[blog] Siver's Backlogging Adventures

There’s a special kind of fear that King’s Quest games give stairs. I haven’t played either of them but the implications of that screenshot are almost terrifying.

I’ve been browsing through GBA games and saw that there are other versions of Final Fantasy games, including IV. I have the PS versions but I’m a little curious about the others.

The stairs in the first four game are terrifying! Actually that area in the original first KQ is just straight down and easy enough--brought back in III. But the SCI version and this fan remake have that...mess.

I have FF V and VI on GBA. They add some extra content--new jobs for V and I think a dungeon but I can't remember and nothing very exciting in VI's case in my opinion (extra dungeon I've never bothered with and more espers). I would assume IV does as well, but I couldn't say for sure.

Quest For Glory 1: So You Want to Be a Hero | Part 3
The Adventurer's Log

Onward and questward! Or something.

Things started off with a bang, by which I mean I was chewed on, stabbed, killed at least 3 times as I stubbornly tried to make it to Erana's peace with low health to sleep there for the night instead of in town. I wanted to be ready to explore!

I also needed to still get the calm spell again so it was two birds with one stone or would have been if I remembered that I didn't have Open yet after the prior money woes. Cinder Win is a bumbling hero; I'm going to just accept this fact (it's me, I'm the bumbling hero). Anyway, I made it eventually with a lot of casting flame dart for practice and run run running when that would lead to a fight. Stumbled on in with 5HP and passed the heck out.

It's the wizardly way right? Cast spells and run like hell.

I'm having a lot of gaps here both in posting and in even playing, so for the sake of you dear reader and for my own sake I'm going to list some goals here and try to get back on track:

Get Open spell!
Get money for said Open - needed 23 more silver
Go back for Calm spell with Open
Deal with that kobold and chained bear - want Open and Calm spells
Find Erasmus the wizard
Find Baba Yaga's hut
Collect green fur and fairy dust: my two missing ingredients for the Dispel Potion

I decided to go try to find Erasmus first and maybe I'd find some money on the way. Thankfully, I have kept some notes and had been told he's somewhere eastward of town. Going back to town instead of running to Erana's Peace to rest would have been the more convenient option, but I just had to play the hand I dealt myself.

I got off to a great start in not realizing that my save was before I rested rendering my previous statement of passing the hell out a lie. So I ran off!


I prepped to run that is.

I ran into a saurus. I could fight a saurus maybe! I only had 5 health and died pretty much immediately.

SO FIRST.

I slept.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/447f24863e22dbbfeb4ed69f49e50100/f5234d141cec37fb-34/s1280x1920/03d6313f84937502de5dad8b81037aafa322fc54.jpg
For real this time.

THEN I set off.

I ran into a bandit. I got him with a couple flame darts before the battle started which got him wounded.



It was hopeful!

I died.

I beat a goblin and got 8 silver! Slowly, ever so slowly, the competence grows.

I stopped by the stable to work too which got me up to 20 silver. There were only 10 more to go.

And I beat a saurus! I'm actually starting to win fights.

After some wandering and dead ends including a place blocked off by the remnants of an avalanche I found Erasmus' Tower.



I was greeted by signs that said different things such as:

"Welcome to Magic Mountain!" and "Trespassers Will Be Toad."

Are any other 'go away' signs really needed with that one?

At the top a gargoyle guarded the entry and I had to answer some questions to be allowed in.



I flubbed the first time because he asked about the baron's name and for some reason that translated to the baron's son in my brain. I read too fast or something. I didn't remember the baron's name anyway, so either way I was hooped there. He teleported me back to the sign area, so no big deal really, except for my poor stamina that was really getting drained by that climb.



Of course it was time to examine all the things.




King's Quest! Rosella!

I tried entering to the right and got warped away. Forbidden room.

So, I behaved and went upstairs to meet the wizard himself.



And his familiar(?) Fenrus. He invited me to play a game as a wizard...

Except there was a wee little caveat...



Way to rub it in!

I asked him about a few things and got some info and scolded for asking about too many boring things. But as for the info:

Baba Yaga is good at curses and shape changing spells. She has a nasty temper.

The brigands have a supposed warlock but he thinks he's more nincompoop than necromancer. He laughs too much when casting.

In order to be a wizard you need to have undergone initiation at the Wizard's Institute of Technocery in the South. Or WIT.

He also told me a couple jokes. Such as:

"Do you know what you get when a Tyrannosaurus running eastward meets a Tyrannosaurus running westward?

Tyrannosaurus wrecks!"

Har har. He has several jokes. They're bad. I love them.

I badgered him with too many boring questions and he teleported me back.

I didn't exactly have much else to do there anyway, so I took that quick trip back and carried on my merry way.

I made my way back to the town gates and ran into Bruno who had information for money. I paid him and learned Baba Yaga is due west of the castle and if I paid him two gold he'd tell me how to get into her hut. Not money I had!



