Strife's Sanctum

Last time we went into Remnant, I spoke about Team RWBY going from a comedic bunch to a layered narrative with a lot of high stakes.  Volumes 4 and 5 are about their journeys apart, and what new evils await them.   Tentative schedule (based on Tuesday Dates)   January 25th: Mega Man X  February 1st: RWBY: Volumes 6-8  February 8th: Dragon Quest VIII   Anime: RWBY&nbsp...

So, Shin Megami Tensei, a no-nonsense, battle heavy, demonic romp.  At least that's what I would say if navigating the overworld was full of platforming bull****.  Between that, a hidden ending locked behind an insufferable boss (even by superboss standards), and paper thin story, SMTV manages to be as brutal as its namesake.  But in sometimes more frustrating ways that needed. &nbs...

This is going to be my trickiest review to date.  By sheer length, RWBY is something I couldn't possibly tackle all at once.  Whether watching it back or reviewing it.  But as far as shows go, it has been my favorite non-gaming media in quite a long time.  The anime inspired visual and fight design, a catchy (if off-putting at first) CG style, intriguing characters, and a wealt...

One of my longtime favorites, Breath of Fire 3 represents an RPG that does everything well, even if if doesn't completely hit the mark.  I've always had a fondness for the game's story, and some of the themes it represents.   Tentative schedule (based on Tuesday Dates)   January 4th: RWBY: Volumes 1-3  January 11th: Shin Megami Tensei V  January 18th: RWBY: Volume 4-5 &nbs...

With the movie only a day away, I felt it appropriate to rewatch an anime tie-in compilation from before the release of Matrix Reloaded.  While not every short story hits high marks, the majority are visual splendor mixed with thought provoking questions about the nature of humans trapped inside the Matrix.   Tentative schedule (based on Tuesday Dates)   December 28th: Breath of Fir...

I've been wondering if I'd ever have a guest on these podcasts, but now was the long awaited time.  One of my best Twitch friends stopped by to take a trip down memory lane with Super Mario games from 1985 to 1991.  Thanks to Leigh, we also discuss many other games in the span of the discussion I wasn't privy too.  I found it very fun and informative to actually attempt an interview...

D&D is great, anime is great, so what happens when a dirty, dark, anime gets D&D mechanics?  You get an awesome show.   Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 7:25 - Characters 18:20 - Plot/D&D/Positives/Negatives 25:28 - Outro Tentative schedule   December 14th: Super Mario All-Stars (w/Guest LeighClipse)  December 21st: The Animatrix  December 28th: Breath of Fire 3  ...

Phoenix Wright is a beloved visual novel franchise with a lot of interesting gameplay elements and characters.  It meshes comedy and drama well, and I do my best to do an overview of the first game's cases without too many spoilers.   Tentative schedule   December 7th: Goblin Slayer  December 14th: Breath of Fire 3  December 21st: The Animatrix   Game: Phoenix Wright:...

The live action version of Cowboy Bebop is here, and it's FINE!  It's fine.  It's got some great stuff (some really great episodes), some spotty choices, and one obvious elephant in the room.  I will get into all of it in detail.  I delve into a lot here, but keep it spoiler free for the first few minutes.   Tentative schedule   November 30th: Phoenix Wright: Ace Atto...

A cold didn't stop me.  I wanted to get this out before watching the Netflix version.  I rewatched Bebop last week, and it still holds the place as my favorite anime ever.  A great mix of drama, action, and a splash of comedy.  Spacey spaghetti western, with kick ass characters in a sort of crime drama/bounty hunter episodic format.  There is so much to recommend, I think...

One of the most expansive RPGs ever, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 tells a crazy tale of a game that gives the player too much to handle sometimes.  But despite some weird issues, there's no way to account for just the level of material crammed into one game...and this is just the base game...   Timestamps 0:00 - Intro/Xeno Series Overview 4:54 - Plot 10:30 - Characters 23:10 - Blades/Drivers/G...

An anime appearing on MTV2 of all things, Heat Guy J was a pretty decent crime drama/action show with some cool visuals.  It won't be the most amazing watch in the world, but it is a show I go back to constantly, because it does a lot well.   Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 5:39 - Characters 14:55 - Plot 20:35 - "PG-13 Crime Thriller" 24:20 - Outro Upcoming schedule  November 9th: Xenoblade...

