Video Game Reviews – Fishing for Metaphors

Why I Write Game Reviews

May 31, 2023June 4, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

I consider myself open-minded when it comes to games, however, I found that the chance of me liking a game increases when 1) the music is good and 2) if it’s visually attractive. I appreciate good illustrations. But I wonder if that statement is true or if I am just being simple-minded. For instance, while many folks enjoyed Nier Automata, released on February 23, 2017 and developed by PlatinumGames, Virtuos, I still don’t like it as much as the first installment nor do I prefer Nier Replicant, developed by Square Enix, Toylogic Inc. to Nier Gestalt, released on April 22, 2010 and developed by Cavia. It’s a mystery why I like certain things or maybe it’s not all that mysterious: I prefer certain game developers over the other. This may explain why some games speak to me more than others–and why my mental state does not always have an effect on my enjoyment as I initially believed. Perhaps, my likes and dislikes are embedded in my conscience. Some things never change–like my soul. For instance, I tend to enjoy dark humor and horror since I was a kid, but I don’t consider myself mentally unstable. Most of my peers (a.k.a. “nice girls”) don’t like horror. So why do I like it? I have been trying to probe into my own psyche to learn more about myself because that’s what introverts do! Surprisingly, I learned recently why I enjoy the survival horror genre after watching the horror film: The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers which was released on February 19, 2016 (I did not enjoy the outcome because it has a horrifying political statement). Have I ever mention in this blog about hating politics? I don’t think so. I may write something about it in the future.

After dropping Scarlet Nexus, developed by BANDAI NAMCO Studios, Tose, released June 24, 2021, I picked up Zero Time Dilemma, developed by Spike Chunsoft which I purchased a few years ago, I am finally getting around to playing it. Yes, this game was released in 2016 as the third installment of the Zero Escape series. If you were to ask me, I am currently enjoying it a lot despite what some folks have mentioned about the game in the past as a lower tier compared to the first two installments. As I mentioned in one of my reviews, I love puzzle games and gameplay does matter to me. The gameplay and the story go well together in this game. In defense of this game, most likely there will be a review/analysis in the near future. I find that it’s easier to write when my emotions are pleasant. Unpleasant ones turn the writing process into a chore. In the past, I have already volunteered my time freely to write these game reviews which could use a little improvement:

No surprise there, they are all horrifying games, but they all have potential. It’s hard not to critique them when I spent time playing them. However, I learned that if I don’t have anything kind to say, I won’t say it at all because writing politely about a game I don’t like took a lot of energy out of me, and it does not serve any real purpose other than to blow someone’s ego (I don’t know why gamers feel attacked when someone doesn’t like their games), although an indie game developer did thank me for a solid game critique writing of their game. This took me by surprise because I always thought I am writing into the void. If there is anything I learned from blogging about the games I’ve played is that my passion for games have not died. It’s just that “bad games” do exist, and I am not going to like everything I play and that is okay.

P.S.

Games don’t have to be epic or difficult for them to be good. It just got to have some sort of sense to it. At the end of the day, I sure do like games that feel good and rewarding.

Fatal Frame IV: Blossomed Death

May 6, 2023May 23, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

When you think of a horror game, you think scary. Not this game. It’s beautiful. The concept, the plot, the characters, the music, the sound production, the colors, etc. Even one of the ghosts is quite fashionable! Okay, I am being overly enthusiastic about the game. The game is good but it’s not cosmetically perfect. Recycled ghosts, cheesy jump scare moments, and frequent wraiths spotting sort of destroyed the horror atmosphere. However, what the game did right is making a horror game feel and look beautiful. I can only imagine those who enjoy this game tend to lean toward their “feminine side,” the emotional side. If I could describe this game in a sentence, it’s feminine all around just like the moon, and like the sea, it tugs and pulls you in.

*Music helps one recall a memory as to the Moon that helps give us shape and form*

I am going to confess. I think the order of the story can be confusing. The order of story starts with Misaki and Madoka exploring Rogestu Hall. They were lured to the island by the cause of their friends’ death, believing that the island had something to do with their past. According to the synopsis, 5 girls went missing on the day of the Karuga Rogestu festival which occurred every decade on Rogestu Island. Three out of the five missing girls: Misaki, Madoka, and Ruka went back to the island to solve the mystery that caused their amnesia. While investigating the Rogestu Hall, the girls discovered they were part of an illegal clinical experimentation that attempt to cure the Moonlight Syndrome which caused the people on the island to lose their memories and their sense of self. Their only relief is to head toward the Moon where it gives them some of sort relief (I like how the Moon is used to describe light–a soft light that guides the living because death as we know is presumably and utterly darkness). The incurable disease Moonlight Syndrome caused a mass death on the island which then resulted in the abandonment of the island altogether. But how did this Moonlight Syndrome come about? The answer lies in the Karuga Rogestu ritual dance. In the dance, the maiden wears a mask, acting as a vessel surrounded by five girls called the organs. Each plays a different instrument. Because the mask was not perfect it caused the ritual to fail and the face of the maiden to blossom death. Anyone who sees her dies. If you were to ask me, the story makes more sense if it begins with Detective Choshiro Kirishima, but that would defeat the mystery and suspense parts, and I wouldn’t be able to find joy trying to piece the story together.

