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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 10h

These are all really good writeups. I love Metroid II for all the same reasons you mentioned previously. I also had a blast with AM2R. They are two completely different takes on the same concept, and each is good for totally different reasons. So I agree—no replacement. But I'm SO glad to have it.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Just over a year ago, I started rewatching ALL of Star Trek, going by in-universe chronological order. I started with Enterprise, watching one season a week. Generations, a 2-hour movie, took me...over 9 months? That can't be right. Well, anyhow. It was...fun. letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★★★★ review of Star Trek: Generations (1994)

Why I watched: This was part of a rewatch of the ENTIRE Star Trek franchise…going more or less by in-universe chronology. And there's a big timeskip early in this movie. So after finishing Star Trek V...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Let's not forget to celebrate what is unquestionably the biggest, most popular holiday this month.

Screenshot from the NES game Crystalis. White text on black background: 1997, October 1, The END DAY

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Reposted by Flashman85

Alex Zandra @zandravandra.com · 01/10/2026

hey hi let's tetris our way through some tower defense with the 1.0 release of ~EMBERWARD~ ...with @flashman85.bsky.social! come on by! <3 www.twitch.tv/zandravandra

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

No livestream today after all; this weekend has *not* gone as planned. But hopefully I'll be doing a joint livestream on Wednesday evening; stay tuned for details on that.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

One of the first ones that comes to mind is the root monster maze in Space Quest II. I think I actually have groaned at that one.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Join me in a little over an hour for more MaG48HMML! We'll visit the ice skating rink and maybe the library, continuing backward through the entries. Find me here: www.twitch.tv/flashman85

twitch.tv

Flashman85 - Twitch

Nathaniel (AKA Flashman85, AKA GeminiLaser) plays Mega Man games. Lots of Mega Man games. Perhaps you've seen him around the Internet. Shoutout to Phusion for the nifty profile art. — Flashman85 strea...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I'll be back at sea on Sunday SUNDAY Sunday for another tier or two of Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level! I'll start sometime early afternoon EDT and go for a couple hours. www.twitch.tv/flashman85 AND IN OTHER NEWS, I'm back to recording MM8. Got more Frost Man footage, some of it almost usable!

twitch.tv

Flashman85 - Twitch

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Over the last two years, I've poured nearly 500 hours into Emberward, a puzzle-oriented tower defense game. Now it's out of early access! It's a satisfying blend of construction and destruction...and it's got my name in the credits for playtesting! :D store.steampowered.com/app/2459550/...

store.steampowered.com

Save 15% on Emberward on Steam

Build twisting mazes with tetromino blocks and deploy unique towers in this strategic roguelite tower defense adventure!

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

No 48H stream this weekend after all, but hopefully next weekend! In the meantime, here's what you might've missed last stream: a pool party, dev commentary on my entry level, and a sidequest that was particularly infamous when the game released: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opzi...

youtube.com

Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level - Part 2: I Ended Up in the Swimming Pool Tier? Water the Odds!?

YouTube video by Flashman85 LIVE

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ThatEntityGirl @thatentitygirl.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Play Mega Man: Wily Tower NES at this year's SAGE Expo, starting today!

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Maaaaybe another MaGMML 48 Hour livestream this weekend? It'd have to be Saturday, switching things up.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Emberward! Which has been in Open Access for a while, but it officially releases in 1.0 in a week! So I guess a game from the future counts as recent? store.steampowered.com/app/2459550/...

store.steampowered.com

Emberward on Steam

Build twisting mazes with tetromino blocks and deploy unique towers in this strategic roguelite tower defense adventure!

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Just look at that preview image. Woody Harrelson is going to stare at you until you read my review of Last Breath, a movie about real events that transpired at one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★★★ review of Last Breath (2025)

Why I watched: I actually wasn't planning to watch this—the trailer made it seem like a by-the-numbers disaster movie. But I gave it a second look when it came to streaming and I saw it was (a) based ...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I just rewatched this one a couple weeks ago, and I, too, engaged in some void stareage afterward.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Returning to the Delta Quadrant was unexpectedly rough. Season 1 of Star Trek: Voyager (VOY) isn't the lowest-rated of this rewatch, but it was the most disappointing. Missed potential, questionable decisions, and too much body horror. Also: 5 holodeck episodes but no power to replicate coffee???

