Daily Challenge - 2024-09-09
Score: 188 / 300
🟪🟪🟪 🟥 = 80 | S | Emily is Away
⬛🟩🟪 🟧 = 45 | R | Dead Rising 4
🟩🟩🟦 🟦 = 63 | P | Diablo II: Resurrected

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Weekly Game Sept 01 – 07
What was this week? My youngest nephew started kindergarten! And has already gotten sick despite the very short days. It’s also been smoky again the past couple days yaaay. In brighter news, a whole lot of Lunar and Sea of Stars this week! Sea of Stars sucked me back in hard. It just scratches some different itches for me. And we finished Lunar!

--

New/Added Games:
Nothing

--

Started:
Nothing

--

Finished:
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete - 39:04
Finished! There was a lot I did not remember so I’m glad we revisited it. It has some, uh, ‘choice’ localization and things I can only roll my eyes at in terms of sexism and that kind of ‘fun’ stuff, but it’s still an enjoyable game overall. And I do love how much the NPCs change much like Trails.

--

Currently Playing

Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Switch)
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire (PC)
Sea of Stars (PC, Steam)

Daily
Sunday: Quest for Glory II, Sea of Stars
Monday: Sea of Stars
Tuesday: Sea of Stars
Wednesday: Sea of Stars, Lunar SSSC
Thursday: Sea of Stars, Lunar SSSC
Friday: Sea of Stars, Lunar SSSC
Saturday: Sea of Stars, Lunar SSSC

--

Progress:

Sea of Stars


Much progress as I’ve been flying through a pretty good rate with NG+. I got my last achievement! So, I’ve taken off the relic. It was more fun than I expected for a while, but I’ve hit a point where I would like to have my HP back haha and the locks are only getting more complex to break.

Anyhoo I'm in big spoiler territory now. I’m… doing Garl’s final deed sob. But before that was all the stuff on Mesa Island which I absolutely love. Glacial Peak! Autumn Hills! SONGSHROOM marsh! Glacial Peak and Songshroom in particular are just areas made for me. Snow mountain? Yes please. Mushrooms, singing mushrooms? Yes please. And Autumn Hills is particularly fun to compare to The Messenger version.
But that also meant getting to Clockwork Castle and facing the Dweller and Garl taking the killing blow… I have the volcano to do then it’s bread time then… funeral ☹. Even knowing it’s coming and knowing what can come is still sad.

-

Backlog: 159

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-08
Score: 204 / 300
🟪🟧🟥 🟪 = 61 | R | Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
🟦🟦🟦 🟪 = 80 | P | Subnautica
🟩🟧🟦 🟦 = 63 | S | Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-07
Score: 223 / 300
🟪🟪🟪 🟩 = 90 | R | Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
🟪🟦🟧 🟪 = 74 | P | Pizza Tower
🟩🟩🟩 🟪 = 59 | S | The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-06
Score: 171 / 300
🟪🟦🟪 🟩 = 79 | R | Penumbra: Overture
⬛⬛⬛ 🟧 = 07 | P | The Simpsons Hit & Run
🟦🟦🟦 🟪 = 85 | S | Trials of Mana

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-05
Score: 227 / 300
🟦🟩🟩 🟪 = 76 | P | Rayman 2: The Great Escape
🟩🟧🟪 🟦 = 70 | R | Shadows of the Damned
🟦🟦🟦 🟦 = 81 | S | Valkyria Chronicles 4

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-04
Score: 218 / 300
🟧🟩🟪 🟩 = 63 | R | Ben There, Dan That!
🟦🟦🟧 🟩 = 55 | S | Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
🟪🟪🟪 🟪 = 100 | P | Cocoon

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Finally another perfect game! :D

I was one point off the review score for Cocoon to get perfect!

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-04
Score: 256 / 300
🟧🟪🟪 🟦 = 80 | R | Ben There, Dan That!
🟦🟪🟦 🟦 = 80 | P | Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
🟪🟪🟪 🟦 = 96 | S | Cocoon

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Man if I'd just done better on that first game's first time I could have had my new record

The Adventurer's Log
Quest For Glory II: Trial by Fire | Part 2

Day 2 in Shapeir with more exploring and shopping. Hopefully I won’t get so lost this time but the map shows where I am on it, so that’ll help a lot.

