Blogging

Critiquing AI Summary of My Blog

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It is lovely how AI can quickly summarize content, but I wonder how accurate and trustworthy the source is. I wanted to do an experiment, so I asked AI Gemini to summarize my blog. I asked it multiple times to see if the answers would change, and it did. It made me wonder, how much can we trust what is posted online? So, for today’s post, I am going to critique 3 summaries about my blog written by AI Gemini:

First entry:

  • Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and archive created by an author known as Halsdoll. The site serves as a platform for reflective writing on various forms of media and art, characterized by a “poetic” and philosophical tone.

I am not sure why it puts quotation marks around the word ‘poetic’ when, in fact, I do enjoy writing poetically. Also, I didn’t realize my writing was philosophical. I take that as a compliment! It is a general summary, but it is missing some major components.

Second entry:

  • Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog providing in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on video games, books, and films, with a focus on atmosphere and narrative. The site covers various media, including RPGs, horror, and classic literature, organized by thematic tags. Explore the full collection of reviews and reflections at Fishing for Metaphors.

I actually like this summary more than the first one. Straight to the point and informative. It feels more inviting than the latter. If I were a stranger who happened to come across this blog, I would be curious enough to subscribe. I like conversational blogs with interesting viewpoints, but I also I don’t judge people on perfect grammar. As long as it makes sense to me, I don’t mind typos and omitting words. Sometimes I think so fast that, even I omit words!

Third entry:

  • Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and review site that focuses on video games, films, and literature from a contemplative, often female-centric perspective. The site features in-depth critiques of psychological horror games, martial arts films, and classic literature, emphasizing atmosphere and thematic depth over technical gameplay.

I think this summary might be on point. It is definitely female-centric in terms of perspective. However, that doesn’t mean I represent all the female kinds out there. Even though I am assertive like Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur with her whip, I am not at all domineering or do I feel the need to be in the center of the attention to make a point. Oh, now I want to play a fighting game!

Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur VI
Ivy Valentine from Soul Calibur II

Lesson Learned

One of my favorite quotes comes from a children’s book called Charlotte’s Web: “They’ll believe anything they see in print.” And the internet is no different. It is even more dangerous when the consensus is built on a popular idea. So, how do we know if something is acceptable or valid? The question should be, does it align with your conscience, your values? You have the right to think for yourself. After all everyone is unique in their own way. So, do I agree with the AI summary of my blog? Not necessarily, although it did provide an objective overview of my blog, but I would definitely never let AI do all the work for me. Let alone, think for me. In fact, I had to edit its summary:

Fishingformetaphors.com is a personal blog and archive created by the author Halsdoll. She writes in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on various media, particularly video games. Her game reviews often emphasize atmosphere and thematic depth over technical gameplay with a poetic, philosophical undertone. She is a martial arts fan who loves reading and watching anything that is poetic. She is also a self-proclaimed wise stray cat on the internet, hoping to find her way back home through her writings and gaming adventures.

Final Thoughts

Well, that was a fun little experiment. Life is too short not to find some moments to laugh and find some ways to express yourself, especially if you are on the reserved side. I think a machine will never understand that. Now, I understand what Crow, a robot character from Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon meant when he said, he’ll never know what it is like to be truly human. And so, I am not sure if AI can fully grasp my intentions for this blog (at least for the time being). However, I do like how it summarized my blog’s content: I write in-depth, subjective reviews and reflections on various media.

I must confess, I do miss real life human interaction before the internet days. The world is becoming increasingly lonely by the minute. Soon everyone will be writing SOS letter on the internet when they realize something essential is missing in their life, a human heart.

Setting Realistic Goals for the New Year

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Every year, I like to challenge myself by setting a goal. Normally, I set small achievable goals. But I never set small goals to achieve bigger goals. I want to do that for next year. My blog has been stagnant and small for quite some time. But that’s all right. I am still blogging all these years despite my “failure”. After all, my greatest motivation is my passion! I also have some personal goals I would love to achieve apart from this blog’s growth. I hope you will join me!

