I ran a brief game jam at the end of 2019 going into 2020 with the following theme:
I woke up this morning and I swore I had seen a text adventure game jam that had the theme “rococo” and “pink” but clearly I had dreamed it, so sometimes you got to make your own dreams happen, so behold: we have the #RosecocoJam
Some really great games came out of it, so I’d like to take a moment to feature all of the entries 🌸
1. the moon, the crow
blake stone / fenced forest submitted this physical game as a part of the #RosecocoJam and the #MoonJam (another very cool jam I wish I entered. The game, involving the moon and crows is very dreamy and beautiful. Even if you have not played a lot of physical games, I recommend you download it with a journal in hand and take down everything you discover.
play it here:
The creator also has a patreon, that you can take a look at here. They also have other games on their itchio page, many of which are paid with ample community copies. Be sure to check it out 🌸
I love art museums and this is a beautiful and sweet bitsy about walking through and seeing all of them. I loved talking to the npc’s and the ending is rather sweet.
Play it here:
The creator has a kofi and be sure to check out some of their other games 🌸
3. The Blush of Dawn on Roses
Jennifer Kathleen submitted this physical game and it is described as:
The Blush of Dawn on Roses is a two-player game about writing letters – love letters, to be specific. Illicit love letters, to be even more specific.
In this game, you will actually write love letters to each other, and in the process, you will be defining each other’s characters and the nature of your relationship.
This game is set during the height of the French Rococo period, when the world was awash with frivolous beauty – embrace that in your writing. “Flowery” prose is not to be frowned on here.
It is $2 and is also part of the Jen-uary bundle, though there are community copies as well.
I love the style of this game and all the characterizations that can be made. It definitely has a fun flair and I would definitely like to see Sofia Coppola direct a movie on this.
Play it here:
The creator has a patreon and you can also check out all of their great games, many of which are paid 🌸
4. Rose-Tinted Glasses
PureGem submitted this WIP game that looks lovely. It’s described as:
Follow Elise, a member of the royalty of France in her adventure to an impoverished village, as she sees the world through her rose-tinted glasses (WIP Game)
It’s still a work in progress but it has a great style and I love the color scheme of the game.
Play it here:
The creator has other games on their itchio that you can check out 🌸
Those were all the entries of the jam and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for entering!
When it comes to this blog, we say that we’re coming back a lot. But we’re back and we’ve dialed back on other activities that have been taking a lot of time. I’ve realized that I’ve been spending a lot of time working on other people, rather than working on my own art and that’s not okay, so I’ve dialed back on that. So, I’m here and I’m jumping back in to updating our weekend mix.
Games to Play- TTRPG Edition
While I was gone (for a whole year), I’ve stumbled into the world of TTRPG’s on itchio, a space that is doing very interesting things. It’s so vast, I don’t even think I can explain it to you, so I’ll just be posting links to games that are super cool and you should play them. Many of these games are priced, but I personally believe that these indie artists are doing great work and they should be paid. I hope you can support them. As a note, many of these games do have community copies, so make sure to scroll down the page if you cannot afford the game. Here’s some suggestions:
Stuff We’re Listening To:
We’re listening to podcasts about true crime and literature and lots of Mitski and sad stuff from high school, so here are some key suggestions:
Stuff We’re Watching:
Yes, we’re still watching South Park and it’s okay, but we won’t talk to you about South Park if you don’t want to, but here are our recommendations:
Parasite
It’s ridiculously beautiful and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m so glad I was able to avoid spoilers and see this movie completely fresh. When you’re done seeing it, read this– it broke me.
First Half of the last season of Bojack Horseman
The first half of the final season of Bojack is here and it’s wild that it’s ending. I started watching it just after postgrad when I was working at the movie theatre and it’s ending, and everything he did is coming to a head. The last moments of the first half messed me up. Please watch it.
That’s just a little to get you started this weekend! Don’t forget that Rick and Morty is coming back soon and we will be talking about it. Hope you have a great weekend heading into fall
As election day comes closer and closer, it’s not hard to think about colonialism and white supremacy, particularly how it still is affecting the world we live in. With that in mind, here are 3 recommended reads on the subject.
