Filling Plot Holes

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Back in the olden days, games were simpler affairs. Instead of realistic high definition graphics, developers relied on pixel art styles to portray the setting and characters. It wasn’t the most amazing thing to look at but it was astonishing for their time. Nor were games incredibly complex in terms of gameplay. In those days, it was hard for developers in 3D and have competing objectives for the player to keep in mind.

Instead, many early games were in the vein of point-and-click adventure games. And none were as renowned as The Secret of Monkey Island by Lucasfilm Games.

This was the game which introduced us to beloved character Guybrush Threepwood as he journeyed across the islands of the Caribbean in order to make a name for himself as a pirate. Along the way, he made both friends and enemies, as well as fell in love with Governor Elaine Marley.

Over the years, several sequels came out. Often, Guybrush would do battle with his arch nemesis, LeChuck, before saving the day. And in 2009, it all came to an end with Tales of Monkey Island.

That is, of course, until 2022 where Return to Monkey Island, came roaring onto all available consoles as well as the PC. What made it special, though, was that it was the first Monkey Island game by series creator, Ron Gilbert, since Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. So, of course I booted it up after two years of having it sit in my Steam library.

I’m anything if not consistent when it comes to the backlog of games I have waiting to be played!

Return to Monkey Island starts off with Boybrush Threepwood and his friend, Chuckie, playing at an amusement park and re-enacting Guybrush’s previous adventures. For a while, they amuse themselves with scurvy dogs and by pretending an elderly couple also at the park are their parents. It isn’t long before Boybrush finds his father and prompts Guybrush to recount the tale of when he found the secret of Monkey Island – a sticking point of the first game.

The game then pivots to Guybrush in the past. Wishing to be the first person to discover the secret, Guybrush has travelled back to Melee Island in order to gather a crew and ship. With his usual suave, he approaches the Pirate Leaders – only to discover they are no longer the three men he knew in the first two games. Instead, they’ve been replaced with a new trio of dark magic users: Madison, Lila and Trent.

These new Pirate Leaders refuse to help. Undeterred, Guybrush finds another way to find a crew and ship to get to Monkey Island before LeChuck. To do so, he disguises himself as a zombie and is hired onto LeChuck’s ship as a swabbie.

Yet though Guybrush manages to steal the map to the secret, he is soon discovered to be an impostor when he accidentally removes the magical eyepatch he was wearing to serve as his disguise. Infuriated by the deception, LeChuck duels Guybrush on the bow of the ship. A duel which Guybrush loses and he plummets down into the sea.

Of course, given how close the ship was to Monkey Island and Guybrush’s ability to hold his breath for ten eight minutes, he is able to walk the rest of the way to shore. Following the map he stole from LeChuck, Guybrush falls into a trap set by the Pirate Leaders who reveal they had the real map. Unfortunately, the map is magically encrypted and they need LeChuck’s catchphrase, his theme song and his favourite food to unlock it. All, of which, fall onto Guybrush’s shoulder to obtain.

But obtain them he does – unlocking the map and revealing to all present that the secret of Monkey Island is at the International House of Mojo back on Melee Island.

It isn’t long before Guybrush is betrayed and is left at the bottom of a cliff. Elaine, however, comes to his rescue and they escape the island by rebuilding Guybrush’s old ship: the Sea Monkey.

Despite all these setbacks, Guybrush is the first to arrive back at Melee Island where he finds the secret locked inside a safe requiring five golden keys to open. He sets out across the Caribbean, visiting Brrr Muda and Terror Island along the way, before returning to the International House of Mojo to unlock the chest.

After opening the safe, Guybrush finds another locked chest inside. Before he can open it though, LeChuck steals the chest and takes it back to Monkey Island, where, in order to open it, a ritual is needed. Guybrush and Elaine follow. After descending down into the depths, following the footsteps of LeChuck, Guybrush emerges into a theme park recreation of Melee Island. After opening the chest, he is gifted with a novelty T-shirt.

Like many of point-and-click adventure games from yesteryear, there is a strong focus on humour. The story is silly and ridiculous, though the writing remains sharp as ever in its witty social commentary. One that stood out to me was Elaine’s campaign to end scurvy and how sailors on a plague ship refused to believe in science – preferring instead Saleman Stan’s flyer with its half-truths and blatant lies before they would consider getting the necessary Vitamin C from limes to combat the disease.

It was an apt metaphor for COVID.

Perhaps if there is another deadly illness travelling across the globe, we’ll need to peddle masks and vaccine as if we’re snake oil merchants. It might actually let the dunderheads in the world finally try it. Especially when all the difficult science jargon has been removed!

That aside, I feel like the story could have gone to greater lengths if it so chose. Yet, on the other hand, I can see why Ron Gilbert went the route he did. After hyping up the secret of Money Island, it was easier to pull the rug out from underneath Boybrush, as well as the players, as whatever it truly was would have never lived up to the standards we’d all made up in our heads.

So, in keeping with tradition, and with its unique style of comedy, Return to Monkey Island had to make the ‘secret’ less than ideal.

Methinks, though, that Guybrush hasn’t truly mastered the art of good storytelling and still needs to work on how to end his fanciful tales of adventure. Yes, he joined the Chums and was able to impress the old Pirate Leaders, but he still has far to go if he wants to be a storyteller worth any salt.

From a gameplay perspective, Return to Monkey Island returns to its roots as a point-and-click adventure where solutions aren’t always as simple as they seem and logic is oft thrown out the window. Other times, the item Guybrush needs to advance is tucked away in a different part of the world and the player is forced to backtrack because it wasn’t evident from the first one would need it.

Return to Monkey Island does furnish players with a hint book, however. One that provides valuable hints should they get stuck.

Of course, if you aren’t playing on ‘Hard Mode’ and you do use the hint book in any capacity, people on the internet will decry you for cheating and not playing the game as intended.

But what a stranger on the internet doesn’t know won’t hurt them. Nor should one feel obligated to only ever play a game the ‘correct’ way.

If you want to play the game on casual mode and rely on the hint book if you’re unsure how to proceed, my advice is: GO FOR IT! After all, the time you have on the world is limited. Getting stuck on a puzzle in a video game needn’t be the be-all and end-all when it comes to one’s satisfaction in life.

Overall, I enjoyed my adventure with Return to Monkey Island. After I surprised myself with how long I spent with Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, it was nice to play a relatively short game without high stakes. Especially when so many video games are keen to take up all of one’s time in a never-ending cycle of live service. Similarly, the vibrant art style and fun story provided some much needed levity from the direction of many dour and serious video games.

So, dear readers, if you’re looking for something a little old-school and provides a rollicking adventure through the Caribbean island, look no further than Return to Monkey Island!

Love, Death and Ghosts

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

In life, there are two known inevitabilities. Taxes. And death. Yet, although the life we lead is fleeting, it is often opined by the poets that it is this very much ephemeral nature of our existence that makes life worth living. After all, without the threat of death looming over us, how can we appreciate the wider world we find ourselves in? Or the beauty of love that blossoms between two like-minded souls?

We year because we know it will eventually vanish from our grasps.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden puts the players in the shoes of two banishers: Ruaidhrigh “Red” mac Raith and Antea Duarte. As the two set about breaking the curse surrounding the town of New Eden, they are caught up in a tale of despair and retribution. One they slowly piece together piecemeal as they help out the survivors set up in their individual encampments after the initial failure to banish the Nightmare of Deborah Comenius.

Through this medium, the game is able to explore themes of love, grief and justice. All the while delving into, and challenging, the societal beliefs of the late 1600s. More importantly, it tackled the concepts of the occult with rituals used by banishers, demonologists and witches alike – something I’ve always found fascinating even though in our modern world such things are, more often than not, dismissed out of hand.

Here, in Banishers, magic is real and ghosts exist.

