Celestio
@celestiox.bsky.social
Reposted by Celestio
"The core problem of the beat-'em-up genre in 2025 is content. ... You were expected to replay them over and over, mastering their nuances over time.
In the modern era, that can feel like a half-formed hook. Mastery is fun, but we expect more structure—progression and variation."
In the modern era, that can feel like a half-formed hook. Mastery is fun, but we expect more structure—progression and variation."
December 30, 2025 at 8:12 AM
"The core problem of the beat-'em-up genre in 2025 is content. ... You were expected to replay them over and over, mastering their nuances over time.
In the modern era, that can feel like a half-formed hook. Mastery is fun, but we expect more structure—progression and variation."
In the modern era, that can feel like a half-formed hook. Mastery is fun, but we expect more structure—progression and variation."
Reposted by Celestio
been having a lot of fun playing video games on my break (and, for better or worse, not writing about them!), and I wanted to quickly drop thoughts on the many games I played this year that I didn't finish but still had thoughts about. I've got 36 games: 18 today, and 18 later this week. link below!
December 30, 2025 at 8:05 AM
been having a lot of fun playing video games on my break (and, for better or worse, not writing about them!), and I wanted to quickly drop thoughts on the many games I played this year that I didn't finish but still had thoughts about. I've got 36 games: 18 today, and 18 later this week. link below!
Reposted by Celestio
I made a compilation of these to involuntarily raise the Insight level of whoever gazes upon it
December 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I made a compilation of these to involuntarily raise the Insight level of whoever gazes upon it
Reposted by Celestio
December 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Celestio
Reposted by Celestio
Marks new NG2 vid is a perfect example of what I mean since he focuses on using terrain
youtu.be/7frML8CZLpY?...
Modern CAG devs and players think that this terrain stuff is bad & gets in the way of combat, so they turn everything into an arena or encourage YOU to do it by never using terrain
youtu.be/7frML8CZLpY?...
Modern CAG devs and players think that this terrain stuff is bad & gets in the way of combat, so they turn everything into an arena or encourage YOU to do it by never using terrain
December 13, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Marks new NG2 vid is a perfect example of what I mean since he focuses on using terrain
youtu.be/7frML8CZLpY?...
Modern CAG devs and players think that this terrain stuff is bad & gets in the way of combat, so they turn everything into an arena or encourage YOU to do it by never using terrain
youtu.be/7frML8CZLpY?...
Modern CAG devs and players think that this terrain stuff is bad & gets in the way of combat, so they turn everything into an arena or encourage YOU to do it by never using terrain
Reposted by Celestio
not to be glib but a lot of discussions about AI will be solved very quick if you just become communist
December 17, 2025 at 3:15 PM
not to be glib but a lot of discussions about AI will be solved very quick if you just become communist
Reposted by Celestio
lumines arise is one of the best games I've played all year; it's rare we get legacy sequels that legitimately move the original engine forward. despite being lukewarm on tetris effect, the way arise leverages both the unique audiovisual concept and the meter mechanics really shines. link below!
December 17, 2025 at 6:52 AM
lumines arise is one of the best games I've played all year; it's rare we get legacy sequels that legitimately move the original engine forward. despite being lukewarm on tetris effect, the way arise leverages both the unique audiovisual concept and the meter mechanics really shines. link below!
Reposted by Celestio
next year I want to play fewer videogames, not spend less time playing games but play a smaller number of games more deeply, I've been playing a zillion games a year for too long now
December 17, 2025 at 3:54 AM
next year I want to play fewer videogames, not spend less time playing games but play a smaller number of games more deeply, I've been playing a zillion games a year for too long now
Reposted by Celestio
Against Immersion: The Holodeck Must Burn
This is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. For a long time I have been opposed to the idea of immersion in video games, to the idea that people become "immersed" in fictional worlds. I believe there…
This is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. For a long time I have been opposed to the idea of immersion in video games, to the idea that people become "immersed" in fictional worlds. I believe there…
Against Immersion: The Holodeck Must Burn
This is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. For a long time I have been opposed to the idea of immersion in video games, to the idea that people become "immersed" in fictional worlds. I believe there is no specific mental state that can be referred to as being "immersed" in a video game or work of media.
