The Writing Corner

From the very first trailer I saw, I knew there was something special about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. While I could not have imagined it would rise to the heights of Game of the Year 2025, there were a few favourable elements to the game that drew my eye. The grim atmosphere, the Belle Epoque setting and the mystery surrounding the world itself. After all, who was this mysterious Paintress who seemed to rule over the world? It should come as no surprise, dear reader, that I went to buy the title day one - though I did struggle to find it in stores and had to explicitly ask the people at the counter if it was still available. Unfortunately, given all the other games I still had in my backlog, Expedition 33 was forced to sit on my shelf for an entire year before I could find the chance to play it.

Though many have classified Expedition 33 as a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) because of the 'turn-based' combat, I would have to strongly disagree. There is one major reason for this: all the basic tropes are missing.

It does not start off with a bright-eyed protagonist chasing chickens in their small village. Disaster does not strike when our protagonist returns home after finishing their chores. The party is not an eclectic band of misfits with a talking animal or two (though given Monoco was named after the Dessendre family's pet dog...maybe they can get away with it?). And in the end, the final boss they fight against is not God.

Rather, Expedition 33 sees us in the shoes of Gustave. He is up on a roof overlooking the city of Lumiere as they prepare for the annual gommage. The worst thing that could have happened to the world occurred 67 years ago in an event known only as the Fracture. Since then, the giant Paintress who sits at the base of a towering Monolith rises up and change the number on the countdown. Anyone who is older vanishes into a swirl of flower petals. Desperate, the people of Lumiere seek ways to put an end to this ghastly ritual in the hope that future generations will not have to suffer as they have.

In just these first few moments, Expedition 33 manages to pull you in. The plight of the people of Lumiere is laid bare for all to see. Before too long, the expedition sets out towards the Monolith. Almost immediately as they land, things go wrong. A mysterious man decimates most of the expedition. Believing himself to be the only survivor and overwhelmed by the enormity of the destruction around him, Gustave wavers. It is not until Lune finds him that his belief in the mission is renewed. From there, the two journey across the Continent and manage to find two other survivors - Maelle and Sciel.

Along the way, the game introduces the player to its 'active' turn-based combat. For, rather than sit idly by and allow one's stats to determine if an enemy attack will hit or miss, players have the ability to parry, dodge or jump enemy attacks. To my initial dismay, there is no clear indication that flashes over the enemy. Parry, dodges and even jumps need to be timed to the animation of the foes you face to ensure it's done perfectly. And, if you're able to parry all the other attacks, the expedition is able to launch a powerful counter. Even attacks made by the expedition is littered with quick-time events to ensure they land or deal more damage. Admittedly, this meant that I could not set up a video on the side to watch as I grinded my way to victory (as is usually the case with turn-based games).

The combat, combined with the distinct style of the nevrons - the enemies you fight - made me wonder if Sandfall Interactive had also looked to the Soulsborne games for inspiration. Many of the nevrons, certainly, would have perfectly fit the dark fantasy aesthetic. Then there were the cryptic dialogues from both 'faded' characters and a number of white-coloured nevrons that you can assist, which served to add to the mystery of the world.

I also very much enjoyed the music. Were many pieces rifts from others with leit motifs carried throughout? Why, yes. Yes, they were. But it was still hauntingly beautiful in all the right ways. That said, my favourite piece came from the mime battles. There is something about hearing a jaunty accordian tune that I loved. To be fair, if the soundtracks for Octopath Traveler or Xenoblade Chronicles had also been in contention for Best Score, I would have called foul if Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had won.

While I did very much enjoy the game, there were a few puzzling elements to game design that had me scratching my head. The lack of a minimap, no sense of how much further the end goal might be in a dungeon, no journal for the main quests and select few sidequests, and the inverse mapping for the pause menu with the party stats menu. None of these minor quibbles ruined the game for me but I found the absence of these quality-of-life tweaks absolutely baffling.

Gameplay aside, I have to admit the story (and the characters) were what sold me on the game. Though Expedition 33 starts off as a lofty 'destroy the evil Paintress and save Lumiere' story, the journey across a fantastical Paris is actually an insightful deep dive into grief and the dangers that come with using escapism as a coping method.

I am, dear reader, no stranger to grief. I lost my own father at the age of twelve. In this year alone, I have lost two of my grandparents in quick succession. Death and I have walked hand-in-hand for a good long while - whether it be in the stories I read or the movies I watch. So, when it came down to the final choice, I had to side with Verso. Maelle's desire to stay was too self-destructive for my tastes. Worse, she had not learned from her time in the Canvas. Bringing back the people she had lost when the Paintress was ousted is not healthy. No matter how much I, the player, also cared for Sciel and Lune (for goodness sake, Lune is my favourite character out of them all and NOT because of her bare feet. In fact, for my entire playthrough, I kept Lune in outfits where her feet were covered because seeing them as she ran across the Continent - or floated - just gave me such a big ick).

That is not to say, however, that Maelle did not have good reason. To me, she is probably one of the most tragic characters in Clair Obscur. Wracked with survivor's guilt, filled with self-loathing for her imperfect body (was it me or was it so odd her family never got her a glass eye to replace the one she lost?) and still mourning the loss of her brother, I can see why she would choose to remain in the Canvas. After all, it was the only place she found a sense belonging and experienced unconditional love from those she might consider parental figures (though, that said, it is clear Renoir does love her dearly and wants only the best for her - look no further than the Axon he painted for her in The Reacher). But the problem with staying IN the Canvas is that it's a want. It's not what she needs.

And what Maelle (otherwise known as Alicia) needs (along with the rest of the Dessendre family) is a therapist. And it is here I find a quote from Buffy the Vampire Slayer the most poignant: 'The hardest thing in this world is live in it.' Maelle refuses to live in the real world where she sees herself as broken. Even when her father tries to reassure her that she has a future and limitless potential. Instead of heeding the tenets of the expedition: 'Tomorrow comes' and 'when one falls, we continue,' Maelle continues to strive for what she cannot have.

Loss is hard.

I know when my father passed, and I saw his body lying in that small hospital bed, I wanted to believe he would wake up. Even when it was the day of his funeral and he was placed in his casket, I couldn't help think he would open his eyes and smile at me one last time. But I also knew, following several discussions with my mother and grandmother prior to his death, that even when people we love are gone, the world continues to turn - and us with it.

The circumstances often seem cruel and unfair. My father was still young, after all. He could have lived another quarter century or more if he fortune had smiled on him.

In fact, the only thing we can do is keep going on. To take one step after another. And commit to doing 'The Next Right Thing.' The pain never quite heals but we learn to handle it. Something I fear Maelle never truly accepts or learns.

The same cannot be said for Painted Verso. He has lived a full life but remains in this fake world, immortal. Worse, he knows he is but a copy of the real Verso. That knowledge torments him and though his initial goal is to save his Maman from drowning in her grief, he also knows it comes with a price.

While I'm sure many would argue that Maelle and Verso are two sides of the same coin, I feel like there's still an underlying difference in their motivations. Verso looks first to his family and how to best keep them safe whereas Maelle is more inherently selfish in her wishes. I felt this was represented best with Verso's final encounter with the Faded Boy - the trapped remnant of the real Verso's soul and permits him to stop if he so wishes.

Admittedly, it did bug me a little that what started as a grand adventure to stop the Paintress turned into a family squabble. The world was so rich with possibility and I loved getting to know Lune, Sciel and Gustave. In fact, by making all of them so sympathetic, the final choice in the end is made all the more difficult. But from a narrative point of view, it takes away the grand stakes and replaces it with the private drama of a broken family.

That said, I appreciated all the bonding moments though I am of the opinion Sandfall should not have kept the romantic dalliances Verso has with Lune and Sciel in the game. After all, he had so much more chemistry with Monoco! The whole 'little spoon' line? Perfection.

And, I don't know, if there had been a few more steamy scenes between Lune and Sciel, I might have come round to Maelle's side.

Yes, dear reader, I am one of the few who ship Lune and Sciel together. They just work so well! Especially when they reminisced over the past and bonded over the death of Gustave at the start of Act 2!

I like to think with Verso's ending, Maelle/ Alicia is able to move on. Or, at the very least, to make a new start and take the time to properly heal. While I do not know what that might look like, I have every hope she will take the memories of Expedition 33 to paint a brighter future for herself. It's the least she deserves and it's the very thing real Verso would have wanted for his little sister (even if Maman and Clea - to a degree - disagrees with. By the way, can we talk about how abrasive Clea was in most of her interactions with her little sister?).

There is much to love in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In fact, I can see why it managed to reach almost universal acclaim. That said, there are a few areas where it falls short - namely in a few choices pertaining to quality-of-life options for players and the terrible platforming (don't even get me started on the final stage of the Gestral volleyball minigame) - but it is overall a game that is greater than the sum of its parts. From its complex and layered narrative to its tight gameplay mechanics that manage to weave it all together in a neat little package. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might not be a TRUE turn-based role-playing game in the veins of the old JRPGs of old, but it proves to be its own unique blend of genres.

On a side note, as a self-purported creative...I wonder how my characters feel when I abandon or scrap a story. Are they sentient? Should I be concerned about all the power I wield over their measly lives?

I like to think I am a fairly well-adjusted individual. Despite losing two grandparents in successive months this year and my sole surviving grandmother a little addled and on antidepressants, I find myself thankful for the things I do have rather than what I don't. After all, it takes a person of fortitutde to remain upbeat and cheery in the face of 'The Horrors' permeating ou world (though, I am by no means an upbeat or cheery person, it appears to have become a facade I wear and has become widely accepted at work).

Mostly, I attribute my affable and positive nature to the fact I've already adopted healthy habits. Even before watching endless YouTube videos or Tiktok dribble encouraging the same.

It is no secret I am an Asian woman in her mid-thirties. But what most people don't know about me is that I do not endlessly doomscroll through the night (as I don't have a lot of social media apps and my phone is usually in another room), I go on daily walks and actively sit with my thoughts (no podcasts or music to distract me from the natural world), and I read plenty of books when I am afforded the time to do so on my commutes to the office.

Creativity, it must be said, is my bread and butter. And while others may see it as me 'being productive,' I view it as a means of doing something I love as I go about a rather dreary life. I mean, why not escape the monotony of real life by writing eldritch horror novellas?

The world may be on fire but as long as it does not impact the corner of the internet I've eked out for myself, maybe I won't feel so powerless? Why worry about the rise of far-right nationalism when I can simply enjoy Toy Story 5 and spend all my money on Disney Lorcana cards? It's certainly a far better use of my time. After all, worrying about things outside of my control does not solve them either.

That said, I HAD intended to make this next post of mine be about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Technically, I could have wrapped up the story but as a completionist, I refuse to let the credits roll until I've done every conceivable thing within my power. This includes doing all the side content (and even reducing the difficulty to story because I cannot fathom bashing my head against a wall to try and nail the pixel perfect timing to parry every enemy I encounter on expert) and making sure I mop up all the collectibles.