So I figured I'd get back to exploring. I thought I'd cast a Zap on my weapon, you know, prepare. I cast it in front of him... Big mistake...



I went exploring and did some panicky running from monsters which is a problem for mapping because I found the entryway to the brigand's lair...


And not touching that.

I ran and found Baba Yaga's area but where I couldn't say!



I could chat with the big skull on the gate, the gate opener. He's a bitter fellow because all the other skulls get glowing eyes and he doesn't.


He'll let me in if I can get him a glowing gem.

Night was approaching and I was going to sleep at the inn after eating there, but it would cost 5 silver! I'm struggling with money as is! So I booked it to Erana's Peace again.

I still needed to find green fur and fairy dust for the potion. I also could sell the healer cheetuar claws (not happening), troll beard (not happening) or magic mushrooms--could happen! So, it was time to explore more was my initial thought.

Until I stepped outside Erana's Peace into a brigand and managed to defeat him and he was carrying a whopping 21 silver. That brought me up to 38 and I was back in business! Open Spell and things I need it for here I come. And 9 more from a goblin! Competence! And burning through MP.

I bought back my Open Spell at last. I ran back to Erana's Peace to get the Calm spell back at last. I wasn't in the best shape, but progress!




I figured I'd find my way back to Erasmus. I want to tackle the kobold and the bear when I'm in better shape, especially MP-wise. I want the calm spell for the ogre and the bear, and open for the chest, and flame dart for the kobold? That's a lot of casting. That's a start-fresh- in a new day sort of task.

I made my way back to Erasmus and he asked if I had several spells which I did until he got to Trigger which I don't. He told me Henry the Hermit has it and is located at the Flying Falls to the south. He also informed me he set up a bunch of spells there for Henry that would then be set off by trigger, so in a way he could cast lots of spells.

I also asked him about a few more things like the curse on the baron from Baba Yaga which can be counter cursed.

For now, I guess it was off to the hermit. I've found that area before I had to find it again.

I had an oddly peaceful trip there.



Then I got stuck. I could open the door with the spell but there was no way up. I got some magic skill up in trying to cast anything I could but no other progress, so I decided to go back to exploring. Maybe I'm missing something.

I found mushrooms!



I ate one because of course. Surprisingly it doesn't kill you.



I just got a bit high... though I realized maybe I could have eaten more...


Yep, there it was. Of course you can die eating them.

Nearby I found these fellows popping in and out of ground.



Meeps!

I tried talking to them which got them chattering underground until the green popped back up willing to talk.

I asked for some fur and he obliged! And tossed out a scroll while he was at it.



The scroll was Detect Magic! Maybe that'll help with the hermit.

It did! Detect Magic briefly revealed a ladder up the cliff which I was able to climb. I knocked and the door opening knocked me off. It took me a few tries to get out of the way in time... But once I got it, Henry let me in.



We had a bit of a chat and I asked about Trigger scroll which he was willing to give me. My spell arsenal grows!

He also let me sleep there in exchange for rations and playing a game of cribbage. Unfortunately it wasn't very good sleep, so I was still in poor shape for HP and my MP was only partially recovered. Slightly regret that but night was falling, so...

Ah well, I went back to the healer to sell my mushrooms and give her the green fur. All I needed left for the dispel potion was the fairy dust.

In the meantime hopefully I have all the spells Erasmus wants. So, heading back to him, AGAIN, is the first goal for next time.

Weekly Game July 21 – July 27

It got cooler earlier this week thankfully, but still be pretty bleh. I’m sick of summer and BC and Alberta burning every year. I only got a bit of gaming but I did manage to get back Quest for Glory and another post up (just above). It’s been so broken up :s.

Also, Arranger came out this week, but I haven’t gotten it yet. Soon!

I found out that the fan remake of King’s Quest 1 that I played last week had its first big update in over a decade and is in beta available to download. A DAY AFTER. OVER A DECADE. The timing was absolutely incredible and I’m still laughing at it. It sounds like they’re planning this for 2 and 3 so I’m probably just gonna hold off a while on 2. It’s very cool of them to still be coming back to these to make sure they work on more modern systems among other updates. Fan dedication is incredible <3.

My birthday is coming up on Saturday so that may lead to a new game or two.

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New/Added Games:
Counterfeit Monkey
Free text adventure with fun looking word play and manipulation. A friend brought it our friend group’s attention and I’m definitely curious.

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Started:
Nada

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Finished:
Siiiigh

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Currently Playing

The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Quest for Glory 1: So You Want to Be a Hero (GOG, PC) (For the Adventurer’s Log)
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Star Ocean Second Story R (Switch)
Final Fantasy IV (Switch)

Daily
Sunday: Nothing
Monday: The Legend of Zelda
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Final Fantasy VI PR
Saturday: Quest for Glory, Final Fantasy VI PR

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Progress:

Final Fantasy VI


I returned to Figaro and got the scene for Edgar and Sabin before tunneling off to Kohlingen on the chase for Terra. From there it was Jidoor and learning of Zozo and then onto Zozo, my favourite place… not. It wasn’t too bad this time, but it’s always vaguely annoying. I did turn the boss into an imp though which was funny. And thankfully I never have to work out the clock code because I've had it memorized for years after seeing it noted in the instruction manual courtesy of dad. 6:10:50 gimme a chainsaw.

