Skyrim, At 3 In The Morning.

Posted by Karl Weller on January 8, 2025
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With the ushering of a new year, provides an opportunity to not only reset, but a chance to reflect on the previous 12 months. And I can say that other than the 6 month battle with a potential “Bedbug” infestation, the biggest obstacle I’ve had to contend with is regular, uninterrupted sleep. This is something that has become a rare occurrence in my life. Having had to adapt to evening work at the start of the last year has likely provoked this sporadic sleep pattern that at weekends, does afflict me to the point that I just have to get up at 3 in the morning. And simply languishing in bed, unable to sleep feels like a waste of gaming time to me. And I can tell you, playing Skyrim at such an early hour feels both liberating and wrong. You’re immediately cognisant of the fact that you shouldn’t be playing at such an ungodly hour, particularly while the family, as well as the majority of the country are gaining their much needed slumber. But in your acute state of listlessness you don’t really care.

It’s akin to sneaking down stairs when you were a kid, and watching the television to catch a movie that your parents have strictly forbade you from watching. Something I did on many occasions without my mother’s consent (sorry mum). But there’s something satisfying about playing when you shouldn’t be. Perhaps it’s the clandestine nature of it. The knowledge that it’s optimized time to invest in a hobby that is usually restricted by the whims of others, while everyone else is asleep. I can tell you this for certain, playing a game that depicts such a frigid and dangerous world feels all the more immersive when the natural winter chill is encroaching on your early morning escapades. Tucked up on my new recliner sofa, that’s not a flex by the way, but an extravagance that I deserve considering the year my family and myself have had to endure. Wrapped in a readily available blanket to insulate my weary body. As a blizzard ravages my character, emitting its harsh conditions through the screen to my living room.

I guess that’s the power of suggestion. Or maybe this is the way a game such as Skyrim is meant to be played? Full immersion. Embracing the bitter chill of a pre-sunrise morning. Lighting a candle that emits the lurid fragrance of a brisk mountain side and burnt Troll hair. Or perhaps I need to consult a doctor that can prescribe a strong sedative.

“Onimusha” The Return Of My Favorite Capcom Series.

Posted by Karl Weller on December 19, 2024
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Finally. After pleading to what appeared to be a vacuous nothingness for decades, with not so much as a whisper from those that could provide satisfaction to my prayers, a follow up in the “Onimusha” franchise has finally come to fruition. Now I’m sure there will be many Capcom enthusiasts that were disappointed that “Resident Evil 9” or perhaps “Dino Crisis” were not shown at this year’s Game of the year awards. But I don’t think there are enough adjectives in any language, let alone my limited grasp of English, to amply express my surprise as well as my delight for the revival of this long dormant franchise. I was beginning to believe that Capcom had forgotten all about it. Choosing instead to focus on the clearly profitable franchise leaders in Resident Evil and Monster Hunter. In fact, this feels like an announcement made purely for my benefit. As if it were a game made to shift precisely 1 copy. For me, and me alone.

As a teenager, riding the crest of the prestigious wave that was the PS2’s greatness, having been blessed with some of the generations defining games, Onimusha always stood out to me. Despite being considered a Resident Evil clone, just with a feudal Japan setting and replacing “Resi” Zombies with demons, there was such a distinct style and combative fervour that I just couldn’t get enough of. There are few mechanics that elicit the same visceral satisfaction of slashing an enemy “genma” to the ground, piercing their torso with your ornate blade, presumably where their hearts would reside if they had one, and absorbing their souls into my oni gauntlet. The sequel “Samurais Destiny” was my personal favorite, one that featured many recurring characters. Particularly the eccentric and eclectic rogues gallery featuring the main threat in “Nobunaga”, the flirtatious but hideous “Jujudormah”. As well as my favorite, overly dramatic swashbuckler “Gogandantess”, the greatest swordsman of all…..demons.

