Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask (The Five Stages of Zelda-Game)

[Lord Raziere]

I don't see how, I'm pretty sure the Panda's talk with Lagoshi explicitly makes sure the sex and eating urges as two different things, and that evidence showed the urges interfering with one another, not working together.

[Rater202]

I don't see how, I'm pretty sure the Panda's talk with Lagoshi explicitly makes sure the sex and eating urges as two different things, and that evidence showed the urges interfering with one another, not working together.

That was making sure Lugohshi's feelings for Haru were leigmtate instead of base instinct. Feeding, yes, but also lust in general... Remember, the treatment involved handing Lugoshi an all rabbit nudie magazine.

And yes, the two urges made things more complicated... But the eating thing was still often framed sexually.

For example, Melon's whole thing is that he's super ****ed up in part becuase his mother frequently abused him sexually... And also openly expressed he desire to eat him while doing so. And literally named him after food.

[LaZodiac]

Was busy with far more important things, here is the VOD!

Zodi Streams: Rose of Winter [2] Uncle, Drifter

Video Length: 3:01:54

We finish up Rose of Winter, by tackling the last two prospective princes. Falkner, a fascinating individual, short in stature but large in personality. Crow, a mysterious drifter man, a full on scruffy hotty. All in all, pretty decent stories.

I say my final thoughts in the video proper, but in summary; the game is good! I feel like Kuya's path was the best both in pacing and writing quality, but the others were well executed and compelling as well. My only real "complaint" (really more of a joke) is that I'd have liked there to be a queer option.

[Rater202]

Yes, Kuya is the best-paced and best-written, followed shortly by Tirune.

...Of what I've seen, that is. I admit, everything after Kuya has trouble holding my attention. I imagine that I'd have lost interest entirely if you'd gone in order.

The pacing might be why it's taking me so long to follow these VoDs.

Regarding a Queer option? Heaven Will Be Mine, by the same company that made this(incidentally, a kinda-sorta sequel to We Know The Devil) is pretty much nothing but Queer options.

Giant Robot fights in space with technology that basically makes it impossible for warfare to have lasting consequences, meaning that colonies and corporations acting in space have turned Warfare into an excuse to get to know your opponent and debate them into your way of thinking... And all three of the possible protagonists are interested in each other sexually and are trying to convince defections as much so hey can be together long-term as for the goals of their respective factions.

Spoiler

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And the endings, determined by which of the three factions 'wins', results in the protagonist screwing over that faction, achieving it's ultimate goal in a way that benefits people in general instead of benefitting the faction at the expense of others.

And while romance isn't exactly a focus, We Know The Devil properly in every ending has at least two of the three protagonists "together" and since only one of the protagonists is a boy...

Spoiler

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Or rather, all three of them are girls, but Venus only hatches in the True Ending and the Ending where she gets excluded.

However, the endings but the True ending are bitter-sweet with the focus on the bitter so...

The True ending is unambiguously happy though.

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Pre-Written commentary

As an aside, my mother and stepfather were both late to their wedding. My stepfather also shared an anecdote about a relative that was late to his own funeral.

Falkner is not a leg man. Or perhaps he's just intimidated by a girl for whom every day is leg day.

Oh, no. Come on, Rose of Winter, you were doing so well and then you perpetuate the stereotype of wolves being monsters.

Okay, when Rosemary started crying my thoughts went straight to the old legends about what happens if mortals eat fairy food. The best-case scenario is that mortal food just won't satisfy you anymore. You've tasted nectar and sweet ambrosia and now even the finest steak and caviar turns to ash in your mouth while neither water nor wine can quench your thirst. Good that that wasn't it.

[Rater202]

Oh hey, virtual Zodi. Been a while since we saw that avatar.

...also wow, this is so obviously a Hideo Kojima title.

Stealth combat game, a seemingly straightforward plot just waiting to get a lo more convoluted, a gimmick involving manipulation of the physical peripherals, you're sent on a mission without actually being adequately prepared with the assumption that you'll just find the tools you need, and plenty of gratuitous movie and literature references up to and including the main character*

This is basically just refluffed Metal Gear. All that's missing is a strong, sympathetic female character who is somehow being exploited and dies tragically for reasons outside of her control or yours.

...am I talking about Sniper Wolf, Olga, Helena, The Boss, Eva, Naomi, the entire Beast and Beauty Brigaid, Eliza/Uslala, Paz, or Strangelove? honorable mention to Emma. And probably Quiet, who was never officially killed off but is implied to have willingly let herself die of exposure in the desert and even if she hadn't is infected with deadly parasites that just went active.

And the game is young so, plenty of time.