I learned about Terra, met Ramuh and got my first magicite. Current party is now Celes, Locke, Edgar and Sabin. I went back to Kohlingen to get the scene for Locke and Rachel. Then it was back to Jidoor to try to find a way to the Empire.

Which meant… Opera time! Never gets old. I got Setzer’s attention and a ride on his airship and after exploring Albrook, Maranda and Tzen I’m now in Vector and part way through the Magitek Facility. I just got Shiva and Ifrit.

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The Legend of Zelda


I only played a bit, but I got another heart container in what I thought was a dungeon. So, I could have gotten that a little earlier. There was a choice between the heart or a potion. I don’t know what the potion would have done. I also don’t know where the next dungeon will be. I still gotta get around to buying meat too. I keep forgetting or not having my map handy.

--

Backlog: 160

Quest For Glory 1: So You Want to Be a Hero | Part 4
The Adventurer's Log

Okay! It was back to Erasmus' place, now with hopefully all of the spells he wants me to have. I still wanted to tackle the bear and kobold situation but sleeping at Henry's didn't fully restore me. I had healing potions, but no magic potions and they're all expensive for my poor wallet. And I'm stingy with items.

SO, Erasmus, along with a quick stop to do stable work for more money.

I went the wrong way but to my benefit! I ran into a frost giant who wanted to fight or bargain. Obviously I was not going to fight and opted to bargain. He wanted fruit, lots of fruit, in return for a shiny gem. Aha! Gem for the skull!



So, I detoured from Erasmus to go back to town to buy more apples. I had ten at this point. Ten can be bought at a time and I bumped myself up to 60. He took 50. Gem acquired!



I wasn't going back to Baba Yaga yet though. Now it was time for Erasmus for real.

Trigger was the last spell I needed and he offered to play Mage's Maze and if I won I would earn the Dazzle spell.



I took one faintly horrified and not-so-faintly confused look at this and fled to the game manual.

By using spells you need to direct your little critter to the end before your opponent does. Your stubborn little critter with a mind of its own... I ran of out MP anyway, and gave up, so I really needed a proper night's sleep for this too...

I spent the day grinding what bit I could with rests. I just wanted to sleep but it won't let you during the day. I ran around and ended up at Baba Yaga's after all, so I dropped off the gem.



"Yeccchhh! Is that what you look like???" Thanks, bud.

I also stopped by Bruno again and paid him for information about how to enter Baba Yaga's hut... which I could have asked the skull about, it was too late now. Anyway, you need to recite, "Hut of brown, now sit down." Good for later.

I was finally able to rest. A new day! I decided to give the kobold situation a go again since I was already really close at Erana's Peace. It...didn't go well. I was able to get by the ogre outside and the bear inside with a calm spell.



But the kobold kept slaughtering me...

So it was grinding day for magic and money. Which is kind of hard to do when you burn through MP fast and it's slow to regenerate. And you don't have enough money for magic potions.

Stats and spells and money went up a bit anyway!





The stat/spells cap is 100. So Magic is getting there.

I decided to give the kobold cave another go. I failed the first time... But on my second try I decided to try defeating the ogre instead of calming it and was able to do that! He had a chest with a bunch of silver and 1 gold. Money! I went from 58 silver to 101.

Fighting the kobold just wasn't working for me unfortunately, or so I thought, because I wanted the chest in there. However, Fetch worked for snagging his magic key. It took a few tries and each failed attempt woke him up but running to the previous screen and back would put him back to his sleep or trance or whatever.

I used the key on the bear's chain and...




And there's the missing baronet, Barnard.



He was better as a bear... Bring back Bearnard. Bring back Bearnard.

Before I left I wondered if I could cast open on the chest, flee before he zapped me, then come back to grab the money. It worked! The chest is booby trapped and will explode, but casting at a distance worked. The kobold did wake up but leaving and coming back made him sleep again. I just circled around and scooped my riches! I wonder if I could Fetched the money.



And then it was time to get back to the castle to get my reward for saving Barnard.



I got some fanfare.

I met the Baron.



The baron was feeling more hopeful about the curse being lifted now too. He made Barnard show his appreciation as well.



Better as a beaaar.

And if I could solve this bandit problem he'd bestow the title of 'Hero of Spielburg' upon me.

I got to have dinner with them and a good sleep in the castle. Then I was all rested up and refreshed and ready to go the next morning. 61 gold! 161 silver!

...Except my MP. That was still half gone whyyy.

The healer had undead unguent for 100 silver and I knew I'd need that later, so I went to go get that. I also bought a healing potion and 3 magic potions. That all brought me down to 45 gold and 1 silver. Still way richer than I was!

