The next game in this Zelda marathon, A Link to the Past, is a breath of fresh air. While I didn't particularly like Zelda 1, and I definitely didn't like Zelda II, this game was different. This was one of the first Zelda games I played I believe, yet this was only my 2nd time fully beating it. I had seen plenty of randomizers before, but I haven't fully beaten this game in like 10 years. As I stated, this game was a breath of fresh air because, as opposed to the first two games, A Link to the Past is really great.

This game ditches the side-scrolling platformer adventure RPG Zelda II went for and is more in line with how Zelda 1 does things. It's top down again, there are no more RPG mechanics like Zelda II and the game isn't absolutely brutal like Zelda II. In fact, it's easier than the first game, tho I still died weirdly often funnily enough. Anyways this is all for the better as the direction Zelda II was going in, just did not do it for me at all.

The story this time around, and it focuses more on its story than the first two games, actually takes place before Zelda I and II. Before the events of the game happen, Ganondorf manages to open the gateway to the Sacred Realm where the Triforce is hidden away and he obtains the Triforce for himself. Knowing he was evil and this would lead to catastrophe, the king of Hyrule ordered seven sages to seal the gateway up along with Ganondorf inside. A long battle ensues but, in the end, the gateway was sealed. Many years later, horrible events start occurring and so the king of Hyrule believes it to be related to the sages seal. Finding out it was not that, he puts out a reward for anyone that can help him with these troubles. A wizard named Agahnim comes alone, seemingly fixing these troubles with his magic. He becomes close to the king and all is well for a while. However shortly after, people start to suspect something is wrong with Agahnim. He starts abusing his power. He eventually casts spells on all the soldiers to turn them evil, and kidnaps maidens that were descended from the sages, using their powers to try to open the seal himself. The game then officially starts, with Link having to save Zelda from the dungeon of Hyrule castle. Once Link saves her, she and him meet up with the priest of a nearby sanctuary and he tells you some of the details I just told you. It's now Link's job to get 3 pendants to obtain the Master Sword, eventually having to rescue the maidens (and Zelda she gets kidnapped too) from each of the dungeons that reside in the Dark World and in the end defeating Ganon. That was a lot but yeah this game is more story-focused than the other two and I like that. The story isn't mind-blowing, and I think Ocarina of Time honestly did the story way better since it's pretty similar to this game's but it's still a solid first attempt at this type of Zelda story.

Actually, getting into the gameplay tho, it's basically Zelda 1 but more polished. It's more linear than that game and holds your hand more but is also more engaging. You actually have a map for the overworld and there are always markers showing you where you need to go next. Some might see this as maybe too hand-holdy, but compared to Zelda 1's cryptic and more directionless nature, I'll take this any day over that. Another thing this game does better with its overworld is the secrets. Gone is every secret being a completely random bush to burn or wall to blow up. If there are bombable walls, they have a crack in them to indicate they can be blown up. Outside of that, the secrets are way more different. Sometimes you'll have to fall in a hole or well to end up in a cave and to get rupees or pieces of heart. (That's another change too, pieces of heart are now a thing, and you have to get 4 to make a full heart container). Sometimes you have to use the dark and light world to your advantage and switch between both to get secrets. Sometimes there are little minigames you can play to get items like pieces of heart. The secrets and ways you get items in the overworld are just so much more interesting here compared to the randomness in Zelda 1. There's a reason future Zelda's stuck with this format.

Dungeons this time around are more fleshed out and are more puzzle-like. Instead of having to push a block, find keys and maybe bomb some walls, A Link to the Past introduces many new concepts in its dungeons. One dungeon you're going in and out constantly through entrances in the overworld. Another is full of ice and thus the palace has ice physics. Another involves you having to use an item to create a platform on some tracks, letting you ride them to your destination. These never feel too gimmicky either and always come naturally. The dungeons are great in this game, far better than Zelda 1 and 2's, but I can't say I absolutely love them. Some are better than others (Skull Woods gave me big issues for some reason) and I generally prefer 3D Zelda dungeons more just because they usually have much more distinct aesthetic to them compared to these. Still tho, these dungeons are very enjoyable..especially the endgame ones. Tho Ganon's tower is brutal I gotta say lol.

The items you get from the dungeons, and I guess outside of them too, are pretty solid tho some are situational. The hookshot became very iconic from this game onwards and is used a lot in the 2nd half of the game. The bow and arrow, while not used a ton in this game, is fun and also became iconic. The hammer has its uses throughout the game but is pretty situational. The medallions damage enemies, tho I never really used them for that purpose much, and otherwise are only required very rarely. This game introduced bottles which are a nice addition as you can store faries in them to revive Link. This game does have several kind of forgettable items and also situational ones you won't use outside of battle or even often at all, but it also introduces some series staples as well, so I'd say it was a good selection of items overall.

The bosses at the end of dungeons are generally really good. They're all distinct visually, and some are even iconic enough to appear in future Zelda titles. Arrghus for example, basically reappears in Majora's Mask under the name Wart. Moldorm appears as a boss in Link's Awakening and A Link Between Worlds. The bosses are generally good, tho sometimes they can be a bit annoying. Mothula for example is incredibly hard without magic and the fire rod. Even with that, it's still difficult because of all the spike blocks in its room. Trinexx you basically NEED to have magic, the fire and ice rod, to even attack it or else you're shit out of luck. The game tells you a couple times throughout the game, when you'll basically need a green potion for a dungeon. They aren't kidding either. Cuz, I had a red or green potion almost every time before I started a dungeon. Luckily rupees are incredibly easy to get in this game, maybe the easiest game to rack up rupees, and a shop that sells green and red potions has a warp next to it which is handy (oh yeah, I forgot to mention you can warp with the ocarina once you get the song to summon the bird which is extremely helpful to warp throughout the Light World). Either way, besides some frustrating ones, the bosses are overall a big improvement from the first two games.

I mentioned the Dark World before and yeah, that's this games big thing. A ways into the game, you obtain the mirror. When you're in the Dark World, Link will turn into a bunny. When he uses the mirror tho, he can go back to the light world and leaves a little warp on the floor that he can use to go back to the Dark World. There are also several warps naturally strewn across the world that Link can use to warp to the Dark World if need be. Anyways, the reason Link is a bunny in the Dark World is because anything that's there morphs into a monster or an animal or whatever. Link cannot attack as a Bunny, but as soon as he first goes go to the Dark World, the dungeon that appears not even a minute after that happens holds the Moon Pearl. This let's Link go to the Dark World without turning into a bunny. Personally, since there's almost nothing in between you first going to the Dark World and getting the Moon Pearl, I would've liked if you got the moon pearl a bit later since it kind of felt pointless that you turn into a bunny only to not have to worry about that pretty much ever soon after. That's a minor nitpick tho, just something I thought about with this replay. Anyways, the whole Light World Dark World gimmick is very well done here, and it leads to some really cool secrets throughout the game.

The OST is great this time around. Zelda 1 already had a very solid soundtrack, and not only does this game have a new an improved version of the overworld theme, it also has some awesome new tracks along with some that become series staples. Zelda's theme makes its first appearance here and its a fantastic version of the song. Both the Dark World theme and the Dark World dungeon theme are also fantastic and fit the darker atmosphere the Dark World provides. This is even the first appearance of the Kakariko Village theme and as someone that played OOT before this game, I always thought that was very fascinating lol. Anyways this game's ost is iconic for a reason and has some of the best songs in the series.

While I did list a couple minor issues I had with this game, this truly is a massive step-up from the prior games. There's a big reason this is a classic and is still played today (whether it's the vanilla version or with randomizers). Now I do prefer Ocarina of Time personally, tho I guess I won't truly know until I replay that next, but if I'll give anything to this game over Ocarina, it's the fact the pacing is way faster and its a lot easier to just dive in and replay. That and visually it does look a lot cleaner. Anyways, I was going to play the CDI games, but I realized the hassle to get an emulator working for them wouldn't have been worth it for how supposedly bad they are. So, Link's Awakening DX is next in this marathon, look forward to that review coming soon!!

“...We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too.”