*Perhaps, I am just a natural detective*

When I take a step back and look at the story, what I find so poetic about this concept of this story is the notion that people are made of a tune. Each and everyone have a different tune. When there is no tune or noise–we called it death. Also, the moon is a metaphor for memories that makes up the soul. The Rogestu Karuga ritual also known as the Rite of Descent in ancient times is a spiritual dance where the “living souls meet the dead.” Why perform such a horrific dance? Well, we learned that Rogestu Island is the gateway to Hallow Realm where the dead reside. The dance is meant to ward off the dead from reaching the moon (the living realm). To do that, a ritual is performed by a maiden and girls who have high spiritual potential. They must be in tune with the Moonsong that pacifies the dead back to their graves.

There are more details to the story that I left out, but I believe I got the main point out of the way. The story can be a hit or miss with some folks who prefer a linear story. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the abstract idea and the metaphor: The soul is an orb, a light, the Moon that houses one’s memories. One without a soul becomes void. Hence, blossomed death. This game is pretty abstract like a messy painting but it all seems to come together at the end.

Note: This is just my interpretation of the story. I may update and correct information in this article accordingly.

Fatal Frame Mask of the Lunar Eclipse Review: Not A Walk in the Park

April 20, 2023April 20, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

As the title suggests, this game is hard to platinum and get an ‘S’ rank. I flunked this old-school survival horror game. I cleared the game with a ‘D’ rank! I still don’t know how the grading works, but boo hoo, I have no shame in sharing my score because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about life is that we become better through failing: All babies learn how to crawl before they even learn how to walk. It’s this childlike optimism of mine that keeps me going because this game is no walk in the park, but I sure love the challenge.

As a horror fan, there’s no surprise that I am a fan of this franchise. I still remember those youthful days when my younger brother and I bought Fatal Frame on the whim simply based on the cover and because it’s a survival horror game. We played up to the third installment but did not get to play the 4th installment for obvious reasons. North America did not get its release. Like most survival horror fans, I tried to find ways to play the game but gave up on it many years ago. Glad I did not spoil myself because I enjoy playing the remastered edition, released on March 8th 2023 for the first time. It reminds me of the PlayStation 2/Nintendo Wii era. It feels like a Wii game with trophies. I am not sure if that is a good thing. Sometimes wanting to do many things in one playthrough can get overwhelming as I found with most PlayStation 3 games.

*There is a reason why it’s called a blind playthrough…Attempting to collect everything in one playthrough is impossible.*

Because I like to play games I enjoy at least twice, I started with Normal Mode but then went quickly back to Easy Mode. I know several people selected Normal Mode because they don’t want the game to be too easy, but the wiser decision is to play on Easy Mode to experience the story. Plus, when you are starting out, defeating enemies can be difficult since the Camera Obscura (your weapon) is at its basic. I found that playing on Easy Mode on my first playthrough was harder than playing on Normal Mode. The second time around, defeating ghosts becomes a breeze when items are no longer scarce since upgrades and items are transferrable over from the first playthrough. You can also trade in your spirit points by defeating ghosts for items that can aid you by accessing the Save Point menu in the game.

Speaking from my own experience, I can only speculate that the 2nd playthrough is when the player knows how to play the game. So, completing Ghost List which consists of taking pictures of Wraiths, Specters, Revenants and Hozuki Dolls was just an additional fun gameplay factor. I am not sure if the Ghost List was originally part of the game or whether it is a new addition to the game. All I know it’s a good way to make players play the game multiple times. So far, I completed the Hozuki Dolls. There are 79 of them by the way and they are not easy to find. If you ask me, I enjoy the hunt and the thought process. Some of the doll hiding places are purposely hard to locate and can be quite funny too.

On the downside, modern gamers might find the controls quite frustrating. The controls sometimes are not very responsive. But then again, with a little practice, it is possible! Yes, you need to learn how to do a quick turn (press L3 and R on the PS5 controller) to avoid ghosts in battle and snap good pictures, which can be a terrifying experience for those who are easily spooked out, but for me not so much. When I am in “hunting mode”, trying to defeat ghosts by taking pictures becomes less scary since I have some form of control over my environment unlike in films where I am a passive observer. But that’s beside the point of what I am trying to make. The controls can be quite annoying. I failed to snap a good picture of the specter several times for it to show up in the Ghost List, which is part of a trophy. In order to capture the picture, you have to take the picture at a certain angle so that the blue circle lights up in the frame shot. I found myself attempting to reload saved points over and over until I get the perfect shot! One of them took me an hour!

Then there is the part where the item meter glows but there’s no item to be found until you swing your flashlight back and forth until something eventually lit up. Talk about a great way to kill time. I believe all of these factors contribute to my low score. As I mentioned, the game is no walk in the park. It is, after all, a horror game. Did people expect it to be an Animal Crossing experience? So, I am not too harsh on the controls and the slow movement of the characters. But I do recommend playing the game on Easy Mode on the first try for a seamless gaming experience.

