Fire Emblem (Game Boy Advance)

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Adam Randall

Super Smash Bros. Melee was the first video game to bring any kind of Fire Emblem content to non-Japanese audiences and I’m glad it did, because it’s become one of my favourite franchises. But as important as that was, it was the Game Boy Advance game Fire Emblem which was the first actual instalment in the series to make the journey overseas.

Fans may have been a bit surprised though, because the two characters we’d seen in Melee (Marth and Roy) are nowhere to be found in this game, Marth isn’t even mentioned! Instead it focuses on a trio of characters: Lyn, Eliwood and Hector (worth mentioning is that Eliwood is Roy’s father.)

In terms of the story, I found it a bit generic by Fire Emblem standards: a small ragtag group of fighters come together to try and take on a evil political power. Along the way they’re joined by lots of different people and there end up being interesting ties to the ancient history of the world.

While the overall plot was not that exciting, I remained invested in it due to the fact that I found the characters very likeable. I’ll admit, Eliwood felt a bit flat, but Lyn and Hector were both very endearing and I enjoyed watching them interact with each other and the people they encountered (even though it’s all text boxes.) I cared about them all and wanted them to be okay – and knowing Fire Emblem, that wasn’t a guarantee!

In terms of gameplay, I cant fault it: it’s classic Fire Emblem. You take it in turns with CPU enemies to move your characters around a grid based map, engaging them in battles with a nice level of nuance provided by the variety of available weapons – you have to manage your weapons and money well though, because the weapons all break eventually. The biggest thing, of course, is that if any of your characters die, they won’t come back and you’re left with that guilt forever.

It’s an example of Fire Emblem by the book in that it doesn’t do anything particularly unusual or innovative with the formula, so longtime fans playing for this one for the first time may be disappointed. But I happen to think that Fire Emblem by the books is still pretty darn good, so I had a good time with this game (though it did get a little too hard in the last level!) You have to keep in mind that it was most certainly created with the intention of being a jumping in point for new players and I think it definitely succeeds at that – we owe Fire Emblem‘s continued presence and success in our country to this starting point and I am very grateful for it for that fact.

Rating: 8/10

Buy it here.

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Do People Overuse the Word “Friend”?

Posted on April 8, 2019 by Adam Randall

What is a friend? I’m sure each person that you ask would give you a slightly different answer – after all, friendship means different things to different people.

My own perspective is that it’s an honour for somebody to count you among their friends – it’s something you can attain by proving yourself to the other person; by being supportive, by helping them out, by being good to them. I realise I’ve just listed three things which sound like they’re all the same thing, but in my head I intend them all to have different meanings.

For me, a friend is somebody who: I enjoy the company of, I know is a good person and has shown in some way that they care about me. I know those are pretty broad terms, but friendship itself is a very broad thing.

A friend can be someone you know for years and years and who continues to be a positive influence on your life, or someone you know only briefly, but who still proves themselves to you. If a friendship only lasts a year, it doesn’t mean it was any less real. The experiences are still valuable and the positive impact still counts, even if you have gone your separate ways.

But what I don’t like, is when somebody lists every person they’ve ever encountered as a friend. In my opinion, just because you’ve met somebody, it doesn’t mean that you’re friends. Even if you’ve had a couple of conversations with somebody and had good chemistry with them. These are just friendly acquaintances.

Knowing someone is very different to being friends with them, because to be friends is to actually share something substantial. I feel like those who count every person they know as a friend, ultimately cheapen the concept. In fact, I almost wonder if they really value “friends” or if they honestly get just as much out of that person they met at two parties as they do from people they’ve met up with regularly for decades. Maybe that’s too cynical of me, but maybe it’s an accurate reflection of a society which doesn’t put much value on friendships…

So, I’m much more wary of using the word ‘friend’ and if and when I do use it, it means I am making a very high commendation of the person I am describing.