I felt an anger growing. I wanted my old Burma, not this “new Myanmar.” The old Burma was palm trees in moonlight and bougainvillea petals in black hair; Buddhist monks who promised spirituality and political reform as opposed to golden pagodas built to the God of ego; bicycle bells instead of traffic jams. But then I immediately felt embarrassed, ashamed. The old Burma was also summary executions and no free press, poverty and starvation, secret police and the promise of torture for an overheard gripe in a tea house. The new Myanmar wasn’t perfect; even in 2015, the groundwork was being laid for the present-day displacement and genocide of the Rohingya people. But to want an old Orientalist fantasy back—no matter how beautiful the real edges of that fantasy often were—was the height of selfishness. I was indulging in the traveler’s conceit: wanting a country to bend to my desires, rather than bending myself to fit its reality.
When I think about colonialism, it’s hard not to think about Myanmar, and how much I don’t know about it. This piece is another look at Myanmar, how it’s changed, and how much it’s the same.
But it’s one line in particular that I keep returning to:
“Proud to have it, ashamed of how he got it.” (I remembered this later as “Proud of where you are; ashamed of how you got there.”)
When Hela uttered these words about Odin’s rise to dominance, I froze in my seat. This sentence, spoken as she destroyed the veneer of Asgard and shattered its image of itself, was so much truth. This sentiment is at the core of American exceptionalism, this pride in being American without acknowledging the horrors committed to become this nation people are proud of.
Thor: Ragnarok has to be one of my favorite Marvel films period and I love this analysis of the film. It’s amazing what can happen when other voices are let in the room.
Unchallenged manipulation of language has allowed white supremacists like Duke to legitimize themselves on a national scale. Duke sees this strategic play at respectability — suits not hoods — as his ticket to the White House, the end game of the white nationalist agenda. Lee clearly establishes how analogous his linguistic and sartorial deception is to today’s political reality
BlackKkKlansman is definitely an interesting film. I love how this writer uses language to break down how white supremacy uses language.
Those are just a couple interesting essay’s I found! Of course, there’s no limit to what you can read about white supremacy and racism. Let us know if you have any favorite essays!
The Midterm Elections are coming up and if you’re based in North Carolina, like Plucky Media is, Early Voting has started. That means it’s time to hit the pavements canvassing or phone-lining, make time to vote, and get excited about it! The past 2 years have been less than delightful, but as a long-time lover of elections and political action, it could not be a more exciting time!
There’s a lot at stake, so here’s a quick guide to make sure you have everything you need and media to consume to get you pumped up!
1. Figure Out What You’re Voting For BEFORE You Get There
When it comes to going to the polls, it’s not as simple as remembering which political party you want to vote for. There are also often votes on nonpartisan officials, knowing more about the reps you’re voting for, and votes on local amendments and laws that you gotta know your stance on. That’s why it’s important to do your research before you get there.
Whenever I have political questions, Ballotpedia is probably the most helpful. It’s a great way to research candidates. You can also look up your ballot and get information on each of the choices.
But it’s your vote, use your best judgment! There are tons of resources out there!
Once you know what the plan is, go out and do it! I’ve never not Early Voted for any Election I’ve voted in (yes I’m a baby) and if it’s something that’s available to you, go do it now! In addition, if there are any crazy laws preventing your vote that you need to know about, figure out your situation ASAP (it sucks but racist voter id or even address laws are a reality). That way, on Election Day, you can just watch the news all day, filled with dread, without worrying about the polls closing on you.
2. Get Involved!
Brad Pitt from Burn After Reading knows how to get involved via Giphy
If you’re like me, you get phone calls every day asking you to come out and help with phones, canvassing, or whatever. Though, there are tons of ways to get involved! Hit the pavement, call some people, drive people to the polls, and there are even virtual opportunities as well.
With Crooked Media’s Vote Save America campaign, you can learn about your ballot and get involved. You can browse all the opportunities here.
3. Become Inspired
My favorite quote from Rick and Morty out of nowhere (sorry) via Rhetoric of a Fangirl
We are an entertainment blog, so what would we be if we didn’t offer you some TV shows, movies, and Podcasts to pump you up for the election? It’s not required, but a great way to have fun and get inspired:
Election– It’s Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, need we say more? It has all that student election drama plus some other stuff that we don’t know if it aged well or not, to fill you with all the intensity of Tracy Flick for getting to the polls.
