The necessity of the very dense protagonists

As I look at the list of anime to watch, my gaze will occasionally fall onto a harem romantic comedy anime. These usually cause me to sigh as the formula usually turns out to be the same: fanservice, characters moulded from the same cast (the direct one, the flirty one, the ditz etc.) and most important of all, the very dense protagonist.

Viewers of current anime would have heard of very dense protagonists like Raku Ichijou (Nisekoi), Ichika Orimura (Infinite Stratos) and Natsuru Senou (Kampfer) along with insults aimed at them (I wish I could recall a indecisive girl protagonist for an example but I can't think of one that made me bang my head on a wall). I too am one of these many haters who feel that these characters should be disallowed from reproducing to prevent more of their ilk from spawning yet they persist due to and for the genre of romantic comedy and harem. Some of these characters do have good points or even lose their denseness due to the plot but for those like Raku, they prolong the existence of a dying work (yes, I am a Nisekoi hater since I actually want resolution or actual story advancement rather than an endless parade of barely amusing sequences).

Despite my utter contempt of these characters, I do acknowledge that they play an important role in their works for a couple of reasons (at least in my opinion). These reasons include a prolonging of plot, a emphasis on other characters, self-insert (along with wish fulfilment) potential, and to create comedic hijinks. Once again I must stress that what I write here is my own opinion on the topic at hand and not objective fact. There are personal views here and some of it may even change over time.

Under the first reason, a very dense protagonist stretches out the story as their inability to see hints of romance (whether implied or explicit) will lengthen the story by an absurd percent. Some series are even centred around the protagonist's inability to decide between girls/guys (the Archie Comics will never truly resolve the comics with the Betty-Veronica debate even with the decision to kill Archie in one comic). Some series that have focus on slice of life and comedy with touches of romance can use the very dense protagonist to lengthen the story and eventually create the tension along with the dilemma for the final arcs. The very dense protagonist would either lead to the love interests deciding to actively prove that they are suitable for being the romantic partner or said protagonist discovers their romantic feelings, leading to the protagonist having a pondering montage (that could amount to a clip show of their antics or a meaningful insight into the protagonist's character, seeing why they choose to ignore such blatant emotions, any possible self-hatred and eventually understanding their desires while finally being able to determine their true romantic partner). These stretches can be good for some shows (Lovely Complex comes to mind for me mostly because there was enough comedic characterization to keep me from wishing to strangle Otani) as long as they understand their limit and resolve the excessively stretched story. Series like Nisekoi (To-Love-Ru may be another but for other reasons (*nudge, nudge, wink, wink), the overly stretched story can be excused by certain fans (I don't like it at all but I understand how it can remain popular)) utilise the utter denseness of protagonists to this end and stretch out said series for profit. From a business perspective, a popular rom-com series with a very dense protagonist (and a harem) will sell due to merchandising.

The second reason relates to the protagonist only being present to establish the story before introducing the other main characters who wind up either being more adored or vilified by viewers and readers. These characters will have character arcs that are brought into focus by the protagonist's involvement and with the help of the protagonist, the arcs will receive some form of resolution. In some works, the other main characters are given emphasis for the sake of promoting a new character to be used for merchandising and sometimes, it is done to make a unique character with a facinating character arc (I'm not sure if there is one, I hope there is if it has a very dense protagonist in it). The very dense protagonist acts as a tool for the creator to introduce these arc and sometimes these characters end up with greater depth and likeability due to said arc (Ruri and Shuu for Nisekoi as an example, I guess...). Once again, this could be linked to merchandising as appealing characters (visual and/or personality based) as these characters end up with more fans and probably have higher sales when it comes to merchandise linked to them.