Whether or not this is 'growth' is something I am still debating. But at the very least, it has been better for my mental health. Being able to freely talk about my experiences has also proved wondrous - though sympathetic ears in my immediate vicinity (i.e. my family) have been hard to find. Still, now that I understand how their perspectives are shaped, I no longer rise to the low-hanging fruit they try to bait me with. Anger is now an emotion I let go more often than not.

Yet for all the steps I take forward, there are still numerous backsteps. Like when I spiralled horrendously when a manager pointed out that I used the word 'that' for every third or fourth word. The blow struck had me wondering if I was even worthy of being in my current position at work or if I should quit then and there to find something better suited for my worthless hide. It took a day or two of careful self-talk to convince myself I was overreacting and this was a learning opportunity to be better.

Then there are the moments when I feel terribly lonely despite being surrounded by teammates or friends. While I do feel my mood changes most during the luteal phase (curse those gosh darn womanly hormones), it has enabled me to write some poetry as a means of articulating how I feel. While I've not shared much of it with anyone, it's been good to express my emotions through other means rather than incoherent screaming over a slight inconvenience.

Being more conscious of these mood changes has also helped me be more in tune with what I want. Though I'm certain that the more I age, and as I enter perimenopause, all the good work I've done on behalf of my mental health will come completely apart.

Yet despite these gains, the loneliness persists. Some of it might be the physical distance between my friends. Other times it's the gaping maw of disconnected experiences that conversation cannot fill.

I chalk it up to the fact I've always prided myself on being a good listener. For my entire childhood, I allowed myself to be a dumping ground. Hearing people vent about their problems helped shed light on who they were and what they considered important. It was an invaluable insight into those around me. But as time has passed, I've noticed that I know so much more about the tidbits of their lives but they seem to know nothing of mine. There's no curiosity on their end. Or, when they try to express it, there's always something a little hamfisted in their questions. It feels almost like an interrogation rather than a true understanding.

'Why do you think that?' I don't know. I just do?

'And how did it make you feel?' Weren't you listening? I already told you.

'Oh wow. You've actually put a lot more thought into this situation than I would have believed.' Well, you never asked. And you can't read minds...so...

Maybe some of the problem comes from me. Despite the fact I'm happy to share certain anecdotes, the hidden parts of me don't always get to be expressed. Among the group of friends I interact with the most, I find myself constrained to their perceptions. I can't animatedly divulge about the video games I enjoy, the shows I've watched or even the music I listen to.

None of them are all that keen for board games except for a select few. Half of them will only ever attend a musical or two in their lifetime. And almost none of them read fantasy or any of the other titles I have on my extensive shelves.

When I do express enjoyment in something I like, it becomes the only thing they know me by.

Harry Potter. Kingdom Hearts. Detective Conan. Ace Attorney.

But I'm more than just these fandoms and franchises. There is so much more that I enjoy and do. Yet I have no one to share them with. No one to accept it and reciprocate my excitement.

Is it any wonder I keep searching for new friends outside the ones I already have? In a desperate quest for a deep connection?

So, yes. I may think I'm well-adjusted, and to most I appear that way, but there are hidden depths that have yet to be plunged. And I suppose that is true of almost everyone in the world. We all show the people around us facets of our lives but never quite the entire whole.

It often makes me wonder if people actually see me for me or simply the carefully constructed version of who I am. But that's a philosophical discussion for another time.

As a child, mythology and folklore were two subjects that captured my imagination. Even fictional ones (was it only me diving through Wowhead trying to read about the intracies of troll culture on Azeroth? No. Just me? Cool). Even as a grown woman, I cannot help but be fascinated at seeing how urban legends grow and inform beliefs. Be they cultural or even societal. While Greek myths and European folktales have domianted the current zeitgeist, when I saw the trailer for Compulsion Games new title back in 2024, my attention was immediately arrested. A game about the Deep South with an emphasis on cryptids taken from southern Gothic stories? Count me in!

Now, it should be said, I never did play We Happy Few. Nor did I play their other game: Contrast. But that does not mean they weren't on my radar. Especially when it comes to the themes and concepts they look to explore.

In the end, though, there was something about South of Midnight that drew me in. In South of Midnight, you play as Hazel. A track star in her small town of Prospero, players are first introduced to her as she is prepping for a hurricane. It is not long before her mother, Lacey, returns to their home overlooking the river. After a fight, Hazel heads out to check in on their neighbours. When she heads back home, however, their house is washed away as the floodwaters rise.

So begins Hazel's journey to find and reunite with her mother. Along the way, she learns the tales she was told as a child were not fanciful make-believe stories meant to scare her but are actually true. More importantly, she discovers she has magical abilities to see the strands of the Grand Tapestry and put to rights the trauma scarring it.

While the narrative beats of South of Midnight follow a rather simple arc, with the occasional setbacks to ratchet up the tension, I found it was the side stories and the lore of the worlds that truly piqued my interest. In fact, I would say the overall story never truly capitalised on Hazel's grandmother's pain or possibly villanous potential. Instead, we have Kooshma who, while hinted at as a more terrifying foe when Hazel manages to collect the various different negative emotions and past hurts of the main creatures in the area, fails to truly encapsulate the big bad evil guy energy I was hoping for. Yes, he feeds on dreams and painful memories but so what?

What's more, even AFTER you defeat Kooshma, South of Midnight realises the daggling thread of Bunny Flood still needs to be addressed and Hazel returns to the manor. Only, of course, for Bunny to take the offer provided by Roux as she is unable to move past the loss of her sweet baby Cherie.

On a side note, it is VERY telling that the precious daughter Bunny holds nearest and dearest to her heart is named 'Cherie.' Definitely not playing favourites when you call your daughter, 'My Dear/ Darling/ Sweetheart' and call your son 'Trey' in comparison.

The main story aside, I very much enjoyed all the various crpyids Compulsion Games put in. From a giant alligator, Two-Toed Tom, to the Rougarou and Huggin' Molly. But what I especially liked were the personal touches they made to the lore, and even their own creations like the Benjy Tree or Altamaha-ha. The stories, told primarily by the Catfish - also a creature from Cajun folklore - were all very heartfelt and played into the culture of the Deep South.

What I also liked, too, was the music and how they played into each creature's backstory. The effort Compulsion Games put into the worldbuilding was immaculate and pulled me along to game's end.

And though I'm not from the Deep South (which I think is highly debatable considering I live in Australia - which is located in the southern hemisphere), all these small and tiny additions to the world were greatly appreciated in making Prospero come alive. After all, back in 2016, I did visit Louisiana and very much enjoyed my time in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Learning more about the unique cultures only makes me more curious about its people and the stories they share.

In fact, I am very disappointed Australia does not have as many famous cryptids as I would like. There is, of course, the bunyip and yowie, but they've become so commercialised as chocolate chocolate toys, much of the power that comes from being mysterious creatures stalking the outback of Australia has been lost.

Gameplay-wise, South of Midnight is very by the numbers though it is one of the few more recent titles that does not have a block or parry button. Hazel Flood, instead, can only dodge the attacks of her enemies (and occasionally jump over them). Her moveset is also fairly simple and involves a few magic spells to help control the various haints she ends up fighting in designated arenas.

Though I initially found it clunky - mostly due to how long it took for spells to cool down - I soon found my footing when it came to dashing across the battlefield and giving most enemies a three-hit combo before darting away again. That said, the long cooldowns meant there was little in the ways of experimenting when it came to fighting the various enemies. By the time I was able to string together spells together more often, the game was almost over.

The only times I truly struggled were during the gimicky natures of boss battles and the fact Hazel has limited healing options. Worse, despite attacks being telegraphed ahead of time, getting out of the way was still difficult due to the size of the battle area. This was especially irritating in my fight against Two-Toed Tom as the alligator was able to take up large swathes of the measly islands Hazel was fighting him on though the others were much more manageable - albeit, I wasn't able to finish those fights unscathed for the sake of the platinum trophy.

South of Midnight released in 2025 for Xbox and on Steam. To my utter delight, it was released on PlayStation 5 in March this year. Admittedly, I did consider potentially purchasing it for PC but my patience was ultimately rewarded. And in the Weaver's Edition I got, there was significant digital content including a comic featuring Hazel going toe-to-toe with a boo hag. But what I enjoyed the most was the documentary that shed some light on how Compulsion Games made such a heartwarming video game - from the research they conducted to the challenges in composing faithful songs akin to what one might hear should they go gallivanting around the Deep South.

That said, Donna Washington, an author they tapped for assistance, was shown reading Andrea Stewart's Boneshard series in the video. Having finished reading those books last year, I could not help but delight in the fact others in the world will occasionally read the same books I do (and enjoy them).

Now if only more love can be shown to the Rook and the Rose trilogy by M. A. Carrick (thankfully, youtuber Elliot Brooks has it on the shelf behind her when she's discussing tropes, new releases, and whatever else her audience demands.

Video games are complicated conglomeration of various different parts. While some can be built by one person, others require huge teams to come together. South of Midnight is no different. While I had a few gripes with elements of the gameplay and the main narrative, I very much fell in love with the characters and the mystical world Hazel found herself in. There are so many mysteries in the world and, through sharing the stories of what we know, we make it all the richer. In many ways, Compulsion Games were able to create their own Grand Tapestry by shedding light on a part of the world most only ever associate with beignets, gumbo and jazz.

Oh, and how could I forget about Crouton?! A patchwork plushie who helps Hazel out? 10/10. No notes.

As the wheels of the QantasLink A220 kissed the tarmac of Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport, I could not help but feel that the week I spent in Tasmania was but a fleeting dream. Albeit, one marred by the fact we were in a holding pattern for upwards of thirty minutes due to unfavourable conditions. Yet even though it was primarily a transit day and my step count did not quite crack the ten thousand standard, there was still much for my family to see and do.

Our day started early as we packed and checked out from the hotel we were staying at. Though it was a little touch and go, with so many personalities to manage - especially my elderly Popo - we were on the road just before 10 AM. And though there was no one manning the reception desk, we were still able to return the key in the drop-off box.

Given that our flight back to Sydney was late in the afternoon, we were able to take our time on the drive to Launceston. Though there had been concerns the day before about spotfires due to the intense heat, by the time we set out, they were all being sufficiently managed. I saw neither flame nor flicker along our route. Nor were we diverted from the main highway.

Though there had been chance aplenty to have visited the townof Richmond earlier on the trip, my stepfather had been adamant we would only visit upon our return. A somewhat irksome request given the free time we had the day before. Nonetheless, there was no point in being needlessly contrary. I was to get my wish, regardless.

A historic Georgian town in the Coal River region, Richmond sits to the north east of Hobart. It is home to a scenic bridge and Australia's oldest existing colonial gaol (pronounced like jail. It should be noted this is also slowly becoming the default spelling even here in Australia for the sake of simplicity).

More importantly, Richmond was alos home to Old Hobart Town. A specialist museum containing a historical model of what Hobart used to look like in centuries past while also featuring several fun figurines. These included a woman beating a snake, a boy falling from a tree, a hunter skinning a kangaroo and the ever elusive Tasmanian Tiger. But what I enjoyed most about the historical model was how easily it mapped onto the modern Hobart I had explored the day before as it was constructed from actual plans that were available.

