Articles from GameswithDeath Article Feature Guide Impressions News Opinion Review Dec 1, 2025 No, High-End Weapons Do NOT Need to be Buffed There's a lot Going on with the Weapons in ARC Raiders Article 6 Mins by Death Nov 17, 2025 Extraction Shooters are NOT Oversaturated Media Claims about Extraction Shooter Market Saturation are Grossly Inaccurate Article 6 Mins by Death Oct 27, 2025 100 Starter Tips & Strats For ARC Raiders Everything you Need to get Past the Initial Learning Curve Guide 30 Mins by Death Oct 9, 2025 THE EXPEDITION PROJECT REVEALED Embark Finally Details their Voluntary Wipe System for ARC Raiders News 4 Mins by Death Sep 23, 2025 Embark Drops Huge ARC Raiders News Preorders are Finally Available and Server Slam Announced News 1 Min by Death May 26, 2025 It Just ****in’ Works ARC Raiders carries the hopes of a stunted and underestimated genre Impressions 7 Mins by Death Nov 29, 2024 Immersive Playthrough Details All the Mods and Details for Death's Immersive CP2077 Run Feature 2 Mins by Death Apr 14, 2025 Death's Anime Watchlist 死のアニメ視聴リスト (This is Japanese!) Article 2 Mins by Death May 24, 2025 A Welcome Return to Basics Death's Complete Review for Doom: The Dark Ages Review 9 Mins by Death First Prev 1 Page 1 Next Last

Death's Article on ARC Raiders: No, High-End Weapons Do NOT Need to be Buffed "There's a lot Going on with the Weapons in ARC Raiders" Dec 1, 2025 6 Mins by Death PC Gamer released an interesting feature this week titled, “Arc Raiders' basic weapons are way too strong, and it's starting to overshadow even its legendary guns”. In it, the author argues the gear chase is just not satisfying enough and high-tier legendary weapons like the Aphelion are not worth the effort. He concludes, “epics [should] get a slight buff to their overall lethality and durability to give them a tangible edge over their lower-rarity counterparts.” This would be true, if ARC Raiders (2025) were a traditional looter shooter. In other games, weapons generally fall on a curve where higher rarity means more power; but this is not the case in ARC Raiders, especially in PVP. Low-end weapons like the Stitcher, Venator, and Renegade are easy to acquire while legendary weapons like the Equalizer and Jupiter are overly expensive for the relative power they provide. Epic weapons, like the Bettina, seem to lack a real application outside of being every other blueprint found in game. ARC Raiders' weapons are certainly unique. So what is going on here and should Embark just buff the higher-tier weapons as many are suggesting? The current weapon power curve makes little sense, until you realize there’s are actually two power curves at play—one for PVE and another for PVP—which, by design or happy accident, make ARC Raiders a social experiment masquerading as an extraction shooter. Some things only make sense in isolation. The PVE weapon power curve makes sense because ARC Raiders was initially developed as a looter shooter/survival game, PVP was layered on later. Weapon effectiveness against ARC generally follows what is found in the game’s tooltips; Low-end light ammo weapons are less effective against ARC compared to high-end energy ammo weapons, which are highly-effective against ARC; this is a relic from the earlier versions of the game. Makes sense, until you try shoot another raider with energy ammo. The PVP weapon power curve is much different; it peaks sooner, with weapons like the Venator and Renegade, then quickly drops off as you get into the higher-end weapons. Even common weapons like the Stitcher, are extremely effective, with the right upgrades and attachments. These dueling power curves mean players must choose loadouts based on what they find more threatening, ARC or other Raiders. Given ARC Raiders ’ post-apocalyptic trust-no-one narrative is more like The Walking Dead (2010) than it is anything else, this is what one would expect. ARC Raiders has established a gameplay framework where AI enemies, ARC, are almost a dangerous as the other human players; but, this delicate balance has some real vulnerabilities, which are slowly becoming apparent. The tension between these curves is why ARC Raiders is so engaging. One month after launch, players have mostly overcome the ARC learning curve. At launch, ARC were a real threat, because no one knew how to defeat these massive and scary robots. This meant players were more likely to work together, and it wasn’t uncommon for raider to aid one another and cooperate to bring down larger enemies. Now, one month after launch, the ARC problem has mostly been solved. Player cooperation has become extremely rare, with players, choosing to seek out PVP instead. ARC are quickly being been relegated to being an annoyance at most, for players who have put more than 100 hours in the game. The Matriarch still inspires fear, but less so than this first meeting. The lack of ARC threat is why most Queens and Matriarchs go undefeated in duos and trios; the rewards are just not worth it. No one wants to bring 100K worth of gear into the game just to lose it to a free-loadout Andy waiting in the shadows to pounce. Players are demanding PVP buffs to PVE weapons like the Bettina and Equalizer, because the threat they are intended to address is not really a threat anymore. Their demands are a signaling, the only part of the game holding their attention is the PVP. Applying buffs or nerfs so the power curve for all weapons scale is the same no matter the situation, would destroy the delicate interplay between PVP and PVE, which is what makes ARC Raiders so engaging and unpredictable. No, the real solution to keeping high-end gear relevant in ARC Raiders , is to give it a reason to exist. Embark needs buff ARC—and buff them soon. That said, increasing AI power carries unique and consequential risks. Improving AI in ways which feel cheap and transparent, like just adding more damage, a higher rate of fire, or a larger health pool, risk alienating players, as much as an unfulfilling gear chase. Fighting ARC needs to be as compelling and engaging as fighting other players; not easy to accomplish. Thankfully, Embark's use of machine learning technology may be uniquely positioned to address this problem. Spend any decent amount of time in ARC Raiders and players may develop a sense ARC are actually holding back. ARC have been restrained in several key ways: ARC's awareness range is actually very short and can be easily avoided, if careful; ARC will deaggro relatively quickly if you break LOS long enough; and their weak points are generally obvious, giving players a fighting chance when cornered. Loosening some of these restraints may part of the solution, but ARC have displayed much more potential for engagement in how they