--Memento Mori--
When I was young, I became aware of death pretty quickly. Growing up in various poor parts of Los Angeles, I was exposed to a lot of the harshest aspects of life. Many people I knew fell in with the wrong crowds—were at the wrong place at the wrong time—weren’t given a chance to live. Up until I was about 19, nearly all of my dreams at night were about my own end. Death was all around me. But being aware of death and understanding it are two very different things. Persona 3 acknowledges this and does its best to teach you the difference.

“The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, he clings to a dim hope. Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination."

Originally released back in 2006, Persona 3 was the game to create and cement the modern Persona formula made more popular by Persona 4 and exploding into the mainstream with overnight acclaim in Persona 5. As an architect of its own genre, Persona 3 lacked many elements that later fans would come to love and expect from the series. Far from as alienating as the three games preceding it, Persona 3 still found itself in this space of “outdated” design by many people. While I strongly disagree with that mentality, it is ultimately what lead to Persona 3 Reload—released only a month prior to this review.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... The silent voice within one's heart whispers the most profound wisdom."

My journey into the realm of Persona, and by extension, the greater Megami Tensei franchise is a bit odd. Rather than starting with one of the more popular RPG titles, I was exposed to what would later become my favorite series through Persona 4 Arena—a 2D fighting game spin-off of Persona 3’s successor. After struggling to find a character I truly resonated with, I researched the series a bit and found Persona 3. I was immediately enticed by its protagonist’s design, the blue color scheme, and most notably—Thanatos.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Celebrate life's grandeur...It's brilliance...It's magnificence..."

I immediately found a way to… acquire the game and played it start to finish in a matter of days. I was hooked. The core gameplay, the music, the presentation was all right up my alley. But more than that, its theme and its characters resonated with me immensely. Persona 3 came to me at the perfect time. In 2012, I was in my final year of high school about to enter the real world at 17 with no sense of direction and no vision of the future. Completely aimless—lost, even.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer..."

Each of P Studios’ titles follow a theme based on a major arcana tarot card starting with Persona 3: Arcana XIII—Death. While each title under their belt carries their themes with conviction, Persona 3’s commitment to death stands out even amongst its brethren. Everyone will and must confront mortality in their life. Death will befall our friends, our family, our pets, and ourselves. There is no exception. Persona 3 highlights this with each core character (and most of its side cast) having experienced a major death in their life, leading them onto the path they currently walk. As a necessary hard stop in our lives, death changes us in different ways. Some lash out in anger, others may retreat into themselves, and some may sever all ties as a means to prevent that familiar pain from returning. But eventually, you will have to face it, one way or another.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself..."

I was an apathetic teenager. I had no sense of self-worth, and I often found myself drifting off into daydreams about the end and how it would come. What the world would be like afterward. What would change. I wasn’t suicidal—far from it, really. I was simply carrying on each day without direction or meaning. I had friends, and I was relatively popular with most people… but I felt empty. People came and went from my life, and it was just something to be expected. Nothing to be mourned or understood—it simply was.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand the hearts of others..."

This all changed when I met the love of my life. As cliché as it may sound, she breathed life into me. And not in some quirky, fantasy woman way. Over time, on my own accord, I found myself wanting to do things. Wanting to be with people. Wanting to create memories and cherish them. Treating people with kindness over dismissive nonchalance. Opening up to people, and creating meaningful bonds. Understanding death means understanding life, and while I met her a few months prior… this was also 2012.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... One of the greatest blessings attained from the gift of life is the freedom to pursue one's personal goals..."

What is there new to say about the Persona formula known the world over through Persona 5? Not much, I imagine, so I’ll keep it brief. As Makoto Yuki, you return to Tatsumi Port Island ten years after a world-changing incident that brought about the Dark Hour—a hidden 25th hour in each day unbeknownst to those without Potential—the ability to manifest your inner psyche as a weapon known as Persona. Together with your comrades, you battle Shadows—amalgamations of the darkness within people given form—in an attempt to return the world to a state of normalcy. The game follows a hybrid formula of dungeon-crawling with turn-based JRPG battles and life simulation visual novel-type character moments. The two aspects support one another brilliantly and flow together in a cocktail of satisfying gameplay and memorable writing.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty..."

