diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/GameplayCursor.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/GameplayCursor.cs
index 35146dfe29..4d6722b61b 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/GameplayCursor.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu/UI/Cursor/GameplayCursor.cs
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
 
         private int downCount;
 
+        private const float pressed_scale = 1.2f;
+        private const float released_scale = 1f;
+
+        private float targetScale => downCount > 0 ? pressed_scale : released_scale;
+
         public bool OnPressed(OsuAction action)
         {
             switch (action)
@@ -46,7 +51,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
                 case OsuAction.LeftButton:
                 case OsuAction.RightButton:
                     downCount++;
-                    ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(1).ScaleTo(1.2f, 100, Easing.OutQuad);
+                    ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(released_scale).ScaleTo(targetScale, 100, Easing.OutQuad);
                     break;
             }
 
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
                 case OsuAction.LeftButton:
                 case OsuAction.RightButton:
                     if (--downCount == 0)
-                        ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(1, 200, Easing.OutQuad);
+                        ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(targetScale, 200, Easing.OutQuad);
                     break;
             }
 
@@ -72,13 +77,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.UI.Cursor
         protected override void PopIn()
         {
             fadeContainer.FadeTo(1, 300, Easing.OutQuint);
-            ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(1, 400, Easing.OutQuint);
+            ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(targetScale, 400, Easing.OutQuint);
         }
 
         protected override void PopOut()
         {
             fadeContainer.FadeTo(0.05f, 450, Easing.OutQuint);
-            ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(0.8f, 450, Easing.OutQuint);
+            ActiveCursor.ScaleTo(targetScale * 0.8f, 450, Easing.OutQuint);
         }
 
         public class OsuCursor : Container
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseKeyCounter.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseKeyCounter.cs
index a20f67e336..b98875cd6a 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseKeyCounter.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCaseKeyCounter.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
             {
                 Origin = Anchor.Centre,
                 Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
-                IsCounting = true,
                 Children = new KeyCounter[]
                 {
                     new KeyCounterKeyboard(Key.Z),
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlaySongSelect.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlaySongSelect.cs
index dab7f7e037..b94fb42bf0 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlaySongSelect.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/TestCasePlaySongSelect.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ using osu.Game.Rulesets;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Select;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Select.Carousel;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Select.Filter;
-using osu.Game.Tests.Platform;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
 {
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
         private RulesetStore rulesets;
 
         private WorkingBeatmap defaultBeatmap;
+        private DatabaseContextFactory factory;
 
         public override IReadOnlyList<Type> RequiredTypes => new[]
         {
@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
         {
             TestSongSelect songSelect = null;
 
-            var storage = new TestStorage(@"TestCasePlaySongSelect");
+            factory = new DatabaseContextFactory(LocalStorage);
+            factory.ResetDatabase();
 
-            // this is by no means clean. should be replacing inside of OsuGameBase somehow.
-            IDatabaseContextFactory factory = new SingletonContextFactory(new OsuDbContext());
+            using (var usage = factory.Get())
+                usage.Migrate();
 
             Dependencies.Cache(rulesets = new RulesetStore(factory));
-            Dependencies.Cache(manager = new BeatmapManager(storage, factory, rulesets, null, null)
+            Dependencies.Cache(manager = new BeatmapManager(LocalStorage, factory, rulesets, null, null)
             {
                 DefaultBeatmap = defaultBeatmap = Beatmap.Default
             });
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
index 5160239c38..c20d4569f6 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Database/DatabaseContextFactory.cs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 {
     public class DatabaseContextFactory : IDatabaseContextFactory
     {
-        private readonly GameHost host;
+        private readonly Storage storage;
 
         private const string database_name = @"client";
 
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 
         private IDbContextTransaction currentWriteTransaction;
 
-        public DatabaseContextFactory(GameHost host)
+        public DatabaseContextFactory(Storage storage)
         {
-            this.host = host;
+            this.storage = storage;
             recycleThreadContexts();
         }
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
 
         private void recycleThreadContexts() => threadContexts = new ThreadLocal<OsuDbContext>(CreateContext);
 