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Banjo-Kazooie reviews:

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Adam Randall
Perhaps one of the biggest names in 3D platforming. Full of memorable, oddball characters and worlds I’ll never tire of exploring.
YearGameScore
1997Diddy Kong Racing ¹8.9/10
1998Banjo-Kazooie9.8/10
2000Banjo-Tooie9.8/10
2003Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge9.3/10
2003Grabbed by the Ghoulies ²9.5/10
2005Banjo-Pilot8.7/10
2005Kameo: Elements of Power ³8/10
2008Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise ⁴9.1/10
2008Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts9.5/10
2010Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo-Kazooie9/10
2012Minecraft ⁵10/10
2016Tracky Train ⁶8.3/10
2017Yooka-Laylee ⁷9.7/10

Parent Series:

Connected Series:

Footnotes:

  1. Banjo is a playable character.
  2. Roysten the Goldfish makes a minor cameo.
  3. A recording of Banjo’s voice, along with a new version of the main theme song is hidden in a cabin.
  4. Roysten the Goldfish (in Piñata form) appears in Petunia’s hat.
  5. Several Banjo-Kazooie characters are playable in most console versions of the game.
  6. Banjo makes a minor appearance as one of the game’s passengers and is also partially playable.
  7. Roysten the Goldfish appears in Dr. Puzz’s helmet.
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Fire Emblem reviews:

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Adam Randall
An emotional turn-based strategy series built around epic, fantasy storylines.
YearGameScore
1990Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light7.4/10
2001Super Smash Bros. Melee ¹9.5/10
2003Fire Emblem (The Blazing Blade)8/10
2004Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones8.4/10
2008Super Smash Bros. Brawl ²9.5/10
2008Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon9.4/10
2012Fire Emblem: Awakening9.6/10
2012Puzzle Swap ³7/10
2014Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS ⁴8.9/10
2015Fire Emblem Fates9.7/10
2015Super Mario Maker ⁵9.4/10

Connected Series:

Footnotes:

  1. Marth and Roy appear as unlockable playable characters.
  2. Marth and Ike both play roles in the game’s story and are playable. There is also a stage based on the series.
  3. Chrom and Lucina appear in a puzzle based on the series.
  4. Various Fire Emblem characters are playable and there is a stage based on the series.
  5. Various Fire Emblem characters are playable via Mystery Mushroom.

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Writing Priorities

Posted on April 6, 2019 by Adam Randall

The one or two of you who read every single one of my blog posts may have realised that I didn’t post anything on Monday – one of my usual update days. It’s pretty rare for me not to update, but I had a pretty good excuse.

Basically, I was writing something else. There was a period in the day that I had especially planned to be the time in which I would write the next blog post, but then just before that I quickly wanted to write something else and the thing that I wanted to write ended up being longer than expected.

As I was writing, I thought to myself “Should I stop doing this for second to go away and focus on a blog post? I don’t want to deviate from my update schedule, after all. Just look at what happened when I did that with my webcomic…” but in the end, I decided just to keep going with this other project.

As much as plans and schedules are useful for motivating writers, I don’t think we should stick to them too rigidly. I think it would have been rather foolish to stop the flow of creative energy which was spilling out for another project, just so I could do a blog post. After all, all creativity is valuable and it would be silly of me to focus on one thing over another.

So that’s why there was no blog post. I thought I’d share this inconsequential anecdote as a lesson to myself and others: follow your heart and not your rules when it comes to writing.

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Assassination Classroom, Volume 9 by Yusei Matsui

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Adam Randall

Assassination Classroom continues into its ninth volume with the conclusion to the quite literally explosive cliff hanger at the end of Volume 8. I found that the resolution was quite satisfying in some ways, but also a bit of a ‘cop out’ as they say, in others. I’ll leave you to form your own opinions about that.

I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that the tension which built throughout the last couple of volumes has now reached its climax and a lot of Volume 9 is about getting the characters back into the swing of their everyday lives. We’ve got the rest of their holiday (which is passed with various light-hearted activities) and then, after that, they head back to school and it’s essentially business as usual.

Though it may not be as exciting as the volumes immediately preceding it, I think it was important to have an instalment like this, because after the intense, emotionally charged events that had just happened, we needed a bit of a breather. We appreciate the normality all the more, because we’ve seen the fabric of their lives threatened.

What I like is that, by now, Koro-sensei has cemented himself as the whimsical, impish delight that he is, whose main and only concern is the wellbeing of the children. For me, he just becomes more lovable the more I see of him. I feel like I’ve said something similar in my review of every volume – but it’s so true. He’s such a well written character.