So, what’s different in Reload? Besides the visual updates, many quality of life changes have been made for modern audiences to get into and not get so filtered. Tartarus by nature will continue to do that to some degree, but the pain newcomers will feel has been heavily subdued. Battles are lightning quick now and every minor aspect has a neat little flourish to it not present in the original. The game’s balancing has had tweaks to make boss fights less of a pushover as well.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... It requires great courage to look within oneself, and forge one's own path..."

While that’s all well and good, the real meat of Reload for me are the story additions and full voice acting for all Social Links. In the original Persona 3, Makoto could not spend time with male party members outside of combat. They did not have Social Links in any form, and as such, did not get fleshed out to the same degree as the female cast members. This has been rectified with the addition of new Link Episodes—optional events with each character that provide just as much if not more memorable scenes for these characters than Social Links ever have. Without exaggeration, these are my favorite moments of Persona 3 Reload outside of its main story.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Ever-present alongside time is fortune, cruel and unflinching."

In addition to the party member Link Episodes are new scenes involving Strega that make them feel more like people inhabiting the same world and less like laughable obstacles to trounce with a single auto-attack. Ryoji Mochizuki—a prominent character in the late game—also receives this treatment and the game shines brilliantly when these moments arise.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... One needs strength to endure, and rise above suffering and torment."

The voice acting in Reload is superb nearly all around. While I have some issues with Yukari’s new voice actress, she’s far from detrimental. The rest of the cast really crush it the whole way through with extra shout outs to Zeno Robinson as Junpei Iori and Alejandro Saab as Akihiko Sanada. The former was perfect in every moment, happy and sad, and the latter proved me wrong after my first impressions. That said, the music is unfortunately a mixed bag. Many of the remixes fall short compared to the original (“Burn My Dread -Final Battle-“) but all of the original tracks made for this title are incredible. Special mentions to “Color Your Night” and “It’s Going Down” for two of my new favorites in the series.

"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... In the face of unavoidable disaster lies the opportunity to search for redemption."

Persona 3 Reload is by no means a perfect game. Hell, if you asked me, it doesn’t need to exist in the first place. But even through all my doubts, I am glad it does. While at the time of writing this review, it does not have The Answer in any capacity, there have been rumors and leaks aplenty pointing to that inevitability. Even without that, however, I feel confident in saying that Reload is the best way to experience The Journey, and I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys this series, JRPGs, or memorable storytelling.

"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate... Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed... Beyond the journey you have taken lies the absolute end. It matters not who you are... One thing is always certain: Death awaits all."

FINAL FANTASY VII is my childhood game—the one that shaped who I would become through my adolescence. Similarly, Persona 3 was the game that began my adulthood. It was a game that came to me at just the right time and showed me why life is important and why we should get out there and live it. Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic, faithful remake that I now cherish alongside the original. Playing Reload was like revisiting an old friend that you’ve longed to see again after all these years. As soon as I picked it up, and even know after clearing it 100% through two playthroughs, I still feel sad to let it go. This game—whether it’s the original release, FES, or Reload—will forever have a place with me.

"No one can escape time; it delivers us all to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes."

“When I turn into a hideous beast… Even then—in that form… do you still love me?”

The final of the three Operation Rainfall games for me to play, and it's the best of the bunch. This game is an emotional journey through a world shrouded in mysteries and heartbreak, and I recommend it to anyone that has the ability to purchase or emulate it. Parallels can be drawn to Shadow of the Colossus fused with some Legend of Zelda, but Pandora's Tower succeeds in finding its own footing and cementing itself as one of—if not the best—game on the Wii.

In the center of a massive crevice between two warring nations are thirteen towers—bound to the edges of the cliffs by massive chains. After having been mysteriously cursed during her country's Harvest Festival, Elena is taken by Aeron and a suspicious old merchant by the name of Mavda to an observatory right outside the Scar. The curse turns her into a malicious beast, and time is running out. Aeron is tasked with scaling the thirteen towers and slaying the Master Beasts atop them, bringing their flesh back for Elena to reluctantly devour. According to Mavda, this will end the curse ailing poor Elena.

Presented with a mix of in-engine cutscenes, higher quality FMVs, and some picture book flashbacks, Pandora's Tower is engaging from start to finish. Immediately, the player is made aware of the deep bonds Aeron and Elena share, and his overwhelming desire to help her. Aeron rarely speaks aloud, but says volumes with his facial expressions and body language. Dialogs with Elena reveal her innocent and caring nature as she tries desperately to be of some help to Aeron as he braves the dangers of the towers. Both of the lead characters are handled magnificently, weaving a believable relationship and developing a desire within the player to see them both happy together. Mavda maintains an air of enigmatic suspiciousness as you learn more about her people's history and the origin of the towers. Additional characters are introduced via flashback scenes and documents that each have their own arcs and events that manage to humanize even the smallest of players in the grander story.

