Video Game Reviews - Fishing for Metaphors

What I Learned from Playing Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

December 13, 2021June 20, 2026Halsdoll3 Comments

Originally posted on Aug. 24, 2017; Revised Dec. 12, 2021

Perhaps, I am a child at heart but I really prefer the simplistic gameplay approach, especially when the story is the focal point. The content of this game is quite mature but with light gameplay, which is both suitable for adults and children. Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, an action-adventure RPG, developed by Namco and Tri-Crescendo, is about a boy’s journey toward finding warmth in the post-apocalyptic world. It has a typical story but it took advantage of the video game medium to produce a unique experience.

What I enjoyed about the game is that it’s beautiful and atmospheric. According to the trailer, it is supposed to have horror elements, which ironically, it’s far from scary, but more so cute like Casper the ghost, but a little lonely. The player plays the protagonist, a young man named Seto who is on the search for human civilization.

Throughout the game, Seto is accompanied by caring loving companions who are not humans. The most memorable companion to me is Crow, who appears to be a big tea drinker like myself based on his clothes. His encounter with the robot is my favorite part of the game.

It was fun chasing and hunting down Crow because it reminded me of playing hide and seek and playing tag. For a moment, I didn’t mind taking a break from trying to find the silver hair girl.

That section of the game illustrates an important point made by one of the characters, Chiyo:

“It’s the sunbeams, the wind rolling over grass and the idle chit chat with friends [are] the gems of life.”

The moment where Seto chased Crow to get his locket back is special and left a huge impression on me. It made realized how we must not forget during our journey in life to enjoy the present moments. That is called living. The game also wanted to make another important point: Crow is a robot. Even if we find happiness in the substitution of artificial life, including digital ones–it does not replace real-life human interaction. Thus, it’s the silver hair girl that can offer Seto a real authentic relationship even if it involves conflict and misunderstanding between both people. Lastly, Sai, one of the main supporting characters, helped me understand that words may not always be the best form of expression, but it’s not entirely useless. Words fill in the part where visual cue fails to communicate simple things such as Seto wanting Ren, the silver hair girl, to be his companion. He wants his memories to live on by sharing them with someone.

Overall, the game provided a philosophical explanation for the continuation of existence, despite the dark side of humanity where most people would want to withdraw and disconnect from all forms of human interaction. The world would be a pretty lonely place when we only answer to ourselves. I thought the game successfully illustrated these points through gameplay and atmosphere. If you haven’t played this game already, check it out. And if you have played it, let me know what you think. I’d love to hear them.

Credits: Picture sources found at fragiledreams.fandom.com/wiki

My Video Game Shopping List: More J-RPG Games

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The Cat Lady PC Game Review

November 22, 2021November 24, 2025Halsdoll1 Comment

Dark Souls II Rant: Crown of the Sunken King (DLC)

October 4, 2021August 24, 2025Halsdoll1 Comment

Where to start..so difficult. How many times have I died? Am I making progress? Yes. 3 weeks later! I finally reached 2 out of 3 boss fights within this DLC but have not beaten any of them. The stage design is what got me so addicted to Dark Souls franchise in the first place which came out 10 years ago (Sep. 22, 2011, and I am writing this post on the 23rd)! Wow just look at how time flies. Or maybe I’m just a big fan of nameless heroes/heroines who eventually come up on top through trial and error because the mysterious nobody always makes an interesting story: Let’s see how long I’m benevolent and fit to rule until I turn Hollow. The curse of want and wanting is pretty strong. Although I must say, it’s not the throne I’m after. I simply just like obtaining those hard-to-reach items.

I jump, I slip, I die for a useless torch…com’on! As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.