Current goals now:

Mage's Maze with Erasmus... If I must... I wonder if the dazzle spell is worth it...
Visit Baba Yaga
Find fairy dust - I need to visit the magic mushroom ring at night

I think that's it before getting onto the main goal of solving the brigand problems and lifting the curse from the land.

I went do the Mage Maze game... and I succeeded first try this time! Somehow! All my complaining and whining worked! I was elated!



And then disaster. I reloaded a save instead of saving by accident. I was so upset.

It took a couple more tries to win with a reload and instead of just the one magic potion I'd used that first successful try, I kept running out of MP and ended up using ALL THREE. Those weren't cheap... I got Dazzle anyway. Yay... I went to go buy one more magic potion, so I'd at least have one. While sulking.

It was finally time to see Baba Yaga. I had the rhyme--"Hut of brown, now sit down."--to bring her house down...

On my head because if you go under it and use the rhyme, it will obviously sit on you.



I had to do it at least once.

Then I did it properly and entered. All was quiet...



Even friendly!



As soon as I stepped in fully however, Baba Yaga appeared and didn't take kindly to my presence.



She froze me in place then turned me into a frog. With a spell she apparently learned from Erasmus. THANKS Erasmus.



She was ready to cook me up, but gave me a chance in asking my name, to which only attempted croaks could be made. Then asked if I was brave as she had need for a brave fool.



To which I failed to answer in time. The parser wasn't coming up!

And died.



But that's okay since it meant seeing another death.

Once I tried again it was all okay and she explained that she wanted a mandrake plant from the graveyard. It has to be picked at midnight. I agreed and she further stipulated that I had to return with it before the break of the next day. Then she released me and I was briefly a cute little frog outside before she turned me back.



I checked the time and sunset was approaching.

I had another task to do at night and that was get fairy dust, so now was the time to kill two birds with one stone while I had time to kill waiting for midnight. I made my way back to the mushroom ring and fought a couple things along the way. I didn't have long before night fell.

The fairies were there. They wanted me to dance.



And were very demanding about it. "Dance!" "Dance!" "Dance!" So Cinder danced. And danced.



Until I was finally released. I asked for fairy dust and because I danced for them, after a lot of squabbling with each other they agreed and had one of them give some to me.



Then to the graveyard, which was actually quite close by.

And it's scary!



Because of course there's undead. There was a ghost floating around in the screen below too and I don't know if it would have attacked but it was nerve wracking.

There's stronger monsters at night too, so I was hesitant to wander too much but I did have time to kill...

Scary stronger monsters like a cheetaur:



I just ran. Cheetaur claws are something the healer will buy but I was scared!

And after a little nervous pacing around midnight fell and I went into the graveyard. I used the undead unguent and was able to safely pick the mandrake.

I brought it back to Baba Yaga. It was the final ingredient for her grand creation...



Delicious...

And my reward was... to be left alive and released. And more points!

I ran for Erana's Peace to sleep. The town gates are closed at night or I would have just gone to the inn this time. I almost encountered another cheetaur, but I was running.

I also brought the fairy dust to the healer. That was the last ingredient needed for the dispel potion so she set to work on that but it would take some time which left me more time to kill.

Next time I'll maybe pop by the stable for more work. And I'll pop back into town as well. I haven't really done much there lately. I'm waiting for that potion and then I'm ready to figure out how to tackle going after the brigands at last.

July 2024 Update
Another month done. I don’t feel like I have much to say about the month in general so going straight to the game lists.

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New/Added Games:
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie (Steam)
King’s Quest I AGDI remake (free PC download)
Counterfeit Monkey (free PC download)

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

Folder Dungeon
Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Day of the Hamster
Quest for Glory 1: So You Want to Be a Hero
Star Ocean Second Story R
Metroid Zero Mission
Final Fantasy IV PR
Final Fantasy VI PR
Extreme Pinball
King’s Quest I AGDI Remake
The Legend of Zelda

Games Finished:
Folder Dungeon (PC, itch.io) – 12m, July 01
Day of the Hamster (PC, itch.io) – 55m, July 06
King’s Quest AGDI (PC) – July 15 – 20
Quest for Glory I (PC, GOG) – May 25 – July 30

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2024 Started but Unfinished Collection
Number of Games: 17

--

Moved to Paused
Nothing but some games may end up there again soon…

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The Adventurer’s Log Progress
I finally finished Quest for Glory! The last post should go up Saturday. Quest for Glory II is coming! I’ve figured out a better method that’s working well for me so far. We’ll see if it holds up. I’m looking forward to diving into Quest for Glory II.

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Currently Playing
The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Star Ocean Second Story R
With highly variable degrees of actual playing…
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Highlights of the Month

Quest for Glory! It got off a to a very slow start with a lot of gaps until this past week, but once I really got rolling I enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s continuing to be fun to explore these old games I missed and really educate myself on the Sierra side of things.

