Durandana
107 Reviews liked by Durandana
Final Fantasy X-2
2003
video game direct to dvd sequel
Probably the greatest game ever made
It was amazing to see this gem totally renovated, made me proud of the fandom that had pushed this game for so many years. Only thing I didn't like was that when I played the online, the game plan was way too optimized LOL Kind of hard to keep up. Things like the placement of lumberjack camps and farms factor in a ton in the advancement of the matches, kind of reminds of the Super Mario Bros. speedruns, which hardly can get better nowadays. Still, that's not a problem with the game at all, but it caught me off guard for sure.
The White Chamber
2005
Silent Hill by the way of How To Draw Manga
Halo 2
2004
The best story of the original Halo trilogy by far, but the level design kinda falls apart in the last third of the game sadly
Elden Ring
2022
This review contains spoilers
It is 1997 and I have just gotten a PS1 for Christmas. While Crash Bandicoot is the king of my first game console, I am enthralled by the demo disc that comes with the system. On that disc is Armored Core, a game developed by FromSoftware. I don't quite understand it, but its eerily empty levels and unique style etch it into my memory, even if I never end up owning the game.
It is 2003 and my friend and I are playing Otogi on his Xbox. We played a demo that came with his subscription of Official Xbox Magazine and both of us are transfixed by its otherworldy atmosphere and one of a kind floating combat. I see it is developed by FromSoftware, one of the first names of a developer that I can remember recognizing. They developed Lost Kingdoms, a game I played a year earlier and loved thanks to its mysterious way of doling out information and its great monster designs. FromSoftware becomes a name I recognize. "The Lost Kingdoms guys" I say whenever I see a game they put out from this point onward.
It is 2010 and I am working at a GameStop. My friends and coworkers are all obsessed with Demon's Souls, a game which has been building a word of mouth following. I'm not interested in it, until I see the name of the developer. "Oh cool, the Otogi people." None of my friends are interested in this, only in souls and Yuria and the Adjudicator and Sticky White Stuff. I play Demon's Souls at their behest and can not stand it. Maybe everyone has an off game?
It is 2012 and I have just beaten the Capra Demon. I played Dark Souls at launch, hoping to Get It this time, and I hated it. I put it aside for over a year, but something about it would not let go. The sparse, empty feeling world, much like Armored Core taken to a fascinating extreme? The way it doles out its information and story in such a selective way like how I pieced together Lost Kingdoms concepts? Its unique combat that is in many ways the opposite of Otogi's free flying aerial bouts? Whatever it is, I manage to break through the barrier and become hooked. I talk about the game with all my friends and coach them through it. I get it now. Somehow, the game managed to be a synthesis of everything I liked about the company's previous games while also bringing these things to a bigger audience than ever before.
It is 2022, and I have beaten the Elden Beast. I begin to cry. This game has drained me. I have played it for 86 hours and thought about it for much more. I struggled to make major headway. I could not defeat Maleina no matter what I did, and it seemed that Radagan would be the same. I feel both a burden lifted and a purpose lost with his defeat. What will I do with my time now? Probably think about this incredible game more. Where Dark Souls was a synthesis of all of FromSoft's previous games, Elden Ring is a synthesis of all of the games that would come in Dark Souls' wake. It once again brought these ideas to a bigger audience than ever before, and did so without sacrificing anything that makes their games interesting or special to do so. It is genuinely incredible for me to see the little developer of weird little games become mainstream through sheer force of will.
I have some problems with the game for sure. The difficulty cure of the games since Dark Souls has always turned me off. I think they bought into the "its so hard haha" idea a bit too much, and this is the apex of that with a host of absurd challenges that push the limit of what I am willing to accept. Its really fucking long. Some of the boss designs repeat a bit too much. But for every Erdtree Watchdog or Magma Wyrm fight, there's some incredible spectacle or deadly for that enchants and infuriates me like the best of FromSoft's bosses. To see all this in an open world setting, one that normally is anathema to me, is all the more impressive and ultimately eradicates any qualms I might have. In one stroke the developers showed everyone how its done.
I don't want to replay this soon. I think it would be genuinely bad for my physical and mental health. I don't like obsessing over games like this. But I couldn't help it. It was a true treasure to share in this experience with every friend group I have. A truly special game that shows just how good video games can be.
It is 2003 and my friend and I are playing Otogi on his Xbox. We played a demo that came with his subscription of Official Xbox Magazine and both of us are transfixed by its otherworldy atmosphere and one of a kind floating combat. I see it is developed by FromSoftware, one of the first names of a developer that I can remember recognizing. They developed Lost Kingdoms, a game I played a year earlier and loved thanks to its mysterious way of doling out information and its great monster designs. FromSoftware becomes a name I recognize. "The Lost Kingdoms guys" I say whenever I see a game they put out from this point onward.
It is 2010 and I am working at a GameStop. My friends and coworkers are all obsessed with Demon's Souls, a game which has been building a word of mouth following. I'm not interested in it, until I see the name of the developer. "Oh cool, the Otogi people." None of my friends are interested in this, only in souls and Yuria and the Adjudicator and Sticky White Stuff. I play Demon's Souls at their behest and can not stand it. Maybe everyone has an off game?
