NIS America - 11/12/18 - The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince - How we will survive

This is a very proud moment for me. I constantly joke that my writing degree will never apply to anything in the real world, but with this trailer live for the world to see, I can no longer claim that self-deprecating statement to be true. I never would have dreamed that my education, career, and passion would line up in such a satisfying and meaningful way. My writing isn't shut behind the covers of a book or holed up in some closed doors brainstorming session. My writing is out there for the world to see. I'm blown away. You can literally see my words appear on screen as you watch this. This trailer was a group effort with lots of input from many people, but the words are mine. Please enjoy this trailer for The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince.

Original post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERTGFHaV1Bk

NIS America - 10/18/18 - WHAT’S NEW IN THE CALIGULA EFFECT: OVERDOSE

Original post: http://nisamerica.com/blog/what%E2%80%99s-new-caligula-effect-overdose

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CALIGULA EFFECT: OVERDOSE

RETURN TO MOBIUS WITH NEW CHARACTERS, NEW STORY BRANCHES, AND MORE!

School is back in session! Join the ranks of the Go-Home Club and choose between the path of rebellion or the path of deception in the remastered and expanded psychological RPG thriller, The Caligula Effect: Overdose!

Set in the pristine utopia of Mobius, you and your fellow students endlessly relive your high school years in a fantastical, dreamlike existence orchestrated by the sentient vocaloid program μ (Mu). This near-perfect simulacrum is devoid of pain and hardship, but despite its beauty and comforts, something far more sinister lies beneath the surface. Recruit your classmates, rise up against μ and the Ostinato Musicians, and return to the real world!

Previously released as The Caligula Effect on PlayStation®Vita, The Caligula Effect: Overdose offers an enhanced version of the original game, boasting many features that will thrill both new and returning Go-Home Club recruits.

Rediscover the ethereal realm of Mobius, which has been rebuilt from the ground up using a new game engine. Seamless gameplay and the implementation of an updated UI help to unlock the true vision of what the world of The Caligula Effect should be. The story has also been expanded with a plethora of new scenarios and an alternate ending, and includes the brand-new “Forbidden Musician Route,” where you can conduct the rhythm of the rebellion and compose your own unique path to seal the way out of Mobius forever!

Of course, no performance is complete without its cast of characters. The Caligula Effect: Overdose gives you the option to play as the newly added female protagonist, opening up more storytelling possibilities. Choosing the female protagonist allows you to experience Mobius from her unique point of view and will drastically change some character interactions.

You’ll also be introduced to two new members of the Go-Home Club, as well as two new Ostinato Musicians that must be overcome. These new faces join the over 500 other students you can recruit to your cause.

The doors to Mobius reopen next year on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, and Steam. But you don’t need to wait for a breakthrough; preorders for The Caligula Effect: Overdose are available now!

Visit the official website or Steam for more information about The Caligula Effect: Overdose.

© FURYU Corporation. Licensed to and published by NIS America, Inc.

NIS America - 10/9/18 - PHANTOM BRAVE INCLUDED IN OCTOBER’S HUMBLE DISCOVERY PACK!

Original post: http://nisamerica.com/blog/phantom-brave-included-october%E2%80%99s-humble-discovery-pack

PHANTOM BRAVE INCLUDED IN OCTOBER’S HUMBLE DISCOVERY PACK!

GET PHANTOM BRAVE NOW AT A HUMBLE PRICE, BEFORE IT’S GONE!

Looking for some phantasmic and fantastic games for the Fall season? Then look no further, because the acclaimed tactical RPG Phantom Brave is joining the October Humble Discovery Pack! Praised by IGN and Eurogamer for its innovative battle system, unique story and art style, this gem is a rewarding addition to any Steam library, boasting over 100 hours of addictive gameplay. And thanks to this month’s Humble Discovery Pack deal, Phantom Brave will be available alongside a collection of other worthy titles for a limited time!

Step onto the lonely shores of Ivoire as the cheerful and spiritually gifted Marona, who can communicate with lost souls called Phantoms. Along with her spectral companion Ash, she accepts freelance work from clients via Bottlemails that float along the sea. Although her desire to help others is often challenged by their fear of her otherworldly abilities, nothing will stop Marona from achieving her goal of earning enough money to buy the Phantom Isle. An ocean of danger and discovery awaits!


Phantom Brave is included as part of the Humble Discovery Pack, and is available to anyone subscribed to the $1-or-more tier. The bundle is available today on October 9th, and will run until Tuesday, October 23rd. Check it out now, as this deal is only available for a limited time. Don’t miss your chance to dive into this otherworldly adventure!

