Another late one folks; Some good news, stuff I recapped earlier this month, and some more ETAs on things including yes, that site logo and site revamp. Also, some huge article plans! I had an extreme case of cramps today so this is out later in the day than I’d like, but I’m glad to have gotten to it on time.
Site Redesign… Still coming.
Well, I say every month the redesign is coming with the new logo, and that’s the case even now. The logo still needs to be made and I need to make more WIPS. None I doodled so far (since I have abysmal drawing skills) have managed to click with me in a way that worked yet. Once I get around to that perfect logo, I’ll get right on commissioning my artist pal. It’ll be before the end of the year, but exact time is TBD, sadly.
Like I noted before, I’m ditching the old site logo to be more legally distinct + have something better representing my retro focus here. “Shadowy Seafoam Bird in a Yugioh Style” doesn’t cut it nor has it for a long while now, and I’ve been brainstorming a variety of ideas that keep the name in the logo while still being retro themed. I’m also planning a shorthand version of the logo, shortened to the “SFG” abbreviation I typically use, and this is a lot easier, but even then I want it to not come off as too overly inspired from other simplistic logos, even though that’s a big challenge to overcome.
On the positive side though, I did take the time recently to update the about page with much more recent info that better reflects my current review process, and the history of SFG. Consider it a little teaser for the other stuff I’ll polish post site redesign. Now to look for a good theme to use for said design…
Huge Articles Incoming, and Ko-Fi!
I got some big opinion pieces coming, one of which I’ve worked a bit away on for the past month, which will be about retro game compilations and the increased standards in quality, and how some companies need to get with the times, while also acknowledging that yes, not every developer has the budget to be a M2 or Digital Eclipse. Still, I plan to highlight a few good simple ports as part of this piece too, including some you may have never heard of before. And of course, I rip into buggy messes of compilations that should not exist. Expect that… Sometime soon. It’ll come when it’s done, really.
The next, and the biggest article that I’m aiming for late September on due to how much work that’ll be needed, is the third volume in my Limited Run Games quality control article. Funded by a crazy IRL person who inspired me to finally make the Ko-Fi I stalled on, this stretch goal was smashed wide open and thus, means I get to go into a bunch of their recent stuff. Them firing a TERF lady that shouldn’t have even worked there, more quality control messups, a baffling shipping queue, and more recent stuff about the founders that match in line with some stuff I’ve heard in the background over the years. All in all, while not a “fun” article… I do hope it finally satisfies those of you who kept pestering me to make anyone one, since it’ll pretty much cover everything I can think of that’s worth noting about Limited Run. And still, include how I feel they could improve and pull themselves out of this pit despite all that baggage.
And speaking of, yes! Reminder that I opened a ko-fi for the site, which you can go to and support me through here. Donate if you wish, nothing will be paywalled. I do plan to plug it in my big articles from here on out, but I’ll refrain from doing it in the reviews.
All Ko-Fi donations just help provide bonus funds for me to get groceries, assorted collectibles, and stuff I plan to review with my own funds like Project EGG titles or Evercade carts. Speaking of which…
Evercade Review Project!
In the month of August, we had three Evercade reviews done, plus an opinion piece on the system’s stability with some nasty defects. I’ve gotten into the groove of these, and i’ll aim to have them out on Fridays when possible. Not every week may have one depending on life stuff or other reviews that are priority, but I’m at a good enough pace to get them out pretty consistently so far. Here’s hoping I can keep covering these fun little retro collections!
Interviews Incoming?!?
I noted earlier I had some smaller interviews planned, but you may wonder what made me quiet on that. Well, I wasn’t sure if they’d work out or if i’d hear back, but thankfully I managed to get pretty good progress done with one of em and hope to hear from another potential party soon. So if these work out, you may have some fun reads coming soon, especially if you like Video Game remixes and RPG ports…
Review Queue Branches Again
Finally, we’re at the point where only five games remain for the Switch queue. I’m nearly done with getting caught up with the console, yay! As noted earlier, Fata Morgana will be the end of the entire queue period, meaning that’ll wait until post PS4 catchup for my thoughts on it to come out. I’m hoping that’ll give me enough time to try and see if it’ll hook into me to finish and cover my thoughts indepth. World Ends Club hooked me more than I expected, so I’m hoping this critically acclaimed game does the same.
For the sake of branching my queue reviews from my newer stuff I get in now and then, I am announcing that Switch games outside of the old review queue will be grouped under a new, main review queue. For the pending titles, they’r now part of a “Catchup” Review queue. Since Xbox/Steam are all caught up, and PS4 is a system I don’t plan to take new games in for anymore, this division only applies to Nintendo Switch.
Since these queue games take longer, that means it’ll also give me more leeway to be flexible with making an order of my newer reviews clearer to PR/Devs who want to reach out to me. I’m not gonna be taking random games left and right though, so don’t be hurt if I reject your game or want to cover it later.
As of now, Disaster Report was the game I took the most notes for back when it came out, and will likely be the first I finish, unless The Missing grips me more first. Since I play until I get into all the mechanics or the engagement stops, I’m expecting DR to not take me long to bounce off it again, since if you played it on Switch, you’ll know why that would be the case. I also made work in Deadly Premonition, but I have a lot more game to go through before I feel OK writing about it.
Lastly, Mary Skelter Finale will be covered after the others, since it’s a pretty long dungeon RPG like the first and me taking 3 years to get to it was not my intention; it just happened to coincide with the first steps I did to make the Tomie Interview that occupied most of my 2022. Still, I hope the pubs end up appreciating my writing despite the delays, and I once again apologize.
For PS4 stuff? That’ll be quite the binge… but I’m still confident I can knock it out before 2025. I just gotta…
General Anxiety
I don’t know if it’s anyone else here, but I’ve had some mad anxiety lately. Just general world stuff, you know? That and my usual health anxiety about random sudden death; just the nature of dealing with a death phobia, sadly. I’m hoping to be able to calm myself down soon, and it hasn’t impacted productivity too much so far, but I also keep worrying about another bad loss coming in my circle. Maybe that’s because I just had one in June, and I worry that’s gonna lead to a 2019-2 where I lose a relative or family friend shortly after. How I hope that won’t be true, and I don’t want it to do a derail akin to my 2019 one. Either way, be safe and take care everyone, and if you feel my kind of anxiety, understand I totally get where you’re coming from.
With all that said… I think it’s time to move onto the month of September! Here’s to knocking more queue stuff out as we get work on some pretty rad newer games, too.