Video Games

Expectation vs Reality

March 2, 2020 by Elizabeth Drake

We all have that moment where reality does NOT meet expectation.

I have been happily married for over fifteen years, but I have heard the horror stories about dating apps. I also know many people that have strong feelings about franchises *cough* Star Wars *cough* and how those may have played out in recent cinema.

While I can’t speak to dating apps or Star Wars, I play my share of video games. Rather than playing a broad base of games, I tend to play a few games very deep. Meaning, I will hours and hours of Skyrim in order to find every Daedra shrine, complete every quest, and totally have the most awesome house imaginable. With amazing armor on every armor stand.

Yeah.

My moment where reality an expectation collided was in a recent game. It forced you choose a path, and none of the paths were truly happy. You had to make choices and kill characters you may really like.

Romance reader and writer here. That isn’t my cup of tea. But, the series had done this before, and they had then released DLC (down-loadable content) that created a romance-writer-approved path.

So, when the game was released, I immediately purchased the DLC. I played all the paths presented and waited for the DLC which is when I was supposed to get the “happy path”.

Except, expectation did NOT meet reality.

I thought I was getting a unicorn with the DLC. I got a rhinoceros instead.

RhinoUnicorn — You are…cute? But not what I had in mind.

The DLC was almost half the cost of the game, so I had expectations. They released bits of extra content to keep those of us that had bought it appeased. It consisted of a few new outfits. Okay. Whatever. A few “new” battles that were really recycled from other parts of the game. Again, whatever, I bought it for the “happy path”.

I was *so* horribly disappointed.

The creators announced AFTER they released the final installment they had never planned to do a “happy path”. They did that in a prior game and didn’t want to do it again. Even though their fans really wanted it.

What did they give us instead for half the price of the game?

A handful of new characters, a storyline that made no sense and actually messed up the timeline of when certain things were revealed sooner to the main character, and horrible game mechanics.

And I mean horrible.

The designers didn;t like how gamers were playing the game or using the mechanics as they were. So they decided to “fix” them and maeke the game *way* harder. Of course this was a better idea that redoing the mechanics so they were useful and players would WANT to use them.

Sure, I beat it. That’s how I am. But it wasn’t fun. And this is a GAME I play in my free time. No point to it if it isn’t fun.

Add to this, beloved characters that featured in the DLC from the main story were flat cut-outs of themselves. I loved all three of them when I played the main game and was torn when I had to kill one. I couldn’t have cared less about them in the DLC. And this is after playing all of their paths and loving all three of them.

*sigh*

So disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high. Not sure. But I can guarantee I will never buy the DLC from this company again until it’s already been released.

Video Games: Cut Scene Powers

February 12, 2020 by Elizabeth Drake

My husband is currently playing a game on the Switch called Octopath Traveler. I am far less than thrilled with it, but he is invested enough to keep playing.

OctopathTravelerSwitch — Not sure I like it enough to link to it.

While the combat is uninteresting, it requires you to grind, and the graphics are a throwback to 1993, my husband is sold on the story line, wanting to see how the game designers wove all eight stories together.

I told him we could just look it up, and when that didn’t work, I explained how I would have done it based on what parts of the story I have. We’ll see if I am right.

As he was playing, the game commit a cardinal sin in my book: it made choices for the player character, bad choices, with cut scene powers.

VideoGameCutScenes — Far, far too many games.

In this case, the game forces the scholar go to a haunted house alone with an untrustworthy person that he knows has been following him.

And, no, you have no choice.

Instead of, you know, going to the same haunted house with the other seven other members of the party. Or maybe just the four they let you have in play at the same time. And did I mention that one of those seven members is a powerful cleric? With a holy light spell?

Once at the haunted house, the untrustworthy person betrays our scholar and takes him out with a single blow. Because of course she does.

Mind you, this is the same scholar that just fought a dragon three battles ago. And won.

Disappointing to say the least. This is the second time we’ve been seriously disappointed by the storytelling in the third chapter. And it wouldn’t have been difficult or expensive to make a few tweaks to make a believable story.

All this reminds me of the game Fable that came out a long while back. We bought it, super excited at the premise of a different story line when you made good versus evil choices. Yes, we were disappointed with that.

Fable had a plot you were *supposed* to follow, but it didn’t make you…And so, we went off the rails and explored the world. Searching for treasure. Renown (or whatever it was called then). Experience orbs. Basically, treating it like it was Skyrim a decade before we had Skyrim.

