survival horror

Speedrun Is a Great Skill to Have

March 7, 2026March 6, 2026Halsdoll3 Comments

Rebecca in nurse outfit — *First day on the job at the Morgue. Great outfit, Rebecca, you are dressing up for success.*

Generally, I am not afraid to admit I am a slow gamer because I like to survey my surroundings, look at the map, and explore everything I can with a game: take pictures, kill monsters, test out different builds, change outfits, etc. While that is a great way to enjoy a game, there’s another way to enjoy a game multiple times. And that is SPEEDRUN! It can be so thrilling when you are under pressure. Some people come alive when their job is on the line. If you are able to achieve perfection and speed, it translates into efficiency. Congratulations, you possess a desired skill set that many people lack. Being fast and detail-oriented is a great skill set to have in any job!

Who wouldn’t want to become Soul of Cinder from Dark Souls III? He is the CEO of Dark Souls. He knows how to do everything! I don’t want his job, though. I just like killing tyrants because they make everyone’s life a living hell. Know Thy Enemy!

*In the alternate world*, *I am boss killer!* *Queen of Hollow!*

Enough reminiscence about Dark Souls III. I have been playing Resident Evil 0 Remastered, and it made me think. If I were a hiring manager, I would make people play this game to see how well a job candidate can work as a team as well as independently. No job is easy, especially when you have to think on your feet. Navigate through multiple systems. You have to learn and unlearn with the flow of the business if you want to survive. Most importantly, you have to learn how to cooperate with your peers. That’s the reality of most jobs if you want to succeed and stay sane in this mad world.

Billy in cody outfit in the train — *With that outfit, are you telling me you’re going to* *fall asleep on the job?*

Billy in the Train — *You got this, Billy!* *Better in a suit!*

Joke aside. Oh, I really hope you can tell I am half serious with this post! I am on my second playthrough. I want to test my ability to see how fast, or if I have what it takes to be fast, in Resident Evil 0. Speedrun is hard. It humbles me to say–it’s not easy to be efficient with speed, especially when you have to learn something new and make a decision quickly. It can be very stressful, but oddly rewarding. Likewise, real-life work situations can sometimes be like a bad game design. Sometimes, work instructions aren’t always clear when there is a big change within the company. Was there a lost in communication? Most leaders probably don’t know how to communicate to their employees why those changes our important. So that is why it’s important to know the rules (think critically) so you can come up with an efficient workflow to save your own sanity as well as your team members.

*I am feeling the adrenaline rush. There’s a crazy monkey on Rebecca’s back!* *Got to help her!*

So, if someone says they like videogames and doing speedrun on their resume, I think you should hire them, haha. Gamers aren’t unambitious; they just need clear direction and a lot of acknowledgement! Maybe the real problem is, we just need better leaders who aren’t going to send us early to our graves.

Image Credits: All screenshots taken from my play-through.

Date Night with Resident Evil 0 Remastered

February 21, 2026February 21, 2026HalsdollLeave a comment

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

Rebecca in Capcom cheerleader outfit and Billy in a suit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Horror Game and the 3 Demos I Am Currently Playing

September 13, 2025September 13, 2025HalsdollLeave a comment

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!

What I am Playing in February

February 10, 2024February 9, 2024HalsdollLeave a comment

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!

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!

The Meaning Behind NightCry

October 12, 2023November 27, 2023Halsdoll3 Comments

NightCry developed by NudeMaker, and published by Playism Games was released in 2016. It was originally made for the mobile game the PlayStation Vita and the PC. It is one of those survival horror games that has an interesting concept but failed to impress some survival horror fans. Some hated it, and some enjoyed it. I am one of those who love it! After all, it’s all about introspection.

The story takes place on a luxurious cruise ship. There are three playable characters in this game. They are all well-designed and serve their role effectively. Monica’s determined persona, Leonard’s mysterious allure, and Rooney’s relatable charm added depth to the story and gave it a powerful ending. Like it or not, Rooney is a character that lives inside most of us. Some of us only come to life when our lives are threatened. The game developer might have wanted to express this concept by turning the story into a dark comedy. Depending on where you stand, you might find this sort of indirect bullying to be off-putting because you play as Rooney, a depressed college student who becomes stronger and stronger over time as she learns to fight for her life. Is the developer trying to say something about its audience? You see, there’s no “L” sound in the Japanese language so her name is Loony but is pronounced Rooney. Pun intended or not, it’s clear that the developer thinks poorly of Rooney. Her somber, docile nature proves it. You can read an article from Polygon that supports this statement. Now I wonder is that why the game takes place on a cruise ship. The cruise ship may very well be an allegory about rich people who have no reason to be depressed when there are less fortunate people out there who have no time to contemplate death because they are too busy trying to survive. Take Monica for instance, she is the stronger character compared to Rooney. Unlike Rooney, she is a college student with two part-time jobs and a parent to her younger siblings. Death is not a choice; it’s a luxury.

Now let’s talk about the gameplay. The gameplay itself is straightforward, featuring light puzzles, running, and hiding. However, you can’t rely on hiding in the same spot twice and failing to hold your breath properly by pressing the button on the screen can lead you to an early death. There are countless times I laughed at my failings and yet I didn’t find Scissorwalker the antagonist to be menacing. Instead, I think it is humorous. It likes to play peek-a-boo, catching players off guard when they least expect it. Carelessly examining every nook and cranny would trigger its appearance. Nevertheless, it is a necessary risk to take. The constant threat of the Scissorwalker, combined with the character’s limited stamina, forced me to be strategic and always be aware of my surroundings. And this is where some players find it frustrating. It is a point-and-click horror game. I remember struggling to get away from the Scissorwalker in the hallway by repetitively clicking the mouse to run and often dying because it failed to register my command. Yet, it isn’t a huge glaring problem for me as I am more interested in the game’s concept than the experience. In horror games, there should be some struggles–intentional or not. It’s not a horror game if it’s just a walking simulator with pixelated monsters. It becomes a digital, interactive art.

Overall, the concept of the game reminds me of a maze puzzle because the story follows a flowchart. Depending on your choices in the game, you can end up in a bad situation, which leads you to a dead end. There are many terrible shocking ways to die. If you have a morbid sense of humor like me, you will enjoy the game. For instance, I made a mistake entering a dark room without turning on my flashlight. I got killed. I laughed. Game over. You know what they say about laughter: It’s the greatest medicine. I’m so glad I didn’t let some negative reviews hinder me from playing it. It’s not going to vibe with everyone who is looking for a straight-forward horror experience but if you are looking for a game with some depth, this game deserves another chance. To me, a good game needs good art direction. It’s the overall package that triumphs over the small imperfections because I could say the very same thing about Yume Nikki, a popular indie horror game. As long as the players find value in a game that’s all it matters.

Note: This article is a response to tangomushi’s video game essay on NightCry.

Originally published January 22, 2017 9:53 pm; Revised October 10, 2023