Tag: video games

The Cost of Honour

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

What would you sacrifice to save the lives of the people you love and the home you cherish? How long would you be able to hold onto your morals when faced with an enemy that is impossible to win against? In the last exclusive for the PlayStation 4, Ghost of Tsushima from the developer Sucker Punch, asks these hard hitting questions and many more as it follows the journey of Jin Sakai in his quest to drive out the brutal Mongols from the island of Tsushima.

Considering the pedigree of Sucker Punch and chafing to dive into the world of Feudal Japan, Ghost of Tsushima was an easy buy for me. Immersed in the world of the Yakuza series and delighting occasionally in fresh new anime, it seemed imperative that I see what this game could bring to the fore. After all, the game looked very much like Assassin’s Creed. I liked Assassin’s Creed. And hadn’t the fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise been clamouring for something in a similar vein for a very long time?

Once I booted it up, I was immediately struck by the visual representation. The colours were vibrant (though one could choose to play in black and white mode) and coupled with the particle effects, I could have sworn I had been pulled into a cinematic world. The opening scene used this to great effect and proved to be a masterful attempt of immersing me immediately with the world. As Jin raced down the beach, I thoroughly enjoyed the rush that came with swinging my katana at anyone that was foolish enough to stand in my way. Yet, it is not long before it becomes exceedingly clear that the samurai have lost the battle. Many are slain on the beach and Lord Shimura, Jin Sakai’s uncle and jito (land steward) of Tsushima is captured. Jin, having taken a couple of arrow shots in the back, is left for dead.

Enter Yuna. It isn’t clear why she singled out our protagonist as being alive and pulled him away to nurse him back to health. 

As the prologue continued, I wondered if she was questioning her choice of companion as Jin, armed with only his sword and a broken piece of armour went to confront the Khan at Castle Kaneda, in a desperate bid to rescue his uncle. This first attempt is met with failure and Jin is essentially yeeted off the bridge. Yes. I know. I used the word ‘yeeted.’ I’m basically roasting my own hands over hot coals as I type this. 

Despite plummeting what looked like several hundred metres down into the water below, Jin manages to survive. The man, it seems, is almost unkillable. You could say…he’s a ghost. Badum tss. I’ll see myself out now.

From a discouraging defeat, Jin, however, vows to avenge his fallen samurai brethren and rescue his uncle from the clutches of the evil Mongol invaders. Here, too, was when my journey to collect everything and complete all the side stories began.

Unfamiliar with the works of Kurosawa Akira, I can not rightly say if the narrative nestled in Ghost of Tsushima’s maze of collectibles plays upon the tropes of those that came before. What I did manage to glean was a story of revenge and hate, the cost of war and the values embodied by the notion of ‘samurai.’ With his back to the wall, Jin Sakai must adapt if he hopes to win. Much like Yuna’s speech at the start of the game, he and Lord Shimura have forgotten what it was like to face someone stronger and smarter than they were. If Tsushima and its people hoped to survive, instead of throwing away their lives, they needed to change their tactics.

In the early stages, Jin is shown to grapple with the idea of going in quietly and silently stabbing people in the back. But after the first mission and the first outpost, he was free of the burdens that were his old code of honour. I suppose in that sense, there is a degree of dissonance between the narrative and the play. Alas, I couldn’t have cared less as I went from camp to camp, observing the leaders and unlocking new technique points.

The end of Act 2 and the beginning of Act 3, however, is when Jin Sakai’s actions finally catch up to him. Instead of following through with his uncle’s plan of rebuilding the bridge at Castle Shimura after an explosion killed countless soldiers and allies, he poisons the Mongols drink in a bid to save the lives of his comrades. Classic war crime manoeuvre. Learning from this, however, the Mongols use this against the people of Tsushima as well.

It is this devastation that we see after Jin escapes from his uncle’s stronghold, desperate to free the people from the Mongol’s iron grip. Despite the gruesome nature of it all, it helped put Jin’s actions into a different light. By making the enemy aware of a new weapon, could he have possibly doomed his own people?

Subsequently, when the Khan is killed and Jin is about to face his father figure, it makes sense for Shimura to point out many of his misdeeds. Can the people of Tsushima really be saved if Jin’s actions undermine the authority of those in power? What of the stories that paint him as a ten foot demon with eyes that glow in the dark?

So, it came as no surprise when Lord Shimura asked for a warrior’s death. And wishing to be the dutiful son, no matter how painful it would be, I granted it. One last ‘honourable’ act.

The gameplay in Ghost of Tsushima initially proved to be a challenge, although that was mostly due to the fact that I had to readjust my understanding of my controls. Navigating without a minimap in the corner or a HUD showing me the general directions of north, south, east and west also took some time to adjust to. I don’t think I’ve ever just ‘followed the wind’ when it came to video games before. But, because of that, it allowed me to actually keep my eyes focused on the screen in front of me rather than the top right/ left corner. I could actually take in the scenery instead of being solely focused on clearing out the fog of war.

As for the actual combat, the controls were incredibly intuitive. Square for a normal attack, triangle for heavy. L1 to block and circle to dodge. Where it seemed like the developers should have stopped a little when it came to the variety of options available to the player was mapping R2 as the interactions button – but also the stance and quick throw wheel.

Traversal also proved to be fun and because the HUD wasn’t as cluttered as I was used to, it made exploration easy. Equipped with the Traveler’s Outfit as soon as the game had started also made it incredibly easy to start hunting down collectibles and feeding my urge to see every nook and cranny that was on display. What pained me, however, was the fact that it took me a while to realise that I needed to progress the story and obtain the grappling hook before I could complete a few of the shrines in the first area. And to obtain a few choice head gear.

My only other gripe with the game is that my poor Nobu was felled so swiftly at the start of the third act. And the thin brown horse that served as its replacement was not the replacement I had hoped for. Thankfully, Yuna was able to gift me with another horse – which I named Sora – but my heart still goes out to the faithful Nobu.

Why do you have to kill all of my faithful steeds, video games? I was distraught when Red Dead Redemption 2 did it. Appalled when Shimmer was caught in an explosion in The Last of Us Part II and now…this?

The side characters and side stories also proved to be entertaining distractions over the course of the long journey to free Tsushima. While Masako’s revenge plot was a hollow echo of the pain Jin faced, it was Norio’s burning of the Mongol camp that left me frightened of the legacy of the ghost. At least the ending of Sensei Ishikawa’s story felt a little more redemptive and filled wit hope.

And, after IMDBing the cast, I was gladdened by the fact that many of the voice actors chosen for the game were Asian Americans. Jin Sakai was actually voiced by a Japanese man in the English dub! Imagine that!

Ghost of Tsushima is an excellent open-world game that hews quite closely to the more recent Assassin’s Creed formula. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring Feudal Japan, inconsistencies and all! My favourite part of it was collecting Mongol artefacts, records and learning a little about each clan banner. The combat also provided a few surprises, although the duels were a little tedious in the latter half. With the world still unable to quite shake the virus that still threatens many of our loved ones, it’s fun to actually dive into this fantastical and historical inaccurate world that is Ghost of Tsushima. 

