oracle17's recent activity
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Comment on Favorite independent/lesser known comics? in ~comics
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Comment on Favorite independent/lesser known comics? in ~comics
oracle17 LinkIf you're a fan of horror/psychological thrillers, I highly recommend Bastard, Sweet Home, and its prequel, Shotgun Boy. If you want a shorter, punchier title, I'd suggest Wolfsbane. All of these...If you're a fan of horror/psychological thrillers, I highly recommend Bastard, Sweet Home, and its prequel, Shotgun Boy. If you want a shorter, punchier title, I'd suggest Wolfsbane. All of these can be found on Webtoon.
Bastard: ~90 ep. A phenomenal horror webcomic. I will say nothing more, go into this completely blind. For a general reference, I felt this was vaguely similar to Killing Stalking, with its emphasis on the mental anguish of the protagonist, but with slightly tamer gore.
Shotgun Boy: ~70 ep. This is a prequel to, and should be read after, Sweet Home. As such, I can't give much in terms of plot, but it involves the classic tale of an underdog victim trying to stand up to his bully.
Sweet Home: ~140 ep. A boy is stuck in an apartment complex with a few other survivors in the midst of a large-scale monster invasion. A great character study of how different people deal with pressure, solid monster design, and actually believable decision-making, all come together to deliver this home run of a webcomic.
Wolfsbane: 26 ep. The shortest of my suggestions can easily be knocked out in 20-30 min. Revolves around a family of monster hunters that has been dwindled down to the last daughter, hunting the last living werewolf before she can finally live in peace. It's a very bland description, but I offer it so as to not spoil any of the many revelations that occur throughout the reading. Great character development for its length.
I have plenty more where these came from, mostly action-adventure/drama webtoons, but all worth the read; wasn't sure if you would be interested given what you said you had read in your post, but let me know if you are.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
oracle17 Link ParentThanks so much for the recommendation! Unfortunately, I'm currently using a mac, so this'll go on the wishlist until I either get a Windows machine or run a VM through Linux. I agree with you by...Thanks so much for the recommendation! Unfortunately, I'm currently using a mac, so this'll go on the wishlist until I either get a Windows machine or run a VM through Linux. I agree with you by the way, I ended up grinding out the rest of 20 Min just this afternoon, I guess writing my original comment helped get me back into it. I will say though, Vampire Survivors does have more DLCs as far as I've seen, so that could be something to keep an eye on.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
oracle17 LinkI had originally written an essay for my comment but decided against it, not only to preserve the magic and a little bit of the mystique of some of the games, since I do believe going into them...I had originally written an essay for my comment but decided against it, not only to preserve the magic and a little bit of the mystique of some of the games, since I do believe going into them blind is optimal, but also to make this an easier read :)
The first game I picked up months ago was Hollow Knight, and even after completing it pretty quickly (for a noob, that is), I still find myself going back to fight the same bosses and explore the same beautiful world I came to love during my playthrough. It really is a perfect game for me, with phenomenal music, a dense world decorated by beautiful art, and what I consider to be a near-perfect combat system.
The second game I ever picked up was Hades, and just like HK, I still go back often for another escape attempt. Similarly to HK, Hades also sports music, art, and a combat system that never gets old, but where Hades shines is that it always has something new to offer, as players with hundreds of hours in the game say that they still get new dialogue (I, myself, only have about 72 hours, but can also attest to this experience). Pair this with solid, character-driven plot, and players are in for a spectacular experience. I highly recommend checking this out since it really does have excellent replayability.
The third game I ever purchased was Batman: Arkham City, a solid throwback to when I was younger and happier. My goodness, this game holds up exceptionally well! I mean, seriously! My standards just might be trash, but for my 2019 base model MacBook Pro to run this at 30 FPS with little to no jitter is mind-boggling, especially when the graphics are so sharp, the world is so dense, and the combat is SO fun. Yes, it can get quite button-mashy, but only if you want it to. This game allows the player to dictate their preferred type of combat method, save for a few instances, and rewards the player for being more creative, say with using stealth, or more gadgets. There is also a particular boss that is still talked about today for being incredibly innovative—I won’t spoil it, but that boss fight alone is worth checking this out for, especially given that it's quite cheap now and goes on sale often. I’m currently on my 6th playthrough and continuing to find more Easter eggs and side missions.