It’s a fair sadistic game, or is it? Blame the tagline Prepare to Die which attracted people to the game. No not me. I picked up the franchisebecause I love FromSoftware games!!! I told myself after beating Dark Souls back in 2011, I don’t want to invest any more of my time with the franchise. And then on Dark Soul II release day, I bought it in a flash. I simply couldn’t resist. Quality games matter and I know I wouldn’t be disappointed. The game was manageable and quiet to my liking as expected (yes I said quiet and not quite but I was, in fact, thinking both when I wrote the sentence. Dark Souls II ps3 version is quite melancholically quiet). Dark souls II Scholar of the First Sin, on the other hand, is an uphill battle on purpose. Not so cool, I think. But marketing sure brings in the doe. The DLC that comes with this version is difficult and the time invested in it might not be worth it. I spent enough time in it to want to set it aside, but I probably will be back to my abusive lover. I always come back. There are other games waiting in line to be played but not many are seamlessly fun in terms of stage design and boss fights which is why I stick around with this franchise and once you give your soul to the game there is no turning back (I sound so evil). I thought of reallocating my stats to be a pure muscle head (a.k.a. strength built) because the enemies in this stage have a high magic defense. Maybe a whack in the face with a hammer as big as my character will do. I have been relying a bit on backstabbing with the mace and have gotten pretty good at it, naturally. I mean so typical of a girl to play mage…actually, nope I just thought it was cool to play mage since I rarely play a mage in RPGs. Then again, it’s rare since the closes MMORPG games I’ve played were WKC (White Knight Chronicles) and DCUO (DC Universe Online). I played them briefly when I learned that socializing is just not my cup of tea unless we are dealing with serious business such as slaying the beast!

Thought it was cool to look sexy wearing high heels while exploring…maybe not

So far, this stage has been a painful exploration and now I must defeat Elana the Squalid Queen, who is prettily enchanting with her sparkly golden helpers. Can’t say it’s a fair fight from whose end? Well, you see player has the option to summon two NPCs but at the expense of the boss’s defense increases. I could just summon one NPC and it does some damage but regardless the boss fight is not easy. Two against one is never easy because I’m still pathetically weak. Maybe it’s time to take off the high heel shoes and wear combat boots instead (No…it has a high dark defense which is what I’m up against). Midway, I find myself dodging and rolling from getting attacked, and then, in the end, I grew tired and die.

Let’s just put this aside for now. Yakuza 0 deserves some attention. I feel like a beat em game at the moment. Maybe I just need a punching bag game that will allow me to win for a change. Then again, I just can’t focus on other games unless I beat this one! Oh, the woe of being cursed by a video game!

My Video Game Shopping List: Video Games to Cool Down in Summertime

July 5, 2021June 20, 2026Halsdoll2 Comments

Root Letter Review (2016): What Happen to the Cute Schoolgirl?

June 7, 2021November 17, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

Do you have insecurities? I think we all do, I’ll let you know mine but once I review this visual novel game, which revolves around the mystery of a schoolgirl disappearance called Root Letter, developed by Kadokawa Games, released in 2016. It tells a story of a high school pen pal who decided to stop writing to you after she confessed in her letter that she killed someone. Something doesn’t add up. The schoolgirl happens to be beautiful, intelligent, and talented but fell tragically ill and passed away. Sounds interesting enough. I was curious to unravel this suspenseful, mystery title that doesn’t contain horror. Watching the trailer helped me decide to pick up this title a few years ago.

Mysterious and adventurous tale mixed with a good soundtrack and a pretty art style, I just can’t say no to it. In fact, it was refreshing to play something as relaxing as this visual novel despite it being wrongfully advertised as a Young Adult Suspense Thriller. More than anything, it’s quirky and kind of funny. I enjoyed going on an adventure to find out what happened to the high school sweetheart. But you are wondering what it has to do with insecurities? Well you see, everyone who was mentioned in Aya Fumino’s letter, the disappeared schoolgirl, had some insecurity issues. Her trusted friends are Shorty, Monkey, Snappy, Fatty, Four-Eyes, Bitch, and Bestie. Do you get my point now, how it can be comical? What kind of friend gives her close friends such awful nicknames? Well, that’s because they got something to hide!

