Strife's Sanctum

This week's anime is about teaching kids how to kill an unkillable test subject. But it also has a heart of gold. This show is about a teacher who believes so much in his students, they become everything they want to be. Upcoming Schedule August 17th: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night August 24th: Konohana Kitan August 31st: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Sept. 7th: Sailor Moon Crystal (w/Lei...

This week's anime review is about an older show with a dire, desperate tinge. Wolves and humans all searching for Paradise, but going through a hollow world to find it. Upcoming Schedule August 10th: Assassination Classroom August 17th: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night August 24th: Konohana Kitan August 31st: Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Sept. 7th: Sailor Moon Crystal (w/LeighClipse) Sept....

It only makes sense to start my fourth year podcasting talking about the game I spent months completing on my main channel. Persona has been my go-to franchise for almost two decades now, and Reload did everything it could to change the original into something more modern, without losing the spirit. Everything about it was enhanced. I loved playing this. Upcoming Schedule July 27th: Persona 3 Relo...

If you haven't watched the first AI: Somnium Files review, please go here. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/dashboard/episode/e1r35v1/details Following the first game's events, Nirvana Initiative retools and reintroduces many aspects along with a brand new case. If you liked the first game, chances are the sequel is going to do the same. Upcoming Schedule July 27th: Persona 3 Reload (3rd...

This week's anime review is about a dark comedy. Yokai, kemono, and other japanese horror/occult things is a fun side genre to dip my toes into from time to time. When done well, it weaves the cool old school traditional stuff with some level of horror or gore I don't often dive into. This show helps bridge that gap by being a good comedy while being dark or weird enough to have its own au...

Having never played the OG Gameboy version, I was floored at how well this game fit my Zelda sensibilities like a glove. I love the simple fun of the 2D Zelda games. However, having not played it, I also ran afoul of the last two dungeons being...rough. It wasn't a complete deal breaker though. This is what old-school Zelda games were like, and I had fun. Upcoming Schedule July 13th: Kemono Ji...

This week's anime review is one that mixes seedy crime drama with super power insanity. A photographer investigating a secret club is thrust into a fugitive role, when he runs off with a girl who is able to grant people special abilities. Upcoming Schedule July 6th: Link's Awakening July 13th: Kemono Jihen July 20th: AI: The Somnium Files: Nirvana Initiative July 27th: Sailor Moon Crystal...

JRPGs love sidequests and minigames. It can usually be a chance to earn rewards, unwind, or just find a change of pace. One of the more prevalent games is fishing. Some do it well, some do it poorly, but I try to run down as many as I can. Upcoming Schedule June 29th: Speed Grapher July 6th: Link's Awakening July 13th: Kemono Jihen July 20th: AI: The Somnium Files: Nirvana Initiative July 27th...

Final Fantasy is great, Final Fantasy music is great. What happens when you put 400-500 of those songs in a rhythm game? Well, you get a great game. Upcoming Schedule June 22nd: Fishing Minigames in JRPGs June 29th: Speed Grapher July 6th: Link's Awakening July 13th: Kemono Jihen July 20th: AI: The Somnium Files: Nirvana Initiative July 27th: Sailor Moon Crystal w/LeighClipse (3rd Anniversary)...

Continuing the anime fun, it's time to talk about the show that took the world by storm recently. Frieren quickly became the most popular show, through a unique blend of dry comedy, interesting world building with a dour overtone, and a set of characters that feed into the narrative that the story doesn't end just because the quest is done. Upcoming Schedule June 15th: Theatrhythm: Final B...

Back to anime now, and these next two weeks feature some of the biggest shows of the last year. First up, the end result of when a show is completely elevated by its main character. Apothecary Diaries is a mixture of political drama, mystery show, and subtle comedy, but really, this show is about Maomao, one of the most unique characters I've ever seen. She is so many things all at once, and n...

Mega May concluded with a new franchise: Mega Man Zero. Taking X's Zero character into a new century and a different type of experience on the Gameboy Advance/DS era. The areas are bite sized, but they aren't lacking in jumping and shooting. It's a cool way to experience the Mega Man formula, even if the end result isn't the most spectacular experience. Upcoming Schedule June 1st:...

Mega May rolls on with Mega Man X3. It's a bit lacking music wise, but it builds on the first two games, and adds Zero on a limited basis for some needed extra fun. Upcoming Schedule May 25th: Mega Man Zero June 1st: The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 June 8th: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End June 15th: Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line June 22nd: Fishing Minigames in JRPGs June 29th: Speed Grapher J...