Reading Goal

I started The Left Hand of Darkness at the beginning of this year, but had to put it aside. I was waiting for that moment to be wowed. I heard it’s a great classic science fiction. I want to give the book another chance. However, that wasn’t the real reason why I picked it up. I don’t think I read enough books by female authors. I just happened to remember this book. A couple of years ago, a coworker said Ursula Le Guin is ahead of her time. Jotting down notes as I read would probably help me sort out this difficult book. I am already halfway. This will be one of my goals for next year.

Another book I plan to read next year is Dune by Frank Herbert. I have not seen the movie. What inspired me to read the book was actually from playing the Bookwalker, ironically. In the game, there is a book called the Heart of Sand. I was interested in its world-building. As the game was starting to build momentum, the game ended short.

game inspires my reading goal
The lack of gameplay in this game inspires me to pick up a book instead.

I love reading, but oddly, it makes me melancholic when I think too deeply. So I have to balance it out with gaming. That’s why I don’t mind playing silly games or simple puzzle games. I don’t always want to think abstractly unless there’s humor in it. Gaming helps me live a little when life is already so serious.

Gaming Goal

Sometimes, I feel like a kid in a candy store, getting all excited with so many cool games. Then I exhausted myself mentally on what to play. So my goal for next year is to stay focused on the games I already have in my Steam library. However, I did get sidetracked by all the demos out there. I tried Trails in the Sky: First Chapter, Rosewater, and Unicorn Overlord. They are all fun! Out of the demos, I’ve been enjoying the Trails in the Sky: First Chapter demo immensely. I have been wanting to play the series for a long time, but I shy away because of its length. I am certain that I am going to love the entire game. It has that JRPG charm.

Characters defining what a bracer does
I am always up for a feel-good type of game. The soundtrack is also pretty catchy!

I play demos as if I am trying food at the buffet. But my main course meal is Walking Dead Definitive Edition. I am on Season 2, episode 2. Been enjoying the game as well! I also plan to play.Hack//G.U. Last Recode. I am feeling nostalgia. A good laugh is the greatest medication in this chaotic world, but food is also important!

Cooking Goal

Planning meals has always been a struggle for me since food is not the first thing on my mind. I came to realize that cooking healthy meals requires some special attention. When I go out, there are not many healthy options to pick from for a quick meal. So I just eat apples and bananas. Fruits alone are not a balanced diet. So I have learn how to be more creative. I have been hunting down recipes online. I don’t expect myself to be a great cook overnight. But I do think finding good recipes is a good start. Practice makes perfect, and who doesn’t love food? The only issue with watching so many cooking channels on YouTube is that I ended up not cooking anything extravagant! An egg sandwich is quick and easy enough for me.

cooking goal to make sandwhiches
I came a long way from burnt toast! That I can boast!

Final Thoughts

These goals are challenging to me because they require me to focus. I pick challenging goals and things I am not so good at for a reason. We can’t grow and build resistance if we are complacent. For example, I am skilled at action-adventure games but not RPGs (strategic turn-based games). I read mainly classics, but have not read many science fiction books. I can cook breakfast meals, but I’d like to learn how to cook a fancy dinner. So, yeah, I purposely challenge myself. It makes life more interesting, and it humbles me. After all, a healthy mind makes the world a better place.

I hope this blog post inspires you in whatever goal you have next year. Whether it is small or big, I hope you achieve it!

Reevaluating Strength in Gaming and Media

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I realize representations in media do matter very much. If I had to choose a video game character I resemble most, it would be Elena from Pandora Tower. She has some form of disability but she makes it up with emotional strength and intelligence. However, the average people assume she is just a silent object. They also think she is just a support role. I never thought of her as a silent object. I thought she was pretty strong, and she has her own agenda–like saving the world using soft power. Maybe it’s time for people to reevaluate what strength means, especially in mainstream video games.