From lashings and public hangings to merchants going about their day, each of the little people on display had their own story to tell. I definitely felt like I had stepped back through history and seeing the Hobart from yesteryear relative to the modern city I had come to know over the last few days.

Just down the street from Old Hobart Town was nestled Richmond Gaol. By the mid 1820s, Richmond was the third largest population centre in Tasmania and it soon became necessary for a local goal to be established to deal with those who committed offences while employed on public works or on surrounding rural properties.

When it opened its doors, W J Speed, an ex schoolmaster, became Richmond's first gaoler. For approximately thirty years, it remained in service, with a steady stream of convicts entering its doors for a variety of offences. And while it was no Port Arthur, Richmond Gaol had it own vibrant history.

In 1853, transportation of convicts ceased and the gaol became a watch-house. In 1861, it came under control of the local municipal police. Use of the gaol continued to decline and it finally closed its doors in 1928. In 1971, it was registered as an historic site and has been privately leased since 1987.

On my self-guided tour of the gaol, I had a look at the many different cells and the individual stories of the inmates found within. I also enjoyed looking at artefacts from the time like the draught board and learning what the daily rations for each prisoner was.

Upon seeing my fill, I headed back out to rejoin the rest of my family, who had decided to forgo the trip into the gaol proper and had taken up residence at a local cafe. Once I'd caught up with them, we headed over to the Richmond Bridge - the oldest stone span bridge in the whole of Australia.

While all of these locations were all in close proximity, my family did shift our hire car further up the street to minimise how far we would need to push my Popo down the road in her wheelchair. Contributing, to my great dismay, to the lower number of steps taken throughout the day.

After we had seen our fill of Richmond, we headed straight for Launceston. Though I would have preferred for us to stop by Grindelwald (yes, there is a town in Tasmania called Grindelwald. I was surprised too), it was a little out of the way for the family. As such, we did not get to enjoy the Swiss-style village and its charming shopping arcade.

Instead, we waited for an inordinately long time at the airport in Launceston before we were finally allowed to check-in and go through security. By then, I'd made a decent dent through all the CaitVi fanfiction I was reading, as well as Hamnet, which I had on my ebook.

Though Tasmania is naught but an hour and a half from Sydney via plane, the six day family trip felt like a much needed adventure. After my mother and stepfather decided to reside in China for the last two years, it was good to venture out together with all four members of our household. While we did not quite escape the usual arguments and frustrations that comes from being all too familiar, it was still a nice change of pace.

And for someone (me) who hasn't been to Tasmania, it was good to see the various locales of our southernmost state. Admittedly, it is still quintessentially Australian but there's something about the cities that make them strikingly different to the likes of Sydney, Melbourne or even Brisbane. Everything, at least to me, feels more condensed. Nature sits right next to the bustling hubbub of the central business district.

Could it do with some more impressive shopping centres?

Perhaps.

But maybe the very fact Hobart and Launceston lack an impressively large Westfields is actually one of their many charms. And its their small local businesses that has won over the hearts and minds of those who live there and the tourists who come to visit.

That or it's the seafood.

At the height of the backlash against supposed 'woke' video games, Dragon Age: Veilguard was supposedly one of the biggest casualties. This was true to an extent - it never quite reached the huge sales goal many thought it might and also scored low among critics - it still sold 1.5 million copies in the first two months after launch. Yet while I can agree the fourth entry in the Dragon Age franchise has many problems - from the repetitive writing at the start and during Bellara's personal questline to the art direction not quite fitting the grimdark fantasy setting set by its predecessors (though, admittedly, there were a few areas they still managed to be quite unsettling like D'Meta's Crossing) - there is still a kernel of greatness within. And who could deny neve or Emmrich their due?

Dragon Age: Veilguard released in October 2024, an entire decade (almost) after the third entry in the series, Dragon Age: Inquisition. In the intervening years, Veilguard went through multiple revisions, including a brief transition to a multiplayer live-service title, before pivoting back to single player. And many point to this turbulent development cycle for why Veilguard released to a rather lukewarm reception. The fact it even released is considered a miracle in and of itself.

You are Rook - a player insert Varric Thethras (fan favourite character who first appeared in Dragon Age 2) takes on as he hunts down his former friend, Solas, in northern Thedas. In my case, I was a qunari warrior from the Lords of Fortune. Why, I hear you ask? Well, it was mostly because I wanted to try out a different race and class from my usual default choices (hello elf/human rogue). As soon as you finish customising your avatar, you are thrust into a dangerous encounter with Solas as he attempts a ritual to bring down the Veil.

Things, understandably, go wrong. And while you are able to interrupt Solas's ritual, two of the ancient elven gods escape (Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain). Meanwhile Solas, himself, is trapped inside a prison in the Fade. Varric, too, is severely wounded during the encounter and is bedbound.

So, begins your quest to save the world of Thedas and put a stop the ambitions of two megalomaniacal gods. Who said western role-playing games couldn't throw in their own deicide plots in? That said, every time I heard Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, all I could envision in my head were Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Narratively, Veilguard plays the storybeats in a fairly straightforward manner. Rook knows from the start what the stakes are and goes about recruiting allies to their cause. Meanwhile, they respond to any whispers of the gods' involvement in a desperate bid to a put a stop to them. Is it a little trope-heavy? I suppose. But I very much liked how it expanded on the lore from previous games (and as someone who hasn't engaged in the comics or the novels, the revelations the gods were originally spirits who used lyrium to create physical forms was an interesting tidbit of world-building). I also liked how we, the players, got to interact with the other nations of Thedas though I missed having to deal with courtly intrigue or political powerplays.

Most times, it felt like Rook was easily able to find allies to fight against the gods. The only faction that resisted were the Wardens, but even then, it was mostly their blowhard of a First Warden (one I took great pleasure in taking a peg down or two).

I suppose my main gripe is the fact that the fight against the gods is not just one big war but simply a series of battles and interactions that leave our heroes scrambling. But I suppose that's how one tells a great story, right? To make sure anything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Otherwise, where is the suspense? The heroes can only be heroes when they put their all in. Or, in the case of Veilguard, simply do, 'Whatever it takes.'

The main narrative aside, I felt like most of my enjoyment came from the side stories and personal storylines. These helped provide additional context (while also gaining favour and later empowering your forces) to the wider world. My favourite side quests involved Emmrich and getting a better understanding of the Mourn Watch (necromancers who tended to the dead). Theirs was a contrasting perspective I had not seen in the Dragon Age games and it was refreshing to see a different side to spirits and the Fade in general. I also enjoyed my time exploring Arlathan Forest, having coffee with Lucanis in fictional Venice (Treviso) and exploring a small part of the Tevinter capital (Minrathous).

When it came to companion questlines, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with each and every single one of the stories. The one that stayed with the most, surprisingly, came from Taash. Although many people online were quite dismissive of the character because of 'woke' politics pushing the 'LGBTQIA agenda down their throats,' I felt more keenly that Taash's story was more of migration and being able to live comfortably in two different worlds. As a second generation migrant, I knew that growing up, I often wished I was white instead of being of Chinese ancestry. It is only as I've grown older that I've come to appreciate my Chinese roots and the history that make up who I am and inform the views of my family. And this was the reason why I encouraged Taash to embrace their Qunari heritage rather than throw it away in favour of Rivaini culture (though why Taash couldn't find a middleground between the two felt a little disingenious considering their non-binary arc).

Other storylines I enjoyed included Harding trying to understand her new stone powers, Emmrich's fear of death (one I also share) and his lifelong desire to become a lich, and Neve's attempts to protect her beloved Dock Town through any means necessary. Special shout out to Davrin and the ending of his questline that allowed me to pick a new home for the griffons.

By game's end, I had ensured the survival of all my team (barring one because they HAD to die. Davrin and Assan, you will be missed. But I also couldn't let the budding romance between Harding and Taash die). And while I would have preferred tricking Solas with the fake dagger, I chose, instead, to talk him down. And with the help of the Inquistor (which happened to somewhat follow my choices because I was an elf who had wanted to initially romance Solas before settling for Blackwall of all people), the Dread Wolf accepted his charge of tying the Veil to his life force with the love of his life.

When it comes to gameplay, I had a few initial gripes. The most jarring was how far left the player character was. Though this is supposedly present in other 'cinematic' games, never had I felt so disorientated as I did than in Veilguard. I also struggled, at first, with what I felt were relatively janky controls. While some of it may have come from the fact I was playing a role I was not used to (warrior as opposed to a rogue), I do feel like the control scheme could have been finetuned a little more.

That said, by the time I adjusted to my role as Rook, the leader who led in the front by utterly decimating by foes with a good overwhelming stomp and letting my shield richochet among long-range foes, I was enjoying myself quite a lot. That said, I do feel like Veilguard was a little limiting in the amount of abilities one could pin. Worse, it felt like there were few options to experiment with what abilities and skills allies could have.

By game's end, it simply made more sense to me to always keep a rogue and a mage in the party. Why? Well, to pull off as many detonations as possible and deal massive damage to both bosses and ordinary foes. Not to mention deal other debilitating status conditions on them to my advantage.

Dragon Age: Veilguard is a game that tries something a little new to revitalise a series that had been languishing for years. While it did not pull it off, and the changes may have left quite a few fans scratching their heads, it still proved a solid entry. With some spit and shine, I'm sure BioWare can still prove their mettle by adding to the extensive lore they have already established. After all, there are whole seas beyond the continent of Thedas. But, like many, I do feel the new art direction was a misstep - much in the same way the overly saturated colours of the newer games stripped Diablo a little of its identity. If, hopefully, they tweak a little of the writing (and no, I don't need Bellara to tell me in multiple conversations how Cyrian is her brother but we might still have to put him down for reasons), show off a little more blood so we can enjoy the carnage, and lean more into body horror, then I'd be keen to continue my path through this dark fantasy world and learn all its secrets. For, it should be said, there are still many left to be uncovered.

What happened to the other Evanuris? Will the blight ever be calmed and restored to the Titans? And what exactly do the Executors have planned for Thedas?

There are still so many rich story seeds in Dragon Age that I DO hope Veilguard is not the end. Yet, as with all things, it may simply be the fact that this ship has sailed and there won't be a chance of going back (until maybe another ten or twenty years down the track where the original will be remade).

On a side note, I was definitely picking up on possible autistic vibes for Taash too. Even if they weren't, they're certainly autistic-coded. Not that it's a bad thing. I mean, who doesn't want to obsess over dragons? I certainly do.

Wait.

As the sun crested the horizon, filtering through the slants of the blinds, I awoke to another day in the capital city of Tasmania. Without a list of locations to visit, our family decided for a lazier slower-paced adventure on our second last day. Our first stop? Mount Wellington.

