Well. Been a while since I dusted this off and made some noise. All for similar reasons so many of us had.

Where to start? I guess the easiest way to do so is simply this: 2020 / 2021 have been perhaps some of the most turbulent times I've had in a long time, much like so many I've talked to, and been with. To those of you who kept up with me, stayed in contact, and stayed close, you have my heart-felt thanks for all the ups and downs I've gone through. This is the short version why I've been so silent on the site, and not much has been posted over two years. I've not left the fandom, I'm not dead, or anything catastrophic, just a wild ride and we just hit that downward hill, and with enough momentum, we're heading right back up if possible.

The long version of it below, feel free to skip the details if you ain't here for a vent:

---

2020 was perhaps the most stressful and straining years I've had in a while, keeping my head low before the insanity that was the COVID Pandemic went full swing, we were going into a big election, and honestly, I could see the tension of everything in the air, hell, I could take a butter knife to it and get a tangible chunk right outta the air if I wanted to. (Don't, it's gross, and gets into everything. Takes forever to wash out.) But the big plan was in the works, to finally get out of my apartment and move into a new home of my own for the first time. I busted tail at work, pinched pennies, and cut out expenses. That included a lot of my ol commission budget. But as the lock down hit, COVID-Mania took root, and life took a turn for the interesting, I had no choice but to hunker down. I counted my blessings I was still working, and did my best to stay in touch with both friends and family, and took respite when I could, but even then, with life at a stall, I was going bonkers, and with no momentum a rat faces his worst enemy: Depression. A fight we're all familiar with, and I was fighting to keep my black dog in it's cage sometimes weeks at a time. But I got through, some from my own will, some by friends who didn't give up on me. 'Another year' I'd keep telling myself, and sure enough, 2021 was coming up.

Sadly 2021 didn't become the reprieve, that light at the end of the tunnel was, in fact, a train, and no matter the adjustment. I was hit head on. While I was fortunate to avoid COVID itself, life had other plans. While making preparations for house hunting, I went on Vacation in the first weeks of April, and by the end of that vacation, I was called in to be told I was unemployed. My company had decided to outsource our IT Service Desk department while in the middle of this Pandemic and with less than 24 hours notice. I was floored, we never saw it coming, and at the time it was the WORST thing to happen at that time, which sent me into a hard tumble and darker places my mind shouldn't have gone. Anger, frustration, the usual suspects followed, as well as stressing out, frustrated searching, burning out as I needed a new source of income. It all came with downsides, I tried to file for unemployment and after weeks of waiting and checking I was informed I'd be denied. All I had was a pittance of a severance package which was draining fast from rent and necessities, while pinching off any excess expenses. It wasn't till almost a month later I managed to snag something, people were looking, and thankfully I found opportunities for my experience. For now, I'm stable, but all my plans and momentum was only just starting to crawl to life again in an agonizing grind. Suffice to say, I've had more than my share of sleepless nights, health issues, depression, one of the silver linings was I was in Texas. I could leave the confines of my apartment when I needed to, and I've done my best to keep mind in check. Body and sanity have taken their price, and I'll have to deal with that soon enough.

---

And we're back to the 'Now'.

With the new year coming, I do plan to hit the big ol' reset button and get things rolling again, hopefully, albiet a bit more cautiously than I did last year. The work situation I have planned out, but I'm ready to once again jump on my plans to get my life, goals, and even the art going again in time. I do have a bit of backlog to post that will be coming, and hopefully some new stuff along the way.

Thanks again for those who stuck with, and hope to see more of you as time goes on!

Well, and I thought 2019 was a doozy. Yeah, I'm alive, still around, and hanging in there. Just been so busy in life and matters that its been rough getting a chance to kick my feet up. And considering matters going on? Well, spare time has been few and far between with my job, what time off I can get, and bouts of cabin fever induced depression. And eating. More eating than I care to admit... but moving on!

It's been a bumpy and rough ride since last time I posted, mostly focusing hard and keeping my nose to the grindstone with my job and getting my life matters in order, and before I realized it, it was 2020, and shit hits the fan. On top of the viral pandemic rockin' in, and eventually locking me in my home, and my thoughts going to finding a companion after realizing I've been reaching a point in my life I -really- should consider it, a few other stressful pressing issues, naturally, it lends to dark times on my mind, ones I've been handling well, but I'll admit, some days are better than others. Thankfully, its been lifted for the most part as I've mostly preoccupied myself with projects and work at home (can only clean this place so many times), purpose can be a powerful cure. As soon as more of Houston opens, I'm going to be doing a bit of traveling about, seeing places. Haven't been to our Museum district, and I've been itching to see the Zoo again here, I'm a lover of places to just get up and walk about for a good chunk of the day. I like my walking. That said, I'm holding out, safe and healthy ... here's hoping it stays that way.

Now you may have seen, some trickling of art still comes my way, and I still got pieces to post, so more's comin', promise. However, due to how I've changed up my finances for long term goals, a lot of my funds for commissions has gotten tighter, which means that you probably wont see as much, but at the same time, I'll still make time for duos and fun pieces when time and money allows. So more of the rats (and Kobold) are comin'!

That said, hopefully everyone's staying safe, staying aware, and keeping sane. Good luck, we're gonna need it this year.

(And naturally, the moment I post, I find out we're due for a Tropical Storm / Hurricane heading our way. Seriously, can we get ONE MONTH of breathing room at least? Yeesh. Stay safe everyone!)

P.S. ~ I recently saw a good number of new watchers. I appreciate the views, but like a klutz I accidentally wiped out the list of who was now watching! So you have my thanks, and sorry I missed ya!

This is more for those of you who don't have me on discord / telegram, wondering why the months of silence and drought of any new content on my page. However it may also be for those I also have neglected to speak to as well.

It's been a long several months after helping  therealremimew into her own apartment and back on her feet. (A few rough patches at the moment including now as she's between jobs) But that left me with a lot of focus on my job and what little time I had for my own life. Everything from recovering finances, adjusting to a new shift schedule, a not-so-relaxing Vacation, and trying to catch up on gaming, a lot of things fell to the wayside including art, dating life, and vacation time. With work also pushing a hectic schedule with new projects, I've had little to no downtime for myself. That said with all that PTO accrued, I'll be making changes next year for some badly needed vacation.

But what about the art? Right, finances were tight for the last few months and only recently did I start getting a budget for it again. Suffice to say, art is coming, when time to plan, contact, etc comes available, but it's still trickling along. If you been wanting art with me, I apologize for the wait, but life had to get sorted first, but if you're still interested, note me and we can plan.

