Tag: owlboy

Why Do We Fall?

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Skimming through reviews and impressions on the internet, the one thing that stands out is how Owlboy is a game all about failure. And I get it. Otus, our protagonist, has a hard time of it. When he’s sent out on patrol to look out for pirates, his village is inadvertently attacked. Then he fails to save the city of Advent from Captain Molstrom’s wrath as they use the power of a lost forgotten relic. But while these are pivotal story moments that later culminate at the climax of the story, I feel the themes of friendship, sacrifice and vulnerability are at the true heart of Owlboy. For it is the bonds we forge and share with others on our journey that push us to be more than we are alone.

Releasing nigh on nine years ago, Owlboy is considered something of an indie. While it is no Hollow Knight, Tunic or Hades, there is a charm to it. From its graphics to the complex worldbuilding and even to the colourful cast of characters.

Owlboy casts the player in the role of Otus. A meek mannered boy trained in what it means to be an ‘owl.’ Of course, he’s not quite an anthropomorphic owl or an actual bird (though the design of his brows might say otherwise). Rather, he is gifted a magical cloak that gives him the ability to fly. And under the watchful eye of his mentor, Asio, Otus is tasked with protecting the village of Vellie.

Like many protagonists before him, Otus is mute. This is something directly pointed out by many of the other characters. That said, Otus is able to trill in delight and use other means of communication with his friends.

Yet during my time playing the game, I could not felt but feel like Otus’s mutism was a perfect metaphor for how men interact with each other in society. Instead of being able to talk back or communicate the pain he undergoes, Otus is only able to accept the harsh criticisms of his mentor – a man who unfairly scorns his pupil despite his best efforts. Even his allies and friends impose their own ideals on Otus. For example, when Geddy teleports away after Twig joins the group following their journey to Stratos.

But despite these setbacks, Otus persists in his efforts.

And it is through this he is able to put a stop to Molstrom’s ambitions. More than that, he becomes pivotal to saving the world.

Otus’s story, then, in my mind is about hope. It is about overcoming the challenges before you instead of falling into despair.

It is also, of course, about failure. As anyone will tell you. Failure is a fact of life. While yes, sometimes, it is an indicator to turn one’s attention elsewhere, it can also be a lesson on persistence. For, without trying and failing at something, how can we improve? How can we iterate and make change in the world? How can we learn?

This is evident in the menagerie of allies Otus has to help him in his quest. Geddy, Alphonse and Twig. All of them choose to learn from their mistakes and make amends. And though it might sound cliche, it is through the power of friendship and cooperation, that they’re able to bring forth a brighter future for the world. A lesson they try to also impart on Solus (technically the titular Owlboy of the game who is so intent on saving the world from falling apart he is willing to ally with a power-hungry robot pirate captain and see the capital of Advent be destroyed to retrieve special relics needed for a spell) as they battle up in the heavens (because, I don’t know, Solus can’t find five minutes to explain why he’s doing what he’s doing. Owlpeople, COMMUNICATE! Why is it so hard?)

But though the core team of allies are men, I do like the number of strong women also evident in the world. There was one soldier Otus manages to rescue who, in spite of an injured leg, was still able to kick enemies away. Then, there was her ally, an elderly woman who could wreak everything with her destructive prowess.

Narrative aside, the gameplay was simple and intuitive to pick up. Especially since I started playing the game while on my trip to China (and didn’t quite finish it until I returned). Even with the brief intermission of wrapping up Two Point Hospital, I was able to pick it up from where I’d left off and have the story wrapped up in only a few short hours (something I was grateful of because there are still TOO many games in my long backlog of games).

That said, I did have a few gripes with it. Though Otus is able to dodge roll both on the ground and in the air, it does not give the character any invincibility frames. One cannot simply dodge into or out of an attack. What’s worse was how difficult it was to figure out the hit box for Otus – especially when he’s flying and his makeshift owl cloak wings would occasionally clip through the background.

I also found it challenging that Otus’s only form of attack was to use his friends. While he can spin to hit enemies, this move primarily only stunned. It did not kill them. But your allies, too, are hampered in their abilities. From how Alphonse is required to recharge his explosive shotgun blast to Geddy’s limited power with his peashooter gun, and the inability of Twig’s webs to actually cause much, if any overall damage.

Then, of course, there was the whole ‘stealth’ portion near the end of the game that had me struggling because the mechanics were not really built around it. And the platforming section where the castle up in space began to break down. Despite these pain points, I still enjoyed my time with Owlboy. Admittedly, the gameplay could have been tighter but after a few abortive attempts, I was able to push through to the end.

Owlboy, it must be said, is not a perfect game. According to Wikipedia, it spent the better part of a decade in development with a few do-overs before the developers found their footing. And while there are parts where the game could be improved, these individual little failings when combined make for a stronger cohesive game that manages to shine. More importantly, it manages to deliver a strong message on a heavy theme not many stories have been able to tackle well before or since.

So, I ask you, then. Why do we fall?

The answer? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.

On a side note, I also liked the hidden lore of the owls from the past. How the world came to be and what the mysterious ‘Loop’ they tried to escape would most definitely make for a delicious plot point should the developers ever make another game set in the same world. That said, it did have a few echoes of Final Fantasy XVI with how Otus sacrificed himself and then fell from on high down into the ocean.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

The last two days in Shenzhen were a tour de force of catch-ups. Mostly with classmates my mother had known back in her university days, or with family friends. We also had to pick my grandmother up from the airport after she was flown in from Urumqi (where she stayed with her son for a vast majority of the trip) before prepping our own bags for the return flight back to Australia.

As is almost always the case, my mother (and, to an extent, my grandmother) are the shining stars of the family. Extroverts to their core, they know people from all walks of life. And when they reunite with those they haven’t seen for years, it’s an explosion of chatter and reminisces of the past.