Witches too. Although they aren’t agents of the Devil as the Puritan townspeople believe, but people who live with nature and understand the nature of the world around them. Nor do they have animal familiars. A missed opportunity if ever there was one.

The games tarts with our banishers arriving in New England upon the request of their good friend: Charles Davenport. Their first order of business is to find him and gain an understanding of the situation they’ve been called in to solve. But when they arrive at the inn, Charles is missing. Instead, they are greeted by the Governor, Fairefax Haskell, Captain Pennington and the hunter: Thickskin. It is here that they learn their good friend was killed by the Nightmare. Undaunted, Antea and Red meet with Charles’ late wife to learn more. When they do, they realise she is haunted by their friend.

After finding Charles’ tie, and talk to him about his reasons for staying, Red chooses to ascend their friend. After all, the banisher’s code has always been: death to the dead and life to the living. For Charles to stay, he would need to feed off his wife. And though his desire to remain is to protect his wife, to do so would only only serve to put her in danger.

Once they learn more about the Nightmare and allow Charles to pass over, Antea and Red spend a night at the school house. Red wakes and finds Antea missing. Fearing his lover and fellow Banisher has gone to take on the Nightmare on her lonesome, he heads to the meeting house.

Unfortunately, it turns out to be a trap. Red is overwhelmed by the Nightmare. But before it manages to kill him, Antea comes to the rescue. In so doing, though, Antea is killed and Red is thrown off the cliff.

After he is rescued by a witch called Seeker, Red breaks down. However, his grief is short when Antea’s ghost appears before him and two choices are presented to the player: Antea can ascend or she can be resurrected through the use of a dark ritual involving human sacrifice. No matter which choice Red goes with, however, the pair realise they need to return to New Eden and recover Antea’s body as it is her tie to the living world.

And so, they journey back across the Dark Woods, the Mire Marshes, Mount Pleasant and the Harrows to return to the town where they lost everything. Along the way, they meet the townspeople of New Eden who had fled and aid them in destroying fragments of the ghost terrorising them for the crimes they committed against her.

Overall, I have to say I enjoyed the story of Banishers. The horror of what played out to condemn an innocent school teacher still makes my blood boil. But it was the quiet moments that stood out to me such as the fact Deborah was in a same-sex relationship with Kate, the outright despair she felt when nobody would stand up and speak on her behalf, and the fear of death in her final moments. All of this was juxtaposed with Antea and Red’s relationship as they tried to find a means to put an end to the curse and deal with the impacts of human choices.

And because of this, they made Deborah a sympathetic antagonist. She was no mustache-twirling villain. Just a woman who was targeted based on prejudice and fear. The strawman effigy needed to alleviate the struggles of a budding town when it was struck down by disease.

Haskell failed in his role of being an impartial mediator, condemning Deborah even though he would have preferred to offer her mercy. Kate was scared about coming out and putting herself in the crosshairs. But Pennington was the one who accused her of being a witch because he simply could not face the fact his daughter, Grace, wanted to dabble in magic (possibly a metaphor for coming out as trans?). And honestly, my greatest contempt is for him and how he tried to oppress his daughter’s means of self-expression.

Had he not been so caught up in Puritan beliefs, he would not have denounced Deborah and imprisoned an innocent woman because he couldn’t accept the person his daughter was.

Online, I’ve also seen people question Deborah’s desire for retribution and if it matches the crimes committed against her. Though I would say ‘no,’ I’d also say that the spirit which had latched onto her continued to feed on her anger and she wasn’t exactly in her right state of mind. As Antea often said, ghosts who lingered could forget themselves, their memories fading until they were driven solely by a single emotion when attacking the living.

Neither, of course, are good. Or healthy for that matter. Look no further than The Count of Monte Cristo, who spent decades plotting out his revenge against the people who wronged him. But it is also important to realise that Deborah’s anger came from both the injustice of her death and the grief of Kate stepping away when she needed her the most.

In fact, the whole game is about letting go.

Whether that’s allowing Antea to ascend, to the ghosts who haunt their respective persons for either perceived slights or because of the love they have.

Admittedly, I did enjoy many of the haunting cases as they provided additional context for the world of Banishers. Even if, of course, most of the townsfolk were Puritans wishing to explore the new world.

Although, I do puzzle why so many of the ghosts who ended up haunting their fellow survivors managed to die in the days or week after Red managed to lift the curse in an area. Yes, I know sepsis can kill a person quite quick, but Ann Wings didn’t seem very sick before we went down into the mines but as soon as we emerged, she’d somehow died of disease. Then, of course, in the Harrows, you had someone drink themselves to death and another who poisoned himself in quick succession.

From a gameplay perspective Banishers is quite simple. There’s a light and heavy attack, which are mapped to the shoulder buttons of the PlayStation 5. Square is for healing, circle is dodge and X allows Red to unleash a powerful Banish attack. Triangle, on the other hand, will allow you to shift into Antea who is able to deal spirit damage through her punches. As the game continues, she unlocks various ‘Manifestations’ which help unlock parts of the map and also serve as power abilities to unleash in the midst of battle.

Unfortunately, the gameplay loop was fairly simple through the game and I never felt like I had to deviate much from my tried and true formula of dodging away from enemies before counter-attacking them with a flurry of blows.

My main issue was the camera and how Red was trapped with strafing side to side. In the early game, this was difficult to navigate when fighting multiple enemies at the same time but after I’d slowly unlearned the Final Fantasy XVI key bindings and finally was doing what I wanted instead of hitting the wrong button, the game got easier.

Like the game that came before it, Ghost Trick, Banishers sees you trying to solve the mystery. Whereas Ghost Trick was primarily focused on Sissel’s journey of self-discovery, Banishers has Red decide the best path forward to resolve each case – whether that be blaming the human, ascending the ghost or banishing them back into the Void. But while Ghost Trick was a game filled with levity and hijinks, Banishers is rooted in the reality of the world we live in and the prejudices inherent of being human. Especially when we only have a limited understanding of the world around us and don’t seek to expand our knowledge of how it works, or the history that has led us to where we are now.

It is often said that those who choose to ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

Of course, there are also those who incorrectly put things from the past up onto a pedestal and hope to emulate what they believe was the pinnacle of civilisation. All the while ignoring the inconvenient truths and realities of the time for their own sanitised version of it.

I’m looking at you, Roman Empire.

Coffee Shop AU

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Most first dates, or meet-ups as I like to call them (especially with a stranger), that I’ve gone to have involved lunch or coffee at a local cafe. Thankfully, in the city of Sydney, there are plenty of cafes (of varying quality) one can visit. And all of them come with a decent brunch menu (though some will close by 2:30 or 3 PM at the latest). Enter Edition Roasters. While it has a few branches in and around the CBD (Australian shorthand for Central Business District), my date and I picked the one in Darling Quater.

But I’ve jumped forward to our date and failed to introduce the person behind it all!

Although I’ve gone on a date before with a woman, Eivor, which didn’t end up as well as I had hoped, I wasn’t quite willing to quite throw in the towel. After all, how many dates have I gone with men? And while the men in my life have failed to make my heart flutter, who was to say I wasn’t an asexual lesbian?

Especially with the so-called ‘squishes’/ brief flirtations of attraction I’ve had with a few women I’ve met over the years? THough now that I think on it, do fictional men count in terms of romantic attraction? Am I still clutching at straws?

No, I couldn’t yet label myself as aromantic just yet!

I mean, Dikottir isn’t bad! It’s just…I don’t feel a sense of romantic attraction to him. Even though we’ve gone on five dates and have technically ‘known’ each other for a year now.

Alas, I have once more been distracted. Where was I? Ah yes, my so-called ‘date.’ So, yes, this trip out to Edition Roasters was my second meet-up with a woman.