I noticed the discrimination when playing multiplayer games many years ago. I was playing DCUO. Somehow I ended up playing a support/buffer role. I felt smothered so I ventured off alone. Ever since, I have a hard time connecting with my peers.  Finding a group of passionate gamers, especially female players who appreciate games for their creativity and aesthetic is hard. It felt more alienating because I don’t play to win, and I don’t like being rough like the boys. Speed run and rank never meant anything to me in video games. I only care about them if I’m working on a trophy. I see video games as an entertaining art form, not to be conquered or won.

I Realized My Own Biases

During those years, playing games by myself made me realized something important. I once fell into the misconception that being female meant being the weaker sex. This was based on how people treated me in person. Well, looking back, I was considered small for my size. It’s hard to have confidence when you know your size can get eaten by a wolf. Yet, the “weaker sex” has nothing to do with intelligence. Intelligence is just another form of strength. And liking a certain type of game doesn’t show superiority. One is more relationship-based than strategy-based. That’s all there is to it.

“Women love romance-related content. It’s nothing new.”- from √Letter

√Letter Visual Novel for PS4
I disagree with the quote above. Growing up, I used to ask myself why I am not feminine enough. I spent a lot of my youth watching martial arts movies and T.V. series from Hong Kong.

Final Thoughts

I have considered other platforms. However, I like blogging the most, small as it may be. It’s quiet and it allows me to be reflective. I also learn more through reading–especially when it comes to exchanging information. It’s a form of creative expression to me, and I wish more gamers would blog than vlog or stream. You’d be surprised how much we’d learn about ourselves when we all take the time to think before we speak.

Note: Originally published 21, 2021; Revised November 18, 2025.

My Honest Thoughts on Silent Hill F

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I don’t know where to start. The game’s content is quite heavy. I’m not even sure if I like it personally. I am not even sure if I want to replay the game. There are multiple endings. The themes (i.e. gender discrimination and child abuse, bullying etc.) can draw out uncomfortable emotions from some of its audiences. Like the themes from Silent Hill: The Message, the game is far from entertaining. The game provided a Content Warning disclaimer, which is nice. However, making a profit out of someone’s misfortune is hardly a form of entertainment to me. So if you are looking to play something fun, you won’t find it in this game. Instead, you’d find a well-made psychological horror game about a struggling cute, schoolgirl in a man’s world. No one really gets her. It’s so sad that she can’t even talk to her doll.

Please don’t kill your femininity because you hate your dad. Not all guys are bad...

As for me personally, I would rather laugh than cry. So I am going to put this game aside for now…until I am ready to go underwater again. I am so curious about the other endings.

What a pretty sad flower

P.S.

I am sorry for being vague. It’s a good game. I am speechless about the game for the most part. Maybe I’ll come back with a longer post. It will make SEO happy. 😀

A little Blog Update

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Now that I am back from vacation, I completed my first playthrough of Song of Horror. I am replaying the game because there are multiple playable characters, and each character has its own dialogue. Each time I replay the episode with a different character, I learn something new. I am enjoying the structure of the game. I will discuss more about the game in detail at a later time.

I hope I am not the only one playing the game. I enjoyed it that much that I plan to get a copy for PC.

As I was reading my older blog posts: My Thoughts on Art, Creativity and Blogging and What’s in a Name?, I realized I spent a lot of time writing for this blog that I don’t have time for other creative projects. I am trying to find a good balance without abandoning this blog entirely.

erica staring at her guitar
Like Erica from Song of Horror, I too would love to “spend the day here, chilling and playing guitar.”

With that being said, I am being more selective with games. Play games that I want to play and not just check off a list. Recently, I have been wanting to go back to PlayStation 2 games. One of them is Echo Night: Beyond, and the other is Shadow of Hearts. Playing Song of Horror made me appreciate retro games. They are more artistic and methodical than modern games, and oddly more therapeutic for my mental health.

