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Thursday 28th August 2025


Games: Honkai Star Rail

Star Rail really feels like they just wanted to make a console game. The story is very JRPG-esque and the core cast of characters are ones you either get free or are guaranteed to get as a f2p via the perm gacha - it can generally just be played like a normal game, with minimal interaction with the gacha elements. It just seems to be, somewhat unfortunately, the only format that allows them the scope they're going for.

While the writing is a bit esoteric at times, it's generally fantastic. It's on another level than their other games. The main character is somehow super likeable despite only having few voice lines. My favourite character is Welt ♡


I'm actually nearing the end of Penacony now, not the fakeout ending. This has been the best story out of the three planets so far imo.
You don't get level gated like in Genshin, which on one hand, is a good thing, but on the other, it's really of easy to be overleveled for the story and the big epic boss battles become a big anti-climactic.
I'm about level 70 at the moment and it felt like I just flicked the boss on the forehead a couple times and he fell over xD

Wednesday 27th August 2025


Games: Infinity Nikki, Xenosaga Episode II

Still trying to catch up with Nikki. To be fair, there is a lot in this event. I think I'm going to pick up Shining Nikki again though as I miss the writing.

I hit disc 2 of Xenosaga II. I... did not realise how short this game was. I accidentally skipped the sidequests by going to the UMN Centre too early, and within 10 hours I was already done with disc 1!!
I really thought there was more than one trip to both the summer and winter domains for some reason... I can't believe they're so short. I'll probably begrudingly do some sidequests when I can get back to Miltia, but I don't think you really need to do any to finish the game. But man. It's so much shorter than I remember...!
I do remember another cutscene from the memories of the Yuriev Institute, but I never seem to find it on any further playthroughs. Maybe it's optional...?


The boss fight with Albedo did something super interesting, with him interacting with the game's UI! It's just a shame that once you actually understand the game's mechanics, all the battles are basically a breeze. And having MOMO in your party is like playing on easy mode.

Monday 25th August 2025


Games: Honkai Star Rail, Xenosaga Episode II

I did a little grinding in Star Rail in the morning. I'm near the end of Penacony now, I think it's been my favourite world so far. Welt is my favourite character, I need to write a paragraph about why at some point.

I also managed to play a little more Xenosaga II. It's so funny to breeze through the battles that I struggled with so much when I first played it. I don't even remember what to do, I think it's just that I really grasp the systems now in a way I didn't before. I remember struggling with the Level 4 boss fight, but it only took me a few minutes this time I powered through the whole first part of the summer subconscious domain in a few hours, which took me like weeks when I first played it.

While on one hand I think the bow really suits MOMO, I'm a little sad a the loss of the magical girl homage. Especially when Sakura looks like this - how is this not Sakura Kinomoto?


Albedo has grown on me a lot as a character in these recent playthroughs. I think he's genuinely one of the most interesting villains I've come across. Despite Episode II messing up Shion a little bit, the new writers at least nailed it with Albedo and Jr.

Saturday 23rd August 2025


Games: Xenosaga Episode II

I only played a little more Xenosaga today. Been really exhausted so I didn't get very far, just wandering around and checking off a couple sidequests at the moment. I 100%ed the original (apart from the roulette item for Jr I think) but not sure I'll do it for this one. Maybe not this time, at least.

I had no problem getting into it when I first played it, but I can kind of see now how it might've been hard for people who played XS1... XS2 is admittedly pretty stripped down in comparison. I don't understand people complaining about the battles being slow though, they're so much faster than the original - the sluggish battle speed is really my only complaint about the first game.

Not really anything story-wise to comment on this time, just enjoying the vibes.



Oh, I picked up a PS2 game today, Ghosthunter. It's probably not some super hidden gem, but I hadn't heard anything about it before and it was super cheap, so I couldn't resist.

Friday 22nd August 2025


Games: Infinity Nikki // Xenosaga Episode II

I made this in like five minutes!! I'll make a proper blog setup later, I just wanted to get the game log up before I lost all my notes!

Catching up with Infinity Nikki. I want to at least clear the main story before the event ends. I already got the outfit I want from the gacha, so I'm not too pressed about that. I'll probably save the rest of my diamonds. This update is really good, but I still find myself having trouble dragging myself through it. I think I just prefer the fantasy elements over historical.

Guess what.... I'm playing Xenosaga II!!! Again!!!
I wanted to finally play Episode III, but I realised that while I can recount all of Episode I and the first half of Episode II exactly, I barely remember the middle onwards of Episode II. I remember the ending cutscenes but I don't really remember any of the details of anything that happens after MOMO's subconscious. I played the start of the game a lot over and over, but I think I've only finished it twice. I first played it when I was 11 or 12? I tried to just watch it on Youtube to catch up, but it's hours upon hours of cutscenes, and I have the attention span of an ipad kid. I'll just speed through it. It is the shortest of the three, it shouldn't take THAT long.... (famous last words)

Being in the UK, I played Xenosaga II first as EP I was never released here. I fell in love with it, but I didn't like Shion much. Both now having played Episode I, and just getting older, I've grown to really appreciate her. That said, Jr.'s still my favourite, and by far the most interesting, so I'm not complaining the story seems to centre mostly on him...

There's something about video game water in this era. It's not completely realistic yet, but that somehow just makes it more magical?