Familial Bond

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

With video game releases that I’m interested in few and far between (or delayed), I felt compelled to make a proper dent in my pile of shame. In truth, it was just a simple excuse for me to pull out in order for me to finally finish Kiryu’s saga by playing through Yakuza 6: A Song of Life. Unlike the last two titles in the series, Yakuza 6 returned its focus on our favourite civilian-who-looks-like-a-yakuza, Kiryu Kazuma. There would not be four characters all vying for my attention with their separate narratives that would collide in the last chapter. Would there still be some strange government cover-up bullshit? You bet! So, without stopping to wonder if I should play something a little more light-hearted after finishing The Last of Us Part II, I dived head-first back into Kamurocho.

Yakuza 6 starts right at the end of Haruka throwing away her cherished dream because she could not continue lying about her family. Despite Haruka’s best attempt at reuniting with both the other orphans at Morning Glory and Kiryu, her father-figure is almost immediately arrested on trumped up charges of assault. With Kiryu’s decision to cleanse himself of his sins, however, Haruka is left at the mercy of the media. Unable to deal with the negative press, she then flees Okinawa to allow her pseudo-siblings the chance at achieving their own dreams without casting a shadow.

The motivation felt incredibly shallow as it all played out, considering that Haruka barely called the other children during her three years stint away. When Kiryu returned, it was understandable that he would be somewhat outraged to find Haruka gone. I’m not entirely sure who looked after the rest of the orphans. Maybe Ayako? But where would they have obtained the money to be properly fed and clothes? Were the subsidised by the government? Plot holes aside, Haruka’s disappearance was enough to spur Kiryu back to his old stomping grounds to find out what had happened to his young charge.

In Kamurocho, however, many things have changed. Increased tensions between the Tojo and the Saio triad now pushing into the area have put people on edge. But as Kiryu wanders around, hoping to find clues on the whereabouts of Haruka, he is informed that she was involved in a hit-and-run. And SURPRISE! there’s now a baby in the mix.

With such an odd beginning, it took some effort for me to properly click with the story. Like many, I had placed Haruka on a pedestal. The fact that she became pregnant and had birthed out a son seemed unfathomable. And then for the child’s father to have been a member of a small yakuza family in Hiroshima AS WELL AS THE HEIR TO THE SAIO TRIAD was a bit much to take in.

As such, it was imperative that I distracted myself with almost all the substories and side activities that were on display. And there were many. From being the manager of a baseball team to ousting a corrupt gang from the streets of Kamurocho. I very much liked the spearfishing elements as they brought a new dynamic to the gameplay that I was accustomed to when it came to the Yakuza series. The reintroduction of Pocket Circuit Fighter was also a fun distraction. 

But, of course, how could I forget Ono Michio? Though it was widely out of character for the usually serious Kiryu to don a mascot outfit with a huge tangerine head, I found these moments of levity enjoyable. They also proved to be a great distraction from a plot that only picked up steam in the latter half of the game, which was prone to spamming players with copious amounts of revelatory cutscenes in the last two chapters.

And yes, why has NO ONE ELSE ever thought to use SKI MASKS to hide their IDENTITY BEFORE? Once they were pulled out of the proverbial hat, it made little sense that none of the main characters ever thought to use such a disguise in their more nefarious crimes. 

Also, chucking Haruto around like he was a football IS A TERRIBLE IDEA! THIS IS A BABY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!! True, he might have enjoyed being thrown up into the air, but one does not simply pass him around as if it was a game of rugby. Honestly, story writers, do you have any lick of sense?

Then, of course, the narrative had to force Kiryu into trying to dig deeper into the ‘secret of Onomichi.’ Though Haruto’s life was not in any further danger, Kiryu’s endless curiosity to find out more served to elongate the story for a couple more hours – with a final confrontation that saw Kiryu shot three times and losing consciousness with Haruka bearing witness to his ‘final moments.’

Overall, the narrative was serviceable in that it allowed for a proper send-off to Kiryu Kazuma. After ten years of playing as the Dragon of Dojima, it was appropriate that Yakuza 6: A Song of Life made so many allusions to the previous titles – mostly in the character arcs. Unfortunately, since the title was solely focused on Kiryu, many of the other characters that fans fell in love with such as Daigo, Majima and Saejima took a backseat. I also disliked how even as the story focused on Haruka’s disappearance and her child, she remained in a coma for most of the chapters.

Unfortunately, Doctor Emoto and Komaki were absent. And I missed the silly revelations.

The underlying message of family and the bonds between people left a strong impression on me. After the previous game’s very strong hammer of DREAMS, I was relieved to see that Yakuza 6 kept it subtle and a little more tasteful. In fact, the comparisons between the Lo and Iwami family were excellent in highlighting the importance of understanding one’s children and maintaining a good relationship. I also liked how families were also not solely defined by blood ties. This was particularly evident in the adoptive family feel that came from the Hirose Family and Kiryu’s own experience of growing up as an orphan and seeing Kazama Shintaro as a father-figure. 

Gripes aside, I enjoyed the new songs Yakuza 6: A Song of Life brought into the world. My favourite was ‘Today is a Diamond.’ My least, ‘Fork in the Road.’ But that was mostly due to the game not reading my inputs. After searching on Google, I discovered that I was not the sole person that had encountered the bug. I also very much liked the gym portions of the game and scouting out hidden cats around the cities.

The one side activity that I was a little hesitant to repeat after completing it once was the live chat. Kudos to the translators that played an instrumental role in making some of the dialogue hilarious. Truth be told, however, it was the less savoury moments of the game and I am glad that I never discovered the photography section of Yakuza Kiwami 2. 

What I also liked was the Chinese. Gone was the halting and incorrect pronunciations from Tanimura. The truth is, though, they probably actually hired Chinese actors to give the Saio Triad proper lines. While some of the translations were not exact, they still managed to accurately portray the meaning behind the words and phrases used. 

The combat was also very reminiscent of Yakuza Kiwami 2 with experience points separated into strength, agility, spirit, technique and charisma. It was a little annoying that normal mobs could still reduce my health by such a large amount, but it did feel balanced. I doubt it would have been fair if I just blasted through every fight with just one punch. Although, that would have been entertaining to see.

Yakuza 6: A Song of Life proved to be a decent send-off for one of my favourite characters. Though there were stumbles along the way, it was a solid adventure that kept quite a bit of intrigue. As a writer, however, the plot did feel quite contrived in places, but I swept it aside.

Now with the pending release of a new generation of console, I’ll need to hurry if I want to remain on the front-lines of not-gaming-journalism. Of course, with Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon still on the horizon, it won’t be long before I’ll be back on the streets of Kamurocho. Then again, I still have Judgment to get through…

“If I Ever Were to Lose You…”

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

As a huge fan of Naughty Dog, it should have come as no surprise that I bought The Last of Us Part II on day one. It mattered not that the plot had been leaked a month or so ago. Nor did I care how divisive the game was among the gaming community (honestly, I’m not sure what the exact reason is for the vitriol. The reasons are numerous, ranging from the fact that many believes Naughty Dog was pushing an agenda – if you played the Left Behind DLC, you would have known that Ellie was gay – or that Abby was not painted as a moustache-twirling villain). I loved the first game and I knew that I would appreciate the morally grey narrative that The Last of Us Part II promised. So, with the work day over, I journeyed once again through a post-apocalyptic United States of America.