Parks and Recreation– Leslie Knope is perfect and she’s perfect for filling you with hope of what passionate public servants could do to improve the future. It’s just sweet and I think we need that.
Veep– You know the opposite of what Parks and Recreation makes you feel? You’re snarky and dirty and you hate everyone but we’re all part of this machine together? That’s the itch that Veep scratches.
Keep It– Keep it, like Pod Save America, is under the Crooked Media umbrella. It’s one of my favorite podcasts that happens to cover everything that happens in the week. It’s not all politics but it’s a great injection of current events to keep you ready. Listen to it here.
Hamilton– Okay, I’m basic, we know this— but when’s the last time you listened to Hamilton? With the Mix-Tape also around, it’s the perfect time to listen to all the songs about politics and get re-invigorated.
Those are just a couple ways to get started! We hope to see you at the polls and that you’re as excited about the election as we are. Let’s do it!
Fall is here! Though, living in the South, it doesn’t always feel that way. It’s still hot and humid out most of the time and the leaves are trying their best to change, but it isn’t really happening. When your Pumpkin Spice Latte makes you feel sweaty and weird, it can be hard to get into the Autumn spirit. That’s why it can be a great reason to turn to video games to get that crunchy leaves, orange everything feeling you need. With that in mind, here are some free and paid games to help get you in the mood.
Paid Games
The best things in life aren’t always free. Sometimes, you can support developers and studios that made some really great games with Fall experiences. Here are some of my favorites:
1. All the Farming/Resource Management Games
I love playing farming/foraging/resource management games because they all have beautiful fall seasons. Since there are so many similar ones, for the same reasons, I’ve lumped them all together here:
Stardew Valley– By far, I think Fall is the most beautiful season in Stardew Valley. The color palette, the foraging, all of the fall festivals— it’s a beautiful way to wander around and just relax. You’ll just need to make sure to have a save file in the Fall season.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf– Because it takes place in real time, if you open up your Animal Crossing game right now, it’s gonna be fall. The trees are cute, you can talk to your friends about sweaters, and even run errands for the Pumpkin-headed Jack. It’s sweet and relaxing and just cute.
Harvest Moon: More Friends in Mineral Town– This is a nostalgic one because it is one of my first favorite games but Harvest Moon in the fall is delightful. Of course, ideally you would still have a GBA, but it can be played on emulators or Play Retro Games online (if you want- it’s a little less than ethical but I’ll keep your secret if you’ll keep mine). Because of the emulation thing, it’s kind of free but kind of not, so I’m gonna keep it in this category.
This one is a little bit in the Farming/Resource Management column but also, it’s so much a different experience than the above games. The seasons never change, you’re stuck in some sort of purgatory, and you’re managing the most unrealistic/unethical graveyard business ever. For that reason, it just feels kind of Halloween-y. There is so much to do in this game, it’s the perfect way to feel a little spooky and really grind to craft as many things as possible. There’s also the fun of selling burgers made of human flesh at Witch burnings. The season never changes, but it’s definitely a seasonal mood.
It’s hard to not keep coming back to this game. The whole game takes place in fall and it really captures the “I’m completely lost, don’t know what to do, and back in my hometown in Fall” feeling. There are leaves everywhere, the sky is always beautiful, and even in creepy moments it’s great to run around and f*ck sh*t up as Mae.
Free Games
Sometimes the best way to have a fall escape is to play a small, sweet game about fall. Some of these great games on Itchio and Mobile devices are perfect for doing just that.
This is a great pick from the Harvest Jam, which has a ton of fall-themed games. It’s just a perfect way to spend a cool fall night, as a dog talking to worms and running around.
NOTE: Make sure to head to the Harvest Jam page for more great picks! One of the reasons I had a harder time with this section is because there were so many great fall games in the Harvest Jam that I didn’t wanna overwhelm this section with!
For a spookier pick, play as a cat witch trying to catch all of the ghosts in a garden. It’s definitely a quick and easy way to have some Halloween fun.