Bad thing was this game was notorious for its “cut scene powers”. The number of things it “made” us do for a game that as supposed to be all about choice…

Perhaps the worst was by the time we were finally forced back into the plot, we were ridiculously over-leveled. The plot was weak, but if we wanted to open new areas, we had to play along.

So we played along.

Our biggest eye-roll moment came as we were leaving the colosseum after having won some tournament and two of these bird people captured us with cut scene powers. The same mobs we’d been mowing down five plus at a time before the colosseum.

Um, yeah. Sure. Right. They *totally* capture us.

I *hate* cut scene powers. Cut scenes are useful. I especially like them when developing companion characters. But unless plot ones are done well, they yank me out of the immersion. The reason I play video games rather than watch movies or television is for the illusion of control. I want to choose my character’s destiny, pick their path.

Might be the same reason I like to write.

Of course, cut scenes seldom are for cool reasons like me riding a dragon. They are usually to capture me, throw me in a dungeon, or some equally contrived reason that removes my free choice. Because that’s totally why I spent all that time hunting down Daedra to craft the best armor and weapons in the game.

DaedricArmor — And, yes, with a high enough sneak score, you can sneak without penalty in it.

Perhaps more important to the gaming companies, I don’t pay money for games that steal that choice. There’s a reason I had to Google to see if there was anything after Fable 2.

Characters: Link’s Awakening – Legend of Zelda

November 20, 2019 by Elizabeth Drake

We’ve been playing Link’s Awakening.

ZeldaLinksAwakening — Legend of Zelda – Link’s Awakening

I want to give it glowing reviews, but it’s really just okay.

Maybe it’s because I’m coming down off the high of a truly amazing game.

Or maybe it’s because I was expecting something more like Twilight Princess or Breath of the Wild.

Twilight Princess was a cross between an RPG and a puzzle game. We loved it in our house! Breath of the Wild felt a lot like Zelda crossed with Skyrim. Again, we loved it. There was more than enough story to keep us going even if we would have liked more. The DLC was disappointing to us, but the core game itself was excellent.

ZeldaBoTW — Legend of Zelda – Breath of the Wild

I never played the original Link’s Awakening, so I can’t say how true this is to the original. Although I played the original Legend of Zelda, I stopped playing video games at a certain point in my life and didn’t pick them up again until my husband guided me back to them after we met. So, yeah, there were a lot of years I missed.

Still, Link’s Awakening felt more like playing Link in Mario Brothers game. It even had a lot of the same mobs.

Maybe it will get better, but I think we’re close to halfway through the game now.

My daughters love to watch, and I think my oldest could actually play it with little help. She’s working her way through Twilight Princess on the old Wii, and I think that is more difficult.

Still, I am disappointed. I have always been intrigued by the Legend of Zelda series. It reminds me of this William Shakespeare quote:

“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”

― William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Ganondorf born king of the Gerudo with a burning desire to rule the world.

Zelda born the princess of Hyrule.

Link whose story changes but is ever entwined with Ganondorf and Zelda.

My daughter once asked me who my favorite character in the series was. The writer in me answered Ganondorf.

ganondorf-1 — I’m not normally a fan of the villain, but this is an exception.

The game may be called Zelda, and we may follow the adventures of Link, but the story is Ganondorf’s. Zelda is wisdom. Her course is set. Link is bravery. His course is determined in reaction to Ganondorf.

Ganondorf is power.

He could be an elemental force of destruction. Raw power like a volcano. Like he was in Breath of the Wild.

But in other retellings, he isn’t. He’s born a man that has free will. That makes choices.

And we do not know that all of his incarnations are evil.

If he chooses the light, perhaps the triforce resonates in perfect harmony and ushers in an era of peace and prosperity. When he chooses the dark side, well, there’s a reason Hyrule is destroyed in the opening scenes of Breath of the Wild.

But the choice is always his. Link and Zelda are simply responding with wisdom and bravery to his choices. Makes for an interesting character.

Why Romance Writers Shouldn’t Play Fire Emblem

September 19, 2019 by Elizabeth Drake

I mentioned here that romance writers shouldn’t be gamers.

That wasn’t correct.

Really, what I should have said, was romance writers shouldn’t play Fire Emblem games.

I try to mitigate any spoilers ahead, but fair warning, I do talk about some later game stuff.

I struggled with my playthrough of Fire Emblem Fates Birthright when the game killed two of the main characters and I could do nothing to save them. In the Fire Emblem franchise, characters can die. Permanently. However, you can usually avoid this by having an appropriate “rank” with them. Or not getting them killed in battle. This was different.

