heathereal313

[heathereal313]

Bayonetta 3 Thoughts

Now that I’ve completed Bayonetta 3 on Infinite Climax, I wanted to put together some of my thoughts on the game. This will include some spoilers on weapons, demon summons, and enemy types. There will be no direct story spoilers. If you want the short version, the game is fantastic but not perfect. It is likely the best overall gameplay package in the Bayonetta series even with its flaws, and it will likely end up becoming my favorite for that reason.

The first thing that strikes me about Bayo3 is the variety and creativity on display with the weapons. While you cannot mix and match arm and leg slots anymore, each weapon is much more unique than they were in previous games. The inclusion of different demon transformations with their own aesthetics and mobility options gives the weapons so much character, and the selection is both wide and definitively Bayonetta. Ribbit Libido-BZ55 and its ridiculous name is the perfect example, being a microphone stand Cereza uses as a spear and sings into to buff her attack or defense. There are twelve weapons in total (not counting Scarborough Fair and Love Is Blue which both return), and Bayonetta 3 is the first game in the series where I’ve genuinely wanted to get good with every single weapon. They are all so much fun to use that I find it hard to pick between them sometimes, and it is satisfying to pair up synergistic weapons both for combat and for movement. 

Demon summons are a huge part of Bayo3’s combat as well. Summons are cool to look at and fun to combo with if you can combine their attacks with Cereza’s, and each weapon (besides the Bayo1 and 2 guns) comes with an associated summon. Many of the summons share basic attack blueprints (e.g. they all have a large AOE attack, gap closing attack, ranged attack, etc) but a few of them are truly unique and bring options that no other demon does. It feels like the summons you choose are mostly for their aesthetic–there is not that much gameplay difference between using Madama Butterfly versus using Gomorrah besides their speed and damage, for example. This is not a bad thing in my eyes. Aesthetics are important in this type of game, and there is a wide variety to choose from in that area. The demons that are unique make up for it. Demon winks at the end of combo strings make for satisfying finishers that echo Astral Chain, and I found that the summons were integrated very well into the gameplay. My biggest issues with summons are more related to the scoring system and some enemy types which I will talk about later.

Bayo3 has seen a lot of complaints for its liberal use of gimmick verses. As someone who hates the gimmick sections in the first two games, I was pleasantly surprised by most of them this time around. Some of Bayo3’s gimmicks are purely for spectacle and offer little for gameplay, but others are fun and combine gameplay shake ups with crazy over-the-top action in a way that genuinely adds to the game. This is a rare case where I don’t really mind the gimmick verses, especially because of the new chapter select checkpoint system. Each chapter now has several different checkpoints that you can start at, and there is a checkpoint immediately after every mid-level gimmick verse. This means that you can easily quit back to chapter select when you reach a gimmick verse on repeat playthroughs, then resume the chapter from the next checkpoint while updating your medals. You can quit out for gimmicks at the end of chapters in the same way. Bayo3 makes it possible to skip every single gimmick section during your repeat playthroughs without missing any other verse, and I love that for replayability. I still think the gimmicks were a bit overused, particularly for boss fights. Gimmicks like Queen Butterfly’s bubble bath were a blast on my first playthrough, but I have no desire to replay them and some of the impact of these sections is lost when they happen so often.

My experience with Infinite Climax was a lot of fun, but it also highlighted some of the problems I have with the game’s combat. Note that these are early impressions so they might change after I’ve had more time with the game. Firstly, the scoring system is not perfect. Time requirements often feel harsh, encouraging efficiency more than stylish combat. This was a bigger issue in Bayo2 but it thankfully does not feel as prominent here. Still, time requirements seem to be balanced around demon summons so it is difficult to finish some verses quickly enough without relying on those summons. Like Bayo2, there are some enemy attack tells that do not feel well telegraphed. They function fine on lower difficulties where “bullshit” attacks do not punish you as much, but it can be a problem on Infinite Climax when everything does so much damage. Murus (the large armored snail with axes) was the worst example for me, feeling like nothing but a massive flailing hitbox that would do more than half of my maxed out health bar in a single hit. I’m not necessarily saying that it is unfair, but it feels unfair. That is the main problem–all of these attacks can be learned and are technically 100% fair, but it feels like you have to get hit by it a few times first rather than attack signals being as intuitive as in the first game.

Some of the enemy types, Murus included, are simply not enjoyable to fight. The worst offenders are Castellanus and Nimbostratus, the large tower type enemies that prevent Cereza from approaching them. These enemies are not fun because they limit your options, essentially forcing you to stand in place and use your demon to attack them until their force field breaks. The tower itself rarely attacks and the encounters do not allow for creativity. Nothing in the game is as bad as Sloth from Bayo2, but the enemy design does not feel as tight as the original. Despite all the new enemy types, the fights against angels are my favorites in Bayo3.