While this volume may not have all that much of a cliffhanger, we’re left with the thought that time is running out and, no doubt, the hardships they face will only grow in the future… I’m looking forward to the next one!

Rating: 8.9/10

Buy it here.

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Teaching Children LGBT People Exist

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Adam Randall

A lot of people have been talking about the subject of whether or not it’s ethical to teach primary school children about LGBT people and as this is a subject I feel rather passionately about, I decided I’d write a little bit about the subject myself.

For a while, I had believed that the general public was of the opinion that it was perfectly fine to be LGBT – not at all ‘wrong’ or ‘sinful’ as people once foolishly believed, but this ongoing discussion has alerted me to the fact that this is not the case. Ignorance and homophobia/transphobia are the only two logical reasons someone would oppose this.

LGBT people obviously have different perspectives and experiences in life when compared to non-LGBT people, so in order to help children grow to become more conscientious of others and not make their lives difficult, it is important for them to be aware that LGBT people exist. Without this knowledge, they will grow to be ignorant and potentially hold homophobic attitudes of their own.

But, of course, the biggest reason to teach children about LGBT people is that they might be LGBT themselves. By preventing them from having this education, they are essentially condemning LGBT children to confusion and unhappiness. It is 100% homophobic & transphobic, because it is the non-hertrosexual and transgender students who will suffer most from not having it.

And what’s the only argument against this? The biggest one seems to be that it’s the right of the parents to tell their children about these things – and I do actually agree about that. The problem is, that these same people are then saying they don’t want their children to know – so if they’re not going to do it, they’re highlighting exactly why its important for schools to do so. These things will always be better coming from the parents, but if the parents are unwilling or too ignorant of the subject, the schools step in.

To clarify – this isn’t about sex: this is literally just teaching children about the existence of LGBT people. There is nothing harmful about this. When I was in primary school, they showed us how to put condoms onto bananas and tampons into cups of water. What a waste of an hour that was. A class about the LGBT community would have been far more useful.

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Yooka-Laylee

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Adam Randall

I always felt that Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Donkey Kong 64 were three of the best games I ever played. The Grant Kirkhope soundtracks, the whimsical world and goofy characters, the dark sense of humour if you read between the lines, the sense of exploration – they all combined to create very charming video game experiences. The problem is that this style of game kind of disappeared after the Nintendo 64 era – but thankfully, Yooka-Laylee brought it back.

The story goes that a lizard named Yooka and a bat named Laylee find the magical ‘One Book’, which is then stolen by an evil corporation who plan to use it for their own selfish gains. Unfortunately, all the pages end up breaking out and getting lost across several “Grand Tome” worlds, where the two of them have to try to hunt them down. The worlds are: some ancient ruins, a winter wonderland, a spooky swamp, a casino and a space pirate world.

I adore these locations, because they’re all so beautifully rendered and have superb soundtracks to accompany them. These days, I find it hard to play games for more than a couple of hours, but I was easily able to do so when playing this game. I just loved getting lost in these enchanting locations: using logs as stepping stones in a murky marsh, making my way through icy caves or riding a minecart through a giant casino – my heart and imagination were captured in ways they hadn’t been in a long time.

For fans of old Rare games, there are plenty of treats too. Kartos (an anthropomorphic minecart) appears in every level for some Donkey Kong Country minecart level tributes (though, I must say, they don’t quite play as well a the originals, but we still get some nice new David Wise music), a scientist named Dr. Puzz will use a special ray to transform you in every level, ala Mumbo Jumbo (with transformations including a galleon and a snow plow) and Roysten the Goldfish even makes a cameo swimming around in the bowl on her head. You’ll also find references to Conker the Squirrel and Jet Force Gemini. Also, he may not be Rare, but Shovel Knight appears as an NPC too.

It’s a pity that there have been a moderately sized number of negative reviews of Yooka-Laylee, as I consider it one of the best games I’ve played in a while. Some say that the controls and camera are bad and effect enjoyment: I had no issues with either of these. Some say the worlds are barren and empty: they all felt appropriately populated to me. It may be a bit of a marmite experience, or perhaps I am a little skewed by nostalgia, but please don’t let these reviews put you off as there are many people, like me, who think its superb.