I like challenging games and books but I am not that competitive, so I never understood how people can get an ego boost from completing so many books and games within a year. I’ve learned to accept that I prefer to do things at a slower pace. I can see myself savoring Song of Horror. The game is challenging enough for me to want to platinum it, but I have not decided yet. Apart from gaming, I am trying to finish  Germinal by Émile Zola, so that I can focus on Monster, the manga. You might see some upcoming thoughts on these two items. Lastly, I am going through old posts and updating them, so you might see that as well. Of course, some might say no one actually cares about these updates. I like to forewarn my readers for consistency purposes because I am one of those readers who notice the little detail.

My Year End Wrap~

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I wish I could say I beat a lot of games this year when realistically I only finished a few games:Ghost of Tsushima, Tales of black forest, Mandemon, Silent Hill the Message, and Remothered: Broken Porcelain. That’s not an impressive list, I know. On the contrary, Steam reminded me I played 30 games in total. 17 of them were demos. Now that I think of it, I did replay Nightcry and Shenmue III and started up a bunch of games. I suppose that is considered gaming, but yeah, the graph below doesn’t lie. I didn’t play all that much. Life got in the way…

graph for 2024 on Steam
Gaming Sessions on Steam

During days I don’t play games, I spend more time reading and watching movies to balance things out. Some notable movies I watched were Alien Anthology and Planet of the Apes trilogy.  Recently I also finished Claymore the anime series. As for books, you can read the blog posts here:

I also read two children’s books that are full of wisdom: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Coraline by Neil Gaiman. This brings me to the topic: why didn’t I publish more blog posts?  Why did I downgrade my blog plan and not renew my domain? The answer is simple: any down time I have, I try to give my eyes a rest from the screen, which I learned recently from an ophthalmologist that I don’t blink enough when I stare at the screen and that I have narrow angles eyes which explains my constant headaches and eye pressure. Left untreated, I could go blind. Luckily, I had surgery, so I will be okay. Secondly, I have been wanting to do something more relaxing. One of my passions is to become a better cook but that hasn’t been too successful since planning and gathering ingredients can be so time consuming. It took me several trials and errors to get my mom’s chicken soup right. When I did achieve it, I felt so happy. Yet, I still have a long way to go to build a book of recipes that I could come home to.

Despite investing less time with this blog, I am feeling excited for the New Year. I still plan to tackle my backlog and play at my own pace. Blog whenever I can. So far, I am ending the year with Tales of Symphonia. After Tales of Symphonia, I will play Death Mark II. Then I am looking forward to playing Xandu Next.  In addition to my backlog, I am adding Spirit of the North and Deadly Premonition 2. Here are the rest of my list for next gaming year:

  • The Bookwalker (Steam)
  • Teslagrad 2 (Steam)
  • Tales of Berseria (Steam)
  • Tales of Vesperia (Ps4)
  • Tales of Xesteria (Digital psn)
  • Songs of Horror (Digital psn)

Initially, I started this blog with a title: “Older games have more charm” because I want to replay Parasite Eve on the Ps1. Unfortunately, time flies so quickly that I never got the chance to play it and review it for Christmas. I learned that If you want to enjoy a game you stick to it and play it thoroughly despite all of the distraction from video games sales and releases. For instance, I want to play Unicorn Overlord, but it’s only made for consoles. I don’t really own a Switch or a PS5, so it might be hard to play those exclusive games. I have thought of investing in Switch 2 when it does come out or a Switch. But I don’t know yet because I am also interested in Steam deck since I spend more time on Steam than any other sites. Another game I am interested in purchasing is Tales of Grace remastered. There are tons of cool-looking games coming out which makes it difficult to focus on a game. So, whenever I start up a new game, I give myself about 45 minutes. If I am still not into the game then I just drop it. I don’t feel the pressure to complete games anymore.

Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hopefully, you are enjoying a good game. I know I have been enjoying Tales of Symphonia remastered very much!

brrr.. it’s cold

Picture credits: Featured image is Presea from Tales of Symphonia

Blog’s New Year Resolution

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Drifting Where the Wind Takes Me

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Some may not have noticed, but for those who look forward to my blog weekly, thank you. Normally I publish weekly, but it seems like there’s always a lot going on toward the end of the year with the holiday around the corner, and I wish that was my excuse for taking a small hiatus. Honestly, I lack the motivation to blog after doing extensive research about SEO, marketing, and web design. More importantly, I took the time to contemplate what I wanted out of blogging and asked if I was still enjoying it. If I were to be honest, not so much. I enjoy blogging on WordPress but I don’t like how it penalized the blogger for not engaging with other bloggers by commenting on their blogs and hitting the like and follow button. It takes a lot of my energy to reach out to people and when it doesn’t reciprocate, you get that feeling of rejection. Too many rejections make it feel like is it even worth it.

I just love getting my heart burned, it builds resistance but I rather do it in video games. It’s more enjoyable because I know not to take it seriously.

Blogging is becoming more like work and most sane people run away from work. That’s why I don’t work for the gaming industry. I am pretty sure I would run away from it too. All work no play is crazy. But that’s the marvelous thing about the world is that: “we are all in it together” LOL. I digress. Going back to my blog, perhaps, the audience I am trying to reach may very well be too busy gaming because gamers play games. It’s that simple. So that is why I have been hanging out at Steam, playing Divinity Original Sin Enhanced Edition. It’s quite entertaining and it gives me something to look forward to each day. Great story+great gameplay +great soundtracks=A+++! I believe they are an indie studio but with triple-A qualities. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I have been bewitched by the game! I also learned that the studio is accustomed to making educational and casino games, which explains a lot about my newfound addiction! I love learning and gambling with my time “recklessly”, but at least I am having fun. I enjoy uploading screenshots of my gameplay over on Steam’s account. Here, one sample of my screenshots:

The prisoner’s dialogue made me laugh hard. I suppose gaming is like prison and I am already crazy! Thank you for bringing this awareness to me 😀

Steam makes it enjoyable to capture those fun silly moments in games. Press F12 to take pictures. I even thought of joining a Girl Gamer club on Steam to be more “social” and less “crazy” but then I looked at the comment section and I stopped. I would be walking into a trap. From what I observed, I don’t think half of the members are even legit and the way they talk is so lewd. So here I am back in my little corner. Doing my own thing. It’s a shame though, I really like Steam’s interface.

Little Shopping Video Game Haul

I took advantage of November Steam’s sale and purchased: Gris, Remothered: Porcelain, and Tales of the Black Forest. After much thought about Remothered: Porcelain, I caved in and bought it. It’s out of my mind and out of sight. The sales marketing tactic works! I shouldn’t have to make things complicated by being indecisive about a purchase, but time is valuable and I have a bad habit of finishing everything thoroughly. Also, I decided to pick up a book to read: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I read a few chapters and it feels like it’s written for a movie. One of my political science teachers once said…if you want to know what the book is about just read the introduction, and that’s what I did to the Pillars of the Earth. I learned that the author imagined his book making it into a motion picture. Is there a movie out there based on the book that I am not aware of? I might just pick up the movie but then on a second thought, nah. I discovered the book because of the game, which ironically there is no real gameplay to it. So, I said, well if I am “playing” for the story might as well… pick up the book. That was my logic! I still plan on playing the game because I like the illustration. Why is it so hard to make a decision sometimes?

Games I Am Looking Forward To

  • Dragon Dogma II
  • Death Mark II
  • Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
  • Granblue Fantasy Relink
  • Elden Ring DLC: Shadow of the Erdtree

Well, that’s all I have to say for now. Thank you to those who tuned into this blog. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and that my craziness hasn’t scared you away!