Similarly, a lot of the game’s bosses are not great. This is especially true for some of the gimmick bosses. Many have forgettable designs and are not as visually striking as previous games, and there are too many “giant enemy” bosses in my opinion. These bosses are not terrible, but the overall quality of boss fights does not compare to a game like DMC5 for instance. With that said, a few of the bosses are fantastic. B3 Jeanne, B4 Rosa, B4 Bayonetta, and all of the Strider fights are a blast. The fights against Jeanne in Bayo1 are my favorites in the series, but Bayo3’s good bosses easily beat out any of the main bosses from Bayo2. This is helped by the chapter checkpoint system allowing you to skip directly to any major boss fight. I love the final Jeanne fight in Bayo1, but getting to that fight is not fun at all. It’s nice that this isn’t a problem in Bayo3.

I should probably talk about Viola. I enjoyed her gameplay a lot on my first playthrough and for most of Infinite Climax, but I did have some problems with her. It is definitely possible that these problems come from me being unfamiliar with the playstyle–her flow is so different to Cereza’s and I am not completely used to her yet. That said, her parry window feels surprisingly tight compared to Cereza’s dodge or even Jeanne’s moth within. All the chaos of Infinite Climax coupled with some of the awkward attack signals makes it difficult for me to reliably activate Witch Time with Viola. The duration of Witch Time she gets for imperfect parries is a pathetically short one second, which is not enough time to accomplish anything. This is something I’m sure I can learn and improve with, but it does not feel good to activate Witch Time only for it to immediately end–I would almost prefer if those cases didn’t activate it at all. Viola has some creative and fun combos, and I enjoy switching between attacks with her sword and her fists. Unfortunately, it feels like you are pushed into doing charged sword attacks or short combos into a wink with Cheshire because she gets so little time to capitalize off Witch Time. Offset with Viola also feels less reliable thanks to her nerfed dodges and the strange controls for offsetting after a successful parry. She ends up feeling somewhat repetitive for me, which isn’t helped by her having only one weapon and one (uncontrollable) summon. I had a great time with her on my first playthrough but I have a few reservations with her on Infinite Climax for now. Regardless of these complaints, I think she is a solid addition to the game and I will be playing her more while trying to keep an open mind. On her own, Viola is very fun and satisfying to combo with–her gameplay can’t compete against Cereza’s for me, but I never expected it to.

Before I wrap up, I have a few miscellaneous complaints. Jeanne is not playable in the main chapters. She is playable in Witch Trials and the alternate chapters, but it is disappointing that players who prefer Jeanne cannot play her in the main game. I was also hoping to be able to freely select characters for any chapter after completing the game, which is not possible. Story chapters can only be played as the character assigned to them. This is unfortunate for Viola who has only a few chapters in the main game. There is some personality missing due to changed torture attacks and the absence of unique taunts for different weapons. Torture attacks are much faster now and encourage combining Cereza and her summons, but the longer animations unique to specific enemy types are largely gone. Torture attacks now are not as satisfying unless you can chain them on several enemies in a row. They are more functional, but less stylish. The lack of unique taunts is a disappointment considering the weapons in this game. It isn’t the end of the world, but it would have been a great inclusion given the possibilities–taunts like Cereza fanning herself with Simoon, casual yo-yo tricks with Ignis Araneae, or performing magic tricks with Abracadabra could have added even more personality to each weapon.

While it does not warp the game’s balance as much as Bayo2’s Umbran Climax, Masquerade Rage is an underwhelming mechanic. The animations are excellent and some truly capture the spirit of Bayonetta, like Cereza singing Tomorrow is Mine into the microphone for Ribbit Libido. The gameplay side of these is less impressive though. They are basically Dynasty Warriors specials that do huge amounts of uncontested damage while you cannot be hit. There is no decision of how to use them like there is with DMC’s Devil Trigger for example; the only decision you make is when to use them. They do not ruin the game by any means, they are just not that interesting.

I won’t get into detail with the story, but it was fairly underwhelming as well. The multiverse premise was not used to its full potential at all, and there was a severe amount of missed potential. There are some exciting moments if you turn your brain off and try not to think too hard about things, but the story could have been much better. Cutscene fight choreography is better than ever and the spectacle of Bayo3 goes beyond anything else in the series, so it’s a fun time for the most part.

