iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

I wanna douie Louie to get his gouie. 🥵

230

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Raising money for charity this weekend!

011

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

I'm not usually into robotic guys, but got damn, Samuel Hayden is one sexy piece of metal. There is no droid or clanker that can compare to this hunk of aluminum, who has been in my dreams a lot as of late. I mean, GOT DAAAMMMM, please, I need this. 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

453

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY ON FEBRUARY 22ND, PART OF THE CREATORS AGAINST ICE CAMPAIGN.

Hey everyone, sorry for the ping lol

This February 22nd, a Sunday, I will be doing a charity livestream in support of the Creators against ICE campaign! I will play the entirety of Doom 2016's campaign on Nightmare difficulty, and each death and donation at a certain minimum will be met with the usual shenanigans! The livestream will begin at 9 AM PST.

I've been pretty quiet about ICE's nastiness (to put it extremely lightly), but I'm ready to do my part. I hope to see y'all there!

001

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Iron Lung (movie): Cosmic horror is awesome and always will be, and this feels like if the game was remade in UE5. I like the unnerving atmosphere and set design, but I feel like it's very slow. Fifteen minutes could probably be cut and it would pace better. Good movie overall, though. 7/10.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Halo 2: Very, very good sequel. Following the story from two perspectives is really fun, and I love the dive into Covenant politics and delusions. The gameplay and levels are a step-up from the first game as well, but some of the levels are kind of a drag. 8.5/10.

Cover art for Halo 2.

Master Chief poses in front of an orange, burning(?) background, wielding two SMGs, with the game's title in the middle of the cover.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Pokemon Legends: Z-A: Generally a step up from Arceus, but I prefer the more exploration options in that game. The combat, story, and characters are all huge step-ups, too. I haven't felt this attached to Pokémon characters since Lillie in Sun/Moon. Can't wait to see what the DLC has to offer. 8/10

Cover art for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

The two player characters stand a crouch respectively on the right side of the image, with a Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepid alongside them. Ahead of them is Emma with a Pikachu and mega evolving Lucario. Prism Tower can be seen clearly in the distance, with the title sitting just above it, a Noivern and Mega Scizor flanking each side.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Aether's 2026 Media Thread:

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment: If I listed how this game is better than Age of Calamity, I'd be here all day. But it's a very, very good game. It's piss easy, but the last few story missions get difficult quickly. TotK should've had this much thought put into its plot. 8/10.

010

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Replay, Switch ver.): Still a phenomenal sequel to one of the best Mario games ever made. I love the generally more challenging levels compared to its predecessor, though I wish they were a little longer. Still such a joy to complete once again. 8/10.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (movie): Nothing stellar, the animatronics were cool and I thought the plot was interesting, but some of the plot points were kind of all over the place. The last fifteen-twenty minutes were garbage, though lmao, nosedive in quality. So unnecessary. It was alright. 5/10.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Raising money for charity on December 13th!

A screenshot of a Discord announcement from my Twitch server. It reads as follows:

@everyone

December is almost upon us, folks, which means it's time for the tradition to continue!

On December 13th, a Saturday, at 11 AM PST, I will livestream the entirety of Undertale's pacifist route while raising money for World Central Kitchen! The donation goal will be $150, and there will be the usual incentives and punishments against me, including some that pertain directly to the game itself!

Even though Thankmas isn't happening this year, that doesn't mean we still can't help make a difference. More details to follow!

141

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (replay): Very nostalgic game to me, and I'm glad that it holds up so well. The first few hours are pretty rough (so many tutorials lol), but it's still a really fun experience. I think BIS had the better characters and plot, but this is still second best to me. 8/10.

130

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Full-odds shiny Fletchling, found randomly during the shiny Mareep quest lol

010

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Amnesia: Rebirth: This is an outstanding game. Terrifying gameplay and an excellent narrative, it's so easy to get invested in, and anything bad that happens to Tasi is felt greatly. Slowly unraveling what happened that lead to what you see in-game is as riveting as it's predecessors-

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

This was a fun time, and I love the LiDAR scanner mechanic. It adds an ominous feel to most of the game, that you're not safe wherever you are. I think that’s the highlight of the game for me. The story is alright, and the monsters are easy to avoid if you know what you're doing, but-

Key art for The Voidness:

The background is entirely red, and the ground and title are speckled black, with a humanoid figure standing beside the title, also in speckled black.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Hotline Miami: This game is just my style for a shooter lol The gameplay is fast and chaotic, but there's a very clear aspect of strategy that goes into each level as well. Some masks are a little unbalanced, but anything that gives you an advantage in this game is welcome. Very thrilling. 8.5/10.