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The Last of Us Part II begins with Joel returning to the town of Jackson. After a fraught conversation with his brother, Tommy, about what had happened at the end of the first game, he brings back a peace offering for Ellie: a guitar. From there, the game jumps forward in time by five years with Ellie waking up late and gently teased by her friend Jesse as they prepared for the day ahead.

I quite liked the first few moments of the game as I took in Jackson. It reminded me of the old west, what with a saloon, blacksmith and horses. But it also painted a more positive picture of the apocalypse, with children playing in the snow and building snowmen. Jackson was a flourishing community. Yes, it had its issues with Infected roving around the countryside, but there was a sense of camaraderie that the first game lacked.

It wasn’t long, however that the game switched to an unknown character: Abby. She had made her way down to Jackson with a group of her friends. It wasn’t made entirely clear what her objective was, initially, but it was revealed in her conversations with Owen that she was looking for someone.

The first part of the game played well – jumping from Ellie to Abby and back again during the course of the day. It all culminated when Abby runs into Joel and Tommy (stationed at the ski lodge) as she tries to dodge a horde of Infected. Joel and Tommy save her, but are too far away to make it to Jackson. Abby offers them shelter in the mansion that she is staying at with her friends. But once within, it is revealed that the person that Abby and her friends were searching for was Joel and that they were seeking revenge for what happened to the head surgeon that was killed at the end of The Last of Us. 

As Joel is being brutally tortured, Ellie learns that both Joel and Tommy have not checked in. With Dina and Jesse, she goes in search for them. Finally, she stumbles upon the mansion that Abby and her friends are residing in. Before she can rescue Joel, she is wrestled to the ground and witnesses Abby smashing Joel’s head in with a golf club –  leaving Ellie devastated and suffering from PTSD.

Thus, begins her quest for revenge as she heads to Seattle.

The initial moments of the game made it very easy to hate Abby. After all, most of us that picked up the title had played through the original and felt a tight connection with Joel and Ellie. While their actions throughout the first game bordered on morally questionable, they were the protagonists and who the players were able to control. In the world of the post-apocalypse with fungus zombies, it made a certain amount of sense that it was a dog-eat-dog world out in the wilderness. With Abby killing Joel, however, it felt like a line was crossed – making it very easy to slip into Ellie’s mindset of seeking revenge for the loss of her father-figure.

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After Ellie arrives in Seattle, finding Abby was no easy task. With the Seraphites and the WLF roaming the streets, Ellie was hard-pressed to find a non-violent solution. Particularly when many of the WLF and Seraphites were of the ‘shoot first, ask questions’ later mentality when it came to trespassers. It wasn’t long before Ellie started tracking down Tommy and the members of Abby’s party. But after an encounter at the Seattle Aquarium, Ellie decided to abandon her quest due to Dina’s declining health. As Ellie and her team prepared to go home, Abby manages to track them down at the theatre that they were staying in and ambushes them.

It was here that many players felt dismayed as the game jumped back again to the start of the three days in Seattle to explain Abby’s side of the story. Through flashbacks, the game revealed that her father was the head-surgeon that was killed by Joel. Years afterwards, Abby continued to suffer nightmares from what had happened. Seeing her story also shed light on how many of her team were suffering from guilt after what had happened in Jackson. This was particularly evident in Abby’s interactions with Mel.

Also, her relationship with Owen was both endearing and troubling. The flashbacks helped paint a picture of their relationship and the troubles that came from Abby’s devotion to training and Owen’s more hesitant approach to working with the WLF. Let’s also not forget how that at the end of Seattle Day One, Abby then slept again with her ex-lover. I mean really?  His current girlfriend is pregnant and the two you broke up more than a year ago. At least Abby was able to respect Mel’s wishes and decline Owen’s offer of going to Santa Barbara together.

I liked how it built up a complicated backstory for Abby and helped emphasise that she was not a cut-out copy of the mindless AI enemies that I often faced. It also helped me understand more of the WLF, though I found their compound in one of the old stadiums Seattle less impressive than the city that was built in Jackson.

Her quest to help her friend and then, two young Seraphites also placed in perspective that the world of The Last of Us carried very much an ‘us versus them’ mentality. Considering the fact that I was watching The 100 while playing only cemented the fact that everyone was looking out for ‘their people’ and screw everyone else. And while Yara and Lev helped break some of the prejudice Abby held against the Seraphites, there was also a sense that she was only helping them to alleviate the guilt that she had for her previous actions.

But after discovering the bodies of Owen and Mel, her anger resurfaces and she decides to hunt down those responsible. The fight with Ellie was difficult. Mostly because these were two young women who had many similarities and both were filled with hatred and loathing for the other. In the end, Abby won their first encounter and would have likely killed both Ellie and Dina had not Lev stepped in.

By the time the ending rolled around, however, it was easy to see how much Abby had changed as a prisoner of the Rattlers. She had lost weight and her hair was now a lot shorter than it had been. The confidence she had during the ten or so hours I played as her was gone. Instead, she seemed exhausted. It wasn’t much of a fight as an ongoing struggle between committing to the cycle of hatred or breaking away. After nearly successfully drowning Abby, Ellie decides to let both her and Lev go.

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Some might have thought that Ellie forgave Abby for what she did to Joel. I don’t. Rather, it seemed that Ellie came to the conclusion that taking an eye for an eye was not worth it. Particularly after she gave up the safe and happy lifestyle of living with Dina and JJ. This was also true for Abby. In fact, she did not want to fight and only did so when Ellie threatened to hurt Lev. Even then, the battle was half-hearted at best with Abby throwing haymakers that were far too easy to dodge.

The narrative of The Last of Us Part II is a poignant study into the human condition, hidden beneath a traditional tale of revenge. Like The Count of Monte Cristo, which was referenced in dialogue in Abby’s story, it demonstrates the devastating consequences of a person’s need to right the wrongs that were inflicted on the people involved. What many seemed to misunderstand about the game was the fact that there were no ‘good sides’ or ‘bad sides.’ Abby is not the monster that she was first portrayed as. Nor is Ellie like the heroines in the comics she liked to read and the trading cards she collected. 

They are all people, looking to survive. And that, perhaps, is what I liked about The Last of Us Part II. 

What I also liked about The Last of Part II was the setting. Having visited Seattle in the past, I was excited to see the aquarium – which I visited four years ago. While it didn’t seem to match up exactly with my memories of the place, I still found it exciting to recognise some of the landmarks – such as the Ferris Wheel.

Then there were the flashbacks to simpler times. I loved exploring the Natural History Museum of Wyoming and climbing atop the replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Ellie’s enthusiasm about astronauts also proved to be incredibly touching as she divulged everything she knew to Joel. 

And though some might consider that Naughty Dog was pushing an agenda by including Lev as a transgender male, I didn’t mind. In fact, it seemed very refreshing that people referred to Lev with the correct pronouns. Even if they were terrible slavers with Infected chained up as pets.