It’s up to the main protagonist to do some serious detective work. Yes, he has to investigate each student closely to find out what really happen to Aya while exposing each character’s insecurity. It’s an interesting game design. There were a few times I laughed hard. What’s so funny is I could see myself in all 7 characters. That means I got a lot of work to do in the self-love department.

I enjoyed this game a lot. The plot is serious but the adventure is humorous and light-hearted. It’s just something I need from a stressful day. It’s a lot less mentally strenuous on the mind than what I typically play. Root Letter was nice for a change. I played this game back in 2017 I believe and decided to write a review until now.

Now going back to my question about insecurities. Quite frankly, back in my teenage years, I broke out badly on my forehead and throughout my face. It was so bad that my brothers would make fun of me and call me “Himalaya Mountains”. The cyst pimples were so glaringly noticeable on my face that for a while, I was really self-conscious about my skin. Then as I grew older, l learned to separate myself from my appearance. Like Mona the “Hatchet-Face” from Crybaby, I like to think at least “I got character!”

NieR Replicant ver_1_22474487139 (2021): My Impression

May 31, 2021June 16, 2023HalsdollLeave a comment

I am going to do something a bit more casual here. I am going to write an impression instead of a review because I am not here to sell you anything but give you my impression of the game as a fellow gamer who is just trying to help some gamers out there whether you should play this game or not. so I’m too lazy to articulate my thoughts, especially after playing a heavy-loaded game like this. I have already put over 60 hours of gameplay into this game. Not going to 100 % it. I did it with Nier Gestalt years ago, but would at least try to 100 % the side quests. Currently, while writing this post, I’m at 83%. Weapon completion is also important as well. This is a story-driven game. You would appreciate the story more by completing these tasks.

NieR Replicant ver_1_22474487139 released 2021 of April, is not a remake or a remaster of Nier Gestalt (2010). It’s more closely related to Japan’s version Nier Replicant which players play as the brother instead of the father. Some additional content has been added to this upgraded version to flesh out the story. So if you have played Nier Gestalt and wonder whether you should purchase it, you should but not at full price. You are not missing much. It’s just less convoluted than the one released in 2010. Perhaps, this is what some players need, a straightforward story?

The upgraded version gameplay feels a lot smoother and fluid like you would play in Nier Automata (2017). The gameplay is very simple: hack and slash with plenty of weapons and magic to choose from, although let me warn you that gameplay was never the game’s biggest strength. I stick to one weapon and two magic: Dark Lance and Dark Hand the entire time. As for difficulty settings, there is Normal Mode which is really Easy Mode, and Hard Mode. I can only imagine what Easy Mode is like. You’d go through the game without a sweat. Well, I can see it being an option if you are into speed runs. Some of the trophies required players to beat a boss within a certain amount of time. And if you are just interested in experiencing the story, then there is no reason to play on Normal or Hard Mode.

Without spoiling the story for those who have not experienced this masterpiece (yes it was a masterpiece in my eyes when I first played it). It’s about a brother who is trying to find a cure to the disease called Black Scrawl which has been inflicted on his sister. There are some heavy topics such as body dysmorphia, homosexuality, and borderline incest introduced in this game. Yes, it’s not your typical hero and heroine you see every day. They are humans, but are they?

As I mentioned earlier, the side quests add to the story so don’t skip them. They are fun and addictive with a twisted sense of humor. The greatest attribute of this game is the soundtrack, however, the music arrangement is not as on point as in Nier Gestalt, which did affect my experience. I didn’t like how it sounds unnaturally flawless. So, I didn’t enjoy the game to its max. It feels kind of soulless. Well, it’s not soul’s game if that’s what you are expecting. If I were to compare this game with Nier Gestalt, I would still pick Nier Gestalt over Nier Replicant, playing as a father seems more logical. I don’t know though, I never had brothers who go to an extreme to protect me so it didn’t make any sense to play as an overly protective brother.

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 for PS4 — Happy times with big brother

Although I can say, I know what it is like to be the protective big sister. I guess there is some similarity in that sense, or it’s just the fact, I’m as crazy as the protagonist. I just like killing stuff. Clearly, though, the game was not intended for the female demographic but why is it so popular among female players? That’s something to think about.