--

Backlog: 158 - Going up…
Paused: 42 - down for the moment but that won’t last
Retired: 11
2024 Completions: 19

Quest For Glory 1: So You Want to Be a Hero | Part 5
The Adventurer's Log

Finale time!

I was waiting for that Dispel Potion to be finished, so I went back to town. At the bar, there was a crumpled note under one of the stools.



A meeting at noon... and one more thing for me to wait for. B for Bruno and B for...?

I made sure I knew where the archery range was. Then I kept going south which takes you to a lovely lake. Mirror Lake... and uh... there might have been an Easter egg of some sort? Maybe? A reference to something? Just something silly? There was a big snorkel like on a submarine... or something that came zooming up, smashed into the bank and sunk, I guess. I missed a screenshot because I was too startled. I also have my game speed fairly sped up so I didn't have a lot of time to do more than stare in bewilderment.

[Me to Past Me: I've been informed this was a reference to Codename: Iceman, another of Sierra's titles. And it was indeed a submarine. Thanks Such Minutiae!]

The lake in question anyway. It's quite a pretty little area.



After that confusion I was back to puttering and waiting and fighting anything I ran into. I can fight now!

Noon soon arrived and I found their meeting to eavesdrop on.

Brutus and Bruno. They were planning to take out the brigand chief and take over.



But it seems she's been getting suspicious of them. She's been leery thanks to a hero wandering around too. That's me! She thinks he'll go for the gold on her head. And the 'laughing jackass' has been eyeing Brutus. Bruno suggested that to avoid ambush they take the back route in. While she's busy with 'him', they'll take over.

The back door is where the "bouncer hops around". The antwerp! There's a rock with a keyhole you need a key for. I've seen that rock. Several times. They each have a key. I'm just hoping my Open spell will cut it. There's also a word needed to make 'Fred' go away once you're inside and that word is 'Hiden Goseke.' Get it? Get it?

And that was all their information. Bruno left and I tried to talk to Brutus but he just threw a knife at me...

So I left too. And my Dispel Potion was ready!

I decided to spend the rest of the day grinding my spells some more though. I hadn't even tried my Dazzle spell yet after all the maze woes. I'm very reliant on Flame Dart...

I spent the next day doing so as well. I was actually defeating things relatively easily now! Drunk off power. I wanted to get my spell, stats and money a little more boosted for the end game. You can also carry your character over to the next game, so I wanted to be well-prepared. I was going to spend the night and eat dinner at the inn again for a change. I've done most of my sleeping and eating at Erana's Peace. Cinder's been living off of fruit and sleeping in flowers.

That was the plan... I then realized...what if I could handle a cheetaur and troll now? I still needed claws and troll beard to sell to the healer, well not need, but it was a request. I succeeded! On both counts! ...and used up all but one healing potion, but I did it! With the troll I just alternated dazzle to freeze it and flame darts and when I did get into a direct fight, I ran and started the pattern again until it went down. Tuuurns out doing the Mage's Maze for Dazzle was worth it actually. If I had to fight it directly I'm sure I'd have been wizard paste. The battle music is different for these stronger enemies. Nice touch. Makes it scarier. More dramatic.

Then I fled back to Erana's Peace to sleep, but I encountered one of these things on my way and my spells didn't seem to work, so I ran.



And ran. It was fast and persistent but I stumbled into the archery practice area which is a no-monster zone. That was scary. I may have been taking things out, but everything was still scary.



So it was off to Erana's Peace as the town gates are closed at night

I still wanted one more night at the inn before the end though. So I spent another day hanging around, selling my claws and beard to the healer and replenishing my potion stock.



She did give me two healing potions for the troll beard.

...I also had stronger monsters showing up during the day now, as I was nearly ambushed by one of those wretched flappy things. I checked and once you pass 1000XP the stronger monsters can appear during the day. Goody!

I ran into a bigger scarier red saurus!



It was fast! It just kept catching me when I tried to run. I managed a dazzle to freeze it in place and I skeddadled. Grinding monsters just got scarier now...

Finally evening came and I went to the inn and had a meal.



I tried giving Abdulla some money and got some new info too!





Hint hint, game 2, hint hint.

And then, at last, enough messing about. It was time to go after brigands and their leader, and solve this problem once and for all.

I was feeling pretty good about my stats short of the lack of MP. Sleep doesn't do a whole lot of restoration... but I had potions if necessary.

I found the location with the rock. I was able to cast Open to unlock it.



But my Open wasn't strong to move it. Turned out I could just move it physically. Sometimes simplicity is the answer.

I stepped in and got slaughtered by a troll. I forgot to say the 'word'.



You gotta say 'hiden goseke' before entering the cave and then you'll hear something move away.

Then I found the troll's room in the caves, got too close to its gross pile of yuck, and it came back and killed me. I was feeling all triumphant and heroic! Now it's back to ye olde repeated deaths--everything is back to normal.

I went through the caves and ran into a minotaur guard.



A Calm spell settled him down so I could pass, Cast Open on the gate and enter.