From the very start on Hinge, we struck up a conversation on musicals including one that has yet to grace the stage – Epic: The Troy Saga by Jorge Rivera-Herrans. As a frequenter of Tiktok, she had heard the songs being performed whilst I had the good fortune for my Spotify shuffle list to insert a few of the songs whenever I chose to listen to songs from musicals.

Though not a frequent replier, we were both able to share our passion for musicals and also touched a little on their second passion: fanfiction. Given the obsession of my fellow classmates back in Year 8 and 9 for all things anime, and to stretch our writing skills, I was no stranger to fanfiction.

Back in my heyday, I used to frequent ones for Kingdom Hearts, Naruto, Shugo Chara! Even now, trying to ween myself off fanfiction, I still can’t quite kick the bucket as I continue to lurk among the Harry Potter fandom, while occasionally experimenting with Far Cry 5 (yes, I’m a gosh darn sinner), She-Ra and a host of Disney ones as well.

It was because of her heartfelt passion for Epic, and how we did initially chat about mythology, that I’ve given my date the code name: Athena. Unlike Eivor before her, she was keen to arrange a meet-up sooner rather than later. So, after some discussion – with a variety of choice between multiple places to eat at – we finally settled on Darling Square.

I was the first to arrive. Shivering in the cold Australian winter, I put my name down on the paper sheet out front and waited for our number to be called out. Athena joined me shortly afterwards and we chatted a little about our week and our lives. Before too long, our number was called and we were directed to a table out in the wind (perhaps not the best choice but given how busy the place was, it made nabbing a table easier). Despite not having much sun, there was a heater purposely positioned close by to offer some warmth. Although, if I’m being honest, it was the hot chocolate I ordered, more than anything else, which served to defrost me.

Then it was time for the main meal. Athena ordered a miso salmon ochazuke after crunching the numbers on online reviews regarding the cafe’s signature dishes, while I settled for a miso wagyu bolognese. As we ate, we talked a little of the work we did, our family composition, and the reason why we were dating. We even reminisced on many a bad date we’ve had – with her recounting one where the man hailed Hitler.

And though this is the second time someone I know has gone on a date with a seeming Nazi sympathiser, it’s a bit strange that it’s happened twice. I honestly have to wonder if they went on the date with the same man.

After lunch, we walked around Darling Harbour before heading up towards Town Hall station. It was, in my eyes, a wonderful day out. While I wouldn’t have called it love at first sight, I certainly didn’t feel as intimidated as my meet-up with Eivor at the ice-rink. Nor did I feel like Athena fail to meet the expectations I’d set up in my head.

I wouldn’t say we clicked immediately but it definitely felt like we had a strong connection and understanding of the other.

Now, I wouldn’t call that love but I’d say it went far more swimmingly than I’d feared. Yes, I was probably still putting up a front, but I didn’t feel either one of us dominated the conversation. It flowed well, like having a good deep and meaningful natter with a good friend (rather than an acquaintance).

Is this a good sign?

But Athena did say to hit her up for another outing.

The only problem, of course, is that I’m not so much a foodie as someone who simply tags along and enjoys the food on offer (as long as it’s not spicy). Does make me wonder if the two are related, though…

Are all asexuals bad with spice? Or is it just me with a low tolerance for both? Probably just me. And the smut fanfictions I read simply represents my ability to enjoy wasabi (to a degree). It’s not the perfect analogy but I’ll have to make do. This is, after all, coming down from spending an entire Saturday out and about at the Sydney Manga and Anime Show (SMASH!) and then finishing off all the chores I needed to do in preparation for the week ahead.

Give a 31, who will be 32 when this post goes up, woman a break! It ain’t easy trying to juggle care for an elderly grandparent, work, hobbies, dating and what else when it comes to the adulting life. It’s not like there’s a manual!

Plot? What Plot?

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

As someone who aspires to become an author that will someday get on a Best Selling List somewhere in the world, I read a lot of books. While it’s not on the level of professional BookTok-ers or those running BookTube channels, I like to think I get through a decent portion of them during the year. Especially when my books of choice are usually 600-page minimum behemoths. AFter all, with the rising cost of books (they’re about $24 now in Australia for a standard paperback), I need to ensure I’m getting my money’s worth!

However, ever since I joined the bookclub at my workplace, I’ve been exposed to genres and books I might not have usually thought twice on. Surprisingly, most of them have been much shorter than the books I usually devour.

But the most recent book we’ve picked is Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes. And, quite frankly, I’ve mixed feelings about the book. Spoilers ahead for anyone who might want to read this book in the future.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not opposed to spy thrillers. Hell, back in 2013, I even bought I Am Pilgrim after seeing the title being advertised nearly everywhere in the London Underground while I was there third-wheeling my friend and her then-boyfriend’s relationship (you know you’re close if you can get away with hijacking a trip overseas to see a significant other).

Did I love it? Not…exactly.

Still, I gave it a reasonable 3 out of 5 stars!

Year of the Locust, on the other hand, is a rough 2.5 stars (rounded down on Goodreads in this instance).

And I know you must be asking me why. After all, it’s a 600-page behemoth. So, it would be in my usual wheelhouse of books I’d like to savour in just shy of a month.

Unfortunately, while I find the writing and sentence structure decent, my main issue are the characters and the surfeit of plot. This is no A Court of Silver Flames where Nesta and Cassian spin plates in the House of the Wind (and by that I mean the training, the bloody 10,000 step staircase and all the unnecessary sexy times), and the plot, when it is remembered, is scattered unevenly throughout before it all gets rushed through in the last few chapters.

No, no. Year of the Locust suffers from what I like to call the Scarlet Nexus issue. It’s where the writers (or writer in this case), think any and all ideas are great and insert it into the story as some sort of twist. And in Year of the Locust, the second half has this in spades: space spores which fast-track human into evolving a white carapace, giving them a ‘ridgeback,’ and heightening their aggression; an experimental cloaking technology affixed to a submarine that somehow makes it travel through time.

Like, why? Why couldn’t this be a separate story entirely?

Also, did you have to power up your villain into some video game bullet sponge? Uncharted 2: Honour Among Thieves this is not. But if you blink, the difference between Zoran Lazarevic and Kazinsky are almost non-existent.

Perhaps my gut instinct at the start of the book should have warned me that Year of the Locust would not go the way I thought it would. Especially as it opened with a completely different adventure with Ridley Kane going up against the Magus (which would later be revisited again in Part 3 – most likely to pad the book out because it added little substance to the whole Ridley and Kazinsky dynamic in any shape or form) to highlight a secret technique the dastardly spy would use against our protagonist, one he would repeat in the final few chapters against Kazinsky.

Another thing that rubbed me wrong was how often Ridley, as he recounts the story sometime in the future, would tell the reader how deadly all his foes were. All the while underselling his abilities as a Denied Access Area spy. Rather, our protagonist is just an ordinary guy who once wished to be part of a submarine crew and has mastery of multiple languages like Russian and Arabic.

The other parts I felt added little to the actual plot were the foreshadowing dreams Ridley has, and which many of the supporting cast attribute to PTSD. Why can’t intuition just be that? Did Ridley truly have to emphasise he could hear ‘gunshots from the future?’ It’s not as if he was ever shown to be clairvoyant about other things in his life.

Oh, and don’t get me started on how much of the book ‘tells’ the backstory of all of its characters rather than simply ‘showing’ it. Did we need to have several chapters dedicated to Kazinsky talking about his childhood of hunting for mammoth tusks? How did it add to his characterisation? Did Ridley really have to exclaim to the rest of the CIA that Kazinsky was expositing to hammer the exact same point home to the reader?

By the time I reached the end, I was praying for the story to end. Especially when typical tropes began being pulled out: like Ridley refusing to go back in time and only did so when his wife (when did he and Rebecca even get married again?) died in his arms. The writing truly could be seen on the wall.