I started the day with some breakfast. Shema also told me she would be dancing this evening and would be pleased if I came. I ate and left with another reminder from Shameen that Shema would be dancing. They really want to make sure I know and come.

And I walked into Alichica’s advertising.



It made me snort in an ouch sort of way given the apparent not-so-good state of Raseir.

I bought a bouquet of flowers from Lisha the katta. And in the fountain plaza I bought a pot. I don’t know what I’ll do with the pot or flowers but if it’s going to let me buy them I figure they’ll have a use. My bargaining keeps working out very well.

Then it was apothecary time where there were plenty of things to examine including punful urns.





And a bookshelf with many books including “The Pizza Elemental: Fact or Fiction?”

The apothecary owner is Harik. He has vigor, healing, poison cure and mana pills for sale for 5, 10, 12 and 15 dinars respectively. Cheaper than the potions in QFG 1. He warned that if I ever go to Raseir I should stock up on pills here as the apothecary there was taken over by the new Emir and such things may not be available anymore. Other talk and questioning led him to offering to buy scorpion venom and ghoul claws off me for 20 and 15 dinars respectively. Something to keep in mind when I’m less afraid of monsters.

Okay, there are probably some things I could handle just fine. Even with a higher stat cap I’m not a total wimp here. But I’m still scared.

I was looking at the map trying to figure out where to go and it turns out the fighter’s plaza and palace are already marked so I can fast travel to those places immediately. I decided to check out the fighter’s plaza.

A place to buy waterskins was there, so it was a good thing I went as I’m going to want those for desert exploration. I bought two for a total of three. Maybe overkill but I’d rather be safe. I just need to watch my carried weight. I also bought a cloth bag from Kiram, who turned out to be the uncle of Shameen, nice! Love those little connections in NPCs. Said I was smooth of tongue when I successfully bargained.

I popped into the weapon shop. I don’t really need a weapon, but I have to see all the things, and met Issur, who’s kind of a grump.


And flexes randomly, so a grump and a show-off?

The weapons on the wall were fun to examine.



Look out wood-chucking woodchucks…

The other half of this plaza has the guild hall!



The lion fellow is a liontaur named Rakeesh. The woman is Uhura and her baby is on the floor playing with Rakeesh’s tail.

The Sultan summoned Rakeesh to aid against the Dark Magic hovering near the city, but fears he’s not the hero he once was. Perhaps I’ll be the hero they need. Of course! There are rumours that in Raseir laws have become more important than men and it’s become a crime to think. Few go there and fewer return.

I went to check out the notice board for quests and whatnot.

1000 dinars will be given to the one who restores Emir Arus Al-Din to the palace of Raseir, by order of the Sultan Harun Al-Rashid.

Harik needs some stuff but I already discovered that myself at the apothecary.

Keapon needs the whirling part of a Dervish for a Spell of Great Power, so I needed to go inquire about that.

“The Way of the Paladin: To seek. To learn. To do.” - Paladin is a class to pursue but not necessarily something I’ll be doing as a wizard? I don’t know; we’ll see what happens. I kind of just want to be a pure wizard though.

And there’s a general note that services to the city and land of Shapeir will be rewarded. By order of the Sultan.

I spoke to the lady next, Uhura. She trains warriors. She’s working at the guild until her baby, Simba, is old enough for them to travel back to their homeland. She likes Rakeesh whom she thinks is a kind, wise and strong warrior, though his leg had been once been broken and never healed right. You can practice with her to get your combat skills up. I did one bout until my stamina ran out. Magic is more my thing, but you know, MP runs out. Nice to have a spot that won’t kill me to get a bit more strength and weapon skill.

I did wipe out my stamina though, so I returned to the inn to sleep for an hour before continuing my explorations and returning to ask Keapon about the Dervish. The ability to just go sleep and recover your stamina is glorious.

Of course returning to the inn meant more advertising from Alichica.



Keapon wants the whirl of a Dervish and will pay 1500 centimes, or 15 dinars, for it. The Dervish is at an oasis somewhere south and a bit east of Shapeir.



Then I wanted to go visit Aziza and got some directions from Alichica. I was still confused half the time between his directions and the map, but I fumbled my way there.

At her door I had to answer some questions then a riddle.



“My first is the first,
My second the last,
Next comes Myself,
Then back to the end,
And beginning again.
Who am I?”

