Well, no surprise that I still like the Cassette Beasts soundtrack, and as I said in my last post, listening to this one a few times yesterday means I post it:
For those unfamiliar with the game, it's a monster collecting RPG where the player character and a partner transform into monsters that have had their essence recorded to cassette tapes.
This is the song that plays while fighting a dangerous wild monster, which besides a couple plot encounters that use the song too, always means a wild fused monster, thus the Chimeras. For the lyrics to kick in, the player must also be fused to their partner.
I find it both clever and a little frustrating that the chorus barely can't be sung with a single voice. Some lines overlap with the next one.
To get used to taking up space on social media, I'm thinking if I listen to a song a lot in one day, maybe I share the song.
So here's the original Bad Apple, which I listened to 5+ times yesterday, plus once today while making the post. If you're used to the most popular remix, it might take about 20 seconds before it gets familiar, although you can certainly hear some of the remix's intro in this one's intro.
I've decided to take it easier this year. I did generally like my "fun" resolutions last year, but have even scaled those back.
Serious Goals
Goal 1: Rest more. I have made too much of a habit of pushing past what should be my bedtime of 10:30 PM all the way to 11:30 PM, especially considering even without my alarm, on a day I want to sleep in, I still wake up before 7 AM. Part of the problem is that I put off necessary tasks like doing dishes and taking out the trash until it's already time to go to bed or beyond, but I think I can make time for rest. Between work and weekend activities I've scheduled too many things to take naps, except maybe the occasional Sunday, but it would be good to at least defend my bedtime better.
Also, separate from sleeping, I probably could use more quiet time where I'm not playing a game or watching a stream. Just moments to quietly exist and maybe think some thoughts.
Goal 2: Try at least two recipes that could become easy staples for days I'm eating separately from my housemate. I'm thinking stuff like homemade tacos or a basic meat on rice sort of thing. Just, like, it would be good to be able to cook a protein that wasn't from the frozen section. I used to be able to confidently brown meat, but it's been so long even that idea has had me a little nervous lately, but I'm sure once I've done it a couple times it'll be fine.
Fun Goals
Goal 3: Finish some games that were previously dropped (we'll say a game was "dropped" if it wasn't finished, and hasn't been played in over 2 months). I liked this one from last year, and it's good to chip away at the backlog a little. Gonna replace "tactics" with "RPG", though, since I feel like I have more of those I'd actually like to finish. That makes the goal for this year specifically:
At least one RPG. Likely Coromon or The Crystal Project. Beating Coromon would be nice if Coromon: Rogue Planet looks good.
At least one game other than what's counting as the RPG that I never even started. Some ideas: Can of Wormholes, Mindustry, Wizard of Legend 2, Roguebook
At least two other games. Some ideas: Creepy Castle, Dream Tactics, Nobody Saves the World
Ideas left over from last year's list that could also be the "at least two others": Chrono Ark, Cupid Parasite, Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair, Berserk Boy, Dungeon Drafters, Tales of Arise, Rain World
Goal 4: Review at least 6 games on Steam. I think reviewing games is good to do occasionally, since the gamer community does often rely on Steam reviews. Also, reviewing practice is probably also good for my own youtube videos. I've just scaled it back to 6 since that's how many I did last year and I'm trying to keep things simple this year. No need to push things. 6 is way more than I did in years prior to 2025 on average.
Other things I considered that will not be resolutions
Anything related to making OCs: I would like to have an OC I care about, but I don't think forcing myself to make one is a good way to go about that. I've had some ideas for abilities and a setting kicking around for the past few months, but no real inspiration on the personality, appearance, name, gender, or anything that would make them start to feel like a character instead of a character sheet.
Discover the true gender: Again, can't be forced. I'm still feeling like whatever I felt for a few months a couple years ago related to being maybe transfem was real, but I ran out of bottled up gender and am actually mostly either nonbinary or agender when it comes to a sustainable steady state. Maybe I'll realize something else this year, maybe I won't. I just am not sure this is over.
Exercise: While my house now contains a new treadmill, and I've had some ideas about when in my schedule I could maybe find a time to reliably exercise (Sundays and Tuesdays are easy choices because even when my housemate is awake, we don't eat together, then the other day could just be "whenever we have frozen shrimp", since that's typically later in the week). I just don't think it's a priority for me right now. Maybe I'm simply too exhausted right now for good resolutions, but I can always set more goals during the year if I get feeling confident I can do more.
Any major home improvements: There's still more that could be done (first thing that comes to mind is that the driveway basically needs replaced at this point), but I think I want a break.
Scoring any particular number of Challenge Enthusiasts points: Feeling exhausted all the time is not conducive to challenge gaming.
Well, uh, what a year. Besides the general state of the world, I feel like work was also more stressful than usual this year, due to there being more tasks I hadn't done before. Also, there were health issues for both my housemate and me, requiring multiple urgent care and doctor visits for both of us. That, and I got convinced to replace my windows this year so that was a whole thing that basically wiped out all the restfulness of a week I'd scheduled off from work. Like, the year wasn't all bad: I played a good amount of fun games, for example, but I'm just not gonna worry about goals that didn't happen. Looking over the dates in my notes, there's a bit of a gap for several months in the middle of the year on any sort of progress. Better luck next year.
That said, the goal evaluation:
The goal post from last year:
https://www.tumblr.com/clockworksteel/771429465526026240/goals-for-2025?source=share
Serious goals
Goal 1: Make necessary calls and such to hire somebody for at least one major house-related task this year.
This one was actually a super success: three whole things happened.
First, I'm counting the window replacement. Sure, they came to my door about an estimate, but this was by far the one I needed to put the most effort into, since they expected me to clean all the windows and take the blinds down, then put the blinds back up when they were done. My housemate also put great effort in getting their room clean enough for them to come in and replace those windows, but I was responsible for the rest of the house and all the blinds. I've gotten most of the blinds back up, but there are a couple that are still down. Fortunately, most of this happened during a week I'd taken as vacation anyway, but it was still a lot. I was so exhausted I started a new idler game because I didn't want to put effort into gaming: and it wasn't even good (I do not recommend Cell to Singularity: Evolution Never Ends).
Besides the window replacement, I also had the mini-split AC replaced due to multiple issues: the head in my housemate's room was super loud because a fan had lost a blade somehow, and the one in my room would drip due to insufficient slope in the drain. Fortunately, the work got scheduled for just 6 days after the window stuff.
