Ron322

The age of 41 draws near this Sunday and for once, I have zero plans. It’s not that I don’t care or become indifferent, it’s just that times have gotten hard enough to where the thought of planning anything for myself has its own line of anxiety now.

In light of this, I’ve been having fun recently in the last month or so playing Hades and Hades II. They’re truly the GOATs of roguelike for a reason. What I’ve found amazing in them is how they’re part video game and part Greek Mythology course all in one. Between learning by of the pantheon of Greek Gods, Cthonic & Olympian, revisiting aspects of the Iliad and the Odyssey, Supergiant Games definitely gave us games that helped us learn about these deities and creatures whereas games like God of War were simply about wrecking the gods. I will go as far to say that, if not for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hades II definitely would’ve taken Best Narrative, Music and GOTY itself. As far as emotional connection in the narrative, I did find myself enjoying the 1st game more than the 2nd. It’s not a knock on the latter in any way— I just happened to like the rock/metal soundtrack of the 1st game more as well as a sense of sadness in learning about what happened in this reimagining of how Hades x Persephone came to be as well as the curse Zagreus bears. I also can’t dismiss the joy I felt in reuniting Orpheus and Eurydice. Seeing them sing separately was always heavenly but together? It was an easy chef’s kiss.

February was a slow one for me in terms of writing a chapter for Drafts but this month was harder. Never mind all the chaos the world is going through or the economy. I just felt that writer’s block hit me. Even artist block hit me with a heavy combo. On the upside, I did manage to write and finish a chapter for February and this morning, I succeeded in writing out a new chapter. These recent chapters ended up somehow having me reflect on the first cat I adopted as a stray — Eden. He has become an important character I decided to invoke into this story. He’s not re-emerging as the kitten I took in from the stray when he was a few weeks old but rather a humanoid cat all grown but fondly remembering my character in the story.

Creating this unknown realm of Old York ended up also being an inspiration of Elysium and Elden Ring. Some inspirations are simply too bold to ignore. The interconnected realm itself is something that’s a result of inspirations I’ve found in Dark Souls as well as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.