Despite my frustration with the gaming mechanics, I am getting better at snapping pictures. I found that it’s easier to defeat ghosts on my 2nd playthrough on Normal Mode than Easy Mode. That should say a lot about the game. Players are encouraged to play multiple times. As a result, progressively, the player will get better. Now I am on my 3rd playthrough. The entire game can be finished in 11 hours or less (The most time-consuming part is trying to complete the Ghost List). Each phase (chapters) is not too long are drawn out. So, finishing a phase feels manageable. There are 4 characters total that you can play, but I will go more into that in my second game review (in essay format) which I will cover the story and its prominent metaphor, the moon.

For what it’s worth, players will get a lot from this game: good story, good soundtrack, attractive characters (great selling point for me because I like dolls). Overall good pacing. It’s a shame I don’t have a hard copy to add to my small horror video games collection. At the same time, just being able to experience it is more than a dream come true so I can’t complain too much. Like its song, this game is going to linger with me for a very long time.

Goetia Review (PC): I’m A Nice Ghost

April 13, 2023April 12, 2023Halsdoll1 Comment

Old habits are hard to die. Like black coffee, video game is one of the things that get me out of bed. Here I am talking about it when I said I will keep the hobby to myself. One nice thing though is that I did not rush to write a thoughtful review after I finished the game. Instead, I took my time to write here and there when I can without feeling the pressure to meet deadlines. This blog is supposed to be fun, and fun it should be.

Someone once told me a decade ago, if I want to play games for the story then I should sign up for Steam. And so, I did. However, I can’t say I played enough indie titles to abandon AAA Games entirely. While I enjoyed games such as Cat Lady, I wish I could say the same about Goetia. The story wasn’t all that interesting enough to keep me on my toes. If you were to ask me to summarize it, it would require some painful backtracking because putting the story together feels like a chore. I didn’t think it was necessary to throw in some excerpts from books to help flesh out the story. Most of the time I asked myself what am I reading? How does this item tie in with the story? On top of this minor annoyance, the font style in some letters made it hard to read.

*My eyesight is not bad, but typically I do wear glasses when I play games. There’s a problem with the font if I have to squint to read the pretty letters.*

*Does this book have something to do with the actual story other than just a place to hide a clue?*

This brings me to gameplay: The puzzles were difficult but not in a good way. For instance, if the character is not good with music theory why include a music puzzle? There’s a difference between being challenging and being sadistic. It rubbed me the wrong way. All in all, I had to follow a guide for this game. And I learned that I am not the only one who felt this way! Talk about incohesive gaming experience. Not good. On the positive side, the game excels at atmosphere, although I can’t say I was scared playing as a ghost named Abigail! Should I be frightened of myself?

floating orb near scary statues — *I am the floating orb in the game…*

It’s a shame I wasn’t demonic. Instead, I was a nice ghost, which made me realize even if you were a demon or a ghost, you will always be in the right! That means smashing the dishes, slamming doors, and screaming are all justified (I hope I am not the only one who thought this was funny). On a serious note, the sound production in this game is soothing. I can see how this helps those who suffer from anxiety. This game is great with a cup of tea. You can check out my short playthrough to know what I mean.

Overall, it was a relaxing game. The greatest part about this game is learning a new vocabulary. I guess I am not demonic or gothic enough because I didn’t know what Goetia is before I played the game. Well, now I do! I noticed there is part II, but I didn’t like the game enough to want a sequel so I am going to pass. An explorative horror game with a lot of free agencies to roam is just not my cup of tea, but I sure love the ambient, horror theme!

PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Review–I Found A Good Soap

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

One of my favorite pastimes is exploring the Steam store page. And it just happened that I stumbled upon PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo, which is developed and published by Square Enix, and released on March 8, 2023. It’s an adventure, visual novel, supernatural horror game. Instantly, based on the cover, I knew it was going to be a quality game. Was I right? Well, it’s no masterpiece but it’s quite entertaining.

If there is one thing I learned from this game is that men are still afraid of women, especially those who have the face of a smiling Buddha (Uh oh, is the game pointing at me?).

*I wonder if the evil business lady is the source of inspiration for this horror game because it got me cackling up like a witch. I have always admired business-oriented* *women*, *but I know some can be a total b*tch.*

After all, it takes a lot of skill to regulate one’s emotions to appear pleasant and attract customers–because people sure respond better to an attractive face. So it wasn’t a surprise to me to learn that the main protagonist, Shogo happens to work for a soap company which belongs to an ambitious, aging woman who is obsessed with eternal youth. At first, I thought I smell sexism. But then I realized there are other villains in the game such as the low-life perverted English teacher who looks down on his student; the chubby general shop owner by Sumida River who abducts high school girls; and the conceited occult researcher who is passionless about teaching. Just to name a few. I suppose the soap is a metaphor for cleansing and purging the ugliness that one may feel about themselves. All of the societal crimes are caused by the characters mentioned above. They are just rotten to the core and they hide their stench pretty well. But that’s just my reading. I am, after all, actively fishing for metaphors. I may very well be taking things out of context. Nonetheless, the plot sounds crazy. Hence why this game makes a perfect, entertaining horror story.