Third, some work on the exterior of the house was done. It was kinda a follow-up from the window people and was the easiest to get finished.
These three things were specifically on July 22, July 28, and August 25, respectively.
There were also minor things that got done this year: due to an issue with the switch breaking in a light fixture, I had it replaced (after months of it being broken: it also was finally done after the same cleaning of the house as the window and AC work). Also, I arranged for some large items we weren't using to be hauled away (broken table, multiple window AC units). I didn't write the dates on those, but probably still late July or early August. It was a busy time.
Goal 2: Actually regularly exercise this year.
Straight up did not happen. I did do some pushups occasionally for my shoulder, but the only time any sort of regular exercise happened is when I had physical therapy for a potential neck issue that could have been affecting my ear. I did the exercises between the first and second sessions of that, but didn't keep up with them. And, uh, they weren't exactly intense exercises. My mom asked me almost every visit something like, "Are you getting enough exercise", but that really doesn't help, so say the least. I'm gonna cut this one off here so I don't start ranting about parental issues.
Goal 3: Cook 10 new recipes.
Well, uh, 2 is almost 10, and I'm counting one time my housemate did almost all the work in that. I actually find cooking new things rather stressful. I feel like it would be good if I at least got used to cooking with a ground meat again. I did a little more food preparation that wasn't either oven-based or microwave-based than usual this year though. It's just that I've started to lean more heavily on making pasta or steamed potstickers when I have dinner separately from my housemate. It's something, at least.
Oh, and for the specific new recipes, my notes on this one specifically say:
I did 6, so not bad. 2 of them were just done while I was left alone at my parents' house because everyone else had gone to church. There are still more games I'd have liked to review though: I sometimes think of what I'd say in a negative review of that one idler game, and also I think about writing a positive review of Rogue Legacy 2. Plus I haven't reviewed Hi-Fi Rush, Cauldron, or Silksong, all of which I'd selected for awards this year (see previous post). So yeah, more intent than action, but still some action, so that's cool.
Apr 1: Cyberpulse
Aug 3: The Spectral Web: Hitodama
Sept 12: Final Fantasy V
Nov 8: Garbanzo Quest
Dec 28: Squeakross
Dec 28: Balatro
Goal 5: Finish at least 4 games I already owned, but had dropped or never started. I'd specifically said at least one I'd never started, at least one tactics/strategy game, and at least two others total.
This was done fully. My notes:
Jan 9: Beat Mystic Academy: Escape Room, a game I'd never started
Feb 6: Beat Persona 5 Tactica, a tactics game
Feb 16: Beat Hi-Fi Rush, another game I'd never started
Dec 1: Beat Monster Sanctuary
Also, technically, after not having played it for months, I picked up FFV for another Four Job Fiesta run that concluded on August 31, but I think this goal probably requires me to have also never finished the game.
Goal 6: Do the posts on the subject of The Void Rains Upon Her Heart that I'd planned.
This happened too. I didn't write down the dates of the posts, but they're here on tumblr. No real need to list them.
Not a goal: Also, I said I wasn't gonna push Challenge Enthusiasts this year and I was absolutely right about that: I went from 680 points to 695. https://cedb.me/user/9f1f4644-b3d3-40b7-a348-fb9ce59222c4
Something(s) I already had lost points, then I got some points for things I did anyway, without looking at Challenge Enthusiasts. Specifically, 10 points from Garbanzo Quest for 100%, 10 points from Silksong for completing an assorted set of achievements, and 10 points from Noita for just beating it once.
Anyway, overall, not bad. Only one thing outright didn't happen. I'll take it.
Well, a thing came up in a streamer's community where people were looking at the games they played this year and giving fun awards to games they wanted to highlight, so here are mine:
Best Game I Left Sitting For Months Before Playing: Hi-Fi Rush
Well, companies that track a bunch of data are doing their end of year wrap-ups. I still don't use any dedicated music service but Youtube has again tracked the music I play there and made a playlist of 34 songs.
The actual winners in my music listening are probably the Jamie Paige Constant Companions CD and the Kasane Teto Daemon/Doll CD that are in my car. But still, just for fun, the top 5 from my Youtube list as well as the questions I collected last year off tumblr when wrapped-related memes were being passed around:
Top 5:
Beastieball OST - VS The Mythic Dreamers [Official]
Cassette Beasts OST - Arrow of Time
Not As Sexy // Jazz Emu
ZeroRanger - Sky XXXX Days
Cassette Beasts OST - Your Inception
The one that barely didn't make top 5: #6 froghorn.exe by brian david gilbert
First Song Title with a Name In It: Arguably any one of these 3:
#1 Beastieball OST - VS The Mythic Dreamers [Official] (possibly disqualified because that's a team's name, not a person's name)
#13 IN Stage 3 Boss - Keine Kamishirasawa's Theme - Plain Asia (possibly disqualified because the actual song title is just Plain Asia, while the rest is just in the Youtube title to describe what it is)
#19 The Ballad of Smokin Joe Rudeboy by Tom Cardy
First Song Title with a Color: Arguably any of these:
#4 ZeroRanger - Sky XXXX Days (I watched this extra throughout the year, knowing I was going to do this, to manipulate the stats here, but one could argue the color being censored doesn't count)
#18 Angry White Boy Polka - Weird Al (Returns from last year in a worse position, but again might not count because it's "white" the race, not "white" the color, even if those concepts are related)
Nothing (There is no choice that unquestionably counts)
First song Title that is primarily another language: #26 A La Mode by Jazz Emu
Number 25 to find out how your year will go: #25 Bust Your Knee Caps by Pomplamoose (Uh oh. Couldn't I have had Arrow of Time here instead of #2? Then it would only get better)
First song Title with an animal in it: #6 froghorn.exe by brian david gilbert
Also, I want to just mention these other songs from video games that made it to my list (subject to my whims, not an exhaustive list):
#8 Everhood OST 74 - Why Oh You Are LOVE
#15 Burning Men's Soul - Persona Trinity Soul
#24 Hades II - I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death)
Last monster type, then I'm probably done posting about The Void Rains Upon Her Heart. It's time for the mechanical monsters, the Zaramech. I wrote all of the general info section of this back in March, but then procrastinated taking screenshots for 4 months. Even when initially writing I hadn't taken any updates from the last few months into account, so I may be missing some new lore, but having all the up to date information isn't really the point of these anyway. As usual, any sources will be in [].