The gameplay also helped to heighten many aspects of the story-telling. This was particularly evident when it came to Abby and her fear of heights. I was fascinated at how just by looking down from a towering structure, Abby would begin to breathe more heavily as her fear took hold.

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Other than that, the combat systems were reminiscent of the first game. Stealth was key to surviving, although I much preferred controlling Ellie when it came to fighting the Infected. Mostly because of her unbreakable knife and the fact that she was able to craft Molotov cocktails. When playing as Abby, however, I was much more aggressive.

Overall, The Last of Us Part II wove an interesting narrative of revenge, justice and forgiveness. It might not have been what many fans wanted, but it was what we got. In our current times, it’s easy for people to construct a dichotomy between two opposing forces, but in life, that is hardly ever the case. While Naughty Dog did not break the mould when it came to the combat, it was still serviceable. The Last of Us Part II was fraught with moments of terror as I was being chased by Infected, but managed to soothe them with the humanising aspects of the characters. I suppose that was what made the game for me. The character development and the ability to explore a ravaged world while learning about the people that lived in it.

Now let’s just hope that COVID-19 won’t have the nasty side-effect of making all those that contracted it zombies.

On a side note: why was Abby so swole? I mean, there was nothing wrong with it, but I found myself distracted by her biceps and triceps.

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Time is an Egg

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Following on from Alan Wake, I was ecstatic to see Quantum Break available on Steam. I’m not sure when they first became available but I was definitely going to buy it on sale. It didn’t matter that I had never owned an Xbox, I was now able to finally play a console exclusive that had interested me for years. With its time travel concept and two actors from the Animorphs franchise, I was eager to see where the journey would take me. Plus, Remedy was also trying to push the fold when it came to video by inserting a television show between major plot points. To many, it might have seemed like an overly long cutscene except with real actors. Akin, perhaps, to old full motion video. I, for one, was just excited to see if Remedy could manage to pull it off the perfect blend between video games and other forms of media.

In Quantum Break, players are put into the shoes of one Jack Joyce. After six years, he has returned to his hometown of Riverport after receiving a message from an old friend: Paul Serene. I loved the environmental storytelling as I navigated the university to meet my friend. The conversation with Amy Ferrero as well as the the posters decrying the aggressive purchasing of land from the shady Monarch company, all served to highlight an ongoing struggle between corporations and the history and culture of hardworking individuals.

It was not long before Jack arrived at the Physics Research Centre, where Paul Serene had set up his Project Promenade and the time machine hidden beneath. Unlike its depiction in other forms of media, time travel in Quantum Break is regarded as a loop. There are no branching timelines or alternate worlds being created. A person cannot go back in time to change the past. In addition, a person can only go as far back as when the time machine was first activated. So, there would be no visiting of dinosaurs or killing Hitler.

Quantum Break sticks to its guns that the past is immutable as it has already happened. But it also implies that when Paul travels to the future and witnesses the End of Time that this fact cannot be changed. Why? Because the event now lies in Paul’s past and defines his entire character arc.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

After Jack helps Paul in his less than legal demonstration, something goes wrong and time begins to fracture. He is joined by his brother and men from Monarch. They attempt to escape and in so doing, Jack discovers that he is imbued with time powers. He takes advantage of this, but cannot stop his brother from being crushed (or at least, that is what he thinks happens). From there, Jack is set on the path of stopping his old friend and restoring time.

On the way, he is joined by Beth Wilder and either Amy Ferrero or Nick Masters (depending on your choice when playing as Paul Serene during the first junction point). Speaking of these Junction Points, while they provide choice to the player, the end result is the same. The final confrontation between Jack and Paul is predetermined. None of the changes made to the game changed this fact. Whether the player chose a Hardline or PR approach, whether they trusted Hatch or Amaral – it did not matter. 

I suppose that made sense from the rules of the world and how the narrative set up the concept of time travel. Instead of spiralling into infinite worlds and alternate timelines, Quantum Break continued its spiel that time was a loop and that a character’s desire to change it would have only perpetuated the event that they were trying to stop. This was particularly evident when Beth was sent into the future and tried to kill Paul Serene during the End of Time. Or how despite warning the proper authorities, 9/11 still occurred.

It also meant that the ending for Quantum Break remained open-ended. The majority of the game is set in the year 2016. Paul, having seen the End of Time, knew that the catastrophic event would occur in 2021. However, as the events of Quantum Break unfold, it is clear that Paul’s estimate of the breaking of space-time as most people understood it, was happening much more quickly than predicted. So, when Jack was able to use the Countermeasure and stop the stutters, I waited for the other shoe to drop.

Sure enough, Quantum Break teased that there was more to the ending that met the eye. First of all, the interview styled questions that peppered the game were revealed to be at the end. Martin Hatch, who was shot in the eye, was back. Jack looked like he was seemingly joining up with Monarch. The ambiguous ending, thus, clearly hinted at a sequel and that Jack might have been the actual cause for the End of Time.

I also have a theory that Beth Wilder might actually still be alive despite being killed by Paul. How could she not have become chronon-active after being exposed to the Countermeasure in Ground Zero? 

Gameplay-wise, I very much enjoyed the aspect of controlling time. I was quite young when Blinx came out. But seeing that I owned a PlayStation, I never got to enjoy a romp with the cat that could control time. This time, I could stop enemies for a select few seconds as I peppered the air around them with bullets and then duck to cover by running as quick as the Flash. I loved these new ways to tackle combat as they presented something different than the usual third-person over-the-shoulder action that I was used to.

What disappointed me, though, about the game was streaming the live-action episodes. Always, I encountered buffering issues with the show stopping and starting. It didn’t matter how good my internet speed was, the connection with Remedy’s servers refused to work as I had hoped. 

The Quantum Ripples also proved disappointing because they only added a line or two of dialogue between characters. It never seemed to serve a greater purpose other than to appear as a fun Easter Egg.

I also dearly wanted Brooke Nevin and Shawn Ashmore to share a scene together. Alas, that never happened. At least in my playthrough of the game. The actors that played cousins in the Animorphs series never got to share a scene together. 

Gripes aside, I very much enjoyed the time I spent playing Quantum Break. The concept behind the narrative proved to just as intriguing when I was playing it as it had been in the trailer. While many mediums have explored time travel, this one was a much more interesting take on the premise. 

I also liked the ability to control time.There was no reversal and making different choices like in Life is Strange, but as a game mechanic, it definitely opened up new ways to navigate the environment and approach combat situations. Unfortunately, the choice of weapons at Jack’s disposal was less than imaginative.

What Dreams are Made Of

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

As many of you know, the Yakuza series is a game franchise that is often regarded for being a serious crime drama. The first game focused on a diabolical plot to undermine the Tojo Clan when $10 billion yen went missing from their coffers. Yakuza 2 was focused on a brewing altercation between the East and the West, with a Korean mafia thrown into the mix. Often, the games would explore concepts of kinship, honour and second chances as players got to experience the underbelly of Japan. Yakuza 5 follows in this tradition by maintaining an over the top plot filled with drama and intrigue. But, for many, this game was often seen as the one with the weakest narrative. Instead of being focused solely on the criminals, it introduced two new playable characters: Haruka Sawamura, as she strives to become an idol, and Tatsuo Shinada, a washed-up baseball player that writes for an erotic magazine in the heart of Nagoya.

