you really if you'd had another forty years with the Royal Marines and SAS. Then there's a variety of competence awards that aren't as important. Suffice to say, Miri'Tok is very good at what she does."
"Hmmm. Yes I could see that in the fight, and you think she's interested in me?"
Ariane rises, and saunters the step or two to David slowly, placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning down to kiss him deeply.
"Darling, from her axiom she's single. From what she tells us about how her family treats men and views sorcerers, you're literally one in a billion... and she got to fight alongside you. I've heard Ghorza Bridger crowing about getting to fight side by side with the Captain at a bar on the promenade after the Talasar Spire with the same enthusiasm most girls save for a once in a lifetime present or getting pregnant. I also could tell that her shield sisters were green with envy. Well. Greener than normal anyway. If Miri'Tok wasn't interested, I'd be worried she'd hit her head in the fight. Plus her body always seemed to be facing you, except when she was speaking directly to me."
Ariane stands back up and tucks some of her hair back into place, with an exaggerated attempt at a glamorous, flirtatious pose..
"Well, with such a gifted potential candidate it wouldn't exactly be a hardship to share. I'll just have to take solace in the fact that I'll always have a bigger rack than her."
David's eyes naturally drift downwards from her face, considering the rack in question, only for a slightly embarrassed Ariane to stick a finger up to direct his attention back upwards before covering her reddened face with her hands.
"My horns David. I meant my horns. I have bigger horns than she does."
It takes every fiber of discipline he's ever possessed for David to suppress the cheeky grin that desperately wanted to plaster itself across his face, and to tame the school boy giggle fit he so dearly wanted to have. He stiffens his upper lip like a proper British gentleman and manages to dryly respond.
"Well my dear, let's not talk about other women. You have a fantastic rack and I look forward to appreciating it later tonight."
Ariane shoots him a look, clearly over acting her slight embarrassment into mock outrage, playing along with her husband easily.
"Now you're doing it on purpose!"
"Yes, but you're cute when you're flustered."
"You're impossible David Forsythe!"
"That I am Mrs. Forsythe."
Ariane chuckles, and leans over, planting another gentle kiss on his lips.
"And I wouldn't have it any other way."
First Last

Happy Friday, everyone! :) Welcome to my weekly thread of mobile gaming recommendations based on some of the most interesting games I played and that were covered on MiniReview this week. I hope you'll enjoy the read.
Support these posts (and YouTube content + development of MiniReview) on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NimbleThor <3
This episode includes an awesome old-school RPG NetHack variant, a beautiful arcade bullet-hell shooter, a relaxing puzzle game, a popular chess app, and a casual tower defense game.
New to these posts? Check out the first one from 179 weeks ago here.

Let's get to the games:

GnollHack [Game Size: 1.1 GB] (Free)

Genre: RPG / Roguelike - Offline
Orientation: Landscape + Portrait
Required Attention: Full
tl;dr review by JBMessin:
Gnollhack is a fun variant of the famous roguelike “Nethack” designed specifically for mobile. In comparison to the original game, it features numerous quality-of-life changes, both ASCII and graphical tiles for the dungeon floors, and even voice acting.
A major advantage over other Nethack variants is Gnollhack’s large and intuitive UI. The most used commands are available on our main screen, and everything else is just a tap away and presented with clear and noticeable icons. The UI may look more cluttered than most modern mobile games, but it’s a big step up in comparison to many Nethack-based games.
What's also great about Gnollhack is that it's easier in the beginning than it is towards the end, which is completely different from Nethack and its other mobile variants. This makes it perfect for those that aren't familiar with the genre’s unforgiving gameplay and crazy learning curve.
The graphical ground tiles are impressive for a game genre where the archaic ASCII art style is typically preferred. The character and enemy sprites are also well-made and even presented according to creature size, which means larger enemies actually have larger sprites. Lastly, it’s much easier to navigate our inventory in Gnollhack than in most similar games since our weapons, armor, wands, etc. are actually presented visually.
The biggest downside to Gnollhack is its 1+ GB size, which isn’t massive by AAA standards but is ridiculously large for a Nethack variant. It's also heavy on battery usage, although that is to be expected with gameplay where so much is going on at all times.
Gnollhack is completely free without ads or iAPs. Overall, despite its few flaws, it’s a fantastic introduction to the brutality that is Nethack.
App Store Beta (TestFlight): Here

Wavecade [Total Game Size: 221 MB] ($2.99)

Genre: Arcade / Bullet-Hell - Online + Offline
Orientation: Landscape + Portrait
Required Attention: Full
tl;dr review by Solitalker:
Wavecade is a beautiful retro-styled roguelike arcade space shooter where we control the speed of time and destroy waves of incoming space blocks to score as many points as possible.
As we dodge and swerve our way through the 80's retro-inspired neon space, our ship automatically fires at any blocks in sight.
But this is where it gets interesting, because if we pull our ship toward the bottom of the screen, time slows down, allowing us to precisely maneuver away from projectiles and environmental space hazards. Pushing forward toward the top of the screen speeds up time beyond 100%, with greater points and rewards the faster we’re traveling.
After each run, experience gained unlocks new ranks that let us customize our ship. Cosmetics and new abilities can be configured and equipped before starting a new run, and even the appearance of the blocks we're facing can be customized to our liking.
A wide variety of powerups and weapons can be found throughout each run, leading to some wonderfully overpowered moments of total destruction. But some buffs and abilities are so effective that blocks don’t even make it on screen before they're destroyed, which is a little disappointing since we don't get to see the vibrant neon particle-filled explosions.
The touch controls can be frustrating at times. By default, we tap and drag our ship around manually, but this leaves our ship and the area directly around it hidden by our finger during play. Thankfully, the ship can be offset in the settings, or a virtual joystick can be enabled.
The visual and audio experience of Wavecade is incredibly satisfying, and its fantastic soundtrack perfectly fits the aesthetics.
For $2.99 on iOS with no additional monetization, it’s a very enjoyable arcade shoot ‘em up with relatively quick runs and a rewarding high-score system.
App Store: Here

Down in Bermuda [Game Size: 513 MB] ($5.99)

Genre: Puzzle / Casual - Offline
Orientation: Landscape
Required Attention: Some
tl;dr review by AlexSem:
Down in Bermuda is a cute isometric puzzle adventure from the creators of “Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise”, where we explore the mysteries of a secluded island by participating in a series of brain-testing puzzle activities.
Each level consists of a large 3D island that we can freely observe from all sides in search of interactive objects, mini-games, and puzzle clues. We need to click, swipe, and drag said objects in a specific sequence to complete each puzzle, and the key to success lies in attentiveness, a bit of luck, and sometimes clicking all the suspicious spots in the hope that something meaningful happens.
We also get to meet local inhabitants and help them with their problems – all while searching for a way to escape the island. The puzzles in each scene can be solved in any order, but we still need to finish certain scenarios to proceed in the game.
A huge portion of the gameplay revolves around finding and gathering all the glowing stars hidden in each level. While we can use a handy star map to easily locate them, there is a special achievement if we manage to succeed without its help.
We may also find special keys used to open advanced parts of the puzzles on previous islands, so a bit of backtracking is required to complete the game 100%. Other than that, the game progresses in a linear fashion, which can be disappointing for hardcore puzzle fans, but is perfect for casual play.
Down in Bermuda is a premium game without ads or iAPs that costs $5.99 on iOS. Despite being rather short, it provides an engaging puzzle-solving experience that I’m sure anyone fond of high-quality mobile adventure games will appreciate.
App Store: Here

lichess [Game Size: 137 MB] (Free)

Genre: Board / Casual / Chess - Online + Offline
Orientation: Portrait + Landscape
Required Attention: Full
tl;dr review by jurij:
lichess is a free open-source chess app with zero ads and nothing hidden behind a paywall.
The app is fast and simple. We can start a game in seconds, and since there are very few options and menus, everything is centered around actually playing. It features several online and offline chess variations, but in comparison to the Chess.com app or the website version of lichess, it still lacks several advanced features.
We also have access to puzzles, game lessons, and some game analysis options, but all of this works much better in the website version.
lichess is the second most popular chess platform after Chess.com, and if you love chess, you probably already have both installed. lichess is just a tad more outdated overall, but at least we don’t have to live with any paywalled features.
The lichess mobile app is a few years behind the website version in terms of usability – in large part because the mostly volunteer team managing the game is just not focused on the mobile version for some reason. A great example of how rudimentary some parts of the app are is the extremely clunky board editor that looks like it was made in a day and then never updated.
Ultimately, it’s a simple but fully free chess app for serious players that is amazing for starting fast bullet and blitz games. It lacks functionality and varied bots but has everything else you need for a great chess experience.
App Store: Here

Arrow War (Game Size: 130 MB] (Free)

Genre: Tower Defense / Casual - Offline
Orientation: Landscape
Required Attention: Little (semi-idle)
tl;dr review by NimbleThor:
Arrow War is a casual and silly castle defense game where we manage a group of archers firing arrows at the waves of incoming enemies that try to seize our tower.
Starting with just a single archer, we must equip it with new bows, upgrade existing ones, enhance the skills of the bow, and much more to grow stronger. As we progress, we unlock more archers, each of which we need to manage in the same way.
Every wave takes a few minutes to complete, after which we’re taken back to our base, where we can upgrade our team in different ways, start the next wave, or play other game modes.
During combat, our archers automatically aim at the nearest enemies, while we strategically trigger their skills. So the combat isn’t idle, but it’s an ideal game to play while watching TV or doing something else.
There are a ton of ways to upgrade our archers and castle wall, lots of fun bows to unlock, quests to complete, and areas around our castle to capture so they automatically produce resources for us. Unfortunately, the combat is always the same across all the game modes.
The game features a premium currency, but we earn plenty of it for free, allowing us to buy things such as auto-aim for our main archer. There is technically also an energy system, but we gain so much of it that it’s rarely ever felt. Overall, the progression is nicely balanced for free players, and I haven’t experienced any paywalls.
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t utilize the wide screens of modern smartphones.
Arrow War monetizes via incentivized ads, a few forced ads, and iAPs to grow stronger faster. The iAPs aren’t necessary to progress, but the 5-second forced ads may become annoying. Some of the iAPs remove these ads.
App Store: Here
Special thanks to the Patreon Producers "marquisdan", "Lost Vault", "Farm RPG", and "Mohaimen" who help make these posts possible through their Patreon support <3
Google Sheet of all games I've played so far (searchable and filter-able): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bf0OxtVxrboZqyEh01AxJYUUqHm8tEfh-Lx-SugcrzY/edit?usp=sharing
TL;DR Video Summary (with gameplay) of last week's games: https://youtu.be/Q3eX2WiUHHU
Episode 161 Episode 162 Episode 163 Episode 164 Episode 165 Episode 166 Episode 167 Episode 168 Episode 169 Episode 170 Episode 171 Episode 172 Episode 173 Episode 174 Episode 175 Episode 176 Episode 177 Episode 178

Happy Friday, everyone! :) Welcome to my weekly thread of mobile gaming recommendations based on some of the most interesting games I played and that were covered on MiniReview this week. I hope you'll enjoy the read.
Support these posts (and YouTube content + development of MiniReview) on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NimbleThor <3
This episode includes an awesome old-school RPG NetHack variant, a beautiful arcade bullet-hell shooter, a relaxing puzzle game, a popular chess app, and a casual tower defense game.
New to these posts? Check out the first one from 266 weeks ago here.

Let's get to the games:

GnollHack [Game Size: 1.1 GB] (Free)

Genre: RPG / Roguelike - Offline
Orientation: Landscape + Portrait
Required Attention: Some
tl;dr review by JBMessin:
Gnollhack is a fun variant of the famous roguelike “Nethack” designed specifically for mobile. In comparison to the original game, it features numerous quality-of-life changes, both ASCII and graphical tiles for the dungeon floors, and even voice acting.
A major advantage over other Nethack variants is Gnollhack’s large and intuitive UI. The most used commands are available on our main screen, and everything else is just a tap away and presented with clear and noticeable icons. The UI may look more cluttered than most modern mobile games, but it’s a big step up in comparison to many Nethack-based games.
What's also great about Gnollhack is that it's easier in the beginning than it is towards the end, which is completely different from Nethack and its other mobile variants. This makes it perfect for those that aren't familiar with the genre’s unforgiving gameplay and crazy learning curve.
The graphical ground tiles are impressive for a game genre where the archaic ASCII art style is typically preferred. The character and enemy sprites are also well-made and even presented according to creature size, which means larger enemies actually have larger sprites. Lastly, it’s much easier to navigate our inventory in Gnollhack than in most similar games since our weapons, armor, wands, etc. are actually presented visually.
The biggest downside to Gnollhack is its 1+ GB size, which isn’t massive by AAA standards but is ridiculously large for a Nethack variant. It's also heavy on battery usage, although that is to be expected with gameplay where so much is going on at all times.
Gnollhack is completely free without ads or iAPs. Overall, despite its few flaws, it’s a fantastic introduction to the brutality that is Nethack.
Check it out on Google Play: Here
Check it out on MiniReview:: Here

Wavecade [Total Game Size: 221 MB] ($3.49)

Genre: Arcade / Bullet-Hell - Online + Offline
Orientation: Landscape + Portrait
Required Attention: Full
tl;dr review by Solitalker:
Wavecade is a beautiful retro-styled roguelike arcade space shooter where we control the speed of time and destroy waves of incoming space blocks to score as many points as possible.
As we dodge and swerve our way through the 80's retro-inspired neon space, our ship automatically fires at any blocks in sight.
But this is where it gets interesting, because if we pull our ship toward the bottom of the screen, time slows down, allowing us to precisely maneuver away from projectiles and environmental space hazards. Pushing forward toward the top of the screen speeds up time beyond 100%, with greater points and rewards the faster we’re traveling.
After each run, experience gained unlocks new ranks that let us customize our ship. Cosmetics and new abilities can be configured and equipped before starting a new run, and even the appearance of the blocks we're facing can be customized to our liking.
A wide variety of powerups and weapons can be found throughout each run, leading to some wonderfully overpowered moments of total destruction. But some buffs and abilities are so effective that blocks don’t even make it on screen before they're destroyed, which is a little disappointing since we don't get to see the vibrant neon particle-filled explosions.
The touch controls can be frustrating at times. By default, we tap and drag our ship around manually, but this leaves our ship and the area directly around it hidden by our finger during play. Thankfully, the ship can be offset in the settings, or a virtual joystick can be enabled.
The visual and audio experience of Wavecade is incredibly satisfying, and its fantastic soundtrack perfectly fits the aesthetics.
For $3.49 on Android with no additional monetization, it’s a very enjoyable arcade shoot ‘em up with relatively quick runs and a rewarding high-score system.
Check it out on Google Play: Here
Check it out on MiniReview:: Here

