minor spoilers from early game

it’s common to read people saying that Kingdom Hearts changed their lives; how the game is chained to their tough, good or formative moments. Sora, a fictional character, being like a friend to them in childhood and growing up with him as time passes for both. almost everyone who likes KH has something to say about it. and because of this, i write and rewrite this a few times. among all those special stories from many people, i felt like i had anything meaningful to add. why should i write something that’s so well-known within the canon of Kingdom Hearts players?

i questioned myself about having some kinda special thing to say and not just being one among the others. since yeah, i owe KH one. and when i noticed that thought of mine, i realized that for a brief moment, i lost the point of the game. Kingdom Hearts is not about surpassing other people in such an egocentric way.

Kingdom Hearts invites us to grow up with Sora. it’s a journey about growing up. Sora is the kind of person who cares more about other people than himself, and allied with that, the Disney Worlds aren’t fillers at all; instead, they’re the perfect opportunity to develop the core characters. the Wonderland World is the key moment that demonstrates not just to Donald and Goofy, but also to us, the link between the narrative themes to its progression design.

we cross through space with an awkward ship that seems to be over-complicated and more of a hindrance than anything else. yeah, this idea is half right, but i prefer to look at it from another perspective that contributes more to the game’s substance. the Gummi Ship sections are like a game within the game, a childhood game. in Destiny Islands, the game establishes a strong desire of Sora, Riku, and Kairi to adventure and discover new worlds. the manner in which they have to reach the skies is by using the Highwind, a raft, for which we have to collect items to craft it. it wouldn’t make sense for the Gummi Ship sequences not to exist, because it, which is also named Highwind, was born from their desire to travel to other worlds, it’s the same thing in essence as the raft. Kingdom hearts’ core progression is fundamentally the materialization of a kid’s creativity.

it wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have a fully moddable cool spaceship that traverses wormholes and destroys meteors with big guns and lasers before we land in the worlds.

the principle of the game’s core is fragmentarily divided; traveling through space with the Gummi Ship or giving up their time to help people in other worlds, but there’s a particular segment that unifies both elements in a good – yes, good – way: the Deep Jungle World. while in space, before they land, once again Donald’s ideals conflict with Sora’s ones. find King Mickey or find Riku and Kairi? as a consequence of the verbal fight, the Gummi Ship accidentally falls into a maze-like jungle.

people hate this level because it’s obtuse and stressful, but that’s exactly the point of this place. they didn’t want to be there in that unfortunate situation, temporarily divided in such a hostile place. a parallel can be drawn between what happened to Sora and Riku in Destiny Islands. the game uses Deep Jungle World segment for Donald and Sora to recognize that being egocentric about their feelings and objectives would put them in different places, both physically and emotionally. Sora is far from home, getting lost is fair not just because it’s a jungle, but also a crucial part for the characters to recognize the way they acted, mature and bond their hearts.

the long-awaited dream adventure was illusory; abstract – because that’s how life works. it will not wait for us to prepare ourselves for what we think will happen. we will not have the needed time to mature, rather we’ll have to shield our souls, slash the regrets and cast the light that will guide us through the dark path. regardless of the unknown path, don’t let the future scare you at all; there are people who will need you, and you’ll have to be the Sora of their lives.

Destiny Islands is where it all begins, ends, and where all promises are made. here, a new chapter of their lives closes so that a new page can be written. Sora is walking toward an unknown, uncertain, and harder path; he will face the faceless, but this time there’s someone waiting for him to fulfill his promise, and he grew up as a person during the journey. no matter how hard things will be from now on, he is no longer the same. i’m not the same as when i started writing this. i’m fine not writing with all the affection i owe to this game; i can take the opportunity to replay the game and write down more of the things i’ve been keeping with me. i’m fine with being one, among all those special stories.

first of all, i want to say that this text is more about my relationship with the game than the game itself
i don't even think i'm reviewing the game
in 2023, i had a massive creative block. i abandoned texts like Jet Grind Radio, Live A Live, The Silver Case... among others
i saw a chance to write something and decided to put it out there
these are just drafts that were in my mind. i don't intend to sound reflective, pretentious, or anything like that
i just want to use this as an opportunity to get back to writing... i hope it works