A riddle of which the last question is all you really need if you already know her name. But I suppose if you didn’t learn of her before finding her place this is another way to figure out her name. That said the first time I saw this in the let’s play I was puzzled too. I thought it’d be a word and was something along the lines of the LOVE riddle in King’s Quest VI. But nope just her name.

So with “Aziza” stated, I entered.



She invited me to sit and have some tea and we had some discussions. Info time!

She mainly works with water magic, “that of knowledge and true seeing.” She can reflect magic back to the casters. Noted there is much magic in the land, some very dark.

The city is built around a magic fountain, and protected by mountains and the desert, has only known peace prosperity. UNTIL NOW.

Once again learned that things are bad in Raseir, that had once been like a twin to Shapeir. There’s a darkness over the city she can’t see through with her magic. She reiterated on the missing Emir and having been overthrown by his brother.

If I want to the find the Wizard’s Institute of Technocery, I have to use magic.

And finally I asked her about Elementals and got treated to a neat little show with my explanation.



Elementals are made from magic shaping elements into beings like living creatures. Elementals are very powerful and destructive and but can be weakened by their opposing element, though not destroyed. But, when they’re weakened they can be captured and their powers turned to helpful uses. Good to know!

I will no doubt be back with more questions but I said farewell for now. And examined her shelves a bunch. She had lots of stuff to look at.

Lots of jokes.



I just think she’s kinda neat, and I will no doubt be back, but for now I had more city to explore.

With Detect Magic I got shiny arrows to direct me to the Wizard’s Institute of Technocery which made finding it much easier than anything else in this city.



It led me to a seeming dead-end until casting again to reveal the door. Then Open spell to open it of course.



Portraits! We’ve got Aziza and someone I’m not sure of on one side and on the other: Genesta! from KQIV, Erasmus and I’m pretty sure that’s Zara from the first game, the one who owned Spielburg’s magic shop.

Voices reached out to me to ask who I was and what I wanted. My name is Cinder Win and I wanna be a pirate wizard! But I needed a sponsor and had the choice of who to request, and I’m kicking myself because of course I leapt on Erasmus as the funny choice, but he is the right choice, so I didn’t get to see the responses of any of the others and I forgot to save before entering. So, I’ll maybe have to load an older file at some point.

They were surprised I’d request such a… “whimsical Wizard” because they apparently have no taste. They don’t appreciate his jokes or his ‘levity’, hmph.

Anyway, he was totally on board with taking me in. I would need to pass a pre-test and then the main test.

First the pre-test. I needed to pick the correct object and move it to a stand then cause it to ring with only three spells.

Simple! Detect Magic to find the right bell, Fetch to move it and Trigger to ring it. Which resulted in a celebratory brief little firework style display showing Erasmus and Fenrus’ names before Erasmus himself. Glorious.





See? Erasmus is the best choice!

Then I was ready for the WIT’s trial of Initiation which would test my skills under time-critical and life-threatening situations.



It’s a pretty area! A spinny blade thing appeared! I promptly fell off the bridge! And got booted back out into the street to try again when I’ve perhaps practiced more.

I was actually glad to end things there though because it was getting late in the day. I will go back another day earlier in the day. I mainly had just wanted to get it on my map.

Before I went back to the inn I went to see the sauruses and met Ali Fakir….

And I’m just… gonna let some screenshots speak for themselves with this man.







Yes I groaned appreciatively at “The Saurus”.

I bargained for one and got a green fellow who licked my face in greeting.



Cutie…

But I was most definitely not ready to head into the desert when night was about to fall at any moment. In fact as soon as I entered town again it was night.

So, it was inn time to see Shema’s dance…





And I guess I was too late to get dinner…

But I wasn’t too late to get some spell practice in, not save part way, get spotted by a guard and get arrested again! I had saved right before but had do all my practicing again. One of these nights I’ll practice without getting caught.

Then it was bed time. Day 2 in Shapeir complete. Day 3 here we come.

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-03
Score: 217 / 300
🟦🟦🟦 🟪 = 85 | P | Lost Odyssey
🟪🟥🟦 🟩 = 61 | R | The Binding of Isaac
🟩🟦🟦 🟦 = 71 | S | A Little To The Left

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

August 2024 Update

I almost forgot to do this. I meant to lump this and the weekly together since the timing was right, but oh well. I don’t have a lot to update for this month, but I’m glad we’re heading into fall!

