Strife's Sanctum

If you haven't watched my full review of Ys VIII, here's the link. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/dashboard/episode/e1716hq It's been a long time since I've played Ys VIII for my channel. However, I still go back to it from time to time and reflect on what I experienced and why the game holds up after a decade. With a couple new Ys games failing to reach VIII's lofty standard...

Another couple of weeks, another anime update. Going through the current anime of the season and give some general thoughts and predictions of where those shows are headed. A couple are also nearing their end. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try avoiding spoilers wherever possible, but it will be marked regardl...

Everyone has a journey in their lives. What they watch, play, interact with, and experience shapes what they do and who they become. Playing certain games or watching certain types of TV shows or movies does the same. I've been a fan of JRPGs and anime going on 25-30 years at this point, so I wanted to take a trip down memory lane and talk about my journey. If anyone wants to share parts or al...

Another couple of weeks, another anime update. Going through the current anime of the season and give some general thoughts and predictions of where those shows are headed. A couple are also nearing their end. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try avoiding spoilers wherever possible, but it will be marked regardless....

This week's anime review has a silly title, and a premise that a weaker show would have taken in a more trashy direction. It manages to dodge the obvious bad end when faced with the situation it presents and become a solid series that blends comedy and drama pretty well. Upcoming Schedule Jan. 11th: Fall 2024 Anime Discussion Jan. 18th: How I Got into JRPGs/Anime Jan. 25th: Fall 2024 or Winter 202...

Another couple of weeks, another anime update. Going through the current anime of the season and give some general thoughts and predictions of where those shows are headed. A couple are also nearing their end. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try avoiding spoilers wherever possible, but it will be marked regardless....

A different kind of visual novel, Danganronpa is a mix of Phoenix Wright, Zero Escape, and a whole lot of weird shit. Campy at times, dark at times, and whole lots of weird at all times, Danganronpa carved out its own niche in the visual novel genre. Podcast Schedule (Based on Saturday Upload Dates) Dec. 28th: Fall 2024 Anime Discussion Jan. 4th: Higehiro Jan. 11th: Fall 2024 Anime Discussion Jan....

This week's anime review revolves around a soft reboot of a 70s super fighting robot anime. However, this takes everything in a wildly darker and more apocalyptic direction. Humanity is all but gone, and robots are corroding via "Ruin." The ones that survive are trying to find an immortal robot steeped in rumor. If you eat Casshern's flesh, you can avoid Ruin. So begins a dark anime that requires...

Another couple of weeks, another anime update. Going through the current anime of the season and give some general thoughts and predictions of where those shows are headed. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try avoiding spoilers wherever possible, but it will be marked regardless. Shows I Enjoyed - Dandadan - Nina th...

2nd shot at this idea. Going through the current anime of the season and give some general thoughts and predictions of where those shows are headed. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try avoiding spoilers wherever possible Shows I Enjoyed - Dandadan - Nina the Starry Bride - Natsume's Book of Friends - After-School H...

On the more procedural or dramatic side of crime dramas, Gunslinger Girl explains the push and pull between fighting criminals and spies, trying to condition fragile teenage minds, and examining the effects of making them skirt the line between real girl and killing machine. Upcoming Schedule Nov. 16th: Fall 2024 Anime Dicussion Nov. 23rd: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Nov. 30th: Fall 2024 Anime Di...

Decided to try a new idea. I spent the last week or so catching up on a lot of new anime. Some I liked, some I didn't, and I'm on the fence; however, this should be a unique way to stay up to date on things. Hopefully this is an interesting change of pace for myself and viewers. Ground rules - Watching dubs only (might be a week or two behind) - Not every show available will be covered - I'll try...

*if you have yet to do so, please note the new schedule. I'm going to start adding bi-weekly anime reviews of current shows (if the shows are available and interesting enough to stick with). I may be a couple weeks behind due to watching dub versions, but this should allow me to space out watching or playing other games and shows for full reviews without feeling the need to ever "run out" too quic...

What happens when a weirdo loner says he wants a zombie girlfriend and it actually happens? Well, the show answered that very oddly specific question and then went even weirder. Upcoming Schedule Oct. 12th: Xenosaga 2 Oct. 19th: Sankarea Oct. 26th: Final Fantasy: Glitches and Translation Errors Nov. 2nd: Gunslinger Girl Nov. 9th: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Nov. 16th: Casshern Sins Nov. 23th: How...

1If you need a refresher on Xenosaga Episode 1, please go to episode 102. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/dashboard/episode/e26n7f7/details I normally try to avoid talking badly about games...but this is a rare case. Xenosaga II is an exercise in creative frustration. In trying to create something that felt different from Episode I, they made nearly every facet of the game worse. Different look...

Anime has been a favorite hobby of mine for 25 years. One of the fixtures of the medium is the special opening and ending themes. However, I ended up with the idea to ranking which I felt were my favorites. I ended up trying to craft an exhaustive list. "Did this song, this video, or both resonate with me so I constantly come back to them later? What ways do they keep me engaged? What exactly am I...

Perfect timing for this once, since I'm playing it over on my main channel. MGS3 is a result of scaling back the sci-fi and taking the MGS stuff back to its roots a bit, and dialing up the stealth and survival. Snake has to deal with an old mentor who defected to the Soviet Union, some classic Kojima-weird bosses, but at its heart, MGS3 is about two people torn apart by the times, the way war uses...

This week's anime review is about a crime thriller that did just enough to make everything make sense after throwing a lot of things at you. Odd Taxi is a show about a driver who gets swept up in a weird gangster scenario, and has to use his street smarts to use that to his advantage. Upcoming Schedule Sept. 28th: Metal Gear Solid 3 Oct. 5th: Favorite Anime OPs/EDs Oct. 12th: Xenosaga 2 Oct. 1...

Changed my schedule around a bit, and I decided to keep diving into the Castlevania/Bloodstained well. The release of the Dominus collection saw the three Nintendo DS entries get their moment in modern spotlight. Good thing too, because they are just as good as any of the other Metroidvanias. I talk about the two non-Sorrow entries this time. Upcoming Schedule Sept. 21st: Odd Taxi Sept. 28th: Meta...

For rundowns of previous KonoSuba stuff, please watch Episodes #33: Konosuba and #140: Konosuba: Megumin Spinoff first This week's anime review returns to the wacky antics of Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness. Following their victory against one a high ranking demon, the group is given lavish funds and praise. This leads to Kazuma meeting a princess, and then a secondary storyline involving...

This is going to be a two-part review. Bloodstained is what happens when a good franchise and good people making them aren't allowed to keep doing what they are good at. The guys making Castlevanias Symphony of the Night and onward went and made a new franchise that played just like Castlevania in every possible way. The end result was Bloodstained. After five years since release, the final Ki...

This week's anime review is a pleasant goofy jaunt into the world of Konohanatei: a hot-springs resort that caters to deities and other mystical entities. The cast itself is mostly fox demihuman girls who have their own small scale struggles that play out while they interact with the guests. It's the sort of nice, goofy comedy that is just comforting to watch sometimes. Upcoming Schedule A...

This is going to be a two-part review. Bloodstained is what happens when a good franchise and good people making them aren't allowed to keep doing what they are good at. The guys making Castlevanias Symphony of the Night and onward went and made a new franchise that played just like Castlevania in every possible way. The end result was Bloodstained. After five years since release, the final Ki...