The third of these reasons is probably the most likely reason in this modern age. Having a very dense protagonist often results in the typical bland character where the character is always the same (or has similar characteristics to a very dense protagonist). There are times where this isn't the case and usually, this can be notable such as the denseness being induced by genuine trauma, a parody story where comedy is present (that does not stretch out the story), decent characterization that justifies the protagonist's behaviour and settings where romance cannot be ideally created. However, some very dense protagonists tend to be bland for the purpose of making it easier to insert one's self into a character or use the character as a form of wish fulfilment where the individual imagines their ideal self to be a guy or girl who has the attention of ideal romantic partners and that all these idealised moments happen to them. Characters that are very dense tend to have little flaws and some positive traits to allow them to charm women (aside from their density and inability to empathise until necessary). This helps the work to be sold to the current audience where certain individuals in said audience would wish to be the character presented to enjoy this idealised reality where they have everything they want and more. People want to imagine themselves in a better position than they currently are and being a person whose only flaw can be remedied by human perceptiveness is probably one way to do so.

The last one really doesn't need explaining and links to the first. The comedic mishaps that the very dense protagonist undergoes not only stretches out the story but it could also be cathartic to those that hate the protagonist, yet enjoy the work said protagonist is in. The relationship is symbiotic as it could help keep the work alive though I could be wrong due to my own limited expertise on this area.

Just going to point out that this whole post is mostly opinion based and I could be wrong about what I have said here. If there are more things that can prove me wrong, let me know (in a civil manner) and I will re-examine my position. I still have a strong dislike for very dense protagonists and this only shifts after the character has left that archetype or been part of a deconstruction of the genre. As it stands, I prefer my characters to be reasonable individuals and the density being toned down.

P.S: The poor quality shows that I have no idea what to write about this week and may have problems in the coming days.

P.P.S: F*ck Raku and Ichika! Those dense motherf*ckers!

Why I love Morrowind

Now that I've returned to my home in my own home country, I thought I'd celebrate my return to hot and humid weather by looking back on a game that involves exploring a land dominated by a giant volcano that is very dear to my heart. And before the reader says anything, it has nothing to do with any of Tolkien's works so read the title once more before searching for it online.

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind was THE game for me. The game that finally won me over to the whole concept of gaming and made me an individual that could see gaming as more than a mere hobby or past-time. It gave me an immersive experience that I'm still fond of and once in a while, I go back to Morrowind again. My previous experiences in gaming prior to Morrowind were real-time strategy, first person shooter and Sport games which I enjoyed but felt were lacking till Morrowind came along. It was also the game that wound up establishing my preferred genre of gaming, namely RPGs and single-player games for the immersive experience that allows any player to experience their own story despite the preset story missions being the same for any playthrough. I can understand the appeal of other genres but Morrowind made me a RPG player (along with Kingdom Hearts but that's another side, another story... *nudge nudge, wink wink)

Anyways, here are my reasons why I love Morrowind. Perhaps one of the readers could relate to these reasons or could gain some insight to another person's opinion.

1) The environment

One thing that was odd about Morrowind was the alien flora and fauna of the land. Rather than the typical cattle, horses and wolves, Morrowind had guar, silt striders and nix-hounds that dotted the land filled with peculiar looking plants, especially in other regions. This immediately caught my attention back when I was a child, nervously booting this game that was given to me as a present. The sky was bizarre with two moons that had relevance to the lore of the series (especially the larger one). The alien environment is then left open to the player to explore and understand either by dialogue, in-game books and in some cases, self-comprehension. While Skyrim and Oblivion have given me open worlds rich with lore and back-stories, Morrowind was alien enough to the typical countryside or northern lands to intrigue me for a very long time. In addition, the Morrowind Overhaul mod can be used to update the in-game graphics (which are admittedly dated) to close to current-gen and in my opinion, those graphics do hold up.