According to Wikipedia and sources on the internet, Mount Wellington sits at an elevation of 1,271 metres. Occasionally, it will be covered by snow, even in summer, though when we ascended, this was not so. Albeit, it was still a good ten degrees lower than Hobart itself. More importantly, the windchill factor meant the outside temperature felt like it was plummeting fast. And I, in my infinite wisdom, had not brought along a jacket or windbreaker.

Originally named 'Table Mountain' it was renamed in 1832 in honour of the Duke of Wellington. Charles Darwin, father of evolution, also embarked on a climb in February 1836, and had remarked on the flora and fauna he found.

The road up to the summit was long and winding. Along the way, we stopped midway to look out over the sprawling harbour city before continuing back up. It was not until we reached the summit that I realised how underdressed I was. Still, I braved the winds, clambering up on rocks to snap as many of the natural scenery around me. While other tourists had chosen to balance on rather precarious rocks, I chose the more prudent and solid patches of ground. After all, it makes little sense to me to exchange my life for a passingly 'decent' photograph.

Beyond a strange tripod like structure that most everyone was flocking to, the one structure that caught my eye was the BAI Transmission tower. Made from concrete, it towers at about 130 metres. The construction of this tower was part of a movement towards statewide broadcasting.

With the wind chipping away at any resources of heat left in my body, I finally took shelter in the Pinnacle Observation Shelter. Though the day was slated to hit a high of 31 degrees Celsius, the mountain was far colder. Understandable given its height and the fact the summit of the mountain has a tundra climate. Before too long, I was joined by my family as we looked out over Hobart and took several shots of the city from our higher elevation.

Once we had explored every inch of the summit (bar the walking and fire trails), we headed back down. My hope, at the time, had been to visit the MONA. Even though it would not be open, I thought there might be an opportunity to see the outside facade so I could take a photo of the outside. Unfortunately, luck was not on my side. We were stopped by a security guard redirecting any who ignored the 'Closed' sign atop the carpark entrance.

Lunch was at a small cafe near the MONA called 52 South. Reliant on the reviews on Google, I'd only skimmed the menu. It was not until we were wheeling Popo in on the wheelchair that I understood that while it was a cafe, it was also a Sri Lankan restaurant. This, however, did not serve as a deterrent (something most East Asians like my Popo might not have appreciated) and we ate our fill.

As the morning stretched into the afternoon, my stepfather and Popo were keen to return to the hotel. I, however, still wanted to explore the city proper. Thankfully, my stepfather was amenable to dropping my mother and I off. Hopping out, my mother and I hurried indoors to the closest shopping centre in the heart of Hobart.

The first was Centrepoint. A shopping mall with speciality retailers, it had a Dymocks that I quickly found myself browsing through. More importantly, it had public toilets my mother and I took advantage of. I was also curious about the Tassie Makers Market store but found nothing of interest on its shelves that would suit my souvenir needs. In fact, given Hobart is just another city in Australia, most of the souvenirs simply did not pass muster as being unique enough to warrant purchasing for my various friends.

Albeit, perhaps I ought to have taken a longer look at the gift shop in Port Arthur. Surely there might have been something I could have brought home to say I had been to the former penal colony.

From Centrepoint, my mother and I meandered towards the shopping arcade opposite: Cat & Fiddle. As we toured the shops, we slowly made our way to Elizabeth Street Mall. Once I'd sufficiently judged their rather lacklustre collection (though I did buy a Funko Pop of Senshi from Dungeon Meshi and agonised over whether or not to buy a few more packs of DIsney Lorcana (at time of writing this post in May, Wilds Unknown has just released and I managed to snag ALL the legendaries in just TWO booster boxes AND be blessed with Jack Jack. While it was not the Enchanted I wanted, nor the Iconic, the odds of pulling cards was significantly better than any previous set. Here's hoping I get lucky again with Attack of the Vine).

Before heading back, my mother and I also took a detour to Area 52, a game store not too far from the shopping mall. Though my mum was less than impressed, I had wanted to see what merchandise they had on sale and was impressed by their wide selection of fantasy and science fiction novels to the board games on display. While I chose not to purchase MORE Disney Lorcana, I knew that if I were to ever revisit Hobart again, I knew exactly where I ought to head.

With the afternoon swiftly fading, my mother and I decided it was best to head back to our hotel. Instead of trying our luck with the public transport, we walked back (getting in valuable steps). Thankfully, much of the earlier heat had abated and it was a ismple trek down Sandy Bay Road to reach the hotel we had booked for our stay.

Thus ended our sojourn into the city. While I would have preferred a visit to the MONA or another museum close by, I still managed to satisfy my itch to explore the city.

Tomorrow, we would be heading back to Sydney. But first, we would need to drive all the way back to Launceston...

My dear reader, it is with a heavy heart that I bring, for your viewing pleasure, the end of Veil Between. No longer will I have unedited parts of my short story kept in reserve when I have no idea what to offer to this small corner of the internet. Instead, you'll have to suffer through the odd gaming post and the occasional attempt at philosophical whimsy.

Or is it?

The good news, dear reader, is that I have finished another eldritch horror short story! Set in the Australian outback, it follows a private investigator as she tries to track down two missing backpackers. Along the way, she uncovers the secrets of the fictional town of Woollanoogatta. But that's not all! Sharing the spotlight are snippets of a girl called Shiraz and her interactions with a mysterious box she finds in a local pawn shop.

Best of all, though, is the fact I've started work on yet another short story. It is tentatively titled Hive. The story revolves around a history professor and a break-in where an artefact of unknown origin is stolen. While I have an idea of how the story ends, the middle bits still need a bit of teasing out before I have a full picture.

Presumably, though, it's set in the UK.

In terms of my personal life, 2026 has not been a very good year. At time of writing this post (May), both of my paternal grandparents have passed. First, my grandmother and then shortly thereafter, my grandfather. As yet, I am uncertain if I'll be expected to return to China for a reading of the will. Admittedly, it's something I've been dreading as I simply don't have enough annual leave (what with a five week trip to the United Kingdom and Singapore also underway).

But these are concerns outside the realm of my control. I will simply have to cross that bridge once I get there.

Meanwhile, the next gaming blog post should be about Dragon's Age Veilguard. Finally I can get into all the 2025 video games that have been languishing in my backlog! The one I'll be tackling first? South of Midnight and then Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

And yes, Expedition 33 is skipping ahead of Assassin's Creed: Shadows and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Why, you may ask? Because I want to play it before I turn 34 and get gommaged out of existence.

With that all out of the way, please enjoy the final part of Veil Between!

If you had the power to go back and rectify a wrong, would you do it? What if it was to save the life of someone you care deeply about? Going through life, there have been moments where I've wondered what it might be like if I could just hit reset or reload a previous save and redo my choice based on the knowledge I now had. It's tempting to go for the 'perfect' run that is life instead of being weighed down by the mistakes of the past. Yet, it is these moments that define us and make us who we are. If I changed pivotal aspects of how my life has played out, would I even be the same person as I am now?

This is a question Life is Strange: Reunion attempts to tackle with rather middling results. While Deck Nine try to let Max Caulfield have her cake and eat it too, the fact she barely faces any significant consequences for her meddling with the space-time continuum left much to be desired. Especially when Moses, one of her best friends at Caledon University, tries to emphasise to our would-be hero that even with her ability to rewind time, she is only one person and much like everyone else in the world she can only make the best decision she can based on the limited information she has in a given situation.

Whether or not Reunion should have been the follow-up to Double Exposure is a debate for another time. As for whether there will ever be any further follow-ups to the franchise, one can hope but it would need to be a fresh new idea that does not retread familiar ground. Not to mention the whole Diamond storyline that never saw resolution.

Then, of course, there's the whole Safi elephant in the room. And for her, I only have a few choice words:

Safi, girl, I know you want to form a polycule with Chloe and Max, but please. Being too clingy is not a good look.

With that out of the way, let's dive in!

Life is Strange: Reunion begins with Max returning to Caledon after a successful run of her gallery show of her photography series in New York. As she rests near an overlook, she receives a cryptic call from Moses. Terrified of what it might mean, she hops back into her car. Once she reaches the campus, however, Max finds the entire university aflame. She heads first to a locked auditorium where students are trapped before heading to the observatory. Up on the roof, she spies Moses and a green-haired girl in his arms. They fall and Max is blown back by an explosion. Regaining consciousness mintues later, she uses the polaroid photo she took three days ago and jumps back into the past to prevent the fire from happening in the first place.

So, begins the premise of Life is Strange: Reunion where Max has to figure out how the fire in Caledon started and attempt to stop it. But this latest entry in the Life is Strange franchise is not solely Max's story. It also belongs to Chloe.

Following the ending of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Max has merged two disparate timelines together in order to keep Safi alive. In so doing, she also inadvertently brought back Chloe (or Arcadia Bay if you decided on the Bae ending). In fact, the first few scenes of the game feature Chloe Price in the green room of a dive bar suffering an existential breakdown just before the band she manages, Drugstore Makeup, goes out on stage. Wanting to figure out why she is having these quasi-dreams/ nightmares, Chloe decides to pay Max a visit.

Narratively, Life is Strange: Reunion keepts it simple by focusing its overarching story on stopping a future fire at Caledon University. For most of the early chapters, Max investigates potential leads, including an abandoned building belong to the campus occult club, the Abraxas society. Yet deespite the fact she is a member of the faculty, Max is relatively ignorant of the festering anger in Lakeport and the rather aggressive overtures by the new Presiden of Caledon, Owen Teller.

As I played through these portions of the game, I could not help but wonder why it would take an actual disaster for Max to actually become cognisant of all the internal politics happening on campus. But hey, what do I know? I'm not an indie artist. And I'm certainly no teacher with a portfolio of amazing photographs that my agent is trying to set up a gallery for.

While on her one-woman crusade (with a little help from science professor Moses), Max finds herself skulking around the Abraxas house in the middle of a Friday night. While there, she stumbles upon Loretta Rice, a journalist major who is intent on uncovering whatever conspiracies might be found on campus (though I found her ways somewhat questionable in Double Exposure, here Loretta isn't trying to ruin Max's life). Thankfully, with Max's presence, they manage to escape and stop an early demolition attempt. As Loretta goes to confront the people who tried to kill her (accidentally), Max is greeted by the sudden appearance of her best friend from childhood, Chloe Price.

And, if I'm being honest, the moment hit so much harder given the choice I made at the end of Life is Strange. After all, by choosing Arcadia Bay over her, Max had to deal with the guilt of her death for nigh on a decade.

After the two catch-up, with Chloe first crashing on Max's bed for the night, they decide to investigate the fire together. Meanwhile, Max promises to help understand the reason behind Chloe's visions of an alternate dimension where the lighthouse from Arcadia Bay coexists with the Outlook near Caledon.

As the game progresses, Chloe and Max uncover hidden secrets about Abraxas and its ties to former President of Caledon, Yasmin Fayyad. This information, in turns, helps them identify the various culprits behind the fire that engulfs the campus on Sunday night.

