kfwyre's recent activity
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThe cutscenes are giving old-school silent film where the dialogue is displayed in text on separate title cards between shots.The cutscenes are giving old-school silent film where the dialogue is displayed in text on separate title cards between shots.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre LinkI was a fan of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. It was fresh and exciting and I had a really good time with it. But when THPS 2 came out, I fell fully in love. It was everything the first one was, but...I was a fan of Tony Hawk’s
Pro-SkaterPro Skater. It was fresh and exciting and I had a really good time with it.But when THPS 2 came out, I fell fully in love.
It was everything the first one was, but better. Adding manuals unlocked an entire new frontier of tricking. If I’m remembering correctly, they also added the ability to put points into your characters, building their stats over time. I got so much mileage out of that, playing things over and over again to max out each of the characters, then deleting my save so I could do it all over again (I did the same with Jet Grind/Set Radio and SSX Tricky by the way — amazing that I used to have so much time that I would play the same game on repeat for months!).
I bought and played the modern remaster some years back, and while I thought they did a good job, something about it felt off. Like, the gamefeel didn’t match my muscle memory. I have no idea if that’s the fault of the game or, far more likely, the fault of time and age taking their toll on me.
It wasn’t just the gamefeel though — for some reason I remember hating the menus and unlocks. It’s been long enough since I played that the specifics of the complaint are lost to me, but I remember feeling like they unnecessarily muddied what was, in the original, a very clear and satisfying sense of progression.
As such, I’ll be returning to the original game this time.
I played it exclusively on the PSX back in the day, but I’m also a Dreamcast forever fan and am tempted to play that version just because I like whittling down the list of DC games I haven’t played.
Does anyone know if there’s a material difference in the game in only having one set of shoulder buttons versus two? If so, that might determine where I land.
Also, I’m almost certainly going to try out the GBC version, cutscenes and all.
Will I stick with it? Doubtful.
But will I do it so that I can genuinely say “I’ve played THPS 2 on the Game Boy Color!” to other likeminded millennial nerds when we have our nerdy millennial get-togethers? Of course I will.
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What workplace absurdity are you forced to live with?
Bureaucratic nonsense; a glaring inefficiency; “that’s just how we do things here”; etc. Whatever it is, it’s absurd, but you’re also powerless to do anything about it and just have to live with...
Bureaucratic nonsense; a glaring inefficiency; “that’s just how we do things here”; etc.
Whatever it is, it’s absurd, but you’re also powerless to do anything about it and just have to live with it.
Tell us all about it.
Note: “workplace” can refer to career, school, home — wherever you do work in the face of absurdity
17 votes -
Comment on Recommendations for noise cancelling, over ear headphones in ~tech
kfwyre Link ParentMy siblings and I got these as a father's day gift for my dad. We took turns putting them on and trying to make out what other people were saying, and it was impossible (and hilarious). The noise...Sony wh-1000xm6
My siblings and I got these as a father's day gift for my dad.
We took turns putting them on and trying to make out what other people were saying, and it was impossible (and hilarious). The noise cancelling is VERY good.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre LinkIf we have any RetroAchievements fans in the house, there are full achievement sets for each of the retro versions of the game (sans Windows): PlayStation Nintendo 64 Dreamcast Game Boy Color Game...If we have any RetroAchievements fans in the house, there are full achievement sets for each of the retro versions of the game (sans Windows):
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkOkay, I'm not saying we need to have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores, but, well: We now have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores. Show off below! Also, Friendly...Okay, I'm not saying we need to have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores, but, well:
We now have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores.
Show off below!
Also, Friendly Competition is available to anyone who wants it! Note which version of the game you’re playing, and play fair (e.g. no cheats/save states/changing the speed of the game, etc.). Highest score for a particular level+platform wins that category. Prizes are bragging rights
and some M&Ms from a bag I found behind the couch.For anyone who DOES want to use cheats/save states/whatnot, have no fear! It’s also fun to see people break the game completely with some Balatro-worthy scores. Just note that you did use those in your post so they don’t stomp on anyone’s organic, grassfed scores.
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Comment on Humble Choice - September 2026 in ~games
kfwyre LinkI hate to be a downer, but both Voidtrain and Ballionaire didn't do anything for me. Here's my quick review on Voidtrain: I don't have a writeup for Ballionaire but it seemed like something I...I hate to be a downer, but both Voidtrain and Ballionaire didn't do anything for me.