...zodi I beg to differ. I'm only 41 minutes in and I can see the common ground with Metal Gear. Also, I think you missed a chest in the first dungeon.

@Raz: Hideo Kojima made a game where you're a penguin running across the ice. He's done the rainbow when it comes to games.

Shotguns are always a valuable weapon in the hands of a monster-slayer. Even if it has super toughness or regeneration ver few things won't be at least momentarily stunned by a faceful of buckshot at point-blank. And if you've got something a bit heartier in the barrel or ti's a magic shotgun, all the better.

I find the L/R confusion thing to be fascinating. It's an example of how language shapes perception. since the Japanese language doesn't use R phonemes, someone who only speaks Japanese and only hears Japanese will actually hear L phonemes as mispronounced r phonemes, at last according to surveys.

Bringing this back to the Kojima discussion, this is why the patriots censor themselves to be called "La Li Lu Le Lo." Those are l phonemes in the traditional order that vowel sounds are recited in when teaching children, but because of this phenomenon to Japanese speaking ears, especially the older generations, it sounds like total gibberish.

...Granted, recent generations have put more emphasis on English in education. I've got a friend who lives in Tokyo who mentioned that English is a required education... On the other hand, he got bullied for being fully fluent in English before he was supposed to be as a kid and the school administration suggested he "forget it" until official lessons started.

He works as a translator now. Helped with the English localization of Elden Ring.

Too bad most video game shotguns only have a fraction the range of real ones.

Gotta be careful with that there darkness. Don't wanna be eaten by a Grue.

*There's a Spaghetti western from 1966 called Django and the so-named protagonist is characterized by his habit of dragging a coffin behind him. There were a lot of spin-offs, ripoffs, and imitators but only one official sequel. The orignal was a major influence on Quentin Tarintino.

[LaZodiac]

Right I should post the vod.

Zodi Streams: Boktai [1] Count, Woof, and Giant

Video Length: 3:54:03

Sorry for the late posting, was spending time with my girlfriend.

In this, we begin Boktai! One of my favorite game series of all time! We are the Solar Boy Django, a young gunslinger wielding the Gun del Sol, what is effectively a laser pistol powered by the sun itself. By our side is Master Otenko, a sunflower spirit who guides us, compliments us (which rules honestly more mentors should be just casually nice), and sets up our immortal killing solar array death laser system, the Pile Driver.

It kinda kicks ass. We hunt vampires... and other beings classified as Immortal, powered by Dark Matter. They have never truly lived, and cannot truly die, so we must eradicate them from existence here, in Istrakan, the City of the Dead. Called such because... any civilization that has died gets sucked up into it, in a locked pocket of time. It's basically the set up to a Dark Souls style game which is brilliant and now that I've realized it I want a Boktai style Dark Souls game. There's even a lot of sun based holy magic!

For this stream, we burn our way through three immortals; the unbelievably cool Count of Groundsoaking Blood, the life-rending Freezing Wolf Garmr, and the body crushing Flame Giant Muspel. As you can see, beyond just wild west aesthetic and vampire hunting, there's also just a lot of norse mythos getting thrown around. It's pretty sweet. There's... other things, but we'll get to them.

------

Responses to Rater: Yeah the writing does have that Kojima flare to it, but not AS complicated as Metal Gear. And Django's not the only reference we'll get to cowboy movies, as you'll see as you watch!

[Lord Raziere]

though Sabata is proof that the supermassive black hole of the galaxy has a will and its apparently "death to this planet in particular".

also, the sol bank kind of implies there is parallel universe Django's. meaning there is a bunch of Django's on the same undead-killing journey.

so its like, there is some weird cosmic plot in the background that this early jojo plot is apart of, and I'm more interested in that cosmic weirdness.

[Rater202]

Oh, hey, antagonistic evil twin who says weird confusing plot things. Check off another box on the Metal Gear similarity.

This might as well be Metal Gear Sunny: Undeadening

[LaZodiac]

though Sabata is proof that the supermassive black hole of the galaxy has a will and its apparently "death to this planet in particular".

also, the sol bank kind of implies there is parallel universe Django's. meaning there is a bunch of Django's on the same undead-killing journey.

so its like, there is some weird cosmic plot in the background that this early jojo plot is apart of, and I'm more interested in that cosmic weirdness.

We don't know if Sabata is telling the truth or not about this, I will note! Beyond the fact that he is the Darkness Boy.

Oh, hey, antagonistic evil twin who says weird confusing plot things. Check off another box on the Metal Gear similarity.