2) The thrill of discovery

As I said before, the environment of Morrowind is an alien one that demands exploration. Thus, one has to step forward and travel. This game existed before the age of fast-travel and while I have wished for fast-travel at times (since I was late for family dinners), I can appreciate the lack of fast-travel. This lack of fast-travel forced you to walk around, see the sights and feel the scale of the landscape around. A perceptive eye could even spot the occasional NPC with a quest available or by chance, notice a cave, ruin (of differing types) or even a quest location (that can even be completed early on for convenience). Back before the extensiveness of video walkthroughs and wikis, all people had to rely on were written walkthroughs (at least that's what I wound up relying on) so the world was still left open to imagination. One could read the words of a walkthrough and could still get a mistaken impression of the places described, even more so with the creatures (as I did with my first Dremora). The best kind of player for Morrowind is the first-time player (though having some experience with Skyrim and Morrowind will help in adapting to the world slightly) as they are still fresh and ready to seek out new things (and stumble upon funny occurrences that simply rain from the sky). As a result, there is a thrill to discovering more about this alien land and eventually, figuring out its culture. The sense of progression is felt often with each new lore-relevant place and book being discovered before examined thoroughly.

3) Progression

This is probably where Morrowind differs from its future counterparts. Unlike Oblivion and Skyrim, Morrowind's culture is not favorable against outlanders (or foreigners). Since your player character is a person born outside of Morrowind (as stated to you in the tutorial sequence), you will be treated with disdain (unless you have a high Personality stat). Unlike the penniless adventurer of Oblivion and Skyrim, the adventurer in Morrowind is treated akin to dirt by the local Dunmers (and worse than dirt by some). With the game even telling you (via dialogue) to seek out other activities to do before the main quest, the average player (who read the dialogue) would be inclined to do so (seeing as the Elder Scrolls series has allowed player freedom in progressing the main story). By joining guilds and factions along with completing the occasional side-quest in a town, the player gains a reputation and begins to shift perceptions around them. Suddenly, the town-guard who called you scum might speak in a more polite manner or certain Morrowind locals might greet you favourably than before. As a result, the player can feel greater progression as your actions have contributed to an outcome that you had some degree of control over. Completing certain faction story-lines might even aid you in the main quest (it does help with the politics somewhat) and even locking off other faction story-lines due to conflict of interests between rival factions.

One thing I would like to point out is how superior the guild and faction-based questlines here feel compared to Skyrim due to the simple presence of restrictions, at least in my opinion. In order to advance in rank in a guild or faction, the player must have a certain skill level to do so and failure to do so will lock the rank away. This meant that the player must be worthy of having that rank rather than being given the rank all because you completed the faction's story. In Skyrim, I was often left perplexed at the fact that my Nord warrior (who has mastered the art of stealth somehow) was so quickly elected as the College of Winterhold's Archmage even though he only knew how to cast a healing spell that could only manage a boo-boo and a fireball spell that left most enemies irritated by the unexpected warmth that fades too quickly. This criticism could also carry over to Oblivion but at least the faction story-lines were longer and had depth to them (at least the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood did). While the story for the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim (I'm beginning to notice a pattern here) were detailed with some depth, they were shorter and had excessively rapid progress (also going to point out the Companions for the rapid development from newbie to Inner Circle member). I admit that it was rather tedious but it made the experience better as the moment when you reached a higher rank would feel like an accomplishment rather than a mere add-on to your list of titles.

4) Main Quest

This might be a stretch and I can certainly understand why with the lack of an oncoming threat (a mod fixes this somewhat) by the game's main antagonist but there was something to this game's main quest that I feel is superior to Skyrim and to a lesser extent, Oblivion.

Warning SPOILERS WILL BE PRESENT. The game centers around the Nerevarine Prophecies which speaks of the reincarnation of the ancient Chimer hero, Indoril Nerevar who will unite the land and banish the threats to it's people. You are a prisoner (as per the norm of an Elder Scroll game) who was born on a certain day (when a special constellation was in the sky) to uncertain parents that is being released to Vvardenfell, a major part of Morrowind (though not it's capital). Immediately on release, you are sent to the local leader of the Blades (the Secret Service and spy group of the Septim Empire) to be recruited as a member of the Blades. After a few quests (that provide background and opinions on the lore of the land along with the lore regarding the prophecies), you are told of your purpose. The prophecies state that the initial signs of an incarnation is the individual being born on a certain day to uncertain parents. You happen to fulfill these characteristics so the Empire sent you to fit the bill to make sure that the fabled hero that will drive away the threats of the people will not drive off the Empire, that has occupied Morrowind, seeing as they have an employment contract. As all this is going on, there are signs of a resurgence of the Sixth House, a long-lost faction that was thought to have been wiped out long before the events of the game that belonged to the game's antagonist, Dagoth Ur. A visit to the local indigenous nomads(the Ashlanders) confirm that you are a potential incarnation but nothing more as of the moment though they do provide their own perspective and views on the status quo in Morrowind. After an encounter in a Sixth House base that leaves you with Corprus (an incurable and fatal disease) while marking you as an enemy of said faction, you are cured of said disease and are left with a degree of immortality (namely being unable to die of old age or sickness nor being able to age or get sick which is a basic side-effect of the disease).