Gameplay consists of two major elements—scaling the thirteen towers and taking care of Elena. With a time limit placed on her by the curse, it is imperative that you always put Elena first and make sure she is fed beast flesh to prevent her from succumbing to her grim fate. Combat is fast but simple. A mix of melee attacks with weapons such as a sword, knives, and scythe and the magical Oraclos Chain given to Aeron by Mavda. Boss fights are the highlight, as each is fought in a unique manner with the Oroclos Chain, rarely calling for Aeron to brandish his sword. I played using a Pro Controller, so the chain's aiming was relegated to the right analog stick. Occasionally, aiming the chain can be a bit jank, targeting items or enemies that get in the way of what you want. It's serviceable, but I imagine the pointer controls on the Wiimote + Nunchuck combo are much quicker and easier to use. Puzzles are simple and exploration is illustrated well with the chains leading the player to the necessary rooms to unlock the boss gate. Pandora's Tower excels in its use of the Oraclos Chain. Even in repeated elemental themes (two for each element), the ways in which the dungeons innovate on familiar functions of the chain keep things fresh and exciting. It helps that you do not need to spend more than an hour in any given dungeon to complete the game.

Visually, Pandora's Tower is one of the best looking titles on the Wii. Characters are detailed, expressive, and engaging. Environments vary within the towers, using elemental themes to dress the dungeons in different guises to mask the sometimes repetitive layouts. You will see the same staircase a couple times, but it never feels cheap or rehashed. Each tower feels unique and worth exploring.

Regrettably, the one aspect that did not do much for me was the soundtrack, which I imagine is contrary to popular opinion. I did not dislike any of the music, but only two or so songs really stuck with me after the credits. Each track services the setting well and helps immerse the player in its world, but I will more than likely not listen to any of the soundtrack outside of playing the game. The voice acting, however, is quite good. On par with Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story (which makes sense, considering the localization was handled by the same people), the vocal performances of each character are believable and filled with emotion. While the lip syncing in the dialog scenes don't match, the performances of the voice actors drew my attention plenty. Small note: the sound effects related to the Oraclos Chain are punch and satisfying, as are many of the combat and exploratory SFX.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most rare games I fall in love with, there is one big catch to Pandora's Tower. If you play the NTSC-U version of the game like I did, you will encounter a game-breaking bug during the final two towers that crash the title. There are workarounds, which are mostly effective, but I did hit this crash four times in a row. Nothing was guaranteed. If you can make it past that, this game is absolutely worth your time. If you are emulating, simply grab the PAL ROM and you'll never need to worry about it.

Pandora's Tower is a game I am very glad to have experienced. It has all of the heart of the strongest JRPGs out there, and a solid gameplay loop that does not overstay its welcome. Clocking in at ~15 hours, my time felt very respected... outside of the Blazing Citadel. I only wish that Pandora's Tower had found the same level of success as Xenoblade Chronicles, as I think it's an even better title from an unknown developer that deserves more chances to break away from their licensed work and create more memorable works of art.

“When I turn into a hideous beast… Even then—in that form… do you still love me?”

"Never doubt that."

Special thanks to @CarnageKRool for giving me this game for Christmas in 2022.

NOTE: This is a review of Henry's story mode. For a full review of Castlevania 64 or a review of Cornell's story, use these links:
https://www.backloggd.com/u/ExSOLDIER/review/135872/
https://www.backloggd.com/u/ExSOLDIER/review/449468/

As I stated in my earlier review of Legacy of Darkness, I promised I would return in October to cover the last playable character of the game—Henry Oldrey.

Henry's campaign is significantly different from the other three characters, acting more like a time trial than anything else. Henry is given seven days to save six children scattered somewhere throughout Castlevania and its surrounding lands. Armed with a pistol and a sword, Henry is an absolute powerhouse. With time being the biggest enemy, knowledge of Castlevania 64's world is essential in finding all of the children under the time limit. That said, I had little trouble locating all of the children with a couple days to spare. Anyone who has played the game previously (which will be everyone considering players must complete Cornell's story to unlock Henry's) should be more than familiar enough with the maps to find the children. Each child is in a less-than-obvious location, but with a little exploration, they can be reached with relative ease.