reason, even if reasoning is not really happening. (It’s not really happening… right?). ARC do things which AI in other games just don’t do; Bombardiers will move to angle shots through narrow passages; Rocketeers will search areas they think you are in, not just stop at the last place the saw you; Leapers will… well they’re just terror personified, if you know, you know. It is this kind of unique behavior Embark should lean into to keep the ARC threat as engaging as fighting other players. The possibilities for creatively using this technology are endless; ARC could stalk players like animals stalking prey, waiting to strike at the perfect time; ARC disguised as a teammate could mimic their voices and lure Raiders away into an ambush; ARC could even develop vendettas against specific players, reappearing to finish a previous engagement, from another raid. Overall, the game doesn’t need better PVP weapons, there are plenty already. Embark needs to give players a reason to use these weapons by building on the creative ways ARC already behave; this would maintain the incredible balance between PVE and PVP, which the studio has landed on. Here’s the link to the original PC Gamer article. See you on the other side, Raiders. ARC Raiders 2025 Track Name 00:00 / 05:57 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send No, High-End Weapons Do NOT Need to be Buffed There's a lot Going on with the Weapons in ARC Raiders Article

Gaming Reviews, Guides, and Insights from GameswithDeath No, High-End Weapons Do NOT Need to be Buffed There's a lot Going on with the Weapons in ARC Raiders Article Extraction Shooters are NOT Oversaturated Media Claims about Extraction Shooter Market Saturation are Grossly Inaccurate Article 100 Starter Tips & Strats For ARC Raiders Everything you Need to get Past the Initial Learning Curve Guide Oct 9, 2025 THE EXPEDITION PROJECT REVEALED Embark Finally Details their Voluntary Wipe System for ARC Raiders News by Death 4 Mins Sep 23, 2025 Embark Drops Huge ARC Raiders News Preorders are Finally Available and Server Slam Announced News by Death 1 Min May 26, 2025 It Just ****in’ Works ARC Raiders carries the hopes of a stunted and underestimated genre Impressions by Death 7 Mins stream schedule Live on Twitch ARC Raiders w/ Bari & Shea Tomorrow, Dec 2, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC ARC Raiders ARC Raiders [SOLO] Dec 3, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC ARC Raiders ARC Raiders w/ J & Bari Dec 4, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC ARC Raiders ARC Raiders w/ Krevro & Desert Dec 5, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC ARC Raiders ARC Raiders [SOLO] Dec 6, 2025, 4:00 PM UTC ARC Raiders

Death's Article on : Extraction Shooters are NOT Oversaturated "Media Claims about Extraction Shooter Market Saturation are Grossly Inaccurate" Nov 17, 2025 6 Mins by Death In the run-up to the release of ARC Raiders (2025) late last month, there were more than a few media outlets parroting the refrain that the extraction shooter sub-genre is somehow oversaturated; some even stating, “We don’t need more extraction shooters…If there's one genre that truly didn't need to become a trend, it's the extraction shooter." Others called the sub-genre “a crowded market,” even while reviewing the recent success of ARC Raiders (2025). This criticism even dates back to the sub-genre’s early days. In 2022, PC Gamer questioned the since-cancelled extraction shooter Hyenas ’ goal of “squeezing itself into an already oversaturated genre.” The sub-genre is effectively five years old at this point (if we mark Escape from Tarkov (2017) as the beginning), and there were eight (yes, eight!) games tagged as extraction shooters on Steam by the end of 2022. To anyone who plays extraction shooters—which up until ARC Raiders ’ release would mostly be those who played Escape from Tarkov and/or Hunt: Showdown 1896 (2018)—this oversaturation claim is incredibly perplexing and needs to be put to rest, if only due to the gross misuse of the term ‘oversaturated .’ Market saturation is an actual economic concept with an actual definition, which is seemingly not well understood. Overstauration of a market occurs when “no more of a product or service can be sold because there are no more possible customers.” Further , “Market saturation refers to the point at which a product or service has reached its maximum potential in a given market, resulting in little to no room for further growth or expansion.” At the time of writing, there are 19,355 games tagged as ‘shooters’ on Steam . Among the shooter sub-genres, extraction shooters are the smallest with a paltry 220; 5,029 are tagged as third-person shooters, 1,564 as ‘looter shooters,’ and 1,498 as ‘hero shooters.’ Extraction shooters are even outsized by the 1,062 games tagged as ‘boomer shooters.’ In all, extraction shooters only represent ~1% of shooters on Steam. If the market for extraction shooters is oversaturated compared to the overall shooter market, then the ratio of extraction shooter players to available games should be smaller than what we see for the overall shooter market. To find this, we need to first estimate just how big the shooter market is. Estimating the shooter market is difficult since most of this data is private and must be inferred using a combination of available Steam data, industry reports, and what publishers let the public see. To estimate the MAU for games we don’t actually have numbers for, we are going to use the monthly average concurrent player count multiplied by 25. This multiplier (let’s name it 25x) is extrapolated from available data on concurrent viewer averages and MAU on other shooters like Fortnite (2017), Apex Legends (2019), and more. Players’ behavior may vary from game to game depending on tastes and habits (e.g., it is possible extraction shooter players are more likely to be single-game players than battle royal fans who play every game in that sub-genre), but the 25x multiplier will more or less work for our purposes. To define the overall shooter market, let’s keep it simple and only include gamers who have shown an interest in playing first-person shooters, like Call of Duty (2003), and third-person shooters, like Fortnite ; we are also going to refer to these kinds of shooters as ‘traditional shooters’ to distinguish them from extraction shooters. We are going to ignore RPGs with FPS and third-person perspectives like Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) and Control (2019), as well as the shooter market for mobile devices. The mobile shooter market, despite its massive size (e.g., PUBG Mobile (2018) ~120M MAU and Call of Duty: Mobile (2019) ~80M MAU), has too many unknowns (e.g., mobile player barriers to entry for conversion to the PC/console market) for a meaningful comparative analysis. Okay, so how big is the traditional shooter market compared to the extraction shooter sub-genre? Since there are literally thousands of traditional shooters on the market, an exhaustive count would be time-prohibitive, so we are just going to use the top 7 games in the genre. The estimated MAU for these games ranges from 197M to 284M, with an average of ~240M MAU.