Gaming adventures

Date Night with Resident Evil 0 Remastered

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I had no intention of adding games to my digital game collection, but sometimes, on a whim, I would make a purchase. I purchased two games: Resident Evil 0 Remastered and Ni no Kuni II Revenant Kingdom. There was nothing in my Steam library that I was in the mood for. Sometimes changing games it’s like changing a wardrobe. And so, I picked Resident Evil 0 to play at night. A game with good sound effects is like a massage for the brain.

Rebecca in Capcom cheerleader outfit and Billy in a suit

I have played Resident Evil 0 on the GameCube back in the day, and I loved it, so this is not my first time playing the game. However, there is something about playing it when you are older. You see things differently. You start to pay attention to game design and learn why you liked it back then. For me in particular, I like a good, balanced game. And there is nothing more balanced between two characters, Billy Coen and Rebecca Chamber. They make a really good team.

Bad boy and a girl good always make a classic tale because it’s not always about romance, but about learning to get along.

“The name is Rebecca Chamber, but that’s Officer Chamber to you.” – Rebecca Chamber.

I really like that line. Actually, of all the female Resident Evil characters, I have always liked Rebecca the most. She is just relatable because she is brainy. So, I was always happy that Capcom made her the star in this survival horror game.

Sometimes I like to read reviews on the Steam page to see what others are saying about a video game, and it made me chuckle. The landscape of modern games has changed over the course of time due to vocal gamers. But that’s partially my fault. As a kid from the 90s, I was never the vocal type who gladly fill out the marketing questionnaire letter located in the sleeve of a video game case. I just thought games were a boy’s club only, especially when developer keep assuming the player is a little boy with a controller. The only reason why I know so many great titles is because of my brother, who happened to be my best friend growing up. Let’s just say my mother was on the stricter side when it comes to having friends outside of school hours.

So let’s talk about the gameplay, why it works for me and not for some “macho gamers”. For those who don’t know, art direction and the overall aesthetic of a game matter to me. The cinematic cutscenes just pull me in. I like a good suspense. I feel alerted. Something is not right about this train. Let’s go, Rebecca. Let’s go shoot some zombies in the head! Although I must confess, my aim is pretty bad. There is no assist aiming mode like in the new remakes! It has been a long time since I played this type of shooting game. I do miss it, surely. Games were harder back then.

I like the lighting and the color contrast.

Not only is the sound effect superb, but the clicking sound from switching in the game menu from partner to partner is also so relaxing. I like how it makes me feel like it is a co-op game, but it’s not a real co-op since you are the only player who is controlling these two characters. It’s a unique gameplay that relies on the player to switch from character to character to solve a puzzle. The gameplay is kind of romantic since both cannot survive without each other.

If you start on easy mode, there will be more items for you to carry. I didn’t like it, so I switched to normal mode and replayed the game. You only need enough to survive, and a little caution is good. It intensifies the experience and makes us a wiser player. What I appreciate is that you can use the herb without putting it into your inventory. It saves slots for other items. If you picked up too many items, you will run out of slots, and so you have to drop them. The problem is that when you drop them, they can easily get misplaced, especially if you saved the game and come back the next day!

There is a lot of backtracking, which relies on your memorization skills. I was shocked to hear that some people didn’t like that… Too slow, too boring? What do they expect, The House of the Dead? Actually, I like The House of the Dead, it’s one of the first-person view games that doesn’t make me sick! Well, maybe it’s because I don’t play arcade games for hours as I do at home, as if it’s a part-time job. Anyway, RE0 is A+ to me without making me cringe. So often, cute characters in video games are portrayed as some weird eye candy. Luckily, Rebecca has a brain and can hold a gun. She doesn’t look too bad either in the DLC cheerleader outfit. In fact, she is cheering for Capcom.

Well, I wish I had more to say, but that’s my thoughts for now. The rain is just so beautiful, don’t you think?

DS3: Wrapping Up

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My journey is coming to an end. I defeated the final boss (Lord of Cinder). Also, I have defeated Slave Knight Gael, the final boss of the Ring City DLC. The lore is very interesting, so I decided to go on a 2nd journey to unlock ‘The Usurpation of Fire’ ending. There are three endings total, and I have already seen two of them. One was from my old playthrough.