Also, how did the spores manage to travel around the world? How much was on some asteroid ore? And if they could become airborne, why couldn’t people get infected after Devil’s Night?

All I can say after reading the book was that the author definitely needed an editor. One who wasn’t afraid to tell the author to kill his darlings if he wanted to write something that might not have been a complete mess. Or, at the very least, split the plot in half and write them separately with different characters. There was absolutely no need to mush two disparate ideas into one book. Especially given how strange the tonal change would be.

Do I regret that I read this book? A little. There are a million other choices sitting on my bookshelves. And yet, I also think it’s important to read books one might not always enjoy. After all, such things help widen one’s understanding of taste. If you’re lucky, though, you might just find a new genre you’d fall in love with. Or a new favourite author.

While I know some might argue there isn’t enough time in our very short life spans to read books you don’t like, it’s hard to distinguish what you do and don’t like without experimenting a little. If one reads only the classics, thinking they ought to like them because of how they’ve managed to stand the test of time, it may deter them from books entirely. Especially if the writing might be too pretentious or too dry.

Besides, what someone else might like but I might detest is all very subjective. There are many people online who have elevated Sarah J Maas to such heights I’d not be able to reach while leaving other authors, who might be just as good, in the dust.

In any case, I know for certain Year of the Locust isn’t quite the novel I expected. While there are some reviewers on Goodreads who love the rollercoaster ride they were presented with, it is this humble blogger’s opinion that the story would have been better split into two separate novels. Coupled with a good editor who wasn’t afraid to leave certain threads on the cutting room floor, those two separate stories would have been more tightly written and given Terry Hayes the springboard to leap into a wholly different genre.

Powers of the Dead

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

After a pointy-haired attorney made his mark on history, a slicked back blond hair man in a red suit, and wearing a pair of funky sunglasses, took centre stage. First released on the Nintendo DS, it wasn’t until the game saw a release on the Switch that I bought it and gave it a bit of a whirl. And my, what a journey it was! From a dancing desk lamp called Ray to a meteorite fragment that can give untold powers who die within its aura, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was a marvel.

True, it might have been a commercial failure but it has since amassed a cult following.

And, more importantly, it was designed and directed by the great Shu Takumi. The mastermind behind the Ace Attorney series. And known for giving us such memorable characters like Missile the Dog, Will Powers and Lotta Hart. In Ghost Trick, we encounter a similar roster, from Inspector Cabanela to Guardian of the Park, and Emma (the wife of the Justice Minister).

Ghost Trick begins with the death of your character. Although, the how and the why remain a mystery. Worse, you don’t even know who you are. Only that you were killed. Fortunately, a fellow spirit, possessing a desk lamp, is able to provide some guidance into what it means to be dead. As well as the associated powers derived from it. The so called ‘ghost tricks’ for which the game is named.

Armed with this knowledge, the player character saves the life of a young detective named Lynne by going back in time to four minutes before her death. When Detective Lynne picks up the junkyard phone following the change to her fate, the player character travels down through the telephone lines into a luxurious room where two men, with a shade of blue to their skin, discuss the botched assassination job for Lynne. Before then, revealing the player character’s name: Sissel.

Despite now knowing their name, Sissel still hasn’t quite regained their memory. Desperate to figure out why he was killed and who he was in life, Sissel decides to work in tandem with Lynne. Along the way, he saves her from death multiple times and encounters several other characters including Missile the Dog, Kamila and Detective Jowd.

Soon, he is able to piece together the disparate connections between the people he encounters, such as Detective Jowd taking the fall for the death of his wife: Alma. As well as the case Lynne was investigating the night she turned up at the junkyard to supposedly question Sissel.

But what might have been a simple mystery later turns out to be remarkably complex revenge plot from a person known only as ‘The Manipulator.’ And in Chapter 15, after springing Detective Jowd from prison and then saving the lives of both the Pidgeon Man Superintendent and Inspector Cabanela, Sissel learns the dead body he thought was his actually belonged to the main villain pulling the strings: Yomiel.

Ten years ago, Yomiel was struck from behind by a meteorite and killed. The radiation from the meteorite, however, would give him powers to manipulate living bodies. Additionally, it meant his body could not die – forever regenerating to the moment before his actual death.

Unfortunately for Yomiel, he wasn’t quite able to master his powers initially. Coupled with the initial amnesia that comes from being dead, he was not able to initially possess his own corpse. When he finally was able to return to it, and those he loved, he loses the love of his life. All because he was falsely suspected for leaking national secrets.

With no future ahead for him, but unable to die, Yomiel soon hatches a plan to sell the secret behind his powers for the promise of a life he can live in a foreign nation. However, it isn’t long before Yomiel is betrayed by those very same allies near the very end of the game, leading to one last time jump from Sissel.

Though the plot was a wild rollercoaster (considering all of it was in the span of a single night), I enjoyed my time with Ghost Trick. Much of it was derived from the range of kooky characters Sissel encountered on his quest to regain his memory. But I also liked how much Sissel’s own motivations mirrored my own as I, too, was curious to figure out who he was and what his story might have been.

But what stuck out to me was how much the story was aided by the help of the gameplay. Especially with Sissel’s ability to manipulate objects around him – almost like a poltergeist would. While I did find it occasionally limiting (due to the restriction of Sissel’s reach and forced only into ‘cores’), the puzzles were a unique aspect to the game. After all, it’s not every day that I have to try experimenting with unconventional objects around me to save the life of another. For example, knocking down a donut and then hitting it with a door in order for a dog to chase it under the sofa.

The swapping, too, of objects with similar shapes also came in handy in the last few stages although I felt those puzzles were a little more obtuse (but perhaps it was more me trying to understand the timing for when I would need to actually possess another object in order to reach the core I wanted to manipulate).

In any case, I am mightily ashamed I slept on this game when it first came out back in 2011. However, given I was still only in university and didn’t actually have a job, I suppose I can forgive myself for overlooking it. For now.

Still, while I would love for many of these games to have actual voice acting, I still love putting on the voices for the various characters. Although, I must admit, it can be hard to find the exact one I’m hoping for as there isn’t much context on what their accent ought to be. Or how old they are until much later in the dialogue (looking at you, Ray!)

I must say, my Cabanela had a strange southern accent whereas Missile was an excitable high-pitch impression of what a Pomeranian would sound like. And don’t even get me started on my stoner surfer dude for Guardian of the Park.

Whether or not these are the correct voices for the characters, I don’t know. But I must say I had fun doing them. If only for my own entertainment.

More than all of that, though, I liked all the subtle hints to Sissel’s true identity. Including his inability to read and the fact he didn’t recognise a slew of common things most humans would know. Even if they had amnesia.

So, dear reader, if you are looking for a game that’s a little bit different from the norm, look no further to Ghost Trick, which will see you jumping across telephone lines and helping out a range of various characters in different forms of distress. The story is a wild ride, but at least it’s well plotted and makes narrative sense. Unlike Scarlet Nexus or the current book (as of time of writing) that I’m reading for book club: Year of the Locust.

Besides, who doesn’t love a dancing twerking desk lamp?

Small Town Murders

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

After traversing the ins and outs of Valisthea for quite a few weeks, I thought it would be best to play something short and sweet. Especially something more experimental than traditional video games. And though I bought this last year on Steam (frankly, I have far too many games on Steam and not all of them are as recent as 2022), Pentiment has seen a recent release on PlayStation 5. A decision Microsoft made before it shut down several studios and then tried to Jedi mind-trick the audience by providing one of their most impressive game showcases at their presentation following Summer Game Fest.

There are two things I want to say following the smorgasbord of games on offer: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looks absolutely fascinating and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. And two: thank goodness Obsidian Entertainment has not yet been shut down. Their work with Pillars of Eternity and The Outer Worlds have been some of my favourites and I keep hoping they’ll upend Besthesda with their superior writing and lovable characters.