Just like in Yakuza 4, the story of Yakuza 5 is split into different arcs, culminating in the finale where the threads are tied together in a neat bow. While I questioned the disparate stories for each of the characters, I could not help but acknowledge how clever the writers were in maintaining a singular theme across all five of the parts.

Dreams.

Whether that meant Kiryu giving up managing Morning Glory so that his kids could live out their hidden desires to Saejima hoping to one day be free of the prison and take his rightful place as a leading officer for the Tojo Clan, this theme is carried throughout. By the end of Haruka/ Akiyama’s and Shinada’s arc, I felt I had been beaten over the head by how many times they mentioned how dreams are passed on from person to person. Even Haruka’s song in Japan Dome pounded this message with as much subtlety as a sledgehammer.

What irritated me, though, in regards to the story were the twists and misunderstandings that could have been easily solved with BETTER COMMUNICATION. Why some characters never reveal their motives will remain a mystery for me, but I suppose there needs to be a contrived situation where the player can go into an epic battle. Like the battle with Shinada and Baba at the end of the game. Was any of that really necessary? Baba had already chosen NOT to shoot Haruka. 

The fight between Majima and Saejima also came out of the blue. And Katsuya, for having a crane on your back, why did you feel it necessary for everyone to duke it out just to draw out the ‘real mastermind’? 

I also disliked how Aizawa crept out of the shadows and inserted himself into the final battle. His sudden reveal as the son of the main antagonist was truly uninspired. I would have preferred if Morinaga had played more of a role in the Finale instead of being name dropped by the Florist as now residing in the basement of the Tokyo Police Department.

By the way, what was with the convoluted method of trying to keep Saejima in prison and then springing him out? None of that made much sense. Also, why did the guard allow two inmates out to rescue a third escaped convict? The less that is said about this plot thread the better, I say. Although I did find it amusing when Saejima was forced to tussle with a bear. It made no sense, true, but now we can add Bear Wrangler to his list of skills.

Still, despite my gripes with the story, I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in Yakuza 5. Perhaps it was that more time had gone into developing this entry. The UI and textures were crisper. It clearly felt more of an upgrade from Yakuza 3 than Yakuza 4 did. The controls also saw a bit of improvement, though initially it felt as if my unarmed attacks weren’t hitting as hard as I had hoped. 

What was also admirable was the amount of time and energy spent in the side stories. Some of these were excellent diversions. Driving a taxi, lawfully, proved to be actually fun. Although people dashing out onto the road at the very last minute do deserve to be hit. Why would you run out? Are you idiots?

I also liked hunting on the mountain with Saejima. The shooting mechanics were not the best, but it was nice to see something a little different from punching thugs. In fact, there was actually quite a nice ‘look after the environment’ message in both Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 that I found somewhat amusing for a game that was all about hard-boiled criminals.

Then there was Haruka’s idol mini-game. Her story arc was probably the most confusing because none of the previous games had hinted at her interest in becoming an idol. Yakuza 2 even had a substory where she dismissed the idea. Of course, by game’s end, Haruka decided that after debuting, she would destroy her career as soon as it began by revealing that she was raised by a yakuza. This, probably, was probably the most contrived of the story lines that were in the game. 

Shinada’s side story, though, passed by quickly. It also felt like it focused very much on a minigame that I never touched much of in the previous games: baseball. Now, I’m no slouch when it comes to batting – having been on a softball team during high school, but oft times I found the timing in video games a bit harder to perfect. In any case, though, Shinada’s side story made hitting the ball a lot easier than in previous games. The controls did take some getting used to. By the end of it, however, I was smashing home runs left, right and centre.

Despite a confusing plot, I was enamoured by all the additional activities Yakuza 5 offered. I spent many hours trying to get Haruka to the top of the idol business and racing along highways. Some might see such things as distractions but I’ve always been of the view that taxi missions or hunting in the mountains actually add more to the game and characters. I can’t say if Yakuza 5 is my favourite game from the franchise, but I know that a lot of people poured their hearts and souls into it, and I’ll carry that dream forward.

Murder Hobo

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Four years ago, I bought and tried to play through the Enhanced Edition of Baldur’s Gate. Somehow, I managed to get myself killed and abandoned the game for something a little more cinematic and exciting. Fast forward to 2020 and I decided to try it again. This time, though, on the most easy of settings. Why, I hear you ask? Because I didn’t want a repeat of my previous time with the game and wanted to see the story to the end. And so my journey began again as the Ward of Gorion. But this time, I would see it through.

Like many role playing games (RPG) that came after it, Baldur’s Gate allows players to customise their main character. It isn’t as complicated as more recent games – such as selecting hair styles and modifying cheekbones – but it was serviceable enough in that I was able to choose my race, class and put some additional points into my awesome thieving skills. I’m not sure why I always pick a thief in most RPGs. Perhaps it’s because that they have access to certain items earlier due to their ability to steal and lockpick their way into chests. Yes. That’s probably it. For a completionist such as myself, it allows me to discover what’s sitting in a locked chest and decide whether or not it’s something I need.

From my humble beginnings of running around Candlekeep, I was thrust out into the much more wild Sword Coast. With Gorion slain by unknown adversaries, I was quick to befriend any and all that were also on the road as I made my way to the Friendly Arm Inn. It is here where the game shines with its choice of companions. Almost immediately, I had Imoen, Xzar and Montaron as I ventured to the rendezvous my earnest father-figure had set up for me. Once there, I managed to recruit Jaheira and Khalid to my cause. 

By the time I was properly investigating the iron crisis and had headed down to Nashkel, though, I had far too many options open for party members. It is here, I feel, that Baldur’s Gate stumbles a little. While it makes sense to have a variety of choices for differently aligned characters, it also makes it a lot harder to keep some of the more interesting and nuanced ones due to the needs of the party. It might have been intriguing to have Eldoth and Skie Silvershield in my team, but I already had a bard in Garrick and I was already a pure thief build.

Then there were the conflicting motives of the companion characters. Many of these things work on paper but trying to see the dynamism and interactions between each companion character can be difficult. It is why I much prefer keeping numbers small so that more time can be spent on developing motivations and connections. 

I also disliked that many characters were linked to others. Jaheira and Khalid, Montaron and Xzar…Minsc and Dynaheir. It made things difficult because I couldn’t fill my party with the roles I required. Or the people I wanted.

The narrative and mystery surrounding the iron ore crisis, also proved to be an excellent way to string me along. While each chapter varies in length (I much prefer a three-act story a la Pillars of Eternity rather than having seven), each portion of the plot managed to keep me invested until the very end. Yes, a lot of it is cliche and how Sarevok manages to get away with most of it requires a little suspension of disbelief. Still, Baldur’s Gate was quite captivating from start to end. In particular, I like many of the additions to the base game that Beamdog made. From the new characters to the upgraded visuals and cutscenes.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the expansion: Siege of Dragonspear. This one was less open-world and funnelled players to the natural conclusion. Whereas I was freely able to spend as much time as I wanted exploring all the different maps, Siege of Dragonspear made them a little bit smaller and more manageable. It also made more sense in the context of the expansion that time was limited and you were part of a military force. As such, it felt like there were more stakes in the story than in the base game. Old characters also return, but not all join up with your motley crew. This made it more interesting to diversify my party.