critpoints.net
December 15, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Against Immersion: The Holodeck Must Burn
This is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. For a long time I have been opposed to the idea of immersion in video games, to the idea that people become "immersed" in fictional worlds. I believe there…
This is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. For a long time I have been opposed to the idea of immersion in video games, to the idea that people become "immersed" in fictional worlds. I believe there…
Reposted by Celestio
This is every video game now
December 12, 2025 at 4:27 AM
This is every video game now
finally got a job back in July, I’m already being laid off in January for cost cutting measures lmao
December 13, 2025 at 5:16 PM
finally got a job back in July, I’m already being laid off in January for cost cutting measures lmao
Reposted by Celestio
Sorry your pet is catslop. You only like her because she's small and very cute with big eyes and soft fur and delightful sounds and behaviors
December 12, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Sorry your pet is catslop. You only like her because she's small and very cute with big eyes and soft fur and delightful sounds and behaviors
Reposted by Celestio
I'll keep saying this over & over - nobody got into shmups to play novice modes. They got into them because they saw Hibachi, Larsa, an Ikaruga double play or something like that. Devs gotta be confident & have a punk attitude & spend less time thinking about novices
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
Some modern STGs are conscious of possibly being anyone's first arcade scrolling shooter, and bend themselves into knots trying to be an entire genre tutorial before being their own identifiable game.
As ever, make the games/music/videos/writing you'd want to enjoy, and others will enjoy it too.
As ever, make the games/music/videos/writing you'd want to enjoy, and others will enjoy it too.
liking game genres that spawned from the arcades condemns you to forever suffer cuz no one outside of the bubble gets it and every developer wants to the appeal to the guy who doesn't get it
November 27, 2025 at 10:55 PM
I'll keep saying this over & over - nobody got into shmups to play novice modes. They got into them because they saw Hibachi, Larsa, an Ikaruga double play or something like that. Devs gotta be confident & have a punk attitude & spend less time thinking about novices
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
Reposted by Celestio
I first played RE4 in 2023 and instantly fell in love with Leon's character. But apparently, when the OG came out, some fans blamed the EN translation for changing his character. In this month's blog, I set out to uncover if this was truly the case.
annacairistiona.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/d...
annacairistiona.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/d...
Did Resident Evil 4’s English Translation Really Butcher Leon’s Character?
A huge part of the original Resident Evil 4’s charm lies in its dialogue. Its script is chock-full of corny one-liners and cheesy comebacks, courtesy of its wisecracking protagonist, Leon S. Kenned…
annacairistiona.wordpress.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:37 PM
I first played RE4 in 2023 and instantly fell in love with Leon's character. But apparently, when the OG came out, some fans blamed the EN translation for changing his character. In this month's blog, I set out to uncover if this was truly the case.
annacairistiona.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/d...
annacairistiona.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/d...
Reposted by Celestio
refering to ursula k. le guin's thoughts on tech for a videogame mechanics discussion
walls are a mechanic, turning is a mechanic, hitstun is a mechanic, jumping is a mechanic, physics are a mechanic, a ton of load-bearing mechanics aren't really that flashy and they don't need to be
walls are a mechanic, turning is a mechanic, hitstun is a mechanic, jumping is a mechanic, physics are a mechanic, a ton of load-bearing mechanics aren't really that flashy and they don't need to be
December 9, 2025 at 10:49 PM
refering to ursula k. le guin's thoughts on tech for a videogame mechanics discussion
walls are a mechanic, turning is a mechanic, hitstun is a mechanic, jumping is a mechanic, physics are a mechanic, a ton of load-bearing mechanics aren't really that flashy and they don't need to be
walls are a mechanic, turning is a mechanic, hitstun is a mechanic, jumping is a mechanic, physics are a mechanic, a ton of load-bearing mechanics aren't really that flashy and they don't need to be
Reposted by Celestio
I'm reminded of MH Wilds doubling down on making the first 20+ hours an implicit tutorial for newcomers even though Worlds and Rise sold so much and guaranteed Wilds would have an install base of at least seven million experienced players. Not every game can be an entrypoint in a series/genre!
I'll keep saying this over & over - nobody got into shmups to play novice modes. They got into them because they saw Hibachi, Larsa, an Ikaruga double play or something like that. Devs gotta be confident & have a punk attitude & spend less time thinking about novices
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
bsky.app/profile/elmo...
Some modern STGs are conscious of possibly being anyone's first arcade scrolling shooter, and bend themselves into knots trying to be an entire genre tutorial before being their own identifiable game.
As ever, make the games/music/videos/writing you'd want to enjoy, and others will enjoy it too.