-        protected virtual OsuDbContext CreateContext() => new OsuDbContext(host.Storage.GetDatabaseConnectionString(database_name))
+        protected virtual OsuDbContext CreateContext() => new OsuDbContext(storage.GetDatabaseConnectionString(database_name))
         {
             Database = { AutoTransactionsEnabled = false }
         };
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Database
                 recycleThreadContexts();
                 GC.Collect();
                 GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
-                host.Storage.DeleteDatabase(database_name);
+                storage.DeleteDatabase(database_name);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs b/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index ce3fbf6881..0000000000
--- a/osu.Game/Database/SingletonContextFactory.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2007-2018 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
-// Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
-
-namespace osu.Game.Database
-{
-    public class SingletonContextFactory : IDatabaseContextFactory
-    {
-        private readonly OsuDbContext context;
-
-        public SingletonContextFactory(OsuDbContext context)
-        {
-            this.context = context;
-        }
-
-        public OsuDbContext Get() => context;
-
-        public DatabaseWriteUsage GetForWrite(bool withTransaction = true) => new DatabaseWriteUsage(context, null);
-    }
-}
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
index a9b74d6740..63cc883844 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
         {
             Resources.AddStore(new DllResourceStore(@"osu.Game.Resources.dll"));
 
-            dependencies.Cache(contextFactory = new DatabaseContextFactory(Host));
+            dependencies.Cache(contextFactory = new DatabaseContextFactory(Host.Storage));
 
             dependencies.Cache(new LargeTextureStore(new RawTextureLoaderStore(new NamespacedResourceStore<byte[]>(Resources, @"Textures"))));
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/RulesetContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/RulesetContainer.cs
index d68afdfedc..ee34e2df04 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/RulesetContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Rulesets/UI/RulesetContainer.cs
@@ -89,6 +89,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.UI
             Ruleset = ruleset;
             playfield = new Lazy<Playfield>(CreatePlayfield);
 
+            IsPaused.ValueChanged += paused =>
+            {
+                if (HasReplayLoaded)
+                    return;
+
+                KeyBindingInputManager.UseParentInput = !paused;
+            };
+
             Cursor = CreateCursor();
         }
 
@@ -120,6 +128,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.UI
 
         public Replay Replay { get; private set; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Whether the game is paused. Used to block user input.
+        /// </summary>
+        public readonly BindableBool IsPaused = new BindableBool();
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Sets a replay to be used, overriding local input.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUDOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUDOverlay.cs
index f920b20649..4f3fe15211 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUDOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/HUDOverlay.cs
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
         protected virtual KeyCounterCollection CreateKeyCounter() => new KeyCounterCollection
         {
-            IsCounting = true,
             FadeTime = 50,
             Anchor = Anchor.BottomRight,
             Origin = Anchor.BottomRight,
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounter.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounter.cs
index 2a0587133b..2c31e61114 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounter.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounter.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         private Container textLayer;
         private SpriteText countSpriteText;
 
-        public bool IsCounting { get; set; }
+        public bool IsCounting { get; set; } = true;
         private int countPresses;
         public int CountPresses
         {
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterCollection.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterCollection.cs
index 114ea83ba6..721d925d63 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterCollection.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/KeyCounterCollection.cs
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             configVisibility.BindValueChanged(_ => updateVisibility(), true);
         }
 
-        //further: change default values here and in KeyCounter if needed, instead of passing them in every constructor
-        private bool isCounting;
+        private bool isCounting = true;
         public bool IsCounting
         {
             get { return isCounting; }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PauseContainer.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PauseContainer.cs
index e2f133dde3..d9677e5daf 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PauseContainer.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PauseContainer.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Configuration;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Timing;
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
     /// </summary>
     public class PauseContainer : Container
     {
-        public bool IsPaused { get; private set; }
+        public readonly BindableBool IsPaused = new BindableBool();
 
         public Func<bool> CheckCanPause;
 
@@ -39,9 +40,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         public Action OnRetry;
         public Action OnQuit;
 
