How I Feel About Wanting To Be A Video Game Journalist

For several years, video game journalism, in general, has been referred to as “a joke”, “useless”, “dead” and “irrelevant” [16] [21]. As a writer, I had a constant, yet infrequent fear of being bitterly labelled as “an SJW”, “hateable”, “pathetic”, “stupid”, “worthless”, “useless”, “a feminist”, “an urinalist” and “a talentless hack” as I continued my passion for writing gaming-related articles for my blogs [3] [12] [14] [24] [28] [30]. It even unnerved me before I even started my blog as it would be a somewhat rehash of how I felt during numerous controversies surrounding the creepypasta community during my third and fourth years of college [2] [23] [26] [37]. Nonetheless, I just went ahead of began my hobby in late 2017 due to how unhappy I was after my year at university and the urge to make five years of studying games design and interactive media lead to something I could find enjoyable to collide with my ambitions in writing and creativity [42]. It eventually became a hobby for also reviewing and analysing cartoons, most notably Helluva Boss [31] [32] [36] [45] [46] [47]. It was not until December 2021 I sensed a breaking point within a stream of monthly motivations. Furthermore, I would like to inform my dear readers that I might not be up for writing any more gaming-related articles for a while.

The following is not to gain false sympathy from anyone, but it is just an expression on why I might not continue the gaming-related aspects of my blogging for a fairly short while [29]. I have been wanting to write an article like this for quite some time. It is not the only time I have felt ambushed just for trying to be a good person online [17]. [13]

Why does this issue affect me, you ask? Recently, I have been verbally attacked for just stating my thoughts on a woman wanting to normalise facial hair on women in a polite and open-minded manner, regarding her perspective. Being told that what I would love to be is “not a real person” and that my opinions are automatically disregarded really affected me [1] [4] [18]. Moreover, I am entirely unsure if I want to continue blogging about upcoming video games because I KNEW such mockery would happen to me eventually. At least I have never named and shamed anyone for a measly reason in my blogs and I would not dare go as far as to make highly disproportionate and extreme comparisons, such as comparing the faults of Cyberpunk 2077 to Adolf Hitler back in late 2020 [20]. I have worked hard on my own independent gaming blog for four years…and this is the return I get [29]? Writing articles for my blog has helped me find a purpose and cope throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and it deeply saddens me how I would automatically be degraded and not taken seriously solely for one of my aspiring occupations.

I parodied “’Twas The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore in my gaming blogs last year [22] [34] [35], yet I still got ridiculed for what I am notable for online this year. [Williams, 2021]

In conclusion, I am entirely unsure if I want to continue writing articles related to video games [5] [11] [25] [38]. It is absolutely infuriating and discouraging how gaming journalism is the easiest profession I can turn to, yet it is bombarded with ridicule and bitter generalisation due to mistakes that were made [8] [9] [10] [27] [39]. Nonetheless, I am still willing to take any constructive criticism on my gaming-related articles, whether it will be any inaccuracy, not enough research on a topic or a simple spelling error in terms of nouns within a fictional universe. I am grateful for those who have supported me throughout almost a lustrum of my passion for video game journalism [6] [7] [15] [19], which will, unfortunately, have to be hopefully temporarily paused. Furthermore, please do not go and verbally attack anyone for a negative opinion on the subject in general. I only wrote this short piece to express how hurt and discouraged I have been feeling without bashing anyone else’s thoughts. After all, I do not want to end up being that kind of person as I just want to keep evolving as another kind of person [38] [43] [44]. Until then, I shall choose creativity and kindness over vengeance as I will keep on following my passion for other forms of writing, such as spoofing songs [33] [40].

I can always stick to reviewing cartoons for my blogs in the meantime [43] [44]. Have a safe and festive Christmas break, fellow gamers. [40]

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Some Newer Horizons In Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise

Once again, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been a wonderful coping mechanism for many animal crossers during the next set of lockdowns in the coronavirus pandemic, along with its continuation after restrictions were concluded [34]. The same noble honour goes to the events of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp that occurred this year, much like its events throughout the last one [16]. I recall seeing a lot of potential in New Horizons when the first trailer for it was released back in mid-2019 [32] [33]. After starting on its initial release in March 2020, the experience gradually evolved with update after update throughout the seasons [25]. Not only will there soon be the last free content update for the game referred to as “Version 2.0” [15], but also a paid expansion which is exactly what it sounds like if you have ever played Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer [13] [17] [18] [22] [24]. These forthcoming surprises are sure to shine especially on the brand new OLED model of the Nintendo Switch when it comes to truly moving on from the terrors of 2020 [19] [21]. As much as I adore the adorable crossover between Hello Kitty and Pusheen [7] [8] [9] [10] [28], I am delighted to express my thoughts on the next chapter of the fourth generation of the Animal Crossing franchise.

