DomencioDovanna
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Max Payne 3
2012
Before this review starts, I would like to preface that this is by no means an actual, in-depth critical review of Max Payne 3. I won’t be touching the story or gameplay AT ALL in this, so let that be warned. This is purely about how I feel about Max Payne 3’s portrayal of my region of Brazil and how it affected my enjoyment of it to the point where I just can’t really stand it and think it is one of the most racist video games ever made. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that Resident Evil 5 is frequently cited as a super racist video game when Max Payne 3 is literally right there and does the exact same things that game does!
The average person who played Max Payne 3 will probably not bother to do an inch of research on the country of Brazil, probably thinks Rio is the capital, and believes that it is an absolute warzone hellhole where people get shot on the street constantly. This is the kind of audience Rockstar was trying to appeal to with this game. I do not believe, even for a second, that they made this game out of respect for Brazil. They simply wanted a 3rd world country to throw their white American hero into so he could shoot and kill without a care in the world, because the 3rd world is so lawless, right? They wanted to portray their weird, twisted view of Brazil so much that they even went so far as to scan a thousand residents of the favela of Paraisópolis into the game, acting as backdrop NPCs in the chapters that do take place in the favela. You can kill actual residents of São Paulo in Max Payne 3, which is crazy once you consider how the rest of the game handles this stuff. You can sit there in your little house just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, and get your greasy hands on the controller and shoot at people who were probably paid less than a penny for their faces to be plastered onto enemies. It's the most pure depiction of the average 40-something-year-old American going to a country that doesn't belong to you and killing brown people for fun!
There is so much arrogance in Rockstar's approach to developing Max Payne 3. A huge inspiration for the game was the 2007 Brazilian movie “Tropa de Elite," which is very funny once you learn what that movie is about. It's like Rockstar saw that movie as just an average cool awesome shooter romp through a favela and not as a critique of Brazil’s problems and struggle with violence. I think taking a movie that presents a very thoughtful critique of violence and using it for their little American power fantasy video game is insanely disrespectful. But it’s not like it really matters to the audience for this game. The audience doesn’t know what "Tropa de Elite" is; most of them couldn’t even tell what language Brazil speaks, and most of them probably don’t even know Portuguese is a language. It appeals to the naive, the Americans, who think going to Brazil to shoot at some mixed-race thugs is the coolest thing in the world because they can live out their little soldier hero fantasy.
The depiction of lawful Brazilian citizens, who all seem to hate gringos and be aggressive on sight despite Brazil frequently being cited as one of the most friendly countries to foreigners, is an objectively wrong, offensive depiction. Brazilians do not hate gringos; I, being one myself and being friends with a lot of gringos and foreigners, can personally attest to this. I have been around a lot of São Paulo because I live fairly close to it and there are always gringos around, and no one minds, and in fact, most Brazilians really enjoy helping out gringos or foreigners in any way they can! Rockstar seems to have this weird, twisted idea that since it's a favela and not the clean, corporate building of the Brancos, the people are totally different. The people from the favelas are wonderful people, despite the bad hand most of them have been dealt in life: stuck in poverty, living in run-down buildings on top of other buildings, stacked up so high. They have a resilient spirit; they, to me, represent the Brazilian spirit more than any other group of people in this world, and I respect them deeply for it. I think choosing to depict these people as inherently hostile to Max, the American hero, is so disrespectful to them and their home and the culture they were raised around, and it paints a picture that is absolutely not true. I believe Rockstar chose to depict the favelas like that because it would sell. The depiction of the favelas as lawless wastelands with gangsters and thugs at every corner is the most pure evidence you could find of the ignorance of the average American writer. You can visit a country and study it, see how it is, then go home to your little flat in your little apartment and depict it in a way that would make sense to your audience, which is the American, the one you want to please because they at the end of the day give you money; the citizens of São Paulo don’t really matter in the end much at all, and their input was never needed.
Brazil already gets misrepresented by the world at large, and I am a firm believer that media can affect and alter reality and how people perceive things in significant ways. Rockstar seemed to be drawn in by the allure of Brazil that exists in the minds of only foreigners and not the actual experience of the average Brazilian. The funk, the favela, the scorching sun, the people, the beaches, the drinking, the soccer—everything that people stereotype Brazilians as is present in this game! I don’t feel proud saying this is THE game that takes place where I live, that this is THE game that is supposed to “represent” São Paulo. I personally struggled with my Brazilian identity for a long time because of certain notions and preconceptions people held and still hold against Brazilians, particularly online, which tends to get very very nasty and racist. And I cannot sit here and pretend like I am fine with the way these Americans wrote about my country and my people.
Even when you get to the real villains of the game, the Brazilian UFE and Victor Branco, the game never changes from its weird attitude towards Brazilians. Chapter 12 is literally named “The Great American Savior of the Poor,” and as ironic as Rockstar’s intent may have been while writing that, they characterize Max and Brazilians in such a way that that is actually the case! He stops the Comando Sombra, he stops the UFE, he stops political corruption, and he saves a bunch of favela citizens from getting their organs harvested. He, a white American man, really does become the savior of the poor through this game's absolutely naive and frankly stupidly racist writing. And the critique itself towards the Brazilian police and political world is absolutely shallow and warped. I mean, Victor Branco is kind of a silly caricature of a stereotypical corrupt Brazilian politician, but the game doesn’t really delve any deeper than that, and it frankly makes me quite sad. Just a few years after this game came out, Operation Car Wash started, and honestly, I wish this game had come out during that time frame so they could have developed that plot point further. But then I also worry they would’ve handled it in the worst way possible and made the most Brazilian right-wing propaganda piece video game of all time, and that thought alone sends shivers down my spine. Like Imagine in your head right now a game so right-wing Bolsonaro would probably use clips of it in his 2018 campaign. I already think the game is inherently right-leaning simply because of the way it handles a lot of the subject matter, and I honestly fear what a 2017 Max Payne 3 taking place in Brazil during the Temer era would look like...