- United States President John F. Kennedy's "We choose to go to the Moon", 1962 speech.

"Magnificent Speech. Ain't it? But how is it relevant?"

“Uhh well sir. Kinda evokes a similar ideology about our mission. Ya know in Outer Wilds(OW). Plus our newest astronaut for the program has some interesting logs to see. I think you should see them.”

“Hmmm. Reports are only forwarded to me urgently for outstanding experiences. And you say he has one?”

“Without a doubt sir, I think it may shed some light on why the speech is given among other things. Though do mind his first day. The results were… not pretty on initial impressions. He also tends to label our project as a game/simulation at times while referencing relative sci-fi films… Which is odd, but not harmful.”

“Hmph, I’ll be the judge of that. He better not write anything concrete. Due to the secretive nature, it’s imperative to keep things close to the chest so to speak. If I find SPOILERS in the above mediums. I’ll expel him post-haste and zero remorse.”

Log 1 - An extremely short slow, boring beginning to a grand adventure

Initially I thought learning about space and whatnot boring. Yet decades later on I couldn't help but amusingly remember those naive days. Here I am weeks after joining the program. And I must say The Outer Wilds is odd. I signed what felt like books of NDAs, and the only thing I can definitively concerning this secretive game is that it evokes a whirlwind of cathartic emotions. Steadily rising higher despite its demure appearance. Steam succinctly describes; “open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an %^&(%^& loop.” With bolded phrases such as: “Welcome to the Space Program! Mysteries of the Solar System… A World that changes over time and lastly grab your intergalactic gear!" Statements sound interesting at a glance, but nothing to entice everyone except those with an interest going farther than our little globe in real life. Pointing at the biggest question of 'how,' 'what' & 'why' during your stay here are primary motivators to unearth the beautiful diamond. And I must whisper after trying for a small amount of occasions…

My first impressions weren’t positive. I love getting to the action real quick. So when I'm delegated to walking and reading early on. Doesn’t excite me to move on especially since I already want to progress past the atmosphere. And usually, there’s a clear prerogative of what to do. Here there’s not a hand-holding overarching narrative to follow consistently. You have to build your own goals and discover what lies in the vastness of the universe a bit. A central 'plot' does exist though, so don't worry if you think this is purely a sandbox. Moreover, upon finishing the basic tutorials on thrusters, scouters, signalscope and finally getting the launch codes. Took 30 minutes flat and I was ready to sleep. However, once I entered my ship and said goodbye to my friends. Activating thrusters and Yahoo! We're in space! Didn’t have difficulty navigating the solar system… Until I ventured to a distant foreboding sphere. Where my breath was taken away and silenced. And my previous hurdles are eradicated. Wish I could march back in a hot instant to slap my past self silly for thinking ridiculous nitpicks. Because I’m so glad to be wrong.

“If it wasn’t for the last sentence. I would’ve ordered you to flag him for disposal.”

“B-b-boss?”

“Nevermind. The 2nd record better impress. Or else…”

Log 2 - Appreciating the fear of the unknown

I’ll try to describe my emotions on the first planet. Any interstellar film or game worth its salt needs to evoke the presence of horror, hopelessness, anxiety, and tension. We can use examples from earlier works like Alien(1979) by Ridley Scott or Mass Effect(2007) series. The former needs no introduction where we see struggling survivors encountering a deadly alien threat. Managing to keep our suspense intact and the ‘surprise’ of what occurs in the future moving. Among other elements of horror such as fear. The latter presents a decent spread of hostile and friendly species to converse. Yet the traits differ. You never know what to expect despite talking to them. The element of ‘surprise,’ is inherent in the above aspects. Thus I am treated to a host of emotions I find unsettling. But not off-putting. The closest example I think is during a segment of Independence Day(1996). Where the protagonist must venture off on a final mission. Not a spoiler, most films have this action during the last act. A final hurrah. I felt a sense of uncertainty despite cautiously maneuvering my small vessel in an unknown place. Feeling lost and embracing the zero-g is a sense I felt intimately. The sentiment is further connected to a growing climb of wonder and excitement. Upon discovering something I found incredible and increased my resolve to learn further.

“Boss, you’re smiling.”

“What?! Nonono bits of food stuck in my mouth, had to move my teeth a bit.”

A cough is heard.

“A-anyway let’s move onto the 3rd report please.”

Log 3 - Fleeting wonder and magically enraptured from beginning, middle, and end

One of the main pillars is Wonder and magic is everywhere. The sensation of actually embarking on a solo declaration is fulfilling. Discovering new facets you seldom knew before is equally as powerful. Encountering and struggling against different varied biomes is a treat both planet-wise and in astral territory. Mirrors our lived life in making goals and acting upon them in a unfamiliar environment. Ya know the first moment you see snow? And you wanna build a snowman immediately? Remember those memories. The awe and jaw drops are plentiful. I’m reminded of the second when I first became enchanted by Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace(1999). Not because of the cool action sequences as a kid, but the big ol question mark on my face witness Tatooine. A harsh desert with a cornucopia of species living around. Beyond the nearly unlivable conditions, my eyes were glued to the racers speeding along the canyon highways in a deadly race. Different from NASCAR, the Olympics, horse racing and plenty vehicular competitions out there. The phenomenon never escaped as I climbed higher in age brackets. Games and films both share a wonderful quality to capture something different, and unique. We gaze and transport ourselves into a fictional world to our liking, dislike and nuances in between. Exploring, discovering, being lost, trails connecting pieces of lore. And starting anew, reborn with the knowledge gained. A gratifying cycle emerges. I can’t escape. But do I need to? Hmmm…

Capturing the immediate and prolonged interest of any individual varies. The dullness I experienced initially reversed course upon investing additional time. Helped by a strong point. Every 22 minutes a [censored] occurs. [Re%^&*ing] my character with intact launch codes. And crucial wisdom gained previously. Ready to start another venture. I wasn’t enthused on the mechanic early on. But after hours passed by unnoticed, I realized it's an innovative narrative helper. Demonstrating the consequences of our historical actions and what methods we can induce next. Not adhering to strictly player-centric design. The state of everything continues with or without our actions and causes self-reflection. The last point is significant. I’ll touch on it later as I dive into the process of elimination and frustration. On the opposite side, I calmly steered my cruiser to another location since the previous place scared me enough to not travel back there till I scrounged up extra courage. I traveled to a decently fast-moving object which I didn’t think was possible. Landed surprisingly safely. I was riding high on the accomplishment. Until I came upon an old recording. Turns out an ancient civilization left their findings! I learned a clue and after checking what I could, which isn’t a whole lot. I return to my vessel. Only to witness it’s not there! I recall what my translator deciphered revealing the cause. I facepalmed not registering the different data prior to later. I promptly yeeted myself into the sun to restart. What a horrible 2nd try. On my third attempt, I traveled to a fresh site.

You know the idiomatic expression the third time's the charm? Well let me tell you how it's true. I can’t dive into specifics of what I saw. In terms of relatability and vibes, I found it breathtaking. An animated film I still love today is called Treasure Planet(2002). A story about a young lad coming across stories of a cool wandering pirate with the ability to disappear with nary a trace. To the point he has amassed a great treasure. Enchanted by his tales, he resolves to follow in similar footsteps. I won’t discuss anymore, but if you splice the movie with Interstellar(2014)’s planetary discovery, with displayed awe in both protagonist's facial expressions. Then you can figure out what my face turned into. The sentiment is unsurpassed and instantly hooked me to delve deeper into the cosmos and what mysteries to unearth, understand, and utilize to the fullest extent. The magic of discovering other passages connecting to clues and answering my questions left me satisfied to a greater degree I would equate to circumspect. A notion I love to bits when connecting wonderful lorebuilding.

“Hmmm. I don't appreciate disclosing the exact minutes, but I'm happy he at least censored the important bits. To leave fresh greenies their own imagination.”

Gently smiling. The assistant silently passes the 4th transcript. Wondering if it was a trick of their eye, but they swear a slight smirk instantly emerged before vanishing. A blink if you miss it event.