So what’s so great about this game? Well, it’s the story. The soundtrack, but more importantly how it was executed. The game allows players to see from different angles and it starts to question your morality. Who are the real humans? Even if you think you are right, does that justify killing?

I killed innocent people…I killed them all.

I don’t know what I am killing anymore…is that a human?

I think you get my point. The game will make you think about your actions. Are you really righteous?

My Notes on Nier Automata

April 22, 2021May 30, 2026Halsdoll15 Comments

Originally posted 6/18/2017. Re-blogging in celebration of one of my all-time favorite games–Nier Replicant Ver.1.22474487139 which will be released 4/23/2021.

I highly recommend playing the game before reading this post. I will not elaborate on the storyline in detail. My intention is to share my summary of the game which may differ from yours.

Those who followed this blog from the beginning probably knew that I was anticipating Nier Automata (2017) ever since its announcement. In fact, I was very hungry to play another game like Nier (2010) and was hoping Drakengard III (2013) would be just as good. To my disappointment, I didn’t enjoy it as much mainly because of the frustrating gaming mechanics (I didn’t enjoy flying the dragon). And yet I stuck with it because of the storyline and its humorous dialogue. I have not reached the ultimate, final boss yet which I heard was difficult.

I had to stop the game because I couldn’t understand Zero’s (the protagonist) cruel intention to kill all her sisters. The character was hard for me to relate. I was definitely playing a killer. But after I watched Yoko Taro’s interview Philosophy of Violence, I learned to appreciate his approach to storytelling and the concept behind it. I realized Zero’s behavior is natural, but primitive. Instinctively we want to remove whatever is in our path. Defeating our obstacles gives us a sense of control and removes all of our competition. However, if we killed everyone in our way, we would end up dying alone and the aftermath would be Nier Automata.

I came to conclusion because I had to grasp my head around this killing frenzy around Yoko Taro’s games, so I categorize the three games that I played into the following:

Drakengard III- killing to be the only one
Nier Gestalt- killing is justified as long as you think it is right
Nier Automata- killing loneliness

*One important thing to note, this is just my notes for the time being. I really would like to complete the Drakengard series *

Onward to the main topic,so when I started Nier Automata, I already knew it was about killing. The game started off strong, which reminded me of Xenoblade Chronicles’ introduction where the characters are thrown into battle against the machines. Once I arrived at a safe place (a city reclaimed by Mother Nature), I sensed that I was entering a world where a great civilization (mankind in general) once stood, but mysteriously drove itself to extinction.

All we have left are machines and androids fighting one another. In some ways, the game has a particular viewpoint about existence, which is hard not to notice if you do the side quests. It clearly pointed out that all lifeforms don’t want to fight all the time– they just want to co-exist. What meaning is there to killing? Why?

The real motive behind all the killing is more than just impaired thinking–it’s loneliness. In the end, no one stands. But the tragedy is not the cycle of destruction, it’s actually the inability to view the world harmoniously, which is probably why 2B and 9S wear blindfolds. They exist to take orders without comprehending their actions.

I won’t go any further into details about the game’s concept because I am beginning to develop my own theory, which is probably not what the game intended. I do just want to mention my overall experience with the game is good, but it is not one of my favorites. I like the first installment more partly due to nostalgia. Even though I did not enjoy the game as much, the game made me want to play Ikaruga, which has been sitting in my backlog of games to play.

Lastly, my final thought in regards to Nier Automata, I’m starting to understand that it’s difficult to introduce big ideas and incorporate gameplay due to unforeseen limitations (e.g, technical, budget, translation, etc.). So I really do appreciate it when game developers attempt to give meaning to their creations.

Well, that is it for now. Thanks for reading guys. Until next time, take care!

P.S.

Think I will play Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon next to clear my backlog before I jump into a new game. My backlog began to grow back in 2010-2011 when I started playing co-op/multiplayer games. It is time to seriously tackle the single-player games list!