The mere notion of jumping back into a franchise that I was convinced was not only forgotten by Capcom, but ostensibly ignored, provokes such astonishing joy in me. My only concern, as far as this being a kind of reboot, is that it will be influenced by the Souls like games that populates the industry at the moment. I respect the genre and the challenges these games demand of its players, but for Onimusha to become just another proportionate contemporary, rather than it’s own distinctive style would do a disservice to its sudden resurgence. Onimusha was a difficult franchise, but not one predicated on being strenuous. Really though, this is an outlying consideration. At this moment in time, I’m just happy to see this franchise return. And if Capcom’s recent comments are anything to go by, this might not be the last returning series.

Enjoying Games With Your Kids Isn’t Always Easy.

Posted by Karl Weller on December 11, 2024
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Mario Party Jamboree is a joyful, family orientated game, that promotes competition throughout the household via charming, vivid and all so wholesome interactive experience. You can’t really go wrong. Apologies, what I meant to say is that it provokes the malicious griping of an 8 year old, that can only satisfy their lust for fun through victory. As competitive as I can be, there are worrying signs that my daughter may be exhibiting similar antagonistic moods that have plagued some of my formative gaming experiences. Controllers heaved at walls in frustration. Shattering into shards of sharp plastic, that you never fully clean up until you inadvertently step on a piece. Discs launched out of windows like improvised frisbees simply because a game frustrated you to the point of such reckless idiocy. So as someone that has spent years curtailing these irrational outbursts, it is up to me to placate and diminish this seemingly inherited erratic behavior.

Certainly frustration seems to be the catalyst for any aggressive retaliation. Now I’m not suggesting that she is hurling the controller around the room or jumping on her mothers face like some enraged baboon, but there is an incessant whining that occurs as a result of some unscrupulous action, perpetrated by the computer controlled character. It could be pilfering some coins, or worse still, the solitary star she has gathered on her trip around the board. Perhaps she considers these acts of sabotage as cheating rather than a legitimate mechanic. Which it kind of is, when you consider that it punishes success in a game that relies heavily on chance. Of course this doesn’t excuse her actions, particularly the crying. It’s a reaction inherent in any child, the association that winning equates to fun. And it’s a mindset difficult to nullify, especially when the game appears to be rigged. So I have to demonstrate that losing is as much a part of the fun as winning is.

Trust me, I have had significant experience when it comes to losing, that I feel I can impart some asinine wisdom for her to ignore. All I can really do is demonstrate through my own actiins that losing isn’t the end of the world. Let out an exacerbated sigh when she defeats me in a mini game. Tickle her and insinuate that she cheated. Encourage her during these moments of despair and persevere in the sentiment that it’s okay. We can try again. But emphasize that if she isn’t having fun, then there really isn’t any point in carrying on in the first place. But if she is anything like me, with fuse shorter than an ants nutsack, rooted in her father’s own belligerent temperament, then I might be fighting a losing battle. I hope not, as playing computer games provides a genuine connection between us that combines my love for her, with my passion for gaming. Something I just don’t get to enjoy as much anymore. And harkens back to a time that I played games with my own father.

Is The Sky Always Blue?

Posted by Karl Weller on December 5, 2024
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Social media is not something I tend to engage with very often. Being the ornate contrarian that I am, I actively avoid almost all forms of interconnectivity. The only real use I have for it, other than observe the perverse arguments this kind of interactive anonymity affords, is an update on what atrocities are currently being perpetrated around the world. This is what Twitter was great for. Now however, it has gradually become a cesspit for many that define their personalities as well as themselves by their political allegiances. Revelling in the defeat of their opposition rather than their own victories. But my prevailing issue with Twitter, because I refuse to call it “X”, isn’t the supposed “far right propaganda”, the megalomaniac suppositions of [input political leaning here], or even the abundance of Ukrainian flags and pronouns in people’s bios. But the invasive commerclisation and the rampant pornography of the platform.

I’m not a prude. I like boobs. I believe boobs are an evolutionary marvel. Both a functional necessity for nourishing our offspring and an aesthetically pleasing sight for the world to admire. But I don’t need to scroll through the comment section of some obscure, retro gaming thread, to be “jump-scared” by some “only fans” unrelated video, exposing their chesticles?! There’s a time and a place for that sort of thing, and people reminiscing about the Sega Saturns untimely demise is not it! Now you could argue that I should simply adjust my settings to restrict this kind of content, or perhaps block them. But I shouldn’t have to damn it! I shouldn’t have to change my privacy policy to accommodate them. And just because I want to watch 2 women dressed as Eeyore and piglet getting bummed by Winnie “Pooh” on occasion, does not give these low rent porn stars the right to intrude on my Twitter feed!