In my previous blog post, I said I would discuss the Painted World of Ariandel lore (particularly Sister Friede) but by doing so, you must have some knowledge of the Painted World of Ariamis in Anor Londo, where you face Priscilla in DS1. The painted world in DS3 is linked to the Hollow realm of Londo. Similarly, Sister Friede is like Pricilla except harder. She represents death. So just imagine a cold world without warmth. It’s not very pleasant. I personally did not enjoy the snow area, and it wasn’t because I hate the level design, it’s because the bright light from the snow hurts my eyes!

It’s not bad. At least there are flowers.

Anyway, Sister Friede is one of the maidens of the Primordial Serpent and one of the sisters (Yuria and Lillian) who founded the Sable Church. The Sable Church offers salvation to the hollows who led unsavory lives. And what does hollow mean? It is when the undead eventually lose their minds. Just like Sirri’s grandfather, who became a madman. Another important point is that Sister Friede is ashen like the player. Her duty was to link the fire to prevent the world from dying; however, she chose rot over flames along with Father Ariandel. In other words, they want the Painted World of Ariandel to rot. If you have played Demon’s Souls, does she remind you of Maiden Astraea, a pure soul that turned to an Archdemon because God was cruel for abandoning the Valley of Defilement and its inhabitants to wither and die? It’s female compassion backfired, but oddly maternal. Can a good mother ever abandon her children, even if they are monsters? So, when a player defeated Sister Friede, the painted world became engulfed in flames for the better. The action I took as an intrusive player messed with my conscience a bit because I empathized with Sister Friede’s decision to choose rot over flames, but I also know it’s not right to choose death. What she wanted was a world that rot away eternally. Is that what you call peace for the hollows? It kind of sound like hell to me. In her circumstances, compassion was her weakness, and therefore, she was no champion of life at all.

Dragon Path Gesture emote after defeating sister friede
Sorry, Sister Friede, for burning your sanctuary.

Instead, a “cold, dark and very gentle place” might be better. And that where the Ring City fits in, which is different from the hollow realm of Londor and which I won’t go into detail. I do want to mention that I really like Yuria and Sister Friede as characters but I don’t agree with their worldview–the hollow way is not the right way. I guess that is why I like Sirris of the Sunless Realms and Shira, Knight of Filianore. I rather live in a world full of warmth than a cold, sad one even if I am bound to selfless duty. What can you gain from a selfish world?

Painter sitting on a chair getting ready to paint
A “cold dark and very gentle place” for the hollows I suppose.

There are some Elden Ring references I noticed in DS3, which led me to believe this game is a prequel to Elden Ring. In Elden Ring, rot is the cycle of birth and decay–like how flowers bloom then wilt. Whereas flames, it’s light, the source of life. We are dealing with polytheism with a mixture of animalism here. It just shows how complex the narrative is in the game, leaving room for a lot of interpretation. But I can theorize that the story of DS3 is about allowing the fire to fade for a new world order. So everything in the game is mournfully sad. Apart from the theme, I feel sympathy for these NPCs and may have to go back and explore their questlines. I accidentally killed Ringfinger Leonhard, who has a sad story. Well, everyone in the game is sad and broken.

Meditating in the storm. It shall pass.

I am not sure if I want to platinum the game. For your money’s worth, this game is timeless, on par with classic books. Unfortunately, not everyone will ever get to experience the story because it’s a challenging game that requires some dedication. Maybe one day, FromSoftware will make a Dark Souls novel? I heard there is an Elden Ring movie in the making. I am not sure how effective the story will be, though. Video games as a medium for storytelling are a unique and one-of-a-kind experience. It just makes the story so much more personal and definitely more rewarding to get through. I must confess that this game is so hopelessly dark. The next game I am going to play is definitely something lighter and cheerful. Hmm… or maybe I will go back and reread Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a book that reminds me that adults have it backward when it comes to living.