Overall, I loved the game even with its problems. Combat is immensely fun and satisfying thanks to all the different weapons, and demon summons are well-integrated into combat and non intrusive outside of some enemy types that force you to use summons. The scoring system does not feel great and may over encourage the use of summons, but the combat itself is excellent. As usual for Bayonetta, the music and presentation (not necessarily the graphics) are phenomenal. Moonlight Serenade, Al Fine, and Viola’s theme are incredible tracks for the basic combat themes. I will be continuing to play Bayo3 and it may end up being my overall favorite in the series. There are absolutely things that the original does better, but Bayonetta 3 is a blast to pick up and play and improves on many of the second game’s issues to the point where I can’t put it down.

Thanks for reading

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Expressive Action

Thinking back on why I started this page, it’s surprising I haven’t written about this topic sooner. The point of these posts is to rebuild my passion for writing by stepping away from the formality and perfectionism that my essay assignments have led to. Sometimes it’s nice to focus on expression and throw away the rules for a while. That’s why I want to talk about Devil May Cry.

For me, character action games are pure fun. The focus on creativity in combat makes games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta unique. These games are less about survival and more about player expression--plenty of people can beat the game, but not all of them can do it stylishly. With a variety of tools on offer, each player will find their favorites, differentiating their gameplay from one another. Place two players in the same encounter and there’s a good chance that each will use a different strategy or rely more on specific weapons or moves than the other. This sort of variety makes action games great for repeat playthroughs.

Replayability is pushed even further by ranking systems and various difficulty levels in most action games. Instead of simply increasing health and damage values, the best action games also include remixed enemy layouts or other features. Bayonetta’s removal of witch time on the highest difficulty is a great example of this. It’s a change that shakes up how the game is played instead of making things more tedious or unfair. Coupled with rankings that encourage players to improve, action games have a great sense of progression. You might start off by getting your ass kicked on normal, but later find yourself dancing around enemies on the hardest difficulties. I wish I could show you the gameplay from when I first picked up Devil May Cry years ago. Improvement happens so naturally as you play that it can be hard to notice, but the rankings and varied difficulty options make it clear enough that you are getting better. 

Devil May Cry 5 is close to the perfect action game for me. It has all of the elements that make this genre great, coming with a variety of characters, weapons, tools, and techniques; a ranking system that encourages improvement; and a nice range of difficulty options. As cliche as it sounds, DMC5 is a game that’s easy to learn and hard to master. This should be obvious just from the selection of playable characters. Nero features a few advanced mechanics hidden behind a veil of simplicity. He serves as a strong introduction to the game, even for players new to the genre. After players become more comfortable with the game, Dante and his massive toolbox are introduced, hugely increasing the depth of combat and the variety of options players have to express themselves.  Then you have V, a perfect example of creative design and the type of unconvention gameplay that makes the character action genre unique.

It all comes back to expression. The core of character action is creativity, and that’s what makes it so appealing for me. The ranking system introduced by the original Devil May Cry is genius for this reason; without it, success in combat equates to speed and efficiency, but the addition of letter ranks encourages so much more personality. Players are pushed to use all of the tools at their disposal rather than relying on DT stinger spam (we’ve all been there) or other strong, repetitive techniques to win.

DMC5’s playable characters are also expressive themselves, with elements of their character reflected through gameplay. For example, Dante is adaptable and carefree, constantly trying new weapons and techniques. This is reflected through his eclectic mixture of swords and guns, and his gameplay emphasizes showing off over efficiency. He comes with a tool for every situation, and he uses new weapons in every game in the series.

On the other hand, Vergil is more focused and practical. He prefers to refine techniques that he already knows, and he has kept the same core set of weapons since his first gameplay appearance. Where Dante is flashy and stylish, Vergil is powerful and efficient. He has fairly few tools in comparison to Dante, but they all have practical uses. Differences in character between Dante and Vergil lead to their different playstyles, with Dante emphasizing stylish juggles while Vergil focuses on power and motivation.

I can’t talk about character action without also dedicating some time to Bayonetta. Bayonetta and its sequel offer a different take on the genre that acts as a perfect companion piece to Devil May Cry. While Dante focuses on style and creative juggles, Bayonetta places a larger emphasis on grace and glory. Dante will typically focus on singling out one enemy at a time, but Bayonetta features a more rhythmic back and forth as she weaves in and out of combat, constantly switching targets. Devil May Cry typically has strongly defined “turns” for both the player character and the enemy--you avoid their attacks, then you hit them with a large punish. In contrast, Bayonetta makes these windows much smaller and puts players in a position where this back and forth is constant. This rhythm is enabled by dodge offset, the main mechanic of the series. Because of dodge offset, Bayonetta can make use of even the smallest windows to counterattack, and dodging does not break her rhythm. When everything clicks into place, combat in Bayonetta is smooth, uninterrupted action. It’s also worth mentioning some of Platinum Games’s other works, including Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, NieR: Automata, and 2019’s Astral Chain. These people know what they’re doing, and their games are worth a look if you aren’t familiar.