It is 2012 and I have just beaten the Capra Demon. I played Dark Souls at launch, hoping to Get It this time, and I hated it. I put it aside for over a year, but something about it would not let go. The sparse, empty feeling world, much like Armored Core taken to a fascinating extreme? The way it doles out its information and story in such a selective way like how I pieced together Lost Kingdoms concepts? Its unique combat that is in many ways the opposite of Otogi's free flying aerial bouts? Whatever it is, I manage to break through the barrier and become hooked. I talk about the game with all my friends and coach them through it. I get it now. Somehow, the game managed to be a synthesis of everything I liked about the company's previous games while also bringing these things to a bigger audience than ever before.
It is 2022, and I have beaten the Elden Beast. I begin to cry. This game has drained me. I have played it for 86 hours and thought about it for much more. I struggled to make major headway. I could not defeat Maleina no matter what I did, and it seemed that Radagan would be the same. I feel both a burden lifted and a purpose lost with his defeat. What will I do with my time now? Probably think about this incredible game more. Where Dark Souls was a synthesis of all of FromSoft's previous games, Elden Ring is a synthesis of all of the games that would come in Dark Souls' wake. It once again brought these ideas to a bigger audience than ever before, and did so without sacrificing anything that makes their games interesting or special to do so. It is genuinely incredible for me to see the little developer of weird little games become mainstream through sheer force of will.
I have some problems with the game for sure. The difficulty cure of the games since Dark Souls has always turned me off. I think they bought into the "its so hard haha" idea a bit too much, and this is the apex of that with a host of absurd challenges that push the limit of what I am willing to accept. Its really fucking long. Some of the boss designs repeat a bit too much. But for every Erdtree Watchdog or Magma Wyrm fight, there's some incredible spectacle or deadly for that enchants and infuriates me like the best of FromSoft's bosses. To see all this in an open world setting, one that normally is anathema to me, is all the more impressive and ultimately eradicates any qualms I might have. In one stroke the developers showed everyone how its done.
I don't want to replay this soon. I think it would be genuinely bad for my physical and mental health. I don't like obsessing over games like this. But I couldn't help it. It was a true treasure to share in this experience with every friend group I have. A truly special game that shows just how good video games can be.
Elden Ring
2022
Ranni best girl.
Final Fantasy XIII-2
2011
Chrono Trigger for the zoomer generation
100% Orange Juice
2009
Oomfie war crime
Elden Ring
2022
it isnt even fair
This one was, uh, not my favourite.
Gameplay is very straightforward: harvest, build, attack, repeat. Very solid
However, I think looking back on this in 2021, whether Westwood intended it or not, the story and setting put forth a chilling prediction of the climate change and societal response to it. In the world of Tiberian Sun, tiberium represents an uncontrolled environmental disaster. The green/blue crystalline substance is sweeping across the planet, destroying ecosystems, altering the planets surface, and sending untold millions of people fleeing for colder climates. However, tiberium is the fuel of the globalized permanent war economy, so those in power be they GDI or Nod do nothing to find a solution to this problem that threatens all life on the planet. Instead they harvest it (ensuring its continued spread) and outright abandon people living in high exposure areas. GDI and Nod turn a blind eye to the world on fire so they can fight to be king of the ashes. It's hard not to see this reflected in the total apathy towards climate change presented by world governments and mega corporations 22 years after the game's release. The game's brilliant writing and worldbuilding elevates the game in ways that make the game incredibly relevant and haunting.
However, I think looking back on this in 2021, whether Westwood intended it or not, the story and setting put forth a chilling prediction of the climate change and societal response to it. In the world of Tiberian Sun, tiberium represents an uncontrolled environmental disaster. The green/blue crystalline substance is sweeping across the planet, destroying ecosystems, altering the planets surface, and sending untold millions of people fleeing for colder climates. However, tiberium is the fuel of the globalized permanent war economy, so those in power be they GDI or Nod do nothing to find a solution to this problem that threatens all life on the planet. Instead they harvest it (ensuring its continued spread) and outright abandon people living in high exposure areas. GDI and Nod turn a blind eye to the world on fire so they can fight to be king of the ashes. It's hard not to see this reflected in the total apathy towards climate change presented by world governments and mega corporations 22 years after the game's release. The game's brilliant writing and worldbuilding elevates the game in ways that make the game incredibly relevant and haunting.
My personal favorite C&C title due to its exquisite atmosphere and soundtrack, and great unit design. (If you're GDI.) Sadly the game is marred by masochistic mission design (someone deserves to be punched for creating Capture Hammerfest Base, Capture Jake McNeil) and volume issues. (gameplay too loud, while FMV cutscenes are barely audible no matter how you adjust volume settings in the options) Especially annoying if you had speakers where the volume knob comes right off if you pull on it. ;|
The White Chamber
2005
definitely has "something I would've played as a child and then forgotten about years later" energy
Halo 3: ODST
2009
This game made me trans