DS3: Thoughts on Sister Friede

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Before I start the boss fight with Sister Friede in the Painted World of Ariandel, I want to mention the bosses I defeated previously. These include Dragondslayer Armor, Oceriros the Consume King, Champion Gundyr, Ancient Wyvern, Lothric, Younger Prince, and the Nameless King. I did this before starting this DLC because I was no match for Sister Friede at level 45. I suppose there is a reason why players can access the DLC midway through the game. It was placed at the Cleansing Chapel Bonfire, which I still do not understand. I do, however, think there is a flaw in this edition. I cannot summon Slave Knight Gael (will do a separate post on story) during the boss fight. I have already summoned him for the battle with Prince Demon and progressed his questline. So, if you are playing this edition, I suggest you skip the DLCs. Return when you are at a higher level. Make sure to play the DLCs in order. It will save you time because the extra help from Slave Knight Gael is greatly appreciated. Of course, you can summon help if you play online. However, I couldn’t do that because I don’t have a PlayStation Plus subscription.

Oh boy, like Prince Lothric and Nameless King, those boss fights took me several runs. Sister Friede was the cherry on top!  I guess never underestimate the power of the cold nun.

Sister Friede walking coldly
Is that Priscilla Scythe from Dark Souls? I love Priscilla!!! (phase 1)

The first phase was fine. The second phase was easy. The third phase was the most difficult. You can summon Slave Knight Gael. However, he will only appear during the second phase of the boss fight. As I mentioned earlier, you can summon him if you have not defeated Prince Demon in The Dreg Heap. I wasted so many embers because I kept running out of estus flasks in the third phase. In the end, like always, skill helped me beat the boss. I knew its pattern and dodged like crazy. I am not going to lie. It feels so rewarding when I beat her. I have been trying for several days! Of course, I do feel shame for invading her world. She did politely ask me to return to where I came from. But I am just so curious. A world without flames? What sort of world is that? Death? The curious cat in me has to know!

Sister Friede getting angry
My curiosity pisses Father Ariandel off… (phase 2)
Instantly got killed by Blackflame Sister Friede side swipe
The image is a bit dark, but there were several moments like this when I almost killed her, but she got to me first (phase 3).

I won’t talk about the strategy on how I won the battle in detail. There are some good ones on YouTube: Gentle Needle and Loreena are ones that stood out to me the most. It was hard to avoid her when she goes into invisible mode. She swipes you with her scythe, taking a big chunk of your HP. What I did differently from other players was preventing her from going into invisible mode. I blast her with the Great Soul Spell before she even gets to disappear. Doing this helps conserve estus flasks for the final round. She was so quick and fearsome in the final round. My heart was pounding!

Lastly, I will mention the optional boss: The Champion’s Gravetender and Gravetender Greatwolf. This post is mainly about Sister Friede. The boss fight took me a few tries, but it wasn’t too difficult. By defeating it, you will unlock Undead Match. Perhaps this is where ‘PVP creed’ came from, where players are not allowed to use estus flasks during a duel. I like how the developer added this gaming mechanic. If players want to do PVP, there is a section for that. This is because not everyone wants to duel. Not everyone wants to fight to the death.

I burned the Painted World. Now all I have left is the final boss and the Ring City DLC. But first, I stop to smell the flowers before I go on a killing spree.

stopping to smell the flowers

DS3: Strategy and Lore on Aldrich, Devourer of Gods

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Disclaimer: Contains Spoilers

Approaching the Cathedral of the Deep
Pathway to the Cathedral of the Deep

When I was working my way towards the Road of Sacrifice from the Undead Settlements, I was anticipating meeting Aldrich, the Saint of the Deep, also known as the Devourer of Gods. He is notorious for eating people (the undead) and, even more daringly, eating gods for pleasure in the most gruesome ways. And he doesn’t do it alone. He shares his joy with other twisted souls, “imbibing the final shudders of life while luxuriating in his victim’s screams (description from Aldrich’s Ruby).” So, when I reached the Pathway to the Cathedral of the Deep after defeating Sage Crystal, I thought I was getting closer. Oh no, I still had a way to go. I had to face the lesser twisted souls: Deacons of Cathedral of Deep, the Abyss Watcher, High Lord Wolnir, Old Demon King, Pontiff Sulyvahn, and Yhorm the Giant. Defeating Aldrich was the climax of the game. Like Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough from Dark Souls, the boss fight was difficult. It took me the entire day, after several runs, to finally beat a 5-minute battle. For one, I play as a sorcerer, and the boss was resistant to magic. So, what did I do? I switched to melee. Leveled up my endurance twice. Infused my hand axe weapon +6 to lightning effect because lightning is one of its weaknesses. Switched out sorcery’s rings for Chloranthy Ring, Estus Ring, Life Ring, and Dark Stoneplate Ring. For armor, I wore something light with high magic defense. I even allocated all of the Estus flasks (healing potion) to HP. Normally, I leave some for FP since I use magic spells. What I found comical was that I forgot to upgrade the healing potency of the Estus flask! It could have saved me time from trying to defeat the boss if I had upgraded it from +2 to +8, so I wouldn’t have to consume so many Estus flasks. Oopsie, that was a bit of a noob move! But in the end, it was the strategy that helped me defeat the boss.

