Media Archives

Telegraphing for Better Storytelling and Gameplay

Essays, Video Games | 20 June 2023

Half-Life HECU Marine and F.E.A.R. Replica Soldier

While watching a recent video of Errant Signal, where Campster talked about Half-Life and how the HECU marine was and still is one of the most compelling enemies in video games due to how its AI was way ahead of its time in 1998, it made me think about how they communicated. Of course, being computer-controlled enemies, they don’t actually talk to each other. They communicated to the player on what they’re about to do, which isn’t something that truly realistic enemies would do. But in this particular case, realism should give up some space to better storytelling and gameplay. (more…)

Diablo IV Beta: Diablo II Part 2 Looks OK So Far

by: Sonny Go

Impressions, Video Games | 23 March 2023

Yeah, I pre-purchased Diablo IV. I was tempted to buy it thanks to one of the Messenger group chats I’m in, which is full of aging gamers like me who still yearn for the nostalgia of old Blizzard games. A decade ago, Diablo III turned out to be a disappointment, not only due to its disastrous launch, but also because it didn’t have the same magic that Diablo II had. This latest iteration is perhaps the last gasp of a dying company or the beginning of a resurgence. I got my first glimpse of it with the early access beta from 17-19 March 2023. (more…)

More on Playing Lame and the Art of Defense

by: Sonny Go

Combat, Esports, Features, History | 06 December 2022

Winky Wright, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Hungrybox

This is a follow-up to one of my favorite blog posts I’ve ever written. It’s understandable why defense is seen as lame and boring, while self-sacrificial offense is seen as valiant and entertaining. We can have idiots who deliberately put themselves in harm’s way and get people cheering their lungs off while downing gallons of Bud Light, then not be given even an ounce of shit about when they can barely remember their own names years down the line. That’s especially true for combat sports, but we can also look at other fields as well and see how the fundamentally sound are also given the short end of the stick, even in hindsight. (more…)

Fool on the Hill: Cyberpunk 2077 Tarot Card Meanings

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Video Games | 08 November 2022

After almost two years, it seems like Cyberpunk 2077 was able to pull off a No Man’s Sky by pulling itself out of the pit of shame with great effort, along with help from the hit Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. I haven’t finished watching the show yet, but it already got me back to the game after 20 months. While my return hasn’t been entirely smooth as I’ve forgotten much of the combat system, I clearly remember the story and setting. That includes a mission in the game that I thought was clever and creative in its own way — Fool on the Hill, which has you looking for holographic tarot murals throughout Night City. (more…)

The Hans Niemann Chess Cheating Controversy

by: Sonny Go

Chess, News | 01 November 2022

Pardon me while I put up a brief write-up on this months-old news as I’ve been following it for quite a while. I don’t really have anything new to say about it, but I find it so fascinating as an on-and-off chess fan over the years. I’ve followed Magnus Carlsen since he was 16, and his 2022 has been the most seemingly eventful year in his career due to how different it has been thus far. Meanwhile, Hans Niemann is a fascinating person for both the right and wrong reasons. This situation has been going on for the past two months and has only started to cool down as it has now resulted in a $100 million lawsuit. (more…)

Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Coping

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Video Games | 11 August 2022

If there’s one character in Elden Ring that I both get annoyed and can relate with, it’s Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing. That combination makes him insufferable, and that’s what also makes him a memorable character, especially near the end of the game. But I didn’t have to finish the game to get his schtick since that had been spelled out by the intro. The epithet of “All-Knowing” is not to be taken lightly, and it’s also his undoing. (more…)

Elden Ring Game Review: A Flawed Masterpiece

by: Sonny Go

Reviews, Video Games | 30 June 2022

While it’s four months later since release as of this writing, I still felt compelled to publish my review of Elden Ring due to how much it has enriched my life. This is the very first game by FromSoftware that I actually got into. It made me relive the wonder I last felt over a decade ago with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. However, this game has what Skyrim lacks, which are fun and engaging combat and a story that didn’t make me feel empty upon completion. My Elden Ring experience didn’t diminish over time like my Skyrim experience, making this FromSoftware game a better open world experience than that Bethesda game. (more…)

Ideologies in the Endings of Elden Ring

by: Sonny Go

Video Games | 24 June 2022

One morning, I found myself watching a video on the Flame of Frenzy, wherein the author mentions how he believes that forces like the Flame of Frenzy and the Scarlet Rot, as well as the different characters that directly affect the story of Elden Ring, correspond to different real-world concepts and ideas. I then thought about the different endings and realized how they indeed have parallels with the real world. This blog post ruminates on the ideologies represented in Elden Ring through its fractured and elusive storyline. (more…)

Faith No More: The Essence of Elden Ring’s Main Plot Twist

by: Sonny Go

Video Games | 09 June 2022

While watching an Elden Ring playthrough on the Woolie Versus channel, I came upon a realization about one of the big plot twists in the game and the route through which it can be realized. The twist itself isn’t that much of a mind-blower, but a seemingly minor detail about it is actually one of the most major things about this in-game world. The disaster that befell the Lands Between, from its highest echelons to its lowest denizens, is a story about what happened when earthly gods and monarchs ruled through a church. (more…)

Killing My First Bosses in Elden Ring

by: Sonny Go

Blog, Video Games | 06 April 2022

Let me preface this by admitting to not being any good at games like this. As I’ve mentioned in my first blog post on Elden Ring, this is the first game by FromSoftware that I actually got into (that is not Ninja Blade). But since this is such a big event in my life, finally being able to appreciate a game in this franchise, I wanted to express how much I appreciate the best open-world game I’ve played since Skyrim by detailing how I got through my first few bosses. (more…)

Elden Ring Surprised Me

by: Sonny Go

Impressions, Video Games | 14 March 2022

There are three popular things I haven’t been able to catch up with — JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, The Witcher, and Dark Souls. I’ve been aware of the first one since the 2000s, but never really got into it as I barely watch anime since I got more into combat sports. I missed out on playing the second one, as I have with plenty of other games, so that’s not unusual at all. As for the third one, I had plenty of chances to get into it, but never caught the bug until now with Elden Ring. (more…)

I Made a Big Mistake by Starting Final Fantasy XIV

by: Sonny Go

Impressions, Video Games | 26 January 2022

That’s right. I gave into temptation and joined the fray. The last MMORPG I took seriously was Ragnarok Online, which I played way back from May 2003 to January 2006. While I would try out other MMOs later on like Tantra Online, Risk Your Life, RF Online, and so on, I never took it as seriously as the game that interfered with my college life. But this time, there’s no pressure for me to keep up. Final Fantasy XIV is known to be an MMO that actually respects the player’s time, but I’ll only believe it if I see it. (more…)