Here's my quick review on Voidtrain:
My indecisive multiplayer group chose this, as we really loved Raft and the two games are very similar.
Sadly, Voidtrain is a subpar version of Raft in pretty much every way.
It's got some cool ideas and a cool setting that are mostly squandered by interminable repetition and asset reuse. Like, every station you stop at has a fire fight with the same enemies in the same arena. There are little sidequests you can do where you have to grapple away from your train and follow a chain of rocks, which seems really cool initially, but they always take you to the same place. where you do the same thing.
It feels like they had the skeleton of a decent game and just polished that up to a 1.0 release rather than fully developing something more robust.
We're having fun with it because it's fun to play games with your friends, but it's unfortunately not the Raft-alike we were hoping for.
I don't have a writeup for Ballionaire but it seemed like something I should love as a huge Peggle fan and mild incremental-game enjoyer. For some reason it just didn't click for me.
To make things more positive, I wrote a poem:
Poetry is my passion
Please Re-release One of the most Transformative cOnsoles of all time, the Nokia N-Gage Innovation. Simplicity. May All of us Game agaIn on our taCo phones -
Humble Choice - September 2026
September 2026's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games. Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Frostpunk 2 85 71 / 78 Win, Mac 🟨...
September 2026's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games.
Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Frostpunk 2 85 71 / 78 Win, Mac 🟨 Playable 🟨 Gold SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS 80 92 / 96 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Voidtrain 79 65 / 71 Win 🟨 Playable 🟨 Gold Ballionaire 74 81 / 85 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum GUNTOUCHABLES -- -- / 75 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Urban Jungle -- 90 / 90 Win 🟨 Playable 🕙 Awaiting Reports Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum -- 92 / 92 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Keylocker - Turn Based Cyberpunk Action 81 -- / 84 Win 🟨 Playable 🎖️ Platinum Does anyone have experience with any of the games and, if so, would you recommend them? Is there anything in here that you're particularly excited to play?
6 votes -
Comment on Build your own video game listicle in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentDamn, you didn’t have to circle yes that hard! 😂Damn, you didn’t have to circle yes that hard! 😂
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Comment on Build your own video game listicle in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentIs SHODAN ranked toward the end because you think she’s less iconic or because you like her less? Also, are we incorporating SS2 SHODAN into the calculus, or just the first game? Also do you think...Is SHODAN ranked toward the end because you think she’s less iconic or because you like her less?
Also, are we incorporating SS2 SHODAN into the calculus, or just the first game?
Also do you think I care about SHODAN too much?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kfwyre LinkI’ve been emulating Rayman 2: The Great Escape (the Dreamcast version, natch). If you compare it to Super Mario 64, it falls short (that game did so much right on the first try it’s genuinely...I’ve been emulating Rayman 2: The Great Escape (the Dreamcast version, natch).
If you compare it to Super Mario 64, it falls short (that game did so much right on the first try it’s genuinely incredible). But if you think of it as exactly what it is--Rayman’s first foray into the third dimension--then it comes out looking and playing excellent. Even the camera isn’t terrible, which is genuinely high praise for an early 3D game.
Also, while walking on my treadmill I’ve been playing Yet Another Zombie Survivors. It’s a polished bullet heaven that just hit 1.0 and has the exact kind of metaprogression dripped that I like in the genre. Unfortunately though, it’s admittedly kind of bland and samey from run to run.
I’m not wowed by it, but it’s solid enough that I’ll get dozens of walking hours out of it, which is the real win.
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Comment on Gamergate but actually in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkIt's been well over a decade. The dust has settled and time has moved on, but the Gamergate Exclusion Zone remains a dangerous and unsettling place. Toxicity lies dormant in all available surfaces...- Exemplary
It's been well over a decade. The dust has settled and time has moved on, but the Gamergate Exclusion Zone remains a dangerous and unsettling place. Toxicity lies dormant in all available surfaces of discourse. Touching anything in the area puts you at risk. Its radioactive fallout brings indiscriminate harm to any who choose to tread there.
It will, unfortunately, remain this way for a long time.
I watched the first two hours of this video before having to stop on account of life things, as one does. I will probably finish it, because for some reason the idea of an audiobook-length history of Gamergate appeals to me in the same way as picking at a scab does.