Upon entering the boss fight, I ran towards it before it could blast its magic beam and perform its piercing rain arrow shots because it’s bad news for us players who do range attacks. The boss’s AoE is deadly. But what helped me in this battle was knowing exactly where it would spawn. For instance, if it is in the bottom left corner of the room, it will reappear in the upper right corner of the room, but it doesn’t always happen. I think I got lucky. Also, knowing when to reserve stamina (since running and hitting used up stamina) helped me defeat the boss. I let the stamina bar refill by not running toward the direction of the boss until it reappeared so that I could dodge and attack its tail as quickly as possible. Speed and damage are what it will take to defeat Aldrich. For better visualization, I include a video clip of my boss fight.

After defeating Aldrich, I learned that he had no fear of devouring the gods himself when he started ruminating about the fading of the fire. He envisioned the coming age of the deep sea (item description from Soul of Aldrich). It made me wonder why the fire was fading in the first place. And why was I transported back to the High Wall of Lothric to face the Dancer of the Boreal Valley, who happens to be the distant daughter of Pontiff Sulyvahn? Let’s backtrack a little bit here: Pontiff Sulyvahn is one of the earlier twisted souls I had to defeat. He is one of Aldrich’s cronies. He “imprisoned a god of the old royalty in the abandoned cathedral to be fed to [Aldrich] the devourer (item description from Souls of Pontiff Sulyvanh).” I must admit that I am a bit frightened. It sounds like they had a logistic, criminal system in place there. Do you know the saying “Wolves in sheep’s clothing”? That is exactly what Aldrich is, a supposedly upright lord with a dark appetite.

Dancer of the Boreal Valley, another twisted soul

Once I defeated the Dancer, I unlocked an area called Lothric Castle. It seems like she was either guarding or holding Prince Lothric hostage because I was asked by the High Priestess Emma of High Wall Lothric, in her last breath, to save Prince Lothric’s soul. She told me to tell Prince Lothric “that he must be. A Lord…” She didn’t get to finish her sentence, so I can only speculate that he must be the Lord of Cinder. And you are probably wondering like me…what is the significance of being the Lord of Cinder? Why is it important to the story? It has to do with the linking of the flames, the source of life, which is also the source of corruption. But that is just my educated guess for now, from all the sources I gathered in the game so far. Who knows what my conclusion is? So stay tuned, I still have more bosses to defeat and uncover their lore!

Rambling about Dark Souls III (The Fire Fades Edition)

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As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I decided to replay Dark Souls III, but I did not mention of all the games in the series why I chose the third installment, which happens to be my least favorite (at the time). The reason is that it’s the finale of the Dark Souls series; I would like to finally piece the story together and give it another chance. Plus the Fire Fades Edition include the DLCs, which will sate my “dark souls-craving fix” since I have not played the DLCs! And I must confess, 27 hours of trial and error, I am enjoying it more than I did back in 2016 when I first played it. Apart from the interesting NPCs’ questlines, the looting and exploring are one of my favorite things about the Souls game (If interested, you can read more about my thoughts I wrote a few years ago: Dark Souls: Exploring Is an Achievement).

So far, I have completed Cemetery Ash, Firelink Shrine, High Wall of Lothric, Undead and Settlement, Road of Sacrifice, Cathedral of the Deep. However, I decided it’s best to restart the game. I was not aware that giving the Pale Tongue to Rosaria (Mother of Rebirth) would cancel Sirris, The Sunless Realm questline, who happens to be the most interesting character that I feel most connected to. I don’t know why. Maybe I admire a woman in armor who has a purpose (This sounds like a potential topic for a blog post). I remember liking Selen Vinland from Demon Souls (PS3 version) too.