Oh! And speaking of Pocket Camp, there will be a new event promoting the forthcoming paid DLC later this month. [2] 

Animal crossers, please rise for a newer horizon! [22]

But before some of us put the occupation of a vacation home designer on our video game-based CVs, let us see what Version 2.0 has to offer to keep the experience fresh. The rehash of the museum’s coffee shop with some new aspects, including a vintage telephone for compatibility with amiibo cards and figures to invite other characters to a coffee break and Harriet who will offer some new hairstyles at Harv’s Island will increase New Horizons’ faithfulness to the success of Let’s Go To The City [14] [15]. There is also a rehash of travelling with Kapp’n to Tortimer Island in New Leaf and Animal Island in Population Growing [5] [6] [15], which shows that an animal crosser can explore mysterious new islands in different climates and times of the day. More new features include:

•         Two new modes for taking photographs [15]
•         A group stretching activity [15]
•         Four different ordinances [15]
•         An even bigger storage capacity [15]

To top it all off deliciously, an animal crosser’s avatar will soon be skilled at cooking. These new features in the last big free content update of the base game will go so well with what the paid expansion will have to offer when it comes to spending the last two months of 2021 well [18].

More new features include a section of emotions to express, new exterior designs and lifestyle tips from the Island Life 101 app. How Version 2 has more to offer will be sure to further increase the game’s ambition for our dear animal crossers in the franchise’s fourth generation. [15]

Oh, and that is not all! The fifth series of Animal Crossing amiibo cards will be released on the same date [23]. Some of them include brand new characters who will appear in New Horizons Version 2.0 [3]. [23]

The premise of the paid DLC is basically a surprise sequel to Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, which was a spin-off of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for the Nintendo 3DS [13]. Wearing a new tropical island equivalent of the uniform from that spin-off, the player and their avatar will be in charge of designing a fantastic vacation home for villagers. For the best results, the theme of the dream home ought to suit the desires of the villager. For example, Doc would want to read books in a vibrant children’s library. The resort can be even more civilised with customisable facilitates, such as a school and a restaurant, just like in Happy Home Designer. I am aware that Happy Home Designer received criticism for its very little challenge and how slightly unrewarding the experience was at times [24], but I think that fact that Happy Home Paradise is a downloadable expansion for New Horizons instead of its own stand-alone spin-off will always allow an animal crosser to stride right back into the base game’s more progressive gameplay standards. Additionally, the results of working as a vacation home designer appear to be more rewarding as there is payment doing a great job.

Yes, I know that I am British and I am supposed to use British names for certain things, but there were missed opportunities to refer to The Sims 2: Apartment Life as “The Sims 2: Flat Life” and nickname Go Vacation “Go Holiday” just before their release dates in the United Kingdom [1] [7] [11] [12] [30]. [18]

I just wonder what personalities will the upcoming villagers have, including Sasha, Shino, Quinn and Petri [3]. I do not doubt that the themes of their dream homes may provide some hints on what they are. [18] 

Aside from how future content for New Horizons might as well be available in expansion packs [17] [18], the gameplay within the experience of building homes for villagers with different interests is nice and casual. There is a wide range of customisation when it comes to building the best vacation homes for many villagers, including:

•         Changing the perimeter of the room [18]
•         Changing the colour and brightness of lighting [18]
•         Using partition walls to divide space [18]
•         Altering the season and time of day outside [18]
•         Adding realistic sound effects [18]
•         Letting two clients share a vacation home [18]

As a part-time cleaner and volunteer at a charity shop, I think the option to polish furniture to maintain great conditions would make the experience more relatable to me. What makes Happy Home Paradise seem even more rewarding compared to Happy Home Designer is how the exclusive interior design techniques, including polishing furniture can be used to enhance the red-nosed ranger’s home in the base game [13] [18]. The way an animal crosser can invite a resident of the main island to the resort after he or she asks for a vacation home or remodel their standard homes further proves how the premise seems to work better as an expansion pack rather than a stand-alone spin-off.