Zaramech are the monsters of the Blue Tetrids, the Tetrids of Anxiety. Their bonus gifts have this to say:
"Zaramechs are machines built long ago for some unknown purpose. They roam around with no clear intent, but they do occasionally attack seemingly random targets. The only sure thing is that they will attack any Veyerals on sight and even chase them down until their target is destroyed." [Two Blue Bonus Gift] "Zaramechs have a tendency to attack predators of endangered species. This would suggest that they may have been some sort of wildlife preservation devices, but there have been strange cases where they eliminate all life within a small perimeter." [Three Blue Bonus Gift] Outside of that perimeter they don't seem to react to things at all, though [Blue Photo Quick Gift].
Most Zaramech are pretty old: "they were left down here after the towers were built so long ago." [Anxiety Power Gift] Some memories that seem to be told from the perspectives of Zaramech both describe intruders being detected in "Potential tower zones" (specifically #'s 5169 and 0673), so I speculate that they may have at one time been assigned to keep potential building sites for the towers clear [Circuitry Power Gift][Sentinel 4X Burden Gift]. Perhaps this explains their "eliminate all life" mode?
It's possible not all Zaramechs are necessarily following commands, though: a couple memories from a Zaramechs mention the existence of a "heart drive" [Chemical Light Power Gift][Null Unit Blessing Gift] which could have some influence on their actions in the same way a person's heart, poetically speaking, may drive some of their actions. At least one Zaraden researcher has memories of trying to figure them out, but is frustrated with their occasional bouts of irrational behavior, including going berserk. [Anxiety Power Gift again][Wildfire Power Gift] That researcher is likely the same person who found Split Unit deactivated in the Pit [Split Unit Power Gift], figured out how to activate them [Inverted Unit Power Gift], removed their firing mechanisms and actually did power them on [Flip Flapped Power Gift][Mote Bulb Power Gift][Vacuum Tube Power Gift].
Further research asks "What has been fueling these Zaramech for so long?" [Life Blood Bonus Gift] The answer may surprise you! It's Zaraden blood. [Extra Blood Bonus Gift]. Unfortunately, no answer is given to how they got it. But then, this isn't the first monster type that has had a surprising connection to the Zaraden themselves. Glyphs somehow made Heart Stones with Zaraden DNA in them. Void, possibly the mother of most/all Veyerals has absorbed Zaraden hearts. There's definitely something fishy that probably involves secret government labs or something, but I don't have any precise theory.
I guess at some point, Zaramech research must have paid off, considering there are some reprogrammed Zaramech inside the city. Still, they're kept chained up and seem to be mistreated. [Zaramech Sigil Bonus Gift]
In terms of appearance, looking at the Zaramech doesn't reveal any pattern in what they look like, besides "made of metal". However, comparing them to other monsters does show that many of their designs are based on others. I suppose it's not odd, considering robot dogs and the like in real life. However, looking at the Newborn Zaramech, Default, suggests the Zaramechs themselves are choosing the forms, or "shells", and can change them later [Default Burden Gift][Default Blessing Gift][Default My Notes]. However, some may have already had a robot body as their shell before awakening as a Zaramech, and have kept their original form: Lulu seems to be an awakened robot from a mass-produced series.
The usual thoughts from the relevant Mote Monster, Sapphire, on the theme emotions of the Zaramech family, Anxiety:
Burden: So this is the feeling of anxiety? This feeling is meant to protect you. It makes you take a cautious approach to unknown danger. It seems the world has given you far too many reasons to feel this way.
Blessing: So this is the feeling of calm? A feeling not defined by what it is, but what it isn't. It is a still and neutral feeling, but often felt positively after an attack by negative emotions has ended. Ah, so the minty scent you perceive of me has a calming effect on you.
For some specific Zaramech monsters to feature, I've chosen Lulu, Prisma, and Default. Lulu is both the first monster the player meets in the game, and fairly unique, Prisma is an example of a normal Zaramech, and Default was too interesting lore-wise to not include some screenshots of.
As mentioned, Lulu seems to be a mass produced robot that has awakened, considering events where the player encounters robots that look basically the same as her that aren't her. There's also a variation on her fight in which it's canonically a different robot, rather than the Lulu you know just being in a different mood that day or something. It appears at some point the Glyph Monster of Love shared some sort of blessing with Lulu, allowing her to carry memories through the daily resets that are affecting all the other monsters in the game [Love Love Blessing Gift], although I may be misinterpreting who wrote that gift series. Lulu's pre-fight quote is "Practice mode initiated", since she fights the player to try to help rather than because she forgets, although once the program has started the only way to end it is to defeat her fear: it is still possible to lose a run to Lulu.
Also, Lulu is the only Zaramech I'm aware of with any noticeable difference between her normal appearance used for events and the appearance of her fear in the dream world, so here's her event appearance.
Prisma, perhaps more than other Zaramech, seems to embody anxiety. She hides in a shell that seems to have been inspired by Amalga's rock armor. "She will only open up when she feels safe, but that does not happen very often." [Prisma My Notes] She's talented at creating duplicates of things: she has an event where she can duplicate your gifts, and a variation on her battle with two of her, explained with the text "she even made a copy so they could both help each other, but now there are two terrified Prismas. They pretend to malfunction just to stay closed." [Dual Prisma My Notes]
The Shamble Amalga, for comparison
And finally, I've already mentioned Default, the newborn, is thinking about her form. She is currently in the form of 4 diamond-shaped projectors which she uses to summon her designs into combat. She has at least one design per monster family that she's thinking about, and 12 in total, although one of her forms references a Special monster and there's only one Veyeral-like form, so it's not just 2 per family. The player has to fight through multiple forms in each battle with Default, and which ones are selected depends on the Level of the encounter. [Default Battle Tips]
At the start of the fight, Default appears as 4 diamonds in the shape of the Zaramech Sigil. These diamonds are invincible. Once the fight begins, 3 move off to the right while 1 starts projecting something.