Selen Vinland (image credits: Fandom)

By now, you might speculate that it is one of my favorite video game franchises. I have so much to say about it. And no, I don’t like it because it’s difficult. Quite the contrary, it’s a fairly challenging game, which involves strategy. When I realized the flow of Dark Souls III (memorizing enemy positions and level layouts), it took me about 9 hours to reach the part where I had to restart the game (Cathedral of the Deep). I knew what I was going into, thus making the experience seamless. This game was always meant to be played multiple times. You will fail, and that is all right because there are multiple ways to meet your objectives. You will begin to see patterns. You will learn how to dodge. You will utilize the items in the game to survive. Most of all, you need to have good reflexes, and incredible amount of patience. I think it’s a fair game once you know its rhythm.

From the time I started drafting this blog post, I defeated the Deacons of Cathedral of Deep boss, the Abyss Watcher, and High Lord Wolnir. It took me about 24 hours compared to my first playthrough which I was doing horribly because I spent hours trying to hop into the Butcher’s cage to get to an area that allowed players to join the Mound Makers Covenant. I couldn’t initiate the sequence because I entered the boss fight with Curse-rotted Greatwood before speaking to the NPC located below the area of the boss fight. Pretty much starting the battle caused the ground to collapse and kill the NPC. It was so worth it to restart the game because my first playthrough was a bad run. If you follow the natural flow of the game, progressively you will get better at navigating its world. In addition, the guides available on the internet help, if you use it as a reference.

Apart from the gameplay, one thing I love about souls games is that it feels as if I am playing inside a fantasy book. Like reading a book, I became self-aware of my own actions. I remember after beating Dark Souls II (my favorite out of the series), I felt odd sitting on a throne. I started my character as a fairytale-like human, but it ended up looking like a monster.

I beat DS2
I claimed the Throne of Want. Now what?

The realization of losing sight of humanity made me more humane in real life. A game that does that is not all that bad despite its dark theme. If you think about it, that’s why it’s called Dark Souls.

Reflecting on Souls Games

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I have been daydreaming about Elden Ring (2022). Reminiscing about the adventure, the looting, and the side quests. The land in between is beautifully brutal. Then I remember writing a blog post about Malenia which I gave her a nickname: the Beautiful Rotten Flower. I was so consumed by finding ways to defeat her that, for a while, all I could think about was Malenia. I remember after beating the game, I felt drained. So when Shadow of the Edtree was released last year, I didn’t feel inclined to purchase the DLC. I am still on the fence about buying it because these games are becoming increasingly designed for cooperative play, which is a turn-off for me.

I remember my experience with Dark Souls III (2016).  It is a pretty game but I didn’t like how fast the enemies were and there were more of them compared to Demon Souls (2009) Dark Souls (2011) and Dark Souls II (2014). All the later editions seem to gear toward the “git gud” PVP crowd, and that is just not my forte. I remember playing Bloodborne (2015) and some invader got mad at me for using healing potions. This person was expecting me to follow some PVP creed that I was not aware of. I just laughed it off. The person invaded my world and was expecting me to play by some external rules? That sounds so ridiculous. I was always more interested in the creative design than the social aspect of the game anyway. That’s why I am so grateful that you can play Souls games in offline mode on the console version (I am not sure about PC).  If you were to ask me, my least favorite thing about the Souls game is the invasion. I don’t think I have ever invaded anyone’s world or voluntarily helped anyone defeat enemies. Well, there was one time I was automatically summoned to someone’s world in Dark Souls II because I was in The Way of the Blue Covenant. It’s an interesting gaming mechanic, and I learned that not everyone is an uncivilized brute.

Honestly, I miss the quietness of the earlier Souls games.  That is part of the reason why I have been hesitant with FromSoftware’s latest installment Elden Ring Nightreign, which I heard is designed for cooperative play. Finding the right skillful people to play with feels too daunting. That’s why I shy away from multiplayer games and lean towards games like Dragon’s Dogma (2012). The pawn system fixes that issue. You can use other players’ pawns to assist you without having the actual player control the pawn in real-time. It’s an ingenious idea for those who want to play multiplayer games but don’t always have the time to find the right people to play with. Even if you do have the right people to play with, we all have lives and different schedules outside of gaming. As I am writing this, now I am curious about Dragon’s Dogma II.