Character action games can be hard to get into, but they can also be extremely rewarding. I would strongly recommend that you give one of these games a try if you haven’t already. The Devil May Cry series is relatively easy to pick up, and it does the genre so much justice--the same is true for Bayonetta.

If I could give one piece of advice for someone trying out the genre, it would be to have fun with it and to try to make it your own. Don’t worry about what’s optimal or stress out over your chapter ranks--low ranks are normal for a first playthrough, especially for something like Bayonetta (I’ve gotten so many stone awards it isn’t even funny anymore). Oh, and don’t get hit. That helps too.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Diversity and Perspective in Horror

Survival horror is one of my favorite genres of video games, and the contrast between my top two is a great example of the diversity and possibilities of horror. Some of my favorite parts about horror games are the persistent tension and feelings of unease. Combined with the need to explore in many horror games, this atmosphere leads to a pervasive discomfort. You don’t want to go down that dark hallway full of creepy noises, but you have to if you’re going to progress the game or find much needed resources. This is why resource management is key for horror games to me--games where your only option is to run away or avoid the enemies can be scary, but decision making defines the horror genre. The split second decisions between fight or flight are even more compelling when every fight has the potential to make the next fights harder, draining your ammo or other resources. Environmental puzzles are also a core element of many horror games, and I’m a fan. While they’re often fairly simple (take this key item and figure out where it goes), they are still clever and fun to solve.

It shouldn’t be surprising that my two favorite horror games are Resident Evil Remake and Silent Hill 3. Both have excellent environments, atmosphere, tension, and horror elements on top of great puzzles (especially SH3). But while I love both games, my experience with each was surprisingly different.

RE1 was my first proper survival horror game, and I fell in love with the series immediately. The fixed camera angles and constant need for resource management got me sucked into the game’s environments, exploring every corner. Choices of how to spend or save resources were overwhelming sometimes, and I remember plenty of tense situations where I didn’t know if I could make it to the safe room alive or not. Its atmosphere still gets me after finishing the game dozens of times--the game is surprisingly gorgeous considering it came out in 2002.

In RE1, the fear is primarily isolated within the game. The enemies and antagonists aren’t that scary outside of what they can do to you in the moment, and a lot of the tension revolves around dying or losing progress. Resource management is key to RE1 to the point where something as simple as saving your game costs a resource. Whether ink ribbons add anything to the game depends on the player, but I love the decisions they force. Do you push forward and try to get to the next safe room, or do you use an ink ribbon now? You’ll lose your progress if you die, but more greedy players will want to save the resource. This dilemma falls apart on subsequent playthroughs or for skilled players, but it’s unique enough on a first run that I don’t mind its inclusion.

The puzzles in RE1 are also fun, although most of them are figuring out which key item goes into which slot. Still, there are some standouts that I love like the V-JOLT formula. RE1′s puzzles are definitely iconic if nothing else, and there’s no doubt that they influenced the horror genre as a whole.

My experience with Silent Hill 3 was different. I played SH3 when I was more experienced with the horror genre. Because of its unlimited inventory space and emphasis on avoiding combat, SH3 doesn’t involve the same degree of resource management as RE1. Saving is also free, and the PC version allows saves almost anywhere. Resources are a smaller concern, and it’s rare for you to lose significant progress when you die. That doesn’t mean the game isn’t scary though--the horror in Silent Hill is more persistent and psychological, extending outside the game itself. While RE1 makes you afraid of dying or losing progress, SH3 is much more subtle and chilling in a lot of ways. Of course, its monsters are still scary. But the scariest part of SH3 for me was a simple line of dialogue from a side character: “Monsters? They looked like monsters to you?”

SH3 has great puzzles too. It keeps the classic key items, but it also includes a variable riddle difficulty to set the intensity of puzzles. Some of these riddles are genuinely challenging and take time to solve, and I love them. The first major riddle on hard puzzle difficulty requires background knowledge of some of Shakespeare’s plays, for example. They can be surprisingly complex, and solving them is satisfying. 

SH3′s fear is also much more potent for me personally in that it’s a lot more relatable. While an extravagant zombie infested mansion would be terrifying in real life, I haven’t experienced anything like it. But many of Silent Hill’s environments are twisted versions of everyday locations that play off of real fears and anxieties. This is especially true from a woman’s perspective. Walking through an empty, silent street at night unsure if something might attack you from the shadows is a very real fear. A lot of the scariest rooms in SH3 are the empty ones, completely quiet outside of the sound of Heather’s footsteps. Other fears SH3 touches on are heights, mirrors, blood, stalkers, losing one’s identity, and the violation of one’s body. The horror in SH3 is uniquely real, and its protagonist does a lot to realize these fears.