[1] For extraction shooters on Steam with over 1K concurrent players, the estimated MAU is ~3.9M MAU.[2] Adding 1.47M for Escape from Tarkov brings the total MAU for extraction shooters to ~5.4M.[3] This means extraction shooters represent only ~2.2% of the overall shooter market (5.4/(5.4M + 240M) =2.2). If we used the most conservative estimates of the traditional shooter market, 197M as opposed to the 240M average, extraction shooters still only make up ~2.6% of the market. In total, extraction shooters make up an extremely small part of the larger shooter genre; but could they still be described as oversaturated, according to the definition above? If the ratio of games on offer in the sub-genre is higher compared to the overall genre, then this is still possible. For every extraction shooter on Steam, there are roughly ~24K MAU per game (~5.4M MAU/220). In the overall shooter market, this ratio is ~12K MAU (~240M/19,398), which means there are almost double the games per player in the overall shooter market than there is in the extraction shooter sub-genre; meaning the extraction shooter sub-genre is less saturated than the overall shooter market.[4] The reasons for the oversaturated misconception could be due to many factors; it could be the failure of gaming journalists in seeing extraction shooters as the separate and growing sub-genre they are, instead choosing to reflexively lump any shooter into a traditional shooter market which is oversaturated; or a subconscious bias against extraction shooters due to their punishing difficulty, something which traditional shooter players have difficulty adjusting to. Whatever the reason, as the sub-genre continues to grow, with upcoming titles like Hunger (2026), Marathon (2026), and more, this perception is likely to persist until extraction shooters see their own success independent of the traditional shooter market. Notes: [1] Call of Duty: Warzone (2020) 60-90M MAU, Fortnite (2017) 40-80 MAU, Counter-Strike 2 (2023) 24-30 MAU, Overwatch 2 (2022) 24M MAU, Valorant (2020) 19-28M MAU, APEX Legends (2019) 18-20M MAU, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 12M MAU. [2] ARC Raiders (2025) 8M MAU, Delta Force (2024) 1.6M MAU, Escape from Duckov (2025) 800K MAU, Arena Breakout: Infinite (2025) 800K MAU, Hunt: Showdown 1896 (2018) 425K MAU, Off The Grid (2025) 170K MAU, Dark and Darker (2024) 120K, and Gray Zone Warfare (2024) 30K. [3] Estimating the MAU for Escape from Tarkov , the game which created the sub-genre, is difficult since Battle State Games does not release data on the game’s player base. Steam DB numbers for Escape from Tarkov are not helpful, since the game has only been out for mere hours, at the time of writing, and the majority of the player base is likely using Battlestate Games’ legacy proprietary launcher. For this analysis, we will use the IconEra estimate of ~1.47M MAU, since it is a consistently updated number based on data which is available and is further supported by community tracking. https://icon-era.com/blog/escape-from-tarkov-live-player-count-and-statistics.136/ [4] There are definitely more traditional shooter players than the numerator accounts for in this equation, which would make the traditional shooter market look less saturated. However, without the resources and connections of a dedicated research firm, accurate numbers are unavailable, which means painting with broad strokes is, unfortunately, necessary. Remember to always view any analysis based on incomplete data with the skepticism it deserves, especially this one. 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Death's News on ARC Raiders: THE EXPEDITION PROJECT REVEALED "Embark Finally Details their Voluntary Wipe System for ARC Raiders" Oct 9, 2025 4 Mins by Death Embark Studios has finally released details on their progression reset system for their upcoming third-person extraction shooter, ARC Raiders (2025). Progression resets, also known as ‘wipes,’ are a mechanic that originated in the lengthy beta development cycle for Escape from Tarkov (2025), the grandfather of all extraction shooters. In order to test new content, Tarkov’s developers forced their player base to reset their accounts and begin again with fresh characters. While progression resets are common in betas, wipes in Tarkov provided secondary benefits that have become key features of the genre. Progression in extraction shooters is different than other loot-focused shooters, like Destiny (2014). Persistent inventories, or stashes, allow players to accumulate a lot of powerful gear, if they put in the effort. As time passes, the player base inevitably becomes divided between hardcore players, who stomp servers with the best gear in the game, and casual players who sabotage themselves by going outside or having a social life. While wipes alleviate these issues, at least for a short time, communities remain divided on the benefits of wipes, especially, global wipes, in which players have no choice, but to lose their progression. Some players appreciate them because they equalize the playing field and everyone explores the new content from the same perspective. Others deride them because they force players to forfeit any gear advantages they managed to obtain, keeping them perpetually behind more dedicated players. The official teaser photo for building your own R2-D2... I mean The Expedition Project. Source: arcraiders.com/en/news/expedition-project/ Embark is seeking to avoid these pain points by introducing a voluntary reset system called the Expedition Project . Instead of instituting forced global wipes, Embark is giving players the option to reset their character’s progress for exclusive rewards, if certain conditions are met. Here’s how Expeditions will work: At level 20, players unlock a new feature called Projects. Projects are events which are only open for a specific time. The first major Project, the Expedition Project, runs for eight weeks. During this time, players complete the Project by contributing materials, such as Metal Parts, Steel Springs, etc. If a Project is unfinished when the time expires, all progress carries over. After finalizing the Expedition Project, your character resets and they lose all levels, skills, items, and crafting; they will keep any