NIS America - 10/8/18 - Disgaea 1 Complete release (social media post)

Hello all, long time no post! I have finished my first day in my new job position: Marketing Copy Editor for NIS America, a publishing and licensing company for Japanese video games and anime. While I am involved to some degree in a lot of the marketing efforts of the company, a huge chunk of my position revolves around writing, so I thought it would be beneficial to share my work as it goes public. Here is a simple Twitter post I wrote today. It's a small step, but it represents my first real foray into marketing writing.

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Get excited doods, because Disgaea 1 Complete comes out TOMORROW! Did you preorder your Rosen Queen’s Finest Edition yet? A whole horde of goodies comes with it! Get ‘em while they’re hot! http://bit.ly/D1CStore  #Disgaea #Disgaea1Complete #nintendoswitch #PS4

Original post: https://twitter.com/NISAmerica/status/1049441813487124481

Character piece: "Second Choice...or Second Chance?" (Dungeons & Dragons)

Back in my college days, I played my fair share of Dungeons & Dragons, and I was fortunate enough to be part of a group of players who encouraged each other to create backstories for our characters. My writing senses were very much indulged and nurtured in this free-form creative environment, and I do assert that some of my best writing came from late-night sessions spent rolling dice, scarfing down McDonald's, and laughing about nonsensical things. Please enjoy this prologue piece from one of my past characters.

“Second Choice…or Second Chance?”

For as long as I have lived, I have been in the shadow of my older brother, Jaren. All my triumphs, my accomplishments, my efforts, they only paled in comparison to his. Although Jaren always tried to talk me up to others, especially to the members of the Elder Council, it was his talents and reputation, not mine, that everyone noticed. I was often discouraged, yes, but it only strengthened my resolve to become stronger and wiser. Luckily for me, pride was no fault of Jaren’s, and he helped me to train and study hard each day, no matter how much I bothered him or messed up along the way. Sometimes, it felt like even he wanted me to succeed him. Whether it was true or not, it was a comforting thought. As much as I did not always want to admit it, Jaren really was the strongest and wisest member of the clan, and with him assisting me in my training, nothing would stop me from rising to the top.

There is an old saying that our mother use to tell us: “Sometimes, glory hides within the mouth of misfortune.” I never really understood what it meant, but I soon came to know the truth behind those words.

One day, our house was approached by emissaries from the western lands across the Inner Sea. They had a brought a summons for Jaren, bidding him to come to the city of Kenabres. They were seeking manpower from across the nations to help bolster the defenses at the borders of the Worldwound, where a great evil lurked. Jaren was among the few selected to represent our nation of Varisia in the vanguard. It was a most dangerous-sounding proposition, but at that moment I could not have been more proud to be his brother.

However, misfortune fell upon us the night before Jaren was the leave with the emissaries. I was watching him spar with a few of his friends, and during one of their bouts, one of them fell against a stack of hay bales, causing them to begin tipping over. Jaren managed to run up and shove his friend out of the way, but the falling bales crushed his leg. The emissaries were distraught. They needed more able bodies to help guard the Worldwound. They could not afford to come back empty handed.

Jaren did not hesitate one moment. He told them that I would take his place in the vanguard.

At first, the emissaries resisted. I was too young and inexperienced. But Jaren assured them that he had been training me in private to be his successor for years now, and that I exceeded him in both skill and expertise. No one from our clan would dare question the word of our greatest warrior, at least not in public. That seemed to satisfy the emissaries. I was to pack my things and be ready to leave my morning.

Jaren was lying. I was nowhere near as good as him.

He and I stayed up all night, talking everything I learned, and everything I feared. But despite the physical pain he was in, Jaren’s spirit never seemed to falter. “If anyone can protect us, it is you, brother,” he told me. As scared as I was, I knew that to back down now would be to turn our back on our honor, and on everything we held dear. The moment I had been waiting for my whole life now lay before me. I was to finally succeed my brother, and emerge from his shadow. I would be the hero he could not be.

The next morning, we ate little and spoke less. He was unusually quiet, only managing to smile and nod whenever I said something. That is when I knew that for the first time, he was scared. He was scared for me, his little brother who was only just beginning to grow, and now it was my turn to be brave for both of us, just as he had done countless times before.

As we embraced for the last time, he told me the words our mother once told us:

“Go, brother. From my misfortune, seize your glory.”

Builders of the New Order - Prologue: "The Messenger"

This was an interesting piece. A friend of mine who is an aspiring tabletop game designer had approached me about writing some flavor/aesthetic pieces for his latest project: a standalone card game based around cults and creatures inspired by folklore and H.P. Lovecraft. This is the intro/primer for one of the cults, The Builders of the New Order, which was inspired by the Illuminati.

Builders of the New Order - Prologue: "The Messenger"

“Alright, bring the prisoner in.”