Henry's campaign being so different from the other three characters helps breathe some life into the game for what was my third full playthrough. The power of his pistol allows players to breeze through combat scenarios and get on with the search. It feels very much like a post-game scenario with its layout akin to Sonic Adventure 2's lost Chao missions.

That said, the final stretch of the game is divided between three locations that are accessible via a coffin teleport. The coffin warps Henry to different locations based on the in-game clock, and as such, traversing these areas can be a little tedious. Forcing the player to sit around and wait or expend a Sun/Moon card and eat up precious time makes the decision to make the teleport function this way less than desirable. Nonetheless, I still had lots of fun and completed the entire campaign in under two hours without a guide.

As the finale to Castlevania 64: Legacy of Darkness, Henry's campaign is a short but sweet bonus to a game I already enjoyed. I know that this game and its earlier incarnation are panned by many, but I found myself having a great time through each of the different story modes. Each character brings something different and fun to the table, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the visuals charming. I am emulating this, so controls are admittedly much better as I am not using a traditional N64 controller, but I do not think for a minute that playing on original hardware would significantly affect my opinion of the game. To any Castlevania fans or fans of retro 3D games in general still on the fence about this one, I say give it a try. Worst case you end up not liking it and move on. But, if you're like me, you may discover a new game you can have hours of fun with and replay several times over.

Omori is a terrible game. Not only is the gameplay sleep inducing for a horror game that's supposed to keep you on your toes, the cast of characters is also abhorrent; each one of them showing no purpose to the narrative and the worst one being the main character Sunny. He starts out as someone who wants to find his sister, but when the main twist actually happens, it's like he's never even changed. He's the same person before and after his "development." Overall a horrible game if you want a game like this, but actually checks all the boxes on what makes a story about coping with death amazing.

Play SILENT HILL 2.

"That's right... I'm 'YOKOHAMA'S FASTEST LEGEND'... or so I'm told..."

Racing Lagoon is a Japanese-exclusive SquareSoft RPG for the PlayStation, originally released in 1999. Unlike any of Square's other RPGs, Racing Lagoon focuses on street races rather than battles with weapons and spells. The player freely explores parts of Japan (mostly Yokohama) at night in their car with numerous parking spots to stop at to progress the story, interact with characters, take part in optional challenges, or purchase new parts for their car. In place of random encounters, players are challenged to short races by other cars on the street that flash their headlights. Rather than traditional equipment and level ups, cars can be customized with parts and add-ons. The winner of each race can select a part in the owner's inventory to take for keeps—whether it is the player or the CPU opponent. Reward Points (RP) are also given to the player upon victory with the amount varying based on the opponent(s). There are three main part types that can be interchanged and level up through winning races while add-ons are static, much like equipment. Levelling a part will increase the number of slots for add-ons.
As one would expect, racing in Racing Lagoon is the forefront of the gameplay. Every battle takes into account your current setup and its respective stats, but the core racing still calls for skill... and even some luck. The racing can be rather stiff, and at times, feels downright jank. Unfortunately, this is no Ridge Racer, and simple bumps in the road like a sidewalk is more than enough to stop you dead in your tracks as if you collided headfirst with a brick wall. If you can manage to get used to its oddities while maintaining a powerful car, the game is more than doable, but it is easily one of the most difficult RPGs I've played solely on the basis of its core design.

"South Yokohama... Our home, our 'STREET'... This town comes alive at night... and our driving brings the 'HEAT'."

The story of Racing Lagoon is a wild ride that starts simple enough. Sho Akasaki is new on the racing scene and has joined the Bay Lagoon Racing team in South Yokohama. Showing great potential, BLR's leader Ikki Fujisawa takes him under his wing and helps him grow as a racer. BLR's dream is the Yokohama Grand Prix—a shot at professional racing. Shortly after Sho's first real jump into the big leagues, catastrophe strikes as a series of mysterious incidents begin to pile up without explanation. Rumors of Yokohama's Fastest Legend returning after ten years of absence brings great strife for street racers all over Japan. Sho takes it upon himself to find out the source of the chaos and put an end to it once and for all.

"Last night I had a dream... I was driving through the flames of a fiery hellscape, yet couldn't feel the heat. Stuck on a road with no exits, and no escape... On a night when dawn would never come... I wish I could have stayed dreaming."