Definitely more of a Halloween Vibe, but The Arcana is an interesting visual novel mobile game, where you as a Fortune Teller to get to know people and make choices in a magical world. It has a beautiful design and definitely a great way to kill some time and learn more about Tarot.
I don’t know about you, but I do get some serious fall vibes from Harry Potter. I always imagine Hogwarts as a sweater-y place, where the leaves are always orange, though I know that wasn’t the case. It’s a great way to escape and live out your Hogwarts fantasy.
Animal Crossing has already been mentioned once before, but there’s nothing like Autumn in that world. With Pocket Camp, it’s available whenever you want. I fell out of the game, but I have been into it once again, with the Fall season update. It’s a great time and a fun way to experience fall.
Those are just a couple fall gaming choices! Of course, the possibilities are endless. Let us know what your favorite games are in fall!
Hocus Pocus is charming, don’t get me wrong, but there is a whole world of witchy movies we can be watching this Halloween season. It doesn’t have to be all Hocus Pocus all the time. With that in mind, here are 3 witchy movies that you can add to your October Watch-List.
It’s a mood. The glamour of a fancy hotel setting, menacing women sculking around all wearing beautiful dresses, the body horror of the mouse transformation sequences— it’s a complete package. It’s like Stuart Little plus all your worst nightmares and your October fashion mood board combined. Watch it to re-live some 90s/2000s movie nostalgia and live your best life.
The Witch, is definitely more creepy than the campy children’s movie that is The Witches. With beautiful visuals and an accurate to the time period script, it’s definitely perfect when you want some real historical witch content. In addition, the ending makes all of the dread you feel the whole movie worth it.
Kiki’s Delivery Service is perfect and it’s not just because she has an adorable black cat and a giant bow (and not because I used to watch it every single night on VHS). She’s trying her best and no matter what the season, it’s important to remember to take care of yourself and not burn yourself out doing the thing you love. It’s perfect and sweet and just a wholesome witchy way to get into the season.
Extra Credit:
Those were just a couple of witchy movies, there is so much more witch content to watch and a lot of series with the same theme. Here are some other options:
The Love Witch- This 2016 movie was written, edited, directed, produced, and scored by Anna Biller, who I love following on Twitter for her content on the female gaze in film. It’s about a witch that uses her magic to make men fall in love with her but she ends up killing them with her love. It looks beautiful, it has a retro style, and it’s been on my list forever. I haven’t gotten a chance to see it yet, but check it out!
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina- This show is coming out on October 26th and is sure to be a dark and cool new manifestation of the franchise. It looks really cool and it’s just around the corner!
Macbeth- For me, watching a version of Macbeth is always peak witch content. My favorite stars Kate Fleetwood as Lady M, if you wanna check it out!
Those are just a couple suggestions to get you started after you watch Hocus Pocus for the gazillionth time. Let us know what your favorite witchy movies are!
It’s been a while. Us, the people running this site, got really swept up in:
Losing our jobs
Facilitating the most recent run of Women’s Theatre Festival
Getting new jobs
But we’re settled and we’re back and we’re ready to play cute games, watch a lot of TV, and cope with existential dread with all of you. With that in mind, I like to cope with existential dread with cartoons and cute tiny video games. To get started, here are 3 soft games to help.
1. Five Great Places to Get a Nice Cup of Tea When You Are Asleep
Cephalopodunk has to be one of my favorite bitsy creators and is maybe one of the most prolific. From games about being a cool archaeologist to those about a witch telling bedtime stories to her cats, to even coming up with dope fish names— they all slap. This game in particular plays to my favorite thing, ever since I ever saw Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender: fictional tea shops. There are 5 teashops you can explore, each one more interesting than the last. It’s great and it’s a perfect, relaxing escape.
2. Short Trip
I’m not sure what it is, but I’ve been really craving games about train-esque modes of transport. People enter them, people leave and you just keep going. In this one, you’re a cat in the country running a train for other cats. It’s just relaxing and beautiful. If you want to pair two train games, Rusty’s Rail is also a great train management sim, but without the fun of actually running the train.
3. Dreamer of Electric Sheep
When I think about MUD-style, text-input RPG’s, I usually think about a certain color palette. I think of a black backdrop with sharp reds and oranges.