Graph of VOY Season 1 episode scores. Average is 2.80. Asterisks (*) indicate an episode centered around weird science.

"Caretaker" 3
"Parallax" 4 *
"Time and Again" 2 *
"Phage" 2 *
"The Cloud" 3 *
"Eye of the Needle" 5 *
"Ex Post Facto" 4 *
"Emanations" 4 *
"Prime Factors" 4
"State of Flux" 3 *
"Heroes and Demons" 2 *
"Cathexis" 2 *
"Faces" 0 *
"Jetrel" 3 *
"Learning Curve" 1

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level livestreams continue with Tier 10, a new costume, and maybe a sidequest or two! We'll go for 2-3 hours. I'm just getting set up—find me here soon: www.twitch.tv/flashman85

twitch.tv

Flashman85 - Twitch

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

BEEP BEEP Which is to say, Coyote vs. Acme is the most I've enjoyed a new release since Rental Family and Eleanor the Great...or since Barbie and Oppenheimer, if we go back to when this *should* have been released. A review that'll hopefully encourage you to see it: letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★★★★★ review of Coyote vs. Acme (2026)

Why I watched: Warner Bros. initially shelved this as a tax write-off, and my wife and I thought it was important to communicate with our cinema dollars that there's financial value in audiences actua...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Beyond stage order and boss weapon, I'd say it needs: - Tight controls - Catchy soundtrack - Distinct visual style with the right amount of detail and whimsy - Mix of platforming and combat challenges - Fair difficulty with multiple ways to play - Reluctant/accidental hero who just wants peace

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Finally, my first livestream of MaGMML 48 Hour is up on YouTube! I start with first place and work backward, showcasing some esoteric NPC secrets and doing questionable voice acting along the way. Special guest Z-Saber joins me for a few minutes, too! www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SW3...

youtube.com

Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level - Part 1: A Top-Down Approach

YouTube video by Flashman85 LIVE

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

How about another MaG48HMML livestream on Sunday afternoon? We'll tackle Tier 10, and then Tier 9 if time permits. Maybe some sidequests, too! I haven't forgotten about the archive video of the first stream; I've been extra busy and SUPER wiped the last several days. It'll go up before Sunday.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

We're more than halfway through the year, and I've only seen *three* new releases. Well, make that four! The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, was not a particularly enjoyable watch for me...but it was an interesting one that I'm still thinking about. letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★★★ review of The Drama (2026)

Why I watched: The trailer intrigued me; and I like Zendaya, Pattinson, and Athie as actors. What I liked: The cast did not disappoint. The story went places I did not expect. I appreciated the themin...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

If you're looking for a diversion on Sunday afternoon, I'll be streaming Make a Good 48 Hour Mega Man Level for the very first time! Exact time TBC but it'll be early afternoon EDT. Expect dev insights and an upside-down level order! www.twitch.tv/flashman85

twitch.tv

Flashman85 - Twitch

Nathaniel (AKA Flashman85, AKA GeminiLaser) plays Mega Man games. Lots of Mega Man games. Perhaps you've seen him around the Internet. Shoutout to Phusion for the nifty profile art.

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Reposted by Flashman85

Alex Zandra @zandravandra.com · 14/08/2026

GOOD! MORNING! MEGA MAN! :D —FAN-FARE— ...with a friend! @flashman85.bsky.social joins me for the final(?!?) look at Make A Good Mega Man Level 3! what a long, strange adventure it's been come on by and say hi <3 www.twitch.tv/zandravandra

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Deep Space Nine (DS9) gets even better in Season 2, where the storylines diversify, make stronger connections with the broader Star Trek universe, and leverage the uniqueness of this setting and these characters even more. No, you haven't had too much tulaberry wine—the chart got a makeover.

Graph of DS9 Season 2 episode scores. Average is 3.62. Asterisks (*) indicate an episode that grapples with a moral or philosophical conflict.