If it seems like I have gotten emotional or angry while writing this, it is because I have! I do not live in the city of São Paulo proper; I live on the coast. But I have been to São Paulo quite often in my life due to a few of my relatives living there, and those relatives live in the parts that Max Payne 3 chose specifically to depict. It makes me sad that this is the product that was made; this is what Rockstar chose to depict of my family, my friends, and my country. To the people that live here, to the people that know and love people that live in the world Max Payne 3 chose to take place in, it is a very painful experience to go through again and again. São Paulo is really a beautiful state, and most will never ever get to experience it; only the people that have lived here would really understand how amazing and beautiful it truly can be. But to the average audience that loves Rockstar, all of this is alright and fine by them; they’re never going to feel offended, and they’re never going to have a problem with it. They’re never going to feel their blood pressure rise when the game says something so insanely racist you have to take a step back. They’re never going to wonder how their friends and family are viewed due to the negative connotations being from a favela already carried, made worse by a totally inept and ignorant development team. Because they don’t care. To the average American consumer, it is just another game set in a "shithole," a "warzone," where they get to escape their privileged realities and pretend they’re some sort of hero. Rockstar manages to reinforce every single negative stereotype about Brazil for these people. And they’re going to eat it up; they’ll believe it because they are inherently ignorant. It is a game made for Americans, not for the Brazilian people, and there is nothing more American than pretending to be a badass hero in some “shithole” where the only goal is to kill as many brown people as possible.
I have gone on a few tangents here and there, but I have stated my case. Max Payne 3 is a racist video game, plain and simple. It's not going to beat around the bush and pretend it's because Rockstar is doing it by accident because it honestly feels very deliberate. They had writers approve a lot of this stuff, and it baffles me that at no point a writer went and said how kind of messed up it all is. I will leave a single quote here that I feel perfectly illustrates what I mean by all of this:
“We’d half destroyed São Paulo’s most hallowed place of worship.” A stadium.
The average person who played Max Payne 3 will probably not bother to do an inch of research on the country of Brazil, probably thinks Rio is the capital, and believes that it is an absolute warzone hellhole where people get shot on the street constantly. This is the kind of audience Rockstar was trying to appeal to with this game. I do not believe, even for a second, that they made this game out of respect for Brazil. They simply wanted a 3rd world country to throw their white American hero into so he could shoot and kill without a care in the world, because the 3rd world is so lawless, right? They wanted to portray their weird, twisted view of Brazil so much that they even went so far as to scan a thousand residents of the favela of Paraisópolis into the game, acting as backdrop NPCs in the chapters that do take place in the favela. You can kill actual residents of São Paulo in Max Payne 3, which is crazy once you consider how the rest of the game handles this stuff. You can sit there in your little house just outside Little Rock, Arkansas, and get your greasy hands on the controller and shoot at people who were probably paid less than a penny for their faces to be plastered onto enemies. It's the most pure depiction of the average 40-something-year-old American going to a country that doesn't belong to you and killing brown people for fun!
There is so much arrogance in Rockstar's approach to developing Max Payne 3. A huge inspiration for the game was the 2007 Brazilian movie “Tropa de Elite," which is very funny once you learn what that movie is about. It's like Rockstar saw that movie as just an average cool awesome shooter romp through a favela and not as a critique of Brazil’s problems and struggle with violence. I think taking a movie that presents a very thoughtful critique of violence and using it for their little American power fantasy video game is insanely disrespectful. But it’s not like it really matters to the audience for this game. The audience doesn’t know what "Tropa de Elite" is; most of them couldn’t even tell what language Brazil speaks, and most of them probably don’t even know Portuguese is a language. It appeals to the naive, the Americans, who think going to Brazil to shoot at some mixed-race thugs is the coolest thing in the world because they can live out their little soldier hero fantasy.
The depiction of lawful Brazilian citizens, who all seem to hate gringos and be aggressive on sight despite Brazil frequently being cited as one of the most friendly countries to foreigners, is an objectively wrong, offensive depiction. Brazilians do not hate gringos; I, being one myself and being friends with a lot of gringos and foreigners, can personally attest to this. I have been around a lot of São Paulo because I live fairly close to it and there are always gringos around, and no one minds, and in fact, most Brazilians really enjoy helping out gringos or foreigners in any way they can! Rockstar seems to have this weird, twisted idea that since it's a favela and not the clean, corporate building of the Brancos, the people are totally different. The people from the favelas are wonderful people, despite the bad hand most of them have been dealt in life: stuck in poverty, living in run-down buildings on top of other buildings, stacked up so high. They have a resilient spirit; they, to me, represent the Brazilian spirit more than any other group of people in this world, and I respect them deeply for it. I think choosing to depict these people as inherently hostile to Max, the American hero, is so disrespectful to them and their home and the culture they were raised around, and it paints a picture that is absolutely not true. I believe Rockstar chose to depict the favelas like that because it would sell. The depiction of the favelas as lawless wastelands with gangsters and thugs at every corner is the most pure evidence you could find of the ignorance of the average American writer. You can visit a country and study it, see how it is, then go home to your little flat in your little apartment and depict it in a way that would make sense to your audience, which is the American, the one you want to please because they at the end of the day give you money; the citizens of São Paulo don’t really matter in the end much at all, and their input was never needed.