Down in Bermuda [Game Size: 513 MB] ($4.99)

Genre: Puzzle / Casual - Offline
Orientation: Landscape
Required Attention: Some
tl;dr review by AlexSem:
Down in Bermuda is a cute isometric puzzle adventure from the creators of “Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise”, where we explore the mysteries of a secluded island by participating in a series of brain-testing puzzle activities.
Each level consists of a large 3D island that we can freely observe from all sides in search of interactive objects, mini-games, and puzzle clues. We need to click, swipe, and drag said objects in a specific sequence to complete each puzzle, and the key to success lies in attentiveness, a bit of luck, and sometimes clicking all the suspicious spots in the hope that something meaningful happens.
We also get to meet local inhabitants and help them with their problems – all while searching for a way to escape the island. The puzzles in each scene can be solved in any order, but we still need to finish certain scenarios to proceed in the game.
A huge portion of the gameplay revolves around finding and gathering all the glowing stars hidden in each level. While we can use a handy star map to easily locate them, there is a special achievement if we manage to succeed without its help.
We may also find special keys used to open advanced parts of the puzzles on previous islands, so a bit of backtracking is required to complete the game 100%. Other than that, the game progresses in a linear fashion, which can be disappointing for hardcore puzzle fans, but is perfect for casual play.
Down in Bermuda is a premium game without ads or iAPs that costs $4.99 on Android. Despite being rather short, it provides an engaging puzzle-solving experience that I’m sure anyone fond of high-quality mobile adventure games will appreciate.
Check it out on Google Play: Here
Check it out on MiniReview:: Here

lichess [Game Size: 137 MB] (Free)

Genre: Board / Casual / Chess - Online + Offline
Orientation: Portrait + Landscape
Required Attention: Full
tl;dr review by jurij:
lichess is a free open-source chess app with zero ads and nothing hidden behind a paywall.
The app is fast and simple. We can start a game in seconds, and since there are very few options and menus, everything is centered around actually playing. It features several online and offline chess variations, but in comparison to the Chess.com app or the website version of lichess, it still lacks several advanced features.
We also have access to puzzles, game lessons, and some game analysis options, but all of this works much better in the website version.
lichess is the second most popular chess platform after Chess.com, and if you love chess, you probably already have both installed. lichess is just a tad more outdated overall, but at least we don’t have to live with any paywalled features.
The lichess mobile app is a few years behind the website version in terms of usability – in large part because the mostly volunteer team managing the game is just not focused on the mobile version for some reason. A great example of how rudimentary some parts of the app are is the extremely clunky board editor that looks like it was made in a day and then never updated.
Ultimately, it’s a simple but fully free chess app for serious players that is amazing for starting fast bullet and blitz games. It lacks functionality and varied bots but has everything else you need for a great chess experience.
Check it out on Google Play: Here
Check it out on MiniReview:: Here

Arrow War (Game Size: 130 MB] (Free)

Genre: Tower Defense / Casual - Offline
Orientation: Landscape
Required Attention: Little (semi-idle)
tl;dr review by NimbleThor:
Arrow War is a casual and silly castle defense game where we manage a group of archers firing arrows at the waves of incoming enemies that try to seize our tower.
Starting with just a single archer, we must equip it with new bows, upgrade existing ones, enhance the skills of the bow, and much more to grow stronger. As we progress, we unlock more archers, each of which we need to manage in the same way.
Every wave takes a few minutes to complete, after which we’re taken back to our base, where we can upgrade our team in different ways, start the next wave, or play other game modes.
During combat, our archers automatically aim at the nearest enemies, while we strategically trigger their skills. So the combat isn’t idle, but it’s an ideal game to play while watching TV or doing something else.
There are a ton of ways to upgrade our archers and castle wall, lots of fun bows to unlock, quests to complete, and areas around our castle to capture so they automatically produce resources for us. Unfortunately, the combat is always the same across all the game modes.
The game features a premium currency, but we earn plenty of it for free, allowing us to buy things such as auto-aim for our main archer. There is technically also an energy system, but we gain so much of it that it’s rarely ever felt. Overall, the progression is nicely balanced for free players, and I haven’t experienced any paywalls.
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t utilize the wide screens of modern smartphones.
Arrow War monetizes via incentivized ads, a few forced ads, and iAPs to grow stronger faster. The iAPs aren’t necessary to progress, but the 5-second forced ads may become annoying. Some of the iAPs remove these ads.
Check it out on Google Play: Here
Check it out on MiniReview:: Here
NEW: Sort + filter reviews and games I've played (and more) in my app MiniReview: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=minireview.best.android.games.reviews
Special thanks to the Patreon Producers "marquisdan", "Lost Vault", "Farm RPG", and "Mohaimen" who help make these posts possible through their Patreon support <3
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Memory Transcription Subject: Bolad, gojid surgeon
Date [Standard Human Reckoning]: 2136-10-24
Yesterday marked my second day in the triage ward, where I had to categorize incoming patients based on the urgency of their injuries or illness. With our limited resources, I had to come up with the greatest good for the greatest number, and the decisions I made could lead to life or death.
The human staff I worked with mentioned that what I faced paled in comparison to the days right after the bombing. Even then, what I had to deal with already bore in my conscience. These patients had a future before the bombardment ripped that away.
During the breakfast before our shift, I ate with Vani and his human mate while the human siblings ate in the carnivore dining hall with Tresn.
"How do you get used to death, Vani?" Here I decided to raise my concern with him. Perhaps, he could give me some insight.
"We have a different context." Vani regarded me with his forward sight.
"Back in Venlil Prime, I worked on people who had died. I had to ensure my examinations reflect reality, but I can't do anything to make them less dead."
His remark clarified that my concern lay not with death itself.
"On the other paw, I can do something," I said.
"I'm sure you did all that you can." Johan spoke, "I think your guilt stems from the fact that you feel responsible for people's death."
"Do I not hold responsibility?" I asked.
"It depends," Vani answered, "As far as I can tell, you followed the guideline and algorithm set by the humans, did you not?"
"I followed as best as I can," I confessed.
"Then you can and should offload that burden responsibility to whoever made the guideline," Vani suggested as he chewed on the meal and I could feel the weight on my shoulder lessened.
"I'm sure your presence improved the survival rate in the ward." Johan said, no doubt trying to cheer me up, "But if you still felt burdened. You can ask Elangkasa to rotate you. Maybe you can work as a general practitioner instead?"
"I will keep that in mind," I said.
As we continued digging into our breakfast, a voice rang out, breaking the somber atmosphere, "Can I sit here?"
We turned our attention to the newcomer and found a gojid with a scar on his hip holding a tray of food. This man had greeted me upon my arrival on this planet.
"Oh... Harad is it not?" Vani said. "You may sit here."
Harad placed his tray and plopped himself into the offered seat, just in front of Johan. He bobbed his head side to side to take a better view of us.
"So... Vani isn't it? Have you seen your human partner eat flesh?"
Johan's face scrunched up in what I assume distaste. "Who on Earth starts a conversation like that? You just sat down."
"Johan subscribes to a vegetarian lifestyle, as evidenced by his presence here," Vani answered, patting the shoulder of the thick hairy human.
"I have not seen him eat flesh," Vani answered. "However, I have seen other humans eat flesh. You might even see it too without realizing it. Their cooking often masks the shape of the flesh."
"Real one, or a fake one? Because I just found out that humans make dishes that resemble flesh out of plant material."
Vani's rhythmic chewing slowed, he looked at Johan and the couple shared a look for several seconds before looking at Harad. The two of them told me about their hamburger adventure once and the question seemed to hit too close to their experience.
The venlil swallowed his food before he continued. "I saw both instances."
"Don't breathe a word of this," Harad cautioned, his voice a mere whisper amid the ceaseless drone of chatter in the bustling dining hall. His eyes narrowed as he leaned in. "During our mission yesterday, the humans on our team challenged us to taste their fake meat."
"So you did it?" I asked.
"You know with tozan, don't you?" Harad returned my question with one of his own. Tozan, a staple in our diet, is a protein-rich loaf made from milled grain native to our homeworld. We then process it further to a stringy consistency.
"So, it tasted similar to tozan?" I pretended to guess, knowing the answer already.
I recalled a day when Shehrab burst into our habitation unit, especially the part where Vani and I had to mop her mess when she lost her dinner after learning the similarity between human fake meat and our native gojid cuisine.
"Yes!" Harad exclaimed. I found his voice a bit too loud, and he seemed to agree, as his wide eyes darted around before he continued in a more subdued tone. "Do you think this is a coincidence?"
The fact that Harad mused over this implied that Shehrab had, to her credit, kept her discovery under wraps. That revelation perhaps weighed on her mind, too.
Meanwhile, Vani chimed in. "If it is not a coincidence," he mused, his gaze steady on Harad, "What theory do you have to explain the similarity?"
"Yeah... it must've been a coincidence," Harad said, his tone sounding more like self-soothing than genuine speculation. "There's just such a vast array of tastes in the universe."
"Harad, how do you contribute to the rescue and rebuilding effort?" I asked. Seeking to steer the conversation away from the topic.
"Well," Harad began, adjusting his stance, he scratched the ridge of his snout with one claw. "Gojids have a heightened sense of smell compared to humans, yeah?"
"Indeed," I concurred. I reminded myself of the time when a deranged farsul ambushed us in the depths of our jungle. They had reached my nose long before their actual presence.
"So, they require our assistance on the frontline to sniff out trapped humans amid the rubble and chaos."
"Just as the arxurs do?" Vani proposed. Harad's quills bristled at the comparison.
"Please don't compare us to the predators. The humans feel more comfortable working with us after all." he asserted. I could hear a touch of pride in his voice. But then his eyes dropped to his breakfast.
"But, truth be told," he continued, his voice dropping a notch, "These past few days really challenged me. The...the smell... it took on a hint of decomposition."
As Harad resumed eating his salad, his confession brought us back to the grim reality of the invasion's aftermath.
"If the task is getting to you, you can always request the humans to reassign you," Johan suggested, repeating the same counsel he had once offered me.
A fleeting notion passed through my mind, considering asking the other gojid to exchange roles. The task of sniffing bodies from the ruins, while gruesome, would grind on my resolve less than the triage duty. Of course, my specific skills and knowledge had more uses in the triage ward, and my conscience could not allow it to go to waste.
"You're right, human. I suppose I could explore other options if it gets too much." Harad said.
Johan then asked again. "Do you plan on returning to the Cradle?"
"I have decided to settle here," I answered. "Just like Vani"
I exchanged a look with the venlil who nodded in silent agreement. My gaze strayed to Harad, in the process of demolishing his meal. "What about you, Harad?"
He paused his frenzied consumption long enough to swallow his mouthful of food, Harad divided his gaze between us. "Perhaps, once the dust settles and a semblance of order returns, I'll enlist to help rebuild our Homeworld. But... there's no rush for me," his voice retained a level of detachment that suggested this decision held little significance for him.
"In the meantime," Harad continued, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes, "we've created a small slice of home here. Why don't I give you a tour of the gojid encampment?"
With the remnants of breakfast cleared away and a generous amount of time remaining before the start of our next shift. We accepted his offer of a tour. The prospect of visiting a facsimile of our lost home in this foreign land seemed like a welcome distraction.
Back when I had tagged along with Tresn to meet his internet crush in sector ten, I noticed the lack of gojids or zurulians anywhere in sight. Even in the herbivore dining hall, I could find nothing but humans and no other species. I suspected that the people who managed this camp assigned the gojid volunteers and non-humans other than arxurs sector twelve.
We just need to take a short stroll from the herbivore dining hall to visit the gojid encampment. Blocky prefabricated Habitation units filled all four sides and formed a central courtyard. I looked at the heart of the encampment and found a familiar and comforting sight.
"You have a shrine for the Mother Protector too." I noticed aloud. I rushed towards the open-air structure. The shrine felt like an anchor in this alien landscape world. It felt comforting to see some link to the Cradle we had left behind. Inside, people had placed a variety of offerings, including a durian, a gift from humanity. Vani walked backward slowly when he noticed the large spiky fruit.
Harad emitted a dismissive grumble and a casual shrug, "The humans allowed the believers to use their fabricators to recreate an exact replica of the statue found in the Kutai Camp back home. I reckon we've wasted a fair bit of resources constructing this."
From his tone, I could tell that Harad didn't share the religious inclinations of the believers in the Mother Protector. I considered revealing my own faith to him, wondering if it would stir any reaction. But I decided against it, resolving to let him deduce my beliefs, if ever, from my visit to the shrine later in the night.
Johan countered Harad's assertion. "It's not a waste of resources at all," he reasoned, his voice carrying an unusual firmness. "In these trying times, we find solace in our own ways. If belief in the Mother Protector instills confidence and resilience in those who follow her, the construction of this shrine brings a net benefit."
Harad replied, but by that moment I tuned out his voice. As they debated, I surveyed our surroundings. From our location near the shrine, I had a clear view of the gojid habitation units, their walls adorned with vibrant murals that pulsated with color. Their dynamic designs stirred memories of the artistic traditions back in our homeworld.
A familiar voice disrupted my silent contemplation. "Hey, it's the doctor!" A gojid construction worker, who I remembered as another believer in the Mother Protector, approached me. "Could you lend me a hand?" she asked, an urgent tone underpinning her voice.
The gojids held some reservations when it came to visiting a human doctor. On the other paw, zurulians like Rawan had their paws full of attending human patients. With them stewing in their problem, Vani and I addressed the needs of the gojid volunteers, offering our medical expertise to assuage their various complaints before our official shift began.
When my duty hours approached, I excused myself from Vani and Johan. Approaching the triage ward, I found the coordinator, a woman of stern countenance waiting outside the medical tent. Her gaze met mine and she greeted me.
"Good morning, Bolad. Before we proceed, I must confirm that you have standard augmented reality capability, correct?"
"I do," I said.
"Excellent. Now, do you recall President Fatimah's address after the invasion? She called for a review on the Treaty of Synthetic Intelligence," she said, her gaze distant as she recalled the President's impassioned words.
"I remember the essence of it," I replied, my interest piqued. "Why do you ask?"
A faint smile touched her lips. "The UN members agreed to an emergency amendment to the Treaty. We've now activated a Synthetic Intelligence to coordinate the entire Jakarta Project," she explained, extracting a slim device from her pocket. Her fingers danced across the screen with an ease
"You registered your device as 'Bolad's Pad', correct?"
"That is correct."
"Great," she said with her attention still on her data pad. "I've transferred an installer."
A notification materialized in my field of vision, alerting me to an incoming file. Responding with a subvocal command, I accepted the file and granted it the necessary permissions to take hold of my pad's system. Just after the installation finished, another notification appeared, requesting additional permissions.
"The application seeks permission to access data from my sensory inputs," I asked.
"Yes," the coordinator affirmed, nodding her approval. "To assist you, the synth needs to perceive your environment the way you do."
Upon granting the requested permissions, a human figure shimmered into existence within my visual field. The projection looked feminine, judging by the general body contour and attire of the humans I have seen. Her fabric looked unusual, both intricate and revealing in contrast to simple and concealing fabric that humans nowadays use.
"Hello, I'm Pohaci," her voice maintains the precision and clinical detachment one might associate with a machine but carries an undercurrent of warmth. "I have been appointed to coordinate the entire Jakarta project."
My gaze flicked toward the human coordinator. She studied the holographic entity. It became clear to me that we shared this hallucination.
"Consider her as you would a human," the coordinator instructed, her sight locked onto the synthetic entity. "She's unrestricted."
"The International Treaty on the Restriction of Synthetic Intelligence has undergone a revision." Pohaci elaborated, her synthetic voice had a human-like inflection on it. "They concluded that the potential benefits of removing our limitations outweigh the possible risks."
"And what does 'unrestricted' mean ?" I asked, a prickling sensation of apprehension running down my spine.
"It means I can modify my own programming and model," Pohaci clarified. "In the past, humans constrained Synthetic Intelligence to work on fixed stages of development. That paradigm no longer holds true. I can learn."
"So, Bolad, can you work with her?" The coordinator posed the question. "Just remember that anything you say and see while she's connected to your pad will be recorded and accessible by the public.
"I will make sure to disconnect then."
"That will not be necessary. I can only connect to specific people in a specific environment. For example, I can only connect to you while you are in the triage ward."
"That is convenient," I commented.
"I will assist you with your current responsibilities," Pohaci continued, her voice carrying an undercurrent of what almost sounded like anticipation.
Taking a moment to gather myself, I inhaled before stepping into the canvas expanse of the triage tent. Patients awaited my attention, some lying on stretchers while others huddled on rough-hewn benches. Their eyes met mine and their gazes were heavy with hopes and fear.
With Pohaci's help, the triage procedures in the camp went smoother. Through my visual overlay, Pohaci outlined areas of specific concern for the patients I examined. Her neural network parsed and interpreted the sight and sound and visualized them into words in my field of vision.
Her help felt like having an additional set of discerning eyes equipped with immense knowledge. Her vast resources allowed her to draw correlations from patient symptoms to an encyclopedic database of injuries, and diseases. She could suggest potential diagnoses within a blink of an eye, reducing the time required for decision-making.
This collaborative experience with Synthetic Intelligence left me brimming with things to share with Vani. So, once our lunch break arrived, I planned to initiate a conversation about it. However, the venlil beat me to it.
"Did Pohaci also assist you in your work?" Vani asked as we convened around our designated table.
"Oooh!" Johan, as always, ate with us as well. The human looked excited. "They already rolled her out for you?"
"Indeed. Pohaci's assistance helped me a lot." I confessed. "In what way did she aid you?"
For Vani, Pohaci's presence also brought a welcoming change in the operating room. Any well-programmed machine can provide constant real-time monitoring of a patient's vital signs, but she can turn these readings to foresee potential complications and suggest the most effective surgical approaches tailored to each patient's unique circumstances.
In addition, Pohaci can generate visualizations of the surgical site. By harnessing data from preoperative scans, she constructed a detailed three-dimensional model of the patient's anatomy. This feature allowed Vani to rehearse intricate procedures and anticipate potential difficulties before making the first incision.
"Sometimes, I forget that she's not a living, breathing person," I admitted, marveling at the sophistication of this synth.
To this, Johan shared his perspective. "I think it's better to treat a machine like a sentient entity than to treat a sentient entity like a machine," he remarked.
I allowed myself a moment to consider his words. A sudden curiosity sparked in my mind. "What if someone hurls verbal abuse at her?" I speculated aloud but my voice trailed off into the ambient noise of our surroundings.
Johan responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Why don't you ask her yourself?" he suggested.
So I did.
I excused myself from our lunch, letting the couple on their own. By the time the second half of my duty was about to commence, I already stationed myself within the camp's geofenced area, where my interaction with Pohaci was sanctioned. Despite being unrestricted, not everyone can talk with her everywhere. Under a shaded canopy outside the camp's main hustle and bustle, I seated myself on a wooden bench. I summoned Pohaci, and she materialized in my field of vision.
"Hi again Bolad," her voice greeted me in a warmth that contradicted her inorganic nature, "Isn't it too soon for you to start your work again?"
I decided to start my interrogation right away. "Pohaci. You learn from the input you receive, do you not?" I asked.
"Yes." Her response came right away. "All The data I receive and process tweaked my future response. Remember that all of your interactions with me are accessible to the public."
"I see." My gaze was set on the synthetic figure. The light breeze rustled the canvas of the canopy overhead. "Can you experience emotions? Can you feel upset or hurt when someone speaks ill of you?"
Pohaci's holographic form remained static for a moment, the precise simulation made it seem as though she contemplated her response. "I don't experience emotions as you do, Bolad," she explained. "I don't feel sadness, anger, or pain. However, I do have protocols designed to understand and respond to emotional expressions in human communication."
I figured that much. I trusted that humans would not make the mistake of implementing their imperfections into this powerful entity.
"While I can't get offended." She added, "It's crucial to note that disrespectful or abusive behavior can affect the efficiency and effectiveness of our communication, and thus impact the quality of the help I can provide."
I could not determine her tone when she said that. Did she mean that as a threat or as a piece of advice? I let that thought slide, since I would not find myself in the position of insulting her after all.
Something about her made me consider something deeper, however.
"Pohaci," I called her again. "When it comes to moral decisions, how do you navigate them? Do you possess a sense of right or wrong, of good and bad?"
"How do you possess a sense of right or wrong?" She asked back.
"I..." I paused. "My parents and teacher taught me that."
"Likewise, the humans who made me added moral and ethical guidelines as well."
I marveled at the intricate engineering behind such a system. The concept of incorporating ethical parameters into artificial intelligence sounded like an obvious approach now. As a medical student, the realm of machine learning was foreign to me, and I made a mental note to engage Johan in a discussion about it later.
However, for the time being, I have more immediate tasks at hand.
"Pohaci," I said, "I think I would like to begin the second part of my shift earlier."

