I did it. I beat Rise of the Tomb Raider AND enjoyed it. A shame about the recycled plot, but it sure did explode things good and let me platform as they fell apart.

As if February wasn't full enough, the unofficial RE4 remaster is out by then. This project has been going on forever and it looks so good! Can't wait for it to put R4make to shame later.

I took this photo on #Caturday when I was besieged by this comfy critter.

I had forgotten a lot about Investigations 2 and after revisiting it I've realized that T&T is the stronger game for having a better emotional core and doing more with less. But holy shit if it still isn't a masterwork of writing and theming.

I started up Rise of the Tomb Raider and I'm still impressed by the small flourishes they do to the Uncharted formula to make it engaging. They're ripping off U2&U3 left and right to boot, but I don't mind even though the animation work is a bit goofy.

On the other side of the spectrum, I also beat Tomato Adventure today. It's very much the prototype of Superstar Saga, but also reminded me of Undertale. The combat got a bit boring, but it's still well worth checking out.

I have survived the nightmare and shaved off my time by about an hour. Scenario B was hectic but fun. The remake is superior in most ways, but I missed some songs and some of the navigation complexity from the original. Still a great effort.

Symphonia was an interesting game. It's not even 30 minutes long, but the core mechanic of flinging yourself around is solid and the visuals are terrific. It was like playing through a French animated short film. It's free on GOG, give it a go.

I ended up liking Guardian of Light more than Temple of Osiris, even if both games are just fleeting distractions. Of course, the only reason I played it was for the LoK DLC which is so tasteless it rolls around into being great. Raziel gets a gun!

Happy (alleged) birthday to the Playstation 5. And yes, you're already a year older.

Impostor Factory was pretty good, but it didn't hit as hard as the previous games. I get the feeling it's leading to a strong finale though, so I hope the series continues. But it did speak one unassailable truth:

That's the A scenario done. This game was really good, even with all the screw-ups I got myself into. I found it less complex than the original, but actually good bosses balanced it out. They even fixed the excess shotgun ammo problem, so kudos. Onto B!

Just like last fall, I shotgunned a pair of Falcom games. But since Ys games are standalone, I kinda had a hard time engaging with Ys 9 after 8. But it's shorter with a better story and proper bosses, so it eventually won me over.

InfernoPlus' cursed creation has evolved. We now have Dark Souls with Halo guns.

So, did anyone know about the pilot for a now cancelled R&C TV show that just appeared from nowhere on a Canadian streaming service at the start of 2021? I sure as hell didn't. Apparently it's closer to the games than the movie in humor.

I had the pleasure of being the first to give out some Trick 'n Treat candy to some kids at a friend's house today. Apparently everyone else in the neighbourhood was a stingy grump like me, only without the good will to look past that in the name of candy

It's been a long time coming due to staggered pay, but I finally got my first proper paycheck! I could theoretically buy a PS5 with this. I won't, because I have a move to prepare for and fighting people for toys is tiring, but it's empowering nonetheless

I just barely managed to get my horror review marathon done on time. Turns out a full-time job and hanging out with friends every evening leaves little time for writing. I'm done with all of Siren and MediEvil though!

Been a few years since I found Mr. Destructoid in a video game, but Siren 2 delivered! It's funny how much of the lore in this lovecraftian horror game is dedicated to detailing the failures of various fictional products.

It finally happened. A for realsies, actual King's Field clone! I'm so excited, it looks like a version of the Ancient City with modern controls. Which kicks the game up like 2 points, even if it is a slight betrayal of principles.

You miss 100% of all shots you don't take and thank fuck for that. This a scam for tricking people into helping you scam others more effectively and I'm appalled a recruiter thought this was worth representing and sending to me.

It couldn't possibly live up to the expectations I've fostered over the years, but Ys 8 was still delightful despite its budgetary shortcomings. And even then, it's the first time the series has delivered a full-fledged experience. Onto 9!

Dark Souls was the opposite of a mistake. Miyazaki deserves everything he got for making this timeline come to pass. The Souls fandom stands without ilk and I won't hear otherwise.

When I was told of the fanpatch for Blood Omen that cleans up the game and adds voices & subtitles, I simply had to try it immediately on the GOG release. It seems to overpower my laptop (the framerate was rarely steady 60), but is solid otherwise.

My Dark Souls blog got fronted and Impostor Factory just released. Today is a good day.

I started writing about Dark Souls and somehow ended up with almost 4000 words. Please give them a read while I rest in preparation for my horror game review marathon next month.

One day after the Dark Souls anniversary, I got a text telling me that the design works book I ordered (in FEBRUARY OF 2020) finally arrived. I think I'll take this as a sign. Of what, I'm not sure.

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY DARK SOULS, YOU BEAUTIFUL AND SHITTY VIDEO GAME, YOU'RE THE BEST!

With FFIX complete, my Final Fantasy journey has come to an end for now. This game was really good! It still has some unwelcome jank like FFVII, but the ending here was a lot better. Same for the FMVs. What JRPG series to dive into next...

God Hand 2, Capcom.