The mechanics, like the games that came afterwards is based on the rules of Dungeons and Dragons. In Baldur’s Gate, this is because the world of Faerun is ripped from Dungeons and Dragons lore. But because of that, I found the combat a little lacklustre. Yes, you can pause and select spells and abilities, but it never felt as intuitive as more recent titles such as Divinity: Original Sin. Still, it made one think about party composition and one’s next move. Or whether or not to use a spell now as opposed to later down the track.

Encounters were also quite varied. From simple battles with wolves and gibberings to much more challenging ones with Saverok and a demon that had death gaze. This meant positioning characters and liberal uses of the pause function. Of course, since I was playing this on the easiest mode available, I had no fear of my characters dying permanently. As such, much of the challenge evaporated. But, for someone who is looking for something a little more tactical, the systems are there to enjoy a proper game with hidden dice rolls under the hood (with my luck, though, that is unfortunately not something I would like to leave to chance).

Overall, Baldur’s Gate told an interesting origin story for the Hero of Baldur’s Gate and I’m looking forward to see what Larian Studios does with the IP in Baldur’s Gate 3. Of course, I’d need to play through Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn if I want to understand what’s happening with our dear little Bhaalspawn. 

Date with Destiny (with a Capital D)

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

When I watched the announcement at E3 about Final Fantasy VII Remake, I was terribly excited. Though the Final Fantasy series has been one of my favourites since I first played Final Fantasy X, I have never actually played the original Final Fantasy VII.Instead, I read everything I could find and watched walkthroughs (including Dirge of Cerberus) as well as the film: Advent Children and Advent Children Complete. When Crisis Core released on PlayStation Portable (PSP), I also bought that to immerse myself in the entirety of the Final Fantasy VII universe. And when I told one of my close friends, Bleachpanda, about it, they were surprised that I had never played the original. But while I could have purchased the re-release on the PlayStation 4, I wanted to see the game that had captured the imagination of so many people in high definition quality.

As most people in Australia know, the game released a whole nine days earlier than it was supposed to: on 1st of April. After I had mistakenly taken the express train, I was perusing my messages and saw my friend post her excitement that Final Fantasy VII Remake was out. Immediately, I used my situation to my advantage and went to buy the game – despite the fact that I had no facial mask and was entering a shopping centre with a possible high risk of infection. After sweating up a storm by rushing to all the stores, I finally had the copy in hand. 

However, it would not be until I had finished Yakuza 4 that I could begin my journey with Cloud and the Avalanche team. Suffice it to say, I was incredibly excited. From the score to Cloud’s lovely cheekbones. In fact, I could not believe my good fortune that I was actually playing the game. It didn’t seem real that I would have in my hands despite the ongoing pandemic. From there, my hype built as I defeated the Scorpion sentinel and moved on to the Seventh Heaven. When Tifa’s theme sounded, I had to resist the urge to shed a tear. 

I might not have played the original, but gosh darn it, I loved the characters as much as any fan.

Even the little details were so exciting to see. Though there were several changes to the game, it was clear that the developers loved the game as much as its fans did. I liked how Cloud and the gang kept their victory poses for when they were in the Coliseum. The up-scaled Church, the bar, Wall Market and Aerith’s house. Learning more about many of the side characters also helped build a solid connection to them. From Jessie’s tragic backstory of her dad collapsing in Mako storage in her debut as the role of Princess at the Golden Saucer (goodness me, if she knew about the shenanigans of Cloud and the rest of the party, she’d probably throw a fit), to Bigg’s contribution to the Sector 5 orphanage. This even extended to the differences in Tifa’s and Aerith’s cleavage sizes. Not that I was paying particular attention…

Okay, maybe a little. But I’m glad that they also gave appropriate footwear and gear for the characters. 

But my goodness, that pull-up challenge took me fifty minutes! It wasn’t even in the original! And the trophy did not feel worth it after how difficult Jules was. Never again! 

Then the characters also called me out for going in the wrong direction. I’m not! I’m trying to explore every nook and cranny of this world Square-Enix has bequeathed us and to find as many items as I can find! 

The combat, though, was the one that had the most changes. Gone is the turn-based battle system. While players can play on classic, according to my friend Bleachpanda, it was less than exciting. Particularly when the AI just stood around guarding most of the time. As for me, I played on Normal Mode. The battle mechanics felt like they used bits and pieces from other games: such as Final Fantasy XV and Final Fantasy XIII. It also incorporated elements of the original Active Time Battle system, but I found it frustrating that all of my more powerful abilities, and even items, were gated behind a slowly rising bar – particularly for the AI-controlled party members. Of course, Final Fantasy VII Remake also allowed players to switch between members and I found I had to do this on a fairly regular basis depending on the battle. 

Also, your ATB abilities, spells and item usages could also be interrupted. This proved particularly frustrating in difficult battles where I was hoping to take advantage of an enemy’s weakness, only to be batted to the side because of an air attack.

It also felt, on numerous fights, that I had to think of these battles less like a turn-based battle and more like an action adventure, hack and slash. Instead of just absorbing spells and attacks, I needed to evade and guard. This was clearly evident in several solo battles with Roche and even Rufus Shinra. I had to read attack patterns, avoid some of their deadly moves and strike when they had an opening. All the while, trying to keep my ATB gauge up and ready for some quick healing or spell casting. 

Let’s move on now to the characters and the story. But where to begin? How about the ending that proved incredibly divisive among many fans. My friend, Bleachpanda, was sorely disappointed by the presence of the Whispers and how the last two chapters transpired. She, unlike me, had been banking on nostalgia to pull her and was more excited to seeing the original recreated in perfect high definition. If you read her posts on Final Fantasy VII Remake you will learn that she was mightily disappointed that how Cloud manages to obtain his dress was very different (although she probably still liked our ex-Soldier shaking his tush on stage. Heck, I think everyone was channelling Aerith and shouting at our screens for Cloud to work it). 

The whole talk of destiny and changing fate, though, probably left many fearing that the rest of the Final Fantasy VII Remake would be a very different beast from their childhoods. What with talk about alternate timelines and the possibility of time travel. As well as that last parting shot of Zack Fair. In fact, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that try to explain the ending. 

Now, I profess, time travel has always sat ill with me. And Square-Enix has not always used it well. The first Bravely Default comes to mind as does Kingdom Hearts 3 and the time loops of Type-0. Or even what they tried to do with the Final Fantasy XIII franchise. All those retcons in FFXIII-2 made me wonder if it was all worth it. Lightning’s character development in the first game was all but forgotten and rehashed over Lightning Returns. Still, as this was mostly penned by the original writer (though people will still blame Nomura), I feel like much of the motivations and several story beats will remain the same. The settings will also not change and I am eager to see Cosmo Canyon, Nibelheim, Junon and so many other places.

