Once upon a time…I stumbled upon an article written by a well-known video game website that gave Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll a bad rating. According to the video game journalist, the lead character (Areus) is bland, and the gameplay is boring. I remember thinking that I must have bad taste because I really enjoyed the game and liked the protagonist. He is half-elf and half-human who grew up facing severe prejudice.
In other words, he is an outsider. I suppose with this type of game, you have to be the type who doesn’t mind role playing a character different from yourself. You play for the art, music and story. You play for the entire package.
These days, I don’t bother reading game reviews written by big video game sites, nor do I take game reviews seriously written by gamers who were still toddlers during the PS3 era. It’s a whole different generation. Although I must say, I think it’s cool to see younger folks appreciating older games.
Anyway, I have been replaying this game and would love to give this game a proper review. It will take me some time, though. So my blog will be quiet for a bit, but I am sure there is more than enough content out there to keep you from boredom. In the meantime, here is the awesome opening to the game. I watched it several times.
P.S.
There was a daily prompt that asked “What job would you do for free?” I have been writing about games for about 10 years now on my free time. If it’s not passion then I don’t know what it is.
The sky is blue, the leaves are sprouting, and the birds are chirping. I can’t believe Spring is here, and my blog turned 8 years old! Thanks, WordPress, for the notification. I forgot my own blog’s birthday.
This year feels like I have been reading more, and I like it that way. It’s more calming with a cup of tea–even the games I am playing are less demanding. I completed TheCount of Monte Cristo, which I started reading in late December. I could have finished the book sooner, but I was reading other things in between. During that time, I also started reading Claymore, themanga. As for Monster, I stopped at volume 4. I will resume once I have finished the other books. I didn’t like jumping from one book to the next. I realized this method didn’t work for me. I like to take my time to stop and think what I’ve read.
After reading The Count of Monte Cristo, I am going to read something shorter.
On top of my reading list, I have added Jane Eyre, Agnes Grey, and Wuthering Heights. I have yet to read all three books by the Brontë sisters. It’s my way of celebrating International Women’s History Month.
Game Update
I have been eying Undernaunts Labyrinth of the Yomi for a long time… Thanks to my fiancé, I received it as a gift. The problem with Undernaunts physical copy for the PS5 is that I heard there is a bug that prevents players from progressing. I am not sure if it has been fixed as of 2026. Well, I suppose I will have to try! Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it anymore to buy physical copies. I am sure the Switch version is worth it for gamers who like collecting physical copies.
Instead of being an astronaut, you play as an undernaut. The title is clever.
In addition to my gaming collection, I am currently playing PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse. So far, I am not liking it as much. The reviews on Steam’s page are over hyped. I wonder if Square Enix staff wrote some of those positive reviews to boost sales. It is a bit disappointing for the price, but I will shut my mouth and try to complete the game. I believe I am near the end.
Stop lying. It’s about the money…
It’s all right. I am not all that angry. We all know these days, everyone is feeling the blow of inflation except for the delusional 1%. But my wallet hurts when I play a subpar adventure game. For $24.99, you could buy several adventurous horror games out there for the price of one during Steam’s sale. I remember for $1.99, I had a blast with The Cat Lady. This visual novel feels like reading an encyclopedia on the historical context surrounding Japanese mermaids. And the over the top theatrical character’s animation is not cutting it. It’s annoying.
Oh, I sure appreciate the subtle insult. Once again another game poking fun at its audience.
That’s a wrap up for my Spring reading and gaming update as of March. Until next time, be well.
Time is precious. And time is wasted when you are doing something you don’t enjoy. What better way to spend time with something that gives you a little cheer and excitement? My two main hobbies are books and video games, but sometimes I feel like I’m overgeneralizing these two interests. There is a specific genre of book I like to read, and a specific videogame genre I like to play — one that is perfectly catered towards my personality. I feel like I have found a good balance.
With that being said, I am very happy with the books I am currently reading, and I am so excited to add more to the list! Meanwhile, I have also made a list of video games that I am interested in playing! At first, I started playing Demon’s Souls (Ps3), but I realized I couldn’t capture pictures because I didn’t have a capture card. So I put the game aside for now. While playing Demon’s Souls, I recalled reading an interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki, who said Demon’s Souls was inspired by Shadow of the Colossus, which prompted me to wonder what has genDESIGN been up to? Lo and behold!
GenDesign’s Untitled game
Being a fan of Shadow Colossus, ICO, and The Last Guardian, I know I am going to play a good game. The trailer looks amazing!
