Loveable Deplorables: Caught Stealing

Caught Stealing gave me American Guy Ritchie vibe. It’s the supporting cast (including the cat) who steal the show. Then all know who they are, even if they’re occupying the crime underbelly of 1998 NYC. Hank’s development only comes as a line of bodies are left in his wake. I had fun.

This sh** is Bananza (B-a-n-a-n-z-a)

Donkey Kong Banaza is amazing. That is all

Reflecting at the end of my 30s

It's been a wild decade

I'm writing these with only a few hours left of my 30s. The last 10 years have been kind to me.

Jen and I got married. We moved away from Vegas, only to come back. My relationship with my family took interesting turns. I no longer speak with my father.

My brother got married. He's now having a kid. Didn't see that coming. I'm excited to start my 40s as an uncle!

I've succeeded in my career ambitions and gone places I could never have. Who knew taking a pay cut a couple times would pay off so much in the future!

For the most part, I'm happy. My life is good. I still need to get healthier. Here's to my 30s and what's to come.

Top 10 JRPGs - Feb 2023

A current list of my favorite Japanese RPGs of all time

Top 10 JRPGs I've played

1. Suikoden 3
2. Dragon Quest 8
3. Suikoden 2
4. Suikoden 1
5. Final Fantasy VIII
6. Final Fantasy XII: Zodiac Age
7. Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon
8. Final Fantasy VII: Remake
9. Persona 5: Royal
10. Skies of Arcadia

Not Ranked:

Golden Sun 1 & 2, Suikoden 5, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (all M&L Games), Xenoblade Chronicles 1, Chrono Trigger, Shenmue, Dragon Quest XI, Dragon Quest VII and IX, and Dark Cloud.

That bastard Akechi - Persona 5 part 3

Sometimes a game tells you exactly what is going to happen and when it does, you can still find it surprising.

That’s the reaction to Goro Akechi, teenage boy detective who sold my Phantom Thieves. The game made it clear he’s not going to stay on your side forever. So did the character. And yet, here I am getting a fake shadow shot in the head. Swerve? Maybe.

24 hours to go

The Grace of Kings - Quick Review (or how I forgot to write part 2 and that I had a blog)

Ken Liu's Grace of Kings did not disappoint

I heard about the Grace of Kings by Ken Liu on the Triple Click Podcast. There, host Jason Schreier — an avid Suikoden fan — noted the similar vibe that this book series had to my favorite Japanese RPG series. It hit the mark, with a mixture of politics, friendship, family and mysticism that painted a picture akin to the fantastical Jade Empire game series.

Truthfully, it was so long ago I don’t remember each bit that stood out other than protagonists Kuni Gary and Mata Zyndu, and how their great partnership quickly turned sour thanks to pride and ambition (don’t they always?).

Can’t wait to read the sequel. Let’s hope I become a more avid novel reader in 2023, eh?

The Grace of Kings - Part 1

I’m never one to journal or keep a written record of times and places. It’s a habit I should develop more. Recently, I was turned onto The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu.

A fan of the game series Suikoden, the idea of destiny moving parties in a revolution together and the wild cast of characters that make up the ranks is a concept I’ve always enjoyed.

I tried to read Outlaws of the Marsh when I was younger and a more ambitious child , but that dense story is for another time and life.

This is all to say The Grace Of Kings distills these plot formations into a neatly-designed package that makes managing a large roster quite easy.

Kuni Garu and Mata Zyndu live so fiercely in my imagination. I can see the Japanime-inspired smirks on Garu’s face as he concocts a scheme, and Zyndu is the the straight man sees his destiny ahead of him.

It’s a fun book. A fun excuse to talk.