But, this post isn’t about Obsidian Entertainment. Rather, it’s about their game styled as a point-and-click 2D adventure called Pentiment. With its unique art style and historical setting of 16th century Upper Bavaria, the game immediately stood out to me as something special. Especially as it contained mystery components!

Placed in the shoes of one Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist, Pentiment follows the story of him and the town of Tassing over the course of 25 years. During each act, the player must help solve the murder that occurs. The first is Baron Lorenz Rothvogel, a longtime benefactor of Kiersau but who harbours divisive views that go against Christian beliefs of the abbey. The second is that of Otto, the leader of a brewing rebellion due to heavy taxation.

And while Claus is not immediately killed when he is attacked in the privacy of his home, there is a certain tension there where Magdalene (the protagonist for the third act following a huge fire at the end of Act 2) must contend with caring for her father, finishing off the mural for the council meeting hall and trying her best to keep the printing press in her home running. What I appreciated the most, though, was Magdalene’s chat with Brigita during the first half of Act III.

As someone who has had to care for a loved one following something a terrifying health scare, I appreciate it when people not only ask if my family member is all right but also enquire as to my wellbeing. There were moments during that week where I felt very overwhelmed. Knowing people cared – not just about my grandmother but for me too – truly helped me get through a difficult time.

What stood out to me as I navigated the town of Tassing and interacted with its characters, were the themes the game wasn’t afraid to explore. Be they religion and the authority bestowed on the church from local lords to the plight of the peasants struggling to put food on the table. The game was also quick to put me on the back foot by showing two sides of each story when it came to the possible suspects (though it never confirms which, if any, of the suspects was truly guilty).

More often than not, I was led mostly by my gut (and who I felt acted most like an arsehole). And while the internet deemed Lucky the most guilty when it came to the death of the Baron, I still find it hard to fathom the means by which Lucky would have been able to sneak in the abbey to do the deed and then sneak back out. True, he has the strength and the motivation but there was a storm!

And while the archdeacon condemned Prior Ferenc after I’d presented most of the evidence, it does still puzzle me that Ferenc scribbled a note in his book prior to the Baron’s death – implying he would have buried his ritualistic tools beforehand (the supposed murder weapon following an inspection).

Of course, there is a possibility the actual murderer was none of the actual suspects. The inability to properly investigate and gather evidence meant players are forced to make decisions that they feel would most benefit the town and its people.

As for Otto, I discounted most of the suspects as the motives for Martin and Hannah were fairly dubious at best. Brother Guy appeared the most guilty, especially as he tried to insert himself into the investigation and point out how it was impossible for one of the monks to have murdered Otto.

But the reveal of the Thread-Puller right at the end was a surprise for me. Especially as there were other ways Father Thomas could have gone about hiding the town’s history if he felt it was too scandalous. There was no need to leave such a trail of destruction, including inciting a revolt among the peasants, simply to keep the secret that the Saints worshipped by the town were actually depictions of Roman Gods.

Given my love for mythology, I’ve seen how the Gods of many different pantheons have been changed and adapted to reflect the culture or times they are needed. The Greek and Roman deities, after all, have almost a one-to-one equivalent. Stories, too, about the heroes of the past have been used by other religions and cultures to explain elements of their own mythology.

And while hindsight, along with agnostic and atheist beliefs, have allowed us to take a step back to study religion from a distance, I think it’s important to realise this was not always the case. This was 16th century Bavaria, after all. Christianity was everything to most people in Europe.

Although, I must say, while Father Thomas was worried people would learn that the statue of Saint Moritz was actually Mars Pater and Saint Satia was actually Diana, I was more intrigued by the painting of Mithras. It was never fully touched upon but I just knew I had seen the God slaughtering a bull somewhere before.

Lo and behold: Mithraism.

Suppose it explains why the old Roman temple was named the Mithraeum. Too bad the cult of Mithraism wasn’t fully explored in the game. It would have been more interesting if there was some additional exploration of these other more occult practices beyond what Prior Ferenc was up to, and the strange ritual Guy tried to enact.

Overall, I have to say Pentiment held my interest for a goodly while and made me ponder the choices I’d made. It also humanised many of the characters, giving me a glimpse into what life might have been like back in the 16th century – and given me a greater appreciation of how far humanity has come from those feudal times (although, let’s be honest, we’re still trapped in very tribal mindsets that’s been fanned by the internet). Life might have been hard as a peasant, or for the normal tradesperson during this period, but somehow Tassing was able to make do.

Time to see how Ghost Trick plays out!

On a completely unrelated note: I AM SO EXCITED FOR ACE ATTORNEY INVESTIGATIONS COLLECTION! Finally, I can play the second game of Miles’ spin-off games.

The Ace Attorney franchise is finally getting the revitalisation it deserves and I hope there will be more to come. Especially with Mr Backstory himself, Apollo Justice. Or, heck, with another starry-eyed defence attorney in the land of Japanifornia.

Onward to the Gong!

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Living in New South Wales, public holidays are few and far between with only 11 official days. That being said, not all of them lead to long weekends. And after the Monarch’s birthday in June, we poor Sydneysiders must need wait until Labour Day in October before partaking of another extended rest. It’s outrageous, I tell you! Atrocious!

Still, in the spirit of adventure and wishing to relive our halcyon days in the sun, me and a few of my friends headed down to Wollongong to enjoy the salty sea air and swan around their city centre, which is but a stone’s throw away from the major hustle and bustle that is Sydney. The only major city one really needs to visit when on the east coast of Australia.

Melbourne, who?

I jest. Melbourne is a perfectly fine city to visit or live. It’s just…you know, not Sydney.

Although, it should not be noted that a day trip out to Wollongong was not what I’d initially dreamt up for the long weekend. Oh no. Rather, I’d hoped to road trip to the capital of Australia, Canberra, to catch a performance of RENT. The addition of more people to my travel plans, however, scuppered the idea.

What we got instead was a fancy day out with good food and even better company. It involved lounging at a cafe as we devoured a huge breakfast, watched as a car in front of us mount the central curb before swerving across multiple lanes and tailgating the cars in front of it, and also testing our abilities with a devious escape.

A worthy consolation prize, if I do say so myself.

Better than that, we didn’t have any time to pay a visit to Shellharbour, where I would have relived the trauma of my many date fails (he was an earnest young man but not, perhaps, what I was seeking in a life partner).

Our small group of adults of mostly over-30s did stumble upon a protest to Free Palestine, however. By then, it was nearing 4 PM. Why it was so late in the afternoon remained a mystery. But the slogans were, admittedly catchy, and it was far better than the preaching we encountered earlier about how we ought to read the Bible lest we burn in Hell. Even some Mormons passing by were caught in the crosshairs.

As for the reason why, I couldn’t say. But perhaps different evangelical groups feel like only their own beliefs are true? And all others are corruptions that don’t adhere to the correct teachings?

These mild gripes aside, our day trip down to Wollongong was pretty much a success. Even the planning was an exciting endeavour in and of itself. Although, it must be said, trying to negotiate with friends to agree on a date, an activity and location can be like trying to wrangle kittens. It took no small effort to work around people’s different schedules and plans.

And while I would have preferred a slightly more challenging escape room than the one we got, it was, in hindsight, for the best. The escape room was at the Breakout Bar, next to Wollongong Central. It was themed with clockwork gears on the ceiling and tables with the entrances to the escape rooms looking like heavy thick-set lead doors. Arriving early, we were given a brief overview of the escape room and the narrative tying all five of them together.

Once we had reviewed the story, we stored our belongings in the locker, plonked on some steampunk-esque goggles and time travelled all the way to Medieval England on a quest to return Excalibur to the stone it had been lodged in.