Jill Valentine and Heather Mason are two of my favorite video game characters, but there are some big differences between the two. As a member of S.T.A.R.S., Jill is portrayed as strong and capable. Even though Jill is in over her head, she remains calm (for the most part) and the horror in RE1 is not specific to her. The themes of RE1 and its horror could apply equally to any character. You see this in RE1 itself with the ability to play roughly the same story as Chris. None of the themes change, and the horror is still equally effective--the biggest difference is which character the player relates more to.

Heather is different. She is a lonely, vulnerable teenage girl, and all of the horror in SH3 is uniquely tailored for her perspective. You could not replace Heather with another character in the same way that you can replace Jill with Chris. So much of the horror in SH3 is aimed towards women, like Heather’s stalker and her anxiety towards men, bodily violation, and birth. Her fear of mirrors and her dialogue throughout the game humanize her and make her relatable. Heather isn’t some super capable S.T.A.R.S. officer, she’s a normal girl. That’s why her story is so compelling--she is scared and vulnerable, but fiercely independent, resilient, and persistent. Heather is my favorite video game character because of how human she is and how much I relate to her. 

Resident Evil and Silent Hill are the two greatest horror series in my mind, and I love how each approaches horror differently. Heather Mason and the more relatable and psychological horror of Silent Hill 3 elevates it to my favorite game of the genre, but I’ll always love Jill for introducing me to the genre. Fans of horror have probably played both games already, but I would strongly encourage you to check them out if you haven’t.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Stealth Games

Lately, I’ve been going back and playing more of some of my favorite games, and I realized that a lot of those games have similar themes. When I first started getting into PC games for real, I played a lot of stealth games. Around the time I built my first computer, I was playing games like Splinter Cell, Hitman, Deus Ex, Dishonored--you get the idea. Recently, I’ve made attempts to get friends into some of these games, and I’m in the mood to write about why I love them so much.

For me, stealth games offer some of the most tense experiences I’ve had with video games. Instead of constant action, a lot of stealth games are defined by quiet tension that’s broken up by bursts of activity. Sometimes the best thing you can do is wait. While it can be boring depending on the situation, this anticipatory buildup is what makes moments of explosive action so satisfying. When I approach a level in Hitman or Dishonored, the time that I spend waiting and preparing a plan is rewarded by a sudden burst of movement as I execute that plan. If things go well, it’s immensely satisfying to watch everything come together. It’s a momentary release of tension as you finish one encounter and move on to the next, and it justifies the slow buildup in many stealth games. 

While it’s great when a plan comes together, stealth games are even more interesting when your plan falls through. It’s no fun if everything works out perfectly, and successfully adapting to surprises can feel equally rewarding. It’s like an “Oh no” followed by decisive action and a sigh of relief. Reacting to unexpected circumstances is a part of what I enjoy about video games as a whole, and it’s a concept that fits right into a genre where the failure state can be as simple as being seen. 

On that note, another thing I appreciate is the variety of ways to approach the genre and the ability to choose your own failure state. Dishonored is a good example; thanks to the level design, you already have plenty of ways to approach the environments themselves, but you also have several unique approaches you can take for your mission. Will you kill everyone? No one? Only the people who “deserve” it? As for alarms, do you want to avoid detection no matter what? Or are you okay with enemies spotting you? You can even take things a step further and complete levels without interacting with enemies at all, choosing to ghost past them entirely. There’s a lot of replayability if you’re interested in trying different styles, and no two players will have the same experience. People who play the same game will approach it differently, and they’ll come out of it with different stories to share.

That individual story is another part of why I love this genre. This isn’t exclusive to stealth games, but many of them have incredibly detailed worlds that are easy to get lost inside. I think the tense atmosphere and variety of options contribute to that, and they all come together in a way that completely sucks me in. It’s surprisingly easy for me to get invested in small decisions with this genre; something as simple as choosing which guards to kill or bypass becomes compelling when you let the game’s world draw you in. Hell, I spent way too much time and energy on choosing what to eat in Snake Eater. But that’s what made my experience with the game unique to me, and I don’t think I would have fallen in love with it otherwise.