The Ocean Is in the Sky

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Like previously, I am doing my weekly blog update.  I am taking a mental break from writing reviews until next month. I am rewriting my old reviews here and there (old habits are hard to die) but life’s priority is changing. For today’s photo, I chose a picture taken earlier this summer at Coronado Heights as I am preparing to say goodbye to summer.

It’s so much prettier in real life. (©halsdoll@fishingformetaphors.com).

Elden Ring: Malenia the Beautiful Rotten Flower

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No, I didn’t throw the controller. Didn’t pull my hair. Didn’t scream at the T.V. I did none of that, but like a crazed gambler, I played until I win. During the battle, I called her the stinking scarlet rotten flower as a coping mechanism to relieve my frustration. The truth is she didn’t stink. She was like an alluring perfume scent that stunned me into a relationship for two whole days. She moved around with her blade elegantly with one swipe. I was obsessed. I kept thinking: “I am almost there if I keep trying,” but the result was the same. It was until I decided to re-strategize, reallocate my stats, level up, and went on a hunt for moon spells that I started to have a glimmer of hope. After all, I was facing a boss who claimed to “have never known defeat.”

Malenia, Blade of Miquella

For such an intimidating statement, I was beginning to lose hope despite my best effort to dodge and cast spells. Skills can only get us so far until we need luck on our side. If I can recall, medieval writers personify luck and called it Fortune. When things go wrong, we blame Fortune, but when things go right, we thank her. I felt the same way about this boss fight. I tried to beat the boss several times to the point I started daydreaming during the first phase of the battle because I knew her patterns quite well. In the second phase not so much because I was panicking. To defeat any boss in the soul-like games, it’s about natural reflex and timing! And unlike other games, if you die in the 2nd phase, you have to start all over again from phase 1 of the boss fight!  That’s why I said this boss fight was almost pure luck. When she consecutively bloomed twice in the 2nd phase, I knew it was my chance to blast her with a powerful spell (Thank you Fortune for being on my side).

Comet Azur may be an overrated powerful spell but I am so grateful for it.

There were two phases in this boss fight and what made it so difficult was that not only was she quick with her blade, but she also regenerated her health by attacking the player. In other words, she absorbed the player’s health. It was like one of those soul-sucking relationships where the person took more than give. Not a pleasant feeling. So, I had to really learn how to play this game. I ended up defeating her by using only two important spells: Stars of Ruin in the first phase because it auto-locks the target and Comet Azur in the second phase because of its high damage. The rest was up to me on how well I dodged and blocked her attacks! For talismans, I equipped Radagon Icon, Primal Glinstone Blade, Edtree’s Favor +1, and Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman. My armor didn’t really make a huge difference whether I had it on or not, although I did wear something light so that it was easier to move around and dodge. One hit took a lot of damage. Meanwhile, my summoned Ash War Mimic Tears (a spirit that cn assist you in battle) didn’t take as much damage. I wonder how that is possible when the Ash War Mimic Tears is a replicant of my character. I didn’t use her though–instead, I used Black Knife Tiche who has been upgraded to Plus 10. As for the shield, I equipped Carian Knight’s Shield upgraded to +23 (which I am pretty sure there are better shields but I don’t want to waste materials because upgrading items can be scarce) and my staff/weapon Carian Regal Scepter upgraded to its max.

When I see videos of people fighting Melania effortlessly, I am not fooled by the thought that they probably struggle a bit in their first few tries. It must have taken the player several tries until they got pretty good at it. No damage hit? Yeah, it requires skills, but also a lot of practice too. While that is fun and game to some people, I definitely don’t want to deal with her again in NG + ! I am just happy that I finally learned how to play the game, and that in itself is an achievement! On my next round, my journey with Elden Ring would be less rocky and more pleasant. I hope! Who am I kidding? The bosses would just get harder on NG+!!!