--

New/Added Games:
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak (Steam)
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure (Switch)

--

Everything played throughout the month
Even games that I only dabbled in for a session or just a few minutes

Final Fantasy VI
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
Sea of Stars

Games Finished:
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure (Switch): Aug 10 – 17, 7:54

--

2024 Started but Unfinished Collection
Number of Games: 20

--

Moved to Paused
Star Ocean Second Story R
Metroid Zero Mission
Final Fantasy IV PR
The Legend of Zelda

--

The Adventurer’s Log Progress
Working my through Quest for Glory II!

--

Currently Playing
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Sea of Stars
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
Final Fantasy VI

Everything except Quest for Glory is a replay in some capacity, oops. TTYD is a remake but I’ve played the original and it’s not like it’s a different game.

--

Highlights of the Month

Hmm, it was a slow month and I’m just kind of slowly trickling through things. I enjoyed Arranger but I’m not feeling highlight status. Honestly, I’m feeling super in Sea of Stars again, so even though it came in at the tail end of the month, I guess that. Replays are fun for catching things you missed the first time or didn’t carry the same meaning since you don’t know yet what’s coming.

--

Backlog: 159
Paused: 46
Retired: 11
2024 Completions: 20

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-02
Score: 220 / 300
🟦🟪🟦 🟩 = 80 | R | God of War
🟦🟦🟦 🟦 = 76 | P | Pokémon Black and White 2
🟩🟩🟩 🟪 = 64 | S | FAR: Lone Sails

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Damn on FAR. I seem to recall it taking me around 4 hours but either I'm misremembering or was slow...

I just completed Sea of Stars myself for the first time and absolutely loved it. The artful gambit achievement is also the only one I'm missing but I have no plans to go back to it. The DLC trailer looked cool but I played through game pass and my subscription will run out before it's released :(

Bwah. Maybe you'll be able to do another subscription sometime in the future. I had a couple months last years and tried to be careful about choosing what to play to avoid the wishing I owned instead situation but still didn't quite work since I got impatient and used it to play Dordogne which I just want to have at some point.

I might not have bothered with this final achievement. I'm not an achievement hunter, but when it's only ONE left it's hard to resist. Also, the rainbow conchs are replaced by alumni tokens and they most likely won't ever do anything, but I'm plagued by WHAT IF they do some little thing in the DLC. Probably not! But WHAT IF?

A replay was gonna happen anyway, but I probably wouldn't have done NG+. I'm not really a big fan of NG+ in games unless there's good content reasons for it like the other endings in Chrono Trigger for example. Although the Artful Gambit is proving a bit more fun than I anticipated for now.

Weekly Game Aug 25 – Aug 31
So this week had the Indie World and Partner Direct combined. My highlights:

Neva release date! I’ve been looking forward to Neva for a while now…even if I won’t be getting it at release necessarily

Sea of Stars DLC trailer! I’m very excited and curious about Throes of the Watchmaker. Spring next year…

Maybe Coffee Talk Tokyo? I have the first Coffee Talk but haven’t played it yet, so that’s a see how I feel about the one I have first

Dragon Quest III HD-2D. Just another trailer but looking forward to it!

Tales of Graces F remaster. We had it on PS3 but never finished it before the PS3 kicked the bucket, so this can be another chance.
And most importantly of all yet relegated to like 10 seconds of sizzle reel in the English direct:

Trails in the Sky Remake!!! I was told before I saw it and excited but wary because I love the look of Sky and Crossbell so, so much and while I like the environments of Cold Steel, I’ve always been meh on the models. But then I saw it and it’s cel shaded (I think?) and looks really nice and just feels better for Sky. Some good vibes. So, I’m definitely looking forward that. I’ve played FC and SC four times each so seeing them in a new light will be cool. I assume SC will come along after given… It kind of has to. It’s all one long story between the two games. It’s also so far only announced for Switch, but I assume it will come at least in time to PlayStation. Hopefully PC too as that’s where all my Trails are. And screencap sharing in the moment is awful on Switch.

--

New/Added Games:
Nothing

--

Started:
Sea of Stars…
Look, I’ve been meaning to do NG+ to get my single missing achievement for using artful gambit with 10 bosses. And I’ve been wanting to play it again anyway. A friend started it for the first time and got me all in the mood for it, so here I am.