*Namigaki is a lonely college student. Life can be tough for rich kids too who are often neglected by their busy parents.* *They often seek validation from an emotional, abusive lover.*

Despite the notion of evil women, I think this game has good intentions. It speaks to teenage and college students who are having a hard time navigating life alone. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have loving parents or guardians to guide them to the right path. Clearly from the dialogues, the intended audience for this game is targeted toward the vulnerable youth population. However, I can also see mature audiences appreciating the game as well for its craftsmanship.

Michiyo's looking vengeful — *Good girls tend to hide things pretty well at the expense of their happiness. If you noticed your friend is quiet and distant, you should check on her.*

I won’t go into any further detail about the plot since this game is relatively new. I do hope you will check out this game. The story can be dramatic to your liking and will appeal to those who enjoy reading and learning about the detailed world revolving around The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the art style is pleasing to the eye. In terms of gameplay, there are some memory tests, which are a good way to engage with the player. Also, this game encourages players to think outside the box. In doing so, you can get a good ending!

So, if you are up for a good supernatural story with a touch of humor, this game is for you! Trust me, I laughed more than I expected even though the game indirectly called women like me evil! Yes, ambitious artistic women can be so selfish. It is even eviler when we tried to retain beauty for vanity sake. Tsk tsk. I don’t think some men can ever understand why it’s important to keep up with one’s appearance. We all can benefit from using good soap. It’s just basic human etiquette.

P.S.

If I have to choose a favorite character, I would say it’s Mio. I don’t see a chubby short girl in a video game that often who has an interesting role.

The Last Guardian: A Fairytale for Boys

March 16, 2023March 22, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

I watched an interesting video on the development of The Last Guardian where the creator, Fumito Ueda states that video games allow people to feel empathy. The video clip made me think about his statement regarding empathy which I rarely feel because most video games are designed for boys. Even though I share some similar traits such as finding satisfaction in conquering and defeating my enemies, I have always felt a disconnection between the playable male character and myself. For instance, while I empathize with the character Yorda from ICO and want to escort her to a safe place, I never found the urgency to protect her. Well, that’s because I never saw gender as an indication of fragileness.

*Feeling trapped and small is one thing but being trapped is another thing. We all need a helping hand from time to time.*

This got me thinking about why I enjoyed the Last Guardian more than Ico. It was a video game analysis of the Last Guardian by Game Overture that points out that the player was playing a supporting role which made a lot of sense since it’s Trico and not the boy that takes the spotlight in the game. As time goes on, we see the mystical, frightening but child-like creature becoming stronger and stronger whereas we see the boy becoming weaker and weaker as he takes on the subservient role.

boy giving food to the injured Trico — *Here is your food…”.Say ahh*.”

boy holding trico poop — *Yes, the green goo is Trico’s poo!*

As I mentioned in my non-spoiler review, I love this game and feel more deeply connected to it than Ico and Shadow of Colossus. I wonder why. Then I realized it has to do with my personality. While I’m quite capable of making quick decisions, I rather reserve my energy in the background problem-solving than take the spotlight in the frontline. Thus, playing as the “defenseless boy” in this game produces a familiar experience. If the theory about playing as a supporting character is correct, then the game is not about making the player feel like he or she is the Chosen One. There is nothing unique and special about the boy. He and the other Chosen Ones happen to be the unfortunate ones who are captured for human sacrifice. Well, depending on your worldview, I suppose it’s an honor. Dig a little bit deeper, this game is an allegory of the business side of game development exploiting children to keep a business running. How did I come to this conclusion? It is not until toward the end of this innocent, dream-like journey of great teamwork that comes to a dark twisted turn. It made me wonder why was I protecting the predator in the first place. The boy could have left the poor creature alone shackled up in a cave. Yet he decided to save him anyway. Was he trying to be a hero? No, he simply just has a good heart like most children. He didn’t even know that he is a sacrifice until later on.

He’s a good kid. That is why I find it so shocking when players complained about playing as the awkward boy. He moves funny. He waits on Trico to save him several times. As a result, it’s frustrating and the gameplay makes the player feels small; therefore, the game is not as impressive as its predecessors. The boy is not badass enough. He doesn’t take on giant colossus. Instead, he babysits a giant baby! Okay not quite (I’m assuming Trico is a kid because of his child-like behavior). But let’s get this straight, according to the creator’s interview, he was purposely designed to be independent, which makes sense to me. The story wouldn’t be as effective if it revolves around the defenseless boy (who I can’t recall even has a name which I can only speculate it was a modest decision on the creator’s part). In this game, players don’t get to be the hero of the day. Instead, he or she gets to witness a hero in action. I find the concept to be quite ingenious and refreshingly humbling.

Boy pulling down the level to open the gate for Trico — What’s so bad about playing as a gate opener? It’s so gentlemen-like.