A game that stands the test of time, Symphony of the Night was my introduction to Castlevania, and stayed my preferred style between the exploration style or platformer originals.  Either way, Castlevania is a vaunted gaming franchise.  SOTN is widely considered the best, and for good reason.  I only hope I can do some justice. Timestamps  0:00 - Intro  13:10 - Characters/...

I just got back from my first convention since the pandemic started, and it was just like old times.  I kinda ramble about certain things, but the major concepts (schedule, guest panels, cosplay) take a big chunk of the precedings.  Conventions of any type are special experiences that everyone should go to at least once.   Upcoming schedule October 26th: Castlevania: Symphony of the...

A show from my teenage years, Big O stood the test of time as an anime that fied many American and Japanese influences together to make a show full of mystery, intrigue, and action.  While the ending leaves something to be desired, everything else about the show is too good to ignore. Timestamps  0:00 - Intro  5:49 - Characters  30:35 - Plot  36:15 - 2nd Season/Ending *Spo...

This week, I go old school again to talk about a game that proved crossovers of different genres can work.  At the heights of their respective skills, Nintendo and Square came together to create a role-playing game with Mario ephemera.  The end result is one of the best RPGs of all time.   Tentative schedule  October 12th: Big O  October 19th: MetaCon 2021 Highlights ...

A dizzying visual spectacle, Land of the Lustrous is a story about beings made of precious gemstones fighting to survive against forces of nature known as Lunarians.  The show is a gorgeous 3D CGI based anime with really great drama, comedy, and action scenes.   Upcoming schedule  October 5th: Super Mario RPG  October 12th: The Big O  October 19th: MetaCon 2021 Highlights...

This week, I talk about a game that gave me a rush while playing it.  Characters and plot wise, Tales of Berseria is a riot.  Add to that some thoughts on Tales of Arise, and you have a doozy of a podcast.   Tentative schedule  September 28th: Land of the Lustrous  October 5th: Super Mario RPG  October 12th: Big O  October 19th: MetaCon 2021 Highlights   Gam...

Time for a different anime.  This one is a dramatic, moral dilemma show with the "monsters" being ephemeral, almost parasitic beings known as Mushi.  How does one deal with things you can't see? How does one explain their life spiraling out of control due to things that "don't exist?"  That's what this show tackles, alongside being a drama, a paranormal experience, and all around ep...

This week's episode takes a look at one of the best action RPG franchises to fly under the radar.  Ys has been quietly building steam as a Zelda style hack and slash game with tough bosses and great music.  In Lacrimosa of Dana, budding quality, multi-layered story, and well-thought out characters and design mix into one massive journey that eclipses anything to come before it. Upcoming...

For my next anime review, I venture into "Isekai", a genre showing a lot of popularity.  Video games, MMOs, other worlds: all fair game for fish out of water stories.  In this one, the hero...doesn't exactly fare too well with the locals.  A second season is set for release in a year, so I'll focus on the majority of happenings in Season 1.

A bit of a different approach to the podcast, this one is a spoiler-heavy, personal discussion about a game that still influences me.  Whether you are a fan of romance, puzzles, horror, social interaction, etc, this game has you covered.  It also forces you to question things about how you view relationships and romantic interaction.  I delve into all the ways it can affect you, alo...

I decided I wanted to dabble in anime series reviews to supplement my video game content.  First up, a hard sci-fi crime show.  PSYCHO-PASS is a dark, brutal show that has great social commentary about letting technology rule too much of our lives.  While it doesn't hit the landing the longer the series goes, the first full Season (20-25 episodes) is a great experience.

My first podcast down, I dive deeper into Squaresoft's catalog to find a colorful, whimsical, lovely gem.  Secret of Mana has some faults, but those are balanced out by a breezy pace, striking visual design, and vivid music that anyone can enjoy.  

I've been an avid videogamer for a long time.  I've even dabbled in content creation on other platforms, but this is my first ever podcast.  My goal is create an ongoing review/longform podcasting series where I talk about Japanese games I've played, and why I think they stand the test of time.  The aim is to reflect on them with an analytical approach.  Analytical, yet positiv...