Yet despite their efforts, the observatory is still set alight by a single cigarette that drops from Safi's hand as she and Chloe disappear into a different plane of existence during an altercation in Moses's office. Max, racing back to the campus, is able to save the rest of the students with the help of the nameless custodian and a newly introduced security guard.

Though I feel the return to Max Caulfield as the protagonist in the more recent Life is Strange games a misstep by Deck Nine, I do wish to commend them for their efforts in trying to appease an impossible fanbase. And while the developers do manage to conjure up plausible reasons for both the return of Safi and Chloe, I could not help but feel most of the other characters felt like side dressing. From Amanda to Owen Teller and even Lucas.

That said, I did give Max her due and allowed her to kindle a romance with Chloe. In my own headcanon, she was still figuring things out at Blackwell Academy and was struggling to deal with a lot of trauma. It also helped, I think, with the fact Chloe is much more palatable as an adult than a troubled teen still struggling with the death of her father. Especially when you have Safi bringing in the crazy (and Chloe isn't getting up to dumb things that keep getting her killed).

But I also feel Deck Nine played to their strengths by keeping the game pushing forward without feeling the need to stop every two hours or so to provide a stats screen of one's choices. Yes. You read that right. Reunion does away with the usual chapters. Instead, it presents the problem Max is tackling right from the start and doesn't leave us guessing with cryptic cliffhangers that leave the player guessing as to the true nature of the fire.

Yet by keeping the story so tightly focused, I do feel like Deck Nine passed on the opportunity for a little mischief and fun side activities Chloe and Max could partake in. True, Max does get to duel it out in a silent auction with Vinh AND listen to questionable poetry at an open mic night at the Snapping Turtle, yet the game did not capture my imagination as well as the LARP event Alex Chen enjoyed in Haven Springs.

From a gameplay perspective, Reunion sticks to its roots. Max is, once again, able to rewind time. This allows her to play out different scenarios to her advantage. Whether it's with a heckler at the Snapping Turtle or with Board Member Yasmin Fayyid. Admittedly, there was some tension when Max and Loretta were stuck in the basement of the Abraxas house and desperately trying to escape before the four charges that were set in its foundations exploded.

With Chloe returning as a playable character, she is able to access her 'super' power of Backtalk. To my chagrin, though, these events were few and far between. Much of Chloe's playthrough simply involved interacting with a key item and then moving on to the next conversation with an important character.

Other than that, much of Reunion simply required Max and Chloe to suss out any and all suspicious items within their vicinity. This could then be added to the evidence whiteboard in the latter part of the game. The only other interesting gameplay aspect of the game included the various collectibles for both Max and Chloe. With a handy guide on hand, finding these took little effort, though I suppose the commentary for each added a little more personality to each character.

Technically, Life is Strange: Reunion had a few hiccups during my playthrough. The major one that irritated me the most? The texture pop-ins. Despite releasing in 2026, Reunion felt like a game from ten years ago with the way it handled loading for the various environments that made up Caledon University.

I also disliked how few places there were to explore. Reunion kept you gated on the main pathway with little in the way of exploration. While there were a few new places the game takes you, these areas were small and kept you locked in place.

Life is Strange: Reunion is not a perfect game. Though I feel like the developers could have done much more with Life is Strange IP, what they brought to life still has its merits. While the themes remain a little thin and it feels like Max never truly learned the lesson she should have back in the original Life is Strange, it was a nice diversion to return to familiar characters and see how much their life has changed over the years. Should Life is Strange continue in another shape or form, I would like to see what original ideas Deck Nine can bring. It's clear they have a passion for storytelling even when it falters at times.

On a side note, I really loved the autumnal aesthetic.

Being a well-travelled veteran, I'm not overly wedded much to the idea of seeing absolutely everything on offer. For one, I have, what you might call, particular tastes. But the secondn reason is that I prefer making sure my relationships wiht others is placed above the need to be difficult. A wisdom I hoped to impart on my mother with rather middling success.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with seeing everything within a given area (if there is sufficient time and interest) but occasionally, one should do advance research before imposing their wants on an entire adventuring party. And this is where I felt my mother fell short when it came to our day trip to the Tasman peninsula where Port Arthur, renowned for being a penitentiary to early convicts in Van Dieman's land along with the 1996 massacre, was located.

A UNESCO World Heritage historic site, Port Arthur is considered one of the best preserved convict settlements in Australia. Established in 1830 as a timber-getting camp, for three long years, convicts were expected to produce sawn logs for government proejcts. From 1833, it was used as a punishment station for repeat offenders from all the Australian colonies.

The system Port Arthur used was one modelled on discipline and punishment, religious and moral instruction, classifcation and separation, training and eudcation. This was evident in the grounds my family got to exploring. From the convict church to the farms and the various other buildings kept in good repair. In fact, by 1840, there were more than 2.000 individuals who lived at Port Arthur.

It closed finally in 1877 with many of its buildings dismanteld or destroyed. Others were sold and the area gradually became the centre of anew town named Carnarvon. Yet first-hand stories of convict life proved to be a major drawcard. By the 1920s, convict-period buildings had become museums, hotels and shops. The settlement was once again named Port Arthur and has become a key tourist destination for the whole of Tasmania.

And it was one of the main draws, at least to me, for taking a trip down to the southern state for a brief holiday in the last month of summer.

The visitor centre was an impressive modern entry into Port Arthur. After purchasing our tickets, we paid a visit to the gallery underneath where a scaled model was there for all to admire. I took particular interest in the exhibits featuring an apothecary set and the surgical equipment of the time. But the one my mother engaged with the most were the stories of the different convicts that had been incarcerated at Port Arthur - represented by a suit of playing cards. By the end, our family had four individual ones my mother chose to keep as a memento and souvenir of our visit.

Once we had seen our fill of the visitor centre, we headed out into the open air. As we would soon be enjoying a harbour cruise, our family decided to first pay a visit to the Government Gardens close by. While my mother struggled to push Popo along the curated pebble paths in her wheelchair, I headed up to Government Cottage and Convict Church. When we had seen our fill, my mother and stepfather decided to take a few snaps of the actual penitentiary building from a distance. We then headed to the harbour cruise jetty to await our thirty minute tour around the small harbour.

On the cruise, we learned of Point Puer (a word I had happened to learn not too long ago when I was watching a Healthy Gamer video from the one and only Dr K - yes, I know. I watch an eclectic number of video essays to while away the time grinding in video games), which was a sanctioned juvenile prison that was closed in the 1840s due to poor living conditions (all supplies needed to be brought over separately) and the fact fewer children were being transported. Those there were also beginning to age out or had already finished their sentences.

Our boat also paid a visit to the Isle of the Dead. A small island, it hosted a cemetery where almost all who died - prisoners and staff - were buried. The cemetery was closed following the closure of the Port Arthur penal settlement before being reacquired and managed by the Tasmanian government in the early 20th century. While a contingent of people were supposed to disembark on the Isle of the Dead, due to weather conditions, they were unable to do so.

Still, it was an extra fifteen or so minutes before we returned to the jetty. By then, I and the famiyl were quite hungry. As we made our way to the Asylum Cafe, we wended our way through the penitentiary, the remains of the law courts and the rebuilt police station. Of the Commandant's House and Guard Tower, we had managed to see them out on the water and I, personally, did not feel compelled to go in for a closer look.

Our late lunch was a simple affair of overpriced sandwiches and salads. Still, we ate our fill and I also got to enjoy a hot chocolate to tide me over for the rest of the afternoon. From there, we visited the Separate Prison, the Farm Overseer's Cottage and had a look at hte exterior of the Visiting Magistrate's House, the Roman Catholic Chaplain's house and the Junior Medical Officer's House.

Before too long, we had toured the entirety of the Port Arthur grounds and had headed back to the car. While I would have liked this to be the end of our Tasman Peninsula adventure, we also stopped by the Tasman's Arch and strolled along the Devil's Kitchen Circuit. Along the way, we also passed by another lavendar farm (which my mother wanted to stop by for more vibrant lavender photos though it was not the season they would be in bloom) and the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo.

Admittedly, being from Australia and having seen Tasmanian Devils in a few other zoos ALL around Australia, I had not felt compelled to pay the Unzoo a visit. But my mother was adamant about having a look around and not missing what she had deeemed 'important' sites. While I cannot fault her enthusiasm, both my stepfather and Popo were less inclined to stop.

So, when me, my stepfather and Popo enjoyed the Tasman's Arch and the walkable portion of the Devil's Kitchen circuit, my mother took the hire car so she could take a photo of the lavender farm we had passed by. The Tasman's Arch, it must be said, it a tall natural bridge along the sea cliffs. Though it used to be a blowhole, time had seen the cave roof erode, leaving only a land bridge over the top.

Once Popo, my stepfather and I had taken in everything there, we called my mother for a pick-up. For a good twenty or so minutes, we waited for her arrival. Settling my grandmother in the shade, I kept busy doomscrolling through Facebook and reading tidbits of the latest fanfiction that had caught my eye (still CaitVi) until my mother pulled into the carpark.

From there, it was an hour or so drive back to Hobart.

As the Lunar New Year was soon upon us, our family decided to celebrate by enjoying a fine and contemporary Japanese dining experience at Suminato. Though we had not made a reservation, we had arrived early enough in the evening to take a table. After a considerable meal, we left full and satisfied.

Before returning to our hotel, we also decided to drive by Hobart's historical icon: Wrest Point Hotel Casino. As Popo and I waited in the car, my mother and stepfather headed out to snap quick photos of the building.

By the time we returned to our hotel, the hour was late. In the room I shared with Popo, I noted down the key parts of my travel, played an hour of Pokemon Legends: Z-A and settled in for the night.

We would soon be returning back home to Sydney the day after tomorrow.

As a story comes to an end, I often feel a little bereft. I like to think it's because I've been in the heads of a dozen or so different characters, mapping out their lives, but the truth is I'm worried out of my mind wondering how to bring every thread I've introduced to an end. After all, I'm not someone who sits down to outline and plan how the story will go. Rather, I'm a 'make-shit-up-as-I-go' kind of writer.

While sometimes I may have an idea of where I want to go with an ending, it's usually the starting scene I have the most clarity of. And the middle is usually muddled through to the best of my abilities.

Maybe I shouldn't be so willing to reveal all my secrets but after blogging for so long, it would seem disingenuous of me to say I'm an excellent writer and these things just naturally flow from my brain.

The truth, as we all know, is far different. Every weekend, I'll sit in front of my computer and a blank Word document, thinking of what to craft next. Sometimes, by rereading the last few sentences, I can see where the story will go next. Other times, I rack my brain during my daily walks (to keep a semblance of health) to see where I might go. Then, of course, there's the occasional spark of inspiration during a shower, or when I'm lying in bed hoping for sleep to take me.

Whether or not I'll actually fulfil my dreams of becoming a published author is still very much up in the air. Though I like to think I'm writing for myself, there's a part of me who desperately wishes my work might be recognised and acknowledged by thousands.

In any case, life plods on.

People live, people die. Meanwhile, I just keep doing what I can to keep the horrors of our current age from crushing me into oblivion.