This winds up fulfilling yet another criteria of an actual reincarnation and this time, the circumstances become murky. While the prophecy states said criteria will be held by an actual incarnation, your own immortality was artificially made by an ancient and powerful wizard. This becomes even more murkier when at a later visit, he reveals that the cure he used on you failed on every other test subject after. Is there divine intervention that is allowing you to fulfil these criterias or is it chance or is the prophecy actually true in your case? The next quest then reveals another twist that the game has hinted at explicitly: the teachings of the Tribunal Temple (the main religious body of the land) may be false and the gods (Almalexia, Sotha Sil and Vivec) worshiped might be frauds that have usurped their original ancestors' positions (the Daedra). This flips the established lore of the land (if it was not already flipped for the people that did not read between the lines) and makes you ponder at the truth while showing off the fact that history was written by the winners (as it is in real life at times). One might wonder if the Ashlanders were completely right about their beliefs or the Tribunal have been accused of something they are innocent off (though their jail and sentences for religious dissenters may suggest otherwise) or like most things, it is somewhere in the middle. After you fulfil more and more quests, you wind up obtaining the ring of Moon and Star, the mark of the true reincarnation that only Nerevar or the Nerevarine may wear. Once again, one might be left pondering if there is actual validity to this prophecy, or was it circumstance or divine providence that allowed you to fulfill it? After fulfilling the rest of the prophecy (I have gone on too long and need to shorten this), you met one of the Tribunal, Vivec who gives you his personal account and a possible interpretation to the truth of the Tribunal's divinity and the claims of the dissident. After that, you defeat Dagoth Ur and finally fulfil the prophecies (or the initial duties of the prophecies). The Tribunal expansion expands a bit more on this while Bloodmoon simply provides a new sandbox with its own main quest to explore after the aforementioned two.

Immediately after the main quest, NPCs act differently to you. They greet you with reverence and respect, knowing you are the savior of the land and are in complete awe. This also took place in Oblivion but in Skyrim, only the guards will acknowledge you as a hero. The other NPCs do not even react to you. This was the main flaw to the main quest in Skyrim for me as your actions seem inconsequential to the land and its people. In Morrowind, defeating Dagoth Ur does affect the game as Sixth House NPCs are restored to normal (the ones in town) and the Blight storms are stopped for good (though ash storms will still persist.) In addition to this, the main quest has added complexity to it that could leave a player pondering the validity of being the Nerevarine and the truth to the history of the land (involving the War of the First Council). What helps (which I failed to mention in my long paragraph of the main quest) is the fact that books and documents along with dialogue by quest NPCs have provided more information that, while subjectively biased, has some degree of truth to them and added to the collected information that built my opinion on the subject. In my case, I wound up believing that there was some divine manipulation involved in my character becoming  and that the god, Vivec was mostly (and note the phrase mostly) truthful in his account of the truth. SPOILERS OVER These complex notions and actual NPC reaction have been lost in Skyrim and part have been lost in Oblivion though the latter did improve with an actual incoming threat by the game's antagonists. The main quest was good enough to keep me interested in following it whereas Skyrim lost me after a while. 