This might as well be Metal Gear Sunny: Undeadening

The only thing it's missing is mechs! And uncomfortable fanservice, but I can say with confidence only one of these two happen (and I will not be saying which to leave it a mystery)

[Rater202]

Calling it a night when there's still about an hour left in the Vod?

Yeah, that's a press X to doubt moment.

Also, there's a plane that looks harvestable and you not harvesting it gives me anxiety. It looked to be the same hight as the over-ripe plant, so... Hope I'm wrong and just don't know how the plants work.

Edit: Zodi... I am, allgedl, a genius. According to an IQ test I took when I was younger, my IQ is 185, which is 25 points higher than Dr. Hawking. It's probably actually not that high looking at my track record, but I am a pretty smart cookie regardless.

I had no idea how to solve that sliding block puzzle.

You are not dumb, sliding block puzzles are just kind of bull****.

[LaZodiac]

Calling it a night when there's still about an hour left in the Vod?

Yeah, that's a press X to doubt moment.

Also, there's a plane that looks harvestable and you not harvesting it gives me anxiety. It looked to be the same hight as the over-ripe plant, so... Hope I'm wrong and just don't know how the plants work.

Edit: Zodi... I am, allgedl, a genius. According to an IQ test I took when I was younger, my IQ is 185, which is 25 points higher than Dr. Hawking. It's probably actually not that high looking at my track record, but I am a pretty smart cookie regardless.

I had no idea how to solve that sliding block puzzle.

You are not dumb, sliding block puzzles are just kind of bull****.

I got peer pressured into doing a fire dungeon (jokingly).

That plant isn't done yet!

IQ tests only test a specific thing, and because the baseline of "what is 100" sshifts every year or so, the number is useless except for tracking specific types of intelligence. Block pushing puzzles, aka spatial awareness, is not the type of intelligence these tests study.

[Lord Raziere]

On Boktai stream 2:
Beatmania frame.......okay. thats a bit of a left turn.

you should've paid more attention to the directions Otenko said about the which direction is upper left and such. see? it worked.

also sunflowers are computers in this universe. Otenko is clearly a highly advanced AI, the latest in flowerputing.

all these circles make squares....all these circles makes squares.....all these circles makes squares....

pretty sure "cockatr-eye-ce" is right. its what I've heard other people say it.

wow, never thought I'd see the wise mentor encourage the hero to go on the offensive on a rival like this. usually its the mentor cautioning the hero from being too reckless.

oh no, Otenko got Obi-wan'd!

so like what, is Otenko just Django's voice-Piccolo now?

the four elemental powers have been gathered with this we form....captain Sun!

For Smash bros, I'd pick Shantae, one of the Living Jars from Elden Ring because it'd be funny, Aya from Crosscode, and Ammy from Okami.

....did that vampire just imply Django is a half-human hybrid of sun and moon?

okay, its a big eight....
red + blue equals purple,
yellow plus red equals orange,
yellow plus blue equals green,
and red plus blue plus yellow equals black.

assuming black is eight.....red, blue and yellow need to be numbers that add up to eight. what three numbers add up to eight? since it can't be all the same number I'm assuming, I therefore have to assume its some combination of 1, 3 and 4.

if 1 is red and blue is 3, that makes sense for purple being another four, as that covers the purple part.

if yellow is 4 and red is 1, that also makes sense as it adds up to 5 and thus explains the the top and bottom parts.

thus yellow and blue is 3 and 4, which makes 7, which due to the way digital stuff makes a seven goes like this:
_
| |
|

thus explaining the green parts.

solved, now I can move on with the video myself.

wait what, why is it NINE!? .....those game designer jerks they switched the number solutions around!

.......wait Django knew his mother? he's luckier than most fantasy protagonists!

Spoiler: the twist

Show

Hel is Django's aunt!? OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD......:P

that is not the wild west means, Sabata, your just being an edgy teen throwing around stupid nonsense terms.

I tried looking up the phrase "robots are for everyone" but it didn't get me any good results so I'm stumped as to what next stream is.

[LaZodiac]

You'll see Raziere. Also yeah VOD for Boktai whoops.

Zodi Streams: Boktai [2] Snake, Evil Space Mom

Video Length: 5:23:33

My only regret with streaming this as opposed to doing a full playthrough is that I won't get to remember to make a save slot just for fighting Sabata whenever I get the itch to have a wild west gun duel.

Anyway yeah, Boktai! Hope you all enjoyed this wonderful game. We shot our mom and or aunt in the face, we punched our brother, and we saved the world. Praise the sun and all that.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm just annoyed that I paused the stream, took the time to write up a perfectly logical solution to that entire puzzle that if my initial assumption was correct, would've solved it.....then it turns out Kojima switch the 9 and 8 around so that you'd have to figure out that the 9 from the previous puzzle is referring to the solution of this one.

aside from that its pretty interesting spin on the fighting undead thing.

