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John Learned

@johnlearned.bsky.social

1.1K followers 360 following 2.4K posts

A charming man of leisure. Seen on WIRED, USGamer, Kotaku, Polygon, etc. Annotates games on YouTube. Jason Statham looks like me john dot learned at gmail dot com

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · Nov 15

Hi, new followers. I'm an independent games writer with work all over the place, and I make long, preposterous YT series annotating games like this one
youtube.com/playlist?lis...

The Annotated Symphony of the Night - YouTube

This is the complete Annotated Symphony of the Night by John Learned. Future videos will be added as they are produced

youtube.com

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Reposted by John Learned

Jeremy Parish, imperial aerosol kid @jparish.bsky.social · 8h

Good news, video game history fans with a love of visuals: my NES Era photo book trilogy is now available for sale with immediate shipping. Just in time for the NES's 40th anniversary!

limitedrungames.com/collections/...

limitedrungames.com/collections/...

limitedrungames.com/collections/...

The NES Era Vol. 1 (Hardcover) – Limited Run Games

The NES Era Vol. 1 The Road to NES • Japanese Game Consoles 1979-1985 By Jeremy Parish. This is an open pre-order for a limited time. This book will not be reprinted—this is your only chance to own it...

limitedrungames.com

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 11h

I have 4 somewhere on this dumb computer. I should play it

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 11h

I was very excited for VC2 and bounced off it so hard that I think I only finished the intro mission. Really like to get around to the fan-patched VC3 one of these days. Still, the first is excellent, and almost always on sale somewhere if you're so inclined

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 11h

77. Valkyria Chronicles

This began as the game to tide me over before MGS4, but wound up being a favorite. Wasn't super into the anime trappings, but the actual combat scenarios are an absolute blast

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

Yes. It kicks ass

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

78. Dragon's Dogma

I hurt my back about 10 years ago and could do nothing but sit around and platinum this great, goofy game. Today, I stood around (because I can't sit) and did nearly the same with something else, but it's disconcertingly funny that it never stops. Like Dragon's Dogma, never endng

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

We need Wednesday before Thom Yorke goes or something

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

Whoa, and D'Angelo? Come on, Wednesday www.cnn.com/2025/10/14/e...

D’Angelo, Grammy Award-winning R&B singer, dead at 51 | CNN

D’Angelo, whose cool tunes and one hot music video made him one of the legends of neo-soul music, has died, according to a statement from his family. He was 51.

www.cnn.com

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

Terrible news. RIP to the king

gizmodo.com/drew-struzan...

Drew Struzan, the King of the Movie Poster, Has Died

The beloved artist, who illustrated iconic posters for 'Star Wars', 'Indiana Jones', 'Back to the Future', and more, was 78.

gizmodo.com

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Reposted by John Learned

Matt McMuscles @mattmcmuscles.bsky.social · 1d

RIP to Drew Struzen, the greatest to ever do it. 🙌

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 1d

Ok, I can't sit in one spot for very long, so streams are taking a hiatus until my back gets figured out. Sorry, folks

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

I'm not a hater or anything, but there are a lot of Mario games that I haven't played, so it felt disingenuous for me to claim that this is one of the kings

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

79. Super Mario Odyssey

Not sure if this will go down as one of the all-timer Mario games, but it really was the perfect Switch launch game. I was def more pumped for Zelda, but this set the stage beautifully

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

80. Triangle Strategy

A great modern take on the Matsuno tactics games. It doesn't hit the narrative highs (or complexities) of his work, but the actual combat and character building is really great. The Switch was invented for stuff like this

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

81. Onimusha 3

The best of the original three to play but with the least interesting narrative. It still looks great for a PS2 game, and you could tell that Capcom was really flexing with its presentation and licensed actors (Jean Reno!)

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

82. Dark Cloud

I know that people prefer the second game for its robustness, but I absolutely loved this one when it was released and bounced off DK2. I have no real interest going back to it, but there are some fond memories of figuring out the perfect rebuilding configurations and dungeon dives

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

Turns out it doesn't work

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

Over the weekend, my back went out, and THEN I took my family to an amusement park. Don't do this

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John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 2d

Wow weird. I like FEDA, but I never imagined any *loved* FEDA

GSK | ALL CITY SLOP SHOP (ETA SOON) @allcityslopshop.com · 2d

Yanoman, the jigsaw puzzle company that once published the Aretha series & other JP-only games, recently unearthed a build of the unreleased PS version of FEDA Remake, & they let a FEDA fanatic go hands-on to see what, if anything, changed from the Saturn version www.gamespark.jp/article/2025... 🇯🇵

貴重なゲーム史料を体験！やのまんが発掘した貴重すぎる“幻のPS版”『フェーダ・リメイク！』、開発版のその内容とは…【特集】 | Game*Spark - 国内・海外ゲーム情報サイト

『フェーダ』好きのライターが心底震えた“幻のPS版”との対面！

www.gamespark.jp

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 3d

I get this

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 3d

New York is cool. It's also assy, but generally very cool

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 6d

Wow, congratulations!

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 6d

Oof

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 6d

It holds up. I can't believe it. And that library scene alnear the end!

John Learned @johnlearned.bsky.social · 6d

Oh, my god, that's Pam Grier?!