Dreamer of Electric sheep uses generative text and a beautiful calm, purple-y color palette that is soothing even when dream entities start to attack you and shout at you to wake up. It’s definitely an interesting dream to partake in when you need an escape.
Bonus Round: Make a Game!
Of course, one thing I love to do when I’m in a particular existential dread-y mood is to make something! There are a lot of cool jams out there that you can do right now. Here are a couple that look like a great experience:
Harvest (Bitsy Jam)– The pumpkin spice lattes are here and we at Plucky Media HQ can’t wait for Summer to please go away (please). This is the perfect way to get your feet wet with bitsy by making a small game about “harvest” and whatever that encompasses.
itsy-bitsy jam- rain– It’s another bitsy jam but it also looks really cute! It’s about rain and with the remnants of Florence still floating around, it seems like a great idea to get your rain ideas flowing
Greek MytholoJam 2018– If there is a topic with lots of cool game ideas in it, it’s Greek Mythology. You can get your myth on and this is a nice long jam that you can really explore an engine with.
That’s it! We’re back and noodling around, so hopefully, you’ll see some more content from us soon. Let us know what games you like and whatever game jams you participate in!
🚨Spoilers for Westworld Season 2, Episode 2: “Reunion” Below🚨
Plucky Media is back with a look back of the most recent episode of Westworld. It’s not a summary but it has some observations. Am I right? Who knows! But here we are.
Throughout Westworld season one, one phrase you heard again and again was,
“These violent delights have violent ends.”
It just felt strange. I knew it was Shakespearian and while it seemed to fit the context, whenever Ford was cleaning up a newly bloodied and abused host, but when I looked it up, it didn’t really make sense.
The line, even though thematically you would think it would come from a grander play like Hamlet, or a gorier on like Titus Andronicus, actually comes from Romeo and Juliet,
“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
And in the taste confounds the appetite.
Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.”
In the play, they come from the friar, urging Romeo not to fall in love too deeply and not let it consume you quickly. And it did, obviously, and they died horrible deaths.
Upon viewing this episode of Westworld S2: “The Reunion”, the phrase seems less of a warning for the hosts than it is the guests of the park. Throughout the episode, we dip into both the memories of Dolores and The Man in Black/William, and see how the park pivots their business, not unlike the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal, as a way to harvest user data through the eyes of the hosts. While how they’re harvesting that data and what exactly they’re doing with it remains unclear (and seems like something that we’ll only fully learn at the end of the season), the way the hosts are acting in the park definitely takes on a more biblical tinge than I was expecting.
Everywhere you turn, hosts and humans alike are talking about “judgment”. Dolores can’t stop talking about ” The Great Beyond” or “The Pearly Gates”, or as mini-Ford says in the previous episode “the door” or “the way out”. She sees the door as a weapon. The Man in Black/William sees it as the center of an even deeper maze that he never found the center of in the first place.
It feels as if Westworld itself is positioning itself as an alternate Garden of Eden, but as it is, it only offers temptations. Every flower and fruit and creature in the garden is a snake, offering something you can’t get anywhere else with no consequence. It is a garden of Eden with a God that only restricts the snakes. When the restraints go away and the temptations are free to do what they wish with the guests of the park, we see the fallout.
The violent delights are making their violent ends. Some of these delights, like Dolores and her crew, are exacting revenge en masse, and even recycling some ridiculous lines from the “gods”. Some, like the inhabitants The Man in Black/William, found in Pariah, create their own end by killing themselves rather than help someone “win a game”. Some, just keep going and keep pouring drinks and fighting petty battles as if nothing has changed.
Back in another essay, I supposed that the phrase “These Violent Delights Have Violent Ends” was all about suffering and that it was all about achieving enlightenment through it. Now it seems, having memories of this suffering in a few key characters is doing something totally different than self-actualization. What it’s doing though, I don’t know yet.
But of course, we’re only in episode 2, so literally, anything could happen. Either way, it seems that Ford, a man spouting the words of a Shakespearian friar, forged a holy war as his final act. A war that seemed to end, by Hosts dumping themselves into the sea. Though there are more questions than answers, this looks like an interesting season of Westworld, perhaps of biblical proportions.