Writing down my thoughts made me realize…oh why don’t I just give Dragon’s Dogma II a try despite the negative reviews? After all, I am an atypical gamer. So this game may be the antidote that will cure my adventure ailment. In the meantime, I am replaying Dark Souls III because I’m looking forward to capturing pictures without the HUD. It’s the beautiful flowers in the game that captivate me. A mixture of adventure and flowers is exactly what I need.

Looking at the beautiful moon
My playthrough in 2016

Tales of Symphonia Review

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“”As long as you have the will, you can study anywhere.” -Raine

What seems like a fun kid’s game is actually more than meets the eye.  Tales of Symphonia asked some big questions. So big that it cannot contain in a classroom. After all, I was warned by the mysterious character Kratos that assisting the Chosen One is no school field trip!

kratos with a smirk on his face
Kratos looking serious

Indeed, the plot was hardly meant for kids. Why do we have to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of society? Don’t all life forms have the right to live? Why do we discriminate those who are different from us? So, when the game indirectly asked me, “Don’t you sometimes think that what we’re doing is meaningless?” The answer is absolutely no.

I felt like I was part of the conversation.

You have to be a bit of a genius to like this sort of game because geniuses like to think outside the box. Simply put, this game was quite clever.

Genis’ wisdom

I wish I had the time and energy to give a thorough and detailed review because I enjoyed it that much. I highly recommend this game if you are a JRPG fan who appreciate wholesome humor. I know I laughed a lot. I will leave you folks with one of my favorite scenes in the game. Enjoy!

P.S.

I might make more gaming related videos and short blog posts like this. It’s kind of fun and to the point.

Divinity Original Sin Enhanced Edition Review: The Perception Game

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What we don’t understand, we call it magic, therefore, God is a wizard.

– S. (a.k.a. Halsdoll)

I just had to quote myself because that is exactly what I got from the story in Divinity Orignal Sin and so, players shouldn’t read too deeply into the story because the game is purely for entertainment purposes. As some reviewers mentioned, it’s a “great time waster.” Is that a compliment? Surely it is because the enemy of time is the Void itself! It’s an extremely intelligent game. There is a brain behind the mastermind, although it’s not always without “error”. I have already mentioned some of the things I don’t like and the things I do like previously on this blog. So you can check them if you are inclined to do so.

For the most part, I enjoyed the battle system a lot. Being able to use elemental spells with its environment makes the whole game fun and quite addictive too. I remember it took me a few tries. Like any standard RPG, there is some strategy involved; however, it’s not one of those games where you can’t get away with button mashing with the same spell and expect a powerful result. It’s a game designed for adults to use their brains. I mean to think with their eyes. That’s what the game is all about perception. As the saying goes, the devil is in the details:

Perhaps’ you can? Of course you may, but if you’re having trouble with the whole affair, I’d suggest that perhaps it’s your perception you ought to work on first! Hah!

–Alchemist
I enjoy the puns in this game. Obviously…you have to have a sharp mind to see things thoroughly, but isn’t that what makes us human? The ability to see from different angles but is susceptible to error?

Not only do I enjoy the game’s wordplay and how it integrates well with the overall theme of the story and the gameplay (I often find myself hunting and scanning for hard-to-see items), but I also like how the game encourages the player to use items as a weapon rather than relying solely on whacking enemies with a club. Sure, deep down we are all a bit primitive, but we can always learn how to be a bit diplomatic. For example, I love the Charm Spell. It comes in quite handy when you’re dealing with a powerful opponent. I used it on a stubborn bull. As you know, bulls are quite hardheaded, but with my Charm Spell, they helped me defeat my enemies in no time with their powerful head blow! I also enjoyed freezing and knocking the enemies down so that they missed their turn; there’s nothing funnier and more satisfying than seeing your opponent slipping on ice. Of course, I didn’t like it when the table turned on me. No one does because we all like to win. I also enjoyed strategizing so much that I lost track of time. From my experience, I learned that all it took was one mistake to lose a battle. The level cap in the game is up to 20 and you can level up by exploring places, completing side quests, and defeating enemies. By the time, I reached the ending, I was already level 20, which I thought would never happen!