The course of the plot takes place over eleven nights with each night effectively acting as a chapter with some additional, shorter chapters in between. The story is presented both through dialog during visual novel-esque scenes and in replays of the player's races with character interactions playing out during the action. What begins as a simple tale of seeking glory suddenly turns to surprisingly somber and evocative moments of self-reflection wrapped in an absurd sci-fi/fantasy tale of corporations, experiments, and lingering spirits. Nothing about this game is as it appears initially, and while it reaches critical levels of cheesiness, the CRAAAZY story is entertaining from start to finish.

"...I have a recurring dream... I find myself at the murky depths of the ocean floor... Within that darkness, I find a glimmering fragment of a star... And then I'm at peace, wrapped in the gentle embrace of the waves... The lights flicker across my eyes, coaxing me back into the waking world..."

The characters range from simplistic and stereotypical to straight up crazy. Sho Akasaki is an aspiring poet as he monologues and self-reflects in nearly every scene in the game. His colorful descriptions of his experiences and his feelings create an air of desolation and longing, though it often borders on being too melodramatic for its own good. Like many other great SquareSoft protagonists in the PSX era, there is more to Sho than meets the eye, and his story is worth exploring and finishing. While ridiculous, Sho's internal monologues breathe life into his otherwise blank persona, and there are plenty of twists and turns within his life that keep him compelling and entertaining in his own right.
The supporting cast are not as complex as Sho, but are all entertaining enough in their given tropes and moments. Their dialog (which in my experience is from a recent English fan-translation) is all equally humorous and quotable like Sho's. Many characters do little in regard to the main plot, but I would not necessarily consider this a negative as I believe it effectively builds the world of Racing Lagoon to be a believable, lively environment that does not simply revolve around the player's character.

"The roof of the hospital provided a breathtaking view of Yokohama. It was a vast blanket of darkness, studded with tiny specks of the city's lights... Within the dark abyss inside me there was also a faint, quivering light... The light... of hope."

The presentation of Racing Lagoon is, to me (and probably most others who have seen or played it) the strongest asset of the title. I am an avid enjoyer of early 3D FMVs and pre-rendered models. From FINAL FANTASY VII to GADGET, I cannot get enough of that style, and it is in full force in Racing Lagoon. Unlike the two aforementioned games, there is far less animation at play in Racing Lagoon. Many scenes are static or stiff with the animation limited to three frames on average. I, personally, do not mind this, but I can see many finding fault with it, thinking it lazy, cheap, or just otherwise unappealing. Despite these limitations, the game oozes with '90s urban Japanese style. Think Initial D meets FINAL FANTASY VIII with some unique flair in between. Do be prepared to see some very uncanny looking people contorting their bodies in all sorts of bizarre ways, though.

"The way the water reflects the lights of the city... It's stunningly beautiful. I have to ask myself which is real? The one in the sky or the one in the sea... When we dream and when we wake, it's as if we step out from one and step into the other..."

Similar in its visual presentation, the music of Racing Lagoon is a memorable, stylish roller coaster of fun. Mixing many electronic elements with various styles of jazz, Racing Lagoon's OST builds an atmosphere like no other. The raw sense of late night urban sprawl is another aesthetic I love, and it is unmatched in South Yokohama. If you cannot find yourself able to deal with the rough gameplay of Racing Lagoon, I suggest looking up its soundtrack on YouTube to enjoy some aspect of this game.

"South Yokohama... Our home, our 'STREET'... The starting line for this sordid story... Our own twisted legend of speed. On these streets we called home... With its thousands of people living thousands of lives... I found myself feeling alone."

Racing Lagoon is far from the storytelling marvels of FINAL FANTASY VII and Xenogears, but about halfway through my 20-odd hour playthrough, I decided it deserved a review on a similar scale. The sheer uniqueness of the title, coupled with its perfectly insane cocktail mix of style and melancholic drama make it an unforgettable experience—one I wish I could have gone through legitimately. If you are lenient on retro game jank and have an admiration for late '90s Japanese style, I recommend giving this game a shot. I think it's well worth your time baring witness to...

THE REVIVAL OF YOKOHAMA'S FASTEST LEGEND

Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness is an enhanced re-release of Castlevania on the Nintendo 64. One of the first games (that I know of) to do this, but certainly not the last. Because a large majority of this game carries the same skeleton as Castlevania 64, I don't want to spend too much time retreading my previous review. Instead, I am going to focus on the entirely new content and make comparisons where I can see notable differences accordingly.