Brazil already gets misrepresented by the world at large, and I am a firm believer that media can affect and alter reality and how people perceive things in significant ways. Rockstar seemed to be drawn in by the allure of Brazil that exists in the minds of only foreigners and not the actual experience of the average Brazilian. The funk, the favela, the scorching sun, the people, the beaches, the drinking, the soccer—everything that people stereotype Brazilians as is present in this game! I don’t feel proud saying this is THE game that takes place where I live, that this is THE game that is supposed to “represent” São Paulo. I personally struggled with my Brazilian identity for a long time because of certain notions and preconceptions people held and still hold against Brazilians, particularly online, which tends to get very very nasty and racist. And I cannot sit here and pretend like I am fine with the way these Americans wrote about my country and my people.
Even when you get to the real villains of the game, the Brazilian UFE and Victor Branco, the game never changes from its weird attitude towards Brazilians. Chapter 12 is literally named “The Great American Savior of the Poor,” and as ironic as Rockstar’s intent may have been while writing that, they characterize Max and Brazilians in such a way that that is actually the case! He stops the Comando Sombra, he stops the UFE, he stops political corruption, and he saves a bunch of favela citizens from getting their organs harvested. He, a white American man, really does become the savior of the poor through this game's absolutely naive and frankly stupidly racist writing. And the critique itself towards the Brazilian police and political world is absolutely shallow and warped. I mean, Victor Branco is kind of a silly caricature of a stereotypical corrupt Brazilian politician, but the game doesn’t really delve any deeper than that, and it frankly makes me quite sad. Just a few years after this game came out, Operation Car Wash started, and honestly, I wish this game had come out during that time frame so they could have developed that plot point further. But then I also worry they would’ve handled it in the worst way possible and made the most Brazilian right-wing propaganda piece video game of all time, and that thought alone sends shivers down my spine. Like Imagine in your head right now a game so right-wing Bolsonaro would probably use clips of it in his 2018 campaign. I already think the game is inherently right-leaning simply because of the way it handles a lot of the subject matter, and I honestly fear what a 2017 Max Payne 3 taking place in Brazil during the Temer era would look like...
If it seems like I have gotten emotional or angry while writing this, it is because I have! I do not live in the city of São Paulo proper; I live on the coast. But I have been to São Paulo quite often in my life due to a few of my relatives living there, and those relatives live in the parts that Max Payne 3 chose specifically to depict. It makes me sad that this is the product that was made; this is what Rockstar chose to depict of my family, my friends, and my country. To the people that live here, to the people that know and love people that live in the world Max Payne 3 chose to take place in, it is a very painful experience to go through again and again. São Paulo is really a beautiful state, and most will never ever get to experience it; only the people that have lived here would really understand how amazing and beautiful it truly can be. But to the average audience that loves Rockstar, all of this is alright and fine by them; they’re never going to feel offended, and they’re never going to have a problem with it. They’re never going to feel their blood pressure rise when the game says something so insanely racist you have to take a step back. They’re never going to wonder how their friends and family are viewed due to the negative connotations being from a favela already carried, made worse by a totally inept and ignorant development team. Because they don’t care. To the average American consumer, it is just another game set in a "shithole," a "warzone," where they get to escape their privileged realities and pretend they’re some sort of hero. Rockstar manages to reinforce every single negative stereotype about Brazil for these people. And they’re going to eat it up; they’ll believe it because they are inherently ignorant. It is a game made for Americans, not for the Brazilian people, and there is nothing more American than pretending to be a badass hero in some “shithole” where the only goal is to kill as many brown people as possible.
I have gone on a few tangents here and there, but I have stated my case. Max Payne 3 is a racist video game, plain and simple. It's not going to beat around the bush and pretend it's because Rockstar is doing it by accident because it honestly feels very deliberate. They had writers approve a lot of this stuff, and it baffles me that at no point a writer went and said how kind of messed up it all is. I will leave a single quote here that I feel perfectly illustrates what I mean by all of this:
“We’d half destroyed São Paulo’s most hallowed place of worship.” A stadium.
I've scarcely felt so undecided on a game, this is genuinely an oddball experience. This is basically a retelling of Evangelion but in game form. The cutscenes and sound have incredible quality, but actually playing it - crazy shit. The first couple of stages set you up to think this is a 3D fighter as you control Eva 01 and fight angels, but just as soon as you get used to that, you're slapped in the face by an 8 second mission where you're fighting with the controls trying to aim a missile. Then you're mashing buttons hard enough to give yourself an aneurysm as you chase down Jet Alone - and then its a fucking rhythm game with Asuka. Your head will be spinning, but not for long, because you can clear this entire thing in like an hour. Is it even fair to call this a game? It feels more like something you'd play with at a museum exhibit
Kingdom Hearts
2002
kingdom hearts is the most enigmatic game to me for the incredibly alluring intro scene where sora monologues about fucking nothing then stumbles towards riku like a fucking dumbass then like drowns while simple and clean plays, which while dumb, had me hooked when i first opened this game a few years ago, wanting to learn more about this game and the world it had. then, all of the allure was just gone when it drops you in the first world and you have to do a bunch of annoying fucking fetch quests. however, i played through it (and lost to riku in the race fuck that guy) and then got to wonderland and dropped it because i thought it was incredibly fucking boring, not worth my time, and because i hated the cheshire cat.