"The Homecoming" 4 *
"The Circle" 4
"The Siege" 5 *
"Invasive Procedures" 2
"Cardassians" 4 *
"Melora" 4 *
"Rules of Acquisition" 4 *
"Necessary Evil" 4
"Second Sight" 3
"Sanctuary" 2 *
"Rivals" 3
"The Alternate" 2
"Armageddon Game" 5
"Whispers" 4
"Paradise" 3 *
"Shadowplay" 4 *
"Playing God" 3 *
"Profit and Loss" 5 *
"Blood Oath" 5 *
"The Maquis I" 2 *
"The Maquis II" 3 *
"The Wire" 4 *
"Crossover" 4 *
"The Collaborator" 4 *
"Tribunal" 3
"The Jem'Hadar" 4

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Zach Bussey 🍁 @zachbussey.tos.gg · 12/08/2026

Twitch now uses your channel to train generative AI by default. You can opt out of some training here: www.twitch.tv/settings/sec...

Training for Generative AI

Allow your channel content to train generative AI content models at Amazon. Turning this off does not opt you out of Twitch and Amazon using your channel content for other purposes described in the Twitch Privacy Notice, including using AI-supported Twitch features that benefit the community by facilitating streamer growth and monetization (such as real-time sponsorship campaign assistance), viewer discovery (such as recommendations), and community safety (such as AutoMod). Learn more

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Although I'm no longer an active member of the GameCola staff, I do come out of retirement every once in a while to talk about video games—in this case, Chrono Trigger. Here's a collaborative article looking back on the games of 2025...and 2015, 2005, 1995, 1985... gamecola.net/2026/07/the-...

gamecola.net

The 2025 GameCola Videogame Awards (Part 2)

Yesterday was the time for those winners, but today is the time for these winners.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Super productive weekend. Updated the fangame tracker, made some long-overdue Discord server updates, did some work on 48H in anticipation of streaming soon, poked at a blog post that's been stalled for years, and that's just the Mega Man stuff. Here's hoping I can keep up the momentum.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I've actually got creative energy this weekend (it's amazing what a few nights of decent sleep will do), so I'm working on my backlog of Mega Man projects. Might stream tomorrow; might keep working on stuff behind the scenes.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

For the first time in a while, everything feels like it's in balance for me. Not everything is perfect, but I'm starting to enjoy myself again. Stress is receding. Things are looking up. We'll see how the week goes, but maybe a livestream in the near future?

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Aw, man! All this time, I've been building my sandwiches wrong.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

It feels great to be watching movies at a more normal (for me) pace again—and to have my wife along for so many of them! This has been a real "just get through the month" kind of month, so I cherish the things that make life feel more like I want it to.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

SO MANY EVILS You may not have heard of Summoned. Now you have. Here's a review where the words flowed easily and I had a fun time writing. The movie poster grossly overstates the ratio of Cuba Gooding Jr to anyone else with screen time. letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★★★ review of Summoned (2013)

Why I watched: I was looking for more horror movies that I thought I could stomach, and a made-for-TV supernatural thriller about jurors being mysteriously bumped off in PG-13 ways seemed like a good ...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Ahaha, we both have the same exact clear case for displaying Mega Man figures. :)

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I think it's because each of the previous seasons has gone bigger and wilder than the last, and S8 hasn't. It scaled things back to where they were around S5-6. My wife and I find that refreshing, but it's surely disappointing if you expected the twisty spectacle of S7 to be the new baseline.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

You'd better read this review, or you'll make The Butcher angry! Here's my take on The House, an increasingly absurd comedy about two parents trying to send a kid to college. *My* college. Allegedly. It's good, if you like stuff I don't. letterboxd.com/flashman85/f...

letterboxd.com

A ★ review of The House (2017)

Why I watched: I'd heard that this took place at my alma mater, or at least was inspired by college life there. Yep, that's about all it takes for me to watch a movie. What I liked: I'm not much for g...

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Last night, I did some maintenance on my Steam library for the first time in years. It was freeing. It feels really good to have all my games in categories where I'll remember to play them, and to have more hard drive space after uninstalling a few titles I don't see myself going back to anymore.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

What was it about JW that you hated so much? I can think of a few things that bugged me but didn't wreck the whole experience.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Whereas the first JP is my all-time favorite movie (which Rebirth wrecks by adding preposterous new lore), and I've liked or loved all the sequels and both TV series (which Rebirth wrecks by saying, "haha, we can't have humans living with dinosaurs, hard reset on where this world was going").