So, I wonder what sort of person doesn’t like this game. Would it have made a difference if they were to play an all-powerful man-eating-fearing beast? Surely, the boy is braver than Trico on many occasions. Ironically, it’s his naiveness that makes him naturally more confident about finding his way home than Trico who seems lost inside his own home, which reminds me of a giant cage. Trico may be strong but he also needs guidance, which is why he is controlled by signals and waves from within the valley in the first place. Yet, he and his kind are not to be mistaken as dispensable slaves because the creatures do seem to be revered and respected as important residents of the valley based on the buildings’s architecture.

trico standing by the door — *If you look closely, the entire place is designed around griffin-like creatures.* *Look at the size of the door.*

This made me ponder who are the real captives in the game. Is it Trico and his kind or the boy along with the other chosen ones? Some people say it’s the boy and some say it’s Trico. There is no clear answer because the creator wants the player to decide for themselves. As for me, the logical answer is both of them. They are the last guardians who put the sadistic cycle of the god-like entity Master of the Valley to an end, which the more I think about it–might not even be all that evil because we don’t know its full story. For all we know, it’s trying to maintain order and balance despite sacrificing children in the process.

Trico versuses other beasts — *The world does feel like a dog-eat-dog type of place when you have to compete for resources.*

Despite its grim plot, I find this game emotionally comforting. It’s a story about growth, loyalty, friendship, and ultimately what it means to be a leader. It’s all the little spices that make life worth fighting for. It’s nice to know that in this dog-eating world, there is compassion. A good friend will always try to catch you if you fall because life, as we know it, can be quite rough.

References:

Game Masters: Fumito Ueda Interview
The Last Guardian | A New Perspective for Gaming by Game Overture
The Last Guardian creator: ‘I can’t face playing my own game’
Picture of Yorda in a cage: Team Ico Wiki
All other pictures were taken from my playthrough

The Last Guardian Review

February 22, 2023February 26, 2023Halsdoll3 Comments

I remember I sort of looked over The Last Guardian despite the fact I have played ICO and Shadow of Colossus and enjoyed them very much. Somehow, I was distracted by Dark Souls III, which was released earlier that year and unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much. Also, I remember I was anticipating the release of Nier Automata in Feb. 2017–that too I didn’t enjoy as much. I think I was just burnt out from work and personal life to enjoy games despite my best effort to play them. If I were in the right mental state, I think I would have picked up The Last Guardian on launch day.

Patience is really a virtue. The game took 9 years to develop and it did not fail to meet my expectation. In fact, I love it so much more than ICO and Shadow Colossus. They were great games but they didn’t deliver an emotional punch like how this game did to me: 1) I love puzzles; 2) I love animals; 3) I love exploring; 4) I love ancient civilizations; and 5) I love the solitary atmosphere. But most importantly, it’s in its execution that made this game an overall powerful experience. I sympathize with the beast-like creature, Trico! He is the ultimate pet. Sometimes he reminds me of a dog,cat,bird,ferret,duck, rat etc. He is a special creature indeed.

Tricois free from shackles — We are free now! Not really….

You can already tell that my review of this game is already heavily biased. So, instead of writing a traditional review where I review “objectively”, I will write a review in response to the AI’s review for this game using the AI experimental paragraph:

The Last Guardian certainly stands out from the crowd, and it’s no wonder that it’s one of the most talked about games of the year. It’s an emotionally engaging experience and one that doesn’t provide a “gaming experience” as much as provide a narrative journey. The game follows the young boy, Trico and his unlikely ally, the guardian from a long-forgotten civilization. Together, they must make their way across a ruined world filled with obstacles, puzzles and danger. Even with its narrative strengths, The Last Guardian sadly has more than its fair share of faults. The most glaring of these is that it is a puzzle game at heart and the player must often spend more time working out how to make their way through the game’s puzzles than they do actually playing it. The puzzles themselves are often creative and interesting, but the lengthy process of trial and error can become tiresome at times. Additionally, while the later sections of the game are visually impressive, the game as a whole cannot compare to other adventures in the genre in terms of cinematography, visuals or sound.

The story of The Last Guardian can be credited for being extremely well written, as the main characters, the boy and Trico, go on a journey through a beautiful yet dangerous world along with the help of their new-found bond. With the boy being mute, the game does an amazing job of conveying the inner motives of Trico and vice versa. The puzzle-solving element of this game is also enjoyable, though at times it can be a little difficult, with some solutions seeming quite unreasonable or overly-complicated.

I must say I am pretty impressed with the AI’s review, but did the AI really play the game? I could have just left it there for the AI to do all the work but that defeats the purpose of this blog. I enjoy writing and crafting blog posts. Plus, the AI don’t speak for me entirely on how I feel toward this game. For one, I don’t see this game as inferior to other cinematic, adventure games. While I enjoyed the Last of Us and Until Dawn to some extent, I am not all that into cinematic games because I find them lacking in the gameplay department, which is an important factor in a video game to me. Secondly, I did not find the puzzles in The Last Guardian tiresome, complicated, or lengthy. The pacing of the game was quite nice and seamless (if you know how to solve the puzzles). Compared to Shadow of Colossus, this game is quite generous. In Shadow of Colossus, you have to know when to push X and R2 to grab onto the colossus on top of the fact you have to know how to get to its weak spot. The only challenging thing about The Last Guardian gameplay I can think of is executing the command to Trico. Sometimes he doesn’t always follow through. There were times when I got motion sickness from moving the camera to find clues on where to go next, and there were times I simply had to take a break because my mind couldn’t think clearly (I noticed when my mind is recharged, the puzzles are easier to solve). Despite that, it’s not entirely a bad experience. In fact, I found myself smiling and being charmed by Trico more than feeling frustrated. So, when the game did end, I did cry. It was hard to part with the beast-like creature who gave me a memorable, fond experience.