An overhead buzzer mounted above the door heralded the entrance of a gaunt, grey-haired man clad in a dark blue business suit, flanked on either side by a police officer. The room was dim, save for a lone ceiling light that illuminated a small metal table at the center of the room. A wooden chair sat before the table, seemingly pulled out for him. He was seated, his hands uncuffed, and across the room from him, a stout middle-aged man in a white dress shirt and slacks stepped into view. In his hands was a manila folder, teeming with papers.

“Thank you, Williams, Stanton,” the stout man said. “I’ll take it from here.”

The two officers nodded and stepped out of the room, clicking the door shut as they left. The stout man began a slow pace around the room, opening the folder as he went.

“Good evening, mister…” He shuffled through the papers, and the sound echoed slightly in the bare stillness of the room. “…Dominic Seras, is it?”

He halted his march for a brief moment, glancing up at the old man for a response. None seemed to be given. He continued.

“I’m Detective Mark Hawkins. Do you know why we’ve brought you in here tonight, Mr. Seras?”

At this, the old man lifted his head and looked up at him, revealing an ashen face and bloodshot blue eyes. “I’m afraid my memory escapes me, detective,” he croaked. “Please, do remind me.”

Hawkins glanced down at his papers again. “Suspected embezzlement of company funds. Tax evasion. Fraud. It’s not every day that a person comes across millions of dollars overnight, Mr. Seras.” He shut the folder with a loud snap and held it up for Seras to see. “It’s all in here, in black and white. Just because you neglected to fill it out on your forms doesn’t mean that we won’t find out.” He slapped the folder down on the table in front of him. “So I suggest that you make this easy for both of us. Tell me how you did it, serve your time, and be on your merry way. Sooner or later, Mr. Seras, we’ll find out what we need. Everything you do, we know all about it.”

Seras suddenly chuckled. “Well, I regret to inform you that you are quite mistaken, detective.”

“Oh, am I now?”

“Yes, detective. About two things, in fact.”

Hawkins took a deep breath, a bit taken aback by this sudden assertion. “And what would those be, Mr. Seras?”

Seras leaned forward in his chair, as if studying Hawkins’ face. “The first is in your implication that the money was taken. Such an interesting notion. ‘Taken.’ As if you yourself could dictate who it rightfully belongs to. Why indulge in fruitless matters such as who owns what? It all ends up in the same place in the end. It is inevitable. I am merely getting it to where it needs to go sooner.”

Hawkins stepped forward, huffing slightly in agitation. “Listen here, old man. I know all about lowlife crooks like you. Thinking that the world is yours for the taking. Like you can just waltz right up and pocket someone else’s hard-earned cash. And you know something? You’re all the same. You’re all filth. Dregs. Rodents. Bums who steal from honest people, honest people that bust their asses all day for a couple bucks. And as long as I’m around, you’re gonna get caught. I know everything that happens in this city.”

Seras’ stony expression did not waiver. “Ah, but detective, that brings us to my second point. In truth, you do not know a thing about what goes on in this city.” He leaned in closer, standing up slightly from his seat. “Would you like me to let you in on a little secret, detective?”

Hawkins eyed him suspiciously, crossing his arms. “What?”

“As of right now, detective, the man known as Dominic Seras sits here before the detective Mark Hawkins, playing a verbal game of cat-and-mouse in an attempt to garner answers that don’t exist. Meanwhile, your investigative team has been busy breaking into my bank account, and they have no doubt found it completely empty, devoid of those millions of dollars you’re so hung up on.

Hawkins tensed up, his arms dropping to his sides and his blood beginning to pump harder in his ears. “You’re bluffing, old man.”

“I’m afraid not, detective.” Seras reclined in his chair and chuckled. “The money has already been transferred into the appropriate hands. It will reach the end of the east coast by the time I finish this sentence.” He paused for a moment, a slight smile crossing his lips. “It is bound for a Swiss bank account in an undisclosed location. From there, well, there are things even Dominic Seras isn’t privy to. But rest assured, though the remainder of the path is unknown, the final destination is.”

Seras paused again, seemingly satisfied with the bewildered look on Hawkins’ face. A tense silence followed, and was suddenly broken by a polyphonic jangling noise. Seras dug into his pocket and procured a cell phone, which he flipped open and held to his ear. “Go ahead.”

This snapped the detective back to the present. “Wait, what…where did you get--?”

“Understood,” Seras muttered, seemingly oblivious to Hawkins’ reaction. “Thank you very much.” He shut the phone and leaned forward once again, resting his elbows on the table and weaving his fingers together. “Oh, don’t look so shocked, detective. If you must know, your colleagues were kind enough to permit me use of my phone during our little meeting.”