cosmetics, achievements, and previously purchased content. For convenience, you will skip any tutorials and onboarding after a reset. The timeline for the Expedition project. Looks like we are all getting fresh characters for Christmas this year. Source: arcraiders.com/en/news/expedition-project/ The first Expedition Project opens on launch day, October 30th, and closes on December 14th. Raiders then have five days to finalize their projects with completed caravans departing on December 21st. In order to entice players to participate, Embark is offering the following incentives: “Permanent account unlocks for each Expedition completed.” (It is unclear what these are at this time.) Exclusive cosmetics and cosmetic-based progression rewards. Account “buffs” that scale with repeated resets. (It is also unknown what these are at this time.) Sequential completions of the Expedition Project increase the magnitude of these buffs, up to a limit. Embark promises any “buffs” will not provide combat advantages, but instead will give quality of life (QoL) improvements, cosmetics, bragging rights, and smoother progression. Virgil, the design director for ARC Raiders, writes, “Completing a reset should never give a player a power or combat advantage over anyone who has not completed a reset.” Embark’s stated goals for the Expedition Project are to allow casual players to retain their progress without forced wipes and provide highly engaged players with a fresh replay experience with rewards that encourage their time investment. More projects are likely to be added with future updates. [You can read the official post on the Expedition Project on the ARC Raiders website .] Embark has provided a lot of detail on this new feature, but some big questions remain. What exactly are “permanent account unlocks?” What will the “buffs to be applied during the following expedition cycle” do? What does smoother progression mean for players who have reset? And how big is the time commitment required for completing the Expedition Project? The requirements for what could be many sub-systems for the Expedition Project. Three stages of construction for the Core System of The Expedition Project. Overall, this new approach to a somewhat divisive system looks promising. Embark is definitely trying to provide features the community is requesting. No doubt, there will be a lot of feedback as the Expedition Project is implemented and the game evolves. Some players, like myself, are looking forward to having a goal to work towards once the game is released. At the very least, Embark is demonstrating they are shifting their focus to the health of the game beyond its October 30th launch. ARC Raiders is shaping up to be a fully realized product with a healthy future ahead of it, something rarely seen in the extraction shooter genre. ARC Raiders 2025 Track Name 00:00 / 03:55 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send THE EXPEDITION PROJECT REVEALED Embark Finally Details their Voluntary Wipe System for ARC Raiders News

Short Anime Reviews and Watchlist from Death Himself Reviews Watched On Deck Score 5/5 Directed by Saitou Keiichirou Available on Crunchyroll Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2024) - Season 1 "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." Elves have always served a special role in fantasy. Fantasy authors, going back as far as Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1954), have juxtaposed elves with humans to great narrative effect. Elven wisdom, stoicism, and longevity have always served as a subconscious reminder that human actions have consequences that reach far beyond the short term. Elves represent the living embodiment of memory, history, and legacy, things that humans seeking fame and glory value the most. For better or worse, they are witnesses to our triumphs and atrocities, valued companions of the noble, and reviled by the forces of darkness. Given just how ubiquitous elves are in fantasy literature, movies, games, and film, there are few works that try to understand the elven experience to any real depth. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End 葬送のフリーレン (2024) is a refreshing attempt to remedy this neglected perspective by telling the story of Frieren, an elven mage who was a part of a group of heroes who defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. While the other members of her party—Himmel the Hero, Heiter the Priest, and Eisen the Warrior—wither to time and find contentment in their accomplished lives, Frieren is left behind to carry on their legacy. Even as her status as a living legend is increasingly forgotten by the descendants of those she saved many years ago, Frieren continues to seek new companions, perfect her magic, and come to terms with her own life and those she has lost. The series is beautifully animated, and Director Saitou Tomohiro's pacing is deliberate, conveying Frieren's elven perspective of time (i.e., she experiences years as weeks), while sprinkling in just enough action to maintain the viewer's interest. The score, by Evan Call, is epic and emotional, invoking action, appreciation, and nostalgia in equal measure. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is an exceptional anime, one that is almost immediately legendary. It is an endearing celebration of life, full of appreciation for the meaning finality and death bring. It bravely explores issues that are rarely seen in fantasy or other genres, for that matter. If you don't break down in tears at least once while watching it, there's truly something wrong with you. Season 2 is due in 2026. Score 4.5/5 Directed by Yamashiro Fuuga Available on Crunchyroll Dan Da Dan (2024) - Season 1 Is this even... allowed? If Dan Da Dan (ダンダダン) were the only thing you knew about anime, you'd probably be a very messed up person. This cacophony of differing visual styles, musical themes, and genres is as fast-paced as it is unapologetic for its raunchy kick-in-the-balls humor and hotter-than-they-should-be grandmothers. (Yes, she's that hot.) Summarizing Dan Da Dan in just a few sentences is challenging due to its complexity. It covers all the usual elements of a coming-of-age high school anime, but also incorporates supernatural horror, aliens that steal genitals, and profound character development. This depth is maintained even as the plot frequently attempts to strip characters of their clothing. Dan Da Dan draws inspiration from Eastern classics such as The Ring (2002), The Grudge (2004), and Kung Fu Hustle (2004), as well as American 80s favorites like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Weird Science (1985). This is all complemented by a dynamic hip-hop influenced soundtrack by オトノケ (Otonoke) and Kensuke