In saying that, though, I’m not sure if Aerith will die. Or if she does, whether it will have the same shocking effect that it did in the original. Of course, by now, everyone and their mothers know what to expect and perhaps this was a way for Square Enix to keep players on their toes. What about Cloud falling into the Lifestream and Tifa trying to sort out his memories from the false persona he created? The slap fight between Tifa and Scarlet? My friend, Bleachpanda, just wants to see Professor Hojo surrounded by girls that are trying to flirt with him. Who knows. It might happen. Or it might not. Hence why so many are terrified at the direction of the new games.

The rest of the narrative, however, proved just as exciting with a few little additions along the way. Sephiroth appearing, though, in the second chapter threw me for a loop, even though I appreciated the foreshadowing. Chapter 4 was all devoted to learning and bonding more with the other members of Avalanche. I very much liked their expanded roles, although casting Gideon Emery as Biggs was a bit of a distraction as I could clearly hear his Balthier trying to break through, particularly in the earlier scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Balthier. And Biggs is quite good looking himself.

This whole Midgar portion of the game also remained mostly faithful to the original Final Fantasy VII and its timeline. It also made things a little more realistic and showed fans of the original, more sides of the characters they had come to love. Also, I like that despite the love triangle being set up between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith, there was a strong sense of camaraderie among the girls. They lifted each other up rather than tear each other down. Even Jessie was trying to get in on the action with all the flirting she did. In fact, I just wanted to ship Aerith and Tifa for the long haul. 

What I also thought cute was the little swear the left Aerith’s lips when the ladder fell and Cloud had to help lift her up. It was also comical to see Cloud try to pull his Buster Sword out when confronted by one of the other Sephiroth clones and having it catch on the door jam. 

Barret, on the other hand, was a little preachy in the first few chapters. There can be no denying his love for Marlene, but it grated on me how much exposition he provided on the train ride back to Sector 7. Still, once we finally get into the meat of the games, I would love to see all their backstories, cry when appropriate and cheer for them when they finally emerge victorious. 

I also liked many of the environmental story telling. Particularly in Chapter 2 and seeing the aftermath of what Avalanche’s actions had done. Granted, Heidegger and President Shinra had a hand in it, but it was clear that Jessie and many others were devastated by the damage they had wrought. It was also gut-wrenching to see the remains of Sector 7 after the plate fell. Reeve, in the form of Cait Sith, tried and failed to save the people and even though he was controlling an animatronic cat, you could still see his devastation.

Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy VII Remake. By the time the game ended, I felt a little bereft, wanting to see more of each character and really dive down deep into their psych. Just like before, Tifa is much more reticent and closed off. It warmed my heart that in Hojo’s lab, Aerith asked Tifa if she was okay. As someone who is also similarly guarded, it’s good to know that someone else cares. Red XIII was also a great addition in the last two chapters, though it was a shame we could not play as him. 

The ending might have left a sour taste in the mouths of many, but I know that I, for one, am eager to see where the unknown journey takes us next and seeing old familiar faces. We still have Cid, Yuffie and Vincent to find! Also, Marlene is so cute and precious and must be protected at all costs.

The Power of Four

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Dismayed that the Last of Us Part II had been delayed indefinitely due to logistical issues with the current pandemic and, at the time, not realising that Final Fantasy VII Remake would be released in brick and mortar stores a good nine days earlier than anticipated, I started up the next entry in the Yakuza series: Yakuza 4. Unlike the previous titles, the game gave players to option to play as four characters. These were Shun Akiyama, Taiga Saejima, Masayoshi Tanimura and Kiryu Kazuma. To my delight, each character played differently from each other and brought a little something extra to the convoluted plot of rubber bullets and police corruption.

The game starts with a cold open on Akiyama, a moneylender known to provide loans to individuals without the need of interest or collateral. Instead, clients are required to pass a test. These range from the simple to the difficult depending on the amount required. Bullied by his secretarary, Hana, Akiyama goes out to collect his day. Within moments, he is drawn into a conflict with two opposing yakuza factions. Having thoroughly beaten up two low rung foot officers belonging to the Ueno Sweia for messing up a night club owned by Kanemura Enterprises, he returns to his office. Only to find the man that he was betting on to bring change to Kamurocho, Arai, shoots one of the Ueno Seiwa members.

From there, the game escalated by bringing in both old and new faces. Backstories for Majima and his sworn brother Saejima became the basis of Part 2. A just police officer looking to discover the truth about the death of his adopted father is drawn into the mix by Part 3. And then the game tries to tie in the events of the first game with the missing ten billion. Thus, bringing Kiryu to the fore in Part 4.

For what it was worth, the narrative of the game was a whirlwind from start to finish. But, because it was trying to be loud and bombastic, there were so many concerns. Like when Arai shot Munakata. You may say it was rubber bullets, plot, but if I had tried to kill my superior officer for his corrupt ways I would have checked to see if he was dead. And where did the bullet hit anyways? The chest? Why wouldn’t Arai have checked to see if there was any blood? WHY NOT THEN SHOOT MUNAKATA IN THE HEAD? If he had, he might have realised instantly that something was wrong.

Not to mention the fact that none of the main characters have much awareness of dropped guns. Why did no-one pick up the gun on the ground before Munakata could commit suicide? All of them had seen the man fire at Akiyama!

The one realistic part of the game was Haruka’s distrust for Hamazaki. If I had seen someone stab my father figure, I would also be highly suspicious of him if they washed up in front of the orphanage I lived at.

I would also like to add that I thought Tanimura’s Chinese was terrible. Are you supposed to make me believe that he is fluent with that accent? Am I also supposed to believe that his Korean, tagalog and potentially Thai are also incredibly well-versed?

Zhao, on the other hand, sounded very authentic and I didn’t have to look at the subtitles to know what he was saying (though my eyes constantly strayed because I’ve been so conditioned). 

As for the combat, I really liked Akiyama’s fast kicks. Saejima’s style took a while to adjust to because he was a slow combos and charge. While Tanimura’s parry heavy combat seemed interesting on paper, his final battle with Munakata was incredibly frustrating. Mostly because there were way too many enemies. These were interesting because it gave me a little something different to play with. After burning through so many of the titles in such quick succession, I have to admit that I was growing a little tired of controlling Kiryu when it came to obliterating the gang members and delinquents that roamed the streets of Kamurocho.

I also liked how each character had about 15-16 substories scattered throughout their story arcs. This made the game much more manageable, whereas in previous games I’d be stuck on the early parts as I tried to complete everything in sight – particularly Hostess clubs. Returning from Yakuza 3 were Revelations, even more hilarious than they were before. Three in Akiyama’s story were incredibly funny: the panty thief, the woman detective (and her red underwear) and the kung-fu couple.

Substories, too, felt more involved and interesting. While I was sad to see that Akimoto and Mizuki had finally resolved their storylines, I laughed out loud when I saw a family literally taking a money bath or naming a baby. 