“What…you mean…Williams…Stanton…they’re in on this!?”

Another toothless grin from Seras wordlessly answered him. Hawkins turned away, rubbing his forehead in exasperation. “I can’t believe it…this whole time they were…?” The shock of the moment endured for a few painfully long minutes, before Hawkins, breathing heavily, faced back towards him. “What do you guys want?”

“Want, detective?” Seras’ eyes narrowed behind his hands. “There is nothing we want. We already have it.” He lowered his hands, his stern gaze fixed upon Hawkins. “You were always about want. Always asking, ‘What do you want?’ Always thinking that the world’s problems could be solved if you satisfied as many of the ‘wants’ as you could. As I recall, your precious littler daughter had a lot of wants, didn’t she? Elise, was it? Yes, that was her name.”

Hawkins stiffened up. “How do you know my daughter? What do you want with her!?”

Seras cackled loudly, and the walls seemed to shake at the sound. “You were always quite generous with her, detective! Like when she got that acceptance letter into Yale. You couldn’t bear the thought of her losing a chance at her dream school, so you paid that very steep tuition. You were a hero that day you handed in that check, weren’t you, detective!? Well, you’ll be happy to know that your generous contribution of $54,000 shall not go to waste, since we’ve…how shall I say it…relocated those funds to their proper place. I’m sure Elise appreciates it as well, the little peach.”

At this, Hawkins leapt at Seras, his face glowering red. The door behind him burst open, and the two police officers came rushing in, grabbing a hold of Hawkins as he landed upon the table, his gnarled grasp falling short of where Seras sat. “I swear to God, Seras, if you lay a hand on my daughter--!”

“There’s no need to worry about that, detective,” Seras replied calmly, standing up from his seat. “She is of no use to us.” He stepped around the table as the two officers pinned Hawkins to the ground, wrenching his head so that he could look up at them. Seras walked over, his shadow blanketing the entire floor as he approached, until he loomed over them, the toes of his shoes inches away from Hawkins’ face.

“It is no coincidence that, after several years of my supposed ‘embezzling,’ you’ve finally caught me. You, a detective who claims to know everything that happens in his city, have only now managed to catch me. Why do you think that is, detective?

“The truth is, I’m not here because I was arrested. I was sent here to oversee this little transaction. The fact that you’ve actually noticed suspicious activities in regards to my personal accounts is all I needed to know. Once it reached the point where even the federal authorities began to take notice, my task was complete. It was a sign that we had allocated a sufficient amount of funds. So for your assistance in this little matter, you have my gratitude, detective.”

Seras turned heel and slowly made his way to the door. “So now, you might be wondering, ‘Where do we go from here?’ Well, tomorrow, an article will be printed in the second page of the newspaper, about how a man named Dominic Seras was arrested for several counts of tax evasion and embezzling money from a Fortune 500 company. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 25 years in county jail, with no possibility of parole.

“However, tonight, a man named Walt Mitchells will walk out of this room, having concluded his business with detective Mark Hawkins. There will be a limo waiting for Mitchells. Where it goes, not even I know. As for yourself, detective, consider this the beginning of what is sure to be a prolonged vacation.”

He stopped as he reached the doorway, and took one last glance back at them. “You see, detective, no matter how much you think you might know, you cannot stop what has already been set in motion. Everything you have done from the moment you set foot into these streets…nay, set foot into this world…it has all been towards our purpose. Every channel you have watched, every store you have walked into, every cup of coffee you bought on the way to work, it has all been a part of our glorious plan.

“You asked me earlier what it is that we wanted, detective. Well, I shall give you a more satisfying answer than my last. We want to re-create the world. We want to bring the light of perfection to the masses. What we want, is a new world order.

“Well, it has been nice chatting with you, detective. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way. My limo is waiting.”

A Noise in the Night

2018 has been an interesting year so far. Career changes, moving into a new apartment, and various other personal shifts have been the focus of these first few months. But in the midst of all the changes and craziness of life, I've decided that among everything else, I should keep posting stuff here, especially since I have a massive portfolio of writing that never went public. I don't know if I'll have a consistent post schedule, but I will try to post as often as possible. Anyways, enjoy this short piece from my junior year of college.

A Noise in the Night

A barrage of bangs echoed through the evening air. Billy sat up, wondering if he had merely dreamed the noise into life. A second volley screaming in the distance quickly dispelled this thought.

Stumbling to the door, he rattled the knob only to realize it was locked from the outside. He began beating upon it, his cries overwhelming the thunderous boom of his fists. Meanwhile, the explosions were sounding closer.

The deadbolt slid open, and several men entered Billy’s room. As they pinned him down and delivered a dose of sedatives, the doctor shook his head and said,

“Poor soldier.”