[Rater202]

Haven't watched the stream yet since it was acting funky last night... And also I got cought up in writing... But yes, Raz. Having looked it up Djang is both moon child and solar child.

But my first thought when I fear the phrase "robots [are] for everyone" is Cubix.

...Was there a Cubix licensed game at some point?

[Qwertystop]

Haven't watched the stream yet since it was acting funky last night... And also I got cought up in writing... But yes, Raz. Having looked it up Djang is both moon child and solar child.

But my first thought when I fear the phrase "robots [are] for everyone" is Cubix.

...Was there a Cubix licensed game at some point?

There were several, in fact.

[Rater202]

Regarding the discussion of degrees kelvin: 0 K is -273.15 c or -459.67 f.

0 k is like, the platonic ideal of coldness. If a state of coldness lower than that exists, we don't know to begin to detect it.

Edit: n the topic of Smash... Honestly, with Sora getting into Smash ultimate I don't think I have any dream picks left. Maybe Razputin.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Regarding the discussion of degrees kelvin: 0 K is -273.15 c or -459.67 f.

0 k is like, the platonic ideal of coldness. If a state of coldness lower than that exists, we don't know to begin to detect it.

Edit: n the topic of Smash... Honestly, with Sora getting into Smash ultimate I don't think I have any dream picks left. Maybe Razputin.

0 K, or Absolute Zero, is undetectable because of how we detect things. A state of absolute zero has zero energy, zero movement, all the way down to the molecular level. We generally observe things by bouncing something off of them and observing the reflection. We see by how photons reflect off of physical objects and our eyes pick it up. However, if something is an an Absolute Zero state, then anything bouncing off of them, by definition, imparts at least some energy through Conservation of Momentum, which means the object is no longer at Absolute Zero. The particle used to observe the object itself imparts enough energy that the observed object is no longer at Absolute Zero.

Because of the laws of thermodynamics, we can't simply heat up the area around it either, to observe a void, because heat moves from highest state to lowest state and Absolute Zero is, by definition, the lowest state possible. Thus energy will move from the background to the object, meaning it will no longer be at Absolute Zero by the time we are capable of detecting the void it represents.

So yea, something at Absolute Zero is so cold, even the act of observation heats it up to some warmer state.

[Rater202]

It took me way too long to finish this.

1: Carmilla being purified sounds... A touch suggestive.

2: I used to be good at math. Then college happened.

3: Having looked it up, Django and Sabata are supposed to be an unspecified age between 13 and 16. Since this is a series, I imagine that they're at the lower end of the spectrum here and the higher end of the spectrum in their last appearance.

4: Hel's true form looks like Obelix the Tormentor.

[LaZodiac]

Robots for EVERYONE. Whether you like it or not...

Zodi Streams: Cubix Showdown [1] Mystery Robot Game

Video Length: 3:28:00

In this stream, we play the semi-remembered quasi-childhood game of Qwerty, one of my beautiful girlfriends. Beep boop! Game is surprisingly enjoyable, and has fantastic robot animations... just don't look too closely at the humans.

[Rater202]

Called it!

...No use of show theme song, minus -1000 points.

Gotta admit, my memories of Cubix are limited but I remember enjoying it and there are some very clear moments in my mind. Toward the end of the second season the main bad guy, Doctor K, has his plan for the season go horribly awry and he ended up having to team up with the heroes and they were hiding out in his secret layer, which appeared to be a zeppelin... And the girl says "great, just what me need, to be surrounded by hot hair" and he's like "if you're referring to the blimp then it's exactly what we need" and he fiddles with the controls and it turns into a giant robot and that's such a badass line.

...Okay, there is no possible way this could be the case, but the VA for the bad sounds exactly like Little Koriboh. I hear Marik. I hear Frieza. And, and I think that's the show actor so...

...I must find out if LK was a fan of Cubix.

Don't forget that the giant ice cream is a giant robot, Zodi. Because of course, it is.

...Damn it, now I want a doughnut.

...This game is weird.

...If the hippity-hop bot is a microwave then why does it have a cockpit?

[LaZodiac]

Hop2IX is meant to be a taxi and I've been spending all my waking hours just, processing "why is it radiation type then????" in the back of my brain. It's just jammed into the back of my head like a bitcoin mining rig.

[Lord Raziere]

Hop2IX is meant to be a taxi and I've been spending all my waking hours just, processing "why is it radiation type then????" in the back of my brain. It's just jammed into the back of my head like a bitcoin mining rig.