Log 4 - For now a little step. Later, a giant leaps for lorebuilding

The fourth spot I journeyed to I would equate to a familiar segment from Interstellar(2014) except mixed with an animated film called Titan A.E(2000). Both deal in matters of heavy topics I won’t spoil. But it is deep and conjures mature themes. Enhancing OW’s careful lore building. Mirrors similar human fascination with space and what can we glean from minute information given to us using advanced technology. Using a suit and gadgets helps us to create a better picture. Although it can be hypothetical we can at least infer with evidence and prove claims. Therefore, I can’t help but smile whilst I'm reading texts of dialogue again where previously I thought was boring.

The genius of worldbuilding worth its salt is the ability to strongly capture an individual’s attention and let the user form their conclusions based on information given from religion, culture, laws, physics, and other info. There's merit in connecting. In video games, we discern this through dialogue given by NPCs and books we can read. Two elements work in tandem to enrich the player beyond the main plot. For better or worse, we identify an excess and perhaps too little in some cases. Here, a careful methodology concerning the non-handholding story and vital lore texts emerges. Maximized to the fullest effect I'm astounded to witness from a non-RPG. And I’ve played a decent amount removing the RPG element. What blows my mind further is the placement of lore exercised to the fullest limit. Knowledge is extremely instrumental in conducting further actions. Thereby the primary strengths result in the varied text. Ancients in humorous stories and hobbies full of quirks yet it doesn’t detract from their passion in their craft. Goals, missions, incentives, and purpose all become linked and shared. Far from piling an ever-stuffing pinata or treated to a plate made by a five-star restaurant. Rather familiar... a certain fella I watched growing up from Discovery channel. Dr. Michio Kaku who can break complex terms into explanations like I'm five format. With a dash of compelling interest. Then cooked to an extent I'm savoring the taste. With the power of my handy ship reports, I can connect lore automatically. Arrows lead me to my next destination based on evidence previously. And data entries compiling alternative bits to complete an informational packet. Categorized, neatly in concise portions of longer post-it notes. It is a miniature, but effective companion twisting the noggins in my brain not too hard unlike the Talos Principle. Disregard thinking it could be a chore. Quite the opposite.

Throwing out conventional design. From coding to world-building- constructing a trail that is rich, emotive helped by sound design, and purposeful. Yet it does not retain the intrinsic building blocks we usually associate with storytelling; the character ‘A,’ will detail information to us to character ‘B.’ We read text records instead. Some may see this as boring as hell as did I, early on. But stick with it, and you will see the splendor of their capabilities. The genius and creativity of the writings revolve back to the narrative, the curiosity. Then the question arises. What is the underlying incentive that moves the participant so much to continue? I’ll answer that by pointing to the sky beyond our planet and asking “What lies beyond outer space? And what else can we derive from there?” The incentives look plain, but usher in a tug-of-war gently luring me into the mystery and eating the delicious carrot. And it's funny because my philosophy teacher posited multiple questions to extrapolate from anything similar to the pursuit of education, and the limits of our current understanding of science. He used a pencil as an example. Why is it sharp? Why is the material wood? Can it be broken? What is the eraser made of? How long does it take to create a single pencil? What’s the cost? Why am I using a pencil instead of a pen? These questions can be applied coming across each concept or tangible stuff during a sweep in OW. Yet it doesn’t become a chore to look underneath every nook and cranny. Purpose and clues which lead to further clues and discoveries in a cyclical manner rewarding the patient and observer. Listening and understanding are key component blocks in understanding things greater than we initially perceive. Lean into the minimalistic design without being overbearing. There is enough to ride the fine line of not extracting over-complicated to the point of excess. And I 100% believe 99% of everything here is gold. Loan Verneau(Other designer) emphasizes the characteristics from a 2020 Noclip documentary.. “Minimalism is actually advantageous.”

“Boss, here’s some grub. You should eat ya know.”

“Yeah yeah don’t worry, I'll eat when I finish chronicle 5. Don’t worry.”

The assistant turns around, rolls his eyeballs around, and cheekily smirks as he watches his employer avidly reading more entries. He nonetheless hands him the fifth log.

Log 5 - Secrets, have secrets. And the critical usage of tools

Much in a minuscule vein of the Marvel Cinematic Universe(MCU) Avenger films, there’s always a layer behind a character or plot and usually you can apply the concept to films and videogames in reading behind the scenes or underneath the underneath. Underlying messages, themes, and possibly commentary on a variety of issues without implicitly being said. OW operates similarly. I follow breadcrumbs, I learn additional details, shifting the layers of my comprehension from literal, non-literal, lateral, etc. A delicate move that eases youngins and removes the over-complicated. Toeing the very fine edge of a black hole. Not descending entirely, but enough to make me struggle. My thinking process was in overdrive to determine various possible links. Frustration and impatience emanated from my head. Almost to the point I wanted to put this as a negative. But taking a deep breath, re-evaluating my options, the process of elimination, and a cool head kept my logical process running smoothly and not overheating such as a PC.

I hesitate to call this a 'puzzle' cause it's not. In the vein of Portal & Talos Principle. Where it is clear and linear of what you have to do. Definitely puzzle inspired. Elements through the environment in a non-intrusive manner. Designed in a way to be beginner-friendly yet as you gradually hit the end credits slowly ramp up. Not too cryptic and not too direct. Easy to connect the dots in my opinion. Forgive me for not enclosing the exact method or describing further, once again spoiler territory. But if you enjoy those ‘puzzles’ I mentioned earlier, then probably the process is favorable of how the developers implemented here. Tying to the lore and narrative. Enriching my overall experience, akin to pursuing an oasis in the desert after days of not eating or drinking. I was hungry, thirsty, and ravenous to continue. Here’s a hint, use the rumor and ship records to help you pinpoint possible solutions. It may not matter much early on but try to make it a habit to check. The results will surely surprise you.

Moreover, the tools gained are used to the fullest effect. You can attain most of them by equipping your suit. But also don’t forget about them! I can’t track the countless occasions I died forgetting to equip my gear. Don’t be a silly fool like me. Remember! It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this! A special craft, jetpack, scouter, translator, signalscope, A reliable suit equipped with an oxygen tank and fuel for the jets! You’ll need these essential tools before descending on new ground. Lest you die of lack of oxygen heh. The tools are a nice fusion mixing into the raw fun immediately. In expected and unexpected ways. I lost sight of my liner. Heh easy peasy, I use my jetpack to jettison slightly into the atmosphere where I can behold an overview of the planet I'm currently on. And it's fun wrestling with different forces of gravity. A past memory allowed me to soar freely, enjoying the freedom of zero-g. And testing the effects of denser gravity life. Is a super struggle to jump a mere foot. Such careful implementation, where physics and movement are acted upon deserves special praise. Always fun to test out various gravitational fields and actively maneuvering my ship based on my momentum is satisfying by demonstrating you can’t easily become a master with enough tools and tricks at your disposal. Revolves back to always something fresh to learn and discover and using that knowledge is priceless.

Navigation I found to my pleasant surprise isn’t tough. To me, I found the experience easy to get a sense of orientation to decide your ensuing travel destination. Helped by the fact you have your globe compass. Thankfully entire locations are not absurdly complex. Plenty of locations are developed with care. Distinct enough to stand on its own. Standing in the middle of nowhere, you undoubtedly easily find themselves lost on where to forge next! Well, my friend the signalscope is a radar, compass, and a handy sound detector. Simply following the source can lead to incredible discoveries! A reliable suit can protect you from various hazards so keep an eye on your health! It’s not just the vastness of the unknown that can be scary. I’m reminded of the warning Stephen Hawking once said regarding alien civilization. Maybe that will help or not. Who knows… Anyway! You should use the scouter. While it seems useless in the beginning to throw a pocket-size machine out in the distance rendering images such as mobile Mars rovers. Invaluable in checking out what’s in the distance. You rarely know what kind of matter you’ll come across. If safe to land, dangerous terrain to traverse, hell the additional light source emanating is vital in scouting too! In the darkest of moments, I determine solace in the illumination. Lastly, a handy translator to decipher old texts. Minus this little guy, I probably would’ve quit entirely! A tool to transcribe what was said long ago. Man. Wish we had this for our main cast back in Arrival(2016).