Stealth games can be difficult to get into. Many of them seemingly rely on trial and error or save scumming, including some of my favorites. But it’s a genre that’s absolutely worth trying. There’s a ton of variety and replayability to the genre, and it features some of the best individual games I’ve ever played. Between Hitman, Metal Gear, Dishonored, and more, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I know for sure that I’ll never get tired of this style of game.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Out of the Frying Pan

CW Food/Eating disorder 

I started cooking again in the past couple months, and I’ve been trying new recipes lately. I struggled with eating for a long time. Back in high school and during my first few years in college, I would frequently skip meals. The meals I did eat weren’t great either, and I was constantly underweight. My self image was low and I ate a maximum of one meal a day for a while. It took a long time for me to become more comfortable with food, and learning some basic cooking skills helped me a lot. Cooking is fun, and it’s more satisfying to eat something when you’ve spent time preparing it yourself.

Now that I’m fully responsible for my diet, it’s been difficult to stay on track sometimes. It was easier to eat when I had people around me to pressure me into doing it, or when I had the convenience of dining halls at school. Cooking a nice meal every day takes time, and it’s easy to skip meals or eat junk food or scraps instead of cooking something nice. That’s why preparing meals in advance has been great for me.

Before, I would always avoid leftovers as best I could. I’m not sure what put me off of them so strongly, but I hated feeling like I was “wasting” food. But preparing food in larger quantities specifically to save some for later has made it so much easier for me to eat well. Cooking on one night makes enough food for three or four dinners, and it doesn’t cost any extra time on the nights that I do cook. Not only am I saving time, I’m eating better food and feeling more energized too. I’ve found that simply having good leftovers in the fridge is enough to stop me from eating junk food or skipping meals; why wouldn’t I eat when I can have a delicious dinner in no time at all? And there’s no reason to eat junk food if I can have something tasty and healthy instead for just as much effort.

Cooking balanced meals is a lot of work, especially compared to preparing instant food or ordering in. There’s no way I would eat this well if I were cooking every night, but knowing that the food will last me more than one night is enough encouragement to branch out and try different, healthier recipes that use a larger variety of food. Variety is important if you’re going to be eating the same thing for three or four days, and I’ve already tried some recipes that I wouldn’t have made otherwise. This has also given me a lot more energy than before--smaller, fuller portions with a good variety of foods make me feel so much better than the large, repetitive, imbalanced meals I’ve eaten in the past.

It’s also a surprisingly powerful timesaver. You get more meals out of each time you cook, but you also don’t have to stress over what you’re going to eat on most nights--you already know in advance. I’ve had nights where I was so unsure about what I wanted for dinner that I ended up falling asleep before eating anything, so it’s nice not having to think about it. Of course, you have to think about what recipes you want to prepare, but that’s on maybe two or three nights a week--on every other night, leftovers are waiting for you in the fridge.

The only real downside to taking every meal like this is that it limits what you can make. Some foods reheat better than others, and they have a clear advantage when it comes to deciding on recipes. I could also see it becoming tiring to eat the same dinner for days at a time, but preparing dinner in advance still leaves you the freedom to decide on breakfast and lunch. For me, making food in advance has already saved a ton of time and headache. Having one less thing to think about is surprisingly impactful, and the effort spent on cooking for one night is absolutely worth the satisfaction of eating for three. Honestly, I don’t know why it took me so long to try something like this. It’s legitimately the best of both worlds. I don’t have to cook every night, but I get to eat a delicious homemade dinner every night anyway. How could anyone complain about that?

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Goro Akechi

Minor out of context Persona 5 spoilers below.

When I first played Persona 5, I had mixed feelings about Akechi. He was one of the most compelling characters in the game--maybe in the series--but it seems like the writers did everything they could to screw him over. Between his auto progressing social link and limited availability, it was hard to love Akechi. But Persona 5 Royal has done wonders for the character, and now I can confidently say that he’s my favorite member of the group.

Remaking Akechi’s social link was the best thing they could have done for his character. You get so much more insight into who he is, and the extra time spent with him goes a long way towards putting him on the same level as other party members. Along with the extra story scenes Akechi appears in throughout the main game and his prominent role in Royal’s third semester, he gets so much more time to shine. It also helps that his voice acting in both the English and Japanese versions is excellent.

One of Akechi’s more compelling points is his reluctance to trust others. He’s a character who always has leverage over others and constantly manipulates things behind the scenes, at least at first. His early interactions with the group and his manipulation of public opinion through the news are great examples of this. This distrust of others sets up Akechi’s arc perfectly, where he eventually learns to trust Joker and the team, relaxing his guard around them and showing them his true self rather than a manufactured TV personality.

Except that never happens. At least, not in Persona 5′s original release. It’s baffling to me that Akechi’s arc ends so abruptly in P5, and the Royal changes make me question how vanilla Akechi ever happened to begin with. They’re almost like two different characters, and Royal is where his personality truly shines.