however, i decided i would give this game a fair shake, so i played through it for real this time, making sure to explore every nook and cranny of every world to experience this game to the fullest and obtain everything it offers. i beat riku in the race this time, and after playing through a bunch of worlds, realized that the disney-ness AND final fantasy-ness of this game just does not do it any favors. you could remove both the disney and final fantasy parts and replace them with a bunch of generic random characters and stories and i sincerely do not think this game would be any different; in fact, i mightve enjoyed it more. it was just the most annoying, grating shit ever sometimes, and spending hours of my life busting my ass beating the shit out of monkeys or going through the most bullshit coliseum level of all time while i got rewarded with absolutely zero genuine story progression was safe to say, not worth it.
instead, what was worth it was the kingdom hearts parts. all the original parts in this game had me genuinely engaged, constantly wanting to know more about sora, riku, kairi, and the lore of this universe. the theming was like fine i guess; it was super generic about light and dark and like keeping a pure heart by maintaining your astonishment for the world around you and for other people, but by the time it hit its stride i was so fucking numb from the disney parts that i was just about ready for anything. unfortunately, this game did not focus that much on it until around hollow bastion, which is when it got actually good and i started enjoying it. but, it taking 25 hours for me to give a fuck about this game does not bode well. there were a few, and i mean a few, highs in this game that werent at the very end, like halloween town or agrabah. but even then, the levels themselves were either boring, annoying, or just complete nothing.
regarding the levels, the gameplay was really really really annoying. level design was just insanely stupid sometimes like with the deep jungle making you backtrack, super boring like with wonderland, just absolutely nothing like monstro or neverland, or absolutely fucking abyss scum bullshit like atlantica and the horribly controlling swimming. i think the reason that the good worlds were good is because of the vibes that they had, which i cant really put a finger on but thats just how it is i guess. there were a few highs, but much more lows that left me questioning not only my existence and my place in this world, but also why i was still playing this shit. thankfully, 100 acre wood and winnie the pooh saved my life in this game because that world was deadass like the best one in this entire game because its sweet, short, wholesome, and had you form genuinely fruitful friendships with pooh and all of his friends. thus, my friend winnie the pooh gave me what i needed – motivation. i trudged on and on and what do you know! the non-disney worlds were better, had more interesting stories, and kept me engaged in the game, constantly wanting to know more. hollow bastion was an actually well-designed world, with good puzzles that made me think and also strategize. BUT, the combat made me want to snap my disc in two.
this game’s combat wasn’t particularly bad, but it was just so annoying. its fun when its good, and super frustrating when its not good. its very existence is just kind of dumb – its like if final fantasy tried to be an action game, but its like a weird middle ground between an action game and a turn-based rpg. it has you fighting ridiculously large enemy groups at some points with your sword, spells, donald, and goofy, which while it may seem like a lot, is absolutely nothing because of how much this game wants to be like final fantasy. sora moves like a snail, with the only viable way to move around quickly to hit enemies being rolling. even then, his sword is a lot shorter than you would think, making melee combat really annoying sometimes. i dont know if its just the depth perception on my crt, or if its just a skill issue, but i was actually just not able to see how far i was from an enemy at some parts, which made it really tiring. this also might just be a skill issue but the animation for healing, like cure or a potion, is ridiculously long AND you cant move while casting it AND it doesnt have any invincibility frames which means you can get randomly hit by a projectile that interrupts your healing and cannot do anything about it because nomura said so. generally, the gameplay kind of necessitates that you keep moving around due to how fast paced it can be, and coming to a full stop when casting magic kind of sucks because it makes you an open target, which proves especially annoying as the game progresses and you face progressively more difficult enemies, especially those that spam projectiles. i did like the ability customization a lot though, and wailing on bosses with arcanum was pretty fun. also, the abilities that restored hp and mp and stuff by getting hit or attacking were nice. FUCK THE GUMMI SHIP SECTIONS.
lastly, i do have a lot of problems with the characters in this game. independent of the shitty dialogue and character assassinations of disney characters, the way it handles some of the supporting cast just kinda sucks. sora barely has any development with donald and goofy throughout the game, despite them being there literally the entire time. when i first saw donald being a piece of shit i was sure he would go through a character arc but literally nothing dawg. nothing even happens for them to be considered best friends because this game is just sorely lacking in actual character moments. riku is probably my favorite character because he actually had character moments, especially with sora. without getting into spoilers i also really really disliked a story decision they did with kairi that just kinda ruined her entire character.
while i did just shit on this game for 1200 words, i didnt think it was that bad. it was novel for its time – a mix of two beloved franchises, action combat mixed with final fantasy, a cast of characters that were around the age of the people playing the game that at least were meant to have genuine relationships with each other, and most importantly, winnie the pooh. despite all of its faults, i cant really find myself to despise this game, so i settled at it just being mid, because i genuinely did like parts like hollow bastion, the final boss, and riku.
however, i decided i would give this game a fair shake, so i played through it for real this time, making sure to explore every nook and cranny of every world to experience this game to the fullest and obtain everything it offers. i beat riku in the race this time, and after playing through a bunch of worlds, realized that the disney-ness AND final fantasy-ness of this game just does not do it any favors. you could remove both the disney and final fantasy parts and replace them with a bunch of generic random characters and stories and i sincerely do not think this game would be any different; in fact, i mightve enjoyed it more. it was just the most annoying, grating shit ever sometimes, and spending hours of my life busting my ass beating the shit out of monkeys or going through the most bullshit coliseum level of all time while i got rewarded with absolutely zero genuine story progression was safe to say, not worth it.
