Derek
@astralcitymini.com
Senior Editor at MARVELOUS/XSEED. Chicagoan.
Digital explorer. 🗺️ Café connoisseur. ☕️ Audiophile. 🎧
I care deeply about words and the stories they tell.
🏳️🌈 he/him
FFXIV: Serph Embryon (Hyperion)
astralcitymini.com
Digital explorer. 🗺️ Café connoisseur. ☕️ Audiophile. 🎧
I care deeply about words and the stories they tell.
🏳️🌈 he/him
FFXIV: Serph Embryon (Hyperion)
astralcitymini.com
Pinned
Derek
@astralcitymini.com
· 5d
Friction is Good, Actually
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's review embargo weighed anchor this morning, letting loose a tide of critique. The overall consensus seems to be that Dragon Quest VII's second reinvention leans heavily into a modern design ethos, sanding off the game's edges in the name of "accessibility": more guideposting, fewer puzzles, easier combat. To me, it all sounds like something of a shame.
astralcitymini.com
Today on Astral City Mini—inspired by Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's newly published critique—I muse on automation and friction in modern game design. For my money, I'd like an adventure to feel like an adventure.
About 0.5 of these are remotely realistic. It’s fun to dream, though.
February 5, 2026 at 2:49 AM
About 0.5 of these are remotely realistic. It’s fun to dream, though.
Reposted by Derek
Announcing Localization Lore, a new series dedicated to learning more about the history of video game localization! 🎉Featuring new interviews personally conducted by me, this first entry is on Ys 1 and the people behind its first three English translations. lizbushouse.com/localization...
February 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Announcing Localization Lore, a new series dedicated to learning more about the history of video game localization! 🎉Featuring new interviews personally conducted by me, this first entry is on Ys 1 and the people behind its first three English translations. lizbushouse.com/localization...
Uhhh, holy shit! I was a winner of the #FFXIV x Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot sweepstakes. Got a Great Paraserpent for my trouble. Screehaw! 🤠
February 4, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Uhhh, holy shit! I was a winner of the #FFXIV x Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot sweepstakes. Got a Great Paraserpent for my trouble. Screehaw! 🤠
Can’t start my day without my Delta Werk sermon and baby, I think today’s might have been an all-timer
February 3, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Can’t start my day without my Delta Werk sermon and baby, I think today’s might have been an all-timer
“Someday, sometime…
It will all come back for you.”
It will all come back for you.”
February 3, 2026 at 7:41 AM
“Someday, sometime…
It will all come back for you.”
It will all come back for you.”
"What might read smoothly in the original language will read like a car on square wheels in the target language. I don’t care what people on social media say about ‘unnecessarily punching up text’. Fuck that. Punch it up. Have fun with it and create something the audience can have fun with too."
🏅
🏅
Interviews with Localizers is back (again)!!! This time with an interview with Japanese to English video game translator and project manager @japantaloons.bsky.social!
#InterviewswithLoc
j-entranslations.com/carrick-loma...
#InterviewswithLoc
j-entranslations.com/carrick-loma...
Carrick Lomas - Video Game Translator
Carrick Lomas - video game translator is a talented and passionate localizer from the UK who juggles freelance work and game publishing.
j-entranslations.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:09 PM
"What might read smoothly in the original language will read like a car on square wheels in the target language. I don’t care what people on social media say about ‘unnecessarily punching up text’. Fuck that. Punch it up. Have fun with it and create something the audience can have fun with too."
🏅
🏅
Today on Astral City Mini—inspired by Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's newly published critique—I muse on automation and friction in modern game design. For my money, I'd like an adventure to feel like an adventure.
Friction is Good, Actually
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's review embargo weighed anchor this morning, letting loose a tide of critique. The overall consensus seems to be that Dragon Quest VII's second reinvention leans heavily into a modern design ethos, sanding off the game's edges in the name of "accessibility": more guideposting, fewer puzzles, easier combat. To me, it all sounds like something of a shame.
astralcitymini.com
February 2, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Today on Astral City Mini—inspired by Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's newly published critique—I muse on automation and friction in modern game design. For my money, I'd like an adventure to feel like an adventure.
Begone, Monday scaries 🗣️
February 2, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Begone, Monday scaries 🗣️
Reposted by Derek
Getting a lot out of that triangle button
February 1, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Getting a lot out of that triangle button
POV: you’re me and you just got back from being out of the home for >5 minutes 🐈 (🔊)
February 1, 2026 at 5:31 PM
POV: you’re me and you just got back from being out of the home for >5 minutes 🐈 (🔊)
The irony is not lost on me given that I just posted about it, but…CDJapan day! 💿
January 28, 2026 at 8:19 PM
The irony is not lost on me given that I just posted about it, but…CDJapan day! 💿
Without warning or explanation, CDJapan has doubled their customs handling fee for packages shipped through FedEx FICP: 1,300JPY -> 2,600JPY. 😓 I just want to support Japanese musicians and listen to their work at the highest fidelity. Small potatoes in light of everything else, but dammit.
January 27, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Without warning or explanation, CDJapan has doubled their customs handling fee for packages shipped through FedEx FICP: 1,300JPY -> 2,600JPY. 😓 I just want to support Japanese musicians and listen to their work at the highest fidelity. Small potatoes in light of everything else, but dammit.
Reposted by Derek
Everyone who makes YouTube thumbnails goes to hell
January 27, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Everyone who makes YouTube thumbnails goes to hell
Reposted by Derek
?! ?! ?!
DDS MERCH IN THE YEAR 2026?
DDS MERCH IN THE YEAR 2026?
January 27, 2026 at 2:08 PM
?! ?! ?!
DDS MERCH IN THE YEAR 2026?