Another game that I am interested in is Duskbloods, which happens to be an exclusive Switch 2 game. Now, I get the feeling I will be getting myself a Switch 2. I don’t know, though. Over the years, I had grown somewhat tired of FromSoftware games and its vocal fan base. Playing challenging games for the sake of challenge is not my cup of tea. Hopefully, FromSoftware doesn’t forget players like me who play for the environment. If I do become a Switch 2 owner, that would give me an excuse to play Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and 3, as well as other awesome titles.
There are plenty of other games I find interesting, but I highly doubt I will get to play them. For example, I am interested in adding PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse.
I played the first installment and appreciate the overall game’s craftsmanship. The art is pretty. The story is also interestingly funny even though it’s a horror visual novel. You could read my honest review here, if you haven’t already: PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Review–I Found A Good Soap. I was laughing the entire time when I was writing the review. I wonder if readers can tell?
Another game I am interested in adding to my collection is Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. There’s a demo for Kunitsu-Gami, if you are curious. It’s a beautiful and strategic game. I don’t think there is a physical copy, but if you are interested in playing something new by Capcom, it’s worth checking out. I probably will get my copy on PSN because it’s still on sale until March 12, 2026. Although I am sure the Steam version will go on sale again eventually.
I suppose I should have titled this blog post Games I Want to Play in 2026 because I already made one for books for this year. However, the entire point was that I found a way to refine my hobbies. Am I going to force myself to complete games and books as if I am on a tight deadline? No. I do what I can without pressure; become more selective of how I spend my time; and play a game based on my mood. This approach makes me happier. As the saying goes, “The tree that bends doesn’t break.”
Now I go to go deal with the Tyrant in Resident Evil Remasted 0…He looks like he spends way too much time in the sewer. Whew, he stinks! Someone could use a good soap.
I am playing Demon’s Souls Remake (Ps5) and Demon’s Souls (Ps3) side by side for fun. Okay, I lied. I only beat the first boss, Phalanx in the first level of the remake. The majority of my time is spent on the Ps3 version. I am not abandoning the remake completely, though. I just don’t know if I will ever finish it. So far, the atmosphere feels different. I prefer the cinematic opening to the original Demon’s Souls to the remake. The remake makes me feel as if I am about to play a brutal arcade game. Demon’s Souls was never designed to be difficult just for the sake of being difficult. If you destroy the art, you destroy its meanings. The lines below become meaningless:
On the first day, man was granted a soul and with it, clarity
On the second day, upon earth was planted and irrevocable poison
A soul devouring demon
Of course, I am not here to talk badly about a remake that I have not completed. It’s still a decent game if you don’t mind the new cosmetics look, that is. Clearly, the immersive atmosphere of the game is destroyed. On the positive side, I must say, the gameplay feels fluid to me, and the new soundtrack is not bad. My favorite soundtrack from the new OST is the hero creation menu. However, I still prefer the original soundtrack. I think back in the day, I listened to One Who Craves Souls the most. Does that make me a demon?
This is why I spent more time with the Ps3 version. Revisiting this game made me realize why I liked it so much back then. I still like it. It’s like a pragmatic bible on how to live. If you are not careful, you could lose your soul. You might turn into a servant of the demon, trapped in the nexus for all eternity. Of course, Dark Souls is more of a polished Souls game than Demon’s Souls in terms of world building. And yet, the game is still very endearing to me. The atmosphere of Demon’s Souls has always been quite comforting to me. It feels like I am inside a twisted cathedral. It’s something the remake seems to fail at capturing.
I noticed the Demon’s Souls‘ official guide doesn’t include a map of the levels. It also lacks item locations compared to the other Souls games. I am not complaining, though. I only use a guide as a reference because I like to see a list of armor, weapons, items, and enemies.
The guide gives you enough information on how to play the game and build your character. It also put the walkthrough toward the end of the guide, which makes sense to me. Teach me what I need to know then send me off into the fog. Let me make mistakes and I’ll learn from it. There is also a perfect run walkthrough, but I don’t see the point in it. It’s not fun if you don’t explore things on your own. However, I can see someone doing it for speedrun. There is so much content, but it’s worth every dime.
P.S.
The Demon’s Souls deluxe edition also included the artwork and the original soundtrack for anyone who is curious.
I know it’s 2025, but I keep daydreaming about replaying my favorite games when I have a backlog to get through. Called it a video game freeze. I don’t like spending money for the sake of hoarding, especially when the economy is shaky these days. But that’s half the truth though. As my mother once said, you can’t eat video games. For more about my philosophy behind my small backlog, you can read it here: Rambling on Why My Video Games Backlog is Small.