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

I mean, I've finished or at least gotten partway through nearly 600 anime series and movies. I think it's a statistical impossibility not to have a "worst" in there somewhere. But I also couldn't answer the question. Too many different kinds of "worst" to choose from.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

There might be a bit of recency bias at play here, but I'd say Jurassic World: Rebirth. 134 continuous minutes of growing disappointment and rage at how one ill-conceived story could invalidate and rewrite everything that came before it (and where do you go from here!?).

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

I want to create more content, but I'm burned out—stuck in an ugly cycle where the things I do to recover make me feel guilty because they're not "productive" enough. So I'm taking a new approach. Forget about content. Just bring something good into the world, every day. I think I can manage that.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

The Scribblenauts games have to be up there. The sheer number of words that the game recognizes is staggering, let alone the incredible flexibility for puzzle-solving.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson (2002). I read it around when it came out, so I couldn't tell you how well it holds up, but I remember it being extremely good AND prominently featuring a tiger for part of the story.

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

It was higher than I expected, too! But it was more watchable than I remembered, and I appreciate whenever we get a Crusher episode (even when it's a dud).

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

For convenience, here are the individual graphs of all 7 seasons!

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Here's my biggest Star Trek graph yet, covering all 7 seasons of The Next Generation (TNG). Oddly, I'm most nostalgic for Seasons 1 and 3-5. I'm discovering that certain graph shapes say more about my enjoyment than the averages. Don't look too closely at the "Other" writer row. Things got goofy.

Infographic of TNG

Series Average: 3.57

Season 1 Average: 3.04
Season 2 Average: 3.18
Season 3 Average: 3.73
Season 4 Average: 3.77
Season 5 Average: 3.85
Season 6 Average: 4.00
Season 7 Average: 3.32

Total episodes where diplomacy saves the day (at least in part): 105 of 176 (60%)

FIGURE - Number of episodes by score:
0 (1), 1 (9), 2 (22), 3 (43), 4 (59), 5 (42)

TABLE - Teleplay/Story/Writer Episodes Average
Ronald D Moore 26 4.31
René Echevarria 16 3.94
Michael Piller 13 3.92
Naren Shankar 9 3.67
Other (≤7 episodes) 309 3.57
Joe Menosky 14 3.43
Brannon Braga 19 3.42
Hans Beimler 8 3.25
Richard Manning 8 3.25
Jeri Taylor 13 3.08
Maurice Hurley 12 2.75

TABLE - Director Episodes Average
Alexander Singer 6 4.17
Les Landau 20 4
Gabrielle Beaumont 7 3.86
Jonathan Frakes 8 3.75
Robert Scheerer 11 3.64
Other (≤5 episodes) 62 3.53
Cliff Bole 25 3.52
Winrich Kolbe 16 3.38
Robert Wiemer 8 3.38
Rob Bowman 13 2.92

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

I know how you're feeling! I've occasionally felt this way myself. Happy to talk sometime if you ever need anyone to vent to. :)

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

My MEGA MAY stream of Mega Man Relay, with co-commentary from devs 742mph and HOOVEDOMEN, is up on YouTube! I've got 2 hours to beat a collaborative gauntlet of fan levels—mostly blind, juggling chat / commentary / tech issues—that takes experienced players ~1h40m. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQ6...

youtube.com

Mega Man Relay - Blind Play w/ Flashman85 - Mega May

YouTube video by 20XXpo

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Flashman85 @flashman85.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

No stream today after all, but perhaps I could interest you in an extensively updated Mega Man Fangame Tracker? Fixed a few broken links, removed a few abandoned projects, added a whole bunch more games. docs.google.com/document/d/1...

docs.google.com

Flashman85's Mega Man Fangame Tracker

Last update: June 21, 2026 This is a list of Mega Man fangames—specifically, anything that LOOKS like a Mega Man prequel, sequel, interquel, spinoff, or crossover. This list does not include ROM hack...

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