Again, apologies for the long silence, but I'm still around and just in reach. Catch you all around!

Gawdamnit, how did that creep up on me?!

No I don't want an extra candle, I'm going to need a fire extinguisher to put then out at this rate!

36, now that was not expected.

So many of you know I've been helping my close friend  therealremimew after falling into a bad situation in Washington state, and I've been doing everything I can to help her back on her own two feet. We spent .ist of the year finding her work, getting savings up to get her own place, get on her own, and progress has been steady. But this has not been an easy road: Employers who have both pulled the rug out from under her repeatedly and changing contracts (or even terminating them) prematurely with little to no warning, health and illness that crops up, and unexpected required expenditures.

The goal post keeps getting moved on her. But we had finally gotten it in view and ready to finish this rough patch in life. An apartment on reserve, and housing supplies slowly stacked up.

But then March came back with a Triple whammy that has almost set my roommate back to square one again. Starting March, while trying to get a quote for a power utility for her place, she got a nasty surprise that she had a remaining bill in New Mexico due to a petty ex, instead of transferring contract to their name, they ran it up, refused to pay, and incurred a late fee and terminated contract fee. That hit her hard, but recoverable, two pay checks and she's got it back. But then a new hit came, two back to back health issues that had her out if work for over a week. While her company understands, she's still not paid for the time.

As her roommate, I've watched these events every day, I've seen how it's been playing out and the emotional rollercoaster she's going through. She's a tough cookie, and has been persistent to reach her goal, but even she needs a hand now and then.

We've set up a GoFundMe to see if we can get her back on track. If you can help, or at least offer words of encouragement, please do.

https://www.gofundme.com/v5653e-hel.....o-my-apartment

Thanks for listening.

Okay, I know I haven't chatted much lately, and I hope to do so more in the future, but the big events today had me driven to put down my thoughts here. It's been a bit of a wild ride.

Regardless of what one thinks of Religion (myself being of faith this does hit closer to home to me than some), the fires of Notre Dame first hitting set just about everyone I know, if not the world at pause. Something so ancient, something so powerful in historical significance, of art, culture, of treasures we could lose in the flash of a moment, now under mercy of a natural force we normally could never fully stop was both frightening, and disturbing. The Nostre Dame cathedral was a near millennia old structure that has sit in the heart of Paris, and has been a recognized part of the world for centuries, one of the few things we can stand and actually declare, not in story, or in legend, but an genuinely true article of ancient times still standing, and a heart of rare and priceless historical treasures found nowhere else. The amount of heart put into that place is enough to move folks to tears, while making folks who truly admire history to stand in awe that it was still there, something that had stood past the pages of history even we thought once as 'ancient' barely a hundred years ago, this Cathedral has lived past that point.

So to see those fires rage and smoke billow from within, as frantic people hurry to save and spare our history from oblivion, my heart sank, fearing we may lose another site of great history was disturbing to say the least.

There were many who despaired.

There were many who observed.

There were a few who questioned.

And there was a scant few that cheered.

Regardless, this will be a moment in history that will be remembered, regardless how you felt of it. Thankfully, people were brave enough to charge in and save the relics, the holy sacraments, and art and treasures of history pulling them to safety, and those who ensured the safety of those who came to visit, and those at mass when the fire broke out. Soon to discover that the Cathedral may be not as damaged as previously thought, seeing that the insides were still mostly intact, the books, the crosses, the floor, even much of the interior still so untouched was a welcoming sight. True, Nostre Dame had been damaged like this before, and far worse, now that we've gotten a closer look, and they will rebuild and repair, it brings hope the Cathedral will indeed see 1000, one of our oldest built treasures of the world.

But for that briefest of moments, we saw how quick what we build could be so quickly wiped away, should we not care for our history, no matter where in the world. We lost too many historical sites in this last decade to Ignorance and Accident. May we preserve what we still have.

First and foremost, Happy New Year to everyone! May 2019 shine brighter, and that we start to work on what brings us together more than what tears us apart!

So, yeah its been a long quiet drought from the Rat and that was mostly due to life getting the better of me, a situation on helping a friend out of a bad spot, and for the most part too much stress and time spent on work and life that a lot of things, including my artflow and page, kinda fell to the wayside. Not that art hasn't been made and soon to be posted, but I've been so busy, its hard to keep up sometimes.

Starting off, I've been spending the better half of a year roomed up with  ChaosCabbit and helping her out as her situation got dire in Washington State. Time and effort has been put in helping her get her back on her feet, find work, and finally get her own place come January, here in Texas, after the proverbial rug was pulled out from under her several times back in Washington. For the most part, it's taken up much of my time, but needed to be done for a close friend and someone in dire straights. Still, she's been a good friend and a helping hand around the apartment, small as it is.

Celebrating Christmas with the family is always a treat for me, but at the same time, it invited a lot of opportunities. One, a final chance to fly to Europe, as I had traveled often, but as my parents retiring at last, it was one last chance to check out the holidays in another country, and what a way to do it: Berlin. Outside of my curiosities to the museums and memorials, Germany sure knows Christmas, and it was quite an experience enjoying the Winter Villages in town and locally. And let me tell you, a bratwurst is just too damn good when its bitterly cold. Mind not all glamor and great cheer, jet lag was a persistent bastard on my part, nipping at me night after night that I wasn't drop dead exhausted, and discovering that Airlines now stuff Domestic Flight seats on to International Flights now was a less than pleasant experience. Still all worthwhile, and I tend to appreciate these times as much as I can.

TL;DR - Left Wednesday morning, Flight Rerouted, Delayed, Cancelled, then played hopscotch with gates in Dallas till I got home early Friday.

Trip home, though, was half the reason I was out of communication for the last two weeks. We've all seen them, those horror stories of holiday travels of people stuck in airports, trying to get home or to where they need to go, all stuck / delayed / cancelled flights in places they can't make it. You often think 'never happen to me' right? Well, fate had a sick sense of humor for me. I had left Germany around 11AM on a Wednesday. The flight from Heathrow to Dallas seemed swift enough (domestic seats till cramping me), but right up till we were an hour out before our flight was doing circles. A storm had hit Dallas and had shut down the airport and left a line of us waiting to land. An hour passes and we still can't land. Giving up, we fly to Austin as we can't wait longer. Outside of the unfun prospect of spending MORE time in that damn sardine can, and missing my connecting flight to Houston, we thought we were gonna stay on the tarmac, refuel, and go back to Dallas. However, our pilot and crew had gone over their legal work limit, federally enforced, and we needed to swap them out, so we were allowed to disembark (small mercies), and wait in customs till our flight could be restaffed. ETA, midnight. Lovely, I was supposed to be home by 11PM with all things considered. But as midnight rolled closer, we got told our replacement crew just cancelled, the storm was hitting the airport we were in and our flight has been cancelled, we're not going anywhere.