So, to celebrate some special moments with this game, I am attaching some pictures from my playthrough which don’t even do justice to how great the game is. If you haven’t played this game, give it a try. or if you don’t have access to Playstation, you can also watch someone stream on Youtube. The game is a masterpiece. Now, I am looking forward to the developer’s next project. Hopefully, during the time of its release, I won’t be too distracted by other major titles and that I am in the right mental state. I believe all creative works derserve careful attention. Well, as a blogger that is what I would like from my readers.

Boy on rope while Trico staring up from below

Boy blasting eye glass while standing on top of Trico's head

Boy and Trico in pretty light shimmering

AI: Somnium Files Review

January 24, 2023May 24, 2023Halsdoll1 Comment

I enjoyed AI: Somnium Files developed and published by Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd. It’s a visual novel with a strong detective murder mystery with some science fiction elements. Yes, like any typical game, there is a lot of saving to do because young girls do need help even when they are bratty and acting all tough! After all, being killed by a sadistic rapist is the worst nightmare that can happen to any girl! You can’t expect a psychopath to have empathy? Do you?

Misuki praying — *Poor Mizuki who is only 12, tried so hard* *to be strong when she is actually mourning for the loss of her mother.*

Story

First off, I want to warn readers that I don’t recommend this game to those who don’t have a healthy sense of humor and who are quick to slap anything that has to do with sexuality as misogyny. Quite the contrary, the game is not even misogynistic. The sexual jokes are mild compared to what I see on Twitter and from the former U.S. president. Despite my defense for this game, it doesn’t mean I accept locker room talk. But the jokes are there to poke fun at the protagonist’s singleness. After all, you are playing as the nice, perverted guy who is possibly bi-sexual.

Date looks like a girl — *C’mon, look at Date’s face (the protagonist). He can pass off as a pretty woman.*

I think that is why I could laugh at the part where Date hit on the 36-year-old receptionist who looks like an idol but is too old to be one. I say as long you can afford anti-aging creams and live comfortably then you are set for life. The average women care more about their appearance and health than they actually would admit as the motivating factor to why they work on top of the fact no one wants to end up homeless. But of course, there are exceptions. So more power to the receptionist for learning how to enjoy life in the moment (as long as you live responsibly that is). It takes a lot of soul searching to find contentment.

*I used to work with an older woman who said if she had big boobs she’d flaunt it off. Not to attract men, but for her own liveliness.* *She* *was drunk when she said it though.*

But I do see how someone would call this game misogynist. I suppose when you analyze a piece of creative work, you got to learn how to put things into context. So don’t dismiss this game because of its humor. On a serious note, there are a lot of heavy subjects around the concept of dream, reality, and AIs and whole bunch other stuff. And what I noticed is that there is a sense of optimistic, progressive thinking about the future of society, or a sense of acceptance on the writer’s part. It’s not just the topic of AIs I am talking about, but also the LGBT community in general.This game is a product of its time.

Aiba looking content — *Aiba, the AI who is Date’s detective partner, agrees that human intuition is good from time to time, which is something rational, logical AIs lack.*

Mizuki at Marble Bar — *Mizuki is accepting of the LGBT community but still shows a sign of uncomfortableness*.

I think the balance between seriousness and humor in the game is well done, and that is what I look for when I rate a good game. Even when I completed the game (there are multiple endings) there are still many mysteries to solve and once you solve the remaining mysteries of the story, everything just blows up in your face like fireworks. Overall, the pacing of the story is nice just as much as the colorful cast. Great game for mystery fans.

Gameplay

I played the demo on PS4 so I knew what to expect when I bought the game for PC. There are some differences in terms of user experience obviously. I played with mouse and keyboard but you can also play with a controller. I just stick with mouse and keyboard. I also noticed the game on the PC tends to glitch out occasionally, but it doesn’t happen frequently when I changed the graphic setting. I don’t know what it’s like for PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

*While solving a case…this happened. It’s kind of artistic!*

Gameplay wise, it did great at creating urgency but can get annoying because it does not reward you based on your skills to solve a case in 6 minutes. It did however, reward you on basic arithmetic skills! You have to select Timie to save seconds from being used on the top left side of the screen. Failure to select Timie correctly and the correct choices will penalize you for using seconds in real time and some of them take big chunks!