instead, what was worth it was the kingdom hearts parts. all the original parts in this game had me genuinely engaged, constantly wanting to know more about sora, riku, kairi, and the lore of this universe. the theming was like fine i guess; it was super generic about light and dark and like keeping a pure heart by maintaining your astonishment for the world around you and for other people, but by the time it hit its stride i was so fucking numb from the disney parts that i was just about ready for anything. unfortunately, this game did not focus that much on it until around hollow bastion, which is when it got actually good and i started enjoying it. but, it taking 25 hours for me to give a fuck about this game does not bode well. there were a few, and i mean a few, highs in this game that werent at the very end, like halloween town or agrabah. but even then, the levels themselves were either boring, annoying, or just complete nothing.
regarding the levels, the gameplay was really really really annoying. level design was just insanely stupid sometimes like with the deep jungle making you backtrack, super boring like with wonderland, just absolutely nothing like monstro or neverland, or absolutely fucking abyss scum bullshit like atlantica and the horribly controlling swimming. i think the reason that the good worlds were good is because of the vibes that they had, which i cant really put a finger on but thats just how it is i guess. there were a few highs, but much more lows that left me questioning not only my existence and my place in this world, but also why i was still playing this shit. thankfully, 100 acre wood and winnie the pooh saved my life in this game because that world was deadass like the best one in this entire game because its sweet, short, wholesome, and had you form genuinely fruitful friendships with pooh and all of his friends. thus, my friend winnie the pooh gave me what i needed – motivation. i trudged on and on and what do you know! the non-disney worlds were better, had more interesting stories, and kept me engaged in the game, constantly wanting to know more. hollow bastion was an actually well-designed world, with good puzzles that made me think and also strategize. BUT, the combat made me want to snap my disc in two.
this game’s combat wasn’t particularly bad, but it was just so annoying. its fun when its good, and super frustrating when its not good. its very existence is just kind of dumb – its like if final fantasy tried to be an action game, but its like a weird middle ground between an action game and a turn-based rpg. it has you fighting ridiculously large enemy groups at some points with your sword, spells, donald, and goofy, which while it may seem like a lot, is absolutely nothing because of how much this game wants to be like final fantasy. sora moves like a snail, with the only viable way to move around quickly to hit enemies being rolling. even then, his sword is a lot shorter than you would think, making melee combat really annoying sometimes. i dont know if its just the depth perception on my crt, or if its just a skill issue, but i was actually just not able to see how far i was from an enemy at some parts, which made it really tiring. this also might just be a skill issue but the animation for healing, like cure or a potion, is ridiculously long AND you cant move while casting it AND it doesnt have any invincibility frames which means you can get randomly hit by a projectile that interrupts your healing and cannot do anything about it because nomura said so. generally, the gameplay kind of necessitates that you keep moving around due to how fast paced it can be, and coming to a full stop when casting magic kind of sucks because it makes you an open target, which proves especially annoying as the game progresses and you face progressively more difficult enemies, especially those that spam projectiles. i did like the ability customization a lot though, and wailing on bosses with arcanum was pretty fun. also, the abilities that restored hp and mp and stuff by getting hit or attacking were nice. FUCK THE GUMMI SHIP SECTIONS.
lastly, i do have a lot of problems with the characters in this game. independent of the shitty dialogue and character assassinations of disney characters, the way it handles some of the supporting cast just kinda sucks. sora barely has any development with donald and goofy throughout the game, despite them being there literally the entire time. when i first saw donald being a piece of shit i was sure he would go through a character arc but literally nothing dawg. nothing even happens for them to be considered best friends because this game is just sorely lacking in actual character moments. riku is probably my favorite character because he actually had character moments, especially with sora. without getting into spoilers i also really really disliked a story decision they did with kairi that just kinda ruined her entire character.
while i did just shit on this game for 1200 words, i didnt think it was that bad. it was novel for its time – a mix of two beloved franchises, action combat mixed with final fantasy, a cast of characters that were around the age of the people playing the game that at least were meant to have genuine relationships with each other, and most importantly, winnie the pooh. despite all of its faults, i cant really find myself to despise this game, so i settled at it just being mid, because i genuinely did like parts like hollow bastion, the final boss, and riku.
This review contains spoilers
Much like nirvanA Initiative’s pervasive theme of wholes split in half, this game has divided opinions across the board on its overall quality. It is rare to see a middling opinion regarding this game, with much of the fanbase taking a side to either attack or defend it. I won’t act like a centrist or pretend to be unbiased in this review: AINI is my favorite game of all time.
For me, media is much more than what it is in an isolated bubble. Every piece of media is an experience, whether it be a good or bad one. Part of that experience is the way you interact with it, share it with others, and build up to it in the first place. One of the many reasons I love this game so much is just that— everything other than the game itself, too. The ARG in the weeks leading up to release, allowing the community to come together every night and solve puzzles and react to the story that unfolded, was one of my favorite things about the release. Watching every trailer, preordering the game, being excited with everyone else, it was all so magical.
Then, the game released, and I binged it over the span of a day and a half. Needless to say, I was obsessed. The ensuing discussions, fanart, and content related also contributed to my love for the game. I found it interesting listening to drastically different perspectives, mostly because of how unexpected it was for me. The fan-made content has been phenomenal, and I cannot wait to see more in the future.
So, now that the non-game related stuff is out of the way, let me explain why exactly I love nirvanA Initiative so much, starting with: the characters. I adore how every single character in this game represents some half of a whole, even beyond the characters with specific endings. Ryuki and Mizuki are both halves of the story, and each of their relationships with their siblings are further halves that each of them have on their own. Date’s other half, Aiba, willingly left him, which most likely caused him to get hurt in the explosion ending and go missing for so long. I could go on, but these are just some examples of the main theme being represented in characters outside of the ones with endings. And all the characters in this game are completely phenomenal, and my issues with them are few and far between.
