Art is Self-Flagellation
The Chimes of the Failed
Now Playing: Elden Ring: Nightreign
By god, I want this game to be better. I like the character and boss design, and the roguelite elements are an interesting and welcome twist on the formula. But some of the controls are absolute ass. The walljump is incredibly fickle. You can try and walljump up a tall wall 15 times the exact same way, height, and angle, but only on the 15th try will you succeed. Why? Who the hell knows! Also, why can’t I steer the bird? Not only during the initial drop, but any time you hop on a bird? My last run, I needed to scale a cliff quickly to outrun the flaming circle. Grabbed a bird, and it carried me DIRECTLY INTO THE FIRE RING. Like… why. Why? WHY?! The weird, questionable design choices are giving me Dark Souls 2 vibes, and I don’t care for it.
Writing update: This will be a bit shorter newsletter this week. I wasn’t able to write last week as I and my family were all horrifically sick to the point where I had to take my son to urgent care. Turned out he had walking pneumonia, but thankfully all of us tested negative for COVID. Just a real nasty cold that was going around his school.
In the meantime, I’ve been busying myself with finishing up the rough draft of Firewind’s Accord’s sequel. While I’m in the midst of drafting, I love what I’m writing. But while reading other authors’ works, my deeply ingrained Impostor Syndrome kicks in and I regret having ever published anything. I then have to remind myself that my current WIP is exactly that: a work-in-progress. It’s the first of many drafts, and therefore in its least polished and artistic. Too often I find myself wondering I why keep doing this to myself, this self-flagellating act that is creation.
On a happier side note, Happy Pride Month!