“Arrival is a damn fantastic film! A must watch along with the other sci-fi films touched on.”

“I agree, boss. Weird they haven’t watched Kubrick’s famous space film. Think he could’ve had substance to articulate about him.”

“True, perhaps they have not watched the film yet… Shame.

“Best of the best… Ah, here's the latest text.”

Log 6 - It's okay to make mistakes. History is full of them

I believe one of the hardest and maybe underappreciated qualities is to capture the attention of an individual for a prolonged period depending on the fun factor. Overcoming obstacles, finding new treasures, discovering secrets, winning against an opponent completing an objective, and my favorite is learning supplementary erudition that can be used retroactively to encounter alternate paths and solutions to obstacles. A slice different from metroidvanias with required items/abilities to progress. Similar, but different from how a rogue-lite conducts after failure. Operates by handing you enough necessary devices, not ability-gating, but sending them off at their own pace is an immensely enjoyable endeavor. 'If you can go there, you can reach it.'

But also exhibit a manageable learning curve. Thereby allowing astronauts and astralfarers to continue unabated without major insurmountable hurdles. A phenomenal example is akin to Mario falling into the abyss and we restart immediately is a simple and earliest example. Here the presence of failure and not giving up is palpable. Embracing mistakes can often lead to interesting outcomes. Making the most of what you can do within a limited ordeal reminded me heavily of my recent trip to Japan. Where I tried to do the most of what I could physically do while staying within ‘x’ amount of days. You have to embrace the logistics and persevere to rise above average motions to do as much as possible. Granted you don’t have to follow the ideology to a T. I love doing whatever you want at your leisure.

My experience in Japan was a proverbial light-bulb in parallel history of what I conducted. I didn’t come to this realization til dozens of attempts of failing, dying, and befuddlement. Concerning the failed attempts. I stand and try again. It is why I appreciate the [blank] loop occurring within 22 minutes clever. Sure a restart is feasible, but considering the full breadth is not player-centric. Enough distinct events occur within a small time frame. I won’t bring out anything explicit. But this core facet is a robust pillar holding up what makes OW remarkable. I’m reminded of the Apollo program to reach the moon after a world superpower equivalent entered the race by sending Yuri Gagarin as the first person to fly in past our blue home. Countless citizens of the Liberty Nation felt fear of being left behind. I was never born during that era, but the texts in history books detail the significance greatly of landing on the moon. The sensation of rivalry, anxiety, feasibility, capability, and what if’s are borne fruit within the OW project. How many adventures will my tiny craft be able to exert? Before I redo the whole start again? What untouched goals can I scrounge aside from virtually landing on my moon? Can I fulfill my mission parameters? And most importantly why am I doing this myself?

As a student and lover of world history: encompassing socio, technological, cultural, and countless others. Fascinating to grasp, but also our experiments to blast outside our atmosphere. The simulator has an alluring way of increasing my curiosity constantly. By approaching early interstellar travel through a museum. You don’t need to understand everything inside, but I find what’s displayed enchanting. Unseen creatures cute but terrifying. Text writing given in an untraditional manner. Artifacts changing senses of physical orientation and the mysterious Nomai talked in reverent tones leave me intrigued for new material. Teasing me, luring me to learn extra. It's lovely, the devs managed to send me into a similar fascination I had long ago as a young lad. I was enthused on entire interstellar matters and reliving the experience now. In a distinguishable manner by actively transforming a viewer's perspective into that of an active participant. “I read tales of cosmos history” takes on a whole new meaning when I traveled to the “moon and beyond.”

Despite my slight struggle in the beginning. The journey is bloody significant it in my honest opinion. It's up to you to decide the methodology a journey will advance. They say ignorance is bliss. And knowledge is power. Blah blah blah. Entertain the two notions and subsequently witness a slow, but gripping plot of pioneers embarking on treacherous expeditions and meritwhile voyages. Embracing the unknown like a partner steadily balancing their fear on a tightrope. To what end? Up to you! For what awaits fellow travelers mainly a wonderful trek to the stars.

Log 7 - My Mixed Feelings is Zero, as I Expected

I’ll be frank. I have zero mixed feelings. No negative nitpicks, and frustrations were due to the fact of my inability to jump the gun and Rambo my way to the credits. A shameful bad habit I still have trouble deterring myself from. Although, I’m glad I played until I finished the final act. The lesson I gently reminded is exercising a lesson in patience. Breathing deeply and re-focusing on my priorities whilst undergoing a process of elimination. Determining what I haven’t explored and what I couldn’t pass before, but with extra information gained. Surely I can do what I was unable to before. The backtracking wasn’t a sore spot. And sure the beginning can be slow, but I believe it's worth delving into to understand fully the tutorials. Gently nudging the player through the do’s and don’ts of star travel and the dangers that come in your travels. I’m at a sheer loss to add anything concrete regarding suggestions and I cannot for the life of me conjure meaningful examples. Everything is self-contained and at your disposal to succeed. Mayhap a gentle reminder that self-reflection is key and organizing your next list of priorities transitions into an easier task to undergo were vital to remember. Here’s a tip reviewing what you already accomplished might bring a different insight. Keep notes my friends!

“Kid already left huh? Damn. My is stomach hungry. But that can wait. I have naught urge to eat nor sleep right now.”

“Funny, I too experienced the same feelings after I entered the organization.”

Log 8 - Stories & mysteries. A positive appraisal

I always love heavy stories. It's the primary reason I look for within the medium. Everything else 2nd. So I'm extremely shocked to play a title where the plot is [redacted] in a way I didn’t expect. I’m no stranger to storytelling methods of unreliable narrators, ludo narrative dissonance, and connecting essential literary elements to craft a compelling plot. A climax full of importance and gawking. Supposedly with a loveable cast as well. I received none of these yet achieved an indescribable experience using a non-traditional progression. Which I find enormously challenging to describe in minute details. Within the confines of the simulator, I encountered many memories I don’t believe I'll forget. A stack I reminisce fondly. An aspect, so moving is a solid top quality. Ever seen any seven wonders on Earth? Or presumably some iconic nature-made landscape to leave you breathless? Same energy! In my struggle, all that's left are the sensations conjured during the moment and everlasting memories. Usually, players detail the conclusion as the ultimate moment. Others, the journey. And for a certain side the beginning. As I take my final steps into the end credits I can chiefly remark that everything is priceless, precious, and potent passion resonating to my very heart.

“Yes, I do agree the overarching story has incredible value striving towards. It's enormously challenging to display in a raw form. But I sincerely and wholeheartedly agree with their assessment.”

“Oh man, two left. Nights getting late… I have work in the morning... Meh I'll keep reading.”

Log 9 - Tips, hints, and a single weird outlier- A confession and the choice

Despite what I said early on with having zero mixed feelings I will confess to using a FAQ and hint guide near the very last stretch of my playthrough. I won’t say specifics. I primarily missed two things but I already knew beforehand and the execution. I simply missed the diminutive connection. This isn’t advocating to check FAQ or a guide. Merely suggesting if you need help. Or contacting a close friend. A blind playthrough is still highly recommended. However, this doesn’t deter me from gently conveying if you’re struggling to be careful of spoiling yourself on YouTube or a harmful thumbnail blatantly showing what to expect. It is extremely rare I would resort to such a tactic considering 99%, I found everything by myself and I suspect if I hadn't checked I would’ve eventually found the answer. I don't think there’s harm in searching for hints/tips since its impossible for every person to be on the same wavelength in understanding and processing logical thinking. It's why we don’t notice universal praise 100% of the time and barely to none flaws in every single product made. There’s always something to remark.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I’ll give their assessment a valid shake. It's honestly impossible to make a program and run to the finish line. Hitting the mark consistently. Playing blind to successfully reaching the ending every instances without help. The ultimate undertaking is still not within our capability. But by fine-tuning it we can achieve a close number to the triple digits. I believe Noclip demonstrates the history and the multiple developmental iteration stages in getting there. Seems the work was very challenging, but worth it. Cool guys. Was nice watching behind the scenes.”

