That’s awesome, well done! Any idea if it’s worth it to take the passwords you’ve earned over to Oracle of Seasons in order to unlock the alternate plot points, expanded story and extended ending? I always liked the idea of the two games interacting to create a third unique experience, but never knew anyone who actually used the interactive features.

I’m pretty sure Neil Gaiman enjoys milk and cookies, he even wrote the story Fortunately, The Milk where a kid goes back in time to get the ever-important milk that his father forgot to pick up.

As far as the basic concept goes, they are very similar though there are significant differences in the details that are mostly a blur in my memories except that the actress for Seven of Nine is significantly more attractive than Douglock.

I know of the Genesis game but never played it (though I do own the newer titles in the series), but did some digging to see what I could find to answer your questions:

Am I imagining this games difficulty? I feel like I am making little progress and I’m always getting ganged up on. / Does this game require a lot of grinding or repeating tasks before moving on?

Everything I’m finding is saying yes to both, with the grinding resulting in the increased money, stats, contacts, equipment and practicing/refining your own strategy for completing runs. Luckily, there are multiple strategies for “quick” grinding, and certain equipment and stats that really help whether it be just straight up powerful stuff or specifically helps to deal with pesky foes like ghouls. Because there are different sections to the grinding with different strategies to doing it efficiently, I’ll leave the specifics out since they get a little spoiler-y in case you want to figure it out on your own. But, do let me know if you’d like me to reply with specific strategies that may be seen as too much of a walkthrough or too spoilery for some (they don’t seem like gigantic story spoilers or anything so if the grinding gets too tedious and you stop having fun, they might be worth knowing about).

Should I be killing these innocents I see on the street? I try to get shadow runs but they seemingly always involve killing ghouls, which bend me over and spank my samurai butt. I’ve put my morals on hold and have been tediously murdering the population for the little nuyen and items they have.

Luckily the Karma explanation section on the Shadowrun strategywiki actually explains this pretty well. I went through it and it looks like a straight up explanation without story spoilers so I feel comfortable just linking it here for you: https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Shadowrun_(Sega_Genesis)/Karma#Karma

-is the samurai class the all-rounder character or should I just restart as a shaman or netrunner?

I found a really good explanation on the Shadowrun wiki: https://shadowrun.fandom.com/wiki/Shadowrun_(Sega)/Archetype. Thankfully this also gives a much needed explanation of the differences between classes without spoilers. It seems like this info is very important to know upfront depending on what your playstyle is like.

As far as the game itself, I did not play the genesis version but definitely looked into it after I got the Shadowrun trilogy that GOG games gave out for free a few years back. From what I found, the Sega Genesis version is superior to the SNES version in a few ways but a lot of people enjoyed both. I really like the style and concepts presented in the series and the newer Shadowrun trilogy seems to have taken all of that and improved on it, with each game getting better and better at giving the experience intended. I’d say it’s worth taking a look at if you enjoy the Genesis game, or if you really like the elements of the Genesis game but aren’t enjoying it so much, the newer series might be what you’re looking for.

Edit: Spelling, grammar and formatting.

Edit 2: Also, here is a link to a PDF of the original game manual for the Sega Genesis version, which helps navigate the UI and buttons, etc., just in case you need it since manuals were kind of a big deal back in the day!

Also all eight of Captain James Holden’s parents!

Definitely, in the show when we start meeting characters from their home city and really start to hear details about how they grew up it was such an eye opener. As soon as I heard there was a novella I smashed through it for the moment-to-moment details and really felt like I understood a lot about the character, by the end thinking “you know, all things considered, this character is actually far more well-adjusted than I gave them credit for initially” which, given the character, is saying something.

I squeezed in the first chapter of Leech earlier today and it’s very much the kind of “different” that I’ve been looking for! Getting these insights into how a character with a consciousness across multiple bodies thinks and feels is fascinating. Also, the description of the autopsy very much reminds me of watching Castlevania where I’m impressed and intrigued while also knowing there is no way I could read this book and eat food at the same time haha.

Hmm you might have also convinced me to check out The Host after this. I’d adamantly stayed away from it because I got sent the first book from the big series she’s known for in a care package and read it since the girl I was dating at the time really liked it, and it was one of the most miserable reading experiences of my life. Nothing against the swathes of people that loved her big blockbuster series, and I’m not saying reading them makes people dumber, but for me I found it harder and harder to think the further I got in and that terrified me. But, even the author herself said she wants to be remembered for The Host but knows people will only remember her big hit series instead. If it really is enough of a step up for her and others to say that, and it serves as a comparison to the kind of narrator perspective in Leech, I might just have to give her another shot.

I think that’s definitely one of the reasons Leech sounds so intriguing to me, I kind of just want to see how the unified consciousness is written as the main (instead of a side character) and as a parasite instead of a collective, especially in such an unusual mystery plot – it’s so different that I figure I gotta satiate that curiosity. After carefully checking out some non-spoiler reviews, I’m gonna go for that one first since I feel like I might need something light and fun like Starter Villain to recover afterward.