Although the escape room was one of the easiest available, our group still struggled to solve some of the puzzles. Of note were the unintuitive nature of the nail tower as it was unclear if the key to a nearby bird cage had been released. This was primarily due to the hidden compartment having to be pulled out manually and there was no audio cue to tell us we had succeeded. Quite a lot of precious time was lost where we tried to find a way to open the hidden compartment through other means (as we thought it was activated by magnets).

One other puzzle stumped us terribly too.

Even when we asked for the easy hint, we were left scratching our heads until we looked at the opposite wall.

If ever I should complain about other people being obtuse, I ought to remind myself that I failed to see a huge red and black shield on a wall (although, to be fair, in our group of five, four pairs of eyes also failed to spot it as well).

Still, we managed to escape the room. With time to spare!

Overall, I’d say the escape room was a success in how it got us all to collaborate with its many puzzles. All of us got to contribute our expertise, allowing us to return Excalibur to its rightful place and head back into Professor B’s time machine in order to search for his beloved in another time period.

And while Wollongong is certainly no sprawling Sydney, I like to think we enjoyed our time there: from soaking up the sun at Coniston Dog Beach and contributing to a driftwood hut, to nabbing free chips at Grill’d, having a dessert break at Kurtosh, or buying a couple more books to add to my ever growing collection.

Perhaps next we visit the Illawara region, me and my group of friends can look to a few coastal hikes or perhaps take a gander up on the treetops.

If heading south isn’t an option, we can always go horseback trail riding instead!

Australia may not be as vibrant as other countries, but there are many a hidden gem for both locals and tourists to discover. After taking some time to explore the main thoroughfare of Wollongong, I can say there’s plenty to do and see in the small coastal city that’s only an hour away. An absolute steal considering how far other locations can be in the great big giant country I call home.

Defying Fate’s Design

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Where to start with Final Fantasy XVI? The game first released in June 2023, right on the heals of Diablo IV. Already drowning in games, I put it on the back burner until some time I could actually sink in the prerequisite hours needed to see it to completion. All the while, the friends around me were singing the game’s praises for how dark and gritty the storyline was. Was it any wonder I stumbled upon the odd spoiler or two?

Not that I care about spoilers.

Just because I know something will happen doesn’t mean I know how it exactly plays out. It’s far more interesting for me to see how the writers navigate the characters from plot point A to plot point B and then later D.

Enter the slower half of 2024. Although there was still a plethora of games I needed to get through, I was able to finally sit down and play through Final Fantasy XVI. And all before bleachpanda was able to do the same with Final Fantasy XV. Heck, I still think she’s midway through her replay of Final Fantasy XIII because she’s been sidetracked by her endless number of otomes. A fact I was unable to escape during our trip abroad in Japan.

Final Fantasy XVI (or FF16 for short) puts players in the shoes of one Clive Rosfield, eldest son of the Rosfield family who rule over the Duchy of Rosaria. Despite being the firstborn child, Clive is not to inherit the Ducal throne. Rather, the honour would go to his brother, Joshua, as he was the one to awaken as the Dominant for the Phoenix. Though such situations could lead to enmity between family members, there is no bad blood between the brothers. Clive is satisfied to be Joshua’s shield, vowing to protect his younger brother by any means at his disposal.

Everything changes at Phoenix Gate.

Betrayed by their allies, the Ducal forces are destroyed by agents from Sanbreque. During the attack, Joshua primes as Phoenix. Losing control of his Eikon, he wreaks havoc on both allies and enemies until a second Dominant of Fire emerges in the confusion and seemingly kills the phoenix. In the aftermath, Clive is found alive by the Sanbreque forces, as well as his mother. Instead of being executed, he is branded as a bearer and forced to fight on the front lines for the next thirteen years.

Sent on a mission to kill Shiva’s dominant, Clive and his assassin allies skirt along the battlefield before finding an opportune moment to attack. Before Clive lands the killing blow, Clive recognises as his old childhood friend, Jill. After slaying his previous compatriots, Clive, with the help of deus ex machina, Cidolfus Telamon and a suddenly adult Torgal (who had just been a pup – how is that a dog/wolf can live to thirteen and still seem like a puppy? Also, did Cid never name the dog/wolf he found? They’ve been together for quite a while) escape. Still intent on finding the person who had killed his brother, Clive isn’t initially interested in joining Cid’s cause although he is sympathetic as a whole to the plight of the Bearers.

Cid, of course, helps our erstwhile hero. It isn’t long before Clive later learns the truth: that the second Eikon on that fateful day was Ifrit and that he is the Dominant. Broken by the revelation, Clive is barely hanging onto his sanity. Until he hears word of a Dominant of Fire still very much alive. He figures: if his brother is dead and he is the second Dominant of Fire, who is this third figure?

Wishing to uncover the truth, Clive and Jill travel to Rosaria and down into the depths of Phoenix Gate. There, they learn some truths. Filled with new resolve, Clive and Jill decide to join in Cid’s quest to atone for the sins they had committed by freeing Bearers from their oppression. They do this by destroying the Mothercrystals, and by wiping out magic, so that all can live and die by their own choice.

Together, they infiltrate Sanbreque’s capital, Oriflamme, and manage to destroy the Mothercrystal. Within the crystal, however, is a being called Ultima. Ultima manages to mortally wound Cid before attempting to possess Clive. Joshua, revealing he managed to survive the events of Phoenix Gate, interrupts and manages to trap the being within himself.

Five years pass before Clive resumes his quest to destroy the Mothercrystals. Systematically, he manages to take them and the Eikons guiding them down – absorbing their powers along the way. Why can Clive take the powers of others? Why, he is Mythos, a vessel for Ultima to inhabit in order to cast a spell to resurrect the remnants of his race. Even if humans are completely wiped out.

We soon learn that it was Ultima, through Barnabas – the King of Waloed – who managed to orchestrate the political unrest plaguing the world of Valisthea. In so doing, he kept them focused not on the plight of the world but rather their own squabbles for diminishing resources. Much like in Game of Thrones, for which FF16 takes inspiration, many of the leaders of the various nations are focused more on collating power than the imminent threat of the Blight.

FF16 culminates in a final battle atop Origin with Ultima – first as a three-pronged attack with Bahamut, Phoenix and Ifrit, before Clive takes on Ultima solo in the heart of the final Mothercrystal where he demonstrates the strength of his will due to the bonds he shares with his friends.

Honestly, if there were three themes FF16 wanted to get across, they were: oppression, climate change and friendship.

But while the oppression could be solved by simply taking away the very reason why the Bearers were special (ala the Mutants from the X-men series), the modern day ramifications are vastly different. If we could simply fix the quirk of fate of being born a certain race by removing magic, things would be much simpler. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution for the cycles of hatred that has been left to ferment for centuries. Nor can we make all people equal by destroying some gemstones.

Imagine the power to make everyone, oh, I don’t know, white, simply because there was a crystal plonked in the desert?

The bigger message, though, I felt FF16 was telling, was that of climate change. I feel like it was summed up best in a quote from Joshua as he opined to the heavens with his guardian, Jote, beside him: A blessing that leads to damnation or freedom that leads to deprivation. It seems especially poignant considering how our modern day world is so dependent on so many comforts like electricity. And while we are taking steps to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels, the companies behind them would rather we all swelter in a bleak future than admit the inconvenient truth that continual use of something so readily apparent will only lead to our destruction.

It is the hubris of man to think that ‘we’ won’t be affected, or think too closely on the short term rather than the future.

Ultima, too, could be likened to capitalist corporations who care little for the workers slaving away to assist in the company’s goals. To him, humans are disposable. That they have freewill is the greatest sin because they are no longer subservient subjects willing to sacrifice themselves for his benefit (and yes, I know Ultima probably isn’t a him per se but I’m simply using the pronoun as an easy shorthand).