So, I definitely recommend it. Not only is it a beautiful, enjoyable, immersive and addictive experience, but it’s also pretty hilarious – look out for Laylee’s snide comments to every person she meets! It’s a wonderful tribute to those classic N64 games and though it may not be quite good enough to surpass them, it’s still a good game in its own right and I certainly can’t wait to see what is done with Yooka and Laylee next.

Rating: 9.7/10

Buy it here.

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Time Capsule 2

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Adam Randall

In 2014, I wrote a series of questions for myself to answer exactly five years later. In my most recent blog post I did just that and it was a very enjoyable experience. It really helped me to appreciate all the things that I had gained in the time that passed and I have to admit that the me of 2019 is in a much better position than the me of 2014. So now I’m making another and the thought of my answers in 2024 is very exciting and heartwarming. So, without further ado, here we go again:

  1. Same first question as last time: is everyone still alive? That’s the most important thing!
  2. Hopefully I’m still alive too. Does my phone still work though? I’m setting a reminder to do this in my current phone, so I hope I still have it in 2024 – it will only be eight years old, so I feel like it should be fine.
  3. I have full faith in you, my future self, to still be writing this blog, so, tell me, what’s the best blog post I wrote in the last five years?
  4. What’s happening with your Finger Puppet Show? I trust that the hiatus will be over.
  5. When was the last time you saw: Amy, Ben, Chloe, Christian, Dalfino, Davey, Egan, Edward, George, Hayley, Kat, Liam, Mairi, Rory, Sarah, Sophie, Stacey, Stephanie or Tasha? Make sure to reach out to anyone you’ve not seen in a while!
  6. How is your mental health doing? I worry that if a lot of your friends go away, you will become sad and depressed – but right now you feel good and happy: don’t forget, if you are depressed, that you’ll always become happy again. Friends always come back eventually and there are always new friends to make!
  7. Are there any people who are important to you, but who I don’t know yet?
  8. Where are you working these days? Have you had many changes of job since 2019?
  9. Have you had a chance to visit any other countries yet?
  10. What’s a particularly rewarding experience you’ve had in the last five years?
  11. What do you know in 2024 which would be the most exciting piece of information for me to know in 2019?
  12. Finally, just as I said in my last time capsule, make sure to create a new one to be opened in 2029! You’ll be approaching 40 by then. Oh my.
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Opening the Time Capsule

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Adam Randall

On this date in 2014, I decided to create a blog-based ‘time capsule‘ for myself, where I’d ask a series of questions and then answer them five years later. Well, now that five years have passed, it’s time to answer the questions asked by my younger self. So, here goes!

1. Are all the people you know now still alive? I hope so!
Thankfully, this is mostly the case, with the sad exception of one of my uncles. It’s always important to appreciate the continued existence of the people in your life.

2. Are you still alive? That would also be nice. If not, I suppose this entry was a slight waste of time.
Yes, I am. Or, at least, I think so. Another thing it’s important to appreciate: I am happy to be alive!

3. Are you still updating this blog? I love it so much now, and I’d hate to think you’d lose interest. Even if you don’t update it now, use this time capsule as an excuse to do so.
Yes! I am proud to say that I have been consistently updating it for almost eight years now. It’s so ingrained in my weekly structure that I don’t imagine I will ever stop.

4. Do you also still update your Finger Puppet Show? If not, why don’t you revive it?
Sorry, past me. It’s on an extended hiatus as I am taking ages to do the 500th strip which is a bit too over indulgent – but it will resume eventually!

5. When was the last time you saw Chloe, Dalfino, David, Egan, Mairi, Naomi, Oscar, Rory, Sophie or Stacey? If it’s been a very long time, please be sure to try and arrange something soon
Let me answer that one person at a time:

