Back in February I wrote about the design of the game Salt & Sanctuary, specifically calling out its adherence to the design template presented in the inspirational Dark Souls. The conclusion I came to is that I’m far more interested in games that glean some lessons from the franchise, but otherwise put their own spin on the Soulsborne genre.
Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I like it when a game knows how to blend certain design elements together in order to generate something fresh. I enjoy Darksiders 3 as much as I do because the elements it chooses to blend happen to fit snugly together, like LEGO bricks stacked into a colorful tower. It’s not enough to mix and match genres. You must take into account the goals of each individual game and which mechanics are used to achieve their vision. Some of those mechanics may not be compatible with those of another game, no matter how similar.
While the prevailing label to Death’s Door is that it is a Zelda-like rather than a Souls-like, that Dark Souls inspiration is still present. However, most acknowledgment seems to be in the game’s combat and leveling mechanics. Yes, you collect “souls” of enemies when you defeat them, and then use those souls to level up and improve your combat prowess. However, the most significant inspiration from Dark Souls has little to do with its combat, and instead fits snugly into the philosophies found in the Zelda franchise.
Death’s Door deftly combines the Dark Souls approach to map design with that of The Legend of Zelda.
There is a portion of Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man film that feels like the best theatrical interpretation of the character we’ve ever had. From the moment Uncle Ben is lecturing Peter about how great responsibility comes with great power and, in true teenager fashion, Peter brushes him off. The awkward insistence that Peter be referred to as The Human Spider before being tossed into a ring with Bonesaw, a brutal independent wrestler portrayed by the late and great Macho Man Randy Savage. His refusal to stop a theft after having been screwed over. The sorrowful death of Ben Parker, and the ensuing chase through the city streets as Peter yearns for vengeance. The combination of mourning and unfocused rage as Peter realizes his own inaction led to the demise of his beloved uncle.
It perfectly illustrates what great power and responsibility mean while simultaneously preparing Peter for the hardship he’ll face throughout the rest of the film. You don’t do the right thing for a reward, and failing to do the right thing often leads to the pain and suffering of another. In other words, in true altruistic fashion, doing the right thing means to take the pain and suffering onto oneself rather than allowing it to be inflicted upon others. As Peter begins to save the citizens of New York City, he will find himself celebrated at first, but later hated and rejected.
Of course, you can be forgiven for missing the part where he’s hated and rejected. The Daily Bugle claims citizens are calling for Spider-Man’s arrest, but the magnificent portrayal of J. Jonah Jameson by J. K. Simmons establishes almost immediately that the Daily Bugle is not a reliable, trustworthy source of information. We do receive a scene where police officers try to arrest Spider-Man – not that we really understand why aside from a sudden trust of the Daily Bugle’s accusations – but after that the feelings of New York towards Spider-Man are largely forgotten until the very end, when the film reminds us that the only people that actually love New York City are the poor shlubs that have to live there. Rather than develop on this notion of rejection despite your heroism, the film is far more interested in the drama and love triangle between Harry Osborne, Mary Jane, and Peter Parker.
By far the worst part of the film, and the worst execution of these characters of all the Spider-Man films.
It always feels strange opening a blog entry up with “if you’ve been following me for a while”. From what I can gather, the only folks following this blog long enough to know my personality and biases are also probably friends with me in real life. Even if that friendship exists in the digital realm and not through physical, meatspace shenanigans, it is an ongoing connection and friendship that is “real” in all meaningful senses of the term. As such, anyone reading this blog likely already knows me well enough that no explanation or prelude is necessary.
Nonetheless, I feel it necessary to remind the audience – that would be you reading this – that I once began a “Sunday Studies” column upon this blog. While I’ve pretty much been Christian or Christian-adjacent my whole life, I only started “taking it seriously” a few years ago. It was then that I not only felt compelled to tone down on foul language or try to exhibit a more positive, loving behavior, but I was feeling driven to do more with my life and talents than discuss video games.
This process did not last for a multitude of reasons. The most obvious is that I have been incapable of consistently writing or updating content in any form. Either I get easily distracted by trying to play, watch, or read too many things, or I succumb to the depths of depression and self-doubt and so on and so forth. Fortunately, the latter hasn’t been much of a problem as of late, but even as I have steadily become more and more willing or capable to discuss games, anime, or film, I’ve failed to return to blogging about my faith.
While this began as a lack of confidence in what to say, it has become a confident decision to keep this blog focused on the analysis and discussion of games, their design, and occasionally diving into anime and film.
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