“Oh. The last texts…”

Log 10 - The Final Log

I think the testament to a magnificent quality is the ability to grab anyone from any reasonable age and outside of searching for auxiliaries fully explore and in their understanding comprehend what is given. To an extent where the player deeply appreciates what is conveyed through memorable experiences, deep themes and reigniting a blazing heart of what makes videogames so moving. In neither too complex nor too simple aspects. Rather it strives to hit every range in the spectrum to capture the essence of what I feel is the zenith of pure discovery, supreme wonder, and incredible satisfaction through the act of accomplishment. At the very core, the devs toe the fine line to the point of frustration. Excelling in qualities I look for. And punches its weight limit beyond the super heavyweight class. Heck, shooting for 100% isn’t required either! You don’t need to worry on performance achievements. They're akin to extra credit points. A relief in my eyes. Thereby lodging a wonderfully thoughtful fun loop that keeps me coming back frequently until the final track is conveyed. Danny O'Dwyer, from Noclip puts it in the best way possible.

“...Outer Wilds is more than the sum of its parts. It's the type of game that leaves you with a feeling that can’t be explained. It has to be experienced.”

I echo the same sentiment. The herculean effort the developers at Mobius Digital created is truly one of a kind. Infrequently have I played a science fiction type hitting utterly the things I love and fear from the cosmos yet contained in a moving revolving door of themes tiny and grand. I found the grand finish line of my expeditions. Sure there were bumps on the road to get there. But OW travelers experiences hardship differently and manages to resolve them in a method to their satisfaction. For me. The venture was arduous yet left me with a marvelous sense of immense satisfaction. A sensation anyone knows intimately. Whether it's to defeat the most difficult boss, triumph over the hardest puzzle, climb the tallest pillar, or journey a thousand miles whilst completing many mini-challenges. The same feeling never escapes. The moment of victory, the HUZZAH always reigns supreme. A phenomenal caliber reverberates in spades beyond my imagination. Always surprised me to the nth degree yet ne'er blew my suspension of disbelief into a catastrophic supernova. Elevating by not prescribing to conventional designs. Connecting the sweet Chekov’s gun beautifully comparable to an intricate web. Whereupon I was helplessly comprehending every morsel of lore and thus achieved a peak Everest of worldbuilding. Through gaining knowledge. And harnessed to the maximum effect. Removing egregious copy paste areas. This wasn’t the largest universe I’ve explored, nor the prettiest graphically nor does it contain a tour de force soundtrack and an always gripping plot to unearth coupled with a loveable cast. Doesn’t hit the limit of fun gameplay. Outer Wilds is none of these. Yet the sum of its parts as Danny eloquently said earlier along with playing as blind as possible are the hallmarks benefiting an increased multiplier to the X degree. Tying the above to excellent points by a duct tape machine and launching my ship to uncharted territory is an unparalleled impression.

I implore any curious souls looking for an excellent sci-fi space adventure such as this as a one hell of a wake up palette cleanser to try between games, game pass, or even if they had an experience a stark contrast to mine then that’s entirely fair and valid. What matters is how your journey started, during, and ended. What you find at the closing of the day is the sincerest conclusion you reached with both hands and mind. Literally and figuratively. For better or worse. The cosmos exists, but so do we. And thus we venture forth to the stars. Undeterred, unbowed, and unflinchingly in the face of its daunting expanse, striving past our normal means. Similar in some respects to a tiny excerpt from a famous speech proposed decades ago.

.
.
.

"Oh by the way Boss. I have something to report-"

The assistant gradually opens the door to the office. There he spies his superior sleeping soundly in the chair snoring softly. Peering closer he witnesses the final log close to his chest.

He sighs softly and gathers a jacket nearby to drape over him. But in doing so, a light object falls to the ground.

A piece of paper.

“Oh for me?”

The assistant reads the confines slowly. Eyes growing wider as paragraphs fly by until...

A single final line…

10/10 - Get me their number. We need to talk.

References and additional material:
1962 - JFK Moon speech
2020 - The Making of Outer Wilds - Documentary by Noclip
Before I play: Outer Wilds - Useful tips!
Spoiler safe FAQ - literally saved my bacon. No joke
My spoiler thoughts of Outer Wilds
Special thanks to Hotpoppah, _YALP & Phantasm for recommending OW to me.

Jawdroppingly amazing, this was honestly such a pleasant surprise. I had already high hopes going into this because I adore Survival Horror, I was imagining it as a 7.5 maybe 8/10, but this game really just blew me out of the water. This is such an aesthetically pleasing game with extremely fun puzzles with tons of variety, a gorgeous aesthetic (which was only helped by the CRT mode that I used), an amazing story with on par lore, a good soundtrack, interesting characters, cool survival horror mechanics and just phenomenal gameplay. I adore this game so much, it’s probably one of my favorite games of all time even. If you have this game just rotting in your game library like I have for a year, just try this game already trust me.

9.5/10

It's rare that a game with decently complex first person melee combat comes around, and Dark Messiah has always been one that's brought up over the years. I can't say that I'm disappointed, but I was expecting a little more based on how much praise people give it.
For starters, the melee never fully feels right. Partially because you need to hover your crosshair over an enemy to actually land the hit. This means your sword can look like it should've hit, but will instead miss your target. Even Skyrim's infamous combat manages to get the upper hand here, but what it doesn't have is the sheer volume of environmental interactions.
Dark Messiah is at its absolute best when you're presented an area filled to the brim with rickety platforms you can break to topple large crates and barrels on foes, weird and out of place spike traps to kick them into, and large pits for them to fall off. The game feels scrappy and awkward and that's the fun part. The kick is a universal combat move that almost never gets old, as it allows for a variety of interactions with the enemies and environment.
This is then thrown into the gutter for a series of mediocre and dull combat encounters in enclosed caves against hordes of spiders that will inflict poison the instant they touch you. This is where the other combat styles come into play. Archery is slow and not very fun or powerful, but magic has a variety of spells with interesting and varied uses. The one that compliments melee playstyles the most is the ice, as you can freeze the ground for an easy instant kill. after an enemy slips and falls.

I'd talk about the narrative but I didn't really care. The voice in your head is so obviously evil that I won't even bother putting a spoiler tag on this review. Your goal is to stop an evil necromancer from destroying the world or something, so you go and get a series of mcguffins in a temple. Really the story is just a vehicle for the gameplay, and that's fine.
The game is definitely worth the price of admission on a sale but you're going to have to set up a few things before it stops crashing constantly. Once you do that you've got a somewhat janky but overall fun time. I wouldn't put it above Zeno Clash in terms of its fp melee system, but the environment really pushes it over the edge.

I originally played this at launch on Game Pass, and it was immediately apparent it was "my kinda shit" From the Saturday morning cartoon visuals and humour to the Nine Inch Nails tracks and Bill & Ted-esque chants of "EXCELLENT!" when collecting upgrades.

And on top of that its a fantastic character action game!

I could gush about this thing all day, it was my favourite game of 2023, and even playing it so soon after my initial completion it fills me with the same sense of joy. Which leads me to the most important thing I have to say about the game...

Microsoft shutting down Tango is an actual crime. Fuck those guys!

I know I'm still in the middle of another marathon (Kirby) but I've decided to also go through every Zelda game I own and can emulate because I've been in a big Zelda mood lately. Not only that, some other Backloggd members have also decided to join this marathon as well. Namely QuentTheSlayer, Ptcremisi,Steinco,Phantasm and a couple others. The four I mentioned plan on playing pretty much every game like I am, while the others plan on picking and choosing games they want to play. Either way, be sure to check out their accounts because they plan on putting out reviews for all the games too!

Anyways, The Legend of Zelda. I first played this game years ago on my brother's 3DS XL. He randomly bought this off the eShop and when he wasn't using his 3DS, I decided to actually try the first Zelda game out. I don't think I got far, and I didn't love it but it was neat finally trying this game out. Fast forward to 2020, I was trying to beat some games I started but never finished. Since I still had NSO, and I knew this game was on it, I decided to finally beat it once and for all. I did, and yeah I didn't like it all too much. I think I had to use save states, and definitely had to use a guide for most of it and that hampered my experience a lot. Coming back to it today tho, I say I still don't really like it all too much but it has its merits.