Zodi.

we've been over this.

to be a microwave.

while your riding your taxi.

what, don't you hail a taxi then pay your taxi driver to make something to eat in the taxi microwave while going to your destination?

[Rater202]

All I can think watching this is that Cubix runs on a combination of Solex and the power of love and friendship. These generic chorebots shouldn't stand a chance even with the Solex power-up.

Cubix's power is supposed to be beyond compare. Like, I distinctly remember it being a plot point that Cubix is just, objectively better than almost every other robot. Maximix had an existential crisis over it in one episode.

[LaZodiac]

Zodi.

we've been over this.

to be a microwave.

while your riding your taxi.

what, don't you hail a taxi then pay your taxi driver to make something to eat in the taxi microwave while going to your destination?

This sounds hideously dangerous given it's a bouncy spring robot.

All I can think watching this is that Cubix runs on a combination of Solex and the power of love and friendship. These generic chorebots shouldn't stand a chance even with the Solex power-up.

Cubix's power is supposed to be beyond compare. Like, I distinctly remember it being a plot point that Cubix is just, objectively better than almost every other robot. Maximix had an existential crisis over it in one episode.

Fascinating! I intend to watch some of the show again just to like, get a taste for it. Will look for that.

Also I finally got around to recording more Majora! Tomorrow!!

[Rater202]

This sounds hideously dangerous given it's a bouncy spring robot.



Fascinating! I intend to watch some of the show again just to like, get a taste for it. Will look for that.

Also I finally got around to recording more Majora! Tomorrow!!

Have your tissues ready for the episode with Klank. That's one of the few episodes I could remember clearly. As a child it left me with a bitter taste in my mouth but now that I'm older I get it.

[Lord Raziere]

This sounds hideously dangerous given it's a bouncy spring robot.

Of course not, robots are for everyone remember? if there are safety concerns, then there would be people that robot wouldn't be for, therefore it has to be safe to be for everyone. surely there is no downsides or danger to anyone to bouncy around in a taxi/microwave to get to your destination, the Solex overlords say it, so it must be true.

[LaZodiac]

How's about a new Zeldo today?

Zodi Plays: Majora's Mask [10] Lens Me A Hand

Video Length: 35:13

In this episode, we finally set off to prepare the second main area of the game! Snowhead, a mountainous region of ice and snow, inhabited by everyone's favorite rock themed oni giants, the Goron! Unfortunately this place is frozen over and getting worse... lets hope we can save it before everyone turns into a popsicle! And also dies! With the help of our every watchful owl friend we get a new tool that'll help us with hidden things, and with THAT we find a rather... unfortunate spirit.

One climb up a sheer cliff later, and we've got our second major mask; the Goron Mask! With this, we'll be able to turn into a lovable Goron warrior of unparalleled power! But we'll see just how strong he is next time; until then, take care!

[Lord Raziere]

Majora's Mask 10: Loop 4, Day 1
well, back to cursed time loop to retrieve some creepy guy's creepy mask.

haha, we are saved from the Tingle man, the curse of his presence is short with the abjuration of money!

I live somewhere nice and pleasant, so ice cold conditions like this place are rare for me, like maybe 2-3 days out of a year at most if it happens at all.

in a couple timelines, the owl watches Link fall to his death off invisible platforms and goes "......whelp, this went poorly very quickly. I think I'm not going to tell anyone about this."

Goron Link: Nintendo basically going "I see your Sonic rolling, Sony and raise you a goron with spikes that is one of Link's forms."

aaaaand they immediately mistake you for their dead hero. this would be incredibly awkward if Darmani had a girlfriend.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

In the original version, the goron city would not let you in as Hylian Link, you had to be Goron Link to get in, however he was indeed placed above the entrance.

Ice physics are perfectly balanced and fine and have no problems whatsoever. Said no one ever. This won't be the last time you have problem with ice physics.

I think the scar on the goron ghost's belly predates his departure. He said he was a veteran, so he's seen other combat before his demise, it makes sense that he would have scars from those battles.

Goron transformation, one of the most octane-boosted nightmare fuel images I have ever seen, easily on par with FNAF. Not only took a trip to Uncanny Valley, but dived all the way down to the bottom.

The butt-bump was waaay more badonkadonk, dat goron had way more junk in his trunk, and it was extremely... exaggerated for effect. Don't dis the badonka-donk bonk.

When transformed into Deku/Goron/Zora people will mistake you for the dead dude you turned into a mask. Kinda creepy if you ask me.

This hot water run coming up was extremely frustrating for me personally. The time limits are pretty harsh for some of the places you want to go, and heading all the way back up to the grave for more hot water felt punitively harsh.