In the end, Ultima is a cruel god. One Clive must need take down if there is any hope in saving the world.

And he manages to do so.

These themes are further explored in the two DLC fort he game: Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. As it took me quite a while to actually get started, I was able to play through both of them before I finally gave Ultima his comeuppance with a deft punch to the face. An ending that was more humorous than cathartic.

It is my humble opinion that the game’s focus on ‘dark and gritty’ somewhat took away from what could have been an even better game. Much like Forspoken, I felt the game was under-saturated. There could have been more contrast and a bit more colour to the world. I would have also liked to have heard a completed Chocobo theme melody.

In the pursuit of trying to be a ‘serious’ game, FF16 also failed to insert in any meaningful minigames that could alleviate the doom and gloom of the plot.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the story. But most Final Fantasy games are pretty dark if you consider their actual ramifications: from Final Fantasy VI to Final Fantasy XIII. That doesn’t preclude them from having their lighter moments to add some much needed levity. Although, Gav is quite able to do it pretty well. A solid character that Gav.

Speaking of characters, I loved the cast of FF16, although I did find the chemistry between Jill and Clive a little stilted. I was much more invested in the romance between Dion and Terence (although I wouldn’t have minded some Dion and Joshua, or Joshua and Mid. Heck, even Clive and Cid would have been pretty steamy). But my absolute favourite character would have to go to Torgal. Our frostwolf with magical abilities and can live up to, at least, 18.

Although, he doesn’t hold a candle to Ambrosia. How old can chocobos get up to anyway? Enquiring minds need to know.

Oh, and uncle Byron Rosfield is GREAT too. He’s so unserious! And the way Clive managed to convince his uncle who he was!

Combat-wise, FF16 shines. While Clive can party up with the other characters, they simply feel like tag-alongs with Clive doing most of the heavy lifting. At least they can’t get knocked out (which is a definite plus)! But what I liked most about the combat was how it was tied into the story.

New abilities Clive obtains are linked to the Eikons he absorbs. And they all play differently. While Titan is focused on defence, Bahamut is all about charging up that Megaflare to do extensive area-of-effect damage. Shiva, meanwhile, has the ability to freeze enemies – giving Clive some breathing room to think before Phoenix sees him rushing in to deliver the final blow.

In the end, I ended up with a loadout that made use of Ramuh’s Judgement, Garuda’s ability to quickly whittle down the stagger gauge and Titan’s block ability to keep both myself alive while also dealing as much damage as I could possibly. Perhaps I should have traded in Odin’s Zantetsuken for more carnage but a lot of the story boss battles also traded normal blow-by-blow battles with more cinematic clashes. Something that was quite awe-inspiring when it came to the fight with Titan and Bahamut but could not find the same heights in later boss battles with Ultima and Odin.

Overall, my time with FF16 was astounding. Yes, some of the cutscenes were a little longer than necessary as they talked about politics, but I didn’t mind given it’s one of my favourite genres to read. And I also appreciated how early Ultima made his appearance. This was no final boss skulking in the shadows that jumped out right at the end without any explanation (well, he kinda was but I’ll give the writers of FF16 a pass on that). The message, too, the game is trying to convey is relevant and current.

And I can’t forget the accents!

I love me the various different UK accents! Xenoblade did it and now Final Fantasy is jumping on the trend!

Should a Final Fantasy XVII ever come out, I’d be interested to see the direction of where Square-Enix takes their next entry. I’m sure it’ll revolve around taking down a God somehow (it almost always is) and our protagonist will pull through with the power of FRIENDSHIP! But it’s the setting that I’m much more excited to see and explore.

I’ve certainly enjoyed this diversion into high fantasy with elements of political struggle. And honestly? I’d like to see more. Suppose that’s why Final Fantasy Tactics tickled my fancy and why I’m hoping for more from the DioField Chronicle. Certainly, I want to know more about the Continent – the other piece of Valisthea that was never explored and where Harpocrates III, Charon and a few other characters hailed from.

If ever there should be a spin-off, I would be very glad to see what else the world of Valisthea has to offer. Or even how our characters navigate the new world they find themselves in.

There are, after all, so many unanswered questions. Like, if Clive did resurrect Joshua in the end, how did he reach shore without possibly drowning? He wasn’t on the beach with Clive as his big brother turned to stone.

Or, how old can Torgal get? How do the people adapt to the sudden loss of magic?

Are there still monsters?

Does Gav take on the mantle of ‘Cid the Outlaw?’ Do the people in the Hideaway stop hiding and actually lead the people to a brighter tomorrow with their technology? Will Mid ever get her flying machine to work?

So many questions, so little time.

Before I go, though, dear reader, I’d like to leave off with another quote from the game. One that I think speaks to many: People need dreams to chase, especially in a world like this one.

One BILLION Dollars

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Working five days a week, 7.5 to 8 hours each day, and commuting a total of two hours is an exhausting cycle most people find themselves trapped in. Is it any wonder we all wish to strike it lucky and escape the rat race? I know I certainly do. Saddled with a mortgage and looking to eventually move out, the idea of being able to freely do whatever I want with all the time in the world, without the threat of ending up destitute hanging over me like the Sword of Damocles is a very appealing idea.

But I wouldn’t need a billion dollars to be comfortable. No. At most it would be a lump sum of five million that would see me cruise through the rest of my life. Especially if I choose to continue working part-time, or use the my freed up obligations to become a full-time author. Throw in a few lavish overseas holidays and I would be golden.

And yet the hypothetical still reamins.

If I had a billion dollars at my disposal, what would I use it for? It is, after all, a ridiculous amount of money.

When I was first presented with this question on my first date with Dikottir, I’d focused on the good I might do. Invest some of the money in stocks, perhaps create a fund to help out the homeless and give poverty a kick in the nuts. Or maybe I’d pour it into actual rehabilitation programs instead of the very punitive systems most governments have in place for criminals. What about youth outreach programs? Heck, affordable housing!

The list, it felt, was endless.

Especially as I’d not be beholden to the limitations governments face when they try to spend taxpayer dollars to fund a means to better society. I, a person of means, could give back to the many. There wouldn’t be any need to appease a section of the community who think helping people to develop life skills is utter tripe or who think handouts simply enable bad habits.

Of course, I wouldn’t need a billion dollars to pull some of these projects off. 75 million here, 100 million there…

After I’d done all the good I could possibly do in the world to make it a better place, there’s still the possibility I’d have money left over.

How much I’d still have is unknown, but I think I could say with confidence that I’d probably still have enough to buy myself a Ferrari if I was so inclined. Maybe a slew of properties I’d watch grow. And live comfortably.

What if, though, I threw away all such expectations of helping the needy? If I had a billion dollars to invest into just one thing, what would it be?

Should I, perhaps, build myself a penile looking rocket to take me up into space a la Jeff Bezos? What about constructing a whole virtual world like Mark Zuckerberg?

I mean, with humanity rushing up to meet its doom – whether that be from global warming, microplastics, nuclear showdown, other hazardous chemicals we put into things supposedly to help us – who wouldn’t want to escape from our current reality? I know I certainly would.

But I must admit, the technology I’d really want to invest in is something akin to what Elon Musk has dreamt up. And it’s been seen in many a science fiction show or game. In fact, a version of it can be seen right now. Depending on the app of course.

I’m talking about augmented reality.

Shows tell us we would be swiping at menus and screens in mid-air. But I’d like to think we would do away with such limitations and scrolling through news articles, or, ahem, questionable fanfiction could be done with just a thought.

Imagine, if you will, the possibilities.

There you are, doing something mind-numbingly boring and repetitive at work? What if you could also be doing something else? Multi-task by watching a movie on a transparent overlay?

And why stop there?