--

Finished:
Nothing

--

Currently Playing

The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Switch)
Sea of Stars (PC, Steam)

Daily
Sunday: Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, Paper Mario: TTYD
Monday: Paper Mario: TTYD
Tuesday:Nothing
Wednesday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Thursday: Sea of Stars
Friday: Paper Mario: TTYD
Saturday: Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, Lunar SSSC, Sea of Stars

--

Progress:

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door


I’ve finished chapter 1 on Mario’s end and did the Bowser and Peach stuff. The map shows where you’re missing star pieces and shine sprites though and I’m missing a star piece at Hooktail’s Castle. I wouldn’t normally care but getting them all opens art and music now! I need that! So, before returning to Rogueport I guess I'll be doing another search.

--

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete


We’ve been through the Frontier and all its doom and gloom. Met monsters, learned how shitty they have things too. Met up with Phacia and got some info from her. Got Nash back after his betrayal. I guess that’s... something. Nash is just so unlikeable and his betrayal feels so pointless. Nothing comes of it either way! Just argh why. Would rather he have stayed a villain honestly.

But Ghaleon got the Grindery going so giant moving castle tank castle is on the move. And we’re ready to take our airship after it and whatever comes next. Probably some more town rounds in there.

--

Sea of Stars


I’m doing NG+ so I have all my levels, skills, relics, equipment etc. The last achievement I need is to beat 10 bosses with the Artful Gambit relic equipped which reduces your HP by 95%, makes enemies invincible while casting, timed blocks reduce damage to 1 and timed hits do a x2 bonus damage. So, definitely harder! And while I’m overpowered in terms of doing damage at this point I’ve already had characters KO-ed a couple times. I’ve been leaving it on even for regular encounters but I doubt I will later.

I do love reading dialogue again under the new light of knowing what’s coming! “Oh!” moments and fuel for theories. Sad thoughts… Just feelings! Replays are great.

As for progress I’ve made it to Brisk! Gotta explore this big town then go meet up with the pirates. I love the pirate band. They’re so fun.

-

Backlog: 159

Just one for me. Arranger: A Role-playing Puzzle Adventure. It was fun and charming and kept the central mechanic from getting stale. I think I slightly overhyped it for myself, but that's on me.

Pretty good month for me

8/10 Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii): 53:58 7/10
8/11 The Forgotten City (PC-Steam): 5:42 7/10
8/12 Severed Steel (PC-Epic): 2:46 8/10
8/13 Barbie: Dreamhouse Party (Wii): 0:58 5/10 - WORST
8/13 Black Widow: Recharged (PC-Epic): 2:42 6/10
8/14 Centipede: Recharged (PC-Epic): 2:19 6/10
8/20 Dead Space 2 (PS3): 9:16 8/10 - BEST
8/26 Dead Space 3 (PS3): 11:18 7/10

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn was a massive disappointment for me. I think it did a bad job following up Path of Radiance's story and I wasn't a fan of the game being split-up into parts. This game was also significantly harder than the previous, purely due to how dogshit the Dawn Brigade is. I don't think there's been a weaker mc than Micaiah, and the Jagen Sothe sucks too. I'm still a fan of the gameplay because I like Fire Emblem, but this is almost my least favorite (it's lucky FE Fates: Conquest has such a terrible story).

Dead Space 2 was a great sequel to Dead Space. I loved the improvements to the gameplay and the side characters. It's hard for me to say whether this or the first game are my favorite in the series.

I can't say the same for Dead Space 3. This is not a Dead Space game, it's a generic Sci-Fi shooter. The tone is nothing like the previous games to the point where it isn't even a horror game. The side characters are awful, especially Nolan and Carver. I wasn't a fan of how crafting replaced the store system since it just leads to having too much ammo and health. Every shot mattered in the first two games, I can waste 70% of my ammo in this game and be fine. The redesigns for the necromorphs suck too. The first two games really made you feel like you were fighting twisted and corrupted corpses, but they just feel like generic aliens in this one. The game feels fine to play, just nothing special like the first two.

For a second I took as Path of Radiance and was like 'What do you mean massive disappointment??' Then I saw it was Radiant Dawn and yeah. Yeah. I could rant for a while about that one both mechanically and in story.