First and foremost, the biggest additions to Legacy of Darkness are the two new character campaigns in the form of Cornell "Blue Crescent Moon" and Henry Oldrey.

Cornell is a lycanthrope, and as such, can use his Red Crystals (the game's equivalent to Hearts that Item Weapons require for use) to transform into a powerful werewolf. Cornell's main method of attack is a ranged energy blast that makes fighting enemies much easier than when controlling Reinhardt Schneider. While the controls feel more or less the same, I did feel like I fared better both in combat and in platforming. Holding down the jump button is always a good idea as your character will grapple ledges within range and you can clamber up onto platforms. I felt the game was very generous with this mechanic as I felt I botched several jumps yet Cornell still managed to grab the ledges so long as I was holding down A. Each character retreads similar stages as one another, but there are some new areas and some new takes on locations from the original game that keep each playthrough fresh and enjoyable.

The second biggest difference from the original is the newly expanded story. Story in a Castlevania game is never the focus, but some titles manage to have engaging plotlines despite the repetition of its general premise. I found Cornell's campaign to be both fun and engaging. Cornell is searching for a young girl named Ada as she is being prepped for sacrifice to resurrect the dark lord Dracula himself. His story manages to tie into both Henry's (which comes after) and the two heroes from the original game. While the story is far from complex, the way in which they add elements and characters wholesale without ever sacrificing the overall quality is commendable.

It may simply be the fact that I had already played the original, but I felt that Legacy of Darkness was a considerable upgrade to an already immensely over-hated entry in the great Castlevania series. The added campaigns and bits of unlockables add layers of replayability with new and exciting story elements that unfold in an enjoyable fashion. I have yet to play through all of the new content as I am saving Henry's campaign for October, but I believe this game to be worth a play and then some. I had a blast with this one—even more so than its predecessor. Henry's story appears to be quite different than the other characters, so I will update this review in three months with any additional thoughts on the game.

As I said with Castlevania (64), just try it. Give it a shot. Yes, there is jank. Yes, there are some very tight and demanding platforming sections. That's Castlevania. The series had always been like that to varying degrees—even in the 'perfect' Symphony of the Night.

Castlevania 64 review: https://www.backloggd.com/u/ExSOLDIER/review/135872/

I took a college course titled "Creative Writing: Virtual Worlds" expecting to have a hyper-focused class dedicated to writing about augmented reality and shit like The Matrix. Turns out, it was a class where the students carried out assignments in Second Life.

The first rule of the class was that Second Life was not a video game—it was just as real as your "first life." Upon my birth in this virtual world, I was lost and confused. I entered the nearest building to my initial spawn. My eyes were assaulted by a collage of genitalia. Mirroring the myriad *** before me, the walls were closing in. I felt myself gasping for air. Luckily, I carried over an attribute from my first life into my Second Life—the power of flight. Clipping through the ceiling, I narrowly escaped my **** riddled demise. I was late to meet with my class at my professor's estate.

As I sat in my chair sideways, legs out through the hole in the arm, my professor called upon me. "BongoMan27, are you paying attention?" My friend from outside the class I had snuck into her domain, presently standing six meters tall with his face in the window behind her, staring ominously into the farthest reaches of my soul or lack thereof. From this point forward, she told the class about her hobbies. The most noteworthy hobby came in the form of rescuing animals. The professor then asked my friend and fellow classmate if he owned any pets. He went on to discuss his two dogs and cat that his family had. As he concluded sharing, the professor told us that she, too, had dogs. "Here comes one now."

A virtual dog model spawned into the room.

I am no expert when it comes to the shoot-'em-up genre. I have played a few games like Ikaruga or Galactic Attack in the past, but my experience overall with the genre is pretty limited. That said, Einhänder is now my absolute favorite of the bunch.

The story follows a war between the forces of earth and those of the moon. Though the game is less than three hours long, the world and conflict are surprisingly fleshed out.

The gameplay consists of flying around a limited space, blasting anything and everything in your path with a sub-boss and boss fight in each stage.

Depending on the player's ship chosen at the beginning, they can pick up weapons dropped from enemies and cycle through their arsenal using L1 and R1. This adds a big layer of variety, customization, and adaptability in the combat. Weapons range from your standard strong Canon and Spread shots to more unique weapons like the Sword and Riot weapons. The latter require the player to maneuver themselves closer to enemies for a risky gamble that pays off with very powerful attacks.