Ushio. The creators of Dan Da Dan have taken significant risks, and they have truly paid off. Despite the many elements packed into it, this anime succeeds brilliantly. Season 2 is set to release in July 2025. Score 5/5 Directed by Ootomo Katsuhiro Available on Crunchyroll Akira (1988) Apocalyptic Perfection in Motion Akira (アキラ) is perhaps as close as any animation, or any form of art, can get to being perfect considering the technology and resources available at the time. I recently revisited this masterpiece nearly 25 years after my first viewing, and it still stands as one of the most visually impressive animations ever made. The incredible level of detail is even more astonishing when reflecting on it now, knowing it was crafted by hand without today's computer assistance. While adult themes were common in Japanese animated works at the time, Akira 's dark, violent, and post-apocalyptic cyberpunk vision was unprecedented in Western animation. Only animated cult films like Heavy Metal (1981) and The Last Unicorn (1982) even came close. If you haven't yet explored this essential piece of anime, or more broadly, the art of film, you owe it to yourself to do so. Akira continues to be the benchmark against which all other anime should be judged. Score 5/5 Directed by Oshii Mamoru Available on Netflix Ghost in the Shell (1996) Deus Ex Laponia Ghost in the Shell (GHOST IN THE SHELL/攻殻機動隊) is a generation-defining anime that every fan of the medium has a responsibility to see. Ghost in the Shell is based on legendary artist Shirow Masamune's manga of the same name. The visual techniques employed by director Oshii Mamoru are still impactful 30 years later. Even to this day, there are very few works that can match the technical artistry of Ghost in the Shell ; the cybernetics, weapons, and even the bullet impacts were revolutionary then and are still imitated today. Ghost in the Shell 's plot is a complex, intrigue-laden spy thriller exploring the meaning of human existence in a world overtaken by corporations, information technology, and artificial intelligence (seems familiar). The film's protagonist, Major Kusanagi, remains a legendary femme fatale icon. (Batou is kinda cool too, I guess.) Its legacy lives on in movies and games like The Matrix (1999), Deus Ex (2000), and Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), even as follow-on sequels have not lived up to the original's accomplishments. These are all the anime I have watched, but no yet reviewed with their tentative scores. Solo Leveling (2024) - 4.5 Kaiju No. 8 (2024) - 4 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019) - 4.5 The Apothecary Diaries (2023) - 4.5 Attack on Titan (2023) - 4.5 Chainsaw Man (2022) - 4.5 Death Note (2006) - 5 Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) - 4.5 Cowboy Bebop (1998) - 3.5 Suzume (2022) - 3.5 Your Name (2016) - 4 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) - 3.5 86 (2021) - 3 NieR:Automata Ver1.1a (2023) - 4.5 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022) - 4 Spirited Away (2001) - 4.5 Princess Mononoke (1997) - 4 My Neighbor Totoro (1988) - 5 These are all the anime that chat has recommended to me with the viewer who recommemded it, in no particular order... Gantz (2004) - Monto Ghost Hunt (2006) - Sunflower King of Thorn (2009) - Monto Outlaw Star (1998) - Pharl Baki the Grappler (2001) - Nicragomi One Punch Man (2015) - Nicragomi Appleseed (2004) - GameswithDeath Berserk (2016) - FatalExodus Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) - GameswithDeath Sakamoto Days (2025) - Mrs. Death Lazarus (2025) - AverageCrafts Code Geass (2006) - Werthy Violet Evergarden (2018) - Werthy Mushi-Shi (2006) - chiisaiinu From the New World (2012) - chiisaiinu HUNTERxHUNTER (2011) - YourPlatapus Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) - Trillbina My Hero Academia (2016) - Trillbina Soul Eater (2008) - Trillbina That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime - Mat My Neighbor Totoro (1988) - Crafts Tokyo Ghoul (2014) - CullisGate Ghost Stories (2000) - Pharl To Your Eternity (2021) - Sunflower Higurashi: When They Cry Gou (2020) - Monto Devilman Crybaby (2018) - Monto Deadman Wonderland (2011) - Monto Jujutsu Kaisen (2020) - CullisGate Hellsing (2006) - Monto Trigun (1998) - Sunflower Claymore (2007) - Monto

Death's Review on Doom The Dark Ages: A Welcome Return to Basics "Death's Complete Review for Doom: The Dark Ages" May 24, 2025 9 Mins by Death Doom: The Dark Ages (2025) is the third installment of id Software's contemporary revival of the legendary first-person shooter. It is also another reminder of how unafraid this developer is to innovate on well-established series norms. Gone are the tight Martian corridors of Doom (2016) and the high-flying Escherian arenas of Doom: Eternal (2020). In their place stands a medieval-themed semi-open world that feels equal parts Dark Souls (2011) gloom and Rammstein music video, but still remain unmistakably Doom, even if the demons bleed just a little easier than before. Doom: The Dark Ages is leaner, friendlier, and engineered for a wider audience. On default settings, the new game is noticeably more forgiving than its predecessors. The combat puzzle that once demanded flawless bunny hops and 6,000 APM weapon swapping strategies has been replaced with gentler cooldowns, forgiving parry windows, and a fully featured difficulty slider suite that lets players tailor the experience to their liking. The difficulty may be questionable, but the Slayer's hatred of demons is potent as ever. While series veterans will bemoan the changes to the default difficulty settings, specifically the Nightmare setting—which has previously acted as a sort of gut check for fans wanting to prove themselves—the difficulty sliders actually make Doom: The Dark Ages the most difficult Doom ever. Players have options to increase the game speed up to 150%, shorten the parry window to sheer milliseconds, speed up enemy projectiles, or even increase enemy damage. This allows for more creative ways to play the game than ever before, and there's a version of Doom here that might actually be impossible for even the most skilled humans to complete. My only criticism of the slider system is that the graduations are not granular enough. There is a big difference between doing 50% and 75% damage to enemies. The game would be better served if there were more intermediate options to hone the experience, especially since the upper limits may actually be beyond human capability. This system also makes me want more options, like limiting certain ammo types or modifying specific behaviors of enemies or weapons. Overall, it is a great addition that allows for more replayability than what