Shouldn't be too hard. Right?

As I scan the current political landscape, I find myself asking: what does it mean to be a leader among men? In the workplace, leadership does not merely encompass the managers and directors and the managing directors. Rather, it's a quality anyone can possess. Or so tehy would like you to think. But the ability to inspire and empower those around you is not something so easily gained. And when it comes to nation building, much more is needed. From resilience to the courage needed to enact unfavourable change. For those who lead democracies, it means listening to various voices of their constituents and findign a way to thread the needle to a better tomorrow, while also working with outdated systems and ways of thinking.

Released in October 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a game that perfectly encapsulates the anxiety of our current times. It begins with the death of a king. Slain in his bed by the leader of a militia army, Louis Guiabern, once the commanding officer of the state army. Following the king's death, a grand competition is declared where the next monarch will be determined by the people due to the king not having an heir (the crown prince had been assassinated years ealier. Or so it was believed).

Yes. You read that right, dear reader. In a fantastical world apeing European sensibilities (what kind of name, really, are we to make of the United Kingdom of Euchronia), the late king opted for the next in line to be decided by election. But without ballot papers. Rather, votes are predicated on a magical spell that is able to see into the hearts of the citizens to determine the victor.

Enter our protagonist. A blue-haired boy accompanied by the fairy, Gallica. His objective? To meet with a Resistance contact in the army and work together in surreptitiously bringing down Louis Guiabern by any means necessary.

While the opening moments of Metaphor felt slow and dragged out, I do feel they were imperative in establishing the world. However, those first few hours were also marred by the limited interactions and ability to explore and level up the characters due to the trademark calendar system Atlus usually employs to great effect in the Persona titles. In Metaphor, it felt like an unncessary constraint. And instead of being able to freely explore and undertake side quests, I was forced to rely on an online guide for the sake of efficiency.

From a narrative standpoint, Metaphor follows several tropes. The main character has little knowledge of the world around them, serving as our stand-in as we are bombarded with tidbits of new information. Like almost every role-playing game, he gathers to himself various allies from different walks of life, and he goes from simple errand boy to the saviour of a divided world.

Metaphor, though, does keep it fresh with the themes it wishes to explore. From poverty to racism. However, our protagonists aren't truly disciples of democracy. In fact, I took great umbrage at how they described themselves as a resistance considering they were trying to prop up the long-thought-dead crown prince of Euchronia. It would have been better to have called their group Royalists or Loyalists. And while they do try to fight against institutional injustices, their main aim is to kill Louis - who for all intents and purposes is also seeking to bring down the establishment. Albeit in a 'might makes right' kind of way and anyone who is too weak will be discarded to the wolves.

As with many role-playing games, our protagonist crosses the entire kingdom, solving the many troubles the people face. All the while, they are locked in a race for the throne with the Sanctists (the game's metaphor for religion - though, if we're being honest, it's clearly Christianity) and supporters for Count Louis.

Throughout the game, the protagonist unveils the hidden corruption beneath Sanctism, contend with other candidates for the throne (who are mostly there for their own benefit and chance to wield absolute power) and trying to stop whatever nefarious plans they believe Louis to have. It is social commentary at its finest with Sanctifex Forden seen as the stable forerunner who will maintain the status quo (by the way, it was never made clear if there were any ministers and/ or lords who helped run the country. Did the king have no advisors besides the fictional religion leader and the ousted monarchs of Oceana and Montario?) and Count Louis the firebrand seeking to destroy the establishment.

Admittedly, Louis is far more intelligent and capable than a certain individual causing chaos in our current climes. Yet, despite the potential of change he could have brought to the United Kingdom of Euchronia, Louis cares little for his common man. Misanthropic to the core, he wishes only to concentrate power and burn down the power that turned its back on him. Despite this, by the end of the game, he remains popular. Either garnering support by instilling fear in the citizens or appealing to his fellow malcontents who echo his beliefs.

Rather, it is the protagonist who represents those who yearn for a better future. It is he who is able to address the problems residents of Matira and Eht Ria suffer through. Along the way, he is empowered by the connections he makes and the bonds he forges with other similarly-minded individuals. And it is here I think Metaphor shines.

Across the world, we look to singular individual for salvation. Yet in every instance, a prime minister or a presidential candidate will always be found wanting. None of them are 'good' enough. But if I'm being honest, how can we expect change to happen overnight? Peace and the best possible outcomes for all the people in the world is not something that can be wrought instantaneously.

Change takes time. A message Metaphor also spruiks.

But more than that, change takes many hands. People need to come together. And while improvements cannot rest solely on the public, it's a concerted effort to ensure legislation and policy can be implemented to the betterment of all.

Will there still be detractors? Of course.

Will we always be able to bear witness to the future we seek? Not always.

Yet that does not mean we can give up. The world as we know it can improve but it needs fellow like-minded inviduals to come together and work together, shouldering the burdens of our collective hopes and dreams in order to bring it to fruition.

When it comes to gameplay, Metaphor: ReFantazio keeps it simple. For those familiar with the Persona or Shin Megami Tensei franchise, many of the spells will be familiar. And for those who play other turn-based role-playing games, there are still more similarities than differences: from elemental spells to buffs. Then there are the archetypes each of the playable characters can embody. Essentially a job system by another name, the flexibility for characters to jump between (and inherit skills) ensures your party is able to deal with any and all foes.

I suppose my only gripe is that enemies often lack diversity. Most of the things your party fights in the dungeons often feel like reskins with perhaps a new element or two to contend with as a means of shaking it up. Unfortunately, after trying to max out my archetypes in the Dragon Temple, I found I was almost always overlevelled for many of the foes I faced and ended up taking them out in the overworld (a quality of life improvment of being able to defeat enemies without having to enter a Squad Battle).

Dungeons, too, aren't particularly exciting though I did find the Dragon Temple somewhat tedious to venture through considering the many floors to it and the various areas nooks and crannies open for exploration. I also felt the Royal Palace and even the initial dungeon under Matira unnecssary lengthy (though this may have been due to the fact I was at-level and was often forced into a wide range of battles).

Unlike other games, there's a distinct lack of meaningful minigames in Metaphor. That said, the game does play a lot of emphasis on levelling up 'Royal Virtues (essential Social Stats from the Persona series)' through side activities and increasing social bonds with important members of the main protagonist's party.

I very much enjoyed these chats with the various different characters as they often led to tangible benefits like unlocking new abilities or the ability to upgrade the 14 basic archetypes. More importantly, they also shed light on the characters and even the wider world in the game. Were some events a little hamfisted? Sure. But this is an anime-style game. Who am I to question the logic of the world?

While Metaphor did not immediately win me over, it slowly managed to earn my trust. In my personal opinion, I feel like Atlus could have changed some of the mechanics to better fit the setting. But perhaps the reason they chose not to was to ensure it still felt like an Atlus game. Certainly, without the time management quantity, Metaphor: ReFantazio might have felt too similar to other role-playing games from recent times. It does not help when many of their characters fall into specific 'archetypes' of their own (get it, because archetypes are the jobs...you know what, forget it). From how Maria reminded me of Marlene Wallace of Final Fantasy VII fame, to how Junah's determination to be a sacrifice echoed Yuna from Final Fantasy X.

That said, Metaphor also had the paripus. And how could I not love a game that have characters with animal ears and tails?

(I swear I'm not a furry but can I say Basilio and Catherina were looking FINE!)

I also liked the design for the Eugief and the Nidia tribe also had some interesting lore attached to it. Then, of course, there's the Ishkia (though their wings are decorative rather than practical. A sore point to me and them both).

As I wrapped up my 100-hour playthrough of Metaphor: ReFantazio, I cannot shake the importance of its messaging and the salient points it makes to the human condition. Given how dire our current political climate is, the optimist in me hopes we can return to a time where the people can have frank discourse over important matters and not be dismissed or ignored simply for offering a differing point of view. Yet the pessimist in me is certain people will continue to ignore the truths and evidence before their eyes for the lies predicated on soothing their fears of the great unknown.

On a side note, the designs for the HUMANS were absolutely terrifying.

When travelling, I've always felt hard done by transit days when I move from one city to the next. It always feels like I don't get to as much exploring as I move from one quaint hotel to another in a teeming city of people. Not so this time in my February trip through Tasmania wherein we stopped by many a place to take in the sights and sounds of the small island state as we made our way from Launceston to Hobart.

The day started early. After breakfast, my family set about cleaning up the executive apartment we were staying in. We were not going to end up on the subreddit for horror hotel guests. No sirree. And if I'm being honest, I don't know how people can allow themselves to live in such squalor. Mess is just not something I can handle.

Admittedly, we did cut it a little close to the check-out time as Popo took her time going through her daily ablutions. An unfortunate fact of life when you're 87 going on 88, I suppose. The fact she was able to still tag along with us, albeit being pushed along in a wheelchair, was a testament to her hearty constitution.

Once we had stowed our luggage in our rental car, we hopped in for the drive down the coast. Our first stop was the Bicheno Blowhole. This is located at the Waubs Esplanade and is known for evening vists by fairy penguins. As we were here in the morning, we had to contend only with water erupting from the hole of a sea cave.

Could we have stopped by later in the day? Perhaps. But the drive down to Hobart was a gruelling journey and coming back up to Bicheno for a possible penguin sighting was not on our itinerary.

Admittedly, navigating the rock pools around the blowhole was a danger in and of itself. As my mother and stepfather ventured out to take photos, I brought Popo to a picnic table close to the carpark. There was no way she would be able to get any closer without risking a slip or a fall. While she was never too mobile, she had lost a lot of muscle during her long convalescence from her trip to Egypt and Turkey back in 2023.

Yet the blowhole at Bicheno was not our only stop. My mother, having completed some research online on places to visit in Tasmania, wanted us to enjoy lunch at the Lobster Shack. Though it is considered a casual wal-in cafe, the Lobster Shack is also known for serving the freshest premium Tasmanian seafood this side of the southern hemisphere. With a boat ramp just before it, we headed on in to try two whole lobsters (sold at market price, which was roughly AUD $80 each), some oysters along with a helping of chips and salad.

Though it was not quite lunch time, our early arrival meant we were able to get a table before a veritable horde descended to the lobster shack. And while not a connoisseur of seafood, I had to admit the people at Lobster Shack knew what they were doing. Especially with the amount of merchandise they also had on sale.

From Bechino, we headed further south towards Freycinet National Park. Occupying most of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania's east coast, the national park is known for its secluded bays and white sandy bays. As we drove in, we stopped by Honeymoon Bay (backtracking a litle to pick up a National Park pass) before heading to the main carpark leading up to the Wineglass Bay lookout.

Honeymoon Bay, in and of itself, was a small closed off area with a camp site. The parking situation, though, was fairly atrocious with big SUVs fighting for space. Thankfully, our stay wasn't long before we were back on the road to the actual reason why we had opted to stop by Freycinet National Park in the first place.