I think there’s no stronger example of this than Akechi’s awakened persona, Loki. In vanilla P5, Loki gets almost no screentime. Akechi’s auto progressing social link plus the way his arc was handled in the main story meant that you were stuck with Robin Hood for most of the short time Akechi was on your team. Thankfully, Royal fixes this in a big way, giving you plenty of time to play around with Loki (and Akechi in general).

For me, Robin Hood was always analogous to Akechi’s manufactured television personality. Robin Hood isn’t who Akechi is--Robin Hood is more like Akechi’s idea of who he should be in order to pursue justice. His exaggerated superhero design pairs well with Akechi’s own extravagant thief suit, and it seems clear that Akechi is posturing. Loki is much truer to Akechi’s real self. He’s cunning, manipulative, and he’ll do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. Akechi uses Robin Hood while he still distrusts the thieves, and he awakens to Loki when he begins to feel more comfortable showing them his true self. I see Loki as Akechi’s realization that he doesn’t need to be a perfect charismatic detective to find the truth, and it ties into his acceptance that sometimes the only way to do good is to do something bad. Why else would he join the thieves after spending the better part of his screentime denouncing them?

Unlike most of the P5 cast, Akechi’s second awakening is character development in itself. Paired with its changes to Akechi’s social link and his extra time in the spotlight, Royal’s version of Akechi has become my favorite character in the group. It’s ironic that Akechi was the character who they initially didn’t do justice to, but I’m glad that Royal finally gave him the love he deserves.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Spring Cleaning

I didn’t realize how depressing and claustrophobic my home had become until I started cleaning it. It’s always been difficult for me to start on any chores, and I’ll sometimes let them pile up for way too long before finally taking care of them. My home was a complete mess for a while, partly because of how lethargic I’ve become in isolation. But yesterday, I finally took the plunge and started cleaning, and I couldn’t feel better for it.

I say I started yesterday, but most of the cleaning I did happened today. Simple things like vacuuming the floor and clearing away clutter made a surprising amount of difference--now the rooms that were starting to feel claustrophobic are remarkably empty by comparison. It’s a good feeling.

Today also reminded me that it’s okay to take things one step at a time. Something that seems overwhelming at first isn’t nearly as scary when you break it into smaller parts, and that thought is what pushed me to start cleaning in the first place. I started off with the intention of doing a little at a time, and before I knew it, I had made a huge dent in the mess and clutter.

Of course, there’s still more work to do. I have more to clean, and there are other tasks that I want to focus my energy on too. Language learning (or some form of personal study) is the most intimidating one, but this reminder to take things one step at a time instead of stressing over the bigger picture should help keep to me on track. And I have momentum now--it’s a lot easier to keep being productive than it is to start being productive. Hopefully I can use this momentum to set up a concrete schedule and work towards my goals, even if it’s one step at a time.

Maybe this is pretentious, and maybe I’m leaning too heavily on the profound impact of vacuuming my floor. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. Forcing myself to get off my ass and clean has put me in the right frame of mind to turn things around and channel more energy into productivity and accomplishing my goals, and that’s a good thing no matter how it came about.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Persona 3 Portable and FemC

FemC has been on my mind for a while now. One of my friends recently finished playing Persona 3 for the first time, and I had started my own replay around the same time they picked up the game. It’s strange that so much effort went into FemC only to throw her into a non-canon version of P3 with downgraded presentation. Going through the game again, I was surprised by how much care and effort went into differentiating FemC’s route from the original story. Her interactions with other characters are different, many of her social links are different, and her dialogue choices hint at a more outgoing, approachable personality than those of the male protagonist. Sadly, her implementation is far from perfect.

There are a few problems I have, some of which come from the way FemC was handled and some issues I have with P3 Portable itself. P3P’s weaker presentation is no surprise, but it’s still disappointing. A lot of the stronger scenes in Persona 3 are nerfed by the absence of animated cutscenes or 3D models, and that’s a strong blow against a game that leans on its story and characters so strongly. There was never a time when the presentation ruined the story for me, but some scenes definitely felt flat compared to the original presentation.

Another problem that a lot of people have with P3P is in how it handles some of the more important themes of Persona 3, with themes of death being most important. I won’t talk about specific spoilers, but Portable goes out of its way to give you an almost “golden” ending where no one important dies or gets hurt. In some ways, this definitely goes against the point of P3′s story, and I see where the complaints are coming from. Still, the improvements to gameplay and social links make Portable the only version of Persona 3 that I consider enjoyable to play, and that’s pretty important for a video game.

A lot of my disappointment in FemC comes from the fact that she was inserted into a story written for a different character. From the start, it doesn’t “feel” canon. FemC doesn’t quite fit into all of these events as well as she would have if they wrote a game around her from the start. But maybe that perception comes from my earlier experience playing P3 FES and my familiarity with the male protagonist.