Top that off with the fact I had not slept the night before, I was already pushing past 24 hours, no sleep. With the flight cancelled, we clear custom in Dallas instead, and march our way to the ticketing counter to be rebooked. Except, we wern't the only ones, 3 other flights from our airline were redirected. Over 600+ people had to be rebooked in this tiny little airport in Austin. I managed to get in line at 2:45AM. I got to the ticket counter at 7:35AM. No sleep, marching in a mess of a line, bags in tow, small silver lining is I had a hard case, made for a decent seat between waits. But by the time I got rebooked, I was set to fly BACK to Dallas to go to Houston. Mind, Houston was only 2 hours away from here, I could have snagged a rental and gotten there faster, but all rentals were taken, the only hope to get home was to follow the path as the Airline wants, and it was still on their dime. So finally take off back to Dallas around 10AM, land around 11AM, and finding out my next flight wont happen till 6:30PM. Helluva layover, but whatever, going home. This was not to be, Dallas / Ft. Worth Airport was on a all-hands-on-deck situation, and they were pulling every pilot available, and that meant there was also a shortage. Sure enough, my 6:30PM flight is cancelled. No captain to fly. By now we're nearing the 48 hour mark on no sleep, and at this rate, I was ready to do what the airline couldn't. There were rental services nearby, I would just rent a one way vehicle, stop at a nearby motel, get some decent sleep, then drive home. But the airline wanted to give one more hail Mary. 10:30PM flight. We finally get to the gate, then the next gate, then the next, they were bouncing my departure gate several times, till finally the miracle was we were boarding. Another hour flight, and at last, I'm in Houston ... with an extra hour drive home. Gotta love landing in George Bush Intercon.

Suffice to say, I got home at 2AM Friday, and didn't leave my bed for a whole day, and had a horrible case of travel fatigue for longer. I was an utter wreck the whole time.

---

Anyways, the art is coming from what I got, and some is still in the pipe! Hope everyone starts off a better new year, and more good things come your way!

Hey, a friend of mine is opening a YCH staring my Rat Mechanic Ronnie in a bit of evening impatience. Come check it out!

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/29025247/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/29025247/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/29025247/

So as someone who's never played the Monster Hunter series, I went in blank slate with no idea what I was getting into. Highly recommended by friends, strongly not recommended by many in the reviews, I had to wonder if this game was worth the asking. After nearly 40 hours of play time, I'm going to say 'It's worth a buy.' Mind, a few notes and things to consider before you do.



TL;DR - I would recommend this game to folks, there are technical issues this game is handling and is coming with patches, but if you can work past it or willing to wait, its worth it.



Pros:

+ Beautiful Graphics

+ Great Soundtrack

+ Solid Gameplay

+ Varied approaches to your hunts

+ Many, Many choices on gear and setups

+ Varied and complex regions to hunt in



Cons

- Awkward keybinds for K/M, clearly normally meant for Controller (Being patched)

- Connection issues (pending patch going to fix)

- Finding friends to join the same session can be irksome

- Some unexplained game mechanics

- Jumbled inventory system

- A few AI Bugs



For those of you who's played Dark Souls, you'll feel right at home. Each monster is a challenge unto itself. They're large, wild, where you need to learn their behaviors, learn what weapons meet the challenge the best, and plan accordingly. But all the monsters have multiple directions to be approached, and a huge selection of moddable and craftable weapons to chose from to tackle the challenge. Mind, this is not your standard hack n' slash, you will need to learn how each weapon functions, as going in swinging with one could end with you ending up wide open for a Monster to send you flying against the cliff face for a mistimed swing. Greatswords are huge, slow swinging beasts that do large damage, but need to plan your swings, or the dual blades where you have to learn to dance around your prey to whittle it down. All viable, but all need planning. Mind, it has a steep, but fair learning curve, be prepared to take your hard knocks till you finally figure out how to tackle your challenge best.



Story-wise, it is clear they made a story purely focused on convincing you to move forward with progression, but not much else. A poorly lip-synched, barely worth understanding tale of the 5th Fleet of Monster Hunters coming to the New World to solve the mystery of the Elder Dragon migration. However, in the end, it putters along barely giving you the sense of urgency as you realize you're short two monster fangs to craft up your armor ... story can wait, back to the hunt. It all is just a backseat item to the real meat of the game...



Kill monster, carve monster, make their bits into gear, kill more monsters. The system is not much more difficult to understand than that, but in turn, you're given a huge selection of weapons and armor, foregoing the usual stats and levels. Weapons from the beastly greatswords, the defensive lance and shield, the tactical and nimble insect glaive, even to hard hitting ranged Bowguns. Up to 14 different weapons to choose, all with their own tech and crafting branches to make the right tool for the job. Armor as well plays a big role as each set comes with its own bonuses and upgrade options that'll let you tackle challenges while negating the risks in the field from monster and environmental hazard alike.



Along for the ride is the game’s companions, the Palico, a feline anthropomorphic character you can gear up slightly. While seeming mostly cosmetic, the Palico is more that cuteness and advertisement for the game, geared with unique tools, the Palico can help in fights with some damage output, healing, and other utilities to assist in your adventure, as well as help you call in assistance from local wildlife, by taming smaller monster beasts, to even getting in touch with indigenous Feylines who you can recruit along for your hunts. While not a major part of your arsenal, the Palico is a fun and helpful companion to make up for the lack of teammates, up till you have 3 hunters on the team. Afterwards, your Palico will faithfully wait back at camp, as you can only have them out with one other hunter, and no more.



The graphics of the game, while demanding, are immersive and breathtaking, from the details of the monsters themselves, down to the foliage around you creating the lush canopy of green in the Ancient Forest, to dust covered, jagged plains of the Wastes and many other environments which changes up the strategy of approach and gear when exploring these lands. But with these great environments comes an impressive soundtrack to accompany you from just generally exploring out into the wilds, to the wild drums of the hunt as you’re toe to toe with your quarry, often falling into subtle tones as the beast runs of while you make chase, only to pick up again in intensity as the fight resumes. Weapons also come with satisfying impact, as every bladeswing, strike, and shot brings a satisfying sound of contact, even missing your swing still gives way to the sound of just how heavy and powerful your weapon is as it hits the earth, letting you know you’re playing with big toys, not whiffle bats.



