Category: My Opinion

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Book Reviews Fiction

Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

According to the author’s note at the end of the book, Yoko Ogawa has won every major Japanese literary award. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker. Her works include The Memory Police; The Diving Pool, a collection of three novellas; The Housekeeeper and the Professor; Hotel Iris; and Revenge. She lives in Ashiya, Japan.

When I picked up this book from the library, the author’s name felt familiar. Then I realized—I had read two of her books 14 years ago! Yet, I have no recollection of them. So, this blog entry is written as though I am approaching her work for the first time.

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Game Reviews

Children of Morta 6 Years Later – The 2025 Review (Is It Worth Playing?)

Children of Morta - It is always about the family

“Children of Morta” was a game I first played back in 2019, and now, six years later, I’ve returned to finish the story and collect all 100% of the Steam achievements. This is a pixel art roguelike RPG that really stands out for its storytelling and art design. But the question is: after all these years, is it still worth playing?

Stick around as we dive into my 2025 review of Children of Morta!

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Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

The City and its Uncertain Walls: A Reflection on Murakami’s Labyrinth of Closure

Murakami - The City and its Uncertain Walls

Few authors can weave a narrative tapestry as intricate and evocative as Haruki Murakami. For years, I have been captivated by his works, drawn to the way he blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The City and its Uncertain Walls is no exception. While it may not rank among my personal favourites, it lingers in my mind long after the final page – a testament to its provocative themes and enigmatic storytelling. Yet, this lingering comes with frustration, as the ambiguous ending leaves much to the reader’s imagination, a choice that may not satisfy everyone.

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Game Reviews

Crusader King 3 – Chiefdom of Baol

This originates from a game called Crusader King 3. It was my first play through.

Geer Pateh

The year was 867AD, in the era of tribal, I was the ruler of Baol. Boal is a coastal country in Africa, in today’s west of Senegal. My name was Pateh, Geer Pateh of Baol, in the House of Congin.

Our faith was Roog Sene, which outlines the way of the divine, the path to living a spiritually fulfilling life in honor of one’s ancestors and the creator of the universe, Roog. Our culture was Wolof and we spoke Senegambian.

Geer Pateh of Baol

I was born timid and did not enjoy being challenged, or scared. I enjoyed things in moderation and am also greedy. I possessed a keen sense for all matters relating to stewardship and was an administrative force to be reckoned with. Not a natural leader, but I had to rule. In my younger days, I had taken up the call of the wild and enjoyed hunting. These were the highlights of my legacy.

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Music Reviews

Roger Water’s Dark Side of the Moon Redux is a Cringfest

Roger Water’s re-recording of Pink Floyd’s 50-year-old classic without any of the Pink Floyd members is very unpleasant to listen through. His long-winded spoken words are a constant distraction. And when he sings, he does so in such a low-key that makes me cringe all the way. The only part that is remotely enjoyable is when Roger Water neither speaks nor sings. The music is okay though I miss the real music from the original setup. Some parts are quite enjoyable, like his bass line. And then he sings, that spoils everything.

Album artwork

I forced myself to listen to the entire album in one setting. Because I am one huge Pink Floyd fan. My verdict: the original classic is so much more epic than this.

Sorry Roger, David is way more talented than you. You probably thought that this “Redux” album would prove otherwise. The truth is, Pink Floyd was fine without you. You are not good without Pink Floyd.

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Game Reviews

Warhammer: Chaosbane – A Review

Surprisingly, in the universe of Warhammer, there aren’t many real-time action isometric or 2.5D role-playing games. There is Inquisitor and there is Chaosbane. To summarize, Chaosbane released in 2019 is a casual aRPG, very accessible to players who are new to this genre, and very easy to pick up. Just that, you shouldn’t expect Chaosbane to be on par with other mainstream aRPG such as Diablo 3. The storytelling is basic. Voice acting has its hits and misses. Maps and enemy types are limited. But what I really like is the multi-stage boss fight that is epic and fair. The combat is fluid. Last, but not the least, you wouldn’t need to invest a lot of time to progress well in this game.

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J Pop Music Reviews

Love Psychedelico’s New Live Recording is Truly Phenomenal – Live Tour 2022 “A revolution” at Showa Women’s University Hitomi Memorial Hall 2022/11/23

I am not a big live recording fan (classical music is an exception). I prefer studio recording whereby all the tracks are perfectly recorded and mastered. A great live recording requires every band member to do well and the song rendition should offer something different, something better than studio recording (otherwise, why bother?). Live Tour 2022 “A revolution” at Showa Women’s University Hitomi Memorial Hall 2022/11/23 ticks all the boxes for me. Before writing this blog entry, I was thinking hard about what other live albums I like. I can only come up with one. Pink Floyd’s Pulse (Live).

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Game Reviews

Diablo 4 Open Beta Early Access – An Afterthought with Concern and Hope

How time flies is an understatement. A little over 11 years ago, I have participated in the Diablo 3 beta. Last weekend, I played the open beta early access. I would like to share with you my afterthought. The beta weekend has its ups and downs. I will address my concerns first and end this on a good note with things that I like.

My beloved Sorceror
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Categories
Game Reviews

World of Warcraft Dragonflight – A Casual Review

In this blog post, I would like to share with you my casual rating on the various aspects of Dragonflight based on my initial month of playing the game. After all, I have to pay US$14.99 a month to continue playing. So one month is a good time to evaluate the expansion. And as I said, I am a casual player. Our views may vary. And if you are into watching a video review instead, below is the clip.

Now, 28 hours of gameplay on the latest expansion Dragonflight is not considered as long for a huge MMORPG like World of Warcraft. Previously, I have sunk in more than six thousand hours playing up to Cataclysm in the year 2010. I have left the game for around 10 years but I have made a promise in the past that I would return to WoW when Blizzard releases a new class and a new race. Dragonflight has Dracthyr – a new dragon race that offers one new class, the Evoker. Hence, I am back!

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Foreign Movie Reviews

Wandering (2022) – A Japanese Arthouse Movie So Good / My Afterthoughts

I love arthouse movies. They got me thinking long after I left the movie theater, reminiscing scene after scene. The synopsis of Wandering (or The Wandering Moon) captured my attention.

In a park on a rainy evening, a 19-year-old university student, Fumi, offers an umbrella to a soaking wet 10-year-old girl, Sarasa. Realizing her reluctance to go home, Fumi lets her stay in his place, where she spends the next two months in peace. They take each other’s hands and seem to have finally found their place in the world until Fumi is arrested for kidnapping. Fifteen years later, the lonely two are reunited both still suffering from the stigma as the victim and perpetrator of “a pedophile case”. Will society give a place to the unshakable bond they have formed?

A movie I hope I will watch again in the future.
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