Tag Archives: narrative

Cover Games, Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Shield: The People of Galar

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One thing that it’s always quite easy to forget about Pokémon is the fact that it not only features tons of the eponymous monsters… it also has people in it, too. And they have plenty of their own stories to tell.

Pokémon Sword and Shield may not appear to be quite as overdramatic in terms of “stakes” as some previous installments in the series — at least, not until the delightfully over-the-top finale — but it definitely has something to say, and its setting is quite relevant to this, too.

Specifically, the games have quite a bit to say about the nature of fame, the cult of celebrity and what a struggle a life in the spotlight can really bring, as desirable as it might seem from an idealised perspective.

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Waifu Wednesday

Waifu Wednesday: Sword and Shield’s Pokégirls

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With Pokémon Sword and Shield next on the agenda for some in-depth exploration here on MoeGamer, I thought we might as well kick things off with a look at some of the delightful ladies you’ll run into in Galar.

Interestingly, Sword and Shield have a few instances throughout the game where the specific gym trainers you encounter vary between the two versions, providing further distinction beyond the usual exclusive monsters. In this way, those who elect to play both games can have a slightly different experience beyond the Pokémon they encounter in the wild.

Unsurprisingly, there’s been a wealth of fanart of most of the prominent female characters, so let’s dive in and see what we can find!

Continue reading Waifu Wednesday: Sword and Shield’s Pokégirls →

Essentials, One-Shots, Switch

Old School Musical: Tapping Through Time

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We devoted an episode of The MoeGamer Podcast to the idea of “homage” — specifically, games that deliberately adopt both aesthetic and mechanical conventions of titles from the past in order to pay tribute to them.

There are other ways you can show your appreciation and respect for the influence old games continue to have, though, and a powerful means of doing that can be through the use of pastiche and parody.

Old School Musical, a rhythm game from indie developer La Moutarde, very much falls into this category; it may not play like the old-school games it’s paying tribute to — but few could say that it isn’t still a wonderful homage that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of gaming history from the 8-bit home console era onwards.

Continue reading Old School Musical: Tapping Through Time →

Cover Games, Shade

Bullet Girls Phantasia: A Tale of Three Worlds

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One of the things I find endlessly fascinating about Japanese popular media is how it blends disparate, seemingly incompatible things together to produce something altogether unique.

That’s certainly the case with Shade’s Bullet Girls Phantasia, a game which pops elements of Cute Girls Doing Cute Things, military action, fantasy fiction and Norse mythology into a big bowl and then whizzes it all around into a fine, blended paste.

It works. It really works. So let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from the narrative, themes and characterisation of this unusual game.

Continue reading Bullet Girls Phantasia: A Tale of Three Worlds →

Cover Games, Shade

Bullet Girls Phantasia: The Art of Erotica

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There’s a distinct lack of nuance in a lot of modern video game analysis when it comes to anything even the slightest bit erotic, and, as we’ve previously discussed, this is something we could all stand to be a bit better at.

With this in mind, Bullet Girls Phantasia seems like an ideal candidate to look at closely from this angle: without tittering childishly, without knowing nudge-nudge-wink-winks, and, of course, without censure or shame for either what it is doing or the people who might enjoy it.

The reason for this is that Bullet Girls Phantasia represents a solid example of erotica done right: it stops short of being outright explicit pornography — partly for stylistic reasons and partly out of necessity due to its host platforms — but anyone playing it will be left in little doubt that a particular, specific side of the game is very much intended to provoke an intense sexual reaction in anyone engaging with it fully. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of there. So let’s explore it further!

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Waifu Wednesday

Waifu Wednesday: Pokégirls, Vol. 2

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Pokémon Sword and Shield are out this coming Friday, and you can look forward to some in-depth coverage here on MoeGamer once we’re done with Bullet Girls Phantasia.

I’ve not been huge on Pokémon over the years, but one thing I’ve always appreciated about it is its character designs. And particularly the wide variety of very lovely female characters who appear in the various installments, both as player avatars and characters that you encounter in your various adventures.

So, then, following on from Pokégirls Vol. 1, I present to you a second collection of Pokémon cuties, as selected by friends and acquaintances who know more about this sort of thing than I do!

Continue reading Waifu Wednesday: Pokégirls, Vol. 2 →

One-Shots

Freedom Planet: Platforming Perfection

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Longstanding readers will know that here on MoeGamer, I dislike focusing on negativity; rather, I much prefer to make a specific effort to try and “find the good” in games, particularly those that have had a rough deal from the mainstream press or community.

Sometimes, however, “the good” is so blatantly obvious that you can’t help but be taken aback by it somewhat. This may not happen often, but when it does, it really leaves an impression on you.

The most recent game where this has happened to me is GalaxyTrail’s Freedom Planet, quite possibly one of the finest video games I have ever played.

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My Time With Dee Dee

My Time With Dee Dee: Learn Through, Uh, Doing

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One of the nice things about being a non-commercial site that isn’t funded by big corporate advertising bullshit is that I’m not obliged to be in “competition” with any of my peers.

That means that when people like our friends over at Digitally Downloaded do something cool and interesting, I can explore it for myself and, more to the point, make you aware of it, dear reader.

If I haven’t made this abundantly clear already, the following relates to a piece of media created by a friend of mine. And if you have the slightest interest in media criticism and making use of the conventions of gaming to educate or learn something… you should definitely check it out!

Continue reading My Time With Dee Dee: Learn Through, Uh, Doing →

Waifu Wednesday

Waifu Wednesday: Amayo Sato

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It’s not something I see people talk about a whole lot, but I get the impression the fantasy of having a sibling you don’t already have — particularly an older sister — is quite a popular one among certain portions of the population.

I’m not even talking about a sexual fantasy here; I’m simply referring to the idea that some people seem to find the idea of having an older sister quite pleasant. And yes, I’m one of those people.

We’re certainly well-catered to when it comes to Japanese popular media, at least, with a whole host of charming onee-chans out there just waiting to take care of us. The most recent I’ve encountered? Amayo Sato from Gun Gun Pixies.

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