Then Fire Emblem Fates Conquest killed a different two characters. Both games sit unfinished because I just can’t…I have Revelation, which my husband says I should just play as it’s the “canon” version and no one has to die, but I haven’t yet.

Then I bought Fire Emblem Three Houses that just came out.

A strategy game with a complicated admin system, more lovable crazy characters, and a female House lead?!? YES, please!

As I played through the intro, I discovered you must pick one path, and one of the three paths you can pick is leading knights.

You wanna talk about my catnip!

Sorry Edelgard, there are knights over here.

Except, I should have known better. Remember the other games? Remember the issue with basic writing even in a sandbox world?

I am over half-way through the playthrough, even with all of the min-maxing I have been doing. Why do so many games have a fishing component?!?

But I digress.

At this point, I want to slap the main character I am supposed to be helping.

Dracor help me, but if he doesn’t stop whining, pick himself up, and be the savior king so many people have sacrificed so much for, be the king his people desperately need, the king he promised he’d be…

If I were allowed to go off the gaming rails, my character would first try to help him. I know, novel thought, right? Why isn’t that an option?!? Her charisma is through the roof.

Anyway, if kindness didn’t work, she would slap him. Hard. Her strength is through the roof, too. And she’d make him get a haircut. At least look like a king. Seriously. My character would be kind enough to have a super mutant follower, but she is not going to tolerate abusive and self-harming ways. Kingdom harming ways.

sword-2140940_640 — Suck it up and be a knight.

I am not certain the writers can save the knight who is supposed to become king in my eyes. I guess we’ll see, but given previous game writing, I am skeptical. When you have made a character fall so far, become so unlikable, the plot crucible it takes to bring them back is that much greater.

I understand that he is probably suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and crushing depression. I get it. But I still need him to be redeemable instead of a homicidal maniac I wouldn’t put in charge of a boy scout troop much less an entire kingdom.

This game has become a family affair as I have been playing it on the big screen in the living room, and my family will not let me put it down half way.

But I want my happy ending. I want my happily ever after. I want the characters to have earned it.

Yes, I already know this series isn’t known for that. And I figured out character recruiting late…

I want the same cathartic release I get when I finish a book, but on a grander scale as I have put so many more hours into this game.

I should have picked Edelgard.

Why Romance Writers Shouldn’t Be Gamers

September 12, 2019 by Elizabeth Drake

As you may or may not know, in addition to writing, I enjoy playing video games.

We played World of Warcraft back when it was vanilla. I remember when Burning Crusades was released…yeah, I just aged myself. We decided online games were not for us. We explored other games, and fell in love with many fan favorites: Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed etc.

**Not even going to confess how many hours we spent on this game.**

My disappointment that many of these games abandoned decent writing in a desperate attempt to create a MMO (looking at you Mass Effect) aside, you will note that many of these are open worlds. Giant sandboxes to play in with little or no plot. Why? Because as Assassin’s Creed taught me when they killed the main protagonist (Desmond Miles, not Ezio or the various other past lives you jump into), the concept of story is not something most gaming companies do well.

So give me Fallout where I roam the wastes to find my father and basically get to explore, find cool stuff, and the like. Which, incidentally, is another game where their story-telling was SO bad they had to patch the ending. The game is so old I won’t consider this a spoiler, but literally most of your companions could complete the ending quest of walking into the radioactive room without being harmed (robots) or actually being healed (super mutant – which yes, I was such a goody-two-shoes I had one as my companion), but nope, you had to do it and die…for reasons… Yeah, they had to patch that. Not even their core gamer population was swallowing that.

HobbiesBobbleHeadsFallout — **And you know I have every one of these.**

Fallout is not kid friendly. Especially not the way we play with the one shot, one kill mentality. Yes, we like to play snipers in our house. As we play through Skyrim and find ourselves already able to sneak without penalty in our full daedric armor before ever find the Nightingale quest line…

But we have not yet figured out a way to turn off the graphic violence of a head shot in these games, and the heads on pikes in Fallout are not for children. So kids has meant we turned to many old favorites that are family friendly, like the Legend of Zelda and Mario Kart.

As part of this, we bought Super Smash Brothers mostly to get a chance to play the characters from a whole slew of different games.

Because my daughter desperately wanted to play Zelda.

Sad that Zelda was not even a favorite in the game…But there was this whole slew of characters I had never seen before that intrigued me. So, I started checking into their games, figuring they would be more games I could share with my kids as they were all Nintendo…

Ummm, yeah. I got sucked into the Fire Emblem series in 2019 through Super Smash Brothers as so many got sucked into it over two decades ago when Smash Brother came out on the Nintendo 64. The only reason Nintendo even brought Fire Emblem to the US was how many people wanted it after playing Smash Brothers back then.