Ryuki amazingly subverts the classic detective trope by being a crazy, traumatized, unreliable narrator for half the game. Mizuki is incredibly meaningful to me, being one of my top comfort characters of all time. The Enda family is insanely well-written, with Shoma, Komeiji, and Amame each having their own emotional and unique stories. Kizuna and Lien show the importance of true love and faithfulness, even over time and even when the original spark is gone, as well as loving regardless of health or disability. There’s really too much to cover, but I do love each and every character so much.
And the main mystery itself, oooh I love it so much. The bodies being split in half is so clever, and the way that the owners of the bodies are so unexpected is so fun. This game is filled with conspiracy, lies and truth, and you as the player are constantly double-checking and confirming everything, because nothing ever seems quite right. I’ve seen many people suggest that the entire game should have just been with Ryuki as the protagonist, but I feel that would massively take away from the game overall. The two protagonists represent their half of a whole story, with the two intertwining timelines forming a double-helix much like DNA, which is also a major theme of AINI, one of humanity and genome editing, as well as learning to love someone despite their flaws. The point is, without the two protagonists, there is no timeline twist, there is no frayer, there is no Naix, there is no AINI. The entire game falls apart under that rhetoric, and is nearly perfect just as it is, with no need for removing the other half of that whole.
The visual design contributes heavily to this, with the art style being much more dark and grungy than AITSF, while still maintaining a colorful and fun vibe. The character models and expressions have been improved so much, along with the UI and rest of the presentation. The ARG-style videos also stand out as incredibly unique, really giving AINI a more special feel. Cutscenes and environments were always pleasing to look at, and had such a fantastic art direction that I personally loved so so much. Everything feels much more cohesive and thought-out, with the somnia also receiving a visual overhaul.
And that brings me to my next point: gameplay. The somnia of the first game were frustratingly random and were definitely one of the weaker parts of that game. In contrast to that, I was always looking forward to the next one in AINI. They all have much more logic and sense while maintaining the charm of what made somnia special in the first place. There are just as many funny and weird interactions, unique settings, and even more hidden easter eggs to find. I can’t thoroughly state just how much I really enjoyed every single somnium in AINI.
So, not only do I really vibe with the stakes and finale of the main story, with everyone coming together through love and forming a whole to save the world, but the secret diverge ending also blew me away. It’s short, yes, but messes with the medium in a way I never personally expected. It also raises many more moral questions about truth and lies, and whether it’s better to live happily in a fake world or feel wrong in the true reality. It also says something about how we as players view and interpret media through a fictitious lens, the frayer being a stand-in for that. Diverge really made me rethink the entire game, and that happening after the finale as well was such a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of another certain Uchikoshi game in which there is some required post-ending reading that recontextualizes everything in a new light. And on top of the two endings, the timeline twist also really connected with me on a personal level. I felt disappointed that AITSF did nothing interesting with its timeline, and it honestly feels like the only Uchikoshi game in which the timeline actively hurts the game, and even AINI, which has to take place after the true ending of AITSF, the ending where Date ended up neglecting Mizuki, leading to a more bicker-y and unpleasant relationship between the two in AINI.
Regardless, the timeline twist also fit in with the aforementioned intertwined halves and DNA themes from earlier. I also thought it was done in a very clever way, with clear ways to detect that something about the timeline was wrong. I personally think it’s such a cool twist that also serves as the catalyst for diverge, activating the frayer, AKA the player, which also changes everything about the game.
Finally, I felt so much love and emotion when playing this game. Not just about the characters, but I can tell that the developers poured so much care into AINI, which just makes me love it all the much more. There are so many references and secrets and creativity to be found in this game, and I think that even if someone disagrees with me on the ingeniousness of the story and themes, I hope they can see that. While I’ve never personally understood many of the criticisms pointed at this game, and could talk with someone who sees things differently all day, I really just hope that someone sees what I see: an experience that ties love and communication and real human emotion with a tale of lies, truth, and reality unlike anything else ever has.
For me, media is much more than what it is in an isolated bubble. Every piece of media is an experience, whether it be a good or bad one. Part of that experience is the way you interact with it, share it with others, and build up to it in the first place. One of the many reasons I love this game so much is just that— everything other than the game itself, too. The ARG in the weeks leading up to release, allowing the community to come together every night and solve puzzles and react to the story that unfolded, was one of my favorite things about the release. Watching every trailer, preordering the game, being excited with everyone else, it was all so magical.
Then, the game released, and I binged it over the span of a day and a half. Needless to say, I was obsessed. The ensuing discussions, fanart, and content related also contributed to my love for the game. I found it interesting listening to drastically different perspectives, mostly because of how unexpected it was for me. The fan-made content has been phenomenal, and I cannot wait to see more in the future.
So, now that the non-game related stuff is out of the way, let me explain why exactly I love nirvanA Initiative so much, starting with: the characters. I adore how every single character in this game represents some half of a whole, even beyond the characters with specific endings. Ryuki and Mizuki are both halves of the story, and each of their relationships with their siblings are further halves that each of them have on their own. Date’s other half, Aiba, willingly left him, which most likely caused him to get hurt in the explosion ending and go missing for so long. I could go on, but these are just some examples of the main theme being represented in characters outside of the ones with endings. And all the characters in this game are completely phenomenal, and my issues with them are few and far between.
