Adventuring Through Friendship

As I type this, my hands shake with barely restrained emotion, and my heart aches with bittersweet memories.

The memories of my friend and I are one of strongest sources of joy and strength for me. Allow me to recount a few...

I remember watching him play DOTA, and later DOTA 2, with curiosity, even though I never really got into it myself. I enjoyed learning about the terminology and techniques through him, and celebrating his victories with him.

I remember him and my other friends ribbing me about my taste in games. However, it can't be said that I never ribbed them in return. ;)

I remember hopping onto the hype train with him about various upcoming titles (especially from the Fallout series!). He even got me hyped for titles that I might never have given a second thought, e.g. Don't Starve.

I remember sitting with him, watching a game being streamed, but not really focusing on it because I was focused on how thin and weak he seemed.

I remember playing through some of The Walking Dead Season 1 for him because he struggled to play it himself with the cancer ravaging his body...

I remember, after his passing, missing him desperately, even as I still miss him and our many wild and wonderful discussions.

But most of all, I remember our friendship, from the start of the adventure to the end.

Burning My Dread

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 3 PORTABLE

Having just finished my second playthrough of Persona 3 Portable, I was prompted to think about my life - what I dread and what I hope for.

I dread many things: death, the afterlife, being alone forever, hurting and alienating the people I love, never reviving my dreams, never feeling any genuine joy or happiness ever again...

But I realised one thing: those fears are only as real as I make them. If I don't give them credence or believe in them, they cease to exist. Of course, the issues are there. But why should I live in fear?

I remember that one pivotal scene, amongst many others, in P3P, where Mitsuru Kirijo's father dies abruptly and without much buildup. The sheer emotion contained in that scene, especially coming from someone as seeming reserved and aloof as Mitsuru, is just overwhelming. I still cry when I think about it sometimes. But Mitsuru is a great example of how strong the will to live can be - to me, she's more than just a video game character, she is almost like a living, breathing person and if there was one cameo I would love to see in future Persona instalments, it would be her.

I only have one thing left to say: I will burn my dread.

PS:  You can buy Persona 3 Portable here.

How Broken Sword Started Me Off On A Lifetime Adventure

Please note that this post may contain some minor spoilers for the original version of Broken Sword:  Shadow of the Templars.

I remember seeing Broken Sword:  Shadow of the Templars bundled together with a host of other free games on discs, although I only had eyes for Broken Sword.  This was round about 1996, when my dad had just gotten a new PC.

I didn't know what to expect when I popped the disc into the PC's disc drive.  All I knew was that the imagery on the Broken Sword discs looked intriguing and full of exciting promise.  That promise was fulfilled.

The very first scene in which I took control of George Stobbart, the game's protagonist, is burned into my memory.  The lush backdrop of the city of Paris, with leaves blowing across the screen, and minor but wonderful details like post boxes, litter, and atmospheric sounds, together with some enchanting background music... All combined into an intoxicating mix that drove me forward to the conclusion of the game's plot.

The blend of humour and tension in the game's story is just right, and has not been matched by many other games, or even by any of the other Broken Sword games (not that they're not worth playing!). The game gives George and Nico (a French journalist who he meets fairly early on) more than enough space to breathe and play off each other, from exchanging gentle barbs, to helping each other through tense, explosive situations. I came to develop a genuine affection for both of them - for George's smart-ass, improvisational antics, and for Nico's sharp brain and sharper tongue. Even many of the side characters, such as Duane Henderson, are endearing in their own right, and have become recurring characters in the other Broken Sword titles.

The sweet satisfaction at the ending credits, made sweeter by the rousing music that accompanied it, still lingers. It makes me want to adventure onwards to other worthwhile tales, to meet memorable characters, and to explore new locations riddled with mystery and history.

Note:  One unfortunate caveat is that the original version may be difficult or impossible to find, at least through legal means.  GOG.com is one of the storefronts that sells the Director's Cut, which is obviously better than not having access to the game at all, although people who have played the original may feel that the Director's Cut has compromised too much on the visuals and some story elements. I would still recommend it, though, for anyone looking for an old-fashioned adventure game that feels like playing inside an interactive animated movie.  You can purchase the game at the GOG.com store page for Broken Sword: Director's Cut.