It's not a bad video. I appreciate the creator trying to bring nuance and context to a difficult and fraught topic. I genuinely think he's trying to be fair.
But I also think he's putting way too much emphasis on his research and journalistic approach. This undermines his credibility pretty strongly because I think both of those are significantly flawed. The fact that he also repeatedly talks himself up as a way of taking pot-shots at industry journalists sinks it even further. The video is written with the barbs and humor of an opinion piece yet he wants us to consider it serious reporting as well, and, in this case I think those two things are dissonant.
I say this not to say it’s a garbage video. It’s not (well, speaking for what I’ve seen so far).
I say this because I think it fails to live up to its own standard and engages in some of the same behaviors it criticizes.
Admittedly, this is an unfair conclusion to draw definitively because I haven’t watched the whole thing. However, I do feel like two hours of my time and attention is fair play for at least starting to develop opinions, and I don’t think that, barring some meta twist on his rhetoric, my main concern is going to somehow resolve itself by the end.
I started typing a lot more getting into lots of specifics, but I deleted it. I realized I was just retreading the same tired toxic ground, and I hate that. I want to be done with Gamergate, even if Gamergate isn’t done driving its conflict (which, based on this topic, it clearly isn’t).
I don’t like wandering into the Exclusion Zone these days because I don’t think anything good can come from it. For anyone.
I think the fact that good discourse around Gamergate is still effectively impossible is a testament to how terrible it was and what a rotten legacy it has left.
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Comment on Build your own video game listicle in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI’m actually in the middle of Kuru Kuru Kururin, no joke. You’ve mentioned it before (either here or on your blog, can’t remember which) and I finally picked it up. I had played Roundabout for a...I’m actually in the middle of Kuru Kuru Kururin, no joke. You’ve mentioned it before (either here or on your blog, can’t remember which) and I finally picked it up.
I had played Roundabout for a Backlog Burner last year without knowing it was directly inspired by Kuru (though it has a completely different feel, design-wise).
One thing I like about both games is how you go from being clumsy to masterful as you learn to work with the constant spinning and read the maps and whatnot. Getting better at the game is tangible and feels great.
I just got to Machine Land in Kuru which feels like an achievement in and of itself, as the levels are getting devilishly hard. Not sure how close I am to the end or if I’ll even be able to finish it, but even if I don’t, I’m having a great time with it. Thanks for the rec!
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Comment on DK64 ReKONGpiled, a modern recompilation of Donkey Kong 64, has been released in ~games
kfwyre LinkI’m personally super excited about this one. I just finished with the Banjo-Kazooie recomp a few weeks ago, and it was excellent. I have high hopes for this one as well.- Fully Intact N64 Effects
- Faithful Audio
- Easy-to-Use Menus
- High Framerate Support
- Widescreen and Ultrawide Support
- Mod Support
- Instant Load Times
- Linux and Steam Deck Support
- Increased Draw Distance
- Mouse and Gyro Controls
- Re-balanced for Reduced Lag
- Hideout Helm Metal Fix
I’m personally super excited about this one. I just finished with the Banjo-Kazooie recomp a few weeks ago, and it was excellent. I have high hopes for this one as well.
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DK64 ReKONGpiled, a modern recompilation of Donkey Kong 64, has been released
23 votes -
Comment on CGA-2026-08 🗡️🛡️❤️🔺 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in ~games
kfwyre LinkNot specifically relevant to LTTP, but for CGA in general: The Wii and PS3 are 'retro' now, according to iconic Japanese gaming show Something to consider for our next round of nominations and...Not specifically relevant to LTTP, but for CGA in general:
The Wii and PS3 are 'retro' now, according to iconic Japanese gaming show
According to an article from Automaton Media, the show—which is essentially a let's play variety show starring comedian Shinya Arino—recently held a vote as to whether Wii and PS3 games should be awarded the "retro" moniker and considered for inclusion. The poll reportedly got over 14,000 responses with 71% voting in favor, and when a second round followed, that percentage rose to 80% among nearly 17,000 voters. Arino declared that games from both consoles will indeed be considered for the show moving forward.
So what does this have to do with PC gaming? Well, we have a retro gaming scene too, and if we agree for the sake of argument that those consoles are retro on the basis that they're turning 20 this year, that would mean the following PC games are also retro: Medieval II: Total War, Half-Life 2: Episode One, Dawn of War - Dark Crusade, Neverwinter Nights 2, the first season of Telltale's Sam & Max reboot, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, and perhaps most upsettingly, Company of Heroes.