we normally find on offer for games like this. The brilliance of id Software's Tech 8 engine is on full display in Doom: The Dark Ages (2025). Of course, the difficulty changes don't come at the expense of the game's technical execution. Id Software continues to reign supreme as the technical gods of the FPS genre. Doom: The Dark Ages is a coming-out party for Tech 8, Id's in-house game engine. The engine renders the frantic action at frame rates other shooters can only dream of. Texture detail is absurd. Ray-traced puddles faithfully reflect severed limbs as you hack them off enemies. And the game holds 180 fps on my 4090 with little effort. Id bragged they rebuilt the renderer to push more on-screen demons than Doom Eternal ever managed, and this has proven to be true. Sound, always Doom's secret weapon, hits as hard and makes every shield-bash super shotgun combo drip with satisfaction. While Mick Gordon's genius is sadly absent this time due to infamous conflicts surrounding Doom Eternal 's production, Finishing Move Inc does no harm filling the gap. I don't envy the task of trying to follow the work of the man that gave us bangers like BFG Division and Rip and Tear, songs that had had far-reaching influence beyond video games and into the metal genre itself. The score for Doom: The Dark Ages feels like Doom, but sadly there are few tracks that stand out. This won't be a soundtrack you will be blasting in your car while waiting at the drive-thru. The Doom's combat loop remains the core attraction in Doom: The Dark Ages , and the new guns feel both fresh yet familiar. Among them, the Impaler, a high damage drop shot bullet time sniper stand-in is exceedingly rewarding. The chain shot, which fires a wrecking ball that does massive damage to small groups, will be your go-to weapon for standing toe to toe with the game's toughest enemies. And of course, the BFG makes a return with its medieval version, the BFC, a massive one-shot crossbow. There are several weapon synergies that will help you unlock the gold Conqueror skins for each weapon mastery, and there are more customization options than there were in Doom Eternal . Doom: The Dark Ages features upgrades for three different melee weapons, weapon mods and runes to give your shield more offensive power. Like in the previous games, there is not a lot of depth as one would expect in something like an ARPG, but there is enough to allow players to adapt to their preferred play style. The Cosmic Baron is an intimidating foe that hits hard and fast. The most important weapon in your arsenal is going to be the shield. The Slayer does his best Captain America impression without all the, "We're the good guys" morality to hold them back, of course. The shield serves many functions beyond just protecting the Slayer from incoming damage. Locking on with the shield bash allows the Slayer to fly towards enemies, creating opportunities to initiate encounters by getting up close and personal with weapons like the Super Shotgun or locking on to distant enemies to escape a no-win fight. The shield can also be thrown to take out rows of demons or destroy enemy armor. Most importantly, you can parry incoming green projectiles back at enemies, but more on this mechanic in a moment. Here's how to do the Shield/Super Shotgun Combo. Given the movement opportunities that the shield provides, it's surprising that the main criticism of Doom: The Dark Ages has been the game's movement. While it is true that there is no double jump in Doom: The Dark Ages , it is also true that the Slayer's base movement speed is actually faster in this game than the others. The double dash has been replaced with a sprint button, making transitioning from fight to fight faster than it was before. There is definitely less verticality in Doom: The Dark Ages than there was in Doom Eternal . There are no yellow bars to fling the Slayer up in the air to headshot that imp that has been annoying you all fight. I actually welcome this return to the horizontal plane, as the high-flying acrobatics of Doom Eternal felt more like a departure from the original series than this game does. As the movement during combat has been reined in from what we played in Doom Eternal , by far the biggest change to combat in this game is the addition of the aforementioned shield parry. Parrying forms the basis for most of the combat in Doom: The Dark Ages . This mechanic is so heavily relied on that there are boss encounters where parrying is the only thing you need to do to win. Several times, I found myself standing motionless before certain bosses, focused solely on hitting parries to quickly counter with the weapon that synergized from the parry. Yes, mastering parrying was a rewarding boost of confidence and certainly felt engaging when fighting certain bosses. However, it also felt very one-note at times. I certainly don't mind using this technique to win a fight once, twice, or even seven times during a playthrough. But for the number of times a fight was either decided or lost by parrying alone, there were times it felt exceedingly tedious. I am torn over whether this is a step back or an improvement in gameplay. I very much enjoyed the parry mechanic, but I think more variation in the enemy attack patterns could have made instances where this mechanic was needed more rewarding. Overall, the combat in Doom: The Dark Ages is no less compelling and empowering than what came before, even if it relies too heavily at times on the parry mechanics. Id has opted for a more traditional style of play centered on giving players more choice when engaging most enemies and less on avoidance and resource management. As a result, the fights feel smoother than Doom (2016), yet also less like you're spinning plates as in Doom Eternal . Like the game's combat, the campaign's structure is also more open-ended. There are twenty two chapters that will take you roughly twenty hours to complete if you forego obtaining all the secrets hidden in some rather huge levels. The level design is straightforward enough to not be confusing while being open enough to give the player a sense of exploration, exploring for the collectible toys and power-ups hidden in secret areas. Your loyal Mecha Dragon, Serrat. Unlike some, I enjoyed the dragon flying missions. (Serrat is a good boy and should be treated as such.) They were nice interludes and set up the game's engine to show some spectacular vistas before landing to fight the real fight. They were much better than the giant mech fighting levels, which were pretty, but really lacked any depth to make me want to replay them. After spending over 40 hours with the game, I can confidently say that Doom: The Dark Ages delivers truck loads of medieval demon-smashing catharsis. The game's mechanics are a solid bedrock for id to give us even more. Doom: The Dark Ages has already shattered Doom Eternal 's numbers, with Bethesda calling it "Id Software's biggest launch ever." I can't wait to see what they do with the coming expansions. While the community appears to be less unified than before on the merits of Doom: The Dark Ages 's place in the wider Doom pantheon, I appreciate Id's emphasis on innovation over iteration. I highly recommend picking it up. See you on the other side. Doom The Dark Ages 2025 Track Name 00:00 / 08:41 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send A Welcome Return to Basics Death's Complete Review for Doom: The Dark Ages Review

