Barloq
@barloq.bsky.social
Writer, blogger, father. DOA: Dead or Alive is still the best video game movie. Trash connoisseur. Blessed by the chupacabra. Read my writings at ichoosetostand.net
My Ninja Gaiden 4 Love/Hate article is now live! I have LOTS of thoughts on this game, check them out here:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/12/love...
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/12/love...
December 4, 2025 at 5:34 PM
My Ninja Gaiden 4 Love/Hate article is now live! I have LOTS of thoughts on this game, check them out here:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/12/love...
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/12/love...
Reposted by Barloq
Working on a parable called The Emperors of Dunning-Kruger Mountain in which a bunch of people rise to positions of power but don’t know and won’t tell each other that they are all in way over their heads so instead they just invite more people up.
December 4, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Working on a parable called The Emperors of Dunning-Kruger Mountain in which a bunch of people rise to positions of power but don’t know and won’t tell each other that they are all in way over their heads so instead they just invite more people up.
Took some screenshots for you, specifically, @hayabusa.love.
December 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Took some screenshots for you, specifically, @hayabusa.love.
Things have been quiet on IC2S for the last couple months (my 9/11 musings notwithstanding), but we'll be picking back up in December. I've got my usual year-end rankings writen and queued up, and I'll probably have at least 1 other article completed before the new year, if not more.
December 1, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Things have been quiet on IC2S for the last couple months (my 9/11 musings notwithstanding), but we'll be picking back up in December. I've got my usual year-end rankings writen and queued up, and I'll probably have at least 1 other article completed before the new year, if not more.
Reposted by Barloq
Reposted by Barloq
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
November 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
I probably shouldn't have started Ninja Gaiden 4 on Hard mode immediately after coming off of almost 60 hours of Nioh 2, LOL. Not only does that require a total brain rewiring to come to grips with the controls/gameplay loop, but NG4 is *definitely* more of a Platinum game than a Team Ninja one.
a video game character with a mask and a shield
ALT: a video game character with a mask and a shield
media.tenor.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I probably shouldn't have started Ninja Gaiden 4 on Hard mode immediately after coming off of almost 60 hours of Nioh 2, LOL. Not only does that require a total brain rewiring to come to grips with the controls/gameplay loop, but NG4 is *definitely* more of a Platinum game than a Team Ninja one.
There's a new article up on IC2S... this one's MUCH different than modg of my recent output.
I've been thinking back on 9/11 a lot recently, & spent a good chunk of the last week reliving that day through the eyes of the people who were there. I have thoughts:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/11/star...
I've been thinking back on 9/11 a lot recently, & spent a good chunk of the last week reliving that day through the eyes of the people who were there. I have thoughts:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/11/star...
the statue of liberty is lit up at night in the background
ALT: the statue of liberty is lit up at night in the background
media.tenor.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:36 PM
There's a new article up on IC2S... this one's MUCH different than modg of my recent output.
I've been thinking back on 9/11 a lot recently, & spent a good chunk of the last week reliving that day through the eyes of the people who were there. I have thoughts:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/11/star...
I've been thinking back on 9/11 a lot recently, & spent a good chunk of the last week reliving that day through the eyes of the people who were there. I have thoughts:
www.ichoosetostand.net/2025/11/star...
Reposted by Barloq
Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made.
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
November 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made.
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊
After 59 hours with Nioh 2... I think I'm satisfied. I've technically got the DLCs and a bunch of side content to go if I wanted to, but I've finished the story and I feel good retiring here. The game's every bit as good as the first, and easily the best-playing Soulslike out there, but I've got /1
November 17, 2025 at 9:46 PM
After 59 hours with Nioh 2... I think I'm satisfied. I've technically got the DLCs and a bunch of side content to go if I wanted to, but I've finished the story and I feel good retiring here. The game's every bit as good as the first, and easily the best-playing Soulslike out there, but I've got /1
Ok, I think that my most recent project is more or less complete... a workspace upgrade! I've got TONS more desk space and storage to keep things organized, and the whole thing is more "personal" now. ☺️
Probably gonna tinker a bit more, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out!
Probably gonna tinker a bit more, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out!
November 11, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Ok, I think that my most recent project is more or less complete... a workspace upgrade! I've got TONS more desk space and storage to keep things organized, and the whole thing is more "personal" now. ☺️
Probably gonna tinker a bit more, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out!
Probably gonna tinker a bit more, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out!
OMG. Haven't played any DOA for a couple months, was cleaning and found my 3DS with DOA Dimensions in it. Opened it up to see if it was still in sleep mode and accidentally started a 50 match survival game (which I hadn't cleared before). Figured "fuck it, why not?" to see how far I'd get... 😳
November 9, 2025 at 7:36 PM
OMG. Haven't played any DOA for a couple months, was cleaning and found my 3DS with DOA Dimensions in it. Opened it up to see if it was still in sleep mode and accidentally started a 50 match survival game (which I hadn't cleared before). Figured "fuck it, why not?" to see how far I'd get... 😳
Reposted by Barloq
Very useful thread.