Movement feels precise and tight, and the player can actively increase or decrease their movement speed with the L2 and R2 buttons respectively. This is great for situations in which the screen becomes a chaotic mash of enemy ships and bullets.

The action is presented in a 2.5D format with the player, backgrounds, and enemies all comprised of 3D models with movement on a 2D plane. This is changed up, however, when the camera angle shifts throughout the stage. Despite the mobility of the camera and the inability to control it manually, the shifts in perspective are never to the detriment of the gameplay. They are always used to great effect, and I was genuinely surprised by how cool and fresh it felt every time it occurred.

Aesthetically, I love this game. It mixes general late '90s to early 2000s Japanese sci-fi with some hard cyberpunk style. The result is awesome to behold. For a PlayStation game, this definitely holds up among other heavy hitters on the console. This aspect boils down mostly to preference, but for me, I wouldn't change a thing.

The music is a very y2k electronic mix of adrenaline-filled mayhem and fun. The music is ready to pump up the player for every subsequent stage, miniboss, and main boss with a great sense of atmosphere and general rhythmic bliss. The music could work well on its own for anyone's electronic playlist.

My only real complaint with the game are a small handful of 'gotcha' moments that result in the player dying simply because they could not have known something was going to appear in a specific spot on their first playthrough. I understand this is an issue with many shoot-'em-ups, but I felt it necessary to bring it up regardless.

Einhänder is absolutely worth your time (the game is only under two hours) if you are a fan of the genre, of late '90s and early 2000s Japanese sci-fi, cyberpunk, or visually creative and engaging video games in general. Highly recommended.

Shoutout to Chandler for bringing this game to my attention.

“It’s true that sometimes I can’t figure out who I am. There’s a lot of things muddled up in my memories. But, Tifa… you said, ‘Long time no see, Cloud’ right? Those words will always support me. I am the one you grew up with. I’m Cloud of Nibelheim. No matter how much I lose faith in myself, that is the truth.”

It’s 3:17 in the morning and I’m lying awake in bed, typing this up on my ten year anniversary with the woman I will spend the rest of my life with. Even in this moment of respite, my mind once again begins to wander back into the Lifestream. Five years ago, against all my fears and doubts, I sat down with that same woman to show her the most important thing in my life up until meeting her. I had never even thought to share this with anyone I had been with before. Despite my anxiety and dread over what she might think, I was elated to find her enjoying every moment right alongside me. To my greater surprise, she had become a self-proclaimed Tifa fangirl and now cheers her on in every one of her on-screen moments, big or small. Everything in my life from my tastes, to my expressions, to my most cherished memories—even my love—is forever intertwined… with FINAL FANTASY VII.

“But that's all right. As long as I'm with you... As long as you're by my side... I won't give up even if I'm scared.”

As its name suggests, FINAL FANTASY VII is the seventh main numbered entry in the long-running FINAL FANTASY series. Originally conceptualized for the Nintendo 64 and later brought over to the Sony PlayStation in a move that many could describe to be betrayal, FINAL FANTASY VII marked a significant shift in the video game market. People all over the world, completely unaware of the FINAL FANTASY brand—or even roleplaying games entirely—flocked to stores in 1997 to pick up and play this game. I was not one of those people. But two years later, once I was old enough to read at a decent level, I experienced what would later become the most influential piece of media in my entire life.

“I was frozen in time, but now I feel as if my time is just beginning...”

FFVII continues the series trend of traversing a fantastical world of magic and wonder with a party of misfits trying to save the world, only there are some key differences. First and foremost, the Materia system. While the core combat retains the same almost-turn-based ATB (Active Time Battle) system first introduced in FINAL FANTASY IV, characters are completely customizable regarding skills and magic. While each character has their own innate stats, every character can be made to fit any role. The depth of the Materia system is the heart of FFVII’s gameplay, and if the effort and research are put in, it can reward the player with some insanely creative and useful combinations and setups that can outright break the game in a very fun way. In addition to the new Materia system comes Limit Breaks—powerful abilities able to turn the tide of combat when characters have sustained enough damage. These are all specific to the respective party members using them and are the key difference between each character.

“I always thought this planet was so huge. But lookin' at it from space, I realized it's so small. That's why I say this planet's still a kid. Someone's gotta protect it.”