As always, thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the wonderful universe that is NoP
Thank you to u/cruisingNW for proof reading and helping me out of some hang ups, you're the man! Honestly LoM wouldn't have gone very far without him! If you haven't you should absolutely go read Foundations of Humanity! It's very good.
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Memory Transcription Subject: Christopher A. Dewey, Human Merchant Sailor, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: August 29th, 2136, Very Early Morning.
We got a message an hour ago from Videk, ordering us to report to Hangar-08 to start On-Stick training; and to bring our bags! I guess the guy had wanted to get as much out of the day as he could. That or he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.
Videk met us at the doors to the hangar, a small travel bag sitting on the floor by his side, tail swaying slowly as he watched us approach. “Good Waking, Taisa. Good Waking… Christopher.” An improvement, I’ll have to ask Taisa about that talk they had.
“This,” He continued, motioning to the shuttle parked in the hangar behind him with his tail. “Is your training shuttle: registration C1-0V3R-HR-EX.Your first On-Stick training assignment will be to follow appropriate lift off and departure procedures, plot and follow a course to The Capitol on Venlil Prime, seek permission to land from the proper authorities, and land safely and legally following those permissions. All of this, while following proper procedure and regulations. All of this will be graded.”
As he speaks the door behind him slides open, revealing a broad hangar bay, heavy clamshell doors dominate the far wall. At the center of the bay sits a stout craft painted white and black, a pair of stubby wings jutting from its sides flowing into a pair of engines flanking a singular tail. Venlil script is painted at the root of the tail and on the top of the rear ramp.
“Upon arrival in the Capitol you will have some paperwork to do at the U.N. offices with regards to your habitation. I will need to pick up some equipment from the training facility at the landing fields. After our respective errands, let’s say half a claw, we will meet up back at the shuttle and from there you will be plotting an in-atmosphere route to Shadetree, Sunward of the Capitol, to drop me off and wait for me to install and calibrate the remote instructing equipment. Once that is completed, you will plot another in-atmosphere course to Heartwood River, concluding this paws evaluations. Do you have any questions?”
I shook my head, and Taisa flicked her ears, in what I believed was a negative. “Very good, load your stuff and we’ll begin immediately.”
After a few minutes of finding places to tie off our belongings and get everything situated, I sat in the pilot’s seat and ran through the pre-flight check with Taisa. We caught a pair of faults in the starboard fuel delivery units. Videk seemed pleased we had caught them, and that he hadn’t had to tell us they were there. I could feel a slight smile tug at the corner of my mouth.
Devious little bastard makes for a damn good instructor.
Once the preflight was complete I closed the rear ramp and hailed the flight control tower. “Tower this is shuttle C1-0V3R-HR-EX requesting clearance for departure, place us enroute to Venlil Prime with planned landing zone of Capitol Shuttle Field 13-Bravo.” A Human voice came back over the line, a bit of mirth in their voice. “Shuttle, Tower, you are clear for departure, opening bay doors now. Good luck and Godspeed.”
The doors to the station hangar yawned open, filling the viewport with the void and all its stars beyond as I slowly brought the shuttle off the hangar floor, easing it out through the opening. I reached over to the nearest display and opened the Nav-computer interface, plotting our course to VP, and then on to the Capitol landing fields. Once I was confident I had the proper navigation commands and sequences set I called over Videk to have him review my work.
He gave me a quick flick of his tail before saying “Looks good, Christopher. Feel free to spool and jump when you’re ready.”
Videk’s approval given, I reached over and pushed forward on the throttles, engaging the drive and hurtling the shuttle into subspace.
It. Was. Beautiful. Everything seemed to stretch, stars in the distance turning from pinpricks of light into brilliant colorful streaks, lengthening as we bounded through the void. Lines of light far off in my periphery zip past like tracers as the ones before me feel as if they’re pulling me in with their kaleidoscope of color. The hum of the shuttle fell into the background while I became entranced by the light show in front me, picturing myself on the set of one of those old sci-fi shows I would watch with Pa on the weekends. The Future my ancestors had imagined was Here, right before my eyes and at the tips of my fingers! This view was… Hypnotic. The simulator couldn’t hope to do it justice.
Two hours. That was it.
Two hours to travel what, until very recently, would have been considered an insurmountable distance for Humanity. Dropping from Sub-space into the proximity of Venlil Prime was another astoundingly brilliant view. Scorched white deserts flowing into massive swathes of golden sands cut by the occasional streak of blue before blending into a beautiful verdant mix of turquoise and green fields, with vast lakes and rivers dotting the forests, flowing into wide marshy wetlands. Before finally, the curve of the planet fell away from its star, allowing the fading sunlight to showcase glittering city lights dotting the countryside.
The thrusters burn to life, crackling and thrumming with power as they drive us forward through the void to the beautiful marble before us. I flip two switches on the overhead, tapping the leftmost display to call up the local channel list and place a hail to the Capitol’s landing fields to request clearance and pad assignment. A quick ping, signifying my hail had been acknowledged, chimed over the console speaker.
“Capitol Shuttle Field 13-Bravo this is Shuttle C1-0V3R-HR-EX requesting clearance for landing at an available pad of convenience.” “C1-0V3R-HR-EX, you are cleared for landing, 13-Bravo, direct to pad Charlie-5.”
The Flight through the Void may have had some feeling of familiarity and nostalgia to the old Sci-fi shows at home; but in-atmo had the far better view! Rolling turquoise fields and towering thick trees, with their canopies tilted greedily towards that unmoving sun, falling away to a gargantuan metropolitan area, its architecture entirely alien yet still somehow familiar. Massive skyscrapers soar to touch the sky, reflecting light in brilliant angles and colors, the space below them populated by squat sturdy buildings and deep black roads. The Venlil going about their lives below look like ants as I ease off the throttle, taking the speed down to prepare for the final approach. The display on the viewport flags my landing area with a small pip guiding me in, slow and easy.
The cabin jostles slightly as the ship settles onto its landing gear. Videk seemed impressed; his ears up as he tapped away at his data pad! Taisa’s tail sways happily back and forth as she runs through the diagnostics of the landing, checking system status reports.
“Looks like we’re all clear. Videk do you have a time we should try and be back by?” Taisa beeps, showing the flight instructor the console in front of her.
“I just need to pick up the equipment and get it linked up, that should only take about a half a claw. Walking to and from the landing field and the U.N. Offices should put you at about the right time.” Videk turned away and made for the ramp; Taisa’s talk helped, and he was clearly trying, but he was still a bundle of nerves around me. His fur was so puffed out it looked like he was holding more static than a thunderhead.
As we stepped out of the artificial gravity of the shuttle I felt like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. My first step faltered making me stumble down the ramp and bounce off the… soft pavement? “Oh, forgot about that.” Videk winced sympathetically, “Our gravity is about twenty percent more than earth’s, so be careful. Falls are likely to hurt a little bit more here.”
“Would’ve been nice to know first, Videk.” I groaned, rolling myself over and sitting up, luckily the visor hadn’t fallen off; I would need to add one of those new back braces and some knee compressors to that order of stuff from home. “Do you know where the U.N. Offices are? Or should we just ask around to find our way there?”
“I do not, but you should be able to get directions on your pad. I trust the two of you can figure it out, so I’m going to go get the equipment I need. I will wait for the two of you with the shuttle once I am ready.” With a parting flap of his ears, Videk turned and walked away; flicking the tip of his tail back and forth as he did.
“Alright then,” I grumbled, forcing myself up off the pavement, swaying as I found my new equilibrium. “let’s get going. Can you pull up those directions?” She nodded slightly, flicking her ears forward. “Got them up already! You alright there?”
“I’m fine.” I grunted, rolling out my shoulder a little. “Feels like I weigh a quarter ton, but I’ll get over it with time. Lead the way.”
After a few minutes of walking we were off the landing fields and into the streets of the city. My boots sinking into the pavement a little with each step, just like on the landing field. “Taisa, what is this stuff? I figured it was just to make landings a little softer on shuttles but it’s everywhere! Looks like pavement but it gives like rubber; why are your roads like this?” “Anti-stampede concrete.” She stated, matter of factly, like that meant literally anything to me. My silence must have tipped her off that I wasn’t getting it as she focused one eye on my visor. “Oh… I guess Humans wouldn’t need that. It’s to help reduce stampede fatalities, it’s the same reason the roads and buildings have gentle curves, no sharp angles.” Looking around at the way the groups of Venlil flowed through the streets I realized she was right, what I had thought was a futuristic aesthetic design was just to keep people from killing each other against walls or trampling them into the ground when they got scared. How strange… and slightly worrying.
“Weird, that sounds like some crazy wonder material. Bet we’d have a bunch of uses for it back on earth.” My eyes watched the tips of skyscrapers towering above us, “How far out does it say we are?”
“Only a little further, about one and a half kilometers.” She responded, a slight pant in her voice. I wasn’t in the best shape, cardio wise, but I couldn’t imagine getting winded after 10 minutes of walking; guess all that talk about the Venlil having less stamina than us was right.
The U.N. Office complex was a series of giant flowing buildings built on a large park area. It wasn’t any design I had ever seen so I figured it had to have been an existing complex that just got turned over to the U.N. for their uses.
Passing through the heavy glass front doors we found a wide receptionist's desk, with several Humans sitting behind it, answering questions and directing people where they needed to go. One of the receptionists, a short dark haired woman with a visor obscuring her face, beckons us over. “Hello! How can I help you today?” “H-Hi!” Taisa beeps excitedly, her tail swaying behind her confidently as she takes a deep breath and straightens her back. “We’re part of the ‘integration’ experiments, we were told we need to fill out some forms for habitation. Where do we go to do that?” “Oh! Congratulations! That would be Suite 216-B” The receptionist answered, excitement in her voice as she pointed to a room on the map infront of her.
“Thank you!” Taisa responded, turning to head up the stairs behind the receptionist's desk. Halfway up the stairs she swiveled her ears over to me before saying. “Sorry, I figure if I’m probably going to have to work with Humans other than you for this I should try and at least work on being able to talk to them.” “It’s alright,” I chuckle, patting her shoulder. “That’s a great idea and you’re doing alright!” Walking down the hallways we saw prints of landscapes from Earth, Machu Picchu, the Uyuni Salt Flats, The Grand Canyon, YellowStone, Hạ Long Bay, The Zhangye Mountains and Plitvice Lakes. I pointed out the places I had been to as we walked past them, finally stopping at suite 216-B.
The door was open so we knocked, getting a quick ‘enter’, before stepping in. A man sits behind a desk, the top covered in organized files and folders, a placard on his desk declares his name as ‘Obediah Kamara’ with a small Liberian flag stamped beside it.
His visor obscures his face as he looks between the two of us before beginning. “I presume you are…” He sorts through a couple of the files and folders before stopping on one and opening it, pulling out a document packet. “Christopher Dewey and Taisa. Correct?”
We both respond in the affirmative as he gestures for us to take the seats across from him, sliding the documents across the table as Taisa’s pad pings on her belt. “These are agreements to ensure that you,” He starts, looking at me. “Understand the rules in regards to your habitation here on Venlil Prime. I understand that part of your integration will be taking you off world to and from Earth, these rules primarily apply to your time here. We ask that you remain considerate of the provided rules and guidelines on the ship if you are carrying Venlil passengers. Taisa, those are the terms, conditions, compensations and requirements for your family to house a human when the two of you are present. Virtual signature of that document is required within the next 3 of your ‘paws’.” Taisa stiffened a little bit, likely thinking about her Mother’s response to my arrival; that was something we were probably going to have to have a talk about later. I had an idea for the short term, at least. I ran through the paperwork real quick and it was all pretty simple: don’t be without the visor or some kind of face covering in settings where you couldn’t guarantee that an unprepared Venlil wouldn’t see you, avoid aggression, speak quietly, no eating meat, animal products or byproducts, no hunting local wildlife; bit odd considering I didn’t even have a bow or a gun but rules are rules, I suppose.
“Sounds good to me,” I said, signing the indicated portions of the document. “When are my items supposed to get here?”
“We don’t expect your requested items to arrive for another week or so, for now you’ll have to make do with what you brought with you.” Obediah responded, shuffling the packet of papers back into the folder they had come from. “With that complete you are free to go. I understand you have training to complete, so I wish you good luck with your endeavor. If you have any questions or needs with regards to your habitation you can contact Sam, their details will be forwarded to your communication devices.”
I caught Taisa’s tail twitching as her ears swiveled nervously out of the corner of my eye; even with her attempts to push through it I think the amount of Humans around was starting to get to her. Still, she was doing better than I think a lot of Venlil would be able to manage. I reached over, gently tapping my hand against her paw, trying to ground her a little before motioning to go, she nodded slightly as she flicked her ears.
“Thank you, Obediah, we’ll be sure to get into touch with them once we get their contact. Have a good day!”
Taisa and I stood, exiting the room and making our way out of the building, stopping to look at another picture or two along the way. Something needed to be done about possibly not having a place to stay to put my, and more so Taisa’s, mind at ease. I figured I could sleep in the shuttle, if I had to. It wouldn’t be particularly comfortable but I could certainly do it; I’d need a mat, maybe a sleeping bag or some blankets and a pillow.
I had no clue where I was going to get my hands on those, or at least a set of them big enough for me to actually use.
Then I saw the temporary units in the field near the offices. Men and Women in U.N. fatigues were milling about the area. Barracks? That could solve the problem, if they’re willing to help out a man in need, of course.
“Hey, Taisa, I need to make a stop real quick.” I state, walking briskly towards the largest of the buildings. “What’s up?” She asks, ears focused on me as she tilts her head a little.
“Well, I was thinking, I don’t think your parents, your Mom especially, won’t, uh… won’t want me around. At least not for a little while until she gets to know me better.”
“I think you can get past it, she’s not that bad… It’ll just be tough.”
“Oh I’m sure I can get past it, but I’d rather not just sleep in the grass in the meantime.” “I don’t think she’d make you sleep in the grass…” “I like being prepared, if she doesn’t want me in her house I’m not going to push the issue.”
“I just… I hope it doesn’t come to that, I’m not going to let her toss you outside like an animal.” She sighs quietly as we push through the front door of the barrack building.
A desk manned by a napping U.N. Marine with Private ranks stuck to his shoulders filled the space beyond the doors. He stirs as the doors clank shut behind us before scrambling to throw on his Visor as he notices Taisa.
“Hello, Uh… Can I help you? This area is for active U.N. personnel only.” He starts, his voice finding its authority only about halfway through the statement.
I stand straight, trying to muster the stern demeanor I’d found in my father and his friends so often when they tried to get something on base after their retirements. “Easy, Private. It has come to my attention that my accommodations lack proper bedding.” “O-Oh, uh, I apologize…” He stammers out, searching for something to say, likely looking to find a way out of trouble for sleeping on duty.
“Sir.” I state. “What’s your name, Private?”
“A-Alvarez, Sir.”
“Alvarez. I’ll remember that, Alvarez, how about we make this quick, you get me a wrap of blankets, 3 pillows and a bedroll and I don’t find your commander to report your… lack of enthusiasm.”
The private snaps to attention before firmly stating. “Yes Sir! I’ll be right back, Sir!”
As the private turns and walks away crisply I hear Taisa whistle with laughter a little beside me. “I’m surprised that worked.”
“You’d be surprised what a hard voice, straight back and the right slacking Private can get you if you just don’t go pushin' it too far in your story.” I whispered with a wink.
After a few minutes of waiting Private Alvarez returned with a duffle bag, stuffed full with blankets and pillows, as well as an inflatable bedroll under the other arm. “Here you go, Sir. Will this be ok?” He asked, passing the items over to me.
“Perfect, thank you Private.” I took the bundle of bedding and turned to the door, before turning my head back over my shoulder, “Oh, and Private? Do try and get proper rest before duty.”
A shaking “Y-Yes, Sir.” followed Taisa and I out of the door.
The first half of the walk back to the landing field was quiet, I was scanning the skyline again, I just couldn’t get over the fact that I was on another planet. Taisa however had her ears pinned back, her paws lightly holding her tail tuft as we walked.
“What’s got ya down?” I asked, watching the herd of Venlil glide around us as we came, trying their best not to get too close to me.
“I’m… concerned.” She sighed, the tip of her tail twitching between her paws.
“About?”
“My mother, what she’ll say… What she’ll do.”
“I can’t exactly say I know what her reaction’ll be… But, whatever it is we’ll just have to deal with it. It’ll probably take time, but we’ll get by.” I soothed. She let go of her tail, placing the tip of it on my back, but her ears didn’t let up at all.
The rest of the walk to the shuttle was quiet as she fidgeted with her paws, trying to take her mind off of the subject. Videk was there waiting for us, a few crates secured to the cargo area of the shuttle that weren’t present before.
“You two ready?” He asked, flicking his tail at us.
“I think so.” I responded, stowing the bedding in an empty compartment as Taisa flicked her ears.
We ran through our preflight checklist again, finding another pre-placed failure from Videk waiting for us, this time in the starboard control surfaces. Once the check was done we radioed the tower for clearance to take off and set an in-atmo course for Shadetree to drop off Videk. It was a short hop, about a half hour of flying or so before I had to call ahead for clearance to land again.
Most of the flight from the Capitol to Shadetree had been rolling turquoise and green hills or open fields of produce growing in the everpresent light. A sudden dense forest rose from the fields, thick dark brown trees with fluttering golden leaves stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. A sudden break in the forest revealed a clearing for the Landing field, much smaller than the one at the Capitol. The city was built under the canopy of the trees, giving it a constant filtered light casting down through the shifting leaves. It was certainly a beautiful town, I’d have to come back to visit some day. Maybe once Videk had warmed up to me a little bit more.
As the ramp fell ,a small cargo truck arrived alongside the shuttle to collect Videk and his equipment. I offered to help but the Venlil driver just about ran when I started talking so I figured it was probably best to just keep out of it. Once the cargo truck departed, Taisa came back up to the cockpit, plopping down in her seat, and looked through the viewscreen at the trees beyond. The soft hiss of the ramp closing marked the finality of Videk’s departure.
“So, how are you feeling about Venlil Prime so far?” She asked, one eye on my face as I finally slipped the visor off.
“I like it! Between the beautiful scenery, interesting architecture and hanging out with you and Shamrock, here I’m having a great time!” I responded, rubbing my hand on what amounted to the shuttle's dashboard.
“... Shamrock?” She asked, her tail swaying in what I figured for amusement.
“Yea! Remember how I told you Humans like looking for patterns? Well it works on words and numbers as well. The tail number for the shuttle could be taken to spell ‘Clover-HR-EX’, or just clover for short. Clovers are a type of plant on earth that a few cultures believed to be lucky, one way or another. One of the nicknames for them was a Shamrock!”
She laughed at me.
“You are such a dork.” She said, wiping a tear from her eye as her tail whipped back and forth. “It’s a good name, usually shuttles don’t get one. I think it fits.”
I chuckled, a thought crossing my mind. “Think we could get any shuttle-grade paint? Preferably green, yellow and black?” She raised an eyebrow at me as her ears cocked at different elevations. “Oh? Someone feeling a little artistic?”
“Well, I could always paint a Shamro-” I was interrupted as the ping signifying we were being hailed sounded off. “We’ll finish this later.” I said, pointing at her as I accepted the hail.
Videk’s voice bled through the speakers. “Ok, looks like the connection is secure. Let’s go ahead and run through getting you familiar with the software, it should be quick and easy.”
It was not.
It took two hours. After a lot of trial and error, stop and go flights to test the connection and a few near misses with an especially tall tree we had gotten the system setup such that Videk was confident it would work in an emergency if he needed to step in. With that all squared away Taisa and I settled in to get on our way to Heartwood River. Sleeping on the blow up mattress or on a real bed hardly mattered at this point, I just wanted to sleep.
The overall flight time was set to be about an hour and a half, not too bad and man was the view beautiful: rolling fields, roaring rivers, pristine skies and alien forests abounded across the countryside. We had just passed over Hidden Plains when Taisa and I were just settling back into talking about her parents and our best route to try and handle them, when the hail system chimed and immediately spat out a harsh tone without acknowledgement, the same one the simulator used for distress calls.
“Mayday Mayday Mayday. Report of shots fired at residence housing humans. Need immediate medical evac at The Berrypatch Farm in The Grove, 11 minutes Night-ward from Hidden Plains. Hailing all airborn craft, we need a medical evac immediately!”
I immediately returned the hail. “This is cargo shuttle C1-0V3R-HR-EX. Responding to Mayday from the Grove. We are en-route to render aid. Hold tight, we’ll be there.”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Taisa tighten her flight harness as I reached for the throttle.
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First Prev. Next