Wondering why no one likes your posts anymore, even among your friends? It's because @jay.bsky.team and team have decided to hide a huge amount of content from all of our feeds by default.
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
Here's how to turn it off.
First go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner
November 7, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Very useful thread.
Hadn't played Nioh 2 for a couple weeks, but got back into it this evening... damn, I had really missed it. I played well & had a great time! Even re-fought that fucking snake boss who gave me so much trouble a couple months ago and kicked his ass. Long games are exhausting, but Nioh 2 is worth it.
November 3, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Hadn't played Nioh 2 for a couple weeks, but got back into it this evening... damn, I had really missed it. I played well & had a great time! Even re-fought that fucking snake boss who gave me so much trouble a couple months ago and kicked his ass. Long games are exhausting, but Nioh 2 is worth it.
Y'all ever give yourself a hangnail so bad that part of the inside of your finger becomes outside...? 🤢
November 2, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Y'all ever give yourself a hangnail so bad that part of the inside of your finger becomes outside...? 🤢
Reposted by Barloq
I feel like I say this every year but I really need people to hear it. Halloween is the best American holiday. Just kids outside welcomed into their world, marching around together, showing off their costumes to the elderly, parents meeting parents, neighbors catching up with neighbors.
November 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I feel like I say this every year but I really need people to hear it. Halloween is the best American holiday. Just kids outside welcomed into their world, marching around together, showing off their costumes to the elderly, parents meeting parents, neighbors catching up with neighbors.
It is absolutely fucking insane that Final Fantasy X, a game which came out 24 years ago, looks better than every Pokémon game we've ever gotten and cost five times as much to make. Like... no wonder Pokémon games have looked like utter shite for years, TPC refuse to invest beyond the bare minimum.
October 30, 2025 at 4:04 PM
It is absolutely fucking insane that Final Fantasy X, a game which came out 24 years ago, looks better than every Pokémon game we've ever gotten and cost five times as much to make. Like... no wonder Pokémon games have looked like utter shite for years, TPC refuse to invest beyond the bare minimum.
So I thought I'd like Final Fantasy X, but I'm BLOWN away by how much I'm liking it so far! Very strong opening hours, I didn't want to stop playing (goddamn work/life schedule)!
a woman is standing in the water with a broom in her hand .
ALT: a woman is standing in the water with a broom in her hand .
media.tenor.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:21 AM
So I thought I'd like Final Fantasy X, but I'm BLOWN away by how much I'm liking it so far! Very strong opening hours, I didn't want to stop playing (goddamn work/life schedule)!
Getting very close to the end of FF7: have to finish the return trip to Midgar, get to Sephiroth, and then do the final battle.
However... this may be the last time I ever play this game due to how much of a time commitment it asks of you. Do we go the whole nine yards to tackle chocobo breeding /1
However... this may be the last time I ever play this game due to how much of a time commitment it asks of you. Do we go the whole nine yards to tackle chocobo breeding /1
a video game character is standing in a field and talking to a chocobo named wark
ALT: a video game character is standing in a field and talking to a chocobo named wark
media.tenor.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Getting very close to the end of FF7: have to finish the return trip to Midgar, get to Sephiroth, and then do the final battle.
However... this may be the last time I ever play this game due to how much of a time commitment it asks of you. Do we go the whole nine yards to tackle chocobo breeding /1
However... this may be the last time I ever play this game due to how much of a time commitment it asks of you. Do we go the whole nine yards to tackle chocobo breeding /1
Well goddamn, this is a great tribute.
Oh, I also did a tribute to my brother Itagaki for @theguardian.com. I didn't realize it was up. This is way shorter, but no less poignant, I think. I tried to do him justice. #Itagaki
‘A force of nature who took no prisoners’: a tribute to Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki
The driving force behind Team Ninja was a game development samurai who almost always won his battles
www.theguardian.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Well goddamn, this is a great tribute.
This looks promising! :)
October 17, 2025 at 1:24 AM
This looks promising! :)
Reposted by Barloq
Reposted by Barloq
It's been a few hours already and I'm still not entirely sure what to say...
He may have been a bit eccentric based on stories we've heard, but he was super passionate about his work and left behind one hell of a legacy.
RIP Itagaki. Thank you for giving us DOA & my favorite character of all time.
He may have been a bit eccentric based on stories we've heard, but he was super passionate about his work and left behind one hell of a legacy.
RIP Itagaki. Thank you for giving us DOA & my favorite character of all time.
Tomonobu Itagaki (creator of Ninja Gaiden 2004, Dead or Alive) has passed away according to his Facebook
October 16, 2025 at 7:39 PM
It's been a few hours already and I'm still not entirely sure what to say...
He may have been a bit eccentric based on stories we've heard, but he was super passionate about his work and left behind one hell of a legacy.
RIP Itagaki. Thank you for giving us DOA & my favorite character of all time.
He may have been a bit eccentric based on stories we've heard, but he was super passionate about his work and left behind one hell of a legacy.
RIP Itagaki. Thank you for giving us DOA & my favorite character of all time.