Ryuki amazingly subverts the classic detective trope by being a crazy, traumatized, unreliable narrator for half the game. Mizuki is incredibly meaningful to me, being one of my top comfort characters of all time. The Enda family is insanely well-written, with Shoma, Komeiji, and Amame each having their own emotional and unique stories. Kizuna and Lien show the importance of true love and faithfulness, even over time and even when the original spark is gone, as well as loving regardless of health or disability. There’s really too much to cover, but I do love each and every character so much.
And the main mystery itself, oooh I love it so much. The bodies being split in half is so clever, and the way that the owners of the bodies are so unexpected is so fun. This game is filled with conspiracy, lies and truth, and you as the player are constantly double-checking and confirming everything, because nothing ever seems quite right. I’ve seen many people suggest that the entire game should have just been with Ryuki as the protagonist, but I feel that would massively take away from the game overall. The two protagonists represent their half of a whole story, with the two intertwining timelines forming a double-helix much like DNA, which is also a major theme of AINI, one of humanity and genome editing, as well as learning to love someone despite their flaws. The point is, without the two protagonists, there is no timeline twist, there is no frayer, there is no Naix, there is no AINI. The entire game falls apart under that rhetoric, and is nearly perfect just as it is, with no need for removing the other half of that whole.
The visual design contributes heavily to this, with the art style being much more dark and grungy than AITSF, while still maintaining a colorful and fun vibe. The character models and expressions have been improved so much, along with the UI and rest of the presentation. The ARG-style videos also stand out as incredibly unique, really giving AINI a more special feel. Cutscenes and environments were always pleasing to look at, and had such a fantastic art direction that I personally loved so so much. Everything feels much more cohesive and thought-out, with the somnia also receiving a visual overhaul.
And that brings me to my next point: gameplay. The somnia of the first game were frustratingly random and were definitely one of the weaker parts of that game. In contrast to that, I was always looking forward to the next one in AINI. They all have much more logic and sense while maintaining the charm of what made somnia special in the first place. There are just as many funny and weird interactions, unique settings, and even more hidden easter eggs to find. I can’t thoroughly state just how much I really enjoyed every single somnium in AINI.
So, not only do I really vibe with the stakes and finale of the main story, with everyone coming together through love and forming a whole to save the world, but the secret diverge ending also blew me away. It’s short, yes, but messes with the medium in a way I never personally expected. It also raises many more moral questions about truth and lies, and whether it’s better to live happily in a fake world or feel wrong in the true reality. It also says something about how we as players view and interpret media through a fictitious lens, the frayer being a stand-in for that. Diverge really made me rethink the entire game, and that happening after the finale as well was such a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of another certain Uchikoshi game in which there is some required post-ending reading that recontextualizes everything in a new light. And on top of the two endings, the timeline twist also really connected with me on a personal level. I felt disappointed that AITSF did nothing interesting with its timeline, and it honestly feels like the only Uchikoshi game in which the timeline actively hurts the game, and even AINI, which has to take place after the true ending of AITSF, the ending where Date ended up neglecting Mizuki, leading to a more bicker-y and unpleasant relationship between the two in AINI.
Regardless, the timeline twist also fit in with the aforementioned intertwined halves and DNA themes from earlier. I also thought it was done in a very clever way, with clear ways to detect that something about the timeline was wrong. I personally think it’s such a cool twist that also serves as the catalyst for diverge, activating the frayer, AKA the player, which also changes everything about the game.
Finally, I felt so much love and emotion when playing this game. Not just about the characters, but I can tell that the developers poured so much care into AINI, which just makes me love it all the much more. There are so many references and secrets and creativity to be found in this game, and I think that even if someone disagrees with me on the ingeniousness of the story and themes, I hope they can see that. While I’ve never personally understood many of the criticisms pointed at this game, and could talk with someone who sees things differently all day, I really just hope that someone sees what I see: an experience that ties love and communication and real human emotion with a tale of lies, truth, and reality unlike anything else ever has.
Sanabi
2022
i cried like 5 times
Title: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: A Masterful Continuation of an Iconic Legacy
As a lifelong fan of the Final Fantasy series, experiencing the magnificence of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was an emotional journey unlike any other. Serving as a direct sequel to the acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake, this installment not only honors the beloved classic but also charts a bold new course, expanding upon its rich lore and characters in ways that are both awe-inspiring and deeply resonant.
From the moment I stepped back into the dystopian city of Midgar, I was enveloped in a world brimming with wonder and danger. The attention to detail in the environment design is nothing short of breathtaking, with each location meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of nostalgia while introducing fresh elements that keep the experience feeling vibrant and alive. Whether I was navigating the labyrinthine streets of Sector 7 or scaling the towering plateaus of the Shinra Headquarters, every corner of the world felt meticulously realized and ripe for exploration.
One of the most striking aspects of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is its narrative depth and complexity. Building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, the sequel delves deeper into the intricate web of politics, spirituality, and personal vendettas that define the world of Gaia. The story unfolds with a sense of urgency and gravitas, weaving together the destinies of its diverse cast of characters in a tapestry of epic proportions. Moments of heart-wrenching tragedy are juxtaposed with scenes of triumphant heroism, creating a narrative arc that is as emotionally resonant as it is captivating.
Moreover, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth introduces a host of new gameplay mechanics and features that elevate the experience to new heights. The revamped combat system seamlessly blends real-time action with strategic decision-making, allowing for dynamic battles that are as exhilarating as they are tactical. The inclusion of new playable characters and summonable allies adds depth to the party dynamics, offering players a wealth of options for customizing their playstyle and overcoming formidable foes.