Projecting a form based on Glacia, a Glass Flora
Projecting a form based on Scrambla, a Shamble
Projecting a form based on the glyph for Metal, which otherwise has no corresponding monster in the game
Projecting a form based on Roundsaw, a Guardian
Projecting a form based on the idea of a single-headed Flip-Flap, another Zaramech which itself references Knot Knott
So, the Veyerals. The monster type that shares a name with Veyeral Games. Perhaps the most plot-important monster type, although that can't be fully said when the plot hasn't all been released. The monsters of the Purple Tetrids of Loneliness. Although, I'm seeing there isn't actually a monster that produces Purple Tetrids, so that's odd. [Energy Tank Power Gift][Full Prism Bounty Gift][Veyeral Sigil Bounty Gift] Guess the post is over.
Okay, but seriously. They do exist.
"Veyerals are creatures from the void. They are attracted to feelings of loneliness and they infect any life that they come across. Those that have been infected are driven mad by extreme loneliness until the Veyerals completely take over their mind." [Two Purple Bonus Gift] "All Veyerals seem to have the same goal, not to take a life, but to convince a life to end itself. They die along with their host. Is that really what they want?" [Three Purple Bonus Gift]
Besides needing to watch out for dying with a host, Veyerals are also attacked on sight by the monster type I haven't covered yet, the Zaramechs [Two Blue Bonus Gift].
In terms of physical appearance, Veyerals are eyeball monsters. Often they'll have some sort of elemental orbs they use, but the typical main body is gonna be round with a single eye. Their species name is probably pronounced like "Viral" due to saying the embedded "eye" that way. Speaking of names, Veyerals don't have typical names, instead having descriptive titles like "Burning Veyeral" and "Voltage Veyeral". [Purple Mote Bounty Gift] Many Veyerals, especially those that haven't taken on an element, are pretty dark. It has been said that "Veyerals are so dark that they don't reflect any light" [Voltage Veyeral My Notes] and if you look at them "it looks like there's a blind spot on your eyeball. Just a small amount of blue light escapes from their body." [redacted My Notes] A select few have Zaranoid forms, but it doesn't seem to be part of the species as a whole. [various story events]
In terms of abilities, it seems Veyerals mostly absorb attributes from the environment and use those. Molten Veyeral apparently ended up Molten because of finding a source of warmth and never letting go [Molten Veyeral My Notes], however, they don't actually feel anything as they do so, which they find disappointing [Warmth Power Gift]. Venom Veyeral rolled around in toxic chemicals, also hoping to feel something [Venom Veyeral My Notes]. When they haven't lit themselves on fire, they are apparently cold. [Warmth Power Gift, again]
They, or at least a special one called Void, may also have some form of telepathy, which they use to drive others to despair. Perhaps it's part of their parasitic loneliness. This may explain the memory text of the Chrome Heart Quick Gifts:
Chrome Heart: When I see my reflection, I hear a voice. It knows how to destroy me. It sounds just like me, but that isn't me.
Chrome Duo: That's not me. Is that me? I can't recognize myself. I've become someone else. I was me, but now she's gone.
Chrome Trio: You think you're in the one in control anymore? Take a look at your reflection! HahAhaHaAhaHAahaAhaHA
Returning to the idea of their absence, my own personal speculation about why Zaraden Society doesn't know there's a monster type that produced Purple Tetrids falls into two main ideas:
Maybe they really did go extinct, or nearly so, but came back later. Between their own behavior of dying along with their host and being hunted by Zaramech, they seem more at-risk than other monster types. Perhaps the Zaraden practice of throwing wingless into the pit produced too many hosts too quickly.
Maybe, being creatures of loneliness, they're repelled by large populations and just haven't been discovered, even though they've been around the whole time.
That said, there seems to be a difference between what the purple bonus gifts say about Veyerals and how some of the present Veyerals act. Rather than infecting hosts and dying alongside them, it seems Veyerals now have a "mother" called "Void" that they deliver hearts to, which are then absorbed, and that they can do this many times. [Blue Hug]. Maybe whatever incident brought about the unending rain also caused Void and these new Veyerals to appear? Additionally, most of the Veyerals we see can feel love when the main characters share it with them and are happy to play games or hang out together, which seems like a contrast from the parasitic killers they're depicted as, though that may just be how powerful love is. I don't think there are answers in the current version, but it's fun to think about.
Still, there are some indications that Veyerals do still try to infect and bring down a host besides Void. Several Veyeral burdens address "you" rather than being about the Veyeral's own internal struggle, such as "You are lacking in color. You can join me in dullness. No amount of color can fix you" [Vibrant Veyeral Burden] or "You are lacking in warmth. You can join me in burning. Take your place inside the fire with me." [Burning Veyeral Burden]. It feels like the same tactics Void uses to try to bring down the main character. Perhaps even if there are new Veyerals that act differently, some of the old Veyerals remained?
Anyway, getting away from my own thoughts and speculations, let's get the usual thoughts from the Mote Monster on the theme emotions of the relevant Tetrids:
Burden: So this is the feeling of loneliness? The purpose of this feeling is to let you know when to seek companionship and comfort from another. But if there is no one else around, this becomes a deadly poison. You are not made to feel this for very long.
Blessing: So this is the feeling of belonging? You accept all these monsters as they are. You understand how they feel and they understand how you feel. This is why you can win them over so easily. They- We accept you too.
Finally, let's get some specific Veyerals and screenshots:
Veyeral Rain, who wish experience dreams, although Veyerals cannot dream on their own. In an event, you can share yours with them again. Despite how many Veyerals there are in this group encounter, "somehow they always end up talkinga bout how lonely they are. [Veyeral Rain My Notes]
Phase 1 consists mainly of small summons that bounce around, shoot lasers, or shoot red bullets, while a constant rain effect happens (screenshot taken at minimum fight level with the HUD disabled).
Phase 2 includes the appearance of a slightly larger main body
And here's one that's not a black ball with a red eye, though it is common for that to be the main body of a Veyeral. Storm Veyeral wants to be loved, but uses thunder to scare people away [Storm Veyeral My Notes]. Zaraden, or at least the first main character are pretty scared of thunder, so I would imagine that's a pretty effective strategy for Storm Veyeral at, uh, not getting what she wants. [Thunder Power Gift]
Electricity often crackles across her surface, but it doesn't look good in screenshots so I got a shot without any.
Also, a fun fact I hadn't really noticed before taking these screenshots: the main eye of most Veyerals tracks the player. I'm usually focused more on the bullets.