The game does have a few issues to its performance for seamless gameplay. For one, if you prefer keyboard and mouse like me, you’ll find that the binding options are a bit awkward to handle, as one keybind could have multiple uses, and that Ranged / Melee / and Menu have separate keybinding setups, some of which change on you when in the field or in the trading hub. Another issue is finding your friends to connect to, setting up sessions is easy enough, but finding and getting into a friends session can be problematic. Steam friends list can alleviate this a bit, but the need to trade Session codes still feels a bit archaic in today’s multiplayer world. Another issue is the inventory system, which is clearly still designed for console players, but for PC, the translation is a bit jarring and jumbled, having to deal with odd commands from different keys just to swap and deploy items, though to alleviate this, it gives options for ‘restock’ which can resupply your consumables from your Item Box to your inventory as long as you have it available. Lastly, he game tutorials can come up lacking, ending up glossing over key elements that would have sometimes been considered very important for progression seem to have been forgotten to mention, or are mentioned at much later times after the element of the game really could have been useful earlier.



The game does come with its share of flaws, as well. While Capcom has acknowledged these are issues they are looking into resolving, you do run into several issues regarding connections with companions, mouse input issues, and even a few performance issues. Patches are incoming, so if you prefer to avoid as much frustration as possible, give it a few weeks for those to patch out. The game is also not very friendly to lower end gaming PCs, often running with frames per seconds to agonizingly slow rates that can make the game difficult to play, so if you’re interested in MWH, consider upgrading your PC, or at least give some time or patches to optimize the system.

All in all, Monster Hunter World is delivering on its promise to bring a beautiful, amazing world with fun, yet challenging mechanics and a good time hunting gargantuan monsters with an array of tools at your disposal.



PC Details:

nVidia 980 GTX

i7 Processor

16 GB DDR4 RAM

So, I've been getting a number of questions lately regarding getting commission duos, or general commission questions. So to make it easier, I figured I'd toss up something of a FAQ for folks.

1. Can I get a commission with your character(s)?
The fact anyone asks is flattering, a flat 'yes'. Be it with Chances, Ronnie, or any of my others, you're free to get a pic with them, as long as I know of it and give permission. Unless I state a character is off limits, I'm usually okay when someone wants to do something with them.

2. What would it take to get a commission with you?
Generally an idea and the character you want to do so with, or at the least, contact me and we can brainstorm stuff up (on the spot ideas can be great!). Having an artist in mind helps tremendously too, mind, I'll hunt for one on my own time too. So if we got an idea, I'll work out getting an artist, but if you want me to jump quick, find an artist and slot before you poke me and I'll gladly jump in. Lastly, for duos, I need to know you'll carry your share of the cost. It's killer to get a great duo commission (or more characters if you're up for it), but do make sure we both can afford our half (or share) of the cost.

3. Who do you prefer getting commissions with? Friends? Strangers?
I prefer a basis that friends and people close to me get a priority with commissions. But I don't mind strangers or new folks, just be polite, and we can probably hash something out.

4. Do you do Splits / Duos?
As pointed out before, yes. I personally prefer them, but I do like to know who I'm getting into this mess with. So please, gimme a shout, we'll brainstorm something up.

5. Can you add my character into your pic?
Gladly ... long as you're putting your share in, and its not something already in progress. Granted, if all parties are in agreement, I don't mind seeing if we can increase the number in the commission, artist limits, costs, and time permitting. I can't carry people on the whole cost, sadly, fun as it would be, I still like eating and having a roof over my head.

6. How much are you willing to spend for a commission?
A rough ball park I'm comfortable with is around $100 for general, but if we're talking a really talented one, I will consider going up to $250, provided we can come to an agreement on what we're getting. Anything beyond that will require a discussion and consideration before going with it. Lotta good talent out there, but good talent costs a pretty penny, love to get it, but I love other things too.

7. Do you have any limits? Anything you won’t do with others?
Scat, water sports, snuff, Torture, Vore, and Non-Consensual content. Its a pretty common list, I'll add here if something else comes up for the list.

8. Are you preferable to NSFW / SFW / Both?
Basically I'm game for both. NSFW makes up a good bulk of what I get, but the idea of suggestive, to even flat out SFW stuff is just fine with me with any of my characters. So please, shoot me ideas, whether the pants are off or not!

(This Q&A will be updated over time)

Holy crap, gowd it become the big 35 already?! I swear I'm getting cheated here.

Can't say it's been the best year, can hardly say it was the worst. As most noticed a severe lack of activity here, all caused primarily due to life rising me like the Rodeo never left town. That said, lotta progress in life here, and a assurance ... Art is coming, and this time Chances' estranged, car shop owning Sister is gonna grab a lot of the spotlight.

Heres hoping the next round about the bend goes a little better.

Well survived day one, and what a blast. Albeit, half of it I was dragging as I was up since 4AM that morning. Today is going to be rather relaxed this time, a few panels, but for the most part just gonna be wandering and checking out the Dealer's Den. Feel free to stop on by and say 'Hi'!

It's that time of year again, and this time I'm off to Dallas in a week for Texas Furry Fiesta this year! Looking forward to meeting several of you going and hopefully a great time. Not going with anyone specifically this year, but hey, means I travel light.

Also, I know some are asking where the flow of art went. The answer is: It's coming. Between life, finances, and just busy busy busy, getting things organized for art and getting more commissions is very very limited. However, I do have a back log to post and more is on the way! So hang tight.

Either way, hope to see some of ya in TFF this year!

---

Pending art:
 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 Iko - (1 piece) Chances and Zhali
 Furball - (2 Pieces) Chances 'surprise' pic / Ronnie Solo
 GreatWuff - (1 Piece) Ronnie with Ronnie pic

One thing I will say this for the series: This is NOT a game for everyone. If you enjoy tactical turn based combat with planning, strategy, and teamwork required for even some smaller fights, in a more Dungeon and Dragons type setting, this will be the game for you. If you're not sure, go ahead and give it a try, in my opinion.