Leigh and I had more characters and story things to talk about, so we went back and recorded more. Podcast Schedule (Based on Saturday Upload Dates) May 4th: Mega Man 2 May 11th: Mega Man 3 May 18th: Mega Man X3 May 25th: Mega Man Zero June 1st: The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 June 8th: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End June 15th: Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line June 22nd: Fishing Minigames in JRPGs J...

Mega May continues with 3, a disappointing follow-up due to less interesting msuic, a few glitches, and a rushed development. But, hey, it's more Mega Man. Upcoming Schedule May 18th: Mega Man X3 May 25th: Mega Man Zero June 1st: The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 June 8th: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End June 15th: Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line June 22nd: Fishing Minigames in JRPGs June 29th: Sp...

Mega May year 2 begins with what is widely regarded as the gold standard Mega Man experience...unless you just get Metal Blade early and cheese the f*** out of it. Even if you do, actual stage design, amazing music, and did I mention Metal Blade already? Oh, and the opening theme and Dr. Wily 1. Gotta love those songs. Upcoming Schedule May 11th: Mega Man 3 May 18th: Mega Man X3 May 25th: Mega Man...

Leigh asked me to watch an anime with her. Little did I know that it would turn out to be one of my favorite shows of all time. Under the veneer of a silly school comedy is a layered, dynamic, and often cruel show about the bonds of family, friendship, and what helps and hurts those bonds. Leigh and I go all out to discuss a show that must be seen to be believed. Podcast Schedule (Based on Saturda...

My favorite game so far this year (and a hard one to beat for the best) is the sequel to the brawler turned Dragon Quest homage, Like A Dragon. The 8th mainline installment, this game manages to add even more to Ichiban's plate by sending him to Hawaii. By enhancing the gameplay and adding some intriguing side content, Like A Dragon makes for a huge game full of stuff to do. Upcoming Schedule...

GOBLINS! Goblin Slayer and his party are back to rid the D&D inspired world they live in from the lesser evils of the world other people think are beneath them. Upcoming Schedule April 20th: Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth April 27th: Speed Grapher May 4th: Mega Man 2 May 11th: Mega Man 3 May 18th: Mega Man X3 May 25th: Mega Man Zero June 1st: The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 June 8th: Frieren:...

Sea of Stars is a triumph of independent spirit in most cases. For its amazing soundtrack and reverence to the conventions of old school JRPGs, it fails in a couple of major aspects that end up muddying the waters. A little more effort and care (and less an emphasis on one specific character) could have made what was looking like an amazing game not fall short when it was trying to reach the finis...

KonoSuba is one of my favorite anime. The chemistry between the main characters leads to a lot of comedy landing, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. However, take the most popular character, add in the most meek and downtrodden side character "rival," and force them to carry a show for 12 episodes...and you get a bit of a letdown. Upcoming Schedule April 6th: Sea of Stars Apri...

*mind the rushed edit midway through* Punch-Out is hard, but it was one of my go-tos in the early days as a gamer. I want to go down memory lane, at least until I remember how many times the later boxers punched me in the face. Upcoming Schedule March 30th: Konosuba: Megumin Spinoff April 6th: Sea of Stars April 13th: Goblin Slayer Season 2 April 20th: Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth April 27th: Sp...

Elaina is an interesting case study. It takes the weird city ideas at play in Kino's Journey, but does it in a more comedic way...save for one specific episode. Upcoming Schedule March 23rd: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out March 30th: Konosuba: Megumin Spinoff April 6th: Sea of Stars April 13th: Goblin Slayer Season 2 April 20th: Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth April 27th: Speed Grapher May 4th: Meg...

Much like Snow White with the Red Hair, Arte is a show held together by its main female lead. It doesn't try to do anything amazing, but Arte has enough charm to be a solid short show to watch. Upcoming Schedule March 16th: The Wandering Watch: Journey of Elaina March 23rd: Mike Tyson's Punch-Out March 30th: Konosuba: Megumin Spinoff April 6th: Sea of Stars April 13th: Goblin Slayer Season...

When JRPGs migrated to mobile platformers in the mid-2000s to early 2010s, a new IP managed to evoke memories of Chrono Trigger to the point it has become one of the standard bearers for the entire genre. By mixing many strong JRPG elements, adding in its own take on time travel, and having a great set of main characters, Radiant Historia is one of the games I wish had a main console port. Upcomin...