*I had crossed eyes or something when I was playing the game because I mistook TIMIE for TIME. For awhile I kept proceeding without selecting the TIMIE on top center of the screen.*

I found myself several times retrying and restarting the case due to running out of time. Some cases can get pretty tough especially if you are trying to solve it within 1 second remaining to obtain one of the trophies. If that sounds complicated. Do not fret. It will take trials and errors to get it right. Getting all the trophies was worth it.

*I pride myself on my determination.* *I did it!*

Overall, I thought the mix of shooting, investigating and solving puzzles were interesting. Not one moment was I bored. The concept of pyscning into someone’s dream to uncover hidden clues seems pretty high tech and futuristic. Is it ethical? Not really! I already feel invaded by tech companies collecting my data. It’s like exposing your underwear for strangers to see. Ugh…

Sound

I realized I don’t write much about sound production and voice acting. But they do make a difference in the quality of any video game. At the beginning of the game, I kept switching from English to Japanese language to see which voice cast I prefer to listen to. Eventually I stick with the Japanese voice cast because I prefer Aiba’s Japanese voice over the English voice because ironically she sounds more natural. Believe it or not Aiba is an evolved AI who has a personality of her own and who has the free agency to think for herself. It makes sense to personify her a bit even though she lives inside the protoganist’s eye and she is just an AI. She is also Date’s alter ego. But I won’t go into detail behind my reasoning. That will be another post for a different time if I decide to write about the eye metaphor.

Lastly, the soundtrack composed by Keisuke Ito is decent and the sound effects are seamless enough that I don’t even recognized the music sometimes. It’s great because I felt immersed in the game, but I can’t say I am all that into idol pop culture music though. So the soundtrack didn’t stood out to me as much as other quality story-driven games. However, I do enjoy the Ikume Shrine theme because I just like all things zen.

Conclusion

This game is far from boring and simplistic. It has good soundtrack, good story, fun gameplay and good humor. Who doesn’t enjoy laughing? It’s a great way to release stress. Time is well spent when you are doing something you enjoy especially if it is also thought-provoking.

The Evil Within 2: Not My Cup of Tea

October 2, 2022October 2, 2022Halsdoll9 Comments

The spooky month is here. The world is ending. Just kidding! Looking through my blog, I thought why not revive an old blog post? I remember I was so excited to play this game that I published a review without finishing it. To my disappointment, I spoke too soon. So I revised the entire blog post a couple of times and re-published it. The game has potential, but unfortunately, it wasn’t what I was hoping for.

I am a stickler when it comes to survival horror games since it is my favorite video game genre. I believe the concept more than the scare factor plays the most important role in developing an engaging horror game. For instance, Silent Hill 2 will always be my favorite survival horror game because the developers know exactly how to define horror and create a game that still haunts me to this day. When I see fog, I think of Silent Hill. The game is that memorable. All thanks to the game’s art direction and the superb original soundtrack (The people behind the game are quite talented). There are so many juicy symbolisms I got to get my hands on. But this post is not going to be about me ranting and analyzing the Silent Hill franchise and what makes it great. I’ve seen a couple of those insightful articles and videos about the game, so I don’t need to provide further input, or should I? This is about The Evil Within 2 and my thoughts about it. Please keep in my mind, I am not a fan of cinematic games (oddly most games are inspired by movies). So, of course, there are going to be some biases.

With any artistic medium (I think some video games are a form of art), it’s wise not to imitate even if you are under the spell of nostalgia. I am not a fan of imitation, but I am okay with inspiration. You can admire a classic game that haunts people after they are done with the game, but reinventing the same thing doesn’t frighten people or set the game apart. Why? Because the player already walked the same path before.

“If there is no suspense, there’s no horror.”
I quote myself, Halsdoll, a survival horror junkie

The Evil Within 2 feels like a confused horror, amusement park. It cannot decide whether it wanted to be an action or horror game. What disappointed me about the game was its strong opening. The game introduction was atmospherically scary. Yes, there was a little chase here and there. Fun for a bit, but then it got sloppy as soon as all the suspense got dispersed, and the story reached its climax. From there on, I found myself playing a cheap thrill. If the gameplay is lacking then I expect a decent story, but this game has neither of them. The Evil Within 2 felt like someone was forced to make a horror game. He knows all the ingredients for making a horror game but doesn’t know how to improvise it to make it uniquely his signature dish. Why recycle boss enemies once it has been defeated? Why do I need to level up my skill trees to make the game a bit more fluid? What purpose does it serve? Why is the black man evil? Oh no, I hope this game is not racist. I started asking myself, “Why am I playing this game? Let’s just hold our breath and just beat the game already.”

I would have enjoyed the game more if Juli Kidman was the protagonist but then the game would not appeal to gamers who are dads themselves or to the large gaming male demographic.