And I am with you on The Expanse books and 100% think it’s because we watched the show first – especially since that show brought the actual authors of the books into the writers room for the entire series (for anyone stumbling across this that are confused, the author “James S.A. Corey” is actually a pseudonym for the two people that wrote the books, Ty Corey Franck and Daniel Abraham). With the actual creators, plus an incredible showrunner that really helped them navigate how to keep the heart and stability of their story world while making some necessary changes for the medium, translated extremely well to screen.

But that also means we’ve essentially gone through the three main things that makes The Expanse so compelling already (at least to me):

1. First, the careful balance between “science” and “fiction” that considers so many details. It makes it realistic and believable while also understanding it’s an epic fictional story. Stuff like the muscle difference of people depending on how much gravitational force they grew up with is fascinating, with Belters having lived their lives in low gravity stations and Martian military training extra hard in order to withstand the same level of gravity that Earthers are naturally conditioned to. Normally that would be extremely fascinating to read, but because the show did such a fantastic job at explaining it, it was more of a nod and an appreciation for the elaboration on the effects of it.

2. Then, the characters. Even with the differences, it’s easy to see why so many people that read the books before the show ended up embracing the cast in its entirety after being initially put off. While Amos and Bobbie look a little more beastly in the books, most anyone that was initially put off admitted that the actor for Amos ended up being so true to that guy that him being too pretty for the part quickly faded from their minds. Same thing with Bobbie, as realistically the fact that casting found an actress with the height, ethnicity, muscle and real-world competitive fight experience to come close to the Bobbie character in the book is a miracle in itself (and my bias for having a massive crush on Frankie Adams as well as every actress in the show). For that reason, for the most part, instead of being fascinated by Amos’ adjusting and growing, Bobbie’s Martian education and patriotism and her exposure to the reality of the universe, and just wanting more Avasarala dialogue, it’s kind of just reminding you why they are such fascinating characters instead of pulling you in to understand them – after the show, in a lot of ways, we already were captivated at unraveling these people and already have done so.

3. Finally, the most compelling thing for me was the need to know WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! There are political stakes, thriller sequences, tough decisions, all done with the grace that causes someone to say “I can’t stop now, just one more episode” or “just one more chapter” and keep going. Because of the show, we, for the most part, already know what’s going to happen.

I found the books to be very well written, but with these three main draws already having played out in the show, they didn’t give me that addictive rush I usually get from a good book that turns me into a page-flipping fiend that just can’t put the damn thing down. That said, the elaboration is fantastic. I was confused by the guns on the space station in the show initially since they don’t explain there is different ammo until either near the end of the first season or even later. When the books clarified, in satisfying detail, the plastic gyro rounds used on space stations that are designed to puncture human flesh but not pierce the walls of a space station, and that normal bullets are still used in other environments, was great. All this stuff about reducing gun recoil for use in space, etc., all were a treat to read. Even when not perfect, the added details on top of the thought they put into trying to convey some realistic use of the laws of physics, etc., elevates the believability of the books to a new level. Other than that, it is a lot of just “spot the difference” for us that have seen the show. It’s interesting to say “oh okay so this is different from the show but I see how they’re going to get there still” or “ah so they must have realized these events weren’t enough to justify adding another character on the show with limited screentime, so they just rolled that character’s actions into Camina Drummer’s character, which worked well.” Extra tech, characters, bigger differences, etc., are all nice to bring you in closer to this story universe I love so much, but at the end of the day the need-to-know stuff is mostly already in our memories.

I also think that’s why, like you, I really enjoyed the novellas. They added so much extra to a story universe that I didn’t want to leave yet. The Churn was actually the first thing I read because the reveal of [redacted]'s upbringing was so eye opening that finding out there was a novella further explaining just what made this person who they are today felt like a must-read addition to such an interesting character.

I have never heard of Leech (Ennes) or Starter Villain (Scalzi) but both sound intriguing in completely different ways. It’s been a while but you might just have gotten me to start reading something longer form again.

Also, massive props for not just including some of the main books in the series starting with Leviathan Wakes but for also including Gods of Risk and The Churn on here. The Expanse is so compelling that those novellas really add an extra something special!

Glutenous Maximus over here loving that Pig gluteus maximus.

I just looked into it, kind of surprised I didn’t know Kilian Eng’s name with so much work out there. Really cool stuff that also sent me down a rabbit hole of other stuff Floating World Comics has republished.

Great suggestions here already, I’ll throw a few more on top:

• Omori (similar and often compared to Earthbound but the silly fun stuff gets darker and more serious as the story goes on)
• Super Mario RPG (another Squaresoft JRPG from the era of Chrono Trigger and FFVI, very fun and satisfying turn-based combat mechanics, quirky to the max, Squaresoft really had a blast creating a Mario style world. The remaster just released for the Switch, but if you don’t have one then you can easily get a digital port of the original SNES version)

They’re definitely talking about the Mannequin movies though only the first one came out in the 80s, with Mannequin 2: On the Move being released in 1991 (though I think it was actually more 80s than the one that released in the 80s, if that makes sense). I think the sequel is the one with the hot air balloon sequence at the end, though maybe they both had hot air balloons?