Key art for Hotline Miami.

The background is set at night, with the moon and city skyline in the background. In the middle of the image is the game's protagonist, wearing a pig mask and carrying an unconscious woman over his left arm, and holding a bloody fire axe in his right hand. He stands over the mutilated corpse of a Russian mafia goon, and is surrounded by several others wielding various weapons, illuminated by the headlights of a nearby car.

Above all of this is the game's title, and above that are three mysterious characters, from left to right: a woman in a horse mask, a man in a chicken mask, and a man in an owl mask.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Fears to Fathom: Woodbury Getaway: Great at making you feel uneasy, despite the overuse of jumpscares. Almost every character you meet comes off as untrustworthy and makes you uncomfortable, which serves this short game especially well. 7.5/10.

A thumbnail for Fears to Fathom: Woodbury Getaway.

It is a screenshot of a small road at night, with a few rustic homes dotting the snow. The game's title sits in the very middle of the image in red and yellow text.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

The Long Walk: The movie is tense and dreadful, with each hopeful moment purposefully small and quickly snuffed out. It is masterfully shot and acted, each member of the cast put their all into this. You feel for each of these characters, their graphic deaths gut-wrenching. 9/10.

Promo poster for The Long Walk.

A drab, dull lighted sky serves as the backdrop. A soldier armed with an automatic rifle stands at the forefront of the poster, his upper body cut off by the top. The top of the poster reads: "THE TASK IS SIMPLE: WALK OR DIE. FROM LEGENDARY AUTHOR STEPHEN KING."

Near the bottom of the poster, between the soldier's feet, is the movie title stretched along the road, with the cast walking forward in the direction of the soldier.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Dark Souls II (SOTFS): The hate that this game gets is greatly misplaced. Yes, it has its blemishes, but it is still a great game that's undeserving of its bad reputation. Despite the misplaced difficulty and area design, it is still fun to explore, and the bosses are fun to fight. 7.5/10.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Batman: Arkham City: This takes almost everything from Arkham Asylum and makes it better and more challenging. The story was gripping and had me (mostly) focused the entire time, and the characters supporting and opposing Batman were excellently done, especially the Dark Knight himself. 9.5/10

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2: This game is fun, but that fun is quickly drained once you realize how long it takes to get through the game. There is so much junk and clutter in between levels (and even within some levels), boss fights take way too long to get through, everything just drags on.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Yakuza 3 Remastered: It's got its jank, and the plot isn't as engaging as previous entries, but this is still a fun game. Hoping that 4 and 5 refine some of the rougher edges from this game. 7/10.

Key art for Yakuza 3 Remastered.

The title is on the right side of the poster, and to its left is Kazuma Kiryu, looking upwards, with grayish buildings and a white background behind him.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

The Fantastic 4: First Steps: First MCU movie I've seen since Deadpool and Wolverine. This was such a fun movie to watch. The stylization and setting was great, and the characters fit into it so well. The family dynamic of the Fantastic Four is so, so good, one of the best parts of the film.

140

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (new story content): Chapter 13 threw everything at the wall lmao, not in a bad way, but in a way that's better than what Future Connected did, in my opinion. It was epic and had me on the edge of my seat, giving a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise-

A screenshot of Al, arms crossed, with the Ares behind him to the left.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

Superman (2025): This movie is golden. This captures the character of Superman so incredibly well, giving him unyielding belief in his actions benefiting people. Even when he has personal struggles, he refuses to back down. The pacing was great, making this feel shorter than it actually is, and-

Movie poster for the 2025 Superman film.

Superman, played by David Corenswet, poses with his arms crossed against a blue, sunny background. He has a slight smile on his face as he looks ahead. At the middle and towards the bottom of the image are as follows:

"LOOK UP"

"A JAMES GUNN FILM"

"DC STUDIOS"

"SUPERMAN"

"ONLY IN THEATERS
JULY11"

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

Jurassic World Rebirth: Just disappointment after disappointment. Everything in this movie was super predictable, the thing with the mutant dinosaurs is never elaborated on, and most of the life-threatening sequences were just so tame. Hardly anyone was in actual danger.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I NEED THIS I DESPERATELY NEED THIS I NEEEED MY HEAD IN HER LAP SO FUCKING BAD PLEASEPLEASPELAPPELAPALPPELASELPAAEAPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

250

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

How To Train Your Dragon (2025 remake): Disney should take notes. This is how you remake an animated film to live-action. I prefer the dragon designs and line deliveries in the original, but this is worthy of carrying the name of one of my favorite movies of all time. 8/10.