As ever, make the games/music/videos/writing you'd want to enjoy, and others will enjoy it too.
November 28, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I'm reminded of MH Wilds doubling down on making the first 20+ hours an implicit tutorial for newcomers even though Worlds and Rise sold so much and guaranteed Wilds would have an install base of at least seven million experienced players. Not every game can be an entrypoint in a series/genre!
Reposted by Celestio
finally got my big post out on rhythm game critique thanks to @lunaendlesswitch.bsky.social's request! in this, I cover four main ways that I analyze rhythm games, with guiding questions for each that you can use in your own reviews, plus plenty of examples. link below!
November 15, 2025 at 9:49 AM
finally got my big post out on rhythm game critique thanks to @lunaendlesswitch.bsky.social's request! in this, I cover four main ways that I analyze rhythm games, with guiding questions for each that you can use in your own reviews, plus plenty of examples. link below!
Reposted by Celestio
More writing/vids/etc. on game design should be treated as a piece of a convo rather than being seen as the final word or being seen as worthless & wrong. Feels like ppl only respond to stuff when it makes them mad, and no ideas get built on
October 6, 2025 at 10:54 PM
More writing/vids/etc. on game design should be treated as a piece of a convo rather than being seen as the final word or being seen as worthless & wrong. Feels like ppl only respond to stuff when it makes them mad, and no ideas get built on
Reposted by Celestio
i will say: i genuinely don't know how to get people to broadly care about games that push the boundaries of the medium in interesting or compelling ways and aren't already big sellers, especially in an age where it just feels like everyone wants to retreat into their bubbles.
October 1, 2025 at 11:34 PM
i will say: i genuinely don't know how to get people to broadly care about games that push the boundaries of the medium in interesting or compelling ways and aren't already big sellers, especially in an age where it just feels like everyone wants to retreat into their bubbles.
I mistype or misspell one more tweet, text, reply, etc, just put me down man
October 1, 2025 at 3:34 AM
I mistype or misspell one more tweet, text, reply, etc, just put me down man
Reposted by Celestio
Boosting Enemy Stats is not “Artificial Difficulty”
Hollow Knight: Silksong has revived an annoying line of discourse about "Artificial Difficulty". Artificial Difficulty is ostensibly things that make a game appear more difficult, without actually engaging player skill. However in practice, most…
Hollow Knight: Silksong has revived an annoying line of discourse about "Artificial Difficulty". Artificial Difficulty is ostensibly things that make a game appear more difficult, without actually engaging player skill. However in practice, most…
Boosting Enemy Stats is not “Artificial Difficulty”
Hollow Knight: Silksong has revived an annoying line of discourse about "Artificial Difficulty". Artificial Difficulty is ostensibly things that make a game appear more difficult, without actually engaging player skill. However in practice, most people claiming that a game has "Artificial Difficulty" are just complaining that the game is too hard for them, and this isn't their fault, but the game's fault.
critpoints.net
September 16, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Boosting Enemy Stats is not “Artificial Difficulty”
Hollow Knight: Silksong has revived an annoying line of discourse about "Artificial Difficulty". Artificial Difficulty is ostensibly things that make a game appear more difficult, without actually engaging player skill. However in practice, most…
Hollow Knight: Silksong has revived an annoying line of discourse about "Artificial Difficulty". Artificial Difficulty is ostensibly things that make a game appear more difficult, without actually engaging player skill. However in practice, most…
Reposted by Celestio
September 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE 🥳🍾
more grateful to be here this year than any other but I honestly felt my stomach drop saying “I’m 26” it’s sickening lmao
more grateful to be here this year than any other but I honestly felt my stomach drop saying “I’m 26” it’s sickening lmao
September 23, 2025 at 4:48 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE 🥳🍾
more grateful to be here this year than any other but I honestly felt my stomach drop saying “I’m 26” it’s sickening lmao
more grateful to be here this year than any other but I honestly felt my stomach drop saying “I’m 26” it’s sickening lmao
Reposted by Celestio
Wrote a post about Silksong's enemies, how they follow in the footsteps of beat 'em up enemies (probably incidentally, idk) and why that's a good thing
www.patreon.com/posts/139192...
www.patreon.com/posts/139192...
September 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Wrote a post about Silksong's enemies, how they follow in the footsteps of beat 'em up enemies (probably incidentally, idk) and why that's a good thing
www.patreon.com/posts/139192...
www.patreon.com/posts/139192...