  • You saw Chloe just a couple of weeks ago and had a delightful visit to Nando’s – our friendship is as solid now as it was then… if not moreso.
  • Dalfino remains the constant fixture in life that he has been for the past fifteen years. He is eternal, like the sun.
  • David, alas, you have not seen for about four years now, though you both make the effort to keep in touch, it’s a problem of circumstance. Despite this, we still care for one another now, just as much as we did then.
  • You saw Egan a little over a year ago – he moved to Australia and it’s sad for me that he’s far away, but it’s nice that he’s expanding to new horizons and building a serious relationship with his partner Christy (who you’ve met and is very nice.)
  • Mairi, also, you have not seen for over a year – due, merely, to the long distance nature of our friendship. Since 2014, we’ve shared many lovely experiences and I’ve visited her in Scotland a couple of times. Excitingly, you managed to find a way to collaborate with her in your current job (more on that later!)
  • Much like David, I have not seen Naomi in a long time either – alas.
  • Oscar you saw a few months ago. You don’t see or hear from him as much as you used to, which is kind of sad, but as times change so do people’s priorities. I’m sure you’ll see him again soon…
  • Rory you saw in December – for his wedding! He has moved to America now, but you hope to visit him soon… if not, he may be back in the UK before long! We were sitting at the peak of friendship back in 2014 and I continue to enjoy the view from the top of that mountain five years later.
  • Sophie was your newest friend back when you made this and I am pleased to say that, since then, your friendship has grown and she has become a real institution in your life. A highly positive influence who you last saw today! We had a delicious Nando’s.
  • It’s been over a year since we last saw Stacey. We gave her a tearful goodbye as she left to travel the world in 2017 – though a selfish part of us will always be a bit sad, it’s lovely that she’s doing such amazing things. You communicate regularly online, often with video calls and it’s very nice.

6. Also, for the people you’re not in contact with so often, are you still arranging regular meals to meet up at?
You still do your meals with old Corsham friends, yes. You’ve also done a very good job of rekindling the fires of friendship with both Ben and Hayley, who you had drifted away from slightly back in 2014. It’s nice to have them back as positive fixtures.

7. Have you had any more writing published in the last five years?
Loads. You actually worked as a freelance writer for over a year. Well done

8. How did you do at university?
Wonderfully. You got a 2:1.

9. Are there any important people in your life that I don’t know yet?
Oh, yes, there certainly are! Your Friend Square is quite a bit bigger! Let’s go over them one at a time:

  • Liam: Since writing this, you went on to become good friend’s with Chloe’s partner, Liam. In fact, you now count him as one of your very best friends. Reliable, helpful and protective, exactly what you want in a friend. Plus, he’s given you loads of great gifts over the years and now even helps manage this blog!
  • Sarah: In 2015, you get a job which is pretty good, but let down by an awful manager. While working there, you meet a lovely woman named Sarah with whom you share a number of stressful and frustrating experiences – but a friendship formed in fires like those soon becomes unbreakable when you realise you can both count on each other in times of stress. You’ve both left that job now, but still see each other regularly.
  • Edward: As part of the process of becoming very best friends with Sarah, you get introduced to her partner Edward. He has this sort of ‘grumpy’ aura (and I’m sure he won’t take offense at me saying that) but you quickly realise that the crusty exterior masks a beautiful and kindhearted soul and at this point feel just as much affection for him as you do for Sarah.
  • Amy: In 2018, you start working at WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) and sit across from a woman named Amy. At first you’re on a fixed term contract and intentionally don’t want to really make friends and then have to leave them. Eventually this got extended and you realised that this was a friendship worth investing in – and I’m glad you did! You confide in one another, support one another, make one another laugh and, also, she makes the best cupcakes you’ve ever eaten. She left WDC but you still communicate online on a near-daily basis.
  • And that’s pretty much the best of compilation of the last few years – other new and valuable friends include Kat, Alex, Sam, Sophia, Tom, Stephanie, Will, Jess, Tasha… and that’s not even everybody. You’ve made so many friends since you made this original blog post and you love them all.

10. Been anything new, Waltons-wise?
Alas, no new episodes. You did meet two cast members though… that was pretty great.

11. Are you employed? If so, what are you doing? If not, good luck!
You’re the Digital Fundraising officer at WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) a job which gives you a steady income and has made you a lot of friends. It’s nice and rewarding to work for a charity too.

12. Where do you live? Are you still at home? Have you moved to Bath? Or are you somewhere else entirely?
Still living in Corsham… Maybe you’ll move to Bath one day though.

13. Finally, I quite enjoyed this, so, why not make a capsule to open in 2024?
Good idea, past me. I’ll make it Monday’s post. Considering all the nice things I’ve had to write about in this blog post, it’s heartwarming to think about all the developments I’ll have to cover in 2024.

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