Promo poster for the How To Train Your Dragon live-action remake.

In the middle, on a cliff edge with the sun setting behind them, are Toothless and Hiccup, his hand on the dragon's nose. Below them is the movie title, release date of June 13th, and details about being filmed in IMAX. Above the two characters is the line "The legend is real."

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Mario Kart World: This is everything great about Mario Kart. While I was slightly skeptical about the intermission races, they turn out to be a lot of fun and more tense than you'd expect. Online is pure chaos, the real Mario Kart experience, and the new courses are awesome, too.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

DOOM: The Dark Ages: This is such a cool take on old-school Doom brought to a modern light, and the extra focus on the plot is very much appreciated, especially since it doesn't sacrifice the gameplay. It's fast, and I feel more powerful than even in Eternal. This is sex if it was a game.

Promo art for DOOM: The Dark Ages.

In the middle stands the Doom Slayer, super shotgun in his right hand, shield saw in his left, surrounded by several demons. In the background is his dragon, Serrat, and an Atlan mech squaring off against a titan. Flames ravage the background.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Xenoblade Chronicles X (Definitive Edition, base game): Even though I never finished the original game, this is still extremely fun from what I remember. As a standalone game, I think it does a lot of things right, even if the story isn't as good as those from the main trilogy.

Key art for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.

The title is on the center-left, surrounded by three levitaths. Below the title, in the background, is New Los Angeles, being looked over in the foreground by (from left to right) Lin, Tatsu, Elma, and the player character, with a Skell standing next to them.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: 50/50 this game is either fun or dogshit. It controls horribly and is frustrating to handle. The two drivers mechanic is cool, but that's not enough to save this for me. Motion controls feel better than this. 5/10.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

The Batman (rewatch): One of the best superhero movies I've seen. I love this portrayal of a younger, more emotional Batman using his detective skills to slowly crawl through the pipes of corruption to unravel the Riddler's plot. The setting is great, too, and I can't wait for part two. 8/10.

Poster for the movie The Batman.

At the bottom of the poster is the movie's title, March 4th release date, age rating, and other information. Above the title is Bruce Wayne, wearing a tie and trench coat, holding a duffel bag in his right hand. A red crosshair designed as a question mark is locked onto his head. Behind Bruce is the Batmobile, and behind that is a great inferno, with Gotham City in the background. Above the fire in the middle is the Penguin, wearing a snazzy suit. To his left is Selina "Catwoman" Kyle, wearing a black jumpsuit. To the right of the Penguin is the Riddler, wearing a mask and white glasses, wearing a jacket with the aforementioned question mark crosshair painted on it. Behind all three of them is Batman, with the words "UNMASK THE TRUTH" directly above his head at the top of the poster.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered: One of the best Spider-Man experiences I've had, period. This game does so much right, and does it incredibly well. The plot is gripping, the side-content is fun, and the web-swinging and combat are immensely enjoyable. I will play New Game+ one of these days. 9/10.

121

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2025 theatrical re-release): This is the only prequel that can almost stand on par with the originals. The writing and action of the prequels peaked here, and this movie still remains in my top three favorite Star Wars movies.

Promotional poster of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith for its twentieth anniversary theatrical re-release.

The title, release date, actors, director, and production companies are listed at the bottom. Above the title is a small scale of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's duel on Mustafar, a splash of lava making their black silhouettes stand out. Behind them is Anakin in a dark hood, facing forward. Behind him is a large image of Darth Vader's helmet, also facing forward. At the top of Vader's helmet is the sentence "20th Anniversary", and starships flank either side of Vader's helmet.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones: Not my favorite of the prequels lol, but it's still alright. The dialogue kinda sucks, but I love the build-up to the start of the Clone Wars. Less Jar-Jar is appreciated, too, and the visuals were cool. 6/10.