I'm sure that rug is perfectly safe. Nothing suspicious here.



GASP. A TRAP? NEVER.

Anyway.

I tried casting Open to see what might happen and it... opened a Jack in the Box, which summoned the bandits. Deady dead.



The right plank drops you into the pit. The left is safe. However, on the other side I tried going up the through the middle and hit a trip wire that dropped an Antwerp on my head to my demise. Again.

I wasn't sure what to do but I tried looking at the trip wire and the message said it could be stepped over. So I typed step over trip wire and it worked. Simplicity. The answer.

Bringing me to the next room.



Then I got stuck. I needed to bar the doors or I'd get surrounded. I could close the door behind me and bar it. I could push the chair in front of the other. But then more would come out of the other doors. I realized I could push the candle over, but the brigands would come out fast, get temporarily stalled then just kill me anyway.

I finally made it through. Push the candle over so the next wave get stopped for a moment. Then get in front of the table and climb it.



Then he'll swing on the rope and knock them down like bowling pins.

The death messages were giving hints like seeing the light, and I knew the candelabra and very conspicuous rope were important, but I just had trouble actually making use of said hints in the right way.

That was irritating but I made it to the next room with Me.



He speaks in many rhymes and puns and general bad wordplay. I love him.

I talked to him and asked him about several things including himself and most importantly Elsa.



His actual name is Yorick and he had been the court jester. When Elsa went missing ten years ago he swore to find her. It took him two years to find her with the brigands and he's been posing as her warlock since. Someone has to protect her. He and Toro (the minotaur) are his only friends. When Elsa was enchanted she lost her memory. He has a Magic Mirror he hoped would work but it only works for spells cast at you--it reflects them. I'd need a Dispel Potion, so it's a good thing I have one of those.

When I tried to move he said Elsa was right next door and he'd go set up the secret exit for me. Then he popped through a flippy exit in the wall.

This room is a maze and it's easy to get dropped into the pit where you'll then be rolled, literally, out the top right door and just keep rolling into the pit and back through the door and into the pit, until you tell it to stop or you die. With a fair amount of trial and error...and much falling I made it to the blue upside down fake door. Opening it causes it to fall on you, but if you step aside in time you can avoid temporary flattening and then get through the real door.

Leading to the bandit leader at last!



There she is! I used the wrong phrasing to use the dispel potion and got killed. Second time was the charm.



She remembered who she was again and Yorick came to fetch her. He also mentioned the magic mirror again if I decided to counter the curser. "So tip the canoe and toodleloo! Elsa if you do the honors I'll honor your due." And she had an amulet to teleport them both out and back to the castle where she promised to make sure I'd be rewarded, tell her father what happened so the brigands could be taken care of and the stolen goods returned.

I had to take my own way out where Yorick came in, but first I searched her desk for two healing potions and the magic mirror. Then I got out of there.

I do kind of wish there'd been more I could do in there with spells. Once you're inside the bandit lair it feels like it doesn't much matter what your class/skills are. Everything seems like it's dealt with the same way.

Anyhoo, it was time for one last task. To break the curse! And so it was time to return to Baba Yaga.

I used the mirror, so when she tried to turn me into frog, she got frogged instead.



She was "hopping mad!"

She cast a spell to warp me out of there then fly away in her house.



Bye-bye Baba Yaga. Those little wings look so silly.

The land is free!

I got moved to the castle for celebrations and my glory!





He looks way too confident for my bumbling Cinder.

But the journey doesn't end there.



It was time to leave and head for Shapeir with the Kattas and Abdulla from the inn, to more adventures! And Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire.

A hero's journey never ends...

My final stats heading into the next game, taken just before I sent Baba Yaga packing as that was my last chance to check. So I'll be a little richer from reward money for saving Elsa.





I earned 489/500 points. Not bad at all for a first time but I do wonder about those missing eleven points...

So ends Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero.

--

Final Thoughts

I had a rough, slow, tangled start both in and out of game, unfortunately, but once I really got rolling I quite enjoyed myself.

It's neat that there are three classes each with different solutions to puzzles. I enjoy being able to ask NPCs all the things. Gimme that dialogue. Give me plenty of things to look at, and barring that, silly messages when there's nothing to see--thank you game. It has goofy puns and jokes which I always appreciate.

The story is pretty simple but kind of sweet with the Elsa situation and Yorick spending all that time looking out for her. I'm a sucker for loyalty, okay. And there are plenty of hints if you talk and ask the right things between Abdullah, the centaur and Erasmus.

It also feels friendlier in some ways than King's Quest. So far anyway. It is possible to hit a dead end but there aren't many ways to do it and aside from missing the magic acorn, the other methods you'd have to deliberately do them.

I'm not a big fan of the combat and I'm glad I played a wizard so I could rely more on spells. I also wish it was easier to rest and pass time, but that's something I know QFG2 fixes.

Overall I had a good time and I'm glad I've finally started this series, much later than I originally intended.

