There are a few pieces of art that I find myself going back to frequently. There are books, movies and games that I revisit either at a particular time of the year or when I'm feeling a certain way. I think I want to mention them all on this blog at one point, so today will be a start !
I'm very fond of walking, I always do it when I feel stuck, when I need to think or just process something that happens in my life. It was the case for most my life, at least as far back as I can remember ! Just existing outside, even by myself, is always very soothing. And I think that translates a lot to a liking I have for games where I just walk around and explore. If you read my previous blog post, I mentioned playing Formless Star recently which really got that feeling right for me ! However, there is a specific feeling of calm and ease I feel when playing a familiar game that I do not know like the back of my hand. It's like walking in a city you know, but in roads that you don't take that often. It's not really nostalgic like taking a walk in a park you visited a lot as a kid, but you still feel like you know where you're going.
That's how I would describe my feelings regarding Helen's Mysterious Castle. I was feeling a bit down lately, partly due to a change in my hormone regimen (moods swings be crazy...) but also just life and depression stuff, so I decided to go through it again, walk familiar yet not fully known roads (those ones are strictly for the end of the year). The first time I played this game was not that long ago (imo). It was about two and a half years ago, in the middle of a talk I had not a particular interest in but that I had to attend anyways, and I got hooked almost instantly. I don't remember how I found it, I think I was browsing rpg maker games on Steam and randomly stumbled upon it.
Quick tangent but I absolutely LOVE rpg maker and rpg maker games ! Of course they are a wide range of very unique games made with the engine, but also this was my first experience with making games as a kid ! I have very fond memories of just having fun making games with my brothers and cousins on the computer, searching for assets of game franchises we loved and just making an absolute fever dream of a crossover, or wrting a small story using the preinstalled assests. It was so fun !! I miss that...
You play as Helen exploring the ruins and other areas and meeting monsters along the way, some friendly, some not. For battles, you have a set of actions given by the items you pick up, each action needs a certain amount of time, deal a certain amount of damage and blocks for a certain amount, and you have to get into a rythm of going back and forth between blocking and attacking depending on what the enemy is about to do. It's a lot of fun ! Getting to the end and deciding on what your build will be is so nice !
The story is also very cute ! A lot of exploring is motivated by just wanting to see more of the world and the monsters both as the player and the character it's nice ! A lot of the other characters are keen to help and are just nice and funny, but also clearly unsatisfied and longing for a better place. They love you as family, and welcome you in their community.
I love them so much waaaaaaa T_T
I will do everything for you to see it...
Towards the end the game changes pace to explicitly explain the setting and get a more defined goal, and you get to revisit all the places you went to in a last final sequence which is something I often love in video games ! It gives you the time to look back on your journey !
The game is not too long (the first time I finished it in about 4 hours), but the few areas you visit are very distinct and I feel like the few "puzzles" are not too hard to figure out. Playing it for the first time, I truly felt wonder and curiosity as I progressed through the different places. Going back to it now, even though I didn't remember the details, I felt a warm feeling of familiarity as I travelled, knowing the few tricks to go a bit faster or taking detours to I knew where already, probably because it's the fourth time, walking in a city I know quite well already.