In a harsh contrast to the games preceding it, FINAL FANTASY VII takes a page out of Akira to create a world that is brimming with technology. The Shinra Electric Power Company has created a new fuel source known as Mako by siphoning the life force of the planet itself without regard for Gaia’s wellbeing. This has led to great technological advancements throughout the world—most notably in the floating cyberpunk hub known as Midgar. The world of FFVII is far bleaker than most of its contemporaries at the time. The people of Gaia have no qualms telling it like it is and shedding some light on how hopeless, frail, and dissolute life has become after Shinra’s rise to power. Every character—no matter how insignificant—has had their life dramatically changed (for the worse) because of Shinra. As AVALANCHE, the player begins their journey performing acts of eco-terrorism to combat Shinra’s destruction of the planet, but soon uncovers a web of entangled stories and tragedies all converging on one single point—Sephiroth.

“Yo, jes' think about it... How many people in this world do ya think really understand themselves? People get depressed in life because they don't know what's up. But, they go on living. They don't run away... isn't that how it is?”

FINAL FANTASY VII was the first video game to tell me a story that resonated with me personally. Its plot is full of twists, turns, and big reveals that always had me shaking with excitement and anticipation, but the most important element is its character. Cloud Strife. Even if you’ve never played an RPG in your life, you’ve at least heard the name before somewhere, and for good reason. As the main protagonist of FFVII, Cloud is the character whose perspective you witness a majority of the events of the game through. To say Cloud is a dynamic character is an understatement for the ages. Extremely cold and dejected at first, Cloud develops into one of the most relatable and real fictional characters I’ve seen. While an enigma at first, players learn to understand Cloud’s true self over time. For me, there is no character I could ever understand better. As a kid, I shared so many of the aspirations and personality quirks of this mentally unstable box of emotional conflict and turmoil. From his prideful façade to his deepest sorrows and self-doubts, Cloud’s personality and depth shine through.

“What I have shown you is reality. What you remember, that is the illusion.”

Counter to Cloud is Sephiroth. By now, it’s nearly impossible to not know who Sephiroth is. He’s arguably even more popular than Cloud himself. Despite that, FINAL FANTASY VII is unparalleled in its foreshadowing and build-up to the true antagonist of the game. As the player makes their way through the world, they are constantly reminded just how powerful and foreboding Sephiroth is. From an execution of the world’s biggest threat to a flashback showing in raw numbers just how much of a force he is, Sephiroth is the perfect foil to Cloud. His personal connection to several of the key cast members adds a layer of determination and agency for the player. It’s not just Cloud that wants to bring Sephiroth down—it’s you.

“What to do? Have you lost your way? When that happens we each have to take a good long look at ourselves. There's always something in the deepest reaches of our hearts. Something buried, or something forgotten. Remember it... Whatever that is, must certainly be what you are all looking for...”

The music, much like everything else in the game, is remarkable. Composed by musical legend and series veteran Nobuo Uematsu, this soundtrack stands out even among his own works. This is a rare occasion where I enjoy every single song on the soundtrack. For a soundtrack of nearly 90 songs, that’s quite a feat. Every piece amplifies their paired scene without fail be it serious or goofy. Many of the tracks represent the blend of fantasy and science fiction extraordinarily well with synthesized sounds and exhilarating melodies. Every location has its own unique theme that helps build immersion and set the mood accordingly. While the main battle theme (which is a certified video game classic at this point) plays for a majority of the combat encounters, several notable boss fights have their own music that creates memorable clashes with the evil of the world. I find myself listening to this soundtrack on a near-daily basis.

“I've... been thinking, too... about the universe... people... the planet... How wide and big... No matter where I go and what I do, it won't change a thing.”

There is no way I can objectively look at this game. It is so ingrained in who I am that I have to bring emotion and nostalgia into it. The game isn’t perfect—nothing is—but to me, it’s everything I need. An engaging story in a world that feels just as real as our own with characters that breathe life into it, all accompanied by ace gameplay and a soundtrack that can move you to tears. FINAL FANTASY VII is a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, it is my beginning. It is the reason I cherish competent storytelling, complex characters, and expansive worlds. It’s the reason I see video games as more than just a hobby to pass the time. It’s why I want to create experiences and memories with people, to inspire them to explore and look at things in new lights just as I did when I was a kid… or to bring two close people even closer together. FINAL FANTASY VII was the spark that started it all, to continue on to all sorts of new things. Five year-old me popped that disc in and the game took me by the hand and said,

“Let's mosey.”

And I couldn’t be more grateful that it did.