DDS MERCH IN THE YEAR 2026?
OMG. I'd been stuck at level 53 in WaniKani for, like, two years. Finally. Finally, I'm moving again. I'll get level 60 this year, no matter what! 💪🏻
January 27, 2026 at 5:12 AM
OMG. I'd been stuck at level 53 in WaniKani for, like, two years. Finally. Finally, I'm moving again. I'll get level 60 this year, no matter what! 💪🏻
“ I don't want to have a *backlog* of games—a series of orders to work through and clear—I want to own a *library* of them, something to dip into and enjoy it as I see fit.”
さすがキミミ。👏🏻
さすがキミミ。👏🏻
"What's to be gained from spending even more time with something I already stopped enjoying, just to see a conclusion I'm not that interested in? Who is benefiting from this unwanted toil?"
New article for Ko-fi supporters! This one's about how we interact with games:
ko-fi.com/post/Let-It-...
New article for Ko-fi supporters! This one's about how we interact with games:
ko-fi.com/post/Let-It-...
Let It Go: Finishing games is optional
Kimimi published a supporter-only post on Ko-fi!
ko-fi.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:09 PM
“ I don't want to have a *backlog* of games—a series of orders to work through and clear—I want to own a *library* of them, something to dip into and enjoy it as I see fit.”
さすがキミミ。👏🏻
さすがキミミ。👏🏻
Square Enix Music is going balls to the wall this year. 18 albums are on the 2026 release calendar so far—very nearly one or more per week. The budget ails; the ears revel.
Square Enix has announced a new Final Fantasy IX deep house album titled House Grooves featuring new versions of 12 tracks from the game: https://www.rpgsite.net/news/19439-final-fantasy-ix-house-grooves-album-release-pre-order-cd-new
January 26, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Square Enix Music is going balls to the wall this year. 18 albums are on the 2026 release calendar so far—very nearly one or more per week. The budget ails; the ears revel.
Reposted by Derek
How do we see the future? Is it an expansion of possibility and imagination, a canvas on which we can paint anything? Or is the future a contraction? A place where ideas are bound by the spaces we’re given to create them — a place that determines what we’re allowed to dream youtu.be/F0K2DnI1TDk
January 25, 2026 at 4:32 PM
How do we see the future? Is it an expansion of possibility and imagination, a canvas on which we can paint anything? Or is the future a contraction? A place where ideas are bound by the spaces we’re given to create them — a place that determines what we’re allowed to dream youtu.be/F0K2DnI1TDk
I received a surprise gift of a portrait of my FFXIV character, Serph, by @tezastunes.bsky.social! I’m welling up with emotion over how much I love it. His expression, the texture of his hair, the floral detailing on the coat… It’s beautiful. Thank you so much, Teza!
January 23, 2026 at 6:23 PM
I received a surprise gift of a portrait of my FFXIV character, Serph, by @tezastunes.bsky.social! I’m welling up with emotion over how much I love it. His expression, the texture of his hair, the floral detailing on the coat… It’s beautiful. Thank you so much, Teza!
Had to wake up early and brave the “feels like –24°” temps to go to a medical appointment, so to celebrate my survival, I treated myself to a few new books on the way home. 📖
January 23, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Had to wake up early and brave the “feels like –24°” temps to go to a medical appointment, so to celebrate my survival, I treated myself to a few new books on the way home. 📖
Reposted by Derek
My review of The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is live at @avclub.com, and let me tell you: this one rips. Like you should play all of these games just to experience this one as intended levels of good.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon continues the best epic in games
The masterful Trails Beyond the Horizon leaves the best ongoing epic in games on an apocalyptic cliffhanger.
www.avclub.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:15 PM
My review of The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is live at @avclub.com, and let me tell you: this one rips. Like you should play all of these games just to experience this one as intended levels of good.
Reposted by Derek
otherwise, IMO, that's how you end up with games that are like "our game is like our spiritual inspiration: chrono trigger!*"
*except with worse pacing and writing that fundamentally misreads all the character work happening in that game and instead just rehashes the tropes in a surface-level way
*except with worse pacing and writing that fundamentally misreads all the character work happening in that game and instead just rehashes the tropes in a surface-level way
January 23, 2026 at 5:23 PM
otherwise, IMO, that's how you end up with games that are like "our game is like our spiritual inspiration: chrono trigger!*"
*except with worse pacing and writing that fundamentally misreads all the character work happening in that game and instead just rehashes the tropes in a surface-level way
*except with worse pacing and writing that fundamentally misreads all the character work happening in that game and instead just rehashes the tropes in a surface-level way
Reposted by Derek
couldn't agree more. it's great to be inspired by games you love, but you desperately need to engage with other kinds of things like books, movies, music, theater, going to a museum, looking at a cool tree...you know
The author of the novels that inspired Shin Megami Tensei and Persona says developers should take more inspiration from other media to invent new gameplay systems.
If they only take inspiration from games they'll just make the same games, he says.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/megami-...
If they only take inspiration from games they'll just make the same games, he says.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/megami-...
Megami Tensei author says devs must take inspiration from other media if they want to invent new gameplay systems | VGC
If creators draw inspiration from games, they’ll just make the same games…
www.videogameschronicle.com
January 23, 2026 at 4:58 PM
couldn't agree more. it's great to be inspired by games you love, but you desperately need to engage with other kinds of things like books, movies, music, theater, going to a museum, looking at a cool tree...you know
Reposted by Derek
A game doesn't need to be 'by and for fans'
aftermath.site/life-is-strang...
aftermath.site/life-is-strang...
January 22, 2026 at 5:12 PM
A game doesn't need to be 'by and for fans'
aftermath.site/life-is-strang...
aftermath.site/life-is-strang...