- WARNING -
HERE COMES THE JUDGE!
[ THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM DOES NOT EXIST ]

you know, whenever i have the opportunity to talk about what attracts me the most in the shmup niche, especially bullet hell games, i always end up giving the same answer: the sense of progress. the satisfaction of overcoming a level that i used to struggle with just a few playthroughs ago, even when i was giving it my all, now serves as nothing more than an obstacle to the final boss. — okay, not exactly with all these words, but the core of the response is always the same

Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga, both games by Treasure, presented me with the question "why do i keep doing this again and again?" and granted me the answer "to be a better person." changing the world, fighting against a metaphorical god, is unattainable for most of us, so for this reason, i like to think that the idea of being a better person isn't inherently linked to making macro level decisions; perhaps you can't change society before it implodes, but you can be a better person on the micro level. the internal struggle between the ideal self and the material self, in which i realize that sooner or later, i will be at a disadvantage against myself, the internal embodiment of my voices. but... what about when i, or even you, don't feel capable of overcoming this challenge?

i believe many of us have taboos when it comes to video games, feeling subjugated when admitting to using a guide, looking up the solution to a puzzle online, and of course, using save states. i won't delve into whether the examples mentioned are inherently wrong or not, i believe each person knows their limits. but the fact is, i don't like using save states in bullet hell games. pushing my own limits through challenging paths, knowing that everything needed to overcome them is right there in front of me, is almost like my inner self telling me that i can beat the challenges in my life. just stay strong and rely on those who push you forward

i felt frustrated and disheartened for having used save states. after nearly a dozen hours invested, climbing a steepening hill of challenges that made me stop and say, "ah, c'mon. is it even possible to get through this part without getting hit?" and yet, i triumphed one by one, until i reached the 26th area and its subsequent ones, only to die in them over and over again. the sense of progress the game had built in me began to fade, i no longer saw a purpose in overcoming a challenge of this magnitude knowing that even more difficult ones lay ahead

in brazil, there is a well-known expression for anyone who has had contact with video games, which was commonly used when someone played a single-player game with a friend or family member, called "quem morrer passa o controle" (whoever dies passes the controller). the meaning is as straightforward as it sounds: there's cooperation between you and your partner, where if one of you dies in the game, the other takes on the responsibility of trying to overcome the obstacle at hand. what i'm getting at is that there will be times when help is welcome. i don't need to feel bad every time i can't accomplish a task on my own

in the ending [E] of NieR: Automata, Yoko Taro told us that we are not alone. there will always be someone or something to lean on during the storm. using a save state, looking up a puzzle solution online, asking a friend for help; i don't want to be as alone as my mind makes it seem

when i was writing these thoughts about JSS, i wondered how much my current mental state would be affecting my experience, and to be honest, i don't have an immediate answer to that question. i thought about writing something more technical about the game, but everything involving the experience of playing it was so... different that to detach from what makes us human and embrace the idea of an entirely cold and devoid of any internal and external factors, it'd only resonate as a dishonest ideia with myself, in this specific case — i'm not saying that analyses aren't welcome or anything like that, though

M-KAI has proven to be a talented individual, to say the least. the mere existence of Judgement Silversword alone is proof of that
https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=41927

his authorial vision and experimentation, following the raw structure of the shmup genre, broke through my barrier from "what if" to "when" regarding his other projects

i'm not exactly sure what to expect, but i'm looking forward to seeing what Eschatos and his other games are like. i hope to experience them in the future!

One of the best uses of ludonarrative I've seen. Every cultural subtext about the context of the game industry at that time — which unfortunately remains current — intrinsically connected in the narrative and gameplay.

I gave you lives.
So that you make good progress.
But you couldn't understand.
You must do it over again.
Why can't you see?

Against the self-destructive gaming industry, a symbolic and apotheotic representation of the Earth and the cycle of warfare and violence that we insist on perpetuating.
Let's be better people.

1: Be praying
2: Be praying
3: Be praying