-        public Action OnResume;
-        public Action OnPause;
-
         private readonly FramedClock framedClock;
         private readonly DecoupleableInterpolatingFramedClock decoupledClock;
 
@@ -84,9 +82,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
             // stop the seekable clock (stops the audio eventually)
             decoupledClock.Stop();
-            IsPaused = true;
+            IsPaused.Value = true;
 
-            OnPause?.Invoke();
             pauseOverlay.Show();
 
             lastPauseActionTime = Time.Current;
@@ -96,7 +93,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         {
             if (!IsPaused) return;
 
-            IsPaused = false;
+            IsPaused.Value = false;
             IsResuming = false;
             lastPauseActionTime = Time.Current;
 
@@ -105,7 +102,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             decoupledClock.Seek(decoupledClock.CurrentTime);
             decoupledClock.Start();
 
-            OnResume?.Invoke();
             pauseOverlay.Hide();
         }
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
index fc439a48c5..f28ddb09a2 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/Player.cs
@@ -162,15 +162,10 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             {
                 pauseContainer = new PauseContainer(offsetClock, adjustableClock)
                 {
+                    Retries = RestartCount,
                     OnRetry = Restart,
                     OnQuit = Exit,
                     CheckCanPause = () => AllowPause && ValidForResume && !HasFailed && !RulesetContainer.HasReplayLoaded,
-                    OnPause = () =>
-                    {
-                        pauseContainer.Retries = RestartCount;
-                        hudOverlay.KeyCounter.IsCounting = !pauseContainer.IsPaused;
-                    },
-                    OnResume = () => hudOverlay.KeyCounter.IsCounting = true,
                     Children = new[]
                     {
                         storyboardContainer = new Container
@@ -227,6 +222,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             hudOverlay.HoldToQuit.Action = Exit;
             hudOverlay.KeyCounter.Visible.BindTo(RulesetContainer.HasReplayLoaded);
 
+            RulesetContainer.IsPaused.BindTo(pauseContainer.IsPaused);
+
             if (ShowStoryboard)
                 initializeStoryboard(false);
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Tests/Platform/TestStorage.cs b/osu.Game/Tests/Platform/TestStorage.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 5b31c7b4d0..0000000000
--- a/osu.Game/Tests/Platform/TestStorage.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2007-2018 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
-// Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
-
-using osu.Framework.Platform;
-
-namespace osu.Game.Tests.Platform
-{
-    public class TestStorage : DesktopStorage
-    {
-        public TestStorage(string baseName) : base(baseName, null)
-        {
-        }
-
-        public override string GetDatabaseConnectionString(string name)
-        {
-            return "DataSource=:memory:";
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/OsuTestCase.cs b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/OsuTestCase.cs
index fcbab5b8f5..8e09ec849c 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/OsuTestCase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Tests/Visual/OsuTestCase.cs
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2007-2018 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
+using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Audio;
 using osu.Framework.Configuration;
+using osu.Framework.Platform;
 using osu.Framework.Testing;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets;
@@ -20,6 +22,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
 
         protected DependencyContainer Dependencies { get; private set; }
 
+        private readonly Lazy<Storage> localStorage;
+        protected Storage LocalStorage => localStorage.Value;
+
         protected override IReadOnlyDependencyContainer CreateChildDependencies(IReadOnlyDependencyContainer parent)
         {
             Dependencies = new DependencyContainer(base.CreateChildDependencies(parent));
@@ -33,6 +38,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
             return Dependencies;
         }
 
+        protected OsuTestCase()
+        {
+            localStorage = new Lazy<Storage>(() => new DesktopStorage($"{GetType().Name}-{Guid.NewGuid()}", null));
+        }
+
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
         private void load(AudioManager audioManager, RulesetStore rulesets)
         {
@@ -50,6 +60,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Visual
                 beatmap.Disabled = true;
                 beatmap.Value.Track.Stop();
             }
+
+            if (localStorage.IsValueCreated)
+                localStorage.Value.DeleteDirectory(".");
         }
 
         protected override ITestCaseTestRunner CreateRunner() => new OsuTestCaseTestRunner();