Yakuza 4 is a flawed game, but that did not deter me from enjoying what was there. The characters also felt distinctly unique in their fighting styles and most felt great to control. I also liked learning more about Majima and seeing some fresh faces among the cast, though I was a little saddened at how little Doctor Emote or the hosts at Stardust played. Even Haruka felt a little shafted, though I hear in Yakuza 5, she’ll be training hard to be an idol.

In any case, I’m nearing the end of my Yakuza journey and already I fear the end of this wondrous and wild ride that I’ve gone through for a number of years. Of course, there’s still Yakuza: Like a Dragon coming out sometime in the not-so-distant future, so I’ll be eagerly looking to sink my teeth into the next few entries so that I can bring the saga to a close. Or, maybe, to a new beginning.

Shine, Surf and an Ever-Present Home Loan

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Initially, I had no desire to pick up the game. Yet, when release date rolled around and with so many comments on Facebook, I finally caved in and bought the latest Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch. To my great surprise, it proved an interesting diversion and a great way to visit my friends in spite of the pseudo-lockdown in Australia. Of course, when I say ‘visit,’ I mean through the aether waves that is the internet. I even managed to enjoy a birthday party, though there were constant drop-outs and hosted my friends on my excellently formulated island (after I had purchased a Nintendo Online subscription). But as with all sandbox games with a very surface level plot, after a week or two of playing I found my attention wavering. Let me be clear that is of no fault from the game. Rather, I’ve always been one that prefers a narrative or an endpoint to the gaming experience. As such, it came as no surprise when I started to juggle two games at once.

Animal Crossing New Horizons starts with your character getting an offer for a deserted island getaway from Nook Enterprises. Once you land, you are able to name the island and begin the life of picking fruit, catching insects and fishing up sharks. Though this was my first game in the series, I was already familiar with the likes of Tom Nook and Isabelle. How could I not, considering how immersed I am with gaming?

After being slapped with relocation fees, it was off to try and cut down my debt as fast as I could. Why this was not earlier discussed prior to the purchasing of the deserted island package will remain a mystery to me, but I was going to make the best out of a bad situation. Within an hour or two, I had accrued enough miles to regain a sense of freedom…

Until of course, I took out my first loan for a house. Then it was back into the grind of collecting and selling as many items as I could reasonably fit in my pockets.

Slowly but surely, Animal Crossing New Horizons took on the aspects of a chore to be done each day. Rather than use time-travel, I allowed each day to pass as it did in real-time. It was a slower-pace than I would have liked, but it worked. Every evening, after work, I’d log in and complete my daily tasks. Within a few days of hard work, my island was free of weeds and I had started to plant in groves of pear trees. Even better, Blathers already had his museum up and running.

After a week or so of progress, I had the Able Sisters and four more residents to my island oasis. Yet, by then, I was already champing at the bit for a more meatier story-related game. Still, because my friends were playing the game, I felt compelled to continue. In fact, just the day before writing this post, my turnips could be sold to Tommy and Timmy Nook for 476 bells (a strange made-up currency so that Tom Nook can help enslave you). As you can imagine, dear reader, my friends flocked to my island, hoping to make an utter killing on the Stalk Market. 

As Animal Crossing New Horizons is very much a sandbox game, what you do each day is decided utterly by you, the character. This can be a daunting responsibility, though it is somewhat helped by the Nook Miles+ system on your Nook Phone, which grants you Nook Miles (another form of currency) by completing certain objectives. Think daily quests from games such as Hearthstone or a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) like World of Warcraft. In this way, it gave me a sense of purpose even as I lusted for other titles. Such as Final Fantasy VII Remake, which broke street date in Australia and was released on April Fool’s Day at brick and mortar stores.

Still, Animal Crossing New Horizons is an easy game to get into, particularly for people who aren’t as familiar with games in general. There’s no senseless murdering (though the memes would disagree) and it’s about cultivating an amicable island life. It’s also about taking things one day at a time and doing things at your own pace. For that reason alone, I suppose, it’s an interesting game to try out and explore. In addition, it’s the perfect way to play with your friends when have to be at least 1.5 metres apart. Or basically, sequestered in your own homes because there should be no gatherings of more than two (unless family). 

Animal Crossing New Horizons proved to be a fun game, though I often found myself running out of things to do within an hour or two. But I also thought many of the island residents were cute and had fun poking around my island. Unless that creepy Easter rabbit guy that looked as if he stepped out of a Five Nights at Freddy’s game. Am I the only one that was getting serial killer psychopath vibes? 

MmucasFlem’s Twilight Zone

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with Thimbleweed Park. After playing through a few point-and-click adventure games such as The Curse of Monkey Island and King’s Quest (the new one from Sierra Entertainment), I thought it would be good to keep going deeper down the rabbit hole. On Steam, I’ve purchased Grim Fandango and I’m eyeing Day of the Tentacle. But it was this game from Kickstarter that caught my eye, and which I tried my whet my appetite between the lean times of video game releases. What surprised me most about the game was how much reverence it had for the old classics from LucasArts. Nor had I expected so many references or the similarities between the game mechanics. Of course, if I had bothered to do more research on the game, perhaps I would have known.

In any case, I thought it was a good way to try and wrap my head around the illogical logic of such titles. Yet, as with all such games, I managed to get stuck. Even on casual mode. With the trusty internet on my side, however, I was able to push my way through the rest of the narrative and see it to completion. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s go back to the beginning:

Thimbleweed Park starts with a murder. An unknown European follows instructions from a note left in his hotel room to venture out beneath a bridge. He is attacked and the next we see him, he is flying face down in a stream – evidently dead. Enter two Federal Agents: Ray and Reyes. Both of them have a reason for coming to the town, which is alluded to in their journals, but their immediate priority is to solve the murder.

It does not take long before they are introduced to several colourful characters that might have been behind the deed (who, in turn, become playable). Before I knew it, the murder was wrapped up in a tidy bow – at least in the eyes of Thimbleweed Park’s law enforcement – and the real story begins.

Joined by Delores, Ransome the Clown and Franklin, it became a quest to uncover the secrets of the late Chuck Edmund. As I explored the abandoned factory of PillowTron, I uncovered a conspiracy that shook my very understanding of the world: namely that these characters had become self-aware and knew that they were in an adventure game. I mean, why else would there be 3000 names in the local phone book when there was only a population of 80? Who was Delores’s mother? It was a fun twist and played right into the meta even until the very end of the game. 

The controls, at least on the Switch, left a lot to be desired. That might be due to the fact of how slow the cursor took to move from the command menu to the interactive objects in a particular scene. Changing between characters was also a bit of an ordeal, particularly if there was a particular character I needed to use. If I had played on the intended mode, it might have proved a challenge to manoeuvre my characters into the correct spots before I undertook the puzzle. And I still might have got it wrong and had to start all over again.

Despite my gripes with the game, I found it a fun diversion that lasted me a few days before the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. And, at the very least, it was another game that I could clear from my backlog of games that I have accrued over the years. Even with the announcement that The Last of Us Part II will be delayed indefinitely due to COVID-19, I still have plenty of things to get through. Fingers crossed that Ghost of Tsushima and Cyberpunk 2077 will be released as scheduled. And, if not, well, this quasi-lockdown might be the perfect time to catch-up.