It will be about time we can treat the loveable characters with notable occupations by giving them their own vacation homes with the help of any amiibo cards featuring them, including Isabelle and the twins. [18]

There will also be an application exclusively available after the installation of Happy Home Paradise. It is named “Happy Home Network” and it will provide access to images of vacation homes designed by you and other animal crossers worldwide. Another way to interpret modern technology in casual gaming. If there ought to be another expansion pack, I bet there would be another app with a different purpose. [18]

How the amount of ambition put into Animal Crossing: New Horizons will further increase is unmistakable. Its final free content update, a downloadable expansion pack and some new amiibo cards will be available this November after pre-ordering begins just before Halloween [15] [18]. Apart from how impressed I am with what an expansion pack has to offer, I am up for seeing an official sequel to the anime film based on the franchise that was only released in Japan [26]. A sequel to it ought to be released worldwide, featuring notable aspects of New Horizons and available in several other language dubs besides Japanese [29]. It worked for Tomodachi Life, right [21] [30]? More gaming adventures after 2021 await. Who knows what the ninth generation of the Pokémon franchise will bring our Poké players in a new region? Could there be a spin-off of the Dance Dance Revolution franchise with a control panel for hands instead of feet that will be accessible for wheelchair users? As for the fourth generation of the Animal Crossing franchise, I would love to see a new wave of characters in either an underwater village or a heavenly village in the sky in another expansion pack for New Horizons. But until then. Happy paradise designing just after bonfire night [18]!

I believe that another expansion pack for New Horizons ought to introduce the appearances of Moppina, Vicious Vole Vinnie, Hayseed Hilda and the Legal Eagles [27]. [17]

But in the meantime, it will be a pleasure working with Lottie, Wardell and Niko after the special event in Pocket Camp before Halloween [2] [17] [18]. As Don Resetti would say, see ya [14]! [18]

References

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The Shining Potential Of Marvel’s Midnight Suns

It has been nearly two weeks since we analysed the announcement trailer and gameplay reveal for Marvel’s Midnight Suns with great caution as an army of demons shall be unleashed with their leader Lilith [49] [50]. There is still a lot of time for us to hope for the best outcome of the forthcoming role-playing game starring many beloved Marvel heroes, from Captain America to Magik in a daring adventure [18]. In the meantime, some Sonic supporters out there are currently reaching for the stars once again with Sonic Colours: Ultimate, in spite of some distracting and deeply concerning glitches that occurred in the Nintendo Switch version before a patch for all versions was established [10] [34] [35]. Speaking of reaching for the stars, plenty of fans of the Guardians of the Galaxy must be pumped for how Star-Lord and the gang will try to halt some widespread propaganda from the Universal Church of Truth in their upcoming video game that will be released this October [37]. Aside from that, what else can I say about Marvel’s Midnight Suns before its release in Spring 2022 [49] [50]? Brace yourselves in attire with a striking black and yellow palette, Avengers and X-Men alike!

The premise of reviving the offspring of a demonic leader who has defeated them before is quite a dark but thrilling one as it expands on the forthcoming RPG’s individuality [21] [24]. Eventually battling Lilith with Hunter could be even more brutal than the Pleasant twins fighting in The Sims 2 [8]. [21]

Wolverine was at it again! In a new showcase that was revealed a week ago, he is seen battling against Sabretooth with Hunter after another battle with Doctor Strange and Blade Nightstalker in a gameplay showcase [15] [22] [25]. Considering how an upcoming game centred around him has been teased, will his legacy stay as sharp as his claws at the time of its release for the PlayStation 5 [18] [19]? The challenge in this upcoming RPG would not only be analysing what effects of each ability in a row of cards [24], but also knowing WHEN to use certain abilities, depending on the conditions. An example of using a strategy would be figuring out what chain reactions will be available when using Wolverine’s chain swipes [22]. An example of quite a clever decision to make in the showcase would be helping Hunter aim at a crook near an explosive before aiming at it as well and then slashing at him, which will force him to hit the explosive to cause more damage. The widespread battling between Marvel heroes and Lilith’s minions sure seems fiercer than Link exclaiming that he has a stick and striking with it in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [28]. Oh wait! That was partially me [47] [48].