2017 has been a great year for games: from Breath of the Wild to Dream Daddy, Cuphead to Night in the Woods, Doki Doki Literature Club to Super Mario Odyssey— we’ve seen so many innovations and cool worlds. For me, 2017 has been the year I got into Itch.io and into so many indie and alt-games, particularly seeking out ones with queer characters and cute graphics. So, with the year coming to a close, I decided to look back at the creators and games I loved this year. So, with that in mind, here are 5 short and free games that you can ring in the end of 2017 with.
Where can I begin with Butterfly Soup? I agree with PC Gamer on this one, who said that,
“What makes it great is the character writing. You play multiple protagonists, and each time you switch you gain insights into the others. When I was athletic but shy Diya her internal monologue enriched every situation with jokes and memories, like recalling that the cool rebel Min ran away from home when she was younger, but only because she didn’t want to eat a tomato.”
It’s just a great, well-written game. Not only does it provide a voice to the queer, Asian, and teenage demographic, that I haven’t seen represented much before, but it’s just good writing. I love, in particular, the use of group messaging. As someone of mixed Asian heritage, it was great to see Asian characters not so much as a statement, but just varied teenagers living their lives. I love that they were funny and awkward and nervous, most of all real. I know there’s been some controversy over PC Gamer choosing this as their Visual Novel of the Year, especially with Doki Doki Literature Club, a great game in its own right, making such a mark. DDLC showed how you can really manipulate the Visual Novel form and was disturbing in a way I haven’t seen other visual novels done. But, Butterfly Soup, I believe had much better writing. While the programming was great for DDLC, it doesn’t take you 2 hours to get to the heart of Butterfly Soup. From the get-go, it’s a heartwarming and wonderful experience, with full characters. While the choices you don’t make don’t really matter, I loved just being in Brianna Lei’s world and living in each of these characters. Of course, you can read all about this when I covered it earlier this year, but it really is a story you should not miss.
This is another game I’ve already covered this year, but it’s just so cute. Playing as a mermaid trying to improve in a particular skill and getting closer to a variety of friends, it’s a short and sweet game with tons of endings. In addition, it features a POC protagonist, features romancing other female sea creatures, and as a semi-spoiler, there’s even a trans narrative.
I also just love the overall look of this game and Sofdelux games in general. If you love this game and want more, they also released Disaster Log C for this year’s Yuri Game Jam. If you want to check out individual creators, it’s composed of Nami and DarkChibiShadow, who also make very great games solo as well.
Loved Dream Daddy but wished there was a Dream Mommy? Ever wanted to do a story about a lesbian Private Investigator a la Sherlock Holmes? This game provides both of those things, in about an hour. Using beautiful environments and well written characters, you solve mysteries and romance 3 different inhabitants of the Peacock Express train. It’s fun, short, cute, and the artwork is amazing. In addition, as you beat each ending, the journal in the main menu provides tons of adorable achievements. It’s a short one and the team assembled only for the Game Jam it was created for, so we probably won’t see a sequel, but it’s a solid, fun game to try before someone inevitably makes a more full-length Dream Mommy.
If you’ve explored twine games at all, it’s hard not to run into Porpentine Charity Heartscape and her strange and beautiful games. Mask Magazine perhaps describes her work best, saying:
“Porpentine’s work is in conversation with troubling feelings and subjects players may not normally talk about. Her pieces regularly deal with trauma, harassment, abuse, and precarity – all of which Porpentine has described personally experiencing as a “trash” woman – but for all the real-life heaviness of their themes, they operate in something like an extra-linguistic realm. Instead of offering direct, accessible commentary on the state of the world, as much science fiction does, her work elaborates hyper-specific slivers of speculative ecosystems with singular rules and behaviors.”
Working with Rook, sound designer and creator of exploratory games like Fallow and Wire Wood Daughters, they have created the first episode of a captivating new adventure. Following various characters, including what seems to be one trans wolf, you go to work at a facility where you gather definitely radioactive trash. Exploring one character’s home, watching her masturbate, and pick through trash that contains her estrogen doses and “girl chunk”, which seems to be a mix between a drug and a lube. The game also has a sitcom like feel with beautiful pixel environments. Fusing Porpentines more text-based stories with Rook’s pixel-oriented character design and immersive sound design, the game is a beautiful and captivating experience. Including a trans character and the anxieties that exist coming with that along with being able to explore an interesting, almost cyber-punk world makes it worthwhile. There’s only one episode so far, but it’s sure to be quite a journey.