The podcast How Did This Get Made did an episode about it.

Its light-up abdomen and fleshy structure is where it gets its name: “Fleshlight”.

If you haven’t seen the AceVane video where Superman gets high, it is absolutely hilarious.

I was able to find that this is part of the 2020 Spider-Man and Venom: Double Trouble series but couldn’t find anything about a Doreen Green appearance happening in it. Does anyone know if The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl shows up to help during this plot line?

For me I currently have state healthcare in the U.S. Under my plan, I can only see a specialist when referred to one by my primary health care physician. I made an appointment with them, gave them my story and asked to be referred to an allergist. They issued the referral (takes about two weeks to show up in system) and I called into the allergy office a couple times until they confirmed they received my referral and could then schedule an appointment that my insurance would cover.

My allergist went over questions first (e.g. what brought you in today, do you seem to have more symptoms during different seasons, do you have constant runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, etc.). The second part is the prick test. I lied on my stomach and the nurse marked different spots on my back and numbered each spot. Then they have a bunch of little needles, each one with a small amount of a different potential allergen. They then prick one in each spot and measure the size of the bump that happens to determine how allergic I was to each allergen, if at all. This test also took place in two parts: the first time was for food allergens (dairy, crustaceans, mollusks, etc.) and the second time was for seasonal/household allergens (pollen, ragweed, mugwort, dog hair, etc.).

It’s definitely worth getting tested since a lot of the symptoms and discomfort can be treated, as well as the benefit of having the knowledge of what to generally avoid if possible so that substitutions can be made. The shots are for the seasonal/household type allergens, but since there is some crossover (for example, celery is a food allergy, but the reason it can produce a reaction is because the body can mistake it for mugwort, which is a treatable seasonal allergy), and in my case is thought to help my body be more at ease instead of constantly being agitated by the allergens, which could reduce overall discomfort and sensitivity when eating spicy foods eventually.

They’ll go over treatment options and if the shots are recommended based on your results and discussion. It’s also good to know if you have a food allergy or a food intolerance, since apparently they are different. Really I learned a lot and feel a lot better than I did a year ago. Check with your health insurance (and/or managed care plan within your insurance) and see what you need to do to ensure that a visit to the allergist is covered. If it requires a referral from your PCP, they will likely make sure to refer you to a specialist that is in-network, but do confirm with them or the specialist before you take the appointment.

Ugh this is me. I used to love spicy food but something happened a few years ago where it switched to just destroying me.

All it takes is a little bit and I’m sent into an uncomfortable, mouth-searing sweating fit for essentially the rest of the day. I’ve got bottles of alcohol-based mouthwash like Listerine stocked up since it’s one of the few things that helps in those times when I accidentally get a hit of the ol’ spicy stuff. Once I do that and wash off my lips with face cleaner I’m alright, otherwise I’m struggling to keep hydrated because I’ll sweat for hours and hours.

Finally went to see an allergist that found a ton of underlying allergies and thinks that having all those go untreated is what increased my sensitivity overall. I’m currently getting the allergy immunotherapy shots and hoping that results in some regained resistance to capsaicin. It’s super embarassing to be out and start sweating like a maniac when I get a bite of an appetizer I didn’t know had pepper extract or one of those steaming plates of hot spicy stuff that sends a pepper cloud in my face and just leaves me drenched the rest of the night.

Disco Elysium is a fantastic one. There are an insane amount of choices that shape how you go about the investigation of the hanged man and ultimately what happens beyond that investigation. Choices of who to side with, how to side (openly or playing multiple sides, etc.), choices that ultimately define what kind of detective you are (by-the-book boring, superstar douchebag, violent tough guy, Sherlock Holmes-esque genius, etc., including my favorite: Twin Peaks Lynchian detective that bases their decisions off of dreams, intuition and imaginary conversations with the dead body), and even how failing or succeeding at something can lead to progress in very different ways. If you fail to hit that person you tried to punch, or miss that shot with your gun, or utterly fail to convince someone to help you, you progress through in very different ways so that failing your way to the truth is just as satisfying and entertaining as succeeding your checks to get there.

And of course Fallout: New Vegas. Whether you choose to support the New California Republic, Caesar’s Legion, Mr. House, or a truly independent New Vegas, none of them are perfect. Each succeeds in an ideal society in some ways but completely fails at others, leaving you to decide which imperfect system you feel is the right one for the world instead of shoving an obvious answer in your face.

My (new) hope is that in the parallel universe version they didn’t do the special edition re-releases and kept in the original Mos Eisley Cantina scene.

Remember friends, Hana shot first!