Moving a team member to a different spot can help bring them closer to a foe when it is needed. Heavy objects can be used to cause more damage to the foes, which brings out the creativity the gameplay has to offer. The chosen heroes will level up as the game progresses, which will not only be satisfying but be useful for harder battles. [22]

In certain levels, the hero elected to team up with Hunter by default will be a new one who is not in the roster, which will motivate the player to try to win in order to be able to play as said new hero again and develop a friendship with him or her in the abbey [22] [49] [50]. [15]

What else can I say about the first-ever customisable character in Marvel gaming? The default design of Hunter shown in the trailers has a hairstyle and colour that reminds me of Lara Croft, especially the incarnation of her in the Survivor era of the Tomb Raider franchise [23] [38]. Surely, in some of the other characters’ dialogue, they may not refer to Hunter as any pronouns due to how the gender of the completely customisable character can either be male or female [23]. This consideration in keeping dialogue gender-neutral was present in Sonic Forces when it came to customising a mobian on a big adventure with Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic [33]. It would have been cool to be able to play as a tomboyish girl in South Park: The Stick Of Truth, but the wide range of customisation for New Kid was still there [29]. Considering how Hunter is the offspring of Lilith, the game’s main antagonist, that would explain the ability to travel to a mysterious dimension named “The Limbo” with chosen teammates [22]. Whether Hunter is a male or a female, I would wonder how any character development will go for the interpretation of the first customisable hero in Marvel gaming in terms of building relationships with the others [49] [50].

As I have mentioned before, Crystal Angel, my own Marvel character would be very kind to Hunter if she made an appearance in the game [49] [50]. During the heroes’ break in the abbey, she would perhaps host a tea party or show Hunter how she would do her makeup, depending on the attire she wears [31] [32]. [23]

And about the fact that Lilith is Hunter’s mother [21] [49] [50], it is shame there could not be any counselling when it came to some family issues. [23]

Surely, there still ought to be some DLC after the game’s release in early 2022, so that there can be some way to provide new challenges and keep the experience fresh [49] [50], quite like how the racing still rocked with the three packs of DLC for Mario Kart 8 from Summer 2014 to Spring 2015 [26] [41] [42] [43]. I am still up for Deadpool being a character within DLC for Marvel’s Midnight Suns as it can lead to him having a family day out with Mistress Death and their daughter Deathpool [49] [50], along with perhaps some conflict Lilith might have had with Mistress Death as an expansion on both supernatural women’s development in the history of Marvel gaming [1]. But alternatively, the manly mutate can always cause comical havoc in an update for Marvel Future Revolution [14]. Could a new boss in an additional boss battle be Carnage after his vengeance in the second chapter of the eighth season of Fortnite [10]? I sure hope Thanos will not be able to inevitably snap half of the roster into absence if he ought to be a boss within DLC to take down [3].

“So many options for Deadpool’s Nerdy Thirty: Season Two! Don’t look at a Deadpool Fly, Laura honey! It probably won’t be a DLC character anytime soon, just in case some of our fellow gamers are a little scared of bugs [2] [44]. My pet Deadpool Fly is still a happy little Bruce though. I bet Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be the coolest RPG with a title involving sunshine and moonlight since Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon [12] [27]! In the meantime, I’ll prepare some tacos for next Taco Tuesday!” [16]

Darn right, Deadpool! Speaking of pets, perhaps any DLC for Marvel’s Midnight Suns can feature a few more demonic yet loveable pets who would not exactly be like the Palace Pets from Whisker Haven for the Disney Princesses [4] [5] [6] [7]. Alternatively, Hunter can always befriend Mr. Shuggums after meeting the comedic killer in a crimson suit [1]. [22]

After analysing a little more of what Marvel’s Midnights Suns has to offer [15] [22] [25], I could recommend the whole experience to fans of Marvel comics and RPGs as much as I recommended “Mindful Moments”, an episode of Positively Minnie to Josh Strider, otherwise known as “PhantomStrider” on YouTube and Twitter [39] [40] [46]. In 2023, Peter Parker and Miles Morales will team up as Spider-Men to catch evil in their web in the official sequel to Spider-Man, the masterpiece that was developed by Insomniac Games [13] [30] [36]. Aside from how Venom could add some suspense and tension to the sequel’s story, I just wonder if there may even be another mobile game starring any Marvel heroes that is exclusively functional for foldable smartphones [52], such as the new Galaxy Z Flip3 5G [9]. Outside of Marvel gaming, another role-playing adventure awaits in the brand-new second chapter of Deltarune, the sister game of Undertale with all the letters of its title mixed up [45]. As for Marvel’s Midnight Suns, there may be hope that it will be successful enough as a highly promising RPG to perhaps lead to inspiration for a completely customisable hero or heroine to be playable in a new adventure with many beloved Marvel heroes [23] [49] [50].

We know when the sun will rise, but will we know when it will set [49] [50]? [21]

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