Line/lyric spoilers for Future Redeemed
Quote spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Thematic spoilers(?) for the whole series
...
“You’re standing at a loss
In front of a door
That’s been closed for so long”
At the time of writing this piece, I’ve been on Backloggd for less than a year. In that small timeframe, there have been multiple times when I’ve thought ‘You know what? I think today I’m going to sit down, and write a review about some of the most impactful games. Not just a short review that just boils down to me saying I liked it, but an actual full, real, in-depth review.’ But I never end up doing it. There’s always some rationale for it, I didn’t have the energy, there wasn’t enough time, I didn’t know how to start, I wasn’t ‘in the zone’ or something of that variety. Perhaps some of these were true at times, but in reality it always boils down to ‘What if what I write is bad? What if I don't convey my thoughts and feelings properly?’
“Until you open it, you cannot know
Afraid to see
What could be on the other side”
I don’t want to go out and make that effort, take that plunge, because I don’t think I can do it. If I try but fail and I butcher it, write it poorly, and/or misrepresent my thoughts, I’ll feel like a stupid fucking clown. More so than usual, that is. There isn’t any point in putting myself out there because it’ll inevitably result in intense hurt, just like every time before.
“I’ve seen that look before
The stare of your fearful looking eyes”
It’s so much easier to just not do it, to not try, to sit back and read others’ reviews instead. To consume art, rather than to create. I can stay safe and content as an observer, rather than a creator.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong
Afraid your time
It might just take too long”
Satisfied and stationary, not a bad deal. I’ll just stay where I am, resting in my comfort zone. It’s worked so far, no reason for it not to in the future. It’s where I belong.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong”
But doesn’t that fly directly in the face of not only some of my favorite works, but also my ideals, my beliefs? Have I not been taught time and time again to move forward, to improve, to grow, to learn? Am I not acting like Moebius, in a way? I’m creating a sort of ‘Endless Now’ for myself, am I not?
“And you won’t know
Unless we keep on trying
Now we need the strength to carry on”
Maybe it works, maybe it's easy. Hell, maybe I’ll suddenly wake up one day and write a fantastic review regardless? Is being complacent and waiting for knowledge and skill to find me just waiting for another turn of the clock? If that's the case, given enough seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even longer, I’ll eventually find myself in the perfect state to produce something of great quality.
“With a turn of the clock, anyone can be a winner, given the time.”
But that’s flawed logic. Waiting indefinitely in hopes that things will magically improve or change is a fool’s errand. I should, no, I need to grow and change and fail and learn of my own accord.
“Our voices might not be heard”
It doesn’t matter if I have no impact, what’s important is really, truly going out and trying.
“And it doesn’t matter if we fail”
Maybe I’ll fall flat on my face once more, but at least something will change. I’ll take that experience, and then get up and try again. I can’t be as I am now forever, I refuse to.
“But if there is a future”
It’s time for me to try, to go for it. I need to reach into the strange, unknowable life that is just waiting for me to confront it. Maybe there’s nothing at all for me, maybe I’m doomed to stay miserable. But maybe there’s something special waiting…
“That’s where we’ll set out sights”
The only way to find out is to venture forth and explore it.
“So… just walk through”
I’ll get up, and walk toward that unknowable future.
“Don’t take too long”
No more waiting for everything to happen.
“You’ll find it there…”
Whatever happens, happens.
“In our future”
…
“Roads stretch out before us. So many paths. Which do you choose? That's up to you. Sometimes you might run astray. You’ll stop, maybe cry in frustration. But you know, that's alright. For the roads… they go on without end. So look up, face forward, toward your chosen horizon… And just… walk on.”
Quote spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Thematic spoilers(?) for the whole series
...
“You’re standing at a loss
In front of a door
That’s been closed for so long”
At the time of writing this piece, I’ve been on Backloggd for less than a year. In that small timeframe, there have been multiple times when I’ve thought ‘You know what? I think today I’m going to sit down, and write a review about some of the most impactful games. Not just a short review that just boils down to me saying I liked it, but an actual full, real, in-depth review.’ But I never end up doing it. There’s always some rationale for it, I didn’t have the energy, there wasn’t enough time, I didn’t know how to start, I wasn’t ‘in the zone’ or something of that variety. Perhaps some of these were true at times, but in reality it always boils down to ‘What if what I write is bad? What if I don't convey my thoughts and feelings properly?’
“Until you open it, you cannot know
Afraid to see
What could be on the other side”
I don’t want to go out and make that effort, take that plunge, because I don’t think I can do it. If I try but fail and I butcher it, write it poorly, and/or misrepresent my thoughts, I’ll feel like a stupid fucking clown. More so than usual, that is. There isn’t any point in putting myself out there because it’ll inevitably result in intense hurt, just like every time before.
“I’ve seen that look before
The stare of your fearful looking eyes”
It’s so much easier to just not do it, to not try, to sit back and read others’ reviews instead. To consume art, rather than to create. I can stay safe and content as an observer, rather than a creator.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong
Afraid your time
It might just take too long”
Satisfied and stationary, not a bad deal. I’ll just stay where I am, resting in my comfort zone. It’s worked so far, no reason for it not to in the future. It’s where I belong.
“Will you give up
And stay where you belong”
But doesn’t that fly directly in the face of not only some of my favorite works, but also my ideals, my beliefs? Have I not been taught time and time again to move forward, to improve, to grow, to learn? Am I not acting like Moebius, in a way? I’m creating a sort of ‘Endless Now’ for myself, am I not?
“And you won’t know
Unless we keep on trying
Now we need the strength to carry on”
Maybe it works, maybe it's easy. Hell, maybe I’ll suddenly wake up one day and write a fantastic review regardless? Is being complacent and waiting for knowledge and skill to find me just waiting for another turn of the clock? If that's the case, given enough seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or even longer, I’ll eventually find myself in the perfect state to produce something of great quality.
“With a turn of the clock, anyone can be a winner, given the time.”
But that’s flawed logic. Waiting indefinitely in hopes that things will magically improve or change is a fool’s errand. I should, no, I need to grow and change and fail and learn of my own accord.
“Our voices might not be heard”
It doesn’t matter if I have no impact, what’s important is really, truly going out and trying.
“And it doesn’t matter if we fail”
Maybe I’ll fall flat on my face once more, but at least something will change. I’ll take that experience, and then get up and try again. I can’t be as I am now forever, I refuse to.
“But if there is a future”
It’s time for me to try, to go for it. I need to reach into the strange, unknowable life that is just waiting for me to confront it. Maybe there’s nothing at all for me, maybe I’m doomed to stay miserable. But maybe there’s something special waiting…
“That’s where we’ll set out sights”
The only way to find out is to venture forth and explore it.
“So… just walk through”
I’ll get up, and walk toward that unknowable future.
“Don’t take too long”
No more waiting for everything to happen.
“You’ll find it there…”
Whatever happens, happens.
“In our future”
…
“Roads stretch out before us. So many paths. Which do you choose? That's up to you. Sometimes you might run astray. You’ll stop, maybe cry in frustration. But you know, that's alright. For the roads… they go on without end. So look up, face forward, toward your chosen horizon… And just… walk on.”