In addition to its engrossing single-player campaign, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also delivers an immersive multiplayer experience that allows players to join forces with friends and strangers alike in epic battles against powerful adversaries. Whether teaming up to tackle challenging dungeons or competing in intense PvP matches, the multiplayer component adds a new layer of social interaction and replayability to the game, ensuring that the adventure never truly ends.
Overall, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of one of gaming's most iconic franchises. With its breathtaking visuals, emotionally resonant storytelling, and engaging gameplay, it represents the pinnacle of what a modern RPG can achieve. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer eager to embark on an unforgettable journey, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an absolute triumph that demands to be experienced.
As a lifelong fan of the Final Fantasy series, experiencing the magnificence of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was an emotional journey unlike any other. Serving as a direct sequel to the acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake, this installment not only honors the beloved classic but also charts a bold new course, expanding upon its rich lore and characters in ways that are both awe-inspiring and deeply resonant.
From the moment I stepped back into the dystopian city of Midgar, I was enveloped in a world brimming with wonder and danger. The attention to detail in the environment design is nothing short of breathtaking, with each location meticulously crafted to evoke a sense of nostalgia while introducing fresh elements that keep the experience feeling vibrant and alive. Whether I was navigating the labyrinthine streets of Sector 7 or scaling the towering plateaus of the Shinra Headquarters, every corner of the world felt meticulously realized and ripe for exploration.
One of the most striking aspects of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is its narrative depth and complexity. Building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, the sequel delves deeper into the intricate web of politics, spirituality, and personal vendettas that define the world of Gaia. The story unfolds with a sense of urgency and gravitas, weaving together the destinies of its diverse cast of characters in a tapestry of epic proportions. Moments of heart-wrenching tragedy are juxtaposed with scenes of triumphant heroism, creating a narrative arc that is as emotionally resonant as it is captivating.
Moreover, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth introduces a host of new gameplay mechanics and features that elevate the experience to new heights. The revamped combat system seamlessly blends real-time action with strategic decision-making, allowing for dynamic battles that are as exhilarating as they are tactical. The inclusion of new playable characters and summonable allies adds depth to the party dynamics, offering players a wealth of options for customizing their playstyle and overcoming formidable foes.
In addition to its engrossing single-player campaign, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also delivers an immersive multiplayer experience that allows players to join forces with friends and strangers alike in epic battles against powerful adversaries. Whether teaming up to tackle challenging dungeons or competing in intense PvP matches, the multiplayer component adds a new layer of social interaction and replayability to the game, ensuring that the adventure never truly ends.
Overall, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of one of gaming's most iconic franchises. With its breathtaking visuals, emotionally resonant storytelling, and engaging gameplay, it represents the pinnacle of what a modern RPG can achieve. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer eager to embark on an unforgettable journey, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an absolute triumph that demands to be experienced.
A real step up from 4, incredibly better in story, gameplay, and setting. Telling a more focused tale of a soon-to-be legendary squad, it's real good stuff and you can feel how great is gonna be right from the off-set. Tons of good missions, moments, and engagements, so much here to love. Gameplay is floatier and quicker than 4, which is a welcome improvement, and this title also introduces the squad mechanic, which is real brilliant stuff, picking all your squads planes and giving them orders mid-missions to suit your need, it adds a whole new layer to each mission. It's a PS2 classic and a strong entry in the series.
Yakuza
2005
This review contains spoilers
amazing characters music and story (though i do felt as if the latter dragged a bit from time to time) and i like the combat enough. can be kinda clunky at times especially with the camera (which i do really like overall - the fixed camera angles made running around feel pretty awesome tbh) and lock on but most of the time it's not too big an issue. mostly in that fuckass arase fight. fuck that guy.
This review contains spoilers
nanashi in heaven: i know how to crank 90s
God: GET OUT‼️
God: GET OUT‼️
Final Fantasy IX
2000
final fantasy ix is unrelenting in its storytelling and unapologetic in its earnestness. playing it on my ps2, sitting roughly three feet away from my 36 inch crt while the oversaturated and glare-ridden visuals embedded themselves in my retinas is something ill never forget, as the memories i have of playing one of the most cozy yet melancholic games ive ever experienced will last for a lifetime. while the themes of living life to its fullest are cliche and often overdone, final fantasy ix’s way of tackling these themes is what makes it undeniably unique. rather than one character learning that life is worth it by meeting new people and going on an adventure, this game has a set of characters that form a quasi-symbiotic relationship between each other, and all learn to appreciate an independent facet of their life from the main character, with the main message revolving around the power of living your life to the fullest so you build a legacy for yourself that far outlasts you. along with the main character’s hypocrisy in the ideals he preaches making him an all-time favorite of mine, the supporting cast, especially dagger and vivi, was one of the strongest ive seen and exemplify the importance of leaving a legacy to a tremendous degree.
other than that, the game has stunning visuals for the time it was made and the fmvs were beautiful, along with the character models being razor-sharp and super good looking. everything being a perfect fantasy world in this game fits thematically as well, and while i may not play this game ever again, the legacy it left in my memories will continue even after my life is over. a staple of gaming and must play for anyone thats looking for a shot of optimism; i love final fantasy ix and i always will.
other than that, the game has stunning visuals for the time it was made and the fmvs were beautiful, along with the character models being razor-sharp and super good looking. everything being a perfect fantasy world in this game fits thematically as well, and while i may not play this game ever again, the legacy it left in my memories will continue even after my life is over. a staple of gaming and must play for anyone thats looking for a shot of optimism; i love final fantasy ix and i always will.
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