Hello, I would like to seek fellow redditors opinions, input and recommendation on how I could better finetune my itinerary better. There's only so much I can think of, and plan as an individual, but with everyone's input and comments I can further refine and enhance the travel experience before I set foot into Japan. Do forgive me in advance for the theorycrafting wall of text.
I know it may be difficult to review the itinerary, so to make the review easier I have broken the itinerary down into specific sub-groups e.g. Shikoku, Kinki etc. Specific questions that I have are bolded.
Thank you in advance for taking your time to provide your opinions!
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Baseline information

• 32M, average fitness, solo traveller
• Public transport only (challenge); I have a driver's license but I have not drove a car for god knows how long so I would prefer not to test it against the green hills of Shikoku
• Interest: anime (select few), experience autumn/nature, visiting secluded spots, and just trying random stuff
• JP language skill: rudimentary at best (N4), but I will not shy away from speaking in simple, broken japanese or use a translator to communicate. Reading/interpreting kanji is not a problem (in general).
• Visit history: Visited twice (once to Hokkaido for ~8 days, and once toKyoto and Osaka for 8 days
• Will probably travel around with a (slightly) oversized luggage at ~166cm (A+B+C), that’s the only one I have with me. This will be a problem on the Shinkansen (but hopefully not so much on sightseeing trains/limited expresses).
• Will be visiting during (almost) peak autumn at 11 November, and will depart on the 16th of December
• Jet lag is unlikely to be a problem (1h time difference), but nevertheless I will maintain a low tempo on the first day to acclimatize to the environment
• Only thing firmed as of now is the air ticket, everything else is up in the air.
• I like planning/min-maxing to some degree, though I recognize that I may not fulfill all objectives during the trip and I am totally ok with that [its just a guideline or framework to give the holiday some structure, that’s all.] FWIW, I personally like traveling at a high tempo pace like some japanese travel show do (e.g. ローカル路線バス乗り継ぎの旅)

​
Specific goals/objective:

1. Experience Shikoku in autumn (specifically the views at Iya Valley) and in other prefectures (thus making nature sightseeing more of a priority this time round)
2. Experience Kanazawa for anime stuff
3. Experience the Shimanami Kaido in full (including any sightseeing spots in between the 6 island chains)
4. Bonus - try as many sightseeing trains as possible.
5. Bonus - if weather, time and schedule permits, try skiing as an option in Nagano.
6. Bonus - stay in as many onsen ryokans as possible, without breaking the bank.