With no visitor centre in sight, we settled Popo in the shade not too far from the carpark. As there was a significant climb ahead of us that was not wheelchair friendly, it was our only option. Letting her know we would be back within an hour or so, my mother, stepfather and I headed up to the lookout. And what a climb it was!

While sunny, there was a cool breeze as we clambered our way up. Still, I was a little overdressed and was forced to take off my jacket the further up we climbed. On the way, we passed by other intrepid adventurers including a family of four from Germany. Or so they sounded. In fact, there were quite a number of tourists. All who endured the gruelling climb just to see the wineglass shape of the bay (which, if we wanted to visit the beach was another two hour walk). At the very top, we took in the scene, snapped several photos before heading back down (which, if I'm being honest, is much easier for me than climbing up).

How best to describe the view? Though the people coming down as I was going up told me it was very much the forty minute or so slog, I do feel like I was sold on a lie. Still, the day was beautiful with its clear blue skies and the bay itself, with its white sand and blue water was a delight to take in as I caught my breath (and drank the last of my water). That said, I could not get down fast enough.

In record time, I was back at the carpark - though I did stop to snap photos of a wallaby a Japanese couple was trying to coax out from the underbrush and in clear defiance of the signs that said not to pet wild animals. From Wineglass Bay lookout, we stopped by Cape Tourville, which was a short easier walk around a lighthouse. The route was about twenty or so minutes and with its flat even surface, meant we could easily push Popo along in her wheelchair as we gawked and marvelled at nature's majesty.

There was also another wallaby in the Cape Tourville carpark!

Once we had seen our fill, it was a two and a half hour drive to Hobart. We arrived there late in the afternoon, having stopped for some fuel before crossing the bridge into the city proper. By then, the reception had closed but we were still able to pick up our keycard from the Out-of-Hours machine. Once we had unpacked, my mother and I headed to the local Woolworths (a two minute walk from our hotel) to purchase a quick dinner and some ingredients for breakfast.

Sometimes, there is no substitute for the familiar. And given Tasmania is STILL Australia, some things simply do not change when you travel to a different state for a few days.

It was not long before I hit the sack. The next day had a lot of promise. And I was eager to see what it would bring.

Our next stop? Port Arthur...

Although times feel dire, the world, as we know it, keeps spinning. Meanwhile, at time of writing up this post, I am nearing the end of my latest horror short story even as I work on editing my main work: Sarenhart - a Snow White retelling.

But I know the hard part is what comes next. Whether or not I find an agent and/ or a publisher so I can have it in actual print. The idea of actually showing one of my pet projects to strangers and having it judged for how worthy it is to be an actual book, though, is completely terrifying. And yet, if I want to BE an author, it's a step I'll need to take. Unless I self-publish and then do my own marketing and whatever else that goes into actual becoming a household name.

Meanwhile, the new game I've been plugging hours away has been Metaphor: ReFantazio. While I would like to have a post on it as soon as possible, it IS a Japanese role-playing game. And given my track record with such games, it's going to take a good long while before I can finish. Still, I doubt it's going to take me 150 hours. From what I can see, it might be in the ballpark of 80 to 90 hours. Still a lengthy chunk of time but not quite as long as other titles.

But back to my latest horror short story! I'm not sure if I want to publish it for free on the internet. I've really liked how it's panning out and a part of me wants to see if I could submit it for possible competitions or have it serve as the main piece to an anthology series.

That said, the same issues apply. How best to be 'discovered' by a traditional publishing house? As I ponder these existential questions, please enjoy the next part of Veil Between!

Single's Awareness Day is often a day of mourning for this blogger. I am, after all, single. And, as the years have gone by, I have resigned myself to the fact I might never find my second half. This is, in spite of the fact, I am constantly reading a horrendous amount of smut on AO3 (please NEVER look at my tabs. Those are sacred!) and kicking my feet when a couple acts incredibly sweet in an actual published novel (though the genre cannot ever actually be romance. What romance that does exist must solely be a subplot in the grander scheme of saving the world).

Still! Valentine's Day 2026 was not without its own surprises as my family and I enjoyed our last full day in Launceston. But while I was not able to attend a pre-release event for Disney Lorcana, we did nip down to the Harvest Market, which is located in the carpark of 71 Cimitier Street.

While my stepfather remained in the hire car, me, my mother and Popo disembarked to take a gander at what was on offer. Though not as large or as impressive as the The Rocks Markets that can be found in Sydney, the Harvest Festival did have its own share of interesting produce and food options. As our family had enjoyed a hearty breakfast before venturing out, I settled on grabbing a snack for the drive ahead. This included picking up a bubble waffle drizzled in Tasmanian honey and a small hot chocolate to keep me going.

Bound to her wheelchair, Popo simply enjoyed taking in the sights and sounds of a bustling marketplace. But while I did have her try some of my bubble waffle, she was more enthralled by people-watching as we waited for my mother to return with a batch of specialised eye drops from a nearby chemist.

From the Harvest Market in the city centre of Launceston, we headed to the Bridestowe Estate - one of the world's finest lavender farms. Of course, given the fact it was February, the lavender was not quite as vibrantly spectacular as they would have been in December and January. Rather, most of it had dried out. Admittedly, there was still a dull haze in the air.

Both my stepfather and mother headed down the rows to take in the view and snap whatever quality photos they could given the season. Meanwhile, I kept my grandmother company before taking the time to peruse the items on sale - purchasing for myself a set of lavender scented soap. Once my mother returned, we bought some lavender infused ice cream to try out.

From Bridestowe, we returned to Launceston to pay a visit to a nature preserve set in the middle of a lagoon. Tamar Islands Wetlands Centre lies on the outskirts of Launceston and is abundant with plant and animal life. Though it was roughly lunch time, our family enjoyed a short traipse along the accessible boardwalk taking in the views of the tall native Tasmanian grasses. Along the way, we gawked at the gulls and swans in the distance. We even spotted a copperhead snake lying in wait though it was gone by the time we returned to the visitor centre.

The visitor centre itself was fairly small with a tiny exhibit on the wildlife of Tasmania. Though there were a number of pamphlets, it seemed like the Tamar Islands Wetlands were visited primarily by citizen scientists or birdwatchers. Tourists such as my family never stayed for long before losing interest.

By the time we returned to our car, it was mid-afternoon. Hungry, we stopped by Saigon Kitchen, a Vietnamese restaurant located on Brisbane Street. As the rest of my family enjoyed some hearty pho, I grabbed a banh mi instead. Mostly because it had been a good long while since I had one as my favourite local one closed several months back.

With our stomachs full, my mother and I traipsed over to the local pedestrain shopping mall. There, I checked out the local EB Games and debated the logistics of purchasing more Disney Lorcana cards or whether or not I ought to refrain (spoiler alert, I did not buy the Brave Little Prince Mickey playmet though I was tempted). As my mother ducked into the nearby Myers, I also stopped to have a look at a local bookstore: Quixotic Books. Though no one tilted against windmills while there, I took a gander at some of the secondhand books on display and their small section of fantasy novels.

Once I had satiated my curiosity (even though I did leave empty-handed), my mother and I returned to the restaurant to rejoin the rest of the family and head back to our accommodations.

After an arduous day out at Cradle Mountain the day before, all of us were agreed a quieter day of rest was needed to recover our spirits and prepare us for when we would be heading to Hobart the next day.

Could I have gone back to the city centre to partake in more Disney Lorcana? Perhaps. But the thought of heading back out after a big morning out felt like anathema to my state of mind. Besides, it was easier to watch the Winter Olympics on the TV and enjoy a sedate Saturday afternoon as I played more of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

Yet as my mother and I lounged on the couch, we snuck in a movie - letting it take us on a journey to the fantastical imaginings of what it would be like to live in a world where dinosaurs had been let loose on the world in Jurassic World Rebirth (which, if I'm being honest, simply does not hold a candle to the very first Jurassic Park and fails to inject the sense of awe we all felt during that brachiosaurus scene even as it tries to emulate it to the best of its ability).

So ended our last day in Launceston. Next stop: Hobart!

"The more things change, the more they stay the same." This quote seems more apt as ever with the world in turmoil. At time of posting, it has been just shy of two weeks when the United States of America and Israel launched an attack on Iran. While I hope this will be in the rearview mirror when this post goes live, the current situation feels dire. Even as I go about my daily life, there is a cognitive dissonance to the fact thousands of people are dying and in my perfect corner of the world, we're all shaking out fists at the outrageous prices of petrol.

Yet while this feels like small potatoes for someone in the city, I'm sure months down the line, we'll all feel the bite when there's less produce because farmers did not have the necessary resources to sow crops or prepare their fields.

Though we might shrug at a pebble thrown into a pond, the ripple effects it can have from a global perspective can be devastating. But of course, these things are all outside the control of the average citizen going about their day. How can it be that the Strait of Hormuz be closed but I, a mere blogger, can still go attend an anime convention? It boggles the mind.

Anyways, enjoy another part of Veil Between!

Pokemon is a series close to my heart. From my first playthrough of Pokemon Blue on my Gameboy Color back in the late 90s to the present day. While many fans have diversified their interest inot other fields (apparently robbing stores for trading cards is now the norm?), I have steadfastly kept my interest for the series focused only on video game releases. And while the Switch 2 had not truly piqued for interest (because, let's be honest, only Donkey Kong Bonanza felt like amust-play title at time of release. Here's hoping the new Fire Emblem will be the next big draw to upgrading), I was terrified Pokemon Legends: Z-A might suffer many of the performance issues that had plagued Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet. In my mind, an upgraded console was jsut the ticket.

So, it was in mid-October when I picked up my pre-ordered bundle at the local EB Games store. But while having a new console in hand did excite me, I still had many titles I needed to finish on the original Switch. It did not help that I had also recently purchased Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. But, despite all the barriers, I had to still set up my new Switch 2. Once that was done, I, of course, had to install the game as well. It was, after all, on a download code, and I could not risk it expiring.

But even though I was ready to play Pokemon Legends: Z-A from the start of its release, I only ever picked it up on-and-off during Christmas and the first month of th year as I was preoccupied with getting other titles out of my backlog to clear some space for new games in 2026. That said, I did peck at it - getting through the early missions with as much gusto as any bright-eyed tourist who gets wrangled into becoming a Pokemon trainer and forced to join the Z-A Royale. During the quiet moments between other games, I tried to catch as many unique Pokemon as I could in the Wild Zones while ensuring my team was sufficiently overlevelled to tackle any problem the game might throw my way.

It was not until my trip to Tasmania that I decided to give Pokemon Legends: Z-A my full attention. Even if it included committing to terrible French accents in the room I shared with my grandma.

Thankfully, I had the foresight not to voice ALL characters with a French accent. In fact, most either had my default Australian accent or a posh Received Pronunciation. Occasionally, I'd throw in my interpretation of a generic American accent.