Other than that, I don’t have much to offer. I’m struggling through a whole host of games right now, but not with the same intensity or motivation as the aforementioned ones. These include The Long Dark, Subnautica, Dead Cells, Blasphemous, Celeste, Borderlands 2, 20 Minutes Till Dawn, Vampire Survivors, and Life is Strange.
I haven’t played many of these consistently, but I’ll rapid-fire some thoughts on each of them.
TLD: Incredibly fun, but it is very easy to get lost if you are new. I would highly recommend watching some YouTube videos beforehand to familiarize yourself with a few strategies. It also makes dying less frustrating once you realize that dying is inevitable and that each time you do so, it helps you get better.
Subnautica: I played this partially with a relative but haven’t been able to progress due to anxiety whenever I start playing. The story so far has been solid, and the visuals have been decent but have been inconsistent on my potato of a laptop. Gameplay is very satisfying since nothing is really handed to you and is very self-directed, which is enjoyable when done right.
Dead Cells: I finished this quite easily on my phone a decent amount of time ago, so I don’t remember much, probably because I rushed it, but the motion is impossibly smooth, and the music helps the player get into a semi-Metal Gear Rising mindset of "offense is the best defense" and motivates you to tear through enemies at a rapid rate.
Blasphemous: I loved the start of this game but find the mouse and keyboard controls far too difficult for me to get accustomed to; I might need to get a controller. Otherwise, a solid game with a very unique setting and aesthetic, and I am very much looking forward to what it holds in store.
Celeste: Same as Blasphemous, my fingers just don’t move correctly; I might need a controller. Even though I’ve almost completed the game, it’s simply too difficult at this point. The vibe of the story is great, the character development is far beyond what I expected, and I’m itching to get back to it.
Borderlands 2: My computer can’t run this very well, so until now, I’ve been stuck at a small junction and can’t do much. I’ve also realized that this game has co-op, so I might try that since I’m not very good at first-person shooters.
Life is Strange: Pretty decent; it might have been a bit overhyped, but I have enjoy the granular controls and how the story feels quite believable thus far
20 Minutes Until Dawn and Vampire Survivors: Very similar games with small discrepancies VS is very retro-themed and arcade-like, while 20 Min is more modern, with Lovecraftian monsters that make a very smooth-running game all the more fun.
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Comment on Your favorite reviewers/critics? in ~misc
oracle17 LinkMistaGG is one of my favorite reviewers by a decent margin. Some other youtubers are Nathan Zed, Jacob Geller, NakeyJakey, and Eddy Burback, but they don't fit into the specific box of a...MistaGG is one of my favorite reviewers by a decent margin. Some other youtubers are Nathan Zed, Jacob Geller, NakeyJakey, and Eddy Burback, but they don't fit into the specific box of a "reviewer" or "critic". However, Jacob Geller's incredibly high-production and meticulous documentary style videos, my favorite of which is Fear of Cold, Burback and Jakey's commentary/documentary style and Zed's conversational style are all enjoyable in their own right.
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Comment on Headphone/earbud recommendation - Is there one product that fits all my needs? in ~tech
oracle17 LinkHi. I realize that I'm (very) late to the party, but a popular headphone you might want to check out is the Salnotes Zero, which has the option of a mic, has the option of being usbc, and was...Hi. I realize that I'm (very) late to the party, but a popular headphone you might want to check out is the Salnotes Zero, which has the option of a mic, has the option of being usbc, and was tuned by Crinacle, who professionally measures and reviews headphones. It's also very affordable, so it shouldn't break the bank
Good idea! Here are some action webtoons:
The Boxer: ~135 ep. The story is about an overwhelmingly dominant boxer. Pretty simple premise, but it delves into the psychology of obsession, mortality, and as a plus, a few satisfying bully beat-downs! Features crisp artwork and gives near EVERY character a strong a compelling story
Eleceed: (Ongoing 250+ ep) A boy gifted with supernatural speed has hidden his secret from the world until he falls headfirst into the world of "awakeners", people gifted with similar abilities that are split up into factions and groups, and our protag is completely clueless. Follow him as he tries to make his way through this brand-new world full of people that try to kill him. Quite often.