If you’ve played Mermaid Splash: Passion Festival (which the creator of this game helped create) or any other visual novel that involves scheduling your days with specific people, Tomai will feel very similar. Essentially, you play Tomai, who has 13 days before he starts working with his father in local government. You get the choice to spend that time romancing one of your friends or spending time with your father or “The Lady”, to get a head start on what your job entails. That being said, this game is more complicated than meets the eye. As a pro tip and slight spoiler: spending all your time with one person won’t *necessarily* get you a good ending. I haven’t played the game in its entirety, but I’ve gotten two pretty bad endings just trying to play visual novels the way I usually play them. What I love is that it includes the option to choose a PG-13 or an R-18 version of the game, as well as non-romanceable characters for non-romance related endings. The writing, art, and representation are great, and it’s just an overall good time. So in terms of inclusion, it checks a lot of my boxes: it has gay and poly representation, a POC main character, inclusion for ace people that don’t want to see sex in a game necessarily, and overall great gameplay.
Everything is Going to Be Okay! may not be a necessarily a game or queer and a lot of people will find it more disturbing than cute, but I find it one of the most important gaming experiences to come out this year. It deals with mental health, attempting to recover from trauma, and what it means to be an artist. Presented in a glitchy, Microsoft OS environment, you go through all of Nathalie Lawhead’s poems and beautiful moments and I find it was one of the most powerful things I’ve experienced this year.
And those are the picks!
I hope you have a Happy New Year and whether you spend New Year’s Eve playing alt and indie games or not, here’s to 2018! If you want to find more LGBTQIA+ inclusive games, don’t forget to check out Queerly Represent Me, which has the most maintained, ongoing catalog of inclusive games on all platforms. Cheers!
It’s Halloween, and if you already tackled your spooky plans this weekend, chances are you’re staying in and giving out candy, but your mood might be a little weird and for good reason. According to Sara Coughlin in Refinery 29,
“The moon will be in Pisces […] which will make us a little more prone to daydreams and flights of fancy. In the true spirit of Halloween, you might even wish to become someone else entirely.”
That being said, you’re probably feeling pretty magical, right now whether you’re going out in costumes tonight or not. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great idea to have tea tonight, which made me think of witches. So, I looked up some of the best witchy tea recipes I could find. Here are 3 of the best ones.
Caveat:If you have concerns or allergies, please talk to your doctor about these teas. I am NOT giving health advice. I tried my best to pick recipes with ingredients I recognize so I could in good faith recommend them. But, that being said, I am not an expert. I really just spent some time on google this afternoon for a Halloween themed post.
1. For Safe and Sweet Dreams
Here is a recipe via Sanctuary to help water types, in particular, have a good Halloween night. They also have great recommendations for rituals for other signs to do as well, but personally, this recipe sounds amazing:
Peppermint for protection
Lavender for peace
Mugwort for safe dreaming
Honey to sweeten your dreams
Mugwort is bitter; sweeten the tea with honey. Combine these herbs – if fresh, a handful of each. If dried, one tablespoon. Bring water to the bill and pour over the herbs, steeping for thirteen minutes. Strain into a cup and add a spoonful of honey. Stir counterclockwise and speak into the cup a sincere prayer for protection, asking that as you sleep this night you be kept safe from all harm. You may drink at your altar, in your bedroom, or in a safe and comfortable place. Focus on the herbs in the tea and thank them with all your heart for giving you their help and protection. Feel the gratitude and warmth in your heart.
“One of the most exciting parts of magic is experimenting with different magical elements and combining them into one strong and specific spell. A great entry-level way to practice this skill is by making spell tea! If you know the magical qualities of different elements, you can easily create your own unique tea blend that can be charged for very specific magical desires.”
According to her guide, you can use whatever tea you like as your base: green, black, rooibos, or anything you have, and then, add these accompanying ingredients to help focus it more on your sign or specific needs:
Lavender – Mercury (Virgo), Lavender is great for spell work related to finding peace of mind, cleansing, healing, dream fulfillment, and revealing the truth. Also, for what it’s worth, lavender has a strong traditional association to love magic.