So, having been intrigued by chatter alluding to a less “infectious” community of a Twitter like doppelganger that is “Blue Sky”, I decided to stumble into this emerging social platform. And though you still come across those “tolerant”, intolerant flag wavers, and Trump obsessed narcissists, both right and left leaning, it is certainly a community disheartened by the execrable pontificating of those that thrive on the friction of their political beliefs. But because it’s a much more modest community, it’s easier to discover related interests that aren’t engulfed by women advertising their surgically enhanced “assets”. It’s a fresh start. Like a great cleansing of your bowels after days of constipation. Emboldening your curiosity to discover others differing opinions, without the discourse descending into a stifling clamour of expletive disputatious and console elitism. Perhaps it’s still too soon to suggest that this will last. As with an increase in users, it’s only natural that there will be an escalation of stupid people, looking to engage with others in trivial feuds, simply because the anonymity afforded by social media provides them with the means to do so. But as Mark Twain once said: “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience”. An issue that has persisted throughout many established social platforms.

Pokémon The Trading Card Game Pocket: Review.

Posted by Karl Weller on November 20, 2024
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As a child of the late 90’s/early 2000’s, I have witnessed a great many fads. Pogs. Beanie Babies. The Macarena. Few have enjoyed the enduring success that Pokémon has benefitted from. Though I was rather more partial to the Gameboy games, the most ubiquitous subset of this franchise was the trading cards. Break time in the playground was teething with the collectors, hunched over, inspecting other decks for potential rarities they could trade. Perhaps even that one lucky individual that had somehow manifested an illusive Charizard shiny that, to this day, still eludes my collection. Many of my formative years were spent in the exasperating pursuit of completing these sets, to no avail. Now much of these corrugated trinkets are secured in protective binders, awaiting the day these lottery tickets can be cashed in, and I can retire on my own private beach, earning 20%. But like so many tangible collectibles, people have to find a way of monetising hobbies.

Introducing “Pokémon: The Trading Card Game Pocket”. A game that invokes the same nostalgic thrill you used to get from opening physical packs as a kid. Just in a digital, slightly dubious virtual environment. I mean look, with a “free to play” mobile game, there is an inherent dependency on consumer engagement, to generate profit. If you are someone that possesses enough restraint, then you shouldn’t have to worry. Every 12 hours, you can open a pack from 3 different variants. As you begin to accumulate more cards to fill out your Pokédex. Resources, such as wonder packs, a system in which you can randomly pick one card from a 5 card assortment, previously opened by another player, and “hourglasses” which reduce the time it takes for these standard packs to be opened. But they are limited, encouraging players to either complete the finite amount of missions available to gain more, or purchase gold, the games premium currency. By increasing the number of cards for your respective decks, you can also increase their efficiency in battles.

“Building a competitive and versatile team is challenging. But it’s fun to experiment and discovering the right balance.”

Having dedicated my youth to the accumulation of these cards, rather than the intended usage of battling, I was sceptical that I would find any enjoyment. But was surprised by how inclusive it is for new players. Albeit a rather streamlined equivalent of the game, battles are compulsive, if largely dictated by the strength and type advantage of your opponents, as well as the luck of the cards you pull. They are surprisingly dynamic too, really conveying a sense of trepidation for what your opponent might attack with next. Having assembled a formidable team with almost every type, I feel relatively confident in my ability to win perhaps 50% of my encounters. And it’s very reassuring when you do.

Pokémon TCG is a satisfying delve into my childhood, but also exposes those of us that simply ignore the battling, to just how intricate, tactical and diverting it can be. There is the ever looming compulsion to spend real money in pursuit of that one elusive card you need. But if you can refrain from the temptation to spend more than you should, then this is a fun little distraction between mainline titles.

What do you think of the Pokémon TCG Pocket? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks.