Video Games Archives

My Diablo IV Frost Lightning Sorcerer Build Guide

Guides, Video Games | 07 August 2023

This still isn’t much of a guide as Diablo IV is still pretty young and I don’t intend to play it past a season or two. The only thing that truly interested me about it is the story, while the aesthetics aren’t exactly to my liking. However, the gameplay is still pretty good, so it interests me enough to make me want to explore different character builds. While this isn’t the Archon Wizard build I enjoyed in Diablo III, I’ve been enjoying clearing dungeons with this build so far. I’d like to share it with everyone else, whether it’s truly awesome or very much suboptimal. (more…)

Diablo IV Game Review

by: Sonny Go

Reviews, Video Games | 07 August 2023

When Blizzard started having its controversies, one of the only titles left that could give the now-embattled company hope for salvaging its once-stellar reputation was Diablo. However, Diablo III was a disappointment due to an incohesive and insensible storyline, as well as gameplay that tries a lot of new things and misses on a lot of them. Also, that launch was a complete disaster, from what I can remember. It looks like they’ve done the opposite with Diablo IV — the last game I’ll likely ever buy from the undead remnants of Blizzard Entertainment. (more…)

The Stone and the Shape: Philosophy for Finding One’s Purpose

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Life and Philosophy, Video Games | 03 July 2023

Dwarves in Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura

One of the most profound pieces of philosophy I’ve ever encountered comes from a computer game, which happens to be my all-time favorite. Arcanum takes the best of old Fallout, brings it into a steampunk setting, and douses it with tons of lore and philosophy that even games by FromSoftware would struggle to compete against. This particular moment in the game would continue to fascinate me even as an adult, which is why I wanted to share it here in this blog post. (more…)

Telegraphing for Better Storytelling and Gameplay

by: Sonny Go

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…)

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…)

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…)