So near the end of 2024 there were, of course, various Spotify-related posts going around and I didn't have a Spotify Wrapped of my own, but did have a similar list of music I listened to on Youtube. I took notes on what the answers would be if I used that, but wanted to collect them up and post them all at once, partially so I could just explain once it was actually not from Spotify. Clearly I forgot. I also kinda didn't want to interrupt the Void Rain game posts but I've been lazy about those and there are still two to go. So anyway, here, in late January, the top 5 of my Youtube Music automatic playlist from 2024 plus some arbitrary other parts based on posts that crossed my dashboard.
Top 5:
Like Chimeras - Cassette Beasts OST
Your Inception - Cassette Beasts OST
Shot in The Dark - Cassette Beasts OST
Same Old Story - Cassette Beasts OST
Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai
The one that barely didn't make top 5: #6 Angry White Boy Polka - Weird Al
First Song Title with a Name In It: #7 Billie Jean But Every Instrument Is A Spring Door Stopper - Beeble
First Song Title with a Color: #6 Angry White Boy Polka - Weird Al (Or excluding "white" when it refers to a race, the answer is #31 [Kasane Teto SV] Vermilion / CircusP [ ⚠ CW ])
First song Title that is primarily another language: #28 Bubble no Jumon ha Shoot ! Pop ! Push ! (Shuu! Po! Passhu!) - PikaTwo
#25 to find out how your year will go: #25 I Wish That I Could Fall (feat. GUMI SV) - Jamie Paige / JamieP (Seems like a bad sign?)
First song Title with an animal in it: #1 Like Chimeras - Cassette Beasts OST (Or if Chimeras aren't an animal, then there is no answer in song titles, while going with full video titles picks up #21 I Would Rather // Jazz Emu)
Well, before talking about glyph monsters, I should probably briefly talk about glyphs. We'll get to the monsters though.
Glyphs are the symbols used when writing the Eyeric language. While it's my understanding the developer hasn't created a complete language, there are still a variety of symbols that have pronunciations and individual meanings that are put together to form some more example words. Also, every monster has a name written in Eyeric in the collection menu. Glyphs always look like a circle with some lines coming out, kinda like an Unown from Pokemon but with more straight lines, but with the central circle either being empty, having a dot, or having a line through it.
I'd like to specifically point out the presence of "Zaraden" in the word list of "explosive", considering that's the name of the player characters' species. It uses "Za", which I don't know if we have a direct meaning for, then "Ra" (Power/More) then "Den" (Color). My understanding of the first glyph is that it's something like "that" or "those", in that it can make the glyph for "self" into the word for "her". So while the memory text says "colorful being", getting more literal is probably something like "those of many colors".
Glyph Monsters, meanwhile, are the monsters of Yellow Tetrids and Denial. They "embody the literal meaning of the symbol they take the form of" and "were discovered long after the symbols had been created" [Two Yellow Bonus Gift]. "The behavior of an Eyeric Glyph is unpredictable. They have been known to hold perfectly still for days at a time only to shift around shift around at impossible speeds right after" and also "will attack any Zaraden near them." Whoever is writing the Tetrid bonus gift descriptions also speculates "Did we accidentally create them? Are they angry at us?" [Three Yellow Bonus Gift]. I personally speculate that the written language somehow focused the collective dreams of Zaraden into these monsters, which could not have formed without some agreement about what shape they would take.
While their combat forms are just their glyphs, plus maybe some extra geometric bits on the outside, they are the third and final monster type that routinely take Zaranoid forms. Unlike Glass Flora that just seem to have Zaranoid parts mysteriously, or Shambles which change their shape, though, the method glyphs use is described as projecting something "almost like a hologram, but they appear solid". [The Heart of a Monster Dreamscape] [All Stone Power Gift] [Dual Stones Quick Gift] Also, rather than appearing to have a scar over where their heart should be in their Zaranoid form, glyph monsters' projections tend to have a big hole through the chest, though I can only speculate whether it stems from the same sort of incident or is the glyph representing the circle in the middle of their symbol.
In terms of behavior, one thing Glyph Monsters seem to have in common besides shifting around at impossible speeds is that they created the Heart Stones, for some reason. "They are believed to be made of the same material as the Glyphs themselves" and "Glyph monsters will guard their heart stones for a few days after creating them. They DO NOT like it when another living thing touches their heart stone during this time." [Heart Stone Power Gift] Though they're protective of them, they are sometimes willing to give Heart Stones away, as happens in many events related to Glyph monsters.
Interestingly, the material Heart Stones are made of happens to be genetically similar to Zaraden [Quicklove++ Quick Gift], and, at least sometimes, exactly matches specific Zaraden [Quicklove+++ Quick Gift]
Heart Stones in game act as shooting familiars of differing elements.
The "My Notes" for the newborn glyph are a little interesting, so I'll provide that here:
"She looks just like the symbol Ai. The symbol we use to describe clean, new, and self. It looks as if she is not fully formed yet. Do these glyphs choose their own shape? It would make sense that they begin as the symbol for "new" before becoming another.
As far as what Topaz has to say about Denial:
Burden: So this is the feeling of denial? It is a powerful defense from suffering overwhelming emotions. However, this shield must eventually come down in order to resolve the source of those emotions. Are you ready to handle them?
Blessing: So this is the feeling of acceptance? Accepting can be painful. It will bring back all the emotions you were defending yourself from. But acceptance can also be a weapon against those emotions. …Did you just lick This One? That's alright. The Orb before you has provided a comforting feeling to you.
The end of the blessing there is actually a callback to the "My Notes" section of Topaz. "She isn't really an Eyeric Glyph monster, but a ball of yellow motes. She is part of another monster. I know yellow tetrids taste just like a sweet fruit, but I'm not going to ask what she tastes like. No, I could never ask something like that! So anyways, she tastes like a sweet fruit…"
As much as this is a game about a dystopian society, loss, fear, and other painful emotions, it's also silly and about love.
Anyway, the specific glyph monsters I've chosen to bring up, based entirely on whose events appeared in the run I was taking screenshots in, are Chemory and Ombroah.
Regarding Ombroah, the monster form of the "Ah" Glyph, representing "water, rain, and darkness" the "My Notes" says "It constantly rains wherever she goes. She would like nothing more than to cuddle next to someone under an umbrella". While in battle she has a constant raincloud that makes bullets fall from above (included in the phase 2 screenshot, although it's present in both), she does indeed have an event where she allows the player character to rest under her umbrella. In her Burden, she blames herself for the unending rain that is central to the game's plot, but it really isn't her fault.
Ombroah Phase 1:
Ombroah Phase 2:
Ombroah during her Event:
Then there's Chemory, the "Ry" glyph. The "My Notes" on Chemory, the glyph of "chemicals, elements, and nature" "can change the chemical composition of the air around her." She can make the air smell like anything, and also makes perfumes [Chemory: My Notes]. In battle, she makes the air poisonous, with the player fighting from the safety of several large bubbles. In her event, the player can trade items, with bonus value placed on those that would be good in perfume-making (I think mostly fruits and flowers).
Chemory Phase 2 (phase 1 just doesn't have the outer bits)
Chemory in her Event:
Also, one thing I haven't mentioned is that every monster in the game has a name in Eyeric. Here's Chemory's:
True glyph monsters, when looking at their Eyeric name, have both the dotted and undotted versions of their glyph surrounding that same middle character that I don't know the meaning of. The honorary glyph monsters don't follow that pattern. Like, the yellow heart follows the pattern of being one glyph plus the color glyph, since the heart monsters are named for colors.
Make necessary calls and such to hire somebody for at least one major house-related task this year. Some possibilities: repainting the outside of the house, patching the driveway, or fixing AC in my room. Ideally more than one, of course.
Actually regularly exercise this year. It would be good if I could at least make some progress on my shoulder rather than neglecting physical therapy stuff. Like, there's a definite problem.
Prepare at least 10 recipes I've never done before. Some will probably come from the cookbooks I was given for Christmas, but taking over the occasional meal from the meal delivery service I get with my housemate is a possibility. It would be good if I could step up more with regards to cooking, and my housemate will be leaving someday.
Fun goals
Finish some games that I own already, but haven't played in over two months. It's good to appreciate the games I already own, and will save some cash if it reduces my Steam sale spending. Specifically I'd like to finish:
At least one strategy game. Likely one of Persona 5 Tactica, Unicorn Overlord, Mario and Rabbids, or Fire Emblem Engage.
At least one game I never even started. Possibilities include Hi-Fi Rush, Coromon, Dream Tactics, Before Your Eyes, Nobody Saves the World, Blue Fire, Temtem, and about a jillion things from those charity itch.io bundles.
At least two other games. Some ideas: Monster Sanctuary, Chrono Ark, Cupid Parasite, Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair, Berserk Boy, Dungeon Drafters, Tales of Arise, Rain World
Review at least 10 games on Steam. I play a lot of games. I'd like to practice gathering my thoughts on what makes a game fun or not.
Finish the Void Rain species posts. Still need Glyphs, Veyerals, and Zaramechs.
Remarks
I didn't include a gender goal because I don't think it can be forced, but I'm not fully convinced I've got it figured out. See my last post for my current thoughts.
I'm not feeling like pushing Challenge Enthusiasts this year. To write down my current points in case they do change, though, they're at 680. I guess I already remarked I earned about 200, but the actual change in points was from 465 to 680, due to either new objectives I'd already done being added, or point values being adjusted.
While there are a number of other household tasks I will want to get done this year, I don't think making them a resolution will help. I've started playing Spirit City: Lofi Sessions recently and that might be what I need for them. I don't want to make a "play Spirit City" goal, though, because that's not really the essential part of what's going on and I might drop the game without dropping the habit of doing things.
Well, I guess my usual end of year thing is to look back at goals and say how they went. Honestly, the year was kinda rough, and I think I spent most of the second half of the year in some stage of burnout, so I'm not gonna worry too much about things that didn't get finished.
Serious Goals
Exercise: Some token efforts were made, but no true habit formed. Maybe next year.
Take care of something around the house: I did put a new auto-closer on the back door, as was one of the tasks I listed as something I might do, so technically accomplished already in January. I also arranged to have the water heater replaced, so a bit of a bonus. There were a couple things I was honestly hoping I'd get around to that I didn't, but honestly, it's fine. Plus even though it wasn't an emergency replacement or anything, getting a new water heater was probably better than getting the outside of the house painted.
Clearing the stacks of paper from my desk: Well… I think the stacks of paper might be shorter? Also, vaguely related, I did at least take care of a lot of the plastic bottles and snack containers that had built up nearby, so that's something.
Gender progress: I feel like I didn't gather any new evidence this year. I'm currently kinda going with the idea that I'm almost agender, but, like there's 3% of a gender just kinda wobbling around, which I guess technically could be called something like demi-genderfluid but I feel like that label implies way more gender non-conforming than I've been doing. I've compared my current gender to a TV remote that's basically out of batteries but can still produce a little signal if you're lucky. Two years ago I definitely had 3 months of feeling transfem, but, I mean, if you bottle up 1-3% of a gender for 3 decades maybe that does come out to 3 months. I haven't done the math. Of course, anytime I make an avatar of some sort of a video game lately I'm like, "Well, time to make a girl and see if there's trans flag clothing" so there's really no way of knowing whether there's more going on. I mean, I'm about to go to my parents' house, so maybe it's better not to dwell too hard on that anyway.
Fun Goals
Earn at least 100 Challenge Enthusiasts Points: Doubled the goal. Site updates adjusted some point values and added some objectives I'd already done, but my best attempt at adding up everything I actually did this year comes out to 200 points, anyway. Turns out the fun ones are kinda easier to stick with, although honestly, the points were mostly frontloaded in the year. Burnout even affected my gaming.
Finish Factorio and at least one other game I stopped playing for at least 4 months: Yep, did this too. Factorio, Hue, and Kirby Return to Dreamland Deluxe.
I'm not gonna try to get too into next year's goals yet. That's kinda an activity for me in the car closer to New Year's. I just thought I'd get the wrap-up done now since it's not like I'm gonna do anything more while I'm gone.
I do want to actually finish those monster-type writeups for The Void Rains Upon Her Heart though. I've written most of a post on Glyph Monsters and already have the screenshots I want from story events.
A third post on monster types in The Void Rains Upon Her Heart. I was going to skip the usual preamble about these not really getting into deep lore and how I put sources in [], but it's been a while so there it is just now.