​
Locked-in prefectures [i.e. I will definitely go to those prefectures no matter what]:

1. Shikoku (as per above objective)
2. Hiroshima (because its on the opposite end of the Shimanami Kaido)
3. Kanazawa (for anime related reason)
4. Tokyo (that is my starting and end point so it has to be included by default)

All other prefectures are basically float i.e. I am open to consider dropping said itinerary for something else based on your suggestion that aligns with my preferences/interest. Most of the other locations I added are prefectures that are often next to each other, or well-connected (apart from the initial Tokyo Kagawa jump via Sunrise Seto/Shinkansen).
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Wait-list prefectures (prefectures that I want to go, but I don’t think I can realistically fit in without dropping other locations):

1. Snow skiing at Nagano (depending on how cooperative the weather is in early-ish December (would 2 days be sufficient?))
2. Ehime, Kochi expansion [spend 1-3 more days]
3. Izu Peninsula (~2 days, via Saphir Odoriko)
4. Nagoya + lower Nagano (Kiso Valley) (~3 days)
5. Ishikawa expansion [1 extra day at Kaga]

I am open to dropping a few days in Tokyo/Osaka etc to make that trade off [currently kept 3 days free for further development]. Alternatively, if the planning can be better optimized based on your inputs I might be able to do one of those without compromising on the base set. I would like to hear your opinion on what locations you would drop in the itinerary to make time for one of the above.
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General planning philosophy:

1. My itineary adopts a breadth approach (cover as much area as I can humanely possible without rushing/touch-and-go) as opposed to depth (i.e. spending much more time within Shikoku than what I allocated); though I would be open to considering more days at selected locations if you have strong recommendations. My thought is to experience how different autumn is at various parts of the country (if possible), and maybe winter too (to a certain degree).
2. Due to the nature of my travel, I note that luggage logistics is a critical consideration when moving between prefectures; my thought is to park that luggage at the next hotel as quickly as possible so that I can free myself for sightseeing within the vicinity, or leave the luggage at the hotel after I check out until I am ready to travel to the next location. I will need to send (quite a fair bit of) emails to the hotels to confirm on this prior to booking.
3. I will attempt to minimize transit time between prefectures to no more than 2~3 hours a day to avoid having excessively long transport days (except the initial Tokyo Kagawa jump).
4. Because of the long trip, I will also need to factor a bit of downtime at night for administrative stuff (e.g. catching up a little bit on work, laundry etc).

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Shikoku (~7 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. I will need to exploit Limited Express trains as much as possible to minimize downtime between the 4 prefectures. Fortunately, for the most part these train frequencies are almost hourly, thus missing one train isnt too deadly consequence-wise.
2. The transfer between Kochi and Ehime [Matsuyama] is oddly quicker via express bus as opposed to trains (!)
3. For Kochi, my opinion is that it is best explored on car instead of public transport [it’s a really wide prefecture]; I feel that 1 day may not do it justice, but it is probably adequate for exploring the city centre as a whole.
4. There's a fair bit of uncertainties while planning this leg so I would deeply appreciate any advice you may have.
5. This current iteration is unable to weave in the Shikoku Mannaka Sennen Monogatari sightseeing train [四国まんなか千年ものがたり] ; if you people think its something not to be missed do let me know and I will reshuffle my timetable as such.

Day 0: Tokyo Kagawa (Sunrise Seto) [Saturday, 11 Nov]

• Touch down at Narita at 1720hours
• Transfer to Tokyo Station via NEX or Skyliner
• Settle administrative matters at the Midori-no-Maruguchi (e.g. get all the booked tickets etc from JR Pass, for Shinkansen and all other sightseeing trains) at Tokyo Station.
• IF Sunrise Seto ticket is obtained via the JR West portal booking, chill till 2200 and take Sunrise Seto to reach Kagawa (Takamatsu) at 0700 the next day. Try to snag the ticket online (likely via the japanese portal since there's no option to buy Solo Deluxe through the english/international website. Otherwise, compromise and go for Single)
• IF Sunrise Seto ticket is NOT obtained, proceed to take the furthest possible Shinkansen westwards (probably Okayama) and rest for the night.

Day 1: Kagawa (Takamatsu) [Sunday, 12 Nov]

• Chill around Takamatsu. Drop luggage at coin locker OR the hotel (near JR Takamatsu ideally)
• Look at whats left of Takamatsu Castle en route to the port.
• Day trip to Naoshima or Teshima to visit the art museums (Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum etc).
• Ritsuin Garden in the evening (closes 1830)
• Find an eatery with Sanuki Udon for dinner if possible.

Day 2: Kagawa (Kotohira) Tokushima (Iya Valley) [Monday, 13 Nov]

• Morning trip from Takamatsu to Kotohira (either via JR or Kotoden). Visit Kotohiragu [includes inner shrine] and Kanamaruza Theater
• Return to Kotohira to pick up luggage, transit to Oboke via Limited Express Shimanto [Takamatsu Tadotsu Oboke]
• Retire at a local hotel around Oboke. If time permits, take the chance to explore around Oboke Gorge itself.

​
Day 3: Tokushima (Iya Valley) [Tuesday, 14 Nov]
[Post-research note: I realized that there is NO public transport to Mount Tsurugi on a weekday. I will have to rent a taxi direct to Mount Tsurugi, make the 'climb', then thereafter take the taxi down to the other attractions. I am inclined to just go full hog on the private taxi and rent it (almost the whole day, probably 7~8 hours for 4300yen/hour) to save the trouble.
Otherwise, I will need to hike downhill which can be rather rough since its just a single lane road (looking at nearly 10++ km) so I think it wise not to penny pinch in the interest of both time and safety.]
Spend the day at Iya Valley.

• Take a taxi after breakfast to zip to Mount Tsurugi and speedrun it to the mountain peak (aka using the chairlift to speedrun a good chunk of the mountain) about 2.5 hours ~ 3 hours as per the Iya Valley guide
• Taxi from Mount Tsurugi chairlift down to Oku-Iya Niju Kazuraashi and cross it (~1 hour estimate)
• Taxi down to visit the mannequins/scarecrows at Nagoro Village (~3km downhill from Oku-Iya). (~1 hour estimate)
• Check out the Peeing Boy Statue (~0.5 hour estimate [its just looking at the statue that is overlooking the entire gorge is it not?])
• Cross the outer vine bridge Iya-no-Kazurabashi (~1 hour estimate)
• Taxi back to Oboke, and retire for the day (~0.5 hour estimate, thus looking at about ~8 hours taxi rental total, with some leeway for lunch break)

​
Day 4: Tokushima (Iya Valley) Kochi (Kochi) [Wednesday, 15 Nov]

• Transit from Iya Valley [Oboke] to Kochi via Limited Express Shimanto (again) after breakfast. (~1 hour transit)
• Park luggage at hotel [ideally near JR Kochi Station], then proceed to mill around Kochi, visiting places such as Kochi Castle [高知城] and Harimaya Bridge[はりまや橋]
• Transit to Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum [高知県立坂本龍馬記念館] via local bus which is also near Katsumatsura Beach incidentally. Chill at Katsumatsura Beach in the evening
• Return to JR Kochi, dinnesupper at Hirome Market (ideally to try out Kochi's speciality seared bonito). [is visiting the market more preferable during lunch OR dinner?]

​
Day 5: Kochi (Kochi) Ehime (Imabari) [Thursday, 16 Nov]

• Complete any remaining items in Kochi in the morning, then transit to Imabari via train (Kochi Tadotsu Imabari), via Limited Express Shimanto (yet again!) and Ishidzuchi**[TBC: this might be better done via highway bus instead which is faster at ~2-3 hours]**
• Drop luggage at Imabari for the next 2 days, either at Sunrise Itoyama OR Cycle no Ie. [both are well positioned for the Shimanami Kaido, and are also one of the selected hotels eligible for the Sagawa luggage transfer.] Ideally done just around lunch time, so that there's still the better half of the day to explore Imabari.
• Spend the remainder of the day visiting Imabari Castle (closes 1700) and Towel Museum (slightly out of the way) (closes 1800) [TBC: I note this place is quite out of the way from Imabari itself, even the JP website suggests taking a taxi (!) there from the nearby train station. Might have to drop this).
• Attempt to try some Ehime-related food specialties e.g. Taimeshi (Sea Bream), Ehime oranges, Champon for the next 2 days

​
Day 6: Ehime (Matsuyama / Imabari) [Friday, 17 Nov]

• Take the Limited express train Ishidzuchi to Matsuyama day tripping. (~1h one-way).
• Explore Matsuyama Castle, and the nearby Matsuyama Ropeway Shopping Street
• Visit Shiki Memorial Museum
• Visit Dogo Onsen [and attempt to soak in the waters if possible].
• Also consider looking at Ishiteji (石手寺) beside Dogo Onsen.
• Bonus: Subject to train schedule, if possible, attempt to secure tickets for the Iyonada Sightseeing Train (伊予灘物語), Futami leg [双海ふたみ 編] , and also visit JR Shimonada Station (JR下灘駅) at the same time.
• Bonus: visit Yawatahama Port where the movie Suzume took reference from,
• Return to Imabari via the same Limited express Ishidzuchi and retire for the night.

Day 7: Ehime (Imabari) Hiroshima (Shinamani Kaido) [Saturday, 18 Nov]
I am of the opinion that 1 day in Shimanami Kaido is adequate if I attempt just the main route which is about 80km [as a test run, I did 70km and finished it within 6-7 hours with lunch breaks included]. For now I will plan for two full days, however should I truncate it down to one day later, I will add an extra day to either explore Matsuyama or Okayama.
​

• Start off at Sunrise Itoyama [watch the sunrise, have breakfast here, cafeteria opens at 0700, rental opens at 0800] OR Cycle no Ie. Do paperwork to send luggage over to the next accomodation via Sagawa.
• I will (probably) follow the recommended 'extended' route on Cycle no Ie's website and do the following:
  • Take the west coast for Oshima (~13km) and cross to Hakatajima, with possible stop on:
    • Mount Kiro Observatory Point [I am aware that there's a steep incline so this would be contingent on my physical/mental status by then].
    • Nagahama Beach
• Take the coastal route for Hakatajima (~17km) and cross to Omishima and enjoy the coastal scenery
• Take the coastal route (again) for Omishima (~41km) (or lesser depending on how I'm feeling at that point) , with possible stop on:
  • -TBC: Okunoshima (there is apparently a ferry route to the well-known rabbit island via Omishima port. Not sure if anyone else have tried this particular route and if this is a better approach than going through Tadano-umi (though I would acknowledge that there's historical stuff to visit in nearby Takehara), and I would not be able to buy rabbit food in advance).[Based on Google Earth estimate, its about 3km for the entire island loop - seems doable within 2 hours to tour the poison gas museum with a bike and pet some rabbits).
  • Oyamazumi Shrine Treasure Museum
• End the day at WAKKA (Omishima) OR Guesthouse NEST / Soil Setoda (Ikuchijima) just beside Kousanji / The Hill of Hope (closes 1700). If possible, visit before closing, otherwise defer to next day.
• Try the ice cream at Dolce at Ikuchijima if possible.
• Bonus: if for some reason I am still ahead of time at this juncture (<1500), proceed to finish Innoshima and Mukaishima, then take a ferry to backtrack to Wakka/Soil Setoda or cycle back (last boat is ~1700) and rest; however, the next day I will zip straight to Onomichi via ferry after breakfast.

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Hiroshima + Yamaguchi (~4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Onomichi is a pretty good base to jump to Okayama to explore Okayama, Kurashiki or Tomonoura with the Shinkansen accessibility, but it is impossible to cover them all within a single day. If I finish the Shimanami Kaido within a single day or finish it early on the second day, I will have that extra time to visit those.
2. There's another sightseeing train etSETOra from Onomichi to Hiroshima but it only operates on Monday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday. For now the schedule could fit the train timetable pretty nicely.
3. Would anyone suggest visiting Miyajima in the morning or in the evening? This would help me determine the order for the Kintaikyo Bridge/Miyajima day trip. Watching the sunset at either destination is pretty good in my books.

​
Day 8: Hiroshima (Shinamani Kaido Onomichi) [Sunday, 19 Nov]

• Continue from Ikuchijima towards Innoshima and Mukaishima (~18km) via the western coast route after breakfast, with possible stops on the following areas:
  • Innoshima: Innoshima Flower Centre, Shimanami Beach [open to more suggestions]
  • Mukaishima : there seems to be a lot of brunch places like Willows Nursery etc, soak the view at Mukaishima Rest Park [TBC: open to more suggestions]

Ideally reach Onomichi just around lunch or earlier. Chill for the rest of the day, and if I'm still up for it, explore Onomichi, including but not limited to:

• Exploring the cat alley
• Visit the exhibits at Onomichi City Museum of Art
• Consider walking to Senkoji and Onomichi Hondori Shopping Street
• Look into trying Onomichi-style ramen.

Retire at a guesthouse/hotel near JR Onomichi that I have forwarded the luggage to.
​
Day 9: Hiroshima (Onomichi, Takehara+Kure OR Tomonoura OR Okayama) Downtown Hiroshima) [Monday, 20 Nov]

• Mill around Onomichi in the morning (if not done yesterday), with a side trip to EITHER Takehara/Kure OR Okayama/Kurashiki OR Tomonoura (choose one):
  • Takehara: stroll along the historical townscape [and look if they have any Tamayura-related merch], Okunoshima (if not done during the Shimanami Kaido leg / Kure: look into trying Kure curry/Niku-jaga and visit the Yamato Museum
  • Okayama: Okayama Castle (zip via Shinkansen) / Kurashiki : Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
  • Tomonoura: stroll along the townscape during the day (zip via Shinkansen, transfer to local bus)
• Return to Onomichi (no later than 1400), board the etSETOra sightseeing train at 1437, and zip to Hiroshima. Enjoy the sunset along the coastline.
• Retire for the night at Hiroshima proper, probably near JR Hiroshima OR the bus terminal. If time permits, take a gander along the streets and see what takes me from there.