4) Soundtrack
Just going to bring this up seeing as the entire soundtrack is in my liked video playlist on Youtube. The music is well-suited for travelling and exploration with the main theme of Morrowind influencing future Elder Scroll games. I personally enjoy it and have used it as music for morning/evening walks (until the combat music rolls in, then it becomes a frantic jog from some imaginary figure of terror). One of my memorable experiences in real-life was walking the walls of York while listening to the Morrowind soundtrack which made the strenuous walk feel exotic and relaxing at times. 

Summary
Overall, I liked Morrowind for these main four aspects and more that my sleep-deprived mind may not be able to remember (I guess I forgot customisable enchantments and spell-crafting...). I do acknowledge that the game has flaws; the combat system, the dated graphics, the base game's assets (animations, bodies etc.), wall of text dialogue and various bugs. Yet, I still love this game and would gladly play it even when I have become old and weary (unless Elder Scrolls 6 blows me away which it may not). Skyrim fans may be able to experience Morrowind via the Skywind mod (that is not fully available at time of writing) but for me, I will return to a (modded) Morrowind where I can think up plausible ways for my character to be a member of two rival guilds.

P.S: I never completed the House Telvanni faction quests as my save with said Telvanni mage was corrupted. That dark-haired Dunmer maiden would be forever locked in a coma until I remake her again...

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Oregairu)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/My_Teen_Romantic_Comedy_SNAFU_cover.jpg

Having spent 3 days to marathon the first season (and discovering how to watch videos from inside a shower), I finished the first season of Oregairu (Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru) and proceeded with the second a while back before it's conclusion. Why this anime does not appear on many radars (instead for Fuh Stuh Nut) is baffling, since in my personal opinion, I consider this a top-notch anime that even non-anime fans may enjoy. There is quality in this work that rarely pops out of its genre, namely romantic comedy (it also helps that it is a deconstruction of the genre, which is something I have a fondness for). This review covers both first and second season of the show. Be aware that the first and second season were made by different studios on differing budgets so the quality in animation and graphic quality can differ. Also be aware that this anime is based on a light novel series by Wataru Watari.

What makes it:

The characters are a major positive to this show with the show's lead, Hachiman Hikigaya (or Hikitani according to some of the show's characters - I am aware that Hikigaya is his real name) stealing the show while happening to be the main male protagonist. Unlike most romantic comedy (or romcom) protagonists, Hachiman is not the generic protagonist who has romantic hijinks and instead, is a cynical person who due to circumstance and experience, willingly isolates himself from the typical high school life. Hachiman's cynical rants are interesting and in my case, very relatable (the "Nice girls" rant is a personal favourite). His views and opinions are filled with snark and made with a realistic (and pessimistic) perspective which grants him unique options to handle issues that others may not resolve. Unlike most shows, the protagonist's methods are not the ideal solution and are not the final perfect solution to the issues encountered. The show avoids idealising or making Hachiman's solutions as being the perfect solutions as season 1 does which I do like as it avoids making him seem too perfect as a problem-solver and the show itself addresses the flaws of Hachiman's current lifestyle, allowing the viewer to see his gradual character development.

The two main female protagonists, Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama (I am beginning to see a pattern here), are also well written characters for a romantic comedy in my opinion with the former being an aloof and very direct individual with an obscured backstory that is gradually revealed as the story progresses and the latter being a normal individual who, while nursing romantic feelings for Hachiman, acts as the normal individual to balance out Hachiman and Yukinoshita whereby the two are considered social outcasts. Each of them are entertaining to watch with snark-filled banter between Hachiman and Yukinoshita while Hachiman and Yui are friendlier but with the social awkwardness expected by Hachiman included (though Yui does throw out the occasional snarky remark). The other characters work well enough to move the story forward and regardless of whether you like or dislike the characters, they are not badly written. In my own experiences, I found myself speculating on the origin of Yukino's traits as the show began to provide hints of a past trauma from youth (and nothing too drastically dark, you Urobochi fanboys...) while wondering how the other two will help her resolve these issues.

