Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom So Far
I have been playing Tears of the Kingdom ever since it came out and I wanted to jot down some of my first impressions. I really love the gameplay and the new mechanics that came with it. It is whacky and allows the player full creative control when building anything you can think of. I especially love how the game feels as the new sky islands make the game feel huge. However, the story so far hasn’t gripped me. The story and the gameplay are both silly and I want some structure or seriousness in the story so it doesn’t feel like I am in a Spy Kids or Power Rangers plot. I have defeated one of the large temples so far and I have no plans to stop playing. I guess we will see once I finish, but I am hoping the story starts to really grip me.
Hogwarts Legacy Review
Score: 9 / 10
Right out of the gate, I must state that I disagree strongly with J.K. Rowling’s beliefs on gender, sexuality, and of course her weird bathroom mandates. I just love the world of Harry Potter and as they say: there is no ethical consumption under capitalism.
I have completed the game to 100% using my Slytherin character because my Ravenclaw character encountered a glitch and I could not 100% complete the game with that character.
The World
The world was incredible expansive and detailed. If you’ve played any game like Fallout, Skyrim, Bioshock with many little items and easter eggs to discover, you know the feeling. The one thing I wanted this game to do is to make the world feel real and they definitely delivered. The map is huge and is full of puzzles, sidequests, vendors, monsters, bosses, beasts, and more! To be able to hop on your broom from almost anywhere and whiz around the map was a great idea from the developers.
Some people might be shocked by the high number and I can understand why some would think it isn’t nearly that good. I like what I like I guess! The world of Harry Potter has always been of interest to me and this game really delivered on the atmosphere and the immersion. There are some things that weren’t great like the graphics of the characters when out of a cutscene. I’ll make a pro and con list below
Character Creation
The character creation is admittedly small compared to other games in the same genre. However, the hair and faces look great and are perfect for a teen just starting out in Hogwarts. I think adding more hairstyles would have been a good idea or even have it be a collectible like clothing is. I made some good characters though that I was happy with.
Combat
I would describe combat like a dance. Several times in my gameplay I remarked that I felt like a ballerina, casting spells and spinning gracefully out of the way of an incoming projectile. There are a good amount of spells to choose from in the game, I just wish it was easier to switch to a new spell slot without making a mistake and casting lumos while fighting a troll
Caring for Beasts
If anyone has ever played Sonic Adventures and taken care of the Chao in the game, this is pretty similar. You can “save” beasts in the world and take them back to your Room of Requirement to feed, brush, and even breed together. I put save in quotes because most of the beasts you will encounter are not injured or in danger, so I think you are just stealing at that point. It was a cute mechanic that also gives you resources to upgrade your gear.
| PROS | CONS |
| The World | Common Pops in when exploring |
| Character creation | Character graphics |
| Satisfying combat | No chocolate frogs |
| Clever puzzles | The main story was just ok |
| Flying mechanics | Flying mechanics (takes a bit to get used to) |
| Collectibles | No available followers |
| Caring for beasts | J.K. Rowling |
Hogwarts Legacy 100% Completion
Right out of the gate, I must state that I disagree strongly with J.K. Rowling’s beliefs on gender, sexuality, and of course her weird bathroom mandates. I just love the world of Harry Potter and as they say: there is no ethical consumption under capitalism.
This is the first video game where I feel compelled to complete it 100% but since having a kid it has been more difficult to find the time to sit down and play such a large and open world. I need to carve out some time during the week to play because this is my main hobby and it helps me to relieve stress. My husband for example plays tabletop games and I take on the parental responsibility during that time because he deserves to enjoy his hobby without guilt. We also have a similar policy when I sit down to play some games. This is easier with two parents for obvious reasons so it doesn’t apply to everyone. I am pretty close to completion so once I do, I am hoping to review it fully on this page. Stay tuned!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Release
It is almost time for Tears of the Kingdom to be released and I am so excited for it! There is some criticism about the mechanics that it looks like Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts which is quite a diss but I am hoping they make it intuitive and work well with the game mechanics as a whole.
A warning: this game has leaked already online so be wary of googling the game because some spoilers might be present there
I will be playing this on my Twitch stream when it releases so keep your eyes out for that! https://www.twitch.tv/mollysingbing
My Top 5 Video Games
When people ask me what my favorite video game is, I cannot choose one because I love all different types of video games for a variety of reasons. So, I have narrowed it down to my top 5 and I will probably need to adjust it when more video games come out
- The Sims
I have been playing The Sims ever since it was released in 2000. I would spend hours decorating a home, making sure my kids received an A+ in school, and burning down said house with some “indoor fireworks”. My favorite sims game is definitely The Sims 2 and it represents the pinnacle in the series, even though they are now on The Sims 4. I would strongly recommend anyone to play it if you enjoy micromanaging, house creation and design, drama, and wacky hijinks.
- Bioshock
This game blew my mind when I first played it. It was a suggestion from my brother and at first I wasn’t too thrilled because it is technically a first person shooter and I find them to be a little boring. Boy was I wrong. The best thing about Bioshock is its atmosphere: an ominous and dark underwater city that has fallen in disrepair. The cast of characters, locations, story, and twist ending keeps me playing over and over again.
There is also a non-cannon novel that is a great addition to the game and fun to read. Link to the book
- Mass Effect
Mass Effect is the type of game that could take you months to complete. The vast world with a seemingly infinite amount of side quests may seem daunting, but it was like watching your favorite TV series except you are the one writing the script. The decisions you make in all 3 games affect the world around you. Romance, aliens, guns, jokes, and tears await you in this Sci-Fi adventure!
- Stardew Valley
Created by one indie developer, this one helped me through some tough times in my life. When I was dealing with depression and a job that was slowly grinding away my empathy, I could bring up Stardew Valley and feel some sort of peace. You start the game by inheriting your grandfather’s farm which is in disarray and it is up to you to fix it. This game is primarily a farming simulator with planting seeds, harvesting crops, making jams/mayo/wine/beer, and taking care of various farm animal. Stardew also has a relationship mechanic that allows you to marry villagers, become best friends with others, fish, loot through trash cans, mine, sword combat, and more!
The creator is working on a sequel now, but he is also actively updating Stardew Valley with even more content and mechanics.
- The Legend Of Zelda
I first started playing the Legend of Zelda with my uncle when The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I loved the idea of characters that portray a certain personality trait so completely that they manifest powers to match. My favorite character is Zelda and I hope to one day play as her in a main title and not as a spirit in a suit of armor (see Spirit Tracks). My two favorite games is Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild. I played Twilight Princess in my angsty teen years and the gloomy and strange atmosphere spoke to me on another level. Breath of the wild is an open-world game that gives you the freedom to choose when and how you complete the game. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good story about a righteous hero striking down an ultimate evil.
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