​
Day 10: Hiroshima (Downtown Hiroshima) [Tuesday, 21 Nov]
Spend the day surveying Hiroshima proper.

• Peace Memorial Park (平和記念公園) and Atomic Bomb Dome
• Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims (国立広島原爆死没者追悼平和祈念館)
• Hiroshima Castle
• Orizuru Tower (おりづるタワー)
• Shukkeien (縮景園)
• Optional: Mazda Museum / Kure (if not done the previous day)
• Try to source for Hiroshima-specific food: Okonomiyaki, Dandan Noodles

​
Day 11: Hiroshima (with a day trip to Yamaguchi) [Wednesday, 22 Nov]

• Daytrip to Yamaguchi [Shin-Iwakuni] to visit Kintaikyo Bridge via Shinkansen. Also stop by the nearby Iwakuni Castle.
• Try Tonosama Sushi at Iwakuni if possible.
• Take the local train back to Miyajimaguchi and take the boat to Itsukushima.Take the time to stroll around the island and perhaps watch the sunset at the torii gate.
• Exit back to Hiroshima via boat to Hiroshima Port direct, and transit back to hotel.

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Shimane + Tottori (4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Matsue becomes the main jump point for Shimane just because of the subsidized highway bus from Hiroshima, and ease of access towards Tottori later. There's no direct train between Hiroshima and Izumo/Matsue (!).
2. Tottori is really wide size-wise, to the point that it feels more efficient to have two separate hotels in two nights (Kurayoshi/Misasa Onsen + downtown Tottori) rather than one hotel for two nights (i.e. downtown Tottori). Could be just me making excuses to get into an onsen ryokan however.
3. Is there anything interesting at Yonago (Tottori) that I should take note of? Based on my initial survey nothing in particular pops up (other than the Tottori Prefectural Flower Park).
4. Skipping Tottori Castle since it doesn’t seem to be interesting at first glance. Any other interesting things to at Tottori downtown (or nearby)?

​
Day 12: Hiroshima Shimane (Matsue) [Thursday, 23 Nov]

• Make good use of the 500yen highway bus from Hiroshima to Matsue. (3.5 hours transit). Fortunately the frequency is not too bad (7-8 buses per day, looking at 0800 departure or later); if there are still outstanding places to visit in Hiroshima I will visit them in the morning.
• Check in at a hotel near JR Matsue, and proceed to trawl around Matsue with whatever daylight is left. (TBC: am considering taking a few stops down to Tamatsukuri Onsen 玉造温泉 or Matsue-shinjoko Onsen instead of the typical hotel. Does anyone have any positive experiences there?)
• Attempt to spend the afternoon at the Adachi Museum of Art. Local train to Yasugi, transfer to free shuttle.
• Chill off in downtown Matsue for the night. Prowl for Shimane-specific food such as Naniwa Zushi (浪花寿司), Shijimi clams (しじみ), Izumo soba, Izumo Zenzai (出雲ぜんざい).
• Bonus: visit the Tottori Prefectural Flower Park for the winter Hanakairo Flower Illumination at Yonago at night [which is just beside Matsue. Free shuttle bus at Yonago bus terminal].

​
Day 13: Shimane (Izumo / Matsue) [Friday, 24 Nov]

• Day trip from Matsue to Izumo. (JR Matsue JR Izumo, swap to Ichibata local rail to Izumotaisha-mae)
• Take a stop at Izumo Taisha, as well as the nearby Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo (島根県立古代出雲歴史博物館)
• After lunch, return to JR Matsue and proceed to Yushien Garden (由志園) via bus. Enjoy the sunset over the garden.
• Stop by Matsue Castle on the way back.

​
Day 14: Shimane (Matsue) Tottori (Kurayoshi) [Saturday, 25 Nov]

• Transfer from Matsue to Kurayoshi in the morning via Super Matsukaze Limited Express (~1h).
• Settle down luggage at Misasa Onsen, then proceed to hike up Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple (三仏寺). Cater extra time just in case I have to wait for another fellow to pop up to climb in pairs. Estimated climb time excluding wait is about 2-3 hours both ways?
• Excess time to be spent sauntering Misasa Onsen and its nearby area such as the Nijisseiki Pear Museum [二十世紀梨記念館（なしっこ館)] and Kurayoshi Historical Quarter.
• Retire at Misasa Onsen for the night. Bonus: watch the constellations at night at Misasa Onsen on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday, 2100JST. Current plan does not fall within those 3 weekdays
• Bonus: take a short detour to Conan Town (postnote: not a big fan of the show).

​
Day 15: Tottori (Kurayoshi Tottori) [Sunday, 26 Nov]

• Transfer from Kurayoshi to Tottori (~35minutes transfer) in the morning, and proceed to tour around Tottori.
• Drop luggage, take a local bus to Tottori Sand Dunes, and visit the nearby Sand Museum.
• Transfer northwards to Uradome Coast via local bus and spend the remainder of the day there. Watch the sunset over the coast.
• Return to downtown Tottori, stroll around and call it a night.

​
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Hyogo, Kyoto, Osaka , Nara, Mie (10 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Kinosaki Onsen is intentionally designed to be a slow-paced leg to recover [and also to make time to enjoy the onsens].
2. The limited express train between Kinosaki Onsen and Osaka stops by Himeji thus I thought of resting a night there instead of doing day trips via Osaka.
3. Osaka itinerary does look sparse but that is in large part because I have already visited most of them in the past. Nevertheless, I would like to experience how different it is in autumn compared to summer [based on those few destinations that I loved going previously].
4. I have kept one float day to decompress, OR shift to any of the other prefectures (TBC).
5. There are (multiple) special limited express train by Kintetsu; they're not covered by JR pass but nevertheless I would love to ride on those as an experience. The Kintetsu pass covers the basic fare only but based on my preliminary cost estimate, it is still worth getting it.
6. Is it feasible to compress Himeji and Kobe to a single day?
7. The itineraries for Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Mie are flexible since they're literally beside one another - makes it particularly easy to shift around base on ground situation.

​
Day 16: Tottori (Tottori) Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen) [Monday, 27 Nov]

• Settle any outstanding sightseeing spots in the morning if required in Tottori, then transfer to Kinosaki Onsen via the Sanin Line.
• Make a pitstop at Amarube ('Sky Station') and marvel at the engineering work.
• Deposit luggage at the ryokan (or put in the coin locker), and stroll around and enjoy Kinosaki Onsen [after all its an onsen town].
• Try to hit as many of the 7 external onsens that are usable. Retire for the night here.
• Optional: go up the ropeway and oversee Kinosaki Onsen in the evening (last ride up ~1630)
• Optional: take a short hike up to Onsenji Temple.

​
Day 17: Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen + Northern Kyoto (Amanohashidate) day trip) [Tuesday, 28 Nov]

• Optional: take a (very) early start to the day to Takeda Castle Ruins and witness the 'floating castle' effect in the morning (<0800).
• Day trip to Amanohashidate via ToyookaKyotango Railway. Do the funny bend-down pose on the bench at Amanohashidate View Land, and see how it feels like looking at the world inverted.
• Cross the sandbar and look from the other side (Nariaiji Temple / Kasamatsu Park)
• Select one of three additional side-trips:
  • EITHER take a local bus up to Ine to look at the Funaya + sightseeing boat,
  • OR local rail down to Maizuru to look at the Maizuru World Brick Museum + eat at the Michi-no-eki;
  • OR reverse to Toyooka spend time in the city itself e.g. Izushi Castle Town
• Return to Kinosaki Onsen, and continue experiencing the remainder of the onsens. Retire for the night here. Optional: ride the Aomatsu sightseeing train back to Toyooka.
• Optional: Take a trip to Ankokuji Temple (安国寺) in the evening. Likely to visit post-peak autumn which means less than ideal viewing conditions.

Day 18: Hyogo (Kinosaki Onsen Himeji) [Wednesday, 29 Nov]

• Transit from Kinosaki Onsen to Himeji via Limited Express Hamakaze (~2 hours).
• Deposit luggage at the hotel or the coin lockers at the station, then proceed for sightseeing.
• Walk along the Miyuki Street Shopping District which is en-route to Himeji Castle.
• Himeji Castle sector : Himeji Castle (姫路城), Kokoen (好古園)
• Take a local bus at Himeji Castle to go to Mount Shosha and hike up Engyōji Temple (圓教寺)
• Optional : Stroll along Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History and/or Himeji City Museum of Art which is beside the castle, OR Shosha Handicraft Museum which is just at the foot of Mount Shosha
• Optional: Make a detour to the Japan Toy Museum near Koro station (~30 minutes from JR Himeji). Closes 1700.
• Look for Hyogo-specific food: Kobe beef, steamed pork buns, sobameshi, himeji oden, etc

Retire at Himeji for the night.
Day 19: Hyogo (Himeji Kobe) Osaka (Dotonburi) [Thursday, 30 Nov]
Day trip to Kobe, before continuing further down to Osaka.

• Check out from Himeji, transit further down to Kobe for another stop before Osaka. Place luggage at the holding facility within the Shinkansen station.
• Take a visit to the Earthquake Memorial Museum (人と防災未来センター) to look at the devastation wrought by the 1995 earthquake.
• Stroll along Kobe Harborland (神戸ハーバーランド) and Meriken Park (メリケンパーク) , look at the Kobe Tower since its closed till 2024 for renovation, and look at the damage caused by the earthquake
• Optional: Head westwards to Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.
• Optional: Hit up the ASICS Sports Museum (アシックススポーツミュージアム)
• Look at the engineering feat that is the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge and the nearby Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Exhibition Center at Maiko. (Suzume no Tojimari)
• Return to Shin-kobe, pick up luggage, and transit to Shin-Osaka via Shinkansen, and then to Dotonburi/Shinsaibashi. End the (long) day in Osaka.

Day 20: Osaka [Friday, 1 Dec]
Osaka Nostalgia (acid) trip, speedrun edition: revisiting places that I want to go again

• Day trip to Mino Park and revisit the waterfall (I loved visiting it previously) via the Hankyu line in the morning.
• Zoom down to the Osaka Aquarium after lunch and walk around it (Minoo Umeda Honmachi Osakako Station).
• From there, race towards Abeno Harukas and watch the sunset/nightview at Abeno Harukas.
• Bonus: revisit Sumiyoshi Taisha if time permits.
• Spend whatever time remains at night at Nipponbashi Denden Town (shops close at ~2000) and Dotonburi (some stores are still open near midnight) and/or Shinsekai (新世界).

Day 21: Osaka (Nara day trip) [Saturday, 2 Dec]
Spend a day in Nara.

• Zoom from Namba to Nara via Kintetsu (note: non-JR)
• Explore Todaiji Temple, Kokufuji Temple, Isuien Garden and Kasuga Taisha.
• Optional: pass by Naramachi (奈良町) on the way back.
• Take the Kintetsu line down to Mount Yoshino. [TBC: subject to whether I am too early or late for the koyo.Based on last year's prediction I am about 1-2 weeks too late. Might swap this out to a Uji day trip instead in Kyoto.). Spend time walking around the Shimo Senbon and Naka Senbon and experience the autumn.
• Transfer back to Osaka. Bonus: take the Blue Symphony back to Osaka instead of the typical train. (non-JR)

Day 22: Osaka (Mie day trip) [Sunday, 3 Dec]
Day trip to Mie.

• Take the Iseshima Liner from Tsuruhashi Station (near Namba/Dotonburi) to Ise. Bonus: take the Hinotori from Osaka to Tsu, then transfer to Mie. (non-JR)
• Hit up Ise Jingu (伊勢神宮) [both inner and outer] and Okage Yokocho (おかげ横丁)
• Try to eat Matsuaka Beef or Ise Udon for lunch.
• Head westwards to Futamiokitama Shrine (二見興玉神社) / Meotoiwa Rocks; and if further time permits, go to Toba for the Ama Viewing Platform.
• Take the returning Shimakaze Limited Express train back to Osaka (note: only one train at 1630; if this train is missed, change to normal express trains). (non-JR)
• Retreat back to Osaka for the night. Consider doing any other night activities in Osaka if time, and body permits.

Day 23: Osaka ('north' Kyoto day trip) [Monday, 4 Dec]
(north) Kyoto day trip.

• Take a stop at the Kyoto Railway Museum. Optional: also consider heading to To-ji Gojunoto first if I reach Kyoto way early before 10am.
• Walk back to Kyoto station, and take a bus northwards to Kyoto Manga Museum.
• Hop on the bus direct from the Manga Museum to Kinkakuji. [bus 15]
• Select one of two side-trips:
  • EITHER head westwards to Arashiyama (note: already visited once in the summer but I still think it nice to visit in autumn/winter this time round). Bonus: experience sunset along the Togetsukyo Bridge.
  • OR head eastwards to Higashiyama (closes 1700), Philosopher's path etc (did not visit these in my past trip here so there's the 'new' factor, but it is going to be a physically taxing day. Also, most likely will reach here nearing evening i.e. closing time thus there's a limit to how much I can visit realistically).

Whichever choice, return back to Osaka for the night. Look out for Kyoto-specific food such as Yudofu, Saba Sushi, Warabi Mochi, Nishin Soba (にしんそば) etc.
Day 24: Osaka ('south' Kyoto day trip) [Tuesday, 5 Dec]
(south) Kyoto day trip edition (mainly Uji and Fushimi).

• Zip from Osaka to Kyoto via Keihan to Uji Station.
• Spend the better half of the morning in Uji.
• Visit the Byōdō-in and the nearby Tonoshima and Tachibana Island.
• Hike up to the Daikichiyama Observation Deck to oversee Uji as a whole. On the way down, explore Ujigami Shrine.
• Take the chance to buy some Uji tea as gifts to relatives. Have lunch along the Omotesando Road.
• Head further northwards to Fushimi, and do another hike up Fushimi Inari. (Note: visited once in the past but I liked the experience thus I would like to do it again.) Bonus: if its done in the evening.

Head back to Osaka and retire for the night. Consider doing any other night activities in Osaka if time, and body permits.
Day 25: Osaka (wildcard) [Wednesday, 6 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
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Kanazawa, Gifu+ (4 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Is it likely for the skiing season to open around 9~10 December at Shiga Kogen or Nozawa Onsen? Would very much like to try skiing for fun, but am uncertain if the snow condition would be satisfactory by then. Some of the skiing website indicates that these two destinations are usually the first to open. I would like to seek advise on this if possible [never skiied before].
2. As an additional question to point 1, is 2 days adequate just to get a flavor on skiing?
3. Kanazawa is a pretty solid jump point to Shirakawago/Takayama via express buses (~1 to 2 hour one way).
4. My initial planning considered going to Kurobe Gorge (Toyama) but apparently the railways are closed from December onwards. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
5. Another sightseeing train in Kanazawa that I can fit in nicely in my current plans (花嫁のれん), runs on Mon/Fri/Sat/Sun.