Shambles are associated with Green Tetrids, the tetrids of Shame, Guilt, and Embarassment. In the associated memories, Shambles are described as "very powerful beings that can warp time and space. The most powerful ones can tear a place to shreds just by existing. They can pull objects right out of the air. These objects are believed to be taken from an alternate timeline. Likewise, they can make anything vanish by presumably taking it to another universe." [Two Green Bonus Gift] However, "weaker shambles that can't simply tear a hole thorugh walls are often seen avoiding invisible obstacles that either used to exist or might exist in the future. There are theories that Shambles are actually four dimensional creatures. We can only see a small fraction of their true forms." [Three Green Bonus Gift] It's also been observed what happens when a weak Shamble fails to react to these "invisible obstacles": they "suddenly cry out in pain and start bleeding from a random place on their body." [Foreign Axon Upgrade Gift 2] For some reason, they always refer to themselves with plural pronouns like we/our [Foreign Axon Upgrade Gift 1]. I'll be using they/them when I refer to them, but I think some of them might use she/her, and I'm pretty sure Scrambla says "sister" rather than "sisters" when talking about Boilder, but I digress.
It's hard to say much in general about Shamble appearances, although a number of them have body parts that aren't actually connected to them, such as floating eyes. One memory describes them by saying "they usually look like a bunch of pieces moving together. Like chunks of meat and stuff like that." [Shamble Sigil Bounty Gift] Also, they're another type of monster that shows a Zaranoid (humanoid) form when in conversation, with another memory mentioning they "seem to be able to take many shapes" [The Heart of a Monster Dreamscape]. Like other monsters that can take Zaranoid form, though, they always have a scar on their chest [still The Heart of a Monster]
In-game, they fortunately keep most of their greatest time/space shenanigans to events rather than using them in battle. They can help the player send items to future runs, and provide extra-dimensional space for other monsters, even from another parallel universe. A one-way portal to another point in space/time in the same universe is a Link Synapse [Link Synapse Power Gift] while a Warp Synapse only moves objects through space but can be 2-way [Warp Synapse]
As is tradition in these posts before a couple specific examples of monsters, here's what the honorary shamble, Emerald, has to say about Shame through its burden and blessing:
Burden: So this is the feeling of shame? It is a powerful social tool for correcting harmful behavior, but it has been used incorrectly on you. You can't correct your wings, and the ones who made you feel this way should be feeling shame instead.
Blessing: So this is the feeling of pride? Yes, you deserve to feel proud of how far you've come. Try to stay humble by remembering all the mistakes you've overcome so far, and thank the ones who helped you along the way.
And my arbitrarily selected representatives of regular Shambles… based almost entirely on whose events came up in a run I did this week so I could get event form screenshots.
Scrambla is one of the first Shambles players are likely to meet, due to their low minimum level and lack of an unlock requirement. They enjoy hugs a lot and their event is one of two Link Synapse events that allow sending gifts to future runs. In an early conversation, they say that the form they take is based on the main character's, because they found her cute. [Her Heart Scenes: Meet Scrambla]
Knot and Knott, forming Knot Knott are the most married of all monsters. They refer to each other as their wife, at least. Though they're "from completely different universes", "they wanted to be together so much that they pulled each other into this world". [Knot Knott Notes]. Their battle form has them physically connected, but they can separate, although this gives Knot anxiety after even a moment [Shiny Knot Knot Notes]. I'll type out the burden and blessing for their shiny form:
Burden: Our other half is gone. She has finally had enough of us! We are never going to see our wife again. She is gone for good this time.
(Based on event text, it has been 5 minutes)
Blessing: We know you would never leave us. Our mind can't help but go to the worst places. We are trying our best to stop that. We can do better.
I think I've remarked before, but I really like how the burden/blessing combos are very often a before/after where in the middle they get doing much better.
Do you plan on continuing tvruhh monster lore posts?
I know not many people have seen it overall but i would like if you continued!
Yes, I do plan on it. I was kinda exhausted for a few weeks and felt like I'd lost momentum at that point. I also sort of stopped playing when I got 100%, but I believe there are 2 or 3 more monsters in the game now.
Anyway, I'd at least like to hit the 6 main monster types before stopping for good. I've got a mostly finished post on Shambles. I just need to get back into the game again and get some screenshots and specific monster quotes. I'm traveling for the holiday, but can probably get at least the shamble post out sometime next week. Then I believe the order I'd planned was Glyphs, then Veyerals, then Zaramechs. Zaramechs are last because I want to talk about Default a lot.
Another monster type: this time the Guardians. As usual, this is the surface level lore aimed at allowing non-players to understand the universe a little in case of multifandom RP or something, not a deep dive, and I'll use [] when I'm citing an in-game source.
Guardians are associated with Red Tetrids, the tetrids of Frustration. From our Tetrid-Memory-based overview, we learn that Guardians are mutated versions of the planet's wildlife. They're always much larger, and every species has at least one. They guard specific areas for unknown reasons, thus the name [Two Red Bonus Gift]. The areas they guard are referred to as Guardian Zones, and they head straight for the nearest zone as soon as they start mutating, overriding their species' "usual habits and instincts" [Three Red Bonus Gift].
They're one of the three monster types that lacks a "Zaranoid" form, and will look the same when conversing with the player as they do in battle, besides that Roundsaw takes her sawblade off [Wrath of Roundsaw Event: My Notes].
This might be approaching deep lore, but just to have one other thing to say in general besides "they are big creatures" I want to bring up the "newborn" Guardian monster, Guardian Soul. Newborn monsters are always some hazy shape in the color of the monster's symbol, which is also their Tetrid-association. The "My Notes" on Guardian Soul indicate she's incorporeal, and is looking for a place to fit in, after having "been born lost and angry". Her Burden says "Where should I go? Why am I asking that? I need to go somewhere? But where do I need to go? And why?" while her Blessing says "This feeling… I need to go protect something. Why does it need to be protected? And why do I have to do it? Because, I am the only one who can." It seems to me like the mutations Guardians undergo may not be random genetics in action, but perhaps a result of fusing together with a spirit that feels a duty to guard somewhere, although I cannot cite anything in game that says this is definitely the case.
I guess while I'm on the subject of unusual Guardian monsters, Ruby, who is actually made of Tetrid motes and is only an honorary Guardian [Ruby: My Notes], has this to say about Frustration and its opposite:
Burden: So this is the feeling of frustration? It feels very painful, but it can also be used as a fuel to take action and change the situation. So long as it's kept under control Be very careful with this one.