Daily Challenge - 2024-09-01
Score: 201 / 300
🟪🟩🟦 🟦 = 81 | R | Spelunky
⬛🟪🟦 🟥 = 47 | P | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition
🟦🟦🟩 🟦 = 73 | S | Tales of Arise

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-08-31
Score: 193 / 300
🟦🟩🟩 🟦 = 67 | P | Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
⬛🟥🟪 🟦 = 46 | R | Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
🟦🟦🟦 🟦 = 80 | S | Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-08-29
Score: 232 / 300
🟪🟪🟦 🟦 = 87 | Penumbra: Black Plague
🟦🟦🟩 🟦 = 65 | P | Batman: Arkham Knight
🟦🟦🟪 🟩 = 80 | R | The Talos Principle II

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2024-08-28
Score: 161 / 300
🟪🟦🟦 🟦 = 79 | R | Metroid II: Return of Samus
🟦🟩🟦 🟦 = 71 | P | The Last of Us Remastered
⬛⬛⬛ 🟩 = 11 | S | Bright Memory

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Yay, I'm happy Cat Quest turned out to be a good rec overall!

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky remake! A 3D remake and finally the first arc of this series will be available consoles! Worldwide release for 2025

https://www.rpgsite.net/news/16224-the-legend-heroes-trails-in-sky-1st-launches-worldwide-in-2025

Daily Challenge - 2024-08-27
Score: 199 / 300
🟦🟪🟦 🟦 = 82 | R | Tomb Raider: Anniversary
🟦🟩🟩 🟩 = 58 | S | Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
🟧🟩🟦 🟦 = 59 | P | Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Quest For Glory II: Trial by Fire | Part 1
The Adventurer's Log

Release Date: 1990

Here we go! Spielburg was saved and Cinder Win was whisked off to Shapeir, the homeland of the Kattas--Shema and Shameen--and Abdulla Doo. Like the first game, I've watched this game played so overall it won't be a blind play, however the wizard-specific parts and puzzle solutions will be mostly new to me.

The intro opened with a djinn watching our crew riding Abdulla's magic carpet...


And he laughed at me. Rude. At the end of the first game there was a dragon. Hints at more to come? Just cool stuff?

After some swooping around and credits we landed in Shapeir where it was time to look the part of a desert hero because the previous outfit just wouldn't do according to Shema.



New game, new kingdom, new outfit! A hero should look the part!

With the intro complete it was time to get started with character creation or character import. Thankfully, importing your character is a very smooth easy experience at now. I suspect less so originally. You can rename your character, but Cinder Win is eternal.

We opened in the Katta's Tail Inn, chatting with Abdulla. The inn was only just set up but has become the centre of Shapeir's entertainment. "Where else can you watch Shema dance?"



This'll be my base. Free food and room! No more sleeping in the flowers for old Cinder.

And I got a bit of bad news hinting at the main plot point to come.



The Emir of Raseir, Arus Al-Din has gone missing...

I asked about the Emir. He said Arus 'was the kindest of men, quick to hug you and call you brother" but not very brave. Aw.

I also asked Abdulla about Shapeir to which he said the land of Shapeir may be plagued by Elementals and Djinns but would always stand as long as there are heroes. Like me!

And I asked about money and found out I'd need to find the money changer.

I checked out my character sheet and new portrait! Look at Cinder being all magic-y!



Ah yes the game introduces the communication skill which can be used for things like bargaining. I wonder how the stat is determined on import... That looks like a pretty darn good starting score to me.

Otherwise, it was time to check out Shapeir and enjoy the sights. Which means it was time to talk to everyone and look at all the things before setting out to explore and getting lost.

I asked Shameen about the Emir and the city of Raseir. Those who were driven from Raseir spoke highly of the Emir, but of his brother Ali Hasan (Sierra really really likes using the name Ali in Arab themed places...), they merely spit. Raseir was a city much like Shapeir "a mirror". Now it's said it's foreshadowing of what's to come.

Then I exited out into the plaza! And was immediately thrown sales pitches.



Map! Compass! Souvenirs!

I can't buy anything until I convert my money. I asked Alichica for directions to the money changer... he gave me directions. So many directions. Spoiler alert: they didn't help, though that was more my fault.