I am, of course, always the stranger on the outside peering in through the window. Unable to penetrate the shared experiences they have.

Of course, being the introvert that I am, it’s no real bother to me. In fact, as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate not being in the limelight and have found ways to keep myself entertained even as my mother and grandmother bask in the attention of others. For example, reading Caitlyn x Vi fanfiction on my phone. Or scanning the headlines to see what new Hell the world might have found itself in.

So it was on the bright Thursday morning, my mother and I (along with her best friend from university) headed to Shenzhen Museum in the Futian District. Though we could have taken the metro, my mother’s friend decided going via rideshare would be both more economical and time efficient. We also wouldn’t have to deal with all the pesky line changes.

Once we arrived, and having reunited my mother with her two other friends, it was like the decades since they had last each other were nonexistent. The four of them caught up with each other’s lives as we waited for the museum to open. I kept myself apart, wanting to see how the fanfiction I was reading would pan out and mostly being invisible lest I be treated like a six-year-old instead of the thirty-something I actually.

As soon as the clock struck 10 AM, we headed into the museum proper. Unfortunately, despite its size, much of it was cordoned off. Whether it was for an event or due to renovations, I could not say. Still, we enjoyed our time going through the exhibits. The first two on ground floor were devoted to wildlife across the world. Eagerly, I snapped photos of a polar bear, hyenas, moose, porcupines and all manner of wolves. There was even a honey badger!

The second floor had exhibits detailing the history of Shenzhen and the various ethnic minorities that had called Guangdong province home. As someone who considers themself a student of history, it was interesting to read up about the intersectionality of multiple cultures and ethnic minorities. From those from Canton to the Hakka, and then to the Boat Dwellers.

Their unique cultures all had a hand in shaping the traditions and culture inherent in Guangdong province. More importantly, it speaks to how society develops over time and can learn to incorporate aspects of various lifestyles as part of the whole.

Interestingly, though the Boat Dwellers were once considered ‘lesser’ and nicknamed ‘sea gypsies,’ they have since been legally acknowledged and their civil rights and status are now equal to those who live on land. This has granted them additional protection and care.

From the early roots of Guangdong province, there was also an exhibit on the history of Shenzhen and how the city became the flourishing metropolis it is today following the policy of Reform and Opening-up.

Designated as one of the earliest special economic zones in China, Shenzhen rapidly developed and urbanised into the Silicon Valley of China. Home to various firms and large corporations, skyscrapers dot the skyline. And while it does not have the history of the likes of Hong Kong, it is still a place many young people flock to for job opportunities.

Even now Shenzhen is still developing – becoming a powerhouse in innovation and technology.

But the history of Shenzhen, at least at the museum, would not have been complete without an acknowledgement to Deng Xiaoping after he became the leader of China in 1978. As Chairman, he set about overhauling China’s infrastructure and political system, allowing China to modernise after what many would describe as disruptive years during Mao’s reign.

After we had gone through the entirety of Shenzhen’s history, we headed to the nearby Book City. A series of large book shopping malls in close proximity to each other, it is considered one of the largest bookstores in the world – hosting multiple restaurants and other non-book related shops.

Of note is the Book Bar. Open 24 hours, it serves as a refuge for anyone wanting to cram an assignment or even a place to rest. And who wouldn’t, surrounded by all those books? To my disappointment, actual English titles were few and far between and I was unable to pick up a stray holiday book to keep me company (that said, I was still reading The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre).

We had lunch in one of the restaurants and I took some time to peruse the shelves as my mother chatted with her old friends. Including another of her old classmates who had just flown into Shenzhen from Kashi (also known as Kashgar) in Xinjiang. A lecturer at university, he had also written books on key economic policies.

It was during this meeting of the minds that my mother learned my grandmother’s flight from Urumqi was delayed. As a consequence, she cancelled the dinner she had originally planned and we joined her classmate later at Baidu International Building (a search engine most of China uses as Google is blocked). The other guests in attendance, to our chagrin, were his many students.

To say it was an awkward affair is an understatement.

Thankfully, we did not stay long. It wasn’t long before my mother and I were headed to Shenzhen airport to pick up my grandmother (and to check-in at the Hyatt Regency situated right outside the airport.

The second day was a quiet affair. I spent of it playing Owlboy as we waited for our evening flight back to Australia. At around 11:30, more friends of the family (ones my mother and grandmother knew back in Xinjiang and who are complete strangers to me) came to visit from Zhuhai. After they’d chatted, we headed over to Hyatt Place, located on the opposite side of the airport, to have lunch with another family friend.

Before too long, we’d packed up the rest of our bags and headed to the airport proper (a short walk across a pedestrian bridge away). Once again, I got to enjoy the luxuries bestowed upon me as someone seated in business class. Yet despite the ability to lie down, I slept poorly during the flight and resorted to watching a few films (Paddington 2 and The Greatest Showman) to pass the time.

It was 6:23 AM when we landed back in Sydney, Australia. And I, for one, was glad to be back on home soil.

Though China remains the land where my family is from, it’s Australia I’ve come to love and feel most comfortable in. More importantly, Australia is where my friends and those who matter to me are. While it does have its faults (there are times I wish it would be more progressive in its social policies, for if it aped those in the Nordic countries, we might have less of an issue with recidivism and high prison populations), there’s a familiarity and freedom to living here.

That said, the prospect of returning to the office the day after next filled me with dread. Why had I chosen not to take a few days extra off work?

And so ended my visit to see my relatives, and to enjoy a little fun along the way. What started as a summer holiday was now well and truly over (and thank goodness for that. The humidity was an absolute killer).