Weekly Game July 28 – Aug 03

I finally finished Quest for Glory 1! And made some Lunar progress. Didn’t really get much else in beyond a tiny bit of Zelda. Added to the backlog. Enjoyed some cooler temperature but it ramped up again this weekend.


--

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

--

Started:
Nothing

--

Finished:
Quest for Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero (PC) May 25 – July 30 (Ugh I was way too slow with that. It’s not a long game).

--

Currently Playing

The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Star Ocean Second Story R (Switch)
Final Fantasy IV (Switch)

Daily
Sunday: Quest for Glory I
Monday: The Legend of Zelda, Quest for Glory I, Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Tuesday: Quest for Glory I, Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Wednesday: Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Nothing

--

Progress:

The Legend of Zelda

I bought some meat. What is it for? I don’t know, but I have it. I don’t know where the next dungeon is. I wound up in mountains with Lynels and died very quickly.

--

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete


Disaster! We rescued Luna and revealed that “Lemia” was actually a ruse and revealed the real Lemia. We sent off the Vile Tribe and Ghaleon wanted to see Quark… so he could be revealed to be the traitorous bastard he is and actually the big bad Magic Emperor. Quark and Luna have both been taken.

Meribia and Vane were attacked, but we saved them though Mel was petrified. Party now consists of Jessica yay!, Mia yay! and Nash… yay… We’re headed south next through the Nanza barrier. But first making our NPC rounds because this game’s NPC dialogue changes as much as Trails.

--

Backlog: 160

It's an old game (Quest for Glory) but something about how the combat looks intimidating. Maybe it's because it looks like it's coming right at you. The pixel art for it is very nice though. And somehow, the more I hear about the first Zelda, I feel like things are going to go very wrong if/when I try it. The Lynels do not help.

It's an old game (Quest for Glory) but something about how the combat looks intimidating. Maybe it's because it looks like it's coming right at you. The pixel art for it is very nice though. And somehow, the more I hear about the first Zelda, I feel like things are going to go very wrong if/when I try it. The Lynels do not help.

As a bit of a series completionist myself, even I am planning on skipping the first two Zelda games and picking Link to the Past as the oldest game in the series I plan on playing. Zelda 2 has bad reviews and Zelda 1 seems like it would be way too obscure and confusing for me to navigate.

It's an old game (Quest for Glory) but something about how the combat looks intimidating. Maybe it's because it looks like it's coming right at you. The pixel art for it is very nice though. And somehow, the more I hear about the first Zelda, I feel like things are going to go very wrong if/when I try it. The Lynels do not help.

It is kind of intimidating, especially when you're a mushy wizard running from everything lol. It's also janky. But! Being a mushy wizard made it it easier to avoid some of the jank so.

So many lynels in one region of the map ;;.

As a bit of a series completionist myself, even I am planning on skipping the first two Zelda games and picking Link to the Past as the oldest game in the series I plan on playing. Zelda 2 has bad reviews and Zelda 1 seems like it would be way too obscure and confusing for me to navigate.

This was actually a surprise for me… while no game has perfect reviews, I didn’t think there was a Zelda entry that many retired.

Weekly Game Aug 04 – Aug 10

Another slow week but a little progress here and there and the start of a new game.

Oh there was a new trailer for Echoes of Wisdom though! I’m definitely excited for that game; it looks so fun. And, the possibilities for gremlin Zelda are definitely there… And horses! It just looks so cute and charming.

--

New/Added Games:
Nothing

--

Started:
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

--

Finished:
Nothing

--

Currently Playing

The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Final Fantasy IV (Switch)
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure (Switch)

Daily
Sunday: Final Fantasy VI PR
Monday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Arranger

--

Progress:

Final Fantasy VI


I finished off the Magitek Facility. I got Terra back. I got Mog and all but one of his dances since the snow one can’t be gotten until later.
Popped by the Auction house to get those magicite there and saw Talkabo for the first time?? A friend told me about it after getting it herself, and I have no idea how I’ve never seen this before. I’m sure I’ve gone in the first half of the game before.



I’ve done the Sealed Gate. I’m parked at Vector after my poor airship crashed. Time to go be lied to!

--

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete


We got Kyle in the party, yaaay. And did the town rounds again for any dialogue he added. We’re finally ready to head off back to the actual plot. Southward of Nanza to go find the red dragon we go.

--

Arranger


I wanted to start it earlier but I had so little energy this past week, but I snuck it in at the end! I’ve already played the first part because of the demo, so that part was a replay, but now I’m into new territory. I’ve met Shrub and helped shear his…muses… critters… and he guided me onward. I’m off to find my way to Merritton! I’m having a good time. It’s fun and the art is lovely, especially the background comic-book-like panels.

--

Backlog: 160

Weekly Game Aug 11 – Aug 17

I have not had much to say by way of intros. I didn’t get to starting Quest for Glory II like I’d hoped, but I did get a finish in. I’ll probably start the remaster? Remake? Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door soon. It’s getting to be a long time since I played the original.

