This time last year I had an internship as a software engineer in a start-up. It was a pretty good time---my first time in a corporate(-ish) environment, and the first time I get paid for writing strings of codes to a computer---but it was pretty busy. I didn't pick up any job for year's semester break though, partly because it was a miracle that last year I found someone willing to let me only work full-time for two weeks, and only come every other day for the next couple of months, and also partly because I want to do some of my own things. And I got a comic-writing gig. It's a long-term thing, but I was hoping to maybe get a good stock of words before school start again.
But otherwise I still have lots of free time! And I have lots of video games to get through! Here's some of them.
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII was my first Final Fantasy, in a way. I didn't have a PS3 back when it was released in 2010, but I was interested enough at the game to look for video walkthrough (this was before the age of Let's Play). I liked it a lot from the 3/4th of the game I watched. It sold this entire weird JRPG series to me, and I started hunting for whatever previous Final Fantasy I can actually play (I beat Dissidia 012 and VIII; played through nearly the entirety of X and VI). When the PC version of XIII released in 2014, I was extremely happy that I can finally play it myself.
Long story short, it was not as good as I had thought it was. This game is a mess, with lots of fundamental design issues no matter where you want to look. Narratively, it's broken. Mechanically, it requires some strong balancing on the player's part for it to be fun. The writing is Bad. Level design lacks meaningful substance. The fact that the version I got only has Japanese voices and that it actually lags a bit on my computer don't help its case.
But, still, it occasionally calls me in. Despite the many things it got horribly wrong, it's so interesting to see what it got right. The battle system is unique in all the history of RPGs, and the worldbuilding, in particular, is one of the most fantastic I know. The visuals also still holds strong after nearly ten years.
I got a second-hand PS3 last year, and it came with a copy of Final Fantasy XIII. I debated myself for a while; do I even want to start that mess of a game again from the beginning? Apparently, yes, and I'm livetweeting my full thoughts. It's full of me half-yelling half-analysing the game. It's good fun.
Fire Emblem Awakening
Fire Emblem Fates made it in my 2018 Game of the Year list. "The main story is garbage," I said, "but I love the character interactions. And the chess-like tactical battles."
Awakening, despite being older, blew it out of the water. The story is actually good and the writing is excellent and the translation, while I feel is a slight bit shoddier than Fates, actually has lots of its own charm. I think Fates has better character design and personality overall? And Fates has a better UI. And the minutia changes in Fates's mechanics downplay dumb luck in favour for some proper planning, which is good.
But in Awakening I actually like it when the main story is progressing, instead of that vague feeling of wanting to strangle somebody when the story is progressing in Fates. So, yes, Awakening is the better Fire Emblem.
Shin Megami Tensei IV
The opening scenes in this game is weak enough that I thought it was a low-budget low-effort game, and then my cocky ass died in the tutorial area. And then I met Charon, who was too tired to deal with me so he offered to let me return to life if I just pay him up. I did. And then, because I was still dumb and cocky, I died again. Charon was on break this time, but I met the river guards, who let me return for free and also gave the ability to switch to an easier difficulty setting.
Also the game take place in some medieval Japanese-ish kingdom called the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado, but its citizens have names like Walter and Jonathan and Isabeau, and where the elite military unit is called a Samurai, who can summon demons with the "mystical artifact" strapped to their arms, which is actually a smartphone. And that's only the beginning.
This game is A Lot.
Hollow Knight
I should fight the final boss, but I accidentally unlocked a DLC content and I kinda dread the idea of finishing the game anyway, so here I go exploring again.
Book: The Planets by Sergio Chejfec
Bought his book by random in a sale. I got interested in Latin American literature after discovering Juan Gabriel Vasquez. I know Vasquez is Colombian and Chejfec is Argentinian, and that their individual voices aren't representative of Latin America as a whole, but I'm still getting similar vibes from the two. Same Energy.
Anyway, I'm liking The Planets. It's not the sort of story where you, like, pay attention to the things that are happening, more where you just sorta absorb the atmosphere of the big picture. It's good.