Follow up to the original Divinity: Original Sin, Larian studios took the formula, looked at what made it good, what were the complaints, and took some shoe polish and some passion to turn the next game in the series something memorable.



And they succeeded.



Graphics - 9/10

Once again, the Larian studios did a great job creating a world that as visually stunning. From the character details that almost look like tabletop miniatures, to animated displays of magic and combat, the graphics on the game's engine delivers exactly how it should. There are a noticeable issues from occasional 'cutaways' not working, or the field of view haze not working quite right, but nothing game breaking.



Gameplay - 10/10

Like an online table top game of D&D, the game flows quickly and efficiently, while giving you the feeling you are playing a campaign, alone or with friends. Designed with coop in mind, while also being able to play alone with companions, the game opens up to a multitude of options, strategies, and synergies that you can tap into and enjoy toying with for hours. Every spell, every combo, every combat art is designed to work together, or even against each other in a logical manner, while dialogue and choices come in an intricate web that you easily get lost in. Top that off they have filled almost every corner of the game with content, making sections of emptiness a rare thing.



Story - 10/10

Unlike the first game, which started off rather slow in its first 10 hours, the story of Divinity: Original Sin 2 drops you right into the heart of your story. The action, the reason, and your goals come quite clear early on, and the game is quick to bring you into not just your story, but the story of your companions, and even the world at large. The devs really pulled out the big guns to make the game far more fleshed out and interesting, making almost every corner of the map you reach have something of interest to discover.



Sound - 8/10

To be blunt, the sound and music is quality stuff, but it does have a few short falls when it comes to skipping audio dialogue on characters, to some 'hitches' in sound after loads. The music followed its predecessor, beautiful tunes that give the atmosphere to the story that it really needs, sometimes making you want to just stop for a moment and listen. With the added bonus that your character can have a specified 'Instrument' assigned to them as their turn comes up in combat gives that strongly personal feeling. Voices from the characters interacting, to even the Narrator, now fully voiced, speaking to you like your DM of your campaign, makes the game really come alive! However, there are a few glaring issues, as sometimes the game will 'skip' your character's audio as they talk among each other or to NPCs. Another bug I run into is sometimes after a save, voices will not load before dialogue, leaving you silently reading the text till the game finally catches up. Perhaps something that will be patched in the future.



Replayability - 9/10

From coop playing, multiple difficulties, modding, and downloadable campaigns from Steam's workshop, the game has a promise to have constant replay value for every hour. Even when playing alone, trying new classes, new options, builds, and paths through the story let you see things you may have missed the whole time. Play as you like, how you like, with only a few (reasonable) restrictions.



Overall - 9/10

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the sequel it promised to be from the original game while not making much change to the original system. Music, graphics, and options all upgraded and expanded for an experience that will be a great game to try for veterans of table top and Turn Based RPGs to newbies looking for a great RPG experience. While a few flaws are present, they will be eventually worked out through patches. With modding support, regional language options, and more coming, this game promises to deliver a long and enjoyable experience.

Okay, so I know several close friends and a few folks I know have been poking me in a worry that I'm alright, so I figured I'd post something here to let everyone know I'm high, dry, and safe for the time being.

Where I live in Clearlake is practically high enough that almost all water buildup in this area runs off and away quickly, but thats not to say we haven't gotten some of our own flooding. Probably around 2 to 3 inches of water on the main road, and about an inch or two on our driveways, which just rush away. 30 minute break in the storm, and most of it is already gone. I won't lie, we got DAMN lucky this run, with power, water, and relative safety still intact. I do still watch the storm and eye outside my windows in concern, especially since in my current situation, while we are high and dry, everywhere else is flooded, that includes any roads OUT of this area, so essentially, while safe, I'm also trapped here ... thank god for stocking up ahead of time.

So far, one of the most encouraging thing I've seen so far, is that those of us who arn't so direly off are gladly offering what we can to help. While I'm in no position to get out there and help folks, I have been helping those I'm closer tied to, such as coworkers and friends, essentially making a network of those of us still online who can find connections for folks to find help, or at least a dry place for a few nights. Something of a comfort from the harsh reality that is still pouring on us as I type this.

This storm was a freak of nature to say the least, and the conditions that brought it land side practically made it the perfect storm for the maximum amount of damage. Granted, this is old news to you, I'm sure you got your fill of this from the local news media. So, to keep it simple, please, if you can help folks who were affected by this, do so, Texans are a hardy bunch, and some of us are as stubborn as mules, but even we need a hand now and then.

As for everyone else, be safe, stay dry. I'm just hoping Louisiana has managed to fare better than we did this round.

So as I've been spending more time on Telegram for my IMs, I'm starting to feel the urge to snag a sticker pack of my own. That said, there's a number of artists out there that do it, but names can be elusive. Anyone else have seen some recommended folks for that?

---

 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 biscuits - (1 Piece) Reference Sheet
 dare - (1 Piece) Chances Pin-Up

Hey folks,

So once more I hung onto this planet and got spun around the hot, blistering heated star of our solar system and I'm still alive, wondering if I can go another round.

As many friends have noticed, and I've explained, many folks who have been wondering where I vanished to, and the answer is rather simple: Life, work, responsibility, blah, blah, blah. Work has been keeping me on the spin wheel a considerable bit, I'm paying my dues up front and ahead of time to get the positions I want for the time, and energy reserves I wanna keep. But its a 'pay me now, or pay me later' situation, and I prefer to pay up front so I can play more in the future. But my gaming is still going on!

---

Currently pending art:
 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 biscuits - (1 Piece) Reference Sheet
 Sarki - (1 Piece) Chances Pin-Up
 dare - (1 Piece) Chances Pin-Up
 freckles - (1 Piece) Chances and Zhali

So I know I've been quiet for some time after the new year upload, and I'll be honest, with damn good reason. Work has been keeping me on my toes and busier than normal, and some recent expenditures, I've been in a bit of a cash slump. Not saying I'm in trouble, but being a frugal rat, once my cash falls to a point I get into a serious savings mode and won't relent till I'm back past my safety point. So that out in the open, new stuff past art pieces I'm waiting on still will be on hold, likely till April or May. Outside of that, I've been nose to the grindstone between work, life, and a trip to Washington state this month.

Outside of that my gaming has been a little limited outside XCOM 2 (Long War 2!!), Planet Coaster, and a number of co-op games I can play. I'm still about, just busy as usual. Folks who have me on discord or steam? I'm not avoiding or if prong, I've just been so distracted as of late. Still around, still eager to play (in so many ways), bit forgive me if I've been quiet.