Before introducing you folks to the demos I am currently playing, I’d like to express my gratitude for the cooler weather. September is a nice month. Summer is coming to an end, and that means I can drink hot tea. I am just excited to drink tea and play games! Without further ado, I introduce my list:
Haak
I can’t remember how I stumbled upon this game. Oh, wait, I remember now. I thought the artworks looked cool, so I watched the trailer and found out that I can try the demo. To my surprise, I enjoy the gameplay. It feels fluid. But I am not sure if I will purchase the entire game. There’s one pet peeve I can’t stand: the text’s sound effect. Perhaps I can mute it or lower the volume. Despite that little annoyance, I don’t mind playing a good metroidvania game, especially one that takes place in the wasteland.
Strange Antique
I enjoyed Strange Horticulture. It was a relaxing game to play at the end of fall about two years ago. I found the sound of the rain in the game quite soothing and enjoyed the gameplay. The game did progressively get harder, but it was not overly difficult. Likewise Strange Antique has a similar vibe. I don’t own any antique but I do admire those who collect them. There is a lot of story in an object–from the person who crafted it and to the person who owned it. As an art lover, this game is going to be a treat for this upcoming fall. This is one game I will eventually purchase but not on launch day!
Crow Country
My brother brought this game to my attention. In the past, my brother was the to go person for video game recommendations and his recommendations never failed me. So far, I enjoy the demo but found some minor flaws in the game design that could use some improvements. Trust me, I don’t enjoy finding errors. My job was a nightmare…Despite those little user hiccups, the game is still worth checking out. I will potentially purchase the full game when I am in the mood for old school survival horror.
Bonus Game
Before I forget, I do want to mention I picked Song of Horror to review for the Halloween tradition on this blog. Each year, I pick one horror game to review. It’s a fun way to celebrate Halloween and be festive. So far, I am enjoying the game. It’s creepy. I love the exploring the abandoned mansion and learning about the characters through their inner dialogue. I completed the prelude and started on Sophie’s episode as of Sept. 9, 2025. I can tell it’s a quality game that I am going to appreciate and would definitely recommend it to horror fans because I am currently hooked!
Hope you found something interesting in this list!
I can’t believe it is September already. Last year, I made some goals. I reached them. Now, obstacles and challenges await me, which explains my lack of activity on this blog. I did manage to make a list of games I wanted to play now that I’m mentally recharged. It is so much fun putting this blog together! It’s like catching up with an old friend. Stepping away from video games for several months has revived my passion for games. So, I’d advise you to do the same if burnt out. Sometimes, all we need is a nice break.
Between the two games, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and Tales of Symphonia, I chose the latter. Why? The conversation in the game is humorous, and I feel like accompanying the Chosen One rather than recruiting heroes to go to war!
I take a field trip than going to war anytime.
Meanwhile, I still need to get through some horror games I bought last year. One of them is Tormented Soul, which I have a hard time playing. It’s not because it’s difficult, but because the atmosphere is too sexual and smothering. I should have done more research instead of just buying it on a whim. Clearly, the game was intended for male demographic.
Put makeup first because the next scene is Rated R.
Not this scene…I wonder if the rest of the game is going to be dark and enclosed like this
Toward the end of last year, I did mention in one of my blog posts that horror games burned me out, and perhaps that explained why I was critical of Tales of the Black Forest review. I don’t play enough RPG-maker games to give it a fair assessment, and I am not sure if the style appeals to me either. I do hope I can get back into the spooky groove for fall and play some quality horror games. Right now, I have my eyes on the following games:
In addition to my growing collection of horror games, I still need to play Remothered: Broken Porcelain, Songs of Horror, and Resident Resident Evil 7. Writing down my thoughts about the horror game I am playing might be a therapeutic exercise (I know it sounds counter intuitive). Last year, I wrote a review for Soma as part of the Halloween holiday tradition here.
Despite my rambling of horror games, the game I am enjoying the most (apart from Tales of Symphonia) is an indie puzzle game called Teslagrad Remastered. I randomly picked it up during Steam’s Labor Day sale. It was a pleasant surprise on how much I like it because I normally don’t play platformer games.
Well, I hope you found something fun to play as well. With so many forms of entertainment, it’s hard to get bored. You just have to be in the right mental state to enjoy them.
Note: TheAI generated the featured image. How amusing because I have always treated this blog as if I’m talking to friends.
I was notified that my blog turned 6 years old a month ago. I did not realize it had been that long. Perhaps that’s why my passion for blogging seems to die down a bit like everyone else who came before and after me, but that’s not entirely the case with me. There were some drastic changes made to my personal and work life, which prevented me from blogging like I used to. My passion for writing never ceased though!