Promo poster for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

At the bottom is the title and a list of actors and the director, along with companies involved in the film's production. Above the title is Jango Fett, a battle between clones and battle droids behind him. The right of Jango is Mace Windu, holding his lightsaber, C-3PO and R2-D2 slightly below him. Obi-Wan Kenobi stands with a lightsaber in hand above Windu. Anakin and Skywalker and Padme Amidala stand side-by-side next to Obi-Wan, with Yoda to the left of Padme.

100

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

A Minecraft Movie: Genuinely one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. I wouldn't call it a good movie by any means, but if you go into it expecting it to be the stupid, silly, and whimsical movie it is, you will have a good time. 7.5/10.

220

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

999 (full game): One of the best puzzle games I've played. Each puzzle is so expertly crafted and clever, and even the most insignificant portions of information or detail end up carrying great relevance in the grand scheme of things. You'll always have questions, and they'll all be answered. 9/10.

Key art for 999 (Nine hours, nine persons, nine doors).

At the bottom of the image is the title: NINE HOURS ● NINE PERSONS ● NINE DOORS. Above that is the abbreviation, 999. In the middle and top of the image are the cast of characters: Junpei is in the middle. To the right are June, Lotus, Ace, and the 9th Man. To the left are Santa, Clover, and Snake. Above Junpei is Seven. They all stand against a dark background.

120

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Smiling Friends season 2: Watched this with friends and we just laughed at the stupid shit the entire time lmao, 8/10.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (rewatch): Pretty alright, all things considered. I like the prequels, so some bias may be poking through lol, but I think the political intrigue of this movie is an interesting warning to the fates of the world and characters involved.

Movie poster for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

In the middle of the poster is a young Anakin Skywalker, the movie's title at his feet. To the left of him is C-3PO, lacking in a cover, with R2-D2 to the left of him. Above R2 is a Naboo transport ship featured throughout the film. To the right of Anakin is a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, wielding a lightsaber, with Jar-Jar Binks to the right of him. Above Anakin is Qui-Gon Jin and Padme's protective doppelganger. Darth Maul's eyes look on above them, with the words "Every saga has a beginning" directly above him.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest (Replay): Playing this again was so much fun. Gameplay-wise, this is a big step up from Awakening, with refined mechanics and more balance to powerful strategies, while still being (mostly) fair and challenging, Conquest itself suffers from some of the worst writing-

Key art for Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest.

The title sits at the top of the image. Standing side-by-side are characters from the game. From right to left, they are: Corrin (female version), Xander, Leo, ELice, Camilla, Fiora, and Gunter. Corrin wields her sword, Yato; Leo wields Brynhildr, Elise holds a staff, and Gunter wields a lance. The background is a starry sky with a strange pattern flowing from a light to the right of the image, just above Corrin's head.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Wolfenstein 3D + Spear of Destiny: As a Doom fan, I owed it to myself to try these games, and they did not disappoint. Fast and lots of shooting, it's clear to see how much of a technical upgrade Doom is after playing this and how much Doom's mechanics took from the games as well.

Modern key art for Wolfenstein 3D.

The title sits at the top of the image, and id Software and Bethesda's logos are on the bottom opposite the game's title. In the middle is William "B.J." Blazkowicz, shirtless, with a red cloth wrapped around his left wrist and a large gun in his right hand, resting on his shoulder, as he kicks a German soldier while another pursues from the distance. The three of them are surrounded by what appears to be rubble.

Key art for Spear of Destiny.

The game's title is at the bottom of the image. It features William "B.J." Blazkowicz, shirtless, using a rifle to smash open a display case contain9ng the titular Spear of Destiny. An ominous castle looms in the background, with a red sky surrounding it.

110

Aether @aetherstw.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi: The epitome of Star Wars, all about the action and the Force. This is where Star Wars really ended for me, and it's no surprise that this is most people's favorite. The cinematography, special effects, and music peaked here in the OG trilogy. 8.5/10.

Key art for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

The title sits at the top. To its right is the Millennium Falcon, with a rebel ship to its left. Luke Skywalker, lightsaber in hand, stands in the middle directly below the title, with Jabba the Hutt, Leia Organa, and Han Solo to the right of Luke, each standing below the other. Darth Vader looms to the left of Luke, with Yoda directly below Luke's hands. Below Yoda is C-3PO sitting in a chair, with two ewoks at the bottom directly below Luke. The Death Star can be clearly seen in the background.

110