It may sound a bit hypocritical, but my biggest gripe about the game is the side quests that relate to the story. They sure can damper the mood. One side quest I completely failed was the Goblin Story. Well, I was quick to punish a character for sending innocent people to death, which left the quest incomplete since I needed the character alive. This game would have been more enjoyable if I had tackled each quest as it came in order. I don’t know though, I learned that I wasn’t the only one with the same issue. Anyway, after reaching the climax of the story, and spending over 100 hours in the game, I lost interest in the story altogether. I found myself rolling my eyes when I learned about the lonely sorcerer turning a cat into her lover; and that the all-motherly orc can be quite the fearmonger and a big-time gold digger. I had my laughs because I would have never come up with those creative speculations toward my female kind. I suppose I understand the meaning of perversion thoroughly now. I would have never thought that God might possibly be a wizard with glasses…the god of Rivellon that is.

So back to the question of what I have uncovered through my investigation of the murder case that brought me to this grand adventure to Cyseal: Who killed Councilor Jake?

It’s nice how the game takes you back to the original main quest.

The answer is indeed, much more complex than its direct source: It was a long story, but for what it’s worth, it sure beats the VOID!

Elden Ring: Wrapping Up

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I noticed in my blog I covered a lot of gaming materials these past few months, and I enjoyed documenting my thoughts about them as well. It’s considered brain exercise to me. But after completing Elden Ring with a 92 percent trophy completion and obtaining the majority of the loots (I’m sure there are still some items I missed), I decided to move on once I finished my 3rd playthrough to get the Flame of Frenzied ending which will give me the platinum trophy. Then I can brag to other gamers that I have skills! I am just kidding. Bragging was never my cup of tea. Maybe it’s just my upbringing, I have always found it difficult to talk highly of myself. You see, the game is not easy but I managed to complete it. So, I should give myself some credit. I think it’s pretty amazing how patient and determined I am, but I wish I was a bit more competitive. I didn’t enjoy invading other’s people world and conquering them. As a result, I failed to see through some questlines in Elden Ring. If I am not enjoying it then there’s no point.

White-Faced Varre (He’s to the right) asked me to invade other people’s worlds, which is part of a quest line. I prefer my dress clean. Being strong enough to defend myself is more than enough killing for me.

New people who come across my blog recently might think this is my first entry to the Souls games because I don’t like PVP. Truth is I started off with Demon’s Souls (2009). I have always played for the atmosphere. And one thing I noticed from all of the Souls games is the lack of feminine armors. I wish the Souls games had more of them. There weren’t many pretty armors. I know in real life wearing a pretty dress would attract predators, but this is fantasy. Why not? The armors in the game look so intimidating. I suppose it made sense in a world where dogs eat dogs. This is a battleground after all. There’s no time to be soft like a jellyfish, although I learned that being a “jellyfish” (soft) does not make a person weak as we see in the character Roderika, a spirit tuner who is afraid of getting her limbs pulled apart like her fellow men who have crossed the sea to the Lands of Between and got grafted in her place. Roderika may lack courage, but she compensates it through other form. You see, the spirit cannot be crushed. She makes them stronger. I like how the character’s weakness is turn into strength. Also, I just realized I wore Roderika’s armor this entire time. It’s the Noble’s Traveling Garb set as you can see from the picture below. It’s one of the few nice feminine gears I could find in the game.

The caption in the picture says, “No time to waste. Let’s see the stars.” The dialogue is part of a small quest line.

I know that I am rambling a bit in this blog post. I did warn readers that I want to be more casual and less structured for my mental health. It does take a lot of revising to get my point across. Anyway as I was searching for a picture of the Jellyfish, I realized something beautiful. According to the description of the Spirit Jellyfish Ashes which was given to me by Roderika, the Jellyfish spirit’s name is Aurelia and she is in search of her distant home. Well, it just dawn on me that the stars can be found underground in a place called SIOFRA RIVER. These beautiful creatures are indeed dead. It’s bittersweet and sad because before Aurelia reunited with her sister, her sister was hauntingly calling out for her in the Stargazer Ruins. I found this little aha moment quite delightful. It’s a lovely artistic composition.