Lastly, no cons this year I'm afraid. I had to cancel TFF this year and no plans for any others for a year. We'll have to see what goes on.

---

Currently pending art:
 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 blithedragon - (1 Piece) Ronnie Fallout 4 fannart

Happy New Years, folks!

And with this load of art, I officially end my efforts of 2016 till the next year. Not as much as I was hoping, but more than I was planning to do. So far, I'm happy with the results, so please, enjoy what I have to share!

We still got a few lingering pieces out there that are coming, but please, I recommend you check out the artists for every one of those pieces. They've done good work, they have reasonable prices, and many of them surprised me with a quick turnaround and flexibility that makes getting commissions from them a snap! Set some budget aside, these folks are worth it!

We've seen a bumpy year from 2016, a lot of notable names lost, and a lot of family lost as well by many friends. But here's to a new year, and a new hope things will improve.

Happy New year!

---

Currently pending art:
 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 blithedragon - (1 Piece) Ronnie Fallout 4 fannart
 AmberCoyote - (3 Piece) Assorted Chances / Ronnie Images Full Color
 Kazukio - (1 Piece) Full Color with Taya Erindra

Whether you celebrate in faith, or merely celebrate to enjoy, or even if you do not celebrate it at all ... a Merry Christmas to one and all!

I know Christmas has a love / hate relationship with many folks, and while I can understand folks negativity to the holiday and the means that created that negativity, I still hope that in some way you can stop and still take that moment to breathe, to smile, to greet those who you meet, and have something to be cheerful this year. Christmas means so much to so many, and not necessarily the same to all, so please, enjoy what you can, take that moment to center yourself to be good to fellow man / fur / and scale, not just for this holiday, but in going forward to the next year.

So once again, from the bottom of my heart, a Merry Christmas to you all!



P.S. - Small gift coming your way this week or next as I finally get to uploading a lot of art I've been hoarding due to time constraints.

For many Warhammer 40k fans and even some not familiar with the franchise, you probably have heard of a title 4 years in the making which held promise of atmospheric, gun blazing, emperor praising, and Xeno annihillating 4 player shooter. Space Hulk: Deathing promised to deliver a new kind of Warhammer 40k experience, putting the player in the hulking mass of Terminator armor and a mission to expunge Xenos from a massively discovered 'Space Hulk' an amalgamation of ships and structures, fused together into a nightmarish labrynth of danger.

But the question remains, after 4 years of development, did they deliver?

The short answer: Yes! Even for folks who are brand new to the Warhammer 40k universe, the game delivers a tense, energetic gameplay that requires quick thinking, tactics focused, and glorious blazing story and missions! Granted, the game is quite unpolished at this time. The game was slated for the Holiday season rush, and the Publisher made sure to push for it no matter the cost. Sadly, this gave the devs little time to polish and bug fix the game, letting it launch with some glaring flaws. Devs are aware of it, however, and have been promising patches very soon. If you want more details, read on...

---

Now without a doubt, this game is developed in the heart and mind of Left 4 Dead, handling waves of monsters, with special creatures sprinkled in to make things difficult, only to deliver it all in an atmosphere and setting that makes fighting, even as a famed Deathwing, tense and interesting the whole way. In singleplayer, your single role and character is stuck to one class, but open to use all weapons, and accompanied by two NPC Space Marines who are quickly ordered around using a quick command wheel. Weapons are easily swapped out, and your gear promises varying styles of play as you take on hordes of Xenos while fighting your way to your next mission. During this time, the game is littered with Relics to find and small quips of lore everywhere you must locate, or if that's not in your interest, you can plow through and directly for your objective, but locating these trinkets allows you to gain more XP, lore, and access to better gear and equipment. The NPCs accompanying you are relatively competent, knowing how to defend themselves, but you'll find yourself often micromanaging orders when it comes to keeping each other patched, hacking doors to seal them behind you, or holding position. With story background and events happening around you, the story delivers an interesting package that will nudge you to keep trekking through.

Now one glaring difference between most FPS games like L4D and Space Hulk: Deathwing is that the mechanics for romping around in a full suit of Terminator armor can come off as clunky, slow, and often a challenge to navigate, especially when each suit even fills out half or more of a corridor when you're traversing like an armored caravan. The important thing to note on this is this is intended, as the Terminator armor is to be depicted as nothing short of a battle tank on legs. This requires more tactical thinking and preparation for how you approach each room and corridor, and if friendly fire is on, you'll need to coordinate with your team to make sure your assault teammate isn't hosing you and your team down with the assault cannon while trying to take on that incoming wave of Xenos. This builds desired tension in fire fights, do you keep your assault in front, or taking up the rear to avoid a surprise? These decisions is what helps Deathwing keep that tension as your situation can change on the fly, even if your current marching line works.

Damage itself is also something to write about, as unlike other L4D games or similar shooters, damage you take is not overall, but rather locational to your Terminator armor. As you fight, sections of your armor take damage, and if that section is destroyed, use of that limb or equipment will be disabled till healed or repaired. If your right arm is damaged, your primary firearm will no longer function, if your legs get damaged, you'll move at a noticably reduced rate. The only two critical points will be your chest armor, and your head armor, and while head shots by enemies are rare, its the most fragile point, while your chest armor can take most of the abuse but at the same time, the most likely target of most attacks. Thankfully, repairing the damage is as easy as the Apothacary giving you a quick heal, or using a Psygate to return to safe haven.

When moving to Multiplayer, the situation changes on you a good bit. Firstly of note, your Psygates for running to safety or repairing during a middle of a mission are now gone, and the charges for your abilities are now replaced with cooldowns, allowing infinite, if restricted use. However the biggest change of note is the fact that now all players have 5 levels to achieve per mission. Every time a mission starts, everyone is level one with basic abilities for your class. As you progress, destroy Xenos, and complete objectives, you gain levels, opening up new abilities and equipment. Librariums get access to extra Psy abilities, and access to the Force Axe. Assaults get access to better and better weapons, and can more easily hack devices. Some classes have better 'sweet spots' on levels than others, like an Assault get access to its Avenger cannon as easily as level 3, while a Librarium gets their best crowd clearing pyk power at level 4. Lastly, being defeated in Multiplayer does not leave you stranded till your teammates find you, this is especially useful as the Space Hulk missions and maps are not linear, but highly explorative. Instead, you'll be subjected to an increasing respawn timer for every death you endure, sometimes leaving your team without an essential teammate if things go awry, which often creates tense, and actually rather interesting fights for survival.