Something to consider for our next round of nominations and voting (coming soon!).
We don’t have any hard and fast rules around what constitutes “retro” for CGA, but it’s definitely interesting to see how other people/organizations interpret the concept and draw the line.
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Build your own video game listicle
The top 7 chillest Genesis games YOU NEED IN YOUR BUSY MODERN LIFE Best video game barrel explosions, ranked Five games that defied your expectations (plus one you'll never guess!) These 3 console...
- The top 7 chillest Genesis games YOU NEED IN YOUR BUSY MODERN LIFE
- Best video game barrel explosions, ranked
- Five games that defied your expectations (plus one you'll never guess!)
- These 3 console flops make the Ouya look like a success
- The best magical swords of the 16-bit era
The internet is loaded with clickbaity articles like these (note: I specifically made these up, so apologies if any sound interesting). They were already somewhat low effort content, but they've gotten far worse in the age of AI.
As such, I thought it might be cool if we could make our own hand-crafted, artisan, bespoke humanslop ones here. You know, for fun.
- Choose a list topic.
- Populate it with games/mechanics/series/consoles/controllers/whatever.
- Explain how each fits the theme.
Be as serious or as nonsensical as you like. Be as generic ("top games of 2025") or as specific ("games that kfwyre spent more time setting up than playing") as you want. Create the video game listicle of your dreams, with as little or as much clickbaitiness as you like.
25 votes -
Comment on What are your current pain points with Linux? in ~tech
kfwyre Link ParentTo add to this: here's a good rundown of all the available vendors supporting Linux. I've been using a System76 Oryx Pro since 2019 and have nothing but good things to say about it and them (great...To add to this: here's a good rundown of all the available vendors supporting Linux.
I've been using a System76 Oryx Pro since 2019 and have nothing but good things to say about it and them (great customer service).
That said, I would recommend against using their Pop!_OS for the time being -- especially for anyone new to Linux. They just launched their COSMIC desktop environment which is really cool and has a lot of potential, but it simply isn't ready for primetime yet. It is being very actively developed and rapidly improving over time, but new users need a "Just Works" solution and COSMIC isn't there yet.
When buying through them you have the option of Ubuntu instead, which I'd recommend to new users over Pop!_OS. Alternately, you can always buy an S76 machine and simply put your own beginner-friendly distro of choice on it (Mint or Fedora KDE would be my recommendations).
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Comment on CGA-2026-08 🗡️🛡️❤️🔺 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentBig same! I think it can be tough for the monumental giants of yesteryear to live up to their esteem. Going in with with the knowledge that something is considered one of the greatest games of all...But of those retro games, I tend to play the games that time has forgotten.
Big same!
I think it can be tough for the monumental giants of yesteryear to live up to their esteem. Going in with with the knowledge that something is considered one of the greatest games of all time means it has a lot to live up to, and it can bring its flaws into particularly sharp relief. But if I play a forgotten title of yesteryear that has no current "presence", it's a lot easier to just appreciate it for what it is.
Also, like you mentioned, these all-time classics are so influential that it means that people have taken the formula and recreated it, iterated on it, etc. This often has the effect of undercutting the original by familiarizing us with it despite having not played it (i.e. Seinfeld Is Unfunny). Additionally, if it's something that has been substantially improved in the interim, then it means we've effectively played better versions of it, which makes returning to the source fundamentally disappointing.
I experienced this recently when I tried to pick up Metroid. All I could see were its flaws and the ways it has since been done so much better.
Meanwhile, I've also been playing an extremely middling racer on the Dreamcast called Vanishing Point and thoroughly enjoying it because I had zero expectations of it in the first place. I don't think it's a particularly good game by any means, and there are plenty of other better racing games, but it's also not obligated to live up to anything which makes it easier to appreciate.
I think a little friendly competition could be fun for me because I’m going to absolutely smoke everyone. 😂
People can simply note which version they’re playing in their screenshots so that others can try to beat them if they like. We don’t have to keep a tally or anything out of fairness’s sake, and it can all just be for the love of the game and bragging rights.
Editor’s Note: kfwyre is not actually going to smoke anyone in this competition. His hands are old and clumsy now.