Speaking of the characters, they are all quite interesting and balanced. It’s a theme I notice quite often. Perhaps, that is the thesis of the story that Hidetaka Miyazaki the director, and George R. R. Martin the writer want to express. That sounds like another blog post idea. There is so much to dive into in this heavy-loaded game. When gameplay is combined with a good story, it just blows my mind. I never thought I’d see something as grand as this. It got me obsessed for two months all because I want to escape from the prairie’s heat. However, I don’t know if that is a good thing. My mind can’t find rest. I have to piece the story myself but I am also curious about other people’s interpretation.

Because this game is so massive, it will probably be the last game I play for the remainder of the year as I have upcoming major plans in the coming months. Plus, I want to give more attention and love to the book department. Playing Elden Ring made me realize how much I miss reading a good book.

Elden Ring: Getting Close!

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If Elden Ring was an arcade game, I would be heavily in debt. I would spend every quarter every time I died. Money does seem like the ruin of everything, and yet it’s part of the normalcy of everyday society. You chase the storm to find tranquility. You go into debt to become rich. Why are we humans full of contradiction? In fact, I have lost about 400k runes (rune is the video game currency) just from dying. And like a reoccurring nightmare, I try over and over until I get it right! Thank goodness it’s just a game; a game that is available on consoles and PC. I can play as many times as I want. I just need breath. I can also play it when no one is watching me. It’s the type of game that requires a lot of concentration and oddly, it’s addictive and rewarding! Thanks to its craftsmanship, which I will go into more detail at a later time!

Like last time, I am going to talk casually about Elden Ring. This approach might be better for my mental health. Sometimes once I write, I cannot stop writing. Sometimes ideas start shooting from all directions and I have no choice but to type it out before I forget. There were times when I spent the entire day writing and editing. Even when I was on the clock, I would sneak to jot down an idea on a piece of paper. I would also type it out in the WordPress app. I no longer have it on my phone for obvious reasons. If it’s not a passion for words then I don’t know what it is. It is more beneficial for me to make a writing schedule. This schedule helps me write for this blog. As a result, I can publish it promptly. I am still trying to work out something in my head. It does need some structure. So far, publishing on Wednesday (weekly) is what I aim for even if it’s writing at the last minute. It gives me enough breathing time for my brain to recharge. Yet with this much effort, I do fear being a victim of plagiarism. As we know, plagiarism is not just copying word for word. It also occurs when we copy or steal ideas without giving the writer the proper credit. I noticed this happens a lot in the gaming community, especially among the inexperienced writers. Sometimes it’s unintentional and sometimes it’s intentional. So I hesitate a little from putting too much writing effort into this blog as if I haven’t already. I think I have rambled on far too long. I want to be more casual in my approach to blogging. This blog post reflects that desire.

Anyway back to the main topic…

For those who are new to my blog, I believe that exploring in video game is a form of achievement. I can explore all day! In fact, you can check out my blog post here on Dark Souls: Explorating Is An Achievement. In this post, I dive into the subject a bit further. Meanwhile, as I speak, I am nearing the end of Elden Ring. Instead of rushing toward the credit’s scene, I went back to areas in the game. I had not explored these areas yet. I also chose to finish some questlines. If you haven’t played this game, pay close attention to the characters’ questlines. This focus is necessary if you want to understand the story. Unlike other RPGs, the extra quests enrich the story and its lore. Regretfully, I missed a few questlines. I thought beating bosses alone would reveal cinematic cutscenes. It would steer me in the right direction. Not in this game! I am looking forward to replaying it. I now have a walkthrough guide that I use as a reference. Thank you, Nairdalex, for the guidebook!

The front cover of Elden Ring showing Ranni the Witch
I like the cover
Side view of Elden Ring guidebook
I am studying to become an Elden Lord, LOL

I can see why it won Game of the Year in 2022. It might be the game of the year for me in 2023. This is because it might take the rest of the year to get everything in the game! FromSoftware did not fail its fans! With the upcoming release Fromsoftware’s game Armored Core VI which has a release date of Aug. 25, 2023 (less than three weeks)! But I might wait until I play the game like I did with Elden Ring. I was never the type who play games because it’s trending. When I complete Elden Ring, I probably move on to something lighter such as Strange Horticulture or read a book. I think I will read a book! Well, that’s all I have to say for this week.

P.S.

I don’t always doll up my avatar. Sometimes, I just wear whatever helps me survive even if it looks silly! 😀

You can’t see it from this angle, but I do have a cape. I am feeling like a true heroine!