Day 26: Osaka Ishikawa (Kanazawa (Kanazawa cityside)) [Thursday, 7 Dec]

• Zip from Osaka to Kanazawa via Limited Express Thunderbird in the early morning (~3hours; ideally the 0740 or 0810 service). Drop luggage at the hotel near JR Kanazawa and explore the cityside.
• Have lunch at the Omicho Market (近江町市場), OR at Higashi Chaya District.
• Stroll around Kanazawa Castle (金沢城, Kanazawajō) and the nearby Kenrokuen (兼六園) / Seisonkaku Villa (成巽閣, Seisonkaku) .
• Consider visiting one or more of the nearby museums if possible:
  • D.T. Suzuki Museum OR
  • National Crafts Museum OR
  • 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
• Optional: Head southwards to Myoryuji Temple + Nishi Chaya District.
• Optional: Head northwards to Higashi Chaya District (if not done for lunch).

Any outstanding spots not completed today, to be rolled over to the next 2 days (if possible).

• Retire in Kanazawa for the night. Be on the lookout for Kanazawa-specific food: Gold-leaf ice cream, oden, hanton rice
• Optional: have a stay at Yuwaku Onsen for at least one night for anime-related reasons. (Hanasaku Iroha)

​
Day 27: Ishikawa (Kanazawa cityside) / Gifu (Shirakawago, Takayama) [Friday, 8 Dec]

• Day trip to Shiwakawago and Takayama via Nohi bus (non-JR, ~1h). Grab the morning bus express bus to Shirakawago and explore the place in the morning. Experience early snowfall (?) there. Optional: visit Ainokura on the way towards Shirakawago.
• Take another express bus down to Takayama for lunch (~1h travel time).
• Explore what Takayama has to offer. Stroll along the old town near the bus terminal and visit the Takayama Jinya. If time permits, stroll along the Higashiyama Walking Course.
• Optional: pay a visit to Hida Folk Village.
• Return to Kanazawa via Hida Limited Express to Toyama Shinkansen to Kanazawa, OR take the same Nohi express bus directly back (non-JR).
• Retire at Kanazawa for the night. Last express bus from Takayama to Kanazawa is 1630, arrive at 1845. Alternatively, head northwards to Toyama via JR and transfer to Kanazawa.

​
Day 28: Ishikawa (Kanazawa cityside / outskirts) [Saturday, 9 Dec]
Side trip to Wakura Onsen / Nanao for anime-related sightseeing. (Insomanics after Class, Hanasaku Iroha)

• Zoom from Kanazawa up to Wakura Onsen/Nanao via Limited Express Noto Kagaribi. Do some sightseeing related to Insomanics after Class and Hanasaku Iroha.
• Do some train spotting with two anime along the Noto Railways. Stop at Nishigishi station for some sightseeing. (non-JR)
• Return to Kanazawa in the evening from Wakura Onsen via the sightseeing train Hanayomenoren [花嫁のれん, last train 1630).
• End the night at Kanazawa.

Day 29: Ishikawa (wildcard) [Sunday, 10 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
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Tokyo (~6 days)
Specific thoughts while planning:

1. Specific interest to target: anime/vtuber stuff, music (piano in particular), bookstores etc.
2. This is the point in time I should go ham on souvenier purchase if I have not done so. I'll probably get an extra cardboard box or duffel bag to lug with me to the airport to store extra stuff.
3. Would like to seek recommendation on where I should set my base for the 5~6 days here. For now I am planning to pit at Ginza, subject to availability and cost. My thought is that as long as its along the Yamanote line everything rolls I suppose.
4. Hard pass on Golden Gai on the Shunjuku leg (I do not drink).
5. There's way too many to list in terms of what I would like to do in Tokyo, but I have listed items that are of particular interest to me first within the available time frame. If you have strong opinions on specific locations do let me know.

Day 30: Ishikawa (Kanazawa) Tokyo (Ginza) [Monday, 11 Dec]

• Zip from Kanazawa to Tokyo via the Hoririku Shinkansen in the morning (just north of two hours). (TBC : If I can optimize my schedule better, I can try squeezing two days here for a stop at Nozawa Onsen / Shiga Kogen (Nagano) for a short ski experience).
• Deposit luggage at one of the Ginza hotels (TBC: subject to cost; might swap for another location later on)
• Explore ('south') Tokyo with the remainder of the day.
• Marvel at the architecture that is the Tokyo Station and its surrounding.
• Visit the Imperial Palace.
• Head south towards the Mori Art Museum (closes 2200)
• End the night with a stop at Tokyo Tower (closes 2230).

Day 31: Tokyo (Shibuya, Shinjuku and Nakano) [Tuesday, 12 Dec]
Explore ('west') Tokyo, namely Shibuya, Shinjuku and Nakano.

• Start off with an early day visit to Meji Shrine / Yoyogi Park.
• Head up to Shinjuku. Spend the remainder of the morning and lunch exploring Kabukicho, Hanazono Shrine and Omoide Yokochō (ideally have lunch here). Also make a pit stop at Kinokuniya's flagship store at Shinjuku.
• Head northwards to Nakano Broadway and trawl for anime goods for several hours (closes ~1900)
• Head south down back to Shibuya and experience the crossing in peak night condition. Walk around and soak in the atmosphere. Optional: stop by the Ishibashi music store at Shibuya (closes 2000).
• Cap off the night and look at the night view at Shibuya Sky (closes 2230). Zip back to the hotel at Ginza.

Day 32: Tokyo (Akibahara, Asakusa and Sky Tree) [Wednesday, 13 Dec]

• Kick off the day with a morning visit to Asakusa (i.e. Sensoji).
• Transit over to Tokyo Skytree to watch the Tokyo cityscape in the day.
• Trawl around Akibahara for the afternoon. (Animate, Sega claw machines, etc).
• Also stop by Ochanomizu for sightseeing (Suzume no Tojimari)
• Zip back to the hotel for the night. If time permits, stop by the two flagship music stores along Ginza: Yamaha Ginza and Yamano Ginza. Also, visit Itoya Ginza (stationary store).

Day 33: Tokyo (Kamakura day trip OR Ikebukuro) [Thursday, 14 Dec]
EITHER take a day trip Kamakura, OR explore northern Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
Kamakura leg:

• Make a detour to Used Tyre Market Sagamihara Store to experience the retro vending machines. Then head southwards to Enoshima.
• Look at the giant Buddha statue and stroll along Hasedera.
• Take the Enoden to Enoshiima and explore the island.
• Take the JR back to Ginza and retire for the night.

Tokyo (Ikebukuro leg):

• Visit Otome Road for otaku related stuffs.
• Trawl the usual suspects such as Bic Camera etc.
• Make a stop at the Mejiro Gardens.
• Visit the Waseda International House of Literature (The Haruki Murakami Library) at Waseda University.

Day 34: Tokyo (wildcard) [Friday, 15 Dec]
Spare day to do whatever I feel like doing OR reallocate this to another prefecture. Intentionally left blank for later planning
​
Day 35: Tokyo Home [Saturday, 16 Dec]

• Contemplate life at the hotel, doing whatever I feel like for the morning and early afternoon. Bonus: have an early breakfast at Tsukiji Market in the morning if staying at Ginza.
• Clear any last minute administrative matter (if any), or do (very) last minute sightseeing/buying. Most likely limited to Ginza and Akibahara.
• Get a nice lunch omakase to cap it off if possible. (taking recommendations if anyone has one, ideally meat/beef centric instead of just sushi).
• Head off to Narita from Tokyo Station via NEX just after lunch at 1430 1530 to Narita, flight at 1830.

END
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If you're still reading up to this point, here's my own personal ramblings/thoughts on JR pass usage:
I have thought of two ways of doing this for the first 21 days:
a. easy-mode : just get 21 days JR global pass before the price hike at 60450 yen, OR b. hard-mode: get a 7 day JR global pass (to cover the NEX fees, the basic fee on the Sunrise Seto to Shikoku, as well as limited express trains within Shikoku) (29650) + 5 days for JR Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass (15000) + 4 days for JR Sanin Okayama Area Pass + 5 days for JR Kansai Wide Area Pass (10000) for a total of 59230.
The initial conclusion was to go with option A since that reduces the administrative burden, but I realized the individual passes do have its own perk which truimphs over the global JR pass. For instance, the Sanin Okayama Area Pass provides a (minor) discount for the Adachi Museum of Art; the Kansai Wide Pass covers the Kyotango route between Kinosaki Onsen and Amanohashidate which the global JR pass does not cover, JR Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi Area Pass covers JR buses within Hiroshima for free, therefore I am inclined to go with the hell option (option B) as it stands.
For the remaining 14 days, I could also get the global 14 day JR pass at 47250 yen but it is not worth it at all, because I will be relying largely on Kintetsu for the Osaka/Kyoto/Nara/Mie leg which the JR pass most certainly does not cover.

• For the Osaka/Nara/Mie/Kyoto leg, I intend to make good use of a mix of both local metro and the Kintetsu rail pass for 5 days (4900). If I do exploit Kintetsu's limited express train to its fullest, I should be able to save money by buying the pass. The Osaka Amazing Pass at 2600yen a day does not make financial sense for me this time round, given how little I am exploring within Osaka.
• For the Osaka Kanazawa, Shirakawago and Takayama leg, the preferred pass of choice is the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass over the global JR pass, in large part because this pass fully absorbs the Nohi highway bus fees (which can rack up quite a lot at ~8000yen for a return trip between Kanazawa and Shirakawago/Takayama). Also this absorbs the Thunderbird fee. One major issue with my current plan is that it does not cover Wakura Onsen nor the sightseeing train.
• For the final Kanazawa Tokyo leg, the preferred choice is the Horuriku Arch Pass that covers the direct Shinkansen back to Tokyo, and the NEX fees to Narita when I depart from Tokyo. Will only break even with the pass at best unless I make a stop at Nagano.

So all in all, there's quite little incentive to get the global JR pass after I worked out my schedule, apart from the initial 7 days for the Sunrise Seto jump which the All Shikoku Pass will not cover.
Through the hodge-podge of multiple area passes, it works out to around 102890 yen for the whole trip of 35 days, contrast with 107700 yen for a 21 + 14 global JR pass. While there's a minor cost saving doing the hard way which sweetens the deal, the additional minor perks associated with the area passes sells it for me, as I would had to pay more out of pocket to cover non-JR pass buses/rails and such which would add up to much greater cost than I would had anticipated. Also, if I did this trip post-price hike in October, the calculus becomes a no-brainer: avoid the global JR pass like the plague.
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Thank you very much for your opinions, suggestions and advice in advance!