There are some issues that need to be addressed at this time, however, as the game, as said, was rushed out the door, likely due to the publisher demanding a Holiday release. While I will mention current issues, the developers, as of the week of release, acknowledged these issues and are working to get a patch out as soon as they can. The biggest, glaring issue, varying from PC to PC is the significant lack of optimization for lower end machines, as framerates can drop to 5 - 10 fps sometimes, rendering the game sometimes unplayable. On top of that, there are several bugs in game that can cause Fatal Errors, crashing the game. Opening the inventory in multiplayer is often the biggest contibuter to this, making frustrating crashes and disconnects from the server mid mission. On top of these, there are smaller issues that could use some polish, from some options and settings that end up being a little more vague in what they do, especially in times where its neccessary to really know what they are. If a mission fails, you have the option to 'Fix-It' which is actually a full mission restart, to 'Continue' which allows you to restart from the last check point, but neither clarifies this issue to the user before hitting the button.

That said, at this time, these issues are temporary, and honestly, from my experience, do not detract too heavily on the overall experience. The base package is a solid game, and a foundation that shows promise to be built on in the future.

All in all, Space Hulk: Deathwing delivers a very atmospheric game for both newcomers to the Warhammer 40K and fun easter eggs and nods to the fans of the series, leaving a fun, tension filled game that makes you feel both powerful and vulnerable in the same stroke. While single player's story and campaign has a lot to give, the Multiplayer is where the game shines where you work with a full team and feel great pulling off a full mission as a synchronized unit. Easily a game to pick up and enjoy. If you're worried about the functionality of the game, give it a few weeks before you buy so that the developers can get it polished for the playerbase.

Space Hulk: Deathwing - 8/10

So figured I'd give a slight update to anyone curious, or in truth, to anyone asking 'Where's the art? Why's it stopped?' Well don't worry your jimmies too much, there's some in the pipe and more planned along the way. But why the month long hiatus?

Simple answer is medical bills and financial responsibility. Recently, some folks know that I went in for Wisdom Tooth removal on my lower jaw, and while I'm grateful to be insured, the surprise was they didn't cover the general anesthesia I was going to be put under. So surprise surprise, I get one hefty bill, and and realized it had to bite into my emergency funds. Funds that, at the time, I need to rebuild to comfortable levels before I do more art splurging. Thankfully, I'm coming up on finally filling that gap, slowly, but surely, and will be back on the hunt. This does mean that I'm going to miss October and a bit of November till I've got freedom to commission artists again, but there is good news that the art and photo evidence of Rat shenanigans will resume.

Outside of that, gaming mostly to bide the time. When I get the freedom, I'll pop in on steam and hang out, while also poking at ESO again, with One Tamriel's update its become quite a fun adventure again.

Anyways, stay sexy furs, the rat will return!

---

Art Pending

 rachverity - (2 Pieces) Ronnie Garage Picture / Wing It with Rach
 locosaltinc - (2 Pieces) Chances and Xavier / Chances and Slyfur
 blithedragon - (1 Piece) Ronnie Fallout 4 fannart
 bludgeon - (1 Piece) 10$ Iron Artist slot

So yeah, no shame, plugging for this, but its worth the shame.

System Shock Kickstarter

As many know, System Shock is finally getting a remake by Night Dive Studios. These guys have been on a warpath restoring old games to more modern tech, and now this classic will finally come to show itself.

So what is System Shock?

Back in 1994, Looking Glass Studios released a first person Cyber-Punk adventure mixing a risky attempt of first person shooter mechanics, 3D hacking interaction, and RPG elements into a tight horror laced story told mostly through logs and messages received by the player. What came from it was a critically acclaimed hit that built the foundation for many games later with similar elements, such as Bioshock (spiritual successor), Deus Ex, and other titles.

A lone hacker stuck on Citadel Station in orbit over Jupiter, you ist survive and escape from what was once the company Trioptimum's prize project, into a rat maze created by the unahackled AI SHODAN. But what chance do you have, being one mortal human, versus the numberous horrors and cybernetic army of a powerful AI?

So far there is the original game on steam, but Night Dive Studios is going to take it much further. Do yourself the favor and check out their kickstarter! Hell, try out the alpha demo they have put to see what they're starting with. This is a classic that needs to come to today's standards, and to see a classic in a new life. They already hit their goal, so this game -is- happening, but there's room to add more. They just hit their first stretch goal, and have time for more. Check it out help them grow, and get that word out!

So yeah, interesting week we've had with people's gripes with FA taken to more malicious means to disrupt the site's function. Can't say I'm all that surprised, though I will applaud the rapid response, even if we were locked out for a good bit. Still, it does seem to bring up a lot of concern for site security. We'll get to that....


First of all. BIRTHDAY RAT! Oh god, I'm 33! Okay, not so big a deal. But still, another trip around the sun, and back to going wild. However, due to opportunities arising, commission FLOOD is coming. So be prepared, more will be added once I get the rest of them in. So stay tuned!

Now about the security. As an extra precaution, I've created a Furry Network account as well and setting that up. I'm not migrating there, but I like to consider it a backup, so I can keep coverage so I don't need to worry that if data is lost in one place, I can't recover it elsewhere.

https://beta.furrynetwork.com/chances/

On that note, off for another year! Ho!

Doom is back, this time back as close as it can to its roots, while putting on new polish and new features. However, does it have enough to be the Doom folks have been wanting since the 90s? The answer is a definite 'Yes!', with a caveat or two. Doom delivers a solid singleplayer experience with plenty of love and attention to gameplay, bits of story, and speed. The multiplayer aspect feels like an afterthought, or worse, shoehorned in to try to grasp the old days of Doom multiplayer, while trying to keep it modern, which fails as the system is drastically different than what’s seen in the Singleplayer.



Overall, a must have to any FPS Enthusiast of the 90s, or those who definitely enjoy the frantic pace of the Doom series (not including Doom 3).



Graphics: 10/10

Id Software went out of their way to make some solid effort to bring back the foreboding atmosphere to abandoned facilities all the way to Hell's jagged mountains and corridors. Every sight is as foreboding as it is impressive to the eye, not once leaving the proper atmosphere of the invasion of Mars. Enemies themselves are painstakingly put together in great detail from the Possessed all the way to the Cyberdemon (something you can inspect in great detail later in the game in the gallery). Special effects and particles all play out well, leaving the game a beautiful sight.