From a narrative standpoint, Pokemon Legends: Z-A does not truly pick up until Main Mission 9 where you, as the player character, encounter your first Rogue Mega Evolved Pokemon on the streets of Lumoise. It is here that you become an invaluable member of Team MZ as you balance rising up the ranks of the Z-A Royale and calming the poor Pokemon affected by Rogue Mega Evolution (always three). Unfortunately, the formula becomes quite rote as you embroil yourself with the various factors calling Lumiose home (Rust Syndicate, Society of Battle Connoisseurs, Canatics and the Justice League), attend strategy meetings once Vinnie from Quasartico calls with a list of Pokemon at risk of undergoing Rogue Mega Evolution, and going out to stave off any possible danger to the citizens of the city. Along the way, there are a number of side missions to also distract and lend itself to the lore of Pokemon.

While the main story does tackle darker themes of legacy and how the sins of the past can lead to repercussions in the present, most of these are glossed over by the player character's happy-go-lucky attitude. Even when we confront members of Team Flare Nouveau, they soon join our side after unsuccessfully trying to convince us AZ is a terrible villain. That said, I'm surprised we never got the option to refute the 'evidence' they presented. After all, none of it could be proven and there was only one supposed source of information. How do I, as the player character, verify their claims? For all I know they could have RotomGPT their supposed findings on the Ultimate Weapon and Ange.

Still, if there was one thing I enjoyed about the story, it was how everyone came together to try and make Lumiose a better place. Even with the threat of Prism Tower going berserk and wreaking havoc near the end (along with the epic team-up with metamorphing Zygarde).

But playing a Pokemon game has never really been about the story. It's about enjoying oneself in a make-believe world with a range of kooky characters and battling our hearts out.

In this, Pokemon Legends: Z-A did not disappoint. I enjoyed participating in Jacinthe's tournament (and how she managed to infiltrate Team MZ's strategy meetings through hologram. Then there was her own peronalised Jacinthe Zone. Alors, she should have been the ghost type trainer instead of fairy), Corbeau actually being a great big softie even as he ran a yakuza-lite organisation of do-gooders, and the revelation that it is Canari's grandfather who actually has control of the holo live version of the gaming streamer.

There were even a number of Side Missions I enjoyed, including one about a missing child and her Litwick. Nintendo, being as family friendly as they are, surprised me with the jump scares. Then, of course, there was the Side Mission with the workaholic police officer and Shuppet, the empath and her Sylveon...and the movie director who wanted to shoot documentaries about terrifying Pokemon only to find they were actually sweet and adorable instead.

Gameplay-wise, Pokemon Legends: Z-A changes up the usual tried and true formula. While there had been hints of it in earlier titles like Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the first time where battles are in real time. What this means is that both you, the player, and Pokemon can move around during the battle and reposition as needed. Theoretically, this allows your Pokemon partners to dodge attacks but I found it was much easier to take a hit or two as I launched a supereffective attack. Given the limitation area for battles and how more often than not your Pokemon partner merely lags behind you as you dash around, means getting out of the hit boxes for certain moves just isn't feasible. Especially when you only start running when they're winding up.

The only times I found it truly useful was for Future Sight, Substitute, Rock Tomb and when other trainers might try to lay a trap (for example, Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes). Otherwise, in Rogue Mega Evolution battles, it was easier to return my Pokemon to its Pokeball as I tried to evade special moves taking up a majority of the battlefield.

That said, I'll never get tired of being able to peg Pokeballs at unsuspecting Pokeball from the tall grass and watch as they get added to my box.

One of the key changes implemented by Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the removal of PP (Power Points). And this, perhaps, is the strongest argument for the shift to real-time battles. Replaced with cooldowns, you, as the Trainer, are no longer limited to only being able to fire off five Fire Blasts before having to use a restorative item to renew the number of uses. Instead, you can readily have your Pokemon use the same overpowered move again and again without worrying about wasting it.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A also kept a number of key quality-of-life improvements, including accessing boxes from the menu. It also introduced a number of its own, including the ability to freely change moves around when not in battle. This freed me up to experiment with a number of moves. And, given how the Z-A Royale has a number of Bonus Card objectives that limit you to particular status conditions or move types, being able to change my Pokemon's moves allows me to quite easily complete these to earn additional coin and points.

Of course, like every Pokemon game, though, the repetitive gameplay loop did become a little stale by the end. Of note were Mable's Research Tasks to unlock the Shiny Charm, the Side Missions requiring you to use a particular Pokemon (especially as these were only unlocked late to end-game), and the Infinite Z-A Royale (where you had to go through 15 challenges just to wrap up Taunie/ Urbain's story arc and be given the chance to actually catch Zygarde).

While I would have liked to dismiss these as minor quibbles, Pokemon Legends: Z-A doesn't do much to change up the Pokemon formula. Given how rote everything plays out, not to mention the limited nature of Lumiose City, Pokemon Legends: Z-A doesn't quite reach the heights that the best Pokemon games have. In fact, there were many parts that dragged or felt like a chore as I played through, and I would have much preferred if I wasn't forced into running around on minor fetch quests just to progress.

But hey, at least I got to look fabulous while doing so!

On a side note, PLEASE INCLUDE VOICE ACTING FOR POKEMON WIND AND WAVES, GAMEFREAK! Why have cinematic cutscenes that fail to land because you forgot to hire VOICE ACTORS?

Also, if Beast of Reincarnation releases with VOICES ACTING, that's ALL the MORE reason why you need to include it in your POKEMON games.

An oft overlooked gem, Tasmania is often jokingly considered irrelevant to mainland Australians in favour of us taking over New Zealand. Yet with Valentine's Day creeping up on the horizon (as well as the Lunar New Year), my family thought now was an excellent time to pay a visit to the southernmost state for some recreational family bonding.

Travelling with my grandmother (also known an Popo) can be difficult. With limited mobility, it is hard for her to walk. As such, we often bring a foldable wheelchair with us when we go anywhere local. On our trip to Tasmania? We brought it along, wheeling her to the door of the plane. Virgin Australian and Qantas were quite accommodating with our accessibility requests. Popo never had to wait long for our wheelchair to be brought over so she could be slowly wheeled out afterwards. The weight and relatively compact size of the wheelchair also meant we were able to easily pack it into the hired care along with all of our luggage.

It was mid-afternoon when we landed in Launceston. After we briefly stopped at our accommodation in Youngtown, my family set out for Cataract Gorge, which sits just to the west of the city centre.

According to the brochure, Cataract Gorge was created during an earthquake that occurred when Australia broke away from the continent of Gondwana. It is believed volcanic activity dammed the Tamar Valley, leading to the formation of a freshwater lake. This later eroded over the course of 10 million years with the river system carving out a new landscape. Cataract Gorge, itself, only emerged in the last 20,000 years when ice in Tasmania's mountains finally melted.

Though there was still time for us to take the chairlift to the original Cliff Grounds Reserve, my family decided simply to take a simple walk around the Basin and over towards the great Alexandra Suspension Bridge. With Popo in a wheelchair, we weren't entirely certain how it would be brought along with us.

As we slowly made our way around the track, I spotted a peacock craning its head past some rocks. As is my want, I quickly snapped a shot. Further up, a small gathering of people were crowded around an echidna digging for insects to eat. So, of course, I snapped a photo of that as well.

The other fauna I saw included a number of guinea fowl. While I would have liked to have caught one for dinner, my family decided it would be best to try something a little different. After our walk around the basin, we headed to Pachinko located in the city centre - a quaint Japanese restaurant with a slightly limited dinner menu that was, nevertheless, enjoyable.

Friday dawned bright and early for us as we were intent on heading up Cradle Mountain. Initially declared a scenic reserve in 1922, it was later designated a national park in 1947 - a vision borne from Austrian-born Gustav Weindorfer and his wife, Kate. Given that it is also an alpine region, the weather on the mountain can change rapidly and frequently. It is due to this very reason that some people have died while hiking the mountain or have gone missing (as in the case of Belgian woman, Celine Cremer).

From Launceston, we had to first stop by the small town of Sheffield. Yet, while Cradle Mountain was the main draw, Sheffield was also its own marvel with its variety of murals on display near the visitor centre and all across the main street. These were all vibrant, with many exploring intricate themes while others were a tad silly. The ones I liked best seemed to evoke a sense of adventure.

After grabbing a hot chocolate, we hopped back into the car for our way up to Cradle Mountain. At the visitor centre, we purchased a park pass and a shuttle ticket to get up to Dove Lake. Despite the inclimate weather, there were many visitors in attendance. As we waited in line, I heard snippets of Chinese, German and even Spanish!

Once at Dove Lake, we paid a visit to the Boat Shed, which lay on the shore. Given the chill wind, my family then retreated to the shelter of the shuttle stop to have a spot of lunch (and mostly to keep an eye on Popo as the walks around Dove Lake weren't as conducive to wheelchairs as we had hoped) though I decided to take a gander at Glacier Rock.

It was not long before a shuttle came trundling up to the stop and our family hopped on to head back down to the carpark. After much hewing and hawing (my stepfather had wanted to visit Lake Saint Clair - unfortunately, it was another three hour drive around the mountain), we decided to return to Launceston via Devonport (a coastal city where the Spirt of Tasmania calls home).

Whilst I would have preferred staying a little longer at Cradle Mountain (mostly to pay a visit to Waldheim - the chalet built by the Austrians who would declare the mountain a national park), it was not to be.

Along the way to Devonport, we stopped by Waratah - snapping a shot of the waterfall located in the very heart of the town itself. Though the trek down was a little steep, the return journey was even worse. Thankfully, I had on my trust hiking boots.

Devonport, itself, is the third-largest city of Tasmania. Focused more on key sites, we headed to the Mersey Bluff Lighthouse to take photos of the coastline before stopping by the local harbour where a Spirit of Tasmania (along with a Seaport ship) was docked.

While we initially flirted with the idea of grabbing dinner in Devonport, we decided to head back to Launceston instead. There, we tried out Luz Restaurant, which was located in what felt like a refurbished waiting room of an old manor or hotel (with the entrance serving as a fire door). While I was a little puzzled by its presentation, the food was delicious (if a little light in serving size for my stepfather's tastes). Full, my family returned to the car while I vanished down a side street - paying a visit to Scenic Isle Gaming to purchase a pre-release box of Disney Lorcana Cards (Winterspell for those in the know). Which, of course, they did have. And for $30 cheaper than the usual local gaming store I do go to!

There was even a promo card attached to it (which they put in a plastic sleeve which had a picture of Raine from the Owl House. And now I'm wondering if Lorcana will ever adapt the characters FROM the Owl House into actual cards. They've already done the animated Lilo and Stitch and Ducktales. Why not Kim Possible and a slew of other iconic IP from my childhood?

Is my attachment a symptom of my Disney Adult-itis? Possibly. And yet the nostalgia is strong!

AND the next few sets will star PIXAR characters as well! Be still, my beating heart!

Thus ended my family's first two days in the island state just across the Bass Strait. There would, of course, be more adventures ahead for us. After all, we had much more to see and do. And while we would miss a few iconic sights (like the town of GRINDLEWALD), I like to think we got to enjoy a balance of history and nature.

So, while we mainland Australians may joke about Tasmania never being one of us, there's a lot more to it that meets the eye.