I guess I'll first go into the story of this game. Most future Zelda games also go by this same story structure as well, so get used to what I'm about to say. You play as Link, a young boy from the kingdom of Hyrule. You must rescue the princess of Hyrule, Zelda, from the big bad of this series, Ganon. You must collect the pieces of Triforce, which are used to stop Ganon, and they are split into 8 shards and are all found at the end of dungeons. The three pieces are the Triforce of Courage, Wisdom and Power. The specific pieces don't really come into play until later games, because that's if. That's the entire story of the first Zelda game. It's incredibly simple but it works, and these story details are the backbone of the entire Zelda series.

When you first start the actual game, the first thing you see on the first screen you're on, is an empty cave. You meet an old man, and he utters the now famous dialogue "It's dangerous to go alone, take this!". He hands you a sword and with that, you're free to explore the world of Hyrule. Exploring Hyrule can be pretty fun and frustrating on your first playthrough. On one hand, you'll be exploring everywhere trying to find each dungeon and trying to find any secrets you can. That can be very fun for people that just love to explore with almost zero direction, this is a game from 1986 so the best direction you'd get back then were vague hints or using an issue of Nintendo Power for help. This is 2024 tho, and you've been able to just look up a guide online for a while now, so that's what most players will do. And honestly, that's what I did and it's the best way to get through the overworld portions at least. See, this game's overworld relies on you finding random secrets you would only find by randomly guessing their locations or by using a guide. This game loves random bombable walls or random bushes you can burn, and while this only affects actually dungeons near the end, this is used for required items and also several rupee locations (that you WILL need) and so I think this is an unfun part of the overworld. If there was any indication the walls or bushes had secrets, it would be fine, but there isn't unless you find some very vague dialogue in game. That, plus just bombing a wall or burning a bush isn't really puzzle-like, which I would prefer in my Zelda overworlds. This is something future Zelda games improved on, but here, you might as well just use a guide to get most of the overworld stuff done first and then move onto the dungeons (that's what I did). I can see why some other people might find it more fun to constantly replay this game and actually memorize all the secrets, however I just don't think that's good game design and so I decided to do the whole overworld with a guide.

The dungeons themselves, while not great, are definitely the best part of this game. They are way less cryptic than the overworld, and thus are more fun. They can get pretty brutal near the end of the game, and also more confusing (they start to rely on bombable walls too) so I had to use a guide for the last couple as well. But in general, despite the simplicity, the dungeons are pretty fun. The bosses at the end of each dungeon are pretty easy but with this type of game, I'm fine with that since the bulk of the game is exploration. Something I didn't like, and I'm mentioning it here because it happens mostly in dungeons, is the fact you start with 3 health when you die. No matter how many heart containers you have, you'll always just start the game with 3 health and it's my biggest issue in the game because it's tedious having to get more health to have a fighting chance (since it's so easy to get hit in this game). Luckily, there are a couple fairy fountains that restore your health fully throughout the world, and there are caves that give you potions (believe me you will need these) so they make that whole health system a bit more tolerable. Going back to "since it's so easy to get hit in this game" whenever you get hid, there enemy pushes you back a bunch and because the invincibility frames are relatively short, it's not hard to get comboed by enemies and die. Now this didn't happen too much in my playthrough, but it can still be annoying. Outside of getting hit tho, Link plays well otherwise.

Inside the dungeons, and also outside in caves, you can collect different items that aid you in your adventure. You have some iconic items like the boomerang, bombs, a bow and arrows and ofc the iconic Rupees. You also have heart containers in this game, that you will want to find in all the caves and after each dungeon boss. There aren't heart pieces in this game, only containers, so each of them is super valuable. I won't get into all the main dungeon items, just know they're all pretty solid, but I will get into the clock. Sometimes when you kill an enemy, it drops a clock. When you pick up the clock, it stops every enemy in place if they're on the same screen you collected it on. This can be SO helpful in later encounters if you somehow are able to get one, it's very random tho so you better hope you get lucky. I also will say, one time during my playthrough, I killed three of these boomerang enemies and got three fairies at once from them. Idk how lucky that is but it seemed pretty insane.

The music in this game is simply iconic. The Title Theme(yes I shared the Famicom version, it's the best version) is probably my favorite song in the game and is the main theme of the entire franchise which makes sense since it's amazing. The overworld also uses a version of these theme and it's also very good. Picking up items and finding secrets also play jingles and they've been in pretty much every Zelda game since this one as well. If this game does anything super well, it's the sound design. There's a reason so much of it was reused for future titles lol.

While I don't care for the first Legend of Zelda all too much, due to the exploration secrets not being great and the 3 heart after death thing, I can't deny it's an iconic game and was very important in the grand scheme of things for the Zelda series. I don't love playing it, but I can certainly appreciate it for what it is.

Now that Zelda 1 is done, Zelda 2 is next. I actually have never played that one, and I haven't heard great things, so I'm worried I won't like it much but I guess we'll see. Look forward to that next.

Also, when I get to the 3D Zelda titles, I'll try to sprinkle in some smaller games in between but more importantly, I'll try to mix some Kirby games in between. Basically, I'll be doing a mix of Kirby and Zelda eventually. Just letting you know now since you'll eventually notice, I'm sure.

DOOM 2016 Review

A phrase I often use in my reviews is “textbook sequel”. I define this phrase as a sequel to a highly successful and beloved title in an established series that takes almost everything that made the previous game work and refines it. Some examples that immediately come to mind include Portal 2, Metal Gear Solid 2, Silent Hill 2, and Batman: Arkham City. DOOM Eternal is very much a textbook sequel in that regard as well. It took almost everything that DOOM 2016 did right and expanded upon it to quite frankly, an overwhelming extent. The result is one of the most exciting and thrilling games that I’ve ever experienced, a game that I’ve replayed countless times at this point. From the bottom of my heart and soul, I LOVE DOOM Eternal. Every time I come back to this game, its gameplay provides a level of thrill and sheer joy that few games have ever come close to matching. It’s a game that rewards your mastery of its mechanics with an unmatched level of catharsis and satisfaction that truly makes me feel like an unstoppable, unshakeable torrent of carnage and mayhem.

After the events of DOOM 2016, the demonic forces of Hell have begun an all encompassing invasion of Earth. In order to save his home, the DOOM Slayer goes on a journey across many different worlds in order to track down and kill the Hell Priests, a trio of wizards that are responsible for opening and maintaining the gateways that allow Hell’s forces to invade Earth. The DOOM Slayer’s mission to save his world quickly evokes the wrath of the mysterious Khan Makyr, an ancient alien being that seems to be in league with the forces of Hell. Naturally, the Khan Makyr’s anger pales in comparison to the DOOM Slayer’s righteous rage. In his eyes, the Khan Makyr is just another demonic scumbag he needs to kill.

Like I said, DOOM Eternal takes everything in DOOM 2016 and greatly expands upon it. Everything is bigger: the number of levels, the scale of the story, the amount of upgrades you can purchase for Doomguy, the roster of demons you encounter… everything in this game feels HUGE. It’s truly a lot to take in, and despite it’s best efforts, I’ll admit that Eternal doesn’t always make it easy to do so. Coming to this game with experience from 2016 might not necessarily prepare you for how much of a step up Eternal is from its predecessor. I’ll admit: I didn’t like the game nearly as much as I currently do after my first playthrough. I wasn’t prepared at all for how expansive everything is, and trying to play the game like it’s 2016 will only get you so far. It wasn’t until after I had listened to other people’s thoughts and reviews of the game, and gave it a second runthrough, that I started to really understand what the game was going for, and how to approach it in a way that’s comfortable and paced to my liking.