Peppermint – Mercury (Gemini) This element provides clarity to possibilities that you’re exploring. It can help you find the answers to burning questions, like: which queer city should I move to? Which hobby fills me with the most wonder and curiosity? Adding peppermint to your spell tea may help you find the insight to organize the options in your life.
Cinnamon – Uranus (Aquarius) Sometimes you need the strength to revolutionize your life and discard old habits that aren’t needed anymore for your growth. In these moments, use cinnamon in spells for passion, independence, brilliance, creative projects, community building, or bringing issues to a quick resolution. Also, Uranus is associated with queerness, so throwing a dash of cinnamon in a queer relationship spell certainly couldn’t hurt.
Licorice Root – Venus (Libra) This element is associated with Venus, the planet that rules connections that we make with others – friendships, partners, family members, co-workers, even pets. Licorice root can be used to attract any sort of good, healthy, mutually beneficial kind of relationship into your life. It can also be used for mediating arguments or finding harmony in any existing relationships.
Forget-Me-Not – Neptune (Pisces) You can use this flower for any spells connected to fulfilling your dreams, opening your heart, accepting your emotions, finding inspiration in artistic projects, feeling connection to something beautiful, or finding beauty in solitude.
Amaranth – Saturn (Capricorn) In spell work, amaranth provides strength, stability, and protection. It can help you develop stronger self-control, commit to work projects, get the dream job, or help with anything else that builds positive structures to hold your life together.
Rose – Venus (Taurus) Rose can invite simple, beautiful moments of reflection into your life when it feels too chaotic. It can help you make room for simplicity in your life. Roses also can attract someone who has the ability to offer you good sensual, healing sex. It also brings out your strength as a partner, helping you be more affectionate and loving.
Orange Peel – Sun (Leo) Orange peel is great for spell work if you’re feeling lost lately, like you need to connect with an inner spark that allows you to be your best self. It can help you connect to joy and charm, and can also help you gain recognition for your accomplishments.
Ginger – Mars (Aries) The planet Mars rules our ability to defend ourselves, so it’s great to use in spell work for protection. It’s also what makes us feel energized, or feel really turned on, or take risks, or pursue our passions. Any of these focuses can be helped by using Ginger in spell work — especially sex magic!
Yerba Mate – Jupiter (Sagittarius) Yerba Mate is technically a tea base, but it can definitely be used magically! It is caffeinated, but the caffeination feels less jittery than coffee and more energized and focused. Yerba Mate magic can make us feel confident, generous, expansive, and lucky. It’s great to use if you want to connect with optimism and fun in your life — or even adventures involving travel!
Jasmine — Pluto (Scorpio) The planet Pluto deals with some of the scarier things in life, like intense transformation and healing through pain. If you have been profoundly injured, Jasmine could be used in spell work to help turn your wounds into wisdom. If you’re in need of a total self-transformation, this could also support that.
Chamomile – Moon (Cancer) This element helps us feel safe and at home and comfortable with our inner life. Chamomile is great to drink at home to recharge, or to find a queer chosen family, to receive the care that you need, or to learn how to care for yourself.
While you drink your desired combination, she advises thinking about your intentions to make the strength of these ingredients work.
3. Boost Productivi-Tea
As a theatre artist and a writer, boosting productivity and creativity is important to me. That’s why I love this recipe via HoneyCoyote, AND it actually contains ingredients you already have in your kitchen:
Productivi-Tea
a simple tea for aiding in being productive and creative with your work. or help with mental fatigue and to boost your mental capacity on a stressful day when you have tons of work to do.
Materials
3 parts Black Tea
1 part Rosemary
1 part Basil
1 part Peppermint
Place all herbs in a tea ball,
put in your favorite mug, and add boiling water.
Steep this brew for about 10 minutes.
Remove tea ball and sweeten to taste
Have Other Witchy Tea Ideas?
Let us know! While I love witch and astrological culture, I really don’t know a lot about it other than the witch books when I was at my Harry Potter fangirl PEAK (12-year-old Katy was on a roleplaying Quidditch team). We’d love to hear more about it. Let us know your recipes in the comments or shares!