I have the same problem with some of her social links and “lesbian romance options.” Honestly, I’m glad that lesbian romance paths exist in this series at all, but the way P3P handles them is a little disingenuous. Aigis is the only one that I consider a true lesbian route; while Elizabeth and Mitsuru nerf the dialogue from the male protag route, Aigis actually goes further and makes it clear that these girls are gay for each other, and that’s neat. Regardless, it’s a bit disappointing that the best gay representation we have in the Persona series (at least in the newer games) comes from gender swapping our main character into romances that already existed. I am glad that it’s in the game though.

I don’t think it’s likely, but I would love a definitive version of Persona 3 someday that includes an improved FemC route with presentation on par with the male protagonist’s in addition to more gameplay improvements--Tartarus is a nightmare, and it always has been. This might be ambitious, but I also hope that we see a full female protagonist in future Persona or SMT games. It’s been done before, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done again. I understand that this will likely never happen because it messes with the dating sim that many people play Persona for (among other reasons), but I can dream.

Either way, Persona 3 Portable is a solid version of a great game. It has its share of issues, but P3F has plenty of its own. It’s a shame the only female protagonist that modern Persona has seen was thrown on the PSP with downgraded presentation and a non-canon story. At least she has a kickass soundtrack and a robot wife.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Online Learning

I had intended for my next post here to be more positive, but school has been on my mind lately. Thanks to the situation with COVID-19 in the US, it looks like my classes for next semester will be online only. Obviously, it’s better than the alternative of shoving everyone together in a crowded room, but it’s disappointing regardless.

My experience with online learning last semester wasn’t particularly good. At this point, I’m past most of the introductory/lecture style courses that would be perfect for online learning, and most of my classes are focused more on specific/niche topics or discussion. Taking these classes online is rough. It’s almost impossible to have a legitimate discussion over the Internet, and the nature of these classes just doesn’t fit anywhere outside of an in person setting.

Another layer to my disappointment is much more personal. For a while, I struggled with anxiety about public speaking or talking to strangers in a classroom. It was difficult for me to approach people or make friends, and I mostly kept to myself. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been doing a much better job of putting myself out there and being more outgoing. I would start conversations, befriend classmates easily, engage in discussions, or crack jokes between classes. I was happy with the progress I was making, but the switch to online classes has brought back some old habits.

With no one to talk or joke to between classes, I started to keep to myself more and more. The distractions from working at home didn’t help either--it’s hard enough for me to stay focused in a lecture hall, let alone at my own computer with no eyes on me. Naturally, my focus and attention slipped and I didn’t learn nearly as much after my school switched to online classes. Hilariously, I couldn’t even complete most of the homework. For some reason, I have a hard time reading off a computer screen. It’s nearly impossible for me to read longer texts digitally, and I don’t have a printer or anything either. In only a few weeks, I went from an outgoing student who did all of their homework and led class discussions to an apathetic lurker who barely scraped by. It wasn’t my best semester.

Still, I want to stay optimistic for next semester. I’m sure there are plenty of steps I can take to make the experience more positive, and it’s up to us to make the best of a bad situation. For starters, I’ll be choosing classes that fit better with online learning (even if they don’t fit perfectly) and trying to remove distractions. If I can mix those steps in with more positive writing and journaling, I’m confident that next semester will be better. If nothing else, I’ll have plenty of time to relax and play video games with my commute out of the picture.

Stay positive, haru

[heathereal313]

Foundations

It’s difficult to know what to say when you’ve never written a blog post before, but I guess that’s part of why I made this page. Before school murdered my passion for writing, I would work on personal projects or stories every day. Sadly, it’s hard to keep that passion going when you spend so much time doing it as part of your degree. Lately, I find myself writing less and less. I’ve written some of my best work in the last two or three years, but a lot of it doesn’t have the same spark as the poems I would write in high school or my first forays into storytelling. Even though my work is better now, it’s not nearly as satisfying.

That’s where these posts come in. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a step back from formal/academic writing to focus on what really interests me. Hopefully, I can change that with this page.

The goal is to write informally about whatever topics interest or drive me at the time. School taught me that brevity is best, but posts here will wander by design. Ideally, there will be no compulsive editing, no scouring the net for synonyms, and no stress. There won’t be any set schedule for posts, and I don’t expect (or particularly want) an audience. I’m happy as long as I can talk about my interests--besides, now I won’t have to worry about flooding my friends’ inboxes with my nerd rants.

I’m not sure when my next post will be or what I’ll write about. In some sense, this is more of a public journal than anything else. Hopefully, I’ll have something more fun to talk about next time, but I think getting these thoughts down will be important for deciding how I want to structure any posts moving forward.

Stay positive, haru