While the game is still structured more or less the same as 2016, the ways in which certain aspects of the game have been expanded upon makes Eternal feel a tad different. Levels still follow that classic DOOM gameplay loop: you kill demons and you find keys in order to progress through levels, and you always have the opportunity to search for hidden secrets as well. I can’t say for sure whether or not all of the levels in the game are actually longer than the ones in 2016, but they absolutely feel like they are. It might be because of how many combat arenas a level has, as well as how extensive combat can be. Either way, levels in this game definitely feel too long, and I honestly think some of them could be split up into multiple levels for the sake of better pacing. If you have yet to play DOOM Eternal, heed my advice: take breaks whenever you need to. Don’t feel compelled to finish a level if you’re feeling tired. Each level is extremely generous with its checkpoints, to the point where you can pretty much exit the game at any time and pick up right where you left off. Forcing yourself through levels when you’re tired is only going to exhaust you and cause you to resent the game, which happened to me during my first playthrough.

Platforming sections in-between combat arenas return. I’ve seen people frequently complain about the platforming, and while your initial experience with how to progress in certain areas can certainly be confusing since you don’t always know where to go, I personally never found the platforming sections to be a big issue. As I’m about to explain, Eternal’s combat can be tiring, especially when played at higher difficulties. Quite frankly, it needs the downtime the platforming sections provides. Platforming is also better here than in 2016, since failing to make a jump doesn’t result in an immediate death anymore, instead you’ll just respawn while losing a chunk of health.

Combat has been extensively reworked, to the point where it feels so much more intense and chaotic even when compared to 2016 on its hardest difficulty. The demons in Eternal feel a lot more aggressive than they did in 2016. In that game, the demons generally preferred to spread themselves apart and harass you from a distance (with some exceptions like the Hell Knight or the Pinkies). The demons in Eternal all feel like they’re bum rushing the hell outta you. Now more than ever, standing still during combat means death. You need to be constantly moving and using the environment to your advantage in order to stay alive, and Doomguy has a couple of new tools to accomplish this.

There’s the new dash ability, which allows Doomguy to quickly zoom forward in whatever direction you’re currently moving in. You have two total dashes you can use before the ability requires a cooldown. Proper use of the dash ability is extremely necessary, and an absolute must during combat, as Doomguy’s default run speed isn’t enough to outpace the demons chasing after him. There’s also the Meat Hook, an attachment for the Super Shotgun that functions as a grappling hook that pulls Doomguy towards enemies, which is a great way to not only transport yourself across the map, but also bring yourself within Glory Kill distance. The Meat Hook is extremely fun and satisfying to use. Using it to get yourself out of a jam or bring yourself closer to an enemy so that you can kill it with the Chainsaw and replenish health and ammo you desperately need makes you feel incredibly smart, but also provides a strong feeling of relief as well.

With the exception of the pistol (which, let’s be honest, has never really been all that useful in the history of DOOM unless you were desperate to conserve ammo), all of the weapons from DOOM 2016 return. One of the biggest problems that 2016 had was that Doomguy’s arsenal of weapons just wasn’t balanced especially well. The strength of the more powerful weapons in the game (the Super Shotgun in particular) made early game weapons feel redundant as it went on. There was definitely a massive attempt to fix this problem in DOOM Eternal through various means, some of which weren’t initially met with positive reception. However, I believe these changes to Doomguy’s arsenal makes it feel a lot more coherent and purposeful, and even late into the game, all weapons serve a purpose to some extent.

Weapon modifiers return, which plays a part in making those early game weapons remain useful. A lot of weapon mods from the previous game have been replaced with actually useful ones. Certain enemies have weak points on them, such as the laser cannon on an Arachnotron or the rocket launchers on a Revenant, and weapon mods can be used to exploit those weak points, such as the precision scope on the Heavy Cannon or the sticky bomb from the Combat Shotgun. This will stagger enemies while also depriving them of their weapon of choice, which plays a big role in making early weapons still feel relevant all throughout the game.

The most controversial change to combat is that the amount of ammo each weapon can hold has been reduced rather heavily from 2016. It’s a change that really takes a lot of getting used to. You can’t just rely on one weapon to get you through combat arenas anymore. You’re going to have to constantly be switching between weapons, not just depending on the demon you’re currently trying to kill, but also depending on how much ammo per weapon you currently have. I understand a lot of people really don’t like this change, but I honestly am a huge fan of it, especially since DOOM Eternal gives you all of your weapons at a much faster rate than before. By the fourth level, the game itself will tell you that “You have everything you need to beat DOOM Eternal” including the Super Shotgun and a majority of your heavy weapons. What makes the combat of DOOM Eternal so much fun for me are the constant decisions you have to make at a fast pace in order to massacre your enemies while staying alive, and the reduced ammo capacity plays a huge role in encouraging that fast-paced decision making.

There’s a technique in the game called quickswapping which you can use to do immensely fast bursts of damage on enemies. I’m not sure how the technique works on controller, but on keyboard and mouse, you can swap between weapons quickly by binding them to certain keys or additional mouse buttons if you have them. This allows you to quickly swap between weapons while skipping their cooldown animations. I have mixed feelings on quickswapping. There are moments where it feels like it’s overpowered, but at the same time, it’s absolutely necessary in overwhelming situations and against certain demons, the new Marauder demon in particular.

The Marauder was a huge point of contention and controversy when Eternal first came out. It can be a difficult enemy to deal with, as he is generally invincible and has multiple attacks that can shred your health if you’re not careful. To make him vulnerable, you have to stay at a specific distance from him in order to goad him into attacking you with his axe. When he goes for this attack, his eyes will flash green and you can shoot him, which stuns him for a very short period of time, and during that short period, you have to do as much damage as you possibly can. This is where quickswapping comes into play, as quickswapping between the Super Shotgun and the Ballista really shreds his health while he’s stunned. This technique was not explained in the game when it first came out, and without it, the Marauder is a much bigger pain to deal with. The game was eventually updated with a tutorial on how to perform the technique shortly before your first encounter with him. This technique is useful against all demons, not just the Marauder though, and it comes in clutch late in the game, especially on higher difficulties. I have no clue how people who play this game on a controller pull this technique off, and I wonder if that hinders their experience with the Marauder and more difficult enemy encounters.

Aside from your weapons, there’s a number of other upgrades you need to purchase throughout the game, all with their own different types of currency. One point of criticism I have against this game is that the amount of purchasable upgrades is too damn high. Some of these upgrades are very important, but there’s also a lot that you really don’t need, and it can be confusing picking out the good from the bad. This problem is especially prevalent when it comes to Suit upgrades. For Suit upgrades, you primarily need to focus on purchasing the ones in the Fundamentals category for things like decreasing your dash cooldown and refilling your dash after you use a Glory Kill on a demon. In fact, these should be purchased as soon as you are able to. The other Suit upgrades just aren’t really worth it for the most part. You don’t really need to purchase any of the exploration upgrades unless you’re hunting for secrets, and I’ve never really used grenades in this game, so I never purchase upgrades for those either, I only purchase a couple for the Ice Grenade to freeze enemies longer. Upgrades regarding resistances to environmental hazards in particular is a complete waste of currency. There aren’t enough of them in the game, nor do they do damage threatening enough to warrant purchasing them.

In addition to the Suit upgrades, there’s also other upgrades you can get whenever you find a separate currency called Sentinel Crystals, which not only will increase your health, armor, and ammo capacity, but also grant you random buffs like reducing the cooldown of the Flame Thrower or letting you pull in resource drops from dead enemies while you’re farther away. Then there are Runes, which also grant you random buffs as well, such as letting you perform a Glory Kill from farther away or increasing your ability to control Doomguy while he’s in the air. If this all sounds confusing or too much take in, well, it kind of is in-game as well. You do eventually get a grasp on it all, but to be completely honest, all of these different currencies and customizable buffs really need to be consolidated in the future. Get rid of the more superfluous upgrades and try to keep almost everything to one menu. These upgrades are genuinely great and unlocking them over the course of the game does feel rewarding, but they’re also a huge pain to keep track of for how vital they are, and figuring out the good from the bad is not very newcomer friendly at all.