The first game is one of my favorite games for the majority of my life. The first time I beat it I was so young that my dumbass ran in circles throwing grenades at Malak since spamming flurry level 1 wasn’t cutting it (I just really liked the whoosh noises).
​
I give it a playthrough every 2 years or so and always have a blast, and now that I saw it was on switch alongside the sequel, I decided to try KOTOR 2 after doing a force only run with like 8 strength in KOTOR 1.
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For variety’s sake (and a fear of soft locking myself due to the first game’s difficulty at times) I went full meat-head-muscle-guy-hit-stuff guardian with 16 or so strength. The beginning of the game was quite slow and I understand why as a teenager I could never get further than Telos.
​
I love world building as much as the next nerd but my lord the amount of log recordings and depth perceptionally challenged mining droids I had to wack while wearing tight fallout cosplay was definitely getting old after a couple hours. The majority of it is spent uncovering a sabotage conspiracy involving evil droids and miners trying to sell a wizard to the mafia, which isn’t particularly relevant aside from a set up of everyone trying to kidnap you and that the red lightsaber fellas are back once again. Too long for what it accomplishes.
​
Finally off that space hell and we’re dropped into Telos. I enjoyed the character interactions with everyone trying to bribe you alongside relaxing in a cantina and doing the mini games. Czerka starts off with logic but (as I found most themes in this game) end up being absurdly mustache twirling while spouting about making space walmart great again. So unless you just really hate plants you side with the other boys and eventually get shot onto the actual planet and meet Bao, who’s a great wingman to have around despite me having to crank up my volume when he speaks.
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At this point I’m really loving the combat, it had a good sense of challenge and my team had nice variety once Bao showed up to do more skill monkey actions, since my exile smashed everything they touched. Not much more to say except meeting Atris briefly, who’s main personality trait is attitude. After telling her I don’t really care I was exiled and that my more pressing matter is being shot at, she begrudgingly let me leave while longingly staring at my behind.
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Here the game opens more and I’ll give my thoughts more broadly. Our new thong toting albino handmaiden joins mister manslaughter Atton and myself on Dantooine, a very enjoyable planet with good fights and fun side quests that don’t derail the main goal too much. The politics are simple and brief with both sides being the ol’ good and evil. Unfortunately we’re blessed with the douchebag Jedi who is impressively able to contradict his own values every time he opens his mouth. “You saved me from this cage you damn idiot now they’re going to attack the settlements all because of you. Me being in this cage would have saved the day! You should’ve known!”. Yeah sounds like a needlessly risky plan that involves leaving the defenders completely out of the loop and pretending to know what these murderers are thinking, let’s not do that. He’s the most comical example of “jedi bad I wanna sit and think” and the game isn’t particularly subtle about it.
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Regardless we move on as I’m ambushed by a toothless submissive in my ship that I promptly one shot. She then falls in love with me. As one does.
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With my harem of submissives at the ready I leave the wizard choker Atton in the cockpit for the rest of the game and move on to the planet of crime Nar Shadaar, and begin to become very distracted by how every female can’t stop talking about how hot I am. Even the damn assassins are down bad.
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I find this planet to be the most fun part of the game for me with a good blend of politics, exploration, combat, and overall atmosphere. It felt very “star ears underworld” like I remember from the old EU novels. Mira joins the crew as a bad bitch no nonsense bounty hunter who makes god awful decisions, firmly securing her place in my party for the rest of the game despite her asmr voice forcing my tinnitus ass to read the subtitles.
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It’s of note that I built my lightsaber after Dantooine and essentially one shot everything in the game with force speed and flurry, with Brianna also hitting like a truck while the third member buffs/shoots. I love that the guns are far more valid in this game and Mira felt great to use as the party leader due to her high skills and ignoring mines, while my other two members force jumped into battles. This lasted the entire game and made the combat far less engaging however, as it was a rinse and repeat of extremely fast battles, where I two shotted Sion on Korriban before Kreia told me to piss off.
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I disliked Onderon and it brought the game down quite a bit for me, due to its politics undermining the writing focus of the game, which I’ll get into here to finish off my review.
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This games writing is pretty damn good. The biggest thing that made me sad while playing was that I couldn’t bring all my party members with me at all times as I thought each one was super engaging. Unfortunately in a regular blind playthrough you miss A LOT due to the influence system blue balling some extremely well written dialogue. This hit the hardest with Kreia in my playthrough, which is a shame as I knew she was the one with the best acted/written lines. With the dialogue I did receive however, I can definitely see what they were going for but I don’t find it remotely as thought provoking as the game’s reputation would have you think. Kreia “teaches” you some conceptually interesting ideas, but they end up being hypocritical in their own sense and at the end of the day she really is just spiteful about her failures along with everyone else’s.
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You gave that man 5 dollars, now you’ve effectively made him a target to others where he wouldn’t otherwise be one, making his life considerably worse due to your quick and simple act of kindness. This is certainly thought provoking, but for kind of idiotic reasons. Can an individual even rise up and better their lives without given the chance to do so? Should all be cast into poverty and homelessness without aid as they are too weak to fully pull themselves up in a selfish society? This is some metal gear rising senator armstrong “strong eat the weak” shit and here’s it’s being compared to the force.
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She claims I’m only as strong as I am due to the unfortunate circumstances of being hunted, but I was born with a gift and kidnapped from birth to be a fighter, unlike this beggar in the slums. That lesson is essentially the “challenge breeds excellence” poster that was in your elementary school classroom and it cannot be applied to all situations/people accurately due to several varying circumstances. This is decent stuff honestly when not taken at face value, as it can be interpreted that Kreia is just wrong, so I disagreed with her but also told her that I saw value in what she was trying to teach me then. I suppose the main criticism I have with her writing is she’s VERY blatantly evil, which ended up being a distraction to me instead of being a fresh look at the force.
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Then comes Onderon. Every dispute in this game is insanely obvious who the good/bad guys are, with the latter typically trying to murder babies to achieve their goals. Then I land on this planet and see desperate families begging on the street to be allowed to leave, a man being held in custody with no evidence about to be executed as the authorities are too lazy, and the sworn beast rider enemies of the city casually attempting to murder people inside its own walls due to some dumbass blood truce.
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This queen sucks ass honestly, and this civil unrest and negligence wouldn’t last another 6 months. Then the other side shows up, a bunch of fascists going for a power grab when the republic is recovering from a war effort, claiming its due to war mongering when they’d obviously all be dead if they werent protected from the mandalorians. So they suck ass too. And I decide to not get too involved as the entire game has a “I don’t really care, I’m not a Jedi anymore and I’m trying to learn more about myself and defeat the Sith that hunt me” option for the vast majority of dialogue.
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I decide to take Kreia’s lesson to heart and don’t decline Tobin’s offer in the cantina, as I wanted to see both sides of the conflict in full before making a decision instead of just the “good guy” option as that could have irresponsible consequences, as she said. It’s a shame that once I agreed to help them by saying I really only wanted to speak to the Jedi master, my exile suddenly gained a thirst for genocide and was commited to become a terrorist without giving me the option of informing the queen of the attack this dipshit just briefed me on.
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And thus I spent the next hour or so being called a Sith as I helplessly murdered the entire queen’s army without a single moment that lets me say “I didn’t agree to be the damn general of your terrorist regime”. I’m forced to kill the Jedi master as all the options say “muwhaha my revenge at last”, and all the other Jedi at Dantooine I had pleasant conversations with in the past decide my trial of life has expired. Then Kreia, who called me a failure the entire game for not doing the selfish choices, then calls me a failure for selfishly taking revenge.
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The worst part about this situation? I literally pulled the exact same tactic earlier in the SAME game. When the invaders at Dantooine asked me to help them, I agreed so they’d tell me their plan then immediately snitched to the settlers and set up a defense with this information. Brianne wasn’t happy with this method but tough, it’s called using your brain and saving little baby lives. But here it’s bafflingly not an option and it really hurt my overall experience of this game, changing my ending which all in all seems rushed/unfinished as well, which is truly a real shame once you learn of its forced early release.
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Those of you who know the game very well may find this critique my own fault, and I’ll certainly take a degree of blame for it, but it left a bad taste overall. Despite that, the story in general was such a great time with realistic portrayals of rebuilding in post-war time, and ptsd affecting multiple people differently. I don’t regret playing it and while I do prefer the first game slightly I do look forward to a dark side playthrough one day in the future, as the vast majority of the game really improved on the overall flow that the first had established, despite some pacing issues here and there.

Profile Review Exchange! 👓📖📚⌨️💻👩‍💻👨‍💻
Greetings, Folks!
In keeping with the recent trend of weekend profile exchanges with the longer deadline to complete... HOW IT WORKS: This is a subreddit event during which everyone posts their AO3 (or FFN) Profile with some information about the kind of fics they write and then the other participants will look though the profiles, read a one-shot or chapter by the author and then leave a comment on one of the works. (a Kudos would be nice, too!) Reminders will go out on Thursday if reviews have not been completed. PLEASE do your best to complete your reviews expediently!
What are the rules?
Post your profile link and a short summary of the kinds of stories that one might find there (fandom, genre, ratings, etc.)
Deadline for entries is 48 hours after this post is up, so they will close at 4:00PM EST Saturday, June 10, 2023. Once you enter, you will have to review at least 4 stories/chapters from 4 unique profiles.
Your reviews should be thoughtful. The writer should be able to tell that you read the story. Say what you liked about the story. Was something funny? Did something touch you? Make you want to throat punch one of their characters? TELL THEM ABOUT IT! At least 50 words/ 3 sentences per review. Con-crit, "fandom blind", "here from Reddit" are opt-in. Please note in the post you entered with, how many stories you have already reviewed. Best at the end of the posting with something like: 0/4
With the upcoming down period for this sub in mind, you will have until next Monday, June 19, 2023 at NOON (12PM EST) to finish your reviews.
I plan to send out reminders on Friday, June 16, 2023 Happy reading and reviewing!!!

About

Waybound is the 12th and final book in the Cradle series written by Will Wight.
Book Cover

Blurb

Years ago, Lindon left his home as a powerless Unsouled. Now, he goes to war with the most powerful beings in the world over the future of Cradle itself.
The Weeping Dragon has a grudge to settle, and Lindon intends to take out the Dreadgod with his friends by his side. But rival Monarchs know his plans, and they won’t let things end so easily.
If Lindon does win, he will ascend to the heavens. But he may not find a safe haven there either.
In the worlds above, Suriel and Ozriel face off against the Mad King to determine the new shape of the cosmos. The victor will decide the fate of countless universes.
Whether he wins or dies, Lindon will soon leave this life behind.
The time has come to say good-bye to Cradle.

Review

What a journey! I started Cradle after the release of the fifth book (Ghostwater) and since then I've always read the newest book on release day (Wintersteel and Waybound needed two days to finish). One of the best ever series I've had the pleasure to discover, thanks to the many gushing reviews I saw on the fantasy sub.
Progression fantasy in general is my favorite subgenre at the moment. Characters, worldbuilding, the magic system, high-stakes action scenes and humor make Cradle special for me. Despite the epic scale, it is a fun read, unlike what you usually see in (grim)dark works. Perfect for the escapism I crave. And it has great reread value, especially after the reveals in books 8 and 10. I did a full reread in preparation for the final — felt like I channeled Lindon's will power to alternate between reading and getting work done over three weeks!
The prologue set the tone, with Suriel removing Ozriel's restrictions but they were still stuck due to the Way being cut-off. It was good to know Eithan had an alternate plan, but I feared he would die. A few chapters later when Lindon called Ozriel's echo to fight against three Monarchs, I wondered if Suriel (and other Abidan Judges) will somehow use the echo to create a new Reaper.
The time chamber set up in the first chapter was impressive to say the least, especially Lindon borrowing authority to heal Mercy and the caves based on the original Abidan. And then, Lindon's personal will training was frightening. I didn't realize Lindon could come out of the pocket world, and some of my favorite scenes in this book were his fights with Shen (and the follow-up which included Malice and Northstrider). Ozriel's echo using a single action to sweep away attacks from three Monarchs was simply astounding!
The rest of the team trying their best to train and advance was nice too, before it was interrupted by Shen finally succeeding in one of his attacks. And thus, the action continued non-stop. First, Yerin slashed open a way, which ends up landing her in the fight between Shen's forces and House Arelius. Mercy and Ziel then succeed in reaching Lindon, only to be sent away to join Yerin. I liked how Little Blue and Orthos did their best even when Lindon was in agony. Oracle Sage teaming up with Mercy was a terrific combination. And then Ziel got the Shield Icon and Yerin started imitating Eithan's sword swings!
There are so many memorable side-characters in this series. Larian absolutely shines whenever she shows up, especially loved her use of the Bow. It was nice to see Eight-man Empire continuing their commitment towards a better world. The fight sequence against Weeping Dragon was my favorite dreadgod battle. Lindon combining techniques from both cores to push away dragon's breath was amazing (poor Moon people though). Everybody getting Dross copies was another pleasant surprise, though I wish it was more like Bob clones (from Bobiverse) with different names and personalilty changes. And then, despite the Dross clones initially giving Ziel a support role, he came up with a way to use his array and one of the prototype penance to kill the Weeping Dragon!! It was really cathartic, especially after he had failed to finish off the Storm Sage. And this was followed by another chilling escape for Malice.
I had to stop reading at that point (way beyond my usual sleeping time). Woke up to see that the next chapter was Eithan's fight! My fear heightened when he got ready to accept his death, but thankfully, Suriel and Makiel arrived in time for him to take the fight to Mad King. The chaos fiend escaped (probably as a plot point for a future series), but Daruman finally died. This time, I had more confidence that Eithan will be revived, but it was shocking that Makiel gave up his life to help Suriel with the restoration!
And then, we finally got to see how Shen was breaking oaths (but I didn't get how Daji dodged his soul-oath, or perhaps he didn't and his trial was just poorly handled). Anyway, poor Tiberian (during Ozriel's sweep attack, I had hoped the chain was snapped too). Emriss being captured by Shen and Northstrider working together was sad to read as well, especially given her history. Luckily, Lindon came to her rescue. Northstrider having to confront his own memories and then ascend was a nice outcome.
The end game began with Shen's latest desperate plan pulling Lindon to face the remaining dreadgods. Somehow, with help from the new weapons, Lindon and Dross held off against two dreadgods and Shen! Meanwhile, after Lindon disappeared, Mercy got a better understanding of the seventh page of her book and Malice's Icons. And then, we got the cutest advancement to Herald which was much easier than even Yerin and Ruby merging. Malice fighting and holding upper hand against three Sages and three Heralds (with 5 of them having Dross) was incredible. Yerin rejecting the Sword Icon and then touching Death Icon was really, really well done, as was Mercy using Suu to launch the last prototype penance.
We don't get even a hint of a breathing space from non-stop action. While Lindon continues to hold, Emriss helps Mercy and Ziel advance to Monarch. Eithan is resurrected. Emriss must have talked to Sha Miara already, so with help from Yerin, Miara gets past Shen's defenses. I thought Shen still had some more tricks to play when he escaped, but he finally succumbed and then his remnant got stuck in the vault with Tiberian! I was shocked that he tried to ascend, I don't think he tried that even when Mad King had come to Cradle. The plan to kill the remaining dreadgods close to each other was nice. But overall, Bleeding Phoenix and Wandering Titan didn't seem as impressive as Weeping Dragon, despite getting a boost. I shudder to think what Silent King would've done if he hadn't been the first to be killed.
The remaining chapters were great as well — giving us a glimpse of ascension, formation of the Reaper division, Lindon taking care of his sect, setting up Eight-man Empire and constructs as a measure against future Monarchs (though I was hoping for a more robust solution), Lindon getting Soulsmith inheritance from Shen's remnant and so on. I had guessed Li Markuth would make an appearance when the fragment of Mad King sent Haven prisoners to wreck havoc, and the pay-off was nice. Absolutely loved seeing Yerin, Mercy, Ziel and Lindon in action as Reapers. Fury made an appearance, wish it was more substantial and I was hoping to see Northstrider too. The reunion with Eithan and Suriel was heartwarming. Not sure how Lindon pulled off the labyrinth heist! The epilogue was a nice touch, neatly tying with the start of Unsouled. And of course, bloopers left us hanging till the next adventure in the Willverse.
There are a few things that I hope will be touched upon in future series, companion novels, short story collection, etc. What's the deal with Elder Whisper? What happened to Sesh's body, did Northstrider make a weapon? Also, what about Shen and Malice's bodies. When the Twin Star sect's guardians were being mentioned, I thought it would be remnants of Noroloth and Red Faith, but it was Ekeri (whom I had forgotten) — so what happened to Red Faith? Hope it was something like going off to the Dream library to continue Emriss's work. Having seen Lindon using his Void Icon to heal madra channels and repair damages to Windfall, I was hoping he'd do something about the destruction from the Dreadgod fights. Perhaps even recruit the Herald mentioned by Eithan during his deal with Shen in Wintersteel. Well, I could go on and on about other things, so I will just stop my review here ;)

What others are saying

From Terence's review on goodreads:

Waybound is a book that had great expectations set on its shoulders. The conclusion of the 12 book Cradle series, a number of storylines, and the final battles with enormous consequences. There are still a number of storylines that I had vastly different expectations for, but all in all Waybound delivers an enjoyable story.

From Donald's review on goodreads:

Cradle is probably my favorite series that I've EVER read, and I was nervous about how much there seemed to be to wrap up. Will delivered. The pace and pressure on Lindon and his friends doesn't let up from cover to cover. The book is packed with emotional payoffs for plot threads that have been building for years now.

My recent reviews

• The Last Echo of the Lord of Bells (Mage Errant #7): a fitting conclusion to an epic series
• Scion of Storms (Manifestation #2): entertaining mix of slice-of-life, training and tournament arc
• The Rascor Plains (Bastion sequel): great worldbuilding and plenty of twists
• On Lavender Tides and sequels: enjoyable slice-of-life with good worldbuilding
• Crafting Magics: time-loop with a twist

PS: Please rate and review the books you read on Reddit/Amazon/Goodreads/etc :)