Fire Emblem. A strategy game, with crazy characters that I build relationships with so I can marry them off then recruit their kids to my team?!? This exists? And no one told me?

I discovered my ultimate gamer catnip.

Or so I thought.

Then I learned the hard way. The Fire Emblem series doesn’t believe in happily ever after.

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

September 1, 2017 by Elizabeth Drake

Game: Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild

Rated: E for Everyone

Status: Worth Playing

You can see more about it here.

Overview

Zelda’s been around since I was a kid, so it was fun to share it with my almost-kindergartner. She loves the game.

I’ve heard it called Skyrim for Zelda, and that’s not an inaccurate description.

Pros

It’s E for everyone, so the violence is cartoon in nature (think Road Runner or Bugs Bunny).

Bad Guys – Anything Link kills looks like a monster. These monsters come back alive at the next Blood Moon, so they don’t truly stay dead.

Not Scary – My daughter can be scared by My Little Pony. There was nothing in this game that truly scared her until we got to Gannon at the end. She would occasionally get frustrated with the puzzles in the game, but that’s okay.

Puzzles – The puzzles are challenging and thoughtful. Not something DD1 could solve on her own, but it challenged her to come up with ideas as even DH and I weren’t able to solve all of them easily.

Memories – We all enjoyed collecting “memories” (Link has lost his) and seeing what happened that led up to the post-apocalyptic world you start in. It let us get to see the way Zelda and Link went from an adversarial relationship, to friends, to something much deeper.

Environment – Environment becomes a factor to consider rather than just a backdrop: skeleton monsters come out of the ground at night, rain makes climbing more difficult, the sun rises and sets, the moon rises and sets, there are phases of the moon, etc. Many of these things actually feature in the gameplay, such as being properly equipped for the freezing mountain temperatures.

Load Screens– The load screens reasonable in length. Bethesda could learn a few things about this.

Armor Sets – DD1 loved the fact that Link could change his clothes, and she was very mindful that he didn’t overheat or freeze. These outfits were all upgradable, and really needed to be upgraded as you faced tougher monsters.

Rewards Worth the Challenge – Some things were always a challenge. Lynells and guardians, for example, are never a cake walk even at end game. You are rewarded for the effort with amazing weapons.

Cons

Gender Roles – It reinforces traditional gender roles. Zelda is the one who can’t master her power. Zelda is the one who falls crying to the ground. Zelda is the one yelled at by her father. Link is the one that has to save her. Blah. I almost didn’t buy the game because of this. Little girls get enough of this garbage without stuff like this reinforcing it. The game was originally going to feature the ability to choose whether you played Zelda or Link as the hero. I hope they release DLC that allows this. It wouldn’t be that difficult of a change. Not really. And it would let little girls see a girl kicking Bokoblin butt. I’ve tried to convince DD1 to think of Link as a girl, but she’s having none of it. Already. This is why not giving girls the option to play a girl is so awful.

Graphics – Enough said.

Link20122014 — **Frankly, the graphics from 2006 Twilight Princess were better.**

Ending – I won’t spoil the ending, but we were disappointed. Not with the game play, per se, but I wanted the traditional cathartic release you expect at the end of a game. Especially a game this long. I didn’t get it, and I didn’t get to keep playing to finish up all those armor upgrades. Once you defeat Gannon, the whole thing is over even if you haven’t finished exploring. Hoping for a DLC on this where you can have Zelda as a companion and keep investigating the world. Seems wrong to leave the princess in the tower holding Gannon at bay while I explore the expansive world.

Controls – Unlike Mario Kart that my almost-kindergartener can not only play by herself, but give her father a run for first place, the controls for BOTW (Breath of the Wild) are complex. Even my husband had some issues at times. This was not a game DD1 could play on her own.

Tedious Upgrades – Some of the clothing upgrades grew tedious. How many times do I really need to camp the dragons to shoot some part of them?

No Real Story – There main story is pretty sparse, though the memories help. It’s really just: defeat Big Bad or else he will unleash total devastation. No explanation as to why, no character development, not even for Link or Zelda. And there’s clearly a huge opportunity with this with all Zelda has to do to unlock her power. Not even any really good side stories for Link to get involved in as he tries to regain enough strength to defeat Gannon. I suppose this is par for video games, which is really sad. They have the opportunity to do so much more.

All in, if you aren’t worried about the gender stereotypes, it’s well worth a play through.

Video Games

Footer

Connect with me on social media

Looking for something specific?