Blessing: So this is the feeling of content? This is a wonderful feeling. It is the feeling of having everything you could ever hope for. At least for a moment. Many others have so much more than you, and yet they still can't feel this. You are very lucky.
For regular representatives of Guardians, I've selected Lila and Roundsaw.
Lila is an "avioc", a species that can be described as eyeballs with bat wings. She's very shy and easily spooked, but likes sweet fruit and can be befriended with some [Lila: My Notes]. She also has bad days where she's even more shy [Shy Lila: My Notes]. If I recall her event properly, Orange Tetrids taste like sweet fruit to her, so they're her favorite.
Roundsaw is a "meerstalk", which is a segmented reptile that lives all throughout The Pit [Saw Bloom Power Gift]. "She uses this rare and dangerous flower as a weapon and has quite the temper", which is why they call her Roundsaw [still the Saw Bloom Power Gift] "A severe lack of affection has caused her to explode into fits of rage" [Roundsaw: My Notes]. Fortunately, as mentioned earlier since she's the only Guardian I'm aware of to change appearance during events, she will put the saw bloom away and can be hugged once loved in the dreamscape.
Other guardians include a couple 4-legged mites, a spiky sandworm, a spiky lavaworm, and a tall plant. Maybe I should've discussed one of the mites considering the green one, Rendy, is basically a mascot for the game. Oh well, let's get some screenshots in here and call it a post.
Lila (What a cutie! So small it's easy to drop your combo if you move too much.)
Roundsaw (So fierce! That saw does extreme damage!)
Guardian Soul (Can't be touched! Still deals contact damage in dreams!)
In terms of monster types, of course I want to talk about Glass Flora first. Again, this won't be deep lore and is mostly aimed at those not intending to play TVRUHH themselves, and sources will occasionally be listed in [].
The two and three tetrid gifts always provide a nice overview of what a monster is about so here goes: They're almost indistinguishable from regular plants until a piece is removed, at which point it instantly hardens into glass [Two Orange Bonus Gift]. Additionally, they grow eyeballs, usually inside of blooming flowers. The eyes are the only non-glass thing about the creature, and are what they use to absorb both sunlight and water, while the roots are used for movement [Three Orange Bonus Gift].
They're one of the three monster types that typically have a "zaranoid" (humanoid) form when conversing with the main characters, although with a scar near where a heart should be [The Heart of a Monster Dreamscape], although I'm not aware of any direct explanation for why, with that source only saying "I suspect the Glass Flora all have a form like this, but I've only caught glimpses of them". Pearl's event seems to show she buries her zaranoid form underground, only letting her tail out to look around, although even in the dreamscape her monstrous form has a zaranoid portion: she's the one glass flora that doesn't seem to change form at all for events. On the other hand, Vitrea, when meeting the primary main character "Her Heart", for the first time says "I'm not supposed to look like this. I'm supposed to look like a flower to you," but after some discussion says "I think it's okay to show you this form then," indicating that she has multiple forms and somehow changes between them. If it was a part of her rather than a form of her I'd expect it to be phrased differently, at least.
Besides maybe being able to change their shape, Glass Flora definitely have some control over what shape their glass becomes: "I think the Glass Flora can generate glass with sharp edges, but they never do. They always throw smooth glass pebbles at me when they are afraid. I don't think they ever intend to hurt anyone." [Glass Duo Bonus Gift]. Additionally, Kiwi canonically makes glass hearts and gives them out [Glass Trio Bonus Gift].
Before getting into a couple specific Glass Flora, I want to go over their associated emotion, but before that, I want to mention a few things that will be useful on the subject:
Burden Gifts, which are each associated with a monster and typically are the fears of the monster in first person. Mechanically, they're basically temporary curses.
Blessing Gifts, which are also associated with a monster and typically are how the monster feels after being loved, and often answer their previous fears directly. Mechanically, they're basically temporary buffs.
The monster entry's "My Notes" which seem to be written by one of the main characters
Gem Monsters, which don't seem to experience fear the way other monsters do, but instead muse about the emotion itself and its opposite in their burden/blessing.
Orange, as mentioned in my previous post over a week ago, was the color of insecurity. To elaborate, here are some of the game's comments on the emotion: "So this is the feeling of insecurity? As if you are not enough. As if you could lose everything at any moment. It causes you to grab anything dear to you and grip it tightly. You have not been convinced that you are always enough, no matter how many times you hear it. Is that why you share love with others so easily? So they don't feel like you do?" [Citrine Burden Gift].
And for its opposite: "So this is the feeling of confidence? It makes you feel strong. Like you can handle greater risks. You took a huge risk by being vulnerable with others, but you also gained so much. You now have so many loved ones to count on. Everything gets a little easier every time you gain a new one." [Citrine Blessing Gift].
As for regular representatives of the Glass Flora, here are a couple of burden quotes from them:
Momo: "Keep her away from me! I don't want her to see me. I'm so embarrassing to look at."
Alter Vitrea: "I want to talk to that Zaraden. No, she would just tell me to be quiet and break me. She saw me. I'll probably never get to see the stars again."
As for the corresponding blessings:
Momo: "You really like our dance? I'm simply flourishing right now! Which part did you like the most?"
Alter Vitrea: "You really don't think I'm too much? You really want to hear me ramble on about the stars? Then I really want to show you something!"
And the corresponding "My Notes" from the collection entries of the monsters themselves, as written by one of the main characters:
Momo: "This flower really loves to dance. She and her crew of backup flowers are absolutely amazing! 'Momo and the Murder Blossoms' are going to be so popular!"
Alter Vitrea: "I can't stand to see her like this. She would rather quietly mope to herself than bother anyone, but I'm always here to listen."
Getting away from directly quoting the game, Glass Flora have a range of interests. Besides Momo's dancing and Vitrea having her own observatory and love of the stars (and love of Glacea: they're lesbian plant girls), there's also Kiwi who enjoys a game legally distinct from Dungeons and Dragons, Dot who wants to determine how to perform the perfect hug, and Glacea who loves Vitrea back.
Anyway, that's about all I can think to mention, so let's get into some screenshots. I took them with censorship mode on, since I'm not sure how tumblr would like them otherwise. Doing so delayed the post as well, since the wiki for the game only has the uncensored sprites and I had to get the events myself, but also I'm closing in on the end of the achievements and don't have much reason to play story mode at the moment, where events actually happen.