Death's News on ARC Raiders: Embark Drops Huge ARC Raiders News "Preorders are Finally Available and Server Slam Announced" Sep 23, 2025 1 Min by Death Update 23 Sep: According to an event posted in the official ARC Raiders Discord server, the Server Slam will be 50 hours in duration, starting at 9 AM EST on Friday 17 Oct and ending at Sunday 19 Oct at 11 AM EST. The Server Slam Event in the official ARC Raiders Discord Server. A lot of huge ARC R aiders news dropped today! The game is finally available for preorder on all platforms; the Standard Edition is $40 USD and the Deluxe Edition is $60 USD, with cosmetics and raider tokens being the only difference between them. Standard and Deluxe Editions comparisons. From the ARC Raiders Steam store page. Summary of the ARC Raider Preorder and Deluxe Edition bonuses. From the ARC Raider Steam store page The accompanying preorder trailer also teased at least two new ARC Enemies; the first looks to be a quadruped as tall as a human; the other is of indeterminate size as we only get a brief glimpse of a tank-like cannon turret. We got closer look at the walker arc see in the launch date trailer, which looks to be the same size or bigger than a bastion or bison. Terrifying stuff! Embark teases new ARC Enemies in the new Preorder Trailer. Embark also announced plans for a Server Slam shortly before launch from the 17th to 19th of October. The Server Slam will be on every platform and is open to everyone, no purchase required. Embark is also going to have a booth at TwitchCon San Diego this year. So while all the other streamers are lining up to play the game there, I’ll be streaming it on Twitch, ( twitch.tv/gameswithdeath ) so be sure to come and check it out. I definitely can’t wait to get back into the ARC Raiders world. October 30th can’t come quick enough. See you on the other side, Raiders. ARC Raiders 2025 Track Name 00:00 / 01:06 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send Embark Drops Huge ARC Raiders News Preorders are Finally Available and Server Slam Announced News

Death's Review on Pearl: Pearl is a Powerhouse Film "An Exploration of Sexual Rebellion and Cultural Legacies that Resonate beyond its Setting" Sep 17, 2024 2 Mins by Death Note: A previous version of this review appeared on slayawaywithus.com on 26 Jan 2023. Pearl , a prequel to the acclaimed X (2022) and the second movie in the X film trilogy, opens on a beautiful and idyllic Texas farm reminiscent of Hollywood’s silver screen era pictures like Gone with the Wind (1939) and The Wizard of Oz (1939). Director Ti West uses technicolor saturation levels, sprawling camera angles, and a sweeping soundtrack to evoke a sense of grandeur typical for depictions of rural life on film in this period. West co-wrote the script with star Mia Goth . Out of this pastoral paradise, Pearl (Goth) appears as an innocent farm girl with ambitions beyond the confines of her family’s property. She preens privately in her room, sneaks off to see forbidden ‘moving pictures’ in town, and dreams of dancing on stage to adoring audiences, all out of the eyesight of her domineering German mother, Ruth ( Tandi Wright ). However, her dreams encounter opposition as the realities of her life come into view. Beyond the usual demands that one would expect living on a farm, Pearl is also responsible for helping her mother care for her ailing father ( Matthew Sunderland ). Goth and West skillfully build sympathy for Pearl in the opening stages. However, this sympathy is tested when Pearl’s capacity for violence emerges, and the carnage begins. Pearl's violence is terrifying because of how her femininity is portrayed. She is childlike and dependent on the love of those around her, which aligns with traditional agrarian values. Unfortunately for Pearl, she only experiences love when her actions align with the expectations of others. She is loved for the utility of her gender and only in the way that others choose to recognize it. When she attempts to use her sexuality to fulfill her desires, she finds punishment or abandonment. As frustration mounts, Pearl states, “… you have no idea what I’m capable of.” This foreshadowing exceeds all expectations as Pearl descends into cruelty and malice. Her eventual brutality exceeds even the worst that Lizzie Borden was only accused of. Like Borden, Pearl’s violence resonates that much more, not only because of a natural distaste for murder but because it rejects an entire value system, one based upon her fertility and expected female roles. Serving as backdrops to Pearl’s sexual rebellion are the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 and the First World War. Both events combined killed millions of Americans and fomented widespread anti-German sentiments. Germans, historically one of the largest immigration groups to the United States, were accused of being spies for the ‘Vaterland,’ intentionally spreading the pandemic, and were frequently attacked violently. German families who did leave took measures to hide their heritage by changing their family names, claiming another acceptable European ancestry, and refraining from speaking German in public. Mia Goth makes the dichotomy of Pearl's innocence and brutality look easy. Given this backdrop, Goth and West are not just writing about denied female agency but also reflecting on contemporary reactions to the recent COVID pandemic. If sympathy exists for Pearl and her forbidden dreams, then compassion should also exist for Asian Americans who recently experienced the same discrimination. In a way, Pearl is an ethnic anti-hero struggling against the world’s injustice due to no fault of her own. She is a prisoner not only to her gender but her ethnic heritage as well. Goth navigates Pearl’s predicaments and skillfully transitions her from dutiful daughter to merciless killer in an authentic and nuanced performance. She conveys Pearl’s sexuality and rage equally, making these characteristics equally impactful. She makes Pearl feel sympathetic, even while carrying out