The writing for this genre is quite well-done with the usual clichés around romcoms being either critically examined or ignored as the series goes on. Notions such as high-school groups are given a closer look such as (MINOR SPOILERS HERE) the structure of a group being reliant on one popular individual to hold it together due to other members not being friends with each other (notions I have noticed at times though only realised it due to this show) and the folly of having a crush on a person that is nice to the individual in question (SPOILERS OVER). The story also goes against the typical problem with a formula used to resolved said problem as previously mentioned (i.e Scooby Doo: Finds paranormal stuff, finds monster, chased by monster, finds clues along way, more chase, finds a tangible clue that shows motive, make trap, initial trap fails, Scooby and Shaggy inadvertently traps monster, monster unmasked and mystery solved) with season 2 showing the negative consequences of Hachiman's unique methods to resolve issues in terms of his relationship with his newly made friends. The tension and mood between characters due to events in the story also has a strong effect on the show which shakes up the status quo around the characters with developments adding new personal issues that the three main characters would have to resolve over time. The character development in the second season was amazing to say the least with the "genuine" confession being an amazing moment in the show. After dragging myself through many romcom anime and their cousins, the harem genre, it was nice to find something with decent writing and Oregairu certainly delivers with considerable interest.

The soundtrack and voice-acting are quite well done as well. I will not go into to details but will merely note their positive additions to a decent show with the soundtrack setting the mood and the voice acting conveying the character's emotions well (especially with Hachiman and the "genuine" confession).

What breaks it:

Ironically, for all of its quality, it does not fit in the genre of romantic comedy, at least for the first season in terms of romance. Due to Hachiman's own character, romance does not appear often in the show and once, was shot down in a rather harsh manner. There is comedy present in the show (I will not state any to keep it fresh for new viewers) but the romance does not really appear often. From my own viewings, the romance is subtle but only becomes prominent near the end of the first season and throughout the second season. Fans of gushy or apparent romance will be disappointed by this. Personally, I liked the subtlety to the romance though my opinion will differ from others.

Another thing I have to point out is the animation and graphic quality in the first season. While I did not notice flaws during my viewing experience, many sources have pointed out the low quality of the animation and graphics in the first season. This was apparently due to a low budget being used by the studio and while I don't have problems with below average animation quality, some will. I only bring this up so that I do not misinform people too much and it should be noted that season 2 does improve on the two to a good degree,

There is also not a lot of events going on in the story with no action going on though I personally find no fault in that. While this means there would be a lack of typical excitement, it should be remembered that this is a show about how a high school student going through his high school days is having a messed up high school life. People who expect high-flying action, space battles or unexpected deaths should seek out other places to settle down.

Personal opinion:

There is more I want to say about this anime but right now, I am working on a half-asleep brain with brain drain in progress. I personally love this series and would probably place it in my top 5 anime of all time for great writing and superb characters due to the approach taken and sensible complexity. I have found websites that have given this show much praise and from what I have seen, it deserves the praise though the second season's ending may not be what a fan would expect. There is quality here that I rarely see in most anime and manga, along with light novels, which I wish to see more of. As of now, my curiosity of the current issue in the series and how it will be resolved is at a peak which hopefully would be sated by a third season that can cover the entire light novel and all of its short stories. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes anime and does not need to have action in every moment.

Summary:
What makes it: Characters, Writing, Soundtrack and voice acting
What breaks it: Not fitting into genre, Below average animation and graphic quality in first season at occasions, Lack of events

(P.S: These reviews I write don't actually provide a score or rating. All they do is provide the reader my personal opinions so that the reader can see if my tastes and the readers are similar. If they are not, you may take these reviews as opinions or suggestions. Remember, my opinions are subjectively biased.)

Soundtrack and gestures

As I sit here with the comforting knowledge of graduating from university life, I am left with a problem: What do I write about on this blog? With the deadline of Wednesday coming, I guess I will be pondering about the combined effect of soundtrack and gestures have in enhancing one's experience in gaming.