Juli Kidman, posing in white blouse — Juli Kidman-pic source

The story about trying to save the daughter is a classic tale. But I wonder, aren’t there enough survival horror games with a similar plot? Why didn’t they just make a movie instead of making a game? I would have enjoyed it as a movie. Well, at least the trailer is enjoyable to watch:

Resident Evil 3 Remake Review

September 9, 2022January 8, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

Two years ago, when the pandemic hit, I wasn’t really in the mood for anything zombie-related. I did recall playing the Resident Evil 2remake but it wasn’t as enjoyable. Now, that things are pretty mellow and I don’t hear constant ambulance sirens bouncing off of the city’s buildings day and night, I can say it’s safe to play Resident Evil 3 remake without feeling like I’m in the actual game, although I just realized that Racoon City takes place in the Midwest! But I am not in a metropolis. The environment I am in now is a lot calmer and quieter except for the rhythmic noises coming from the crickets. The sound made me think of certain parts in the Resident Evil remake for GameCube. And so, the waves of nostalgia hit me. I thought why not play the Resident Evil 3 remake? I heard it’s a short game compared to the Resident Evil 2 remake and it is one of the newer titles I haven’t played.

Generally, I have a soft spot for the Resident Evil franchise. I have a super soft spot for Resident Evil 3 because it was my first entry into the franchise. But I also want to point out that I just like Jill Valentine. Her story doesn’t revolve around being someone’s sister or lover. Not saying there is anything wrong with existing for the sake of others. It’s quite noble. It’s just that Jill has her narrative which belongs to her solely. Her independence makes her quite admirable. She is a member of the Special Tactics and Rescue Service also known as S.T.A.R.S, and she is on a mission. I love that kind of determination!

Time to write my thoughts on this awesome remake…

So, let’s talk about Resident Evil 3 remake and why I had blast with it. First of all, I like the character dynamic between Carlos and Jill in this remake. There is a nice balance between them. Before I go into details about the character’s dynamic, I want to talk about Jill Valentine’s outfit. If you have played the original, Jill Valentine used to go around shooting zombies in clubbing clothes. As I said before in one of my blog posts, I have no problem with women who like to dress sexy (more power to you if you feel good in your skin. I wish I had your confidence). In the back of my mind, I have always thought it was uncomfortable to navigate Racoon City, holding a handgun and wearing a tube shirt and a mini-skirt.

Resident Evil 3 ps1 Characters manual — Character profiles from Resident Evil 3 PlayStation manual

That’s quite an empowering fantasy. Realistically though, try walking like that in the city at night, you sure will get hit on by creeps. That’s why I laughed when Jill called Nemesis the creepy stalker in the game. She knows exactly the pain that women go through just for dressing nice.

Jill hiding from nemesis — Yes…..you are creepy just standing outside the building like that…

So, that’s where the remake got it right. Jill’s default outfit just seems more appropriate for the situation. The tube shirt and mini-skirt would only make sense if she was in fact in the middle of clubbing when the chaos hit Raccoon City.

Jill character model in Resident Evil 3 Remake — Not bad Not bad. Still attractive…

Speaking of Carlos Oliveira, in the original, he is an overall nice guy but a bit of a flirt. The remake, on the other hand, made him more mature, task-driven and professional. There wasn’t a moment where I thought Carlos is a sleazy player who is “good with the ladies”. Removing that cocky, playboy attitude from the original game earned him my respect. Even if there was chemistry between the two characters, which is unlikely since Jill doesn’t seem to have time for romance, the remake kept their attraction to each other pretty wholesome. I like that both characters have an important role in the story. I enjoyed playing as both of them, although Jill got more of the spotlight than Carlos. Still, Carlos makes an interesting support role. He is humble enough to let Jill take the lead but strong enough to save her when she is in need. The greatest part is that both trust and believe in each other! It always makes me happy to see good teamwork, especially revolving around the interaction between the opposite sex. There was no gender-defined roles when it comes to getting the job done, and I like that a lot.

Gameplay wise, it’s fun. Like Resident Evil 2 remake, it has the same structure format in terms of gaming mechanics. Back in the day, it was hard to move and aim when you are surrounded with zombies who want a bite out of your neck. The tank control is a challenge in itself in contrast to the over-the-shoulder view. In the remake, the zombies still bite your neck as if you are a piece of delicious meat and you have to press X to be released from the zombie. It’s just annoying, but I guess it’s Resident Evil’s signature dish. Of course, the highlight of Resident Evil 3 gameplay is Nemesis. I think he secretly has a crush on Jill. He sure loves pursuing her! The majority of the game revolves around running away from him. The final blow felt really good.

Nemesis final blow — If you can’t read the text in the picture, Jill said, “Next time take the fucking hint.” I feel your pain, Jill.

My only disappointment about the gameplay, which is only a matter of preference, is QTEs. Did Resident Evil fans complain loud enough that developers decided to take them out of this game? I played the game in standard mode. I wonder if it would appear if I play in hardcore mode. Some action cutscenes could use some QTEs. I like them because it always makes me laugh and get my heart pumping in excitement. It keeps my mind alert, but I can see how bothersome it can be for some people who only play for stories or atmosphere.

Overall, it’s a great remake. I am not sure though if I would replay the game to get all trophies and to get a better rating (I got a C for average performance). But I can see someone spending a lot of time in this game to improve their rating and unlock items despite the story being short. You can beat it under 10 hours or even less if you know where and what to do in the game. So, replay value is great for such a short game. But then again, Resident Evil games were never long but were always well thought out, and that is exactly what I love about the franchise.