her heinous crimes. Right up to the closing shot, it is evident that Goth has poured all she has into Pearl. In all, Goth’s performance deserves recognition at the highest levels. West supports Goth’s performance with outstanding direction, cinematography, and storytelling. The tempo of the film never fails to engage the viewer’s attention. West’s framing of each scene effectively builds tension, even if no pitchforks are flying at a given moment. West’s use of red is worthy of special mention; red features prominently in almost every scene and is unusually visible due to the heightened saturation levels. Like his use of animals as emblems for violence, fertility, and decay in other parts of the film, red visually embodies the power struggle between characters on screen. West’s skill as a storyteller is on full display and is a pleasure to watch as the film unfolds. Pearl is an outstanding and masterfully crafted horror film. Goth’s performance shines simultaneously with sympathy and brutality. She delivers one of the best performances of the past year, and not just in horror. Note: A previous version of this review appeared on slayawaywithus.com on 26 Jan 2023. Pearl 2022 Track Name 00:00 / 01:04 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send Pearl is a Powerhouse Film An Exploration of Sexual Rebellion and Cultural Legacies that Resonate beyond its Setting Review

Death's Feature on Cyberpunk 2077: Immersive Playthrough Details "All the Mods and Details for Death's Immersive CP2077 Run" Nov 29, 2024 2 Mins by Death If you are like most gamers, you have a lot of games you have purchased but have yet to play. I read somewhere recently that roughly 30% of purchased games are never played. (I may be making this up, so don’t quote me on it.) As I have revealed in other writings on this site, I have hundreds of games in my Steam library that remain untouched. (I am fully aware that Steam sales are a problem. I am working on it.) The one game that I constantly promise myself that I will play but never get around to is Cyberpunk 2077 (CP 2077) . I don’t intend to rehash the details of CP 2077 ’s abysmal launch here. We all collectively experienced the justified outrage together long ago, and this game's horrible launch is probably the largest factor in why I have been hesitant to really sink my teeth into it. However, for reasons that I don’t really need (or want) to explain, I found myself with a sudden urge to ignore one dystopia in favor of another. Over the last month, I have put more than 200 hours into CP 2077 , and I just can’t put it down. I plan on going into more detail on why this game is so compelling in some later articles and videos. I will probably do a full-on review of the game, but for now, I will give you the TLDR and say that CP 2077 is one of the greatest RPGs I have ever played. There is so much to this game in terms of themes, writing, gameplay, etc., that I still have a lot more I want to experience before I start writing. There’s a huge mod scene that I am continuing to explore, and there are ARGs and mysteries that are ongoing… there’s a lot. So, instead of doing all of this behind the scenes, I am going to stream a modded version of the game with the intention of making it as immersive as I can. Some examples of how CP2077 can be made to look: Here is a full list of all the mods (both visual and gameplay) and the relevant settings I will be using. All of these mods are available on Nexus mods, with the exception of Dreampunk, which is available from NextGen Dreams on Patreon: Dreampunk 2.0 – A visual tone mapping mod that delivers photorealistic visuals. Dreampunk does have some limitations and issues. It can make brighter scenes look incredibly washed out and darker scenes way too dark. I am going to try to mitigate these issues by controlling the weather and keeping it raining most of the time. The mod makes the game look very realistic, but if it causes crashes or other issues, I will have to remove it. Weathermancer – A mod that allows me to set the in-game weather. Using this in conjunction with Dreampunk 2.0 to deliver the visuals. Always First Equip – A mod that randomly performs weapon inspection animations. Disable W-S Keys to Select Dialog Options – A mod that does what it says. Environment Textures Overhaul – ETO 1.1 2K – A mod that increases the details of in-game textures. I switched to Surfaces mod for 4K textures. Surfaces - Various 4K Texture Packs. I play with a 1440p monitor, so the 4K textures may be overkill, but if any issues arise, I will go back to ETO 2K. Fast Travel to Any Fast Travel Point – A mod that allows me to fast travel to any fast travel point from anywhere on the map. Improved Environmental LODs – A mod that loads in more detail at a distance for better visuals. Limited HUD – A mod that limits the appearance of HUD elements. I am limiting the appearance of HUD elements as much as possible. They will only appear when I use ocular zoom or in combat. Smarter Scrapper – A mod that automates scrapping weapons and equipment since the vanilla implementation of the inventory system is tedious. Advanced Control Mod 1.2.3 – An advanced mod that allows for movement controls like lean, scroll wheel speed adjustment, and more. Smooth Movement 1.1 – Tweak-XL Version – A mod that makes movement less jittery and allows for smoother control. The vanilla version of CP 2077 doesn’t do movement well; this fixes that. Unlock Me the Mods 2.1 – A mod that allows weapon mods to be removable. Not being able to move mods from one weapon to another is just annoying. Walk by Default 2.0 – A mod that readjusts the walking and jogging speeds in the game. Zoomable Scopes 1.4 – A mod that makes scopes zoomable because they are not for some reason. Simple Flashlight – A mod that gives V a flashlight to use because I get scared in the dark. Enable_Advert_Animations – A mod that animates all the billboard ads. Ragdoll Physics Overhaul 2.0 BETA - A mod that improves the physics of ragdoll effects. Better Vehicle First Person - A mod that improves player perspective while driving in first-person. Other Settings – No enemy indicators or health bars. No crosshairs. Driving is in first-person only. AHK script that lets me swap the first two weapons only because Hunt has ruined me. Playstyle Details – Very Hard difficulty, Male V, Net Runner build, smart/tech weapons, first-person driving only, save scumming at a minimum, and any % or whenever I feel like stopping. I will be streaming the run on twitch.tv/GamewithDeath until it is finished. Enjoy, Chooms. Cyberpunk 2077 2020 Track Name 00:00 / 01:04 Link Copied! Share Send Send Send Send Immersive Playthrough Details All the Mods and Details for Death's Immersive CP2077 Run Feature