Having started playing Witcher 3 and watched some cutscenes on Youtube, I can say that Witcher 3 has quality in terms of crafting characters and their stories. [MILD SPOILER WARNING HERE] One cutscene (depicting Geralt (the main character) and Ciri (his adopted daughter) in their reunion) is particularly well-done, almost making me tear up with how heart-rending the first sections are. The soundtrack was able to bring up the despair and sorrow of the moment with the second half being uplifting and heart-warming. The silent gestures of Geralt enhances the moment with the hesitance and eventually clear despair at discovering the apparent death of Ciri along with how he rocks back and forth in his tearful embrace of an apparently dead Ciri. [SPOILERS OVER] I actually felt genuinely sad as I watched the moment. The animators and sound directors did a brilliant job in that moment which got me thinking about the relevance of good soundtrack and silent gestures in conveying the emotions of the moment and making it something that the player can experience. (If you can, go watch the cutscene if you don't mind some spoilers)

While Witcher 3 is the only video game example I can think of right now that uses both soundtrack and gestures to enhance one's experience in gaming, I do recall the effect of good soundtracks on other mediums. Soundtrack like Morrowind and Silent Hill 2 are able to enhance the gameplay by having the soundtrack that flows well with the visuals around. For Morrowind, the soundtrack conveys the sense of mystery and adventure in a visually alien land that makes a player seek to explore the world around. I have used the Morrowind soundtrack as music for walking around in real life (though the combat music is jarring music for a morning walk). As for Silent Hill, the soundtrack itself is absent for a majority of actual gameplay, allowing for the conveyance of isolation and entrapment as you wonder a fog-covered town that is populated by inhuman abominations. When it does play, it is able to convey the emotions of the moment (see True and Theme of Laura Reprise) with the hope spots and eventual fall into despair appearing. It is melancholic in its essence and well-executed in the actual game. I have used Silent Hill 2's soundtrack as evening walk music (though the soundtrack titled Betrayal has caused me to flee in terror from the sight of other people in those short walks). In my opinion, a good soundtrack enhances the experience as the emotions conveyed in a moment are expressed audibly and when it is not jarring, it is more likely to bring up the intended emotions. Games with jarring soundtrack (a horror game with pop song) may not do so, unless the game is intended as a parody of the genre or is plainly bad.

When it comes to gestures, I can't really think of any video game examples right now so I will instead elaborate on why I think gestures play an important word. While it is nice to know how a character feels in a particular moment through vocal expressions, there are times when too much is being expressed vocally. Take the Star Wars Prequels for instance with shoddy writing due to George Lucas having difficulty in writing dialogue. Some lines spoken ("I am truly, deeply in love with you") are too long-winded and in execution, are cringe-worthy at their very least while at their worst, they make fans rage in disgust (for examples of the latter, search the Internet). A silent gesture, conveyed through body language, has just as much impact as a mouthful of exposition and in some cases, it conveys the emotions of the character better. In the original version of Return of the Jedi (SPOILER WARNING HERE), Vader's emotional conflict is conveyed by the actor's silent movements with only his body and head moving, showing that the Sith Lord is struggling with the man he had been previously. In the sequence where the Emperor is torturing Luke to death, the struggle within Vader reaches it's boiling point whereby it is conveyed by his body turning to face the Emperor and Luke who is pleading for aid. When Vader finally chooses to save Luke, it is made even more powerful by the lack of dialogue making it as though Vader is already certain of his decision and has no need to affirm in vocally. (SPOILERS OVER) The latest versions however have him shouting big NOs repeatedly, that weakens the whole moment for me and makes me think that Lucas's favourite word is "NO". As I previously mentioned, gestures (silent ones included) can enhance one's experience in a game as the emotions are still being conveyed and sometimes, it is more powerful due to a lack of dialogue (with the potential of enhancing the experience beyond the intended level). It works in other visual mediums as well and can be used to avoid the line from being an overly exaggerated mess.

Now, I have to wonder on how to pack my bags for the return journey.

P.S: I recommend listening to Theme of Laura, Dimensions (from the soundtrack of Her), the Ending Theme of To the Moon. Each one worth a listen (except for To the Moon if you dislike melancholic themes)