--

New/Added Games:
Nothing

--

Started:
Nothing

--

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

Arranger was fun and managed to keep things interesting throughout with the central mechanic. Writing/story was maybe a bit heavy-handed and on the nose, but it still had its charms and was a nice time. Lovely art too.

--

Currently Playing

The Legend of Zelda (NES, NSO)
Lunar Silver Star Story Completion (PSX)
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PC, Steam)
Final Fantasy IV (Switch)

Daily
Sunday: Arranger, Final Fantasy VI
Monday: Nothing
Tuesday: Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Saturday: Arranger

--

Progress:

Final Fantasy VI


I did the banquet and got top prizes. Lying liar Gestahl but lots of loot! I’ve got Terra, Locke and Shadow now and I’m parked outside Thamasa on the way to go attempt to convince the Espers to make peace, because the Empire is totally after peace now. Lying liars. Oh, but I did get a scene with Setzer and Cid in the airship while Setzer is doing repairs, that I either haven't or have only seen rarely so that was neat!

--

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete


We made to Reza where we promptly had our dragon wings stolen so we had to chase after that thief then join to the Thieves Guild to make him give it back, which involved visiting Meryod and reaching the top of Damon’s Tower for knowledge. It also meant going through Meryod forest which is not a big place, but holy hell are there a lot of monsters and magic doesn’t work well against them, so that was annoying.

Still, ultimately, we joined the guild, were given a thieves crest that lets us open the locked chests we’ve been passing and we recovered our wings but then the thieve’s guild leader’s daughter was stolen away by the Vile Tribe. We need to go meet the poor father, but first it was off to get all those chests. So meeting him will be the next step. And we still need to go see the Red Dragon on our quest to become a dragon master.

--

Backlog: 159

Weekly Game Aug 18 – Aug 24

Lots of Lunar this week with a new game started as well. It’s also starting to get cooler thank goodness. Bring on fall please I’m ready.

--

New/Added Games:
Nothing

--

Started:
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Switch)

--

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)

Daily
Sunday: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Monday: Lunar Silver Star Story Complete
Tuesday: Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Wednesday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Thursday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Friday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Saturday: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete

--

Progress:

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door


It’s been years since I’ve played the original so it’s fun to revisit this in its new shiny glory. I love the added expressiveness to the NPCs and partners.

I’m on chapter 1 and made it to Petalburg. I did Shhwonk Fortress (and embarrassingly failed the quiz). I’m headed off to Hooktail Castle next.

Also Fuzzies seem way easier to guard against in this than PM64. I just could not do it in 64, but was consistently doing it in now in TTYD.

I do very much appreciate that TTYD gets into the battle mechanics quickly and doesn’t make you wait for action commands. I really like Paper Mario 64 but it sure has a slow start in comparison.

--

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete


We did lots this week. We’ve gotten (and lost) all the dragons. I’m sad for blue in particular. Such a fun chatty fellow. Unfortunately, that also meant suffering Lyton and its music… It’s a place where the music is an actual thing in-world and it got messed up so that was torturous enough, but even the fixed version isn’t…great.

We also met Myght and have an airship being prepared to get into the Frontier to go after Ghaleon and rescue Luna.

In the meantime, however we had to go get the black dragon. So, we went to Pao to meet up with Tempest and Fresca, only to find their settlement was getting ill from the Dark Songstress and we had Jessica and Mia fall to it as well. Why do games always take the healer when taking away characters! Anyway, we were too late to save the Black Dragon who’d already been taken by Ghaleon but some of his soul lingered and was able to give us the last piece of dragon armour and power. We found the Dark Songstress who turned out to be Luna under Ghaleon’s control. Alex went full dragonmaster and very briefly snapped her out of the control but it didn’t last, and we had to fight the dragon’s body. We won, but the dragon’s body persisted and Ghaleon took it and Luna to fly away to the Frontier.

With Alex a full dragonmaster we went around to all the towns for more NPC dialogue and a couple goodies. Now we’ll be heading back to Myght to get our airship and fly to the Frontier.

--

Backlog: 159

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...

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

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 :(

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.

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.

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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.

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

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.

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!

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New/Added Games:
Nothing

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Started:
Nothing

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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.

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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

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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.

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Backlog: 159

It was so cool playing The Messenger and Sea of Stars back-to-back a few weeks ago. I thought The Messenger was pretty good but not great (probably an unpopular opinion) but Sea of Stars was absolutely phenomenal. I love turn-based RPGs and this one exceeded pretty much all my expectations. Also, poor Garl :( I'm so glad he gets to come back for the True Ending.

Speaking of RPGs, I've seen you mention the Trails games a lot. I haven't played a lot of JRPGs but I definitely want to dive into the genre. Would you mind giving me a rundown of that series? What does it play like? How hard is it? How are the stories and characters? How much of a time commitment would it be to go through all of them? I saw a remake of the first game was announced recently so I thought it might be a good time to add the series to my backlog.