As mentioned before on this blog, I moved away from publishing weekly, but I did not mention it partially because my passion for games is winding down a bit. I wonder if it’s because of the new environment. Well, to be honest, my health hasn’t been good these past few years. So gaming hasn’t always been enjoyable, but they do keep me sane. The most recent game I finished is Ghost of Tsushima. I enjoyed it very much. I like the subtleness of the story. There was a lot of room for imagination, learning bits and pieces about the characters. Will I write a review? No. Just take my word for it. It’s a great game! Anyway since then, I have not bought or added new games to my backlog because I find myself increasingly reluctant to play long games. There are several reasons why I do not want to add more games to my backlog: the most important one is the lack of respect for the player’s time. Side quests that have nothing to do with the story and silly repetitive missions can get quite old. I would rather tackle unpleasant errands in life than spend time completing pointless quests just to get a checkmark. Secondly, nihilistic plot. I am so tired of dark, depressing stories. That’s all I see in the news these days. There have to be some good things happening in the world, too. Thirdly, call it maturity, or just emotionally evolved, I don’t care about leaderboard and hi-scores (I’m not going to lie, it’s a nice ego boost when you are good at it). I play because I like the creativity behind the game design, and I also play to unwind (Wow, I just ryhmed!).
I like staring at trees in real life and in virtual reality
If you haven’t already noticed what game I am currently playing based on the featured image, I am re-playing Shenmue III on the PC. I love the Shenmue franchise. It’s one of my all-time favorite games. I have been a fan of martial arts movies/series since my earliest memory. So when there is a game about martial arts, instantly I feel connected. I play Shenmue III casually, though. The mini-games within the game are entertaining: virtual fighting, arcade games, gambling, fishing, QTEs, sparring, collecting items, and exchanging items in the pawn shop. Plus, I like the soundtrack. I feel as if I have been transported into a different country – one that I feel closely connected to, although I have never been to China. I just like learning about its literature and its intriguing culture.
Another reason why my gaming sessions have decreased is largely due to making time for books. In the last few weeks, I have finished three books. Only one book out of three, I genuinely enjoyed. With all of this being said, I do have my eyes on Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and Elden Ring’s DLC as the most anticipated games to play this year. Hopefully, I don’t get too sucked into it. With my new schedule, I don’t want to dedicate a chunk of my time to gaming. I want to make sure I make time for relaxing.
You can call it writer’s block, but it’s more like I don’t have much to say. But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, I present some pictures from Ghost of Tsushima, the game I am currently playing. And if there’s anything worthwhile I like to bring attention to this blog post is that the director’s cut version is coming to PC (May 16th, 2024). That’s exciting news for PC gamers. Do I recommend this game? Absolutely. It’s a video game for grown-ups, although like the protagonist Lord Sakai, sometimes I do forget I am all grown-up. It doesn’t hurt though to play once in a while. 🙂
Even though I have over 100 games on my Wishlist and picked up a few games I want to complete this year, I will not complete video games like I am running a marathon. I like to challenge myself, but I know when to be realistic and play games only when I have the energy to play them. So, I have been switching between the following games, reducing my gaming sessions to 1 hour each day. The games I am currently playing are:
Ghost of Tsushima
I enjoy Ghost of Tsushima (2020), a Sucker Punch Production. It’s zenful compared to other samurai games. I would have never picked up this game if my partner had not recommended it. Typically, I don’t like cinematic games, but this game works. It’s beautiful and calming, but tense at certain times! I feel as if I am inside a Kurosawa film!
Can you feel the wind?I do!
Silent Hill: The Message
Far from calming, I am playing Silent Hill: The Message (2024), a Konami franchise. As a survival horror fan, I had to play this game even though I wasn’t in the mood for horror games. So that’s why there is this disconnect between me and the content of this game. The game isn’t bad though. It’s about teenage girls’ suicides and how it links to social media abuse. It’s a grim topic for entertainment, but an important topic to address. That’s why the game is free and it’s a good one too. The message in the game is clear: You’re not invisible. So, there’s no reason to take your life; and please, think before you speak. We like to think we don’t have emotions, but most of us do.
The library from the game. I thought the books were interesting…It brought me back memories of my middle school days. Bullying can really tear a person down— even the brightest ones.