Potential spoiler for Eleceed
No clue if this turns out to be true, but the protagonist, Jiwoo, has seemed to learn Kayden Braek's electric ability despite having a speed base. This could mean that anyone can learn any skill, given that have an affinity for that ability, which would make sense given that there are ENTIRE orgs full of people using the same element (wind, fire, etc.). So this could be affinity since some orgs are family-based, or the families just chose to always teach their kids the same element, and since no one else has the same experience teaching said element, their descendants would be the most powerful users of the element. But that's just a theory. Don't worry, I won't say it.God of Highschool: ~550 ep. If you've watched the anime and are turned off by the suggestion, don't be - the anime tried to fit 100 chapters into 13 episodes, so the development didn't really carry over. Also, the webtoon does a MUCH better job of explaining pretty much all of the integral moving parts of the world of GOH. If you haven't watched the anime: A boy named Mori Jin loves to fight. A lot. He earns an entry to a tournament called "The God of High School". Chaos ensues, long friendships are made, time skips happen, and characters are developed well. The only thing I'll say is that so much ends up happening that over the webtoons near decade-long run, it can get a bit difficult to remember every little thing.
Weak Hero: (Ongoing 300 ep) A small, frail student named Gray Yeon transfers to a school full of bullies in an area ruled by school gangs united under the banner of the Union, an organization run by the terrifying and indomitable Donald Na. Turns out that despite his appearance, Gray Yeon is a badass, using dirty street-fighting tactics paired with an intimate knowledge of martial arts and his opponent's habits to completely dismantle them.
Hanlim Gym: (Ongoing 150+ ep) A tough guy is humiliated by a fighter wearing the name of Hanlim Gym on his jacket. In an effort to get back at the fighter, the protagonist, Yeongha, uncovers a massive cage-fighting scene, the king of which is...Suho Kang. Follow him as he tries to beat Suho Kang. You can probably tell, it's quite basic, but very compelling through the character's backstories.
Lookism: (Ongoing 450+ ep) A loser named Daniel Park has had enough. Sick of the bullying he decides to move away to another school in another town, leaving his old life behind and reinventing himself. He doesn't start off great, getting beat up soon after his arrival, but then he wakes up the next morning in a different body. A better body. Taller, more handsome, and as he will soon find out, far more capable of fighting. This started off as more of a drama, going into detail about body image issues and social problems in Korea, but it has since taken a turn for the more extreme. I won't say worse, because it still definitely touches on problems, but they are certainly more dramatized, with long, incredibly drawn fights, intense hype spanning hundreds of chapters long, and a strong narrative throughout. The art style gets a major glow-up, as do some character designs, so it's quite a solid entry on this list. Not to say the art was bad before, it was just more simple and not as dynamic.
Hectopascal: (Ongoing 40+ ep) Super straightforward concept: Dude wants to beat up a gang group called Nexus and gets funded to do so. Obviously, there's more going on, but action very much takes center stage and most surrounding events are just to connect incredible, multi-chapter-long fights. The story certainly has a solid foundation to get far more complex, but for now, taking this as just a great fighting webtoon is enough imo.
some thriller/dramas (with a touch of horror):
The Horizon: 23 ep. Very short, and very emotionally impacting. Great high concepts about mortality, loss, and perseverance. Highly recommend.
Distant Sky: 110-120 ep. When Hanuel Kang wakes up in the pitch black and finds himself among the ruins of Korea, it becomes immediately clear that something is wrong. That's all I'll say, this story is absolutely insane, very high-octane, mind-bending, and absolutely worth binging now that it's over.
The Retreats: ~50 ep. This is a classic tale where the rich and poor are separated and the only way to change this is for the poor to compete and kill each other for a chance at a better life, I think there's a show with this same basic premise. This webtoon actually never delves into the competition save for two chapters, and that's all I can say because it really is extraordinarily difficult to pitch this webtoon without spoiling some things that need to experience firsthand to be appreciated. The ending though, was a little lazy. It gets cut off too soon without closure. Great up till then though.
Tales of the Unusual: Anthology series about different little horror scenarios. Basic, but extremely effective.
Let's Play: I just wanted to mention this because apparently the creator is no longer released in the 4th season of the series due to conflicts regarding age restrictions and lack of title promotion, so this title is a little locked up. It is, however, deserving of a cursory glance; It's a romance webtoon but uses comedy and themes of self-improvement that are genuinely refreshing to see.
Enjoy! I got a little lazy in some parts and was a bit stingy with some information, but in many of these cases, it's the small bits of info that made the bigger moments hit so much harder and I didn't want to diminish any of the impacts.