I think the biggest area where DOOM Eternal is lacking, and the only thing that’s a downgrade from the previous game, is its narrative and its approach to storytelling. 2016’s narrative was a simple one that was very easy to follow and digest. Eternal’s story is not. The worldbuilding for DOOM is expanded immensely in Eternal, which goes as far as to introduce completely new worlds and races to its universe. The problem is that the story itself barely provides any context whatsoever for these aspects of the story. Even the very beginning of the game is confusing if you come to it after having played 2016. Minor spoiler warning for the end of 2016 to follow: that game ends with a cliffhanger, but when Eternal begins, it doesn’t continue from that cliffhanger. It’s clear a lot of time has passed since then but what exactly happened in between both games is never explained in the main story itself.

Instead, this context for all of these new story elements can be found in this game’s collectable codex entries. I’ve briefly talked about this in other reviews, but I really don’t like it when a game has key elements to understanding the narrative hidden away in collectables like this, unless that’s the main point of the game. I think that codex/journal entries in games are fine as supplemental material to the main narrative (even if I’m not especially interested in hunting them down), but not if they contain context and history that’s necessary to understand the plot. I think this was done in an attempt to try and appease people who don’t care about the story in DOOM or in other video games, and they weren’t confident enough they could present their story with all of these expansive new details in a way that captures their interest, so they just brushed it off to the side. Thing is, the people who don’t care about story in DOOM are just going to skip the cutscenes anyway, all this storytelling approach does is cause confusion for anyone who might actually be interested in the narrative. They might’ve thought this would motivate people to search for the hidden codex entries and read them, but personally, I’m more likely to just look that up on a Wiki or watch a YouTube video explaining it or something. The narrative itself ends in a rather sudden and lukewarm manner, though there is the Ancient Gods DLC campaign which expands on it and acts as a proper conclusion to the story.

DOOM Eternal got a major visual overhaul from 2016 that was very much for the better. As I mentioned in my review for 2016, the visual design of environments in that game would often blend together, since the game primarily took place either in Mars or Hell, and while there were some elements to both settings that made them look a bit more distinct from one another, it didn’t help all that much. In comparison, Eternal is an explosion of color. You travel to far more distinct locations with extremely vibrant and varied visual designs. The scale of the environments is also massive. Every single time I come back to this game, I am in sheer awe at how detailed the backgrounds of each location in this game is. Words seriously don’t do them justice. The enemies have also been overhauled visually as well. Most of them have been given redesigns that make them more closely resemble those of their original appearance. It’s especially noticeable with the zombie troopers, as well as the introduction of “The Tyrant”, which is literally just the Cyberdemon from classic DOOM, and I will continue to refer to it as such because that’s a helluva better name.

Talking about the game’s soundtrack is difficult because of the infuriating and unfortunate controversy regarding it (man, this game had a lot of controversies looking back at it…). Since this review is as long as it is, I’m going to hold off giving my extended thoughts about it for now, and I’ll save them for when I review The Ancient Gods Part 1. All I’ll say is that Marty Stratton is a piece of shit, and for now, I’m just going to give my thoughts on the in-game music. Given the positive fan feedback towards the guitar heavy tracks from 2016’s OST, Mick Gordon’s approach this time around involved a lot more usage of guitar, and it’s an extremely welcome approach. As a result, Eternal’s soundtrack has songs that I feel stand out a lot more in comparison to the bass heavy electronic music that made up much of 2016’s OST. These tracks amplify my adrenaline and aggression TENFOLD when I hear them, and they compliment the intensity of the combat so perfectly that I feel separating the two would honestly make the combat slightly worse as a result. That might not make much sense on paper, but that’s just how intrinsically tied the music is to the combat. The music plays such a key role in fully immersing myself in the gameplay, making it some of the most effective video game music I’ve ever heard in my life. Just like BFG Division from the previous game, Mick Gordon put out a couple of tracks that I believe to be anthems for the series: The Only Thing They Fear Is You and Meathook. I hear these tracks and I immediately lock the fuck in like someone just uttered my sleeper agent codeword. I can’t think of too many other video game songs that have this effect on me. I personally believe Eternal without a doubt has the best tracks Mick has recorded over the course of his entire career, and Marty Stratton deserves the absolute worst for the way he treated Mick.

Despite controversy after controversy popping up after it’s release, in my eyes, DOOM Eternal remains the greatest first person shooter I have ever played, and one of my top 5 personal favorite games of all time based purely off of its fun factor alone. For new players, it may be a bit difficult to digest all of the different upgrades and get used to how intense the combat can be as well as how long the levels are. If by any chance I’ve convinced you to give the game a try someday, I hope that over the course of my review I’ve provided you with tips that improve the experience. I really, truly love DOOM Eternal. Getting good at this game feels euphoric. Killing hordes after hordes of demons makes me feel like a god, and I say that without any sense of exaggeration or a tinge of regret. It’s an experience that always manages to get me pumped even after several playthroughs, and even if there’s another DOOM game or FPS out there that manages to be even bigger and better than Eternal, there’s a part of me that feels like I’m always going to end up coming back to it eventually, and in that regard, the game truly does live up to its namesake.

Dropping (for now) at about 5 hours in.

Positives:
-Great fusion of Asian fantasy and alien sci-fi; gorgeous art and gory
-Functional Sekiro-style combat with cool twists/animations

Negatives:
-Doesn't do enough to separate itself from the Blasphemous-es and Hollow Knights of the world. Quickly starts to feel like "a pretty good one of these."
-Moves at a snail's pace, partially due to the amount of story/dialogue taking up too much time and partially because the areas are too big and too open with too little beckoning me to explore more. Based on the fact that I'm 5 hours in with only one of the Nine Sols collected, I worry about how much time it's going to ask from me.
-Combat already growing repetitive a few hours in.

I haven't 100% given up hope on ever liking it, but I think I'm done for now.

I definitely enjoyed this game a lot more than Alan Wake when it comes to the gameplay department. While I found the level design to be samey at times, I do like the Metroidvania approach to the overall world design. The gunplay is pretty fun and combining it with various telekinesis abilities is very satisfying. The story itself was decent but I found myself drawn in by its more subtle presentation like the use of flavor text in collectible files, and the interspersed footage that played as you explored adds to Remedy's psychological thriller approach to writing. Seeing the mentions of Alan Wake had me Leo-DiCapro-pointing-at-TV-ing, and this became more realized in the second DLC expansion and it has me excited for how it comes together in Alan Wake 2. The Ashtray Maze was an even cooler musical sequence than AW1's concert scene, easily the best part of the game by far.

It also has checkpoints that act the same as Dark Souls' bonfires which, and while I get it's meant to enforce the idea that you should be punished for failure I really don't think they work for this game when even the first enemy encounter has an enemy that can kill you in 2-3 hits (difficulty in general was pretty rough; also the downsides of Souls' popularity).

The DLC missions were a more mixed bag for me. The Foundation, which is unlocked after finishing the main story, added new abilities and had a much bigger emphasis on platforming and using these abilities for light puzzles. I ended up liking these sequences a lot and wish there were more of these in the main game. The second chapter, Altered World Events, ties it to the events of Alan Wake and incorporated light-darkness sequences to add variety to the gameplay. I found the boss encounters here to be a bit of a drag, but I found it to be a nice diversion from the usual exploration.

While I didn't quite love this game, I did like it quite a lot and had a lot of fun getting the platinum trophy. In spite of my gripes I had a good time and say the ultimate edition is definitely worth it.

7/10

Both FEAR and Max Payne 1 and 2 figured the best places to set their John Woo/Matrix inspired slo-mo bullet-time shootouts were in desolate urban buildings. Both weave nightmare sequences into their shootouts. Max Payne unravels a conspiracy to make supersoldiers with the drug Valkyr and the pointman in FEAR is THE supersoldier. Payne and pointman should grab a beer sometime.

The replicants you fight in FEAR call out to each other with your location, if they've been injured, shout out 'grenade' which only heightens their path finding and flanking moves. It's still highly impressive when one of these guys jump through a window. The shotgun is still legendary, turning clone soldiers into red mist. The only problems I have with the game are the end that only has you blasting these boring ghosts and you spend too long during the middle of the game in blank office buildings. The rest is primo. FPS combat hasn't been this good until Trepang 2, which is a pastiche of the original king FEAR.