I went down first which is the city exit. There are riding-sauruses! Sauruses to ride! But the seller won't be here until tomorrow.



I went back up into the many alleyways of the city. So many...



I want that map.

I got very lost and confused. I lost track of my directions immediately so Alichica's were not helpful. After a lot of wandering hopelessly I stumbled out into another plaza though, the fountain plaza.



Baskets, lamps aaand magic shop!



The magic shop is owned by Keapon Laffin who is a gnome, so he is quite the character full of ridiculous wordplay, rhymes and puns down to his name as seems to be the gnomish way in QFG. I approve. He's great.

He has spells to sell but some of them I already have. The ones I need to get are Force Bolt and Levitate. He sells Erasmus' Razzle Dazzle, so if I had given up on Erasmus' game at least I could have gotten it here. I'm glad I didn't give up, but nice to know anyway.

I asked him about magic and learned of Aziza who lives off the east end of Shmali Tarik... if I can find that... And he talked about WIT -- the Wizard's Institute of Technocery. I learned of that in the first game, and now it's somewhere here in Shapeir. I'll need magic to find it.

There were plenty of silly things to examine. And a Rosella puppet!


(She was sort of being made into a puppet for Lolotte...)

With the map in the game manual I attempted to find my way to the money changer again... I still got confused and ended up going in a circle and landed back here at the fountain plaza. The map in relation to the game corridors is confusing! And I'm not very good at directions! And aaaa!

It took a few tries, but I made it! I looked up an image of the in-game map I don't have yet and found it a bit easier to follow.



I met Dinarzad (what a name... I'm guessing a play off of Scheherazade?). There was also her guard, Franc, full of money puns.




Clap clap clap. He's certainly not gonna Buck the pun trend in this game.

I had a 172 gold. I got 113 dinars in return... because of her fees. I got curious and looked that up which I don't want to do too much, but again, curiosity and I'd rather have fewer money woes this time around. Her rate is based on much you give at a time and is apparently best to do 50. So I tried that and ended up with 154 dinars by the end. Yay!

Then I made my way back to the fountain plaza which I discovered seems to be split into two screens? I was very confused for a moment. The second half has food sellers--Scoree and Sloree--named after Corey and Lori Ann Cole, the creators of Quest for Glory. There was also the apothecary. I avoided it all for the moment to keep going onward to the starting plaza because I wanted that map before anything else.

I successfully bargained for the map and compass bringing each down from one dinar to 50 centimes! Half-off!

Map and compass!



The really nice thing about the map is once you've found a location you can just click to go it automatically.

I went back to Keapon Laffin and bought my two spells. Bargained successfully there too knocking 10 dinars off each!

While I was there I remembered to try asking him about Erasmus and happily got an actual answer.



Fenrus too!

And I asked about Katta for an unsurprising pun.



I bought a brass lamp in the fountain plaza. I'm sure I'll want it at some point.

"The shiny brass lamp is engraved on the bottom: 'Aladdin Lamp Co.'"

Evening fell so I went back to the inn to eat.



I went back outside to practice some magic. I was successful for a time until a guard came and told me off for casting in town. He warned me. I thought he was gone, and tried again, or maybe I was hooped regardless after that initial warning, but I got arrested and a game over... And I forgot to save beforehand so I had to buy my lamp and eat again. Oops!

I tried dipping my toes into the desert and fired off a few force bolts and a fire bolt, but then a pack of jackalmen showed up... I ran and fled back to town. It also wouldn't let me use levitate out there.



Turns out run isn't the command to use here. It's escape. So I had a bit of a panicky moment thinking I couldn't run away at all.



It is pretty at night though. Look at that sky!

But this screen right outside town wouldn't let me use my spells at all. So, I took the risk and back to practicing carefully back in town until I ran out of MP.


Levitate!

I realized I didn't talk to Shameen all that much before so I did again. It turns out when the katta had been driven from Raseir, the Sultan here welcomed them in here. Raseir is just in a bad way.

Then while the night was young, I still decided to get Cinder to bed.



A productive first day for getting stuff. And I even managed to already flee from something.

Onward to Day 2 next time. I'd like to find Aziza and the Adventurer's Guild. Actually enter the apothecary. Maybe get a saurus? Generally explore more and gather more information. I want to get my map filled in with as many locations as possible. The less I have to wander those street corridors the better...