Your post serves to show how video games can have incredibly nuanced stories and scenes. I find a lot of people underestimate this about games (though perhaps less and less so, given the adaptations of games like The Witcher).
What are your thoughts on the stories of the Zelda games?
There are still people looking down on the medium, but those are the same sort who look down on fantasy. Some people love their ivory towers.
For Zelda I think Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, and Breath of the Wild are the narratives that stick out to me the most, scenes like King Daphnes's wish on the Triforce, healing the spirits for each transformation mask, and Link reclaiming his memories in Breath of the Wild. I'm not a fan of any serious concern for a grand connecting timeline of the series, I like the sense of it being a constantly retold story, an evolving mythology.
Your question made me remember that in high school I read a book called 'The Legend of Zelda and Theology' looking at the games from a Christian perspective. Been a while so can't say anything quality wise about it.
I liked that one from Kingdom Hearts 3. It's thought provoking I think.
KH is a part of my childhood, I used to watch the first one being played. I wanna play those so bad. One of these days, maybe when I buy my computer and finish Psychonauts, I'll but them on Epic.
Thank you. Legends Arceus is the only mainline title on the Switch that I've played and I enjoyed it a lot. Volo is definitely in the upper tier of Pokémon villains for me, I loved how his team composition can imply things about his character in addition to the obvious drawing on Cynthia's team.
I think it's the only style where I can accept not including the full selection of Pokémon, since the gameplay is heavily focused on catching more than battling, while in other games it's the other way around. And the approach to new Pokémon where each is linked to a key moment in the game rather than filling out generic archetypes is how I think new gens should be handled.
Also being able to actually use trade evolution Pokémon was nice, since they've always been too much of a hassle to set up in other games, like getting both held items and doing trades for Porygon-Z. Hoping that if we get another Legends game it includes trade evolution lines that weren't in Arceus.
Agreed on all parts there. Volo is easily my favorite fictional character, and agreed, the deeper lore/parallels with Cynthia add such an interesting extra layer.
I'm entirely biased about Legends Arceus and honestly don't have a lot of media literacy when it comes to the technicalities of video games - so all I can say is something about it just "works" for me. It feels good, it looks good, it had a good story.
With both of those in mind I've felt like Volo's arc was a bit like the "modern Disney twist villain reveal" so I find the generalities of his arc fascinating (that is, seeing this trope executed in a video game). I'm sure there's been other video games to have the helpful NPC later revealed to be villainous- but none of those characters are Volo. Even if there's "better" RPG's with similar story execution, it wouldn't be as memorable of an experience. Thinking about it makes me incredibly aware of and grateful of my narrow interests.
Your post serves to show how video games can have incredibly nuanced stories and scenes. I find a lot of people underestimate this about games (though perhaps less and less so, given the adaptations of games like The Witcher).
What are your thoughts on the stories of the Zelda games?
There are still people looking down on the medium, but those are the same sort who look down on fantasy. Some people love their ivory towers.
For Zelda I think Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, and Breath of the Wild are the narratives that stick out to me the most, scenes like King Daphnes's wish on the Triforce, healing the spirits for each transformation mask, and Link reclaiming his memories in Breath of the Wild. I'm not a fan of any serious concern for a grand connecting timeline of the series, I like the sense of it being a constantly retold story, an evolving mythology.
Your question made me remember that in high school I read a book called 'The Legend of Zelda and Theology' looking at the games from a Christian perspective. Been a while so can't say anything quality wise about it.
That sounds like an interesting book! The notion of it from a Christian perspective is one I have never really considered.
BTW, I conjured up something via an AI, I asked it to create an image of a Warthog Report/Meerkat Musings dinner. I hope you like! https://meerkatmusings.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OIG281429.jpeg
That's cute.
I liked that one from Kingdom Hearts 3. It's thought provoking I think.
KH is a part of my childhood, I used to watch the first one being played. I wanna play those so bad. One of these days, maybe when I buy my computer and finish Psychonauts, I'll but them on Epic.
Buy*🙄
I also have games I associate with watching as a child rather than playing it. With the collected editions it's gotten easier to jump into the series.
Yeah, and the price seems really good for what comes in them. I have played through Melody of Memory on the switch, that was fun.
The segment about Pokemon XY was nicely said. Do you have any thoughts on Pokemon Legends Arceus?
Thank you. Legends Arceus is the only mainline title on the Switch that I've played and I enjoyed it a lot. Volo is definitely in the upper tier of Pokémon villains for me, I loved how his team composition can imply things about his character in addition to the obvious drawing on Cynthia's team.
I think it's the only style where I can accept not including the full selection of Pokémon, since the gameplay is heavily focused on catching more than battling, while in other games it's the other way around. And the approach to new Pokémon where each is linked to a key moment in the game rather than filling out generic archetypes is how I think new gens should be handled.
Also being able to actually use trade evolution Pokémon was nice, since they've always been too much of a hassle to set up in other games, like getting both held items and doing trades for Porygon-Z. Hoping that if we get another Legends game it includes trade evolution lines that weren't in Arceus.
Agreed on all parts there. Volo is easily my favorite fictional character, and agreed, the deeper lore/parallels with Cynthia add such an interesting extra layer.
I'm entirely biased about Legends Arceus and honestly don't have a lot of media literacy when it comes to the technicalities of video games - so all I can say is something about it just "works" for me. It feels good, it looks good, it had a good story.
With both of those in mind I've felt like Volo's arc was a bit like the "modern Disney twist villain reveal" so I find the generalities of his arc fascinating (that is, seeing this trope executed in a video game). I'm sure there's been other video games to have the helpful NPC later revealed to be villainous- but none of those characters are Volo. Even if there's "better" RPG's with similar story execution, it wouldn't be as memorable of an experience. Thinking about it makes me incredibly aware of and grateful of my narrow interests.