Mandemon
Lastly Mandemon (2023), a visual novel game created by 致意. I picked up purely based on the illustration. So, far the story is okay. The game takes place during the post war in Japan. I didn’t expect much out of it. At $2.99, the price is reasonable for such a short game. The translation made me laugh though: “Is talking behind someone’s back like a man does?” The sentence is odd, but I get it! 😀
In general, talking behind people’s backs is a waste of time.
I can hardly recommend this game despite enjoying dark visual novels. I find the story’s execution a bit immature. Minamoto, a supernatural villain, is so violently cool for coolness’s sake that she becomes childish. And the most ironic thing is she’s been around for centuries.
What a boring school this is, filled with idiots and imbeciles. It’s hard to believe that after hundred of years, humanity still remains in such a state.”
–Minamoto Hayase
I could sense a rebel streak that I am quite familiar with. Once upon a time, I hated high school too.
Well, that’s all I have for games. I realized I left my least favorite game toward the end when the post should end on a positive note! I didn’t have a structure in mind when I started writing and I am not sure if I will write full reviews for the games mentioned above. At the moment, I am also tackling my reading list. So, stay tuned for my post about my reading goals!
These past few days, I was able to step away from Divinity Original Sin EE and complete shorter games mentioned recently on this blog. Now, I am back with this game, checking off my “monstrous” list of side quests. The activity can be satisfyingly rewarding as watching Dr. Pimple Popper videos or yanking weeds out from the garden. To be honest, I haven’t tried either of those activities. I just remember my co-workers telling me that’s what they do for their downtime to relax their minds. However, I am not sure if looking up how to solve quests is relaxing…these side quests aren’t so straightforward and can be quite long. I also recently learned that it might be wise to check the Tutorial Hints because certain items can be almost invisible to the naked eye. It can thwart the story progression as I learned the hard way (I always learn the hard way…).
Under Inventory, you can press hold [Left Alt] to highlight objects.
I remember earlier in the game, searching for items felt like I was trying to find a needle in a haystack and the image below could not further confirm my suspicion. It made me smile because it was part of the game design. I suppose leveling up your Perception skill is worth it.
A needle in a haystack
As much as I like the game, I am not a fan of non-linear games. Sometimes it can feel a bit overwhelming when you have no idea where to start. Partially, that is why I am not so fond of open-world games because it takes a chunk of my time while other games are waiting in line to be played. Thus, my backlog (tiny compared to others) continues to grow. On top of the fact, the game is not meant for a single player (Strangely, I can hear my readers saying…”Duh…you’re not the targeted audience”). So, it made me wonder if would I have liked it more if I treated the game as a co-op; I certainly would have enjoyed the experience more than my time in Borderlands because first-person view games give me headaches. I wonder what changes were made in Divinity Original Sin 2. More importantly, I am anxious to get my hands on Balder Gate 3.
If there is one thing, I learned recently about games is that RPGs can sometimes feel like reading a fantasy/adventure book. It’s not a bad thing, but my mind can wander from time to time, drifting between lengthy dialogues when I know something important was just spoken by the characters, but the mind is too tired to absorb and appreciate its verbose theatrical lines. For example:
But my followers have done it! Ha! They have done it like I knew they would! Blood, the thick red gravy; the sauce of Source has been yielded unto star-sent stones has swept away the eternal shadows!
-Braccus Rex
Such colorful words to describe blood. I don’t know why it talks so much when it’s about to get its ass kicked! However, sometimes I do find a line that catches my attention:
A society that allows such evil to flourish is rotten at its very core, Source Hunter. I would be careful of your pouch of gold. Shiny pebbles cannot mean more than beating hearts.
-Bairdortr
Wouldn’t you say someone who is primitive tends to be more honest and noble than civilized people? The line is spoken by a barbaric woman, Bairdortr who has been raised in the wild but educated by a sorcerer. She is one out of 4 NPCs you can choose from to help assist you on your adventure earlier on in the game. She makes an excellent ranger. So far, I believe I got the source of the story down. It’s not as black and white as I thought–more like it’s about corruption. For what it’s worth, I am still enjoying the game. So, I suppose those little hiccups in games aren’t such glaring problems when you judge the whole package, but it does make me question whether I want to invest myself in another lengthy game after this. The answer is…I always do. I just wish the game was more seamless because having to constantly look up how to proceed with a quest can feel like hitting the stoplight at every intersection. Another thing I dislike about the game is how it likes to interact with the player indirectly. The image below shows a mysterious stranger asking the player a question: “Now I can’t help but wonder: Are you cut from the same batty cloth? Why’ve you come here, after all? What’s the point of it all?
Can the answer just be for boredom’s sake?
Stay tuned for my final thoughts. I believe I am getting close to the end!
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