The internet is already at our fingertips. What if you could look at something and have the information already beamed to you. That’s not a random flower you see struggling to peek through the cracks in the footpath. No, that’s a dandelion. If we wanted to be more technical, its scientific name is taraxacum officinale. Family: asteraceae.

Think of how useful having a toggleable heads up display would be!

Yes. If I had a billion dollars, I’d use it to create something akin to the Horizon: Zero Dawn focus. It’s light, it’s versatile and it looks pretty snazzy.

And if I have some money left over, I can pour it all into creating the ultimate space shuttle for out of space. Maybe one shaped like a questionable taco? Yes, the logistics might take some figuring out, but rocket designs are so bland that something a little creative might help our scientists stretch the other parts of their brains.

Who knows, we could have gummi ships in the future!

If I had another billion dollars, perhaps that’s where I’ll pour all my money into!

True, I might be pulling a Bezos and trying to escape our dying planet. But at least I’m doing it in style!

And, honestly, that’s probably what matters more.

Now I just need to think up a snappy name for my trillion dollar company.

City of Lights

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

VIVID is an annual event in Sydney that began all the way back in 2009. For years, famous landmarks around the central business district have been lit up from late-May to mid-June, pausing only briefly due to the pandemic. Always, there have been magnificent exhibits to wow the senses and tantalise those with a creative bent. And nearly every year I go. With friends or family. To see what wonders the artists have conjured up for the year.

Of late, though, VIVID has become more and more commercialised. Exhibits are hidden behind paywalls. What was once free before now requires a person to fork over a decent of money. And in this day and age, where people are struggling because of the rising cost of money, many might choose to forego VIVID altogether.

And while I might have gone into the city with a friend or two in June, Dikottir asked me out first. Initially, he thought a Saturday would suit, until I told him of the crowds and that I was available for a weeknight adventure.

It didn’t take long for us to set a date and arrange to meet at Wynyard. Since this was something of a date, it seemed fitting we pay a little extra to enjoy one of the paid offerings at VIVID. And so, we purchased the tickets for Dark Spectrum, which would lead us into the old train tunnels underneath the fair city of Sydney.

Surprisingly, I managed to arrive before Dikottir. After waiting for a few minutes, he also arrived and we made our way to the entrance of the exhibit. As we headed down the staircase, we caught up on how our individual lives were going. Mine, as is almost always the case, was hardly interesting. A cycle of work and quiet weekends had crept back into my very organised and routine life. And while some would attribute finishing off a lengthy fantasy novel something to chat about, I’ve learned Dikottir isn’t all too curious (given his sister writes poetry and has actually won a prize).

As of typing up this blog post, I’m trying to finish off a short story that has ballooned into a 20k behemoth.

To be fair, I’m trying to conjure up an ending that makes sense for the character. Fingers crossed it won’t be all too much longer and I can finally start work on a project I want to see published.

Can you imagine, dear reader? Kyndaris, New York Times Best Seller!

I’m certainly not short of ideas for my stories, but it’s setting the time out to execute the vision I have in my head that is difficult to manage. If only I could be a division one winner for the lotto. That’ll certainly set me up.

Anyways, what was I saying?

Ah yes. Dark Spectrum! Well, suffice it to say, Dikottir and I headed down into the bowels of Wynyard train station, handed over our passes and were greeted by snippets of history of the old trams that ran underground. And then, before I knew it, I was bombarded by sound and flashing blue light. We had entered Misdirection portion of Dark Spectrum.

Through the confusing maze of blue arrows, we made our way to Search, an almost peaceful experience with its hanging lights. Through this ethereal tunnel, we emerged into Revel. An area that encouraged dancing and spruced up the tunnel segment with green lasers, but was also quick to utilise the darkness.

Dikottir, it must be said, was very much in his element. He might not have been the most elegant of dancers, but he certainly did let loose and didn’t mind if he incurred the judgement of the others traversing the exhibit with us. I, on the other hand, was a little bit more reserved and guarded. But also, a little overwhelmed by all the sensory outputs.

It wasn’t until we reached the next chamber that I felt a little calmer as the space was a little bigger and the music was more diffused. From the yellow chamber filled with all manner of code and binary numbers, we entered a tunnel filled with lanterns. And what a sight it was!

This had to be my favourite one of the chambers. Especially because of how photogenic it all was.

From the lanterns, we headed to a very angry red room with arches almost reminiscent of tori gates. Making our way through, we entered the very last chamber: filled with white light that broke out into mutli-coloured rainbows to represent how diverse white light truly is.

By the time we stepped out from Dark Spectrum, it was still quite early and the lights of VIVID has yet to be switched on. So, Dikottir and I traipsed to Circular Quay in search of food. As someone who is constantly craving Japanese, we tried out the DOPA located in Sydney Place before we headed to Customs House to see more of the pretty light show that has made Sydney such a great destination even during the winter months.

From Customs House, we made our way towards the Museum of Contemporary Art before we meandered our way through the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Along the way, I snapped photos of the Opera House and Dikottir purchased a huge slice of watermelon, topped up with some soft serve.

Once he had finished his monstrosity of a dessert, we rounded Dawes Point Reserve and headed down the wharfs. Where once the piers hosted a vast array of exhibits, this year, there was a marked absence of anything entertaining. I relayed all this to Dikottir. Multiple times.

So palpable was my disappointment.

And as we walked around Barangaroo Reserve, my disappointment only grew. There was hardly ANY exhibits around this section of the city except for an unimpressive arch.

Even in Barangaroo, the offerings were slim. Yes, there was Horizon but did I really want to head like moths to a flame in between two rows of container lines and stare at a big LED screen flashing orange? And while the ChairWave helped to rest my weary feet for a few minutes, it was hardly worth taking a photo of.

Down we walked, making our way towards Darling Harbour with nary anything exciting to divert my attention.

Even in Tumbalong Park and just outside the Chinese Garden of Friendship, the pickings were small. Where was the huge Swiss Cheese-like monument from yesteryear? Or the sheer amount of frogs? Or the other pretty lights hovering over the pools? What about the water show and dome that had sat in the middle of Darling Harbour?

No. 2024 had none of these options.

As we trudged up the Goods Line towards Central Station, there were a few other exhibits to see but nothing exactly worthwhile.

Much like our last ‘date,’ Dikottir offered me a hug. One I returned, still somewhat awkwardly. Despite the poor showing at VIVID, the date was still a good one.

But while I don’t find Dikottir offensive, and I certainly consider him a friend at this point (he did make a few jokes that he feared I’d lead him down into a dark alleyway and steal his organs – how, I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve revealed my unhinged side to him just yet), I’m still questioning how far this might lead in terms of romance.

The thought of holding hands with him, or me showering him with displays of affection, gives me the creeps.

A romance straight from the movies, this is not. At best, it’ll be a love forged from a strong foundation of friendship. But this, of course, does necessitate a lot of time and investment. And it might still not eventuate into anything.

Of course, all of this is during a time when I’m questioning my sexuality and gender preferences. I know I’m certainly on the asexual spectrum but I still haven’t figured out who I might be willing to enter a romantic partnership/ companionship with.

In all honesty, the idea of simply finding a fellow roommate I can share an affordable apartment/ house with seems more up my alley. That way, neither of us are too lonely, and there’s still someone around I can talk to.

If anything, travelling with bleachpanda to Japan this year has shown that I’m surprisingly adaptable in my living arrangements. Yes, she snored terribly but our friendship still held. And we were able to work around each other’s normal routines without too much fuss.

Will the same thing pan out if I were to enter a proper relationship with Dikottir? But what if he wanted to do the deed?

At this stage, I can’t say for sure I want to jump his bones. Or, heck, even kiss him on the lips, but small steps right? And if the idea still doesn’t set butterflies off in my stomach down the line, I can, at least, I gave it the good ol’ college try. And hey, maybe we can still be friends! Just, you know, without the benefits.