Audio: 8/10

Music composed to this game is a nostalgic gamer's dream mixed into a new players love for intense song. Mixing in old classic tunes from the old games for remixes for a modern finish that will speak to old school gamers while still leaving the newcomers enjoying the throbbing tone of a fight in their ears. There are times when the music difference can in fact feel a little jarring, as the difference between fights and exploration ambiance music can be as different as night and day. This does happen a bit in Hell as music can come between hard techno, to suddenly the hellish chorus and orchestra echoing in your speakers. However, the real treat comes from the work put into the guns and the monsters. Almost every gun in the game has avoided the 'nerf gun' feel of firing, from the combat shotgun's ringing blast, all the way to the chaingun firing at full throttle. Only one gun in the collection feels a bit disappointing, the pistol, while only really necessary early game, it never feels like its got much impact in the sound of the shot, but this is minor.



Gameplay: 9/10

It's fast, its chaos, and its gory. The Devs really did listen to their fans this time around, trading the creeping and paranoid inducing feeling of Doom 3, and replacing it with fast run n' gun action that leaves it dangerous to stop at any point in the fight. Of course, there are small respites you can find here and there between fights that allow you to take a breath, but at the same time, while the game is fast paced and chaotic, it doesn't discourage exploration either. With secrets and badly needed supplies everywhere, you can always back track, as most of the time, it'll be rare a portion of the map will be gated off after a certain amount of progress. There are a few negative points, such as the over reliance of the Glory Kill system, especially in later levels where its not an option, its almost mandatory. (Details discussed below) However, every punch, every shot, ever messy take down brings a satisfying sense of speed and thrill that few FPS grasp these days.



Longevity / Replayability: 9/10

Contrary to rumors, DOOM is packed with content from start to finish, most of it all in the Singleplayer, which after my playthrough, lasted between 18-20 hours on the highest difficulty available right out of the box (Ultra-Violence). From secrets, challenges in every map, collectibles to obtain, weapon mods to add to your arsenal, its quite a bit to all get. Thankfully, all this is not locked away should you miss it on finishing a map. You can return to any map any time with all currently obtained equipment and upgrades, allowing you to use the advantage to take on a challenge, or get a leg up to finally reach that possible secret you were having trouble with. That said, all secrets and challenges can be done with the default gear you have during that part of the game. (Eg. No challenges / secrets that cannot be reached without double jump in maps prior to obtaining that skill). After completing the game, you still have time to challenge yourself with two new difficulty settings (Acting much like New Game+), Nightmare, and Ultra-Nightmare, where the latter throws the challenge of permadeath. SnapMap and Multiplayer also add to this, but we'll get into that next.



Multiplayer: 6.5/10

Regretfully, once you load the Multiplayer up, be it SnapMap or Standard Multiplayer, the game changes drastically from its fast paced Singeplayer counterpart. The multiplayer works on a loadout and leveling system, most of which rewards you with cosmetics. Gameplay-wise, the speed is taken down several notches, and the wild combat is somewhat muted, as the guns don't quite have the same impact, and since they are given in loadouts, guns like the Super Shotgun and Rocket Launcher don't quite have the impact folks would expect. There are options to run classical rules, but some of these matches seem devoid of players at this time. Sadly, this part of the game feels shoehorned, simply there to make multiplayer a 'thing' in Doom, which fails to quite grasp the feeling of urgency and intensity.



SnapMap, however, does add some creative credence to the idea of custom work and mod work, adhering to the idea that Doom is a mod friendly game. However, in that same stroke, actual mods of the games players could make are no longer viable. SnapMap replaces this by giving folks tools to make their own maps from between staged Multiplayer, deadly onslaught mode coop, to even missions of their very own to test other players. Including trials to test your modding skill to improve / complete a map, to letting you publish and share your work. More and more features in regards to cosmetics, textures, and objects. The downside is that the setup is rather simplistic, and scripts are rather dumbed down, making it easy for newcomers, but more advance map makers are left wanting more. Possible upgrades later, but for now, it feels like it could do much much more for what its promising.



OVERALL: 8.5/10

---

There's much much more details one can get into regarding this game without spoiling content. The game plays much like one would expect for Doom from the 90s, but adding the story and background one loved from Doom 3. That said though, while it does try its best to deliver a story to give you reason to press forward, the game is very self aware of what most players are interested in, and its shown quite clearly in interactions with the Protagonist, often seeming to push aside exposition to get right back to work. Though there are moments of dialogue and mandatory scenes, all of them are short, and quickly ended once their point is made, leaving you to get back to work. That said, for lore hounds and story lovers, the game does cater to them as well, as logs, and occasional bits and pieces of information lay strewn about the environment for you to find.

Combat is the name of the game, however, as the game not just pushes that to the front, but celebrates it in an explosive manner. From using the Super Shotgun, to taking down a demon bare fisted, every aspect of the game is geared toward the absolute carnage you will inflect on the minions of hell. Glory Kills are also a mainstay in this game, allowing you to get in close and execute a demon in a rather vicious fashion, in turn dropping health and ammo, and even armor on the right circumstances. Every enemy is vulnerable to the Glory Kill, from the possessed all the way up to the Barons of Hell, and they are not limited to just one animation, the Glory Kill reacts to where you're looking and what part of the body you're focused on, making a fluid motion that makes it feel dynamic when dispatching enemies. The issue is that what is seen as a fun option starts to become more mandatory, as health gets chipped away more and more, relying on the Glory Kill tends to come as the only means to survive a heated fire fight, and in some circumstances, can make a fight seem to easy as you chain the Glory Kills. In essence, while its a risk / reward, favoring more the reward side, it also is a rewarding feature that encourages pure offensive gameplay. Even the Chainsaw, a fan favorite, becomes an animation kill coup-de-grace, where it will instantly kill a single demon at the cost of fuel for it ... and pending on the size of the demon, it can help single out a dangerous foe, and turn them into an ammo pinata. Again, this can cheapen the experience, making almost any enemy an ammo dump for your interest, however, it is completely optional.

While Doom has a few kinks in its otherwise impressive armor, it delivers a package everyone had been hoping for. With gusto and bloody messy details, it delivers it, hard and fast, and wild. If you're a fan of the Doom series, FPS action of the 90s, or both. This is the game you'll want. If you're looking for tactics, strategy, and realism, keep marching. This game is nothing but the guns, the gore, and the speed. A highly recommended game for this year to play!